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 Turkey does not stand with or against any country on Syria and its policy in the region is different from that of Iran, Russia and the United States, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said. The comments by Bozdag were in response to a reporters question about an earlier remark from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Turkeys support of missile strikes against Syria showed it had separated from Russia. "Turkeys Syria policy isnt to stand with or against any country. There is no change to the policy Turkey has been carrying out," Reuters cited Bozdag as saying. "We do not have a united policy with the United States on the YPG issue, and Turkeys stance has not changed. We are also against the unconditional support for the (Syrian) regime and we are at odds with Iran and Russia on this," he added. In addition, Bozdag said Turkey did not hesitate to work together with any country who defended correct principles on Syria. Interparliamentary relations between Azerbaijan and Russia have gone from strength to strength, the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Ilyas Umakhanov said, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza about the prospects of cooperation between the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic. "Our relations have gone from strength to strength, including our coordination of work at international parliamentary sites, especially in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and a number of other formats," Ilyas Umakhanov said, stressing that yet the bilateral agenda is the most significant in the contacts of the legislative bodies of the two states. "We can rightly say that the Inter-Parliamentary Commission of the Federal Assembly and the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan is an example of active and productive cooperation, which focuses on the concerns of the citizens of our country and require legislative support from the parliaments of the two countries," the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly explained. "We have taken such a practice of the Azeri platform, when every new session begins with a summing up of what has been done in the previous period, as a basis. This year we plan to hold a meeting in Russia since the previous one was in Azerbaijan. We are moving forward, including in the framework of the anniversary events, which are coming in Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation in connection with the parliamentary dates, but also there are a number of other topics related to humanitarian cooperation, in particular, anniversary of Rasul Gamzatov," Ilyas Umakhanov said. "If we return to the subject of mutual support in the international markets, we coordinate our joint efforts and actions, especially since position of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan coincide on the absolute majority of international problems. It was also fixed during regular consultations and negotiations between our presidents," the senator concluded. The European Union could strengthen sanctions against Russia, Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said before the meeting of the EUs Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. Linkevicius noted that sanctions against Russia should be further extended for 12 months instead of six. However, the source in the EU said that the Council does not intend to impose new sanctions on Russia or discuss the issue of extending the existing ones, TASS reported. The missile strike on Syria delivered by the United States, France and the United Kingdom has only demonstrated the Wests silliness, Czech President Milos Zeman said. "It was a stupid thing. This is the mildest word I can say about that," he said in an interview with the Frekvince radio station. "The West has ruined the Middle East in an unimaginable way. Take Iraq, when it was alleged that it had weapons of mass destruction. These allegations proved to be false. We learnt no lesson from that operation that claimed numerous lives, including of American soldiers. After that, we made another silly thing called Libya: thanks to that intervention, that country has no government now and the Libyan territory is used as a transit route for illegal refuges to Europe," Zeman said. According to the Czech leader, Saturdays strike on Syria by the US, Great Britain and France has dramatically destabilized the situation in that country that had begun to show signs of improvement. "I would like to draw attention that refugees begin to return to Syria. It is a positive news. But the cowboy project impedes this return," he stressed. Zeman stressed that the strike had been delivered in violation of the recognized international norms. "My opinion is as this: a military attack on any country can only be conducted by a relevant mandate of the United Nations Security Council. The only exclusion can be a strike on Islamists, like it was in Afghanistan. This is not the case with Syria," the president added. Representatives of the Armenian opposition have blockaded several streets and intersections in Yerevan, continuing a protest action against the nomination of former President Serzh Sargsyan as candidate for prime minister of Armenia, the local media reported. "We have launched an action of civil disobedience," the opposition head of Armenia's Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) Yelk Faction, Nikol Pashinyan said, urging the citizens to blockade streets and thoroughfares, to cause disruption to subway services. "Those who dont want to have Sargsyan as prime minister must get together at Bagramyn Avenue - at the parliamentary building," Pashinyan added. According to him, "similar actions take place in Gyumri, where activists have blockaded several central streets". On April 15, Pashinyan had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway. At about 11.00 Yerevan time, the police has started to disperse the demonstrators. It is also reported that activists led by Pashinyan broke into the building of the Yerevan Medical College first, and then into the Yerevan Pedagogical University. "We call for a boycott of classes," Pashinyan said. Subsequently, the demonstrators chanted and went up the university floors. "You went in, saw that the door is open. Whoever wanted to join [you] has joined you. [Now] come out; well continue our work," a university representative told the protesters. The Armenian police issued a statement today, which said "all actions of the activists are illegal, they restrict the rights of the citizens to freedom of movement". Law enforcement officers prevent the protesters from getting close to the parliamentary building. However, they so far refrain from the use of force. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia on April 14 officially nominated the party chairman, former President Serzh Sargsyan, as its candidate for prime minister of the country. Armenia's new President Armen Sarkisyan, who used to serve as Armenias Ambassador to the United Kingdom was elected by the parliament on March 2. Under the constitutional reform, Armenia is switching over to a parliamentary system of government. Prior to the constitutional reform that followed the 2015 referendum, Armenian presidents were elected by direct and universal suffrage. When all constitutional amendments finally come into force, Armenia will complete its transition to a parliamentary form of government, with the prime minister exercising executive authority and the president performing mainly representative functions and being in charge of control over compliance with the constitution. Russia's aluminium producer Rusal tumbled as much as 21% this morning in Hong Kong after the US promised further sanctions against Moscow for supporting the Syrian government. The Trump administration vowed to impose more sanctions against Russia for supporting the Assad regimes alleged use of chemical weapons in the wake of US-led military strikes on Syria on April 14. Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska and his companies were targeted by US sanctions announced on April 6. The US Treasury said the sanctions against seven high-profile Russian businessmen, a dozen of their companies and 17 senior government officials were linked to Russias actions in Crimea, Syria and Ukraine. That announcement saw the companys shares drop 50.4% last Monday. Rusal shares had trimmed losses to to be 17.2% lower in Asia trading, bringing the companys total decline to 63.6 per cent since sanctions were announced, against a 1.2% fall for the benchmark Hang Seng index, the Financial Times reported. Russias State Duma will begin examining legislation in retaliation against new US sanctions at the first reading on May 15. The State Duma Council made this decision at its first special session, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Economic Policy and Industry Vladimir Gutenev said, TASS reported. The bill "On measures for influencing unfriendly actions by the US and (or) other foreign states" was submitted on April 13. It was developed "as a retaliatory measure against challenges mounted by the US and its officials in the form of unfriendly and unconstructive actions on the introduction of sanctions against Russia in general, its citizens and legal entities." In accordance with the draft law, the Russian government "is vested with the authority to introduce some measures, both economic and political ones, chiefly directed at the removal by the US of the so-called unfriendly acts." Among them are bans on deliveries of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, agricultural and industrial products, technological equipment and program software. Their imports to Russia from the US and countries that support Washingtons policy "for personal use" are the only exception. The initiative also contains restrictions for cooperation in the nuclear and rocket engine industries, as well as in the aircraft industry. "Blacklists" for Americans banning their entry to Russia will also be drawn. At least three soldiers were killed in action, another was injured following a terror attack by the PKK in southeastern Turkey's Srnak province. The attack reportedly took place near Kuyutepe base area, where the terrorists attacked security forces with rocket launchers and weapons. Security forces have launched an air-supported operation following the attack, Daily Sabah reported. Further anti-Russian sanctions the United States is looking at are meant to punish Russia for the mere fact of its being a global player, with no particular events cited as a reason, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. "I can really confirm that the sanctions are to be imposed on Russia without any link to any realities," Zakharova said in an interview with the Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov program on the Rossiya-1 television channel. "If earlier they used to say they punished us for Ukraine, now the wording has been changed dramatically: now they punish us for the mere fact of being on the global arena," she added. "This is exactly how they worded these sanctions: for Russias role in international affairs," the spokesperson stressed. HA NOI Panasonic Vietnam was awarded the 2018 Golden Dragon Award as the leading brand in Viet Nams consumer electronics industry on April 14. The award recognised Panasonic Vietnam for its contribution to the growth of the consumer electronics industry and the countrys socio-economic development. The 2018 Golden Dragon Award not only recognises our efforts to fulfill our commitment in the Vietnamese market for nearly 50 years, but also reaffirms that our unwavering business philosophy is the foundation for the corporations sustainable development, said General Director of Panasonic Vietnam Matsushita Kazuhiro. This award is also an encouragement and a great inspiration for us to continue the next 100 years of contributing to the prosperity and sustainable development of Viet Nam, as well as improving the quality of life for the Vietnamese people, added Kazuhiro. After nearly 50 years operating in Viet Nam, Panasonic has become a leading consumer electronics brand, with a total investment of US$243 million, reaching a sales turnover of $1 billion in 2017 while maintaining growth across all of its businesses. The group of Panasonic companies in Viet Nam recruited nearly 8,000 employees with seven affiliated companies, including five factories, having a full range of businesses from R&D to manufacturing, sales and distribution, and customer service. Panasonic is also well known for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. Established in 2010, Panasonic Risupia Vietnam, a free of charge communication and education space, has welcomed more than 500,000 students and visitors. Panasonic Vietnam also provides scholarships to support less affluent Vietnamese students and solar lanterns to remote communities that have no electricity, along with other environmental protection and educational activities. Hosted by the Vietnam Economic Times since 2001, the Golden Dragon Award is considered a prestigious recognition among the FDI community. The award aims to encourage and honor FDI enterprises that achieve outstanding business performance, providing environmentally-friendly solutions, technologies or services, while acting in accordance with tax obligations, ensuring labour benefits and remaining active in social contributions. VNS HA NOI Tra My cinnamon, a specialty of the central province of Quang Nam , has received a timely boost in the form of plans to promote investment to preserve and develop cinnamon trees. Cinnamon trees have long been associated with the spiritual life, economy and culture of Tra My ethnic groups. Since the 1980s and 1990s, cinnamon, especially Tra My cinnamon, has been a major money-maker. Cinnamon products have been widely consumed in both domestic and export markets, creating a major source of income for people in cinnamon-growing areas. Cinnamon trees have become the most important tree in the economic development of Quang Nam s Tra My District. Momentum in the cinnamon market Acccording to Nam Tra My district Peoples Committee vice chairman Tran Van Man, in order to preserve the tradition of growing cinnamon, the district has included the goal of developing cinnamon in its regular resolutions of tasks. The Peoples Council of Quang Nam Province also issued a resolution on the conservation and development of Tra My cinnamon. In October 2011, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam certified the unique quality of Tra My cinnamon. In Nam Tra My District, 10 of 10 communes plant cinnamon; therefore, the output and cinnamon area has increased continuously over the years. Currently, cinnamon-growing area is 2,864ha and cinnamon output in 2017 reached about 350 tonnes, an increase of 200 tonnes compared to 2011. In recent years, the cinnamon market received renewed attention in the province as demand across the country rises. The price of cinnamon products has gradually improved, so that cinnamon growers can live by planting this type of tree. However, the current limitation is that the marketing of cinnamon in Nam Tra My District is poor. Almost no purchasing and processing units have signed contracts with farmers; hence, farmers only sell raw products with unstable prices, Man told Viet Nam News. Phan Quoc Cuong, chairman of Tra Leng Commune Peoples Committee in Nam Tra My District, said cinnamon growers want to have stable buyers and new technology to upgrade the value of their products. In addition, there should be a more stable mechanism of co-operation between enterprises and people to collect and buy products from cinnamon, such as branches, leaves and wood, Cuong suggested. Tra My cinnamon can become a global brand Reggie Turner, an Australian businessman specialising in distributing and selling cinnamon products, said his customers in Australia and the United States are very satisfied with the quality of Tra My cinnamon compared with other cinnamon products such as Sri Lankan cinnamon. Tra My cinnamon can and should be recognised throughout the world as high quality cinnamon, which can yield high quality health care products, he said. However, that requires boosting cinnamon quality and investing in new cinnamon plants. But farmers cannot afford this cost, so a cooperative model is needed to bring together farmers, scientists, governments, producers, distributors and sellers. According to Turner, the demand for medical and herbal health products is increasing worldwide and the world is relying on Viet Nam to meet this demand. He believes that Viet Nam can build a global brand for Tra My cinnamon. This brand will add value to cinnamon products grown and produced in Viet Nam , as well as bring more revenue to farmers. Nguyen Xuan Son, director of Huong Que Production-Processing-Import Export Trading Company Limited, suggested that Tra My cinnamon growers must choose practices to grow, harvest and preserve cinnamon in accordance with international organic standards to meet the strict demands of the world market. In the future, he recommends piloting a cinnamon cultivating area in Tra Leng commune according to organic standards. This model could be scaled up to raise the value of Tra My cinnamon brand. At the same time, authorities should give advice and guidance for local people on exploitation and preservation after harvesting in order to preserve the quality of cinnamon to increase trade value as well as processing high value products, Son said. VNS HCM CITY Garment and textile firms should understand the needs of their workers and invest in enhancing human resource management to sustain a productive and quality workforce, a seminar heard in HCM City last Saturday. Pham Xuan Hong, chairman of the HCM City Association of Garment, Textile, Embroidery and Knitting, told the Develop high quality garment and textile workforce in the context of international business integration seminar that building a skilled and high-quality workforce has always been a major focus for the garment and textile industry. It is becoming an increasingly important factor since Viet Nam is acceding to many international trade agreements and has to compete with other countries. According to the 2017 Better Work report published by the International Labour Office and International Finance Corporation, Viet Nam is the fifth largest garment and textile supplier in the world and second largest to the US. Last year its exports were worth US$34 billion and they are expected to reach $35 billion this year. According to Dr Pham Xuan Thu, who has done a lot of research on the industry, though the exports are huge the value addition is growing at a very slow pace. To bolster competition and add more value to Vietnamese garment and textile products, the industry should improve the quality of its workforce, he said. Also according to the report, the garment sector is the largest formal employer in the country, providing jobs to more than 2.5 million people. Thu said most garment and textile workers are young, with about 80 per cent of them being under 30, physically fit for the job and very hard-working. Besides, the rate of workers with technical skills in the industry is 21.1 per cent, which is higher than the average rate of other manufacturing and processing industries, he said. But the industry also faces some challenges such as its productivity, which is lower than the average rate for the countrys industrial sector. With the two of them being VN56 million ($2,460) and VN104.3 million ($4,590) per person per year. Though the productivity of major garment firms is much higher than the average rate, Viet Nam has a huge number of small and household garment and textile businesses. Another challenge is the high employee turnover rate, he said. At major garment and textile companies like Nha Be, Viet Tien, and Phong Phu, it is 15-20 per cent. The number is much higher at small and FDI firms: 20-30 per cent and 30-40 per cent respectively. Thu said one of the reasons for this is that companies fail to meet the needs of their workers. The monthly salary of a garment worker is around VN4.3 million, which is just enough to cover 75-80 per cent of their basic needs. Though the salary has been raised over time there are still companies which fail to pay workers on time, leading to strikes and employees quitting. Another reason is that employees tend to switch to other companies to look for better opportunities after getting training and experience, he said. Besides, with the main workforce in the industry being young women emigrant workers, they are highly likely to quit their jobs to marry and return to their hometown after a period of time, he explained. To retain employees, companies should identify their needs and make sure they are met and at the same time invest more in HR management, he said. He said from his observation most managers and team leaders at garment and textile companies have a background in engineering but not in HR, and so companies should train them in HR management. They should also offer advanced training courses to workers who show commitment, he added. VNS HA NOI Viet Nams stock market is forecast to struggle due to uncertain market sentiment this week, as external factors increase volatility in the market. The VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange ended down 1.35 per cent on Friday to finish last week at 1,157.14 points. The benchmark index saw a week-total fall of 2.51 per cent, or 50 points, after five up-and-down sessions. Last week saw the hardest fall of the VN-Index since January as blue chips suffered investors profit-taking pressure. The minor HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange lost 1.69 per cent to close last week at 133.34 points, posting a 3.39 per cent decline for the trading week. The UPCOM Index on the Unlisted Public Company Market (UPCoM) lost 0.59 to close last Friday at 59.32 points, totaling a five-day decline of 2.17 per cent. An average of 296.3 million shares was traded in each of the past five sessions, worth VN8.7 trillion (US$381 million). The trading figures were down 2.6 per cent in volume and 21 per cent in value as compared to the previous week. Phan Dung Khanh, investment advisory director with Maybank Kim Eng Securities Co., told tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn that the over the last few days, the Vietnamese securities market was affected by external factors, including fears of a trade war between the US and China, political tension between the US and Russia, unexpected volatility in the global financial market and foreign investors acting as net sellers during four of the five sessions last week. However, there was also some supportive information in the market such as GDP growth of 7.38 per cent in the first quarter, the best first-quarter performance in a decade, he said. Listed companies Q1 earnings announcements, dividend payment plans and 2018 business plans will be announced and also become short-term supporting information for investors, greatly influencing the market performance. President Donald Trump has directed his top trade and economic advisers to take a fresh look at the TPP trade agreement from which he withdrew in his first week in office. According to Bao Viet Securities (BVSC), the move could mark the beginning of a stunning shift for Trump, who railed against the Trans-Pacific Partnership during the campaign. The influence of the TPP on Viet Nam considerably diminished after the US withdrawal. The return of the US would have a significant impact on the countrys economic growth, especially in sectors where the US is a major export market such as the textiles and leather-footwear industries, BVSC said in its report. According to Nguyen Hong Khanh, head of market analysis at Sacombank Securities Company (SBS), the banking and securities stocks have been the strongest gainers since the beginning of the year and many stocks have reached the yearly target prices projected in the corporate earnings forecasts. Many bank shares have risen more than 30 to 50 per cent over the beginning of the year, Khanh said, adding that organisations and individuals are in the process of taking profits. Among banking stocks, Vietcombank, the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam and Vietinbank have gained respectively 25 per cent, 65 per cent and 41 per cent since the beginning of this year. In general, I am still confident in these two sectors and the growth momentum of these two groups is still large, especially the group of banking stocks, Khanh told tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn. Meanwhile, Khanh said that investors need to be careful when investing in blue-chips during this period of time, adding that they should only invest in stocks with good fundamentals and solid expectations of large profits. In addition, he said investors can try offloading their stakes in large-cap stocks and shift focus to penny and mid-cap shares, which are currently drawing a large cash flow. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam has changed dramatically in the last three decades, thanks to its dynamic economic growth, and is close to being called an industrialised country. This is a promising start for further expansion of business relations between Germany and Viet Nam. The statement was made by Volker Wissing, Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate cum Minister of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viniculture of Rhineland-Palatinate, at a conference in Ha Noi on Monday. Despite being one of the 16 smallest States in Germany, Rhineland-Palatinate is a successful and forward-looking business region on the international stage. Besides its traditional strengths in chemical, pharmaceutical, automotive and mechanical engineering industries, the State is well-positioned in the environmental technology, agriculture and healthcare industrial sectors. Last year, Rhineland-Palatinates gross domestic product reached 144 billion euros (US$177.56 billion) and created some 20,000 jobs. The State has a clear orientation for export, with 55.9 per cent of economic output for the exporting sector. According to Joe Weingarten, head of Innovation and Technology Department under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Agriculture and Viniculture of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate, the State is currently targeting six key sectors: life sciences and health economy; energy and environmental technologies and resource efficiency; automotive and commercial vehicle industry; information and communication software systems; material and surfaces as well as microsystems, sensor technologies and automation. At present, there are some 300 German enterprises doing business in Viet Nam, of which 68 per cent said they were satisfied with the countrys business environment and 75 per cent hoped to further invest in Viet Nam in future. However, one of the main obstacles for German firms is seeking skilled workers in Viet Nam, said Marko Walde, chief representative of German Industry and Commerce Viet Nam. One of the advantages for Vietnamese firms doing business in Germany is the large community of Vietnamese people living there. Some Vietnamese companies, such as FPT Telecom Joint Stock Company and Viet Nam Bank for Industry and Trade, are running successful businesses in Germany. It is hoped that when the European Union-Viet Nam free trade agreement comes into effect, Viet Nam will have a better advantageous position than neighbouring countries such as Thailand, Malaysia or the Philippines, Walde said. Germany makes it easy for foreign companies to open branches or do business. The legal conditions are minimum. The only thing a firm needs is capital---a minimum of 25,000 euros to open a limited liability company in Germany, Unal Kaykci, director of legal and consultancy firm Kaymakci & Koil.s, told Viet Nam News. Regarding difficulties faced by Vietnamese firms in cooperating with German enterprises for importing German products, Vu Bich Ngoc, chairman of Dung Giang Construction and Trading Company Limited, told Viet Nam News that the legal procedures in tax, import and transportation were the main obstacles for domestic firms in importing and distributing products from foreign countries. VNS HCM CITY More than 40 travel firms in HCM City sold 9,000 tour packages worth a total of VN83 billion (US$US$3.64 million) during a four-day travel fair in HCM City that wrapped up on Sunday. The HCM City Travel Fair attracted 320,000 visitors. Travel firms and airlines as well as hotels and resorts in 37 cities and provinces offered discounts of 15-50 per cent, as well as 10,000 gifts to buyers. Revenue surged by 38 per cent compared to last years figure, according to the citys Department of Tourism. Nguyen Thi Nha Quyen, 36, from Binh Thanh District, bought a five-day tour package to Taiwan worth VN 8.3 million ($365) a person. The tour was discounted at VN600,000 a person so I bought it for seven people in my family. We will travel together next month, she said. At the fair, the citys Department of Tourism and the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group launched a tourism app featuring information searches and travel guides as well as an introduction to the citys tourist attractions. The app, called Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City, can be downloaded and installed on Android and IOS devices, said La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the citys Department of Tourism. After a six month pilot run, the app will be adjusted and introduced to domestic and international tourists, Khanh said. VNS HCM CITY Steel maker Hoa Sen Group said on Monday that it would unveil a new product this month: hot dip galvanised steel pipes. The new product will be produced at its Phu My Industrial Zone plant, which has a modern production line imported from Italy. The line has a capacity of 85,000 tonnes per year, and the new product is appropriate for coastal areas, which are hot and humid, the company said. The total output would be consumed domestically, it said. Hot dip galvanised steel pipes are highly corrosion resistant and their uses include in firefighting systems, gas pipes, and others. In the 2016-17 fiscal year it sold nearly 1.56 million tonnes of steel, an increase of 25 per cent from the previous year, Hoa Sen reported. Net revenues for the year were over VN26 trillion (US$1.1 billion), a 46 per cent increase. Despite the high prices of raw materials, HSG posted a profit of VN1.33 trillion ($57 million), or 81 per cent of the target. This year it targets sales of 1.8 million tonnes and net profit of VN1.35 trillion ($59 million) on revenues of VN30 trillion ($1.3 billion). Hoa Sen is an industry leader and has over 370 outlets across the nation. It exports its products to over 75 countries. --VNS HA NOI Vietnamese shares ended Monday on a negative note as investor confidence remained weak on global geo-political risks and incoming new regulations on margin lending rate. The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange dropped 0.75 per cent to close at 1,148.49 points. It lost total 3.5 per cent last week. The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange finished at 133.31 points, nearly unchanged from last weeks end of 133.34 points. It fell total 3.4 per cent last week. More than 246.3 million shares were traded on the two local exchanges, worth VN8.8 trillion (US$390.4 million). The market trading condition was negative with 196 gaining stocks against 241 decliners while 124 other stocks were flat. Banks, insurance-finance companies, rubber producers, food and beverage firms, and building material providers were among the worst-performing sectors on the stock market. According to securities companies, weak market sentiment following the latest bomb strike in Syria was the major cause for the fall of the stock market on Monday. As investors were worried about rising tension in the Middle East, the VN Index lost as much as 1.32 per cent early Monday but somehow recovered on strong bottom-fishing. It was a fortunate the US and its coalition partners attacked Syria on Saturday so that we avoided a blood bath that could have happened if it (the airstrike) took place during a trading day, Viet Dragon Securities (VDSC) said in its daily report. Another factor was rumours of margin lending rate, which negatively impacted investors sentiment and caused the market to fall deeply and strong selling made the indices decrease, BIDV Securities Corp (BSC) said in a note. The local market is concerned about a new regulation of the State Securities Commission, which was drafted in January, requiring the initial margin ratio contracted by securities companies for margin lending to be at least 60 per cent from the current rate of 50 per cent. Margin lending is the amount of funding that an investor must personally put up from his own resources. Initial margin ratio is the portion of the purchase price that an investor has to deposit at brokers when borrowing money to purchase securities. That also means margin lending contraction, referred to the practice of using borrowed funds from a broker to trade a financial asset, which forms the collateral for the loan from the broker, would be at maximum rate of 40 per cent. The proposed regulation has raised public concerns that the cash-flow into the stock market will be squeezed, thereby reducing investors borrowing demand due to their weaker ability to deposit at brokerages. A tightened margin lending policy means investors would have to offload parts of assets to balance their investment portfolios, leading to strong selling pressure on the market. In this stage, cautious investor sentiment would continue to dominate the market trading with highly risky foreign macro-economic news, BSC said. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam Television has launched a short filmmaking contest,My Dream, for Vietnamese youth aged 15-30. The contest, meant for young people passionate about filmmaking, will provide an opportunity to the youth to express their creativity. The contest includes all genres of film, ranging from musical and comedy to horror and animation. The duration is 15 minutes. There are two eligibility criteria: the film should not have been produced earlier than 2017, and it should not have been aired on Viet Nam Television. The winner, decided by judges, will receive a cash prize of VN50 million (US$2,100). The best film, voted by the audience, will win a cash prize of VN20 million ($870). The panel of judges includes three prestigious directors o Thanh Hai and Khai Anh, well-known for television films, and Vu Ngoc ang, famous for theatrical films. Other judges include actors Hoang Dung, Ly Thai Dung, Viet Anh and Hua Vi Van, actress Nha Phuong and journalist Diem Quynh. The contest is open until July 14. VNS AN GIANG Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has commended An Giang for setting a clear development strategy, noting that the Mekong Delta province has strong growth potential and capable local officials. The Party leader held a working session with An Giangs key officials on Sunday as part of his two-day trip to the province to inspect the implementation of socio-economic and defence-security tasks as well as performance in building the Party and political system. Stressing that An Giang has a strategic position in the Mekong Delta, Trong acknowledged that the province has made important achievements in the recent time, evident through improved infrastructure, better living conditions for residents and lower poverty rate. He also noted that the local leadership has constantly been strengthened, helping the province implement the Party Central Committees resolutions and accelerate administrative reform. He expressed hope for the provinces stronger development in its chosen direction of developing high-quality and high-value agriculture, a field where the province boasts many untapped advantages. The Party General Secretary shared his concern that the tasks ahead are difficult, while there are many shortcomings in existing policies and mechanisms. Sourcing capital is also a challenge. He noted that not only An Giang but also many other localities face these problems. Therefore, An Giang should develop more creative ideas and effective measures to carry out the Partys policies, he said. In order to do that, the province needs a contingent of capable officials, Party members and civil workers, and a strong Party organisation and political system, he said. He welcomed the provinces five proposals on transport connectivity; erosion prevention; response to climate change and rising sea level; policies to develop land to attract investment; and support for border localities. The Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Vo Thi Anh Xuan reported to the Party leader that the poverty rate in the province has dropped to 5.24 per cent. The province has adopted a project on creating a land fund for hi-tech agriculture, which helped attract many investors. In 2016 and 2017, An Giang attracted 45 investment projects in this sector with total capital of over VN7.2 trillion (US$316.8 million), up 30 projects and VN6 trillion compared to the figures in 2015. Also during the trip, Trong toured My Phu Commune in Chau Phu District and visited the construction site of Cao Lanh Bridge across Tien River , one of the two tributaries of Mekong River . He also presented gifts to Vietnamese Heroic Mother Le Thi Tai in Long Xuyen City . Inspects ong Thap Earlier on Saturday, Trong visited the Mekong Delta province of ong Thap to inspect its socio-economic performance and Party and political system building. During a working session with the provincial authorities, the Party leader praised the province for outstanding achievements in various fields, with a number of effective models and new practical initiatives. He noted that economic development is a core task and Party building is a crucial task while national defence-security is a regular task. Currently, average income per capita in ong Thap reaches over VN36 million, lower than the countrys average of more than VN50 million, indicating that the province has ample room for improvement, he said. The leader called for attention to strengthening ties with Cambodia and neighbouring a localities to facilitate people-to-people exchange and improve residential management. He attached importance to Party building and rectification as well as fighting corruption, negative phenomena and wastefulness. The Party chief suggested devising specific goals and breakthrough measures between now and 2020. The provincial authorities proposed State funding for transport infrastructure, including Cao Lanh My An and An Huu Cao Lanh sections of national highways. They also asked for refinement of regulations on extending the land quota and switching to an agricultural economy based on goods and products instead of services. ong Thap is one of the three localities chosen to pilot agricultural restructuring. After three years, local farmers and firms have gradually scaled up their activities from individual, subsistence-based production to larger-scale harvesting and distribution, towards building a farm produce chain that meets market demand. A number of high-tech farming models have been launched. The province now ranks first nationwide in terms of tra fish output and third in rice production. It has become a key hub of fruits in the region, with many being exported to markets such as the US , Japan , the UK and Australia . Community and agricultural tourism have also contributed to increasing farmers incomes. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar State Counsellor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of the Presidents Office, will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from April 19-20 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Photo Getty Images HA NOI Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar State Counsellor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of the Presidents Office, will pay an official visit to Viet Nam from April 19-20 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Myanmar was one of the first Southeast Asian countries to set up diplomatic relations with Viet Nam in 1975 and supported Viet Nam during the struggle for national independence and reunification. The two countries elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive cooperative partnership during a State visit to Myanmar by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in August 2017. HA NOI High schools in Ha Noi are expected to enroll 85,800 students in the 10th grade this school year, an increase of 19,500 students compared to the previous year. According to Pham Van ai, deputy director of the citys Education and Training Department, some 62 per cent of the enrolled students will study in public high schools, while others will attend private schools, vocational schools and other educational facilities, which are often considered unofficial and low-quality by Vietnamese parents. The number of class 10 students in this years academic session has seen a sharp increase as they were born in 2003---the year of the Golden Goat according to Chinese zodiac and considered a lucky year to have children. ai said there are 40-45 students in a class on an average, so the education department has planned to add 327 classes this school year. The department has asked schools to make use of all available classrooms and facilities to ensure a proper teaching-learning environment despite an increased number of students, he said. Meanwhile, students and parents in Ha Noi are worried about the high school entrance exam because of the surge in the number of competitors this year. The pressure is immense as 100,000 students are expected to take the exam, up by 24,000 last year. Public high schools in Ha Noi, however, can only accommodate some 60 per cent of them. The annual high school entrance exam in Viet Nam consists of one standardised mathematics and one literature test. Each student can apply to two public high schools. They can choose either of them---one requiring a high passing score and the other requiring a much lower passing score. Apart from the 108 public high schools, Ha Noi has a few other specialised magnet schools that plan their own exams. VNS HA NOI A number of drivers who used to work with the ride-hailing company Uber say they are uncertain about their futures after the company closed here last week. UberMOTO driver Tien Sy had only worked for the company for a month in Ha Noi, but says he feels his whole life has fallen apart now they have closed. I had a stable source of customers with Uber and was able to make ends meet. I am so disappointed that the company is now closed in Viet Nam, he said. Uber officially closed in Viet Nam on April 8, two weeks after it announced its withdrawal from the market in exchange for a 27.5 per cent stake in its Singapore-based rival, Grab. The two weeks notice Uber gave its drivers and employees seems not enough to prepare them for the sudden change. UberMOTO driver Nguyen Thi Kim Cuong in HCM City said she was not ready to switch to other ride-hailing services. People told me there were other similar companies out there, but since my husband and I had both driven for Uber for more than a year, we felt so connected to the company, she told Zing online newspaper. At the moment we dont know what we will do next, she said. Not only the drivers, but the former Uber employees in Viet Nam are also living in uncertainty. Although they were all promised jobs at Grab, many see that company as the enemy. How can we not see the irony, now that we have to try to love the values, the people and the colour that we once disliked? Its hard just to think about it, Duyen Pham, a former Ubers City Operators official in HCM City, wrote on her social media profile. We have been fighting for so long, so much prejudice has been formed, she wrote, referring to the relationship between Uber and Grab. For many of us, it is better to be unemployed than to work for them. Uber leaving Viet Nam without instructing its drivers and employees how to transfer to Grab has posed the question of corporate responsibility to labourers. Vo an Mach, a member of the HCM City Bar Association, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the sharing economy, has brought about disadvantages to labourers since no written labour contracts ever existed between Uber and its drivers. (A sharing economy is an economy which focuses on the sharing of underutilised assets via a community-based online platform). Nguyen Tuan Anh, CEO of Grab in Viet Nam, said ride-hailing services like Grab and Uber cannot provide benefits like social insurance, health insurance or training to its drivers like traditional business because drivers are not their employees. The relationship between Uber, Grab and their drivers is partnership, he told Tuoi Tre. Uber representatives could not be reached for comment. Since Ubers office closed in Viet Nam on March 27, Grab helped Uber drivers make the switch to their company. On April 7, a few hours before the Uber application stop working in Viet Nam, Grab sent a thank-you email to all of its customers, pre-existing drivers, and new drivers who transferred from Uber. To make sure that we reached as many Uber drivers as possible, several Grab employees and driver-partners had gone out to find them, gave them information and invited them to Grabs support centres before the Uber application ceased to work on April 8, 2018, it reads. Having more drivers joining Grab does not mean there will be fewer customers, because now we have a lot more customers who switched from Uber, the section of the email addressing the new drivers reads. You can increase your income because there will be more rides, and the distribution of the rides will be faster and more effective, now that we are on the same platform. VNS HA NOI Vietnamese National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology in Ha Noi and Operation Smile Viet Nam started the month with charity surgery for children born with cleft lip and cleft palate on Monday. Some 80 children nationwide will be operated this month. The children will be provided with free treatment, including surgery, testing, X-ray and post-operation care, until they are discharged from the hospital. They will also be given financial support. The hospital and Operation Smile Viet Nam plan to organise eight operation programmes of charity surgery this year. Of these, four programmes will take place at the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, while the remaining will take place in ak Lak, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen and Nghe An provinces. The project is expected to provide charity surgery to more than 600 children nationwide this year. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam Red Cross (VNRC) and Viet Nam Womens Union will work together in social and humanitarian activities from 2018 to 2022 under the framework of a joint agreement. The deal was signed in Ha Noi today. The collaboration aims to strengthen awareness and responsibility as well as collaboration activities of the two sides in the areas of charity, healthcare for the poor and organisational development. Under the programme, activities will be focused on implementing five major contents, including education and communication to strengthen awareness of members and volunteers on the Partys humanitarian and social welfare policies, international laws on humanity and gender equity and mobilisation sources for building humanitarian constructions and social welfare projects. The two sides will also work together in organising public healthcare initiatives, inspection and supervision programmes on social welfare policies and implementation of a joint programme called Companion with frontier women during 2018-2022. Under the framework of the joint programme, VNRC, in collaboration with Viet Nam Womens Union and National Humanitarian Portal 1409, has launched an SMS campaign for mobilising funding for poor women living in border areas of the country. The programme also aims to raise the communitys awareness on border issues and the countrys border sovereignty. People can support the campaign by texting BC to 1409 until May 26, 2018. Each text message will contribute VN20,000 ($0.85) to the livelihood fund for poor women in border areas. The programmes goodwill ambassador, actress Nha Phuong, has called on enterprises, individuals and benefactors to support poor women in the border communes in overcoming difficulties, escaping from poverty and developing household economy. On April 17, the programmes organisation board will donate the money from the livelihood fund to the first five poor women (VN10 million, or US$445 each) and provide free health check-up, medicines and gifts to 200 poor women in Phong Nam Commune, Trung Khanh District in northern Cao Bang Province. VNS SYDNEY Hundreds of firefighters were Monday battling a large bushfire that was raging near Sydney suburbs, with authorities saying it was "miraculous" no houses had been damaged and no-one had been injured. New South Wales state police are investigating the cause of the bushfire in south-western Sydney, which started on Saturday afternoon amid unseasonably warm autumn weather and strong winds, with suspicions it was deliberately lit. The blaze has burnt through more than 2,430ha so far, with some locals evacuated from their homes. Despite the fires size and its proximity to several suburbs, with some locals evacuated from their homes, no properties were known to be lost, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service said. "It is absolutely miraculous that we have not lost any lives and virtually no property and this is because of the hard work and dedication and heroism of our fire services," the states acting Emergency Services Minister Mark Speakman told reporters Monday. NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the only damage reports were offences and a childrens playhouse caught in the fires advance. Conditions had improved Monday as winds eased, with firefighters working to slow the spread of the flames. They also conducted controlled burns overnight to clear land that could be combustible. Fitzsimmons said it would be "sickening and reprehensible" if the fire was discovered to have been arson. He added that a variety of conditions, including a dry summer, contributed to the magnitude of the blaze. "When you add on to that the unseasonably hot couple of weeks we came into autumn and into the month of April, we were talking about temperatures well and truly in the 30s, which were unprecedented," Fitzsimmons said. AFP Calloway County suspect who fled from deputies has been found by Max Sirak (Audio version for your earballs!) TV gets a bum rap. Like any tool or technology it's neutral. Television is neither good nor bad, healthy nor un-. We, the users of such tools and technologies are the lucky pronouncers of such designations and definitions, based upon their use. Binge-watching, albeit easy, certainly isn't evil. Excessive? Sure. Bad for the retention and recall? Probably. All I can say for certain is, after watching 12 seasons of the CW's Supernatural over the span of a couple months, the details of all the Winchester's exploits are a bit foggy. My guess is the fuzziness has to do with the way memory functions. Sleep plays a big part in the consolidation memory. So, the more episodes you watch in a row between sleeps, the blurrier the particulars become. Anyway back to the point. TV is what you make it. And, while it certainly seem like the air waves have never been fuller of monster-hunting melodrama, ridiculous "reality", negative news, and polarity politics, there are beacons of lucid light. TruTv To the Rescue Adam Ruins Everything is my everything. Now, just wrapping up its second season, the College-Humor-web-feature-turned-network-program is a breath of cool, crisp scientific air. The comedian/host, Adam Conover, spends his 22 minutes of airtime dispelling popular misconceptions about all sorts of things and cites his sources. Here are some things I learned last week binge-watching the first 15 episodes of season two. S2:E1 Babies And Stuff Most of what we think we know about women's biological clocks comes from a rural French census survey in the 1600s. Crazy, right? What with the advances of modern medicine in the last 400 years. The average fertility rate of a healthy 27-year-old woman is 88%. A healthy 37-year-old woman's is 82%. That's a six point drop. However, fertility rates do indeed decline more quickly after 40. The egg freezing industry preys on fear, is expensive ($20K), and is anything but a safe bet (only 2-12% of eggs become babies). Talking to a therapist is one of the best cures for postpartum depression. The whole idea of falling immediately in love with your newborn is a modern narrative. Back in the day, on account of the much higher infant mortality rates, parents were cautioned to "not get too attached too soon." S2:E2 Sugar The OG White Powdered Drug Sugar is more addictive than cocaine. It, not fat, is the cause of the steep rise in the rates of obesity and heart disease. Excess sugars the liver can't process are converted into fat the body stores. The reason we think fat is the enemy is because of Ancel Keys, a celebrity scientist from the 1950s. Big Sugar funded his research. In addition to cherrypicking his data to make his benefactors happy, he also used ad-hominem to discredit his rival, John Yudkin, who was, in fact, right. Fat wasn't the enemy. Sugar was. The worst part during the "low-fat" craze the 1980s, when fats were taken out of foods it was sugar that took its place. S2:E3 US Healthcare Healthcare in the US is the most expensive per person, not the best. Part of the reason are Chargemaster documents. These came about around the same time as health insurance companies and they're the inflated price list each hospital uses. 770% markup for a neck brace? No problem. 13,700% for an IV bag? Seems reasonable. The Healthcare lobby spends more than the Oil and Defense lobbies combined to keep it this way. Until the early 1900s getting any infection was practically a death sentence. The over-prescription of antibiotics could foreseeably lead to the end of all surgery. S2:E4 Dating No dating site's algorithm has been peer reviewed or scientifically verified. Their matches are no better than random chance. The idea of an "alpha male" is bunk. The scientist, L.D. Mech, who popularized the concept, said so himself. Bonobos, not chimps, are our closest genetic relatives and they live in a matriarchal society where attentiveness and kindness ensure male survival more than aggression. S2:E5 Fine Art Leonardo Da Vinci wasn't considered a "master" until 1911. The heist of the Mona Lisa coupled with the Mere Exposure Effect helped changed his reputation. "Originality" is overrated. Michelangelo got his start counterfeiting, selling his forgeries to the Church. Van Gogh copied Millet; Manet, who copied Titian, inspired Monet. Shakespeare adapted Romeo and Juliet from an epic poem called Romeus and Juliet. Mozart sampled an Austrian opera in The Magic Flute. S2:E6 Lies We Learned In Elementary School Christopher Columbus was an idiot who was bad at math and thought the Earth was pear-shaped. No one cared about him until Washington Irving wrote a fluff piece to appeal to Italian American immigrants. The only reason we think King Tut was historically relevant is because his tomb was found intact. Which means, he wasn't even important enough to graverob. There're no "rules" of grammar. Only popular preference. "Ain't" used to be an upperclass word until the 1800s and "literally" has been used to mean "figuratively" for hundreds of years. S2:E7 College The story of the dropout billionaire is a tempting one to believe. Who doesn't like the idea of foregoing expensive schooling to earn a fortune? But, statistically speaking, you're four times more likely to be killed at the Grand Canyon than you are to quit school and make boatloads of money. The dropout billionaire narrative is a great example of Survivor Bias. We only hear the stories about the exceptional few (Gates, Zuckerburg, etc.) not the overwhelming majority (who dropped out and fail). You're 71% more likely to be unemployed without a university degree. S2:E8 Corrections This one is all about correcting the information the show got wrong in previous episodes. Talk about scientific dedication IQ tests were originally designed in 1904, France as kindergarten entrance exams. They also happen to be very biased, used to defend racisms, and in no way measure all the components of "intelligence." US Air Marshals don't stop terrorism. They cost the tax payers about $200,000,000 per arrest, most of which are for drunk and disorderly passengers. Facts don't change people's minds because of Identity Protective Cognition. (Fun aside in this episode they also cover the Backfire Effect which itself hasn't been able to be replicated by scientists since the initial finding. More here.) S2:E9 Vacation Destinations The United States illegally annexed the sovereign nation of Hawaii and then systematically used racist policies to disenfranchise the natives. Mt. Rushmore stands in violation of a treaty the government made with the Sioux nation, which it broke because gold was discovered on the land. The only reason Teddy Roosevelt is featured on Mt. Rushmore is because the sculptor who made it was a fanboy. Slot machines aren't gambling. They're engineered addiction devices responsible for 85% of casino earnings designed to prey on human cognitive glitches in order to create gambling addicts. S2:E10 The Suburbs The fixation of having a green lawn is ludicrous. Each day, 9 billion gallons of water and countless herbicides and pesticides are used in attempts to keep foreign plant species (most the grasses in States were imported from Asia and Africa) alive. Suburban development policies originated in racism and have served to promote institutional poverty. Schools in the United States have never been more segregated than they are today. S2:E11 The Economy The DOW, GDP, and unemployment rate are all very specific metrics that in no way accurately measure the health of an entire economy. The tax preparation industry is massive. It actively spends millions of dollars each year to lobby against legislation to simplify the way taxes are done. Taxes, in the US, are a backward transaction. Can you think of any other bill you, the consumer, prepares then pays? In all other customer exchanges the people you owe money to tell you how much you owe, you don't have to do all the math. They do. S2:E12 Conspiracy Theories Given the cinematographic technology of the 1960s, it was cheaper to physically send people to the moon than it would have been to develop all the lights necessary to fake the moon landing. Due to an array of cognitive biases, some of which are contradictory, we're all disposed to believing conspiracy theories. S2:E13 Wellness "Toxins" aren't sweat out. Or even real. No "toxin" has ever been found in a lab, but many things can be "toxic" in high dosage. MSG is safe. It was developed by a scientist in 1908 to isolate the umami flavor. Lab tests have never been able to link MSG to any of the symptoms it's said to cause. The reason people don't like it has more to do with xenophobia than health. People think MSG affects them because they believe it does. Speaking of which Placebos are real, powerful, confusing, and not "bad." S2:E14 Halloween The "mass hysteria" caused by Orson Wells reading War of the Worlds over the radio probably never happened. The story itself was the clickbait of the times, published by the print industry to discredit its new competition (radio) by showing how dangerous it was. The story of a kid finding a razor blade in his or her candy is an urban legend. The only child that ever died from eating Halloween candy was poisoned by his father for insurance money. Strangers aren't dangerous and they don't likely mean you harm. You're 99% more likely to be adducted by someone you know than someone you don't. S2:E15 Science Lab tests on rodents in order to find solutions for humans problems are largely useless. The "mouse model" fails 80% of the time. The rigor of our science is deteriorating. Reproducibility and deliberate careful progress, two foundational pillars of science, have been replaced by excitement and hype. Cuts in funding and shifts in who's footing the bill mean there are fewer jobs and increased pressure to produce headlines and buzz, not comb through colleagues findings. The 3quarksdaily family is good people and I'm proud to be a part of it. One of the featured experts on this episode was Dr. Azra Raza. A badass oncologist curing cancer who's also an editor at 3qd. No big deal. I spent a lot of hours using a tool last week. My tool of choice was TV. And, because of how I used it, I learned a lot. Hmmmnow I wonder what Sam and Dean are up to *** Max helps other people write their books and talks to his friends *** Sources http://www.trutv.com/shows/adam-ruins-everything/blog/adams-sources/index.html (Having a Baby to Science) *** Photo Credits 2) By Leonardo da Vinci Web Gallery of Art: Image Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15497207 3) By Astronaut David R. Scott, Apollo 15 commander. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a15/as15-88-11866HR.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=189395 by Carol A Westbrook "What are you? You're Polish, aren't you?" I asked a friend, whose blonde hair, blue eyes and broad face gave her away. Only in Chicago would this question not be taken as an insult, but as an invitation to discuss one's ethnicity. Most everywhere else, " What are you?" would be met with a puzzled expression, and answered, "I'm an American." Being "ethnic" has a specific meaning in Chicago. It refers to Americans descended from a limited group of nationalities who immigrated to the US during the late 19th to early 20th century. Their cheap labor was needed to work the mines, steel mills, and factories during the period of rapid industrial growth. They were white Europeans, mostly Catholics, primarily from Eastern Europe, the Balkans or the Mediterranean. There are only a few other similarly ethnic cities that were settled at the same time, primarily in the rust belt around the Great Lakes, or in the mines of Pennsylvania. Chicago ethnics have stronger bonds with each other than with their home country. Most of us will never visit that home country, and know only a few words of the language. What we have kept, though, is a sense of tradition, including some of the unique customs, foods, and religious holidaysand our unpronounceable names. That ethnic name is the best way to get elected to office in Chicago. Some aspiring political candidates were known to change their names, or add an "i" to their surnames to make them Polish! Or take the example of Rod Blagojevich, a shady politician whose Serbian name helped him get elected to local Chicago office, and eventually to governor of Illinois. He is now in prison for corruption, but would be probably be re-elected if he ran today. Chicago is noted for its small storefront ethnic restaurants, where the tradition continues with newer immigrants from South America and Asia. And it celebrates its diverse ethnic identify with many festivals, parades, monuments, giving ethnic names to streets and public parks. As a child I played in Kosciusko Park, near Pulaski Avenue. The Chicago River is dyed green for St. Patrick's Day, as shown above. The world-renowned Museum of Science and Industry has a yearly display of Christmas trees from around the world, on the left. Christmas is a favorite holiday, but spring is the best time to celebrate your (and everyone else's) heritage because of its many religious holiday with their ethnic traditions. There is Paczki day (pronounced "poonch key") on Shrove Tuesday, when you enjoy these jam-filled Polish pastries before starting your Lenten fast. This is followed by St. Patrick's Day (Irish), when the Chicago River is dyed green and, and the day is spent drinking. There's St. Joseph's Day (Italian), Passover (Jewish), Easter (Polish, Lithuanian, Slovak, Irish, Italian, etc.), Orthodox Easter (Ukrainian, Greek), Polish Constitution Day, Cinco de Mayo. And the food! Bring on the potato pancakes, pierogi, cabbage rolls and Polish sausage; bring out the homemade ravioli, and the corned beef and cabbage, serve up some bratwurst and beer and borscht. Bring on the memories of childhood and grandmothers. Delightful? Yes. But there is a downside to this strong sense of ethnic community, as it promoted segregation by nationality and racial group, to the exclusion of others. It helps to explain why Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in the country. The Catholic Church was a major factor in maintaining this sense of separate ethnic community. In the early 1900's the Church established national parishes in areas that were heavily settled by Catholic immigrants, so they could have services conducted in their native language, with priests from their home country, and schools staffed by ethnic nuns, many exported from abroad. In 1915, there were over 200 designated national parishes in the city for 16 different groups, including 89 Irish, 33 Polish, 30 German, 10 each Italian and Lithuanian; the rest included other groups. There was even one Black parish. The churches are architectural masterpieces in the old European tradition, and many were built by contributions and labor donated by poor parishioners. A devout Catholic could join their national parish anywhere in the city, though most immigrants chose to settle nearby. The working-class areas of the city had hundreds of churches, often spaced within just a few blocks of each other. This led to strong ethnic communities. Many neighborhoods disappeared after desegregation in the 60's, but Chicagoans can still tell you where they were located, and which parishes anchored them. Still, these parishes still exist, and a few maintain their ethnic identity, with a strong congregation who may travel miles from the suburbs for services and parish functions. Shown below is the interior of St. Hyacinth's church, my local Polish parish, not much different than it looks today. When I was a child in '50's Chicago, I lived in a working-class neighborhood where Polish was spoken in the stores and on street corners, where the churches were ethnic, and schools were Catholic. There were half a dozen different national churches and ethnic neighborhoods nearby. We tended to marry people of similar national origin, and avoided playing with children who didn't go to parochial schools we were Catholics and they were "Publics." Homeowners would sell through local realtors, who would steer prospective buyers intoor out ofthe right house in the correct parish with the correct national origin. Many deeds contained legal covenants that specifically forbid sale to a nonwhite. Others areas restricted racial access by tradition, or conducting sales privately. Our America was full of diversity, but that diversity was white, European, and Christian. These real estate practices were outlawed by the Civil Rights Act of 1968, but desegregation continued to be strongly opposed in Chicago neighborhoods. White flight began as ethnic residents sold their homes at a loss to move out to the suburbs, and ethnic neighborhoods dwindled. 1966, Marquette Park was 99.9% white and middle-class, mostly Germans, Poles, Irish and Lithuanians; today it is now primarily Black and Hispanic, and one of the poorest areas of the City. When Martin Luther King marched for civil rights in Marquette Park in 1966, he was met with so much violence that he was prompted to say, "I think people from Mississippi ought to come to Chicago to learn how to hate." I am proud of my ethnic heritage, but I am ashamed of its consequences. Many Chicagoans still live in a world of white, European and Christian Americans, and prefer to keep it that way. Ironically, it wasn't that long ago that our forbears were on the outside, hated and excluded because they were different from other Americans at the time. Our grandparents may have had dark Mediterranean skin, or ate smelly or strange food, did not speak English, and they even had church services in Latin! Yet they survived and thrived. They went through so much to get here, fleeing wars, poverty, starvation, military conscription, harsh regimes, and religious persecution in order to give their family a better life. Their experience is remarkably similar to today's immigrants seeking asylum in the US. I am saddened that we don't welcome them. "I'm not Polish, " my friend answered. " I'm Slovak. I grew up in St. Simon the Apostle Parish, the Slovak Church, near Marquette Park. Ever hear of it?" Quarterly Report March 2018 Perth, April 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackham Resources Limited ( ASX:BLK ) ( OTCMKTS:BKHRF ) ("Blackham" or "the Company") is pleased to present an operational update for the March 2018 quarter at its 6.5Moz Matilda-Wiluna Gold Operation ("the Operation"). The March quarter's production increased 38% from the previous quarter with new monthly record gold production achieved in each successive month of the quarter.The Board of Blackham Resources Ltd (Blackham or the Company) provides the following update on its activities for the quarter ended 31 March 2018 and thereafter:HighlightsMatilda-Wiluna Gold Operation- Quarterly gold production of 20,631oz - an increase of 38% compared to the Dec'17 quarter (14,922oz)o Record gold production achieved in each successive month of the quartero 477kt milled for the quarter (Dec'17 Qtr: 443kt) with consistent improvements to throughput achievedo Mill feed grade improved to 1.5g/t (Dec'17 Qtr: 1.1g/t)- High-grade stockpiles are currently 162kt @ 1.7g/t Au, equating to approximately 1 month's mill feed- All-In sustaining costs ("AISC") for the quarter reduced to A$1,092/oz (or US$858/oz) (Dec'17 Qtr: A$1,882/oz), representing a 42% decrease on last quartero includes $186/oz sustaining capital investment, most of which relates to a tailings dam lift- Average realised gold price of A$1,669/oz for the quarterCorporate- Current gold forward sales contracts - 29,417oz @ A$1,725/oz over the next 9 monthso Refinancing of $14.3 million term loan repayment- Very strong shareholder support for Entitlement Offer raising $35.9 million (before costs) with greater than 80% take up of entitlements- Net debt reduced to $10.4 million with cash and bullion of $29.6 million and secured debt of $40.0 million- Board and executive team strengthened with experienced gold industry professionalso Milan Jerkovic appointed Executive Chairmano Greg Fitzgerald appointed as Non-Executive Directoro Richard Boffey appointed Chief Operations Officero Jonathan Lea appointed Chief Geological Officer- Strategic review of non-core assets to improve balance sheet position- Production guidance reconfirmed at 40-45koz @ A$1,100-1,200/oz (or US$855-932/oz) AISC for this halfReserve Development and Exploration- Reserve focused drilling programmes re-commence after 9 months of free milling targeting work- Focus on free milling near term reserve opportunities at Wiluna open pits- Commenced drilling of Golden Age Underground extensions in late March- Drilling of Lake Way exploration targets commences this month- Positive scoping study completed on 37Mt Wiluna tailings retreatment project (Wiltails)Access to high-grade zones in the M4 and Galaxy pits was achieved in the Dec'17, which resulted in significant improvements to quarterly mill feed grade and gold production. During the Sep'17 and Dec'17 quarters, 248,000t and 206,000t of low grade stockpiles were processed respectively at an average grade of 0.7g/t, significantly reducing mill feed grade for those quarters (see Chart 1 in link below). Mill feed head grade during the Sep'17 quarter was hampered by 49% of feed being sourced from low grade stockpiles.During the March quarter, Blackham's processing team achieved another quarterly throughput record with an 8% improvement on the prior quarter. The Dec'17 quarter saw a 17% increase on the Sep'17 quarter. Crushing circuit and mill circuit utilisation for the quarter were 66% and 95% respectively.Plant recoveries were 89.4% for the March quarter (92.3% Dec'17 Qtr). Plant recoveries decreased slightly, as expected as deeper transitional ore from the M4 and Galaxy pit was processed. As oxide ores from the M2 and M1 pits are processed during the current quarter metallurgical recoveries are expected to improve.All in sustaining costs ("AISC") reduced to A$1,092/oz for the Mar'18 quarter, representing a 42% decrease on the last quarter (Dec'17 Qtr: A$1,882oz). Mining costs decreased significantly with the lower strip ratio and material movements. AISC includes $3.8M of abnormally high investment in sustaining capital expenditure, predominately for the tailings dam lift to be completed in Apr'18, which will provide capacity until the Sep'19 quarter.An average realised gold price of A$1,669/oz was achieved for the quarter. Current gold forward sales contracts of 29,417oz @ A$1,725/oz over the next 9 months representing ~50% of targeted production over that period.Open Pit MiningDuring the quarter, 667kt of ore was mined from the open pits delivering 28,648oz contained ounces, which is more than double last quarter. The extensive waste stripping that occurred during calendar year 2017 has provided access to high-grade zones in both the Galaxy and Matilda M4 pits for the Mar'18 and June'18 quarters. Mining of the Matilda M2 and M1 pits commenced in Mar'18 and Apr'18, respectively. Mining of ore has already commenced at M2, with M1 ore expected to be accessed this quarter.The Operation's high-grade stockpiles started the quarter at 51kt @ 1.6g/t and at the date of this report, have risen to 162kt @ 1.7g/t Au, equating to approximately 1 month's mill feed. Stockpiles have increased since 31 Mar'18 due to mining significant amounts of ore during Apr'18.Total material mined reduced significantly during the quarter to 1.2 million BCM (1.8 million BCM in Dec'17 quarter) due to reduced waste stripping, which enabled a meaningful reduction in open pit mining costs.Underground MiningBlackham confirmed during Mar'18 that the Golden Age Underground mine plan continues to grow and has been extended for at least a further 6 months to Dec'18. Mining costs and risks have been reduced following Blackham successfully moving to an owner operator miner at Golden Age Underground in Oct'17.Blackham commenced evaluation of the economics of the remaining Golden Age Underground resource of 0.9Mt @ 4.5g/t for 129koz Au. These mining studies have now added another 24.6kt @ 6g/t for 4,700oz of production targeted between July and December 2018. This additional targeted production is incremental to the previously disclosed Underground mine plan which finished in Jun'18. Production is now expected to continue at a rate of ~ 2,500oz per quarter through to at least Dec'18.The Golden Age Underground mine has now generated strong cash flows for the past three quarters.Reserve and Exploration DrillingReserve Definition Drilling will continue this quarter as the Company seeks to increase its gold reserves (currently 15Mt @ 2.5g/t for 1.2Moz) by converting more of its ~6.5Moz of gold resources (65Mt @ 3.1g/t) to reserves. Blackham has committed to significant ongoing exploration drilling including the acceleration of this reserve conversion work as well as exploration drilling targeted at new oxide deposits to extend the current free milling mine life. Over the last 12 months, Blackham has successfully added reserves at a cost of less than $22/reserve ounce.Golden Age Drill ProgrammeApproximately 2,500m of diamond drilling commenced in late Mar'18. The previous successful reserve drilling programme at Golden Age Underground was completed in June 2017. Over the last 9 months, Blackham's geology team has identified several priority targets. Underground drilling aimed at further extending the mine plan commenced late last month. The three initial priority targets are:1. Champagne Lens down plunge - SW lateral extension testing 60-70m down plunge from current mining on the 858 Level.2. Champagne Lens down dip - The initial programme will test the mineralisation approximately 160m further down dip from the current mining area.3. Golden Age Offset Target - NW extension - Analysis suggests the Golden Age mineralisation could be offset by the Bulletin Fault into an area of no previous drilling.Wiluna Mine Reserve DevelopmentDuring Mar'18, Blackham's exploration team drilled 84 RC holes (6,491m) focused on delineating further free milling open pit reserves over the 4km's of strike at the Wiluna Mine. This is a follow up programme on the 77,000m drilling completed during FY17, which successfully delivered probable reserves of 669,000oz (7.7Mt @ 2.7g/t Au), which includes oxide and transitional reserves of 144,000oz (2.5Mt @ 1.8g/t). The current drilling is focused on free milling ores above the top of fresh rock (generally top 60m) which can be processed through the current plant.Revised Wiluna mining and metallurgical studies are well advanced in this area following the Wiluna Expansion PFS published in Aug'17. Blackham is currently re-estimating the open pit oxide reserves around the Wiluna Mine site. The Blackham management team believes the Wiluna free milling ores which are an attractive feed stock for the current operating mill and has a plan to fast track mining approvals.Wiluna Tailings Retreatment (Wiltails)Blackham has teamed up with Independent Metallurgical Operations (IMO) to assess the viability of re-treating the historical Wiluna tailings which are estimated at 37Mt (23Mm3). IMO has significant experience from the Kalgoorlie tailings project (Kaltails) that operated in the 1990's to which Wiltails has many similarities.Historical records show that the last 13 years of Wiluna operations ending June 2013 had an average tails grade of 0.72g/t. The average composite grade of the 27 aircore holes drilled into the tails dams used during this period have also averaged 0.71g/t. Blackham is about to commence drilling 53 RC holes (1,500m) for a cost of $42,000 with a view to delineating a JORC-compliant resource over the estimated 37 million total tonnes.Metallurgical work to date has looked at a number of processing solutions. Test work has confirmed the tails that have an average size of around 75micron and appear to have further oxidised since deposited in the tailings dam, resulting in improved gold recovery. The current base case flowsheet involves a simple whole of ore CIL leach without the need for additional concentration or grinding, with estimated gold recoveries of 45-50%. Due to not needing to regrind or concentrate the material, processing costs are estimated at just $5.50/t of ore. The Wiltails could be processed through the existing or new CIL tanks. Studies continue focussed on further improvements to the flowsheet and how best to integrate with the existing gold plant and infrastructure to minimise initial capital costs.Wiluna Expansion StudyThe Expansion Preliminary Feasibility Study ("Expansion PFS") published on 30 August 2017, confirmed the robust economics for a +200kozpa long mine life operation. Key outcomes were life-of-mine AISC of A$1,058/oz (US$822/oz), IRR 123% and NPV8 of $360M before tax at A$1,600/oz gold price.The Expansion DFS is well advanced with the bulk of expenditure already incurred. Processing optimisation studies continue with a view to further de-risking the expansion opportunity. Fast tracking of the Wiluna oxide/transition open pits is expected to further de-risk the geology and mining risks prior to committing further capital in the sulphide plant.Wiluna Nickel-Cobalt ProjectBlackham's Wiluna Nickel-Cobalt Project covers 40km's of strike of the "Perseverance Ultramafics" sequence, which hosts world class nickel projects including Mt Keith, Cosmos, Venus, Perseverance and Honeymoon Well. The project has an inferred JORC 2004 Nickel/Cobalt resource of 80.5Mt at 0.77% Ni, 0.058% Co (0.5% Ni cut-off). Due to record cobalt prices, Blackham has received strong interest from a number of parties interested in acquiring the project.Lake Way Potash ProjectSalt Lake Potash Limited (SLP) and Blackham entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), as announced by SLP on 12 March 2018, to investigate a potential development of a Sulphate of Potash (SOP) operation based at Lake Way, near Wiluna. SLP holds approximately 290km2 of tenure over the Lake Way Paleochannel. Blackham holds a further 62km2 at the northern end of the Lake, surrounding the former Williamson Pit that was last mined in 2006 and is now filled with brine at the exceptional grade of 25kg/m3 of SOP.Under the MOU, SLP will acquire Blackham's brine rights and Blackham will acquire gold rights to SLP's Lake Way holdings, with each company retaining a royalty on their respective holdings. The parties will also co-operate to exchange data and facilitate exploration on each other properties. SLP will also investigate and potentially develop a SOP operation at Lake Way, including a 40-50,000tpa Demonstration Plant. SLP will sole fund the evaluation and developing any SOP operation at Lake Way. SLP's works will not hinder Blackham's ability to further mine the Williamson or other potential deposits on the lake.Lake Way has some compelling infrastructure and transport advantages which make it potentially an ideal site for a Demonstration Plant. SLP will complete a Scoping Study for a potential SOP operation at Lake Way, including a Demonstration Plant, by mid-2018, in time to allow a decision on dewatering the Williamson Pit. There is substantial historical data available for Lake Way and the companies have already undertaken preliminary sampling in the Blackham area. Along with the extensive, high quality technical work undertaken at SLP's other lakes, which has substantial application at Lake Way, a Scoping Study can be reliably undertaken in a much shorter timeframe than would normally be the case.CorporateAs at 31 March 2018, the Company had significantly improved its net debt position to $10.4 million (31 Dec' 2017: $27.4 million), with cash and bullion of $29.6 million and secured interest bearing debt of $40.0 million. The $14.3 million term loan previously due on 31 December 2017 was refinanced in mid Jan'18.Blackham completed a fully underwritten pro rata entitlement offer to raise ~$35.9 million (before costs). The Company received very strong shareholder support for the underwritten Entitlement Offer with greater than 80% take-up of entitlements.Board and executive team strengthened with highly experienced gold mining professionalsMilan Jerkovic has assumed the role of Executive Chairman as part of the recapitalisation strategy, with the Company continuing to seek opportunities to further strengthen its Board and management team to focus on the successful implementation of the recapitalisation strategy and delivery of the near-term mine plan.Greg Fitzgerald joined the Board following the successful completion of the Entitlement Offer. Mr Fitzgerald is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of gold mining and resources related experience, along with extensive executive experience in managing finance and administrative matters for listed companies. For more than 15 years he held the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary for Resolute Mining Limited, an ASX 200 Company, until his resignation in 2017.Richard Boffey has been appointed Chief Operating Officer and Jonathan Lea appointed as Chief Geological Officer and both will work with the Blackham executive team to further de-risk and optimise both the current operations and strong growth opportunities of the 6.5Moz Matilda-Wiluna Gold Operation.Blackham has commenced joint venturing and divesting a number of non-core assets currently not being valued by equity markets within the Company with a view to further reducing costs and improving its balance sheet position.The Company reconfirms production guidance at 40-45koz @ A$1,100-1,200/oz AISC for the Jun'18 half year. Following the successful re-capitalisation of the Company and step change in production levels the Board has decided to return to quarterly production reporting in line with its industry peers.To view the full report with tables and figures, please visit:About Wiluna Mining Corporation Ltd Wiluna Mining Corporation (ASX:WMC) (OTCMKTS:WMXCF) is a Perth based, ASX listed gold mining company that controls over 1,600 square kilometres of the Yilgarn Craton in the Northern Goldfields of WA. The Yilgarn Craton has a historic and current gold endowment of over 380 million ounces, making it one of most prolific gold regions in the world. The Company owns 100% of the Wiluna Gold Operation which has a defined resource of 8.04M oz at 1.67 g/t au. In May 2019, a new highly skilled management team took control of the Company with a clear plan to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation's multi-million-ounce potential. Successful Gas Well Recompletion Perth, April 16, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Eon NRG Limited ( ASX:E2E ) ( OTCMKTS:ICRMF ) ("Eon" or the "Company") advises production update on the gas well recompletion carried out at the Silvertip Field.The 35-28 Gas well recompletion:The 35-28F well was recompleted in an untested sand lobe within the Meeteetse Formation. This well was originally drilled to the Frontier Formation where it produced natural gas and oil. The well recompletion has produced in excess of 30,000 Mcf of gas since it was brought back into production on February 8, 2018. The 60-Day IP average daily production rate was 487 MCF/D and production for the last 30 days has averaged 650 MCF/D. A 16/64" choke is in place and has a stabilized flowing casing pressure of 390 PSI.The recompletion cost was $22,000 as it was carried out utilizing an existing wellbore and the company's inhouse expertise. This recompletion has generated net revenue (after royalties and production tax) of more than $60,000 in the first 60 days of operation. The capital cost of the recompletion was paid out in less than 30 days.The Company is evaluating the potential of further recompletions in the field on wells that may have similar formation characteristics to the 35-28 well.To view figures, please visit:About EON NRG Ltd EON NRG Ltd (ASX:E2E) is an USA onshore focused energy exploration and production company. The Company's growth path is through drilling of high impact oil exploration wells, supported by its 100% owned and operated long life oil and gas production assets and associated cashflow. The company also has a battery minerals division with prospective leases in Nevada which are at the early stages of low-cost exploration. Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a clear message of Beijing's disapproval over growing ties between the United States and Taiwan by ordering live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The drills, to be held this coming Wednesday, will mark the first time the Chinese Navy has held drills with live ammunition in the strait since September 2015, in the lead-up to the self-ruled island's presidential election. Prior to those elections, relations between the two were at a high point after Xi met with then-President Ma Ying-jeou, the first such meeting in history between leaders of the two governments. But since then, tensions between China and the island it views as a breakaway province have become strained under Ma's successor, President Tsai Ing-wen. The new Trump administration has sought closer ties to President Tsai's government, angering Beijing by signing two deals in the past month to tighten ties with the island, including a travel act which will allow more official visits between the US and Taipei. "(China) wants to highlight that the Chinese navy is ever ready and secondly, it is a signal to the government in Taipei you better not go further," Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies' Maritime Security Program, told CNN. The planned live-fire exercises follow a massive show of force by the PLA Navy on April 10 and 11, which conducted the country's largest military drills ever in the South China Sea. Chinese President Xi personally reviewed the troops himself from the deck of the Chinese destroyer Changsha on Thursday, speaking to the troops about the need for the navy to become "world-class." Responding to the news of the upcoming live-fire drills, the Taiwanese Defense Military said in a statement the drills were taking place in a routine military zone and reiterated their national army could protect the country from any threat. "Our people please rest assured," the statement said. Long history of confrontation Taiwan has been self-governed since a bloody civil war ended in 1949, forcing the defeated nationalists to flee to the island and continue to rule under the banner of the Republic of China. Though both Taipei and Beijing view the island as part of China with neither government recognizes the legitimacy of the opposing side, there is a strong pro-indepedence sentiment within the current ruling party in Taiwan. This prospect is anathema to Beijing, prompting it to warn that it could retake the island by force if necessary. The two governments have a long history of international brinksmanship in their efforts to gain economic opportunities and diplomatic support from governments around the world. The United States maintains close unofficial links with the island and provides them with arms under the Taiwan Relations Act, but it maintains formal diplomatic relations only with Beijing. While Washington does not challenge Communist China's claim over Taiwan, the official US policy simply states that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait recognize there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. But under US President Donald Trump, the United States' has appeared enthusiastic to move closer to Taiwan, a move which has caused deep concern in Beijing. "Every inch of our great motherland's territory cannot be separated from China," President Xi said during a nationalistic speech at the National People's Congress in March, drawing huge applause. China's state media has followed Xi's tone, with the tabloid Global Times writing in an editorial that the mainland needed to "prepare for a possible military clash." "Despite a number of people being against reunification by force, the number that is pro-force and anticipating a cross-Straits war is growing unprecedentedly," the editorial said. Taiwan holds drills against invasion While Beijing has only grown more powerful in recent years, due to record economic growth and military modernization, the Taiwanese population has grown less and less interested in reunification with the mainland. "That's a dangerous trend," Richard McGregor, senior fellow at Sydney's Lowy Institute, told CNN. "(Taiwan's) not going to cede the lifestyle and virtual independence they've got now, so for China it gets more and more difficult in some respects." One day after the PLA drills were announced, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen reviewed the island's navy during exercises off their eastern coast, simulating an invasion of Taiwan. According to Taiwanese state media CNA, it was the first time Tsai has been on a warship since she took power in May 2016. Boarding a Kidd-class destroyer, Tsai reviewed the Taiwanese navy's combat readiness and rapid response capabilities, state media said. The developments follow a surprise move by the Trump administration to facilitate direct communication with Tsai in December 2016, the first known contact between a US president and a Taiwanese leader since the US broke diplomatic relations with the island in 1979. Though that call created diplomatic ruptures with China, in recent months Trump has looked to build closer ties between Washington and Taipei. Earlier this month, the US administration authorized American manufacturers to sell submarine technology to Taiwan, drawing praise in Taipei and fury in Beijing. On April 12, US Secretary of State designate Mike Pompeo reiterated the importance of US arms sales to Taiwan during his confirmation hearings in Washington. Issuing a word of caution, Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at CSIS, said China's forthcoming military drills were likely planned months in advance and were unlikely to be tied to recent events. "(But) it is a useful signal, whether it was intended to be as such, to both Taiwan and the United States, to not challenge China's core interests on sovereignty and not to challenge red lines when it comes to Taiwan," she said. China's military might grows The confrontational drills in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait come as Chinese President Xi is at the height of his power, only a month after the government removed term limits allowing him to effectively rule for life. Now China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, Xi has set his sights on reasserting his country's power on the international stage, including building a combat-ready military and navy. McGregor said 20 years ago Beijing's navy would have been vulnerable in the Taiwan Strait -- now, accompanied by the country's first aircraft carrier the Liaoning, it was no longer a problem. "Now they have the military capabilities, they want to display them ... they want to display their power," he said. China would vastly prefer a peaceful reunification of Taiwan, McGregor said, due to the sheer size of the undertaking and number of risks involved. Not least of which, if war were to break out between Beijing and Taipei, there's no guarantee whether or not Washington would join the island's defense. "You can't simply take Taiwan over ... (China's) trained for it, they've built their military for it but they sure as hell don't want to do it because how risky it is," he said. But as China's military strength continues to grow, including its second aircraft carrier which will go to sea trials within a month, the balance of power could shift in Beijing's favor, Zhang Baohui, a professor of political science at Lingnan University, told CNN in March. "After 20 years, by 2040, if China's achieved military parity then it may be feasible if they could win at a low cost," he said. This piece has been amended to better reflect the US' public position on the "One China" policy. The changes form part of Making Retirement Choices Clear an ABI-led initiative focused on simplifying the language used to describe the many options available to consumers at their point of retirement. They will be visible to customers through a number of engagements, including written communications, web pages and in the language used in conversations over the phone. Consumers approaching their retirement should now be presented with simpler documents and information that will make their decision-making process a lot smoother, less daunting and more personalised helping to create better retirement outcomes for all. Rob Yuille, Head of Retirement Policy at the ABI, comments: Its been widely acknowledged by the industry, regulators and government that pensions jargon is far too confusing for everyday consumers even more so with the advent of pensions freedoms. The work being done by the industry to simplify and humanise the language used in retirement communications will give people more confidence and reduce anxiety when they come to making important decisions about their financial future at retirement. Changes made by ABI members include: Changing thousands of written documents to align with the ABIs simplified terminology (see below), with one firm changing 800 documents alone. Softening language that could worry consumers. For example, changing We have some warnings we need to give you to We want to help you make sure youre doing the right thing. Working with the Plain English Campaign to initiate the training of all customer facing staff, with thousands already completing in-depth courses. Commissioning customer research to align simple language in a way that resonates with the consumers they serve. Initiating engagement with customers up to 5 years before their set retirement date, rather than six weeks before, with one firm sending 4,000 simpler letters every month. Replacing jargon and unnecessary technical language with visual metaphors and bespoke animations. One firm now uses an apple tree as a metaphor for a growing pension pot and withdrawal options. The Making Retirement Choices Clear guide set out principles for simpler communication and proposed the new retirement options be explained as: You can keep your pension savings where they are. You can take your whole pension pot in one go. You can take your pension pot as a number of lump sums. You can get a flexible retirement income. You can get a guaranteed income for life. You can choose more than one option and you can mix them. 60 Assyrian Candidates Compete for 5 Seats in Iraq's Parliament Sixty Christian candidates are racing to secure five quota seats in the Iraqi parliament, with Duhok province considered to be the prime battleground -- of the seven Christian lists, six are in the Kurdistan Region's province. "This time, the competition among the Christian candidates is warmer in Duhok, compared to the past elections," Shams al-Din Georges, the head of the Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council (CSAPC), told Rudaw. "Thus, of the seven [Christian] political entities across Iraq, six of them have candidates in Duhok." Iraqi elections are scheduled to take place on May 12. Five seats are dedicated for the Christians as part of the minority quota system -- one from Baghdad, one from Erbil, and individual seats spread across Duhok, Kirkuk and Mosul. Following the collapse of the Baathist regime and the break out of sectarian conflicts in post-2003, the Kurdistan Region provinces, especially Duhok, became a safe haven for Iraq's Christians. In addition to that, there are some 60 Christian villages and towns in Duhok. It is estimated that Christians in Iraq make up over 3 percent of the population. According to the 1987 Iraqi census, 1.4 million Christians, including the Assyrian community, lived in Iraq, but many have since migrated to the West after years of persecution and economic hardship. The CSAPC now holds two of the five seats in the parliament. Georges's list has 10 candidates this year, four of whom are in Duhok and Nineveh. "We pay a particular attention to these places," he said. "We cannot freely kick off elections campaigns in Mosul." Nael Saqil, a media officer for the Assyrian Democratic Movement, also explained competition among Christians is very strong in Duhok. Saqil said the only Christian list that does not have a candidate in Duhok is the Babylon List, which is associated with the Shiite-led Hashd al-Shaabi, a paramilitary group that moved into many northern areas of the country during the ISIS conflict and the events of October 16. "Christians under the Iraqi government authority are very much oppressed. We are trying to remove that threat," Karolina Edward, a candidate of for CSAPC, told Rudaw. "My whole focus is on Christian voters of Duhok." There are 329 seats up for grabs in Iraq's parliamentary elections on May 12. In addition to the five Christian seats, the minority quota system allocates one seat each for Yezidis in Nineveh, Mandaeans in Baghdad, Shabaks in Nineveh, and Fayli Kurds in Wasit. Election campaigns in Iraq began on Saturday and on Sunday in the Kurdistan Region due to the Anfal observance day. Church Leaders Condemn Attack on Syria By the US, France and Britain H.H. Patriarch John X. (right), Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the entire East, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the entire East. Damascus (AINA) -- In a joint statement, released on Saturday, April 14, the Patriarchs of for the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic Churches condemned the airstrikes on Syria. According to the statement the Patriarchs "condemn and denounce the brutal aggression that took place this morning against our precious country Syria by the USA, France and the UK, under the allegations that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons." The statement is signed by H.H. Patriarch John X., Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the entire East, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and the entire East, and Joseph Absi, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem. According to Patriarchs, the airstrikes are a "brutal aggression" and "a clear violation of the international laws and the UN Charter," and the assault on a sovereign country which member of the UN has been unjustified. The statement also says that this aggression would "destroy the chances for a peaceful political solution and lead to escalation and more complications, while encouraging terrorist organizations and giving them momentum to continue in their terrorism." The statement also criticized the timing of the airstrike, which undemined the start of an investigation by the independent International Commission for Inquiry. The Patriarchs state that this assault on the country causes them great pain as it comes "from powerful countries to which Syria did not cause any harm in any way." The Patriarchs call upon "the Security Council of the United Nations to play its natural role in bringing peace rather than contribute to escalation of wars." The extend their call to "all churches in the countries that participated in the aggression, to fulfill their Christian duties, according to the teachings of the Gospel, and condemn this aggression and to call their governments to commit to the protection of international peace." The Patriarchs conclude their statement with "prayers for the safety, victory, and deliverance of Syria from all kinds of wars and terrorism" extending their prayers for peace also to the world. They call for "strengthening the efforts of the national reconciliation for the sake of protecting the country and preserving the dignity of all Syrians." Cologne Orders Armenian Genocide Memorial Removed ( Haypress) Cologne, Germany (AINA) -- A memorial dedicated to the 1915 genocide of the Armenians stands in a prominent place in the city of Cologne. According to Armenian portal Haypress, it is nationwide the first memorial in a public space to acknowledge the genocide, which was carried out with German participation. The Turkish genocide claimed the lives of 750,000 Assyrians (75%), 1 million Greeks and 1.5 million Armenians. On June 2, 2016 the German Bundestag passed a resolution recognizing the 1915 massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman government as a genocide (AINA 2016-06-06). The resolution also explicitly acknowledged that Assyrians and Pontic Greek were affected by the deportations and massacres as well. On Sunday, the initiative Remembering Genocide unveiled a sculpture created by the Cologne artists Stefan Kaiser and Max Scholz on the left bank of the Hohenzollern Bridge in the city center. The Armenian community in Cologne is by its own account with 5,000 members, the largest in Germany. The steel sculpture is about 1.80 meters high. The three-sided pyramid bears on the capped tip a bronze pomegranate with a notch, which symbolizes the Armenian genocide. The inscription entitled This Pain Affects Us All is written in Armenian, German, Turkish and English. According to a decision by the City Council on April 16, the memorial must be removed "promptly." The reason given is that the action had not been announced to the city and had not been approved. The city of Cologne pointed out that there is already a memorial stone for the victims of the genocide of the Armenians in Cologne. It is a cross-stone inaugurated in November 2017 at the cemetery Lehmbacher Weg in Koln-Bruck. The Armenian community however, does not regard the cemetery as an appropriate place for a memorial, as remembering must be done in a public space. With a population over a Million, Cologne is also home for more than 60,000 Turkish migrants. The Armenian community suspects the city succumbed to pressure by Turkish organizations. https://www.aish.com/jw/s/An-Israeli-Arab-Defends-His-Country.html Yahya Mahamids journey from hate to help. Hes an effective and appealing speaker who advocates for Israel, the country that he is a proud citizen of. But unlike other presenters for the Israel-advocacy organization StandWithUs, Yahya Mahamid is not a Jewish Israeli. Instead, hes an Israeli Arab, from a Muslim background. I met with Yahya at the StandWithUs Leaders of Tomorrow gala in New York City. Hes trim and neat and stylishly dressed, and its clear right away when you meet him that hed do well as a public speaker for Israel. And Yahya has been doing plenty of stepping onto stages recently, as part of a StandWithUs campaign involving its American, British and Canadian offices. Yahya has been working for StandWithUs since January of 2016, but he had volunteered for them for a year prior to that, and its clear that he has deep determination to promote Israel and defend it in the public arena. Thats even clearer from the fact that he will soon be leaving the organization to join the IDF in a combat unit. What causes an Arab Muslim from the village of Umm al-Fahma stronghold of the anti-Israel Islamic Movement in northern Israel just south of Haifa and Nazareth and the largest Arab city in the areato take on these challenges in defense of Israel? The anti-Israel atmosphere in Umm al-Fahm was so strong. So I grew up very anti-Israel. The anti-Israel atmosphere in the town was so strong. There were swastikas; we got no education on Jewish history, and the only line I got about the Holocaust was Hitler did a good thing. That was from my religion teacher. So I grew up very anti-Israel. When I was in high school, I walked into this new class and there was a map of the entire world and it didnt have the state of Israel on it. Instead it said Palestine. This was an Israeli school. Even though I was anti-Israel I didnt find it justifiable not to be there. So I took a picture of this map and publicized it, and two days later the map was gone. That was the first step I took on this path without even realizing what I was doing. What really made it happen was when I went to work in Tel Aviv. I was very nervous because we were taught wed be treated in a racist way and the Jews were not going to be nice to us and wed be second-class citizens. I didnt speak Hebrew at the time. Every day Id come back home and be like, what just happened? They were nice to me. Why are they nice to me? The big thing happened just before Sukkot. I had finished a 12-hour shift and was dead tired and went to wait for my bus to go up north. This Chabad guy approached me and asked if I can put on tefillin in the morning. Before I could answer, he starts telling me how important it is to shake lulav and do the blessings. I had a big smile on my face and said to him, Im sorry to waste your time but Im not Jewish. What he said to me remains with me until today. He said, It doesnt matter if youre Jewish or not; it only matters if youre a good person. Very simple words but it kind of contradicted everything I was taught growing up. My first interaction with a Jew was when I was seven. From that moment on I started developing my own opinions. I worked in the hotel for a year and during this period I began recalling different episodes. My first interaction with a Jew was when I was seven. I was in the hospital in Afulah visiting someone. I ended up going to the waiting area and see this big religious man with his wife and kid. I was very nervous because I didnt speak Hebrew and my mother wasnt there. I just cowered in the corner of the room without saying anything. He turned to me and said in a deep voice, Mah, lo omrim shalom? What, you dont say shalom? It clicked in my head: Was he waiting for me to speak to him? My mother once came back home shaking in 2003. I learned she was about 20 meters away from a suicide attack by a Palestinian woman that left about 70 Israelis injured. If I remember, six were dead instantly. I was afraid that those people who carry out those attacks just target everybody. These memories came flooding back during this year. And in June of 2014, when the three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped, Yahya was shocked. Someone had to stand up and condemn what happened. I couldnt be silent about this. I said to myself that someone had to stand up and condemn what happened; I couldnt be silent about this. I participated in the Bring Back Our Boys campaign. I took a picture with the Israeli flag. That picture went viral. In my town, there was a lot of hatred for what I did. I had to quit my job and miss graduation because walking on the street was just a dream. Family members and friends stopped taking to me. I was in my house for two months. He said that the situation with regard to his family was complicated. My mothers mother is a Palestinian. She was born and raised in a refugee camp, and I have family in the West Bank. Most of them work for the PA. Some have high ranking positions. We dont speak with them anymore. My family in Israel was a different story. Some were very supportive at first, but as the years went on, there was a lot of social pressure that turned to them. Bit by bit communication started reducing. He eventually had to leave home. I made a short video for Stand By Me where I said my goal is to normalize all the Arab communities with Israel, I want to be like any other Israeli, and that I want to serve in the IDF and give back to my country. In my town, they took the part where I said I want to serve in the IDF and used it as the headline of the local news. The police called me and said, You have to move; we cant protect you anymore. I moved to Jerusalem. He had gotten involved with StandWithUs after he had posed with the Israeli flag. They reached out to me and asked if I want to volunteer, Yahya said. One of his first trips abroad on behalf of the organization (hes made five so far) was to South Africa for Israel Apartheid Week, where he spoke on the Wits University campus. The StandWithUs team was met with violence. On the very first day we got assaulted by BDS. One delegate was pushed. Our posters were ripped. The banners were cut with knives. It was very stressful, he said. But the violence by the BDS activists led to their unpopularity. On the last day of the StandWithUs activities, the BDS groups didnt even show up. I didnt understand how important our work was until I had a conversation with a leader of the Jewish student union. He said hed been there for three years, and every year during Apartheid Week the Jewish students on campus would take off their kippah until they go to their classes. This year during the march, all the Jewish students were with us. The amount of support was absolutely amazing. The Jewish community supported us. The alumni of the university pressured it to get back on course, and not to let BDS do whatever they want. The student union leader said that whenever we were there the situation completely changed. And you could see on the faces of the students theyd been suffering. Yahya has also been working with StandWithUs Arab outreach program. The security issues have meant that in-person talks are rare, but there is a robust online outreach effort by the organization. And he said that he believes that there are strides being made, both among Israeli Arabs and among Palestinians. What about the anti-Arab racism that exists in Israel? What is it like to promote Israel when such aspects of its society exist? He told me that he never denies that Arab Israelis face challenges. He himself, he said, has faced them. For example, when I moved to Jerusalem, it took me two months to find an apartment. I couldnt live in the Arab neighborhoods because of the security situation, but I couldnt find a room in the Jewish areas because who would take an Arab from Umm al-Fahm? I have been in situations where people shouted racist things at me. But the debate here isnt racism; its how you deal with racism. If somebody shouts Death to Arabs! in Tel Aviv, somebodys going to stop him; its not going to be accepted. Someone will stand up and say something. Sometimes we also face indirect discrimination. Youll see ads in the newspaper saying theyre hiring people who have served in an IDF combat unit. Its not discrimination exactly, but its leaving out people who didnt. Thats why I feel reaching a point where we are a normalized functioning part of society, where we say we are Israeli and proud and we served in the army, is very important. You cant change the culture of a majority to fit a minority. I asked him whether there has been any identity conflict for him, promoting Israel, which has a strong Jewish character, as an Arab Muslim. Coming from Israel I face a lot of identity issues. It was just how do I feel? How do I feel standing about singing about hanefesh hayehudi the Jewish soul [in Hatikvah] and a 2,000 year dream? How do I feel if my flag has a Star of David? I feel proud. I felt confused at one point and then I said, I live in a country with a Jewish majority. Were going to sing Hatikvah about the Jewish dream with a flag with a Star of David. Thats what it is. Its not something bad. Doesnt it feel exclusionary? It does and it doesnt. If Im standing next to a Jewish person while Im singing Hatikvah, hes not going to shush me or something. If Im in the IDF wearing the uniform and saluting the flag, no ones going to push down my hand. But at the same time, it isnt where I come from. Thats not a feeling 24/7, just when I think about it. When I queried Yahya about whether hes ever been surprised by something during his trips around the world to advocate for Israel, he laughingly tells me that the biggest surprises have been his exposures to Diaspora Judaism, which he really hadnt been acquainted with before. My first time out of Israel to a Jewish community was to Finland. On Shabbat, before the big event we had, I said, Shabbat Shalom, and they responded with Gut Shabbos. I was like, what is that? What is Shabbos? And despite his fondness for his home country, hes found at least one aspect of Jewish life in the Diaspora that is better. I think gefilte fish tastes better outside of Israel, he said, with a smile. Reprinted with permission from Ami magazine. Photo credits: StandWithUs.com A group of state and business leaders will be visiting two South American countries this week as part of a trade mission with the Alabama Department of Commerce. The group, visiting Argentina and Ecuador, includes representatives from the engineering, medical, technological and manufacturing sectors. In Buenos Aires, the mission will host a seminar on business and investment opportunities in Alabama, and delegation members will meet with several top government officials, including the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of production (trade). There will also be receptions at the ambassadors' residences for networking with public and private sector leaders. Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said the mission is meant to establish "a foothold in new markets" for Alabama companies. "Alabama companies are making their mark in all corners of the world, with high-quality, in-demand products and innovative processes that are consistently recognized as market leaders," Canfield said, in a statement. Among those companies participating in the trade mission are Atlas RFID Solutions and Warren Manufacturing of Birmingham; Douglas Manufacturing of Pell City, Irrigation Components of Daphne; Knox Kershaw of Montgomery; ProcessBarron of Pelham; Rico Suction Labs of Mobile; SEPCO of Alabaster, and Smarter Services LLC of Prattville. Representatives from the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce will also take part, as well as the U.S. Department of Commerce. Of Alabama's record $21.7 billion in exports last year, Argentina took in about $111.5 million, while Ecuador took in $7.8 million. Argentina's total had more than doubled over the past year. Former Miss Alabama and Miss America 2005 Deidre Downs married her girlfriend, attorney Abbott Jones, in a ceremony Saturday at the Birmingham Museum of Art, People magazine reported. "Saying our vows in front of our family and friends and making that commitment to the love of my life was the most meaningful part of the day for me," Deidre Downs Gunn, 37, a UAB obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, told People. Downs Gunn's 8-year-old son gave his mother away and acted as best man, People said. "I feel overjoyed to have found someone to share life's adventures," Downs Gunn told People. "The wedding was beautiful and special, but it was really just the beginning of our life together. I'm so lucky to have a wife who fills even small, everyday moments with great joy." After the modern Southern Romance-theme wedding, about 200 guests ate Southern foods such as mini chicken and waffles, fried okra, fried green tomatoes and buttermilk biscuits. Downs Gunn said she met Jones online in February 2017 and they immediately hit it off after meeting for drinks and sushi. Downs Gunn proposed on Christmas, getting down on one knee and presenting Jones with an engagement ring, People reported. Jones then offered her own proposal after asking Deidre's son for permission. He said it was "cool." Jones proposed using Legos to recreate the couple's first date. They celebrated their engagement over New Year's with a holiday trip to England and Scotland with their family. "We both want to live our intention, chase our passions and do good in the world," Jones told People. "Deidre is more pure of heart and sensible. I'm more the risk taker, so we balance each other out." Fifty-five years ago, on April 16,1963, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. began writing his "Letter From Birmingham Jail," directed at eight Alabama clergy who were considered moderate religious leaders. On April 12, 1963, those eight clergy asked King to delay civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham. That same day, King was arrested and put in the Birmingham Jail. His epic response still echoes through American history. King started writing the letter from his jail cell, then polished and rewrote it in subsequent drafts, addressing it as an open letter to the eight Birmingham clergy. King's letter eloquently stated the case for racial equality and the immediate need for social justice. "I had hoped," King wrote at one point, "that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. Actually, we who engage in non-violent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with." The letter was distributed to the media, published in newspapers and magazines in the months after the Birmingham demonstrations, and it appeared in his book, "Why We Can't Wait," in 1964. The eight clergy have been pilloried in history for their stance. King's letter, with its criticism of the white clergy opposition, made them look as if they were opposed to the civil rights movement. But their positions were more nuanced than that, said Samford professor Jonathan Bass, whose 2001 book, "Blessed are the Peacemakers," focuses on the writing of King's letter and the personal stories of the eight clergy King addressed. In January 1963, those same clergy had signed a letter in response to Gov. George Wallace's harsh segregationist rhetoric, warning it could lead to violence. "They were widely hailed for being among the most progressive religious leaders in the South," Bass said. "They got a ton of hate mail from segregationists. All of them were harassed because of that statement." The Rev. Earl Stallings, pastor of First Baptist Church of Birmingham from 1961-65, was one of the eight clergy addressed by King in the letter. Bass in his book argued that Stallings and some of the other white clergy in many ways had been more thoughtful on racial issues than history has given them credit for. The other, all now deceased, members of the eight clergy addressed by King in his letter were Rabbi Milton Grafman of Temple Emanu-El; Catholic Bishop Joseph A. Durick; Methodist Bishop Nolan Harmon, Episcopal Bishop Charles C.J. Carpenter, Episcopal Bishop Co-Adjutor George M. Murray, Methodist Bishop Paul Hardin and the Rev. Ed Ramage of First Presbyterian Church. Bass noted the progressive sermons on racial issues preached by Stallings from his First Baptist pulpit; the spiritual and social leadership in the city by Rabbi Grafman, and the transformation of Bishop Durick into a civil rights crusader who was the only white on the platform during a memorial service for King at Memphis City Hall. After the assassination of King, Durick gave a three-minute eulogy, along with widow Coretta Scott King and other speakers. After Durick retired, he returned to Alabama to live in a house in Bessemer until his death in 1994. After Rabbi Grafman retired, he remained in Birmingham until his death in 1995, but was always troubled by criticism he received for opposing King's timing. Because King addressed his letter to them by name, they were put in the position of looking to posterity as if they opposed King's goals rather than the timing of the demonstration, Rabbi Grafman said. "These eight men were put in the position of looking like bigots," Rabbi Grafman once said. "They were all moderates or liberals. There was no argument with the goals. The objection was to making it seem as though these eight men were opposed to his goals." Rabbi Grafman was on the bi-racial Community Affairs Committee and one of six clergy who met with President John F. Kennedy in 1963 to discuss Birmingham's racial tensions. Grafman said the eight clergy were among Birmingham's moderate leaders who were working for civil rights. But they feared the demonstrations would lead to violence and felt the newly elected city government could achieve progress peacefully. In their open letter published in The Birmingham News, they urged King not to go ahead with demonstrations and marches, saying such action was untimely after the election of a new city government. King got a copy of the newspaper, read their letter in jail, and began writing a response on scraps of paper. "He could assume the identity of the Apostle Paul and write this letter from a jail cell to Christians," Bass said. Rabbi Grafman often pointed out that then-U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy, The Washington Post, and others also said King's efforts were ill-timed and that he should give the new city government a chance. But the eight clergy came off looking bad for posterity, their names attached to the top of King's elegant document when it was reprinted in history and literary textbooks. Even after the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in September 1963, the group of white clergy was still looked to for leadership on racial issues. President John F. Kennedy invited the group to Washington, D.C. With the clergy gathered around him, Kennedy sat in a rocking chair and urged them to further racial process in Birmingham and bring the moral strength of religion to bear on the issue. King's letter has grown in stature and significance with the passage of time. The eight clergy it was addressed to did not receive copies and didn't see it until it was published in magazine form. "It's not written for them, it's written for whites outside the South who were highly critical of the movement, all those who were questioning King's tactics, and his leadership," Bass said. "It's the symbolic finale of the Birmingham movement. It's the exclamation point at the end." A Birmingham man with arrests on 27 previous charges in just three years is back behind bars after police say smashed in the front door of two Hoover stores and stole several cartons of cigarettes. Hoover police on Monday announced the arrest of 23-year-old Joshua Magaul Sanders on two counts of third-degree burglary. In 2015, he was arrested after police say he did the exact same thing at the Exxon station on John Hawkins Parkway and in several other municipalities. The new cases, said Hoover police Lt. Keith Czeskleba, happened in January and March. In the first, Hoover police responded about 5:53 a.m. on Jan. 29 to the Exxon station at 2270 John Hawkins Parkway on a report of a burglary. Surveillance footage showed a man smash the front door glass and enter the store carrying a garbage bag. The suspect placed several cartons of cigarettes in the bag and then threw the cash register to the ground in an attempt to break it open. He fled the scene prior to the arrival of police. Then, about 12:19 a.m. on March 1, police were dispatched to the Shell Station on South Shades Crest Road on a burglary. Responding officers again found the front glass door was shattered and the cash register was on the floor. Again, Czeskleba said, surveillance footage showed the suspect stuffing cartons of cigarettes into a plastic bag and then throw the register on the ground. He also tried to break into an office before fleeing the area. In both cases, police said, the suspect was wearing dark pants, a hooded sweatshirt, a mask and gloves. Detectives from Hoover police collaborated with other agencies and were able to identify Sanders as a suspect. Czeskleba said Sanders was arrested Monday morning on similar charges by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.' Chief Deputy Randy Christian just before midnight Sunday, deputies responded to a burglary alarm at a convenience store in the 5700 block of Chalkville Mountain Road. When deputies arrived at the business they found that the front glass door had been shattered. A male suspect was spotted running from the rear of the store. After a brief foot chase, the suspect was captured. He was found in possession of several cartons of cigarettes he had stolen from the store as well as a handgun, methamphetamine ecstasy, and marijuana. Once in custody, the suspect said, "You caught me, I'm the cigarette bandit." He went on to say that he had broken into several stores in Jefferson and surrounding counties. Christian said a check revealed that there were outstanding warrants for his arrest charging him with third-degree burglary, second-degree theft of property and criminal mischief. In Jefferson County, he faces new charges of third-degree , first-degree theft of property, possession of burglary tools, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, and possession of an altered firearm. On the Jefferson County cases, he is held on bonds totaling $115,700. He is suspected in two other convenience store burglaries in Hoover, and charges are pending in those cases. His bond on the current Hoover charge is $60,000. Sanders was arrested in 2015 after he was accused of stealing thousands of dollars in cigarettes from at least three cities. In one of those cases, Hoover police responded to a burglary at the Shell Station on John Hawkins Parkway. When they arrived, they found the front glass door had been smashed by a rock and the cash drawer and cartons of cigarettes were missing. Other officers searching the area found Sanders - then 21- hiding in the wood line of a nearby business. A bag containing cigarettes and the missing cash drawer were found nearby. Hoover detectives had previously obtained an arrest warrant for Sanders for a break-in that happened at the same store. At that time, Homewood police had announced they were searching for Sanders after he was suspected in several store burglaries in that city where more than $1,900 in smokes were taken. Court record show has been arrested on 27 previous charges, mostly for theft and burglary. In May 2017, he pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with only 18 months to serve but was actually released after only six months. "Joshua Sanders is a career burglar who breaks into convenience stores and steals cigarettes and money. It's what he does when he's not locked up,'' said Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector. "We've dealt with him repeatedly, as have other police departments. Six months in prison is not a deterrent to him." Anyone with any information about these cases is asked to call Detective Ed Leach at 205-739-6071. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward can call Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama at 205-254-7777. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday paved the way for this week's execution of death row inmate Walter Leroy Moody for the 1989 pipe bombing that killed a federal judge. Last week Moody asked the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to stay his lethal injection execution, which is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. Moody recently argued the federal government which convicted him first on non-death penalty charges should have him in custody instead of the state. The appeals court held a hearing Thursday but has not yet ruled. Justice Department attorneys at that hearing and in written briefs have said that they have had an agreement since the 1990s to allow Moody to serve his sentence in Alabama. Then on Monday the Justice Department filed another brief on behalf of Sessions. "Before the United States filed its amicus brief in this case and presented its position at oral argument, the Attorney General, Jefferson B. Sessions, III, informed the undersigned Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Matthew S. Miner, that the United States waives its right to exclusive custody of petitioner Walter Leroy Moody, Jr. and consents to his custody in Alabama for purposes of carrying out the capital sentence imposed on Moody in Alabama," the brief filed Monday states. Moody's attorneys filed a motion on Monday seeking a hearing on the federal custody issue. "Petitioner Walter Leroy Moody Jr., pursuant to 28 U.S.C. SS 2241(c), respectfully requests that this Court bring him before it to inquire as to why his federal sentences have been interrupted in violation of his rights to life and equal protection under the Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause, which unlawful act will result in his premature death at the hands of the State of Alabama on April 19, 2018," the motion states. Moody, 83, is the oldest inmate on Alabama Death Row. He was convicted in the death of U.S. 11th Circuit of Appeals Judge Robert Vance Sr., who was killed Dec. 16, 1989 in a blast from a pipe bomb hidden in a package sent to the judge's Mountain Brook home. The judge's wife, Helen, was seriously injured in the blast. In 1991, a federal jury convicted Moody of 71 charges related to the pipe-bomb murders of Vance and Georgia civil rights attorney Robert E. Robinson, who also was killed in a pipe-bomb blast two days after the judge. That federal trial was conducted in Minnesota. Moody was placed on death row after a jury convicted him of capital murder at a trial in Alabama five years later. The jury recommended 11-1 that the death penalty be imposed and the judge agreed. A Jefferson County mother shot in the head during an altercation with her ex-husband is on life support, authorities said. Jefferson County sheriff's officials initially said Habibba Moneque Walker was officially pronounced dead at 10 a.m. Monday, but late Monday afternoon said she she remains on life support. A search is underway for 46-year-old Dereck Jamaille Walker, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. "We will get justice for these children and for this poor woman,'' Christian said. Jefferson County sheriff's deputies and rescue workers were dispatched just before 8 a.m. to a home in the 300 block of Trenton Street on a reported shooting. When they arrived, they found the victim suffering with critical injuries, Christian said. The investigation showed that the victim's ex-husband broke into the home where the victim lived with her children. The boys were able to flee to a neighbor's home and weren't injured. The victim and the suspect argued. At that point, Christian said, the ex-husband pulled out a gun and fired on the victim. He then fled the scene in a silver Acura before deputies arrived. Christian said they found two domestic violence reports and a protection from abuse order from 2011, but said the couple later reconciled. They separated about 18 months to two years ago and divorce was final in December 2017. The two boys saw their father coming in the window with a gun and fled to the neighbor's house. Two shots were heard a short time later. The victim was trying to run out the back door when shot two times. Dereck Jamaille Walker is described as a black male who is bald with a beard. He is 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. Walker was last seen driving a silver 1996 Acura TL with Alabama tag 1CM3884. Law enforcement is actively searching for the suspect. Anyone with information about this case including the whereabouts of Dereck Walker is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Updated at 4:54 p.m. after Jefferson County sheriff's officials said they have been notified that the victim remains on life support. A Monday-morning shooting in western Jefferson County has a 45-year-old mother fighting for her life in the hospital. Jefferson County sheriff's deputies and rescue workers were dispatched just before 8 a.m. to a home in the 300 block of Trenton Street on a reported shooting. When they arrived, the found the victim suffering with critical injuries, said Chief Deputy Randy Christian. The investigation so far shows that the victim's ex-husband broke into the home where the victim lived with her children. The children were able to flee to a neighbor's home and weren't injured. The victim and the suspect argued. At that point, Christian said, the ex-husband pulled out a gun and fired on the victim. He then fled the scene in a silver Acura before deputies arrived. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. A judge today agreed to set bail for one of three capital murder suspects charged in the Huntsville drive-by shooting death of 3-year-old Livia Robinson. At a hearing this afternoon, Madison County District Judge Schuyler Richardson set bail at $250,000 for Dominique Russell, a 26-year-old from Huntsville. Russell is accused of driving the car from which fatal gunshots were fired at Robinson's home on March 7. He's been held in the Madison County Jail without bail since his arrest March 8. In addition to the $250,000 bail, Russell will be required to wear a GPS monitor. The judge said Russell won't be allowed to leave his Ninth Avenue Southwest home, except for mandatory drug testing and meetings with his attorneys. He's only allowed contact with immediate family. "We opposed him having bond set, but we respect the judge's decision, said Prosecutor Tim Gann, the county's chief trial attorney. Defense attorneys Richard Jensen and Patrick Hill argued Russell -- who doesn't have a history of violent crime or failure to appear in court -- is entitled to bail. "He has a history of hard work and raising his two children," Hill told the judge. Generally, in local capital murder cases, defendants automatically are held without bail. Though, judges have the discretion to set any bail they see fit. Alabama's recommended bail amount for capital murder ranges from $50,000 to no bond. Hill argued that the only reason a judge should refuse to set bond is if there's a need to protect the community or if there's reason to believe the defendant will flee. Russell is charged along with 26-year-old Martin Evenes and 27-year-old Brittany Kingston. During a prior court hearing, an investigator identified Evenes as the shooter, Russell as the driver, and Kingston as a passenger. Police have said Robinson wasn't the target of the shooting that happened at her 615 Murray Road home in north Huntsville. She was hit by a bullet that was intended to kill one of her mother's friends, Huntsville police investigator Frank Rosler testified. Russell also supplied the gun Evenes used, Rosler has testified. The judge expressed concerns today about Russell's role in the case, as it applied to setting bail. The defense said there is a dispute with prosecutors about how Evenes got Russell's gun. Hours after the shooting, when Russell was interviewed by police, he hadn't yet found out that a little girl was killed. Once he found out about the child's death, Russell handed over the gun to investigators, according to authorities. The gun was hidden under the mattress in his bedroom. Russell's children -- ages 3 and 5 -- were at court today along with his mother. The mother testified that she lives and works with Russell. She operates a home health business that cares for veterans and the elderly. Russell's case will be heard by a grand jury for consideration of an indictment. Judge Richardson ruled at a hearing earlier this month that prosecutors have enough evidence for probable cause. A grand jury will issue an indictment if it determines prosecutors have enough evidence to send Russell's case to trial. Felony indictments have been issued against a counselor accused of performing oral sex on boys at a north Alabama home for troubled youth and juvenile delinquents. Amanda Williams no longer works for Three Springs, also known as Sequel TSI. Amanda Shantay Williams is indicted on two counts of school employee having sexual contact with a student, Madison County court records show. Each charge is a Class C felony that's punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Williams, 29, is accused of performing oral sex on students at Three Springs, a residential treatment center that's also known as Sequel TSI, police wrote in court papers. The sexual contact happened last summer when Williams worked at Three Springs in Madison, according to authorities. "Ms. Williams is no longer employed by Sequel," said Executive Director Jason Scrivner in an email to AL.com. "Due to confidentiality and HIPAA regulations, Sequel is not able to provide any additional information." Lawmen haven't said how old the students were at the time, though court papers say they were younger than 19. Three Springs is a medium-risk secure facility that treats boys, ages 12-18, with poor behavior and those who have been convicted of crimes as juveniles. Williams' attorney didn't return a call seeking comment. A grand jury indicted Williams after determining prosecutors have enough evidence to take the case to trial. A trial is scheduled for July 30. John Archibald, long the voice of the aggrieved in Alabama, has won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary for his writing about Alabama politics in a year marked by trouble atop all three branches of state government and a dramatic U.S. Senate race that ended in an upset victory by Democrat Doug Jones over conservative judge Roy Moore. On Dec. 12, the day of the special Senate election, Archibald appealed to voters in his own direct style: "Thinking of the world watching Alabama right now is like hearing an unexpected knock on the door when you haven't done the dishes. ... The world is watching. And what it sees will have consequences. Vote your heart. Vote your conscience. But know what it means. To the world, and to you." Dana Canedy, administrator of the Pulitzers, cited Archibald's "lyrical and courageous commentary rooted in Alabama but has a national resonance in scrutinizing corrupt politicians, championing the rights of women and calling out hypocrisy." [Spelling of Canedy's name corrected at 2:49 p.m.] John began writing for The Birmingham News in 1986 and has provided commentary for the newspaper and AL.com since 2004. He most often focuses on Alabama and Birmingham politics, but he does so with a unique blend of humor and outrage. And he is often pulled to write about day-to-day topics and ordinary people, those who exist outside the corruption and hypocrisy he has dedicated decades to revealing. In addition to his work on the biggest political stories of 2017, Archibald's investigative work and commentary in 2017 also led to the guilty plea of former state lawmaker Oliver Robinson in a bribery scandal that produced indictments of two attorneys and a coal company executive. Those federal cases are still working their way through the legal system. John Archibald has written about Alabama, her people, and her promise, for more than three decades. His efforts were recognized on April 16, 2018, with the Pulitzer Prize in Commentary. (AL.com file) As last year's many political dramas unfolded, Archibald joined Reckon by AL.com, the company's new public interest news and commentary brand focused on human rights issues and reader engagement. The new team placed Archibald in a position to tackle familiar subjects in new ways, working with investigative reporters, social producers and videographers, including Archibald's son, Ramsey Archibald, who earned a Master's Degree in journalism from the University of Alabama in 2015. He has often teamed with fellow columnist Kyle Whitmire, collaborating on investigative reporting and aiming a blow torch at the toes of Alabama politicians when they misstep. As a winner of the commentary prize, Archibald joins some of the most famous voices in American journalism, including: Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal; Thomas Friedman, Maureen Dowd, Nicholas D. Kristof, Anna Quindlen and William Safire of The New York Times; Connie Schultz of The Plain Dealer of Cleveland; and Jimmy Breslin of the New York Daily News. The prize is the third in the company's history. In 2007, Brett Blackledge of The Birmingham News won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for his exposure of cronyism and corruption in the state's two-year college system. The Birmingham News also earned the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing in 1991 for commentary and analysis about Alabama's unfair and inadequate tax system. The son of a Methodist minister, Archibald was born in Alabaster and lived in several towns in North Alabama before his family settled in Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a journalism degree in 1986. That background provided the foundation for his journalism, which skewers hypocrisy and greed in both political parties. In June, he wrote: "It doesn't matter which party is in charge, because it's always the same. It's a protection racket, a cycle of corruption, propaganda and greed. Alabamians are left to kick themselves beneath the table. And the guy who started off with the bag of money walks away with more." His work instead often tends to champion common, simple Alabama values, such as decency and honesty. In short, his work is inseparable from his Alabama roots. As he wrote in a December column, which criticized Roy Moore's use of religion: "See, the church was the single most defining part of my life, and that of my family. My dad, Robert Archibald Jr., was a United Methodist preacher. And so was his dad, Robert Sr. There were preachers and Roberts - my oldest son is a Robert, too - back generations, and centuries." And as he wrote in a column in August arguing against the focus on preserving Civil War monuments: "I'm as Southern as anyone, Alabama born and bred and I'm proud enough of the South to want it to do better. But it's time to look away from Dixie. To a future for everyone." That kind of thinking about a Deep South with room for all people fueled his writing about Brandi Burgess, the daughter of one of the south's most popular radio hosts who revealed that she was bisexual in a column published by AL.com. Archibald wrote, "Brandi's could be the story of thousands of LGBTQ men and women born to evangelical families. It's one of guilt and shame and a kind of eventual courage. But she knows love and acceptance and faith build courage. She was raised in the church and holds to a profound belief in God. But her God is vast and complex and hard to limit. So in the shadow of one of Alabama's largest voices, she has found her own." Among the columns submitted for the Pulitzer Prize were two standing up for women in the wake of the #MeToo movement, including those who came forward in the Roy Moore scandal: "This is a moment, I keep believing. It's a cultural awakening and the start of a change. We fail when we say boys will be boys. We hurt when we question what a woman wore when she was assaulted. Those who blame the victims - who call them whores and tramps and sluts - are as guilty as those who commit the acts. It's not just about the past. It's about the future. So forget about politics, for now. This is bigger than that." Michelle Holmes, VP of Content for the Alabama Media Group, said: "John's signature outrage comes because he believes the people of Alabama deserve better. His desire to root out corruption comes because he believes the little guy needs someone looking out after him in a state where bad things happen behind closed doors. His desire to hold a light for those in darkness comes from his belief that this place should shine with beauty and goodness, not with despair." Archibald lives in Birmingham with his wife, Alecia, and three dogs, Benny, Betsy and Barney. John and Alecia have three children, Drew, who lives in Washington D.C., and Ramsey and Mamie, who live in Birmingham. The grandson of a former Mobile district attorney was found guilty of murder Friday, bringing an end to nearly four years of legal proceedings. Joseph Hunt Booth, 49, murdered Antonio Crawford to avoid paying a drug debt, according to prosecutors. On the day Crawford was shot, in late April 2014, the two men had been driving around and stopping at various ATMs around midtown Mobile, according to court documents. Crawford was attempting to collect a debt from Booth, who was thought to have run up large drug debts with Crawford. It's unclear how much Booth owed Crawford, then 20, but police contended that the two men returned to Booth's home empty handed, at which point Crawford demanded that Booth get the cash from his elderly parents, who were visiting at the time. As the two men entered the home, witnesses claim that shots rang out immediately. Crawford received wounds to his chest, back and shoulder. Booth, who is the grandson of longtime Mobile County District Attorney Carl Booth, claimed that he was forced to kill Crawford after he threatened his mother. Speaking about Alabama's 2006 Stand Your Ground law, Booth's attorney said, "This man had a right to defend himself, he had a right to defend his mother and father from . . . someone hell-bent on getting his money one way or another, armed with an automatic handgun he has no right to possess whatsoever." Crawford was already a convicted felon and was allegedly in possession of a Glock handgun. Prosecutors said that Crawford tried to run away after the first shot was fired and eventually succumbed to two more blasts from Booth's close range shotgun on the porch. It's believed that Booth then pulled Crawford's body inside the house. Evidence showing blood smears supported that notion. Booth had his bond revoked and will be sentenced on May 16. Deidre Downs Gunn, the former Miss Alabama and Miss America turned physician, married her girlfriend in a Birmingham ceremony Saturday. The wedding comes just two years after Miss Missouri Erin O'Flaherty, 23, became the first openly gay woman to compete in the Miss America pageant. Downs Gunn, 37, is a native of Pelham. She attended the University of Virginia on a volleyball scholarship before transferring to Samford University in Birmingham. Downs Gunn, who funded part of her education through more than $100,000 in scholarships earned at pageants, was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship in 2002. Downs Gunn captured the Miss Alabama crown in 2004 before winning the Miss America title in 2005 after wowing the judges with her vocal rendition of "I'm afraid This Must be Love." Downs Gunn was only the third Miss Alabama to win the Miss America crown, following in the footsteps of Yolande Betbeze in 1951 and Heather Whitestone in 1995. During her reign, she served as a spokesperson for CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation. "It was surreal to stand on stage, on national television, and have my name called as Miss America and to walk the runway as they played, 'There She Is, Miss America.'" Downs Gunn said in 2014. "It is still surreal." After her year as Miss America, Downs Gunn attended the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham, where she received her medical degree. According to her website, Downs Gunn is currently a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in reproductive endocrinology at UAB in Birmingham. Downs Gunn married Andrew Gunn in 2008 and the couple had a son before divorcing. In April 2018, People magazine first reported Downs Gunn married her girlfriend, attorney Abbott Jones. The couple used the hashtag #DrandMrsAmerica to celebrate the event. "Saying our vows in front of our family and friends and making that commitment to the love of my life was the most meaningful part of the day for me," she said. The couple is already receiving congratulations on their news. Loblolly Woods Nature Park reopened early Thursday after being shut down for nearly a week due to raw sewage overflow. The park closed April 6 after two separate spills resulted in about 615,000 gallons of wastewater being released into the area. The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department is fining Gainesville Regional Utilities $292 for the spills and will fine GRU contractor Oelrich Construction, Inc. $146, said county spokesperson Mark Sexton. On April 5, Oelrich Construction struck a main sewer line while working in the park, resulting in about 150,000 gallons of sewage leaking into the area, about 4,000 of which drained into Possum Creek, according to a GRU report. The next morning, GRU was notified of another incident, this time a hose at 2610 NW Eighth Ave. was knocked out of place, resulting in another 465,000 gallons of wastewater being released, according to the report. GRU doesnt know what disturbed the bypass hose. GRU and Oelrich Construction were responsible for the cleanup and ultimately recovered about 250,000 gallons of wastewater from the site, GRU spokesperson David Warm wrote in an email. GRU anticipates Oelrich Construction will pay for the fines associated with the accidents, Tony Cunningham, a GRU Water and Wastewater officer, wrote in an email. GRU was issued two fines because it owns and operates the wastewater collection system and is responsible for the permit. In January 2017, a sewage spill affected UFs campus when 2,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into a creek that connects to Lake Alice, according to Alligator archives. The area, which was sanitized by Florida Division of Emergency Management State Watch Office, was affected environmentally, but drinking water was deemed safe. Linda Demetropoulos, a nature operations manager for the park, said Loblolly Woods is safe for visitors but they should still use caution. Normally visitors are instructed not to access the water area, so that has not changed, she said. Contact Jessica Giles at jgiles@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @jessica_giles_. Loblolly Woods Nature Park is located northwest of UF's campus. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Amy Carson is a teacher, but her classroom doesnt have rows of desks facing a chalkboard or central air conditioning. She believes nature is the ideal classroom. Carson leads Tinkergarten in Gainesville. Its a play-based learning program where groups of parents and children are encouraged to play outdoors, exploring the world around them through guided activities that teach core life skills. She teaches classes outdoors at Northeast Park and Jonesville Park. Carson, a 38-year-old Gainesville resident, said she led Tinkergarten classes in Texas for a year. But when she moved to Gainesville in July 2016, she realized the program wasnt offered in the area, so she decided to create it. The program began in September 2016. Since then, Carson said she has added two additional class leaders to the Gainesville staff and is in the process of training another. Its hard for adults to see the learning that happens when kids are playing because thats not the way that adults tend to learn, Carson said. The program is geared for children between the ages of 18 months to 8 years old because young kids develop best through play, not traditional classrooms at that age, Carson said. The activities vary from class to class and are tailored to the ages of the children in each class. The weekly classes are sold in eight-week sessions at $160 per student. The classes have a maximum enrollment of 12 students. Tinkergarten classes take place outdoors at a local park in the area, Carson said. The spring session classes in Gainesville are taught at Northeast Park and Jonesville Park. Nancy Caniff, a 45-year-old Gainesville resident, said her 4-year-old daughter Emme has flourished in Tinkergarten classes since she has been enrolled for more than two years. Caniff said her daughter is always excited for classes, which are just over an hour of outdoor time, songs, stories and friends. On Sunday nights, Caniff asks her daughter, Emme do you know what tomorrow is? Its Monday. Emme will respond, Tinkergarten! After we sleep? Caniff said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now And she rushes to bed, Caniff said. Its just her favorite. Caniff said she recalls a class when the teacher brought plastic figurines that were frozen in blocks of ice. The children used tools like buckets and shovels to uncover the hidden treasure. The activity encouraged the children to use critical thinking skills and execute a multi-step solution to the problem at hand. Every class has a pattern, Caniff said. You know what to expect free play, introductions, play, social circle. We regroup, have a snack and head out from there. Emme, 4, and her friend, Colton, drink hot blueberry tea during snack time at Northeast Park during Tinkergarten class. Tinkergarten is a play-based learning program where groups of parents and children are encouraged to play outdoors, exploring the world around them through guided activities that teach core life skills. A tornado watch has been issued for Alachua County, with potential for a severe thunderstorm warning until 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville. Gainesville can expect up to an inch of rain and gusts of up to 60 mph winds Sunday afternoon, with a slim chance of hail, said NWS meteorologist Phil Peterson. Be prepared to act quickly if warnings are issued, Peterson said. The tornado watch was issued at 10:34 a.m. Sunday for 13 counties in northeast Florida. A tornado warning, however, has not be issued. A tornado watch indicates the potential for isolated funnel clouds to form, but does not call for an immediate action. A tornado warning, however, does require taking cover inside a sturdy building and away from windows immediately. People should keep checking local weather forecasts for updates until 6 p.m., he said. Contact Elliott Nasby at enasby@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter at @_ElohEl. Students walk to class in rainy weather. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now UF announced Thursday it will provide more resources and funding for the Disability Resource Center to meet its growing demand. During the 2012-13 academic year, the center served 1,214 students. This academic year, 3,055 students are registered to receive help from the center. However, only one more specialist had been added in the meantime bringing the team from four people to five, according to Alligator archives. To remedy the lack of resources, the Provosts Office will spend nearly $475,000 on the center, UF spokesperson Margot Winick wrote in an email. Winick said the decision had been in the works for about a year. The university will use $384,030 to make four more residence hall rooms in Cypress Hall accessible for students with severe mobility impairment, according to a news release. The DRC will also hire an additional learning specialist and graduate assistant, which will cost $90,896 annually, to help with one-on-one mentoring, lead training initiatives and help students transition in and out of college, said Gerardo Altamirano, director of the DRC. As of now, there are about 620 students for every one learning specialist. The additional specialist will reduce this ratio to 442 students for every one learning specialist, according to the news release. Altamirano said he hopes wait times are reduced to less than two weeks and appointments arent rushed after these changes. I was very ecstatic and thankful most of all that our upper administration and our provost was so willing to support us, he said. The four rooms in Cypress Hall will have lift systems, which help students with disabilities move around the room, and a remote that can open the door and control the blinds to help students live more autonomously, Altamirano said. Although 35 rooms in Cypress Hall can be used for students with severe mobile impairment, UF plans to add the lift systems and other necessary technology in the rooms as demand grows, Winick said. After these four rooms are renovated, the residence hall will have 15. Some of the students who live in Cypress Hall have personal care assistants who provide service 24 hours a day. With about 43 care attendants who help care for students in the residence hall, the space is relatively small for them, he said. Some of the funding will be used to make a larger space where staff members wait for their students to need their assistance. Altamirano said he is excited about adding staff members. The graduate assistant will lead initiatives like disability advocate training to create more sources of support for disabled students on campus and play a role in transitioning students by explaining what resources are available to them when they enter UF and help them find a job when they graduate, Altamirano said. Altamirano said he also hopes to develop a career fair where students can interact with disability-inclusive employers. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Bradley Minotti, a 20-year-old UF psychology sophomore who has used the DRC since he was a freshman, said he is excited about the additional learning specialist and graduate assistant. Its something that weve all been hoping for, for a while now, he said. Minotti hopes the additional staff will relieve some of the pressure on the DRC as the number of students they serve continues to climb. Hes also looking forward to shorter wait times to see his own learning specialist. He said he currently waits two to three weeks. The decision to increase funding and resources shows that UF administration prioritizes supporting students with disabilities, he said. They heard that we needed more resources and theyre going to provide that, which I think is really great because not a lot of universities think like that, he said. Contact Jessica Giles at jgiles@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @jessica_giles_. In the 2012-13 school year, the Disability Resource Center center served 1,214 students. This academic year, that rose to 3,055. Thomas Emmel first stumbled upon the 2.25-inch-wide butterfly in March 1959 as a 17-year-old on an expedition in Mexico. The specimen was later stashed away in one of his collection drawers and forgotten about. That was until last Fall, when Andrew Warren, a senior collections manager at the UF McGuire Center for Lepidoptera & Biodiversity, found the specimens in a drawer. He noticed something odd about the species. He came running upstairs and asked, What were you doing in March of 1959? Emmel, now 76, said. The butterfly species is soft brown on its upper side while its underside is marked with magenta stripes and silver dots. No other butterfly has the same design and colors, which makes scientists think it is a new species of butterfly, Emmel said. When Warren discovered this, he chose to honor the butterfly by naming it Cyllopsis tomemmeli, after Emmel, who discovered it about 60 years ago. I was very thrilled, its a great honor actually, said Emmel, an affiliate professor and scientist at the McGuire Center. Emmel said he was on the 1959 expedition with ornithologist, or bird expert, L. Irby Davis to record Mexican bird songs in Chiapas, Mexico. They were driving through a pine forest south of San Cristobal de las Casas when their car needed mechanical repairs. While staying an unexpected three or four nights in the area, Emmel said he wandered around and found 45 butterfly species, including the previously unknown species. Emmel said he had forgotten about the collection but had kept it when he came to UF in 1968. When the McGuire Center opened in 2004, Emmel moved his collection there. Although Emmel said he couldnt believe it took 60 years to find this butterfly, Warren wrote in an email that it is common to find new species of butterflies and other organisms in museum collections. This discovery is an example of the importance of maintaining museum collections for researchers in the future, Warren said. For now, the specimens remain in the museum collection at the McGuire Center. Warren said he hopes in the next 10 years, scientists will find the food and plants the caterpillars eat. Emmel said he wants a special display for the butterfly to inform people that new discoveries can happen anywhere. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now New surprises come up, and its really amazing that materials collected 60 years ago can have great value, Emmel said. Thomas Emmel, 76, holds onto 13 specimens of the brown butterfly in his collection. After they were recovered about 60 years after his initial discovery, Emmel said he was surprised they were rediscovered. He said he hopes to discover more about the species. Every work day, Sgt. Walter Hamby walks into the University Police building at 5:30 a.m., gears up in his uniform and weaponry, conducts roll call and checks the police vehicles. On Nov. 5, Hamby was going through the same routine, searching for radios in room 108B, a weapons storage on the first floor where guns, radios and a wooden podium are kept. But as he walked toward the radios, Hambys right foot faltered. In a matter of seconds, the 6-foot officer was knee-deep in the floor. He tried to pull himself up, but was unsuccessful. He called Officer Steve Wilder to help him out. The floor began to collapse under Wilder as he rescued Hamby, but no one was injured. You think youre standing on a firm surface and all of a sudden it disappears from under you, Hamby said. The UPD building, at 1555 Museum Road, experienced problems with mold, asbestos, humidity and weak flooring over the last few months. There is always someone in the 3,572 sq. ft. building, which 50 employees work out of, but it can no longer support the needs of the department, said Deputy Chief Darren Baxley. Its just not ideal to run a modern police department out of, Baxley said. The staff will vacate this week and work out of a modular building of three portables bolted together near Jennings Hall while the building is assessed for safety and tested by a private contractor, which could take about three weeks. The temporary facility will be about 3,500 square feet and cost $2,200 to rent per month, said Curtis Reynolds, the vice president of UFs Business Affairs. Considering its age and considering its wood structure, there might be other concerns that were not aware of, Reynolds said. Were taking this full collapse as a signal to us that there are potential issues inside the building that we may not be aware of. According to UF Libraries Historic Sites Guide, the building was first constructed in 1928 to house the WRUF radio station. In 1957, UPD moved in. In 1989, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Under the special classification, its hard to get renovations approved for the building. That makes it very challenging to do any kind of remodel in there to make it more appropriate for a police department, Baxley said. The department has been trying to get a new building for about a decade, Baxley said. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now Another room in the building, a conference room, was deemed structurally unsound and closed off while the base was filled with concrete. Thomas Ladun, a coordinator for UF Environmental Health and Safety, discovered the wood trusses that hold up the floor were rotten from rainwater draining under the building over the years. Ladun said when the water evaporates, it goes up into the floor, weakening it. Ladun discovered the rotten wood after working on an asbestos case in the room. In September 2017, contractors found asbestos floor tile about two layers underneath the conference room floor, which had been covered over the years. He said asbestos appearances are common for older buildings, and the tile was removed in the renovation. It wasnt dangerous or anything, but it is regulated, he said. Ladun said he did a walk-through of the building with the UF Environmental Health and Safety in October. He noted the floor was sagging in the room where Hamby fell. This was eventually pointed out to Facility Services. Outside consultants also found the humidity on the first floor was above 60 percent in January. In a well air-conditioned building, the humidity is between 55 percent and 60 percent. He said if levels are consistently above 60 percent for hours or days, there might be something wrong with the building. The pool of rainwater underneath the building could contribute to the increase of the relative humidity, Ladun said. Youre relying on the air conditioning to dry out the building and keep that moisture in check, he said. At a certain point, its possible that youd have too much moisture so the air conditioning can no longer keep the building dry. Hamby said he knew the floor was weak for at least a year before he fell into it. With the staff of the building moving into the trailers by this week, Hamby, whos been with the department for 30 years, said he might retire in the modular building. It would be nice to have a place where we wouldnt have to worry about that again, he said. Contact Christina Morales at cmorales@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @Christina_M18. University Police staff will move into a modular building of three portables bolted together while their building is assessed for safety and tested by a private contractor, which could take about three weeks. The temporary facility will be about 3,500 square feet and cost $2,200 to rent per month. From the steam engine and automobile to electricity and the computer, dramatic paradigm shifts in society have coincided with monumental leaps in technology. Many predict the next leap will be artificial intelligence. Up until now, almost all scientific breakthroughs have made the world a better place in the long run. Innovation is to improve quality of life, and people continue to work toward new innovations in the hopes of improving quality of life. Today, scientists have hit a crossroads where they have lost vision of the sole reason for scientific development. Although it is hard to believe in a time of sustained economic growth and record-low unemployment, artificial intelligence has a strong possibility of disrupting our current way of life. The problem is not whether artificial intelligence is scientifically possible, but why scientists are trying to perfect artificial intelligence in the first place. Many have a false conception that job loss from artificial intelligence is limited to repetitive manufacturing jobs. According to a recent survey by 352 artificial intelligence experts, artificial intelligence will be able to do just about any job a human can within the next 40 years. Software and computers will evolve to the point where jobs in business, engineering and medicine will be performed by computing technology. Google has announced it has already programmed robots to write poetry. Scientists have proved the point that they can artificially create a machine as intelligent as a human. But beyond the mere knowledge of knowing scientists are capable of creating such machines, society gains very little relative to the negative consequences that will come from artificial intelligence. As a result of further automation, companies can save money and consumer products will be cheaper, but these minute advantages are irrelevant if people create a world where society can function without humans playing a leading role. From predicting what the future may hold when people no longer have to work, some economists have even promoted the idea of a universal income, where everyone receives a base salary. In fact, Finland is currently undergoing a two-year experiment of having a universal basic income. In the frenzy and complexity of artificially intelligent technology, people have avoided questioning the real purpose of artificial intelligence. Society would be heading in the wrong direction if most of the population no longer needed to work, losing the main purpose of an individuals role in society since the beginning of modern civilization. Economists can begin arguing on how to best supply income to a world without work, but economists would be more helpful in explaining why society would even want a world without employment being commonplace. Furthermore, Im not necessarily sure people need poetry and best-selling novels written by robots. Increasing computing technology may have once increased quality of life, but developments in artificial intelligence are moving away from societal benefits and instead toward permanent drawbacks that emerge from scientific achievement. Avoiding the development of artificial intelligence may seem as avoiding progress, but there are other problems the worlds top minds can focus on: disease, poverty and maybe even hunger. In his book The Industries of the Future, former Senior Advisor for Innovation Alec Ross argues we were promised decades ago that the world today would be cured of disease and filled with flying cars. Instead, innovators have created watches that count footsteps and phones that speak back. Scientists should focus first on the most pressing problems that face society and then decide how to scientifically approach effective solutions. Technological development can improve quality of life. However, scientists are pushing society down the wrong track. The world should not avoid technology and development, but scientists and innovators must keep quality of life as the top priority when pushing the limits of whats possible. Joshua Udvardy is a UF environmental engineer junior. His column focuses on science. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now On the evening of March 18, Stephon Clark was shot eight times by Sacramento police officers. According to The Washington Post, he was shot in the neck, back and thigh. The bullets pierced his lungs and broke a number of the 22-year-olds bones. The two officers shot at Clark 20 times. About three to 10 minutes after the attack, Clark died. Officers were responding to a vandalism complaint in Clarks Sacramento neighborhood when they found him in the backyard of his grandmothers house where he lived. According to The New York Times, in their initial statement, the officers claimed Clark came toward them while holding what they believed to be a firearm. However, fearing the police were trying to cover up misconduct by their officers, the Clark family had their own autopsy conducted. The familys lawyer stated that according to the autopsy reports, Clark could not have been moving toward the officers when he was shot, contradicting the officers narratives. Sacramento Police didnt comment. The shooting was recorded by the officers body cameras and showed the men shouting We need to know if youre O.K. just after the gunfire ended, and, We need to get you medics, but we cant go over to get you help unless we know you dont have a weapon. Once more officers arrived, the two shooting officers muted the audio on their body cameras as they discussed the events that transpired. It is also suspected the officers waited too long after the attack to call for medical assistance. Protesters have since taken to the streets of Sacramento and Sacramento City Hall. Many are calling for the two officers to be fired. Protesters have said this incident, in a city that is mainly black and Latino, is a sign of a police force that treats black residents with disdain and unfairly targets their neighborhoods. Clarks death was not unique. The brutal murder of black men at the hands of police officers is something we have seen repeatedly, especially over the past several years. The frequency and even sheer existence of these cases is tragic. Whats more, officers are rarely held accountable for their actions, and forces across the country do not appear to be taking these types of events seriously. If they did, they wouldnt frequent the headlines of every major news outlet every few weeks. Although Sacramento Police did adjust their body camera policy to prohibit muting of the recording, the two officers responsible for Clarks death have yet to be fired. This not only degrades the entire police force but sets a precedent for officers across the country that brutality is not something to be taken seriously. As a result, Americans have lost trust in our police forces. The neighbor who originally called in the vandalism complaint in Clarks neighborhood told PBS she regrets making the call and said it makes her never want to call 911 again. We must make clear that we respect officers and are thankful for the work they do. But all people need to be able to trust our officers, not just a percentage. We need to be able to believe they will not shoot without more justification than we thought he had a weapon and seemed threatening. Its time police forces take action against officers who cant control their desire to shoot. Forces that have had these incidents need to set an example for other forces across the country. How many more black men need to lose their lives before police officers start protecting all of us? Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now A rich vein of mining business runs through Gareth Pennys career first in diamonds and now in metals as chairman of Russian mining major Norilsk Nickel. When legendary mining executive Julian Ogilvie Thompson is your godfather, a healthy interest in the sector is inevitable. Gareth Penny, chairman of Russian metals giant Norilsk Nickel, recalls sitting around the dining table on many occasions when he was growing up, listening to Ogilvie Thompson, who was a friend of his father, talk about mining majors Anglo American and De Beers - for both of which his godfather was eventually chairman. At that time, Anglo owned a 45% stake in De Beers; this has since risen to 85%. At a very early age, I had thought Id join De Beers and try to make a career in the diamonds business because it was really part of my upbringing in those very early years, Penny told Metal Market Magazine. And that is precisely what he did. Thirty years ago, a 24-year-old Penny joined Anglo American, working as a management trainee in various departments before moving across to diamonds at De Beers. His first assignment was to set up and run a diamond polishing factory in a village called Serowe, in Botswanas Central District. Penny was suddenly in charge of around 400 people, recruiting and training polishers from Antwerp, and teaching people how to cut diamonds. I had no experience in polishing diamonds, but I knew how to manage a business, Penny said. It was part of an agreement with De Beers to promote downstream beneficiation. Not only did he fall in love with diamonds, he also began a life-long relationship with Botswana one of my favorite countries on earth that continues today. When he later became De Beers' chief executive officer, he worked very closely with Debswana, an equal joint venture with the Botswana government, and also served on the governments Economic Advisory Council. From Botswana, Penny moved to the De Beers marketing office in London. If youre going to be in the diamond business youd better understand the product and why people buy it, including how important it is not to treat diamonds as a commodity, but as a treasure of nature, he said. Spending time in the downstream is a very important part of understanding what it is that fundamentally underpins the economics of the diamond business. He then spent a decade in Johannesburg, in his native South Africa, working in various roles including as personal assistant to the De Beers chairman and as diamond consultant for Southern Africa, where he was responsible for the sales of rough diamonds to the Southern African cutting industry. Reshaping the diamond trade It was in Pennys next role that he was accredited for helping to reshape not just De Beers, but also the diamond industry itself. In 1999, he became director of transformation, his most exciting assignment at the group, and began guiding De Beers through a period of significant change. The supply-side model of the old central selling organization had outlived itself and was no longer appropriate for all sorts of reasons, both economic and legal. So we decided to fundamentally transform the business from one that was essentially supply-focused to one that was demand-driven, Penny explained. Under his guidance, De Beers began extricating itself from third-party contracts, including with other major producers. After this, De Beers only dealt with its own production and that of its joint ventures, and was focused on demand, he added. According to Penny, it was an extraordinary period of change De Beers had run the same business model for over 100 years that was difficult for a lot of people. But it made sense. De Beers at that point was a separately listed company, and there were large periods of time in the 1990s where the value of De Beers holdings in Anglo American was more or less equal to the market capitalization of De Beers. In other words, the diamonds business was effectively valued at almost zero, he said. In terms of the economic rationale for coming up with a new business model, it was overwhelming. There was no doubt that the old model of a supply-focused business was destroying economic value, he explained. There were also significant legal complications because directors of De Beers were not allowed to travel to the United States, which was a legacy of the 1948 ban on the company from directly distributing and selling diamonds on that continent due to antitrust concerns. The USA was the single biggest diamond market in the world, so there was clearly need for change. Even though it was self-evident, it was fine to agree that intellectually, but to get the whole industry to think about doing something in a different way was very difficult. It was hugely challenging, Penny recalled. Working with then-chairman Nicky Oppenheimer and CEO Gary Ralfe, Penny developed a new model called supplier of choice. It required working with all our customers in an entirely different way they in turn had to work with their customers downstream in order to grow the market and ensure there was sufficient demand for diamonds, he said. If you look back over the last 10 years, its been pretty successful. De Beers now accounts for about 40% of Anglo Americans earnings. The model filtered through to the rest of the industry as the way to do things, spawning enormous changes to methods of marketing and branding. It also meant the industry was in the right mindset to create the Kimberley Process a vast initiative involving 70 sovereign governments and the entire diamond industry spectrum designed to tackle blood diamonds. To be so successful that the conflict minerals issue was managed to a point where it didnt have a dramatic impact on consumer desire for diamonds was key, Penny said. A challenging time In the early 2000s, Penny became CEO of the groups marketing arm, the Diamond Trading Company (DTC), and in 2005 was appointed De Beers CEO from the start of 2006 until the end of 2010. With Penny leading De Beers through the extremely difficult global financial crisis of 2008-09, the group emerged in good shape and, in 2011, posted its highest earnings ever. Penny said that 2009 was one of the most difficult years ever for the DTC - and probably his personal career low point. Diamonds are very much luxury goods so are very much a discretionary purchase. It was a very, very challenging time, he added. Through the global financial crisis, demand for diamonds was significantly impacted. It was less impacted at the consumer level, which was down high single digits, but as you came up the pipeline, that ripple was more and more pronounced, so the impact on De Beers was enormous, Penny told Metal Market Magazine. We had just finished building two mines in Canada with quite high gearing, so we had to restructure all our debt. At the same time, we had to make sure we didnt oversell, because our clients were finding it very difficult to buy diamonds... We had to be careful about how we managed the business, he said. De Beers sales fell by 50% in the first half of 2009, and the group set about dramatically reducing its costs. What we did in those years was so important in terms of keeping consumer, trade and also banking confidence, he said. The ability of the industry to hold its wealth in diamonds as a store of value is a tremendously important part of the whole fabric of the diamond business and if its not, then its not fully understood, Penny noted. From diamonds to nickel Eventually Penny decided to leave De Beers I felt I had been very focused on diamonds for over 20 years and I wanted to do other things in the mining space and was approached to become chairman of Norilsk, the worlds lowest-cost nickel producer and the largest in palladium with more than 40% of world output. Since Penny took on the chairmans role at the start of 2013, Norilsk has significantly outperformed its peers, an achievement that is something of a personal career high for Penny: The average total shareholder return (TSR) of the major miners is down 32% over the last five years. In 2013-17, Norilsks TSR rose 60% and its next closest competitor was up 26%, Penny noted. Similarly Norilsks dividend yield over the same period was 10.6%, while the industry average was 2.5% and the next best after Norilsk was 5%. To be fair to its peers, Norilsks 2012 performance had been depressed by a dispute between the companys two major shareholders: Obviously if you come off a low base, its that much easier to show an uplift in value, Penny acknowledged. But from 2013 onward, a combination of other factors - including a reconfiguration of the companys downstream operations, particularly Norilsks processing facilities - played a vital role in its revival. We modernized the Talnakh concentrator and the Nadezhda metallurgical plant, we shut down the oxide leach nickel plant in Norilsk, and we modified the flow of materials to the Kola division, Penny said. Over the same period, Norilsk significantly reduced its working capital from $3 billion to around $1 billion. What makes me proud is that we werent just cost cutting and paying out big dividends it was actually during the same time that we invested in a totally new mine called Chita. Its terribly important that you try to invest through the cycle, Penny noted. When things go bad and the whole industry cuts back, it means that when things start to improve again you do not have the extra capacity to benefit from this. We brought on new capacity in the down-cycle, and that will play out positively for Norilsk in the next five years. Penny is also proud of the tremendous improvement to governance at Norilsk the board, the underlying subcommittees, the systems and processes... Its clear now things are looking pretty interesting going forward, he said. While Norilsk has performed well, Penny believes miners all too often lack a clear purpose and fail to approach investments with the appropriate due diligence a situation that has driven average shareholder returns lower. As a mining company, youve got to be really clear what your specific purpose is. So many mining companies are opportunity-driven and particularly this last super-cycle would chase after anything. Fear of missing out drove all sorts of behavior where people invested in a huge number of projects and [mergers and acquisitions] activity and, frankly, we all know the consequences were disastrous, he said. Norilsk was also guilty of this, he admitted: The company bought assets in Australia, Africa and other parts of the world where it lacked competitive advantage. They werent tier-one assets, and all the rest of our assets are very clearly defined in the top quartile in terms of returns and size, he noted. The company has since exited almost all of its international assets; there are just two remaining in South Africa and Australia and those are up for sale. Mining companies need to be very thoughtful about what business theyre in where are they playing, and why have they got a competitive advantage in that area, Penny added. He also believes the sector needs to keep a close eye on gearing, which is a huge concern for miners. I hate gearing in any industry, but the mining industry is particularly badly suited for a highly geared balance sheet because you dont have visibility of earnings through any significant period of time, not least because of commodity prices, he explained. You can be in a situation where you think youve got one or two times debt to earnings before taxes, depreciation and amortization, and a year later you find youve got five and its heading north. We all know the impact thats had on the biggest and best mining companies in the world. There are lots of lessons to be learned from what weve gone through in the past five years, Penny added. Shareholder agreement Norilsk is currently embroiled in a dispute between its largest shareholders: Vladimir Potanin, with a stake of more than 30%; and UC Rusal, which is controlled by Oleg Deripaska, with a stake of more than 27%. The situation has arisen since a shareholder agreement that included a lock-up on the sale of shares expired in December last year. Minority shareholder Roman Abramovich said that he may reduce his stake in Norilsk, which stood at 6.3% before the lock-up ended, and a subsequent tussle emerged to acquire parts of his stake. Penny stressed that the matter is between the various shareholders, and that hes optimistic a resolution will soon be found. The company is not changing something in terms of the way it operates; its an issue between three shareholders, not Norilsk, he said. At the end of the day, its about one shareholder wanting to sell some - not all - of its shares in Norilsk, and the other two shareholders coming to some kind of arrangement as to who buys what portion of that stake. Its early days and Im hopeful a sensible solution will be found. But in any event, it doesnt change the nature of how Norilsk itself will be run and the things we will focus on as a board, he added. Although the lock-up on the sale of shares in Norilsk terminated in December 2017 at the end of the initial five-year shareholder agreement which triggered a court battle between major shareholders Penny said that a further five-year extension of other elements of the agreement has automatically continued and so is already in place now. I would hope and anticipate that we would continue to create successful shareholder returns while broadly understanding that the arrangement embedded in the shareholder agreement continues on. I dont think it makes any difference to that at all, he said. Environmental focus Norilsk is now turning its sights on the next cycle, with one of its major deliverables being minimizing the environmental impact of its production units. As the largest industrial company in the fragile ecosystem of Russias Arctic zone, Norilsk has often attracted criticism for its environmental performance - in particular for excessively high levels of toxic emissions. No more, according to Penny. Its going to take some money about $2.5 billion, almost $500 million a year and a lot of time and effort. Thats going to create enormously reduced sulfur emissions levels from Norilsk, he told Metal Market Magazine. Weve already made significant steps in improving our environmental footprint, but this is a step-change rather than an incremental change. The improvements will include new technologies and infrastructure, none of which will create a significant uplift in tonnage in the next five years, but which will create the foundation for the next big growth period after that, Penny said. Central to this may be the development of Southern Cluster a joint venture platinum group metals (PGMs) project with Russian partners that will be a significant step in the next chapter of Norilsks life. Penny ascribed the focus on improving Norilsks environmental performance to three key things: the unacceptability of bad environmental practices; a clearly identified corporate purpose; and a genuine push by management, including majority owner Potanin as well as by Deripaskas UC Rusal, to clean things up. Firstly, its the right thing to do the pressure is there and its just unacceptable for a company like Norilsk, which wants to be the leader in its field, to be behind the curve on its environmental practices, Penny said. Secondly, all businesses need to be really clear about what their purpose is. Norilsk has a real opportunity to supply the key ingredients in the world of tomorrow, particularly around electric vehicles [EVs] and hybrids. Our metal basket is peculiarly well-suited for copper in batteries, palladium in hybrid electric and petrol engines, [and] nickel in batteries of the future, he noted. If youre going to position the company there, youve got to have a joined-up story. You cant be saying, Were the company that produces all these good things in a more environmentally friendly world and at the same time, in your back yard, the manner in which you produce these metals which are all good for the environment is unacceptable, he said. The metal value measured at the point of mining in a gasoline or diesel car is $250-400 per vehicle; for electric vehicles, the metal value is more than $1,800, Penny noted. Theres a curious irony in that when consumers think of EVs, they think of more environmentally friendly products, and they are, but they just happen to use four times as much metal to produce that product versus a gasoline car, Penny said. It comes back full circle to ensuring that Norilsk, which mines the raw materials, does so in a way that the consumer doesnt mind theres four times as much metal, because the company is responsible in the way that metal is mined. Thats a big part of why were doing what were going to do on the environmental side, he added. Finally, Penny said there is a real desire by management to be on the right side of history. We want Norilsk to have a carbon-friendly environmental footprint that is aligned with the way the world is going. Electric vehicles As the electrification of the global economy continues to increase demand for the metals that Norilsk produces, particularly nickel and cobalt, Penny predicts a dramatic shift in commodity demand patterns. Like most of these things, the move to EVs will take longer than people think, but when the time arrives, itll be even more dramatic, he said. Penny noted that hybrid battery vehicles in the US currently account for 9% of the market, with annual growth of 18%; battery EVs have around 3% market share but growth of 25%. Fuel cell EVs are meanwhile just 1% of the market, but growing at an annual pace of 41%. Although Norilsk is synonymous with nickel production, roughly 27% of the companys revenue actually comes from the metal, compared with 30% from palladium. With around 8% of Norilsks revenue coming from platinum, over a third of its earnings come from PGMs. Penny remains unperturbed about the potential loss of demand for palladium his top commodity pick currently, despite his self-confessed love for diamonds due to the elimination of catalytic converters as the world electrifies its cars. This is largely because he expects the biggest absolute growth in the next 10 years to be in hybrid vehicles. You cannot make a diesel engine a hybrid as you need a very light engine, which is by definition a petrol engine. Palladium is the catalytic converter of choice for petrol engines, while platinum is for diesel, he explained. We are confident that in the next 10 years, demand for palladium in hybrid vehicles is going to grow very rapidly and probably outstrip the absolute growth of battery and fuel cell EVs, he added. Norilsk might even get involved in new areas of the battery production chain, Penny said, with a joint venture its likely method of entry. Norilsk will definitely look at some form of partnership at different levels in the industry in order to maximize the value of its product. Thats something were actively considering at the moment, Penny said. I dont know about developing batteries, but were looking very carefully at working with European chemical company BASF, with whom weve had relationships before. He noted that royalties and streaming deals will become more common when downstream players seek ways to shore up future supply and miners change the way they operate. I find it very difficult to imagine that selling products at mine head is the best way for mining companies to operate. It makes complete sense for miners to put at least part of their production into an integrated downstream arrangement that gives much better certainty. And in a world of tomorrow, where you have people developing new technologies, you cant do that without supply, Penny said. This article was first published in the April issue of the Metal Market Magazine, which carries in-depth feature articles, analyses and reviews of metal and steel markets. American Metal Market will begin publishing an assessment of export slab prices from Brazil, effective April 20. The price specification will be as follows: Currency and unit: US dollars per tonne Location: Brazil Basis: fob main port Price type: assessment Gauge: width, 750-2,100 mm; thickness, 200-300 mm Typical lot size: 20,000-70,000 tonnes Timing: 8-12 weeks Payment terms: payment upon delivery Publication: weekly, Friday, 2-3 pm London time If you have any comments about this change or would like to contribute to this price assessment, please contact Ana Paula Camargo by email at pricing@metalbulletin.com. Please add the subject heading FAO: Ana Paula Camargo. Posted on: April 16, 2018 2:15 PM The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has said that the Commonwealth of Nations will last and be a blessing to the world if it continues to put its word into action. His comments came in a sermon during a special evensong service at Westminster Abbey yesterday (Sunday) in advance of this weeks Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London and Windsor. He told the congregation, which included government leaders, diplomats, officials, and an ecumenical group of church leaders, the Bible, in the clearest terms, sets out the way people are to behave: It is to raise up the poor, to bring freedom to the captives, to lighten the load of the suffering, he said. The Commonwealth will last, and will find its identity more and more deeply even than today. Its future will be a blessing to the world rich and poor, secure and threatened if it is a body that loves the poor, brings home the refugee, cares for the stranger, eliminates unjust gain and corruption, guards the environment, and does so amidst diversity held together by a common humanity, and a vision of hope. Such a vision answers the needs of our time. Liberates the oppressed. It guards freedom of conscience and belief, and sets the names of its leaders before the history of the world. Mere talking will not do it, as Ruth knew, and as Abraham told the rich man. This is a time for action in love, for hope founded in faith, for humility of service that imitates the risen Christ we worship here today. Amen. His words were welcomed by the Commonwealths Secretary General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, who described it as a very powerful sermon. Speaking at a press conference at the start of a week of activities around the biennial CHOGM meeting, she said: It was based on Lazarus, who was the poor man at the gate who was ignored by the rich man. And in the long term, Lazarus is the one who went to heaven and the rich man went somewhere else. What we are talking about is how we share what is really important to deliver opportunity to all of our people. And that is what the Commonwealth is absolutely determined to do. Today, four forums on the themes of youth, women, business and citizens began in venues around Westminster, London; bringing together a large number of people throughout the Commonwealth. On Wednesday, foreign ministers from the 53-member countries will meet ahead of the formal CHOGM meeting at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. On Friday the leaders will gather at Windsor Castle for a private retreat. Posted on: April 16, 2018 4:07 PM The outgoing Bishop of Christchurch, Victoria Matthews, has said goodbye to her diocese with an attack on civic authorities over their handling of the future of Christchurch Cathedral. The cathedral was all-but destroyed in a 2011 earthquake. The dioceses property trust wanted to replace the building with a modern purpose-built construction; but faced a series of unsuccessful legal challenges from campaigners who wanted the old building reinstated. Last year, after a lengthy consultation and a promise of funds from campaigners and local and national government, the diocesan synod voted to go ahead with re-instatement rather than replacement. Bishop Victoria said that this decision as taken because we want to reconcile the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch with the wider community, according to the Stuff news website. I will work with the church, said the Christchurch mayor with tears in her eyes. Now, seven months later, the city council declares that their money is being withheld to the last moment and perhaps wont be needed, she said. And she was also critical of the Great Christchurch Building Trust, the group behind the legal challenges, which had promised significant funding towards re-instatement. And we have $1 million [NZD, approximately 514,000 GBP] being given over seven years by one person and not the $13.7 million promised by the GCBT. Its business as usual, folks, with the wealthy and the powerful telling you, the people of the province of Canterbury, that they know best. Good luck with that. GCBT co-founder Philip Burdon described the bishops claim as totally inaccurate. And a council spokesman told Stuff that its $10 million funding was due to be confirmed at its 10-year budget meeting at the end of June. In December, it said that the funding would only be made available once other sources had been exhausted. If the fundraising for the cathedral exceeds the amount required for the cathedrals reinstatement, the council's contribution will be adjusted accordingly, they said in a statement. The comments were made during a special Choral Eucharist in Christchurchs Transitional Cathedral last nigh (Sunday). Following the service, Archbishop Philip Richardson presented her with a pounamu Taonga a Maori stone, as a gift from the province; and an embroidered stole, as a gift from the diocese. In a humorous nod to the earthquake damage that has dominated her ministry in Christchurch, staff at the Transitional Cathedral presented her with an emergency kit containing a hard hat, hi-vis vest and first aid kit. Looking back on her 10 years' service, most people will remember the earthquakes and the cathedral debate, Christchurch diocesan spokesperson Jo Bean told Anglican Taonga. Perhaps fewer realise that she was bearing the burdens of hundreds of Cantabrians whose parishes, vicarages, churches and halls were left stricken by the quakes. And fewer still will know that the Bishop lived for much of her time in Christchurch in a sleep-out, because her own home had to be demolished. She freely confesses that some of her favourite times were the ones she spent with young people and she said that she cherishes her memories of presiding at midnight mass in tents at Easter Camps. She will be missed next Easter. Her keen concern for social justice issues and for providing excellence in theological education will also be part of her legacy. Our prayers go with Bishop Victoria as she goes back to Canada to visit family and friends, and seeks to discern where God is calling her next. Last month, Bishop Victoria announced that she would step down from 1 May, saying: I have discerned in my prayers that I am called by God in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, to lay down this particular position of leadership. Im not retiring and Im not in ill health, I am merely following where my Saviour is leading me, wherever that may be. Posted on: April 16, 2018 9:58 AM The former Bishop of Exeter, Michael Langrish, was amongst a group of British Christian leaders to make a visit to officials in the Syrian capital Damascus hours after airstrikes by the US, UK and France, according to The Daily Telegraph. The group, which also included Anglican priest Andrew Ashdown and south London vicar and columnist Giles Fraser, alongside members of the House of Lords, Baroness Cox and Lord Dykes, met with the speaker of the Peoples Council of Syria, Hammouda Youssef Sabbagh, 20 MPs, and the countrys Grand Mufti. The group had made the visit to speak up for local Christians in the country. The three largest churches in Syria, the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Melike-Greek Catholics, support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad despite Western opposition. They welcome rights afforded to Christians in Syria and fear for their futures under an Islamist regime. In a statement at the weekend, the leaders of the three churches denied that al-Assad held chemical weapons, and they condemned the Allied airstrikes as unjustified aggression and a clear violation of the international laws, Christian Today reports. The visit was planned before the overnight airstrikes in the early hours of Saturday morning; but went ahead in spite of it. In a Tweet on Saturday, Giles Fraser described the bombing, which targeted alleged chemical weapons facilities, as a disgrace. In another Tweet, he said: Some people I have met talked about going onto their roofs to watch the USs firework display. Most seem to have slept through it. The visit was the latest in a series of visits by the group, for which they have received considerable criticism. When British peers and Christian clergy have been to Damascus in the past, they were rightly condemned as presenting an image of appeasement to Assads regime, and showing him as some sort of protector of Christians, as though Syrian Muslims mattered for nought, H A Hellyer, senior research fellow at the Atlantic Council and the Royal United Services Institute in London, told The Daily Telegraph. Contacts already exist between the UK and the Assad regime through different channels which do not show an endorsement of the regime this, on the other hand, is done for no other reason except to give Damascus a chance to push propaganda. (ANSA) - Verona, April 16 - Italian winemakers are following the Christopher Columbus route ever more and making their way to America but also eastward, with double-digit growth in Russia, Japan and China. The 52nd edition of Vinitaly, the largest wine festival in the world, opened with good prospects for Italian wines to expand even more. Some 4,380 exhibitors - 130 more than in 2017 - are taking part at the Verona exhibition grounds, with a bipartisan political and institutional presence. "Vinitaly is an exceptional event and a true source of pride for Verona, the Veneto region and the entire country. This is where there is the best of Italy," said Senate speaker Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati, who inaugurated the event. Consumers ever more sensitive to good wine are found in major US cities and among Americans under age 35. Some 71% of New Yorkers are considered 'wine-addicted', while 28% of US consumers have drunk Italian wine over the past 12 months. However, in this longstanding market for Italian wine exports, 4 out of every 10 people have never drunk Italian-made wine. The US is thus a mature market with wide potential growth margins, according to the Vinitaly-Nomisma Wine Monitor survey on consumption habits in five US states: New York, California, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The survey spurs on a sector that is seen in good health in Vinitaly. Revenue in Italy from wines and sparkling wines, said Italian farmers association Coldiretti, grew by 5% and rose in 2017 to a record high over 10.6 billion. This was mostly due to exports, which rose to their highest ever level at 6 billion (+6%), while slight growth was seen also on the domestic market to 4.6 billion, in part due to household consumption (+2%). "Five years ago," former Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Maurizio Martina said, "the wine sector was important but not so central. I am proud of this because the record high of 6 billion in 2017 was partially to our credit." At the most important event of the sector and at a delicate political moment, League leader Matteo Salvini and M5S party chief Luigi Di Maio were present. The League party chief said that he was at the exhibition to "pay homage to entrepreneurship that resists, creates jobs and does great things for Italian production despite the restrictions laid on it by Europe". Di Maio instead noted that "it is important to support, including in Brussels, this sector that has invested in tradition and innovation." Some stimulus came also from the 'King of Tortellini', Giovanni Rana. "Wine is the pearl of Italian-made products, a driving force behind everything," he said. "However, it is necessary for entrepreneurs to look beyond Italy." "Wine is the pearl of Italian-made products, a driving force behind everything," he said. "However, it is necessary for entrepreneurs to look beyond Italy." (ANSA) - Naples, April 16 - Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris has complained about the fact that a United States nuclear submarine, the USS John Warner, entered the city's radar on March 20, saying this breaches a 2015 council order declaring it a "denuclearised zone". The Air Source Military YouTube channel published a video of the launch of a Tomahawk missile reportedly from the John Warner as part of the US attack on Syria. De Magistris sent a letter last week to Rear Admiral Arturo Faraone, noting that the latter had given clearance for the submarine to travel in the area. It called on him, in future, to bear in mind the order that aims to prevent the presence of "any nuclear-propelled vessel or one that contains nuclear weapons". "Our administration is not against anyone but it is in favour of policies of peace, disarmament and international cooperation," de Magistris told ANSA. "It is in favour of diplomacy so that international institutions like the US are the lead players in moments of crisis. "The fact that it is the same submarine (involved in the Syria attack) further reinforces the rightness of the order with which we said ships of nuclear propulsion or carrying nuclear weapons are not welcome in the port of Naples and, therefore, they are not allowed to transit or stay. Photography: competition to present Bosnia to Italy, EU Youths under 15 involved at initiative Italian embassy (ANSAmed) - SARAJEVO, APRIL 16 - Bosnian youths aged six to 25 until May 1 can take a picture of Bosnia Herzegovina to present it to Italy and the EU in a competition to win photography and communication courses, digital cameras and a trip to Italy. The initiative, launched by the Italian embassy and presented in Sarajevo, is part of the program 'Month of Italian photography in Bosnia Herzegovina', in cooperation with the European Delegation, UNICEF office and Mission OSCE. As stressed by Ambassador Nicola Minasi in the opening press conference, ''it is a way of creating bridges between youths and helping them approach the EU while the new European strategy on the Western Balkans is being launched''. Participants are divided into four categories, including three individual ones and one reserved to a class or groups of classes for one school. The photos can portray landscapes, monuments, food, people or artwork and must be sent to the email address mojabihphoto@gmail.com, and will be published by the embassy on its Facebook page Embassy of Italy in Bosnia and Herzegovina - and on Twitter @ItalyinBiH. The regulations and promotional videos are already available on the embassy's profiles (also on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7LhQxWKXCQllvrGB47QDyw) Made by well-known comedians Damir Niki and Zenit Ozi, who also attended the press conference with the other institutions participating in the initiative. (ANSAmed). Bank crisis overcome, weaknesses remain - Visco Fears for system dispelled says Bank of Italy governor (ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 16 - Bank of Italy Governor Ignazio Visco said Monday that the crisis regarding Italy's weaker banks was been overcome and the markets' assessments of the prospects of Italian lenders "has improved". He said that fears about the ability of the banking system to withstand the pressure had been "dispelled" during a lecture given for the 30th anniversary of economics faculty of Rome's Tor Vergata University. "Weaknesses are still present," he added. Italy has endured a series of bank crises in recent years which required public interventions to prevent faith in the country's financial system from crumbling. Among the institutions to require rescues was Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank still in business and Italy's fourth-biggest retail lender. Visco blamed the bank crises on the "double recession" that Italy endured during the economic crisis and "serious episodes of mismanagement" and rejected claims poor oversight was a major factor. "The difficulties of the Italian banking system do not depend on slow or careless oversight, but on the worst economic crisis in our nation's history," he said. He argued that the watchdog authorities had made "pressing, continuous" interventions that "contributed to resolving many cases" of troubled companies. (ANSAmed). Gaza: protest over salary freeze, Hamas police deployed Public workers in front of banks (ANSamed) - GAZA, APRIL 16 - Hamas' police officers were patrolling the streets of Gaza on Monday, in particular bank entrances, as public employees protested saying they have not been paid by the PNA this month. Local sources said the groups of demonstrators Monday were chanting against President Abu Mazen who last year cut their salary by 30% as part of a controversy with Hamas. According to the sources, the public workers are 30,000. Over the past few days, in an attempt to heal contrasts between the PNA and Hamas - two months after a failed attack in Gaza against Premier Rami Hamdallah - a high-level delegation of Egyptian officials travelled to the Gaza Strip to meet with Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh. The delegation then suggested that Hamas and al-Fatah could meet again in Cairo. For his part Abu Mazen is asking to regain full control of the Gaza Strip, including its security. (ANSAmed). Israeli ambassador to Jordan returns after 9 months (ANSAmed) - AMMAN, APRIL 16 - New Israeli ambassador arrived in Jordan late Sunday to assume his post, 9 months after the Israeli embassy was closed in Amman following a diplomatic spat over the death of two Jordanians, official sources said. The ambassador, Amir Weissbrod, is expected to submit his credential to king Abdullah in an official ceremony in the coming days, said officials from ministry of foreign affairs. The return of the ambassador marks an end to diplomatic crisis that influenced ties between Amman and Tel Aviv last year that resulted in shutting down the embassy and evacuation of most of diplomatic staff from the kingdom. Earlier this yeasr, the government said Israel sent the letter to Jordan to apologize for the killing and after compensating families of the diseased men. Israel had said that its security staff shot dead two Jordanians after he was attacked at the embassy compound. Jordan is the only second Arab nation to have official diplomatic relations with Israel after signing Wadi Araba peace treaty in 1994, but the two countries have enjoyed strong ties for decades. (ANSAmed). Syria: Mogherini, necessary to relaunch UN-led process Foreign affairs council again to condemn use of chemical arms (ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 16 - EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Syria that it is necessary to push forward the UN-led political process, arriving at a foreign affairs council in Luxembourg on Monday. With the 28 EU ministers, she stressed, ''we will reiterate our joint position'' expressed over the last few days, strongly condemning the use of chemical weapons. Russia and Iran are also at the top of the meeting's agenda. On Iran, Mogherini stressed that ''we will repeat a strong and unmistakable support to the full implementation of the nuclear agreement by all''. A first occasion to relaunch the UN-led process on Syria, stressed Mogherini, will be presented by the donors' conference for Syria scheduled in Brussels next week, on April 24-25. ''We are ready to refinance Syria's reconstruction'', said Mogherini, stressing that this would require the political process to be relaunched. (ANSAmed). Syria: Trump doesn't stop, sanctions against Moscow Macron says he convinced him to stay longer (by Ugo Caltagirone) (ANSAmed) - NEW YORK, APRIL 16 - After missile strikes on Syria, US President Donald Trump is ready to impose new sanctions against Russia for being an ''accomplice'' in the use of chemical weapons. The move is set to further harshen tensions between Washington and Moscow, which have never been so high in decades. The bond between Moscow and Tehran has instead grown stronger, with a call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rohani to discuss the risk of chaos over US raids described as ''illegal''. French President Emmanuel Macron however opened to Russia and Iran, calling for dialogue ''to build a lasting solution for Syria''. And Macron also said he convinced Trump to stay in the country ''longer'': ''Ten days ago the American president said that the US meant to disengage from Syria. We convinced him that it was necessary to stay'', Macron said in a television interview. We also convinced him that it was necessary to limit attacks with chemical weapons while there was an escalation in a number of tweets that will not have escaped your attention''. Defense Secretary James Mattis had explicitly said so in an address to Congress: options to respond to the chemical attack on Douma on the table of the Oval Office were many and not only military but also diplomatic and economic. And then US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, announced the new measures in an interview to ABC, which should be officially announced soon by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. The sanctions, explained Haley, will directly strike Russian companies that helped the Syrian government to produce and use chemical weapons, also providing the technology and equipment. A number of entities that have allegedly dealt with the Syrian chemical program should also be affected. Moscow's reaction was swift: ''The US wan to punish Russia just for being a global actor'' and for this reason are approving further sanctions that ''have no connection to reality'', said the spokeswoman of the Russian foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova in an interview to the first channel of Russian television. Meanwhile the Russian parliament is getting ready to approve counter-sanctions against the US, limiting US imports of tobacco, food and various agricultural products. Meanwhile, while Assad told a delegation of Russian politicians that the raids only ''united Syria'', a strong arm is continuing at the UN, where a new draft resolution prepared by the US, France and the UK is ready. The text, to be presented over the next few hours at the Security Council, provides for the start of an independent investigation on the attack on Douma with OPCW inspectors who will have 30 days to report whether Damascus said the truth on its arsenal. On the humanitarian front, it asks for the possibility to evacuate the populations affected by the civil war for health reasons and for safe passages for aid convoys that will need an authorization to reach all areas. The draft document also asks for a resolution on a ceasefire approved in February to be implemented and urges the Assad government to engage in UN-sponsored peace talks ''constructively, in good faith and without preconditions''. It is still unclear when the vote will take place: according to UN diplomatic sources, the allies are ready to give time to negotiations in an attempt to obtain a green light from Russia. Since the start of the conflict in Syria, in fact, Moscow has used its veto power 12 times, including six for resolutions concerning chemical weapons, de facto paralyzing the council's action. (ANSAmed). Turkey warns Greece over flag on disputed islet Takes it down, tension rising in recent weeks (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, APRIL 16 - Fresh tension has arisen between Greece and Turkey over islets disputed between the two in the Aegean Sea. Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim said that the Turkish coast guard had taken down a Greek flag that had been hoisted on an islet off the coastal town of Didima, likening the incident to a dispute that in 1996 brought the two countries to the verge of conflict over uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish, which both countries lay claim to. ''Our advice to Greece would be to stay away from provocations and agitations," Yildirim said adding that Turkey was "determined to give the necessary response" to such acts. Greece and Turkey have seen a spike in tensions in recent weeks over disputed Aegean boundaries and hydrocarbons drilling rights off the divided island of Cyprus. (ANSAmed) Flydubai is the first national carrier for the UAE to create direct air links to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa and with the start of the service sees its comprehensive network in Africa grow to 13 destinations in 10 countries. With the start of flights to Kinshasa another gateway is opened up for passengers from the GCC, Russia and the Indian Subcontinent into Central Africa. Passengers from Kinshasa have access to more than 90 destinations on the flydubai network and through its codeshare partnership with Emirates (www.Emirates.com) can connect easily and conveniently to Emirates destinations spanning six continents in over 80 countries. Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer of Flydubai, said on the launch of flights to Kinshasa: As one of the largest and most populous cities in Africa, Kinshasa, is a key hub for travel and trade. Africa is one of the UAEs emerging trade partners and with the opening of this new route to one of the busiest airports in the Democratic Republic of the Congo there will be further opportunities to strengthen commercial ties across a neighbouring continent with vast natural resources. MENA Aerospace and partner of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), have announced a significant milestone in the companys development, and for Bahrains aviation sector. Entering into a partnership with German-based HAITEC, one of Europes leading FAA-approved maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies, MENA Aerospace will operate an expanded technical facility from its Bahrain hangar, servicing the Middle East and Africa regions, and focusing on the widely-used narrow-bodied airframes. The partnership was officially established at an event attended by Dr. Mohammed Juman, Managing Director & Founder, and Omar Mattar, CEO Mena Aerospace, accompanying a senior delegation of HAITECs officials from Germany, Gereon Arens, CEO, and Martin OBoyle, Commercial Director. Officials from the partner companies met with Bahrains Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, followed by Mr Mohammed Yousif Al Bin Falah, CEO Bahrain Airport Company, to discuss the cooperation between all parties, and its positive impact on the national economy. Dr Juman said: We see our role at MENA Aerospace to be an integral part of Bahrains aviation ecosystem, and with the expansion of the new airport we all have to innovate to meet the increased demand the industry will see. This deal with HAITEC will bring an unmatched level of service and quality of German engineering to the country, which all our partner airlines can benefit from. With the addition of an EASA-approved turnkey MRO service to our suite of solutions, we are now a 360-degree aviation provider, with aircraft operation and management, charter sales, ground services, aircraft parking, line maintenance and logistical support. As an organisation we are constantly focused on re-defining quality in all our service offerings, with the safety and security of our clients and their passengers as top-of-mind. I would like to thank Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed for supporting and facilitating this partnership, and for his active role in the progress of Bahrains aviation sector. My gratitude also goes to Mohamed Al Binfalah, who leads operations at our close partner Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), as well as our Advise Avia and MENA Aerospace board of staff who made this expansion possible. Rosoboronexport, Rostec's member, has been named the organizer of Russias joint exposition at the 16th International Military Equipment exhibition DSA 2018 taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 16-19. Rosoboronexport's booth at DSA 2018 Deputy Director Mikhael Petukhov of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation is to lead the Russian delegation with Deputy Director General Sergey Goreslavsky of Rosoporonexport appointed the head of a joint team of his company and its parent Rostec. Malaysia and other countries in South-East Asia have intensified modernization and rearmament of their respective militaries. Russian equipment faces rather favorable export conditions here particularly in view of its outstanding performance in large-scale anti-terrorist operations. Considering the growing influence of Asia-Pacific states, Rosoboronexport deems it pertinent to demonstrate at DSA 2018 its capacity to supply the best military products for all arms and services, as well as readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation in any form appealing to our partners interest to include technology transfer, says Sergey Goreslavsky. Being part of Russias joint exposition at DSA 2018, Rosoboronexport's booth in Pavilion 2C houses 250-plus pieces of military equipment, developed and manufactured by Russian defense enterprises. A significant share in the exporters profile in South-East Asia belongs to aviation. Company's specialists believe that the most promising export future faces the Su-family of multirole supermaneuverable fighters, namely Su-35 and Su-30MKM, as well as MiG-29M multirole tactical fighter, and Yak-130 combat-trainer. Besides, South-East Asia presents one of major opportunities for the growth of export of Russian helicopters. Under the circumstances Rosoboronexport will put on display all types of helicopters, which are tailored for operations in complex climatic conditions and superior to their opponents in terms of cost-effectiveness. As always, customers interest is piqued by the Mi-171Sh and Mi-17V-5 transports, as well as Mi-35 gunship with troop carrying capacity due to their versatility, unique capabilities, unsurpassed by their contenders, and ability to operate in tropics and hard-to-reach mountainous areas notorious for height and air temperature fluctuation. Russias Ka-226T light utility helicopter and Mi-28NE attack helicopter, also brought to DSA 2018, owe their considerable export potential in the region to their high combat and operational performance. Rosoboronexport expects foreign delegations to show as high interest to naval, army and air defense equipment, particularly to the Pantsir-S1 gun and missile system and Igla-S MANPADS. As for Russian naval products, they are no strangers to Malaysia and the region as a whole. The demand is high especially for the Mirazh and Sobol patrol craft of Project 14310 and Project 12200 respectively, as well as Gepard-3.9 frigate evolved from the Project 11661 escort ship, and Project 636 large diesel-electric submarine. In the army sector, Rosoboronexport places its stakes on the T-90S and T-90MS tanks, Metis-M1 and Kornet-EM ATGMs, and Kalashnikov's 100-series rifles. We hope our involvement in DSA 2018 becomes a milestone in building up military and technical cooperation between Russia and Malaysia and other Asia-Pacific states with negotiations conducted during the forum paving the way for future contracts for acquisition of Russian equipment by them, adds Sergey Goreslavsky. Indian gas benchmark will spark a surge in consumption of the cleaner-burning fuel. New Delhi: The government plans to launch a natural gas trading hub by October, creating an Indian gas benchmark which will spark a surge in consumption of the cleaner-burning fuel. Oil regulator PNGRB has sought bids to hire a consultant to help develop a regulatory framework for operationalising the gas trading/exchange hub. "In order to further boost the consumption of natural gas in the country, Government is considering the establishment of a Gas Trading Hub / Exchange (GTHE), where natural gas can be traded, and supplied through a market-based mechanism instead of multiple formula driven prices," PNGRB said in the tender floated for hiring the consultant. Currently, the government fixes the price of the bulk of domestically produced natural gas. The rate, arrived at using price prevalent in gas-surplus nations of US, Canada, UK, and Russia, is USD 3.06 per million British thermal unit for six month period beginning April 1. In comparison, the cost of imported LNG into India is around USD 7.5. "The Government has envisaged ushering into a gas-based economy by increasing the share of natural gas in the primary energy mix of the country from current level of about 6 per cent to 15 per cent by 2030," PNGRB said. For this, the thrust is on increasing the availability of natural gas by enhancing the domestic production, encouraging the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), completion of national pipeline grid and speedier roll out of City Gas Distribution network in the country. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) said the oil ministry has asked it to initiate steps for framing of necessary regulatory framework to enable the establishment and operation of a GTHE. The regulator said it wants to hire a consultancy firm to provide assistance in carrying out a detailed study on various pre-requisites. PNGRB would visit USA, UK, and Australia, where the gas trading hub is successfully operating, to decide if there is a need to amend existing regulations. The target for launch of the gas trading hub has been set for October. A hub is used as a central pricing point for a network that could aid better price discovery for domestic as well as imported gas. It isn't clear if the government would abandon fixing the gas price and allow the rates to be discovered on the hub. India is not only country launching trading hub. China plans to launch a natural gas trading hub in Chongqing this year. The world's biggest natural gas hub is the Henry Hub in the US state of Louisiana. Gas delivered at this point is the basis of most US natural gas futures. Aiding Henry Hub is vast domestic production and consumption as well as the world's biggest and most freely accessible pipeline network, which stretches into Canada and Mexico. Britain has National Balancing Point (NBP) as the main gas hub. In May 2017, Ola had launched its first EV project in Nagpur. The company is aiming to get one million electric vehicles on its platform by 2021 to boost the electric vehicle ecosystem in the country. New Delhi: Cab aggregator Ola on Monday said it plans to add 10,000 electric vehicles, a majority being e-rickshaws, to its platform over the next 12 months as part of its Mission Electric programme. The company is aiming to get one million electric vehicles on its platform by 2021 to boost the electric vehicle ecosystem in the country. Three-wheelers are a vital means of transportation and a source of livelihood for millions of people every day. It also represents an immediate opportunity to improve outcomes for all stakeholders while reducing pollution across towns and cities, Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal said. In May 2017, Ola had launched its first EV project in Nagpur. A special NIA court acquitted all accused, including right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that Congress has long 'defamed' Hindus for votes and demanded that party chief Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for terms such as 'Hindu terror'. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: After a special NIA court in Hyderabad acquitted all the accused, including right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, the BJP on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, claiming that the opposition partys appeasement politics of defaming Hindus has been exposed. A special anti-terror court acquitted Aseemanand and four others in the case, saying that the country's top anti-terror body, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), had failed to prove anyone's guilt. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58 others. Responding to the court verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress has long "defamed" Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for terms such as "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror". Patra further said people will teach the Congress "a lesson" in the Karnataka Assembly polls as they had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it was reduced to 44 seats. Hitting back at the Congress leaders for blaming the BJP government for the acquittal of the accused, he alleged that the opposition party has "double standards" and as it had welcomed a court order in favour of accused in the 2G scam case. Patra also noted that the Congress was in power for seven years after the blasts and asked what it had done during the period. Also Read: 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case: Special NIA court acquits all accused "For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been exposed like never before," he said. Patra also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi and wondered if the Congress chief would lead a candle march to India Gate and apologise for his attempts to "defame" Hindus. Patra also raked up several comments by Congress leaders and a US diplomatic cable which had allegedly quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying that radicalised Hindu groups posed a bigger danger to the country. He also claimed that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also practising appeasement politics, an euphemism used by the BJP for alleged pro-Muslim politics of some parties. Patra also accused Siddaramaiah of "hobnobbing" with a Muslim outfit, Popular Front of India, while it is being probed by the National Investigation Agency. (With PTI inputs) NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said, 'We offered them speeding up of Bengaluru-Chennai railway corridor.' The proposal was made for increasing the speed of the Bengaluru-Chennai corridor to 150 kmph. (Representational Image) New Delhi/Beijing: India has sought China's assistance to speed up Bengaluru-Chennai railway corridor besides redevelopment of Agra and Jhansi railway stations, a senior Indian official said. The proposal was made at the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) held in Beijing between the two countries. "We offered them speeding up of Bengaluru-Chennai railway corridor," NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Sunday. The SED was held between delegations headed by Kumar and He Lifeng, the chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The proposal was made for increasing the speed of the corridor to 150 kmph. India previously made a proposal to China for the redevelopment of Agra and Jhansi railway station. It has been re-emphasised at Sundays talks, officials said. The Chinese side will respond after considering the proposals, they said. Kumar said it was pointed out to the Chinese side that the railway station development plan is a big one involving about 600 of them. They can bid for any of them, he said. However, there was no discussion in the just concluded SED about the collaboration to build high speed trains by China in India, he said. China has been expressing interest to take up high speed train corridors in India and began conducting a feasibility study for New Delhi and Chennai high speed train corridor. The first high-speed train corridor in India between Mumbai and Ahmedabad has been bagged by Japan. China has the world's longest high-speed rail network, with 22,000 km within the country linking various top cities. Clerics who addressed the event also urged the Dalits to come on one platform against the BJP at the Centre. Muslims from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal gather in large numbers at Deen Bachao, Desh Bachao (Save Religion, Save Country) rally, organised by Imarat Shariah under the banner of All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna. (Photo: PTI) Patna: Several Muslim groups held a massive rally in Patna on Sunday to oppose the Triple Talaq Bill. The rally was perhaps the first massive meet of the community which was organised with regards to the issue that concerns the minority community in the country. Senior clerics of the community, who addressed the event, said that religion would be in danger under the current BJP regime. They also said that the personal laws, which are part of their religious faith, are under attack. Steps being taken by the government to change some of our personal laws are against Islam and which we cannot allow. Our Constitution gives certain rights to us, which we feel are being taken away by the current regime, RJD MLA Abu Dozana told reporters after the rally. The meet, which was organised by the Imarat Shariah, was kept open for all, including the political parties. Officials from the Imarat Shariah, however, clarified that no invitation to any political group was sent to attend the event. The rally, organised under the banner of Deen Bachao Desh Bachao, was aimed to highlight the constitutional rights of Muslims, including education, employment, and other important issues. Clerics who addressed the event also urged the Dalits to come on one platform against the BJP at the Centre. SC also seeks reply of J&K govt on Kathua rape and murder case plea filed by victim's father by April 27. On Monday morning, the father of the 8-year-old rape victim moved the Supreme Court, requesting to transfer the trial outside Jammu and Kashmir, citing lack of safety and security for his family. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the 8-year-old Kathua gangrape victim and their lawyer as well as family friends assisting them in the case. The Supreme Court has also issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeking a reply on the Kathua rape and murder case plea that was file by the victim's father. The next hearing on the plea to transfer case will be on April 27. On Monday morning, the father of the eight-year-old rape victim moved the apex court, requesting to transfer the trial outside Jammu and Kashmir, citing lack of safety and security for his family. Read: Kathua rape victim's father seeks shift in trial, SC to hear plea today According to reports, the father of the minor rape victim has sought the case to be shifted to Chandigarh. On Sunday, lawyer of the victim's family, Deepika Singh Rajawat, said that she fears she can be "raped or killed". I don't know how long I will be alive. I can be raped...My modesty can be outraged. I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday (Monday) that 'we will not forgive you'." Rajawat said. Also Read: I can be raped, killed: Lawyer for Kathua rape victim's family gets threat The lawyer further said, "We don't think there is conducive atmosphere in Kathua for the trial." Also Read: I can be killed and raped: Kathua rape victim's counsel receives threats The rape and murder of the minor girl in Kathua outraged the country after details were exposed in a police chargesheet last week. It became heavily politicised and two BJP ministers from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's cabinet, who had defended the accused, were forced to resign. Meanwhile, a second petition has been filed by the lawyer Deepika S Rajawat, who is representing the family of the Kathua rape victim, where she alleges threat to her life in pursuing case in Kathua court. "We are apprehensive that the trial will not happen peacefully, seeing the condition in Jammu... Seeing that lawyers opposed it in Kathua and did not let the chargesheet proceed," a lawyer of the family said. The young girl, who belonged to a nomadic Muslim community, was gangraped and murdered in January and her body was recovered from the forest a week after she went missing. However, BJP parliamentarian claimed he was 'tricked' into attending event which had harmed his image. The incident comes at a time when BJP MP Saskhi Maharaj's constituency Unnao has been rocked by a case of rape in which a party MLA has been arrested. (Photo: File/PTI) Unnao: BJP parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj, who is known for his controversial remarks that have time and again embarrassed his party, has stoked a fresh controversy by inaugurating a nightclub in Lucknow. As the pictures of the saffron-robed Hindutva leader at the venue in the posh Aliganj locality of the state capital drew criticism, the MP claimed that he was "tricked" into attending the event which had harmed his image. He further demanded that police take action against the "culprit". The incident comes at a time when his constituency Unnao has been rocked by a case of rape in which a party MLA has been arrested. However, the owner of the establishment claimed that it was not a nightclub but a restaurant where no liquor would be served. He claimed that there was "typographical error" in the invitation card. Photographs showing the 62-year-old Unnao MP accepting an idol of Lord Ganesh were put on the social media while TV channels too aired visuals of the event. The MP's representative Ashok Katiyar claimed that a senior BJP leader "tricked" the MP into attending the function. "The MP was to leave for Delhi but a senior office bearer of the party took him to the function saying that it was organised by his close relative," Katiyar said. Even after reaching there, he was not told that he has to inaugurate anything and was made to do it all of a sudden, Katiyar claimed, adding that it could also be part of "some conspiracy". "Since the 2019 elections are just round the corner, MPs do attend various events and making inquiries about all the things does not always look nice," Katiyar said. He also said that the BJP MP has written a letter to the SSP, Lucknow, alleging that he was tricked into inaugurating the "nightclub". "I came to know later from the media that the restaurant which I inaugurated is a nightclub...this incident has harmed my image," he said in the letter. The MP also demanded an inquiry and action against the guilty. Samajwadi Party lost no time in taking a jibe at the ruling party with its spokesperson Ghanshyam Tiwari saying, "It is very clear that the BJP government and BJP leaders have no idea as to what they were doing." Unnao district has of late been in news for wrong reasons after allegations of rape were levelled against BJP's Bangarmau MLA Kuldip Singh Sengar. The MLA was arrested by the CBI after the case was handed over to the central probe agency last week. The state government has been under fire for not taking appropriate action against Sengar. (With PTI inputs) Kejriwal said Unnao rape case gives 'a very dangerous message' the way UP govt, CM, Centre and police tried to shield accused MLA. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was speaking at Rajghat where DCW chief Swati Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike since Friday. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Amid the outcry over Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said his government would amend the law to secure death penalty for the rapists of minor girls. While vowing to take the legislative measure during the next assembly session, Kejriwal also said he would also set up fast-track courts to complete the trial of the cases of crime against women in six months. The chief minister, however, lamented that like Delhi government, its Vidhan Sabha too was "just a quarter of an assembly" as all bills passed by it, required the Centre's approval. Kejriwal also launched a sharp attack on the BJP over the Unnao and Kathua rape cases, saying a dangerous message was being relayed that if the accused belonged to the party ruling at the Centre, the entire machinery would step in to shield him. "In the last three years, the legislations which were passed and forwarded to the Centre, none of them have been approved. We will forward even these amendments to the Centre and I appeal to the Union government to pass them so that they can be implemented for safety and speedy justice to women," he said. Kejriwal was speaking at Rajghat where DCW chief Swati Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike since Friday, demanding provisions for swift capital punishment to those found guilty of raping minors. Kejriwal also appealed to the Delhi High Court to provide him the number of fast-track courts and judges needed for the completion of trial of all cases of crime against women within six months and promised to provide the requisite fund for the purpose. "We want women safe," he said, adding he had also written to the high court in this regard in the past. We will bring amendments in the IPC and CrPC during the next assembly session to ensure death penalty for those found guilty of raping minors and (set up) fast track courts so that trials get over in six months," he said. "As CM, I am worried about the safety of women in Delhi. As an Indian, I am worried about the safety of women in my country. I am participating in this protest today to demand a system, which ensures their safety," he said. Referring to the Unnao rape case involving a BJP MLA as the key accused, Kejriwal said no FIR was registered for several months in the case and "leave aside arresting the culprits, the victim's father was arrested and murdered in custody." Attacking the BJP, he said it gives "a very dangerous message" the way the entire UP government, the chief minister, the Centre and the police tried to shield the accused MLA. "It gives a very dangerous message that if a BJP MLA rapes someone, nothing will happen to him," he said. Referring to the Kathua episode to further attack the BJP, he said a holy place of worship has been "defiled" and "what a shame" it was that they call themselves "Hindus." He said two BJP ministers of the state even participated in demonstrations and protests held in support of the culprits. "We and the entire country are ashamed.... This political patronage is dangerous." The chief minister also urged citizens to take a day off and support the DCW chief in her indefinite hunger strike at Rajghat. "It is not her cause. She is fighting for the safety of women in my family and your family. I am going there to participate, not to offer support for her cause. You should also take a day off from your work and participate. Everyone should participate," he tweeted. Maliwal again attacked the Prime Minister, saying she did not expect only speeches on social values from the prime ministers but what she wanted was the real action, concrete steps to ensure women's safety. "I have great respect for the prime minister. And if Prime Minister can implement demonetisation within single night then, of course, he can give system to the country to ensure women's safety," she said. DCW chief Swati Maliwal again reiterated her statement that she would not break her fast until PM gave a proper system to country to prevent rapes. CPI national Secretary Atul Anjan also reached at the hunger-strike venue to extend his support to Maliwal. People from transgender community too reached there to express solidarity with Maliwal. Saffron party targets Cong for appeasement politics & attempt to defame Hindus. New Delhi: The BJPs move to push forward its Hindutva agenda got a boost on Monday with a special anti-terror court acquitting all five accused, including right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. The accused walked out free as the special NIA court acquitted them for lack of evidence. Pouncing at the opportunity, the BJP slammed the Congress for its appeasement politics and attempts to defame Hindus. The verdict has come at a time when the BJP has been attacking the Congress for trying to divide the Hindus in the poll-bound state of Karnataka, where most poll predictions suggest that the ruling Congress would emerge as the single largest party but short of the required numbers to retain power on its own. The BJP intends to highlight the acquittal in its campaigning in Karnata-ka and 2019 general polls. As soon as the verdict was announced, the BJP launched a sharp attack on the Congress for defaming the Hindus and coining the term saffron terror and Hindu terror. The court in Hyderabad acquitted the five accused, including Aseemanand, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58 others. Reacting to the court verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress has long defamed Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for terms such as saffron terror and Hindu terror. The BJP said that Karnataka people will teach the Congress a lesson as they had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it was reduced to 44 seats. Hitting back at the Congress leaders for blaming the BJP government for the acquittal of the accused, Dr Patra alleged that the Opposition party has double standards and as it had welcomed a court order in favour of accused in the 2G scam case. He also noted that the Congress was in power for seven years after the blasts and asked what it had done during the period. For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been exposed like never before, he said. Taking a dig at Mr Gandhi, the BJP leader wondered if the Congress president would lead a candle march to India Gate and apologise for his attempts to defame Hindus. The RJD has launched fresh rounds of attacks on the BJP after the CBI filed chargesheet against Lalu Yadav and others. New Delhi/Patna: The CBI on Monday filed a charge sheet against former railway minister Lalu Prasad and others in connection with the alleged corruption committed in awarding tenders for development, maintenance and operation of Railway hotels at Ranchi and Puri to a private firm when the RJD chief was the union railway minister. Former Bihar chief minister and Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi were also among the 14 people named by the CBI in the chargesheet filed in a Delhi court here. The agency had recently questioned Rabri Devi in connection with the case. The development is being seen as a major setback for Tejashwi Yadav who has been busy chalking out plans for the coming 2019 general elections. "Those who have been named in the chargesheet include Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi, Tejaswi, close confidant of RJD chief and former union Minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, Sujata Hotels, its owners Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, LARA projects, then Managing Director (IRCTC) P K Goel, then Director Rakesh Saxena and then Group General Manager B K Agarwal of IRCTC. Agarwal is currently additional member, Railway Board", sources said. Then, IRCTC GGMs R K Gogia (company secretary) and V K Asthana have also been named as accused in the chargesheet. The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Prasad, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a prime plot of three acres in Patna through a benami company. The CBI's FIR alleged that the RJD leader abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhars and acquired a piece of "high value premium land" through the benami firm, Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" awarded the contract to them for the two hotels, the FIR had alleged. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotels, the ownership of Delight Marketing Company also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time, Lalu Prasad had resigned as railway minister. The RJD has launched fresh rounds of attacks on the BJP after the CBI filed chargesheet against Lalu Yadav and others. Nine persons were killed and 58 injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) rocked the historic Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007. Hyderabad: Five persons, including Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, a saffron-clad monk and former RSS activist, were acquitted in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast by a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Hyderabad on Monday due to lack of any clinching evidence against them. I have carefully examined all the documents, all the material placed on record. All allegations could not be proved against any one of the accused. Hence. all persons are acquitted, said NIA court judge K. Ravinder Reddy. In a surprise move, the judge tendered his resignation citing personal reasons, hours after pronouncing the judgment in which he held that the prosecution had failed to prove even a single allegation against the five accused. Nine persons were killed and 58 injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) rocked the historic Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, in Hyderabad when around 10,000 people were offering the Friday (juma) prayers. Two unexploded bombs were later recovered from the masjid. Five others were killed as police opened fire to quell the rioting mob after the blast. In all, 10 persons owing allegiance to right-wing organisations, including Abhinav Bharat, were named as accused in the case. The NIA had chargesheeted five persons Swami Aseemanand, Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharath Mohan Lal Rateshwar and Rajendra Choundary. All the five were acquitted by the court on Monday. Two other accused, Sandeep V. Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, are absconding. Investigation against two others Tejram Parmar and Amith Chowhan is still on. Another accused, Sunil Joshi, an RSS functionary, was shot dead on Dec 29, 2007, in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. While Swami Aseemanand and Mr Rateshwar, who were out on bail, came to the court on their own, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma and Rajendra Choudhary were brought amidst tight security. The judgment was pronounced in a heavily guarded, closed courtroom on the ground floor of the Nampally Criminal Complex. All the five accused were present in the court when the verdict was pronounced. The NIA examined a total of 226 witnesses during the trial and 411 documents were exhibited. A total of 64 witnesses turned hostile, including Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, a former accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, who was listed to identify Swami Assemanand. Soon after the blast in May 2007, the Andhra Pradesh police suspected the involvement of Bangladesh-based terror outfit Harkat Ul Jihad Al Islamis (HuJI) involvement and charged 21 youths. A month later, the government handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which claimed that a Hindu terror group was behind the Mecca Masjid blast, as well as the October 11, 2007, Ajmer Dargah blast and the February 17, 2007, Samjhauta Express blast. Swami Asseemanand, suspected to be an ideologue of rightwing Hindutva outfit Abhinav Bharat, was arrested from Hardwar by the CBI on November 19, 2010. He was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the Mecca Masjid case. The case was subsequently handed over to the NIA in 2011 which made some arrests and filed a chargesheet. While the NIA probe was on, Swami Aseemanand gave a signed declaration that he and seven other members of Abhinav Bharat had carried out the blast. Investigators identified Abhinav Bharat as the right-wing extremist organisation allegedly involved in the 2008 Malegaon and the 2007 Ajmer blasts. It was described as a closed group of Hindu radicals who believe in bomb-for-a-bomb ideology to counter jihadi terror attacks. After the judgment was pronounced on Monday, defence advocate J.P. Sharma said, Even the conspiracy allegations were not proved. The confessional statement, which the investigation agencies claimed was written by Swami Aseemanand, did not make any mention of his involvement in the blast. It was a political conspiracy. Sources in the NIA said that they are yet to decide about appeal against the verdict in a higher court. The decision is to be taken at the headquarters level. We are awaiting a copy of the judgment copy and will forward it to the New Delhi headquarters for legal advice and permission, an official said. The police had made elaborate security arrangements outside the court premises and in the city. Roads leading to the courts were barricaded and armed policemen were posted around the court. After the acquittal of the accused, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said that the case had not been pursued properly by the anti-terror investigative agency NIA. Most of the witnesses in the Mecca Masjid blast case had turned hostile after June 2014 and the NIA either didnt pursue the case as was expected from it or was not allowed by its political masters to do so. Justice hasnt been done in the case. Questions would be raised over the criminal justice system (of the country) if such biased prosecutions continue, he said. The BJP attacked the Congress after the verdict. For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed, said Sambit Patra, BJP spokesperson. The Congress countered BJPs allegations. There is nothing called saffron terror. It is our clear belief that terror cannot be linked to any religion or any community or caste, said P.L. Punia, Congress spokesperson. Police say the young girl could have been murdered and her body disposed of in the canal. The body of the girl has been sent for post-mortem and a case has been registered against unknown persons. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Rohtak: A decomposed body of a 9 year-old girl with her hand missing was pulled out of a drain in Haryanas Rohtak on Sunday. The body was stuffed in a green-coloured bag. According to the police, the girl must have died at least five days ago. The incident comes at a time when the entire country is simmering with anger over the rising number of rape and murder cases with citizens carrying out protests all across. Read: Massive protests across nation over Unnao, Kathua rape cases A police officer said that the young girl could have been murdered and her body disposed of in the canal. The body has been sent for post-mortem and a case has been registered against unknown persons. The police are also looking for hints to establish the identity of the girl. The police said they got information about a suspicious-looking bag in a drain in Titholi village. "When we brought it out, we were shocked to find the body of a girl. She could be nine or 10. It looks like her hand was attacked by an animal. We are waiting for the autopsy report," Devi Singh, investigating officer told news agency ANI. Only two days ago, body of a young girl was found in Gujarat Surat with 86 injuries, including some on her private parts. Initial probe suggested the girl was possibly held captive, tortured and raped before being killed. Also Read: Girl found dead may have been locked, tortured, raped: Surat cops Men and women in Surat held a silent candlelight march to protest against the crime echoing the mass rallies against sexual violence in 2012. (With ANI inputs) The change in Mr Siddaramaiahs seat is to enable his son Yatheendra fight from Varuna constituency. New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday released its first list of 218 candidates for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, which includes the names of chief minister Siddaramaiah who has decided to shift from his earlier constituency of Varuna to Chamundeswari. The change in Mr Siddaramaiahs seat is to enable his son Yatheendra fight from Varuna constituency. BJPs chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa (BSY), contesting from Shikaripura Assembly constituency, will be challenged by Congress G.B. Malathesh. The BJP had released a list of 72 candidates on April 9. The Congress has left announcement of candidates for six seats pending. These seats include Shantinagar of N.A. Harris whose son was allegedly involved in a pub brawl earlier this year. Insiders say that young turk Rizwan Arshad is in the contention for the seat. The remaining five seats include Sindgi, Nagthan, Melukote, Kittur and Raichur. Sitting ministers Krishna Byre Gowda and Priyank Kharge have been repeated. Of the 224 Assembly seats, 173 are general, 36 reserved for SCs and 15 for STs. The last date for filing nominations is April 24 and withdrawal is April 27. The results of the election will be out on May 15. The 79-year-old claimed the likelihood of Markle's departure was increased by her first failed marriage to film producer Trevor Engelson. The outspoken activist slammed the Suits actress, implying she was marrying for money and status. (Photo: AP) Feminist author Germaine Greer has shared her bleak prediction for the upcoming royal wedding, claiming Meghan Markle will 'bolt' from her marriage to Prince Harry out of boredom. Speaking to 60 Minutes, the outspoken activist slammed the Suits actress, implying she was marrying for money and status, but had given up too much of herself for the relationship to work. According to a MailOnline report, the 79-year-old claimed the likelihood of Markle's departure was increased by her first failed marriage to film producer Trevor Engelson. According to reports, when the US actress decided to call it quits on the marriage in 2013, she returned Mr Engelson's rings through the post. While Greer has no great hope for Meghan Markle's union with Prince Harry, she said she could understand how it happened. The feminist icon cheekily asked, Why would a girl born in poverty marry a man worth 53 million quid? I can't think of single reason,. To join the Royal Family, Markle will need to relinquish her US citizenship, and will not be able to continue working as an actress. Becoming a British citizen can take years though, so the actress and lifestyle blogger will retain her US citizenship throughout the application process. Markle and Prince Harry will tie the knot on May 19 at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Talking about edible collagen, Dr Sharada says, Collagen is naturally found in many animals and meat products. Want to stay young but dont have time for elaborate beauty regimes? Try out sunscreen pills and edible collagen that will keep you glowing and wrinkle-free! As sunrays keep glaring and the sultry summer beckons, there is some good news on the beauty horizon. Ever wondered how cool it would be, to be able to get a daily dose of beauty treatments instead of applying multiple layers of cream and ointments; doses just like your everyday morning vitamin supplements? Sunscreen pills and edible collagen are the latest treatments both people and experts are swearing by. While the pills protect your skin, the edible ones give you a youthful look and minimise the signs of aging. As you age, the collagen in your skin begins to break down, leading to thinner skin and thus, contributing to the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Elaborating on the edible beauty solutions, dermatologist, and cosmetologist, Dr Lakshmi Sharada says, The sunscreen pills are beneficial for skin as they work as anti-oxidant primarily. The pill helps the skin from within but one must use a sunscreen lotion as well. The pills cant be the only source of protection. The pill is a great supporting factor for reducing your daily beauty routine. On a personal level, I will not advise to have these pills every day even though theres no side effect. Its always advisable to not depend on supplements. Each such pill is available for Rs 30-50 in the market. Dr Renita Rajan, chief cosmetic dermatologist at Render Skin and Hair Clinic, Chennai, explains, Plant extracts as antioxidants has always been around, but specifically the extract of the fern, Polypodi-um Leucot-omos is the one that has been scientifically proven to work against tanning, pigmentation, complexion improvement, skin rejuvenation and so on. The advent of products like Heliocare, which is a pioneer oral sunscreen, is relatively new in India. Combining an oral with a topical sunscreen is great for anti-ageing. Talking about edible collagen, Dr Sharada says, Collagen is naturally found in many animals and meat products. Since collagen is a protein, it breaks down into amino acids during digestion and runs into your blood and then reaches the skin. Collagen injections are more effective when compared to the edible version, but again the former is more expensive. My advice would be to consume the edible collagen every alternate day as its more of a nutritional supplement rather than a medicine and definitely not advisable to patients aged below 35 years. For a month-long treatment, it may cost around Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000. Dr Sharada further says, Patients generally come to me after they have done proper research on the oral treatments one per week at least. Any treatment will only work wonders only when the lifestyle factor is taken care of, feels Dr Renita. Lifestyle factors like a late bedtime, smoking and bad eating habits also contribute to more rapid ageing, so maintenance involves eliminating these factors too. People in India are always after younger and fairer skin and thats the reason these treatments get a huge response. Dr Lakshmi Sharada, dermatologist and cosmetologist The data from DHS also shows in Yavatmal there is 74 farmers have been found suffering from depression, in Hingoli 66. Mumbai: A recent door-to-door survey undertaken in seven talukas of Akola district by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers has revealed that 853 farmers are battling depression, 234 of whom are suffering acutely. The farmers have been treated at the state- run Akolas Government Medical College. Over 2,400 farmers had committed suicide between January and October 2017. Latest data with the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) shows that by February this year, 16,968 farmers in the state were diagnosed with depression while 58 per cent of the cases 9,905 farmers are in Amravati, followed by Latur (2,101). The reason cited by the farmers included their alleged inability to secure loans from banks, damages to crops, the drought-like situation over the past few years, debt and poor seasonal crop yields. These reasons, at times, may lead to farmers taking to extreme steps, said an ASHA worker involved in the survey. The state government has roped in a few NGO and psychologists who volunteered, a senior DHS official said. ASHA worker Nimatai Patil from Marathwada said, The farmers are depressed sue to less yield of seasonable crops, banks loan debt, family issues drought and many more. She said, This leads to depression since its directly affecting to their finical problems sometimes this makes them go through a bad patch which leads tpo take an extreme step. The data from DHS also shows in Yavatmal there is 74 farmers have been found suffering from depression, in Hingoli 66. Dr K. Patilm, assistant director of DHS, said, We have already started a counselling sessions and roped in NGOs who will counsel them through mediation. Psychotherapist Dr Ali Gabrani, who counselled farmers against ending their lives, said, People with suicidal tendencies are not reported. In villages women are reluctant to share their thoughts. This would leave the child with a serious handicap and that this disability would have a serious impact on the life of the mother. Mumbai: The Bombay high court has allowed the termination of a 23-week pregnancy as the foetus has an abnormal growth in the form of short limbs and smaller jaw apart from congenital and chromosomal disorders. This would leave the child with a serious handicap and that this disability would have a serious impact on the life of the mother and force her into a life of misery, which is against her constitutional rights. A division bench comprising of justices Shantanu Kemkar and Makarand Karnik was hearing the writ petition filed by a Mumbai resident, seeking termination of her 23-week pregnancy due to the anomalies in the foetus, which became evident after an ultrasonography. The petitioner, through her lawyer Meenaz Kaklia, had approached the court as the pregnancy had exceeded the 20-week limit permissible by a registered medical practitioner, and as stipulated in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. The court had directed the board of JJ Hospital to examine the petitioner and submit its report to the court. The report stated that after examining the woman and perusing the USG reports and taking opinions of various experts and psychiatrists, it concluded that if the pregnancy was allowed to continue, the mother would be in stress and hence the court should permit the termination. In the face of no objection to the petition by the state, the court ordered the termination in the interest of justice, as such fundamental right as conferred on the petitioner would not allow her to lead and live a life of misery. It also said, that if the petitioner is allowed to give birth to foetus, there is substantial risk of serious physical handicap. Thousands, including children, have been camping at Ambadi for last four months. Mumbai: Thousands of villagers from across Mokhada, Jawhar, Nashik and Amravati have gathered at Ambadi, Bhiwandi, 25 kilometres away from Mumbai, in search of work opportunities. Its not just the young, but even children and senior citizens have are seen residing at the temporary shelters set up in an open ground. Faced with a lack of employment, improper water and food facilities and political apathy, these villagers, mostly adivasis, arrived in Ambadi over the last three-four months. Most of them have found work at construction sites in nearby areas. But given a choice, they would have liked to stay back in their village. We dont like to leave our hometown but we have left with no option as we did not even have drinking water in our village, forget about food or job, said Dakar Somaiyle, a villager from Mokhada, who came to the city last month looking for opportunities at construction sites. The 62-year-old, did not come to the city alone, but brought his entire family along. If I left them there, they would die of starvation. Bringing them here was the only option I was left with, he added. A relative of Somaiyle said that villagers had tried talking to the gram panchayat of their village regarding this issue. Even after talking and highlighting the issues again and again, nothing really happened. Here, if nothing else, we get food once a day. And if not even that, we at least get clean drinking water here, he added. A family from Manmad in Nashik district, who came to Amdadi village three months ago, says all the funds, which are sanctioned by the government for adivasis, never reaches them. We have heard several promises related to funds, especially those reserved for us, But it is funny that we only get promises, but no funds, said Ranja Tai, from Manmad. Ranja has a six-year-old daughter , who has accompanied her while migrating from Manmad to Ambadi. When asked about what would happen to her daughters education, she said, If we are able to earn at least something every day, we would at least be able to feed her. Education is secondary for us as our primary focus is to be alive. The research institute proposes in-situ treatment of nullahs via natural means to give them new lease of life. Mumbai: As the sewage menace that is plaguing Mumbais rivers shows no sign of abating, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has come up with a system ensuring the in-situ (in the original place) cleaning treatment of storm-water drains or nullahs. Known as Renue (Restoration of Nullah with Ecological Units), the treatment uses natural process like phyto-traps, solar aeration and wetland plants for cleaning drains. The institute has recently demonstrated it in Nagpur and Amritsar and are in talks with the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation to demonstrate in the drains in the city. The Renue project involves treatment of sewage in the running flow without disturbing the shape of drains and by employing natural processes like phytoremediation, that is treatment using anti-pollutant plants, microbial consortia as well as physical and biological operations to degrade sewage. We have focused on reducing sewage in drains using natural ways, which is why we are not even altering the existing shape and landscape of the drains. No chemical is required in the treatment, said Dr Ritesh Vijay, principal scientist, Centre for Strategic Urban Management, NEERI. The project also boasts of advantages such as no extra civil construction, reduction in pollution, minimum operation and maintenance, electricity free treatment, odour control and reduction of flies and mosquitoes. The treatment includes screen and grit trap, which traps solid waste flowing in the drains, followed by sedimentation, which helps in settling down the waste water by providing sufficient space. The phytotrap and biomat that consists of lightweight material, which attaches bacterial growth, and trap suspended organic matter, thereby filtering sewage water. The solar diffused aerator helps in increasing the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the drain water and wetland plants helps in preventing growth of unwanted plants and algae. We have the problem of polluted rivers in Mumbai as well. We hope to get help from the BMC and state government to revive the citys rivers, said Rakesh Kumar, director, NEERI. The BJP has said in public that it wants to seal an alliance with Sena in the coming elections. Mumbai: In a major setback to the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) efforts to woo its estranged alliance partner, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday refused to meet BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar. Mr Mungantiwar, the state finance minister, was supposed to visit Matoshree to discuss an alliance proposal with Mr Thackeray in view of the Senas stance on going solo in the 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. But Mr Thackeray, in the backdrop of the recent murder of two Shiv Sainiks in Ahmednagar on April 7, refused to meet the BJP leader, according to sources. Meanwhile, in view of the Senas attitude, the BJP too has upped its ante. Mr Mungantiwar said that an alliance is not exactly a do-or-die issue for the BJP and it is ready to contest the polls on its own. Mr Mungantiwar has been the BJP point person for dealing with Mr Thackeray. The BJP has said in public that it wants to seal an alliance with Sena in the coming elections. BJPs president Amit Shah had also expressed a desire to form ties with the Sena. Monday marked the tenth day since the murder of the Sainiks and the Sena has been alleging that the BJP, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress workers are responsible. The dalits deserted the Congress, for which they have been voting a long time, and backed the BJP in 2014. The anger among dalits against the BJP government at the Centre, which is visible from the nationwide protests against the dilution of the Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, may damage the BJPs prospects in 2019. Not only are dalits angry against the dilution of this law, they are also angry due to various incidents of atrocities against dalits in many parts of the country and the governments seeming inability to handle it. Besides other factors, a sizeable chunk of support from dalits had helped the BJP get a majority in 2014. A shift among dalits away from the BJP towards the Congress, particularly in states with a sizeable dalit population, may dampen the electoral prospects of the BJP and may help in a revival of the Congress, though the Congress may still be far from coming anywhere close to defeating the BJP in 2019. Dalits are in sizeable numbers in various states where the BJP did very well in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as well as in the Assembly polls held after the Lok Sabha elections. Dalits constitute more than 20 per cent of the total voters in states like Haryana (20 per cent), Punjab (32 per cent), Tamil Nadu (20 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (021 per cent) and West Bengal (24 per cent). There are other states where dalits are in sizeable numbers, which include Andhra Pradesh (16 per cent), Bihar (16 per cent), Karnataka (17 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (16 per cent), Odisha (17 per cent), Rajasthan (18 per cent) and Delhi (17 per cent). In most of these states, the BJP did very well either on its own or in alliance with other parties. In Haryana it polled 35 per cent votes, in Punjab it performed very well along with alliance partner Akali Dal, in Uttar Pradesh its voteshare was 42 per cent, in West Bengal it managed to get 17 per cent votes, in Bihar its voteshare was 30 per cent, in Karnataka 43 per cent while it was 54 per cent in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Delhi its voteshare was close to 50 per cent. The party couldnt manage to win a large number of seats in Odisha, but it polled over 20 per cent votes. While its true the BJP managed to increase its voteshare not only due to dalit support for the party, one must also recognise that the massive shift in dalit support for the BJP in many states gave the party the decisive edge. The dalits deserted the Congress, for which they have been voting a long time, and backed the BJP in 2014. Findings from studies conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Socities over the past several Lok Sabha and Assembly elections indicates that the 2014 Lok Sabha polls saw a decisive shift in dalit votes towards the BJP, a trend which continued even in the Assembly polls held soon afterwards. While in all the Lok Sabha polls between 1996 and 2009, nationally only about 10 per cent of dalits voted for the BJP, in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, nationally 24 per cent of dalits backed the BJP. The dalit vote for the Congress fell from 27 per cent in 2009 to only 19 per cent in 2014. In some states, the dalit support for the BJP was much more than the average nationwide support. Of the total dalits in the respective states, 70 per cent in Assam, 28 per cent in Bihar, 32 per cent in Gujarat, 20 per cent in Haryana, 43 per cent in MP, 21 per cent in Maharashtra, 47 per cent in Rajasthan, 23 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 33 per cent in Delhi and 38 per cent in Jharkhand voted for the BJP. Dalit support for the BJP continued even after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, as large numbers voted for the BJP in sizeable numbers even in the Assembly elections held after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. With dalits voting for the BJP in such large numbers in the recent past, dalit anger against the government should be a cause of concern for the BJP. It is important to note the country did not see the dalits protest only recently on April 2 against the dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, there have been various other protest in the past few years, a clear sign of deep dissatisfaction of dalits with the BJP government. The Una killing in Gujarat last year and the suicide of Rohit Vemula at the Hyderabad University campus had also triggered nationwide protests. There were protests in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh. There are even reports about the police being violent against those who took part in the April 2 protests. There have been instances of the vandalisation of Dr B.R. Ambedkars statue in various areas. All these incidents have certainly angered dalits and the governments inability to control such incidents have made them feel unhappy with the BJP government. This could have implications regarding dalit support for the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. A dalit shift away from the BJP will adversely affect its electoral prospects as there is hardly any group which seems to compensate for the loss of this dalit support. No wonder alarm bells are ringing loud for the BJPs leadership. Sensing dalit anger against the dilution of the SC/ST Act, the government was quick to file a review petition in the Supreme Court. With barely a year for the big national election, the government is trying hard to send out signals that it is sincere about the dalit cause. Every year the nation celebrates April 14 as Ambedkar Jayanti, and the government does participate, but this year it appears to have made an extra effort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various Central ministers took an active part in many of the celebrations to pay tribute to Dr Ambedkar. Also, BJP MPs visited dalit-dominated areas and garlanded Dr Ambedkars statues amidst other programmes. But do these efforts indicate that the ruling party is really concerned about the uplift of dalits, or are they just gestures on the eve of a major general election? Recently filed patent reveals Samsungs intentions to go the notch way for improving the screen-to-body ratio. Its a known fact that Apples idea of a full-screen display with a notch has been set as the benchmark, with several companies trying to copy, if not better, the formula. The display notch allows for more useable screen space, allowing several UI elements such as the notification bar to pushed into the released space for liberating more space for usable stuff. Several Chinese OEMs have done it. OnePlus is set to adopt it as well for their next smartphone. And now, it seems that Samsung is also willing to use the notch for one of their upcoming smartphones if the leaks are to be believed. A leaked patent application files in China from Samsung has been uncovered by Mobilekopen.net that suggests that the South Korean giant will eventually be embracing the display notch for their smartphone lineup. Illustrations filed along with the documents reveal an Apple iPhone X-inspired design, featuring the notch on top of the display. The notch is shown hosting the earpiece, camera and a host of other sensors. The display curves gradually on the edges, like the Galaxy S9. Theres no bottom lip visible, which indicates that Samsung is employing Apples expensive solution of bending the display at the edges to accommodate the driver underneath the panel. This also means that the display notch could possibly show up in one of their upcoming flagships the Galaxy Note 9? Or, the Galaxy S10? Who knows? The rear also gets a major makeover the dual camera module is pushed to the edges, like an iPhone 8 Plus this is the first time a Samsung phones rear panel has seen the complete abandonment of the traditional centre-aligned design. The rear is also void of any fingerprint sensor, which means either Samsung will rely completely on the facial recognition system along with the iris scanner or include an in-display scanner. Another surprising element is the presence of the 3.5mm headphone port, which most of Samsungs rivals have started ditching. Surprisingly, theres no Bixby key seen on the render has Samsung given up on forcing its software down users throats? If you are eagerly waiting for this mysterious Samsung device, then keep in mind that these are still rumours and patents often dont make it to the finished products. Therefore, take it with a pinch of salt. The Galaxy Note 9 is scheduled to be released earlier than expected this year and is rumoured to include a slightly bigger display than the Note 8. (source) Arab leaders hope to reactivate the "political process" and foster a common "strategy". King Salman against Iran: the "aggressive" attitude is a "threat" to the Arab world. Riyadh allocates 150 million dollars for the conservation of Islamic heritage in East Jerusalem; criticism of the US decision to transfer the embassy. Dhahran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The war in Syria, with the recent joint "punitive" raids of the United States, United States and France against Assad, and the frontal clash between Teheran and Riyadh, the two powers of the Middle East, dominated the 29th annual summit of the Arab League. The summit was held yesterday in Dhahran, a coastal city in the eastern sector of Saudi Arabia. The participants re-launched the call for international diplomacy to "re-activate the political process", the only way to end the Syrian conflict. In the final communique signed by the 17 heads of state or government of the member countries - Qatar, for months at the centre of tensions with Saudi Arabia and Emirates, was present at the ambassador level - the Arab leaders attacked the US decision to transfer the Israeli embassy in Jerusalem. Reaffirming "support for the Palestinian cause", albeit with different nuances, the leaders stressed that East Jerusalem will always be "the capital of Arab Palestine". In the context of the summit the Saudi king Salman announced a donation of 150 million dollars for the conservation of Islamic heritage in East Jerusalem. "I want to rename this meeting in Dhahran - he said - as the Jerusalem summit, so that the whole world knows that Palestine and its people remain at the center of the concerns of Arabia". Salman reaffirmed the "unshakable position" of Riyadh on the Palestinian question, highlighting a profound difference with the successor Mohammad bin Salman on the issue. In fact, the 32 year old number two of the kingdom has declared in the recent past that Israel has a "right" to its own state, strengthening ties with Washington and bolstering a common front against Iran. During the Arab League meeting, participants intervened on several occasions to condemn those that define the "interference" of Tehran (a great Shiite rival of the Saudi Sunnis) in matters concerning the Arab world and the Middle East: from Iraq to Syria, passing through Yemen and Lebanon: all theaters in which the most serious crises are being consumed (in some cases real proxy wars) that upset the region. According to King Salman, Iran's "aggressive" attitude is a "threat" to the Arab world. Speaking on the Syrian conflict, the secretary of the Arab League, the Egyptian Ahmad Abou el-Gheit launched an appeal to the countries of the Arab world, to "retake initiative in Syria". The goal is "to elaborate a strategy" that allows "to relaunch the search for a political solution". The next summit of the Arab League - which has excluded Syria from member countries since 2011 - will be held in Tunisia in 2019. For Mgr Audo, the airstrikes were a great media event but had little impact on the country. The ongoing power game on the backs of the Syrian people is a sad chapter. White House counters Macrons claim about getting the US to stay, announces new sanctions against Russia. Syrian Church leaders slam the attacks, which they say violates international law. Aleppo (AsiaNews) The military operation carried out by the United States, France and the United Kingdom against Syria over the weekend to punish the Syrian army for its alleged use of chemical weapons had "a major media impact internationally, said Mgr Antoine Audo, president of Caritas Syria and Chaldean archbishop of Aleppo. For public opinion and the media, it was a "tragic event", but for civilians "life goes on, as always, without a sense that things might be at a turning point. For the prelate, the attacks were a show of force by the West. "Of course, the attacks were a serious thing but for ordinary people, life goes as if nothing happened. Yet, there is a sense of sadness that peace is slipping away. It is also sad to realise that talking to people after Sunday mass, the war is now part of everyday life." "The operation was not so bad, he explained. Clearly, it was a show of force, another chapter in the proxy war between powers." Syria is "a country martyred because of international interests, the struggle for power between the Russians and the Americans, between Sunnis and Shias, between Iran and Saudi Arabia. It is about economic and strategic interests to which arms trafficking must be added." For the archbishop, "Syria has its own proud history, with a government and a people and they are doing everything to destroy it. And the poor are the ones who pay the highest price for this conflict." For its part, Moscow continued to slam Western air strikes. Conversely, French President Emmanuel Macron said they had been perfectly carried out The French leader noted that the operation was not a declaration of war against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, but a response to the use of chemical weapons, which is banned by UN resolutions. Macron added, Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States should withdraw from Syria. We convinced him it was necessary to stay. We convinced him it was necessary to stay for the long term. White House responded a few hours later to Macrons claim by saying, The US mission has not changed the president has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible. We are determined to completely crush Isis and create the conditions that will prevent its return. The United States is also planning more economic sanctions against Russia. They will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said. Meanwhile, a fact-finding team from Netherlands-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Syria on Saturday to investigate the alleged chemical attack in Douma amid growing tensions between the West and Russia (and Iran, allies of the Syrian government). After seven years of fighting (in which 95 per cent of civilian casualties died from conventional, not chemical weapons), the Syrian regime now controls more than half of the countrys territory. The opposition is left instead with 12 per cent, including areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir el-Sham (formerly known as the al Nusra Front), once al-Qaedas Syrian branch. After securing Eastern Ghouta, government forces are now moving towards Daraa, in the south, where the anti-regime uprising started before morphing into a civil war, and towards Idlib in the north. At the diplomatic level, with the UN in Geneva and Turkey, Iran and Russia in Astana still unable to find ways to secure a peaceful solution, Syrias top Christian clerics have renewed their call for an end to the fighting. The Patriarchates of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic Churches condemned Saturdays air strikes as pre-emptive and unjust, noting that there was not sufficient and clear evidence for the suspected use of chemical weapons, and that the Western operation would only favour terrorists in the country. In their appeal to the United Nations and the Security Council, which Apostolic Nuncio Card Mario Zenari harshly criticised, the patriarchs called for action to bring peace and end the escalation of violence. (DS) It is the third episode of violence against the Christian community of the city. The victims are Rashid Khalid and Azhar Iqbal, who died in the race to the hospital. The attack took place in the Christian quarter of Isa Nagri. Quetta (AsiaNews / Agencies) - At least two Christians died yesterday during an attack perpetrated by armed criminals who opened fire in Isa Nagri, a Christian neighborhood near Brewery Road, in the city of Quetta. DawnNewsTV interviewed Police Commissioner Abdur Razzaq Cheema,, who said that the attack was carried out while the faithful were leaving the local church. The agent reports the presence of four attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, entered the neighborhood and opened fire indiscriminately on Christians. The authorities say that there were five Christians wounded in all, but then two of them - Rashid Khalid and Azhar Iqbal - died in the race to the Bolan Medical Complex hospital. The other three wounded people have been identified as Mehvish, Sunena and Samuel: the latter is a prominent figure of the local community. This is the third attack against the Christian community in the space of a few months in Quetta. Last December, at least 9 people died in the attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church, claimed by the Islamic State. The fundamentalists of the Caliphate also claimed an attack on a group of Christians on Easter Monday (2 April) as they travelled in a rickshaw in Shah Zaman Road, in which four people were killed. Balochistan Interior Minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, condemned the attack and promised rapid responses. A police contingent was deployed at the scene and surrounded the area. Meanwhile, Christians launched a protest demonstration against the provincial government and called for the immediate arrest of the attackers. Amjad Faryad, uncle of Rashid Khalid (one of the victims), complains: "Why are we under attack? Terrorists strike us easily but our security forces and the provincial government remain silent spectators. " North and South officials will meet to determine the agenda for the April 27 meeting. Denuclearization and peace at the top of the list. Activation of a direct red line between the two leaders probable. Pyongyang celebrates the 106th birthday of the founder. No military parade. Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Officials of the two Koreas will meet this week to determine the key points of the inter-Korean summit between President Moon Jae-in and leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled for 27 April. Topping the agendas of points to be discussed will probably be the denuclearization of North Korea, and with it the development of a lasting peace on the Korean peninsula and the improvement of relations between the two countries. The two leaders will meet in the village of Panmunjom, in the demilitarized zone (DMZ), a fortified strip that goes from coast to coast, four kilometres wide, and divides the peninsula into two parts. This is the third time that leaders of the North and South meet. The precedents occurred in 2000 and 2007. "Peace, a new beginning" is the slogan chosen yesterday by the Blue House in Seoul to define the meeting. On April 14, officials from both countries discussed the possibility of activating a direct telephone line between the two leaders: Kim and Moon could have a telephone conversation before the meeting next week. Yesterday, North Korea celebrated the 106th anniversary of the birth of founder Kim Il-sung, taking the opportunity to give further proof of its diplomatic orientation: there was no shadow or hint of arms or missile programs, nor to other provocations, unlike previous years, and in particular last year, when a massive military parade was held in Pyongyang for the occasion. by Kamel Abderrahmani Whilst the Constitution provides for religious freedom, its preamble also defines Islam as an element in the countrys identity. Apostasy is not a crime but getting a Muslim to change religion is. An Algerian Christian is accused of offending Muhammad. Algiers (AsiaNews) In Algeria, is the context clear? The vast majority of Algerians are Sunni Muslims. There are a few hundred Algerian Jews. It is estimated that there are between 20,000 and 100,000 Christians, but accurate figures are unfortunately not available. Most Christians are foreigners, many from sub-Saharan Africa. But there are Catholic and Protestant communities in the country. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian entity, organised in four dioceses. There are also Evangelical communities, especially in the region of Kabylia. Some Muslims have converted to Christianity and those who have done so joined evangelical communities. From a legal point of view, the preamble of the Algerian Constitution states that Islam is a fundamental element in the country's identity.[1] Article 2 states that Islam is the religion of the state and Article 10 bans state institutions from doing anything against Islamic morality. However, the paradox lies with Articles 36 and 73. The first guarantees freedom of conscience, which includes freedom of worship within the limits of the law, although that is not explicitly stated in the text. The second says that only a Muslim can become president. Under Algerian law, apostasy is not a criminal offense. Religious offenses are covered by Article 144 bis of the Penal Code, which imposes a prison sentence of three to five years and a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 Algerian dinars (US$ 631 to 1,263) on anyone who offends the Prophet and the envoys of God, or denigrates the dogma or precepts of Islam, whether by writing, drawing, in a statement or any other means. This is a threatening article that prevents us from criticising Islam, especially from trying to come up with new Quranic interpretations. Whilst Algeria allows religious organisations to participate in humanitarian work, it punishes Christian proselytising with a fine and imprisonment of up to five years against anyone who incites, compels or uses means of seduction to convert a Muslim to another religion, or by using for this purpose educational, health, social, cultural or vocational institutions [. . .] or any financial means.[2] In 2006, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika issued Ordinance 06-03 to regulate the celebration of faiths other than Islam. Although it does not prohibit conversion as such, the ordinance prohibits any attempt to convert a Muslim to another religion or to "shake the faith of a Muslim". Recently, on 2 March, an Algerian Christian from the Wilaya (Province) of Tiaret, southwest of the capital Algiers, arrested by the security services for possession of evangelical books, appeared before a court in Frenda, in the same wilaya. He was accused with having "shaken the faith of a Muslim" and was sentenced by to six months in prison and a fine of 50,000 Algerian dinars. Freedom of worship is threatened in Algeria. The law does not protect Christians; instead, it condemns them. Constitutional articles contradict each other and are paradoxical. Christian books and textbooks are rare in the country, and Christians do not feel free to carry Christian-related materials with them. Under Ordinance 06-03, Algerians are liable to a fine of up to a million dinars and a five-year prison sentence for printing, storing or distributing equipment intended to convert Muslims. This was the case of Slimane Bouhafs, a Christian and human rights defender who was incarcerated for insulting the Prophet in certain publications and on social media. The former official with the Presidency of the Republic was sentenced by a lower court to 6 years in prison, which was upheld on appeal, causing a grassroots reaction especially in the region of Bejaia (Kabylia) even though he comes from Setif. The controversy was fuelled by the fact that he went public with his Christian faith. Ten days ago, and fortunately for his family and friends, Slimane Bouhafs, was released after two full years of arbitrary detention. In a country where Islam is the state religion, he dared to publish pictures showing the caricature of the Prophet Mohamed. In other words, it is better to be a Muslim in France than a Christian in Algeria. Islam in this country is like that of all other Muslim countries. It is a religion that has states, preachers, soldiers and funding to build together the temple of sacred ignorance. [1] Presidence de la Republique, Avant-projet de revision de la constitution, Republique algerienne democratique et populaire, http://www.constitutionnet.org/sites/default/files/algeria_french.pdf, (accessed 16 April 2018). [2] Global Legal Research Directorate and Hanibal Goitom (Foreign Legal Specialist and Coordinator), Algeria, Laws Criminalizing Apostasy, Library of Congress, May 2014, http://www.loc.gov/law/help/apostasy/#_ftn11,%20http://www.lexpressiondz.com/actualite/228266-la-loi-interdit-le-proselytisme.html,%20http://www.joradp.dz/FTP/jo-francais/2006/F2006012.pdf, (accessed 16 April 2018). CCA launches platform for investment outside of beverages Coca-Cola Amatil has launched a new business platform to help explore new opportunities outside of beverages. Named Amatil X, the platform will help support the development of concepts, start-ups and early stage businesses that anticipate and address customer needs. Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) said Amatil X will not be open to proposals for new beverages and will not compete with existing innovation pipelines provided by CCA brand partners, including The Coca-Cola Company. Amatil Xs themes Amatil X will instead address three broad themes: Millions of moments of impact: concepts for creating a sustainable future One step ahead: concepts for redefining the customer experience Route to me: concepts for exploring alternative ways of getting customers what they want, when and where they want it At the centre of Amatil X is AX Ventures, a multimillion dollar corporate venturing program that will invest in non-beverage related business opportunities. Business opportunities will be placed into one of two channels, the first of which is Xcelerate, a corporate accelerator program operating in Australia and New Zealand lead by start-up accelerator, Blue Chilli. The other channel is Xponential, an employee venturing program. CCA Group Managing Director, Alison Watkins, said whilst CCA needs to focus on its core business it also needs to find new avenues of growth. We want to continue to challenge ourselves to provide our customers with Only at Amatil experiences, Watkins said. Related articles By David Murphy, Lecturer in Geoscience, Queensland University of Technology David Murphy, Author provided The remote Pilbara region of northern Western Australia is one of Earths oldest blocks of continental crust, and we now think we know how it formed, as explained in research published today in Nature Geoscience. The region is well known for its rich, ancient Aboriginal history extending over at least 40,000 years. It also features an incredibly diverse ecosystem, with many species found nowhere else. The architecture of this ancient crust leads to a distinctive landscape as viewed from above, with light-coloured oval features that are granite domes surrounded by dark belts of volcanic and sedimentary rocks, known as greenstone belts. Read more: Target Earth: how asteroids made an impact on Australia This unique geological architecture bears witness to the history of our planet. Billions of years ago The Pilbara region began to form more than 3.6 billion years ago and our research supports the idea that its rocks were not formed through the plate tectonics processes that we see in operation today. In plate tectonics, the outermost layer of Earth consists of fragmented, stiff tectonic plates that drift across the planetary surface, interacting at their boundaries. New crust is generated and destroyed at plate boundaries and this process is associated with most of Earths current volcanic and earthquake activity. The plate boundaries are generally composed of fairly straight segments, hundreds of kilometres long. Witness the long chain of volcanoes along South Americas west coast. So why do the rocks in the Pilbara exhibit this unusual granite-greenstone geometry? In our research we detail how these rocks formed, describing a series of gravitational overturn events that affected the ancient crust in the East Pilbara well before plate-tectonic processes began around 3.2 billion years ago. Gravitational overturn What is a gravitational overturn? The young Earth was roasting hot. Its large heat content resulted in widespread volcanism. It was too warm for the rigid plates required for plate tectonics to operate. Imagine retrieving a long-forgotten chocolate bar from your pocket, which then bends and drips over your fingers as you attempt to enjoy a snack. (Modern plates resemble a cold chocolate bar straight from the fridge: it does not bend and breaks when you want a corner.) Daniel Wiemer, Author provided The hot early Earth erupted thick piles of basalt lavas that formed a dense crust barely supported by the underlying mantle. The base of this cooling crust experienced further heating from the hot mantle below until it started to melt, generating relatively buoyant granitic magmas. This process led to an unstable stratification of the ancient proto-crust: low-density granites were overlain by high-density basalts. Due to the high heat, both layers could bend and flow, leading to instability. The granitic blobs wanted to rise and the basalts wanted to sink. Scientists call the rising blobs plumes and the reorganisation process gravitational overturn. In the early Earth, with its high temperatures and soft crust, the granites rose up through the crust where it formed buoyant stable crust, while most of the dense basalt crust sunk into the mantle. This process is preserved in the Pilbara as the oval-shaped granite domes and the preserved remnants of the basalt crust as the greenstone belts. The landscape today North of Marble Bar, by looking at rock fabrics, we discovered the remains of the oldest recorded gravitational overturn in the Pilbara. Intensely deformed rocks preserve traces of the ascent of a rising granite plume and the associated down-going of the dense volcanic crust. David Murphy, Author provided Our field observations, geochemical analyses and thermodynamic models demonstrate that rocks collected from the dome margin represent high silica magma that originally melted at a depth of around 42km before crystallising as granites at 20km. Uranium-lead dating of zircon in the laboratory revealed that these rocks crystallised from 3.6-billion to 3.5 billion years ago. The intensely sheared rocks at the boundary of the rising dome and sinking volcanic rocks contain a metamorphic mineral, titanite, that formed during the gravitational overturn. We dated several of these mineral grains and they average 3.42 billion years old. By dating both pre- and post-gravitational overturn rock associations, we were able to constrain its duration to a 40 million year period. Combining our research with the published work of other geologists, it appears that the Pilbara experienced at least three gravitational overturns separated by 100-million-year intervals. Lana Wenham, Author provided After the final overturn 3.2 billion years ago, the Pilbara crustal block was finally sufficiently robust and buoyant to survive plate tectonics lasting even until today. Read more: Five active volcanoes on my Asia Pacific 'Ring of Fire' watch-list right now We speculate that the cyclicity of overturn events in the Pilbara is the ancient equivalent of the 500- to 600-million-year Wilson cycle, one full round of crust from formation until destruction in the plate tectonic style in existence since 3.2 billion years ago. The Pilbara keeps inspiring scientists worldwide to finding answers to one of humankinds great questions: how did nature provide the platform for the eventual evolution of life? We plan to test the idea of characteristic ancient overturn cycles elsewhere in the Pilbara and on other continents where ancient crust is preserved. Charlotte Allen works for QUT Christoph Schrank receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Daniel Wiemer and David Murphy do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Originally published in The Conversation. Who pays what for the new 482 visa? I have a sponsor but who pays which part? Also some people say 457 and some people say TSS - some say 482 - I get very confused. Which is it? Photo of 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans by Paul Clinton. Mercedes-Benz will offer eight factory telematics packages with its third-generation 2019 Sprinter that allow fleet managers to better track preventive maintenance, routing, and driver behavior with the full-size van, the company has announced. The more-connected cargo and people hauler will go on sale in Europe this summer and arrive in the U.S. later this year, Mercedes-Benz exectives told journalists in Amsterdam on April 13. The 2019 Sprinter will launch with an array of new features, including Mercedes Pro Connect a connectivity platform that bundles telematics, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a mobile app that's accessible to fleet drivers. Mercedes-Benz is also rolling out its Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system and revised user interface that, for the first time, offers a color touchscreen, messaging between a driver and fleet manager, and voice-enabled commands prompted by phrases such as "Hey Mercedes." The eight Mercedes Pro Connect options will help fleet managers optimize driver routes, better analyze driving styles, and remotely control vehicles. Photo of Mercedes-Benz Pro Connect dashboard by Paul Clinton. The packages that will be offered globaly include: Optimized Assistance: Allows fleet managers to schedule maintenance and service, as well as providing roadside assistance to a driver at the push of a button. Allows fleet managers to schedule maintenance and service, as well as providing roadside assistance to a driver at the push of a button. Efficient Fleet Management: Shows a vehicle's status and location via a web or mobile device dashboard. Shows a vehicle's status and location via a web or mobile device dashboard. Improved Navigation: Provides real-time traffic and updated map data for optimized routing. Provides real-time traffic and updated map data for optimized routing. Efficient Driving Style Analysis: Allows fleet managers to isolate an individual driver's fuel consumption. Allows fleet managers to isolate an individual driver's fuel consumption. Simplified Fleet Communication: Enables direct communication between a fleet manager and driver via the Vehicle Management Tool. Enables direct communication between a fleet manager and driver via the Vehicle Management Tool. Digital Driver's Log: Allows tracking of individual trips. Drivers can designate a trip as business, personal use, or commuting. Allows tracking of individual trips. Drivers can designate a trip as business, personal use, or commuting. Remote Control: Fleet managers can check whether a vehicle's doors are locked or power windows are closed. Fleet managers can check whether a vehicle's doors are locked or power windows are closed. Data Interface Mercedes-Benz Vans: Data from Sprinter and Metris vans can be integrated into non-Mercedes fleet management systems. Several of the eight options will be offered at no cost, while others will be optional equipment. Mercedes-Benz will release pricing and more info later this year, according to the company. University Park, Pennsylvania, USA, Goettingen, Germany, April 16, 2018 / B3C newswire / -- Sartorius Stedim Biotech and Penn State University have entered into a collaborative partnership to advance multidisciplinary teaching and research in biotechnology. This long-term relationship will support the education and preparation of the next generation of biotechnology leaders. Part of Sartorius investment will be to enhance the Fermentation Facility that will play a significant role in Penn States Center of Excellence in Industrial Biotechnology (CoEIB). Sartorius will provide state-of-the-art fermentation technologies, and a central laboratory within the Fermentation Facility will be named the Sartorius Fermentation Gallery. We are grateful to Sartorius for their commitment to and investment in biotechnology at Penn State, said O. Richard Bundy III, Penn States vice president for development and alumni relations. Sartorius is a global leader in research and manufacturing technologies in the field of biotechnology. Their support will enable Penn State to provide an environment that closely matches what is available in todays premier research and manufacturing facilities, further elevating the Universitys leadership position in this rapidly growing field. Sartorius views this partnership as an opportunity to create a hub that will promote innovation in biotechnology. We look forward to bringing together future thought leaders within the new Sartorius Fermentation Gallery, said Reinhard Vogt, member of Executive Committee of Sartorius Stedim Biotech. The innovative bioanalytical and bioprocess technologies of Sartorius will enable these scientists to accelerate progress in biotechnology. Sartorius, together with additional industry partners, has been supporting Penn State for more than a year in designing the new lab space and in equipping it based on the latest technologies. The Fermentation Facility is one of ten core facilities in the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the cornerstone of Penn States comprehensive biotechnology effort. This effort includes the CoEIB, recently launched with a landmark gift from CSL Behring. The CoEIB provides a focal point for Penn States programs in the area of industrial biotechnology, including the development of research and educational initiatives focused, among other areas, on biopharmaceutical manufacturing, i.e., the manufacture of medical drugs from biological sources. Biotechnology has implications for the medicines we take, the food we eat, the fuel we fill our cars with, and more, but researchers working and students training in this area require world-class facilities and equipment in order to move this field forward, said Peter Hudson, director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and Willaman Professor of Biology. I am grateful to Sartorius for providing state-of-the-art equipment that will drive innovation for years to come. Underpinning the growth and sustainability of the CoEIBs vision, as well as its contribution to the future of industrial biotechnology, is the active participation of alumni, friends, and corporate and foundation partners. To discuss how you or your organization can collaborate with the CoEIB, please contact Wendy Oakes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or +1 814-865-7085. About Sartorius Stedim Biotech Sartorius Stedim Biotech is a leading international supplier of products and services that enable the biopharmaceutical industry to develop and manufacture drugs safely and efficiently. As a total solutions provider, Sartorius Stedim Biotech offers a portfolio covering nearly all steps of biopharmaceutical manufacture. The company focuses on single-use technologies and value-added services to meet the rapidly changing technology requirements of the industry it serves. Headquartered in Aubagne, France, Sartorius Stedim Biotech is quoted on the Eurolist of Euronext Paris. With its own manufacturing and R&D sites in Europe, North America and Asia and an international network of sales companies, Sartorius Stedim Biotech has a global reach. In 2017, the company employed approx. 5,100 people and earned sales revenue of 1,081.0 million euros. About A Greater Penn State Gifts from Penn State's alumni, friends and corporate and foundation partners have been essential to the success of the University's historic land-grant mission to serve the public good. To fulfill that mission for a new era of rapid change and global connections, the University has begun A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence, a fast-paced campaign focused on the three key imperatives of a public university: Private support will keep the doors to higher education open to hardworking students regardless of financial well-being; create transformative experiences that go beyond the classroom; and impact the world by fueling discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. Contacts Sartorius Stedim Biotech Timo Lindemann Corporate Communications +49 (0)551.308.4724 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.sartorius-stedim.com Penn State Wendy Oakes Associate Director Corporate and Foundation Relations +1 814.865.7085 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.greaterpennstate.psu.edu Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 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. Curious Near Cannon Beach: What Causes This Odd Wave Action on N. Oregon Coast? Published 04/15/2018 at 7:26 PM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Cannon Beach, Oregon) Just south of Cannon Beach, at the famed viewpoints of Silver Point, there may be a sea monster below the waves of this iconic north Oregon coast spot. Or at least theres something weird going on with the waves that makes it look that way, and it seems it's an oddity and attraction few know about yet. Given the right conditions and it helps to be a little rough the waves at Silver Point do something unusual. Youll periodically see a wave dart out from behind the big sea stack here and go moving north instead of the usual eastward that waves normally travel. Even stranger: if conditions are unruly enough youll see a wave darting back and forth, from north to south and back again, as if something is racing beneath the waves. It doesnt happen every day, but its more common than you might imagine. Oregon Coast Beach Connection put together the video above that shows this unique action of the breakers, and near the end you see a series of still shots that show how these watery waifs behave when darting back and forth. The stills, admittedly, dont show this in full glory, so you have to use your imagination a little. But you get a sense of what it looks like. When these conditions arrive its a wondrous and surreal sight even mesmerizing. One wave starts to fire off in a strange direction, heading parallel to the shore, then appears to zip back again the other direction. This happens just as another begins its darting action northward again. It really looks like something is moving under there. Even if it doesnt make the big spectacle of darting back and forth, just seeing a little wave come out from behind the rock and head a different direction than the rest is wild enough. Its head-scratching, but also impressive as that wave knocks into others and creates random explosions of ocean water in its path. What causes this? Is there something in the reef below that makes this happen? No, say geologists. In fact, its fairly simple. The waves are coming in from the west and bouncing off the rock at Silver Point, reflecting them. Peter Ruggiero, a geologist with OSUs Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, explained the phenomenon. Looks to me like the incoming waves are hitting the stack and reflecting backwards, Ruggiero said. Waves can sometimes do this with little loss of energy so the resultant wave pattern is two waves propagating against each other. Since the incoming waves are all of slightly different sizes, more than likely only occasionally are conditions ripe for such a cool reflected wave to propagate back out to sea. Tom Horning, a geologist from Seaside who specializes in this area of the Oregon coast, agreed. The waves moving parallel to the shore probably are reflecting off of the sea stack, Horning said. If there is a hard vertical surface, the wave will simply reflect depending on the orientation of the hard surface. My guess is the face of the rock is oriented at 45 degrees to the incoming wave, which causes it to reflect at 90 degrees and turn north. Some have suggested its the reef below thats creating this action, but Horning didnt think so. Depending on the shape of underwater landforms they can trigger a wave to go a certain direction, he said. Ill bet that if you get onto Google Earth and can get a peek at the west side of the rock youll see a protrusion reflecting a wave so that it turns and goes north. Yet what about that mysterious dancing back and forth action? Its a kind of optical illusion. Those northbound waves are simply hitting other incoming waves and making it look like its going back to where it came from. Waves dont turn direction in water, Horning said. Unless its going around something or bouncing off something they dont change direction. Youre seeing the coincidence of two waves sets, one heading west and one heading to north coinciding, creating a big extra splash. Its interesting to note no one else seems to have noticed this, but Oregon Coast Beach Connection has been looking at it for years. The video above was taken in 2017. The still shots were from around 2009. This whimsical sight, one thats sure to fire up the imagination, may become an interesting tourist attraction all its own. It deserves to be. More on this area below. Cannon Beach Hotels / Lodging for this - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour Silver Point below the viewpoint: you can even see this action from the beach. 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 For Immediate Release, April 16, 2018 Contact: Patrick Sullivan, (415) 517-9364, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org Study: Invasive Bullfrogs Linked to Spread of Deadly Fungus in Western United States Disease Spread by Imports Has Decimated Amphibian Populations Worldwide OAKLAND, Calif. Scientists have uncovered a strong historical link between the introduction of the American bullfrog into the western United States and the emergence of the deadly chytrid fungus, a pathogen that has caused declines and extinctions of amphibians around the world. Todays study in the journal Plos One highlights the need for states like California to adopt stronger policies protecting imperiled, native amphibians against the spread of disease from invasive species. California imports about 2 million live bullfrogs a year, many of which are sold at live food markets. Our findings underscore the serious disease risk imported bullfrogs pose to native amphibians in states like California, said Tiffany Yap, the studys lead author and a staff scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. This deadly fungus is a threat that wildlife officials have to take seriously. Amphibians are good indicators of how healthy our environment is, and we need to protect them. The bullfrogs, native to the eastern United States, likely coevolved with the deadly fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), and brought it with them when the bullfrogs were introduced as a food source in the West and later traded throughout the world. The study also identifies areas where amphibians are at greatest risk of disease spread by bullfrogs. As invasive species and disease vectors, bullfrogs continue to threaten amphibian populations that may have no defenses against Bd, including endangered species like the mountain yellow-legged frog and the California tiger salamander. In 2016 the Center petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to ban the importation of live bullfrogs into California. While state officials acknowledged the significant negative impacts of bullfrogs to Californias wildlife, the commission has yet to take final action on the petition. Oregon and Montana have prohibited bullfrog imports. Read more about the Centers campaign to address the amphibian and reptile extinction crisis. Media Advisory, April 16, 2018 Contact: Jean Su, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 770-3187, jsu@biologicaldiversity.org Janet Redman, Oil Change International, (508) 340-0464, janet@priceofoil.org Darcey Rakestraw, Food and Water Watch, (202) 683-2467, drakestraw@fwwatch.org Erin Jensen, Friends of the Earth, (202) 222-0722, ejensen@foe.org D.C. Rally to Urge Governor Brown to Halt New Oil and Gas Projects, Protect Californians' Health WASHINGTON Groups with the Browns Last Chance campaign will rally outside the National Press Building tomorrow to demand that Gov. Jerry Brown freeze new fossil fuel extraction in California and devise a plan to phase it out entirely. The rally will precede Gov. Browns scheduled appearance at the National Press Club. What: Activists will greet Gov. Brown with banners outside his scheduled appearance at the National Press Club to demand an end to new fossil fuel projects in California and a plan to phase out the states dirty fuel extraction. When: 8 a.m. Tuesday, April 17 Where: National Press Building at 529 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C. Who: Groups with the Browns Last Chance Campaign, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Earthworks, Food and Water Watch, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and Oil Change International Background California is one of the nations top oil-extracting states. The Browns Last Chance campaign is a large and growing coalition of over 750 community, environmental justice, faith-based and climate organizations urging Gov. Brown put the health and wellbeing of Californians and vulnerable communities everywhere before oil industry profits. The campaign launched last week with a letter demanding that Brown halt the development of all new dirty fuel projects in California, create a plan to phase out all fossil fuel extraction as quickly as possible and provide support and opportunities for those most impacted by the transition. If Brown does not act, he will lose the groups support for the Global Climate Action Summit he will host in September in San Francisco. Californias dirty oil extraction undercuts all other progress the state makes fighting climate change, said Jean Su, associate conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The governor wont be a real climate leader until he reins in the drilling free-for-all in his own state. In Jerry Browns own words, the climate challenge is about life itself. If we still believe in a climate-safe future, there is no more room for new fossil fuels in California, said Janet Redman, U.S. policy director at Oil Change International. For Governor Brown to claim a legacy of climate leadership, he has to start a managed phaseout of oil and gas drilling, starting with wells that most impact Californians health. When it comes to climate action, Governor Brown talks a good game, but he has bent over backwards for the oil and gas industry and refused to protect communities from drilling and fracking, said Mark Schlosberg, organizing co-director at Food and Water Watch. If he really wants to be a climate leader, he needs to take on these industries and act aggressively to move California off fossil fuels. Governor Brown may talk a good game on climate, but he is making sweetheart deals behind closed doors with some of the planets worst polluters, said Liz Butler, vice president of organizing and strategic alliances at Friends of the Earth. Browns false climate solutions are a disgrace to a nation that is desperately looking for climate leadership. Instead of offering fossil fuel companies fig leaves for our climate crisis, Governor Brown should be holding them accountable for destroying our planet. For Immediate Release, April 16, 2018 Contacts: Summer Kupau-Odo, Earthjustice Mid-Pacific Office, (808) 599-2436, skupau@earthjustice.org Rene Umberger, (808) 283-7225, rene@forthefishes.org Miyoko Sakashita, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 845- 6703, miyoko@biologicaldiversity.org Kirsten Peek, The Humane Society of the United States, (301) 548-7793, kpeek@humanesociety.org Hawaii Court Voids All Existing Recreational Aquarium Collection Permits State Illegally Permitted Capture of 250,000 Fish in One Year HONOLULU Citizens and conservation groups achieved another legal victory against the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources when the 1st Circuit Court sitting as the Environmental Court ruled that all unexpired recreational aquarium collection permits are void. The April 12 ruling invalidates about 131 permits, each of which authorized the capture of almost 2,000 fish, for about 250,000 fish in a year. Under these permits all of the fish could be taken from the same rare species and from the same location, including distressed coral reefs already suffering from ocean warming and pollution. The coalition of individuals and organizations that challenged these permits in court, as well as the coalitions attorneys at Earthjustice, applauded this ruling. There is currently no law limiting the number of recreational aquarium collection permits the states resource department can issue so the permitting scheme allowed for unlimited take. The department issued the aquarium collection permits automatically upon application through an online process, without requiring the applicants to describe what fish they intended to catch, how many or where. These permits are invalid because DLNR issued them without considering the environmental consequences as Hawaii law requires, without even asking what each applicant intended to do with a permit, said Earthjustice attorney Summer Kupau-Odo, who represents plaintiffs in the lawsuit. DLNRs duty is to manage and conserve, not be cavalier about, Hawaiis public trust resources. Its well past time for DLNR and Governor David Ige to step into the 21st century and stop their magical thinking that marine life captured for aquariums can somehow sustain limitless extraction without impact. No other wildlife or ecosystem on Earth has been able to withstand such an assault, and Hawaii is no exception, said plaintiff Rene Umberger. This victory is an important step toward protecting Hawaiis beleaguered reef fish from the aquarium industry, said Miyoko Sakashita, ocean program director at the Center for Biological Diversity. State officials cant continue giving aquarium collectors free rein to disrupt and destroy some of the worlds most beautiful coastal ecosystems. The decision is the latest legal victory for plaintiffs Rene Umberger, Mike Nakachi, Kaimi Kaupiko, Willie Kaupiko, Conservation Council for Hawaii, The Humane Society of the United States and the Center for Biological Diversity all represented by Earthjustice who sued the states Department of Land and Natural resources in 2012 for failing to comply with Hawaiis Environmental Policy Act and study environmental impacts before issuing aquarium collection permits. In a unanimous decision in September 2017, the Hawaii Supreme Court agreed with the plaintiffs and ruled environmental review is necessary before DLNR can issue commercial aquarium collection permits that allow unlimited capture of fish and other coral reef wildlife. In October 2017 the Circuit Court, in line with the high courts ruling, declared all existing commercial permits void and ordered an injunction prohibiting the department from issuing any new commercial permits until it complied with the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act. The question regarding the legality of the recreational permits the state issued remained unresolved until today. The Hawaii Supreme Court set a strong precedent in its ruling last year that DLNR cannot ignore the devastating impacts of unlimited commercial fish collection on Hawaiis delicate coral reefs, said Anna Frostic, managing wildlife attorney for The Humane Society of the United States. Thursdays ruling properly follows that opinion, and recognizes that DLNR similarly cannot allow the removal of hundreds of thousands of fish under recreational permits in the absence of environmental review. All the economic indicators, as well as other portents are in place for unparalleled Africa development, according to Jack Leslie, chairman of global marketing communications firm, Weber Shandwick. Leslie visited South Africa and Kenya recently to open a dedicated office in Nairobi. Jack Leslie, chairman, Weber Shandwick. There is a huge sense of optimism around Africa. Investment Entrepreneurship Expansion As chairman of Weber Shandwick , Leslie, has worked for several presidents in the United States on Africa development. He was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2003 to serve on the Board of Directors of the US African Development Foundation (USADF); and in 2009, President Barack Obama appointed him to the USADF Board, which was re-confirmed by the US Senate in 2016. He was also appointed to the Presidents Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa in 2016.He spoke to Bizcommunity.Africa on marketing insights for African brands and agencies, the future of brand engagement within the African landscape, as well as the myriad of opportunities on the continent for brands.There is a huge sense of optimism around Africa. My first trip was in 1991, shortly after Nelson Mandela was released, and it feels like that now, again. The stars are beginning to align for Africa There is a great sense that this is Africas moment.In Asia in the 1960s and 70s, they made real progress early on in agriculture and began to feed the population. It was as if someone turned on the light switch and there was this incredible growth across Asia.Those economies were as poor as the poorest African economies today. South Korea had the same GDP as some of the laggards in Africa today.Leslie continued, saying that there was a sense that all the elements required for economic growth across the African continent were in place. This was key to Weber Shandwicks decision to increase its presence on the continent.Governance is getting better. It is not great everywhere, there are good and bad examples, but it is improving. Infrastructure is improving; there are leapfrogging technologies like Mpesa in play; and most importantly, from the standpoint of marketing there is that huge bulge of middle class consumers coming into the market.These are all things that our clients look too for expanding into Africa. The signals are now pointing up for them.Leslie cited, by way of example, the financial services space in Africa, where American companies have moved into and opened up operations on the continent.There are now more American companies beginning to look at Africa clearly China and Asian multi-nationals are now also looking more and more at Africa. The largest consumer packaged goods companies have been here a long time, like the Nestles and the Unilevers, but the newer technology brands are expanding rapidly here.They all see Africa as a growth opportunity. These big multi-nationals have to grow to keep their share prices up, so a new, fast-growing market like Africa is key.Weber Shandwick, which is a leading global communications and engagement firm with a presence in 78 countries and a network extending to 129 cities around the world, recently expanded its footprint in Africa, precipitating Leslies most recent visit to the continent.Its fully-owned Kenyan office was opened in February, in Nairobi, to meet growing demand from domestic and multinational companies for marketing and communications expertise in the region. Allan Kamau was appointed managing director, Weber Shandwick East Africa, to expand the firms reach across East Africa.Africas growing economy is one of the most significant and energising trends of our time. The continents consumer and business spending is estimated to be worth $4 trillion between now and 2025, and more than 50 million new middle and upper class households will emerge in the next decade, said Tim Sutton, chairman, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Weber Shandwick. A global firm such as Weber Shandwick can help clients navigate and succeed in such a rapidly transforming market.Weber Shandwick has a broad footprint across Africa. The firm works with diverse clients across a range of sectors, from technology and consumer marketing, to healthcare and social impact. Over the last three years, the agency has garnered industry recognition for work implemented across the continent. International and regional honours include an IPRA Golden World Award and multiple African Excellence Awards.What has surprised Leslie about Africa, is the incredibly high level of entrepreneurship that exists in Africa.Africa was rated as the highest in terms of entrepreneurship and attitudes towards entrepreneurship. Africans have the highest risk tolerance. They were more willing to start new businesses than even Americans and Europeans.I can see that through my other organisations. Ive had an opportunity to work in Africa outside of my marketing hat. USADFs mission is to encourage social enterprise.Leslie also sees Africa finding new ways of distributed energy models, rather than large scale energy girds and taking the lead in this.He agrees that there remains an appalling level of ignorance in the United States about Africa. People just refer to Africa as Africa, not recognising the scale of the continent and how different all of its countries are and where they are and their own stages of development.I think so much of it stems from that kind of ignorance and the way Africa addresses it, is through examples. Over time, as consumers in the rest of the world see African brands and African technology, it will chip away at that image problem. Candidly, its not going to go away overnight.Over the coming months, Weber Shandwick will focus on further expanding its client base in the region and building its consulting team.Nairobi is the economic powerhouse of east Africa and increasingly the location of choice for multinational organisations looking to tap into regional opportunities, Kamau said. With its new capabilities in East Africa, Weber Shandwick is well placed to serve these companies.Leslie added: We have had a very vibrant fast growing office in South Africa, but when you look to the continent, how vast it is, you really have to look at it in the media landscape, regionally, and then on a country-basis.We need to have a strong pan-African ability, with resources for our clients in Southern Africa, East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda), and in West Africa and French-speaking Africa out of Dakar, Senegal. Then you have Angola and the Portuguese-speaking Africa. We have offices in most North African countries.So we are focussing on building a regional network in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the focus areas will be technology in the Kenyan office. Technology, healthcare and telecommunications are some of the biggest growth areas we will be focussing on.Leslie said the bottom line was that the marketing communications industry was undergoing a transformation, primarily because of digital technology advancements. It has real implications for who we are talking to and where we are talking to them and the kinds of messages we are using. The ability to engage different stakeholders across so many different platforms gives us huge opportunity. It is heady days for the African tech startup space, but which ecosystem has the most going for it? Photo by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash Barrett Nash, CEO of SafeMotos Henri Nyakarundi, CEO of ARED Louis-Antoine Muhire, CEO of Mergims Thibault Mutabazi, co-founder of Yapili Amanda Arch, co-founder of Kasha Jaures Habineza, CEO of Made In Rwanda Online Disrupt Africa has been chatting with stakeholders from various African tech ecosystems to find out what it is that makes them such a good place to either launch or invest in a startup.Weve heard from ecosystem players in South Africa Tanzania and Senegal , and now it is time for stakeholders in the Rwandan tech space to make their case.Rwanda is the best place to launch an innovative technology startup on the continent of Africa. While it is a small market with limited growth opportunities, what it allows is laboratory-like test conditions that offer the lowest friction environment for iterating a business and finding product-market fit.Things like ICT entrepreneur visas, registering a business in 15 minutes, a Minister of ICT who likes to crack jokes on WhatsApp and goes out of his way to help, free government-sponsored workspace, high ease of doing business, high quality of life, high level of security, low level of corruption and an open-minded population make Rwanda a unique place. It is the test kitchen for the rest of the region.What is good in the Rwanda ecosystem, first of all, is the business registration process, which takes no more than six hours and is free. Also, the lack of corruption and the digitisation of licensing, customs and most government services has enabled a quick process and minimum hassle for entrepreneurs. Finally, the size of the Rwandan market makes it perfect for doing pilot projects in the country.Though the Rwanda startup ecosystem is pretty new compared to the giants of Africa like Kenya and Nigeria, the players are enjoying a very supportive regulatory environment. For instance, the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), which is overlooking many disrupting technologies such as payment gateways and transport initiatives, has developed a sandbox in which startups can launch their initiatives and get regulated later, up to a year after launching in public.The Central Bank Of Rwanda has put in place a task force that interacts regularly with fintech startups and mature companies in that area to ensure its regulations arent killing innovation and also that players understand their responsibilities in adding real value in the market.Rwandas startup ecosystem hasnt grown much if you compare it to Kenyas, but I have my reasons to believe that it will outgrow Kenya and be the next big thing in the region. We have an advantage over other countries because the government has put significant effort into boosting the entrepreneurial spirit among youths through different mentoring programmes, innovation hubs and startups incubators, and also by facilitating investors to come to Rwanda.Also the fact that the country is small in size enables entrepreneurs to meet and discuss different aspects of their businesses and share experiences, as most local entrepreneurs go through similar challenges.Another advantage we have over other African countries is that 40% of the Rwandan population is between 14 and 35 years old, and that makes me believe that in the near future we will be seeing many disruptive startups coming from this side of the continent as the government is moving from agriculture to a knowledge-based economy with a focus on IT.For Kasha, Rwanda has been an ideal launchpad to the East African market and place for us to build, test and iterate on our product offering. Rwanda is consistently rated as one of the top countries in emerging markets for internet access, mobile penetration, and overall tech literacy.The country is deeply committed to developing its entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem and was recently awarded US$30 million in funding to support the establishment of the Rwanda Innovation Fund . There is an established community to support early-stage tech startups with talent, for example Carnegie Mellon-Rwandas computer science programme, thought partnership, via incubators like KLab and co-working spaces like The Office , and funding opportunities, such as pitch competitions like Face the Gorillas (Africas Shark Tank) or Seedstars Summit which Kasha won for Rwanda in 2016 After the genocide, our country has embraced a new model of economic development. With forward-thinking policies and one of the highest ease of doing business scores on the continent, our country has made it incredibly easy and attractive to start and grow a business. It is positioning itself as a test bed and laboratory for African startups, where one can test a business in a small but stable and business-friendly African market and expand it from there once its validated.With a desire to become a regional hub for ICT innovation, through national policies aimed at transforming the country into a knowledge-based economy, the government of Rwanda has undertaken efforts, such as to build skills, increase ICT use, promote startups, build a global network of powerful friends to lure private investment, and market the brand of Rwanda. The one challenge that it is still facing is the lack of funds to support startups.In all types of industries, enterprises are facing challenges for startup or scale-up. For SMEs policy documents, the high cost of doing business, compliance to regulatory framework, difficulty in accessing financial services by being considered as not profitable and therefore not payable, lack of required entrepreneurship skills and access to infrastructures and other resources are among the burden for SMEs to start up or scale up a business. The industrial policy document highlights the access to infrastructures and raw materials as the most challenging to manufacturing enterprises. South Africa has taken top honours in the MMA Smarties EMEA Business Impact Index (BII). Digital agencies - Digitas Liquorice, Yonder Media, Gloo@Ogilvy and Gorilla - have taken the top four spots in the inaugural MMA EMEA Smarties Business Impact Index (BII). Sarah Utermark, country director of the MMA SA and Digitas Liquorices CEO and founder, Miles Murphy. Significant achievement A lot to be proud of Liquorice was named as #1. The Global Index also has two South African digital agencies in its top 5 ranking with Digitas Liquorice at #2 and Yonder Media at #3.The MMA BII ranks agencies, (media, creative and specialist), holding companies, agency networks, advertisers, brands and technology enablers that deliver the highest level of business impact through mobile-first campaigns from the entries to the MMA 2017 Smarties. The Index is based on the World Advertising Research Centres (Warc) methodology, the global authority on advertising and media effectiveness.This is a significant achievement for South African digital agencies and a testament to their ability to grow their clients business models through mobile. They have performed exceedingly well against their peers, outperforming most of the global players, highlighting that South African agencies are as well developed in mobile as their global counterparts. This despite the perception that these countries are further along the development curve when it comes to mobile, says Sarah Utermark, country director of the MMA SA.Its an honour to be recognised on both the global and local stage, particularly when its for an organisation as prestigious and renowned as the Mobile Marketing Association, comments Digitas Liquorices CEO and founder, Miles Murphy. Each of our campaigns entered into the 2017 Smarties had different business objectives, therefore the impact varies.However, Amarulas #NameThemSaveThem raised awareness around elephant poaching with the campaign reaching 15 million people and all 400,000 elephants named. And for SA Homeloans House Rules we created a series of hilarious short video content that an audience who wasnt looking for a home or in the mood for serious financial talk would want to watch, and generated potential leads of up to R4.8bn.In the BIIs Advertisers global category South African brands also performed well. Yum! Brands ranked #4 and Distell Group ranked #25 (out of nearly 200 advertisers). Within the Brands global category Shoprite is #15, KFC #24 and Amarula #25. This out of over 270 brands.These South African brands and digital agencies have a lot to be proud of and demonstrate the level of expertise that we, as a country, possess. The MMA SA congratulates all the winners, concludes Utermark.View the full list of results here The MMA Smarties 2018 are open to accept entries and submissions. These will count towards the 2018 MMA Business Impact Index (2018). For most people, drinking coffee is part of a daily ritual based on their need and mood: a caffeine kick to wake up in the morning, an on-the-go pick-me-up, or to connect with friends and colleagues at a favourite cafe. Globally, consumers are becoming more discerning about their coffee, selecting their perfect cup based on quality, source of coffee beans, sustainability and the roasting process. Are we seeing a similar trend among South African consumers? Source: Coffee Market; Coffee Federation. Graphics by Insight Survey Some key questions the report will help you to answer: What are the market dynamics (production, consumption, pricing) of the global coffee industry? What are the latest South African coffee industry trends, drivers, and restraints? What are the value and volume trends in the SA coffee market (2012-2017); forecasts (2018-2022)? Who are the key manufacturing players and importers/roasters in the SA coffee industry? What are the prices of coffee (ground, capsule, instant) at SA coffee outlets and supermarkets? latestcarefully unfolds the global and local coffee markets based on the latest information and research. It examines the market drivers and restraints as well as global and local market trends to present an objective insight into the South African coffee industry environment, market dynamics and its future.Worldwide, the production of coffee had only increased marginally in the last year. For 2016/17, global production reached 157.7 million 60kg bags of coffee compared to 157.6 million 60kg bags in the previous year. Globally, the coffee market is valued at an estimated US$105 billion and is projected to grow at a robust rate of 5.5% per annum up to 2021.The four key global markets for coffee consumption include the European Union, USA, Brazil, and Japan. In terms of consumption, the European Union is still responsible for the highest consumption of coffee worldwide with 42.2 million 60kg bags of coffee in 2016/2017.After years of strong growth, there was a slight decline in South African coffee consumption in the past year (in 2016/17 550,000 60kg bags were consumed compared with 557,000 60kg bags in 2015/2016). However, more interestingly, there has been a similar trend towards South African consumers being more discerning in terms of the coffee they consume.According to, managing director of Beaver Creek, there is growing demand for high-end specialty coffee in South Africa. Cumming is of the opinion that consumers want a coffee that is distinct in its character, and they want to know where the coffee is grown. The demand for premium and specialty coffees is clearly increasing in South Africa as consumers interest in Nespresso and other capsule and pod-based coffee offerings continue to grow. Specialty coffee preparation methods, such as Aero press are also attracting the attention of many consumers.Furthermore, the majority of consumers interest has moved beyond simply just drinking coffee. Many consumers want to have a coffee experience., from Mastertons Coffee and Tea Specialists, says that South African consumers want to know more about coffee, experience greater varieties, and enjoy different experiences.Younger consumers are increasingly more interested in coffee as well. Rising affluence and changing consumer tastes have increased the demand for high quality and specialty products, such as flavoured coffee, amongst this group. Millenials are also more likely than other consumers to experiment with new drink types, brands, and flavours.Most consumers foster their coffee dependency every single day. As the demand for premium coffee continues to increase in South Africa, it is important for manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers to ensure they keep track of both industry developments and changes in consumers needs and preferences.The(128 pages) provides a dynamic synthesis of industry research, examining the local and global Coffee industry from a uniquely holistic perspective, with detailed insights into the entire value chain from manufacturing and importing to retailing, sustainability, pricing analysis, consumption and purchasing trends.Please note that the 128-page report is available for purchase for R25,000 (excluding VAT). Alternatively, individual sections can be purchased for R9,000 (excluding VAT). For additional information simply contact us at az.oc.yevrusthgisni@ofni or directly on (0)21 045-0202.For a full brochure please go to:Insight Survey is a South African B2B market research company with almost 10 years of heritage, focusing on business-to-business (B2B) market research to ensure smarter, more-profitable business decisions are made with reduced investment risk.We offer B2B market research solutions to help you to successfully improve or expand your business, enter new markets, launch new products or better understand your internal or external environment.Our bespoke Competitive Business Intelligence Research can help give you the edge in a global marketplace, empowering your business to overcome industry challenges quickly and effectively, and enabling you to realise your potential and achieve your vision.From strategic overviews of your businesss competitive environment through to specific competitor profiles, our customised Competitive Intelligence Research is designed to meet your unique needs.For more information, go to www.insightsurvey.co.za The Oracle of Omaha had an approach that didn't make him very popular with his fellow billionaires. Because in the end Warren Buffett decided to give away over 99% of his wealth to charity, and as it stands he's already given away well over $25 billion dollars with plans to increase that to over $100 billion. Buffetts bathtub and marble fixation. Image: HBO Bill Gates and Warren Buffett dressing up. Image: HBO But how did an odd boy growing up in the corn and cattle country of Omaha, Nebraska, become one of the richest men in the world? The answer is surprisingly simple as youll see in the HBO documentary,The documentary goes into detail about what type of person Warren Buffett is, and how the characteristics he developed as a child shaped him for success. Youll also get a unique insight into Buffett as a husband and father directly from his immediate family.Warren Buffett was highly competitive and inquisitive as a child. And unlike most kids, he really enjoyed working with numbers and reading. A lot!Buffetts idea of a good time as a kid would be to invite his mates around and bet on which marble would reach the drainpipe first when dropped into a bathtub.He also has a clear memory of his grandmother giving him a copy of theand hes still able to tell you that Omahas population was 214,006 in 1930, the year he was born.Buffett also had a rebellious streak in him, and as a teenager he took pleasure in tormenting his teachers. At the time AT&T was the stock that all teachers owned for their retirement. And I decided it would drive my teachers a little crazy if I went and short the stock... So I shorted AT&T and brought the confirmation letter to school to show the teachers. They found me a pain in the neck, but they did think I knew a lot about stocks.Buffet was 13 years old when he did this.The documentary shows you how close Warren Buffett and Bill Gates became, and explains why Buffett entrusted his entire fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.Bills dad asked each of us to write down on a piece of paper one word that would best describe what helped us the most. Bill and I without any collaboration at all both wrote down the word focus.This was a major characteristic of Buffetts success. When he was interested in something he would lock onto it with eagle-eye focus and read up on new subjects for up to six hours a day. This hunger to always be learning (and teaching) is something that truly defines Warren Buffett.It wasnt always smooth sailing for the billionaire. In the documentary youll hear from Buffetts family about his tendency to isolate himself, and how he has mostly lived a solitary life.He was a genius. But I think that a genius is by default lonely and isolated, says his first wife, Susan Buffet.Hes a loner in a sense and its difficult to connect with him on an emotional level because thats not his basic mode of operation. He was there physically, but he was upstairs reading all the time, says his son, Howard.There have also been times when Warren Buffetts reputation have been on the line, and it couldve ended him. One acquisition in particular, Salomon Brothers Inc, almost brought Buffett to his knees. Youll see why in the documentary, but it can take 20 years to build a good reputation, and minutes to destroy it.puts you on the inside track of the Omaha Oracles life. Hell go down as the greatest investor to ever live, and probably the most generous philanthropist on the planet.Focus, determination and the insatiable hunger to keep learning are major factors that contributed to Buffetts success. Its hard to pinpoint exactly which characteristic contributed the most, but once youve watched the documentary youll walk away with a sense that there is more to be done, and more to achieve. The 17th annual Top Empowerment Awards was held late last week at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, recognising leadership in driving the empowerment agenda in South Africa and boosting growth and equity in the economy. Top Empowerment Business Leader of the Year Award winner Poppy Khoza, South African Civil Aviation Authority Multichoice South Africa picks up three awards at the 2018 Top Empowerment Awards. This year's Top Empowerment Awards winners are: Top Empowered: Fast-Growth Black-Owned Smme Award - Flat Foot Holdings Top Empowered: Education & Training Award - Moses Kotane Institute Top Empowered: Financial Services Award - Akani Retirement Fund Administrators Top Empowered: Infrastructure Award - Women of Africa Top Empowered: Enterprise & Supplier Development Award - Multichoice South Africa Top Empowered: Ict Award - Multichoice South Africa Top Empowered: Public Service Award - Mintek Top Empowered: Support Services Award - Plus 94 Research Top Empowered: Skills Development Award - African Marine Solutions Group Top Empowered: Entrepreneur Of The Year 2018 Award - Malani Padayachee - Malani Padayachee & Associates Consulting Engineers Top Empowered: Public Sector Leader Award - Xolile George - South African Local Government Association Top Empowered: Business Leader of the Year Award - Poppy Khoza - South African Civil Aviation Authority Top Empowered: Business of the Year Award - Multichoice South Africa "Our 13 awards categories cover the breadth of sectors in the empowerment space and we were excited by the large amount of interest with over 150 nominations of companies from across South Africa. We have seen outstanding competition this year and all of our finalists have shown that they are among the best in advancing transformation in South Africa," said Rylan Fisher, Top Empowerment editorial director. Castle Lite's 'Unlocks' concert brings the brand's purpose to life Castle Lite is known for bringing international hip-hop artists to South Africa to give its consumers a one of a kind experience through its 'Unlocks' concerts that happen once every year. In its seventh year, the Unlocks concert has brought to South Africa artists such as J Cole, Travis Scott, Bryson Tiller and others with Chance the Rapper headlining this year's concert. One of the Castle Lite Unlocks concerts. Image supplied. I asked Castle Lite director Becky Opdyke how music ties into the message the brand is trying to convey to its consumers and how it adds value... Please tell us more about the Castle Lite Unlocks concerts. Please tell us more about the Castle Lite Unlocks concerts. I asked Castle Lite director Becky Opdyke how music ties into the message the brand is trying to convey to its consumers and how it adds value... How does music tie into the message the brand is trying to convey to its audience/consumers and why did you decide to focus on hip-hop specifically? How does music tie into the message the brand is trying to convey to its audience/consumers and why did you decide to focus on hip-hop specifically? Castle Lite director, Becky Opdyke. Image supplied. How do the Unlock music experiences add value to your brand? Why do you think it has been so successful? How do the Unlock music experiences add value to your brand? Why do you think it has been so successful? Castle Lite is known for its innovative use of technology. How important is innovation to the brand, specifically from a marketing standpoint? Castle Lite is known for its innovative use of technology. How important is innovation to the brand, specifically from a marketing standpoint? Any other exciting projects in the pipeline that you can tell us about? Any other exciting projects in the pipeline that you can tell us about? 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. Castle Lite Unlocks is known for bringing international artists onto African shores, giving consumers the most innovative music experiences with both local and international acts performing on one Extra Cold Stage. The Unlocks concert has over the years seen international artists such as Kanye West, Drake, J Cole and Travis Scott grace the South African stage.Last year Castle Lite took Unlocks into Africa, with Future Unlocking Extra Cold in Mozambique and Tanzania. This year Castle Lite is going even bigger with Chance the Rapper, Nadia Nakai, Frank Casino and Shane Eagle in South Africa, while the concert in Nigeria will showcase Davido, Wizkid and J Cole. The brand aims to make the impossible possible by Unlocking progressive, never before seen, felt or heard, experiences to fans of Extra Cold.Music is the single biggest passion point for our consumers, and like Castle Lite, hip-hop as a genre is innovative, progressive and extremely expressive. Castle Lite breaks boundaries and hip-hop is a natural fit with the brands DNA. It is an unapologetic form of music fluid and real and as a brand we aim to be at the forefront of hip-hop, partnering with artists, local and global, that like Castle Lite, push boundaries and do things differently.Castle Lites brand purpose is to Unlock 'extraordinary enjoyment' and the Unlocks concerts allow the brand to bring its purpose to life in an immersive experience for consumers.Consumers know that this concert is about more than just the artist the brand brings the experience to life through never before seen technology, the biggest screens ever on the African continent and music that cant be heard or experienced anywhere but, on this stage, every single touchpoint aims to make the experience extraordinary.Innovation is what drives Castle Lite the brand is always at the forefront of technology, making drinking beer easier in some cases, but more fun in most. Our innovation aims to unlock new spaces for consumers to enjoy Castle Lite. And while we innovate in our packaging, we also take this philosophy into events, artist selection and merchandise. Everything the brand touches is pushed to be different and innovative.The brand is always working on new and exciting experiences to unlock for our consumers and 2018 is no different. Keep an eye out, as Unlocks is just the start! This job expired on 16 May 2018. This job expired on 11 May 2018. This job expired on 8 May 2018. Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe referred to the colonial period as an utterly baroque and ridiculous circus. Historian Guillaume Lachenal takes up this expression and illustrates it through the life of Dr David, doctor-administrator of the protectorate of Wallis and Futuna (1933-1938) and then of the Haut-Nyong region in Cameroon (1939-1944). David was known as King and then Emperor in these colonies and had unlimited power to transform them as he pleased. Lachenals inquiry retracing the steps of his extravagant enterprise testifies to the capricious and irrational side to colonisation. Based on a borderline case, the study by a specialist in the history of medicine in Africa [1] is a contribution to the history of colonisations emancipatory mission (p. 12) and the history of the European medical profession in the early twentieth century. The aspirations of the colonial officers in the medical corps reflect the painful contradictions of the colonisers emancipatory vocation and the very specific relationship of doctors to power. The book departs from pure academic demonstration: one of its unconventional aspects, which in fact determines all the others, is the decision to recount a ludic trip (p. 17) retracing Dr Davids footsteps. G. Lachenal completes the work begun by Cameroonian historian Wang Sonne, who studied the physician in 1996, [2] by extending his initial research in the field. The book switches between strictly historical narration, personal accounts of the authors investigation in Cameroon and Wallis, and interviews with witnesses to Dr Davids reign, with a view to excavating the past in the present. This choice is sometimes disconcerting when it seems to serve as a substitute for archival analysis, but it has the advantage of showcasing the complex relationship colonial history has to its own traces. The author does not disconnect historical reflection from its current resonance, yet avoids psychologising readings. The course of the investigation also reverses the chronological perspective: like the author, the reader first discovers Dr Davids experience in Cameroon and then his past in Wallis. This surprising reversal has the advantage of showing two very different sides to Dr David, suave African philanthropist in the early 1940s and whip-wielding brute in the Pacific 10 years earlier. It reminds us that historical actors are not always coherent entities but made up of different facets. However, going back in time precludes reflection on the doctors growing body of experiences and how they were then successfully redeployed in new ways and yet these are decisive learning processes in a colonial officers career. For the reader, piecing together the unity of the two periods is sometimes difficult. However, taken together, they allow two salient observations, the first regarding the 1930s as a unique moment in colonisation and the second regarding styles of authority in these two regions. Colonies Justified by Works Davids experience reveals the specificities of two forms of colonisation that gained new ground after WWI: the mandate and the protectorate. After the disillusions of the great war, the French colonial power tried to give its empire a new lease of life by justifying colonisation to an ever more hostile world through its works. This aim was in fact inherent to the mandate, renowned as being a product of redefined international power relations. [3] This form of colonisation, framed as provisional and light-handed, was presented as more virtuous and more respectful of local societies and authorities. In the context of this humanist colonialism, medicine framed itself as the yardstick of the colonial system and its benevolence (p. 29) and was therefore part of this principled approach. David seemed to be the perfect man for the job: trained in the armys health services until 1929, the doctor already had solid experience as an administrator-physician at the head of Wallis and Futuna. His mission was first and foremost diplomatic: the League of Nations placed German Cameroon under French control after its victory in 1918. For France, entrusting a medical region to David was a way of championing the prophylactic cause and quelling Germanys ambitions of reclaiming its protectorate. The region was badly affected by the sleeping sickness epidemic and Dr David intended to reorganise colonial society such as to prevent and eradicate the illness. Freed from the yoke of punctilious and thrifty administrators, the doctors government subjected the Cameroonian people to a new discipline of health. Standards of living were to improve, children to be schooled, women to be taken into maternity wards, and populations to be displaced without any discussion. The aim was to take a region the central French state viewed as hopeless and make it into a new prosperous locus for rubber production. This Pasteurian model served Frances anti-German propaganda, with a view to convincing the international community that French methods were superior to the German biopolitics they judged inefficient. As for the Third Reich, it tried to convince the League of Nations Hygiene Organisation that the miracle molecule germanine could cure illnesses and justified returning the territory to them. But beyond this context of international rivalry, G. Lachenal also emphasises the ambiguous nature of this utopian experiment, which went hand-in-hand with the horrors of mass deaths (p. 38). Frances grand project in fact resulted in a health crisis and economic disaster of massive proportions. Paradoxically, the need for rubber generated by WWII exacerbated the propagation of sleeping sickness, lodged in the latex creepers and swamps crossed by Africans forced to reap a massive harvest. Ten years earlier, in Wallis and Futuna, Davids policies had served the reputation of the protectorate. As Lyauteys flamboyant success in Rabat caused a stir throughout the colonial world, the doctor proved just as skilful in handling the institutions of the small insular kingdom placed under Frances protection since 1887. Mastering both the language and the inner workings of this monarchy built on compromises between chiefs, David attained a form of royalty. After the death of last elected lavelua, David managed to take over the regency and become de facto sovereign. Having understood that power is performance (p. 218), he became a charismatic figure joining forces with the local Prime Minister and using customary corvee labour to implement his medical development project. Of course, his authority was part and parcel of his charisma, as the author underlines, but the link with the future grand African design was not immediately obvious in the Pacific. The Impotence of Kings of Happenstance Without ever forgetting the violence of these two medical dictatorships, G. Lachenal offers a more complex analysis of colonial power that cannot be reduced to simple and brutal domination (p. 243). Like Lyautey, David knew how to make use of fine words but also how to rule using the flat of his sword. Nevertheless, there was something unique about his political experience: contrary to most colonial regions where the administration knew next to nothing about its subjects, David found the ways and means to achieve success through more extensive statistical methods. This was a necessity: for their plans to succeed, the doctors needed a population willing to obey orders, that could be displaced at will, and constrained in all aspects of their behaviour. This also explains Davids eventual resentment when, given significant responsibilities in the Cote dIvoire after WWII, he found himself unable to coerce the Africans as in the past. Ultimately, the projects eugenicist and hygienist excesses were only possible in the testing ground that the colonial empire provided for a short time. Its experimental nature was perfectly explicit and openly admitted by those involved. This is where the authors notion of utopia remains ambiguous, in that it refers to an unfulfilled future but also to a certain ideal. It is true that governing physicians such as David resemble to some extent Balzacs countryside doctor, convinced he was bringing the benefits of modernity to the backwards Dauphine region. However, this happy future seemed essentially aimed at ensuring Frances profits, by using the population, restored to robust health, to better exploit the country. The authors label of medical utopia can seem questionable: the aims of the utopia in question were above all economic and colonial. It is hard to see the novelty in a society run by doctors who, in reality, often acted like ordinary administrators. Above all, this utopian future does not to seem to have made any provision, not even cursory, for the well-being of the indigenous people. The latter are not absent from the book: the well-known role played by indigenous auxiliaries is largely underscored. The many, often touching, interviews with witnesses show the Cameroonians and Wallisians mixed attitudes towards the colonial experience. Nostalgia for that period, which is an indictment of their current conditions post-independence, coexists with a sense of horror or inhibition when recalling certain demographic disasters. The Africans reticence towards foreign medical science is mentioned, but without any further information, much like Davids royalty is recounted principally from his own perspective. The author deftly shows that colonial power is a mirror and adapts to pre-existing forms far more than it changes them. He also underlines the genuine misunderstanding between the Wallisians and this Frenchman who considered himself their King. As with Lyautey, the mirror was a distorting one which reduced so-called indigenous traditions to a form of exoticism forced to fit European categories. The book does not sufficiently examine this unfaithful translation. Finally, what the book does underline is the paradoxical powerlessness of these transient tyrants. While the two projects left a profound mark on these places and in the memories of their inhabitants, they were also a spectacular failure. It is unlikely that the Wallisians and the Cameroonians found in David a king after their own hearts: in both cases, economic imperatives dictated a pace that was incompatible with prophylactic aims. Twice over, the alleged philanthropic endeavour ultimately had recourse to direct violence. According to G. Lachenal, Davids dynastic career shows the absurd side to a farce in which the colonial authorities fooled no one. In this sense, the story of the good doctor is no exception. Tunisian nationalist Ali Belhouane, criticising the Tunisian Protectorate in 1953, spoke of the most surprising of colonial farces in which the Resident-general was supposed to be crowned King. [4] Guillaume Lachenals book reminds us that such a farce can only ever generate hollow laughter. Reviewed: Guillaume Lachenal, Le Medecin qui voulut etre roi. Sur les traces dune utopie coloniale, Paris, Seuil, Lunivers historique , 2017, 353 p. CHENNAI (PTI): Eyeing India's lucrative military modernisation programme, aerospace giant Airbus has offered to set up a global manufacturing hub for its Panther helicopter in the country if the company gets a multi-billion-dollar contract to supply a fleet of 111 naval multi-utility choppers to the Navy. Pierre de Bausset, president and managing director of the Airbus Group in India, said the company was ready to transfer critical technology to India for the helicopter programme and discussions were underway on it with the Defence Ministry and other stakeholders. "In the case of Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH), we will be manufacturing (it) in India not only for the Indian market but for the world as well. For customers worldwide who are interested in that model (AS565 Panther), they would get it from India," de Bausset told PTI in an interview. He said Airbus has offered its H225M helicopter in response to the Indian Navy's initial tender for 123 Naval Multi Role Helicopters (NMRH). The Indian Navy in August last had issued a global request for information (RFI) or an initial tender for the procurement of 111 naval utility helicopters and 123 multi-role choppers under the strategic partnership model. On India's Make in India initiative in the defence sector, de Bausset, who was in Chennai to attend the Defence Expo, said India must focus on areas where it has strong expertise so as to ensure proper utilisation of the country's limited resources. "You are in a country which has limited resources and budgets. You have to do a lot... Self-reliance does not mean that you have got to do everything," he said. He said almost all leading global defence majors concentrate on investing in areas where they are confident of doing their best. "There are a number of fields where you have achieved excellence...You have the best engineers... This is where you should put your money and be complementary to other people to do other things much better," he said. He further said, "I am saying just optimise your budgetary money and your investment so as to shine and where you can really shine best, put your efforts there." Talking about the government's mega plan to make India a global hub of military manufacturing, de Bausset said, "It is not going to happen with things that you do not do better than the others. It is only going to happen when you do it better than the others. Put the money where you ought to put it." The Defence Ministry last month had come out with a draft policy which envisages achieving a turnover of Rs 1,70,000 crore in military goods and services by 2025 by promoting the domestic defence industry. The policy is likely to be finalised in the next two months. The focus of the four-day-long Defence Expo, which ended on April 14, was to project India as a major country in military manufacturing. On Airbus's offer to manufacture the Panther helicopter in India, he said the European major would work with India's Mahindra and Mahindra Group for its chopper programme if the company won any of the two mega contracts. "We are very comfortable with the Mahindras. We think alike on a number of things. They have a very good industrial track record, certainly not in building helicopters but in building things that we believe are relevant," de Bausset said. The procurement of both categories of choppers totalling 234 would cost the Government in excess of US$ 15 billion, according to industry experts. He said talks were going on with the Defence Ministry and various stakeholders on what kind of technology they are interested in. The Panther helicopter is currently in service in 42 countries and has logged up to 5.8 million flight hours. The NMRH are being procured particularly to enhance the Navy's anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities. The Navy has been pressing the Government to procure new utility and multi-role helicopters to add teeth to its existing capability and replace its ageing fleet of choppers but the procurement process has seen years of delay. In May, the defence ministry had finalised the Strategic Partnership model under which select private firms will collaborate to build military platforms such as submarines, fighter jets and choppers in India in partnership with foreign entities. The policy envisages the establishment of long-term strategic partnerships with Indian defence majors through a transparent and competitive process wherein they would tie up with global OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to seek technology transfers for setting up domestic manufacturing infrastructure and supply chains. DRDO Chairman Dr S Christopher along with cluster DGs, including BrahMos Aerospace Chief Dr. Sudhir K Mishra chronicling the current projects and future course of action for moving India from importer to exporter in defence technologies during the press conference at DefExpo 2018 on April 13. Photo: Twitter CHENNAI (PTI): The DRDO has earmarked Rs 18,000 crore as investment plans for the current fiscal, which includes developing the next generation lighter BRAHMOS missile, a top official has said. The country's premier defence research institute has allocated about 25-30 per cent for developing new projects during the current financial year, Defence Research and Development Organisation Chairman S Christopher said. Christopher, who is also Secretary, Research and Development, DRDO, was outlining some of the major initiatives to be taken up during the this fiscal at DefExpo 2018. The defence exhibition was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 12 at Thiruvidanthai, about 40kms from Chennai. "As far as funding is concerned, for this year, it is about Rs 18,000 crore. Nearly 25-30 per cent will be going in for newer projects," he said. BrahMos Aerospace, CEO and Managing Director, Sudhir K Mishra said, "We have a proposal to develop BRAHMOS next generation missiles which will be termed as BRAHMOS-NG missile." "This missile would be lighter than existing BRAHMOS and will have almost similar kind of ranges and would be able to be launched from various platforms," he said. As the missiles would be lighter, BrahMos was also planning to have more launches from submarines, ships and aircraft, the chairman said. DRDO, Director General, Electronics and Communication Systems, J Manjula said DRDO was working on long range radars that can cover over 1,000 kilometres. "We are also working on developing self-protection suites for fighter aircrafts and also working on electro-optic surveillance systems for submarines," she said. DRDO Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, G Satheesh Reddy, said they were working on "anti-tank missiles" which can be launched both from helicopter and the ground. "Some of the projects that we have in the pipeline is developing long range version of surface-to-air missile (SAM)," he added. The DRDO chairman said the organisation was also planning to take up "high endurance autonomous under water vehicle" for surveillance applications and also developing "autonomous surface ship". DRDO, Director General (SAM), Chitra Rajgopal said they were working on developing safe-storage solution for ammunition. "We are also looking at underground solutions which are not so expensive by using various innovative features. In addition, we are also looking at eco-friendly disposal of obsolete ammunition," she said. ISLAMABAD (PTI): Pakistan has successfully test fired an enhanced version of the indigenously-built Babur cruise missile that can deliver conventional and non-conventional weapons with a range of 700 kilometres, covering many Indian cities. The Pakistan Army said that the 'Babur Weapon System-1 (B)' is a low-flying, terrain-hugging missile, which carries certain stealth features and is capable of carrying various types of warheads. The missile incorporates advanced aerodynamics and avionics that can strike targets both at land and sea with high accuracy, the Army said in a statement. "Equipped with the Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) and all time Digital Scene Matching and Area Co-relation (DSMAC) technologies, which enable it to engage in various types of targets with pinpoint accuracy even in the absence of GPS navigation, thus making it an important force multiplier for Pakistan's strategic deterrence," the Army said. Senior officials and scientists of the Strategic Plans Division were present to witness the launch. President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi appreciated the scientists and engineers on the successful conduct of the missile test. BUCKS COUNTY >> Now that grape picking and processing season is inching to an end for the six family-owned wineries of the Bucks County Wine Trail, the wineries are offering a chance for guests to come celebrate and taste the fresh-pressed fruits of their labor. The Bucks County Wine Trail will hold its annual Harvest Celebration on the weekend of... Research News Chinas role in Africa focus of Des Forges symposium By ELLEN DUSSOURD Chinas increasingly active role in Africas economic development has been a recent topic of discussion. The Chinese claim they are dedicated to the economic development and social welfare of the countries where they are working, but some critics assert they are behaving very much in the manner of Europeans and Americans, who too often have exploited the human and material resources of Africa to their own benefit and with little positive impact on Africa. To enhance the understanding of Chinas record in Africa in comparison with those of Europeans and Americans, experts from leading universities and research institutes in China, the U.S. and Europe will gather on April 26 at UB for a daylong symposium, China in Africa: Global Perspectives. Presenters will range from Fantu Cheru, a senior researcher at the African Studies Centre at Leiden University and associate senior fellow at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, to Liu Haifang, professor and deputy director of the Center for African Studies in the School of International Studies at Peking University. The free, public event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 120 Clemens Hall, North Campus. It will be followed by a scholarship fund dinner in Buffalo that benefits students interested in human rights. Both the symposium and dinner honor the memory of Alison L. Des Forges, a member of the UB community who fought to call the worlds attention to another great humanitarian crisis: the genocide in Rwanda. Des Forges, an internationally known historian and Buffalo native, was an adjunct member of the UB history faculty during the 1990s and received a SUNY honorary doctorate during UBs 155th general commencement ceremony in 2001. She was one of the worlds leading experts on Rwanda, serving as an expert witness in 11 trials at the United Nations International Criminal Court for Rwanda. Her award-winning book, Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda, was a landmark account of the 1994 genocide, and her tireless efforts to awaken the international community to the horrors that occurred earned her a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999. The symposium will open with registration and welcoming remarks at 9 a.m., followed by panels focusing on African Perspectives, and Chinese, European and American Perspectives. The African Perspectives panel, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon, includes the following presentations: Understanding Chinas Embrace of Africa in a Broader Historical Perspective Howard W. French, professor, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University This talk will discuss how Chinas economic and political push to engage the African continent, beginning in the early 1990s, set the stage for Chinas current and much broader global ambitions, and especially for President Xi Jinpings trademark Belt and Road Initiative. In the Shadow of China: African Development Prospects in the 21st Century Fantu Cheru, senior researcher, African Studies Centre, Leiden University, and associate senior fellow, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute China is not the sole power in search of Africas resources and it is subject to the same political gravity as many western powers trying to exert influence on Africa. Transforming the new relationship into a win-win partnership will ultimately depend on African agency. African countries can negotiate with China from a position of strength only if committed political leaders with long-term visions are prepared to act regardless of the risks involved. In the absence of this, the relationship with China could turn out to be colonialism by invitation. The Changing Dynamics of Chinese Oil and Gas Engagements in Africa Cyril Obi, program director, African Peacebuilding Network, Social Science Research Council This talk examines how Chinese state oil corporations have engaged African petro-states through investments in the oil and gas sector, the different phases of what has been tagged as Chinese Resource Diplomacy, and its impact on Sino-African relations. It offers explanations for how lessons learned and experiences gained by both sides have impacted the dynamics of China-Africa relations. The talk then weighs in on the debate over the implications of the entry of Chinese oil companies into Africas oil fields traditionally dominated by western oil multinationals for Africas development, and explores the prospects for future relations. The Chinese, European and American Perspectives panel, which runs from 1-3:30 p.m., includes the following presentations: The Relationship between the Belt-Road Initiative (BRI) and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Liu Haifang, professor and deputy director, Center for African Studies, School of International Studies, Peking University At the BRI Summit held in Beijing in May 2017, Africa was included in the Belt and Road Initiative. Scholars in China and elsewhere are tempted to ask which projects already underway in Africa will be included in BRI and which will continue simply under FOCAC. In other words, how should we understand the relations between FOCAC and BRI? What kinds of projects can we expect to result from the combination of the two strategies and how might they benefit Africa more? Liu will try to provide answers to these current issues based on her observation of the evolution of Chinas African policies and her empirical research on particular cases. Chinas Involvement in African Mega-Infrastructure: The Case of Kenyas Madaraka Express Uwe Wissenbach, diplomat, European Union This talk will describe and analyze the decisive impulse of Chinese financing and know-how in African infrastructure mega-projects through a case study: Kenyas new railway, the Madaraka (self-rule) Express between the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa and the capital Nairobi. Its a story of an unlikely achievement against many odds that plague megaprojects in general and those in African countries in particular: institutional voids, lack of local skills and inefficient bureaucracies. While the train is now up and running, and is Kenyas pride, there are critical issues, such as African agency, project organization, corruption, vested interests (trucking), skills transfer, labor and ethnic issues, compulsory land acquisition, impact on wildlife and the long-term cost-benefit and debt calculations. Uwe will address some of those and focus on differences between traditional Western approaches to infrastructure financing in African countries and the specific Kenyan-Chinese one. How the U.S. Engages across the African Continent and How China Factors into their Thinking Sarah Margon, Washington director, Human Rights Watch With an emphasis on good governance, humanitarian aid particularly in areas of health and education and private-sector-led investment, the United States priorities on the African continent and how it pursues policy objectives are vastly different from those of China, which includes non-interference and political independence, infrastructure development and state-sponsored investment. The Trump administrations lack of interest in prioritizing Obama- and even Bush-era initiatives enhances growing concern over Chinas influence in the region, now the continents largest trading partner. The White House has yet to define an Africa strategy, while the general foreign policy agenda signals movement toward bolstering security initiatives. This, in addition to a hollowing of the State Department and USAID with proposed budgets cuts and numerous vacant seats at senior-level positions raises concerns over whether the U.S. is ceding Africa to China and leaves the door open for Chinese soft power to become a substitute for long-standing U.S. support in areas of democratic processes, human rights, civil society and independent media. Sponsors include the Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Committee and the UB Asian Studies Program; Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy; Department of Comparative Literature; Confucius Institute; Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Department of History; Humanities Institute; James Agee Chair in American Culture; Department of Philosophy Samuel P. Capen Chair; Department of Political Science; and Office of the Vice Provost for International Education. Scholarship dinner A scholarship dinner and discussion after the symposium will support an endowment that funds Alison L. Des Forges Memorial Scholarships for Buffalo Public Schools graduates demonstrating a strong interest in pursuing studies at UB related to human rights and social justice. The dinner, which costs $100 per seat, takes place from 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 26 at the Jacobs Executive Development Center, 672 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. Reservations are required, and guests may RSVP by contacting Kathleen Curtis at 716-645-2077 or curtiskl@buffalo.edu. Campus News Five faculty named SUNY Distinguished Professors By ELLEN GOLDBAUM and CORY NEALON Five UB faculty members have been appointed to the rank of SUNY Distinguished Professor, the highest faculty achievement in the SUNY system. The honor recognizes innovative research and teaching, as well as extraordinary community service. It also spotlights the international prominence of the faculty members in their respective fields and the impact of their scholarship in such diverse areas as stem cell engineering, medical education, vision science, structural engineering and neuroscience. Being named a SUNY Distinguished Professor is a tremendous honor that recognizes exceptional achievement, pioneering research contributions, disciplinary leadership and service, and excellent teaching and mentorship. We are extremely proud of UB faculty who have been named SUNY Distinguished Professors said Charles F. Zukoski, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. The rank of distinguished professor is an order above full professorship and has three co-equal designations: distinguished professor, distinguished service professor and distinguished teaching professor. Four faculty members were named distinguished professors in recognition of their academic achievements: Stelios Andreadis, professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Steven J. Fliesler, Meyer H. Riwchun Endowed Chair and Professor of Ophthalmology; Andrew Whittaker, professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering; and Zhen Yan, professor in Department of Physiology and Biophysics. The distinguished teaching professorship, which honors the mastery of teaching and outstanding service to students, was granted to Christopher Cohan, professor in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences. The five were among 15 SUNY faculty members appointed to the distinguished professor ranks by the SUNY Board of Trustees at its meeting on March 22. We are proud to honor SUNY faculty for their accomplishments as researchers, teachers, mentors, who are dedicated to their work and making a positive impact on campus, said Board of Trustees Chairman H. Carl McCall. In order to receive distinguished ranks, appointees must possess the ability to lead and innovate, as well as meet the rigorous standards of our distinguished ranks. Congratulations to all honorees, who embody the spirit and values of SUNYs core values. The SUNY faculty members receiving these distinguished ranks have achieved immeasurable success within their fields and on their respective campuses, said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. These individuals have set the bar for their peers, and work closely with students to help them find their calling inside and outside of the classroom. It is their excellence that drives SUNY forward. UBs newest SUNY Distinguished Professors: Stelios Andreadis, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Andreadis is internationally recognized leader in the field of stem cell engineering, especially cardiovascular tissue engineering. His laboratory developed small-diameter, vascular grafts using human stem cells and biomolecule-decorated biomaterials. These tissue-engineered vessels were implanted successfully into the arterial system of a sheep model, where they remained patent, demonstrated functional remodeling and the ability to grow with the animal. He also discovered that stem cell aging could be reversed using a single pluripotency factor, a discovery with significant implications in the field of aging and the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine. More recently, his laboratory discovered that human epidermis is a source of neural crest stem cells, which can be coaxed to turn (or differentiate) into neurons, glial cells, melanocytes, muscle, bone and cartilage. This finding may have profound implications for the development of cell therapies for neurogenic diseases. A UB faculty member since 1998, Andreadis has an exemplary record of continuous, peer-reviewed funding, having received more than $20 million in research support from public and private sources. He also has received numerous accolades, including being named a fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). Additionally, he also was named a recipient of a SUNY Chancellors Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities in 2014, and received the NSF CAREER Award in 2000 and the Whitaker Foundation Young Investigator Award in 1999. Christopher Cohan, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences A UB faculty member since 1986, Cohan is revered by students and colleagues for more than 30 years of dedication to medical and graduate education. A seven-time winner of the student-selected Teaching Excellence awards from the Jacobs Schools Louis and Ruth Siegel Teaching Awards Program, he has been recognized eight times with the Commendation for Teaching Excellence. A recipient of the SUNY Chancellors Award for Excellence in Teaching, he also was an honorary inductee into the New York Chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. Cohan directs the Harold Brody Museum of Neuroanatomy, one of a few collections in the country that displays brain specimens to teach students neuroanatomy. The museum draws visitors from around the world. In 1993, Cohen created Human Neuroscience, one of the first formal interdisciplinary courses in the schools basic science curriculum. His primary focus is the Neuroscience and Behavior module for second-year medical students, for which he integrates diverse subject matter in basic neuroscience, clinical neurology and psychiatry. As past chair and current member of the curriculum committee, Cohan continues to make a major impact on improving the curriculum as the Jacobs School transitions to its new downtown building. Steven J. Fliesler, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology A UB faculty member since 2008, Fliesler is an internationally renowned vision scientist. Currently president of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, the worlds premiere eye research professional society, he was previously president of the International Society for Eye Research. Considered the worlds leading expert on cholesterol metabolism in the retina, Flieslers work has been published in more than 120 peer-reviewed papers in very high impact journals. His work has been continuously funded for more than three decades, with funding totaling nearly $30 million. Early in his career, Fliesler was first author on research describing for the first time the involvement of the lipid intermediate pathway in glycoprotein synthesis in the human retina, and the importance of protein glycosylation for normal retinal photoreceptor cell differentiation. His research demonstrated cholesterols role in the development and function of the retina, leading to his studies of retinal degeneration in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), a birth defect resulting in profound dysmorphic and cognitive abnormalities. He is credited with developing the first successful animal model for this disease, allowing him to demonstrate the feasibility of a new therapy for SLOS and potentially representing a major improvement over the current standard of care. Andrew Whittaker, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering An internationally renowned structural engineer who has made fundamental contributions in earthquake and blast engineering of buildings, bridges, nuclear facilities and other critical infrastructure, Whittaker joined the UB faculty in 2001. His work has improved the safety and performance of the built environment in the United States and abroad. Whittaker previously served as chair of the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering. He currently serves as director of UBs Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), UBs Institute of Bridge Engineering (IBE), and the Structural Engineering and Earthquake Simulation Laboratory (SEESL). He chairs the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Nuclear Standards Committee, and serves on ASCEs standards committees 4, 7, 43 and 59. Whittaker has received numerous honors, including being named a fellow of ASCE, the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) and the American Concrete Institute (ACI). Whittaker received a bachelors degree in civil engineering from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and a masters degree in civil engineering and a doctorate in structural engineering, both from the University of California, Berkeley. Stopgap founder John Ward has sadly passed away and his family invites friends and colleagues to attend a thanksgiving service in honour of Wards life. Ward founded the company in 1981 as a merchant only heavy side brand based in Dartford. In 2011, Ward stepped down as Chairman but remained an active member of the board. A service will be held Friday 27 April on at 2.00pm at St. Johns Church, Hildenborough, TN11 9HR. There has been a request for no flowers or wreaths as there will be a collection for Scotts Project, supporting adults in Kent with learning disabilities. More information or to donate can be found here: www.scottsproject.org.uk Wards family has said: Please dont feel you need to wear black; we want celebrate Dads 86 years of life. If you wish to attend please to RSVP, Melanie (07730 326893 mel.hood@hotmail.co.uk) or Jonathan (020 7281 5679 jonathanbward22@gmail.com) Huws Grays has acquired Penrith Building Supplies making this its first acquisition into Cumbria. Huws Gray has secured a minority investment from Inflexion Private Equity, a UKs independent mid-market private equity firms. The company will continue to be majority owned and led by the existing management team. The company is well placed to benefit from the consolidation of the builders merchant market and to expand its geographical reach across the UK. The investment by Inflexion co-incides secured the move to Cumbria and the acquisition, as a whole, comes with new and exciting challenges as the company expands to new territory. Terry Owen, Managing Director of Huws Gray said: The recent acquisition of Penrith Building Supplies reflects the exciting opportunities that comes with the new investment from Inflexion. We aim to make further acquisitions in 2018 and generate exciting opportunities for our employees and strengthen our presence in the UK. We've built something very special at Huws Gray and we are excited to partner with Inflexion, a like-minded company who share the same values and objectives as Huws Gray. Inflexion has taken the time to understand our business and how we envisage its future. Unusually for a private equity firm, they were willing to take a minority stake, meaning we stay in control as we work together to accelerate our growth. The management team and I look forward to drawing upon the skills and experience of Inflexion as we seek to grow our business even further. Simon Turner, Managing Partner of Inflexion, said: We are delighted to partner with the team at Huws Gray as they embark on further growth. The business has been driven by an exceptional management team, which has grown from a standing start three decades ago, to become one of the largest independent builders merchants in the UK. The sector is at an exciting stage of development, with Huws Gray well placed to seek out and select add-on acquisition opportunities as it scales. We look forward to working together to expand Huws Grays footprint over the coming years. The Manchester office of Addleshaw Goddard has advised Huws Gray and its shareholders on the investment by Inflexion in Huws Gray. The 38 person AG team was led by partners Roger Hart and Andy Green and included Ben Edwards, Ollie Hincks, Mark Guttridge, Amanda Whitaker, Claire Dyer, Jemma Clarke, Kyle Rainsford, Millie Johnson, Rosie Kight and Josie Marsden. 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 Infosys' constant currency revenue growth guidance of 6-8% year-on-year (y-o-y) for FY19 was on expected lines. The marginal beat can be ascribed to a weaker exit in 4Q (0.6% CC) than our expectation (1.5% CC). This implies that the compounded quarterly growth rate (CQGR) will be better if the guidance is met. To meet its guidance range of 6-8% y-o-y constant currency (CC) revenue growth in FY19, Infosys will have to clock a CQGR of 1.8-2.5% in the next year. We are assuming 7.5% y-o-y CC growth factoring the guidance and incremental revenue from the acquisition. A ... Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. In August 2017, when Unilever Nepal announced a special dividend to mark its 25 years of existence, 41-year-old Suyash Chauhan, then managing director of the company, had indicated that this was a way of giving back to shareholders who had reposed faith in the firm. Seven months later, Chauhan, along with former Hindustan Unilever (HUL) colleagues Hemal Jain and Kishor Patil, were at the centre of a legal battle pertaining to data theft at their erstwhile firm. 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 Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan, who will also be part of a member of the Board of Directors will be succeeding Kuldip Kaura, the current interim CEO, said the company in a statement. "We have gone through a very thorough search process and are delighted to invite Venkat to join Vedanta in the position of CEO. Venkat is a widely respected business leader in the global resources space, who brings an impressive set of values and a wealth of ... 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 In another addition to the miseries of Rohingya refugees, a massive fire in Delhi's Kalindi Kunj camp on April 15 rendered some 230 of them homeless. The camp, established in 2012 at Madanpur Khadar area of Kalindi Kunj, has seen four incidents of fire since -- in 2012, 2016, 2017 and now in 2018. The camp housed 50 families. Though no causalty was reported, one person sustained burn injuries on his hand. The fire broke out at around 3 am on April 15 according to fire department officials. It took 11 fire tenders two hours to douse the flames, which devoured everything in the ... Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said a new express highway connecting Delhi and Mumbai will be built at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore. The transport and highways minister also talked about plans to build Chambal expressway that would be connected to the Delhi-Mumbai expressway. The Chambal expressway will benefit states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Gadkari has announced development of a new highway alignment between Delhi and Mumbai, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. "A sum of Rs 1 trillion will be spent on this expressway ... Nitin Gadkari outlined major initiatives of his ministry for de-congestion of Delhi NCR. A total of ten projects are underway costing Rs 356. billion," it said. About 40,000 commercial vehicles enter Delhi on a daily basis, which cause pollution and congestion in the city-state, Gadkari, who is also holding the portfolio of water resources and Ganga rejuvenation, said in the statement. An ambitious scheme of developing Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways around Delhi was taken up, and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 29. Similarly, to ease traffic in East Delhi, Delhi-Meerut Expressway was envisaged, and its Delhi-Dasna portion will also be inaugurated by the prime minister on the same day by a road show. Gadkari informed that work on signal-free corridor from Dhaula Kuan to Airport has been awarded at a cost of Rs 260 crore. He said, eight-lane fully access-controlled Dwarka Expressway is being developed in four packages. While three packages have already been awarded, the work on the expressway is likely to start in a month's time. Total investment on the project is Rs 9,500 crore. Additionally, under improvement of Mahipalpur at Rangpuri, a bypass is being envisaged to connect Dwarka/ NH8, he said. Regarding development of major junctions on NH8 in Gurugram like the flyover and underpass at IFFCO Chowk, Signature Tower intersection, Rajiv Chowk and hero Honda Chowk, the minister said the work costing Rs 10 billion has been substantially completed. A 23-year-old man, who was honey-trapped by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was arrested from Rohtak for allegedly passing information to the Pakistani spy agency about Indian Army camps he had visited for recruitment tests, police said. Gaurav Kumar was arrested from Rohtak's Model Town area on Sunday based on information received by state and central intelligence agencies, Superintendent of Police Pankaj Nain said. Kumar has been booked under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act and under relevant sections of the IPC. A resident of Ganaur city in Sonepat district, Kumar had befriended two women, who worked for Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence, more than a year ago on Facebook, Nain told reporters. "Preliminary investigations revealed that Gaurav was trying to get recruited in the Army for a long time and had been preparing for examinations conducted by the Army," he said. Nain said the two women befriended Kumar after he told them he was working with the Indian Army. After gaining his trust, the women started communicating with him regularly. "They later asked him to work for ISI and provide information about Army camps, while promising to pay him hefty sum for this. He even shared his bank account details with them. He was asked to share photo, video and other details of the military areas," Nain said. "Whenever he went to an Army recruitment camp for a test, he would share with them photos and videos of the camp through social media," he said, adding, Kumar had taken part or visited at least 18 Army recruitment drives. Last month, a man who allegedly worked as a spy for the Pakistani intelligence agency was arrested in Amritsar district by the State Special Operations Cell of the Punjab Police. Pakistan-based agencies operate a large number of fake Facebook accounts in the name of young girls who actively try to befriend unemployed young people and retired or serving officials in the armed force and subsequently try to allure them into espionage activities. Investigations were being conducted to identify and track such fake accounts, the SSOC had said earlier. Days after a lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was arrested in connection with a teenagers rape, a sexual attack on an 11-year-old girl was reported on Sunday in Gujarat, the latest in a string of cases that have sparked protests across the country. Protests calling for justice were held in several cities, echoing the mass rallies against sexual violence in 2012 and piling pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who must hold elections by May 2019. Modi has promised to take action. Activists accuse authorities of failing to protect women and of ... There has been little good news for the aviation ministry in the last few weeks. First, the country's most profitable airlines IndiGo announced that it was not going to bid for Air India because it was interested only in the international business. Soon after Jet Airways also said no, and SpiceJet promoter Ajay Singh reiterated his "too small to bid" explanation. To add to the drama were contradictory reports on Tata-SIA's interest for the state-owned airline; though Singapore Airlines maintained it was open to the idea, the Tata group maintained a stoic ... The ministerial panel, under Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, on Goods and Services Tax (GST) return simplification will meet tax experts and representatives from industry on Tuesday. As it looks to finalise a single-page return form for businesses under GST, the Group of Ministers (GoM) will seek views of the experts and representatives from businesses as to how they expect the return form to be. As per the structure being worked out by the Centre and state officials as well as Nandan Nilekani, businesses having zero tax liability for six consecutive months may get to file returns only twice a year. The return filing date will be spread out and businesses having annual turnover of up to Rs 15 million will have to file return by 10th of next month, while others can file return by 20th. The number of returns filed by both small and large taxpayers will be 12 in a year. The Council, chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising state counterparts, have asked businesses to file the summary returns GSTR-3B and final sales return GSTR-1 till June, following which the new system of return filing will come into effect. Besides, the first meeting of the GoM on reverse charge mechanism under was held today. The GoM was constituted under Modi last month to iron out issues being faced by businesses under the reverse charge mechanism. The Council has kept the reverse charge mechanism in abeyance till June. The law review committee, comprising officers from the Centre and states, had suggested reworking Section 9(3) of Central GST Act by bringing composition scheme dealers in the purview of reverse charge mechanism. It also suggested that the Council should specify certain goods and services on which GST (Goods and Service Tax) will be collected through reverse charge mechanism and also specify category of taxpayers who should be paying taxes as per this process. For unregistered dealer, the committee suggested collection of information based on PAN, Aadhaar or any other such identifier. With regard to Section 9(4) of Central GST Act which required payment of tax by registered dealers in cases where he procures goods from unregistered businesses, the law review committee suggested doing away with the provision. AMRG & Associates Partner Rajat Mohan said, "GST reverse charge provision needs rationalisation since it places unjustified compliance and cost burden on several categories of taxpayers, including small and medium size enterprises, NGOs, educational institutions, government organisation, religious bodies and charitable institutions". Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Monday Air India should be handed over to an Indian company and foreign investors should not be allowed to participate in the national carriers disinvestment. If the problem is that Air India has not been run properly, hand it over to someone who can do it and it should only be an Indian firm, he said. 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 European Union foreign ministers threatened on Monday new sanctions on Syria over what the West says were chemical attacks on its own people but held off from joining expected new US punitive measures against Russia. After Britain and France joined the United States in missile salvoes meant to knock out Syrian chemical arms facilities, EU foreign ministers eyed steps to deepen the isolation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The European Union will continue to consider further restrictive measures against Syria as long as the repression continues, all 28 foreign ... China and Japan have resumed high-level economic talks after a hiatus of nearly eight years in a sign of improving ties in their often-frosty relationship. The Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue was being held Monday in Tokyo for the first time since August 2010. The Chinese side was led by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister for bilateral talks since 2009. Asia's two largest economies have reason to cooperate in the face of President Donald Trump's moves to impose tariffs on imports from their countries and his demands that they open their markets more to American exports. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is headed to the United States this week to meet Trump. Martin Sorrell's sudden exit from WPP marks a shocking end to the career of a chief executive who through sheer force of personality made it the world's biggest advertising firm. WPP said in early April it had appointed lawyers to investigate a whistleblower's allegation of personal misconduct against Sorrell, who over 33 years turned a two-man outfit into one of Britain's biggest companies present in 112 countries. The 73-year-old said on Saturday he was standing down, departing at a crucial time for WPP which has seen its share price fall 30 percent this year ... British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday extolled the benefits of free trade among Commonwealth countries, seeking new sources of commerce as Britain looks to finalise divorce terms with its current biggest trading partner, the European Union. May is looking to win the support of the Commonwealth, a network of mostly former British colonies, for future trade deals at a meeting of its leaders in London, and bolster her argument that the future is bright after Brexit. The Commonwealth, headed by Queen Elizabeth, is not a formal trading bloc with a free-trade agreement. In 2015 ... Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Monday finalised strategy for the one-day hunger strike by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on April 20 in Vijayawada. Naidu will sit on hunger strike on his birthday against the Centre over the demand of Special Category Status (SCS) to the state. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Naidu, also decided that 13 ministers will organise simultaneous hunger strikes in the districts for which they are in-charge ministers. Remaining ministers will take part in the hunger strike along with the Chief Minister. The Cabinet requested the general public to take part in the hunger strikes in the large numbers. The Cabinet meet assessed the bandh called by the opposition parties and observed that people have suffered due to the bandh. "In some areas, it was attempted to create violence. Tirupati incident, wherein a motorcycle was set ablaze, is the evidence of it," a release said. The Andhra Pradesh politicians have been protesting demanding SCS to Andhra Pradesh. Naidu led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Centre have been at the loggerheads ever since the announcement of 2018-19 Union Budget. The TDP alleged that the Centre ignored the demand of 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh in the budget, while the latter brushed aside the charges. The cabinet also took some decisions. Chandranna Pelli Kanuka (marriage gift) scheme will be implemented from April 20 in which as many as 60,000 Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and minority couples are expected to be benefitted. Inter caste marriages, marriages of Divyangs (specially abled persons) will get extra benefit. The Cabinet also decided that the stamp duty and registration fee will be exempted for houses to be built under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna. The meeting also approved state aqua policy which paved way for setting up aqua zones in nine coastal districts in the state. The Cabinet also approved to make Telugu Ganga drinking water project as drinking water and irrigation project. With 6672 crores allocation, it will bring 5.70 lakh acres into cultivation. Animation, visual effects, gaming and comics policy also got the Cabinet's nod. Forty-acre land will be given in Visakhapatnam for this purpose. The Cabinet also discussed Agrigold victims issue and the Government's decision will be informed to the court on April 25. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday lambasted the Congress Party for defaming and disrespecting the Hindu religion, adding that the latter was doing this just for the sake of "votes". Addressing a press conference here, hours after the verdict of Mecca Masjid blast case was announced, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Today, the face of the Congress has been masked. In the name of Hindu terrorism, the Congress, which was doing the job of defaming Hindus has been exposed today. The Congress has been exposed as never before." He added that Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi should apologise to the entire nation for defaming the Hindu religion. Continuing his tirade against Congress, Patra further said that they had coined the term "Hindu Terror". "Now after the court verdict on Mecca Masjid blast, the party stands exposed. Will Rahul Gandhi take out a midnight march with a lighted lamp and apologise for defaming the Hindu religion?" he questioned. Speaking on the verdict of 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, Patra added, "BJP does not comment on the judgment of the court. We do not comment on working of the Indian judiciary. It is an independent body. Congress said the court was right at the time of 2G verdict, but now it is labelling it (Mecca Masjid verdict) as wrong today." Earlier in the day, a special Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Nampally in Hyderabad acquitted all the accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case. The court took the decision due to lack of evidence provided by the NIA, against the accused. Meanwhile, the NIA said that it will examine the special court's verdict in Mecca Masjid blast case and will further decide its course of action. The blast, which took place on May 18, 2007, at the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad during Friday prayers had killed eight people and left 58 injured. It was allegedly carried out by a group of right-wing terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The interim protection given to Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P. Chidambaram, in the Aircel-Maxis case has been extended till the next date of hearing which is May 2 by a Delhi Court. On March 24, Karti Chidambaram was granted an anticipatory bail by a Special Delhi Court, which had asked him to appear before the investigating officer whenever he is summoned. Karti was arrested on February 28 at the Chennai airport on his return from the United Kingdom, for his alleged role in facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance for INX Media Ltd. and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea. He allegedly took service charges for getting the FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving funds from abroad worth Rs. 305 crore in 2007 when his father was the finance minister. The Aircel-Maxis deal is part of the wider 2G scam that engulfed the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a First Information Report (FIR) in 2011, while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered an enforcement case investigation report (ECIR) in 2012, in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), James B. Comey, in an interview with ABC News, has unleashed a series of scathing attacks on the United States President, Donald Trump. In the interview, which was Comey's first since the fallout between him and Trump that led to the firing of the former as FBI Director on May 9, 2017, Comey called the President a serial liar, who treated women like "meat" and called him a "stain" on everyone who worked for him. Comparing the President to a mafia boss, he claimed that Trump was left vulnerable to blackmail and exploitation by the Russian government because of his association with Russian prostitutes and that he was burning up the nation's norms and traditions like a 'wildfire'. "Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country," Comey told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. "The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president." Detailed accounts of his impressions on Trump and his presidency are articulated in his book, 'A Higher Loyalty,' which is set to release on Tuesday. "His leadership is transactional, ego-driven and about personal loyalty," wrote Comey, according to the New York Times, continuing the unprecedented assault on a sitting US President by a high government official. Hours before the interview, however, Trump took to Twitter to hit back at Comey with a pair of berating tweets, dubbing his book as 'badly reviewed' and calling him the worst FBI director in history, while also hinting that he could be sent to jail for lying to Congress and illegally disclosing classified information. "The big questions in Comey's badly reviewed book aren't answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didn't they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabe's $700,000 & more?" tweeted Trump. "I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self serving and FAKE!" Trump wrote in another Twitter post, blasting Comey's comments on Trump's presidency being all about 'personal loyalty'. "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" he wrote in another tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Focused on creating prominence in care for expecting mothers, Bengaluru based startup PregBuddy on Monday announced that it has raised an undisclosed amount in a seed round of funding from Indian Angel Network (IAN), India's first angel network. Other investors who participated in the round include Rajan Anandan, an IAN member and MD Google India; Madhusudhan Kannan, chief officer of Uber India and emerging markets; Jayant Kadambi, co-founder and chairman of YuMe, and Puneet Gupt, COO(News Business) of Times Internet Limited among others. Renowned angel investor and founder of India's first healthcare incubator - HealthStart, Pradeep K Jaisingh, is the lead IAN member joining the company board. Addressing a huge gap, PregBuddy ensures a timely and easy delivery of high-quality medical care through their continuum platform between doctors and expecting patients. The platform offers personalised healthcare via peer support, organised information, expert access for nutrition, fitness and emotional advice, in addition, to affordable access to essential products and services. "Technology is playing a defining role in today's healthcare system both for enhancing quality and improving access to healthcare in India. PregBuddy has emerged as an exciting new platform for both caregivers and patients alike, leading to great improvements in patient satisfaction, reduced costs, and improved health outcomes," said lead IAN investor Pradeep K Jaisingh. "The company has had phenomenal success so far in this domain and we believe they will continue to excel in the industry to be a market leader," he added. "Over the past 1.5 years, we've seen the impact of our product on expecting mothers' lives. Every day we have at least 100 mothers who are delivering their babies after using PregBuddy. This provides us immense satisfaction and boost to our team to do more. We plan to utilise this investment to expand our team and scale up the platform," said S.L. Sivareena, co-founder, and COO at PregBuddy. "We're actively looking to hire few passionate people in fields of technology, marketing and development who will join our core-team and work closely with the cofounders and grow along with them," S.L. Sivareena added. PregBuddy has already seen traction of over 60,000 users and has been growing organically by 20 percent, month-over-month. Most of their users are first-time moms, living in nuclear families who find the PregBuddy app very useful. The startup was selected by Google for their first cohort of Solve for India and its Launchpad Build program. They have recently been awarded by actor Akshay Kumar, Asian Business Angel Forum, and Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India for their contribution in the healthcare sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior Congress leader on Monday said that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave more importance to those who came from his former party, Janata Dal (Secular), in regards to the ticket distribution for the state Assembly elections. "It's a reality of our party. Our Chief Minister, along with others, came from JD(S) and so he gives more importance to them. It seems he has no attachment to the old leaders and cadres (of Congress)," party leader K Rahman Khan told ANI. This comes after the Congress workers vandalised the party office in Mandya to protest against the distribution of tickets for the upcoming elections. "Discontentment is usual but it is the party's responsibility to make selection based on some norms, but this time it seems they have bypassed these norms," Khan remarked. The senior leader also raised doubt on the state leadership, "It is sad that state leadership lacks the ability to take everyone along. New people have been given responsibilities, who don't even know how to treat seniors. If the high command doesn't take care of this aspect of state leadership it might bring losses for the party." It may be noted that Siddaramaiah joined the Congress Party in 2005 after getting expelled from JD(S). In the upcoming Assembly elections, Siddaramaiah will be contesting from Chamundeshwari constituency, a JD(S) stronghold, which he last represented after winning a tough battle against M. Shivabasappa of JD(S) in the 2006 bypolls. The Congress Party released its first list of 218 candidates for the elections on April 15. Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 225-member Assembly. The results will be out on May 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Counsel of Kathua rape victim's family, Deepika S Rajawat on Monday claimed that the Supreme Court has issued directions to authorities to provide protection to them (victim's family and counsel). The apex court issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government and sought a reply on the plea filed by the victim's father in the connecting case. The top court also directed the State government to provide police protection to the victim's family members and the counsel representing them. "The Supreme Court has issued directions to the authorities to provide protection to us (victim family and their counsel)," Deepika told reporters here. Meanwhile, lawyers protested outside the Supreme Court over the conduct of lawyers in Jammu in connection with the same case. Earlier in the day, the victim's father approached the apex court seeking transfer of the case outside Jammu and Kashmir. The alleged gangrape and murder of the eight-year-old girl, who belonged to the nomadic Muslim community, took place in the Kathua district in January. After being missing for a week, her body was found on January 17. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian ambassador to Sweden and Latvia, Monika Kapil Mohta, on Monday, said that the Make In India initiative, terrorism and business would be the main focus during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sweden. Speaking to ANI, Mohta said, "The Make In India flagship initiative and business will be the top priorities, as Sweden is the leader in innovation and technology. The issue of terrorism would be also discussed, Sweden has also been affected by terrorism during the Prime Minister's visit." The envoy underlined that both the countries would find ways in fighting against terrorism. Delving into the details of Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit to Sweden, Mohta said that Sweden Prime Minister Stefan Lofven would receive his Indian counterpart at the Stockholm airport. "It is a historic visit by the Prime Minister of India. The visit is happening after gap of 30 years. An exceptional gesture is being made by Sweden. The Swedish Prime Minister (Lofven) will go, for the first time ever, to receive any foreign dignitary at the airport. We are proud of the fact that he will be there to receive our Prime Minister," Mohta added. The envoy said that India and Sweden will co-chair the first ever Indo-Nordic Summit on Tuesday. At the sidelines of the summit, Prime Minister Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway respectively. Mohta further said that the Prime Minister will have a separate meeting with a select group of 30 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). Prime Minister Modi will then hold delegation-level talks with his Swedish counterpart and have an audience with the King of Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf. He will then address a 1200-member Indian community at the Stockholm University, consisting of doctors, engineers and scientists. Prime Minister Modi will embark on a five-day visit to Sweden, the United Kingdom and Germany from today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Moday blamed the Investigation Agency (NIA) for the acquittal of the five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. "This whole prosecution done by the Investigation Agency (NIA) was basically to ensure that all accused are acquitted by courts. I am not complaining about the courts as it is for the prosecution to prove, because this is not a small crime," said Asaduddin Owaisi on the same. He went on to say that terrorism should not be given to terrorism and on to blame Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the acquittal. Earlier in the day, a special NIA court at Nampally acquitted five accused in the over a decade-long case, citing lack of evidence against them. Out of a total of 10 accused named in the case, only five faced trial, as one died while others are still absconding. The blast, which took place on May 18, 2007 at the Hyderabad mosque during Friday prayers, had killed eight people and left 58 injured. It was allegedly carried out by a group of right-wing terrorists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the exoneration of the five accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case, the defence lawyers termed the investigation a "politically motivated" one wherein the accused persons were falsely framed. "Our main focus was that this was a politically motivated case, and all the accused were falsely framed," Advocate JP Sharma said at a press conference here. Elaborating on the confessional statement of one of the accused, Swami Aseemanand, that was produced by the Investigation Agency (NIA), Sharma said, "Apart from Swami Aseemanand's confessional statement, the NIA did not have any other evidence. In the whole statement, Swami Aseemanand nowhere says that he was involved in the crime. So, according to us, it was not a confessional statement, only a statement." "Our allegation is on the then government that its Chief Investigation Officer T. Rajah Balaji was under the control of the Delhi government. To make it a media trial and to appease his political bosses, he took the accused (Aseemanand) to Delhi and recorded his statement there, so that he doesn't get legal aid. Custody lasted three months and the statement taken in the three-month-long custody is of no value." he added. Sharma also accused the NIA of making a mockery of the investigative process, "NIA took the accused to Bombay, Ahmedabad, Dang, Navsari for investigation but could not find any incriminating evidence. When we asked them why did you take them to so many places, they answered they took them to see the place. So, in the name of inquiry, the NIA was taking the accused to these places for fun." Besides Sharma, Rajavardhan Reddy, Sundhar Rao were also present. Advocate Sundhar Rao alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) tried to create the concept of saffron terror through its investigation. "The CBI tried to coin the concept of Hindu terror, saffron terror, and P. Chidambaram and Mr (Sushilkumar) Shinde, while they were home ministers, projected that only Muslims are not, but Hindus are also terrorists. In order to create this concept, they implicated all these persons." Earlier in the day, a special Investigation Agency (NIA) court at Nampally acquitted all the accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case, namely Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajendra Chowdhary. The court pronounced the order citing lack of evidence provided by the NIA against them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA, Germany, in partnership with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), conducted 'Merck More Than a Mother' panel at their Regional conference 2018, in Dubai. Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation stated during the panel discussion, "Through 'Merck More than a Mother', we want to bring the healthcare providers, policy makers, academia, women leaders, media, and artists together to define the interventions to break the infertility stigma around women and to build fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries." She further emphasised, "Merck Foundation is dedicated to empowering women who suffer discrimination and violence due to their inability to bring children, by creating the cultural shift to break the infertility stigma at all levels, not only in Africa, but in Asia, Latin America and everywhere it is needed." The high-level panel discussion included Sarah Opendi, Minister of state of Health, Uganda, Zuliatu Cooper, Minister of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone, Margret Mensah-Williams, Chairman of National Council of Namibia, Dr. Chitalu Chilugya, Minister of Health, Zambia, and the CEO of Merck Foundation, Dr. Rasha Kelej. Dr. Chitalu Chilugya, Minister of Health of Zambia, emphasised, "Infertility is one of the major health problems in Zambia, and it is not only affecting the physical health but also the mental well-being and social status, of childless women. These women often become invisible to the society, and many a time they do not want to come in open to seek help because of the social stigma associated with infertility. Together with Merck Foundation, we want to remove the stigma associated with it by creating a cultural shift and building cost-effective fertility care in Zambia." During the panel discussion Margret Mensah-Williams, Chairman of National Council of Namibia, stressed, "Infertility is profoundly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, which is said to have an "infertility belt" wrapped around its center, the infertility rate is much higher in southern Africa. Particularly in Namibia infertility prevalence rates for some ethnic groups is as high as 32 percent , or one-third of all couples attempting to conceive, which is why initiatives like 'Merck More than a Mother' are significant for Namibia and we are glad to partner with Merck Foundation for this initiative." Zuliatu Cooper, Minister of Health of Sierra Leone emphasised, "Merck Foundation is making history my country, they have trained the first two fertility specialists in Sierra Leone. For the first time, the infertile couple will be treated in their home land. We still need to build the first IVF center to be able to manage complicated cases though." Sarah Opendi, Minister of State of Health, Uganda said, "The journey that Merck Foundation has started is a very special journey that has touched the lives of women who have been forgotten in the communities. It has touched not only women but also the lives of men who have been mistreating their women thinking that infertility is an issue of women, not know that 50 percent infertility is due to the malefactor. I want to thank Merck Foundation for thinking about these women. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kathmandu [Nepal], Apr 16 (ANI): Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Monday said that the recent visit of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli helped in further strengthening the diplomatic relations between Nepal and India. In a press briefing organised by the Foreign Ministry of Nepal here, Gyawali underlined that the visit led to the direction of trust, mutual understanding and balanced relations with New Delhi, which Kathmandu always expected. "Prime Minister recently went on a visit to India. The visit in many aspects was essential, different and successful, which we all are aware of. This visit also has helped in strengthening the mutual understanding between the two countries," said Gyawali. He added that the Prime Ministers of both India and Nepal have clear and transparent dialogues on the issues pertaining to their respective interests and demands of the time. "This visit has made the demarcation for the two countries to take the relations forward on which we have believed upon. Now our emphasis will remain on the implementation of the previously inked agreements in an efficient way," Gyawali further said. Oli embarked on a successful three-day visit to India from April 6 to 8. Gyawali will depart for China on a six-day visit today where he will be engaged in various high-level talks with various diplomats. During the visit, he will finalise Oli's visit to China. Apart from the engagements in Beijing, the Nepal Foreign Minister will also be visiting Chengdu City of the Sichuan Province where he will meet the provincial leaders and address a program at the Sichuan University on April 20. Gyawali is scheduled to return to Nepal on April 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran journalist S. Nihal Singh's demise sparked a lot of reactions on social media ranging from tributes to condolences, with some senior journalists calling it "the end of a golden era of journalism." Singh, who was suffering from kidney-related ailments and would have turned 89 on April 30, breathed his last at the Heart Institute. He had written for Asian News International (ANI) in the past. "Singh's death came as a shock to all of us. His death marks the death of the golden era of journalism. Singh as a journalist was well-known for his several books, which are acclaimed worldwide. His works were even appreciated in columns too," renowned journalist Vinod Sharma told ANI. "He was an inspiration to young journalist and always advised them to be fair and just in journalism," Sharma added. Resonating similar views, another senior journalist Alok Mehta lauded Singh's work and his persona. "Singh was a great journalist, editor and person. He lived on the lines of fair journalism. His was editor of The Statesman, the Indian Express, Khaleej Times; his works were highly acclaimed internationally too," pioneer of Indian Hindi journalism Alok Mehta told ANI. "Singh will always be remembered not only for his works but for the person he was..and will be loved for that," he added. Meanwhile, colleagues in the field and other dignitaries took to social media to express their grief. "RIP: S. Nihal Singh. My editor when I worked as a junior reporter in the seventies," Tavleen Singh, Indian columnist, political reporter and writer, said in a tweet. "S. Nihal Singh, one of India's most senior journalists passes away after an illness. He leaves behind so many journalists that he encouraged and mentored...Funeral in Delhi tomorrow at noon, Lodi Road," Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, Suhasini Swamy Haidar expressed in a tweet. Singh is known for his several books and columns, which are acclaimed worldwide. He was editor of The Statesman, the Indian Express and Khaleej Times. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has accused the country's army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, of "butchering" members of Pashtoon community like animals. Party's founder Altaf Hussain made this remark days after Pakistan witnessed a huge protest rally in Peshawar, wherein Pashtoon community demanded from authorities to release members of their community who have been "illegally" arrested. Speaking on the party's 34th foundation day in Johannesburg, South Africa, recently, Hussain lambasted the military establishment for imposing stratocracy in Pakistan and said the same has launched a witch hunt against his party. "MQM wants real democracy in Pakistan and wants to eliminate the stratocracy imposed by the military Junta from Pakistan," he said during the event, which was also attended by Secretary General Solly Mapaila of the South African Communist Party. The sly cabal of the military junta and corrupt feuds of the country have launched a genocidal military operation against MQM so as to silence their sole struggle for the oppressed nations in Pakistan, Hussain said. Hussain, who lives in self-imposed exile, further accused Pakistani state of enforced disappearances of about thousand workers of MQM in Karachi. He said, "58 have been extra-judicially executed and over 10,000 are in arbitrary detention without access to any due process and the culprit is Pakistan's military and intelligence agency the Islamic State". He also highlighted the abduction of MQM'd deputy convener Dr. Hassan Zafar Arif and blamed Pakistan military for not allowing the media to publish or telecast Hussain's speech and statement and barring the public to have a telephone conversation with him. On the occasion, Hussain also sought the assistance of Mapaila to bring justice to Mohajirs (immigrants from India). He also said the MQM assures education and health facilities for all the ethnic groups including Seraikis, Pashtoons, Balouchs, Kashmiris, and Hazarwals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emplaned for a two-day visit to Sweden beginning from today. The Prime Minister will embark on a five-day official visit to Sweden, the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany. Apart from bilateral visits to the two countries, Prime Minister Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sweden and the United Kingdom respectively. "At the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Prime Minister Modi will undertake his first visit to Sweden on April 16 to 17. He is scheduled to arrive in Stockholm on April 16 evening and will have a number of meetings on April 17, including an audience with the King of Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf, and consultations with Prime Minister Lofven," according to Ministry of External Affairs statement. Prime Minister Modi will address a gathering of select Swedish business leaders and will also meet the Indian community in Sweden. On the sidelines of the India-Nordic Summit, Prime Minister Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway respectively. The Prime Minister will visit the UK from April 17 to 20 for a bilateral visit and attend CHOGM. The forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK will focus on enhancing India-UK tech partnership. The visit will see a number of deliverables in the area of skill development, healthcare, cybersecurity, innovation, traditional medicine, and education. The India-UK CEOs Forum will also take place during this visit. Also, the UK will formally convey their readiness to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Prime Minister Modi will attend the CHOGM in London from April 19 to 20. The meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government usually take place every two years and serve to shape the organisation's agenda for the next two years. After concluding his visits to Sweden and the UK, the Prime Minister will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin for a brief while and both the leaders will exchange views on a number of bilateral, regional and global issues. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Merkel began her fourth term on March 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-day official visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) today. The visit of the prime minister to the two nations aims at enhancing bilateral cooperation in key areas like trade, investments and science and technology. Apart from bilateral visits to the two countries, Prime Minister Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sweden and the United Kingdom respectively. At the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Prime Minister Modi will undertake his first visit to Sweden on April 16 to 17. He is scheduled to arrive in Stockholm on April 16 evening and will have a number of meetings on April 17, including an audience with the King of Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf, and consultations with Prime Minister Lofven, according to Ministry of External Affairs statement. Prime Minister Modi will address a gathering of select Swedish business leaders and will also meet Indian community in Sweden. On the sidelines of the India-Nordic Summit, Prime Minister Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway respectively. The Prime Minister will visit the UK from April 17 to 20 for a bilateral visit and attend CHOGM. The forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK will focus on enhancing India-UK tech partnership. The visit will see a number of deliverables in the area of skill development, healthcare, cybersecurity, innovation, traditional medicine, and education. The India-UK CEOs Forum will also take place during this visit. Also, the UK will formally convey their readiness to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Prime Minister Modi will attend the CHOGM in London from April 19 to 20. The meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government usually take place every two years and serve to shape the organisation's agenda for the next two years. The CHOGM is a multilateral organisation known for its focus on the development issues that confront the Small States and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), many of whom have deep historical and bilateral ties with India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Sweden late night on Monday 9 Prime Minister Modi was received by his Swedish counterpart Stefan Lofven at the Stolkhome Arlanda airport. Prime Minister Modi also received a ceremonial reception. Later on, Tuesday Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to meet King of Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf in the morning followed by a walk with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven from Sogerska to Rosenbad. Later in the day, the Prime Ministers of both the countries will sign bilateral agreements followed by a press conference at around 1:30 p.m. (Sweden local time). Prime Minister Modi is further scheduled to take part in the Sweden-India business day at the City hall Golden room. Later Nordic Prime Minister Lofven will conduct a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Modi at Hotel Grand. Prime Minister Modi will then attend the India-Nordic Summit and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sweden. The community event is scheduled to be held at the Stockholm University in the evening after which Prime Minister Modi will depart for London at around 8:30 p.m. (Sweden local time). The forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK will focus on enhancing India-UK tech partnership. He will attend the CHOGM in London from April 19 to 20. After concluding his visits to Sweden and the UK, the Prime Minister will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin for a brief while and both the leaders will exchange views on a number of bilateral, regional and global issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday lauded the farmers, stating that their contribution took the country on the path of progress. Rahul, who began his three-day visit to Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh earlier today, said while addressing a gathering, "Many people in India are farmers, if America's President says that China and Hindustan are the future of the world, it's only the farmers who have brought us to this position. So we should not forget the farmers for their contribution." "If youths do not get employment then anger, violence and hatred towards the country will increase which will lead India to losses. In the coming days, we have to look into how to employ youth working towards for the betterment of the country," Rahul added. Further, speaking on the unity and non-violence, Rahul advised, "In this 21st Century, one should not hate each other and spread violence in the country but rather take or accept people of every religion together." Rahul Gandhi also laid the foundations of some development projects. He met farmers and inaugurated a passport seva kendra, a road project and a private school. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Afghan soldiers including a policeman and a local tribesman were killed in the ongoing clashes with Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps near the disputed border Durand Line on Saturday. A regional Afghan police chief said that the clashes broke out along the Zazi Maidan border district in the southeastern province of Khost adjacent to Kurram as Pakistan initiated firing to force people outside the claimed Pakistan border, reported by Anadolu Agency. Initially, Afghan National Police interim chief Colonel Abdul Hanan told Anadolu Agency that two Pakistani troops were arrested during the clash. Pakistan and Afghanistan share a nearly 2,600-kilometer largely porous border. The Pakistani military has recently started constructing a robust fence on the border in its bid to prevent illegal crossings in either direction. Afghanistan authorities have opposed the plans of fencing the Afghan frontier by Pakistan as the latter dispute the demarcation made during the British era. Earlier in April, Afghanistan accused Pakistan of conducting the air strikes and firing hundreds of shells in Afghan's eastern border province of Kunar. At least two Afghan border security personnel were killed and several others were wounded in the Pakistan initiated attacks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police personnel and a civilian got injured after terrorists opened fired on police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Monday. The injured have been shifted to a local hospital for immediate treatment. The injured personnel Bilal Ahmad, is a personal guard of a local Conference (NC) leader. Following the firing, the area has been cordoned. Further details are awaited. (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 Monday said that his state was suffering a lot due the shutdown observed across the state to press for special category status. A state-wide bandh (shutdown) is in place in Andhra Pradesh today to build pressure on the Centre to grant special status to the state. The bandh has been called by Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti. Addressing a party coordination committee, Naidu said that the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) lost Rs. 12 crores and over 60 lakh passengers have suffered due to the one-day bandh. "Many more have lost employment with shutting down of shops. The state is already suffering a lot. Our protests should not be detrimental to the interests of the state. All should work for state interests and for the rights of five crores Andhra people," Naidu asserted. Opposition parties such as the Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Jana Sena, Congress and the Left parties have extended their support to the shutdown. However, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is not participating in the state-wide protest. Calling YSRCP as "fake", the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister claimed that their were "fake", coupled with false photos, videos and campaign. Naidu will observe a day-long hunger strike on April 20, on his birthday, in Vijayawada in protest against the Centre's non-cooperation towards the state. He called on the party leaders to hold massive hunger strikes in all 175 assembly constituencies on that day. He added that MLAs and in-charge leaders should lead the strikes in their respective constituencies. "13 ministers should sit in 13 districts. The remaining ministers will sit in the hunger strike along with me," said Naidu. The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister also called on party leaders to hold cycle rallies in all assembly constituencies in the state from April 21. Naidu said that cycle rallies should be held for 15 to 20 days in all villages and public meetings would be held in all constituency centres to propagate government victories. He opined that propagation is equally important with doing works. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SPARSH hospitals on Monday celebrated the successful completion of two kidney transplants at their Yeshwantpur facility. Both the patients have recovered and doing well. One patient who was brain dead (cadaver) a twenty-year-old young boy donated his kidney to a 61-year-old patient from Bengaluru while another 33-year-old lady Nagaratnamma from Tumkur donated her kidney to her own 43-year-old husband, Ashwatiah. The organ donations is such a humane act and it is said one human can save eight lives by donating his organs commitment to which is given when one is in the pink of This operation was conducted by Dr. Ramachander (Nephrologist), Dr. Avinash and team. While the live operation took three hours in the case of husband-wife duo, the cadaver patient to receiver patient too just over four hours. Both the receivers are doing well and back to their routines. SPARSH hospitals with this also announced that regular transplants can be done at their facility for kidney, heart, lungs and heart valve (tissue). The Yeshwantpur unit of SPARSH was opened three years ago and is a 250 bedded hospital with all facilities under one roof. SPARSH Hospitals other facility include one at Infantry road and one at Banneghatta road other than units in Mysore, Davanagere and Vijayapura. "It is heartening to see such a great teamwork by the SPARSH doctors and support staff and it surely calls for a celebration. Organ donation is such a Samaritan thought and the best part is that it gives life to the needy," said Chairman Dr. Sharan Patil. "I am glad we have such committed staff who worked day in and out to make this entire operation a celebration," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A brawl at a Sikh temple in the United States' Indianapolis left four people with minor injuries. "Police and health teams responded on Sunday to a verbal and physical fight involving about 150 people at the Gurdwara Sikh temple in the city just south of Indianapolis" the Fox News quoted Matthew Fillenwarth Assistant Police Chief of Greenwood as saying. The altercation began as there was a change of leadership within the temple which happens every two years, Fillenwarth added. Four people suffered minor injuries and have been admitted to the hospital. They will be later questioned by the police. The police are reviewing the surveillance video from the temple to know the exact sequence of events. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Muslims who reside in the United States have launched different political campaigns against President Donald Trump's "oppressive" policies on the community, ahead of the gubernatorial elections scheduled in November this year. Various Muslim and Arab advocacy groups-- like Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Emgage (formerly called Emerge USA), and the Arab American Institute have trained aspiring political activists, tracking rising politicians and running get-out-the-vote campaigns in regards to the rise in hate attacks against the minority community in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, The Washington Post reported. According to a poll by Emgage, a non-profit organisation working towards promoting Muslim political engagement in the country, 53 percent of Muslim voters said that they felt "less safe" after the 2016 US election. "But the response has been increased civic participation. I'm one of the people who, looking at the long-term impact of this, is optimistic," Wa'el Alzayat, the organisation's chief executive was quoted by The Washington Post as saying. The aspiring American Muslim candidates include all from different walks of lives, such as well-known political activists, former Obama administration officials, lawyers and physicians, a molecular biologist, women's rights advocates and a former Planned Parenthood manager. Over 3.3 million Muslims are living in the US. However, they account for just two seats in the 535-seat Congress. Also, their voter participation is very less as compared to others, according to the report. With the rise of such candidates, seeking to make a mark in the political circle, this has given rise to a "blue Muslim wave". Over 90 American Muslims, most of whom are young and politically inexperienced are running for public office this year in the US. Almost all of them are from the Democratic Party. According to a 2001 Zogby poll, 42 percent of the American Muslim respondents said that they had voted for the then-Republican presidential candidate, George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. 31 percent had voted for Democrat Al Gore, the report said. However, according to a Pew poll, only eight percent of American Muslims voted for Trump, while 78 percent voted for Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US election. Fawaz Nawabi, a 31-year-old candidate for San Diego City Council opposes all Trump's policies. "When you put someone in a corner and they're in survival mode, they have a tendency to come out and speak more prominently about their beliefs," said Nawabi, who considers himself an "unapologetic Muslim" and a "freelance imam" who can quote the Koran from memory. As per the report, in Michigan, where 13 Muslim candidates are running for public office, a physician named Abdul El-Sayed has lingered hopes that voters would elect him to be the first Muslim governor in the US. Interestingly, He has publicly endorsed his religion in his campaign advertisements against Republican candidate Bill Schuette, whom Trump has endorsed. "Donald Trump and Steve Bannon would love to see a right-wing radical like Bill Schuette elected in Michigan. You know what would be sweet justice? If we elected a 33-year-old Muslim instead of Bill Schuette. Send a message and help elect the first Muslim governor in America," a Facebook message for Sayed said. A 56-year-old pulmonologist named Asif Mahmood, if elected, could be the first Muslim insurance commissioner in California. While candidates such as Deedra Abboud, contesting from Arizona and Jesse Sbaih from Nevada, are fighting in the gubernatorial elections to be the first Muslim Senator in the US. Further, four more women are fighting it out to become the first Muslim female lawmaker in Congress. These include Nadia Hashimi from Maryland, Sameena Mustafa from Illinois and Rashida Tlaib and Fayrouz Saad from Michigan, according to the report. Many Muslim candidates in the upcoming elections are "wearing their religion, as a badge of honour". Some political analysts and candidates have opined that even if no Muslim candidate wins a seat in the gubernatorial elections, the "blue Muslim wave" would still have achieved the objectives. They have said that the American public will grow more "accustomed" to seeing more Muslim candidates in the political sphere. Aspiring Muslim youth, in particular, would like to share their ordeals and cultural values with the public. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A loan agreement worth USD 48 million for the "Meghalaya Community - Led Landscapes Management Project (MCLLMP)" was signed here on Monday between India and the World Bank. The objective of the project is to strengthen community-led landscapes management in selected landscapes in Meghalaya. The project consists of three components- strengthening knowledge and capacity for natural resource management; community-led landscape planning and implementation; and project management and governance. Meghalaya's natural resources such as land, water sources, and forests are a source of livelihood for a majority of the population in the State. The project will help manage these depleting resources, by strengthening the communities and traditional institutions. Restoration of degraded and highly degraded landscapes under the project will increase water for local communities and improve the soil productivity which will in turn increase incomes and reduce poverty. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan agreement was signed by Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Central Government and Hisham A Abdo Kahin, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank. A project agreement was also signed by P. Sampath Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya and CEO, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and Hisham A Abdo Kahin, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India). On a related note, the closing date of the aforementioned project is June 30, 2023. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mr. Rakesh Bharti Mittal, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), complimented the Government on its wide-ranging reforms and said that industry should strategise for investments now. India's economic environment has begun to improve due to introduction of major reforms such as GST, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, fixed term employment and so on. Industry must respond positively and undertake investments to sustain the recovery, stated Mr Mittal at his first press conference after assuming charge as CII President. The new CII President said that CII has evolved a strong agenda for industry under the Theme for the year of 'India RISE: Responsible. Inclusive. Sustainable. Entrepreneurial.' This theme dovetails with the Government's priorities as per the reforms already completed. Comprehensive new initiatives under each of these sub-themes were outlined. Noting CII's projections for growth in the coming year, Mr Mittal added, CII expects India's GDP to grow at 7.3 - 7.7% during 2018-19. This is based on strengthening demand in the rural economy, including agriculture and non-farm activities, as well as better global growth climate. There are some macro challenges like rising oil prices, but that would be more than compensated by improving industrial performance. Mr Mittal welcomed the policy to extend fixed term employment to all sectors, which CII had recommended. He stressed that in conjunction with this, industry needs to work on retraining and skilling for boosting formal sector employment and should desist from shifting permanent workers to this contract system. Elaborating on the CII theme, Mr Mittal outlined 10 new CII initiatives under India RISE theme: 1. Voluntary corporate governance codes for large enterprises, small and medium enterprises and financial sector; 2. Promotion of healthcare under Ayushman Bharat; 3. 6 new Model Career Centers to be set up to assist seamless connect of employment and employees; 4. Pilot project for strengthening Grameen Agricultural Markets (GrAM) and logistics corridor for perishables in southern states; 5. Capacity building of Farmer Producer Organisations and mentoring agri startups in line with mission of doubling farmers' incomes; 6. Launch of electric vehicles mission and promotion of green buildings; 7. CII-NITI Aayog India Innovation Index to rank states' innovation ecosystems; 8. Task force on reducing air pollution in Delhi NCR; 9. Three new international offices in emerging economies of Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia; and 10. Focus on North East and backward districts for skill development, nutrition and investment promotion, among other initiatives. CII is also taking up new competitiveness services for assisting industry to adopt digital transformation and align with Industry 4.0 technologies. The Digital Transformation Center of Excellence in partnership with Tata Communications will promote Digital India. CII's Future Business Group is a new initiative to handhold promising enterprises to achieve global scale, said the CII President. Another initiative mentioned by Mr. Mittal was launch of 'export certifications' which will help enterprises to align with the demands and quality standards of global markets. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Loan Agreement for IBRD loan of USD 48 million for the Meghalaya Community - Led Landscapes Management Project (MCLLMP) was signed with the World Bank. The Loan Agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (MI), Department of Economic Affairs on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Hisham A Abdo Kahin, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank. A Project Agreement was also signed by Mr. P. Sampath Kumar, Commissioner & Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya & CEO, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and Mr. Hisham A Abdo Kahin, Acting Country Director, World Bank (India). The Objective of the Project is to strengthen community-led landscapes management in selected landscapes in the State of Meghalaya. The Project consists of three components: (i) Strengthening Knowledge and Capacity for Natural Resource Management; (ii) Community-led landscape planning and implementation and (iii) Project Management and Governance. The closing date of the Project is 30th June, 2023. Meghalaya's natural resource such as land, water sources and forests is a source of livelihood for a majority of the population in the State. The Project will help manage these depleting resources, by strengthening the communities and traditional institutions. Restoration of degraded and highly degraded landscapes under the Project will increase water for local communities and improve the soil productivity which will in turn increase incomes and reduce poverty. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Infosys fell 3.42% to Rs 1,129 at 14:49 IST on BSE after the company's operating margin outlook fell short of market expectations. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 78.11 points, or 0.23% to 34,270.76. On the BSE, 4.63 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 1.76 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 1,140 and a low of Rs 1,099 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,220 on 24 January 2018. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 861.50 on 22 August 2017. On a consolidated basis, Infosys expects revenues to grow 6%-8% in constant currency in the fiscal year ending 31 March 2019 (FY 2019). It expects revenues to grow 8.2%-10.2% in rupee terms in FY 2019. Operating margin is expected in range of 22%-24% in FY 2019. Infosys' consolidated net profit fell 28.1% to Rs 3690 crore on 1.6% increase in revenues to Rs 18083 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q3 December 2017. Q4 March 2018 operating margin improved to 24.7% from 24.3% in Q3 December 2017. The result are under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). It was announced after market hours Friday, 13 April 2018. On a consolidated basis, net profit grew 11.7% to Rs 16029 crore in the year ended 31 March 2018 over the year ended 31 March 2017. Revenues were at Rs 70522 crore in the year ended 31 March 2018, a year on year (YoY) growth of 3% in reported terms and a growth of 5.8% in constant currency terms. Operating margins were reported at 24.3% in the year ended 31 March 2018. Salil Parekh, CEO, said the company will execute its strategy around the four pillars of scaling its Agile Digital business, energizing its client's core technology landscape via AI and automation, re-skilling its employees, and expanding its localization in markets such as US, Europe, and Australia. Pravin Rao, COO, said during the quarter, Infosys provided highest level of variable payouts in several years. The company will roll out compensation increases for a large part of its workforce effective 1 April 2018. M.D. Ranganath, CFO, said the company's margin guidance reflects its emphasis on digital-led growth and focused investments in this journey. On 13 April 2018, Infosys entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WongDoody Holding Company, Inc., a US-based digital creative and consumer insights agency for a total consideration of up to $75 million including contingent consideration and retention payouts, subject to regulatory approvals and fulfillment of closing conditions. In the quarter ended 31 March 2018, on conclusion of a strategic review of its portfolio of businesses, Infosys initiated identification and evaluation of potential buyers for its subsidiaries, Kallidus and Skava (together referred to as Skava) and Panaya (collectively referred to as the disposal group). The company anticipates completion of the sale by March 2019 and accordingly, assets amounting to Rs 2060 crore ($316 million) and liabilities amounting to Rs 324 crore ($50 million) in respect of the disposal group have been reclassified and presented as held for sale. On reclassification, an impairment loss of Rs 118 crore ($18 million) in respect of Panaya has been recognized in the consolidated profit and loss for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2018. The corresponding write down in the investment value of Panaya in the standalone financial statements of Infosys is Rs 589 crore ($90 million). Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trading of Nifty 50 index futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could fall 58 points at the opening bell. Shares of IT major Infosys will react to its Q4 March 2018 results declared after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Overseas, Asian stocks were mixed as traders assessed the likelihood the fallout of an American-led strike on Syria could be contained. US stocks fell on Friday, 13 April 2018 as weakness in shares of banks and finance firms added to the political and trade tensions weighing on the market. US President Donald Trump declared mission accomplished via Twitter on Saturday, a day after the US, France and the UK launched military strikes in response to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's suspected chemical attack on civilians. Back home,domestic stocks logged modest gains in a volatile trading session on Friday, 13 April 2018 led by gains in index heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC and Infosys. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, rose 91.52 points or 0.27% to settle at 34,192.65. The Nifty 50 index rose 21.95 points or 0.21% to settle at 10,480.60. The trading activity on that day showed that the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 399.59 crore on Friday, 13 April 2018, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 306.05 crore on Friday, 13 April 2018 as per provisional data. Among corporate news,IT major Infosys announced after market hours Friday, 13 April 2018, that consolidated net profit fell 28.1% to Rs 3690 crore on 1.6% increase in revenues to Rs 18083 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result are under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). On a consolidated basis, Infosys expects revenues to grow 6%-8% in constant currency in the fiscal year ending 31 March 2019 (FY 2019). It expects revenues to grow 8.2%-10.2% in rupee terms in FY 2019. On 13 April 2018, Infosys entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WongDoody Holding Company, Inc., a US-based digital creative and consumer insights agency for a total consideration of up to $75 million including contingent consideration and retention payouts, subject to regulatory approvals and fulfillment of closing conditions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stocks extended losses in mid-morning trade as fresh selling derailed an intraday recovery on the bourses. At 11:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 87.75 points or 0.26% at 34,104.90. The Nifty 50 index was down 21.85 points or 0.21% at 10,458.75. Most pharma shares gained. Telecom stocks saw mixed trend. Negative Asian stocks amid geopolitical tensions over Syria and trade war concerns weighed on the domestic bourses. A bout of volatility was seen in early trade as the key benchmark indices cut losses after a gap-down opening triggered by negative Asian stocks. The Sensex regained the psychological 34,000 level soon after an initial slide pulled it below that level in opening trade. Stocks recovered further lost ground in morning trade. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.18%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.1%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was weak. On the BSE, 1,425 shares fell and 919 shares rose. A total of 160 shares were unchanged. Breadth was negative till morning trade. Reliance Industries (RIL) fell 0.84%. RIL's subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIL) has signed a ~JPY 53.5 billion Samurai term loan with 7 year bullet maturity (the Facility). The Facility is guaranteed by RIL and will be used for funding RJIL's ongoing capital expenditure. The Facility will be shortly launched into syndication. The announcement was made on Saturday, 14 April 2018. Meanwhile, RIL on Sunday, 15 April 2018 said that the company in conjunction with JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Company submitted a resolution plan for Alok Industries. The plan did not meet with the approval of the Committee of Creditors of Alok Industries as required under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, RIL said. Most pharma shares gained. Cipla (up 4.36%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (up 0.53%), Cadila Healthcare (up 0.04%), Lupin (up 1.66%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 0.78%), Aurobindo Pharma (up 1.1%) and Wockhardt (up 0.93%) rose. Alkem Laboratories (down 1.28%), GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (down 0.26%) and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (down 0.52%) fell. Telecom stocks saw mixed trend. Idea Cellular (down 1.52%), MTNL (down 1.47%) and Reliance Communications (down 1.57%) declined. Bharti Airtel (up 0.29%) and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) (up 0.67%) rose. Shares of Bharti Infratel fell 0.85%. Bharti Infratel is a provider of tower and related infrastructure and is a unit of Bharti Airtel. On the macro front, India's merchandise exports fell 0.7% to US$ 29.11 billion in March 2018 over a year ago. Meanwhile, merchandise imports moved up 7.1% to US$ 42.80 billion. The trade deficit jumped 28.6% to US$ 13.69 billion in March 2018 from US$ 10.65 billion in March 2017. The data was released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Merchandise exports in rupees declined 1.9% to Rs 189271 crore, while imports moved up 5.8% to Rs 278297 crore in March 2018 over March 2017. The trade deficit rose to Rs 89026 crore in March 2018 compared with Rs 70127 crore in March 2017. India's merchandise exports increased 10% to US$ 302.84 billion, while merchandise imports surged 19.7% to US$ 459.67 billion in April-March 2018. An increase in imports was driven by a 25.7% jump in oil imports to US$ 109.11 billion. India's merchandise trade deficit galloped to US$ 156.83 billion in April-March 2018 from US$ 108.92 billion in April-March 2017. Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading lower as investors assess airstrikes against Syria over the weekend and focus on the start of earnings season in the US as well as speeches by Federal Reserve officials. US stocks fell on Friday, 13 April 2018 as weakness in shares of banks and finance firms added to the political and trade tensions weighing on the market. US President Donald Trump declared mission accomplished via Twitter on Saturday, a day after the US, France and the UK launched military strikes targeting three chemical weapons facilities in Syria in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack in Douma on April 7. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stocks cut losses and were trading with small losses in morning trade after an initial setback triggered by negative Asian stocks. At 10:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 38.33 points or 0.11% at 34,154.32. The Nifty 50 index was down 8.85 points or 0.08% at 10,471.75. Most IT stocks rose. Cement stocks gained. A bout of volatility was seen in early trade as the key benchmark indices cut losses after a gap-down opening triggered by negative Asian stocks. The Sensex regained the psychological 34,000 level soon after an initial slide pulled it below that level in opening trade. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.01%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.16%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On the BSE, 1,150 shares fell and 943 shares rose. A total of 153 shares were unchanged. Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading lower as investors assess airstrikes against Syria over the weekend and focus on the start of earnings season in the US as well as speeches by Federal Reserve officials. US stocks fell on Friday, 13 April 2018 as weakness in shares of banks and finance firms added to the political and trade tensions weighing on the market. US President Donald Trump declared mission accomplished via Twitter on Saturday, a day after the US, France and the UK launched military strikes in response to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's suspected chemical attack on civilians. Back home, most IT stocks rose. Oracle Financial Services Software (up 1.6%), TCS (up 0.38%), Tech Mahindra (up 0.63%), L&T Infotech (up 0.92%), Hexaware Technologies (up 0.29%) and Mphasis (up 0.61%) rose. MindTree (down 0.43%), Wipro (down 0.36%) and HCL Technologies (down 0.54%) fell. IT major Infosys dropped 2.99% reacting to its Q4 March 2018 results declared after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Infosys' consolidated net profit fell 28.1% to Rs 3690 crore on 1.6% increase in revenues to Rs 18083 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result are under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). On a consolidated basis, net profit grew 11.7% to Rs 16029 crore in the year ended 31 March 2018 over the year ended 31 March 2017. Revenues were Rs 70522 crore in the year ended 31 March 2018, a year on year (YoY) growth of 3% in reported terms and a growth of 5.8% in constant currency terms. Infosys expects consolidated revenues to grow 6%-8% in constant currency in the fiscal year ending 31 March 2019 (FY 2019). It expects consolidated revenues to grow 8.2%-10.2% in rupee terms in FY 2019. On 13 April 2018, Infosys entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WongDoody Holding Company, Inc., a US-based digital creative and consumer insights agency for a total consideration of up to $75 million including contingent consideration and retention payouts, subject to regulatory approvals and fulfillment of closing conditions. Cement stocks rose. Ambuja Cements (up 0.25%), ACC (up 0.36%), UltraTech Cement (up 0.06%) gained. Shree Cement (down 0.34%) fell. Grasim Industries was up 2.21%. Grasim has exposure to the cement sector through its holding in UltraTech Cement. GRUH Finance rose 5.16% to Rs 644 at 10:00 IST on BSE after net profit rose 18.16% to Rs 130.51 crore on 16.39% increase in total income to Rs 484.31 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q4 March 2017. The result was announced on Saturday, 14 April 2018. GRUH Finance said disbursements during the year ended 31 March 2018 amounted to Rs 5259 crore as compared to Rs 4125 crore during the corresponding period in previous year, representing a growth of 27%. Loan assets have increased from Rs 13244 crore as on 31 March 2017 to Rs 15568 crore as on 31 March 2018, registering a growth of 18%. GRUH Finance said that its board recommended issuing bonus shares in the ratio of 1:1 (i.e. 1 equity share for each equity share held as on the record date to be fixed for the purpose) to the shareholders of the company. On the macro front, India's merchandise exports fell 0.7% to US$ 29.11 billion in March 2018 over a year ago. Meanwhile, merchandise imports moved up 7.1% to US$ 42.80 billion. The trade deficit jumped 28.6% to US$ 13.69 billion in March 2018 from US$ 10.65 billion in March 2017. The data was released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Merchandise exports in rupees declined 1.9% to Rs 189271 crore, while imports moved up 5.8% to Rs 278297 crore in March 2018 over March 2017. The trade deficit rose to Rs 89026 crore in March 2018 compared with Rs 70127 crore in March 2017. India's merchandise exports increased 10% to US$ 302.84 billion, while merchandise imports surged 19.7% to US$ 459.67 billion in April-March 2018. An increase in imports was driven by a 25.7% jump in oil imports to US$ 109.11 billion. India's merchandise trade deficit galloped to US$ 156.83 billion in April-March 2018 from US$ 108.92 billion in April-March 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices cut losses in early afternoon trade. At 12:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 55.68 points or 0.16% at 34,136.97. The Nifty 50 index was down 7.55 points or 0.07% at 10,473.05. FMCG stocks saw mixed trend. Realty stocks gained. Shares of index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC gained. Negative Asian stocks amid geopolitical tensions over Syria and trade war concerns weighed on the domestic bourses. A bout of volatility was seen in early trade as the key benchmark indices cut losses after a gap-down opening triggered by negative Asian stocks. The Sensex regained the psychological 34,000 level soon after an initial slide pulled it below that level in opening trade. Stocks recovered further lost ground in morning trade. Indices extended losses in mid-morning trade on fresh selling in index pivotals. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.05%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.09%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On the BSE, 1,445 shares fell and 1,003 shares rose. A total of 163 shares were unchanged. Breadth was negative till morning trade. Breadth weakened in mid-morning trade. Index heavyweight and cigarette major ITC gained 1.21% to Rs 263.95. FMCG stocks saw mixed trend. Britannia Industries (up 1.01%), GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare (up 0.58%), Dabur India (up 0.59%), Godrej Consumer Products (up 0.49%), Marico (up 0.7%), Nestle India (up 0.66%) and Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care (up 0.4%) rose. Bajaj Corp (down 2.16%), Jyothy Laboratories (down 0.74%), Colgate-Palmolive (India) (down 0.26%), Hindustan Unilever (down 0.1%) and Tata Global Beverages (down 0.49%) fell. Realty stocks gained. Indiabulls Real Estate (up 2.02%), DLF (up 0.62%), Sobha (up 0.27%), Parsvnath Developers (up 1.09%), Omaxe (up 0.58%), Godrej Properties (up 0.36%), Prestige Estates Projects (up 1.56%) and Oberoi Realty (up 0.66%) rose. Housing Development and Infrastructure (down 0.84%), D B Realty (down 2.66%) and Unitech (down 2.33%) fell. UCO Bank lost 7.59% on reports CBI filed a case against former bank chairman Arun Kaul relating to an alleged Rs 621 crore bank loan fraud case. According to media reports, officials at UCO Bank had colluded with private infrastructure firm Era Engineering Infra, and investment banking firm Altius Finserve, to siphon two bank loans. After filing the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reportedly conducted searches at over 10 places in Delhi and Mumbai, including Kaul's residence, the premises of chartered accountants and the two firms. Kaul was the CMD of the bank between 2010 and 2015. It is reportedly alleged that two loans worth Rs 200 crore and Rs 450 crore were given which were then diverted by these companies and not used for the purposes for which they were issued. On the macro front, India's merchandise exports fell 0.7% to US$ 29.11 billion in March 2018 over a year ago. Meanwhile, merchandise imports moved up 7.1% to US$ 42.80 billion. The trade deficit jumped 28.6% to US$ 13.69 billion in March 2018 from US$ 10.65 billion in March 2017. The data was released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Merchandise exports in rupees declined 1.9% to Rs 189271 crore, while imports moved up 5.8% to Rs 278297 crore in March 2018 over March 2017. The trade deficit rose to Rs 89026 crore in March 2018 compared with Rs 70127 crore in March 2017. India's merchandise exports increased 10% to US$ 302.84 billion, while merchandise imports surged 19.7% to US$ 459.67 billion in April-March 2018. An increase in imports was driven by a 25.7% jump in oil imports to US$ 109.11 billion. India's merchandise trade deficit galloped to US$ 156.83 billion in April-March 2018 from US$ 108.92 billion in April-March 2017. Overseas, most Asian stocks were trading lower as investors assess airstrikes against Syria over the weekend and focus on the start of earnings season in the US as well as speeches by Federal Reserve officials. US stocks fell on Friday, 13 April 2018 as weakness in shares of banks and finance firms added to the political and trade tensions weighing on the market. US President Donald Trump declared mission accomplished via Twitter on Saturday, a day after the US, France and the UK launched military strikes targeting three chemical weapons facilities in Syria in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack in Douma on April 7. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices cut sharp initial losses triggered by negative Asian stocks. At 9:24 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 81.61 points or 0.24% at 34,111.04. The Nifty 50 index was down 17.75 points or 0.17% at 10,462.85. The Sensex regained the psychological 34,000 level in volatile trade soon after sliding below that level in opening trade. Shares of IT major Infosys dropped in reaction to its Q4 March 2018 results declared after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.03%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.07%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On the BSE, 910 shares fell and 660 shares rose. A total of 90 shares were unchanged. Overseas, Most Asian stocks were trading lower as investors assess airstrikes against Syria over the weekend and focus on the start of earnings season in the US as well as speeches by Federal Reserve officials. US stocks fell on Friday, 13 April 2018 as weakness in shares of banks and finance firms added to the political and trade tensions weighing on the market. US President Donald Trump declared mission accomplished via Twitter on Saturday, a day after the US, France and the UK launched military strikes in response to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's suspected chemical attack on civilians. Back home, Tata Motors (down 1.57%), Wipro (down 1.41%) and ONGC (down 0.99%) edged lower from the Sensex pack. IT major Infosys dropped 3.66% reacting to its Q4 March 2018 results declared after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Infosys' consolidated net profit fell 28.1% to Rs 3690 crore on 1.6% increase in revenues to Rs 18083 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result are under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). On a consolidated basis, net profit grew 11.7% to Rs 16029 crore in the year ended 31 March 2018 over the year ended 31 March 2017. Revenues were Rs 70522 crore in the year ended 31 March 2018, a year on year (YoY) growth of 3% in reported terms and a growth of 5.8% in constant currency terms. Infosys expects consolidated revenues to grow 6%-8% in constant currency in the fiscal year ending 31 March 2019 (FY 2019). It expects consolidated revenues to grow 8.2%-10.2% in rupee terms in FY 2019. On 13 April 2018, Infosys entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WongDoody Holding Company, Inc., a US-based digital creative and consumer insights agency for a total consideration of up to $75 million including contingent consideration and retention payouts, subject to regulatory approvals and fulfillment of closing conditions. Dilip Buildcon fell 0.12%. Dilip Buildcon said it incorporated 5 new special purpose vehicles companies for 5 projects awarded by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) valued at Rs 6306.90 crore. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Bliss GVS Pharma fell 0.19%. Bliss GVS Pharma announced that its subsidiary, Bliss GVS Clinic Healthcare, Singapore, received total consideration of $12 million for the sale of 51% shares of Bliss GVS Healthcare, Kenya, a step-down subsidiary, from Mayfair Healthcare Holdings. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 13 April 2018. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It may take at least another three quarters before the problem of twin balance sheets of banks and highly leveraged corporate firms gets reasonably resolved, even as the process of resolution of the companies under IBC reference would pick up pace in the coming months, said ASSOCHAM. "Our own assessment is that it would take another six to nine months before the banks see revival of confidence to lend afresh as they would then see reasonable amount of their non-performing assets (NPAs) get unlocked through a resolution. Besides, with sales growth expected to witness a revival, the ability to service debt would improve considerably," the chamber said. ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr D S Rawat urged the Reserve Bank of India to relax the norms proposed in its February circular as the same are quite harsh both on the bank as also the borrowers. "These norms would aggravate rather than solving the problem of NPAs; at this point of time, both the lenders and borrowers need to be given a confidence and policy support. As long as there is a willingness to resolve the problem, all support must be extended. After all, as is evident from the stressed assets in steel and cement, there is a huge rush for acquiring the same. This shows there is a tremendous inherent value proposition and these assets can be turned into first class performing assets within a few years". He said in the coming months, the IBC process would see some refinement, based on the experience gained so far even as the capacity to handle the cases would get built up in an institutionalised manner. "Be it consortium of creditors, debtors, insolvency professionals, company law tribunals or even higher courts, they would all gain useful experience and would have some successful precedents to follow, going forward". According to the ASSOCHAM, within India Inc, there is also a growing realisation that in case the projects are stuck for reasons, there is a legitimate exit route available before the creditors and promoters. The IBC system needs to be supported and made the best from the global standards with active involvement of the government, regulators, lenders, borrowers and the judiciary". Post the clean-up, the entire corporate governance structure should see a transformation, raising the standards of internal controls, external oversight, disclosure and authority of the boards, the chamber noted with confidence. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UCO Bank fell 7.83% to Rs 20.60 at 11:30 IST on BSE on reports CBI filed a case against former bank chairman Arun Kaul relating to an alleged Rs 621 crore bank loan fraud case. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 82.77 points, or 0.24% to 34,109.88. On the BSE, 6.47 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 49,000 shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 20.80 so far during the day. The stock had hit a low of Rs 19.15 so far during the day, which is also a 52-week low for the counter. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 44.80 on 5 May 2017. According to media reports, officials at UCO Bank had colluded with private infrastructure firm Era Engineering Infra, and investment banking firm Altius Finserve, to siphon two bank loans. After filing the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) reportedly conducted searches at over 10 places in Delhi and Mumbai, including Kaul's residence, the premises of chartered accountants and the two firms. Kaul was the CMD of the bank between 2010 and 2015. It is reportedly alleged that two loans worth Rs 200 crore and Rs 450 crore were given which were then diverted by these companies and not used for the purposes for which they were issued. UCO Bank reported net loss of Rs 1016.43 crore in Q3 December 2017 as against net loss of Rs 437.09 crore in Q3 December 2016. Total income declined 23.48% to Rs 3721.93 crore in Q3 December 2017 over Q3 December 2016. The Government of India held 84.23% stake in UCO Bank as on 31 March 2018 as per the shareholding pattern. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 15-member group of the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit has joined the Taliban in Afghanistan's Darzab district, police said on Monday. 'The 15 fighters who operated as the Ghazanfar group deserted IS ranks and joined the Taliban on Friday,' Xinhua news agency quoted a police official as saying. Many members of the IS in Afghanistan are former Taliban fighters, according to the official. --IANS and/ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Monday upheld a trial court judgement which had awarded life imprisonment to five men in the 2014 Danish woman gang rape case. A bench of Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice I.S. Mehta dismissed the appeals moved by the convicts -- Mahender alias Ganja, Mohammed Raja, Raju Bhajje, Arjun and Raju Chhaka. They had challenged the 2016 trial court judgment which convicted them for gang rape, dacoity, kidnapping, wrongful confinement and intimidation. The court said the convicts had shown the country in poor light. According to the prosecution, the five, all vagabonds, had robbed and gang raped the Danish tourist at knife-point on the night of January 14, 2014 after leading her to a secluded spot close to the Divisional Railway Officers' Club near New Delhi Railway Station. There were a total of nine accused, including three juveniles, in the case, who were charged with gang raping the woman. One of the adult accused died at the fag end of the trial. --IANS akk/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirty-nine people were killed in accidents across Sri Lanka during the New Year period which began on April 12 and ended on Monday, police said. The accidents were mainly due to drunken driving and speeding, police spokesperson S.P. Ruwan Gunasekara told Xinhua news agency. Over 515 drivers were also arrested for drunken driving from various districts during the period. Security had been tightened across the country since April 12 to nab drunk and speeding drivers. Sri Lanka celebrated its traditional New Year over the weekend, in what is considered the longest holiday in the island country. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven inmates were killed and 17 others sustained serious injuries in a prison riot at a maximum security jail in the US state of South Carolina, authorities said on Monday. Clashes among inmates at the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville took place at 7.15 p.m. on Sunday and order was completely restored by about 3 a.m. on Monday, the state's Corrections Department said on its Facebook page. No prison officers were wounded, it added. The Department described the fights as "multiple inmate-on-inmate altercations." Lee Correctional Institution, which opened in 1993, houses about 1,500 male inmates -- some of South Carolina's most violent and longest-serving offenders. Two officers were stabbed here in a 2015 fight. In February, one inmate killed another. Lee has the most number of deaths than any South Carolina prison in recent years. In 2017, four inmates were killed by a pair of prisoners in the state's Kirkland Correctional Institution. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday witnessed the concluding ceremony of the joint tri-services military exercise "Gulf Shield-1" held along the East Coast of Saudi Arabia, his office in Islamabad said. The month-long exercise was joined by troops from over 20 countries and was aimed at strengthening "military and security cooperation and coordination" among the regional countries, Xinhua news agency reported. Abbasi attended the exercises on the special invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Troops of the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force C-130 aircraft, JF-17 Thunder Fighter jets, Pakistan Navy ships and commandos from the Special Services Group also participated in the exercise. The exercises were aimed at raising the level of preparedness, enhancing mutual coordination and cooperation among the participating countries and exchange of expertise and security integration. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to resign in June over two cronyism scandals that sent his approval ratings to an all-time low and risk damaging his partys fortunes in the 2019 elections, former leader Junichiro Koizumi told a weekly magazine. Koizumi, who was Prime Minister from 2001-06, told Aera magazine published on Monday that Abe has found himself in a "dangerous" situation over the scandals. "Won't Abe resign around the time the parliamentary session ends (on June 20)?" The Prime Minister's popularity hit a record low of 26.7 per cent in a survey conducted by Nippon TV, while according to Asahi's survey it fell by 31 per cent, the lowest in more than five years of Abe's term, much lower than April 2013, when his rating peaked at 65.7 per cent. His popularity plunged more than 10 points, after his Finance Minister had admitted in March that his ministry had faked documents related to the sale of state-owned land at around one-tenth of its price to a private educational institution, with alleged links to the Prime Minister and his wife, Akie Abe. Abe had appeared before Parliament where he denied his and his wife's involvement in the scandal and said he would resign if he or his wife were shown to have intervened in the sale of the land. The new ratings came after nearly 50,000 people demonstrated over the weekend in Tokyo against Abe's government and demanded his resignation. Koizumi said Abe could harm his Liberal Democratic Party's chances in next summer's upper house elections if he manages to cling on to the LDP presidency in a leadership election due in September. Abe is also alleged to have used his influence to help a friend secure permission to open a veterinary school -- claims he rejected. Last week, however, an official document emerged describing the veterinary school as "an issue that involves the Prime Minister". --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's popularity ratings hit its lowest since he took office in 2012, following his role in an alleged cronyism scandal, according to polls released on Monday. The Prime Minister's popularity hit a record low of 26.7 per cent in a survey conducted by Nippon TV, while according to Asahi's survey it fell by 31 per cent, the lowest in more than five years of Abe's term, much lower than April 2013, when his rating peaked at 65.7 per cent, reports Efe news. Abe's popularity plunged more than 10 points, after his Finance Minister had admitted in March that his ministry had faked documents related to the sale of state-owned land at around one-tenth of its price to a private educational institution, with alleged links to the Prime Minister and his wife, Akie Abe. The new ratings come after nearly 50,000 people demonstrated over the weekend in Tokyo against Abe's government and demanded his resignation, calling him a "liar". The alleged cronyism scandal came to light in February 2017 but had died down until the Finance Minister had admitted to doctoring documents at the beginning of March, which led Abe to appear before Parliament where he denied his and his wife's involvement in the scandal. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A murder convict absconding for the past one year and another person accused in a murder case were arrested on Monday, police said. Kamal Singh was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2015 in a murder case. Abdul Karim, 27, of Tahipur is an accused in a separate murder case registered in the Nand Nagri police station. Kamal Singh was hiding in Faridabad in Haryana since March 2017 as he absconded after release on parole for a month, Joint Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar said. The accused were sent in judicial custody by Delhi courts, he added. --IANS umer/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A decade after a bomb blast killed nine worshippers at the historic Mecca Masjid here, a NIA court on Monday acquitted all five Hindu activists accused. Within hours, the judge who ordered the acquittals resigned, citing "personal reasons". The National Investigation Agency court held that none of the charges framed against the accused, including Swamy Aseemanand, had been proved, a lawyer for one of the accused told reporters outside the court complex. Righwing Hindu activists Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajender Chowdhary, against whom the charges were framed, were all acquitted. Hours later, special NIA court judge K. Ravinder Reddy tendered his resignation, surprising legal and political circles. His letter was sent to the Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court. There was no information if his decision was linked to the verdict or some other issue. Swamy Aseemanand, a resident of Gujarat and head of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, was earlier acquitted in the Ajmer Dargah blast case and is currently on bail in Samjhauta Express blast case of 2014. Devendra Gupta is the RSS pracharak from Bihar while Lokesh Sharma is a RSS activist from Madhya Pradesh. The powerful explosion also injured more than 50 during the Friday prayers at the 17th century mosque near the iconic Charminar on May 18, 2007. Later, five more people were killed in subsequent police firing on the crowd outside the mosque. There were a total of 10 accused in the case and five of them were chargesheeted by the NIA. One, Sunil Joshi, a RSS pracharak, was murdered during the course of investigation. Three accused, Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, both RSS activists, and Amit Chowhan, are absconding while Tejram Parmar is on bail. A total of three chargesheets were filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the NIA in the sensational case. Over 200 witnesses were examined and 400 documents were submitted to the court. The city police, which initially took up investigations, blamed Bangaldeshi terror outfit Harkatul Jihad Islami and rounded up about 100 Muslim youth. All those arrested and jailed were acquitted in 2008 and the subsequent investigations by the CBI in 2010 revealed that the blast was the handiwork of Hindu rightwing group Abhinav Bharat. The case was handed over to NIA on April 4, 2011. According to the chargesheet, the accused were "angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples" and conspired to "avenge" such acts with attacks on Muslim places of worship and places densely populated by Muslims. The chargesheet also mentioned that Aseemanand made a confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate in Delhi. He had allegedly disclosed the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in different places, including Mecca. Aseemanand allegedly retracted the statement later. Aseemanand was first arrested by CBI in 2010 but was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the case. Reacting to the acquittal, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi said justice had not been done and that the ruling will weaken the fight against terrorism. He said it was a biased investigation and NIA was not allowed to pursue the case by its political masters. In a series of tweets, Owaisi said the NIA and Modi-led government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused within 90 days. Defence lawyer and BJP's member of Telangana legislative council N. Ramchandra Rao hailed the judgement. He said there was no evidence against the accused and alleged that the then UPA government had implicated them in a false case to malign the Sangh Parivar. --IANS ms/mr/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A decade after a bomb blast killed nine worshippers at the historic Mecca Masjid here, a NIA court on Monday acquitted all five Hindu activists accused. Within hours, the judge who ordered the acquittals resigned, citing "personal reasons". While Congress and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) criticised the acquittals, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the verdict exposed the appeasement politics of Congress. The National Investigation Agency court held that none of the charges framed against the accused, including Swamy Aseemanand, had been proved, a lawyer for one of the accused told reporters outside the court complex. Righwing Hindu activists Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajender Chowdhary, against whom the charges were framed, were all acquitted. Hours later, special NIA court judge K. Ravinder Reddy tendered his resignation, surprising legal and political circles. His letter was sent to the Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court. There was no information if his decision was linked to the verdict or some other issue. Swamy Aseemanand, a resident of Gujarat and head of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, was earlier acquitted in the Ajmer Dargah blast case and is currently on bail in Samjhauta Express blast case of 2014. Devendra Gupta is the RSS pracharak from Bihar while Lokesh Sharma is a RSS activist from Madhya Pradesh. The powerful explosion also injured more than 50 during the Friday prayers at the 17th century mosque near the iconic Charminar on May 18, 2007. Later, five more people were killed in subsequent police firing on the crowd outside the mosque. There were a total of 10 accused in the case and five of them were chargesheeted by the NIA. One, Sunil Joshi, a RSS pracharak, was murdered during the course of investigation. Three accused, Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, both RSS activists, and Amit Chowhan, are absconding while Tejram Parmar is on bail. A total of three chargesheets were filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the NIA in the sensational case. Over 200 witnesses were examined and 400 documents were submitted to the court. The city police, which initially took up investigations, blamed Bangaldeshi terror outfit Harkatul Jihad Islami and rounded up about 100 Muslim youth. All those arrested and jailed were acquitted in 2008 and the subsequent investigations by the CBI in 2010 revealed that the blast was the handiwork of Hindu rightwing group Abhinav Bharat. The case was handed over to NIA on April 4, 2011. According to the chargesheet, the accused were "angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples" and conspired to "avenge" such acts with attacks on Muslim places of worship and places densely populated by Muslims. The chargesheet also mentioned that Aseemanand made a confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate in Delhi. He had allegedly disclosed the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in different places, including Mecca. Aseemanand allegedly retracted the statement later. Aseemanand was first arrested by CBI in 2010 but was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the case. Reacting to the acquittal, MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said justice had not been done and that the ruling will weaken the fight against terrorism. He said it was a biased investigation and NIA was not allowed to pursue the case by its political masters. In a series of tweets, Owaisi said the NIA and Modi-led government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused within 90 days. The Hyderabad MP urged Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to use his good offices to put pressure on the central government to challenge the judgement in a higher court. Defence lawyer and BJP's member of Telangana legislative council N. Ramchandra Rao hailed the judgement. He said there was no evidence against the accused and alleged that the then UPA government had implicated them in a false case to malign the Sangh Parivar. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said people were losing faith in NIA. He told television channels that accused in several cases were acquitted since the BJP-led government was formed at the Centre four years ago. The BJP said it had exposed the Congress' appeasement politics and proved that there is "no such thing as saffron terror". BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the Congress of defaming Hindu religion by coining the term and demanded an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 11 years after a bomb blast killed nine worshippers at the historic Mecca Masjid here, a special NIA court on Monday acquitted all five Hindu activist accused, inviting strong criticism from Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. The National Investigation Agency court held that none of the charges framed against the accused, including Swamy Aseemanand, had been proved, a lawyer for one of the accused told reporters outside the Nampally criminal court complex. Righwing Hindu activists Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajender Chowdhary, against whom the charges were framed, were all acquitted. Swamy Aseemanand, a resident of Gujarat and head of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, was earlier acquitted in the Ajmer Dargah blast case and is currently on bail in Samjhauta Express blast case of 2014. Devendra Gupta is the RSS parcharak from Bihar while Lokesh Sharma is a RSS activist from Madhya Pradesh. The powerful explosion had killed nine people and injured more than 50 during the Friday prayers at the 17th century mosque near the iconic Charminar on May 18, 2007. Two live IEDs were also recovered by police and defused. Later, five more people were killed in subsequent police firing on the crowd outside the mosque. There were a total of 10 accused in the case and five of them were chargesheeted by the NIA. One, Sunil Joshi, a RSS pracharak, was murdered during the course of investigation. Three accused, Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, both RSS activists, and Amit Chowhan, are absconding while Tejram Parmar is on bail. A total of three chargesheets were filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the NIA in the sensational case. Over 200 witnesses were examined and 400 documents were submitted to the court. The city police, which initially took up investigations, blamed Bangaldeshi terror outfit Harkatul Jihad Islami Aand rounded up about 100 Muslim youth. All those arrested and jailed were acquitted in 2008 and the subsequent investigations by the CBI in 2010 revealed that the blast was the handiwork of Hindu rightwing group Abhinav Bharat. The case was handed over to NIA on April 4, 2011. According to the chargesheet, the accused were "angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples" and conspired to "avenge" such acts with attacks on Muslim places of worship and places densely populated by Muslims. The chargesheet also mentioned that Aseemanand made a confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate in Delhi. He had allegedly disclosed the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in different places, including Mecca. Aseemanand allegedly retracted the statement later. Aseemanand was first arrested by CBI in 2010 but was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the case. Police sounded an alert in Hyderabad following the court verdict. No untoward incident was reported till evening. Reacting to the acquittal, Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi said justice had not been done and that the ruling will weaken the fight against terrorism. He said it was a biased investigation and NIA was not allowed to pursue the case by its political masters. In a series of tweets, Owaisi said the NIA and Modi-led government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused within 90 days. "Witnesses turned hostile after June 2014. They could not give proper statements, so everything was done to fail the victims," he said. Defence lawyer and BJP's member of Telangana legislative council N. Ramchandra Rao hailed the judgement. He said there was no evidence against the accused and alleged that the then UPA government had implicated them in a false case to malign the Sangh Parivar. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Industrialist Anand Mahindra's offer to "execute rapists and murderers of young girls" in the country has elicited a huge response on social media on Monday, with many more openly volunteering to support him. Enraged at the news of an eight-year-old girl brutally raped, mutilated and murdered in Gujarat's Surat, the 62-year-old Chairman of automobiles giant Mahindra Group on Sunday shot off an angry tweet: "The job of executioner is not an aspirational job. But for the execution of brutal rapists & murders of young girls, I would volunteer unhesitatingly." "I work hard to stay calm, but my blood boils over to see this happen in our country," his tweet said, reflecting his anguish and anger. The rape in Surat comes at the height of protests all over the country in the wake of the rape and murder of a minor girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and the rape of a teenaged girl in Unnao of Uttar Pradesh. Soon after Mahindra's comment, celebrity photographer Atul Kasbekar tweeted: "You'll have to get in line", indicating his own keenness to act as executioner in such crimes. Others said that Mahindra's army of 6.6 million (Twitter) followers will be ready to be a part of this great deed, and others offered to give a helping hand whenever required. Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan and Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam organised candle-lit marches on Sunday to pay homage to the Kathua victim and express solidarity with the Unnao survivor, besides similar silent protests all over the state. There have been massive protests against the Kathua and Unnao incidents in several other metros like New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and in different states since the past few days, apart from people pouring their grief and outrage on social media while demanding justice. --IANS qn/him/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Army should be ready to handle security challenges arising from both within and outside the country, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said on Monday. He was addressing senior army officials at the first day of the biannual Army Commanders' Conference, an official statement said. "He (Bhamre) stressed upon the need for being prepared for highly dynamic internal and external security challenges," Indian Army spokesman, Col. Aman Anand said in the statement. The minister complimented the Indian Army for its contributions in countering myriad security challenges and for continuous training activities undertaken including various joint trainings and exercises with friendly foreign countries, thus, paving the way for the nation's development. "Bhamre emphasised that the government was fully seized of the requirements of the Indian Army regarding capability development, force modernisation and above all, infrastructural development," said the statement. He reiterated the need to optimise the fiscal resources through synergised capacity building within the three services through enhanced indigenisation and self reliance. Army chief, Gen. Bipin Rawat, too, emphasised on the need to work in a collaborative manner for retaining and enhancing current levels of combat effectiveness. He stressed upon the need to lay down priorities to ensure that the allocated resources are utilized optimally and force modernization carried out unabated. During the conference, senior commanders will deliberate on the management of existing security dynamics, mitigation of future security threats and enhancement of combat edge over potential adversaries. Issues like infrastructure development for capacity enhancement along the northern borders, review of strategic railway lines and optimization of limited budget to ensure making-up of critical deficiency in ammunition will also be discussed. Other points of discussion will include issues related to Border Road Organization projects, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme and also matters relevant to operations, administration and welfare of troops. --IANS mgu/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The African Union Commission (AUC) has called on world powers to undertake international efforts to solve the Syrian civil war that respects the territorial integrity of Syria. The statement by the AUC chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat on Sunday said while he condemns the use of chemical weapons, primacy should be given to international efforts to find lasting political situation for Syrian civil war solely based on the interests of Syrian people, Xinhua reported. "Africa expects the United Nations Security Council members (UNSC), especially those that are permanent, to put aside their differences and spare no efforts in the pursuit of global peace and humanity's common good, in line with the responsibilities conferred upon them by the United Nations Charter," said the AU statement. "AU is strongly committed to multilateralism, underlines that any response to such acts ought to be based on incontrovertible evidence gathered by a competent, independent and credible entity and comply strictly with international law, including the primacy of the UNSC for any recourse to force," further said the statement. On Saturday morning, the US, France and UK conducted airstrikes on Syrian government targets following reports of alleged chemical weapons use in Douma, near the capital city Damascus on April 7. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegation, calling for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to send a fact-finding mission for investigations. However, the three nations carried out the strike on the day the mission just arrived in Damascus. Key Syrian government allies Iran and Russia have condemned the strikes calling it a flagrant aggression of international law. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hospital staff in the state of Western Australia (WA) will soon receive stab-proof vests and panic alarms to provide them with extra protection from violent and drug affected patients. State Minister for Health Roger Cook announced on Sunday that the WA government has committed 2.2 million Australian dollars (US $1.7 million) towards protective equipment for frontline health and security staff in major hospitals and other health institutions, to address increasing levels of violence and aggression, reports Xinhua news agency. During 2016-2017, more than 11,000 incidents of violence and aggression were reported. Over the next three years, around 250 anti-stab vests will be provided to over 2,500 personnel with mobile duress alarms also on offer for health workers to reduce the risk of injury during home visits and remote area travel. "Frontline health workers perform a vital service in our community, so it is essential we do all we can to ensure their safety," the minister said. According to Cook, the security needs of high-risk sites such as tertiary hospital emergency departments, mental health institutions and maternity wards will be addressed in 2018-2019, with additional protective equipment to be rolled out at other sites in subsequent years. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Joe Russo along with "Avengers: Infinity War" cast members Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch and Karen Gillan revealed that the Soul Stone, which the supervillain Thanos is searching for to rule the galaxy, is here. While the locations of five infinity stones -- Time, Space, Power, Mind and Reality -- are known, the Soul Stone is yet to appear. It turns out that it is in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands. The team of the superhero ensemble, ahead of its release, assembled here on Monday to unveil the stone at an event where they met around 7,000 fans from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Malaysia, China and Russia. The event was also attended by young critically ill "honorary Avengers", who were sworn in by Downey Jr. on Sunday, in a ceremony organised by Make-A-Wish Singapore. Then the Hollywood stars walked on the purple carpet, which was probably inspired by the colour of Thanos, to take selfies with the fans, who sported Avengers masks or were armed with their toys and posters. "I know you have been waiting patiently for a few hours or more and some of you all day long," Joe, one half of the Russo brothers, told the screaming fans. The director, accompanied by his wife and daughters, seemed to be loving it as he patiently signed autographs and posed in front of thousands of cameras. He was later joined by Gillan, who plays Nebula in the forthcoming Marvel Studios' film. "I shaved off all my hair which was very long. Marvel guys are amazing. They made me a wig of my own hair which I sometimes wear it for comedic purposes. It's really creepy," she said on the stage facing her fans. Then a portal was created, just like the one in the Cumberbatch-starrer "Doctor Strange". This time it was done without a sling ring. Looking at it, the actor said: "That was truly terrifying." The British actor, whose love for India is not unknown, joined his hands in a 'namaste" to greet the audience. This comes days after he was slammed by his Korean fans when he mistakenly bowed the wrong way twice during his stay in Seoul. After praising "very generous and fun" Downey Jr., he spoke highly of the young Spider-Man -- Tom Holland. "Tom Holland is 21 years old but he is much wiser," said Cumberatch, whose blue coat and pants matched his eye colour. A few minutes later, fireworks and a loud cheer welcomed "Iron Man" star Downey Jr. on stage. It was his first time in Singapore so, the fans greeted him together and shouted "Hi Robert". As he shared the stage with Cumberbatch, he joked: "Sorry Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk) the science bro thing is over, it's now about the Batch." The sweet bond between Cumberbatch and Downey Jr. could also be seen on the purple carpet when the British actor ran up to him with a fan's artwork that featured the two "Sherlock" stars. On who would defeat Thanos, Downey Jr. said: "Here's my guess ... because Jeremy Renner is not in the posters, I think he is the only one who can beat Thanos." Finally, Joe said: "As the director of the film I was able to influence the stone's location." Then the fans raised their hands with Avengers bands and shouted "Avengers assemble". A few seconds later, the Soul Stone, made with lights and water, appeared at the Marina Bay Waterfront. To find out who wins the epic battle, watch "Avengers: Infinity War" in India from April 27 onwards. (The writer's trip to Singapore is at the invitation of Disney. Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at Natalia.n@Ian's.in) --IANS nn/vd Regards, Natalia Ningthoujam Principal Correspondent & Senior Sub-editor IANS (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Barbara Bush, the 92-year-old former first lady of the US, is in failing health and will not seek further medical care beyond "comfort care" at home, a family spokesman said. The wife of former President George H.W. Bush has been suffering from a chronic pulmonary obstruction that has affected her cardiac capacity. After several recent hospitalizations, the former first lady has decided to focus on "comfort care" instead of additional treatment, the family's statement said on Sunday. "It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself - thanks to her abiding faith -- but for others," according to the statement cited by the US media. "She is surrounded by a family she adores, and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving," it said. Barbara Bush is being cared for at her home in Houston and her husband, daughter Doro along with sons Marvin and Neil are with her. Her other sons, former President George W. Bush and former Governor Jeb Bush, have been in and out visiting her the past week. US President Donald Trump did not send wishes to the ailing former first lady, but Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen said "they were praying for Barbara Bush and the entire Bush family". Barbara Bush is the only woman to have seen both her husband and son sworn in as US President. She is not, however, the only woman to have been both wife and mother of Presidents. Abigail Adams was married to the second US President, John Adams, and was the mother of the sixth, John Quincy Adams. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former First Lady Barbara Bush who has been unwell for nearly two years, has decided not to seek additional medical treatment beyond "comfort care" at home, said a family spokesman. "Following a series of hospitalisation, and after consulting her family and doctors, the 92-year-old has decided not to seek additional medical treatment," Efe news quoted spokesman Jim McGrath as saying on Sunday. The wife of former President George H.W. Bush and mother of former President George W. Bush has been suffering from a chronic pulmonary obstruction that has affected her cardiac capacity. --IANS and/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US Vice President Joe Biden has said that he was not ruling out a White House run in 2020, saying all options remain open, the media reported. "I'm really hoping that some other folks step up. I think we have some really good people," Biden said of the potential other 2020 Democratic hopefuls in an interview on Sunday. Biden, also a two-time presidential aspirant (1988 and 2008), said he needed to know that whoever carries the Democratic Party's nomination is someone who can beat President Donald Trump, reports Politico news. Asked if he really considered running in 2020, Biden said former President Barack Obama gave some good advice. "I know Barack always asked me that question. And he said what's going to make the decision. "I've got to be able to look in the mirror, and, if I walk away, know I'm not walking away because I'm afraid or I'm worried about losing or that I just don't want to take on the responsibility." The death of his son Beau, who passed away in 2015 due to cancer, and the impact on the larger Biden family will also be part of the former Vice President's decision, reports Politico. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sina Weibo, one of Chinas largest social media apps, has reversed a ban on online content "related to homosexuality" after an outcry from the countrys netizens, the media reported on Monday. On Friday, Sina Weibo said that for the next three months it would be removing comics and videos "with pornographic implications, promoting bloody violence, or related to homosexuality", the Guardian reported. The company said the initiative was in an effort to "create a sunny and harmonious community environment" and comply with the country's cybersecurity laws. In response, outraged Weibo users posted photos with their partners, comments, and rainbow emojis, accompanied by the hashtags #iamgay and #iamgaynotapervert. Many quoted China's constitution and laws about the protection of minorities. One internet user referred to article 38 of China's constitution which maintains that the "personal dignity" of Chinese citizens is "inviolable" and that insult directed against citizens is prohibited. Others pointed out homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 and in 2001 removed from the government's list of mental disorders, the Guardian reported. Following the deluge of comments Sina Weibo said on Monday that its campaign will no longer include gay content and would only focus on checking pornographic and violent material. "Thank you everyone for the discussion and your suggestions," it said in a statement on its microblog account. Much of China's LGBT community has been forced underground. Fifteen per cent said they had told their parents, and only 5 per cent had come out publicly, according to a 2016 survey from the UN. Gay conversion therapy is still used in some public hospitals and private clinics. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former FBI Director James Comey, in his first interview since being fired last May, said that Donald Trump is "morally unfit" to be US President, a "serial liar" who treated women like "meat" and it was "possible" that Russians had material that could be used to blackmail him. In an exclusive interview with ABC News' chief anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday night, he also described him as a "stain" on everyone who worked for him. The former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation compared the Trump administration to a "mafia family" and said that the President was incinerating the country's crucial norms and traditions like a "wildfire". Comey's remarks were the latest salvo in a war of words with the US President, who blasted the former FBI director on Twitter earlier. "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly, will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump wrote on Sunday. The FBI chief was fired while the agency was probing possible collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia's meddling in the US election. Comey is now a crucial witness for Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the Russia probe. Mueller is also a former FBI chief. Comey however dismissed claims that Trump was medically unfit to hold office. "I don't buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia... I think he's morally unfit to be President." "A person who treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly... and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be President of the US, on moral grounds," he added. The interview came ahead of the release of his tell-all book "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership" on Tuesday. Also a lawyer, Comey made an allegation that Trump had cavorted with prostitutes in Moscow that left him vulnerable to blackmail by the Russian government. "I think it's possible, I don't know... These are more words I never thought I'd utter about a President of the US, but it's possible." Comey said that he would not favour impeaching Trump, because that "would let the American people off the hook" and the public was "duty bound" to vote Trump out of office in the next election. The former FBI chief also took aim at Trump's personal appearance, saying his hands are "average-sized" and his skin is "orange". "He had impressively coiffed hair, his tie was too long as it always is, he looked slightly orange up close with small white half-moons under his eyes, which I assume are from tanning goggles," he said. During the interview, Comey repeated his assertion, made at a Congressional hearing that Trump told him that he expected loyalty and pressured him to drop an investigation into Michael Flynn. The former National Security Adviser has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with Muller. Asked, "was President Trump obstructing justice?" Comey responded, "Possibly. It's certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice." Trump had denied asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Comey said he had "grave" misgivings about the Trump presidency even before it began. In a meeting with then President Barack Obama in the last days of his administration, Comey said he told him: "I dread the next four years. But in many ways, I feel great pressure to stay to try and protect the institution I lead." Comey also told ABC News that he knew the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server was going to present a "no-win situation" for him. After the interview aired, Trump's party -- via the Republican National Committee -- said Comey's publicity tour for his new book showed "his true higher loyalty is to himself". --IANS soni/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Commonwealth rich nations are contributing less towards the global effort to tackle climate change, while poorer nations are over-achieving on pledges, a British charity said on Monday. The richer nations include Britain, Australia, Singapore and Canada. The report revealed these nations are shirking their responsibilities, while the poorer members are picking up the slack. The launch of the report coincided with the onset of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. The study, Climate inequality in the Commonwealth, by Christian Aid assesses the pledges to the 2015 Paris Agreement of each Commonwealth country and measures them against national capacity and historic emissions, since 1990, to calculate their fair proportion of the effort to address climate change. The results show that Britain, Canada, and Australia are in the red, whilst poorer countries like Bangladesh, Kenya and Zambia are in credit. Small island states vulnerable to sea level rise like Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu are also more than doing their fair share. It's also striking that the top five most impacted countries in Germanwatch's latest Climate Risk Index 2017 are all Commonwealth nations -- Mozambique, Dominica, Malawi, India and Vanuatu. The study exposed the hypocrisy behind many of the warm words put out by the British government, report co-author Mohamed Adow, who is Christian Aid's International Climate Lead, said in a statement. The report called on the Commonwealth and its members to demonstrate their goal of delivering a more sustainable future by triggering more ambitious climate goals and accelerated action by member countries. --IANS vg/and/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Monday accused the Congress of "defaming" the Hindu religion by coining the term "saffron terror" and demanded apologies from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra made the demand after a Special NIA court acquitted all five accused in the Mecca Masjid Bomb blast case earlier in the day. "Today after the verdict, the Congress' face has been exposed as never before," Patra told the media. Slamming the Congress, the BJP leader said: "A former official R.V.S. Mani told the media today that Home Minister (P. Chidambaram) was involved in changing the files. "To hide the truth, to change the truth and to change whatever was already submitted in the court through affidavit, this is what Chidambaram and others in the Congress dispensation were doing just in order to prove saffron terror. "Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi must apologise to the nation." The BJP leader said that those who follow Indian are remembering the 2013 Congress's Jaipur convention where then party President Sonia Gandhi, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi were sitting on the dias. "Then Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in his address to the party workers read out the term saffron terror. By doing this he defamed the centuries-old Hindu religion," he alleged, adding that all the senior party leaders remained silent. Patra said "Hindu terror" was first used by Chidambaram in 2010. He slammed the Congress for indulging in appeasement for years. He also attacked the Congress leaders for maintaining "double standards" on the court verdict. Trading insults at the Congress President, Patra asked: "Rahulji, isn't it correct that you met US ambassador and told him that 'We don't fear the SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) but we do fear the Hindus'?" "Didn't you tell him that the SIMI was not involved in terror activities but the Hindus were?" He also said that all Congress leaders take lessons from Rahul Gandhi. "Or had these leaders made statements without consulting you?" he asked. Hitting out at Shinde, Patra said, "At the height of the appeasement politics, in 2013, Shinde sent notices to all the Chief Ministers saying to not arrest any innocent Muslim youth." Due to its appeasement politics, the Congress was deserted in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Patra added. --IANS aks/ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday demanded a court-monitored inquiry into the Kathua rape and murder case as, he said, there is no faith left in the Central and state governments. "There should be court-monitored inquiry, like what the Allahabad Court has ordered into Unnao case. Court, either Supreme Court or Jammu High Court, should take a suo motu decision," Azad told the media here. He said he was ashamed to see how the advocate for the Kathua victim's family was being threatened allegedly by other lawyers. "I am ashamed to see these people who are threatening her (advocate). I will write to the Chief Minister (Mehbooba Mufti) that she should be given police protection and those who are threatening her should be arrested as abettors of crime," he said. Deepika S. Rajawat, the advocate, has alleged receiving threats from Jammu Bar Council President B.S. Slathia and told the media that she fears for her life. In the Kathua case, a minor girl from the Bakarwal community was found dead and mutilated in the woods on January 17, after having gone missing for a week. -- IANS vn/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka's ruling Congress on Monday set up a special cell to quell the revolt brewing in the party from a dozen sitting legislators and scores of aspirants whose names did not figure in the 218 candidates declared to contest the May 12 assembly elections. "We have set up cell headed by state unit President G. Parameshwara to pacify the members and aspirants who could not be selected to contest in the assembly poll for multiple reasons," party's state Vice President K.E. Radhakrishna told IANS here. Admitting that the party was facing rebellion in at least six constituencies from sitting legislators and ticket aspirants, he said the cell would soon meet them and explain why they could not be selected to contest this time. "Once we finalise names for the remaining 5-6 constituencies in the next 2-3 days, we will call all those who could not make it to the list as there have been many aspirants for every assembly segment," Radhakrishna said. According to reports from districts, hundreds of party's workers staged angry protests at the party offices for denying ticket to their respective leaders at Chikkamagluru, Badami, Bagalkot, Ballari, Mandya, Kolar and Chikkaballapur. The disappointed party cadres also vowed to campaign against the selected candidates if their leaders were ignored and denied opportunity to contest in the polls. Polling will be held in a single phase for the 224 assembly segments across the state on May 12 and votes will be counted on May 15. "Of the 122 sitting legislators, 12 could not be re-nominated for health reasons, old age and due to prospects of winning being not so bright as per our surveys," said Radhakrishna. The party has decided not to field its candidate in the Melukote in Mandya district in support of Swaraj India candidate Darshan Puttannaiah, son of the state's farmer leader, late K.S. Puttananaiah, who was a member of the outgoing state assembly, representing the Karnataka Sarvodaya Paksha, which merged with Swaraj India in March 2017. "The selection has been made solely on the winning criteria after carefully considering other social factors, including their caste and community for fair representation of all sections of society," said Radhakrishna. The party has fielded 42 Lingayats, 39 Vokkaligas, 52 Other Backward Classes, 35 Scheduled Castes, 17 Scheduled Tribes for the reserved constituencies, 15 Muslims, 7 Brahmins, 6 Reddy Lingayts and two each from Jain and Christian communities. Among the selected candidates, 24 are in the age group of 25-40, 49 between 41-50 years, 72 in the 51-60 years, 66 in the 61-70 years and 7 in the above 70 age group. Besides Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yatheendra to contest from Varuna in Mysuru district, the party has given ticket to Law Minister T. B. Jayachandra's son Santosh in Chikkanayakanahalli and Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy's daughter Sowmya from Jayanagar in south Bengaluru. --IANS fb/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The DMK, along with other opposition parties, staged a protest here on Monday against the dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Addressing the gathering, DMK leader M.K. Stalin said the Supreme Court order to dilute the Act was unacceptable. Stalin demanded the Central government to file an appeal in the Supreme Court and also include the Act under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. The political parties that participated in the protest were DMK, Congress, IUML, MDMK, VCK and MMK. The apex court in its March 20 order said that an accused cannot be mandatorily arrested under the Act without an initial probe. The Dalit organisations and various civil society groups see it as "dilution" and accuse the Narendra Modi government of conniving in the case. --IANS vj/ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former FBI Director James Comey in his first exclusive interview since he was fired last May said that Donald Trump was "morally unfit" to be the President of the US. In the exclusive ABC News interview on Sunday night, Comey dismissed claims made by some that Trump was medically unfit to hold office. "I often hear people talk about it. I don't buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia. He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence who's tracking conversations and knows what's going on," Comey said. "I don't think he's medically unfit to be president. I think he's morally unfit to be president. "A person who treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds," Comey added. The interview comes ahead of the release of his tell-all book "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership" on Tuesday. Also a lawyer, Comey told ABC News that he was standing in the middle of the Los Angeles Federal Bureau of Investigation field office on May 9, 2017, thanking employees and the building's support staff for their hard work, when he saw the televisions on the wall flash "Comey Resigns". "One of the many great things about the FBI is we have some hilarious pranksters, and so I thought it was a scam by someone on my staff..." As the TVs in the bureau started to show the news on other networks, he saw some were displaying the words "Comey Fired". "The audience could see my face change," he said. Comey said his reaction to the news was disbelief. "That's crazy... How could that be?" He received a call from then-Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly who was "very upset" with the news and was thinking about quitting too. Comey said he urged Kelly to remain in the administration. The former FBI Director said that he was "actually nervous" to meet Trump in person. "I'm about to meet a person who doesn't know me, who's just been elected president of the United States... And I'm about to talk to him about allegations that he was involved with prostitutes in Moscow and that the Russians taped it and have leverage over him. "He had impressively coiffed hair, his tie was too long as it always is, he looked slightly orange up close with small white half-moons under his eyes, which I assume are from tanning goggles," he said. When asked if the Russians had something on Trump, Comey said: "I think it's possible. I don't know... These are more words I never thought I'd utter about a president of the United States, but it's possible." Comey told ABC News that he knew the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server was going to present a "no-win situation" for him. Comey revealed that while he did not vote in the 2016 election saying that as the FBI director he was "trying to be outside of politics" and there were a lot of Clinton supporters in his family. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, April 16 (IANS/AKI) The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)will on Thursday unveil 14 new heritage sites in eight countries in Asia, the Middle East and Central America at an award ceremony here. FAO chief Jose Graziano da Silva, Italy's Deputy Agriculture Minister Andrea Olivero and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Taolin are among senior officials attending the ceremony at FAO headquarters, the agency said. The new agricultural heritage sites are located in China, Egypt, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and Sri Lanka and will all receive certificates, FAO said. The designation of these sites recognises the ways that farmers, herders, fishermen and foresters have sculpted the landscape for centuries "to create agricultural systems of exceptional aesthetic beauty preserving biodiversity and creating resilient ecosystems and a valuable cultural heritage," FAO said. Top officials from Spain, and Tanzania and Japan will also attend the ceremony, as well as representatives of international organisations, including the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Participants will share experiences from their countries, present their traditional agriculture systems and discuss their economic value also as tourist attractions, said FAO. The newly designated sites bring to 50 the number of globally recognised agricultural heritage systems in 20 countries, FAO noted. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australian health authorities on Monday issued a warning over the rise of flesh-eating ulcers in the country, calling for an "urgent scientific response". In a joint report, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) and health care provider Barwon Health detailed the rise of the Buruli ulcer in Australia, reports Xinhua news agency. The tissue-destroying ulcer, commonly found in Africa, has reached epidemic proportions in regional parts of Victoria. "(In Victoria state), the community is facing a worsening epidemic, defined by cases rapidly increasing in number, becoming more severe in nature, and occurring in new geographic areas," the report said. "In 2016, there were 182 new cases -- the highest ever reported by 72 per cent. Yet, cases reported until November 11, 2017 have further increased by 51 per cent compared with the same period in 2016." There have been no reported cases in New South Wales, South Australia or Tasmania; the three states closest to Victoria. The bacterium that causes the disease belongs to the same family of organisms that cause tuberculosis and leprosy. If diagnosed early, an eight-week course of antibiotics is effective in 80 per cent of patients. However, if left untreated the ulcers can infect bones. "Despite being recognised in Victoria since 1948, efforts to control the disease have been severely hampered because the environmental reservoir and mode of transmission to humans remain unknown. It is difficult to prevent a disease when it is not known how infection is acquired," the report said. The ulcer is commonly associated with wetlands in Africa, particularly those with slow flowing or stagnant water. "Lesions most commonly occur on exposed body areas, suggesting that bites, environmental contamination or trauma may play a role in infection, and that clothing may protect against disease. Recent evidence indicates that human to human transmission does not occur, although cases are commonly clustered among families," the report added. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Game of Thrones" will be given the BAFTA Special Award at this years British Academy Television Craft Awards. Actors Hannah Murray and John Bradley from the hit series will receive the award on behalf of the team, reports variety.com. The accolade is recognition of the boundaries that have been pushed across all areas of production in the making of the fantasy epic. Filming is underway on the eighth and final six-episode season of "Game of Thrones", which will air in 2019. The award also recognises the support that "Game of Thrones" has provided for high-end TV production in the British, according to BAFTA officials. The show has filmed across various locations in Northern Ireland and set up a production headquarters at Titanic Studios in Belfast, the Northern Irish capital, which has been a base for the series since the pilot. D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, executive producers, jointly said in a statement: "Many, many people work insanely hard to create any film or television show. They are creators every bit as much as actors, writers, producers or directors, and deserve to be recognized as such." "The craft behind what is one of the most popular dramas of our time is nothing short of incredible, from the breathtaking location shots to the intricately designed costumes and set pieces, and not forgetting the level of detail from the make-up and prosthetics team, to name a few," added Krishnendu Majumdar, chair of BAFTA's television committee. The BAFTA Craft Awards will take place here on April 22. --IANS dc/rb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Demanding to know the exact medical condition of ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, a Congress spokesperson on Monday said that even Governor Mridula Sinha was reluctant to give a health update on Parrikar to the Opposition. "There is no official statement. So we asked the Governor but she was reluctant to tell me. She said she will talk to him (Parrikar) today. She is not making any commitment. "So I told her that we have to have an official statement from her which is required in the interest of the state," Congress legislative party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo told reporters outside Raj Bhavan, after Congress leaders met the Governor on Monday. Parrikar was moved to a medical facility in New York last month, a few weeks after he was first hospitalised in Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 15 when he experienced stomach pain. Parrikar has been unable to attend office for nearly two months now. While there has been no medical bulletin by the state government about the exact nature of Parrikar's medical condition, informal notes circulated by the Chief Minister's Office have repeatedly said he suffers from "mild pancreatitis" and that he will be returning to Goa in May. The Congress on Monday also demanded a medical bulletin on the health of the Chief Minister. "We need an update of the health, treatment from a person of capability and capacity who has got some relevance to the government. Not somebody's PA. The people and as an Opposition we would like to know what is the condition of the Chief Minister," Reginaldo said. --IANS maya/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India needs to create more than 8 million jobs a year to maintain its employment rate which has been declining over the past decade, according to the latest World Bank report. In its biannual South Asia Economic Focus (SAEF) report released in Washington on Sunday, the multilateral lender also projected India's growth rate to rise to 7.3 per cent in the ongoing fiscal. "Every month, the working age increases by 1.3 million people and India must create 8.1 million jobs a year to maintain its employment rate, which has been declining based on employment data analysed from 2005 to 2015, largely due to women leaving the job market," the report said. "(India's) growth is expected to accelerate from 6.7 per cent in 2017 to 7.3 per cent in 2018 and to subsequently stabilise supported by a sustained recovery in private investment and private consumption," it said. The report projected the country's growth to further accelerate to 7.5 per cent in 2019-20 and 2020-21, while suggesting that India should seek to accelerate investments and exports to take advantage of the recovery in global growth. In this edition of the SAEF titled "Jobless Growth?", the World Bank also said South Asia has regained its lead as the fastest growing region in the world supported by recovery in India. "Much of the progress, however, is driven by India's growth rebound and is not consistent across countries. Despite accelerating global growth and trade, exports remain weak. Progress on fiscal consolidation is slow, and deficits are high," a World Bank release said. The report contends that growth alone will not be enough to attain the higher employment rates enjoyed by other developing countries, especially among women. "More than 1.8 million young people will reach working age every month in South Asia through 2025 and the good news is that economic growth is creating jobs in the region," World Bank South Asia Region Chief Economist Martin Rama said in a statement. --IANS bc/him/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday condemned the discriminating caste system in India, saying it should be discontinued. Interacting briefly with over 1,000 foreign tourists at the Tsuglagkhang courtyard here, he expressed admiration at the secular nature of India's thousands of years tradition which respects all religious traditions. "India is home to all of the world's major religious traditions and also respects non believers. This is really wonderful and something to be proud of," he said. The Dalai Lama said the inner peace was the basis of self-confidence and that children should be taught about inner values and moral principles through a secular approach in schools instead of self-centered attitude. The Nobel Peace Laureate also emphasised the importance of Tibetan language and said the it was the only language that has preserved India's ancient knowledge. "The rich ancient knowledge of Nalanda is lost to the world now. However, due to the painstaking effort of the Tibetan translators, this knowledge is now available only in Tibetan language. Therefore, the preservation and study of Tibetan language is crucial." He said modern education focuses too much on the minor differences such as nationality, faith and economic conditions. The Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet to India in March 1959. The Tibetan administration in exile is based in the north Indian hill town of Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. --IANS vg/qd/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India is witnessing a boom in the cosmetic industry, which is is growing twice as fast as the markets internationally, says Italy based Industry expert Stefano Percassi. "The Indian cosmetic industry has evolved over the years. Many international brands have entered the Indian market due the response they have received internationally. "Like Europe, where the number of new beauty and wellness shops exceeded that of any other type of retailing outlet, India is witnessing a boom in the fashion and beauty industries," Percassi told IANS. Percassi, who is also the founder of Italian brand KIKO Milano that has big expansion plans in India, feels that beauty salons are now ubiquitous across most Indian towns and cities, with larger shopping malls in metropolitan centres stocking beauty products of major mainstream cosmetic brands. "Consumer's nowadays are extremely well-travelled and informed about the offerings available across all industries. Furthermore, many consumers are open to trying new brands and experimenting with makeup and India has a large market that reaches out to a vast audience," he said. Percassi also credits Social media for playing an important role in creating awareness and acts as an influential catalyst for consumers. "The demand for beauty and wellness products has risen exponentially. The Indian Cosmetic Industry is growing exponentially because of these changes and is becoming increasingly prevalent and important," he said. KIKO Milano launched its first store in India in September 2016. Since then the brand has gradually expanded its presence and has launched four more store in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai and Pune. "Potentially, India is absolutely huge and I don't think it is an immediate market but it is changing, and it will take 6-8 years. In the next ten years, India will be among the top ten markets for us. "The Indian cosmetic industry is growing twice as fast as markets in the United States and Europe. India is also the second largest consumer market in the world. The increasing awareness of beauty products along with the rise of disposable income is expected to boost the industry thus making the Indian market extremely important to us," he said. --IANS nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian national died and another was critically injured when a bus carrying a group of Indian pilgrims met with an accident in Iran on Sunday night, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday. "I have got the report from Indian Embassy in Tehran. A bus carrying 20 Indian pilgrims on way to Qom met with an accident last night," Sushma Swaraj tweeted in response to a request for help from Syed Ali Jaffry. "Unfortunately, we lost Ms.Kulsum Fatima aged 14 years because of head injuries," she said. She also said that another Indian national, Mohammad Ali, is in the intensive care unit while 18 others were discharged after first aid. "Our mission staff is in the hospital to provide any assistance," Sushma Swaraj said. Qom is a holy city for followers of Shia Islam, as it is the site of the shrine of Fatimah Bint Musa, sister of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Rida. --IANS ab/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday blamed the "strategic mistakes" of the US policies for the crisis in the volatile Middle East. "The strategic mistakes made by the US are the cause of region's abnormal situation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said, Xinhua news agency reported. The US-led invasions in the Middle East are not new, as they "seek to dictate their expansion policies" in the region with occasional military actions under "false" pretexts, Qasemi said. He also denounced the recent airstrikes on Syria by the US, Britain and France as "contrary to all international norms". The US and its allies, Britain and France, attacked Syrian military facilities on Saturday morning under the pretext of deterring Syria from using chemical weapons. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI on Monday filed a charge-sheet against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, a top Railway Board official, RJD MP P.C. Gupta and others in connection with its probe into the alleged irregularities in the 2006 IRCTC hotels maintenance contract case. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official told IANS: "The agency has filed a charge-sheet against 12 persons and two companies in a Delhi court." The case pertains to the period when Lalu Prasad was the Railway Minister. According to an agency official, the charge-sheet has been filed against seven persons and a company named in a case filed last year, and five persons and a company whose names did not figure in that case. "Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, his son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, former MD of IRCTC P.K. Goel, Sujata Hotels directors Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, Sarala Gupta -- wife of Prem Chand Gupta, and Lara Projects LLP have been charge-sheeted," he said. Besides, the CBI charge-sheet also named Additional Member of the Railway Board B.K. Agarwal, who was then Group General Manager (GGM) of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The official said in the case filed last year, Agarwal's name was not there. His name was included later after evidence was found against him. The CBI also charge-sheeted former GGM of IRCTC V.K. Asthana, R.K. Gogia -- then GGM (company secretary) of IRCTC, Ramesh Saxena -- then IRCTC Director and Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd. On April 10, the CBI had grilled Rabri Dev for hours in Patna in connection with the case. In October last year, the CBI had also questioned Lalu Prasad and his younger son Tejashwi Yadav at its Delhi headquarters. The CBI on July 5, 2017 filed a corruption case against Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav for alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts of two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006 to a private firm. The contracts were given to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochhar, in lieu of a bribe in the form of a three-acre commercial plot at a prime location in Patna district. A preliminary CBI inquiry reportedly found that the said land was sold by the Kochhars to one Delight Marketing Company and payment was arranged through Ahluwalia Contractors and its promoter Bikramjeet Singh Ahluwalia, another accused in the case. Delight Marketing, which bought the property from the Kochhars, was later taken over by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi, the CBI discovered. After Lalu Prasad's family members took over the company between 2010 and 2014, it was renamed LARA Projects and converted into a limited liability partnership firm, the agency said. Sarla Gupta, wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad's close associate Prem Chand Gupta and a director of Delight Marketing, is a co-accused in the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the money laundering aspect in the case and it had on July 27 last year registered a separate case following the CBI FIR. The ED is probing Lalu Prasad and others for alleged transfer of money through shell companies. --IANS aks/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI on Monday said it has filed a charge-sheet against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and others in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in the 2006 IRCTC hotels maintenance contract case. A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said that the agency had filed a case against Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, his son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others. The case pertains to the period when Lalu Prasad was the Railway Minister. On April 10, the CBI had grilled Rabri Devi for hours in Patna in connection with the case. In October last year, the investigating agency had questioned Lalu Prasad and his younger son Tejashwi Yadav in the case at its Delhi headquarters. The CBI on July 5, 2017 filed a corruption case against Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad, and Tejashwi Yadav for alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) hotels in Ranchi and Puri in 2006 to a private firm. The contracts were given to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vijay and Vinay Kochhar -- both named in the CBI FIR as accused -- in lieu of bribe in the form of a three-acre commercial plot at a prime location in Patna district, the CBI said. A preliminary CBI inquiry allegedly found that the said land was sold by the Kochhars to Delight Marketing Company and payment was arranged through Ahluwalia Contractors and its promoter Bikramjeet Singh Ahluwalia, another accused in the case. Delight Marketing, which bought the property from the Kochhars, was later taken over by Rabri Devi and Tejashwi, the CBI has alleged. Sarla Gupta, wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief's close associate Prem Chand Gupta and a director of Delight Marketing, is a co-accused in the case, apart from then IRCTC Managing Director P.K. Goel. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing the money laundering aspect in the case, regarding which it had on July 27, 2017 registered a separate case following the CBI FIR. The ED is probing Lalu Prasad and others for alleged transfer of money through shell companies. --IANS aks/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brussels, April 16 (IANS/AKI) Italy's Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano on Monday urged Western allies, especially the US, to keep channels of communication open with Syria's top ally Russia, calling Moscow "a leading player" in the war-wracked Middle Eastern country. "It is vitally important to keep Washington in negotiations led by the United Nations and in this context we must also keep dialogue open with the main players in the (Syrian) crisis, first and foremost Russia," Alfano told a European Union summit here. Only a political solution can end the more than seven year long conflict in Syria between rebels and forces allied with President Bashar al-Assad, he said at the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. "It is incumbent upon us to recall that there is no military solution to the war in Syria and that we must have a political strategy," Alfano said, adding that the EU can play "an important role" in a Syrian peace deal within the framework of the UN-led peace negotiations being held in Geneva. "We reaffirm our support for (UN special envoy to Syria) Staffan De Mistura and the centrality of the Geneva process, within which Europe can play an important role," Alfano said. The donor conference on Syria slated for April 24-25 in Brussels, which over 70 delegations are expected to attend, offers the EU a chance to take "political centre-stage" in the Syrian peace process, he said. The administration of US President Donald Trump was on Monday planning to slap sanctions on Russian companies believed to be "dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told TV network CBS on Sunday. Haley's announcement came after the US, UK and France bombed government sites in Syria on Saturday following a suspected chemical weapons attack on the rebel enclave of Douma, outside Damascus on April 7 that allegedly killed dozens of people. Western allies believe chlorine gas and possibly Sarin were used in the attack and that the Syrian government was responsible. Syria vehemently denies this. The planned US sanctions underline the deterioration in relations between Moscow and the West amid the tit-for-tat expulsions of scores of diplomats and the closing of consulates over Russia's alleged poisoning in Britain last month of a former Russian spy and his daughter with a nerve agent. The US also imposed sanctions in March against Russian companies and individuals for allegedly intervening in the 2016 presidential election and for staging cyberattacks against Western facilities. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top diplomats from Japan and China began the first round of a high level economic dialogue on Monday for the first time in eight years, with an aim to strengthen bilateral relations. Prior to the dialogue, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here on Sunday and reiterated their commitment to improve ties and to work toward the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, reports Efe news. They also agreed to first mutual visits by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping, since both leaders assumed offices in 2012. The thaw in relations between the world's second and third largest economies - which have been strained over the sovereignty of the disputed South China Sea islands - comes at a time when both are apprehensive of the fallouts of the consequences of the trade protectionism policy of the US. China is also expected to seek Japan's backing for its "One Belt, One Road" initiative, as well as a possible Japanese mediation in the trade war between Beijing and Washington. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand has witnessed an overall increase in the number of rape cases but the first quarter of 2018 saw a decrease, according to state police data issued on Monday The total number of rape cases registered in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 were 1,122, 1,198, 1,146 and 1,335 respectively. The average cases in 2014 per month was 93.50 which increased to 113.08 per month in 2017. Till March 2018, a total of 328 rape cases were registered. But in the first quarter, the number of cases was 109.08, a decrease from 113.08 from the same period last year, the data showed. According to the police, incidents of rape were much more in the neighbouring states of Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. "Several measures have been taken for safety of the women. One third of the female staff in the police have been promoted to the ranks of Deputy Superintendent of Police" a Crime Investigation Department (CID) official told IANS. Other measures like the Shakti App was launched to help women report crimes immediately. The rising rape cases prompted Jharkhand Governor Draupdi Mumru to summon Director General of Police D.K. Pandey last week. Governor Mumru has asked Pandey to take appropriate measures to ensure safety. --IANS ns/ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Award-winning filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda is looking forward to the Chinese premier of his drama film "Kadvi Hawa" at the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF). "Looking forward to the Chinese Premier of 'Kadvi Hawa' at BJIFF, honoured to Be shortlisted among the top 15 films competing for the 'Tiantan Award' from 659 entries from 71 countries, Congrats all Sanjay Mishra, Ranvir Shorey, Tillotama Shome and Manish Mundra," Panda tweeted on Sunday. The film is also in contention for the Titan Award, which inherits the values of "beauty in variety, harmony in diversity". The eight-day film fest will commence on Tuesday and will conclude on April 22. "Kadvi Hawa" is based on climate change. It also got a Special Mention at the 64th National Film Awards. --IANS dc/rb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the CPI-M, Congress and the BJP of joining hands to "deliberately delay" the panchayat polls in the state and claimed they were shying away from the election because of their lack of public connect. The BJP and the Congress meanwhile blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress's "violence" for the delay. "CPI-M, Congress and BJP are the three brothers. They play one kind of role here and another kind of role in Delhi. Election is a democratic right. If they reality believe in the people, why are they shying away from the election and trying to deliberately defer the polls by rising various political questions?" asked Banerjee. Refusing to comment on the Calcutta High Court's decision not to interfere with a single bench order staying the election process, she however, claimed government work was suffering due to the unwanted delay in the polling process. "The reality is we are suffering due to this delay in the polling process. The dates were fixed based on the administrative calendar," said Banerjee, also the Trinamool supremo. "We have seen that the Higher Secondary examination and nomination process for the rural polls took place simultaneously. All the exams were conducted peacefully. The nomination process has also been completed in many places," she added. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday refused to interfere with a single bench order staying the West Bengal Panchayat election process, but asked the judge to hear the case on "fast track". The matter will now be heard by the single judge bench at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Welcoming the High Court's decision, the BJP, however, blamed the state ruling party's arm-twisting tactics for its opposition to the possible delay in the polls. "It is certain that the election would be deferred. The High Court would be able to tell how much would it be deferred. Trinamool Congress is solely responsible for the delay in Panchayat polls," said BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha. "If they refrained from conducting violence during the nomination process and did not misuse the administration, then none of us would have fallen in such a queer situation. I think the court has given its verdict against the violence centering the rural polls," he said. State Congress President Adhir Chowdhury, who also held a day long fast on Monday along with his party workers here to protest the pre-poll violence by Trinamool Congress, claimed the High Court's decision is a moral victory for the opposition parties and a defeat for the state government. "Today's verdict proves that the Panchayat polls in Bengal is not transparent. It is filled with controversies and marred with violence. That's why the High Court has interfered in the polling process. I think this is a moral victory for us and a defeat for the state government and the state ruling party," he added. --IANS mgr/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday defended before Parliament the legality of her decision to bomb Syrian government facilities in coordination with the US and France. May claimed Saturday's missile attacks were "not just morally right but also legally right" and were not about getting further involved in Syria's seven-year civil war, Efe news reported. "It was about a limited, targeted and effective strike that sought to alleviate the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people by degrading the Syrian regime's chemical weapons capability and deterring their use," she said. However, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said that the attack was "legally questionable" because it was not done in self-defence and did not have the approval of the United Nations. On April 14, the US, the UK and France launched three attacks on facilities in Syria allegedly used for the production and storage of chemical weapons, after an alleged chemical weapons attack was carried out in the Arab country a few days earlier, which has not been independently verified. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday welcomed a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court verdict acquitting all five accused in Mecca Masjid bomb blast case, calling it a "slap in the face" of the previous UPA government. VHP's working International President Alok Kumar said the Congress government had hatched a conspiracy to save real culprits and implicate innocent Hindus in the name of Hindu terrorism. Pakistan was happiest to see the real culprits going scot-free, he added. "The development has exposed the then UPA government's plot to make Hindus 'second-class citizens' and make them 'political pawns for security agencies'," he added. Nine persons were killed in a powerful explosion that ripped through the mosque on May 18, 2007. --IANS spk/nir/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists on Monday afternoon vandalized the offices of the proposed Nanar refinery project coming up in Ratnagiri district with Saudi Arabian collaboration, police said. Around half a dozen MNS workers barged into the Nanar office in Tardeo, enquired whether they were at the correct address and then started vandalising the premises. They targeted the furnitures and fitting, glass doors, cabins and other things inside the office even as the security guards attempted to stop them. After the brief attack lasting a few minutes, the MNS workers escaped, shouting anti-Nanar slogans, even as a video on the incident went viral on social media networks. The development came the day after MNS President Raj Thackeray categorically declared in a public meeting on Sunday night that his party would not permit the Nanar project to come up in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra. He also questioned why Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was threatening that if protests against it continued, the project would be shifted to Gujarat. "Why only Gujarat? Why not Goa or Kerala or Tamil Nadu or any other state in India? What is the reason for this?" he asked. Earlier on Monday, the Shiv Sena also questioned Fadnavis' "threats" and said instead of condemning the beautiful Konkan to such poisonous projects like earlier Enron, then Jaitapur and now Nanar, the state could consider setting it up in a backward region like Marathwada or Vidarbha. On April 11, a consortium comprising three major Indian oil marketing companies - IOCL, BPCL and HPCL signed a MoU with Saudi Arabian Oil Co (Saudi Aramco) for setting up an integrated oil refinery and petroleum products complex in the eco-sensitive Ratnagiri. When completed, the Rs 3 trillion complex at Nanar will be the world's biggest single-location oil refinery project with a capacity to process 60 million tonnes annually. The project however has elicited strong protests from locals united under the Konkan Refinery Shetkari-Machhimar Sangharsh Samiti and Refinery Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, who have secured backing of all major political parties in the state barring the ruling BJP. --IANS qn/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Monday evening to a warm welcome on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Europe that will also see him going to Britain and Germany. Breaking protocol, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven received Modi at the airport here with a warm handshake. This is the first prime ministerial visit from India to Sweden in 30 years after the visit of Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. On Tuesday, Modi will hold a bilateral summit with Lofven following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed. This apart, Modi and Lofven will attend a round table of Swedish CEOs. India and Sweden will on Tuesday also co-host the first ever India-Nordic Summit, where, apart from Modi and Lofven, the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway will also be present. Modi will hold separate bilateral meetings with the leaders of the other four Nordic countries on the sidelines of the summit. From Sweden, Modi will leave for Britain where he will hold a bilateral summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May on April 18. On April 19-20, he will attend this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. While returning from Britain on April 20, he will stop over in Germany where he will a meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. --IANS ab/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday left for Sweden on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Europe that will also see him going to Britain and Germany. This is the first prime ministerial visit from India to Sweden in 30 years after the visit of Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. On Tuesday, Modi will hold a bilateral summit with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed. This apart, Modi and Lofven will attend a round table of Swedish CEOs. India and Sweden will on Tuesday also co-host the first ever India-Nordic Summit, where, apart from Modi and Lofven, the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway will also be present. Modi will hold separate bilateral meetings with the leaders of the other four Nordic countries on the sidelines of the summit. From Sweden, Modi will leave for Britain where he will hold a bilateral summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May on April 18. On April 19-20, he will attend this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. While returning from Britain on April 20, he will stop over in Germany where he will a meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. --IANS ab/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nagpur will get Regional Rapid Transit System that will replace the existing passenger trains with modern Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. The Minister, during an inter inter-ministerial meeting here, proposed to the Ministry of Railways to introduce modern air-conditioned Mainline Electric Multiple Unit (MEMU) rakes on the broad gauge railway lines connecting Nagpur with satellite towns of Kotal, Bhandara, Ramtek and Wardha -- all within a distance of 40-60 km. "Based on the initial feasibility report presented by Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL), consensus has been reached between Indian Railways and MMRCL," a ministry statement said. "These rakes will be fit for running services at a speed up to 120 kmph with higher acceleration and deceleration, which will help in reducing the running time in the congested sections...," the ministry said. It informed that the project was proposed to be part of the Maha-Metro, Nagpur, and would be handed over to the Indian Railways for its operation. The proposed EMU trains would have modern aesthetic and ergonomic design, and have traveller-friendly features like passenger information display, automatic announcements and digital route display, the ministry said. It added that the new metro train would provide the daily commuters with the option of faster, easy, time-saving, air-conditioned travel. --IANS vv-kd/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With five honours for two films at the 65th National Film Awards, the Bengali film industry is celebrating the glory which amplifies its contribution to Indian cinema. Filmmakers and actors say such achievements will encourage more talent to come up with subjects that matter and treatment that makes an impact, in the near future. Atanu Ghosh's "Mayurakshi", a father-son story, won the Best Bengali film, while Kaushik Ganguly's "Nagarkirtan" was bestowed four honours, including Best Actor for Riddhi Sen, Best Costume Designer, Best Make-Up and a Special Jury Award. Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, who starred in "Mayurakshi", says it's a "great moment". "The fact is most of our regional films do not have a huge budget to promote and release the film nationwide, like a Bollywood film. So the only strength we have is our strong content. This is where the content wins," Prosenjit, a celebrated talent of Bengali cinema, told IANS. The achievement is encouraging for Bengali talent. "Our achievement surely boosts the confidence for better work," said 19-year-old Riddhi, and added: "I think I am too young to become an inspiration for the future generation because I am one of them. I would rather work much harder to maintain my quality of work." Prosenjit pointed at how Bengali filmmakers and actors have always contributed to Indian cinema very actively. "Whether it is Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak to Goutam Ghose, Aparna Sen, Rituparno Ghosh and presently Srijit Mukherji and Kaushik, we have a great presence in the world of cinema and storytelling. I think this year with five awards, we are celebrating the glory," he said. Emphasising on the tradition of storytelling and iconic filmmakers, Riddhi said: "I think our presence in the film industry, be it in Bengali or Hindi, has always been felt. If we look at the filmmakers who contributed to bringing a change in Indian cinema, we have a Bengali film director in every era. "From the age of Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherjee to Pradeep Sarkar, Anurag Basu, Shoojit Sircar, Dibakar Banerjee... Many Bengali filmmakers are not only making their mark in regional cinema but also to the Indian films as a whole. "Having said that, I think it is great to see how we as the Bengali film industry have managed to make our mark at the National Film Awards this year." Bengali director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, who forayed into Bollywood with the acclaimed "Pink", was a part of the 10-member jury of the 65th National Film Awards. The panel was led by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who minced no words in saying Bollywood can't compete with regional cinema in content. Chowdhury told IANS: "This year, we had some beautiful pieces of cinema come from the various regions. When I look at the number of awards Bengali films won, as a Bengali, it made me happy. Both the films -- 'Mayurakshi' and 'Nagarkirtan' were well-deserving." "Like the way good cinema, good music or achievement of our own people inspires us to excel and creates a good spirit to work harder, I believe that with the five awards at the 65th National Film Awards, our Bengali film industry will only flourish in future." Personally, he is happy about the overall quality of films emerging from unexpected quarters of the country. "There are some regional film industries like Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi, from where every year many good films come as expected. But many films came from other regions and languages... "Like a film from Ladakh, a film in Tulu language... Those are some of the positive developments we observed in regional cinema this year," he said, adding that the decision for the Best Feature Film, which went to Assamese drama "Village Rockstars", was tough. This year, here was hardly any Bollywood presence except "Newton", which won Best Hindi Film and a Special Mention for actor Pankaj Tripathi, and a couple of more honours. Asked why despite their huge budget, wide exposure and star value, Hindi films are lagging behind, Chowdhury said: "Look, National Film Awards is not a film competition. We are celebrating the best film coming from across the country. Hindi cinema is a part of that journey. "This year, more good films came from other regions that won awards. As a filmmaker, I do not want to deny the fact that how some of the filmmakers are attempting to make good films, working on good content in Hindi films. Maybe next year we will get to watch more Hindi films." (Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in) --IANS aru/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Just days after state Congress president Sunil Jakhar left his office in a huff, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday dismissed reports of differences with him, terming it "as a media creation". The Chief Minister said there were "absolutely no problems" between him and Jakhar, the Gurdaspur MP. "It was the creation of the media, which had blown out of proportion a small incident in which Jakhar had left without meeting me because he had to go somewhere else," Amarinder Singh said told media here on Monday. Jakhar had left the Chief Minister's office last week after getting upset over the chief minister's security personnel asking him to deposit his mobile phone before meeting Amarinder Singh. Jakhar and some Congress legislators had come to Amarinder Singh's office in the Punjab secretariat here for a scheduled meeting. However, Jakhar was also upset that Amarinder changed the time of the meeting. Also defending Local government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Amarinder said that there was no question of him quitting over the Supreme Court proceedings in the road rage case against him. The Punjab government counsel had submitted before the Supreme Court that Sidhu's conviction by the Punjaband Haryana High Court in a 1987 road rage case, in which one person named Gurnam Singh died , should be upheld. "The situation did not warrant Sidhu's resignation," the Chief Minister said. Hitting out the Akali Dal for seeking his resignation, he asked them to keep out of the affair, which was nothing to do with them. --IANS js/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday said that neither its President Rahul Gandhi nor any other party functionary had ever used the term "saffron terror" and that its political rivals were levelling baseless allegations. The party also alleged that the investigative agencies were being used as a rubber stamp by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre. "People have no faith in the investigative agencies. The way they are being used for political purposes... these agencies have become rubber stamps of the ruling party," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told the media here. "Everyone knows how the NIA, how investigative agencies work in the government... we have faith in our judiciary. The court's doors are open to all. And courts always do justice," he added. The Congress reaction came after a Special Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad acquitted all five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case in which nine people were killed and over 50 injured. Those acquitted are Abhinav Bharat members Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajender Chowdhary. Congress Spokesperson P.L. Punia, who addressed the party's regular media briefing, attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for targeting Rahul Gandhi and dared it to produce evidence to support its allegation. "Show me a video or a sound bite wherein Rahul Gandhi or any other Congress functionary is seen using the term 'Bhagva aatankwad' (saffron terror). There is no such thing as saffron terror," Punia said. "We believe that terrorism cannot be associated with any religion or community," he added. Punia's reaction came soon after the BJP accused the Congress of "defaming" the Hindu religion by coining the term "saffron terror" and demanded apologies from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. Punia said that questions remained over how the confessional statements and many other documents went missing from the prosecution's files in the blast case. "But it won't be proper to comment before going through the complete court order. But the court has said that the prosecution has failed to prove the case," Punia added. (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 Lahore High Court ordered on Monday a temporary ban on the airing of "contemptuous" speeches about the country's judiciary by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N leaders. Giving the decision on over two dozen petitions filed against "anti-judiciary" speeches by Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other party leaders, the court ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to decide on the petitions in 15 days. Until then, the court asked PEMRA to refrain from airing any such remarks, Geo News reported. Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi, who headed a three-member full bench, also ruled that the court will personally monitor PEMRA's conduct in the next two weeks to see how it implements the court's order. The petitions filed in the Lahore High Court contended that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership had been making derogatory speeches against Supreme Court judges since Sharif's disqualification in the Panama Papers case in 2017. Naqvi said that while Article 19 of the Constitution allowed fair criticism of judiciary, not every person should be allowed to criticize it just for the sake of exercising their right to criticize. The petitions, which seek a ban on the anti-judiciary speeches, will now be decided by PEMRA. Sharif and his supporters have gone aggressive since the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding any public office in future. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Acclaimed English stand-up comedian Papa CJ will release his autobiography by the end of the year. The book, for which he has signed a deal with Amazon, will bring hilarious anecdotes from his personal life and tales from over 2,000 shows across five continents. His critically acclaimed show "Naked", which uses the vehicle of his life to illustrate the trials and tribulations of the human experience, was the trigger that led publishers to approach him to document his memoirs, Papa CJ smilingly informs. Papa CJ started stand-up comedy in 2004 after his visit to the annual Fringe festival in Edinburgh. Since then, amongst various places, he has performed at the Sydney Opera House and also at gun-point in South Africa, he quips. Papa CJ further shared his views about the challenges faced by stand-up comedy. Though he feels that, of late, the industry has caught up well in all formats and languages -- Live, TV, English, Hindi and even regional -- he admits of the "battle of perception" stand-ups have to constantly weather. "Sadly, the perception about stand-ups is that it is all about abusing and vulgarity," he admits candidly, while also pointing out that much of the blame lies within the fraternity of comics in India. "We blindly ape people from other places without realising that their body of work is voluminous and has come with decades of experience," he opines. Having won "Asia's Best Stand-up Comedian" award by Top 10 magazine in Kuala Lumpur, Papa CJ, who loves calling himself the "ambassador of happiness", says more than making people laugh, it is the joy of enhancing the happiness quotient in others that is now driving him. Like others, he is haunted by the spectre of silence from the crowds at a performance. "It's an everyday challenge and calls for evolution which ultimately makes the stand-up comedian connect in the first 30 seconds with the audience. If it happens you cruise through and if you don't, kiss your show good bye," Papa CJ told IANS, throwing up his hands in the air. "Comedy is an incredible journey of self-discovery; everyone has to find his or her view -- and the audience finds you thereafter." For a man who has staged sell-out shows across five continents and taped a "Showtime USA" stand-up comedy special with Russell Peters in Amsterdam, he says his hallmark remains his "authenticity". For him, he muses, happiness comes from pleasure, challenges and meaning and as "I looked for these three must ingredients, I found that, to add meaning to my life, the best way is to be part of the people who need happiness in the rough weather they are facing in life". During an event at a Singapore hospital, he saw someone do "Laughter Yoga" and soon started doing the same for people who were unwell and critically ill. In this, laughter is mixed with breathing exercises and the results are phenomenal, he says, adding that laughter brought with it positive physical, psychological and physiological changes. "Such exercises start with fake loungers and end up with genuine laughter and happiness," he says. Asked about the best compliments that have come his way, his response comes with a tinge of emotion and excitement. "Well, there have been two very clear ones that I can recall. One was an 86-year-old hugging me after a show in Kolkata and telling me how she has never laughed so much in the last 30 years," he says. And a second one at a Singapore festival where the father of a 25-year-old who was in a coma after a road crash, had pain in his eyes and laughter on his face! Come May and he is planning to bring more smiles to "those in dire need" wherein he will go and perform at the houses of the terminally ill at no cost, just travel expenses paid. So much empathy for pain from a man who lives, sleeps and talks only laughter is indeed both inspiring and infectious. (Mohit Dubey can be contacted at mohit.d@ians.in ) --IANS md/vm/ky/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Delhi-Dasna portion of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on April 29. Announcing the construction of a new highway alignment between Delhi and Mumbai, at an estimated cost of Rs 1 lakh crore, Gadkari also revealed a plan for "Chambal Expressway", which would be connected to the proposed Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. "The Minister also disclosed plans for a Chambal Expressway which would be connected to Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, and is likely to benefit states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the backward areas will also shine like Gurugram," a ministry statement said. Gadkari said that the Delhi-Meerut Expressway was envisaged to ease traffic and air pollution in east Delhi. "About 40,000 commercial vehicles enter Delhi on a daily basis, which causes increased pollution and congestion... Scheme of developing Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways around Delhi was taken up, and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 29th of this month," Gadkari said. Gadkari also informed that a Rs 260-crore contract for constructing a signal-free corridor from Dhaula Kuan to the airport had already been awarded. The Minister said that an eight-lane fully access-controlled Dwarka Expressway is being developed in four packages at an investment of Rs 9,500 crore. Three packages have already been awarded and the work on the expressway is likely to start in a month's time. --IANS kd/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A policeman and a civilian were injured on Monday when militants opened fire in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, police said. According to the police, militants fired at Bilal Ahmad, a policeman and civilian Rafiq Ahmad when the two were going on a motorcycle in the main market of Shopian town in south Kashmir. They were shifted to a hospital for treatment. The area was cordoned off, but no arrests have been made so far, police said. --IANS sq/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A war of words broke out between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Amethi on Monday as local MP and Congress President Rahul Gandhi arrived here on a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency. Local Congress leaders alleged that Rahul Gandhi was prevented by the district administration of Amethi from inaugurating a five-km road in his constituency, for which he had laid the foundation stone on January 16 this year. But the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the road was being built under the Prime Minister road construction scheme and hence, senior party leader and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani would be throwing it open during her next visit to Amethi. Clarifying the issue, District Magistrate Shakuntala Gautam said the road was still incomplete and if the MP wanted, he could certainly go and see it and review its construction. The Rs 3.30-crore road is to link Kotwa village with Thori village here. Irani had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election against the Gandhi scion and has been grooming the constituency for her next political outing in the 2019 general elections. While Congressmen were quite worked up after the news spread, senior district Congress leader Yogendra Mishra said the BJP was trying to slight the Congress President by spreading such rumours. Gandhi had merely gone there to review the ongoing work, he added. But, his statement contradicted the programme of the Congress chief, released beforehand by his representative Chandrakant Dubey, in which the inauguration of the road was mentioned. District BJP chief Uma Shanker Pandey alleged that even though the road was built under a scheme of the Prime Minister and not the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund, Rahul Gandhi was trying to take credit for it and hence, he raised the objection. He, however, added that when the road would be inaugurated by Smriti Irani, Gandhi would also be invited as the local MP. Earlier, the Congress President was received at Lucknow airport by senior party functionaries. He was greeted by a sloganeering crowd of party workers who sought his intervention alleging that the party had been sold out by middlemen. --IANS md/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday demanded the arrest of a college professor who is alleged to have tried to lure her students to extend "sexual favours" to top officials of a leading Tamil Nadu university. In a statement issued here, Ramadoss also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the episode. The former Union Health Minister said a shocking audio clip of the professor in Virudhunagar district trying to lure her students had come to light. In the audio clip, the professor is allegedly heard saying that those who can provide facilities for the university have to be kept happy and they are expecting favours from the college students. In the audio clip, the professor does not explicitly say the students have to extend sexual favours but gives enough hints as to what she is trying to convey. "The shocked poor students were heard saying in a broken voice that they are not interested in the proposal. Undeterred, the professor tells the students that if they agree to the proposal then the students can achieve anything relating to their course," Ramadoss said. Ramadoss said the professor's mobile phone call records should be checked to determine the others involved in the episode. He said suspending the professor only for 15 days was not enough. --IANS vj/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former FBI Director James Comey has said that it is "possible" that Russia has something it can blackmail US President Trump with, media reports said. In an exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, Comey said: "Our President must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country." "The most important being truth. This President is not able to do that. He is morally unfit...," Comey said, noting that Trump talks about women "like pieces of meat". Asked if he thinks Russians "have something on Donald Trump" Comey said: "I think it's possible", CNBC reported. "It is stunning and I wish I wasn't saying it, but it's the truth. I cannot say that (Trump is not subject to Russian blackmail). "It always struck me and still strikes me as unlikely, and I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I can't. It's possible." The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment about the Comey interview. Comey also told ABC there was "certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice" when Trump asked him in 2017 whether he could see his way to "letting Flynn go," referring to a criminal probe of fired National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. "If he didn't know he was doing something improper, why did he kick out the attorney general... and the leaders of the intelligence community?" Comey asked referring to Trump's actions. "... Doesn't he know the nature of the request?" Comey's interview comes in advance of publication of his new book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership" on Tuesday. Comey's own firing in May 2017 by Trump set in motion the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller by the Justice Department. Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by Trump campaign officials in that meddling. Trump has denied any such collusion. He also fumed about Mueller, and considered firing the special counsel, along with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose recusal from the Russia probe led to Mueller's appointment by Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein. Comey said he does not know "what's behind" Trump's reluctance to criticise Russian President Vladimir Putin in public. "That mystified me even after President Trump became president, 'cause I discovered that he wouldn't criticize him even in private," Comey said. Asked whether Trump was unfit to be president and should be impeached, Comey said people need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values. On Sunday, Trump unloaded a series of nasty tweets about Comey, and called him "slippery," and a "slime ball" and predicted that he would be remembered "as the Worst FBI Director in history, by far!" --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday ordered adequate security to the Kathua rape victim's family, their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat and others and sought the Jammu and Kashmir government's response to a plea for transfer of the case trial to Chandigarh. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the state to provide adequate security also to Rajawat's family as well as Talib Hussain -- a member of the Bakerwal community who is helping the victim's family. The court order came on the eight-year-old girl's father's plea who sought transfer of the trial in the case from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to Chandigarh and protection to the family in the face of threats. Rajawat alleged that she was labelled 'anti-Hindu' and was facing social boycott for taking up the case of the child rape victim, who was kidnapped on January 10 from Rasana village in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua and found murdered on January 10. Senior counsel Indira Jaising, representing the girl's father, expressed satisfaction over the investigation and told the apex court that they wanted the transfer of the case trial to ensure it was fair. The apex court directed for next hearing on April 27. All eight accused in the Kathua rape-murder case were on presented on Monday before Kathua Chief Judicial Magistrate A.S. Langeh amid tight security as the trial began. The eight include Sanji Ram, a former revenue official and an alleged mastermind of the heinous crime. The trial court will hear the matter on April 28. --IANS pk/tsb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the release of regional film "Nanak Shah Fakir" based on the life of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, saying the Constitution allows filmmakers to make any movie as long as it does not impinge on secularism. Refusing to interfere with its last week's order directing the states to ensure that no obstruction was caused in the release and screening of the film, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said: "As long as the film does not denigrate Sikhism and it only seeks to glorify Guru Nanak Dev we will not interfere..." After the earlier apex court order, the film released on Friday (April 13). The court's Monday order came on a plea by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) which contended that there could not be any portrayal of Sikh Gurus, their immediate family members and the Panj Pyaras by any mortal beings. As senior counsel R.S. Suri, appearing for the film's producer Harinder S. Sikka, said the producer and the SGPC representatives should meet and see what more can be done, the court asked the SGPC counsel to consider the offer and directed the next hearing on May 8. The court also noted that "Nanak Shah Fakir" has got the National Integration Award in the category of regional films. Appearing for the Sikh body, senior counsel P.S. Patwalia, referred to a 2003 resolution of the SGPC, which was reiterated in 2015, that there cannot be a depiction of Sikh Gurus by any living being. Chief Justice Misra said "let the character playing Guru Nanak not take credit for it and let it be an abstract person", adding that once a film has been certified by the Central Board of Film Certification, the court can't interfere. Justice Chandrachud said no religion can say that "only our book would portray our religion and stop everyone from writing about it. This would encroach into secularism". As long as the film does not denigrate Sikhism and Guru Nanak Dev's portrayal is venerated and as an abstract man, he said, "we can't interfere". The Constitution protects filmmakers to make films, the court said, as long as it does not impinge on secularism -- the basic philosophy of the Constitution. Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who was present in the court and was asked to give his views, said any religious injunction against the release of a film should be backed by legal sanction. If the injunction is purely religious, the court has to ensure that the right of the filmmaker is not violated, he said. Describing the latest position of the SGPC as a summersault, senior counsel Suri said the film was approved by a committee of five eminent people who praised it. He said in deference to the suggestion by the committee, Guru Nanak "is shown as light and his teachings are being narrated by one of his Muslim disciples Bhai Mardana". --IANS pk/him/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the release of the film "Nanak Shah Fakir" based on the life of Guru Nanak Dev saying the constitution protects the filmmakers to make a movie as long as it does not impinge on secularism. Refusing to interfere with its last week's order directing the states to ensure that no obstruction was caused in the release and screening of the film, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said: "As long as the film does not denigrate Sikhism and it only seeks to glorify Guru Nanak Dev we will not interfere..." The order came on a plea by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) which contended that there could not be any portrayal of Sikh Gurus, their immediate family members and the Panj Payaras by any mortal beings. Appearing for the Sikh body, senior counsel P.S. Patwalia referred to a 2003 resolution of the SGPC and reiterated that their cannot be any depiction of Sikh Gurus by any living being. --IANS pk/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Monday said that it will hear later in the day a plea by the father of Kathua rape and murder victim seeking transfer of trial to Chandigarh. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the hearing of the matter to 2 p.m. Dipika Singh Rajawat, lawyer of victim's father, sought the transfer of trial from Kathua to Chandigarh, as she said she has been facing threats. --IANS pk/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Himachal Pradesh government on Monday decided to set up a water supply and wastewater management authority, with World Bank funding, for the state capital, an official said. A decision in this regard was taken at a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here. It approved the formation of Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Ltd (SJPNL) for water supply and wastewater management in greater Shimla planning area and nearby places. The estimated project cost of the project is Rs 770 crore, a government spokesperson told IANS. In a report in 2015, the Comptroller and Auditor General highlighted inadequacies of the Shimla Municipal Corporation, noting that just 13 percent of the sewage generated in Shimla is treated and the rest is left in the open - despite Rs.74 crore ($12 million) being spent for installing six treatment plants. Planned for a maximum population of 16,000, Shimla is home to 170,000 people as per the 2011 census and generates 30.09 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage. In the wake of the school bus accident in Nurpur town on April 9 in which 24 children lost their lives, the cabinet gave in principle approval to transportation guidelines for the safe plying of transport vehicles deployed in schools. It was decided that the Transport Department would send letter to all principals of the private schools on behalf of the Chief Minister informing them about the school transportation safety guidelines. The cabinet also allowed creation of posts in Special Purpose Vehicle for Shimla and Dharamsala Smart City Mission to execute works of Rs 2,906 crore and Rs 2,105 crore for the both cities respectively. --IANS vg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shortly after a Hyderabad court acquitted five accused in the 2007 Mecca Mosque bomb blast case, former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil here on Monday denied having ever used the term "saffron terror". Interacting with mediapersons, Patil, 73, sought to know whether the chargesheet mentions "saffron or Hindu terror". "Have I ever used this?... It's a case of terrorism. Does the court chargesheet say these words (saffron or Hindu terror)," countered Patil, who was the erstwhile UPA's Union Home minister between May 2004 and November 2008. To a question whether senior Congress leaders including former Union Home Ministers P. Chidambaram and Sushilkumar Shinde as well as former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh have made such statements, he said: "You should address this question to whosoever said it." Told that they are all Congress leaders and his senior colleagues, Patil asked whether "there is any resolution to the effect passed by the Congress". Earlier in the day, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Nampally acquitted five of the eight Hindu activists accused of the May 18, 2007 bomb blast which killed nine persons and injured over 50 at the historic Mecca Mosque in Hyderabad during Friday prayers. Those acquitted include: Hindu right-wing group Abhinav Bharat members Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajender Chowdhary, on grounds of insufficient evidence against them. Of the remaining three, RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi was murdered during the course of investigation. Two other accused, Sandeep V. Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, both RSS activists, still elude the investigators and are also wanted in some terror cases in Maharashtra. Soon after the judgment, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra pounced on the Congress accusing it of defaming Hindu religion by coining the word "saffron terror" and demanded an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi and former party chief Sonia Gandhi. --IANS qn/him/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Normal life came to a standstill in Andhra Pradesh on Monday as the day-long shutdown called in demand for the special status category to the state evoked near total response. Shops and business establishment and educational institutions remained closed, while buses of state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) went off the roads in all 13 districts. The shutdown has been called by Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samithi (The people's forum to fight for special status) and is being backed by opposition YSR Congress party, the Left parties, Congress and Jana Sena. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which has been fighting for the special status and implementation of the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, is not participating in the shutdown. Leaders and activists of all opposition parties, barring Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), staged protest demonstrations across the state. They took to the streets since early morning, raising slogans against the Centre for going back on the promise to grant special status and fulfil all other commitments made at the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. The protestors staged road blockades and laid siege to APSRTC depots to prevent buses from coming out. The bus services came to a total halt in all three regions - north and south coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Protests were held at bus stations in Vijayawada, Guntur, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam and other towns across the state. Police arrested leaders of opposition parties at a few places. Sadhna Samithi Chalasani Srinivas said the 'bandh' was in protest against the Narendra Modi government's refusal to grant special status. --IANS ms/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A shutdown called by a section of social media users against the rape and murder of a girl in Jammu and Kashmir derailed normal life in parts of Kerala. Police took several protesters into custody. The worst affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvanathapuram. What began as a campaign in the social media on Sunday against the brutality heaped on an eight-year-old in Kathua region led to a shutdown on Monday. Angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocked traffic and force shops to shut. Buses and other vehicles were stopped from plying on Monday morning. However, traffic resumed after the police chased away the protesters. In Kozhikode, Kannur and Palakkad, police chase away the strikers and took some into custody. In Kannur district, the protesters and some shop keepers were engaged in a war of words. The youths have been identified as members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India. The areas affected by the shutdown are known strongholds of the SDPI, including the suburbs of the capital district. Government offices and banks in the affected areas opened later in the day. --IANS sg/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A shutdown called by a section of social media users against the rape and murder of a girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua hit normal life in several parts of the state. The worst-affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvanathapuram. Police took several protesters into custody, while the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit petitioned the state police chief to take action against the protesters. The situation turned tense in about three coastal hamlets in Malappuram, forcing the district administration to promulgate prohibitory orders, with immediate effect, for a week to prevent assembly of people. What began as a campaign in the social media on Sunday against the brutality led to a shutdown with angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocking traffic and forcing shops to shut, including a major shopping mall in the state capital. Buses and other vehicles were stopped from plying on Monday morning. However, traffic resumed after police chased away the protesters. In Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur and Palakkad, police took some of the protesters into custody. In Kannur district, the protesters and some shop-keepers engaged in a war of words. The youths have been identified as members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India. The areas affected by the shutdown are known strongholds of the SDPI, including the suburbs of the capital district. Government offices and banks in the affected areas opened later in the day. On Monday evening, a delegation of state BJP leaders called on the state police chief Loknath Behra and demanded strict action be taken against those who created a tense situation in several parts of the state. "The government and the police failed to act even after knowing that there was going to be a shutdown by a terror group and this clearly shows that police and the protesters were hand in glove as police remained a mute spectator to the violence unleashed by them. This has to be probed and strict action be taken," said state BJP spokesperson M.S.Kumar in he state capital after handing the official complaint to this by the state BJP president Kummanem Rajasekheran. --IANS sg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SriLankan Airlines, the flag carrier of the island nation, on Monday said it had achieved a record annual passenger revenue of $830 for the 2017-18 fiscal, the highest ever in the company's 38-year history. In a statement, the airline said the revenue came as a result of its recent expansion to several new destinations such as Hyderabad (India), Gan Islands (Maldives) and Melbourne with additional frequencies to popular cities in its network, reports Xinhua news agency. Both passenger and cargo divisions exceeded their annual target, enabling the SriLankan Airlines Group to exceed the overall annual revenue target. SriLankan Airlines CEO Captain Suren Ratwatte said this was the first instance of the airline achieving its annual revenue target since Emirates left as its managing partner 10 years ago. 'This comes at a turbulent time for the industry when most airlines are facing difficulty maintaining their yields due to intense competition. SriLankan has just completed a year of significant expansion with minimal erosion on yields and ended the year comfortably exceeding the revenue target,' Ratwatte said. The airline said the year had been one of transformation in which it inducted four brand new fuel efficient narrow-bodied aircraft to the fleet, becoming the first A321neo aircraft operator in Asia. A new Board of Directors was also appointed last month to accelerate the restructuring process and create the enabling environment to proceed with entering into a Public-Private-Partnership with a strategic investor. In February, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a special Presidential Commission to investigate alleged large-scale frauds and malpractices in SriLankan Airlines, after the company recorded severe losses. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will visit Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, it was announced here on Saturday. Suu Kyi will attend the 27th World Economic Forum on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) scheduled to be held from September 11 to 13 in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, Xinhua news agenc reported. It will be the State Counsellor's second visit to Vietnam this year. She earlier visited the country in April. The two nations established diplomatic relations in 1975. --IANS soni/ (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.) Y.H. Tucy, who claims to be the great grandson of last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, has said the Sunni Waqf Board has no claim over the Taj Mahal and Ayodhya's Babri Masjid land. The Taj Mahal, is the nation's property and no one can claim any right over it, Tucy told IANS, in an interview. "Remember Emperor Shah Jahan has not written a deed in favour of Waqf," Tucy said. "As for construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, I do not see any reason why the temple should not be built. I will support any move that brings different communities together and bridge the communal divide," Tucy said. "The Sunni Waqf is a big land grabber. They do not have even chairs and tables in their offices, how can they manage the Taj? "They just want media attention and for that create differences among Hindus and Muslims. "As the direct descendant of Mughals, my case is pending in the Supreme Court for appointment as Mutavvli, I will give these properties to the Indian government." He said no one had a right to play in the name of Taj Mahal, which is a national treasure. "I invited the Hindu Mahasabha and members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activists for the Urs of Shah Jahan." The Urs of Shah Jahan that ended on Sunday was attended by over 35,000 people. A 1,111 metre long saptrangi chadar was offered at the end in a ceremonial procession. (Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at brij.k@ians.in) --IANS brij/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Baahubali" actress Tamannaah Bhatia is the latest inclusion to the cast of multi-lingual period drama "Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy". Tamannaah will essay a pivotal role in the ambitious Telugu project, which stars Chiranjeevi and has a cameo by Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan. It is a biopic on the late Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, who is credited to be one of the first freedom fighters in India. He rebelled against the British authorities in 1846. Reddy led the first revolt in India against the British occupation, 10 years earlier than the First War of Independence of 1857. Tamannaah, who has been working round the clock on the Telugu remake of "Queen", said in a statement: "It's a great honour to be sharing the screen space with two of my favourite actors -- Chiranjeevi and Amitabh Bachchan. "Biopics have always been a priority for me and since the film revolves around a freedom fighter. It's a matter of national pride to contribute to this project. "I will be undertaking a lot of research for my role as there is very few material available online and I want to keep this as real as possible," she added. With this, the actress also joins a niche club of working with the father-son duo as she earlier worked with Ram Charan, but this will be the first time she will be working with Chiranjeevi. "Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy" is said to be a trilingual film which will be released in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. The magnum opus is being directed by Surender Reddy and produced by Ram Charan under his banner Konidela Production Company. It is likely to hit the screens later this year. --IANS rb/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's April and a time to celebrate for millions of young Indians who have just finished their school-leaving class XII examinations. The days that follow help them unwind after months of exam preparation. The celebrations, however, are short-lived. The next many weeks and months are consumed preparing for admission tests for entry into a wide variety of disciplines. It's a tough time as they evaluate options that further their individual interests and make deliberate decisions that will determine what lies ahead of them -- perhaps for the rest of their lives. For young Indians, making it to any of the country's 40,000 colleges -- or getting a subject of their choice -- is not easy. It is a pity that even though the number of colleges in the country has tripled in the last 17 years, the shortage of seats drives students to choose programmes that do not necessarily fit their aptitude. The marks they get in their school-leaving examination, conducted by the Central or the State Exam Boards or the International Baccalaureate, will determine their choice of subjects. Just like the students, it is a busy time as well for career counsellors invited by schools and colleges to advise on great careers in demand, worthy institutions to study in, and the best ways to get into a specific programme. Many help students choose between great destinations to study abroad. Should it be Singapore, nearer home, or one of the Ivy League institutions in the US? Or the UK or Australia? Should it be a full-fee programme in a university -- say, in safe and student-friendly Sydney -- or a fully-paid scholarship in an unheard of university in an East European nation? When I get pulled into advising young nephews and nieces based on the experience of helping our own young ones make their choices, I refer them to career option books by widely travelled counsellors to help them choose between engineering and biotechnology, architecture and law, medicine and pharma, liberal arts, social sciences or business management, journalism and computer science. And the list goes on. For tough situations like convincing friends to let their loved ones choose streams beyond medicine or engineering, I encourage them to go to a professional career counsellor and careers columnists like Pervin Malhotra, who guided our son and daughter many years ago. These counsellors put the children through an aptitude test, discuss their strengths and suggest a set of options over a series of sessions. An opportunity to sit through a fireside chat between Indian school students and Blair Slater, a career counsellor at the Sydney-based University of New South Wales (UNSW) recently, was an eye-opener. Blair, a former Hollywood star and now a full-time career counsellor for international students of over 100 nationalities, had an interesting take on careers. He predicted that in the next 5 to 10 years, there will be plenty of jobs that don't even exist today. In an ever-evolving job market, his advice to students was to prepare for a career by following their passion, pursuing what's important to them while building a strong academic foundation. Problem-solving and adaptability, Blair said, should be the key leitmotifs in their toolkit of skills that will help them shine in a world of fast-changing jobs. Universities are using innovative social media like Facebook's live discussions with experts to reach wider audiences. A "Study in America" Facebook session by the US embassy in New Delhi last month helped demolish myths associated with admissions and job opportunities in America. When looking for opportunities to study abroad, students will do well to consider the QS ranking that ranks higher educational institutes globally. The reputed British agency compares top universities in the world based on six performance parameters across sectors like Research, Teaching, Employability and Internationalisation, and the institute's stature. The best advice on making career choices comes from successful professionals in the field of the student's interest. Insights from alumni shed light on the best practices followed by institutions, especially addressing their quest for knowledge, placement track record and reputation with employers. Institutions that will flourish in the future will adapt their curriculum to the needs of the fast-changing world with speed, lay emphasis on original research to solve burning issues facing the world, and focus on life-long employability of their alumni. (The author, who served NIIT as a brand custodian for two decades, is a communications counsel. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at sanjiv.kataria@gmail.com ) --IANS sanjiv/vm/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of Iraqis loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and some civil rights activists have rallied in Baghdad to protest against the US-led attacks on Syria. The demonstrators on Sunday rallied in Tahrir Square rising Iraqi and Syrian flags in solidarity with the people of Syria, and chanting slogans condemning the bombing against Syria, Xinhua news agency reported. The protesters held banners reading "No, No, America. No, No, colonialism," and "America kills Syrian civilians in the name of democracy." The demonstrators also burned the American flag as a sign of their anger and condemnation of the bombing on a number of sites in Syria. "In response to the call of Moqtada al-Sadr, our Sadr loyalists as well as Iraqi people are conducting mass rally to protest the aggression launched by America, France and Britain on Syria," Sheikh Hussein al-Saedi, an organiser of the demonstration, told Xinhua. "The bombardment on Syrian cities early on Saturday is unjust and a blatant aggression, and is against the international laws and human values," Saedi said. Jabra al-Taei, a female civilian activist told Xinhua "Syria is a brother and has been exposed to an aggression by the United States, Britain and France. But unfortunately they forgot that such bombing could threat the lives of civilians." "We strongly stand with the Syrian people and have gathered here in Tahrir Square to denounce the aggression against Syria," said Taei, who is also a candidate in Sadr-backed Saeiroon political bloc for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Another civil rights activist Saad al-Mousawi told Xinhua "today we took part in a large demonstration to denounce the aggression against the Syrian people, which is an attempt to subjugate peoples of the world. But we are here to show solidarity with the Syrian people." Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces intensified security measures and blocked the bridges and main roads leading to the Tahrir Square in downtown Baghdad. "The block of the roads and nearby bridges is a precaution measure to prevent any security breach that may target the demonstrators," a security source anonymously told Xinhua. Early on Saturday, the US, along with Britain and France, launched missile strikes on Syria over allegations that the Syrian government used poison gas in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma near the capital Damascus on April 7. The Syrian government has repeatedly denied the allegations. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has criticised former FBI Director James Comey, whose controversial memoirs will go on sale this coming week, adding that it is time to "move on" from the Russia investigation. "Not only has... special counsel (Robert Mueller) but a number of different congressional committees have been looking at this for over a year and come up with nothing. I think it really is getting time to move on and I certainly think the American people would appreciate Congress and the rest of the country being able to focus on some of the things that really impact them," said Sanders on Sunday on the ABC News programme "This Week", Efe news reported. Mueller is investigating the links between the Kremlin and President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, but is also looking into other areas such as obstruction of justice, money laundering and a number of others issues. Sanders' remarks came at a time when Trump has been openly engaged in a media and public opinion war to undermine Comey, who in an interview to be aired Sunday night - but from which numerous excerpts have already been made public - compares the president to a "mob boss". "James Comey is a self-admitted leaker. He lied to Congress. He's been inconsistent," said Sanders, who went on to claim that the former FBI chief has no credibility and no support from either Democratic or Republican lawmakers. In fact, Trump on Sunday once again unloaded on the man he fired last May, a decision that is being investigated by Mueller as a possible attempt to obstruct justice in the Russia probe Comey was heading at the time. "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump wrote in a Twitter post. The Comey interview on ABC, the first he has given since he was fired, comes on the eve of the publication of his book titled "A Higher Loyalty," in which he recounts his recent experiences as FBI director. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former VHP leader Pravin Togadia on Monday said he will hold an indefinite fast, as planned, from Tuesday for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The VHP had been saying that once we (Sangh Parivar) have a majority in Parliament, we will pass a bill to facilitate the construction of the Ram Temple. The VHP even asked the people to make sacrifices to perform 'kar seva' in Ayodhya. Nearly 60 persons sacrificed their lives whereas thousands of others from Gujarat contributed a lot for the cause," he said. Taking a dig at Modi, the former VHP leader said: "Soldiers are not safe on the borders, farmers are committing suicide; our girl child is not safe in our homes; and the Prime Minister has gone on a foreign visit." Togadia was the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) chief for 32 years. Togadia invited present VHP head Vishnu S. Kokje to either join him in the fast or put pressure separately for a bill in Parliament to facilitate the temple's construction. Asked if he will form a new organisation, Togadia said: "Everything will depend on the situation after the fast." On Monday, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders Chintan Upadhyay, Yashwant Chaudhary and Hareshbhai Thakkar called on Togadia for an hour-long meeting. While the RSS leaders termed it a courtesy call, Togadia said: "They had come for a courtesy meeting but when the topic of fast came up, I told them I am merely following the principles of RSS." "Ram Mandir is not a personal issue. I even left a flourishing medical profession for this mission of temple construction and introduction of a Uniform Civil Code in the country," he said after the meeting. --IANS amc/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tom Holland was just 19 years old when he made his debut as the friendly neighbourhood web slinger Spider-Man. Director Joe Russo says the actor was perfect for it as he was close to the character's age and had boyish charm. Actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield had donned the red-and-blue suit to play the high-school superhero, but Joe -- the other half of the Russo brothers -- wanted someone younger for his 2016 film "Captain America: Civil War". "When I watched the Spider-Man films, I loved them but I always felt that the actors cast to play Spider-Man were much older than the character," Joe, who directed Marvel Studios' "Captain America: Civil War" with his brother Anthony Russo, told select media, including IANS, here. So, it was important for them to get somebody closely aged to Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man. "Tom Holland was perfect for it because he is very close to the age and he has this boyish charm. So, it felt for me that for the first time you are really getting the essence of what Peter Parker was like on the screen and off from the comic books," said Joe. Speaking about his love for Spider-Man, Joe said: "When I was collecting comics as a kid, I loved Spider-Man. I think there is a reason why kids relate to him and why he is one of the most popular characters in the world." "He is trying to grow up and deal with girls in high school, zits and getting picked on and all the issues that come along with being an adolescent while also dealing with incredible powers and hiding his identity. "So, it was a dream come true for us to reinvent him in '...Civil War'," he added. The Russo brothers worked with the young actor again for their latest directorial "Avengers: Infinity War", which is set for an April 27 release in India. The forthcoming film will bring together 22 superheroes on the big screen for an epic battle with the mad titan Thanos. --IANS nn/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In what could begin a new era for forensic science, the police in Britain have arrested a drug dealer based on fingerprints they found on a WhatsApp image sent by the criminal to his clients. The photograph showed part of the dealer's hand "and there was potentially a fingerprint," the BBC reported late on Sudnay. The scientific support unit scanned the image into its system but could not find a match because the photograph contained just parts of the middle and bottom of a finger visible while records only keep the top part. However, other evidence was enough for the police to guess who was behind the drugs operation. "While the scale and quality of the photograph proved a challenge, the small bits were enough to prove he was the dealer," Dave Thomas from South Wales Police's scientific support unit was quoted as saying. Police arrested a man on a tip-off that said drugs were being sold in Wales. While checking his phone, they found an image of the drug dealer named Elliott Morris holding ecstasy tablets in his palm. "There was the photograph of the hand holding pills that seemed like it was sent to potential customers saying 'these are my wares, I'm selling these'," Thomas said. "It has now opened the floodgates and when there is part of a hand on a photograph, officers are sending them in," he added. According to the police officer, the dealers are using the technology not to get caught and the police need to keep up with advancements. --IANS sku/na/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said that she was not aware of any plans to fire or remove Special Counsel Robert Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. "I'm not aware of any plans to make those movements... But we do have some real concerns with some of the activities and some of the scope that the investigation has gone," The Hill quoted Sanders as saying in an interview on Sunday night. Sanders said she has concerns about the scope of the ongoing investigation and dodged questions about whether President Donald Trump was more concerned about the recent issues with his personal lawyer Michael Cohen than the Mueller investigation into alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 presidential election. Sanders also did not answer a question about whether Trump had concerns about Cohen turning state's evidence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided Cohen's home, hotel room and office last week with Rosenstein's approval. Trump has reportedly tried to fire Mueller in the past and has been considering firing Rosenstein, The Hill reported. The New York Times reported on Friday that Trump's advisers were more worried about the investigation into Cohen than Mueller's probe. Cohen is the President's longtime personal lawyer and confidant, and has long been seen as a key player in solving problems for Trump. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Monday signed a $48 million loan agreement with the World Bank to strengthen community-led landscape management in Meghalaya. Meghalaya's natural resources such as land, water and forests is a source of livelihood for a majority of the population in the state. An official statement said that the loan sanctioned for the "Meghalaya Community-Led Landscapes Management Project" will help manage these depleting resources, in selected landscapes, by strengthening the communities and traditional institutions. "Restoration of degraded and highly degraded landscapes under the project will increase water for local communities and improve the soil productivity which will in turn increase incomes and reduce poverty," the statement said. The project consists of three components including strengthening knowledge and capacity for natural resource management, community-led landscape planning and implementation, and project management and governance. It is expected to be completed by June 2023. --IANS vv/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) London-based designer Luke Rooney, who specialises in womenswear and loves celebrating the use of colour, texture, print and embellishments through his creations, says he would love to collaborate with an Indian designer as he believes it would churn out something "really" special. Rooney was in India to showcase his work at the Vaunt International Fashioner Week which was held in Delhi's The Umrao Hotel earlier this month. A fan of ace Indian designer Manish Arora, Rooney told IANS in an email interaction: "I would love to collaborate with an Indian designer. Collaboration is such an important output and I think by collaborating with somebody from India, together we could make something really special. I have always been a fan of Manish Arora and I also love the fabric work from Ritu Kumar." Rooney says the vibrant colour palatte that Indians use inspires him and his work a lot. "The colours of India, I feel, are exactly what encompasses my design," said Rooney, who had been invited to the extravaganza by London School of Trends. Sometimes, designers tend to introduce or fuse elements of their native place with those in a place where they plan to showcasing their work. Rooney, who hails from Birmingham, said: "My hometown is Birmingham. In Birmingham, I always felt I was a bit of an outsider. In Birmingham, we have areas where Indian communities live and the shops are full of beautiful, bejewelled and bright Indian clothes". The designer, who has his own label, finds it a lot more "difficult" to run one's own brand in today's time. "There is a lack of funding for people who need it. You just have to really push yourself through that," he said. --IANS ks/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 14-year-old Indian girl was killed and 19 Indians were injured when their bus met with an accident in Iran, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. Twenty Indian pilgrims were heading to the city of Qom, considered holy in Shia Islam, last night when the accident. "I have got the report from Indian Embassy in Tehran. A bus carrying 20 Indian pilgrims on way to Qom met with an accident last night. Unfortunately, we lost Ms. Kulsum Fatima aged 14 years because of head injuries," Swaraj tweeted. Another national named Mohammad Ali is in the ICU, while 18 Indians were discharged after first aid, she said. "Our mission staff is in the hospital to provide any assistance," Swaraj said. Qom is the site of the shrine of sister of Imam Ali ibn Musa Rida, the eighth Shi'ite Imam. The city is a significant destination of pilgrimage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court today directed the CBI to expedite the investigation in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case allegedly involving Congress leader Jagdish Tytler and file a progress report. The direction was passed by the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Amit Arora, after the agency informed it that one more month was needed to conduct a lie detector test on controversial arms dealer Abhishek Verma, a witness in the case. The court directed the CBI's superintendent of police, who appeared before it in pursuance to its February order, to speed up the probe and file the progress report by May 21, the next date of hearing, The case relates to the riots at Gurudwara Pulbangash in North Delhi where three people were killed on November 1, 1984, a day after the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi. During the hearing, senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the riots victims, said the investigation was going on since two years and alleged that the CBI was trying to shield Tytler in the case. "It has been two years. A lot of evidence has been destroyed in the case," Phoolka said. He further said the court had ordered for Verma's lie detector test in a forensic lab in Rohini here six months ago and even that was being delayed. The agency, however, told the court that the polygraph machine in the lab was not working which is why the test could not be conducted, adding that it would require one more month for the test. Verma had earlier alleged before the court that the forensic lab here was trying to shield Tytler, who has been given clean chit in the case, during the polygraph tests carried out earlier. While Tytler, who has been given a clean-chit thrice by the CBI in the riots case, has refused to undergo the lie detector test, Verma had given conditional consent if he was provided round-the-clock security claiming threat to his life. Tytler had denied his role in the riots, but the court had ordered further investigation despite the CBI having submitted closure reports in the case thrice in the past. The victims had filed a protest petition challenging the CBI's closure reports in the case. The court had on December 2015 directed the CBI to further investigate the matter and decided to monitor the progress every two months to ensure no aspect was left uninvestigated. The agency had reinvestigated the case of killing of Badal Singh, Thakur Singh and Gurcharan Singh near the gurudwara after a court in December 2007 refused to accept its closure report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) today said it has entered into a pact with Indian Oil Corporation to provide LNG regasification services at its import terminal in Odisha. As per the contract, IOC has booked 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) regasification capacity spread over 20 years, APSEZ said in a statement. "APSEZ...has signed a long term agreement with IOC to provide Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification services on a use or pay basis to the state-run refiner, at its upcoming LNG import terminal at Dhamra in Odisha," the company said. IOC plans to supply gas to its refineries in Paradip in Odisha and Haldia in West Bengal. "We are pleased to partner with Indian Oil by signing this long term agreement. India lacks adequate LNG import infrastructure at present and I am confident that this project will play a key enabling role for increasing gas consumption in that part of the country. In fact, the terminal will play a strategic role in gas supply to Bangladesh and Myanmar as well," said Karan Adani, CEO, APSEZ. The foundation stone of the project was laid in July 2017 and construction has commenced by infrastructure firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T), winning the contract to set up the tankages for gas storage. The terminal is expected to be commissioned during the second half of 2021. APSEZ said the proposed Dhamra LNG import terminal is designed for an initial capacity of 5 MTPA, expandable up to 10 MTPA. "Initially, it will have two full containment type tanks of 1,80,000 m3 capacity each. It will be first of its kind in India and second LNG terminal on the east coast after IOC's Ennore terminal in Tamil Nadu," the company said. It said the company will have a jetty capable of handling a wide range of LNG supply vessels, including the largest Q-max fleet from Qatar. The terminal will be capable of reloading LNG to service proximate markets via the marine route and will also have truck loading gantries to help grow the nascent but exciting LNG by truck market. Headquartered in Ahmedabad, the USD 12-billion Adani group has operations across the world and APSEZ has 10 strategically located ports and terminals on both the western and eastern coastline of India - Mundra, Dahej, Kandla and Hazira in Gujarat, Dhamra in Odisha, Mormugao in Goa, Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, and Kattupalli and Ennore in Chennai - representing 24 per cent of India's total port capacity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court today directed a veterinarian to administer euthanasia to an ailing elephant if he finds that it would be cruel to keep the animal alive. An animal lover had moved the court seeking to euthanise the elephant which has developed bed sores due to constant lying down for over a month due to serious complications in of one of its feet. The petition was filed before first bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose. Petitioner S Muralidharan submitted that the elephant of Suguvaeswarar temple in Salem had been suffering for a long time due to serious painful disease condition of her left foreleg, which cannot be medically or surgically treated or cured. The court gave the direction after going through the circular of the Animal Welfare Board of India Chairman, Major General (Retd) Dr. RM Kharb, on euthanasia of animals and standards formulated by the Animal Welfare Board of India in this regard. The decision to perform euthanasia is ultimately to be taken by the veterinary officer in charge of the area based on the guidelines and rules and regulations, it said. The bench after going through the materials placed before it in its order said it was patently clear that steps taken for the treatment of the elephant Rajeswari, have not been successful. A letter from Dr. N.S. Manoharan, deputy director/forest university officer to the principal chief conservator of forests and wildlife warden indicates that the elephant had been examined by a team of veterinary assistant surgeons of Poly Clinic, Salem and Animal Disease Intelligence Unit, it said. On examination it was noticed that the elephant was administered pain killers, anti-inflammatory, nerve tonics with external applications of anodyne ointment and rubifacients. The elephant suffered from stiffness and had great difficulty in moving. The bench further said though the treatment was continued only marginal improvement was noticed. The prognosis was 'guarded to grave' which means intensive treatment and care till her death. "From the report it is patently clear that the elephant is in agony with remote or rather no chances of recovery," the bench said. "The elephant is suffering. It seems euthanasia should be performed so that the elephant is relieved from prolonged agony and suffering," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AffordPlan, a healthcare focused fintech company, today said it has raised USD 10 million in funding led by Lok Capital. The series B funding round also saw participation from Omidyar Network, alongside existing investors Prime Venture Partners and Kalaari Capital. "We will use the funds to strengthen our team, expand operations to 3-4 tier I cities and introduce newer products around saving, lending and insurance," AffordPlan co-founder and CEO Tejbir Singh told PTI. AffordPlan has partnered more than 300 hospitals in the country and helped about 1 lakh patients. With its savings-led product, AffordPlan offers financial assistance for non-emergency medical and expensive procedures related to pregnancy, eye care, plastic surgeries, bariatric, among others. "The current system of healthcare financing is mostly out-of-pocket payments. The penetration of health insurance is less and Indian households often rely on their savings to finance healthcare expenses. We are working towards reducing the burden of out-of-pocket expenses for patients and are making healthcare more accessible and affordable," he said. He added that through its network of partnerships, AffordPlan helps bring down the overall treatment costs by as much as 15-20 per cent. The Delhi-based company is expanding rapidly and is looking to hire more than 200 employees across India by the end of 2018. It has about 125 people as of now. Singh said the company also plans to expand to cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune over the next few months to expand its operations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air India today said it has suspended a senior officer for "indiscipline" after he got into an altercation with a passenger over a business class seat in a domestic flight. Following the altercation, the flight from Delhi to Amristar was delayed by more than half-an-hour. In a statement, the national carrier said the officer has been placed under suspension. "On a recent flight from Delhi to Amritsar, a senior commercial officer, who has just returned from a foreign posting got into a major altercation with a passenger over a business class seat. "The argument over such a trivial issue on a short-duration flight led to the delay of the flight by 33 minutes," it said. Details about the suspended official and when the incident happened could not be immediately ascertained. Sending out a strong message, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola also issued an advisory urging employees to stick to high disciplinary standards. "Indiscipline of any sort will not be tolerated from any employee irrespective of hierarchy or area of work," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Alden Ehrenreich, who will be next seen as the eponymous Han Solo in "Solo: A Star Wars Story", said working in the film felt like being in the CIA due to the level of secrecy around the project. During an interview with GQ, the actor was asked about the rumours that his character 'wins' the iconic Millennium Falcon in a card game but Ehrenreich side-stepped the question. "There's a lot of cinema history in this movie. There's a great card game," he said. "I can't say for sure that there is a card game. It's like being in the CIA. It's like 'All The President's Men'. Blink twice if you are in distress!" he joked. The 28-year-old also admitted he was forced to lie about landing the iconic role, even after the was leaked. "I was very much ready to not get it," he said. When it was official that he was cast for the role, Ehrenreich said he still had to deny it until he was officially unveiled. "People were coming up to me in restaurants and congratulating me and I had to be like, 'Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about.'," he added. "Solo: A Star Wars Story", directed by Ron Howard, also stars Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Thandie Newton and Donald Glover. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Army man, who has been missing since Saturday, is believed to have joined terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, along with two others, in Shopian district of South Kashmir, police said in Srinagar on Friday. Sepoy Mir Idrees Sultan, a resident of a village in Shopian, was posted with the 12 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) at Katihar in Bihar and was scheduled to shift to Jharkhand. According to the police, Mir was unhappy about the move. He had arrived at his native village on April 12 and had been missing since Saturday night, police officials said. His father, Mohammed Sultan Mir, approached the police station on Monday morning and reported that his son had been missing. ALSO READ: Army man joins Hizbul Mujahideen: JK police officials The police officials said that he had joined the militant group, along with two other local youths. Officially, however, there was no confirmation and police had registered a missing complaint and informed army authorities about the case. His call records and other activities were being probed by the police to ascertain whether he was in touch with any anti- elements, they said. The Army maintains that he has been "missing" and has no confirmation about his joining the terror outfit. An Army porter was today killed in firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. Khursheed Ahmad (37), working as porter with the Army, was killed in firing by Pakistani troops near Chaukas in Uri this morning, an Army official said. The deceased received bullet injury in neck and splinters in both legs and died on the spot, he added. Ahmad hailed from the Nawa Runda area of Baramulla in north Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's second list of candidates for the Karnataka assembly elections on May 12 contains at least five names with a tainted past. The list, comprising 82 names, has candidates, who were acquitted in corruption, forgery, cheating and rape cases. At least two of them had spent quite some time in jail on charges of cheating and forgery. The names that have raised eyebrows are Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krishnaiah Setty who were jailed in land scams but acquitted later. Setty, who will contest from Malur, was BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa's companion in jail as he was a co-accused in a multi-crore land scam in 2011. On the other hand, Katta Subramanya Naidu, who has been given ticket from Shivajinagar constituency, was jailed on charges of a land scam involving his firm Itasca in 2011. The charges against Naidu were that as a minister, he knew about an industrial project of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Authority near Kempegowda International Airport and tried to make a windfall gain by entering into an agreement with the land losers. Though the BJP national president Amit Shah denied any relationship with mining baron G Janardhana Reddy, the party gave ticket to his brother G Somashekhara Reddy to fight from Ballari city. He was an accused in the cash for bail scam to get his jailed brother mining baron Janardhana Reddy released on bail. Somashekhara Reddy was accused of trying to bribe a judge. The party gave ticket to Haratalu Halappa to contest from Sagar constituency. He has been acquitted in a rape case. He was accused of raping his friend's wife in Shivamogga in 2009. The court dismissed the case for want of evidence. M P Renukacharya, who will fight the electoral battle from Honnalli, was accused of sexually harassing a nurse when he was a minister in Yeddyurappa's ministry. The minister later said the nurse withdrew cases against him. The BJP has also given ticket to party-hopper N L Narendra Babu, who was with the Congress. Babu had been hinting at his entry for the past six months. He had even attended the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Dharma Sansad at Udupi last year. In power from 2008 to 2013, BJP is hoping to unseat the Congress government and stage a comeback. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid demands seeking action against some policemen in connection with the alleged custodial death of a 26-year-old man, a post-mortem report has revealed that he died due to 'blunt trauma' sustained to the abdomen. Sreejith, who was taken into custody in connection with the death of a person early this month, died in a private hospital on April 9. His relatives have alleged that he died due to torture. "Based on the post-mortem findings and clinical case summary, death was due to blunt trauma sustained to the abdomen and its complications," says the post-mortem report prepared by the doctors at Alappuzha Medical College. The report came amid demands seeking strong action against policemen allegedly responsible for the custodial death. Seven policemen were suspended in connection with the alleged custodial death. The case is being investigated by a Special Investigation Team headed by IGP S Sreejith. ??? Meanwhile, the ruling CPI(M) today said stringent action would be taken by the government against police officers found engaged in illegal activities.?? Sreejit had died in hospital with his family alleging that the youth was kicked several times on the stomach and thrashed by police officials who took him into custody in connection with a case relating to suicide of a 52-year-old CPI(M) sympathiser. ???? The Opposition Congress has sought a court monitored probe into the incident. Both the Congress and the BJP have demanded that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan give up the Home portfolio. BJP state general secretary A N Radhakrishnan began a 24-hour fast in front of the Range IG Office seeking justice for Sreejith. ????? BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan inaugurated the fast. The party has demanded a CBI probe into the incident. It has also demanded a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to Sreejith's family and also job to his wife. BJP had earlier observed a hartal in Varappuzha panchayat, protesting the death of Sreejith, who it claimed was its worker. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A state-wide bandh called by a people's forum for granting special category status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh is being observed today. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), though supporting the cause, decided to stay away from the agitation. No untoward incidents, except burning of a motorbike in Tirupati, have been reported so far during the bandh called by the Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti. The strike has been supported by all opposition parties, including the YSR Congress (YSRC) and Congress. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the situation with top police officials, directed them to ensure that peace prevailed in the state. Educational institutions remained shut and examinations scheduled for the day have been postponed in view of the stir. State Road Transport Corporation buses remained confined to the depots as protesters staged sit-ins and 'road roko' at various places. In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti president Chalasani Srinivas, CPI and CPI(M) state secretaries K Ramakrishna and P Madhu organised a 'dharna' at the PN bus station. In Visakhapatnam, YSR Congress MP V Vijayasai Reddy led the protest. YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy announced a day's break to his ongoing 'Padayatra' (foot march) to monitor the bandh from his camp in Krishna district. The police said unidentified miscreants set a bike on fire outside the bus terminus in Tirupati town. The ruling Telugu Desam Party had withdrawn its ministers in the Union cabinet and walked out of the NDA after the BJP-led Centre denied special category status to Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Retail investors are preferring SIP option for investing in mutual funds, with the industry garnering around Rs 671.9 billion through this route in 2017-18, an increase of 53 per cent from the preceding fiscal. In comparison, Rs 439.21 billion was collected through the investment plan in 2016-17, according to the latest update with Association of in India (Amfi). The increased interest in SIPs (systematic investment plans) can be attributed to the strong performance of equity schemes and investor education initiated by Amfi and mutual fund houses, Geojit Financial Services Executive Director Satish Menon said. He further said the new Sebi's announcements of reducing the mutual fund expense ratio to 5 basis points from 20 basis points along with recent market corrections will create a lucrative environment for investing through the SIP route in the market. As per the latest data, on an average, the mutual fund industry added about 0.97 million SIP accounts each month in 2017-18 as against an average of 0.627 million in the previous financial year. The industry had garnered Rs 71.19 billion last month through SIPs as compared to Rs 43.35 billion collected in March 2017. Moreover, the average SIP size was Rs 3,375 per account last fiscal. Currently, have about 21.1 million SIP accounts through which investors regularly invest in Indian mutual fund schemes. SIPs have been the preferred route for retail investors to invest in as it helps them reduce market timing risk. It is an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amount periodically instead of lump sum. The frequency of investment is usually weekly, monthly or quarterly. It is similar to a recurring deposit where investors deposit a small or fixed amount every month. The BJP today lodged a complaint that some AAP workers dressed in saffron clothes tried to create tension by raising provocative slogans and waiving swords in front of a mosque during a Ram Navami procession here, a day after the party's Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari made the charge. The complaint, lodged with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of New Delhi, demanded action against AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and MLA Amantullah Khan. The Delhi BJP's good governance cell in-charge Shailender Singh lodged the complaint. "The complaint has been received from Delhi BJP. We will enquire into it," said Madhur Verma, DCP (New Delhi). The AAP denied the charge, and said such "wild" accusations were a desperate bid of the BJP to mislead the public and divert attention from the crimes committed under its rule in Unnao and Kathua. Referring to a video clip telecast by a Hindi channel, Tiwari had claimed that the AAP and the Congress were trying to "break" the society as development was no longer an issue for them and trying to defame the BJP. Describing the incident, he alleged that a group of four or five people wearing saffron gamchas' and wielding swords had raised provocative slogans in front of a mosque here immediately after a Ram Navami procession passed by it. He alleged that the person leading the group was an AAP worker and was sent by the ruling party to incite communal tension in the national capital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu today lashed out at the BJP and said the saffron party might not win the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. "Till the other day, everybody thought the BJP is invincible but the political scene has completely changed now. There is an assertion that the BJP will not win the next election," a TDP release, quoting Naidu, said. He was addressing the coordination committee meeting of the TDP here this afternoon. Hitting out at the BJP, he said arrogance would cause anybody?s downfall, however big they might be. BJP stood out as an example for this, he said. ".... Any position (of authority) should enhance one?s humbleness but not cause arrogance. Otherwise, it will only lead to downfall," Naidu said. He warned his party rank and file not to be over-confident as it would create unwarranted problems. "The two national parties (Congress and BJP) lost their moorings in Andhra Pradesh," he said. "YSR Congress is a corrupt party while the Jana Sena and the Left parties themselves are unsure if they could give a fight. But still, all of them are launching a combined attack on the TDP." "People are watching all this," Naidu said. The TDP was fighting for the rights of five crore people of Andhra Pradesh. "People will give the right verdict at the right time," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Children's writer Mamta Nainy profiles Indian Art by covering a millennia of artistic expression in her new book as it time-travels chronologically through the many art schools and artistic periods. Billed as the first comprehensive guide for art enthusiasts - young and old, "A Brush with Indian Art" showcases exquisite full-colour photographs and illustrations of some of the most celebrated Indian artworks. From cave to contemporary paintings, it's like a walk through the history of Indian art. According to Nainy, the book is about stories, which have been plucked from the many art traditions in India. The book, published by Puffin, has interesting anecdotes and colourful trivia. One of these is related to the Ajanta Caves. "The tale goes that anyone who tries to deface the paintings in any way or reproduce them is struck by bad luck. Mysteriously many attempts to make copies of these paintings and then exhibit them in museums have been highly unsuccessful," Nainy writes. "In most of these cases, either the museums at which they were to be exhibited caught fire and the canvasses were destroyed, or the curator went insane!" she says. The extravagant Mughal miniature paintings provided inspiration to many future artists and schools, and they continue to inspire even today, the author says. "If it hadn't been for the Mughal rulers, such extraordinary art wouldn't have emerged or been developed in India. It seems that the Mughals were as passionate about art and architecture as they were about warfare and expanding their territories," the book says. The British, says Nainy, had different aesthetics with regard to art, and the Indian artists knew that if they were to survive, they'd have to start understanding and painting from the British point of view. "Hence, the artists moved to a more realistic sort of painting style, which meant that they tried to draw exactly what they saw, for these paintings were as much for documentation purposes as they were for artistic ones," she says. "They tried adapting to the ways of the British, and what came out of that was a mix of Indian and European art styles. Not surprisingly, the painters used familiar techniques from the Mughal paintings and then joined them with the features of a Western style of painting." In the late 19th century, with the arrival of the European painters and with Indian painters being exposed to and adapting to European styles of painting, came about a major swing in public taste. Lifelike paintings done in an extremely realistic fashion suddenly became very popular. And to promote the European style of painting further, the British opened several art schools in India, like Government School of Art in Calcutta and Sir J J School of Art in Bombay. Here they admitted Indian students from educated, well-to-do backgrounds and trained them in fine art. They taught their students how to paint objects realistically and schooled them in new mediums, such as oil paints. This is how a whole new generation of Indian painters was born, trained in this novel style of realism that was learnt from the British in Bombay and Calcutta. Some of these artists were Pestonjee Bomanjee, M.F. Pithawalla, Hemendranath Majumdar and Antonio Xavier Trindade. The author says the works of the artists of the Bengal school of art remain invaluable and have endured time. "This was perhaps the first school representing an art movement in modern India and is, therefore, an important milestone in Indian art history. From the paintings of Ajanta to Mughal miniatures to scenes of humble village life - the artists of the Bengal school always sought inspiration from Indian history and from the reality they saw around them," she writes. She also talks of modern artists, such as F N Souza, S H Raza, M F Husain and their companions at the Progressive Artists' Group, as they created masterpieces; and finally, understood the intricacies of contemporary Indian art that explores different mediums and modes of expression like performance art, videos, and installations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Admitting that "bank scams tarnish the image" of the country, Vice President Venkaiah K Naidu today said the "leaders of Brand India should possess "uncompromising honesty, integrity and ethical values". The absence of fear for law among some people has led to the increase of scams over the years, Naidu said while addressing students at the convocation ceremony of IIM-Shillong here. "It is important to adhere to values of honesty, integrity, truthfulness and adopt the best practices. Corporate ethics should not be violated," he said, asking students to display moral standards to make India proud. The Vice President also quoted the AsianDevelopment Bank predictions about India's economic growth to say there will be opportunities galore for young people in the coming years. He lauded the NDA government's new tax regime and said it "will propel India's future growth". "The robust FDI flows attracted by liberalized regulations and the government's steps to improve the ease of doing business will further bolster growth." Urging the management graduates to shoulder responsibilities for transforming India into a global economic power, Naidu said, the "quality of product, efficient service and ethical business practices" are hallmarks of a global brand. Every decision taken by the students should bear a testimony to these qualities, he said. "We need to overcome the challenges of poverty, illiteracy, social discrimination, atrocities against the weaker sections and women to build a prosperous, inclusive new India. We need to progress faster," he asserted. On the research front, the Vice President cited the 2018 National Institutional Ranking Framework, (NIRF) to highlight that India's overall share in world publications is extremely low. "Of the total 83,09,449 research publications in 2016-17, only 3,36,978 are from India. In the management discipline, the share is just two per cent," he said. Earlier in the day, IIM-Shillong chairman Shishir Bajoria said the Board of Governors at the institute is expected to strike a deal soon with a top B-School in the US for the benefit of its students. The Centre has approved the insitute's proposal to increase the sanctioned student strength from 390 to 680 and the built-up area from 45,500 sqm to 55,717 sqm on its new campus at the New Shillong Township, Bajoria said, thanking the Union government for its support. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is likely to meet Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi later this week to discuss the expansion of the state Cabinet, and a host of other issues. The chief minister will be meeting Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi later this week, an official source said. The expansion of the 19-month old Amarinder Singh cabinet has been on the cards for some time now -- more than six months. Those who find their mention in the list doing rounds for a ministerial berth includes O P Soni, Raj Kumar Verka, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Vijay Inder Singla, Kuljit Nagra, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Rakesh Pandey and Pargat Singh. After steering the party to a stupendous victory, Amarinder Singh took oath as Punjab chief minister on March 16 last year. The 76-year-old Amarinder was sworn in as the state's 26th chief minister along with nine ministers. Importantly, the chief minister can now only induct nine more ministers in his cabinet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress today alleged that the prosecution had failed to substantiate evidence against the accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case and claimed that such cases of attacks on minorities were being "diluted" ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre. A special NIA court here today acquitted five persons, including Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 case. "Then who are the actual culprits? Who injured 58 people? Who triggered the bomb?," Telangana congress spokesperson Sravan Dasoju said. "Prosecution has failed probably to substantiate with appropriate evidence, which clearly shows that ever since the BJP government has come (to power), many cases of attacks made on Muslims are being diluted," he said. The Telangana government has also "apparently failed" to take a review of the entire situation during the last four years, he said. Telangana BJP president K Laxman welcomed the verdict. "This verdict is a slap on the face of the Congress-led UPA government. Majlis leader (Asaduddin) Owaisi and Congress leaders are finding fault with it," he said. "Congress tried to do by intentionally filing cases against innocents in a way to throw mud at Hindu community and Sangh Parivar," he told reporters. Congress welcomed acquittal of A Raja (former Telecom minister) and others in the 2G spectrum case, but the party was now finding fault with this verdict, Laxman added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DMK-led opposition parties will hold human chain demonstrations in all the 32 districts of Tamil Nadu on April 23 urging the Centre to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board. The decision to stage the protest was taken today at a meeting of opposition parties chaired by DMK working president and Leader of the opposition in the state assembly M K Stalin. The human chain protest to be held between 4 pm and 5 pm is both to urge the Centre to immediately set up the CMB and to condemn the AIADMK regime for "not taking" action on the matter, Stalin said. A resolution adopted at the meeting urged Governor Banwarilal Purohit to take steps for immediate constitution of the Cauvery Management Board, he told reporters. Today's announcement comes days after Stalin had led leaders of opposition parties on a "Cauvery Rights Retrieval Yatra" between April 7 and April 12 covering the Cauvery basin region in the state. The political parties and pro-Tamil oufits have been staging protests demanding setting up of CMB. Since the AIADMK regime "did not come forward to exert pressure on the Centre to set up the CMB," the Governor was urged to take action as a follow up to a memorandum submitted to him by the oppositoin on April 13 in this regard, he said. It has also been decided to seek the appointment of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him on the travails of the farmers over the Cauvery issue on behalf of the opposition parties in the state, he said. Stalin said the AIADMK regime did not implement a resolution passed at a recent all-party meeting to meet the Prime Minister on the Cauvery issue and hence it has now been decided by the opposition to seek appointment by themselves. Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI(M), CPI, IUML and MMK were among the parties which attended the meeting today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI on Monday filed a charge sheet against former railway minister Lalu Prasad and others in connection with alleged corruption in handing out a management contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private company, officials said. Former Bihar chief minister and Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi were also among the 14 people named by the CBI in the chargesheet file in a court here. The agency had recently questioned former Rabri Devi in connection with the case, they said. The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Prasad, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a prime plot of three acres in Patna through a benami company. The FIR alleged that the RJD leader abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhars and acquired a piece of "high value premium land" through the benami firm, Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" awarded the contract to them for the two hotels, the FIR had alleged. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotels, the ownership of Delight Marketing Company also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time, Lalu Prasad had resigned as railway minister. Russia and Syria have stalled access to Douma by international experts seeking to probe an alleged poison gas attack there, citing security concerns, a British diplomat said today. The claim came as the global chemical arms watchdog held emergency talks on the alleged atrocity, which prompted Western air strikes on Syria on Saturday. The head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ahmet Uzumcu, told the closed-door meeting his inspectors had failed to gain access to the site so far, the British ambassador to the Netherlands told reporters. Uzumcu said "the Syrian regime and the Russians were citing security concerns," ambassador Peter Wilson told a press conference. The Russians and Syrians "have not been able to guarantee the security of the delegation to go to Douma at this point," Wilson added, saying no timeline had been given for when they could visit. The talks at the OPCW's headquarters come two days after a wave of punitive missile strikes in Syria launched by Western powers after the alleged April 7 toxic arms attack on Douma. The team had been expected to begin their field work on Sunday, but they met with officials at their Damascus hotel instead and a strict media blackout was imposed on their schedule. The Kremlin dismissed claims that Russia was impeding access. "We consider such accusations against Russia to be groundless," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Moscow was in favour of "an impartial investigation". The missiles that US, French and British warships fired on suspected chemical facilities Saturday constituted the biggest Western attack against the regime in the seven-year war. The targeted sites were largely empty, and were all said to be facilities for chemical weapons storage or production. In the Syrian capital, thousands of people gathered on the main Umayyad square to express their support for President Bashar al-Assad in the aftermath of the missile strikes. But at the OPCW, France urged nations to boost the organisation's work so it can dismantle Syria's "secret" toxic weapons programme. Following recent alleged attacks, "we all know, Syria has maintained a secret chemical programme since 2013," French ambassador Philippe Lalliot said. "The facts are there, and they defy the most obscene lies and the most absurd denials," he said. He added that priority must be given to helping the OPCW "complete the dismantling of the Syrian programme". The limited scope of the weekend strikes and the fact that Damascus had time to remove key assets thanks to prior warning given by the West to the Syrian regime's ally Russia, have drawn scepticism however. The trio of Western powers that carried out the strikes warned they would repeat the operation if Damascus used chemical weapons again, while Putin warned any fresh strikes would "provoke chaos". With no further strikes planned for the time being, the West already appears to be shifting its focus to renewed diplomatic action, with a new resolution to be debated at the UN Security Council today. "The bottom line for me is that this latest strike changed nothing," said Nabeel Khoury, a former US diplomat and currently a fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank. "In my opinion, it was a staged drama, orchestrated by Trump and Putin, for each to save face," he said. The attack on Douma, in which most experts say chlorine as well as an agent such as sarin were used, killed at least 40 people, according to local medics. Holdout fighters from the Islamist group Jaish al-Islam subsequently surrendered their heavy weapons and left, saying that the chemical attack forced them to accept a Russian-brokered transfer deal. Regime forces have since entered Douma and declared the entire Eastern Ghouta region around it fully retaken, ending a five-year siege and reclaiming an opposition bastion on the edge of the capital. Damascus and Moscow have vehemently denied that any chemical weapons were used in Douma and alleged instead that grim videos showing civilians foaming at the mouth after the attack were staged. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said several coordination meetings were held with the OPCW team, but he did not provide any further details about their schedule. "Syria reiterated its full readiness to coordinate and to facilitate the delegation's work," he said, quoted by the official state agency SANA. Russia also promised Monday it would not obstruct the fact-finding mission. Russia "will not interfere in its work," the Russian embassy in The Hague said in a tweet. With all key players having anticipated its findings, the chemical arms watchdog faces a difficult task and the team may have arrived too late on the ground. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said however: "I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese scientists have developed a new device of 3D hollow-cone structure that can greatly increase the solar-thermal conversion efficiency. The device, named 'Artificial Transpiration' by Zhu Jia and his team from the Nanjing University, is inspired by the transpiration process of trees, an article recently published online by the National Science Review, an English language journal affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said. It has a special 1D water path within it, which can reduce the energy loss in conduction, China's state-run Xinhua agency quoted the article as saying. The cone structure, based on a graphene film, can collect more sunlight throughout the day when compared with a flat device, as about 10 per cent to 50 per cent of sunlight is diffusive. Thus it performs even better in the real world than in the laboratory, it said. As a result, the device can enhance the solar-thermal conversion rate to 85 per cent, which is much higher than the 40 per cent rate of common devices, it said. Many sectors have refrained from using solar power because of its low conversion rate caused by losses in radiation, convection and conduction. The device will open new possibilities in utilisation of solar energy. Zhu's team first applied this structure to solar waste-water treatment, and the test showed that it could not only retrieve clean water but also recycle heavy metals such as copper and cadmium. In the future, the structure can be further optimised to have a longer life and recycle more heavy metals, the article said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's new indigenously developed multi-role stealth fighter jet J-10C, capable of striking precisely both land and maritime targets, were put into active combat duty today, the military said. The third-generation supersonic fighter jets are equipped with an advanced avionics system and multiple advanced armament, making it capable of precisely striking both land and maritime targets within medium and close range, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) said in a statement. China had in February commissioned its the latest J-20 stealth fighter into its air force's combat service. The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter jet. The Chinese supersonic fighter jet had made its debut in July last year, when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary, at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fighter will enrich the air force's offensive and defensive system and improve its capability to fulfil duties and missions, the statement said. Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLAAF, said that the air force will advance training and war readiness, and sharpen its striking, defensive, and air delivery capabilities. It will also firmly safeguard China's airspace security and national strategic interests in the new era, Shen was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua agency. Taiwan's state-owned agency the Central Agency (CNA) had earlier reported that the J-10C is more streamlined than the J-10 B to reduce drag. Hong Kong military analyst Leung Kwok-leung said that the J-10C has stealth capabilities entirely different from existing stealth warplanes. The J-10C fuselage absorbs radar waves and weakens its signals, as a result, the waves do not bounce back to the radar, making the plane stealth, the state-run Global Times said quoting the CNA report today. It is a brand new stealth technology, it said. The news of induction of the new warplane came at a time when Chinese military held its biggest ever military exercises and parade in the disputed South China Sea last week. The naval hardware seen at the parade, inspected by Chinese President Xi Jinping, showcased achievements made by the People's Liberation Army Navy, including nuclear submarines in its modernisation drive, military observers said. A researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, Senior Captain Cao Weidong said that the Navy received a large number of new weapons with advanced capabilities over the past five years and new hardware features a higher information capability and optimised joint operation system and thus can better carry out sophisticated joint operations. Cui Yiliang, editor-in-chief of Modern Ships magazine, said the Navy showed almost all of its new hardware delivered during the past 10 years. It is now capable of conducting every naval operation, from strategic strike to amphibious assault, he said. "The nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines involved in the parade are of the latest generation and have many improvements compared with their predecessors. The new nuclear-powered attack submarines are reportedly capable of launching cruise missiles," he said. Wu Peixin, a defence industry analyst in Beijing, said the PLA Navy has been steadily and rapidly catching up with the US Navy in terms of technological and operational capabilities of its hardware. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kremlin today dismissed as "groundless" claims that Russia and Syria have not allowed a fact-finding mission by the world's chemical weapons watchdog to enter Douma to probe an alleged gas attack. "We consider such accusations against Russia to be groundless," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Moscow was in favour of "an impartial investigation". Earlier, Britain's embassy to the Netherlands said Russia and Syria had not yet allowed a team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to enter Douma, where an attack on April 7 -- allegedly using chlorine and sarin -- killed at least 40 people. OPCW chief Ahmet Uzumcu had briefed emergency talks about the deployment of the team, which arrived Saturday in Damascus. Moscow has vowed not to interfere in the team's work and hit out at the United States, saying the weekend strikes by the US, France and Britain on three facilities in Syria were a bid "to undermine the credibility" of the mission. Peskov also dismissed French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that the weekend air strikes had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. While acknowledging some differences "on a number of issues" between Turkey and Russia, Peskov said they did not prevent the two countries from cooperating in the implementation of large-scale economic and other projects. Predictably, the Western strikes against Syria at the weekend caused outrage in Moscow but Putin did not announce any retaliatory measures, with Russia simply calling an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister Theresa May today opened the Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) here, marking the start of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) with a message of using the organisation to challenge the forces of protectionism and promote greater trade. India is among 52 other member-countries participating in the summit hosted by the UK in London around the theme of "Towards a Common Future". Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be reaching here tomorrow to attend the CHOGM. "The 2018 Commonwealth Trade Review predicted that trade between member states will be worth USD 700 billion by 2020. Yet risks remain. Global growth is fragile. The challenges posed by protectionism are all too clear," Theresa May said in her opening speech at the Guildhall. "If Commonwealth businesses are to flourish in such times, if we are to deliver and secure the prosperous future our young people want and deserve, then the Commonwealth and national governments must not be afraid to act," she added. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is participating in the CBF with what it describes as a "momentous" delegation of nearly 40 business leaders across different sectors of the country, led by CII President Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice-Chairman of Bharti Enterprises. The Indian business leaders aim to highlight opportunities for intra-Commonwealth collaboration across technology, skills, agriculture and infrastructure verticals as part of the largest Indian delegation of CEOs and young Indian business leaders to any Commonwealth Summit in recent times. Chandrajit Banerjee, CII Director-General, said: "The key question is what will be the new-age "common" factor in the Commonwealth? India's trade with Commonwealth nations is 20 per cent of its global trade basket. "Therefore, business must redefine and lay the foundation for the new evolving architecture of the Commonwealth this presents a great opportunity for Indian business to lead the narrative, whether it is in trade facilitation, seamless movement of professionals and visitors, skills to support new-age employability, sustainability or small business." He stressed that re-engaging with the Commonwealth at the highest level with Prime Minister Modi's participation at CHOGM later this week is a "marked strategic shift" for India. Tripartite or bilateral cooperation for collaboration in third countries is also of significant interest, with new models of collaboration between India and the UK, focusing on joint projects and investments in African countries. The UK, which is the Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth for two years, also unveiled a range of new initiatives and networks to mark the launch of CHOGM. Theresa May announced that the UK will be funding a new Commonwealth Standards Network, which will support developing countries in particular to better meet existing international standards. "It will empower developing countries to have a stronger voice in the international standards community something that has benefits on a global scale," she said. The UK will also fund a new Trade Facilitation Programme, supporting and providing technical assistance to selected Commonwealth countries in implementing the World Trade Organisation's Trade Facilitation Agreement. And, working alongside the International Trade Centre, it will also deliver a new SheTrades Commonwealth initiative to offer Commonwealth-wide support to help countries break down gender barriers in international trade. "There is no doubt there is Commonwealth factor trade costs are 19 per cent lower between Commonwealth members. Some members benefit greatly but we can spread that benefit further," said Charles Bowman, Lord Mayor of the City of London. "Ask not what the UK wants from the Commonwealth but ask what the UK can do for the Commonwealth," added Lord Marland, the chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and in charge of the Commonwealth Business Forum, which, alongside Women's, People's and Youth forums, marks the precursor to the Heads of Government Meeting starting on Thursday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seems to have had his way in selection of Congress candidates for the May 12 assembly polls in Karnataka, with most party hoppers getting tickets, upsetting several seniors. With most of those who switched sides getting tickets, it is seen as consolidation of Siddaramaiah's position within the party, as party veterans like Mallikarjuna Kharge, Veerappa Moily and KPCC chief G Parameshwara were seen opposed to it, preferring long time party workers. Issuing tickets to party hoppers, including seven rebel JDS MLAs and controversial businessman of Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project Ashok Kheny, was reported to be a thorny issue while selecting candidates, with Siddaramaiah said to be standing strongly in their favour. The chief minister is also said to have had his way in getting tickets to Anand Singh and B Nagendra in Ballari district. The two, who are allegedly involved in the illegal mining case, had joined the Congress, ahead of elections. While Singh was earlier in the BJP, Nagendra was an independent MLA. B R Patil, Satish Sail, Mankala Subba Vaidy, G Manjunath, S N Subba Reddy and Anil Kumar are among the other recent entrants to Congress who have got the tickets. As several of the party hoppers, who have got tickets, have had connection with JDS, Siddaramaiah's former party, it reportedly irked long time party loyalists and veterans. However, by not acceding to Siddaramaiah's reported wish to contest from two seats, Chamundeshwari in Mysuru and Badami in Bagalkote district of north Karnataka, the party high command is seen to have done some kind of balancing act. Siddaramaiah's reported wish to contest from two seats is said to have met with stiff opposition from both Kharge and Moily. The two leaders is said to have stated that it would send wrong message to voters in Mysuru region and would further consolidate Vokkaliga votes in favor of the JDS. Badami with strong Kuruba presence, the community to which Siddaramaiah belongs, was seen as second safe option for the Chief Minister as reports have suggested that the battle in Chamundeshwari will not be an easy one for him. The Chief Minister will now be contesting from Chamundeshwari alone, from where he has won five times and tasted defeat twice. He was representing Varuna Mysuru constituency which has now been allotted to his son Yatindra. Amid reports of haggling among top leaders, the Congress last night announced the list of 218 candidates in one go for the 224-member Karnataka legislative assembly that will go to polls on May 12. The party has kept candidates for six seats on hold. They are Sindagi, Nagathan, Kittur, Raichur, Shantinagar and Melukote constituencies. According to party sources, the Congress is expected to support farmer leader Puttannaiah's son Darshan Puttannaiah (Swaraj India) from Melukote. N A Haris, whose son was involved in an attack on a individual at an upscale city pub-cum-restaurant recently is seeking ticket from Shantinagar for re-election. The incident has come as a major embarrassment to the party ahead of polls. Among the interesting aspects that mark Congress' list include at least five father-son/daughter combinations together getting ticket. They include Siddaramaiah and his son Yatindra, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy and his daughter Soumya, veteran leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa and his son Mallikarjun, Housing Minister Krishnappa and son Priya Krishna, and Law Minister T B Jayachandra and son Santosh Jayachandra. Other than this, children of several prominent party leaders like Mallikarjuna Kharge's son Priyank Kharge and K H Muniyappa's daughter Roopa Shashidar have also made it to the list. Among 218 candidates in the list, Kagodu Thimmappa and Shamanuru Shivashankarappa are octogenarians, while at least 15 are women candidates. While most sitting MLAs have retained their seats other than a few exceptions, at least 12 MLAs have been dropped. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The state units of the Congress and the Left Front organised two separate demonstrations in the city today in protest against the alleged violence during the filing of nominations for the upcoming panchayat polls in the state. Senior Congress leaders and MLAs observed a daylong fast at Rani Rashmoni Road here, raising slogans against the state government with placards in hand. "The state government is trying to turn the panchayat polls into a farce. Never before the opposition parties in the state have faced such a situation where they were not allowed to file nominations by the ruling party," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury asserted. "If the TMC is so confident of their development work in the past seven years, why are they afraid of opposition candidates." he said. The Left Front, led by the CPI(M), organised a protest rally around 2.30pm from Birla Planetarium in Maidan area of the city to Esplanade. Democracy is under threat and all efforts are being made to undermine the State Election Commission, which has turned into a back office of the TMC, CPI(M) legislative party leader Sujan Chakraborty said. "The TMC is afraid of the Left Front that is why they have not allowed our candidates to file nominations," Chakraborty said. Violence was reported from parts of West Bengal after the State Election Commission issued notification for the panchayat polls. The opposition parties accused the ruling TMC of attacking its candidates to prevent them from filing nominations. The SEC had issued a notification to extend the deadline for filing of nominations by a day, following the allegations. The decision was, however, reversed the next day, prompting the BJP to approach the Supreme Court and the High Court. A single bench of the Calcutta High Court today extended the stay it had earlier imposed on the election process till the next date of hearing as an appeal on the maintainability of a petition by the BJP is pending before a division bench. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A congregation of Muslim clerics and community members here has described the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 as the Centre's "interference" in Sharia law and demanded its immediate withdrawal. The "Deen Bachao, Desh Bachao" conference was organised by the Imarat Shariah at Phulwari Sharif, Patna under the banner of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) at the Gandhi Maidan here yesterday. Muslim clerics, intellectuals and community members from different walks of life from Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand attended the event, where 10 resolutions were passed on varied subjects. The gathering expressed concern over some recent decisions of the Centre, which they alleged were targeted against the Islamic culture and education system. Anisur Rahman Quasmi, the Nazim of Imarat Shariah, Phulwari Sharif and other Nayab Nazim read out the resolutions, which were endorsed by the congregation. Imarat Shariah - Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha - Amir-e-Shariyat Mohammad Wali Rahmani presided over the function. Member of AIMPLB - Kolkata chapter Maulana Abu Taalib Rahmani was also present. Others present on the occasion included Islamic scholar and former MP Obaidullah Khan Azmi and AIMPLB Secretary Mohammad Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani. Some politicians, including Abdul Bari Siddiqui of the RJD, Congress MP from Kisanganj Asararul Haque and Ejhar Ahmad of the JD(U) were also present, but were not accommodated on the main dias. They were seen sitting on the rear-side of the platform. The conference alleged that the introduction of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 had "opened the door for government interference in Shariat". The conference demanded an immediate withdrawal of the bill. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in Decemeber, 2017 but was pending in the Rajya Sabha, makes all declarations of talaq, including in written and electronic form, void and illegal. The gathering raked up the incidents of rape in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and demanded the government to hand out a stern punishment to the guilty. The congregation touched upon several other issues, including the allleged dilution of the SC/ST Act and four senior Supreme Court judges coming out in the public against the alleged attempt to "destroy" the constitutional institutions. It also expressed concern over the alleged attempts to link Madarsas with terrorism. The conference expressed grave concern over the recent outbreak of riots in different parts of the country to allegedly target Muslims and the weaker sections of the society and demanded the state governments to enact anti-riot legislations. It demanded steps for promoting Urdu and sought naming of signboards of shops also in that language. It also expressed concern over the situation in Syria, Myanmar and Philippines. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari today said that the construction work on Dwarka Express Highway would begin within next one month. About Rs 7,000 crore would be spent on this 17 km long highway, said Gadkari, who was speaking as chief guest in a function organised here. He said work on different projects was under progress to reduce traffic congestion in Gurugram. In this direction, the Dwarka Express Highway would prove to be a boon for residents of Gurugram, he said, according to a Haryana government release. He said another project was Eastern Peripheral Road (EPR). This project included land acquisition worth Rs 2,000 crore. He said the EPR had been completed at a cost of about Rs 15,000 crore and it would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi next week, the release quoting Gadkari said. The Union Minister said that a flyover would be constructed at a cost of about Rs 170 crore at Shankar Chowk on National Highway number 8 making way towards the Ambience Mall. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's cooking oil imports rose about 10 per cent to 15.57 million tonne (MT) in 2017-18 on higher palm oil shipments, industry body Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) said today. The world's largest vegetable oil buyer had imported 14.21 MT during 2016-17 financial year, it said. According to SEA data, while the import of edible oils stood at 15.1 MT in 2017-18, non-edible oils took a share of 3,92,115 tonne. Over 60 per cent of the total cooking oil imports comprises palm oils, whose inbound shipment has grown after Malaysia withdrew the export duty. However, the government has tried to curb import of palm oils by raising in March customs duty on crude palm oil (CPO) to 44 per cent from 30 per cent and RBD palm oils to 54 per cent from 40 per cent to protect domestic growers. "This increase in duty is a welcome step. Yet, the government has missed the opportunity to provide a 20 per cent duty difference between crude and refined oils as requested by the Association to encourage domestic refining industry and promote 'Make in India," SEA said. As on April 1, total edible oils stock at ports and in pipelines is estimated at 2.11 MT, higher than the monthly requirement of 1.9 MT. India imports palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, and a small quantity of crude soft oil, including soyabean oil from Latin America. Sunflower oil is imported from Ukraine and Russia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs today seized gold worth over Rs 35 lakh from a couple at the international airport here and arrested them for illegal possession of the precious metal. The officials intercepted Siddeeque Mundodan and Jamsiya Karalil, both holding Indian passports, upon their arrival at the airport from Dubai, a Customs release said. The officials found Karalil had concealed 1254 grams of gold, valued at Rs 35,69,987, between two layers of a crepe bandage wrapped around her waist, it said, adding that she was carrying the gold which was owned by Mundodan. The duo were arrested under the Customs Act 1962. Further investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special anti-terror court today acquitted Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, holding that the prosecution failed to prove "even a single allegation" against them, lawyers said. A powerful blast, triggered by remote control, had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007 when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. "Prosecution (NIA) could not prove even a single allegation against any of the accused and all of them stand acquitted," J P Sharma, the counsel for Assemanand, told reporters quoting special judge for NIA cases K Ravinder Reddy who delivered the verdict amid tight security. Media was barred entry in the courtroom during the pronouncement of the judgement in the high-profile case, dubbed as one of "Hindu terror", a term that riled the BJP and saffron organisations no end. Aseemanand was acquitted last year in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah terror attack. He is an accused in the 2007 Samjhauta blasts case. Apart from him, those acquitted are -- Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary. Though there were 10 accused in the case, only these five were tried. Two other accused -- Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra -- were absconding, while Sunil Joshi was murdered. Investigation is continuing against two others. The bomb had exploded in an area of the mosque where devotees performed ablutions. Two more Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were later found and defused by the police. The incident had triggered violent protests and riots, prompting police action in which five more people were killed. The case was initially probed by the local police before being transferred to the CBI, and finally in 2011 to the NIA, the country's premier anti-terror investigation agency. The CBI had filed one charge sheet, while NIA subsequently submitted supplementary charge sheets in the case. The NIA spokesperson in Delhi said today that the agency will decide its future course of action after going through the order. Buoyed by the verdict, the BJP claimed that it had "exposed" the Congress' "appeasement politics", while the latter raised questions about the functioning of the NIA. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress has long "defamed" Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for using terms like "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror". Patra said people will teach the Congress "a lesson" in the Karnataka Assembly polls as in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when the party was reduced to 44 seats. "For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been exposed like never before," he said. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "It (acquittal) is happening in each case since the government was formed four years ago...people are losing faith in the agencies." AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi claimed that the NIA did not properly pursue the case, leading to the acquittal of the accused. "MMasjid Blast case verdict majority of witness turned hostile after June 2014, NIA didn't pursue the case as expected from it/was not allowed by Political Masters. Qs is what will be left of criminal justice system if such biased prosecutions continue (sic). "Justice hasnt been done," the Hyderabad Lok Sabha member said on a micro-blogging site. According to Sharma, the court after examining documents and material placed on record found that the charges did not stick. "This entire case was based on confessional statement of Swami Aseemanand. Right from the beginning, we had been placing before the court that this is not a statement of confession. "The defence argued that the so-called confessional statement was forced from Swami Aseemanand in order to create a theory of 'Bhagwa Atankwad' (saffron terror)," he said. The court, Sharma said, held that the confessional statement of Aseemanand was not voluntary. "The CBI had got the statement of Swami Aseemanand recorded in Delhi while he was in police custody during December 2010," he said. Sharma claimed the investigating officer of the CBI had "intentionally" implicated the accused to sully the image of 'Sant Samaj' (the fraternity of seers) and the RSS, to which those acquitted belonged at some point of time. He claimed nothing incriminating was recovered from any of the accused, and that there was no corroboration to the "confessional" statement of Aseemanand. Sharma quoted Assemanand as having said after the verdict that he has full faith in the judiciary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government today ordered the completion of forensic examinations in cases of crime against women within a month, keeping in view "the ever-increasing incidents" of such crimes. In his order to Principal Secretary (Home) Manoj Parida, Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain has asked him to ensure that such cases were given top priority for the earliest completion of prosecution. The Delhi government's move comes at a time when there is a public outcry over Kathua and Unnao rape cases in the country. "Keeping in view the ever-increasing incidents of crimes against women/girl/Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) offences, all such cases referred for forensic examination need to be attended urgently for earliest completion of prosecution. "Accordingly, please ensure that such cases are given top priority and forensic examination is completed within a month," Jain said in the order. An official said that the government was currently ascertaining the number of pending cases where forensic examination was yet to be completed. Yesterday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that the AAP government would amend the law to secure death penalty for the rapists of minor girls. While vowing to take the legislative measure during the next assembly session, Kejriwal had also said he would also set up fast-track courts to complete the trial of the cases of crime against women in six months. The official said that the home department of the government had started working on preparing a proposed Bill to amend the IPC and the CrPC. The chief minister had also urged citizens to take a day off and support the DCW chief Swati Maliwal in her indefinite hunger strike at Rajghat, demanding stringent laws and the death penalty for rapists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Calcutta University has chosen a slum in the city for community development support, Vice-Chancellor Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee said today. As part of the plan of the institution to undertake community service in its neighbourhood area, a slum has been chosen, the VC told a press meet here. "We have selected a slum which will be getting some support from us - support for the education, health awareness, medical, garments for the dwellers," she said. Banerjee said the university will also arrange excursion activities of the young slum dwellers. To a question about some recent allegations of ragging in the university hostels, the VC said, instances of ragging were matters of concern in recent times. "We have decided to appoint full time superintendents for hostels who will be staying 24 hours at the hostels and we will be paying them a consolidated amount," she said. Presently the hostels have part-time superintendents. The VC said there will be a separate hostel for first year students. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today upheld the sentence of life imprisonment till death given to five convicts for gangraping a 52-year-old Danish woman here in 2014. The high court dismissed the appeal of the convicts challenging their conviction and jail term awarded by a trial court in 2016. A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta said the testimony of the victim and the DNA report, which was a clinching piece of evidence, have nailed the guilt of the convicts. The bench, however, pulled up the investigating officer of the case for not conducting a proper investigation. The high court, meanwhile, rejected the testimony of an eyewitness given in the trial court, claiming to have seen the accused persons committing the crime with the victim, saying he could not be accepted as a natural witness. "In view of the victim's evidence, corroborated by the DNA report, this court his satisfied that the conclusion of the trial court on the guilt of the accused is correct. Accordingly, the appeals are dismissed," the bench said. The trial court had on June 10, 2016 awarded life imprisonment till death to the five rapists, saying their "inhuman" and "brutal" acts of abduction and gangrape in 2014 had put a stigma on the reputation of the nation. The court had held the five men guilty for the offences under IPC sections 376 (D) (gang rape), 395 (dacoity), 366 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention). According to the police, the nine persons, all vagabonds, had robbed and gangraped the Danish tourist at knife-point on the night of January 14, 2014, after leading her to a secluded spot close to the Divisional Railway Officers' Club near the railway station. The victim had come here on January 1, 2014, and stayed for a couple of days before leaving for Agra. After visiting several places, she returned to Delhi on January 13, 2014, and stayed in a hotel in Paharganj near the station. The next day when she was returning to her hotel, she lost her way and had asked one of the accused for directions when the men waylaid and gangraped her. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government today disputed in the Supreme Court the correctness of an agreement reached with the Haryana government over daily release of Yamuna water for the national capital. The Aam Aadmi Party government said that the minutes of the meeting held on March 28, do no reflect the correct state of affairs. A bench of justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta asked the secretary of Water Resource, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to inform the counsel for the Centre about the correct state of affairs of the minutes of the meeting. Senior advocate Shyam Divan appearing for the Haryana government said that under the agreement reached, the Delhi government had to make a formal request for release of water to the national capital. Senior advocate Parag Tripathi appearing for Delhi Jal Board said that he has no issue of making a formal request but the water has to be release as the Delhi government is unable to meet the demand of drinking water. He said that the minutes of the meeting submitted by Haryana to the court do not reflect the correct position. The bench then asked Tripathi to specify what is the correct position on the minutes but he said he has no specific instruction on the issue and has to ascertain the factual position. Divan said that if the formal request is made then it will be considered as soon as it is received but added that it was agreed between the parties that Delhi government will withdraw the cases filed at National Green Tribunal and the Delhi High Court. The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on April 19. The meeting held on March 28, on the issue of short supply of Yamuna water to Delhi was chaired by Union Ministry of Water secretary U P Singh and was attended by the chief secretaries of Haryana and Delhi. On April 2, the Delhi government had informed the apex court that it was negotiating with Haryana for the release of 450 cusecs of water of the Yamuna river per day for the national capital. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) had told the court that Haryana had released some amount of water and requested that the court might not need to pass any order as both Delhi and Haryana governments were in negotiation to resolve the crisis. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by the DJB alleging that Haryana had reduced by one-third the supply of Yamuna water to the national capital, leading to a grave water crisis here. The DJB contended in its plea that Haryana was supplying Delhi only 330 cusecs of water per day as against 450 cusecs per day which was agreed upon between the state and the Union Territory. It has claimed that due to the present curtailment in water supply to the Wazirabad reservoir, the plant is running at reduced capacity leading to "grave water crisis" in the city. The DJB had said the situation would "escalate" as the temperature rises with the onset of summer and the demand for drinking water shoots up. It has sought directions from the apex court to the Haryana government to supply the full 450 cusec of water per day continuously and daily to the Wazirabad reservoir. The Delhi High Court had also recently told the Haryana government that it has to stick to its 2014 direction specifying the amount of water to be released to Delhi every day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government has invited proposals from NGOs and corporates to run special training centres for out-of-school children and dropouts to prepare them for age-appropriate mainstream The funding for these children (in the age group of 6 to 14 years) will be provided under the Universal Elementary Mission (UEEM)'s Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. "Interested NGOs and corporates can submit their applications to the department by April 28, following which visits will be made to the existing facilities to gauge their proficiency," a senior Directorate of Education (DoE) official said. "All the proposals received will be screened by the screening committee on the basis of credibility, capability and documents. The recommended proposals will be placed before the competent authority and the grant-in aid committee for further approval," the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Global logistics group Deutsche Post DHL Group is working to link Indian companies with businesses in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) to strengthen India's economic relations with Southeast Asian markets. India is a key market for us. We will help our clients there to work their way into the AEC, which will in turn be a springboard to the Far East markets in line with New Delhi's Act East' policy, said Alfred Goh, President, Global Fast Growing Enterprise and Regional Head, Customer Solutions and Innovation Asia Pacific, DHL. In 2000-2017, there was over USD 514.7 billion of ASEAN investment flow into India. In 2015-16, India's exports to ASEAN were valued at USD 25 billion, with imports at USD 40.6 billion. We want to capitalise on our presence in these high-growth markets with a combined population of 1.8 billion people, and partner businesses on growing cross-border commerce and trade, he said. DHL is already investing millions of dollars in India, increasing logistics hubs and warehouses, keeping up with projected demand for its services following the successful implementation of the goods and services tax (GST). Having been part of the GST process development from an early stage, we now have a very good understanding of the new single tax regime, which India-bound foreign investors are trying to learn, he said. DHL is well versed in the business cultures of both India and Southeast Asia. We know the tax incentives, options and business locations in ASEAN, pointed out Goh. India is industrialising, with an emphasis on export-oriented manufacturing, observed Goh, adding that ASEAN is also seeing development zones for global trade and commerce that would fit with Indian businesses' regional operations. He highlighted India's continued port and airport development that will support exports, and that future shipment volumes will be transshipped into the regional markets through breakbulk. India's population of 1.3 billion and ASEAN's 638 million make the two territories the largest trading zones with bilateral and multi-lateral commitments under various India-ASEAN economic pacts such as the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA), which came into effect in 2010. It drove further growth in two-way trade between India and ASEAN as of 2012, this figure stood at USD 79.86 billion, surpassing its initial USD 70 billion target. With India's Act East policy and the Indian and ASEAN governments goals of connecting the South and Southeast Asian markets, the existence of a platform will allow India companies to have easier access to the Southeast Asian zones. The newly set-up Global Center of Excellence (GCOE) in Iskandar Malaysia by DHL and Iskandar Investment Berhad will provide supply chain consultancy services, and support businesses to design logistics solutions specific to key industries including automotive, energy, engineering & manufacturing, life sciences & healthcare and technology. This GCOE can connect companies in India with the government and key stakeholders to strengthen the value proposition in operating in countries like Iskandar Malaysia which will drive bilateral trade further, he said, citing examples of India-ASEAN connectivity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The DTC today justified in the Delhi High Court its decision to issue tender for procuring 1,000 standard buses even as it admitted that the low floor buses were more efficient and safe for passengers in comparison to the old ones. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) claimed that it was trying to provide all facilities except wheel chair provision in its new standard size buses, to be procured, as required under the Persons with disabilities (equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act, 1995. The corporation made the submissions in an affidavit filed before a bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar while hearing a PIL by Nipun Malhotra challenging the Delhi government's decision of last year to procure 2,000 standard-floor buses at a cost of Rs 300 crore. Malhotra, who suffers from a locomotor disability, in an affidavit has said that according to the DTC's own data, low floor buses were safer than the standard floor ones. The affidavit, filed through advocate Jai Dehadrai, also claimed that the low floor buses were more efficient. The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 14. Claiming there was no disobedience of the high court's earlier order, the DTC said that there was no order of the high court asking it not to proceed with procurement of standard floor buses and it had floated a global tender for it on March 15. Justifying the AAP government's decision to issue tender for procuring 1,000 standard floor buses, the DTC said they have all the advanced technology based safety features as available in the low floor buses which are currently being operated except clutch-free automatic transmission system. "It is incorrect to say that the new standard floor buses are having the manual steering system. The new standard buses are having the provision of hydraulic power assisted re-circulating ball type steering for less fatigue to the driver," it said in the affidavit. It said the corporation was taking every precaution to fulfill the mandate of the Supreme Court directing augmentation of public transport to at least 11,000 buses for the people of Delhi out of which approximately 5,500 are to be provided by the DTC and remaining by private operators through the cluster scheme operated by the Delhi government's transport department. "The buses for which the tender has been issued besides being economical are eco-friendly with advanced technology based safety features. DTC is sensitive to the rights of differently-abled persons and therefore, have made an effort to bring these buses which are disabled friendly," it said. The corporation said in its affidavit that the old standard buses being operated by it in 2008-09 were not having advanced technology features as low floor buses are having. In 2009, DTC was having 3,149 old standard buses whereas low floor buses were only 656. After phasing out the old ones, the low floor buses increased to 3,781 in 2016, it said, adding that the reason for fall in fatal accident rate was due to induction of low floor buses with advanced technology based safety features. The high court had earlier disapproved of the Delhi government's decision to issue a RFP for 1,000 standard floor buses on the grounds that they were neither disabled friendly, nor easily accessible by the aged and the children. It had not approved of the time line given by the transport department to procure 1,000 electric low floor buses as the tender is proposed to be issued in June and the supply of vehicles will be after March 31 next year. The petitioner had submitted that the transport department on February 28 had issued a fresh request for proposal (RFP) for 1,000 standard floor buses despite the high court asking it earlier not to take such a decision. Advocate Aman Panwar, appearing for Congress leader Ajay Maken, had earlier told the court that the standard floor buses were not only unsafe, but were not easily accessible by elderly persons as well as small children. Maken has also moved a plea opposing the Delhi government's proposal to procure standard floor buses. The bench had earlier asked the AAP government not to go ahead with its tender to purchase standard floor buses for the national capital, saying it would not allow the procurement as it would lead to the violation of the fundamental rights of disabled persons who would find it difficult to access such vehicles. The Centre had recently told the court, in an affidavit, that less than 10 per cent of the over 1.3 lakh buses run by state road transport undertakings have been found to be disabled friendly. It had stated in the affidavit that by March this year only 10 per cent government-owned public transport needed to be accessible to disabled persons. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Enam Holdings has picked up a 15 per cent stake in city-based communications intelligence and cyber defence startup 'Vehere'. The investment endorses Vehere's expertise in high-end R&D in the niche technology segment of homeland security and cyber defence, where the company has recorded a high-growth trajectory, a Vehere release said. It will be used by Vehere to augment its R&D centre in Kolkata, the release said. Vehere currently has presence in Kolkata, New Delhi, the Middle East and South East Asia, and is looking to strengthen its footprint in other global markets, the company said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Essar Oil (UK), which owns and operates Britain's Stanlow Refinery, will touch double-digit margins this fiscal after it completed a USD 250 million investment in upgradation of the refinery, its chief executive S Thangapandian said. The company, controlled by Ruia-family of Mumbai that sold Essar Oil to Russia's Rosneft for USD 12.9 billion, has completed efficiency enhancement programme, the Project Tiger Cub, following which Stanlow's annual crude oil processing is projected to go up to 72 million barrels per day from 68 million bpd, he said. "The project was completed in January-March quarter but the full payback from Tiger Cub will take around 12-15 months," Thangapandian added. The refinery throughput in 2017-18 fiscal was around 53.8 million barrels, which was lower than normal due to a shutdown undertaken for completion of Project Tiger Cub. In 2018-19, the throughput is projected at 72 million barrels considering that refinery was not operational in the first 20 days of April because of the same turnaround shutdown. "Refinery throughput is expected to reach the targeted level in 2019-20," he said. The company had earned USD 9.6 on turning every barrel of crude oil into fuel in 2017-18 fiscal. "The gross refining margin is projected to increase to USD 10.1 per barrel in FY 2018-19," he added. Thangapandian said the company, which now has 55 petrol stations in UK, is targeting 400 pumps in five years. It has also entered into the direct aviation fuel supply market, selling the fuel produced at Stanlow to major airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, Jet2.com and Oman Air. These direct sales presently make up for 10 per cent of the 1.2 million tonnes of jet fuel produced at Stanlow. Going forward, the company is looking to scale up the sales to 40-50 per cent. Essar has invested over USD 800 million since acquiring Stanlow in July 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EU foreign ministers today backed "all efforts" to stop Syria using chemical weapons, after weekend strikes by Britain, France and the US, but called for renewed efforts to find a political solution to the seven-year war. The 28 ministers condemned the military offensive, backed by Russia, that the Syrian government is waging against rebels and called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian access. US, French and British missiles destroyed suspected chemical weapons development and storage sites in Syria on Saturday in response to an alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma which killed at least 40 people. In a statement after talks in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers unequivocally blamed President Bashar al-Assad's regime for the Douma attack and gave implicit backing to Saturday's Western military action. "The Council understands that the targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria were specific measures... with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people," the statement said. "The Council is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the EU was "united at a very serious moment" in wanting to "prevent and dissuade against any use of chemical weapons". Germany's powerful Chancellor Angela Merkel declared the strikes "necessary and appropriate", but other EU members have been keen to avoid any step that could lead to further escalation. Johnson stressed the strikes were "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change or to get rid of Bashar al-Assad". The day before the strikes Russian President Vladimir Putin warned during phone talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron against "ill-considered and dangerous actions" in Syria which could lead to "unpredictable consequences". Ministers discussed ways to apply pressure to get Russia to drag the Assad government to meaningful negotiations on the future of his country. "You have to see it, whether you like it or not: without Russia you won't be able to solve this conflict," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said as he arrived for today's talks. Washington has said it will impose new sanctions on Russia over the Douma attack, targeting companies that supplied Syria with equipment related to chemical weapons, but the EU is not yet ready to follow suit. An EU diplomat told AFP that it would be possible to add Russians or Iranians to the Syrian sanctions list, but the idea is not yet being discussed at the level of foreign ministers. Some European governments are wary of provoking an angry response from Russia, which among other things remains a key supplier of gas to the EU. Moscow has been keen to exploit fissures within the EU that were laid bare by the response to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. All 28 EU leaders signed up to a statement blaming Russia for the poisoning at a summit in Brussels last month, but only after intense lobbying by Britain, France and Germany. Afterwards, 18 EU countries followed Britain's lead and expelled Russian diplomats from their territory, six took the more limited step of recalling their own ambassadors, and three did nothing. Next week the EU hosts a major conference in Brussels on the future of Syria aimed at gathering financial pledges for humanitarian aid and boosting a floundering UN-led peace process. In their statement ministers said "the momentum of the current situation should be used to reinvigorate the process to find a political resolution of the Syrian conflict". The EU insists "there can be no military solution" to the war in Syria, which has killed over 350,000 people, and has repeatedly called for the UN-led talks in Geneva to be given fresh impetus. But privately some European diplomats already acknowledge that the Assad regime's military campaign is likely to succeed and they should begin planning for the next stage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Principals of three homoeopathy colleges and a Dean are among 50 people allegedly involved in a fake mark sheet scam, according to a high-level inquiry committee of the Saurashtra University here. Nehal Shukla, who headed the committee, said an FIR would be filed in the matter soon. The SU set up an inquiry panel after it was alleged that several students secured admission directly in the second year of the four-and-a-half-year course in three colleges since 2012 on the basis of fake mark-sheets of the first year. Shukla, a senate member, told reporters that the inquiry panel found that 50 persons, including 43 students, a dean and three principals, were involved. "The panel found that 43 students got admission directly in the second year by submitting fake first-year mark sheets," Shukla said. These students never attended the first year, he said. "The varsity has decided to file an FIR against the students, principals of three colleges, and the dean," Shukla said. "The homoeopathy course is of four-and-a-half years, but these students completed the course in less than three years," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of fans queued outside Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre today to meet their favourite superheroes -- Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr and Doctor Strange actor Benedict Cumberbatch -- making it one of the grandest Marvel red carpet events. The stars were promoting their much-awaited film, Avengers: Infinity War in the city, Marvel's biggest ever superhero project, and the red carpet event was a proof of the curiosity surrounding the movie as thousands of fans from places such as the Philippines, Russia, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Taiwan and Korea waited for hours to get a glimpse of the actors. The first to arrive to the event was one half of the director duo Russo brothers, Joe Russo. The filmmaker, who along with his brother played an important role in giving Marvel superhero films a new dimension, was joined by his wife and two daughters at the red carpet. Russo, who has become popular among fans after "Captain America: The Winter Soilder" and Captain America: Civil War received a warm welcome from fans as he clicked pictures and gave autographs. He was followed by Guardians of the Galaxy star Karen Gillian, better known to fans as Nebula. The Scottish actor made a dazzling entry tn the red carpet in a shimmery golden dress amid chants of Nebula from fans. Cumberbatch was the third to arrive for the event charmed fans by giving autographs and clicking selfies. The biggest star of the evening was Downey Jr, who was welcomed by a thunderous applause from the crowd. The actor has been playing Tony Stark for the past 10 years and his connect with the fans was quite visible as fans, wearing Iron-Man armour and carrying big posters of RDJ, tried their best to get his attention and he enthusiastically responded, frequently stopping to give autographs and pose of selfies. In a heartwarming moment, Cumberbatch came to the aid of a young fan by bringing a handmade poster to Robert Downey Jr for his autograph. RDJ had also invited kids from Make-A-Wish foundation, whom he declared honorary Avengers. The actor paid a surprise visit to the foundation yesterday. All children involved are currently battling critical illnesses. Soon after meeting their fans the stars made their way to the stage with Russo welcoming them. While Gillian came on the stage with fireworks in the background, Cumberbatch made the Doctor Strange like entry through a portal-like gateway. With the Iron Man theme music playing in the background Downey Jr's welcome on stage was as grand as his superhero persona. This has to be the coolest ever fan event, Downey Jr, who was in the city for the first time, said. Russo said he decided to come back to city after he saw the love fans here had for Marvel movies during his last visit two years ago for with Captain America: Civil War. The event concluded with Russo making a special request to fans to switch on their LED wrist bands and raise their hands as he said Avengers assemble. The fans were treated to a surprise with a giant image of the last Infinity Stone, the last of the stones that the supervillain Thanos is seeking in the movie. As the stars posed for the final time, the Marina Bay was lit up with red and blue lights. Avengers: Infinity War also featuring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Pratt, releases on April 27 in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Barbara Bush, the US former first lady, has declined further medical treatment for her "failing health" and the 92-year-old will spend her time in "comfort care", a family spokesman has said. Bush is being cared for at her home in Houston and has decided she does not want to go back into the hospital. She has been on oxygen for some time, spokesman Jim McGrath said. The statement did not indicate the nature of Bush's illness but said that she had had a series of recent hospitalisations. "Following a recent series of hospitalisations, and after consulting her family and doctors, Mrs Bush has decided not to seek additional medical treatment and will instead focus on comfort care," McGrath said in a statement. Her husband, former President George H W Bush is with her, as are daughter Doro and sons Marvin and Neil. Her other sons, former President George W Bush and former Governor Jeb Bush, have been in and out visiting her the past week. McGrath said she has been treated for decades for Graves' disease, which is a thyroid condition. She also had a heart surgery in 2009 for a severe narrowing of her main heart valve and was hospitalised a year before that for surgery on a perforated ulcer. "It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself thanks to her abiding faith but for others," McGrath said. "She is surrounded by a family she adores, and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving," he added. Her husband, at 93, is the longest-lived US president. George H W Bush, the nation's 41st president, has also suffered health issues, and spent a period in intensive care for pneumonia last year. He suffers from a form of Parkinson's disease and uses a wheelchair. The couple have been married for 73 years. Their son, George W Bush, was elected president in 2000 and served two terms as the nation's 43rd president. Barbara Bush is the only woman to have seen both her husband and son sworn in as US president. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fortis Healthcare has expressed 'inability to engage' with IHH Healthcare over its acquisition offer of up to Rs 160 per share due to binding agreements with Manipal Health Enterprises and party, the Malaysian firm said today. IHH had joined the race last week to acquire India's troubled Fortis, offering higher price than Manipal's Rs 155 a unit, which valued the company at Rs 6,061 crore. In a letter to the Fortis board, IHH Healthcare Berhard Managing Director and Group CEO Tan See Leng expressed his company's "strong interest in Fortis Healthcare Ltd and its affiliates in a suitable manner". The Malaysian firm's offer came a day after Sunil Kant Munjal-led Hero Enterprise Investment Office and Burman Family Office offered to invest Rs 1,250 crore in the healthcare chain at up to Rs 156 per share. Manipal had raised its offer for Fortis to Rs 155 per share by valuing the hospital business higher at Rs 6,061 crore, from Rs 5,003 crore initially. In a filing on Malaysian stock exchange today IHH Healthcare said: "In response to the letter, the Board of Fortis has indicated its inability to engage with IHH as Fortis has entered into binding agreements with Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Manipal Global Health Services and TPG Asia." The company further said: "At this juncture, IHH has not entered into any discussions, negotiations or transactions." In the letter last week, Leng said: "As on date, based on publicly-available information and our preliminary analysis, we believe a price of up to Rs 160 per Fortis share to be appropriate, subject to satisfactory completion of a due diligence."Leng also hinted at the possibility of IHH making revised counter offer if the other suitors were to revise their bids. "Notwithstanding anything in this letter, given the ever changing competitive dynamics, IHH reserves the right to pursue all necessary steps to ensure that the shareholders of Fortis are provided with the opportunity to realise the value inherent in our proposal including the right to revise the indicative offer price in any manner, IHH deems fit," he said in the letter. In March, the Fortis board had approved demerger of its hospitals business, which was to be acquired by Manipal Hospitals and TPG Capital, along with the sale of 20 per cent stake in diagnostics chain SRL Ltd, in a Rs 3,900-crore deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A French national, who is also a trustee of an international school in suburban Andheri, today surrendered before a Mumbai court in connection with a case registered against him for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl. Patrick Brilliant surrendered before Additional Sessions Judge A D Deo at the Dindoshi court. The court sent him to a 14-day judicial custody after charges were framed against him. The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed his special leave petition and asked him to surrender within three days. The 57-year-old French national was arrested in November, nearly five months after the alleged incident happened on the school premises. The same month, a trial court granted him bail, which was cancelled by the Bombay High Court. He later moved the apex court. He had been booked under IPC section 376 (rape) and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Tariq Anwar today said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should either get special category status for the state or else come out of NDA. Anwar, MP from Katihar in Bihar, asked Kumar to show moral stength like his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu on the issue. "If getting special category status is the commitment of Nitish government, then he should show moral strength like Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu in taking some firm decisions for getting special category status," Anwar said. Suggesting that a particular date should be fixed for getting special category status for Bihar, NCP leader said that all people's representatives- be it MP, MLAs and MLCs from the state- should resign from their posts if the demand is not fulfilled by that particular date. He was talking to reporters after party's state executive committee meeting here at party's state unit office. Anwar said that Kumar was an influential minister in NDA government in 2000 when Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar but he did not make special efforts in getting any kind of compensation for Bihar after its division. NCP demands that Nitish government, which is the part of NDA, should get accorded the special category status to Bihar and its all round development, Anwar said. Anwar charged that communal activities are being pursued by BJP and Sangh parivar that has led to spurt in the incidents of communal tension and riots. It is a well thought out strategy of BJP and Sangh parivar to deliberately create communal polarisation in order to consolidate their votes, he said. On "Deen Bachao, Desh Bachao conference" organised at Gandhi Maidan here yesterday by Imarat Shariah, Anwar said that all the secular political parties should have been invited at the conference as it would have helped in fighting the communal forces that has vitiated the atmosphere. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Congress delegation met Goa Governor Mridula Sinha today to demand the setting aside of decisions taken by the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC), a body the party has termed "unconstitutional". The CAC, formed to guide the state administration in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, comprises Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party, Francis D'Souza of the BJP and Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. Talking to reporters after meeting the Governor,? Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Shantaram Naik said, "There is no provision in the Constitution to form a cabinet advisory committee to replace the powers of the chief minister." He added, "As per the Constitution, the Chief Minister should have appointed an officiating in charge or caretaker CM to handle the affairs of the state," he said. He claimed that since Parrikar's hospitalisation, there was "no government" to aid and advice the Governor as laid down by the Constitution. The delegation also demanded a white paper on the decisions taken by the CAC since February this year, when the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly was adjourned after the state budget was tabled. He demanded that a bulletin be issued on Parrikar, stating that the people of Goa needed to be told about the CM's health. Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said that the Governor should immediately summon the Budget Session, which was curtailed due to the ill-health of Parrikar. "The ruling party should take a suo motu initiative to convene the session immediately," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda today appealed to the party workers to voluntarily donate funds as the state unit is facing a "financial crisis". "The state unit is facing a financial crisis and therefore it's the responsibility of the party workers to donate funds voluntarily as per their capacity," said Chavda while addressing party workers here. He reiterated that the Congress would appoint two "Jan Mitra" (people's friend) at every booth in Gujarat. He said the process to appoint the jan mitra has already been started in Ahmedabad and Surat. "The party's aim is to work from the booth level, and under this campaign, every booth will have two Jan Mitras (a male and a female)," he said. On the occasion, he accused the BJP-ruled Central and Gujarat governments of being "anti-people". "They are working only for a few industrialists," he said. Chavda said the Congress would promote young leaders in the 2019 general elections under the guidance of experienced leaders to "expose" the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped at least three times by her 24-year-old neighbour at his residence in Shastrinagar area in Gujarat's Rajkot in the last fortnight, police said today. The accused, identified as Kamlesh alias Murli Bharvad, was arrested this morning after he was booked on charges of rape and unnatural sex under the IPC and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Bharvad allegedly used to lure the girl to his house under the pretext of showing her cartoon shows on television when her parents were away for work, a police officer said. "The girl's mother lodged a complaint with Gandhigram (II) police station against Bharvad stating that her daughter was raped on three occasions by the accused. He used to threaten the girl with dire consequences if she disclosed the matter," Gandhigram police station inspector M D Chandravadiya said quoting the complaint. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen have killed four police personnel in central Nigeria's Benue state, police said on Monday, in the latest flare-up in an area beset by bloody clashes between farmers and herdsmen. The incident happened between Sunday night and early Monday at Anyibe in the Logo area of the state when the police personnel came under attack. "Sadly, at the moment, four casualties have been suffered by the police," state police spokesman Moses Yamu said, adding that extra forces and police planes had been deployed to track down the attackers. "They shall definitely be apprehended with their weapons of destruction and made to face the full wrath of the law." It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. Since the start of the year, Nigeria has seen a growing number of clashes between largely nomadic herders and sedentary farmers over land, water and grazing rights. Benue state lies in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt that separates the predominantly Muslim north from the largely Christian south. It has long been a hotbed of ethnic, sectarian and religious tensions. President Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking a second term in office in elections in February, has been under pressure to end the violence and ordered in military reinforcements. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's Prince Harry and his American actress fiancee Meghan Markle today embarked on a new role as youth ambassadors of the Commonwealth at the launch of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The 33-year-old, Harry, who is set to marry Markle in Windsor on May 19, made his first speech as part of his new role at the launch of the Commonwealth Youth Forum in London. "I know that serving as an ambassador to young people I am going to have to try to keep up with you," he said to youth representatives gathered for the forum. "I am also incredibly grateful that the woman I am about to marry, Meghan, will be joining me in this work, of which she too is hugely excited to take part in," he said. In a heartfelt speech that included tributes to his grandmother and Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II, and his father, Prince Charles, the young royal told a room full of Commonwealth youth representatives from across 53 member-countries that he would strive to "listen" to their concerns and ideas. "Her Majesty's commitment has meant that the Commonwealth is a thriving family of nations, a common link between nearly two-and-a-half billion people, and a defender of democracy, justice, and peace," he said in reference to the queen. As part of their new role, Harry and his wife-to-be are expected to undertake overseas tours of the Commonwealth as well as convening young people to hear their ideas on how to give them a bigger platform. "As I travel around the Commonwealth in my work on behalf of the Royal Family, it is striking to see just how different today's generation of young adults are. You are connected. "You have made positive use of technology to build relationships within your communities, nations and across the globe," said Harry, who was accompanied by Prime Minister Theresa May at the launch of the forum at Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. The duo also met elected Youth Council representatives from India, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Kenya, Namibia, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, as well as members of the International Youth Taskforce from all five regions of the Commonwealth. "I wanted to make sure youth and young people are a priority at this meeting," May said. May is set to welcome 52 other heads of government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the CHOGM executive session and leaders' retreat later this week. Before multilateral talks on Thursday and Friday, the British premier will hold bilateral talks with Modi on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today asked the Mumbai and Thane civic bodies to explain if their municipal commissioners take expert opinion before passing orders to fell trees. As per a recent amendment to the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, any proposal to cut up to 25 trees can be placed before the commissioner of the civic body concerned while the proposals to cut more than 25 trees have to be sent to the Tree Authority set up under the Act. A division bench of Justices A S Oka and Riyaz Chagla posed the question to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) while hearing a petition by social activist Zoru Bhathena. Bhathena activist has challenged the validity of the amendment to the Act that conferred special power upon the municipal commissioner to decide on the proposals to remove, fell or transplant up to 25 trees. "How will the commissioner exercise this power? Will he take expert opinion? The commissioner himself is not an expert on this issue... then how does he arrive at a decision as to which tree has to be removed, cut or transplanted?" Justice Oka asked. The bench also asked whether the commissioners would publish their decision so that an aggrieved party could challenge it. "As per the amendment, if the commissioner passes an order to fell a tree today, the tree could be cut the next day. There is no buffer time for a person aggrieved by the order to challenge the order," the court said. "Once a tree is cut, it is dead and gone. Hence, there has to be application of mind before passing orders," Justice Oka said. Are the civic bodies ready to make a statement that the commissioners' decision would be published and a buffer time given to enable people to challenge their order, he asked. The bench posted the petition for further hearing tomorrow by when the civic bodies have to reply to the court's queries. The petition had pointed out that that tree-cutting proposals were being split as the Tree Authority looks only into those proposals that concern more than 25 trees. According to the petition, in January itself, 49 proposals for cutting 806 trees were submitted to the civic commissioner of Mumbai. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jodhpur High Court will tomorrow hear a plea by the Rajasthan Police to pronounce the judgement in a rape case against self-styled godman Asaram Bapu in a jail court to avoid any law and order situation in the city. The judgement in the case is scheduled for April 25. Police commissioner Ashok Rathore said the forces have requested the judiciary not to pronounce the judgement in the case from the court as it may lead to clashes between the security forces and the godman's followers in the court premises. He also refuted reports that the police had urged the court to shift the pronouncement date in the case from April 25 to April 17. "We have moved an application requesting the pronouncement of judgement in the case in the jail's court in view of the threat to law and order situation in the city," Additional Advocate General S K Vyas said. In its application, the police have stated that there would be a huge presence of Asaram's followers in the city on the judgment day, and that the followers might indulge in arson after the pronouncement in the case. The forces also noted in their plea that such a step was also necessary for the safety and security of Asaram and the general public. The special SC/ST trial court had completed the final arguments in the case on April 7. Two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate complaints against Asaram and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape and illegal confinement, among other charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HCL Infosystems today said it has decided to terminate the deal with Axis Investment Incorporated to sell its subsidiary. "The closure of transaction was subject to certain conditions precedent as specified in the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA). Since the buyer has failed to pay the consideration, which is a breach of warranty, HCL Insys has decided to terminate the SPA," the IT firm said in a regulatory filing. In February, HCL Infosystems had said HCL Insys, Singapore will sell its entire investments in subsidiary -- HCL Infosystems MEA FZE along with step down subsidiary of HCL MEA to Axis Investment Incorporated. The acquisition value was 4.12 million dirham, including borrowings of HCL MEA of 2.42 million dirham that was to be taken over by the buyer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 'hoax' hartal call on social media to protest the alleged gangrape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua region triggered tension in various parts of Kerala today, prompting the police to sound a high alert. A message had been spreading via social media platforms since yesterday that a state-wide hartal against the Kathua incident would be observed on Monday, urging people to join the protest. Hundreds of persons were taken into custody in various places of the southern state for blocking public transport buses, forcibly downing shutters of shops and pelting stones at vehicles in the name of hartal. In Kannur, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse protesters, who also tried to barge into the Town Police station besides trying to disrupt traffic and forcibly closing down shops. Some police personnel, including a deputy SP, suffered injuries in the incident, police said, adding that over 40 persons were taken into custody in this regard. The police also removed posters carrying inflammatory messages in Kannur. A KSRTC bus driver got injured in stone pelting in northern Kasaragod district, the police said.. Public vehicles were blocked and shops remained closed in various places in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad and Wayanad besides the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. Protest marches holding pictures of the hapless rape victim were held in various places, including the Ernakulam district. The police, however, asserted that no political party or outfit had called for the hartal. They said that the hoax hartal call went viral as social media users shared the message without checking its veracity. The minor girl, who belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community, had disappeared from her house in Kathua on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area, and medical examination pointed towards sexual assault. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed a renewed economic partnership to boost growth, jobs and investments in their two countries. In a joint conference in Paris, Trudeau praised the "benefits" of a trade deal between Canada and the European Union that came largely into effect last September. Trudeau said "we already see the results" of the new trade rules, called the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CETA). Canadian imports from France have increased 4 percent last year and Canadian investments in France have jumped 23 per cent, he said. Trudeau insists the deal included rules to protect workers' rights and the environment, but CETA had triggered many protests across Europe, with critics arguing it weakens European labour laws. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today said India since time immemorial has been a land of "vishwa gurus" (world leaders) as he urged students to think out of the box in their respective fields. The minister said this while speaking at the convocation of the Jamia Millia Islamia University here. "We have fantastic DNA and glorious past. We were Vishwagurus in all subjects. Read the history of anything -- science, medicine, architecture or law. "I urge students to have out of the box thinking and have a dream ... they all should contribute to the society," he said. Over 4,000 degrees and diplomas were awarded to students on the occasion, which also saw Manipur Governor and Chancellor of the varsity Najma Heptulla attending the event. Reading out the achievements of the varsity, University's vice-chancellor Talat Ahmad boasted about the institute's performance, who he said held 12th position in the 2018 MHRD's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). "Presently 18,000 students from across the length and breadth of the country and abroad were enrolled in various courses," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India was today ranked 10th on a new Commonwealth Innovation Index, topped by the UK, Singapore and Canada. The index was launched as part of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here. It has been created in partnership with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its annual Global Innovation Index (GII). It is aimed at providing a tool that allows member states, organisations and citizens to benchmark themselves against 53 countries of the Commonwealth, with the new innovation hub offering a dedicated online space for Commonwealth countries to showcase what they have to offer and share with other members. "Nearly 60 per cent of the Commonwealth population is under 30 with a lot of talent and innovation and with this new digital platform, we now get to pool it and share it," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said. "This is part of the reform and renewal process of the organisation, which will take it into a higher energy orbit and into the information age. It makes the Commonwealth even more relevant and fit for its sharing and caring purpose," she said. The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) will work as the delivery partner to host a new Commonwealth Innovation Fund (CIF), which will use GIF's existing due diligence processes for sourcing, evaluating and investing to generate a high-quality portfolio of enterprises that are aligned with the Commonwealth Secretariat's priorities. The GIF will manage the fund and its investments, which will be targeted at innovative projects across Commonwealth countries that "save and improve lives". During the ongoing CHOGM, the CIF will engage with member-countries to gain financial and other support for the fund and India is expected to be among the key countries to collaborate. "Sectors such as health-care, innovation, digital technology and cyber security will be among the core focus areas during the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in reference to his UK visit for CHOGM this week. The CIF will deploy grant, equity and debt investments to support innovators across the Commonwealth to accelerate the development, testing and scaling up of evidence-based and market-tested innovations. The target size of the new fund, with financial commitments from member-countries, is expected to be 25 million pounds of initial funds to prove the new model. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Strongly pitching for India's inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany on Monday said the global export control system will benefit a lot from New Delhi's participation in all its four regimes. Out of the four export control regimes that work to keep proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in check, India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. India's membership to the 48-member NSG is being primarily opposed by China on the pretext that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "Germany has strongly supported India in its efforts to become a member of the export control regimes just as we continue to strongly support India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Jasper Wieck, the Deputy Head of the German mission here, said. "We are convinced that the global export control system will benefit a lot from India's participation in all four regimes," he said while speaking at the inaugural session of India-Wiessbaden Conference 2018, organised jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs in cooperation with Germany and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Representatives from the government and industry of 39 countries, as well as experts from the UNSC 1540 Committee and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in New York, are participating at the two-day conference titled Securing Global Supply Chains through Government-Industry Partnerships towards Effective Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540'. The UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) establishes legally binding obligations on all states to adopt and enforce appropriate and effective measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their delivery systems to non-state actors. It requires, therefore that countries implement appropriate and effective measures to prevent non-state actors such as terrorists, from obtaining access to WMDs. "We consider this initiative (the conference) as yet another example of India's engagement with regards to international cooperation in the areas of export controls," Wieck said. India has signed an agreement with the World Bank for a USD 48 million loan to strengthen community-led landscapes management in selected area in Meghalaya, the finance ministry said today. Closing date for 'Meghalaya Community - Led Landscapes Management Project (MCLLMP)' is June 30, 2023. As per the ministry's statement, the project has three components -- strengthening knowledge and capacity for natural resource management; community-led landscape planning and implementation and project management and governance. "The project will help manage these depleting resources, by strengthening the communities and traditional institutions," it said. Meghalaya's natural resource such as land, water sources and forests is a source of livelihood for a majority of the population in the state. Restoration of degraded and highly degraded landscapes under the Project will increase water for local communities and improve the soil productivity which will in "turn increase incomes and reduce poverty", the ministry said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An influential group of India-American physicians has aligned itself with President Donald Trump's agenda to lower the cost of prescription drugs and urged the Congress to carry out the immigration reform in particular H-1B and J-1 visas. Scores of Indian-American physicians gathered at the US Capitol Hill last week urging the Congress to pass the necessary legislations which they said need to address this major issue of concern for patients in the United States. "The exorbitant cost of prescription drugs is a critical health care issue, as some life-saving drugs are too expensive for many patients," said a memorandum submitted by American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin or AAPI to the lawmakers. "As physicians, we want to ensure that the medicines the patients need are affordable and will be taken, to ensure a high quality of life, reduction of chronic ailments, and effective treatment today to prevent increased health care costs in the future," said AAPI, which is the representative body of thousands of Indian American physicians in the US. Nearly two dozen lawmakers attended AAPI's Legislative day at the Capitol Hill. Prominent among them were Tulsi Gabbard, Co-Chair of the Indian Caucus; Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Frank Pallone, Joe Wilson and Indian American lawmakers Raja Krishnamoorthi and Pramila Jayapal. One of the major Emphasis of the agenda was on immigration reform, said Dr Sampat Shivangi, co-chair of AAPI's legislative wing. Noting that H1 & J1 visas has affected physician group with backlog of their green card and their issue as they are restricted to serve in rural and underserved area, he said that emphasis should be on five years limitation. "They should be given the green cards as they are not competing with US citizens as there is a tremendous short of physicians in USA. These physicians have made tremendous contributions to the US health care where it is needed," he said. Later in a meeting with Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, an AAPI delegation led by Dr Shivangi said that the Indian professionals in the US have been unjustifiably waiting for more than a decade to get their green cards or permanent legal residency. This is mainly because of the country-specific quota. "Senator Roger Wicker agreed to look into it and introduce a bill with the language to overcome this problem," Dr Shivangi said. "H-1 and J-1 visas are used by many South Asian American physicians, playing an important role in providing critical health care across the country. Combined with the Green Card backlog consisting of more than 4 million people, we are very concerned about the impact immigration reform will have on the South Asian American community," AAPI said in its legislative agenda to the lawmakers. Noting that the US is facing a chronic physician shortage, which will only be exacerbated in the years ahead as more baby boomers retire, AAPI said the Congress can act by passing legislation adding 15,000 more residency slots, which will help to train up to 45,000 more doctors in the next two decades. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An alleged drug peddler was arrested along with 10 grams of heroin and Rs 2.25 lakh here in the district, police said today. The peddler was arrested after a brief chase yesterday in the posh Gandhi Nagar locality, a police spokesman said. According to the spokesman, yesterday when a police team was busy searching vehicles, as part of the state's ongoing drive against drugs, a pedestrian on seeing them tried to escape from the spot. However, he was soon chased down by the police and the search of his belongings led to the recovery of drugs and money, the spokesman added. An FIR under relevant sections of law has been registered against the accused, the spokesman said, adding that the police is investigating the matter for further details. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special anti-terror court today acquitted Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand and four others in the Mecca Masjid blast case, holding that the prosecution failed to prove "even a single allegation" against them. Barely hours after pronouncing the judgement, in a dramatic development, K Ravinder Reddy, the special judge for NIA cases, tendered his resignation, citing "personal" reasons. Reddy said his resignation had nothing to do with today's judgement, according to a senior judicial officer. Meanwhile, AIMIM Chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted "Judge who gave acquittal to all accused in Mecca Masjid Blast RESIGNS very intriguing and I am surprised with the Lordship decision". A powerful blast, triggered by remote control, had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007 when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. "Prosecution (NIA) could not prove even a single allegation against any of the accused and all of them stand acquitted," J P Sharma, the counsel for Assemanand, told reporters after the verdict was pronounced by special judge for NIA cases K Ravinder Reddy. The media was not allowed in the courtroom where the judgement was pronounced in the high-profile case, which was dubbed by the then UPA government as one of "Hindu terror", a term that riled saffron organisations, including the BJP, no end. "He has sent the resignation letter to MSJ...he has cited personal grounds and it has nothing to do with today's verdict in the Mecca Masjid blast case," the senior judicial officer told PTI, speaking on condition of anonymity. Reddy, had apparently taken the decision to resign sometimes back itself, the officer said. Soon after the verdict, The NIA had come in for attack by oppostion parties, including the Congress and AIMIM. Apart from Aseemanand, those acquitted are -- Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary. Though there were 10 accused in the case, only these five were tried. Two other accused -- Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra -- are absconding, while Sunil Joshi was murdered. Investigation is continuing against two others. The bomb had exploded in an area of the mosque where devotees performed ablutions. Two more Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were later found and defused by the police. The incident had triggered violent protests and riots, prompting police action in which five more people were killed. Buoyed by the verdict, the BJP claimed that it had "exposed" the Congress's "appeasement politics" while the latter raised questions about the functioning of the NIA. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged in New Delhi that the Congress has long "defamed" Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for using terms like "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror". Patra said people will teach the Congress "a lesson" in the Karnataka Assembly polls as in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when the party was reduced to 44 seats. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "It (acquittal) is happening in each case since the government was formed four years ago...people are losing faith in the agencies." Owaisi, in an earlier tweet, claimed that the NIA did not properly pursue the case, leading to the acquittal of the accused. According to Aseemanand's counsel Sharma, the court after examining documents and material placed on record found that the charges did not stick. "This entire case was based on confessional statement of Swami Aseemanand. Right from beginning we had been placing before the court that this is not the statement of confession. "The defence argued that the so-called confessional statement was forced from Swami Aseemanand in order to create a theory of 'Bhagwa Atankwad' (safron terror)," he said. The court, Sharma said, held that the confessional statement of Aseemanand was not voluntary. "CBI had got the statement of Swami Aseemanand recorded in Delhi while he was in police custody during December 2010," he said. Sharma claimed the investigating officer of the CBI had "intentionally" implicated the accused to sully the image of 'Sant Samaj' (the fraternity of seers) and the RSS, to which those acquitted belonged at some point of time. He said nothing incriminating was recovered from any of the accused, and that there was no corroboration to the "confessional" statement of Aseemanand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today agreed to hear at 2 PM two separate petitions including the one filed by Kathua-based lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, representing the family of an eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and killed, alleging that she was facing threat to her life for pursuing the matter. Another plea filed by Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur, seeks transfer of the sensational gangrape case from Kathua trial court to a local court in the national capital. Kapur has also sought transfer of probe to the CBI, besides seeking exemplary compensation to the family of the victim of the case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud considered the submission advanced by senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing Rajawat and Kapur, for urgent hearing of the two petitions today itself. "We have already passed the order on Friday," the bench said. Jaising responded by saying that the earlier notice was issued to the bar associations but the issue at present relates to the threat faced by local counsel Rajawat. The bench then agreed to hear the petitions at 2 PM today itself. The top court had on April 13 taken strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the Kathua gangrape and murder case and initiated a case on its own record, saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice". The apex court had said that it is a settled law that a lawyer who appears for a victim or accused cannot be prevented by any bar association or group of lawyers, for it is his duty to appear in support of his client. The minor girl had disappeared from near her home in the forests in Kathua, on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The Crime Branch of police which probed the case filed a main charge sheet against seven persons and a separate charge sheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district. Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal incident. The bar associations have been opposing the action against the accused, alleging that the minority Dogras were being targeted. Lawyers took to the streets shouting slogans and trying to block the road outside the court where the charge sheets have been filed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) V S Kokje, the newly-elected international president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), today termed the gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir as "shameful". He also said that "divisive forces" were giving communal colour to the incident. Returning to Indore, his hometown, after being elected as the VHP international president, Kokje told reporters at the airport, "Such incidents are shameful in a country which has been a big centre of 'samskara'. We condemn this incident. The rape is against human rights. "The way we say there is no religion of terrorists, in the same way, why the religion of the victim and accused should be seen in the cases of rape?" he asked. "The people who are talking in the communal way about the Kathua incident are the divisive forces in the society, these people should be strongly condemned," Kokje said. To a question, he said the VHP was not in favour of making any changes to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and its provisions should not be weakened. Kokje, a former judge of the High Courts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, added, "Innocent people should not be persecuted, but the guilty should not be spared either." Asked whether the government should bring in an ordinance to restore the provisions of the SC/ST Act which were allegedly diluted by a recent Supreme Court judgement, Kokje said, "The Centre has filed a revision petition in the Supreme Court. After the decision of Supreme Court on this petition, the government has to decide what to do next." Dalit organisations had called for a Bharat Bandh on April 2 against the Supreme Court's March 20 decision. Several people were killed during the protest. "People should not agitate against court decisions. The court's decisions should be challenged in the judicial and constitutional way," the new VHP chief said. Violent clashes between the Dalits and upper castes of the Hindu community couldn't be justified in any way, and the culprits should be punished strictly, he said. Kokje was elected as VHP's international president last week, defeating senior leader Pravin Togadia's nominee Raghava Reddy, prompting Togadia to quit the organisation. To a question, Kokje said, "Neither our programs have changed, nor has the way of working. Only office-bearers have changed. The issue of constructing a temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya is still our priority. We hope the decision of the court in this regard will be out soon." "Social equality is also included in our main agenda. We do not want any section of the Hindu community to remain backward," he said. Asked about the VHP's stand on the Common Civil Code, Kokje said, "The subject of Common Civil Code comes under the directive principles of Constitution. These principles were not decided by the RSS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Medical services in Kerala continued to be hit today due to the ongoing strike by government doctors, even as the CPI(M)-led LDF government warned that action will be taken if the stir was not withdrawn immediately. Health minister, K K Shylaja, said government would hold talks with the doctors only after the strike was called off. Government doctors in Kerala launched an indefinite stir on April 13, protesting the suspension of a doctor at a health centre at Palakkad and extension of out-patient (OP) time. The services of post-graduate doctors and house surgeons are being used by the government to attend to patients visiting OPs. Medical college hospitals are not participating in the strike. "We are coming to government hospitals from far-off places getting into four buses as we cannot afford to go to private hospitals. The strike is not against the government, but against the poor people," a patient said. Describing the strike as 'illegal', the health minister warned that the government would be forced to take action against the doctors. "We are not for declaring a war with the doctors. They have gone on strike without giving notice," she said. While pointing out that the government was not adamant, she said their only condition was the strike should be withdrawn first, only after which any discussions will be held. The doctors had challenged the patients by going on an agitation, she said. "There was no reason for them to launch the agitation, and denying treatment to patients was unfair," she told reporters here. She also said probationary doctors should immediately join duty, failing which action would be launched against them. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) should not force them to continue with the strike, she said adding the government will begin collecting from today details of probationers, who were participating in the strike. The minister also said there are about 4,000 doctors in the list of Public Service Commission (PSC) and government had sought details. The attempt was to defeat the government's 'Ardram Mission' which envisages basic facilities to all hospitals in the State and making government hospitals patient-friendly, she said. As part of the mission, primary health centres are being converted to family health centres to provide a comprehensive health facilities to people. Meanwhile, KGMOA said if the government goes ahead with retaliatory steps, the association will also be forced to take stern measures. The association has called for an urgent meeting here tomorrow to discuss the further course of action. The doctors have made it clear that only the casualty wing would function during the strike and in-patient treatment would be provided only till April 18. There would not be any new admissions and only emergency operations would be performed. The Kerala Human Rights Commission has asked the the government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue as it was the common people who were facing hardships. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, today said the government should immediately hold talks with the striking doctors to end the impasse. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Medical services in Kerala remained hit with the indefinite strike by government doctors entering the fourth day today as the CPI(M)-led LDF regime warned of action if the stir was not ended immediately. Health Minister K K Shylaja said the government would hold talks with the doctors only after the strike was called off. Describing the strike as 'illegal', she warned that the government would be forced to take action against the doctors, who launched the indefinite stir on April 13 protesting the extension of out-patient (OP) time in government hospitals. They are also opposing the suspension of one of their colleagues at a health centre in Palakkad for refusing to attend to work following the increase in OP timings. Secretary of the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), spearheading the strike, Dr Jitesh V told PTI that the doctors would not backout from the agitation. The association's state committee meeting is being held in Thiruvananthapuram, which will decide on how to intensify the agitation, he said when asked about health minister's call to probationary doctors to rejoin duty as early as possible. Officials said the services of post-graduate doctors and house surgeons were being used by the government to attend to patients coming to the OPs. Doctors in Medical college hospitals are not taking part in the strike. The strike has hit patients coming to government hospitals and drawn their ire. "We are coming to government hospitals from far-off places getting into four buses as we cannot afford to go to private hospitals. The strike is not against the government, but against the poor people," a patient said. Meanwhile, a 62-year-old tribal woman who had come to the district hospital in Wynad for treatment yesterday, died this morning at her home with her family members alleging proper treatment was not provided due to the strike. CPI(M) workers took out a march to the hospital alleging that the striking doctors were responsible for her death and demanded action. Shylaja told reporters that the government was not for declaring a war with the doctors. "They have gone on strike without giving notice," she said. The only condition was the strike should be withdrawn first, only after which any discussions will be held, the Health Minister told reporters here. "There was no reason for them to launch the agitation, and denying treatment to patients is unfair," she said. She also said probationary doctors should immediately join duty, failing which action would be launched against them. KGMOA should not force them to continue with the strike, she said adding the government will begin collecting from today details of probationers, who were participating in the strike. The minister also said there are about 4,000 doctors in the list of Public Service Commission (PSC) and government had sought details. The doctors' attempt was to defeat the government's 'Ardram Mission' which envisages basic facilities to all hospitals in the state and making government hospitals patient-friendly, she said. As part of the mission, primary health centres are being converted to family health centres to provide a comprehensive health facilities to people. The doctors have made it clear that only the casualty wing would function during the strike and in-patient treatment would be provided only till April 18. There would not be any new admissions and only emergency operations would be performed. ? Jitesh said a team of doctors of KGMOA today gave an assurance to Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Health Minister, saying the association was willing for discussion and ready to cooperate with the Ardram mission. ?? Letters in this regard were handed over to the private secretaries of Vijayan and Shylaja, he said. On the death of the woman patient, he said she was suffering from respiratory infection. She was given medicines and sent back home yesterday. She died at her home. ?? The body was brought to the hospital today and the association has suggested that autopsy be performed to find out if there was any negligence. The Kerala Human Rights Commission has asked the the government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue as it was the common people who were facing hardships. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, today said the government should immediately hold talks with the striking doctors to end the impasse. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Government doctors in Kerala, who were on an indefinite strike since the past four days, withdrew there stir tonight after discussions with state Health Minister K K Shylaja. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), which was spearheading the agitation, has agreed to call off the strike and extend out-patient (OP) time in state-run hospitals till 6 pm, the minister said. They have also agreed to give their full support to the 'Ardram Mission' where three doctors will be appointed in each family health centre, she said. The minister said alternate arrangements would be made when doctors go on leave and reserve team of doctors would-be prepared. The 'Ardram Mission' envisages basic facilities to all hospitals in the state and making government health centres patient-friendly. On the KGMOA's plea to revoke the suspension of a doctor, she said if he submits an apology, the request can be considered. The government had suspended a doctor at a health centre in Palakkad for refusing to attend work following the increase in OP timings. The government had this morning hardened its stand, saying action would be taken if the strike is not withdrawn. Later in the evening, the KGMOA submitted letters to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Heath Minister expressing that they were ready for discussions. Letters in this regard were handed over to the private secretaries of the Vijayan and Shylaja, shortly, after which the government called the KGMOA for talks. Earlier in the day, Shylaja had described the strike as illegal and had warned that the government would be forced to take action against the striking doctors. The doctors had launched the indefinite stir on April 13 protesting the extension of (OP) time in government hospitals. The services of post-graduate doctors and house surgeons were used by the government to attend to patients coming to the OPs during the stir, officials said. Doctors in medical college-cum-hospitals were not part of the strike. In Wynad, family members of a 62-year-old tribal woman, who had come to the district hospital for treatment yesterday and died this morning at her home, alleged proper treatment was not provided due to the strike. CPI(M) workers had taken out a march to the hospital alleging that the striking doctors were responsible for her death and demanded action. However, KGMOA, secretary, Dr Jitesh V said she was suffering from a respiratory infection and she was given medicines and sent back home yesterday. She died at her home, he said. The body was brought to the hospital today and the association has suggested that autopsy be performed to find out if there was any negligence. The Kerala Human Rights Commission (KHRC) had also asked the government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue as it was the common people who were facing hardships. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A novel nasal spray of ketamine - often misused as a party drug - can rapidly treat symptoms of major depression, and suicidal thoughts, a study has found. The study, published in The American Journal of Psychiatry, compared an intranasal formulation of esketamine, part of the ketamine molecule, to a placebo for rapid treatment of symptoms of major depression, including suicidality, among individuals at imminent suicide risk. The researchers at the Yale School of Medicine in the US involved 68 participants randomly assigned to one of two groups - either receiving esketamine or placebo twice a week for four weeks alongside standard treatment with antidepressants. They looked at effects at four hours after first treatment, at 24 hours and at 25 days. Researchers, including those from Janssen Research and Development, found a significant improvement in depression scores and decreased suicidal ideation in the esketamine group compared to the placebo group at four hours and at 24 hours. The esketamine effects were not greater than the placebo at 25 days. The measurement of suicide risk took into consideration both the patient's and clinician's perspectives. The results of the study support nasal spray esketamine as a possible effective rapid treatment for depressive symptoms in patients assessed to be at imminent risk for suicide, researchers said. Esketamine could be an important treatment to bridge the gap that exists because of the delayed effect of most common antidepressants. Most antidepressants take four to six weeks to become fully effective. The scientists caution that more research is needed on the potential for abuse of ketamine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A major accident was averted due to timely action when a fire broke out inside a store-room of a hospital in the Lal Kothi area here, an official said today. As many as 100 people, including patients, were evacuated after the fire broke out at the store-room on the second floor of the Jaipur Hospital late last night, Extinguisher Officer, Jaipur Municipal Corporation, Jalaj Ghasiya said, adding that eight fire tenders were rushed to douse the fire. Hospital officials said the staff, along with fire officials, took the patients to a safe location. The critically-ill among them will be shifted to another hospital, they added. Several ambulances from across the city were pressed into service, police said, adding that no loss of life was reported due to timely action and evacuation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi today dodged a query on acquittal of right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, which has prompted BJP to seek his apology for his party 'using' terms like "saffron terror" in the past. The Congress president, who began his three-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi and to neighbouring Rae Bareli represented by his mother Sonia Gandhi this morning, refused to take the question on the Hyderabad court verdict. Asked by a reporter to comment on the verdict, Rahul, while emerging out of a programme, ignored the poser and told his driver to move ahead. Soon after an anti-terror court in Hyderbad acquitted Assemanand and four others in the 2007 blast case, the BJP alleged that the Congress has long "defamed" Hindus for votes and demanded that Rahul and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for their party leaders using in the past terms like "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror." Slamming the Congress over the issue after the verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said that the opposition party's "appeasement politics" of "defaming" Hindus has been exposed. The NIA court earlier today acquitted Aseemanand and four others in the Mecca Masjid blast case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against the accused in the case. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 8, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. The case was initially probed by the local police before being transferred to the CBI, and finally to the country's premier anti-terror investigation agency NIA in 2011. Earlier on his arrival here, Rahul was given a warm welcome by his party workers. He visited the house of a senior party leader Babban Dwivedi at Pure Badgain to express condolences over his mother's death and subsequently, also met some farmers working in the fields and inquired about their condition. He also visited Pali, Urermau and Teunsi villages under Jagdishpur assembly segment and sought to know about the local people's problem. Local BJP leaders, meanwhile, claimed that the Congress president's programme for inaugurating a five-km-long road built under the PMGSY has been put on hold. "The road in Thauri area was constructed under the PMGSY and it will be inaugurated by Smriti Irani... Rahul Gandhi will be invited in that programme and, if he wants, he can attend it," BJP's district unit president Uma Shankar Pandey said. When contacted, PMGSY's Executive Engineer K K Srivastava said the road is still incomplete and cannot be inaugurated till it's built completely. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The acquittals of five accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case today prompted the Congress to question the functioning of the National Investigation Agency under the Modi government, but the BJP asserted that the court's decision had exposed the opposition party's of "defaming" Hindus for votes. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the accused in such cases had been acquitted ever since the BJP-led NDA government was formed four years ago, and claimed that people were losing faith in investigation agencies. A special anti-terror court in Hyderabad acquitted Swami Aseemanand and four others in the Mecca Masjid case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58 others. Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said justice was not done in the case and accused the premier investigation agency NIA of not pursuing the case properly. The BJP, however, latched on to the verdict to fire a fresh salvo against the Congress for the use of terms such as "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror" by its senior leaders and former Union home ministers P Chidambaram and Sushil Kumar Shinde. Its spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Congress leaders of practising " of appeasement" in their stand on the court's verdict and wondered what the UPA government did in its over seven years of rule following the blast. "For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been unmasked and exposed like never before," Patra said. Patra demanded that Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for defaming Hindus if they had an "iota of intimacy" with the country. He alleged that the opposition party's leaders had learnt to target the community from them. He said people would teach the Congress "a lesson" in the Karnataka Assembly polls as they had in the 2014 Lok Sabha election when it was reduced to 44 seats. Hitting back at the Congress leaders for blaming the BJP government for the acquittals of the accused, he alleged that the opposition party adopted "double standards", as it had welcomed a court order in favour of the accused in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case, involving leaders of the Congress's allies, officials and businessmen. Patra also noted that the Congress was in power for seven years after the blasts and asked what it had done during the period. When asked about the verdict, former Union home minister and Congress leader Shivraj Patil said, "I find it very difficult to say whether this is wrong or correct." He said he was not aware of the nature of charge sheet filed by the probe agency, statements made by the witnesses and the cross-examination done by the prosecution. Patra raked up comments of several Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi's remarks reportedly quoted in a US diplomatic cable in which he had said that radicalised Hindu groups posed a bigger danger to the country. The BJP leader noted that then home minister Shinde had used the term "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror" in his address at a 2013 Congress conclave in Jaipur in which then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present. Shinde had used the dais to abuse Hindus, he alleged, claiming that the Congress had been targeting Hindus for years. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Patra wondered if the Congress president would lead a candle march to India Gate and apologise for his attempts to "defame" a religion. He quoted a former home ministry official, R V S Mani, saying that files used to be doctored under the UPA government to prove charges of "saffron terror". He also claimed that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also practising appeasement Patra accused Siddaramaiah of "hobnobbing" with a Muslim outfit, Popular Front of India, while it was being probed by the National Investigation Agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP today launched a sharp attack on the Congress after a court acquitted right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, claiming that the opposition party's "appeasement politics" of "defaming" Hindus has been exposed. A special anti-terror court in Hyderabad acquitted Aseemanand and four others in the case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58 others. Reacting to the court verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress has long "defamed" Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for terms such as "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror". Patra said people will teach the Congress "a lesson" in the Karnataka Assembly polls as they had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it was reduced to 44 seats. Hitting back at the Congress leaders for blaming the BJP government for the acquittal of the accused, he alleged that the opposition party has"double standards" and as it had welcomed a court order in favour of accused in the 2G scam case. Patra also noted that the Congress was in power for seven years after the blasts and asked what it had done during the period. "For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been exposed like never before," he said. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Patra wondered if the Congress president would lead a candle march to India Gate and apologise for his attempts to "defame" Hindus. Patra also raked up several comments by Congress leaders and a US diplomatic cable which had allegedly quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying that radicalised Hindu groups posed a bigger danger to the country. Former home ministers P Chidambaram, Shivraj Patil and Sushil Kumar Shinde had also spoken about "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror", Patra alleged. He also claimed that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also practising appeasement politics, an euphemism used by the BJP for alleged pro-Muslim of some parties. Patra accused Siddaramaiah of "hobnobbing" with a Muslim outfit, Popular Front of India, while it is being probed by the National Investigation Agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan minister Rajendra Rathore today said Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani was prevented from attending a public meeting in Nagaur district as he has a background of giving "provoking" speeches. Mevani, an Independent legislator from Gujarat's Vadgam constituency, was yesterday stopped by the police at the airport here from attending the meeting at Merta town. The minister said, "Mevani has tried to disturb social harmony by giving provoking speeches in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Therefore, looking at his background, he was stopped from attending the Nagaur meeting." The organisers of the meeting are associated with the Congress, the Rural Development and Panchayti Raj Minister said at a press conference here. "Opposition parties will not be allowed to disturb social harmony of the peace loving state, Rathore said. On Congress president Rahul Gandhi's recent midnight march at Delhi's India gate against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, he said Congress leaders should have held marches against the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder, and the massacre in the 1984-riots. The minister also highlighted the achievement of the BJP government in Rajasthan, saying most of the promises made during the Suraj Sankalp Yatra was fulfilled by the Vasundhara Raje dispensation. The Yatra was taken out before the last Assembly elections in the state by Raje. Rathore claimed that over 13 lakh youths were given jobs and recruitment for 1.80 lakh vacancies in the government sector had been completed. The minister said the state government is serious on sensitive issues such as rape and has made stricter provisions for such crimes. He claimed that rape cases have declined in the state in 2017 as compared to 2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A six-year old girl was allegedly raped last night by a 24-year-old man in Amrauda village in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, police said today. The accused, identified as Dilip Yadav, was arrested today. The girl is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Gwalior. The alleged incident occurred in the house of a relative of the girl's mother who had come to the village with her daughter to attend a marriage, said Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP), Pohri, Ashok Ghanghoriya. He said the mother of the girl took her to a relative's house in the village as she was feeling sleepy and went to attend the marriage. "However, when the woman returned to pick her daughter late night, she found her unconscious and lying in a pool of blood," Ghanghoriya said, adding that the woman raised an alarm and called her relatives. "Police were informed and the girl was taken to a hospital in Shivpuri at around 5 AM today. She was referred to a hospital in Gwalior after initial treatment," he said. The accused Yadav was arrested under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the IPC and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). It is not known immediately whether Yadav was related to the girl's family. Further investigation is underway, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray came out strongly against the proposed Nanar refinery project in the coastal Konkan region, activists of his party today allegedly vandalised the office of the associated company in south Mumbai. MNS workers circulated the video of the purported incident on the social media. In the two-minute clip, a few men wearing MNS scarves are seen entering the office and smashing the glass doors and other furniture using stones, before leaving the spot. When contacted, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Patil said the police have reached the spot in Tardeo area and are conducting a preliminary investigation into the matter. He said prima facie around six people were involved in the incident though the exact number of vandals is being ascertained. Addressing a rally in a city suburb last night, Thackeray had said the proposed project would not be allowed to come up in Nanar in the ecologically-sensitive Ratnagiri district. The Rs 3-trillion project envisages setting up of the world's largest refinery complex in the coastal district. Farmers and fishermen opposing the project had met leaders, including the MNS chief, across the political spectrum to solicit support for the agitation against the refinery. Meanwhile, MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande justified today's incident. "We want to express our concern for the project in the language understood by the state government. Our party chief Raj Thackeray had criticised this project yesterday in his speech and our workers acted today," said Deshpande. He said the MNS would step up the protests if the government insisted upon going ahead with the project. While Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has backed the project saying it would generate employment opportunities for local youths, the BJP's alliance partner, the Shiv Sena, has strongly opposed the refinery. Maharashtra Congress unit president Ashok Chavan had said the government should accept the fact that local residents were against the project. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special SIT court here today reserved its order on an application seeking to make former IPS officer Rahul Sharma and former investigating officer P L Mall accused in the 2002 Naroda Gam riot case. Special SIT judge M K Dave is likely to pronounce the order on May 14. Some of the accused in the case have filed an application that Sharma and Mall be made accused. Sharma, who had collected call detail records of ministers and bureaucrats during the 2002 post-Godhra riots to pinpoint their locations, didn't submit the original CD of this data to the probe agencies, while Mall failed to arrest Sharma for this "destruction of evidence", the application alleged. Sharma submitted a duplicate CD as evidence which did not contain some vital call details which would have been in favour of the accused, the accused persons' lawyer said. Sharma, who argued himself, said in his defence that the application was erroneous, as it was because he submitted the CD to the riots inquiry commission that the existence of the CD came to light. Eleven Muslims were killed by a mob in the Naroda Gam locality of Ahmedabad on February 28, 2002, a day after the Godhra train carnage. In 2009, the SIT filed a charge sheet in the case against 83 persons, including former Gujarat minister and BJP leader Maya Kodnani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will leave tonight on a four-day visit to China. Gyawali is visiting the country at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart and state councillor Wang Yi. This is his first visit to China after the recent formation of the new Nepal government led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. Gyawali said that during bilateral talks he would focus on implementing old agreements reached with the Chinese government and discuss enhancing connectivity and constructing a railway line between Nepal and China. However, there will be no agreements during the visit, said officials. Gyawali is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Wang on Wednesday, foreign ministry sources here said. The Nepal government believes in strengthening bilateral relations with its neighbours, he said. The government will mobilise its diplomatic mechanisms to introduce Nepal as an inclusive, progressive and democratic country on the global stage, Gyawali said in a statement prior to his departure. He said the government gives high priority to amicable relations with neighbouring countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aggrieved by the alleged encroachment on a park, a housing society in Agra has moved the National Green Tribunal, prompting the green panel to seek responses from the state government and the local authorities. A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government, Agra Development Authority, Agra Municipal Corporation, District Magistrate and others while seeking their replies in two weeks. The tribunal's order came on the plea filed by the Jawahar Nagar Co-operative Society seeking removal of the encroachments and restoration of the park measuring 3,165 square yards. The petition, filed through advocates Gautam Singh and Snehil Sonam, alleged that the park was neither being maintained, nor properly regulated by the municipal body. It said that a suit was also filed against the encroachment and a local court had passed an injunction order and directed status-quo to be maintained till further orders. "The applicant being tired by inaction of local authorities wrote an e-mail and reported the matter to the PMO and also sent a copy to the Chief Minister respectively informing them about the encroachment made by the land mafia," the plea said. The housing society also contended that some private respondents have initiated construction activity in the park and were turning it into a commercial place. It said they have also dumped waste and construction material in the colony itself and submitted photographs along with the petition. "It is most respectfully submitted that the said park is declared under Rule 5 of the UP Park, Playground and Open Space (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2005 and is utilised and maintained by the residents of the colony. On May 8, 2016 the said park was notified by the Municipal Corporation, Agra in the gazette issued by the local administration," the plea said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All the 11 nominees, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, are set to be elected to the state Legislative council in the biennial election. Only 11 candidates have filed papers against as many vacancies in the state Upper House, Bihar Assembly Secretary Ram Shresth Rai, who is also the returning officer for the polls, told PTI. The last date for nomination filing was today. Though Kumar, Modi and others are set to enter the council, the ruling JD(U) and the BJP will lose two seats and one seat respectively in the current round, while the RJD can win four seats and the Congress can win one seat. Kumar, Modi, state Health Minister Mangal Pandey and four others filed their nominations today for the the state Legislative Council polls. Senior Bihar Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra was the first among the seven candidates of various political parties, who filed their papers at the Assembly secretariat today. Rameshwar Mahto and Khalid Anwar (both from the JD-U) and former Union minister Sanjay Paswan of the BJP also filed their papers today. Four RJD candidates -- former chief minister Rabri Devi, state party president Ramchandra Purbe, senior leaders Khurshid Mohsin and Santosh Manjhi (son of former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi) -- have already filed their papers on April 13. A total of 11 candidates have filed papers for 11 seats, which will fall vacant next month as the terms of the sitting members will expire. JD(U) national president Kumar, Rabri Devi, Modi and Pandey are among those whose term will expire on May 6. The scrutiny of papers will take place on April 17, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 19, Rai said. If no other candidate, apart from those who have already filed their papers, enters the fray, the results for all the 11 seats could be declared after 3 pm on April 19, he added. Kumar and Modi will enter the state Legislative council for the third consecutive term, while for Rabri Devi, it will be the second term in continuity. After coming to power for the first time in 2005 heading an NDA coalition of the JD(U) and the BJP, both Kumar and Modi have been members of Bihar's Upper House. For winning a council seat, a candidate needs 21 votes. Of the major parties, while the RJD has 81 members in the Bihar Assembly, the JD(U) has 70 (excluding Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary), the BJP 53 and the Congress 27. Of the 11 members, whose term will expire on May 6, five belong to the JD(U), four to the BJP and one to the RJD. Narendra Singh, who had sided with Jitan Ram Manjhi after rebelling against Kumar but returned to the JD(U) after Manjhi joined hands with Lalu Prasad, had lost his council seat under the anti-defection law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EU foreign ministers today discussed how they could persuade the US not to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, but stopped short of imposing new sanctions on Tehran. Britain, France and Germany used a meeting of the EU's 28 foreign ministers to try to build support for expanding sanctions against Iran to punish it for its ballistic missile programme and its role in regional conflicts including Syria and Yemen. They hope that by doing so they will persuade US President Donald Trump not to follow through on his threat to abandon the landmark 2015 deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelson said there was "a very broad majority" in favour of expanding sanctions, as the clock ticks down to a May 12 deadline imposed by Trump to "fix" the agreement. Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign minister, said there was a need to "send a strong signal to Iran that we're concerned in relation to some of their activity particularly in Syria". "But also to send a message to Washington that we share their concerns in some of those areas," Coveney said after the talks in Luxembourg. Targets for new sanctions could include both Iranians and also non-Iranian militias in Syria, an EU diplomat said. But any decision on sanctions would have to have unanimous support from all 28 EU states and so far several, including Italy and Sweden, are not convinced. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the question of expanding sanctions would "remain on the agenda" in the coming weeks. Another EU diplomat said the aim of Monday's talks was to build political support for new sanctions and the effort would continue in the coming weeks. The EU is desperate to preserve the Iran nuclear deal, seeing it as the best way to stop Tehran getting the bomb. French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel will both visit Washington on separate official visits before May 12, in part to lobby Trump on the issue. Trump has long derided the deal as a capitulation to Tehran and has declared it no longer is in US interests to maintain the sanctions relief his predecessor Barack Obama granted Iran in return for controls on its nuclear programme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 20-year-old man was killed and four others injured when fireworks stored in a shed went off after a lighted cracker fell near it amid festival celebrations at a Chapel near here, police said. The incident occurred last evening during 'perunnal' festivities at the Chapel in Mampra, they said. Firecrackers kept in the shed adjacent to the chapel for use during the festival went off after a cracker fell near it and burst, killing one Simon, police said. The injured have been hospitalised in Angamaly and Ernakulam here, they added. More than 100 devotees were killed in a major fireworks tragedy that occurred at Puttingal Devi temple near Kollam in Kerala in April, 2016 when the storehouse of the fireworks materials caught fire. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition parties today hailed the Calcutta High Court order on panchayat poll petitions, saying the "unholy nexus" between the State Election Commission and ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been exposed. The high court, in its order today, said all rural poll pleas, filed by the opposition parties as well as the State Election Commission and the ruling Trinamool Congress, will be heard by a single bench that had stayed the election process. The single bench has fixed tomorrow as the next date for hearing the petitions. "This is a big setback for the unholy alliance between the State Election Commission and the ruling Trinamool Congress. The TMC should take lessons from it," BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said. CPI(M) Legislative Party leader Sujan Chakraborty said the ruling party along with SEC has been resorting to "several tricks" to stop opposition parties from filing nominations. "These tricks are now getting exposed," he said. TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee, however, accused the opposition parties of trying to delay the poll process. "They (opposition parties) don't have manpower to file nominations and they are blaming us. We have full faith on the judiciary," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The screening of the controversial movie 'Nanak Shah Fakir', based on the life of the first guru of the Sikhs, will continue, with the Supreme Court today ruling that its interim order allowing its release would remain operational. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it would hear on May 8 the submission and the counter on behalf of the film producer and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body, on the movie. The SGPC vehemently referred to its 2003 notification and said it had specifically prohibited anyone from portraying any of the ten 'Gurus', their family members and 'Panj Pyare' on the silver screen. 'Panj Pyare' were five men who were initiated into the the brotherhood of the Sikh faith by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. "The release of the movie was directly in teeth of Article 26 (2) (fundamental right to freedom to manage religious affairs) of the Constitution," senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the SGPC, told the bench which also comprised Justice A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud. The movie has already been released in and outside the country, barring in Punjab, senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for the producer, told the bench. "The fundamental issue is to see whether the life of Guru Nanak Dev has been portrayed in the right manner or not," the bench said. The producer said it was willing to show the movie to the SGPC and the 'Akal Takth' and was open to any meaningful changes. The Akal Takht is one of five seats of power of the Sikh religion, which is located at Amritsar's historic Golden Temple. The bench suggested that the actor, who has portrayed the Guru Nanak Dev, should not be named in the movie and asked the parties to consider it. Veteran senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who was also present in the court room, was asked to submit on the controversy. "Every religion may have some rules. But they cannot override the constitutional principles. The role of Guru Nanak Dev ji has been played by some person. What is the big deal in it," Jethmalani said. The bench said the new generation would come to know about the Guru through the movie and there should not be any problem if "the depiction is proper and respectful". The counsel for the producer said the SGPC and other Sikh bodies had earlier granted the permission to the movie and the changes, suggested by them, were incorporated. "This is a case of U-turn," Suri said, adding that the producer has the "highest regard" for the Sikh bodies and was willing to show the film again to them. The bench said probably, no religion can say that no movie can be made based on the "divine characters if the protrayal is dignified." It also considered the fact that the movie had won a national award for promoting national integrity and fixed the plea for further hearing on May 8. The top court had on April 10 criticised the SGPC for imposing restrictions on the film and cleared the decks for its nationwide release on April 13. The court had on April 12 refused to accord urgent hearing on the SGPC's plea while posting it for today. The same day, another Sikh body Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had moved the Delhi High Court against the movie's release, but failed to get any reprieve with the high court refused to stay the release saying the petition was motivated after the Supreme Court refused to grant any relief. The apex court had earlier said once a film has been granted certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), its release can only be stalled through lawful means. It had said after the CBFC certification, no group, body, association or individuals can create any kind of disturbance in exhibition of the film. The order had come on a petition by Harinder S Sikka, a retired Naval officer and the producer of the film, who had approached the apex court claiming that the SGPC had recently banned the release of the film which is based on the life and teachings of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, even after the CBFC cleared it on March 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Russian envoy to India, Nikolay Kudashev, said today that Pakistan has taken "serious measures" to curb terror financing and shown the desire to be a part of global and regional efforts to fight the menace. His remarks come as ties between Russia and Pakistan appear to grow. In September last year, the two countries held a two-week long military exercise - DRUZBA 2017 - focusing on counter-terrorism operations to boost bilateral defence ties. Kudashev, however, said it would not be correct to say that Russia was getting closer to Pakistan as Moscow's relations with New Delhi "are unique and second to no one". Responding to a question on whether Russia sees Pakistan as a reliable partner to address its interest in Afghanistan, the envoy said the integrity of Pakistan was growing. "The credit (must) be given to Islamabad. After this country joined the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), it started taking serious measures to curb the financing of terror... The integrity of Pakistan is growing and there is no reason to deny its wish, its desire to be part of regional and global efforts to fight terror," Kudashev said in his address at the Ananta Aspen Centre's Ambassador Series in New Delhi. Russia is a key strategic partner of India and its major supplier of defence equipment. India has been maintaining that Pakistan is the "global epicentre of terrorism". But Kudashev said the problems in Afghanistan would be impossible to solve without taking on board every neighbouring country. "This logic also guides us towards further developing relations with Pakistan, which is, on the other hand, Russia's historic and important regional partner as well. These ties are not emanating from the regional balance of power equations, but growing on their own merits," he said. "Importantly, we don't look at the situation in the region from the point of view of bilateral disputes, which we are not in a position to interfere or take sides," he said. Kudashev, a career diplomat and specialist on South East Asia, was appointed Russia's Ambassador to India in August. On China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, he said Russia was ready to cooperate with China on BRI, saying it views the controversial project from an economic perspective. The BRI aims to link Asian and European markets through a maze of rail, road and shipping networks. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a part of BRI and India opposes CPEC as it runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Replying to another question, Kudashev hoped that major defence deals, including the one to deliver the Kamov helicopters to India, should be sealed after Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's visit to Russia this month. Asked about the Russian response to air strikes on it ally Syria by the US, France and the UK, he said there would be a response but within the framework of the international law. "No body should expect us to follow the American adventursim and provoke conflict in other parts of the world." He said after the Islamic State was defeated in Iraq and Syria, the terror group spread its influence in the eastern and northern provinces in Afghanistan and began penetrating Central Asia states "fuelling radicalisation in local Muslim communities and calling for a global jihad". This is of immediate concern tor Russia since it has robust people-to-people contacts with these nations, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan has rejected as "baseless" the allegations that it blocked access of visiting Indian Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats and even "compelled" the Indian High Commissioner to return while on way to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal also said that it was "deeply regrettable that facts in this matter had been completely distorted and misrepresented." India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over blocking of access of visiting Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement in New Delhi yesterday said that the Indian High Commissioner, who was to greet Indian Sikh pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi, was compelled to return when he was en route to Gurdwara Panja Sahib on Saturday. The MEA called it an "inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy" by Pakistan, holding that these incidents constitute a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Commenting on the MEA statement, the Foreign Office spokesman yesterday termed the "allegations as baseless." Faisal said the Secretary of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had extended an invitation to the High Commissioner of India to attend the main function of Baisakhi at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib on April 14 and the foreign ministry granted the travel permission to him. "However, in the run-up to the main function, the ETPB authorities noticed strong resentment among segments of Sikh Yatrees, gathered there from different parts of the world, protesting the release in India of some film on Baba Guru Nanak Devji. "Considering an emotionally charged environment and the possibility of any untoward situation, the ETPB authorities contacted the Indian High Commission officials and suggested cancellation of the visit," Faisal claimed. He said the Indian High Commission officials, after due deliberation, conveyed back to ETPB their agreement to call off the visit in view of such a situation. "The cancellation took place with mutual understanding," he claimed. Faisal claimed that the facts regarding visits of Consular/Protocol teams on April 12 and 14 have also been twisted. "The matter relating to the Protocol team's access on the arrival of the Jatha at Wagha was expeditiously resolved through the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the concerned officials of the Indian High Commission chose not to return, even though they were duly notified that the requisite clearance has been granted," he said. Faisal said that there was no scheduled meeting with pilgrims on Saturday. On Sunday, the officials of Indian High Commission visited Gurdwara Punja Sahib, he claimed. "We deeply regret this Indian attempt to generate controversy around the visits of Sikh pilgrims and to vitiate the environment of bilateral relations," Faisal said. "It is ironic for the Government of India to accuse Pakistan of violating the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, whereas it is the Indian Government that has, in clear violation of the Protocol, twice within this year denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims on occasions of Urs of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri and scuttled at least three visits of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims to Religious Shrines in Pakistan since June 2017," Faisal claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami greeted state governor Banwarilal Purohit on his birthday today, wishing him many more years of good health. The Chief Minister sent a flower bouquet along with a birthday message to the Governor, an official release said. "On the happy occasion of your birthday, I have pleasure in conveying my warm felicitations and best wishes to you," Palaniswami said. "I pray that the Almighty may grant you many more years of good health and peace to serve the nation and the people," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra government today transferred 25 IAS officers, including Panvel municipal commissioner Sudhakar Shinde, against whom a no-confidence motion was passed in the BJP-ruled civic body last month. The state government had last week issued an order suspending the no-confidence motion passed against Shinde in the civic body in adjoining Raigad district. The order, which praised the work done by Shinde in Panvel, was issued by the urban development department, which is headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Shinde's working style had not gone down well the BJP corporators, who said he took unilateral decisions and was not inclined to consult the elected representatives. On March 26, the Panvel corporation's general body had passed the resolution amidst protest by opposition parties. Among the other IAS officers transferred is Pune Collector Dr Saurav Rao, who has been appointed the Pune Municipal Commissioner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security forces today put the city of Pathankot in Punjab on high alert after a local claimed to have given lift to two suspected terrorists. The local claimed that he gave lift to two men last night. The duo got down at a place nearby Kathua region in neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir, the police said. "We are on alert and the matter is being investigated. A local told us that he gave lift to two youths. The local felt that the duo could be terror suspects as they were apparently carrying weapons and got down at a place nearby Kathua," Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni said. "At this stage, we are treating the two as possible suspects and proceeding accordingly," he said. The Pathankot police has been checking vehicles at key places. Notably, the Punjab Police has provided nine bulletproof tractors to Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts to deal with any such threat. Dinanagar in Gurdaspur and the Air Force base in Pathankot were attacked by terrorists in July 2015 and January 2016, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Philippine domestic worker has been hospitalised in Saudi Arabia after her employer allegedly forced her to drink household bleach, Manila's foreign ministry said today. Domestic worker Agnes Mancilla underwent emergency abdominal surgery after she was taken, unconscious, to a hospital in Saudi's southwestern Jizan city on April 2, the ministry said. "We are working closely with authorities in Jizan to make sure that justice will be given to Agnes Mancilla," the ministry said in a statement. The victim is in "serious but stable condition" in hospital and Saudi police have arrested her female employer, who has not been named, it added. Mancilla had worked in Saudi Arabia since 2016 "but was repeatedly physically abused by her lady employer" who also failed to pay her salary, the statement said, citing Edgar Badajos, the Philippine consul in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The report is the latest incident of alleged mistreatment of Filipino workers in the Middle East. In February, allegations of abuse of domestic workers caused a diplomatic flap between the Philippines and Kuwait. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at Kuwait, where the body of a murdered Filipina maid was found stuffed in a freezer. He banned Filipinos from going to work in the Gulf state, one of several Middle East countries that host, in total, more than two million Filipino workers. Duterte claimed that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day, and feed them scraps. Last week Duterte said Kuwait had agreed to his demands to improve the working conditions of Filipinos, following negotiations between the two countries on a labour accord. One of his key demands is that Filipino workers be allowed to keep their mobile phones and passports -- which can be confiscated by employers under current conditions. Duterte said he would visit Kuwait to witness the signing of the agreement, without giving an exact date. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today sought the responses of the Centre, aviation regulator DGCA and Jet Airways on a PIL alleging that the airline was flouting national and international flight safety regulations by allowing unauthorised persons to travel overseas by "masquerading" as its crew on a "general declaration". A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notice to the Civil Aviation Ministry, Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the airline and sought their replies to the plea which has alleged that the general declaration allowed such persons "to avoid obtaining a visa and pass undetected into foreign territory". The petition by one Rajneesh Kapur, who claims to be a journalist, submits that General Declaration (GD) is a declaration of the passengers, air crew and cargo, being ferried in an international flight by the flight operator. In support of his allegation, the petitioner has cited the January 2018 incident of a Jet Airways cabin crew member being arrested by the Department of Revenue Intelligence for being in possession of contraband foreign currency worth over Rs three crore. "In practice, most countries accept the furnishing of a General Declaration, duly authorised by the operator, along with a valid passport and a crew identity card by crew members, in place of a visa for short-duration stays in order to facilitate the streamlining of international flight operations," the plea, filed through advocate Nikhil Borwanker, said. This declaration is being violated by Jet Airways, the petitioner has alleged and claimed that the persons allowed to travel as flight crew under the GD may be part of some illegal activities like money laundering. The plea also claimed the existence of a conflict of interest in the operations of DGCA, as the regulator often hired employees of Jet Airways as its senior officials. The petition alleged that due to this, DGCA "routinely turns a blind eye" to any violation of civil aviation rules by the private airline. It has sought issuance of show cause notices to the regulator and the airline as to why there should not be an investigation by CBI or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the alleged violations. The court will hear the matter next on August 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress said today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "backstabbed" the nation on his promise to not allow the dilution of a law that prevents atrocities on SCs and STs as his party's government in Chhattisgarh was implementing the "diluted" version of the Act. The Congress also said that if the ruling BJP was sincere towards the welfare of Dalits, it should immediately bring an ordinance to prevent the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On Friday at the inauguration of B R Ambedkar memorial in New Delhi, Prime Minister Modi asserted he would not allow the Act to be diluted after the Supreme Court laid down new guidelines to prevent the law's misuse. The Supreme Court on March 20 "diluted" the provisions of the Act, ruling that government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, can be arrested only after an inquiry under the law. The Centre has told the apex court its judgement on the Act has "diluted" the provisions of the law, resulting in "great damage" to the country, and steps may be taken to correct it. But Chhattisgarh government has reportedly allowed the implementation of the new guidelines issued by the Supreme Court. Congress spokesperson P L Punia said the Chhattisgarh government has implemented the "diluted" version of the Act and other states would soon follow. "Why the central government did not do what was required. Why the ordinance has not been issued," he asked. He alleged that the BJP has an "anti-Dalit" mindset. "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has backstabbed the nation on his promise of not diluting the SC/ST Act, 1989," he said. "BJP now totally stands exposed on the SC/ST Act as it is now implementing the diluted Act in Chhattisgarh, despite PM Modi promising that his government will not allow any dilution," he told reporters. Punia said even as the Modi government tried to wriggle out of the situation by suggesting to bring an ordinance to correct the Supreme Court judgement, the BJP government in Chhattisgarh was implementing the diluted version promising disciplinary action against those who do not implement the new guidelines. "This is a clear case of the BJP's unabashed double-speak, duplicity and deceit," he said. Punia said the Additional DG, CID, Chhattisgarh, in a circular has directed the state police to implement the "diluted" version of the SC/ST Act. The Dalit Congress leader also said that the prime minister was "totally silent" on bringing the ordinance. "We had demanded legislative intervention in this matter. But the prime minister is totally silent. The BJP has betrayed the Dalit community by not bringing the ordinance, which should be brought immediately," he said. He alleged that under BJP's watch, "a Dalit suffers an atrocity every 12 minutes, and every day 6 Dalit women are raped" according to the National Crime Records Bureau data. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for a five-day visit to Sweden and the UK, where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Ahead of his visit, Modi said he was looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement with both the countries in a number of areas including trade, investment and clean energy. In the first leg of his visit, Modi will reach Sweden's capital Stockholm where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, besides attending a India-Nordic Summit. "India and Sweden share warm and friendly ties. Our partnership is based on democratic values and commitment to an open, inclusive and rule-based global order. Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives," Modi had said in a departure statement last night. The two Prime Ministers will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday. Modi said he and Lofven would also interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, clean energy and smart cities. The Prime Minister said he would also call on King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. India and Sweden will also jointly organise the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm tomorrow. The summit is scheduled to be attended by the Prime Ministers of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. From Sweden, Modi will later tomorrow travel to the UK where he will also attend the CHOGM, besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security," the prime minister said. "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship," he said. Modi would also call on the Queen, interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership, launch an Ayurveda Centre of Excellence in London, and welcome the UK into the International Solar Alliance, as its newest member. On April 19 and 20, Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," Modi had said. The External Affairs Ministry had on Saturday said Modi would also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for a five-day visit to Sweden, Germany and the UK, where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). "PM @narendramodi embarks on a tri-nation visit to Sweden, United Kingdom & Germany from 17-20 April. A visit with a rich bilateral & multilateral content in the form of meetings with other leaders & participation at two multilateral meetings (India-Nordic & Commonwealth Summits)," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. In the first leg of his visit, Modi will reach Sweden's capital Stockholm where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, besides attending a India-Nordic Summit. "India and Sweden share warm and friendly ties. Our partnership is based on democratic values and commitment to an open, inclusive and rule-based global order. Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives," Modi had said in a departure statement last night. The two prime ministers will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday. Modi said he and Lofven would also interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, clean energy and smart cities. The prime minister said he would also call on King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. India and Sweden will also jointly organise the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm tomorrow. The summit is scheduled to be attended by the Prime Ministers of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. From Sweden, Modi will later tomorrow travel to the UK where he will also attend the CHOGM, besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security," the prime minister said. "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship," he said. Modi would also call on the Queen, interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership, launch an Ayurveda Centre of Excellence in London, and welcome the UK into the International Solar Alliance, as its newest member. On April 19 and 20, Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," Modi had said. Ahead of his visit, Modi had also said he was looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement with Sweden and the UK in a number of areas including trade, investment and clean energy. The External Affairs Ministry had on Saturday said Modi would also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu today discussed the progress on the proposal to expand facilities at the Dabolim airport in Goa with the state government and AAI officials. The plan envisages extension of the terminal building and creation of parking bays. Prabhu met members of the Cabinet Advisory Committee (which is in charge in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is undergoing treatment in the US) here, and also spoke to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials. "We had a meeting with all senior ministers of Goa. We had a detailed discussion about how we should promote Goa as a tourism destination using airport as a medium," Prabhu told reporters at the Dabolim airport later. "As you are aware, there is a new airport coming up at Mopa. That airport will come up in addition to the present airport (at Dabolim) which is being redeveloped, and a lot of infrastructure work is going on," the Union minister said. The existing terminal building at Dabolim would be extended and three parking bays would be built with an expenditure of Rs 256 crore, he said. A parallel taxiway would be constructed at a cost of Rs 187 crore, he added. The airport is being renovated and modernised to ensure that it remains functional for a long time, he said. "This airport will continue servicing the growing demand for tourism as well as for other purposes. There is a great possibility of using the airports in Goa for transportation of cargo which can create huge job opportunities. Farmers who grow vegetables and fruits will get international markets and better prices," he said. Both the airports (Mopa and Dabolim) will, in addition to serving passengers, cater to the growing need of cargo movement to and from the coastal state, he said. The construction of a greenfield airport at Mopa in North Goa district is expected to be completed in 2020. "We have also decided that the Goa government will be allotted a counter at the new airport so local products can be sold there, whether it be souvenirs produced by local self-help groups or local produce grown by farmers," Prabhu said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The leaders of the Christian community have launched a protest against the killing of two Christians near a church by four unidentified gunmen who opened fire at them in Pakistan's Balochistan province, officials said. Provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari said that a group of Christians had come out of the church yesterday when the four gunmen appeared on two motorcycles from a nearby lane and opened fire on them. "Two people were killed on the spot while six others were injured and rushed to a hospital," he said. The deceased have been identified as Azhar Masih and Rohail Masih. They were residents of Essa Nagri which houses a large population of the Christian community. The attack has been claimed by the Islamic State terror group. Ansari said that it appeared that the purpose of the attack was to spread panic and fear in the province. "These terrorists are targeting security forces and now minorities to spread fear and panic because of the ongoing operation against them in the province," he said. The Christian community staged a protest demonstration against the provincial government and called for the immediate arrest of the attackers. They also urged the government to provide protection to all members of the Christian community in Quetta. Pakistan has been battling armed groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The attacks often target Pakistan's minorities, including Shia Muslims as well as Christians, Hindus and members of the Ahmadiyya sect. Earlier this month, four members of a Christian family travelling in a rickshaw were killed in a firing incident on Quetta's Shah Zaman road. The Christian family belonged to Punjab Province and had come to Quetta to see relatives. In December last year, nine people were killed and 30 injured in a suicide attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church on Quetta's Zarghoon Road. At least two suicide attackers had struck the Bethel Memorial Church while Sunday service was ongoing. There were 400 worshipers inside the church when the assault started. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several protests were held in the city today against the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. Protests were held at Press Enclave and Lal Chowk city centre here by several organisations and students, officials said. Those who protested include Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, trade bodies, students of the Central University of Kashmir and tourism contractors, they said. The members of the Bar Association assembled near the high court and marched to Lal Chowk, demanding justice for the victim and hanging of the culprits. Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association President Mian Qayoom said the high court should transfer the case to itself as the "atmosphere at Kathua is not conducive for holding a fair trial". "We are not in favour of transferring the case. Our demand is that the atmosphere at Kathua is not conducive for holding a fair trial of the case. So, the high court has a wing in Jammu, we have a wing in Srinagar. This case should be transferred by the high court to itself... They should nominate a judge for this purpose and that judge should be given exclusive task of trail of this case as quickly as possible," he told reporters. Students of various colleges and universities also held protests, demanding capital punishment to the accused. A huge number of students from the Ladakh region of the state, studying in various colleges and universities in the valley, assembled near Press Enclave and held a candlelight protest demanding that the culprits be hanged. They raised slogans against the accused and mainstream parties in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi today attacked the BJP government for denying loan waiver to farmers. "The government has waived Rs 2.5 lakh crore loans of five capitalists, but cannot waive loans of farmers. Finance Minister Arun Jaitely has denied help to farmers stating there is no policy for this," Gandhi said at a meeting with farmers in Jainabganj in his Amethi parliamentary constituency. He also alleged that promises made by the BJP were not being met and that the people will give the party a befitting reply in the 2019 general election. At another gathering at Thauri-Kotwa, the Congress president said he would continue to work for the needy whether his party was in power or not. Listing the development works carried out by him in his parliamentary constituency, he alleged that the present government was neglecting the interests of the people of Amethi. Later, Gandhi addressed school students at an event. Gandhi is on a three-day visit to Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. Amethi is represented by Gandhi in Parliament, while his mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi is the MP from Raebareli. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police inspector and a patwari (revenue official) were today arrested by Rajasthan's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while accepting bribe of Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 respectively, an official said. Inspector Mahesh Joshi was arrested by the Pali district ACB sleuths red handed for accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000, Inspector general (ACB-Jodhpur) V.K Singh said. He said that toll booth manager Rajendra Singh had lodged a complaint with the ACB that Joshi had demanded Rs 10,000 -- each month -- from him citing law and order issues at the booth. "He had asked Rs 40,000 for the four months," the official said. In another incident, Jaipur ACB sleuths arrested patwari Sanjay Jain while taking a bribe of Rs 50,000. According to the official, Jain had demanded Rs 5 lakh as bribe to make a change in a land title. To verify the complaint, the ACB team asked the complainant Amit Prajapati to offer him Rs 50,000 cash and Rs 4.5 lakh cheque. "Jain was arrested taking Rs 50,000 cash", Inspector General (ACB-Jaipur), Sachin Mittal said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In 2008 Raul Castro took over a country where most people couldn't own computers or cellphones, leave without permission, run most types of private businesses or enter resort hotels. Castro set about re-engineering the system he had helped create and Cuba opened dramatically over his decade in office. But when Castro steps down Thursday after two terms as president he will leave his successor a host of problems that are deeper than on the day his brother Fidel formally handed over power. Cuba has nearly 600,000 private entrepreneurs, more than 5 million cellphones, a bustling real estate market and one of the world's fastest-growing airports. Limited internet use is expanding fast, with thousands of Cubans installing new home connections this year. Foreign debt has been paid. Tourism numbers have more than doubled since Castro and President Barack Obama re-established diplomatic relations in 2015, making Cuba a destination for nearly 5 million visitors a year, despite a plunge in relations under the Trump administration. On the other side of the ledger, Cuba's Soviet-style command economy still employs three of every four Cuban workers but produces little. Private sector growth has been largely frozen. The average monthly state salary is USD 31 so low that workers often live on stolen goods and handouts from relatives overseas. Foreign investment remains anemic. The island's infrastructure is falling deeper into disrepair. The break with Washington dashed dreams of detente with the US, and after two decades of getting Venezuelan subsidies totalling more than USD 6 billion a year, Cuba's patron has collapsed economically with no replacement in the wings. Castro's inability or unwillingness to fix Cuba's structural problems with deep and wide-ranging reforms has many wondering how a successor without Castro's founding father credentials will manage the country over the next five or 10 years. "People in Cuba really haven't processed yet what it means to have a government without Raul or Fidel leading it," said Yassel Padron Kunakbaeva, a prolific 27-year-old blogger who writes frequently from what he describes as a Marxist, revolutionary perspective. "We're entering unknown territory." Tens of thousands of highly educated professionals are abandoning the island each year, leaving Cuba with the combination of third-world economy and the demographics of a graying European nation. After a 2016 recession, Cuba said growth was 1.6 per cent last year, although official accounts remain opaque and questioned by experts. The single-party government controls virtually all forms of expression and organization, with near-zero tolerance of public criticism or dissent. The mood on the street is pessimistic, with few expecting a better future anytime soon. "The political future of whoever takes over in April depends on the economic question," said Jose Raul Viera Linares, a former first deputy minister of foreign affairs. "It's the possibility for young people to dream, to design their own future. That's all based in the material wealth that this country is able to achieve." The greatest immediate challenge for Castro's expected successor 57-year-old Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez is unwinding a byzantine dual-currency system featuring one type of Cuban peso worth 4 cents and another that is nearly a dollar. The system was designed to insulate a state-run, egalitarian internal market using "national money" from trade with the outside world denominated in "convertible pesos." The barrier between the two worlds swiftly collapsed and the system has fostered big economic distortions. Inefficient state enterprises receive mammoth subsidies by obtaining expensive convertible pesos for the price of the cheaper "Cuban peso." The dual-currency system also allows private businesses to receive subsidized goods and services like water and electricity in Cuban pesos, then turn around and charge their relatively wealthy clients in convertible pesos at a significant profit. Castro called for elimination of the dual currencies from the beginning of his presidency, but never got around to it. Unlike his brother Fidel, who extended his time in office until illness forced him to retire, Raul has long made clear that he would step down as president in 2018 as part of a coordinated handoff to a new generation of leaders. He will remain first secretary of the Communist Party, the country's guiding body, but many Cubans expect him to move into semi-retirement in Santiago, the largest city in Cuba's east, where he was born and led rebel troops in the country's 1959 revolution. "We've risen up economically. The new possibilities have changed my life, of course," said Yanelis Garcia, a 44-year-old mother of three who saved money from raising pigs in her backyard to slowly build a prosperous six-room bed-and-breakfast and taxi business in the central city of Santa Clara. "I've always liked having my own business to be able to provide for my family. It's been really good." Cubans fill thousands of flights a year to Miami, Panama and Cancun, where they cram duffel bags with gym socks and Xboxes for the vibrant private sector and rising middle class. But last August, the Cuban government froze new licenses for private bed-and-breakfasts, restaurants and other popular businesses, leaving many Cubans questioning how their government envisions a path to prosperity. "We've seen necessary reforms and I think that in the future there will have to be more," said Norma Chiang, a 77-year-old state accountant and auditor. "Self-employment needs to be broadened, little things like bakeries or food stands that can be in the hands of individuals and not the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As someone who counts Satyajit Ray as a huge influence, Majid Majidi decided to set his latest film "Beyond the Clouds" in Mumbai streets, which he believes, are full of incredible heroes trying to lead a life of dignity in the face of struggle. The Iranian director has always been fascinated with Ray's cinematic outlook and how his heroes come from everyday life, something that he feels is missing in Indian cinema today. "Satyajit Ray's films had an effect on me. (They inspired me) to follow a certain interpretation of life. And (I would like) to influence younger generation. In 'Pather Panchali', there is a respect that he has for his hero, even in the poverty. His heroes come from this class of society and they are trying for life," Majidi told PTI in an interview. "Struggling people are my heroes. I am not glorifying poverty, it is bad. (But) I believe that a person has a lot of interior values that we do not see," he adds. The director says it was a dream come true to set one of his films in India, which he believes, is culturally very close to Iran. "I always wanted to make a film in India as it is a dramatic country with dramatic locations. The streets and the alleys of Bombay are full of stories, something that you can't find anywhere else. I always wondered why we do not see such kind of stories in Indian cinema. Apart from Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal and Mira Nair, you rarely find these stories in the cinema here." Majidi says he has always been curious to explore other cultures and people and believes one can learn something unique from those one encounters in life. "When I was a child, I always wanted to know what was happening on the other side of the wall. In India, the walls are broken, you see a lot of things. I recently saw an old man on the street trying to take a bath with very little water whereas I had used a lot of water in the hotel. I felt ashamed to have done that. Next day, I tried to use as little water as I could." The director says he feels alive when he is on a film set, crafting his next story. "When I am making a film, I feel I am living. When I am not making a film, I feel I am not living. For me, making films is like breathing. So I want (to continue making films) till I can. It does not mean that I don't like the other part of my life. But it is private, hidden. What will remain for me in the world is what I make and this is the reason I love this part (filmmaking) of my life," he says. Majidi is known for his unique sensitivity in portraying day-to-day life which he imbues with beauty and empathy. His "Children of Heaven", which was remade in India, was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language category. "Beyond the Clouds" is the story of Amir (Ishaan Khatter), who is on the run from the cops and finds his estranged sister Tara (Malavika Mohanan), who in a bid to protect her brother lands up in jail. Their entire lives have been clouded by despair but then they find hope, unexpectedly. Majidi wanted an Indian face for his film and found Mohanan perfect for Tara's role. "Malavika's face was very important for me because I wanted an Indian face, especially for international audiences to have this immediate impression that she is from India. "First, we shot the scenes out of the jail, and then after one month, I told her she has to lose weight. She had to be thin for the portion inside the jail and she worked hard to do that." When Majidi first saw the audition footage of Ishaan for "Beyond the Clouds", he liked it and thought of meeting him in person. In the first meeting, the director, however, was not very impressed with the aspiring actor. "The first time I met Ishaan, (he) was (wearing) a sporty T-shirt, (had) muscles and was trying to sit in a very macho way. I looked at him and said, 'Your face is working, but I have a big problem with your body. Tone down your body, reduce the muscles. "Next time, he wore a large T-shirt and sat with a hunch." The film is set to be released in India on April 20. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government today said it would soon come out with a set of norms for implementation of drone technology and favoured an international drone alliance' with the active support of France for tapping its diverse use. The regulations would be unveiled after extensive consultations with the security agencies, the manufacturers, the global regulators and innovators, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said at an event today. The minister's remarks came in the wake the Government last week setting up a 13-member task force under Sinha's chairmanship to prepare a roadmap and recommendations for the central and state governments, besides the industry and research institutions for rollout of the technology. "We are shortly issuing a set of regulation after extensive consultations with security agencies, the manufacturers, global regulators and innovators, the minister said at the Indo-French Defence and Aerospace Cooperation meet here organised by CII. Why don't India and France take up the leadership as far as drones are concerned where standards, technology, control parameters has to be harmonised and perhaps create international drone alliance where we can come together and figure out how the standards can be harmonised, he suggested. A battery of leaders from the defence and aerospace industries of both India and France attended the event. French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler was also present. The alliance, the minister said, can be worked out much on the lines of the successful international solar alliance pioneered by India. Seeking active French support for the flourishing civil aviation sector in the country, Sinha said India can be a production platform for French manufacturers, who can reap from the unique requirements of the country like the development of growing demands of turboprop aircraft for the regional connectivity programme. He said the potential of the collaboration and business linkages between the two countries is extraordinary and foresaw a time when the joint collaborations could see the development of air rickshaws' in India, reducing the travel time between Delhi to Gurugram to just 30 minutes. The minister also stressed upon the French side to have a perspective plan for India going beyond 50 years in keeping with the country's fast pace development and indianisation of operations to succeed in Indian market as well as become a global player. The aviation sector, he said is growing at a rate of 20 per cent and over 900 planes would be added to the Indian sky in the next 10 years from 550 aircraft at present. One billion trips per annum is also the target of the government with supporting infrastructure and hence the opportunities in the airport ecosystem in immense, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Religious minorities in Pakistan like Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Ahmedis and Hazara continue to face violent attacks, a damning report by an independent watchdog today said and criticised the state for failing to tackle the issue of their persecution. The Human Rights Commission at the launch of its annual report, State of Human Rights in 2017 dedicated to the late activist Asma Jahangir says people continue to disappear in Pakistan, sometimes because they criticise the country's powerful military or because they advocate better relations with neighbouring India. Jahangir, who was fierce advocate of human rights died in February. The commission also underscored the rising incidence of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, and the extension of the jurisdiction of military courts. "False accusations of blasphemy and the ensuing violence, the number of children engaged in labour under hazardous conditions and unabated violence against women remain grim markers of the last year," the commission said. "Deaths linked to terrorism may have decreased, but the soft targets' of religious minorities and law enforcement agencies continue to bear the brunt of violence," it said. Journalists and bloggers continue to sustain threats, attacks and abductions, and the blasphemy law serves to coerce people into silence. The people's right to socio cultural activities is curtailed by intolerance and extremism, and authorities are lenient for fear of a political backlash, it said. The 296-page report said, "In a year when freedom of thought, conscience and religion continued to be stifled, incitement to hatred and bigotry increased, and tolerance receded even further, the state remained ineffective in tackling the issue of persecution of minorities and fell far short of its obligations. There was no abatement in violence against religious minorities, with Christians, Ahmedis, Hazaras, Hindus and Sikhs all coming under attack, it said. "Little wonder that the numbers of religious minorities are shrinking. At the time of Independence, Pakistan's religious minority constituted over 20 per cent of the population. The 1998 census reported that the numbers had declined to a little over three per cent, it said. The report said the migration of Hindus to India "may soon turn into an exodus if the discrimination against them continues". While the recent census data has not yet been made public, it is expected that the numbers of religious minorities will show a further decline, the report said. "Faith-based violence in the name of religion continues unabated and the government has failed miserably to protect minority members against attacks and discrimination. Extremist forces bent on creating an exclusive Islamic identity for Pakistan appear to have been given a free hand," the report said. "A few hundred fanatics held the capital and the garrison cities hostage for 23 days in Faizabad, Islamabad in November this year until their demands were accepted. In ceding to the demands of the violent demonstrators, the state has virtually given blanket licence to fundamentalism and militancy in the name of religion, it said. With a population of around seven million, Hindus form the largest religious minority in Pakistan. "Concentrated mainly in Sindh, Hindus continue to live an uneasy existence. Their perceived association with India has made life for them tougher than other religious minorities in Pakistan. According to their representatives, the greatest issue of concern to the community is that of forced conversions, the majority of these involving young women, the report said. "In most cases the girls, many of whom are minors, are abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and then married to Muslim men, the report said. Pakistan ranked fourth on the Christian support group Open Doors World Watch List 2017 of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, it said. "Violent persecution of Christians is a common occurrence in Pakistan. Christians are targets for murder, bombings, abduction of women, rape, forced conversions, and eviction from home and country. Fake cases under blasphemy laws are regularly used to terrorise Christians," it said. Sikhs are a small religious minority in Pakistan. According to the last census, there are around 7,000 registered Sikhs living in Pakistan, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including the semi-autonomous tribal region that shares a border with Afghanistan. "The Sikh leadership complains that rough and usually inaccurate estimates are made about their exact number. The Sikh community has also been subjected to continued discrimination and violence from extremists over the years because of their religious affiliation, but they are generally better treated by government agencies as compared to other religious minorities. Persecution of religious minorities and targeted sects within Islam force people like the Hazaras to seek asylum in European countries. A signicantly large number of Ahmadis has migrated to Europe and lives in exile, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today dismissed reports of growing differences between him and the state Congress president Sunil Jakhar as "media creation" and nothing else. The chief minister, who was here to flag-off a fleet of nine ambulances procured by Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni under the MPLADS fund, said there was absolutely no problems between him and the Gurdaspur MP. "The small incident where Jakhar had left without meeting me -- as he had to go somewhere else -- was blown out of proportion by the media," Singh said during an informal chat with media persons at the event. On Wednesday, Jakhar had left the CM's office in a huff after he was reportedly asked by the security staff to leave his mobile phone outside. The chief minister here also ruled out any question of asking Sidhu, the Tourism, Culture and Local Government minister, to quit over the Supreme Court proceedings in the 30-year-old road rage case against him. Saying the situation did not warrant Sidhu's resignation, he lambasted the Akalis for seeking Sidhu's resignation, and asked them to keep out of it. Importantly, the state government in the Supreme Court had favoured the Punjab and Haryana High Court verdict convicting and awarding a three-year jail term to Sidhu in the 1988 case. When asked about the last week clash in Phagwara between two groups over the installation of a board and renaming of a chowk , the chief minister said the situation was completely under control now. "While some of the culprits responsible for the violence that took place on Ambedkar Jayanti were already in custody, the others would also be arrested soon," he said, while asserting that his government would not allow anyone to disturb the state's peace and communal harmony. "Strict action would be taken against those trying to trigger any kind of disturbance in the state," he added. Notably, the incident took place when members of a group allegedly installed a board carrying a picture of Ambedkar at Gol Chowk in Phagwara on National Highway (NH)-1 and tried to rename it as 'Savidhan Chowk'. Earlier, speaking at the flag-off event Congress leader Ambika Soni described the ambulances as her humble contribution towards the chief minister's mission to provide the best health and medical services to the people at affordable cost. On this, the chief minister too lauded Soni's initiative in procuring these ambulances and urged other members of the parliament to follow suit. While three ambulances will cater to the needs of the people of Rupnagar, two have been earmarked for Mohali, three for Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and one for Hoshiarpur. During the event, Singh also talked about the state government's other initiatives taken to upgrade the health services in Mohali, a place highly touted as region's major industrial and IT hub. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group from the U.S. and Japan is trekking to a remote Pacific island jungle to document what is considered one of the most important wreck sites of World War II: where American fighters shot down a Japanese bomber carrying the mastermind of the Pearl Harbor attack. Three members of a New York-based WWII research organization and a Japanese aviation expert plan to visit the crash site on Bougainville, part of Papua New Guinea, on Wednesday, the 75th anniversary of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's death. Yamamoto had spent several years in the U.S. earlier in his military career, studying at Harvard University and admiring America's industrial might. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, he was quite possibly the most hated man in America. "As long as he lived, the Japanese navy was a threat," said Donald A. Davis, a Colorado-based writer who told the story of "Operation Vengeance" in a 2005 book. "He was feared in the Pacific." Historians generally credit Yamamoto, an innovative proponent of air power, with the idea of attacking the US Pacific fleet and convincing Japanese military leaders that his plan could work. The Dec 7, 1941, sneak attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor on Hawaii's Oahu Island killed more than 2,400 people, sunk or damaged 18 ships, destroyed 300 warplanes and drew the US into the war. Getting Yamamoto became very much a mission of its own. The big break for the U.S. came on April 13, 1943, when Navy code breakers discovered that Yamamoto planned to tour bases in areas of the Solomon Islands still held by Japanese forces. The admiral's tour was scheduled for April 18 - just five days away. US military officials quickly approved an air mission to intercept the admiral's plane and shoot it down. The task fell to a squadron of Army Air Forces P-38 Lightnings based on Guadalcanal, in the Solomons. After the pilots closely reviewed Yamamoto's flight plan, 16 P-38s flew 400 miles west and spotted two enemy bombers over Bougainville, another island in the Solomon archipelago. While some of the P-38s engaged Yamamoto's fighter escort, other American planes attacked the two bombers. One slammed into the jungle, while the other crashed off shore. Yamamoto, 59, was among 11 men who died in the plane that crashed on land. Yamamoto's death was yet another blow to the Japanese after the tide of the Pacific war turned with the American victory at Midway and the taking of Guadalcanal. Japanese troops recovered Yamamoto's body, cremated it and sent his ashes back to Japan, where the admiral was given a state funeral. But Japan didn't officially announce Yamamoto's death until weeks later, saying he died aboard a warplane "while directing general strategy on the front line," according to an Associated Press story on the announcement in Tokyo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ?An employee of a road contractor, kidnapped by the Naxals two days ago, was found killed in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today, police said. The body of P Kasu (45) with his face crushed with a stone was found near Kasaram rivulet under the Kistaram police station limits this evening, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shalabh Sinha told PTI. On April 14, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the state's Naxal-affected Bijapur district, Maoists abducted Kasu between Faidagudam and Dharampenta villages after setting ablaze a truck?involved in the?road construction work there, he said. After receiving information that Kasu's body was lying near Kasaram rivulet, a police team was sent to the spot and the body was brought to the Kistaram police station, Sinha said. Prima facie it seemed that he was beaten and hit with a heavy stone, but autopsy report was awaited, the ASP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia and Syria have not yet allowed a fact-finding mission from the world's chemical weapons watchdog to enter Douma to probe allegations of a gas poison attack, the British embassy here said today. The head of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ahmet Uzumcu, had briefed emergency talks about the deployment of the team, which arrived Saturday in Damascus. But "Russia & Syria have not yet allowed access to Douma. Unfettered access essential," the British delegation to the OPCW based in The Hague said in a tweet. British ambassador to the Netherlands, Peter Wilson, urged Monday's meeting "to act to hold perpetrators to account", saying failure to do so "will only risk further barbaric use of chemical weapons, in Syria and beyond". "The time has come for all members of this executive council to take a stand," Wilson said, adding "too many duck the responsibility that comes with being a member of this council". He repeated that Britain, together with the United States and France, on Saturday had struck at a "limited set of targets". They included "a chemical weapons storage and production facility, a key chemical weapons research centre and a military bunker involved in chemical weapons attacks". "Hitting these targets will significantly degrade the Syrian regime's ability to research, develop and deploy chemical weapons," Wilson said. Since Syria joined the OPCW in 2013, "we have sought to use diplomatic channels ... to stop chemical weapons use in Syria but our efforts have been repeatedly thwarted," Wilson said. It was "shameful" that a lack of accountability for the April 2017 attack on Khan Sheikhun "can only have reassured the Syrian regime that the international community was not serious in its stated commitment to uphold the norm against chemical weapons use," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Russian journalist who wrote on Moscow's "shadow army" in Syria has died after falling from the balcony of his fifth-floor flat, but investigators said today they were not treating the death as suspicious. Maksim Borodin fell from his apartment in Yekaterinburg, a major city in the Urals, last week and died from his injuries in hospital on Sunday, agencies reported. He worked for the service Noviy Den (New Day) and recently wrote on the deaths of employees of the so-called "Wagner Group", the private army Moscow is using in Syria. "There are no grounds for launching a case," the local investigative committee told the TASS agency today. "Several versions are being considered, including that this was an unfortunate accident, but there is no sign a crime has been committed," it said. The local committee told AFP it would not comment on the incident to foreign media. But Harlem Desir, the representative for freedom of the media at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said Borodin's death was "of serious concern". "I call on the authorities for a swift and thorough investigation," he said on Twitter Monday. Russia has a disturbing record of attacks on reporters, with 58 killed since 1992, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A South Korean charged with murdering his wife and young son at Hong Kong's luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel died in custody today, police said. Kim Min-ho was found unconscious at the maximum-security Lai Chi Kok detention centre Monday morning and later declared dead in hospital, police and media reports said. A note was found at the scene, according to a police statement, which described him only as a 43-year-old foreign man. Police gave no details on how Kim died but local media reported he had committed suicide. Police had rushed to the harbourfront hotel in January after receiving a report that a man and woman guest were fighting. Kim's wife and six-year-old son were found dead at the scene, his wife with multiple cuts to her neck and his six-year-old son with a throat wound. Kim was believed to have consumed alcohol and appeared unconscious in the hotel suite with minor wounds to his hand and face, police said at the time. They retrieved a five-inch-long knife from the room and Kim was arrested. Kim, who stated on his Facebook page that he was CEO in South Korea of the US-based Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory retail chain, was charged with double murder. A source told AFP at the time that a friend of the suspect had warned authorities in South Korea he was potentially suicidal shortly before the incident. The Ritz-Carlton is on the top floors of Hong Kong's tallest skyscraper -- the International Commerce Centre -- and has panoramic views of the city and its Victoria Harbour. The South Korean consulate had no immediate comment on Kim's death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today asked realty firm Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) to deposit Rs 100 crore with its registry by May 10 to pay back the hassled home buyers who have opted for refund, instead of possession of flats. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered the submission of JAL that in pursuance of the March 21 order, it has already deposited Rs 100 crore with the registry on April 12. The court, on March 21, had asked JAL to deposit Rs 200 crore with its registry in two instalments. It had asked it to deposit Rs 100 crore by April 15 and the rest by May 10. "M/s JAL is at liberty to submit a representation to the competent authority. The representation shall be considered in accordance with law. We specifically make it clear that we have not expressed any opinion on that score," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said. The realty firm said it has been completing 500 dwelling units for delivery to the home buyers every month and its representation be considered by the Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP) as per law. The top court, meanwhile, granted permission to Pankaj Gaur, Joint Managing Director of JAL and Sunny Gaur, Managing Director of JAL, to travel abroad. "This IA (interim application) has been filed for grant of permission to Pankaj Gaur... to travel to Bhutan and Nepal on multiple occasions between a period of three months. The prayer stands allowed in terms of additional affidavit," it said. "This plea has been filed seeking permission on behalf of Sunny Gaur... to travel to the United Kingdom between April 14 and April 30, 2018. Prayer, ...stands allowed," it said. The court, however, said, "if the amount, as directed, is not deposited within the time granted, steps shall be taken to attach the personal properties of those directors." It also directed the apex court registry that if any money was lying with it, then they may be invested in short term fixed deposit with a nationalised bank. The real estate major has so far deposited Rs 650 crore with the apex court registry and sought indulgence on the ground that only eight per cent of the over 30,000 home-buyers had opted for refund and 92 per cent wanted delivery of flats. The top court had on January 10 directed JAL, the holding firm of Jaypee Infratech Ltd (JIL), to provide details of its housing projects in the country, saying the home buyers should either get their houses or their money back. It had refused to accord urgent hearing on a plea of the Reserve Bank of India, seeking its nod to initiate insolvency proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against JAL, saying it would be dealt with at a later stage. The home buyers, including one Chitra Sharma, had moved the apex court, stating that around 32,000 people had booked flats and were now paying instalments. The plea had also stated that hundreds of home buyers were left in the lurch after the NCLT, on August 10 last year, admitted the IDBI Bank's plea to initiate insolvency proceedings against the debt-ridden realty firm for defaulting on a Rs 526 crore loan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today directed realty firm Limited (JAL) to deposit Rs 1 billion with its Registry by May 10. The bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also directed the Insolvency Resolution Professional (IRP) to consider the representation of JAL on revival plans as per law. Meanwhile, the counsel for the firm told the apex court that it had already deposited Rs 1 billion on April 12 in pursuance of an earlier order. The firm also sought to consider its revival proposal, saying it has been completing 500 houses per month. The top court had on March 21 asked the JAL to deposit Rs 2 billion with its registry in two instalments for paying back home buyers, who have opted for refund instead of getting possession of flats. The real estate major had said it had deposited Rs 5.5 billion so far with the apex court registry and sought indulgence on the ground that only eight per cent of the over 30,000 home-buyers had opted for refund and rest 92 per cent wanted delivery of flats. The firm had, on January 25, deposited Rs 1.25 billion in the Supreme Court, after being directed to do so, to safeguard the interests of home buyers. The top court had, on January 10, directed JAL, the holding firm of Jaypee Infratech Ltd (JIL), to provide details of its housing projects in the country, saying home buyers should either get their houses or their money back. It had refused to accord an urgent hearing on a plea of the Reserve Bank of India, seeking its nod to initiate insolvency proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) against JAL, saying it would be dealt with at a later stage. Home buyers, including Chitra Sharma, had moved the apex court, stating that around 32,000 people had booked flats and were now paying instalments. The plea had further stated that hundreds of home buyers were left in the lurch after the NCLT, on August 10 last year, admitted the IDBI Bank's plea to initiate insolvency proceedings against the debt-ridden realty company for defaulting on a Rs 5.26-billion loan. The Supreme Court today did not favour handing over the investigation into the rape-and-murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua from the crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police to the CBI as her father expressed satisfaction over the investigation carried out so far. "In the absence of any allegation, why should we enter into this as to who should investigate," a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra said, adding that it was "the primary duty of the state police to investigate a case". The father expressed satisfaction with the probe conducted so far by the state police, while vehemently opposing the plea of senior advocate Bhim Singh and Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur that the investigation be transferred to the CBI. "Be that as it may, we do not intend to enter into this sphere (transfer of case to CBI) at this stage," the bench said, noting the submission of the victim's father. At the outset, the victim's counsel Indira Jaising, who mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing in the forenoon, said the "biological father" of the victim had no grievance with regard to the police probe. "We are not seeking transfer of investigation. The issue is that the atmosphere is not conducive (at Kathua) for fair trial and dispensation of justice," she said. "Investigation is almost complete. Charge sheet has been filed. They (police) may file a supplementary charge sheet. The father of the victim has no problem with the police investigation," she said. "We do not want CBI investigation. I am the father. We are satisfied with the investigation. Every accused has been identified. DNA samples have been matched," the lawyer said, adding that she hailed the state police. The Jammu Bar Association and others had demanded transfer of the case to the CBI as they had no faith in the probe carried out by the crime branch. The crime branch submitted two charge sheets against eight people including a juvenile for allegedly raping and murdering the girl in January this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today junked a PIL challenging the perks, including pension and travel allowances, given to former parliamentarians. The top court agreed with the finding of the Allahabad High Court that Parliament is competent to legislate on pensions for ex-MPs and it has the power to prescribe any condition subject to which the pension may be paid. It held that the expression "allowances" of MPs occurring under Entry 73 of List I of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution was wide enough to cover the payment of pension and other benefits to the Members of Parliament or ex-MPs. "The fact that there are express references to the payment of pension in the Constitution for certain constitutional functionaries and not for others, in our opinion does not lead to the conclusion that the Constitution, by its silence, prohibits the payment of pension to those constitutional functionaries," a bench of Justice J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul said. The apex court, however, left it to Parliament to decide whether the various benefits given to the lawmakers was "rational" or not, having regard to the affluent financial status of some of the MPs or the poverty of the millions of people. The bench said that each constitutional office holder functioned as per the powers and duties entrusted to them either by the Constitution or the laws relevant to their powers and duties. "The framers of the Constitution believed that certain offices required a higher degree of protection, having regard to the greater degree of independence expected of the holders of their offices. "The framers knew history and the attempts of the men in power to subjugate the holders of such offices. Safeguards, therefore, were provided in respect of the various aspects of the tenure and other conditions of service relevant for their offices. When it comes to MPs, however, such a higher degree of constitutional protection is not obviously required as the authority to make laws rests only with them," the court said. The top court refused to agree with the submission that pension was payable to an employee of State after his superannuation and since MPs are not employees of State, they are not entitled for pension, nor was Parliament competent to provide pension to the ex-MPs. "In our opinion, there is a fallacy in the above submission, insofar as it assures that pension is only payable to former employees of State and nobody else. Such a submission emanates from the fact that certain payments made to the former employees of State are called pension and the misconception of the appellants that the expression 'pension' can only have one meaning. There are various other categories of payments made by State which are called 'pensions', such as old age pension, widow pension and disability pension etc," the bench said. The Centre had earlier told the apex court that the entitlement of former MPs to get pension and other benefits was "justified" as their dignity has to be maintained even after they completed their tenure as parliamentarians. The judgement came on a plea of NGO 'Lok Prahari', which had approached the apex court challenging the Allahabad High Court order dismissing its plea that had claimed that pension and other perks being given to MPs even after demitting office were contrary to Article 14 (Right to Equality) of the Constitution. The plea also claimed that Parliament had no power to provide pensionary benefits to lawmakers without making any law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today made it clear that its interim order permitting the release of regional film 'Nanak Shah Fakir', based on the life of the first guru of the Sikhs, shall remain operational. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will hear on May 8 the submission and the counter on behalf of the film producer and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body, on the same. The movie has already been released in the country, except in Punjab, senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for the producer, told the bench which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud. The bench said the fundamental issue was to see whether the life of Guru Nanak Dev has been portrayed in the right manner or not. Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the SGPC, referred to the 2003 notification of the apex Sikh body that had categorically stated that no person can be allowed to portray the life of 10 Sikh gurus, their family members and the 'Panj Pyaras'. The top court had on April 10 criticised SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, for imposing restrictions on the film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' and had cleared the decks for its nationwide release scheduled on April 13. The apex court had on April 12 refused to accord urgent hearing on the SGPC's plea while posting it for today. A day before the release, another Sikh body Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had also moved the Delhi High Court against the release of the movie saying it has characterised family members of Guru Nank Dev with humans/actors which is against the principles of Sikh religion. However, DSGMC also failed to get any reprieve as the high court refused to stay the release of movie saying the petition was motivated after the Supreme Court refused to grant any relief. The apex court had earlier said that once a film has been granted certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), its release can only be stalled through lawful means. It had said after the CBFC certification, no group, body, association or individuals can create any kind of disturbance in exhibition of the film. The order had come on a petition by Harinder S Sikka, a retired Naval officer and the producer of the film, who had approached the apex court claiming that the SGPC had recently banned the release of the film which is based on the life and teachings of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, even after the CBFC cleared it on March 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today made clear that its interim order permitting the release of regional film 'Nanak Shah Fakir', based on the life of the first guru of the Sikhs, shall remain operational. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will hear on May 8 the submission and the counter on behalf of the film producer and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body, on the same. The movie has already been released in the country, except in Punjab, senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for the producer, told the bench which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud. The bench said the fundamental issue was to see whether the life of Guru Nanak Dev has been portrayed in the right manner or not. Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the SGPC, referred to the 2003 notification of the apex Sikh body that had categorically stated that no person can be allowed to portray the life of 10 Sikh gurus, their family members and the 'Panj Pyaras'. The top court had on April 10 criticised SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, for imposing restrictions on the film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' and had cleared the decks for its nationwide release scheduled on April 13. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader and former minister, Rajendra Singh, died late yesterday night in Bhopal following a heart attack, family members said. He was 86 and is survived by his wife, son and daughter. His son, Ashok Singh, vice president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, said that the veteran Congressman suffered a heart attack late last night and died before he could be rushed to hospital. His last rites would be performed tomorrow in Gwalior, he informed. Rajendra Singh served as a minister in the Madhya Pradesh government from 1975-1977 and was first elected as MLA in 1972, his son said. Condolences poured in with Congress general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Digvijay Singh, describing him as a "close family friend". The Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Ajay Singh, called Rajendra Singh a dedicated soldier of the Congress and said his death was an irreparable loss to the party in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of teenagers practising for a dance and music show were among seven Indonesians killed Monday when the building they were in collapsed, police said. The accident happened in Cirebon, about 220 kilometres east of Jakarta. The wall of warehouse next door fell over and crushed the local art centre where the junior high school students were preparing for a show. Seven were killed as the building caved in, including six boys between 13 and 15 years-old and the centre's 48-year-old manager, police said. Two 13-year-old girls were also injured, with one in a critical condition, they added. Police are investigating the cause of the collapse, but they said initial suspicion has fallen on the age of the art centre which had been operating since around the 1940s. "The building is very old, but we still need to ask experts to determine the cause of the collapse," local police spokesman Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko told AFP. Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building safety in Indonesia. In January, at least 75 people were injured when a mezzanine floor at Indonesia's stock exchange building in Jakarta collapsed into the lobby. In February, the government temporarily halted all elevated transportation projects in Indonesia, after a dozen major accidents killed five and injured dozens more. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several delegations, including a 16-member team of the Youth All India Kashmir Samaj (YAIKS), today met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra here and sought his intervention in fulfilling their various demands. The YAIKS delegation requested the governor's intervention in filling up 6,000 posts in government departments reserved for Kashmiri Pandits as per the Prime Minister's Employment Package, an official spokesman said. He said the delegation also sought reservation of two to four per cent in central government jobs and educational institutes for Kashmiri Pandits. They also demanded creation of a separate district for them till their return to Kashmir Valley, grant of minority status, political reservation in the state assembly and Parliament, the spokesman said. He said Vohra assured the delegation that their demands would be taken up with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. A delegation of persons with disabilities led by MLC G L Raina met Vohra at the Raj Bhavan and apprised him about the various difficulties being faced by them. The delegation requested that an effective mechanism should be put in place for issuing disability certificates, reservation in jobs for disabled Kashmiri migrants and provision of disability-friendly infrastructure in all public places, transport and educational institutes, the spokesman said. Vohra said he would apprise Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare Minister Sajjad Gani Lone about the demands of the delegation, the spokesman said. A delegation of International Human Rights Protection Council also met the governor and apprised him about the activities undertaken by the Council, which included projecting issues relating to the minorities and negating Pakistan's propaganda to cause communal tension in the state, the spokesman said. He said the delegation demanded a thorough probe against the individuals and organisations who are involved in anti-state propaganda. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal continued with her indefinite hunger strike for the fourth day today demanding stricter anti-rape laws in the country, and was joined by BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha. While Maliwal alleged that the Delhi Police forcibly tried to take her away from the protest site, senior police officials claimed that they had advised her to go to a hospital as her condition was deteriorating. Sinha, a Member of Parliament, is the second BJP leader to join the women panel's protest. On Friday when Maliwal started her indefinite hunger strike, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha had joined her at Rajghat. "I have come here not as a politician but as an aware citizen of the country, an aware artist and as a father of a daughter...in such heinous crimes time bound completion of trial is necessary and toughest punishment, death penalty should be given to the guilty," Sinha said. Yesterday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had extended his support to Maliwal's demand for setting up more fast-track courts to complete the trial in rape cases of minors within six months and to give death penalty in such cases. "We advised Swati Maliwal to go to a hospital since her condition was deteriorating but she refused. However, her medical examination is being conducted twice a day," a senior police official said. The hunger strike by Maliwal comes in the wake of the recent incidents of rape in Kathua and Unnao. An eight-year-old girl from a nomadic community was raped and killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district in January this year. In the Unnao case, a 17-year-old girl has alleged she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017. Later, she alleged that her father was killed inside jail at the behest of the lawmaker, who has since been arrested by the CBI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal today said the proposed single national tribunal for settling inter-state water disputes would expedite resolutions and facilitate irrigation facilities across the country. The minister of state for water resources convened a meeting with the ministers and high-level officials of five eastern states -- West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. At present, there are separate tribunals for the Cauvery, the Narmada, the Krishna and other rivers existing in the country and the formation of the Mahanadi tribunal is in process, he said. "Instead of having so many tribunals, a single national tribunal has been proposed in the Interstate River Disputes Act Amendment Bill 2017 which has already been placed in the Lok Sabha," he said. A single tribunal would also help the states get proper irrigation facilities, Meghwal said adding the decision of the tribunal will be mandatory. Not just of the states, but the nation's interest is also involved in it as water is a national asset, the minister said. He discussed pending issues relating to water disputes among the eastern states including release of funds by the Centre. Regarding the proposed Teesta Water Sharing Treaty between India and Bangladesh, he said it was in an advanced stage and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had already made a statement in the Parliament. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been opposing the treaty on grounds that it would affect the interest of the state as water levels would reduce. State irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee said water level of the Teesta was already already low due to construction of dams in Sikkim for hydel power projects. He also flagged the issue of non-release of Central funds to the state for water management. Banerjee also demanded unified control of Tenughat Dam of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in Jharkhand for restrained release of water during the flood season. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced that a special force 'Durgashakti Vahini' would be formed to check crime against women in the state. The government is committed to ensuring safety and security of women and "a special force Durgashakti Vahini would be constituted to put a check on crime against women", he said after inaugurating the Jaagriti Project here. The main aim of this project is to ensure that girls and women feel safe at public places, their workplaces and while travelling, the chief minister said. On the 'Chatra Parivahan Suraksha Yojana', Khattar said it is the state government's responsiblity to provide free of cost travel facility to girls to their educational institutions. Khattar announced the schemes launch today. Regardless of the number of students in an educational institution, their demand for free of cost travel facility will be met, he said, adding that nodal officers are being appointed under this scheme. Students will submit their requirements to these officers, he said. Khattar said after Madhya Pradesh, Haryana is the only state where provision of death penalty has been made for those found guilty of raping children below 12 years of age. This step of the Haryana government is being appreciated and emulated by other states, he said. The chief minister expressed hope that in the future, this law would be passed in the Lok Sabha. Social organisations would have to come forward and join hands with the state government in dealing with social evils such as female foeticide, he said. Expressing happiness over considerable improvement in sex ratio under the 'Beti Bachao,Beti Padhao' campaign, he said33 per cent reservation has been given to women in elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions. Today, 42 per cent women representatives are heading gram panchayats in the state, Khattar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A team of Special Vigilance Unit (SVU) today carried out searches at residence of Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets beyond his known sources of income. The raids followed registration of an FIR against the SSP yesterday. "A team of SVU today conducted searches at Muzaffarpur SSP Vivek Kumar's residence ... An FIR was lodged against him yesterday for amassing three times disproportionate assets to his known sources of income," Inspector General, SVU, Ratan Sanjay told PTI over phone from Muzaffarpur. "Searches is going on and report (final one) is still awaited...But so far the team has recovered Rs 40,000 old currency notes (which is out of circulation due to demonetisation)," Sanjay said. Asked about the value of disproportionate assets that the team has recovered from SSP's residence, he said that amount is not significant but what is more important that a person (official) has acquired three times more assets than to his known sources of incomes. Vigilance sources said that its team led by IG (SVU) Ratan Sanjay has also recovered some important documents during the raids besides documents relating to insurance, cash, etc. The raids are being also conducted at several places including Muzaffarpur, Delhi, Patna and other places of Uttar Pradesh in this connection, the sources said. The vigilance team reached the SSP's residence in the afternoon in two vehicles along with police force in another vehicle, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Naba Kumar Sarkar, Jatin Chatterjee, Omkarnath. What's in a name? Swami Aseemanand, acquitted today in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, is a man of several names but committed to one shade of saffron. Born Naba Kumar Sarkar in Kamaarpukar village in West Bengal's Hooghly district, Swami Aseemanand, as he came to be popularly known, stepped into the national spotlight in 2010 when he was arrested by the CBI for his alleged role in the blast in Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007. Nine people were killed and 58 wounded when a powerful explosion ripped through the mosque complex during Friday prayers. The 66-year-old saffron-clad self confessed monk was subsequently named as an accused in two other terror incidents the same year -- the October 11, 2007 blast in Ajmer's famed Khwaja Chishti shrine in which three people were killed and the bombing of the Samjhauta Express on the intervening night of February 17-18, 2007, in which 68 people lost their lives. Today's acquittal, on grounds of lack of evidence, is his second. In March last year, he was absolved by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in the Ajmer blast case. As the bespectacled, grey-haired Aseemanand walked free today, the only cloud in his horizon is the pending Samjhauta trial, which shows little sign of resuming with witnesses from Pakistan refusing to come to India to testify, an official said. The story of the man who grew out of his humble beginnings began somewhere in the 1970s. He had completed his graduation in science in in 1971, but his interests lay elsewhere as well and he became involved with rightwing groups from school, going on to work full time with the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Purulia and Bankura districts in the state. It was at the Ashram that Naba Kumar Sarkar was christened Swami Aseemanand in 1981, investigators said. The fiery speaker soon became known for his anti-minority speeches and his relentless campaign against Christian missionaries, getting invited to speak in various places across the country. In the late 1990s, he settled down in Gujarat's Dangs district where he started a tribal welfare organisation called Shabri Dham, a Hindu rightwing organisation. According to a confessional statement given to a judge in 2010, Aseemanand said he was famous for his anti-minority statements. In 2002, things changed after the killing of 30 devotees at the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar by terrorist suicide bombers and he wanted to avenge the deaths, he said. He spoke of his association with others accused in terror-related cases but retracted the statement later. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not press perjury charges against him. The rightwing preacher, investigating officials said, had also given a graphic account of his involvement in two other cases of terrorism in Maharashtra's Malegaon town -- on September 8, 2006, when 37 people were killed and on September 29, 2008, when six people were killed. "However, he was not named as an accused because the investigation is still going on," an official said. Three years after his alleged involvement in the series of three explosions, the CBI arrested Aseemanand on November 20, 2010 from an ashram in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. He had been staying there for weeks with forged identification papers, using the assumed names of Jatin Chatterjee and Omkarnath. Sleuths who arrested him found a passport issued by the RPO Kolkata, a ration card and an election card issued by the Haridwar authorities. He was put behind bars for his alleged role in the three cases. In 2014, he was granted bail in the Samjhauta case but continued to be in Ambala prison. In March 2017, the month he was acquitted in the Ajmer bombing case, he also got bail for the Mecca Masjid case. He has also spoken of his association with other accused in terror-related cases but retracted the statement later. The NIA did not press perjury charges against him. Under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a statement is given by the accused before a magistrate and it is valid in the court of law. However, in case the accused retracts from the statement later, the investigating agency is free to press perjury charges against the accused. In its chargesheet in 2010, the CBI had alleged that the accused, including Aseemanand, were "angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples" and wanted to "avenge" them by attacking Muslim areas and places of worship. The explosion on the Samjhuta Express, the only rail link between India and Pakistan, was initially blamed on SIMI activists. However, it turned out to be a handiwork of a group having right-wing leanings. The NIA investigation over a period of almost one year established that the entire conspiracy was hatched between 2005 and 2007 by Aseemanand and his associates, including the late Sunil Joshi and their associates at different places including Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran film director Bharathirajaa today slammed top star Rajinikanth for his remark denouncing violence against police personnel on the Cauvery issue, saying he should not drive a wedge between the Tamil people. Bharathirajaa, who is part of a pro-Tamil cultural outfit, asked Rajinikanth "how he can dub the democratic Tamil protesters as those indulging in violence." On April 10, during massive protests against the IPL match here, three police personnel were allegedly attacked by protesters near the M A Chidambaram stadium. A day later, Rajinikanth, had come out against the attack saying, "the worst form of violence is the assault on uniformed personnel." Bharathirajaa also said Rajinikanth had not commented on various issues such as the 2009 civil war in Sri Lanka in which Tamils were killed and the methane extraction project in Tamil Nadu. The film director said police personnel who were attacked were also Tamils and it was done by an unidentified man who wanted to besmirch the protests. "We regret for it," he said adding "do not try to create a rift among us." "Please make conscious comments, else you will be sidelined by the Tamil people and that day is not far away," Bharathirajja told Rajinikanth, who is set to launch his political party soon. Since April 1, Tamil Nadu has been witnessing protests by political parties, pro-Tamil outfits, student groups and voluntary organisations seeking setting up of the Cauvery Management Board. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a move to decongest over-crowded Tihar Jail, the city government is planning to redevelop its single-storey buildings into four-storey ones, said Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain today. Besides decongesting it, the move would also provide sufficient playgrounds for inmates of the high-security jails, he said. Addressing a gathering on the launch of 'Samarthan' project in collaboration with Mental Health Foundation here, Jain said that the group games should be promoted among prisoners for their mental fitness. The event was also attended, among others, by acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal of the Delhi High Court. "The group games should be used as a meditation and promoted in the jails. In view of this, the government will reconstruct single-storey buildings into four-storey ones in the jails so that more land is available for playing games," the minister said. A Tihar jail official said jail numbers 1, 2 and 3 were built in 1960s and need to be reconstructed. Under the 'Samarthan' project, inmates who suffers mental health issues, will be able to avail expert medial assistance from the trained jail staffers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an angry backlash a day after the ruling Congress announced its candidates for the May 12 assembly polls, supporters of ticket seekers who failed to make it to the list staged protests across Karnataka today with the stir turning violent at several places. The party woke up to an unexpected ugly eruption of discontent as the supporters of many ticket aspirants went berserk damaging Congress offices, blocking national highway and staging demonstration outside the office of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee in Bengaluru. Protests also broke out in Vijayapura, Tumakuru, Dharwad and Chikkamagaluru districts. At Tiptur in Tumakuru district, a man allegedly attempted to immolate himself by pouring kerosene on his body to protest the denial of ticket to his leader K Shadakshari, police said. Before he could take the extreme step, fellow supporters and police intervened and saved him. Supporters observed Tiptur Bandh and blocked the road, the police said. At Chikkamagaluru, hundreds of supporters of Gayathri Shanthegowda, who had lost in 2013, stormed into the Congress office and damaged the furniture for denying ticket to her, they said. As her supporters went on a furniture breaking spree, she claimed chief minister Siddaramaiah had assured her a ticket. Her supporters said she had lost the election by a very thin margin in 2013 and the party should have reposed faith in her. Similar scenes were witnessed in the Congress office at Mandya where supporters of Ganiga Ravi Kumar destroyed the furniture at the PCC office protesting against ticket given to film actor-turned-politician Ambarish, a former minister. Protest demonstrations were witnessed in Udupi, where supporters of Udayakumar Shetty alleged he had been denied ticket at the behest of former union minister Veerappa Moily. At Nelamangala, hundreds of supporters of Anjanamurthy blocked the National Highway leading to Tumakuru to vent their anger for denial of ticket to their leader. The party has given ticket to Cheluvarayaswamy, who was one among the six Janata Dal (Secular) leaders who switched loyalty to the Congress recently. Siriguppa town in Tumakuru observed a shut-down as supporters of sitting MLA B M Nagaraj protested denial of ticket to their leader. In Bengaluru, Manjula Naidu staged a demonstration outside the KPCC office over the party giving ticket to former Mayor G Padmavathi instead of her. Padmavathi has been pitched against BJP heavyweight and former minister S Suresh Kumar. Supporters of Jagalur Congress MLA H P Rajesh staged a demonstration as he was denied the ticket. Amid differences over the candidates to be chosen, the Congress had yesterday come out with a list of 218 names in one go while holding back clearance for six other segments. Ahead of release of the candidates' list, Karnataka Pradesh Congress president G Parameshwara had said in the event of dissidence, ticket aspirants will be pacified and persuaded. As per the list, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will contest only from one constituency--Chamundeshwar. Earlier, there were speculations that he may be in the fray from Badami in Bagalkote district also as he faces a tough battle in Chamundeshwari. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump said today that all lawyers are now "deflated and concerned" by the FBI raid on his personal attorney Michael Cohen, who is under criminal investigation for personal business dealings. "Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past," he tweeted. "I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned!" The raid carried out last Monday at Cohen's apartment, hotel room, office and safety deposit box sought bank records, records on Cohen's dealing in the taxi industry, Cohen's communications with the Trump campaign and information on payments he made in 2016 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and to porn actress Stormy Daniels, people familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press. One of Trump's lawyers, Joanna Hendon, filed papers late Sunday asking a federal judge to block prosecutors from studying material seized in the raid until Cohen and the president have both had a chance to review those materials and argue which are subject to attorney-client privilege. "Fairness and justice - as well as the appearance of fairness and justice - require that, before they are turned over to the Investigative Team, the seized materials relating to the President must be reviewed by the only person who is truly motivated to ensure that the privilege is properly invoked and applied: the privilege-holder himself, the President," Hendon wrote. On Friday, lawyers for Cohen appeared in federal court in New York asking that they, not the Department of Justice, be given a first crack at reviewing the seized evidence to see if it was relevant to the investigation or could be forwarded to criminal investigators without jeopardizing attorney-client privilege. In a court filing on Friday, federal prosecutors said the criminal investigation had been going on for months and agents had already searched multiple email accounts maintained by Cohen under an earlier search warrant. Prosecutors contend that Cohen was "performing little to no legal work" for Trump. They acknowledged that the investigation was referred by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, but was being conducted by the US attorney's office in Manhattan. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders demurred when asked Sunday on ABC's "This Week" if Trump was worried that Cohen might agree to work with prosecutors, if charged, to reduce his own punishment. "Look, the president is very confident in the fact that he has done nothing wrong and he can't speak on behalf of anyone else, but he's very confident in what he has and hasn't done," Sanders said. "And he's going to continue focusing and fighting for the American people." Cohen, who didn't attend Friday's hearing, was ordered to appear in federal court on Monday to help answer questions about his law practice. He has denied wrongdoing. Both McDougal and Daniels say they had affairs with a married Trump, which the president has denied. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Donald Trump is "morally unfit" to be president, former FBI chief James Comey asserted on Monday as he claimed "it's possible" that Russia may have some information on him that Moscow could use to compromise him. Comey, 57, who was unceremoniously fired by the US president in May last year, in a wide-ranging interview to ABC News warned that "The foundation of this country is in jeopardy when we stop measuring our leaders against that central value of the truth." He also cautioned that if Trump ever tries to sack special counsel Robert Mueller, then it would be his "most serious attack yet on the rule of law" and causing "tremendous damage" to the country's institutions. Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election and any potential ties between Trump campaign and Russia. Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a witch hunt and denied any collusion. Comey led the federal probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election before he was fired by Trump. He called for a national moment of reflection, in which everybody, regardless of partisan views, to evaluate the President and to consider whether he presents a threat to America itself. The former Federal Bureau of Investigation director's blunt comments came as the lawyer kicked off a high-profile tour to promote the release of his new book, "A Higher Loyalty." Asked if he thinks the President has been compromised by the Russians, Comey said, "I think it's possible, I don't know," Comey said. "I wish I wasn't saying it, but it's the truth. It always struck me, and still strikes me, as unlikely, and I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I can't, it's possible," he said. Comey expanded on that statement in an interview USA Today published today. "There's a non-zero possibility that the Russians have some, some sway over him that is rooted in his personal experience, and I don't know whether that's the business about the activity in a Moscow hotel room or finances or something else," Comey said. Trump, 71, has said the" badly reviewed book" raises "big questions". He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, and in recent days began referring to him as a "slime ball". In the ABC News interview, Comey offered a scathing judgment about whether Trump is qualified to serve as president, saying that he believes Trump is "morally unfit" to serve in the nation's highest office. Comey also said, "I don't buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia." "I don't think he's medically unfit to be president. I think he's morally unfit to be president. "Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that," Comey said. The former FBI director went on to say that a person "who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies, constantly, about matters big and small, and insists that the American people believe it -- that person is not fit to be president of the United States on moral grounds." Comey said he knew the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server was going to present a "no-win situation" for him. "One half of the partisan divide is gonna be angry at us no matter what we do," he said. The email saga became a major part of the 2016 presidential campaign, as Clinton was the Democratic candidate against Trump, a Republican. During the interview, Comey repeated his assertion that Trump told him that he expected loyalty and pressured him to drop an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser. Flynn has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with the special counsel. When asked "was President Trump obstructing justice?" Comey responded, "Possibly. It's certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice." Trump has denied asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn and insisted he never asked for loyalty. When Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee last year, he said that he did not know if Trump obstructed justice, adding, "that's Bob Mueller's job to sort that out." In his book, Comey deferred to the Mueller investigation on the question of obstruction. "I presume that Bob Mueller's team is investigating ... whether or not urging me to back the FBI off our investigation of his national security adviser and in firing me, President Trump was attempting to obstruct justice, which is a federal crime," Comey writes. "It's certainly possible." After the interview aired, Trump's party - via the Republican National Committee - released a statement saying Comey's publicity tour for his new book showed "his true higher loyalty is to himself". Comey served as the seventh director of the FBI from September 4, 2013, until he was fired on May 9, 2017. Donald Trump is "morally unfit" to be president, former FBI chief James Comey asserted today as he claimed "it's possible" that Moscow may have information on him that could be used to compromise him. Comey, who was unceremoniously fired by the US president in May last year, in a wide-ranging interview to ABC also warned that if Trump ever tries to sack special counsel Robert Mueller, then it would be his "most serious attack yet on the rule of law" and causing "tremendous damage" to the country's institutions. Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election and any potential ties between Trump campaign and Russia. Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a witch hunt and denied any collusion. The former Federal Bureau of Investigation director's blunt comments came as the 57-year-old lawyer kicked off a high-profile tour to promote the release of his new book, "A Higher Loyalty." Asked if he thinks the President has been compromised by the Russians, Comey said, "I think it's possible, I don't know," Comey said. "I wish I wasn't saying it, but it's the truth. It always struck me, and still strikes me, as unlikely, and I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I can't, it's possible," he said. Comey expanded on that statement in an interview USA Today published today. "There's a non-zero possibility that the Russians have some, some sway over him that is rooted in his personal experience, and I don't know whether that's the business about the activity in a Moscow hotel room or finances or something else," Comey said. Trump, 71, has said the" badly reviewed book" raises "big questions". He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, and in recent days began referring to him as a "slime ball". In the ABC interview, Comey offered a scathing judgment about whether Trump is qualified to serve as president, saying that he believes Trump is "morally unfit" to serve in the nation's highest office. Comey also said, "I don't buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia." "I don't think he's medically unfit to be president. I think he's morally unfit to be president. "Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that," Comey said. The former FBI director went on to say that a person "who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies, constantly, about matters big and small, and insists that the American people believe it -- that person is not fit to be president of the United States on moral grounds." During the interview, Comey repeated his assertion that Trump told him that he expected loyalty and pressured him to drop an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser. Flynn has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with the special counsel. When asked "was President Trump obstructing justice?" Comey responded, "Possibly. It's certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice." Trump has denied asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn and insisted he never asked for loyalty. When Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee last year, he said that he did not know if Trump obstructed justice, adding, "that's Bob Mueller's job to sort that out." In his book, Comey deferred to the Mueller investigation on the question of obstruction. "I presume that Bob Mueller's team is investigating ... whether or not urging me to back the FBI off our investigation of his national security adviser and in firing me, President Trump was attempting to obstruct justice, which is a federal crime," Comey writes. "It's certainly possible." After the interview aired, Trump's party - via the Republican National Committee - released a statement saying Comey's publicity tour for his new book showed "his true higher loyalty is to himself". Comey served as the seventh director of the FBI from September 4, 2013, until he was fired on May 9, 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey today said French President Emmanuel Macron will not be able to break its partnership with Russia, after he argued the weekend's air strikes against the Syrian regime had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. "We can think differently but they (our relations with Russia) are not so weak that the French president can break them," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "We have strong relations with Russia," Cavusoglu added. "But our relations with Russia are not an alternative to NATO relations or our allies." There have been growing signs of Western discomfort over the alliance of Turkey -- a key NATO member since 1952 -- with Iran and Russia over Syria. In an interview with French television, Macron suggested that the air strikes against Syria regime targets over the weekend had succeeded in engineering a split in the Russia-Turkey alliance. "With these strikes and this intervention, we separated the Russians and the Turks on this issue... the Turks condemned the chemical strike and supported the operation that we conducted," the French president told BFM TV in an interview. Russia and Iran are the key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and their military intervention in Syria is widely seen as helping his regime stay in power. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday had welcomed the strikes, which he described as "appropriate" and strongly condemned the alleged chemical attack. But Cavusoglu said Macron was mistaken in his assessment and said that Ankara "expected statements befitting of a president" and should express himself "more seriously". Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also hit back at Macron, saying our "Syria policy is not a policy of being on the same side or being opposed to another country." Bozdag's comments follow tension between Ankara and Paris after Macron offered to mediate between Turkey and outlawed Kurdish militants, an offer furiously rejected by Erdogan. Earlier this month, Erdogan hosted a summit on Syria with Iran and Russia in Ankara, the second such meeting after trilateral talks in November in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Cavusoglu said that Macron had expressed interest in attending the Ankara summit and Erdogan then sounded out Moscow and Tehran over the idea. But while Russian President Vladimir Putin was not against him coming, Iran preferred to meet with just the three presidents and leave a broader summit for later, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey's prime minister has warned Greece to refrain from "provocations" after a Greek flag was hoisted on a disputed, uninhabited islet in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters today that the Turkish coast guards removed the flag from the island off the coast of the Aegean resort of Didim. Yildirim said the incident was similar to one in 1996 when the two NATO allies went to war over the uninhabited Imia islets - Kardak in Turkish - which both Turkey and Greece claim. Yildirim says "our advice to Greece would be to stay away from provocations and agitations ... We are determined to give the necessary response to such fait accomplis." In Athens, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzannakopoulos said the government had no knowledge of the incident and described the remarks made by Yildirim as "provocative and reprehensible." "I think Mr. Yildirim should be more careful," Tzannakopoulos said. "We call on Turkey to return to a path of respect for international law ... They should take an initiative to de-escalate the tension. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turmeric and jeera prices rose by Rs 100 per quintal at the wholesale kirana market in the national capital today largely on the back of a pick-up in demand from stockists and overseas enquiries amid restricted arrivals from growing regions. Firming trend in futures market also supported the rise in prices. Turmeric prices rose by Rs 100 to settle at Rs 7,500-10,500 per quintal. Jeera common and jeera best quality also increased by Rs 100 each to conclude at Rs 16,400-16,600 and Rs 18,600-19,100 per quintal, respectively. Traders said, apart from buying support from retailers and stockists, rising export demand, mainly pushed up turmeric and jeera prices. Following are today's quotations (in Rs): Ajwain (per kg) 95-155, black pepper (per kg) 360-530, betel-nut (kg) 260-330, cardamom brown-Jhundiwali (kg) 610-640 and cardamom brown-Kanchicut (kg) 680-980, cardamom small (kg)-chitridar 950-1,050, cardamom (colour robin) 870-900, cardamom bold 910-930, cardamom extra (bold) 1,000-1,010, cloves 520-590, chirounji (kg) Rs 680-780, cinnamon (kg) Rs 140-150, coriander (qntl) Rs 5,800-12,100, dry mango (qntl) Rs 6,000-22,000, dry ginger (qntl) Rs 12,200-17,200, kalaunji (qntl) Rs 11,300-11,500, mace-Red (kg) Rs 880-1,105, mace-Yellow (kg) Rs 950-970, methi (qntl) Rs 7,000-18,500, makhana (kg) Rs 600-750, nutmeg (kg) Rs 430-440, poppy seed (Turkey) Rs 300-310, (U.P) Rs 450-460 kg, poppy seed (MP-RAJ) Rs 470-480 kg, red chillies (qntl) Rs 6,300-15,800, saffron Irani Rs 80-90 (per gram), saffron Kashmiri Rs 100-120 (per gram), saunf (qntl) Rs 9,500-16,500, turmeric (qntl) Rs 7,500-10,500, tamarind (qntl) Rs 4,800-5,200, tamarind without seed (qntl) Rs 8,500-9,5000, tea (kg) Rs 95-285, watermelon kernel (kg)Rs 130-140, jeera-new common (qntl) Rs 16,400-16,600 and jeera-new best (qntl) Rs 18,600-19,100. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today could not spare time to meet Maharashtra finance minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar, sources said. "Uddhav-ji was caught up in meetings on issues including the proposed mega-refinery at Nanar and the murder of two Sena workers in Ahmednagar," an aide to Thackeray said. When contacted, a source close to Mungantiwar said that he had sought time to meet Thackeray at his residence in Bandra (East) this evening, but the meeting didn't materialise. The BJP is making overtures to the Sena, its oldest ally, after Thackeray, who has been bitterly critical of the saffron party despite sharing power both in the state and the Centre, announced that the Sena will contest future elections on its own. At a rally here on April 6, BJP president Amit Shah had said he sincerely wishes that the Shiv Sena stays with the BJP. Meanwhile, the Sena today criticised chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Nanar refinery issue. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said if Fadnavis fears that the project would go to neighbouring Gujarat, they should build the refinery in Vidarbha or Marathwada regions. "We are not against development. However, it should not be done at the cost of people's livelihood and the environment of the region," it said. The Sena has supported the local people at Nanar in the coastal Ratnagiri district, who are opposed to the refinery project for fear of losing their lands and the environmental impact. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Prime Minister Theresa May is set to face restive lawmakers today to justify her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. The UK debate comes as the European Union's foreign ministers joined together to say they understood the need for the airstrikes and called for a new push for a political solution to the war in Syria. Royal Air Force jets joined American and French warplanes and ships in hitting targets in Syria early Saturday in response to a reported chemical attack by the Syrian government in the town of Douma. Parliament, which returned today after a spring break, was not consulted about the action. The British government is not legally bound to seek lawmakers' approval for military strikes, although it is customary to do so. May's office said today that she plans to tell lawmakers that the airstrikes were "in Britain's national interest," were carried out to stop further suffering from chemical weapons attacks and had broad international support. "We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalized, either within Syria, on the streets of the UK, or elsewhere," May plans to say, according to excerpts of her speech linking the chemical attack in Syria with the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter last month with a military-grade nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Monday that the airstrikes against Syria, which targeted three chemical weapons sites, had been "calibrated and proportionate." He said the action was "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change." In an unusual move, the British government says it will seek an emergency House of Commons debate on the airstrikes so legislators can have their say. That after-the-fact debate which may not include a vote is unlikely to satisfy angry opposition lawmakers. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said Britain should introduce a War Powers Act to ban military action without Parliament's approval. Corbyn said yesterday that he was not convinced the military intervention had been legal under international law. "It looked awfully to me as though the prime minister was more interested in following Donald Trump's lead than anything else," Corbyn said. In Luxembourg, the EU foreign ministers joined in calling for a political breakthrough involving regional players to put Syria on track to a peaceful solution of the conflict. The 28 ministers said the EU "understands" the need for the coordinated US, French and British airstrikes against Syrian regime targets last weekend following the suspected April 7 chemical attack in Douma. They insisted it was executed with "the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he welcomed the unanimous backing of the military strike against Syria. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the EU wants to use a major meeting on Syria in Brussels next week to give impetus to UN peace moves following the airstrikes. "There is the need to give a push to the UN-led process," Mogherini said. More than 70 delegations are expected to attend the April 24-25 Syria donor conference in Brussels. "We should keep on pushing for a solution through the UN Security Council. It's the only way forward," Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Ukranian man was apprehended at the Delhi airport for allegedly using a fake ticket to enter the terminal area, officials said today. The man has been identified by his first name -- Melnychenko -- who was intercepted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel yesterday as he was about to leave the Terminal-3 building of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, they said. He was stopped and questioned as exiting the terminal area is not usually permitted for passengers, the officials said. The Ukranian national told the security personnel that he used a "cancelled" ticket to enter the terminal area to see off his friend, who was travelling to Bishkek, they added. The man was subsequently handed over to the police as his ticket was a fake travel document, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister For Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Radha Mohan Singh has unveiled an 18 feet long, 5.75 feet wide and 9 feet high 'Grand Steel Charkha' in front of Gandhi Museum at Motihari. Singh unveiled the 'Grand Steel Charkha' at Charkha park yesterday at a function organised as part of concluding ceremony of Champaran Satyagrah centenary celebrations at Motihari. The grand high-quality steel, corrosion resistant and non-magnetic Charkha has been provided by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and manufactured at Prayog Samiti at Ahmedabad, a KVIC unit near Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat, a KVIC release said today. In his inaugural address, Singh said that "it is a matter of pride for this erstwhile land of Satyagraha from where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhiji started his journey to be our loving Bapu that it is now symbolizing our Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' mission," the release said. The minister represents Motihari is the Lok Sabha. Speaking on the occasion, KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena said that the Charkha showcases the fusion of two great cultures of India? coming from land of Goddess Sita and Lord Krishna. "As Mahatma Gandhi himself believed, the Charkha is a symbol of our swaraj and self-reliance. This monument at Champaran will be a proud tribute to the Charkha?s historic importance in our nation. And, it will economically empower the lives of several weavers associated with the Khadi industry," Saxena said. "Chamaparan is a testimonial town as it drove away the Britishers who colonized it perfectly for their trade," he added. He also thanked NDA government in Bihar for rechristening old 'Bara Bariarpur Bypass Chowk' of Motihari to 'Charkha Park'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Odisha Assembly today witnessed repeated adjournments amid an uproar by the Congress members over the "deteriorating law and order situation" in the state. As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour, Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra urged Speaker P K Amat to initiate a discussion on the two recent rape cases in Balasore district. A nine-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a local youth yesterday when she had gone out to attend a fair in Soro police station area of the district. The incident happened two days after another four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour and her private parts mutilated in Nilagiri area of the district. As the Speaker refused to initiate the discussion, angry Congress members rushed to the well of the House, shouting slogans against the state government. Some of them tried to dislodge the microphone from the Speaker's table. Unable to run the House, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 am. The Assembly, however, witnessed a similar situation when the members reassembled for the Zero Hour. The Congress MLAs sought a statement from the CM on the two rape cases. Despite requests, when the Congress members refused to relent, the Speaker adjourned the House for the second time in the day till 3 pm. Amat said he will give a ruling on the matter in the evening. "The state government is yet to take any action on the two rape cases in Balasore district," Mishra told reporters outside the House. Nilagiri BJD MLA Sukant Nayak, on his part, said he came to know about the incident from TV and social media. The police are investigating into the incident and those found guilty in the two cases would be punished, he told reporters. Samir Ranjan Dash, BJD member and party spokesman, said, "The Naveen Patnaik government never spares culprits. Strong action will be taken in these cases too. However, the way the Opposition members stalled the Question Hour today was unfair. They could have raised the issue at an appropriate forum. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drug major Cipla today said the US health regulator has conducted an audit at its Indore facility and has not issued any data integrity or repeat observations. "The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) conducted a routine current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) audit at its Indore formulations facility from April 2, 2018 till April 13, 2018," Cipla said in a BSE filing. There were no data integrity and/or repeat observations, it added. The company, however, did not provide the details of observations it has received. "At this stage, the company believes the observations are unlikely to have any material adverse impact. The Company will submit the response within the stipulated time frame," Cipla said. Shares of Cipla Ltd today closed at Rs 583.55 per scrip on BSE, up 5.22 per cent from its previous close. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Welcoming the special anti-terror NIA court verdict acquitting all five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, the VHP termed it as a "slap on the face" of the previous "anti-Hindu" UPA government. In his first statement after assuming the charge of the VHP's working international president, Alok Kumar said, "For the sake of minority appeasement, the Congress government had hatched a conspiracy to save real culprits in the name of Hindu terrorism." He further said Pakistan was the happiest country at that time when the innocent Hindus were implicated while real culprits moved freely. The Hindus were reduced to the status of 'second-class citizens' during the Congress government, Kumar said. A special anti-terror court today acquitted the five right-wing activists including Swami Aseemanand in the 2007 blast case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. The case was initially probed by the local police before being transferred to the CBI, and finally to the country's premier anti-terror investigation agency NIA in 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Women and Child Development ministry has launched a letter writing contest aimed at making schools safe and fun for the children. Entries for the contest '#BackToSchool' can be from any segment: sports, teaching, gender sensitisation, eating habits of children among others, said a statement from the ministry. The last date of sending entries is April 22. Participants need to submit their applications in the form of a hand written letter or email it to creativecorner.mwcd@gmail.com or put in comments section of MyGov.in Entries will be addressed to school principals, it said. "The contest aims at promoting innovative ways to highlight safety of children in schools, educate them regarding gender equality and importance of nutritious food, sensitise them regarding good touch and bad touch and unconventional ways to impart education, said the statement. The entries will be judged on the basis of elements of creativity, originality, composition, simplicity, literary skills and how well they communicate the idea and skills, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Railway Minister Piyush Goyal today called upon railwaymen to work hard to make the public transporter a world class entity in terms of technology, service and safety. "I call upon railwaymen to work hard to make Indian Railways world class in terms of technology, services and safety. I am fully confident that you can do this," Goyal said while addressing the 63rd Railway Week National Awards Function-2018 here today. "The railways' safety record has improved in a major way last year. You have to come up with more ideas to improve it further," he said. He said that the railways needed to be made a world class organisation in terms of punctuality and quality of service, which included food and toilets. "Punctuality of trains should be like that in Switzerland where clocks are set to the arrival of trains," he said. Turning nostalgic, Goyal said he wished that cutlets, tea and toast served now in the railways had the same taste as those that were served when he travelled in trains as a child. Addressing the function, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, praised the ministry for allocating Rs 6,000 to the state to develop rail infrastructure, adding that previous allotments were in the region of Rs 400 crore. He said that he was able to run "Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana", a service that facilitated train travel for the elderly visiting religious places, due to the help of the railways. Minister of State for Railways and Communication (independent charge), Manoj Sinha, stressed on using Information Technology in a major way to improve railway services. "India's strength in the IT sector has been recognised world over, but Indian Railways is lacking in it. It should use this expertise in a major way to improve its performance," Sinha said on the occasion. Goyal and Sinha later handed over railway awards to 160 railwaymen and women for their performance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The World Bank and its investment arm, International Finance Corporation, will host global venture capitalists in Goa in June for a roundtable on nurturing the startup ecosystem in the state and the country, Union commerce minister Suresh Prabhu told reporters here. "Our idea is that Goa should be national capital for startups. Under the Invest India initiative, Goa has been propagated as the top investment destination. This will also facilitate Goa as a destination for investment," he said today after overseeing the expansion work of the Dabolim airport in Goa, 40 km away from here. He also informed that Goa will observe 'Innovation Day' on April 26. "Moreover, in the month of November, this year, we will have a global event on startups, wherein all the startup community of the world will be invited to Goa," he added. Prabhu, who is also holding the civil aviation portfolio, said that the ministry has launched a program for skill development, which will lead to job creation. "Whether in the cockpit, flying crew or on the ground, the workforce is required everywhere. Therefore, to promote this, we are identifying service sector as a major growth engine," he said. The minister also said that he has held meeting with international airlines to market Goa as a tourist destination. "I am talking to foreign airlines as they always have marketing program for destination. I had meeting with global CEO of Singapore airlines and I told him to market destinations in India, particularly Goa," he said. Prabhu said he is going to hold meetings with all leading airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa. "I am going to tell them that market globally. This is a major program that we have launched so that Goa will get more tourists," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Zaiwalla & Co LLP, the London-based law firm specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration, today said it has launched a commodities desk to advise and represent clients from sectors like oil, gas, and agri-commodities. "The specialist commodities desk comprises a strong international team, including specialists in the laws of Russia & CIS, China, India, Middle East and Iran. It is headed by Pavani Reddy, Managing Partner of Zaiwalla & Co," it said in a statement. Along with handling a rolodex of oil and gas clients, Pavani also handles Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA) arbitrations internationally. With the specialist desk, Zaiwalla & Co hopes to reaffirm its position as the go-to legal firm to support the commodities sector. "The launch also reflects a growing demand from India based clients in the commodity sectors," the statement said. With India's increasing industrial appetite for oil imports and exploration of trade relations with newer oil exporting countries, Zaiwalla & Co aims to service the legal compliance for Indian clients through the desk. Over the last 3 decades, Zaiwalla & Co has handled complex and high-profile clients in the commodities sector. Its client roster includes oil giants such as Russia's Rosneft against western sanctions, to international arbitration cases for GAFTA. Speaking about the launch of the commodities desk, Reddy said: "With our bank of knowledge and wealth of experience in the sector, the commodities desk offers a specialist and focused legal counsel for clients seeking advice on international arbitration and litigation". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Brenda GohSHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's planned tariffs on U.S. business jets may do little to buoy rivals despite concerns the moves could create an unequal playing field in the fast-growing China market, aviation executives said in Shanghai on Monday.China earlier this month announced retaliatory tariffs against key U.S. imports, among which is a proposed 25 percent tariff on U.S. aircraft with an "empty weight" of between 15,000 kilograms and 45,000 kilograms.The growing trade spat between Beijing and Washington creates a potential threat to U.S. plane makers including Boeing Co and ... FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has asked Deutsche Bank to estimate the costs of winding down the trading operations of its investment bank, the first such simulation by one of Europe's biggest banks, Deutsche's finance chief said on Monday.But Chief Financial Officer James von Moltke said the ECB's request was not an unusual exercise and that it was totally unrelated to Deutsche's internal review of its global investment bank."We think we are first in the queue here because we are the largest capital markets bank in the ECB's supervision," von Moltke said in an interview with ... By Tom MilesGENEVA (Reuters) - The European Union is seeking compensation from the United States for U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium, despite Washington's assertion that they are not subject to World Trade Organization rules, a WTO filing showed on Monday.In a step already taken by China, the EU said it did not accept the "national security" justification for the U.S. tariffs but said they had been imposed just to protect U.S. industry. "Notwithstanding the United States' characterisation of these measures as security measures, they are in essence safeguard measures," the EU statement ... MUMBAI (Reuters) - Fortis Healthcare Ltd said on Monday its board is expected to meet this week to look at all eligible options after the company received three bids from interested parties.Indian rival Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd had last month offered to buy the hospital business of Fortis, which is under investigation over financial fraud.Earlier in the day, Malaysia's IHH Healthcare Bhd said Fortis declined to engage with the company regarding a takeover offer, citing binding agreements with other parties.IHH, one of Asia's largest healthcare operators, offered to buy Fortis last ... By Zeba Siddiqui and Tanvi MehtaMUMBAI/BENGALURU (Reuters) - Fortis Healthcare Ltd said on Monday its board would meet on Thursday to consider options after the hospital company became the target of rival takeover bids.Malaysia's IHH Healthcare Bhd has made a proposed offer for Fortis worth $1.3 billion, while smaller local rival Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd, has made an offer of about $1.2 billion.Fortis Healthcare said in a stock exchange filing its board planned to meet on April 19 to "consider all options."IHH, one of Asia's largest healthcare operators, said Fortis Healthcare had ... MUMBAI (Reuters) - Malaysia's IHH Healthcare Bhd said on Monday India's Fortis Healthcare Ltd declined to engage with the company regarding a takeover offer, citing binding agreements with other parties.IHH, one of Asia's largest healthcare operators, offered to buy Fortis last week at a price that values the hospitals chain at about $1.3 billion -- higher than the roughly $1.2 billion valuation an offer from Indian rival Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd gave it.Some of Fortis's minority shareholders are dissatisfied with the Manipal offer, and it is unclear if the IHH price appeals to ... Protesting in Poland: An endless uphill struggle Published on April 16, 2018 Story by Voices Of Change en de it fr es In July 2017, masses in Poland took to the streets to protest judicial reforms. Since 2016, Poles have been mobilising time and time again to express their rage against the restriction of abortion laws. Protesting in Poland is tiresome to say the least. Will the countrys youth hold on until the 2019 parliamentary elections? As a member of the LGBT+ community in Poland, Jakub Supera always believed in the importance of democracy. Having grown up in a country that treated him as a second-class citizen, Supera sees democratic values as the only solution to ending discrimination. The 25-year-old was born in Warsaw and has been participating in different protests for several years. However, when the July 2017 protests against judicial reforms broke out in over a hundred Polish cities, something peculiar about the uprising took Supera and many others by surprise. Many young people who were entirely apolitical before also took part in the protests. It was an unusual situation. Everyone was out in the streets, Supera recalls. A political wake-up call Last July, the governing Law and Justice Party (PiS) passed new laws that would drastically limit the independence of the judiciary in Poland. Angered by the move, tens of thousands of Poles including many young people aged 20 to 35 took to the streets of Warsaw to protest what they saw as curbs to democracy in the country. Although protests are nothing new for Polish people, the country has witnessed several uprisings over the course of its history. According to the Polish public broadcaster TVP, the July 2017 protests were the largest demonstration in Poland since the end of communism in 1989. But what motivated these young people to step out of their comfort zones and take part in the protests? What was the driving force behind their participation? For Rafal Smolen, a researcher from the University of Warsaw who described himself as a liberal with some left inclinations to socio-economic issues, it was protesting the actions aimed at destroying democracy and rule of law in Poland. I didnt believe these protests would stop the ruling party and the president, but in my opinion, they could make the bills a little less damaging. That was my first motivation to participate in the protests, Smolen says, I see protesting as a civic obligation. Mateuz Luft, a 30-year-old radio journalist from Warsaw also joined in. But I went to the protests to officially report it for my radio and talk to people, Luft explains. I soon became engaged because I wanted to have a first-hand experience of the protests. It was an important time for my country. Many young Poles grew up believing in freedom, democracy and Western European values, paying little attention to the life lived before 1989. Last July, however, something changed as young people appeared not only to be politically engaged but also much more aware of their democratic rights. As a result, protestors spent seven to eight days on the streets because they felt very strongly about the issue at hand and were convinced it was their civic duty to raise their voices against injustice. Part of [Polish] society has been angry for a long time, [the only difference] is that earlier, this anger was a private emotion, remarks Pawel Cywinski, the young founder of Polska goscinnosc, an organisation that promotes an open society, the rights of immigrants and refugees. When the ruling government started shifting the country to the right, it pushed Poles to make their anger and their frustrations public. Mobilisation through social media More than half of Polish Internet users use social media to stay informed, which is especially a trend for the younger generations. Facebook the most popular social network in Poland played an important role in the mobilisation and organisation of people during the July 2017 protests. When the protests erupted, everyones social media feeds were filled with images and posts from the protest. It was a snowball effect, motivating young people to become participants in the protests themselves. Social media as a tool for mobilisation was a new phenomenon; in the past, Poles mostly relied on word of mouth or information disseminated by traditional media outlets. [Most of the] people were on holiday and the middle class that always protests in Warsaw was absent. So when the government made their move, vacationers from Warsaw to smaller cities were the ones to start the protests, and it spread throughout the country through social media posts, Pawel Cywinski says, otherwise it would have been confined to Warsaw. Cywinski also remarked that live videos and tweets posted by protestors induced a sense of political awareness among young people who had never voted before. Group leaders, who were predominantly ordinary citizens and had no political affiliations, delivered strong speeches related to democracy and the rule of law. When these videos made their way to social media, the number of participants increased. Privately owned media outlets also played a role in informing and mobilising citizens, reporting minute-by-minute. Gazete Wyborcza, a well-known newspaper in Poland, was handed out for free. It not only ran news related to the events, but also informed the masses about the timing and location of upcoming protests, Cywinski recalls. According to sociologist Ludwika Wlodek, who teaches at the University of Warsaw, some young people joined the protest because they found it fashionable, while others participated due to peer pressure. Still, most participants made a conscious decision to protest. Social media played a very important role as people posted motivational statuses that triggered reactions, Wlodek observed. She also made reference to the use of Facebook posts and events created by ordinary citizens. Dont give up Seeing so many protestors on the street, Polands TVP television channel (controlled by the state) called the protests an attempt to organise a coup against a democratically elected power. Protestors were cordoned from the main entrance to the Parliament by barricades erected ahead of the demonstrations. When the government saw that the protestors were in no mood to give up, President Andrzej Duda stepped in to veto two of the three controversial legislations proposed in the bill on the 24th of July. The protestors dispersed. Still, the Polish opposition as well as the EU later warned that the revised versions, drafted by President Dudas office, continued to threaten the rule of law in Poland. This led to a new, fresh wave of protests later last year in November. Once again, young participants vehemently protested in Warsaw and chanted slogans such as: Free courts, free elections, free Poland. The protests in November didnt stop the government. Its undemocratic actions led the European Union to trigger Article 7 (also known as the nuclear option) against Poland, which would ultimately result in severe penalties including, among other things, the suspension of voting rights in the Council. Protesting in Poland is a tiresome battle. Similar to the judicial reform protests in July 2017, the Czarny Protests against the restriction of abortion laws across the country have been an uphill climb. In 2016, two initiatives on restricting abortion laws had been introduced and later rejected by the parliament. Earlier this year, a new stop abortion bill was on the table and Poles took to the streets once again. More recently, on Friday March 23rd, mass protests broke out yet again across the country against the tightening of the abortion law. It is a never-ending story. The July 2017 protests marked the beginning of a new era for Polish people and Polish youth in particular. With the Polish parliamentary elections taking place in November 2019, the protests certainly helped create political awareness among the youth who will vote for the first time. Protesters say that they will never give up and will fight for the political well being of their country. But will they sustain this commitment and fervour in the future? Despite the fact that the protesters have gone home, they are still silently protesting in their hearts and minds and are aware that the current government is authoritarian, Jakub Supera, the LGBT+ activist, says, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Polish youth love democracy and want the country to stay in the EU. Given the current situation, I think that Polish youth will not vote for PiS in the future, he says. Only time will tell. --- This article was written by Sarah B. Haider and Malika Bayaz, and has been edited for Cafebabel. It was originally published on March 19th, 2018 on Voices Of Change, a storytelling project about politically and socially active young people in countries struggling with democracy. Story by Voices Of Change Noni houses W. Musa There was serious exchange of gun shots Monday April 16, 2018 in Djottin, Noni subdivision in Bui division, North West region of Cameroon. Defense Forces stormed localities of Djow, Fidvu and Chieti in search of the fighters who are reported to have been in the areas. There were early reports of an attack at the Rapid Intervention Unit in Noni by fighters loyal to Southern Anglophone activists, fighting to restore the State of former Southern Cameroon, the attack led to exchange of gun shots between the BIR elements and Ambazonia fighters. The fighters are said to have changed location and were heading towards Fidvu when about three BIR vehicles arrived with reinforcement. The shootings continued as locals fled into bushes for their safety. A certain Ngala Ambloy has been arrested. Almost all hefty men have fled the villages where fighting intensified today, with military burning houses and properties of locals. An uneasy calm has returned to Noni but the search for Ambazonia fighters has continued. This is coming on the heels of continues fighting in Belo subdivision in Boyo division, North West region of Cameroon. Speaking on anonymity, a human rights advocate told this reporter that The whole place has been abandoned. People running to the forests and some trekking to Bamenda with children as young as 7 trekking for 3 days. My aunt, 76 years old almost died in the house I had to make arrangements to get her to me in Bamenda. We received 18 persons, women, young girls and boys and children at the Bishop's house on Wednesday. | BY Kim Shaw | M&C Saatchi Melbourne has appointed Emma Hill to the role of Executive Creative Director. Hill will work closely with the agencys Managing Director Andy Cairns and Chief Creative Officer Cam Blackley. Hill replaces Paul Taylor, who has left for a well-earned career break traveling with his family across Asia. Taylor has been with M&C Saatchi since 1995, apart from a stint running his own agency Day & Age followed by a partner role at ST&P, which was eventually bought by M&C Saatchi. Prior to joining M&C Saatchi, Hill was the Creative Director and Managing Partner of The Shannon Company, and before that founder and Creative Director at The Charles Grenfell Group. She also held the role of Group Creative Director at Clemenger Melbourne from 2006 to 2011. Hills work has been awarded widely at shows including Cannes (including the Radio Grand Prix), D&AD, Clio, The One Show, NY Festivals, AdFest and MADC. Says Cairns: Emmas a gun. She brings almost twenty years experience to the role, having worked with some of Australias biggest brands including Carlton and United Breweries beer brands Pure Blond and Strongbow, Dulux, Bupa Health Insurance, Just Jeans, Libra, NAB and AustralianSuper. Its a testament to the kind of agency we are building in Melbourne. Shes a creative powerhouse, a delight to work with and a very smart business person. Adds Blackley: Emma was the only name on the list when I was looking at the future creative leadership of M&C Saatchi. Shes an audacious hire and signals our intention to build our creative offering around world class talent who are as focused on culture as they are the work. Says Hill: Why this role? Its Cam. Whos creatively brilliant, an amazing leader and just an awesome bloke. And its Andy. Who is one of the best suits Ive worked with, is passionate about great work and who just makes me laugh. The Group is hugely ambitious and passionate about creativity. So, am I. Besides, the three of us have the same haircut. I think its a sign. | BY Ricki Green | GC Hype Media, a marketing agency thats taking a unique approach to advertising and promotion, is expanding its services. The media agency is now taking on restroom advertising which includes mirror decals and exciting digital vending machines. An at-home media agency, GC Hype Media utilizes a variety of different marketing techniques to help take promotion and branding to new heights. With promotional options such as billboards, bike advertisement, street stencils, and even street art, GC Hype strives to find new and clever ways to promote businesses and products. Says Robert Wraight, founder, GC Hype Media: As society and technology changes, so should our advertisements. Our team is constantly thinking of new and better ways to advertise that will grab the attention of our target audience. That creative thought process is exactly what inspired the media agency to take on restroom advertising. Says Elliot Townend, sales manager, GC Hype Media: At some point everyone has to go the restroom so why not advertise there? Mirror decals and other advertisement options are a unique way to grab an audiences attention in a very unexpected place, which is exactly what we try to do as promoters to a brand. GC Hype Media is also offering digital vending machines as a form of advertisement in pubs and clubs. Over 100 machines already accessible across Sydney and the Gold coast, while Brisbane and Melbourne network planned for the coming months. In addition to expanding its services and reach, GC Hype Media is also currently running a special on some of its advertisement options. The company is currently offering an introduction special for the digital vending machines advertising, less then $1 a day*. | BY Lynchy | BWM Dentsu Australia and its PR arm, Haystac, have launched Project Revoice with the ALS Association in the US and MND Australia. The groundbreaking initiative introduces a breakthrough in speech technology for people living with ALS (Motor Neuron Disease), enabling those who lose the ability to talk, to continue speaking in their own authentic and personal voice. To launch the initiative, Project Revoice has given Pat Quinn, co-founder of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, his voice back. Pat did not record (or bank) his voice before ALS robbed him of his ability to speak. Using footage from his many Ice Bucket interviews, the team were able to re-build his voice. In the past, people with ALS could use pre-recorded messages to communicate, but the BWM Dentsu Group worked with Canadian software partner Lyrebird to create a complete voice clone. This allows Pat to speak freely and naturally in his own voice, rather than a machine voice, when linked to his eye reader assistive technology. The man who gave ALS a voice now has his own voice back. As a collaboration between BWM Dentsu, Haystac, technology partner Lyrebird, production company Finch, Rumble Studios, Space 66 and the ALS Association, it took a year to bring this revolutionary speech synthesis project to life. This new breakthrough will change the future of personal communication for people who are diagnosed with ALS from here-on, says Brian Frederick, Executive Vice President of Communications, ALS Association. Project Revoice is now working to encourage MND and ALS communities around the world to record their voices so they can be digitally recreated in the future using this innovative new voice cloning technology. Says Pat Quinn, co-founder, ALS Ice Bucket Challenge: ALS takes and takes and takes. This time I will take something back! For those living with ALS to know that they can still speak freely in their own voice even after ALS takes it away, will transform the way people live with this disease. Says Asheen Naidu, ECD at BWM Dentsu: Being able to give Pat his voice back and seeing what that means to him and his family, has been incredibly rewarding. Knowing that this tech is literally going to transform the lives of thousands more, is something were all very proud of. Project Revoice can be viewed here. For more information on the project and to sign up for updates on Project Revoice visit projectrevoice.org. To hear how your re-voiced voice might sound, you can check a lower-quality demo version at lyrebird.ai. Creative Agency: BWM Dentsu Chief Creative Officer: Rob Belgiovane Executive Creative Director: Asheen Naidu Senior Creative Team: Rene Schultz & Oskar Westerdal Film Producer: Emma Durlacher Design Director: Eeuwout Dutchy Baart Digital Producer: Jenna Mills Director: Brett Ludeman Editor: Brendon Killen PR Agency: Haystac National General Manager Haystac: Jason Carnew General Manager Haystac Sydney: Sarah Littlefair Technology Partner: Lyrebird Production Company: Finch Sound & Music: Rumble Studios | BY Lynchy | DIA Brands has recently appointed Sherry Lee as Creative Director and Kay Hui as Brand Director respectively for its Singapore operation. Lee (pictured right) was most recently at Interbrand and has led award winning creative teams at Singapores leading branding and advertising agencies. She has created award-winning work in the GDUSAs American Graphic Design Awards, New Yorks Graphis Design Annual, 2016 Rebrand 100, DAS/TDB Young Designers Award while creating value to grow and transform businesses across Fortune Global 500 companies. Her work spans across hospitality, airlines, beauty, real estate, banking and finance, start-ups, city re-rebranding, oil and gas, retail, technology and communications. She is currently pursuing her Masters at Hyper Island, which will enable her to sharpen her skills in strategic design innovation and digital disruption to build trust in brands. Hui (pictured left) worked most recently in strategic planning roles across leading digital and brand agencies including crowdsourcing company eYeka Asia Pacific, 3M, Futurebrand Singapore and Grey London. Her involvement spans brand strategy, communications planning, innovation on Coca-Cola, Fonterra, Intel, Mercedes-Benz, Nestle, P&G and Unilever brands in Asia and Europe. Hui is a graduate in Business Administration (Marketing) from National University of Singapore with professional certifications from Hyper Island and the IAS Singapore. The brand consulting business is evolving and DIA Brands is at the forefront of this change. We are thrilled to be part of an established consultancy that is leading the way in strategy, design and digital thinking. Companies adept at using digital tools with classical strategic planning models and cutting edge design thinking are gaining a sizeable lead over competitors. We hope to fuse our collective knowledge with the Creating Remarkable Brands philosophy to create winning solutions for Clients observed Lee and Hui. news, latest-news A Canberra Lotto player is more than $580,000 richer, but they may not know it yet. The mystery punter bought one of seven winning tickets in Saturday's division one Lotto draw and is yet to claim their $580,653.79 prize. The ticket was purchased at Westfield Belconnen's Nextra newsgency. The ticket is not registered to a Players Club card, so NSW Lotteries officials have no way of contacting the winner. NSW Lotteries spokesperson Matt Hart urged Canberra Lotto players to check their tickets as soon as possible. Could you think of a better way to start your working week then discovering you won Saturday Lotto? he said. You may not think its possible that you could be the division one winner were looking for, but if you purchased an entry in the Saturday Lotto draw that you havent checked yet, youre in with a chance." The winning ticket is the third major lottery prize won in the ACT so far this year, following February wins by Canberra residents in the Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot and Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot. The six winning numbers in Saturday's draw were 38, 17, 7, 18, 9 and 10, while the supplementary numbers were 20 and 35. If you're the winning ticket holder, contact NSW Lotteries on 131 868 to claim your prize. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/3a09ed1f-85b6-4530-901e-4eacd60faffd/r0_97_1900_1171_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Andrew Dale remembers watching the cars pull up outside his food van in Gungahlin, take a photo, laugh, and then speed off. "Don't worry," he would say to his wife Lee-Ann as they surveyed the empty stretch of carpark in front of them. "That's our marketing team, they're laughing at our name, but they're going to go to their office tomorrow and tell everyone about this place, the G-Spot in Gungahlin." Nearly two decades after everyone told them it would fail, the G-Spot has become a landmark for the north Canberra community, drawing hundreds of customers each week from across the district. Facing ever increasing competition from takeaway chains and home delivery services, the G-Spot is one of a dwindling number of food vans managing to carve out a niche in Canberra. "When we started it, we were told it wouldn't work, we were in the burbs, there's no nightclubs, there's no nothing, you're in the bush. But a chance to prove people wrong is great - and we didn't for a long time - but then we did." While some things have evolved since the early years when the couple was barely making pocket money, others have remained staples. Those arriving for a feed can still expect to be eating a "Mud Bucket" or a "Cheesy Bastard" while sitting in a gutter, perched on a milk crate or on the bonnet of a car. It's the passion, raw customer experience and sense of community that appeals, according to customer Rys Evans. "There is really nothing else in Canberra like it, there was a couple of other food vans around. But this one's always had a good atmosphere, just never any trouble." Mr Dale says his family and staff have put passion into the place. "I'm really proud of the vibe we have at the G-Spot, and you can see the love that our staff put into it, even when we're not there." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/cde2fb7e-5271-42e3-9d3c-213da51922cc/r0_122_2000_1252_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Good morning, Canberra. Welcome to Monday, I hope it's a good start to the week for you. After a week of sunshine that temperature sure did drop yesterday. Today we're headed for a cloudy top of 20. It doesn't look like we'll be getting much rain again this week, with only a medium chance of rain forecast for Saturday. A former staff member at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre has described how he was ordered to restrain a young boy, tie the boy's hands with plastic zipties, and then lock him in his room. "The boy spent the next 15 minutes rolling around on the floor crying as he continued to trip over whilst trying to stand up with his hands tied behind his back," Mark Fletcher told Fairfax Media. "The staff present found this very humorous for some reason." Mr Fletcher left the detention centre in 2016 and has criticised the government's response to allegations of abuse of inside the facility. Steven Trask has the full story here. A Canberra retiree is facing a $40,000 loss after his cabin at the Tomaga River Holiday Park on the NSW South Coast was marked for redevelopment. Robin Turnbull wants to warn others about the risks of buying dwellings in holiday parks, as they are not protected from changes under NSW legislation. Blake Foden has the story here. Two staff members at the Justice and Community Safety Directorate took a helicopter to a rugby match in 2016, where they were wined and dined by Snowy Hydro Southcare as "acknowledgement of services provided to the aeromedical service". The ACT public service gift register has been obtained by Fairfax Media under freedom of information laws, with cocktail functions, dinners, and dozens of free tickets now made public. Michael Inman and Markus Mannheim have the full story here. Former and current staff members have blown the whistle on a toxic culture, with those who complain saying the investigation turns on them. "I was astonished at the level of bullying at Calvary. It was quite extraordinary," one employee said. The hospital said it takes allegations seriously and is committed to creating a safe working environment. Read Andrew Brown's full story here. Imagine this - a five metre bell-tent, set up on a deck looking down on a vineyard. Floorboards, a rug, a solar-powered fridge and a king-size bed. There's a catch though - the toilet is down the hill. Even though everything else sounds like the height of luxury, I'm not sure about getting too close to nature. I'm not sure this is my kind of holiday, but I'm glad Jil Hogan tried it for the rest of us. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b595e4c4-2435-4747-8c40-3c55e3538f53/r0_131_2000_1261_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, crime A former youth worker at the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre has criticised the government's response to allegations of abuse inside the facility. Mike Fletcher left the detention centre in 2016 after almost three years on the frontline as a youth worker. He said in that time he witnessed several uses of force that were, in his opinion, both inappropriate and potentially illegal. The one that sticks in my head the most is when I was directed to restrain a young boy, tie his hands behind his back with plastic zipties and directed to lock the child in his room with his hands tied behind his back, he said. The boy spent the next 15minutes rolling around on the floor crying as he continued to trip over whilst trying to stand up with his hands tied behind his back. The staff present found this very humorous for some reason. The gravity of the situation, which occured in 2015, did not bite until Mr Fletcher left the youth detention centre that night. I remember getting home from work and nearly breaking down in tears at what I had witnessed as I couldnt believe a child could be treated so poorly, he said. Mr Fletcher, who has a social science degree and was studying for his masters while working at the facility, is the first youth worker to speak on the record about recent allegations of abuse inside Bimberi. Other use of forces I witnessed involved a young person being kneed on the ground by three staff in their cell, he said. [As well as] a young person being dragged along the ground on their stomach and back and a young person choked on the ground by a staff member until their face went blue. Some staff had referred to detainees with racially insensitive and abusive language, Mr Fletcher said. On many occasions I heard staff refer to YPs as junkies, black c----, scum, and filth, he said. Mr Fletcher was highly critical of the ACT governments responses to allegations of abuse inside Bimberi, and said the reputation of the centre had been prioritised over the human rights of detainees. I would 100 per cent support a truly independent inquiry into Bimberi and have assisted in any way possible with the current human rights investigation, he said. I believe the inquiry should review the CCTV footage of all uses of force and make these available to a member of the opposing political party who can truly be independent. Mr Fletcher said he left Bimberi in 2016 to work elsewhere within the ACT Community Services Directorate. He recently moved away from the ACT and now works as a youth worker for a not-for-profit organisation in NSW. The Community Services Directorate was asked about a series of alleged incidents inside Bimberi last year, including the same incidents now mentioned by Mr Fletcher. The directorate did not comment on specific incidents, although it said it was aware of some allegations and that these had been appropriately reported and responded to at the time. The ACT governments executive director of youth services Dr Mark Collis said the territory had the best youth detention centre in Australia. "I would maintain we're not seeing the same problems as occurred pre the 2011 report [by the ACT Human Rights Commission]," Dr Collis said in July 2017. "There have been huge improvements. We have reduced the use of force in Bimberi, we have reduced assaults in Bimberi. We have improved the numbers of people returning to Bimberi so I think the community needs to celebrate the staff and the work they do every day of the week." The new Bimberi Headline Indicators Report, tabled last month in the legislative assembly, showed there have been more assaults between detainees inside the facility and the use of force is on the rise. The report showed there had been 10 assaults among detainees inside the centre in the last six months of 2017, compared with just six for the 12 months between July 2016 and June 2017. Assaults are defined by the directorate as an "intentional act of direct infliction of force or violence". There were 84 uses of force in 2016-17, compared with 89 uses of force in just the last six months of 2017. The ACT Human Rights Commission is investigating allegations of abuse inside the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/06346dc4-bc50-4f09-b523-b71c04510b59/r0_100_2000_1230_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg whats-on, food-and-wine Jamie's Italian Canberra has closed suddenly, with the Canberra Centre restaurant not opening on Monday after a busy weekend of trade. In a statement, the Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group confirmed the closure, "with immediate effect". They also announced that Brisbane-based Hallmark Group would take over operating the Australian franchises of the chain, with Jamie's Italian restaurants in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Parramatta and Adelaide to remain open. The Canberra restaurant is the only one in Australia to shut, with no reason given for its closure. Instead, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group Australia COO Ben Shaughnessy said Australia was, "one of our best performing international markets" for the restaurant. "After a short period of in-house management we are pleased to be partnering with Hallmark. The team brings a huge amount of experience and passion for our brand, from collaborating with the key suppliers to our food philosophy, and we look forward to working with them as they develop the Jamies Italian restaurant offering across Australia, Mr Shaughnessy said. In a further blow for Canberra, a spokesperson for Hallmark said, Hallmark are actively seeking new suitable locations for the next Jamies Italian. While a few staff could be seen in the Canberra restaurant on Monday, a sign on the door read, Dear Canberra, It is with great sadness that Jamies Italian Canberra has had to close its doors indefinitely. We thankyou for all of your support over the last 4.5 years. From all the staff at Jamies Canberra we bid you a fond farewell [sic]." The statement was signed, Big Love Mr O xxx. Managers were informed of the closure early on Monday morning and staff were told to go and collect any personal items they had at the store, before the locks were changed on the doors before midday. It's not clear how long staff will need to wait to receive pay and entitlements they are owed. In February 2018 The London Telegraph reported that the Jamies Italian restaurant chain would close 13 sites and beg for rent cuts as the company struggled with debts of 70 million ($124 million). Owned by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, Jamie's Italian first opened in Canberra facing Bunda Street in the Canberra Centre in 2013, with long queues stretching out the door in the initial months. At the time it was the third Jamie's Italian restaurant in Australia. The Australian restaurants were co-owned and operated by hospitality company Keystone Group until June 2016, when the company was put into receivership. In November 2016, Jamie Oliver stepped in to salvage the restaurants, buying all six Australian Jamie's Italians, taking over complete ownership. At the time, Mr Oliver said he was considering further expansion in Australia. "We're going to get our feet under the door and just kind of steady the ship here and then without question I'll be considering loads of options. And maybe [a restaurant that is] smaller and more neighbourhood as well," Mr Oliver said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/7ec51bcc-8854-4bfe-8987-62fd48edf465/r0_239_4500_2781_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A Canberra hospital employee said he has experienced a lot during multiple decades working in the health system, but there is one hospital that stands out for all the wrong reasons. "I've worked in many hospitals around the country, and I've never seen it so bad as Calvary Hospital," he said. After many years of working in the wards of Calvary's public hospital, the employee said the workplace culture had left him injured both physically and mentally, and he was still damaged by the experience. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the hospital employee told The Sunday Canberra Times he both witnessed and was subjected to bullying and mistreatment inside the hospital corridors. After attempting to blow the whistle on the conduct of staff members in the department, the employee said he was falsely accused of improper workplace conduct. He said the false accusations were part of a concerted smear campaign by a group of bullies to remove him from the hospital. The employee said widespread bullying had been prevalent within Calvary Hospital for several years, with multiple incidents swept under the rug. "Calvary does destroy people, and they will do anything to gag you," he said. Before he had even stepped foot inside Calvary Hospital, the employee said he had already heard warning signs. After being offered a position at the hospital, the employee said he received a phone call warning him of some of the conduct inside the ward. "They said to me 'we're offering you the job, but where you're going is a very bad place, and surgery is really bad'," the employee said. "They said they wouldn't mind if I turned the position down. But I've always been up for a challenge, and I was always able to come out with success." He said for the first few months in the role there were no discernable issues with the conduct of many in the ward. However, the employee said it wasn't long before he found a widespread culture of bullying happening in the department and that victims were afraid of speaking out. "There were lots of hassles with bullying and also harassment on the ward," the employee said. "I attempted to sort out the bullying, but the staff were scared that anything they said would get back to them. [If you made a complaint] nothing was confidential. "There were quite a few staff there who were bullies and I tried taking them on, but it didn't take long to realise the organisation didn't want any change," he said. "They didn't like [the ward I was on] being different." Shortly after raising concerns about bullying and harassment in the ward, allegations of improper conduct were raised against him by some of the bullies. While an internal investigation into the allegations were supposed to remain confidential, the employee said he only heard about the allegations from other employees, before he had formal meetings with management. The investigation into the allegations took several months, with the internal inquiry eventually concluding that no misconduct had taken place. Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, the employee said the ordeal left him shaken. "In my industry, no matter how you fight those [improper conduct] allegations, you're always going to have that slur on you," he said. During his time at Calvary Hospital, the employee said much of the bullying came from people in management positions, often deliberately targeting certain hospital workers in a bid to remove them. "Calvary would often put the known bullies into [high-ranking] positions," the employee said. "[The bullies] like to keep their targets isolated." The employee said his time at Calvary has left him with both physical and emotional scars. "Ever since I started at Calvary, things have been going down hill. I've had to start seeing a psychologist," he said. "There's no way that I can go back. I've been damaged by all of this." Do you know more? Email: andrewbrown@fairfaxmedia.com.au /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/286f10f7-cc7d-495b-ab02-6b1c3e5439bb/r0_239_4500_2781_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Photo: Contributed The newest version of Windows 10 is rolling out now. Heres whats new and how to get ready. Windows 10 Spring Creators Update is rolling out Microsoft rolls out two major upgrades to its Windows 10 operating system every year. The last one, called Fall Creators Update, took us to version 1709. The new Spring Creators Update will be version 1803. It will rollout first to devices that have are known to work with the new version. The rollout will continue to eventually include (theoretically) every device. Whats new? Heres some good news: This update will take less time than previous updates. Microsoft says that on average previous updates took 51 minutes, and that the average machine will update to version 1803 in just 31 minutes. So, theres that. The feature that seems to have caught the attention of most of the tech writers is called Timeline. This feature will allow you to go right back to where you left off doing something, either on your computer or on another device connected with the same Microsoft account. That interests me, as I often start working on something on my main computer and edit it on my laptop between customers. If this feature makes that process any easier, Im all for it. Another intriguing feature is called (at least at this point; the name might change before rollout) Nearby Sharing, which makes it easy to send a file --- Screenshot? Photo? Link to a web page? --- to another device nearby. Nearby Sharing uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to accomplish this. Spring Creators Update also allows (some) Bluetooth devices to connect with far less drama. What else? There are some tweaks, including visual enhancements. Cortana gets more features. More items have been moved from Control Panel to the Settings app. From what I can tell, not many of the Privacy settings have changed, but its a little easier to find them. The Home Group, which has been present since Windows 7, was still with us in Windows 10 although Microsoft kept hiding it. With the Spring Creators Update its gone. Most people probably will not miss it. What do I need to do before I do the upgrade? Great question! First, make sure you have a current backup. (Not a backup from a couple of years ago. Not a hard drive thats still in the box.) Take a look at the first item here for some suggestions. Once youve got that nailed, preparing for this upgrade is much like preparing for the Fall Creators Update last year. Heres what I wrote about that. As I mentioned above, you dont have to worry about the Homegroup password. And this update should go faster. What do I need to do after the upgrade? Before you do anything else, turn on your antivirus/antimalware software! (You remembered to turn it off, right?) Check the settings. Check your printers and scanners. Most of the time everything is fine, but sometimes an upgrade breaks them, and you need to reinstall the software. Reinstall any programs that didnt survive the upgrade. Were you still playing Windows 7 games on your Windows 10 machine the night before the upgrade? You probably need to reinstall them. Heres the link. Have you received the upgrade yet? What do you think? Was it faster? Email me: [email protected] and let me know how your upgrade went. Photo: Facebook A Chilliwack school trustee is facing a human rights complaint for controversial comments he has made about gender identity and sexual orientation. The B.C. Teachers' Federation and Chilliwack Teachers' Association allege in their joint complaint that trustee Barry Neufeld's statements and social media posts have been "discriminatory," and are likely to expose transgender individuals to hatred. The complaint filed with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal alleges that Neufeld negatively affected teachers' work environments by calling those who support transgender students "child abusers." It claims Neufeld has referred to trans people as part of a "biologically absurd theory," and that his statements paint trans people as "ill, delusional and suggests that there is a transgender agenda that will harm children." Reached by phone, Neufeld said he remains an active trustee and he refers all comments to his lawyer, who was not immediately available. Much of Neufeld's criticisms have centred on an educational resource aimed at supporting LGBTQ students in the district, which he called a "weapon of propaganda" in the fall. Neufeld later apologized for his comments, saying he believes in a safe learning environment but that educational resources should be reviewed by parents and teachers before they're implemented. In January, he said in a statement that he must remain on the Chilliwack Board of Education to protect "impressionable children." The board had passed a motion asking him to resign. B.C. Education Minister Rob Fleming has also called for Neufeld to step down, saying the trustee's comments have undermined the goals of the school board and the ministry. Chelsea Powrie The second annual Vaisakhi parade, celebrating the creation of the Sikh religion, took place Sunday on South Main Street in Penticton. Hundreds of people were in attendance at the Penticton Sikh Temple to parade down the street in an inclusive, multicultural ceremony. "We just moved into the neighbourhood and we live right beside the temple so we thought we'd check it out," said Cheryl Wright, who got a turban tied on her head as part of the celebrations. "Very welcoming, and peaceful." "To celebrate culture is great to see," said Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit. "There's been a lot of people from the community who came out so it's great to see." Local orchard owner Sunny Dhaliwal used the opportunity to uphold what he called a cornerstone of the Sikh faith, feeding others, by handing out free apples from his orchard. He estimated that by the end of the day, he'd have given out over 1,000 pounds of apples. "We have a lot of people that showed up, from all different communities," Dhaliwal said. "It's amazing, we're just having fun." Photo: Twitter Avalanche control at Kootenay Pass. UPDATE: 3:40 p.m. Heavy snowfall is expected on B.C.'s mountain highways overnight. Environment Canada has issued warnings and special weather statements for the Southern Interior, as snow is expected to start falling in the Southern Interior this afternoon. As much as 30 centimetres is expected on Highway 3 from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass by Tuesday morning. Ten to 15 cm is forecast for the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt, Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton, and sections of Highway 97 and 97C. In other areas, 10 to 20 cm are expected for the Trans-Canada Highway from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass. The South Peace River region could see 15 to 25 cm. The Ministry of Transportation says road maintenance contractors are prepared and will fully deploy resources as needed to ensure public safety. ORIGINAL: 5:30 a.m. Environment Canada has issued a special snowfall warning for the Okanagan connector and the Coquihalla as well as other southwestern interior highway passes. A Pacific low-pressure system will track across southern B.C .today and move into Alberta overnight. With snow levels sitting between 1000 and 1200 metres, the southwestern Interior highway passes will see periods of snow today with amounts in the 10 to 15 cm range. The snow will taper off tonight or Tuesday morning as the low moves out of the area. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions. Road conditions are available at DriveBC. Photo: Google Street View A North Vancouver high school has been evacuated this morning. RCMP say a bomb threat was directed at Bodwell High School on Harbourside Drive. Students are on break, so classes were empty, but staff were still in the building. Police have yet to release any further details. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Alaska Highway News An officer in the RCMP's national security division says the man acquitted of terror charges in a B.C. court was no "couch jihadist" and was clearly becoming radicalized. Const. Terak Mokdad told an immigration admissiblity hearing that Othman Hamdan is a security risk in Canada and should be deported. Hamdan is a Jordanian national whose 85 Facebook posts related to the Islamic State led to his arrest in 2015, but a B.C. Supreme Court judge later ruled the posts did not constitute terrorism. Mokdad told the Immigration Refugee Board hearing Hamdan's case that he translated Arabic posts clearly showing the man was becoming radicalized. The Mountie says that he wrote two reports related to Hamdans case, but they were not admitted as evidence at his previous trial. After Hamdan was acquitted last year, he was detained by the Canadian Border Services Agency while he awaited a hearing on his admissiblity to stay in Canada. The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development announced 25 communities will receive more than $1.5 million in the third round of Tourism Enhancement Grants to assist with tourism infrastructure assets. The two agencies partnered to assist counties and cities improve local tourism assets to increase the economic impact of their communities. Tourism Enhancement Grants are designed for cities and counties seeking to invest in local tourism infrastructure assets, such as stages, signage, enhancement to attractions or venues and other resources that target expanding local tourism. Assisting a partner in shoring up a tourism asset is critical to rural areas, Commissioner Kevin Triplett, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development said. Tourism development is economic development and in some rural areas, tourism is a main industry. We appreciate our partnership with TNECD and the willingness that team has to invest in upgrades that not only increase opportunities for visitation but enhance the quality of life for the citizens of these communities. The Tourism Enhancement Grant program, in its third round, is funded through the Rural Economic Opportunity Act, which is designed to improve the economic indicators in rural communities across Tennessee. Each application was supported by the communitys senator and representative in the Tennessee General Assembly. Tourism is one of the most important economic drivers in many Tennessee communities, and in partnership with the Department of Tourist Development, we want to continue to help communities promote and grow their tourism assets, Commissioner Bob Rolfe, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development said. In the first two rounds of the program, more than $2 million was awarded to nearly 60 projects across the state. I congratulate the 25 communities selected in the third round as these projects will have a profound and lasting impact on Tennessees tourism infrastructure. We have seen an incredible amount of positive activity happening throughout the state thanks to the passage of the Rural Economic Opportunity Act, and the tourism enhancement grants are no exception, Amy New, TNECD assistant commissioner of Rural Development, said. I am proud of these 25 communities for proactively taking the necessary steps to improve their tourism assets, which will in turn strengthen Tennessees economic development efforts. An advisory committee made up of staff from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture selected the 25 communities out of 39 grant applications. The grants awarded include: City of Oak Ridge - $56,250 Town of Wartrace - $53,900 City of McKenzie - $71,250 Carter County - $51,400 Town of Alamo - $35,000 Decatur County- $75,000 City of Pulaski - $20,000 Grundy County - $75,000 Hardin County - $75,000 City of Brownsville - $57,950 Hickman County - $75,000 City of Loudon - $75,000 City of Jackson - $50,000 Marion County - $50,000 McMinn County - $75,000 Metropolitan Lynchburg/Moore County - $75,000 Polk County - $75,000 City of Baxter - $75,000 City of Cross Plains - $36,250 Town of Smyrna - $36,000 Town of Huntsville - $75,000 Town of Carthage - $55,147 City of Portland - $42,450 Town of Erwin - $60,688 City of Martin - $75,000 The Bryan College Enactus team presented a live, multi-media summary of the entrepreneurial-based projects they developed and implemented throughout the year at the Enactus United States Chicago Regional Competition. They were judged by a panel of business leaders on how successful they were at using business concepts, which empower people to transform opportunities into real, sustainable progress for themselves and their communities. Competition encourages creativity, motivates excellence and rewards results, says Alex Perwich, president, Enactus United States. Enactus students are transforming lives and enabling real human progress through entrepreneurial action, while developing key business and leadership skills that will differentiate them from their peers. Bryan Colleges Enactus presentation team was named Regional Champions and will compete in the National Exposition in Kansas City in May. The team was led by Abigail Brown, a senior management major from Adams, Tn. and Logan Parsons, a senior marketing major from Crossville, Tn., Tomas Aleman, a freshman Management major from Seville, Spain, and Maebry McNeese, a senior marketing major from Nashville. The presentation team included Abigail Brown, Shania Rogers, a senior Management and Marketing major from Halls, Tn., Daniel Vonthin, a senior Marketing major from Wetzlar, Germany, Cooper Ferguson, a senior Film major from Cleveland, and Peter Urban, a freshman Management major from Fillmore, In. Michaela Thomas, a senior Leadership major from La Follette, Tn. provided audio-visual support. Benton Jones, assistant professor of business, served as the advisor for the Bryan College Enactus team. Mr. Jones said I am very proud of this student-led group for developing meaningful, impactful projects which benefit residents of Rhea County, students at Bryan College, and citizens of Haiti. Seeing them showcase these projects in such an esteemed venue was quite an experience. Being recognized for their excellence in community impact, project management, and presentation skill reinforces their desire to serve their communities. Bryan Colleges Enactus team (formerly known as Students Incorporated for Free Enterprise, SIFE) has been a source of community organization and entrepreneurial project at Bryan College for over a decade. The 26th analytica met with overwhelming interest. In the past four days, some 35,800 visitors from all over the world came to the competitive exhibition of the industry on the Munich fairgrounds. They all wanted to know: Where is the laboratory industry heading? At the leading international trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology, 1,164 exhibitors from 49 countries gave impressive answers to this question. The brilliant sunshine outside matched the bright mood in the exhibition halls. The throng of visitors from the field, of whom almost 40 percent had come from abroad, filled the halls and drove the number of visitors to a new record high. Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy CEO at Messe Munchen, hence came to a decidedly positive conclusion: Exactly 50 years ago, the analytica was launched. By now, it has developed into the worlds largest and most important meeting place for the laboratory industrynowhere else is the laboratory reflected as comprehensively as it is at analytica. Anyone who made his or her way through the five exhibition halls can confirm this impression. Siegbert Holtermuller, Advisory Board Chairman of the analytica and Regional Division Manager of Olympus Germany, also sees this development and emphasizes the variety of topics and visitors at analytica: We had even more visitors at the booth than we had at the analytica 2016, and from a huge variety of industries too. Of course, digitization and automation continue to become more and more important, but naturally visitors are still looking for individual solutions to challenges in analysis and diagnostics. Susanne Grodl, Exhibition Director at the analytica, adds: The great interest in our smart laboratory program shows that digitization has definitely arrived in the lab. In 2020, we will put even more emphasis on this topic. The analytica 2018 in figures The strongest increases in visitor numbers came from China, Austria, Korea, Russia and Japan. The top visitor countries were, apart from Germany (in this order): Austria, Switzerland, Italy, China, Great Britain and the USA. Satisfaction among the visitors is very high, according to a survey by Gelszus-Messe-Marktforschungsinstitut: 99 percent rate the event as good to excellent. Every second exhibitor at the analytica 2018 came from abroad. This number underscores the synergy effects in the direction of Munich that emanate from our foreign trade fairs. For international manufacturers who are interested in the European market, Munich is a must see event, emphasizes Claudia Sixl, Exhibition Group Director of the analytica network at Messe Munchen. This high level of approval is also a sign that the industry is doing well. New developments in the health sector are driving growth in the IVD market. In 2017, for example, the Life Science Research department of the VDGH reported an increase of 1.4 percent in laboratory diagnostics. The same applies to analysis, biotechnology and laboratory technology. We are looking back at an outstanding year 2017 with a total growth of eleven percent, said Mathis Kuchejda, president of the SPECTARIS Association for Analysis, Biotechnology and Laboratory Technology. From his point of view, one of the central challenges in digitization in the laboratory is the uniform device interface, together with the consideration of which data ought to be transferred in the first place, and how data security can be ensured. Variegated supporting program with additional crowd puller The issue of digital interfaces was put to the practical test at the new Forum Digital Transformation in Hall B2, for example in the practice lecture Smart LaboratoryHow does digital networking of laboratories with customers succeed? Product presentations were also an integral part of the program at the Forum: Eppendorf, Mettler-Toledo, Thermo Fisher and the members of Nexygen presented smart solutions for the future. For example, Joe Arteaga, Director ConnectivityLaboratory Equipment Technologies at Thermo Fisher, showed how device networking helps to streamline workflows and drive research. The visitors showed great interest in the individual program items; free seats were scarce. Thus, the premiere of the Forum Digital Transformation already was a great success. However, not only there was digitization on the agenda: With a total of 59 items on the supporting program, visitors from the field were able to gain such a comprehensive picture of digitization as they could at no other laboratory fair anywhere in the world. The analytica conference reflected this, just as the Personalized Medicine Focus Day did, where there was enormous visitor interest already at the opening discussion with Dr. Friedrich von Bohlen und Halbach, Managing Director and co-founder of dievini Hopp BioTech holding, on Friday morning. This interest continued unabated up to the last discussion panel of the event: One in a millionyour data will be king. Karin Hofelich, Publishing Director Life Sciences at GoingPublic Media, organizer of the Finance Day and the Focus Day Personalized Medicine, looked back on two days full of positive impressions: The Finance Day and the Focus Day Personalized Medicine at the analytica bring capital market and life sciences together. This year, the panel discussion Current financing trends in biotechnology, with the focus on crowdinvesting, attracted a particularly large number of visitors. The mood at both events was very good, and we are looking forward to the next analytica. At the two Live Labs, Food Analysis and Material Analysis, the visitors from the field were able to experience other big topics of the industry at close quartersalmost en passantright in the thick of the exhibition: From detection of glyphosate in tomatoes to short-term or long-term weathering of various materials. Here, too, the visitors interest was appropriately high.The Forum Laboratory & Analysis and the Forum Biotech also guaranteed high-level knowledge transfer. Once again, visitors were enthusiastic about the special show Workplace Health and Safety with real-world scenarios on the dangers in the laboratoryincluding loud bangs as results of chemical reactions. Strong analytica conference The analytica conference also contributes to the top result: 2,074 participantsan increase by 12.8 percent from 2016learned about the hottest scientific topics in the industry. Professor Ralf Zimmermann from the University of Rostock commented on the analytica conference 2018: The conference program is excellent. We were able to organize a nice international session on aerosol and health this year. The trade fair itself enabled us, as it always does, to meet our various cooperation partners very efficiently. Chairs and speakers from Europe, China, Korea and the USA gave lectures on such topics as the use of analytical methods in food chemistry and toxicology, the role of consumer health analysis, and the handling of big data. Here, too, the lectures were often filled to the very last seat. The next analytica will take place from March 31 to April 03, 2020, on the fairgrounds of Messe Munchen. "It was amazing to have that happen unexpectedly and randomly, and for someone to show that amount of appreciation," said Jon Leopold, the Boka general manager. "It's not just about the money but spending time with people in the kitchen and telling them how wonderful of a meal it was and how important it was for the cooks to be doing what they're doing." The tabloids reported the couple split in October, but Mortimer told the Tribune she was optimistic about their future after she and Kluth attended a Bulls game and the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in November. Mortimer was also spotted at Bounce Chicago in the Near North Side neighborhood in December. She filmed a CouponCabin commercial this month in New York City with Radziwill and their co-star Dorinda Medley. The lawsuit alleges that Olivarez a former business associate of Lee's daughter Joan "J.C." Lee manipulated Lee into ousting his "banker of 26 years" and his longtime lawyer, signing a power of attorney to control Lee's assets, loaning $300,000 to a fake nonprofit and buying an $850,000 West Hollywood condo. Olivarez is also accused in the lawsuit of taking nearly $1.4 million from Lee's accounts "through a series of complicated wire-transfers all initiated" by him and orchestrating a scheme to steal Lee's blood for use as a "merchandising item." The designation was announced Monday afternoon by the Pulitzer committee at Columbia University. This year's winner was "Cost of Living" by Martyna Majok, a play that was first seen at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2016. The other finalist this year was "Everybody" by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Hampl tells me that she made a conscious decision not to discuss the details of his death in the book. His entry into the book, she explains, was through her own daydreaming, her being face-to-face with his absence and her desire to remember him as he was and as he would have been if still alive, the two of them engaged in the normal give-and-take of being a couple. "Talking about Donna is how her dad and I get to parent her now," Quirke told me. "We can't take care of her in the traditional ways that a mother or father would care for their child, but I think telling her story has value because when you care about a child with cancer, you want to do something." The castle we visit today underwent its biggest changes after an enormous 1992 fire caused by a construction crew's spotlight. (It was that blaze, which the queen watched helplessly from the castle grounds, that she referenced a few days later when she gave her "annus horribilis" speech.) The fire destroyed or damaged many rooms in the castle. Fortunately, much of the royal collection of invaluable art had been removed during the ongoing construction. Princes Philip and Charles headed up plans for rebuilding, and exactly five years later, the restoration was finished. The Queen agreed to help fund the works by permitting public tours of Buckingham Palace while she is away during the summer months. In footage of the April 3 confrontation, someone is heard yelling, "Tase him" as Thomas walks toward an officer with a metal stake in the 5300 block of South Kimbark Avenue just before 10:15 p.m. About 10 seconds later, another voice threatens, "Do you wanna get Tasered?" before Thomas picks up speed and starts sprinting with the weapon toward a U. of C. police officer, who shoots him in the shoulder with a single round. MEMPHIS, TENN. Lawyers for a journalist who was arrested in Tennessee and then placed in an immigration detention facility say the government was trying to suppress his reporting and violated his rights of freedom of speech and the press. Around 4:15 p.m. Feb. 25, a man kicked in the rear door of a 24-year-old woman's apartment in the 900 block of West George Street in the Lakeview neighborhood, police said. The man collected several of the woman's belongings, including her keys, laptop and cellphone, before he taped her mouth shut and fled. Later, the woman woke up to find that some of her clothes were off and Wilkin was sexually assaulting her, prosecutors said. The woman yelled for her friend, who was in the bathroom with the fiance, and the friend stayed with the woman while the two men took Wilkin out of the room. Tyree Ruth, 46, is charged with three counts of armed robbery in connection with the robbery of a T-Mobile store at 1958 W. Irving Park Road about 6:05 p.m. Friday, authorities said. The two suspects took off in a car, and Ruth jumped out in the 3000 block of North Broadway while the second suspect wasn't caught, police said. David Narain, the principal at King College Prep, said Murry was a quiet student but would open up in one-on-one conversations. It wasn't unusual to see her working on homework inside the school long past when classes ended, he said. She was also concerned about her community on the South Side, Narain said. He remembers talking to her about how she could make an impact in her community. The impact caused the victim, Tuong Lam, to spin out of control and hit two parked cars, according to court documents. He was trapped in his car and was extricated before dying. He was pronounced dead at 2:01 a.m. at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, dying from multiple blunt force injuries suffered in the crash, the Cook County medical examiner's office determined following an autopsy Saturday. The train, which was scheduled to arrive at the LaSalle Street station in the Loop at 5:25 p.m., remained at the scene more than an hour after the crash, according to Metra's website. Yet another newly revealed email took aim at the Black Lives Matter movement, according to the report. "I really need to get out in the woods again if not to just be with the critters, but also to eradicate all the BLM idiots and all the bull s--- from the idiots and criminals that back these.I'll stop.," it read. "We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalized, either within Syria, on the streets of the U.K., or elsewhere," May said linking the chemical attack in Syria with the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter last month with a military-grade nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury. Michael Cohen, personal lawyer to U.S. President Donald Trump, arrives at Federal Court in New York on Monday. (Wes Bruer / Bloomberg) President Donald Trump speaks at the White House on April 13, 2018. Records show that Trump's reelection committee has spent $834,000 in legal fees this year. (Susan Walsh / AP) President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit in Hamburg on July 7, 2017. (Evan Vucci / AP) "The beauty of that arrangement was that it gave me a chance to get to know her personally more so than other employees would have, and she did a terrific job," Mathews said. "And in the earliest years of the company, she did whatever was needed to get done. She handled proofreading the original ('Living Bible') that he did, she handled entering orders at the kitchen table and she handled accounts payable." To hear that a woman who has given birth to a child with Down is still willing to allow other children to be denied a future because she doesn't want to infringe on another mother's "choice" is a perfect example of the way society has dehumanized unborn life. It is the same principle at play when someone says, "I am personally against abortion but I don't want to deny another woman that right." Sorry to shatter your carefully crafted illusion, my open-minded friend, but you are not then personally against abortion. You just won't have one yourself. Let's go back in time, to 1971. That year, the department that had long been known as the post office became the Postal Service, an independent agency that was expected to be financially self-sufficient while continuing to provide mail service to all Americans at a uniform price. The idea was that the Postal Service would operate more efficiently if it was more like a business and less like a bureaucracy. The postmaster general was dropped from the president's Cabinet. No one involved in the substance of this investigation and potential prosecution will even see any client communications. They are being reviewed by a separate "taint team" to avoid infecting the substantive investigation. Further, there is no attorney-client privilege if the communication was part of criminal conduct by the attorney and his client or if there was no communication from the attorney to his client. The latter seems to be what Trump and Cohen are claiming about Cohen's payment to Daniels. Cohen admits he paid the porn actress but says he acted on his own without telling his client. Cohen says the money was his, not Trump's or the campaign's, even though it was paid days before the election and even though the hush agreement was drafted between a pass-through organization Cohen created solely to handle this payment and keep its source secret. "Even though we're too afraid to let you into our country, we care about you enough to attack your country when your ruler attacks you (as long as that attack involves chemical weapons), but you can't flee those attacks and come to our country because we're afraid you might attack us at some point in the future, and even though that seems kind of contradictory if we think you're going to kill us, why would we care if you live or die? we hope you'll understand that we care deeply about your safety and that's why we're attacking your country, which you need to stay in because you can't come here. Also, here are some missiles. We hope they help." Both my grandfathers, as well as several other relatives, served in the military. One served in World War II and one served in the Korean War. I have nothing but respect for our military. Homelessness, unemployment, drug and alcohol addiction, lack of quality medical and mental health care; these are all issues that our veterans face when they return home from defending our country. Those who selflessly fight for our freedom are forgotten by us as a nation. "Under the Fox River option, we will need to maintain our wells," according to Di Santo. "We will transmit raw water from the wells to the treatment plant where the well water will be mixed with river water and processed. The finished water will then need to be distributed throughout the village. We need to understand what pipes are needed and how much they will cost." Saying goodbye to summer can be bittersweet; the seasons long days, consistent warmth and ample outdoor activities leave little to be desired. But as October rolls in, a new season that's also abundant with plenty of things to do, eat and drink emerges: Fall. But with so many things to choose from apple picking, baking, pumpkin spice lattes where do you start? Dont worry; we have 30 fun and filling activities for your fall foodie bucket list. Kedjidjian said an image of the schoolhouse is part of the district's logo and the building itself will play a role in the May 20 festivities. People can see how children learned in buildings like that and then tour Kipling Elementary School nearby to for a glimpse at the latest in 21st century education. She said the collaboration has been unique among municipal efforts. "We have a lot in common and that made everything even more special," Bogdanski said. "We got to play with people from Iceland, Florida and California (as well as Deerfield). We're going to be able to keep in touch." The ruling came at the end of a so-called discharge hearing for Barajas, who drove into an Elgin woman out for a motorcycle ride on the evening of April 24, 2017. His attorneys argued that Barajas could not appreciate that he had been in an accident, but MacKay ruled that even with Barajas' cognitive issues, he still likely realized he had been in a serious collision. The story follows Tevye as he struggles to hold to his Jewish religious and cultural roots as the society around him changes. The change he faces is exemplified in his own family by his three oldest daughters, who insist they will marry for love instead of by arranged marriages. "To have a mentor say, 'it's OK to work outside of the box,' gave us the most dynamic competition we've ever had," Clem said, while also describing the late Drosos as a mentor. "Events like this are really a tribute to his mentoring." She warned if the ERA became part of federal law, there would be unisex bathrooms and that women would be drafted to serve in the armed forces, among other canards about gender-role bending. Despite Schlafly's warnings, we now have unisex public bathrooms in some areas and women do serve in combat arms units of the military. I fail to see how that hurts any of us. Gudauskas said at one time starting a nonprofit was seen the logical means to solve complex social issues facing a community. Now, he said, colleges and universities like North Central are developing programs that focus on social entrepreneurship to fix the same problem with a greater return. "I can put pressure on the legislature to change laws. Or I can meet a market need and leverage change in different ways," Gudauskas said. "We see that in our students. There is a hunger." New Moms, which is celebrating 35 years this year, acquired Parenthesis Family Center in September 2016. Since that time, Laura Zumdahl, president and CEO of New Moms, said they've been able to build on their history and expertise in Chicago and bring that to Oak Park. "We are confident that Dr. Frost's warmth and empathy as a communicator, coupled with her leadership skills and deep understanding of all things special education, will allow her to form effective partnerships with parents and staff as we work collaboratively to make D64's student support services second to none," said Superintendent Laurie Heinz in a statement. Brother and sister make their way through the store that has been their workplace for so long. They are not able to walk down an aisle without running into a shopper they know, they say, and then it's always time for a quick catch-up. "In Chicago, revisiting the thousands of properties like this," he said, "it has been decided clearly that we should de-emphasize commercial on commercial streets because we don't need as much commercial in the world as there was originally built in the 1920s and therefore we should no longer talk about the continuous and contiguous flow of commercial." Pueblo Means Business looks to open one-stop-shops for businesses Efforts to create a "one-stop shop" for those looking to start a business in Pueblo County are expected to come to fruition some time in 2022. The International Miniature Art Exhibition, initiated by Italy's Benetton Foundation for Study and Research and China's Kingsight Culture and Art Co. Ltd., displays palm-sized artworks from 26 countries in Beijing on Saturday, April 14, 2018. [Photo by Guo Xiaohong / China.org.cn] Over 4,000 miniature artworks created by artists from China and abroad are being displayed at Hanwei International Art Center in Beijing from March 30 to April 20. Initiated by Italy's Benetton Foundation for Study and Research and China's Kingsight Culture and Art Co. Ltd., the International Miniature Art Exhibition features artworks from 26 countries, each created on a palm-sized or mobile phone-sized canvas of 10 by 12 centimeters. The exhibition includes works in any medium one might imagine, including painting, sculpture, engraving, small gadgets and photography. It's rare to see such a large number of artworks from so many countries in one exhibition, said Zhang Siyong, an oil painter, at an art forum held on the sidelines of the exhibition. He said the exhibition presented a "dialogue" between established artists and emerging talents from different countries and regions, with 420 Chinese artworks and 3,733 pieces from Europe, Africa, other parts of Asia, north America and south America. "I hope these miniature artworks can travel to the world," said Yan Zhijie, CEO of Beijing Kingsight Company, who is dedicated to spreading and promoting Chinese culture. Yan said he plans to hold a national exhibition for miniature art in 2019 as a "gift" for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and another international show in 2020, when his collection of Chinese miniature artworks could reach 5,000 pieces. This year's NCPA May Festival will see some of the world's most talented violinists take to the stage. As he slowly lifts two valuable violins from their cases, a 1734 violin made by Giuseppe Guarneri and a 1699 violin made by Antonio Stradivari, both famous Italian violin makers, Chinese violinist Lyu Siqing tries to avoid touching the glossily varnished wood on the bodies of the musical instruments. "The lines on the wood are so beautiful, aren't they?" asks Lyu, turning the violins over. Then the 48-year-old musician displays the versatile sounds of the violins by playing the tune Meditation from the opera Thais by French composer Jules Massenet. "Music touches and influences our emotions. The violin has the magic to touch our most sensitive nerves," says Lyu. "Unlike the piano, which Chinese audience are quite familiar with, thanks to those great young Chinese pianists who have achieved international acclaim, such as Lang Lang, Li Yundi and Chen Sa, the violin still needs more exposure in China." With the goal of popularizing the violin, promoting Chinese violinists and violin concertos by Chinese composers, Lyu is once again taking up the position of artistic director for the National Center for the Performing Arts May Festival. The theme for the upcoming event, which runs from May 9 to 26, will pay tribute to the violin by staging 18 shows, gathering together nearly 20 violinists and orchestras from around the world. "This is my fourth year in the role as artistic director for the NCPA May Festival and this is the first time that we are taking a musical instrument as the theme. I hope the audience will get a full picture of the violin during the festival," says Lyu at the NCPA. With those two centuries-old violins, Lyu also will perform at the festival. Two concerts will open the festival. On May 9, four Chinese violinists, Lyu, Ning Feng, Huang Mengla and Huang Bin, all winners of the prestigious Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, will share the stage by giving solo performances in the first half of the concert and teaming up in the second half to perform repertoires including J.S. Bach's Double Violin Concerto, Antonio Vivald's Concerto in B minor RV 580 for Four Violins and Niccolo Paganini's 24 Caprices. Young Chinese violinists Chen Xi, who won the top prize at the 12th International Tchaikovsky Violin Competition in 2002, at the age of 17 - the youngest top prize winner in the history of the competition - and Liu Xiao, who graduated from the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique in Paris, with five solo albums under his belt, will join the concert. On May 10, a concert will be held to pay tribute to Chinese composers. Established Chinese violinist, Liu Yuxi, will perform with the younger generation of Chinese violinists, including Lyu, Jiang Yiying and Jiang Zhenyi. "I've seen the repertories for the upcoming concerts during the May Festival and I am very excited because many of the pieces are rarely performed. The audience will get the chance to see the vibrant scenes of Chinese violinists of different ages and many original concertos for violin by Chinese composers," says Liu, 80, who is teaching at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and is planning a tour of France later this year. The legendary violinist comes from a musical family. His father, Liu Beimao (1903-1981), was a renowned composer and music educator. His uncles Liu Bannong (1891-1934) was a linguist and poet, and Liu Tianhua (1895-1932) was a musician and composer best known for his innovative work for the Chinese folk instrument, the erhu. According to Liu Yuxi, the violin was among the first group of Western instruments that was brought to China by missionaries during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). During the 1920s and 1930s, a 16-member orchestra was founded at Peking University and his uncle, Liu Tianhua, was one of the members. "My uncle Liu Tianhua learned violin before he picked up the erhu. The connection between the violin and erhu was very close for him as a musician and composer," says Liu Yuxi. The first original Chinese violin composition was Difficult Road (Xinglu Nan), composed in 1919 by famous geologist Li Siguang, who was pursuing his studies at the University of Birmingham in Britain at that time. Chinese composers are keen on writing works for the violin and among the pieces, The Butterfly Lovers violin concerto, which was written in 1959 by two Chinese composers, He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, then students at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, was one of the most well-known pieces of music of the time. During the concert on May 10, Lyu will play The Butterfly Lovers. "I can still remember that almost 40 years ago, Lyu, who was about 10 years old, came to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing from his hometown of Qingdao, Shandong province, accompanied by his father. The young boy displayed quite a talent when he played violin in front of us and since then he has become a star," says Liu Yuxi. "The training of young violinists has never stopped in China. With more and more children learning Western instruments, we've seen many child prodigies. They have a good balance between mastering the solid techniques and the private emotional interpretations required for individual pieces." Four internationally acclaimed violinists will also join the May Festival, including Israeli-American violinist Pinchas Zukerman, US Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell, Italian violinist Fabio Biondi and the German violinist of South Korean descent, Clara-Jumi Kang. In other highlights of the festival, the Leipzig String Quartet will perform a program of Joseph Haydn's most iconic works on May 16, such as String Quartet in D minor, Op. 103, Hob. III83, String Quartet in D major, Op. 64, No. 5, and The Seven Last Words. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will perform with Lyu with programs including Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, on May 24. According to Wang Luli, deputy director of the performance department at the NCPA, the annual festival started in 2009 and has become a major event for the NCPA, which focuses on chamber music. So far, the festival has showcased more than 140 concerts, not only at the NCPA's concert halls, but also at public spaces in Beijing, such as subway stations, schools and museums. China has issued a set of revised regulations on the fundamental rules governing the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which stress Xi Jinping thought on strengthening the armed forces. The regulations included rules on military discipline, training management, soldiers' weight standards, use of mobile phones and the Internet as well as the use of gun-firing salutes to pay respect to martyrs. Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), signed orders to publish three regulations on the military's interior order, code of conduct and military formation. The three revised regulations, which underlined the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the people's armed forces, will take effect from May 1. The regulation on interior order has been revised to enhance the political loyalty of the armed forces, strengthen them through reform and technology and run them in accordance with law. It also underlined a greater focus on combat. It further regulated names of military units and the duties of soldiers. The regulation included revised rules on soldiers' using mobile phones, the Internet, new media, and online shopping. It also stipulated the use of military vehicles and flags, protection of servicemen's vacation rights and efforts to ensure their physical and mental health. The revised regulation on the military code of conduct stipulated relevant rules regarding the military's political loyalty, organization, combat operations, training, work, confidential information, integrity, financial affairs, interaction with the people, and daily life. It also provided detailed rules on related awards and punishments. The new regulation on military formation added 14 military ceremonial events to be held in different circumstances such as oath-taking rallies, triumphant returns and paying homage to martyrs. The first document on the code of conduct governing the CPC-led armed forces was issued in 1930. The first interior order regulation was issued in 1936 and the first formation regulation in 1951. In 1951, the three regulations were recognized as a set to serve as the fundamental rules for the PLA. From the 1950s to the 1990s, these regulations have been revised eight times. In the new century, the regulations of interior order and code of conduct were partly amended in 2002. In 2010, the three regulations underwent a comprehensive revision. Chinese research vessel "Dayang Yihao" (Ocean No. 1) has set sail from Xiamen, Fujian Province, on Sunday, carrying the newest Chinese unmanned submersible, the "Qianlong III," to the South China Sea to conduct its first sea tests, reports the Xinhua News Agency. "Qianlong III," which can dive to a depth of 4,500 meters, is the newest member of China's unmanned submersible family. "'Qianlong III' is an updated version of 'Qianlong II,' with better endurance capacity and lower noise. It is designed to meet the need of China's deep-sea resources exploration," said Liu Jian, chief designer of Qianlong II and III with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Officials with the China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association suggest the "Qianlong III" will mainly be used in complex underwater terrain for resource exploration. The "Dayang Yihao," which just recently returned to China after a series of deep sea tests in the western Pacific, will also be carrying out a wide range of scientific surveys during its mission in the South China Sea. You are here: China China's new multi-role fighter jet J-10C began combat duty Monday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force announced. Equipped with an advanced avionics system and various airborne weapons, the domestically-developed fighter has airstrike capabilities within medium and close range and is capable of precisely striking land and maritime targets, the air force said in a statement. It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fighter will enrich the air force's offensive and defensive system and improve its capability to fulfill duties and missions, according to the statement. Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLA air force, said that the air force will advance training and war readiness, and sharpen its striking, defensive, and air delivery capabilities. It will also firmly safeguard China's airspace security and national strategic interests in the new era, Shen said. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. While saying China's cooperation with the WEF had coincided with the country's reform and opening-up process, Xi suggested that it was necessary for both sides to keep pace and advance with the times, strengthen cooperation and work together in pursuit of new driving forces for global economic growth, and find out practical and feasible proposals to address global challenges. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli [Photo/Xinhua] Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's three-day visit to India from April 6-8 generated lots of bilateral and geopolitical interest on the both sides of border. Indian PM Narendra Modi apparently sought to correct his domineering foreign policy towards the smaller neighbor by rolling out the red carpet to his former bete noire Oli. India offered him special treatment for two particular reasons. First, Oli has emerged as the country's strongest premier in decades, commanding the support of more than three-thirds of the parliament. India can hardly shrug off the huge popular mandate Oli secured on a platform of nationalism in the three-tier polls last year. Second, India is irrationally gripped by Sinophobia by Nepal's growing rapprochement with China, especially after Nepal endured the cruel Indian economic blockade in 2015. India still considers Nepal in its "exclusive sphere of influence" and does not want other powers to intervene. Eager to wipe the slate clean, Modi praised Oli as a leader of "bold vision," and said Oli's motto of Samriddha Nepal Sukhi Nepali (Prosperous Nepal Happy Nepali) matched his own vision of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas (Collective Efforts Inclusive Growth). During their one-to-one talks, Oli reminded Modi that many past agreements and projects to be executed with Indian funding have not made any headway to date. The two sides entered new accords on the Raxaul-Kathmandu railway network, inland waterway connectivity and agricultural development in Nepal. The previous two deals are seen as India's response to the proposed Nepal-China railway connectivity from Kerung to Kathmandu, and Nepal's trade and transit treaty with China, which provided Nepal with access to the sea. For Oli, the visit was a huge success from a political and diplomatic point of view though he attempted to turn the spotlight on the agenda of development and prosperity. Both Oli and Modi mended their fences. Moreover, Oli effectively maintained his nationalist stand on Indian soil. He projected himself as the strong leader of a sovereign nation while holding talks with his Indian counterpart and addressing the joint press conference. Nepal's PM consistently emphasized that Nepal pursues independent foreign relations with both neighbors and maintains equidistance between them. In the 12-point joint statement, the two prime ministers resolved to work together to take bilateral relations to "newer heights on the basis of equality, mutual trust, respect and benefit." Perhaps it was the first time Nepal's internal issues did not figure in the joint statement. This time the Indian side refrained from including Madhes and other domestic matters of Nepal in the statement. During his first India visit in 2016, the joint statement could not be released after he objected to India's attempt to incorporate the contents of Nepal's constitution and the Madhes movement in it. PM Modi hailed the successful conduct of local, provincial and federal elections held as per the roadmap of the new constitution, which he refused to recognize in 2015. He assured Oli that "India remains committed to strengthening its partnership with Nepal as per the priorities of the Government of Nepal." Oli's visit took place due to the frantic initiatives of India, and the way the date of the visit was unilaterally made public raised the eyebrows of many observers. This forced Oli to cancel his participation in the Boao Forum for Asia held in south China's Hainan province from April 8-11. "I can't speak for India's intention, but it succeeded in stopping Oli from participating in the Boao Forum," said former Nepali ambassador to China Tanka Karki. Oli lost a good opportunity to meet with top Asian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Boao meeting. Before and after Oli's visit, Indian media had published reports and opinion pieces full of anti-China caveats. Prior to his visit, one media outlet claimed Modi would tell Oli that India would not buy power from the Chinese-aided hydro projects. In his commentary, Prof S D Muni said, "The Indian side has gone along with Oli's sentiments in all public pronouncements, but has quietly conveyed the message subtly, yet firmly, that undue warming up with China and Pakistan will not go down well with New Delhi." This sort of hegemonic attitude goes against the grain of independent and balanced foreign policy the new dispensation is following resolutely. He said that India might not purchase electricity, generated from the China-funded projects in Nepal, and re-stoke the Madhes issue should Nepal ignore India's concerns. Displaying his old colonial mindset, Muni even asked the majority communist government not to allow China in the Terai region bordering India. He mistakenly posited that Terai is India's strategic territory, a diabolic viewpoint which undermines Nepal's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Muni, in another brazen remark, suggested that Oli give up Pakistan's advocacy for activating SAARC. He argued as if SAARC is the sole agenda of Pakistan, rather than a regional forum of eight nations that have pledged to bring common prosperity and peace to their people. Nepal is effortful to revive stalled SAARC process in its capacity of its current chair. After regaining political stability, Nepal is poised to achieve inclusive economic growth with the support of both India and China. But, a sense of Sinophobia prevalent among the Indian media, former diplomats and ruling elites may also undermine the efforts to redefine Nepal-India relations in the changed context. Ritu Raj Subedi is an associate editor of The Rising Nepal. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. You are here: Travel Flash Zhou Chao prefers homestays to hotels. Price is part of the appeal. The Beijing resident booked a two-bedroom apartment in Osaka for 800 yuan ($127), which is about 200 or 300 yuan cheaper than the neighborhood's economy hotels. "There's usually a kitchen and washing machine so I can cook and do laundry," he says. Zhou believes sharing-economy accommodation also enables him to live like locals and interact with interesting people. Chinese made over 130 million overseas trips last year, 7 percent more than in 2016. Visitors from the world's largest source of outbound travelers spent $115.2 billion, or 5 percent more than in 2016, the China Tourism Academy reports. A growing number are staying in sharing-economy lodging. Major Chinese travel-accommodation platform Tujia's trading volumes grew fivefold and available housing grew threefold last year, chief operating officer Yang Changle says. Flash Qatar's tourist operators and hotels have taken steps aimed at providing convenience and comfort to Chinese tourists in a bid to stimulate Qatar's tourism sector, local media reported Thursday. At a ceremony held Wednesday evening by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), six companies were approved as tour operators for hosting Chinese tour groups, and 15 hotels were issued the "Welcome Chinese" certificate, Qatar's Arabic newspaper Al-Rayah reported. The ceremony was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Qatar Li Chen and several officials from the Qatari tourism and hospitality sector. These companies and hotels expressed their readiness to meet the needs of Chinese tourists. Among the measures taken to especially cater for Chinese tourists, the 15 hotels accept the payment by China UnionPay cards, provide hot water kettles to make Chinese tea, and have the channels of CCTV, the predominant state television broadcaster in China. "We have been working closely with our partners in the tourism industry to offer our hospitality to Chinese guests and allow Chinese visitors to discover our cultural heritage and natural treasures with ease and comfort," a QTA senior official said. Last August, Qatar announced visa-free entry for citizens of 80 countries including China, which helped drive up the number of Chinese visitors to Qatar by 27 percent in the first quarter of 2018. Flash At least two people were killed and five others injured in a drive-by shooting incident in Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta, local media and police said. Deputy Inspector General of Quetta Police Abdur Razzaq Cheema said on Sunday that unknown gunmen sprayed bullets at the people belonging to the Christian community when they were leaving after attending a service in a church in Essa Nagri area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province. Rescue teams shifted the bodies and the injured to the Bolan Medical Complex in the city. All the wounded, including two women, were reportedly in stable condition, hospital officials said. The assailants riding on a motorcycle fled the scene soon after the incident, the police official said. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police registered a case against unknown persons and launched an investigation into the incident. Earlier this month, at least four members of a Christian family were shot dead in Quetta when they reached the city from eastern Punjab province to visit their relatives. Flash Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that the U.S.-led missile strike on Syria was coupled with a campaign of lies in the UN Security Council, according to the state news agency SANA. The tripartite strike on Syria, the campaign of lies and misdirection at the UN Security Council against Syria and Russia proved that both countries were fighting not only against terrorism but also breach of the international law based on the respect of the countries' sovereignty, Assad said. His remarks came during his meeting with a delegation from Russian Federation in Damascus. Members of the delegation slammed the U.S.-led strike as a clear violation of international accords, adding that the attack came at a time when the Syrians were working to restore stability and rebuild what was destroyed by the terrorist groups. They also affirmed that Russia would remain firm in its support for Syria. Flash Indonesia is willing to further enhance people-to-people contact with China, the country's newly-appointed ambassador to China and Mongolia Djauhari Oratmangun has said. Deepening bilateral relations through building up closer constructive communications between peoples in Indonesia and China through extensive students and media exchange programs were considered as the effective way in doing so, the ambassador said. "I want to see more students and media exchange program. They can visit regions in the respective countries, conducting direct interactive dialogue with government officials, people and private sector in the two respective countries, so they can find similar perspectives," Djauhari told Xinhua on Thursday. He added that there were 14,000 Indonesian students studying in China and a huge number of Chinese students studying in several Indonesian universities at present. They would eventually understand cultures and customs of both countries. Providing scholarship programs for students in the respective countries in exchange program would be very effective for bilateral ties in a long term, he added. He said that China and Indonesia are now seeing their best level of bilateral relations with extensive reciprocal visits between senior officials, influx of Chinese investments, tourists and growing trade. Djauhari also noted that he was deeply impressed with China's swift progress to become one of the world's economic powerhouses with increasing influence in international level. He said Indonesia and China would play very important roles in the future in generating regional economy through regional forums they have actively involving in. Flash U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday that the United States would not pull its troops out of Syria until its goals were accomplished. Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Haley listed three aims for the U.S.: Ensuring that chemical weapons are not used in any way that poses a risk to U.S. interests, that IS is defeated and that there is a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing. It is our goal "to see American troops come home, but we are not going to leave until we know we have accomplished those things," Haley said. Talking about US-Russia relationship, Haley said it is "very strained" right now. Haley's remarks came after the joint airstrikes by the U.S., Britain and France on Syria on Friday in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons last week in Douma. At a fiery meeting of the UN Security Council, only hours after the strikes, the envoy has said that her country is "locked and loaded" if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime uses chemical weapons again in the country. Flash United States' ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday said that her country would announce more sanctions against Russia on Monday. Haley made the remarks in an interview on CBS, saying the Treasury Department would announce the new sanctions and insisted the U.S. has sent "a strong message" about the use of chemical weapons. "You will see that Russian sanctions will be coming down," she said. "Secretary Mnuchin will be announcing those on Monday, if he hasn't already." Her remarks come just a day after her country led fellow allies U.K. and France in launching air strikes in Syria in response to last weeks alleged chemical attacks. In an earlier statement following the strikes, Haley said the Donald Trump administration was ready to launch more missiles in case of any further chemical attacks in Syria. "I spoke to the president this morning and he said, 'if the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded'," she said. Russia had earlier warned that it would equip Syria with better anti-air missile defense systems to take down any missile attacks in the future. By Josh Lederman, Chicago Tribune | Apr. 13, 2018 The United States and the United Arab Emirates are nearing a deal to resolve a years-old spat over alleged government subsidies to Emirati airlines that the major U.S. airlines claim have tilted the competition against them, four individuals familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Under the budding deal, Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways would agree to voluntarily open up their accounting books, long accused by the U.S. airlines of obscuring billions in subsidies. The airlines will also assert to the United States that they currently have no plans to add additional flights to the United States from Europe or other destinations outside of the United Arab Emirates. The deal will closely mirror one reached in January between the U.S. and Qatar, the individuals said. Despite years of rancorous debate, that deal was broadly embraced both by the Qataris and by the big U.S. airlines, making it an attractive model to replicate. The individuals weren't authorized to discuss the deal ahead of its completion and requested anonymity. Although the deal has yet to be finalized and formally adopted, both sides have agreed to the broad outlines of the deal, the individuals said. It was unclear exactly when it would be completed. The State Department official overseeing the issue, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Manisha Singh, is in Peru this week as part of Vice President Mike Pence's delegation to the Summit of the Americas. The State Department said "discussions are ongoing" but declined to confirm the details of the emerging deal, adding that there was "nothing to report at this time." The White House did not respond to a request for comment, and the Emirati Embassy in Washington had no comment. The three major U.S. carriers -- Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines -- have spent huge sums over the last three years pressing the Obama administration and Trump administration for tough action, and have been eager to show a win on the issue. The airlines have hoped that if they have more visibility into the finances of the state-owned Emirati airlines, the Emiratis will no longer be able to get away with unfair subsidies. Both of the Emirati airlines have long denied receiving unfair government subsidies, as has Doha-based Qatar Airways. But the U.S. airlines claim that the Gulf airlines have managed to mask payments to their airlines through creative accounting, such as catering contracts arranged at far below market rates. It was unclear precisely what transparency measures the Emiratis will agree to in the deal. But in the Qatari arrangement, Qatar agreed within one year to releasing audited financial statements for Qatar Airlines "in accordance with internationally-recognized accounting standards." Within two years, Qatar Airways is to disclose any transactions with other state-owned entities, such as caterers or other companies that support airline operations. The other major concern of the U.S. airlines regards start so-called "Fifth Freedoms" flights -- routes that go from third countries, such as those in Europe, directly to the United States. Emirates Airline currently offers "Fifth Freedom" flights in which passengers can fly from New York-area airports to Milan, Italy or Athens without ever setting foot in the UAE. The U.S. carriers claim those flights offered by flag carriers of the UAE undercut the flights they offer on the same routes. But the Gulf airlines have pointed out that some of the U.S. carriers also offer flights that never set foot in their home country, such as Delta's direct flight from Manila, Philippines, to Tokyo. Under the scenario U.S. airlines fear, Emirates or Etihad could expand their offerings by adding flights from Abu Dhabi or Dubai to, say, Paris or London, stop to pick up more passengers, then fly on to New York. The U.S. airlines had sought a "freeze" -- a binding commitment that they wouldn't offer any more Fifth Freedom flights -- from the Gulf airlines, but appear to have fallen short. Instead, they are likely to receive a side-letter or similar document that states that as of now, there are no plans to offer any more such flights, at least partially addressing the U.S. concerns. The side document is still being drafted, several individuals briefed on the discussions said. For the UAE, the agreement averts the more serious step U.S. airlines wanted: re-opening the so-called open-skies treaties that could ultimately lead to less favorable conditions for Persian Gulf airlines. Though on the same side of the airline dispute, Qatar and the UAE oppose each other in a bitter, unrelated standoff. Last year, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations blockaded Qatar after accusing it of supporting extremism and fomenting dissent throughout the region. Qatar has worked to change that perception, and its ruling emir was praised by President Donald Trump this week in an Oval Office meaning for significant progress on that front. The Qatari deal in January on the airline dispute increased the pressure on rival UAE to reach a similar agreement quickly. By Lifang, Xinhua | Apr. 13, 2018 The first-ever direct flight route from Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) to China was announced on Friday. The NT Government announced that Donghai Airlines would fly the route from Darwin to Shenzhen beginning in May. Michael Gunner, Chief Minister of the NT, said that once the service reached three flights per week at 80 percent capacity it would pump approximately 32 million Australian dollars (24.8 million U.S. dollars) into the local economy every year. "We know that travellers from China spend more on average than other visitors, so it is an important and lucrative market," he told reporters on Friday. "We are already attracting 18,000 Chinese visitors annually and this new direct flight will allow us to meet, and well and truly exceed, our target of 30,000 visitors from China by 2020." The flights will operate twice per week from the outset with the capacity to add one additional service during peak periods. Donghai Airlines said new Boeing 737-800's would initially fly the route before being upgraded to Boeing 737 MAX8's. Tickets for the service were scheduled to go on sale in China on Friday but Australians will have to wait until the end of April. Ian Kew, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NT Airports, said that the service would create an additional 35,000 airline seats flying into the NT every year. "Uniquely, Donghai Airlines will be the only airline from China to serve Australia with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, providing a more cost effective and economically efficient aircraft that will enable very competitive fares to be offered." Prosecutors in northern China have accused a doctor of damaging the reputation of a pharmaceutical company by posting false information online. The reputation of a pharmaceutical liquor made by Hongmao Pharmaceutical - which the company says is good for health - had been harmed, according to a statement on Sunday from police in Liangcheng county, Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Distributors are demanding refunds, resulting in heavy economic losses for the company, the police said. Advertisement Bitcoin and a host of other cryptocurrencies are taking the global markets by storm at the moment. And while the volatility of their values has provoked warnings from governments and regulators alike, they remain a hot property for investors. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Many Asian countries have embraced cryptocurrencies, with important services appearing in a number of influential places. Here is a look at the frontrunners, and an assessment of how long this trend could continue to gain traction. Singapore As a powerhouse of business and finance, it is no surprise that cryptocurrencies have been a big hit in some parts of Singaporean society. And when it comes to trading in popular currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, one of the most widely used exchanges in this city-state is Coinhako. It has the main advantage of not charging for deposits, as well as keeping the vast majority of coins in 'cold storage'. This means that they are retained safely offline on hardware not directly connected to the internet, boosting security significantly. Add to that its fixed one percent transaction fee, and it is easy to see why it has risen to prominence. Cryptocurrencies are not just for investment and trading; they are actually accepted as payment by organizations in Singapore and other parts of the world. It could also become common with online gaming providers like Casumo, allowing customers to top up their accounts with coins from the blockchain. South Korea Always a supporter of new technologies, South Korea has taken advantage of the crypto boom in its own way, with the government tentatively putting its support behind plans to legitimize trading and exchanges. There were some initial reservations on the part of politicians and regulators, with critics arguing that the cryptocurrency market is based on speculation rather than anything solid and would sap funds from more productive areas of the economy. But the lure of the blockchain which underpins Bitcoin proved too much to ignore. The most prominent crypto exchange in the country is Bithumb, a service that has undergone massive revenue growth, and is even owned by a publically listed parent firm. It takes a minimal operating fee of just 0.15 percent, but has stiff competition from other exchanges including Korbit. China While trading in cryptocurrencies may be officially outlawed in China, the country is still hugely influential in terms of supporting the perpetuation of this marketplace. In particular, it allegedly provides the infrastructure to house vast Bitcoin mines where armies of servers work together to complete the cryptographic tasks necessary to create new coins. One of the main reasons for choosing China as a place to mine for cryptocurrencies is that energy prices are relatively cheap there. So even if it costs tens of thousands of dollars a day to power the hardware, operators can still make a profit when they sell the mined coins for millions. Japan The exodus of crypto companies from China in recent months has helped further establish Japan as a major player in this market. Prominent exchange service Binance relocated to the country last year, following on from its own successful initial coin offering (ICO) earlier in 2017. The Japanese government has actively sought to fuel the fledgling crypto marketplace, with policies that are favorable to traders and exchanges, rather than restrictive. This is not an approach shared in other parts of Asia. Government Intervention The Chinese authorities have been clamping down on crypto trading for some time, with an outright ban introduced last year. The government continues to make efforts to prevent citizens accessing exchanges that deal in popular currencies, as well as the sites which promote ICOs. Some argue that the $340 billion which has been wiped off the value of cryptos in the first few months of 2018 is largely as a result of the restrictions being placed on trading in China and other parts of Asia. In spite of these efforts, many investors have simply shifted their activities to countries where regulatory rules are much looser. Japan and Hong Kong are reaping the benefits of bans being imposed in other parts of the continent. Meanwhile, the efforts to put a stop to cryptos in China itself have a real benefit for the country in terms of energy use and environmental impact, while also dealing with the fraudulent schemes that are supported by them in many instances. The government is concerned about the lack of transparency that is involved with blockchain-based technology as a whole, echoing complaints in other parts of the world that Bitcoin and its contemporaries are being used to carry out money laundering on a massive scale. There are still a lot of uncertainties surrounding the future of cryptocurrencies in Asia. But it remains a hotspot for activity, irrespective of attempts to quash the growth of the market. Rev. Sam Shin worked in law enforcement as a narcotics and SWAT police officer in Alaska, and then as an undercover cop with Korean gangs in Los Angeles. He got involved too deeply as a gang leader and was sentenced to jail time. After a dramatic conversion in jail, Shin dedicated his life to being a pastor. Now he leads his own church supports nearly 1,400 pastors as the first English-speaking president of the Southern California Korean Ministers Association. "It could be one of those true story movies, but I don't have the money to make one," Shin laughed. Shin's combination of Korean and American upbringing make him part of the so-called "1.5 generation" of immigrants who are able to bridge language and cultural chasms between first generation Koreans and the rest of society. Shin used his unique experiences and skills both in law enforcement and as a pastor. "The 1.5 generation that can bridge the gap are getting older. People like Sam are kind of like a rare, endangered species," said Jay Park, a Korean-American Christian and longtime friend of Shin's. Shin's dual clerical training and law enforcement background were apparent at the Koreatown Homeless Count, part of a joint city and county effort to tally the number of people who live in the streets. Before the count started, he led prayer, carried boxes of potato chips to set up dinner and translated instructions for Korean volunteers. Shin, 60, has an average stature, but an outsized, charismatic presence. He is classically good-looking with thick black hair. He flashes his straight-toothed smile every chance he gets, and rarely answers a question without cracking a joke first. But when the count started on a chilly January night, Shin turned all business. He expertly scanned every nook and cranny of parking lots, abandoned cars and staircases. Once the team finished counting, he to pick up sleeping bags from his church. Shin returned to a couple of homeless people and offered them prayer and a sleeping bag. "Don't tell anyone about this. We aren't supposed to be doing this," Shin whispered conspiratorially. Shin's tendency to act on what he thinks is just, regardless of the rules, has been a pattern through his past. When Shin moved from South Korea to Alaska with his parents as a young boy for his stepfather's banking job, he was bullied because he didn't speak English. There were hardly any other Koreans in the area. Shin said his desire to be a police officer was partly driven by a desire to serve and partly, he admits, by resentment. "I wanted to be better than them," Shin said. "I wanted to have control of them because they were controlling me." Shin worked as a narcotics and SWAT officer in Anchorage, Alaska, and then decided to take a job as a Korean-speaking officer in Orange County in 1988, just four years before riots engulfed Los Angeles in racially charged conflict after four police officers who beat an African-American man, Rodney King, were acquitted. In the aftermath, Shin said he started doing undercover work for the federal government in Korean gangs. Shin said he rose in the gang ranks and became a kingpin. However, he got too deeply involved and went to jail on a civil judgment related to charges of theft and leaving a hospitality establishment without paying. Shin said the incident occurred when his gang intervened to retrieve allegedly stolen property from a man in the United States after the man was involved in a messy divorce in Korea. "Legally I would do things with undercover work, and I thought I was God," Shin said. "I had so many youngsters who were my workers in the gangs, and I was the top of the line." In jail, a group of around 20 Christians huddled in a corner to sing praise songs and have Bible study each evening before bedtime. Shin said he didn't understand how "good Christians" could be sentenced to jail for serious offenses, so the meetings infuriated him. Shin tried to make the worshipers' lives miserable by kicking them, hitting them and spitting on their food. One day in November 1996, two worshipers cautiously approached Shin asked to pray for him. One told Shin that God had a plan for his life. The tough, macho gang leader broke down in tears and ducked under blankets to hide his sobs. "As a police officer I committed crimes. As a person I committed crimes. I was repenting," Shin said. Shin asked a friend to send him a Bible in jail. That same tattered, threadbare English-Korean Bible sits on his desk today. Despite hardly knowing anything about Christianity, Shin started attending worship in jail and leading Bible studies. Jay Park is an attorney who has been friends with Shin for more than 30 years. Park and Shin struck up an unlikely friendship when Shin asked for legal advice during his time as a police officer. Park, a Christian himself, said he was glad to hear of Shin's sudden turnaround. "I believe that he has completely changed," Park sad. "He has proved the change through his actions." Shin went to 13 years of seminary in both English and Korean, after which he said most people were convinced of his transformation. He began working for a large nondenominational church in Koreatown, and then moved to South Korea in 2010 to be a senior pastor. "My heart was willing to go to church and use a toothbrush to clean the whole floor if I had to...I was so indebted as a sinner," Shin said. However, when his mother got sick and died in 2013, Shin returned to California to be with his family. He said he didn't want to be involved in ministry anymore. That is, until a few families persuaded Shin to start Only Jesus Mission Church, a small multicultural church that he has now co-led with a Spanish-speaking pastor for four years. The church is tucked into a nondescript strip mall in Koreatown and offers services in English, Korean and Spanish. "I wish I spoke Chinese and Japanese too," Shin said. "I want to have that kind of church." When the Korean Ministers Association tapped Shin to be senior vice president and then president, he was reluctant to accept. He was busy with his own church and said he didn't see himself fitting into the group because he wasn't a first-generation immigrant like they were. After reflection, Shin said he recognized that he was uniquely positioned to connect the association with outside groups, so he took on the volunteer position. Rev. Joo Suh Uhm was the association president who recruited Shin. Uhm had previously worked with Shin at Wilshire Christian Church, and said he saw Shin's potential to overcome language and cultural barriers between first- and second-generation Koreans and the outside world. As part of his efforts to connect the association with other ethnic religious groups, Shin spearheaded a multicultural revival between Hispanic and Korean communities this spring. Uhm said before Shin, the association "couldn't have dreamed" of doing a large intercultural outreach event. Shin represented the ministers association at a Korean missions conference at Young Nak Presbyterian Church in February. He busily darted around greeting the choir, taking a photo with prominent pastors at a VIP reception, and filing into the sanctuary for a brief time of worship. Shin approached the pulpit and took his brown, plastic-framed glasses off to welcome a crowd of 400 attendees. Though the conference was solely in Korean, Shin prayed in both English and Korean, weaving together divine appeals that could reach every soul in the crowd. 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. Termen extins: Terre des hommes Moldova este in cautarea unui /unei consultant/e sau a unei echipe de consultanti, care va elabora un program de instruire inovativ, pentru adolescenti (14 - 18 ani) in domeniul antreprenoriatului CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An appeals court on Monday overturned a federal judge's ruling that a buffet owned by Cuyahoga Falls televangelist Ernest Angley violated federal law by having members of his flock work at the for-profit restaurant as unpaid volunteers. A three-judge panel from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that members of Grace Cathedral church who worked at Cathedral Buffet had no expectation of being paid. It overturned Youngstown federal Judge Benita Pearson's ruling that ordered Angley and the buffet to pay church members for the time they worked and for damages and sent the case back to the lower court. (You can read the full ruling here or at the bottom of this story.) The Labor Department filed suit in 2015 against the 96-year-old televangelist and the buffet following an investigation spurred by an article in the Akron Beacon Journal. Its lawsuit said Angley and the buffet violated the Fair Labor Standards Act through its use of volunteers and did not document the volunteers' work. Pearson wrote in a March 2017 ruling that trial testimony showed Angley and his managers at Cathedral Buffet encouraged members of his church to work at the buffet without pay. The for-profit restaurant used volunteers to save money and the volunteers felt pressured to provide free labor, meaning they should have been paid for their work, Pearson wrote. The pastor would suggest that church members were obliged to volunteer at the buffet to serve God and that not volunteering there would be the same as failing God, Pearson wrote. She ordered Angley and the buffet to pay more than $388,000, half of which was back wages, the other half in damages. The buffet, which Angley said never made a profit, closed its doors in April 2017. Senior Judge Eugene Siler, writing for the 6th Circuit panel, wrote that the threshold for fair labor cases such as the one brought against Angley and the buffet is whether workers expect to be paid. In this case, they did not, the panel ruled. And while the Labor Department said the workers were coerced into working at the buffet for free, the type of coercion required for such a ruling is economic, "not societal or spiritual," Siler wrote. "After all, the giving of one's time and money through religious obligation is a common tenet of many faiths," Siler wrote. "For instance, the Bible calls upon Christians to 'use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.'" The Labor Department also cited Angley in 1999 for the same thing. The buffet paid $37,000 in back wages at the time and agreed to comply with labor laws going forward. Bill Chris, an Akron attorney representing Angley and the buffet, said he was pleased with the court's decision and said he wished it was the conclusion Pearson had reached last year. He said in an additional emailed statement that the 6th Circuit's decision "protects religious and other civic-minded organizations from government overreach" and said the buffet operated to give church members an opportunity to reach out to the public. An email sent to the Labor Department seeking comment was not immediately returned. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man was sentenced Monday to nearly 16 years in federal prison for using a sawed-off shotgun to steal a car. Cody Coats, 26, stole a man's 2005 Chrysler Crossfire outside a bar in Euclid on Aug. 14, federal prosecutors said. He fired the shotgun during the robbery, according to a news release. Coats was later arrested after he crashed the car on East 222nd Street near Lakeshore Boulevard as police were chasing him, the news release says. Police found a shotgun and 20 12-gauge shells. He pleaded guilty in December to carjacking and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. A plea agreement he reached with prosecutors called for a sentence of 191 months in federal prison, which U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. agreed to on Monday. Coats apologized to both the court and the victim, who was not present, during his sentencing. Oliver said he hopes Coats uses his prison time to reflect on his crime and what the judge described as a troubled background. He has a separate assault and robbery case pending in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Monday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Three Cuyahoga County Council members - Dan Brady, Yvonne Conwell and Michael Houser - face opposition in the May 8 Democratic primary. The winners of those primary races will be unopposed in the November general election. Four other council incumbents and County Executive Armond Budish face no primary opponents. But Budish, a Democrat, will face Republican write-in candidate Peter Corrigan in November. Early voting and voting by mail are underway. Here is a rundown of the contested races. District 3: Brady, who serves as council president, is facing Lyonette Citron, daughter of former Cleveland Council member Nelson Cintron. Cintron did not return requests by for interviews or submit information to the editorial board for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. Brady, 64, has had a long political career and said this would be his last term of elected office. He is married to Cleveland City Council member Dona Brady. He has served on Council Council since 2011. He has served as council president since 2015. Brady said his previous experience serving as a Cleveland City Council member, a state representative and state senator makes him well-suited to represent his district. He has recently led council's efforts to limit some of the county executive's power, including placing more oversight of employee travel and educational activities. He also supported council hiring a consultant to oversee the county's much-delayed efforts to tie all computers and tech systems together. He said council has to be an independent body and needs to provide more oversight over the administration. "Honestly, I think the adminisitration needs to reorganize itself," he said in an interview last month. He said the eight Democrats and three Republicans currently serving as council members work together and respect each other. "It has been successful so far," he said. "People from both parties chair committees and introduce legislation. We don't always agree, but most of the issues are not partisan issues." District 3 includes Brooklyn, Linndale and several West Side Cleveland wards. Listen to Brady's interview before the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer here. District 7: Incumbent Democrat Yvonne Conwell faces Kris Harsh, housing director of the Metro West Community Development Corporation in the primary. Conwell, 53, was elected to County Council in 2010. She is married to Cleveland City Council member Kevin Conwell. Harsh, 41, is seeking political office for the first time. He said he was inspired to run because no one challenged Conwell in 2014. Harsh said people need to get more involved in county government though he acknowledged he has only attended one council meeting and doesn't watch proceedings on livestream. Harsh said county government also needs to be more transparent, but did not elaborate as to how. Conwell said she produces and delivers a newsletter in her district twice a year. Conwell said her accomplishments on council include seeking economic-development projects for her district. She now chairs the Health, Human Services and Aging Committee. "One of my passions is that while there are a lot of resources for homeless men there is not equal access for women," she said. She said she is developing legislation to establish a commission for women and girls, similar the county's fatherhood initiative. She said she also is discussing with nursing homes the possibility of using empty beds for people with mental-health issues. She said she also would support asking voters to create a tax to help people with mental-health and drug-addiction problems. Harsh said he has been an advocate for the homeless and he agreed with Conwell that improvements are needed at the women's homeless shelter. He said internet access has to be available to all county residents, Cuyahoga Community College should be free to county residents and municipalities should merge, especially East Cleveland into Cleveland. "I think council can benefit from new blood and trying new things," he said. He said council should have younger members. Conwell disagreed. "New blood is not necessarily the best thing," she said. "You also need experience." Both Conwell and Harsh said they would work full time as a council member though the jobs are considered to be part-time. District 7 includes most of Cleveland, except the West Side. Listen to Conwell and Harsh's interview before the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer here. District 10 Voters in Council District 10 will choose a candidate to serve the remaining two years of Anthony Hairston's term. Hairson left council after was elected to Cleveland City Council last November. Michael Houser, who was appointed by Cuyahoga County Democratic precinct committee members in January to fill the vacated seat, faces Cheryl Stephens, chief executive officer at the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation and a Cleveland Heights City Council member. Stephens had sought appointment to the seat. Houser, 29, left his position as special assistant to then-Cuyahoga County Chief of Staff Sharon Sobol Jordan to take the council job. He said he does not plan to hold another job. Stephens, 59, said she would resign from Cleveland Heights council, but would continue to work full-time while serving on County Council, as other members do. "This was never designed to be a full-time job," she said. Stephens said County Council's committees should take deep dives once a year on what issues face the county and nation and some best practices in other counties or states. Houser cited a "communication breakdown to a degree between the executive office and the council office," but added that steps are being taken to improve that. Stephens said County Council needs to build relationships with individual directors. Houser said he is concerned with economic development loans being issued for housing rather than projects that would provide jobs. Stephens, who served as director of acquisition, disposition and development for the Cuyahoga Land Bank from 2009 to 2017, said the county needs a strategy for re-developing commercial property and regaining housing values on Cleveland's East Side and in the eastern suburbs. Houser said he would continue to support job creation, make sure residents know what county resources exist, improve services for senior citizens and support health and human-service programs. They both agreed their district has high-income and low-income areas. District 10 includes East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, University Heights, Bratenahl and all or a portion of Wards 8 and 10 in Cleveland. Listen to Houser and Stephens' interview before the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer here. Four County Council incumbents are unopposed in May and November. They are: District 1: Incumbent Republican Nan Baker District 5: Incumbent Republican Michael Gallagher District 9: Incumbent Democrat Shontel Brown District 11: Incumbent Democrat Sunny Simon. The county executive serves for four years and is paid $175,000 a year. Council members serve four years and are paid $45,000 a year. Council member salaries will increase to $52,000 a year beginning in 2019. The salary of the council president remains at $55,000. The salary increase for the part-time council positions was approved by council in 2016. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Masthead Brewing Co. of Cleveland will be featured in a dinner at Table 45, a Wine vs. Beer brawl is planned, and many other beer events and tastings are set in Greater Cleveland. Have an item to submit? Deadline is Thursday; email me. APRIL Wednesday, April 18: Bad Tom Smith Brewing's Wikked Wednesday will offer a Flight of Four and Legend Series pint for $10. Bad Tom Smith is at 1836 W. 25th St., Cleveland. Thursday, April 19: 111 Bistro will feature The Brew Kettle at a five-beer, five-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $50 ($40 without beer) plus tax and tip. Call 330-952-1122. (It's pre-pay only, and mention whether you are having beer with dinner.) Beers to be served: Gigantische Holzig Munich-style Maibock Lager, 9.5 percent alcohol; L'Hazy Mango New England-style IPA, 6.1 percent; Rude Cru FramWOW! Belgian Imperial Flanders Ale, 7.75 percent; El Lupulo Libre Double IPA, 8.8 percent; Tunguska barrel-aged Imperial Stout, 10.8 percent. 111 Bistro is at 2736 Medina Road, Medina. Thursday, April 19: Thirsty Thursday at Jukebox will feature Platform Beer Co. at 5 p.m. It's at 1404 W. 29th St., Cleveland. Honey Blonde, Tap Truck Pilsner, Bocket Science German Lager and Cinderella Story Pale Ale will be poured. Friday, April 20: Jen's Place Craft Beer Tasting Room will hold beer school with Maize Valley Winery and Brewery at 6 p.m. Brewer Jake Turner will guide the tasting of four beers paired with small-plate dishes. Cost is $20. Reservations required. Pay via PayPal at jdhospitality87@gmail with Maize Valley in the notes or in person. Jen's Place is at 43 Lincoln Way E, Massillon. Saturday, April 21: Barley House in Akron will hold a tap takeover of beers from Saucy Brew Works at 6 p.m. Pints, samples and giveaways will be available. It's at 222 S. Main St., Akron. Monday, April 23: 750ml Wines will hold "Battle of the Breweries" 6-8 p.m. Lager Heads of Medina, Great Lakes of Cleveland, Sibling Revelry of Westlake and Thirsty Dog of Akron will be featured. Cost is $49 ($39, club members). 750ml is at 2287 W. Market St. in Akron and 8903 Brecksville Road in Brecksville. Reservations required. Tuesday, April 24: Bad Tom Smith Brewing's Double Barrel Tuesday will offer two pints for $7 at 4:30 p.m. Bad Tom Smith is at 1836 W. 25th St., Cleveland. Tuesday, April 24: Platform Beer Co.'s Charitable Tuesday beneficiary is City Dogs at 3 p.m. A dollar sold of every Platform beer or cider will be donated. Platform is at 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, April 26: The folks at Terrestrial Brewing Co. will feature "I Love It When I Save the Turtles Porter" at a fundraiser 4-6:30 p.m. The event aims to raise awareness about the shallow wetlands turtle. The brewery bills the beer as "not overly sweet. ... the chocolatey caramel-and-pecan porter with a hint of coffee is modeled after the decadent dessert 'turtle' confection." Terrestrial is at 7524 Father Frascati, Cleveland. Terrestrial will put the Porter on tap a few times throughout the year, donating $1 from every pint sold to Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Splash Fund, a nonprofit arm focused on education outreach, beach cleanup and the spotted turtle headstarting program. Thursday, April 26: The Barrel Room Wine and Beer Bar will feature Sibling Revelry Brewery beer at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $10 for four samples. Includes Cleveland Indians ticket giveaways. It's at 7901 Cleveland Ave., North Canton. Thursday, April 26: Jukebox will celebrate Record Store Day with Dogfish Head Brewery. Official beer is Dragons & YumYums Pale Ale. The day includes a raffle benefiting Near West Intergenerational School. It's at 1404 W. 29th St., Cleveland. Thursday, April 26: Platform Beer Co. will release BGVT Brewberry Warrior IPA at 5:30 p.m. Some of the proceeds will go to Brodie's Good Vibe Tribe. Platform is at 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. Thursday, April 26: Table 45 will hold a dinner featuring Masthead Brewing Co. at 6 p.m. Cost is $60 and includes parking. Call 216-707-4160. Beers to be served: Convent Crasher Belgian Abbey Ale, Masthead IPA, Falling Fruit, Masthead Wit, Fleeb Juice NE IPA, IPA and Coffee Stout. Friday, April 27: Heinen's will hold B is for Beer! 6-8 p.m. Taste six new beers from Cleveland-area breweries. Cost is $15. Purchase tickets in advance. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., downtown Cleveland. Friday, April 27: Rozi's will feature Masthead Brewing Co. of Cleveland at a tasting 6-8 p.m. Cost is $25. Eight beers on draft (plus 10 wines under $20) will be available. Ticket info is online. Beers include Bourbon Barrel Aged Hazelnut Tiramisu Underverse, Convent Crasher Dubbel, IPA, Single Origin Coffee Stout, Falling Fruit, Brute Force Double IPA and others. Rozi's is at 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood. Saturday, April 28: The inaugural Believeland Beer Fest will have two sessions - 2-5 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland. Here are details and tickets. Saturday, April 28: Platform Beer Co. will hold The Power of Sour. Tap list is in the works. Platform is at 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. MAY Friday, May 4: Deadline to sign up for Iron Brewer home-brewing competition in Cleveland. Details here. Friday, May 4: Heinen's will offer Cinco de Mayo Mexican-inspired brews 4-7 p.m. Taste beers that represent the style of Mexico's most famed breweries. Finger foods will be offered. Cost is $10 for a flight. It's at 20 Shopping Center Dr., Chagrin Falls. Saturday, May 5: Iron Brewer home-brewing competition takes place in Cleveland. Details here. Saturday, May 5: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will feature session ales 7:30-9:30 p.m. Train leaves from Rockside Station and goes through the national park. Tickets start at $50. Seating is assigned. Includes five beer selections and light appetizers from Moe's Restaurant and commemorative glass. Monday, May 7: National Home Brew Day. Cheers! Friday, May 18: Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Adult Swim series will feature local brews with cats and dogs. Cleveland Animal Protective League will be on site with adoptable animals. Cost is $40 ($30, aquarium passholders) and includes light hors d'ouevres. Event is expected to sell out. The aquarium is at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. Friday, May 18: Heinen's will hold a Wine vs. Beer Brawl 6-8 p.m. Choose your favorites in a blind tasting of three wines and three beers. Buy tickets in advance via Eventbrite. Cost is $15. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Saturday, May 19: Little Mountain Homebrewers will hold King of the Mountain homebrewers competition, which will be limited to 200 entries. Details to be announced. Saturday, May 19: Heinen's will hold Rhinegeist Dirty Dozen tap takeover 2-4 p.m. Taste 12 beers from the Cincinnati brewery. Cost is $20. Buy tickets in advance via Eventbrite. It's at 900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. JUNE Saturday, June 2: Acme will have a tasting featuring New Belgium Brewing Co. of Colorado noon-2 p.m. It's at 1835 W. Market St., Akron. Saturday, June 16: Iron Brewer competition winners are announced. Saturday, June 16: The second annual Cleveland Summer Beerfest will return to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in the Flats. Details to be announced. Saturday, June 16: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will feature Midwest ales 7:30-9:30 p.m. Train leaves from Rockside Station and goes through the national park. Tickets start at $50. Seating is assigned. Includes five beer selections and light appetizers and commemorative glass. JULY Saturday, July 21: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will feature great British beers 7:30-9:30 p.m. Train leaves from Akron Northside Station and goes through the national park. Tickets start at $50. Seating is assigned. Includes five beer selections and light appetizers and commemorative glass. Tuesday, July 31: Platform Beer Co.'s Charitable Tuesday beneficiary is Berea Community Learning Farm at 3 p.m. A dollar sold of every Platform beer or cider will be donated. Platform is at 4125 Lorain Ave., Cleveland. AUGUST Saturday, Aug. 18: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will feature Goose Island beers 7:30-9:30 p.m. Train leaves from Akron Northside Station and goes through the national park. Tickets start at $50. Seating is assigned. Includes five beer selections and light appetizers and commemorative glass. NOVEMBER Saturday, Nov. 17: Greater Cleveland Aquarium's Adult Swim series will feature Christmas ales and ciders. Cost is $40 ($30, aquarium passholders) and includes light hors d'ouevres. Event is expected to sell out. The aquarium is at 2000 Sycamore St., Cleveland. Nikki Delamotte, cleveland.com 10 things to do in Akron and Summit County the week of April 16-22 Spring is coming into full bloom, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate all over Akron and Summit County. From a trip to the Akron Zoo to concerts to art shows, youll find something for everyone. Listen to the score of Harry Potter performed while the movie is projected on the big screen. Sip wine as you travel through Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Listen to acclaimed bluegrass at Happy Days Lodge and jazz at BLU Jazz. Dance the night away to David Bowie and Prince at Thursdays Lounge. From nightlife to family fun, this is your guide to some of the best happenings around the region. Don't Edit "Imitation Girl" special Dread Central screening Dread Central, one of horrors biggest websites, is now bringing indie films to select cities and Cleveland and Akron happen to be two of the chosen locations. This month, Imitation Girl tells the story of an otherworldly creature that takes on the identity of the first person it sees. That happens to be an Iranian supermodel and the strange being will soon reach out to the model whos living a glamorous life in New York City. Thursday, April 19 Cleveland: Capitol Theatre, 1390 West 6th St., Cleveland, 7:30-9:30 p.m., More info Akron: Nightlight Cinema, 7 p.m., 30 North High St., Akron, More info Don't Edit (Photo: David Szalay, Darwin's Fox endangered species) Ed Emberley Gallery Talk with David Szalay Sometimes the best way to get perspective on art is from other artists. For this special tour of the Akron Art Museums Ed Emberley Better You Than Me, local artist David Szalay will guide attendees through the exhibit. The Myers School of Art Associate Professor of Graphic Design will delve into the artists work and the book publishing industry. Akron Art Museum is at 1 South High St., Akron. Thursday, April 19 6:30 p.m. More info Don't Edit (Photo: JazzWorks) JazzWorks JazzWorks, the resident ensemble of Tri-C Jazz Fest, performs originals and classics around the region. The all-star band featuring Howie Smith, John Klayman, Jack Schantz, Chris Anderson, Theron Brown, Aidan Plank, Bob Ferrazza and Reggie Jackson comes to Akrons BLU Jazz for a night of performance. In the past, theyve presented their own interpretations of legends such as Miles David, John Coltrane and Dexter Gordon. BLU Jazz is at 47 East Market St., Akron. Friday, April 20 8-11 p.m. More info Don't Edit Sierra Hull at Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park Bluegrass musician Sierra Hulls journey began as a child prodigy. The mandolin player has released two albums, and performed at the White House and Carnegie Hall, among other high-profile appearances. Shell perform at the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Parks Happy Days Lodge at 500 West Streetsboro St., Peninsula. Friday, April 20 7-10 p.m. More info Don't Edit Don't Edit (Photo: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad) Grape Escape on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Zip through Cuyahoga Valley National Park as you sip stellar vino. On this two-hour Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad ride, youll get to take five wines for a taste test as you absorb the scenery. It takes off from the Rockside Station at 7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence. Saturday, April 21 7:30 p.m. More info Don't Edit Michael Stanley and Friends Northeast Ohio favorite Michael Stanley will appear in Akron this weekend. It marks his first appearance at The Kent Stage at 175 East Main St., Kent. Saturday, April 21 7 p.m. More info Don't Edit Bowie versus Prince at Thursday's We may all miss David Bowie and Prince, but at least we can dance the night away in their honor. At Thursdays Lounge, this one-night event brings them together. DJ Eric Schuring and DJ Mario Nemr will spin their tunes all evening. Thursdays is at 306 East Exchange St., Akron. Saturday, April 21 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. More info Don't Edit (Photo: Akron Zoo) Party for the Planet at Akron Zoo In honor of Earth Day, Akron Zoo puts sustainability in the spotlight. This special party will bring together local organizations and businesses working to promote a healthier planet. Plus, youll meet plenty of wildlife as you learn. Akron Zoo is at 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron. Saturday, April 21 11 a.m.-4 p.m. More info Don't Edit Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert Couldnt get enough of Harry Potter on the silver screen? Akron Symphony Orchestras film concert series takes on the Chamber of Secrets at EJ Thomas Hall. Theyll be performing John Williams Grammy-nominated score as the film is projected. EJ Thomas Hall is at 189 Hill St., Akron. Saturday, April 21 1 p.m. More info Don't Edit Don't Edit "Neutral Buoyancy" by Nyki Fetterman opening reception Nature and man-made landscapes fuse in the work of Nyki Fetterman. Akron DIY space Hive Mind hosts a showing of the local artists work, which involves mixed media collages, wall assemblages and installation. Local band Posture will also perform following the reception. Hive Mind is at 375 West Exchange St., Akron. Saturday, April 21 6-10 p.m. More info FirstEnergy Solutions' plan to shut down its three nuclear power plants over the next three years is troubling to me. Two of these power plants (Davis-Besse and Perry) contribute 2,100 megawatts of reliable power to the grid in northern Ohio, employ 1,400 of our neighbors, and contributes $24 million in state and local taxes each year. Yet, government regulators are adamantly opposed to approving a $5 per month rate increase that would keep the nuclear plants open and the power flowing. It's troubling that Ohio will lose its only nuclear power generators in the state. It's troubling that natural gas generators will need to burn enormous quantities of natural gas (a non-renewable fossil fuel) to offset the loss of our zero-emission nuclear plants. It's troubling that residents and businesses in northern Ohio will soon be at the end of long transmission lines that are controlled by PJM, the de facto power broker located in Pennsylvania. It's troubling that the Sierra Club and National Resources Defense Council are in bed with the American Petroleum Institute and NRG Energy on this issue. And it's troubling to me that our state and federal regulators are allowing all of this to happen. Michael J. Svasta, Stow CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After leaving the RTA board on request, George Dixon III has left the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission without a request from that agency, according to officials. Randy Cole, the commission's executive director, said before a commission meeting today, April 16, 2018, that Dixon had called late last week to say he would resign. Last month, RTA trustees said they'd asked Dixon to resign after he admitted getting health insurance through the transit authority for years without paying premiums. Dixon did not attend today's turnpike meeting and could not be reached for comment. According to Cole, Dixon gave no reason for resigning. Cole said he'd had no problems with Dixon's service at the Turnpike, and Chairman Jerry Hruby agreed. "He was very dedicated," said Hruby, who is also mayor of Brecksville. "He had a dedication to certain issues, like minority hiring." Starting in 2001, Dixon has been appointed by governors to successive five-year terms on the board. His current term expires on June 30, 2022. Cole said today that he has not received a formal resignation yet from Dixon or heard about one from its proper recipient, the governor's office. In the past, governors have taken several months to fill vacant seats. Governor John Kasich's second term expires early next year, and he is limited from a third. Earlier this month, Cole said the commission had no plans to ask Dixon to resign. Only the legislature could force out a commissioner. At RTA, trustee Georgine Welo, also mayor of South Euclid, said late last week that her board is continuing to investigate Dixon's use of the transit agency's insurance and planning to seek full restitution. The board has hired managing partner Ralph Cascarilla from the Walter/Haverfeld law firm to help investigate. Welo has said that the investigation's scope would include actions of staff members who administer health coverage. Trustees are eligible for coverage, but Dixon was the only one using it. RTA is self-insured. Dixon, 65, has owned a grocery store and the historic Lancer's steakhouse. Cleveland Mayor Michael White appointed him to the RTA board in 1992. Starting in 1994, his fellow board members chose him every year as chairman. He also chaired the American Public Transportation Association in 2003-04. Mayor Frank Jackson is expected to choose Dixon's replacement. No timetable has been announced. Later on April 16, Cleveland City Council ratified the reappointments of Cleveland's three incumbent members of the RTA board: Leo Serrano, whose term will expire next March; Valarie McCall, March 2020, and Rev. Charles Lucas, March 2021. Turnpike commissioners make $5,000 per year and receive no insurance. RTA trustees make $4,800 per year and the chairman $6,000. The board has four seats filled by Cleveland, three by Cuyahoga County and three by the Cuyahoga County Mayors and City Managers Association. The terms are limited, but most members tend to be kept on the board awhile. An RTA nominating committee will meet May 1 to consider new officers. The committee's members are Nick Nardi and Karen Gabriel Moss, both county appointees, and Rev. Charles Lucas, a Cleveland choice. Their service on the committee makes them ineligible for board offices. They have not said yet whether they'll announce their recommendations publicly that day or wait until May 15, when the full board is supposed to elect the officers. The current vice chairman is Dennis Clough, who's also mayor of Westlake. Last year, 1,828 workers used RTA's medical coverage. Except for board members, only full-timers are eligible. Medical coverage in 2016 for a single person cost a monthly $616.36 for health maintenance organization care and $630.14 for preferred provider care. RTA paid up to 88 percent of the premiums for full-time workers, but part-timers paid 100 per cent. Counting claims, employer premiums and other costs, the medical coverage cost RTA $25.7 million last year. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County prosecutors have served another subpoena on the administration of County Executive Armond Budish, this time seeking email communications that county employees have had with Vox Mobile, a company that has done business with the county. The subpoena does not request communications involving specific employees, just those emails between county employees and "any person having an email address at the voxmobile.com domain or which contain the keyword "vox" or "voxmobile." Other county records obtained by cleveland.com through public records requests show that at least one county employee, IT Director Scot Rourke, had a connection to Vox Mobile. Rourke, who has been named in prior subpoenas and is on unpaid leave, disclosed on his resume in 2015 that he had been a founding board member of Vox Mobile and had helped raise $7.5 million in venture capital for the company. A "nepotism statement and conflict of interest form" that he signed in December of 2015 stated he had an ownership stake in Vox Mobile of less than 5 percent. Rourke described the company on his resume as being a "leading mobile managed services provider for global 2000 companies." The company's website says it has offices in Independence and Waterloo, Canada More than a year later, in early 2017, Rourke was asked to provide financial disclosure information for 2016. In an email to County Inspector General Mark Griffin on March 1, 2017, Rourke stated that he was a "small minority (angel) investor" in Vox Mobile, and that although the county had not previously done business with Vox Mobile, he had asked IT General Counsel Emily McNeeley and Chief Technical Officer Mike Young to "exclude me from any prospective discussions about possible(sic) doing any business with them." County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said Vox Mobile was competitively awarded a $75,600 contract in 2017. According to the terms, it was to take effect on May 1, 2017, and extend up to two years. The county paid the company $37,800, Madigan said, but recently canceled the contract before authorizing a second year. A call to Vox Mobile seeking comment was not immediately returned. Both Rourke and McNeeley, who also has been named in prior subpoenas, were placed on unpaid leave earlier this month and could not be reached for comment for this story. Eight previous subpoenas served on the county have sought communications Rourke and McNeeley have had with various companies, including Hyland Software, where McNeeley's spouse works, and OneCommunity, a nonprofit high-speed Internet provider that has since split into two entities, Everstream and DgitalC. Rourke ran OneCommunity for 10 years, leaving in 2013. He also helped turn around MCPc, a Cleveland company where he served as president from 2002 to 2003, according to his resume. Rourke revisited those business connections in his March 1, 2017 email to Griffin, stating that although MCPc does business with the county, he has not had a relationship with the company for more than 10 years. He also discussed his prior connection to OneCommunity, which had largely ceased doing business with the county, as well as his seat on an advisory board for a company called SecureState, which he described as a "local high growth tech company." Rourke stated that he had no "equity investment" in SecureState, which did not do business with the county, and that he did not refer business to the company. Griffin responded several days later, writing that Rourke's position on SecureState's advisory board did not conflict with his job at the county as long as he followed certain guidelines. The inspector general had no comment regarding Rourke's connection to Vox Mobile, OneCommunity or MCPc. An earlier version of this story misstated Rourke's ownershio stake in Vox Mobile. ATHENS, Ohio -- A man was injured Sunday after an explosion at an apartment near Ohio University, according to reports. The unidentified male was taken to O'Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens but there are no reports of his condition, 10tv.com reports. Officials tell the Athens News the man in his 20s was taken from the scene on a stretcher with apparent serious burns. The News says the man was conscious and responsive. All other residents in the building are accounted for, although a section of the building appeared to have crumbled, thepostathens.com reports. The explosion was reported around 5:15 p.m., according to 10tv.com. The cause has not been determined but the State Fire Marshal is investigating. An official with Columbia Gas tells 10tv.com the company doesn't believe it was gas-related. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.comcrime and courts comments section. WASHINGTON, D. C. - On a day when last-minute tax filers are scrambling to submit their tax returns, the Ohio Democratic Party is unveiling a "five figure" social media ad buy to highlight a long-ago tax dispute between Jim Renacci and the state of Ohio. The ad campaign launching Tuesday includes a video game at JumpinJimsTaxHurdles.com where a briefcase-toting cartoon figure of Renacci jumps over obstacles as he tries to avoid paying taxes. In addition to an ad on Twitter that asks "Can you avoid taxes like Congressman @Jim Renacci," the buy includes banner ads and a YouTube ad that can't be skipped. "Congressman Jim Renacci has a troubling history of bending and exploiting the rules to get ahead," said Lara Sisselman, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party. The ad stems from a dispute the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate against incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown had with the state of Ohio over a $359,822 penalty he paid on his 2000 taxes. Renacci appealed the penalty to the Ohio Supreme Court, which upheld Renacci's position in 2016, forcing the state of Ohio to refund the penalty The Supreme Court opinion said the tax commissioner abused his discretion by imposing a penalty on Renacci and his wife because the couple had "reasonable cause" to believe they didn't owe taxes on profits derived from an "S corporation" trust that the state later determined was subject to taxation." S corporations permit income to be taxed at an individual rate for federal tax purposes, and avoid double taxation on corporate income. The state of Ohio didn't tax such income for several years, but later changed its policy. The Renaccis were among a group of taxpayers who fought the change. The Renaccis' tax returns for 2000 claimed they lost $247,336. But state auditors deemed their S corporation use was improper, and determined they actually made $13,730,440 in profits. They ended up paying $1.4 million in taxes on that money, as well as the $359,822 penalty, but spent years litigating to get the penalty refunded. The lawsuit provided grist for numerous political ads over the years, such as a campaign ad that Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Betty Sutton placed against him when she ran for Congress in 2012, which criticized the Wadsworth congressman for "trying to avoid paying taxes on nearly 14 million dollars that he made." Renacci sued the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union for defamation over an ad that accused Renacci of cheating on his taxes. "The Ohio Democratic Party is now just embarrassing itself by recycling the same 2010 sham attacks on Jim Renacci's decision to fight for tax fairness, which the Ohio Supreme Court has since unanimously ruled in Jim Renacci's favor on," said Renacci communications director Brittany Martinez. "Or maybe they'll literally just say anything to distract voters from Sherrod Brown's out-of-touch record as one the most liberal politicians in America." CLEVELAND, Ohio - The iconic Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on the southeast quadrant of Public Square has a new caretaker and guide just in time for the busy summer season and the annual tunnel tours on Saturday. Rachel Zembo is a Cleveland native with a lifelong fascination for history and a zest for sharing her passion with school children and visitors to the 123-year-old monument to the 9,000 Cuyahoga County residents who served in the Civil War. Zembo, 26, came to the monument in February after working on Public Square for three years for the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. She replaced Tim Leslie, who served as caretaker for 12 years prior to his death last year. Zembo said she admired Leslie and hopes to carry on his tradition of sharing a love and appreciation for the masterwork of architect/sculptor Levi Scofield, who previously had served as a captain in the Union Army. "It's fascinating to me that so many people have lived their entire lives in Cleveland yet they've never stepped foot in here," said Zembo, the first woman to hold the position. "Some people will come in on a whim and end up spending an hour in here." After weathering more than a century of Cleveland winters and general neglect, attendance at the monument had declined to about 9,000 visitors annually 10 years ago. But a $2 million renovation and the recent $50 million transformation of Public Square have given its centerpiece a new vibrancy, attracting 100,000 visitors per year since Public Square was reopened in 2016, said Ted Prasse, monument commission president. The monument's most recognizable feature is the 125-foot-tall central column, a granite shaft crowned by a 15-foot-tall statue of Lady Liberty. Scofield's wife, Elizabeth, was the model for the statue, Zembo said. Inside the monument, visitors will find marble tablets etched with the names of Cuyahoga County residents who served in the Union Army during the Civil War, 1,100 of whom died. Large bronze relief sculptures cover the four walls of the center, depicting some of the leading participants from the war, including President Abraham Lincoln freeing a slave by removing his shackles and handing him a rifle. "Sometimes students will ask, 'What does the Civil War have to do with me?' I explain to them that our country is what it is today because of the Civil War," Zembo said. "I love history," she said. "Being able to help people to look back into history and to learn the differences these people made for our country is a lifelong dream of mine." Zembo and co-caretaker Shane Doyle will lead the free tours of the tunnels underneath the landmark structure on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors must be in line by 5 p.m. to get in before closing. Hours at the monument are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closed Monday. The monument will be open seven days a week after Memorial Day. A college student in Tennessee caused controversy after she posted graduation photos of herself toting a handgun and a pink "Women for Trump" shirt. She claims it is empowering for women to own guns so they can protect themselves, rather than rely on others to protect them. But critics argue guns are fundamentally incompatible with feminism. Women make up the large share of gun violence victims, and the NRA is just exploiting feminism for monetary gain. What do you think? PERSPECTIVES Brenna Spencer, a senior at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, caused an uproar after she posted her gun-toting graduation photos on Twitter. I dont take normal college graduation photos... pic.twitter.com/eI1NvLFYHs Brenna Spencer (@BrennaSpencer) April 7, 2018 Some criticized the student for "showing off" weapons in her photoshoot. But Brenna defended herself, arguing she wants to "empower other women" by encouraging them to protect themselves. Because Im proud of my second amendment right and I want to empower other women! Absolutely they are tools but I will always brag about being able to carry a gun to protect myself, my friends and my family! Brenna Spencer (@BrennaSpencer) April 8, 2018 Many conservatives applauded Brenna, arguing gun-carrying women represent "REAL feminism." This is what REAL feminism looks like. Strong, smart, confident, and armed Well done Brenna. You are what @TPUSA is all about Keep fighting https://t.co/1gQIdEsW4C Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 9, 2018 So many women of my generation see ourselves in "Brenna Spencer" Standing by her convictions & never using gender as a crutch! That's true empowerment! Laurie (@Jeaf79Lynn) April 11, 2018 Some women even posted photos of themselves in solidarity. ABC News called the police on my friend, Brenna Spencer (probably hoping to get a better story). Here I am in solidarity with Brenna, also carrying in public. We will NOT allow for Leftist intimidation tactics to hinder our inalienable #2A rights. pic.twitter.com/qzv9adtm9G Alana Mastrangelo (@ARmastrangelo) April 11, 2018 Others had a good laugh... But many argue guns are fundamentally incompatible with feminism because women are the most common victims of gun violence. Advocating for gun control is central to advancing women, not telling women they must own a firearm to feel safe in society. 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio - In a recorded message sent over the weekend to voters who requested early Democratic primary ballots, Ohio Rep. Martin J. Sweeney told voters they needed to put a single stamp on the return envelope. But the two-page ballot requires at least two stamps to cover 71 cents worth of postage. Sweeney recorded a second call with his daughter, Bride Rose Sweeney, who is running for the Ohio House seat that he currently holds in the 14th District, which includes parts of Cleveland. Martin J. Sweeney is running for the Ohio Senate in District 23. In the second call, Martin J. Sweeney says, "Just calling to thank you for voting early." Then Bride repeats the incorrect postage information. "And remember that you only need one stamp for your return postage." Martin J. Sweeney told cleveland.com Monday morning that he is recording a new message with correct information that will be distributed to the "same universe." He said he was given "bad information" about the cost of mailing the ballot but accepts responsibility for the mistake. Noting past practice of the U.S. Post Office, Sweeney said he believed that ballots with incorrect postage will make it to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. But taxpayers are on the hook for the Sweeneys' mistake. Elections board spokesman Mike West said the board pays the difference. West said that the Green Party ballot and issues-only ballot are each a single page and require a single stamp. He said the Republican and Democratic ballots are both two pages and require 71 cents. West said that all ballots are mailed with a note about the proper postage. OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- William Traine, who was dismissed as police chief in February, has filed a lawsuit against the city seeking his former job and damages. Traine was appointed to the position as Interim Police Chief in March 2016. Former Olmsted Falls Police Chief William Traine (Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com) "This lawsuit is a result of a wrongful termination of Chief Traine," said attorney Craig Bashein, who is representing Traine. "He was the permanent chief of police for Olmsted Falls that received written confirmation of that from the outside law firm representing the city, from the law director and also from the mayor. "As a result, he was protected under the Olmsted Falls Civil Service rules and regulations, which would only allow the city to terminate Chief Traine for cause. He was not terminated for cause. The new mayor came in, and as a result he was let go without cause. That's a wrongful termination. He was then replaced in his position by a less qualified and younger candidate." The opinion Bashein referenced came from labor employment firm Littler Mendelson P.C. and was used by former city Law Director Greg Sponseller and former Mayor Ann Marie Donegan to determine that Traine was police chief. As for recently appointed Police Chief Odis Rogers, the 17-year veteran received the top score in the Civil Service test administered late last year. Initially, Traine was supposed to take the test, but he didn't show up, based on the Littler Mendelson P.C. findings. Mayor James Graven said Traine was dismissed after the city received a legal opinion from Cleveland law firm Walter Haverfield LLP regarding the fact that Traine never took a Civil Service test. "He was not the police chief, officially," Graven said. "Council said he was a temporary assistant safety director, because you can only be an acting chief for 120 days. So that's what they did. After 120 days they said, 'Uh-oh, what are we doing to do now? Let's just make him temporary assistant safety director.'" Previously, Graven told cleveland.com that Traine, as a temporary assistant safety director, was an unclassified employee. "Thus, he cannot appeal to Civil Service, because he has never taken a competitive Civil Service examination in Olmsted Falls," Graven said. "We are quite secure in our position that he had no entitlement to continue to be employed by the city of Olmsted Falls," said Law Director Andrew Bemer, who noted that the city eliminated the assistant safety director position in February. The matter is headed to Cuyahoga County Court, where a judge will make a legal determination regarding the two differing opinions. "It's clear that the attorney hired on behalf of the city, the law director (Sponseller) and the mayor (Donegan) all represented to Chief Traine that he was a permanent chief," Bashein said. "Based on those representations, he proceeded in that capacity and did not take the exam. "The fact that a new mayor comes in and doesn't like the opinion, and then for political reasons or other reasons goes out and gets another opinion to suit his position, I don't think that justifies what occurred to Chief Traine," Bashein said. Added Graven: "I stand behind our charter. I'm also a lawyer. I follow the law. The charter of the city of Olmsted Falls states that chief of police promotions must be based on merit through a competitive examination. This is a very simple case. The guy didn't take the test." OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- Olmsted Falls is known as one of the more scenic areas of Northeast Ohio. With this in mind, city officials are hoping to capitalize on its natural surroundings with a new art contest. "The art show has been a concept that's been talked about for several years, namely because of the number of artists that the community attracts," Olmsted Falls Director of Economic Development Paula Accordino said. "You can frequently see photographers and painters working here all times of the year. "Olmsted Falls is probably one of the most photographed communities, with the falls and historic architecture, but also having an art show and attracting artists is something that's being thought about as an economic development tool, as well," she said. The Olmsted Falls Art Contest is currently open to submissions of all media and will be judged in different categories: amateur, professional, high school and middle school. The 2018 Art Contest Committee -- which includes Accordino, Bernie D'ettore, Barbara Richardson, Teresa Graven, Brett Lojzim, Jayme Palker, Jo Ann DePolo and Amber West -- will be selecting judges for the competition. The submission closing date is July 25, with the winners announced at the Olmsted Falls Art Show taking place Aug. 3-5 at City Hall. "So far, there's tremendous excitement about the contest," Accordino said. "We've been announcing it internally to groups, and we're also working with the schools because we'd like to get the kids to participate in it." Another component of the contest is fundraising. Accordino said the city expects to receive hundreds of submissions, with artists paying $10 for up to two entries and $15 for three. "We're hoping to generate funds through the entry fees, but also the winners will have their work selected to be reproduced on greeting cards, postcards, T-shirts and other things," Accordino said. "Those will be sold through the city on our website, and we're also exploring the possibilities of making those available for our local businesses to also sell." Any proceeds from the sales will benefit Main Street Olmsted Falls, a nonprofit organization that will create sustainable economic development and a vibrant cultural center in the downtown. "It's just very exciting," Accordino said. "I think it's going to be a really good thing." Michele Crowe/CBSJason Aldean walked off with his third straight Entertainer of the Year award at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, held Sunday night in Las Vegas, and used his acceptance speech to thank country fans for helping him through a "rough year." "Thanks to everybody who reached out to us [and] showed us love and support over the last six months," said Aldean, who was performing his set as the Route 91 Harvest Festival massacre in Las Vegas unfolded back in October. He also acknowledged the victims, saying they were "always in our hearts...and we love Las Vegas -- Vegas strong." Aldean -- along with Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett -- also opened the show, saying they wanted to open with "something that shows what its like for our country music family to be back in Las Vegas for the first time since October 1. We thought about starting with a song, but its a lot bigger than a single song, he continued. Its everything youll hear tonight -- the songs that bring us to our feet, make you wanna pull someone close, or just live in the moment. Nothing can take that away from us. Other big winners included Chris Stapleton -- who wasn't in attendance -- taking home male vocalist honors, along with an Album of the Year nod for From a Room: Vol. 1. But that wasn't even the best news of the night for Chris. While accepting the award on his behalf, host Reba McEntire revealed that his wife Morgane had just delivered twins. "We just found out that those little rascals came a little bit early," McEntire announced. "Hot off the press! Twin boys!" Sunday was also Stapleton's 40th birthday. It was also a big night for Miranda Lambert, who took home her ninth consecutive Female Artist of the Year award, as well as Song of the Year honors for "Tin Man." The two trophies now make her the winningest artist in ACM history. "I love country music, it is my entire life...I dedicate everything I have to it, she said while accepting the female vocalist award. " For y'all to care so much about what I'm doing, I'll never, ever take it for granted." Old Dominion pulled off a major upset, beating out Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town for Vocal Group of the Year. "We look good, we feel good, we're friends and we're having a ball, said the band's Matthew Ramsey, expressing their shock. The ACM also debuted "ACM Flashbacks on Sunday, this year honoring three classic country songs from 1993. Toby Keith and Blake Shelton performed Keiths debut single "Shouldve Been a Cowboy"; Alan Jackson and Jon Pardi teamed up for Jacksons ACM Award-winning hit "Chattahoochee"; and Reba was joined by Kelly Clarkson for McEntires hit Does He Love You, originally recorded with Linda Davis. Reba even broke out the infamous super low-cut red dress that shook country music fans when she wore 25 years ago. Other performers included Kenny Chesney, Maren Morris, Florida Georgia Line and Bebe Rexha, Kelsea Ballerini and Keith Urban. Carrie Underwood also performed for the first time since suffering a fall at her home in November, resulting in injuries that required surgery to her wrist and more than 40 stitches to her face. Her face looked perfectly fine, and she received a standing ovation following the debut performance of her song, "Cry Pretty." Reba -- in her 17th go-round as ACM host -- steered clear of politics in her opening monologue, but did fire off one joke aimed at the lack of female representation in country music. Noting that in recent years, the ACMs have been hosted by first Shelton and Luke Bryan, then Bryan and Dierks Bentley, she quipped, "I guess they finally figured out that it only takes one woman to do the work of two men." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At least $1.2 million in what appears to be untraceable "dark money" was spent by three groups to help or hurt Republican candidates during the first quarter of 2018, newly filed federal campaign finance documents show. A little more than $1 million went into the Ohio governor's race to two Super PACs, one that supports Attorney General Mike DeWine and another that supports Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. Another $150,000 went to a Super PAC that paid for TV ads attacking State Rep. Larry Householder, the Ohio House speaker candidate. The organizations that made the donations, reported Sunday in documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, appear to have been structured in such a way that intentionally obscures the source of the money. One group, which gave about $206,000 to a Super PAC supporting Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's run for governor, on its most recent tax filing listed its address as a PO Box in Washington D.C. with a listed phone number that appears to have been incorrect. Another group, which gave $850,000 to a Super PAC supporting Taylor shortly before the group placed a statewide ad campaign attacking DeWine, has no other obvious public presence. Catherine Turcer, the executive director of Common Cause Ohio, a left-leaning good-government group, said so-called "dark money" makes it impossible to assess what political donors' agendas are, and circumvents regulations meant to promote transparency in political spending. "We're not surprised that Super PACs are involved with federal elections or presidential elections," Turcer said. "It is a bit surprising though when this activity goes on in races for the [Ohio] Statehouse." Here are the three dark money groups, and a quick description of their donations: The Independence and Freedom Network This new group is a non-profit 501(c)(4), or what the IRS calls a "social welfare organization." It registered with the Ohio Secretary of State's Office on April 13, 2017. On March 16, it gave $850,000 to Onward Ohio, a Super PAC supporting Lt. Gov Mary Taylor in her run for Ohio governor. The group was Onward Ohio's only reported donor during the first quarter of 2018. Four days later, Onward Ohio launched a statewide TV campaign attacking Taylor's primary opponent, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Onward Ohio spent $800,000 total during the first quarter of 2018. Google, the search engine, registers no results for the Independence and Freedom Network other than its incorporation articles, or news articles or social media posts about the newly uncovered March donation to the pro-Taylor group. James G. Ryan, a Columbus attorney who filed the group's incorporation articles in Ohio, didn't return a message. A message left with Onward Ohio wasn't returned. Freedom Frontier Freedom Frontier is another 501(c)(4) with tax records dating back to at least 2011. Freedom Frontier during the first quarter of 2018 gave about $206,300 to Ohio Conservatives for a Change, a Super PAC created last year to support Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. Ohio Conservatives for a Change converted to a pro-DeWine Super PAC sometime after Husted became DeWine's running mate in December. Freedom Frontier's most recent tax filing, filed with the IRS in April 2017, lists the group's address as a P.O. Box in Washington, D.C. But the most recent entry on the IRS public website, dated 2015, alternatively lists an address in Austin, Texas associated with a company that helps incorporate companies, as its address. The April 2017 tax filing lists a Google Voice phone number with an Austin area code as its only contact information. A reporter left a message at the number, and later received a call back from a woman with a different Texas phone number who didn't know anything about how her number ended up on a tax form. Freedom Frontier on its tax filing describes its mission as advocating for "free market solutions to the multitude of economic challenges that our country currently faces." The 2015 entry on the IRS website lists Joel Riter, a Republican political operative in Ohio, as its then-treasurer. Reached Monday, Riter didn't appear familiar with the group, and said his listing as its former treasurer was a "clerical error." Another listed treasurer, John Jude, couldn't be reached. Ohio Conservatives for a Change also reported two clearly disclosed donations -- $50,000 from Ginni Ragan, a major Republican donor from the Columbus area and $10,000 from Stephanie McCloud, a Columbus-area attorney. The group spent about $205,000 during the first quarter of 2018, much of it going to Majority Strategies, a political mail firm run by Brett Buerck, a Republican political operative and Ohio native. Ohio Conservatives for a Change also reported owing Majority Strategies another $939,000. A spokesman for Ohio Conservatives for a Change could not be reached. LZP LLC The Honor & Principles PAC filed organizational paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission on March 26. The group's first-quarter campaign finance filing lists one donation -- $175,000 given on March 28 by "LZP LLC," a Columbus corporation that filed incorporation articles with the state the day before. On March 29, the Honor and Principles PAC spent about $163,000 on a media buy. On April 1, the group launched a TV commercial launched attacking State Rep. Larry Householder, according to Medium Buying, a Columbus Republican political firm that tracks and places political ads in Ohio. Ryan, the Columbus attorney who helped incorporate the Independence and Freedom Network, also filed paperwork incorporating LZP LLC. He has not returned a message seeking comment. The treasurer for the Honor and Principles PAC, Lisa Lisker, in a recent telephone interview that said she couldn't discuss her clients. An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Ryan, the Columbus attorney, incorporated the Honor and Principles PAC. It also incorrectly said that LZP LLC was incorporated in April 2018, not April 2017. SEVEN HILLS, Ohio -- Former City Councilman Timothy Fraundorf, 65, told Seven Hills police on April 9 that he was assaulted by Tom Jaros, 71, while leaving a city development meeting. The incident, which resulted in Fraundorf injuring his right leg, took place outside of City Council chambers. The former councilman said that during the meeting, he and Jaros disagreed about different issues. Afterward, Fraundorf said he was standing in the vestibule. That's when Jaros followed him out and made comments that Fraundorf had "bad-smelling aardvark breath." The former councilman alleges that Jaros pushed him backward twice. This caused Fraundorf to have pain in his leg. After Jaros left, Fraundorf went directly to the Police Department to report the incident. When asked by an officer if he needed medical attention, Fraundorf said he would drive himself to the hospital to be evaluated. There were no witnesses to the encounter. The officer said Fraundorf didn't have any visible injuries. Less than an hour later, Jaros came to the Police Department to discuss the incident. He said Fraundorf was not only waiting for him outside of City Council chambers, but also was blocking his exit. Jaros then extended his arm and placed it on Fraundorf while he passed by, but said he didn't push the former councilman. The officer asked Jaros to give a statement, but he refused. "There are no charges," Police Lt. Jeffery Gezymalla said. "The Detective Bureau is looking at it to see if there should be charges against one of them or the other or both." Jaros declined comment, while Fraundorf could not be reached. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The National Weather Service in Cleveland issued a flood warning for Cuyahoga, Medina, Stark, Summit, Wayne and Holmes counties until 12:15 a.m. Monday. According to the warning, at 6:21 p.m. Doppler radar indicated heavy rain that will cause flooding. One to two inches of rain have already fallen. Additional rainfall amounts will likely range from a half-inch to over an inch in the warned areas. The weather service urges to "turn around, don't drown" when encountering flooded roads because most flood deaths occur in vehicles. They say to be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. The National Weather Service also issued a flood advisory for Geauga, Lake and Portage counties until 1:30 a.m. Monday. For more on today's weather, check out Cleveland's weekend weather forecast. Radar loop 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 and Twitter @KellyRWeather. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This weekend, it rained and rained and rained, flooding some Northeast Ohio rivers and pushing Lake Erie onto the shores. A storm system brought widespread rain with an embedded stronger line of storms that induced flooding in Cleveland, and produced a tornado warning in Stark, Portage and Summit counties. What started the rain? A strong low-pressure system with its associated front sprawled across Kentucky, southern Ohio, West Virginia and Virginia was the trigger of strong atmospheric instability. When that type of system churns through warm enough air, rain showers can strengthen to thunderstorms. The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can hold which acts as fuel to storms. National Weather map Sunday showing the placement of the low-pressure center with its associated front. (NOAA) Where was the flooding? The first flood warning of the evening was issued at 6:22 p.m. for Cuyahoga, Medina, Summit, Stark, Wayne and Holmes counties. The National Weather Service issued the alert once they saw Doppler radar-indicated heavy rain that was enough to cause flooding. One to two inches of rain had already fallen at that point, and additional rainfall amounts were likely range from a half-inch to over an inch in the warned areas. The heavy rain caused a construction landslide at I-77 in downtown Cleveland, and pockets of flooded roads in University Circle. Monday morning, Police blocked off several stretches of roads, including Cedar Road from East 105th Street to Murray Hill, Stokes from Euclid to Carnegie and East 55th from Bessemer to McBride. Crazy flooding in University Circle shows cars almost submerged in water. The entire area near MLK Dr. is closed to traffic. pic.twitter.com/sSPVzCKac6 News 5 Cleveland (@WEWS) April 16, 2018 Areas of the Bass Islands are completely inundated as winds over 40 mph spilled water "over seawalls, into streets, businesses and several homes making the passage from the eastern point of South Bass Island into town," reports Visit Put-In-Bay. Almost 2 inches of rain fell at Cleveland Hopkins International airport over the weekend, 2.14 inches at Akron-Canton airport and just 1.21 inches for Youngstown. This colorful map is a doppler radar estimate of 24 hour rainfall totals through 2 am today. Areas in yellow generally received more than two inches of rain. The numbers on the map are measured 24 hour reports from our automated rain gauge network. pic.twitter.com/aOIIBFVZK1 NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) April 16, 2018 What about Lake Erie? Strong winds created monstrous waves from 13 to 15 feet in Lake Erie over the weekend, which had some surfers grabbing for the wet suits -- water temperatures were in the 30s. The waves shut down the Miller Ferry. What happened during that tornado warning? The National Weather Service confirmed a weak, EF-1 tornado touched down Sunday in Summit County during the storm survey earlier today, but the warning for Portage and Stark counties was unwarranted. What flood warnings, advisories remain? As of 8:30 a.m. Monday, the following rivers remain above flood stage: Current flood warnings Portage River at Woodville Chagrin River at Willoughby Grand River at Painesville Cuyahoga River at Independence Eagle Creek at Phalanx Station Scioto River near Larue Mahoning River at Leavittsburg Mahoning River at Warren Mahoning River at Youngstown Residual water from rain overnight will continue to make its way into area waterways and rises on creeks, streams, and rivers are likely, says the weather service. As a result, the following counties are still susceptible to flooding as scattered rain lingers: Current flood advisories Portage County until 4:15 p.m. Monday Geauga County until 4:15 p.m. Monday Cuyahoga County until 6:15 p.m. Monday Medina County until 6:15 p.m. Monday Stark County until 6:15 p.m. Monday Summit County until 6:15 p.m. Monday Wayne County until 6:15 p.m. Monday Holmes County until 6:15 p.m. Monday Mahoning County until 4:45 p.m. Monday Trumbull County until 4:45 p.m. Monday 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 and Twitter @KellyRWeather. UPDATE: The tornado warning has been canceled for all counties. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The National Weather Service in Cleveland issued a tornado warning for Portage and Stark counties until 7:15 p.m. tonight. According to the warning, at 6:27 p.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Cuyahoga Falls, or near Akron, moving northeast at 25 mph. Additional storms located along the line in Stark County were also capable of producing a tornado. The weather service says flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely. This dangerous storm will be near Kent, Hudson and Twinsburg around 6:40 p.m. and Streetsboro around 6:50 PM. The tornado could move to Ravenna around 6:55 p.m. and Mantua around 7:00 p.m., then to Garrettsville around 7:15 p.m., according to estimates by the National Weather Service. Those in the warned areas need to take cover now. "Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris." To follow details on the warning, go to the National Weather Service in Cleveland's website. Radar loop Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Overview: Dairy enzymes are used for the production of cheese and yoghurt as well as other dairy products. These enzymes function as a coagulant, which is required to make cheese. Also, bioprotective enzymes enhance the shelf life and safety of dairy products. Moreover, they are also used to improve texture and flavor. Dairy enzymes are widely used in the production of several functional dairy beverages. Globally, dairy enzymes are witnessing high demand. Furthermore, the rising demand for dairy-based products such as yogurt as well as fresh and fermented cheese is supporting the growth of the global dairy enzymes market. With increasing health awareness among the population, the demand for vegan dairy enzymes is experiencing a positive growth. High application of dairy enzymes is found to have a positive influence on the sale of functional dairy products. Furthermore, higher private investments by companies involved in the dairy enzymes market to gain consumer attention are driving the growth of the global dairy enzymes market. Additionally, the enhancement of the product coupled with technological advancements is considered to be one of the significant reasons for the increasing growth of the dairy enzymes market during the forecast period, 2017-2023. Receive a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5146 The global dairy enzymes market share in the foods and beverages industry is escalated by the rising demand for dairy products in the developed countries. Dairy enzymes are found to have wide application in dairy industry, amongst which the application in the cheese production, and dairy beverages is increasing at a higher rate. Increasing consumption of yogurt among the young consumers is a primary driving factor for the growth of dairy enzymes market. Dairy enzymes add additional nutritional value and flavour to fermented products including yogurts. Consumption of dairy products is increasing globally and consumer preferences are changing from ice-creams to yogurts and speciality cheese. Major Key Players: Some of the key players profiled in the global dairy enzymes market: Danisco A/S (Denmark), Chr Hansen Holding A/S (U.S.), DSM Food Specialties B.V. (the Netherlands), Novozymes A/S (Denmark), Biocon Limited (India), Genencor International, Inc. (U.S.), Amano Enzyme Inc. (Japan), Campina (the Netherlands), Anchor (New Zealand), and Fonterra Co-op Group Ltd. (New Zealand) Key Findings: Dairy enzymes have a massive opportunity in the dairy industry Application of dairy enzymes in functional dairy supplements is experiencing a higher growth rate Industry Segments: The global dairy enzymes market is segmented into type and application. On the basis of the type, it is segmented into lactase, rennet, lipases, catalase, proteinases, peptidases, and others. Among all, the rennet enzyme segment is dominating the market followed by the lactase due to its high use in cheese production. On the basis of the application, the dairy enzymes market is segmented into kefir, yogurt, cheese, sour cream, and others. The kefir segment is dominating the market due to increasing demand for functional beverage enriched with essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/dairy-enzymes-market-5146 Regional Analysis: The global dairy enzymes market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (RoW). The North American region is dominating the market followed by Europe owing to the increasing demand for of flavoured milk across especially in the U.S. Additonally, rising consumer preferences for value added milk products such as flavoured milk and organic milk has uplifted the demand for dairy enzymes at global level. Furthermore, growing demand for dairy products including for kefir, yogurt, and cheese is also supporting the growth of dairy enzymes market in the North American region including countries such as the U.S. and Canada. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market: Global Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2013 to 2017 and Forecast 2018 to 2024 Global Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market: By Technology (ELISA, Nucleic Acid Amplification, Rapid Test, Real-Time PCR, Fluorescence Assay, and Western Blot), By Product type (Platelets, Red Blood Cells, and Albumin), By Application (Disease Screening, Blood Grouping, Others), By End User (Hospitals, Blood Banks, Diagnostic Laboratories), and Geography Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2024 Global blood transfusion diagnostics market was valued at US $ XX Mn in 2017 and expected to grow at 7.0% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over 2018 to 2024 Market Outline: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Blood transfusion is a medical procedure in which the blood is donated to the patient through a narrow tube that is placed within the vein. The blood transfusion is a life-saving procedure which helps in replacing the blood loss during surgery or injury. The transfusion process is done even if the patients body is not capable of make blood owing to illness. With blood transfusion process, blood products like red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and others are transfused to the patient. The blood transfusion diagnostics play a vital role in the blood transfusion which reduces the chance of infection. Market Dynamics: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market The development in the technology is a key factor attributing to the growth of the blood transfusion diagnostics market. The growing blood transfusion procedures and increasing prevalence of infectious diseases are anticipated to drive the growth of the market. Increase in the awareness among the healthcare fraternity regarding the blood transfusion is likely to propel the growth of the market. The automation of the blood banks are adding fuel for the growth of the blood transfusion diagnostics market. However, the risk involved in the transmission of the infectious diseases is likely to hinder the growth of the blood transfusion diagnostics market. A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/blood-transfusion-diagnostics-market/#ulp-4H8Z4LpNMLEuOnnx Market Scope: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Blood transfusion diagnostics market is segmented based on the technology, product type, and end-user. Based on the technology, the market is segmented into the following: ELISA Nucleic Acid Amplification Rapid Test Real-Time PCR Fluorescence Assay Western Blot Based on the product type, the market is segmented into the following: Platelets Red Blood Cells Albumin Based on the application, the market is segmented into the following: Disease Screening Blood Grouping Others Based on the end user, the market is segmented into the following: Hospitals Blood Banks Diagnostic Laboratories Regional Analysis: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Geographically, global blood transfusion diagnostics market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America blood transfusion diagnostics market is growing due to increase in the prevalence of blood related disorders. The higher awareness among the patient pool is likely to enhance the growth of the market in this region. The growing adoption of the nucleic acid amplification in the diagnosis of the blood and blood products is enriching the growth of the blood transfusion diagnostics market. The increasing adoption of the advanced treatment procedures is adding fuel for the growth of the market in this region. The Europe and the Asia Pacific regions fall next to that of the North America. The Asia Pacific market is expected to be the fastest growing market over the forecast period owing to its presence of large number of patient pool. To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/blood-transfusion-diagnostics-market/#ulp-c654SbFYO64MsOhu Competition Assessment: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Some of the players in the global blood transfusion diagnostics market include: Abbott Diagnostics (U.S) Novartis AG (Switzerland) Becton Dickinson (U.S) BAG healthcare (Germany) DiaSorin (Italy) Fujirebio (Belgium) Grifols (Spain) Siemens (Germany) Quidel (U.S) Hologic/Gen-Probe (U.S) Biokit (Spain) Bio-Rad (U.S) Beckman Coulter (U.S) Quotient Limited (U.S) Diagast (France) Notable Market Developments: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market In June 2017, Grifols has launched Erytra Eflexis, the latest advancement in scalable blood typing solutions which can adapt to different laboratory workflow Need more information about this report @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/blood-transfusion-diagnostics-market/#ulp-14mlyhjMGhVjZqa3 Key Features of the Report: The report covers exhaustive regional information, that includes North America (the USA and Canada), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, UK, Spain, Russia, Poland and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (Japan, China, India, Australia & New Zealand, ASEAN (Includes Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and Others), South Korea, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentian, Venezula, and Rest of Latin America), and Middle East and Africa (Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries, Israel, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East and Africa) The report provides granular level information about the market size, regional market share, historic market (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2024) The report covers in-detail insights about the competitors overview, company share analysis, key market developments, and their key strategies The report outlines drivers, restraints, unmet needs, and trends that are currently affecting the market The report tracks recent innovations, key developments and startups details that are actively working in the market The report provides a plethora of information about market entry strategies, regulatory framework and reimbursement scenario The report analyses the impact of the socio-political environment through PESTLE Analysis and competition through Porters Five Force Analysis in addition to recent technology advancements and innovations in the market Get access to full summary @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/blood-transfusion-diagnostics-market/ About Precision Business Insights Precision 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 2NX Email: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.com Toll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553 Website @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser Mitu Gulati and Mark Weidemaier About two weeks ago, we held a small conference at the University of North Carolina School of Law: How Best to Restructure the Venezuelan Debt. The conference focused on proposals developed this semester by students in our joint UNC-Duke class on international debt finance. Some proposals started fresh; others took an existing idea and built on it. Four student groups presented their work and got feedback from a group of about twenty experienced lawyers, bankers and policy-makers. This wasto our mindsan exceptional group, extraordinarily knowledgeable about sovereign debt markets and with particular insight into Venezuela. Included were Lee Buchheit, Chanda DeLong, Brett House, Fulvio Italiani, Hongtao Jiang, Ruth Krivoy, Trevor Messenger, Siobhan Morden, Katia Porzecanski, and a list of others who we will leave unnamed for confidentiality reasons. We are immensely grateful to all of them for their generosity to us and our students. After the student presentations, our visiting guests offered their perspectives about the Venezuelan debt crisis. It was a treat for us and our students to hear such expertsall of whom have given a great deal of thought to the crisisdiscuss solutions to one of the most complicated restructuring problems in recent history. Not all of the discussion was intended for public consumption, but we have permission to post this video of a terrific conversation between Lee Buchheit and Brett House. After incorporating feedback from the conference, our students have posted their proposals on SSRN. We are really proud of their work. We pushed them hard, at least as hard as we have pushed any prior class, and they responded in spades. Like every proposal, these have flaws (and some are more plausible than others on the risk-reward continuum). But with that caveat, each represents an immense amount of work and contains new ideas: PDVSAs Hail Mary: A Chapter 15 Bankruptcy Solution (Samantha Hovaniec, Ryan Nichols, Matthew Taylor, Heather Werner & Rich Gittings) Lien-ing on PDVSA: The Positive Side of Negative Pledge (Matt Cramer, Kelsey Moore, Andrea Kropp & Charlie Saad) The Enduring Legality of Exit Consents: A Realists Guide (Steven Diaz, Stephanie Funk, Isabelle Sawhney, Gavin Kim & Austin Rogers) Oil For Debt: A Unique Proposal For the Unique Problem that is Restructuring Venezuelas Debt (Aditya Mitra, Andres Ortiz, Bernard Botchway, Evaristo Pereira, Shane ONeil & Will Curtis) These papers build on a long line of students papers on topics related to sovereign debt restructuring, some of which have made it to publication. Last year, Dimitrios Lyratzakis and Khaled Fayyad got their proposal, Restructuring Venezuelas Debt Using Pari Passu, published in the Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law. And sometimes, when the proposals are especially creative or insightful, they manage to get the attention of reporters at the Financial Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, and elsewhere. As the cost of living continues to rise, many families are on the lookout for ways to save money at the checkout when buying groceries. However even the most determined bargain-hunter would struggle to feed a family on just $50 a week. FEMAIL took up the challenge at the three big supermarket chains, trying to complete a weekly shop with just $50. FEMAIL used a popular meal guide created by Queensland mother-of-two Jody Allen. Ms Allen, the founder of the blog, Stay at Home Mum, made headlines when she claimed to spend just $50 on groceries for her family of four. On her weekly list is three litres of milk, two loaves of bread, broccoli, potatoes, flour, frozen vegetables, a dozen eggs, apples, three cans of crushed tomatoes, spaghetti, 500 grams mince meat, rice, sultanas, popping corn, apricot halves, chicken pieces, bacon, onions and oats. There were some surprising results and disparities between the three supermarkets. Here's what we found. On her Jody Allen's list is three litres of milk, two loaves of bread, broccoli, potatoes, flour, frozen vegetables, a dozen eggs, apples, three cans of crushed tomatoes, spaghetti, 500 grams mince meat, rice, sultanas, popping corn, apricot halves, chicken pieces, bacon, onions and oats (pictured: Groceries from Coles) Coles was slightly cheaper than Woolworths, but Aldi came in the best for value - and often you got more for your money at this supermarket (stock image) The Woolworths total came in at $55.60 for all of this food (pictured) - at the supermarket, there was a wide variety of products available on the day The Woolworths Shop * 1kg long grain rice - $1.40 * 375 grams sultanas - $2.60 * Bag of popping corn - $0.95 * 500 grams spaghetti - $0.65 * 1kg flour - $0.75 * Butter - $2.00 * 500 grams beef mince - $4.00 * 410 gram tin of apricots - $2.00 * 3 tins of crushed tomatoes - $3.00 * Bag of winter vegetables - $3.00 * 1kg chicken pieces - $3.81 * 750 grams bacon - $7.60 * 1kg potatoes - $3.77 * 1kg apples - $4.38 * 1kg onions - $2.72 * 12 eggs - $3.00 * Broccoli x 2 - $1.82 * White sandwich bread x 2 loaves - $2.00 * Three litres of milk - $3.00 * 1kg oats - $3.50 (or the equivalent to $3.15 per 900 grams) TOTAL - $55.95 - or $55.60 with weights taken into account. Advertisement THE WOOLWORTHS EXPERIENCE FEMAIL first visited Woolworths, with the aim of buying either home brand or the cheapest products available at each supermarket to match Jody's list. The store had a wide variety of products available and plenty of options, so we had no difficulty in finding the right items. The total at Woolworths for Jody's shopping list was $55.60. The most expensive item from Woolworths was 750 grams of bacon at the deli. While Jody only spends $5.76 on her bacon, in Woolworths it cost $7.60. Elsewhere, the Queensland mother-of-two's calculations were more or less the same as what the items cost at Woolworths. However, while Jody pays $1.87 for her 900 grams of oats, FEMAIL paid $3.50 for 1kg, equivalent to $3.15 per 900 grams. This was, in part, because there were no home brand oats available on the shelves on the day FEMAIL shopped. Woolworths was also the only supermarket of the three where you were able to buy Jody's specified 'chicken pieces'. At the other two, FEMAIL had to purchase chicken drumsticks instead. 'Our customers also tell us that choice is important to them," a Woolworths spokesperson told FEMAIL. "That's why we stock more than 20,000 products across our stores, including some of Australia's most loved brands, offering more choice than any other supermarket in Australia. 'Customers should regularly look out for Prices Dropped and Low Price Always around the store to ensure that they are getting the best quality offers.' Jody shops around to get the best bargains (pictured: her shopping list), and claims it is possible for a family of four to live off $50 a week on groceries While the total Aldi receipt showed $52.88, that included many bulk items. One a pound-for-pound basis, Aldi's groceries were by far the cheapest THE ALDI EXPERIENCE While Aldi does not have its own home brand per se, FEMAIL sought out the cheapest possible items to match Jody's shopping list. The Aldi Shop * 2kg long grain rice - $2.79 (or the equivalent to $1.39 per 1kg) * 1kg sultanas - $3.99 (or the equivalent of $1.42 per 375 grams) * Bag of popping corn - $0.89 * 500 grams spaghetti - $0.65 * 1kg flour - $0.75 * Butter - $1.79 * 500 grams beef mince - $3.39 * 825 gram tin of apricots - $2.49 (or the equivalent of $1.20 per 400 grams) * 3 tins of crushed tomatoes - $1.80 * Bag of winter vegetables - $1.59 * 2kg chicken drumstick pieces - $5.99 (or the equivalent of $2.99 per 1kg) * 1kg bacon - $7.69 (or the equivalent of $5.76 per 750 grams) * 3kg potatoes - $3.49 (or the equivalent of $1.16 per kilogram) * 1kg apples - $1.70 * 1kg onions - $1.99 * 12 eggs - $2.79 * Broccoli x 2 - $2.60 * White sandwich bread x 2 loaves - $1.98 * Three litres of milk - $2.99 * 750 grams oats - $1.08 (or the equivalent to $1.26 per 900 grams) TOTAL - $52.88 - or $39.64 with weights taken into account and three eco-friendly bags at 0.15c each removed from total. Advertisement Although Aldi does not have the same variety of products as the big supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths), it certainly provided value for money. The total at Aldi was $52.88, but that includes many bulk items and, when broken down to the weights specified in Jody's list, the total price dropped sharply. Jody listed 1kg of chicken pieces, there was no such product available on the day. The closest product at Aldi was a 2kg bag of chicken drumsticks for $5.99 - equivalent to $2.99 per kilo. The same was the case for bacon, which was available in a 1kg packet, instead of 750 grams loose from the deli counter (Aldi does not have a deli). The shopping experience showed there are great bargains at Aldi, provided you don't mind buying in bulk. While a 410 gram can of apricots from Coles and Woolworths cost $2.00, at Aldi, if you paid $2.49, you would get a can double that size. For sultanas, a one kilogram bag cost $3.99 or, pro rata, $1.42 for 375 grams. The Coles and Woolies' price for 375 grams was $2.60. Aldi did not have crushed tomatoes on the day - so FEMAIL bought diced, which cost $0.60 per can and are generally cheaper than crushed tomatoes. 'We're not surprised to hear that the grocery shop at Aldi has come out on top for the best value,' a spokesperson from Aldi told Daily Mail Australia. 'While other supermarkets might offer temporary markdowns and promotional pricing, we allow customers to save time and money with the promise of permanently low prices everyday. "We encourage grocery shoppers to head to their local Aldi, where they'll be pleasantly surprised by just how much they can save, any day of the week.' While you may end up spending a little more in Aldi, you will also get a lot more food for your money, and it will save you valuable cash in the long term (pictured: the Aldi receipt) There were plenty of bargains to be had in the aisles of Coles, where the shop came in at a grand total of $55.76 (pictured: the Coles shop) THE COLES EXPERIENCE The Coles Shop * 1kg long grain rice - $1.40 * 375 grams sultanas - $2.60 * Bag of popping corn - $0.95 * 500 grams spaghetti - $0.65 * 1kg flour - $0.75 * Butter - $1.40 * 500 grams beef mince - $4.00 * 410 gram tin of apricots - $2.00 * 3 tins of crushed tomatoes - $3.60 * Bag of winter vegetables - $3.00 * 1kg chicken drumstick pieces - $3.42 * 750 grams bacon - $8.72 * 1kg potatoes - $3.91 * 1kg apples - $3.59 * 1kg onions - $2.93 * 12 eggs - $3.00 * Broccoli x 2 - $3.54 * White sandwich bread x 2 loaves - $2.00 * Three litres of milk - $3.00 * 900 grams oats - $1.30 TOTAL - $55.76. Advertisement At Coles, FEMAIL opted for home brand items where possible, at the weights taken from Jody's shopping list. The cost of the Coles shop was $55.76 - putting it just in front of Woolworths for value and behind Aldi. There were plenty of bargains to be had in the aisles of Coles. Among them were the chicken drumsticks at $3.42 - $0.68 cents less than Jody's shop and $0.40 less than a similar product at Woolworths. Rolled oats for $1.30 was also significantly less than Jody's price of $1.87. At both Coles and Woolworths, FEMAIL could buy the crushed tomatoes as specified by Jody's shopping list. If FEMAIL had purchased the diced tomatoes instead - as done at Aldi - it would have meant a saving of $1.20 on both the Coles and Woolworths total prices. 'Coles is committed to investing in value for customers and lowering the cost of shopping for Australian families,' a spokesperson from Coles told Daily Mail Australia. 'We have reduced the price on more than 4,000 products and by focusing on the products our customers buy most. 'Most of the items used in this basket comparison ... are Aldi bulk buys compared to products that are sold at other retailers by the kilo. Buying in bulk is generally cheaper at all retailers.' Jody Allen's loaded baked potatoes INGREDIENTS 4 Large Potatoes Pictured: Jody Allen's loaded baked potatoes, made from her $50 shop 200g Cooked Broad Oak Farms Chicken Mince (or any leftover roast chicken you may have) 200g Cowbelle Cheese (Grated, optional) 1 tablespoon Beautifully Butterfully Butter 1/2 broccoli head, cut into pieces and cooked Stonemill Salt and Pepper METHOD 1. Clean your potatoes well (use potatoes of the same size, so they finish cooking at the same time) and prick them with a fork a few times. 2. Arrange in the slow cooker, rub with oil and sprinkle with salt. 3. Bake on LOW for six hours. 4. Once the potatoes have been cooked in the Slow Cooker, allow them to cool slightly. 5. Slice through the potato and remove half the flesh. Add the potato flesh to a bowl and mash with the butter. 6. Season well with the salt and pepper. Mix with the broccoli and 1 cup of leftover roast chicken and pile back on the potato. Top with cheese if you want and have it in your home already, and grill for five minutes or until the cheese is melted. Source: Stay At Home Mum Advertisement Queensland mother-of-two Jody Allen (pictured) and creator of the blog, Stay at Home Mum, made headlines when she started spending just $50 on groceries for her family of four JODY ALLEN'S STORY AND HER TIPS Ms Allen was made redundant in 2009 while on maternity leave and pregnant with her second child. She then started her website to share her money-saving experiences while her family lived on one wage. Seven dinners to enjoy using these ingredients * Bacon and egg pie * Apricot chicken * Mince chow mein * Bacon and mixed vegetable risotto * Spaghetti Bolognese * Vegetable or potato frittata * Stuffed and baked potatoes Source: Stay At Home Mum Advertisement 'I panicked at the thought of living on just one income,' she recalled. 'To keep our home, my husband and I crunched the numbers and we found we had a mere $50 a week to spend on groceries. 'Fifty-dollars does not get you very far certainly not shopping like I used to so I had to rethink how we ate, how we shopped and what we cooked day to day.' Ms Allen said to reduce the cost of groceries, families need to start making small cuts first. 'If you are going from say $250 per week to $50 per week in a single hit - it will be a recipe for disaster,' she said. 'So start small, and keep working at it by applying a brand new tip or tips every week.' To curb spending, she advised buying supermarket generic brands for items and making ingredient switches that won't impact the taste of your food. 'Greek yoghurt is a great substitute for items like sour cream, mayonnaise, cream and milk,' she said. 'Rolled oats can be used instead of bread crumbs in smoothies (to make them more filling).' It can be pricey to spend money at the supermarket, where shops can set back families $100 or more (stock image) According to Ms Allen, when it comes to cooking with your limited supplies, it's a good idea to make every meal you cook go towards a second one. 'Say you have leftover spaghetti bolognese, you can have this on a baked potato topped with cheese and steamed vegetables the next night, or make them into spaghetti bolognese muffins ... or you can turn it into a pie,' she said. 'Leftovers can always be re-branded for later or even just as a hot lunch the next day.' To read more from the Stay At Home Mum, please click here. Frills and ruffles traditionally the stuff of silly lampshades, pantomime dames bloomers and chintzy window coverings are popping up on all of springs most desirable accessories. I had thought myself fairly immune to the trend until I attended Mulberrys show a few weeks back. The collection featured fabulous, midi-length frilly skirts in macaroon shades (ruffled but wearable) and black frilly mules. Even the leather trainers were smocked and frilly. It was while at Mulberry that I spotted a small Amberley satchel with a pie-crust ruffled trim and fell hopelessly in love. There was one in a rich ochre yellow, and another in red both equally desirable. Yes, a frilly bag doesnt sound the most sensible option, but there was something about it I couldnt ignore. Stand out:Sarah Bailey was inspired by Mulberrys show (pictured) for the new ruffles trend Changing handbags is not something I do lightly. My unswerving loyalty for the past few months has been to my Mulberry chestnut saddle bag (unashamedly unruffled). It works with all my day looks, and is capacious enough for all the gubbins that lets me function. Despite this, I still felt I might be ready to convert to my Mulberrys ruffled cousin. BUT this isnt the first time Ive had my head turned by a frill. I have a Valentino x Gap parka in my wardrobe from a few years ago, in stiff military khaki with sculptural ruffles on each shoulder. I still catch people glancing at it enviously whenever I wear it. Designers have long been interested in playing with the ruffles exaggerated femininity, so its no surprise that this trend has been embraced by the High Street with gusto. The satin-frilled mules at & Other Stories (44.50, stories.com) will give a modern kick to a going-out outfit. I also love Australian footwear brand Sensos suede ankle boots with their diagonal ruffled flourish in a delicious raspberry (74, atterley.com). And when it comes to frilly bags, Maje has a fantastic ruffle-edged red number (260, maje.com) that will give party outfits a punch and look great year-round with dark denim. Meanwhile, young UK designers such as Molly Goddard and Simone Rocha have a cool, non-saccharine way with ruffles. British design label Preen almost always features frills in its collections, which somehow look sharp and non-girly, too. For a little boost of Preen without breaking the bank, its Studio by Preen at Debenhams jade green sweater with a ruffled rollneck is perfect (45, debenhams.com). What are the rules for wearing ruffles? If you arent confident wearing frills on clothes, try them on shoes or handbags first. Think about where your frill will fall on the body because it will add volume to your silhouette. Flamenco skirts look fantastic, but need to be worn with clean-lined, sleek footwear. Exercise caution with frills on printed fabrics as this can make an outfit rather overwhelming. Advertisement Of course, there are some seriously grand, ruffled gowns in the designer collections, from the full-on flounciness of Giambattista Valli, to the intricate waterfalls of lace at Ralph & Russo . . . very, ahem, royal princess. So how do you incorporate frills without looking like someone who went to a costume party as a Victorian dolly? To keep your look modern, its all about contrasts: accessorising a sleek suit with a flirty, frilly Zara mule (69.99, zara.com), for instance. And if you are going to wear a stand-out ruffled piece say a flamenco skirt temper the drama with a clean-lined ankle boot or kitten-heeled mule. Do be careful with accessories. It only takes a pair of big hoop earrings to tip you over from fashion-forward to fortune teller. Follow the less-is-more rule, however, and a little frill might be exactly what your wardrobe needs. Take it from me, these things can be love at first sight. And speaking of love affairs, as ruffle mania intensifies, I have a bit of a theory about Meghan Markles wedding dress . . . Sarah Bailey is Executive Brand Editor for PORTER. Over the Easter holidays, at a seaside pub lunch in the North-East of Scotland, my children did some drawing with a pair of second cousins once removed. They also met three of their father's first cousins and a second cousin. My parents were there, too, as we were returning from the Highlands with them. It turned out an old friend of theirs had bought a boat from my husband's late uncle. 'What a small world,' everyone agreed. Too often it can feel bewilderingly vast, but this past holiday I felt a connection to places and people. Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse unfolds over the course of two gatherings at the Isle of Skye holiday home of the Ramsay family. At the first, Mrs Ramsay, at the helm of her household, is attuned to all the emotional and mental upheavals of her immediate family and their guests. The next holiday happens years later, in the aftermath of World War I and the deaths of Mrs Ramsay and two of her children. This week author Patricia Nicol, recommends the best books on family ties to help you through the trickier times in life Grief casts a long shadow, but on a summer's day, the family make it to the lighthouse and a painting is completed. Life goes on. 'It always seemed to be death that drew me back to Gallanach,' reflects Prentice McHoan, the student narrator of Iain Banks's The Crow Road. But it is also his family. 'It was the day my grandmother exploded,' is the book's opening line. At her funeral service, Prentice introduces us to his eccentric Argyll clan: his cooler brothers, his irritable atheist father, his uncles and aunts and glamorous cousins. It is the person missing from this family scene that haunts Prentice, though his writer Uncle Rory, who disappeared eight years earlier. While Prentice and Mrs Ramsay are at the heart of their families, Flora Poste, the orphaned heroine of Stella Gibbons's satire Cold Comfort Farm, arrives at Howling, Sussex, as a distant cousin interloper, after deciding her best course is to 'impose upon one's relatives'. At the Starkadders' farm she finds chaos, but creates order, earning her place at the family table. A robust reminder that relatives generally add value. If you're in the market for an engagement ring, you might want to forget about a rock in little blue box from Tiffany & Co. and instead head to warehouse retailer, Costco. You can now pick up diamond rings worth a whopping $500,000 from the popular store that is more famous for selling groceries in bulk. A 6.55 carat round diamond solitaire ring with a platinum setting was found at the Canberra warehouse on Sunday. A 6.55 carat round diamond solitaire ring (pictured) was found at the Costco Canberra warehouse on Sunday by Jennifer Bechwati The diamond ring was discovered in 'the aisle between bulk AA batteries and dustpans' (stock image) Political reporter Jennifer Bechwati discovered the diamond ring in 'the aisle between bulk AA batteries and dustpans'. She later posted the image of the sparkler on Twitter. It received about 3,000 likes and more than 70 comments. 'How much is it at Aldi?' said one person in response to the tweet. 'Does it still carry the awesome Costco return policy?,' wrote another. She later posted the image of the sparkler on Twitter. It received about 3,000 likes and more than 70 comments If you're in the market for an engagement ring, you might want to head to warehouse retailer, Costco (stock image) 'But you have to buy them in the value six pack,' joked someone else. A Costco spokeswoman told the Daily Mail Australia that similar rings were available to purchase at all nine warehouse locations across the country. 'Each Costco warehouse has a "WOW" item in its jewellery department,' the spokeswoman said. 'Each Costco warehouse has a "WOW" item in its jewellery department,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia (stock image) 'Each one is unique to that warehouse, but in each Australian warehouse the wow item is around that price. 'We pride ourselves on selling the highest quality products at the best possible price, across a huge scope of departments, including high-end jewellery.' In order to shop at the stores, customers must first purchase a membership, which starts from $55 a year. Most expectant couples host a 'gender reveal' party by cutting a cake or popping a balloon to unveil the sex of their unborn baby. But Joelene Puntoriero, 24, and her boyfriend Blake Hertel, 26, geared up for a different kind of announcement by using coloured tyres designed to release a blue or pink smoke - depending on their child's gender. Surrounded by family and friends at the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex in Darwin, the young mother-to-be watched as Blake, who was behind the wheel, took the car for a spin. As the father-to-be performed burnouts along the racetracks over the weekend, a plume of pink smoke indicated the gender of the couple's very first child together - a baby girl who is due on July 12. Scroll down for video Joelene Puntoriero and her boyfriend Blake Hertel geared up for a different kind of announcement by finding out their child's gender from either pink or blue smoke coming off the tyres of a car 'I was absolutely ecstatic when I'd seen Blake come around the corner with pink smoke from the tyres trailing,' Joelene told Daily Mail Australia. 'My partner Blake was actually in the car driving so he couldn't see any pink smoke until he whipped the car around because he had a helmet on. 'Blake's friends actually got him to sit in the car with all of the rear view mirrors covered so he had absolutely no idea what colour the tyres were so it was all very top secret right up until the last minute. 'Once he'd seen the pink smoke he gave the car everything he had in celebration.' As pink smoke filled the air, the crowd can be heard cheering in excitement. Joelene explained the gender reveal plan was all part of her boyfriend's idea. 'It was Blake's idea if he ever had another child he was adamant on revealing the gender like this,' she said. As the father-to-be performed burnouts along the racetracks over the weekend, a plume of pink smoke indicated the gender of the couple's very first child together - a baby girl The couple - who got together four years ago after meeting on a camping trip through mutual friends - initially assumed they were expecting a boy - but they were pleasantly surprised when they discovered they were having a daughter Surrounded by family and friends at the Hidden Valley Motorsports Complex in Darwin, the young mother-to-be watched as Blake, who was behind the wheel, took the car for a spin The couple - who got together four years ago after meeting on a camping trip through mutual friends - initially assumed they were expecting a boy. But they were pleasantly surprised when they discovered they were having a daughter. 'Blake was adamant it was a boy. At first, I thought a boy too but then I had my suspicions. I wasn't expecting pink smoke on the day though,' Joelene said. 'I'm very excited. Blake terms it as he is getting his little princess because he already has a six-year-old son. 'I am super excited now. We had a boys name picked and haven't even had a discussion about girls names yet so that's next on things to do.' The couple said they wanted to thank T.E.D.A (Top End Drift Association) for letting them host their 'gender reveal' event as part of their registered round 1 Drift comp. Grace Kelly's recently-engaged granddaughter is rumoured to be expecting her first child with her new fiance. Charlotte Casiraghi, 31, daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover, will welcome her first child with Dimitri Rassam, 36, this summer, according to Vanity Fair Italia. The couple, who both have children from previous relationships, announced their engagement last month at the annual Rose Ball in Monte Carlo, where Charlotte debuted a glittering diamond on her ring finger. Exciting news: Charlotte Casiraghi, 31, is reportedly expecting her first child with Dimitri Rassam. The couple revealed their engagement at the Rose Ball in Monaco last month, above Growing family: Charlotte's mother, Princess Caroline of Hanover, pictured, is already a grandmother of four. Charlotte has a four-year-old son, Raphael, from a previous relationship Charlotte reportedly met Dimitri, a film producer, in Paris shortly after the breakdown of her relationship with Italian filmmaker Lamberto Sanfelice, with whom she has a four-year-old son, Raphael. Dimitri has a six-year-old daughter with his ex-wife, Russian model Masha Novoselova, whom he divorced in 2016. Rumours of a romance between Charlotte and Dimitri first started swirling in early 2017. One of their first public appearances together was at the civil marriage ceremony of Charlotte's half brother, Prince Christian of Hanover, and his wife, Alessandra de Osma, in London in November 2017. Rumours of a romance between Charlotte and Dimitri first started swirling in early 2017. The couple, pictured last month, are said to be planning a wedding for this summer Hola! reported the couple were engaged in early March before they confirmed the speculation with their glittering appearance at the Rose Ball. The couple are reportedly keen to marry quickly and are planning to wed in a ceremony this summer. Caroline, 61, who is married to Prince Ernst August of Hanover, is already a grandmother of four - and could soon have more on the way. More baby news? Andrea Casiraghi, 33, has a son, Alexandre, five, and daughter, India, three, with wife Tatiana Santo Domingo, 34. The couple are said to be expecting their third child Her eldest son Andrea Casiraghi, 33, has a son, Alexandre, five, and daughter, India, three, with wife Tatiana Santo Domingo, 34. Meanwhile Pierre Casiraghi, 30, welcomed a son Stefano with Beatrice Borromeo last year. There are rumours that both women are currently pregnant. It could mean three new members of the royal family before the end of the year. 'Baby bump': There are also rumours swirling that Pierre Casiraghi, 30, and his wife Beatrice Borromeo, pictured last month, are expecting their second child together Prince Harry has used his first speech as a Commonwealth Youth Ambassador to gush about his fiancee Meghan Markle - saying he is 'incredibly grateful' she will be by his side. The smitten 33-year-old royal revealed on Monday that 'the woman I'm about to marry' was 'hugely excited' to be joining him in his work for the role - which was met by cheers from the crowd at the Commonwealth Youth Forum. The prince's comments came as he helped open the Youth Forum, which launched the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) week, with a speech, and told the young delegates 'it is you who are going to change the world'. During his speech, Harry got cheers and whoops from the audience when he mentioned his bride-to-be, who will join him on Wednesday at a Commonwealth Youth Forum reception. The US former actress and Harry have already expressed their interest in the Commonwealth and it is widely anticipated they will go on a Commonwealth tour after their May 19 wedding. Harry's remarks came on a busy day of engagements on Monday - he later met with another head of state, the Prime Minister of Fiji, at Buckingham Palace. A smitten Prince Harry was met by cheers after saying he was 'incredibly grateful' to Meghan Markle during a speech at the Commonwealth Youth Forun Prince Harry joined Prime Minister Theresa May at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre to take part in a Commonwealth Youth Forum Harry said that Meghan Markle (pictured together last month) was 'hugely excited' to be joining him in his work The prince was joined by Theresa May at the Commonwealth Youth Forum on Monday morning - just days after it was revealed the Prime Minister joins Donald Trump and the Obamas on the list of people who won't be attending the royal wedding on May 19. His first duties in his new role included a round table event at the opening session of the Commonwealth Youth Forum at the the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London. Although Prince Harry was without former Suits actress Meghan, 36, for the engagement, it seems she was there in spirit. In his speech, Harry said: 'I am also incredibly grateful that the woman I am about to marry, Meghan, will be joining me in this work, of which she too is hugely excited to take part in,' he added, before pausing to grin at the cheering audience. He added: 'In my new role, I will work to support The Queen, my father The Prince of Wales, and my brother William, all of whom know that young people are the answer to the challenges of today. Harry said he looked for inspiration for his new role from his grandmother the Queen and he highlighted her famous speech from 1947 where she pledged her life to the Commonwealth. He said: 'On the day of her 21st birthday, the then Princess Elizabeth gave an extraordinary radio address from Cape Town. 'With an eye on the future, and an already unflinching sense of duty, she made a commitment. She said that whether her life be long or short, it would be dedicated to the service of the people of the Commonwealth. Harry was appointed Commonwealth Youth Ambassador last week and this is his first engagement in capacity with the role Speaking at the round table discussion Harry said it was 'crucial' to listen to young people before going on to describe his excitement for the project 'All of us here today can be grateful that it is a long life the Queen is still enjoying. Her Majesty's commitment has meant that the Commonwealth is a thriving family of nations, a common link between nearly two-and-a-half billion people, and a defender of democracy, justice and peace.' In the new role, Harry will highlight and support the work and aspirations of young people across the Commonwealth. He will work to create links between young people and youth leaders and encourage them to use Commonwealth platforms to address the social, economic and environmental challenges of their generation. The forum provides an opportunity for the young people to build networks, debate the challenges they face, and agree youth-led initiatives to influence decision makers and ensure young people have a voice in its future. It comes as no surprise that Meghan is 'excited' to be joining her husband-to-be in his work having championed her own causes before meeting the prince. Meghan became an advocate for women when she was 11, and achieving gender equality remains a driving force for the self-described 'feminist.' Later on Monday the Prince met another head of state, the Prime Minister of Fiji, at Buckingham Palace Prince Harry and Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama - known more commonly as Frank Bainimarama - appeared deep in conversation at the Palace on Monday The meeting at Buckingham Palace came after Prince Harry delivered his first speech as the Commonwealth Youth Ambassador Prince Harry spent time chatting with members of the forum that he is hoping to inspire Theresa May was on hand to offer her own support for the project which highlights and supports the work and aspirations of young people across the Commonwealth Since 2014, the American actress has helped put a global spotlight on the need for equality between women and men as an 'Advocate for Political Participation and Leadership' for the women's agency of the United Nations. Upon his arrival the prince was greeted by Prime Minister Theresa May who is also attending the forum today. The PM and the prince spent time meeting the young people that the royal hopes to inspire in his new role. Speaking at the round table discussion Harry said: It's really important that these voices are heard.' He went on to say that it was 'crucial' to listen to young people before going on to describe his excitement for the project. The Prime Minister acknowledged that young people had helped set part of the agenda for the week with the environment and youth unemployment due to be discussed. The PM's meeting with the prince comes just six days after it was revealed that she would not receive an invite to the upcoming royal wedding May joins Donald Trump and the Obamas on the list of those who won't be in attendance Sat around a table with Harry and the young delegates Mrs May told them: 'It's great that this week of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is being kicked off by the Youth Forum because as you say, I wanted to make sure that youth, young people were the priority for this week's meetings. 'Because if you just look at the figures - I think it's young people under the age of 30 make up 60% of the Commonwealth population - you are the future of the Commonwealth. 'And it's important we listen to you, we hear your ideas, hear your areas of concern - and you've already shaped the agenda. A couple of the issues that you wanted to have discussed here at the head of government meeting - youth unemployment and the environment (are on the agenda).' She said there would be discussions about how a young person gets the opportunity for a 'good job' and a 'good start in life' and looking at how the oceans can be protected. The PM's meeting with the prince comes just six days after it was revealed that she and other political leaders including US President Donald Trump have been left off the guest list for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. In a surprise move, there are no invitations for the Prime Minister, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn or any foreign heads of state. The omission of Commonwealth leaders is particularly surprising as they may see it as a snub. President Obama and his wife, Michelle, both friends of Harry, have also failed to make the cut, sources confirmed last night. The situation has left royal watchers wondering whether the Obamas, who are close to the prince, may have done the 'decent thing' and stepped aside so as not to ruffle the feathers of Mr Trump. The royal couple are not obliged to invite political figures as the wedding is not a state event like the nuptials of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Kensington Palace confirmed last week that the 600 guests invited to watch the couple exchange vows on May 19 at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle would all be those with a direct relationship with Meghan and Harry. Harry's engagement today event comes before the Queen and other members of the royal family welcome leaders at the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace on Thursday. The Windsors will be out in force, with the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of Cambridge, Harry, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Countess of Wessex, the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra attending the ceremony. The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge is on maternity leave, and by the time Chogm begins could be expecting to welcome the arrival of her third child any day. It is not known whether the Duke of Edinburgh, who retired last year from official duties, will attend the event less than a week after being discharged from hospital following his hip replacement. Queen Letizia looked chic in a grey suit skirt as she joined husband King Felipe to welcome the Portuguese president to Madrid. The Spanish royal, 45, opted for a business-like ensemble as she hosted the Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the Royal Palace. The mother-of-two teamed her embroidered suit skirt with a pair of blue heels, and a black clutch bag. Her appearance today with husband Felipe, 50, comes a fortnight after footage showed a 'tense' exchange between her and mother-in-law Queen Sofia at Easter mass. Queen Letizia looked chic in a grey suit skirt as she joined husband King Felipe to welcome Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the Royal Palace in Madrid Letizia and Felipe looked in good spirits as they met the Portuguese president on the first day of his state visit However, Letizia and Felipe showed no sign of any family drama as they met with President Rebelo De Sousa today. The royal couple both flashed wide smiles for the camera, as Letizia showed off a natural make-up look for the engagement. The pair have had a busy two weeks since the video of Letizia and Sofia, 79, having an awkward exchange emerged. Following the furore, the family put on a united front as they visited King Juan Carlos, the father of Felipe, in hospital as he recovered from a knee operation. Letizia finished her business-like ensemble with a pair of blue heels and a black clutch bag The royal couple's appearance comes a week after footage emerged showing a 'tense' exchange between Letizia and Queen Sofia Letizia and her mother-in-law were photographed smiling as they walked side-by-side, a week after the Easter mass service. Last week, the Spanish queen also attended the International Friendship Awards in Madrid, before making a joint appearance with Felipe at the La Caixa scholarship event. Letizia also visited a university in Andalucia on Wednesday, in a busy week of engagements as she attempted to brush off the controversy surrounding the footage filmed at Easter. Letizia and Felipe showed no sign of any family drama during their joint engagement today Letizia looked sophisticated in her grey suit skirt, which featured an embroidered skirt The mother-of-two looked in high spirits as she chatted to the Portuguese president today The Spanish royals have had a busy two weeks since the footage filmed at Easter mass made waves in the media Letizia has made a number of appearances in the past fortnight as she attempts to brush off the controversy The video showed Letizia standing in front of 79-year-old Sofia, who appears to be posing for pictures with her granddaughters. After a brief exchange, the Spanish queen seems to try to take the arm of her eldest daughter Leonor, who then shoves both her mother and grandmother's hands aside. Despite making waves in the Spanish media, the royal palace have not commented publicly on the incident. Letizia, who is mother to Princess Leonor, 12, and Sofia, 10, married into the Spanish monarchy in 2004, becoming queen consort following Juan Carlos' abdication in 2014. Letizia wore her brunette locks down over her shoulders, showing off a natural make-up look The mother-of-two showed off her slim figure with the belted grey blazer as she arrived at the welcome ceremony Felipe and Letizia have made several joint appearances together in the past fortnight Letizia was seen chatting to an official as the Portuguese began his state visit today The Spanish Queen co-ordinated her clutch bag with her statement blue heels A Portuguese model claims she plans to sell her virginity to the highest online bidder to fund a dream trip around the world. Penelope*, 21, has already racked up 220,000 in bids from wealthy older men but hopes the final figure will top 1 million to pay for the holiday of a lifetime. The student, who is currently at university in Paris, spoke only on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from her controlling family - who she claims drove her to want to sell her virginity. Penelope*, a Portuguese model, claims that she is selling her virginity online, and has already received offers in excess of 200,000 But Penelope said she is not concerned for her safety when she meets her suitor to do the deed because will be accompanied by security from agency Puremodelsclub, the company she is running the auction through. Penelope said: 'I come from a very conservative family, I was never allowed to date boys and I grew up feeling smothered. 'I could not gain maturity or have those deeper connections. My bigger brother was always watching over me but he did what he wanted. It's not fair. 'I had already received offers, but I did not think they were high enough so I decided it was good opportunity use an auction. The model hopes to fetch over a million for her virginity with the agency Puremodelsclub taking a 20 per cent cut Penelope says that she is confidant she will find the experience enjoyable but is concerned about her family finding out Her profile on the site states that her virginity has been checked as well as listing her measurements and interests Men will go through a screening process in order to see Penelope's photos in full 'I am 100 per cent comfortable it will be safe. There's going to be a bodyguard there and the website has been reliable and never made me uncomfortable.' Penelope will speak with the buyer - who she says will be 'high profile' - before they meet and is free to cancel at any time. She said she is confident the occasion will be a mutually enjoyable, but she is concerned about her family finding out about the auction. Penelope's buyer must provide identification and a deposit before securing the sale, which will take place later this month but must be held in either in either Germany, Switzerland or the Netherlands for legal reasons. Puremodelsclub will pocket 20 per cent of her auction price, and she claims the site has also vowed to secure her safety when she meets the customer. With the money Penelope wants to travel the world, with America listed as her dream destination Last month, 26-year-old woman Jasmin claimed to have sold her virginity to a Hollywood actor for $1.93 million USD via website Cinderella Escorts. Penelope said: 'It will definitely be an amazing night I'm a girl who likes to take care of themselves and I'm a dancer so I know how to move my body. 'Men want virgins because they are pure and untouched. It is something to remember forever. 'I've kept this secret from everyone, but I am scared about them finding out. 'That's why I have to make sure they will never know. 'I want to travel the world with the money, especially America. I also want to buy an apartment in Portugal.' A spokesman for Puremodelsclub said: 'Penelope is a model so we are expecting an interesting amount, she is worth 1 million Euro for sure. 'Penelope's security is our priority, she will be accompanied from the beginning until the end. 'The highest bidder can only access all of her photographs after an identity check. Confidentiality is a priority for both parties.' *Pseudonym used. Children's clothes emblazoned with the words 'enjoy cocaine' were removed from Amazon following a customer backlash. The offensive range of bibs, t-shirts and babygrows was being sold by an independent retailer, believed to be based in Estonia. The design of the garments imitates the distinctive 'Enjoy Coke' logo used by Coca-Cola, replicating the colour and font. However the solid white curved line below the text has been replaced with a white 'powder' version. The offensive range of bibs, t-shirts and babygrows was being sold by an independent retailer, believed to be based in Estonia Customer Stefanie Smith was left outraged when she discovered the clothes while browsing the website yesterday. She shared her finding on the Amazon UK Facebook page Customer Stefanie Smith was left outraged when she discovered the clothes while browsing the website yesterday. She shared a screenshot of one baby bib design on the Amazon UK Facebook page with the caption: 'Admittedly, yes I was looking for a Libertines T-shirt but what the actual hell is this? WTF.' Kelly Pearson responded: 'I'm shocked? Have you emailed them a strongly-worded complaint?' The products, which are all advertised using images of child models, were later removed from the online marketplace by Amazon. Parody: The products imitate the distinctive 'Enjoy Coke' logo used by Coca-Cola The products, which feature a line of white powder, are advertised using child models, above Earlier this year Amazon were slated after it emerged third party sellers were advertising Chinese fancy dress with pictures of white children making 'slant-eyed' gestures. The costumes, described as 'Chinese boy fancy dress costume' and priced between 21.86 and 22.02, were being sold with the offensive photograph on Amazon by Atosa and Fyasa. The retailer quickly withdrew the products following an online backlash. A spokesman for Amazon said: 'All Marketplace sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who dont will be subject to action including potential removal of their account. The products in question are no longer available.' Air hostesses have revealed what passengers should wear to increase their chances of getting upgraded to first class. Those wanting an upgrade should go for a 'smart but understated' outfit, and look like they travel often. Cabin crew staff say you should avoid jeans and trainers, but shouldn't be 'dripping in designer clothes' in order to get bumped up to first class. One air hostess, based in the UK, recommended women wear smart trousers and a blazer, or a dress, while men should dress in a shirt and chinos or trousers. Air hostesses have revealed what passengers should wear to get upgraded to first class Speaking to Who What Wear, one air hostess explained: 'For an upgrade, it's all about looking the part. Smart but understated. 'You should look like you travel often. But don't be dripping in designer clothing.' Another added: 'When we fly, we have a strict dress code to follow. No jeans or trainers'. It comes after a jet-setting author revealed how she always manages to bag an upgrade to first class. Those wanting to be bumped up to first class should go for a 'smart but understated' look Briton Tilly Bagshawe told Bloomberg she's yet to pay for an upper class seat with the airline she uses most, Virgin Atlantic. Ahead of her flight, she'll call the reservations team and say: 'Have revenue management released any first-class seats for miles upgrades yet?' She explains: 'When they say no, ask them to check or just be put through to revenue management so you can ask when they will release some, as well as how many seats are left.' Cabin crew staff say passengers should avoid jeans and trainers if they want to be upgraded Bagshawe says the trick is to 'politely respond like this: "You have 20 seats unsold? Why aren't you releasing them?'"' She says that by the end of the conversation, the person on the end of the phone has almost certainly released an upper class seat for her. A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic said the airline releases thousands its reward seats for its most loyal customers. The Duke of Cambridge was in his element as he eyed up a vintage motorbike and posed next to the Premier League trophy at a glittering reception to welcome Commonwealth leaders to London. Motoring-mad William, whose wife is currently on maternity leave, could barely hide his glee as he toured stands at the Welcome to the UK reception at Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster on Monday evening. The royal once owned a 20,000 Ducati motorbike, which can go from 0-60mph in 2.5 seconds, and was last seen riding the 190mph machine the night before the Royal Wedding in 2011. Tonight's event brings together delegates from the Commonwealth Business, People's, Women's and Youth Forums to kick-start the start of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) summit week. While Kate's away! The Duke of Cambridge was in his element as he eyed up a vintage motorbike and posed next to the Premier League trophy at a glittering reception on Monday William, a lifelong Aston Villa fan, looked delighted as he stood next to the English Premier League football trophy at the Welcome to the UK reception tonight The Duke of Cambridge arrives to attend a 'Welcome to the UK' reception on the opening day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London on Monday night William, who is expecting the arrival of his third child any day now, joined the Prime Minister for the Welcome to the UK reception at Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster The Duke, a lifelong Aston Villa fan, opened the evening with a short speech before joining the PM in a tour of exhibition stands collated by the Department for International Trade and the GREAT campaign, set to 'demonstrate creativity, technology and innovation from across the UK' according to organisers. The reception will bring together up to 2,000 delegates from business, civil society and youth-led organisations, many of whom will be visiting the UK for the first time. The exhibition will also showcase examples of UK and Commonwealth partnership, including the world's oldest motorcycle brand Royal Enfield. It will play host to the Commonwealth Fashion Exchange, and a Space Descent Virtual Reality experience with Tim Peake, in conjunction with the Science Museum. Football-mad William reacts with glee as shown the English Premier League football trophy on the opening day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting On Thursday, the Queen is set to host the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the Ballroom of Buckingham Palace. The Windsors will be out in force, with Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, William and Harry all attending the ceremony. They will also be joined by Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, the Countess of Wessex, the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Alexandra. The Duchess of Cambridge is currently on maternity leave, and is expected to go into labour any day now. The Duke opened the evening with a short speech before joining the PM in a tour of exhibition stands collated by the Department for International Trade and the GREAT campaign Flying solo: The Duchess of Cambridge is currently on maternity leave, and is expected to go into labour any day now Important visit: The exhibition will also showcase examples of UK and Commonwealth partnership, including the world's oldest motorcycle brand Royal Enfield The opening ceremony falls exactly a month before Meghan marries Harry in Windsor on May 19. The Duke of Edinburgh, who retired last year from official duties, remains in hospital, a week after his replacement hip operation. The Queen, who is head of the Commonwealth, will give a speech and officially declare CHOGM open at the palace. Future king Charles, who does not automatically inherit the head of Commonwealth role when he becomes monarch, will give words of welcome to guests including heads of government, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, high commissioners, foreign ministers and faith leaders. Advertisement Their 'tense' exchange during an Easter church service caused a stir across the world, but it seems Queen Letizia and her mother-in-law may have put their rumoured clash behind them. Queen Letizia of Spain wore a diamond-studded heirloom tiara that once belonged to the former queen Sofia as as she joined her husband for an opulent state banquet in Madrid on Monday evening. The piece has been worn on numerous occasions by Letizia's mother-in-law, 79, with whom she appeared to share a tense exchange earlier this month. It appears the two women have put their falling out behind them, as the tiara was likely borrowed from the former Queen consort, the mother of Letizia's husband, Felipe VI. Queen Letizia, 45, attended a state dinner with her husband King Felipe VI of Spain in Madrid on Monday The royal wore a show-stopping pearl tiara first owned by Queen Victoria Eugenia in 1906 In the tense clip Letizia was seen standing in front of Sofia, who appears to be posing for pictures with her granddaughters. After a brief exchange, the Spanish queen seems to try to take the arm of her eldest daughter Leonor, who then shoves both her mother and grandmother's hands aside. Letizia attended the event at the Royal Palace in the Spanish city today in a floor-sweeping blue gown with pearl detailing and the striking head wear. The tiara was given to Queen Victoria Eugenia, known as Queen Ena, as a wedding present from her own mother-in-law Queen Maria Cristina of Spain. She also wore a floor-sweeping blue gown with cut out detailing under the arms and at the back (Pictured: Letizia meets Spanish tennis player Garbine Muguruza) The very modern dress had a pearl detail from top to bottom, and she accessorised with a regal red sash The striking dress featured cut-out detailing around Letizia's underarm and back, flashing just a hint of her skin It was worn by Queen Sofia on many occasions before her husband's abdication in 2014 on formal occasions. Palace sources suggested that the footage of Letizia and Sofia at Easter Mass had been 'blown out of proportion', according to Spanish newspaper El Pais. Letizia was also said to be 'hurt' following the furore over the footage, which emerged earlier this month. The royal had been trying to protect her daughters Leonor and Sofia from 'intrusive media' as they posed for pictures with their grandmother, according to a friend. The tiara has been worn by Letizia's mother-in-law Queen Sofia during several state events The blue gown certainly made Letizia stand out from the crowds as she joined her husband at the evening event The racy gown had a slash on the side and flashed a peak of Letizia's thigh as she walked The royal mingled with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Letizia and Sofia had an awkward exchange earlier this month that was caught on camera Letizia's former co-worker Imma Aguilar told Spanish programme El circulo that the mother-of-two had displayed a 'motherly reaction' and that she was 'very committed' to protecting her children. The footage has made waves in the Spanish press, with newspapers branding the incident 'uncomfortable' and 'tense'. Along with the traditional tiara, Letizia kept her clothes modern with her dress's cut-out detail on the underarms and at the back of the gown. She wore a regal red sash for the occasion and an eye-catching pair of diamond earrings. Letizia wore dark eye makeup and a dash of mauve lipgloss as she attended the swank event at the royal palace The blue dress flaunted the royal's slim figure as she greeted Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa President of Portugal at the event Letizia looked regal as she offered President Rebele de Sousa a cheek to kiss before the start of the glamorous dinner The footage of Sofia and Letizia has made waves in the Spanish press, with newspapers branding the incident 'uncomfortable' and 'tense' During the evening, King Felipe spoke of the unity between Spain and Portugal and their shared values They were joined by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa at the dinner, who is currently visiting the country., During the evening, King Felipe spoke of the unity between the two countries and their shared values. Tomorrow Felipe and President Rebelo de Sousa will visit an art exhibition and in the evening will attend a reception in the president's honour at the Royal Palace. Letizia's tiara was given to Queen Victoria Eugenia, known as Queen Ena, as a wedding present from her own mother-in-law Queen Maria Cristina of Spain Tomorrow Felipe and President Rebelo de Sousa will visit an art exhibition in the city In the evening there will be a reception held in the President's honour at the palace Genetic modification is to be used to treat patients for the first time in Europe this year. A firm hopes to use the controversial technique to cure a devastating inherited blood disorder. The illness, a-thalassemia, leads to organ failure, weakened bones and eventually death if untreated. It is caused by a genetic fault which prevents the body from producing haemoglobin, a protein in the blood which transports oxygen. Scientists at Swiss company Crispr Therapeutics are hoping to cure the disorder by permanently altering the faulty gene. Their trial, which is due to start at some point in 2018, will be the first time the technique has been tested in Europe. Genetic modification will be used in Europe for the first time in an attempt to cure a-thalassemia, a devastating inherited blood disorder (file photo) British experts have hailed it as very promising and insist it will be both safe and highly effective. But critics worry that these sorts of interventions pave the way for designer babies. Professor Robin Lovell-Badge (pictured), group leader at the Francis Crick Institute in central London, said: We will look back and think that this is the real beginning of gene therapy' Scientists will initially remove some of the patients stem cells, the basic cells found in bone marrow as well as some other areas of body. These cells will then be injected with a protein which will aim to cut out the faulty gene in their DNA. The stem cells will be inserted back into the body in the hope that they will multiply and enable the body to produce sufficient haemoglobin. The scientists have not yet disclosed where the trial will take place. Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, group leader at the Francis Crick Institute in central London, said: We will look back and think that this is the real beginning of gene therapy. China has already undertaken similar studies although their regulation is less strict than in Europe. US researchers are recruiting for a trial which will use the technique to try to treat blood and skin cancers. A grandmother-of-10, who had a 33mm cancerous tumour in her breast, claims her cancer has not been visible for six months, which she credits to taking cannabis oil. Lin Coxon, 69, from Willington, Derbyshire, believes she has beaten the disease, with her latest scan showing 'just small wisps which could be scar tissue'. Ms Coxon started taking the oil on June 28 while she was awaiting eight rounds of chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove cancerous breast tissue, as well as all her lymph nodes, and finally radiotherapy. After experiencing remarkable results, Ms Coxon, who is the personal assistant of South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler, shunned further treatment, using just the oil to overcome the disease. Ms Coxon is speaking out to encourage the Government and Cancer Research to carry out studies investigating cannabis oil's effectiveness in cancer treatment. She takes the nutritional supplement cannabidiol (CBD), which is derived from cannabis and is legal in the UK. It does not contain any THC, which is the psychoactive component of marijuana that makes users 'high'. CBD, which is available for around 20, is thought to possess a range of medicinal benefits and has been reported to help people suffering from migraines, psoriasis, acne and depression. Lin Coxon, who had a 33mm tumour in her breast, claims her cancer has not been visible for six months, which she credits to taking cannabis oil. Just 'small wisps' of the disease remain Ms Coxon takes the nutritional supplement cannabidiol (CBD), which is derived from cannabis and is legal in the UK. It does not contain any THC, which is what makes users 'high' 'I feel great and really healthy' Ms Coxon said: 'The latest scan showed no signs of a tumour, last time a small wisp could be seen which was hardly visible and six months on it is still there but the doctors said this could be scar tissue. 'The main thing is the scan shows nothing has changed in six months and the cancer has not gone anywhere else, doctors never say you are clear of cancer but I just feel great and really healthy. 'I haven't even had a cold since taking it and last winter I had four!' Ms Coxon decided to start taking the oil after reading how it helped treat other patients, including Asda worker Karen Roberts, who she read about in the local paper The Derby Telegraph. Ms Roberts was reportedly sent home to die with terminal cancer but, after taking the oil, is in remission two years later. By the time Ms Coxon was due to start chemotherapy, a scan revealed her tumour had shrunk drastically. Doctors agreed to monitor her progress after she shunned medical intervention. 'I feel people have nothing to lose' Ms Coxon wants to see medical trials testing cannabis oil on patients who are awaiting cancer treatment, arguing such individuals have nothing to lose. She believes if patients experience no benefits from cannabis oil, they can continue with traditional treatments like chemo and radiotherapy. Ms Coxon claims she has been contacted by many others who have had similarly positive experiences with CBD. She said: 'Since I spoke of my initial success with the oil in October, I have been contacted by other people who have had similar positive experiences - so I really think there is something in it. 'I just think it has to be looked into further as more people could be helped without the need for medical intervention - and that would also save the NHS a lot of money.' 'I cannot say cannabis oil will work for anyone else but my experience would seem to show it is worth trying. 'I feel people have nothing to lose - especially if they are waiting for chemotherapy. 'It may only help for some cancers - we won't know, though, until research takes place..' WHAT IS CBD OIL AND IS IT LEGAL IN THE UK? Government advisers made it legal to buy CBD supplements in 2016 CBD oil is a legal cannabinoid that can be sold in the UK. CBD contains less than 0.2 per cent of the psychoactive substance THC. Although the oil has been thought to have some medicinal properties, including relieving inflammation, pain and anxiety, there is no conclusive science. Suppliers in England and Wales have to obtain a licence to sell CBD as a medicine. Manufacturers are able to avoid the strict regulation by selling it as a food supplement - ignoring the lengthy process of gaining a medicinal licence. CBD products comes in many forms, the most popular being an oil - which users spray under their tongue - or gel tablets which melt slowly in the mouth. Government advisers at the MHRA found that CBD has a restoring, correcting or modifying effect on humans. Cannabis oil, which is different to CBD oil because it contains THC - the compound that gives users a 'high' - is illegal under UK laws. Billy Caldwell, from Castlederg, Northern Ireland, made headlines last April when he became the first Briton to be prescribed it on the NHS. Cannabis oil, which reportedly has no side effects, influences the release and uptake of feel good chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. Advertisement 'Lin's story adds to a growing list' Research into the health benefits of CBD, particularly for cancer, is underway at St George's, University of London, with medical experts there saying they have been in contact with Ms Coxon. Dr Wai Liu, senior research fellow at St George's, said: 'I was very interested to hear of Lin's case. 'Cannabidiol, which is just one element of the cannabis plant and one that does not have any psychoactive effect on people, has been shown to target communication signals that are malfunctioning in cancer cells. 'It is thought that, by correcting these signals, we can enable cancer cells to essentially die rather than duplicate. So it may hold the key to understanding how to defeat cancer in some areas. 'We at St George's have shown how this can be done. He said: 'Although our data has mainly been laboratory based, we have a growing and large collection of testimony from patients using cannabidiol, usually in a cannabis-oil type product, who report positive effects on their battle with this dreadful disease. 'Lin's story is one that adds to this growing list and we wish her all the best in her treatment, which should always be under the supervision of her doctors.' CBD, which is available for around 20, is thought to possess a range of medicinal benefits and has been reported to help people suffering from migraines, psoriasis, acne and depression 'We still need proper trials to know if they are effective' Dr Catherine Pickworth from Cancer Research UK, told The Derby Telegraph: 'Researchers have been studying potential cancer-fighting chemicals found in cannabis for a while - but like any new treatment, these should only be used to treat patients once there's evidence that they improve outcomes. 'This is not to say that cannabinoids have no future role in cancer treatment and Cancer Research UK supports clinical trials to treat cancer with cannabinoid drugs. 'But as it stands, we still need proper trials to know if they are effective, for what types of cancer, and at what dose. 'We don't advise patients to use cannabis oil or any alternative therapies to treat cancer. Standard medical treatments for cancer are all evidence-based so have been tested to see how safe and effective they are. 'Some 'natural' remedies can interfere with medical treatment so it's really important that patients speak to their doctor before making any decisions.' A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care added: 'It is for local NHS commissioners to make decisions on whether to fund new treatments, taking into account National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, available evidence and individual patient's clinical circumstances. 'The future availability of any new or novel treatments would be subject to large-scale clinical trials demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the treatment approach and subsequent assessments of its cost effectiveness for routine use.' Circumcision should be made illegal, an expert argues. Dr Niall McCrae, a mental health lecturer at King's College London, claims it should be considered in the same regard as female genital mutilation. FGM, widely dubbed 'barbaric', has been illegal in the UK for more than 30 years, unlike circumcision, which also involves 'shearing off parts of genital organs'. However, he says public figures are too scared to call for a ban on circumcision because of its links to Jewish and Muslim cultures. In a piece for The Conversation, Dr McCrae describes a society where FGM is illegal but circumcision isn't as 'unconscionable'. Dr Niall McCrae, a mental health lecturer at King's College London, claims circumcision should be considered in the same regard as female genital mutilation A woman from Nottingham, England is suing the doctor who carried out a circumcision on her infant son without her permission. The circumcision took place during Eid festival when the infant was in the care of his biological father, a Muslim. After the operation, the child was in so much pain, he was unable to wear a nappy. There is a stark contrast between female and male genital excision: the former is illegal, the other is permitted. There are mythical differences, too: one is seen as barbaric, the other as somehow beneficial. I have actively contributed to the campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM), which varies in severity from the abhorrent radical destruction of outer genitalia (type I) to the most common, mildest form of clitoral excision (type IV). All types are forbidden, although not a single person has been convicted for this crime in Britain, despite estimates of 2.1 per cent of females in London having been cut. At least girls are protected in law, if not always in practice. Shearing off parts of genital organs is no less unethical or abusive because the child is male. Yet the political and professional establishments don't want to know. HOW ARE CIRCUMCISIONS PERFORMED? For infants: The baby will be strapped down to avoid movement. Next, he will have either a topical anesthetic applied to the surface of the penis or have numbing agents injected into the penis or around its base. One of three different types of clamps or devices - the Gomco clamp, Mogen clamp or Plastibell device - is used to separate the glans from the foreskin and crush or cut a ring of skin from the penis. The clamps provide for an immediate procedure, while the Plastibell device stays attached for several days before falling off. Usually the baby will feel better within three to four days, but he can be taken home that same day. Appearance of the area improves within a week. For adults: Men can choose between receiving a general or a local anesthetic. A dorsal slit is usually made - a cut from the top of the skin - all the way down to the rounded border at the base of the glans. The foreskin is held away from the penis and carefully cut off. The remaining skin is then sutured around the glans. The entire process takes about 30 minutes, but patients are recommend from staying away form masturbation or intercourse for a few week to ensure the penis has completely healed. Advertisement What are the harms of circumcision? Arguably, circumcision is on a par with FGM type IV in terms of harm. In the short term, there is often inflammation, soreness and bleeding, and the risk that the wound may become infected. There are also potential long-term psychological harms that may arise in adulthood, as self-consciousness detracts from sexual intimacy. Yet outdated justifications for circumcision are blithely accepted. There are medical benefits, some say. In fact, as stated by the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, it is extremely rare for removal of the foreskin to be medically necessary. Another excuse is hygiene. When an academic colleague doubted my stance on circumcision of boys, arguing that it is necessary for cleanliness, I asked: 'What's wrong with soap?' 'But they don't wash,' she replied with implausible certainty. Another similarity with FGM is that incidence of male circumcision may be increasing, due to demographic change. Astonishingly, in some areas of the country, it is funded by the NHS. This could become more established as local commissioning bodies give in to cultural demands. Circumcision is a Muslim and Jewish practice, and is also prevalent in some African Christian communities (it was also fairly common among the upper and middle classes in Britain until the 1950s). Happily, some parents are honouring the rite of passage with an adapted ceremony that relinquishes the scalpel. A boy or girl is no less a Jew or Muslim if their genitals remain intact. Cultural sensitivity As a healthcare lecturer, I am troubled by any medical practitioner performing this act for religious rather than clinical purpose. It breaks the Hippocratic Oath to 'first, do no harm'. The operation, however proficiently completed, violates the healthy body. But, due to cultural sensitivities and moral relativism, few public figures are brave enough to call for circumcision to be outlawed, fearing charges of anti-Semitism or Islamophobia. However, Iceland has recently taken this bold step, and other countries may follow. Should cultural sensitivity trump the rights of a child? From an egalitarian perspective, as guided by Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative to afford everyone the same rational justice, the answer must be 'no'. But society is hypocritical on equality. An 'unconscionable' society A situation where cutting girls is (rightly) illegal, but boys are fair game, is unconscionable. Sir James Munby, an English judge, criticised this inconsistency in a recent case in which a local authority sought to remove a Muslim brother and sister from their home after the girl had been cut; the boy's circumcision, by contrast, cannot be regarded as a safeguarding concern. I'm not suggesting draconian intervention, but let the law treat children fairly and squarely, irrespective of gender. Perhaps a specific prohibition of male genital mutilation is needed, but this would not be necessary if the longstanding statute of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 is applied. The case reported in the Sunday Times is at least a promising sign that circumcision against a parent's consent is prosecutable. A much-needed precedent would boost the cause against all forms of child genital cutting. Children who get less than the recommended amount of sleep each night have a higher chance of becoming fat, a study suggests. Researchers found youngsters are 58 per cent more likely to become overweight if they fail to get at least eight hours each night. Warwick University scientists, who led the study, today said there was a 'strikingly consistent' link between short sleep and obesity. The findings come amid the childhood obesity epidemic in Britain, once branded a 'scandal' by Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Nearly half of primary school children are dangerously overweight in some parts of England, official figures show. Researchers found youngsters are 58 per cent more likely to become overweight if they fail to get at least eight hours each night But the new Warwick study, a review of 42 older experiments, suggests there could be a simpler way of tackling bulging waistlines in youngsters. How was the study carried out? The scientific trials that delved into the links between sleep and childhood obesity included 75,499 volunteers, who were no older than 18. Youngsters were either labelled a short sleeper - they got less than recommended for their age, or a regular sleeper. They were followed for three years. This grouping was based on guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit organisation in Washington DC that supports sleep research. Its guidelines recommend infants, those aged between four and 11 months, get between at least 12 hours of kip each night and more than 15. Toddlers should get between 11 and 14 hours, while children in preschool receive from 10 to 13 hours of sleep. What did the study find? At least nine hours is recommended for children from six to 13 - but no more than 11. All other teenagers are advised to get between eight and 10 hours. The study, published in the journal Sleep, showed that the risk of obesity was 40 per cent higher in infants who didn't get the recommended amount of shut eye. This jumped to 57 per cent for pre-school children and 123 per cent for those aged between six and 13. The risk was 30 per cent higher in other teenagers. The findings of the study indicate that sleep may be an important potentially modifiable risk factor (or marker) of future obesity Dr Michelle Miller, Warwick University Dr Michelle Miller, study co-author, said: 'Being overweight can lead to heart disease and type 2 diabetes, which is also on the increase in children. 'The findings of the study indicate that sleep may be an important potentially modifiable risk factor (or marker) of future obesity.' Children involved in the study had their sleeping durations recorded through either questionnaires or wearable technology. Scrutiny over childhood obesity plans The Government has come under intense pressure over its childhood obesity plan released in 2016, which critics claim was heavily watered down. It was claimed curbs on junk food advertising and restrictions on unhealthy product placement in supermarkets were among measures cut from a draft of strategy. A first draft of the plan leaked to Channel 4's Dispatches was claimed to contain a pledge to halve the number of overweight children by 2026. This, it said, was changed to a pledge to 'significantly reduce' the number of overweight children when the full strategy was published. What plans were cut? Among other proposals removed from the final strategy were plans to force restaurants, cafes and takeaways to put calorie information on menus. Supermarkets would have been forced to remove junk food from around check-outs and the end of aisles and junk-food advertising would have been curbed. The final strategy was unveiled in August - and it did include a 'sugar tax' on the soft drinks industry. But doctors, health campaigners and politicians reacted with fury. Controversial plans to grow human organs inside the bodies of animals have moved one step closer to going ahead in Japan. Government officials in the Asian country are expected to overturn their current ban on the practice by the autumn, according to local reports. An expert panel, commissioned by Japanese ministers, concluded that allowing the experiments could lead to major scientific breakthroughs. The practice, which has prompted furious backlash from animal rights campaigners in recent years, is already allowed for research purposes in the UK and US. Some Japanese biologists have left the country to pursue experiments, which critics consider 'gruesome', across the Pacific Ocean because of the ban. Government officials in the Asian country are expected to overturn their current ban on the practice of growing organs in animals by the autumn, according to local reports (stock) However, The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has consulted advice from a panel of scientific experts in relation to the practice. The panel agreed that researchers should be able to implant animal embryos with human cells into an animal's womb, The Japan News reports. Currently, Japanese experts are only allowed to inject human induced pluripotent stem cells - which can grow into anything - into an animal embryo. These embryos are genetically modified already to be incapable of growing certain organs using DNA editing technology Crispr. If the plans go ahead, when the Ministry reviews its current guidelines, researchers will for the first time be allowed to implement their lab work into animals. Some scientists believe that creating human organs in animals, such as pigs, could stem the growing shortage of organs needed for transplants. On average, 20 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. But animal welfare campaigners warn the experiments to grow human organs inside animals echo the fictional horror story 'Never Let Me Go'. Scientists take stem cells or tissue from humans and inject them into a pig fetus that's been previously genetically modified. The pig embryo is then able to grow a human organ In the dystopian novel, adapted for the hit 2010 movie, a group of English children are cloned so that as young adults their organs can be used for transplants. Real-life research has seen scientists inject human stem cells into pig embryos to produce 'chimeric' embryos that are part pig, part human. Researchers at Meiji and Kyoto Prefectural universities announced they developed pigs with genetically modified organs for human transplants last month. They are reportedly the first animals developed for xenotransplantation, in which animal organs and tissues are successfully transplanted into humans. Professor Hiromitsu Nakauchi, a geneticist at Stanford University in California, hopes to create a human pancreas inside a pig, if the ban in Japan is lifted. He and fellow scientists have already reversed diabetes in mice by giving them an organ grown in a different species - rats. Professor Nakauchi moved from the University of Tokyo to Stanford to work on the experimental project, which used iPSCs. The results, published in January 2017, highlighted the first time an inter-species organ transplant successfully treated a medical condition. Professor Nakauchi reported the results of his scientific projects nine years ago, before they were ever confirmed to be successful. He said at the time, if the method was ever replicated using human stem cells, the pancreas of diabetic patients could be replaced via this technique. Scientists already have to follow strict safety and health guidelines when undergoing artificial reproductive technologies. Pigs have to be raised in a clean, protected environment and to be tested for up to 40 kinds of viruses to prevent infections and make sure patients are safe. Drinking three cups coffee will not harm your heart, and may even reduce your risks of developing an abnormal rhythm, new research suggests. Doctors have long cautioned that caffeine consumption might be dangerous for those with overly-strained hearts, by making them pump harder and tire out faster. But, the new study from the American College of Cardiology found that the three daily cups can lower palpitation risks by 13 percent, reducing the risk of a heart attack or stroke in turn - but caffeinated energy drinks still pose a risk. Coffee remains controversial - with California declaring it a carcinogen last month - but the new study is the latest piece of evidence to suggest that up to six cups a day are safe, and the health benefits outweigh its risks. Drinking three cups of coffee daily was linked to a 13 percent lower risk of common heart rhythm problems that can lead to heart attack and stroke in a new broad study A study of more than 340,000 people found evidence that both tea and coffee may protect against common heart rhythm disturbances. Healthy antioxidants in caffeine are probably behind the phenomenon, said cardiologist Dr Peter Kistler, who led the new study and is director of the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Historically, it has been commonly assumed that the stimulant effect of caffeine in coffee can cause the heart to beat faster - potentially causing illness. 'There is a public perception - often based on anecdotal experience - that caffeine is a common acute trigger for heart rhythm problems,' said Dr Kistler. 'Our extensive review of the medical literature suggests this is not the case.' His team showed caffeine protected against both atrial fibrillation (AF) and ventricular arrhythmia (VA). The life-threatening conditions occur in each of the heart's two upper and lower chambers, respectively. Dr Kistler said that caffeine blocks a molecule that fuels AF - the most common heart beat problem which can progress to heart failure. The arrhythmia disorder affects between 2.7 and 6.1 million people in the US. In AF, the heart pumps blood less efficiently around the body because it is contracting and relaxing irregularly or too quickly. This means that the blood does not have a chance to properly fill the chambers of the heart, where the muscle should smoothly and evenly push it out to the rest of the body. This can also cause blood to back up in the vessels and the lungs to become bogged down with fluid. These factors together can potentially lead to a stroke-causing clot. VAs, on the other hand, are an erratic, disorganized firing of impulses from the organ's ventricles and are the most common cause of sudden cardiac death. Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was successfully treated for AF while he was prime minister. He blamed his heart problems on too much strong coffee during an EU conference and doctors advised him to cut back. Now, Dr Kistler and his colleagues suggest that Blair's doctors may have been wrong and coffee may have had nothing to do with it. HOW IS COFFEE GOOD FOR YOU? Drinking three coffees a day could help you live longer, research has found Drinking four cups of coffee a day almost halves the risk of deadly mouth cancer Research found that those who had a cup of coffee one hour before a work-out could exercise for longer Coffee helps you lose weight because it contains several substances that can affect your metabolism It is a natural painkiller, especially espresso It helps headaches. The combination of aspirin and caffeine has been found to relieve pain better than aspirin alone Research has demonstrated that coffee drinking may help reduce cognitive decline and dementia Drinking more coffee may help stave off liver cancer, a study found Advertisement The study authors acknowledged that many doctors advise patients with AF or VAs to avoid coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages. But their review published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology said that coffee and tea are safe and can cut the frequency of irregular heartbeats. The researchers found multiple studies investigating the link have consistently shown a decrease in AF with an increase in consumption of caffeine. Pooling data from 115,993 showed a 13 percent reduction in risk among regular coffee drinkers. A further 'meta-analysis' of 228,465 participants found AF frequency fell by six percent in those with higher intake of caffeine. Dr Kistler said arrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms that cause the organ to beat too fast, slow or unevenly. Some may be harmless or even go unnoticed in patients but others can increase risk for sudden heart attack or stroke. Dr Kistler said a single cup of coffee contains about 95mg of caffeine and acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. Once caffeine is in the body, it blocks the effects of adenosine, a chemical that can cause AF. His team also determined caffeine improved the hearts of patients with VAs. Up to 500mg daily - equivalent to six cups of coffee - did not increase their severity or rate. In fact, the study of 103 patients who had suffered a heart attack found those selected at random to receive an average of 353mg per day - almost four cups - had better heart rates and no significant disturbances. Only two studies showed an increased risk for VAs - where patients ingested at least 10 cups and nine cups a day, respectively. Dr Kistler said: 'Caffeinated beverages such as coffee and tea may have long term anti-arrhythmic properties mediated by antioxidant effects and antagonism of adenosine. 'In numerous population-based studies, patients who regularly consume coffee and tea at moderate levels have a lower lifetime risk of developing heart rhythm problems and possibly improved survival.' In fact, one study published last year found that with each additional cup of coffee a person drinks, their risks of having a stroke or heart failure fall by eight and seven percent, respectively. 'There's a lot of misinformation about caffeine and coffee,' said Dr Nieca Goldberg, a New York University cardiologist and American Heart Association spokesperson. 'But overall it doesn't increase the risk of heart attack, and it's important that they're straightening this out,' she added. Caffeine delivered by coffee and tea seem to bring benefits, but the researchers for the new study said energy drinks should be avoided by patients with pre-existing heart conditions. One energy drink can contain anywhere from 160-500mg of concentrated caffeine. Three quarters of patients with pre-existing heart conditions who consumed two or more energy drinks a day reported palpitations within 24 hours. Still, noted Dr Goldberg, some people may simply be sensitive to caffeine's stimulant effects, and if it gives you heart palpitations, you should avoid it. 'But the good news is that this study shows that caffeine doesn't cause arrhythmias in people who may not have them,' she added. Both large population studies and randomized control trials suggest caffeine intake of up to 300mg per day - just over three cups - may be safe for arrhythmic patients. However, there may be individual differences in susceptibility to the effects of caffeine on the factors which trigger arrhythmias - with up to 25 percent of patients reporting coffee as a cause. These should be advised to abstain. Future research looking at the impact of this on patients with heart disturbances could clarify this issue, said Dr Kistler. Nearly 80 genes have been linked to depression in a new report that could help explain why some people may be at a higher risk for the condition. Researchers have long struggled to pinpoint the causes of depression, which is the leading cause of disability among adults under 44 affecting an estimated 16 million Americans and 13 million people in the UK. The UK study published Monday is part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that genetic factors play a significant role in the development of the condition that has become increasingly common in the last decade. The authors emphasized that these findings could lead to a better understanding the underlying causes of depression and the creation of more effective treatment. A new study of 300,000 people in the UK has identified 80 genes linked to depression, supporting previous research that the condition is partly influenced by genetic factors 'This study identifies genes that potentially increase our risk of depression, adding to the evidence that it is partly a genetic disorder,' said lead author Dr David Howard, a professor at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences. 'The findings also provide new clues to the causes of depression and we hope it will narrow down the search for therapies that could help people living with the condition.' While life events such as trauma or stress have been found to contribute to the onset of depression, it is unclear why some people appear to be more likely to develop the condition. Twin studies have shown that approximately 40 percent of people with depression were genetically predisposed to the condition. The study published Monday was part of a 4.7 million ($7 million) project to better understand the condition called Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally. The researchers from the University of Edinburgh analyzed data from more than 300,000 people in the UK to search for genetic indicators of depression. Several of the nearly 80 genes identified have been known to be involved in the function of synapses, tiny connectors that facilitate communication in the brain through electrical and chemical signals. Why are depression rates higher in women than in men? Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than men, according to the most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eight percent of American adults over 20 are depressed, including 5.5 percent of men and 10.4 percent of women. Previous research has attempted to explain the disparity citing hormonal fluctuations or the possibility that women may simply be more likely to admit to suffering from the condition. However, experts have warned that depression should not be considered a 'normal' part of womanhood and that more research is needed to determine the causes of the gender differences. Advertisement This fits with previous research that has shown an association between depression and serotonin, a 'feel good' chemical also involved in the brain's communication processes. Imbalances in serotonin have been implicated in the development of mood disorders and other issues such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks. The findings published in the journal Nature Communications were confirmed through a cross-reference with data from California-based genetics-research firm 23andMe. 'These new findings help us better understand the causes of depression and show how the study and big data research has helped advance mental health research,' said co-author Andrew McIntosh, a professor at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences. 'We hope that the UK's growing health data research capacity will help us to make major advances in our understanding of depression in coming years.' Eight percent of people in the US have experienced depression, which has been found to raise the risk of other serious health concerns including obesity and suicide. People with depression are four times as likely to have a heart attack a heart attack than those without a history of the illness, and after a heart attack, they are at a significantly increased risk of death or second heart attack. The condition has also been linked to significantly heightened risk of drug abuse, drug overdose and suicide. Depression is considered to be one of the easier mental illnesses to treat, but only one third of people suffering with depression will seek treatment, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Mercia Technologies PLC has quietly established itself as the place to go for cash for early stage businesses in the Midlands, the North and now Scotland. Funds under management total 336million while the companys own assets are worth 124million, including 65million of direct investments. These are chunky amounts, especially for a business that shuns the start-up hot spots of London, Oxford and Cambridge. Tech-focused: Mercia focuses on areas where other venture capital investors rarely tread While there are many great businesses setting up in and around London, they are just too expensive to back, says Mark Payton, Mercias chief executive. Entry prices are eye-watering compared to the Midlands, the North and Scotland. That is the nub for a business such as Mercia, as sale prices for any investment are set by what it is worth at time of exit not when it was bought. This focus on areas where other venture capital investors rarely tread can give Mercia an immediate advantage, but its not just its geographical focus that marks it out. The investment strategy is distinctly different from almost any other listed venture capital vehicle in the UK. On the fund management side, the focus is on businesses right at the start of their journey. As such, the casualty rate is high and between 40-50 per cent of the firms backed by its funds fail, says Payton. To cope with this heavy attrition the funds it manages are by necessity very long-term vehicles with lives of between 10-14 years. That is a long time to be locked in, too long even for many institutions while retail investors are excluded completely except through Mercias EIS funds. For retail investors, though, there is always the option to invest in the parent company Mercia Technologies PLC. One big plus of this is that often it has pre-emption rights over any cash calls undertaken by businesses where its funds have invested. In effect, it means our funds are our proprietary deal flow, says Payton. Or in other words, Mercia Technologies gets an extended due diligence period that can last months, even years, over the circa 300 businesses within the funds. That gives an invaluable insight into how management and a business are performing and crucially when is the best time for the parent company to take a stake. Relationships have also been established with nineteen UK universities in the Midlands North and Scotland. Those give access to products or technology the universities might want to commercialise. Mercia also underlined its position in the regions when it was apportioned a large chunk (circa 108million) of the governments initial allocations of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and 23million of the equivalent equity element via the Midlands Engine Room Investment Fund. Payton says people in the City are still surprised when he explains how large the business has become. The City does not know that, for example, that we raised 200million in the last twelve months. Mercia invests in virtual reality games specialist companies Mercia can also boast some big winners from its investments. Most famous is the Liverpool-based automation group Blue Prism. An investment of 900,000 has turned into 70million with the fund concerned still owning 2.5 per cent of the 866million market cap group. Allinea Software was sold to ARM for 18.1million or 21 times the original investment, while most recently Science Warehouse was bought by Advanced Business Software for 16.9million. These were cash deals and that is another must when it comes to an exit. Mercia Tech PLC had meaningful stakes in both these businesses. In directly held portfolio currently, virtual reality games specialist nDreams is one to watch says Payton. He foresees an explosion in content for VR once the next generation of headsets hits the market, a development expected to occur within months. DNA-design group Oxford Genetics is another seeing rapid revenue growth while InTehnica has developed a bot traffic filter that helps to help allocate tickets for the Glastonbury festival among other things. One intriguing aspect of the strategy is that if Mercia identifies an opportunity but cant find a business that fits, it will build it itself. Its like a home bake. Get to understand a sector, hunt for the right people and tech and see if we can build it. Dont look for it overseas, the UKs regions have more than enough to offer. At 37.5p, Mercia is valued at 113million or a 9 per cent discount to assets, which looks a low risk way into some very exciting tech. Netflix shares leapt nearly 7 per cent last night after it added more than 7.4million new subscribers. In a blockbuster earnings announcement, the streaming giant said subscriber numbers grew 6.3pc to 125m in the first quarter, smashing analysts predictions. The rise was driven by a 5.5 million increase in customers outside the US as revenue rocketed by more than 40 per cent in the past three months to 2.5 billion year-on-year. Revenue has rocketed by more than 40 per cent in the quarter to 2.5 billion year-on-year Netflix added nearly 2 million subscribers in the US, and said international subscriptions now account for 50 per cent of revenue and 55 per cent of subscriptions. It plans to spend more than 5.6billion on 700 new shows this year, including a remake of the 1960s classic Lost in Space (pictured), and a new series of existing hits Orange Is The New Black and Narcos. The California-based tech firm, which has customers in more than 190 countries, predicts it will add a further 6.2 million subscribers next quarter as consumers increasingly shun traditional television in favour of on-demand streaming services. In a letter to shareholders, Netflix said: We strive to entertain and to bring joy to people across the world through amazing stories. Our 125 million members provided us with 2.5 billion in streaming revenue in the first quarter. Our job is to spend this money wisely to increase our members delight. Netflix shares were down 1.6pc as US markets closed. But shares rocketed 6.8pc in aftermarket trading. The announcement follows an investor backlash against technology stocks that wiped trillions off share prices in the wake of the Facebook data scandal. Despite the sell-off, Netflix shares have climbed by more than 108 per cent over the past year. On Friday, the streaming firm was boosted by a fresh tie-up with US cable giant Comcast, which has lodged a 22.1billion bid to snap up British satellite television provider Sky. Under the terms of the deal, Comcasts 22.5 million television subscribers will be able to add Netflix to their packages, opening up a huge potential new source of customers for the firm. Separately, Netflix has followed the likes of Apple and Samsung in developing its own typeface in a bid to save millions of dollars a year in licensing fees. Netflix Sans was developed with London-based typeface designer Dalton Maag and will be the font used on its streaming service. Noah Nathan, Netflixs design lead, told website Its Nice That: With the global nature of Netflixs business, font licensing can get quite expensive. Developing this typeface not only created an ownable and unique element for the brands aesthetic but saves the company millions of dollars a year as foundries move towards impression-based licensing for their typefaces in many digital advertising spaces. The trial of American pastor Andrew Brunson (pictured), imprisoned in Turkey on terror charges, is set to begin Monday in western Izmir province The trial of an American pastor arrested in Turkey on terrorism charges has begun in the Aegean coast city of Izmir today. Andrew Craig Brunson, an evangelical pastor from North Carolina, is facing up to 35 years in prison on charges of 'committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member' and 'espionage.' Brunson, 50, appeared in court in the town of Aliaga, north of Izmir, wearing a white shirt and a black suit. The pastor, who ran a protestant church in Izmir, was detained by Turkish authorities in October 2016 and has been held in prison ever since. Turkey accuses him of having links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for a masterminding a failed military coup that year. In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, also in court were Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedoms, and Senator Thom Tillis. Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for 23 years, has denied all allegations, saying that he solely worked as a pastor. The Turkish government has clearly linked Brunson's case with its determination to force the U.S. to extradite Gulen - and some see the pastor as a diplomatic pawn. Ismail Cem Halavurt, the lawyer of jailed Andrew Craig Brunson uses his phone following an interview with The Associated Press, Sunday, April 15, 2018 Turkish forces guard the entrance to the prison in Kiriklar, in Izmir province, Turkey, where Brunson is held, Sunday, April 15, 2018 Turkey has submitted an extradition request to the U.S. for Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, but so far it not been granted The American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian group in the U.S., has called Brunson a 'hostage of the Turkish government.' A petition has garnered more than half a million signatures, claiming that the case was putting Christianity on trial. Brunson's lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, told The Associated Press on Sunday he expects the pastor's acquittal, arguing that the 'weak' indictment lacked sufficient evidence to make the case hold up in court. American officials have repeatedly requested that Brunson be released - President Donald Trump himself asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to have his government 'expeditiously' return the pastor to the U.S. But Erdogan fired back at Washington, demanding that the U.S. first return Gulen. 'You give him to us and we'll give you this one,' he said, referring to Brunson. Turkey has submitted an extradition request to the U.S. for Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, but so far it not been granted. President Donald Trump himself asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) to have his government 'expeditiously' return Brunson In exchange, Turkey wants reclusive cleric and Erdogan nemesis Fethullah Gulen (Pictured) extradited back to Ankara That has created festering frustration in the Turkish government, which has hunted down tens of thousands of alleged Gulen supporters and either imprisoned them or fired them from government jobs. Brunson has served as the pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church with a small Protestant congregation. He was first detained in October 2016 with his wife, Norine Brunson, who was later released. Brunson's lawyer said he was healthy but 'demoralized' after being stuck behind bars, having missed his daughter's engagement and another child's graduation. The Izmir prosecutor's indictment against Brunson claims he was in contact with top-level executives of Gulen's network and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Both are designated terror groups in Turkey. Brunson is accused of acting in 'parallel and coordinated fashion' with them, aiming to 'divide' the country. 'We think we can debunk these claims tomorrow,' Brunson's lawyer said. The prosecutor also accuses Brunson of espionage, saying Brunson acted 'as an agent of unconventional warfare,' gathering intelligence with religious work as his cover. The indictment - based on the testimonies of witnesses, including three secret ones, and alleged digital evidence - claims the pastor worked to convert Kurds to Christianity to sow discord. Halavurt called the use of secret witnesses a 'serious wound' in Turkey's legal system that has contributed to Brunson's suffering, and he argues that the spying accusation is 'completely baseless.' The lawyer said he is opposed to the 'politicization' of Brunson's case and says his client wants to remain in Turkey if he's acquitted. People walk past the Izmir Resurrection Church, where jailed Andrew Craig Brunson served as the pastor, in Izmir, western Turkey, Sunday, April 15, 2018 An attorney for President Donald Trump has told a federal judge that prosecutors should not get to study evidence seized from his personal lawyer until he has a chance to review the material and identify items that might be subject to attorney-client privilege. Attorney Joanna Hendon filed papers late Sunday asking a federal judge to block prosecutors from studying the material until Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen and the president have both had a chance to review it. 'Fairness and justice - as well as the appearance of fairness and justice - require that, before they are turned over to the Investigative Team, the seized materials relating to the President must be reviewed by the only person who is truly motivated to ensure that the privilege is properly invoked and applied: the privilege-holder himself, the President,' Hendon wrote. An attorney for Donald Trump has told a judge that prosecutors should not get to study evidence seized from his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, until the president has a chance to review the material Trump said on Sunday that all lawyers are now 'deflated and concerned' by the FBI raid on Cohen, who is under criminal investigation for personal business dealings. 'Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past,' he tweeted. 'I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned!' The raid carried out last Monday at Cohen's apartment, hotel room, office and safety deposit box sought bank records, records on Cohen's dealing in the taxi industry, Cohen's communications with the Trump campaign and information on payments he made in 2016 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and to porn actress Stormy Daniels, people familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press. The raid carried out last Monday sought bank records on Cohen's communications with the Trump campaign and information on a payment he made to porn star Stormy Daniels On Friday, lawyers for Cohen appeared in federal court in New York asking that they, not the Department of Justice, be given a first crack at reviewing the seized evidence to see if it was relevant to the investigation or could be forwarded to criminal investigators without jeopardizing attorney-client privilege. Prosecutors want a different system, in which a special team of Justice Department lawyers not directly involved in the probe would review the material and determine what was off-limits to investigators because of attorney-client privilege. Hendon proposed yet another level of protections, in which Cohen's lawyers, after finishing their initial review, then be required to 'identify to the president all seized materials that relate to him in any way and provide a copy of those materials to him and his counsel.' Trump, or his lawyers, would then get to say what he believed to be off-limits to investigators. Federal prosecutors revealed Friday said the criminal investigation had been going on for months. They declined to say publicly what laws they believed Cohen had broken, but said the probe had to do with her personal business dealings. Prosecutors contend that Cohen was 'performing little to no legal work' for Trump. They acknowledged that the investigation was referred by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, but was being conducted by the US attorney's office in Manhattan. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders demurred when asked Sunday on ABC's 'This Week' if Trump was worried that Cohen might agree to work with prosecutors, if charged, to reduce his own punishment. Trump said on Sunday that all lawyers are now 'deflated and concerned' by the FBI raid on Cohen, who is under criminal investigation for personal business dealings 'Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past,' he tweeted (pictured) 'Look, the president is very confident in the fact that he has done nothing wrong and he can't speak on behalf of anyone else, but he's very confident in what he has and hasn't done,' Sanders said. 'And he's going to continue focusing and fighting for the American people.' Cohen, who didn't attend Friday's hearing, was ordered to appear in federal court Monday to help answer questions about his law practice. He has denied wrongdoing. Both McDougal and Daniels say they had affairs with a married Trump, which the president has denied. Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, said Sunday that his client will attend Monday's hearing. In a tweet, he also responded to Trump's comment about how 'all lawyers' are feeling after the Cohen raid. 'To be clear - I am not 'deflated and concerned.' I am 'elated and hopeful,' Avenatti wrote. 'The events of the last week reinstill the belief that NOBODY is above the law and the attorney-client privilege cannot be used by those in power to hide criminal conduct.' Two men have traded blows in front of horrified customers in the dairy aisle of a Coles supermarket. The fight, which saw a shirtless man and a tattooed dad grapple with each other and throw wild swings, took place inside a Brisbane supermarket. Richard Harding, who was shopping inside the Chermside supermarket with his wife, watched the fight unfold and said the pair left a trail of blood through the store. 'One of them had a kid, he was there with his missus and his kid I mean Christ almighty, you're in Coles,' Mr Harding told Yahoo7 News. 'There was blood dripping all over the place it was terrifying, the shoppers and staff were all pretty shocked. Two men have been filmed as they brawled inside of a Coles in Chermside Queensland, as customers watched on with some trying to break it up It's not clear what sparked the melee, but the pair can be heard shouting profanities at each other as they brawl while onlookers threaten to call police. 'You hit me bro, you got kids bro,' one of the men appears to say in the vision. A bystander then tries to intervene and break up the fight. 'Guys come here, that's enough guys,' he says, trying to separate the pair. One of the men then stands up and takes a swing at the good Samaritan before turning his attention back to the other man. 'I'm calling the police,' a woman can be heard saying. 'Don't leave.' Just as it looks like the fight has stopped the men go at it again and the women shouts to them about her 'chain'. 'That's mine, that's my chain give me my f****** chain,' she shouts. A bystander then tries to intervene and break up the fight. 'Guys come here, that's enough guys,' he says as he tries to break up the fight Another women, possibly the one filming, then threatens to call the police herself. 'I am calling the police if you do not leave,' she said. The two men break away from each other quickly and begin to go their separate ways but not before one of the men gives the other an ominous warning. Coles were contacted for comment and a spokesperson said that it was a matter for Queensland Police. A Queensland Police spokesperson said they were called to the site. 'Police did attend reports of a disturbance at a Chermside shopping centre around 3pm on April 15, but there has been no complaint from either party,' the spokesperson said. The clip was posted to Facebook on Sunday and generated a number of comments. 'Security should of been there asap,' one user wrote. 'Only on the north side,' another added. A fire police believe may have been deliberately lit has raged through Sydney's south-west overnight as firefighters desperately try to manage the blaze. Southwest Sydney residents endured a second nervous night as hundreds of firefighters took advantage of easing conditions to battle a blaze that's so far blackened 2500 hectares. The fire was fanned by strong winds on Sunday and approached suburban streets. Scroll down for video Police reportedly believe that the fire raging through southwest Sydney (pictured) may have been deliberately lit The fire, which police believe may have been deliberately lite, tore through 2,500 hectares of bushland and continued to rage overnight Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there will be a full investigation and that the community would deem it 'absolutely unforgivable' if the fire was deliberately lit. Police do not have any suspects at this stage, the Today show reported, but an investigation will continue early in the week. The blaze tore through the Holsworthy military range and more than 500 personnel from the Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Australian Defence Force battled to protect properties. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there will be a full investigation by police Residents in Alfords Point and Sandy Point told it's too late to leave the area Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited the Rural Fire Service command centre in Sutherland on Sunday afternoon as authorities reported some properties in the southern Sydney suburb of Menai may have been impacted A total of 500 firefighters have been battling the blaze as it continues to rage, taking its toll on local wildlife like this koala The blaze was downgraded from emergency level to watch and act at about 5.30pm on Sunday as conditions began to ease. Firefighters have taken advantage of the conditions to do a back burn along Heathcote Road near Pleasure Point as well as in areas of the Holsworthy military base. A large number of firefighters remain on the ground working to slow the spread of the fire, which continues to burn in a southeasterly direction towards Barden Ridge. RFS spokesman Greg Allan said some properties had not escaped unscathed. 'We have had reports of impact on properties in west Menai and Barden Ridge but our crews at the moment are solely focused on fighting the fire,' he told AAP in the evening. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service announced the emergency warning for Holsworth, Voyager Pt, Pleasure Pt, Sandy Point, Illawong, Menai & Bangor, with all expected to experience an ember attack Residents in the suburbs of Voyager Point, Pleasure Point, Sandy Point and Illawong, Menai and Bangor were warned of the danger of ember attacks as many scrambled with hoses and buckets to protect their houses. By 5pm, some Menai residents were starting to relax. Daniel Borg, who lives on Hall Drive in Menai alongside bushland, admitted it was concerning to see how close the flames came. 'It was pretty scary,' he told AAP when finally opening a beer, thankful his house came with sprinklers on the roof. Scorching temperatures and high winds have combined to fuel an out-of-control fire in south- western Sydney which is threatening homes and residents as winds of up to 40km/h make conditions difficult for firefighters trying to contain the wild blaze More than 500 firefighters in 98 fire trucks have battled the blaze overnight in attempts to keep it contained after it has already destroyed 1,000 hectares of bush land NSW Police on Sunday evening announced a task force had been set up to investigate whether the fire, which began in the vicinity of Leacocks Reserve in Casula, was deliberately lit. Conditions are expected to aid the firefighting effort on Monday, with winds about half the strength they were on Sunday. The temperature may remain a cause for concern, according to the RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers. 'Still quite a difficult day ahead (on Monday),' he told the Nine Network. Residents in Alfords Point and Sandy Point have been told by firefighters that it's now too late to leave and to take shelter as quickly and safely as possible 'I think we've got a long way to go before we're out of the woods.' Residents in Voyager Point, Pleasure Point, Sandy Point, Alfords Point, Barden Ridge, Illawong, Menai and Bangor were told to be prepared to activate their bushfire survival plans should conditions change. Heathcote Road remains closed between Macarthur Drive and New Illawarra Road, while Old Illawarra Road at Barden Ridge has reopened. Previously. residents in Alfords Point and Sandy Point were told by firefighters that it's now too late to leave, and to take shelter as quickly and safely as possible. Thankfully no one has been hurt or killed in the fire, which hasn't destroyed any houses either. The out-of-control blaze started as a grass fire in Casula, 35 kilometres from the city, but has since tore through multiple properties and into bushland Over 100 firefighters are continuing to battle a blaze in Sydney's south-west which has now been burning for more than eight hours Residents have been told it is now too late to leave as the fire ravages through suburbs including Voyager Point, Pleasure Point, Sandy Point and Picnic Point The blaze started as a grass fire in 35 kilometres from the city, but has since torn through bushland and threatened hundreds of homes Horrific footage has shown fire continue to tear through the area in Sydney's south-west The blaze reportedly took off about 2.30pm on Casula Road, near the suburb's train station Local fire authorities continued to fight the flames long after nightfall Firefighters and locals stand near a fence as roaring flames light up the night National Parks in the fire zone have also been closed as a precaution, including Heathcote National Park and the southern part of Georges River National Park. The out-of-control blaze started as a grass fire in Casula, 35 kilometres from the city, but has since torn through multiple properties and into bushland. Horrific footage showed mammoth clouds of smoke billowing over the entire area as more than 140 firefighters kept battling the blaze. As the fires continue to burn within metres of their homes, Wattle Grove residents watch on Dozens of people stand in the shadows of the fires as firefighters continue to battle the blaze Residents watch for potentially dangerous embers in Wattle Grove A local teenager is seen ready to defend the area from any additional fire damage as the flames continue to burn The fire earlier broke boundary lines and entered Holsworthy Army Barracks, which has since been evacuated and placed into lockdown Firefighters have been working to control a grass fire which is burning across south-west Sydney Heavy smoke has blanketed the area around Holsworthy in Sydney's south-west There are reports the fire has encroached dangerously close to homes and police officers have commenced door-knocking, telling residents to leave Angry red flames can be seen in the nearby bushland of rows of suburban homes Feminist author Germaine Greer has shared her bleak prediction for the upcoming royal wedding, claiming Meghan Markle will 'bolt' from her marriage to Prince Harry out of boredom. Speaking to 60 Minutes, the outspoken activist slammed the Suits actress, implying she was marrying for money and status, but had given up too much of herself for the relationship to work. Ms Greer said the monotony of royal life would likely set in, as would the rigid and demanding nature of her new life. 'She will see vistas of boredom that are unbelievable,' Ms Greer said. Scroll down for video Meghan Markle will 'bolt' from her marriage to Prince Harry after discovering how boring and rigid life as a royal is, author Germaine Greer has said The feminist author (pictured) said the US actress has given up too much of her own life for love 'I think the pressure to escape from the firm is crushing... I think she'll bolt.' The 79-year-old said she held out some hope Ms Markle could take off from royal life with the Prince at her side. She claimed the likelihood of Ms Markle's departure was increased by her first failed marriage to film producer Trevor Engelson. When the US actress decided to call it quits on the marriage in 2013, she returned Mr Engelson's rings through the post. While Ms Greer has no great hope for Meghan Markle's union with Prince Harry, she said she could understand how it happened. Ms Greer also cheekily implied Ms Markle could be marrying for wealth and status 'Why would a girl born in poverty marry a man worth 53 million quid? I can't think of single reason,' she said cheekily. To join the Royal Family, Ms Markle will need to relinquish her US citizenship, and will not be able to continue working as an actress. Becoming a British citizen can take years though, so the actress and lifestyle blogger will retain her US citizenship throughout the application process. Ms Markle and Prince Harry will tie the knot on May 19 at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Police have issued a warning for prospective Gumtree customers to be careful who they do dealings with, after a series of violent encounters left buyers black and bruised. Three men who responded to an advertisement on the website for the sale of a mobile phone had arranged to meet the sellers at about 8:40pm on Saturday. But when they arrived at the prearranged location in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, the men were met by four males who accepted their money and suddenly turned hostile, Seven News reports. A series of assaults between Gumtree 'sellers' and buyers has prompted police to issue a warning to users of the site One incident took place in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, where three male buyers were met by four men who allegedly took their money and beat them with sticks The pseudo sellers allegedly assaulted the buyers, beating them with large sticks and threatening one of them with a knife in demand of more money, which they received. The victims fled to a taxi and locked themselves inside while their assailants damaged the vehicle with their makeshift clubs, before eventually splitting the scene. Another attack occurred just hours later in the nearby suburb of Cooper Plains, with three men assaulting and robbing a buyer who had gone to the meeting location alone A similar incident occurred just hours later, police say, when a man attended a rendezvous in the nearby suburb of Cooper Plains at about 10pm - also under the pretext of purchasing a mobile phone. Upon meeting the two male sellers and conversing with them face-to-face, the buyer allegedly asked to see some identification and a receipt for the phone. He was subsequently set on by the two men, along with a third attacker, who punched him in the face and assaulted him with a stick. The gang of thieves also allegedly robbed the victim of his personal property before fleeing. Police say they believe the two incidents are linked and investigations are continuing. All four victims received cuts and bruising to different parts of their bodies. Star Trek captain Jean-Luc Picard, the actor Sir Patrick Stewart assured us yesterday, would never have voted for Brexit. Unity and a common cause are paramount to the beliefs of the hairless space explorer, he told devoted Remainers gathered to launch a campaign for a second referendum on Britains future in the EU. We should ahem Klingon to membership of the EU or face war, pestilence and eventual oblivion, he intoned. The audience of 1,200 mostly middle-aged, middle-class Europhiles crammed into the Electric Ballroom, a music venue in trendy Camden, north London, lapped it up, cheering, clapping and waving white flags in agreement. Star Trek captain Jean-Luc Picard, the actor Sir Patrick Stewart assured us yesterday, would never have voted for Brexit. Unity and a common cause are paramount to the beliefs of the hairless space explorer, he told devoted Remainers This was the converted preaching to the converted, a ticket-only event in which any Brexiteer foolhardy enough to heckle would have been silenced by a phaser blast, Vulcan death grip or a tut from the ladies of Bath for Europe (in EU-blue berets with gold stars). Since the 2016 referendum, Sir Patrick said, there has been a concerted effort by many including government to shut down debate and to tell us that we should simply trust ministers to get on with it because Brexit is an irreversible process that we shouldnt worry about the cost and complexity of it, or the litany of broken promises. Well, today we say thats not good enough. Our countrys future is at stake and we will not stand idly by. The Peoples Vote campaign hopes to head off Britains departure from the EU next year. It calls on Parliament to give the public a vote on the terms of the final deal, with the chance to remain in the EU if they vote against it. The 1million campaign brings together nine grassroots organisations, and is fronted by those giants of politics, Tory MP Anna Soubry and Labours Chuka Umunna. Stewart, 77, is no stranger to parallel universes, being both a star traveller and mutant professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men Hollywood films. It is not Charles Xavier standing here in front of you, although I can assure you that if he was he would have voted Remain, he said, thus imposing political views on a second fictional character. He said Picard would have felt the same way, adding that the character believed in the common interest and always had at heart the needs of everyone, not just an elitist few. The day Britain joined the then European Economic Community on January 1, 1973, was one of the best of his life, Sir Patrick said, adding that he would carry his blue British passport with less pride that the burgundy EU one. Now that we are learning the real cost of Brexit, I want to urge that we think again, he added. There were plenty of hysterical pro-Brussels figures in attendance. Former EU commissioner Lord Mandelson and ex-Blair favourite Lord Adonis were purring at this clunking celebrity intervention. Mandelson, Tony Blair and Nick Clegg back Open Britain, one of the groups involved in the Peoples Vote. Open Britains Tory-led opposite number is the European Movement, chaired by former Tory cabinet minister Stephen Dorrell and supported behind the scenes by Ken Clarke and Lord Heseltine. Green MP Caroline Lucas, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, Labour MP Chuka Umunna, Conservative MP Anna Soubry and comedian Andy Parsons pictured at a rally to launch People's Vote - a campaign demanding a vote on the final Brexit deal, With Parliament expected to debate the terms of a settlement in the autumn, the motley crowd that has come together as the Peoples Vote has little time to reverse opinion. They certainly wont change the minds of the hardy group of Brexiteers who stood outside yesterday. Newsflash: Remain Lost! read one of their placards, reminding Remainers entering the venue that the British public had already had its say, and there is no justification for a re-run. I voted to leave the EU, but only started to campaign actively after people who dared to declare they voted Leave were accused of being racist, said Lucy Harris, 27, of the London For Leave group. Arch-Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash MP, chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, accused the fledgling group of attempting to sabotage the referendum result. They are defying the British people, who made a decision given to them by Parliament itself. The groups new publicity push comes as peers prepare to force the Prime Minister to reconsider Brexit via a series of votes in the House of Lords. One amendment could make the UK remain in the EU customs union. This would make it impossible to agree trade deals around the world. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, an architect of the Leave victory, dismissed Sir Patricks remarks, saying the UK would boldly go into areas of the world it has neglected. When Andrew Marr suggested on his BBC1 show yesterday that British trade negotiators might be confronted by alien spacecraft waiting to zap us in these far-flung places, the Foreign Secretary assured him that they were friendly, wonderful places where we can renew old friendships, rebuild relationships and develop fantastic new free-trade deals. In any case, Brexiteers have little to fear from the intrepid Captain Picard. He is not due to be born for another 287 years (date of birth July 13, 2305), although there is no guarantee that diehard Remoaners wont still be arguing about Brexit even then. For 15 years, Donald Maclean used his position as a top British diplomat to pass vital secrets to his KGB masters. On Saturday, in the first part of our serialisation of an electrifying biography based on newly released papers, we learned how the Cambridge graduate was recruited as a Soviet 'sleeper' before going on to live his treacherous double life. But, by 1951, the net was closing in At the start of 1951, just as Donald Maclean began to feel more settled in his new role back at the Foreign Office in London, his name was cropping up on lists of suspects as 'Homer', the mole in the British embassy in Washington who during and after the war had leaked state secrets to the Soviet Union. MI5 and American intelligence were sifting through material, cross-checking dates and drawing together odd straws of information in an attempt to identify this mysterious spy. For a while, Maclean was safe because for some reason investigators convinced themselves wrongly that their target had been educated at Eton and Oxford. (Maclean was Gresham's and Cambridge.) Kim Philby, the wily undercover master-spy who had recruited Maclean as a Soviet agent and was now Britain's intelligence chief in the Washington embassy, was happy to help them in that delusion. At the start of 1951, Donald Maclean's (pictured with his wife) name was cropping up on lists of suspects as 'Homer', the mole in the British embassy in Washington who during and after the war had leaked state secrets to the Soviet Union But the threat of exposure was a concern and a disturbed Maclean started to binge-drink again. It made him reckless. He got into a silly alcoholic argument at a party and burst out: 'I'm a member of the Communist Party have been for years!' This wasn't even true. He'd never been a party member, not even in his radical Left-wing days at Cambridge. It was a pointlessly dangerous thing to say that might incriminate him. But when it was reported to the Foreign Office and the security services, they declared that it was 'obviously not to be taken seriously'. It was all put down to the drink talking. Maclean, the highly respected head of the Foreign Office's American Department, with a glittering career already and tipped for even greater eminence in the future, was not considered in any sense a liability even when, at another party, he drunkenly shouted at one of his oldest friends, 'I'm a Communist agent', and challenged him to report it. Philby, however, was alert to the danger. When he heard of this outburst, he could see that his comrade's days were drastically numbered, and he contacted Moscow for instructions on how to get him out. He then briefed his fellow spy and Cambridge recruit, Guy Burgess, to warn Maclean that he was going to be rumbled any day, and to set up an escape plan. Meanwhile, the spy-catchers were getting closer as they eliminated other suspects. To the incredulity of George Carey-Foster, head of Foreign Office security, the spotlight was shifting to Maclean. Carey-Foster found it hard to believe that such a trusted friend and colleague could really be the guilty party, yet the evidence increasingly pointed to him. An appalled Foreign Office had to accept that Maclean the brilliant man many of them had expected to run the show as Permanent Secretary one day, the star they had hitched themselves to and protected, had to be Homer. In May 1951, Maclean left the house (pictured) on Surrey/Kent border and travelled to France with fellow spy Guy Burgess before defecting to the Soviet Union They were paralysed with indecision about how precisely to bring him in. They were also too embarrassed to name Maclean, one of their own, to the Americans. The only action agreed at this point was to put a tap on his phone and a tail on his movements. His mother's phone was also tapped, as was the one in the consulting room of the psychoanalyst he was seeing about his alcoholism. But a decision was made to hold off actually doing anything more until either concrete evidence could be obtained that would hold up in court or the suspect could be interrogated and confess. During this window of official inactivity, the most senior spy ever detected inside the British government was, amazingly, allowed to go about his business unhindered. He lunched with old friends in the respectable establishment surroundings of the Garrick, Army and Navy and Travellers clubs. He had tea in the office. And, all the while, the watchers from MI5's surveillance unit, A4, loitered on street corners and silently followed him. Maclean himself must have suspected his nemesis was getting closer. Sensitive files were being kept from him; his superiors seemed awkward around him; there was the echo of the tap on his telephone. Clearly, he was worried. An old acquaintance he ran into thought him shabby and morose, 'untalkative, with his hands thrust deep into his tweed coat pockets and his shoulders hunched'. He seemed defeated, exhausted by the worlds which he had strived to straddle for so long. Elsewhere in London, Burgess was in crisis talks with Anthony Blunt, another highly placed Cambridge alumnus working for the Soviet Union, who was embedded in MI5. Kim Philby, the wily undercover master-spy who had recruited Maclean as a Soviet agent, briefed his fellow spy and Cambridge recruit, Guy Burgess (pictured), to warn Maclean that he was going to be rumbled any day, and to set up an escape plan Blunt passed a message to Moscow that if Maclean was arrested and questioned, he would almost certainly blab, putting the whole network in danger. So far, Moscow had hesitated about getting Maclean out: now the instruction came back: 'We agree to your organising Maclean's defection. We will receive him here.' Burgess met Maclean for a drink at the Reform Club, where he told him that MI5 were onto to him. Maclean wasn't surprised. 'I'm being followed by the dicks,' he said, pointing out two men in the street jingling their coins in a policeman-like manner. 'I'm expecting a summons any day.' But he was reluctant to defect, abandoning his wife Melinda and his family, especially since she was pregnant. The word came back from Moscow: he had no choice. Philby then sent a coded message telling them there was no time to lose. Get on with it. For the next few days, Maclean found it in himself to act normally. He renewed his railway season ticket and left his trousers at the dry-cleaner's for collection. In terms of escape plans, it helped that the watchers from MI5 chose not to follow him in the evenings or at weekends. Their presence in the Home Counties village where he lived would be too obvious. They saw him off from Victoria each night, then headed home. From Moscow came a new order: that Burgess, increasingly a liability because of his own excessive behaviour, would not only help Maclean to 'exfiltrate' but go with him for at least some of the way. The problem was how to get the two of them out, given that it was a safe bet the airports and ports would be watched. Moscow toyed with 'that classic spy-novel device, a submarine appearing at a discreet rendezvous somewhere along the coast', but time was too short. Donald Maclean with his wife Melinda Marling and his two sons Ronald and Fergus in the 50s It was Blunt who came up with the solution. There were cruise ships that left the Channel ports on a Friday night, then put in for brief stops for meals and shopping in France and the Channel Islands before returning on Sunday evening. As passengers were deemed not really ever to leave Britain, passport checks were virtually non-existent. Thursday, May 24, was another frantic day at the top of the Foreign Office, with furtive high-level meetings that ended in still more dithering about Maclean's guilt. They were still very cautious about condemning such a trusted colleague and there was also the political consideration that managing how they broke the news to their opposite numbers in America was crucial. Not to tell them would be a breach of their intelligence-sharing protocols; but nor did they want the story, which would be a sensation, to leak. A timetable was drawn up to put off his interrogation for a month, partly to give them time to deal with their opposite numbers in the U.S., and partly because Melinda was due to give birth on June 17, enabling them to search their house, if necessary, while she was in the nursing home. The next day Maclean's 38th birthday he went to work as usual and rang his mother to invite her for lunch. She had a previous engagement, she told him, and couldn't make it. She was never to see him again. He lunched with old friends instead champagne and oysters at Wheelers in Soho but was 'steady on his feet', according to the watcher tailing him when he went through the Foreign Office doors for the last time at 3pm. As he left that evening, he told colleagues he wouldn't be in for a few days because 'something has cropped up' . That left Sir Roger Makins, the deputy under-secretary, suspicious. He was in the know about Maclean and rang the head of security to alert him. But there was no reply and, running late for a social engagement, he concluded that, as Maclean was under surveillance by the Security Service, there was no need to raise the alarm. No one in the Foreign Office had been told the surveillance teams knocked off when Maclean took his train home. The team's last sighting of him was recorded as 'after a drink, he boarded the 6.10 pm train for the Whitsun Bank Holiday'. And, officially, that was the last that was ever seen of him. At home that evening, the family dined on a special ham Melinda had spent the day preparing, and birthday cake. To Melinda's annoyance, a man she did not know arrived, introduced as 'Roger Styles'. It was Guy Burgess. Dinner was a chatty, 'normal' meal, with no one showing any sign of strain. Afterwards, Maclean went upstairs and packed a double-handled Gladstone bag because, he told her, the two of them had to go away on business. He might be away a night or two. For a while, Maclean was safe because for some reason investigators convinced themselves wrongly that their target had been educated at Eton and Oxford (Maclean was Gresham's and Cambridge) His seven-year-old son Fergus heard and wailed: 'Why are you going away, Daddy? Can I stand at the window and watch you go?' His father said: 'Into bed, you little scamp. I'm not going far. I'll be back soon.' At 10pm, the men left, driving away in Burgess's car at top speed. They had left it late and only just covered the 90 miles to Southampton in time to embark on the cruise ship Falaise at 11.45pm. They left the car on the dockside, the keys still in the ignition, and jumped aboard just before the gangplank was raised. 'We'll be back for it on Monday!' they shouted to a waiting sailor. From the deck, Maclean took his last sight of his sleeping country as he moved on to his new life. The following morning, the boat docked at a rainy St Malo. The two men stayed on board, eating a breakfast of eggs and bacon and drinking beer before leaving their luggage behind in their shared cabin and disembarking. They missed the 11.20 am boat-train to Paris perhaps deliberately, fearing they might be checked at the barrier and instead hired a taxi to drive them the 43 miles to Rennes, where they caught up with the train and continued to Paris. Their caution was unnecessary. A few days earlier a general instruction had been put out for UK police and passport control to watch for Maclean but the British had chosen not to share this warning with continental police or ports, for fear of leaks. Back in England, it was Tuesday before Melinda rang the Foreign Office to say she didn't know where her husband was. Officials were panic-stricken. Word was sent out to all European embassies to look out for the two men and to report back on a 'clear the line' basis direct to the Prime Minister. A week of frantic and fruitless searching went by before the story broke in the Press. It was reported from Paris that 'two British government employees' were on the run 'with the intention of getting to Moscow to serve their idealistic purposes', possibly taking vital papers with them. The Foreign Office had to come clean: it put out a press release naming Maclean and Burgess and reporting them as missing. Some colleagues still wanted to believe they had just gone off on a drunken spree. Perhaps, one of them surmised, the openly gay Burgess had accosted a French sailor and they'd been dumped unceremoniously in the Seine. But slowly the truth sank in. It was considered 'totally unthinkable that a member of His Majesty's Foreign Service would ever betray his country', but that was what had happened, right under their noses. When the Americans learned the truth, they were furious, not just at the betrayal, but at being kept in the dark for so long that Maclean was the chief suspect for the mole code-named 'Homer' in the British embassy in Washington. Even now the British tried to play down Maclean's significance, but the U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson wasn't fooled. 'My God, he [Maclean] knew everything!' he exclaimed. The FBI's Robert Lamphere concluded: 'I've been lied to for a long time by MI5.' He was convinced rightly that 'surely Philby [who was also suspected of being a Soviet agent] tipped off Maclean'. Relations between London and Washington sank to a new low of mistrust and recrimination. And, even now, no one could be sure precisely where the two missing diplomats were. Sightings poured in. The fugitives were hiding in a chateau outside Paris; or they were in Monte Carlo, Berlin, Naples, Rome, Vienna and Barcelona. Each rumour was religiously followed up. Letters from clairvoyants took up valuable security time, if only in the reading and filing. The Daily Mail offered a 10,000 reward for any information that led to a confirmed sighting. But all inquiries drew a blank. What had become of Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean did not take much guesswork. But it would be three years before there was confirmation. It was in 1954 that a KGB agent named Vladimir Petrov, working in the Soviet embassy in Australia's capital, Canberra, defected and brought out with him knowledge of Burgess and Maclean and their escape. It emerged that after reaching Paris from St Malo that Whitsun weekend, the two men had then caught the night train to Bern, the Swiss capital. False passports were waiting for them there in the Soviet embassy, but they could not depart immediately because it was a Sunday and there were no flights out for a couple of days. The pair of runaways collapsed in a hotel and waited. Burgess went out on the town, where a motor show was being held, but Maclean stayed in, smoking and reading the collected works of Jane Austen. It must have been a nerve-racking 48 hours, wondering if they had already been posted missing and whether the hunt for them was on. Would they get away in time? They need not have worried. On the Tuesday just as London was grasping what had happened and sending out frantic alerts they took the Stockholm flight from Bern, which touched down briefly in Prague, in what was then communist Czechoslovakia. There they were immediately taken in hand by KGB agents. They would spend the rest of their lives in Soviet territory. Donald Maclean had left the stage and was about to begin the last act in the turbulent drama of his life. Until now, his had been a schizophrenic existence. Not any more. He had come out in his true colours, and for the first time was no longer playing two roles simultaneously. Back in Britain, the spotlight naturally fell on Melinda, who in the febrile months ahead was under siege with her children, enduring their personal agonies as the public drama played out. The newspapers made the most of the story: the wife abandoned in the last days before her confinement and the two young boys left fatherless by the traitor who had been handed on a plate the best that Britain had to offer and yet had still betrayed his country. Three weeks after her husband disappeared, she went into hospital and gave birth to a daughter. Visitors found her distressed, anxious about money now that Maclean's Foreign Office salary had stopped, and unsure how she would cope. She was relieved, then, when a substantial amount of money arrived for her, via a Swiss bank. This enraged MI5, who now put the squeeze on her. An interrogator accused her of knowing of her husband's communism and of having plans to join him. An angry Melinda retorted that until he proved it to be the case: 'I'll never believe he was a traitor to his country.' She denied any knowledge of her husband's treachery and gave the impression that his defection was a total shock to her. This seemed confirmed when a letter arrived, undated and with no address but post-marked Reigate, 25 miles from the Maclean home. 'Darling,' it read. 'A friend going to England has said that he will get this to you and I am so happy to be in touch again with your sweet self. I cannot tell you why I left or where I am. I must still lean on the strength of our love to answer for me. I think of you always and carry you close in my heart and I am sure that you do the same.' To official readers to whom it was naturally shown it established Melinda's innocence of any part in her husband's defection. But had Maclean really gone out of her life for ever? And just how much had she really known? Adapted from A Spy Named Orphan by Roland Philipps, to be published by The Bodley Head on April 26 at 20. To order a copy for 15, visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640. p&p is free on orders over 15. Offer valid until May 1, 2018. Advertisement New satellite images show how US-led air strikes completely obliterated Syria's main chemical weapon centre - but left its surroundings virtually untouched. The images reveal the precision with which the US, UK and France fired 76 missiles to land exactly on the Barzah Research and Development centre in northern Damascus in the early hours of Saturday. Barzah was one of three key chemical weapon sites flattened by coordinated military action against Bashar al-Assad's regime and his brutal chemical weapons attack that killed 75 of his own people. A total of 105 missiles landed within just two minutes after US President Donald Trump backed by UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron, commanded the offensive. But British forces were left looking second-rate after Mr Macron made the most of France's superior contribution to the bombings. Slide me New before (left) and after (right) images reveal the precision with which the US, UK and France fired missiles to land exactly on the Barzah Research and Development centre in northern Damascus, which is believed to be at the heart of Syria's chemical weapons network A Syrian soldier films the damage at the site of the Barzah Scientific Research Center in Damascus on Saturday morning after it was annihilated by 76 missiles Smoke was still billowing from the site on Saturday morning, hours after the 4am air and sea missile attack Soldiers put out flames and smoke on Saturday morning as US officials celebrated the attack and said 'mission accomplished' The RAF fired just eight missiles, compared to their French counterpart's 12. The French Navy launched three cruise missiles from Freigate, while the Royal Navy were not involved at all. Mr Macron and his officials were keen to promote their role in the strikes on social media, with Whitehall sources worried the French leader is trying to position himself as Trump's biggest ally in Europe. A source told The Times Theresa May and her team 'need to brace themselves for the fact Macron could be trying to be America's "go-to-guy", especially after Britain leaves the EU. The attack saw 85 US missiles fired from three cruise ships, with Trump taking to Twitter afterwards to say: 'Mission accomplished!' The second target in the joint campaign was the Hinshar Chemical Weapons Storage Facility. It was destroyed by 22 weapons including Scalp and Storm Shadows and three Naval cruise missiles. The third target, the Hinshar CW Bunker, was hit by seven Scalp missiles. In the aftermath of the bombings the US are set to impose further sanctions on Russia to put pressure on its continued support of the Syrian regime. Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said measures to be imposed on Monday will send a message to Russia after it blocked six UN attempts to investigate its use of chemical weapons. In Washington President Donald Trump stood by his comments that the strikes he commanded were a 'mission accomplished' after he was slated for repeating George W Bush's controversial use of the phrase during the Iraq war. Slide me One of two targets hit at the Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Storage site was the storage site (pictured) which was hit at the same time by 22 missiles. The astonishing images show what appears to be the main buildings reduced to rubble Elsewhere, Mr Macron insisted the allied forces had not 'declared war' on Syria. He told a French TV station: 'We have not declared war on the regime of Bashar al-Assad.' During the two-hour interview he also claimed he had 'convinced' Trump to maintain a military presence in Syria after the US leader threatened to pull out of the country entirely. It emerged that Trump called Mr Macron twice before he shared his intention to strike Syria in a Twitter post. But he failed to call UK Prime Minister Theresa May in the early stages of the operation, giving the French leader the opportunity to claim France is America's leading ally in Europe. Vladimir Putin has warned of 'consequences' after the US, UK and France co-ordinated the military action, condemning Saturday's strikes as an 'act of aggression' that will worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Syria and have a 'destructive influence on the entire system of international relations. But Trump has vowed to carry out further airstrikes on Syria if the regime dares to use chemical weapons again, while UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson defended Britain's decision to stand up to 'barbarism' amid criticism of Mrs May for acting without a vote in the House of Commons. Putin criticised Washington and its allies for attacking without waiting for inspectors from the international chemical weapons watchdog group to visit Douma, just outside Damascus, saying Russian military experts had found no trace of the attack. A Russian motion in the UN Security Council to condemn the airstrikes was rejected with only China and Bolivia joining Russia to vote in favour, as U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley promised the country was ready for another strike if Assad crossed the chemical weapons 'red line' in the future. Assad continues to deny using chemical weapons, telling visiting Russian politicians yesterday that Western air strikes against his country were accompanied by a campaign of "lies" and misinformation at the UN. Moscow's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said: 'A pre-designed scenario is being implemented. Again, we are being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences. All responsibility for them rests with Washington, London and Paris.' Scores of fast jets, fighters and destroyers fired at three targets in Syria on Saturday morning in retaliation for President Assad's chemical weapons attack on the rebel enclave of Douma on April 7. Boris Johnson said failure to response to Bashar Assad's use of illegal chemical weapons against his own people would have undermined 'civilised values'. He says 'so far, thank heavens, the Assad regime has not been so foolish to launch another chemical weapons attack,' adding that Britain and its allies 'would study what the options were' in the event of another attack. But amid fears of revenge attacks by Russia and criticism of Theresa May for acting without a Commons vote, Mr Johnson stressed there was no intention of getting more deeply involved in the Syrian civil war. Concerns have been raised that a cyber backlash could see vital services including water supplies, gas networks, banks, hospitals and air traffic control affected. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show yesterday, Mr Johnson said: 'You have to take every possible precaution, and when you look at what Russia has done, not just in this country, in Salisbury, attacks on TV stations, on the democratic processes, on critical national infrastructure of course we have to be very, very cautious indeed.' Slide me The second site outside of Homs was the Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Bunker. It was the smallest and was wiped out by seven missiles Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn branded the UK's air strikes 'legally questionable', forcing the Government to publish detailed legal advice justifying the bombings. Yesterday Mr Corbyn demanded a 'war powers' law to ban the Prime Minister from taking military action without a Commons vote. The official legal advice claimed 'the UK is permitted under international law, on an exceptional basis, to take measures in order to alleviate overwhelming humanitarian suffering'. Mrs May will face MPs tomorrow. Asked if there were any circumstances in which he would back air strikes in Syria, Mr Corbyn replied: 'I can only countenance involvement in Syria if there is a UN authority behind it. 'If we could get to a process in the UN where you get to a ceasefire, you get to a political solution, you then may well get to a situation where there could be a UN force established to enforce that ceasefire. 'That surely would save a lot of lives,' he told the Andrew Marr Show. Some 75 people, including children, are said to have died when the Syrian regime used chlorine gas and another nerve agent in Douma last Saturday. Aid workers told how chlorine could be smelled in the air and victims were found with foam in their mouth and with burning eyes. Pope Francis told the faithful in St. Peter's Square that he is `'deeply disturbed' by the international community's failure to come up with a common response to the crisis in Syria and other parts of the world. 'Despite the tools available to the international community, it is difficult to agree on a common action toward peace in Syria or other regions of the world,' the Pope told a crowd of 30,000 after his traditional Sunday blessing. Slide me Barzah Research Facility in northern Damascus was the main target of the attack. A total of 76 missiles pummeled this site alone. Smoke still lingered well after the attack that happened in the early morning darkness of 4am The Pentagon shared details early on Saturday of the successful, coordinated missile attack on Damascus which set the Syrian regime's chemical weapons program back 'years'. At a press conference in Washington DC on Saturday morning, Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie gave a detailed break-down of the 105 missiles launched, saying: 'This is going to set the program back for years. We attacked the heart of the Syrian chemical weapons program.' He also rejected the Syrian media's claim that Assad's missile defense systems took down 71 of the missiles launched, revealing that none were compromised and that they were only fired once the coordinated attack was over. Russia also claimed missiles had been intercepted. Three civilians were injured but there have been no confirmed fatalities. On Saturday, the General said that if any deaths are reported they may well have been the result of Assad's counter fire. 'Syria shot 40 large missiles into the air using ballistic trajectory, without guidance. When we shoot iron into the air without guidance, it's going to come down somewhere,' he said. GCHQ is thought to be monitoring the web to pick up any signs of cyber aggression from the Kremlin, following the unified missile strikes on Syrian chemical basis in Damascus All of the US aircraft returned safely to base after the attack. Gen. McKenzie did not say where the Lancer B-1 Bombers had flown from but other officials suggested they were deployed from an airbase in Qatar. 'We met our objective. We hit our target. It was mission accomplished,' White said on Saturday, repeating President Trump's tweet earlier in the day. Hours after Trump hailed the missile strike targeting the Syria's suspected chemical weapons - tweeting, 'Mission Accomplished!' - Vice President Mike Pence defended the president while building support among U.S. allies for the joint strikes with Britain and France on Saturday. 'The objective of the mission the commander in chief gave our military forces and our allies was completely accomplished - with swift professionalism,' Pence told reporters, noting there were 'no reported civilian casualties.' Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show yesterday, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the strikes were merely aimed at deterring the use of chemical weapons French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured) and his officials were keen to promote their role in the strikes on social media, with Whitehall sources worried the French leader is trying to position himself as Trump's biggest ally in Europe He also had a warning for Russia: 'Our message to Russia is, 'you're on the wrong side of history,' ' Pence also said. 'It's time for Russia to get the message President Trump delivered last night. 'You're known by the company you keep.' Russia has military forces, including air defences, in several areas of Syria to support President Assad in his long war against anti-government rebels. Confusion arose over the extent to which Washington warned Moscow in advance. The Pentagon said it gave no explicit warning. The U.S. ambassador in Moscow, John Huntsman, said in a video, 'Before we took action, the United States communicated with' Russia to 'reduce the danger of any Russian or civilian casualties.' A Pentagon spokeswoman said that to her knowledge no-one communicated with Moscow other than to use a military-to-military hotline that has routinely helped minimise the risk of U.S.-Russian collisions or confrontations in Syrian airspace. Officials said this did not include giving Russian advance notice of where or when allied airstrikes would happen. France has continued to talk regularly with Russia even as East-West tensions have grown. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, hours before the Western missile strikes. Satellite images show the Barzah Research Center, the main target, before and after the missile attack which took place at 4am local time on Saturday, 9pm EST on Friday. 76 missiles pummeled this site alone The second target was the Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Storage site which was hit at the same time by 22 missiles The third target, Him Shinshar CW Bunker, was the smallest and was wiped out by seven missiles This graphic issued by the Pentagon on Saturday illustrates how the attacks unfolded from air and sea. It does not represent exactly the number of ships or planes deployed by each country. The US used three destroyers and a submarine along with two B-1 Lancer bombers. France used at least two aircraft and four ships and the UK used four aircraft A map shows the location of the three targets. The Barzah Research Center was nearer the capital and the two storage facilities were to the north Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Dana White (left) and Joint Staff director Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie gave a briefing on the strike on Saturday and said it 'crippled' Assad's chemical weapon arsenal Between the jets and warships, 76 missiles annihilated the Barzah research center. Fifty-seven of those were Tomahawk missiles and 19 were Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles. The Tomahawks were mostly fired from the USS Monterey, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser and the USS Higgins, USS Laboon and the USS John Warner submarine. France deployed its Mirage and Dassault Rafale jets and reportedly used four frigate warships. It is not clear how many aircraft were deployed. Britain is believed only to have fired missiles from its Torpedoes and Typhoon aircraft. Other ships from each nation's military were in the region, including the USS Donald Cook, but did not fire any weapons. Despite the attack, White said the US was still committed to a peaceful and diplomatic resolution to the ongoing civil war in Syria. 'Our goal has not changed. Our goal in Syria is to defeat ISIS....but Assad's actions were beyond the pale. We do not seek conflict in Syria but we cannot allow such grievous violations of international law,' she said. 'We will not stand by passively while Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, ignores international law.' Iran condemned the Western strikes on Syria, saying no country has a right to take punitive measures against another 'beyond international procedures.' The semi-official Fars news agency quoted Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif as saying that Iran had warned about the possibility that 'terrorist groups' were behind the alleged chemical attack that triggered the strikes. It said he communicated his concerns in a phone call with Boris Johnson on Sunday. Trump vows to sanction MORE airstrikes against Syria if Assad dares to use chemical weapons again, as Nikki Haley tells UN Security Council members they have FAILED miserably to tackle his evil regime President Trump has vowed to carry out further airstrikes on Syria if the regime dares to use chemical weapons again, as Nikki Haley lashed out at Russia during a fiery meeting of the UN Security Council. Scores of fast jets, fighters and destroyers fired more than 100 missiles at three military targets in Syria on Friday night in retaliation for President Assad's chemical weapons attack on the rebel enclave of Douma on April 7. While President Trump greeted the end of the attacks with a tweet saying 'mission accomplished', Ambassador Haley promised the US was ready for another strike if Assad crossed the chemical weapons 'red line' in the future. 'The time for talk ended last night,' Haley told an emergency meeting of the Security Council called by Russia. 'We are prepared to sustain this pressure, if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will. Nikki Haley (pictured) lashed out at Russia during a fiery meeting of the UN Security Council, saying US was ready for another strike if Assad crossed the chemical weapons 'red line' again President Trump (pictured addressing the nation on the airstrikes on Friday) has vowed to carry out further airstrikes on Syria if the regime dares to use chemical weapons again 'I spoke to President Trump this morning and he said if the Syrian regime uses this poisonous gas again, the United States is locked and loaded.' She also accused the Russians of covering up crimes committed by its ally, Assad, who she said had used chemical weapons 50 times in the past seven years of warfare. President Trump said Saturday in his first comments since the air raid: 'Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!' 'So proud of our great Military which will soon be, after the spending of billions of fully approved dollars, the finest that our Country has ever had. There won't be anything, or anyone, even close!' he tweeted. The phrase recalled a similar claim associated with President George W. Bush following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Bush addressed sailors aboard a Navy ship in May 2003 alongside a 'Mission Accomplished' banner, just weeks before it became apparent that Iraqis had organized an insurgency that tied down U.S. forces for years. Russia proposed a motion at the Security Council to pass a resolution condemning the airstrikes, but this was rejected with only Russia, China and Bolivia voting in favour. Trump hailed a 'perfectly executed strike' just hours after launching a series of attacks on Syria. He wrote on Twitter on Saturday morning: 'Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!' He added: 'So proud of our great Military which will soon be, after the spending of billions of fully approved dollars, the finest that our Country has ever had. There won't be anything, or anyone, even close!' Part of the calculation this week has also been gaming out how Russia will respond either in the region or around the world The White House's talking points on the airstrikes emphasized the grotesqueness of the photos of children of 'dead and dying children' as a 'call to action among the world's civilized nations.' Surrogates for the administration were told to stress in media appearance that 'actors who use these abhorrent weapons will be held accountable for their actions' but make clear that strikes 'are not intended as a provocation against the Russian Federation or its forces in Syria. We do not seek armed conflict with the Russian Federation.' Nations that can but do not act to stop horrific attacks like the one in Syria 'make themselves complicit in these outrages,' the White House instructed its allies to say, and 'everyone must understand that the costs of using chemical weapons will always outweigh any military or political benefits.' The talking points that were provided to DailyMail.com by a source also revealed the United States' intent to impose new sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's 'ongoing support for the Assad regime' which the White House says has 'enabled the regime's atrocities against the Syrian people.' Damascus skies erupt with anti-aircraft fire after Donald Trump announced the strikes on Syria on Friday night The Damascus sky lights up with missile fire as the US, Britain and France launch an attack on Syria Putin warns of 'consequences' for Syria airstrikes amid fears of Russian cyber attacks on British hospitals and banks as Boris defends 'standing up for civilized values' after backlash at May Russia has delivered a dark warning of 'consequences' for the Syria strikes - as Boris Johnson passionately defended Britain's decision to stand up to 'barbarism'. The Foreign Secretary said failure to response to Bashar Assad's use of illegal chemical weapons against his own people would have undermined 'civilised values'. But amid fears of revenge attacks by Russia and criticism of Theresa May for acting without a Commons vote, Mr Johnson stressed there was no intention of getting more deeply involved in the Syrian civil war. The US, UK and France hailed their missile strikes in the early hours of yesterday morning as having successfully degraded the capability of Assad to deploy chemical weapons. The military action passed off without UK casualties or any of the Russian forces on the ground being hit. But there are over a Russian cyber backlash that could see vital services in Britain including water supplies, gas networks, banks, hospitals and air traffic control affected in retaliation for the strikes. Theresa May, pictured at a press conference yesterday, is facing a backlash over the Syrian bombing after not going to Parliament for a vote first RAF Tornado taxiing to the threshold before taking-off on a sortie at RAF Akrotiri to conduct strikes in support of Operations over the Middle East A series of missile strikes were launched against Syria by the US, UK and France in response to the suspected chemical weapons attack in Douma a week ago The Russian ambassador to the US has delivered a dark warning about 'consequences' for the strikes (left). Jeremy Corbyn has branded the military action 'legally questionable' - a claim flatly denied by the government GCHQ is thought to be monitoring the web to pick up any signs of cyber aggression from the Kremlin, following the missile strikes on Syrian chemical basis in Damascus. Moscow's ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said: 'A pre-designed scenario is being implemented. Again, we are being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences. All responsibility for them rests with Washington, London and Paris.' There are concerns that cyber attacks could see electricity cuts, while Russian hackers could also disable water supplies, as well as energy grid and financial services being crippled suddenly. Mrs May will face MPs tomorrow after defying calls for a Commons vote to be held before the military action in Syria. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn branded the UK's air strikes 'legally questionable', forcing the Government to publish detailed legal advice justifying the bombings. It claimed 'the UK is permitted under international law, on an exceptional basis, to take measures in order to alleviate overwhelming humanitarian suffering'. A poll has suggested the public also had doubts about the raids. A Survation poll for the Mail on Sunday found nearly six out of ten believe there should be no more missile strikes unless Mrs May wins the backing of MPs. Only one in five were in favour of the PM using her executive powers to launch more raids. However, she is also rated the most trusted Prime Minister to lead the nation into war since Margaret Thatcher, beating David Cameron and Tony Blair. The Syrian children whose pain sparked the allied airstrikes: Survivors of Assad's chemical attack tell how people fell to the ground vomiting, coughing and foaming at the mouth after inhaling 'spicy' gas The suffering of Syrian children who foamed at the mouth and struggled to breathe as they were caught up in a chemical attack last week has been revealed. Children as young as seven have spoken of the horror they witnessed as the Assad regime targeted Douma, Eastern Ghouta, with chemical weapons last week. The horrific attack, which left at least 70 people dead, has spurred the West into action with the US, UK and France co-ordinating airstrikes against Syria. One girl, seven-year-old Masa, had to flee with her mother Amani while people fell to the ground around them amid clouds of white gas and dust, the Sunday Times reports from Syria. A child evacuated from Douma is pictured arriving in Al-Bab district after the chemical attack A girl who was evacuated from Douma after the chemical attack which killed at least 70 people Amani, 34, told the newspaper: 'The gas was spicy. Spicy in my throat like chilli. I was vomiting and coughing. 'I couldn't control my body. I was just shaking the whole time. There wasn't oxygen.' The family and their neighbours had heard bombing outside, and discovered a gas attack when two young men went to see what was happening after hearing a hissing sound, it is reported. Amani found her husband and other daughter collapsed after inhaling the chemicals, but while her family survived everyone in the neighbouring basement died, she said. The survivors have been living in a camp in northern Syria after many of their friends and neighbours died in the Assad regime's attack. Another former resident of Douma, who now lives in exile, said eight of his neighbors - two women and their six children - were found dead and were were believed to have suffocated in their underground shelter from the poisonous gas. A child evacuated from Douma gestures from a bus carrying evacuees in Al-Bab district A man evacuated from Douma holds a child and looks out from a bus which evacuated them Donald Trump cited the Syrian children's agony when he spoke from the White House to announce U.S. airstrikes. 'The evil and despicable attack left mothers and fathers, infants and children thrashing in pain and gasping for air,' he said. Footage posted by the White Helmets showed victims with yellowed skin crumpled on the floor, white foam emerging from their mouths. The White House said doctors and aid organizations on the ground in Douma reported 'the strong smell of chlorine and described symptoms consistent with exposure to sarin.' Much of the evidence comes from witness testimony, as well as video and photos shot by aid workers, victims of the attacks and unspecified additional intelligence about barrel bombs and chlorine canisters found in the aftermath. The newspaper said unrelated survivors on the ground had reported similar symptoms suggesting they had been the victims of a chemical attack. The symptoms included coughing, vomiting and foaming at the mouth, as well as a loss of feeling in their limbs which Amani said made it hard to get upstairs. Corbyn demands law BANNING PM from taking military action without MP vote as he says he would NEVER deploy UK forces without UN backing - even though Russia has a veto Jeremy Corbyn yesterday demanded a 'war powers' law to ban the Prime Minister from taking military action without a Commons vote. The Labour leader also made clear he does not accept that the strikes on Syria by the UK, US and France were legally justified on humanitarian grounds. And Mr Corbyn insisted he would never countenance military action without a UN resolution - even though Russia has the power to veto them. The comments - which will fuel deep splits within Labour - came amid a huge political row over Theresa May's decision to join reprisals against Bashar Assad over his use of chemical weapons. Jeremy Corbyn insisted he would never countenance military action without a UN resolution - even though Russia has the power to veto them Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Mr Corbyn said: 'I think what we need in this country is something more robust like a War Powers Act so that governments do get held to account by Parliament for what they do in our name.' The Labour leader warned of an escalation in a 'proxy war' between the US and Russia. He said chlorine has been used by 'a number of parties in the conflict' in Syria as a weapon. Mr Corbyn said that if Britain wants to 'get the moral high ground around the world' it must abide by international law for taking military action. He said the humanitarian grounds used by the UK to justify strikes was 'debatable'. The Labour leader also made clear he does not accept that the strikes on Syria by the UK, US and France were legally justified on humanitarian grounds 'Where is the legal basis for this?' he said. Asked if there were any circumstances in which he would back air strikes in Syria, Mr Corbyn replied: 'I can only countenance involvement in Syria if there is a UN authority behind it. 'If we could get to a process in the UN where you get to a ceasefire, you get to a political solution, you then may well get to a situation where there could be a UN force established to enforce that ceasefire. That surely would save a lot of lives.' Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said taking military action against the Assad regime had been the 'wrong thing to do'. She told ITV's Peston On Sunday: 'We think that it should be in law that there should be a vote in Parliament before we take military action. All other 52 Commonwealth nations will be urged to join Britain in cracking down on the plastic waste polluting our oceans today. Theresa May announced she had set aside 61.4million much of it from the foreign aid budget to help poorer nations reduce their use of plastic. She will call on the members to sign a new Blue Charter, a 16-point plan to safeguard the oceans, during a summit of their leaders in London today. She will also call on Commonwealth countries to follow the UK's lead in banning microbeads and cutting down on single-use plastic bags. Theresa May announced she had set aside 61.4million to help poorer nations reduce their use of plastic Mrs May will tell the leaders that the charter will 'set in train ambitious and co-ordinated worldwide action'. She will say: 'Our members know all too well the many threats faced by the world's oceans. That is why, in the days ahead, I want us to agree a landmark Blue Charter to safeguard our seas for generations. 'Not just warm words, but real action that will benefit members and non-members alike.' No10 said 25million of the fund will be used to help researchers investigate the issue of marine plastic from a scientific, economic and social perspective. She will urge all other 52 Commonwealth nations to join Britain in cracking down on the plastic waste polluting our oceans today A further 20million will curb plastic and other environmental pollution generated by manufacturing in developing countries and prevent it entering the oceans. The remaining 16.4million will go towards improving waste management to stop plastics entering the water. Following public support for the issue, the Government also pledged to match public donations to tackle plastic waste up to a total of 5million. Mrs May said: 'As one of the most significant environmental challenges facing the world, it is vital that we tackle this issue so future generations can enjoy a natural environment that is healthier than we currently find it. 'The UK public has shown passion and energy in the fight against plastic waste, and the Commonwealth is uniquely placed to further this transformative action. 'We have the opportunity to send not only a powerful message to the world, but also to effect real change.' Tanya Steele, chief executive of the World Wildlife Fund, said: 'Devoting UK international development money to help poor communities clean up and better manage their waste isn't just good for nature, it's good for people too.' Will YOU join the army signing up for our Great Plastic Pick Up backed by Theresa May and Sir David Attenborough? On Saturday, we launched our crucial Great Plastic Pick Up campaign to clean up Britain's beauty spots, beaches, streets and parks and step up our vital battle against the scourge of plastic. Already hundreds of wonderful Daily Mail readers have signed up to join in, and so far more than 60 pick ups have been set up across the country for the litter-picking weekend in May. Wherever you live, you too can join the clean up backed by Prime Minister Theresa May and Sir David Attenborough by sparing just a few hours to pick up plastic bottles, cans and general litter on Friday, May 11; Saturday, May 12; and Sunday, May 13. For the first 3,000 people or schools who sign up, the Mail is sending a special pack of recyclable litter bags to get you started. We will also send professional cleaners to where the three best litter-picking teams live and help transform their local areas with a proper spring clean. Plus, there's a prize for the top litter-picking school. The Mail is stepping up its war on plastic with The Great Plastic Pick Up a weekend where were helping communities, schools, families and individuals across the UK to come together to clear plastic litter from our beaches, beauty spots and streets, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy The Great Plastic Pick Up comes a decade after the Mail launched a trail-blazing campaign to end the scourge of plastic bags, which clog our oceans, litter the countryside and kill seabirds and wildlife. Reader William Cawley, 62, a supermarket checkout operator and councillor, said he is organising a pick up in Leek, Staffs. He said: 'I work in a supermarket and am aware of the excessive use of plastic. I think of the damage that discarded plastic can do to animals. The Mail is to be commended.' Bradley Roissetter, 24, said he had been wanting to take part in a litter clean-up for a while, but had felt 'silly doing it by myself'. Now, he is hoping to find a dozen people to clean up the beaches in Saltash, Cornwall. 'You've given me the inspiration to do this,' he said. Meanwhile, Mrs May will this week urge the Commonwealth nations to join Britain in cutting the amount of plastic they use. On Saturday, we launched our crucial Great Plastic Pick Up campaign to clean up Britains beauty spots, beaches, streets and parks and step up our vital battle against the scourge of plastic The Prime Minister announced she had set aside 61.4 million much of it from the foreign aid budget to help poorer nations reduce their plastic use, including banning microbeads. The Mail is stepping up its war on plastic with The Great Plastic Pick Up a weekend where we're helping communities, schools, families and individuals across the UK to come together to clear plastic litter from our beaches, beauty spots and streets, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy. Wherever you live, you can make a difference by sparing just a few hours to pick up litter and dispose of it safely. We're also calling for schools nationwide to do their part. It's so simple to sign up and you can win amazing prizes that could make all the difference to your own community. What's more, if you are one of the first 3,000 people or schools to join, we'll send you a special pack of recyclable litter bags to get you started so act today. Here's everything you need to know . . . What's it all about? The Great British Plastic Pick Up will run from the beginning of Friday, May 11, to the end of Sunday, May 13. Communities from across the country will get together in small local groups to pick up rubbish with a specific mission to remove the plastic that poisons our streets, parks and public areas. Win a spring clean for your area Think your area could do with a proper spring clean be it removing graffiti, planting flowers or power-washing the pavements? Then sign up to The Great Plastic Pick Up and you could be one of three winners of this incredible prize for your community, worth 10,000. A Daily Mail team will scour the photos sent to us by The Great Plastic Pick Up groups and select three winners. If you win we're going to send a team of professional cleaners to your area to transform it and you can tell them what you want them to do. How do I sign up? Just go to greatplasticpickup.org where you'll find all the information you need. You can sign up to organise a pick up or, in following days and weeks, join one that is already going on in your area. You just need to provide your name, address and email. Anyone can get involved (though children should be accompanied by a responsible adult). How do I organise a pick up? Organising a pick up in your area couldn't be easier. Just sign up on greatplasticpickup.org by entering your email address and creating a password. You don't need to be a community leader and you don't need any experience of doing this sort of thing before. You simply need to work out which area you want to target for your pick up. Now choose an hour or two at some point over The Great Plastic Pick up weekend and you're ready to go! When you sign up on the website, you get the option of choosing whether you'd prefer your pick up to be a private affair (just you and your family, or a gang of friends, or neighbours) or whether you are happy to gather as many people as possible to join in. A public pick up will appear as a pin on a colourful interactive map on the greatplasticpickup.org home page. As we get closer to The Great Plastic Pick Up, people can click on your pin to find out where and when your pick up is going to happen and decide to join in themselves. Got a question? Ring 01942 612 660 and someone can help you. Lines are manned Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. What happens when I sign up? - Signing up allows you to download a fully comprehensive guide that tells you everything you need to know, with step-by-step information on how to get started and FAQs just in case there's anything you are concerned about. - The first 3,000 sign-ups will be sent a free pack of 30 special, 100 per cent recycled bags. In each pack there will be three kinds of bags a blue bag for plastic bottles you find, a white bag for general waste and a red bag for aluminium cans. - If you're not one of the first 3,000, don't worry. We have 450,000 bags to give away and will be distributing them to councils across the country, so you can still collect your Great Plastic Pick Up bags from there we'll be sending you information on how to do this. How can I keep informed? Follow the #GreatPlasticPickup hashtag on twitter to keep tabs on what's happening in your area, watch out for our regular reports and features, and keep an eye on developments in the Daily Mail as the big weekend approaches. You can also visit the website greatplasticpickup.org or call the number below if you have queries. What will we do on the day? Gather at the allocated point at the set time, check in with the organiser and . . . get picking! Grab any litter you see and simply put it in the correct bag: - Plastic bottles and lids in the blue bag (with caps and labels). - Metal drink cans go in the red bag. - Everything else (such as crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, cigarette stubs, old balloons, fast-food packaging) into the white sack. Other plastic must all go in the white bag, too, as only plastic bottles and cans are recycled in every region. We cannot mix or contaminate your other two bags with potentially non-recyclable plastics. What can't I pick up? Never touch syringes, broken glass or large fly-tipped items such as furniture instead, inform your local council. Do not attempt to do a pick up anywhere near busy roads and fast-moving traffic. What happens afterwards? Count up and photograph the bags you collect while keeping a tally of how many full bags of plastic you gather. You can proudly post your pictures on twitter with the #GreatPlasticPickup hashtag. Group organisers can go back to greatplasticpickup.org to log the amount of bags of each type and the number of volunteers who joined the group, and to upload photos so they can be entered into the competition. Where will all the bags end up? When you sign up on greatplasticpickup.org, there will be a list of councils. Just find yours and the website will tell you how to dispose of the bags in your area. - The plastic bottles you collect will be recycled and made into new plastic items. - Metal cans will be recycled and made into new metal cans. - Rubbish will most likely be incinerated in a facility that generates electricity from waste (depending on your area, some might go to landfill). On Saturday, we launched our crucial Great Plastic Pick Up campaign to clean up Britains beauty spots, beaches, streets and parks and step up our vital battle against the scourge of plastic. Already hundreds of wonderful Daily Mail readers have signed up to join in, and so far more than 60 pick ups have been set up across the country for the litter-picking weekend in May. Wherever you live, you too can join the clean up backed by Prime Minister Theresa May and Sir David Attenborough by sparing just a few hours to pick up plastic bottles, cans and general litter on Friday, May 11; Saturday, May 12; and Sunday, May 13. On saturday, we launched our crucial Great Plastic Pick Up campaign to clean up Britains beauty spots, beaches, streets and parks and step up our vital battle against the scourge of plastic For the first 3,000 people or schools who sign up, the Mail is sending a special pack of recyclable litter bags to get you started. We will also send professional cleaners to where the three best litter-picking teams live and help transform their local areas with a proper spring clean. Plus, theres a prize for the top litter-picking school. The Great Plastic Pick Up comes a decade after the Mail launched a trail-blazing campaign to end the scourge of plastic bags, which clog our oceans, litter the countryside and kill seabirds and wildlife. Reader William Cawley, 62, a supermarket checkout operator and councillor, said he is organising a pick up in Leek, Staffs. He said: I work in a supermarket and am aware of the excessive use of plastic. I think of the damage that discarded plastic can do to animals. The Mail is to be commended. Bradley Roissetter, 24, said he had been wanting to take part in a litter clean-up for a while, but had felt silly doing it by myself. Now, he is hoping to find a dozen people to clean up the beaches in Saltash, Cornwall. Youve given me the inspiration to do this, he said. Meanwhile, Mrs May will this week urge the Commonwealth nations to join Britain in cutting the amount of plastic they use. The Prime Minister announced she had set aside 61.4 million much of it from the foreign aid budget to help poorer nations reduce their plastic use, including banning microbeads. The Mail is stepping up its war on plastic with The Great Plastic Pick Up a weekend where were helping communities, schools, families and individuals across the UK to come together to clear plastic litter from our beaches, beauty spots and streets, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy The Mail is stepping up its war on plastic with The Great Plastic Pick Up a weekend where were helping communities, schools, families and individuals across the UK to come together to clear plastic litter from our beaches, beauty spots and streets, in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy. Wherever you live, you can make a difference by sparing just a few hours to pick up litter and dispose of it safely. Were also calling for schools nationwide to do their part. Its so simple to sign up and you can win amazing prizes that could make all the difference to your own community. Whats more, if you are one of the first 3,000 people or schools to join, well send you a special pack of recyclable litter bags to get you started so act today. Heres everything you need to know . . . Whats it all about? The Great British Plastic Pick Up will run from the beginning of Friday, May 11, to the end of Sunday, May 13. Communities from across the country will get together in small local groups to pick up rubbish with a specific mission to remove the plastic that poisons our streets, parks and public areas. Win a spring clean for your area Think your area could do with a proper spring clean be it removing graffiti, planting flowers or power-washing the pavements? Then sign up to The Great Plastic Pick Up and you could be one of three winners of this incredible prize for your community, worth 10,000. A Daily Mail team will scour the photos sent to us by The Great Plastic Pick Up groups and select three winners. If you win were going to send a team of professional cleaners to your area to transform it and you can tell them what you want them to do. How do I sign up? Just go to greatplasticpickup.org where youll find all the information you need. You can sign up to organise a pick up or, in following days and weeks, join one that is already going on in your area. You just need to provide your name, address and email. Anyone can get involved (though children should be accompanied by a responsible adult). How do I organise a pick up? Organising a pick up in your area couldnt be easier. Just sign up on greatplasticpickup.org by entering your email address and creating a password. You dont need to be a community leader and you dont need any experience of doing this sort of thing before. You simply need to work out which area you want to target for your pick up. Now choose an hour or two at some point over The Great Plastic Pick up weekend and youre ready to go! When you sign up on the website, you get the option of choosing whether youd prefer your pick up to be a private affair (just you and your family, or a gang of friends, or neighbours) or whether you are happy to gather as many people as possible to join in. A public pick up will appear as a pin on a colourful interactive map on the greatplasticpickup.org home page. As we get closer to The Great Plastic Pick Up, people can click on your pin to find out where and when your pick up is going to happen and decide to join in themselves. Got a question? Ring 01942 612 660 and someone can help you. Lines are manned Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. What happens when I sign up? - Signing up allows you to download a fully comprehensive guide that tells you everything you need to know, with step-by-step information on how to get started and FAQs just in case theres anything you are concerned about. - The first 3,000 sign-ups will be sent a free pack of 30 special, 100 per cent recycled bags. In each pack there will be three kinds of bags a blue bag for plastic bottles you find, a white bag for general waste and a red bag for aluminium cans. - If youre not one of the first 3,000, dont worry. We have 450,000 bags to give away and will be distributing them to councils across the country, so you can still collect your Great Plastic Pick Up bags from there well be sending you information on how to do this. How can I keep informed? Follow the #GreatPlasticPickup hashtag on twitter to keep tabs on whats happening in your area, watch out for our regular reports and features, and keep an eye on developments in the Daily Mail as the big weekend approaches. You can also visit the website greatplasticpickup.org or call the number below if you have queries. What will we do on the day? Gather at the allocated point at the set time, check in with the organiser and . . . get picking! Grab any litter you see and simply put it in the correct bag: - Plastic bottles and lids in the blue bag (with caps and labels). - Metal drink cans go in the red bag. - Everything else (such as crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, cigarette stubs, old balloons, fast-food packaging) into the white sack. Other plastic must all go in the white bag, too, as only plastic bottles and cans are recycled in every region. We cannot mix or contaminate your other two bags with potentially non-recyclable plastics. What can't I pick up? Never touch syringes, broken glass or large fly-tipped items such as furniture instead, inform your local council. Do not attempt to do a pick up anywhere near busy roads and fast-moving traffic. What happens afterwards? Count up and photograph the bags you collect while keeping a tally of how many full bags of plastic you gather. You can proudly post your pictures on twitter with the #GreatPlasticPickup hashtag. Group organisers can go back to greatplasticpickup.org to log the amount of bags of each type and the number of volunteers who joined the group, and to upload photos so they can be entered into the competition. Where will all the bags end up? When you sign up on greatplasticpickup.org, there will be a list of councils. Just find yours and the website will tell you how to dispose of the bags in your area. - The plastic bottles you collect will be recycled and made into new plastic items. - Metal cans will be recycled and made into new metal cans. - Rubbish will most likely be incinerated in a facility that generates electricity from waste (depending on your area, some might go to landfill). Patients are to receive personal allowances of NHS money to organise the care option they feel best suits them. The health service will hand money to hundreds of thousands of patients with mental health problems, dementia and physical learning difficulties and allow them to choose the treatment they want. The move is part of an effort by ministers to 'put power back into the hands of patients'. The money will be paid directly to patients and they will be allowed to spend it on whatever treatment they feel is the best for their condition, although they will need a doctor's approval. Patients are to receive personal allowances of NHS money to organise the care option they feel best suits them The 'personal health budgets' could be handed to the likes of veterans leaving the Army and wheelchair users after complaints about the service received by some groups. It is thought some of the budgets could be in the tens of thousands of pounds. The move will allow patients to employ whoever they wish as carers, hire personal assistants, buy equipment and enrol in exercise classes. While many will be delighted with the move, others have criticised the policy, saying that the money could end up being spent on holidays and aromatherapy. There are 23,000 people with personal budgets through NHS Continuing Healthcare, but ministers now want an 'exponential' expansion, taking the figure to 350,000. Care minister Caroline Dinenage told The Times: 'If you have complex needs, our current health and social care system can be confusing. It's right people should be involved in the important decisions about how their care is delivered. These changes will put the power back into the hands of patients and their families.' Care minister Caroline Dinenage said: 'It's right people should be involved in the important decisions about how their care is delivered' Miss Dinenage said personal patient budgets would 'not only improve quality of life and the care they receive, they will offer good value for money for the taxpayer and reduce pressure on emergency care by joining up health and social care services at a local level'. The budgets have been backed by NHS head Simon Stevens and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. It comes after tax rises to fund the NHS were last week backed by the majority of voters following a large swing in favour of the policy among Tory supporters. Almost three times as many Britons told the British Social Attitudes survey they believe the NHS has got worse as those who say it has improved the biggest gap since the 1990s. And for the first time in a decade the majority of people say they are willing to pay more to increase health spending. The survey revealed that 61 per cent of adults said they would be willing to pay more to fund the NHS, up from 49 per cent in 2016 and 41 per cent in 2014, The Times reported. Among Conservative supporters, 56 per cent agreed, an increase of 13 percentage points in a year and 23 points since 2014, when the question was first asked. Of the Labour supporters who took part, 68 per cent wanted a rise. Theresa May will set out a long-term plan for the health service within months and the findings that voters are happy to pay more will give a boost to those pushing for a commitment to budget increases. The NHS which has a budget this year of 125 billion faces a funding gap of about 20billion by the end of parliament. Teachers are being urged to avoid taking young children to Parliament House so they don't see MPs bully each other during Question Time. Tour guides in the Victorian parliament are advising teachers to shield their students from witnessing clashes in the lower house, the Herald Sun reported. The Legislative Assembly is regarded as being unfriendly to children, considering it hosts fiery exchanges and crude insults like 'd**khead' during heated debates. Teachers are being urged to avoid taking young children to Parliament House so they don't see MPs bully each other during Question Time Schoolkids are bypassing the Victorian parliament so they are spared witnessing clashes in the lower house (Premier Daniel Andrews pictured addressing the Legislative Assembly) MPs have also been known to use words like 'grubs', 'scabs', 'liars' and 'imbeciles' to describe their opponents. Speaker Colin Brooks admitted the behaviour inside the chamber wasn't always child-friendly. Poll Do YOU think children should be allowed to watch Question Time? Yes No Do YOU think children should be allowed to watch Question Time? Yes 21 votes No 9 votes Now share your opinion 'My understanding is that tour guides advise teachers from schools that Question Time can be very rowdy and teachers can decide if students attend Question Time or not,' he told News Corp. Another member of state parliament said the new guidelines acknowledged the 'vicious' nature of debates. It is understood the number of primary students visiting the lower house during Question Time has fallen. In February, Victorian Roads Minister Luke Donnellan apologised for making a comment about being kicked in the nether regions to a female regional mayor. Victorian Roads Minister Luke Donnellan (pictured) had to apologise for making an inappropriate comment Mr Donnellan told Corangamite Shire mayor Jo Beard funding levels were 'better than a kick in the d**k', Nationals MP Steph Ryan told parliament on Tuesday. 'I actually spoke to the mayor yesterday and indicated that was an inappropriate use of language and ... what I should of said (was) 'it was better than a kick in the head',' Mr Donnellan said. On Sunday an Andrews Government spokesman said strong debates were a vital cornerstone of parliament and all members were aware of the necessity to be respectful. Attorney Lauren Wimmer volunteered to represent the two black men pro bono An attorney for two black men who were arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks has said that race clearly played a role in the incident, video of which sparked widespread outrage. 'I would love to hear the 911 call on this case,' criminal defense attorney Lauren Wimmer told NBC Nightly News on Sunday. 'Can you imagine the 911 call if it was "There's two white women sitting here. One of them asked to used the bathroom and she didn't order anything, come quick!",' she said. Wimmer declined to identify the two men, who were arrested inside the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce on Thursday after refusing to leave when asked to by managers and police. 'Two young black men, who were simply waiting to be joined by a friend, were blatantly discriminated against based on their race. Not only is this inexcusable, it's illegal,' Wimmer said in a statement. Meanwhile, protests broke out outside the store on Sunday with Black Lives Matter demonstrators calling for a boycott of the chain. Protestor Soren McClay, 14, demonstrates outside a Starbucks on Sunday in Philadelphia. Two black men were arrested there on Thursday in an incident that has sparked outcry The two men who were arrested (left and right) have not been publicly identified. They were held for about eight hours before they were released with no charges, their attorney says Protestors demonstrate outside a Center City Starbucks on Sunday in Philadelphia. Police arrested two black men who were waiting inside the Starbucks which prompted an outcry Local Black Lives Matter activist Asa Khalif, left, stands inside the Starbucks on Sunday, demanding the firing of the manager who called police resulting the arrest of two black men Protestors demonstrate inside the Starbucks on Sunday. A lawyer for the two men arrested there says race clearly played a role in the incident Starbucks Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President Camille Hymes (right)addresses protesters and media in the Starbucks on Sunday in Philadelphia. The company has apologized Philadelphia police form a line to protect protesters in front of the Starbucks that was at the center of a Black Lives Matter protest on Sunday Carrying signs and shouting through bullhorns, the protesters entered the store and demanded the firing of the manager who called police. Starbucks said late Sunday that the manager at the location in question no longer worked at the store. Wimmer took on the case pro bono after hearing about it from the man the two black men claimed they were waiting to meet, real estate investor Andrew Yaffe, she told the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'What did they get called for, because there were two black guys sitting here meeting me?' Yaffe is seen asking cops on video of the incident. Yaffe is reportedly a family friend of the men who were arrested, and was meeting them to discuss some kind of real estate transaction. Video of the incident does not show what led up to the arrests, but police say they were called by the business and told that two men had come in and asked to use the restroom. Employees told the two men that the bathroom was for paying customers, and asked them to buy something or leave, which the men refused to do, police said. The men refused to leave three times additional times when asked to by police, Police Commissioner Richard Ross said. Ross, who is black, defended the arrests in a video statement on Saturday. Philadelphia's police commissioner Richard Ross (pictured) said police asked the men to leave three times but they refused, and they were then arrested but were later released Ross said the officers 'did absolutely nothing wrong' and were professional in their conduct toward the individuals but 'got the opposite back.' He did not mention Yaffe, the person who said he was meeting with the men. 'As an African American male, I am very aware of implicit bias; we are committed to fair and unbiased policing,' Ross said. But he added: 'If a business calls and they say that 'Someone is here that I no longer wish to be in my business' (officers) now have a legal obligation to carry out their duties and they did just that.' 'Starbucks said that according to the company policy they do not allow nonpaying members or nonpaying people to come in and use the restroom. And so they then asked these two males to leave. These two males refused to leave and the police were called,' he added. He said that the officers on the scene called for a police supervisor to 'avoid the situation from getting out of hand', adding that it was a good decision. The officers then asked the males on three different occasions 'politely to leave the location because they were asked to leave by employees because they were trespassing'. The men refused to budge and even insulted the officers for being low-paid city employees, the commissioner said. He stressed that the males were not harmed in the arrest and were taken to the police district. Mayor Jim Kenney said he asked the city Commission on Human Relations to examine the companys policies and procedures 'including the extent of, or need for, implicit bias training for its employees' At the end of Ross' statement, he acknowledged the racial tension that is surrounding the incident. 'I will say that as an African American male I am very aware of implicit bias. We are committed to fair and unbiased policing and anything less than that will not be tolerated in this department,' he said. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said he asked the city Commission on Human Relations to examine the companys policies and procedures 'including the extent of, or need for, implicit bias training for its employees'. 'I know Starbucks is reviewing it and we will be too. @PhillyPolice is conducting an internal investigation,' he tweeted on Saturday. Starbucks' CEO Kevin Johnson expressed his 'deepest apologies' about the incident and plans to fly to Philadelphia to help correct the situation. 'I hope to meet personally with the two men who were arrested to offer a face-to-face apology,' Johnson said Saturday. 'Regretfully, our practices and training led to a bad outcome - the basis for the call to the Philadelphia police department was wrong,' Johnson said in a statement. 'Our store manager never intended for these men to be arrested and this should never have escalated as it did,' he continued. Social media users are calling for a boycott of Starbucks after a store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, called the cops on two black men who were waiting for their friend One user claimed that people have to be 'this white' in order to sit at a table in Starbucks. The men were reportedly asked to leave but refused One user said they wanted to hear the 911 call from the employee who asked for cops to come in and assist the matter Social media users were outraged by the action of the officers and even encouraged people to boycott the popular coffee chain. On Saturday, the hashtag #BoycottStarbucks was trending on Twitter. One user posted a photo of the milk in her coffee and said: 'At Starbucks you must be THIS white to sit at their tables'. Other users called the altercation 'racism at its ugliest level' in America. The two men were placed into handcuffs and escorted out of the video, which is shown in a viral video that has since garnered more than 3.2million views. At first Starbucks released a statement on Friday saying: 'We're aware of the incident on Thursday in a Philadelphia store with 2 guests and law enforcement, resulting in their removal. We're reviewing the incident with our partners, law enforcement and customers to determine what took place and led to this unfortunate result.' They issued a second statement Saturday. 'We apologize to the two individuals and our customers and are disappointed this led to an arrest. We take these matters seriously and clearly have more work to do when it comes to how we handle incidents in our stores. We are reviewing out policies and will continue to engage with the community and the police department to try to ensure these types of situations never happen in any of our stores,' the statement said. Starbucks released a statement Saturday where it apologized to the two men. But one user thought the apology wasn't sufficient and decided to edit it themselves Another user compared this incident to others that have occurred recently across the US. He mentioned the people who were mad about the teen who got into 20 colleges and the ex-firefighter who shot at a black teenager on his doorstep But one Twitter user edited the statement to include that the moment was 'racial profiling' and 'racially motivated harassment'. The two black men who were arrested in the coffee shop have since been released and remain unidentified. A spokesman for the district attorney's office said the men were released 'because of lack of evidence' that a crime had been committed, the Associated Press reported. Karl Stefanovic took Commonwealth Games boss Peter Beattie to task over Sunday's disastrous closing ceremony, but was slammed online for the 'rude' interview. Mr Beattie took full responsibility for the debacle, and even admitted he should not have made a speech, as it was too boring. The closing ceremony was widely panned, with organisers coming under fire for not allowing athletes to enter the Gold Coast's Carrara Stadium during the broadcast. Scroll down for video Karl Stefanovic (pictured) took Commonwealth Games boss Peter Beattie to task over Sunday's disastrous closing ceremony, but was slammed online for the 'rude' interview Mr Beattie (pictured) took full responsibility for the debacle, and even admitted he should not have made a speech, as it was too boring Stefanovic's aggression during the interview shocked some viewers, who called the morning host a 'bully' on social media after the Today show segment. 'What a monumental stuff up. Are you embarrassed?' asked Karl sternly to open the exchange. He then told Mr Beattie his decision to leave out the athletes - including flag bearer Kurt Fearnley - 'defied logic'. 'The buck stops with me. I accept full responsibility for it. And as I said we were driven by the right reasons, Karl,' Mr Beattie responded. Stefanovic's aggression during the interview shocked some viewers, who called the morning host a 'bully' on social media after the Today show segment (pictured) The closing ceremony (pictured) was widely panned, with organisers coming under fire for not allowing athletes to enter the Gold Coast's Carrara Stadium during the broadcast 'The other thing there were too many speeches. Think it was a mistake. I shouldn't have spoken - that I think bored athletes silly as well. One less speech from me would have helped.' Mr Beattie said he intended to apologise to Kurt Fearnley, and earlier posted an apology on social media. Stefanovic's blunt style upset some viewers, prompting them to accusing him of bullying. 'Today show, why do you let Karl Stefanovic interview people? How is awful and a bully!' wrote one Twitter user. 'Why is Karl Stefanovic so rude when interviewing people lately?' asked another user of the social media platform. 'Worst interview with Peter Beattie. Karl Stefanovic wasnt interested in answers, just trying to embarrass and catch him out,' said someone else. The lacklustre ceremony (pictured) was panned by audiences, who left the stadium in droves along with 'bored' athletes, and took to social media to vent their anger Koch was equally scathing, as were Channel Seven's broadcast hosts Jo Griggs (pictured, left) and Basil Zempilas (pictured, right) after the ceremony 'It was painful to watch. Next time be more interested in answers than your inquisitive looks.' Mr Beattie's Today show interview followed an earlier exchange with Sunrise's David Koch, in which he made similar admissions. Koch was equally scathing, as were Channel Seven's broadcast hosts Jo Griggs and Basil Zempilas after the ceremony. Griggs said she was 'furious' over the decision not to let athletes enter the stadium during the broadcast, and was supported by commentator Mel McLaughlin. The lacklustre ceremony was panned by audiences, who left the stadium in droves along with 'bored' athletes, and took to social media to vent their anger. Viewers described the ceremony as an 'Australian Idol reunion' and an 'epic fail', and questioned how the athletes could possibly have been left out. Advertisement A termite-infested terrace in Sydney has sold for $1.4 million or more than $400,000 above the reserve price despite a slowdown in the housing market. The four-bedroom home at Stanmore, in the city's inner-west, was sold at auction on Saturday at 40 per cent above the asking price. This was despite being in an 'unlivable' state, with cracked brick walls in the outdated kitchen, tiles falling off in the bathroom and collapsed ceilings in some bedrooms. It had also sustained a fair amount of termite damage. A termite-infested terrace in Sydney has sold for $1.4 million or more than $400,000 above the reserve price despite the housing market slowing down The four-bedroom home at Stanmore, in the city's inner-west, was sold at auction on Saturday at 40 per cent above the asking price This was despite being in an unlivable state, with cracked brick walls in the outdated kitchen, tiles falling off in the bathroom and collapsed ceilings in some bedrooms. It had also sustained a fair amount of termite damage Bresic Whitney selling agent Chris Nunn said a builder who grew up in the area bought the 19th century heritage value terrace on Railway Avenue so he could renovate it for his children to live in. 'There was a fair bit of nostalgia for this guy who grew up in Stanmore,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday. 'He actually said he doesn't mind he paid more than he expected to because it's a long-term position.' SQM Research founder Louis Christopher said while the housing market was slowing down in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the high-end of the real estate market was still strong. Bresic Whitney selling agent Chris Nunn said a builder who grew up in the area bought the 19th century heritage value terrace on Railway Avenue so he could renovate it for his children to live in Selling agent Chris Nunn said a builder who grew up in Stanmore bought the dilapidated house so he could renovate it and hand it on to his children to live in SQM Research founder Louis Christopher said while the housing market was slowing down in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the high-end of the real estate market was still strong (Stanmore terrace pictured) 'I'm seeing at the top end of the market a little bit of strength,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'That would fit in with the fact that Sydney's still got a strong economy.' However, an Australian Prudential Regulation Authority crackdown on interest-only loans for investors was affecting the lower and middle-end of the market in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in particular. 'I'm definitely seeing softness, vendors struggling to sell, especially when they have the pricing wrong on their property,' he said. 'It's not by any means any type of collapse - there are still buyers there, just predominately owner-occupiers and first-home buyers.' At Waitara, on Sydney's upper North Shore, apartments are being discounted by $30,000 to $50,000 despite being in close proximity to a train station and the Westfield shopping complex at Hornsby. However in Lane Cove, closer to the city, a one-bedroom unit sold for $637,500 on Friday, a day before a scheduled auction, despite a price guide of $575,000 for a property with no garage and a half-hour walk from Artarmon train station. The top end of the Sydney market is strong but the back end (Stanmore terrace backyard pictured) is soft as the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority cracks down on interest-only loans for investors The overall housing market in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane is slowing down as the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority cracks down on interest-only loans for investors (cracked and peeling tiles in Stanmore terrace pictured) Bresic Whitney's Chris Nunn said the only difference he had noticed in recent months was homes at the higher end of the market were taking slightly longer to sell, while still commanding strong prices Bresic Whitney's Chris Nunn said homes at the higher end of the market were taking slightly longer to sell, while still commanding strong prices. 'There's obviously not that frenzy in week one that if a person doesn't buy nothing will come up,' he said. 'But again, that may translate to a sale in week two or week three whereas in the past it might have been week one.' The selling price for the terrace of $1.4 million was well above Sydney's median house price of $1.18 million, as quoted by Domain Group figures. Property data group Core Logic reported that in the year to the end of March, Sydney house prices had fallen by 3.79 per cent, after falling by 0.29 per cent during March. Automation technology has ploughed its way into the service, manufacturing and construction industries with more than a third of Australian jobs expected to be replaced by machines over by 2030. The agriculture industry is not immune with everything from crop-monitoring machines to driverless tractors entering the market. Automation may be music to the ears of customers who can expect to pay lower prices for their produce but experts hold fears for the future of the Australia that once rode on the sheep's back. Meat and Livestock Australia has teamed up with HDT Global to bring an autonomous six-wheel ground drone, called HDT Global Hunter Wolf (pictured) to farms across Australia Meat and Livestock Australia has teamed up with HDT Global to bring an autonomous six-wheel ground drone to farms across Australia - starting with Queensland and the Northern Territory. The drones, called HDT Global Hunter Wolf, are typically used in military scenarios, and are the size of a quad bike and can carry up to 453 kilograms for 72 hours without needing to be resupplied. It is expected to retail for less than $100,000. Sean Starling, MLA's general manager of research, development and innovation told the ABC: 'It is what we'd call a "silent service". 'These autonomous drones, be they aerial or ground, are just a silent service - they're in the background, doing their pre-determined task, and the only time you hear from them is when they need human input to make a decision on something. It isn't the first piece of drone or robotic technology on Australian farms with Ladybird (pictured) undergoing trials from 2014 to monitor vegetable patches 'So at MLA we used to have our drone strategy, but now we call it our autonomous strategy we think drones will reach their limit very soon if we don't move them into this fully autonomous, silent service offering.' The drone is far from the first new technology hitting farms, with a report from Zion Market Research predicting the United States drone agriculture market will reach U.S.$2.9million by 2021. The report states: 'Drones help farmer for better care of their crops and have a higher yield from the farm. Drones are used for crops and to keep an eye on livestock as well. In Shropshire, England, farmers planted a field of barley using nothing but robots (pictured) 'The drones use a number of technology including infrared cameras, sensors, GPS, software and hardware application to help farmers to monitor and take better care of their crops. 'Drones may drastically cut the costs of crops monitoring and control water wastage also. Due to such benefits, agricultural drones are gaining popularity across the globe.' Other robotic and drone technology that is being tested in Australia is the SwagBot. The SwagBot is designed to muster livestock control weeds and monitor pasture quality and soil moisture. Another major robot in development is the SwagBot (pictured) which will be used to monitor cattle and, eventually, animal health Developer Professor Salah Sukkarieh of the University of Sydney said while it can currently monitor cattle he wants to make it so that the SwagBot documents animal health as well. Another form of robotic technology on farms is the Ladybird, which is specifically designed to monitor vegetable patches. It can watch the farm, weed, harvest and detect pests. While it may help with issues like food security, labour market experts Adzuna predict manual jobs in Australia are the highest at risk when it comes to machinery. Raife Watson, CEO of Adzuna, told Business Insider Australia last month: 'We run the real risk of mass unemployment in our regions and over-population of our major cities. 'As it stands, Australians who work in manual jobs in regional Australia will face high levels of unemployment over the next decade and will have little choice but to up-skill and move to cities like Sydney and Melbourne.' Amused Australians called for VicRoads to keep the sign as a tourist attraction Sign changed on the Sunraysia Highway just outside Avoca in central Victoria Vandals deface road sign in homage to the trendy brunch choice for millions Vandals have defaced a road sign in homage to the trendy breakfast choice that's favoured by Australian millennials. The sign 13km outside of the Victorian town of Avoca recently had some additions made to it to honour the smashed avocado. A picture of the amended sign on the Sunraysia Highway, exactly 191km from Melbourne, has drawn a lot of attention on social media. Vandals defaced a road sign in Victoria so it pays homage to the trendy breakfast choice favoured by many Australian millennials The sign outside of the town of Avoca in Victoria recently had some additions made to honour the smashed avocado The creative vandal added letters to turn Avoca into 'Avocado'. The sign now reads 'Smashed Avocado $13' after the graffiti artist also added 'smashed' and a dollar sign. Amused Australians called for VicRoads to keep the sign as a tourist attraction reflecting on the country's love for the dish. Some reflected the $13 price tag was a bit of a bargain with many cafes charging closer to $18 for the popular breakfast in Melbourne. The comical changes tickled columnist Bernard Salt, who in 2016 infamously referred to smashed avocado as a reason behind why many millennials are struggling to afford a home. The comical changes tickled columnist Bernard Salt (pictured), who in 2016 infamously caused a stir by saying smashed avo is the reason millennials struggle to afford property He then joked about the furore created by his 2016 column on Odd Socks Day in 2017 which raises awareness for mental health issues He shared the picture on Twitter saying: 'No, it wasn't me. But I must say I very much admire their handiwork. 'Don't let VicRoads clean this up. This is a brilliant piece of Aussie graffiti. Clever. Topical. Tourists will line up for a selfie with this sign.' A year after his controversial column, Salt penned another one for The Australian in which he defended his original piece, claiming it had been misinterpreted after it went viral. But it is not the first time the sign has been vandalised - letters were added to the end of Avoca in 2016 But it is not the first time the sign has been vandalised. In 2016, during the avo crisis debate created by Salt's column, the road sign had the letters added to turn Avoca into Avocado but the latest change has gone a step further. One Twitter user questioned whether the picture had been faked on photoshop as one driver claimed it was untouched when they drove past at 4pm on Sunday. Creative vandals have struck before including on various signs making out this pregnancy test was Harry Potter's wand Another example of a 'creative vandal' taking action into their own hands on public signs The picture started to be shared around on Sunday night. Another simply commented on it saying: 'Straya.' Daily Mail Australia has asked VicRoads to comment on whether it will be keeping the graffiti in place. A Melbourne property manager has come under fire for posting a letter to a tenant's neighbours asking them to report on their behaviour. Melissa Hickson, who founded Prime Residential Property Management in February, sent the letter to residents in Highett, south of the city, asking them to keep an eye on the tenant because the agency they can't monitor them all the time. She asked them to report any disturbances, as well as positive behaviour. The property manager has since defended her decision to write the note, telling the Herald Sun it was a publicity ploy to promote her new agency. Melissa Hickson (pictured), founder of Prime Residential Property Management in Melbourne, wrote a letter to a tenant's neighbours asking them to report any 'disturbances' or positive behaviour Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Hickson for comment. The letter reads: 'We're very fussy about the tenants who rent through our agency and would like to ensure that the neighbourhood is happy with the tenancy at all time. 'We conduct regular inspections and drive past the property all the time, but we can't be in your street at 11 on a Saturday night to make sure that the noise levels are kept under control, and we'd like to ask for your help with this. 'You live in a lovely street and area, and we want to help keep it that way. If you notice anything good that youd like to tell us, wed really love to hear from you too! We love to reward our good tenants when theyre looking after their home.' Ms Hickson sent the letter (pictured) to residents in Highett, south of the city, asking them to keep an eye on the tenant because the agency they can't monitor them all the time It also encourages residents to refer new clients to Ms Hickson for a $200 Visa gift card reward and let her know if anyone is moving out of the suburb. Ms Hickson told the Herald sun she hasn't had any problems with the tenant, who has been living at the property for 'quite some time.' 'The letter is just to let the neighbourhood know we are now the managing agent, so they know what's going on. Hardly any agencies do them [the letter]...it's just something we do when we take over a file,' she said. A 23-year-old woman has spent the last month fundraising in secret to help her dying father tick just one thing off his bucket list. Bianca Burton's father, Nic Burton, was diagnosed with MS in August last year. Since then, he has lost the ability to move one arm, his voice, and his legs are beginning to weaken. To make matters worse, just a month before his shock diagnosis, Mr Burton, 56, had cancelled his life insurance to help care for his wife, who suffers back problems and has had multiple cancer scares. 'He cancelled [the insurance] because he's always been super healthy and fit, and he didn't tell anyone he'd done it,' Ms Burton told Daily Mail Australia. Bianca Burton, 23, is desperately fundraising to help her dying father tick something off his bucket list Ms Burton was due to move to Bali the day after he was diagnosed - she said her father 'begged me not to go, not to stop living my life because of him'. The 23-year-old moved, but when she returned in November, her father's condition had dramatically worsened. 'He lost his voice and his ability to eat while I was gone,' she said. 'He communicates through a text message app. He's lost one arm and is about to lose his other. His legs are now startening to weaken. 'It's really hard to see him like that.' The Byron Bay woman launched a GoFundMe to help send her father to Antarctica or the Northern lights after he was diagnosed with MS Ms Burton says she and her father have always been close, and she wants to be able to do something to help him Ms Burton and her father have always been close, with the bar worker describing them as 'two peas in a pod'. Her family travelled to New Zealand together, and afterwards she said she was in 'a really dark place' trying to come to terms with her father's rapid deterioration. 'I sat around feeling helpless for so long, all I did was think about it, and about a month ago I thought "I can't just sit here and do nothing",' she said. 'My whole life he's talked about wanting to see Antarctica and the Northern Lights. '[I want to see him doing] anything but just sitting around and waiting, you know?' So far she has raised more than $2000 to help send him on a trip, but he will need to travel with her mother, as he needs full time care Ms Burton has raised more than $2,000 from a GoFundMe for her dad to travel, but is hoping to raise enough to send her mother with him to care for the father-of-two, and herself as well. 'If I can raise enough, I'd love to go and have a really nice memory with him, but I need to raise enough for mum to go with him... he needs a carer,' she said. Last month, Mr Burton's sister died from the degenerative disease - even though she was diagnosed after him. 'You just never know what's going to happen,' Ms Burton said. Mr Burton, 56, has lost the ability to eat and talk in the past few months, and uses a text to voice app to communicate The bar worker says she would love to be able to join her father on his grand adventure, but she is only focused on getting him where he wants to go The 23-year-old is now living in Byron Bay, while her parents are based about two hour's drive away in Brisbane. The couple are currently sightseeing in Melbourne, but will be flying to Byron on Sunday, where Ms Burton has set up another fundraiser at the bar she works in. 'I've booked them some accommodation to come see me - I'll be holding a fundraiser at my work,' she said. 'I can't wait to see him. They're coming on the Sunday, and we've got shirts and posters ready.' A new driving license system for owners of driverless cars should be considered because of safety fears, a study suggests. Autonomous vehicle owners could soon be forced to pass a new driving test due to mounting concerns over the safety of the technology. The study also suggests that new laws might have to be enforced so that the 'drivers' pay attention while the car is moving, instead of sleeping, reading or watching films. The study also suggests that new laws might have to be enforced so that the 'drivers' pay attention while the car is moving, instead of sleeping, reading or watching films (photograph of a driverless car being tested in Milton Keynes in 2016) It comes after an American woman became the first pedestrian in the world to be killed by a driverless car. The Uber vehicle, a Volvo 4x4, struck Elaine Herzberg, 49, in Tempe, Arizona last month. They study by Venturer consortium, which tested the technology in Bristol and South Gloucestershire, used driving simulators and on-road trials to outline the difficulties posed by the handover period. The 'handover' is when the driver of an autonomous vehicle takes back control. It discovered that drivers took just under two seconds to regain control of the car when travelling at 50mph, according to The Times. Cars can travel about 45 metres in this time. The consortium, which includes the insurance company Axa, the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol University, and BAE Systems, said the results raised concerns as to whether the manufacturer or the motorist would be accountable if a crash were to occur. Under strict test conditions in Coventry last November, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ford and Tata Motors briefly tested 'driverless' car technology on public roads Researchers based at UWE's Bristol campus suggested that the handover period between car and human control was possibly the area of highest risk. UWE's Bristol campus reportedly quoted the professor of human factors at Nottingham University, Sarah Sharples, who said: 'It may also be necessary for the roll-out of highly autonomous vehicles to be accompanied with the advice, or even law, that in some or all circumstances the driver must maintain attention to the driver situation and that other activities should be minimised or avoided.' She also added that people should have 'an appropriate level of competence through a driving test' and that 'there is a need to consider whether any such driving test includes an understanding of how an autonomous vehicle will behave'. Autonomous vehicles have undergone restricted tests in Milton Keynes and Greenwich - but have not yet encountered other cars on public highways. Another project, GATEway, has operated automated pods along the pedestrian Thames Path in Greenwich, south-east London - also away from other cars. Under strict test conditions in Coventry last November, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Tata Motors briefly tested 'driverless' car technology on public roads. The Government has commissioned a detailed three-year review of driving laws to ensure the legislation can cope with the new technology. Key aspects will be adjusting the law to reflect the fact future vehicles may not have a 'driver' and also consider whether liability for some criminal offences involved should rest with the car's owner or its manufacturer. The Treasury has said it hopes the driverless car industry 'will be worth 28billion to the UK economy by 2035.' "That means speed does not imply losing the efficiency during the implementation, and much less the openness," the official underlined. "That's why we are coordinating with all the actors involved in this huge task," he added. Likewise, he stated the Government is trying to reduce the current spending to increase investment levels. Remarks were made at an extraordinary session of GORE-Executive (Executive Branch and Regional Governors Meeting) held at Lima's Government Palace. The two-day meeting, which features Peruvian ministers and regional governors, is aimed to spur actions that will encourage further development in the nation. .@CesarVPeru: "Daremos velocidad a la inversion con eficiencia y transparencia". Jefe del Gabinete destaco que en ello estamos trabajando intensamente dia y noche, feriados incluso, durante la inauguracion del #GOREEjecutivo Extraordinario ?? https://t.co/M89gmyI8QX pic.twitter.com/UcIxuwNprP The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, claims former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned by a non-lethal chemical made in Britain and the US. Mr Lavrov says the pair were not attacked with novichock but instead with BZ - a toxin never developed in Russia - which a laboratory in Spiez, Switzerland, found. This formulation was in the inventory of the United States, Britain and other Nato states, Mr Lavrov said. The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, claims former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter (pictured together), Yulia, were poisoned by a non-lethal toxin made in Britain and the US Mr Lavrov says the pair were not attacked with novichock but instead with BZ - a chemical never developed in Russia - which a laboratory in Spiez, Switzerland, is alleged to have found Yet the international chemical weapons watchdog, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), last week said an analysis of samples from the Salisbury scene confirmed the UK's assessment that 'high purity' Novichok was used. However Mr Lavrov claimed in a briefing in Moscow on Saturday that the OPCW had secretly sent samples to the Swiss lab. We, as you understand, have abilities to receive confidential information, he said. And as this information concerns questions of life and death, we wont keep this information secret. If the OPCW refutes the fact of using the laboratory of Spiez, it will be interesting to listen to its explanations. The laboratory declined to confirm the claim, report the Times. Only OPCW can comment on this assertion, it tweeted. We can repeat what we stated ten days ago: We have no doubt that Porton Down (UK lab) has identified novichock. PD like Spiez is a designated lab of the OPCW. The standards in verification are so rigid that one can trust the findings. Putin has claimed that up to 20 countries could have poisoned the former double agent and his daughter as experts say they cannot confirm that the nerve agent was from Russia The UK Governments National Security Adviser Sir Mark Sedwill has argued that only Russia had the 'technical means, operational experience and the motive' to carry out the nerve agent attack. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement. Putin has claimed that up to 20 countries could have poisoned the former double agent and his daughter as experts say they cannot confirm that the nerve agent was from Russia. The chief of the Porton Down defence laboratory said it has 'not verified the precise source' of the Novichok nerve agent. Jeremy Corbyn again refused to blame Russia for the Salisbury attack yesterday saying he wants to see 'incontrovertible evidence'. The Labour leader risked inflaming tensions with his own MPs by making clear he is still not convinced that Moscow was behind the attempted assassination. Ms Skripal, 33, was discharged from hospital last week. Her father remains seriously ill in hospital. A flesh-eating ulcer epidemic is spreading rapidly, and experts have no idea what is causing the massive spike in infections or how to prevent the disease. The Buruli ulcer epidemic in Victoria is now so serious the Medical Journal Of Australia is calling for an urgent scientific response. Numbers of infected victims are on the rise in regional areas of the state, with 275 new reported cases last year and 30 already this year. A flesh-eating ulcer epidemic is spreading rapidly, and experts have no idea what is causing the massive spike in infections or how to prevent the disease (severe Mycobacterium ulcerans lesion on the knee of an 11-year-old boy) The Buruli ulcer epidemic in Victoria is now so serious the Medical Journal Of Australia is calling for an urgent scientific response (stock image) In the Bayside region confirmed infections have seen a 400 per cent spike in the last four years,News.com.au reported. Also known as as Bairnsdale ulcer or Daintree ulcer, it causes severe destructive lesions of skin and soft tissue which affects all age groups, including young children. It often results in significant morbidity, loss of limbs, long-term disability and cosmetic deformity. Although the disease was first detected in Victoria in the 1930s, cases have risen rapidly in the last five years. Infectious diseases consultant Associate Professor Daniel O'Brien from Geelong-based health care provider Barwon Health authored the report, and said most cases have occurred on the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas. Native and domestic mammals including possums, dogs, cats and koalas have also developed the disease in Victoria, according to Professor O'Brien. 'In Australia, cases are frequently reported from the Daintree region (95 cases between 2009 and 2015) and, less commonly, the Capricorn Coast in Queensland, and occasionally from the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Western Australia,' he wrote. 'However, most cases are reported from the temperate south-eastern state of Victoria. The risk of infection appears to be seasonal, with an increased risk in the warmer months.' Epidemic of flesh-eating Buruli ulcer : what we know WHAT IS A BURULI ULCER? * It's a skin infection caused by a bacteria known as Mycobacterium ulcerans * The organism belongs to the family of bacteria that causes tuberculosis and leprosy * It typically causes skin ulcers, otherwise known as Buruli ulcer * It is also known as Bairnsdale or Daintree ulcer * It can affect the bone and can lead to permanent disfigurement and long-term disability WHERE DOES IT OCCUR? * According to WHO, at least 33 countries, including Australia, with tropical, subtropical and temperate climates have reported Buruli ulcer, but mainly in west and central Africa WHO IS AFFECTED? * About 2000 cases are reported worldwide each year * All age groups, including young children, can be infected HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED? * The exact method remains unclear, but the disease is often associated with wetlands, especially stagnant water * Evidence indicates it can not be transmitted from person to person * Insects, such as mosquitoes, have been shown to contain the bacteria and they may play a role in transmission * Use of repellent and mosquito nets have been linked to a reduction in occurrence WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? * The first sign of Buruli ulcer is usually a painless, non-tender blister-like nodule on the skin, often thought to be an insect bite * A lesion may occur anywhere on the body but is most common on the limbs * After one to two months, the nodule may begin to erode, forming a characteristic ulcer HOW IS IT TREATED? * In Australia and Japan, most lesions are detected early and diagnosed as a Category 1 * Treatment involves a combination of antibiotics, depending on the patient * Many sufferers require plastic surgery Source: AAP - Health Victoria, World Health Organisation, Medical Journal of Australia Advertisement Numbers of infected victims are on the rise in regional areas of the state, with 275 new reported cases last year and 30 already this year (stock image) It costs an estimated $14,000 per patient to treat with a 'substantial' emotional and psychological impact on patients and their carers. 'Although treatment effectiveness has improved in recent years, with cure rates approaching 100 per cent using combination antibiotic regimens such as rifampicin and clarithromycin,' wrote Professor O'Brien. 'These antibiotics are not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for this condition and are, therefore, expensive to patients. 'Moreover, these antibiotics have severe side effects in up to one-quarter of patients, and many people also require reparative plastic surgery, sometimes with prolonged hospital admissions.' Professor O'Brien called on governments to inject funding into research to find out why the disease was growing in Victoria. Buruli ulcers are on the rise in Victoria with 30 reported cases so far in 2018 (stock image) Cases and incidence of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease in Victoria from 20042016, with cases so far and projected cases for 2017 (pictured) He believes understanding risk factors is key to defining the source and transmission route of the disease. 'As a community, we are facing a rapidly worsening epidemic of a severe disease without knowing how to prevent it,' Professor O'Brien wrote. 'We therefore need an urgent response based on robust scientific knowledge acquired by a thorough and exhaustive examination of the environment, local fauna, human behaviour and characteristics, and the interactions between them. 'The time to act is now, and we advocate for local, regional and national governments to urgently commit to funding the research needed to stop Buruli ulcer.' Melbourne youngster Gus Charles started complaining of a lump on his knee not long after a family holiday in Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula. Around 2000 Buruli ulcer cases per year are reported worldwide, most commonly from the tropical regions of West or Central Africa The family saw two GPs and visited the hospital three times before he got a correct diagnosis when a surgeon sliced into the lump and discovered a huge pus-filled abscess. Gus was unable to play sport and missed a large amount of school in the six months it took to heal. 'The issue is no one in Melbourne could diagnose it,' Gus' mother Sally told The Age. 'Had we got it earlier, it would have made a huge difference. It was horrible. He's a tough kid, but he was rocked by this.' A Department of Health and Human Services spokesman said it was monitoring the disease and that almost $800,000 had been spent on research in Victoria over the past decade. The spokesman said possum faeces from several locations in the Mornington Peninsula were currently being analysed in the hope of isolating the bacterium. Most cases are reported from the temperate south-eastern state of Victoria, the Medical Journal of Australia report states But the boys were 'fortunate' to be spared prison because of their young ages Girl, 16, on till was forced to hand over $1,000 as staff 'corralled behind counter' Gang of schoolboys, aged 15 and 16, held up terrified staff at IGA in Queensland A gang of schoolboys who held up terrified staff at a supermarket while wielding a machete, a steel pole and a knife have been spared jail and a formal conviction. The teenagers rounded up staff at the IGA in Goodna, Queensland last August and forced a 16-year-old girl working at the till to hand over more than $1,000. The trio, aged 15 and 16, disguised themselves before storming the store brandishing weapons and demanding cash in what the judge described as 'a blitz'. A gang of schoolboys held up terrified staff at an IGA in Goodna, Queensland while wielding a machete, a steel pole and a knife But the boys were all given probation orders with no official convictions recorded after pleading guilty to the charges at Ipswich District Court. One boy jumped the counter and threatened staff with a steel pole, the court heard according to the Queensland Times. The young boys, who all attend the same high school and were first-time offenders, sat silently in the dock. They had raided the business at 4.20pm on August 25, 2017 and were charged the day after by Queensland Police. The trio have been spared jail and a formal conviction after the terrifying incident, which a judge described as 'a blitz' Officers found the boys, who fled the scene on foot, in nearby bushland later that evening where they were arrested. After the attack the girl who was forced to give them the cash broke down while giving a statement and was shaking so much she collapsed to the floor, prosecutor Clayton Wallis told the court. The court heard two of the gang 'corralled' staff down the aisle from the deli to the counter and left the store. One shopper hurled a tin of food at one of the intruders as they left the store which is thought to have hit one of them as they were seen limping away. One boy jumped the counter threatening staff with a steel pole, Ipswich District Court heard CCTV footage was played to the court but has not been released by police. Mr Wallis said given the level of planning involved, the boys were 'fortunate' to be juveniles as punishment with a prison sentence was 'a last resort'. Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren instead resorted to a rehabilitation order sentencing two boys to two years probation. The other youngster, who 'immediately co-operated' with police, the court heard, was given a probation order for 21 months. Mr Horneman-Wren added: 'They were obviously terrified by your actions. As judges, it's not usual that we see the faces of the people you terrorised.' Despite news that a rail project is six months ahead, locals are irritated at what they deem a 'ridiculous' choice of name. 'Middle Gorge', the name proposed a new train station, has been slammed for similarities to J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. The station is part of the Victorian govenment's Mernda Railway Extenstion, which will add three new stations between South Morang Station and the future Mernda Town Centre. The Victorian govenment's Mernda Railway Extension, which will add three new stations between South Morang Station and the future Mernda Town Centre Aiming to service up to 8,000 commuters a day, the first test trains will run by the end of September 2018. Until recently, the train stations were to be named Marymede, Hawkstone and Mernda. However, the government recently announced that Marymede station would be renamed Middle Gorge. Locals are up in arms over the name and wrote a community letter to the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' government last Friday. The letter listed reasons against renaming the station Middle Gorge. It said the choice of name was 'deeply and undeniably unpopular' and a 'source of amusement for the local community rather than pride.' An artistic rendering of the proposed 'Middle Gorge' train station which is being built as part of the Victorian government's Mernda Railway Extension infrastructure project 'Many residents have found the name comical, rather than something to be proud of. Many suggested the name sounded like the locality of Middle Earth from J.R.R.Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings, said the letter. Locals complained that the location Middle Gorge is not well known, is located 2.4 kilometres from the train station and that they were not consulted about the renaming. 'There was no community consultation about the name Middle Gorge. There have been many public information sessions and at not one of them has it been said that Marymede would be renamed,' said the letter. The letter was signed by community public transport advocates from the South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance, Public Transport Users Association and Dr Crystal Legacy, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning in the University of Melbourne's School of Design. Community advocates Daniel Bowen, Spokesman for the Public Transport Users Association (pictured left) and Darren Peters, Spokesman for the South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance (pictured right) say that the community is dissatisfied with the name 'Middle Gorge' Locals are deeply dissatisfied with the choice of name, given that the location Middle Gorge is situated 2.4 kilometres from the train station itself. They feel that it is confusing for visitors who may alight at the station hoping for a short walk to Middle Gorge. 'The name isn't meaningful in terms of reflecting where the new station is going to be located, Middle Gorge itself is some kilometres from where the station will be,' said Daniel Bowen, Spokesman of the Public Transport Users Association. 'It does sounds like a bit of a fantasy name, some people were saying it sounds like something out of Lord of the Rings,' said Mr Bowen. Locals are deeply dissatisfied with the proposed name change from 'Marymede' to 'Middle Gorge' train station and wrote a letter to the Andrews government last Friday voicing their views The decision to change the name from Marymede to Middle Gorge was announced suddenly, without community consultation. 'Well, since the very start, the stations have been named Mernda, Hawkstone and Marymede. And then suddenly, after three years of it being called Marymede, overnight, click, they just decided that it would be called Middle Gorge and there was no consultation,' said Darren Peters, local primary school teacher and spokesman for the South Morang and Mernda Rail Alliance. ''The name Middle Gorge is ridiculous!', said Mr Peters, 'So we said, no way Jose, we're going to be making sure we fight that and get a sense of all the names of the area.' 'It's a location that nobody had heard of. I've lived in the area for 37 years, I certainly had never heard of Middle Gorge until the announcement. So it's an issue because it's not in the common language of people who are living in the area,' The Mernda Railway extension will provide three new stations, extending from the existing South Morang train station in Melbourne's north western suburbs 'The only thing that most people around our area had thought of was that Middle Gorge indeed sounded like the location, Middle Earth, which is in Tolkien's book the Lord of the Rings,' 'So aside from people being quite upset about the naming of the station where there was no community consultation, the other choice was that people decided to laugh about it and go, well it kind of sounds like something from a fantasy novel,' he said. 'So really, people either weren't happy or sort of joked about it to try and relieve the pain of knowing that the station had been given a ridiculous name rather than something that the community would be proud of,' said Mr Peters. Community advocates think the new name 'Middle Gorge'is laughable, 'The only thing that most people around our area had thought of was that Middle Gorge indeed sounded like the location, Middle Earth, which is in Tolkien's book the Lord of the Rings,' said Mr Peters The letter, which was sent last Friday, has not yet received a response from the government. 'We want a response as soon as possible because the railway is going to be opening around September, October this year and it needs to be sorted out because people are going to start travelling here,' said Mr Peters. 'I think the government is trying to white ant it, as much as they can, cause they're embarrassed that they didn't do a community survey on what the community actually wanted to have their station named,' he said. 'It really needs to be sorted now, whilst it can be done cheaply and quickly and effectively, before all these stations are advertised to the public,'said Mr Peters. 'It's great that the project is nearing completion,' Mr Bowen said, 'The outer north of Melbourne is desperately crying out for public transport options' The community has suggested renaming the current South Morang Station to Plenty Valley and renaming Marymede Station to South Morang, as this was the location of the original South Morang Station from 1889 to 1959. However, Mr Bowen admitted he was glad that the project was running six months ahead of schedule. 'It's great that the project is nearing completion,' he said, 'The outer north of Melbourne is desperately crying out for public transport options.' A Montana daycare worker was arrested for allegedly building a drug den inside a cabinet so she could smoke meth at work. Missoula police received a phone call from a YMCA Learning Center employee Tuesday who said they found a possible 'drug kit' in the daycare, KRTV reported. The employee reportedly said she saw Autumn Heinz, 30, hiding behind a cabinet in the laundry room with what appeared to be a meth pipe nearby. Heinz was arrested and faces charges of child endangerment, criminal possession of drugs and criminal mischief. Autumn Heinz, 30, was a daycare worker for three years at a YMCA in Missoula, Montana before she was arrested. She allegedly smoked meth on the job from a 'drug den' she created When police investigated the 'drug den' in the laundry room, they found that it locked from the inside so nobody could get in. A glass pipe with what appeared to be meth residue was found along with a plastic tube full of white crystals, which tested positive for meth. Also, authorities found small snort tubes, lighters, an air filter and a battery powered light in the 'drug den'. Every room in the YMCA was tested for meth fumes, and each one tested positive including the infant room. According to KRTV, Heinz was interviewed by police where she admitted to constructing the area underneath the cabinet for her breaks. But she said did not admit to the meth use and requested them to find her a lawyer. The 30-year-old, who has been working at the YMCA for three years in the infant center, admitted to having a history of drug use with heroin and opioids. Heinz claimed she stopped using in 2016 or 2017. Thomas Kelly's killer has been hit with an apprehended violence order on behalf of his ex-girlfriend - despite being behind bars. Police recently slapped Sydney man Kieran Loveridge, 24, with an order not to stalk, intimidate or harass his ex-girlfriend Chantelle Lia Maloinato. It is understood the court order followed phone calls from Loveridge, 24, to Ms Maloinato from inside prison. Loveridge is barred from contacting the young woman in any way unless through a lawyer, a court has heard. Goulburn jail inmate Kieran Loveridge, 24, in a recent photo apparently taken while in prison Loveridge (left) coward punched Thomas Kelly (right) in the head - resulting in his death Loveridge is an inmate at Goulburn jail, a NSW Corrective Services spokeswoman said Inmates can nominate up to 10 family and friends to call while in New South Wales prisons, a fact sheet said. But prison intelligence officers are often listening in, particularly in the case of high-profile prisoners. Loveridge was recently transferred from Silverwater jail to Goulburn prison. He has a track record of bad behaviour behind bars, including an 'improper relationship' with a female prison worker at a north coast jail in 2015. The woman was later sacked and Loveridge was transferred to Supermax maximum security prison for at time. Loveridge was also allegedly involved in a fight at Silverwater last month. Loveridge, left, has a track record of bad behaviour in New South Wales prisons Kelly hit his head on the ground and died after Loveridge struck him in the head, unprovoked Prison authorities said they have systems in place to monitor inmates and report crime STATEMENT FROM CORRECTIVE SERVICES NSW 'We are unable to comment as the application is before the courts. 'For safety and security reasons Corrective Service NSW does not comment on individual inmates or investigations. 'We have systems and procedures in place to monitor inmates and report any suspected or actual criminal activity, and it is acted upon swiftly and decisively. 'Inmates can face internal charges or the matter can be referred to our partner law enforcement agencies where criminal activities are suspected for further investigation. 'The sharing of information between CSNSW and law enforcement agencies can trigger criminal investigations and ultimately lead to successful prosecutions.' Advertisement A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said the agency had systems and procedures in place to monitor inmates and report crime. Wrongdoing is 'acted upon swiftly and decisively', she said. Loveridge and Kelly were both 18-years-old when a heavily intoxicated Loveridge punched the other boy in the head in Kings Cross in July 2012. Kelly hit his head on the ground and died. It was his first night out with friends in the city's party district. Loveridge was originally jailed for manslaughter for four years. But the sentence was upgraded to 10 years after an appeals court found the sentence was 'manifestly inadequate'. Kelly's death sparked widespread reforms to drinking laws across Australia. Loveridge is eligible for release in November 2022. NSW Police and Ms Maloinato were approached for comment. Jon Lerner, a 'Never Trumper' during the 2016 election, has been blocked from working for Vice President Mike Pence A new national security aide to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence stepped down on Sunday only two days after being officially named to the job, after President Donald Trump got involved in a behind-the-scenes White House argument. The appointment of Jon Lerner to Pence's team was one of the more short-lived personnel moves in a White House known for turbulent staff turnover and infighting, and the first to envelop the vice president, who works hard to stay out of the drama. Pence's office had announced on Friday that Jon Lerner, a senior aide to United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, would become Pence's top adviser on foreign policy issues. By Sunday night, the vice president's office had issued a second statement that Lerner had withdrawn. Pence wanted Lerner to be his national security adviser but Trump vetoed the idea The president wondered aloud: 'Why would Mike do that?' 'Tonight Jon informed the vice president that he was withdrawing from coming on board as national security adviser and the vice president accepted his decision,' Pence press secretary Alyssa Farah said in a statement. 'Vice President Pence holds Jon Lerner in the highest regard and expressed his deep gratitude for Jon's willingness to consider joining our team.' The issue boiled over on Friday, when Pence and his senior staff were on an eight-hour flight to Peru to attend the Summit of the Americas. President Donald Trump had been become upset, the White House official said, when he was told in error that Lerner was a so-called 'Never Trumper' a term that describes anti-Trump Republicans. 'Why would Mike do that?' Trump mused aloud, the Axios news website reported, adding that Trump had initially told his chief of staff John Kelly to axe the appointment. Lerner still works for Ambassador Nikki Haley at the United Nations despite having been primarily a political operative before the Trump administration Lerner had backed Republican Senator Marco Rubio during the primary race to pick the party's candidate ahead of the 2016 presidential election. He also crafted campaign-season ads for the Club for Growth, a conservative tax- and budget-hawk group that loudly opposed Trump. Pence phoned the president and cleared up the tension, the official said. But the short-lived drama became public on Sunday. Lerner then offered to withdraw on Sunday night 'to minimize the amount of conflict and internal drama,' the White House official said, and Pence decided it was the best option. Lerner will continue working for Haley, the official said. A curious homeowner is pleading for help after she discovered mysterious handwriting scrawled across a piece of timber in her home. Melbourne woman Dee Dee Dunleavy took to social media this week after she uncovered the writing in her home, which was built as early as 1843. Ms Dunleavy urged anyone with insight into the scrawlings to come forward and help her decipher what they said. A curious homeowner is pleading for help after she discovered mysterious handwriting scrawled across a piece of timber in her home (pictured) Melbourne woman Dee Dee Dunleavy took to social media this week after she uncovered the writing in her home, which was built as early as 1843 'Help! This piece of timber is inside an air vent in the original part of our house, that was built any time from 1843-1853,' she said. 'Can you see the handwriting? What do you think it says? 'We don't know what it says!' Ms Dunleavy, who discovered the writing while renovating her home, said she had an idea about what was written 'but we don't want to influence anybody's interpretation'. Ms Dunleavy, who discovered the writing while renovating her home, said she had an idea about what it said 'but we don't want to influence anybody's interpretation' She urged anyone with information about the message, or its vintage, to lend their wisdom to the cause. 'Please help, if anyone loves a good mystery,' she told 3AW's Tony Jones on Monday. 'What we're really after is a date.' Police on Sunday identified a suspected shoplifter who died after store employees wrestled him to the ground and held him until cops responded to the scene. Authorities say the victim, identified as 51-year-old Ralph Nimmons, of Brooklyn, was accused of shoplifting and collapsed after being subdued. Nimmons was tackled by three employees at the Stop & Shop at Flatbush and Tilden avenues at around 7.30 am , according to the New York Post. Police say Nimmons was unconscious and unresponsive when officers arrived at the scene. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner is to determine the exact cause of death. The Daily News reports that Stop & Shop released a statement saying they were saddened by the death and was cooperating with authorities. Scroll down for video A man known as Gerard and 'Star' died inside of the Stop & Shop at Flatbush and Tilden avenues in Brooklyn on Saturday, after employees held him down for suspected shoplifting Witnesses and police said the workers sat and stepped on him, eventually rendering him unconscious, before he was pronounced dead When police arrived, Gerard was already unconscious; Officers attempted CPR, to no avail Neighbors and residents initially told Police that the deceased suspect's name was Gerard but was known by 'Star.' Witnesses said the man was placing items from the store into what looked like a cake box before store employees threw him to the floor. 'They all rushed him and he dropped the stuff,' one witness told ABC News. A resident of the neighborhood said it was the store manager, assistant manager and a produce worker who pinned Gerard to the ground until he was no longer alive. 'The store manager was on his head part,' Clintisha Lewis, 27, said. 'A female [the assistant manager] was on his belly part and a worker was on his legs. Those are three adults sitting on him.' The three employees threw Nimmons to the ground and refused to let him up, despite his cries that he had a bad heart and couldn't breathe, Antwaune Savage, 31, said. 'They were on top of him,' Savage said. 'Literally standing on top of him. Stepping on him to hold him down.' Once Nimmons had dropped the items, Savage said the man told the workers to leave him alone and that they had what they wanted, but they would not let him go. 'He said, "I have a bad heart, I cannot breathe." Then he stopped talking,' Savage said. As of late on Saturday, no arrests had been made in connection with Gerard's death A crowd gathered outside following the incident on Saturday which resulted in Gerard's death When police arrived, the suspect was already unconscious. Officers attempted CPR, but could not revive him. His body was quickly transported to Kings County Hospital Center by emergency responders, where he was pronounced dead. The official cause of death must be certified by the city medical examiner. As of late on Saturday, no arrests had been made in connection with Nimmon's death. Stop & Shop released the following statement regarding the incident: 'We are working closely with the New York City Police Department to help them determine the facts and to provide any information we have to assist in their investigation.' An Anglican priest admitted in court to participating in online chats about his own child sex abuse fantasies. Melbourne Anglican priest and former Sunshine vicar Phillip John Murphy, 53, pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to transmitting child pornography, 9 News reported. Murphy would use a carriage service to engage in the online conversation about child sex abuse fantasies he had during chats he had with other men between 2016 and 2017. Anglican priest, Phillip John Murphy, 53, (pictured) has admitted in court to participating in online chats about his own child sex abuse fantasies It was during one of these conversations that Murphy confided in another man that he had a fantasy to abuse hundreds of children. Some of them as young as two-years-old. When the man replied '...having some fun with a six-year-old boy with a slight handicap' Murphy replied said he wished he could join. He also told another man who had two young children that he was in a 'very pedo mood' and would only travel to meet if 'I know there is really young on offer'. It wasn't until after Murphy had returned from a trip to Hong Kong in 2017 that he was questioned about his illicit online activity. He told police that he had been suffering through a personal crisis which had caused him to participate in the online conversations. Murphy had also used dating app Grindr to ask several men if they had any interest in children. The Victoria County Court (pictured) heard Murphy engaged in online conversations about his fantasies of abusing hundreds of children, some as young as two-years-old His barrister, Geoffrey Steward, told the court his client felt great shame and remorse for his actions and that his clean record and 'contributions to the community' until now should be weighed into the sentencing His barrister, Geoffrey Steward, told the court his client felt great shame and remorse for his actions and that his clean record and 'contributions to the community' until now should be weighed into the sentencing. 'He has been a man who did not merely preach from the pulpit. He has been a man who went out into the community,' he said. Murphy is on bail and will appear in court again on Friday, April 20 for sentencing. The agreement was signed by Devida head Carmen Masias, Economy and Finance Minister Davis Tuesta , U.S. Ambassador to Peru Krishna R. Urs, and USAID Administrator Mark Green. "It's a Public-Private Partnership, whose purpose is the local and economic development of Peruvian families, who previously were engaged in illegal cultivation," Masias expressed. "And now, many of them are dedicated to the production of coffee and cacao," she pointed out. Nevertheless, if things are made in a coordinated fashion, Peruvians will live in a country without drugs , the Devida representative indicated. Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen reportedly killed a US Weekly story about an affair between his son Donald Trump Jr and Aubrey O'Day. The Wall Street Journal reports that US Weekly planned to run the story in 2013 but Cohen was able to prevent it from being published, though it is unclear how. This information comes after a federal judge allowed the FBI to seize files from Cohen's office last week during a high-profile search. Cohen is under investigation over various issues, including his $130,000 hush-money payment for Stormy Daniels in 2016 so she would not publicize her affair with Donald Trump. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen reportedly killed a US Weekly story about an affair between Donald Trump Jr and Aubrey O'Day in 2013 The affair was revealed last month after Don Jr announced he was splitting with his wife, Vanessa, after 12 years of marriage. The alleged affair reportedly started while Aubrey O'Day was on Celebrity Apprentice Investigators were looking for documents relating to Cohen's handling of President Trump's alleged affairs. The long-time personal attorney for Trump admitted to paying Daniels as part of a nondisclosure agreement mere days before the 2016 presidential election. But he denied the president had any involvement in the payment. The agents were also reportedly looking for information about former playboy model Karen McDougal who alleges she had an affair with Trump for more than a year. It is unclear how Cohen was able to 'kill' the story regarding Don Jr and O'Day. Donald Trump Jr's alleged affair was revealed in March after he announced he was separating from Vanessa Trump, who he had been married to for 12 years. The affair went from 2011 to 2012 where sources say O'Day thought Don Jr was going to leave his wife for her. Pictured is them together on Celebrity Apprentice It is unclear how Cohen was able to 'kill' the US Weekly story about the alleged affair between Don Jr and O'Day. The affair reportedly almost caused Don Jr and Vanessa Trump to divorce in 2012 The affair allegedly began in 2011 while O'Day was on Celebrity Apprentice, Perez Hilton reported. Sources revealed that O'Day only agreed to the affair because she believed Don Jr was going to divorce his wife for her. The Wall Street Journal also provided more information into Essential Consultants, a Delaware limited-liability company that he created to pay off Stormy Daniels. On Sunday, it was revealed that Cohen used the same company in two other secret deals involving sexual encounters with his other clients. Robert Csak, 32, is facing more than a dozen weapons charges in New York A Long Island man has been arrested with an arsenal of illegal weapons after making threatening phone calls to his former high school, according to police. Robert Csak, 32, is facing more than a dozen weapons charges after cops found the weapons cache in Lindenhurst, New York while investigating reports of the threatening voicemails. Suffolk County Police say Csak, a pizza delivery driver, used his name in some of the six disturbing messages left Saturday at Summit School in Upper Nyack, a high school for students with emotional and behavioral special needs. Investigators found that Csak wasn't home when they arrived to interview him on Sunday, but his landlord let them inside the apartment - where cops made a startling discovery. Scroll down for video Suffolk County Police said they seized this arsenal of 19 firearms from Csak on Saturday At least nine of the 19 firearms were illegal, including 'assault weapons' banned in New York Cops found more than 200 high-capacity magazines (pictured). New York state law bans magazines that can accept more than 10 rounds Officers also found a silencer and a bump stock, which increases the fire rate of a semi-auto 'The apartment was described to me as very sparsely furnished, with a mattress, a plastic table, a plastic chair and the arsenal of weapons that you see before me,' Suffolk Police Chief Stuart Cameron said at a press conference on Sunday. In plain view, police saw a tactical shotgun, crossbow, night vision goggles, high-capacity magazines, and an AR-15-style weapon. After obtaining a search warrant, police found a total of 19 firearms including a Tommy gun, as well as a silencer, more than 200 high-capacity magazines, and a bump stock. New York state law prohibits magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds. It is unclear if the Tommy gun was fully automatic as the gun was originally designed, or a semi-auto version designed to comply with bans on automatic weapons. Regardless, police said at least nine of the guns were illegal, including AR-15-style rifles that are illegal in New York state if they both have a pistol grip and accept a detachable magazine. Among the shocking discoveries was a crossbow and large quantities of ammunition A box full of shotgun shells is seen among the weaponry seized from Csak's apartment Most of the weapons seized were long guns, although there appeared to be a revolver too A gas mask and shotgun ammunition that were seized in the raid are seen Cops said that of the 19 firearms seized from the home, nine were illegal in New York Police also found an additional set of night vision goggles, bulletproof vests, gas masks, and knives. The messages left at Csak's former school were specifically directed against a particular employee, police said. 'From every indication we have now he felt slighted by this individual from an encounter back in 2002 and was carrying a grudge,' Chief Stuart Cameron said. Csak attended the school in 2002 and was identified through caller ID and school records, according to police. After searching his residence, cops stopped Csak's car at a red light late Saturday and arrested him. He is being held is due in Suffolk County District Court in Central Islip on Monday British military chiefs were so concerned about Russian retaliation during the missile strikes on Syria that two fighter jets were kept back to guard the RAF base in Cyprus, the Daily Mail can reveal. As RAF Tornados flew to help launch cruise missiles against the Assad regime, two Typhoon fighters stayed behind, poised on the runway at the base in Akrotiri. Military chiefs feared Moscow could launch an immediate act of revenge and so kept the Typhoon jets at high readiness to scramble and shoot down any incoming missiles. British military chiefs were so concerned about Russian retaliation during the missile strikes on Syria that two fighter jets were kept back to guard the RAF base in Cyprus, the Daily Mail can reveal Military chiefs feared Moscow could launch an immediate act of revenge and so kept the Typhoon jets at high readiness to scramble and shoot down any incoming missiles Pentagon officials included the two jets in a list of assets that took part in the dramatic assault under the cover of darkness on Saturday, even though they remained at the British base. The military operation unfolded early on Saturday morning, with British, US and French forces co-ordinating strikes on Assads chemical stockpiles. At about 2am UK time, RAF warplanes helped wipe out a chemical weapons storage plant in just 120 seconds without even entering Syrian airspace. Four British Tornado jets fired a total of eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles, each worth 750,000, at the Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage facility, 15 miles west of Homs. It was struck by a further 14 missiles fired by France and the US and razed to the ground. The RAF Tornados were protected by a further two Typhoon fighter jets that flew to an area north of Cyprus designated as a firing box. A total of three suspected chemical weapons facilities were hit by 105 missiles fired from warplanes and jets from the three allies. The other two facilities were the Barzah research and development centre in greater Damascus, which was hit by 76 US missiles, and the Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker facility four miles from the storage facility which was hit by seven missiles from France. At about 2am UK time, RAF warplanes helped wipe out a chemical weapons storage plant in just 120 seconds without even entering Syrian airspace The operation was set in motion at 10.30pm on Friday in a telephone call between Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and his counterparts in Paris and Washington DC. He then informed the Prime Minister that the mission would soon be under way. At about 1am four Tornado jets and two Typhoon jets took off from RAF Akrotiri. They landed back at around 2.15am. Russia did not use its missile defence system to fire back, despite claims that it had shot down weapons in response. Syria fired 40 surface-to-air missiles but none of them hit the incoming missiles and most of them were fired after the last Syrian target was already destroyed. Donald Trump gave the first warning of the attack on Wednesday when he tweeted that Russia should get ready because nice and new and smart missiles would be coming. On Thursday Theresa May held a Cabinet meeting where she made the case for action against Bashar al-Assad. During the meeting Mr Williamson talked the Cabinet through the procedure and the efforts gone into minimising the risk of civilian casualties and protecting troops. On Friday Mrs May travelled to Chequers, where at about 11pm she filmed a video message announcing she had approved the raids. She then called Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Vince Cable, and former prime ministers David Cameron and Sir John Major. Four British Tornado jets fired a total of eight Storm Shadow cruise missiles, each worth 750,000, at the Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage facility, 15 miles west of Homs Mrs Mays video message was broadcast at 2.10am on Saturday, just after she received a call confirming RAF jets were back on the ground and safe. She was back at her desk in No 10 before 7am. Pictures released by the Ministry of Defence showed the tense final preparations at Akrotiri before the operation was launched. One image showed a Flight Lieutenant carrying a pistol holster and inspecting a missile attached to the wing of one of the Tornados. Each Tornado was flown by a two-man crew drawn from the RAFs 31 Squadron, nicknamed the Gold Stars. These personnel form part of 903 Expeditionary Air Wing based at Akrotiri. Crews have been conducting air strikes on Islamic State in Iraq and Syria since 2015. It is understood that all eight British missiles found their targets. Defence sources said early indications pointed to a strike that had set President Assads chemical weapons stockpiles and facilities back many years. Chief Pentagon spokesman Dana White said the target choices were very methodical. She said it was a deliberate decision to go after chemical weapons facilities. A new poll has found nearly 50 per cent of Americans find former FBI Director James Comey more believable than President Donald Trump. The ABC News/Washington Post poll shows that 48 per cent of the public has more trust in Comey than Trump at 32 per cent. The poll was released ahead of Comey's Sunday night interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. According to the poll, 47 per cent of the public disapproves of Trump's decision to fire Comey. The survey also found that Republicans find Trump more believable than Comey by 70-15 per cent, as do strong conservatives by 76-9 per cent and somewhat conservatives by 49-24 per cent. Scroll down for video Nearly 50 per cent of Americans find former FBI Director James Comey more believable than President Donald Trump According to the poll, 47 per cent of the public disapproves (depicted left) of Trump's decision to fire Comey Democrats and liberals overwhelmingly find Comey more believable; independents and moderates side with Comey as well, by 48-29 and 57-22 per cent, respectively. Women believe Comey over Trump 54-25 per cent and nonwhites pick Comey over Trump 63-15 per cent. Comey blasted Trump as unfit for the office in the ABC interview. 'I think he's morally unfit to be president,' Comey told Stephanopoulos. 'A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds,' Comey said. 'And that's not a policy statement. Again, I don't care what your views are on guns or immigration or taxes.' The poll was released two days before Comey's interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. Comey blasted Trump as unfit for the office in the interview that aired Sunday night 'I think he's morally unfit to be president,' Comey (pictured with Trump in January 2017) told Stephanopoulos Comey stressed that he did not believe Trump was mentally unfit for the presidency, even complimenting Trump in a rare moment of praise. 'He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence who's tracking conversations and knows what's going on,' said Comey. But he said Trump's moral qualifications were lacking. 'There's something more important than that that should unite all of us, and that is our president must embody, respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country,' Comey said. 'The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president.' Stephanopoulos asked if it was possible that the Russians 'have something on Donald Trump'. 'I think it's possible. I don't know. These are more words I never thought I'd utter about a president of the United States, but it's possible,' Comey replied. 'You can't say for certain that the president of the United States is not compromised by the Russians?' pressed Stephanopoulos. 'It is stunning and I wish I wasn't saying it, but it's just - it's the truth. I cannot say that,' Comey replied. 'It always struck me and still strikes me as unlikely, and I woulda' been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I can't. It's possible.' Comey spoke out two days before the release of his memoir, A Higher Loyalty. Despite his misgivings, Comey said he would not be in favor of impeaching Trump. 'I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they're duty bound to do directly,' Comey said. 'People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values.' Comey spoke in detail about his uncomfortable first meeting with Trump in Trump Tower in January 2017, in which he delicately informed the then president-elect of the allegations in Christopher Steele's dossier, which claimed that Trump met with prostitutes in a Moscow hotel in 2013. Comey (left) told Stephanopoulos (right) that it was 'possible' Russia has compromising information on Trump, though noting he felt it was 'unlikely' 'I did not go into the business about-- people peeing on each other, I just thought it was a weird enough experience for me to be talking to the incoming president of the United States about prostitutes in a hotel in Moscow. And so I left that part out,' Comey said, referring to the most salacious pieces of the unverified allegations. According to Comey, Trump's immediate response was: ''Do I look like a guy who needs hookers?' After the Steele dossier, which had been funded by Democrats during the campaign, was published by Buzzfeed days later, Comey spoke with Trump about the matter again by phone. Comey recalls Trump launching unprompted into an explanation 'that he'd never stayed overnight at the hotel, he'd just changed clothes there and went to the Miss Universe pageant.' 'I don't know whether any of this true, but this is what he said,' said Comey. 'And then he said, "Another reason you know it's not true is I'm a germaphobe. There's no way I'd let people pee on each other around me." And that me caught me so much by surprise I actually let out an audible laugh and-- 'cause it was just one of those-- I was startled by it.' Hours before the interview aired, Trump launched into a preemptive tirade on Twitter berating Trump. 'Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!' Trump said at one point. 'I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty,' Trump said, disputing one of Comey's claims. 'I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self serving and FAKE!' Natasha Schofield (pictured) jumped overboard near New Caledonia on Thursday while holidaying on a cruise ship with her husband and three children A close friend of a Brisbane mother who jumped from a P&O cruise liner says the woman would never have wanted to hurt her family. Mother-of-three Natasha Schofield, 47, threw herself overboard at 4pm on Thursday while on the 'holiday of a life-time' with her family. Speaking out this week, Mrs Schofield's close friend, Damon Smith, said 'hurting her family is the last thing she would have wanted'. 'Tash would never intentionally hurt her husband or children, her family or friends - everything that has happened on that boat is the complete opposite to what she would ever want,' Mr Smith said. 'She must have arrived in a very dark and desperate place in her mind, very very quickly.' The 47-year-old (pictured) is presumed dead after jumping over the edge of the P&O ship as her husband tried desperately to catch her by the legs after the 'obviously devoted and loving couple' had dinner together Mr Smith said he heard from Mrs Schofield's husband that her behaviour began to change in the 24 hours leading up to her suicide. '[Her husband] said she didn't seem herself for just over a day but she assured him she was fine,' he said. Mr Smith said the death of his close friend was life-altering. 'She has been there for me in various ways, starting from crashing my wedding party to caring for my children a thousand times. I trust her with my life. That generous girl I know only strives to help others and make life happier - she has made me a better person,' he said. Rescue crews were unable to find Mrs Schofield's body after she propelled herself overboard from the upper deck of the P&O owned Pacific Dawn on Thursday. Queensland Police have since confirmed Mrs Schofield took her own life. A terrifying photo appears to show Ms Schofield moments before she is swallowed up by the ocean. After receiving advice from marine experts, the ship called off the search for the Brisbane woman on Friday morning Queensland Police Inspector Rob Graham told reporters on Sunday Natasha Schofield's fall was 'no accident', and described it as a 'tragic act'. 'Her husband was standing right next to her when she went over,' Mr Graham said. 'Her husband tried to grab on to her leg... but she fell.' Ms Schofield, 47, was travelling with her husband and three children, two daughters and a son aged 12-16 when she jumped. Mr Graham said they did not believe the woman's children were in the area when she plunged 30m into the ocean from the top deck of the ship. Passengers disembarked the Pacific Dawn in Brisbane on Sunday morning (pictured) CCTV footage showed Ms Schofield walking with her husband along the deck before the tragic act took place. A spokesman for P&O told SBS the clips showed 'an obviously devoted and loving couple'. The heartbreaking incident unfolded 300km west of New Caledonia on Thursday, leaving distraught passengers with a grueling two day trip back to Brisbane. Passengers were seen disembarking the vessel on Sunday morning at the Port of Brisbane. A crew member saw the woman jump off the Pacific Dawn when it was 300km west of Pacific island New Caledonia. Pictured: A blue arrow shows where the boat turned around Many appeared tired, with forlorn looks on their faces after the dramatic end to their trip. The Pacific Dawn cruise stopped just before dusk on Thursday, as a desperate search began in the area where the woman had jumped. About 8am on Friday, as huge swell surrounded the boat and the search was called off on the advice of marine experts. Many appeared tired and distraught as they stepped back on to dry land following the tragic end to their holiday Queensland police have opened an investigation into how Ms Schofield plunged to her death (crew members onboard at time of search) The ship's captain had told all passengers a search crew was 'unable to locate our guest' on Friday 'It is with a very heavy heart that I need to let you know that we have been unable to locate our guest,' the ship's captain told his passengers. 'We are still in the area of the incident, and the weather conditions with the swell three to four metres high, as you can see outside... the strong wind made our search extremely challenging. 'As a result we have now made the extremely difficult decision to continue our journey towards Brisbane.' Initial reports had suggested a mammoth wave swept the mother of the ship when it hit the deck, but a P&O spokesman later denied the claim. At least 308 people have gone overboard from cruise ships since 2000. Lifeline: 13 11 14 Beyondblue: 1300 22 4636 Nearby vessels assisted in the search but none were close enough to find the mother-of-three. Pictured: A map showing where the boat (red) stopped on the route it took A barber shop owner has has taken to Go Fund Me to raise money for legal costs after he was taken to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia for refusing to cut a young girl's hair. Sam Rahim, who runs the Hunters Hill Barber Shop in Sydney's north, said he 'politely' declined a woman's request to trim her daughter's locks last December. The mother, who is understood to be a Sydney-based lawyer, has since filed a complaint with the human rights commission and taken the matter to court. Sam Rahim, who runs the Hunters Hill Barber Shop in Sydney 's north and is being accused of discrimination has taken to Go Fund Me to ask the public to help cover his legal costs Mr Rahim wrote on the crowdfunding site that the shop, qualified in men's haircuts, is 'now facing court over the matter and has had a stressful time the past few months. The legal costs are more than we have ever anticipated'. In just two days a total of $3,485 has been raised towads their goal of $50,000. Mr Rahim wrote: 'Thank you all so much, Thank you to everyone in the community and everyone that has messaged or made any contact on our social media or directly in the barber. We appreciate all your support.' Last week Mr Rahim told Channel Nine's Today show: 'It's left me in a lot of stress to be honest. Just sleepless and something we have to deal with. Sam Rahim (pictured with wife Ronda), who runs the Hunters Hill Barber Shop in Sydney 's North Shore 'politely refused' a woman's request to cut her daughter's hair last December 'It's left me in a lot of stress to be honest. Just sleepless and something we have to deal with,' Mr Rahim said 'I've had a lot of females come into the shop and I just point them out to the nearest hairdresser. I'm surrounded by hairdressers, they are literally 20 seconds of walking. 'She could have just walked to the next hairdresser... It's really hurtful to be honest.' Mr Rahim's wife Ronda said her husband wasn't qualified to cut girls' or women's hair and highlighted the protections afforded to other female-only businesses. 'He's a barber, not so much a hairdresser. He just couldn't do the cut because of the skill that he's got,' she said. 'It just happens to be that the daughter's mother is a lawyer. So when Sam refused the cut, based on his skill, she wasn't happy with that outcome. 'We're all for gender equality and we understand there's a Sex Discrimination Act. But the fact is, there are laws to protect female gyms and female only services. 'Barbers have become such an up-and-coming industry, they are popping up everywhere. There's nothing to protect barbers.' Mr Rahim's wife Ronda (pictured together) said her husband wasn't qualified to cut girls' or women's hair Mr Rahim (pictured) is being taken to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia after declining to cut the girl's hair Ms Rahim said the matter was taken to the human rights commission in an attempt to have it resolved, but the mother 'wasn't happy' with the couple's apology. She said her husband was served papers to appear in the Federal Circuit Court. 'I've got two kids. I've had to drag them to go find legal advice because we have just never been to court or been in this situation,' she said. 'We were just kind of shocked because we just didn't think that someone would just take it so far.' Mr Rahim reiterated that he is not trained to cut girls' hair and has no experience in doing so. 'A barber course is about six months and a hairdressing TAFE is three years, which you have to do your apprenticeship as well,' he said. Ms Rahim said her husband (pictured together) was served court papers Footy Show star Beau Ryan appears to be one of Mr Rahim's customers (pictured together) 'It's completely different. When you walk into a barber shop, you rarely see any woman in there because a barber shop is just known for men. 'The reason we rejected it is because it is a barber shop. I only specialise in cutting men's hair. And I'm not qualified to cut female's hair. That's pretty much it.' Mr Rahim earlier told Nine News the mother continued to press him to cut her daughter's hair before she became 'angry and stormed out.' He said the mother told him he had embarrassed her daughter by refusing. 'She might have been more embarrassed walking to school if I'd butchered her hair,' he said. He repeated that by its very definition, a barber shop was 'a place where men get their hair cut'. Mr Rahim is worried about how this will impact it will have on his livelihood, especially with young family to support In December last year a women came into the barber shop (pictured) and asked him if he could cut her daughter's hair, to which he 'politely refused' Sandy Chong, from the Australian Hairdressing Council, said there are clear differences in the skills required to cut men's and women's hair and understood Mr Rahim's refusal. The complainant told Daily Mail Australia she had brought a case against the shop for an alleged breach of the Sex Discrimination Act. 'The basis of the claim is that the barber shop refused to simply run the clippers through my daughter's undercut, because she was a girl,' she said in a statement. 'I indicated to him that I did not need him to style, cut or trim the rest of her hair, which is styled in a ''bob''. 'Mr Rahim's explanation was that he wished to keep his barber shop for boys and men only. He never said he was not qualified to cut women or girls' hair, as he has incorrectly reported to the media.' The mother said she would not provide any further comment as the matter is before the courts. Mr Rahim is now being accused of breaching anti-discrimination laws and was told he had embarrassed the women's daughter Mr Rahim has been met with overwhelming support on social media Meanwhile, Mr Rahim has been met with overwhelming support on social media. 'I don't know you, you don't know me, but I hope everything goes well for you and hope that you know you have entire communities behind you with the nonsense going on,' one wrote. 'Sam. I've never been to your shop but your interview tells me that you are a gentleman. I wish you all the very best at court,' another said. The case is due to appear before the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in the coming weeks. 'She might have been more embarrassed walking to school if I'd butchered her hair,' Mr Rahim said A nationwide technical outage has shut down Woolworths' registers, forcing stores to close their doors. Pictures taken from stores in Sydney and Melbourne show customers waiting at registers with trolleys full of food and groups of abandoned carts. The outage occurred around 4pm on Monday - the chains busiest time of day. The IT hiccup hit about half of Woolworths' 995 Australian stores, the supermarket giant said it a statement. Scroll down for video A nationwide technical outage has shut down Woolworths' registers, forcing stores to close their doors (pictured are customers after the outage) The outage occurred around 4pm on Monday - the chains busiest time of day Radio station 3AW was inundated with calls reporting outages from Drouin, Endeavour Hills, Swan Hill and Essendon. Sky News has reported that customers were told to leave and come back in an hour. A woman named Rose, from Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne, told 3AW customers were offered lollies as they were asked to leave. 'Everyone was walking out of the store empty handed. Staff were very apologetic. Staff said every register in every store nation wide has shut down. We were all offered a box of chocolates.' Woolworths told Daily Mail Australia registers were back online just before 5pm. 'We can confirm that an IT issue impacted registers in our supermarkets for a short period of time this afternoon. The registers are now back online in all our stores. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Thanks!' Pictures taken from stores in Sydney and Melbourne show customers waiting at registers with trolley's full of food and groups of abandoned carts A man who gang-raped of an eight-year-old Muslim girl for three days at an Indian temple stopped her killer as he beat her to death with a rock so he could have sex with the child one last time, police have revealed. Asifa Bano's mutilated body was found a week after she was kidnapped by a gang trying to drive away the Muslim nomadic herders to which she belonged in India's Jammu and Kashmir. As a trial began today of eight men accused of involvement, police released shocking new details of the attack and how she was sedated and kept without food in a small village. Police say she was held in the temple for three days while three men gang-raped her repeatedly before she was strangled and hit twice with a heavy rock. One of the men involved ordered another attacker to delay her murder so he could rape her one last time, police say. A lawyer has been threatened with rape and death for fighting for justice for Asifa Bano - an eight-year-old Muslim girl who was raped and murdered in India Eight men have gone on trial over the murder. They include Sanji Ram (pictured arriving at court today), a retired revenue official, who, according to Indian media, is accused of being the main conspirator, inciting his nephew to abduct the child. He was also said to be in-charge of the temple where the gang-rape and murder took place One of the men on trial is Deepak Khajuria (pictured outside court today), a special police officer One of the men accused of involvement in the case is escorted by police at the District and Sessions court in Kathua today Eight men, including four police and a Hindu temple custodian, have been arrested over the attack and appeared in court on Monday for the first hearing in a case that has sparked nationwide outrage. Ankur Sharma, a lawyer for the accused, said the men had pleaded not guilty and were willing to take a lie-detector test. The court adjourned the case for procedural reasons, he added. The temple's custodian, retired public servant Sanji Ram, is accused of conspiring with four police officers, a friend, his son and a juvenile nephew to kill the girl and destroy crucial evidence. Two of the eight on trial were police officers who are accused of being bribed to stifle the investigation. Scenes of lawyers trying to stop police from entering court to file charges against the accused - all Hindus - evoked disgust and a warning from India's highest court against any attempts to obstruct justice. The case has heightened fears of communal tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. Meanwhile, the lawyer representing the young victim's family and fought for a proper investigation since the girl's body was found in January, said she feared for her life after receiving threats over the case. Deepika Singh Rawat has requested for the trial to be held outside Jammu and Kashmir. The temple's custodian, retired public servant Sanji Ram (pictured), is accused of conspiring with four police officers, a friend, his son and a juvenile nephew to kill the girl and destroy crucial evidence Ankur Sharma, a lawyer for the accused, said the men had pleaded not guilty were willing to take a lie-detector test. The court adjourned the case for procedural reasons, he added Disgust over the horrific crime has sparked protests in cities across India over the past few days. This was the scene as Kashmiri Muslim protesters hurled stones at Indian government forces during one demonstration in Srinagar Protesters have demanded stern action after an eight-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Kashmir 'I don't know till when I will be alive. I might be raped, my modesty may be outraged, I may be killed, I might be damaged. was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell Supreme Court that I am in danger,' she said. Disgust over the horrific crime led to protests in cities across India over the past few days, with anger fuelled by support for the accused initially shown by ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. The protests have also focused on another rape incident allegedly involving a BJP lawmaker in the crime-ridden, most populous, poor northern state of Uttar Pradesh. More rallies demanding action against rapists and violence against women were expected on Monday in the capital and Ahmedabad, the state capital of Modi's home state of Gujarat. According to the charge sheet the kidnapping, rape and killing of the girl was part of a plan to drive the nomads out of Kathua district in Jammu, the mostly Hindu portion of India's only Muslim majority state. Kashmiri lawyers hold placards during a protest calling for justice over the horrifying rape Activsits have staged various protests to bring attention to rape cases and violence against women in India in recent days It was only when the charge sheet was finally filed last week, giving details of the horrendous crime, that Indians reacted en masse. Two ministers from the BJP, which shares power in Jammu and Kashmir, were forced to resign after being pilloried for joining a rally in support of the accused men. The national outrage over the Kathua case has drawn parallels with the massive protests that followed the gang rape and murder of a girl on a Delhi bus in 2012, which forced the then Congress-led government to enact tough new rape laws including the death penalty. But activists say crimes of violence against women are often inadequately investigated, and in some cases accused with political connections have been protected. Indian Muslims protest in Jammu over the killing of Asifa Bano More incidents of child rape, including one in Surat in Gujurat, were reported over the weekend. On Friday, Modi assured the country that the guilty would not be shielded, but he has been criticised for failing to speak out sooner. Before leaving for an official visit to Europe this week, Modi received a letter from 50 former civil servants upbraiding the country's political leadership over its weak response. 'The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into,' the letter said. 'In post-Independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble.' Britain's 'depressing' array of ageing ships and fighter jets unable to fire cruise missiles meant that France took the lead in striking Syria, it was revealed today. The UK fired eight Storm Shadow missiles out of 105 used to punish Bashar al-Assad for his chemical attack in Douma last Saturday - fewer than the French and the Americans. The Royal Navy's Type 45 Destroyer HMS Duncan played second fiddle to the French ship The Languedoc who fired missiles at Syrian targets while the British type-23 frigate was moved away. The 1billion ship has a space on the deck where a cruise missile launcher is meant to be but it was scrapped to save cash with new frigates able to do it not due at sea until 2025 at the earliest. Instead HMS Duncan set up station south-east of Cyprus as an 'air defence' ship against any threat against RAF Akrotiri from Moscow, while four French frigate warships went into the attack zone. Britain was outmuscled by the Americans and the French because its many of its ships and planes are unable to fire cruise missiles at targets in Syria RAF Tornados take off for their mission early on Saturday - but Britain's main fighter jet is due to be retired after 38 years service France also sent its fast Rafale jets to fire its Scalp missiles into Syria protected en route by a squadron of Mirage 2000s armed with air-to-air missiles. How Theresa May's armed forces compare with Macron's men and women FRANCE Budget: 24billion 406 tanks 4 aircraft/helicopter carriers 1,305 aircraft Total naval strength - 118 vessels Active frontline personnel - 205,000 UK Budget: 31billion 249 tanks 1 helicopter carrier 856 aircraft Total naval strength - 76 vessels Active frontline personnel - 150,000 SOURCE: Global Firepower magazine Advertisement Britain's only means off hitting its targets came from four Tornado GR4 jets who sent in eight Storm Shadow missiles - but the warplanes were first used in 1979 and will be retired next year. Four Typhoons were protecting them but these cannot fire cruise missiles after an integration programme was stopped for financial reasons several years ago and will not be able to use Storm Shadow until the end of 2018. But Britain did provide the bulk of intelligence, maps and surveillance images needed for the raid on Saturday morning. And it also sent up its top secret 'Rivet Joint' spy plane used to jam al-Assad's missile defence systems to ensure the 105 missiles fired into Syria hit their targets. Russia's systems may also have been hit by Rivet Joint, which is based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire but deployed from Cyprus. Britain's State-of-the-art F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jets will undertake missions from HMS Queen Elizabeth, the new 3 billion aircraft carrier. But this is due to become fully operational by 2020. Some experts have criticised the capabilities of the F-35, arguing that its performance does not exceed that of existing fighters such as the F/A-18 Hornet- especially when the F-35Bs exorbitant 150m price tag it is considered. The attacks on Syria are proof that France wants to be America's main European ally after Brexit, British military sources have claimed. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Elysee Palace in Paris Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau embraces Emmanuel Macron as he arrives at the Elysee Palace in Paris One told The Times that the lack of fire power in the British Armed Forces was 'pretty depressing'. 'We need to brace ourselves for the fact that President Macron is trying to be the go-to guy,' the source told the newspaper. 'He wants to have a strong relationship with the United States and we have not woken up to that. If they are trying to muscle in and they are determined about it and they end up firing more missiles, these things sort of count. They do actually count.' HMS Duncan was due to have cruise missile capability until it was axed for cost reasons so it set up station south-east of Cyprus as an 'air defence' ship against any threat against RAF Akrotiri from Moscow Experts have said the British armed forces have 'withered' in recent years and would not defend us against the Russians and other hostile countries The British Army's size is approaching 82,000 troops - its smallest for 220 years, figures show Theresa May, pictured with Prince Harry today, faces a grilling from MPs over her decision to launch missile strikes on Syria without speaking to Parliament first US, British and French naval and air assets took part in the pre-dawn strikes that saw 105 missiles launched. Macron claims he 'stopped' Trump pulling troops out of Syria as he is accused of muscling in on the Special Relationship French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured last night, hopes the Syria action will promote France as the leading US ally in Europe Emmanuel Macron last night claimed he had convinced Donald Trump not to pull US troops out of Syria. The French president said he had also 'persuaded' his US counterpart 'that we needed to limit the strikes to chemical weapons [sites]'. 'Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria,' he told French news channel BFM TV. 'We convinced him it was necessary to stay. I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long-term.' During the two hour interview, Mr Macron said the air strikes which he described as a military success were not a 'declaration of war on the regime of Bashar al-Assad'. Mr Trump called Mr Macron twice before he shared his intention to strike Syria in a Twitter post. But he failed to call Theresa May in the early stages of the situation. The military action gave Mr Macron a chance to promote France as the leading US ally in Europe. A French diplomatic source told the Sunday Telegraph: 'Macron is positioning France as America's most effective European ally while Angela Merkel is absorbed by domestic politics and Britain is preoccupied with Brexit.' Advertisement America fired 85 missiles, France 12 and Britain eight. The US Tomahawk missiles came in part from the Red Sea, where the USS Monterey and the USS Laboon were located. Additionally, the USS Higgins destroyer fired Tomahawks from the Gulf, and the USS John Warner submarine launched them from the eastern Mediterranean. In the air, two US B-1 bombers accompanied by fighters launched 19 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs). On the French side of the mission, the Languedoc, a Fremm multi-mission frigate in the Mediterranean, fired missiles along with Rafale fighter jets. The British meanwhile fired Storm Shadow missiles from Tornados. The strike was about twice the size of a US operation against an Assad air base last year, in which 59 Tomahawk missiles were fired. The Russian military said the allies had fired a total of 103 cruise missiles, but that Syrian air defense systems managed to intercept 71 of them. But the coalition said no missiles were intercepted and countered that 'the Syrian response was remarkably ineffective in all domains.' Russia did not fire surface-to-air missiles in response to the attacks, despite a previous threat to do so, the US said. Boris Johnson, arriving for a summit of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, today said: 'The action that was taken by France, by the UK, by the United States in launching calibrated and proportionate strikes against Assad's chemical weapons capabilities, was entirely right, entirely the right thing to do - right for the UK and right for the world. 'I'm very grateful for the strong international support that there has been for what the P3 - UK, France and America - have done.' The Foreign Secretary stressed it was 'not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change' and 'the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way'. PM faces Commons grilling on Syria bombing - but insists it was 'in our national interest' The Prime Minister will today insist that the UK had to strike Syria 'in our national interest' to deter chemical weapon attacks on British streets. Facing the threat of a knife-edge Commons vote, Theresa May will invoke the Salisbury poisonings in her defence of the military action. In a statement to MPs, she will point to the need to ensure the use of chemical weapons does not become normalised 'either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere'. She will ask Speaker John Bercow for an emergency six-hour debate on the action, giving MPs from both sides of the House the chance to have a say. But Labour will try to force a vote after the debate raising the prospect of a humiliating, retrospective defeat. Mrs May has faced considerable criticism for not recalling Parliament to gain approval for joining the US-led action against Bashar al-Assad's despotic regime. Downing Street officials said they believed a vote was unlikely but did not rule out the possibility of other parties forcing one later in the week. Advertisement 'But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad,' he said. 'It was time that we said no and it was totally, therefore, the right thing to do.' In December Britain had no major warships deployed on operations beyond home waters for the first time in living memory after defence cutbacks. The 'unprecedented' absence of the vessels on the world stage again raised concerns the fleet is 'too small' and that it is a 'strategic embarrassment' for Britain with the nation losing its way as a naval power. All six of the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers - which cost around 1billion each - were docked in Portsmouth, while 12 of 13 Type 23 frigates are either at Portsmouth or Devonport in late December. This is due to a combination of mechanical problems, routine checks and to give sailors leave for Christmas. Fears that Britain could not cope with any major war - particularly with Russia. In March armed forces is set to be handed more billions to tackle soaring threats from terrorists and hostile states. Whitehall sources said the Government has agreed to pump more cash into defence in the autumn budget as it climbs up their list of key priorities. All six of the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers - which cost around 1billion each - were docked in Portsmouth, while 12 of 13 Type 23 frigates are either at Portsmouth or Devonport in late December The Prime Minister has said it would do better on defence in future to ensure the capabilities meet the changing threats facing the UK. Boris Johnson said today in Luxembourg the strikes on Syria are legal and 'proportionate' Details of the secret promise to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson came after Theresa May announced a one-off cash injection of 800million to the Ministry of Defence. The Treasury will release 600million from a contingency pot in the next financial year so it can go towards building a new class of submarines to carry the UK's nuclear deterrent. This will free up money for operations and training, areas which would have been cut otherwise. A further 200million will be made available to move forward certain projects this year, which in turn will give the department more room to spend money on other schemes next year. A German couple survived a horrific tug of war with a leopard after the predator attacked and tried to drag one of them out of the open window of their camper van by the head. Hardy Specker, 61, and partner Petra Windmeisser, 60, had pulled over to sleep in the Kuiseb Canyon in Namibia when they were woken by loud scratching at a window in the early hours. Mr Specker got up to close the window at 1am but as he pulled it shut a leopard jumped up the side of the camper van and gripped his head with its claws and jaws. Ms Windmeisser told The Namibian how her screaming husband was being dragged out of the window when she rushed forward and grabbed his legs and fought with the leopard. A German couple survived a horrific tug of war with a leopard after the predator attacked and tried to drag one of them out of the open window of their camper van by their head. Pictures show blood on the van below the window where the struggle took place Hardy Specker was left with horrific head injuries and is in critical condition in hospital after being mauled by a leopard in Namibia She said: 'The struggle went on for some minutes until Hardy eventually managed to stick his fingers into the leopards' eyes which caused it to let go and then I managed to pull him back inside. 'There was blood everywhere and he was bleeding profusely. I tried to stop the bleeding and at the same time made a phone call from our satellite phone to the emergency services to come save us. 'But there was no reception at all but he was losing a lot of blood though he was still conscious. It was like the worst of my nightmares. I thought Hardy was going to die. It all happened so quickly. 'I was pulling on his legs as hard as I could but the leopard was so strong. Hardy was screaming and there was blood everywhere,' she said. Mr Specker's scalp had been torn to pieces and his shoulders and arms were shredded by the leopards claws. He had a deep wound to his neck and his body was drenched in his own blood. The horrific ordeal for the couple from Lake Constance in Germany however was not over as they heard the leopard leap onto the roof of their camper van and begin prowling. It was like the worst of my nightmares. I thought Hardy was going to die. Petra Windmeisser Ms Windmeisser said they were both terrified and too scared to move as the nocturnal leopard alternated between walking on the roof and stalking around the camper van until dawn six hours later. She said: 'We screamed and made noise and used lights but the leopard remained there and just wouldn't go.' At 7am they saw a passing vehicle and sounded the horn and were rescued by tourist lodge worker Wilfred Andreas who took the wheel of their vehicle and drove them at speed to hospital in Walvis Bay. They were taken to the Welwitschia Private Hospital which had been alerted by the rescuer to be ready for seriously injured Mr Specker and he underwent emergency surgery for his horrendous injuries. The horrific ordeal for the couple from Lake Constance in Germany however was not over as they heard the leopard leap onto the roof of their camper van and begin prowling (file picture) The couple were taken to the Welwitschia Private Hospital (pictured) which had been alerted by the rescuer to be ready for seriously injured Mr Specker and he underwent emergency surgery for his horrendous injuries It is said by African big game hunters that every second a leopard is on you it leaves wounds that will take 100 stitches to repair - if you are fortunate enough to survive an attack from the 70kg big cat. Last night the hospital said that Mr Specker was in a critical but stable condition. Retired physiotherapist Ms Windmeisser is organising to have their camper van shipped back to Germany and hoping to fly her maimed husband home to receive further medical treatment when he is well enough for an air ambulance. They had been planning a dream nine month tour of South Africa in their own camping van for the last two years. The leopard attack happened on the edge of the Namib Desert about 50 miles from Walvis Bay and two weeks into the couple's dream African adventure. Mr Andreas said that he believed the leopard had been attacked and injured by poachers and had become enraged which is likely why it behaved in such an unusual way attacking the tourist camper van. Website Africahunting.com reported him saying: 'I heard the hooter of the camper blasting and drove over to see how I could assist when a woman alighted from the cab in a panicked state.' Mr Specker's scalp had been torn to pieces and his shoulders and arms were shredded by the leopards claws and he had a deep wound to his neck and his body was drenched in his own blood She told him her husband had got up at 1am to close a window after they heard scratching noises and said the leopard just grabbed him by the head and tried dragging him out through the window. Leopards pound-for-pound are the strongest of all the African big cats and are powerful enough to drag prey three times their weight up to the top of a tree away from scavengers so they can feed in peace. Mr Andreas continued: 'She said she grabbed her husband's feet and eventually pulled him back inside the vehicle and after that she closed the window and tried to help her badly bleeding husband. 'The man was severely injured and the truck was covered in blood on the inside and outside. The man had very deep scratches on his head, neck, arms and chest and was taken straight into surgery'. Mr Andreas said the distraught woman told him that they had seen another vehicle close to where they were camping which disappeared after the attack and he believes they were probably leopard poachers. He said he thought they probably shot and wounded the leopard after baiting a trap to lure it in which then became enraged by its pain. Mr Andreas continued: 'The whole scene was strange with blood high up on the truck close to the window and deep scratch marks on the aluminium body of the vehicle caused during the attack. 'The fact that the leopard attacked the man and the vehicle can only mean it was wounded by someone who shot it and my fear is if the animal is in the vicinity and still alive it could attack again,' he said. Leopards can jump vertically over 9ft so it could easily have reached the camper van window. They can ran up to 40mph and are described as the perfect predator and become even more deadly when injured. A Namibian hunting website said: 'Wounded leopards are usually hell bent on revenge.' Namibia is one of Africa's favourite safari destinations for British tourists as it is bigger than France but with only 2 million inhabitants it is sparsely populated and has wide open spaces teeming with wildlife including leopards. There are thought to be about 4,500 leopard left alive in Southern Africa but they thrive in Namibia thanks to the lack of human contact and game conservation. Thus, the Head of State called on civil society to join efforts towards this objective. During the High-Level Anti-Corruption Commission session held at the Government Palace, the statesman stressed said efforts must be undertaken by all sectors. Likewise, the top official noted governance and the fight against corruption must be included in a roadmap. "I want you to give us the necessary and sufficient time to see how we go from theory to practice, from discourse to specific procedures," Mr. Vizcarra expressed. "We are convinced that we will not be able to achieve the development we are looking for, if we do not fight corruption frontally (). There can be no development with corruption ," he said. A beach-goer has lost his leg after being attacked by a shark while swimming off the coast of Brazil. Pablo de Melo suffered horrific injuries at Piedade Beach in Recife on Sunday and needed to have one of his legs amputated as doctors battled to save his life. The shark ripped into Pablo's arms and legs as he swam through surf - in an area known for frequent shark attacks. It's believed the 34-year-old survived the attack because two men, who were in the water nearby, risked their own lives by bravely chasing off the beast and hauling the severely injured man out of the water. A team of lifeguards and fire officers carried out first aid before airlifting the victim to Restoration Hospital where he was rushed by a trauma team into surgery. Doctors reported the tourist, who was vacationing with his family in the holiday resort, underwent a four-hour life-saving operation. The man suffered blood-curdling injuries as the shark attacked and bit at both his legs and arms Dramatic footage shows paramedics battling to help the man while he lies on the beach covered in blood A Pernambuco health department spokesperson said: 'Surgeons were unable to save the patient's right leg due to the severity of the wounds. They diverted arteries and veins through revascularisation surgery to the injured areas in his upper and lower arms and restored blood supply. He has been transferred to intensive care on life-support and remains in a serious condition.' According to fire department Major Aldo Silva, the victim was not in deep water when he was attacked. 'Mr Melo was swimming near the surf line, which would have been a least waist deep if he stood up, when he was bitten several times by the shark,' he explained. 'He was probably bitten first on his legs then when he tried to defend himself, the shark reacted to his frantic movements and latched onto his arms.' The area where the holidaymaker was swimming is marked by warning signs signalling the dangers of attacks. It's believed the species responsible could be either a bull shark or tiger shark, both are known to prowl close to the water's edge. Lifeguard Wellington Miranda said: 'The victim was conscious when he was rescued. He was in a state of shock, in lot of pain and had suffered severe lacerations to his arms and deep wounds to his legs. 'We managed to stem the bleeding and stabilise his vital signs before flying him by helicopter to hospital.' A shocking video shows the blood-soaked victim, with chunks bitten out of his legs and arms, lying on the beach while rescuers tie tourniquets around his thighs and upper arms to stop the bleeding. Emergency responders successfully managed to stop the bleeding before sending him to hospital Paramedics performed emergency treatment to the swimmer on the beach before stretchering him to an air ambulance Doctors said the man needed a four-hour operation to save his life once he got to a nearby hospital Maria Lourenco, 57, a beach snack seller, witnessed the moment of the attack. She said: 'Someone started shouting "Shark, shark!" because they said they had seen a fin. They tried to alert people in the water and particularly this man, who was near where the shark appeared. But he didn't have time to get out of the water before he was attacked many times. 'I've been working on this beach for 25 years and during this time I have witnessed a number of ferocious attacks. It was horrible to see. Each time it is very frightening and sad.' Colonel Leodilson Bastos, of the Shark Incident Monitoring Committee (Cemit) told G1: 'We are analysing the incident on Piedade Beach to verify exactly what happened. 'Our investigation will involve collecting as much information as possible to determine what type of predatory species attacked the victim and why.' He said there has been no recorded shark attacks for three years on Piedade Beach since the monitoring body stepped up efforts to warn swimmers of the hazard zones. More than 110 warning signs have been installed on popular resort stretches along the Pernambuco State coastline where incidents have occurred. A spokesperson for the local fire department said the swimmer had not been in deep water when he was attacked Local authorities have erected over a hundred signs along the coast to warn people of the dangers of swimming in the sea Bruna Gobbi, 18, was the last person to die from a shark attack in the region back in 2013 The last fatality in the tropical region, which boasts warm waters and beautiful beaches, was in 2013 when 18-year-old Bruna Gobbi suffered gruesome injuries to her left leg. The teenager was holidaying with her family on Boa Viagem Beach and paddling in shallow waters off the coast when she was dragged by strong currents into deeper waters and attacked in the undertow. Since 1992, 24 people have died of shark attacks with over 60 registered incidents in the region. Col. Bastos explained that tourists, both domestic and international, are often unaware of the risks but should always take note of the signs and the natural conditions before entering the sea. 'Unfortunately, some people fail to heed the warning signs and ignore them at their own peril,' he said. 'The signs are there because previous research shows it is a hazardous area for shark attacks.' Entering the sea after rainy weather which leaves the waters cloudy is ill-advised because shark tend to lurk undetected in the murky conditions, he said. A couple have expressed anger after staff at their local Morrisons refused to sell them meat pies before 9am. Linda Gilkes turned up at the Berwick Hills Morrisons in Middlesbrough at 8:45am to buy two steak bakes and eight sausage rolls last Wednesday. But staff refused to sell her a meat pie until 9am, despite the shop opening at 7am. Mrs Gilkes, 62, said when she arrived there were no pies on display. Linda and Tony Gilkes (pictured) were refused meat pies before 9am in the Berwick Hills Morrisons in Middlesbrough 'I could see bags and bags of pies, all wrapped up on cages behind the counter. The trolley was ready to be pushed out. 'But when I asked for the pies, I was told: "We can't sell the pies until 9am". I could have had a fruit pie, but not a meat pie' the grandmother-of-four said. Five other customers who were queuing with Mrs Gilkes also demanded they get meat pies. But strict staff didn't budge and and said their new policy was 'no meat pies before 9am'. Mrs Gilkes added that the steak bakes had been cooked, saying the policy was 'ridiculous'. Her husband, Tony Gilkes, 76, said the decision was 'stupid'. Mr Gilkes eats fish and chips three times a week but rarely has pastry. 'When you're faced with that situation at the counter, you start thinking: 'Is it Candid Camera? Is it April Fool's Day?' 'You can have fruit pies, but you can't have meat pies! 'We have always been able to get the pies before 9am. The decision makes no sense. I can't see any logic' he said. The Morrisons in Middlesbrough have now apologised for the lack of meat pie sales Morrisons said there is no 'hard and fast policy' and meat pies are simply baked for 9am to match customer demand. Howevewr, Mr Gilkes suggested a more sinister explanation. 'There's more to this,' he said. 'Morrisons have got their own agenda. 'They don't want people to know about it, They have given too many ridiculous stories about why. They contradicted themselves over and over. 'Who do they think us customers are? We are the people paying their wages.' The supermarket chain, with 500 stores up and down the UK, has now apologised. A spokesman told the MailOnline: 'It appears that in this case we should have sold thecustomer their pies. 'We apologise for any inconvenience it might have caused. 'After being reminded that we have some customers who really love pies at breakfast time, the team at the Middlesbrough store have decided that they will start baking pies earlier and they'll be available at 7am'. Portraits of the three Western leaders who launched air strikes on Syria have been publicly burned in Crimea. Photographs of Theresa May, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron were set on fire in the main square of regional capital Simferopol in the peninsula annexed by Vladimir Putin in 2014. Ruslan Balbek, who represents the region in the Russian parliament, said: 'About 50 people took part in this action by Crimean youth. Scroll down for video Photographs of Theresa May, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron were set on fire in the main square of regional capital Simferopol in the peninsula annexed by Vladimir Putin in 2014 A Crimea News agency report said: 'Crimeans consider this attack of the Western coalition on Syria to be a true crime committed against UN rules'. Pictured: An image of Donald Trump is burned in the peninsula Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, won big headlines in Russia today with his criticism of Mrs May over the strikes Ruslan Balbek (pictured), who represents the region in the Russian parliament, said: 'About 50 people took part in this action by Crimean youth' 'The aggressive politics of the West against the Syrian nation, a sovereign state, is not acceptable. 'But unfortunately, today international law is completely ripped up. 'It is replaced by the domination of only one opinion, the will of the West.' Eivaz Umerov, head of Crimean Tatar organisation, said the three politicians 'will go to hell for what they did'. A Crimea News agency report said: 'Crimeans consider this attack of the Western coalition on Syria to be a true crime committed against UN rules. 'It is symbolic that the shooting at this Arab republic began at 4am exactly when Nazi Germany attacked Soviet Union in June 1941 'Flammable liquid was poured on the portraits of Western aggressors and fire was set to them 'The participants of the action expressed their hopes that political future of these three Western leaders will be gone with the wind just as the ashes of their burned portraits.' A photograph of French President Emmanuel Macron is burned in Simferopol in the Crimean Peninsula Eivaz Umerov, head of Crimean Tatar organisation, said the three Western politicians 'will go to hell for what they did'. Pictured: Macron's picture is burned A photograph of Theresa May looking furious is burned by young Crimean citizens in a display of rage over the air strikes against Russia's dictator ally in Syria Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, meanwhile, won big headlines in Russia today with his criticism of Mrs May over the strikes. His critics inside and outside his own party will see the lavish praise and prominence as evidence that his opposition to the military action is giving succour to Putin. The Kremlin's official newspaper headlined its story: 'UK Labour Party Leader Doubts Legality of West's Strike on Syria'. Television channel REN TV ran a web report on how Corbyn 'condemned the air strike on Syria'. Ruslan Balbek, MP for the area, said: 'The aggressive politics of the West against the Syrian nation, a sovereign state, is not acceptable' A Crimea News agency report said: 'Crimeans consider this attack of the Western coalition on Syria to be a true crime committed against UN rules'. Pictured: The images before they were burned This Russian channel - owned by a media giant headed by Vladimir Putin's suspected 34-year-old lover, gold-medal winning Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva - picked up on his warning that Britain's action can lead to a 'deterioration' in the region. Novye Izvestia newspaper joined the Corbyn praise, highlighting how he labelled participation in the bombardment of Syria 'legally questionable'. Kremlin-funded Sputnik - criticised in the West as a Putin propaganda trumpet - headlined one story: 'UK's Corbyn Wants Vote to Give OPCQ Chance to Probe Syria Chem Claims'. Yet another in an outpouring from the agency declared: 'Labour Party Leader Slams May for Striking Syria Without Parliament Approval.' Jeremy Corbyn was praised in the Russian media for his opposition to the strikes and his criticism of Prime Minister Theresa May. Pictured: A story on Channel 5 Novye Izvestia newspaper joined the Corbyn praise, highlighting how he labelled participation in the bombardment of Syria 'legally questionable' Rossiyskaya Gazeta was another media outlet in the country to run a story praising Jeremy Corbyn's criticism of the air strikes Meanwhile, state news agency ITAR-TASS ran a story under the headline: 'May should have consulted parliament before strikes on Syria, says Jeremy Corbyn.' This quoted the Labour leader saying: 'Theresa May should have sought parliamentary approval, not trailed after Donald Trump.' He was praised for saying Britain should not take orders from Washington. It used him in a report that claimed the chemical bombing of Douma was 'fake news', citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. Earlier, major Russian TV channels changed their schedules to cover the bombing and its aftermath. State-run Channel One juxtaposed May's statement with that of Corbyn calling the strikes as 'legally questionable'. Conor McGregor appeared to be in a reflective mood on social media over the weekend, posting about 'learning lessons' as he awaits trial for assault charges. The Irish MMA fighter posted a throwback photograph of himself looking pensive on Instagram, captioned; 'It's only a lesson if you learn from it. I learn everyday'. The photo appears to have been taken while on holiday, as McGregor is seen sitting in a t-shirt and shorts, with a palm tree reflected in the glass door behind him, while he looks into the distance. Reflection: Conor McGregor posted this throwback photo on Instagram, captioned; 'It's only a lesson if you learn from it. I learn everyday' Earlier this month, he was caught on camera throwing a metal dolly at a bus full of MMA fighters, injuring one of them in the face, in Brooklyn, New York City. McGregor, a father of one, was charged with criminal mischief and assault after and released on $50,000 (35,000) bail after a court hearing. If convicted on all charges, the 29-year-old from Dublin, Ireland, faces up to seven years imprisonment. McGregor has not yet addressed the charges, preferring to post images on his Instagram of himself, girlfriend Dee Devlin, and 11-month-old son Conor Jr. He broke his silence after the arrest with photo of himself taken from behind on as he was leaving the hotel where he had stayed after being released on bail. Out on bail: McGregor exits after appearing in a Brooklyn court on charges of assault stemming from a melee, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City Attack: This image shows the moment the metal dolly, thrown by McGregor, hits the window of the rival fighters' bus The photo, captioned only with a praying emoji, shows the former UFC champion and his entourage being ushered into a black SUV parked along the curb, with several photographers snapping away. McGregor is believed to still be holed up in a Manhattan hotel, despite his family-man Instagram posts, and he is expected to return to Ireland this week. The former champion turned himself in to police last Friday after footage emerged showing McGregor hurling what appeared to be guard rail against a bus at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, smashing one of its windows. It is not known what provoked the attack but it is rumored to be related to a feud between a member of his camp and Russian fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was on the bus at the time. There is yet to be a decision on whether McGregor will be banned from UFC, although there has been talk of a significant sanction. McGregor is due back in court in the U.S. on June 14. The 'Cash me ousside girl' began her three-month world rap tour with a sold-out performance. The 15-year-old, who was born Danielle Bregoli, found fame in 2017 when she told Dr Phil to 'cash me ousside, how bou' dah?' while discussing her 'bad attitude' on the show with her mother. The viral sensation's debut show at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California, on Saturday night was the first of 32 performances on her 'Bhanned in the USA' tour which features a supporting act from Asian Doll. The social media star, who performs under the name Bhad Bhabie, is playing 25 shows in the US before moving to Germany, Belgium, France and the UK. More than a million people have watched a clip of her performance, which she posted on Instagram on Sunday. She wrote on Instagram: 'My first ever show was SOLD DA F*** OUT last night in Santa Ana. Bhad Bhabie, better known as the 'Cash Me Ousside' girl, posted on Instagram yesterday after her performance in Santa Ana, California, the first show in a two-month US tour The 15-year-old, who was born Danielle Bregoli, found fame in 2017 when she told Dr Phil to 'cash me ousside, how bou' dah?' while discussing her 'bad attitude' on the show 'Love all u b****es that came. Next stop, San Antonio 4/27. 31 more shows left on da #bhannedintheusa tour.' The San Antonio show will be followed by performances in Dallas and Houston before she moves on to Florida early in May, according to her website. She will also appear at SOB's in New York City and the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California, before heading to Europe with shows in Paris, London and Amsterdam among others. Admission for her next show costs $20, with tickets for upcoming dates being exchanged for as much as $43 on StubHub. Last month she announced that she was no longer on probation, after she pleaded guilty last year to to multiple charges, including grand theft and filing a false police report. The viral sensation's debut show at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California, on Saturday night was the first of 32 performances on her 'Bhanned in the USA' tour To celebrate her 15th birthday the rapper released her new song 'Gucci Flip Flops' featuring Lil Yachty and ate an Italian feast at Los Angeles's Buca Di Beppo She was reportedly spared serving the rest of her probation after lawyers convinced the courts that she had stayed out of trouble and finished the 100 hours of community service. And three weeks ago she celebrated her 15th birthday by releasing her new song 'Gucci Flip Flops' featuring Lil Yachty. It followed two songs she released in 2017 - 'These Heaux' and 'Hi bich' which both made appearances on Billboard's Hot 100. 'Tomorrow is my birthday. Lot of people hit me up n asked what I want, but for real I already got it,' the teenager told her 13million Instagram followers in March. 'Dis time last year i had no songs, no deal, no nothing, just a bad attitude n a dream. YOU b****es been supporting me nonstop n I f***** LOVE u for it... still have da bad attitude but f*** it, dhats just me.' She rose to fame when she appeared on an episode of Dr Phil with her mother in a segment entitled 'I Want to Give Up My Car-Stealing, Knife-Wielding, Twerking 13-Year-Old Daughter Who Tried to Frame Me for a Crime!'. Frustrated with the audience's negative reaction to her, she said: 'Cash me ousside, how bow dah?'. A trio of drunken 'lapdancers' had to be pulled apart by cabin crew after they launched into a vodka-fuelled scrap on an easyJet flight to Tenerife. Frightened passengers watched on as the three boozed-up women attacked each other at 30,000ft, leaving one of them with a bloodied face. Witnesses told how the friends, believed to be erotic dancers, had been causing issues on the flight from Gatwick after downing a bottle of Grey Goose. Attendants managed to confiscate the alcohol following complaints by other passengers, causing a row to erupt between the trio. A trio of drunken 'lapdancers' had to be pulled apart by cabin crew after they launched into a vodka-fuelled scrap on an easyJet flight to Tenerife Frightened passengers watched on as the three boozed-up women attacked each other at 30,000ft, leaving one of them with a bloodied face Angie Dilloway, whose 10-year-old daughter Bella can be heard screaming in footage of the fight, told The Sun how one women was 'ripping the hair out' of another. 'No one expected it to happen,' she said. 'They were friends and cuddling one minute and then getting louder and drinking Grey Goose vodka the next. 'They started arguing and they were swearing using the f word and the c word. Other passengers started to complain and the stewardess took the bottle of vodka away from them. 'Then a brunette lunged at a blonde, screaming. She was ripping her hair out. We feared someone would get badly hurt.' A spokesperson for easyJet confirmed that an altercation had taken place on the flight and that certain passengers were escorted from the plane by Spanish police. In a statement, they added: 'easyJet can confirm that flight EZY8709 from London Gatwick to Tenerife South on 13 April was met by police on arrival in Tenerife South due to passengers on board behaving in a disruptive manner. 'The passengers were escorted away by police.' A spokesperson for easyJet confirmed that an altercation had taken place on its Airbus A320 and that certain passengers were escorted from the plane by Spanish police It comes after a report last week suggested drunken air passengers could be hit with on-the-spot fines at airports in a bid to crackdown on air rage. Ministers are said to be considering the measure after alcohol was found to be the biggest cause of trouble on flights. More than one in six people who have flown in the past three years have witnessed aggressive or drunken behaviour on board, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. A government report has set out a range of proposals to curb excessive drinking before and during flights as part of its Aviation Strategy. Among the suggestions are selling duty-free booze in sealed bags to reduced the likelihood of passengers drinking it on flights. Other measures could include introducing tougher penalties for those drunk on flights and overhauling licensing laws for airside premises in England and Wales, which are not covered by the Licensing Act. Rose McGowan has branded Karl Lagerfeld a 'dinosaur misogynist' after he said models who don't want their pants pulled down should 'join a nunnery'. The 84-year-old German designer said he was 'fed up' with the #MeToo movement in an interview with French magazine Numero. He also defended former Interview magazine creative director Karl Templer, who has been accused of 'aggressively' pulling down models' underwear without asking. Rose McGowan (left) with a nun she calls Sister Irene. The actress posted the picture to her Instagram account on Sunday night 'If you don't want someone pulling down your panties, don't become a model,' he said. 'Join a nunnery, there'll always be a place for you in the convent. They're recruiting even!' Now American actress McGowan, one of scores of women to speak out about sexual violence in recent months, has hit back at the iconic Chanel figurehead. German designer Karl Lagerfeld, who said models who don't want their pants pulled down should 'join a nunnery' She called his words 'disgusting' and published a defiant picture of herself with a nun on her Instagram account on Sunday night. The post, which was liked more than 12,000 times, showed her standing beside a woman she names as Sister Irene who wears light pink robes. McGowan, 44, called on her 546,000 followers to boycott fashion house Chanel, of which Lagerfeld is creative director. Rose McGowan's Instagram post in full Karl Lagerfeld Slams #MeToo Movement: 'If You Don't Want Your Pants Pulled About, Join a Nunnery'. Karl, I read your disgusting quote last night. It made me feel dirty. This morning I met Sister Irene and she made me feel light. I'm sure Sister Irene will forgive you for being a dinosaur misogynist but I think you're a mean, small, black soul and I don't. You've made so much money off of women's insecurities, it's time for you to ride off into the misogynistic sunset. #BoycottChanel Advertisement And her fans showed their support, with one commenting: 'You are such a great voice Rose. I feel stronger from reading your words! Love from Denmark.' McGowan, one of many women to make allegations against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, said Lagerfeld's comments made her 'feel dirty'. 'I'm sure Sister Irene will forgive you for being a dinosaur misogynist but I think you're a mean, small, black soul and I don't,' she wrote. 'You've made so much money off of women's insecurities, it's time for you to ride off into the misogynistic sunset.' It is not clear from the post how Sister Irene and McGowan know each other or why the actress paid her a visit. Lagerfeld defended stylist Karl Templer (left), who has been accused of 'aggressively' pulling down models' underwear without asking The #MeToo movement saw thousands of women speak out about experiences of sexual harassment and assault using the Twitter hashtag, which quickly went global. Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein It has been credited with opening up discussion about unacceptable sexual behaviour, as well as issues surrounding consent. An offshoot of #MeToo called Time's Up saw Hollywood stars wear black to high profile award ceremonies to show their solidarity with those affected by rape and sexual assault. The movement raised more than $21million in just 60 days to 'help defray legal and public relations costs in select cases for those who have experienced sexual harassment or related retaliation in the workplace'. McGowan was one of the first women to come forward with allegations against Miramax founder Weinstein. The actress claims he held her down on the edge of a jacuzzi and raped her when she was 23 years old after being summoned to his hotel suite. Weinstein has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex. Theresa May saw off an attempt by the SNP to secure a symbolic victory by calling a rare vote at the end of an emergency debate about the Syrian strikes. The Government won the late night stunt division 314 to 36 - a majority of 278. Labour declined to take part in the vote - which was legally meaningless - but Mrs May returned to the Despatch Box at 10.49pm to restate the Government case. The three hour debate saw repeated demands on the Government to hold a vote the next time it plans to commit British forces to battle. May saw off an attempt by the SNP to secure a symbolic victory after a grueling evening of debate over Syria Critics of the PM crossed the Commons, with both Tory Ken Clarke and Labour's Hilary Benn demanding a reinstatement of the convention. But there was also widespread condemnation of the chemical attacks in Douma earlier this month. And in a renewed attack on the Labour leader at the end of the debate, Mrs May outlined the UN resolutions on Syria vetoed by the Kremlin in recent months. She warned Corbyn that relying solely on the UN Security Council was tantamount to agreeing not to act. It comes after Theresa May told MPs today she is 'haunted' by victims of Assad's poison attack as she delivered a passionate defence of the Syria strikes. The Prime Minister insisted action to degrade Bashar Assad's chemical weapons capability was in the 'national interest' and justified on humanitarian grounds. Making a statement to the Commons, the PM insisted action to degrade Assad's chemical weapons capability was in the 'national interest' and justified on humanitarian grounds Pointing to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury last month, Theresa May told MPs it was vital that the use of chemical weapons does not become 'normalised' around the world In a performance welcomed by MPs on both sides of the Commons, she also flatly denied that she was dancing to the tune of Donald Trump, and dismissed criticism for failing to recall parliament to vote on the action. Pointing to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury last month, she said it was vital that the use of such banned substances did not become 'normalised' around the world and the US, UK and France 'could not wait' while further atrocities took place. Mrs May told the Commons it was obvious that diplomacy alone would not protect civilians - and lashed out at Jeremy Corbyn for saying military action should never be considered without UN security council approval. 'Lets be clear, that would mean giving Russia a veto,' she said. The government appears determined to avoid calling a meaningful division in the House on the issue - even though it would likely win with Tories and the DUP rallying behind Mrs May and support from significant number of Labour MPs. In her statement to parliament, the PM said chemical weapons use could not become normalised 'either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere'. Mrs May told MPs: 'Let me be absolutely clear. We have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. 'It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. 'For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere.' She added: 'The images of this suffering are utterly haunting. In quotes: MPs debate striking Syria Mike Gapes, Labour, Illford South: 'Can I remind the PM and Mr Corbyn it was a Labour Government with Robin Cook as Foreign Secretary that carried out airstrikes in Iraq under Operation Desert Fox in 1998, without a UN resolution. 'It was a Labour Government that restored President Kabbah in Sierra Leone without a UN resolution. 'It was a Labour Government that stopped ethnic cleansing in Kosovo without a UN resolution. 'There is a long standing and noble tradition on these benches supporting humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect.' Dominic Grieve, Conservative, Beaconsfield: 'If the leader of the opposition persists on behalf of the Labour Party in changing its previous adherence to the previous rule of international law justifying taking unilateral action in the event of there being a humanitarian necessity, does (Mrs May) agree with me that the consequence of that is going to be that any tyrant, megalomaniac, person intent on carrying out genocide, if they have the support of an amoral state within the Security Council would be able to conduct that genocide with total impunity even if it was within our power to act to prevent it? 'And does she agree with me that in those circumstances, far from upholding the international rules-based system, the reality is that it would be dead?' Chris Leslie, Labour, Nottingham East: 'Pinpointing and degrading Assad's chemical weapons was necessary and appropriate, and that intervening to save civilians from future gas attacks - while not without risk - was absolutely the right thing to do.' Sir Michael Fallon, Conservative, Sevenoaks: 'Would the Prime Minister accept that the public well understand that when our forces need to act quickly and decisively and safely in concert with our allies, it must be right to authorise strikes without giving notice.' Liz Kendall, Leicester West, Labour: 'Repeated use of chemical weapons against his own people in violation of international law cannot go unanswered.' Ken Clarke, Conservative, Rushcliffe: 'Once President Trump had announced to the world what he was proposing, a widespread debate was taking place everywhere, including many MPs in the media, but no debate in Parliament. 'So would she consider, once the immediate issues are over, a cross-party commission of some kind to set out precisely what the role of Parliament is in modern times in the use of military power against another state.' Mark Harper, Conservative, Forest of Dean: 'A PM that is never willing to take [military] action isn't fit to hold that office.' Advertisement 'Innocent families seeking shelter in underground bunkers found dead with foam in their mouths, burns to their eyes and their bodies surrounded by a chlorine-like odour. 'Children gasping for life as chemicals choked their lungs. The fact that such an atrocity can take place in our world today is a stain on our humanity. 'And we are clear about who is responsible.' Mrs May said Russia and Syria were preventing Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OCPW) inspectors from travelling to Douma. 'We support strongly the work of the OPCW fact-finding mission that is currently in Damascus,' she said. 'But that mission is only able to make an assessment of whether chemical weapons were used. 'Even if the OPCW team is able to visit Douma to gather information to make that assessment - and they are currently being prevented from doing so by the regime and the Russians - it cannot attribute responsibility. 'This is because Russia vetoed in November 2017 an extension of the joint investigatory mechanism set up to do this.' Mrs May added: 'We have not done this because President Trump asked us to do so. 'We have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do.' Mrs May received support from Tories and a number of Labour MPs for the strikes - although there was clear frustration that she had chosen not to hold a vote before giving the go-ahead. Mr Corbyn described the chemical attack in Douma as 'horrific' but faced shouts of 'shame' from Tory MPs as he told the Commons: 'This statement serves as a reminder that the Prime Minister is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the US President. 'We clearly need a War Powers Act in this country to transform a now broken convention into a legal obligation. 'Her predecessor came to this House to seek authority for military action in Libya and in Syria in 2015, and the House had a vote over Iraq in 2003. 'There is no more serious issue than the life and death matters of military action. It is right that Parliament has the power to support or stop the Government from taking planned military action.' Mr Corbyn went on: 'The BBC reports that the Prime Minister argued for the bombing to be brought forward to avoid parliamentary scrutiny - will she today confirm or deny those reports? 'I believe the action was legally questionable.' As she listened to Mr Corbyn condemning the West's behaviour, Mrs May was at one stage unable to conceal her disdain, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the veteran left-winger. Mr Corbyn condemned the West's behaviour, branding the strikes on Syria illegal and saying action should never be taken without approval from the UN - including Russia Mrs May was at one stage unable to conceal her disdain for Mr Corbyn's comments, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the veteran left-winger During today's debate, there were heated exchanges on both sides as MPs wrestled with the ramifications of the vote. In an intervention which won cheers on both sides, Mike Gapes, Labour, Illford South, recalled successful interventions by the Blair Government. He said: 'Can I remind the PM and Mr Corbyn it was a Labour Government with Robin Cook as Foreign Secretary that carried out airstrikes in Iraq under Operation Desert Fox in 1998, without a UN resolution. Does May need to call a Commons vote on striking Syria? Theresa May was constitutionally entitled to order British forces into action in Syria without a Commons vote. The Prime Minister has the power to deploy troops under the Royal Prerogative. There are no hard and fast rules obliging the government to involve rank-and-file MPs in the decision. But a vote on prolonged deployment of UK forces would be almost impossible to avoid. Commons divisions have been held on almost all military action by British forces since the Iraq War in 2003, establishing what many see as a firm convention. Advertisement 'It was a Labour Government that restored President Kabbah in Sierra Leone without a UN resolution. 'It was a Labour Government that stopped ethnic cleansing in Kosovo without a UN resolution. 'There is a long standing and noble tradition on these benches supporting humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect.' Former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, Conservative, Beaconsfield, said: 'If the leader of the opposition persists on behalf of the Labour Party in changing its previous adherence to the previous rule of international law justifying taking unilateral action in the event of there being a humanitarian necessity, does (Mrs May) agree with me that the consequence of that is going to be that any tyrant, megalomaniac, person intent on carrying out genocide, if they have the support of an amoral state within the Security Council would be able to conduct that genocide with total impunity even if it was within our power to act to prevent it? 'And does she agree with me that in those circumstances, far from upholding the international rules-based system, the reality is that it would be dead?' Chris Leslie, Labour, Nottingham East, said: 'Pinpointing and degrading Assad's chemical weapons was necessary and appropriate, and that intervening to save civilians from future gas attacks - while not without risk - was absolutely the right thing to do.' In an intervention which won cheers on both sides, Mike Gapes, Labour, Illford South recalled successful interventions by the Blair Government. Tory Dominic Grieve (left) and Labour's Jess Phillips (right) both spoke out in favour of strikes but warned of the need for Parliament's intervention Father of the House Ken Clarke told the Commons MPs must in future have a role in planned operations= Former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, Conservative, Sevenoaks said: 'Would the Prime Minister accept that the public well understand that when our forces need to act quickly and decisively and safely in concert with our allies, it must be right to authorise strikes without giving notice.' Ken Clarke, Conservative, Rushcliffe pleaded: 'So would she consider, once the immediate issues are over, a cross-party commission of some kind to set out precisely what the role of Parliament is in modern times in the use of military power against another state.' Labour's Jess Phillips, Birmingham Yardley, said she would have voted the strikes if asked by the PM. She warned there was 'too much politicking on both sides' and reminds MPs 'this is about children being gassed'. Mrs May has faced considerable criticism for not recalling Parliament to gain approval before joining the US-led action against Bashar al-Assad's despotic regime. Tony Blair established a convention in the run-up to the Iraq War that a Commons vote is held on significant military action. However, the PM retains the ability to deploy UK forces when needed. Mrs May has said it was not practical to seek parliamentary approval for the limited strikes on Syria early on Saturday morning. Critics say she was nervous about the possibility of losing a vote - although after the action passed apparently without escalation many believe she would win one. Tory MPs have been told they must be in the Commons today and tomorrow in case there is a vote on her handling of the Syria crisis. Arriving for an EU summit in Luxembourg today (pictured), Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson stressed the strikes were 'not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change' Theresa May, pictured leaving Downing Street for the Commons today, is making a statement to MPs on the Syria strikes International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said this morning that it would have been 'crazy' to 'outsource' the decision to MPs who could not be given the full intelligence picture. She suggested that a vote should only be called if there were plans for a sustained military campaign, rather than limited airstrikes. Ms Mordaunt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'To take a decision on whether something is legally justified, and whether what we are actually intending on doing in terms of targets is appropriate, you would need to know information that could not be shared with every MP. 'And so, outsourcing that decision to people who do not have the full picture is, I think, quite wrong. And, the convention that was established, I think is very wrong. 'I support governments being able to take those decisions, Parliament should hold government to account for that decision.' She added: 'You can't, for example, share targets with members of parliament. It would be a crazy thing to do.' Commons Speaker John Bercow refused an application for an emergency debate this evening, instead selecting a bid from a Labour backbencher. In a highly unusual public letter to the PM, he said she could have recalled the House earlier if she wanted a proper debate on Syria. Some 75 people are said to have died in the chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Douma just over a week ago A fighter jet landing at Akrotiri military British Royal Air Force Base, Cyprus following strikes on Syrian chemical weapons bases in the early hours of Saturday morning Explaining why he was accepting Alison McGovern's request for an urgent debate rather than the Prime Minister's, he said: 'I am glad that you and your colleagues in government share the prevailing view that the House will also want an emergency debate on the Syrian situation today. 'The issue is as to how best to facilitate such a debate. 'I would of course have been happy to accede to a request for an earlier sitting of the House if you had made one. In that event you would have been able to put to the House whatever motion you thought appropriate, and it could have been voted on. 'And by the same token ministers are free to bring forward a debate on a general or substantive motion tomorrow or a future day.' Mr Corbyn yesterday again questioned the legality of the UK's role in the 105-missile strike and called for legislation to stop military action without MPs' support. He also caused fury among his own MPs by stating that he would never take military action in Syria without a UN security council resolution. The blanket vow effectively gives Vladimir Putin the ability to block UK foreign policy, as Russia has a veto in the security council and has repeatedly deployed it. Shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti also dismissed the legal basis as 'contentious', telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'You can't use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. 'You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you.' She added: 'I think that Parliament should have been recalled before the strike. Some people will suspect that that didn't happen because of governmental concerns that they couldn't get the vote in Parliament. And that to me is not a good enough reason.' Boris Johnson, arriving for a summit of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, said: 'The action that was taken by France, by the UK, by the United States in launching calibrated and proportionate strikes against Assad's chemical weapons capabilities, was entirely right, entirely the right thing to do - right for the UK and right for the world. 'I'm very grateful for the strong international support that there has been for what the P3 - UK, France and America - have done.' The Foreign Secretary stressed it was 'not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change' and 'the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way'. 'But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad,' he said. 'It was time that we said no and it was totally, therefore, the right thing to do.' Mrs May will hail strong international backing from world leaders including Germany's Angela Merkel, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and European Council president Donald Tusk since the strike. 'UN Security Council-mandated inspectors have investigated previous attacks and on four occasions decided that the regime was indeed responsible,' she will say. 'We are confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible for this attack and that its persistent pattern of behaviour meant that it was highly likely to continue using chemical weapons. Jeremy Corbyn again questioned the legality of the UK's role in the 105-missile strike and called for legislation to stop military action without MPs' support 'Furthermore, there were clearly attempts to block any proper investigation, as we saw with the Russian veto at the UN earlier in the week. And we cannot wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks. 'We have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do. And we are not alone. There is broad based international support for the action we have taken.' Mr Corbyn told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show that legislation was needed. The Labour leader said: 'There is precedent over previous interventions when Parliament has had a vote. 'I think what we need in this country is something more robust like a War Powers Act so governments do get held to account by Parliament for what they do in our name.' Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said any such law would not apply to urgent cases such as 'when we are under attack or the prime minister has been kidnapped'. But Cabinet Office minister David Lidington, the Prime Minister's deputy, said there were 'no plans' for legislation. The decision on whether there will be a vote on a motion saying 'the House has considered this' is technically a matter for the Speaker. On Saturday, Government Whips asked Tory MPs if they backed the action with some asked if they would back Mrs May in a vote. One MP said: 'The feeling is nobody will vote against her now it's done and it's punitive and there's been no consequences to our troops.' Yesterday it emerged Chief Whip Julian Smith had emailed MPs putting them on a three-line whip for tomorrow afternoon. Government sources said they were confident the PM had MPs' backing. A senior Whitehall source said they did not want a vote before military action to become a precedent, adding: 'The creeping convention of Parliament votes needs to be halted.' Anthony Wroble, 42, allegedly shot a woman dead first at a picnic table in Sunset Park, Las Vegas, then turned the gun on a man before fleeing One woman is dead and a man fighting for life after a disgruntled employee opened fire on a picnic full of executives. Anthony Wroble is on the run accused of gunning down two Venetian Hotel bosses as they ate in Sunset Park in Las Vegas about 6pm on Sunday. He allegedly shot the woman dead first at a picnic table in the popular park in the city's south, then turned the gun on a man before fleeing. The woman, aged in her mid-50s, was killed at the scene and the man, also in his 50s, was rushed to Sunrise Hospital in critical condition. Police called the shooting an act of workplace violence and are hunting the 42-year-old who is 'considered armed and dangerous'. 'This is an isolated incident. This is an act of workplace violence. The individuals at the table were the targets of the shooter,' police said. He allegedly gunned down the victims as they ate at a picnic table in Sunset Park in Las Vegas Police called the shooting an act of workplace violence and are hunting the 42-year-old who is 'considered armed and dangerous' His car was found at the airport but his whereabouts are unknown. 'We are actively tracking him to try to find his location,' police said. Wroble was a dealer at the casino, and according to a 2010 bankruptcy filing which listed his debts at more than $300,000, he worked there since 2003. Police said he was five feet, nine inches tall and weighed 197 pounds. On Monday morning the injured man was still being treated in hospital, Fox 5 Vegas reported. Thieves have stolen a golden case containing the heart of a woman who was twice crowned queen of France in the 15th and 16th centuries. The six-inch oval case made for Anne of Brittany, which weighs around 100 grams, was displayed in the Thomas-Dobree museum in Nantes. Robbers smashed through a window at the house of artefacts over the weekend and managed to escape despite an alarm sounding. Heart of gold: The six-inch oval case made for Anne of Brittany, which weighs around 100 grams, was displayed in the Thomas-Dobree museum in Nantes Queen of hearts: When she died, Anne was buried at Saint Denis near Paris, but her heart was stored in her family tomb in Nantes to show her loyalty to Brittany Philippe Grosvalet, president of the Loire-Atlantique region on the west coast of France, said the thieves had 'attacked our common heritage' and taken an item 'of inestimable value', The Daily Telegraph reported. He added: 'Much more than a symbol, the case containing the heart of Anne of Brittany belongs to our history.' A councillor for the area, Catherine Touchefeu, pleaded with the thieves to return the heart. Heartbreaking: Anne, who died in 1514 at the age of 36, first became queen from 1491 to 1498 when she married Charles VIII He said: 'If the thieves were motivated by the fact that it is shiny and made of gold, they should understand that its historical and symbolic value far outweighs its 100 grams of gold.' The heart has been at the museum for over 130 years and only narrowly survived being melted down in the wake of the French Revolution of 1789. Anne, who died in 1514 at the age of 36, first became queen from 1491 to 1498 when she married Charles VIII of France. Charles's death in 1498 made Anne available again, and in 1499 she married Louis XII. When she died, she was buried at Saint Denis near Paris, but her heart was stored in her family tomb in Nantes to show her loyalty to Brittany. During her life, she was also briefly married to Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor. She was also engaged to Edward V, one of the 'Princes in the Tower', but his disappearance in 1483 - presumed to be after Richard III had him murdered - terminated the betrothal. Toying Around Bob Groeb's tiny tractors by Dale R. Leslie Published in April, 2018 Bob Groeb's dawn-to-dusk workday on the Saline family farm in the 1940s began at 5 a.m. when he started their versatile farm tractor. Every morning on the 165-acre homestead on Maple Rd., twenty-five to thirty cows crowded into the Groeb barn for milking. Groeb, perched behind the steering wheel of the big tricycle tractor, moved the herd's heavy daily nourishment of feed and hay into place. After the milking chores were complete, he directed the powerful machine to lift the heavy milk cans into the critically important refrigeration storage unit. In addition, the tractor powered the plowing, planting, and harvesting of crops on the Groeb farm. Today, tractors still play a central role in Groeb's life, albeit not on the same scale. The home that the friendly retired farmer shares with his wife, Barb, houses more than 1,700 diverse makes and models of toy farm equipment. A huge display fills their large, long basement on floor-to-ceiling shelves. "I finally found the time to count each unit on display," Groeb notes, smiling, "but my wife reminds me there is toy back stock in boxes downstairs that I didn't count!" Toy farm implement collections number over 3,000 nationwide, and it's not surprising that many of the collectors are former farmers. Groeb's grandfather first sparked Bob's interest in collecting farm implements, giving the boy his first toy tractor, a cast iron model, when he was five years old. "It's the cherished part of the collection as well as an antique," he notes. "Not for sale." Nearly every brand of toy tractor is represented in the Groeb museum including toy models from England, France, and Germany. A Mercedes tractor? Yes, Groeb has a model. The care and organization of the collection is impressive. Groeb hand-constructed most of the storage cabinetry and shelves in the basement, which also houses a separate bar that Groeb built using trim from a discarded piano. The familiar green of John Deere equipment is easily recognizable in one ...continued below... of the cabinets. A set of shelves has display doors that swing open so he can touch, remove, and work on each toy.Much of the to-scale stock looks fresh and ready to roll. This is a labor of love: Groeb keeps each piece working and dust free. Among his most valuable pieces are toys that he received as a child still in their original boxes. "I've seen the toy original boxes individually sell for five hundred to a thousand dollars each," he says.What happens when a piece needs to be repaired? "Toy Farmer magazine is a source for parts," Groeb says. But even with the help of the trade publication, he notes, "The older the model toy, the more difficult it is to find an original part."---Like car companies, over time, tractor manufacturers consolidated. What's surprising is that the little minnow often swallowed the whale. New Holland bought Ford's tractor and equipment line, and J.I. Case merged with International Harvester, an original granddaddy of the production of farm tractors and equipment.The toy collection also mirrors the real-life history of technical innovations. A gigantic green toy model replicates the huffing-and-puffing, steam-powered giant tractor of the early 1900s. "They devoured firewood like candy and were slower than horses to plant and harvest crops," Groeb says. When gas and diesel engines "became the norm versus coal or wood, the tractors reduced in size but were just as powerful."Today, there are four full-size tractors in his barn from his days as a farmer, including the 1941 Model SC Case tractor that has been in the family for two generations: Groeb's dad purchased it just before the start of World War II. That conflict's impact was also felt in the toy world. "Before the war, the toy tractors and farm equipment were manufactured with metal, but the material was quarantined when the war began, and production of steel had a higher priority."For the real toy tractor aficionados, the National Farm Toy Museum in Dyersville, Iowa, holds a big shindig in November. Locally, Future Farmers of America chapters in the area high schools also sponsor toy farm equipment shows.What is Groeb's dream acquisition? A Massey-Harris self-propelled combine from the 1950s, he says, with a trace of regret. "I saw one at a show, and I should have bought it."As the awestruck visitor climbs upstairs from the basement museum, Groeb proudly points out a sign on the wall."Man--despite his artistic pretensions, his satisfaction and his many accomplishments--owes his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains." [Originally published in April, 2018.] A second surfer was savaged by a shark today just hours after a nearby attack which left a man fighting for his life. The 41-year-old Danish man suffered a nasty gash to his leg but was able to get to shore for treatment after the 2.40pm attack at Lefthanders beach near Gracetown, Western Australia. He said he was 'happy to be alive' and that he would drive himself to hospital. The attack came just hours after Alejandro Travaglini, 37, was mauled at Cobblestones beach at 8am, forcing the Margaret River Pro international surfing competition to stop for an hour. Savaged: This 41-year-old Danish man (right) suffered a nasty gash to his leg but was able to get to shore for treatment after the 2.40pm attack at Lefthanders beach near Gracetown, Western Australia The man said he was 'happy to be alive' and that he would drive himself to hospital. Pictured: his injury Mr Travaglini, from Argentina, was flown to Perth hospital after friends saved his life by wrapping rope around his legs to stem blood-flow. He is now in stable condition after surgery. The attacks were a kilometre apart. Surf photographer Peter Jovic wittnessed the first attack. 'A shark popped up and pretty much ended up knocking a surfer from his board,' he told ABC News. 'There was a lot more thrashing around. After that it was hard to see what was going on. 'They got him to shore and started working on him to stem the bleeding.' Victim: The attack came just hours after Alejandro Travaglini (picutred), 37, was mauled at Cobblestones beach at 8am, forcing the Margaret River Pro international surfing competition to stop for an hour Mr Travaglini, from Argentina, was flown to Perth hospital after friends saved his life by wrapping rope around his legs to stem bloodflow Mr Travaglini is now in stable condition after surgery. The attacks were a kilometre apart The man in his 30s was bitten at Cobblestones Beach (pictured) near Gracetown in Western Australia's south-west about 8am on Monday Another witness said the first attack was similar to the moment world champion surfer Mick Fanning was famously knocked off his board in South Africa in 2015. The crew of WA's surf life saving helicopter later spotted a four-metre white shark in the water, believed to be a Great White. An hour after the first attack, the Margret River Pro competition was resumed with enhanced safety measures, including a water safety jetski team and more drones to watch for sharks. Days before the competition, surfing two-time champion John John Florence, from Hawaii, captured eerie drone footage of enormous sharks swimming in the competition area. Recent shark attacks in Western Australia 2010 August: Surfer Nick Edwards, 31, dies near Gracetown 2011 September: Kyle Burden, 21, killed while boogie boarding at Bunker Bay October: Bryn Martin, 64, disappears at Cottesloe Beach October: US man George Thomas Wainwright, 32, killed while diving off Rottnest Island 2012 March: Peter Kurmann, 33, dies while diving off Stratham Beach July: Surfer Ben Linden, 24, dies off Wedge Island 2013 November: Chris Boyd, 35, killed at Gracetown 2014 October: Surfer Sean Pollard, 23, loses arm and other hand near Esperance November: Cameron Pearman, 13, bitten while surfing at Port Bouvard December: Spear fisher Jay Muscat, 17, killed near Albany 2015 October: Surfer Eli Zawadzki, 18, bitten on the foot at Dawesville 2016 June: Surfer Ben Gerring, 29, dies three days after losing his leg at Falcon Beach June: Doreen Collyer, 60, killed less than a week later while diving with a friend off Mindarie 2017 April: Laeticia Brouwer, 17, fatally bitten on the leg while surfing with her dad at Esperance 2018 April: A surfer, in his 30s, bitten on the lower leg at Gracetown. Advertisement Surf Life Saving Western Australia confirmed the shark sighting, after receiving a report from the public (pictured) The shark attack victim was flown to hospital in a helicopter (pictured) after being given first aid by friends who stemmed the blood flow using a leg rope A two-day-old girl was found dead in an Indian toilet after being flushed away by her own parents. The body of the tiny tot was discovered by a plumber who had been called to the building in Kerala, India, to unblock a drain on Friday morning, according to NDTV. According to the horrified servicemen, they were left traumatised after finding the baby girl's tiny head was the cause of the blockage. They scrambled to pull her out of the passageway but she had died several hours earlier. The girl was discovered with the placenta still attached sparking speculation the mother had given birth in the clinic Dr Abdul Rehman, who runs the doctor's clinic next to his house where the girl was found first noticed the obstruction and called in the plumbers. According to the police, when the plumbers were trying to unblock the toilet, they noticed something which looked like a ball. As they tried to fish it out, they were shocked to see a tiny head pop up in front of them. Upon further inspection they found the body of the newborn, her placenta still attached, was stuck in the duct. The police suspect that her parents brought the girl to the clinic on pretext of consultation and flushed the baby down the toilet. However, as the placenta was intact, they speculated the mother could have delivered her inside the washroom before trying to get rid of her. Police are now investigating the incident and are checking the records of all the patients who made a visit to the clinic that day. The baby's body was found by a plumber who had been called to investigate a blocked drain Police said the baby may have been flushed down the toilet by a mother who was visiting the clinic for a check-up 'There wasn't much of a foul smell emanating from the toilet. The body hadn't decomposed when we recovered it. 'But the baby's placenta was intact and there was blood inside the commode. Seeing the colour of the blood, the domestic worker mistook it for muddy water,' the police told the News Minute. 'Investigations are underway. We are analysing the records, but we haven't been able to identify her parents yet,' police sources also told NDTV. Meanwhile, the baby's body has been sent to Thrissur medical college for a postmortem examination. Advertisement One person was killed in a tornado and hundreds of people were left without power as a spring storm system continued to cause chaos across the eastern United States. Two tornadoes tore up trees and ripped apart homes in Greensboro and Reidsville, North Carolina, killing a motorist who was hit by a tree. There have been reports of tornadoes in Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Texas, with four people injured and 160 buildings damaged in a possible tornado in northwest Arkansas, local media reported, and pictures emerging of property damage after a tornado in Mississippi. The storms stretched from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest and were moving into the Northeast and New England, while the bad weather caused power lines to fall in Michigan and led hundreds of flights to be called off amid reports of up to two feet of snow in the region. A parked car covered in debris sits at the edge of the George Reece Courts, an apartment complex in Meridian, Mississippi, after a tornado caused downed power lines, fallen trees and damaged several rooftops A downed tree rests on the roof of a home in the Millcreek community of Brandon, Mississippi. The National Weather Service said a tornado ripped through parts of Louisiana and Mississippi Structures, downed power lines and heavy debris are strewn all over the area of Grandview Avenue in Meridian, Mississippi In Arkansas, a tornado ripped through the tiny Ozark Mountain town of Mountainburg on Friday, injuring at least four people Large areas of Detroit, Michigan, were without power, with DTE energy working to have power restored to 90 per cent of customers by Tuesday. The weight of ice on power lines, coupled with high winds, caused more than 1,000 power lines to fall in Detroit and Wayne County, DTE said. Two northeastern Wisconsin communities, Tigerton and Big Falls, received more than two feet of snow over the weekend, the National Weather Service in Green Bay reported. The Nebraska State Patrol said that more than 100 motorists had been rescued after they were stuck in blizzard conditions. Law enforcement went door to door, knocking on all vehicles and rescuing all of the occupants in freezing temperatures, the state patrol said. At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where more than 13 inches of snow had fallen, 230 flights were canceled Sunday. Two runways were open, but winds were still strong and planes were being de-iced, spokesman Patrick Hogan said. By Sunday night, 1,804 flights had been canceled into or out of U.S. airports, the website flightaware.com reported, including 148 flights in or out of the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. The airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, said on Twitter Sunday that severe weather caused a ground stop and forced air traffic controllers to leave their tower. The ground stop was later lifted. Nolan Robinson, 10, of Rochester, Minnesota, makes his way up the hill at Judd Park while sledding during a storm on Sunday Delta Airlines flight attendant Victoria Flees trudges through the snow with her bags in downtown Minneapolis on the way back home from the light rail station after her flight to Paris was grounded along with all other planes Mike Haydon snow blows the sidewalk near his home during a storm Sunday, April 15, 2018, in southwest Rochester, Minn A municipal snow plow clears roads in Round Lake Beach, Illinois, as a spring blizzard brought ice and snow to the Midwest A man zips up his jacket as he walks from a Target store in falling snow in Mundelein, Illinois, amid wintry weather A car navigates an icy road in Round Lake Heights, Illinois. Snow in the region has caused chaos to flights and power lines A flock of geese stand in an ice and snow covered field in Round Lake Heights, Illinois, amid a spring blizzard in the Midwest Spring planting supplies sit covered in ice and snow outside a Home Depot store in Round Lake Beach, Illinois And another round of snow is possible midweek in the Upper Midwest, said meteorologist Eric Ahasic at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen, Minnesota. 'It's not going to be as much snow as this one, thankfully,' Ahasic said. To the south, officials in Lexington County, South Carolina, said several buildings were damaged and toppled trees were blocking roads, but no injuries were reported. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the Carolinas were without power on Sunday. The weather was blamed for two traffic deaths in western Nebraska and Wisconsin, according to National Public Radio. The storms also killed a one-year-old girl when a tree fell on a recreational vehicle where she was sleeping, the sheriff's office in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, said. Downpours will raise the risk for flash flooding from New Jersey to New England today. Enough cold air will be in place for ice to persist across northern New England and upstate New York. The same storm impacting the Northeast will also cause snow to persist across the upper Great Lakes. Winds and fresh cold air on the storm's backside will chill the rest of the Midwest as snow showers stream down to the central Appalachians. A breezy, cooler and drier day is in store for the Southeast. Meanwhile, most of the Plains will be dry. The High Plains will turn warmer ahead of a storm delivering rain and mountain snow from the Northwest to Central California. Thunderstorms with small hail may also rattle Central California. Strong winds will create a high fire danger in the Desert Southwest. In Arkansas, a tornado ripped through the tiny Ozark Mountain town of Mountainburg on Friday, injuring at least four people. In Texas, hail the size of hen eggs fell south of Dallas, according to meteorologist Patricia Sanchez. A gang-related dispute sparked an overnight riot in a South Carolina prison that killed seven inmates, the deadliest U.S. prison riot since 1993, state officials and prison safety experts said on Monday. Another 17 people were wounded in an eight-hour long series of fights that spread through three dorms at the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina, said Bryan Stirling, director of the state Department of Corrections. Stirling said that the fight centered on gang territory, contraband and cellphones in the jail. 'This was all about territory. This was about contraband, this was about cellphones,' Stirling told a news conference. 'These folks are fighting over real money and real territory while they are incarcerated.' WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO Seven inmates were killed and 17 injured after fights broke out at the Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina at 7:15pm Sunday night. Above, a view inside the prison after the bloodbath One inmate said that the fights were started by gang tensions Pictured above is the inmate who posted the disturbing footage THE SEVEN INMATES KILLED IN SOUTH CAROLINA PRISON RIOT LEFT: RAYMOND ANGELO SCOTT, 28 Incarcerated in July 2016 and sentenced to 25 years for charges of assault and battery, carrying a prohibited weapon and an additional weapons charge. Sentenced to 25 years in prison. RIGHT: EDDIE CASEY JAY GASKINS, 32 Incarcerated in December 2017 and sentenced to 10 years for domestic violence charges LEFT: MICHAEL MILLEDGE, 44 Incarcerated in April 2010 and sentenced to 66 years for charges of assault and battery, illegal drug possession, possession of narcotics trafficking in crack cocaine and additional firearm charges. RIGHT: JOSHUA SVWIN JENKINS, 33 Incarcerated in December 2015 and sentenced to 35 years for charges of burglary, voluntary manslaughter and attempted murder LEFT: DAMONTE MARQUEZ RIVERA, 24 Incarcerated in November 2015 and sentenced to life in prison for charges of murder, armed robbery, burglary and kidnapping. RIGHT: COREY SCOTT, 38 Incarcerated in October 2002 and sentenced to 87 years for charges of assault and battery, criminal conspiracy, carjacking, aggravated assault and battery, kidnapping and armed robbery CORENELIUS QUANTRAL MCCLARY, 33 Incarcerated in July 2011 and sentenced to 42 years for assault and battery, burglary, criminal conspiracy and firearms charges Advertisement Officials said they would be working with the FCC and cellphone companies to block the cellphone signal in the prisons. 'Jamming those cell phone signals will do a lot,' Gov. Henry McMaster said. 'It's an absolute outrage that that is the law ... and we're doing our best to see that FCC law is changed and changed as quick as possible.' It was the deadliest U.S. prison riot since 1993, when nine inmates and one corrections officer died at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, said Steve Martin, a prisons expert and now the federal monitor for the consent decree involving New York City's Rikers Island jail complex. All seven deaths were the result of stabbing injuries, said Lee County Coroner Larry Logan. Forty-four guards were on duty at the 1,583-inmate prison when violence erupted Sunday evening, Stirling said. Prison staff called in reinforcements and did not move into the first unit until four hours after the fighting began, a delay that he said was necessary to ensure the guards' safety. One prisoner who saw the riot exchanged messages with the AP on the condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to have a cellphone and fears retribution from other inmates. He says most of the inmates are affiliated with gangs and several attackers taunted a rival gang member who was hurt. He said he saw bodies stacking up on each other and correctional officers didn't do anything to stop the violence or check on the injured. About seven fights broke out just after 7pm on Sunday. It comes less than a month after an officer was briefly held hostage at the facility. Above, emergency crews on the scene overnight The prison, which houses some of the state's most violent offenders, was secured around 3am Monday morning. Above, emergency crews at the scene For months, South Carolina officials have said that prisoners used smuggled cellphones to manage crimes outside the prisons. Gov McMaster on Monday said he would renew his request to federal officials to allow him to block cell signals on prison property. The State newspaper showed video it said was taken by inmates with smuggled phones that depicted trails of blood and dead bodies in the prison. Reuters could not immediately confirm that the video was authentic and Stirling declined to do so. The state has about 5,000 prison employees in 22 institutions, but 'security staff numbers continue to lag behind the authorized strength,' the department's fiscal 2017 Accountability Report said, without giving numbers. Martin said staff shortages could have been a contributing factor in the riot. Above, a view of the prison, which houses some of the most violent offenders in the state 'When high-security inmates start engaging each other and there aren't enough staff, it's hard to stop it,' Martin said in a phone interview. State officials identified the slain inmates as Raymond Scott, 28, who was serving a 20-year sentence for crimes including assault and battery; Michael Milledge, 44, serving 25 years for drug trafficking; Damonte Rivera, 24, serving life for murder; Eddie Gaskins, 32, serving 10 years for domestic violence; Joshua Jenkins, 33, serving 15 years for manslaughter; Corey Scott, 38, serving 22 years for kidnapping; and Cornelius McClary, 33, serving 25 years for burglary. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster expressed support his state prisons chief following the riots. His spokesman, Brian Symmes, said on Monday that the governor has 'complete confidence' in director Bryan Stirling's ability to lead the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Stirling was appointed by then-Gov. Nikki Haley in 2013 to lead the state prison agency. When McMaster took over as governor last year, he kept Stirling, who had previously worked for him in the state Attorney General's Office. The maximum-security facility in Bishopville, 55 miles east of Columbia, houses about 1,500 inmates, some of South Carolina's most violent and longest-serving offenders. The prison has often been the site of violent incidents. The riot on Sunday comes less than a month after an officer was briefly held hostage by inmates at the prison, who took control of a dorm for about 30 minutes. Another inmate was killed in February, following another inmate death last July. Two officers were stabbed in a 2015 fight, and five were injured in a December 2007 attack by three inmates. The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is assisting prison officials with the investigation. Advertisement Tourists at a Mexican beach resort were shocked to find the body of a murdered man floating ashore on what was once a family friendly holiday destination. The body was found on a beach in Acapulco, Guerrero state, on Sunday, after a suspected shooting. The incident took place just over a week after 14 people were murdered in 36 hours in Cancun, another Mexican tourist hotspot plagued by gang violence. Shocking: Tourist and residents look at a body of a man after a shooting on a beach of the tourist destination in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico Guerrero, home to several popular beach destinations, is also one of the poorest states in the country and one of the hardest hit by the wave of drug cartel-fueled violence sweeping Mexico. Last year alone the state of Guerrero registered a record 25,000 murders - more than 68 per day. Earlier this month, 14 people were murdered in just 36 hours in the city of Cancun, further proof that Mexico's cartel violence is spreading to popular tourist resorts. On April 4, nine people were killed and one person was shot, and the following day, another five were murdered in separate incidents in the city, Noticaribe reports. Soldiers and forensics carry the body of a man after a shooting on a beach of the tourist destination in Acapulco Normalisation: A soldier steps in to stop a spectator from taking a picture for the body after it drifted ashore on the beach Hotspot: Last year alone the state of Guerrero registered a record 25,000 murders The spate of violence is the worst in the city since 2004 and occurred as thousands of tourists partied in the town's notorious hotels, bars and clubs for Spring Break. According to the office of Civil Protection, 112,000 people flocked to Cancun for the holiday. On April 11, in a separate incident, a woman's body was found in the street with a 'message' left on it. She had been shot several times in the face. Since the start of the year, more than 100 people have been shot in the party town. Cancun is a tourist hotspot on Mexico's Caribbean coast (file image from a separate shooting last year) Fourteen people were murdered in just 36 hours in the Mexican city of Cancun The closest murders last week were around eight miles from the hotel zone which tourists flock to. Earlier this year, locals told SBS the extent of the problem across the country. 'It's not nice to walk in the street and find someone's head. It's very sad to know that your friends have been executed. 'Medics, taxi drivers, doctors, business people - no social class is exempt,' Laura Cabellero, a businesswoman from Acapulco, said. Acapulco is on the other side of the country where gang violence was mostly contained. A police officer in Cancun stands guard at a crime scene where a truck containing the bodies of six men was found on March 6, 2018. Since the start of the year, more than 100 people have been murdered in the town A soldier of the Mexican Army patrols Acapulco on the other side of the country where violence is also rife In the last year, the number of murders in Cancun have doubled. It is enough to prompt warnings from the British foreign office about travelling to the popular holiday destination. In March, the US State Department issued a warning about the resort of Playa Del Carmen which sits in between Cancun and the celebrity-magnet resort Tulum. The warning was directed towards ferries between Playa Del Carmen and the snorkelling-hub Cozumel after a boat exploded mid-journey. Authorities later found explosives on another boat. It is not clear if they were planted. The advisory was lifted afterwards and there are no warnings in place regarding Cancun or the recent gun violence. Alfie Evans' parents have apologised after police announced they were investigating reports of intimidation and verbal abuse among hospital protesters. Hundreds of supporters have gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, where the 23-month-old boy, who was pictured with his eyes open on Facebook earlier today, is on life support. Merseyside Police said they are investigating after reports of 'instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation'. Alfie's parents, Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, want to move their son to a hospital in Rome for treatment. Mr Evans said in a statement on Facebook: 'Deepest apologies from me and Kate James to the parents and staff effected by the protest/demonstration, it wasn't mine Kate's or anyone else intention to harm or cause conflict or upset. 'We just wanted to take our son to give him the chance he deserves.' The news comes on the day the family lost their latest legal fight at the Court of Appeal where they were asking judges to rule Alfie should be allowed to travel to a foreign hospital. Scroll down for video Alfie Evans' father Tom, 21, gave an emotional speech outside the hospital earlier today. He said: 'Alfie, the family, and all of our supporters are stronger than ever and we will keep fighting all the way. We will never give up on you Alfie' After his speech (left), Tom shared a photo of Alfie with his eyes open (right). He wrote: Hes fighting not dying, hes undiagnosed not terminal, HE HAS NOT GOT MITOCHONDRIAL!!!!!' Despite the decision, Mr Evans gave a defiant speech saying they are 'stronger than ever' and will never give up on the 23-month-old boy. He said: 'We want to know they cant break us and were never gonna back down. Alfie, the family, and all of our supporters are stronger than ever and we will keep fighting all the way. We will never give up on you Alfie.' After his speech, Mr Evans posted the photo on Facebook with the caption: 'Hes fighting not dying, hes undiagnosed not terminal, HE HAS NOT GOT MITOCHONDRIAL!!!!!' Supporters are still lining the streets outside Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool where the demonstrators are chanting, singing, and lighting candles. Chief Inspector Chris Gibson said officers 'recognise the sensitivities involved in this very difficult and sad situation'. 'Whilst many people have gathered to protest in a peaceful way, Merseyside Police is now investigating a small number of reports, some of which originate from social media, as well as instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation from those outside the hospital,' he added. 'This is extremely unhelpful for all concerned and we are investigating further to establish the full circumstances. 'We would like to remind the public that this is a hospital for sick children and it should not be forgotten that many families are going through extremely challenging and emotional times. Alfie's parents Tom Evans and Kate James (pictured with their son) have apologised on Facebook after the police announced they were investigating reports of intimidation and verbal abuse outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool 'We would ask protesters to respect families and staff, including the poorly children in the wards and to ensure that access to the hospital is not restricted at any time, so that services including the blood and ambulance service can run as efficiently as possible.' The court heard today that the protest outside the hospital has caused road blockages which stopped NHS staff and the family of other sick children from accessing the hospital. Lord Justice Moylan said: 'We are told that some members of hospital of staff could not get to the hospital because of road blockage and that some staff and family members in the hospital could not gain entry. 'They said that some of the supporters had entered the paediatric intensive care ward.' The couple have already lost fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights but may ask the Supreme Court to consider the case for a second time. In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool. Specialists at Alder Hey said life-support treatment should stop and Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile. Alfie's parents say 'the state' is wrongly interfering with their parental choice. They want to move Alfie to a hospital in Rome. The 23-month-old's parents have also shared this image on Facebook of the toddler in hospital A bouncy castle and a gazebo were put up yesterday as protests entered a fourth day Mr Justice Hayden said flying Alfie to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless and the Court of Appeal judges upheld his decisions. Supreme Court justices and European Court of Human Rights judges refused to intervene. What's next for Alfie Evans? Supreme Court justices might be asked to consider the case for a second time because his parents are using a piece of ancient English common law during the latest stage of their fight for treatment. The couple say Italian doctors are willing to treat the little boy and an air ambulance is available. They are now arguing that Alfie is being wrongly 'detained' at Alder Hey and have made a habeas corpus application. A writ of habeas corpus - Latin for 'you may have the body' - is a legal manoeuvre which requires a court to examine the legality of a detention. It is a piece of common law which probably dates back to Anglo-Saxon times. Advertisement Last week, Mr Justice Hayden endorsed a detailed plan put forward by Alder Hey doctors for withdrawing life-support treatment, after considering a number of issues at a follow-up High Court hearing. Barrister Paul Diamond, who represented Alfie's parents, on Monday asked the three appeal judges to overturn decisions made by Mr Justice Hayden last week. Alfie's parents say their son has improved in recent weeks and had asked Mr Justice Hayden to allow a new assessment. Mr Hayden refused that request. He said medical experts' unanimous view was that Alfie's brain had been eroded by disease and further assessment was pointless. They also suggested that Alfie was being unlawfully detained at Alder Hey. The judge also dismissed that suggestion. Appeal court officials said an appeal court judge had decided that Alfie should continue to receive treatment pending the outcome of Monday's Court of Appeal hearing. Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a 'semi-vegetative state' and has a degenerative neurological condition. As news from the court filtered through to Alfie's supporters at the hospital, tears mixed with anger and police officers fanned out around the crowd, who began a chant of 'Save Alfie Evans!'. Alfie's Army has urged people to be 'respectful at all times' or face being sent away Alfie's doctors are unanimous that any treatment is 'futile' as the hospital caring for him urged protesters not to disturb other patients after a bouncy castle went up outside. Alfie's parents have also urged supporters to be 'respectful' after people visiting Alder Hey in Liverpool complained about the noise. Men on scrambler bikes have performed noisy wheelies outside the children's hospital where Alfie has been since December 2016, while there were also reports of protesters singing through a karaoke machine and even drinking alcohol. Yesterday the Pope intervened in the case of the British boy, appealing for his life to be shown 'respect' as his Vatican children's hospital offered to treat him. Pope Francis prayed for Alfie Evans during his Sunday address in in St Peter's Square in Rome Lord Justice Davis, who is heading the three-strong panel of appeal judges, told lawyers that at the start of the hearing that doctors had agreed that there was 'no hope'. He said: 'We cannot have a kind of legal 'Groundhog Day' where you come back again and again and again on the same point.' A second appeal judge, Lady Justice King, said doctors' unanimous opinion was that Alfie 'could not be saved'. Alfie's parents were not at the appeal court hearing, which is expected to end in the next few hours. Alder Hey bosses have pleaded with Alfie Evans protesters not to disturb staff and patients with noisy demonstrations. The children's hospital urged campaigners backing Alfie's battle for survival to limit their noise due to the impact it was having on recovering patients. About 100 people were involved in a demonstration outside Alder Hey last night, with supporters chanting in support of the 23-month-old. Candles were lit in tribute and campaigners lined East Prescot Road as honking cars passed the gathered crowd. At one point they were addressed by Tom Evans from the roof of a nearby bus shelter. But photographs also show supporters brought a bouncy castle and gazebos Alder Hey issued a statement in which it urged protesters to keep noise 'to a minimum'. It read: 'We would like to make people aware of the impact the current protests are having on our patients, staff and services. 'Noise from recent protests has unfortunately affected our patients, so we would ask that noise levels outside the hospital are kept to a minimum. 'Loud and constant noise such as from car horns affects sleep and raises anxiety levels for our patients especially when recovering from procedures, so please bear them in mind. Boys on scrambler bikes have been tearing up the road outside the hospital as part of at times noisy protests to save Alfie 'For visitors, we have been advised to put additional measures in place so our patients and families are able to access vital services without limitation by others. 'For example tomorrow, visitors may see more security in the hospital and a more controlled approach to access to certain areas. 'This will help us maintain a flow to vital services, so please be patient. 'However, Alder Hey remains fully operational with A&E open for urgent and emergency care'. The latest demonstration comes on the eve of a court hearing over Alfie's future. The case is set to be heard in the Court of Appeal this morning after an emergency order was signed by a judge on Thursday night. Just days earlier, a date and time for the withdrawal of Alfie's medical support had been set. Pope Francis used his traditional Sunday blessing in St Peter's Square to say he's praying for British brain damaged toddler Alfie Evans. The pontiff said the situation is 'very painful and complex' as he spoke on Alfie and others who are terminally ill. He expressed hope that they're always respected in their dignity and cared for in a way suitable to their conditions, with the agreement of family members, doctors and health workers.' Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, head of the Pontifical Academy of Life, a Vatican bioethics think tank, said earlier today that Alfie's parents and hospital officials should work together so his life isn't 'reduced to a legal dispute.' Francis' comments mark the second time in less than a year that he has intervened in the case of a terminally ill British child. Around 50 people were filmed standing outside Alder Hey hospital last night in protest at a judges ruling in favour of switching off the child's life support. In the footage the group sing Hero by Mariah Carey as cars and vans sound their horns in support of the tiny tot. Protesters including Alfie's mother and father gathered outside Alder Hey hospital The protest continues outside Alder Hey. Motorbikes rode up and down the road and campaigners held signs in support Last July he spoke out on behalf of Charlie Gard, who died of a rare genetic disease after a vicious court battle in which his parents sought treatment first in the United States and then Italy. Alfie's parents are preparing for a hearing Monday at Britain's Court of Appeal during which they will try to overturn earlier rulings that have blocked further treatment. The High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights have previously accepted the opinion of doctors, who say Alfie's condition is irreversible. The pontiffsaid the situation is 'very painful and complex' as he spoke on Alfie and others who are terminally ill Protesters gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool to campaign against the ruling Alfie, now 23 months old, is in a 'semi-vegetative state' at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool as the result of a degenerative neurological condition that doctors have been unable to definitively identify. Protesters gathered outside the hospital last week after a judge endorsed a plan for doctors at Alder Hey to withdraw life support. Motorbikes rode up and down the road and campaigners held signs in support of the brain damaged youngster outside of the hospital. Speaking outside the hospital on Friday, Alfie's father Tom Evans, 21, said he had chartered a jet to take the child to Italy but had been stopped by the hospital. 'If he stays here and dies, he dies,' Evans said. 'If he goes and he dies at least he has died a hero trying.' The hospital said that it would not help Alfie to subject him to further tests. 'Alfie's clinical condition is truly heart-rending, but at each stage of the legal process, which has to be followed in such cases, the courts have agreed with the treating team and the independent expert advisers instructed by the trust and the family that Alfie's condition is irreversible and untreatable,' the hospital said in a statement. A gay conversion therapy policy put forward by a Young Liberal branch aligned to MP Kevin Andrews - an ally of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott - has been shut down. The policy, which calls for doctors to allow people counselling out of same-sex attraction, will not be debated at the Victorian Liberal Party's State Council. Victorian president Michael Kroger labelled the motion 'inappropriate' and asked the Menzies-Warrandyte Young Liberal Branch to withdraw it, The Age reports. Federal MP Trent Zimmerman (pictured), has described a gay conversion therapy policy put forward by a Victorian Young Liberal Branch as 'in the dark recesses of the 19th century'. Same-sex marriage advocate Trent Zimmerman MP, the Liberal Member for North Sydney, questioned whether gay conversion therapy should be regarded as child abuse. 'These are the types of policies you would expect to find in the dark recesses of the 19th century or in the forums of the Australian Conservatives Party - not in the modern Liberal party,' he told the SMH. 'The real debate is whether so-called gay conversion therapy should be regarded as some form of child abuse.' The policy was put forward by a Young Liberal branch aligned to Kevin Andrews MP (pictured right), an ally of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Victorian Liberal President Michael Kroger (left) has labelled the policy 'inappropriate'. Outraged NSW Liberal Party Member Michael Tiyce revealed it is not the first time the branch has debated controversial policies. 'This is the same branch that proposed the recriminilisation of sodomy laws at a meeting with Abbott Andrews and Sukkar present, who didn't speak against it', he told Daily Mail Australia. Victoria's Opposition Leader Matthew Guy told The Age there was 'no chance' he would support any form of gay conversion therapy. 'After everything I've said supporting same-sex marriage, calling for the party to engage the gay community and others...as if a government I lead would consider anything as ridiculous as that', he said. Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman (right) is pictured celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Mardi Gras in Sydney, 2018. Church leaders have been slammed for meeting Syrian officials and praising the country a day after the UK launched military strikes against chemical weapons sites. A British delegation including Anglican vicars Andrew Ashdown and Giles Fraser and peers Baroness Cox and Lord Dykes have been holding meetings with the Assad regime. And they have been tweeting pictures praising how pretty the city is and condemning the airstrikes launched by Britain, the US and France. Tory MP Nigel Evans said it 'defied logic' that the group was choosing to visit the country just a week after dozens were killed by chemical weapons in Douma. Women and children were among those who were gassed to death as they sheltered from an onslaught of barrel bombs dropped by the regime. A British delegation including Anglican vicars Andrew Ashdown (pictured far left)and Giles Fraser (pictured second to the far right) and peers Baroness Cox and Lord Dykes have been holding meetings with the Assad regime. And he warned the delegation are 'useful idiots' being used to peddle propaganda by the murderous regime. He told Mail Online: 'It is hard to get your head around why a church leader would want to do that 'To go at this time and tweet nice pictures of Damascas defies logic. 'He appears to be one of the useful idiots - people who are prepared to visit the country at this time when its being ravaged by its own regime. 'I look forward to his future tweets condemning the Assad regime for his despicable attacks. 'We have got to get rid of Assad and his despicable regime.' The group arrived on Saturday morning - a few hours after the RAF fired Storm Shadow missiles to destroy a warehouse storing chemical weapons. Giles Fraser posted many gloating tweets which praised Syria and the ministers he met The Anglican church leader also posted this message which appears to cast doubt over the devastation Assad's regimehas brought to his country And Rev Fraser has been posting a string of tweets and pictures bestowing praise on the country. He tweeted a picture of himself meeting the Grand Mufti of Syria - a firm supporter of Assad. He added the message: 'With the Grand Mufti of Syria - the top Muslim cleric in Syria - in the astonishing Umayyad Mosque in central Damascus talking about how love is stronger than missiles. Very warm greeting despite the bombings.' In another post he wrote: 'Fascinating meeting today discussing the long tradition of religious pluralism in Syria with the Minister for Religious Affairs.' In another message posted on the site he said the Western alliance's bombing of Syria 'was a disgrace'. And he has tweeted pictures of the city of Damascas with the message: 'Damascus such a beautiful place. Some people I have met talked about going onto their roofs to watch the US's 'firework display'. Most seem to have slept through it.' Twitter users rounded on Rev Fraser for his Twitter posts - saying he as turning a blind eye to hte widespread suffering in the country Another Twitter user urged the group to visit the cities where Syrian civilians have been bombed, killed and left homeless by the regime's relentless onslaught Another Twitter user questioned morality of the visit while the war is raging And in another he wrote: 'This is the Damascus I came to see. Ordinary people just getting on with their lives. Shopping, traffic, normal everyday stuff.' Rev Fraser quit as the canon chancellor of St Pauls in 2011 in protest at the removal of the 'Occupy' protesters who were camped on the steps of the church. He quit saying he could not support the possibility of 'violence in the name of the church'. But other Twitter users rounded on him for the visit and accompanying tweets - and urged on the church leader to go just a few miles away to see the cities which have been turned to rubble by the regime. One Twitter user called Talal wrote: 'Would you be kind and go 5 miles east from Damascus and report to us how beautiful East Ghouta is after 5 years of barrel bombing, siege and starvation. 'Do not inhale hard then. Some of the toxic nerve gas/chlorine maybe still in the air.' Trisha O'Kessler said: 'Unfortunately, @giles_fraser there are thousands of dispersed refugees who would like to be doing the same but had to flee for their lives. This is not ordinary.' The visit is understood to have been organised privately and was not sanctioned by the Church of England. Rev Ashdown has visited Syria five times since 2014 and posted article by the Kremlin propaganda channel Russia Today which cast doubt on claims Assad is behind chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Cassie Ellis (pictured) and her instructor, Derek Abernathy, had a parachute malfunction that left them hanging in a tree in Salisbury, North Carolina Two skydivers had a parachute malfunction that left them hanging in a tree in Salisbury, North Carolina. Cassie Ellis and her instructor, Derek Abernathy, jumped from the plane Saturday over the Rowan County Airport and something went wrong, The Salisbury Post reported. 'Im grateful to God to be alive we really shouldnt be,' Cassie Ellis said. Apparently the primary parachute malfunctioned, and when the backup chute kicked in, something else went wrong with the lines. Ellis says they were spinning and falling out of control before they were caught in a tree off a sewer right-of-way. 'Basically we started spinning out of control and falling out of control, and we crash landed in the woods,' she said. She said her legs went numb from the harness but Abernathy helped her through it and stopped her from panicking. 'He was so calm that I was able to be calm,' she explained. Salisbury Fire Department Deputy Chief David Morris says the call came in around 7:58 p.m. Salisbury Fire Department Deputy Chief David Morris says the call came in around 7:58 p.m to come and rescue the pair Emergency responders used a ladder to scale the tree and check on the skydivers. A hoist was setup to lift and lower the pair, who escaped with minor scratches. 'We practice for these type of events so that when we have to deal with events like this and perform a rescue like this we can almost do it flawlessly,' Salisbury Fire Department Deputy Chief David Morris said. Ellis said she always wanted to try skydiving, and did research beforehand that statistically said it was safer than driving. 'Id wanted to do it forever,' she explained. She said she wanted to knock an item off her bucket list but claims she won't be skydiving again. 'Im an adrenaline junkie, but this was too much adrenaline for me.' The heartbroken owner of a purebred staffy puppy has spoken of her devastation realising the four-month-old had been stolen from inside her home. Louine Shaw's horror began when she returned to her house in Mount Eliza, south of Melbourne, on Saturday night and her beloved pooch Luna was nowhere to be seen. She said Luna was snatched along with her breeder papers which were hidden and certify that the pup is thoroughbred. 'I was mortified when I realised she was gone. I wailed like I never have, I felt like someone had taken my child,' the devastated owner told Daily Mail Australia. The heartbroken owner of pure-bred Staffy puppy Luna (pictured) has spoken of her devastation after realising the four-month-old had been stolen from inside her home Louine Shaw believes due the inaccessibility of her home, the perpetrator must have meticulously planned the brazen attack Louine believes due the inaccessibility of her home, the perpetrator must have meticulously planned the brazen attack. 'We have a 3.5m high deck that would have had to have been scaled to get through the back door and the front of the house was completely locked,' she said. 'The person or people who stole her had clearly done their homework.' It is Luna's purebred status, $3,500 price tag and the fact she hasn't been desexed which would make her a prime target to be sold in order to breed puppies. For Louine, (pictured) the thought of her sixteen-week-old, who is not even house trained yet, in the care of people who may exploit her is terrifying For Louine, the thought of her sixteen-week-old - who is not even house trained yet - in the care of people who may exploit her is terrifying. 'When I realised I couldn't find Luna I hoped we would find out that she had fallen off the back deck,' she said. 'I thought I could cope better with her death than not knowing where she is or who she's with.' Despite the heartache, a social media post pleading for Luna's safe return has gone viral and so far been several promising sightings have been reported. 'There's been over 80,000 shares in total and people have seen it in in every corner of Australia. 'The response has blown our minds and people have really related to the story and understood that pets are of our families and we miss Luna so much.' Victoria Police detectives are also currently reviewing footage of a dog matching Luna's description at Madam Brussels cocktail bar in Melbourne's CBD. By the initiative of the foreign ministry of the Artsakh Republic the comment of the ministry on the massacre of the population in Maragha village of Martakert region has been disseminated in the OSCE, the Artsakh MFA said on Twitter. April 16, 2018, 14:38 Artsakh foreign ministrys comment on Maragha massacres disseminated in OSCE STEPANAKERT, APRIL 16, ARTSAKHPRESS:The full comment runs as follows: The massacre of the inhabitants of the village of Maragha of the Artsakh Republics Martakert region, committed by the Azerbaijani army on April 10, 1992, is one of the most tragic episodes of Azerbaijan's military aggression against Artsakh. After intensive artillery shelling, the Azerbaijani troops invaded the village of Maragha, where 118 people remained, mostly the elderly, disabled, women, and children. As a result of the war crime committed with unprecedented cruelty by the Azerbaijani armed forces, over 50 people were killed and the rest, including 9 children and 29 women, were taken hostage. Some of them were later returned, but the fate of 19 hostages remains unknown to this day. The village was liberated by the armed forces of Artsakh, however two weeks later, it was again attacked, and those who had returned to bury their relatives became victims of the new atrocities of the Azerbaijani army. The attack on the village was not conditioned by a military necessity, but was was primarily aimed at exterminating its peaceful civilian population. The crime in Maragha became the continuation of the series of pogroms and deportations of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other settlements of Azerbaijan, as well as in the villages of Northern Artsakh in 1988-1991. These were intended to strangle at its birth the national-liberation struggle of the Armenians of Artsakh and deprive them of the homeland through ethnic cleansing and terror against Artsakh and the Armenian population of Azerbaijan. The impunity of the organizers and perpetrators of these crimes created a fertile ground in Azerbaijan for enrooting the cult of hatred towards Armenians as a state policy and unbridled a propaganda of xenophobia, intolerance, and militarism. Azerbaijans aggression against Artsakh in April 2016, which was accompanied by war crimes against civilians and soldiers of the Artsakh Defense Army, demonstrated that the methods and approaches of the Azerbaijani side remained unchanged. A mother has been arrested for allegedly being drunk in charge of a child after a baby was dropped on his head last night. Police rushed the child to hospital by ambulance following the incident at around 6pm in Dover, Kent. An investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances of the incident. A man thought to be a Dover police officer holding the injured baby Two women aged 37 and 40 have been arrested as part of the investigation and remain in police custody. The baby was checked over at hospital but was not badly injured. A Kent Police spokesperson said: 'Kent Police is investigating after a baby in Dover was admitted to hospital at around 6pm on Sunday 15 April 2018. 'Officers are conducting enquiries to establish how the injuries, not believed to be serious, were sustained. Two women from Ramsgate, aged 37 and 40, have been arrested as part of the investigation and remain in police custody.' Officers in Dover had earlier tweeted about the incident, saying the baby was now in their care. They said in their tweet: 'Checked over at hospital. 'Mother and her friend arrested for drunk in charge of a child after the baby was dropped on its head by them. 'Thankfully not badly injured. Social services involved. Child in police care. #VIT dealing in custody.' Paramedics were abused for taking a break to buy chips during a 10-hour shift by a member of the public. Loughborough-based paramedic Tim Hargreaves and ambulance technician Kiri Howard went for some much-needed energy during their shift, at around 8pm yesterday. As they picked up some chips, someone in the shop said: 'I had to wait for an ambulance, nice you have time to eat.' Mr Hargreaves said: 'It was an off the cuffcomment, which we overheard. It was clearly directed at us and we thought, "that's not very nice". We'd been going for six hours without a break.' Loughborough-based paramedic Tim Hargreaves and ambulance technician Kiri Howard went for some much-needed energy during their shift, at around 8pm yesterday The pair had gained permission from control room to get their meal but, in a turn of events, stopped eating within five minutes anyway to rush to someone having a heart attack. 'We dropped everything, binned our food and went out,' said the 38-year-old, who has been working in the ambulance service for 19 years. The incident had a 'positive outcome', Mr Hargreaves confirmed, essentially meaning he and ambulance technician Kiri Howard saved a life. Responding further to what was said to them, Mr Hargreaves added: 'We don't like if people are disappointed with the service they received from us, that hurts. 'We don't know their circumstances, all I can say is we were probably very busy. If they'd asked to talk to us we would have explained.' The comment was the first of its kind Hargreaves has heard directly, but he said colleagues have had similar remarks aimed at them. He pointed out the need for emergency service workers to be able take breaks to be able to fulfil their duties. 'We've got to look after ourselves, to be able to keep ongoing. The majority of our crews do a 12-hour shift. 'Anybody that works on the front line ambulance service or the blue light services are there because they care. They want to be able to help the public. 'We are all here to care and comments like the one we received really do smart.' Mr Hargreaves, a duty operations manager for the East Midlands Ambulance Service in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, followed also wrote about the experience on social media, along with hashtags stating 'if you need us we are there', 'allowed to eat' and 'positive outcome'. One supporter said: 'All emergency service staff are human too.' While another wrote: 'Self care so important. You can only continue to do the brilliant job you do on a "full tank".' The unnamed paramedic was hurt and fellow emergency responder, Tasha Starkey (pictured), said she was threatened and verbally abused In March, an NHS paramedic was assaulted after a row over where an ambulance had been parked while tending to a patient in 'treacherous' sub-zero conditions. The emergency responder had been tending to a 999 call in Sparkhill, Birmingham, when she and a co-worker were set upon while trying to help a woman in her 60s with chest pain. Tasha Starkey revealed online that her fellow emergency responder was assaulted while she was threatened and verbally abused. Tasha Starkey tweeted about the incident in March this year In February, paramedics in Stoke were left stunned after finding an angry note demanding they moved their ambulance during a 999 call, with the message: 'I don't give a sh*t if the whole street collapses'. The message was written by a woman who was annoyed that an ambulance was in a resident's parking bay on Sunday morning. West Midlands Ambulance Service said the resident also verbally abused staff members during the emergency call-out in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. A British man has been found dead in the Philippines after a suspected hit and run attack. Gerry Higgins, 56, from Clapham, south west London, was discovered floating face-down on a lake in Pangasinan, Philippines, last Wednesday. According to police the expat father-of-one had been out with friends the night before and he called his wife before heading home. But he never made it back - and soon after, terrified passers-by discovered his lifeless body in the shallow water of a fishing pond. Gerry Higgins had been out with friends last Tuesday night and was found the morning after Police found a strange hand-written note saying 'unlucky thief' stashed in Gerry's pocket after his body was discovered Filipino police are yet to reveal the cause of death but they are reportedly examining the possibility of a hit-and-run after a mysterious note was found in the man's pocket. Bizarrely, a hand-written note with the words 'unlucky thief' was found in his pockets. Police now suspect that he was killed in a hit and run or murdered then dumped into the pond. Superintendent Monaliza Asis said: 'Officers investigated the scene and there were skid marks on the other side of the road. We believe they're from a car.' Police said no bullet casings were found at the scene and said that robbery was unlikely as he was found with 5,000 Piso in cash (67GBP) and his phone in his pockets. But the mystery death has baffled police who are now appealing for witnesses to come forward with more information. Gerry had moved to the Philippines around 10 years ago and was well-known in the area. He was married and had one daughter. He had been living in the Philippines for a number of years and was reportedly well-known in the local area Superintendent Asis added: 'We have not ruled out any angles during the investigation. 'The victim's body had scratches and marks on the arms and face. 'He could have fallen heavily into the fishpond or he was hit by something immediately before falling. 'It is also possible that the victim's body was killed someplace else and was only dumped there.' Gerard's friends reacted with shock after learning of his death - posting tributes online to the "lovely guy". He is believed to have moved to the Philippines several years ago. Pal David Atkinson said: "This is terrible news. Gerry was a legend." Close friend Len Pagnam, who posted a tribute picture of Gerard online, said: "Don't have any information, it's all a mystery, very sad." Carlos Brenez added: "I received the sad news today, oh boy. Gerry Higgins you always brought laughter and happiness when I'd see you. I can't believe you've gone so soon to make angels laugh in heaven, God bless your soul matey. I'm going to miss you man." A teacher became so infatuated with a a pupil at one of Britain's top schools he told her friends: 'I die inside if I don't see her,' a hearing was told. Igor Zharkov, a physics teacher at the 32,000 a year Ardingly College in West Sussex, has now been banned from the classroom for life. He was so besotted with the girl he bombarded her with texts, WhatsApp and Facebook messages telling her he loved her, and that she was his 'soul mate.' And he told her friend: 'She is my whole life - I am simply incapable of leaving her.' Physic teacher Igor Zharkov has been banned from the classroom for life after he was found guilty of serious sexual misconduct with the pupil by a disciplinary panel Zharkov taught at the the 32,000 a year Ardingly College in West Sussex (pictured) Zharkov, who worked at the school from 2009 until 2017, was banned at a teaching disciplinary panel in Coventry after being found guilty of serious sexual misconduct. The panel found Zharkov had formed an inappropriate or romantic relationship with one pupil at the college and an inappropriate relationship with another. In the panel's report, they found his actions to be 'sustained and systematic' and he was 'calculating and motivated.' Zharkov had one-to-one tuition lessons with the girl outside school and drove her around in his car. He treated her to meals out and booked a stay at the five-star Alexander House hotel and Utopia Spa in West Sussex. The panel said he lavished her with expensive presents, including earrings, flowers and shoes, and even sent her a Valentines card. Inside, it read: 'For my wonderful girlfriend, of all the ways to let you know I love you - my favourite way is just to hold you tightly.' And Zharkov swapped messages with another pupil, with whom he had an 'inappropriate relationship', revealing his love for the girl. Zharkov, who admitted the allegations, was struck off by the National Teaching and Leadership Council One text said: 'I need to have a romantic relationship with her, she is my whole life'. 'I die inside if I do not see her,' another read. Zharkov was struck off by the National Teaching and Leadership Council, who said the shamed teacher had tried to conceal his relationship with the youngster. Panel chair Peter Cooper said Zharkov, who was of previous good character, had admitted the allegations. He said: 'There was no evidence that the teacher's actions were not deliberate and in fact the panel found his actions were sustained and systematic. 'There was no evidence to suggest that the teacher was acting under duress, and in fact the panel found the teacher's actions to be calculated and motivated.' And justifying the ban, Alan Meyrick, on behalf of the education secretary, added: 'Mr Zharkov's exploitation of his position of trust, particularly in using one to one sessions, giving her gifts and discussing possible future sexual contact with the student were significant factors.' Ardingly College, a boarding and day school formerly home to Private Eye and Have I Got News For You star Ian Hislop, is among Britain's top 10 schools. Fees range from 22,000 to 32,000 per year. The school suspended Zharkov when allegations were raised. He later resigned. Ardingly College headmaster Ben Figgis said: 'As demonstrated in our recent inspection, the college maintains the highest standards of safeguarding, and places a very high priority on the welfare and safety of its pupils. 'I am particularly grateful to the teachers and pupils who alerted us to the conduct of Zharkov, as those disclosures enabled the college management to take timely and effective disciplinary action against him when his behaviour came to light. 'It is essential that all schools are places in which all children are safe and secure, and in which a high level of trust is maintained between teachers, students and parents.' Jeremy Corbyn was lashed by MPs on his own side for 'turning a blind eye' to the use of chemical weapons tonight. The Labour leader was jeered by the Commons as he claimed again Theresa May was being led by Donald Trump and the Syrian regime might not be to blame for the devastating chemical attack in Douma. Mrs May was left rolling her eyes in response to Mr Corbyn. He came under furious red-on-red fire following his speech to MPs, which came moments after the Prime Minister set out a forensic case in defence of the strikes she ordered in the early hours of Saturday morning. Jeremy Corbyn was jeered by MPs as he suggested someone other than Syrian regime could be to blame, highlighting reports other groups had used chemical weapons during the Syrian war Theresa May rolled her eyes in despair today as Jeremy Corbyn accused of her of following orders from Donald Trump in Syria today Labour MP Mike Gapes, Illford South, said the party had a 'longstanding and noble tradition' of 'supporting humanitarian intervention'. He said: 'Can I remind the PM and Mr Corbyn it was a Labour Government with Robin Cook as Foreign Secretary that carried out airstrikes in Iraq under Operation Desert Fox in 1998, without a UN resolution. 'It was a Labour Government that restored President Kabbah in Sierra Leone without a UN resolution. 'It was a Labour Government that stopped ethnic cleansing in Kosovo without a UN resolution. 'There is a long standing and noble tradition on these benches supporting humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect.' Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie, Nottingham East, was cheered by Tory MPs as he warned of the consequences of inaction, in what appeared to be fierce criticism of his party's frontbench. He said: 'Pinpointing and degrading Assad's chemical weapons was necessary and appropriate, and that intervening to save civilians from future gas attacks - while not without risk - was absolutely the right thing to do.' Launching a direct attack on Mr Corbyn, he added: 'Would you agree that a policy of inaction also would have severe consequences, and that those who would turn a blind eye, who would do nothing in pursuit of some moral high ground should also be held accountable - for once - today as well?' Former Labour minister Ben Bradshaw, Exeter, voiced support for the Prime Minister in ordering strikes after 'proven and repeated' use of chemical weapons in a pointed rebuke to his party leader. Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie, Nottingham East, was cheered by Tory MPs as he warned of the consequences of inaction, in what appeared to be fierce criticism of his party's frontbench Ben Bradshaw (left) and Mike Gapes (right) were among the Labour MPs lashing Jeremy Corbyn In his speech, Mr Corbyn described the chemical attack in Douma as 'horrific' but faced shouts of 'shame' from Tory MPs as he told the Commons: 'This statement serves as a reminder that the Prime Minister is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the US President. 'We clearly need a War Powers Act in this country to transform a now broken convention into a legal obligation. 'Her predecessor came to this House to seek authority for military action in Libya and in Syria in 2015, and the House had a vote over Iraq in 2003. 'There is no more serious issue than the life and death matters of military action. It is right that Parliament has the power to support or stop the Government from taking planned military action.' Mr Corbyn added that it was now 'vitally important' that OPCW inspectors were allowed to investigate and report their findings. He went on to say: 'We have the grotesque spectacle of a wider geopolitical battle being waged by proxy, with the Syrian people used as pawns on all sides.' The Labour leader has repeatedly caused anger by making clear he does not accept that the strikes on Bashar Assad's chemical weapons capability by the US, UK and France were legally justified on humanitarian grounds. Meanwhile, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson today published a legal opinion written Dapo Akande, an Oxford professor of public international law, declaring the coalition strikes to be defiance of the United Nations Charter. A slew of Labour MPs have already broken cover to condemn Mr Corbyn's position. Theresa May, pictured at a Commonwealth conference today, is due to be grilled by MPs over the Syria strikes later this afternoon His performance on the BBC's Andrew Marr show yesterday also appears to have helped consolidated Tory and DUP support for Theresa May. Senior MPs from both main parties now suspect any retrospective vote on the Syria strikes would be more likely to expose splits in Labour than the Tories. One senior Conservative said: 'There is no appetite among our MPs to rebel against the PM. 'Labour have a far bigger problem than we do.' A senior Labour MP said: 'There are quite a lot of our side who support the action. I'm not sure forcing a vote now is a good idea.' Shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti today joined Mr Corbyn in dismissing the humanitarian justification for the strikes. Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson today published a legal opinion written Dapo Akande, an Oxford professor of public international law, declaring the coalition strikes to be defiance of the United Nations Charter 'You can't use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you.' But Labour backbencher John Woodcock, Barrow and Furness, said today: 'I wish my frontbench would spend even a fraction of the energy on Assad and Russia's grotesque slaughter of civilians as they are on inventing new reasons to oppose targeted UK intervention to stop it.' Fellow MP Mike Gapes, former chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, tweeted: 'Watched Corbyn interview on #Marr again. Sorry to say my Party is led by a man who questions Russian responsibility for Salisbury, who rejects action to stop Assad use of chemical weapons, who opposes Humanitarian intervention and gives Russia a veto on UK action. #NotInMyName.' Mr Watson said the advice he had received from Mr Akande was from one of Britain's 'pre-eminent' legal experts on international law'. It says the Government's position ignored laws about the use of force and did not comply with international doctrine on humanitarian intervention. The advice also warns Mrs May's version of intervention based on humanitarian grounds was open to abuse. Mr Watson said: 'MPs and the public should not have to rely on the partial information about legality released by the government. 'There is a clear public interest in this expert and impartial advice from Professor Akande and that is why I am releasing it in full. 'The government should do the same with their advice.' The Labour leader also made clear he does not accept that the strikes on Syria by the UK, US and France were legally justified on humanitarian grounds Labour backbencher John Woodcock made clear his concern at Mr Corbyn's approach Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Mr Corbyn defied the growing weight of proof to again raised doubts about whether the Assad regime had been behind the attack that killed at least 75 people including children. The veteran left-winger - who for decades has been urging NATO states to disarm and suggested the West was to blame for Russia's annexation of Crimea - claimed chlorine had been used by 'a number of parties in the conflict'. Asked if there were any circumstances in which he would back air strikes in Syria, Mr Corbyn replied: 'I can only countenance involvement in Syria if there is a UN authority behind it. 'If we could get to a process in the UN where you get to a ceasefire, you get to a political solution, you then may well get to a situation where there could be a UN force established to enforce that ceasefire. That surely would save a lot of lives.' Mr Corbyn was also challenged that he had previously opposed military action even when the UN had mandated it. In 2015 he voted against UK involvement in airstrikes against ISIS in Syria - although many other Labour politicians supported the government. Mr Corbyn said that if Britain wants to 'get the moral high ground around the world' it must abide by international law for taking military action. Labour MP Chuka Umunna, pictured right on ITV's Peston programme yesterday, was among those who slammed Mr Corbyn's position He said the humanitarian grounds used by the UK to justify strikes were 'debatable', saying he only believed self-defence and a UN resolution were enough. 'Where is the legal basis for this?' he said. Mr Corbyn said there should be a law that forced the PM to secure a Commons majority before taking action. 'I think what we need in this country is something more robust like a War Powers Act so that governments do get held to account by Parliament for what they do in our name,' he said. Labour MP Chuka Umunna was among those who slammed Mr Corbyn's position today. He told ITV's Peston programme: 'It is unrealistic to expect to have unanimity in the international community to act. 'The problem the UN has at the moment is because of Russia and its inevitable veto.. the UN is rendered toothless.' GCHQ is thought to be monitoring the web to pick up any signs of cyber aggression from the Kremlin, following the unified missile strikes on Syrian chemical basis in Damascus He added: 'Ultimately you cannot have the use of chemical weapons go unanswered by the international community. 'I don't believe you should hide behind the ultimate veto by Russia at the UN security council.' Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw praised French President Emmanuel Macron for his willingness to work with the wider UN general assembly, rather than relying on the security council. In a pointed jibe at Mr Corbyn, he said: 'Others who simply parrot - 'this must be resolved by the Security Council' - wilfully ignore Russia's repeated vetoes - including of inspectors' power to apportion blame for the attacks.' The most frequent and popular patrons at a Western Australia tavern are hopping mad they will no longer be welcome at their local hang out from May 1. Kangaroos in Perth's John Forrest National Park have been dropping into John Forrest Tavern in the park for a breakfast of vet-approved muesli since manager Megan Baird's family took over the tavern 19 years ago. But their daily routine is about to be roo-ined. Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions now wants the kangaroos back in their natural habitat and told the tavern's devastated owners last November to stop feeding the native marsupials. The trouble started for John Forrest Tavern after photos of kangaroos inside the bar went viral online. Pictured is 20-year-old Manky making himself at home A permanent ban will be enforced at the end of April. Ms Baird was told by the department that cameras would be installed to ensure the new rule won't be breached. Anyone caught feeding the kangaroos by the department could face a $2,000 fine. 'We didn't think it would come to this,' Ms Baird told Daily Mail Australia. 'They told us that times are changing and that they want the roos to forage naturally. The kangaroos were coming here to be fed long before we took over the tavern. It's ridiculous. 'We've never had any dramas, so we don't know why they've decided we have to stop after 19 years.' According to Mundaring Tourism, the tavern in Australia's second oldest national park is a great place to see kangaroos and wildlife. 'Sit outside in the courtyard and you are very likely to encounter many native birds and the local kangaroos are happy grazing around outside any time of the day, having become quite accustomed to being a star attraction for visitors,' its website states. Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions wants the kangaroos to return in their own habitat and has told John Forrest Tavern staff to stop feeding them One of the pub's kangaroo patrons even knows how to open the door The tavern's trouble with the department started after a photo of Manky, a 20-year-old kangaroo inside the pub went viral online. 'We're known as the kangaroo pub,' Ms Baird told Daily Mail Australia. 'Everyone loves the roos, especially the tourists. They're wild kangaroos, so they come and go as they please. There's a dozen kangaroos that come in regularly. They're here when we open every morning. One even knows how to open the door.' There are now concerns the tavern may lose patrons and that the kangaroos may turn aggressive when they're no longer fed. 'Our lease could be on the line because of this,' Ms Baird told Daily Mail Australia. 'It will also affect the way we do business if the kangaroos are no longer here. We're trying to fight the decision and we live in hope it can be reversed. We're not asking for much. We don't want to change the world.' A online petition on change.org in protest of the decision attracted almost 2,000 signatures within the first 24 hours. A hard copy of the petition at the tavern has collected a further 1,000 signatures. 'Manky, Dribbly and their friends face dire consequences after Dept of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions told the John Forrest Tavern to cease supplementary feeding of a group of older and sometimes injured kangaroos,' the online petition states. 'Something the tavern manager has done for the past 17 years, initially with the full support (and training some 16 years ago) of the local rangers. They also look out for the roos and pay for vet bills if someone is not doing so good.It is unique and it isn't hurting anyone, there has never been any trouble from the roos.' 'We're known as the kangaroo pub,' tavern manager Megan Baird told Daily Mail Australia The tavern has been inundated with support online. 'Ive visited the tavern and it was a great seeing the kangaroos and how they peacefully coexist with people there,' one woman posted on the petition. Another added: 'There is no need to interfere with a good thing that has taken place for years. 'No one is being hurt, and the animals are also happy. It is criminal to cull these roos from around their natural area when there is no need at all. Please don't allow this thing to happen. We have lived there 30 years and never had any problems with roos, quite the opposite.' According to Mundaring Tourism, the tavern in Australia's second oldest national park is a great place to see kangaroos and wildlife A DBCA spokesperson said it was imperative wildlife remained in their own habitat and concerns were raised by park visitors and staff. 'The key to successful interaction with wildlife is to respect their wild nature,' they told Yahoo 7. 'Feeding native wildlife is discouraged because it can have a negative impact on animal health. Department staff are currently working through a staged process of reducing supplementary feeding to encourage the animals to forage more naturally.' Ms Baird had this plea in the hope the decision can be reversed before it's too late. 'Please let us keep feeding the kangaroos,' she said. 'If the department believes there's a better way of feeding them, then tell us. We're more than happy to do it their way.' A Virgina State Trooper has gained hundreds of online fans after he rescued two adorable black bear cubs. Trooper DH Cepelnik rescued the two cubs after their mother was hit by a vehicle and killed in Franklin County, south of Roanoke, Virginia. The law enforcement agency later posted an adorable picture of State Trooper Cepelnik on social media showing him holding the cubs. Adorable: Trooper DH Cepelnik rescued the two black bear cubs after their mother was hit by a vehicle and killed in Franklin County Virginia The official Twitter account of VA State Police praised the State Trooper, saying he was #JustDoingHisJob. In the picture, the State Trooper has one cub climbing on his back, while holding the other in a firm grip as it tries to wriggle free. The two bear cubs have been moved to a wildlife center in 'Waynesboro, Virginia and are 'safe and sound'. The American black bear - smaller in statue than the brown bear - is native to North America and us the most widely distributed bear species. However, while it initially occupied the majority of the forests of North America, they now have a much more limited habitat due to humans encroaching on forested areas. The overall population of black bears in the United States has been estimated to range between 339,000 and 465,000. Advertisement A man is living in constant fear that his house could be destroyed by the towering ruins of a crumbling castle that stand just a few feet away from his home. Rob Stockdale, 66, has lived in the shadow of medieval Malefant Castle that forms a 40 foot tall boundary wall on his land for eight years. The base of the rampart, built in 13th Century AD, are falling away and Mr Stockdale fears it could topple and not only damage his home, but potentially kill someone. Rob Stockdale, 66, has lived in the shadow of medieval Malefant Castle that forms a 40 foot tall boundary wall on his land for eight years The precarious remains of a Welsh castle towers over the home of Rob Stockdale in Llanmaes The castle wall is protected as a site of National Importance, meaning the father-of-three is struggling to get his neighbour to take action. He wants the wall restored, and has sourced a 30,000 quote for the job, but claims the council and his neighbour, who owns the wall, are reluctant to take action. Mr Stockdale, who lives alone in his house in Llanmaes in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, said: 'It could come down at any time. 'The ivy is digging into the walls which is helping to break it up. It's only a few feet away from my conservatory.' The grandfather-of-three says he just wants the wall to be made safe, as he is trying to sell his home. But he is having trouble getting any changes to the wall sanctioned - as Cadw, the Welsh Government's Historic Environment Service, has deemed the ruin a site of national importance to Wales. Rob Stockdale poses in front of the crumbling outside wall of his property, which could cost 40,000 to fix The wall, which once belonged to the De Malefant family, was given 'scheduled monument' status in May 2017, under the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaelogical Areas Act. This means the site is recognised as a nationally important archaeological site and is given protection against unauthorised change. But Mr Stockdale finds this ironic - because, to his knowledge, no-one ever visits the site. Rob Stockdale, 66, has lived in his village home for eight years, sharing his land with the medieval castle wall that stands between 30 and 40 foot tall He said the castle ruins belong to his neighbour, Mr David Thomas, who owns farmland on the other side of the crumbling wall - which Mr Stockdale says is only falling away on his side. 'I raised the issue with him over a year ago,' said Mr Stockdale. 'I said, 'I've got grandchildren and people visiting my house. If anybody gets hurt by a stone coming down, who do you think I'm going to sue?' 'He told me he would knock it down to eye level - but that hasn't happened yet.' The base of the rampart, built in 13th Century AD, are falling away and Mr Stockdale fears it could topple and not only damage his home, but potentially kill someone Mr Thomas explained that he had looked into the costs involved in doing work on the wall, and they were quite high. He said: 'I had a quote which was about 40,000 to do the job. We do intend to do something. It is going to be made safe.' Mr Thomas added that it may be a case of dealing with a few strategic stones, but that guidance from Cadw was required as to what was permissible. The Vale of Glamorgan Council has told Mr Stockdale that the work should be done. In an email sent to him on January 30, the council conceded that the structure 'is considered to be of national importance, with potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval domestic and defensive architecture.' The council may take out the work on the wall and later claim it back from the castle owner But the email continued: 'My colleague will be contacting the landowner this week to reiterate the importance of ensuring the safety of the structure.' The council said that, in line with the Building Act 1984, they reserve the right to carry out work on the wall, and later claim the money back from Mr Thomas in Magistrates Court. A council spokesperson has since said: 'Following a joint inspection of the structure it was 'scheduled' by Cadw in May 2017. 'As a result, consent and approval for any work can now only be given by Cadw. 'The council understands the landowner is currently in discussions with Cadw and our planning team are happy to provide any advice that will help resolve this issue to the satisfaction of everyone involved.' The condition of the wall is the responsbilty of the owner - who says it may cost up to 40,000 to get it fixed A Cadw spokesperson added: 'The remains of the medieval manorial residence at Malefant Castle, Llanmaes were scheduled as a nationally important monument on May 17, 2017. 'The condition of the structure is the responsibility of the owner. 'Last year Cadw grant aided a structural survey commissioned by the owner which identified remedial works at a cost of 40,000. 'We subsequently wrote to the owner inviting him to submit a grant application to help offset the cost of the remedial work but no application was received. 'Such grants can usually cover up to 50 per cent of the cost of remedial works. Cadw is more than happy to continue to provide advice to the owner as necessary.' Relations between Russia and the West are worse than during the Cold War, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has told the BBC in an interview. Mr Lavrov denied any chemical weapons had been used in Douma, arguing that evidence produced by the UK, France and the US 'was based on media reports and social media'. The event did not take place, he told the BBC's Hardtalk programme. 'What did take place was a staged thing.' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (above) has accused the UK, US and France of launching their attack in Syria based on social media reports of a chemical weapons use in Douma The British delegation said in a statement posted on Twitter: 'Unfettered access [is] essential. Russia and Syria must cooperate.' Pictured: Douma today Men load a carpet and mattress on to a bicycle in front of damaged buildings today in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack Mr Lavrov also questioned why the US, UK and France had carried out their retaliatory air strikes before OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) inspectors were able to visit the site. Russia and the West, he added, were facing a situation worse than during the Cold War due to a lack of channels of communication. Earlier Russia said a visit by chemical weapons inspectors to the Douma site had been delayed as a result of Western air strikes. The British delegation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Russia and Syria had not allowed access. But Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin's spokesman, said: 'We consider such accusations against Russia to be groundless,' adding that Moscow was in favour of 'an impartial investigation'. 'This is the latest conjecture of our British colleagues,' Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by RIA news agency. He also said the delay was because of air strikes. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, meanwhile, said: 'I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site.' At least 75 people are believed to have been killed in the attack on and thousands of survivors have fled to refugee camps in northern Syria. Pictured: A child receiving oxygen through respirators following the Douma attack The British delegation to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Russia and Syria had not yet allowed access. Pictured: UN vehicles carrying Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) team of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrive at the Four Seasons hotel in Damascus on April 14 The British delegation said in a statement posted on Twitter: 'Unfettered access [is] essential. Russia and Syria must cooperate.' Britain's ambassador to the OPCW also said Russian assertions about why a team of inspectors had so far been unable to reach Douma were incorrect. Russian officials have said that the inspectors were unable to reach Douma because they had not been cleared by the United Nations and because of US-led strikes carried out on targets in Syria on Saturday prevented them. But Ambassador Peter Wilson said at a news conference in The Hague that the United Nations had cleared the inspectors to go, and they had been unable to reach Douma because Syria and Russia had been unable to guarantee their safety. Earlier, Russia vowed not to interfere in the work of a fact-finding mission sent to Syria by OPWC. 'Russia confirms its commitment to ensure safe [sic] and security of the mission and will not interfere in its work,' the Russian embassy in The Hague said in a tweet. It also slammed the United States, saying the weekend strikes by the US, France and Britain on three facilities in Syria were a bid 'to undermine the credibility' of the mission. Putin spokesman Peskov also dismissed French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that the weekend air strikes had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. While acknowledging some differences 'on a number of issues' between Turkey and Russia, Peskov said they did not prevent the two countries from cooperating in the implementation of large-scale economic and other projects. Russia made its comments as the OPWC opened emergency talks behind closed doors on Monday to discuss the April 7 alleged attack in Douma where 40 people were said to have been killed. The OPCW has 192 members, and Monday's governing executive council meeting of 41 states was called by its chairman, Bangladeshi ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, 'to discuss the alleged use of chemical weapons' in Syria. The US envoy to OPCW, meanwhile, said Russia may have tampered with the site of the attack. The comments came during a closed-door meeting. A child evacuated from Douma receives preventive medicine upon arrival in Al-Bab district, Aleppo An image released by the White Helmets shows a toddler in a nappy being given oxygen after the attack in Syria Syrian government forces wait for vehicles carrying Jaish al-Islam fighters and their family members as they are evacuated from the Eastern Ghouta town of Douma on April 14 A young child is treated by specialists after being taken to Aleppo in the wake of the gas attack on Douma 'It is long overdue that this council condemns the Syrian government for its reign of chemical terror and demands international accountability for those responsible for these heinous acts,' US Ambassador Kenneth Ward said in comments obtained by Reuters. 'It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site. It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation.' A diplomatic source told Reuters evidence may have been removed while inspectors negotiated access with Syrian authorities. Syria and Russia deny chemical weapons were used in the final offensive that captured Douma, a rebel-held territory east of Damascus. A headhunter has been branded an 'online bully' after publicly labeling everyone under 25 without a job 'lazy little s***s'. Josh Harrison, a director of a recruitment company who claims to be one of 'the most viewed recruiters on LinkedIn', made the comments on the professional networking site. The self-proclaimed recruitment guru, from Leeds, was responding to a blog post by entrepreneur Jack Parsons, 24, in which Mr Parsons said the job market is 'broken for young people'. Josh Harrison publicly labelled anyone under 25 without a job a 'lazy little s***' He said that it is now easier than ever to get a well paid job in the UK, and claimed unless people hjaclaimed that those who are young and without work are lazy. Mr Harrison, who says he is 'hooked into LinkedIn like the Matrix' in his bio, responded: 'Am I the only one calling bulls*** on this 'poor us' attitude that Jack Parsons and his 'crew' are pushing? 'They claim that it's difficult for young people to get into work these days, as if it's harder than previous generations. 'I'll tell you right now that it has never been easier for a young man/lady to find a reasonably well paid job in this country and I'd go as far as to say regardless of qualifications, if you're under the age of 25 and not in work without any good medical or mental health reason then you're either a lazy little s*** or you're setting your sights way too high. 'People are crying out for intelligent young people in the workplace. Jack Parsons, 24, posted a blog saying that the job market is 'broken for young people' 'I'm not surprised us millennials are being called entitled, kids these days measure their worth in the amount of followers they have on Instagram, they get upset if they're not a CEO by 25. 'Everyone seems to want to start from the top, not work their way up, no one seems to want to get their hands dirty anymore. 'If you're young and you're not in work, it's because you either don't want to be or you're not trying hard enough, don't blame society for keeping you out of a job when we're living in the most open minded, progressive, equality-focussed period we've ever encountered.' Self proclaimed recruitment guru Mr Harrison describes himself as 'hooked into Linkedin like the Matrix' Josh finished his post with the hashtags #dontbealazylittles*** and #cryharder. Jack replied in a comment, which said: 'Josh, thank you for your opinion, I'm a big believer that everyone should have freedom of speech so thank you for sharing your opinions here on LinkedIn. 'Unfortunately I've never heard or come across you before so it's certainly grabbed mine and many others attention by including in my name. 'Congratulations on your engagement on this post.' In a blog post Mr Parsons reflected on being turned down by an employer in 2015 and said the recruitment process for young people was broken He signed off his response with: 'I would also like to recommend you be careful on how you use your LinkedIn profile this can come across as online bullying.' Jack, who is CEO of Big Youth Group and also digital advisor for The Prince's Trust, claims his mission is to 'change the world' by creating two million career opportunities for young people in the UK alone. Jack said: 'I completely disagree with Josh's comments and so does 12,202 who have reached to me about the post. Jack, who is CEO of Big Youth Group and also digital advisor for The Prince's Trust, claims his mission is to 'change the world' by creating two million career opportunities for young people in the UK alone 'It's not easy for young people. Young people don't know what they don't know just like Josh does not know how to correctly position himself [on] the issues that young people face. 'Young people are labelled, misunderstood and misrepresented. They are rarely given purposeful opportunities to make a meaningful difference. 'To add, those that start out themselves are often dismissed and not given the time of day. 'Young people are however the future of society, culture, and commerce. Josh clearly has no idea around this and is headhunter for senior professionals who are probably over the age of 30. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on April 16 received Senator Olivier Cadic representing French citizens living abroad, the Presidential Office informed. April 16, 2018, 16:35 President Sarkissian receives Senator Olivier Cadic representing French citizens living abroad STEPANAKERT, APRIL 16, ARTSAKHPRESS:The Armenian President noted with satisfaction that the visits of French parliamentarians to Armenia have already become a good tradition which is one of the best manifestations of unique relations between the two countries. The officials attached importance to the Francophonie Summit which will be held in Armenia in autumn 2018. President Sarkissian said the International Organization of La Francophonie is not only a structure formed over linguistic or cultural commonalities for Armenia, but also it is a broader unit meaning the business forum of the Francophonie countries to be held on the sidelines of the summit and the creation of the Francophonie business network. President Sarkissian highly appreciated the efforts of France, as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country, aimed at peacefully settling the Artsakh conflict and strengthening security, stability in the region and developing the cooperation. Senator Olivier Cadic introduced the system on representing French citizens living abroad in the Senate and the mutual cooperation mechanisms of French organizations abroad. A jealous Russian nanny stabbed a mother to death with a kitchen knife in front of her three-year-old son - because she wanted a loving family of her own. Ekaterina Krysova, 29, has been jailed for 11 years for murdering Anna Belova who was knifed 15 times in a frenzied attack at her home in the city of Yekaterinburg. Krysova was seen as a caring and loving nanny to Pavel, the three-year-old son of Belova, a sales manager, and her husband Alexey Belov. But a court heard that secretly she could not stand the fact that Belova had the warm and loving family she had always wanted for herself but could never find. Scroll down for video Jealous Russian nanny Ekaterina Krysova (pictured) stabbed a mother to death with a kitchen knife in front of her three-year-old son - because she wanted a loving family of her own Ekaterina Krysova, 29, has been jailed for 11 years for murdering Anna Belova (pictured) who was knifed 15 times in a frenzied attack at her home in the city of Yekaterinburg Krysova (left) was seen as a caring and loving nanny to Pavel, the three-year-old son of Belova (right), a sales manager, and her husband Alexey Belov She 'lost her mind with jealousy' and 'convinced herself that she could have become a better mother for little Pavel', according to one report. She stabbed Anna in front of the boy. When security guard Alexey could not reach his wife, he rushed home from work and found the child sobbing over the bloody corpse of his wife - and the nanny sitting close by. He said: 'I was at work when it happened. My wife had called me - the line was bad, and I said I would call her later. But when I called again, her phone was switched off. 'This was unusual, her mobile was always on I got worried and rushed back home. 'What I had seen there It was horrific. A true bloody horror. When I came in, my wife was lying here, in a puddle of blood. The knife was next to her. Our nanny was there too, hugging the boy'. A court heard that secretly Krysova (pictured in court) could not stand the fact that Belova had the warm and loving family she had always wanted for herself but could never find When security guard Alexey could not reach his wife, Anna (right), he rushed home from work and found the child sobbing over the bloody corpse of his wife - and the nanny (left) sitting close by Krysova (pictured in court) confessed that she felt like a mother to the boy because Belova was out to work as the family's main breadwinner She told him she had killed his wife. Later in court she added: 'I dreamed of getting married and having children. It was like fog in my mind. I plead guilty.' She confessed that she felt like a mother to the boy because Belova was out to work as the family's main breadwinner. 'I was with Pavel from 8 am to 11 pm,' she said. 'I fed him, played with him, I was like a mother for him. And he loved me too.' Alexey said: 'She lived with us for about a year. We were joking that she was like Anna's sister. We felt very safe to leave the child with her while we were at work. She lived with us even at weekends.' Investigators checked other versions, including that Alexey had murdered his wife, but ruled this out. Investigators checked other versions, including that Alexey (left) had murdered his wife (right), but ruled this out Krysova confessed that she felt like a mother to the boy because Belova (pictured) was out to work as the family's main breadwinner Anna Belova (pictured, left and right) had two children from a previous marriage who were unharmed Investigator Alexander Gartsev said: 'The murder was solved quickly. Evidence was gathered at the scene. The accused woman confessed.' His boss Igor Yudin, the head of investigative department in the Ordzhonikidze district of Ekaterinburg, said the nanny 'passed mental health checks and was pronounced sane.' Prosecutors had demanded 15 years in jail but the judge said she had confessed her guilt and 'repented'. He ordered her to serve 11 years in prison. Belova had two children from a previous marriage who were unharmed. Diane Abbott has been caught out posting a fake image of an Israeli fighter plane bombing Iran in a tweet slamming Britain's airstrikes on Syria. Labour's shadow home secretary posted the photo-shopped image alongside a message tearing into Theresa May for not having a parliamentary vote before the strike. But when Twitter users pointed out she was using a mocked-up image dating back to March 2012 she branded their criticism 'pathetic'. The image was mocked up by Al Clark for The Aviationist and shows how an attack by a formation of F-15Is on a nuclear facility located in downtown Tehran might look like. Tory MP Michael Fabricant told MailOnline: ' If it were up to Diane Abbott we would not intervene in nay overseas military operation, no matter how threatening to the UK. 'Diane Abbott does her pacifism no good at all by deceitfully broadcasting pictures which are photo-shopped and have no relation to the truth.' The row over Ms Abbott's tweet came as Theresa May prepared to deliver a passionate defence of the Syria strikes today as she faces off with MPs. Diane Abbott (pictured in Parliament today) has been caught out posting a fake image of an Israeli fighter plane bombing Iran in a tweet slamming Britain's airstrikes on Syria Diane Abbott (pictured afortnight ago) has been caught out posting a fake image of an Israeli fighter plane bombing Iran in a tweet slamming Britain's airstrikes on Syria Labour's shadow home secretary posted the photo-shopped image alongside a message tearing into Theresa May for not having a vote before the strike But when Twitter users pointed out that she was using a mocked-up image dating back to March 2012 she branded their criticism 'pathetic' Ms Abbott posted the image with the message attacking International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt for her interview on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme. She wrote: 'Shocking to hear Tory minister on BBC Radio 4 Today claim that you can't allow Parliament to vote on war because that would be to "outsource the decision to people who don't have all the info". 'Do these people understand what parliamentary democracy is?' The image has been retweeted nearly 1,000 times and liked 1,900 times on Twitter. It is unclear why Ms Abbott chose to post the image, which clearly shows an Israeli plane and depicts a day-time raid - whereas the airstrike launched by Britain, the US and France took place in the dead of night. And the photo shows a raid on a built-up area of a city - whereas Friday night's strike targeted chemical weapons sites some distance from civilian homes. People on Twitter quickly pointed out the image she had used was not a genuine photograph, but a fake image often used by the Syrian state media channel SANA TVC. ABC reporter Julia Macfarlane wrote: 'Diane Abbott The Shadow Home Secretary here, using a photoshopped image, of what looks like an Israeli F15 jet, that has been repeatedly used on SANA TVC articles since early 2017.' But Ms Abbott has refused to delete the pictured or apologise for her mistake - and instead had a go at people for criticising her. A reporter was among those who pointed out the image is photo-shopped and not a picture from the strike by Western forces against Syria at the weekend Tory MP James Cleverly said the Labour MP undermine d her own argument by using a photo-shopped image One Twitter user said the tweet was another example of Diane Abbott's blundering Colin Jacobs joined in the criticism - pointing out that Diane Abbott's famous car crash election interview when she could not say how much Labour's policing policies cost should have been a reminder of the need to get her facts straight She wrote: 'Apparently, my use of this pic is "important news". Yes, UK goes to war without UN approval or even parliamentary debate. 'But the most important news is what pics I use in a tweet. Pathetic.' Tory MP for Braintree James Cleverly said: Diane massively undermines he own argument by showing a willingness to use a deeply dishonest image. 'Can any of us believe she, or Corbyn etc, would make a balanced judgement based on the facts rather than on their anti-West prejudice and a desire for party political advantage?' Colin Jacobs, managing director of Immediate Future social media consultancy, said: 'I feel Diane Abbott has received sufficient (warranted) criticism when she has not been accurate with information (particularly budgets) to know this is an insanely stupid decision she's made. Why?!' French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured left) greets Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in Paris today. The meeting comes after Mr Macron joined Britain and France in airstrikes against Syrian chemical weapons sites Justin Trudeau (pictured with Emmanuel Macron today) put out a statement backing the airstrikes against Bashar Assad's chemical weapons bases Stephen Phillips wrote on Twitter 'Clearly, Ms Abbott is incapable of discerning fact from fiction. 'Hopefully she has by now removed this scurrilous piece of #FakeNews and apologised to the Israeli government - and everyone else offended by it. 'Just as well she's more accurate with her sums.' The row comes ahead of a hotly-anticipated parliamentary clash later today about Mrs May's decision to order airstrikes without a parliamentary vote. The PM will deliver a passionate defence of the Syria strikes today as she faces off with MPs. She will insist action to degrade Bashar Assad's chemical weapons capability was in the 'national interest' and justified on humanitarian grounds. Pointing to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury last month, she will says it is vital that the use of such banned substances does not become 'normalised' around the world. But Mrs May is expected to face a rough ride in the Commons, with Jeremy Corbyn branding the strikes illegal and saying military action should never be taken without UN - and Russian - approval. The row over Ms Abbott's tweet came as May prepared to deliver a passionate defence of the Syria strikes today as she faces off with MPs. The Prime Minister will insist action to degrade Bashar Assad's chemical weapons capability was in the 'national interest' and justified on humanitarian grounds. Theresa May, pictured at a Commonwealth summit in London today, will be making a statement to MPs later on the Syria strikes Pointing to the nerve agent attack in Salisbury last month, she will says it is vital that the use of such banned substances does not become 'normalised' around the world. But Mrs May is expected to face a rough ride in the Commons, with Jeremy Corbyn branding the strikes illegal and saying military action should never be taken without UN - and Russian - approval. The premier is also set to defy calls for MPs to be given a substantive vote on whether it had been right to deploy UK forces. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said this morning that it would have been 'crazy' to 'outsource' the decision to MPs who could not be given the full intelligence picture. She suggested that a vote should only be called if there were plans for a sustained military campaign, rather than limited airstrikes. In a statement to parliament, the PM will say chemical weapons use cannot become normalised 'either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere'. In a highly unusual step, Mrs May will ask Speaker John Bercow to call an emergency six-hour debate on the action, giving MPs from both sides of the House the chance to have a say. Mrs May has faced considerable criticism for not recalling Parliament to gain approval for joining the US-led action against Bashar al-Assad's despotic regime But the mechanism does not allow for a substantive vote. Instead the only division that could be forced by Opposition parties would confirm that the House has 'considered' the issues. Mrs May has faced considerable criticism for not recalling Parliament to gain approval before joining the US-led action against Bashar al-Assad's despotic regime. Tony Blair established a convention in the run-up to the Iraq War that a Commons vote is held on significant military action. Does May need to call a Commons vote on striking Syria? Theresa May was constitutionally entitled to order British forces into action in Syria without a Commons vote. The Prime Minister has the power to deploy troops under the Royal Prerogative. There are no hard and fast rules obliging the government to involve rank-and-file MPs in the decision. But a vote on prolonged deployment of UK forces would be almost impossible to avoid. Commons divisions have been held on almost all military action by British forces since the Iraq War in 2003, establishing what many see as a firm convention. Advertisement However, the PM retains the ability to deploy UK forces when needed. Mrs May has said it was not practical to seek parliamentary approval for the limited strikes on Syria early on Saturday morning. Critics say she was nervous about the possibility of losing a vote - although after the action passed apparently without escalation many believe she would win one. Tory MPs have been told they must be in the Commons today and tomorrow in case there is a vote on her handling of the Syria crisis. Downing Street officials said they believed a vote was unlikely but did not rule out the possibility of other parties forcing one later in the week. Ms Mordaunt told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'To take a decision on whether something is legally justified, and whether what we are actually intending on doing in terms of targets is appropriate, you would need to know information that could not be shared with every MP. 'And so, outsourcing that decision to people who do not have the full picture is, I think, quite wrong. And, the convention that was established, I think is very wrong. 'I support governments being able to take those decisions, Parliament should hold government to account for that decision.' She added: 'You can't, for example, share targets with members of parliament. It would be a crazy thing to do.' Mrs May will tell MPs: 'Let me be absolutely clear. We have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. 'It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. 'For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere.' Mr Corbyn yesterday again questioned the legality of the UK's role in the 105-missile strike and called for legislation to stop military action without MPs' support. He also caused fury among his own MPs by stating that he would never take military action in Syria without a UN security council resolution. The blanket vow effectively gives Vladimir Putin the ability to block UK foreign policy, as Russia has a veto in the security council and has repeatedly deployed it. Shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti also dismissed the legal basis as 'contentious', telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'You can't use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. 'You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you.' She added: 'I think that Parliament should have been recalled before the strike. Some people will suspect that that didn't happen because of governmental concerns that they couldn't get the vote in Parliament. And that to me is not a good enough reason.' Boris Johnson, arriving for a summit of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, said: 'The action that was taken by France, by the UK, by the United States in launching calibrated and proportionate strikes against Assad's chemical weapons capabilities, was entirely right, entirely the right thing to do - right for the UK and right for the world. 'I'm very grateful for the strong international support that there has been for what the P3 - UK, France and America - have done.' The Royal Navy is to keep old ships it was due to decommission to ensure it has enough vessels to police Britain's borders after Brexit. Ageing offshore patrol vessels had been due to be scrapped next year after replacements are commissioner. But both Batch 1 and Batch 2 ships will now stay in service, except for one of the old ships, HMS Severn, which has already been decommissioned last year. Rear Admiral Chris Gardner, assistant chief of naval staff ships and chief naval logistics officer, said the fleet could 'absolutely' play a critical role protecting the borders. HMS Severn (pictured) was decommissioned last year but three sister ships will now stay in service alongside newer offshore patrol vessel models They would bolster the maritime defence with their presence and increase the overall number of warships capable of patrolling Britain's coastal shores at any one time. Rear Adm Gardner said the Navy is 'very keen' to keep the ships but said currently it has only drafted contingency plans to keep them in service should the government ask. A 12.7 million fund has been allocated by the government from the EU exit preparedness fund to preserve the fleet should they be required after Brexit. Ultimately, however, Rear Adm Gardner said it is too early to know whether the fleet will be retained. Rear Admiral Chris Gardner, assistant chief of naval staff ships and chief naval logistics officer, said the fleet could 'absolutely' play a critical role protecting the borders He said: 'At the moment no decision has been taken about what their future could be. 'I'm keeping the ships in a state of operational readiness. '[This means that] as the future becomes a bit clearer post-Brexit, and as our requirements are more broadly understood, we will be able to make decisions about whether or not we will seek to retain and operate them as additional units in the Royal Navy or find some other solution.' Batch 1 was made up of four ships, however after HMS Severn was decommissioned last year only HMS Tyne, HMS Clyde, and HMS Mersey remain. Asked if they could play a critical role in protecting the UK's borders after Brexit, Rear Adm Gardner said: 'Absolutely they could. 'It wouldn't come without its challenges because we would have to find the crews but there are ways and means for us to be able to do that. Retaining the older OPVs would help to free up the more advanced Batch 2 patrol ships (pictured) which can carry out duties such as counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations 'It's certainly something the Royal Navy would be very, very keen and willing to undertake should we be asked to do so.' What do offshore patrol vessels do? Last year HMS Severn was decommissioned after just 14 years of service. Her three other sister ships are still in active service. They conduct patrols of the UK's waters and have also been key in tackling drug gangs and providing aid in humanitarian crises. Currently there are three based around the UK and Europe with HMS Clyde, stationed near the Falkland Islands. HMS Forth, of Batch 2, is due to be operational active by September. The majority of the remaining four batch two warships will join the fleet in 2019, with the last entering service in 2020. Advertisement He added: 'This is, however, a political decision and down to the government to decide what the requirement is and then to ask us to fulfill that requirement. 'But until we can get firm direction by the government we are just planning.' Last month Guto Bebb, parliamentary under-secretary for defence, said a 12.7 million fund had been allocated from the EU exit preparedness fund to retain the three ships if necessary. Retaining the older OPVs would help to free up the more advanced Batch 2 patrol ships which can carry out duties such as counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations. Commander Sarah Oakley heads up the Royal Navy's fishery protection squadron, which seeks to enforce maritime laws in British waters and works closely with the Batch 1 OPVs. She said the fleet were 'absolutely vital' to the UK's defence and reach overseas. Two boy racers were jailed today for killing a young woman on her way home from working extra shifts to travel the world. Kelly Kennedy, 25, died at the scene of the crash on the main Swansea Valley road as she drove home from work. Liam Price, 23, had previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving but his co-accused, Cory Kedward, also 23, denied the charge - he claimed he had not been involved in racing or any kind of 'competitive driving'. However, a jury of seven men and five women found Kedward guilty by a majority verdict following a six-day trial at Swansea Crown Court last week. Price was today sentenced to six years and four months in prison, while Kedward was jailed for seven years. Price (left) was today sentenced to six years and four months in prison, while Kedward (right) was jailed for seven years A jury found he had been racing Liam Price, 23, who smashed into motorist Kelly Kennedy, 25. The young woman died at the scene of the crash in Swansea Valley in July 2016 Pictured here is Kelly Kennedy's family reading a statement outside Swansea Crown Court Jailing them both today Judge Paul Thomas told the pair: 'The two of you drive neck and neck. 'Neither of you would back down. Winning that contest was all you cared about. 'Your egos were more important to both of you than the safety of others. It was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road.' Speaking to Kedward, he added that in 30 years he had never seen such 'whining self pity in the witness box.' In a victim impact statement Kelly's mother Tracy said her daughter had planned to work at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and had booked her tickets to travel in October. And her father Paul said her family 'would never be happy again.' He said: 'In a way it will bring us closure but it does not give us any satisfaction. Cory Kedward, 23, was found guilty of death by dangerous driving on Tuesday 'No matter what sentence they get it will never be enough, it won't bring back what we had. 'It will bring closure to it, but are we happy? We will never be happy again.' In a letter read out in court Price said: 'My actions that night have taken away a young life and I am sincerely sorry. 'I hope the justice here in court will help to ease the pain. I hate myself for what has happened.' Miss Kennedy was killed on the evening of July 4, 2016, on the A4067 between Pontardawe and Glais - she was heading down the valley towards her home in Clydach, and travelling in the opposite direction of Price and Kedward. After negotiating the Glais roundabout, the two defendants - Price in his turquoise Honda Civic Sport and Kedward in his black Vauxhall Astra SRi - began to race each other. The court heard witnesses describe how the two cars were 'racing side-by-side' along the road at speeds estimated to be between 70mph and 80mph, with neither man seemingly wanting to 'give in'. Moments later Price, who was driving in the offside lane as he tried to overtake Kedward, slammed straight into the front of Miss Kennedy's Ford Ka, sending it crashing off the carriageway. Pictured here is victim Kelly Kennedy with her partner Joseph Connolly The crash was described in court as a 'huge impact', which killed Miss Kennedy 'instantaneously'. Kedward, whose car was not caught up the crash, did not stop to see what had happened. Instead he drove to his grandfather's house in Ystradgynlais, where he dumped a small amount of cannabis he had on him along with his mobile phone. He returned to the scene later that night to find the by-pass closed at the Pontardawe roundabout. He was subsequently arrested and in court complained about the way he was treated by police while in custody. The crash was described in court as a 'huge impact', which killed Miss Kennedy 'instantaneously'. Pictured: The A4067 between Pontardawe and Glais in Wales Kedward claimed he had not been involved in racing or any kind of 'competitive driving'. He and Price both had been at McDonald's before the crash, but Kedward claimed they didn't know each other Miss Kennedy was heading down the valley towards her home in Clydach after work, and was travelling in the opposite direction of Price and Kedward During his trial he denied he had been racing with Price - someone he said he knew by reputation for 'driving like an idiot' - and maintained there had been nothing wrong or dangerous in the way he had driven along the by-pass. Kedward and Price both had been at McDonald's before the crash, but Kedward claimed they didn't know each other, saying: 'I did not know Liam and I did not recognise his car.' However, a jury rejected his version of events and convicted him of causing death by dangerous driving by a majority of 11 to one. Budget airline Allegiant Air is more than three times more likely to have a break down mid-air than any of its competitors, FAA data shows. Serious incidents included cabins filling with smoke or toxic fumes, major components on ageing planes breaking on takeoff, and blown engines. Allegiant, the ninth-biggest carrier in the U.S., had more than 100 serious mechanical issues between January 2016 and October 2017. Scroll down for video Budget airline Allegiant Air is more than three times more likely to have a break down mid-air than any of its competitors, FAA data shows They included aborted takeoffs, rapid descents, flight control malfunctions, and midair engine failures. The reports obtained by 60 Minutes showed its rate of incidents was 3.5 times higher compared to seven other airlines including United, JetBlue, Delta, and Spirit. Allegiant hits profit margins of up to 30 per cent, the highest in the business, but experts and its own employees believe this is done by cutting safety corners. Numerous traumatised passengers told stories of horror emergencies where they believed they were going to die, and even of cabin crew crying in distress. In one incident, a flight from Cincinnati to Las Vegas in July last year was delayed for three hours while mechanics worked on the engine. As soon as the plane took off, the engine blew with such force it popped open the cockpit doors and the plane had to make an emergency landing. 'There was smoke in the cabin and fire coming out of that engine. I just remember thinking that I would never see my daughter again,' passenger Mercedes Weller said. Last September another flight landed in Fresno, CA, and the cabin filled with a white gas that made it difficult for passengers to breathe Passengers on the flight (pictured) said they were told to disembark normally and take their bags so the landing would look normal Passengers all turned on their phones to called loved ones. She texted her husband to say: 'If something happens, just know that I've been very happy. And I love you.' Last September another flight landed in Fresno, CA, and the cabin filled with a white gas that made it difficult for passengers to breathe. Instead of opening the doors to evacuate, the pilot told passengers to breathe through their shirts or wet napkins. 'The crying flight attendants [were] walking around not making eye contact, blindly handing out wet cocktail napkins,' passengers Scott Shuemake and his brother-in-law Chris recalled. Oxygen masks never deployed and passengers were stuck on the plane for at least 12 minutes until they were finally let off. But unlike a normal evacuation, they were told to leave via the usual plane stairs and remember their cabin luggage so everything would look normal. 'They can't have the image on the 6pm news of a bunch of passengers jumping with their arms crossed on a yellow slide,' Mr Shuemake said. The fumes turned out to be Skydrol 4, a hazardous hydraulic fluid. Instead of opening the doors to evacuate, the pilot told passengers to breathe through their shirts or wet napkins handed out by crying flight attendants (pictured) 'They can't have the image on the 6pm news of a bunch of passengers jumping with their arms crossed on a yellow slide,' passengers said Another incident took place in August 2015, during a period where the Tampa Bay Times found the airline was four times more likely to have issues than other carriers. A plane was barrelling down the Las Vegas runway and the pilot was having trouble controlling the plane and so aborted takeoff. Investigators discovered a cotter pin, that holds together essential components necessary for the pilots to fly the plane, was missing. A damning inspection report found the pin was missing for weeks as maintenance skipped procedures that would have seen it fives times. During that time, the plane flew 200 times, and would have killed everyone on board if the components came loose. Inspectors recommend Allegiant be fined the maximum amount possible to prevent 'potential tragedies' in the future. 'There was smoke in the cabin and fire coming out of that engine. I just remember thinking that I would never see my daughter again,' passenger Mercedes Weller said of another incident Investigators discovered a cotter pin, that holds together essential components necessary for the pilots to fly the plane, was missing (pictured) after a dramatic aborted takeoff 'Every stop gap in place to enhance safety to a critical flight control was skipped, bypassed or improperly done,' the report read. The inspector said it amounted to 'careless (and possibly reckless) conduct' and 'deliberate and systemic acts of noncompliance' with Allegiant's maintenance procedures and federal aviation rules. 'They are clearly a repeat offender that show an unwillingness to admit errors unless it will not cost the company money,' he wrote. However, the FAA chose to give the company a slap on the wrist and instead work with it to improve procedures and compliance. In a fourth incident from 2015 highlighted by 60 Minutes, a pilot was fired for evacuating a plane when the cabin filled with smoke from one of the engines. In Captain John Kinzer's letter of termination, Allegiant accused him of ordering an 'entirely unwarranted' evacuation and not 'striving to preserve the company's assets'. Captain John Kinzer was fired for evacuating a plane when the cabin filled with smoke from one of the engines in a fourth incident in 2015 He sued for wrongful dismissal after being unable to get another job as a pilot, with the case to go to court next month. Daniel Wells, a former captain who now heads the pilots union, said the case highlighted how pilots were told to play down incidents and faults. 'What I hear from hundreds of conversations with Allegiant pilots, is the management of Allegiant seems to denigrate the pursuit of safety,' he said. 'What I hear from the Allegiant pilots are they get a call from maintenance control, says: "You didn't write anything up, did you?" 'Meaning you didn't notice any maintenance problems on the airplane. And that's a very clear message to send to pilots that the company is discouraging you from recording maintenance deficiencies.' Other than cutting corners on maintenance and safety, many of the issues are blamed on the airline's reliance on very old McDonnell Douglas MD-80 planes. Daniel Wells, a former captain who now heads the pilots union, said pilots were told to play down incidents and faults They are decades old, mostly bought cheaply from foreign airlines, and require a lot of maintenance with difficult to source parts, 60 Minutes said. The program noted the number of incidents started to improve recently as the airline replaced several of these planes with newer Airbus A319s and A320s. The small ultra-low-cost carrier in response called the 60 Minutes report 'unoriginal and outdated story that bears no resemblance to Allegiants operations today'. Allegiant said it was a 'false narrative' and suggestions staff were discouraged from reporting issues was 'offensive and defamatory'. China has shown off its latest nuclear-capable missile billed as the 'Guam Killer' that could allegedly take down ships in US territory. A clip from its state broadcaster today shows the warheads being paraded in rows at the Rocket Force, a part of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) which handles the country's growing missile arsenal. Although China's state broadcaster didn't specify the model of the missile, Chinese reporters claimed it's DF-26, a medium-to-long-range missile that could travel at supersonic speeds. A type of nuclear-capable ballistic missile was commissioned to China's Rocket Force today Footage released by Chinese state broadcaster shows the warheads being paraded in rows The missile is also said to be able to reach Guam, a US territory about 2,000 miles away from the Chinese coast. The missile has been developed and built solely by Chinese engineers and was commissioned to the PLA Rocket Force today, according to People's Daily Online which cited a clip from state broadcaster CCTV. The news clip claimed that the missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and striking 'important targets on land and medium-to-large ships at sea with precision'. CCTV also said the missile is Beijing's trump card in military strategy. Chinese media claimed the latest missile is DF-26, a medium-to-long-range missile that could travel at supersonic speeds. It made its first public appearance in 2015 in Beijing (pictured) The missile is said to be capable of reaching US territory about 2,000 miles away from China CHINA'S OTHER MISSILES China's DF-21 missile boasts a firing distance of up to 1,926 miles (3,100km) and has been dubbed 'the killer of aircraft carrier'. The missile is potentially capable of sinking a U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in a single strike, media have claimed. The DF-10 missile, on the other hand, is the best performing long-range cruise missile in the world, according to Chinese news site Sina.com. Sina said the 990-pound (450kg) weapon could strike a maximum distance of 1,242 miles (2,000km) and could reach Japan and Taiwan if it's fired from inland China. Advertisement A commentary from Chinese news site Sina reported that the missile is DF-26 and it could sink aircraft carriers or underground military offices. DF-26 made its first public appearance in September, 2015, during a military parade in Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Beijing claimed to own about 2,500 ballistic missiles in a propaganda video last year, including one of the world's most powerful weapons, DF-41. The same video, however, also said that other countries shouldn't be afraid of China's 'advanced artillery force' because Beijing wouldn't deploy the weapons unless it's provoked. DF-41 missile is said to have the longest range of any ballistic rockets in the world, and could reach London or the United States with nuclear warheads. A top private school has been accused of sexism for an advert which shows a boy pupil aiming to be a rich lawyer and a girl setting her sights as an Adele wannabe or an Eastenders soap star. Ardingly College is the 32,000-a-year boarding school near Haywards Heath, Sussex, where Have I Got News for You TV star Ian Hislop was head boy and where news presenter Jon Snow was a pupil. The advert, which has been displayed on Sussex buses for more than a month, is headlined 'World Ready' and is aimed at lauding the college. But it has been labelled politically incorrect after showing a boy pupil with labels showing he aspires to be a politician, lawyer or swimmer, while a girl counterpart has the tags 'vocalist', 'actor', 'writer'. The advert, which has been displayed on Sussex buses for more than a month, is headlined 'World Ready' and is aimed at lauding the college Ardingly College is the 32,000-a-year boarding school near Haywards Heath, Sussex, where Have I Got News for You TV star Ian Hislop (left) was head boy and where news presenter Jon Snow (right) was a pupil One Twitter user asked 'is this not entry level sexism?' while another said 'really disappointed at your advert. Wouldn't send my daughters here.' Tanya Taylor tweeted a picture of the advert and wrote '#everydaysexism shame on you Ardingly College'. Brighton and Hove city councillor Emma Daniel said she and her friends had been outraged, adding 'I am sure not intentional but as a politician with a law degree I do find it a little cliche.' Student Joely McEwan said she and her friends were 'disgusted' by the advert. But headteacher Ben Figgis said the criticism was wide of the mark and 'casual observers' had 'misinterpreted' the advertising campaign. He said the tags attached to the boy and girl pupils were 'the personal ambitions of the students pictured in the billboard' and that other adverts in the campaign showed different preferences. 'The key point about our ads is that the children themselves have chosen the career ambitions that feature alongside them. As a school we have not put words into their mouths, nor would we want to. Ardingly College is the 36,000-a-year boarding school near Haywards Heath, Sussex, where Have I Got News for You TV star Ian Hislop was head boy and where news presenter Jon Snow was a pupil 'We have featured girls aspiring to become scientists and surgeons as well as boys becoming writers and linguists. 'Among our girls, one is the head of our engineering project Ardingly Solar, while another recently became a finalist in the UK Space Design competition. 'But we also celebrate girls succeeding as artists, musicians and any other ambition they pursue.' On social media, Maxwell's Ghost posted 'If you were paying 36k a year you would hope your kids would have more ambition than being a pop star or a fat, lazy, useless Sussex MP. 'What an uninspiring advert. Save your cash and spend it on a house for your kid and put them in a good state school.' But Humbersupersnipe wrote 'Depends on your value judgments, and how you value each career. 'Money, happiness, with plasterers earning 10% more than architects as a broad average - career options are a minefield.' A fashion designer accused of killing her French nanny called her partner a 'murderer' from the dock after he described a violent incident involving Blue star Duncan James. Sabrina Kouider, 35, and Ouissem Medouni, 40, allegedly killed 21-year-old Sophie Lionnet and dumped her body on a bonfire at their 900,000 Wimbledon home last September. The designer in 2013 was alleged to have threatened her landlord along with James, who lived nearby her north London flat, after the landlord tried to question the pair about damage to the front door. Jurors heard the mother-of-two became obsessed that Miss Lionnet was in league against her with her ex-boyfriend Mark Walton, founder of Boyzone. Sabrina Kouider, 35, was 'good friends' with Duncan James from Blue who threatened her landlord with a crowbar, the Old Bailey heard on Monday Sabrina Kouider, 35, and boyfriend Ouissem Medouni, 40, tortured Sophie Lionnet in their 900,000 Wimbledon home before killing her on 18 September last year Duncan James from Blue (above) and Kouider were neighbours in Queensway, and together in 2013 allegedly threatened her landlord with a crowbar Giving evidence, former Societe Generale financial analyst Medouni said he did not kill the French nanny or make a plan with Kouider to cause Lionnet's death in September last year. Medouri said he was 'very concerned' for Kouider's mental state, having attacked him twice before. But as he recalled a series of incidents, Kouider shouted at him from the dock, saying: 'You are just a murderer. That's all you are.' The couple met at a French funfair when Kouider was a teenager and they went on to have an on-off relationship. Medouni told jurors he still loved Kouider even after she started seeing Mr Walton in 2011. Medouni said Kouider told him at that time that she had met a man in the music business called Mark, but went on to claim over a coffee that he had attacked her. Medouni said he was 'shocked' when she told him over a coffee he had 'tried to strangle her'. She then struck up a friendship with members of the boy band Blue, in particular Mr James, who she said was 'nice' and a 'good friend', the court heard. Orlando Pownall QC, defending, asked about an incident when police were called to Kouider's north London flat to reports of damage to the door. James from Blue and Kouider were neighbours in Queensway, and the landlord had complained that they damaged the flat's door and subsequently threatened him with a crowbar in September 2013, jurors heard. Kouider, 35, was violent and paranoid that nanny Sophie Lionnet was plotting behind her back with her Boyzone ex Mark Walton Mr Pownall said the landlord complained she and a husband or partner had told him to 'f*** off' and 'threatened him with a crowbar'. Medouni said Kouider told him it was Mr James, who lived nearby. He also told jurors that Kouider was the 'dominant' partner in their relationship and her moods would go 'up and down very quickly in the space of seconds'. He added: 'In the last years, every morning she would wake up screaming for nothing, and, if she had a dream about me being with another woman, she said it was going to happen and make up a story in her mind about it. 'She said she had a gift for knowing what is going to happen.' Medouni said he covered up for Kouider's mental instability with police and social workers as she became more obsessed with Mr Walton. She was also 'jealous' of him talking to Miss Lionnet, who was 'very shy' and liked to read Harry Potter books in her room. The defendant said Miss Lionnet earned 50 a week but the couple stopped paying her at the end of July last year because Kouider was 'angry at her'. Around this time, Kouider attacked her as she was cooking, Medouni said: 'She lost her temper and dragged her hair down. I recall she was going to hit her.' Sophie's parents Catherine and Stephane Devallonne were at the Old Bailey today to hear harrowing evidence about their daughter's death On what he told Kouider, he said: 'It's crazy. It's an assault so don't ever do that again. She's got to go. I had a feeling it's going too far.' He told jurors: 'To be honest I messed up. I should have bought a ticket and sent her home. 'I hate myself because there is this occasion and a crescendo after that. When I think about the whole situation, I'm really really angry with myself.' Medouni said it was Kouider's idea to question the nanny on tape to present evidence to police. The interrogations which went on for hours focused on Kouider's belief Miss Lionnet had been meeting Mr Walton, the court heard. Medouni and Kouider have admitted perverting the course of justice but deny murder. The nanny's parents were at the Old Bailey on Monday as they heard Medouni held their daughter's head under water in the bath until she confessed to false allegations that she was sleeping with Kouider's ex boyfriend Mark Walton, who was a founding member of Boyzone, the jury was told heard. The couple then burned the 21-year-old woman's body while Medouni grilled chicken on a barbecue, it is claimed. The court heard that Ms Lionnet was forced to live and sleep at a desk in the Wimbledon flat, forbidden from going outside, until she 'confessed' her collaborations with Walton Medouni, who denies murdering Ms Lionnet but admits burning her body, gave evidence today wearing a blue suit and grey tie. He said that Kouider claimed to have prophetic dreams that predicted the future, and when he laughed at this she would 'go mad'. Defence barrister Orlando Pownall QC asked Medouni what sort of mood swings Kouider had, and he responded: 'Up and down very very quickly, in the space of a second. 'Not each morning but most of them she would scream for nothing or if she had a dream and she dreamed of me with another girl, she tells me that it's true, it's going to happen or something like that. 'I said no but she would make a story in her mind. 'Even in the middle of the night she can wake up and start an argument. She claimed that what she's dreaming will happen. 'She even said to me she had a gift.' The Recorder of London, Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC wanted to confirm this, as he could barely hear soft-spoken Medouni. 'She said she had a gift for what?' asked Judge Hilliard. 'For dreaming what's going to happen,' said Medouni. 'Sometimes I ask what she dreamed of, she says 'no I can't say because if I say it is going to happen.' 'If I start laughing at that she would go mad.' Mr Pownall asked Medouni what he thought of Kouider when he first saw her, and he said: 'She was very very beautiful, she still is.' Sophie was alleged to have been made to confess to false allegations that she was sleeping with Kouider's ex boyfriend Mark Walton, who was a founding member of Boyzone (pictured left, and right outside court) Prosecutors claim that French Algerian fashion designer Kouider and jobless Medouni (pictured together) held Ms Lionnet's head under water in the bath Medouni told jurors he did not kill Miss Lionnet by his own hand or make a plan with Kouider to cause her death. Mr Pownall asked: 'Did you cause her body to be burned in a fire in the garden at the back of Wimbledon Park Road?' Medouni said 'Yes.' The barrister said: 'Do you agree that you made many dreadful decisions in the course of the account you are about to give?' The defendant replied: 'Yes.' Medouni said he felt he had 'won the Euromillions' when he eventually started dating Kouider. In a statement dated 5 January this year Medouni had confessed killing Ms Lionnet 'accidentally' while interrogating her in the bathroom. He later changed his defence and pinned the blame on Kouider, claiming he had been covering up for her before. But a revised defence statement was served on 15 March in which Medouni said he was in a 'state of shock' when he 'stupidly' took the blame for the murder. 'I should have done a lot more to protect Sophie and I feel responsible for not ensuring that she was returned home,' Medouni said in the statement. 'I should've been very much more assertive with Sabrina and accept that had I been, Sophie Lionnet would probably still be alive.' Medouni claims he was asleep when Kouider killed Ms Lionnet, and when he awoke he tried to save her. He says that on 18 September, the day of the murder, Kouider begged him not to call the police after he found Ms Lionnet's dead body, suggesting instead that they burn the body. Two days later the pair started a fire using nail polish remover and the fire service arrived shortly after, the court heard. Medouni told firemen the charred body of Ms Lionnet was a sheep he bought at Wimbledon Market. Medouni and Kouider, both of Southfields, southwest London, each deny murder, but admit perverting the course of justice by burning the body. Kouider claims she was asleep and it was Medouni who killed the nanny after becoming increasingly angry with her. The trial continues. A group from the U.S. and Japan is trekking to a remote Pacific island jungle to document what is considered one of the most important wreck sites of World War II: the place where American fighters shot down a Japanese bomber carrying the mastermind of the Pearl Harbor attack. Three members of a New York-based WWII research organization and a Japanese aviation expert plan to visit the crash site on Bougainville, part of Papua New Guinea, on Wednesday - the 75th anniversary of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's death. Yamamoto had spent several years in the U.S. earlier in his military career, studying at Harvard University and admiring America's industrial might. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, he was quite possibly the most hated man in America. Wednesday will mark the 75th anniversary of the death of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor In this April 1944 photo infantrymen of the U.S. Army Americal Division watch from behind a barricade of piled-up sandbags as U.S. dive bombers blast Japanese positions, right, across the mouth of the Torokina river on the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, where American fighters shot down Yamamoto 'As long as he lived, the Japanese navy was a threat,' said Donald A. Davis, a Colorado-based writer who told the story of 'Operation Vengeance' in a 2005 book. 'He was feared in the Pacific.' Historians generally credit Yamamoto, an innovative proponent of air power, with the idea of attacking the U.S. Pacific fleet and convincing Japanese military leaders that his plan could work. The December 7, 1941, sneak attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor on Hawaii's Oahu Island killed more than 2,400 people, sunk or damaged 18 ships, destroyed 300 warplanes and drew the U.S. into the war. Getting Yamamoto became very much a mission of its own. The big break for the U.S. came on April 13, 1943, when Navy code breakers discovered that Yamamoto planned to tour bases in areas of the Solomon Islands still held by Japanese forces. The admiral's tour was scheduled for April 18 - just five days away. A combined force of American and Royal New Zealand Air Force dive bombers taxi to a runway on the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea on April 16, 1994 U.S. military officials quickly approved an air mission to intercept the admiral's plane and shoot it down. The task fell to a squadron of Army Air Forces P-38 Lightnings based on Guadalcanal, in the Solomons. After the pilots closely reviewed Yamamoto's flight plan, 16 P-38s flew 400 miles west and spotted two enemy bombers over Bougainville, another island in the Solomon archipelago. While some of the P-38s engaged Yamamoto's fighter escort, other American planes attacked the two bombers. One slammed into the jungle, while the other crashed off shore. Yamamoto, 59, was among 11 men who died in the plane that crashed on land. Yamamoto's death was yet another blow to the Japanese after the tide of the Pacific war turned with the American victory at Midway and the taking of Guadalcanal. Japanese troops recovered Yamamoto's body, cremated it and sent his ashes back to Japan, where the admiral was given a state funeral. But Japan didn't officially announce Yamamoto's death until weeks later, saying he died aboard a warplane 'while directing general strategy on the front line,' according to an Associated Press story on the announcement in Tokyo. View of the USS Shaw exploding at the U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after the Japanese bombing. The December 7, 1941, sneak attack killed more than 2,400 people The Japanese attack almost sunk the entire Pacific Fleet. Pictured is the USS Tenessee, already under water The U.S. military had wanted to keep his death a secret lest the Japanese learn their code had been broken. But one of the American pilots on the mission had spilled the beans almost immediately, telling everyone upon landing that he had shot down Yamamoto's plane. (Decades later, historians determined another pilot had fired the fatal burst). As the worst-kept secret in the Pacific spread among American troops, AP correspondent J. Norman Lodge confirmed details of the mission even before the Japanese announcement, but U.S. military censors withheld his story. The Pentagon didn't officially release details of the mission until Sept. 11, 1945, nine days after Japan surrendered. The wreckage of the Yamamoto's Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty' bomber remains in the jungle. Most of the plane was destroyed on impact but a large section of the tail survives. Over the decades, parts of the plane were removed and placed in museums. Historians generally credit Yamamoto, an innovative proponent of air power, with the idea of attacking the U.S. Pacific fleet and convincing Japanese military leaders that his plan could work. (pictured is the devastation of the US Naval Base after the attack) The USS Oklahoma floats capsized near the USS Maryland. The ships were destroyed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor Justin Taylan, founder of New York-based Pacific Wrecks who has been compiling data on WWII airplane crashes for more than 20 years, said the purpose of visiting the Yamamoto site is to 'document the wreckage and perform digital preservation of what remains for posterity.' The group will commemorate the anniversary at the site with a Shinto religious ceremony conducted by Japanese WWII aircraft expert Yoji Sakaida. Yamamoto remains a revered figure in Japan, where a museum was established in his honor in his hometown of Nagaoka. Artifacts on display include the left wing from Yamamoto's aircraft. Museum officials say an annual memorial event will be held on Wednesday morning at nearby Yamamoto Memorial Park, where the house in which he was born once stood A British man was arrested today after allegedly kicking his wife to death when she refused to have sex with him. Kevin Smitham, 51, had been staying with wife Kanda Smitham, 29, and their parents in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, during the Songkran new year holiday. But he is said to have flown into a drunken, jealous rage - accusing his wife of cheating on him when she refused to have sex on Sunday evening. Police said he kicked her to death then covered her body with a blanket before calmly going to bed. Kevin Smitham, 51, had been staying with wife Kanda Smitham, 29, and their parents in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand, during the songkran new year holiday Police arrived and found fitness fanatic Kanda's body - in only underwear - on the ground in front of the family's single-storey home this morning at 6.30am The couple had lived together in Pattaya and have two children together. Like many people during the Songkran holiday, were visiting her relatives in the northeastern Isan region Shocked neighbours saw the body this morning and called authorities. Police arrived and found fitness fanatic Kanda's body - in only underwear - on the ground in front of the family's single-storey home this morning at 6.30am. Officers said they found Kevin standing by the side of the building. He allegedly confessed that he had repeatedly kicked Kanda to death. Inspector General Watcharapol Pimwong, deputy chief of staff in the Det Udom district, said today that Kevin had been arrested and was in custody. He explained: 'I arrived and found a woman lying naked in front of the house and called officials from the rescue foundation. The woman was Kanda Smitham, age 29. 'The victim had a blanket covering her. There were many bruises on the face and body. She had been dead for several hours.' The couple had lived together in Pattaya and have two children together. Like many people during the Songkran holiday, they were visiting her relatives in the northeastern Isan region. They had stayed up late on Sunday drinking beer, according to police. Police said that this morning Kevin was standing by the side of the building and was 'hung over' after spending the previous night drinking. Inspector General Pimwong added: 'The victim's husband confessed to killing his wife. He said that he did not mean to kill her. Officers have sent Kanda's body for a post mortem examination to find the cause of death. Kevin is being held in custody while police continue to investigate 'Last night he and his wife had beer until late at night. He went to sleep in the house. During the drinking and eating, suddenly they started arguing because he wanted to have sex. 'His wife refused and this caused jealousy. He thought that the wife had been courting other men. 'He said he attacked her with his foot, kicked her to [the] face and body several times. 'The wife ran away from home and fell in front of the house. He left his wife like that by covering the blanket to cover it. Then went to bed.' Officers have sent Kanda's body for a post mortem examination to find the cause of death. Kevin is being held in custody while police continue to investigate. The situation was calm in the border village of Baghanis in Armenias Tavush region last night after the village was targeted by Azerbaijan gunfire on Sunday, the village Mayor Narek Sahakyan told Panorama.am. April 16, 2018, 17:45 Situation calm in Armenias border village after Azerbaijani gunfire STEPANAKERT, APRIL 16, ARTSAKHPRESS:Azerbaijani military opened fire against the border village on Sunday, at 14:00, due to which the Baghanis-Voskepar section of the interstate highway was closed for security reasons. The situation is currently calm in the border community, with the villagers dealing with their daily routine. On April 12, the adversary fired a civilian truck close to the village. Police in New Jersey are looking for the mother of a newborn boy who was found in a duffel bag abandoned on the porch of a home in Trenton. Trenton police say the baby was only about two days old when he was found on Sunday in the state capital's West Ward neighborhood. Residents heard the sound of a baby crying coming from their front porch at around noon, went outside and found the infant wrapped in a blanket inside the duffel bag. Police were summoned to the scene and the boy was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. He appears to be in good health. A two-day-old baby boy was found stuffed into a duffel bag and left on the front porch of a home in Trenton, New Jersey, on Sunday (stock photo) It is not clear how long the child might have been on the porch before he was found. According to data from AccuWeather.com, temperatures were in the mid-40s in Trenton on Sunday. The child, described as either black of Hispanic, will remain in the care of state child welfare officials until he is placed in a foster home, reported the station New Jersey 101.5. Anyone with information on the baby or his mother is being asked to call detectives at 609-989-4155. Anonymous tips can be reported to 609-989-3633. Under New Jersey's Safe Heaven Law, parents are permitted to give up their unwanted baby anonymously and without any legal repercussions at a hospital emergency room, police station or fire station. The 'horrendous' treatment of Windrush immigrants has included some being wrongly deported, a minister admitted today. Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said she had been 'appalled' by the cases - but said she did not know how many had been ejected in error. The government is under intense pressure to end the 'inhumane' betrayal of migrants who came here with their parents after the Second World War and never became naturalised British citizens. Tens of thousands who arrived as children from the Caribbean are said to have been 'treated like criminals'. Immigration minister Caroline Nokes said she had been 'appalled' by the cases - but said she did not know how many had been ejected in error Leaders from Caribbean countries who wanted to discuss with Theresa May the plight of those who have lost their everyday rights as Britons have been told there will be no formal meeting with the Prime Ministers (pictured: the SS Empire Windrush which brought the first generation of workers to Britain from the West Indies in 1948) Communities Secretary Sajid Javid took to Twitter to voice 'deep concern' about the situation In a growing scandal, children of the Windrush migrants, named after the ship which brought the first generation of workers to Britain from the West Indies in 1948, have fallen victim to an immigration loophole that has left them in a legal limbo. Despite having lived here and paid taxes for decades, some have lost their homes, jobs and benefits, been denied NHS treatment and threatened with deportation. Anyone who arrived in the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1971 was given indefinite leave to remain by that year's Immigration Act. But many never applied for a British passport. In a round of broadcast interviews today, Ms Nokes was asked by ITV News: 'There have been some horrendous situations which as a Minister have appalled me, what I'm determined to do going forward is say we will have no more of this. 'No I don't know the numbers but what I'm determined to do going forward is to say we'll have no more of this. 'We want people to have confidence to come to the Home Office. We want to give them a message of reassurance because I value these people.' Tough new rules were introduced four years ago to weed out illegal immigrants and prevent them renting a home, working, opening a bank account and holding a driving licence. Theresa May, pictured with Prince Harry at the Commonwealth summit in London today, has U-turned and will now meet Caribbean leaders to discuss the treatment of Windrush immigrants New rules require documentary evidence of the right to be here, which many Windrush children do not have as anyone who arrived in the UK from a Commonwealth country before 1971 was given indefinite leave to remain, meaning many did not apply for a British passport The rules require documentary evidence of the right to be here. But many Windrush-era children do not have such proof. Securing a residence permit requires sending the Home Office up to four pieces of documentary evidence for every year spent in the UK an almost impossible task. Theresa May dramatically U-turned today and said she will hold talks with Caribbean leaders about the treatment of Britain's Windrush generation of immigrants. Leaders attending a Commonwealth summit in London this week had been told the Prime Minister would not formally discuss the plight of those who have lost their everyday rights as Britons. But Downing Street has now said that Mrs May will meet her counterparts - saying she had only personally become aware of the request this morning. No10 also said the premier 'regretted' the treatment of the Windrush generation and new Home Office guidance on their treatment would be published later. Three high rollers and a croupier accused of scamming more than $400,000 out of Melbourne's Crown Casino appeared in court on Monday. Prosecutors allege former casino dealer Michael Huo looked at cards and informed associates Fiona Shum, Yixuan Cui and Ke Wang which card was about to be dealt to help them win $431,700 while playing at his table between March 26 and May 1 last year, the Daily Telegraph reports. The alleged incidents took place in the casino's Mahogany Room, an elite room for VIP players. Former Crown Casino dealer Michael Huo allegedly helped Fiona Shum, Yixuan Cui and Ke Wang which cards were about to be dealt to win $431,700 while playing at his table between March 26 and May 1 in 2017 Mr Huo, 35, Ms Shum, 46, and Ms Cui, 22, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court for a hearing that will determine whether they stand trial on charges of engaging in conduct that corrupted a betting outcome, obtaining property by deception and dealing with the proceeds of crime. Charge sheets reveal that Mr Hou, who had worked at the casino for five years, is charged with dealing with proceeds of crime worth more than $1 million, while Ms Shum and Ms Cui are charged with dealing with proceeds of crime worth more than $500,000. Mr Hou's table was monitored by casino security on the day of their arrests. 'That evening, there were numerous instances of suspicious card handling by the accused (Mr Hou) at the table. The total amount of winnings on the first hand that evening was significant,' a prosecution summary alleged. Lawyers for Mr Hou and Ms Shum questioned the casino's powers in arresting people accused of wrongdoing, The Age reports. One woman was placed on a diversion program for first-time offenders and ordered to pay $500 to a charity for gambling addicts The alleged incidents took place in Crown Casino's Mahogany Room, an elite room for VIP players They claimed that Mr Hou was held for more than three hours and Ms Shum for two hours by Crown investigators before police arrived at the casino. Crown investigator Timothy Sharland told Monday's preliminary hearing he believed that he had the right to take casino chips, cash and a mobile phone from Ms Shum. 'I believed at the time that the dealer was colluding with the three patrons to steal from Crown, and I believed that money belonged to Crown. It had been obtained illegally,' he told the court. Ms Wang, 25, pleaded guilty and was placed on a diversion program for first-time offenders who don't get a criminal record if they acknowledge wrongdoing. She must also pay $500 to a charity for gambling addicts. The three remaining co-accused return to court on Tuesday. TV presenter Ant McPartlin received a 86,000 fine and 20 month driving ban from Wimbledon Magistrates Court today following a drink-driving charge. McPartlin was involved in a car crash on March 18 which left a three-year-old girl in hospital. The 42-year-old was arrested at the scene in south west London after he took his dog for a walk in Richmond Park. MailOnline brings you the latest updates, here: Donald Trump tore into James Comey again this morning, this time over the fired FBI director's acknowledgement that he took Hillary Clinton's status as frontrunner in the presidential election into account when he told lawmakers about the reopening of her email investigation. Trump said that Comey and his deputy Andrew McCabe, also fired from the FBI, had 'committed many crimes' during their tenures at the law enforcement agency. Both came to a bitter end in the Trump administration. 'Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G), then based his decisions on her poll numbers. Disgruntled, he, McCabe, and the others, committed many crimes!' the president tweeted. The president's tweet offered a glimpse into his mindset the morning after Comey's first stop on a publicity tour for his tell-all book 'A Higher Loyalty.' Comey said in the interview that Trump was 'morally unfit' to sit in the Oval Office. Donald Trump tore into James Comey again this morning, this time over the fired FBI director's acknowledgement that he took Hillary Clinton's status as frontrunner in the presidential election into account when he told lawmakers about the reopening of her email investigation Trump said that Comey and his deputy Andrew McCabe, also fired from the FBI, had 'committed many crimes' during their tenures that came to a bitter end in the Trump administration Trump dodged reporters asking him an hour later if he'd seen the hour-long special that ran on ABC News on Sunday evening. However, his tweet touched on a revealing discussion that Comey had with interviewer George Stephanopoulos about his actions in the Clinton email case. Two Republican senators discovered last year that Comey began to draft a statement on the outcome of the Clinton probe before the FBI had interviewed her. The lawmakers have skewered Comey for it, saying it was inappropriate for him to come to a conclusion on her innocence months before the end of the federal investigation into her handling of classified information. 'Here's my reaction. And the reason I smile a little bit is anybody who's actually done investigations knows that if you've been investigating something for almost a year and you don't have a general sense of where it's likely to end up, you should be fired because you're incompetent,' Comey on Sunday evening responded. The former Department of Justice official defended the action as routine. He said that prosecutors and investigators also draft indictments before they finish probing their subjects. 'Their mind is open that if they find something that changes their view, they won't bring an indictment. But they know where it's headed after a year of investigation. Same thing here,' he said. Two Republican senators discovered last year that Comey began to draft a statement on the outcome of the Clinton probe before the FBI had interviewed her. The lawmakers have skewered Comey for it At the point when he started to draft the statement that would serve as a precursor to his July 2016 announcement that he was advising against charges against Clinton, Comey says the FBI had reviewed hundreds of thousands of the former secretary of state's communications to determine whether she ever sent or received classified information over email. Comey told ABC that he was responsibly planning ahead for the end of the probe that he knew would be judged through the lens of politics. 'So it required thought to think about, "So how will we end this in a way that maximizes confidence that we did it in the right way, that the system was not rigged?" So that's what I'm doing in the beginning of May, is trying to think through, "So how will this end if it continues on this course that it's on now?"' he said. Trump has also hammered home a charge that Comey lied under oath to Sen. Chuck Grassley last May when the then-FBI director told the senator that he'd never served as an anonymous source. Comey also said at the Senate Judiciary hearing that he'd never authorized anyone else to be an anonymous source. That was days before he was fired. Comey has since acknowledged that he instructed a friend to disseminates copies of the memos he kept on his meetings with on President Trump. But the act was after Trump dismissed him. Comey says he didn't distribute them himself because there were already a hoard of reporters staking out his home. President Trump didn't like James Comey's admission that he was working under the theory that Hillary Clinton was likely to win the 2016 presidential election President Trump charged with former FBI Director James Comey of lying after Comey said that Trump asked him for loyalty On Sunday morning, President Trump went on a tirade about former FBI Director James Comey, dedicating a number of tweets to the subject An inspector general report reviewing McCabe's conduct determined that Comey did not sign off on his deputy's disclosure of confidential information about a probe into Clinton's family foundation to the Wall Street Journal. He didn't even know about it. The unauthorized disclosure factored in to a recommendation that McCabe's employment be terminated. McCabe has been a target of Trump's attacks because he helped to oversee the investigation into Clinton's email scandal. Trump says that McCabe was biased in the former secretary of state's favor because his wife ran for office as a Democrat and took money from a PAC connected to Clinton. 'How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?' he once tweeted. At another point last year, Trump called McCabe a 'Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation.' President Trump knocked former FBI Director James Comey's 'badly reviewed book,' suggesting the ex-FBI head didn't answer a number of key questions Trump has called both men liars and leakers in a full-scale assault on the former law enforcement officials in anticipation of the release of Comey's book. Comey's hitting the media circuit to promote the memoir, in which he paints an unflattering portrait of the president. In an interview that aired Sunday evening on ABC, his first on the book tour, Comey said Trump should not be reelected. Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway said Monday morning in a rebuttal appearance on Good Morning America that the remark amounted as a 'free political commercial' for Trump's opponents. She used an admission that Comey's wife and daughters voted for Clinton as ammunition that he was biased in favor of the Democratic candidate. Conway said Trump believes Comey was 'not under oath in interviews, and writing a book, and this is somebody who's giving a revisionist version of history.' She also jabbed the former FBI director for saying Trump's tie was 'too long, as it always is,' when the two first met, and that since 'there had been all this controversy and mocking about hand size ... I made a note to check the size and it seemed like he had average-sized hands.' Conway scoffed, 'He takes time to talk about the size of his hands and the length of his tie. That's really gutter.' She wouldn't say on Monday whether the president watched Sunday's late-night broadcast, but said, 'I think he's aware of some of the excerpts.' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders later said that Trump saw 'bits and pieces of it' but not the entire thing. 'We didnt learn anything new...Comey is a self-admitted leaker. Been proven to be dishonest. And I think that his credibility is really at hand, and it's quite interesting that he would question someone else's when he has such a lack of credibility himself,' she said. At the end of ABC's special, Comey blasted Trump as unfit for the office. 'A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds,' Comey told Stephanopoulos. 'And that's not a policy statement. Again, I don't care what your views are on guns or immigration or taxes,' he added. Comey stressed that he does not believe Trump was mentally unfit for the presidency, even complimenting Trump in a rare moment of praise. 'He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence who's tracking conversations and knows what's going on,' said Comey. Impeachment is also not the proper course of action to remove Trump from office, unless he's found to have committed a crime, Comey said. 'I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they're duty bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values.' 'The cameras were on the left side of my face. And so the whole world saw him kiss me,' Comey said of a handshake with Trump a few days after the inauguration. 'And he didn't kiss me, he said, 'I really look forward to working with you' Comey spoke in detail to Stephanopoulos about his uncomfortable first meeting with Trump in Trump Tower in January 2017, in which he delicately informed the then President-elect of the allegations in Christopher Steele's dossier, which claimed that Trump met with prostitutes in a Moscow hotel in 2013. 'I did not go into the business about-- people peeing on each other, I just thought it was a weird enough experience for me to be talking to the incoming president of the United States about prostitutes in a hotel in Moscow. And so I left that part out,' Comey said, referring to the most salacious pieces of the unverified allegations. According to Comey, Trump's immediate response was: ''Do I look like a guy who needs hookers?' After the Steele dossier, which had been funded by Democrats during the campaign, was published by Buzzfeed days later, Comey spoke with Trump about the matter again by phone. Comey recalls Trump launching unprompted into an explanation 'that he'd never stayed overnight at the hotel, he'd just changed clothes there and went to the Miss Universe pageant.' 'I don't know whether any of this true, but this is what he said,' said Comey. 'And then he said, "Another reason you know it's not true is I'm a germaphobe. There's no way I'd let people pee on each other around me." And that me caught me so much by surprise I actually let out an audible laugh and-- 'cause it was just one of those-- I was startled by it.' Comey (left) told George Stephanopoulos (right) about his uncomfortable first meeting with Trump in Trump Tower in January 2017, in which he delicately informed the then President-elect of the allegations in Christopher Steele's dossier, which claimed that Trump met with prostitutes in a Moscow hotel in 2013 A a dinner in the White House residence on January 27, 2017, Trump again brought up the subject of the Moscow allegations unprompted, said Comey. 'And then he says-- something that distracted me. 'Cause he said, you know, "If there's even a 1 percent chance my wife thinks that's true, that's terrible",' Comey recalled. 'And I-- and I remember thinking, "How could your wife think there's a 1 percent chance you were with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow?" I'm a flawed human being, but there is literally zero chance that my wife would think that was true. So what kind of marriage to what kind of man does your wife think there's only a 99 percent chance you didn't do that?' said Comey. 'When he started talking about it, "I may order you to investigate that", I said, "Sir, that's up to you. But you'd want to be careful about that, because it might create a narrative that we're investigating you personally. And second, it's very difficult to prove something didn't happen."' Comey also recalled one of his last meetings with Barack Obama before the Democratic president left office. He said that Obama asked him to stay behind, and, in their private conversation the exiting president told him that 'nothing' in the past year had changed his mind about appointing him. 'I came to deeply respect him, and his higher loyalty to the values I care a lot about,' he said. 'And have the president of the United States say, "I still respect you for the reasons I did originally," meant a lot to me.' Anthony Scaramucci, a former White House communications director, said in an appearance on Fox that Comey 'obviously loves' Obama and 'tries to act like he is nonpartisan but he is actually very partisan.' 'So, you know, when you see his family out there in the women's march and you see his wife admitting that she desperately wanted Secretary Clinton to be the first woman president very, very partisan,' Scaramucci said. The former Trump aides own tenure in the administration ended with a dismissal just 11 days into his White House job. Bringing it up on Fox, Scaramucci said, 'I don't like the hits on the president for another reason. You worked for the president he was your boss, okay. He elected to fire you. I got fired - no big deal. I'm still loyal to the president. 'And I think that when you are the director of the FBI, you are at a certain level where he is the president. Subordinate yourself to the president and zip your mouth.' The FBI is an independent federal agency, even though directors are appointed to their 10-year terms by the president and must be confirmed by the president. Comey was already on the job, having been nominated by former President Barack Obama and approved by Congress, when Trump took the oath of office. Comey alleges that Trump inappropriately demanded his loyalty over dinner at the White House before he was fired. He says he promised him 'honest loyalty,' instead, as he tried to find a way out of the awkward conversation. Alan Dershowitz, a lawyer who's been a top advocate for Trump on the legal front and has started advising him, said that Comey should have walked out of the dinner if he found the discussion inappropriate. 'This is a man without courage. He didnt have courage to tell the president to his face he was wrong. Instead he leaked it,' Dershowitz said. 'Look I think one of the reasons that the president talks to me from time to time is that I tell him exactly what I think, at every point in time....If youre the head of the FBI, you have to look the president in the eye and you have to say, Mr. President, youre wrong.' Hours before the interview aired, Trump launched into a preemptive tirade on Twitter berating Trump. 'Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!' Trump said at one point. 'I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty,' Trump said, disputing one of Comey's claims. 'I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His "memos" are self serving and FAKE!' Comey's letter to Congress 11 days before the election, in which he told lawmakers that the FBI was looking through another batch of Clinton's emails, and his explanation for the disclosure -- that he didn't want the likely winner of the race to be seen as an illegitimate president -- was also on Trump's list of gripes as he combated Comey. On Sunday Trump wrote, 'Unbelievably, James Comey states that Polls, where Crooked Hillary was leading, were a factor in the handling (stupidly) of the Clinton Email probe.' 'In other words, he was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job,' Trump suggested, ending that tweet with the charge that Comey is a 'Slimeball.' In another Sunday tweet, President Trump listed a number of things he believed Comey should have touched on in the forthcoming tome, while also suggesting the former FBI director should be behind bars. 'The big questions in Comeys badly reviewed book arent answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didnt they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabes $700,000 & more?' Trump wrote. He was referencing a political donation made to McCabe's wife. Trump, under the belief that Clinton should have been prosecuted for mishandling classified information in her emails said Comey's handling of the FBI case 'will go down as one of the worst "botch jobs" in history,' he said. 'It was a great honor to fire James Comey!' the president said. Jordan Worth, 22, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years at Luton Crown Court A controlling girlfriend who made her partner's life a misery by inflicting a catalogue of injuries on him in violent attacks has been jailed for seven and a half years. Petite Jordan Worth, 22, stabbed him with a knife, scalded him with boiling water, banned him from their bed and decided what clothes he should wear. Worth, who lived with her boyfriend in the village of Stewartby, Bedfordshire, also isolated him from his friends and took over his Facebook account. Aspiring teacher Worth had a degree from the University of Hertfordshire, had come from a loving and supportive family, and had raised money for children in Africa. But Luton Crown Court heard she cruelly controlled every aspect of her partner's life. The court heard Worth and her partner had met at college in 2012 when they were both 16. Prosecutor Maryam Syed said a relationship began and later they moved in together but from an early stage she was exercising control over him deciding what he could wear. But the prosecutor said worse was to come as she became violent towards the man, who the court heard suffered from hydrocephalus which is caused by a buildup of fluid inside the skull which made him vulnerable. She used blunt objects to strike him, wounded him with a knife and didn't help him get to hospital for treatment. For nine months he couldn't sleep in the same bed as her, the court was told. Worth pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship, wounding with intent and causing grievous bodily harm with intent between April 2016 to June last year. Worth, left and right, after receiving her degree in Fine Art from the University of Hertfordshire, cruelly controlled every aspect of her partner's life Neighbours of the couple often heard them arguing said Miss Syed and the sounds of things being thrown in the house. She said the victim was heard by his neighbours shouting at Worth: 'Get off me, you are hurting me' He was seen on occasions with black eyes and to be limping and with his arm in sling. Once Worth was seen at a window by a neighbour 'armed' with a screwdriver or hammer, the court was told. Another neighbour heard the victim shouting: 'Get off me. Get off my head. Don't keep doing that to my head.' She saw burn marks on his arms which he explained away as self-inflicted. The court heard it was in June of last year that neighbours called police to the couple's home in the village in the early hours after hearing shouting. The ambulance crew noted injuries to his hand, burns to arms and legs which were being self treated with cling film. There was cling film round his ankles, and a hand wound that was bleeding. He was taken to Bedford Hospital's acute clinical unit and then to Addenbrookes Hospital. Worth pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship, wounding with intent and causing grievous bodily harm with intent The prosecutor said he had second and third degree burns which will leave permanent scarring. The court was told Worth had thrown boiling hot water over her partner. On June 6 he was examined at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage and found to have burns on his legs as well as stab wounds about his body and limbs. Days later Worth was arrested. The court heard the couple are no longer together and Worth, who is in a new relationship, has been living at an address in Ingoldisthorpe, Norfolk. Jailing her for seven and a half years judge Nic Madge told Worth that as well as the violence she had carried out on her partner she had refused him adequate bedding and food. He said she would 'belittle' her partner and discouraged him from contacting friends and his family. He said: 'She accepts that she has in the past, on a number of occasions, used blunt objects and implements to strike him and that he suffered injuries as a result of her doing so. 'She accepts using boiling or hot water to cause injury to him. She accepts that she has in the past used a knife to cause injury to her partner.' Worth was also made the subject of a restraining order which prevents her from contacting her ex for an indefinite period. Several of Saudi's leading public figures leapt to her defence over the incident Her speech was at the International Exhibition & Forum For Education in Riyadh A Saudi government minister has been embroiled in a row after removing her veil during a public appearance. Dr Haya Al Awad, the Saudi Arabian Deputy Minister for Girls' Education, was appearing at the International Exhibition & Forum For Education in the Saudi capital Riyadh at the time. During the conference she made several speeches in front of large crowds dressed in the traditional Muslim niqab - but without the usual veil through which only the person's eyes are visible. She instead chose to wear an open faced veil so that crowds could see her mouth, nose and chin. Scroll down for video Dr Al Awad was speaking at the International Exhibition & Forum For Education in Riyadh Dr Al Awad pictured speaking at the conference with both with the full-face veil and the open-face version she was criticised over But she was soon blasted on social media for the decision - with some critics saying she had 'not kept up with religious and social traditions'. However, many of Saudia Arabia's leading academics and public figures have hit back at the online trolls on Dr Al Awad's behalf. Sulaiman Al Tareefi, a religious preacher, said she had not broken any rules and was simply exercising her right to appear without a veil. 'Dr Haya Al Awad is living according to her convictions within the framework of significant jurisprudence pluralism,' he said. 'Our jurisprudents have decided that these matters of ijtihad, the independent reasoning as opposed to imitation, cannot be dismissed.' While all versions of Islam suggest a woman should dress modestly, often covering her hair and body, Saudi Arabia is one of the only Muslim-majority countries that legally imposes a dress code. Women, foreign and local, are required wear an abaya (a long black cloak) in public places. There are, however, no rules that say it is mandatory for any woman to cover their face - much to the annoyance of some hard-line Muslims. Saudi Arabian law says women are required to wear a veil but not necessarily a full-face version Saud Al Musaibeeh, a media and education advisor, said that he 'hailed Al Awad for adopting the stance of religious scholars who allowed women not to cover their faces. 'She is following what she believes is right regardless of what she has to endure from those who oppose her view,' he said, quoted by Saudi news site Al Marsad on Monday. 'Unfortunately, there are those who want to seize every occasion to attack a woman official and to incite the public against her. People have to be really careful about such subversion attempts generated by those hiding behind their computers.' Blogger Hatoon Qadhi said that although she generally kept her distance from issues related to the hijab, niqab and burka, she felt she had to join in the debate in the aftermath of the humiliating attacks on a respected woman holding a high position. 'Dr Haya does not need anyone to defend her because she has made no mistake. In fact, I wish she would go ahead and prosecute all those who have abused her,' she posted. The Guinness Book of World Records has cancelled the previously recorded high scores of 'video game player of the century' Billy Mitchell, following an examination by an organization that verifies classic arcade scores. A review by Twin Galaxies has shown that Mitchell appeared to have used Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator (MAME), which is one type of software that replicates classic arcade games, rather than actual arcade machines to achieve what up until now was considered to be a record-breaking score in Donkey Kong. 'With this ruling Twin Galaxies can no longer recognize Billy Mitchell as the 1st million point Donkey Kong record holder. According to our findings, Steve Wiebe would be the official 1st million point record holder,' Twin Galaxies said in a statement published on Thursday. Guinness responded by canceling all of his previously documents records, according to Variety. Mitchell released a statement on Sunday saying that the scores he earned over the past four decades were in compliance with the rules, as they existed at the time he earned them. Scroll down for video The Guinness Book of World Records has cancelled all previously recorded high scores of Billy Mitchell, following a review by a company that verifies classic arcade scores; Mitchell is shown here at the launch party for the International Video Game Hall of Fame in Iowa in August 2009 Not waiting for Mitchell to come forward with evidence he has promised to produce, Guinness has instead already removed Mitchells perfect Pac-Man run and highest score, as well as his Donkey Score of 1,047,200 from its books. This is based on Twin Galaxies' definitive finding that the scores were not 'From a Twin Galaxies viewpoint, the only important thing to know is whether or not the score performances are from an unmodified original DK arcade PCB [Printed Circuit Board] as per the competitive rules,' the statement said. 'We now believe that they are not from an original unmodified DK arcade PCB, and so our investigation of the tape content ends with that conclusion and assertion.' Mitchell's score was made famous in the arcade world in a 2007 documentary titled documentary, 'The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters,' which followed Wiebe's attempt to beat the record, as it then stood. Steve Wiebe (center) plays Donkey Kong as Picturehouse president Bob Berney (right) looks on after the screening of Picturehouse's 'The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters' at the Museum of the Moving Image on August 12, 2007 in New York City Mitchell is seen here in a May 22, 2015 file photo, wearing his signature look He responded to the controversy from the Midwest Gaming Classic in Brookfield, Wisconsin on Sunday. Dressed in his signature look, which includes a black suit with a red vest and a matching American-flag print tie and pocket square, Mitchell delivered a message to the gaming community, through Old School Gamer Magazine. 'I've been asked to address things that are recently in the media. The fact of the matter is, now there is a true, professional due diligence being done, to investigate things that happened as far as 35 years ago, in a professional manner, not in a shock jock mentality designed to create hits. 'We will show that everything that has been done, everything was done professionally, according to the rules, according to the scoreboard, the integrity that was set up, not 2014-forward by the current regime, who wants to reach back 35 years. 'Everything will be transparent, everything will be available. I wish I had it in my hands right now. I wish I could hand it to you, but it's taken a considerable amount of time. Witnesses, documents, everything will be made available to you. Nothing will be withheld. You absolutely have my commitment to that. 'We've been at this since 1982, and it's not gonna stop now.' Mitchell ended with video with a 'thumbs up' gesture. The White House has hit back at French President Emmanuel Macron's claims that he convinced the United States to stay engaged in the war in Syria. Macron claimed credit for convincing his counterpart Donald Trump that it was 'necessary to stay for the long-term' after France, the U.S. and the UK co-ordinated airstrikes against chemical weapons facilities. Asked about Macron's comments, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders stressed that Trump's plans for the region have not changed. In a statement, she said: 'The U.S. mission has not changed - the President has been clear that he wants U.S. forces to come home as quickly as possible.' Macron sought to clarify the comments today, saying he 'never said' either the United States or France would stay engaged long term in Syria in a military sense, and spoke of a 'humanitarian responsibility' in the country. It came as Macron was pictured today welcoming Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the Elysee Palace in Paris. Emmanuel Macron (left), pictured meeting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Elysee Palace in Paris today, claimed credit for continuing U.S. involvement in Syria Macron welcomes Trudeau to the Elysee Palace in Paris today. He sought to clarify his comments today and said that the main aim in Syria was the war against ISIS Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (right) will address the French Parliament on Tuesday Macron is pictured greeting Trudeau today as the Canadian PM begins a two-day official visit The French President said today that both French and U.S. positions were in line and the main aim in Syria was the 'war against ISIS.' However, Macron said that by joining forces with France and the UK for last Saturday's air strikes, the U.S. 'fully realized that our responsibility went above and beyond the war against ISIS and that it was a humanitarian responsibility as well on the ground.' Meanwhile Turkey also hit back at Macron on Monday over his comments that the weekend's strikes had driven a wedge between Ankara and its increasingly close ally Moscow. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag insisted that Turkish policy on Syria was independent of other nations, as signs grow of Western discomfort over Ankara's alliance with Iran and Russia on Syria. Macron said in a TV interview yesterday that France's air strikes in Syria in response to an alleged chemical attack were not a declaration of war against the Damascus regime. 'We have not declared war on the regime of Bashar al-Assad,' Macron said in a television interview, a day after France joined the United States and Britain in launching strikes in response to a chemical attack a week earlier. Insisting that the strikes were legitimate, Macron hailed the operation targeting Syrian chemical weapons facilities as a military success. 'Their chemical weapons production capacities have been destroyed,' Macron told BFM television at the start of a two-hour interview marking almost a year since the start of his presidency. 'Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria,' Macron said. The two leaders embrace as Macron welcomes Trudeau while facing a rebuttal from Trump Macron also welcomed New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (left), who is visiting France on her first visit to Europe since taking office French President Emmanuel Macron said in a television interview yesterday that the nation had 'not declared war on the regime of Bashar al-Assad' Macron also claimed credit for convincing Donald Trump to stay involved in the conflict during an interview with journalist Jean-Jacques Bourdin 'We convinced him it was necessary to stay. I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long-term.' It comes after Vladimir Putin warned there would be 'consequences' for the strikes, which targeted chemical weapons facilities. It emerged that Trump called Mr Macron twice before he shared his intention to strike Syria in a Twitter post. But France has also has continued to talk regularly with Russia even as East-West tensions have grown. Macron spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin hours before the Western missile strikes. In a statement issued after the strikes, he said: 'We cannot tolerate the normalisation of the use of chemical weapons.' He added 'the facts and the responsibility of the Syrian regime are not in doubt,' concerning the 'deaths of dozens of men, women and children' in what he said was a chemical weapons attack on April 7 in Douma. Macron arrived with wife Brigitte Macron at BFM television for the interview in which he claimed it was him who swayed Trump into maintaining involvement in Syria Chloe Hoson was strangled, suffocated with plastic bags and her body dumped into a creek when she was five years old. Now her killer has been let back out on to the streets after not serving a single day in jail. Chloe's killer Tim Kosowicz has been released from the mental facility where he was detained to his parent's home in country Victoria. Kosowicz admitted in 2003 that he strangled Chloe after she went back to his neighbouring house to play with his cat, but claimed he was in a schizophrenic haze after she knocked over his bowl of cannabis. Scroll down for video Chloe Hoson was strangled, suffocated with plastic bags and her body dumped into a creek when she was five-years-old Chloe's killer Tim Kosowicz has been released from the mental facility where he was detained Chloe did not die immediately so Kosowicz covered her head in plastic bags and then interfered with her body before she was dumped into a creek. Kosowicz told police in 2003 he lost the plot when Chloe came to his caravan. 'She spilt my pot on the ground and then I lost the plot,' he said. 'Then I blacked out and next thing I was strangling her in my bedroom.' The New South Wales Supreme Court found he was not guilty of murder due to mental illness. Chloe's father Michael Hoson said at the time: 'Change the system for starters regardless of whether you're sane, insane, whatever, you do the crime you do the time.' Last year the Mental Health Review Tribunal was considering a proposal to release criminals in the mental health system into the community without notifying police. Chloe's mother Karina Beharrell is pictured centre, being comforted by relatives as she leaves Liverpool Court The NSW Supreme Court found he was not guilty of murder due to mental illness NSW Police Association's Scott Weber told news.com.au at the time that it was extremely important for offenders to maintain parole and release conditions. 'It really is policing 101 for officers to know what offenders are being released,' he said. Peter Rolfe, president of victims group Support After Murder said that, 'Victims have no rights under the legal system,'and accused the Mental Health Review Tribunal of being a 'law unto themselves'. The exercise is set for 18 April, 40 km off the island of Kinmen. Today's parade involved 10,000 troops, 76 planes and 48 ships, including an aircraft carrier, destroyers, and submarines. Xi Jinping watched the show on the Liaoning aircraft carrier. Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) In a surprise move today, China announced a live-fire drill in the Taiwan Strait next week, just a few hours after it held its biggest naval parade in history, the largest of its kind in 600 years, according to Chinese media. The exercise in the Taiwan Strait will take place from 8 am to midnight next Wednesday, in a zone 20 km from the coast of Quanzhou in Fujian Province, and 40 km from the Taiwan-controlled island of Kinmen. This naval exercise will be in these waters since September 2015 in the lead-up to Taiwans presidential election, which the Democratic Progress Party Tsai Ing-wen won. Given the fact that her party is in favour of Taiwan's independence, Sino-Taiwanese relations have become increasingly tense. Todays display involved more than 10,000 Peoples Liberation Army airmen, marines and sailors on 48 naval vessels, including an aircraft carrier and submarines, as well as 76 aircrafts. Some of the vessels have sea-land-air attack capabilities. Chinese President Xi Jinping followed the parade on board the Liaoning, Chinas first aircraft carrier for the first time since it was declared combat-ready. In his address to the troops, Xi urged them to stay vigilant and be ready to defend Chinas sovereignty and national interests, as well as safeguard regional peace and stability. The tropps responded with hurrahs. Beijing claims sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, which is disputed by other countries bordering the sea, as well as the United States. According to military experts, todays show of force was directed at them. Two children have died and five others were injured in a violent car crash where the stolen vehicle they were in flipped over on railroad tracks in Florida. There were seven occupants, all between the ages of 12 to 14, stuffed in the Toyota sedan that seats only five. The children were joyriding at 3am on Sunday when the driver lost control and collided with a metal crossing arm, causing the car the violently flip over and land upside down on the tracks near Pampano Beach. Twelve-year-old Chayanna 'Cha Cha' Nesmith died at the scene. Her sister Teeana Nesmith, 13, was also injured in the crash, their family said. Two children have died and five have been injured in a fatal car crash at 3am Sunday near Pampano Beach, Florida. Chayanna 'Cha Cha' Nesmith, 12, left, died at the scene. Her sister Teeana Nesmith, 13, right, was injured in the crash and is in the hospital An image of the sisters together, Teeana, left, Chayanna, right, is displayed on a GoFundMe page for Chayanna's funeral costs Chayanna, pictured above in a Snapchat image from 2017, died on the scene of the crash Another female victim died later at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. Locals say she was Chayanna's friend nicknamed 'Nee Nee', according to WSVN. The five others - one boy and four girls - in the car were also sent to the hospital with injuries, according to the Sun Sentinel. Broward Sheriff's Office confirmed that the vehicle the preteens were in was stolen and authorities are trying to determine what caused the crash. 'It lost control, veered off the roadway and ended up striking one of the poles from the railroad tracks... It ended up flipping over, landing on the railroad tracks,' Broward Sheriffs Office spokesperson Keyla Concepcion said to reporters. The identities of the victims are yet to be released. The two deceased victims are girls. Locals reported that some of the children in the car were dropped off at a movie theater earlier in the day. It is unclear why they got into the car with the other preteens. Debra Lesane confirmed that her granddaughter Chayanna was one of the dead. Chayanna's sister 13-year-old Teeana Nesmith was also in the crash and is in the hospital with a couple broken bones and bruises, according to ABC10. There were seven children between the ages of 12 to 14 in the vehicle that violently crashed and flipped over on the railroad tracks, pictured above Police confirmed that the vehicle was stolen. It is not clear how the driver lost control of the car leading to the crash, the wreckage pictured above on the railroad tracks On Sunday evening workers removed the vehicle from the railroad tracks, pictured above 'I'm just here praying for Teeana, as she recovers and is able to deal with coming to grips with losing her sister,' she said to WSVN. On Sunday evening a candlelight vigil was held near the crash site where nearly 70 families gathered to remember the lives lost. 'My heart dropped. I couldn't understand it. I just couldn't understand it..I am hurting even though it's not my child but it hurts. I know these families are in so much pain right now. There's nothing you can do to take that away. Nothing,' local Tressie Wilson, whose daughter go to school with the victims, said to the Sun Sentinel. A resident of Pompano Beach said that the parents of one the deceased victims had dropped the children off to the movies before the crash took place. 'I heard the mother dropped the kids off at the movies. Some wild kids picked them up. And they never made it home,' Otis Hunter said to the Sun Sentinel. Family and friends gathered Sunday near the crash site for a candlelight vigil for Chayanna Balloons, candles, and signs were laid down near the crash sight in memory of the lives lost Locals left signs saying 'Cha Cha' for Chayanna's nickname on a pole near the crash site 'Sleep in Peace': Family and friends left personal messages to 'Cha Cha' on cardboard signs One of Chayanna's relatives took to Facebook to mourn her passing. 'It is almost 2am I have been crying for over 20 hrs now my head hurts my stomach is in knots when will this feeling go away.I guess when we finally put my grandbaby to rest. S.I.H.CHAYANNA NESMITH,' Melodee Cunningham wrote. A GoFundMe page has been started to raise money for funeral costs. Broward schools Superintendent Robert Runcie shared condolences for the loss on Sunday. 'Our prayers and condolences for our families and community grieving this terrible loss,' he said on Twitter. Following the crash on 15th Street the roads from the 900 block to the 1200 block were closed for several hours and reopened by Sunday evening. The severely battered car was also removed from the tracks. A senior White House aide went toe-to-toe with an ABC anchor for five minutes on Monday morning, pushing back against an hour-long Sunday night interview with fired FBI director James Comey. Kellyanne Conway blasted George Stephanopoulos, saying the former Democratic Party operative and White House communications director under Bill Clinton let Comey dunk on President Donald Trump. 'At the end of your interview, George, he gave a free political commercial, telling people to go out there and vote against the president and his interests,' she said. During the '20/20' interview the night before, Comey suggested that voters are 'duty-bound' to remove the 'morally unfit' Trump via the ballot box. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway went toe-to-toe with 'Good Morning America' anchor George Stephanopoulos on Monday, firing back against fired FBI Director James Comey Comey sat for a five-hour interview with the ABC News anchor last week, which '20/20' turned into an hour-long promotion for the former lawman's book Comey says President Donald Trump asked him to back off an FBI investigation and demanded mafia-like loyalty from him 'Impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook. ... People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values,' Comey said. But the West Wing saw the former lawman's spotlight moment as anticlimactic, a White House official said Monday morning, sending just one spokeswoman to battle Stephanopoulos on 'Good Morning America' and other news talk shows. Stephanopoulos corrected Conway twice, beginning when she claimed Comey had 'wait[ed] until an interview with you, not under oath, and selling a book' to speak publicly about his decisions that impacted the 2016 election. 'He answered a lot of those questions under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year,' the ABC host shot back. Conway shifted focus and reminded him that the FBI 'had to correct his testimony,' referring to a single misspoken statistic in hours of testimony. The second jab Stephanopoulos landed came in the context of a discussion about a White House meeting in early 2017 where Comey says the president asked him to put a stop to a criminal investigation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Conway said Monday that the president had seen some advance excerpts of the lengthy ABC interview, but wouldn't say if he stayed up Sunday night to watch the whole thing Comey said in the '20/20' interview that Trump is 'morally unfit' to be president, and suggested that Americans should vote him out of office Trump spent part of Sunday morning tweeting attacks against his former top cop, saying he should go to jail for leaking information about their meetings to the press Conway claimed Comey had 'admitted' that 'nobody here had ever asked him to drop an investigation for political reasons. He admitted that before he was fired.' 'Kellyanne, I have to stop you there, Stephanopoulos interjected, 'because that is not correct either.' 'What James Comey was asked about in the Senate was whether or not the attorney general or anyone in the Justice Department ever asked him to stop an investigation. He said no. He was not asked about the president.' Conway wouldn't say on Monday whether the president watched Sunday's late-night broadcast, but acknowledged: 'I think he's aware of some of the excerpts.' Trump, she said, believes Comey was 'not under oath in interviews, and writing a book, and this is somebody who's giving a revisionist version of history.' She also jabbed Comey for saying Trump's tie was 'too long, as it always is,' when the two first met, and that since 'there had been all this controversy and mocking about hand size ... I made a note to check the size and it seemed like he had average-sized hands.' Conway scoffed: 'He takes time to talk about the size of his hands and the length of his tie. That's really gutter.' Police have released CCTV images of a woman walking into a shop next to Sydney lawyer Ho Ledinh's alleged killer. Analosa Ah Keni was charged with ordering Mr Ledinh's murder on March 9 and remains in custody after being refused bail. Police believe the woman with her in CCTV images from the day of the public execution may hold vital information. Mr Ledinh was holding a meeting at 3.30pm on Tuesday, January 22 at Happy Cup cafe in Bankstown, Sydney when he was allegedly shot four times in the stomach. Police have released CCTV images of a woman (left) walking into a shop next to the woman charged with murdering lawyer Ho Ledinh Officers believe the woman (left) with Analosa Ah Keni in the CCTV may hold vital information regarding the execution The woman police want to speak to is described as female, aged in her late 20s or early 30s, of Pacific Islander appearance, with a solid build, and long dark hair Mr Ledinh is pictured with his pregnant wife. He was shot four times in the stomach outside a cafe in January The woman police want to speak to is described as female, aged in her late 20s or early 30s, of Pacific Islander appearance, with a solid build, and long dark hair. In the images, which were taken about 3pm at a St Vincent de Paul clothing shop in Bankstown on the day of the shooting on nearby East Terrace, she can be seen wearing a black t-shirt, black pants, and thongs. Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Acting Superintendent Grant Taylor appealed for the woman to come forward. 'Anyone who knows the woman, or who has information relevant to the investigation, is urged to get in touch as soon as possible,' Taylor said. 'We have received incredible support from the community, which includes receiving large numbers of witness statements, and providing hundreds of hours of CCTV, mobile phone vision, and dash-cams. Mr Ledinh was holding a meeting at 3.30pm on Tuesday, January 22 at Happy Cup cafe in Bankstown when he was allegedly shot four times in the stomach Ho Ledinh's wife Ngo Thu Huong (centre) posted a tribute to her husband recently, saying: 'He's still there, tall and skinny, and loves me more than he can say' Police have already arrested the alleged gunman, Arthur Kelekolio (pictured), 38. He is due in court on May 2 'Our inquiries are ongoing, and we're determined to provide answers to Mr Ledinh's family. If you can assist us in any way, please call Crime Stoppers.' Mr Ledinh, a father to two young children, staggered to the floor and died in front of horrified witnesses. Despite their best efforts, paramedics and his close friend Huu - crying 'say something, please!' - could not revive him. The gunman wore a green top and was seen on security vision throwing a water bottle into a bin prior to the killing. Following the targeted attack, officers said they would be looking into Mr Ledinh's organised crime clients as part of their investigation, with the Homicide Squad setting up Strike Force Eugene to investigate the shooting. The father-of-five was one of the solicitors who represented Philip Nguyen, the man jailed over the killing of Sydney police constable Bill Crews in 2010. Police have already arrested the alleged gunman, Arthur Kelekolio, 38. He is due in court on May 2. Prosecutors have charged a 94-year-old man who served as a guard at the Auschwitz extermination camp with complicity in the mass murder of over 13,000 people. The unnamed Serbian-born former SS man was charged as a juvenile because he was only 19 when deployed to the camp in German-occupied Poland. He began his training as a guard at Auschwitz in October 1942 and worked from December 1942 until January 1943 'supporting camp operations and thus acts of extermination', prosecutors said. The unnamed Serbian-born former SS man was charged as a juvenile because he was only 19 when deployed to the camp (shown in January 1945) in German-occupied Poland Using camp records, prosecutors calculate the accused was on duty when 13,335 people were gassed. Pictured: Would-be victims of the Nazi murderers who were rescued in January 1945 Just weeks ago former Auschwitz guard Oskar Groening (pictured) died before he could serve four years in prison for his role as an accessory to the murder of 300,000 people Using camp records, prosecutors calculate the accused was on duty when 13,335 people were gassed. The prosecution of the elderly man is yet another late attempt to make surviving death camp personnel answer for their crimes. Just weeks ago former Auschwitz guard Oskar Groening died before he could serve four years in prison for his role as an accessory to the murder of 300,000 people. Previous war crime prosecutions in Germany relied on eyewitness testimony about crimes. But now prosecutors say it is enough for people just to have served in death camps in order for them to be charged with genocide. Prosecutors in Stuttgart said: 'He was supporting camp operations and thus acts of extermination. 'In the time he was there, at least 15 rail transports arrived at the Auschwitz camp after which people were immediately 'selected' based on their ability to work. The accused began his training as a guard at Auschwitz in October 1942 and worked from December 1942 until January 1943 'supporting camp operations and thus acts of extermination', prosecutors said. Pictured: Auschwitz inmates just after the camp was liberated by Soviet soldiers The camp near Krakow (now a museum, shown above) was the supreme human killing factory of the Third Reich, where at least a million people, mostly Jews, were murdered before its liberation by the Soviet Red Army in January 1945 'The prosecutor's office assumes that at least 13,335 of these people were classified as unfit to work and murdered in the gas chambers at Auschwitz-Birkenau.' Through his lawyer the suspect said he was 'not aware of the background, intent or procedures behind the killing at Auschwitz.' The camp near Krakow was the supreme human killing factory of the Third Reich, where at least a million people, mostly Jews, were murdered before its liberation by the Soviet Red Army in January 1945. A high court in Mannheim must now green light whether to order a trial for the elderly man. Former FBI Director James Comey says President Obama's decision to comment publicly on the Hillary Clinton email investigation while it was ongoing was one of the drivers behind his own infamous decision announce the results of the probe himself. Comey says Obama in effect compromised his own Justice Departments with public statements the president made about Clinton that minimized her conduct in having a private email server while the investigation was still going on. In one comment referenced by Comey, Obama had told Fox News that Clinton 'would never intentionally put America in any kind of jeopardy.' In another, to '60 Minutes,' he said Clinton had made a 'mistake' but said it was 'not a situation in which America's national security was endangered.' Comey referenced the comments in his bombshell interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, saying: 'He shouldn't have done it.' 'He shouldn't have done it': Former FBI Director James Comey criticized President Obama's decision to talk publicly about the Clinton email investigation while it was ongoing 'First of all, we had the problem that President Obama had twice publicly basically said, 'There's no there, there,' Comey said, making his own characterization of Obama's comments. 'In an interview with-- on Fox, an interview on 60 Minutes I think, both times he said that. So that's his Justice Department,'Comey said.' It really did surprise me. He's a very smart man and a lawyer,' said Comey, who went out of his way to gush about Obama in his new book, 'A Higher Loyalty.' 'And so it surprised me. He shouldn't have done it. It was inappropriate. Comey listed the episode as among the trio of events that influenced his widely criticized decision to announce the decision not to prosecute Clinton, even as he chided her for being 'extremely careless' with her emails. MISTAKE: President Barack Obama told CBS '60 Minutes' in 2015 Hillary Clinton had made a 'mistake' with her emails but said it was 'not a situation in which America's national security was endangered' BY THE BOOK? Obama had told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace Clinton 'would never intentionally put America in any kind of jeopardy' George Stephanopoulos asked if he thought Obama was 'trying to color the case' by speaking about it Stephanopoulos asked if he thought Obama was 'trying to color the case?' 'I don't know. I don't think so. He didn't have any insight into the case, at least as far as I know, more than anybody reading the newspaper did, which was zero 'cause there were no leaks. I think he felt a pressure in the political environment because he wanted Hillary Clinton to be elected, to give her a shot in the arm,' said Comey. 'And so he spoke about an investigation. And he shouldn't have done that. But that, as you can imagine, created this drumbeat that the Obama Justice Department, the fix is in because the president has told them what result they should reach,' he said. Stephanopoulos responded: 'So that's one reason that the Justice Department is compromised. What's reason number two?' Comey gushes about former President Obama in his new book, but also says he might have tried to influence how his Justice Department handled the Clinton probe Comey didn't contest the use of the word 'compromised,' then went on to discuss 'classified information came into the possession of the U.S. intelligence community,' as well as former attorney general Loretta Lynch's infamous tarmac meeting with Bill Clinton on an airport tarmac. But he said he believes Lynch's version of events, and doesn't think Clinton would have been foolish enough to try to obstruct justice by pressuring her on the investigation of his wife. 'I find it hard to believe that Bill Clinton would've tried to obstruct justice by walking across the tarmac in front of ... in front of a bunch of F.B.I. agents up the stairs and onto an F.B.I. plane,' said Comey. Comey says President Donald Trump may have tried to obstruct justice by asking him to let go a probe of fired national security advisor Mike Flynn Even as he spoke about the investigation in his first interview with 'Fox News Sunday' as president in 2015, Obama denied any effort at political influence. 'I guarantee that there is no political influence in any investigation conducted by the Justice Department, or the F.B.I. not just in this case, but in any case. Full stop. Period,' Obama said. Of Hillary Clinton, who he would go on to campaign for in hopes of preserving his policy legacy, he said: 'Here's what I know Hillary Clinton was an outstanding secretary of state. She would never intentionally put America in any kind of jeopardy.' Surveillance cameras have captured the shocking moment a brazen thief shot and robbed a man in broad daylight at a Florida gas station. The incident occurred on March 30 around 7pm at an Exxon gas station off West Sunrise Boulevard in Lauderhill. Police say that a driver and a passenger in a black Chevrolet Camaro were circling the gas station looking for their victim. They eventually settled on a man wearing a gold chain who got out of his car and walked inside to pay. Surveillance cameras have captured the shocking moment a brazen thief shot and robbed a man in broad daylight at a Florida gas station in Lauderhill on March 30 around 7pm Police say that a driver and a passenger in a black Chevrolet Camaro were circling the gas station looking for their victim before they settled on a man wearing a gold chain The victim, identified as Daryl Bellamy by 7 News, backs up and tries to make a run for it when he is confronted by the gunman before he is shot in the backside 'The victim had a very large gold chain around his neck that was worth a lot of money,' Lt Michael Santiago told Local 10. Video shows the Camaro slowly pull up behind the man's car before the passenger jumps out and pulls a gun on the victim as he walks back to his purple 1989 Chevrolet Caprice. The victim, identified as Daryl Bellamy by 7 News, backs up and tries to make a run for it before he is shot in the backside. Bellamy is seen on video throwing his gold chain, which is valued to be worth $8,500 according to 7 News, and gives up his possessions to the gunman. Bellamy is seen on video throwing his gold chain, which is valued to be worth $8,500, and gives up his possessions to the gunman Bellamy was taken to the hospital. He has since been released and is expected to be OK Another camera shows a driver at another pump witness the incident and proceed to hurriedly get in his car and drive away with the pump still in the gas tank Another camera shows a driver at another pump witness the incident and proceed to hurriedly get in his car and drive away with the pump still in the gas tank. Bellamy was taken to the hospital. He has since been released and is expected to be OK. Now police are asking for the community's help to identify and catch the perpetrator. 'Without community involvement, it makes our job very, very tough,' Santiago told 7 News. 'Even with video, even with witnesses, its important that the community gets involved. Contact the Lauderhill Police Department.' Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Jamie Oliver's Australian restaurant group has fallen into voluntary administration forcing the immediate closure of at least one of its eateries. This comes just two years after the embattled celebrity chef bought back the Jamie's Italian chain from failed hospitality group the Keystone Group. The administration has forced the closure of the group's Canberra-based restaurant, with staff given no warning, the Canberra Times reported. Jamie Oliver's Australian restaurant group has fallen into voluntary administration forcing the immediate closure of at least one of its eateries This comes just two years after the embattled celebrity chef bought back the Jamie's Italian chain from failed hospitality group the Keystone Group (Sydney pictured) Other Australian restaurants in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide will be taken over by Brisbane-based Hallmark Group. A spokesperson for Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group Australia, said: 'We are thrilled to partner with Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group on the Australian portfolio. 'Well be working closely with Jamie and the UK team, staff and local suppliers to keep driving the business forward and delivering exceptional experiences across the country. Hallmark are actively seeking new suitable locations for the next Jamies Italian', a spokesperson for Hallmark added. The news comes only weeks after a chef at one of Jamie Oliver's restaurants was spotted using packet gnocchi - despite claims the Italian establishment makes produce fresh daily. An eagle-eyed customer dining at his Italian eatery on Pitt Street, Sydney, snapped a photo of a chef preparing to use a packet of ready-made gnocchi. The popular restaurant, which is owned by the 42-year-old celebrity chef, states on its menu it makes 'fresh pasta, right here every day'. An eagle-eyed customer dining at the eatery on Pitt Street, Sydney, snapped a photo of a chef (pictured) preparing to use a packet of ready-made gnocchi while a slab of frozen ingredients appears to sit close by The popular restaurant, which is owned by the 42-year-old celebrity chef, states on its menu it makes 'fresh pasta, right here every day' (pictured) Jamie Oliver's world-renowned restaurant chain is facing troubled times after it was revealed the company had cooked up more than $125 million (71.5 million) in debts. The UK chef has been forced to close a number of his under-performing restaurants in Britain as his overseas eateries hang in the balance. The TV chef's chain, which now has 25 restaurants in the UK and 28 overseas, announced on Friday that they will see twelve of his restaurants close as part of a company restructure. The firm said: 'We are pleased to have received the overwhelming support from our creditors for our proposal to reshape Jamie's Italian restaurants.' 'We have a strong brand and are focused on continuing to deliver the levels of service, taste and the experience our loyal customers deserve.' Jamie's Italian has six locations in Sydney, Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane. The chef officially bought back his Australian restaurant portfolio from Keystone Hospitality Group after it was placed into receivership with debts topping $80 million. 'I believe in Australia and I'm invested in it in so many ways. I can't wait to get over there,' the chef told The Daily Telegraph last year. Hundreds of wannabe exorcists flocked to a week-long course on how to cast out demons - even by mobile phone. More than 200 Catholics, many of them priests, will attend lectures and talks in Rome on Monday on a range of topics as demand for exorcisms skyrockets. Classes include withcraft in Africa, how to tell the difference between demonic possession and mental illness, and a step-by-step guide to casting out demons. Cardinal Ernest Simoni (pictured) explained how he would read the prayers of exorcism in Latin over the phone just as he would if performing the lengthy rite in person Cardinal Ernest Simoni of Albania drew strong interest in the first session by citing the use of cellphones in exorcisms. 'They call me and we speak and that's how I do it,' he said after his address. Cardinal Simoni explained how he would read the prayers of exorcism in Latin over the phone just as he would if performing the lengthy rite in person. Although no official figures were available, Catholic Church officials said the number of demonic possessions was on the rise. Professor Giuseppe Ferrari, an organiser of the 'Course on Exorcism and the Prayer of Liberation' at the Vatican-approved Pontifical Regina Apostolorum University in Rome said demand was increasing. 'The number of exorcisms has definitely increased over the years, as the requests to carry out exorcisms has increased,' he said. 'This course is useful because it prepares the priests who carry out exorcisms to have a complete vision, a multi-disciplined view of the situation.' Classes include withcraft in Africa, how to tell the difference between demonic possession and mental illness, and a step-by-step guide to casting out demons Cardinal Simoni of Albania drew strong interest in the first session by citing the use of cellphones in exorcisms Father Benigno Palilla, an exorcist for the diocese of Palermo, told Vatican Radio in February that he had performed about 50 exorcisms in the past two and a half years. As well as licensed exorcists, theologians, psychologists, medical doctors, criminologists, and Church historians will also address the course participants. With a nod to U.S. thriller writer Dan Brown, whose novels such as 'Angels and Demons' often concern the Catholic Church, one lecture is called 'Angels and Demons in Sacred Scripture and the Teachings of the Church'. Students, who include several dozen women, will receive a certificate, though Ferrari stressed that it would not entitle them to cast out demons. Only priests can perform exorcisms, and only with their bishop's permission or a licence. A priest poses for a picture next to a banner advertising a course for aspiring exorcists in Rome Lay Catholics, including women, can be what a course entry called 'auxiliary exorcists,' meaning they can be present at the rite, pray and give moral support to the priest casting out the demon. Cardinal Simoni said exorcisms should only be attempted after doctors are unable to explain the behaviour of a person deemed to be demonically possessed. 'Discernment is important,' he said, stressing several times that he only saw himself as the instrument of a higher power. 'It is Jesus who liberates. It is his power. In all the exorcisms I have done, the Lord has helped me. I am not the great one,' he said. A Harvard University student who was reportedly high on drugs was repeatedly punched by a police officer after running naked into the street, in an incident that was captured on video on Friday night. The violent altercation between Selorm Ohene, 21, and a half-dozen officers with the Cambridge Police Department has sparked an internal investigation into the use of force by the police. According to an arrest report, the incident began unfolding at 9.09pm on Friday when officers responded to the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Waterhouse Street for a disturbance. Scroll down for video In the buff: Harvard student Selorm Ohene, 21, showed up naked in the middle of Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge on Saturday night and was confronted by police oficers Police said Ohene refused to comply with their commands and acted in an aggressive manner, which prompted them to take him down (pictured in screenshot) Officers pulled Ohene by his legs - a maneuver that made him fall to the ground A woman called 911 saying a man had thrown his clothes in her face. Six other people later called to report a man who appeared completely naked. Ohene, a Ghana-born student majoring in math, has been charged with indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, assault, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on an ambulance personnel Officers who responded to the scene found Ohene standing nude in the middle of a traffic island on Massachusetts Avenue. About 30 bystanders witnessed the spectacle. Police have learned from talking to his acquaintances that Ohene had ingested narcotics, possibly LSD, which had a hallucinogenic effect. Numerous attempts made by officers to calm the male down were met with opposition and his hostility escalated while officers attempted to speak with him, according to the report. The officer who ended up punching Ohene wrote in an incident report that his behavior from the start was 'aggressive, hostile, and intimidating.' He added: 'Every attempt that was made to calm Ohene down and reason with him was met with opposition. When Ohene started walking towards the officers with clenched fists, they made the tactical decision to grab his legs and pull him to the ground, but the Harvard student continued resisting, stated the report. A bystander's video shows four officers struggling with Ohene, who was believed to be high on hallucinogenic drugs One officer punched the math major in the stomach five times to get him to stop resisting 'I perceived this as a threat and thought an attack was imminent,' wrote the cop. 'Ohene's goal was to seriously hurt himself or one of the officers on scene. Ohene absolutely could not be reasoned with.' It took three officers from the Cambridge Police Department and another officer from the transit police to restrain Ohene and place him in handcuffs to avoid further injury to himself, the responding officers or any on-lookers. Cellphone video recorded by a bystander and released by the police shows one of the officers punching Ohene a total of five times while the student is lying on the ground. The officer who delivered the blows to Ohene's stomach later wrote in his report that 'these [punches] seemed ineffective.' Ohene could be heard exclaiming, 'Help me, Jesus! Help me, Jesus!' He was then taken to a local hospital for an evaluation. While in the ambulance, he spat blood and saliva at an EMT, according to the report. The 21-year-old suspect has been charged with indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, assault, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on an ambulance personnel. Two Cambridge police officers were also treated at a hospital for minor injuries and exposure to bodily fluids. As per department policy, the Professional Standards Unit operating within the Cambridge Police Department has launched an internal investigation into the officers use of force against Ohene. Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville Bard said in a statement that use of force was required in order to arrest the suspect who was displaying erratic behavior. Bard explained that after Ohene was brought down, he contorted his body in a way that pinned his arms beneath his body, thus making it impossible for the officers to handcuff him. A statement from the mayor of Cambridge addressing Ohene's arrest Members of the Harvard Black Law Students Association, some of whom witnessed Ohene's arrest, called into question Bard's version of events, characterizing the incident as an instance of police brutality. 'A naked, unarmed Black man stood still on the median at the center of Massachusetts Avenue,' the group said in a statement. 'He was surrounded by at least four Cambridge Police Department (CPD) officers who, without provocation, lunged at him, tackled him and pinned him to the ground.' Cambridge Mayor Marc McGovern called the video of the arrest showing Ohene being struck 'disturbing' and promised that the results of the internal investigation will be made public. 'Cambridge affirms that Black Lives Matter, but it must be true in practice as well,' McGovern wrote in the statement released on Sunday. 'As Mayor, I will continue working with my colleagues to make sure that the horrific treatment of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement has no place in Cambridge.' Ohene, a native of Ghana, is a mathematics major at the prestigious Ivy League university. The woman who killed Joran van der Sloot's best friend in an act of self defense is sharing what she heard about the death of Natalee Holloway in an interview with Dr. Phil. Emily Heistand, 23, said that it was just two or three months after she met and began dating John Ludwick that she learned about the infamous Holloway case, which remains unsolved after more than a decade. 'He told me that Joran did do it, and hid the body,' Heistand told Dr Phil in an interview that was aired Monday. 'John told me that Joran got this Natalee girl all drunk at a bar and Joran took her to the beach and they were having a good time and she started seizuring and foaming at the mouth.' She then added: 'Joran called his dad and helped him dispose of the body.' Scroll down for video Relationship gown awry: Emily Heistand is the young woman who killed her ex-boyfriend John Ludwick in self defense after he tried to kidnap her out of her driveway (Heitsand and Ludwick above) DailyMail.com broke the news that Heistand (above) killed Ludwick in an act of self defense by stabbing him with the knife he had been holding to her throat He did it: Heistand sits down with Dr. Phil for her first TV interview on Monday, revealing that Ludwick told her that Joran killed Holloway (van der Sloot and Ludwick in an undated photo) That confession led to the end of Heistand's relationship with Ludwick she said on the program. The young mother told Dr. Phil that she was 'creeped out' and did not want to see Ludwick. It was Ludwick who then went and got that hidden body and burned it to death, all in a bid to make sure that Natalee's remains were never discovered by authorities. Soon after is when she claims Ludwick tried to kidnap her from her own driveway. DailyMail.com was the first to reveal how Heistand stabbed Ludwick to death back in March, and she recounted the story once again for Dr. Phil. 'He was waiting at my house,' said Heistand. 'I just pulled into my house, took my keys out of the ignition, put them in my pocket and I was texting my boyfriend, "Have a good day at work. I love you."' Then, out of nowhere, Ludwick made his move. 'I think he jumped out at my car and ran at me. I saw him and immediately I knew, "oh god, that's John,' explained Heistand. 'He got on top of me, I was screaming, he had a knife to my throat. He was shoving something into my mouth and I can't talk and he was able to shove me into the passenger seat.' She continued: 'He got in and he has a knife to my throat with his left hand. And he goes to start the car and he realizes the keys aren't in the ignition.' Ludwick then demanded that Heistand give him the keys or he would slit her throat, at which point she decided to grab the knife and try and take control of the situation. 'He's not letting go, so I swung the knife back slowly at him a couple of times and I realize its me or him,' said Heistand. What happened next will be revealed Monday on Dr. Phil. Check local listings for show time. Best chance: 'He's not letting go, so I swung the knife back slowly at him a couple of times and I realize its me or him,' said Heistand (her home above where the incident took place) Ludwick, a friend of Van der Sloot's, said he helped the prime suspect in her death during an interview on Oxygen before his death. Ludwick agreed to talk after an informant provided evidence that he had been paid by Van der Sloot to dig up the body of the 18-year-old, who disappeared in Aruba on May 30, 2005. The plan, according to Ludwick, was to try to get her remains cremated. But in order to comply with Aruba's laws about cremation, the pair, according to Lucwick, hoped to crush her bones to the point where they would not be recognizably human. He said: 'The idea was to crush everything to the point where it wasnt recognizable as her bones or skull or anything like that.' The skull was somehow burned in this process, Ludwick claims. The rest of her body was not burned. Holloway, from Mountain Brook, Alabama, vanished while on a trip to celebrate her high school graduation. She was last seen by her classmates leaving a nightclub with Van der Sloot - a then 17-year-old Dutch honors student living on the tropical island. No trace of her body has ever been found. Gone girl: Natalee Holloway was last seen on May 29, 2005 Van der Sloot - who is currently in prison in Peru serving a 28-year sentence for the 2010 murder of 21-year-old business student Stephany Flores Ramirez - has long been a suspect in Natalee's disappearance. Gabriel told Dave Holloway that, according to Ludwick, his daughter was buried in a park near her hotel on the island - a sequence of events that marked one of the biggest breaks in the 12-year history of the case. Ludwick apparently told Gabriel that van der Sloot disposed of Natalee's body with help from his father Paulus, a judge on the island, after the teen choked to death on her own vomit soon after she was given a drink that had been spiked with GHB. Paulus has since died. Van der Sloot revealed his actions to Ludwick, who then repeated the information to Gabriel while the two were living together in recent years. Ultimately, the bone fragments found on Aruba in an area close to where Ludwick claimed he and the long-alleged killer took the young woman's body were not a match. Three of the fragments were not human, while the fourth fragment did prove to be human remains but did not contain any of the same mitochondrial DNA as Natalee's mother Beth. That capped off an 18 months investigation that exhausted all previous research in the case and included new interviews and field work on the ground in Aruba. Dave announced back in August that this investigation would be his last attempt to find the remains of his daughter, no matter what the outcome. He made what appeared to be his biggest break in the case when he tracked down Ludwick. Ludwick confessed to burning Natalee's skull himself, stating that he doused it in gasoline and then set it on fire inside a cave in order to destroy any identifying hair fibers. Ludwick appeared surprisingly emotionless and composed in his bombshell interview, which aired last month on the series. During his sit-down, Ludwig detailed how van der Sloot offered him $1500 to dig up Natalee's body back in 2010 and then have it cremated on the island. That proved to be a bit of a process, however, as it was illegal to cremate humans at that time, forcing Ludwick to bring the remains back to his aunt's property and crush them up first. 'The idea was to crush everything to the point where it wasn't recognizable as her bones or skull or anything like that,' revealed Ludwick. 'The only thing that got burned was the skull to burn the hair fibers. It was doused in gasoline in a fire pit in a cave.' After the skull had been burned and all the bones crushed, van der Sloot added in some dog remains, and once at the crematorium Ludwick said he told the worker that he had lost a pet. 'I went in there with $200 cash, and said: "This dog means a lot to me and, freakin', I don't want anyone to be the last one to touch it except me. If I give you $200 can I push it in myself?'' revealed Ludwick. The two men then borrowed a fisherman's boat and took the ashes out to sea, where they scattered the remains according to Ludwick. The interview marked a shocking departure from Ludwick's past claims about the case, which he has managed to keep mostly quiet about over the years. When he did speak however, Ludwick made a point of staunchly defending van der Sloot against any claims or allegations that he had murdered Natalee or had anything to do with the disappearance of the 18-year-old Alabama student. Sam Akoitai (right) outside National Court after winning back his Central Bougainville seat (Sally Pokiton) NEWSDESK | Pacific Media Centre (Loop PNG) AUCKLAND - Bougainville Affairs Minister Father Simon Dumarinu has been ousted by Papua New Guineas national court as the first casualty since last years general election. The national court sitting in Waigani declared Sam Akoitai, a former mining minister, re-elected for the seat of Central Bougainville after deliberating on an election petition. Justice Lawrence Kangwia declared Mr Akoitai elected in the recount by just four votes - 7,257 to Fr Dumarinus 7,253. Mr Akoitai was declared the winner after the court refused a motion by Fr Dumarinu for a further recount. He is regarded as a cheerleader for Bougainville Copper Limited, having worked for the company for eight years. He also fought against the Bougainville Revolutionary Army during the regions 10-year civil war. A vulture raised by two male parents in a longstanding relationship has been released into the wild. Artis Amsterdam Royal Zoo released the bird in Sardinia last weekend after its doting gay fathers spent a year raising it in the Dutch capital. It will now join a group of twelve other griffon vultures on the Italian island who have been released as part of a conservation programme to increase the species' population. Rembrandt Sutorius, the director at the zoo, said the release was a 'very special moment', adding: 'We could see the vultures floating above the area - a truly magnificent sight.' Scroll down for video Artis Amsterdam Royal Zoo released the bird in Sardinia last weekend after its doting gay fathers spent a year raising it in the Dutch capital Rembrandt Sutorius, the director at the zoo, said the release was a 'very special moment', adding: 'We could see the vultures floating above the area - a truly magnificent sight.' Pictured: One of the chick's fathers with the adopted vulture last year Rembrandt Sutorius, the director at the zoo, said the release was a 'very special moment', adding: 'We could see the vultures floating above the area - a truly magnificent sight.' Pictured: The birds being released in Sardinia The young bird hatched in the spring of last year after zookeepers found an abandoned egg at the bottom of an aviary. They put the apparently unwanted egg in an incubator but, when they noticed two gay male griffon vultures collecting twigs to build a nest, they decided to give them the egg instead. The vultures, who had been together for several years, took turns sitting on the egg until it hatched - the first successful hatching at the zoo in five years. Their parenting was commended in June last year, with the zoo explaining the two males were 'taking good care of the chick'. An Artis spokesperson said at the time: 'This is not unusual in nature. There are often homosexual couples, especially among birds.' Speaking to the BBC last year, zookeeper Job van Tol said the males were 'a very tight couple'. The fathers' parenting was commended in June last year, with the zoo explaining the two males were 'taking good care of the chick'. Pictured: The chick not long after hatching The vultures, who had been together for several years, took turns sitting on the egg until it hatched - the first successful hatching at the zoo in five years He added: 'We have had them for some years. They always build a nest together, bond and mate together.' The gay griffon vultures ate mostly from the carcasses of dead animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, before regurgitating for their chick to eat. It was released alongside a young vulture from Spain whose parents - a male and female - had been hurt in the wild. Firefighters have come to the rescue for a group of Minnesota high school students after a blizzard struck during their prom. As much as 15 inches of snow was predicted to hit Forest Lake, north-east of Minneapolis, on Saturday right when the teenagers would have normally been posing for their prom photos outside. The Forest Lake Fire Department decided to step in and save the day by opening its firehouse for several hours so the students could take pictures away from the blizzard. Firefighters came to the rescue in Forest Lake, Minnesota on Saturday after a blizzard struck during a high school prom The Forest Lake Fire Department decided to step in and save the day by opening its firehouse for several hours so the students could take pictures As much as 15 inches of snow was predicted to hit Forest Lake when the students would have normally been taking photos outside About 200 students from Forest Lake High School, who quickly dubbed the ordeal #BlizzardProm, posed in their formal clothes on firetrucks and around the firehouse. Locals praised the fire department and flooded its Facebook page with positive comments. 'Two feet of snow in a fierce blizzard almost ruined Prom! What a great thing for Forest Lake, Minnesota to do so the kids could get prom photos, which would have normally been taken in outdoor spots!' one person wrote. 'All the firefighters were so awesome to the kids! Thanks again! Forest Lake Prom 2018 we will not forget!' another wrote. About 200 students from Forest Lake High School posed in their formal clothes inside the firehouse A group of students posed in front of the Forest Lake Fire Department truck ahead of prom The students, who quickly dubbed the ordeal #BlizzardProm, made the most of the situation Locals praised the fire department for helping the students have a more than memorable prom More than 200 students flocked to the firehouse after crews decided to open its doors on Saturday afternoon A group of boys posed on a fire truck dressed in the prom attire on Saturday afternoon 'You guys are hero's every single day!! Now you do this!! Can you get any better???? This was awesome and those kids will remember this for the rest of their lives and be able to tell their children and grandchildren about it. Way to go!!!!' The venue of their prom also had to be changed at the last minute given the weather. Instead of going to nearby St Paul, the students were told to gather at their high school to celebrate. Some Facebook posts from parents and students indicated that several limos actually got stuck in the snow. The spring storm dumped two feet of snow on parts of the upper Midwest on Sunday and saw Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport temporarily shut down. This group of girls jumped for joy as they posed for pictures in front of one of the fire trucks Locals praised the fire department and flooded its Facebook page with positive comments The students quickly dubbed the entire ordeal #BlizzardProm Some Facebook posts from parents and students indicated that several limos actually got stuck in the snow during the storm The National Weather Service says the 14.9 inches at Minneapolis airport from Friday through Sunday set a record for the largest April snowstorm ever there. It is also the snowiest April on record in the Twin Cities and it's the snowiest start to a calendar year there, with 70.3 inches since January 1. Minnesota residents continued to slogg through the mid-April storm on Sunday that coated roads with ice and battered areas farther south with powerful winds and tornadoes before plowing toward the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic US. The storm system, which has been blamed for the death's of at least four people across the Midwest, caused 230 flights to be cancelled out of Minneapolis on Sunday. On Saturday, the storm caused the cancellation of nearly 470 flights at the airport. The wintry grip on the Twin Cities continued to keep the boys of summer off the diamond, forcing the postponement of the third straight Minnesota Twins-Chicago White Sox game. In South Dakota, Sioux Falls set records for a single day in April at 13.7 inches on Saturday and a record April total of 24.9 inches. Huron and Mitchell set two-day record totals for April of 15.5 and 16.2 inches respectively. In Wisconsin, the storm ranks as the all-time second largest snowstorm in Green Bay at 23.5 inches and a record April total of more than 35 inches there. Pedestrians cross Nicollet Ave in Minneapolis on Saturday after the spring storm battered parts of the mid west Paul Tuchtenhagen uses a snow blower to pull Leland, 2, and Ephram, 5, in a sled during a storm in Rochester, Minnesota on Sunday A worker tried to clear snow and ice from the Metro Government Center Plaza station as the snow picked up in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday People help push a car stuck during a snowstorm on Saturday Police found nearly 100 animals living in their own urine and feces as they raided a woman's home and charged her with cruelty and neglect. Officers discovered 67 cats, 30 dogs, a box turtle and a deer in filthy conditions at the home in New Florence, Pennsylvania, it is reported. A criminal complaint said that the animals were infested with fleas and worms, with many of them suffering hair loss and rooms 'overpowered' with debris. Alexsandria Klochak, 54, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty and neglect, according to KDKA-TV. A box turtle similar to the one which was found at the house in New Florence, Pennsylvania, where police found nearly 100 animals living in their own urine and feces (file photo) The criminal complaint said: 'Rooms were overpowered with debris and animal feces; floors were saturated with urine. 'Floors [were] covered with urine-soaked paper towels; feces was shoved against the walls.' Some of the animals, who were found dehydrated or even unable to stand up by themselves, had to be treated by veterinarians. Klochak was released on a $20,000 bond, it is reported, having previously refused entry to police and humane officers who returned with a warrant. Neighbours raised concerns about the conditions outside the home, and described a 'persistent odor', it is reported. Last month a Massachusetts man accused of abusing a dog so severely that it had to be euthanized was convicted of animal cruelty charges and jailed The 37-year-old, Radoslaw Czerkawski, was found guilty of torturing and abandoning the pit bull, known as 'Puppy Doe'. A Christian woman kidnapped and used as a sex slave by ISIS was saved by a rescue team posing as jihadists who bought her back for 20,000. Rita Habib, 30, was captured in northern Iraq three years ago, marking the beginning of her horrific ordeal. Raped by numerous men, all of whom had wives and children, Ms Habib was sold from one member of the extremist network to another in an endless cycle of abuse. But she has now been reunited with her father after the fifth person to buy her handed her back to her family in a courageous rescue that could have killed him. Ms Habib told Kurdistan 24: 'They did evil things to us. They beat us and raped us. 'The worst of all was girls aged nine who were raped. Girls would be sold for 4,000 to 15,000 dollars.' An only child with a widowed father, Ms Habib had travelled to Turkey in 2014 to try to register them both for asylum as ISIS stormed the Middle East. But by the time she returned in August with the documents they needed, ISIS had fought their way into the town of Qaraqosh in northern Iraq. Families were separated and Ms Habib was taken to Mosul, where she was told she would be used for prisoner exchanges. Instead, she was bought by an Iraqi man and held for 18 months before being sold on to two Saudi Arabians in Raqqa and then a Syrian man. It was then that two men from the Shlama Foundation, an Iraqi Christian group, stepped in pretending to be jihadists wanting to buy a sex slave. They were reportedly alerted to Ms Habib's situation by her father who had also been captured in Qaraqosh and later freed. The pair paid 20,000 to buy her, as well as purchasing a Yazidi woman she was being held with - a move which, if discovered, would have seen the rescuers killed. Ms Habib told reporters: 'They did evil things to us. They beat us and raped us' Ms Habib embraces her father in Arbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, three years after she was kidnapped and sold into sex slavery For days afterwards, Ms Habib and her fellow captive were unaware they would be leaving the violence and abuse which had marred their lives for years. But when the Yazidi woman asked what was happening, one of the men told them: 'We are not ISIS. We have been paid to bring you home. 'We are trying to find a way to save you.' Ms Habib spent four months in a women's refuge, then last week she met her father in Arbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, in a tearful reunion. Mark Hoare, 30, of Calgarth Road, Huyton is a self-confessed 'sex addict' who tried to entice a 14-year-old virgin A self-confessed 'sex addict' who tried to entice a 14-year-old virgin to meet him for sex was stopped in his tracks by paedophile hunters. Mark Hoare, 30, would binge drink on lager for 'Dutch courage' and then chat with females - including other underage girls - while online in his bedroom. 'He says he is a sex addict, addicted to females regardless of age,' said Neil BIsarya, prosecuting. Liverpool Crown Court heard that a woman 'decoy' working with Hunters 4 Justice, set up an on-line profile as a 14-year-old girl on the Oasis dating site. On February 8 this year Hoare, of Calgarth Road, Huyton sent her a message. She told him she was only 14-years-old but instigated by him the conversations quickly turned to sexual matters. They spoke again online the next day before switching to WhatsApp. 'He turned the conversations to to sex and asked if he could meet up to have sex with her. 'She told him repeatedly she was 14 but he continued to ask for photographs of her and to meet up for sex,' said Mr BIsarya. Scroll down to view video Liverpool Crown Court heard that a woman 'decoy' working with paedophile hunter group Hunters 4 Justice, set up an on-line profile as a 14-year-old girl on the Oasis dating site Hoare also sent her a photograph of his penis and two images of a man and woman engaged in sexual intercourse. On March 7 members from the paedophile hunter group went to his home and confronted him over the messages. 'There was a disturbance in the street and the police were requested and he was arrested at 8pm.' The group streamed the encounter on Facebook, where it was viewed 95,000 times, shared by 1,500 people and 'liked' by 2,500 users. When quizzed Hoare told police that he was not going meet her and had 'just wanted conversations.' He admitted chatting to other 14-year-old girls online and claimed his problems stemmed back to when he was five years old and was tricked into going into woods by a 14-year-old boy who told him to have sex with a young girl. He said he ran away crying but his mother just 'laughed it off.' Hoare, a father of a baby boy, also admitted that when drunk his 'dirty mind takes over' and he has chatted to older girls and sent pictures of his penis to them. He said that last person he was in a relationship with had told him he was a sex addict. She told him repeatedly she was 14 but he continued to ask for photographs of her and to meet up for sex He also said he went on adult porn sites and said he was sorry for what had happened and had not wanted 'to traumatise little children.' Hoare went on to admit he was a sex addict regardless of the women's age but said he would not have sex with a child and 'would talk to anyone on the internet.' He pleaded guilty to two charges involving attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. Mark Lever, defending, said that Hoare, who has no previous convictions, 'is a lonely, isolated individual with few friends.' He had been living with his mother and sister but could no longer live there because of the hostility of neighbours after the paedophile hunters turned up at his door. He is currently homeless because he had been unable to find accommodation. Mr Lever said that Hoare worked as a warehouseman and he generally spent his money on alcohol and would drink lager expressively to get Dutch courage and 'began behaving in a risky manner on the internet.' Jailing Hoare for 12 months the judge, Recorder Tom Ryan, said that he did not accept that he would not have met the girl although he accepted he might not have gone on to have sex with her. 'You believed you were communicating with a 14-year-old girl who had never had sex before and raised the possibility of oral sex and intercourse and suggested a place which you might meet.' He ordered Hoare to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years. An alleged Canadian serial killer is now facing an eighth murder charge. Bruce McArthur, 66, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, 37. It is the latest charge against McArthur since his arrest in January. Police say he trolled bars in Toronto's 'Gay Village' as well as gay dating apps for victims, predominantly targeting Muslim men from South Asia or the Middle East. Toronto police Detective Sgt Hank Idsinga said on Monday that Kanagaratnam's remains were found at a home that McArthur used as storage for his landscaping business. Bruce McArthur, 66 (left), has been charged with an eighth count of first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam, 37 (right). Detective Sgt Hank Idsinga added that there was no evidence linking Kanagaratnam to the city's LGBTQ neighborhood, as there was with the previous seven victims The dismembered remains of all the named victims except for, Majeed Kayhan, were found in flower planters in this residential backyard, where McArthur stored landscaping equipment Kanagaratnam arrived from Sri Lanka in 2010 and lived in Scarborough. He has no immediate family in Canada and was never reported as missing. Investigators said he was identified after they released photographs of the dead man and appealed to the public for help. Idsinga said at the time was a 'last resort' to identify the victim. Idsinga added that there was no evidence linking Kanagaratnam to the city's LGBTQ neighborhood, as there was with the previous seven victims, reported CTV News. McArthur has been held since January 18, when he was arrested and initially charged with the murders of Andrew Kinsman, 49, and Selim Esen, 44 Abdulbasir Faizi, 44, an Afghan immigrant was named as the seventh victim of McArthur on Wednesday Victims (left to right): Skandaraj 'Skanda' Navaratnam, 40; Majeed Kayhan, 58; and Soroush Marmudi, 50; all disappeared between 2010 and 2015 Victims (left to right): Dean Lisowick, 43; Selim Esen, 44; and Andrew Kinsman, 49, all disappeared between April 2016 and June 2017 At a press conference on Wednesday that was broadcast online, Homicide Detective Sergeant Hank Idsinga revealed other new developments in the case. Three additional positive identifications have been made on the seven sets of human remains recovered in large planters at a home where McArther, a self-employed landscaper, stored work materials. The newly-identified remains were those of Esen, 44-year-old Abdulbasir Faizi and Dean Lisowick, a 43-year-old homeless man whose murder McArther has already been charged with. Forensic specialists had previously identified three sets of remains from the planters: Kinsman; Soroush Mahmudi, 50; and Skandaraj 'Skanda' Navaratnam, 40. McArthur (Pictured) was arrested in January. Police say he trolled bars in Toronto's 'Gay Village' as well as gay dating apps for victims, predominantly targeting Muslim men from South Asia or the Middle East A seventh victim, 58-year-old Majeed Kayhan, was not linked to the remains from the planters, but McArthur has also been charged with his murder. Police have not publicly revealed if or whether Kayhan's remains were found. Idsinga said there was 'at least' one more set of remains from the planters that had yet to be identified, eventually revealed to be Kanagaratnam. According to Canoe, police will be investigating cold cases that date back to 1975 to see if there are any links to McArthur. Police will also be searching at least 70 properties where they believe McArthur worked a a landscaper. A 72-year-old woman has been arrested after she was caught on camera assaulting two female soldiers, including a pregnant one. Shocking video shows the altercation between Judy Tucker and the two unidentified soldiers on Saturday night at a Cheddars restaurant in Macon, Georgia. The woman who posted the now-viral video, LaKeycia Ward, says the altercation began when Tucker and her son became angry after the soldiers got in their way as they were trying to park in a handicapped spot. Judy Tucker, 72, became angry after two female soldiers allegedly blocked her from getting into a handicapped parking spot in Macon, Georgia, on Saturday Ward and other witnesses claim Tucker's son then followed the soldiers inside and began verbally abusing them, calling them 'gay black b***hes' and shouting 'does the military let lesbians serve?' Shortly after approaching the soldiers Tucker is seen on video getting upset when one of them pulls out her phone to record the interaction. 'Put that phone down! You do not have the right to take a picture of me!' Tucker yells as both she and her son try grabbing the phone from one of the soldiers. Video of the incident shows Tucker become enraged when one of the soldiers tries filming her When the soldier tells Tucker she's pregnant, she replies: 'Well, my husband is handicapped' 'First of all, look at me! I'm pregnant! Look at me - You're pushing a pregnant lady!' the soldier says. 'Oh really? By her?' replies Tucker's son. Tucker then adds: 'Well, my husband is handicapped.' Her husband doesn't appear to be present. People in the restaurant then started separating Tucker, her son Robbie and her daughter Angie from the soldiers, before the trio was kicked out, according to Hollywood Unlocked. Additional footage taken outside the establishment shows Tucker crying as she gets arrested. Robbie, Tucker's son, was allegedly calling the two soldiers 'gay black b******' Additional footage taken outside the establishment shows Tucker crying as she gets arrested Tucker was arrested on simple battery charges and booked into Bibb County Jail. Daughter Angie can be heard telling a cop that she had '10 big black guys on her' as her mom is taken away. 'We saw the whole thing,' an officer replies. Witnesses say videos of the altercation were instrumental in the arrest because Tucker and her family were claiming they were the ones who were attacked. She has since been released on bail. Tucker has an art restoration business and the Facebook page for it has been inundated with comments from people who are appalled by her actions before her arrest After being taken to Bibb County Jail in tears for assault, Tucker was released on bail Tucker has an art restoration business and the Facebook page for it has been inundated with comments from people who are appalled by her actions before her arrest. 'How dare you abuse and harass our soldiers in uniform!!! Especially a pregnant one. You and your son have absolutely no class and should be utterly ashamed of yourselves,' said one comment. Another user added: 'Thank you for showing your hate. I'm sure you will lose customers for this and your business will soon close ..... I'm glad you we're arrested for being disrespectful and also being a racist to the people who serve and provide protection for this country.' My book is about ethical leadership, tweeted former FBI Director James Comey yesterday. To which my immediate response, having watched his shockingly self-serving, unctuously arrogant and cynically exploitative ABC interview to launch the book, is this: 1) What would he know about ethics? 2) What would he know about leadership? Having watched Comey's self-serving ABC interview to launch his book, it's revealed by his own damning words that it's the former FBI director himself who is morally unfit The central premise of Comeys lengthy literary whine is that Donald Trumps morally unfit to be President. Yet, as revealed by his own damning words, its Comey himself who is not only morally unfit, but was also ultimately most responsible for getting Trump elected. It was HIS decision to announce, just 11 days before the 2016 election, that the FBI was re-opening its investigation into Hillary Clintons emails after new ones had been uncovered. Nine days later, just 48 hours before America voted, and after a week of fevered media coverage, Comey then announced the new emails had been reviewed and Hillary was in the clear. By then, the damage was done and many people, including Hillary herself, believe the sudden onslaught of negative publicity that followed the original bombshell news helped tip Trump into the White House. They or may not be right about that, but nobody could argue it was anything but massively unhelpful to the Democrat candidate. Now, astonishingly, Comeys admitted he made this decision for political, not legal reasons. It is entirely possible that because I was making decisions in an environment where Hillary Clinton was sure to be the next president, he told ABCs George Stephanopoulos, my concern about making her an illegitimate president by concealing the restarted investigation bore greater weight that it would have if the election appeared closer or if Trump were ahead in all polls. Sorry, WHAT? Comey admits he made his decision about announcing the FBI re-opening its investigation into Hillary Clintons emails for political, not legal reasons, because he didn't want her to be seen as an 'illegitimate president.' Sorry, WHAT? It wasnt Comeys job to factor in his personal interpretation of the political landscape while making any decision, and before reviewing the emails. It was his job to ensure the FBI reviewed the new information as fast as possible and then make a decision as to what may or not be relevant to inform the American public. Comeys rush to go public without knowing the material facts was entirely in keeping with his unsettling lust for self-publicity that ensured his name and face were in the headlines throughout election year. (An odd character trait, you might think, for an FBI Director?) The reality is that James Comeys a snivelling, egotistical worm who quite possibly swung an election through disastrous misjudgment, was correctly fired for staggering incompetence, and is now cashing in on his abject failure in a manner that should make all right-minded Americans, Republican or Democrat, puke in disgust. It seems quite outrageous to me that he should be able to publish such a lurid, sensationalist, secret-spilling, tell-all book exploiting his own ineptitude - and make millions of dollars by doing so. The reality is that Comeys a sniveling, egotistical worm who quite possibly swung an election through disastrous misjudgment, was correctly fired for staggering incompetence, and is now cashing in on his abject failure in a manner that should make all right-minded Americans puke in disgust. It seems outrageous that he should be able to publish a lurid, sensationalist, secret-spilling book exploiting his own ineptitude - and make millions by doing so The book itself is contaminated by Comeys deep loathing of the President which is so intense it drags him into the very Trump-style gutter of personal insult and false nudge nudge, wink wink smear innuendo he professes to find so distasteful. For instance, he gleefully recounts how Trump asked him to investigate the notorious, unverified pee-tape prostitute allegations so he could reassure his wife Melania they werent true. This seems a perfectly understandable reaction given the furore that erupted around such humiliating allegations contained in an intelligence dossier thats since been widely discredited. But Saint Comey thought differently. In what kind of marriage, to what kind of man, does a spouse conclude there is only a 99% chance her husband didnt do that? he opines in his book. Hmm. What kind of man concludes that such an intensely private and potentially embarrassing conversation between a president and his then FBI chief should now be made public to sell books? Comey has no evidence to support the pee-tape claims, but that doesnt stop him hinting they may be true. Just as when Stephanopoulos pressed him on whether Russia may have something on Trump, he replied conspiratorially: Its possible. For Comey, facts dont matter when unsubstantiated rumours scream book sales KER-CHING! Some of the content is pathetically petty. Comey wants us to know Trumps not as tall as him and his hands arent as large as his, face is slightly orange and he has bright white half-moons under his eyes where I assumed he placed small tanning goggles. Seriously? This from a man professing to be mortally offended by Trumps failure to live up to the high standards of public office? Some of the book is just petty. Comey wants us to know Trumps not as tall as him and his hands arent as large as his, face is slightly orange and he has white half-moons under his eyes' from tanning bed goggles. This from a man professing to be mortally offended by Trump The timing of Comeys spiteful gossip-mongering tome seems especially inappropriate given Special Counsel Robert Muellers ongoing investigation into alleged Russian collusion. Yet Im not remotely surprised hes put personal fortune and self-aggrandising PR before any sense of professional propriety. When Comey was dismissed a year ago, I wrote then that he was a man with a bizarre, emotion-charged streak of narcissism for someone running the FBI. His appearance in front of the Senate committee confirmed him to be not a dispassionate, methodical gatherer of facts but a drama queen of toe-curling proportions. Comey painted a picture of heroic self-sacrifice as he weighed up his two options the week before the election: one bad (revealing the development in the Hillary email investigation), the other catastrophic (as he put it, concealing that development.) I knew this would be disastrous for me personally, he said, his face etched with torment. Look, this is terrible, he sighed, bottom lip trembling. It makes me mildly nauseous to think that we might have had some impact on the election. Ironically, its turned out to be the best thing thats ever happened to Comey, who will now be all he ever wanted to be: a multi-millionaire celebrity; whilst making the rest of us a damn sight more than mildly nauseous. The bottom line is this: James Comey was fired for no other reason than being bad at his job. Rod Rosensteins first act when he was appointed Deputy Attorney-General a year ago, was to address the Comey problem. Rosenstein spoke to all the relevant people, and then sent President Trump a memo with his assessment and recommendation. It said that under Comey, the FBI had suffered substantial damage to its reputation and credibility. Comey painted himself as self-sacrificing hero but the bottom line is he was fired for being bad at his job. Rod Rosensteins first act when he was appointed Deputy Attorney-General was to address the Comey problem. He spoke to all the relevant people and then sent Trump a memo saying the FBI had suffered substantial damage to its reputation and credibility under the now millionaire celebrity It hammered him for the way he handled the reopening of the Hillary email investigation, and for his refusal to accept the near universal judgment that he was mistaken. The memo also cited former Deputy Attorneys General Gorelick and Thompsons damning description of Comeys behaviour as real-time, raw-take transparency taken to its illogical limit, a kind of reality TV of federal criminal investigation that is antithetical to the interests of justice. It concluded: The FBI is unlikely to regain public and congressional trust until it has a Director who understands the gravity of the mistakes and pledges never to repeat them. Having refused to admit his errors, the Director cannot be expected to implement the necessary corrective actions. Trump read the memo, and rightly fired him. Now, from his own mouth, Comeys confirmed Trump why was right. Aside from numerous other failings, he made a massive decision based on how he viewed the politics of an investigation. It was a catastrophically bad decision that may well have determined the outcome of a US election. So if Comey wants someone to blame for President Trump, he needs look no further than his own mirror. He would have us believe hes a man of deep integrity but in reality hes shown himself to be a treacherous, useless, money-grabbing weasel. If, as Comey offensively claims, Trump behaves like a mob boss - then he is a Sammy the Bull type rat. His book is entitled A Higher Loyalty. I wouldnt trust James Judas Comey to run a bath, let alone the FBI. Roger Waters claims White Helmets is a 'fake' organisation creating propaganda to encourage the bombing of Syria. The former Pink Floyd frontman opposed airstrikes on dictator Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons plants at a concert in Barcelona on Friday. Airstrikes just hours later were in response to the Syrian regime's chemical weapons attack on civilians in Douma, based on footage provided by White Helmets. Roger Waters claims White Helmets is a 'fake' organisation creating propaganda to encourage the bombing of Syria 'The White Helmets is a fake organisation that exists only to create propaganda for jihadists and terrorists. That's my belief,' Waters said on stage. 'If we were to listen to the propaganda of the White Helmets and others, we would be encouraged to encourage our governments to start dropping bombs on people in Syria. 'This would be a mistake of monumental proportions for us as human beings.' The 74-year-old said people should instead persuade their governments not to bomb the war-torn country, as the U.S., Britain and France ended up doing. 'Certainly not until we have done all the research that is necessary so that we would have a clear idea of what is really going on,' he said. 'Because we live in the world where propaganda seems to be more important than the reality of what is really going on.' The former Pink Floyd frontman opposed airstrikes on dictator Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons plants at a concert in Barcelona on Friday Waters called on the audience to build a better world for their children and grandchildren to give them a world to live in when they're gone Waters called on the audience to build a better world for their children and grandchildren to give them a world to live in when they're gone. 'If we are to make any sense of the future of this fragile, lonely little planet, we're only going to do that by reaching out to each other across boundaries and religions and nationalities to increase our ability to empathise with each other,' he said. The White Helmets have hit back at Syrian Government accusations that the gas attack was staged to provoke Western military action. Ammar al-Salmo, a founder of the civil defence force that pulls people from rubble after military attack, said Assad and his Russian allies were trying to cover up atrocities. 'They do not want their crimes to be witnessed. We publicise their attacks. This is the cause of the Russian and regime propaganda against us,' he said. 'They are not killing terrorists but civilians.' Airstrikes just hours later were in response to the Syrian regime's chemical weapons attack on civilians in Douma, based on footage provided by White Helmets An image released by the White Helmets shows a toddler in a nappy being given oxygen after the attack in Syria Co-founder Ismail Alabdullah said: 'We make them angry because we show how they are killing our people. They do not want the world to know what is happening.' As well as providing vital rescue services, the White Helmets document events with handheld and helmet-mounted cameras. Their footage helps human rights groups corroborate eyewitness accounts. Videos released after last weekend's attack showed apparently suffocated corpses and pale toddlers being treated by medical staff. More than 40 people died, with dozens more needing treatment for symptoms indicating exposure to chemicals. A young child is treated by White Helmets specialists after being taken to Aleppo in the wake of the gas attack on Douma The White Helmets claim there have been more than 200 chemical weapon attacks in the Syrian struggle. 'I have seen chlorine gas attack. We did not know what was happening and what to do,' al-Salmo said. But he said worse were lethal barrel bombs, filled with oil or shrapnel along with explosives and dropped from helicopters. 'These are horrible. I've seen terrible things with massacres in hospitals and marketplaces. They kill many more people,' he said. Two property consultants conned a dying actress into leaving them her entire 1million estate in her will, a court heard. Iain Macmaster, 68, and Morris Benhamu, 42, allegedly convinced 1960s star Claire Gordon to sign a will when she was 'not in a fit and proper state' that would leave all her money to them. Mrs Gordon, who lived in west London, was a rival to Diana Dors and billed as 'Britain's answer to Brigitte Bardot.' She starred in a series of raunchy comedies and appeared alongside British comedy legends including Bob Monkhouse and Some Mothers Do Ave Em star Michael Crawford in West End plays during the 1960s. Claire Gordon (left, publicity shot for the film Konga) and right, aged 62, was allegedly conned into into leaving two property consultants her entire 1million estate in her will Her estate, which includes a cottage near the giraffe enclosure at Longleat safari park in Wiltshire and a property in Hurghada, a beach resort in Egypt, was valued at 905,836. Iain MacMaster, 70, of Fitzrovia, west London, and Morris Benhamu, 42, of Hendon, north-west London, each deny a charge of conspiracy to defraud and fraud at Southwark Crown Court in London. It is alleged they worked together to defraud Ms Gordon and her relatives as her rightful beneficiaries of her entire estate by falsely claiming she intended them to have it. Mrs Gordon, who died in April 2015 aged 74, did not have any children, but from her mothers side had a number of cousins and was godmother to the daughter of close friends Tom and Laura Boon, jurors heard. Morris Benhamu (left) and Iain Macmaster at an earlier court appearance. They deny a charge of conspiracy to defraud and fraud at Southwark Crown Court in London Claire Gordon, who at the height of her fame a rival to Diana Dors, died in April 2015 She had previously written a will in 2014 naming her cousins and their children as her beneficiaries, but this has never been recovered. Mrs Gordon also claimed to be the first actress to appear fully naked on the British stage - in a version of The Three Musketeers. The show was produced by her future husband, the satirist William Donaldson. He was better known by the name of Henry Root. He was famous for publishing spoof letters to well-known public figures. They divorced in 1978, and he died in 2008. They had no children, but she had a number of cousins. Mrs Gordon with her husband William Donaldson, who is most famous for his Henry Root letters (left) and right, in a publicity shot at the height of her fame in the Sixties The court heard she was in contact with them to leave them money in her estate. Jurors also heard that Ms Gordons mother Mimi wrote a letter to her brother in 1996, reminding him that he had been made a beneficiary. Prosecutor Mark Halsey said: The letter says this - In case I forget to tell you, Claire has made a will with Peter Levett making her cousins beneficiaries.' Ms Gordons solicitor, Paul Levett, is expected to give evidence that he prepared the document but Ms Gordon asked for the document to be returned to him. The actresses financial advisor, Marc Syndenham, will also appear before jurors to testify that Ms Gordon had told him she was intending to make a will with her cousins listed as beneficiaries in April 2014, a year before she died. Prosecutors say Mr Sydenham was instructed to prepare the documents, but disposed of them after six months when he did not hear back from Ms Gordon with the addresses of her cousins. Macmaster, of Westminster, and Benhamu, of Hendon, deny one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of fraud by false representation. The trial continues. Airbnb has reached a milestone, and Cayuga County played a role in that achievement. The company, which allows homeowners to advertise short-term rentals online, has reached agreements with 20 New York counties, including Cayuga County, to collect and remit occupancy taxes. Airbnb also finalized an agreement with Fulton County to collect occupancy taxes. The Cayuga and Fulton arrangements, which begin May 1, allowed the company to reach its 20-county milestone. The agreements were announced two days before Tax Day, which is April 17. Tax Day is the due date for federal income tax filings. "This is only further proof of the exponential opportunity inherent to home sharing, not only for hosts and small businesses, but also for our communities overall," said Josh Meltzer, Airbnb's head of New York public policy. "It also serves as a clear example to the state of the economic potential on the table in supporting common sense home sharing regulations." Airbnb said it has remitted more than $1.4 million in occupancy taxes to counties since July 2016, when it first agreed to collect the taxes in Tompkins County. A 71-year-old Australian nun has been detained in the Philippines for 'illegal political activities' after she took part in a human rights fact-finding mission. Sister Patricia Fox was taken from her home and brought to the immigration bureau in Manila for questioning and could be deported. It's since been reported she will be released once her passport can be produced, CBCP News reports. She is the superior of the Notre Dame de Sion in the Philippines, a congregation of Catholic nuns. The Australian lay missionary is a human rights advocate who has been living in the Philippines for 27 years, according to various media outlets. Sister Patricia Fox was allowed to meet with her friends and supporters, including Manila auxiliary bishop Broderick Pabillo and Father Robert Reyes after being questioned at the immigration bureau in The Philippines Her detention came a day after Giacomo Filibeck, a Socialist Party official from the European Union who had criticised Duterte's brutal anti-drugs crackdown, was deported. 'We condemn her unjust detention and the deportation proceedings initiated against her,' Renato Reyes secretary-general of the leftist Bayan (Nation) movement, said. 'She is no criminal or undesirable alien. She has long been in the Philippines helping the poorest of the poor.' Sister Fox had been involved with human rights missions in Mindanao in the country's troubled southern region, looking into the plight of indigenous people and farmers, leftwing lawmakers said, almost a year after President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law on the southern island of Mindanao. 'I've been in and out of the country several times but I've never been questioned,' Fox told CBCP News. 'The immigration bureau has not said anything on what to do with my missionary visa.' The Australian lay missionary is a human rights advocate who has been living in the Philippines for 27 years The immigration bureau confirmed the Fox's arrest but declined to issue any statement until after the investigation is complete. Reuters was unable to contact Sister Fox for comment. Lawmakers have vowed to hold a congressional inquiry into the deportation of foreign human rights advocates. 'The immigration department is barking at the wrong tree on this one. Helping the poor is not a crime and joining peace activities to advocate peasant welfare and human rights is not against the law,' the lawmakers said in a statement, calling for her immediate release. A schoolboy who tried protecting his mum from a knife-wielding rapist is slowly making a recovery after being put into a coma with a crushed skull when he was battered around the head with a dumbbell. Vanya Krapivin had just got home from school when he walked into the family apartment in the city of Severodvinsk, northwest Russia, to find drunk Roman Pronin straddling his screaming, blood-soaked mum. Neighbour Pronin, who had a previous conviction for murder, had gone to the woman's apartment and demanded sex. Vanya Krapivin had just got home from school when he walked into the family apartment in the city of Severodvinsk, northwest Russia, to find drunk Roman Pronin straddling his screaming, blood-soaked mum Seeing the man attacking his mother, the horrified 15-year-old picked up a dumbbell and tried hitting the man. But he was overcome by the drunk attacker, who snatched it from him and began pounding his head with the 3kg weight Following multiple surgeries the boy's mum, Natalia Krapivina (pictured) - who was also in critical condition after being stabbed 27 times - survived and was discharged from hospital Neighbour Pronin, who had a previous conviction for murder, had gone to the woman's apartment and demanded sex When she refused, he flew into a rage, pulled out a knife and began frantically stabbing her. Seeing the man attacking his mother, the horrified 15-year-old picked up a dumbbell and tried hitting the man. But he was overcome by the drunk attacker, who snatched it from him and began pounding his head with the 3kg weight. Neighbours who overheard the commotion called police, who arrived to find both mum and son lying unconscious in a pool of blood. The boy, who had fallen into a coma with brain damage after losing nearly all of the frontal bone of his skull, had to have part of his brain removed Hospital spokeswoman Aleksandra Ivanova said: 'The patient was hospitalised with enourmous skull damage and in serious condition. The frontal bone was totally absent. Other parts of the skull were damaged as well.' Pictured: The schoolboy before the gruesome attack They were rushed into intensive care where the boy, who had fallen into a coma with brain damage after losing nearly all of the frontal bone of his skull, had to have part of his brain removed. The horrific attack took place last year but details have only now come to light. The man was jailed for 14 years following the brutal assault. Following multiple surgeries the boy's mum, Natalia Krapivina - who was also in critical condition after being stabbed 27 times - survived and was discharged from hospital a few months later. Now, Vanya is making a small recovery and he has finally been able to open his eyes. The rest of his body is still disabled, however, and he has been moved to St Petersburg for further treatment - including skull reconstruction. Hospital spokeswoman Aleksandra Ivanova said: 'The patient was hospitalised with enourmous skull damage and in serious condition. 'The frontal bone was totally absent. Other parts of the skull were damaged as well. The horrific attack took place last year but details have only now come to light. The man was jailed for 14 years following the brutal assault. Pictured: Vanya before the attack 'Now his condition can be described as stable, he shows light signs of being conscious. 'In the nearest future he is to undergo skull surgeries aimed to repair his skull bones. 'A special plate will be created on 3D printer and put into his skull after which he will be taught all the basics functions such as eating, sitting and walking from the scratch.' Kensington and Chelsea Council has been fined 120,000 by the data watchdog for accidentally revealing the names of 943 people who own vacant homes. The London borough's administration, already under acute pressure over its handling of the Grenfell fire, gave the names to three journalists under freedom of information laws. The Information Commissioner's Office found council officials 'did not intend' to release the information but did so accidentally while compiling separate data sets. In a damning ruling, the watchdog said it was a 'serious' breach of data laws - citing the number of people involved and a failure to have adequate safeguards. Kensington and Chelsea Council, led by Elizabeth Campbell (pictured) has been fined 120,000 by the data watchdog for accidentally revealing the names of 943 people who own vacant homes Properties on the list include the former Brompton Road tube station building, once used as a top secret command centre for Winston Churchill. It was bought by Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash in 2014 One of the journalists who received the names published them online. At least one of the people named was then visited following publication of their details online, escalating the scale of the breach in the eyes of the watchdog. Owners of the properties listed included a Ukrainian billionaire fighting extradition to the US, a former mayor of New York, a high-profile luxury property developer and a senior television executive. It includes the former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, who bought a seven-bedroom grade II*-listed mansion for 16million in 2015. Properties on the list include the former Brompton Road tube station building, once used as a top secret command centre for Winston Churchill. It has been vacant since it was bought for 53million by the Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash in 2014. Some of the properties detailed are just yards from the charred remains of the Grenfell Tower. 64 are in the same ward, with six empty for two years Some of the properties detailed are just yards from the charred remains of the Grenfell Tower. 64 are in the same ward, with six empty for two years. A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesperson said: 'It was an error and we apologise. 'We accept the fine, and we have reviewed our processes to prevent this happening again.' Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council reported the breach to the ICO and cooperated with the inquiry. In return it was offered a discount on its fine to 96,000 if it paid promptly. This adorable Dalmatian puppy is on course to become a social media sensation thanks to it's unusual heart-shaped nose. Twelve-week-old Wiley was only picked up by owner Lexi Smith last month, but the puppy already has its own Instagram account - with nearly 20,000 followers. Ms Smith, Denver, Colorado says she cannot go anywhere with Wiley without being mobbed thanks to the puppy's unique markings. Heartbreaker: Wiley the Dalmatian is only 12 weeks old but already has thousands of fans on Instagram thanks to its unusual spot pattern on its nose The 25-year-old says she became very emotional when she finally made reality of her dream of owning a Dalmatian. Ms Smith said: 'When he was handed to me I nearly cried tears of joy. 'He was so tiny and absolutely adorable and he curled up and snuggled into my arms immediately. 'We have been pretty inseparable ever since. 'I got first pick of the litter and honestly, the heart nose was not the main deciding factor. Never change his spots: Lexi Smith from Denver, Colorado, realised a life-long dream of owning a Dalmatian when she picked up 12-week-old Wiley last month Adorable: The photos posted by Miss Smith on Instagram shows exactly why so many want to follow the daily antics of the little Dalmatian Such a poser: Another cute photograph shows Wiley all dressed up with a bow collar 'I saw it immediately but it was not fully formed and part of it was detached in another spot, so I didn't even know if it would last. 'I chose him because I was told he was the sweetest with the best personality. 'I wanted a snuggle bug and that's what I got! The heart nose is just a bonus. 'Dalmatian spots are pretty random, so this is just a lucky coincidence. 'It blows everyone away when they see him.' 'Everyone stops me to pet him and love on him. He loves every bit of it, though. Making puppy pals: The 25-year-old says she cannot go anywhere with Wiley without being mobbed by adoring fans 'Usually people just stop me because nobody can resist a puppy, but when they notice the heart nose, they go crazy. Ms Smith says Wiley loves attention and making new friends, adding that he will run right into the laps of anyone who approaches. 'He is a total sweetheart. He can never get enough attention or snuggles and needs to be right on top of you when he naps. 'He does have attitude, though and it cracks me up. When he wants something, he is not easily deterred and scoffs and grunts at you if you tell him no. 'Wiley is pretty used to getting his way in life because nobody, especially me, can resist him.' This is the shocking moment an air passenger took a flight attendant hostage on a plane in China yesterday. The suspect held a fountain pen to the attendant's throat while yelling 'stay away from me' to the others on the plane, according to the video taken by a witness. The man, named 41-year-old Xu, was captured by four police officers after the plane made an emergency landing yesterday. The Air China passenger held a flight attendant hostage in a galley during flight yesterday The passenger held a fountain pen to the stewardess's throat in the first class, reports said Police said Xu has mental health issues and he was mentally unstable at the time of the incident, reported China News. The flight attendant was successfully rescued and sustained no injuries. The Air China flight CA1350 departed from Changsha, the capital of the central province of Hunan, at 8.40am. The plane, which was scheduled to land in Beijing by 11am, had to land in Zhengzhou, just after 9.40am. A statement from the Civil Aviation Administration of China said: 'The incident was successfully dealt with by 1:17pm, and passengers and crew members are safe.' The plane bound for Beijing had to be diverted and make an emergency landing in Zhengzhou According to reports, 90 armed soldiers were sent to the airport to deal with the matters A video on Sina, released by Bjnews, shows the man locking the flight attendant's neck with one arm while pointing the pen towards her throat with the other. The video also shows one onlooker trying to pass a cup of water to the flight attendant and the man yelled at the onlooker: 'Put it down. Step back'. A photograph posted by China News Service showed a number of firefighters and fire trucks outside Zhengzhou airport. One witness said: 'I think someone uttered a cry, which woke us. Everyone was sleeping... it was a woman's cry. Nobody knew what was going on.' The crew managed to keep passengers in their seats while the fiasco unfolded. The Xiaoxiang Morning Herald quoted a passenger as saying the disturbance occurred in the first or business class cabins but that the curtains separating those sections from economy class were pulled tightly shut. The suspect was captured by three officers in plain clothes and one officer in uniform Another passenger said flight attendants told passengers they had to land at a different airport but said they had not heard of anything amiss. She said: 'We exited from the back so we didn't see whatever happened in the front, and didn't hear anything either.' The Bjnews report said the suspect took hostage of the attendant in the first class. It also said 90 armed soldiers were sent to the Zhengzhou airport to deal with the matters. All passengers and flight crew are understood to be safe and unhurt. Authorities have not released further information about the man's motives or what happened to him. Sean Hannity admitted Monday he was secretly getting legal advice from Michael Cohen, the president's lawyer who paid Stormy Daniels $135,000 to silence her claims of sex with Donald Trump. The Fox News star said he had trivial conversations with Cohen and 'may have given him ten bucks' and that he wanted his name kept secret after a judge ordered Cohen's own attorneys to say who all his legal clients were. But he denied Cohen performed the services he offered to Trump or his other known client, the disgraced Republican fundraiser who he helped pay $1.6 million to the Playboy model lover who aborted their child. At a court hearing watched by Daniels herself, Cohen had tried to keep one of his three clients' names secret, claiming that it would cause the broadcaster 'embarrassment' or 'harm' for their association to be made public. But in Manhattan, U.S. district court Judge Kimba Wood ended that bid and ordered Hannity's name released. 'I understand he doesn't want his name out there. That's not enough under the law,' she said, ordering Cohen's attorney to make it public - prompting laughter in court as he said: 'Sean Hannity.' Shortly after his name was disclosed, Hannity said on his radio show 'we have been friends a long time' and that he 'may have given him ten bucks'. 'Michael never represented me in any matter, I never retained him in the traditional sense,' he said. He added on Twitter that he 'had brief discussions' which he called 'de minimis' - trivial - and 'almost exclusively about real estate'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Losing day: Michael Cohen left federal court in Manhattan after losing first his attempt to keep Sean Hannity's name secret and then his application for a temporary restraining order to keep the FBI and federal prosecutors from looking at the evidence seized in raids on him last week Named: Sean Hannity is secretly represented by Michael Cohen. Cohen claimed in legal papers that Hannity wanted his name kept secret but federal Judge Kimba Wood ordered him to disclose it. Hannity posed for a selfie with (left) Michael Avenatti, who is Stormy Daniels's attorney, and Don Lemon, of CNN Making a case: Assistant U.S. attorney Tom McKay (standing) told Judge Kimba Wood that Hannity should be named. He was watched behind him by Michael Cohen (second from right) and Cohen's personal attorneys Todd Harrison (right) and Stephen Ryan (to Cohen's left) while Stormy Daniels sat much further back (rear) Witness: Stormy Daniels, with her attorney Michael Avenatti beside her, was in court for the revelation that Michael Cohen's secret client was Sean Hannity Star turn: Stormy Daniels - real name Stephanie Clifford - arrives at federal court in southern Manhattan where Michael Cohen and other lawyers for president Trump are trying to stop prosecutors and the FBI looking at material they seized in a raid last week She's here: Stormy Daniels had two bodyguards to escort her into court in New York At the hearing, Trump's attorney Cohen was trying to stop the FBI looking at the huge amount of evidence seized in the raid because it is subject to attorney-client privilege. Lawyers for Cohen said that as well as material which was covered by attorney-client privilege with Trump, material relating to other clients was seized. Cohen made a lengthy legal submission to Judge Wood before the hearing which revealed that he had just three legal clients in the last year, the main one being Trump. He said the other named client was Elliott Broidy, who was deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee until he quit last Friday, when it was revealed Cohen had helped arrange a $1.6 million payment to a Playboy Playmate with whom he had a two-year relationship and who he paid to abort their baby. He also disclosed that seven other clients had received non-legal 'strategy advice' from him and did not name them. None of their names were requested by the judge in court Monday. In court, Cohen's attorney Stephen Ryan said that the 'third client' was a 'publicly prominent individual' who had asked that his name not be disclosed because he did not want to be associated with the criminal proceedings. Ryan asked that the name be put under seal with assurances from the prosecutor's office that it not be released. Harrison also suggested that the release of the third client's name 'will affect people's willingness to consult an attorney' a comment which was met by a ripple of laughter in the courtroom. Michael Cohen's clients Donald Trump Allegation: Cohen paid Stormy Daniels $135,000 to silence her claims that she had sex with President Donald Trump. Daniels has said that she had sex once with Trump in 2006 and was paid to keep quiet about it. A former Playboy model, Karen McDougal, has described having a 10-month affair with Trump, which the White House has said Trump denies. McDougal said her lawyer at the time secretly negotiated with Cohen on a deal with American Media Inc, publisher of the National Enquirer, which paid her $150,000 in 2016 to keep quiet. Elliott Broidy Broidy is former deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee Cohen helped arrange a $1.6 million payment to an unidentified Playboy Playmate with whom he had a two-year relationship and who he paid to abort their baby. Broidy acknowledged on Friday that he had a relationship with a Playboy Playmate and offered to help her financially after she told him she was pregnant. 'She alone decided that she did not want to continue with the pregnancy and I offered to help her financially during this difficult period. We have not spoken since that time,' Broidy said in the statement. Broidy said Cohen reached out to him after being contacted by the woman's attorney, Keith Davidson. Broidy said he retained Cohen because Cohen had a prior relationship with Davidson. Sean Hannity Hannity says that he had 'had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective'. 'Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees... to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party.' Advertisement Assistant U.S. attorney Thomas McKay complained about the lack of names saying 'Mr Cohen has more attorneys than he has clients' and saying that the clients could not 'hide behind over-broad claims of privilege'. 'The only thing that makes this case unusual is one of his [Cohen's] clients is the President,' McKay said. 'In order for the public to see that fairness is upheld, Trump and Cohen should not be given any special treatment.' A lawyer for media outlets including CNN, the New York Times and the Associated Press also told the judge that there was 'intense public interest' in the name emerging. Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti was in court and conferred with other lawyers but did not address the judge. Judge Wood then told Cohen's attorney Stephen Ryan that the name had to emerge, prompting him to say 'Sean Hannity.' Cohen did not move his head or show any apparent emotion. In a statement issued via Fox News, Hannity did not address why he had wanted his name kept secret in his statement which said: 'Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. 'I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective. I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party.' On his radio show, which was broadcasting at the same time as the hearing, Hannity added: 'I have eight attorneys that I use for varying things in my life, and in this particular case I like to have people I can run questions by.' During his live radio show, he seemed flustered that he was getting a steady stream of phone and email messages about it. 'I don't think this is such a big deal,' he said. 'Why do you think the media is going crazy on this?' The dramatic twist came in a court hearing which revolves around whether the material is subject to attorney-client privilege and whether Cohen - and Trump - can stop completely or restrict the FBI and federal prosecutors from looking at it. Cohen and Trump both lost the first round when the judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order stopping the federal authorities from looking at the material. Todd Harrison, who is also representing Cohen, described the FBI search and seizure of materials from Cohen as an 'unprecedented raid on the office and home of the personal attorney of a sitting president of the United States'. Harrison said he was 'not accusing the government of anything improper' but said that the FBI had swept up a 'ton of documents' in the Cohen raid that were not related to their warrant. He also called it an 'extraordinary case', saying it was subject to 'partisan attacks' and also attacked Trump's personal life. The defense counsel told the judge that 'it was important to show the public we are doing this fairly'. And Trump's new attorney, Joanna Hendon, argued that her client should be allowed to maintain his attorney-client privilege over communications with Cohen, and that the president himself should be afforded the opportunity to review those documents. 'The client of the lawyer is best placed to protect his privilege,' Hendon said, referring to Trump. She said that the U.S. Attorney wanting permission to review these documents would 'usurp' Trump of his rights and was 'government overreach'. But McKay said: 'Just because he [Cohen] has a powerful client, doesn't mean he is entitled to special treatment.' He said that the 'filter team' that they have suggested be established to protect the attorney-client privilege 'will conduct itself with integrity'. And he hit back at the president himself, telling the judge that no one from the U.S. Attorney's Office had made comment about the trial publicly unlike the 'inflammatory statements' made by President Trump and Cohen. Escort: Stormy Daniels had assistance not just from her attorney Michael Avenatti but from private security guards Dramatic day: Stormy Daniels was in court throughout the hearing as Sean Hannity's name was disclosed as one of Michael Cohen's three 'clients' - although the Fox News host claimed he had not hired Cohen 'in the traditional sense' Speaking out: Michael Avenatti did not address Judge Kimba Wood but did speak to reporters with his client Stormy Daniels after the hearing No escaping Trump: Stormy Daniels was escorted by her security detail past a member of the public wearing a Trump hat as she left court Huge interest: Stormy Daniels - real name Stephanie Clifford - was helped from the hearing to her waiting car by private security guards Departure: Michael Avenatti attracted a crowd as he left the federal court after speaking to the media Interest: Stormy Daniels's presence in court was the subject of intense interest On her way: Stormy Daniels leaves the federal courthouse in Manhattan Legal teams: Todd Harrison is representing Michael Cohen while Joanna Hendon is representing Donald Trump What are they doing here? Carter Page, the former Trump campaign adviser who has been investigated by the CIA over links to Russia was at the federal court. So too was disgraced New York governor Elliot Spitzer - who himself had been a secret client, in his case of a prostitution ring Judge Wood declined to give Trump and Cohen the restraining order they wanted which would have stopped the FBI and federal prosecutors processing what they found. 'You've miscited the law,' she told Cohen's attorneys. Currently all the material is with the 'taint team', a group of prosecutors not involved in the case who will review the seized evidence to see what is subject to attorney client privilege and what can be looked at by investigators. The volume of evidence is so large so far that it has still to be uploaded and the 'taint team' have not started their work, the court heard. The entire hearing was watched by Daniels. The porn star was sitting in the public benches in the 21st floor courtroom among dozens of reporters. She had arrived with Avenatti just before 2pm and sat at the back. After the hearing she and Avenatti appeared briefly in front of reporters. 'My attorney and I are committed to making sure that everyone finds out the truth and the facts of what happened and I give my word that we will not rest until that happens,' she said. 'For years, Mr Cohen has acted like he is above the law. He has considered himself and openly referred to himself as Mr Trump's fixer. 'He has played by a different set of rules or should we say no rules at all. He has never thought that the little man, or especially women, and even more women like me mattered. That ends now.' Trump faced reports over the weekend that he and those close to him are more worried by the seizure of Cohen's files than by any other development in the Muller probe. Cohen's lawyers deployed Trump's claims that the FBI and Department of Justice are biased against him to bolster their own case, writing that 'there is a growing public debate about whether criminal and congressional investigations by the government are being undertaken impartially, free of any political bias or partisan motivation'. Trump now has another attorney representing him in court, Joanna Hendon, who in papers submitted before the hearing argued that Trump or his legal team should be able to review all the seized material and remove privileged elements of it before the FBI can use it. She wrote in her own submission that the federal government could not be trusted to be fair to the president. Watching the proceedings was Daniels, whose attendance was announced by her attorney Michael Avenatti and who arrived escorted by two security guards to be greeted by a media scrum. Avenatti had told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday: 'I think Monday afternoon could prove to be very interesting.' When asked whether Daniels' attendance at the hearing is intended to provoke or 'get into the head' of Cohen, Avenatti said: 'No, not at all. It's intended to send the message that this is a very, very serious matter for her, and she wants to make sure that the American people know that she's behind efforts to bring to light as much information and documents as possible. She also wants to ensure that she is heard and that she is represented at the hearing.' He added: 'It has nothing to do with getting in his head at all.' Client number two: Cohen in court papers said that Elliott Broidy, who cheated on his wife Robin with a Playboy model and paid the Playmate $1.6 million to abort their baby, was represented by him Dramatic arrival: Former porn star Storm Daniels was dressed demurely for the court hearing in Manhattan Legal assistance: Stormy Daniels was accompanied by Michael Avenatti, her high-profile attorney Scrum: There was huge media interest in Stormy Daniels' arrival at court. The hearing itself is not televised, in line with virtually all federal cases Police interest: Uniformed US Marshals were stationed outside the court as Stormy Daniels arrived Take them off: Stormy Daniels removed her shoes as she passed through security screening at the federal court in Manhattan Decision time: Federal judge Kimba Wood, a Reagan appointee, is hearing the case in which Trump and his personal attorney are both trying to block federal authorities looking at material seized from Michael Cohen. Trump is now represented by a new attorney. Joanna Hendon TRUMP'S NEW LAWYER Trump's new attorney is a hard-charging Yale-educated former prosecutor. Joanna Hendon, 52, was educated first at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and then at Yale Law School, graduating in 1991. From 1995 to 2001 she was an assistant district attorney in Manhattan specializing in white collar crime. Then she went into private practice and is now a partner at Spear & Imes. She has defended alleged white collar criminals and also been involved in civil litigation over alleged complex fraud. Hendon is married to Harvard-educated lawyer Reynolds Holding, 62, and the couple live on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She was a registered Republican until election day 2016, when she changed her registration to Democrat - giving some suggestion that she might not be a Trump supporter. Advertisement The central issue in the case is whether Cohen and Trump have attorney-client privilege on all the material seized and can stop it being examined by the FBI. Trump's attorney Hendon has suggested that he and his legal team could pick through the material and decide what was 'responsive' to the FBI and not covered by privilege. Cohen's lawyers have suggested that a judge, known as a 'special master' would examine all the material and decide what is not covered by privilege. Prosecutors who seek to continue their review of seized contents have argued that Cohen barely practiced law so most of the documents aren't off limits. A brief they filed in response to Cohen's court action revealed that he'd been under investigation for months and that the FBI had searched multiple email accounts. The prosecutors' filing said none of those emails was exchanged with Trump. Trump, who in the last month has escalated his attacks on Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, said it was a 'disgrace' that the FBI 'broke into' his lawyer's office. He called Mueller's investigation 'an attack on our country.' The prosecutors' brief in this case, brought by Cohen to stop the review of seized documents, stated that the criminal probe that led FBI agents to raid Cohen's offices is focused on his 'personal business dealings.' Prosecutors blacked out a section in the document describing what crime they believe Trump attorney Michael Cohen has committed. People familiar with the federal investigation that provided the factual basis for the search warrant which resulted in the raid on Cohen told The Associated Press that part of what the search warrant sought to uncover included information on payments made to Daniels. Cohen previously admitted paying Daniels $130,000, which she said was in exchange for an agreement not to discuss an affair she claims to have had with the president; Daniels is seen here with Donald Trump, before he was elected president Judge hearing Michael Cohen's case once trained to be a Playboy Bunny US Federal Judge Kimba Wood is presiding over Michael Cohen's case, but long before passing the bar, Wood trained to be a bunny at the London Playboy Club. While strapped for cash as she studied for her Master's degree at the London School of Economics in 1966, she trained at the Playboy club for five days. A friend later said that Wood's brief stint at a bunny was just 'a way to earn money'. 'She was doing it for a joke and then decided it was stupid,' the friend said. After finishing her degree at LSE, Wood received her degree from Harvard Law School in 1969, where there were fewer than 20 women in her class. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated Wood for a seat on the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. President Bill Clinton later considered nominating her for US Attorney General in 1993, but she stepped out of the race after it was revealed that she had hired an illegal immigrant as a nanny. Since then, Wood has presided over a number of cases, including the US case against ten Russians involved in the 'Illegals Program', a network of Russian sleeper agents under non-official cover. She also presided over Arista Records LLC v Lime Group LLC, which saw the music downloading site LimeWire be forcibly shut down. Wood has been married to Wall Street financier Frank E Richardson III since 1999 her third marriage since 1970. In Richardson's 1995 divorce battle with his socialite wife Nancy, Wood had been named as 'the other woman'. Advertisement Cohen previously admitted paying Daniels $130,000, which she said was payment in exchange for an agreement not to discuss an affair she claims to have had with the president. When news first broke that it was suspected Daniels and Trump had an affair around the time of the bitrh of his youngst son Barron, Daniels denied the sexual relationship. However, after Cohen spoke about paying Daniels $130,000, she claimed the agreement had been breached, setting her free to tell her story about her alleged physical encounters with the president. Trump has denied that he had an affair with Daniels, and also claims she made that he had her threatened to remain quiet about their alleged romantic relationship. But in an interview with Anderson Cooper for CBS's 60 Minutes that aired on March 25, Daniels recounted the experience. She said in the interview that she had one encounter of consensual sex with the future president. 'He knows I'm telling the truth,' she said. Hendon, an attorney for the president, also appeared on Friday and told Judge Wood that Trump has 'an acute interest in this matter.' The hearing on Cohen's petition asking the court seeking to block prosecutor's the review of the seized information was first announced late on Thursday. His team has asked to review the documents and devices first, before prosecutors may examine them, to protect information covered under attorney-client privilege and specify items they believe aren't relevant to the investigation. A man and woman were arrested and charged last night over the fatal shooting of a 31-year-old man last year. Josh DiPietro was shot in the head while sitting in his car in Rosebud, Victoria, on 3 September in what police believe was a targeted attack. He was airlifted to hospital but died the following night. A 25-year-old-man and a 31-year-old woman were arrested in Smithfield, New South Wales about 7.15pm on Monday night. Joshua DiPietro, 31, was shot in the head while sitting in a car in Rosebud, south-east of Melbourne The man has been charged with murder while the woman has been charged with being an accessory to murder. An application will be made to extradite the pair who are set to appear before Fairfield Magistrates Court later today. The charges follow the arrest of a 30-year-old man at a house in Rosebud on 5 September. Detectives charged him with one count of murder and three counts of conducting endangering life. Mr DiPietro was shot while in a car with a friend after spending the day with his parents, according to police. Detectives have spoken with the Dipietro's family and a friend as police investigate who fired the gun and why. Dipietro (pictured), who is known to police, was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital after the attack in Rosebud but died 'We certainly believe this was a targeted attack, it was very specific: shots fired into the car,' Detective Inspector Mick Hughes said on Monday. 'He had Father's Day lunch with his parents, he spent about four hours with his folks,' Insp Hughes said. 'Mum dropped him off at the Dundas Street, Rye, milk bar, kissed him goodbye and told him she loved him and she last saw him sitting on a seat outside the milk bar.' It was from there he was collected by a friend, and it's thought the pair were heading to the RSL for a drink when the shooting happened. A West Australian surfer who was mauled by a great white shark tried to punch the animal before fleeing the scene and being helped to shore. Alejandro Travaglini's quick defensive thinking and the assistance surfing friends are likely what saved his life after the attack near Gracetown, in the state's south-west . Onlookers said Mr Travaglini's battle with the animal mirrored Mick Fanning's famous face-off with a great with in South Africa three years ago. Alejandro Travaglini, 37, (pictured) defended himself by punching a great white shark after he was attacked in south-west Western Australia on Monday Mr Travaglini's quick defensive thinking and the assistance surfing friends, are likely what saved his life after the attack, the first of two in the area within hours The Argentinan-born local was flown to a Perth hospital after friends saved his life by wrapping rope around his legs to stem bloodflow The 37-year-old Argentinian-born local was flown to Perth hospital after friends saved his life by wrapping rope around his legs to stem blood-flow. 'We were watching the surf and we heard some screams and we saw a guy fighting in the water,' one friend told 9NEWS. 'He was punching the shark and there was like three attacks, three different attacks in 20 seconds,' another said. Just two hours after the initial shark attack, a second surfer was savaged just kilometres away at Lefthanders Beach. In that incident, a 41-year-old man from Denmark, Western Australia, suffered a nasty gash to his leg but was able to get to shore for treatment. He said he was 'happy to be alive' and that he would drive himself to hospital. Following surgery, Mr Travaglini is also now in a stable condition. Mr Travaglini is now in stable condition after surgery Savaged: Jason Longrass, 41, from Denmark, Western Australia, (right) suffered a nasty gash to his leg but was able to get to shore for treatment after the 2.40pm attack at Lefthanders beach near Gracetown Surf photographer Peter Jovic witnessed the first attack. 'A shark popped up and pretty much ended up knocking a surfer from his board,' he told ABC News. 'There was a lot more thrashing around. After that it was hard to see what was going on. 'They got him to shore and started working on him to stem the bleeding.' The crew of WA's surf life saving helicopter later spotted a four-metre shark in the water, believed to be a Great White. An hour after the first attack, the Margret River Pro competition was resumed with enhanced safety measures, including a water safety jetski team and more drones to watch for sharks. Mr Travaglini was attacked at Cobblestones Beach (pictured) near Gracetown in Western Australia's south-west about 8am on Monday Shark attacks in Western Australia 2010 August: Surfer Nick Edwards, 31, dies near Gracetown 2011 September: Kyle Burden, 21, killed while boogie boarding at Bunker Bay October: Bryn Martin, 64, disappears at Cottesloe Beach October: US man George Thomas Wainwright, 32, killed while diving off Rottnest Island 2012 March: Peter Kurmann, 33, dies while diving off Stratham Beach July: Surfer Ben Linden, 24, dies off Wedge Island 2013 November: Chris Boyd, 35, killed at Gracetown 2014 October: Surfer Sean Pollard, 23, loses arm and other hand near Esperance November: Cameron Pearman, 13, bitten while surfing at Port Bouvard December: Spear fisher Jay Muscat, 17, killed near Albany 2015 October: Surfer Eli Zawadzki, 18, bitten on the foot at Dawesville 2016 June: Surfer Ben Gerring, 29, dies three days after losing his leg at Falcon Beach June: Doreen Collyer, 60, killed less than a week later while diving with a friend off Mindarie 2017 April: Laeticia Brouwer, 17, fatally bitten on the leg while surfing with her dad at Esperance 2018 April: A surfer, in his 30s, bitten on the lower leg at Gracetown. Advertisement A Cabinet minister was today heckled after she defended the 'rape clause' which forces women to prove they were sexually assaulted if they want to claim benefit for a third child. Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey said the clause provides women with 'double support' by giving them extra cash and allowing them to talk about what happened to them. But her comments were met with jeers from those sitting in on the select committee hearing at the Scottish Parliament and her appearance was briefly adjourned. Welfare rules which stop families from being claiming child tax credit for more than two children have sparked massive controversy north of the border. Raped mothers can still claim the benefit - but must provide 'evidence' to prove they were assaulted in an 8-page government form. Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey (pictured today) said the clause provides women with 'double support' by giving them extra cash and allowing them to talk about what happened to them. But she was heckled after making the comment to a committee sitting at the Scottish parliament today (pictured) Nicola Sturgeon's SNP party has taken up the issue as its major campaign. But Ms McVey risked sparking fresh controversy by claiming the clause is therapeutic as it gives women a chance to talk about their attacks. She said: 'What we're doing is providing extra help where people have got more children that they couldn't have planned. 'We're providing that extra support - there will be no questions like that [invasive questions] asked from the DWP or from the Treasury. 'And people will be supported and shown to the various other organisations 'And again this could give them an opportunity to talk about, maybe, something that has happened that they never had before. 'So it is potentially double support there. Them getting the money they need and maybe an outlet which they might possibly need.' Soon after this a second audience member began shouting and then walked out. Earlier, the Cabinet minister had faced heckles for defending universal credit - a welfare reform which brings six benefits into a single payment and caps the amount paid out. An audience member shouted 'you can't get into work if you're dead' at Ms McVey as she argued Universal Credit is a 'supportive system' which helps people into work. The rape clause was announced in the Budget in 2015 but they only came into effect on 6 April last year. Nicola Sturgeon (pictured in Aviemore in Scotland today with a baby) has been a vocal criticof the rape clause and her SNP party are spearheading a campaign against it The Government said it wanted to limit child tax credit to the first two children because it wanted 'people on benefits to make the same choices as those supporting themselves solely through work'. But they announced there was also an exception for a child born as a result of 'non-consensual conception' - known as the so-called 'rape clause'. It states that a woman can claim for a third or subsequent child if it was conceived 'as a result of a sexual act which you didn't or couldn't consent to' or 'at a time when you were in an abusive relationship, under ongoing control or coercion by the other parent of the child'. A woman cannot claim this exemption if she lives with the other parent of the child. A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman put out a statement clarifying the department's views following the scenes. She said: 'We're ensuring women in these awful circumstances are supported in every way so they can receive the help that they need. 'We have always been clear that this policy will be delivered in the most effective, compassionate way, with the right exceptions and safeguards in place.' Deidre Downs Gunn, the 2005 Miss America pageant winner, tied the knot to her girlfriend in a charming Southern ceremony on Saturday. The brunette beauty queen turned physician exchanged vows with her attorney partner, Abbott Jones, in front of 200 family and friends at the historic Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama. Downs Gunn's eight-year-old son served as his mother's best man and also walked her down the aisle for the special day. He is her only child from her first marriage to Andrew Gunn. Both brides donned crisp white - with Downs Gunn in a floral-detailed lace LianCarlo dress, and Jones, a satin-like Sareh Nouri ball gown with a bow in the back. Former Miss America winner Deidre Downs Gunn (L) and attorney, writer Abbott Jones (R) wed on Saturday in Alabama The happy couple exchanged vows in front of 200 family and friends at the historic Birmingham Museum of Art Both brides donned white - with Downs Gunn in a floral-detailed lace LianCarlo dress, and Jones, a satin-like Sareh Nouri ball gown with a bow in the back. They are seen dancing together at the reception The guests gorged on traditional Southern comfort food like chicken and waffles and buttered biscuits. The pair shared the details about their matrimony while speaking to People. The pageant winner gushed about her new wife: 'I feel overjoyed to have found someone to share life's adventures. 'The wedding was beautiful and special, but it was really just the beginning of our life together. I'm so lucky to have a wife who fills even small, everyday moments with great joy.' The happy couple have been dating for more than one year, and revealed they first met online in February 2017. Downs Gunn, Miss Alabama, and newly crowned Miss America, walks down the runway after being crowned, at the finals of the Miss America Pageant in The Boardwalk Hall, on September 18, 2004 in Atlantic City, New Jersey The beauty queen is seen posing in her swimsuit during the swimsuit portion of the pageant to the left. Right, Miss America 2004, Erika Dunlap, crowns Downs Gunn as the winner of the 2005 Miss America Pageant Miss Alabama, Deidre Downs Gunn, appears during the quiz portion of the 2005 Miss America Pageant. Downs, was in a three way tie for high score and was crowned the winner at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City Downs Gunn said the meeting was love at first sight for her - and she knew she had a future with Jones already on their first date which included sushi and cocktails. Downs Gunn (R) said she instantly fell in love with her partner of more than one year, Jones (L) Downs Gunn popped the question to her girlfriend on Christmas Day with a ring and video montage of special moments the pair shared together. Following the proposal, Jones thoughtfully asked Downs Gunn's son for permission to marry her. He reportedly replied, 'cool,' according to People. 'We both want to live our intention, chase our passions and do good in the world,' Jones said in the interview. Jones said they are polar opposites, which makes the relationship more exciting. 'Deidre is more pure of heart and sensible. I'm more the risk taker, so we balance each other out.' The down-to-earth Downs Gunn, raised in Pelham, Alabama, was crowned Miss America by her predecessor, Ericka Dunlap. The Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama is seen above, where former Miss America winner Downs Gunn and her partner Abbott Jones wed Downs Gunn, who currently works as an obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center, also donned all-white for the pageant. When longtime host Chris Harrison called her name, he asked Downs Gunn how she felt after winning the title. She replied: 'I don't believe it.' The beauty queen beamed and spoke graciously: 'This is just wonderful. It's incredible. Thank you.' Harrison then asked her, 'Did you even dream that this could come true?' She responded: 'No... In my dreams, but not realistically. This is wonderful. This is just wonderful,' before walking the runway as Clay Aiken sang 'There She Is, Miss America.' "I waited on the sidelines," Perez Williams said. "I was part of that designation process. I supported Dana and was there for her. But at the end of the day, it's about winning. I jumped into this because we need to win. It's not just about sticking to our principles with a designated candidate that is not getting any traction." Balter and her campaign have maintained that their focus is on unseating Katko. "We are standing up for the people of the 24th district, fighting for central New York values, and beating back the harmful agenda of Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, and their GOP enablers, including John Katko," the campaign said in a statement earlier this month. Despite the possibility of Democratic gains across the country this year, political forecasters rate the 24th district race as "likely Republican." Katko has a huge fundraising advantage over any of his potential Democratic foes. A man in Texas has been sentenced to life in prison after he killed his ex-girlfriends baby by holding him upside down and dunking him multiple times in the toilet. Antoine Gorman, 28, was charged and found guilty of murder after the seven-week- old baby Malachi Nelson died in the November 2016 incident in Freeport. Gorman had been babysitting Malachi and his two siblings, ages three and four, while his then-girlfriend Tashiay Nelson was at work. Freeport, Texas man Antoine Gorman, 28, (left) was sentenced to life in prison in the murder of seven-week-old baby Malachi Nelson (right) who he repeatedly dunked in the toilet in 2016 Gorman, pictured above holding the baby, turned the child upside down and repeatedly dunked him in the toilet as he was babysitting him for his girlfriend Investigators said that Gorman held the baby upside down and repeatedly dunked him into the toilet. When Nelson arrived home she found her babys cold and lifeless body but Gorman was no where to be found. Nelson said to local news stations that her four-year-old daughter witnessed Gorman in the act, leaving the little girl traumatized. 'He dunked him like two or three times,' Nelson said to ABC13. She added that Gorman said baby Malachi would not stop crying as he babysat him. The worried mother then called Gorman to ask why he was not home when he was supposed to be babysitting the children. Heartbroken mother Tashiay Nelson, pictured above, said ''I hate him and I hope he rots in hell' on Gorman as he was sentenced to life in prison for his crime The mother came home to find Malachi, above, cold and lifeless body and Gorman no where to be found Gorman fled the scene after and was arrested two days later in Houston. In court he showed no remorse and laughed at the victim's family The Freeport Police Department shared this image saying: 'We are proud of all parties involved... who all assisted in bringing justice to Baby Malachi and his family' 'She called him on the phone and said why'd you leave my kids at home by themselves? He said 'I didn't I walked to the store but I'll be right there,' but he never showed up,' a relative said to Click2Houston. A hunt for Gorman then ensued. Freeport Police located him and arrested him in the Houston metropolitan area two days later. A jury found Gorman guilty of murder in Malachi's death, sentencing him to life behind bars on Friday. Nelson revealed that in court Gorman showed no remorse for his crime. 'He was shooting the finger at us the whole time. Looking back at us, laughing, playing with his hair the whole time. Being disrespectful. He wasn't showing no remorse or nothing,' she said to ABC. He did not testify in his own defense and he will not be allowed to be eligible for parole for 30 years. 'I hate him and I hope he rots in hell,' Nelson said on his sentence. The Freeport Police Department shared his sentence on Facebook on Friday. 'Today, defendant Antoine Gorman was sentenced to life in prison for the November 2016 death of 7 week old Baby Malachi Nelson. We are proud of all parties involved, police, fire-EMS, dispatch, BSCO, district attorneys office and witnesses, who all assisted in bringing justice to Baby Malachi and his family. Prayers to the family!' the post said. A British woman jailed for smuggling painkillers into Egypt has been seen for the first time since her arrest in video footage filmed inside the notorious prison she is being held in. Laura Plummer is seen in the minute-long clip sitting in the front row of a church during Easter mass inside Cairo's Al Qanater prison, The Sun reports. It's the first time the shop worker, from Hull, has been pictured since her arrest on October 9 last year after she arrived at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, about 300 miles south east of Cairo. The 34-year-old looks drastically different with lighter hair, as her devastated sister Jayne Synclair said she no longer bears any resemblance to who she used to be. Laura Plummer is seen sitting in the front row of a church during Easter mass inside Cairo's Al Qanater prison It's the first time the shop worker, from Hull, has been pictured since her arrest on October 9 Ms Plummer looks drastically different with lighter hair, as her devastated sister Jayne Synclair said she no longer bears any resemblance to who she used to be In the clip, the camera pans around the church to show other inmates taking Holy Communion before showing a sad-looking Ms Plummer in the front row. Ms Plummer is dressed in a white prison-issue jilbab, chandelier earrings and appears to be wearing white nail polish. She sits solemnly with the other women, resting her hands in her lap. Towards the end of the video, she smiles and laughs to someone off camera. The Foreign Office is aware of the footage, according to The Sun. A source told the newspaper: 'This is Egypt's way of parading her before the world. 'They want it known that she is still in custody, but being well looked after.' The source claimed she was intentionally put on the front row by officials for that purpose. Ms Synclair added: 'We've obviously been out to see her regularly but she isn't the same woman who left for a two week holiday in the sun' Her family have maintained that she was taking the painkiller which is legal in the UK but banned in Egypt for her partner Omar Saad (left), who suffers from back pain Ms Plummer's devastated sister Jayne Synclair said her sister no longer bears any resemblance to who she used to be. 'We've obviously been out to see her regularly but she isn't the same woman who left for a two week holiday in the sun,' she said. Ms Plummer was sentenced to three years in prison for taking 290 Tramadol tablets into the country. Tramadol is described as 'a narcotic-like pain reliever' and shares similar side effects to more harmful drugs including Class A heroin. Speaking to the Mail after Ms Plummer was jailed, her boyfriend, Mr Saad, said he felt responsible for her plight When used over a long period of time it can be highly addictive causing mental and physical dependence. Ms Plummer's family have maintained that she was taking the painkiller which is legal in the UK but banned in Egypt for her partner Omar Saad and didn't know that what she was doing was illegal. The couple had an Orfi marriage two years ago, which is not registered with the state but allows them to share a hotel room. Mr Saad has said the pills were because he suffers from a bad back following a car crash. Speaking to the Mail after Ms Plummer was jailed, her boyfriend, Mr Saad, said he felt responsible for her plight. He told the Mail: 'My heart is absolutely broken - I'm missing her so much. 'I did not want her to violate her life and I had no idea she would bring Tramadol - I would have told her ''don't bring it to Egypt''.' Ms Plummer was originally charged with smuggling, but was later jailed in December for possession instead. In February, an Egyptian official claimed she wasn't in a hell-hole prison as some reports suggested, and was receiving excellent care. Her family have maintained that she was taking the painkiller which is legal in the UK but banned in Egypt for her partner Omar. Pictured from left, Ms Plummer's mother Roberta and sisters Rachel and Jayne Ms Plummer's (far left) family hit back and revealed their anger at being given 'false hope' after her pardon was withdrawn in January Following her arrest last October, Ms Plummer was taken to a Hurghada police cell before being taken to the notorious Qena prison after being sentenced. But it was decided there was no room for her and she spent a week back in Hurghada before being sent to a prison in Cairo where conditions were reportedly better. Ashraf Ezz al-Arab, a director of the prison investigations department at the interior ministry, told Egypt Independent that Ms Plummer has 'received excellent social and medical care in prison, as do all foreign inmates and Egyptians alike'. He added that her family visits her in accordance to the prison regulations. Ms Plummer was previously told she would be freed from her cell after her name appeared on a presidential pardon list due to be signed off by Abdul Fattah el-Sisi. But the British Embassy in Cairo allegedly told her family that there had been a 'mistake'. Ms Plummer's family hit back and revealed their anger at being given 'false hope' after her pardon was withdrawn in January. A Foreign & Commonwealth Office spokesperson said: 'Our staff continue to do all they can to support Laura and her family, and our embassy remains in regular contact with the Egyptian authorities. 'At no point did Foreign Office staff advise Laura's family that we believed she would be imminently released. We continue to recommend they obtain updates on Laura's legal situation from her lawyer.' Al-Qanatir prison, on the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt, where Miss Plummer has been held. A senior prison official previously insisted she receives 'excellent' treatment The prison was in a bad state of disrepair and the cells only have a small window giving contact with the outside world Ukrainian people smuggler Yevhenii Vasylkov Three Ukrainians have been convicted of trying to smuggle 19 illegal immigrants into the UK on a hired yacht which was not fit to cross the North Sea. Lives were put at risk as the yacht Flamingo - which was used in the smuggling plot - was not equipped for the 100 mile voyage, the National Crime Agency said. Yevhenii Vasylkov, 30, and Yupi Karakin, 27, were arrested after sailing the boat from the Netherlands to Southwold, Suffolk, on October 15 last year. Nine Ukrainian migrants were found on the boat by officers from the National Crime Agency and the Border Force coastal patrol vessel 'Alert'. Another ten migrants from the yacht were discovered driving towards Ipswich and taken into custody after Suffolk Police stopped the two vehicles on the A12 at nearby Blythburgh and Yoxford. Blackfriars Crown Court heard how Yuril Dzhuraniuk, 26, Mykhailo Riok, 27, who were driving the cars were also arrested. All four men denied facilitating illegal migration which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years jail. Vasylkov who used false identity papers to hire the yacht from a company called Enjoy Sailing in the Netherlands changed his plea to guilty on the third day of the trial. Dzhuraniuk and Riok were found guilty by the jury today. The three men will be sentenced on May 10. Yevhenii Vasylkov, pictured on CCTV using false papers to hire the yacht Flamingo The trial heard how mobile phone data proved Dzhuraniuk and Riok had been in touch with each other. Karakin was found not guilty, but as he entered the UK illegally he now faces being removed back to Ukraine. National Crime Agency branch operations manager Tony Luhman said after the hearing: 'This case demonstrates how criminal networks involved in organised immigration crime are prepared to risk the lives of the people they smuggle for the sake of profit. 'The vessel they travelled in from the Netherlands was not equipped to make such a journey, and had it run into trouble the consequences could have been fatal. 'But this crime group didn't care about that, they just wanted to make money out of the desperation of others to reach the UK. The yacht Flamingo which was not equipped to safely sail at sea, but was used to smuggle 19 illegal Ukrainian migrants into the UK 'There were clearly others involved in this and other similar smuggling attempts, in that respect our investigation continues. 'Working with law enforcement partners we are determined to protect the integrity of the UK's border, targeting the illegal networks involved in organised immigration crime and disrupting their activity.' Rod Lowson, from Border Force Maritime Command, said: 'Coastal patrol vessel 'Alert' and her crew played an important part in this operation, moving quickly alongside NCA officers to board the yacht Flamingo and make arrests. 'This case demonstrates the valuable role of the coastal patrol vessels within Border Force's maritime capacity. 'They are able to operate close to shore and compliment the offshore work of the longer range cutter fleet, intercepting those attempting illegal activity at the border.' This investigation formed part of Project Invigor, the UK's Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce that targets the criminal networks behind people smuggling. It is led by the NCA and includes partners such as Immigration Enforcement, Border Force and the Crown Prosecution Service, working in the UK and internationally. Donald Trump abruptly stopped more sanctions on Russia on Monday - a day after they were promised by Nikki Haley, the president's ambassador to the United Nations. Trump is unlikely to approve them unless Moscow carries out a new cyber attack or some other provocation, a senior administration official told Reuters. 'The ambassador got out ahead of things this time,' the senior administration official who deals with the issue told Reuters. The Washington Post first reported that Trump had put a stop to a plan for additional economic sanctions on Russia. An official said Trump was concerned that immediately imposing more sanctions, on the heels of last weekend's U.S.-led strike against Russian-backed Assad, would interfere with his efforts to negotiate agreements with Russian President Vladimir Putin on combating Islamic extremism, policing the internet and other issues. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday Russia will be sanctioned over an alleged chemical attack in Syria last week The U.S., U.K. and France ordered strikes against Assad in the Damascus area on Friday Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement, 'We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future.' On Sunday morning, Haley confirmed the U.S. would sanction Russia in retaliation for the chemical weapons attack a week ago in Syria. She previewed the move without any prodding. Haley said that Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin would hand down additional sanctions on Monday, if he had not already. '[T]hey will be going directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use,' Haley said. Her comments echoed a line in 'White House talking points on Syrian airstrikes' DailyMail.com received a day before. 'We also intend to impose specific additional sanctions against Russia to respond to Moscow's ongoing support for the Assad regime, which has enabled the regime's atrocities against the Syrian people,' the document that the Republican National Committee distributed said. The Treasury Department would not confirm the sanctions on Sunday afternoon, telling DailyMail.com it 'does not comment on prospective actions.' And Sanders told reporters Monday, 'We're evaluating, but nothing to announce right now.' Trump's spokeswoman also pushed back on a boast from French President Emmanuel Macron that he had persuaded President Trump to keep U.S. troops in Syria. Sanders said the United States' policy has not changed, and it would still like to pull the 2,000 American soldiers deployed in Syria out as soon as feasible. 'We've talked about this for a while, but our policy hasn't changed. We still have troops on the ground,' she said. 'But the President wants to bring those people home, and that hasn't shifted.' At a National Security Council meeting Trump is said to have requested that the troops come home in the next six months. Publicly he's said he wants it to happen 'very soon,' although he made those comments prior to coalition airstrikes last Friday on Syria. 'We don't have a timeframe on it,' Sanders said. 'It's not based on an arbitrary timeline, but on defeating ISIS and also getting the Gulf partners in the region to step up and do more both militarily and financially.' Sanders also knocked down a Washington Post report that claimed Trump was angry that Treasury expelled 60 Russian diplomats the administration says were spies in response to an assassination attempt in March on a retired double agent living in Britain. According to the Post, Trump only wanted to go as far as the United States' European partners. Instead, the U.S. wound up taking the lead as Germany and France expelled just four Russian diplomats each. 'The President is the one that gave the directive. The President has been clear that he's going to be tough on Russia,' she contended. 'But at the same time, he'd still like to have a good relationship with them. But that's going to be determined by whether or not Russia decides if they want to be a better actor in this process or not.' Sanders said that has not been the case so far, and so Trump 'is going to continue to be tough on them.' 'And that's why we're continuing to evaluate a number of sanctions,' she added. On Monday, it was clear that a breakdown in communication on sanctions between the White House and the president's political arm and the White House and Trump's U.N. ambassador had occurred. Russia's RIA news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying that morning that that the Kremlin 'will not delay in adopting legislation against U.S. sanctions' if the Trump administration moves forward with the anticipated sanctions. Trump promised last week that Russia would pay a 'big price' if it was found to have been complicit in Assad's gas attack. The U.S. president said his treat threat extended to Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Friday, in conjunction with the U.K. and France, Trump ordered targeted strikes against Assad's forces. He called out Putin by name in his address for failing to keep a promise in 2013 to eliminate Assad's chemical weapons stockpile Syria. 'Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path, or if it will join with civilized nations as a force for stability and peace,' Trump said. 'Hopefully, someday we'll get along with Russia, and maybe even Iran but maybe not.' Putin has not backed down from his support for Assad, despite international pressure to abandon the dictator accused of brutalizing his people. Russia says the U.S.-led strikes were a violation of international law. The Russian president on Sunday that the strikes were an 'act of aggression' and that continued force against Assad would provoke 'chaos' in the international relations. Haley meanwhile said that the U.S. and its allies could hit Assad's regime with airstrikes again if the Syrian dictators deploys more chemical weapons. 'The time for talk ended last night,' Haley told an emergency meeting of the Security Council called by Russia. 'We are prepared to sustain this pressure, if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will.' Putin has not backed down on his support for dictator Assad despite international pressure. they are pictured in Moscow in 2015 Assad spoke on Sunday to a group of visiting Russian politicians. The dictator has said the airstrikes against Syria came with a campaign of 'lies' and misinformation in the U.N. Haley warned, 'When our president draws a red line, our president enforces a red line.' She said, 'The United States is locked and loaded.' Assad seemed un-phased as he went about his business on Sunday, speaking to a group of visiting Russian politicians. Some 70 people, including children, are said to have died when the Syrian regime unleashed chlorine gas and sarin, a nerve agent, on the rebel-held town of Douma a week ago from Saturday. Both the Russian and Syrian government have denied involvement in the attack that preceded gruesome photos and videos of children vomiting and gasping for air. The United States and its partners dropped more than 100 bombs on three targets associated with the chemical weapons program in Syria in response to the poison attack early Saturday morning local time. Trump delivered a national address as the raid was occurring. 'We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents,' he said in the broadcast. 'To Iran, and to Russia, I ask: What kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women, and children?' Trump implored. He warned the Assad friends, 'The nations of the world can be judged by the friends they keep. No nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants, and murderous dictators.' Both the Russian and Syrian government have denied involvement in the attack that left children vomiting and gasping for air, as shown in poignant photos Russia is targeting millions of laptops and phones in UK homes in preparation for a cyber attack on Britains critical infrastructure, senior security experts revealed. They added that once access has been gained, Moscow backed agents could hide undiscovered until they decide to attack. It comes amid reports that Russia is preparing to mount a cyber-strike on Britains energy networks, armed forces and emergency services, in retaliation for the Syria air strikes, the GCHQ and FBI have warned. The government has been probing the cyber-defences to identify vulnerabilities that could potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations, UK and US authorities revealed in a joint statement. Vladimir Putin condemned the strikes as an act of aggression against a sovereign state and accused the US and its allies of violating the norms and principles of international law Ciaran Martin, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre, said: 'They are around trying to seize control over connectivity so, in the case of targeting providers of internet services, it is about gaining access to their customers to try to gain control over the devices to allow them not just to spy on the primary organisation but the organisations they connect to.' White House cyber security co-ordinator Rob Joyce said: 'Once you own the router, you own all the traffic to include the ability to harvest credentials and passwords and essentially monitor all the traffic. 'It is a tremendous weapon in the hands of an adversary.' While Mr Martin said most targeting of the UK had been aimed at government bodies and critical national infrastructure, US officials said everything 'from large enterprises to small home offices' could be affected. It comes amid reports that Russia is preparing to mount a cyber-strike on Britains energy networks, armed forces and emergency services, in retaliation for the Syria air strikes, the GCHQ (pictured) and FBI have warned FBI Deputy Assistant Director Howard Marshall said: We cant rule out the possibility Russia may intend to use this set of compromises for future offensive cyber operations.' Pictured: FBI headquarters Mr Joyce said: 'When we see malicious cyber activity, whether it be from the Kremlin or other nation state actors, we are going to push back.' FBI Deputy Assistant Director Howard Marshall added: This activity isnt always to steal information from the network that is targeted in these operations, but sometimes used to facilitate other operations that the Russians can do against high value targets worldwide. He continued: We cant rule out the possibility Russia may intend to use this set of compromises for future offensive cyber operations. How to defend your home from cyber attacks The following checklist can't guarantee stopping every attack or preventing every breach. But ensuring these steps are taken will make it significantly harder for hackers to succeed. 1) Enable two-factor authentication When it's set up, the system asks for a login and password just like usual but then sends a unique numeric code to another device, using text message, email or a specialized app. Without access to that other device, the login is refused. 2) Encrypt your internet traffic A virtual private network (VPN) service encrypts digital communications, making it hard for hackers to intercept them. 3) Tighten up your password security Subscribe to a reputable password manager that suggests strong passwords and stores them in an encrypted file on your own computer. 4) Monitor your devices' behind-the-scenes activities Many computer programs and mobile apps keep running and sending data even when they are not actively in use. 5) Never open hyperlinks or attachments in any emails that are suspicious Even when they appear to come from a friend, use extreme caution their email address might have been compromised. - Arun Vishwanath, Associate Professor of Communication, University at Buffalo, State University of New York Advertisement 'It provides basic infrastructure that they can launch from. The chilling warnings came as the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the UKs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) released a joint statement which said the Kremlins possible action threatens our respective safety, security, and economic well-being. The authorities have issued a warning to critical infrastructure providers along with Government bodies and large companies advising on how to manage the risks from any possible attacks from Russia. Mr Martin said: Russia is our most capable hostile adversary in cyberspace so dealing with their attacks is a major priority for the National Cyber Security Centre and our US allies. This is the first time that in attributing a cyber attack to Russia the US and the UK have, at the same time, issued joint advice to industry about how to manage the risks from attacks. 'It marks an important step in our fight back against state-sponsored aggression in cyberspace. For over twenty years, GCHQ has been tracking the key Russian cyber-attack groups and todays joint UK-US alert shows that the threat has not gone away. 'The UK government will continue to work with the US, other international allies and industry partners to expose Russias unacceptable cyber behaviour, so they are held accountable for their actions. Many of the techniques used by Russia exploit basic weaknesses in network systems. The NCSC is leading the way globally to issue advice and automate defences at scale to remove those basic attacks, thereby allowing us to focus on the most potent threats.' Yet officials said the move had been planned for 'some time' and was not directly related to the US-led missiles strikes over the weekend on Russia's ally Syria. It comes amid reports that intelligence officers at GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence are on standby to hit back if the Kremlin wages cyber warfare. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson previously acknowledged the threat, saying the UK had to take every possible precaution. Officials have warned of swift retaliation from Russia for the military strikes on Syria It is feared vital transport systems, water supplies, gas networks, banks, hospitals and even air traffic control could be hacked by Russia in response to the assault on Bashar al-Assads chemical weapons facilities. Intelligence sources also fear the retaliation could involve the online release of so-called kompromat compromising information on MPs or other public figures. Last night, the Pentagon said there was a 2,000 per cent increase in the number of Russian trolls spreading Kremlin propaganda in the hours after the air strikes. As the fallout from the military action intensified: Theresa May faces a knife-edge vote in the Commons over her decision to join Saturday mornings US-led air strikes without parliamentary approval; Graphic pictures showed how Assads facilities were destroyed by a barrage of 105 missiles from Britain, France and the US; Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced a backlash from his own MPs after refusing to dismiss outlandish Russian claims that Britain was to blame for the Salisbury poisonings and even the gas atrocity in Syria; The Mail can reveal that military chiefs were so concerned about a Russian counter-strike on an RAF base in Cyprus, they kept two jets back from the air strikes It emerged that Russia was duped into launching a military operation to find a British attack submarine that never made it within strike range of Syria; Mr Johnson refused to rule out further strikes as defence officials feared Assad may have hidden chemical supplies in civilian sites, but Vladimir Putin warned that further military action would inevitably lead to chaos in international relations; Donald Trump defended his hailing of the air strikes as mission accomplished while the US prepared to announce more sanctions on Russia. The Syria crisis dominated the return of Parliament today, with Mrs May facing the prospect of MPs voting against her decision to join Friday nights US-led strikes to punish the Assad regime for the use of chemical weapons in Douma. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson previously acknowledged the threat, saying the UK had to take every possible precaution In a robust defence of her actions, the Prime Minister delivered a statement to MPs insisting that Britain had to strike Syria in our national interest. On Saturday, Russia warned of consequences after the air strikes. Moscow has already launched repeated online assaults against the UK and intelligence chiefs fear they have the capability to hack into certain critical systems. Speaking on the BBCs Andrew Marr show, Mr Johnson said: I think we have to take every possible precaution. When you look at what Russia has done, not just in this country, in Salisbury, attacks on TV stations, on the democratic processes, on critical national infrastructure of course we have to be very, very cautious indeed. In a robust defence of her actions, the Prime Minister will deliver a statement to MPs insisting that Britain had to strike Syria in our national interest Intelligence experts accept that the most likely response from Russia will be through covert cyber warfare. This would be on top of an avalanche of fake news planted by Moscow-run online trolls. Last week, Ciaran Martin, director of the cyber security centre, warned that Russia had already repeatedly hit the UKs critical infrastructure. This includes vital systems such as water supplies, electricity and gas networks, hospitals, banks and transport. He said Kremlin attacks on computer networks were part of a wider campaign to destabilise the UK. Our critical infrastructure gets hit frequently by Russia and it is not always clear for what purpose, he said. As a government as a whole we want to counter hostile Russian intent towards the democratic system and we have got all sorts of different parts of government working on that. Whitehall sources said yesterday Russia was carrying out cyber attacks against the UK all the time. One added: What is clear, both offensive and defence cyber capabilities are now a reality. In the hours after the strikes, Moscows ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said: The worst apprehensions have come true. Our warnings have been left unheard. A pre-designed scenario is being implemented. Again, we are being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences' And one security source told The Sunday Times: We know whats in the Russian playbook kompromat-type material were all prepared for that. In the hours after the strikes, Moscows ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, said: The worst apprehensions have come true. Our warnings have been left unheard. A pre-designed scenario is being implemented. Again, we are being threatened. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences. All responsibility for them rests with Washington, London and Paris. Insulting the president of Russia is unacceptable and inadmissible. Putin condemned the strikes as an act of aggression against a sovereign state and accused the US and its allies of violating the norms and principles of international law. Putin even accused America of having staged chemical attack against civilians as a pretext for the attack. One Russian politician even compared Mr Trump to Adolf Hitler. Alexander Sherin said he can be called Adolf Hitler No 2 of our time because, you see, he even chose the same time [of night] that Hitler chose to attack the Soviet Union. A Russian resolution at the UN Security Council condemning the air strikes was soundly defeated on Saturday night. Moscow gained support from only two countries, China and Bolivia. Four council members Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Peru and Equatorial Guinea abstained, while the remaining eight members voted against. At the same time, Mrs May has faced considerable criticism for not recalling Parliament to gain approval for joining the US-led action. Tory MPs returning from recess this week have been told they have to be in the Commons today and tomorrow in case there is a vote on her handling of the Syria crisis. However, Downing Street officials said they believed a Commons vote was unlikely to take place although they did not rule out the possibility that Opposition parties could force one later in the week. Jill Blackstone was taken into custody in Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital on Tuesday and is pictured in this mug shot provided by Los Angeles Police Department New details have emerged about a murder case involving a former producer on the Jerry Springer Show, including how she allegedly drugged her special-needs sister, dumped her in a garage and set the structure on fire. A former producer for Jerry Springer has been arrested for murdering her deaf and partially blind sister in what was initially thought to be a suicide pact gone wrong. Jill Blackstone was arrested last week in Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital in connection to the March 2015 death of her partially blind and deaf sister, Wendy, 49, who was found dead at her Los Angeles home, along with two of her three pet dogs. Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department believe Jill Blackstone carried out the deadly attack because she was frustrated at the emotional and financial hardship of having to care for her. A coroner later determined that Wendy died of smoke inhalation and an overdose of the sedative alrazolam. The woman also had traces of Xanax in her blood. Jill also suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning, which required her to be treated in a hospital for two days. She will now likely face charges of murder as well as three counts of animal cruelty when she is extradited to Los Angeles. At first it appeared that Wendy had killed herself by inhaling fumes from a barbecue grill , but now police believe that Jill killed her sister. Scroll down for video Blackstone (pictured) lied about her disabled sister's suicide, which was actually a mercy killing, it has been reported Wendy (pictured) was found dead in a garage in March after inhaling carbon monoxide fumes, believed to have come from a barbecue grill An unnamed police source reportedly said that Jill - who was arrested after her sister's death but was released two days later without a charge - originally denied knowing Wendy was suicidal. However, investigators believe that Jill wrote a suicide note left by Wendy. It was previously reported that Jill, 52, had allegedly made a suicide pact with her sister, but got cold feet at the last minute and called a friend for help - who then told the police. When paramedics arrived at the home in North Hollywood on March 14, 2015, Wendy and two of her three dogs were dead, while Jill was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Daily Mail Online reported in 2015 that Jill owed Wendy $122,000 and was in $1.4million of debt. Investigators are now said to believe that Jill (pictured) wrote a note left by Wendy, and that the producer may have helped her sister kill herself out of mercy for her condition After Jill's release in 2015, the LAPD confirmed that Wendy's death was still 'an ongoing murder investigation'. Neighbors speculated that the sisters who ran the Thumping Tails Animal Rescue Center together out of their home had entered into a suicide pact. Stephanie Cohen, 60, who lived across the street from the sisters, said at the time: The police were here for 12 to 14 hours on Saturday. We were told they were investigating a double suicide, an attempt, and one of the people died.' She added: [Jill and Wendy] were having a hard time finding a new home because the sister that died was very ill - she couldnt see, she couldnt hear, she was housebound, she was very ill. So she needed to find a house that could accommodate her sister with the illness and the dogs. 'Evidently the pressure was intense on them, but nobody expected this to happen. As a producer, Jill worked on Jerry Springer, Sally Jessy Raphael, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Dr. Drew On Call, The Real, and The Osbournes. For confidential support in the U.S., call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255. French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demonstrated their growing bromance as they shared a hug when they met in Paris on Monday. The two young leaders, both progressives in their 40s, exchanged a hug on the steps of the Elysee Palace on Monday. They spoke warmly of their ties afterwards at a press conference that ended with them leaving the room with their arms across each other's backs. Scroll down for video French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared a hug when they met in Paris The two young leaders, both progressives in their 40s, exchanged a hug on the steps of the Elysee Palace on Monday Macron and Trudeau see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism which has gathered strength in Europe and the United States, as well as in Russia, Turkey and China. 'We have an extremely close convergence of views,' Macron said during the press conference, which came after a working lunch and talks with Trudeau. Trudeau, speaking mostly in French, ended his remarks lauding the 'friendship' between the two leaders - a contrast with the often difficult relationship he has with his North American neighbour, US President Donald Trump. President Macron (left) greets Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he arrives for a meeting at the Elysee Palace Macron and Trudeau see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism They spoke warmly of their ties afterwards at a press conference that ended with them leaving the room with their arms across each other's backs 'Canada, France and Europe are extremely aligned,' he said. Talks included trade, the war in Syria and an upcoming summit of G7 countries which will be hosted by Canada in June. During the joint news conference, Trudeau praised the 'benefits' of a trade deal between Canada and the European Union that came largely into effect last September. Trudeau said 'we already see the results' of the new trade rules, called the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CETA). Canadian imports from France have increased 4 percent last year and Canadian investments in France have jumped 23 percent, he said. Trudeau insists the deal included rules to protect workers' rights and the environment, but CETA had triggered many protests across Europe, with critics arguing it weakens European labor laws. Talks included trade, the war in Syria and an upcoming summit of G7 countries which will be hosted by Canada in June Their first meeting as leaders came in May last year when they were photographed together at a meeting of G7 countries in a hillside town in Sicily Trudeau and Macron's first meeting as leaders came in May last year when they were photographed together at a meeting of G7 countries in the dreamy setting of Taormina, a hillside town in Sicily. It led to widespread commentary about the 'bromance' between the two married liberals. They also sparked jokes online that they looked like they had gone to Sicily for their wedding photographs. Trudeau, speaking mostly in French, ended his remarks lauding the 'friendship' between the two leaders Homeless encampments near the tracks of California's commuter rail service have caused trains to be significantly more delayed than usual. Trains have been forced to make more emergency stops this year as more people have been trespassing on the tracks, as reported by the Sacramento Bee. These unexpected stops on Amtrak's Capitol Corridor have dramatically lowered the system's on-time record, with 15 percent of trains arriving late to their destinations last month. The Capitol Corridor operates between Sacramento and Silicon Valley. Trains along the Capitol Corridor, which connects Sacramento and Silicon Valley, were late 15 percent of the time last month Trains have been forced to make more emergency stops this year as more people have been trespassing on the tracks 'Frankly, we have a business to run, a service to the public. If people can't depend on the train being on time, they will choose other options,' Capitol Corridor board chair Lucas Frerichs told the local news outlet. The fact that the number of homeless in the area has risen by 30 percent since 2015 has certainly not helped the issue. Trespassings aren't the only thing delaying trains: issues with track signals, bridge closures and mechanical setbacks have also been happening more recently. But agency officials say the sight of people walking on the tracks has become more common. Unauthorized people on the tracks have caused a big enough impact on the system's ability to function that several rail agencies have already taken action. Capitol Corridor and the Union Pacific freight rail company, which owns several train tracks in the state, have partnered to crackdown on the issue. Commuters are delayed every time an emergency stops has to be made, as trains take 10 minutes to restart, according to officials Unauthorized people on the tracks have caused a big enough impact on the system's ability to function that several rail agencies have already taken action Company head David Kutrosky sent an email to passengers asking them to report any encampments or large piles of trash they see while on their commute. Sacramento, West Sacramento, Davis, Suisun City, Hercules, Berkeley, Oakland and Fremont in the Bay Area are some of the places where the company's crews have spotted homeless camps. Capitol Corridor will spend $750,000 per year to finance three UP crews which will be tasked with finding and shutting down homeless camps along the rail lines. The Sacramento Regional Transit is also spending more time patrolling tracks, according to a spokesperson. Capitol Corridor will spend $750,000 per year to finance three UP crews which will be tasked with finding and shutting down homeless camps along the rail lines Dealing with the homeless camps near train tracks is not easy task, as those who are removed usually just move to a different spot Officials for Capitol Corridor have not said how many crashes have happened in the last year, but the a Union Pacific spokesperson told the Sacramento Bee that three people were hit by trains between Sacramento and the Bay Area. When someone is killed by a train delays become quite significant, as authorities have to do post-mortem work at the scene. Even if someone isn't hit, if an engineer sees a person on the tracks or near it, they will make an emergency stop. Once the train stops, it takes 10 minutes to restart the engine, according to Kutrosky. Dealing with the homeless camps is not easy task, as the Sacramento Bee points out. A 62-year-old homeless man told the outlet he simply moved to a more hidden spot when he was removed from his spot in the Arcade Creek area. California has rejected the federal government's initial plans for National Guard troops to the border because the work is considered too closely tied to immigration enforcement, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The state informed federal officials it will not allow its troops to fix and repair vehicles, operate remotely-controlled surveillance cameras to report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol, operate radios and provide 'mission support,' which can include clerical work, buying gas and handling payroll, according to officials with knowledge of the talks who spoke condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. California Gov. Jerry Brown elicited rare and effusive praise from President Donald Trump last week after he pledged 400 troops to the Guard's third large-scale border mission since 2006. The governor's commitment allowed Trump to boast support from all four border-state governors and helped put the president above the lower end of his threshold of marshaling 2,000 to 4,000 troops that he wants as a border security mission to fight illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard keep watch on the banks of the Rio Grande, where some of them will be armed where necessary (pictured Wednesday) A National Guard troop watches over Rio Grande River on the border in Roma, Texas on Wednesday. The deployment of National Guard members to the U.S.-Mexico border at President Donald Trump's request was underway Tuesday with a gradual ramp-up of troops under orders to help curb illegal immigration But the Democratic Brown conditioned his support by insisting that California's troops have nothing to do with immigration enforcement. He was not specific about jobs his troops would or would not perform or how he would distinguish between immigration-related work and going after criminal gangs and drug and gun smugglers. California National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Thomas Keegan said Monday that the state was awaiting a formal response from the administration and had no additional details beyond the governor's proposed agreement released last week that includes a ban on immigration enforcement. Evan Westrup, a spokesman for the governor, did not immediately answer detailed question about California's rejection of specific guard duties. Talks between U.S. and California officials about the duties the California troops would perform soured Friday and over the weekend after state authorities told federal officials that they would not participate in vehicle maintenance and the other jobs outlined for an initial phase across the border in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, the U.S. officials said. The other border-state governors - all Republicans - have openly embraced Trump's plans. Ron Vitiello, the acting deputy commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, said Brown had declined the initial roles put forward for Guardsmen. 'The governor has determined that what we have asked for so far is unsupportable,' Vitiello told reporters. 'We've made this refined request, it's gone through the process and then we've got a signal from the governor that he is not participating.' Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Bob Salesses said the initial request envisioned sending 237 Guardsmen to two main crossing areas in Southern California, where they would have conducted maintenance, clerical assistance and helped with heavy equipment operations, among other tasks. 'The California National Guard has indicated that they will not perform those missions as we know them to be right now,' Salesses said, though he noted that conversations were ongoing. New development: Trump had praised California's Democratic governor Jerry Brown - but now faces his orders being defied Vitiello, too, suggested that the state's Guard might ultimately be used in other roles, including possibly cargo inspection. 'We will have other iterations,' Vitiello said. Trump this month said he would send thousands of National Guard troops to the southern border, where they could remain until a border wall is constructed. The order would eventually see about 4,000 Guardsman along the border, which spans four US states. So far about 960 have arrived, officials said. Texas has seen the biggest deployment, with 650 sent to the border, while Arizona has dispatched 250, and New Mexico about 60. Vitiello said Guardsmen would most likely not be armed, but individual states might allow the carrying of a weapon in certain missions. California is at the forefront of what opponents call the 'Resistance' to Trump's administration, with the heavily Democratic state suing the federal government over numerous issues, including the rollback of environmental regulations. Several cities including Los Angeles are 'sanctuary cities' that require local law enforcement agencies not to tell federal agents about residents' legal status. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has sued the state over three statutes that support cities and counties that refuse to hand over unauthorized immigrants to federal immigration authorities for prosecution or expulsion. Advertisement Six months after much of Northern California's Wine Country was torched by historic wildfires, the area is once again alight in yellow - this time in flowers as opposed to flames. October's wildfires have created the perfect conditions for a massive wildflower bloom, but the majestic sight will only be around for another month. 'It's off-the-charts in the burned areas,' biologist Caitlin Cornwall told SF Gate. 'It just makes you joyful to see all these flowers, especially to see them rising up above the ashes. It's really a good thing for the soul.' Tourists visiting the Alexander Valley in Northern Valley are treated to fields of mustard as viewed on March 12, 2018 Above, a look at the recent wildflower bloom in Sugarload Ridge State Park in Northern California Experts say the massive wildflower bloom in Northern California will last about another month The wildfires in October created perfect conditions for a historic wildflower bloom in California's Wine Country Trees burn on the edges of a vineyard where firefighters set backfires to protect the grape vines, in Santa Rosa, California, October 11, 2017 Cornwall says massive blooms like the one going on in Northern California right now often follow wildfires. The wildfires eradicated overgrown grasses and non-native species that hamper the growth of wildflowers, as well as tree limbs that block light needed for the seeds to sprout. After a burn, wildflower seeds are nursed by the injection of ash into the soil. This year, heavy rains in March and April only fueled the growth. 'The fire burned off accumulated grasses and debris that might have kept some wildflowers from germinating because the other plants took up all the space and sunlight,' Hattie Brown, the natural resources program coordinator for Sonoma County Regional Parks, told SF Gate. The region is huge for wine tourism, but now others are coming just to see the wildflowers Wildflower have also taken root in between lines of vines that cover the region - one of the nation's largest wine producing areas Yellow wildflowers sprout between rows of wine vines in this photo from the Alexander Valley Pictured on the left are fremont star lilies. The flower on the right appears to be wild lupine Sonoma Valley Regional Park, Shiloh Ranch Regional Park and Sugarloaf State Park are among some of the best places to view the wildflowers. Among the wildflowers than can be spotted currently are whispering bells, bird's eye gilia, fremont star lillies,fairy lantern and mission bells. 'I would say go now and go often,' says Cornwall. 'It's pretty amazing.' 'I hesitate to say it is the best wildflower season ever because of the fires, largely because even the parks that didn't burn, like Taylor Mountain Regional Park, have incredible wildflower displays right now,' she added. 'It is certainly a great season and a great time to be in the parks and experience the resilience and regeneration.' A leading progressive in New York politics is throwing her support behind Democratic candidate Dana Balter in the 24th Congressional District race. Zephyr Teachout, who challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the 2014 Democratic primary and ran for Congress in 2016, endorsed Balter, D-Syracuse, to face U.S. Rep. John Katko. "Dana will stand against big money interests and put the hardworking families of central New York first, working for economic opportunity, affordable health care, and high-quality public education for everyone," Teachout said in a statement. "Her campaign has the energy and grassroots support needed to take on John Katko and win in November." Balter, a Syracuse University professor and activist, entered the 24th district race in September. In February, she won the Democratic designation from the four party committees in the district. While she remains the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, she is facing a primary challenge. Juanita Perez Williams, a former Syracuse mayoral candidate, launched her congressional campaign earlier this month. Perez Williams is seeking the Democratic line. The primary is scheduled for Tuesday, June 26. Three former Tesco executives accused of cooking the books of the supermarkets profits by 250m will face a retrial in the autumn. Carl Rogberg, 50, Chris Bush, 51, and John Scouler, 49, allegedly acted as the generals behind the plot which eventually wiped 2billion off the total share value of Britains biggest retailer. The supermarkets former finance chief, managing director and food commercial director are said to have cooked the books in an attempt to save their multi-million-pound jobs and seven-figure salaries. Carl Rogberg (left), 50, Chris Bush (right), 51, and John Scouler, 49, allegedly acted as the generals behind the plot which eventually wiped 2billion off the total share value of Britains biggest retailer But the trial at Southwark Crown Court was aborted in February after Rogberg was rushed to hospital for surgery following a heart attack. Rogbergs barrister Nicholas Purnell, QC, said today: It was an unbelievable shock because he was a very fit man. He would come to Marylebone by train and then run to court and change at my solicitors office. He is the last person you would anticipate would have needed that and hes just had to have a quadruple bypass. Today the prosecution set out a timetable for serving evidence and the retrial was fixed for September 3, to be heard in front of High Court judge, Sir John Royce (pictured: John Scouler) The trial at Southwark Crown Court was aborted in February after Rogberg was rushed to hospital for surgery following a heart attack Today the prosecution set out a timetable for serving evidence and the retrial was fixed for September 3, to be heard in front of High Court judge, Sir John Royce. This morning the lawyers agreed jurors trying the complex case will be given iPads to help them. Bush, of Radnage, High Wycombe, Rogberg, of Chiselhampton, Oxford and Scouler, of St Albans, all deny fraud and false accounting. An ex-manager of a pest control company in the US Virgin Islands has been charged with poisoning a Delaware family after they were exposed to a banned pesticide in their vacation rental that left them paralyzed. A grand jury charged Jose Rivera, 59, last week with improperly using the pesticide methyl bromide in the St. John condominium complex where the family of four stayed in 2015. Rivera, who hasn't yet entered a plea, was also charged with applying the pesticide in eight other residential units in St. Croix and one additional St. Thomas unit when he was working for pest-control giant Terminix. Brothers Ryan and Sean Esmond (left to right) were left paralyzed and confined to wheelchairs after being exposed to a banned pesticide while holidaying in US Virgin Islands in 2015 The indoor use of methyl bromide products was banned in 1984. The pesticide is odorless and can severely damage the central nervous and respiratory systems. Steve Esmond, his wife Dr Theresa Divine and their two teenage sons Ryan and Sean fell seriously ill after being exposed to the pesticide while staying at the complex in March 2015. Rivera is accused of spraying the pesticide in the unit below where the Esmond family had planned to stay for an eight night vacation. Instead, the family was rushed to a Virgin Islands hospital and then airlifted back to the United States. Esmond, a high school principal, was left paralyzed and his sons remained in critical condition for weeks after the exposure. Their father Steve Esmond was also paralyzed following the exposure, while their mother Dr Theresa Divine fared better and was discharged from hospital soon after A grand jury charged Jose Rivera, 59, last week with improperly using the pesticide methyl bromide in the St. John condominium complex (above) where the family of four stayed in 2015 Ryan, the youngest, was paralyzed from the neck down with no control of his limbs and his older brother Sean had no sensation in his limbs and could not move his body. Their mother, who works as a dentist, fared better and was discharged from hospital soon after the exposure. It is not clear if any of their conditions have improved since the ordeal. Before the incident, both boys were star athletes at their high school. Sean, who played lacrosse, was already touring colleges. In a video posted on Sean's Facebook page last month, the teenager could be seen standing up with the help of an aide as he underwent rehabilitation. In a video posted on Sean's Facebook page last month (above), the teenager could be seen standing up with the help of an aide as he underwent rehabilitation. Sean was a lacrosse player prior to falling ill and had been touring colleges Dangerous amounts of methyl bromide were being detected inside the villa about six weeks after the family fell ill, according to authorities 'I'm gonna be there soon,' he captioned the video, which showed him holding a lacrosse stick. Rivera's indictment comes after the parent company of Terminix was ordered in November to pay $9.2 million in criminal fines over the incident involving the Esmond family. 'An entire family suffered horrendous and life-altering injuries. We will continue to aggressively enforce environmental laws to help prevent something like this from ever happening again,' Attorney Joycelyn Hewlett for the District of the Virgin Islands said. The US Justice Department ordered the company to pay $8 million in fines and $1 million in restitution to the Environmental Protection Agency. Three members of a family-of-four who vanished during a spring break road trip in early April have been found dead in a flooded California river. The Thottapilly family from Valencia, California went missing in Mendocino County when witnesses say they saw the family's car drive off an embankment near the river. The bodies of father Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, and his daughter Saachi, nine, were recovered from the family's submerged SUV in Eel River in Leggett, California on Monday, police said. On Friday the body of wife Soumya Thottapilly, 38, was found and recovered from the river seven miles away from the car. Three of the four bodies of missing the Thottapilly family of Valencia, California have been recovered from the flooded Eel River. The bodies of father Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, and his daughter Saachi, nine, far right, were recovered Monday A massive search crew of 70 people scoured the river for the family. On Sunday searchers smelled gas which led them to find the family's submerged SUV six feet under water The bodies of the father and daughter were found Monday. The body of mother Soumya Thottapilly, 38, was found seven miles away on Friday The body of the 12-year-old boy Siddhant is yet to be found as police continue their search The body of 12-year-old son Siddhant is still missing and police are still searching for the child believed to have been with the family when they went missing. The car was found at 11:30am on Sunday after searchers smelled gasoline in the water half a mile north of where the family reportedly drove off an embankment near the river, according to Mendocino County Sheriff's Office. The vehicle was found six feet under water and covered in sediment. A team of 21 rescue workers, two jet ski teams, two boat teams and kayaks were used to remove the car. By 6:30pm Monday the vehicle was partially removed from the water and the bodies were removed. Autopsies will be performed Tuesday to determine cause of death, according to KTLA. The family had left Portland, Oregon on March 30 with a scheduled stop in San Jose on April 6 to visit family before going on to their home in Valencia. The family went missing during a spring break road trip from Portland, Oregon to their home in Valencia. They were scheduled to stop at a relative's house in San Jose on April 6 but never showed up Sandeep's father posted a message on Twitter to India's minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj asking her to step in and help Swaraj tweeted that she was 'in constant touch' with the Consulate in San Francisco and would help find out what happened They were reported missing on April 8 when they failed to reach their relative's home. They were last heard from on April 5. They disappeared in Mendocino County with witnesses saying they saw an SUV that matched a description of theirs - a 2016 Maroon Honda Pilot with a California license plate of 7MMX13B - go off an embankment toward the river, according to KTLA. More than 70 people conducted the search and rescue. Police said divers searched the car underwater and felt what they believed was a person before launching the effort to remove the SUV. Before the discovery of the bodies, searchers found items in the river from a vehicle's interior and other personal items. Relatives confirmed to police that those items were the Thottapilly's belongings. Sandeep's father has posted several messages on social media pleading for help in locating his family after they disappeared without a trace. In a post on Twitter, Babu Subramaniam Thottapilly asked India's minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj to step in and help. Witnesses said they saw the family's maroon Honda SUV, pictured above, heading off an embankment near the river in Mendocino County The body of the son, left, is yet to be found. Police will continue to search for the body The Thottapillys disappeared in Mendocino County, where Jennifer and Sarah Hart, 39, died with their six children after driving off a cliff. From left to right: Hannah, Abigail, Sierra, Jeremiah, Jennifer, Devonte, Markis and Sarah Hart 'Respected Sushma Swaraj ji, I am a senior citizen and resident of Surat, Gujarat. My son Sandeep Thottapilly is residing in California, USA. He and his family are reported missing since last Thursday. Would request your good office to take up this matter with concerned authorities in USA and help find my son and his family as soon as possible,' he wrote. Swaraj tweeted that she was 'in constant touch' with the Consulate in San Francisco. 'They are coordinating with the police. Rest assured. We will spare no effort,' she wrote. The worried father also posted a Facebook message asking Sandeep's employer, Union Bank, to assist in finding the family. Babu said his son is the vice president of the bank. Neighbors described the family as friendly and outgoing. 'They were such a nice family. They were very friendly, very outgoing. We always saw them walking up and down the street. They would ride scooters up and down the street and the grandparents would come to town,' a neighbor said of the family to KTLA. Mendocino County coast is the same area where the Hart family's SUV plunged off an ocean bluff, killing Jennifer and Sarah Hart, both 39, and their six adopted children. Three children remain - who were believed to also be in the crashed vehicle - are still missing. The Environmental Protection Agency violated the law when it approved a $43,000 soundproof phone booth last year for the office of embattled Administrator Scott Pruitt, a congressional watchdog unit said on Monday. The Government Accountability Office said the EPA violated the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. The law prohibits an agency from obligating more than $5,000 in federal funds to furnish, redecorate or make improvements in the office of a presidential appointee without first notifying appropriations committees in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. The EPA also violated the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from incurring expenses in excess of funds available in appropriations, the GAO said. SECURE LOCATION: The Environmental Protection Agency violated the law when it approved a $43,000 soundproof phone booth last year for the office of embattled Administrator Scott Pruitt, a congressional watchdog unit said on Monday Liz Bowman, an EPA spokeswoman, said the agency was "addressing GAO's concern, with regard to Congressional notification about this expense, and will be sending Congress the necessary information this week." The privacy booth, which Pruitt had told lawmakers in a hearing was needed to conduct agency business, was built in a spot of a former storage closet in the administrator's office. WHO'S BUGGING YOU? Scott Pruitt, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), center, listens during a cabinet meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, not pictured, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Monday, April 9, 2018. The EPA spent $43,000 on a soundproof booth The GAO had been asked to investigate the matter by Democratic lawmakers including U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Tom Udall. Senator John Barrasso, a Republican and the head of the Senate environment committee, earlier this month had rejected a request by Carper and others for a hearing looking into allegations that Pruitt had spent wastefully. But Barrasso said in a statement after the GAO's decision that Pruitt's agency must give a "full public accounting" on the spending on the booth and explain why the agency thinks it was complying with the law. Pruitt has taken head and is under investigation for assembling a 20-person security force, costs of $3 million, getting a $43,000 soundproof booth, and asking his detail to use sirens to ferry him to appointments in Washington Pruitt has been under fire from Republican and Democratic lawmakers for expensive travel and other expenses. Last week, Democratic lawmakers asked him to provide documents about ethics issues they said were revealed to them by a former agency official, including spending on bulletproof vests, guns and a contract with an Italian security service. Also last week, fellow Republican Trey Gowdy, head of the oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, asked Pruitt for more documents for his probe into the administrator's first-class air travel and leasing of a room in a Washington condo for $50 a night for nights he was there. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the GAO decision. PAY RAISES The EPA's Office of Inspector General also released documents on Monday showing the agency's chief of staff, Ryan Jackson, signed off on controversial pay raises for three of Pruitt's staff, including a raise of $29,000 to above $114,000 for his scheduling director, Millan Hupp. Pruitt had originally recommended the raises but was denied by the White House. Jackson approved them using the authority granted under an obscure provision in a clean water law, the documents said. Pruitt said in an interview with Fox News this month that he had no knowledge of the raises. "It shouldn't have been done," he said. "There will be some accountability." EPA head Scott Pruitt's security costs have been encouraged by his head of security, former Secret Service Pasquale 'Nino' Perrotta EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox did not respond to a request for comment on the hires. Republican President Donald Trump has said he supports Pruitt, who has carried out his policy goals of slashing regulations on the oil, natural gas and coal industries, but will look into allegations about ethics lapses. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; additional reporting by Richard Valdmanis, editing by Dan Grebler, David Gregorio and Jonathan Oatis) Said Barasso: 'It is critical that EPA and all federal agencies comply with notification requirements to Congress before spending taxpayer dollars. EPA must give a full public accounting of this expenditure and explain why the agency thinks it was complying with the law.' FILE - In this April 3, 2018, file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks at a news conference in Washington. An internal government watchdog says the EPA violated federal spending laws when purchasing a $43,000 soundproof privacy booth for Pruitt to make private phone calls in his office. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) House Oversight chair Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina told Fox News on Sunday, speaking of Pruitt: '"You need to go into another line of work if you don't want people to be mean to you. Like maybe a monk, where you don't come in contact with anyone." Pruitt also has been under fire for the ordering of a bulletproof desk, his 20-member security detail, his first class travel, and security costs totaling $3 million. He also spent $9,000 on a security sweep of his office, the Associated Press reported. Pruitt's security costs have been encouraged by his head of security, a former Secret Service agent who spent time working in Italy and Eastern Europe and who helped investigate mobsters in New York. Pasquale 'Nino' Perrotta helped probe John 'Junior' Gotti in the 1990s, according the online bio posted with his security firm. After a tour in the Bronx District Attorney's office, he landed with the Secret Service's New York Field Office. During a stint in Italy, he 'conducted numerous protective security advances for both the President and Former Presidents of the United States. But he is also described as an implementor of Pruitt's spiraling security costs, which have put the EPA administrator's job in danger. Career EPA official Ron Slotkin told Politico, which profiled Perrotta, that the former agent encouraged the security spending. 'They would object to anything when we said, 'No, you can't do that' or 'That would be wrong,' Slotkin told the publication. 'We'd say, 'It's not a matter of legality, it's ethics, it's the way things look,' he added. President Donald Trump admitted Monday that he made mistakes when he originally put together his Cabinet. Trump said at an event that 'not all of my choices were good' as he complimented two Cabinet secretaries who were traveling with him. The remark at a tax roundtable drew laughter. Trump also joked at the event about firing his newly-appointed National Security Advisor John Bolton, who was also in the room and received a standing ovation after the president lauded him. Trump said he was 'a little jealous' of Bolton's popularity and jokingly told attendees of the Florida roundtable, 'That means the end of this job.' Trump took turns praising his favored advisors at the event, name-checking Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin first. 'Great choices,' Trump said. 'Not all of my choices were good, but they were great ones.' He didn't say which choices he was referring to. Jason Sudeikis and his ex-wife Kay Cannon made an very unlikely friend after first moving to New York City. Cannon writes in a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter that she and Sudeikis were neighbors with Ashley Yeomans when they first moved to Manhattan, better known as Ashley Dupre or Client 9. She was the young woman who was having paid dalliances with Elliot Spitzer, and later took down the governor of New York when his penchants for escorts was revealed in court papers. Cannon, who directed the new film Blockers, said that she and Sudeikis were so close with Yeomans that they even went on double dates with the woman. Clinet friend: Kay Cannon reveals in a piece for The Hollywood Reporter that she and her ex-husband Jason Sudeikis (left in 2008) were neighbors and friends with Ashley Dupre (right) 'She had dated our next door neighbor. There are only like six apartments in this building, two apartments on each floor. So we all kind of knew each other,' writes Cannon. 'Jason and I went on double dates with them. She talked about her music and working at a nightclub. I once borrowed a shirt from her to go to a taping of Saturday Night Live.' At the time, Sudeikis was a writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live while Cannon was writing for 30 Rock. 'Thinking back on her apartment now, its like, "Oh yeah, maybe there was something going on." It had a very sexy feel to it. And a lot of nice gifts were coming to her front door. I was like, "So some guy just gave you a 50-inch TV?"' recalls Cannon. 'At one point, she cooked a lasagna in my oven. This is how well I knew her.' Cannon said that it was not until after she and Sudeikis moved that she learned the identity, and profession, of their midtown neighbor. 'We moved to the West Village, into an apartment I absolutely loved. Then one day the news was on and the story came out that she was the prostitute with Eliot Spitzer,' explained Cannon. 'I remember seeing a blurry photo of her online. It was like that movie with Kevin Costner and Sean Young, No Way Out. I just kept staring at it closer and closer and closer, until finally I was like, "Oh. Thats our neighbor."' Cannon did not reveal if she or her ex remain in contact with the young woman. Spitzer was back in the news on November after another escort was seeking to lift a court-mandated gag order so she could talk about the former governor's fetishes. Svetlana Zakharova filed papers in Manhattan state Supreme Court seeking to lift the gag order imposed as part of her prosecution. Hello guvnah: Dupre, whose real name is Ashley Yeomans, worked as an escort whose clients included Elliot Spitzer (above in March) Zakharova called police in February 2016 and claimed Spitzer had choked her at The Plaza hotel. She later dropped the assault accusation. Zakharova was arrested in October 2016 and charged with forgery and grand larceny in what prosecutors called a "systematic and protracted extortion scheme" against Spitzer, a Democrat who was governor of New York from early 2007 to early 2008, when he was forced to resign over a prostitution scandal. The indictment also accused Zakharova of trying to extort $5,000 from a second man, Paul Nippes, and forging Nippes' signature on a lease. Zakharova eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of trying to steal from Nippes. Zakharova says in her court filing seeking to lift the gag order that she has a First Amendment right to 'discuss any and all actions or events that she participated in with Spitzer.' She said the disgraced 'Luv Gov' likes being walked around on all fours like a dog at the end of a leash and enjoys anal play with sex toys. A spokeswoman for Spitzer, Lisa Linden, said: 'These are reprehensible lies from an extortionist. The record in this case and her guilty plea speak for themselves.' Asked whether the court filing itself violates the gag order, Linden said she did not know. The case was prosecuted by the Bronx district attorney's office after Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance recused himself because of close ties to Spitzer, who also served as state attorney general from 1999 to 2006 and was dubbed the sheriff of Wall Street. A shopkeeper fought off two violent thugs who tried to rob his store - despite having been stabbed by one of them. The man, in his 40s, also had his turban ripped off by one of the would-be-thieves who raided his off-license on High Street, Whitton, near Twickenham Stadium. In graphic footage, the two men enter the store where their victim is working alone. He greets them from behind the counter at about 10pm on December 23 last year. But within seconds of entering , one man walks around the counter and grabs the shopkeeper, demanding he open the till. Both men have their faces covered. CCTV footage from the shop shows the worker valiantly try to fight his attacker off. But he is stabbed multiple times in the ensuring struggle. One thug is seen reaching over the counter to pull at the shopkeeper's turban in High Street, Whitton, near Twickenham Stadium Adding insult to injury, the second attacker leans over the counter and pulls his turban off. After a struggle lasting about 15 second both robbers give up and flee from the store empty-handed. The victim was taken to a west London hospital and has since been discharged. Police described the first suspect as black, about 5ft 11ins and wearing a dark coat, jeans, black trainers and blue and grey gloves. The second suspect was described as white and a similar height, wearing a dark jacket, grey tracksuit and orange gloves. A Canadian Liberal party resolution, which seeks to champion the 're-classify[ing of] low-level drug possession and consumption as administrative violations' rather than crimes, will debated this week at the party's national convention, being held in Halifax; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will attend One of three resolutions put forward by the national caucus of Canada's Liberal party calls for the decriminalization of all low-level illicit drugs. The resolution, which seeks to champion the 're-classify[ing of] low-level drug possession and consumption as administrative violations' rather than crimes, will debated this week at the party's national convention, being held in Halifax. If adopted at the convention, which begins on Thursday, the resolution would make it the official policy of the Liberals that the Government of Canada 'should treat drug abuse as a health issue, expand treatment and harm reduction services.' The resolution focused on the ever-increasing number of deaths from opioid overdose, which has also been a major issue in the United States, as the reasoning behind the proposed policy shift. 'Its one of the few issues where were taught from a young age, that drugs are bad and that its normal to throw people in jail for using drugs,' Liberal Member of Parliament Nathaniel Erskine-Smith told The Guardian. 'Yet when you actually start looking underneath those claims and at the actual evidence and hear from people who have study or lived this issue, this isnt the right approach.' This resolution comes just months before Canada will become the first country in the Group of Seven, (G7), which includes France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, to fully legalize marijuana. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, has gone on the record saying that his party will not consider legalizing any other drugs. 'We are witnessing a horrific and preventable loss of life as a poisoned drug supply continues to kill our neighbours, friends and family,' Gregor Robertson, Vancouvers mayor, said in a statement. Robertson's statement alluded to the fact that Fentanyl and carfentanil, which are highly deadly synthetic opioids, are finding their way into many low-level illicit drugs, and are now killing people who may not even realize what they've consumed. Robertson aded: 'Volunteers and first responders are working around the clock to keep people alive, but lives are on the line and more action is urgently needed.' Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, speaks during a town hall meeting at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus during the Federal Liberal Party national caucus retreat in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, on September 6, 2017 His statement also brought up another notion behind decriminalization, that in part, many who need assistance do not seek help for addictions for fear of criminal sanctions. 'We will keep pushing for bold solutions, and that includes breaking down the stigma that leads people to use drugs alone at home, addressing access to a clean supply through drug testing equipment, and dramatically improving a range of treatment options like opioid substitution therapy,' he said. While the resolution doesn't have exact numbers for opioid deaths in 2017, it's been estimated that as many as 4,000 Canadians died last year due to opioids, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. That estimation points the finger at what the US has called a public health crisis within its own borders as responsible for more Canadians deaths last year than fatalities that were caused by motor vehicle accidents and homicides, combined. Trudeau looks on as he sits on stage before delivering a speech at the French school of Political Science, Sciences Po Paris, in Paris, on Monday The justification for the proposed policy change included in the Canadian Liberal party national caucus's resolution stated the following: 'Almost 3,000 Canadians died from opioid-related causes in 2016, and it is estimated that the number will surpass 3,000 in 2017; Our Liberal government has restored harm reduction as a key pillar of Canadas drug strategy, saved lives by passing Bill C-37 and facilitating the approval of more supervised consumption sites, and regulated cannabis as part of our commitment to evidence-based decision-making; In 2001, Portugal took two broad measures to combat the harms associated with drug abuse: first, Portuguese policymakers significantly expanded treatment and harm reduction services; and second, they eliminated criminal penalties for low-level possession and consumption of all illicit drugs and reclassified these activities as administrative violations; Since 2001, a person found in possession of personal-use amounts of any drug in Portugal is no longer arrested, but ordered to appear before a dissuasion commission comprised of representatives from law, medicine, and social work, which can refer a person to a voluntary treatment program, or impose administrative sanctions; Since 2001, in Portugal, the number of deaths from drug overdose has dropped significantly, adolescent and problematic drug use has decreased, the number of people in drug treatment has increased, the number of people arrested and sent to criminal courts has declined by 60%, and the per capital social cost of drug misuse has decreased by 18%.' Erskine-Smith was careful to point out that decriminalization in this context would be very different from what is to happen with marijuana. 'Were not talking removing the criminal sanction for sale, were not talking removing the criminal sanction for production, as we did with cannabis,' he said. He also pointed out he understands it's not necessarily the easiest concept to wrap your brain around. 'Its funny. When you talk to conservative members of Parliament one-on-one, I think theyre open to the idea,' Erskine-Smith said. 'But my hope is especially when confronted with the numbers of Canadians who have lost their lives, and were talking Canadians of all backgrounds, Canadians of all political parties I really do hope were all able to get past the politics of it and follow the evidence.' A resolution such as this one does not become an official policy of the party until it has received the support of a majority as a priority at the Liberal National Convention. More than two dozen resolutions, in total, will be debated at the convention. Police in an Iowa city have been trapping and fatally shooting feral cats, in a violent practice that was recently suspended. City administrator Mike Palmer said in a statement the city of Jefferson usually supplies traps to residents and businesses, and police then kill the captured cats. Palmer added that the officers have been trained to recognize when cats are wild or seemingly not adoptable, and that is how the department makes the decision on which ones to kill. Police usually shoot about one cat a month in the practice in attempts to decrease their population and improve the ecosystem. Police in an Iowa city have been trapping and fatally shooting feral cats in attempts to control the population and help the ecosystem A cat is pictured above on a street in the city of Jefferson, Iowa Officers have been trained to recognize when cats are wild or seemingly not adoptable The Animal Rescue League is working with the city to find better solutions to the problem Jefferson City Councilman Matt Wetrich defended the city's decision to kill the animals while speaking to KCCI. 'Cat's don't belong outside. There is good research showing hundreds of millions of birds dying every year in the U.S. alone,' Wetrich said in the statement. 'I think the issue with the idea of shooting a cat, is tough in the fact that it seems violent because we think of shooting as violence... and that's an entirely reasonable thought. I think that's a pretty natural reaction.' Josh Colvin, of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa,also said: 'There are the best practices out there, and this definitely is not.' 'Cat's don't belong outside. There is good research showing hundreds of millions of birds dying every year in the U.S. alone,' Wetrich told KCCI Josh Colvin, of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, said there are alternative options to the problem rather than killing the cats He added: 'There are definitely so many more alternatives to this type of behavior, shooting cats. There's no reason for it. No reason that needs to happen.' The Animal Rescue League is working with the city to find more appropriate solutions - such as trapping and neutering or more humane forms of euthanasia. The city of Jefferson is currently reviewing its animal control policies. Wetrich said the city is looking to temporarily house up to 30 cats, pending the policy review. Indiana State Police seized more than 78 pounds of marijuana packed into the trunk of a car during a routine traffic stop. On Monday morning an Indiana State Trooper pulled over a 2017 Ford Expedition on the I-70 highway near Greenfield after the black car began to weave outside traffic lanes. When the car was pulled over around 11am the police discovered a massive stash of marijuana worth a street value of $250,000 packed inside. On Monday Indiana State Police seized more than 78lbs of marijuana after they stopped a vehicle for weaving outside of their lanes The two men in the vehicle were arrested and transported to Hancock County Jail on preliminary drug charges Police arrested the Elbert, Colorado man Christian Elie, 51, and Indianapolis man Austin Johnson, 42. They were transported to Hancock County Jail on preliminary drug charges. Police said that the investigation into the stash is ongoing. 'This is an ongoing investigation, troopers will work with the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office to determine formal charges,' the Indiana State Police said in a statement. Sergeant John Perrine shared an image of the confiscated marijuana on his Twitter saying: 'Somebody's 4/20 celebration is canceled #WeWillCatchYou'. A 22-year-old Indiana man has been arrested in connection with the disappearance of a beloved English bulldog known for his skateboarding skills. Reid Albrecht was charged with two counts of felony theft in Carmel on Wednesday - more than four months after Gus was snatched on October 6. Unfortunately, the beloved three-year-old pup is still missing. Scroll down for video Reid Albrecht was arrested in Carmel, Indiana, on Wednesday for the theft of beloved English bulldog Gus, known for his skateboarding skills Gus disappeared last October after going out to play in the yard, where he was kept in by an invisible fence system According to the Kigers, Gus' family, he disappeared after going out to play in the yard, where he was kept in by an invisible fence system. A neighbor later said their security cameras had picked up a maroon GMC Yukon car driving back and forth on Stacey Street around the time of Gus' disappearance, the Kigers said on Facebook. The Kigers created a Facebook page to ask the public to help them find the pup who they say was a great pet and one more family member. 'I have three grieving little girls who need their buddy home. So I will do everything I can to get him back to our loving home,' said the father Jeremy in October. A neighbor later said their security cameras had picked up a maroon GMC Yukon car (pictured) driving back and forth on Stacey Street around the time of Gus' disappearance For months the family has offered a $4,000 reward and said they will ask no questions - they just want their dog back. By November police received tips from witnesses who said they saw Albrecht acting strangely as he walked a bulldog by River Edge Lane. One of the witnesses was a coworker of Albrecht and said one day he showed up with a bulldog who he claimed he got from the Humane Society, according to the IndyStar. When the witness confronted Albrecht, he said the dog belonged to a veterinarian friend. The witness said that was the last time he saw the bulldog. Adding to the evidence: police eventually learned that one of Albrecht's boss' car, which he had access to at the time of Gus' disappearance, is a a maroon GMC Yukon. 'I have three grieving little girls who need their buddy home. So I will do everything I can to get him back to our loving home,' said the father Jeremy in October Gus is known for his love of skateboarding, as the Kegers often shared videos of the talented pup online Albrechtn was arrested on March 26 for resisting law enforcement and reckless driving. According to court documents cited by the IndyStar, he told his father during a recorded phone call to contact the Kegers and tell them he stole Gus and would buy them a new dog. The alleged thief never said where Gus was or if anything happened to him. Jeremy wrote in March: 'Every 6 weeks I replace the sign in our front yard because the sun has faded the picture of Gus and the information on who to contact if found. 'Our hope never waivers. His dog food and bed will remain on our porch and his red blanket will hang in our tree until he returns home.' Gus is known for his love of skateboarding, as the Kegers often shared videos of the talented pup after they taught him the skill. He is brindle with white, around 60lbs and was last seen wearing a royal blue pet containment collar. If you have any information on his whereabouts please contact (317) 430-0926 or email gusfindme@gmail.com. Victory History Center and Village Museum will be opening next month! All the town historians have been meeting, researching and studying all winter and are ready to start their programs. Our townspeople and area friends are excited to get together and enjoy our programs and each others company. Its been a long winter and we have many events, milestones and anniversaries to celebrate this year: World War I, Womens suffrage period and the Erie Canal. Since the Wreaths Across America ceremony in Auburn last December honoring our veterans, I researched Medal of Honor recipients in the towns of Ira, Conquest and Victory. Through the initial research of professor Linda Townsend, I was delighted to think that our three small towns in northern Cayuga County bore the honor of producing three of the seven men who received this award in Cayuga County. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} President Trump is having lawyer problems outside the daily drama produced by his longtime fixer Michael Cohen. On Monday, CNN reported that another white collar lawyer had turned down the president's overtures to join the team handling Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe. That lawyer, the New York-based Steven Molo, told the network, 'I regret a current conflict related to the investigation prevents me from representing the President at this time.' President Trump, seen today during a roundtable discussion on taxes in Florida, continues to have trouble finding lawyers to join his legal team that is handling work dealing with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe Had Molo joined he would have been an interesting choice as he's fought Trump in court before. When the president sued Deutsche Bank in 2008 in an effort to get out of paying $40 million on a construction loan, Molo was an attorney for the German investment bank. New York-based attorney Steven Molo (pictured) is the most recent attorney to tell President Trump no when sought out for legal services on the Mueller probe 'He was saying that he had all this money, and everybody else was going to hell in a hand basket, and he's doing great and then he filed that lawsuit,' Molo told Politico in October of 2016 for a story the publication did on the presidential candidate weathering the '08 crash using 'bluster and a bizarre lawsuit.' In his own words, Molo called the lawsuit 'kind of telling' and 'kind of crazy.' In November 2008, Trump not only argued he shouldn't have to pay any of the debt he owed Deutsche Bank 'for a reasonable time thereafter' the housing crisis ended, but he also argued the German financial institution should pay him $3 billion on account of its 'predatory lending practices,' which could harm his 'first-class luxury' reputation. Molo fought back by using Trump's own words, Politico wrote. He pulled a passage from the businessman's 2004 book, 'How to Get Rich,' and pointed out how Trump said he used the courts to be 'strategically dramatic.' Molo and his team also pointed to Trump's 2007 book 'Think Big and Kick Ass,' in which the real instate investor explained how he'd dupe banks. 'I turned it back on the banks and let them accept some of the blame. I figured it was the bank's problem, not mine,' Trump wrote. 'What the hell did I care? I actually told one bank, "I told you you shouldn't have loaned me money. I told you that goddamn deal was no good.'" Banks, the then-businessman continued, 'are afraid of getting sued.' The case was settled out of court. As it stands, President Trump has attorneys Jay Sekulow, working outside the White House, and Ty Cobb, working from inside the White House, on the Mueller probe. His other Mueller-focused attorney, John Dowd, resigned in mid-March, over disagreements in strategy. A number of other attorneys didn't work out, including GOP super-lawyer Theodore Olson, who hinted that he had declined such work, as well as husband-and-wife team Joe diGenova and Victoria Toensing. A senior administration official had told Politico that they looked disheveled during their meeting with Trump, and so the president changed his mind. Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon has telegraphed through the media that he thought the president was being ill-served by his current legal team, telling the Washington Post last week that he thought Trump should fire Cobb. Instead the president sent out a tweet, which hinted that Bannon who irritated Trump for the role he played in Michael Wolff's 'Fire and Fury' book is still in the political dog house. 'I have agreed with the historically cooperative, disciplined approach that we have engaged in with Robert Mueller (Unlike the Clintons!),' Trump tweeted. 'I have full confidence in Ty Cobb, my Special Counsel, and have been fully advised throughout each phase of this process.' Andrew Brunson, an evangelical pastor from North Carolina, has been detained by Turkish authorities since October 2016 An American Christian pastor being held in a Turkish prison on terrorism charges will remain in custody during his trial, a court has ruled. Andrew Brunson, an evangelical pastor from North Carolina, has been detained by Turkish authorities since October 2016. The 50-year-old, who ran a Protestant church in the western city of Izmir, is facing up to 35 years in prison if he is convicted. Brunson - wearing a black suit, speaking fluent Turkish and sometimes bursting into tears - emphatically rejected all the charges against him at the first hearing at the court in the town of Aliaga on Monday. He is accused of engaging in activities on behalf of the group led by exiled Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says is behind a failed 2016 coup, and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Both the Gulen movement and the PKK are banned by Turkey as terror groups. Brunson is also accused of espionage for political or military purposes. The judge ruled on Monday that Brunson must stay in jail after deeming him to be a flight risk. The 50-year-old, who ran a Protestant church in the western city of Izmir (pictured above), is facing up to 35 years in prison if he is convicted Brunson rejected all the charges against him at his first court hearing on Monday. The judge ruled that Brunson must stay in jail after deeming him to be a flight risk Brunson's wife Norine Brunson leaves the Aliaga court and prison complex after his trial started on Monday The judge said the ruling was based on evidence given by witnesses in the case and the risk that Brunson might flee. Brunson's next hearing is scheduled for May 7. In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, the hearing was attended by Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedoms, and Senator Thom Tillis from Brunson's home state of North Carolina. 'We are very disappointed. If anything, I think the information that has been presented today creates a more compelling reason why he is innocent,' Tillis told reporters after the ruling. Brunson reacted with emotion, telling his wife Norine in English: 'I am going crazy. I love you.' He had earlier told the judge tearfully: 'I want to return my home. For 16 months I have been separated from my wife.' Brunson told the court: 'I want the whole truth to be revealed. I reject all the accusations in the indictment. I haven't been involved in any illegal activity.' The judge ruled that Brunson must stay in jail after deeming him to be a flight risk. The high-security prison where Brunson is being held in Izmir, Turkey is pictured above In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, the hearing was attended by Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedoms, and North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis Brunson, who moved to the country in 1993 and opened his Izmir church in 2010, added: 'I haven't done anything against Turkey. On the contrary, I love Turkey. I have been praying for Turkey for 25 years.' The Brunson case has further hiked tensions between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, with US President Donald Trump raising the issue in talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Relations are already strained over American backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria despised by Ankara and the jailing of two employees at American missions in Turkey. 'That relationship is going to have difficulty in moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated,' Brownback told reporters at the courthouse. In September last year, Erdogan suggested that Turkey could free Brunson if Washington handed over Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. Washington brushed off the offer but has been working intensely to secure the release of Brunson, one of several American nationals caught up in the crackdown after the failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016. In exchange, Turkey wants reclusive cleric and Erdogan nemesis Fethullah Gulen (pictured) extradited back to Ankara President Donald Trump himself asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) to have his government 'expeditiously' return Brunson In February, NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual national, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for being a member of Gulen's movement in a conviction denounced by Washington. Senator Tillis said Monday there was 'no deal', adding: 'This is about what we believe is an innocent man who has been in prison for a year and a half.' In his statement to the court, Brunson rejected the accusations of links to Gulen's group, saying: 'That would be an insult to my religion. I am a Christian. I would not join an Islamic movement.' Gulen denies any role in the failed coup and says his Hizmet (Service) movement promotes a peaceful form of Islam. Numbering just several thousand, the Protestant community in overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Turkey largely comprises converts from Islam, expatriates and refugees. The Turkish Association of Protestant Churches said in a report that 2017 was marked by continued hate crimes and physical attacks. Brownback described the trial as a 'religious freedom case'. 'Turkey, in its history, has been very open so that's one of the things that's really troubling about this,' Brownback said. A man has been found dead in a driveway, after several reports a person had been shot. Police were called to Barkly Street in Ringwood, in Melbourne's east, shortly after 1am on Tuesday. The body of the man, aged in his 30s or 40s, was then discovered, and police blocked off the whole street while setting up a crime scene. Scroll down for video Police were called to Barkly Street in Ringwood, in Melbourne's east, shortly after 1am on Tuesday (pictured is the scene) A man has been found dead in a driveway, after several reports a person had been shot (pictured is the scene) Homicide detectives went door-to-door speaking to neighbours and launched a large-scale manhunt for a suspected shooter. Police received a number of calls from neighbours reporting a man had been shot, the Today show reported. One neighbour, 'Luke', said he felt unsettled by the incident. 'It's not good. I don't exactly feel safe when this stuff happens,' he told Seven News. No arrests have been made, and police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Homicide detectives went door-to-door speaking to neighbours and launched a large-scale manhunt for a suspected shooter (pictured is the scene) A popular zoo giraffe has tragically died after trapping its neck between two tree branches while trying to scratch an itch. The 10-year-old male giraffe named Hairong had been living at the Kunming Zoo for five years until its sad death in freak circumstances. Guests at the zoo in Kunming, capital city of south-western China's Yunnan Province, were horrified to see the mammal's neck lodged between the two thick branches. It had often used that part of tree to scratch its neck. However, on this day it became stuck. Zoo staff used a ladder to reach its head but it was firmly lodged. They tried sawing one of the branches off but were still no able remove animal's neck from the gap. Crowds had gathered and could not look away from the morbid sight. Crowds gathered on the viewing platform of Hairong's enclosure to watch staff attempt to remove his neck from the tree One bystander filmed the distressing incident. Their video shows the moment Hairong collapses to the ground after its neck is finally freed. The animal's head swings and hits a zoo employee on the way down. Employees at the Kunming Zoo performed chest compressions and said the animal tried several times to stand up. However, it was pronounced dead by vets after having suffered a severe neck injury. The zoo said Hairong often used the tree to scratch itches it could not reach. They believe he was attempting to do the same when he snagged his neck between the branches. The incident is under investigation. The U.S. and UK governments warned Monday that computer hackers aligned with the Russian government are targeting millions of Internet routers worldwide, putting laptops, phones and even America's power grid at risk. Making a rare joint statement that included a technical bulletin for IT professionals, officials from both countries' top cyber analysis units said they have 'high confidence' that the state-sponsored hackers are targeting government agencies, businesses and critical infrastructure operators. The official conclusion in both Washington and London is that the widespread, global campaign began in 2015 and could be escalated to launch attacks in the future. 'The current state of U.S. network devices coupled with a Russian government campaign to exploit these devices threatens the safety, security, and economic well-being of the United States,' Monday's bulletin concluded. The FBI (shown) and Britain's GCHQ warned Monday that Russia-sponsored hackers are gaining control of millions of Internet routers that could be used as staging grounds for future cyber attacks Malign actors can hack into routers as simple as this home device and control all the data going through it and can perform the same feat on industrial-scale networks as well Ultimately laptops and smartphones can be hijacked by whomever controls the networks they're on White House cyber security coordinator Rob Joyce said: 'Once you own [control] the router, you own all the traffic to include the ability to harvest credentials and passwords and essentially monitor all the traffic.' 'It is a tremendous weapon in the hands of an adversary.' Joyce added: 'When we see malicious cyber activity, whether it be from the Kremlin or other nation state actors, we are going to push back.' The government bulletin cautioned that anyone who gains control of data flowing through a router 'in a critical infrastructure such as the Energy Sector can manipulate the messages, creating dangerous configurations that could lead to loss of service or physical destruction.' Everything from banking systems to the electric grid that powers them is vulnerable to attack if the computer systems underlying them are compromised Because high-voltage transmission grids are computer-controlled, they're only as secure as the digital systems protecting them The alert comes two months after the United States and Britain accused Russia of carrying out the damaging 'NotPetya' cyber attack in 2017, unleashing a virus that crippled parts of Ukraine's infrastructure and damaged computers across the globe. Relations between the U.S. and the UK on the one hand and Russia on the other are increasingly strained in the aftermath of a nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in England and Moscow's defense of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons against his own people. American and British officials said the attacks affected a wide range of organizations including Internet service providers, private businesses and critical infrastructure providers. They did not identify any victims or provide details on the impact of the attacks. Moscow has denied previous accusations that it carried out cyber attacks on the United States and other countries. U.S. intelligence agencies last year accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 election with a hacking and propaganda campaign supporting Donald Trump's campaign for president. Last month the Trump administration blamed Russia for a campaign of cyber attacks stretching back at least two years that targeted the U.S. power grid. Britain and the United States said they issued the alert to help targets protect themselves and persuade victims to share information with government investigators so they can better understand the threat. Vladimir Putin's government is believed to be behind a long-term cyber hacking program targeting adversarial nations in the West The FBI and partner agencies in allied governments periodically issue technical alerts to companies in the IT sector, warning them about brewing threats 'We don't have full insight into the scope of the compromise,' said Jeanette Manfra, a cyber security official for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The alert is unrelated to the suspected chemical weapons attack in a town in Syria that prompted a U.S.-led military strike over the weekend targeting facilities of the Russian-backed Syrian government, Joyce said. U.S. and British officials warned that infected routers could be used to launch future offensive cyber operations. 'They could be pre-positioning for use in times of tension,' said Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the British government's National Cyber Security Centre, who added that 'millions of machines' were targeted. How to defend your home from cyber attacks The following checklist can't guarantee stopping every attack or preventing every breach. But ensuring these steps are taken will make it significantly harder for hackers to succeed. 1) Enable two-factor authentication When it's set up, the system asks for a login and password just like usual but then sends a unique numeric code to another device, using text message, email or a specialized app. Without access to that other device, the login is refused. 2) Encrypt your internet traffic A virtual private network (VPN) service encrypts digital communications, making it hard for hackers to intercept them. 3) Tighten up your password security Subscribe to a reputable password manager that suggests strong passwords and stores them in an encrypted file on your own computer. 4) Monitor your devices' behind-the-scenes activities Many computer programs and mobile apps keep running and sending data even when they are not actively in use. 5) Never open hyperlinks or attachments in any emails that are suspicious Even when they appear to come from a friend, use extreme caution their email address might have been compromised. - Arun Vishwanath, Associate Professor of Communication, University at Buffalo, State University of New York Advertisement Some private-sector cyber security experts have criticized the U.S. government for being too slow to release information about cyber attacks. Monday's announcement appears to reflect a desire to publicize a threat quickly and widely even before officials completely understand its breadth. A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there had been a steady increase in Russian cyber attacks in recent years. 'It's harder to track, attribute and respond immediately to a cyber attack ... than it is to know who fired a missile,' the official said. FBI Deputy Assistant Director Howard Marshall added: 'This activity isn't always to steal information from the network that is targeted in these operations, but sometimes used to facilitate other operations that the Russians can do against high value targets worldwide.' 'We can't rule out the possibility Russia may intend to use this set of compromises for future offensive cyber operations. It provides basic infrastructure that they can launch from.' The chilling warnings came as the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) released a joint statement which said the Kremlin's possible action 'threatens our respective safety, security, and economic well-being.' The authorities have issued a warning to 'critical infrastructure providers' along with Government bodies and large companies advising on how to manage the risks from any possible attacks from Russia. Martin said: 'Russia is our most capable hostile adversary in cyberspace so dealing with their attacks is a major priority for the National Cyber Security Centre and our US allies. 'This is the first time that in attributing a cyber attack to Russia the US and the UK have, at the same time, issued joint advice to industry about how to manage the risks from attacks. 'It marks an important step in our fight back against state-sponsored aggression in cyberspace. 'For over twenty years, GCHQ has been tracking the key Russian cyber-attack groups and today's joint UK-US alert shows that the threat has not gone away. 'The UK government will continue to work with the US, other international allies and industry partners to expose Russia's unacceptable cyber behaviour, so they are held accountable for their actions. Officials have warned of swift retaliation from Russia for the military strikes on Syria, which both the U.S. and the UK participated in 'Many of the techniques used by Russia exploit basic weaknesses in network systems. The NCSC is leading the way globally to issue advice and automate defences at scale to remove those basic attacks, thereby allowing us to focus on the most potent threats.' Yet officials said the move had been planned for 'some time' and was not directly related to the US-led missiles strikes over the weekend on Russia's ally Syria. It comes amid reports that intelligence officers at GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence in London are on standby to hit back if the Kremlin wages cyber warfare. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson previously acknowledged the threat, saying the UK had to take 'every possible precaution'. It is feared transportation systems, water supplies, gas networks, banks, hospitals and even air traffic control could be hacked by Russia in response to the assault on Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons facilities. Intelligence sources also fear the retaliation could involve the online release of so-called 'kompromat' compromising information on MPs or other public figures. Amber Rudd yesterday admitted members of the Windrush generation may have been kicked out of Britain by mistake. The Home Secretary conceded she did not know whether Caribbean migrants who came here in good faith after the Second World War had been wrongly removed. In farcical scenes, ministers at first appeared to admit some had been horrendously kicked out, then insisted they hadnt, and then said that they didnt know. Miss Rudd faced a call to resign and was summoned to the Commons to apologise for the fiasco. Labours David Lammy told fellow MPs it was a day of national shame. Amber Rudd yesterday admitted members of the Windrush generation may have been kicked out of Britain by mistake Answering questions from furious MPs in the Commons, Ms Rudd offered an apology for the way cases had been handled Campaigners insisted that at least one person had already been wrongly sent back to Jamaica. It emerged at the weekend that Government officials had refused to meet Caribbean envoys to discuss the cases of those who came from the late 1940s to the 1970s to help rebuild post-war Britain. Despite living here for decades, many have now mistakenly been told they are illegals under a Home Office crackdown on immigration paperwork. Some have lost their right to work, rent property, receive pensions, access bank accounts and have NHS care. Others have been told they risk detention and deportation. The row turned toxic yesterday when immigration minister Caroline Nokes suggested there had been deportations. As ministers were branded inhumane and cruel: - Miss Rudd said the Home Office was too concerned with policy and strategy, and sometimes lost sight of the individual; - Commonwealth countries will be contacted to check whether anyone had been wrongly removed; - A taskforce will speed up the regularisation of immigration status for tens of thousands of citizens; - Cases will be resolved in two weeks and the 229 fee will be waived; - Theresa May performed a U-turn by agreeing to meet Caribbean leaders who have been raising concerns; - A cross-party group of 140 MPs wrote to the Prime Minister demanding immediate and effective action. Miss Nokes made her comments in an interview with Channel 4 News. She said: Potentially they have been deported and Im conscious that its very much in error and thats an error I want to put right. Then she told ITV News that some people had been booted out of the UK horrendously, adding: I dont know the numbers, but what I am determined to do going forward is to say we will have no more of this. In the aftermath of her interviews, officials insisted no one had been deported in the immigration crackdown. But then in the Commons, Miss Rudd said she was not aware of any cases but was investigating and conceded some members of the Windrush generation may have been wrongly sent back to the Caribbean. She added: That is why I have asked the high commissioners if they know of any, that they should bring it to me. Last night, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said at least one person had wrongly been sent back to Jamaica. Satbir Singh, who is the charitys chief executive, said: It is true, but it is very difficult to know how many people have been removed. Whats shocking is that the Government admits that it has no record of the numbers. Downing Street said Mrs May wanted to ensure that no one with the right to be here will be made to leave. Pictured: The SS Empire Windrush which brought the first generation of workers to Britain from the West Indies in 1948 Barbados high commissioner Guy Hewitt told the BBC: Because they came from colonies which were not independent, they thought they were British subjects. And 40, 50 years on are being told by the Home Office that they are illegal immigrants. Some have been detained, are still being detained. Others have been deported. Mr Lammy told Miss Rudd: This is a day of national shame and it has come about because of a hostile environment policy that was begun under her Prime Minister. He later tweeted: I am disgusted by the Home Secretarys response. She says she is worried that the Home Office is too concerned with policy and not concerned enough about individuals. Guess what, youre in charge of the Home Office. You should be considering your position because of this. Tory MP Nigel Evans said he was sickened by the treatment of Windrush citizens and called on the Home Secretary to carry out an urgent review of cases where it was possible an individual had been deported. Labour MP Lucy Powell said the Home Office was going after soft targets rather than genuine illegal immigrants. The new Home Office taskforce, with 20 personnel, will help individuals identify and gather evidence to confirm their right to be in the UK. It will work with HM Revenue & Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, Department of Health and Department for Education and other bodies for relevant paperwork. Fees for sorting out the paperwork of those affected will be waived. Cases will be dealt with in two weeks once evidence is gathered. The Migration Observatory at Oxford University estimates there are 500,000 people resident in the UK who were born in a Commonwealth country and arrived before 1971. People born in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries are thought to be more affected than those from other Commonwealth nations, as they were more likely to arrive on their parents passports without their own ID documents. Many have never applied for a passport in their own name or had their immigration status formalised, as they regarded themselves as British. A Home Office spokesman said last night: We are not aware of any specific cases of a person being removed from the UK in these circumstances and we have absolutely no intention of asking anyone to leave who has the right to remain here. Theresa May, pictured with Prince Harry at the Commonwealth summit in London today, has U-turned and will now meet Caribbean leaders to discuss the treatment of Windrush immigrants Windrush fiasco brings call for Rudd to get a grip on the Home Officeand the PM is furious Amber Rudd faced a barrage of criticism from her own party yesterday over her handling of the Windrush debacle. Downing Street, Cabinet ministers and MPs all made clear their anger at her failure to deal with a problem the Home Office has been aware of for weeks. The Home Secretary was publicly backed by Tory MPs in Parliament after she was hauled to the Commons to answer questions over the treatment of Caribbean residents who came here after the Second World War. But behind the scenes fellow Tories were scathing about her lack of grip on the Home Office. One Whitehall source said the Prime Minister was furious about the fiasco, which threatens to overshadow this weeks Commonwealth summit in London: People have been raising this with the Home Office for weeks, only to be told it was all in hand. The Commonwealth summit was supposed to be a showcase now its going to be all about a completely avoidable row. A second insider said: To say there is irritation is an understatement. Its another self-inflicted wound from the Home Office. We kept being told it was all under control well it doesnt look very under control from here. In a highly unusual move, Miss Rudds fellow Cabinet minister, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, went public with criticism of the Home Offices mismanagement. Writing on Twitter, he said: Im deeply concerned to hear about difficulties some of the Windrush generation are facing with their immigration status. This should not happen to people who have been longstanding pillars of our community. Seeking to offer reassurance, he added: The Government is looking into this urgently. In another significant intervention, the former Conservative leader Michael Howard also a former home secretary made public his dismay. The peer expressed his concern and bewilderment over the issue and the confusion and anxiety it had caused those involved. Condemning a lamentable state of affairs he demanded to know how the citizenship debacle had been allowed to happen. In the House of Lords, he asked the Government spokesman: Can he shed any light on the circumstances in which the confusion and anxiety has been allowed to arise in the first place? Yesterday morning, leading Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg said the treatment of Caribbean residents was a deep disgrace and shameful. He told LBC: Its absolutely dreadful these people are as British as you and I are and its really extraordinary that the Home Office is coming out with this ghastly bureaucratic guff saying that theyve got to show that theyre British. Nobodys asking us to prove that were British when we go and use public services. I think its a deep disgrace and it should be top priority of the Government to sort it out. Its such a bad way of treating people and it puts bureaucratic rules ahead of peoples lives and I think its shameful. The fiasco heaped pressure on Miss Rudd, who has come under fire in recent weeks over her handling of the spike in violent crime. One ministerial source said Windrush was yet another Rudd blunder. Another said the Home Secretary was all over the place on the issue and a third called yesterday a shambles. Last week Miss Rudd was criticised after she admitted not having seen a leaked document from her department which drew a link between cuts to police budgets and the spike in offending. Following the chaos, bookmaker Coral slashed the odds on Miss Rudd being the next Cabinet minister to leave their post. Before the Windrush crisis she was 33-1 to be sacked or resign, but those odds were cut to 6-1 after her statement to Parliament yesterday. A Home Office source said: Amber knows that this is about individuals people who have built their lives here and contributed so much to our society. Theres no question about their right to remain so she wants this sorted as quickly as possible, thats why shes put a team on this to help these people get the documentation they need and get it fast. The Prime Minister will today host a meeting of 12 leaders from West Indian countries affected by the scandal. She is expected to pay public tribute to the Windrush generation, saying they are part of our national life. The mother-of-five living in a terrace house in east London who was branded an illegal immigrantafter paying tax for 30 years Sarah OConnor, 57, of Dagenham, East London Sarah OConnor arrived in Britain from Jamaica in 1966 when she was just six years old. Like many of her generation, shed been left in the care of her grandparents while her mother, young and unmarried, went to seek work in Britain. After her mother married, settled in Wolverhampton and had three more children, they were finally reunited. It would not be a happy ending and Sarahs life turned out to be full of challenges. But she worked hard, embracing everything this country had to offer. She married, had five children of her own and four grandchildren and, for the past 20 years, has lived happily in a neat end-of-terrace house in Dagenham, East London. Ive always thought of myself as British and I was very proud to be part of this country, Sarah, now 57, says. Or I was. Last summer her world fell apart. In June, she lost her job as business sales assistant in a local computer shop where shed worked for more than 16 years. When she went to the Job Centre to sign on, she was told she wasnt entitled to benefits. Im used to working. Ive always worked, she says. So when I was be told I wasnt entitled to anything The reason? Sarah did not have a valid British passport. As a Windrush immigrant, one of the 500,000 people who left the West Indies between 1948 and 1970 to come to Britain, she had always been entitled to a passport. She had just never got round to applying for one. I had a driving licence and Id paid tax and national insurance for over 30 years, but Id never been out of the country. So Id never really needed a passport. It took all her strength to make it out of the Job Centre without weeping. When I got home, I broke down. To think, Ive been here more than half a century. All my family my kids, my grandkids are here. Just imagine after 30-odd years of working, paying tax, national insurance, voting, everything to be told youre an illegal immigrant! Which, of course, she is not. Under the 1971 Immigration Act, all Commonwealth citizens already living in the UK were given indefinite permission to stay. But the Home Office did not keep a record of those granted leave to remain or issue any paperwork confirming it, and the onus has always been on the individual to prove they are in Britain legally, rather than the other way round. For many including Sarah it has been a difficult and often cripplingly expensive process. Determined not to be beaten, Sarah started applying for jobs: I didnt care what I did, I just wanted to work. To her horror, she found that she was unemployable. While she sailed through interviews, every potential employer now needed to see a valid British passport. They needed it to run checks to see I wasnt a criminal, she says. Sarah OConnor arrived in Britain from Jamaica in 1966 when she was just six years old After all she had overcome in her life, it was the bitterest of blows. When she flew to London on her Jamaican passport an unaccompanied minor perched on a stewardesss knee it was to a family of strangers. Id come to a strange country to a mother Id never known, new siblings and I spoke very little English. I kept running away for the next few months. She was terrified and felt like an imposter. Her stepfather used to beat her and things didnt work out. Within months of arriving, Sarah was placed in care and stayed there until she was 18. The experience would have broken many children, but not Sarah. She was determined to succeed. I tried to get the best education I could, to better myself and make something of my life, she says. She studied hard and gained a series of qualifications in psychology and sociology. Having been in care and knowing what kids went through, I wanted to put something back. I wanted to be a social worker and help people. But then she met Paul, fell in love and when she was 25 they had their first daughter, Stephanie, now 31. Despite the demands of motherhood, she always worked at whatever came her way, from cleaning or catering to her job in the computer shop. She and Paul had split after 19 years, so when she found herself unemployed and unemployable her debts mounted quickly and she was forced to sell her car. She couldnt afford the 1,200 application fee for a naturalisation number the precursor to applying for a British passport and was haunted by the fear of deportation to a country she didnt know. Jamaica is the place I was born, but its not my home! I was scared of a knock at the door. It was terrifying. I became very depressed and anxious. I could not sleep because suddenly I didnt belong here. Despite or perhaps because of everything shed been through, Sarah decided to fight for rights as a British citizen, with the help of her MP. The Home Office finally agreed to waive the 237 fee for a biometric card that gives her the right to work in the UK. It will provide some security, but in her view adds insult to injury. I wouldnt have minded so much if Id only just come here. But Ive been here over half a century. This is my home, my country, she says. Wouldnt it have been simpler and fairer to have given me a passport? I love this country but something is fundamentally wrong for this to have happened. The immigration laws seem to be punishing people like me who worked for everything they have. Yesterday she was back at work, part-time, as a cleaner. Its only 294 a month. But Id far rather be working and paying my way. Albert Thompson has been denied life- saving treatment on the NHS Albert Thompson, who has been denied life saving treatment on the NHS Albert Thompson, 63, has lived in London for 44 years - but told he must pay 54,000 for life saving treatment on the NHS. For three decades Mr Thompson worked, supported a family, and was a head mechanic for a string of garages, and paid his taxes. His mother arrived in the UK from Jamaica in the Sixties to come and work her as a nurse. He had surgery for prostate cancer in January last year, before NHS eligibility rules were tightened, and was to begin radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, last November. But when he arrived for his first NHS radiotherapy session following the removal of his prostate, he was told he was not entitled to free treatment. It is because the Home Office can find no record of Mr Thompson, who was born in Jamaica, in its files. He lost the Caribbean passport he arrived in the UK with some years ago. And without a British passport - which he's never had and cannot not get because there is no documentary proof of his arrival here as a teenager in 1973, landlords will not house him and the NHS have told his he can't have treatment. He said: 'At present I'm left in limbo. It feels like I've been left to die because the job hasn't been finished. I get depressed, stressed out, anxious. 'I used to have a life, to work, to go out, enjoy myself. I had a nice car, a home. I went to the cinema, dancing. But that's the past. I have to think about the present and it's hard to come to terms with. I've got no money. 'I'm very angry with the Government that I'm in this position. I'm here legally, but they're asking me to prove I'm British.' Mr Thompson worked until 2008 when he was diagnosed with the blood cancer lymphoma and an acute back problem; since then he has been too ill to work. He was evicted from his rented flat because his landlord wanted to sell it. Tenants must now produce a British passport in order to rent accommodation. As Albert not his real name does not have a passport, he could not find a home. 'I was on the streets for three weeks. I had to beg for food. I felt ashamed. I just asked people in shops if they had anything spare.' After three weeks, Albert had managed to secure a room through a homeless charity, St Mungo's. He still lives in that accommodation now. Advertisement Elwaldo Romeo has lived in Britain for 60 years - but told he is in UK illegally Elwado Romeo has lived in the UK for nearly 60 years Elwaldo Romeo has lived in Britain for almost 60 years, but has now been told by the Home Office that he is in the UK illegally. He moved from Antigua to the UK when he was four, 59 years ago, and has lived and worked her ever since. But he received a Home Office letter telling him he was 'liable to be detained' because he was a 'person without leave.' The letter continued: 'You have NOT been given leave to enter the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971.' He has been told to report fortnightly to Home Office premises. The letter also offered advice on 'help and support on returning home voluntarily'. Mr Romeo, 63, said: 'It scares the living daylights out of you the threatening language on the letters. 'This is the country I've grown up in. I love it and it's been very good to me over the years. But I'm devastated it has come to this. I feel like I'm being thrown aside.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We have been in touch with Mr Romeo to assure him that we are urgently reviewing his case and to help make sure that he is providing the correct information to demonstrate his status.' Romeo said: 'I'm not impressed with the way they are dealing with me and other people in my situation. People's lives are on hold. They don't take into consideration that I've been here since I was four.' Advertisement Michael Braithwaite's employers ruled he was an illegal immigrant Michael Braithwaite lost his teaching assistant job after his employer ruled he was an illegal immigrant Experienced special needs teaching assistant Michael Braithwaite lost his job after his employers ruled that he was an illegal immigrant - despite living here for more than 50 years. He arrived in Britain from Barbados in 1961, and had worked at a north London primary school for over 15 years when a routine check on his immigration status revealed he did not have an up to date identity document. His employer got in touch with him to tell him that without a biometric card he could not continue to be employed. He lost his full time job in 2017, after the local authority ruled he needed to submit proof he had the right to live in the UK. A biometric card is a residence permit issued to non-British residents, with details of their immigration status Mr Braithwaite attended primary school and secondary school in Britain, and worked continuously since leaving school. He married in London and has three British children and five grandchildren. He said: 'It made me feel like I was an alien. I almost fell apart with the stress. I never applied for a British passport. We thought we were British.' Enny Choudhury, Braithwaite's lawyer, from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: 'For almost one year the Home Office has failed to issue the biometric card, without which he cannot work or move on with his life, causing uncertainty and distress.' Advertisement Sarah OConnor, 57, of Dagenham, East London Sarah OConnor arrived in Britain from Jamaica in 1966 when she was just six years old. Like many of her generation, shed been left in the care of her grandparents while her mother, young and unmarried, went to seek work in Britain. After her mother married, settled in Wolverhampton and had three more children, they were finally reunited. It would not be a happy ending and Sarahs life turned out to be full of challenges. But she worked hard, embracing everything this country had to offer. She married, had five children of her own and four grandchildren and, for the past 20 years, has lived happily in a neat end-of-terrace house in Dagenham, East London. Ive always thought of myself as British and I was very proud to be part of this country, Sarah, now 57, says. Or I was. Last summer her world fell apart. In June, she lost her job as business sales assistant in a local computer shop where shed worked for more than 16 years. When she went to the Job Centre to sign on, she was told she wasnt entitled to benefits. Im used to working. Ive always worked, she says. So when I was be told I wasnt entitled to anything The Windrush scandal has been branded a national disgrace and there are calls for Amber Rudd to resign over her handling of the crisis. The Home Secretary conceded she did not know whether Caribbean migrants who came here in good faith after the Second World War had been wrongly removed. In farcical scenes, ministers at first appeared to admit some had been horrendously kicked out, then insisted they hadnt, and then said that they didnt know. Miss Rudd faced a call to resign and was summoned to the Commons to apologise for the fiasco. Labours David Lammy told fellow MPs it was a day of national shame. Campaigners insisted that at least one person had already been wrongly sent back to Jamaica. It emerged at the weekend that Government officials had refused to meet Caribbean envoys to discuss the cases of those who came from the late 1940s to the 1970s to help rebuild post-war Britain. Sarah O'Connor's problem was that she did not have a valid British passport. As a Windrush immigrant, one of the 500,000 people who left the West Indies between 1948 and 1970 to come to Britain, she had always been entitled to a passport. She had just never got round to applying for one. The Windrush scandal has been branded a national disgrace and there are calls for Amber Rudd (pictured yesterday) to resign over her handling of the crisis I had a driving licence and Id paid tax and national insurance for over 30 years, but Id never been out of the country. So Id never really needed a passport. It took all her strength to make it out of the Job Centre without weeping. When I got home, I broke down. To think, Ive been here more than half a century. All my family my kids, my grandkids are here. Just imagine after 30-odd years of working, paying tax, national insurance, voting, everything to be told youre an illegal immigrant! Which, of course, she is not. Under the 1971 Immigration Act, all Commonwealth citizens already living in the UK were given indefinite permission to stay. But the Home Office did not keep a record of those granted leave to remain or issue any paperwork confirming it, and the onus has always been on the individual to prove they are in Britain legally, rather than the other way round. For many including Sarah it has been a difficult and often cripplingly expensive process. Determined not to be beaten, Sarah started applying for jobs: I didnt care what I did, I just wanted to work. To her horror, she found that she was unemployable. While she sailed through interviews, every potential employer now needed to see a valid British passport. They needed it to run checks to see I wasnt a criminal, she says. After all she had overcome in her life, it was the bitterest of blows. When she flew to London on her Jamaican passport an unaccompanied minor perched on a stewardesss knee it was to a family of strangers. Id come to a strange country to a mother Id never known, new siblings and I spoke very little English. I kept running away for the next few months. She was terrified and felt like an imposter. Her stepfather used to beat her and things didnt work out. Within months of arriving, Sarah was placed in care and stayed there until she was 18. Sarah OConnor arrived in Britain from Jamaica in 1966 when she was just six years old The experience would have broken many children, but not Sarah. She was determined to succeed. I tried to get the best education I could, to better myself and make something of my life, she says. She studied hard and gained a series of qualifications in psychology and sociology. Having been in care and knowing what kids went through, I wanted to put something back. I wanted to be a social worker and help people. But then she met Paul, fell in love and when she was 25 they had their first daughter. Despite the demands of motherhood, she always worked at whatever came her way, from cleaning or catering to her job in the computer shop. She and Paul had split after 19 years, so when she found herself unemployed and unemployable her debts mounted quickly and she was forced to sell her car. She couldnt afford the 1,200 application fee for a naturalisation number the precursor to applying for a British passport and was haunted by the fear of deportation to a country she didnt know. Jamaica is the place I was born, but its not my home! I was scared of a knock at the door. It was terrifying. I became very depressed and anxious. I could not sleep because suddenly I didnt belong here. Despite or perhaps because of everything shed been through, Sarah decided to fight for rights as a British citizen, with the help of her MP. The Home Office finally agreed to waive the 237 fee for a biometric card that gives her the right to work in the UK. It will provide some security, but in her view adds insult to injury. I wouldnt have minded so much if Id only just come here. But Ive been here over half a century. This is my home, my country, she says. Wouldnt it have been simpler and fairer to have given me a passport? I love this country but something is fundamentally wrong for this to have happened. The immigration laws seem to be punishing people like me who worked for everything they have. Yesterday she was back at work, part-time, as a cleaner. Its only 294 a month. But Id far rather be working and paying my way. Albert Thompson has been denied life- saving treatment on the NHS Albert Thompson, who has been denied life saving treatment on the NHS Albert Thompson, 63, has lived in London for 44 years - but told he must pay 54,000 for life saving treatment on the NHS. For three decades Mr Thompson worked, supported a family, and was a head mechanic for a string of garages, and paid his taxes. His mother arrived in the UK from Jamaica in the Sixties to come and work her as a nurse. He had surgery for prostate cancer in January last year, before NHS eligibility rules were tightened, and was to begin radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, last November. But when he arrived for his first NHS radiotherapy session following the removal of his prostate, he was told he was not entitled to free treatment. It is because the Home Office can find no record of Mr Thompson, who was born in Jamaica, in its files. He lost the Caribbean passport he arrived in the UK with some years ago. And without a British passport - which he's never had and cannot not get because there is no documentary proof of his arrival here as a teenager in 1973, landlords will not house him and the NHS have told his he can't have treatment. He said: 'At present I'm left in limbo. It feels like I've been left to die because the job hasn't been finished. I get depressed, stressed out, anxious. 'I used to have a life, to work, to go out, enjoy myself. I had a nice car, a home. I went to the cinema, dancing. But that's the past. I have to think about the present and it's hard to come to terms with. I've got no money. 'I'm very angry with the Government that I'm in this position. I'm here legally, but they're asking me to prove I'm British.' Mr Thompson worked until 2008 when he was diagnosed with the blood cancer lymphoma and an acute back problem; since then he has been too ill to work. He was evicted from his rented flat because his landlord wanted to sell it. Tenants must now produce a British passport in order to rent accommodation. As Albert not his real name does not have a passport, he could not find a home. 'I was on the streets for three weeks. I had to beg for food. I felt ashamed. I just asked people in shops if they had anything spare.' After three weeks, Albert had managed to secure a room through a homeless charity, St Mungo's. He still lives in that accommodation now. Advertisement Elwaldo Romeo has lived in Britain for 60 years - but told he is in UK illegally Elwado Romeo has lived in the UK for nearly 60 years Elwaldo Romeo has lived in Britain for almost 60 years, but has now been told by the Home Office that he is in the UK illegally. He moved from Antigua to the UK when he was four, 59 years ago, and has lived and worked her ever since. But he received a Home Office letter telling him he was 'liable to be detained' because he was a 'person without leave.' The letter continued: 'You have NOT been given leave to enter the United Kingdom within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971.' He has been told to report fortnightly to Home Office premises. The letter also offered advice on 'help and support on returning home voluntarily'. Mr Romeo, 63, said: 'It scares the living daylights out of you the threatening language on the letters. 'This is the country I've grown up in. I love it and it's been very good to me over the years. But I'm devastated it has come to this. I feel like I'm being thrown aside.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We have been in touch with Mr Romeo to assure him that we are urgently reviewing his case and to help make sure that he is providing the correct information to demonstrate his status.' Romeo said: 'I'm not impressed with the way they are dealing with me and other people in my situation. People's lives are on hold. They don't take into consideration that I've been here since I was four.' Advertisement Michael Braithwaite's employers ruled he was an illegal immigrant Michael Braithwaite lost his teaching assistant job after his employer ruled he was an illegal immigrant Experienced special needs teaching assistant Michael Braithwaite lost his job after his employers ruled that he was an illegal immigrant - despite living here for more than 50 years. He arrived in Britain from Barbados in 1961, and had worked at a north London primary school for over 15 years when a routine check on his immigration status revealed he did not have an up to date identity document. His employer got in touch with him to tell him that without a biometric card he could not continue to be employed. He lost his full time job in 2017, after the local authority ruled he needed to submit proof he had the right to live in the UK. A biometric card is a residence permit issued to non-British residents, with details of their immigration status Mr Braithwaite attended primary school and secondary school in Britain, and worked continuously since leaving school. He married in London and has three British children and five grandchildren. He said: 'It made me feel like I was an alien. I almost fell apart with the stress. I never applied for a British passport. We thought we were British.' Enny Choudhury, Braithwaite's lawyer, from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: 'For almost one year the Home Office has failed to issue the biometric card, without which he cannot work or move on with his life, causing uncertainty and distress.' Advertisement The Trump Tower apartment where a four-alarm fire killed a 67-year-old art dealer was an accident and caused by an 'overloaded power strips,' New York Fire Department has ruled. The department said on social media Monday that multiple power strips were overloaded and confirmed the apartment lacked a smoke detector. 'The fatal 4-alarm fire on April 7 at 721 5th Avenue in Manhattan was accidental, caused by multiple overloaded power strips. There was no smoke alarm present in the fire apartment,' the post said. Todd Brassner died in the hospital on April 7 after a fire ripped through his high-rise apartment. The city requires both property owners and tenants to ensure the installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Scroll down for video The New York Fire Department confirmed Monday that the four-alarm Trump Tower fire was an accident caused by overloaded power strips in Todd Brassner's apartment A firefighter continues to work at the scene of a blaze on the 50th floor of Trump Tower on Saturday night. Six of his colleges were injured but all have now been released from hospital Art dealer Todd Brassner, 67, died in the flames. He was pulled from his apartment unconscious and was pronounced dead at hospital later When an apartment is sold the building owners are supposed to make sure a smoke detector is in the unit but residents are responsible for maintaining them after they buy it. The fire department also encourages residents to be mindful of using power strips and extension cords for long periods. 'Overloaded electrical outlets are one of the major causes of residential fires,' the post Monday said. 'Always plug appliances directly into wall outlets.' It is unclear what might have overloaded the power strips in Brassner's apartment. The art dealer bought the $2.5million unit in 1996 and had recently been trying to sell it. The 50th-floor apartment in the Manhattan high-rise did not have sprinklers either. As previously reported, president Donald Trump fought against a 1998 law that said sprinklers needed to be installed in all residential buildings in New York City. The legislation was proposed after two major fatal fires in Brooklyn and Manhattan - which sparked building code changes across the city. And early talks for the bill said all buildings would be required to pay to install sprinklers, at the displeasure of many real estate moguls, including Trump. Brassner bought the apartment in 1996 and was recently trying to sell it before the fire The blaze broke out at 6pm on April 7. One person died and the six injured were all firefighters After the bills were compiled Trump called city officials and made the argument that installing sprinkler systems throughout entire buildings was too expensive, the New York Times reported at the time. The cost of the installation is roughly $4 per square foot. Then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani agreed with developers, saying the cost of installing sprinklers was going to be too high. After the proposal was tweaked to say existing buildings and those with approved permits didn't have to install sprinkler systems - Trump backed off and left the city council alone. Giuliani signed the bill, which added the provision that if the high-rise rentals underwent renovations developers would have to install sprinklers. The bill as it was initially written would have impacted two of his buildings, Trump Tower and Trump World Tower, which had already been approved but began construction in 1999. He ended up spending $3million on sprinklers for the Trump World Tower, but they were never installed in the Upper East Side Fifth Avenue building. Brassner was a fan of Andy Warhol and was involved in selling some of his paintings but had recently fallen on hard times. There were no sprinklers inside his apartment Earlier this month, New York City Council's Housing and Buildings Committee said it plans to push for laws to require residential high-rises to have fire sprinklers. The commissioner of the New York Fire Department said that the building stood up well despite not having sprinklers in the units. The president later echoed that sentiment in a tweet, applauding firefighters for putting out the flames quickly. 'Fire at Trump Tower is out,' he wrote. 'Very confined (well built building). Firemen (and women) did a great job. THANK YOU!' He did not mention the potential victims in his tweet. This is reportedly the second fire this year at Trump Tower. In January a roof top fire broke out in the heating and cooling unit of the building. President Donald Trump and his allies have hit a new level of anxiety after the raid on his personal attorney's office, fearful of deeper exposure for Trump, his inner circle and his adult children and more than concerned that they don't know exactly what is in those records and electronic devices seized last week. There is also some worry that Michael Cohen, the self-described legal fixer who helped make bad stories go away and took a leading role in Trump Organization projects in foreign outposts, may strike a deal with prosecutors out of concern about his own prospects. 'I think it's a huge minefield for Donald Trump and the Trump Organization,' said trial attorney Joseph Cammarata, who represented Paula Jones in her sexual harassment suit against President Bill Clinton. 'I think this is on its own track and this train is coming down the track with brute force.' Michael Cohen has told a friend that he knows he could go to jail as he faces legal trouble over some of the work he has done as President Trump's longtime fixer Michael Cohen, President Trump's longtime lawyer and fixes, may strike a deal with prosecutors as he knows he could end up in jail Meanwhile, President Trump - seen leaving the White House Monday - will spend the week at Mar-a-Lago hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (left) speaks as her lawyer Michael Avenatti (right) listens outside federal court in New York on Monday Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney (center), leaves federal court following a hearing Monday in New York A courtroom sketch shows President Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen (left) sitting next to one of his attorneys Todd Harrison (center), as porn star Stomy Daniels (back left) watches the proceedings The wild legal show continued to play out Monday, at a court hearing in New York before a federal judge who is considering what to do with the material that the FBI seized from Cohen. The scene was punctuated by dramatic entrances and revelations. Stormy Daniels the porn actress who alleged she had a sexual affair with the president made an appearance, stumbling on her high heels as she was swarmed by press. Cohen was forced to reveal that another one of his clients is Fox News host Sean Hannity, a high-profile confidant of the president. Trump left the White House for Florida, for a two-day summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the president's Mar-a-Lago estate. Advisers are hoping the meeting will draw attention from the legal tempest in Washington and New York. At the hearing, Michael Cohen (pictured) was forced to reveal that another one of his clients is Fox News host Sean Hannity, a high-profile confidant of the president FBI officials searched Michael Cohen's office and home for information on hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal On the trip south, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders sought to put distance between Trump and Cohen, saying: 'I believe they've still got some ongoing things, but the president has a large number of attorneys, as you know.' The federal raid, carried out a week ago in New York City, sought bank records, information on Cohen's dealing in the taxi industry, Cohen's communications with the Trump campaign and information on payments he made in 2016 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and to Daniels, both of whom allege relationships with Trump. The court proceedings Monday dealt with who gets to look at Cohen's seized documents and devices before they are turned over to prosecutors. Though Cohen once said he 'would take a bullet' for Trump, he is aware of the possible outcome including potential prison time and has expressed worry about his family, said a person who has spoken to the lawyer in recent days but is not authorized to discuss private conversations. Cohen has not been charged with anything. Trump's moods have grown darker in recent days, as he lashes out at the 'overreach' of the raid. Further angering the president is that the raid was triggered in part by a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The raid was authorized by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. On Twitter Sunday, Trump said that all lawyers are now 'deflated and concerned' by the FBI raid on Cohen, adding that 'Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past.' Trump has also taken to downplaying Cohen's role. The president also inveighed further against former FBI Director James Comey, who said Monday morning that Trump was morally unfit to be president. That was a few hours after Comey said the same and worse in a highly promoted ABC interview. Many in the White House view the aftershocks of the Cohen raid as potentially more threatening than Mueller's Russia probe, fearful of what skeletons may be in the lawyer's closets, according to five officials and outside allies who all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. 'I agree with the consensus forming that it's very dangerous for the president, probably the most serious thing yet,' said Sol Wisenberg, a defense attorney who was a deputy independent counsel during the Starr special counsel investigation into Clinton. 'Even if you shut Mueller down some way, how do you shut down the Southern District (federal court)?' Trump's anger at the probe has intensified, with him musing publicly about firing Mueller and the man who authorized the probe, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Those around Trump have hoped that this week's visit to Mar-a-Lago, where he is generally happier, along with the tightly scheduled summit with Abe, would somewhat distract him from Cohen and from Comey's ongoing publicity tour. But White House aides have also expressed worry that they can control Trump less at his palatial Florida estate, where he is known to seek out counsel from club members and get revved up by their at-times provocative advice. One recent presidential dinner guest was Hannity, a longtime Trump ally whose connection to Cohen shed more light on the attorney who was more than just a lawyer for Trump. Cohen has long been a key power center in the Trump Organization and a fixture along the edges of Trump's nascent political life. In Cohen's own estimation, he is Trump's Ray Donovan, the bruising television character who takes whatever steps are needed to fix problems for the tycoon he serves. He has regularly threatened lawsuits against those who pose a challenge to Trump. He has berated reporters for writing unflattering words about his boss. He has worked with tabloids, including the National Enquirer, to kill unfavorable stories about Trump. He has said he used a home-equity loan to finance a $130,000 payment to Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign and did so without Trump's knowledge. The president has consistently denied a relationship with Daniels, who claims the two had sex not long after first lady Melania Trump gave birth to the couple's son Barron. He has also pushed back against other claims from women. A recent Trump fundraising email praised Mrs. Trump, with the president calling her 'my rock and foundation.' Casey Anthony was captured on video chatting up a few patrons at an Irish pub in Florida. Anthony was spotted drinking alone at O'Shea's Irish Pub in West Palm Beach Sunday evening. In the video, obtained by TMZ, Anthony is heard having a conversation with a few guys at the bar. Casey Anthony was captured on video chatting up a few patrons at an Irish pub in Florida. Anthony was spotted drinking alone at O'Shea's Irish Pub in West Palm Beach Sunday evening. According to the news site, Anthony stayed for about an hour. It's unclear what she was drinking but she appeared to be having a good time. Anthony was branded the most hated mom in America during her six-week trial in 2011. Her two-year-old daughter, Caylee, was reported missing in July 2008. Caylee had not been seen by her mother for a month when she was eventually reported missing by her grandmother, Cindy. The child's skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area near the Anthony family's home in Florida that December. Casey changed her story several times before her sensational 2011 trial, suggesting at times that Caylee drowned in the family's pool and appearing to implicate her own father who she claimed molested her as a child. George Anthony vehemently denies having any involvement in his granddaughter's death and ferociously disputes Casey's sexual assault allegations. Anthony stayed at the pub for about an hour. It's unclear what she was drinking but she appeared to be having a good time. Anthony (pictured in 2008) was branded the most hated mom in America during her six-week trial in 2011. Her daughter, Caylee, was reported missing in July 2008. The two-year-old had not been seen by her mother for a month when she was reported missing by her grandmother He believes she killed Caylee accidentally with chloroform, traces of which were found in Casey's abandoned car during police investigations. Casey has staunchly maintained she has no idea how the toddler died, telling the Associated Press that she does not 'give a s***' what people think of her and that she 'sleeps pretty good at night'. She has since admitted lying to the police, but described herself as 'one of the unfortunate idiots who admitted they lied'. Anthony was acquitted of murdering the child in 2011 and has since been living the good life. She's been spotted multiple times hitting up happy hours at bars in Florida and holding another woman's baby at a restaurant. Anthony even said last March that she would be open to having another child. Casey changed her story several times before her trial, suggesting at times that Caylee (left in a photo) drowned in the family's pool and appearing to implicate her father. George Anthony (pictured with his wife Cindy) vehemently denies having any involvement in Caylee's death The city of Auburn will not see any change in its 2018-2019 Community Development Block Grant funding from the federal government, despite struggling to comply with recently revised regulations attached to the grant money. Mayor Michael Quill announced Monday that the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has decided not to reduce the city's grant due to "circumstances beyond the city's reasonable control" that prevented officials from meeting HUD's timeliness tests for spending down past funds. In 2017 and 2018, the city was deemed "untimely" by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, meaning the city did not spend enough of its grant money in those years. According to HUD regulations, any community that fails to meet the timeliness standards for two years in a row is in jeopardy of losing their grant funds. In March, Quill and members of the Office of Planning and Economic Development traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with HUD officials and discuss the circumstances that prevented them from spending the appropriate amounts of money, as well as steps taken by the city to meet the deadlines. Baroness Stowell of Beeston (pictured) said charities were 'no longer trusted automatically by the public' Charities are no more trusted than the average stranger on the street, according to the new boss of the sector's regulator. In her first major speech since she was appointed Charity Commission chairman earlier this year, Baroness Stowell of Beeston said charities were 'no longer trusted automatically by the public'. After a series of scandals in the sector, people are no longer willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, she said. She told delegates at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations' annual conference in London yesterday that the public 'now trust charities no more than they trust the average stranger they meet on the street'. Baroness Stowell indicated that her views were based on the commission's own research, with the final results due to be published later this year. She said scandals such as the sexual harassment of staff by Save The Children executives, Oxfam aid workers using prostitutes in Haiti, and the harassment of hostesses at the Presidents Club's fundraising events had contributed to public scepticism about charities. The Mail has also exposed the use of high-pressure fundraising tactics by many charities, and highlighted the tragic death of 92-year-old poppy seller Olive Cooke, who killed herself after becoming 'overwhelmed' by approaches from fundraisers. Baroness Stowell's main objective, she told the conference, is to regain the public's trust. Her blunt assessment of the situation comes after she was appointed as Charity Commission chairman in February. At the time, MPs refused to sign-off her appointment, with the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee claiming she lacked the experience, neutrality or capability to take on the top job at the regulator. The former leader of the House of Lords failed to show any real insight about the charity sector and was unable to withstand scrutiny, it said. Olive Cooke, a 92-year-old poppy seller, killed herself after becoming 'overwhelmed' by approaches from fundraisers But her appointment went ahead as the Government can over-rule the committee. Baroness Stowell told the audience of charity leaders that her role was 'not to represent charities to the public but to represent the public interest to you'. She added: 'All charity has is its purpose. 'So when a charity's purpose is undermined, whether through misconduct or other failures, your very reason for existence comes into question. 'That's why people are so appalled when charity workers in a devastated country exploit the vulnerable they were sent to help. 'That's why people feel betrayed when charities seem to respond to misconduct among senior staff by protecting the charity's reputation, rather than by rooting out and stopping the bad practice.' She said the regulator's overriding priority was to make sure that charities operate by delivering the right results. Some members of the audience were critical of her comments. A woman was applauded when she said the amount of misconduct in charities was 'minute' and that Baroness Stowell should act as the sector's champion, instead of downplaying it. Prisons have repeatedly been accused of making life too cushy. So critics are likely to see the latest developments at one jail as, well... the icing on the cake. HMP Spring Hill is holding 'bake off' challenges to 'improve relationships' between the inmates, it has emerged. Inspired by the Great British Bake Off TV series, the competitions see men from the prison's 13 huts battle to be crowned star bakers. MP Spring Hill prison in Buckinghamshire (pictured), has 'bake off' challenges to 'improve relationships' between the inmates Regular 'film nights' and 'cleanest hut competitions' also take place at the category D prison in Buckinghamshire, which holds inmates coming to the end of long sentences, including murderers. A report by the HM Inspectorate of Prisons last week also highlighted an 'appreciated and well used' new games area at the jail. James Price, from the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Making prisons resemble reality TV programmes is likely not the way to deal with [re-offending rates].' A prison service spokesman said: 'Spring Hill continues to successfully support prisoners prior to release thus reducing their risk of re-offending.' U.S. senators announced long-awaited legislation on Monday to provide congressional authorization for U.S. campaigns against militant groups in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, part of a push to take back authority over the military from the White House. A group of senators led by U.S. Senators Bob Corker, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and Tim Kaine, a committee Democrat, proposed an Authorization for the Use of Military Force, or AUMF, that would authorize 'all necessary and appropriate force' against al Qaeda, the Taliban, Islamic State and associated forces. It does not authorize military action against any nation state, including Syria. The U.S., U.K. and France ordered strikes against Assad in the Damascus area on Friday, But the bipartisan bill would not have allowed them without a vote in Congress War powers: Trump's ability to deploy the military in Syria is based on the Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks The new AUMF also does not set an end date for any military action, although it would establish a process for Congress to review the new AUMF every four years, without risking a lapse in the authorization. Both Republican and Democratic members of Congress have long argued that they ceded too much authority over the military to both Republican and Democrat presidents after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. They now are trying to rein in some of that power by approving a new AUMF. Under the constitution, only Congress, not the president, has the right to authorize war. But presidents have used AUMFs passed in 2001 for the fight against al Qaeda and affiliates, and one passed in 2002 for the war in Iraq, to justify a wide range of conflicts since, prompting many lawmakers to say a new AUMF is long overdue. Corker said he expected the foreign relations committee to debate and possibly vote on the new AUMF as soon as next week. It was not immediately clear when the measure would be taken up in the House of Representatives. To become law, it would have to pass the Senate and House and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. Trump's top national security aides pushed back against congressional calls for a new AUMF last year, saying it would be a mistake to impose geographic or time limits on the campaign against Islamic State and other militant groups. This is the terrifying moment an unsuspecting surfer is stalked by a six-foot bull shark on the Gold Coast. The looming predator followed the surfer on Thursday morning at Tallebudgera Creek. Chris Bennetts was catching waves with his friend Josh Dowthwaite and remembers seeing a 'big black shadow' before realising the shark was shadowing them. The two unsuspecting surfers were spotted being stalked by a shark on the Gold Coast (pictured: the shark as it came up behind Chris Bennetts) The looming predator was spotted shadowing the pair on Thursday morning (pictured) 'As I looked over my shoulder he's just done a U-turn and pretty much bee-lined for me,' he told 9 News. The East Coast Foil Club Australia member started to yell at the top of his lungs to alert his friend to the impending threat. 'I could hear him scream and I couldn't really make it out but he was just waving me over, I knew straight away it was a shark,' Josh said. Chris Bennetts was catching waves with his friend Josh when he saw the shark nearby meanwhile Daniel Ryan was recording the unfolding drama on his drone (pictured is Mr Ryan's footage) As the pair feared the worst Daniel Ryan, a photographer out using his drone, was nearby capturing the shark's movements as it hunted the pair. 'You could see him turning around looking at it and thinking ''I got to get out of here'',' Mr Ryan explained. Despite the potential threat to the popular beach often visited by families, the pair say they will back in the water in no time at all. When Chris realised the six-foot predator (pictured) was following them he quickly alerted his mate Josh of the potential danger by yelling at the top of his lungs On Monday a professional surfing event off Western Australia was briefly suspended after a shark attack nearby. The Margaret River Pro event, part of the World Surf Tour, was put on hold for an hour after the attack at Gracetown, about 15 kilometeres (nine miles) away. A man in his 30s, who was surfing at Cobblestones Beach near Gracetown, was bitten on the leg but managed to bodysurf to shore where bystanders used a rope from his surfboard to apply a torniquet. The victim was still conscious when flown to Royal Perth Hospital by air ambulance. A four-metre shark was later spotted nearby. The man in his 30s was bitten at Cobblestones Beach (pictured) near Gracetown in Western Australia's south-west about 8am on Monday Surf photographer Peter Jovic, who witnessed the attack from the beach, told ABC Radio 'a shark pretty much popped up and ended up knocking a surfer off his board. 'There was a lot more thrashing around after that, it was pretty hard to see what was going on. The surfer who was being attacked ended up miraculously body surfing into a little wave and getting pushed in by a local at the same time, who was out there with him, and making it to shore before everyone came to his aid.' Jovic said everyone was 'walking around like stunned mullets' after the attack. After assessing the situation, organizers of the Margaret River Pro decided to resume the event with additional safety measures in place. Organizers added more drones and jet skis to ensure the safety of competitors. Spring storms have brought flooding to the New York City subway and stricken a Long Island construction worker with lightning. Commuters shot video of the flooding at several stations on Monday morning, which combined with widespread signal and equipment issues led to delays and misery during the morning rush. At the 145th Street stop on the 1 Train in Hamilton Heights, water was seen cascading down the steps of the station like a waterfall. Northbound trains began skipping the station due to the flooding at about 10.23am. At the 145th Street stop on the 1 Train in Hamilton Heights, water was seen cascading down the steps of the station like a waterfall At 42nd Street-Bryant Park in Midtown, the train doors opened to reveal a shocking sight At 42nd Street-Bryant Park in Midtown, a waterfall poured from the ceiling just along the platform edge, greeting any passengers getting on or off the trains. 'Good morning and welcome to hell,' tweeted journalist Jeremy Barr along with footage of the scene. Northbound F and M trains began bypassing 42nd at around 10.11am. Service resumed by 11am. 'As happens during heavy storms like todays, water is entering some stations from the street,' the MTA said in a statement. 'Well keep staircases and other station areas open as long as its safe to do so, but please be careful as you enter and exit trains.' The rainfall was measured at 3.29 inches in Central Park by early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. The storm also lashed the New York metro area with thunderstorm bands. In Bay Shore, on Long Island, a 48-year-old man was struck by lightening outside the Roman Stone Construction Co. at around 10.15am, officials said. He was alert and talking at the scene and has not been publicly identified. Floodwaters forced the closure of the Henry Hudson Parkway at 178th Street, trapping motorists in the rising water as NYPD officers rushed to rescue them In New Jersey, there was widespread flash flooding with multiple reports of emergency rescues of people trapped in cars. Pictured: Floodwaters in South Brunswick Rising waters are seen Hackensack, New Jersey after storms inundated the area In New Jersey, there was widespread flash flooding with multiple reports of emergency rescues of people trapped in cars. At least six people were rescued from vehicles trapped in floodwaters in Newark, police said. The Grand Central Parkway in Queens was also closed for a time in both directions due to flooding. Staten Island Railway service was suspended between Tottenville and Huguenot due to flooding in Richmond Valley. A downed tree also shut down northbound traffic on the Bronx River Parkway for a time, officials said. Westwood, New Jersey saw the most rain in the area, with a total of 4.48 inches. The rains had tapered off by noon and Manhattan dried out quickly. Evening commutes proceeded with only the commonplace delays and annoyances. Wild animals including bats, badgers, and birds of prey were the victims of nearly 1,300 crimes last year, a charity report suggests. But in all there were just 22 prosecutions and convictions - with wildlife charities reporting that crimes against wild animals are treated as a lower priority than other offences. The total of 1,278 incidents in England and Wales were logged by 18 wildlife charities - there is no nationwide reporting of wildlife crimes. The Ministry of Justice and Sentencing Council should also produce guidelines on investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime (stock image) Across England and Wales in 2016 there were 612 reports of incidents against badgers, plus 145 involving bats, 366 with marine mammals and 155 with birds of prey, the report said. Of those there were about 99 cases where criminal offending was confirmed, and just 22 prosecutions and convictions. Examples of wildlife crimes include illegal hunting of badgers reported by members of the public, disturbance or destruction of bat roosts - it is illegal to disturb bats - and illegal poisoning or trapping of birds of prey. While members of the public report the crimes often they are very hard to track down the perpetrators. Examples of crimes included four men from Bradford, Yorkshire setting their dogs on badgers pulled from a sett. The men were prosecuted after the men posted images online. Two men in Warwickshire who destroyed a bat roost in a bungalow in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire were fined just 83 and 153 and 135 in costs. Dr Elaine King, director of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'We must protect our wildlife from horrible deaths at the hands of badger baiters, poachers and illegal hunters' (stock image) The men wanted to build a new house on the land. Instead of setting up a bat house - allowing the long eared brown and pipistrelle bats to relocate, they just demolished the building. Marine crimes include boats and kayaks frightening seals in Cornwall - and motorboats getting too close to whales or dolphins. The groups say they are committed to publishing an annual report on wildlife crime figures in England and Wales, as most wildlife crimes are currently recorded as 'miscellaneous' offences, so are largely hidden. The conservation experts also say they want all such crimes to be recordable with specific police recording codes, and a comprehensive annual wildlife crime report produced by the Home Office. The Ministry of Justice and Sentencing Council should also produce guidelines on investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime, with sufficient resources and expertise so the sanctions criminals face are strong enough, they urged. Dominic Dyer, chief executive of the Badger Trust, said: 'Badgers and other animals are suffering and dying, and it is hidden away amid a multitude of miscellaneous offences. 'We are urging the Home Office to heed the public's sense of injustice at these crimes, and record and report on them transparently, so that resources can be targeted effectively to help stop animals and birds being senselessly killed.' Kit Stoner, chief executive of the Bat Conservation Trust, said: 'These figures show that wildlife crime is still a clear and present danger for British bats, birds, and other animals. 'Inadequate recording and reporting is turning it into an invisible crime - making it impossible for hard-working enforcement officers to target resources effectively and stop criminals in their tracks.' And Dr Elaine King, director of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'We must protect our wildlife from horrible deaths at the hands of badger baiters, poachers and illegal hunters. 'Scotland has legal requirements to report on this issue and wildlife in England and Wales must not be forgotten.' The cries of street traders are part of our rich national heritage. Since the 13th century, Lymington High Street has resonated to the sound of stall-holders plying their wares. For the past 35 years, greengrocer Wayne Bellows has been part of that tradition, the fourth generation of his family to sell fruit and veg in the Hampshire town. Every Saturday morning he can be found shouting at shoppers, encouraging them to buy his produce. Come on, darling, luvverly strawberries, only a nicker a bowl. But now he's been told to pipe down, because he's too loud. The local council measured his cries at 111 decibels, the same as a chainsaw or a rock concert. For the past 35 years, Wayne Bellows (pictured) has been part of the tradition of street traders yelling out their wares. But now he's been told to pipe down because he's too loud Following a single complaint, Wayne has been ordered to keep quiet. 'The council said they had a phone call from a woman saying we were making so much noise shouting. The official said it was under some sort of noise pollution regulation.' Originally, they told him he couldn't shout until after lunch, but now the ban has been extended all day. Wayne, who pays 340 a month for his pitch, is understandably livid. 'The market has been there for hundreds of years and now someone moves into the High Street and decides they don't like the noise. It's part and parcel of street life. It's part of the atmosphere. 'If stall-holders cannot shout, then you lose part of that tradition. If I don't shout out I'm going to be at least 30 to 40 per cent down on profit.' Market traders are already struggling, like so many small shops today. Town centres are dying, not just because of online competition and out-of-town superstores, but as a result of extortionate rents, sky-high business rates and draconian parking regimes. Lymington is fortunate still to enjoy a vibrant market culture. So why the does the council seem hell-bent on destroying it? It's part and parcel of street life. It's part of the atmosphere. If stall-holders cannot shout, then you lose part of that tradition. If I don't shout out I'm going to be at least 30 to 40 per cent down on profit. Greengrocer Wayne Bellows The town's mayor, Barry Dunning, said he sympathises with Wayne and describes the market as Lymington's 'crown jewel'. But, with the authentic voice of the Great British Jobsworth, he said the council had no option other than to intervene. 'Nuisance can be whatever you want to make it. We had a complaint and we had to follow it up.' No, they didn't. They could have said to the woman who objected: 'Thank you, madam, but the market has been central to life in Lymington for the past 800 years and traders shouting is an integral part of that. We've got better things to do than hang around the market with a decibel meter measuring the cries of fruit and veg sellers to see if they breach noise pollution regulations. Have a nice day.' Not every complaint has to be taken seriously and acted upon accordingly. Just because someone objects to something, it doesn't mean it should be banned. This isn't the first time a market trader has fallen foul of an individual with a grievance. Last October, I brought you the saga of Tina Gayle, a stall-holder on Loughborough market, in Leicestershire, who had her licence to trade withdrawn by the local council. Her 'crime' was to refuse to stop selling coffee mugs depicting the ancient order of the Knights Templar. Enforcement officers moved in after someone complained that the mugs celebrated the murder of Muslims by Knights Templar during the Crusades and were therefore 'offensive'. Wayne, who pays 340 a month for his pitch in Lymington, is understandably livid Heaven forfend that anyone should have their sensitivities offended. A council spokesman said: 'We want the public to have a safe and enjoyable experience when visiting our markets and we have a duty to ensure that items sold do not cause public offence. It's not for us to comment on why the mugs were offensive to the complainant.' Yes, it is. Why should a single complaint whether about 'offensive' coffee mugs or a stall-holder shouting too loudly be sufficient to threaten someone else's right to earn a living, or end a centuries-old tradition? And while councils are only too willing to dance to the tune of aggrieved individuals, they have no compunction in ignoring wider public opinion, especially when it comes to market traders. The reason that vendors such as Wayne Bellows now sell their fruit and veg in 1 'bowls' and not the pounds and ounces most of their customers would prefer is because of the war on imperial measures pursued with Stalinist zeal by Town Halls all over Britain. Councils started persecuting market traders 20-odd years ago, forcing them to adopt metric weights and measures to 'bring us into line with Europe'. Fishmongers, greengrocers and butchers were all charged with criminal offences because they wouldn't use kilograms. One fruit and veg merchant, Steve Thoburn, from Sunderland, was dragged through the courts for the heinous offence of using imperial scales. Public opinion was firmly on his side, but that didn't stop the authorities fighting him all the way to the European Court of Human Rights. Mr Thoburn died of a heart attack soon after losing his final appeal, aged just 39. He was hounded to death by officialdom. The Brexit vote was motivated not just by a desire to regain control of our own laws and borders. It was a rejection of the political class at every level, from Brussels right down to parish pump. That includes the jumped-up jobsworths who think they have the right to micro-manage our lives and stop market traders doing something they've been doing for 800 years simply because of a single complaint from someone who finds it 'offensive'. Wayne Bellows should tell them all to go to hell. At the top of his voice. Donald Trump Allegation: Cohen paid Stormy Daniels $135,000 to silence her claims that she had sex with President Donald Trump. Daniels has said that she had sex once with Trump in 2006 and was paid to keep quiet about it. A former Playboy model, Karen McDougal, has described having a 10-month affair with Trump, which the White House has said Trump denies. McDougal said her lawyer at the time secretly negotiated with Cohen on a deal with American Media Inc, publisher of the National Enquirer, which paid her $150,000 in 2016 to keep quiet. Elliott Broidy Broidy is former deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee Cohen helped arrange a $1.6 million payment to an unidentified Playboy Playmate with whom he had a two-year relationship and who he paid to abort their baby. Broidy acknowledged on Friday that he had a relationship with a Playboy Playmate and offered to help her financially after she told him she was pregnant. 'She alone decided that she did not want to continue with the pregnancy and I offered to help her financially during this difficult period. We have not spoken since that time,' Broidy said in the statement. Broidy said Cohen reached out to him after being contacted by the woman's attorney, Keith Davidson. Broidy said he retained Cohen because Cohen had a prior relationship with Davidson. Sean Hannity Hannity says that he had 'had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective'. 'Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees... to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party.' Dinosaurs dominated the landscape of our planet for millions of years, until they were wiped out when a huge asteroid plummeted to Earth. Now, scientists say that the creatures may have begun to thrive thanks to a similarly sized extinction event. More than 200 million years ago most of the life on Earth was destroyed in a mass extinction caused by a dramatic shift in the carbon cycle. This event, which scientists say was caused by a series of massive volcanic eruptions, led to a period of climate change over millions of years. Experts believe this provided an ideal opportunity for dinosaurs to take over, replacing the animals which roamed the planet before them. Scroll down for video More than 200 million years ago most life on Earth was destroyed. The Carnian Pluvial Episode provided an opportunity for dinosaurs to thrive and saw a surge in their population numbers worldwide, researchers say. This image shows an artist's impression of the killer reptiles In a new study, an international team of scientists found that the key expansion of dinosaurs was triggered by the Carnian Pluvial Episode, which occurred around 232 million years ago. Although the enormous reptiles were around from the beginning of the Triassic Period, some 245 million years ago, they were relatively rare at this point in history. The shock events of the mass extinction event 13 million years later gave them an opportunity to blossom. Over this period, the climate altered from dry to humid and back to dry again, destroying almost all of life on Earth and leading to the diversification of dinosaurs, they say. Researchers made the discovery by looking at when dinosaurs rose to dominance by looking at evidence from rock sequences in the Dolomites, a mountain range in north Italy. The team found a series of footprints buried in layers of stone. They revealed the history of the expansion of the creatures, with a proliferation of the tracks as time went on. Experts say this allowed them to pinpoint the moment of the dinosaur explosion, which they dated by establishing the point in geological history indicated by the strata of rocks in which they were found. Researchers dated the earliest dinosaur skeletons and footprints to around the time of the mass-extinction event at several spots around the world, including Italy and Argentina (stock image) Comparison with rock layers in Argentina and Brazil, where the first extensive skeletons of dinosaurs occur, show the explosion happened at the same time there. This suggests a global trend as dinosaurs arose across the planet as the most successful form of life. Lead author Dr Massimo Bernardi, Curator at Muse and research associate at Bristol's school of Earth sciences, said: 'We were excited to see that the footprints and skeletons told the same story. 'We had been studying the footprints in the Dolomites for some time, and it's amazing how clear cut the change from "no dinosaurs" to "all dinosaurs" was.' It was long suspected that this event had caused upheavals among life on land and in the sea, but the details were not clear. Then, in 2015, dating of rock sections and measurement of oxygen and carbon values showed just what had happened. Dinosaurs and other reptiles dominated Earth for hundreds of millions of years until they were made extinct. They lived in all environments on pre-historic Earth and their origin has remained a long-standing mystery. This image shows a reconstruction a giant marine reptile They revealed massive eruptions in western Canada, represented today by the great Wrangellia basalts. These drove bursts of global warming, acid rain, as well as mass killing on land and in the oceans. Co-author Piero Gianolla, from the University of Ferrara, added: 'We had detected evidence for the climate change in the Dolomites. There were four pulses of warming and climate perturbation, all within a million years or so. This must have led to repeated extinctions.' Professor Mike Benton, also a co-author, from the University of Bristol, said: 'The discovery of the existence of a link between the first diversification of dinosaurs and a global mass extinction is important. 'The extinction didn't just clear the way for the age of the dinosaurs, but also for the origins of many modern groups, including lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and mammals key land animals today.' The research was published in the journal Nature Communications. Researchers looked at when dinosaurs became dominant by looking at evidence from rock sequences in the Dolomites mountain range, in north Italy Hundreds of 1,000-year-old silver coins, rings, pearls and bracelets are among treasures unearthed from the time of a legendary Viking ruler. Clues to the location of the haul were first discovered by two amateur archaeologists, a 13-year-old boy and his teacher. The pair were looking for valuables using metal detectors when they chanced upon what they thought was a worthless piece of aluminium. Upon closer inspection, they realised that it was a shimmering piece of silver, and alerted experts to the find. Further investigation revealed a trove believed to date to the era of king Harald Gormsson, who reigned from around 958 to 986 AD. Better known as 'Harald Bluetooth', his name lives on in the wireless technology standard named in his honour by its Swedish creators Ericsson. King Harald is also credited with unifying Denmark and introducing Christianity to the Scandinavian nation. Scroll down for video Hundreds of 1,000-year-old silver coins (pictured), rings, pearls and bracelets are among treasures unearthed from the time of a legendary Viking ruler. Clues to the location of the haul were first discovered by two amateur archaeologists, one of them a 13-year-old boy Researchers said that around 100 silver coins from the collection (pictured) are probably from the reign of Bluetooth, who was the king of what is now Denmark, northern Germany, southern Sweden and parts of Norway. Experts uncovered the collection on the German Baltic island of Rugen, after a single coin was found in a field near the village of Schaprode by Rene Schoen and his student Luca Malaschnitschenko in January. The state's archaeology office then became involved, digging an exploratory trench covering 400 square metres (4,300 square feet). This revealed the entire treasure, which was recovered by experts last weekend. Researchers said that around 100 silver coins of the roughly 600 are probably from the reign of Bluetooth. The pair were looking for valuables using metal detectors when they chanced upon what they thought was a worthless piece of aluminium. Upon closer inspection, they realised that it was a shimmering piece of silver, and alerted experts to the find (pictured) Further investigation revealed a trove believed to date to the era of king Harald Gormsson, who reigned from around 958 to 986 AD. Braided necklaces, pearls, brooches, a Thor's hammer, rings and up to 600 chipped coins were found He ruled over what is now Denmark, northern Germany, southern Sweden and parts of Norway. Braided necklaces, pearls, brooches, a Thor's hammer, rings and up to 600 chipped coins were found. 'This trove is the biggest single discovery of Bluetooth coins in the southern Baltic sea region and is therefore of great significance,' lead archaeologist Michael Schirren told German news agency DPA. The oldest coin found in the trove is a Damascus dirham dating to 714 AD while the most recent is a penny dating to 983 AD. WHO WAS HARALD BLUETOOTH AND WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HIM? King Harald I, also known as Harald Bluetooth, was king of Denmark from 958 to 985 AD. He was the son of Gorm the Old, the first significant figure in a new royal line centred at Jelling, in North Jutland. Harald completed the country's unification begun by his father, converted the Danes to Christianity, and conquered Norway. The Trelleborg type of fortifications, built in a circular shape with a rampart and four gateways, date from his reign. A total of five are known to exist, located in modern Denmark and the south of Sweden. The expansion begun by Harald in Norway was continued by his son Sweyn I, whose war with his father marked Harald's last years. After Sweyn conquered England in 1013 AD, his son Canute ruled over a great Anglo-Scandinavian kingdom that included parts of Sweden. He was responsible for spreading the gospel, meaning good news', of Christianity across Scandinavia. When Swedish company Ericsson wanted a name that signified good news and good communications for a wireless communications system, they chose Bluetooth. The symbol for the technology is composed of two Runes spelling out his initials R.B. Advertisement The find suggests that the treasure may have been buried in the late 980s - also the period when Bluetooth was known to have fled to Pomerania where he died in 987. We have here the rare case of a discovery that appears to corroborate historical sources,' archaeologist Detlef Jantzen added. Bluetooth, a Viking-born king turned his back on old Norse religion, but was forced to flee to Pomerania after a rebellion led by his son Sven Gabelbart. He was the son of Gorm the Old, the first significant figure in a new royal line centred at Jelling, in North Jutland. The oldest coin found in the trove is a Damascus dirham dating to 714 AD while the most recent is a penny dating to 983 AD. This image shows amateur archaeologists, Rene Schoen (left) and 13-year-old Luca Malaschnitschenko (right), searching for coins Better known as 'Harald Bluetooth', the Danish King's name lives on in the wireless technology standard named in his honour by its creators Ericsson. Mr Schoen digs out a silver necklace The Trelleborg type of fortifications, built in a circular shape with a rampart and four gateways, date from his reign. A total of five are known to exist, located in modern Denmark and the south of Sweden. The expansion begun by Bluetooth in Norway was continued by his son Sweyn I, whose war with his father marked Harald's last years. After Sweyn conquered England in 1013 AD, his son Canute ruled over a great Anglo-Scandinavian kingdom that included parts of Sweden. The state's archaeology office became involved after the initial find, digging an exploratory trench covering 400 square metres (4,300 square feet). This revealed the entire treasure, which was recovered by experts last weekend Bluetooth, a Viking-born king turned his back on old Norse religion, but was forced to flee to Pomerania after a rebellion led by his son Sven Gabelbart. This aerial shot, taken by a drone, shows archaeologists searching for more treasure AURELIUS With negotiations around the North American Free Trade Agreement on the table, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wants to make sure federal officials undo dairy trade practices by Canada that have hurt farmers and dairy cooperatives, including Cayuga Milk Ingredients. Schumer, D-New York, visited the Aurelius milk plant Monday morning and said he'd continue to call on U.S. trade officials to abolish the high milk tariffs Canada established on ultra-filtered products. CMI alone lost $30 million in the switch. "Canada, when it comes to dairy, acts like China when it comes to trade," Schumer said. "Hope is on the horizon. The President (Donald Trump) correctly, in my opinion, wants to renegotiate NAFTA." Schumer said he agrees with Trump on trade issues more than past presidents, and called on him "to fix our milk problem and help our dairy farmers." With Cayuga County now the second largest dairy producer in the state, Schumer said revisions would be important to farmers, too. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The Governor of the Bank of England has warned that the rise of robots in the workplace could cause a revival in Communism and 19th-century wage stagnation. Mark Carney, 53, said automation of millions of jobs would result in more support of Communist ideas within a generation. 'Marx and Engels may again become relevant' if mechanisation forces down pay and raises inequality, he warned. To alleviate the damage, Carney suggested workers should train for jobs that require higher emotional intelligence, for example in care and leisure. Scroll down for video The Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney (file photo) has warned the rise of robots in the workplace could cause a revival in Communism and 19th-century wage stagnation Speaking at the Canada Growth Summit in Toronto, Carney said there will be vast inequalities between workers who benefit from AI and those who have their job wiped out by it. He suggested we might return to a situation similar to the industrial revolution during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, where there was huge growth in production. Wages did not increase until decades later, which resulted in inequalities that may have fuelled left and right extremism in Europe. 'The benefits, from a worker's perspective, from the first industrial revolution, which began in the latter half of the 18th century, were not felt fully in productivity and wages until the latter half of the 19th century', he said. Karl Marx and fellow German Friedrich Engels shared a concern over the impact of industrial capitalism on workers, including the alarmingly high rates of disease, malnutrition and injury in English factories. In 1848 they published their best-known work, The Communist Manifesto, at a time when continental Europe was ablaze with revolution and political instability. 'If you substitute platforms for textile mills, machine learning for steam engines, Twitter for the telegraph, you have exactly the same dynamics as existed 150 years ago when Karl Marx was scribbling The Communist Manifesto', Carney said. Years of weak growth in salaries since the latest financial crisis means that the same thing could be repeated 150 years later. Carney, who is set to leave the post next year, said that all careers would be affected, writes the Independent. Karl Marx (pictured) and fellow German Friedrich Engels shared a concern over the impact of industrial capitalism on workers, including the alarmingly high rates of disease, malnutrition and injury in English factories WHICH COUNTRIES ARE MOST AT RISK FROM AUTOMATION? A previous report suggests that workers in China are likely to be most affected by the switch to automation. It said: 'In absolute terms, China faces the largest number of workers needing to switch occupationsup to 100 million if automation is adopted rapidly, or 12 percent of the 2030 workforce. 'While that may seem like a large number, it is relatively small compared with the tens of millions of Chinese who have moved out of agriculture in the past 25 years.' But the countries facing the biggest change are the US, Germany and Japan, according to the report. It added: 'For advanced economies, the share of the workforce that may need to learn new skills and find work in new occupations is much higher: up to one-third of the 2030 workforce in the United States and Germany, and nearly half in Japan.' Advertisement 'Hollowing out' was already being seen in the job market, he warned, with computers able to complete both unskilled - and skilled - work. Robots can already do things such as comb through legal documents - something previously done by junior lawyers, Carney said. 'In surveys, over 90 per cent of citizens don't think their jobs will be affected by automation, but a similar percentage of CEOs think the opposite, in the number of jobs which will be materially affected', he said. Earlier this year a scientist warned humanity is heading for a 'hellish dystopia' as robots take over billions of jobs. Dr Subhash Kak, a computing expert at Oklahoma University warned that self-worth will be lost as robots take control and lead humans into a life of 'meaningless' misery. He claimed the US opioid addiction and the rise of extremist groups are an early omen of a dystopian future. A report last year claimed that 800 million workers could be replaced by machines by 2030 (stock image) Dr Kak, a professor of electrical and computer engineering told the Daily Star Online: 'The beginnings of the dystopia are already there. 'There will be massive unemployment. People want to be useful and work provides meaning, and so the world will sink into despair.' This is already happening, he said. A report last year claimed that 800 million workers could be replaced by machines by 2030. Dr Kak said: 'Policy makers have begun to speak of a minimum guaranteed income with everyone provided food, shelter, and a smart phone, and that will not address the heart of the problem. 'In my view, the current opioid and drug epidemic in the US is a manifestation of this despair. 'Likewise, phenomena such as ISIS are a response to the meaninglessness that people find in a world devoted only to the cult of the body,' said Dr Kak. In November, management consultancy firm, McKinsey, published a report called 'Jobs lost, jobs gained: Workforce transitions in a time of automation'. The report focused on the amount of jobs that would be lost to automation, and what professions were most at risk. The report claimed that there will be enough work to maintain full employment until 2030, but there will be challenging transitions ahead and that in about 60 per cent of jobs, at least one third of activities could be automated. Elon Musk has previously warned about automation becoming the norm. There is a pretty good chance we end up with a universal basic income, or something like that, due to automation, Musk told CNBC back in 2016. Im not sure what else one would do with this. 'I think that's what would happen. A revolution in transportation has begun in Europe, as construction starts on the continent's first Hyperloop track. The experimental facility will help its US backers develop its own version of Elon Musk's high speed system. Hyperloop promises to propel passengers through near-vacuum tubes in small pods, travelling at speeds of up to 670mph (1,000kph). The technology, which uses super-powered magnets to levitate carrier pods, could cut the time taken to travel between major cities by several hours. Scroll down for video The first European Hyperloop track has begun construction. The track's first low-pressure tubes (pictured) were received by a research team at a research facility run by US firm Hyperloop Transportation Technologies in Toulouse, France, last week Low-pressure tubes were received by designers Hyperloop Transportation Technologies' research team in Toulouse, France, last week. The firm, based in Culver City, California, will use the parts in the construction of a closed 1,050-foot (320-metre) system, built to test prototype pods and other technology, that will be operational this year. A second full-scale system that stretches 0.6 miles (one kilometre) - elevated above the ground by pylons - will be completed in 2019, the firm said in a written statement. HTT has signed deals with officials in Ohio, South Korea and India to build Hyperloop tracks but is yet to announce plans for a European route. The Hyperloop concept was unveiled in a white paper written by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2013, though the billionaire is not directly involved in any Hyperloop projects. A number of startups are vying to build the world's first Hyperloop based on Musk's initial designs, but Los Angeles-based HTT and competitor Virgin Hyperloop One are the two front-runners. HTT's European test centre is based in a small facility at Toulouse's Francazal Airport, a disused former military base. The centre has now received its first test tube sections, which have an interior diameter of 13 feet (four metres), allowing them to house passenger capsules and shipping containers, the company said. The test track (artist's impression) will help US firm Hyperloop Transportation Technologies develop its version of the Hyperloop system, which promises to propel passengers through near-vacuum tubes in small pods travelling at speeds of up to 670mph (1,000kph) A second full-scale system that stretches 0.6 miles (1 kilometre) elevated above the ground by pylons will be completed in 2019, the firm said. Pictured is one of HTT's tube sections, delivered to the company's European research and development facility last week HTT has signed deals with officials in Ohio, South Korea and India to build Hyperloop tracks but is yet to announce plans for a European route. The technology could cut the time taken to travel between major cities by several hours. Pictured are tube parts in Toulouse WHAT IS THE HYPERLOOP? Hyperloop is a proposed method of travel that would transport people at roughly 700mph between distant locations. It was unveiled by Elon Musk in 2013, who at the time said it could take passengers the 380 miles (610km) from LA to San Francisco in 30 minutes - half the time it takes a plane. It is essentially a long tube that has had the air removed to create a vacuum. For safety reasons, Hyperloop tunnels need escape hatches in case of fire. The tube is suspended off the ground to protect against weather and earthquakes. There are now a number of firms vying to bring the technology to life, including Elon Musk himself, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, and Virgin Hyperloop One. As several firms vie to create the first operational Hyperloop, Elon Musks vision of a radical transport system that could ferry passengers above land at 760 miles per hour continues to inch closer to reality Advertisement The prototype passenger pod that HTT will propel through the tubes is currently near completion at Carbures in Spain. The capsule is scheduled for delivery to the Toulouse facility this summer for assembly and integration. The company plans to publicly unveil the facility and prototype track later this year. HTT Chairman Bibop Gresta said: 'We have agreements in place in nine countries where we're working on feasibility and regulations. 'We have a research centre for freight and logistics in Brazil and a facility in Toulouse where we'll deliver the first full-scale passenger capsule. 'Hyperloop is no longer a concept, it has become a commercial industry.' Hyperloop systems could revolutionise transport around the world - but while the UK will get one, it could be a while before we see such a system in Britain. With an interior diameter of four metres (13 feet) the system is optimised both for passenger capsules and shipping containers, the company said The prototype passenger pod that HTT will propel through the tubes is currently near completion at Carbures in Spain. Pictured are tubes to be used in the firm's test track en-route to Toulouse last week One firm working on the technology is Virgin Hyperloop, which has previously said that it aims to have an 'operational system' ready by 2021. The track could see UK passengers travel from Edinburgh to London in just 50 minutes. But in November the UK's Department for Transport (DfT) said a 2021 launch is unlikely. Instead, the DfT said it is likely to be 'at least a couple of decades' before an operational Hyperloop system is ready in Britain due to the 'scale of the technical challenges involved.' HTT's European test facility is based in a small facility at Toulouse's Francazal Airport, a disused former military base. The company plans to publicly unveil the facility and prototype track later this year Hyperloop systems could revolutionise transport around the world - but while the UK will get one, it could be a while before we see such a system in Britain Officials said the 'topology of the UK, its dense population and intensive land use' may delay the roll-out of Hyperloop in Britain. The DfT made the comments in a paper titled: 'Science Advisory Council Position Statement, Hyperloop, Moving Britain Ahead.' The paper looked at the technical feasibility of a Hyperloop system (not specifically Hyperloop One), and how this technology could be utilised in Britain's future transport infrastructure. The DfT described the system as 'transformative' and claimed it could allow commuters to 'live anywhere within the country and easily commute great distances.' A number of startups are vying to build the world's first Hyperloop, but Los Angeles-based HTT and competitor Virgin Hyperloop One (pictured) are the two front-runners While Virgin Hyperloop One has previously said that it aims to have an 'operational system' ready by 2021, the UK's Department for Transport (DfT) says that this is unlikely to be the case But the DfT wasn't optimistic about Virgin Hyperloop One's ambitious timeline of having an operational system ready in just four years. The paper said: 'The topology of the UK, its dense population and intensive land use may make Hyperloop construction more difficult and costly than in other locations.' The DfT said that finding a suitable route above ground could prove a challenge, and as a result, the system may need to be built underground. Facebook's artificial intelligence software can predict your future behaviour and sells this information to advertisers, it has emerged. Leaked documents have revealed that the social network offers firms the ability to target users based on how they may think and act in the future. Called 'loyalty prediction', the system guesses whether or not a user is about to stop using a product or service based on all of the data stored on their profile. It comes just weeks after the firm disclosed information about 50 million Facebook users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. The company profited from a feature that meant apps could ask for permission to access your own data as well as the data of all your Facebook friends. The world's largest social media company is already under pressure to improve the way it handles customer data. As part of this latest service, the advertiser is granted the power to bombard your feed with marketing material in order to change your course of action. Scroll down for video Facebook's artificial intelligence software predicts your future behaviour and sells this information to advertisers, it has emerged. The new tool raises concerns over privacy and data sharing in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal (stock) Leaked documents reveal the new service is being offered to Facebooks advertising clients, according to reports in The Intercept. Dubbed 'FBLearner Flow,' this AI-powered technology was first developed in 2016 but is only now being offered to third parties. Facebook says it can comb through its database of more than two billion users, to spot signs of millions of people who are 'at risk' of dropping their use of a particular brand. Advertisers could then take action to promote their business, in an attempt to dissuade customers from jumping ship. The service is not about showing you Pepsi ads because you have bought Coca-Cola, a long established technique in online marketing. Instead, it aims to predict the fact that you're dropping drinking soda altogether. The new tool raises concerns over privacy and data sharing in the wake of the Cambridge Anlaytica scandal. The world's largest social media company is already under pressure to improve the way it handles customer data. It comes after the firm disclosed that information about 50 million Facebook users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica Zuckerberg testified before Congress last week in two-high profile public hearings. A number of topics were discussed, from the firm's business model, user privacy and targeted ads to extremist content and hate speech WHAT IS THE CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA SCANDAL? Communications firms Cambridge Analytica has offices in London, New York, Washington, as well as Brazil and Malaysia. The company boasts it can 'find your voters and move them to action' through data-driven campaigns and a team that includes data scientists and behavioural psychologists. 'Within the United States alone, we have played a pivotal role in winning presidential races as well as congressional and state elections,' with data on more than 230 million American voters, Cambridge Analytica claims on its website. The company profited from a feature that meant apps could ask for permission to access your own data as well as the data of all your Facebook friends. It was initially estimated that the firm was able to mine the information of 55 million Facebook users even though just 270,000 people gave them permission to do so. But, Facebook has since revealed the number was actually as high as 87 million. This was designed to help them create software that can predict and influence voters' choices at the ballot box. The data firm suspended its chief executive, Alexander Nix, after recordings emerged of him making a series of controversial claims, including boasts that Cambridge Analytica had a pivotal role in the election of Donald Trump. This information is said to have been used to help the Brexit campaign in the UK. Advertisement Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress last week in two-high profile public hearings. A number of topics were discussed, from the firm's business model, user privacy and targeted ads to extremist content and hate speech. A recurring theme was the level of data gathered by the firm, and the way it is processed and shared. It also emerged that private conversations you had on Facebook Messenger may be among the data harvested by Cambridge Analytica. The disclosure was buried in the fine print of a 'Protecting Your Information' app, created to address concerns over the scandal and launched last week. It checks whether you or your friends logged into the 'This Is Your Digital Life' quiz responsible for the data grab. Some of the social network's 2.2 billion users have already begun to receive automatic notifications on their newsfeed as part of a gradual global rollout. Privacy concerned Facebook fans who have yet to receive the message can also access this information manually from a new section of its Help Centre site. Cambridge Analytica has denied the claims that it accessed private message data. 'This Is Your Digital Life' was designed by Cambridge University researcher Aleksandr Kogan's Global Science Research in 2014 to collect data on Americans. Users who gave permission for the quiz to run also granted it permission to mine their profile for additional information, including their page 'likes', their birthday and the city they live in. Thanks to a quirk in the way Facebook worked at the time, the app was also able to harvest similar data on a user's friends. This was then passed on to Cambridge Analytica through its parent firm Strategic Communication Laboratories (SCL). Messenger communications may be among the data harvested by Cambridge Analytica, a disclosure buried in a new 'Protecting Your Information' (pictured) tool on the social network has revealed Facebook slipped the previously unknown information into the fine print (highlighted in red) of the app created to address concerns over the scandal. MailOnline reporter Joe Pinkstone is among those to have had personal information shared with Cambridge Analytica Small print in the new 'Protecting Your Information' and related Help Centre page, which went largely unnoticed upon release, hinted at the inclusion of data from private messages in this process. Writing in it, a Facebook spokesman said: 'A small number of people who logged into 'This Is Your Digital Life' also shared their own News Feed, timeline, posts and messages which may have included posts and messages from you.' Menlo Park firm Facebook confirmed to Wired that the quiz requested access to user's Messenger inboxes through a read_mailbox permission contained in its coding. Friends that used the app 'This Is Your Digital Life' before it was removed in 2015 could have jeopardised the information of their friends to Cambridge Analytica. Many users took to social media after receiving automatic notifications The ability for apps to collect information on a user's friends was phased out in April 2015, unless both people had the same app installed. However, the read_mailbox permission didn't go out of operation until that October. Facebook estimates that a total of 1,500 people granted This Is Your Digital Life this permission in that time. Anyone who messaged those people or received messages from them on Facebook may be caught up in the leak, so the true number could be far higher. However, Cambridge Analytica denies having accessed this data. A spokesman added: 'GSR did not share the content of any private messages with Cambridge Analytica or SCL Elections. 'Neither company has ever handled such data.' Affected users are now being automatically presented with a notice that says: 'We have banned the website 'This Is Your Digital Life,' which one of your friends used Facebook to log into. HOW TO CHECK IF YOUR DATA WAS SHARED WITH CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA All 2.2 billion Facebook users began to receive a notification automatically at the top their newsfeed after it was launched on Tuesday, April 10, a day later than expected. Titled 'Protecting Your Information,' it contains a link to let you see what apps you use and what information you have shared with them. Affected users are automatically presented with a notice that says: 'We have banned the website "This Is Your Digital Life," which one of your friends used Facebook to log into. 'We did this because the website may have misused some of your Facebook information by sharing it with a company called Cambridge Analytica.' Users can then click on a 'See how you're affected' button to find out more as well as to remove permission for apps and websites you've logged into via Facebook to have access to your profile. For those not affected by the Cambridge Analytica incident the message reads: 'You can go to the Apps and Websites section of your settings anytime to see the apps and websites you've used Facebook to log into.' The 'Go to apps and websites' button will provide quick access to review and amend these permissions. A separate 'How can I tell if my info was shared with Cambridge Analytica?' tool will also resolve the question for you. To manually access this tool, click the link here. Users not believed to be affected will see the message 'Based on our available records, neither you nor your friends logged into "This Is Your Digital Life." 'As a result, it doesn't appear your Facebook information was shared with Cambridge Analytica by "This Is Your Digital Life".' Affected users will see a different message and they will be asked to to change their app settings, available here. This is something that is still advisable for the security conscious, removing permissions for apps you no longer need or don't recognise. Facebook is not notifying individual users of the identify of friends who may have used the 'This Is Your Digital Life' app. Advertisement 'We did this because the website may have misused some of your Facebook information by sharing it with a company called Cambridge Analytica.' For those not affected by the Cambridge Analytica incident the message reads: 'You can go to the Apps and Websites section of your settings anytime to see the apps and websites you've used Facebook to log into.' A separate webpage, 'How can I tell if my info was shared with Cambridge Analytica?', will also resolve the question for you. To manually access this site, click the link here. Users not believed to be affected will see the message 'Based on our available records, neither you nor your friends logged into 'This Is Your Digital Life'. Journalist Andrew Nathanson was not impressed by the revelation that Cambridge Analytica may have his personal infromation. He said his data was shared 'because a friend used a trash app' 'As a result, it doesn't appear your Facebook information was shared with Cambridge Analytica by 'This Is Your Digital Life'.' Affected users will see a different message and they will be asked to to change their app settings, available here. This is something that is still advisable for the security conscious, removing permissions for apps you no longer need or don't recognise. Facebook is not notifying individual users of the identify of friends who may have used the 'This Is Your Digital Life' app. Facebook is still reeling from its worst privacy crisis in history, which saw Trump -affiliated company Cambridge Analytica use the data mined to try and influence the US presidential election. A separate 'How can I tell if my info was shared with Cambridge Analytica?' webpage will also resolve the question for you. Affected users will see a different message to the one displayed and they will be asked to to change their app settings Latest estimates suggest more than 87 million users may have had their data mined by the firm through 'This Is Your Digital Life'. However, the whistleblower behind the revelations about the consultancy firm says the true number affected by the scandal could be far higher. The new tools came a day later than expected, with many criticising Facebook for a lack of communication. In a written statement at the time, Mike Schroepfer, chief technology officer at Facebook said: 'Starting on Monday, April 9, we'll show people a link at the top of their News Feed so they can see what apps they use and the information they have shared with those apps. 'People will also be able to remove apps that they no longer want. As part of this process we will also tell people if their information may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica. 'Overall, we believe these changes will better protect people's information while still enabling developers to create useful experiences. We know we have more work to do and we'll keep you updated as we make more changes.' Experts say the revelations may trigger a wave of lawsuits. A class action lawsuit filed against the firm is seeking compensation for the roughly 70 million US users who were affected as 'Facebook stood idly by' while Cambridge Analytica 'sucked down' their data. Facebook says most of the users caught up in the Cambridge Analytica scandal are in the US, with more than a million each in the Philippines, Indonesia and the UK. After finding out personal information was shared without their consent, some users blamed certain types of friends US law firm Hagens Berman filed the class-action suit with the US District Court for the Northern District of California on April 9 to represent the millions of Americans whose data were shared improperly. Damages in this case include both the dissemination of personal information and the loss of its sales value. It's not yet clear how much money the affected users could be compensated, though lawyers in the UK have estimated it could be upwards of 10,000-12,500 ($14,000-17,000) for some. The amounts, however, will ultimately be determined at trial, Hagens Berman says. In March, three users of the Facebook Messenger app sued Facebook, saying the social network violated their privacy by collecting logs of their phone calls and text messages, in the latest legal challenge facing the company. The US lawsuit filed in federal court in the Northern District of California seeks status as a class action on behalf of all affected users and asks for unspecified damages. It's not clear yet if Facebook users in the US could claim similar compensation for having their data compromised as part of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. However, dispute resolution lawyer Jonathan Compton said those affected in the UK could complain to the Information Commissioner's Office or make a claim through the civil courts on the grounds that losing their data had been 'distressing'. WHAT IS THE LEGAL IMPACT OF THE CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA SCANDAL? News that Trump-affiliated company Cambridge Analytica used data mined from Facebook user's to try and influence the US presidential election may trigger a wave of lawsuits, according to experts. Vanessa Barnett, a commercial lawyer and data protection expert at Keystone Law, believes it's 'very likely' we will see a slew of legal cases against the firms in the wake of the scandal. Speaking to MailOnline, she said: 'In the UK, users can take direct action for damages caused to them by a data breach and that includes damages for distress. 'How that translates into a "pounds, shillings, pence" type number for each person would depend on the nature of the damage.' 'We have case law where the Home Office revealed personal data of asylum seekers, including potentially where they lived. Some of those individuals were awarded 12,500 ($14,000) in damages. 'It remains to be seen if the damage caused by the Cambridge Analytica scandal is comparable.' Ms Barnett says that a number of consumer rights focused groups are looking at the possibility of a class action lawsuit, a more regular feature of the US legal system than in the UK. A class action lawsuit filed against the firm in America is now seeking compensation for the roughly 70 million US users who were affected. Ms Barnett added: 'Years ago we just had Max Schrems vs Facebook, and he didnt do too bad, but now its much more in the public consciousness. 'If the mechanics to participate in a class action are easy, I can see many users joining in.' Advertisement Mr Compton, a partner at DMH Stallard, said: 'The start point for any award might be between 10,000 and 12,500. This will vary of course if the personal information is comparatively trivial or very serious and damaging.' Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie in March revealed that the political firm had improperly collected the data of millions of Facebook users without their consent. He previously estimated that more than 50 million people were compromised by a personality quiz that collected their data and that of their friends. Mr Schroepfer upped this to around 87 million users. And in an interview aired on NBC's 'Meet the Press,' Mr Wylie revised this number saying that it could actually be larger than 87 million. 'I think that it could be higher, absolutely,' he said. Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie in March revealed that the political firm had improperly collected the data of millions of Facebook users without their consent. In a recent interview, he revised this number saying that it could actually be larger than 87m WHO ARE THE DATA VAMPIRES MINING FOR INFO ON FACEBOOK? Facebooks latest scandal involving communications firm Cambridge Analytica has served as a startling wake-up call for many users on the countless companies mining our social data. Through a feature that meant apps could ask for permission not only to your data, but that of your Facebook friends as well, the firm was able to mine the information of million of users. And, only 270,000 had given them permission to do so. In 2014, Facebook changed its rules so that apps could no longer obtain data about a persons friends unless those users had also authorized the app. Still, Cambridge Analytica is far from the only firm to have access to Facebook users data. By connecting your Facebook profile to a third-party app, youre typically also granting that app permission to access your data. You can check which apps your Facebook account is sharing data with by clicking here. To view the apps you've given permission to (as shown above), go to Settings > Apps That includes your name, profile picture, cover photo, gender, networks, username and user ID. These apps can also access your friends list, and any other public data. Once the outside parties have access to your data, they can then use it to track different types of activity. Many popular apps such as Instagram, Spotify, Airbnb, and Tinder can be connected to your Facebook account. Just weeks ago, for example, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe bragged that the company stores 'an enormous amount of information' about users, and even tracks where they go after the movies. MoviePass is also among the many apps that can be connected to your Facebook. And, it doesnt stop there. Facebook users are waking up to just how much of their private information they have accidentally handed over to third-party apps. Social media users are sharing their shock at discovering thousands of software plugins have been gathering their data Taking Facebook quizzes from third-party services, or doing image generators (such as the ever-popular What Would Your Baby Look Like, or What Would You Look Like As The Opposite Sex), also often gives outside firms access to your data. While these are usually preceded by a pop-up asking permission to access certain parts of your profile, many users have taken to clicking through without thoroughly reading what theyve just agreed to. Some users are now expressing their horror upon realizing theyve granted permission to hundreds of third-party apps. Other apps that have experienced viral popularity over the last few years, such as Facetune and Meitu, can access your Facebook data as well. Advertisement The initial conservative estimate, Mr Wylie explained, was made based on evidence in his possession at the time, adding that The Guardian, who broke the story, published only what could be verified at the time. Cambridge Analytica, run by former White House senior adviser Steve Bannon and billionaire campaign benefactor Robert Mercer, was hired by the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. Facebook is in full damage-control mode, with Mark Zuckerberg acknowledging he's made a 'huge mistake' in failing to take a broad enough view of what Facebook's responsibility is in the world. WHAT HAS MARK ZUCKERBERG DISCUSSED WITH CONGRESS IN THE WAKE OF DATA CRISIS? Mark Zuckerberg has appeared before Congress to address mounting concerns raised in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. A number of topics were discussed, from the firm's business model, user privacy and targeted ads to extremist content and hate speech. Day One During testimony before a joint hearing with the Senate judiciary and commerce committees, Zuckerberg was grilled on a range of subjects. This included: Robert Mueller Zuckerberg confirmed Facebook is 'working with' special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators as lawmakers demand answers on how Cambridge Analytica got access to 87 million users's data. He also at first revealed that Facebook had received subpoenas from Mueller's investigators - only to walk back the account under questioning, over fears he could reveal information confidential to the inquiry. Data security Lawmakers went after Facebook for recent security breakdowns, saying 'there was clearly a breach of consumer trust and a likely improper transfer of consumer data.' Zuckerberg tried to reassure Congress, saying Facebook would investigate 'every single app that had access to a large amount of information' on the site. Senators pushed the point by asking Zuckerberg where he had stayed the previous night and who had messaged during the past week, which he refused to answer. Russian exploitation Zuckerberg was asked what Facebook is doing to prevent foreign actors from interfering in US elections. The 33-year-old said Facebook was in a constant struggle to guard against Russian manipulation of the Facebook platform to influence elections in the US and elsewhere. He responded that this was one of his top priorities for 2018. Political bias Senator Ted Cruz of Texas accused Facebook of bias shutting out conservative voices, saying the firm had 'blocked' Trump-loving performers Diamond & Silk from its site. Last year Facebook limited distribution of their content, but did not shut down their page, the Wall Street Journal reported. Business model The Facebook CEO confirmed that the social network isn't planning on charging its users for the service just yet. Rumours were sparked by COO Sheryl Sandberg's comments last week, made during an interview withToday, that an ad-free Facebook 'would be a paid product.' According to Zuckerberg, Facebook will always be free or at least, some version of it will. Hate speech Facebook will have AI tools to automatically flag and remove hate speech before it appears within five to ten years, Zuckerberg says. The company has already developed intelligent software tools to root out terrorist propaganda and will continue to develop them for hate speech, he told Congress. The company hopes to have 20,000 employees working to review security and content issues by the end of 2018, he added. Day Two Zuckerburg's data The Facebook CEO revealed that his own personal data had been included when 87 million or so Facebook users had their information improperly shared with political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Shadow profiles Zuckerberg said he had never heard of the term 'shadow profiles,' but admitted that Facebook collected information on non-users. Members of Congress took issue with the practice because non-users currently had to sign up for Facebook if they wanted to see what data of theirs the social network collected. Anti-conservative bias Republican lawmakers continued to grumble over Facebook's treatment of Trump-supporting sisters Diamond and Silk. Zuckerberg was asked 'What is unsafe about two black women supporting President Donald J. Trump?'. Facebook acknowledged sending a message to the sisters, prominent conservative video bloggers, deeming their content 'unsafe,' but the social network said the contents of the message were 'inaccurate.' Regulation Zuckerberg told lawmakers that regulation of his company is 'inevitable,' but that he came to Capitol Hill prepared to defend against proposals he thought went too far. New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the panel and a 30-year veteran of the House, said at the beginning of the hearing that he plans to work on legislation but is pessimistic that Congress will pass anything. Advertisement Zuckerberg was grilled by Congress on a range of subjects when he appeared before them last week. This included special counsel Robert Mueller's investigations, data privacy, Russian exploitation, political bias, the firm's business model and hate speech on the social network. Zuckerberg has said Facebook came up with the 87 million figure by calculating the maximum number of friends that users could have had while Kogan's app was collecting data. The company doesn't have logs going back that far, he said, so it can't know exactly how many people may have been affected. HOW DOES FACEBOOK'S NEW BULK APP REMOVAL TOOL WORK? Facebook has added a new way to remove third-party apps from your profile in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The tool helps users to delete unwanted apps that may be storing their information. To access the feature, go to the Apps section in your Facebook settings. This is found by clicking on the downward-facing arrow in the upper right of the main desktop on a computer, or or on mobile by tapping on the three horizontal lines on the navigation bar and scrolling to the bottom. From here, you can view all third-party apps with access to information stored on your profile under the 'Logged in with Facebook' section. Tick the box next to any apps you'd rather delete and then select 'remove'. Confirm your choice by tapping 'remove' again in the resulting popup box. Within this box, Facebook gives you the option to also delete all posts, photos and videos on the platform posted for you by that app. Advertisement Cambridge Analytica previously said in a statement that it had data for only 30 million people. Zuckerberg took out full-page adverts in nine major US and British newspapers in late March to apologise for the Cambridge Analytica scandal. In the ads, the Facebook founder vowed to clamp down on allowing third parties access to data which can be sold on. The ads, done in simple black text against a plain white background, were headlined: 'We have a responsibility to protect your information. If we can't, we don't deserve it.' 'You may have heard about a quiz app built by a university researcher that leaked Facebook data of millions of people in 2014,' the apology begins. 'This was a breach of trust, and I'm sorry we didn't do more at the time. We're now taking steps to make sure this doesn't happen again.' 'We've already stopped apps like this from getting so much information. Now we're limiting the data apps get when you sign in using Facebook.' 'We're also investigating every single app that had access to large amounts of data before we fixed this. We expect there are others. And when we find them, we will ban them and tell everyone affected. 'Finally, we'll remind you which apps you've given access to your information - so you can shut off the ones you don't want anymore.' 'Thank you for believing in this community. I promise to do better for you.' The apology was formally signed off by the Facebook chief. WHAT HAS FACEBOOK DONE TO ADDRESS PRIVACY CONCERNS? Facebook is giving its privacy tools a makeover as it reels from criticisms over its data practices and faces tighter European regulations in the coming months. The changes won't affect Facebook's privacy policies or the types of data it gathers about its users. But the company hopes its 2.2 billion users will have an easier time navigating its complex and often confusing privacy and security settings. Facebook is giving its privacy tools a makeover as it reels from criticisms over its data practices and faces tighter European regulations in the coming months. This image shows how the settings will appear before (left) and after (right) the redesign Facebook says it's trying to make the controls easier to find and to give users a simpler way to access and download the data it collects on them. The announcement follows revelations that Trump-affiliated consulting firm got data on millions of unsuspecting Facebook users. Facebook is also facing criticism for collecting years of data on call and text histories from Android users. In a written statement, Erin Egan, vice president and chief privacy officer, policy, and Ashlie Beringer, vice president and deputy general counsel, said: 'Last week showed how much more work we need to do to enforce our policies and help people understand how Facebook works and the choices they have over their data. This image shows a redesign of Facebook's privacy tools. The changes won't affect Facebook's privacy policies or the types of data it gathers on users, but the company hopes users will have an easier time navigating its complex settings menus Among the changes, Facebook is making data settings and tools easier to find, is introducing a new privacy shortcuts menu, and is adding tools to find, download and delete your Facebook data 'Weve heard loud and clear that privacy settings and other important tools are too hard to find and that we must do more to keep people informed. 'Were taking additional steps in the coming weeks to put people more in control of their privacy. 'Most of these updates have been in the works for some time, but the events of the past several days underscore their importance.' Among the changes, Facebook is making data settings and tools easier to find, is introducing a new privacy shortcuts menu, and is adding tools to find, download and delete your Facebook data. Advertisement The Facebook data scandal deepened after users found the social network had harvested information including call logs and text messages. Some users discovered the firm had been storing complete logs of incoming and outgoing calls and text messages. Others reported that data such as contacts in their address books, social events in their calendars and even friends' birthdays had been stored. The company says an opt-out for uploading contacts is available and users can delete all uploaded contacts by turning off the continuous uploading setting in Facebook's Messenger app. All previously uploaded contacts are deleted when a user permanently removes their profile. Contacts will also no longer continue to be uploaded. Imagine a future where your smartphone's microphone can be used to automatically alert medical staff that you're having a heart attack. That's the level of technology envisioned for a new app being created for the Pentagon to keep track of a soldier's health on the battlefield. The software will harvest data from cameras, light sensors, pedometers, fingerprint sensors, and other sensors to make its evaluations. Funded by secretive weapons development agency Darpa, the military technology is likely to become publicly available in the not too distant future. Scroll down for video Imagine a future where your smartphone's microphone can be used to automatically alert medical staff that you're having a heart attack. That's the level of technology envisioned for a new app being created for the Pentagon (stock image) Kryptowire, a cybersecurity firm based in Fairfax, Virginia was awarded a $5.1 million (3.5 million) contract to create the app. It's part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) funded warfighter analytics using smartphones for health programme, also known as Wash. The app will passively collect smartphone sensor measurements to provide real-time monitoring of a soldier's health, as well as detecting biomarkers for early disease diagnosis. It aims to allow intervention in medical issues, before a patient has to visit a doctor or nurse due to symptoms developing. However the privacy implications of the app, being built for Android and iOS, are of concern to experts. 'If youre activating a microphone on someones phone, that is going to raise a lot of alarms, Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union, told the Washington Post. 'People dont want to feel like someone is listening in on their private life. Thats going to have to be subject to tight controls.' Currently, understanding and assessing the readiness of a soldier to fight involves medical intervention. Funded by secretive weapons development agency Darpa, The software will harvest data from cameras, light sensors, pedometers, fingerprint sensors, and other sensors to keep track of a soldier's health on the battlefield (stock image) This is often with the help of advanced equipment, such as electrocardiographs (EKGs) and other specialised medical devices. However, these are often too expensive and cumbersome to employ continuously or without supervision during active service. On the other hand, 92 per cent of adults in the United States own a smartphone, or other mobile device. These could be used as the basis for continuous, passive health, and readiness assessment. Wash seeks to use data collected from smartphone sensors to enable specially created algorithms to analyse their measurements. The objective of Wash is to extract physiological signals, which may be weak and noisy, that are embedded in the data obtained through existing mobile device sensors. Despite widely circulated claims this week that astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second human to step foot on the moon, saw alien activity during his historic 1969 mission, no such close encounter ever actually happened. In fact, the Apollo 11 astronaut has said the exact opposite about the unusual sighting in question. Describing the appearance of a moving light alongside his spacecraft, Aldrin said explicitly during a 2014 Q&A: It was not an alien. Renewed interested in Aldrins strange experience has been sparked by a bizarre story published earlier this month by the Daily Star, which claimed he passed a lie detector test after recalling an alien encounter. But, the astronaut never took a lie detector test on the subject, and never stated he saw aliens in the first place. Scroll down for video Despite widely circulated claims this week that astronaut Buzz Aldrin (right) , the second human to step foot on the moon, saw alien activity during his 1969 mission, no such encounter ever actually happened. Pictured are Neil Armstrong (left) and Michael Collins (center) Over the years, Aldrin has described a strange sighting that occurred during his 1969 mission, when a light appeared outside of the module. While he has said that 'technically, the definition could be "unidentified,"' as he did not know what exactly caused the light at the time, he has repeatedly insisted that it was not of alien origin. In a 2014 question-and-answer session on Reddit, he explained that it was likely the reflection of the sun bouncing off a panel that separated from the craft after launch. 'On Apollo 11 in route to the Moon, I observed a light out the window that appeared to be moving alongside us,' Aldrin wrote. 'There were many explanations of what that could be, other than another spacecraft from another country or another world - it was either the rocket we had separated from, or the 4 panels that moved away when we extracted the lander from the rocket and we were nose to nose with the two spacecraft. 'So in the close vicinity, moving away, were 4 panels. And I feel absolutely convinced that we were looking at the sun reflected off of one of these panels. Which one? I don't know. So technically, the definition could be "unidentified." 'We well understood exactly what that was. And when we returned, we debriefed and explained exactly what we had observed.' Pictured, astronaut Edwin E. 'Buzz' Aldrin Jr. poses for a photograph beside a U.S. flag planted on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission Still, the Star's story claims the second man to walk on the moon 'took part' in research conducted by an Ohio woman, Sharry Edwards that confirmed he had an alien encounter. But Edwards told The Associated Press in an email, 'There were no tests.' She claims that reviews of recordings of Aldrin's voice indicate he 'has a firm belief' that he saw a UFO. NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz said in an email to the AP that Aldrin likely saw panels that separated as the Apollo 11 command module maneuvered to dock with the lunar lander on the way to the moon in 1969. Police in Wales located a drug dealer by studying a photo of his hand that showed part of his fingerprint. The unprecedented technique was used to arrest not only one criminal but also 10 more the drug dealer worked with, according to BBC. Police workers found a photo of the man's hand holding ecstasy tablets on the mobile device of someone they had already arrested. They analyzed a fingerprint in the photo which led them to the arrest of the man it belonged to. Police in Wales used this photo to arrest the drug dealer holding the ecstasy tablets shown here. The photo was found in a WhatsApp chat and police were able to identify the person featured in it by scanning their fingerprint The bizarre case could shape the way police workers track down criminals in the age of social media. Security workers at the South Wales Police department were tasked with analyzing the fingerprint. Department employee Dave Thomas told the BBC: '[Fingerprinting] is an old-fashioned technique, not new. 'Ultimately, beyond everything else, we took a phone and looked at everything on it - we knew it had a hand with drugs on it. These guys [drug dealers] are using the technology not to get caught and we need to keep up with advancements.' The photograph surfaced after police raided a house thought to be a station for drug dealers. This is how they found the phone that had the photo of the hand on it. An officer spotted the photo months deep in a WhatsApp chat. Pictured are three of the people arrested as a result of the photo police discovered in a WhatsApp chat. The hand in the picture belonged to Elliott Morris (right) who was working with his mother Dominique (center) and father Darren (left) to illegally distribute drugs The chat included texts from an unidentified individual asking others which drugs they wanted to purchase. Thomas said: 'There was then the photograph of the hand holding pills that seemed like it was sent to potential customers saying, "These are my wares; I'm selling these." 'But he was not thinking it showed part of his hand and there was potentially a fingerprint.' The police department's scientific support unit scanned the image and the suspect was identified. HOW DID COPS USE A PHOTO OF A FINGER TO IDENTIFY A CRIMINAL? Police in Wales recently located a drug dealer using only a photo of his hand holding ecstasy tablets. It was challenging to locate the criminal based on his fingerprint since the entirety of it was not shown in the picture. Rather, it was partially featured in the photograph. When the police scanned it and uploaded it into their system, they did not immediately find a match. They never located an exact replica, but they were able to collect enough evidence to make an educated guess about the identity of the man in the photo. 'While the scale and quality of the photograph proved a challenge, the small bits were enough to prove he was the dealer. It has now opened the floodgates, and when there is part of a hand in a photograph officers are sending them in,' South Wales Police employee Dave Thomas said. Advertisement Thomas is hopeful the technique can be used in similar cases in the future; he referenced a statistic claiming 80 percent of people use their cellphones to record car crashes, fights and similar dicey incidents. 'We can download and enhance [footage]. These are all advancements in the digital world. They provide lots of questions we need to provide answers for,' he said. Thomas said the case was 'groundbreaking' and that police workers are already analyzing other photographs on seized phones more closely to try to locate unidentified criminals. He said: 'We want to be in a position where there is a burglary at 8:30pm, we can scan evidence and by 8:45pm be waiting at the offender's front door and arrest them arriving home with the swag. That will work through remote transmission: scanning evidence at the scene and sending it back quickly for a match. It's the future.' The relatively low cost of living in the Czech Republic means its easy to indulge yourself without breaking the bank when choosing a hotel in Prague. The citys budget accommodation includes historic buildings, four-star properties and even some eye-catching design hotels. Groovy baby: Step back in time at Vintage Design Hotel Sax with their fun decor Vintage Design Hotel Sax Rating: The colourful Hotel Sax is a feast for the eyes, with interiors inspired by post-war pop culture. Its a great choice for travellers who want a hotel that stands out aesthetically; each of the 22 luxurious rooms is individually furnished in bright colours. Some of the rooms boast balconies with Old Town views, while from the communal terrace you can enjoy the spectacular panorama of Prague Castle and Petrin Hill. Located in the Mala Strana district, this hotel is ideal for exploring the magnificent buildings of the one-time aristocratic neighbourhood. Tram: Malostranske namesti The buzzy Jewel Cafe Bar in the Design Hotel Jewel Prague is perfect for a night cap Design Hotel Jewel Prague Rating: Perfect for both families and couples, the intimate Design Hotel Jewel Prague occupies a charming historic building in Pragues city centre. The interiors include a listed gold-painted ceiling on the ground floor and original 13th-century brickwork in the basement. Conversely, the furniture and artworks tend to be contemporary. In the Jewel Cafe Bar and Restaurant, which is decorated with 10,000 crystals, you can treat yourself to modern cuisine and cocktails. Metro: Mustek The Grand Majestic Plaza Prague is located in the heart of the city and the rooms are large and spacious too... What more could you want? Grand Majestic Plaza Prague Rating: The large Hotel Grand Majestic Plaza Prague with its clean and comfortable rooms, welcoming staff and splendid public areas offers great value for money. Located within walking distance of many of Pragues main attractions, including Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter and Municipal House, it has the Atrium Restaurant serving an a la carte menu as well as buffets and the modern Grand Lounge Lobby Bar, which also serves snacks as well as a selection of cocktails and wine. This hotels facilities and convenient setting make it a great pick for everyone, including families. Tram: Dlouha trida Hotel Max Rating: The Maximilian was established in 1995, just a few years after Czechoslovakia became an independent state. One of its two buildings dates back to the 1920s and was designed by Karel Teige, who was a visionary of the Czech avant-garde style. The dignified interiors have since been given a revamp by contemporary Czech designer Eva Jiricna and are peppered with Czech artworks. The location is central yet quiet, and the on-site Asian-themed spa also ensures that this hotel is a tranquil haven in the midst of the Old Town bustle. Tram: Dlouha trida Hotel Liliova Prague Old Town is a great base for all the must-see attractions Hotel Liliova Prague Old Town Rating: Its hard to get more central than the four-star Hotel Liliova just a few steps from Charles Bridge in Pragues historic Old Town. This traditional property features a French restaurant, the Art Culinaire du Cognac, in its renovated historical cellar, as well as a bar specialising in spirits from the Cognac area. In fine weather the restaurant and bar extend outside into a delightful cobbled courtyard. The hotels 35 rooms are decorated in a 19th-century style with a modern twist. If you opt for a top-floor room, youll be treated to a stunning panorama of the city. Some rooms even have views of Prague Castle. Metro: Staromestska Relax and unwind after a day of exploring in the SPA at the Royal Court Hotel Royal Court Hotel Rating: The Royal Court manages to be both cosy and luxurious, combining charming boutique interiors with a glittering spa. Its a little further out than many other options, but the historic centre can be reached in 30 minutes on foot. The hotels spa which boasts a Jacuzzi and a Finnish sauna and offers Thai massages is ideal for couples looking for pampering without busting the budget. Royal Court Hotel is also a great option for travellers loathe to leave their pets at home as it accommodates small animals. Tram: Pod Karlovem You'll feel right at home at the Louren Hotel Louren Hotel Rating: Louren Hotel is situated in the trendy neighbourhood of Vinohrady, which, although close to the centre, has its own culture and fewer tourists. The Old Town can be reached from the hotel in 15 minutes by public transport, or 45 minutes on foot. The understated rooms are decorated in a simple yet homely style, with family suites available. This is a good option if you want to avoid the bustle of central Prague and enjoy a more authentic Czech experience. Metro: Jiriho z Podebrad The Nicholas Hotel Residence is ideal for a family trip to the Czech capital The Nicholas Hotel Residence Rating: The attractive Nicholas Hotel Residence in a Rococo building dating back to 1786 boasts grandiose exteriors and charming rooms with wooden beams. In the Mala Strana district, adjacent to the Baroque masterpiece that is the Church of St Nicholas, its just a stone's throw from Charles Bridge. The top floor is home to nine romantic suites complete with kitchenettes, ideal for couples. There are also suites well suited to families, sleeping up to four, and a two-bedroom apartment for up to six. Tram: Malostranske namesti Advertisement Its the hotel most likely to inspire severe holiday envy. Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas has been voted Most Instagrammable Hotel in the world and these images show why. Scroll through them and feast your eyes upon the resorts drool-worthy attributes, such as an underwater restaurant, 80 thatched-roof pool villas and impossibly wide stretches of beach. Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas has been voted Most Instagrammable Hotel in the world The gong was awarded to Anantara Kihavah following a poll by Luxury Travel Advisor. The contest saw 121,000 votes cast online, with Anantara Kihavah taking 45,385 The hotel said in a statement: Designed by Maldivian architects Group X Design Associates, Anantara Kihavah offers the luxury of solitude against the worlds most stunning backdrop' 'Within a lagoon of jewel-toned hues lies a shell-shaped island fringed by impossibly wide stretches of beach. Uninhabited islets dot the horizon of deep sapphire Indian Ocean beyond. Nature reigns at Anantara Kihavah,' the hotel said The gong was awarded to Anantara Kihavah following a poll by Luxury Travel Advisor. The contest saw 121,000 votes cast online, with Anantara Kihavah taking 45,385. The hotel said in a statement: Designed by Maldivian architects Group X Design Associates, Anantara Kihavah offers the luxury of solitude against the worlds most stunning backdrop. Natural materials and motifs inspired by Maldivian heritage fuse to create laidback luxury. The resort features a stunning underwater restaurant, where diners can gaze upon the rich sea life outside General Manager, Dylan Counsel, said: I would like to thank Luxury Travel Advisors many, many voters for recognising the unparalleled beauty of our island' Situated on the western Baa Atoll in a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah is a 30-minute seaplane flight from Male and Velana International Airport Within a lagoon of jewel-toned hues lies a shell-shaped island fringed by impossibly wide stretches of beach. Uninhabited islets dot the horizon of deep sapphire Indian Ocean beyond. Nature reigns at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, dressed in sophistication and wonder. 'Sleep and spa overwater. Dine below the oceans surface. Gaze at the star-filled sky from the Maldives newest observatory housing the regions most powerful telescope. 'Cruise with dolphins or snorkel with majestic manta rays and hawksbill turtles. Nightly rates at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas start from 787 for a Beach Pool Villa for two adults and up to two children on a B&B basis Activities at the resort include swimming with dolphins or snorkelling with majestic manta rays and hawksbill turtles Guests can luxuriate in villas that are dotted around the deep sapphire Indian Ocean Paradise: These images show that the hotel is easily one of the most drool-worthy around General Manager, Dylan Counsel, said: I would like to thank Luxury Travel Advisors many, many voters for recognising the unparalleled beauty of our island. Weve been lucky to have award-winning landscapers, architects and interior designers working in harmony to perfect our surrounds, and their good work is enhanced everyday by the resort team who take care of our island, reefs and ocean with such dedication and add the small touches that perfect the guest experience. Situated on the western Baa Atoll in a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, Anantara Kihavah is a 30-minute seaplane flight from Male and Velana International Airport. Nightly rates at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas start from 787 for a Beach Pool Villa for two adults and up to two children on a B&B basis. Bachelor In Paradise star Megan Marx has claimed she was offered the role of Australia's first bisexual Bachelorette. Megan told NW magazine on Monday she was lined up for the 2017 season until Sophie Monk 'asked if she could do the show'. The 29-year-old even claimed producers flew her from Europe to Australia to hold discussions for a proposed new format that involved male and female suitors. What could have been! Bachelor In Paradise star Megan Marx (pictured) has claimed she was offered the role of Australia's first bisexual Bachelorette last year Megan told NW: 'I was meant to be the Bachelorette on Sophie's season as they wanted someone bisexual. 'But then Sophie asked if she could do the show and she was awesome and maybe I wasn't ready.' She explained of the new format: 'It was in the early stages (of planning), but it would have been mainly guys and a few girls in the mansion.' Daily Mail Australia has approached Network Ten for comment. Shame it didn't work out! Megan told NW on Monday she was lined up for the 2017 season until Sophie Monk 'asked if she could do the show'. Pictured: Sophie Monk and her ex, Stu Laundy Megan rose to fame on the 2016 season of The Bachelor, starring Richie Strahan. She famously walked out during a Rose Ceremony, despite being an early favourite to win the show. A few months after filming, the former health promotions officer began a relationship with fellow contestant Tiffany Scanlon. Must-see TV! The former Bachelor 2016 contestant is currently appearing on Bachelor In Paradise, which continues Monday at 7:30pm on Network Ten Their post-Bachelor same-sex romance made headlines across the world, and even attracted some media attention overseas. Megan was previously married at age 18 while she was still a virgin and claims to have had a strict religious upbringing. She is currently appearing on Bachelor In Paradise, which continues Monday at 7:30pm on Network Ten. He left the judges in hysterics after he roasted them in a comedy song he wrote himself on Saturday. However, Robert White has revealed to The Sun that not all his jokes have gone down quite so well and one past prank on his ex-boyfriend landed him three months in prison on remand. He told the publication: 'Id misunderstand things and, one time, that led to a practical joke the police mistranslated as a crime. Oops!: Robert White revealed to The Sun that one past prank on his ex-boyfriend landed him three months in prison on remand 'I got three months in Wandsworth prison.' The comedian, who has autism and Asperger syndrome, planned to go into the shop where his ex-boyfriend worked in a ball gown with a music stand and say 'music stand and deliver'. However, he didn't do it and instead was questioned by officers after stepping in front of a police car. Backfired: The comedian, who has autism and Asperger syndrome, planned to go into the shop where his ex-boyfriend worked in a ball gown with a music stand Serious: However, he didn't do it and instead was questioned by officers after stepping in front of a police car (Wandsworth prison pictured in 2010) And when he called the stand a gun, because he was supposed to be a comedy armed robber, he was set to be charged with armed robbery but it was later changed to attempt to threaten with an imitation firearm. He candidly added: 'I look back on this as a foolish mistake. I was only 19, hadnt yet been diagnosed with Aspergers and had some growing up to do.' However, despite his past mistake, Robert's comedy audition went down really well with the judges made up of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon on Saturday's first episode. Weighty: And when he called the stand a gun, he was supposed to be a comedy armed robber, he was set to be charged with armed robbery but it was later changed to attempt to threaten with an imitation firearm Past mistake: However, despite his past mistake, Robert's comedy audition went down well with the judges made up of Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, David Walliams and Alesha Dixon During his routine, the comedian joked that his sketch had to be 'PC' so he performed a song about computers, incorporating each judge into it. In the lyrics, he joked: 'David Walliams wanted to update his content reminder/He brought me a massive ring binder/But when I looked all the contacts were from Grinder.' He added: 'Amanda Holden was the only one who's Instagram was on the mark/She said her outfits have so much spark/I said I'm just jealous I'll never dress like you/Cos I don't shop in Primark.' While he went on to joke that Alesha's webcam wasn't broken, it was just her face, and that Simon has no friends. Hilarious: During his routine, the comedian joked that his sketch had to be 'PC' so he performed a song about computers, incorporating each judge into it Roasted: He went on to joke that Alesha's webcam wasn't broken, it was just her face, and that Simon has no friends Despite the absolute roasting, the judges were left in hysterics and all scored Robert four 'yeses'. David said: 'Robert I love you. You're a beautiful soul. Comedy flows from you like water.' While Simon added: 'You're very unique, you're very quirky, very funny, very naughty, Robert, which we like!' Britain's Got Talent continues on Saturdays at 8pm on ITV. Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Australian actress Esther Anderson and British advertising executive Howard Moggs tied the knot in February 2017 on the breathtaking Bellarine Peninsula. And on Monday, the Los Angeles-based couple announced they are expecting their first child in July this year. The 38-year-old former Home and Away star told New Idea: 'We're not spring chickens but we're so ready for parenthood!' Scroll down for video 'We're not spring chickens but we're so ready for parenthood!' Former Home and Away star Esther Anderson, 38, has announced she is expecting a child with her husband Howard Moggs Esther revealed to the publication she fell pregnant while she was filming her latest movie. 'We weren't actually trying the month I got pregnant, because I had a movie role. However, baby wanted to come join us!' she said. 'I was five months pregnant by the time we finished the film, so they were shooting around me.' The Gold Logie nominee said she was in 'absolute shock and disbelief' when her pregnancy test returned a positive result. 'We weren't actually trying the month I got pregnant': The Gold Logie nominee revealed she was in 'absolute shock and disbelief' when her pregnancy test returned a positive result 'I didn't believe it at first, I was in absolute shock and disbelief, so I had to do another test. It was mind-blowing!' Esther revealed to the publication. Esther explained that she and Howard are yet to find out the sex of their baby and would prefer for it to stay 'surprise'. As a result, the couple are decorating their unborn baby's room in 'neutral shades'. It's expected the baby will be born in Los Angeles, but Esther and Howard are yet to determine where they plan to raise the child. Will they settle in Australia? It's expected the baby will be born in Los Angeles, but Esther and Howard are yet to determine where they plan to raise the child Earlier this year, Esther and Howard returned to Australia for a short New Year's trip. She took to Instagram to share a snap of the couple posing at Sydney's Bondi Beach. 'Back in my old stomping ground with bestie and hubby,' she wrote in the caption. 'Back in my old stomping ground with bestie and hubby': Earlier this year, Esther and Howard returned to Australia for a short New Year's trip Aside from marrying her British partner last year, Esther had only one acting role on the Netflix series GLOW. Esther left her role as the police officer Charlie Buckton on Home and Away in 2013. She went on to do a few stints on reality TV, including Dancing With The Stars and The Celebrity Apprentice. It's just six months since Jason Aldean was left devastated when 58 people were murdered in a horrific massacre as he performed in Las Vegas. But the country singer made his return to the city on Sunday night, as he attended the ACMs. The 41-year-old was joined by his wife Brittany Kerr, 29, who welcomed their first child, daughter Memphis, just four months ago. Scroll down for video Return: Jason Aldean made his return to Vegas during Sunday night's ACMs, his first time back in Sin City since 58 people were murdered in a horrific massacre as he performed in Las Vegas During the ceremony Jason was honored with the Entertainer Of The Year award and after thanking his loved ones, he said, 'It's been a rough year. I just want to say thanks to everybody that reached out to us, that showed us love and support over the last six months. It meant the world to us.' He paid tribute to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting and said, 'To my Route 91 people, you guys are in our hearts always. I love you guys, and we love Las Vegas. Vegas strong, baby. Thank you.' Aldean also appeared at the start of the telecast to join with other artists to dedicate the awards show to shooting victims and their family and friends. 'For those of us who have experienced tragedy and unexpected loss, music helps us remember what's most important in life,' he said. 'It gives us the chance to rejoice in what we have and gives us a reason to carry on. Blazing saddles! The 41-year-old was joined by his wife Brittany Kerr, 29, who welcomed their first child, daughter Memphis, just four months ago Winning big: During the ceremony Jason was honored with the Entertainer Of The Year award His lucky charm! Jason's wife made sure to give her hubby a tender kiss upon his win Dedicated to them: After thanking his loved ones, Jason paid tribute to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting and said, 'To my Route 91 people, you guys are in our hearts always. I love you guys, and we love Las Vegas. Vegas strong, baby. Thank you' Winning team! Jason's wife Brittany appeared ecstatic at news of her love's big win Grateful: Jason thanked fans for supporting him through 'a rough year,' telling the audience 'I just want to say thanks to everybody that reached out to us, that showed us love and support over the last six months. It meant the world to us' 'Tonight we wanted to open the show with something that shows what its like for our country music family to be back in Las Vegas for the first time since October 1,' he said. 'We thought about starting with a song, but its a lot bigger than a single song,' Aldean added. 'Its everything youll hear tonight the songs that bring us to our feet, make you wanna pull someone close, or just live in the moment. Nothing can take that away from us.' ACM producers said that Aldean was integral in planning the tribute. 'Remember what's most important': 'For those of us who have experienced tragedy and unexpected loss, music helps us remember what's most important in life,' he said Loud and clear: Aldean appeared at the start of the telecast to join with other artists to dedicate the awards show to shooting victims and their family and friends Not afraid: 'Tonight we wanted to open the show with something that shows what its like for our country music family to be back in Las Vegas for the first time since October 1,' he said Think big: During his remarks Jason said 'We thought about starting with a song, but its a lot bigger than a single song' Leading the charge: ACM producers said that Aldean was integral in planning the tribute, explaining 'We took his lead' 'We took his lead, of what he felt, and the people around him, and hes come up with an idea, and we worked closely with them, and we were happy with the way its coming together.' Speaking to CBS News ahead of the awards, Jason insisted that Vegas means more to him than just the tragedy. 'You know I think everybody sort of tried to make this thing about me coming back to Vegas come try to make it a little bigger than it was,' he said, 'For me, you know, I've got a million great memories in Vegas and one horrible one.' 'I love this town. I mean, I love Las Vegas, I love this city. Was looking forward to coming back out here and I think this is the right setting for me. To be out here with the country music family, my friends and people in the country music world. Sealed with a kiss! He could barely take his eye of his glowing wife beside him, who he looked at adoringly before pulling her in with a kiss on the lips Out on the town! Jason Aldean and wife Brittany Kerr seemed like quite the happy couple as they enjoyed date night at the Academy Of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas Sunday Doing the wave: Amping up the glamour, the American Idol season 11 alum styled her hair in beachy blonde waves And Jason and Brittany certainly seemed intent upon enjoying their rare date night, despite their bad memories from October. The You Make It Easy crooner looked simply smitten with his wife-of-three years even giving his love a long kiss at the 53rd annual celebration of country greats. Jason looked Nashville-dapper in a classic suit jazzed up with a slick belt and black cowboy hat with shining band on it. Pretty in pink! It was hard to believe that Kerr was pregnant just four-months ago as she paraded her long, thin legs in a pink sequined dress with chunky black heels Bumpy beginning: Jason and Brittany have been together since 2014 after their indiscretion in a bar lead to his divorce from first wife Jessica Ussery It was hard to believe that Kerr was pregnant just four-months ago as she paraded her long, thin legs in a pink sequined dress with chunky black heels. Amping up the glamour, the American Idol season 11 alum styled her hair in beachy blonde waves. Jason and Brittany have been together since 2014 after their indiscretion in a bar lead to his divorce from first wife Jessica Ussery. They got engaged in September of the same year and married on March 21, 2015. Back strong: Sunday's awards were a bittersweet celebration for Aldean, whose performance at last year's Route 91 Harvest music festival in Vegas was cut short by gunfire that resulted in 58 deaths and hundreds of injuries They've shared an emotional roller coaster ride on Bachelor In Paradise. And Keira Maguire has revealed her hesitation about pursuing a relationship with co-star Jarrod Woodgate, despite their immediate romantic connection. The 31-year-old spoke with TV Week on Monday and admitted she was doubtful about being in Jarrod's life after Sophie Monk broke his heart on The Bachelorette. Scroll down for video Cautious: Keira Maguire has shared her hesitation about pursuing a relationship with Bachelor In Paradise co-star Jarrod Woodgate, despite their immediate romantic connection Keira confessed she was surprised by her bond with Jarrod and initially fought against their chemistry. 'I didn't want to get involved with Jarrod at all and I didn't want to follow up Sophie Monk,' she confessed. Jarrod was dumped by Sophie Monk during the 2017 season of The Bachelorette and was jokingly referred to by fans as a 'stage-five clinger'. Heartbreak: Jarrod was dumped by Sophie Monk during the 2017 season of The Bachelorette and was jokingly referred to by fans as a 'stage-five clinger' 'It was a lot of pressure, in case it didn't work out. I didn't want to hurt him,' Keira explained. While Keira said audiences will have to 'wait and see' if she and Jarrod succeed as a couple, she was certainly impressed with newcomer Apollo Jackson on Sunday. 'I think Apollo is cute, I mean I'd probably kiss him,' she said during the episode. 'It was a lot of pressure, in case it didn't work out. I didn't want to hurt him,' Keira confessed Meanwhile Jarrod, who appeared somewhat put out by newcomer Apollo's muscular physique, remarked: 'Well, don't the girls start frothing!' During an appearance on The Sunday Project, Apollo was quick to throw a jab back at Jarrod, regarding his sunburned appearance while filming the show in Fiji. 'He was looking like a bit of a Fijian lobster,' he quipped. Dramatic duo: They've enjoyed an emotional roller coaster together on Bachelor In Paradise She regularly displays her sartorial prowess at the hottest showbiz events. And Poppy Delevingne maintained her fashion-forward appearance as she attended the third annual Contenders Emmys event at Hollywood's DGA Theater on Sunday evening. The model, 31, cut an elegant figure as she donned a daring turtleneck jumper, decorated with a trendy cobalt blue, black and navy colour-block design. Graceful: Poppy Delevingne maintained her fashion-forward appearance as she attended the third annual Contenders Emmys event at Hollywood's DGA Theater on Sunday evening The Kingsman: The Golden Circle actress continued her chic theme as she teamed her knitted garment with wide-leg trousers. Adding to her statuesque frame, the Chanel ambassador wore a pair of stylish suede heels. Poppy - who is the older sister of model-cum-actress Cara Delevingne - opted for a natural-looking glow with minimal makeup and styled her platinum bob into loose waves. Style maven: The model, 31, cut an elegant figure as she donned a daring turtleneck jumper, decorated with a trendy cobalt blue, black and navy colour-block design Beaming: Poppy - who is the older sister of model-cum-actress Cara Delevingne - opted for a natural-looking glow with minimal makeup and styled her platinum bob into loose waves Poppy married husband James Cook in 2014 during a lavish ceremony at St. Paul's Church, in Knightsbridge, London. In 2012, he popped the question with a bespoke Anya Hindmarch memories box embossed with the words 'Will you marry me?' and filled with pictures of them together. They then enjoyed a honeymoon in Marrakech, Morocco, where their second ceremony took place. Fashion savvy: The Kingsman: The Golden Circle actress continued her chic theme as she teamed her knitted garment with wide-leg trousers Chic: Adding to her statuesque frame, the Chanel ambassador wore a pair of stylish suede heels Poppy, who has previously worked for brands such as Burberry and Laura Ashley, hit the headlines last year when her Kingsman 2: Golden Circle co-star Taron Egerton refused to film an uncomfortable sex scene with her. The plot required Taron's spy character to have sex with target Clara, but plants a tracking device inside her vagina using his hands. Taron told ScreenRant that he didn't know he would be required for the shot and refused to do it, meaning Poppy's husband was brought in for filming to shoot the moment. He's up for an array of nominations and has recently welcomed two precious little girls into his family. And Thomas Rhett looked as proud as can be as he enjoyed a date night at the ACM Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday alongside his gorgeous wife, Lauren Akins. Looking sharp in his black suit and red tie, Thomas, 28, happily had his arm wrapped around his wife, 28, as they made their way into the awards show. Proud new parents! Thomas Rhett looked as proud as can be as he enjoyed a date night at the ACM Awards alongside his gorgeous wife, Lauren Akins, on Saturday in Las Vegas Hair styled into a slick and suave 'do, the country star was the picture of sophistication in his white button-up shirt and striking red shoes. But for as handsome as Thomas looked, his wife Lauren stole the show in her glittering silver dress with a plunging neckline. Clad in the flowing, floor length gown, Lauren oozed glamour with her bold red lipstick, dangling earrings, and sexy pulled back curls. It has been a very big year for the couple, who have recently expanded their family by two. Showstopper! But for as handsome as Thomas looked, his wife Lauren stole the show in her glittering silver dress with a plunging neckline Ohlala! Clad in the flowing, floor length gown, Thomas' wife oozed glamour with her bold red lipstick, dangling earrings, and sexy pulled back curls Man of style! Hair styled into a slick and suave 'do, the country star was the picture of sophistication in his white button-up shirt and striking red shoes Last year, Thomas and Lauren adopted a little girl, Willa Gray Atkins, from Uganda. Lauren also gave birth to their second daughter, Ada, in August. Thomas' career is also soaring, with the country star up for a multitude of nominations at the ACM Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Video of the Year, Vocal Event of the Year. Legends: Rhett appeared on stage alongside Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, and Maren Morris at the ceremony Mama and papa: Last year Thomas and his wife welcomed daughters Willa and Ada into their family Stu Laundy has been enjoying the single life following his split from Sophie Monk. And the Bachelorette millionaire was spotted taking the plunge into a no-diving area over the weekend, during a swim in Toowoon Bay on the Central Coast. The 45-year-old sported just a pair of striped board shorts as he sprung off the pool's ledge. Scroll down for video Breaking the rules! Bachelorette millionaire Stu Laundy, 45, went shirtless as he took the plunge into a no-diving area in Toowoon Bay, on the Central Coast, on Sunday Signage: The Channel Ten personality still performed the act despite a 'no diving allowed' sign featuring prominently on a metal railing Stu appeared relaxed and at ease as he enjoyed a swim in the saltwater pool. Before taking the plunge, the Channel Ten personality stripped off his green sweatshirt to reveal his lean upper frame. Prior to diving, Stu stretched out his triceps and biceps and took a walk around the pool's ledge. Lean: Stu sported just a pair of blue and white striped board shorts, revealing his lean upper frame Preparation: The pub baron performed a series of stretches and took a walk around the pool's ledge Technique: Stu stretched out his triceps and biceps Soaking up the sun: The ex of Sophie Monk emerged from the water, soaking up the sun's rays Content with swimming a few laps, the pub baron later made his way to a few local stores, picking up a coffee and a newspaper. Stu wrapped a green abstract towel around his lower half and shielded his eyes behind a pair of aviator sunglasses. He then made a getaway in his pristine white Range Rover. Rebel: Stu leaped off the pool's ledge, despite it being a no-diving area Form: The Sydney identity made quite a splash as he entered the water Active: Stu swam a few laps in the saltwater pool The sighting comes after Stu was pictured enjoying what looked to be a lavish dinner date with Married At First Sight star, Ashley Irvin. Pictures published in Monday's New Idea magazine saw the unlikely couple strolling arm-in-arm into one of Stu's premiere night spots, the Woolwich Pier Hotel. Given Stu's VIP status, the couple were reportedly ushered to one of the pub's most coveted balcony tables overlooking Sydney Harbour. Captured: The personality was pictured taking a big breath Taking a breather: Stu slicked back his wet tresses Why so shy? He later covered his face with his hands The couple were all smiles as they sipped from champagne glasses, with onlookers reportedly telling New Idea: 'They even shared a kiss across the table during the night'. As the evening drew to a close, the pair reportedly hopped into Stu's chauffeur-driven car before being dropped off at a nearby hotel. A New Idea insider also reportedly told the magazine that Stu had initially taken a liking to Ashley after watching her on MAFS, before being introduced to the busty blonde via a mutual friend. Drying off: Stu wrapped a green abstract towel around his lower half Cover-up: Stu teamed his striped board shorts with a green sweatshirt Bright future: The familiar face shielded his eyes behind his signature aviator sunglasses Errands: Stu later picking up a newspaper Meanwhile, Woman's Day reported this week that Stu didn't waste time reaching out to Ashley after she was dumped by Troy Delmege on national television. 'Ash is Stu's type, so he reached out to her on Instagram and they've been in contact for weeks,' a Woman's Day insider reportedly said. Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Stu and Ashley for comment. Light-handed: Stu carried just the newspaper and some cash Solo: Stu was not joined by any pals on the outing Energy hit: The wealthy businessman picked up a coffee from a local cafe Barefoot: Stu went sans shoes for the occasion Stu became a household name after debuting on last year's season of The Bachelorette. His star status continued to rise when Sophie Monk chose the Sydney identity on the grand finale episode. However their romance was short-lived, with Sophie confirming their split via an Instagram post in January. Getaway: The household name made his way to his car Squeaky clean: Stu's white Range Rover was in pristine condition She's spent plenty of red carpet time defending her brother-in-law James Franco from sexual harassment allegations. But for once on Sunday, it was all about work for Alison Brie, as she chatted about her Netflix series GLOW at Deadline's Contenders Emmys event. The 35-year-old Mad Men actress epitomized chic on the day in a little Cinq a Sept black dress. Working it: On Sunday, it was all about work for Alison Brie, as she chatted about her Netflix series GLOW at Deadline's Contenders Emmys event Brie looked radiant in the elegant garment, which featured a white frilly under layer. She wore her brunette locks in a short bob and the defining feature of her makeup was a slash of bright red lipstick. In GLOW, Brie played Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the '80s who finds an unexpected chance at stardom: enter the glitter and spandex-laden world of women's wrestling. The Contenders is a day-long event at the DGA Theater in Hollywood gives its invitation-only audience of TV Academy voters plus producers, actors and directors from the various guilds a chance to both present and see what's coming up. Chic chick: The 35-year-old Mad Men actress epitomized chic on the day in a little black dress Gorgeous ladies: In GLOW, Brie played Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the '80s who becomes a wrestler. Seen here with [L-R] Betty Gilpin, Britney Young and Sydelle Noel Alison Brie defended her brother-in-law James Franco again last month. The actress talked about the sexual harassment allegations against the Disaster Artist star on the red carpet of the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica. James skipped the Hollywood event leaving Brie - who is married to his younger brother Dave - to answer questions about the allegations. Screen beauty: Brie looked radiant in the elegant Cinq a Sept garment, which featured a white frilly under layer Pretty: She wore her brunette locks in a short bob and the defining feature of her makeup was a slash of bright red lipstick Family issues: Alison Brie defended her brother-in-law James Franco again last month She said: 'I obviously support my family, and not everything that's been reported is fully accurate, so I think we're waiting to get all of the information. 'But of course I think now is a time for listening, and that's what we're all trying to do.' Brie also added: 'I think that above all what we've always said is that it remains vital that anyone who feels victimized should and does have the right to speak out and come forward.' Franco, who painted himself as a martyr of the Me Too movement after the Golden Globes, has been accused of inappropriate behavior by multiple women, including his former acting students. Romance rumours have been swirling after Married At First Sight's Ashley Irvin, 29, was spotted enjoying an intimate dinner with The Bachelorette's Stu Laundy, 45. But a friend close to Stu has denied the pair are romantically involved, claiming that their so-called 'date' was nothing more than an innocent catch-up between friends. 'A mutual friend put them together to compare notes. Both of them had been dumped and left broken-hearted on national television,' the source told Daily Mail Australia on Monday. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE: 'He's like an older brother to her!' Insider DENIES Stu Laundy, 45, and Ashley Irvin, 29, are romantically involved... as it's claimed their 'date' was just a friendly catch-up 'She's from Brisbane and was in the neighbourhood so they went to Stu's pub for a feed. They are nothing but mates!' claimed the insider. It is understood that Stu and Ashley did not spend the rest of the evening together after their friendly pub meal. 'She's a flight attendant so she was dropped back at the hotel where her company had put her up,' said the source. Out and about: On Monday, New Idea published images of Stu and Ashley strolling arm-in-arm into one of the pub baron's premiere nightspots, the Woolwich Pier Hotel Earlier on Monday, New Idea published images of Stu and Ashley strolling arm-in-arm into one of the pub baron's premiere nightspots, the Woolwich Pier Hotel. They were all smiles as they sipped champagne, with onlookers telling the magazine: 'They even shared a kiss across the table during the night'. As the evening drew to a close, the pair reportedly hopped into Stu's chauffeur-driven car before being dropped off at a nearby hotel. Moving on from heartbreak: Meanwhile, Woman's Day also reported on Monday that Stu didn't waste any time reaching out to Ashley after she was dumped by Troy Delmege (left) New Idea's source claimed Stu had initially taken a liking to Ashley after watching her on Married At First Sight, before they were introduced via a mutual friend. Meanwhile, Woman's Day also reported on Monday that Stu didn't waste any time reaching out to Ashley after she was dumped by Troy Delmege. 'Ash is Stu's type, so he reached out to her on Instagram and they've been in contact for weeks,' claimed their insider. Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment. He knows what he likes! 'Ash is Stu's type, so he reached out to her on Instagram and they've been in contact for weeks,' claimed their insider Fancy seeing you here! It comes months after Ashley was pictured enjoying a 'date' with her former MAFS co-star Justin Fischer It comes months after Ashley was pictured enjoying a 'date' with her former MAFS co-star Justin Fischer. However, she has denied they are romantically involved. Meanwhile, Stu announced his split from Sophie Monk in January after just six months of dating. Splitsville: Stu announced his split from Sophie Monk in January after just six months of dating They're two Hollywood hunks from different generations. Ashton Kutcher and Sam Elliott, co-stars on Netflix's Emmy-winning comedy The Ranch, emerged together as presenters at Sunday's 2018 Academy of Country Music Awards. The 40-year-old star, who stars as Colt Bennett on the show, wore a black three-piece suit over a white collar shirt, with his short-cropped brown hair combed to the side. Scroll below for video Representing: The Ranch's Ashton Kutcher, 40, and Sam Elliott, 73, were presenters Sunday at the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas The 73-year-old Elliott, who plays Beau Bennett on the streaming series, wore a black suit with a dark blue tie, with his trademark bushy mustache and neatly-cut white hair as he presented the ACM's Vocal Event of the Year along with the Iowa native. Ashton, who has two children with wife Mila Kunis, 34 - three-year-old daughter Wyatt and one-year-old son named Dimitri - earlier revealed he would be making a cameo at the swanky affair via his Twitter account, the same one he made history with nine years ago this month, when he became the site's very first account to amass one million followers. (He currently sits at 19.2 million.) The dual appearance marked a strong promotion for The Ranch, which got rid of cast member Danny Masterson last December after he was accused of sexual assault by multiple women. Nextflix at the time issued a statement that read: 'As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch. Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.' Handsome: The actors posed next to one another for photographers as they entered the show Double trouble: Sam plays the role of Ashton's father on the Netflix comedy Down one: The actors will continue on the show without Danny Masterson, who was let go in December amid accusations of sexual assault by multiple women Masterson, 42, who played Jameson 'Rooster' Bennett on the series, issued his own statement in which he said that he was 'obviously very disappointed' to be eliminated from the program, defending himself against what he called the 'outrageous allegations,' which he has repeatedly denied. 'Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit,' said Masterson. 'I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one.' He presumably referenced the #MeToo movement in his parting statement, as his ouster came in the wake of a number of Hollywood figures - such as Harvey Weinstein, Brett Ratner and Kevin Spacey - losing work amid accusations of sexual harassment and assault against them. He said: 'In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused.' Starry night: Kutcher chat it up with Nicole Kidman during arrivals High five: Kutcher slapped hands with Kidman's husband, ACM winner Keith Urban, after announcing his win She has been soaking up the sun in Dubai an array of sizzling swimwear. And Vicky Pattison, 30, continued to flaunt her sensational figure during her luxurious trip to the UAE in a slew of Instagram posts on Sunday alongside fiance John Noble. The former Geordie Shore star slipped on an eye-catching plunging yellow swimsuit which highlighted her buxom bust while she beamed for the camera with her other half, spending another day partying at Coco 8 Dubai. Sunshine: Vicky Pattison, 30, continued to flaunt her sensational figure during her luxurious trip to the UAE in a slew of Instagram posts on Sunday alongside fiance John Noble While putting on an eye-popping display, she continued to soak up the sun at the luxurious hotspot based at the Media One Hotel for their last day in the Middle East. In the cosy snap, she gushed about her other half writing: 'Making the most of our last day.... Love you so much Mr @johnnoblejn- I literally couldnt imagine my life without you in it!!'. In another photo, she donned a colourful turban which kept her brunette locks at bay and accentuated her facial features. Captioning the eye-popping snap, she wrote: 'Guess whos back with the same old hat?! My turbans first outing in Dubai is going swimmingly.. I know youre probably sick of the sight of it.. but its just so damn cute man... I couldnt help myself!!' Sizzling: Vicky set pulses racing as she enjoyed a cooling dip in the beach club's luxurious pool Yellow there: In another shot, she put on a plunging yellow swimsuit which highlighted her buxom bust while she beamed for the camera, spending another day partying at Coco 8 Dubai Beaming: The couple couldn't contain their smiles as they posed for a selfie together The ITV star slipped into a saucy black bikini top which accentuated her ample cleavage while she posed holding a pineapple and flashing her engagement ring at Nasimi Beach. Resting on a day bed, she took time out of soaking up the rays while she covered up in a plunging white cover-up that grazed her thighs as she posed for the shot. The I'm A Celeb star worked her brunette locks into a messy top knot while she sported a pair of oversized cat-eye shades. Captioning the playful snap, she wrote: 'Hi. My name is Vicky Pattison. And my hobbies include drinking cocktails from oversized fruits and trying to look sexy. (Im sorry.)' Sensational: Vicky Pattison, 30, continued to flaunt her sensational figure during her luxurious trip to the UAE in a slew of Instagram posts on Sunday Sizzling: The reality star put on a very busty display in a striking orange one-piece as she luxuriated by her resort's pool Belfie: She highlighted her pert posterior in the backless swimsuit While in another, the star slipped into a leopard print bikini for a busty selfie while she sipped on a cocktail as her hair cascaded down her shoulder. Partying at Cove Beach Dubai, Vicky wrote alongside the snap: 'I just like my toes in the sand and a cocktail in hand'. Currently enjoying a romantic getaway with her fiance John, Vicky showcased another of her sultry swimwear as she donned a high-thigh cut swimsuit. The reality star put on a very busty display in a striking orange one-piece as she luxuriated by her resort's pool. Relaxing by the pool, Vicky couldn't resist showing off her surgically-enhanced assets as she posed on a sun lounger. Busty: The television personality ensured plenty of cleavage was on show in the one-piece, which also showed off her peachy derriere with its high-rise design Selfie: In another snap, the star slipped into a leopard print bikini for a busty selfie while she sipped on a cocktail as her hair cascaded down her shoulder Racy: In another snap, the star slipped into a leopard print high-waisted bikini as she seductively posed in the shallows of the water The television personality ensured plenty of cleavage was on show in the one-piece, which also showed off her peachy derriere with its high-rise design. The star playfully mentioned her cosmetic surgeons in the caption of her snap, clearly pleased with the results of her boob job. Sharing another photo from the luxurious holiday destination, the star flashed a smile as John sported a full face of suncream. In the caption, she teased: 'Erm... You've got a little something on your face there John... Proper sun protection is important kids... Just ask @johnnoblejn!! #SunCreamQueen'. Smitten: Sharing another photo from the luxurious holiday destination, the star flashed a smile as John sported a full face of suncream The loved-up couple whisked themselves away for a romantic getaway in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, following her jungle stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here Australia. The reality star kicked off her holiday in style, posting a slew of boozy snaps on her social media page. Their holiday comes after Vicky revealed her Geordie Shore castmates won't be receiving invites to her upcoming nuptials. 'It's not on my radar and no disrespect but I wouldn't be on theirs,' she told DailyMail Australia. Having fun: The television personality pouted as she posed with John and two pals Explaining her decision, she continued: 'I've got nothing against any of them, but we just don't talk. It's nothing personal, it's just in the past.' Last year, Charlotte admitted that she and Vicky had drifted apart. Charlotte told Heat at the time: 'We never had an argument or anything, but something weird happened and we just never spoke again. It's best not to have any grudges.' Vicky and John will wed in Newcastle during the English summer of 2019. Reunited: The reality star kicked off her holiday in style, posting a slew of boozy snaps on her social media page They previously postponed their wedding because Vicky reportedly didn't want to steal the thunder from her sister Laura's big day. The television personality said it could be as early as 2020 when they decide to have their first baby. 'We range from getting that (contraceptive implant) out the day before the wedding and have a wedding night baby, to a more measured approach of going on our honeymoon and travel a bit and get it out and see what will happen,' she said. 'It might not happen straight away, but we consider it a huge step and kids are something exciting that we want, so whenever it happens, I'm very excited for it.' 'I'm not stressed or in a rush, despite what it may have seemed like in the jungle' she says referencing her emotional moment by joking 'It was like, 'put a baby in me, now'' with a laugh. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The one-year-old electric vehicle (EV) startup AIWAYS has currently completed its third round financing which was led by the strategic investor Shagang Group. Although the startup didn't expose the value of this capital raising, the estimated financing value reached at least RMB 1 billion, according to some insiders with the knowledge of this matter. Previously, AIWAYS had closed a RMB 12 billion angel round, and then announced that the company accomplished its second round financing within one month. After the third round financing, the startup will enjoy an estimated valuation exceeding RMB 10 billion. Founded in February 2017, AIWAYS owns two product lines. One is the high-performance electric supercar which currently developed by its German subsidiary Gumpert AIWAYS and the other is the self-developed models based on the MAS platform, including SUVs, hatchbacks and MPVs, etc. According to local media, the startup's first model, dubbed U5 ION, has been unveiled not long ago. Based on the MAS platform, the U5 ION is a five-seat pure electric SUV that will carry L2 autonomous driving system. The new model will be mass produced in the second half of 2019 and be delivered in the last quarter next year. Reportedly, the startup's Germany subsidiary Gumpert AIWAYS will showcase a new sportscar, called the Aiways RG, at 2018 Auto China in Beijing later this month. The new model purportedly has a 1,200 km range and a top speed of 300 kph. She's the blonde bombshell who recently sparked engagement rumours after sporting a diamond ring. But on Monday, Bachelor in Paradise star Leah Costa hit out at her male co-stars, claiming they didn't take the reality show seriously. Speaking to TV Week, the outspoken 25-year-old said most of them weren't there to find love. 'The boys didn't take it seriously': Bachelor in Paradise star Leah Costa, 25, has slammed her male co-stars on the show saying they didn't take it finding love seriously. The petite blonde is pictured here with Apollo Jackson 'I was there to genuinely find love,' she said. 'A lot of them were just there to stay in paradise and have fun.' The Melbourne-based blonde added she struggled to connect with the male cast members of Paradise even after she had dates with Davey Lloyd, Mack Reid and Grant Kemp. 'I was there to genuinely find love': The Melbourne-based starlet said she was there to find a relationship The busty blonde added that she thought the ladies used their roses for real, while the men, instead, only used their roses to stay in the idyllic tropical location. Last month, the university student sparked engagement rumours. Taking to Instagram, the blonde bombshell flaunted a large 'engagement' ring while cosied-up in the back of a car, bundled-up beneath a sleeping bag, while watching a movie at the drive-in cinema. Red hot! The Channel Ten personality added that the men on the show used their roses to stay on the show, while the female stars used their's to find love A second snap shared to her Instagram Story showed comfy pillows strewn about the back of the vehicle as the star and her mystery beau prepared to cuddle up for the film. 'Drive In... He Spoils Me' Leah wrote, accompanied by a heart-eyed emoji. She is yet to address engagement rumours. Happily ever after! It comes after Leah was spotted flaunting an 'engagement' ring, which set tongues wagging about who her mystery love is Intimate details about her sex life with James Haskell have already been enough to make famous parents Richard and Judy blush. But Chloe Madeley has continued to divulge how things 'stay interesting' in the bedroom with her new fiance. Just one week after announcing their engagement, the 30-year-old explained how important sex was in her relationship with the burly rugby player. Saucy sex life: Chloe Madeley has talked about how she keeps things interesting with fiance James Haskell in the bedroom 'I'm a really sexual person,' she told The Daily Star on Monday. 'If I had a partner who didn't want to have a very sexual relationship then that would be a problem for me.' She continued: 'It is massive for James. One of the reasons we stuck together in the early days before we totally committed was because we were so compatible. 'Our sex is continually changing as our relationship grows, so it stays interesting.' Chloe confirmed once again that they have sex every night, two months after making the surprising revelation in a magazine interview this February. Getaway: James proposed to Chloe during a romantic trip to Paris recently Cute couple: The pair have now been together for three and a half years 'It's normal for us,' she told Fabulous at the time. 'We dont have pets or kids, so we can! Going too long doesnt agree with me mentally.' The couple confirmed their engagement in last week's HELLO! magazine, following a romantic trip to Paris after three and a half years together. England and Wasps player Haskell, 33, designed the engagement ring himself because he 'wanted it to be perfect' and then got down on one knee in the city. Ahead of their big reveal, they said they had only told their four 'ecstatic' parents about the news. Bedroom secrets: Saucy Chloe has already made her parents red-faced by revealing they have sex every night As far as family planning, Chloe recently said she is looking into freezing her eggs as she isn't sure if she definitely wants to have a baby, but doesn't want the choice to be made for her by infertility. Chloe told the Loose Women: 'I talk about it because Im 30 now and I really dont know if I want kids. And I think as a woman, being a 30-year-old woman saying that is quite a big deal to some people. 'I think a lot of people, my mother included, turn around and say, "What if when you decide you do its too late?". 'So Im definitely considering freezing my eggs, just in case, just to hedge my bets. But my god is it a lot of money. Tens of thousands.' He left the judges and audience at home of the edge of their seats after a death-defying escape on Saturday night's Britain's Got Talent. And daredevil escapologist Matt Johnson has revealed his brother's battle with a rare brain disease was the inspiration behind his nail-biting routine. The contestant, 43, told Lorraine Kelly on Monday morning's show that he performed his incredible act after seeing his brother suffer with a condition that causes him to have irregular seizures. Terrifying: Britain's Got Talent daredevil Matt Johnson has revealed his brother's battle with a rare brain disease inspired him to endure his death-defying water tank stunt Speaking about his BGT audition, Matt told Lorraine he wanted to understand how his brother feels when suffering a seizure, as he suffers from tuberous sclerosis which causes calcium deposits on the brain. He said: 'He will go a day sometimes, sometimes a week, but you don't know when he's going to drop, so he cant drive or work. 'Sometimes if he has two or three in a row, I wanted as a brother to understand what he goes through, and that's how it started.' Fans saw Matt undergo the terrifying escape on Saturday, as he attempted to pick locks and find the right key among 20 while submerged in a tank of water. Tough time: The illusionist, 43, told Lorraine Kelly on Monday's show that his brother suffers from tuberous sclerosis, which causes him to suffer irregular seizures Nail-biting: Viewers were left on the edge of their seats on Saturday as he tried to escape from the water tank, submerged underwater for two minutes Judges Simon Cowell, David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon watched a clock slowly tick round as Matt attempted the escape, eventually reaching two minutes before he broke out of the tank in triumph. Admitting that he only noticed the judges reactions after he broke out of the tank, Matt said: That was very scary and that was the very first time I had seen Simon. 'I had no idea what was going on outside the tank. We've done it a lot and it's gone wrong more times than it's gone right. It's really hard doing that escape in that kind of venue and you want the heart rate to stay slow, but trying to keep it slow with the audience and the judges is near impossible. Ruthless: The Yorkshire-born illusionist won four yeses from the judges following his triumphant audition, with paramedics on standby in case the audition went wrong I remember thinking to myself ''What am i doing here this is nuts?". The Yorkshire-born illusionist admitted he wanted his family to watch the audition live should something go drastically wrong. I had a conversation with my mum before I went on the show and she tried to talk me out of doing it,' he said. 'She felt under that pressure something was going to go very wrong.' He added that the heart-stopping moment he finally escaped the tank was after almost 90 seconds of losing his breath. Tough: Matt explained he wanted to understand the lack of control felt by his brother as he suffered from the brain disease The performer - now based in Vancouver, Canada - said: 'That's genuine elation, after 45 secs my breath hold is gone, the next one minute 25 seconds was a fight, my chest was burning. I'm trying to pick the lock but it's always slightly different, I count [the time] in my head, but I'm always off by about 20 secs or 25 secs. 'I only use my lock picking skills for good, since there's a lot of aspects to this where you have to learn to pick locks, hold your breath. 'I have to calm myself, and it goes against everything we humans do, the fight or flight situation.' Sir Ian McKellen, 78, has admitted he thinks about his own death every day. The Lord Of The Rings star opens up about his funeral plans in a documentary, McKellen: Playing the Part, confessing he once spent 'the most enjoyable evening' drafting his ideal send-off. Sir Ian, who turns 79 next month, admitted he's planned such an occasion, that he wishes he could be there himself. Mortality: Sir Ian McKellen, 78, has admitted he thinks about his own death every day The Sunday Times reports that the acclaimed actor has planned a 'celebratory' funeral to take place in a theatre. 'Free admission. And I'd want a lot of beautiful people,' he muses, adding that when he finished the planning: 'I thought, "Ooh, I'd love to go to that funeral." So I hope I might arrange a dress rehearsal before I go.' Sir Ian insists that he has accepted his mortality, pointing out: 'As I see other people getting decrepit and unable to work, I think, well, that may well happen to me.' But that doesn't mean he plans to stop working, adding: 'In the meantime why deny myself the pleasure of rehearsing a play?' In 2012 the stage and screen star revealed he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer for 'six or seven years'. The Hobbit actor admitted he hasn't had any treatment for the disease, but is examined regularly and it is 'contained'. He admitted he originally feared the worse when doctors first told him he had the disease, but his concerns were soon allayed. 'Celebration': The Lord Of The Rings star opens up about his funeral plans in a documentary, confessing he once spent 'the most enjoyable evening' drafting his ideal send-off He told The Sun: 'You do gulp when you hear the news. It's like when you go for an HIV test, you go "Arghhh, is this the end of the road?" 'They say you have cancer of the prostate and then that you can have it zapped. You can have it snipped but you are not a candidate for that. You are waitful watching.' Next up for Sir Ian, is a role in Ken McMullens Hamlet Revenant alongside Gabriel Byrne. Mikkel Boe Flsgaard will head the international cast playing the Danish prince, alongside French actors Lambert Wilson and Dominique Pinon and British actor Lex Shrapnel. The actor is also returning to the West End as King Lear, 66 years after he performed his first Shakespearean role when just a schoolboy. The celebrated actor will lead director Jonathan Munbys production of Lear which ran at the Chichester Festival Theatres Minerva studio last autumn into the Duke of Yorks Theatre for a 16-week season from July 12. He's the controversial comedian, who just celebrated his one year anniversary with his model boyfriend, Jack Stratton-Smith. And Joel Creasey has confessed to stalking the Melbourne-based looker on social media for fours years before they met. On Monday, the bottle blonde funnyman admitted to the creepy behaviour while speaking on Channel Ten's The Project. Scroll down for video 'I stalked him for four years': Comedian Joel Creasey has confessed that he stalked his boyfriend, Jack Stratton-Smith for four years before the couple got together Co-host Steve Price began by asking Joel how he met his boyfriend. 'I'm gay, you might be shocked Steve,' Joel joked, adding: 'I stalked him for four years on Instagram.' Joel, then continued saying the awkward conversation the couple had after Jack had discovered the comedian had 'liked' one of his photos prior to them meeting. 'Oh my God you commented on one of my photos four years ago': the comic said after dating for a year his handsome boyfriend noticed he had 'liked' one of his pictures 'We have been dating for a year then maybe a month ago, he said oh my god you commented on one of my photos four years ago.' To a number of laughs, Joel continued, 'oh what did I write?' before cracking a raunchy joke, which set the co-hosts into another round of laughter. Joel saying that Jack said: 'You just wrote three of those eggplants emojis followed by a three water spurt emojis.' 'Oh what did I write?': The Melbourne-based comedian even cracking a raunchy joke about his handsome 24-year-old beau The pair got together a little over a year ago, with them becoming a high-profile couple attending a range of events in Melbourne together. Int he segment, the Melbourne based comedian, who first performed at Melbourne Comedy Festival as a teenager, also admitted he was trying to sleep with a member of the Wiggles. Co-host Waleed Aly questioned him on a possible celebrity feud with the the children's entertainers. 'No, I'm trying to sleep with one of the Wiggles for material': During the segment, Joel also confessed to trying to sleep with a Wiggle for 'material' for his shows 'No, I'm trying to sleep with one of the Wiggles for material,' Joel corrects the host. He then continued: 'Every year at the ARIAS I try to crack on to a Wiggle for material and they now just avoid me...I'm the weird guy.' Currently performing his show, Blonde Bombshell, Carrie Bickmore questioned him if he was ever confronted by famous people he mentioned in the show. 'What night are you coming?' He responded Carrie. The second series of her hit ITVBe show First Time Mum arrives on screens next month. And the reality series was filmed during an emotional time in Ferne McCann's life, as she's seen admitting in a newly-released trailer that she would have fallen into depression if it wasn't for her daughter Sunday. The former TOWIE star has had a turbulent year, seeing her ex boyfriend, and Sunday's father, Arthur Collins jailed after he sprayed acid over party-goers last April. Tears: Ferne McCann admits in a new trailer for her show First Time Mum that she would have fallen into depression if it wasn't for her daughter Sunday In the first series of her reality show, Ferne stayed silent on the subject of Arthur, but it's been reported this time around she's keen to share more about her ex. The new trailer sees Ferne break down in tears as she tells the camera of her five-month-old daughter: 'If I didn't have her I would have just been depressed.' The teaser sees the single mum going through her day-to-day life, wrestling with her buggy and sleepless nights and bringing her adorable daughter on glam photoshoots. Emotional: The former TOWIE star has had a turbulent year, seeing her ex boyfriend, and Sunday's father, Arthur Collins jailed after he sprayed acid over party-goers last April Ferne tells the camera of her parenting style: 'I'm winging it, but isn't that what everyone does?' The television personality shares her first child with her acid attacker ex Collins - who is currently in prison. Collins, 25, was convicted of GBH and ABH against 14 people after he sprayed party-goers with acid following an argument at the Mangle E8 nightclub in east London during the Easter weekend last April. Opening up: In the first series of her reality show, Ferne stayed silent on the subject of Arthur, but it's been reported this time around she's keen to share more about her ex Working mum: The teaser sees the single mum going through her day-to-day life, wrestling with her buggy and sleepless nights and bringing her adorable daughter on glam photoshoots Speaking to Fabulous last year, she admitted the situation surrounding her pregnancy had been 'completely out of her control' - and that she is already concerned about how she will tell her little girl of the attack in the future. Looking back at the horrific incident, she said: 'It's been the most difficult chapter of my life to date and the hardest thing I hope I'll ever have to face. 'It was all completely out of my control. The only thing I can control now is how I raise my daughter.' Just the two of us: Ferne tells the camera of her parenting style: 'I'm winging it, but isn't that what everyone does?' Tough time: Speaking to Fabulous last year, she admitted the situation surrounding her pregnancy had been 'completely out of her control' While Ferne has remained silent about her relationship with Arthur, it was recently claimed she finally feels ready to talk about her devastation in the second series of her reality show. A source said: 'Ferne has completely thrown herself into being a full-time mum and shes really excited to share more of her and Sundays adventures with her fans after being given three hour-long shows. 'During the last series, Ferne spoke about coping with pregnancy at the same time her ex-partner was on trial for an acid attack that took place last April. 'Shes already told producers that shes happy to speak about Arthur again following his jail sentence and her plans of making a life without him.' He's the Hollywood A-Lister, who has been holidaying in Byron Bay with his family. And Matt Damon, 47, proved he's not above meeting fans when he shared a beer with a North Queensland local on Sunday. The Jason Bourne hunk was soaking up the sun at Double Island Point, near Noosa, over the weekend, when local Tyler Boyce spotted the star. Scroll down for video My shout: Matt Damon was soaking up the sun at Double Island Point, near Noosa, over the weekend, when local Tyler Boyce spotted the actor and offered him a beer Not wanting to let a chance go by, Tyler offered Matt a can of beer which he happily accepted. Ever the magnanimous celebrity, Matt was also happy to pose for a photo with Tyler which he uploaded to Instagram. The photo showed a clearly chuffed Tyler standing proudly next to Matt, beer in hand. Holiday mode: Matt has been holidaying in Australia with his family in recent weeks Matt threw his arm around Tyler's shoulder as he posed while looking chuffed to be offered a can of XXXX Gold. Speaking to the Courier Mail about his celebrity encounter, Tyler said that he was taken aback by Matt's down-to-earth attitude. 'Me and the boys thought it would be rude if we didn't pop by to say 'hey' and sink a few tinnies,' he told the publication. Beer o'clock: Matt threw his arm around Tyler's shoulder as he posed while looking chuffed to be offered a can of XXXX Gold. He added: 'To our surprise he was keen to chat and have a beer with us for a while, talking about how lucky we are to live here.' Matt who has been in Australia since Easter palling around with mate Chrius Hemsworth, was recently the subject of rumours that he is considering a permanent move Down Under An unnamed source told Woman's Day last week that Matt is envious of mate Chris Hemsworth's idyllic Australian lifestyle. Oz bound? Matt who has been in Australia since Easter palling around with mate Chris Hemsworth, was recently the subject of rumours that he is considering a permanent move Down Under 'Matt loves Australia...Chris enjoys the quiet life away from Hollywood and that just makes it even more appealing.' According to Page Six last month, he was looking to buy the property next door to Chris due to his dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump. 'Matt's telling friends and colleagues in Hollywood that he's moving the family to Australia for a year,' a 'top' source told the publication. Speculation regarding the future of Saturday Night Takeaway has been rife after Ant McPartlin's drink-driving charge and subsequent rehab stint saw Declan Donnelly forced to host the last two episodes alone earlier this month. But Phillip Schofield appeared to confirm the show would be back for another series during Monday's This Morning and revealed its new home could even be next door to the daytime show. Reflecting on their new set, Holly said the location no doubt brought back 'many memories' for Phil, 56, as the White City studios were where the TV presenter once hosted many a BBC programme. Scroll down for video Phillip Schofield appeared to confirm Saturday Night Takeaway would be back for another series during Monday's This Morning A nostalgic Phil then responded: 'It is freaking me out! Because just on the other side there, that glass bit that goes down, behind those stairs on the fourth floor was the broom cupboard. That's where Going Live! was positioned. 'That doesn't exist anymore. And here, there are the three original studios, they're called 'TC' TC1 is the big one, I think Graham Norton's in there at the moment.' Dropping a huge hint about the future of Saturday Night Takeaway, Phil then added: 'The next series of Takeaway might be in there, it's that big one behind the wall that says Television Centre.' Bombshell! Phil hinted that another series of Saturday Night Takeaway was in the pipeline and could even be filmed next door to This Morning's new White City studios Moving swiftly on from his bombshell, he continued: 'And then there's studio 2 which is for Loose Women and Lorraine, and then TC3 which is where we are and Good Morning Britain is in here too, they're on the other side of the wall.' The timing of Phil's comment was interesting given that Ant is due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates court this afternoon, where he is expected to plead guilty to a drink-driving charge. According to The Sun, the star, who is currently in rehab, wants to apologise in order to continue with his recovery. New home: The revelation came as the hosts discussed This Morning's new set following their move to the old BBC studios, where Phil once hosted many a show for the broadcaster The TV host, 42, was charged with drink-driving last month following a car crash in South West London. The television personality was twice the legal limit when he was arrested for drink driving after a car crash, according to police. Ant's breathalyser reading was 75mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. He was originally scheduled to appear in court on April 4 but the case was postponed. A source told the paper: 'His legal team got the court date delayed once because he had just entered rehab. Called into question: Speculation regarding the future of Saturday Night Takeaway has been rife after Ant McPartlin's drink-driving charge and subsequent rehab stint last month 'But he knows he has to face the music. The plan at this stage is for him to plead guilty. 'He is obviously gutted about the whole thing and wants to focus on getting better.' Dec, last weekend, presented the finale of their show Saturday Night Takeaway solo, with Ant staying out of the public eye since his arrest in March - only appearing on screens in pre-recorded segments. After the Takeaway finale in Orlando, Florida, Dec told the crowd: 'Thanks for all the love and support, it's been a series tinged with... well...' before someone in the audience shouted: 'We miss Ant!' To which Dec replied: 'Yes, we do, we do. It's tinged with sadness. Can you all give a one round of applause for Ant who is at home.' He has been falling apart following his horrific acid attack ordeal. And Emmerdale star Michael Parr has hinted his soap alter-ego Ross Barton will grow closer to Rhona Goskirk in the coming weeks, after she discovered his secret painkiller addiction. The actor, 31, told Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on Monday's This Morning the pair will bond over their own battles with addiction, despite the vet's relationship with Ross' brother Pete. Scroll down for video Shock: Emmerdale star Michael Parr has hinted Ross Barton could fall for Rhona Goskirk in the coming weeks, as she discovers his hidden painkiller addiction Speaking about the new storyline, Michael hinted he and Rhona (played by Zoe Henry) will find a common ground after she discovers his hidden box of pills, as she continues to keep his struggles a secret. He said: 'She's helping him because she's been through it, it's soapland so you might be able to predict what's gonna happen. 'She's on his side at the minute so she realises he's been through a lot, and they're spending a lot of time together and they've got a bond.' Adding that Ross still holds a candle for former flame Debbie (Charley Webb), Michael revealed when his character discovers the Dingle was responsible for the acid attack the fallout will be nothing short of explosive.' Breaking point: Fans have seen Ross become a shadow of his former self following the horrific acid attack, and it seems things aren't set to get any better for the character Secret's out! The actor, 31, hinted Ross and Rhona will grow closer in the coming weeks, as they bond over their own battles with addiction Candid: Speaking on Monday's This Morning, Michael said things could get complicated as Ross falls for Rhona, who is in a relationship with his brother Pete He said: 'He's still got the biggest battle to come, she's spanned such a web of lies now it's hard to be honest. 'It's going to come out eventually but we haven't got there yet,' Michael said. 'He shows her so much love and attention and she's quite horrible but he keeps coming back for more.' Fans have seen Ross become a shadow of his former self after being permanently scarred in an acid attack, and Michael admitted the soap heartthrob has been left crippled by a string of tragedies. He said: 'He's very handsome I'll give him that but he was almost arrogant with it. Explosive: Fans are aware that Debbie was responsible for the attack which left Ross scarred, with Michael teasing things could be explosive after he finds out the truth Riding high: Michael's appearance on the show came after his nomination for the British Soap Award for Best Actor 'He's had a really tough year, he's lost his mum, dad and brother. It's not just the acid there's a whole lot of things coming at once.' Michael added that while he has no plans to leave Emmerdale just yet, he would love to travel to America and follow in the roots of his grandfather who fought in the Vietnam war. The actor said: 'I've had a big American influence in my life. It would be so cool to just do a year in New York. 'I just want to be an actor who jobs, pops up in this episode and that, I'm not fussed on being a big star.' She is experiencing her first taste of the Seychelles while she films a new nature documentary. And TV presenter Hofit Golan was certainly at one with nature this week, when she was seen running into the sea in nothing but her little blue bikini bottoms. Completely undisturbed on a deserted beach, the 32-year-old felt free enough to go topless for a sunset swim in the ocean. Skinny dip: Hofit Golan was seen enjoying a topless dip in the Seychelles recently, while she is filming a nature docmentary Save for her oversized fashion sunglasses, Hofit was only dressed in little teal bikini bottoms. She'd discarded her sunshine-yellow bikini top, which featured balcony-style cups and a red floral design. Earlier in the day, the bombshell had also been pictured in a printed halterneck top, as she switched up her beach style. Babe watch: The model looked confident in little more than a pair of blue bikini bottoms In private: She felt daring enough to whip off her top and run into the water Time of her life: Earlier that afternoon, Hofit was sporting a yellow bikini top to complete the look as she arrived on the beach with a jump Stylish: She spent the day on the beach, changing her swimsuit looks as appropriate The socialite is seemingly always on holiday, yet this trip seems to be for professional purposes. According to reports, Hofit is working with German TV host Natalie Lefevre while staying at the five-star Raffles Resort in the Seychelles. Hofit is a regular face at some of the world's most glamorous celebrity events. Snap happy: She was pictured while she captured selfies at the beautiful resort Just me, myself and I: Hofit is currently staying at the Raffles Resort in the Seychelles Words with friends: The bombshell took phone calls while she enjoyed her beach day In 2015, she spoke to Femail about her experiences of the social circuit, saying it can be exhausting. She explained: After Cannes and Fashion Week, I cant wear earrings and my feet wont fit into a single pair of heels. My body rejects glamour. 'I dont brush my hair for ten days and I go on a beauty strike. Hanging out: Hofit is currently away with TV host Natalie Lefevre Cheeky: The duo spent time catching up, all while enjoying dips in the clear waters Beach babe: German star Natalie looked modelesque in a charcoal swimsuit On the beach: Hofit has been making the most of her time in the sun Luxuriating: While away, Hofit hasn't missed the opportunity to top up her tan Catching some rays: The five-star resort was the perfect setting for some relaxation Unwind: It seems like life is one long vacation for model and TV star Hofit She is the model sister of TOWIE royalty Mark, 31, and Jess Wright, 32. And Natalya Wright was the spitting image of her older sister as she posed up a storm during the family's break to Los Angeles on Monday. The 17-year-old looked casually cool as she donned a black bikini with gold chain detail for an afternoon by the pool in Beverly Hills. Sunshine break: Natalya Wright was the spitting image of her older sister, former TOWIE srae Jess (R) as she posed up a storm during the family's break to Los Angeles on Monday Bearing an uncanny resemblance to her reality star sister, her brunette tresses were styled in loose waves and she accessorised with a pair of 50s style cat eye shades. The Wright clan are currently on the West Coast of America to visit Mark, who relocated to Los Angeles to work as a correspondent for Extra TV. While out in California the family have been spending time with Hollywood A-lister and Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, 14. The family enjoyed an lavish dinner with the teenage sensation at LA hotspot Tao, with Natalya and Jess posing up the the actress. Family resemblance: Jess and younger sister Natalya, who have an age difference of 15 years, bear a striking resemblance to one another Sibling bond: Jess and Natalya donned bright bikinis for a trip to the beach in LA At the time when Jess and Mark shot to fame on ITVBe's The Only Way Is Essex, Natalya was too young to feature. 'I was only ten when they started,' she told OK! magazine in August. 'We didn't really think much of it at the beginning and just found it funny but gradually the older girls at school would ask me for pictures of Mark. She went on: 'I've seen what it's like when people come up to Jess all the time asking for pictures and I wouldn't want that.' Last summer she was scouted by top modelling agency Select Model Management who have Daisy Lowe, Sam Rollison and David Gandy on their books, with the view to making her 'the next Kendall Jenner.' Family first: The Wright clan are currently on the West Coast of America to visit brother Mark, who relocated to Los Angeles to work as a correspondent for Extra TV Kirsty Reilly, the head of special Bookings at Select, told The Sun at the time: 'Natalya is the Kendall of the Wright family and we have huge plans for her. Big fashion brands are already asking for her. We are super excited to be working with her." No stranger to fashion, Natayla certainly isn't a beginner when it comes to posing in front of the cameras as she landed her first ever shoot with Lipsy, who also work with her sister-in-law Michelle Keegan, in 2016. At the time, the high-street giant praised her runway 'potential' after she made a splash in their campaign. Justin Theroux has been making plenty of time for friends following his split from Jennifer Aniston. On Saturday, the 46-year-old actor was spotted hanging out with former co-star, Jonah Hill, in New York City. The pals, who star alongside each other in the Netflix original series Maniac, were all smiles over the weekend as they were joined by a group of friends. Bromance: Newly single Justin Theroux hung out with Jonah Hill in NYC on Saturday while his ex Jennifer Aniston flew solo to Gwyneth Paltrow's engagement party in Los Angeles Justin was dressed casually for the outing, donning a sleeveless blue tank top that showed off his muscular arms and dark grey skinny jeans. The Leftovers star kept his trusted black aviators over his eyes and stepped forward in black suede boots. The newly single actor walked his metallic gold bike adorned with a red Supreme sticker through the neighborhood and sported a gold wrist watch on his free wrist. It's a cycle: Justin was dressed casually for the outing, donning a sleeveless blue tank top that showed off his muscular arms and dark grey skinny jeans Keeping his personal belongings close, Justin wore a Louis Vuitton leather backpack and hung his keys from a back belt loop. By his side was a smiling Jonah Hill, who matched the star's laid-back style. The Academy Award nominee teamed a bright tye-dye T-shirt with grey workout shorts. Bright brew: Jonah sipped on a water and teamed a bright tye-dye T-shirt with grey workout shorts He teamed his look up with black-and-white lace up sneakers and kept his cellphone, clad in a yellow case, in hand. Both stars flashed tattoos - Justin showing a glimpse of his large back tattoo and Jonah displaying his 'Hello Beanie' in honor of his sister. Justin's outing with his guys came on the same day that Jennifer Aniston flew solo to Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk's engagement party in Los Angeles. Stoop kids: Both stars flashed tattoos - Justin showing a glimpse of his large back tattoo and Jonah displaying his 'Hello Beanie' in honor of his sister The Friends star looked captivating in a glamorous black dress completed with a matching black choker necklace. The blonde bombshell did raise eyebrows, however, when she debuted a new wrist support on her left hand. Justin and Jennifer shocked fans after announcing that they were calling it quits on their two-and-a-half year marriage in February. The decision to go their separate ways 'was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year', according to a statement released through Jennifer's publicist at the time. On the other side: Meanwhile, Jennifer Aniston looked stunning in a black floor-length dress as she celebrated her friend Gwyneth Paltrow's engagement in Los Angeles The couple's statement added that they would have handled their separation privately, but wanted to counter tabloid speculation and 'convey the truth directly.' According to TMZ, Jennifer was last seen at her estranged husband's New York apartment in October, with sources telling the website that she'd stopped regular visits as far back as August. It has since been reported that the actor ended their marriage because she refused to live in his West Village home, instead of her lavish Bel Air property. Justin and Jennifer would reportedly spend long periods apart, with the actor continuing his New York-based life when not with his wife in Los Angeles. And while she did stay with him at his east coast home, their different lifestyles played a part in their decision to end their marriage, according to People. 'During his relationship with Jen, Justins life in N.Y.C. was always very different from his L.A. life,' a source told the magazine. 'In N.Y.C., he acted more like a single guy. He went out with his single friends and sometimes would have very little contact with Jen for days.' On Saturday she posted her first social media snap since she and husband Channing Tatum announced their split on April 2. And the next day Jenna Dewan was spotted going to a salon in Los Angeles to treat herself to a pamper session. The 37-year-old actress flashed a smile as she walked away from her car. Treating herself: Jenna Dewan was spotted going to a salon in LA for a pamper session on Sunday after posting her first social media message since her split from Channing Tatum Jenna showed off her slender, dancer's figure in a tight, white T-shirt and white denim mini-skirt with a white fabric belt that she tied at her waist. The beautiful brunette's tresses grazed her shoulders and she completed her ensemble with gold slides and a brown purse that she slung across her body. The actors announced the end of their nearly nine-year marriage in a joint statement posted on social media. 'We have lovingly chosen to separate as a couple,' it said. Fabulous figure: The 37-year-old actress showed off her slender, dancer's body in a tight, white T-shirt and white denim mini-skirt with a white fabric belt that she tied at her waist Casual ensemple: The beautiful brunette completed her outfit with gold slides and a brown purse that she slung across her body 'There are no secrets nor salacious events at the root of our decision just two best-friends realizing it's time to take some space and help each other live the most joyous, fulfilled lives as possible.' Channing hasn't posted anything since then while Jenna broke her silence on Saturday by sharing a photo of herself on a beach by the ocean in a white crop top and long white skirt that billowed in the breeze. She captioned it, simply:'Thank you guys for all your love. Love you right back,' paying tribute to all the messages of support from her fans. Beach babe: On Saturday she posted her first social media snap since she and husband Channing Tatum announced their split on April 2, thanking her fans for their support Channing and Jenna got together after co-starring in the 2006 dance film Step Up, before marrying in 2009. The former couple's statemen said they will remain focused on co-parenting and raising their four-year-old daughter Everly. Meanwhile, Jenna has work to help take her mind off the split. Her film Berlin, I Love You, an anthology of 10 romances set in the German capital, is set for release this year while TV movie Mixtape is in pre-production. She's just kicked off the campaign trail for the hotly anticipated Avengers: Infinity War. And Karen Gillan lapped up the excitement for the next franchise installment as she took to the stage at the Marvel movie fan event at the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore on Monday. The Scottish actress, 30, joined her co-stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr. on stage, but it was Karen who garnered all the attention in a sparkling metallic tassel dress. All that glitters: Karen Gillan cut a glamorous figure in a glittering tassel dress as she joined Benedict Cumberbatch at the Avengers fan event in Singapore on Monday Flashing a huge smile next to her handsome colleagues, the Jumanji star teased a tiny glimpse of her svelte figure in the extravagant semi-sheer design. Karen's signature copper tresses fell in a delicate beachy wave, while she ramped up the glamour with deep red lipstick. Letting her shimmering ensemble do all the legwork, the Inverness beauty went without any extra accessories. Beaming: Flashing a huge smile next to Benedict and Robert Downey Jr (c), the Jumanji star teased a tiny glimpse of her svelte figure in the extravagant semi-sheer design Excitement: Karen's signature copper tresses fell in a delicate beachy wave, while she ramped up the glamour with deep red lipstick Hotly anticipated: The latest Avengers sequel is the third outing for Karen as the villainous warrior Nebula, the adopted sister of Zoe Saldana's character Gamora Karen became a household name after starring in three series of Doctor Who as companion Amy Pond and broke into Hollywood with a major role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy alongside Chris Pratt. The latest Avengers sequel is the third outing for Karen as the villainous warrior Nebula, the adopted sister of Zoe Saldana's character Gamora. Karen enjoyed some downtime after kicking off the press tour on Sunday, sharing the embarrassing moment she sank the cue ball during a game of pool via her Instagram. And relax: Karen enjoyed some downtime after kicking off the press tour on Sunday, sharing the embarrassing moment she sank the cue ball during a game of pool via her Instagram Embarrasing! Clad in a red and white striped jumper and patent leather maxi-skirt, Karen busted out some quirky moves following the disastrous cue strike Bust a move: Karen furiously lifted the pool cue up above her head and manically gyrated her hips following her tragic attempts at Pool Clad in a red and white striped jumper and patent leather maxi-skirt, Karen busted out some quirky moves following the disastrous cue strike, lifting the pool cue up above her head and manically gyrated her hips. Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch - who plays Doctor Strange in the wildly successful film franchise - broke away from his usually demure manner to launch his arms in the air in excitement alongside the fans at Monday's event. Looking dapper as ever in a pale blue blazer and matching slacks, the Sherlock Holmes, 41, star enjoyed a few laughs with his movie companions before fans got a taste of the latest film. Enjoying the moment: Looking dapper as ever in a pale blue blazer and matching slacks, Benedict, 41 enjoyed a few laughs with his movie companions Funny moments: Robert Downey Jr, 53, shared a sweet moment with his co-stars on stage Sharp style: Benedict's trademark brunette mane was slicked back as he interacted with the feverish fans as they prepared for the sneak peek All together: Cast mingled with crew at the event, with Film director Joe Russo (L) joined the lead actors alongside executive producer Trinh Tran (R) Benedict's trademark brunette mane was slicked back as he interacted with the fans, playing up to the comical musings of Robert Downey Jr, 53. After sweetly embracing his co-stars, the Iron Man hunk pretended to stage dive into the adoring crowd. Robert opted for a sharp grey patterned suit and a quirky purple paisley shirt as he cracked a huge smile with the rest of the superhero team. Smiles: Benedict Cumberbatch broke away from his usually demure manner to launch his arms in the air in excitement alongside the fans at Monday's event Amusing: Robert opted for a sharp grey patterned suit and a quirky purple paisley shirt as he cracked a huge smile with the rest of the superhero team Avengers: Infinity War is the sequel to 2012's The Avengers and 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. Two years after the Avengers were ripped apart during the events of Captain America: Civil War, evil Thanos arrives on earth to collect the Infinity Stones for a gauntlet which will allow him to bend reality. The Avengers must unite with the Guardians of the Galaxy to stop him before he destroys half the universe. Avengers: Infinity War hits theatres on April 27, 2018. Watch out! The Iron Man hunk pretended to stage dive into the adoring crowd She set pulses racing as she put on a decidedly cosy display with her boyfriend Joshua Ritchie. And now Charlotte Crosby, 27, continued to command her social media followers' attention as she slipped into a saucy one-shouldered swimsuit on Monday. The MTV beauty donned the figure-flaunting swimwear by In the Style as she luxuriated in the sun from her personal water villa at the Kandima Maldives resort. Commanding attention: Charlotte Crosby, 27, continued to command her social media followers' attention as she slipped into a saucy one-shouldered swimsuit on Monday Charlotte's choice of swimwear boasted a saucy double strap detail across her shoulder while the high-thigh cut silhouette elongate her pins and drew attention to her intricate leg tattoo. Standing barefoot on her wooden desk, she styled her brunette locks into a tousled beach-inspired wave which complemented her glowing beauty look. Her sensational appearance comes after she put on quite the loved-up display with her 23-year-old beau as they posed for a sweet Instagram picture while they enjoyed another sun-soaked day in paradise on Sunday. Taking the snap by the crystal blue ocean at their picturesque resort, Joshua wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's pert derriere as she pouted down at him. Sexy selfie: Charlotte sizzled in a sweet snap with beau Joshua Ritchie as they enjoyed a romantic getaway in the Maldives The reality star showed off her enviable curves and toned abs in the sizzling seaside snap, as her ample assets could barely be contained by her tiny two-piece. Giving her 6.1 million fans a generous glimpse at her cleavage, Charlotte looked sensational in the high-cut leopard print bikini. Charlotte's hunky beau looked at her lovingly as he held on to her tightly, and his tight-fitting swimming trunks ensured that his muscular physique was on full display. Sultry: Charlotte left little to the imagination as she posted a very racy snap while holidaying with her beau Joshua via Instagram on Saturday Charlotte captioned the photo with a sweet remark, as she wrote: 'Theres no one Id rather be in the middle of the ocean with.' On Saturday the brunette beauty left little to the imagination as she posted a very racy snap while holidaying with her beau Joshua on her social media. The reality star suffered an awkward fashion mishap, though, as she flashed more than she bargained for while posing with her naked boyfriend in the selfie. Sun-kissed: In another snap, Charlotte posed next to an white inflatable on the sandy beach The television personality flaunted her gym-honed figure in a skimpy red-striped two piece. The ruffled bikini top showcased her enviable cleavage, while the tie-string bottoms accentuated her toned stomach. Meanwhile, Joshua showed off his ripped physique by posing nude in the snap- with just a small hand towel protecting his modesty. Posing in the bathroom, Charlotte let her long brunette locks fall over her shoulders and opted to forego make-up. Blossoming romance: Charlotte is in the throes of her passionate relationship with Josh as she mends her heartache from her split with Stephen Bear In the caption, the star boasted about the size of her Ex On The Beach beau's manhood, comparing it to a '10ft barge pole'. In another snap, Charlotte posed next to an white inflatable on the sandy beach. She captioned the shot: 'THIS is what dreams are made of.' In late March, the former party girl revealed Maldives is her favourite place to go on holiday because its much more 'chilled' and she doesn't like 'party resorts'. Partying up a storm: In late March, the former party girl revealed Maldives is her favourite place to go on holiday because its much more 'chilled' She told The Sun: 'I dont like party resorts, I need to be more chilled because of the hectic life I lead. I sunbathe as much as I possibly can. But I also go to the gym a lot when Im on holiday. I go twice a day more than I do at home.' Charlotte is in the throes of her passionate relationship with Josh as she mends her heartache from her split with Stephen Bear. The Charlotte Show star's 11-month love affair with Stephen came to a dramatic end amid cheating claims in October last year. Recently, the Geordie Shore TV star reflected on her failed romance with former co-star Gaz Beadle and how his exciting baby news left her devastated. The MTV personality explained: 'It's never nice seeing an ex move on.' Jetting off: Charlotte and Joshua went on holiday earlier this week for their romantic getaway Now the reality star has shed some light on her romance with her hunky boyfriend Josh as she claims she is the 'man in the relationship'. Charlotte added: 'Im obsessed! I dont go out much anymore, so me and boyfriend Josh will get a Chinese takeaway and watch a scary movie. We saw one recently and he fell off the chair and screamed like a baby! Im the man in the relationship.' The Charlotte and Josh love story goes back to when they locked lips at reality star pal Aaron Chalmers' MMA win in December last year. Reality star worlds collided when they made their romance official in February as they shared a cosy Instagram together with the date '9.2.2018'. (sic) They welcomed their second child last month, following the performer's shock axe from Strictly Come Dancing. And Brendan Cole and his wife Zoe were every inch the doting parents on Sunday, as they enjoyed a stroll with their two kids in Majorca. The professional dancer, 41, sweetly cradled their newborn son Dante in his arms as the couple and their daughter Aurelia visited a local market on the island, where they own a holiday home. Doting dad: Brendan Cole sweetly cradled his newborn son Dante on Sunday as he joined his and daughter Aurelia for a family stroll in Majorca Despite jetting overseas for a holiday, the family wrapped up warm in the chilly climes as they explored the market stalls in their local village. Brendan cut a relaxed figure in jeans and trainers, as he walked with his son strapped to his chest in a carrier - before sweetly cradling the tot in his arms later on. Meanwhile his wife Zoe kept equally casual in a chunky coat and nude scarf as she happily chatted to her husband and their sweet five-year-old Aurelia, clad in a bright yellow frock and star-printed gilet. Relaxed: The professional dancer, 41, sweetly held their newborn in his arms as the couple and their daughter Aurelia visited a local market on the island, where they own a holiday home First exploring the market together, the family then stopped off at a cafe in the town square for a spot of lunch, during their relaxing trip away. Brendan married model Zoe back in 2010, and they welcomed their first child Aurelia two years later. The pair confirmed they were expecting another baby last September, following another holiday on the island - where they own a holiday home. Refreshments: First exploring the market together, the family then stopped off at a cafe in the town square for a spot of lunch, during their relaxing trip away Despite their happy baby news, Brendan suffered a blow back in February when it was revealed he had been axed from Strictly Come Dancing, where he has served as a professional dancer for a whopping thirteen years. The dance pro announced the shocking news on Lorraine - which airs on rival channel ITV - and broke down in tears as he admitted the topic was 'hard to talk about'. Strictly fans were left in uproar by the news, and it has since been claimed that even more professionals will be cut from the line-up as part of a huge show 'shake-up'. Still going strong: Brendan married model Zoe in 2010, and they welcomed their first child two years later. They confirmed their second pregnancy in September (pictured in January 2018) 'It is hard to talk about': Despite their happy baby news, Brendan suffered a blow back in February when it was revealed he had been axed from Strictly Come Dancing The Sun reported last month that Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Chloe Hewitt and Katya Jones are also all facing the axe this coming series - despite the latter winning the competition last December with Joe McFadden. It has also been claimed that AJ Pritchard's older brother Curtis will take Brendan's place on the dancefloor, as his 6ft 2in height will allow him to partner taller celebrities. Representatives of the BBC show said they 'do not comment on speculation', when approached by MailOnline at the time. She is best known for her time on well loved British soap Emmerdale. And Gemma Oaten, 33, seems to be doing well since her soap opera days, as she was spotted enjoying Terrence Higgins Trust annual charity auction at Christie's on Monday night. Dressed in a form-fitting off-the-shoulder black dress, the actress looked sensational as she showcased her figure. Stunning: Gemma Oaten looked glamorously chic in an off-the-shoulder black dress as she attended Terrence Higgins Trust annual HIV charity auction on Monday night Gemma's unique choice of outfit featured three white stitched lines on the front, which then branched out into two as they became pleats at the bottom. The starlet brushed her blonde locks with a side parting, and her hair was styled in tight corkscrews as they cascaded over her shoulder. Brushing on glamorous make-up for the glitzy event, Gemma completed her ensemble with a pair of open-toe heels and a navy blue clutch bag. Stylish: Gemma's unique choice of outfit featured three white stitched lines on the front, which then branched out into two as they became pleats at the bottom She wore a red ribbon in support of the auction's goal of raising vital funds to support people living with and affected by HIV. In 2016 the actress suffered an abrupt and unwanted heartbreak at the hands of TV presenter Nick Knowles. But her love life has been on the up since then, as she moved in with her beau Scott Walker just three months into their relationship last year. Finishing touches: Brushing on glamorous make-up for the glitzy event, Gemma completed her ensemble with a pair of open-toe heels and a navy blue clutch bag Looking good: Also making an appearance at the event was Nancy Dell'Olio, who proved to be as youthful as ever as she displayed a very smooth complexion Also making an appearance at the event was Nancy Dell'Olio, who proved to be as youthful as ever as she displayed a very smooth complexion and chic sense of style at the fundraising event. The 56-year-old opted for a glamorous monochrome look, as she slipped on a halter-neck top with white trousers which clung to her slim frame before expanding into a striking frilled hem. Her tousled brunette locks perfectly framed her pretty features, as she added a pop of colour to her ensemble with dark red lipstick and smokey eye shadow to complete her stylish look. Preened to perfection: The starlet styled her blonde locks with a side parting, and her hair fell in tight corkscrews as they cascaded over her shoulder Pretty: Star of The Apprentice Michelle Dewberry, 38, dazzled in a navy blue halter-neck jumpsuit, which featured large across the front to highlight her slim figure Red alert: Keeping her quilted black bag in her arms, the star finished off her look with a pair of bright red heels to offset her dark ensemble Star of The Apprentice Michelle Dewberry, 38, dazzled in a navy blue halter-neck jumpsuit, which featured large pleats across the front to highlight her slim figure. Pulling her brunette locks back into a tight ponytail, the reality star wore subtle touches of make-up to highlight her pretty features as she wore large square-rimmed glasses for the evening. Keeping her quilted black bag in her arms, the star finished off her look with a pair of bright red heels to offset her dark ensemble. Having a ball: Nancy was beaming as she posed with Christian Vit (L) for a picture Wayne Sleep cut a dapper figure in a grey jacket and black shirt, which featured a quirky bird print on the front. The British 69-year-old dancer proved he still has his dancing skills, as he stood for a picture at the event with one leg wrapped around the other in a poised position. Keeping things simple, the choreographer paired black suit trousers with shiny brown and black shoes. Standing out: Wayne Sleep cut a dapper figure in a grey jacket and black shirt, which featured a quirky bird print on the front Dapper: Chritian also came to the auction suited and booted as he arrived in a velvet jacket which he paired with a dark top and matching skinny jeans Chritian Vit also came to the auction suited and booted as he arrived in a velvet jacket which he paired with a dark top and matching skinny jeans. His long raven-locks fell past his shoulder in signature fashion, and he looked ruggedly handsome thanks to his groomed beard. The Italian actor beamed as he took photos alongside a female friend, and Nancy, later in the evening. After their very public break-up, Brad Pitt probably wants to forget all about his ex Angelina Jolie. But he might have got a reminder if he'd seen his new girlfriend Neri Oxman on Monday. The 42-year-old MIT professor wore head-to-toe black - a look that has long been Jolie's signature style - as she arrived home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Brad Pitt's girlfriend Neri Oxman stepped out in Cambridge, Massachusetts rocking a very 'Angelina' all black ensemble on Monday The black-haired beauty opted for skinny jeans and a fitted long-sleeve top, with cute booties and a turban-style hat. The over-sized shades declared she was already perfecting the celeb look. The American-Israeli genius carried flowers and plenty of luggage, suggesting she was returning back from a long trip away. Familiar: The black-haired beauty opted for skinny jeans and a fitted long-sleeve top, with cute booties and a turban-style hat Brad's got a type! Head-to-toe black is Angelina Jolie's signature look Reports the two are dating surfaced this month, but the relationship may have been simmering away for as long as six months. Instagram pictures show the two met back in November when the 54-year-old actor - an architecture and design aficionado visited the media lab where she works. Sources close to Pitt claim he is 'absolutely smitten' with his new squeeze and the 'their chemistry is off the charts.' New love: Reports the two are dating surfaced this month, but the relationship may have been simmering away for as long as six months Brad left his first wife Jennifer Aniston for Angelina, but Brangelina declined to marry until 2014. The former couple, who share three biological offspring and as many adopted children, then split, just two years later. They are are parents to Maddox, 16, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 11, and nine-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. Reese Witherspoon was feeling the blues when she stepped out in Los Angeles on Monday. The 42-year-old actress looked chic as she headed to work in a fitted military-inspired blazer and a pair of cropped denim. Reese was later spotted attending bestie Eva Longoria's Hollywood Walk Of Fame ceremony. Monday blues: Reese Witherspoon looked chic as she headed to work in a fitted military-inspired blazer and a pair of cropped denim Underneath her preppy outerwear, Reese wore a navy polka-dot blouse that was tied in a bow just below her neckline. The founder of Draper James, a southern-inspired clothing brand, carried her belongings in one of her personally designed totes. The Hollywood it-girl also wore a pair of sunglasses from her collection. Fashion perks: Witherspoon, the founder of Draper James, carried her belongings in a navy scallop toteone of her many stylish creations Color coordinating: Reese walked to her car in a pair of navy platform sandals that matched her ensemble perfectly Reese later slipped into a Draper James floral flutter sleeve dress for Eva Longoria's star ceremony in Hollywood. She paired the spring frock with nude heels and a white clutch. The Legally Blonde star was among several A-list friends at the celebration including Olivia Munn and Kerry Washington. Spring has sprung: Witherspoon later slipped into a Draper James floral flutter sleeve dress for Eva Longoria's star ceremony in Hollywood Effortless: The beauty wore her blonde locks down and in loose waves Effortless: For make-up, she highlighted her colored eyes with liner and brown shadow Finishing touches: The star accessorized with minimal jewelry and nude shoes Squad goals: The Legally Blonde star was among several A-list friends at the celebration including Olivia Munn and Kerry Washington The New Orleans native is currently filming season two of HBO's hit mini-series Big Little Lies. Witherspoon, who plays the role of Madeline Martha Mackenzie, is an executive producer on the show along with co-star Nicole Kidman. The drama-filled series also stars Shailene Woodley, Adam Scott, Zoe Kravitz, Laura Dern, and Meryl Streep. They left Bachelor In Paradise as a couple with the intention of making their romance last in the real world. But Lisa Hyde and Luke McLeod's fairytale ending has turned into a nightmare, with Lisa breaking the news on Monday that the pair had split. Speaking to News.com.au, the brunette explained the couple called it quits not long after the show, citing a particular incident as the catalyst for their breakup. 'I'd prefer not to disclose that': Luke McLeod (left) offered a VERY awkward response when asked if he cheated on Lisa Hyde (right) after Bachelor In Paradise as she tells her Instagram followers 'the rumours are true' 'Since the show, we did date for a few months but we have recently broken up for a certain reason. If a trust is broken within a relationship it's really hard to go back from that. I want him to be a man and own up to what he did,' she said. In an awkward twist, Luke reportedly spoke to News Corp separately without realising that Lisa had previously spilled details to the reporter about their split. When asked directly whether he had cheated, Luke said: 'I'd prefer not to disclose that. I think there are two sides to the story. I take responsibility for my actions.' Staying mum: When asked directly whether he had cheated, Luke told News Corp: 'I'd prefer not to disclose that. I think there are two sides to the story. I take responsibility for my actions' Luke described the circumstances of his relationship with Lisa as being 'weird' due to the fact that they had to keep their romance a secret until it was revealed on TV. He also made a point of clarifying that he 'didn't date someone else' but agreed that the trust between himself and Lisa was broken. 'I didn't date someone else... I think the best way to explain it... there was trust broken and we're just trying to move forward,' he said. Broken trust: Luke also made a point of clarifying that he 'didn't date someone else' but agreed that the trust between himself and Lisa was broken Meanwhile, Lisa took to her Instagram Story to break the news of her split to fans on Monday, writing: 'I just wanted to thank everyone for the kind uplifting messages! Unfortunately the rumours are true.' She added: 'I hope you can respect that I'm not wanting to go into details as I know Luke is also hurting from his actions.' In the post, she promoted her interview with Now To Love, in which she compared Luke to former Bachelor star Blake Garvey. Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment. 'Unfortunately the rumours are true': Meanwhile, Lisa took to her Instagram Story to break the news of her split to fans on Monday The driver of a stolen car who led police on a pursuit in Perth overnight is on the loose after ditching the car. The chase began early on Sunday evening on Ellingham Street in North Beach when the driver failed to stop for officers. Police pursued the vehicle through Karrinyup and down Mitchell Freeway, Reid Highway and Wanneroo Road before it was abandoned a short time later in Greenwood. Two women were found nearby and a search of the car found drugs, assorted drug paraphernalia and stolen property. A 35-year-old North Beach woman has been charged with stealing a car and possessing drug paraphernalia while a 30-year-old from Katanning has been charged with breach of bail and giving false details to police. A sports-mad former journalist is about to get his first crack at the captaincy. Michael McCormack will be acting prime minister this week for the first time since being elevated to the Nationals leadership. In contrast to the political storm which led to Barnaby Joyce's resignation, Mr McCormack has made a steady, if unspectacular, start as Nationals leader. The former newspaper editor hasn't produced front page headlines, a welcome change for the Nationals after Mr Joyce's affair threw the coalition off course. Mr McCormack, 53, told AAP he's "honoured and excited" to take on the role while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is in Europe for two weeks at diplomatic meetings and Anzac ceremonies. That means the former veterans' affairs minister will be in charge of the nation as it commemorates Anzac Day. He lists military history among his passions and noted the importance of April 25 on the nation's calendar. This week Mr McCormack will jet around the country with a focus on regional Victoria, NSW and Queensland. "I think it's important to get out and about, especially in the regions as often as possible, because it is my most important job to listen to and speak for regional people, especially when I am acting as prime minister," he told AAP. He'll address the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday in a speech focusing on job creation in regional Australia and improving connectivity between cities and regional areas. Mr McCormack grew up on farms in the NSW Riverina, before taking a cadetship at Wagga Wagga's Daily Advertiser newspaper and becoming editor at 27. Weeks after his rise to top Nat, he ran out in a charity Aussie rules match at Ungarie kicking a goal in the final quarter. He'll be hoping to bag a few more while avoiding clangers as he runs out for his first appearance leading the government. West Australians are missing out on $1 billion in federal health funding in a "Canberra rip-off", says the state's health minister. Health Minister Roger Cook met with his federal counterpart Greg Hunt last week to discuss what he says is the gap which sees WA taxpayers miss out on $277 per person in health care funds, compared to the national average. "WA taxpayers are having to foot the bill for funding which is not coming to our state, simply because the federal government is not doing its fair share in heavy lifting for health care costs," Mr Cook told reporters on Monday. MALCOLM TURNBULL HAS ANNOUNCED CHANGES TO SENIOR POSITIONS AT THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE * Chief of the Defence Force: Angus Campbell An army chief recognised for his tough stance against domestic violence and tight-lipped approach to border protection will soon oversee Australia's armed forces. Lieutenant General Angus Campbell joined the Australian Army in 1981, graduating from Duntroon in 1984, and initially served as a platoon commander in a parachute battalion. He served as a troop and squadron commander before being appointed a commanding officer in 2001, with his battalion group deployed to East Timor as part of a United Nations response. In early 2010 he rose to the rank of Major General and assumed command of Australian forces deployed in the Middle East the following year. He later served as Deputy Chief of Army and was promoted to command the task force responsible for Operation Sovereign Borders. Lieutenant General Campbell was appointed Chief of the Australian Army in May 2015. He has also served in a range of staff appointments, as well as roles at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, including a stint as Deputy National Security Adviser. Lieutenant General Campbell is married with two adult children. * Vice Chief of the Defence Force: David Lance Johnston He joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1978, graduating in 1982, and later specialised as a principal warfare officer. Vice Admiral Johnston served as the commanding officer on several vessels and oversaw a deployment to Fiji in 2006. In 2007 he took responsibility for planning maritime operations and training the Navy's ships, submarines and diving teams. The following year he was elevated to oversee the execution of all Australian Defence Force operations both overseas and within Australia. He was deployed to the Middle East in 2010 to help oversee Australian Defence Force troops conducting maritime, land and air operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Vice Admiral Johnston assumed deputy command of the combined Australian/US task force for Talisman Sabre exercises in 2011 and was later appointed Deputy Chief of Joint Operations Command. He was appointed Commander of Border Protection in December 2011, overseeing ADF and Customs and Border Protection officers. Vice Admiral Johnston was appointed Chief of Joint Operations in May 2014. Sydney Roosters prop Sio Siua Taukeiaho has avoided knee surgery but could still spent up to a fortnight on the sidelines with cartilage damage. Taukeiaho injured his left knee in the warm up for Thursday's NRL loss to South Sydney, prompting fears he may have re-damaged the anterior cruciate ligament that was reconstructed in 2016. But after scans on Friday were deemed inconclusive, the 26-year-old received good news from a specialist on Monday. "The injury does not require surgery and it is expected that Taukeiaho will be sidelined for up to two weeks while he undertakes a rehabilitation program," the Roosters said in a statement. It means the Tongan international will miss Thursday's clash with Canterbury along with the traditional Anzac Day fixture against St George Illawarra. Elevated to a starting role this year ahead of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and at times Dylan Napa, Taukeiaho has averaged more than 10 metres a run in games this year. A priest has been accused of indecently assaulting seven children almost 40 years ago while he served at a Catholic Church in Perth. It's alleged the now 83-year-old abused boys and girls, aged between six and 12 at the time of the first offence, between 1979 and 1992 while he was a priest at a church in Shenton Park. His charges include six counts of indecently dealing with a child, one count of indecently assaulting a male and two counts of assault. Putting non-Indigenous Australians under the microscope could be key to closing the gap and cutting out racial discrimination, a Queensland researcher says. As part of her PhD James Cook University's Dr Lorraine Muller interviewed non-Indigenous Australians to understand how their values and beliefs differ from Indigenous Australians. "They've never had to explain their culture. We have to explain our culture, but no one ever bothers explaining non-Indigenous culture," Dr Muller told AAP. Dr Muller interviewed senior health professionals, public servants and academics on their understanding of respect, gender roles, spirituality and time, and gave examples of how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people perceive these ideas. On respect, she found non-Indigenous people view it as something that is earnt and commodified whereas Indigenous Australians see it as something everyone should receive. "Respect is often linked to money, power and social strata - and Indigenous people are the lowest on the social scale," Dr Muller said. She said these differences in beliefs can underpin behaviour including accidental racial stereotyping, particularly in healthcare. She cited a doctor dismissing an Indigenous Australian's health problems as alcohol-related despite the patient not drinking. "In that particular case, if the patient had taken offence and walked out of the doctor's surgery, the consequences could have been fatal, health-wise," Dr Muller said. She said the doctor was shocked by how instant his reaction had been to the wrong conclusion. "He knew immediately that his comment was triggered by deeply embedded cultural differences. And he didn't like it. I'm sure he never did it again." She hopes her work will help non-Indigenous people better understand themselves and their relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. "There's an ulcer that hasn't been healed in Australian culture," Dr Muller said. "People have a feeling of guilt or sadness and they want to change things, but they don't know where to go from here. "My work is a way of harnessing those feelings of guilt and moving in a positive direction." Just about everyone I know - both here and overseas - has Australia's Top End on their bucket list. If the spectacular scenery and wildlife isn't enough for you, perhaps you'd be tempted by the Taste of Kakadu Festival in May, when local and visiting chefs will be showcasing the region's produce. If you're planning to visit Kakadu, the national park that's about half the size of Switzerland, the locals are lining up to give you some advice about what you should - and shouldn't - do during your stay. Ranger Leanne recommends tourists don't wander about blindly but take the time to have the area explained by a local guide. "The sense of arrival as you come though the escarpment, as you experience the rock art and the culture, the best way is to have someone help to interpret those stories for you," she told me. Kakadu's scenery is world-famous and truly breathtaking, so Leanne recommends you take your time to enjoy it - and make the effort to climb up to a lookout. "You wander up the escarpment looking at the rock face and you have multiple levels, that you can just stop and take in the expanse of the view across all the rock structures through to Arnhem Land," she says. "If you're there at sunset you get that beautiful light show, where you get that glow across the landscape." Getting insights from local indigenous guides is also recommended by Kakadu traditional owner Mandy from Yellow Water Cruises. "This is my day job, I run my family business, everyone who visits the park wants to do an indigenous cultural activity and I get to be part of that," Mandy says. She says visitors needn't be concerned that they'll become bored with the experiences on offer. "A lot of us families are getting together and talking about what we are providing for our guests, so we try to make sure we're not all doing the same thing." Indigenous chef Ben says Kadadu's rock art has to be top of the agenda for any visitor. "I like looking at the foraging images, the animals our people hunted, our ancestral paintings," he tells me. "It's a document of our life. It's a place where you do connect with the past in the present and that brings our ancestors here in the moment." Local entrepreneur Kylie says anyone who has a little time to spend in the Wet Tropics would have a great time at a safari camp. "We have some events that are held at Kakadu all year round. We have Patsy who does the animal tracking and supporting those sorts of businesses helps them grow." Lou from the Mercure Crocodile Hotel at Jabiru just wants you to light a fire. "Toast some marshmallows, chuck a crab claw in," she says. "Everywhere else there are fire bans, but not here because it's a staple of life. You chuck a piece of turkey bush on, it will keep away the mozzies - stinks like hell though." And while the locals have different ideas about the must-dos for the area, there's one thing they are emphatic about when asked what not to do. "Don't swim with the crocodiles and don't go near the water," Kylie says. "Growing up out here we can smell them, we know that they're there... but you wouldn't. You jump in a beautiful clear stream thinking this is lovely and the next minute - you're gone." It's clear that the safety and happiness of visitors is important to them, with some also warning not to go wandering in the huge park. "Stay on track, be safe, because traditional owners want you to be safe here and to have a good time," Leanne said. "I think you need to respect that this is Aboriginal land and you are just a visitor here." Keeping safe was a recurrent theme, with Lou issuing a Boy Scout warning - to be prepared before seeing any of the sights. "Do not leave without water," she said. "You're surrounded by water but you may not be able to drink it or swim in it, and you would pay thousands for it." IF YOU GO GETTING THERE: Virgin, Jetstar and Qantas all fly into Darwin from around Australia daily with fares from Sydney beginning at about $A300 one-way. Day tours are available to Kakadu from there, but the three-hour drive is also easily made in a rental car available from Budget, Thrifty or Europcar at Darwin Airport. Make sure you pay for your Kakadu visitors pass, available online before you get there or at several locations within the park. STAYING THERE: A range of accommodation is available in Kakadu, including the Mercure Crocodile Hotel with rooms from $A150 and the Kakadu Lodge and Caravan Park at about $A100, both in Jabiru. Rooms at the Cooinda Lodge, deep in the park south of Jabiru, are about $A200 per night. For more, visit: mercure.accorhotels.com/Crocodilehotel; https://www.auroraresorts.com.au/aurora_Kakadu_Lodge/; www.kakadutourism.com/accommodation/cooinda-lodge/ PLAYING THERE: The Taste of Kakadu festival runs from May 18-27 and details are available at: https://parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/taste/program/ With the water flowing after the Wet, a great way to take in the park is in a small plane piloted by The Scenic Flight Company, which offers flights from $A130 for 30 minutes, that will give your cameras a great workout. For those who prefer to stay on land, a cruise along the waterways is a must. Yellow Water Cruises offers sunrise, sunset or daytime adventures from $A72 per person. For more, visit: scenicflight.com.au/ and www.kakadutourism.com/tours-activities/yellow-water-cruises/ The writer travelled to Kakadu as a guest of Tourism NT, Kakadu Tourism and Parks Australia. The Northern Territory government could announce that it will lift a ban on the controversial practice of gas fracking as early as Tuesday. The NT is divided over the issue, with environmental groups and scientists pressuring the Labor government to keep the moratorium due to impacts on water, land and public health. But an independent report handed down last month found the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing of gas deposits could be managed and regulated. Liberal Opposition Leader Gary Higgins said he believed the government would lift the ban because "the alternative just can't be contemplated" in relation to the territory's economy. The NT economy and job numbers have slowed now that construction of the massive Inpex gas project has been completed. The NT government's share of the GST will drop by $136 million in the next financial year on top of $269 million this year and it has a $1.3 billion budget deficit. "When you talk about the potential of up to 18,000 jobs, it is very important," Mr Higgins told reporters. "We've got to have something else to prop up the economy here, museums and car parks are not going to do that." The 18,000 figure is based on Energy company Jemena saying last week it would provide up to 4,000 jobs expanding the Northern Gas Pipeline and submissions to the recently released inquiry. The federal government has previously indicated it could try to penalise states with bans on gas exploration and development by cutting their GST. Fewer than one per cent of complaints against medical practitioners are unfounded or "vexatious", an Australian report says. While they can have a devastating effect on doctors and other health professionals, the University of Melbourne has found patients rarely make such complaints. However, measures intended to protect practitioners from baseless complaints may discourage people with legitimate grievances from speaking up. "Claims that the problem is rampant are largely based on a non-representative, self-selected sample of practitioner anecdotes," the report released on Monday said. It was commissioned by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency off the back of a senate inquiry into medical complaints processes. The report found practitioners who accused their patients of making unfounded complaints were often engaged in unprofessional conduct themselves. "The complaint is more likely to be vexing than vexatious," the research found, defining a vexatious complaint as one without any basis and made to cause distress or harm. While a lack of international research made it difficult to work out exactly how common they were, the university suggested it was no more than one per cent of complaints in Australia and globally. The northern part of the Murray-Darling Basin will be flushed with gigalitres of environmental water as the NSW and Commonwealth governments attempt to prevent the long-suffering rivers drying out. Water has stopped flowing in some parts of the Barwon-Darling system in NSW's northwest while other tributaries are in decline amid extended hot and dry weather. Fish populations, including the Murray cod, are being placed under threat while farming communities have faced water restrictions. The Commonwealth and state governments on Monday jointly committed to releasing more than 30 gigalitres - 23 from the federal government and seven from NSW - for environmental flows from mid-April. "We know how important the Barwon and Darling rivers are to our most remote communities and this event will refresh those rivers after a long period of hot and dry weather," NSW Regional Water Minister Niall Blair said in a statement. The water is needed to maintain a connection between the northern rivers and the Barwon-Darling, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder Jody Swirepik said. "Although our purpose is to improve river health, we do hope it will also relieve some of the pressure the community has been feeling," she said in a statement on Monday. The governments hope the water release will capitalise on rainfall feeding the northern parts of the basin and the offer by some Queensland irrigators not to take water. The Murray-Darling Basin Authority in late 2017 slammed NSW and Queensland for not forcing irrigators to comply with the basin's water management plan. But the authority on Monday applauded the NSW government's commitment to protecting the "important flows" and working to get the balance right between competing needs for water. "We welcome the immediate steps taken by NSW to protect these flows in the short term, by issuing a ministerial order to ensure the water is not pumped and makes it through the system," MDBA executive director Peta Derham said in a statement. The water will be released in mid-April and is expected to have completed its 2000-kilometre journey to Wilcannia by late May. A third man has been charged over an attack on a police officer who tried to stop a street fight in Sydney's west. The acting inspector was left with a large cut on his head from the assault just after midnight on Sunday April 8. It's alleged he was attempting to intervene in a fight between two men at Emerton, near Mount Druitt, when a third man hit him. A 24-year-old man was arrested at Mount Druitt Police Station on Monday and charged with affray. He was refused bail in Mount Druitt Local Court and will reappear next month. It follows the arrest of a 21-year-old man on Wednesday who was charged with affray. Thomas Magann, 26, also faced court last week and was refused bail during his first mention. He's due to face court on April 18. The Australian Greens are proposing to decriminalise cannabis, declaring the war on drugs has failed. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the country's approach to illicit drugs was an "unmitigated disaster" and it was time for real reform. "Governments around the world are realising that prohibition of cannabis causes more harm than it prevents," Senator Di Natale said on Monday. "It's time Australia joined them and legalised cannabis for adult use." The minor party wants to redefine cannabis as a legal substance, with licences issued for its production and sale. A national agency would be established to issue licences, monitor and enforce conditions and oversee regulations. Up to six plants could be grown for personal use and strict penalties would be imposed on selling cannabis to minors or without a licence. Senator Di Natale said almost seven million Australians had tried or used cannabis, with consumption and drug possession-related arrests both on the rise. The Greens leader, a former drug and alcohol doctor, said Australia's tough approach to drugs had caused enormous harm. "It drives people away from getting help when they need it and exposes them to a dangerous black market," Senator Di Natale said. "The Greens see drug use as a health issue, not a criminal issue." Senator Di Natale pointed to a recent poll showing 55 per cent of Australians believed cannabis should be regulated and taxed like alcohol or tobacco. He expects the plan to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, helping fund treatment, education and other harm reduction programs. "I call on political parties of all stripes to join the Greens in committing to just legalise it," he said. Alex Wodak, president of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, welcomed the announcement. "Banning cannabis hasn't reduced its use or availability yet it has distracted police from following up more serious crimes, harmed a lot of young people and helped make some criminals rich," Dr Wodak said. "Regulating cannabis will give government more control and increase government revenue, which can be used to fund drug prevention and treatment." Today's Birthday, April 17: Australian politician Barnaby Joyce (1967 - ). Barnaby Joyce recently surrendered to the weight of public and media scrutiny, ceding leadership of the Nationals following his affair with a former staffer. After a Sydney newspaper splashed a story that Joyce was expecting a baby with ex-staffer Vikki Campion in February, the then-deputy prime minister fended off calls to resign as the media spotlight honed in on his suspected infidelity and marriage breakdown. Joyce also denied allegations he had breached the ministerial code of conduct by giving Campion jobs in the offices of Matthew Canavan and Damian Drum as she was not his "partner" at the time. The scandal led Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to enact new ministerial standards, banning sexual relationships between cabinet members and their staff. The Akubra-wearing member for New England, who had only months earlier re-entered parliament after a by-election brought on by the dual-citizenship saga, eventually fell on his sword as a sexual harassment complaint came to light - little over two weeks after the main scandal first broke. Born in the NSW town of Tamworth, Barnaby grew up one of six children on a sheep and cattle farm near Woolbrook. He studied financial administration at Armidale's University of New England, where he played rugby union for St Albies College and met his future wife Natalie Abberfield. After graduation in 1989, Joyce worked on farms, as a rural banker and an accountant before setting up his own practice in St George, Queensland. In 2004, Joyce was elected a Queensland senator and was quickly branded a maverick, crossing the floor 28 times before he was elevated to the ministry. He resigned from state politics ahead of the 2013 federal election to return to NSW and contest his hometown lower house seat of New England, dethroning independent Tony Windsor who had held the seat since 2001. The then-agriculture minister's 'Pistol and Boo' spat with Johnny Depp and Amber Heard made international headlines, ending with the actors publicly apologising for breaching biosecurity laws. Joyce replaced the retiring Warren Truss as deputy prime minister in early 2016, but was forced to recontest his local seat after the Federal Court ruled him ineligible to sit in Canberra as he had been conferred dual citizenship via his New Zealand-born father. Police are calling on the public to help them find a woman who disappeared from a secluded outback Queensland campsite more than three weeks ago. Sarah Lindsay, 36, was last seen wearing black pyjama pants on March 24 at a camping spot on Bularoo Creek near the Carnarvon Highway, north of Roma. Authorities believe Ms Lindsay, who has blonde hair with red highlights, was in Toowoomba on April 6 and may be heading towards Byron Bay. Anyone with information about her disappearance is urged to contact police on 131 444. Shortly before Anzac Day 1918, a fleet of vessels slipped from British ports and set course for Belgium, their occupants told they should be able to strike a great blow against the Germans but shouldn't count on surviving. Their objective was the port of Zeebrugge, from where German U-boats were wreaking havoc on shipping between the United States and Britain. At the height of the submarine campaign in late 1916, Britain had come alarmingly close to starvation. By 1918, shipping losses still remained high and Britain's anti-submarine forces seemed unable to make any great impact. The Zeebrugge raid to halt the U-boats would become the progenitor of commando raids in WWII. It was an overwhelmingly English venture but 12 Australians were involved. There would have been plenty more had all volunteers been accepted. One of the Australian volunteers, Artificer Engineer William Edgar, later received the only Distinguished Service Cross awarded to an Australian sailor during WWI. Zeebrugge itself was the North Sea end of a 13-kilometre canal to Bruges where U-boats were based. The idea was to block the canal by sinking ships full of concrete in the narrow entrance. Getting the blockships there wouldn't be easy, as the coastline was heavily defended and the canal entrance lay behind a 2.5 kilometre mole (breakwater wall) dotted with guns. Admiralty director of plans, Admiral Roger Keyes, came up with a scheme to first obscure approaching vessels with a smokescreen then land troops on the mole to distract defenders as the blockships sailed by. In February 1918, naval units throughout Britain were canvassed for volunteers. There was no shortage of willing young men who were warned they should not expect to return from this very dangerous mission. From battlecruiser HMAS Australia came an officer, Edgar, plus five seaman and five stokers. They made their way to Chatham for top-secret training. The five stokers joined lead blockship HMS Thetis, one of three old light cruisers assigned to this one-way voyage. The seamen joined the mole storming party aboard old cruiser HMS Vindictive. Armed with rifle, pistol and cutlass, their job was to suppress German defences. Edgar took charge of the engine room on ferry Iris, which was to assist Vindictive. The flotilla departed on April 22, arriving off Zeebrugge just before midnight. Obscured by a thick smokescreen, they silently approached the harbour - until a wind gust blew the smoke away and everyone started shooting, in what historian Barry Pitt described as a night filled with screaming metal. Vindictive slammed sideways into the mole 250-metres from German gun positions. Lashed by enemy fire, boarding parties, including the five Australians, charged. About this time, old British submarine C3 rammed the bridge at the land end of the mole. Her navigator was Sydney-born Lieutenant John Howell-Price. Setting fuses on five tonnes of explosives, C3's crew boarded their skiff and paddled like fury. The blast demolished the bridge plus a group of German soldiers rushing towards the fighting. Howell-Price was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, C3's British commander won the Victoria Cross. Meanwhile, the three blockships rounded the mole and charged towards the canal entrance under a storm of fire. Thetis, with her five Aussie stokers, snagged her propellers on steel netting and pulled up short. The other two vessels sailed into the canal, slewed sideways then detonated scuttling charges. Tailing motor launches were supposed to evacuate their crews but those on Thetis had to row for it as German defenders on the mole maintained a withering fire. With blockships in position, a siren blast announced the withdrawal. Up to this time ferry Iris had experienced nothing but frustration - her scaling ladders were too short to land boarding parties. Retiring under heavy smoke, Iris took a direct hit from a German shell and appeared certain to be lost as she drifted under the German guns. Then Edgar came to the rescue. "Acting Artificer Engineer William Henry Edgar RAN had arrived on the upper deck and was carrying out necessary repairs to the damaged smoke canisters. Black smoke suddenly jetted from Iris' stern and she disappeared behind her own screens," Pitt wrote. In all, 170 of the 1,784 strong Zeebrugge force were killed and 400 wounded. German casualties were modest. Opinion is still divided on just now successful this raid was. While U-boat use of Zeebrugge was limited to high tide, Germany still had other North Sea ports. However Zeebrugge was unquestionably a great morale booster for Britain. No less than 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded, plus 21 DSOs and 29 DSCs. Three of the Aussies on Vindictive received the Distinguished Service Medal while one of the Thetis stokers received the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Best of all, every Australian made it home alive. Filibeck was last year part of a European delegation critical of President Duterte's drug war The Philippines has barred entry to an EU party official critical of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal drugs crackdown, in a move denounced by critics Monday as a gag on dissent. Italian Giacomo Filibeck was detained by border police upon his arrival at Cebu airport Sunday and deported for engaging in "partisan political activity", Philippine immigration authorities and his party said. Filibeck, the deputy secretary general of the Party of European Socialists, flew to the Philippines at the invitation of opposition party Akbayan to attend a congress. He had been part of a delegation of European politicians who conducted an October 2017 fact-finding mission in the Philippines which denounced the "extra-judicial killings" of thousands of people in Duterte's anti-drug crackdown. "This is a gag order to all and sundry that you cannot look into the human rights situation in the Philippines," Akbayan congressman Tom Villarin told AFP. "Actions of the Duterte government... really show that degree of impunity has risen to the level of a dictatorship," he added. Duterte has launched an unprecedented campaign against illegal drugs since winning elections in mid-2016. Police say they have killed 4,100 drug suspects as part of the campaign, while rights groups claim the toll is around three times the official figure. The Philippine bureau of immigration said Filibeck had violated conditions of his stay as a tourist. "Mr Filibeck has been blacklisted by the (immigration bureau) for violation of our immigration laws which prohibit aliens staying in our country from engaging in political activities," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told AFP. Duterte's spokesman described the move as an "exercise of sovereignty". "The socialist leader was one of those that we determined as a person that we don't want to be in our territory," presidential spokesman Harry Roque told reporters. Manila and the European Union have clashed over the drugs crackdown, with Brussels saying it was a matter of "serious concern", while Duterte has rejected criticism from the "stupid organisation" and angrily turned down an invitation to an Asia-Europe summit. Filibeck's party denounced his deportation, adding it had informed EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini of the incident. "It is completely unacceptable that a PES political representative... should be treated as a criminal on the orders of the government," party president Sergei Stanishev said in a statement on its website. "We refuse to be silenced. We will continue to express our solidarity with the democratic opposition to Mr Duterte's increasingly authoritarian rule in the Philippines." China and Japan are aiming to re-establish warmer ties Asian rivals China and Japan on Monday pledged a "new starting point" for bilateral ties, vowing close co-operation amid a flurry of diplomacy on the North Korean missile threat and global trade tensions. Welcoming Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for a rare three-day visit, Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe called for warmer relations between the two countries and said they should work together on North Korea. Abe said he would be visiting the United States for talks with President Donald Trump to seek the "complete and irreversible denuclearisation" of North Korea and added "we want to co-operate with China." "We hope to develop a strategic, mutually beneficial Japan-China relationship in various fields," said Abe. After meeting Abe, Wang told reporters that Beijing wanted to place "Sino-Japanese cooperation at a new starting point" and cooperate on energy, financial and environmental issues. Tokyo is battling to stay relevant amid a string of summits on North Korea's nuclear programme in which Beijing is likely to be a major player. With this in mind, Japan is pushing to host a trilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Abe said this would be held "after Golden Week", a series of national holidays that ends on May 6. Bilateral visits by Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping are also being planned. China demonstrated its significant influence over its reclusive ally when Xi hosted the North's leader Kim Jong-un and his wife in Beijing last month. With Moon and Trump also preparing to meet Kim, reported efforts by Japan to reach out to Pyongyang have gone ignored. Wang said he and Abe spoke about North Korea. "At present, the nuclear issue on the peninsula has clearly eased from a situation of a crippling crisis and has returned to the direction of denuclearisation," Wang said, reiterating Beijing's call for a political and peaceful settlement. Meanwhile, Japan and China are targets of Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs, with Beijing also targeted with a further heavy levy. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Wang did not specifically mention the proposed US trade policies, as its implementation and consequences were still unclear. But they noted the global economy has dramatically changed during the eight years the bilateral dialogue has stalled. "We must have fresh perspectives and think about ways of cooperation and coordination," said Kono. "We share the common understanding that starting of a trade war would have a significant impact on the prosperity of the global economy." Following his meeting with Abe, Wang said Japan understands the importance of safeguarding the rules of the World Trade Organization. "The consensus reached by both parties is that facing the rise of protectionism, we have all promised to use our actions to safeguard the global free trade system with the WTO as its core and jointly build a more open world economy," Wang said. Donald Trump says that fired FBI director James Comey, whose new memoir portrays the US president as morally unfit for the office, is guilty of 'major crimes' Donald Trump fired back Monday at James Comey, saying he is guilty of "many crimes," as the former FBI director opened a book tour with an interview in which he labelled the US president "morally unfit" for office. Trump accused Comey of lying to Congress and exonerating Hillary Clinton in a 2016 investigation because of her strong poll numbers in the presidential race. "Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G)," Trump fired in an early morning tweet. "Then based his decisions on her poll numbers. Disgruntled, he, [former FBI deputy director Andrew] McCabe, and the others, committed many crimes!" Late Sunday, Comey launched a publicity tour for his new memoir, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership," with an ABC television interview in which he branded Trump a serial liar who will "stain everyone around him." Comey's book, which leaked out last week ahead of its official release Tuesday, takes on the president who fired him in May 2017 over the troubling Russia election meddling investigation, a probe that poses a deep threat to Trump's 15-month-old presidency. - Trump 'morally unfit' - Comey is schedule to give interviews on the book to major television networks this week and travel to a dozen cities to promote the book in person. "I think he's morally unfit to be president," Comey told ABC. Trump "talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat" and "lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it." Comey also said that serving in Trump's administration poses a serious ethical dilemma. "The challenge of this president is that he will stain everyone around him," he told ABC. "And the question is, how much stain is too much stain and how much stain eventually makes you unable to accomplish your goal of protecting the country and serving the country?" - Republicans: 'Lyin' Comey' - Trump and the Republicans have sought to stifle the impact of his book by accusing Comey of leaking classified materials and of corruptly handling the 2016 investigation into Clinton. The Republican Party set up a website to attack the book, branding him "Lyin' Comey." Trump called Comey an "untruthful slime ball" and said it was his "great honor" to fire the veteran Justice Department prosecutor. "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump said Sunday. In a separate ABC interview, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders reiterated the charges of lying and divulging classified materials. "Look, it's been very clear that James Comey is a self-admitted leaker. He lied to Congress," she said. - Trump's legal troubles - In a new book, former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey says Donald Trump is immoral and unfit to be US president In his book, Comey likens Trump to a dishonest, ego-driven mob boss and says he demanded the then FBI chief's personal pledge of loyalty. That damning account has infuriated the president at a moment of intensifying legal pressure on other fronts. The probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russians during the 2016 presidential race, now led by independent special prosecutor Robert Mueller, increasingly menaces Trump's inner circle. And last week federal agents in New York raided the office and hotel room of Trump's longtime personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, possibly in connection with secret hush payments he made to women claiming they had affairs with Trump. In his interview Sunday, Comey said Trump could be guilty of obstruction of justice in the way he tried to get the FBI to drop a probe of one of his staff in early 2017. But Comey said he could not confirm suspicions that Moscow possesses compromising material -- an alleged lurid video of the president with prostitutes -- or evidence of collusion during the election that could be used to blackmail the US president "I think it's possible. I don't know," Comey said. A man walks past a cartoon warning about foreign spies in Beijing last May: a website for tip-offs has now been launched China has stepped up its campaign against foreign espionage with a website in Mandarin and English encouraging people to report national security threats such as bids to "overthrow the socialist system". The website, www.12339.gov.cn, launched by the Ministry of National Security on Sunday, also urges anyone to report attempts by Chinese nationals or foreigners to bribe state or military officials, instigate armed riots or incite ethnic separatism. Potential problematic behaviour also includes foreigners meeting "any person within China who has conducted activities endangering state security or is strongly suspected of doing so" -- raising concerns that any interaction with dissidents would be frowned upon. Informants will be rewarded for discovering espionage equipment or for tip-offs on anyone suspected of buying or selling state secrets, according to the website, which allows users to lodge complaints in both Chinese and English. The website did not offer details on the rewards. The Beijing City National Security Bureau was offering 10,000 to 500,000 yuan ($1,500 to $73,000) for information on spies, the official Beijing Daily reported last April. The ministry has also released a cartoon, entitled "a friend with a mask," to illustrate possible questionable behaviour, as part of its campaign to mark China's National Security Education Day on April 15. The cartoon tells the story of a foreigner from an international non-governmental organisation, who is promoting "western-style" workers' rights in China. The foreigner allegedly "bribes" a Chinese representative to organise seminars and mobilise workers to protest for their rights. According to the cartoon, such public protests are illegal and a vigilant worker reports the foreigner behind "the unrest." In 2016 another series of cartoons published by the ministry warned Chinese nationals against entering into romantic relationships with foreigners, since this could be a possible means of eliciting state secrets. A South Korean man charged with murdering his wife and young son at the luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in Hong Kong earlier this year has died in custody, police say A South Korean charged with murdering his wife and young son at Hong Kong's luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel died in custody Monday, police said. Kim Min-ho was found unconscious at the maximum-security Lai Chi Kok detention centre Monday morning and later declared dead in hospital, police and media reports said. A note was found at the scene, according to a police statement, which described him only as a 43-year-old foreign man. Police gave no details on how Kim died but local media reported he had committed suicide. Police had rushed to the harbourfront hotel in January after receiving a report that a man and woman guest were fighting. Kim's wife and six-year-old son were found dead at the scene, his wife with multiple cuts to her neck and his six-year-old son with a throat wound. Kim was believed to have consumed alcohol and appeared unconscious in the hotel suite with minor wounds to his hand and face, police said at the time. They retrieved a five-inch-long knife from the room and Kim was arrested. Kim, who stated on his Facebook page that he was CEO in South Korea of the US-based Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory retail chain, was charged with double murder. A source told AFP at the time that a friend of the suspect had warned authorities in South Korea he was potentially suicidal shortly before the incident. The Ritz-Carlton is on the top floors of Hong Kong's tallest skyscraper -- the International Commerce Centre -- and has panoramic views of the city and its Victoria Harbour. The South Korean consulate had no immediate comment on Kim's death. American Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, who moved to Turkey in 1993, has been deemed a flight risk in the country A Turkish court ruled Monday to keep an American Christian pastor in custody, deeming him to be a flight risk, after his trial opened in a case that has raised tensions with Washington. Andrew Brunson, who ran a Protestant church in the western city of Izmir, has been detained by Turkish authorities since October 2016. If convicted, he risks up to 35 years in jail. Brunson -- wearing a black suit, speaking fluent Turkish and sometimes bursting into tears -- emphatically rejected all the charges against him at the first court hearing in the town of Aliaga north of Izmir. He is accused of engaging in activities on behalf of the group led by exiled Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen -- who Ankara says is behind a failed 2016 coup -- and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Both the Gulen movement and the PKK are banned by Turkey as terror groups. Brunson is also accused of espionage for political or military purposes. The judge ordered Brunson to stay in jail, setting the next hearing for May 7. The ruling was based on evidence given by witnesses in the case and the risk that Brunson might flee. The United States expressed concern. "We have seen no credible evidence that Mr Brunson is guilty of a crime and are convinced that he is innocent," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. "We hope that the judicial system in Turkey will resolve his case in a timely, fair and transparent manner." In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, the hearing was attended by Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedom, and Senator Thom Tillis from Brunson's home state of North Carolina. "We are very disappointed. If anything, I think the information that has been presented today creates a more compelling reason why he is innocent," Tillis told reporters after the ruling. Brunson reacted with emotion, telling his wife Norine in English: "I am going crazy. I love you." He had earlier told the judge tearfully: "I want to return my home. For 16 months, I have been separated from my wife." - 'Reject all accusations' - Turkish soldiers guarded the Aliaga court and prison complex as Brunson's trial got under way "I want the whole truth to be revealed. I reject all the accusations in the indictment. I haven't been involved in any illegal activity," Brunson told the court. "I haven't done anything against Turkey. On the contrary, I love Turkey. I have been praying for Turkey for 25 years." He moved to the country in 1993 and opened his Izmir church in 2010. The Brunson case has further hiked tensions between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, with US President Donald Trump raising the issue in talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Relations are already strained over American backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria despised by Ankara and the jailing of two employees at American missions in Turkey. Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedom, attended the trial in a show of White House support for Brunson "That relationship is going to have difficulty in moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated," Brownback told reporters at the courthouse. In September, Erdogan suggested that Turkey could free Brunson if Washington handed over Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. Washington brushed off the offer but has been working intensely to secure the release of Brunson, one of several American nationals caught up in the crackdown after the failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016. In February, NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual national, was jailed for 7.5 years for being a member of Gulen's movement in a conviction denounced by Washington. Senator Tillis said there was "no deal," adding: "This is about what we believe is an innocent man who has been in prison for a year and a half." In his statement to the court, Brunson rejected the accusations of links to Gulen's group, saying: "That would be an insult to my religion. I am a Christian. I would not join an Islamic movement." Gulen denies any role in the failed coup and says his Hizmet (Service) movement promotes a peaceful form of Islam. Numbering just several thousand, the Protestant community in overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Turkey largely comprises converts from Islam, expatriates and refugees. The Turkish Association of Protestant Churches said in a report that 2017 was marked by continued hate crimes and physical attacks. Brownback described the trial as a "religious freedom case." "Turkey, in its history, has been very open, so that's one of the things that's really troubling about this," he said. A Park supporter stands in front of a line of police during a rally demanding her release earlier this month South Korea's disgraced former president Park Geun-hye will not appeal her 24-year prison sentence for corruption, reports said Monday. Park, 66, who was removed from office over a massive corruption scandal last year, was convicted of multiple criminal charges including bribery and abuse of power at a trial earlier this month. She has boycotted all court hearings since October, claiming unfair treatment. On Monday Park submitted an appeal waiver to the Seoul Central District Court to override an appeal filed by her younger sister last week, Yonhap news agency cited court officials as saying. But an appeal hearing will nonetheless take place as prosecutors are seeking harsher punishment. The Yonhap report said Park would boycott the process. The wide-ranging corruption scandal which broke last year prompted massive street protests against Park across the country and led to her impeachment. Park and her close confidante Choi Soon-sil were the key figures in the scandal involving charges of graft, influence-peddling and taking bribes from corporate bigwigs in exchange for policy favours. Park is the third former South Korean leader to be convicted on criminal charges after leaving office, joining Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo. They were both found guilty of treason and corruption in the 1990s. The recent gang rape and murder of a girl in India has sparked renewed fury over endemic levels of violence towards women in the country Eight men accused of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl pleaded not guilty Monday to the horrific crime that has sparked revulsion and brought thousands to India's streets in protest. Four police and a Hindu temple custodian are among those accused of gang raping and killing a Muslim girl from a poor tribe in Jammu and Kashmir state where the highly-charged case has stoked long-simmering religious tensions. The accused men appeared in court in the city of Kathua on Monday for the first time since being arrested in February for the girl's murder. Ankur Sharma, a lawyer for the accused, said the men had pleaded not guilty were willing to take a lie-detector test. The court adjourned the case for procedural reasons, he added. "The court has directed that chargesheet copies should be provided to all the accused. The next date of hearing is April 28," Sharma told reporters. The girl was kidnapped, drugged and raped over five days at the Hindu temple in January before being strangled and bludgeoned with a rock. The case ignited moral outrage and mass demonstrations across India after details of her gruesome death were made public by police last week. The temple's custodian, retired public servant Sanji Ram, is accused of conspiring with four police officers, a friend, his son and a juvenile nephew to kill the girl and destroy crucial evidence. Scenes of lawyers trying to stop police from entering court to file charges against the accused -- all Hindus -- evoked disgust and a warning from India's highest court against any attempts to obstruct justice. The case has heightened fears of communal tensions in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. The accused allegedly plotted the crime to drive the nomadic Muslim community from a part of Jammu, a southern region that is Hindu dominated. Muslim activists have condemned what they see as a crime against their community and some Hindu groups have argued that the accused had been unfairly charged. On Monday, a lawyer representing the victim's family filed a petition in the Supreme Court, requesting the trial be relocated from the restive state. The lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, said she had been receiving death threats for "daring to pursue the case". Last week the Supreme Court ruled that the media must not reveal the girl's identity in their reporting of the case. Two state ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party have resigned after attending a rally in defence of the accused. The ruling party has also been accused of trying to shield one of its state lawmakers in Uttar Pradesh after a 17-year-old girl accused the powerful politician of raping her last year. Kuldeep Singh Sengar was only arrested last week, despite the girl's family trying to file charges against him for nearly a year. The two cases have stirred memories of the mass demonstrations that followed the gang rape and murder of a student in New Delhi in 2012. The crime attracted international headlines and saw rape laws overhauled but high numbers of assaults persist, with 40,000 rape cases reported every year. Visitors look at a scene of human experiments at the Unit 731 museum in Harbin in northeast China in 2015 A group of Japanese scholars is set to reveal the names of the members of a Japanese World War II germ warfare unit that infected and starved Chinese and allied POWs in a series of gruesome experiments. Katsuo Nishiyama, professor emeritus of Shiga University of Medical Science in western Japan, has told local media his team is analysing a list of 3,607 members and plans to publish it online to encourage further historical study of the unit. "This is the first time that we see a list of the names of nearly all its members being released in the form of an official document," the Mainichi Shimbun daily quoted Nishiyama as saying. Unit 731 of the Imperial Japanese Army was set up in Manchuria after Japan formed a puppet state in northeastern China in 1931. Its members -- some of them physicians from Japan's top medical universities -- conducted human experiments, injecting plague and other germs into their victims, testing germ bombs, and artificially causing frostbite to victims while depriving them of sleep and food. The Japanese government denied the existence of the unit until 1998, when the Supreme Court indirectly acknowledged it by ruling there was an academic consensus that Unit 731 existed. The list, recently released by the National Archives of Japan to Nishiyama's team, includes the names, ranks and addresses of those who belonged to Unit 731, according to the Mainichi Shimbun. "This piece of valuable evidence supports all the testimonies given by those who knew the unit. This is a big step forward for efforts to reveal the hidden truth," Nishiyama said. The list includes 52 surgeons, 49 engineers, 38 nurses and 1,117 combat medics of the unit. Nishiyama could not be reached for immediate comment. Japan, unlike Germany, has been widely accused of failing fully to face up to its wartime atrocities. The subject is not widely taught in schools, and comments by conservative politicians glossing over the issue regularly anger other Asian nations which were the victims of occupation. Omani and Kuwaiti oil ministers on Monday called on OPEC and non-OPEC producers to continue their unprecedented cooperation to maintain stability in the energy market. Producers from the OPEC oil cartel and non-OPEC countries struck a deal in 2016 to trim production by 1.8 million barrels per day to rebalance the market after its collapse in 2014. The deal, which runs out at the end of this year, has succeeded in boosting oil prices above $70 a barrel from below $30 a barrel in early 2016. "I call for the signatories of the (cooperation) declaration agreement, those 24 nations from OPEC and non-OPEC, to continue the dialogue, the understanding and commitment in maintaining the market conditions that will encourage investment," Omani Oil Minister Mohamed al-Rumhi told an oil conference in Kuwait. He also called for enhancing "collaboration and work together to ensure security of supply for consumers and security of demand for producers". Kuwait's Oil Minister Bakheet al-Rasheedi said he believes that oil producers were on the right path to restore stability to the oil market. "A year ago, there was a surplus of 340 million barrels of oil. At the end of February, the surplus dropped to 50 million barrels and we believe we are on the right path to get rid of this surplus," Rasheedi told reporters. He said that the OPEC and non-OPEC cooperation will be reviewed at an OPEC meeting in June. "Market conditions will determine whether the deal will be extended beyond 2018 or arrive at a permanent agreement... to support the market on a long-term basis," he said. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and several other countries have called for striking a long-term cooperation deal to stabilise the oil market. OPEC secretary general Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo told the Kuwait conference that the 2016 deal achieved a great success in overcoming the "worst cycle in the history of oil". A "new chapter is being authored" by OPEC and non-OPEC producers to continue cooperation, he said. "In the months ahead, we will look to institutionalise this long-term framework for continuity with an inclusive and broad-based participation," Barkindo said. The joint ministerial committee of OPEC and non-OPEC ministers, which monitors compliance to production cuts, meets in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Friday to review adherence and discuss long-term cooperation. Kim (left) and Xi meeting in Beijing in March: a Japanese newspaper says a possible Xi visit to Pyongyang is now being discussed China and North Korea have been holding talks about a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pyongyang, a Japanese newspaper reported Monday as regional leaders step up diplomatic dialogue. The North is using its Beijing embassy to arrange Xi's itinerary with the international department of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, quoting Chinese and North Korean sources. Plans under discussion include a visit to Pyongyang in June soon after a proposed summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, the mass-circulation daily said. Asked about the report, a foreign ministry spokeswoman in Beijing said: "We are willing to maintain and strengthen high-level exchanges with the DPRK (North Korea), deepen strategic communication and expand exchanges and cooperation to benefit the people of both countries." "Not long ago, President Xi said he is willing to maintain regular contact with Chairman Kim Jong-Un through visits, special envoys and the exchange of letters," said spokeswoman Hua Chunying. The Chinese side will make a final decision after observing the results of the planned US-North summit, according to the Yomiuri. Xi's planned trip to Pyongyang appeared to have been on the agenda of a weekend meeting between Kim and a senior Chinese official in Pyongyang, it said. Kim made a surprise trip to the Chinese capital to meet Xi in late March and invited him to visit Pyongyang. China and North Korea are trying to repair relations, which have been strained as Beijing has backed a series of United Nations sanctions intended to pressure Pyongyang to stop its nuclear activities. Kim is scheduled to hold a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27. Japan is also expected to host a trilateral summit next month between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Moon and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Mugabe pulled Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year Zimbabwe's foreign minister will attend the Commonwealth summit this week in London, an official in Harare said Monday, underlining the country's international re-engagement since president Robert Mugabe's fall. Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth bloc in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year. Zimbabwe had fractured relations with the West and became increasingly isolated under Mugabe, who held power since independence from Britain in 1980 until his shock ousting last year. Foreign affairs secretary Joey Bimha told AFP that Zimbabwe would be represented by Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo on the sidelines of the two-day heads of state meeting in London starting on Thursday. "The minister has been invited by his counterpart in Britain but he will not take part in the deliberations," Bimha told AFP. Bimha said Zimbabwe's attendance reflected President Emmerson Mnangagwa's determination to improve international relations and boost foreign investment in the post-Mugabe era. "The president has said he will do everything necessary to re-engage with everyone," he said. Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth -- a bloc of former British colonies -- at the height of land seizures, when white farmers were evicted in favour of landless black people in a policy that wrecked the agriculture sector and triggered national economic collapse. It has not yet made a formal move to re-join, but Mnangagwa has signalled his wish for the country to return. "We do have a formal process for people to start if they want to come back," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland told AFP in London. "What we have had is an approach from Zimbabwe indicating they have an interest." Scotland declined to confirm that Moyo would attend the summit meeting or give further details. While in power, Mugabe regularly said "to hell with the Commonwealth" and launched bitter verbal assaults against Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler. Mnangagwa, who was Mugabe's former deputy and a hardline loyalist in the ruling ZANU-PF party, came to power in November after a brief military intervention. The Gambia re-joined the Commonwealth in 2018, the fourth country to do so after South Africa, Pakistan and Fiji. The death of Naqeebullah Mehsud at the hands of police sparked huge protests in Pakistan over extrajudicial killings Pakistan's leading watchdog slammed the nation's deteriorating human rights record in a report released Monday, highlighting extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances across the turbulent country. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) report noted that deaths linked to terrorism continued to decline in 2017 but warned of an uptick in violence against so-called soft targets. "A study shows more Pakistanis died in incidents described as 'encounters' than in gun violence or in suicide attacks," HRCP said, pointing to research showing 495 people died in what law enforcement called shootouts. The issue of encounter killings has made headlines for months in Pakistan following the death in January of Naqeebullah Mehsud -- a young social media star and ethnic Pashtun -- by police in Karachi, who claimed he was a militant. Hundreds of people are believed to die each year at the hands of security forces under pressure to crack down on kidnapping, murder and gang violence in the chaotic port city. Thousands of ethnic Pashtuns have rallied across the country since Mehsud's death, calling for an end to such killings and for investigations into enforced disappearances or cases of alleged abductions by Pakistan's security agencies. Activists claim a variety of groups are targeted in such abductions, including journalists critical of the military and communities living near conflict zones believed to nurture links with militants. "It is high time that we sign the international convention on enforced disappearances," HRCP spokesperson I.A. Rehman told reporters. "We won't see any end of these disappearances until all those involved are prosecuted." According to the group, Pakistan's commission of inquiry on enforced disappearances received 868 cases in 2017 alone. Pakistan also continues to fare poorly in protecting religious minorities while violence against women remains troubling, with 5,660 related crimes reported in the country's four provinces in the first 10 months of 2017. However, the report did include notable achievements on the rights front, including the inclusion of a transgender category in Pakistan's latest census and the right to identify as transgender in the country's passports. The release of the report comes months after HCRP's founder Asma Jahangir died in Lahore, dealing a stinging blow to the country's embattled rights community. "We have strong relations with Russia but our relations with Russia are not an alternative to NATO relations or our allies," the Turkish foreign minister said Turkey on Monday said French President Emmanuel Macron will be unable to "break" its partnership with Russia, after he argued the weekend's air strikes against the Syrian regime had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. NATO allies, including France, have become wary of the flourishing friendship between Ankara and Moscow based on joint efforts to end the seven-year Syrian civil war. "We can think differently but they (our relations with Russia) are not so weak that the French president can break them," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "We have strong relations with Russia," Cavusoglu added. "But our relations with Russia are not an alternative to NATO relations or our allies." NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg hailed Turkey's position in NATO, which Ankara joined in 1952 with strong American support Stoltenberg hailed Turkey's position in NATO, which Ankara joined in 1952 with strong American support to anchor Turkey firmly in the West amid the Cold War. "Turkey really does a lot for our alliance, despite facing serious security challenges... Turkey is important for NATO and NATO is important for Turkey," he said. "That is the strength of this alliance: 29 allies, standing together, protecting each other," Stoltenberg added. - 'Befitting of a president' - In an interview with French television, Macron suggested that the weekend air strikes against Syrian government targets had succeeded in engineering a split in the Russia-Turkey alliance. "With these strikes and this intervention, we separated the Russians and the Turks (who) condemned the chemical strike and supported the operation that we conducted," Macron said Sunday "With these strikes and this intervention, we separated the Russians and the Turks on this issue... the Turks condemned the chemical strike and supported the operation that we conducted," the French president told BFM TV in an interview. Russia and Iran are the key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and their military intervention in Syria is widely seen as helping him stay in power. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday had welcomed the strikes, which he described as "appropriate" and strongly condemned the alleged chemical attack. But Cavusoglu said Macron was mistaken in his assessment and said that Ankara "expected statements befitting of a president" and should express himself "more seriously". Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also hit back at Macron, saying our "Syria policy is not a policy of being on the same side or being opposed to another country." The dispute marked the latest outbreak of tension between Ankara and Paris after Macron offered to mediate between Turkey and outlawed Kurdish militants, an offer furiously rejected by Erdogan. Erdogan said Monday he had told Macron on the phone that France should first take responsibility for massacres in colonial Algeria and also its failures over the Rwanda genocide before lecturing Turkey on Syria. "You (France) killed people there. Are you going to account for that?" he said in a speech in Istanbul. - 'Differ on several issues' - Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied that the air strikes prompted a split between Moscow and Ankara, who reconciled in 2016 after Turkey shot down a Russian plane over Syria. "It's not a secret that Ankara and Moscow's positions differ on a number of issues," he said. But he emphasised that such differences would have "no impact on the prospects of our cooperation in a number of areas," Peskov. On a visit to Ankara earlier this month, Putin launched the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power station which is being built by Russia. Meanwhile, Turkey's Western allies are closely watching its deal to buy S-400 air defence systems from Russia which some officials have warned may not be compatible with Western technology. Also earlier this month, Erdogan hosted a summit on Syria with Iran and Russia in Ankara, the second such meeting after trilateral talks in November in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Cavusoglu said that Macron had expressed interest in attending the Ankara summit and Erdogan then sounded out Moscow and Tehran over the idea. But while Putin did not oppose him coming, Iran preferred to meet with just the three presidents and leave a broader summit for later, he said. burs-raz/sjw/gd Britain, France and the US conducted targeted strikes against Syrian chemical weapons facilities over the weekend EU foreign ministers on Monday backed "all efforts" to stop Syria using chemical weapons, after weekend strikes by Britain, France and the US, but called for renewed efforts to find a political solution to the seven-year war. The 28 ministers condemned the military offensive, backed by Russia, that the Syrian government is waging against rebels and called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian access. US, French and British missiles destroyed suspected chemical weapons development and storage sites in Syria on Saturday in response to an alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma which killed at least 40 people. In a statement after talks in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers unequivocally blamed President Bashar al-Assad's regime for the Douma attack and gave implicit backing to Saturday's Western military action. "The Council understands that the targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria were specific measures... with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people," the statement said. "The Council is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the EU was "united at a very serious moment" in wanting to "prevent and dissuade against any use of chemical weapons". Germany's powerful Chancellor Angela Merkel declared the strikes "necessary and appropriate", but other EU members have been keen to avoid any step that could lead to further escalation. Johnson stressed the strikes were "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change or to get rid of Bashar al-Assad". The day before the strikes Russian President Vladimir Putin warned during phone talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron against "ill-considered and dangerous actions" in Syria which could lead to "unpredictable consequences". - Russian role - Ministers discussed ways to apply pressure to get Russia to drag the Assad government to meaningful negotiations on the future of his country. "You have to see it, whether you like it or not: without Russia you won't be able to solve this conflict," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said as he arrived for Monday's talks. Washington has said it will impose new sanctions on Russia over the Douma attack, targeting companies that supplied Syria with equipment related to chemical weapons, but the EU is not yet ready to follow suit. Missiles destroyed suspected chemical weapons development and storage sites in Syria on Saturday in response to an alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma which killed at least 40 people An EU diplomat told AFP that it would be possible to add Russians or Iranians to the Syrian sanctions list, but the idea is not yet being discussed at the level of foreign ministers. Some European governments are wary of provoking an angry response from Russia, which among other things remains a key supplier of gas to the EU. Moscow has been keen to exploit fissures within the EU that were laid bare by the response to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. All 28 EU leaders signed up to a statement blaming Russia for the poisoning at a summit in Brussels last month, but only after intense lobbying by Britain, France and Germany. Afterwards, 18 EU countries followed Britain's lead and expelled Russian diplomats from their territory, six took the more limited step of recalling their own ambassadors, and three did nothing. - 'No military solution' - Next week the EU hosts a major conference in Brussels on the future of Syria aimed at gathering financial pledges for humanitarian aid and boosting a floundering UN-led peace process. In their statement ministers said "the momentum of the current situation should be used to reinvigorate the process to find a political resolution of the Syrian conflict". France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (C), UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (R) and Cyprus' Foreign Minister Nicos Christodoulides attend an EU foreign affairs council in Luxembourg The EU insists "there can be no military solution" to the war in Syria, which has killed over 350,000 people, and has repeatedly called for the UN-led talks in Geneva to be given fresh impetus. But privately some European diplomats already acknowledge that the Assad regime's military campaign is likely to succeed and they should begin planning for the next stage. Xiang has now been formally charged with bribery and abuse of power The former head of China's insurance regulatory body has been formally charged with bribery and abuse of power, prosecutors said on Monday, becoming the most senior financial regulator to be targeted in a continuing crackdown on corruption. Xiang Junbo, 61, took advantage of his position to amass "an enormous amount of assets" first as a deputy governor of the central bank, then as head of the state-owned Agricultural Bank of China, and finally as chairman of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said in a statement. Xiang was appointed to the top job at the regulatory commission in 2011. He was put under investigation in April last year by the Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog for suspected "serious disciplinary violations", a phrase that usually refers to graft. Xiang, who also served as a member of the central bank's monetary policy committee, was removed from his position immediately after the investigation began. Xiang's case has been handed over to the prosecutor's office in the eastern city of Changzhou, the statement said. Xiang's stint as head of the insurance regulator marked a period of rapid growth for the industry as he pushed for the liberalisation of investment rules, which allowed Chinese insurers to invest more of their assets at home and abroad. But this led to regulatory headaches after several high-profile cases in which insurance companies used their financial holdings to fund risky acquisitions in real estate and unlisted equities. The China Insurance Regulatory Commission and the China Banking Regulatory Commission was replaced by a banking and insurance regulatory commission after a major restructuring of government agencies in March. A picture provided by the office of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on August 5, 2017, shows him meeting EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini in Tehran Iran said Monday that EU sanctions over its human rights record were due to "differing values" but that they should not derail dialogue with Europe. "We have certain differences of opinion with European countries and the European Union," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said at a press conference. "That is due in part to differing values between our region and the Islamic republic of Iran and the European Union, notably as concerns human rights," he said. The EU on Thursday extended by a year sanctions against 82 individuals and an entity accused of "serious human rights violations in Iran". Ghasemi said long-running dialogue with the EU should continue, focusing on areas of agreement and in "a constructive atmosphere of good will". "In the coming months, there will be several delegations to discuss different subjects and not just human rights," he said. "I hope that this can happen in a more positive atmosphere." The EU sanctions -- first imposed in the wake of the crackdown on the 2009 protest movement in Iran -- block exports of equipment "which might be used for internal repression and of equipment for monitoring telecommunications". They are not linked to the 2015 nuclear deal, which lifted many other sanctions linked to Iran's nuclear programme. Britain, France and Germany, the three European parties to the deal, are working to head off US President Donald Trump's threat to tear it up and reimpose nuclear-related sanctions by May 12. Greek Communist Party supporters try to topple the statue former US President Harry Truman during a demonstration in Athens against the air strikes by the United States, Britain and France on Syria. A group of Greek communist students on Monday attempted to topple a statue of former US president Harry S Truman during an anti-American demonstration in Athens, police said. Riot police fired tear gas to prevent the students from bringing down the three-metre (10-foot) bronze statue using a chainsaw and ropes. At least two people were injured, reports said. Around 700 people were demonstrating at the time, part of a wave of protests against this weekend's aerial bombing campaign in Syria by the United States, France and Britain. The statue was erected in 1963 in recognition of America's 33rd president who approved the 1948 Marshall Plan of economic assistance that helped rebuild war-shattered Greece. It was built by late US sculptor Felix Weldon, best known for the Arlington County Marine Corps War Memorial. The Truman statue has been a frequent target in anti-American demonstrations in Greece. It was bombed in 1986 and sawn off at the legs a decade later. In 1999 it returned to its pedestal just in time for an official visit to Athens by then US president Bill Clinton. There is strong anti-American sentiment in Greece over Washington's support for the brutal army junta that ruled the country from 1967 to 1974. Truman is also reviled for ordering the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that hastened Japan's surrender in World War II. The US is barring exports of sensitive technology to Chinese telecom giant ZTE US authorities issued an order Monday barring US exports of sensitive technology to Chinese telecom giant ZTE because of false statements made during an investigation into its illegal sale of goods to Iran and North Korea. The company pleaded guilty in March 2017 to unlawful exports and was hit with $1.2 billion in fines, the largest criminal penalty in US history in an export control case. ZTE pleaded guilty to conspiring to unlawfully export, obstruction of justice and making a false statement. But Commerce Department investigators said the company made additional false statements multiple times about having taken actions against the employees responsible, when they had not. "ZTE made false statements to the US Government when they were originally caught and ... made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement. These false statements covered up the fact that ZTE paid full bonuses to employees that had engaged in illegal conduct, and failed to issue letters of reprimand. "ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored," Ross said. A senior official told reporters the department suspended export privileges for ZTE, meaning it can no longer receive US components to incorporate into their products "to prevent them from furthering their illegal activities." The official said there is no "off ramp" for the company to seek a reversal of the blockade. The five-year US government investigation into ZTE's actions was first revealed in March 2016. From January 2010 to March 2016, the company shipped $32 million in US cellular network equipment to Iran, and made 283 shipments of cell phones to North Korea, with the full knowledge of the highest levels of company management, officials said. ZTE used third-party companies to hide the export of US components to the sanctioned countries, and then hid the information by "sanitizing databases" with information on the sales. It deleted emails of employees involved in the scrubbing of records, and required employees with information about the illegal exports to sign non-disclosure agreements. The government of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, shown here addressing a rally in Tehran on February 11, 2018, has sought to encourage Iranians living abroad to return A top Iranian environment official, who symbolised government efforts to encourage expat Iranians to return home, has quit just seven months into his job, sources said Monday. The resignation of Kaveh Madani, who was a young professor at London's Imperial College before returning to Iran in September 2017, followed reports of mounting conservative pressure against him. The government of President Hassan Rouhani, which has called on Iranians abroad to come home and help develop the country, appointed the water conservation expert as deputy head of the country's environment department. But in recent weeks, conservative outlets published photos purporting to show him drinking and dancing on holiday. Hardliners called him "debauched" and demanded he be sacked. Shortly after arriving in Iran last year, Madani had told the English-language Tehran Times that many Iranians abroad were "waiting and watching closely to see what's going to happen". "If I succeed, we might see more people coming back to help the government," he said. But on Monday a colleague of Madani confirmed reports that he had resigned while out of the country. In February, Madani was briefly detained by one of Iran's security agencies amid a crackdown on environmentalists that saw several activists arrested on espionage charges. One, Kavous Seyed Emami, died in Tehran's Evin prison after being accused of spying for the United States and Israel. Iranian authorities said he had committed suicide in his cell, but this has been disputed by the family. Madani studied in Tabriz in northern Iran before getting his PhD in civil and environmental engineering from the University of California, according to Imperial College's website. "I'm the representative of a generation who left the country and the whole country is complaining about losing this generation and brain drain," he told the Tehran Times in December. He also tweeted at the time: "I have returned with the hope of creating #hope". After hearing of Madani's resignation, reformist lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeghi criticised authorities for the message he said they were sending to "elite Iranians living abroad". The water expert's departure comes as Iran suffers from years of drought, which has devastated its agriculture. There have been reports of persistant protests by farmers in Isfahan in recent weeks, which have been denounced by conservatives including the city's Friday prayers leader. Syrians rally in Damascus' Umayyad square on April 16, 2018 in support of President Bashar al-Assad following Western air strikes against the regime over an alleged chemical attack Thousands of Syrians gathered Monday in Damascus in defiance of Western strikes on the country and to celebrate the regime reconquering a former rebel bastion outside the capital. The United States, France and Britain early Saturday targeted what they said were chemical weapon sites after an alleged toxic attack on Eastern Ghouta on April 7. Later Saturday, President Bashar al-Assad's army announced it had retaken the whole of the region east of Damascus from rebels after an almost two-month military assault. On Monday, Syrians gathered in the capital's largest square -- Umayyad Square -- ahead of the anniversary of the departure of French troops from the country in 1946. A day before the public holiday, schools took part in the demonstration at which some participants held up Syria's national flag and portraits of Assad. "God, Syria and Bashar -- nothing more," protesters chanted. Syrians rally in Damascus' Umayyad square on April 16, 2018 in support of President Bashar al-Assad following Western air strikes against the regime over an alleged chemical attack The square was closed off to traffic, and decorated with images of Assad in military uniform and sunglasses, as well as of his father and predecessor Hafez. US President Donald Trump triumphantly declared "Mission Accomplished!" after Saturday's strikes on purported chemical weapons sites that were largely vacated. "We're here to celebrate the victory of the Syrian army in Eastern Ghouta and to send a message to Trump and his allies that they failed," Assad supporter Naila Badr said, her hair wrapped in a white headscarf. The missile strikes launched by the three countries "only show their impotence, while the army wiped out the terrorism they were funding", said the young woman. The regime and its supporters describe all rebels, including those recently defeated in Eastern Ghouta, as "terrorists". "Yes, yes, yes -- a million times yes to Bashar al-Assad," said Radina Awad, another participant who wore sunglasses. "We want to live in peace. All these states should leave us alone," she said. Syrians rally in Damascus' Umayyad square on April 16, 2018 in support of President Bashar al-Assad following Western air strikes against the regime over an alleged chemical attack The last rebels were bussed out of Eastern Ghouta after the alleged chemical attack on their final holdout of Douma, which rescuers and medics said killed more than 40 people. Damascus and its ally Moscow say the allegations of a chemical attack are "fabrications". Syria's civil war has killed more than 350,000 people since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. French Ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre -- seen here at a UN Security Council meeting on April 14, 2018 -- is calling for "good faith" negotiations on Syria France called on UN Security Council members Monday to enter into "good faith" negotiations on a Syria resolution that deals with chemical weapons, protection of civilians and a political settlement to the seven-year-old conflict. An initial meeting of experts representing the Council's 15 members has been set for 1830 GMT, France's ambassador to the United Nations, Francois Delattre said. Delattre said discussions would be held "in good faith, in good spirits" but that there is "no artificial timeframe" for bringing a resolution to a vote. "What we want to do is to engage in real, productive, serious negotiations ... with all Security Council members," he told reporters. "The goal of this resolution is clear: it is for the Security Council to restart a collective action to deal with the chemical dossier, to protect the civilian population and to work on a political settlement to the Syrian crisis." It is the first time since the Syrian conflict began in 2011 that a resolution has been proposed dealing with all three issues. Initiated by France, and supported by the United States and Britain, the draft resolution was introduced on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the three allies launched air strikes in Syria in retaliation for an alleged chemical attack in the then rebel-held town of Douma on April 7. Russia, and Damascus, deny regime forces used chemical weapons in Douma, despite graphic video and photographs showing children and other apparent victims of the attack, which killed more than 40 people. The draft resolution calls for the creation of an independent panel to investigate and assign responsibility for the use of chemical weapons. It also demands the complete dismantling of Syria's chemical weapons program under the supervision of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Other provisions include a ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout the country and the relaunching of peace talks in Geneva. Russia, which backs the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad militarily and politically, has used its veto a dozen times to block UN Security Council resolutions on Syria. Angolan journalist and opposition figure Rafael Marques de Morais described the decision to hold his trial in camera as 'demeaning for the independence of the courts'. Outspoken Angolan human rights activist and journalist Rafael Marques de Morais will be tried in camera for a story he wrote two years ago exposing alleged corruption, he said Monday. The charges relate to a story that Marques wrote in 2016 about a purchase of land by former attorney general Joao Maria de Sousa. A court hearing on Monday was adjourned until April 24 after de Souza's lawyers argued that as a former attorney general he had special privileges. "The court said the trial cannot be held in the court of law and must be held in the office of the attorney general, so they moved the trial to the 24th (of April) and it will be held in camera," Marques told AFP. "It's demeaning for the independence of the courts," he added. Marques, who runs the news website Maka Angola, and Mariano Bras, another journalist who reproduced the article, face up to three years in jail. The 46-year-old Oxford-educated Marques is no stranger to Angola's courts, having been arrested and detained several times. In 2015, he was convicted of defaming military generals in a book and was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence. In September, President Joao Lourenco succeeded Dos Santos, who had ruled Angola for 38 years. Lourenco assumed power promising to tackle corruption in the oil-rich nation. UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (L) and Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney attend an EU foreign affairs council in Luxembourg on April 16, 2018 EU foreign ministers on Monday discussed how they could persuade the US not to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, but stopped short of imposing new sanctions on Tehran. Britain, France and Germany used a meeting of the EU's 28 foreign ministers to try to build support for expanding sanctions against Iran to punish it for its role in the conflict in Syria. They hope that by doing so they will persuade US President Donald Trump not to follow through on his threat to abandon the landmark 2015 deal to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelson said there was "a very broad majority" in favour of expanding sanctions, as the clock ticks down to a May 12 deadline imposed by Trump to "fix" the agreement. Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign minister, said there was a need to "send a strong signal to Iran that we're concerned in relation to some of their activity particularly in Syria". "But also to send a message to Washington that we share their concerns in some of those areas," Coveney said after the talks in Luxembourg. Targets for new sanctions could include both Iranians and also non-Iranian militias in Syria, an EU diplomat said. But any decision on sanctions would have to have unanimous support from all 28 EU states and so far several, including Italy and Sweden, are not convinced. "There is no consensus at the moment on the fact that these measures would be useful in this moment or appropriate in this moment," EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini told reporters. "I don't exclude that this will happen in the future but it's not the case today." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the question of expanding sanctions would "remain on the agenda" in the coming weeks. Another EU diplomat said the aim of Monday's talks was to build political support for new sanctions and the effort would continue in the coming weeks. The EU is desperate to preserve the Iran nuclear deal, seeing it as the best way to stop Tehran getting the bomb. French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel will both visit Washington on separate official visits before May 12, in part to lobby Trump on the issue. Trump has long derided the deal as a capitulation to Tehran and has declared it no longer is in US interests to maintain the sanctions relief his predecessor Barack Obama granted Iran in return for controls on its nuclear programme. A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on April 16, 2018, shows explosions during the final day of the "Gulf Shield 1" military drills in the eastern Saudi Arabian region of Dhahran Saudi Arabia concluded a month-long military exercise involving more than two dozen nations on Monday, a day after hosting an Arab summit that slammed what it called Iran's growing interference in the region. The exercise on Saudi Arabia's east coast, dubbed Gulf Shield-1, involved combat search-and-rescue drills as well as naval warfare and air operations, officials said. Saudi King Salman presided over the closing ceremony of the drills, which he said highlighted a "unified alliance" between over 24 countries to combat military threats. Regional leaders including Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attend the closing ceremony of the "Gulf Shield 1" military drills in the eastern Saudi Arabian region of Dhahran on April 16, 2018 "The event is... meant to demonstrate our ability to take joint military action, the region's readiness to support Arab unity and its capacity to deter any threats," military spokesman Abdullah Subaei was quoted as saying in a Saudi information ministry statement. "This exercise demonstrates that we have the cooperation of friendly nations, our experience and expertise to deal with those threats." On Sunday, King Salman slammed Iran's "blatant interference" in the region as Arab leaders met in the kingdom for their annual summit. Riyadh and Shiite rival Tehran back opposing sides in a range of hotspots across the mainly Sunni Muslim Middle East, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia's southern neighbour, Yemen. Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman follows the "Gulf Shield 1" military drills in the eastern Saudi region of Dhahran on April 16, 2018 Saudi Arabia in March 2015 launched a coalition of Arab states fighting to roll back Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen and restore the country's internationally-recognised government to power. Last November, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman presided over the first meeting of an Islamic counter-terrorism alliance involving around 40 Muslim countries, as he vowed to "pursue terrorists". Syrians drive past damaged buildings in Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 16, 2018 during an organised media tour after the Syrian army declared that all anti-regime forces have left Eastern Ghouta, following a blistering two month assault After two months of hiding underground in Syria's Douma, Leena Karkura has finally dared to venture out into the sunshine and walk around her devastated hometown with her daughter. Syria's army announced on Saturday it had retaken the town and surrounding region of Eastern Ghouta from rebels after a Russia-backed military offensive that lasted almost two months. "I decided to take my daughter out for a stroll after she insisted and cried," the woman in her forties told AFP on a tour of the town organised by the Syrian army for foreign media. She said her nine-year-old daughter was desperate to venture outdoors and breathe some fresh air after weeks hiding from air strikes and bombardments in a cellar with her family. Syrian girls look out of the window of a damaged building in Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 16, 2018 during an organised media tour after the Syrian army declared that all anti-regime forces have left Eastern Ghouta "Children lived in terror, they didn't have a childhood," Karkura said, clutching the hand of her daughter dressed up for her walk in a red tracksuit. "I told her it was safe again and nothing would happen to her," she said, as she looked at the rubble around her. "We're breathing a sigh of relief." Eastern Ghouta had been the last rebel bastion on the capital's doorstep before the army launched a blistering assault on the region in mid-February that, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, killed some 1,700 civilians. Its main town of Douma was the final holdout in the offensive, and was retaken after thousands of rebels and civilians were bussed out under a Russia-brokered evacuation deal. Syrian police sit in the back of a vehicle in Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 16, 2018 during an organised media tour after the Syrian army declared that all anti-regime forces have left Eastern Ghouta The deal was reached after rescuers and medics said more than 40 people died in the town in an alleged chemical attack on April 7. The United States, France and Britain carried out air strikes on Syria early Saturday in response to the purported toxic weapons attack. The government and its Russian ally have rejected the accusations as "fabrications" and invited experts to the town to investigate the claims. - Bread flung into a crowd - But the team from Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has not yet entered Douma. Syrians receive bread from the government in the devastated town of Douma near Damascus on April 16, 2018 during an organised media tour after the Syrian army declared that all anti-regime forces left Eastern Ghouta following a blistering assault Since Saturday, Russian and Syrian military police have been deployed across the town, where shops stand shuttered by the sides of a main road. In the middle of the road, Haitham Badran, 40, chatted with friends, hand-in-hand with his 10-year-old son Omar. Now the fighting had stopped, Badran said he dreamt of taking his son to see Damascus. "I want to show him his country," he said. "He hasn't seen anything of the world and was even prevented from learning" in school. A general view shows destruction in Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 16, 2018 during an organised media tour after the Syrian army declared that all anti-regime forces left Eastern Ghouta Omar has known food shortages for a large part of his young life, after the government imposed a siege on Eastern Ghouta in 2013 a year after rebels seized control of the region. In the town on Monday, men on the back of a truck flung bags of flat bread down into a crowd of men and boys, who stretched out their arms to receive some. In front of a building where the roof had completely collapsed, a woman wearing a black face veil pushed a man in a wheelchair with a boy on his knees. Syrians walk along a war-ravaged street in Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 16, 2018 during an organised media tour after the Syrian army declared that all anti-regime forces have left Eastern Ghouta Not far off, 55-year-old Basma al-Sayyid walked slowly examining her battered surroundings. "I was cooped up in a cellar for so long with my grandchildren," she told AFP, flipping up her black face veil to speak. "There are no words to describe my happiness." More than 350,000 people have been killed and more than half the population displaced since Syria's war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. On top of those who left Douma under an evacuation deal, thousands more fled the fighting into regime-held areas where they have been living in government-run shelters. But Sayyid said she was never going to move away from Douma. "I haven't left since I was born, and I've never considered it," she said. Since The New York Times and New Yorker first reported on the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, more than 100 women have publicly accused the producer of sexual misconduct, sparking the global #MeToo movement The New York Times and The New Yorker won the Pulitzer Prize for public service on Monday for explosive reporting that brought down Harvey Weinstein and spawned a cultural watershed on the issue of sexual harassment. The prestigious prize was awarded to the Times team led by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and New Yorker contributor Ronan Farrow, for reports that disgraced the Hollywood mogul and sparked an avalanche of accusations against other powerful men. Since the Times and New Yorker articles last October, more than 100 women have publicly accused the producer of misconduct ranging from sexual harassment to rape, sparking the #MeToo movement that has seen a string of influential men lose their jobs and reputation. Weinstein's marriage has ended, he has been under police investigation in London, Los Angeles and New York, hit by a litany of civil lawsuits and his former production company has been forced to file for bankruptcy. Farrow, 30, is the son of actress Mia Farrow and film director Woody Allen, and something of a prodigy who has previously fronted his own television show, worked in Afghanistan and Pakistan for late US diplomat Richard Holbrooke, and formerly advised then Hillary Clinton on global youth issues when she was secretary of state. The former Rhodes scholar, who graduated from Yale Law School at just 21, has sided with his sister Dylan's claims that Allen molested her when she was seven. Allen has repeatedly denied the allegations. "So so so proud," tweeted Mia Farrow minutes after her son's award was announced. Ronan Farrow paid tribute to his co-winners and The New Yorker. "This moment gets called a reckoning, but we just started telling the truth about old abuses of power. Thanks to all who keep doing so," he wrote on Twitter to his nearly half a million followers. The 102th edition of the Pulitzer Prizes were announced at Columbia University in New York by administrator Dana Canedy at a time when the US news media still under assault from the White House for peddling "fake news." Canedy praised the winners but also counselled the media to do more to improve trust with a skeptical public and to work harder to include more varied gender and racial perspectives. - 'Most trying of times' - The Washington Post won the Pulitzer in the investigative category for relentless reporting seen as having influenced the outcome of the 2017 Senate race in Alabama, revealing Republican candidate Roy Moore's alleged past sexual harassment of teenage girls. Moore's opponent Doug Jones won the race last December, becoming Alabama's first Democratic senator in 25 years and dealing a humiliating blow to President Donald Trump's Republican administration. The New York Times and The Washington Post shared the national reporting prize for furthering understanding of Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the connections between Russian actors and the Trump campaign, his transition team and administration, Canedy said. "Winners uphold the highest purpose of a free and independent press even in the most trying of times," she announced. "These courageous, inspiring and committed journalists and their news organizations are undaunted in their mission in support of the fourth estate. "It is a mandate that has been under a seemingly relentless assault of late but that remains central to a healthy democracy," she added. Reuters won the 2018 prize in international reporting for coverage of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. Reuters also won in the feature photography category for its coverage of the Rohingya crisis. The prize for breaking news photography went to Ryan Kelly of The Daily Progress for a chilling image that captured the moment of impact by a car at a racially-charged protest in Charlottesville, Virginia that left one woman dead last August. The Pulitzer for fiction went to Andrew Sean Greer for "Less" about growing older and love. The history prize was awarded to "The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea," and the prize in drama for "Cost of Living" by playwright Martyna Majok. Turki al-Malki, the spokesman of a Saudi-led military coalition, has warned of a "painful" response over drone attacks from Yemen's Huthi rebels A Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Huthi rebels warned them Monday of a "painful" response if they mounted new attacks on Saudi Arabia using what it said were Iran-supplied drones. Riyadh said last week it had shot down two drones in the south of the kingdom as well as intercepting ballistic missiles fired from rebel-held parts of Yemen, the latest in a series of similar incidents. "If the Huthis continue targeting industrial or residential facilities, the response will be hard and painful," said coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki, displaying what he claimed were remnants of the intercepted aircraft. But in a sign of defiance, the rebels late Monday fired a new missile towards southern Najran province, which was intercepted by Saudi air defence, the kingdom's state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV reported. Malki told reporters in the eastern city of Al-Khobar that the airport of rebel-held capital Sanaa was used as a military base to orchestrate the drone strike. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government last week said the drones were "made in Iran", adding that Yemen's military did not possess such aircraft and it was "impossible to manufacture them locally". Iran backs the Huthis, who seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military coalition to intervene against the rebels the following year. But Tehran has repeatedly denied arming the rebels, which would violate a United Nations weapons embargo slapped on Yemen in 2015. Saudi Arabia in March 2015 launched a coalition of Arab states fighting to roll back the Huthis in Yemen and restore the country's internationally recognised government to power. Nearly 10,000 people have since been killed in Yemen's conflict, in what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The board of the Pulitzer Prize paid tribute to rapper Kendrick Lamar for his skill in telling the African American experience Kendrick Lamar on Monday became the first rapper to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, a milestone for which the board cited his skill in telling the African American experience. With the Pulitzer, the 30-year-old from the historically deprived Los Angeles community of Compton joins the leagues of celebrated American composers such as Aaron Copland, Charles Ives and John Adams. The Pulitzer board, which also awards literature and journalism, gave Lamar the prize for "DAMN.," an exploration of a classic hip-hop sound for an artist who has shifted gears musically with each album. In its announcement, the Pulitzer board described "DAMN." as "a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African American life." "DAMN.," which reached number one on the US albums chart, moves forward the conversation about race that Lamar started on his previous album, "To Pimp a Butterfly," which infused jazz and spoken word and gave voice to the Black Lives Matter movement. "DAMN." opens with Lamar addressing his cultural role indirectly with a snippet from a conservative talk show criticizing his lyrics against police brutality, which he again raises in the track "XXX.," a reflection on the meaning of America that features U2. But much of "DAMN." is more personal and introspective, with the track "HUMBLE." exploring the pitfalls of fame and Lamar also introducing a martial-arts alter ego, Kung Fu Kenny. The Pulitzer board rarely awards mainstream music, last year giving the prize to the experimental opera composer Du Yun. But the board in the mid-1990s introduced changes to make the award more inclusive. It has given the prize previously to jazz artists including Wynton Marsalis and Ornette Coleman. Hip-hop also has been recognized by the Pulitzer board in the drama category with "Hamilton" -- Lin-Manuel Miranda's modern retelling of America's founding fathers -- winning in 2016. Despite the wide praise for Lamar, he has yet to win the most prestigious award of the music industry, the Grammy for Album of the Year, with both "To Pimp a Butterfly" and "DAMN." losing out to pop works. Protesters from the pro-Iranian Islamic Movement in Nigeria rally for detained leader Ibrahim Zakzaky in 2016 At least 115 supporters of a pro-Iranian Shiite Muslim group were arrested in the Nigerian capital on Monday during the latest protest to demand the release of their detained leader, a police spokesman said. Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, head of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) has been in government custody since troops clashed with his followers in the northern city of Zaria in December 2015, despite court orders that he should be freed. His supporters have held a series of protests to demand his release and on Monday clashed with police in Abuja during a march. A video of the face-off emerged on social media, showing police dispersing protesters with teargas and water cannon. "One hundred and fifteen members of the sect were arrested at the scene by police operatives," Abuja police spokesman Anjuguri Manzah said in a statement. He said the IMN supporters "went on the rampage", attacking innocent citizens, disrupting business activities, obstructing traffic and destroying government and police vehicles. Manzah said 22 police personnel were injured during the protest, while catapults, iron bars and stones were recovered from the suspects. IMN spokesman Ibrahim Musa told AFP police fired teargas, water cannon and live bullets to break up the week-long protest, injuring 30 and arresting around 200. "Thirty people were injured, one of them critically, who sustained a shattered skull. So far from our records, 200 others were arrested," he said, vowing to continue the demonstrations until their leader was freed. "Clampdowns by the police and security agents will not deter us from pursuing our legal demand for the release of Ibrahim Zakzaky. We will continue with these activities until our demand is met by the government, which is simple: release Zakzaky from detention." Zakzaky has been at loggerheads with Nigeria's secular authorities for years because of his call for an Islamic revolution. Rights groups have accused Nigerian troops of killing more than 300 IMN supporters and burying them in mass graves during the 2015 confrontation, a charge they deny. California Governor Jerry Brown has insisted any National Guard deployment to the state's border with Mexico focus only on cross-border crime rather than detaining unauthorized migrants California Governor Jerry Brown has rejected the Trump administration's initial proposals for a National Guard mission along the state's border with Mexico, a top US official said Monday. Brown last week had said he would accept federal funding from President Donald Trump to boost his state's National Guard. But the governor has quibbled over their role and insisted they only focus on cross-border crime rather than detaining unauthorized migrants coming into the state that is home to several "sanctuary cities." Ron Vitiello, the acting deputy commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, said Brown had declined the initial roles put forward for Guardsmen. "The governor has determined that what we have asked for so far is unsupportable," Vitiello told reporters. "We've made this refined request, it's gone through the process and then we've got a signal from the governor that he is not participating." Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Bob Salesses said the initial request envisioned sending 237 Guardsmen to two main crossing areas in Southern California, where they would have conducted maintenance, clerical assistance and helped with heavy equipment operations, among other tasks. "The California National Guard has indicated that they will not perform those missions as we know them to be right now," Salesses said, though he noted that conversations were ongoing. Vitiello, too, suggested that the state's Guard might ultimately be used in other roles, including possibly cargo inspection. "We will have other iterations," Vitiello said. Trump this month said he would send thousands of National Guard troops to the southern border, where they could remain until a border wall is constructed. The order would eventually see about 4,000 Guardsman along the border, which spans four US states. So far about 960 have arrived, officials said. Texas has seen the biggest deployment, with 650 sent to the border, while Arizona has dispatched 250, and New Mexico about 60. Vitiello said Guardsmen would most likely not be armed, but individual states might allow the carrying of a weapon in certain missions. California is at the forefront of what opponents call the "Resistance" to Trump's administration, with the heavily Democratic state suing the federal government over numerous issues, including the rollback of environmental regulations. Several cities including Los Angeles are "sanctuary cities" that require local law enforcement agencies not to tell federal agents about residents' legal status. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has sued the state over three statutes that support cities and counties that refuse to hand over unauthorized immigrants to federal immigration authorities for prosecution or expulsion. Aristide Gomes, pictured in 2008, returns to the role of prime minister in Guinea-Bissau Aristide Gomes became Guinea-Bissau's prime minister on Monday in what President Jose Mario Vaz said would "put a definitive end" to years of political crisis in the small West African nation. "The success of my republican mission will depend first of all on the will... of the president and the entire political class," Gomes said after he took the oath of office. The ceremony came just hours after Vaz nominated Gomes for the post. The president had told fellow leaders of the West African bloc ECOWAS on Saturday after consultations with political actors and civil society that Gomes, who served as PM of the former Portuguese colony from 2005 to 2007, would be a "prime minister of consensus". Gomes is tasked with leading Guinea-Bissau to fresh parliamentary elections set for November. Guinea-Bissau has been in the grip of a power struggle since August 2015, when Vaz sacked his then prime minister Domingos Simoes Pereira. Vaz has since nominated several prime ministers but he has failed to gain the support of political parties. Gomes, 63, succeeds Augusto Antonio Artur Da Silva, who was named in late January. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump will welcome the leader of Nigeria to the White House later this month. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says in a statement that Trump will welcome President Muhammadu Buhari on April 30. Sanders says the two will discuss economic reforms, fighting terrorism and ways to grow Nigeria's "role as a democratic leader in the region." She adds that the United States has a "deep and strong" relationship with Nigeria. Buhari recently declared plans to run for a second four-year term in 2019. The vote next year will be the ninth presidential election in Africa's most populous nation since its independence from Britain in 1960. Nigeria's ongoing challenges include the deadly Boko Haram insurgency and a weak economy. ATLANTA (AP) - Alexander Ring scored his first MLS goal to help New York City FC to a 2-2 draw with Atlanta United on Sunday night. David Villa, playing his second match after a three-game absence with a quadriceps injury, had a goal and an assist for New York City (5-0-2). Ring made it 2-2 in the 73rd minute. Villa, at the top-left corner of the box, drew three defenders and dropped it back to Ring, who trapped it a ripped a right-footer off the crossbar from well outside the area. Greg Garza tapped in , from point-blank range, the rebound of a shot by Miguel Almiron to give Atlanta (4-2-0) a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute. Villa came on for Ismael Tajouri-Shradi in the 35th and tied it about three minutes later, converting from the penalty spot after Jo Inge Berget drew a foul in the area conceded by Michael Parkhurst. Chris McCann answered in the 56th minute, heading home a perfectly-placed cross from Almiron. Parkhurst's long header off a clearance by Villa led Almiron down the left side and, from the goal line, he lofted it to McCann at the top of the 6-yard box for the finish. United had its four-game win streak snapped. BEIJING (AP) - The Rev. John Sanqiang Cao paid no more than three dollars for the trip that would end up costing him his freedom. For years, he and fellow Chinese Christian teachers would cross the river on a narrow bamboo raft from a tree-shrouded bank in southern China into neighboring Myanmar, carrying with them notebooks, pencils and Bibles. The journey that enabled the missionaries to slip between the countries - a distance no greater than 9 meters (30 feet) - always happened in broad daylight, according to a U.S.-based missionary who traveled with Cao. The ride on March 5, 2017, was different. Cao and a teacher were on a raft returning to Yunnan province when they saw Chinese security agents waiting for them on the shore. Decades of work in China's clandestine "house" churches and unofficial Bible schools had prepared the prominent 58-year-old Christian leader for this moment. He quickly threw his cellphone into the water, protecting the identities of more than 50 Chinese teachers he had recruited to give ethnic minority Burmese children a free education rooted in Christianity. In this May 2014, photo released by Ben Cao, Rev. John Sanqiang Cao breaks a ground on a new school in Wa State, Myanmar. The prominent Chinese pastor who has been detained by Chinese authorities since March 5, 2017 was sentenced in March 2018 to seven years in prison for "organizing others to illegally cross the border." (Ben Cao via AP) But Cao himself could not escape. He was sentenced last month to seven years in prison for "organizing others to illegally cross the border" - a crime more commonly applied to human traffickers. His American sons and Christian colleagues - who have not been allowed contact with him since his arrest - spoke about the case for the first time to The Associated Press, arguing that the pastor's sentence should be reduced in light of his humanitarian work. "Nothing my father organized was ever political. It was always just religious or charitable," said Ben Cao, the pastor's 23-year-old son, a U.S. citizen living in Charlotte, North Carolina. "We hope that China will be merciful, and see that my father's intentions were good." Cao's punishment was handed down as Beijing pursues a plan to "sinicize" the country's major religions, eliminate "foreign influence" and align faiths more closely with the atheist ruling Communist Party's own doctrines. Analysts say the government increasingly views Christianity's rise in China as a threat to its rule, and may be using prominent figures such as Cao as an example to intimidate nascent movements. The pastor's case also appears to show the party wants to extend its control over the activities of China's faithful even when they are abroad. "This reflects the tightening environment under President Xi (Jinping) against any kind of religious independence," said Cao's longtime friend Bob Fu, a Texas-based Christian rights activist. "In the past when they talked about foreign infiltration, they were referring to the activities of foreign missionaries inside China, but that has now expanded to include Chinese missionaries going overseas." New religious regulations implemented in February stipulate that Chinese nationals who leave the country for religious purposes without government authorization could be fined up to 200,000 yuan ($31,780). Meanwhile, leaders of churches not approved by the state have reported being prevented from leaving mainland China outright. A U.S. State Department spokesman told the AP that Washington is "deeply concerned" about Cao's sentence and has urged China to release him as a U.S. legal permanent resident on "humanitarian grounds." Cao intends to retire and return to his family in America once he is freed, the spokesman said. Chris Smith, a New Jersey congressman who chairs a House subcommittee on human rights, said in a statement that "Pastor Cao's name should be on President Trump's lips whenever he talks to Xi Jinping," China's president. ___ Cao was 20 years old when he met an American Christian couple who were sightseeing in his hometown in central Hunan province. They gave him his first Bible and exchanged letters with him about Christianity. Cao, the eldest son of teachers, told them that he listened to the evangelist Billy Graham's radio broadcasts and felt called to pastor the Chinese people. So even after marrying an American woman, completing seminary studies in New York and pastoring a Chinese-American congregation in North Carolina, Cao retained his Chinese citizenship and split his time between the countries. He became heavily involved with China's "house" churches - Protestant congregations that are not state-sanctioned but which local authorities have in many cases tolerated. Cao founded more than a dozen Bible boarding schools in central and southern China that trained teenagers from poor Christian families to become unofficial pastors. Some later became teachers at the schools Cao built in Myanmar. Most of the schools have been raided and shut down by security agents in recent years, Cao's supporters say. Amos Cao, the pastor's 26-year-old son, said Cao has a magnetic presence that made him a natural teacher. He loves telling self-deprecating bilingual jokes, and ran a website that explained English idioms in Chinese. "I traveled at least 5,000 miles, mostly by train, hard-seat class or bus," Cao once described his work in a letter to supporters. "Praise the Lord, He has sustained me and kept me in good shape. I lost five pounds!" When earthquakes struck Sichuan province in 2008, and Nepal in 2015, Cao flew in to help victims, his fellow missionaries said, buying clothes for them even as he wore the same grey jacket and shoes for years. "My father always tried to save as much money as possible so he could give it away," Ben Cao said. ___ Christianity's rapid growth, capacity to mobilize and resilience through harsh periods of persecution make it appear as a threat to the Communist Party, analysts say, particularly given its link to Western civilization. "I suspect (Cao) was singled out for this arrest," said Xi Lian, a scholar of Christianity in China at Duke University. Lian noted that pastors with "lower visibility" have been doing similar work along the China-Myanmar border with no repercussions, but Cao's prominence in the house church networks made him "the kind of person that may make the Chinese government nervous." There are now more than 38 million Protestants in China, according to official estimates, and experts have predicted that the country will have the world's largest Christian population in a few decades. A Chinese Christian teacher arrested with Cao was convicted of a lesser crime and has since been released. Cao's lawyer Liu Peifu said he believed the pastor's religious organizing was a "factor" in his sentence, which Liu has appealed. Cao tried to get state approval for many of his projects, Ben Cao said. He handed over a primary school and health clinic he established to local authorities, and did not resist when officials asked him to halt certain undertakings. Still, Cao was under constant surveillance. Darek Jarmola, an American teacher who leads Christian youth trips, recalled noticing someone taking pictures of him and Cao while they were having dinner in Hunan last January. Cao shrugged it off, Jarmola said. "I haven't done anything wrong, and if I do, they can arrest me," he told Jarmola. The pastor was frequently called in to meet with security agents who questioned him about his recruitment of Chinese volunteers to build more than a dozen schools in Myanmar's Wa state, Fu said. "There were no secrets," Fu said. "He always believed that he operated with the government's tacit blessing." Yunnan's Menglian County Detention Center, where Cao is being held, repeatedly declined to comment on his case. The county's religious affairs office said they were not aware of it. "The government chose the right church to persecute," Cao once wrote in a letter describing the resilience of house churches. "Time has proven ... that God is still alive and well in China." ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report. In this May 2014, photo released by Ben Cao, Rev. John Sanqiang Cao, center, poses for a photo with members of the Kachin minority group in Wa State, Myanmar. The prominent pastor who has been detained since March 5, 2017 was sentenced in March 2018 to seven years in prison for "organizing others to illegally cross the border." (Ben Cao via AP) In this August 2016, photo released by volunteer Grace, one of schools that Rev. John Sanqiang Cao helped built can be seen in Wa State, Myanmar. The prominent pastor who has been detained by Chinese authorities since March 5, 2017 was sentenced in March 2018 to seven years in prison for "organizing others to illegally cross the border." (Grace via AP) In this March 16, 2014, photo released by China Ministries International, one of the rafts that Rev. John Sanqiang Cao used to cross the river into neighboring Myanmar is seen from the Chinese side in Yunnan. The prominent pastor who has been detained by Chinese authorities since March 5, 2017 was recently sentenced to seven years in prison for "organizing others to illegally cross the border." (China Ministries International via AP) In this Tuesday, April 10, 2018, photo, Amos Cao, son of Chinese Rev. John Sanqiang Cao, a PhD student in biomedical engineering at the University of Michigan is shown in Ann Arbor, Mich. The prominent pastor who has been detained by Chinese authorities since March 5, 2017 was sentenced in March 2018 to seven years in prison for "organizing others to illegally cross the border." (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday: 1. WHY COMEY SAYS HE DISCLOSED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE As the former FBI chief begins a book tour, he says he announced the investigation into the Democratic candidate's emails during 2016 White House race because he didn't want to hide it from voters. Camille Hymes, center, Regional V.P. of MidAtlanitc Operations at Starbucks Coffee Company, speaks with Asa Khalif, of Black Lives Matter, right, after protestors entered the coffee shop, Sunday April 15, 2018, demanding the firing of the manager who called police resulting the arrest of two black men on Thursday. The arrests were captured on video that quickly gained traction on social media. (Mark Bryant/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) 2. US AIMS NEW SANCTIONS AT RUSSIA The sanctions are designed to put more pressure on Russia for enabling Bashar Assad's government, says U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley. 3. WHO DECLINES MEDICAL TREATMENT AMID FAILING HEALTH Former first lady Barbara Bush, 92, decides against hospitalization and will remain at home to face serious illness. 4. WHAT LEADS TO AN APOLOGY FROM STARBUCKS CEO The arrest of two black men who were sitting in a Philadelphia Starbucks sparks protests and pushes the coffee empire's chief to call the arrests "reprehensible." 5. 'MUSIC HELPS US REMEMBER WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE' Returning to Las Vegas six months after a mass shooting, musicians honor the victims not in song, but with words to open the Academy of Country Music Awards. 6. SOME OF THE ACCUSED SEEK REDEMPTION IN 'METOO' ERA "You have to go to the person you hurt and ask, 'What can I do to make this right?'" says ethics professor Jennifer A. Thompson. 7. DON'T PANIC: THERE'S STILL TIME TO FILE TAXES Since April 15 falls on a Sunday, you've got until Tuesday to file and pay your return without penalty. 8. SPRING STORM DUMPS 2 FEET OF SNOW ON MINN. At least three deaths are blamed on the storm system, which stretched from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes and is moving east. 9. BANKERS, LAWYERS CASH IN ON PRINCE ESTATE But his heirs are bitterly divided and have yet to collect a dollar of his estimated $200 million fortune. 10. RED SOX OFF TO HOTTEST START IN 118 YEARS Boston beats Baltimore 3-1, posting a major league-best 13-2 record. In this image released by ABC News, correspondent George Stephanopoulos, left, appears with former FBI director James Comey for a taped interview that will air during a primetime "20/20" special on Sunday, April 15, 2018 on the ABC Television Network. Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership," will be released on Tuesday. (Ralph Alswang/ABC via AP) GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) - Gold Coast Commonwealth Games chief Peter Beattie admits organizers botched Sunday's closing ceremony, accepting criticism that long-winded speeches had fans rushing for the exits while athletes were largely excluded from the broadcast. Organizing committee chairman Beattie apologized on Monday in the face of a barrage of criticism, saying "we got it wrong." Closing ceremonies of Olympic and Commonwealth Games are usually much more relaxed than formal openings, focusing on the athletes and celebrating their achievements. But the organizers' decision to have athletes enter the Carrara Stadium before the ceremony began meant television viewers saw little of the people the closing was meant to celebrate. In a series of Twitter posts Monday, Beattie said the ceremony had not worked out as organizers planned. "We wanted athletes to be part of and enjoy the Closing Ceremony," he said. "However, having them come into the stadium in the pre-show meant the TV audience were not able to see the athletes enter the stadium, alongside flag bearers. We got that wrong. "The speeches were too many and too long. I was part of that and I acknowledge it. Again, we got that wrong." In a later television interview, Beattie said "did we stuff it up? Yes. Should (athletes) have been a part of the actual ceremony that was broadcast? Of course. We got it wrong. I can't be more honest about it than that. "I am not interested in blaming anyone else. We stuffed it up and I apologize to the viewers and the athletes." Australians took to social media in large numbers to criticize the ceremony. In an unusual move, the television rights-holders Channel Seven joined in the criticism, saying the ceremony "had not lived up to expectations." Hosts Johanna Griggs and Basil Zempilas told viewers the absence of athletes from Channel Seven's coverage was beyond its control. "People are thinking that Channel Seven has chosen not to show pictures of athletes or not to show the flagbearer, Kurt Fearnley, or other flagbearers," Griggs said. "We can only show the pictures that are provided by the actual host broadcasters. They made a decision not to have athletes enter the stadium. "They made the decision not to show the flagbearers. I'm furious." OXFORD, Ohio (AP) - Miami University will be handing out early copies of a Pulitzer Prize-nominated author Wil Haygood's newest work to students who will hear him speak at the college's 2018 convocation. Students will receive copies of "Tigerland: The Miracle on East Broad Street," written by the 1976 Miami graduate. Haygood will be speaking at the school's fall convocation. WVXU-FM reports students will receive copies of the book for required summer reading. The book is not scheduled to be published until October 2018. Haygood has written for The Washington Post, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for his work in The Boston Globe. His book "The Butler: A Witness to History" was the basis for the 2013 film "The Butler" directed by Lee Daniels. ___ Information from: WVXU-FM, http://www.xstarnet.com NEW YORK (AP) - Raphael Golb's conviction wasn't quite like any other: using online aliases to discredit his father's adversary in a scholarly debate over the Dead Sea Scrolls. The 9-year-old case got a New York law thrown out and finally ended Monday with no jail time for Golb, who persuaded a judge to sentence him to three years' probation rather than two months in jail. Appeals had put the jail term on hold and narrowed the counts in his criminal impersonation and forgery conviction in a curious case of ancient religious texts, digital misdeeds, academic rivalries and filial loyalty. FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2010, file photo, Raphael Golb, center, and his attorney Ron Kuby, left, confer during a recess in his trial at Manhattan State Supreme Court in New York. A judge is expected to decide Monday, April 16, 2018, on Golb's final bid to reduce his two-month jail sentence. It was imposed in 2014, but appeals put it on hold and narrowed the counts in his criminal impersonation and forgery conviction. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano, File) "Obviously, I'm relieved not to be going to jail," said Golb, who already served his probation time during his appeals. He said he remains concerned by having been prosecuted for online activity he said was meant as satire. "The judge today did the right thing, but the whole thing should have been thrown out nine years ago." Prosecutors said jail was a fair punishment for a man who posed online as a prominent professor to send academically damning emails about the scholar himself. "The (jail) sentence should stand," Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Roper said. The case began in 2008 when colleagues and students of New York University Judaic studies scholar Lawrence Schiffman got emails in which he seemed to suggest he'd plagiarized the work of another Jewish history expert, Norman Golb of the University of Chicago. The two were on different sides of an obscure but heated dispute over which ancient Jews wrote the more than 2,000-year-old scrolls, which include the earliest known version of portions of the Hebrew Bible. But the emails weren't actually from Schiffman, who later said he spent weeks refuting the claims. He said by email Monday he was "happy that this sad episode has finally ended." By 2009, authorities said they'd figured out who was behind the messages: Raphael Golb, a literature scholar and now-disbarred lawyer who is Norman Golb's son. Charging Raphael Golb with identity theft and other crimes, prosecutors said he'd created an elaborate electronic campaign involving blog posts and 70 phony email accounts to tarnish his father's detractors. Raphael Golb initially argued the writings weren't a crime but parody and academic whistle-blowing meant to counter scholarly scorn directed at his father and expose "unethical conduct" in his field. Or, as Golb put it in 2010 testimony: "I used methods of satire, irony, parody and any other form of verbal rhetoric that became the type of language used by philosophers during the Enlightenment to expose the irrational arguments of their opponents." Indeed, the trial was so full of erudite references that it sometimes felt more like an academic conference, touching on the French Enlightenment writer Voltaire, the early 1900s Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder, and more. But it also was, particularly at the time, a relatively rare internet impersonation prosecution that didn't involve financial crimes. Golb was convicted in 2010. He was sentenced then to six months in jail, a term that would be reduced as his appeals cut a twist-filled path through state and federal courts and the state Legislature. In one turn, the case prompted New York state's highest court in 2014 to strike down an often-used aggravated harassment law that made it a misdemeanor to communicate with someone "in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm" and with the intent to do so. Police and prosecutors saw it as an important tool for pursuing domestic violence and other cases, but Golb and his lawyer called it an unconstitutional intrusion on free-speech rights. The state Court of Appeals concluded the law was "unconstitutionally vague and overbroad." The state Legislature later passed a revised version. The Court of Appeals also dismissed some of the counts in Golb's conviction, including the only felony - identity theft - which had led to his disbarment. He was resentenced to two months in jail. Federal courts subsequently cut some more counts, leaving a total of 10. They reflected a total of five emails sent over two days, noted Golb's lawyer, Ron Kuby. Said Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Laura Ward: "I think Mr. Golb has been punished enough." TOKYO (AP) - China and Japan resumed high-level economic talks Monday after a hiatus of nearly eight years in a sign of improving ties in their often-frosty relationship. Led by their foreign ministers, the two sides met in Tokyo for what was billed as the fourth Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue, and the first one since August 2010. Asia's two largest economies have reason to cooperate in the face of President Donald Trump's moves to impose tariffs on imports from their countries and his demands that they open their markets more to American exports. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, stands with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono during a photo session before the start of the Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue in Tokyo Monday, April 16, 2018. China and Japan resumed the high-level economic talks after a hiatus of nearly eight years in a sign of improving ties between the world's No. 2 and No. 3 economies. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Pool Photo via AP) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is heading to the United States this week to meet Trump to discuss both trade and Trump's plans for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Japan is the first by a Chinese foreign minister for bilateral talks since 2009. He met with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono for nearly four hours on Sunday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. The two ministers agreed on the importance of arranging respective visits by Abe to China and Chinese President Xi Jinping to Japan. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, right, arrives with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, center, for the Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue in Tokyo Monday, April 16, 2018. China and Japan resumed the high-level economic talks after a hiatus of nearly eight years in a sign of improving ties between the world's No. 2 and No. 3 economies. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Pool Photo via AP) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, sixth from left, and his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, fifth from right, sit at a meeting table of the Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue in Tokyo Monday, April 16, 2018. China and Japan resumed the high-level economic talks after a hiatus of nearly eight years in a sign of improving ties between the world's No. 2 and No. 3 economies. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Pool Photo via AP) PERTH, Australia (AP) - A professional surfing event off Western Australia was briefly suspended Monday after a shark attack nearby. The Margaret River Pro event, part of the World Surf Tour, was put on hold for an hour after the attack at Gracetown, about 15 kilometeres (nine miles) away. A man in his 30s, who was surfing at Cobblestones Beach near Gracetown, was bitten on the leg but managed to body surf to shore where bystanders used a rope from his surfboard to apply a torniquet. The victim was still conscious when flown to Royal Perth Hospital by air ambulance. A four meter shark was later spotted nearby. Surf photographer Peter Jovic, who witnessed the attack from the beach, told ABC Radio "a shark pretty much popped up and ended up knocking a surfer off his board. "There was a lot more thrashing around after that, it was pretty hard to see what was going on. The surfer who was being attacked ended up miraculously body surfing into a little wave and getting pushed in by a local at the same time, who was out there with him, and making it to shore before everyone came to his aid." Jovic said everyone was "walking around like stunned mullets" after the attack. After assessing the situation, organizers of the Margaret River Pro decided to resume the event with additional safety measures in place. Organizers added more drones and jet skis to ensure the safety of competitors. WASHINGTON (AP) - In a story April 16 about sexual misconduct by doctors, The Associated Press misspelled the last name of a health services researcher with the nonprofit advocacy organization Public Citizen. Her name is Azza AbuDagga, not Azza Abbudagga. A corrected version of the story is below: AP investigation: #MeToo has little impact on medical world AP investigation: In spite of decades of complaints that the physician disciplinary system is too lenient on sex-abusing doctors, little has changed in the practices of state medical boards By JEFF HORWITZ and JULIET LINDERMAN Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - Even as Hollywood moguls, elite journalists and top politicians have been pushed out of their jobs or resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct, the world of medicine is more forgiving, according to an Associated Press investigation. Even when doctors are disciplined, their punishment often consists of a short suspension paired with therapy that treats sexually abusive behavior as a symptom of an illness or addiction. The first time that Dr. Anthony Bianchi came onto a patient, California's medical board alleged, the gynecologist placed a chair against the exam room door, put his fingers into the woman's vagina and exposed his erect penis. The second time, the board claimed, he told a patient that he couldn't stop staring at her breasts and recounted a dream in which he performed oral sex on her in the office. The third time, the board charged, he told a pregnant patient suffering from vaginal bleeding that she shouldn't shave her pubic hair before her next visit, as he was getting too excited. These episodes led to disciplinary actions by the state's medical board in 2012 and in 2016. Bianchi agreed not contest the charges, and held onto his medical license. Under a settlement with California's medical board, he agreed to seek therapy and refrain from treating women during five years of probation. Bianchi did not respond to telephone messages from The Associated Press left for him at the workers' compensation clinic in Fresno, California, where he now evaluates occupational health claims. Examples of problematic behavior are easy to find in states across the country. In Arkansas, Dr. Robert Rook was allowed to keep his family practice open, so long as he's chaperoned, despite facing multiple criminal charges for rape. Prosecutors subsequently downgraded the charges to more than 20 counts of sexual assault in the second- and third-degree, charges for which Rook says he is innocent. Rook did not return phone messages left with a secretary at his Conway office. He is set to face trial later this year. Decades of complaints that the physician disciplinary system is too lenient on sex-abusing doctors have produced little change in the practices of state medical boards. And the #MeToo campaign and the rapid push in recent months to increase accountability for sexual misconduct in American workplaces do not appear to have sparked a movement toward changing how medical boards deal with physicians who act out sexually against patients or staffers. "There's been a failure of the medical community to take a stand against the issue," said Azza AbuDagga, a health services researcher with nonprofit advocacy organization Public Citizen. She published a report recently detailing sexual misconduct among physicians. Its findings showed of the 253 doctors reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank for having been sanctioned by their respective hospitals or health care organizations for sexual misconduct, or paid a settlement that stemmed from such an allegation, 170 of them were not disciplined by state medical boards, even though all boards have access to the reports filed with the data bank. Current guidelines from the Federation of State Physician Health Programs, which represents doctor rehab programs in 47 states, are largely silent on handling sexual misconduct treatment and describe sexual harassment as a "cause of impairment" in a doctor. Programs to treat doctor impairment are inherently supposed to be "non-disciplinary," per the federation's guidelines. State-authorized programs that attempt to oversee the rehabilitation of doctors who have committed sexual misconduct aren't always forthcoming about their methods. In Florida, the Professional's Resource Network asked the AP to provide detailed questions and a list of sources before it would answer questions. After the AP provided the head of the program, Alexis Polles, with basic questions about the program's approach to clearing doctors for return to work after instances of sexual abuse, she declined to answer any of them. The lenience of penalties for sexually abusive doctors sometimes a source of frustration even for members of the medical board who administer the discipline, according to Jason Rosenberg, a former chairman of the Florida medical board. "This is incredibly inappropriate," Rosenberg said during one 2013 meeting when Florida's medical board allowed James Yelton-Rossello, a psychiatrist alleged to have molested jailed psychiatric patients, to keep his license. The settlement with the Florida board of medicine did not require Yelton-Rossello to admit guilt. "You can't do this and serve french fries," Rosenberg said at that meeting, citing some fast food restaurants' policies against hiring sex offenders. "I'm ashamed of what's going on here." Yelton-Rossello's lawyer did not respond to telephone messages or an email request for comment. In practice, even some lawyers who represent doctors find the physician health programs to be problematic. David Spicer, who has represented doctors facing medical board discipline in Florida, says the state's doctor rehabilitation program isn't well designed to evaluate or treat sexual misbehavior. The program's key component, he said, is a "one-size-fits-all" requirement that doctors engage in therapy sessions and not get into trouble for a specified period, generally five years. Experts in the treatment of sexual misbehavior question whether the treatments mandated for doctors who molest patients are even appropriate for such misconduct. "It's insufficient," said Rory Reid, a UCLA psychology professor who studies addiction and hypersexual behavior. "We have clinical trials for everything underneath the sun," Reid said. "But there's not one clinical trial that I'm aware of on the efficacy of treatment for doctors who have engaged in sexual misconduct." BEIJING (AP) - Facing a possible U.S. tariff hike, one of China's biggest ball bearing makers, Cixin Group, is weighing plans to rush shipments to American customers before the increase makes its sales unprofitable. The company in the eastern city of Ningbo is among exporters of goods from motorcycle parts to electronics that are scrambling to cope with President Donald Trump's higher duties by shipping early, raising prices or finding new markets. The 25 percent increase would turn Cixin's profits to losses in the U.S. market, which takes 30 percent of its exports, according to Wang Liqiang, a company manager. FILE - In this April 18, 2015, file photo, a worker prepares a display ahead of the Auto Shanghai show, to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. Chinese exporters of goods from electronics to motorcycle parts are scrambling to insulate themselves from U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tariff hike. They are weighing plans to rush shipments to American customers ahead of the increase, raise prices or find other markets. Some are looking at shipping goods through other countries to hide their Chinese origin. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) "We are considering manufacturing as many ball bearings as possible for the U.S. market before the imposition of tariffs," said Wang. "We can do it by working overtime." Some companies are looking at ways to hide their Chinese origin by shipping goods through other countries. "Maybe customers will buy from South America, and then South America sells to the U.S.," said Yvonne Yuan, a sales manager for Shenzhen Tianya Lighting Co., a manufacturer of LED bulbs. Trump says higher duties on $50 billion of Chinese goods are meant to punish Beijing for stealing or pressuring foreign companies to hand over foreign technology. The plan targets goods U.S. officials say benefit from improper Chinese policies including machinery, industrial components and aerospace, telecoms and other technology. Trump left time to negotiate. A public comment period runs through May 11, with a hearing scheduled May 15. Economists and Chinese officials say the tariff hike's overall impact on China should be limited. But for exporters that depend on the U.S. market, the potential costs are alarming. Knock-on effects could greatly increase the impact, Moody's Investors Service researchers said in a report. It said that Chinese manufacturers that supply inputs to targeted sectors would see reduced demand and more pricing pressure, spreading the effects of tariffs deeper into the Chinese economy. Manufacturing and processing of metals and metal products, as the key input sectors for technology-product manufacturing, would be hurt the most. Chinese exporters supply most of the world's mobile phones, personal computers, televisions, toys and other light manufactured goods from thousands of factories. They are flexible and resourceful but many are struggling with higher costs and slowing demand. China's total exports last year rose 7.9 percent, down from the heady double-digit rates of the past decade. The United States buys about 20 percent of China's exports. But Americans are especially important to exporters because they buy electronics and other high-value goods, including many targeted by Trump's tariffs. Some exporters already are reeling from previous U.S. tariff increases of up to 500 percent on washing machines, solar modules and some metal products, meant to offset what the Trump administration says are improper subsidies that allow them to sell at unfairly low prices. Others are confident American customers cannot do without them. Makers of motorcycle components plan to use that leverage to ask buyers to split the cost if tariffs rise, said Pan Jianle, an official of the Motorcycle Parts Association in Wenzhou. She said they export worldwide but the United States is their No. 1 market. "The U.S. motorcycle parts industry relies heavily on China," said Pan. "It is difficult for U.S. customers to find products with good quality and value for money from other places." Such a politically charged conflict has left companies and local Chinese officials jumpy. Pan declined to provide the value of exports of motorcycle components to the United States. A few hours later, the Wenzhou city government's foreign affairs office called AP to ask about its interviews. Electronics manufacturers also plan to ask buyers to share higher costs, said Li Zengyou, secretary general of the local manufacturing chamber of commerce in the eastern city of Zibo in Shandong province. Zibo's electronics exports to the United States last year totaled $1 billion, according to Li. That would mean if the tariff hike applied to all their sales, it could add $250 million to the cost. If higher tariffs hit, "they will raise the price," said Li. "If the U.S. customers failed to accept it, they would stop exporting to the United States and turn to explore other markets." Ningbo-based Cixin Group's margins in the United States are about 10 percent, which would be wiped out by a 25 percent tariff hike, said Wang. The company also exports to Europe and Latin America. "We can't bear all the costs," he said. "We can try to increase our exports to other countries, but it is not easy to establish a long-term relationship with new customers." ___ AP researcher Yu Bing in Beijing and AP Business Writer Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong contributed. WASHINGTON (AP) - The future of the landmark Iran nuclear deal hangs in the balance and its survival may depend on the unlikely success of last-minute European interventions with President Donald Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are to visit Washington separately later this month and, barring a sudden trip by British Prime Minister Theresa May, will likely be the last foreign leaders invested in the deal to see Trump ahead of his mid-May deadline for the accord to be strengthened. Trump has vowed to withdraw from the 2015 agreement by May 12 unless U.S., British, French and German negotiators can agree to fix what he sees as its serious flaws. Iran has said U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions would destroy the agreement and has threatened a range of responses, including immediately restarting nuclear activities currently barred under the deal. FILE - In this March 23, 2018, file photo, French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel speak at a news conference in Brussels. The future of the landmark Iran nuclear deal hangs in the balance and its survival may depend on the unlikely success of last-minute European interventions with President Donald Trump. Macron and Merkel are to visit Washington separately later in April and will likely be the last foreign leaders invested in the deal to see Trump ahead of his mid-May deadline for the accord to be strengthened. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File) Negotiators met for a fourth time last week and made some progress but were unable to reach agreement on all points, according to U.S. officials and outside advisers to the Trump administration familiar with the status of the talks. That potentially leaves the Iran deal's fate to Macron, who will make a state visit to Washington on April 24, and Merkel, who pays a working visit to the U.S. capital on April 27, these people said. "It's important to them and I know they'll raise their hopes and concerns when they travel here to the United States in the coming days," Mike Pompeo, the CIA chief and secretary of state-designate, told lawmakers on Thursday. Pompeo's testimony at his Senate confirmation hearing came a day after the negotiators met at the State Department to go over the four issues that Trump says must be addressed if he is to once again renew sanctions relief for Iran, officials said. Those are: Iran's ballistic missile testing and destabilizing behavior in the region, which are not covered by the deal, along with inspections of suspected nuclear sites and so-called "sunset provisions" that gradually allow Iran to resume advanced nuclear work after several years, which are part of the agreement. Two senior U.S. officials said the sides are "close to agreement" on missiles and inspections but "not there yet" on the sunset provisions. "Malign" Iranian activities, including its support for Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Houthi Shiite rebels in Yemen, were dealt with in a separate session that ended inconclusively, according to the officials, who like the outside advisers were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The two officials and two outside advisers said the missile and inspections issues are essentially settled, but would not detail exactly what had been agreed or predict whether it would pass muster with Trump, let alone his new national security adviser John Bolton and Pompeo. Both men are Iran hawks and share the president's disdain for the deal, which was a signature foreign policy achievement of former President Barack Obama. Bolton and Pompeo's voices on Iran could be heard as senior U.S. officials discussed Trump's decision to launch airstrikes against Syria on Friday. In addition to punishing Syria for its apparent use of chemical weapons, the strikes were meant to send a message to Iran about its role in the country, the officials told reporters on Saturday. The officials and advisers said the main sticking point on the Iran deal remains the sunset provisions, with the Europeans balking at U.S. demands for the automatic re-imposition of sanctions should Iran engage in advanced nuclear activity that would be permitted by the agreement once the restrictions expire. To clear the impasse, one official and one outside adviser said a compromise is being considered under which sanctions would be re-imposed if Iran did enough work to reduce the time it would need to develop a nuclear weapon to less than a year. The current deal aims to keep Iran's so-called "breakout time" to a year. But the expiration of the sunset provisions, the first of which is in 2024, means that the breakout time could eventually drop. The Europeans, who along with the Iranians, have said they will not re-open the deal for negotiation, are reluctant to automatically re-impose sanctions for permitted activity, but have agreed in principle that Iran dropping below a one-year breakout time should be cause to at least consider new sanctions, according to the official and the adviser. How that breakout time is determined is still being discussed, they said. Given the remaining differences, U.S. national security officials are stepping up planning for various "day after" scenarios, including how to sell a pullout as the correct step for national security, how aggressively to reimpose U.S. sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the agreement and how to deal with Iranian and European fallout from such a step. DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Bangladesh on Monday rejected a claim by Myanmar that the Buddhist-majority nation had repatriated the first five among some 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled to the neighboring country to escape military-led violence against the minority group. A Myanmar government statement said Saturday that five members of a family had returned to western Rakhine state from the border area. It said the family was staying temporarily with relatives in Maungdaw town, the administrative center close to the border. The statement said authorities determined whether they had lived in Myanmar and provided them with a national verification card. The card is a form of ID, but does not mean citizenship - something Rohingya have been denied in Myanmar, where they've faced persecution for decades. In this April 14, 2018, photo provided by Myanmar Government Information Committee, Myanmar immigration officials examine documents as a Rohingya family of five look on at a receiving center in Taung Pyo, Letwe, northern Rakhine state. Myanmar has accepted what appears to be the first five among some 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled military-led violence against the minority group, even though the U.N. says it is not yet safe for them to return home. (Myanmar Government Information Committee via AP) The statement did not say whether any more repatriations were being planned. Bangladesh has given Myanmar a list of more than 8,000 refugees to begin the repatriations, but there have been delays due to a complicated verification process. On Monday, Bangladesh's home minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, said Myanmar's claim that the family had been "repatriated" was false, noting that the family had never reached Bangladeshi territory. Khan said Myanmar's move was "nothing but a farce." "I hope Myanmar will take all the Rohingya families back within the shortest possible time," he said. Bangladesh's refugee, relief and repatriation commissioner, Abul Kalam, said the Rohingya family involved had never crossed the border. "By no definition can this be called repatriation," he said by phone from Cox's Bazar. "No repatriation has taken place. Bangladesh is no way part of it." Cox's Bazar is a district in Bangladesh where camps have been set up to shelter the Rohingya. Asif Munier, an independent refugee expert who had handled the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh for years as part of the United Nations, said Myanmar's claim was a public relations stunt. "They are doing it again and again," he said. "Bangladesh's government and the international community must ask Myanmar for an explanation for this move. While there is a bilateral process going on and international agencies are involved, such a move by Myanmar is again very unfortunate and unexpected." Myanmar's social welfare minister, Win Myat Aye, who is leading the repatriation process, said Monday that Myanmar had given the family the necessary documents. "The five family members who re-entered Myanmar the other day were people who stayed along the border line between Myanmar and Bangladesh," he said. "As they were repatriated, Myanmar officials, including from immigration, had verified them and gave them the paperwork they needed." Myanmar's security forces have been accused of rape, killing, torture and the burning of the homes of Rohingya villagers after insurgents attacked about 30 police outposts on Aug. 25. The United Nations and the United States have described the army crackdown as "ethnic cleansing." About 700,000 Rohingya Muslims flooded into neighboring Bangladesh to escape the violence. Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed in December to begin repatriating them in January, but there were concerns among aid workers and Rohingya that they would be forced to return and face unsafe conditions in Myanmar. On Friday, the U.N. refugee agency and Bangladesh finalized a memorandum of understanding that said the repatriation process must be "safe, voluntary and dignified ... in line with international standards." UNHCR said it "considers that conditions in Myanmar are not yet conducive for returns to be safe, dignified, and sustainable. The responsibility for creating such conditions remains with the Myanmar authorities, and these must go beyond the preparation of physical infrastructure to facilitate logistical arrangements." Rohingya Muslims have long been treated as outsiders in Myanmar, even though their families have lived in the country for generations. Nearly all have been denied citizenship since 1982, effectively rendering them stateless. They are denied freedom of movement and other basic rights. Robert Durst's wife previously told her landlady she was afraid of her husband and asked if she could move into a separate apartment just a week before her disappearance - a court has heard. Speaking at a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court Karen Minutello, testified that in 1982 she managed the New York complex where Robert and Kathleen Durst lived before her mysterious disappearance. Ms Minutello said Kathleen Durst called her about a week before her disappearance and asked to rent her own unit because she didn't want to live with her husband anymore. 'She was hesitant, she didn't just blurt out why. Then she did say she needed to get away from him,' Minutello said. 'She was afraid of him.' Scroll down for video The preliminary hearing began on April 16 to determine if Durst will stand trial for murder of Susan Berman in 2000 A tired-looking Durst appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court Airport Branch for a pretrial motions ahead of the hearing Robert Durst pictured with his wife Kathleen before her disappearance from their New York home in 1982 Kathleen Durst has been missing for over 35 years after disappearing from her home in New York in 1982. Robert Durst, 73, a multimillionaire real estate tycoon, has never been charged with a crime related to his wife's 1982 disappearance in New York. But recently uncovered evidence which links him to the death of family friend and confidant Susan Berman in 2000 could see him tried for both murders - if a judge rules in favour at a hearing in Los Angeles this week. Durst is accused of killing Berman after she allegedly threatened to expose him for his wife's murder. Prosecutors say that Berman, the daughter of a Las Vegas mobster, found out that Durst had killed his wife Kathleen - and Durst killed her in fear she would expose him. He was arrested in New Orleans in 2015 and charged with killing Berman - who had acted as an informal spokeswoman for him, fielding constant media inquiries that followed Kathleen's disappearance. At an earlier hearing in Los Angeles in February, one of his oldest friends, Nick Chavin claimed Susan Berman had told him Durst was guilty of his wife's murder. 'Susan said to me, "Bob killed Kathie,"' Chavin testified. Robert Durst is also accused of killing Susan Berman - a family friend who he allegedly feared would expose him for Kathleen Durst's murder Kathleen Durst has been missing for over 35 years - but prosecutors hope that new evidence will allow them to put Robert Durst on trial for her murder Asked why he hadn't told police of the admission earlier, Chavin said that Berman had insisted they protect Durst. In a remarkable revelation, Chavin also claimed Durst had confessed his wife's murder to him over dinner in 2014. According to Chavin, when asked about Susan's murder Durst said: 'I had to. It was her or me. I had no choice.' It was rumoured Berman had told friends over the years that Durst acknowledged killing his wife and said she helped him cover his tracks. She also told one friend who testified at an earlier hearing that if anything happened to her, Durst would be the culprit. Prosecutors are hoping to use many of those hearsay statements at trial, which defense attorneys have vigorously challenged. Robert Durst has pleaded not guilty to killing Berman at her Los Angeles house. However, Judge Mark Windham is set to rule on Tuesday over whether or not there is sufficient new evidence to take Durst to trial. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is again twisting facts when it comes to former FBI director James Comey's disclosure of a sensitive investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton right before the 2016 election. In a flurry of tweets, Trump claims Comey was motivated by a desire to please Clinton during the 2016 campaign in an anticipation of a Democratic win. But in going public about a renewed investigation into Clinton's email practices, he infuriated Democrats who believe to this day the revelation cost her a victory. Trump also wrongly asserts that Comey was behind former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe's decision to authorize the disclosure of a probe into the Clinton Foundation, in violation of agency rules. In fact, a Justice Department watchdog report concluded the opposite. This combination photo shows President Donald Trump speaking during a roundtable discussion on tax policy in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on April 5, 2018, left, and former FBI director James Comey speaking during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 8, 2017. Trump fired off a series of tweets ahead of Comey's first interview on his book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership," which offers his version of the events surrounding his firing as FBI director by Trump. The interview will air Sunday night on ABC. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, left, and Andrew Harnik) The claims about Comey were among several in the past week highlighting Trump's vivid agitation with perceived political enemies. A sampling, along with a look at the veracity of claims from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in two days of congressional testimony and Mike Pompeo in his confirmation hearing to become secretary of state: TRUMP: "Unbelievably, James Comey states that Polls, where Crooked Hillary was leading, were a factor in the handling (stupidly) of the Clinton Email probe. In other words, he was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball!" - tweet Sunday. THE FACTS: Trump's claim seems to defy logic. If Comey were angling for a job in an anticipated Hillary Clinton administration, disclosing a renewed FBI investigation into her email practices right before the 2016 election wouldn't be the way to do it. Trump appears to be referring to a passage in Comey's new book, "A Higher Loyalty," revealing that he had "assumed from media polling that Hillary Clinton was going to win." Comey writes that he has since wondered whether his decision to disclose the reopened probe was affected by a concern that "concealing" it as Clinton appeared to hold a poll lead would make her an "illegitimate president." Comey disclosed the email investigation had been reopened on Oct. 28, 2016, after the FBI discovered an additional batch of emails tied to the case on a laptop belonging to former Rep. Anthony Weiner, whose wife at the time was top Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Clinton and fellow Democrats were livid. Comey has since made clear he felt obligated to reveal the reopened probe because he had previously declared it closed. The FBI ultimately found no evidence to change its decision not to charge Clinton, and Comey announced the email probe was complete two days before the Nov. 8 election. Still, Democrats remain sore. On Sunday, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Clinton's vice presidential running mate, again criticized Comey's "double standard" of revealing the renewed Clinton probe right before the election even while refusing to comment publicly on Trump's possible campaign ties to Russia. ___ TRUMP, speaking of a report by the Justice Department's inspector general on McCabe: "He LIED! LIED! LIED! McCabe was totally controlled by Comey - McCabe is Comey!! No collusion, all made up by this den of thieves and lowlifes!" - tweet Friday. THE FACTS: Trump mischaracterizes the report, which concludes that McCabe had misled Comey about his role in a news media disclosure about Clinton in the days before the 2016 election. It's a finding that contradicts Trump claim that McCabe was "totally controlled" by Comey. Last week's report describes how Comey and McCabe had entirely different accounts about a Justice Department interview with a Wall Street Journal reporter that revealed an investigation into the Clinton Foundation, violating agency rules. According to the report, Comey said he was led to believe that McCabe had not authorized the disclosure to the Journal. But McCabe told investigators that he informed Comey that he had approved it. Ultimately, the watchdog report found that McCabe's actions were at odds with the wishes of Comey - and not, as Trump asserts, at Comey's behest. "We do not believe that Comey would have been approving of such a disclosure by McCabe if he had been told about it," the report states. In a statement Friday, McCabe noted that as deputy director he had full authority to approve sharing information with the media and said he permitted subordinates to do so in this case to correct a false story that he had tried to stymie an FBI probe into the Clinton Foundation. ___ TRUMP: "I have agreed with the historically cooperative, disciplined approach that we have engaged in with Robert Mueller (Unlike the Clintons!). I have full confidence in Ty Cobb, my Special Counsel, and have been fully advised throughout each phase of this process." - tweet Thursday. THE FACTS: Trump's claim of a steady hand with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of links between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign is at odds with his public musings about firing Mueller and his characterization of the probe as an "attack on our country," ''fraudulent" and a "WITCH HUNT!" It's true, though, that despite his insults and fury with the process, Trump has extended a degree of cooperation. More than 20 White House employees have been made available for interviews with Mueller's team. The White House has turned over more than 20,000 pages of records while Trump's campaign has given Mueller more than 1.4 million pages. Even so, Trump took the extraordinary step in February of allowing the release of a classified memo that he said vindicated him. The memo was by Republicans on the House intelligence committee and concerned FBI surveillance powers. In letting it come out, Trump dismissed forceful pleas from his FBI director and the second-ranking Justice official, Trump-nominated Rod Rosenstein, to keep the memo under wraps because it was inaccurate and lacked critical context. ___ TRUMP: "Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama. Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No Collusion, so they go crazy!" - tweet Wednesday. THE FACTS: It's not true that the probe is being conducted by "all Democratic loyalists." Mueller is a Republican and some others on his team owe their jobs largely to Republican presidents. Some have indeed given money to Democratic candidates over the years. Mueller could not have barred them from serving on that basis because regulations prohibit the consideration of political affiliation personnel actions involving career attorneys. Mueller reports to Rosenstein. As to the "bad blood" between the U.S. and Russia, relations have deteriorated for a multitude of reasons including Moscow's intervention in Ukraine and its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad - not just Mueller's probe. On Thursday, Pompeo told senators the "historic conflict" between the two countries "is caused by Russian bad behavior." ___ POMPEO, at his Senate hearing: "I have never advocated for regime change." - remarks Thursday on North Korea. THE FACTS: Not entirely. While he's avoided saying explicitly he supports a regime change from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Pompeo has indicated that a leadership change there would be in U.S. security interests. At the Aspen Security Forum in July, Pompeo said he's "hopeful that we will find a way to separate that regime" from its nuclear capabilities, given its growing stockpile of weapons. "The North Korea people - I'm sure are lovely people - and would love to see him go as well," he said. According to the Financial Times, Pompeo quipped at the event that if Kim "should vanish, given the history of the CIA, I'm just not going to talk about it. Someone might think there was a coincidence." ___ ZUCKERBERG: "People have the ability to see everything they have in Facebook, take that out, delete that account and move their data anywhere that they want." - House hearing Wednesday. THE FACTS: That's a stretch. Users can download a subset of the information collected on them, but not "everything." And the resulting file is mostly a jumble of contacts, messages and advertisers who have been allowed to target them through Facebook. That makes the information mostly useless for people who want to join a different social network because it's incomplete and not organized so that another service could easily import it. Experts say Facebook has made it technically untenable to take user data elsewhere. Researchers have failed to make the data portable because Facebook keeps changing the public-facing software required. ___ ZUCKERBERG: "There is a setting so if you don't want any data to be collected around advertising, you can turn that off and then we won't do it." - House hearing. THE FACTS: It's not that simple. Users can limit ad targeting, but it requires several steps, which may have to be repeated periodically. By default, Facebook shows users ads based on interests they've expressed over years, websites they've visited and companies they've contacted. You can turn off such targeted ads with a single option in Facebook. Doing so means, for example, that you won't get an ad on Facebook for a pair of shoes you just looked at on a shopping website, though you'll still get generic ads. But that doesn't stop the data collection. Facebook also targets ads based on demographic information, such as your age and whether you have a child, as well as on what mobile device you use and even your political leanings - even if you've not explicitly shared any of that on Facebook. Turning off those categories must be done one by one. And if you like a new page, click on a new ad or add your email to a new business's contact list, it all starts over. ___ ZUCKERBERG: "There may be specific things about how you use Facebook, even if you're not logged in, that we - that we keep track of, to make sure that people aren't abusing the systems." And: "In general, we collect data of people who have not signed up for Facebook for security purposes." - House hearing. THE FACTS: Facebook collects data on your online habits wherever it can find you, and very little of it appears to be for security purposes. Facebook pays third-party websites and apps to let it place tracking code across the internet and mobile devices. That code then reports back to Facebook on your surfing habits to help it better target ads. Along with Google, Facebook is consistently among the top three data-collectors in the field, said Reuben Binns, an Oxford University computer scientist who researches these beacons. In February, a Belgian court ruled that Facebook had violated European privacy law with such tracking because it hadn't obtained consent either to collect or store the data. ___ ZUCKERBERG: "We do not sell data to advertisers. ... What we allow is for advertisers to tell us who they want to reach. And then we do the placement." - Senate hearing Tuesday. THE FACTS: It's true that Facebook doesn't sell user data directly to third parties, but it profits from the information. Advertisers choose the types of users they want to reach and Facebook tailors the ads to those users, based on its vast information about where people live, how old they are and what interests they have. The more specific an audience is, the more Facebook can charge for the ad. This practice does not mean that user data stays within Facebook. The latest privacy scandal grew out of the revelation that a Trump-affiliated consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, managed to get data on tens of millions of Facebook users through an app that was purportedly a research tool. With apps, Facebook isn't selling data - it's giving the data to apps for free. ___ Associated Press writers Cal Woodward in Washington, Frank Bajak in Boston and Barbara Ortutay and Anik Jesdanun in New York contributed to this report. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd ___ Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck For complete coverage of the Facebook privacy scandal, visit https://apnews.com/tag/FacebookPrivacyScandal In this Aprill 11, 2018, photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify before a House Energy and Commerce hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election and data privacy. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's Foreign Ministry says its new ambassador to Jordan is starting his posting, ending a months-long spat between the two countries over a deadly embassy shooting. Amir Weissbrod's posting ends one of the tensest periods between Israel and Jordan since the two signed a peace treaty in 1994. Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon says Weissbrod arrived in the capital, Amman, on Monday. The dispute began last summer when a security guard at the Israeli embassy in Jordan shot and killed two Jordanians, alleging one attacked him with a screw driver. The Israeli guard and Israel's then-ambassador were given a hero's welcome by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, infuriating Jordan. Earlier this year, the two sides said they found a way to overcome the crisis, including appointing a new Israeli ambassador. LONDON (AP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May told restive lawmakers Monday that military airstrikes on Syria were right both legally and morally, and she accused Syria and its ally Russia of attempting to cover up evidence of a deadly chemical weapons attack. May faced down her domestic critics as France's premier defended the "proportionate" response to the use of chemical weapons. European Union foreign ministers united to say they understood the need for the airstrikes and called for a new push for a political solution to the war in Syria. British Royal Air Force jets joined American and French warplanes and ships in hitting targets in Syria early Saturday in response to a reported chemical attack by the Syrian government in the town of Douma. Demonstrators take part in a protest organized by the Stop the War coalition against the British government carrying out airstrikes on targets in Syria, in Parliament Square, London, Monday, April 16, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced restive lawmakers on Monday to justify her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) The British government is not legally bound to seek Parliament's approval for military strikes, although it is customary to do so, and many lawmakers expressed anger that they were not consulted. May told legislators in the House of Commons that seeking their approval would have been impractical, both because Parliament was on a spring break until Monday and because some of the intelligence behind the decision was classified. "We have always been clear that the government has the right to act quickly in the national interest," May said, calling the military action "not just morally right but also legally right." "We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalized, either within Syria, on the streets of the U.K., or elsewhere," May said - linking the chemical attack in Syria with the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter last month with a military-grade nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury. Syria and Russia have both denied that Syrian government forces carried out the Douma gas attack, suggesting it may have been staged to implicate them. May said the presence of helicopters and the use of barrel bombs pointed the finger of blame squarely at the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. She accused Syria, aided by Russia, of trying to block an investigation into the gas attack by the international chemical weapons watchdog. "The Syrian regime has reportedly been attempting to conceal the evidence by searching evacuees from Douma to ensure samples are not being smuggled from this area. And a wider operation to conceal the facts of the attack is underway, supported by the Russians," she said. Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said Monday that the organization's team "has not yet deployed to Douma," two days after arriving in Syria. He said Syrian and Russian officials who met the OPCW team in Damascus told them "that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place." In Britain's House of Commons, much of Monday's scheduled business was scrapped for an emergency debate on the airstrikes that stretched late into the evening. But the after-the-fact debate - without a binding vote - did not satisfy angry opposition lawmakers. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, called the airstrikes "legally questionable" and accused May of "following Donald Trump's lead." Corbyn said May should remember she "is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the U.S. president. May denied acting at the behest of the U.S. "We have not done this because President Trump asked us to do so," May said. "We have done it because we believe it was the right thing to do - and we are not alone." French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe also justified the military action in a speech Monday to the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament. Philippe told lawmakers that France's "riposte" was "proportionate" and sent a strong, clear message to dissuade Syria's government from using chemical weapons. He said the joint action of the U.S., Britain and France was aimed at placing a prohibitive cost on the use of chemical weapons and degrading Assad's ability to use them. Some French opposition leaders have criticized the strikes, saying they were not legitimate. Under the French Constitution, the government must inform the parliament, but a vote is requested only if a military intervention is expected to last more than four months. In Luxembourg, the foreign ministers of the 28 EU countries called for a political breakthrough involving regional players to put Syria on track to a peaceful solution for its seven-year conflict. The ministers said the EU "understands" the need for the coordinated U.S, French and British airstrikes following the suspected April 7 chemical attack. They insisted it was executed with "the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people." EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the EU wants to use a major meeting on Syria in Brussels next week to give impetus to U.N. peace efforts following Saturday's airstrikes. "There is the need to give a push to the U.N.-led process," Mogherini said. More than 70 delegations are expected at the April 24-25 donor conference for Syria in Brussels. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Lawless reported this story in London and AP writer Raf Casert reported from Luxembourg. AP writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement to MPs in the House of Commons in London, Monday April 16, 2018 over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria. British Prime Minister Theresa May told restive lawmakers on Monday that military airstrikes against Syria were right both legally and morally, and accused Syria and its ally Russia of attempting to cover-up evidence of a deadly chemical weapons attack. (PA via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron attends a media conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, April 16, 2018. (Charles Platiau/Pool Photo via AP) Britain's ambassador to the Netherlands and permanent representative to the chemical weapons watchdog OPCW, Peter Wilson, center, talks to embassy employees after a press conference in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday, April 16, 2018. (Michael Kooren, pool photo via AP) University students gather during a general assembly at Rennes II University, Monday, April 16, 2018 in Rennes, western France. French students intensified blockades of universities over the government's reform. Banners reads: "Education down, Block the University". (AP Photo/David Vincent) French President Emmanuel Macron waves good-bye to New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, April 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Michel Euler) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves Downing Street to make a statement to MPs in the House of Commons in London, Monday April 16, 2018 over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria. British Prime Minister Theresa May told restive lawmakers on Monday that military airstrikes against Syria were right both legally and morally, and accused Syria and its ally Russia of attempting to cover-up evidence of a deadly chemical weapons attack. (Stefan Rousseau,PA via AP) Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn speaking after Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May's statement to MPs in the House of Commons in London, Monday April 16, 2018 over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria. British Prime Minister Theresa May told restive lawmakers on Monday that military airstrikes against Syria were right both legally and morally, and accused Syria and its ally Russia of attempting to cover-up evidence of a deadly chemical weapons attack. (PA via AP) Demonstrators gather at the start of a protest organized by the Stop the War coalition against the British government carrying out airstrikes on targets in Syria, in Parliament Square, London, Monday, April 16, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced restive lawmakers on Monday to justify her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Demonstrators take part in a protest organized by the Stop the War coalition against the British government carrying out airstrikes on targets in Syria, in Parliament Square, London, Monday, April 16, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced restive lawmakers on Monday to justify her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Demonstrators take part in a protest organized by the Stop the War coalition against the British government carrying out airstrikes on targets in Syria, in Parliament Square, London, Monday, April 16, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced restive lawmakers on Monday to justify her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) ALIAGA, Turkey (AP) - An American pastor on Monday denied accusations that he aided terror groups or spied against Turkey, speaking at the beginning of his trial in a case that has strained ties between Turkey and the United States. Andrew Craig Brunson, a 50-year-old evangelical pastor from North Carolina, faces up to 35 years in prison on charges of "committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member" and "espionage." Brunson, who denies any wrongdoing, was arrested in the aftermath of a 2016 coup attempt for alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, as well as a network led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed by Turkey for the coup attempt. Samuel Brownback, US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, talks to members of the media outside the prison complex Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed pastor Andrew Craig Brunson appeared on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. The american pastor accused of ties to terror groups and spying in Turkey went on trial on Monday, in a case that has strained ties between Turkey and the United States. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) The U.S. State Department said Brunson's case was being watched closely by "the entire U.S. government." "We have seen no credible evidence that Mr. Brunson is guilty of a crime and are convinced that he is innocent," spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. Brunson served as pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church, a small Protestant congregation, and has lived in Turkey for 23 years. Brunson denies any wrongdoing. "I don't accept any of the allegations or accusations," the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Brunson as telling the court in the town of Aliaga, some 60 kilometers (38 miles) north of the Aegean coastal city of Izmir. "I did not engage in any illegal activity. I had no relations with anyone engaged in such activity," Brunson said. "I am a Christian pastor. I did not join an Islamic movement. Their aims and mine are different." The agency said the pastor delivered his defense statement in Turkish. The pastor also told the court he would never work against Turkey. "On the contrary, I love Turkey. I have been praying for Turkey for 25 years," the Cumhuriyet newspaper quoted Brunson as saying. Cumhuriyet said the pastor wept in court during an afternoon session, saying being alone in a cell had affected his psychological state. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Sam Brownback, U.S. ambassador-at-large for religious freedoms, observed the trial, which the court later adjourned until May 7. "The administration is deeply concerned about this case," Brownback told reporters outside the courthouse In the United States, Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma warned of possible congressional action against Turkey if Brunson is not released. "It is unconscionable that Turkey, a NATO ally, has unjustly held an American pastor in prison since October 2016," Lankford said. Prosecutors are seeking a 15-year prison sentence for crimes Brunson is charged with committing in the name of Gulen's group and the PKK. They want the pastor to serve another 20 years, if he also is found guilty of obtaining state secrets for political and military spying purposes using his religious work as cover. The indictment against him - based on the testimony of witnesses, including three secret ones, and digital evidence - claims the pastor worked to convert Kurds to Christianity to sow discord. U.S. officials have repeatedly called for Brunson's release, and President Donald Trump has asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to have his government "expeditiously" return the pastor to the U.S. Erdogan fired back at Washington, demanding that the U.S. return Gulen to Turkey. "Give him (Gulen) to us, and we will try (Brunson) and return him," Erdogan said last year. Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, has denied involvement in the coup. Brunson's lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, told The Associated Press he expected the pastor's acquittal, arguing Sunday that the "weak" indictment lacked sufficient evidence to make the case hold up in court. ___ Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report. Members of Turkish forces guard the entrance to the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed US pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson, 50, a US evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. He has denied all allegations. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Members of Turkish forces guard the entrance to the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed U.S. pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson, 50, a US evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. He has denied all allegations. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A convoy of U.S. diplomatic vehicles is driven to the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed US pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson, 50, a US evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. He has denied all allegations. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Members of Turkish forces guard the entrance to the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed U.S. pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Members of Turkish forces guard the entrance to the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed U.S. pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson, 50, a U.S. evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. He has denied all allegations. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A members of Turkish forces guards the entrance to the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed U.S. pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Ismail Cem Halavurt, the lawyer of jailed Andrew Craig Brunson who served as the pastor in Izmir, western Turkey, arrives at the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where his client is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A U.S. diplomatic vehicle is checked before entering the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed US pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Members of Turkish forces guard the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed U.S. pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is held and is appearing on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Thom Tillis, a US Senator for North Carolina, talks to the media outside the court in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, Monday, April 16, 2018, where the trial of jailed Andrew Craig Brunson who served as the pastor in Izmir, western Turkey, was held. Brunson, 50, a US evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. The court adjourned trial until May 7, 2018 and ruled that Brunson remain in custody until then.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Ismail Cem Halavurt, the lawyer of jailed Andrew Craig Brunson who served as the pastor in Izmir, western Turkey, leaves the court in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, Monday, April 16, 2018, where the case of Brunson was held. Brunson, 50, a US evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. The court adjourned trial until May 7, 2018 and ruled that Brunson remain in custody until then. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Cameras of members of the media are placed across from the prison complex in Aliaga, Izmir province, western Turkey, where jailed pastor Andrew Craig Brunson appeared on his trial at a court inside the complex, Monday, April 16, 2018. Brunson, 50, a US evangelical pastor from North Carolina, was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for masterminding a failed military coup that year. He has denied all allegations and the case that has strained ties between Turkey and the United States. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey warned Greece on Monday to refrain from "provocations" after a Greek flag was hoisted on a disputed, uninhabited islet in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters that the Turkish coast guards had removed the flag from the island off the coast of the Aegean resort of Didim. Yildirim said the incident was similar to one in 1996 when the two NATO allies went to war over uninhabited islets - known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish - which both Turkey and Greece claim. Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, right, shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, prior to their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, April 16, 2018. (Pool Photo via AP) "Our advice to Greece would be to stay away from provocations and agitations," Yildirim said adding that Turkey was "determined to give the necessary response" to such acts. Despite two decades of efforts to improve relations, Greece and Turkey have seen a spike in tensions in recent weeks over disputed Aegean boundaries as well as over oil-and-gas drilling rights off the divided island of Cyprus. Asked about the incident during a joint news conference with visiting the NATO chief, Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu accused Greece's defense minister - the outspoken leader of Greece's nationalist party - of raising tensions in the Aegean Sea. "His brattiness shouldn't reach a level where it'll damage relations between the two countries," Cavusoglu said. In Athens, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzannakopoulos said the government had no knowledge of the incident and described the remarks by Yildirim as "provocative and reprehensible." "I think Mr. Yildirim should be more careful," Tzannakopoulos said. "We call on Turkey to return to a path of respect for international law ... They should take an initiative to de-escalate the tension." NEW DELHI (AP) - Eight Hindu men accused in the gang rape and killing of an 8-year-old Muslim girl in India's Jammu and Kashmir state pleaded not guilty Monday in their first court appearance. The child's battered body was found in a forest in January, a week after she went missing while grazing her family's ponies. Police say the accused men planned the child's kidnapping for over a month as part of a plan to scare her Muslim nomadic tribe away from the area. Police said the child was sedated and held captive at a Hindu temple where she was repeatedly raped before being strangled and bludgeoned to death. A police vehicle carrying the accused in the gang rape and killing of an 8-year-old Muslim girl arrives at the District and Sessions court in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, India, Monday, April 16, 2018. Eight Hindu men accused in the case have pleaded not guilty in their first court appearance. Monday's court appearance comes as angry protests over the case have spread across the country. (AP Photo) The court on Monday instructed the investigators to make sure that the accused men had copies of all the charges they faced before the next hearing on April 26. The case has led to protests across the country and came to national prominence last week when thousands of members of a Hindu radical group, Hindu Ekta Manch, or the Hindu Unity Platform, marched in support of the accused men. Hundreds of lawyers from the local bar association also tried to prevent police from entering a court complex to place their investigation before a judge and said the accused men were all innocent. Six men, including two police officers, are accused of being directly involved in the attacks on the girl. One of those policemen also allegedly joined in the search for her body. Two other policemen were arrested for attempts to destroy evidence. At least two lawmakers from India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party also spoke out in support of the accused. The case highlights the increasing religious polarization in India since the BJP swept to power in 2014. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Inmates armed with homemade knives fought each other for about seven hours over territory and money, leaving seven of them dead in the worst U.S. prison riot in a quarter-century, officials said Monday. An inmate who witnessed the violence told The Associated Press that bodies were "literally stacked on top of each other." At least 17 prisoners were seriously injured at Lee Correctional Institution, South Carolina prisons chief Bryan Stirling said. The first fight started in a dorm about 7:15 p.m. Sunday and appeared to be contained before suddenly starting in two other dorms. Cellphones helped stir up the trouble, and state officials urged the federal government to change a law and allow them to block the signals from prisoners' phones. "These folks are fighting over real money and real territory while they're incarcerated," Stirling said at a news conference. These undated photos provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows, from top row from left, Corey Scott, Eddie Casey Gaskins, Raymond Angelo Scott and Damonte Rivera; bottom row from left, Michael Milledge, Cornelius McClary and Joshua Jenkins. The seven inmates were killed, and at least 17 prisoners wounded, in a riot at the Lee Correctional Institution on early Monday, April 16, 2018, in Bishopville, S.C. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP) No prison guards were hurt. Stirling said they followed protocol by backing out and asking for support. It took several hours to restore order, but once a special SWAT team entered, the inmates gave up peacefully, he said. The prisoner who saw the riot exchanged messages with AP on the condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to have a cellphone and fears retribution from other inmates. He said he saw several attackers taunt a rival gang member who was badly injured. "I just saw three dead on the sidewalk outside of my unit. One guy is still alive and breathing, but just barely," the inmate said. The riot was the latest violence in the South Carolina prisons system, where at least 13 other inmates have been killed by fellow prisoners since the start of 2017. It was the most inmates slain in a single riot in the U.S. since nine prisoners and a guard died in 1993 at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, said Steve Martin, a consultant who helps the federal government monitor prison systems. The inmate who spoke to AP said that many cell door locks were already broken before the riot and that he and other prisoners roamed around freely at the prison in Bishopville, located 40 miles east of Columbia. Hours after the violence started, no correctional officers or medical personnel attended to the dead or dying, he said. "The COs (corrections officers) never even attempted to render aid, nor quell the disturbance," he said. "They just sat in the control bubble, called the issue in, then sat on their collective asses." Stirling said the response teams entered as fast as they could. "We gathered as many people as we could, as quickly as we could and went in as soon as we thought it was safe for our staff," he said. The inmate told AP that he knew at least two of the slain men well. He said he saw an inmate trying to get up before he "started into that 'death rattle' people often hear about, but never experience firsthand." Most of the slain inmates were stabbed with homemade knives or slashed, while the remainder appeared to have been beaten, Lee County Coroner Larry Logan said. Stirling said an investigation would determine if any other type of weapon was used. The slain were serving anywhere from 10 years to life in prison and their crimes ranged from murder to burglary to trafficking crack cocaine. They youngest was 28 years old while the oldest was 44. The injured inmates required medical attention outside the prison, which made it more difficult for authorities to restore order, Stirling said. The coroner said when he arrived it was a chaotic scene of fighting everywhere. Logan said the state-run Lee Correctional Institution, like most other South Carolina prisons, is struggling to find enough workers, but he doesn't believe anything could be done once things got that far out of control. "If everybody has an uprising, you are always going to be understaffed," Logan said. The maximum-security facility in Bishopville houses about 1,500 inmates and there were 44 guards there when the first fight started. "It's an incredibly bad day in South Carolina," said Sen. Gerald Malloy, whose district includes Lee Correctional. "We failed. That's it." Two officers were stabbed at Lee Correctional in 2015. More recently, an inmate held a guard hostage for 90 minutes in March and another killed a fellow prisoner in February. The deaths at Lee are the most in any South Carolina prison in recent years. Four inmates were killed last year by a pair of prisoners at Kirkland Correctional Institution. Gov. Henry McMaster commended Stirling's response and said he was outraged the state can't jam cellphone signals in prisons. "There are prisons around the country -- state prisons, federal prisons all - that would be safer with this jamming," he said. Stirling said officials planned to meet next month with the cellphone industry to talk about solutions, but "until that's done, the folks that are incarcerated are going to continue their criminal ways from behind bars." ___ Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins and Christina Myers in Columbia contributed to this report. South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling addresses the media during a press conference following a prison riot at the Lee Correctional Institution Monday, April 16, 2018, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) A police vehicle sits outside the Lee Correctional Institution on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Bishopville, S.C. Multiple inmates were killed and others seriously injured amid fighting between prisoners inside the maximum security prison in South Carolina. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) A fence surrounds the Lee Correctional Institution on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Bishopville, S.C. Multiple inmates were killed and others seriously injured amid fighting between prisoners inside the maximum security prison in South Carolina. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2016, file photo, razor wire protects a perimeter of the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, S.C. A South Carolina prisons spokesman says several inmates are dead and others required outside medical attention after hours of fighting inside the maximum security prison. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford, File) This shows the Lee Correctional Institution on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Bishopville, S.C. Multiple inmates were killed and others seriously injured amid fighting between prisoners inside the maximum security prison in South Carolina. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) This shows the Lee Correctional Institution on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Bishopville, S.C. Multiple inmates were killed and others seriously injured amid fighting between prisoners inside the maximum security prison in South Carolina. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark Keel, left, addresses the media during a press conference following a prison riot at the Lee Correctional Institution Monday, April 16, 2018, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, left, address the media during a press conference following a prison riot at the Lee Correctional Institution Monday, April 16, 2018, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, left, and South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling address the media at a press conference Monday, April 16, 2018, in Columbia, S.C., regarding a deadly prison riot at the Lee Correctional Institution. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford) TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Jury selection began Monday for the younger of two brothers accused of fatally stabbing their parents and three siblings inside their Oklahoma home. Prospective jurors filed into a Tulsa courtroom for the trial of Michael Bever, 19, who is charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault and battery with the intent to kill for his role in the July 2015 stabbings. Bever was 16 when authorities say he and Robert Bever killed their parents, David and April Bever, two younger brothers and 5-year-old sister. Two other siblings survived the attack inside the house in Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa. FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2016 file photo, Michael Bever, center, is led from a courtroom following a hearing in Tulsa, Okla. Bever, the younger of two brothers accused of fatally stabbing their parents and three siblings inside a suburban Oklahoma home is scheduled to go on trial Monday, April 16, 2018. Bever is charged in Tulsa district court with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of assault and battery with the intent to kill for his role in the July 2015 stabbings. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) Authorities said the brothers conspired to kill their family and that one brother kept plans for a "mass homicide" stored on a computer drive inside the home. Robert Bever, who was 18 at the time of the killings and is now 21, pleaded guilty in 2016 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. If found guilty, Michael Bever could be sentenced to life in prison with a chance for parole because he was a juvenile when the crimes occurred. Prospective jurors for Michael Bever's trial were expected to complete a jury questionnaire and be excused until Tuesday, when they will be questioned by attorneys for possible service in the case. Bever's attorneys say they plan to introduce evidence showing detectives botched the investigation and mishandled evidence. Investigators testified at a preliminary hearing in 2016 that the brothers also plotted to load a car with guns and ammunition and randomly attack other locations, hoping to kill 10 people at each place. GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Guatemalans have moved a step closer to resolving a longstanding territorial dispute with neighboring Belize, voting to send the issue to the International Court of Justice. Vote counts show that a plebiscite on the question passed overwhelmingly on Sunday, winning about 95 percent of the vote, though abstention was high. However, Belize has yet to hold its own referendum as stipulated under a 2008 agreement with Guatemala, under which both countries would ask the court to take up the matter. A woman is helped as she enters a polling station during a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in Guatemala City, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Guatemala claims some 4,200 square miles (11,000 square kilometers) of terrain administered by Belize - essentially the country's entire southern half. It's a dispute that dates back to the 19th century, when Spain ruled Guatemala and Britain controlled Belize. An electoral worker holds ballots marked "yes," during a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in Guatemala City, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) An indigenous woman casts her vote during a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in San Pedro Sacatepequez, Guatemala, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales talks with photographers after voting in a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in Guatemala City, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) A polling official, left, marks the finger of a man with indelible ink during a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in San Pedro Sacatepequez, Guatemala, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) An electoral worker shows a ballot marked "yes," during a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in Guatemala City, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Juliana Chacat, 62, casts her vote during a plebiscite concerning a border dispute with Belize, in San Pedro Sacatepequez, Guatemala, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Guatemalans are deciding whether their government should request the International Court of Justice to resolve the dispute that dates back to 1821 when Guatemala won independence from Spain and its border with the United Kingdom's territory was being decided. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1992 but did not recognize its border. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) LONDON (AP) - A simmering dispute over Britain's treatment of people who came to the country as children decades ago has erupted just as the country prepares to host leaders from the 53-nation Commonwealth. Britain had wanted to use this week's summit in London of the alliance of the U.K. and its former colonies to help Britain bolster trade and diplomatic ties around the world after it leaves the European Union next year. But trade topics are being overshadowed by anger over what some in the Commonwealth see as the U.K.'s shabby treatment of residents of Caribbean origin. British Prime Minister Theresa May's office said Monday that she would meet with her Caribbean counterparts in London for the Commonwealth summit to discuss the situation of long-term U.K. residents who say they have been threatened with deportation to their countries of birth. Britain's Prince Harry, right and Prime Minister Theresa May attend a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Youth Forum in London, Monday, April 16, 2018. (Simon Dawson/Pool Photo via AP) Members of the "Windrush generation" - named for the ship Empire Windrush, which brought the first big group of post-war Caribbean immigrants to Britain in 1948 - came from what were then British colonies or newly independent states and had an automatic right to settle in the U.K. But some from that generation, now aging and long-times residents in Britain, say they have been denied medical treatment or threatened with deportation because they can't produce papers to prove it. The British government has taken an increasingly tough line on immigration, which has increased dramatically over the last 10 or 15 years, largely as result of people moving to the U.K. from other EU countries. A desire to control immigration was a major factor for many who voted in 2016 for Britain to leave the bloc. Critics say the British government has, by design or accident, taken a hostile attitude to the thousands of people who have made Britain their home. Barbados High Commissioner Guy Hewitt told the BBC on Monday that he felt Britain was telling people from the Caribbean "you are no longer welcome." Some 140 U.K. lawmakers have signed a letter urging the government to find an "immediate and effective" response to concerns from Commonwealth-born residents over their immigration status. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said Monday the government must "do a better job" to put people's minds at ease. "People should not be concerned about this - they have the right to stay and we should be reassuring them of that," Mordaunt told the BBC. The Commonwealth links 2.4 billion people on five continents, in countries from vast India and wealthy Australia to small island states like Tonga and Vanuatu. It espouses good governance, economic growth and human rights, but is seen by some as a vestige of the British empire with an uncertain mission in the 21st century. Queen Elizabeth II, who will formally open the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, has done much to unite the group. She has visited nearly every Commonwealth nation, often multiple times, over her 66-year reign. The 91-year-old has given up long-distance travel, so this is likely to be the last Commonwealth summit she presides over. Heir to the throne Prince Charles will not automatically succeed her as head of the Commonwealth, which says the choice of its next leader will be a decision for the group. Britain's Prince Harry, right and Prime Minister Theresa May attend a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Youth Forum in London, Monday, April 16, 2018. (Simon Dawson/Pool Photo via AP) Britain's Prince Harry, right and Prime Minister Theresa May attend a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Youth Forum in London, Monday, April 16, 2018. (Simon Dawson/Pool Photo via AP) NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - The Latest on the Bill Cosby's sexual-assault retrial (all times local): 4:20 p.m. A woman says Bill Cosby described in graphic detail his sexual encounter with her daughter and then apologized. Andrea Constand arrives to resume her testimony during Bill Cosby's sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP) Gianna Constand told the jury at Cosby's suburban Philadelphia sexual-assault retrial she called him demanding to know the medication he'd given her daughter and what he'd done to her. She says Cosby told her he gave Andrea Constand a prescription drug but didn't give her the name. She says he described their sexual encounter and apologized for his behavior. Gianna Constand testified Monday she was concerned because her daughter hadn't been the same since leaving Temple University in Philadelphia in March 2004, about two months after the alleged assault, and moving back to Canada. The 80-year-old comedian is charged with drugging and molesting Andrea Constand. He says it was consensual. ___ 3:45 p.m. Bill Cosby's chief accuser is off the witness stand at his suburban Philadelphia sexual-assault retrial after more than seven hours. Andrea Constand testified Cosby knocked her out with pills and sexually assaulted her at his home in 2004. He says the sexual encounter was consensual. During cross-examination Monday, Cosby's lawyers tried to show her as an opportunist who feigned romantic interest in Cosby so she could later make a false accusation against him and file a lawsuit. Cosby settled the case for about $3.4 million. Constand denied setting Cosby up. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done. ___ 1:05 p.m. Bill Cosby's chief accuser denies knowing or ever speaking with a woman who's expected to be a key witness for the defense. Andrea Constand told jurors on Monday she doesn't "recall ever having a conversation with" Marguerite Jackson. Both worked at Temple University around the time Constand says Cosby drugged and molested her at his suburban Philadelphia home. The defense plans to call Jackson as a witness and says she will testify that Constand mused about framing a celebrity before she lodged sexual abuse allegations against Cosby in 2005. Jackson has said that she and Constand worked closely together, had been friends and had shared hotel rooms several times. The 80-year-old comedian says his encounter with Constand was consensual. The defense has finished its cross-examination of Constand. ___ 11:55 a.m. Bill Cosby's lawyer is trying to paint the chief accuser in the comedian's sex-assault case as an unrequited lover who spent late nights at the comedian's home, drove hours to see him at a casino and called him twice on Valentine's Day after she says he drugged and molested her. Andrea Constand said under cross-examination Monday that her phone calls to Cosby were about basketball. Phone records show the former director of women's basketball operations at Temple University made brief calls to Cosby around the time of a Temple home game on Feb. 14, 2004. Constand says she felt a duty to answer Cosby's inquiries since he was an alumnus and trustee. She has testified that she saw Cosby as a mentor and had no romantic interest in him. The Associated Press doesn't typically identify people who say they're victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done. ___ 11:40 a.m. The judge in Bill Cosby's sexual assault retrial says he's seeing the courtroom clearly again after having emergency surgery over the weekend to repair a torn retina. Judge Steven O'Neill disclosed the injury as the retrial resumed Monday. He says he's thankful to the doctors who diagnosed the tear and performed the laser procedure on his left eye without disrupting the trial schedule. O'Neill said he was worried he'd have to wait to have the procedure during the week, delaying testimony and keeping sequestered jurors in their hotel longer. He said waiting too long could've caused him to lose sight in the eye. Cosby is on trial over charges he drugged and molested a woman in 2004. He says the encounter was consensual. His first trial ended with a hung jury. ___ 8:30 a.m. Bill Cosby has arrived for the sixth day of his sexual assault retrial where he will again come face-to-face with his primary accuser. The 80-year-old comedian walked through heavy rain into the suburban Philadelphia courthouse under a large black umbrella held by his spokesman. Chief accuser Andrea Constand will be back on the stand Monday as Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau scours a binder full of her police statements and prior testimony for inconsistencies. During cross examination Friday, the trial lawyer had Constand flustered with questions about whether she'd ever said she was affectionate toward Cosby. Another line of attack centered on her involvement in a Ponzi scheme. The Associated Press doesn't typically identify people who say they're victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done. ___ Midnight Bill Cosby's chief accuser is back on the witness stand as the comedian's lawyers look to raise doubts about her allegations that he drugged and molested her in 2004. Andrea Constand faces more defense questions on Monday, and Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau is scouring a binder full of her police statements and prior testimony for inconsistencies. During cross examination Friday, the trial lawyer had Constand flustered with questions about whether she'd ever said she was affectionate toward Cosby. Another line of attack centered on her involvement in a Ponzi scheme. Mesereau opened the sex assault retrial last week with a blistering attack on Constand, telling jurors the evidence will show she's nothing more than a con artist. The Associated Press doesn't typically identify people who say they're victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission, which Constand has done. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for his sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP) Judge Steven O'Neill walks back to the courtroom after a break in the sexual assault retrial of actor Bill Cosby at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (David Maialetti/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool) Actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for his sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP) Boxes of documents are wheeled into the courtroom before actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for his sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP) Actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for his sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP) Prosecutor Kevin Steele arrives for Bill Cosby's sexual assault retrial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa., Monday, April 16, 2018. (Dominick Reuter/Pool Photo via AP) LEBANON, Ohio (AP) - A former high school cheerleader's trial on charges she killed and buried her newborn baby near her family's house in an Ohio village is on hold, as intense attention and speculation continue to swirl around the case. Attorneys for Brooke Skylar Richardson want a ruling to bar prosecutors from presenting testimony from an obstetrics-gynecology practice's medical staff, citing physician-patient privilege that she won't give up. Prosecutors said the privilege doesn't apply in this case. A trial that was scheduled to begin Monday in Warren County Court is delayed while an appeals court weighs the issue. Brooke Skylar Richardson appears during a pretrial hearing Thursday, April 12, 2018, at the Warren County Courthouse in Lebanon, Ohio. Richardson is charged with aggravated murder and other charges. Richardson is accused of killing her newborn baby and burying her in the backyard. (Cara Owsley/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP) Authorities first learned of the baby from a doctor. The remains were found last July. Prosecutors said Richardson buried the full-term baby shortly after giving birth within days after her senior prom in early May 2017 in Carlisle, a village of some 5,000 people 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Cincinnati. County Prosecutor David Fornshell said Skylar, as she is known, and her family had been worried about community reaction to her out-of-wedlock pregnancy. "Skylar and her family, particularly her mother, were pretty obsessed with external appearances and how things appeared to the outside world," Fornshell said. "You have a situation where, you know, she's a cute high school, recent high school graduate; she was a cheerleader described (as) a good girl by her attorney as you heard after the arraignment. And I think that kind of perception is one that Skylar wanted to perpetuate and her mother wanted to perpetuate." The story line of an appearances-driven cheerleader who would kill, burn and bury her newborn, as authorities alleged, took off. The case was examined in national magazines such as "People" and "Cosmopolitan," was debated on cable TV crime shows, and argued relentlessly in a divided community. Two Facebooks pages have been dedicated to the case and critics of the family have shot and posted video and photos of the family and their home, often with sharp commentary. Her defense attorneys, the locally prominent father-and-son team of Charles H. Rittgers and Charles M. Rittgers, have blasted prosecutors for "a false narrative" that sensationalized the case. They say she didn't kill the baby, and that an expert witness concluded there was no sign of burning or of trauma that would have caused the baby's death. "What started as an 18-year-old high school girl who was frightened and saddened because of giving birth to a stillborn baby whom she named Annabelle and then telling her doctor of the stillborn and burial in the backyard turned into something sinister and grotesque," they said in a motion to move the trial. Judge Donald Oda declined the change of venue request, saying he would try to seat a jury first. All the attention reminds some of a high-profile Warren County case in which a young husband was accused in 2008 of drowning his wife in their suburban home's bathtub. Ryan Widmer is serving 15 years to life after being convicted of murder in his third trial. ___ Follow Dan Sewell at http://www.twitter.com/dansewell Brooke Skylar Richardson appears during a pretrial hearing Thursday, April 12, 2018, at the Warren County Courthouse in Lebanon, Ohio. Richardson is charged with aggravated murder and other charges. Richardson is accused of killing her newborn baby and burying her in the backyard. (Cara Owsley/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP) NEW YORK (AP) - American Express is ending its frequent-shopper program Plenti, despite years of marketing and high-profile partners like RiteAid, ExxonMobil and Macy's. The Plenti program will end on July 10, the company announced in a tweet Monday. All Plenti points will expire on that date. Plenti was launched in mid-2015 to great fanfare as a frequent-shopper program that would involve multiple companies and brands, similar to other programs found in Europe. American Express even launched a Plenti credit card that would give customers Plenti points for each dollar they spent on the card. FILE - This Jan. 21, 2015, file photo, shows a sign for American Express outside a New York business. American Express is ending its frequent-shopper program Plenti, despite years of marketing and high-profile partners like RiteAid, ExxonMobil and Macy's. The Plenti program will end on July 10, 2018, the company announced in a tweet Monday, April 16. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) While American Express was able to partner with big brands at the beginning, the program lost several key members in 2017 like Macy's and Chili's and was considered to be on life support. MONACO (AP) - Jared Donaldson ranted at the chair umpire over a line call during his 6-3, 6-3 loss to Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday. The 21-year-old American got irate with a call when Ramos-Vinolas was serving at 3-2, 40-0 in the second set. Donaldson thought the serve was out and pointed to the ground, shouting, "There's a mark right here," and then screaming the same words inches from the face of French chair umpire Arnaud Gabas. He then squared up to Gabas and shouted: "Yes it is, yeah it is," as he insisted his mark was right and the umpire's call of in was wrong. "You're not showing me one (accurate) mark," Donaldson yelled while Gabas started walking backward. Donaldson received a code violation. He then sat in his chair, with Ramos-Vinolas leading 4-2, repeating "supervisor" over and over. The tournament supervisor jogged on and spoke to Donaldson, while Gabas was back up in his chair. Following a brief exchange, Donaldson laughed and said, "Ah, I'm sorry. I hurt your feelings," as he appeared to mockingly extend his hand up to the chair umpire. Donaldson, ranked 51st and making his first appearance at the clay-court tournament, was jeered by the crowd on center court. HAVANA (AP) - The men who have run Cuba for nearly six decades began life in a remote, rural part of the island known as Biran, sons of a wealthy farmer. Both Fidel and Raul Castro turned to radical politics at a young age as they went to school first in the eastern city of Santiago, later at the University of Havana. They burst into prominence in 1953 leading a quixotic, failed attack on the Moncada military barracks in Santiago hoping to topple the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Both were imprisoned, were freed in an amnesty and went into exile in Mexico, where they organized a guerrilla band that returned to Cuba by boat, the Granma, in 1956. FILE - This combination of two file photos shows Fidel Castro smoking a cigar in Havana on April 29, 1961, left, and his brother Raul Castro, right, in an undisclosed location in Cuba in 1959. The brothers overcame imprisonment at the hands of dictator Fulgencio Batista, exiled in Mexico and survived a disastrous start to their rebellion before triumphantly riding into Havana on January 1959. At age 32, Fidel became the youngest leader in Latin America and put his younger brother Raul in charge of the armed forces. (AP Photos/Files) Despite initial setbacks, the bearded guerrillas operating in the eastern mountains steadily gained support across the country. On Jan. 1, 1959, Batista fled and Fidel Castro became the unquestioned leader of Cuba, with his younger brother put in charge of the armed forces. Fidel Castro's government initially executed or imprisoned many foes, and veered to Soviet-backed socialism in the early 1960s. Cuba backed revolutions across Latin America, and while most of those failed, the Castros' resistance to U.S. domination inspired millions across the continent and beyond. Fidel Castro's control survived repeated U.S. plots to overthrow or kill him, and even the hardships that followed the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, which had kept the island's economy afloat. But illness finally forced Fidel to turn over power in 2006 to Raul, who formally became president two years later. Fidel died in 2016 and Raul, who turns 87 in June, has announced that he will step aside as president this month - though he plans to remain in what is probably a more important position: head of Cuba's lone permitted party, the Communist Party. FILE - In this March 14, 1957 file photo, Fidel Castro, the young anti-Batista guerrilla leader, center, is seen with his brother Raul Castro, left, and Camilo Cienfuegos, while operating in the mountains of eastern Cuba. Fidel led his scruffy young guerrillas to an improbable victory in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents, with Raul always at his side. (AP Photo/Andrew St. George, File) FILE - In this Jan. 2, 1966 file photo, Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro, right, President Osvaldo Dorticos, center, and Armed Forces Chief, Commander Raul Castro, watch a military parade commemorating the 7th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution in Havana, Cuba. Dorticos, who was named Cuba's president in 1959, resigned in 1976. Fidel officially became Cuba's president and established a successor role of first vice president for his younger brother Raul. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this April 21, 1981 file photo, Cuba's Defense Minister Raul Castro, from left, front, his brother President Fidel Castro and Daniel Ortega, coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction of Nicaragua, attend a celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the failed military invasion Bay of Pigs, in Havana, Cuba. The Castro brothers backed revolutionary movements in many parts of Latin America, but most crumbled. An exception was Ortega's Nicaragua where Cuban-inspired revolutionaries toppled the Somoza dictatorship in 1979. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi, File) FILE - In this Nov. 2, 1983 file photo, Cuban President Fidel Castro and his brother Raul, head of the Cuban Armed Forces, watch as the first group of Cubans returns home from Grenada, in Havana, Cuba. Raul, who has spent most of his life by the side of his larger-than-life brother, has always seemed more comfortable behind the scenes, chatting and joking with his soldiers rather than giving speeches and posing for photos. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi, File) FILE - In this Feb. 8, 1986 file photo, Cuban President Fidel Castro, left, joins hands with his younger brother Raul Castro, chief of the Cuban Armed Forces and first vice president, after the two were reelected in the Third Cuban Communist Party Congress session in Havana, Cuba. Fidel ruled for nearly five decades as Cuba's "Maximum Leader" until he was sidelined by an illness in 2006. Raul, long constitutionally the designated successor as first vice president, was given temporary powers as president and head of the ruling Communist Party, formally becoming president two years later in 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi, File) FILE - In this April 3, 1989 file photo, Cuban President Fidel Castro and his brother, Defense Minister Gen. Raul Castro, left, escort Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev during a welcoming ceremony at the airport, in Havana, Cuba. In the heyday of Soviet aid to Cuba, the socialist state was a paternalistic presence that provided modest but comfortable lives to virtually everyone on the island. But life in Cuba changed dramatically after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 resulting in a crisis known as the Special Period. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE - In this April 13, 2000 file photo, Cuban President Fidel Castro and his brother Raul Castro, first vice president and head of the Cuban Armed Forces, wait for heads of state at an official lunch for visiting leaders of the Group 77 Summit in Havana, Cuba. The brothers rarely appeared in public together and even less out of military uniform. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia, File) FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2001 file photo, Cuban leader Fidel Castro delivers a speech seated next to his brother, Defense Minister and first Vice President Raul Castro, during a final session at the National Assembly, in Havana, Cuba. Fidel's nearly five-decade rule as Cuba's "Maximum Leader" was characterized by meandering, hours-long speeches, unquestioned decisions and micromanagement of government programs and policies. (AP Photo/Jose Goitia, File) FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2002 file photo, Cuban President Fidel Castro, left, seated next to his brother Defense Minister Raul Castro and first Vice President, speaks during the inauguration of the ninth session of the National Assembly, in Havana, Cuba. Fidel's commitment to socialism never wavered. (AP Photo/Cristobal Herrera, File) FILE - In this Dec. 22, 2006 file photo, Cuba's acting President Raul Castro sits next to the chair usually occupied by his older brother Fidel Castro, at a parliament year-end session in Havana, Cuba. A severe gastrointestinal illness in 2006 nearly killed Fidel, forcing him to turn power over to his younger brother. (AP Photo/Javier Galeano, File) FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2012 file photo, Fidel Castro attends a National Assembly session in which his brother Cuba's President Raul Castro accepted a new presidential term with the caveat that it would be his last, in Havana, Cuba. Islanders and exiles alike were given a date at the session for when the sun will set on brothers Fidel and Raul's longtime rule: 2018. (Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate via AP File) FILE - This April 19, 2016 file photo shows a rare public appearance by Fidel Castro, supported by Cuban President Raul Castro, right, and second secretary of the Central Committee, Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, at the closing ceremonies of the 7th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party, in Havana, Cuba. Castro came to say goodbye to the Communist Party he put in power a half-century ago, telling party members he would soon die and exhorting them to help his ideas survive. (Ismael Francisco/Cubadebate via AP File) FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2016 file photo, women hold a portrait of the late Fidel Castro, and of his brother Cuba's President Raul Castro, as they wait to see the arrival of the caravan transporting Fidel's ashes from Havana, in Santiago, Cuba. The caravan was fraught with symbolism as the island nation buried the only leader it had known besides his younger brother, Raul, in 57 years. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan, File) FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2016 file photo, Cuba's President Raul Castro receives the ashes of his older brother Fidel Castro from an honor guard before placing them into a niche in his tomb, at the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago, Cuba. The tomb stands to the side of a memorial to the rebel soldiers killed in an attack that the Castros led on Santiago's Moncada barracks on July 26, 1953. (Marcelino Vazquez Hernandez/ACN via AP, File) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has for the second time rejected an appeal by imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of his convictions on corruption charges. The justices did not comment Monday in letting stand the convictions and 14-year prison term that Blagojevich is serving. He's scheduled to be released in 2024. Blagojevich's lawyers had wanted the high court to take up his case to make clear what constitutes illegal political fundraising. They argued that politicians are vulnerable to prosecution because the line between what's allowed and what's illegal is blurry. His convictions included trying to extort a children's hospital for contributions and seeking to trade an appointment to the Senate seat Barack Obama vacated when he was elected president for campaign cash. The court rejected an earlier appeal in 2016. SAO PAULO (AP) - About 100 members of a homeless movement on Monday briefly took over the beachfront apartment that sits at the center of the corruption case against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. After a deal with local police, they left after almost four hours in the building. Da Silva was sentenced to 12 years and one month in prison for allegedly accepting the apartment in the city of Guaruja as a kickback from construction company OAS. He was jailed on Apr.7. FILE - In this April 7, 2018 file photo, Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva waves to supporters from a window of the Metal Workers Union headquarters in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, before he was later jailed for corruption on the same day. Imprisonment has not knocked the former president out of the lead in Brazil's upcoming presidential race. He also leads in all proposed runoff combinations. (AP Photo/Nelson Antoine, File) Homeless movement organizer Guilherme Boulos, an ally of the former president, said da Silva's arrest is a judicial farce. "If this apartment indeed belongs to Lula, that means we are invited to stay, we have his permission. If it doesn't, judges have to explain why they arrested him," Boulos said in social media posts. "This is the first time our homeless movement occupies somewhere with an express authorization of the owner," Boulos said jokingly. However the group left after about four hours after a deal with police. Da Silva is appealing his conviction, which he says is politically motivated, and insists he did nothing wrong. The 3,197-square-foot (297-square-meter) apartment in the Solaris complex faces Asturias Beach, one of the busiest in the decaying city of Guaruja. Famous Brazilians still spend time in the city, including football superstars Pele and Neymar, but their estates lie very far from the place that became known as "Lula's building." Da Silva and his lawyers say the former president never owned or lived in the apartment and only visited it once to consider a business opportunity that never went forward. Lawyer Cristiano Zanin says his client bought rights in 2005 to buy an 860-square-foot (80-square meter) unit from a cooperative named Bancoop, which owned several buildings in Sao Paulo state. Four years later, when da Silva was still president, Bancoop went bankrupt and was bought by OAS. Judge Sergio Moro, hailed by many Brazilians as an anti-corruption hero and loathed by detractors as an anti-left zealot, ruled da Silva should be sent to jail for accepting a much bigger and renovated apartment at the Solaris. A poll by the Datafolha institute published on Sunday says da Silva still has a strong lead ahead of October's presidential election despite being in jail. But Brazil's electoral court is likely to bar him from running due to the money laundering and corruption conviction related to the apartment. Da Silva will also have to stand trial in seven other cases. ISTANBUL (AP) - Supporters of Turkey's main opposition party have staged sit-in demonstrations across Turkey to protest the state of emergency that was declared after a coup attempt in 2016. The demonstrations held Monday in all of Turkey's 81 provinces were organized as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government prepares this week to extend the state of emergency for a seventh time. The opposition Republican People's Party, known as CHP, accuses the government of misusing its emergency powers to bypass parliament, erode democracy and to go after government critics. Supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, gather for a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April. 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) The Turkish government insists the unusual powers it acquires during a state of emergency are needed to deal with ongoing security threats. In Istanbul, hundreds of CHP supporters staged a protest on a street near Taksim Square after police blocked their access to the city's main square. Hundreds of supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, gather for a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April. 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Hundreds of supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, gather for a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April. 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, gather for a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April. 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) A supporter of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, waves a national flag as people gather for a sit-in protest in central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) A supporter of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP wearing a jacket decorated with photos of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, takes part in a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, chant slogans as they gather for a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Turkey's police officers look on as supporters of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, gather for a sit-in protest near central Istanbul's Taksim Square, Monday, April. 16, 2018. After it was announced that the motion foreseeing the extension of state of emergency for the seventh time since the failed coup attempt on July 2016, will be discussed in parliament on Wednesday, CHP organised sit-in protests around Turkey calling for the abolishment of the state of emergency. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on efforts by President Donald Trump and his personal lawyer to stop criminal prosecutors from reviewing materials seized in raids before they have a chance to review them for potential breach of attorney-client privilege. (all times local): 5:20 p.m. A judge considering how to handle records seized in an FBI raid on President Donald Trump's personal attorney wrapped up a hearing into the matter Monday without making a final decision. Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. A U.S. judge will hear more arguments about Trump's extraordinary request that he be allowed to review records seized from Cohen's office as part of a criminal investigation before they are examined by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood says she trusts prosecutors to review the materials, but may allow a neutral third party to weigh in as well. Lawyers for Trump attorney Michael Cohen had asked for the appointment of a so-called special master to review the material and make sure nothing protected by attorney-client privilege winds up in the hands of investigators. Wood said she would consider the idea. As a first step, she told prosecutors to put all the seized documents into a searchable database and share it with Cohen's lawyers. The hearing followed a raid last week on Cohen's home and office. The search sought information on a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had sex with Trump in 2006. ___ 4 p.m. Fox News host Sean Hannity says it's no "big deal" that he consulted with Donald Trump's personal lawyer about his own legal affairs. In his regular broadcast Monday, Hannity says he had "brief discussions" with Michael Cohen about "legal questions where I wanted his input and perspective." But he said he never retained Cohen "in any traditional sense," never paid him and never got billed for a legal fee. Cohen's lawyers were required by a federal judge in New York to disclose the names of his clients Monday as part of an argument over attorney-client privilege and how it applies to records seized from Cohen last week by the FBI. Prosecutors say they are investigating Cohen's personal business dealings. The search sought information on a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels, who says she had sex with Trump in 2006. ___ 3:05 p.m. President Donald Trump's personal attorney has been forced to reveal that another of his clients is Fox News host Sean Hannity. Lawyers for Michael Cohen argued in court on Monday that they could not identify Hannity because he asked that his name not be disclosed in connection with an FBI seizure of Cohen's files. But Judge Kimba Wood made one of the lawyers identify him in open court. The hearing in a New York City courtroom stems from a surprise raid this month on Cohen's home and office. The search sought information on a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. Daniels was in the courtroom on Monday for the arguments. ___ 2:40 p.m. A prosecutor says Donald Trump's personal attorney isn't being forthcoming about his law practice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom McKay asked a federal judge Monday to require Michael Cohen to reveal more information about his clients. He complained that Cohen won't disclose the identity of one of them described as a "publicly prominent individual." The names of Cohen's clients are at issue because the lawyer has argued that materials seized in an FBI raid on his home and office are subject to attorney-client privilege. The hearing in a New York City courtroom stems from a surprise FBI raid on Cohen's home and office. The search sought material including records related to a $130,000 payment Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. Daniels was in the courtroom on Monday for the arguments. Cohen's lawyers said investigators "took everything" during raids last week on his residence and office. They called the search "completely unprecedented." ___ 2 p.m. Porn actress Stormy Daniels has arrived at a New York City courthouse for a hearing about an FBI raid targeting President Donald Trump's personal lawyer. Daniels, wearing a pink skirt and black heels, stumbled and almost fell on the wet sidewalk outside the courthouse among a throng of reporters and camera crews. The raid sought information about a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to Daniels, a stage name for Stephanie Clifford. She says she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. Lawyers for Cohen and Trump want to be allowed to decide which items seized from his home and office are protected by attorney-client privilege before criminal prosecutors see them. In a filing earlier Monday, Cohen's lawyers said investigators "took everything" during raids last week on his residence and office. They called the search "completely unprecedented." The hearing is taking place in federal court in Manhattan. ___ 1:15 p.m. President Donald Trump's personal attorney has arrived at a New York City courthouse for a hearing over an FBI search of his files. Attorney Michael Cohen entered federal court in Manhattan on Monday for the afternoon proceeding. His lawyers want to be allowed to decide which items seized are protected by attorney-client privilege before criminal prosecutors see them. The government says it should do the vetting. In a filing earlier Monday, Cohen's lawyers said investigators "took everything" during raids last week on his residence and office. They called the search "completely unprecedented." The raid sought information about a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Her lawyer says she'll be in the courtroom Monday. ___ 10:40 a.m. Lawyers for President Donald Trump's personal attorney say investigators "took everything" during raids last week on his residence and office. The lawyers wrote in a court filing Monday that the raids a week ago to gather evidence from attorney Michael Cohen were "completely unprecedented." They said investigators seized more than a dozen electronic devices and other items including documents and data unrelated to the probable cause upon which the search warrants were based. The letter demanded Trump and Cohen's lawyers be allowed to decide which items seized are protected by attorney-client privilege before criminal prosecutors see them. The submission in Manhattan federal court came prior to a hearing scheduled for the afternoon. Prosecutors say Cohen is being investigated for an undisclosed crime related to his personal business dealings. ___ 8:14 a.m. President Donald Trump's personal attorney is set to appear in federal court to argue over evidence found during a recent FBI raid, and porn star Stormy Daniels' lawyer says she'll be there. Michael Cohen is under criminal investigation for personal business dealings and was ordered to appear in federal court Monday in New York to help answer questions about his law practice. He has denied wrongdoing. A lawyer for Trump filed papers late Sunday asking a federal judge to block prosecutors from studying material seized in the raid until Cohen and the president have a chance to review them and argue which are subject to attorney-client privilege. The raid sought information including on a $130,000 payment made to Daniels, who alleges she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. Her lawyer says she'll be in the courtroom Monday. Michael Avenatti, attorney and spokesperson for adult film actress Stormy Daniels, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. A U.S. judge will hear more arguments about Trump's extraordinary request that he be allowed to review records seized from Cohen's office as part of a criminal investigation before they are examined by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. A U.S. judge will hear more arguments about Trump's extraordinary request that he be allowed to review records seized from Cohen's office as part of a criminal investigation before they are examined by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Michael Cohen's attorney Joseph Evans arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. A U.S. judge will hear more arguments about President Donald Trump's extraordinary request that he be allowed to review records seized from Cohen's office as part of a criminal investigation before they are examined by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Michael Cohen's attorney Todd Harrison arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. A U.S. judge will hear more arguments about President Donald Trump's extraordinary request that he be allowed to review records seized from Cohen's office as part of a criminal investigation before they are examined by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Michael Avenatti, attorney and spokesperson for adult film actress Stormy Daniels, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018 in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018, in New York. A U.S. judge will hear more arguments about Trump's extraordinary request that he be allowed to review records seized from Cohen's office as part of a criminal investigation before they are examined by prosecutors. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Michael Avenatti, attorney and spokesperson for adult film actress Stormy Daniels, arrives at federal court, Monday, April 16, 2018 in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) Stormy Daniels arrives at federal court in New York, Monday, April 16, 2018, to attend a court hearing where a federal judge is considering how to review materials that the FBI seized from President Donald Trump's personal lawyer to determine whether they should be protected by attorney-client privilege.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Three commissioners from Kenya's electoral commission Monday said they've resigned over the suspension of the body's chief executive officer who was sent on compulsory leave to pave the way for wider investigations into the commission's conduct in last year's elections. The three commissioners said the vote to suspend CEO Ezra Chiloba was not done properly. "The challenges of the 2017 elections call for the commission to self-reflect and to institutionalize best practices. However the institution has continued to be dysfunctional with arbitrary decision making and leaking of internal documents," said a statement from the three. They said the chairman of the commission had failed to be "the steady and stable hand that steers the ship in difficult times." Kenya's opposition claimed some commissioners in the seven-member electoral authority were complicit in electoral fraud in the Aug. 8 election in which Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner but was then nullified by the Supreme Court. The Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission Chairman Wafula Chebukati had also suspended Chiloba during the repeat Oct 26 election after the opposition protested his involvement. Kenyatta won the repeat election after opposition leader Raila Odinga boycotted it citing lack of electoral reforms. The resignations leave three commissioners on the body. Another commissioner resigned eight days before the repeat election. Roselyn Akombe fled to United States saying her life was in danger. The commission has been at the center of months of political turmoil over who won the presidential election that ended on March 9. When opposition leader Raila Odinga shook hands with President Uhuru Kenyatta and said it signaled a new beginning between them. _____ This story has been corrected to show that the commission has seven members plus the chairman. ASBURY PARK, N.J. (AP) - Bruce Springsteen treated his 92-year-old mother to an early birthday celebration before Mother Nature spoiled the party. The 68-year-old Boss and his mom, Adele, danced to two songs Sunday night at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey, before severe storms caused the club to lose power. They were there to see the Eddie Testa Band, reportedly one of Adele's favorite bands. Patrons say the Springsteens - along with the rocker's 24-year-old son Sam - were in the club for about 90 minutes. FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2013 file photo, from left, Jessica Rae Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, honoree Bruce Springsteen, and Adele Springsteen arrive at the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honoring Bruce Springsteen in Los Angeles. Springsteen and his mom, Adele, danced to two songs Sunday, April 15, 2018, at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, N.J., before severe storms caused the club to lose power. They were there to see the Eddie Testa Band, reportedly one of Adele's favorite bands. Adele Springsteen turns 93 on May 4. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) Adele Springsteen turns 93 on May 4. LONDON (AP) - Britain's Court of Appeal ruled Monday against the parents of a terminally ill toddler who sought permission to take him to Italy for medical treatment that lower U.K. courts blocked in favor of suspending life support. The parents of 23-month-old Alfie Evans have been engaged in a protracted legal fight with Alder Hey Children's Hospital over his care. They asked the Court of Appeal to overturn earlier rulings that blocked further medical treatment for their son. Instead, justices upheld a lower court's conclusion that flying Alfie to a hospital in Rome would be wrong and pointless. Protestors gather outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital where a terminally-ill 23-month-old toddler Alfie Evans is hospitalized, in Liverpool, Britain, Monday, April 16, 2018. Pope Francis offered prayers after his traditional Sunday blessing in St. Peter's Square for Alfie, whose parents are locked with hospital officials in a legal battle over his care. Last week Alfie's father, Tom Evans, 21, said he had chartered a jet to take the child to Italy but had been stopped by the hospital. (John Stillwell/PA via AP) Some protesters gathered outside the hospital in Liverpool wept at the news of the appeals court's decision. Some chanted "Save Alfie Evans!" Alfie is in a "semi-vegetative state" as the result of a degenerative neurological condition that doctors have been unable to definitively identify. Lower courts have ordered the boy's life support to be withdrawn. Pope Francis prayed Sunday for Alfie and others who are suffering from serious infirmities. The pope's comments marked the second case in less than a year in which he expressed his views on the treatment of a terminally ill British child. Last July, Francis spoke out on behalf of Charlie Gard, who died from a rare genetic disease after his parents waged a protracted court fight to obtain treatment for him outside of Britain. In appealing the lower court rulings, Alfie's parents, Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, argued their son had shown improvement in recent weeks. But doctors said his brain was eroded and his condition was irreversible. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local): 1:10 p.m. President Donald Trump is promoting the Republican tax law in Hialeah, Florida, highlighting improvements in Hispanic unemployment rates in the predominantly Latino Miami suburb. President Donald Trump speaks at an event to promote his $1.5 trillion tax cut package at Bucky Dent Park in Hialeah, Fla., Monday, April 16, 2018, as Irina Vilarino, owner of Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine listens. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Speaking a day before the personal income tax filing deadline, Trump says "This is the last time you're going to fill out that long, complicated, horrible return." He says next year, once the tax law is fully implemented, filing a federal return will be "simple and easy to do." Trump says the country is "starting to really rock" with businesses coming back to the country and corporations facing fewer regulations. He also praised his new national security adviser, John Bolton, for Friday's air strikes in Syria. As the crowd applauded, he joked, "Are you giving him all the credit? You know that means the end of his job." ___ 8:45 a.m President Donald Trump is set to promote the Republican tax law during an event in South Florida. The White House says Trump will hold a roundtable Monday with local business owners in the Miami area, joined by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon. Facing headwinds this fall, Republicans are placing their midterm election hopes on selling the benefits of the law to Americans. Trump has sometimes chafed at scripted events, deviating from the planned message to discuss whatever is on his mind. Trump plans to host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his Florida club this week. FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A Texas jury on Monday convicted a man of killing a college student who was found dismembered, burned and with her heart cut out - rejecting a defense attorney's argument that her client panicked only after the woman died during consensual sex. Jurors in Fort Worth deliberated less than three hours before finding Charles Dean Bryant guilty of murder in the death of Jacqueline Vandagriff, a 24-year-old student at Texas Woman's University in Denton. Bryant, 31, also was found guilty of tampering with evidence. Defense attorney Glynis McGinty argued that Vandagriff died accidentally during consensual sex with Bryant. She said a plastic tie was placed around Vandagriff's neck, causing asphyxiation. Prosecutors countered that there's no evidence the two had sex. McGinty said Bryant committed a crime by panicking and disposing of the woman's body in September 2016, but he did not commit murder. But prosecutor Lucas Allan told jurors that contrary to defense claims, Bryant didn't "freak out" because Vandagriff died. Bryant deliberately killed her and calmly dismembered her body while cutting out her heart, Allan said. "Why cut out the heart? What does it have to do with disposing of a body? He cut her heart out," the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Allan as telling jurors Monday. "I want that image to sink in." Bryant and Vandagriff met at a bar in Denton and went to a second bar before leaving together. Her purse was found in the trash at Bryant's home. Investigators later learned that a former girlfriend had a protective order against Bryant for allegedly stalking and harassing the woman. The punishment phase of the trial is underway. Bryant faces up to life in prison. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the Pulitzer Prizes (all times local): 5:40 p.m. ___ In this Aug. 12, 2017, photo by Ryan Kelly of The Daily Progress, people fly into the air as a car drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. The photo won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography, announced Monday, April 16, 2018, at Columbia University in New York. (Ryan Kelly/The Daily Progress via AP) 5 p.m. An Alabama columnist and the Washington Post won a Pulitzer for stories uncovering the past of Republican Roy Moore during Alabama's U.S. Senate campaign last year. John Archibald of the Alabama Media Group was awarded journalism's highest honor for commentary on Monday. Archibald was recognized for his "lyrical and courageous commentary" and the Post won for investigative reporting for stories revealing allegations that Moore pursued teenage girls sexually decades ago while he was in his 30s in Gadsden. The stories upended a race that ended with Doug Jones being the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Alabama in decades. Moore's wife, Kayla, posted on Facebook Monday that journalism that becomes a political tool to assassinate someone's character isn't worthy of any prize. ___ 4:40 p.m. A photographer in Charlottesville, Virginia, has won a Pulitzer for capturing the moment a car struck several people protesting against a white nationalist rally. Ryan Kelly captured the photo on his last day of worked for The Daily Progress last August. One woman, Heather Heyer, died and 19 people were injured. Pulitzer Prize Administrator Dana Canedy said during Monday's announcement that Kelly captured a "chilling image that reflected the photographer's reflexes and concentration." Kelly says he is "shocked and amazed." He described the prize as an "incredible honor" and said he was proud of the work "we all did at The Daily Progress." But he says he's still heartbroken for Heyer's family and everybody else who was affected by the tragic violence. ___ 4:20 p.m. A Cincinnati newspaper's weeklong examination of the many ways the heroin crisis is impacting its community has won the Pulitzer for local reporting. Cheers, hugs and champagne toasts swept the Cincinnati Enquirer newsroom Monday after the announcements of journalism's most prestigious prizes at Columbia University in New York. The Enquirer won for "Seven Days of Heroin," which combined more than 60 journalists to tell stories through the eyes of families, first responders, courtroom officials and other viewpoints. Executive Editor Beryl Love calls the ambitious project "a huge accomplishment" that explained thoroughly heroin's impact and showed "this is why journalism matters." He succeeded Peter Bhatia as editor in January. ___ 3:20 p.m. Andrew Sean Greer's "Less" has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Greer's novel tells the comic story of a middle-aged novelist. The awards were given out Monday at an announcement at New York's Columbia University. The drama prize went to Martyna Majok for "Cost of Living," Carolyn Fraser's work on author Laura Ingalls Wilder, "Prairie Fires," won for biography. James Forman Jr's "Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America" won for general nonfiction, and Jack E. Davis' The Gulf" for history. Frank Bidart's "Half-Light" was the poetry winner. ___ 3:10 p.m. Rapper Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN." has won the Pulitzer Prize for music. It's the first non-classical or jazz work to win the award. The Pulitzer board on Monday called the album a work that captures the complexity of African-American life. Lamar has been praised and lauded for his deep lyrical content, remarkable live performances, and his profound mix of hip-hop, spoken word, jazz, soul, funk, poetry and African sounds. His major-label albums "good kid, m.A.A.d city," ''To Pimp a Butterfly" and "DAMN." became works of art, with Lamar writing songs about blackness, street life, police brutality, perseverance, survival and self-worth. His piercing raps helped him become the voice of the generation, and easily ascend as the leader in hip-hop and cross over to audiences outside of rap, from rock to pop to jazz. ___ 3:05 p.m. The New York Times and The Washington Post have won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting for illuminating the ongoing investigation into possible contacts between President Donald Trump's campaign and Russian officials. American journalism's most prestigious awards were announced Monday at Columbia University. A string of stories in the two newspapers shined light on connections between Russian officials and Trump's 2016 campaign. The ties fueled Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing probe into alleged Russian attempts to influence the presidential election. The Republican president calls the investigation a "witch hunt." The New York Times and the New Yorker won the public service prize for sexual misconduct reporting that galvanized the #MeToo movement. The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa, California, won the breaking news award for coverage of the wildfires that swept through California's wine country last fall. ___ 3:05 p.m. The New York Times and The New Yorker have won the Pulitzer Prize for public service for their reporting on Harvey Weinstein and sexual misconduct that galvanized the #MeToo movement. American journalism's most prestigious awards are being announced Monday at Columbia University. In stories that appeared within days of each other in October, The Times and The New Yorker reported that Weinstein had faced allegations of sexual harassment and assault from multiple women in Hollywood going back decades. The movie producer's attorneys have said he denies any non-consensual sexual contact with anyone. The stories' impact soon spread beyond Weinstein to allegations against other prominent men. And the #MeToo hashtag quickly became rallying cry for people to speak out about their own experiences of sexual harassment and assault. ___ Midnight The winners of the Pulitzer Prizes in journalism and the arts are set to be announced in New York City. The winners are being revealed Monday afternoon at Columbia University. The Pulitzer Prizes recognize the best journalism of 2017 in newspapers, magazines and websites. There are 14 categories for reporting, photography, criticism and commentary. In the arts, prizes are awarded in seven categories, including fiction, drama and music. The first journalism prizes were awarded in 1917, including one to the New York Tribune for an editorial on the first anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania. That year, two daughters of abolitionist Julia Ward Howe won for a biography of their mother - at a time when women couldn't vote and the literary world was dominated by men. The staff of the Cincinnati Enquirer gather to celebrate in their newsroom after learning the newspaper won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting for "Seven Days of Heroin," a week-long examination of the many ways the heroin crisis is impacting their community, Monday, April 16, 2018, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) FILE - In this July 7, 2017, file photo, Kendrick Lamar performs during the Festival d'ete de Quebec in Quebec City, Canada.On Monday, April 16, 2018, Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album "Damn." (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) This cover image released by Interscope Records shows "Damn." by Kendrick Lamar. On Monday, April 16, 2018, Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album. (Interscope Records via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - James Comey has a lot to say about Donald Trump - and none of it is good. In his prime-time interview with ABC News and in his book , "A Higher Loyalty," the former FBI director unloads on the president as "morally unfit" for office as he plows into a laundry list of political flashpoints from the 2016 election campaign and the early months of the Trump administration. A few key takeaways from Comey's interview and his book, set for release Tuesday: In this image released by ABC News, former FBI director James Comey appears at an interview with George Stephanopoulos that will air during a primetime "20/20" special on Sunday, April 15, 2018 on the ABC Television Network. Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership," will be released on Tuesday. (Ralph Alswang/ABC via AP) ___ 'MAFIA' BOSS TRUMP THEATENS THE NATION To Comey, Trump is everything a president shouldn't be. And he's not mincing words. In his book, Comey repeatedly compares Trump's behavior to a New York mafia don. He calls him "untethered to truth," ''unethical" and a "forest fire" burning through the foundation of American democracy, norms and values. "Donald Trump's presidency threatens much of what is good in this nation," Comey writes. He went even further in the ABC interview with anchor George Stephanopoulos. "A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds," Comey said. ___ TRUMP, RUSSIAN PROSTITUTES AND THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION Much of Comey's version of his interactions with Trump regarding Russia came out during his congressional testimony last year. But the book and his interview reveal some telling details. Comey says Trump seemed fixated on an allegation made in a dossier compiled by a former British spy - and funded by Trump's political opponents- involving Russian prostitutes urinating on a bed in a Moscow hotel. The president brought up the allegation multiple times, Comey writes, including an unprompted denial: "I'm a germaphobe. There's no way I would let people pee on each other around me. No way," Comey quotes the president as saying. Comey also writes that Trump considered asking the FBI to debunk the allegation to reassure his wife, Melania Trump. Prostitutes aside, Comey says the president and his team were much less concerned about the national security threat of Russian election meddling. "They were about to lead a country that had been attacked by a foreign adversary, yet they had no questions about what the future Russian threat might be," Comey writes. Instead, they launched into a strategy session about how to "spin what we'd just told them" for the public, he writes. Comey largely avoids talking about the Mueller investigation in detail. But he told ABC News that he believes there's evidence that the president obstructed justice and says he can't rule out that the Russians have compromising information on Trump. "It's possible," Comey said. ___ TRUMPIAN NEEDLING Trump calls people names - Lyin' Comey comes to mind- but Comey's not above needling the president where it hurts. In his book, Comey takes direct aim at Trump's appearance, a particularly sensitive topic for the president. A large man at 6-foot-8, Comey notes that he checked the president's hand size: It was "smaller than mine but did not seem unusually so." He also describes the president as shorter than he expected, his tie was "too long," and he had "bright white half-moons" under his eyes that Comey says he believes came from tanning goggles. In the ABC interview, he does give Trump some credit, though. "He had impressively coiffed hair, it looks to be all his. I confess, I stared at it pretty closely and my reaction was, 'It must take a heck of a lot of time in the morning, but it's impressively coiffed,'" Comey said. ___ OWNS THE LEAKER TAG Trump has lashed out as Comey repeatedly as a "leaker" for providing unclassified memos to an intermediary to give to The New York Times. "It's true," Comey told ABC News. But he defends what he did as "entirely appropriate," noting the memos were unclassified. "My reaction was, 'I'm going to get the information out.' I know the information is true and if I'm ever asked about it, of course I'll tell the truth about it," Comey said. ___ DOESN'T WANT IMPEACHMENT As much as he criticizes Trump, Comey doesn't want him impeached. "I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook," Comey said in the ABC interview, adding: "People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values." ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. NEW YORK (AP) - Kendrick Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music Monday, making history as the first non-classical or jazz artist to win the prestigious prize. The revered rapper is also the most commercially successful musician to receive the award, usually reserved for critically acclaimed classical acts who don't live on the pop charts. The 30-year-old won the prize for "DAMN.," his raw and powerful Grammy-winning album. The Pulitzer board said Monday the album is "a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life." He will win $15,000. FILE - In this Jan. 28, 2018 file photo, rapper Kendrick Lamar accepts the award for best rap album for "Damn" at the 60th annual Grammy Awards in New York. On Monday, April 16, 2018, Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album "Damn." (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File) Lamar has been lauded for his deep lyrical content, politically charged live performances, and his profound mix of hip-hop, spoken word, jazz, soul, funk, poetry and African sounds. Since emerging on the music scene with the 2011 album "Section.80," he has achieved the perfect mix of commercial appeal and critical respect. The Pulitzer board has awarded special honors to Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Hank Williams, but a popular figure like Lamar has never won the prize for music. In 1997, Wynton Marsalis became the first jazz act to win the Pulitzer Prize for music. That makes Lamar's win that much more important: His platinum-selling major-label albums - "good kid, m.A.A.d city," ''To Pimp a Butterfly" and "DAMN." - became works of art, with Lamar writing songs about blackness, street life, police brutality, perseverance, survival and self-worth. His piercing and sharp raps helped him become the voice of the generation, and easily ascend as the leader in hip-hop and cross over to audiences outside of rap, from rock to pop to jazz. He's also been a dominator on the charts, having achieved two dozen Top 40 hits, including a No. 1 success with "Humble," and he has even collaborated with the likes of U2, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons, Rihanna and Beyonce. His music, with songs like "Alright" and "The Blacker the Berry," have become anthems in the wake of high-profile police shootings of minorities as the conversation about race relations dominates news headlines. He brought of dose of seriousness to the 2015 BET Awards, rapping on top of a police car with a large American flag waving behind him. At the 2016 Grammys, during his visual-stunning, show-stopping performance, he appeared beaten, in handcuffs, with chains around his hands and bruises on his eyes as he delivered powerful lyrics to the audience. Lamar's musical success helped him win 12 Grammy Awards, though all three of his major-label albums have lost in the top category - album of the year. Each loss has been criticized by the music community, launching the conversation about how the Recording Academy might be out of touch. "DAMN." lost album of the year to Bruno Mars' "24K Magic" in January. The rapper, born in Compton, California, was hand-picked by "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler to curate an album to accompany the ubiquitously successful film, giving Lamar yet again another No. 1 effort and highly praised project. "DAMN.," released on April 14, 2017, won five Grammys, including best rap album, and the album topped several year-end lists by critics, including NPR, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, BBC News, Complex and Vulture. Finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in music were Michael Gilbertson's "Quartet," which debuted last February at Carnegie Hall, and Ted Hearne's "Sound from the Bench," a 35-minute cantata released last March. Du Yun, who won the music Pulitzer last year for her opera "Angel's Bone," said she was thrilled about Lamar's win. "'To Pimp a Butterfly' got my blood pumping and the video for 'DNA.' made me want to make the music I'm making now," she wrote in a statement. "Freedom of expression is the height of art, and Kendrick Lamar is the embodiment of that freedom." FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2017 file photo, musician Kendrick Lamar arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards in Inglewood, Calif. On Monday, April 16, 2018, Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album "Damn." (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this July 7, 2017, file photo, Kendrick Lamar performs during the Festival d'ete de Quebec in Quebec City, Canada.On Monday, April 16, 2018, Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for music for his album "Damn." (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on the murder case against New York real estate heir Robert Durst (all times local): 12:15 p.m. Prosecutors have opened a court hearing in the murder case against New York real estate heir Robert Durst with photos of a letter directing them to the body of his slain friend. FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, file photo, real estate heir Robert Durst appears in a Los Angeles Superior Court Airport Branch for a pretrial motions hearing in Los Angeles. Three years after Durst's arrest in the fatal shooting of his best friend in Los Angeles, there's still no trial scheduled. That could change after prosecutors begin presenting evidence Monday, April 16, 2018, to persuade a Superior Court judge that Durst should be tried for murder. (Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool, File) A former Los Angeles police criminalist testified Monday that the letter was addressed to Beverly Hills police with the city's name misspelled. Durst has pleaded not guilty to killing Susan Berman in 2000 at her Los Angeles house in a part of the city with a Beverly Hills ZIP code. Prosecutors say Durst killed Berman to prevent her from telling police what she knew about his first wife's 1982 disappearance in New York. Durst was arrested in 2015 after a documentary found a letter from him addressed to Berman in similar handwriting and misspelling Beverly Hills the same way. ___ 10:20 p.m. It's been more than three years since the arrest of eccentric New York real estate heir Robert Durst in the execution-style shooting of his best friend years earlier in Los Angeles. Prosecutors could move closer to bringing him to trial if they can show probable cause at a hearing that begins Monday that Durst killed Susan Berman in order to silence her from revealing what she knew about the death of the multimillionaire's first wife. The 75-year-old Durst has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors have started recording testimony over the past year of older witnesses who might not be available if there is a trial. Some of the testimony includes damning evidence for Durst. Durst's defense team didn't reply to messages seeking comment. BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the Syrian conflict (all times local): 10:30 p.m. The Russian military says it will help secure the visit of international chemical weapons inspectors to the site of an alleged attack in Syria. People stand in front of damaged buildings, in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said on Monday that his country is "fully ready" to cooperate with the fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that's in Syria to investigate the alleged chemical attack that triggered U.S.-led airstrikes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, of the military's Reconciliation Center in Syria, said Russian military police were ready to help protect the experts on their visit to Douma, outside Damascus. Igor Kirillov, a top Russian chemical weapons protection expert, said experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are set to visit Douma on Wednesday. Syrian opposition activists and first responders say an April 7 chemical attack by government forces killed over 40 people in Douma. The Syrian government denies ever using chemical weapons, and both Syria and its ally Russia suggested the attack was fabricated. ___ 10:05 p.m. France has decided to strip Syrian President Bashar Assad of his Legion of Honor. The French presidential office said Monday that a disciplinary procedure has been initiated to deny Assad one of France's highest honors. Assad was awarded the highest rank of the Legion of Honor by former French President Jacques Chirac during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in 2001. The move to strip him of the award comes days after France took part in allied missile strikes against Syrian military targets aimed at punishing Assad for an alleged chemical weapons attack earlier this month. 10 p.m. Russian officials say experts from the international chemical weapons watchdog are making final preparations for visiting the site of a suspected gas attack in Syria. Igor Kirillov, a top Russian chemical weapons protection expert, told Monday's briefing at The Hague that experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are scheduled to visit the town of Douma outside Damascus on Wednesday following an inspection of the area by U.N. security experts. Alexander Shulgin, Russia's envoy at the OPCW, strongly denied the U.S. claim that Russia was trying to hamper the OPCW mission or remove evidence. Shulgin said the allegations are part of Washington's attempts to justify the U.S. and allied strikes on Syria without waiting for the OPCW experts to inspect Douma. Syrian opposition activists and first responders say an April 7 chemical attack by government forces killed more than 40 people in Douma. The Syrian government has denied ever using chemical weapons, and both Syria and its ally Russia have suggested the attack was fabricated. ___ 9:45 p.m. Russian officials say a purported chemical attack in Syria was a fabrication staged by British intelligence agencies to pave the way for allied strikes. Alexander Shulgin, Russia's envoy at the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, did not provide any evidence of the alleged British involvement, saying only that "there is no other plausible explanation" of the April 7 attack in Douma. Britain has denied the Russian claim as a "blatant lie." Igor Kirillov, a Russian chemical weapons protection expert who visited Douma, said the rebels refused to show any bodies of the victims of the attack. He said Monday at a briefing at The Hague that the only patient who said he was poisoned by chemicals made statements that made it clear he was lying. ___ 8:45 p.m. The European Union has strongly defended the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and declined to impose new sanctions despite Tehran's actions in Syria. EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said that "this was not foreseen to be a decision today," adding that further consideration on how to deal with Iran's role in the Syrian conflict "will happen in the coming days or weeks." Mogherini sought to draw a clear line between Iran's adherence to the nuclear agreement and other actions that the EU and U.S. find objectionable. Iran is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad and supports militant groups across the region. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to withdraw from the 2015 agreement by May 12 unless U.S., British, French and German negotiators can agree to fix what he sees as its serious flaws. "One thing is clear to all of us," Mogherini said of the 28 EU nations. "We want to preserve the nuclear deal with Iran. We want to see the full compliance by all to all commitments included in the deal." She says the EU takes Iranian activities in the region "extremely seriously, and that is why we already have a sanctions regime in place addressing some of this behavior." ___ 8:30 p.m. The Russian military says Syria's Russian-made air defense systems proved highly efficient in fending off missile strikes by the U.S. and its allies. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, said Monday that Syria used the Pantsir-S1 air defense systems supplied by Russia along with older Soviet-built air defense missiles to counter Saturday's strikes by the U.S., Britain and France. Konashenkov said Syria fired 112 air defense missiles, shooting down 71 out of 103 incoming missiles. He said the Pantsir systems were particularly effective, with 23 out of 25 missiles they fired hitting the incoming missiles. The Pentagon has previously dismissed Moscow's claims, saying that none of the missiles fired by the allies were intercepted by Syrian forces. ___ 8:25 p.m. Associated Press journalists have visited the Syrian town of Douma and spoken to residents who described a terrifying gas attack on April 7. Residents say those most affected in the attack, near Douma's Martyrs Square, were children and elderly people. The survivors blamed the attack on the Army of Islam, the powerful rebel group that controlled the town before it was taken over by Syrian government forces this week, although they did not offer evidence to back up their claims. AP was part of a group of journalists on a government-organized media trip to Douma on Monday. One resident, Khaled Nuseir, says 47 people were killed, including his pregnant wife and two young daughters, in one underground shelter. The floor of the shelter on Monday was covered with carpets with pillows lining a side of the wall. No blood stains were seen. Survivors recalled a strong chlorine smell that quickly spread through the neighborhood. Residents said they survived by putting vinegar and water cloths on their mouths and rushing to higher floors to get away from the smoke and smell. ___ 8:20 p.m. Several Hundred Cypriot, Palestinian and Syrian protesters waved Syrian flags and chanted anti-Western slogans during a peaceful demonstration in front of the American Embassy in Nicosia to condemn U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria. Protesters from a coalition of left-wing groups and Cyprus' communist-rooted AKEL party said Monday the American, British and French "aggression" against Syria was unjustified because there's been no proof as yet that President Bashar Assad's government used chemical weapons against its own people. They also criticized the use of the eastern Mediterranean island nation as a launch-pad for attacks. British warplanes had taken off from a British air base in Cyprus to take part in Saturday's missile strikes against suspected chemical weapons facilities in Syria. ___ 8:15 p.m. The European Union's foreign policy chief says an end to the Syrian civil war has never been as distant, and is calling on Russia to bring the Syrian government to U.N.-sponsored talks. Federica Mogherini said after a meeting of the 28 EU foreign ministers "pressure needs to be exercised, otherwise the destruction will continue." Mogherini said the bloc wants to use a major meeting on Syria next week to give impetus to the U.N. peace process following Western airstrikes on the country. More than 70 delegations are expected to attend the April 24-25 Syria donor conference in Brussels. She acknowledged, however, that the challenge remained daunting. Seven years into the war, she said, "it is true that the solution to conflict seems to be even more far away than ever." ___ 8 p.m. The Russian military has disputed the Pentagon's account of the weekend strike on Syria, saying the U.S. and its allies tried but failed to hit more Syrian facilities than they acknowledged. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, said Monday the Western countries targeted seven additional Syrian air bases but failed to inflict any significant damage. He said Syria downed 71 out of 103 missiles launched by the U.S., Britain and France. The U.S. says 105 missiles were launched at three sites, destroying a scientific research center near Damascus used by Syria's chemical weapons program along with two other chemical weapons facilities in the central Homs province. The Pentagon has previously dismissed Moscow's claim that the Syrians downed 71 missiles. ___ 7:30 p.m. The French prime minister says Western airstrikes on Syria sent a strong, clear message to dissuade Syria's government from using chemical weapons. Edouard Philippe told French lawmakers France's "riposte" was "proportionate." He says it was limited to Syrian chemical facilities to avoid harming civilians and to prevent an escalation. He said the joint action of the U.S., Britain and France was aimed at placing a prohibitive cost on the use of chemical weapons and degrading President Bashar Assad's ability to use them. In his speech at the National Assembly, Philippe didn't use the word "evidence," but said intelligence gathered by France and its allies shows the "reality" of the chemical attack in the town of Douma on April 7, which has been widely blamed on government forces. The Syrian government denies ever using chemical weapons. Some French opposition leaders have criticized the strikes, saying they were not legitimate. ___ 7:15 p.m. France's U.N. ambassador says the priority of the three Western allies who attacked alleged Syrian chemical sites is to move forward on "an inclusive political settlement" of the seven-year conflict. Francois Delattre told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday that a new Security Council resolution circulated Saturday night by France, the U.S. and Britain for the first time covers key aspects of the Syrian crisis - chemical weapons, humanitarian access and a political solution. He said the draft resolution will be discussed by council experts for the first time late Monday. Russia has opposed two key provisions - condemnation of all chemical weapons use, especially the suspected April 7 chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma, which Moscow says never happened, and establishing a new independent body to assess blame for chemical attacks. Delattre said there is no deadline for a vote and the goal is to engage in "serious, productive negotiations" with Russia and other council members "to get out of the Syrian stalemate." ___ 7 p.m. Prime Minister Theresa May has hit back at critics who say Britain joined airstrikes on Syria at the behest of U.S. President Donald Trump. May said Monday the U.K. acted "because it is in our national interest to do so." She says the use of chemical weapons can't go unchecked. Royal Air Force jets joined American and French forces in hitting targets in Syria on Saturday in response to a reported chemical attack launched by Syria's government in the town of Douma. Some British lawmakers say the government should not have acted without Parliament's approval. May told lawmakers that "we have not done this because President Trump asked us to do so. We have done it because we believe it was the right thing to do - and we are not alone." ___ 6:45 p.m. British Prime Minister Theresa May says Syria is trying to conceal the facts about a deadly chemical attack, assisted by its ally Russia. May told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday that no group in Syria, apart from the government, could have carried out the April 7 attack in Douma, which is reported to have killed dozens of people. May is defending Britain's decision to join the U.S. and France in airstrikes on Syrian targets. Some lawmakers say she should have held a vote in Parliament first. The prime minister says the Western allies had no other option to try to curb the "abhorrent" use of chemical weapons. She says military action was "not just morally right but also legally right." ___ 6:30 p.m. The White House says a decision on new economic sanctions against Russia will be made "in the near future," not committing to the Monday announcement indicated by U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. In a statement, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday: "We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future." Haley said Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" that sanctions were coming against Russia for enabling the government of Syrian leader Bashar Assad to continue using chemical weapons. She said that the U.S. treasury secretary "will be announcing those on Monday, if he hasn't already." The U.S., along with Britain and France, carried out a wave of missile strikes on Syria over the weekend in response to an alleged chemical attack near Damascus. Syria's government denies ever using chemical arms. ___ 6:15 p.m. The United Nations says it has provided the "necessary clearances" for a fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate a suspected chemical attack in the Damascus suburb of Douma. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday: "The United Nations has provided the necessary clearances for the OPCW team to go about its work in Douma. We have not denied the team any request for it to go to Douma." He was responding to a report that Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the OPCW team cannot access the site in Douma without an appropriate U.N. permit. Asked about the report earlier, Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said: "We need to check it because it's very strange for us to ask clearance from U.N. security." "There are no obstacles to them whatsoever," he stressed. "We are facilitating their access as much as possible." ___ 6 p.m. The head of the international chemical weapons watchdog says that Syrian and Russian officials are citing "pending security issues" in keeping its inspectors from reaching the site of an alleged gas attack. Ahmet Uzumcu, the Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said Monday that "the team has not yet deployed to Douma," two days after arriving in Syria. He told an executive council of the OPCW that Syrian and the Russian officials who took part in meetings in Damascus told the team "that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place." He said Syrian authorities were offering 22 people to interview as witnesses instead. Uzumcu said he hoped "all necessary arrangements will be made ... to allow the team to deploy to Douma as soon as possible." Syrian opposition activists and first responders say a chemical attack by government forces in Douma on April 7 killed more than 40 people. The government has denied ever using chemical weapons and had welcomed the fact-finding mission. ___ 4:15 p.m. Members of a communist student organization have attempted to pull down a statue of U.S. President Harry Truman during an anti-war protest in central Athens. Police detained two protesters during clashes Monday and fired tear gas at youths who attached ropes to the 3.5-meter (12-foot) bronze statue and were preparing to saw through the base of the structure. The Greek Communist Party has organized successive anti-U.S. protests following the airstrikes in Syria over the weekend. First unveiled near the American Embassy in 1963, the statue has been repeatedly targeted in protests and was twice bombed by far-left militant groups in the mid-1980s. It has been pulled down twice and vandalized on several occasions. ___ 4 p.m. Syrian state TV is airing interviews with nearly a dozen doctors and medics who say they found no trace of poisonous gas in the town of Douma, where opposition activists and first responders say a chemical attack by government forces killed more than 40 people. The suspected attack on April 7 prompted the U.S., Britain and France to launch a wave of missile strikes a week later targeting what they said was the Syrian government's chemical weapons program. Syria's government has denied ever using such weapons. U.S. and French officials say they have evidence the government carried out a chemical attack, but have not made it public. The program ran late Sunday and was posted on the Facebook page of Al-Ikhbariya TV. The individuals interviewed say they were in Douma on April 7, when the alleged attack took place. One medic says he heard someone scream "chemical!" but saw no patients with symptoms. Others said dust seeps into underground shelters, causing choking and other symptoms associated with chemical attacks. The Syrian government took control of Douma after the alleged chemical attack and the surrender of rebel forces. It has since deployed its security forces in the town. ___ 3:55 p.m. Turkey's foreign minister has rejected a claim by France's president that the weekend's airstrikes on Syria have driven a wedge between Turkey and Russia. Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday that Turkey was cooperating with Russia and Iran to try and reduce the conflict in Syria despite long-standing disagreement with them over their support to Syrian President Bashar Assad. He says that Turkey's "ties with Russia are not weak enough to be driven apart by the French president. We have strong ties with Russia" and added that the "relations with Russia aren't an alternative to our relations with NATO, or with France or the United States." Cavusoglu was speaking during a joint news conference with NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Turkey has backed the Saturday airstrikes in Syria by the United States, France and Britain. ___ 2:55 p.m. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has defended the weekend's airstrikes in Syria, saying the international community had to uphold the international ban on the use of chemical weapons. Stoltenberg spoke at a joint news conference with Turkey's foreign minister on Monday, after airstrikes by the United States, France and Britain that hit Syria. He says Russia had "again and again" prevented an independent investigation by the U.N. and that this left "NATO allies no other alternative than to act the way they acted." He says the Western alliance "cannot be silent where chemical weapons are used" and that "there was more than enough reason to act and not to act would be to erode the ban on chemical weapons." The NATO chief is in Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials. ___ 2:35 p.m. A senior Russian diplomat says the mission from the international chemical weapons watchdog cannot access the site of an alleged chemical attack near Damascus without an appropriate U.N. permit. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was responding to questions on Monday on whether the team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has been blocked from going into Douma, the town where the attack allegedly happened. Ryabkov says the mission wasn't allowed in because it hadn't secured the approval of the U.N. Department for Safety and Security. His remarks indicate what could be an attempt to bog down the OPCW team. Both Russia and the Syrian government have welcomed the OPCW visit. At least 40 people are believed to have died in the attack on Douma, until the weekend the last rebel-held town outside the Syrian capital. The OPCW has dispatched a fact-finding mission to Syria to investigate. ___ 2:15 p.m. French President Emmanuel Macron has clarified comments that he "convinced" President Donald Trump to maintain U.S. military presence in Syria, a remark that had prompted a rebuttal from the White House. Macron maintained on Monday that he "never said" either the United States or France would stay engaged long term in Syria in a military sense - hours after saying in a live Sunday interview that he had managed to change Trump's mind on withdrawing troops. Macron said both French and U.S. positions were in line and the main aim in Syria was the "war against ISIS," referring to the Islamic State group. However, Macron said that by joining forces with France and the UK for last Saturday's air strikes, the U.S. "fully realized that our responsibility went above and beyond the war against ISIS and that it was a humanitarian responsibility as well on the ground." ___ 2:05 p.m. Germany's government is rejecting suggestions it didn't live up to its responsibilities by not taking part in airstrikes against Syria. Mass-circulation daily Bild on Monday ran a full-page article under the headline: "Why does Germany shirk the dirty work?" Chancellor Angela Merkel's government didn't participate in the airstrikes but applauded them. Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said Germany hadn't been asked to make a military contribution. He said the country, which is seeking a U.N. Security Council seat for 2019-20, is "active internationally in many ways" and pointed to its participating in "difficult military deployments" in Mali and Afghanistan. Seibert said: "it is nothing special for Germany to support a deployment by its allies and friends but not participate militarily." Military deployments are unpopular in Germany and require parliamentary approval. ___ 1:55 p.m. The European Union said it "understands" the need for the coordinated U.S, French and British airstrikes against Syrian military targets over the weekend following the suspected April 7 chemical attack in Douma, a town just outside Damascus. The 28 EU foreign ministers said in a joint statement that the strike was executed with "the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people." The 28 said the current situation should now be used to turn to political negotiations and insisted that "there can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict." ___ 1: 40 p.m. Russia insists it is committed to let the U.N.-backed chemical weapons watchdog do its work in Syria to investigate the suspected chemical attack earlier this month in Douma, a town just east of Damascus. Russia's Embassy in the Netherlands, where the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is based, said in a statement that it "confirms its commitment to ensure" the security of the OPCW's mission, which is working in Syria. It also said Russia guarantees it won't "interfere in its work." Western nations have criticized Russia for defending President Bashar Assad and denying a chemical attack by his forces took place. ___ 1:10 p.m. A Syrian government official says his country is "fully ready" to cooperate with the fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that's in Syria to investigate the alleged chemical attack that triggered U.S.-led airstrikes. Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said on Monday that government officials have met with the delegation, which has been in Damascus for three days, a number of times to discuss cooperation. The OPCW arrived in Syria a day before the joint punitive airstrikes from the United States, Britain and France a week after the alleged chemical attack in Douma, where activists say more than 40 people were killed. The OPCW mission has yet to visit Douma, where government and Russian police deployed soon after the rebels in the town surrendered following the chemical attack. ___ 1 p.m. A key group of world and regional powers is meeting at the urgent request of Russia to discuss the long-troubled cease-fire in Syria in the wake of airstrikes by the West on Syria. Russia requested the meeting of the International Syria Support Group's cease-fire task force after the airstrikes in Syria over the weekend by the United States, France and Britain. Moscow, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has sharply criticized the strikes. Britain, France and the United States say they took the military action following alleged use of chemical weapons by Assad's forces on a rebel-held area northeast of Damascus. The task force is hosted by the U.N. Syria envoy's Geneva office and is co-chaired by Russia and the United States. Participants of the task force rarely speak to the media. ___ 12:50 p.m. NATO's secretary general says the weekend's U.S.-led strikes will reduce the Syrian government's capabilities of carrying out new chemical attacks. Jens Stoltenberg also says the strikes by the United States, France and Britain were a "clear message" to Syrian President Bashar Assad, to Russia and Iran that the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable and that the allies would not stand by and watch. Stoltenberg spoke in an interview with Turkey's NTV television on Monday. The TV broadcast his comments with Turkish translations. The NATO chief is Turkey for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other officials. ___ 10:40 a.m. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the bloc wants to use a major meeting on Syria next week to give impetus to U.N. peace moves following Western airstrikes on the country. Mogherini said on Monday "there is the need to give a push to the U.N.-led process." Speaking before chairing talks among EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, she said that "people are suffering, people are dying, and I think the whole international community has to take responsibility for this." More than 70 delegations are expected to attend the April 24-25 Syria donor conference in Brussels. Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said: "We should keep on pushing for a solution through the U.N. Security Council. It's the only way forward." ___ 10:20 a.m. Prime Minister Theresa May is set to face British lawmakers to explain her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. Britain, the United States and France hit targets in Syria Saturday in response to a reported chemical attack in Douma. Parliament returns Monday after a spring break, and was not consulted about the action. The government is not legally bound to seek Parliament's approval for military strikes, though it is customary to do so. May plans to tell lawmakers that the airstrikes were "in Britain's national interest," were carried out to stop further suffering from chemical weapons attacks and had broad international support. The government says it will seek an emergency parliamentary debate on the airstrikes Monday, though that is unlikely to satisfy angry opposition lawmakers. In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad, as they march during a demonstration to show solidarity with the Syrian armed forces, at Omayyad Square, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds of Syrians have gathered in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the unprecedented joint airstrikes by the West over the weekend. (SANA via AP) In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad during a demonstration to show solidarity with the Syrian armed forces, at Omayyad Square, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds of Syrians have gathered in a landmark square in the capital of Damascus in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the unprecedented joint airstrikes by the West over the weekend. (SANA via AP) Policemen and civilians stand in front of damaged buildings in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said on Monday that his country is "fully ready" to cooperate with the fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that's in Syria to investigate the alleged chemical attack that triggered U.S.-led airstrikes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, protesters wave flags and a portrait of President Bashar Assad, as they march during a demonstration to show solidarity with the Syrian armed forces, at Omayyad Square, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds of Syrians have gathered in a landmark square in the capital of Damascus in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the unprecedented joint airstrikes by the West over the weekend. (SANA via AP) Men load a carpet and mattress on to a bicycle in front of damaged buildings in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said on Monday that his country is "fully ready" to cooperate with the fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that's in Syria to investigate the alleged chemical attack that triggered U.S.-led airstrikes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian protesters hold their national flags and portraits of their president Bashar Assad, as they march during a demonstration to show their solidarity with the Syrian armed forces, at Omayyad Square, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds of Syrians have gathered in a landmark square in the capital of Damascus in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the unprecedented joint airstrikes by the West over the weekend. (SANA via AP) This photo released Saturday, April 14, 2018, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows a man giving the victory sign next to Syrian and Russian flags on top of a damaged apartment, after Syrian police units entered the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack and the last rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta, near Damascus, Syria. Syrian state TV is broadcasting the deployment of 5,000 policemen and internal security in Douma where an alleged chemical attack last weekend triggered unprecedented joint US, British, French strikes in Syria. (SANA via AP) FILE - In this Saturday, April 14, 2018 file photo, a Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center which was attacked by U.S., British and French military strikes to punish President Bashar Assad for suspected chemical attack against civilians, in Barzeh, near Damascus, Syria. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) Syrians smoke water pipes at a coffee shop at the Hamidiyeh market, in the Old City of Damascus, Syria, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Syria's President Bashar Assad spoke Sunday to a group of visiting Russian politicians saying that Western airstrikes against his country was accompanied by a campaign of "lies" and misinformation in the U.N. Security Council. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Woman shop at the Hamidiyeh Market that was named after the 34th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire Abdul Hamid II, in the Old City of Damascus, Syria, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Syria's President Bashar Assad spoke Sunday to a group of visiting Russian politicians saying that Western airstrikes against his country was accompanied by a campaign of "lies" and misinformation in the U.N. Security Council. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Syrians gather in the Marjeh Square in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Syria's President Bashar Assad spoke Sunday to a group of visiting Russian politicians saying that Western airstrikes against his country was accompanied by a campaign of "lies" and misinformation in the U.N. Security Council. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) This satellite image provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Center in Syria on April, 13, 2018, before a U.S.-led allied missile attack. The U.S., France and Britain launched missiles at Syrian military targets early Saturday, April 14, in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus. (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) THE DIGITALGLOBE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED This picture taken through a car window shows a Syrian woman walks with her son on a bridge in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, April 15, 2018. Syria's President Bashar Assad spoke Sunday to a group of visiting Russian politicians saying that Western airstrikes against his country was accompanied by a campaign of "lies" and misinformation in the U.N. Security Council. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A police officer is appealing his suspension over a deadly confrontation with a black man whose shooting death set off widespread protests in Baton Rouge nearly two years ago. In a petition filed last Thursday, an attorney for Office Howie Lake II asked a civil service board to rescind his three-day suspension from the Baton Rouge Police Department. Police Chief Murphy Paul suspended Lake and fired Blane Salamoni, the officer who shot and killed Alton Sterling outside a convenience store in July 2016. Lake helped his partner wrestle Sterling to the ground but didn't fire his gun that night. Last week, Salamoni separately appealed his firing. Both officers' petitions claim their discipline was excessive and "was not made in good faith." Lake served the suspension and returned to work earlier this month for the first time since the shooting. The officers, both of whom are white, had been on paid administrative leave. Paul said he fired Salamoni for violating department policies on use of force and "command of temper." He suspended Lake for violating only the latter policy. Lake shocked Sterling twice with a stun gun before the officers wrestled the 37-year-old man to the ground in the parking lot outside the Triple S Food Mart. During the struggle on the ground, Salamoni shot Sterling six times. Salamoni told an internal affairs investigator that he saw Sterling reach for and hold a gun in his pants pocket right before he shot him. The officers recovered a loaded revolver from Sterling's pocket. As a convicted felon, Sterling could not legally carry a gun. Two cellphone videos of the incident quickly spread on social media after the shooting, fueling protests at which nearly 200 people were arrested. Body camera footage captured Salamoni screaming profanities at Sterling, pointing a gun at his head and threatening to shoot him before they tussled. Lake called Sterling a "stupid (expletive) idiot" after the shooting, the police chief said in a disciplinary letter. Paul announced the officers' discipline on March 30, less than a week after Louisiana's attorney general ruled out state criminal charges in Sterling's death. The U.S. Justice Department ruled out federal criminal charges last May. The conclusion of the criminal investigations isn't the end of the saga, however. The civil service board is expected to hold hearings on the officers' appeals. Meanwhile, Sterling's relatives are moving forward with a lawsuit their attorneys filed in June 2017 against the city of Baton Rouge, its police department and former police chief and East Baton Rouge Parish. On Monday, a state judge agreed to issue a preliminary default judgment against all of those parties because they haven't formally responded to the family's wrongful death lawsuit. Brandon DeCuir, an attorney representing three of Sterling's five children, said the default judgment can be removed if the city and parish file responses within seven days. DeCuir said the family lawyers' request for a default judgment was designed to "move things along." MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Another Republican Wisconsin state lawmaker is declining to run for Congress to replace House Speaker Paul Ryan. State Rep. Samantha Kerkman announced Monday she intends to seek re-election to the Legislature rather than run for Ryan's southeastern Wisconsin congressional district. That leaves University of Wisconsin Regent Bryan Steil (STYLE) as the only other Republican still publicly considering a run in addition to two other announced Republican candidates. Nick Polce is political newcomer and an Army veteran who co-owns a security consulting firm. Paul Nehlen is running against after losing to Ryan in the 2016 primary by 68 points. Nehlen was banned from Twitter earlier this year for posts criticized as racist or anti-Semitic. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus aren't running. NYON, Switzerland (AP) - UEFA has banned Swiss club Sion from its competitions for one season over a transfer debt, and fined three clubs for breaking licensing rules. UEFA says Sion is barred from its next Champions League or Europa League qualification in the next two seasons. The case involved a 950,000 euros ($1.18 million) debt to French club Sochaux in the disputed transfer of Ghanaian forward Ishmael Yartey. UEFA says the debt is now paid. UEFA also fined Sion the 235,000 euros ($290,000) it earned playing in this season's Europa League qualifying rounds. UEFA says it fined Irtysh of Kazakhstan 440,000 euros ($545,000) and put the club on three years' probation. Vojvodina of Serbia and Tirana of Albania were each fined the 215,000 euros ($266,000) they earned in Europa League qualifying. SAN DIEGO (AP) - The Trump administration said Monday that California Gov. Jerry Brown rejected terms of the National Guard's initial deployment to the Mexican border, but a state official said nothing was decided. "The governor determined that what we asked for is unsupportable, but we will have other iterations," Ronald Vitiello, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's acting deputy commissioner, told reporters in Washington. Brown elicited rare and effusive praise from President Donald Trump last week for pledging 400 troops to the Guard's third large-scale border mission since 2006. FILE - In this June 22, 2016 file photo, Border Patrol agent Eduardo Olmos walks near the secondary fence separating Tijuana, Mexico, background, and San Diego in San Diego. California has rejected the federal government's initial plans for National Guard troops to the border because the work is considered too closely tied to immigration enforcement. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) But the Democratic governor conditioned his commitment on his state's troops having nothing to do with immigration enforcement, even in a supporting role. Brown's announcement last week did not address what specific jobs the California Guard would and would not do and or answer the thorny question of how state officials would distinguish work related to immigration from other duties. Vitiello said the governor decided California will not accept terms of an initial troop rollout for the state that was similar to plans for the other three border states, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. According to two U.S. officials, the initial jobs for those troops include fixing and maintaining vehicles, using remote-control surveillance cameras to report suspicious activity to U.S. Border Patrol agents, operating radios and providing "mission support," which can include clerical work, buying gas and handling payrolls. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. California National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Thomas Keegan said "state officials have not rejected anything" since Brown proposed a formal agreement Wednesday with the Homeland Security and Defense Departments that prohibits any involvement in immigration. "The federal government has not yet responded," Keegan said in an emailed statement. Vitiello said the federal government wanted 237 troops for work in two parts of the state that California "has indicated they will not perform," but he emphasized that California may participate in other ways that must still be worked out. "We are anticipating additional requirements, and we got a signal from California that they are interested in improving border security," Vitiello said. "So, at some point that might come together." Brown was clear last week that California troops will help go after drugs, guns and criminal gangs, but not immigrants. Drawing that line will likely prove difficult because the Border Patrol combats illegal immigration but also drug smuggling and other crimes. Brown's pledge of 400 troops allowed Trump to boast support from all four border-state governors and helped put the president above the lower end of his threshold of marshaling 2,000 to 4,000 troops that he wants to fight illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The Democratic governor cast his decision as a welcome infusion of support paid for by the U.S. government to fight transnational criminal gangs and drug and firearms smugglers. Republican governors from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have openly embraced the Trump administration's plans and specific jobs for their troops, as California did in previous Guard deployments. Texas National Guard members are already doing aerial and ground surveillance. The Arizona National Guard said last week that its troops will provide air and ground support. The Guard had about 900 troops working on the border mission Monday, a number that changes daily, said Lt. General Daniel R. Hokanson, the National Guard Bureau's vice chief. Nearly 250 were in Arizona, more than 60 in New Mexico and about 650 in Texas. ___ Alonso Lugo reported from Washington. TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on a Border Patrol agent's trial in a fatal shooting (all times local): 4:50 p.m. Jurors in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with second-degree murder in the fatal 2012 shooting of a teenager in Mexico have been released for the day after receiving instructions not to discuss the case with anyone and or read or listen to news reports about the proceedings. The jurors will return to court Tuesday morning to begin deliberations in the case against Agent Lonnie Swartz in the shooting of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who had been throwing rocks into the United States near the international crossing in Nogales, Mexico. Swartz has pleaded not guilty. The government said in closing arguments that throwing rocks is not "a capital crime." The defense team argued the agent's use of lethal force was justified because he thought he and others were being targeted. ___ 3:45 p.m. A jury is receiving its instructions for deliberations in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with second-degree murder in the fatal 2012 shooting of a teenager in Mexico. U.S. District Judge Raner Collins is delivering the guidance before the jury decides whether to find Agent Lonnie Swartz guilty in the shooting of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who was throwing rocks from Mexico into the United States near the international crossing in Nogales, Arizona. Swartz has pleaded not guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst said in the government's closing arguments that throwing rocks is not "a capital crime. " Defense attorney Sean Chapman told jurors in his closing statement that the official's use of lethal force was justified because he and others thought were they being targeted. ___ 2:30 p.m. Lawyers for a U.S. Border Patrol agent on trial in the fatal 2012 shooting of a teenager in Mexico says the official's use of lethal force was justified because he and others were being pelted by rocks. Defense attorney Sean Chapman told jurors closing arguments Monday they must find Agent Lonnie Swartz not guilty if prosecutors have not shown beyond a reasonable doubt that Swartz committed a crime. Swartz is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who was throwing rocks from Mexico into the United States near the international crossing in Nogales, Arizona. Federal prosecutors told the jury earlier Monday that Swartz fired at the teen because he was "fed up with being rocked." Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst said in the government's closing arguments that throwing rocks is not "a capital crime" and Elena Rodriguez did not deserve to die. Elena Rodriguez was shot 10 times, twice in the head and the rest in the back part of his body. ___ 1:15 p.m. Federal prosecutors have told the jury in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with murder that the official shot and killed a teenager across the Mexican border in 2012 because he was tired of people throwing rocks at him from the other side. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst said in the government's closing arguments in U.S. District Court on Monday that Agent Lonnie Swartz "was fed up with being rocked. He was angry with those people who had been throwing rocks against the fence." The prosecutor says that whatever 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez had done that evening, when he threw rocks apparently to distract border agents during a smuggling attempt, "it wasn't a capital crime." Swartz's lawyers have said he fired in self-defense. __ 11:07 a.m. Lawyers will begin closing arguments late Monday morning at the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with murder in the 2012 fatal shooting of a teenager across the Mexican border. Lonnie Swartz is charged in the death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez. The trial began March 20 in federal court in Tucson. Prosecutors say Swartz fired 16 shots, hitting the teen 10 times including eight times in the back. Rodriguez was on a street in Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border from Nogales, Arizona. Swartz says he fired in self-defense after people threw rocks from the Mexico side during a drug-smuggling attempt. Prosecutors don't dispute the teen was throwing rocks, but contend Swartz responded with an unreasonable amount of force. 10:14 p.m. Closing arguments are expected this week in the trial of U.S. Border Patrol agent charged in the 2012 fatal shooting of a teenager across the Mexican border. Lonnie Swartz is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez. The trial began March 20 in U.S. District Court in Tucson. Prosecutors say Swartz fired 16 shots, hitting the teen 10 times including eight times in the back. Elena Rodriguez was on a street in Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border from Nogales, Arizona. Swartz says he fired in self-defense in response to people throwing rocks from the Mexico side during a drug-smuggling attempt. Prosecutors don't dispute the teen was throwing rocks, but contend Swartz responded with an unreasonable amount of force. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Several hundred Cypriot, Palestinian and Syrian protesters waved Syrian flags and chanted anti-Western slogans in front of the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus on Monday to condemn the American-led airstrikes in Syria. Protesters from a coalition of left-wing groups and Cyprus' communist-rooted AKEL party said the "aggression" against Syria on Saturday was unjustified without proof the regime of President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons on its own people. "It hasn't been proven that chemical weapons were used and by whom, if they were used," Christina Christofia, the daughter of former Cyprus President Dimitris Christofias, said. "In our estimation, it's just another manufactured excuse for another military, imperialistic intervention." A protestors holds a banner reading "Hands off Syria" during a protest against the airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria, outside of the U.S embassy in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds protesters from communist party in Cyprus have gathered in front of the U.S embassy to denounce US-led airstrikes against suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria in this Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Participants at the protest, who included families with small children, also criticized the use of Cyprus as a launch-pad for attacks against the Syrian people. British warplanes took off from a U.K. air base in the east Mediterranean island nation, a former British colony, to take part in Saturday's missile strikes against suspected chemical weapons facilities in Syria. Demonstrators outside the U.S. Embassy chanted "Imperialism is the one enemy" and "Coups, wars, terror, that's NATO's black legacy." A group calling itself the Syrian Arab Community unfurled a banner describing the airstrikes a "reckless and irresponsible act" while a protester wrote "Hands Off Syria" on the asphalt in green paint. A dozen riot police were on hand during the rally, but kept a discreet distance. Protestors with a banner reading in Greek "NO to the War", "Yes in Peace" during a protest against the airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria, outside of the U.S embassy in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds protesters from communist party in Cyprus have gathered in front of the U.S embassy to denounce US-led airstrikes against suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria in this Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Protestors with Cyprus and Syria flags shout slogans during a protest against the airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria, outside of the U.S embassy in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds protesters from communist party in Cyprus have gathered in front of the U.S embassy to denounce US-led airstrikes against suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria in this Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) A protestor paints "Hands off Syria" on the street during a protest against the airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria, outside of the U.S embassy in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Monday, April 16, 2018. Hundreds protesters from communist party in Cyprus have gathered in front of the U.S embassy to denounce US-led airstrikes against suspected chemical weapons sites in Syria in this Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) SAN DIEGO (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump's plan to send up to 4,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking (all times local): 5:30 p.m. A U.S. Homeland Security Department spokesman says the federal government is committed to working with California Gov. Jerry Brown to mobilize the state's National Guard in its border mission. FILE - In this March 13, 2018, file photo, a motorcade carrying President Donald Trump drives along the border in San Diego. California has rejected the federal government's initial plans for National Guard troops to the border because the work is considered too closely tied to immigration enforcement. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Tyler Houlton said in a tweet that the California governor shares an interest on securing the border with Mexico. His comments came after federal officials said Brown wouldn't allow troops to perform tasks that were planned for an initial rollout but that they would continue working with the governor to collaborate in other ways. State officials denied they had rejected any requests. Last week, Brown pledged 400 troops to Trump's border mission on condition that they have nothing to do with immigration enforcement. ___ 2:05 p.m. The National Guard Bureau's vice chief says about 900 guard members are deployed so far for President Donald Trump's effort to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Lt. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson said Monday that about 650 are deployed in Texas, with close to 250 in Arizona and more than 60 in New Mexico. Trump wants to send up to 4,000 troops to the border and has commitments for about 2,400 from those states and California. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration Robert G. Salesses says there is no estimate for the operation's cost, which is funded by the U.S. government. Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Ronald D. Vitiello says troops that work at border crossings will perform cargo inspections that are not viewable by the general public. ___ 1:45 p.m. Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Ronald D. Vitiello says California's governor has determined that some tasks federal officials want the state's National Guard to perform at the U.S.-Mexico border are "unsupportable." Vitiello made the comments to reporters in Washington Monday after two U.S. officials told The Associated Press said terms of the federal government's initial plans for sending National Guard troops to the border because the work is considered too closely tied to immigration. California Gov. Jerry Brown has pledged 400 troops to the effort by Trump to send up to 4,000 troops to the border. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration Robert G. Salesses says officials wanted 237 for service in two areas of California with "a set of mission responsibility there that California National Guard has indicated they will not perform." He added that talks are ongoing. ___ 11 a.m. Two officials have told The Associated Press that California has rejected terms of the federal government's initial plans for sending National Guard troops to the border because the work is considered too closely tied to immigration. Gov. Jerry Brown elicited rare and effusive praise from President Donald Trump last week for pledging 400 troops to the Guard's third large-scale border mission since 2006. But the Democratic governor conditioned his commitment on troops having nothing to do with immigration enforcement, even in a supporting role. Brown's offer of troops for the mission that Trump wants up to 4,000 troops to perform is still in place. Talks are ongoing and the federal government has yet to publicly respond to Brown's demand that troops avoid immigration enforcement or the state's position on avoiding the specific jobs proposed, the officials said. - By Elliot Spagat ___ This version corrects the first item to reflect that Salesses, not Vitiello, talked about requests for a mission for 237 California troops. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - The Greek Cypriot president of ethnically divided Cyprus said the United Nations secretary-general could dispatch an envoy to scope out the possibility of resuming moribund reunification talks. President Nicos Anastasiades said it's up to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to decide whether to send an envoy. Anastasiades made the remarks after a U.N.-hosted meeting Monday with the leader of the breakaway Turkish Cypriots, Mustafa Akinci. It was the first time the two leaders met face-to-face since high-level peace talks collapsed in July. Anastasiades said the discussions covered all the differences between the two sides, but both remain entrenched in their positions. However, he and Akinci agreed to open this year two more crossing points across a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone that separates the breakaway north from the internationally recognized south. HANOVER, N.H. (AP) - A bear whose life was spared last spring by New Hampshire's governor has returned with four new cubs to the college town where she has feasted for the last few years. The bear was to be euthanized last May after two of her offspring entered a home near Dartmouth College in Hanover. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu instead ordered them relocated after public outcry. While the three yearlings were moved north - one of them later was killed by a hunter - the mother bear wasn't trapped because she left the area to mate. As predicted, she has reappeared, with new cubs. Bear biologist Andy Timmins put a tracking collar on the mother Friday and said the family will be moved when the weather warms up. Sununu says he agrees with the plan to track and move the bear. DOUMA, Syria (AP) - In a story April 16 about the aftermath of Western airstrikes in the Syrian town of Douma, The Associated Press referred erroneously to the Syrian government as Abbas' government instead of Assad's. It was a reference to Syrian President Bashar Assad. A corrected version of the story is below: Destruction, traumatized residents in Syrian town of Douma The streets of the town of Douma near the capital, Damascus, had few people with the majority of its residents now displaced to the country's north By BASSEM MROUE Associated Press DOUMA, Syria (AP) - Two days after Syrian troops declared this town near the capital, Damascus, liberated from rebel fighters and 10 days since a suspected chemical attack, a tour on Monday revealed widespread destruction and traumatized residents who recalled months spent cowering in crowded underground shelters infested with lice, with barely any food or water. Except for the Russian and Syrian troops patrolling the streets, few people could be seen in Douma, the majority of its residents now displaced to rebel-held areas to the north. The main hospital, courthouse and municipal buildings were largely reduced to rubble, while the nearby Grand Mosque, famed for its towering arches, white dome and majestic palm trees was riddled with bullet and shell holes - testimony to the intense government assault the town was subjected to since being seized by the rebels six years ago. Douma was one of the first areas to rise up against President Bashar Assad's government and until a few weeks ago it was a major threat to his seat of power in Damascus, as rebels pelted it with shells, disrupting normal life. On Saturday, Syrian government forces entered Douma for the first time since 2012, marking the biggest victory for Assad's forces since the conflict began in 2011. On Monday, the few remaining residents were able to move around safely for the first time in months following the crushing government offensive and a yearslong siege, tightened even further last year, that had starved the town, once the bread basket of the capital, of food, medical supplies and other essentials. On an Associated Press tour of the town, organized by the Assad government, hundreds of men, women and children could be seen standing in long lines waiting their turn to get pasta, vegetables and loaves of bread piled on government trucks and handed out for free. "This is the first time I will eat wheat bread in years," said Naim Saqour, an 18-year-old, after receiving a pack of nine Arab loaves from the government employees. Saqour said that he and his family had survived for months on olives and small amounts of barley bread. "Our happiness is double now. We are eating wheat bread and we sleep without fear," said tailor Alaa Khobiyeh. "Most importantly, we sleep above ground not underground." Many residents blamed the greed of some local businessmen and the main rebel group in Douma, the Saudi-backed Army of Islam, for much of their misery, by raising food prices to make more money and hiding the scant food supplies from people in need. After the Army of Islam left town, they said, they discovered the militants had stored large amounts of rice, flour, wheat, canned goods and other food - enough, they said to feed residents for months. Residents also spoke of several local families who used to buy large amounts of food and hoard it to sell later at a far higher price, making most food products out of reach for most people. Wafaa al-Seikh, 60, spoke wistfully of a time, years ago, when she used to cook a different dish for her family of six children and have a shower every day. For the past year, she said she could not afford to pay for staples like sugar, which shot up to 18,000 Syrian pounds ($40) a kilo (2.2 pounds), from its normal price of 500 Syrian pounds (about $1.10). "A month could pass without having a shower," said the woman, who had rice for the first time in years on Sunday. She described the past two months during the army's offensive to capture Douma as terrifying, with time passing slowly in shelters with little food and lice spreading among residents. Douma was the scene of a suspected chemical weapons attack on April 7 that killed more than 40 people and hastened the rebels' surrender to government forces. During a government-organized trip on Saturday, survivors spoke to the AP of the horror they witnessed from a chlorine-like substance that killed their neighbors, but they blamed the rebels for the attack, without providing any evidence. On Monday, the Assad government was working on winning the hearts and minds of Douma residents, handing out the free food and pledging to restore services in a timely fashion. At a meeting on Monday attended by Syrian Finance Minister Maamoun Hamdan, several local bankers and a number of Douma dignitaries, Hamdan promised that services would start improving in coming weeks and mobile bakeries would be deployed in neighborhoods to sell bread, the country's main staple, at cost. Hamdan said that initial funding of 5 billion Syrian pounds ($10.8 million) had been set aside "for different domains, and if it is not enough then we are ready to fund more." Maj. Gen. Issam Shehadeh Al-Hallaj, the chief police commander in the region, said that security forces were manning 15 checkpoints set up outside town to secure public properties and maintain order. He said 60,000 residents remained in the town after tens of thousands of rebels and their families left for rebel-held areas in northern Syria over the past two weeks. "We have deployed patrolling forces in all the squares to save the citizens and to spread security," he said. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim said Monday that he would be "concerned and afraid" if leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins and cancels the new Mexico City airport project. Speaking at a news conference, Slim strongly defended the $9.2 billion project, in which his companies have won major contracts. Lopez Obrador, who is the front-runner in preference polls, has called the project too costly and is pledging to cancel it if he wins the July 1 presidential vote. He says the soil at the site of the project is prone to sinking and flooding. Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim gives a press conference in Mexico City, Monday, April 16, 2018. Slim says he would be concerned if leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins on July 1 and cancels the new Mexico City airport project. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Asked if he is concerned about Lopez Obrador, Slim said: "I would be concerned and afraid for what comes after, because if this is going to be the way things are done, I think mistakes will be made in public administration." He added that "there is a risk of making mistakes by taking too few factors into account in decisions." Asked about Slim's comments, Lopez Obrador said, "I respect that point of view, but I don't share it." "It has been proven that this airport is going to be very costly for the country," Lopez Obrador said. "It's a bottomless pit." "This isn't a good deal for the country, for Mexicans. It is for a small group of contractors, they are going to make a lot," the candidate added. Slim, who built his $67 billion fortune largely on cellphone and traditional phone services but has since branched out into construction, said the new airport would spur development. "Suspending the project would mean suspending the country's economic growth," he said. He envisions the new airport opening up land on the nearby old airport, which could be used to build a huge mixed-use development of housing, offices and parks. He said he wouldn't have any business interest in the new development, he just wants it done. On other issues, Slim described U.S. President Donald Trump as a negotiator, noting: "I think he is somebody who is negotiating a lot of things." But he said hopes the Mexican government won't yield to Trump's demands on revising the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Trump administration has said it wants greater regional content requirements under NAFTA as well as other changes. "I hope the Mexican government doesn't give in," Slim said. Slim also criticized Mexican regulators who have focused special rules on his America Movil and Telmex companies because they once dominated the market. He said that in measurements of so-called "triple play" - telephone lines, cable television and internet - Telmex now has a market share of only around 42 percent, placing it below the 50 percent level of market dominance. But, he said, regulators have made it hard to invest in expanding cell coverage to the 20 million to 25 million Mexicans who live in areas that have scant coverage, because automatically anyone who starts operating in those areas would have a 100 percent market share. "We have had investments frozen for the last six years," Slim said of the telecom sector. Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim arrives to give a press conference in Mexico City, Monday, April 16, 2018. Slim says he would be concerned if leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins the July 1 presidential election and cancels the new Mexico City airport project. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) NEW YORK (AP) - Sean Hannity shares a world view with President Donald Trump and on Monday it was revealed, with some reluctance, that he shares a lawyer, too. The Fox News Channel prime-time host is Trump's most vocal defender on television, and a week ago he was on the air criticizing the FBI raid on the president's personal attorney Michael Cohen as evidence that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's "witch hunt" against the president has become a runaway train. After it was revealed in a court hearing Monday that Cohen represented Hannity, Fox News did not say whether it knew that ahead of time, or whether Hannity had any ethical obligation to reveal that relationship to viewers. Network representatives instead referred reporters to Hannity's own statements. A threat to Hannity is a threat to Fox: His show is the most-watched program on the network and he runs neck-and-neck with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow as the most popular on-air cable news personality. FILE - In this April 12, 2018 file photo, Fox News personality Sean Hannity attends The Hollywood Reporter's annual 35 Most Powerful People in Media event in New York. Hannity is President Donald Trump's most vocal defender on television, and a week ago he was on the air criticizing the FBI raid on the president's personal attorney Michael Cohen as evidence that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's "witch hunt" against the president has become a runaway train. It was revealed in a court hearing Monday, April 16, that Cohen also represented Hannity. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Monday's hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood in New York was about what should happen to seized material from Cohen. Cohen's lawyers did not want to publicly reveal that Hannity was a client, but Wood said that "I understand he doesn't want his name out there, but that's not enough under the law." Hannity said on his radio show that he had never retained Cohen "in any traditional sense," but that he occasionally went to him with legal questions. While he said he had not paid Cohen, he believed their discussions were protected under attorney-client privilege. He later tweeted that he mostly asked Cohen questions about legal matters. "It never, ever involved a matter between me and any third party," Hannity said. During his live radio show, he seemed flustered that he was getting a steady stream of phone and email messages about it. "I don't think this is such a big deal," he said. "Why do you think the media is going crazy on this?" Hannity waited until the last five minutes of his TV show to discuss the issue, after showing clips of his name being said on rival television networks dozens of time. He said the media was "absolutely apoplectic and hyperventilating." He repeated what he said on the radio, adding that it "never rose to any level that I needed to tell anyone." That was an apparent answer to two personalities on his own network. On Fox's show "The Five," panelist Juan Williams said Hannity had some questions to answer. "The question for me is, why Sean didn't disclose this earlier," Williams said. One of the guests on Hannity's show, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, told Hannity that "you should have disclosed your relationship with Cohen when you talked about him on the show." Hannity replied that the relationship was minimal and that he had a right to privacy. "It had to do with real estate and nothing political," Hannity told Dershowitz. Besides supporting Trump on his show, Hannity reportedly talks to the president regularly and, last week, Trump even tweeted out a promotion, telling his followers that Hannity was going to have a big show coming up. It's not the first time Hannity and Trump have shared a lawyer, either. Hannity, who said Monday that he had eight lawyers representing him in various matters, revealed last summer on his radio show that he had hired Trump attorney Jay Sekulow. Sekulow has been a frequent guest on Hannity's Fox show. On his Fox show last Monday, Hannity said that the Cohen raid represented a "dangerous phase" of Mueller's investigation "and there is no turning back from this." He said earlier that day, on his radio show, that a sense of "mission creep" had developed. "It seems that there's no limit at all into the fishing expedition that Mueller is now engaged in and if he has access to everything that (Trump's) personal attorney has, I can only imagine where that's going to lead." A week later, he found out. PHOENIX (AP) - U.S. Sen. John McCain's office says he's had intestinal surgery needed to stem an infection and is in stable condition at a Phoenix hospital. The longtime Republican senator has been undergoing physical therapy related to brain cancer treatment at his family home near Sedona, Arizona, since December. He previously said he was planning to return to Washington in January but has remained at home. The senator's office announced Monday that he had surgery the previous day at the Mayo Clinic. File - In this Oct. 31, 2017, file photo, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters following the weekly Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington. McCain's office said Monday, April 16, 2018, he is in stable condition at a Phoenix hospital after intestinal surgery needed to stem an infection. AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Staff members for the 2008 GOP presidential candidate say the surgery was related to diverticulitis, a condition where the colon develops small bulges that can sometimes become infected. McCain has had frequent visits from family, friends and Senate colleagues. The case against a New Jersey ex-convict found with Rosie O'Donnell's missing teenage daughter three years ago has been dismissed. Court records indicate charges of child endangerment and distributing obscenity to a minor against 28-year-old Steven Sheerer were dropped last month. Defense attorney Robert Tarver said on Monday he was unaware the case had been thrown out. He said prosecutors were pushing for a guilty plea earlier this year. Scroll down for video Case closed: The case against Steven Sheerer, 28 (left), who was found with Rosie O'Donnell's missing daughter Chelsea (pictured together, right), in August 2015 has been dismissed Chelsea was reported missing in August 2015 by her mother and later found at Sheerer's home in Barnegat, New Jersey (above) A tweet sent by The View co-host in August 2015 update her followers about her daughter The former co-host of The View reported 17-year-old Chelsea missing from her New York home four days before she was found in the attic of Sheerer's home in Barnegat, New Jersey, in August 2015. Tarver had said evidence would show his client was not guilty, reported Asbury Park Press. Chelsea previously told DailyMail.com that her adoptive mother Rosie had kicked her out of their South Nyack, New York, home before her 18th birthday and denied the comedian's claims that she was mentally ill. Chelsea was located about a week after her disappearance in New Jersey with Sheerer, then aged 25, whom she had met on Tinder. She was found hiding in the attic with her therapy dog named Bear. Past misdeeds: Sheerer (left and right) had been convicted of possessing controlled dangerous substances and child endangerment New life: Chelsea revealed that she secretly married her boyfriend, Nick Alliegro, 31, in July 2016 after she found out she was expecting her first child Sheerer had been convicted of possessing controlled dangerous substances and child endangerment after a 2013 incident in which he was arrested with heroin and marijuana while in a car with a woman and her two children, aged one and three. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years' probation. Sheerer was charged with endangering the welfare of a child in Chelsea's disappearance and third-degree distribution of obscenity to a minor. The latter was the result of a nude photo Sheerer sent the teen on Tinder when she was underage. During a court hearing in September 2015, Chelsea admitted that she misrepresented her age to Sheerer on Tinder. Chelsea has been estranged from Rosie, who adopted her as a baby in 1997, for the past three years. In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com last year, Chelsea revealed that she secretly married her boyfriend, Nick Alliegro, 31, in July 2016 after she found out she was expecting her first child, but the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. NEW YORK (AP) - The 2017 Pulitzer Prize winners and finalists: JOURNALISM Public Service The New York Times and The New Yorker for stories about disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men who have been accused of sexual harassment and abuse. The citation notes the reporting by the Times' Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker has spurred "a worldwide reckoning about sexual abuse of women." Also nominated as a finalist: The Kansas City Star for stories about the Kansas government's "obsession with secrecy" and lack of transparency in numerous areas, including law enforcement and child welfare services. ___ Breaking News Reporting The Press-Democrat in Santa Rosa, California, for coverage of devastating wildfires. Also nominated as finalists: The Houston Chronicle for its coverage of Hurricane Harvey and The New York Times for its coverage of the Las Vegas mass shooting. ___ Investigative Reporting The Washington Post for its coverage of sexual harassment allegations against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore. Also nominated as finalists: The Miami Herald for an investigation of Florida's juvenile justice system by reporters Carol Marbin Miller and Audra D.S. Burch, and Tim Eberly of The Virginian-Pilot for reporting that changed the state's secretive parole board. ___ Explanatory Reporting The Arizona Republic and USA Today Network for multimedia reporting including podcasts and virtual reality that examined President Donald Trump's proposal to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Also nominated as finalists: Michael Kimmelman of The New York Times for a series on climate change, and the staff of ProPublica for its reporting on the United States' high rate of maternal deaths and why many of them are preventable. ___ Local Reporting The Cincinnati Enquirer for stories on the city's heroin epidemic. Also nominated as finalists: The Chicago Tribune's Jason Grotto, Sandhya Kambhampati and Ray Long and ProPublica Illinois for an examination of 100 million tax records that showed systematic neglect of majority black and Latino neighborhoods, and The Boston Globe for stories that showed how racism had infiltrated all aspects of life in the city. ___ National Reporting The New York Times and The Washington Post for their deeply-sourced stories on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Also nominated as finalists: Amy Julia Harris and Shoshana Walter of Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting for stories on practices in several states that steered defendants into private drug rehabs that functioned as work camps, and Brett Murphy of USA Today Network for reports on truckers who haul goods from America's ports. ___ International Reporting Reuters reporters Clare Baldwin, Andrew R.C. Marshall and Manuel Mogato for their reports on killings made during Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs. Also nominated as finalists: The Associated Press for its coverage of the U.S.-led campaign that led to the liberation of Mosul from Islamic State control, and Buzzfeed News for stories on how operatives with apparent ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin had killed perceived enemies in Britain and the United States. ___ Feature Writing Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah, a freelance reporter for GQ for her profile on Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof. Also nominated as finalists: John Woodrow Cox of The Washington Post for stories about gun violence told through the eyes of children, and Norimitsu Onishi of The New York Times for the final days of Japan's isolated elderly population. ___ Commentary John Archibald of the Alabama Media Group for his columns that called out hypocrisy, corrupt politicians and championed the rights of women. Also nominated as finalists: Jelani Cobb of The New Yorker for her commentary on race, and Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times for his columns on California's housing crisis. ___ Criticism Jerry Saltz of New York magazine for his work on visual art in America. Also nominated as finalists: Carlos Lozada of The Washington Post for his books on criticism, and Manohla Dargis of The New York Times for columns about the exploitation of women in Hollywood. ___ Editorial Writing Andie Dominick of The Des Moines Register for editorials on damaging consequences of the state's privatization of Medicaid. Also nominated as finalists: The New York Times for a nine-part series on why people with a history of domestic violence should be restricted from having guns, and Sharon Grigsby of The Dallas Morning News for editorials on Baylor University's response to sexual assault on campus. ___ Editorial Cartooning Jake Halpern, freelance writer and Michael Sloan, freelance cartoonist for a graphic series published by The New York Times on the struggles of a family of refugees living with the fear of deportation. Also nominated as finalists: Mark Fiore, freelance cartoonist, for his animated editorial cartoons, and Mike Thompson of the Detroit Free Press for cartoons on a variety of social issues. ___ Breaking News Photography Ryan Kelly of The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Virginia, for his image of a driver plowing through demonstrators. Also nominated as a finalist: Ivor Prickett, a freelance photographer whose images for The New York Times showed the impact of survivors of war in Mosul and Raqqa. ___ Feature Photography Reuters for its photographs that showed the violence experienced by the Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar. Also nominated as finalists: Kevin Frayer, freelance photographer for Getty Images, who also documented the Rohingya crisis; Lisa Krantz of the San Antonio Express-News for her images of a boy battling an incurable disorder; and Meridith Kohut, a freelance photographer who documented the starvation of children in Venezuela for The New York Times. ___ LETTERS, DRAMA AND MUSIC Fiction "Less," by Andrew Sean Greer Also nominated as finalists: "In the Distance," by Hernan Diaz and "The Idiot," by Elif Batuman ___ Drama "Cost of Living," by Martyna Majok Also nominated as finalists: "Everybody," by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and "The Minutes," by Tracy Letts ___ History "The Gulf: The Making of an American Sea," by Jack E. Davis Also nominated as finalists: "Fear City: New York's Fiscal Crisis and the Rise of Austerity Politics," by Kim Phillips-Fein and "Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America," by Steven J. Ross ___ Biography or Autobiography "Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder," by Caroline Fraser Also nominated as finalists: "Richard Nixon: The Life," by John A. Farrell and "Robert Lowell, Setting the River on Fire: A Study of Genius, Mania, and Character," by Kay Redfield Jamison ___ Poetry "Half-light: Collected Poems 1965-2016," by Frank Bidart Also nominated as finalists: "Incendiary Art," by Patricia Smith and "semiautomatic," by Evie Shockley ___ General Nonfiction "Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America," by James Forman Jr. Also nominated as finalists: "Notes on a Foreign Country: America Abroad in a Post-America World" by Suzy Hansen and "The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World - and Us," by Richard O. Prum ___ Music "DAMN.," by Kendrick Lamar. Also nominated as finalists: "Quartet," by Michael Gilbertson and "Sound from the Bench," by Ted Hearne. The father of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has made the humbling decision to forgive his sons killers, nearly 25 years after losing his first child. Neville Lawrence, 76, said the decision was the hardest he has ever made, and that he struggles to put into words the devastation caused to his family when his son was killed. Stephen was murdered by a gang of racists in Eltham, south-east London, on April 22 1993 at the age of 18. His father told the Press Association: The fact that I had to lose my first child has been devastating. I cant begin to explain the pain and the anguish me and my family have suffered over the past 25 years. He said the decision to forgive Stephens killers was the hardest I will ever make in my lifetime, but that he has embraced Christian faith. He plans to spend the 25th anniversary of his sons death in church. Two of the group of up to six thugs who attacked the teenager and his friend Duwayne Brooks, simply because they were black, have been convicted of murder, but the rest have evaded justice. David Norris and Gary Dobson are both serving life sentences, while three other men who have consistently been accused of the killing but never convicted are Jamie Acourt, 41, from Bexley; his brother Neil Acourt, 42, who uses his mothers maiden name Stuart, and Luke Knight, 41, both from Eltham. Stephen Lawrence was murdered on April 22 1993 The initial investigation into Stephens death was hampered by incompetence, racism and alleged corruption. A key moment was when Mr Lawrence and his ex-wife Doreen met Nelson Mandela two weeks after Stephen died. When I met him for the first time I was so inspired by his persona and the way he talked to people, Mr Lawrence said. He made it clear to us that in his country it was something that they go through every day, but never in his wildest dreams did he think that something like that would happen in a place like Britain. Meeting him gave me the courage to do some of the things I have done over the years. Other families came to my rescue as well. When you are going to go on a journey, if somebody else who has been through it comes and talks to you they can give you an idea what youre going to face down the road. Nelson Mandela with Neville Lawrence and Doreen Lawrence (Fiona Hanson/PA) What those families did for me I cant even start to explain to people. I decided, after a certain amount of time, on my journey, that if anybody who had the same kind of experience wanted me to come and talk to them then I would do that. I also decided that I would go into schools and universities and talk to the younger generation. Parts of the UK, particularly London, have seen a surge in violent crime in recent months, with nearly 60 murders in the capital so far this year. Mr Lawrence, who speaks to young people to spell out the dire consequences of carrying a weapon, said: Right now with the violence, and the knife crime violence, it is even more urgent now that I talk to these youngsters and explain to them the pain and the suffering they inflict on families. It is a life sentence and something that will never be served. Ive been serving a life sentence for the last 25 years and I will go on serving that until the day I die. He believes if young people are left with nothing to do they will get involved in activities that are devastating to the community in which they live. Mr Lawrence and his former wife, who is now Baroness Lawrence, have campaigned for more than two decades to get justice for their son. Doreen Lawrence taking her seat in the House of Lords The botched case led to a major public inquiry and eventually a change in the law to allow Dobson to be tried twice for murder. Detectives have admitted their investigation is unlikely to progress without new information. But the case remains under scrutiny with an inquiry into undercover policing examining claims that police moles infiltrated campaign groups supporting the Lawrence family. Mr Lawrences solicitor Jocelyn Cockburn from Hodge Jones and Allen said: I am humbled by his message of forgiveness to mark the anniversary of his sons death. Neville can feel proud of what he has achieved in the intervening years. Former plasterer and decorator Mr Lawrence believes that in death his aspiring architect son has become a legend. He said: When these boys killed my son Stephen, they created a legend. In his death, Stephen is a legend. There is debate about racism, there are organisations set up to help to make people understand about racism, the police have been put under the spotlight because of Stephens death. The father-of-three and his family, who have fought with immense dignity despite scandalously poor treatment by the police, will never escape the pain of what happened. He said: My family, especially me, I will never be the person I was before Stephens death. Maybe sometimes people think you can just brush things aside. You can never brush this aside, this is going to live with you for the rest of your life. This is a life sentence that you cant finish. The only time my life sentence will be finished is when Im in the ground. Former FBI Director James Comey says he thinks Donald Trump is morally unfit to be the US president. In an interview with ABC News that aired on Sunday night, Mr Comey also said he thought it was possible the Russians had compromising information on Mr Trump, and that there was some evidence of obstruction of justice in the presidents actions. His comments were almost certain to escalate his war of words with the president and further erode a relationship marked by open hostility and name-calling. Hours before the interview aired, the president, who fired Mr Comey last year, unleashed a Twitter outburst that labelled Mr Comey slippery, suggested he should be put in jail and branded him the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! Mr Comeys televised remarks, coupled with the release of his forthcoming book, offer his version of events surrounding his firing and the investigations into Russian election meddling and Hillary Clintons email practices. Several of the episodes he describes in detail, including a private conversation about former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, are central to special counsel Robert Muellers investigation and his recollections are presumably valuable for prosecutors examining whether the presidents actions constitute obstruction of justice. The FBI director, who until his firing last May led an investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, acknowledged that it was stunning to think that Russia could have damaging information about an American president. But he said that in Mr Trumps case, he could not discount the possibility that the president had been compromised. These are more words I never thought Id utter about a president of the United States, but its possible, Mr Comey told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. He also answered possibly when asked if the president was attempting to obstruct justice when he cleared the Oval Office of other officials last February before encouraging him to close the investigation into Mr Flynn, who by that point was suspected of lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts. The retired general pleaded guilty last December and is now cooperating with Muellers investigation. Mr Comey also said he believed that Trump was morally unfit to be president and that he treated women like pieces of meat. President Donald Trump and former FBI director James Comey (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, left, and Andrew Harnik) A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like theyre pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it that persons not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds, he said. On Sunday Mr Trump rejected Mr Comeys assertion that the president had sought his loyalty at a January 2017 dinner, saying I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. Mr Trump fired Mr Comey in May 2017, setting off a scramble at the Justice Department that led to the appointment of Mueller as special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation. Mr Muellers probe has expanded to include whether Mr Trump obstructed justice by firing Mr Comey. So far, 19 people have been charged in the investigation. Asked whether he believed Mr Trump ought to be impeached, Mr Comey replied: I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe theyre duty bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values. He added: But you cannot have, as president of the United States, someone who does not reflect the values that I believe Republicans treasure and Democrats treasure and Independents treasure. That is the core of this country. Thats our foundation. And so impeachment, in a way, would short circuit that. Bombing Syria was in Britains national interest and has had strong international support, Theresa May will insist as she tells Parliament why she ordered the attack. The Prime Minister is expected to face angry MPs after launching military action without securing the support of the Commons. But she will say the UK joined the United States and France in co-ordinated strikes following the chemical weapons attack in Douma to alleviate further humanitarian suffering. Mrs May will ask for an emergency debate to allow more time for discussion in a nod to the fury among MPs at not being consulted, but she is not offering a vote. This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) There is broad based international support for the action we have taken, she will say. It comes amid reports that Russia has launched a dirty tricks campaign in response to the strikes. Whitehall sources have confirmed a 20-fold increase in disinformation spread by Kremlin-linked social media bot accounts since the strikes, according to The Daily Telegraph. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the UK has to take every possible precaution to prepare for possible revenge cyber attacks on targets like the NHS and electrical facilities. When the global rules and standards that keep us safe come under threat we must take a stand and defend them pic.twitter.com/ToOnKsiHrd Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 14, 2018 Jeremy Corbyn has called for the introduction of a War Powers Act to stop governments launching military action in most circumstances without the backing of the Commons. The Labour leader said chlorine has been used by a number of parties in the conflict in Syria as a weapon and questioned the legality of the airstrikes. Mrs May spoke in Downing Street in the hours after the blitz and insisted the action was a limited and targeted strike to degrade and deter the Syrian government. But she also drew a link with the nerve agent attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. After @Theresa_Mays attack on Syria, I have called for a Wars Powers Act so that governments are held to account by Parliament for what they do in our name. The Government must now, through the UN, take a diplomatic lead to negotiate a ceasefire in the Syrian conflict. #Marr pic.twitter.com/rktvvNnUxI Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 15, 2018 The Prime Minister will tell MPs on Monday that the strikes were in the national interest because the use of chemical weapons cannot be normalised, including in the UK. She will say: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. The governments position on the legality of UK military action on 14 April: https://t.co/Z0ASLDlvdc pic.twitter.com/iDMnv8ID6T UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 14, 2018 The Prime Minister spent Saturday evening speaking to world leaders to explain why Britain had joined forces with France and the US and will insist the three nations are not alone in believing it was the right thing to do. Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia and European Council President Donald Tusk have all have expressed their support for the actions that Britain, France and America have taken, the PM will add. United Nations Security Council-mandated inspectors have probed previous attacks and decided Bashar Assads regime was responsible four times, MPs will be told. We are confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible for this attack and that its persistent pattern of behaviour meant that it was highly likely to continue using chemical weapons, Mrs May will add. Furthermore, there were clearly attempts to block any proper investigation, as we saw with the Russian veto at the UN earlier in the week. And we cannot wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks. Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. The United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Russia for covering up the actions of the Assad regime. Judge Rinder has received a special message from friend Benedict Cumberbatch to celebrate his 1,000th case. The barrister, whose full name is Robert Rinder, has been hearing small-claims appeals on the ITV daytime programme since 2014. Looks like Judge Rinder, Pete and Michelle are getting ready for next weeks celebrations already! Don't miss our 1000th case on Tuesday@2pm ITV #ITV #STV #Judgerinder pic.twitter.com/YdpNNTneTI Judge Rinder (@JudgeRinderTV) April 14, 2018 In a special tribute aired on ITVs Good Morning Britain, the Doctor Strange star said: Rob, congratulations on your 1,000th show (sic). I only got up to something like 92 of Hamlet, I couldnt imagine how you feel playing Judge Rinder every day. A thousand that is amazing, well done, we love you. Benedict Cumberbatch and wife Sophie Hunter (Matt Crossick/PA) The pair are old friends and Rinder was reportedly Cumberbatchs best man at his wedding to Sophie Hunter. Rinder laughed and expressed his delight at the message, saying: Its a similar thing, isnt it? Playing Hamlet and dealing with a case about a man in a lime green mankini? Very, very similar. Asked by host Piers Morgan what gift he had received from ITV to celebrate the landmark, Rinder said: I thought it was a good opportunity, the economic climate being what it is, for a little bit of a pay rise. Judge Judy seems to get it every year, but instead they gave me a golden gavel. Our Judge is delighted with his golden gavel for his 1000th case! You can catch the case in question Tuesday at 2pm ITV #ITV #STV #Judgerinder #1000thcase pic.twitter.com/9HjvFcZ42L Judge Rinder (@JudgeRinderTV) April 15, 2018 Judge Rinder is on ITV at 2pm on weekdays. Theresa May will face MPs over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria as Labour questioned the legality of the bombing raid. The Prime Minister is expected to face anger in the Commons after launching military action without securing the support of Parliament. As well as facing MPs questions, she will also take the unusual step of calling an urgent debate although this is expected to fall far short of an explicit vote on the military action demanded by some in the Commons. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted the strikes co-ordinated with action by the United States and France were right for the UK and right for the world. The Prime Minister will say the UK joined the United States and France in co-ordinated strikes following the chemical weapons attack in Douma to alleviate further humanitarian suffering. Mr Johnson, speaking at a summit of European Union foreign ministers, stressed it was not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change and the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way. But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad, he said. But shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Governments justification for the air strikes, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: You cant use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you. She added: I think that Parliament should have been recalled before the strike. Some people will suspect that that didnt happen because of governmental concerns that they couldnt get the vote in Parliament. And that to me is not a good enough reason. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, writing in The Guardian, said: The military action at the weekend was legally questionable. The Governments own justification, which relies heavily on the strongly contested doctrine of humanitarian intervention, does not even meet its own tests. Without UN authority it was again a matter of the US and British governments arrogating to themselves an authority to act unilaterally which they do not possess. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt opposed calls from MPs including Mr Corbyn who has called for a War Powers Act to give Parliament greater powers over military interventions. Ms Mordaunt told Today: To take a decision on whether something is legally justified, and whether what we are actually intending on doing in terms of targets is appropriate, you would need to know information that could not be shared with every MP. She added that it would be a crazy thing to do to share information on targets with MPs. Mrs May will ask for the emergency debate to allow more time for discussion in a nod to the fury among MPs at not being consulted. This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) There is broad-based international support for the action we have taken, she will say. It comes amid reports that Russia has launched a dirty tricks campaign in response to the strikes. Whitehall sources have confirmed a 20-fold increase in disinformation spread by Kremlin-linked social media bot accounts since the strikes, according to The Daily Telegraph. Mr Johnson said the UK has to take every possible precaution to prepare for possible revenge cyber attacks on targets such as the NHS and electrical facilities. When the global rules and standards that keep us safe come under threat we must take a stand and defend them pic.twitter.com/ToOnKsiHrd Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 14, 2018 The Prime Minister will tell MPs on Monday that the strikes were in the national interest because the use of chemical weapons cannot be normalised, including in the UK. She will say: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. The governments position on the legality of UK military action on 14 April: https://t.co/Z0ASLDlvdc pic.twitter.com/iDMnv8ID6T UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 14, 2018 The Prime Minister spent Saturday evening speaking to world leaders to explain why Britain had joined forces with France and the US and will insist the three nations are not alone in believing it was the right thing to do. Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia and European Council president Donald Tusk have all expressed their support for the actions that Britain, France and America have taken, the PM will add. United Nations Security Council-mandated inspectors have probed previous attacks and decided Assads regime was responsible four times, MPs will be told. We are confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible for this attack and that its persistent pattern of behaviour meant that it was highly likely to continue using chemical weapons, Mrs May will add. Furthermore, there were clearly attempts to block any proper investigation, as we saw with the Russian veto at the UN earlier in the week. And we cannot wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks. Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. The United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Russia for covering up the actions of the Assad regime. Hundreds of Syrians are rallying in Syrias capital in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the joint air strikes by the West over the weekend. State TV broadcast the rally live from Damascuss central Omayyad Square. Protesters waved Syrian flags at the demonstration, dubbed a salute to the achievements of the Arab Syrian Army, setting off fireworks and celebratory gunfire. Syrian protesters gather in the captial, Damascus (AP) Shouts of Allah, Syria, and only Bashar, a reference to Syrian president Bashar Assad, rang out. The joint air strikes by the US, UK and France bombed sites which the three countries said were linked to Syrias chemical weapons programme. The air strikes were triggered by an alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma, just outside of Damascus. Syrian activists said more than 40 people were killed, but Syria and Russia deny the attack. Russia has accused Britain of staging the attack. Saturdays air strikes came shortly after a fact-finding mission from the Organisation of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Syria to investigate the attack. The mission is still expected to make it to Douma, where government security agencies and Russian military police have deployed after the town fell under government control, raising complaints from the Syrian opposition that evidence of chemical weapon use might no longer be found. The OPCW is holding an emergency meeting on Monday in the Hague to discuss the suspected chemical attack in Douma. The strikes have ratcheted up international tension, as the US and Russia exchanged threats of retaliation. US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has indicated new economic sanctions will be announced on Monday against Russia for enabling Mr Assads government to continue using chemical weapons. Russian president Vladimir Putin said the military strikes violated the UN Charter and that if they continue, it will inevitably entail chaos in international relations, according to a Kremlin statement. The Syrian government regained full control of Douma on Saturday, following a surrender deal with the rebels who had controlled the town just east of Damascus. It also followed the purported use of chemical weapons there on April 7. Douma was the last rebel hold-out in the eastern Ghouta enclave, which was the target of a government offensive in February and March which killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands of people. Syrian media, Russian and Syrian officials have sought to downplay the impact of the joint air strikes, saying the Syrian air defences have intercepted most of the missiles. The Pentagon said no missiles were engaged. A cross-party group of 140 MPs has written to Prime Minister Theresa May calling for an immediate and effective response to problems faced by long-term British residents from the Windrush generation over their immigration status. The move follows concern that people are facing deportation and being denied access to healthcare due to UK paperwork issues and anomalies affecting some immigrants who arrived between the late 1940s and early 1970s. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt insisted people had no need to be concerned, but acknowledged the Government needed to do more to allay fears. Jamaican immigrants are welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT Empire Windrush landed them at Tilbury (PA) The letter to the PM was co-ordinated by David Lammy, chairman of the Race and Community All Party Parliamentary Group, and has the backing of Jeremy Corbyn and Conservative MPs such as Sarah Wollaston. Thread: Today I have led 140 MPs from 6 parties urging @theresa_may to take immediate action to address the #Windrush crisis. What is going on is grotesque, immoral and inhumane. It is a stain on our nations conscience and the PM must act urgently to right this historic wrong. pic.twitter.com/3XM6PXyYGF David Lammy (@DavidLammy) April 16, 2018 Mr Lammy said: What is going on is grotesque, immoral and inhumane. It is a stain on our nations conscience and the Prime Minister must act urgently to right this historic wrong. After World War II we invited the Windrush Generation over as citizens to help rebuild our country, and now their children are being treated like criminals. The government is essentially stripping people of the rights that our government itself granted decades ago. The government must immediately guarantee that anyone who comes forward to clarify their status should not face deportation or detention, because as things stand today there are thousands of people who are too worried about their future to come forward. The letter to Mrs May calls for action over the immigration anomalies, stating: All too often these routine bureaucratic errors bring about the separation of families and irreparable damage to lives in addition to undue stress, anxiety and suffering. The impact has been felt in the cases of individuals losing the right to work, to rent property, to receive pensions, to access their bank accounts or even to access vital healthcare a particularly cruel twist of fate as so many of those affected have spent their lives in the service of our National Health Service. Ms Mordaunt told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: People who are in that situation, there is absolutely no question of their right to remain, and their right to gain access to services such as healthcare. What clearly needs to happen is we need to do a better job with the process that these individuals are having to go through. People should not be concerned about this they have the right to stay and we should be reassuring them of that. Barbados High Commissioner Guy Hewitt said it was most unfortunate Mrs May did not have space in her schedule to meet Caribbean leaders to discuss the issue at this weeks Commonwealth conference in London. He told the BBC: Because they came from colonies which were not independent, they thought they were British subjects. They thought that there was no need for them to regularise their status. And 40, 50 years on are being told by the Home Office not that they are just anomalies, but they are illegal immigrants. They are being shut out of the system. Some have been detained, are still being detained. Others have been deported. Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey was heckled by members of the public in a Holyrood committee meeting covering Universal Credit and the rape clause. An audience member shouted you cant get into work if youre dead at Ms McVey as she argued Universal Credit is a supportive system aimed at helping people into work. The intervention followed the SNPs Ben MacPherson asking Ms McVey to apologise for the suffering and distress caused by the cynical and critical system, which was set up to roll several benefits into one direct payment. Esther McVey was heckled by protesters at the Scottish Parliament (Ben Birchall/PA) The meeting was suspended after an audience member shouted out about a person who took their own life following sanctions. When the meeting reconvened, Ms McVey said: I am not oblivious to people who are incredibly vulnerable or who are in need, and obviously the gentleman felt he needed to have his points said about something that was very important to him and about somebody who was very vulnerable. She said the department reaches out to vulnerable people. The Secretary was heckled again as she spoke on the rape clause, where women have to prove conception through non-consensual sex to qualify for tax credits for a third child. She said this offers women potentially double support through money and an opportunity to talk they may have never had before. The meeting was suspended for a second time as a second audience member began shouting and then walked out. Horrendous, listening to @EstherMcVey1 and her hench women blandly supporting UC, 2 child cap and Rape Clause. Batting off all criticism. Frustration of onlookers spilling over. Camera suspended twice. MoiraShemilt (@DrMoiraS) April 16, 2018 Questioned several times on evidence Universal Credit has pushed people into debt and led to rising food bank use in Scotland, Ms McVey argued in many cases the debt is historical. She said she did not agree that people could be worse off, claiming the entire package had to be considered including minimum wage rises and increasing income tax personal allowance. She also ruled out automatic split payments which several MSPs have called for as they fear having to request this could put domestic abuse victims at further risk. Ms McVey said these would be provided where required and would be revolutionary in giving abuse victims an opportunity to access support. The SNPs George Adam said Universal Credit is causing financial mayhem, raised the case of a constituent sanctioned while in hospital having suffered a heart attack and asked Ms McVey if she believes the system is fit for purpose. DWP boss Esther McVey grilled at Holyrood committee this morning. @GeorgeAdam asks "What about people like my constituent who was sanctioned for having a heart attack?" McVey insists the system is working... Dan Paris (@_DanParis) April 16, 2018 She said: Universal Credit is fit for purpose but with this slow rollout, this learn-as-you-go approach which we are doing, that is to make sure that should there are any issues within the system that need to be supported and altered, well weve done that, were doing that, because it does need to work for everyone. She asked for the name and address for the man who suffered the heart attack to find out what went wrong, adding the system is working for the vast, vast majority. Mr Adam told the secretary her approach is completely devoid from the real world. Diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia deepened amid claims that Moscow was blocking investigators from reaching the site of a chemical weapons attack in Syria. The UK said it was essential that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was granted unfettered access to Douma. Russia strongly denied interfering with the work of inspectors attempting to reach the site of the atrocity which the UK and Western allies have said was perpetrated by the regime of Moscows ally Bashar Assad. UK considers unfettered access essential. Russia and Syria must cooperate. https://t.co/OB5hp6qboS UK Delegation OPCW (@UK_OPCW) April 16, 2018 The latest row between the UK and Russia came as Theresa May prepared to face MPs over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria as Labour questioned the legality of the bombing raid. The UKs representative at the OPCW, Peter Wilson, said: It is imperative that the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation offer the OPCW fact finding mission team their full co-operation and assistance to carry out their difficult task. He dismissed as ludicrous a Russian claim that the UK had helped stage the attack in Douma, which killed up to 75 people, including a number of children. He said: Russia has argued that the attack on Douma was somehow staged, or faked. They have even suggested that the UK was behind the attack. That is ludicrous. He said Moscow was spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation to undermine the integrity of the OPCWs fact-finding mission to Syria. Relations between Russia and the UK have been plunged into the deep freeze following the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. The UKs claims about interference with the OPCWs work in Syria were dismissed by Moscow. Russia confirms its adherence to the provision of security for the mission and does not plan to interfere with its work, the countrys representative at the OPCW said according to Russian news agency Tass. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is expected to face anger in the Commons after launching military action without securing the support of Parliament. As well as facing MPs questions, she will also take the unusual step of calling an urgent debate although this is expected to fall far short of an explicit vote on the military action demanded by some in the Commons. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted the strikes co-ordinated with action by the United States and France were right for the UK and right for the world. Mr Johnson, speaking at a summit of European Union foreign ministers, stressed it was not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change and the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way. But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad, he said. But shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Governments justification for the airstrikes, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: You cant use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you. The government did not meet its own tests for launching an airstrike in Syria over the weekend, says Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti #r4today pic.twitter.com/154qZ9gewe BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) April 16, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, writing in The Guardian, said: The military action at the weekend was legally questionable. The Governments own justification, which relies heavily on the strongly contested doctrine of humanitarian intervention, does not even meet its own tests. Without UN authority it was again a matter of the US and British governments arrogating to themselves an authority to act unilaterally which they do not possess. Mrs May will ask for the emergency debate to allow more time for discussion in a nod to the fury among MPs at not being consulted. This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) The Prime Minister will tell MPs that the strikes were in the national interest because the use of chemical weapons cannot be normalised, including in the UK. She will say: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. The governments position on the legality of UK military action on 14 April: https://t.co/Z0ASLDlvdc pic.twitter.com/iDMnv8ID6T UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 14, 2018 Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. A lawyer representing the parents of a 23-month-old boy who has been at the centre of a life-support treatment battle has told Court of Appeal judges that members of the public are nonplussed by the case. Barrister Paul Diamond said on Monday that there was a passion out there about Alfie Evans case. Mr Diamond, who represents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, had asked Court of Appeal judges in London to reconsider the little boys case. The couple, who are from Liverpool, have already lost fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. Tom Evans and Kate James, the parents of seriously ill Alfie (Philip Toscano/PA) Alfies parents have complained that the state is wrongly interfering with their parental choice. They want to move Alfie to a hospital in Rome and say doctors there are willing to treat the little boy. In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool. Specialists at Alder Hey said life-support treatment should stop and Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile. He said flying Alfie to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless. Court of Appeal judges upheld his ruling. Supreme Court justices and European Court of Human Rights judges have refused to intervene. A general view of Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA) Last week, Mr Justice Hayden endorsed a detailed plan put forward by Alder Hey doctors for withdrawing life-support treatment after considering a number of issues at a follow-up High Court hearing. Mr Diamond is asking appeal court judges to overturn decisions made by Mr Justice Hayden last week. There is a passion out there, Mr Diamond told appeal judge Lord Justice Davis, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Moylan. The public is nonplussed by this. He said doctors abroad were willing to treat Alfie and an air ambulance was available. Alfies parents say their son has improved in recent weeks and had asked Mr Justice Hayden to allow a new assessment. Supporters of the family have protested outside Alder Hey hospital (PA) Mr Hayden refused that request. He said medical experts unanimous view was that Alfies brain had been eroded by disease and further assessment was pointless. It has also been suggested that Alfie was being unlawfully detained or deprived of his liberty at Alder Hey. The judge also dismissed that suggestion. Appeal court officials say an appeal court judge had decided that Alfie should continue to receive treatment pending the outcome of Mondays Court of Appeal hearing. Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a semi-vegetative state and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed. Prime Minister Theresa May is to meet counterparts from Caribbean states this week to discuss problems faced by long-term British residents from the Windrush generation over their immigration status, Downing Street has announced. Mrs Mays official spokesman said the PM was clear that nobody with a right to be in the UK would be made to leave. The announcement came amid growing anger about individuals facing the threat of deportation and being denied access to healthcare due to UK paperwork issues and anomalies affecting some immigrants who arrived between the late 1940s and early 1970s. Jamaican immigrants are welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT Empire Windrush landed them at Tilbury (PA) Reports suggested that Mrs May had rejected a request from 12 Caribbean leaders to discuss the issue. But Number 10 said that the PM only became aware of the request on Monday morning and hoped to meet as many of them as possible for a meeting this week, while they are in London for the Commonwealth summit. It's disgraceful that the rights of the Windrush Generation have been brought into question by this Government and that some have been wrongfully deported.@Theresa_May must give them the rights they deserve and answer serious questions about how this has happened on her watch. https://t.co/CYbZBuzSv3 Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 16, 2018 Mrs Mays official spokesman said: She deeply values the contribution made by these and all Commonwealth citizens who have made a life in the UK, and is making sure the Home Office is offering the correct solution for individual situations. She is aware that many people are unlikely to have documents that are over 40 years old and she is clear that no-one with the right to be here will be made to leave. The PMs spokesman said the Home Office was expected to set out measures on Monday to support members of the Windrush generation in providing the documentation necessary to prove their right to live in the UK. The announcement came after a cross-party group of 140 MPs wrote to Mrs May calling for an immediate and effective response to problems faced by members of the Windrush generation. The letter to the PM was co-ordinated by David Lammy, chairman of the Race and Community All Party Parliamentary Group, and has the backing of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Conservative MPs such as Sarah Wollaston. Thread: Today I have led 140 MPs from 6 parties urging @theresa_may to take immediate action to address the #Windrush crisis. What is going on is grotesque, immoral and inhumane. It is a stain on our nations conscience and the PM must act urgently to right this historic wrong. pic.twitter.com/3XM6PXyYGF David Lammy (@DavidLammy) April 16, 2018 The letter to Mrs May calls for action over the immigration anomalies, stating: All too often these routine bureaucratic errors bring about the separation of families and irreparable damage to lives in addition to undue stress, anxiety and suffering. The impact has been felt in the cases of individuals losing the right to work, to rent property, to receive pensions, to access their bank accounts or even to access vital healthcare a particularly cruel twist of fate as so many of those affected have spent their lives in the service of our National Health Service. Mr Lammy said: What is going on is grotesque, immoral and inhumane. It is a stain on our nations conscience and the Prime Minister must act urgently to right this historic wrong. After World War II we invited the Windrush generation over as citizens to help rebuild our country, and now their children are being treated like criminals. The Government is essentially stripping people of the rights that our Government itself granted decades ago. The Government must immediately guarantee that anyone who comes forward to clarify their status should not face deportation or detention, because as things stand today there are thousands of people who are too worried about their future to come forward. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: People who are in that situation, there is absolutely no question of their right to remain, and their right to gain access to services such as healthcare. Im deeply concerned to hear about difficulties some of the Windrush generation are facing with their immigration status. This should not happen to people who have been longstanding pillars of our community. The government is looking into this urgently Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) April 16, 2018 What clearly needs to happen is we need to do a better job with the process that these individuals are having to go through. People should not be concerned about this they have the right to stay and we should be reassuring them of that. Barbados High Commissioner Guy Hewitt told the BBC: Because they came from colonies which were not independent, they thought they were British subjects. They thought that there was no need for them to regularise their status. And 40, 50 years on are being told by the Home Office not that they are just anomalies, but they are illegal immigrants. They are being shut out of the system. Some have been detained, are still being detained. Others have been deported. The Government has been accused of being cruel and inhumane over its treatment of the Windrush generation who came to the UK from the Commonwealth 70 years ago. The leader of Unison has written to the Home Secretary calling for their legal status to be confirmed amid fears of deportations. Dave Prentis cited the case of Albert Thompson, who has lived in the UK for 44 years, who has been told he has to pay 54,000 to have treatment for prostate cancer. Unison general secretary Dave Prentis has called on Amber Rudd to confirm the legal status of the Windrush generation (Jonathan Brady/PA) Mr Prentis told Unisons annual health conference in Brighton: We must never forget the Windrush generation. Those who came from across the Commonwealth, to help rebuild our country, and to build our NHS. Hard work, children raised, taxes paid, making Britain their home. The SS Windrush arrived in Tilbury Port just two weeks before the NHS was established, and these two anniversaries, these two histories are intertwined and inseparable. The Windrush generation served us all and made our country a better place, but now we have to repay that service by supporting so many of them in their hour of need. I know all of you will share the horror that I felt reading about Albert Thompson, denied treatment for cancer unless he could pay up front, denied it having lived here for 44 years. Abandoned by a cruel, vindictive government. Its inhumane. We must do everything in our power to help Albert and the thousands of other members of the Windrush generation facing the same fate. Thats why Ive written to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd to demand that Albert Thompson receives the immediate treatment he deserves and he needs. Im making a demand that she stops the deportations, respects those who have given decades to our communities, and we insist that she confirm the legal status of the Windrush generation and their children once and for all. Diane Abbott has come under fire after posting a fake image of a bombing raid in a social media post about the Syrian air strikes. The shadow home secretary dismissed as pathetic the row over her use of the picture. Shocking to hear Tory minister on @BBCr4today claim that you cant allow Parliament to vote on war because that would be to outsource the decision to people who dont have all the info Do these people understand what parliamentary democracy is? pic.twitter.com/1sMxSJb48G Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) April 16, 2018 The Labour frontbencher used the image in a post hitting out at International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt, who was defending the Governments refusal to hold a parliamentary vote before launching air strikes in response to the chemical weapon attack at Douma. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott has dismissed a Twitter spat as `pathetic (Peter Byrne/PA) Twitter users pointed out that the image used to illustrate her point was a composite showing what a fictional Israeli air strike in Tehran might have looked like, rather than an actual RAF raid on Syria. But Ms Abbott dismissed criticism over her choice of image, saying: Apparently, my use of this pic is important news. Yes, UK goes to war without UN approval or even parliamentary debate. But the most important news is what pics I use in a tweet. Pathetic. Apparently, my use of this pic is 'important news'. Yes, UK goes to war without UN approval or even parliamentary debate. But the most important news is what pics I use in a tweet. Pathetic. Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) April 16, 2018 The RAFs involvement in the joint operation with the US and France saw Tornado jets launch storm shadow missiles at the Him Sinshar chemical weapons storage site. Diane massively undermines he own argument by showing a willingness to use a deeply dishonest image. Can any of us believe she, or Corbyn etc, would make a balanced judgement based on the facts rather than on their anti-West prejudice and a desire for party political advantage? https://t.co/VjbyJhbo4e James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) April 16, 2018 Tory MP James Cleverly said Ms Abbott had undermined her case by using a deeply dishonest image and accused her and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of anti-West prejudice. The picture is outrageous, childish, and misleading, it is totally unacceptable for you to use it. To imply that this was a attack on civilian homes, as the picture does, is a vile misrepresentation and dishonours the RAF personnel involved. Delete the tweet and apologise. James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) April 16, 2018 Demanding an apology, he added: To imply that this was a attack on civilian homes, as the picture does, is a vile misrepresentation and dishonours the RAF personnel involved. Manchester Citys Premier League title was wrapped up on Sunday and captain Vincent Kompany immediately set his sights on repeating the feat next season. After Manchester Uniteds loss to West Brom confirmed the inevitable, Kompany told Sky Sports: I suppose my team-mates will roll their eyes a bit when I say this but Ive never been able to retain a title and I want see if this teams got (the ability) to carry on and be even more successful. Only seven times in the Premier League era has the title been retained and with United accounting for six of those, City could join their neighbours and Chelsea as only the third club to achieve the feat. Here, Press Association Sport looks back at previous repeat champions. Manchester United, 1992-93, 1993-94 Eric Cantona helped Manchester United win the first two Premier League titles (Paul Marriott/EMPICS) The first two titles after the top flights rebranding went to Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson signed Eric Cantona away from previous champions Leeds and the Frenchman formed a deadly partnership with Mark Hughes as United set the tone for much of the Premier League era, winning by 10 points in the first season and by eight points from runners-up Blackburn the next year as Cantona, Hughes and Ryan Giggs all recorded double-figure goal tallies. Manchester United, 1995-96 and 1996-97 David Beckham, centre, helped inspire Uniteds title defence in 1996-97 (Peter Wilcock/PA) Rovers claimed the 1994-95 title, the last 22-team top flight season, but after United signed the prolific Andy Cole from Newcastle normal service was resumed the following year and in 1996-97 it was the Red Devils celebrating once again. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer top-scored for the champions and David Beckham emerged on the scene as the Magpies were held to second place for the second year in succession. Manchester United, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01 Sir Alex Ferguson lifts the 2001 Premier League trophy, Manchester Uniteds third in succession (John Giles/PA) Kompany on Sunday talked of building a dynasty and Fergusons United side set the benchmark for that term with their early dominance of the Premier League. After Arsenal provided another one-year interruption in 1997-98, United bounced back to win three titles in a row. They edged out the Gunners by just a point for the first on the way to a league, FA Cup and European Cup treble but their title defence of 1999-2000 witnessed a winning margin of 18 points, a Premier League record under threat from City this term. A 10-point success the following year made it a hat-trick, the first of the Premier League era. Chelsea, 2004-05, 2005-06 Jose Mourinhos Chelsea were the only side other than United to retain the title (Rebecca Naden/PA) Arsenal and United alternated as champions for the next few years and it took the arrival of Jose Mourinho in England to break the duopoly. His Chelsea side stormed to the 2004-05 title in his debut season with a Premier League record 95 points and backed it up the following year with 91, good for an eight-point margin ahead of United as Frank Lampard fired 16 goals from midfield. Manchester United, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 Ferguson and United completed another hat-trick in 2009 (Nick Potts/PA) United again responded to the challenge with three titles in a row. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo fired them to the 2006-07 title as nearest challengers Chelsea remarkably drew their last five games, and they secured a hard-fought repeat thanks to a closing-day win over Wigan as Chelsea were held by Bolton, with third-placed Arsenal finishing just four points off the top. United had re-established their dominance and won the 2008-09 crown despite Liverpool and Chelsea each finishing on five-match winning runs. First for a decade? Leicester celebrated an unlikely title success in 2016 (Nigel French/PA) Should City achieve their skippers aim next season it will be the first time in 10 years a team has retained a title. Since Uniteds hat-trick in 2009 the list of winners reads Chelsea, United, City, United, City, Chelsea, Leicester, Chelsea and now City once more. A senior Russian diplomat has said inspectors from the international chemical weapons watchdog cannot access the site of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital without an appropriate UN permit. Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkovs remarks could indicate a possible attempt to bog down the team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), though both Russia and the Syrian government have welcomed the visit in the wake of the Wests air strikes in Syria over the weekend. Mr Ryabkov told reporters in Moscow that what is hampering a swift resolution of the missions visit to the Syrian town of Douma, near Damascus, the site of the alleged chemical attack, is the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action, a reference to Saturdays punitive air strikes. A team from the OPCW arrived in Syria shortly before the air strikes. It has met with Syrian officials but has not visited the town at the centre of the controversy. Government forces and Russian troops have deployed in Douma, which has now fallen under the control of the Syrian government. Protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus (AP) It is the lack of approval by the UN Department for Safety and Security for OPCW experts to visit the site in Douma that is the problem, Mr Ryabkov told reporters, adding that he checked just a short while ago on was delaying their visit. Russia said it is not curtailing the missions visit, and appears instead to be blaming the international organisation for the delay. Syrian opposition and activists have criticised the Russian deployment in the town, saying that evidence of chemical weapons use might no longer be found. Russia and Syria deny the attack took place. The Kremlin quickly denied reports that Russia was not allowing the OPCW mission in, without elaborating. Mr Ryabkov said: As far as I understand what is hampering a speedy resolution of this problem is the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action that Great Britain and other countries conducted on Saturday. The OPCW is holding an emergency meeting in The Hague to discuss the suspected chemical attack in Douma. A Russian Navy ship crosses through the Dardanelles strait in Turkey en route to the Mediterranean Sea (AP) At least 40 people are believed to have died in the attack on Douma, until the weekend the last rebel-held town outside the Syrian capital. The OPCW fact-finding team dispatched to Syria to investigate does not have a mandate to assign blame. Meanwhile, Natos secretary general said the weekends US-led strikes will reduce the Syrian governments capabilities of carrying out new chemical attacks. Jens Stoltenberg said the strikes were a clear message to Syrian president Bashar Assad, to Russia and Iran that the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable and that the allies would not stand by and watch. Mr Stoltenberg spoke in an interview with Turkeys NTV television on Monday. In Damascus, hundreds of Syrians gathered in a landmark square Damascus, rallying in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the unprecedented air strikes by the West. Protesters in Omayyad Square waved Syrian flags at the demonstration, dubbed a salute to the achievements of the Arab Syrian Army, set off fireworks and unleashed celebratory gunfire. Hugh Grant has admitted he misses the days of analogue television and has not yet worked out how to use Netflix. The Four Weddings And A Funeral star said he is still old fashioned in his tastes. He told Pilot TV magazine: I cant work it. There was something I needed to see on Netflix last night and Im in a new house and I couldnt get it to work. Hugh Grant got `pash rash kissing Ben Wishaw for their new film (Ian West/PA) I asked the nanny to try and even she couldnt sort it out. He added: I miss the days of the four analogue channels. The actor will next be seen in A Very English Scandal on BBC One in May, playing British MP and leader of the Liberal party Jeremy Thorpe, who was tried for conspiring to murder his ex-lover Norman Scott, played by his Paddington 2 co-star Ben Whishaw. Speaking about kissing Whishaw for the show, he said: We just went at it. I got what do they call it pash rash from his beard. Hes remarkably un-luvvie for a top actor. I loved him. TV presenter Ant McPartlin has said he was ashamed and mortified after crashing his car while drink-driving with his mother in the passenger seat. The 42-year-old was banned from driving for 20 months and fined 86,000 after pleading guilty to driving while more than twice the legal limit. The court heard that McPartlin had been seeking help for alcohol and emotional issues at the time of the crash in Richmond, west London, on March 18. Prosecutor Katie Sinnett-Jones told Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Monday that the incident happened at around 3.50pm when McPartlin drove his Mini around a sharp bend and lost control then ended up on the wrong side of the road. Anthony McPartlin arrives at court (Jonathan Brady/PA) He collided with another Mini Cooper before driving straight into the front of an oncoming car. McPartlins vehicle came to a halt and was no longer driveable due to the damage caused, Ms Sinnett-Jones said. Members of the public called the police. The court heard that the driver of the other Mini said afterwards he thought he and his family were going to die in the collision. In a statement read by Ms Sinnett-Jones, he said: Myself and my family were in deep shock as we believed we could have died as as a result of Mr McPartlins reckless driving. Wearing a black three-piece suit, white shirt and black tie, McPartlin stood in the glass dock in court to confirm his name, date of birth, address and nationality before pleading guilty to driving with 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes. McPartlins barrister Liam Walker said his client had been seeking help for alcohol and emotional issues at the time of the crash, adding that his mother was in the car with him. McPartlin is photographed as he leaves the court (Steve Parsons/PA) He told the district judge the incident was down to a brief relapse unbeknownst to his passenger. Anthony McPartlin is sorry and is doing everything he can to ensure this never happens again, Mr Walker said. He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly. The court heard that in a statement to police McPartlin said: I am very sorry I did this. I am ashamed and mortified that this happened. I accept full culpability for this and wish to apologise to all those concerned. After McPartlin, of Chiswick, west London, was charged, ITV announced the Saturday Night Takeaway host would step back from his TV commitments, with co-presenter Declan Donnelly presenting the final two episodes of the show on his own. McPartlin appeared alongside Donnelly on TV screens over the weekend as Britains Got Talent aired its pre-recorded audition shows. But ITV confirmed Donnelly will be hosting the live shows without his TV partner of almost 30 years. A live report about TV presenter Ant McPartlins drink-drive car crash was interrupted by a car crash. Journalists were waiting for McPartlin, 42, to emerge from his hearing at Wimbledon Magistrates Court when a BBC broadcast caught the unfortunate three-vehicle collision on Monday afternoon. BBC reporter Alison Freeman, who was outside Wimbledon Magistrates Court (BBC News/PA) Viewers on social media were swift to point out the irony, with one calling it a collectors item. A dark car could be seen stopped outside the court before a lighter blue car bumps into the back of it with a thud, pushing it forward into a white van. All three then drive off, with the bonnet of the rear car crumpled, at 3.13 pm. Reporter Alison Freeman said: They (his lawyers) did say that he has had a very difficult year and as was said by his lawyers he had already excuse me sorry just some cars have had a bit of a crash behind us there. I mean such is the media crowd there it has been very busy here today. The accident happened directly behind Alison Freeman outside the court (BBC/PA) McPartlin was fined 86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after crashing his Mini while more than twice the legal limit in Richmond, west London, on March 18. He later told reporters he was truly sorry for what happened. His barrister Liam Walker said his client had been seeking help for alcohol and emotional issues at the time of the crash, adding that his mother was in the car with him. Mr Walker said: He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly. Theresa May accused Russia of preventing international inspectors from reaching the site of the Syrian chemical weapons attack as relations with Moscow deteriorated further. Mr Lavrov denied Russia had tampered with the site of the Syrian attack and insisted there was no proof that chemical weapons had been used. The Russian foreign minister told the BBC: There is no proof that on April 7 chemical weapons were used in Douma. I cannot be impolite to the heads of other states but frankly speaking, all the evidence they quoted was based on media reports and social networks. This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) Mrs Mays decision to launch air strikes without parliamentary approval has led to criticism from MPs. But she defended her decision not to recall Parliament, suggesting the security of the operation could have been compromised. The speed with which we acted was essential in co-operating with our partners to alleviate further humanitarian suffering and to maintain the vital security of our operations, she said. The decision required the evaluation of intelligence much of which was of a nature that could not be shared with Parliament. The government did not meet its own tests for launching an airstrike in Syria over the weekend, says Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti #r4today pic.twitter.com/154qZ9gewe BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) April 16, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn repeated his assertion that the military action was legally questionable. There were cries of shame from the Tory benches as he told Mrs May she is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the US President. And shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Governments justification for the airstrikes, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: You cant use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers could claim their first number one on the UK album chart in nearly two decades. Their latest offering, Resistance Is Futile, looks set to claim the top spot, according to the Official Charts Company. If the bands album, their 13th to date, can lead the way through to Friday, it would be their first number one album since This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours reached the top position on the album chart in 1998. James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire and Sean Moore of the Manic Street Preachers (Ian West/PA) The Official Charts Company says that according to their latest sales flash, the Manics are 4,000 combined sales ahead of The Greatest Showman soundtrack. On Fri 13th, didactic Welsh trio Manic Street Preachers released their 13th LP. Its another high point in a career that features an embarrassment of riches. The trio continue to find new ways to channel how inspired they are by culture whilst the world collapses around us/them pic.twitter.com/zoDz2jPnS8 BBC Radio 6 Music (@BBC6Music) April 16, 2018 Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, who was last weeks number one album placeholder with Golden, has moved down into third position on the album chart. The UK singles chart looks set for a shake-up, according to the Charts Company, who predict that Calvin Harris and Dua Lipas latest single, One Kiss, could claim pole position by Friday. The song, which last week was in third position on the UK singles chart, is 3,300 combined sales ahead of Drakes Nice For What, the Charts Company figures show. Third position on the singles chart looks set to be owned by the tune Freaky Friday, from American rapper Lil Dicky and also featuring Chris Brown. Former One Direction member Zayn Malik could be this weeks highest new entry on the charts as his new single Let Me comes in at 17th position. A key figure in the campaign to take Britain out of the EU has privately acknowledged that they deliberately used outrageous and provocative tactics to keep immigration at the top of the referendum debate. Speaking to an academic researcher, Andy Wigmore appeared to compare the process to the very clever propaganda techniques of the Nazis. Mr Wigmore was communications director for the Leave.EU campaign fronted by then Ukip leader Nigel Farage and funded by millionaire Arron Banks. His comments were described as particularly concerning by Damian Collins, the chairman of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which is conducting an inquiry into the phenomenon of fake news. But Mr Wigmore retorted that the committee itself was complicit in creating a fake news agenda designed to bring down Brexit. In interview recordings released by the committee, Mr Wigmore can be heard discussing Leave.EUs contacts with the controversial company Cambridge Analytica, which has come under fire over the use of Facebook users personal data in Donald Trumps race for the US presidency. Mr Wigmore states that CA did no work for Leave.EU after it failed in its bid to be named lead Brexit campaigner. But he said that Leave.EU copied CAs methods for pinpointing groups believed to be susceptible to specific messages. And he suggested that actuaries from Mr Bankss Eldon Insurance used probability calculations to identify areas where Mr Farage should campaign. Mr Wigmore was among a number of figures from the Leave campaign and companies linked to Cambridge Analytica who spoke to Essex University researcher Emma Briant for an upcoming book on the Trump campaign. He told Dr Briant that Leave.EU completely, completely, completely copied Trumps campaign technique of making attention-grabbing and controversial comments. The only way we were going to make a noise was to follow the Trump doctrine, which was: the more outrageous we are, the more attention well get, and the more attention we get, the more outrageous well be, said Mr Wigmore. And thats exactly what we did. He admitted that the campaigners were unsure constantly if we were doing the right thing and were concerned they would be blamed for creating a wave of hatred and racism. After the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, he said the campaign thought that maybe we have gone too far, with Mr Farage fearing Leave would lose the referendum vote a few days later. But he said that in the event there was no shift in the dial from voters outside London who understood the message behind Ukips controversial Breaking Point poster. Nigel Farage launches the controversial Breaking Point poster during the referendum campaign (Philip Toscano/PA) Mr Wigmore told Dr Briant: The propaganda machine of the Nazis, for instance you take away all the hideous horror and that kind of stuff, it was very clever, the way they managed to do what they did. In its pure marketing sense, you can see the logic of what they were saying, why they were saying it, and how they presented things, and the imagery. And looking at that now, in hindsight, having been on the sharp end of this campaign, you think: crikey, this is not new, and its just using the tools that you have at the time. His comment was echoed by the chief executive of CAs parent company SCL Group, Nigel Oakes, who told Dr Briant that Mr Trump leveraged an artificial enemy in the shape of the Muslims in the same way that Adolf Hitler played on pre-war German hatred for Jews. Mr Oakes insisted that CA did not work for the Leave.EU campaign, but had made presentations as part of a bid for a contract had the group been designated lead campaigners. He also told Dr Briant that CAs suspended CEO Alexander Nix had approached Julian Assange to offer to help him to release leaked emails from Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign, but was turned down by the Wikileaks founder. Mr Collins said that the recordings gave a unique insight into the thinking of those at the top of the Leave.EU campaign, and said references to the Nazis were particularly concerning. Andy Wigmore states that he believes that the propaganda techniques of the Nazis were very clever, said Mr Collins. He also confirms that exploiting voters concerns about immigration was central to their campaign during the Brexit referendum. Given the extreme messaging around immigration that was used during the referendum campaign, these statements will raise concerns that data analytics was used to target voters who were concerned about this issue, and to frighten them with messaging designed to create an artificial enemy for them to act against. Mr Collins said Dr Briants research made clear that Leave.EU benefited from their work with CA, and said the campaign had questions to answer about how it developed its database. But Mr Wigmore said that the release sounds like another attempt to try and justify a committee that is desperate to try and find any excuse to undermine the referendum. He said his conversations with Dr Briant were not for publication and described their release as wilful deception and trickery. Leave.EU chairman Arron Banks accused the committee of creating fake news (Jonathan Brady/PA) The Nazis came up for discussion in a historical context in reference to the scare tactics being used by the Remain campaign, said Mr Wigmore. He repeated Leave.EUs denial that it used CA, and added that no actuaries were employed on our campaign. Immigration was the key issue in pretty much all polling, said Mr Wigmore. Facts are not scare tactics, if thats what people feel is their concerns, and it was our opinion that we had to keep that top of the agenda in line with our polling and the strategy of Nigel Farage. Mr Banks said that the committee was too scared to call me to give evidence. And he added: Monty Python couldnt make this up: a Parliament Committee inquiry into fake news creating fake news to then investigate fake news. CA said Mr Oakes had never worked for the company and did not work on the Trump campaign in any way whatsoever. A spokesman said: Mr Oakes was speaking in a personal capacity about the historical use of propaganda to an academic he knew well from her work in the defence sphere. These are comments that have already been reported on in the media in the past few years. Like much of the reporting surrounding our company, Dr Briants explanatory essays contain uncontextualized comments, unsubstantiated assertions and the joining together of dots to establish a picture that suits the authors. Supreme Court justices might be asked to consider the case of a 23-month-old boy at the centre of a life-support treatment battle for a second time. Alfie Evans parents, who live in Liverpool, are using a piece of ancient English common law during the latest stage of their fight for treatment. Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, want to move their son from Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool to a hospital in Rome. The couple say Italian doctors are willing to treat the little boy and an air ambulance is available. Alfie Evans has a degenerative neurological condition, doctors say (Alfies Army Official/PA) They are now arguing that Alfie is being wrongly detained at Alder Hey and have made a habeas corpus application. A writ of habeas corpus Latin for you may have the body is a legal manoeuvre which requires a court to examine the legality of a detention. It is a piece of common law which probably dates back to Anglo-Saxon times. A High Court judge and three Court of Appeal judges have dismissed their claim. But the couple might make an application to the Supreme Court. Alfies parents have already lost fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool. Protesters outside Alder Hey Childrens Hospital (John Stillwell/PA) Specialists at Alder Hey said life-support treatment should stop and Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile. Mr Justice Hayden said flying Alfie to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless. Court of Appeal judges upheld his decisions. Supreme Court justices and European Court of Human Rights judges refused to intervene. Last week, Mr Justice Hayden endorsed a detailed plan put forward by Alder Hey doctors for withdrawing life-support treatment after considering a number of issues at a follow-up High Court hearing. He also dismissed the suggestion that Alfie was being unlawfully detained an Alder Hey and refused to grant a writ of habeas corpus. Three Court of Appeal judges on Monday dismissed a challenge to Mr Justice Haydens decision after analysing argument at a hearing in London. But barrister Paul Diamond, who represented Alfies parents, said the couple might make an application to the Supreme Court. Appeal court judges said doctors should continuing treating Alfie pending any Supreme Court decision. Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a semi-vegetative state and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed. Specialists say his brain has been eroded. Britain and the US have issued a formal alert about malicious cyber activity by Russia amid warnings that relations with Moscow have hit an all-time low. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) combined with the FBI and the US Department of Homeland Security to issue an unprecedented joint technical alert setting out the threat across the public and private sectors. Officials said the move had been planned for some time and was not directly related to the US-led missiles strikes over the weekend on Russias ally Syria. However NCSC chief executive Ciaran Martin said it was a significant moment in the fightback against Russian aggression in cyberspace while the White House vowed to use all elements of national power to combat the threat. Ciaran Martin of the National Cyber Security Centre (Dominic Lipinski/PA) It came as Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov warned East-West relations are now worse than during the Cold War following the Syria strikes and the bitter diplomatic row over the Salisbury nerve agent attack. A joint UK-US statement said the state of US and UK network devices, coupled with a Russian government campaign to exploit these devices, threatens our respective safety, security and economic well-being. In a joint briefing with US officials, Mr Martin said they had seen the sustained targeting of multiple entities over a series of months with millions of machines around the word being targeted. Russian state-sponsored actors were said to be using compromised routers to conduct spoofing man-in-the-middle attacks to support espionage and potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations. Mr Martin said: They are around trying to seize control over connectivity so, in the case of targeting providers of internet services, it is about gaining access to their customers to try to gain control over the devices to allow them not just to spy on the primary organisation but the organisations they connect to. White House cyber security co-ordinator Rob Joyce said: Once you own the router, you own all the traffic to include the ability to harvest credentials and passwords and essentially monitor all the traffic. It is a tremendous weapon in the hands of an adversary. While Mr Martin said most targeting of the UK had been aimed at government bodies and critical national infrastructure, US officials said everything from large enterprises to small home offices could be affected. Mr Joyce said: When we see malicious cyber activity, whether it be from the Kremlin or other nation state actors, we are going to push back. The joint statement said multiple sources including private and public sector cyber security research organisations and allies had reported such activity to the US and UK governments. Mr Martin said: This is the first time that in attributing a cyber attack to Russia the US and the UK have, at the same time, issued joint advice to industry about how to manage the risks from attacks. It marks an important step in our fightback against state-sponsored aggression in cyberspace. The UK Government will continue to work with the US, other international allies and industry partners to expose Russias unacceptable cyber behaviour, so they are held accountable for their actions. I cant tell you how excited and honored I am to be in this seat and in community with you for the first time. It has only been a short time at this poin... 6 days ago Inmates armed with homemade knives fought each other for about seven hours over territory and money, leaving seven dead in the worst US prison riot in quarter of a century, officials said. An inmate who witnessed the violence said bodies were literally stacked on top of each other. At least 17 prisoners were seriously injured at Lee Correctional Institution, South Carolina prisons chief Bryan Stirling said. The inmates who were killed during an incident at Lee Correctional Institution have been identified as RAYMOND ANGELO SCOTT, MICHAEL MILLEDGE, DAMONTE MARQUEZ RIVERA, EDDIE CASEY JAY GASKINS, JOSHUA SVWIN JENKINS, COREY SCOTT, CORNELIUS QUANTRAL MCCLARY. SC Dept. Corrections (@SCDCNews) April 16, 2018 The first fight started in a dorm at about 7.15pm on Sunday and appeared to be contained before suddenly starting in two other dorms. Mobile phones helped stir up the trouble, and state officials urged the federal government to change a law and allow them to block the signals from prisoners phones. These folks are fighting over real money and real territory while theyre incarcerated, Mr Stirling said at a news conference. No prison guards were hurt. Mr Stirling said they followed protocol by backing out and asking for support. It took several hours to restore order, but once a special Swat team entered, the inmates gave up peacefully, he said. The dead men were named as Corey Scott, Eddie Casey Gaskins, Raymond Angelo Scott, Damonte Rivera, Michael Milledge, Cornelius McClary and Joshua Jenkins (South Carolina Department of Corrections/AP) The prisoner who saw the riot exchanged messages with AP on the condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to have a phone and fears retribution from other inmates. He said he saw several attackers taunt a rival gang member who was badly injured. I just saw three dead on the sidewalk outside of my unit. One guy is still alive and breathing, but just barely, the inmate said. The riot was the latest violence in the South Carolina prisons system, where at least 13 other inmates have been killed by fellow prisoners since the start of 2017. It was the most inmates killed in a single riot in the US since nine prisoners and a guard died in 1993 at Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, said Steve Martin, a consultant who helps the federal government monitor prison systems. South Carolina governor Henry McMaster and Department of Corrections director Bryan Stirling address the media (Sean Rayford/AP) The inmate who spoke to AP said many cell door locks were already broken before the riot and he and other prisoners roamed around freely at the prison in Bishopville, 40 miles east of Columbia. Hours after the violence started, no correctional officers or medical personnel had attended to the dead or dying, he said. The COs (corrections officers) never even attempted to render aid, nor quell the disturbance, he said. They just sat in the control bubble, called the issue in, then sat on their collective asses. Mr Stirling said the response teams entered as fast as they could. We gathered as many people as we could, as quickly as we could and went in as soon as we thought it was safe for our staff, he said. The inmate told AP he knew at least two of the dead men well. He said he saw an inmate trying to get up before he started into that death rattle people often hear about, but never experience first hand. Most of the killed inmates were stabbed with homemade knives or slashed, while the remainder appeared to have been beaten, Lee County coroner Larry Logan said. Mr Stirling said an investigation would determine if any other type of weapon was used. The dead men were serving between 10 years and life and their crimes ranged from murder to burglary to trafficking crack cocaine. They youngest was 28 while the oldest was 44. The injured inmates required medical attention outside the prison, which made it more difficult for authorities to restore order, Mr Stirling said. The coroner said when he arrived it was a chaotic scene of fighting everywhere. Mr Logan said the state-run Lee Correctional Institution, like most other South Carolina prisons, is struggling to find enough workers, but he does not believe anything could have been done once things got that far out of control. If everybody has an uprising, you are always going to be understaffed, Mr Logan said. The maximum-security facility in Bishopville houses about 1,500 inmates and there were 44 guards there when the first fight started. Two officers were stabbed there in 2015. More recently, an inmate held a guard hostage for 90 minutes in March and another killed a fellow prisoner in February. Alfie Evans parents have apologised after reports of intimidation and verbal abuse among hospital protesters. Hundreds of supporters gathered outside Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool, where the 23-month-old boy is on life support. Merseyside Police said they are investigating after reports of instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation. Alfies parents, Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, want to move their son to a hospital in Rome for treatment. Mr Evans said in a statement on Facebook: Deepest apologies from me and Kate James to the parents and staff effected by the protest/demonstration, it wasnt mine Kates or anyone else intention to harm or cause conflict or upset. We just wanted to take our son to give him the chance he deserves. Chief Inspector Chris Gibson said officers recognise the sensitivities involved in this very difficult and sad situation. Alfie Evans has a degenerative neurological condition, doctors say (Alfies Army Official/PA) Whilst many people have gathered to protest in a peaceful way, Merseyside Police is now investigating a small number of reports, some of which originate from social media, as well as instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation from those outside the hospital, he added. This is extremely unhelpful for all concerned and we are investigating further to establish the full circumstances. We would like to remind the public that this is a hospital for sick children and it should not be forgotten that many families are going through extremely challenging and emotional times. We would ask protesters to respect families and staff, including the poorly children in the wards and to ensure that access to the hospital is not restricted at any time, so that services including the blood and ambulance service can run as efficiently as possible. He urged any victims of intimidation or harassment to report it to the police or hospital. Supreme Court justices might be asked to consider the case for a second time after Alfies parents, who live in Liverpool, used a piece of ancient English common law in their legal battle. A High Court judge and three Court of Appeal judges have dismissed their claim. Mr Evans emerged from the hospital two hours after the decision was given by the court in London. Wiping away tears and visibly shaking, he thanked supporters surrounding him and again asked for his sons life not to be terminated and for other doctors to be allowed to look after him. He added: They cant break us, we are never going to back down. Alfie, the family and all of our supporters are stronger than ever and we will keep fighting all the way. We will never give up on you Alfie. Protesters outside Alder Hey Childrens Hospital (John Stillwell/PA) Alfies parents have already lost fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. But the couple might make another application to the Supreme Court. Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a semi-vegetative state and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed. Times Up co-founder Eva Longoria dedicated her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to women and Latino communities. The actress and philanthropist was joined by speakers Anna Faris, Felicity Huffman and Ricky Martin, as well as friend Victoria Beckham, at the Los Angeles ceremony on Monday. Front from left, Leron Gubler, Eva Longoria, and Mitch OFarrell, back from left, Felicity Huffman, Anna Faris, Ricky Martin unveil the Eva Longoria star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Willy Sanjuan/AP) Longoria, 43, recounted how she moved to the city 20 years ago and dreamed of one day having a star. I feel like Im still a little girl from Corpus Christi, Texas, who had a really big dream, a heavily pregnant Longoria said. I just want to say as a woman and a Latina I represent a lot of communities and I want to tell all those communities that this isnt my star this is our star. The actress is expecting her first child, reported to be a boy, with her husband, businessman Jose Baston. Faris said she instantly recognised Longoria as a force of nature when they met on the set of Overboard last year. Eva Longoria (centre) with Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez (Willy Sanjuan/AP) She also paid tribute to Longoria as an inspiration as a producer and an entrepreneur, adding: Anything you set your mind to, you accomplish. Desperate Housewives co-star Huffman said: She is kind to everyone and she is hopeful for the world. And in these times when cynicism is confused with wisdom, clarity and reason, Eva stands with her feet firmly planted in courage faith and compassion. Eva provides the light for so many of us she actually is the light. Martin said the greatest attribute of the incredible woman is her kindness and work off camera. Melanie Griffith hugs Eva Longoria on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Willy Sanjuan/AP) Among her activism, Longoria was one of the leading Hollywood women to launch the Times Up initiative in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. The anti-sexual harassment and assault initiative aims to tackle inequality in all workplaces and has a defence fund for women to fund legal battles. Other stars to attend the revealing of the 2,634th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame were Melanie Griffith and William H Macy. Carl Frampton will fight Nonito Donaire on Saturday without needing to analyse his opponent because he grew up watching him. The Northern Irishman, 31, fights the once-great Donaire at Belfasts SSE Arena for the interim WBO featherweight title knowing a high-profile victory will revive his career. Should he succeed Frampton has next been promised WBO featherweight champion Oscar Valdez or the winner of Mays fight between Lee Selby and Josh Warrington for the IBF title. Carl Frampton has been to Tenerife for altitude training as part of his fight preparations He said of his Filipino opponent: People are asking me, Am I studying him a lot? Am I watching a lot of his fights? To be honest Im not, because I grew up watching him. I grew up being a fan of his. I know how he fights, I know what he does. Ill catch up and recap on some of the things he does, but I know how Nonito Donaire fights. Ive believed it from the start (that I would beat him), when Donaire was mentioned weve talked about fighting each other for a long time, even at super-bantamweight, but nothing really came of it Ive always believed I can beat guys like Donaire and I believe it even more so now. Increasing Framptons confidence against his 35-year-old opponent, who at his peak was considered one of the worlds finest fighters, is the benefits he has felt since introducing altitude training to his preparations. Even if he wins the interim title, however, he will not again consider himself a legitimate world champion. Saturdays fight is his second under new trainer Jamie Moore and new promoter Frank Warren since his split with Shane and Barry McGuigan, and he said: Ive had a new approach. Weve been training at altitude. We went to Tenerife for a few weeks, over on Mount Teide, every other day we were pretty much up and down Mount Teide. Its 3,500 metres above sea level, and then when I came back to Manchester weve been using an altitude chamber, because you lose the positive effects of altitude training after a week if you dont continue to use it. Weve been doing two sessions a week in the altitude chamber since we came back, and I feel better than Ive ever felt. Im recovering quicker, and able to perform in the red zone for a long period of time, and dont feel like Im fatiguing as much as I once was. Its definitely been very beneficial. Its something Jamies done in his own career as a fighter, and we all know how fit he was. It was hard graft, but Ive been recording and tracking my heart-rate, and I seem to be reaping the rewards because Im recovering very quick. That was the objective, and its worked. Alison Steadman has said she has no intention of giving up her career as she gets older. The Olivier Award-winning actress, 71, is currently voicing the character Olwen in The Archers, and was recently seen in the BBC1 sitcom Hold The Sunset with John Cleese. She told Radio Times magazine: Look at Anne Reid and June Whitfield amazing actresses who are still going. Alison Steadman (PA) Perhaps June has quietened down a bit now, but its taken her a long time. Shes over 90. You have to look at these women as an example. Filmings very tiring, and maybe I dont want to do that 50 weeks of the year, but I certainly want to carry on, I dont want that to end. It just changes slightly. You go on a slightly different road, but you keep going. Steadman started out on stage in the 60s, and made her name in TV plays such as Nuts In May and Abigails Party in the 70s. In 1974, she starred in the BBC drama Girl, which featured the first lesbian kiss on British television. She said she had to prepare her mother and father for the scene, ahead of time. My mum loved my success but I think she was a bit embarrassed when I did the lesbian kiss, she said. I had to tell my parents beforehand, it would have been too awful of me not to. My mum just said, Oh, here we go And sex scenes as well, not that they were explicit, but obviously its difficult when youre living in a suburban area of Liverpool where your neighbours are saying, Oh, Mrs Steadman, I saw Alison on television last night My mum put up with it magnificently. The Radio Times is out on Tuesday. Amid the growing interest towards virtual currencies globally and locally, Sri Lankas Central Bank yesterday said it has not given the licence or authorization to any entity or company to operate schemes involving virtual currencies, including cryptocurrencies and has not authorized any Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). The term virtual currencies is commonly used to refer to digitally created representations of value that are issued by private developers and denominated in their own unit of account. Common examples of virtual currencies are cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum. Virtual currencies are not central bank-issued currency. Virtual currencies such as cryptocurrencies use decentralised peer-to-peer digital networks to authorize transactions. Due to the absence of a centralized authority, such as a central bank, to guarantee the value of the currency and regulate transactions, there is no recourse in the event of any user or transaction-related issues or disputes. The value of virtual currencies is dependent on speculation and is not backed by an underlying asset or a regulatory framework. Due to this, virtual currencies may demonstrate major volatility. Similarly, there appears to be a high probability of virtual currencies being used in illegal activities. Further, though unintentional, their usage could amount to breaches of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) laws. Therefore, cryptocurrencies, in the present form, may pose significant risks in terms of financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security-related risks to their users as well as to the economy. India is being rocked by country-wide public protests over the rape of three females. Two of them, just 8 and 11 years of age, were also murdered in the most gruesome manner. While these gory deeds could be treated as a law and order problem, the phenomenon of rape and violence against women needs to be addressed in a holistic way as it is both widespread and multi-dimensional with social, economic, historical and political aspects. The public anger is directed against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi because the States in which these gruesome acts occurred have the BJP either as the sole ruling party or as a key partner in government. The 17-year-old was raped in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is all in all. The 8-year-old Asifa was raped and murdered in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, where the BJP is a key partner in a coalition government. The 11-year-old was raped and murdered in Gujarat where the BJP has a monopoly of power. While rape and cum murder is not uncommon in the still feudal India, what outraged the public was the States stoic silence and the partisan nature of the deeds of the governments and their political supporters. The Incidents A 17-year-old girl was raped by a BJP State legislator, Kuldeep Sengar in Unnao in Utta Pradesh in mid-2017. In a lone fight against police indifference, the girl tried to commit suicide outside the residence of State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Her father was then beaten to death by the legislators brother and BJP cadres in the presence of the police. After an uproar in civil society, Sengars brother was arrested and continued protests led to his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). But this took place only in April 2018. In January 2018, a Muslim tribal child of 8 was abducted, raped, and murdered by a former government officer and a serving police officer with an intention to terrorize the nomadic Muslim Bakherwal community to vacate Kathua en masse. Two ministers of the BJP in the Jammu and Kashmir government along with the Kathua BJP legislator, led a procession supporting the rapists. They made provocative speeches inciting violence against the nomads. What outraged the public was the States stoic silence and the partisan nature of the deeds of the governments Lawyers, many of them known to the ruling party members, blocked the court to prevent the police from filing the charge sheet Even the UN, which usually turns a blind eye to atrocities in India, was stirred into action Lawyers, many of them known to the ruling party members, blocked the court to prevent the police from filing the charge sheet against the rape accused saying that the police had a pro-Muslim mentality because Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority State. But the truth was that the chief investigating officer who cracked the case, was a Hindu, Ramesh Kumar Jalla. The third incident came to light on Sunday when the raped and murdered body of a 11-year-old was found in a forest in Surat in Modis home State of Gujarat. The girl had been killed on April 5 even as anti-rape protests were on country-wide. Investigations into this have just begun. When the Prime Minister Modi spoke, after an excruciatingly long period of silence, he did so casually at a function, and tweeted his comment. No executive or political action was announced or taken, though he dubbed the rape and murder as shameful. Clearly, he had placed his partisan interest before the national interest. Deepa Narayan, author of a book on violence against women in India told The New York Times: Modi is always a slow reactor. He waits for an issue to go away and when it doesnt, and hes in a corner, he speaks up and makes platitudes. I think the B.J.P. will suffer from this. They will pay a price for the impunity theyve unleashed by not treating crimes as crimes but by politicizing them. Anguish of Ex-Civil Service Honchos Reacting to the governments callous indifference, 49 retired top officials, sent an open letter to Modi which said: The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk to. In post-Independence India, this is our darkest hour. We see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao. In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh Parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behavior would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarizing Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide. In Unnao in Utar Pradesh it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the State Government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralized control you and your Party President exercise, you more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. You have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. UN awakens Even the UN, which usually turns a blind eye to atrocities in India, was stirred into action. We are deeply concerned about the prevalence of gender-based violence, including sexual violence against women and girls, which we are witnessing in India, said Yuri Afanasiev, UNs Resident Representative in India in a statement. The cases reported are not isolated ones. There are many others which remain invisible, unheard and therefore, not counted due to everyday normalization of sexual and other forms of violence. An unequivocal commitment by the leadership at the highest level to address sexual violence and to ensure accountability for such crimes is essential for justice to be delivered, Afanasiev said. Grisly Statistics According to the 2016 figures put out by the Indian National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), incidents of rape of children had increased by over 82% compared to 2015. It was for the first time that such a sharp increase in sexual assaults on children had been registered. The NCRB data shows that while in 2015, 10,854 cases of rape were registered, 2016 saw 19,765 such cases being registered. The numbers reported were the highest in Madhya Pradesh (2467), Maharashtra (2292), and Uttar Pradesh (2115), all States ruled by the BJP. Israel indiscriminately used air-burst white phosphorus artillery shells in Gaza (Israel accused of indiscriminate phosphorus use in Gaza - Human Rights Watch 25 May 2009) In the early hours of April 7 news agencies around the world broke the news of an alleged chemical weapons attack on the city of Duma in civil-war-torn Syria. The last city controlled by western-backed rebels in Syria. According to reports, the attack left around 70 including women and children- dead and many hundreds hospitalised. The White Helmets -a group of first responders active in the conflict zone- claimed they were able to document 42 fatalities but were impeded from searching further because of strong chemical odour. The US, Britain and France, were quick to lay the blame for the attack on the Assad regime and its Russian and Iranian backers, based on unverified videos provided by the White Helmet group. The Syrian regime and the Russia which backed the Syrian President in his struggle to crush the rebels, denied involvement in the use of chemical weapons. The Russian military went even further charging the first responders with manufacturing evidence. As tensions heated up US President Trump tweeted a warning to Syria and Russia that smart missiles would soon be coming. On early Saturday the US, Britain and France commenced a missile strike on what they termed specific Syrian chemical weapons manufacturing targets. The Syrians shot down a number of the missiles, so how successful or whether the strikes achieved the desired results is still unknown. Yet the attackers said the strike was a one-off warning to Syria that the international community would not tolerate using chemical weapons on civilian populations. Speaking in the immediate aftermath of ordering a missile strike on Syria US president Trump claimed mission accomplished and said the attack was a response to a dastardly attacked on innocent fathers, mothers and children. British Premier Theresa May said the attack was not aimed at regime change Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu who has himself unleashed chemical attacks on unarmed Palestinian men women and children in Gaza condemned the attack on Douma saying: We saw the Syrian children being slaughtered with chemical weapons. Our hearts were torn from the horror,... All this without any independent verification of the pictures or videos were circulated globally. As Sri Lankans who went through a three-decade-long war against the LTTE, we have become familiar with unverified pictures, videos of alleged killings and have become sceptical of these unverified documents. "Despite the prostrations against the most recent use of chemical weapons on civilian populations, history is replete with numerous instances of the accusers (the UK, US and France) themselves having repeatedly used chemical weapons on civilian populations" We have doubts of these claims. But what surprises us most is that the countries who are today condemning the use of chemical weapons have themselves used these self-same chemical weapons as well as bacteriological agents on civilian targets in the not too distant past. The US and its western allies accuse the Syrian government of breaking the international agreement reached at the end of World War I. The agreement prohibits the use of chemical weapons in any sort of military conflict. Whilst the use of chemicals in warfare is despicable and amounts to war crimes, the reaction of the US and its Western allies leads one to believe that chemical weapons have not been used in wars since the end of World War I, until the attacks unleashed by the Assad regime in August 21, 2013 and again on April 7 this year. Sadly, this has not been the case. Despite the prostrations against the most recent use of chemical weapons on civilian populations, history is replete with numerous instances of the accusers (the UK, US and France) themselves having repeatedly used chemical weapons on civilian populations and additionally actively helping client states using chemical weapons on civilian populations, and regimes, deemed by the western powers as being opposed to the interests. Use of Chemical weapons as weapons of war Korea During the Korean War, 1950-53, North Korea and China accused the US of using the germ warfare agents which the US had developed in 1947. The 1952 report of the International Scientific Commission for the Investigation of the Facts Concerning Bacterial Warfare in Korea and China -(set up by the Helsinki-based World Peace Council) - concluded the American Air Force had employed in Korea, methods very similar to, if not exactly identical with, those employed to spread plague by the Japanese during the Second World War. Experts from Sweden, France, Italy, Brazil and Russia, as well as Dr. Joseph Needham, a respected British authority on Chinese science, compiled the Commissions report. Vietnam During the Vietnam war (1961-1971), the United States sprayed over 73 million litres of chemical agents in Vietnam. Using a variety of defoliants, the U.S. military intentionally targeted cultivated land, destroying crops and disrupting rice production. The US sprayed over 73 million litres of chemical agents on the country. Some 45 million litres of Agent Orange, which contains the toxic compound dioxin was unleashed on Vietnamese civilians. Again during the Vietnam War the US dropped more than 400,000 tons of Napalm on mainly civilian areas in Vietnam throughout the war. The Vietnam Red Cross recorded over 4.8 million deaths and 400,000 birth defects caused by the use of Agent Orange. Areas of Laos and Cambodia near the Vietnam border were also sprayed with chemical agents. Unverified pictures of victims of the alleged chemical weapons attacks in Duma bear witness to the chemical attack (Daily Mail) In the U. S. A... In 2001, the San Francisco Chronicle reported at least three times in the past, residents of San Francisco and other American cities had been inadvertent victims of efforts designed to help shield citizens against attacks. In 1950, the army secretly sprayed supposedly harmless bacteria over the entire city and its suburbs using a Navy ship. Between 1956 and 1961 the CIA sent agents to examine the effects of mind-altering drugs such as LSD and synthetic mescaline on unsuspecting people in San Francisco, Mill Valley and other cities across the country in a secret behaviour modification programme named MK-ULTRA. Between 1944 to 1974, both the Defence Department and the Atomic Energy Commission conducted in San Francisco and around the country hundreds of secret experiments, which exposed unsuspecting patients to dangerous doses of radiation, including injections of plutonium. Again, in 1951, racist experiments were carried out by U.S. army researchers by deliberately exposing African-Americans to the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus so as to discern whether they are more susceptible to the infections caused by such organisms than people of white European descent. ISRAEL / PALESTINE In January 2009, Human Rights Watch reported Israels military fired white phosphorus over crowded areas of Gaza repeatedly and indiscriminately in its three-week war. The 71-page report charged the Israeli military of using white phosphorus in Gaza. The report charged Israel with firing 155mm artillery shells, each containing 116 wedges soaked with the chemical. The Guardian reported finding one such shell still smoking several days after it was fired, outside the home of the Abu Halima family in Atatra. One white phosphorous shell hit the house directly, killing a father and four of his children. His wife was severely burnt. Human Rights Watch also reported the same case. According to HRW, on January 15 at around 7.30 am, Israeli artillery shells began falling near the main compound of the UN Relief and Works Agency in Gaza City, where 700 civilians were sheltering. UN staff made repeated telephone calls to the Israeli military asking them to stop. But, at about 10.00 am, six shells hit the compound, three of which contained white phosphorus. The warehouse was hit, causing at least $10m of damage, and it continued to burn for 12 days. In another case, on 17 January, an artillery shell that had already discharged its white phosphorus hit a UN school in Beit Lahiya, where 1,600 civilians were sheltering! Iran Iraq (19801988) Foreign Policy (of 25/8/2013) charged the US with responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Iraq. The chemical gas attack on Halabja by Saddam in 1988, which killed at least 5000 Kurdish civilians, was carried out by the Saddam regime in the dying months of the Iran-Iraq war, during which both the UKs Thatcher government and the Reagan White House were providing military support to the Saddam regime. The US also encouraged Saddam Husseins use of chemical weapons against Iran, which was the largest use of chemical weapons in history. In addition to the Kurds, at least 20,000 Iranians were killed by Saddams chemical weapons attacks with full US support and backing. In 1988 during Iraqs war with Iran, the United States learned through satellite imagery that Iran was about to gain a major strategic advantage by exploiting a hole in Iraqi defenses. US intelligence officials informed the Iraqi military about the location of the Iranian troops. According to a 2002 article in the Star-Ledger, 20,000 Iranian combatants and combat medics were killed on the spot by nerve gas. As of 2002, 5,000 of the 80,000 survivors continue to seek regular medical treatment, while 1,000 are hospital inpatients. Documents at the National Archives Archaeological Site (College Park, Maryland), s how the US supported Saddam Husseins regime in their use of chemical weapons in the Iran-Iraq war and the IraqiKurdish conflict. UN fact-finding teams which investigated charges of chemical agents being used by Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war confirmed Iraq had in fact used chemical weapons. According to Iraqi documents, assistance in the development of chemical weapons was obtained from firms in many countries, including the United States, West Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France. A report stated that Dutch, Australian, Italian, French and both West and East German companies were involved in the export of raw materials to Iraqi chemical weapons factories. IRAQ In its invasion of Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, the US used White Phosphorous, Napalm and Depleted Uranium in contravention of all UN Conventions. According to a study, Fallujah had a higher rate of cancer, leukaemia and infant mortality rate than Hiroshima and Nagasaki had, after the US nuclear bombed the two cities in 1945. The study/report found young women in Fallujah were afraid of having children because an increasing number of babies were born with unimaginable grotesque birth defects. Moreover, young children in Fallujah are currently suffering from various cancers and leukaemia. Contrary to the image the US and western political leadership attempts to present, from World War II to today, the US has the lead in the world in the development, production and deployment of chemical weapons on both military forces and civilian populations across the world. Other Western nations Other western powers have also used chemical weapons against enemies at different times. During World War, Germany used chlorine gas at the second battle of Ypres. By the end of the war, all sides used mustard and chlorine gas, resulting in 85,000 people being killed and 1.2 million others injured by these toxic weapons. Between the end of World War I and 1939, there were other cases of chemical weapons usage. The UK supported the Russian forces use of poisonous gas against the Bolsheviks. Spain and France used mustard gas in Morocco. Britain used chemical weapons in Iraq as an experiment against Kurdish rebels seeking independence. This is not a complete list of the use of chemical weapons by western countries and their client states, but it exposes the lies and hypocrisy of the US and its western allies who pose as champions of democracy and human rights. The recent missile attack carried out by the US, UK and France in Syria in fact, is a means of testing their smart weapons on human guinea pigs. The fact that the Syrians were able to shoot down a large number of these smart weapons now provides these powers chance to update the weapons. A 21-member delegation from the National Defense University (NDU) of Pakistan, led by Major General Fiaz Hussain Shah, is currently visiting Sri Lanka on a foreign study tour from April 15 to 19. The delegation comprises of senior officers from Pakistans Armed Forces, Civil Services and Officers from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and China, who are undergoing National Security and War Course at the NDU. In a statement, the Pakistan High Commission said the delegation visited the High Commission for an interactive session on April 16. The High Commissioner of Pakistan, Major General (R) Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat briefed the delegates about the overall bilateral relations between Pakistan-Sri Lanka and the role of the High Commission. During their visit, the delegates will be meeting with a number of prominent personalities from Sri Lankan Armed Forces and civil Institutions including Chief of Defense Staff, Commanders of Sri Lankan Army, Air Force and Navy, the statement said. Blames govt. for not intervening in approving LCLTGEP favoured by CEB Wants experienced and honest professionals as energy regulators By Chandeepa Wettasinghe Amidst the growing fears of an impending power crisis, the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) has informed the government that the country could experience intermittent power failures and prolonged recovery of such outages, as it will be launching a work-to-rule action this Friday, until its demands are met. The CEBEU, in a letter addressed to Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, said its members would work only during office hours, not be on on-call duty, follow strict safety rules and not take any risk based on engineering judgement if such risk has the remotest probability of posing a safety violation, under the work-to-rule campaign. The trade union, which also includes the top management of the CEB, further said that its members would not sit on tender boards, technical evaluation committees, joint working groups, project groups and special assignments. The CEBEU said that it would not be liable to any failure or inconvenience caused to the public, as this action has been taken after giving enough and more time and also taken to avoid a future calamity in the power sector of even greater proportion. The CEBEU added that it is taking this action since the government has not intervened to approve the Least Cost Long-Term Generation Expansion Plan (LCLTGEP) favoured by the CEB, despite months of lobbying to which the government had responded in a positive light initially. The utilities regulator, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), in mid-2017 approved a no-coal LCLTGEP, which was slightly modified for higher than planned liquefied natural gas power generation in the short term and heavy renewable energy in the long term, in line with the government policy, as the PUCSL has the legal power to do so. The CEBEU has maintained that the PUCSLs decision was illegal, although both the PUCSL Act No. 35 of 2002 and the Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009 grant the PUCSL wide-ranging powers to regulate and promote the efficient allocation of resources. The no-coal scenario was one of many options submitted by the CEB but the PUCSL, when it approved the no-coal LCLTGEP, had said that the approved plan would save US $ 1.13 billion in taxpayer finances in present value, when taking into account the social and environmental costs, compared to the coal-heavy LCLTGEP preferred by the CEB. The dangers of coal power generation have been aptly demonstrated, with the countrys sole coal power plant in Norochcholai, which is prone to frequent breakdowns, causing health complications to employees and nearby residents and causing the death of marine life in the surrounding areas. Just last week, one of the units in Norochcholai was suspended from activity since the CEB had been operating it with faulty filters. Two years ago, environmentalists won a case at the Supreme Court to halt the construction of a second coal power plant in Sampur. However, during the consultation process for the LCLTGEP, both private and public sector experts had pointed out how the CEB had manipulated data in order to make its preferred coal-heavy LCLTGEP seem cheaper and more feasible. Further, the coal tenders approved by the CEB subsidiary Lanka Coal Company (Private) Limited have always been awarded to one company over the last nine years, amidst intense controversy, which even saw the Supreme Court express its displeasure on one occasion on the conduct of officials when awarding tenders. However, the CEBEU stressed that there are no personal benefits for its members from the LCLTGEP it is backing. Since the CEB engineers have so far refused to award tenders based on the approved no-coal LCLTGEP, the taxpayers had by last November incurred Rs.50.8 billion in losses due to cost escalations from sourcing costly emergency power and since then has been incurring Rs.3.43 billion in losses per month, according to the PUCSL estimates. The PUCSL and independent experts have voiced concerns over a power crisis emerging over the coming three years if the CEB does not tender the power plants listed in the approved LCLTGEP. However, Power and Renewable Energy Ministry Secretary Dr. Suren Batagoda, who too had shared this view, according to official ministry documents, this month reverted his position, saying that there is no impending power crisis. The PUCSL has called on the government to change the structure of the power industry if the CEB is unable to follow through the approved LCLTGEP, while the CEBEU, as part of its trade union action, is calling for the replacement of key staff members in the PUCSL with experienced and honest professionals not having vested interest. If the government wont meet the demands of the CEBEU, it is willing to escalate trade union action, the letter said. President Maithripala Sirisena who arrived in London on Monday to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting-2018, took part in the Oil Anointing Ceremony held at the London Buddhist Vihara. The Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain and the Chief Incumbent of the London Buddhist Vihara, Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera invoke blessings on the President and the delegation. Afterwards, the President took part in the religious observances held at the Temple. He met with the Sri Lankans who were at the Vihara and extended wishes for the new year. (Courtesy: Presidents Media Division) The history of the Sinhala song is a history of defeat, sorrow, tragedy, and never-ending shifts of personalities and loyalties. It is a rather sad history, with commentators and critics taking one side to the detriment of another. Those who vouch for the sarala gee, for instance, deride baila, and those who vouch for baila despise the sarala geeya. Its a crazy paradox at one level surely, art forms cant perpetuate these kinds of clashes, since the only real function of music, cinema, or theatre is to make us respond to them but it exists and rather discernibly so in this country. Sometimes some of the arbitrary criteria of values are taken to assess, praise, or flay a composer or vocalist, and unfortunately, even popular audiences affirm these criteria as though they are the only criteria that mattered. My (inadequate) encounters with the Sinhala song have informed me that come what may, every art form has a starting point, a guiding star which it takes and then transforms in creative ways. The rift between the spoken and the written variants of a language tend to disappear, because songs are almost always verbal, written and composed to appeal to those who speak, rather than write. The Sinhala song is no different: it evolved out of the way people spoke and shouted, the way they dealt with others when engaged in various professions. As I pointed in my article on Clarence Wijewardena, the 20th century saw a shift from the Anglican elite to the Catholic poor, musically, and this shift, sociological though it is, interests me more on account of the fact that it went hand in hand with our search for a linguistic salakuna that we could claim as our own. If the search for that salakuna went hand in hand with the evolution of Sinhala music, then Sunil Shantha lead the way in bringing together the written word and the melody to end that search. This, of course, we know. What we also know is that for trying to bring about such a fusion, he had to pay the supreme price: a condemned life. Sunil Shantha would have been 103 last Sunday, so I think its apt that we reflect on his life and work and ponder on what could have been. Sunil Shantha was born Don Joseph John in 1915 in Dehiyagatha, Ja Ela. His parents, staunch Catholics, did not live long enough to see him grow: he was not quite three months when his father died and not quite three years when his mother died. Raised by his maternal grandmother along with some uncles from her side of the family, young Joseph was educated at St Aloysius College in Galle, where he passed with enough flying colours to become the first in the island. Various teaching stints, having been trained at the Roman Catholic Teacher Training School in Maggona, followed when he began his career at Mount Calvary College in Hapugala. At Mount Calvary, he developed and nurtured a formidable musical culture; its a testament to his enduring determination that within the next six years, he was able to lead the school to three consecutive victories at the Southern Schools Music Competition. Those six years ended in 1939, when the War began; that year he passed the Intermediate Level at the prestigious Gandharva Examination. By the time the War ended a further six years later, his life moved quickly, and he had gone to Shanthiniketan and subsequently proceeded to Bhathkande, the two leading Universities teaching music and the arts in the region at the time. Having thus received his Sangeeth Visharada in 1944, he let go of what Professor Carlo Fonseka once wittily referred to as an awfully unmusical name, and so Sunil Shantha was born. He was about 30 at that time, and he returned to Sri Lanka. By then Ananda Samarakoon had initiated a linguistic revolution in the musical sphere in the country. He was not very successful at it, a given considering that it was difficult, especially back then, to get rid of the raghadari sampradaya and forge a musical idiom that could stand on its own two feet and subsist without it. Shanthas first big hit was Olu Pipeela, first recorded by Radio Ceylon in 1946, the same year that Namo Namo Matha was recorded, the latter sharing the same opening melody. Over the decades Olu Pipeela has acquired the status of a ballad, to be sung and at times performed by everyone, regardless of their proficiency in Sinhala. At parties, at Big Matches, at official functions that end in veritable musical medleys, it has become so endearing that it has become to Sri Lankans what Waltzing Matilda has become to Australians: a tune that has nothing deep buried within, in which the beauty of simplicity becomes its own virtue. Since its difficult for me to assess the musical worth of a song (what other kind of worth can there be, one can ask), I can only try and offer a comment. In Sunil Shanthas best work, which came up in the first decade of his career, the vocalist becomes a part of his surroundings hes in. He doesnt attempt at turning the banality of those surroundings into something profound. In this sense Shantha was rather akin to the Lake Poets, particularly Wordsworth and Coleridge, who spent their later years celebrating a way of life that was fast disappearing. Its that kind of pastoral charm which crops up in a tune like Mal Mal Mal, which, incidentally, thematises to a fault what its title suggests: Theres an open sense of wonderment thats almost childlike in the way it expresses itself. To listen to these lyrics today is to understand that Shantha had a limited vocal range (an indictment frequently invoked by his detractors) and that he worked with what he had, the way he could. The textured throatiness and the earthiness of his voice, so different to the high flown, carefully inflected rhetoric of the raghadari-inspired and Sanskritised music in vogue at the time, bringing about what I can only describe as a native voice: it transcends itself evocatively so much because of that quality, and owing to that, it endears itself to us. Professor Vinnie Vitharana, in an article written to the Divaina decades ago, argued or rather implied that Sunil Shanthas search for a musical and linguistic salakuna inadvertently caused him to sacrifice the melody, to pare down rather unnecessarily, in his later years. In a song like Po Da Daham Sihile or Ho Ga Ralla Binde, you infer the looping bars, the return to a basic melody, the carefully structured rhythms and cadences that are almost cautious of reaching out. What got lost in these experimental pieces, Professor Vitharana further implied, was a sense of openness, the sort of openness that demarcated his earlier work. Its pertinent to observe here that the loss of richness in these songs coincided with a career phase that would, tragically and unnecessarily, see him evicted from Radio Ceylon over his crusade for the deshiya sangeethaya. He was paring down because he was, I think, making a statement: a bold one at that. What got him finally evicted from Radio Ceylon was, of course, the Ratanjankar episode, which has been written on so many times by so many writers, in Sinhala and English, that even a brief recounting thereof is unnecessary. Perhaps Rohana Baddage, whom I met months ago, put it best: It was nothing more or less than a clash of ideology and politics on the personal and the musical plane. Yes, it was exactly that, a clash, and considering that both sides had their firebrands, champions, and detractors, it was one from which those who stuck to their word, with no compromises, could only be evicted. Eventually, thats what happened. Shanthas return to the world of Sinhala music came about through an art form that he despised: the movies. Rekhava, of course, has compelled enough and more footnotes from critics with respect to how Lester James Peries, along with Shanthas Hela Havula contemporary, Father Marcelline Jayakody, goaded him into coming back to score Lesters debut film. Audiences reacted favourably to the music, regardless of their ambivalent reactions to the film as a whole, because in no Sinhala movie before it had the music been so indefinable, so outside the constraints of the Sanskritised idiom. Sasanka Nanayakkara, writer, raconteur, and observer of all things artistic, once put to me that when you hum Olu Nelum Neriya Rangala or Vesak Kekulu or Sudu Sanda Eliye, you are entranced by the sense of wonderment in them. You cant rationalise or define that feeling; you can only revel in it, just as you revel in Waltzing Matilda. And at the end of the day, isnt that what a song is supposed to do? UDAKDEV1@GMAIL.COM As Firecrackers, fireworks lit Sri Lanka up from its surface and the sky, United States joined by the United Kingdom and France unleashed a barrage of missiles targeting three chemical weapons research and storage across Syria. President Trump after a series of intense Tweets, ordered the strikes, second on Syria since he took office, the earlier missile attack was in 2017. Multitude of narratives have emerged on the causes and fallout of the attacks, Trump is facing domestic heat by authorizing the strikes and international legal pundits are calling the attacks as a brazen violation of international law. Democrats are accusing Trump of violating the constitution and appropriating the war making power around the presidency. Reaction to the Missile Attack Trump faces major criticism from his core voter bank, the conservative Americans, public intellectuals, media personalities and activists, who drove his presidential campaign, fought bitter battles with liberal political machinery. Trumps key political slogan was America first promising less involvement in global conflicts, pulling out US troops mainly from conflict zones and bringing back jobs to the United States. Conservative analyst and anchor Alex Jones, accused Trump of attacking Syria based on a false premise of a chemical attack. Thus from the liberals to conservatives along Americas political spectrum, Trump seems to be facing stiff resistance and condemnation for the recent attacks on Syria. He also is criticized by another section of Republicans who have been calling for military action in Syria, that limited strikes cannot demonstrate American strength thus highlighting the need for major military involvement in Syria. The latest missile strike from a strategic perspective has little or no significance for the United States if its objective was to remove Assad from power. Assad has seen the worse any political leader could witness in the last seven years. A surgical missile strike carefully avoiding hitting any Russian military assets that has no real bearing on threatening Assads current political position has no real strategic value. The attack was in reaction to the reports of a low level chemical weapons usage in the town of Douma, in Eastern Ghouta to dislodge the last Syrian oppositional forces controlling the township. The attacks on April 7 killed nearly 75 civilians. A week later on April 14, a coalition of American, British and French warplanes, warships and submarines unleashed a barrage missiles targeting Syria. Assad yet succeeded in gaining a tactical victory as the rebels fled Douma and the Syrian military took control of the last rebel controlled region in the province. Politics and Strategy For President Trump it traps him in a strategic quagmire, few weeks ago when he announced the gradual pull back of American troops from conflict zones, there are two thousand US troops operating in Syria. Trump is not totally at fault in Syria he inherited a flawed Syrian strategy from the Obama administration. The Obama administration fearing conflict with Iran created an alternative Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and supported Free Syrian Army (FSA) which were trained and financed through covert CIA operations. The FSA has disintegrated into many factions with some crossing over to ISIL affiliates and other extremist entities. Trump administrations complacency in Syria and its capitulation to regional power struggles lost its key ally in Syria the Kurds who spearheaded anti ISIL operations in Syria under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDJ). Military Industrial Complex Real winner in this latest attack on Syria is the Military Industrial complex, both in United States and in Europe. The total number of missiles fired at Syria were 105, the American cost of the missiles were nearly US$ 225, the Storm Shadow missiles fired by the British costs a whopping 1.5 million Sterling pounds apiece. Lockheed Martin, the giant global security and aerospace company would have been very happy on their latest version of the Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Attack Munitions (JASSM). A new million dollar-a-piece missile that can be launched by an air platform could penetrate air defences of the adversaries. Nineteen of these new missiles were fired alongside conventional tomahawk cruise missile. The missiles were fired from airborne platforms and sea borne ships and submarines based in Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf and the Mediterranean. The three directional attack was to spoof and deter Assads Russian installed Air defences. Thus from the perspective of American and European defence manufacturers it was good news, that most of the missiles struck their targets whereas the Russian missile defence system did not deliver. According to the Lockheed Martin Company website the new JASSM is a long-range, conventional, air-to-ground, precision stand-off missiles for the U.S. and allied forces. Designed to destroy high-value, well-defended, fixed and relocatable targets, JASSMs significant standoff range keeps aircrews well out of danger from hostile air defense systems. The missiles may threaten Assad but it will solidify his ability to still be in charge in Syria as it would take more than an air campaign or surgical strikes to engineer a political decapitation. The Americans have been flying air missions over Syria especially against ISIL targets since 2014, which also has resulted in deaths of thousands of Syrian civilians and destroying cities such as Al-Raqqa and Deir Az Zor. "April 7 attacks killed nearly 75 civilians and on April14, US, British and French warplanes, warships and submarines unleashed a barrage of missiles targeting Syria" Thus Americans have no support or the faith of Syrian public, even when it is attacking Assad since it also had contributed to vast number civilian deaths. Thus America bluntly to put is engaging in Syria with no real strategy. Conspiracy theories are rampant about the recent chemical attacks, many analysts claim that it was staged by American and French covert operatives for Trump to attack Syria. They question why the facility was attacked on the same day that inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived Damascus, to investigate the chlorine attack in Douma. While there is no plausible answer to why the United States opted for the recent missile strike, taking a moral high ground when actually its humanitarian operations are winding down, when it is taking less refugees from Syria. There has been only 11 Syrian refugees accepted last year to the United States, thus what the number of critics bring out is that 15 missiles which were a million dollars apiece were fired into Syria for one refugee that was accepted. The US attacks are deepening its adversarial relationship with Russia and at the same time since it is using stand-off weapons and prefer to be distant from the actual conflict zone, it is helping the soft partition of Syria among Turkey, Iran and Russia and deepening the potential for further conflict and instability in the region. Sri Lanka may not have a direct lesson to be learnt from the recent strikes, anyone interested in studying and learning about strategy, the American attack is a classic case of a strategic blunder coming from a great power that actually demonstrates its weakness rather than strength. Strategy can never be contingent on narrow military strikes especially using a single platform if it cannot be backed by a political objective. The Writer is Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) The National Council for Road Safety announced last week that fare metres for trishaws (tuk tuks) will be mandatory and the law would be strictly enforced after April 30. Accordingly trishaw drivers will now be required to provide the customer with a printed bill, indicating the fare and details of the journey. Interestingly, officials said however that they would not intervene in the manufacturing of taxi metres, but noted that metres must be manufactured keeping with the standards and specifications stipulated by the Ministry of Transport. Not all three-wheel drivers were in agreement with these mandatory laws. President of the Lanka Self Employed Professionals National Three-Wheel Federation, Sunil Jayawardana said his association strongly opposes the new regulations due to several reasons. The National Council for Road Safety (NCRS) previously made a similar statement, following which we held discussions with the Chairman of the Road Passenger Transport Authority. We made our concerns very clear. There is no standardised metre available in the market. When the metre unit is not provided by the Government, they have no right to demand that we install a metre. We are in possession of evidence that this is the result of a deal made among several trishaw associations, metre vendors and NCRS officials, Jayawardana charged. According to Jayawardana several parties with vested interests are attempting to sell 100,000 units of taxi metres with the new regulations in place. An officer is making a profit of Rs. 10 from each unit sold and we have evidence to support our statements. We are not interested in making individuals or companies profit and therefore we demand that the Government introduces an affordable and standardised metre, he alleged. On several occasions, we have requested meetings with the President, but our concerns have been ignored by the authorities. Therefore we have resorted to operating tuk tuks without the metre and with increased fares, said Jayawardana speaking of the federations attempts to discuss its issues. These concerns include the high cost of spare parts, sale and distribution of counterfeit spare parts as well as the overall lack of regulation of the three wheelers operating island-wide. For 39 years, no Sri Lankan Government has introduced stringent measures to regulate an industry comprising 800,000 trishaw drivers. We have continuously requested for a regulatory authority and yet they have merely been promises made during Budget speeches, Jayawardana said. Metres are installed at costs varying from Rs. 8,500 to 18,500. These are sold with a considerable margin and huge profits for companies selling them, he charged. Jayawardana is of the opinion that if regulation is to take place, the metre fares must change according to the area where the driver operates. The metres must be issued and licensed by the Department of Measurement Units, Standards and Services, in order to bring fares under state control, he said. Jayawardana however holds a different view regarding mobile app based taxi services, a view that apparently pays no regard to safety or convenience of the passenger. The government has allowed local and international companies to operate in Sri Lanka to discourage trishaw drivers. Under the Megapolis plan, the Government has opted to do away with trishaws in the city. Authorities are simply trying to dispose of trishaws, Jayawardana alleged. In services such as Pick Me the waiting charge is double the amount a regular driver charges. Passengers are tricked into thinking that their services are economical when it is not. Beyond Colombo however, the Government would find it extremely difficult to discourage the operation of trishaws, he said. The Southern Province Road Passenger Transport Authority says that following the gazette notification almost 1,300 trishaws have been registered with them. pix by Damith Wickremesinghe Meanwhile there are moves to introduce a new vehicle called the quadricycle to replace the tuk tuk. This vehicle has not even been approved for passenger transport in India, where it is manufactured. Yet, it is set to be launched in Sri Lanka soon, with the support of authorities who are involved in this massive scam. We have carried out a campaign of petitions against this move, Jayawardana said. On April 10, several civil society groups including Jayawardanas group, handed over a petition to the Indian High Commission against the attempt to import the Indian manufactured quadricycle. Quadricycles are four-wheeled micro-cars with relative restrictions in weight, power and speed. The four-seater vehicle manufactured by Pune-based Bajaj Auto, named the Qute is exclusively manufactured for export markets at present. Its launch has been stalled in India due to the vehicles safety features being challenged in Supreme Court, despite the Indian Governments go-ahead to introduce quadricyles as a new vehicle category. The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), a Belgium-based automobile crash test agency, gave a single-star safety rating to the Bajaj Qute quadricycle. One of the main reasons for the Qutes poor performance in tests was due to the absence of basic safety features such as driver or passenger airbags. In a letter to Bajaj Auto, Euro NCAP stressed that the Qute does not perform well in terms of safety and has misled consumers. Even without the safety options offered by similar micro cars, President of the All Island Three Wheeler Drivers Union, (AITWDU) Lalith Dharmasekara believes that the import of quadricycles to Sri Lanka would provide a better option for passengers. If I am able to purchase a quadricycle, I would, simply because it offers the safety a trishaw cannot, Dharmasekara opined. Even if there are moves to introduce the quadricycle, it should not be a cause for worry, he added. Dharmasekara believes that stressing over the impending imports of quadricycles is futile as it shifts the focus away from the real issue. The industry has not been regulated for over 30 years, Dharmasekara said. The disorganised nature of our profession is in fact the issue which needs to be addressed promptly and it is one that we have been demanding for a long time, he said adding that members of the AITWDU had not been a part of any trade union action. The metre fares were introduced through a properly calculated formula in 2005. With the rise in the cost of living, we obviously have countless reasons to raise the fare and many drivers have even done so. But resorting to trade union action of operating without a metre is an ignorant and unwise decision. Their arguments are presented with no understanding of the situation, he said. There are Nano taxi services which provide the passenger more comfort and safety for just Rs. 40 per kilometre. I simply cant imagine that the passenger would prefer to board an expensive trishaw operating without the metre, when they have the option of using a much cheaper taxi which is not only reliable, but also secure and can be hailed at their convenience. Therefore we cannot agree with their actions, Dharmasekara said referring to the trade union action taken by the Self Employed Professionals National Three-wheel Federation. However the AITWDU has been demanding for a regulatory authority for many years following the rapid degradation of three-wheeler services across the island. This Government made many promises before it assumed power. Budget speeches were made by two ministers, but we are still waiting for them to deliver, Dharmasekara lamented. What we understand is that the officials too are rendered helpless. We have been informed that in order to establish a regulatory authority, many departments have to be consulted. The Attorney Generals Department, provincial councils and even the Tourist Board is involved in consultations. The process has been botched and delayed for years. This is the result of grave and widespread inefficiency among a host of Government authorities, Dharmasekara pointed. The four-seater vehicle manufactured by Pune-based Bajaj Auto, named the Qute is exclusively manufactured for export markets at present. Several attempts to contact the subject Ministers and the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport proved futile. However Senior Assistant Secretary K. G. Dharmathilaka, informed the Daily Mirror that the duties of the Ministry are limited to the formulation of policies. This is a decentralised subject. We have no authority or capacity to regulate trishaw operations. This subject of regulation comes under the purview of the provincial authorities, Dharmathilaka said. Asked if there were any discussions held on the subject at Ministry level, Dharmathilake said the Ministry is involved in the making of policies and drafted the technicalities which have been included in the gazette and no further deliberations are being made at present. The Daily Mirror spoke to several provincial authorities regarding the subject. The Western Province Road Passenger Transport Authority Chairman Thusitha Kularathna said the authority is still drafting a mechanism to regulate trishaws in the Western Province. Asked when the proposed regulations would come into effect, Kularathna said he is unable to give a time frame for such work. Our proposals and plans have been submitted to the Legal Department. We have requested the officials to deliberate the matter at the earliest, so that we can promptly implement a system to regulate trishaws, said Kularathna. According to Kularathna the new system, once implemented, would make the profession accountable and thereby address several areas of concern. Operations and Planning Officer of the Southern Province Road Passenger Transport Authority said that following the gazette notification, almost 1,300 trishaws have been registered with them. Through registration we are attempting to secure their services and control the excess of vehicles in three-wheeler stands. This would also discourage malpractices among trishaw drivers, the officer said. However the registration process has been stalled for some time now. We have encountered an obstacle as we have no legal authority in certain areas in which we have to deal with the Police. To rectify this situation we need the intervention of the Motor Traffic Ordinance, as the provincial councils have no legislative powers. Since there is no solution to this obstacle, the registration of three wheelers has been slow, the officer said. Meanwhile an official of the Central Provincial Council Transport Department said that although decisions were made to regulate trishaws in the Central Province, it has not been implemented thus far. There are various issues which have been voiced by three wheel drivers associations across the province. These issues are being addressed by the respective divisional councils, the officer said. Pointing out to the persistent issue in regulation the officer said it is a difficult task to educate the three-wheel driver community due to several factors. Thus far we have engaged in various awareness and education campaigns to elevate the three-wheel drivers in the province to a professional level. Unlike with other areas of transport, it is extremely difficult to educate or provide training in this sector. The main reason for this is the age groups involved. There are three-wheel drivers ranging from 18 to 70 years of age within this group, which makes their training all the more difficult, he explained. Sri Lankas three wheeler population has been on the rise. As the numbers indicate, Sri Lankans have chosen the tuk tuk as their preferred mode of transport. Regardless of whether this is a positive or negative development, lawmakers must ensure that the much needed regulations tabled in 2016 and gazetted in 2017 is enforced at least in 2018. With a total tuk tuk population of 1,062,447 registered in 2016, it is time that a comprehensive policy to curb over-population is introduced. Lets not forget that while the tuk tuk provides for a relatively affordable and comfortable mode of transport in the absence of satisfactory public transport, the vehicle is also the poor mans trusted mode of transport in emergencies. Like it or not, the trishaw has become an integral part of the Sri Lankan transport system and hence its regulation must not be haphazard and ad-hoc, but meaningful and positive. United States' Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday the Trump administration will announce more sanctions against Russia on Monday, the CNN reported. On CBS's "Face the Nation," Haley has said the Treasury Department will announce the new sanctions and insisted the US has sent "a strong message" about the use of chemical weapons. You will see that Russian sanctions will be coming down. Secretary Mnuchin will be announcing those on Monday, if he hasn't already, said Haley. While insisting the action taken early Saturday morning in Syria was a very strong attack on the chemical weapons programme, Haley hit back on more hawkish critics who argue the US didn't go far enough because it did not change the balance of power in the long-running Syrian civil war. "Our job was never to take Assad out," Haley said, referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. She added that the conflict must ultimately be resolved through a UN-led political process. "Our job was never to start a war." MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Orlando Attivas Isom, also known as "Boo Man" of Moss Point plead guilty as a habitual offender on Monday, according to Assistant District Attorney Cherie Wade. Isom plead guilty to three counts of transfer of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. The Southern Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team utilized a confidential informant to purchase cocaine and methamphetamine from Isom in August of 2016. When Isom was apprehended on his arrest warrants in October of 2016, he was found to be in possession of cocaine and hydrocodone. At the time of his arrest, Isom had seven prior felony drug convictions. He has been sentenced to 40 years Mississippi Department of Corrections with 20 years to serve day for day. "This defendant is a classic example of the destruction drugs are producing in our community," District Attorney Tony Lawrence said. "Because he sold drugs, other people developed addictions. I am hope this twenty-year day for day sentence tells drug dealers enough is enough and we are not accepting your lawlessness." U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos hasnt testified before the House or Senate education committees since becoming secretary more than a year agoand Democrats arent happy about that. For one thing, its a departure from the record of her recent predecessors, each of whom had appeared before the two education committees at least onceand in many cases, more oftenby this point in their tenures. And even when you widen the lens to look at other committees on Capitol Hill, DeVos is still behind the pace of her predessors. All in all, DeVos has testified before Congress just four times so far, including her confirmation hearing in January of last year, and three education spending committee appearances. Thats not to say DeVos is dodging lawmakers. The party in control of Congressin this case, the GOPgets to decide when a cabinet secretary appears before Congress. Every time the Secretary has been called up to testify she has made herself available to do so, said Elizabeth Hill, a spokeswoman for the department. Still, top Democrats on the House and Senate education committeesRep. Bobby Scott of Virginia and Sen. Patty Murray of Washingtonare not happy that they havent gotten a chance to hear from DeVos directly. They have big concerns about the way DeVos is implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act, her school choice agenda, and what they see as her rollback of Obama-era civil rights protections. They want to question her about those issues in person. House Republicans say they fully intend to have DeVos speak to the committee, theyve just run into scheduling conflicts. And a spokeswoman for Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., argues that the Senate committee has done plenty of oversight, including holding hearings on just about every top political appointee nominated to serve at the U.S. Department of Education. Thats a big change from the Obama, Bush, and Clinton years, and was done at the Democrats behest. A Senate GOP aide also noted that the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has been focused on health care, combatting the opioid crisis, and other issues that arent part of DeVos purview. The aide said Democrats just want to grill DeVos to score political points, not because they want to work with her on policy. (More on all that below). So how often did DeVos predecessors appear on on the Hill? John B. King Jr., President Barack Obamas second education secretary, testified six times in his 11 months as secretary or acting secretary. (DeVos has been in office for 14 months.) Arne Duncan, Obamas first education secretary, appeared up on the Hill nine times in his first 15 months, including at least three times before the education committees. Margaret Spellings, President George W. Bushs second education secretary, testified nine times in her first 15 months. That included at least one appearance between each of the education committees. Rod Paige, Bushs first education secretary, came before lawmakers nine times in the first 15 months of his tenure, including once each before the education committees. Democrats say they want to question DeVos choice to approve ESSA plans that they and some civil rights groups think flout the law . (DeVos has a different take .) They want to hear more about why her budget proposals have sought to slash popular programs, such as money for teacher quality. And they want to question her about her plans to roll back or revise Obama-era rules dealing with discipline and special education. Congress cannot perform its oversight responsibilities when the administration refuses to appear before authorizing committees, Scott said. Secretary DeVos has proposed two budgets that slash investment in education and divert public dollars to private schools; approved 39 state ESSA plans, some of which fail to comply with the laws core equity requirements; and, moved forward with a harmful deregulation agenda and agency reorganization, both of which lack transparency. It is past time that Secretary DeVos appear before our Committee. Earlier this year, Scott sent a letter to Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., asking her to give the committee a chance to hear from cabinet officials on their budget requests . Murray is on the same page. Its no surprise that Secretary DeVos wouldnt want to come testify after she made it clear that she doesnt have the answers that parents, teachers, and students are looking for. But as the Department continues to roll back protections for students, undermine our public schools, and improperly implement our laws, it is absolutely critical Secretary DeVos comes in front of the Committee and explains herself, Murray said in a statement. DeVos was slated to testify before the House Committee on Education & the Workforce in December. Lawmakers ended up canceling her appearance because of a scheduling conflict. But they plan to have her appear before the committee, said Michael Woeste, a spokesman for Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the committee chairwoman. And on the Senate side, a spokeswoman for the education committee noted that DeVos has met with top lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. Democrats, she said, asked for hearings on a range of top education nominees, and have been slow to confirm them. Chairman Alexander meets with Secretary DeVos regularly. He recently met with her and Sen. Murray in his office to discuss school safety. Secretary Devos has testified before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee and she will do so again this month, the spokeswoman said. And she said, Democratic senators have held up at least five key nominees, By contrast, Chairman Alexander promptly considered and approved President Obamas Education Department nominees. And a Senate GOP aide said Democrats just want to question DeVos as part of their theater of resistance. ... The only reason they want a hearing is to try to embarrass her or provide some scorn, the aide said. Elizabeth Mann Levesque, a fellow at the Brown Center on Education at the Brookings Institution, said that the legislative agenda may be an important part of the reason DeVos hasnt been up on Capitol Hill much. Some of Duncan and Paiges early appearances were aimed at touting their administrations visions for rewriting the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. But Congress had just passed a reauthorizationESSAby the time DeVos assumed office. And it took Congress longer to finish a tax overhaul and attempt to rewrite health care legislation than expectedlawmakers havent had time to dig into big education bills, like revamping career and technical education and higher education, Mann Levesque said. If the legislative agenda isnt focused on education issues, there are just going to be fewer hearings related to legislation that an education secretary would weigh in on, Mann Levesque said. Whats more, Congress is more likely to engage in rigorous oversight if the opposite party controls the administration. Democrats, Mann Levesque said, havent been shy about grilling DeVos. Even if Republican members of the House or Senate do have an issue with how a law is being implemented, there are other avenues to question the secretary without opening her up to questions from the opposing party, she said. But DeVosand her teammay find themselves raising their right hands and swearing under oath more often next year, depending on the outcome of the mid-term elections If the Democrats take over, I would certainly expect there to be oversight hearings and for them to call Secretary DeVos in, Mann Levesque said. That would not surprise me in the least. Photo: U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testifies before a Senate spending committee in June. --Susan Walsh/AP Librarian Maya Riser-Kositsky contributed to this post. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . While fast food workers across the country are campaigning to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, the Shelby County, Tenn., superintendent wants to do the same for all full-time district workers. By the end of the month, the school board is expected to vote on a proposal to amend its budget to raise the minimum wage for full-time district employees to $15 an hour. And workers could see the difference as soon as their first May paychecks, Dorsey Hopson, the districts superintendent, said. Hopson, who made the official pitch to the school board in late March, said a number of factors led him and his chief financial officer, Lin Johnson, to explore the living wage increase for Shelby County Schools employees. Shelby County district includes the city of Memphis. One factor was the high poverty rate. About 40,000 students live in households with incomes of less than $10,000 a year, he said. And many of those heads of households are parents who work for Shelby County Schools in low wage jobs. (The school district is the countys second-largest employer.) The timing of the announcement was also significant. The city was preparing for the 50th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was in Memphis, Tenn., for a sanitation workers strike in 1968 when he was shot and killed. The living wage increase is also part of the districts equity efforts, which include student-based budgeting that sends more money and supports to schools with the highest needs, they said. As we talk about how to be a part of the poverty solution, I think its no secret that paying a living wage is a great step, Hopson said. We thought about it, and said What would it look like if we paid our employees a living wage? Would that have an impact on our parents and possibly create better opportunities for them to be more involved in their kids education? Hopson is hoping that other county employers would follow the school districts lead. At the end of the day, when we help our employees it ultimately helps our students, he said. I think about [the] lower-wage jobs here in Memphis. These are parents who send their kids to our schools. So, to the extent that employers raise wages and that trickles down into the home, and starts the first step in trying to eradicate some of this suffocating poverty, it ultimately...will have a positive impact on our students. Dorsey was also pushed into action by an encounter with an educational assistant, who had worked in one of the districts high-needs schools for about a year and a half and was considering taking a job at a mall because of the higher pay. It just hit me like a ton of bricks to think that there are instances where were not paying folks who are working hand in hand with our most precious resources, and they may have to leave that to go work to sell some clothes, he said. That just didnt seem right. Hopson said the school board and elected officials have so far been receptive to the proposal. (The Shelby County Schools effort to raise the minimum wage is not part of the national Fight For $15 movemen t, but the district is aware of the campaign, Hopson said.) The proposal is likely to cost the district about $2.4 million annually, with only about $900,000 coming from its operating budget. The rest will come from federal funds such as Head Start and Title I, the federal program for schools educating disadvantaged students. The majority of Shelby County Schools employees already make close to $15 an hour , and the increase will apply to about 1,250 employees who are mostly teaching assistants, maintenance staff, cafeteria workers and clerical workers, like secretaries. The majority of the employees who were getting paid below the $15 were actually educational assistants who have a direct contact with our students and who are making that impact, said Johnson, the districts CFO. We see it as an investment back into our students. Shelby County Schools have been under financial stress in recent years, following the 2013 merger of the suburban Shelby County Schools with Memphis City Schools. A year later six suburban communities broke away from Shelby County to form their own school districts. Over the last few years the district has had to make major budget cuts, and this is the first year that the district is in the black, according to Chalkbeat, an education news website. Johnson said Shelby County still will be able cover the cost of the wage increase in its operating budget in future years if federal funds such as Head Start and Title I were cut. Photo caption: Dorsey Hopson, superintendent of Shelby County Schools in Tennessee. Photo courtesy the Shelby County School District. This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. it is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way. Posted 4/15/18 Missouris rural economy could see real harm from the brewing trade war with China. The Chinese government met President Donald Trumps recent tariffs with retaliation against American Posted 4/15/18 My sister, Carol Ann, called last week to tell me that while she was searching family history, she overheard a fellow use one of our relatives names. Come to find out, she (and me, too, I guess) Comcast Cares Day, which takes place each April during National Volunteer Month, is Comcast NBCUniversals companywide celebration of their year-round commitment to service and the nations largest single-day corporate volunteer effort in the country. On Saturday, Comcasts signature Comcast Cares Day event in East Tennessee will bring nearly 100 volunteers, elected officials, and community partners to the Ronald McDonald House for a beautification project including yard clean up, spring mulching, planting, window washing, playground cleaning and pressure washing. The event will be from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., at 200 Central Ave. Members of the general public are invited to join. To sign up, visit ComcastintheCommunity.com or visit the direct link at https://www.comcastinthecommun ity.com/Project/Detail? projectId=10422 . Onsite registration will be available, but participants are encouraged to sign up beforehand to ensure they get a t-shirt. We are thrilled to have been selected for this years Comcast Cares Day project, said Jane Kaylor, Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House. Through this beautification project, Comcast volunteers will make a big impact to our site and will help us improve the home environment for our families. 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. Posted Monday, April 16, 2018 10:30 am Sarah Long Sassy Vogelsberg, Sassy, 65, of Overland Park, Kan., passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on April 14, 2018. The celebration of life will be held a 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April18, at Unity Church, 10300 Antioch Road, Overland Park, KS 66212. Rev. Keri King of Unity Church will be officiating. There will be a visitation following the service. Sarah was born in Warrensburg on Aug. 24, 1952. She graduated from Warrensburg High School in 1970 and continued to attend Central Missouri State studying fashion design. Sarah was formerly married to Michael Craig Vogelsberg for 20 years. Sarah worked as the senior operations representative for Merrill Lynch for nearly 20 years where she made many lasting friendships along the way. She loved antique shopping, spending time with her family, her dog, Bobo, cat, Nessa, art galleries, restoring furniture, painting, crafts, sewing, reading, jigsaw puzzles, visiting the beach and enjoying a cup of coffee or glass of wine on her deck. Sarah is survived by her daughters Jessica Vogelsberg, (Keith Follmer) Overland Park, Kan., and Rachel Vogelsberg, Morrill, Neb., with granddaughter, Anya; former spouse, Michael Vogelsberg, (Debi). Surviving siblings include Linda (Rick) Ribbentrop of Chesterfield, Va., and Nancy (Kevin) Parks of Windsor. Other surviving relatives include sister-in-law, Marggi Long; niece, Tonya Applegate; and nephews, Kyle Bell and Clif Long. Sarah was preceded in death by parents, J.C. and Mary Geane Long; and brother, Jim Long. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care. Because of living conditions, as well as starvation, numerous Irish fled Ireland to come to the United States. It is no wonder that James Joyce described the Atlantic Ocean as a bowl of bitter tears and an earlier poet wrote, They are going, going, going and we cannot bid them stay. Today in Tennessee over 7,000 teachers are already eligible to retire and by 2024 that number ... (click for more) A home was damaged Monday morning by fire. The Chattanooga Fire Department responded at 6:20 a.m. to a residential structure fire at 4605 Carr Terrace. Firefighters with Quint 6, Quint 7, Squad 7, Engine 4, and Quint 8 made an aggressive interior attack and extinguished the fire in 15 minutes . The Incident Commander, Lieutenant Julius Hubbard, reported heavy fire and smoke showing upon arrival. The one occupant and her two dogs were out of the structure upon the arrival of the Chattanooga Fire Department. The one occupant and her two dogs were out of the structure upon the arrival of the Chattanooga Fire Department. No one was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation. The property loss is estimated at $25,000. France, US and UK Statements on Syria Air Strikes The page you requested is only available to subscribers. 1. If you are a Premium Service subscriber, please log in here to access this story: Log-in : Password : 2. If you are not a subcriber, you can: -- buy access to this page: unlimited access for seven days costs 3.00 EUR + VAT (at 19.6%) if applicable. Clicking on the "Ok" button below will place the item in your shopping cart and return you to our home page, where you will be able to select additional stories. -- select additional stories and services from our home page and pay for them at the same time. -- see your shopping cart. You can also see the contents of your shopping cart at any time by clicking on the "Order" tab on the navigation bar at the top of any page, or by clicking on the "Your order" light blue link in the top right-hand corner of our home page, immediately under the log-on box. DENVER Mayor Michael B. Hancock today released a proposed framework that partners with the Denver Housing Authority (DHA) to double the Affordable Housing Fund annually from $15 million to $30 million and generate a new estimated $105 million funding surge for affordable housing in the next five years. Denvers need for more affordable housing is critical. Since our creation of Denvers first dedicated Affordable Housing Fund, weve been working on ways to leverage those dollars to expand the funds capacity and broaden its impact, Mayor Hancock said. This proposal will deploy more funding quicker to support our residents and families without increasing costs on the very households we are working to serve. The Mayor continued, We can all agree more resources are key to addressing this challenge. The Housing Authority has been a trusted partner in building and preserving high quality affordable homes for those who need them, and this partnership will allow us to do more, faster for residents who are working hard and need support. The proposal would improve the alignment of Denvers Affordable Housing Fund with the five-year housing plan. Ultimately, Denver would double its creation and preservation estimates from 3,000 units to at least 6,400 units over five years. The proposal directs about half of the newly doubled Affordable Housing Fund to support those most burdened by housing costs (0-30% AMI and those experiencing homelessness) and allocates the other half to fulfill other priorities within the Housing an Inclusive Denver five-year plan. The proposed partnership with DHA brings more funding in the form of bonds to accelerate building and preserving much-needed affordable housing, and increases the land available for future affordable housing use for Denvers lowest-income residents and those experiencing homelessness. By leveraging DHAs expertise in serving those most in need, the proposal also expands the citys ability to deliver on additional areas of housing needs identified in the five-year plan. Because affordable housing is Denvers greatest need, it is such a high priority for City Council. Each additional unit represents a new opportunity for a family in Denver, which is why we continually look for creative ways to increase funding for affordable housing, Council President Albus Brooks said. This bond proposal signals a new future for Denver, reaffirming our commitment to affordable housing by doubling our original investment. The estimated $105 million will be generated from the issuance of bonds by DHA, supported by the appropriation of an existing half property tax mill from the city. The bonds will spur building new and preserving current permanently affordable housing units maintained by DHA, and create a new land acquisition fund to secure a pipeline of projects to serve Denvers lowest-income residents and those experiencing homeless. The new $105 million bond appropriation to DHA will: Create or preserve at least 1,400 units over the next five years to ten years, serving 0-30% AMI through land and property acquisition, paired with at least 300 project based vouchers. Create or preserve an additional 759 units at the DHA properties of Sun Valley, Westridge and Shoshone over the next five years. DHA is proud to be a partner in this creative funding opportunity that will accelerate and expand the creation and preservation of much needed affordable housing targeted at Denver's lowest income and most vulnerable residents, stated Ismael Guerrero, DHA Executive Director. This bond initiative underscores the citys and the Housing Authority's commitment to deliver real solutions for Denver residents most impacted by the high cost of housing. Under the proposal, an additional yearly $7 million General Fund contribution will be made to the Affordable Housing Fund starting in 2019. To backfill the half mill that will be appropriated to DHA, the framework proposes to increase the citys special marijuana sales tax from 3.5 percent to 5.5 percent, generating an estimated $8 million per year for the Affordable Housing Fund. Colorado Leads is a pro-business alliance that promotes the economic and community benefits of a responsible cannabis industry. Our members have created tens of thousands of jobs, and their employees, like so many others in Denver, need affordable places to live within a reasonable distance from their work, said Chuck Smith, Board Chairman for Colorado Leads. We support the cannabis sales tax increase to help ease the housing challenges faced by our employees, as well as scores of other Denver residents. The new $7 million annual General Fund allocation will: Create or preserve at least 750 units over the next five years. Serve at least 1,000 additional households over the next five years through programs such as displacement assistance. I believe this is a fiscally responsible approach that balances the critical need for more housing, faster, with prudent management of the citys finances. This proposal would allow the city to leverage the tools and resources of trusted partners to stretch our dollars further without requiring a property tax increase, said Denver Chief Financial Officer Brendan Hanlon. Innovative partnerships are essential to affordable housing, and this plan builds on our successful partnerships, strategy and record-setting pace of building and preserving units that is currently underway in Denver, said Eric Hiraga, Executive Director of the Denver Office of Economic Development. We look forward to investing additional funds across our network of private and mission-driven organizations that are making a difference in fostering housing stability. Several aspects of the proposal would require City Council action. See attached fact sheet for additional details of the proposed affordable housing bond framework The Chattanooga Hamilton County Branch of the NAACP recognized the medal winners of the 13th Annual ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, Scientific, Olympics) competition. ACT-SO is a national, yearlong enrichment program for high school students offering 33 categories of academic and performance competition. Approximately 50 national ACT-SO programs compete for a chance to have their local winners advance to the national ACT-SO contest each summer. The 2018 national contest will be held July 12-14 in San Antonio, Texas. The Chattanooga ACT-SO contestants will have an opportunity to be among the top 1,000 of the best ACT-SO high school students in the United States. Students at the National ACT-SO have an opportunity to win thousands of dollars in cash plus scholarship opportunities. Chattanoogas ACT-SO Medalists in 2018 include: Anaya Griggs Instrumental Silver Medal Jr Center for Creative Arts Chaise Garrison Instrumental Bronze Medal Sr East Hamilton High School DAriaus Albert Dance Bronze Medal Sr Chatt School for Arts & Sciences John Paul Freeman Drawing Bronze Medal Fr Chatt School for Arts & Sciences Jordan Pauldin Painting Bronze Medal Sr Girls Preparatory School Jymon Scott Dance Silver Medal Sr Chatt School for Arts & Sciences Tyrese Jones Dramatics Gold Medal Sr Center for Creative Arts NAACP Chattanooga Hamilton County Branch President Dr. Eleanor Woods said, It is important that our children are given the platform to showcase their talents. The NAACP takes pride in celebrating our youth for their artistic, professional, and academic talents where they can best be recognized. Chattanoogas ACT-SO Chair Thessela White said, The community should support ACT-SO because when wanting the best for our community, we should invest the best in our youth. AI is the future of the surveillance market: Q&A with Max Yang of GeoVision GeoVision is a Taiwan-based surveillance solution developer in business for over 20 years. Although not as big as some of the international firms, the company is still one of the top-50 players worldwide. But growing competition in the traditional legacy surveillance sector prompted GeoVision to shift its development to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies several years ago, and has since attained high levels of competitiveness in the AI sector. The company's new edge computing type of AI surveillance products are giving GeoVision a good position in the AI surveillance market. Digitimes recently had an opportunity to talk to GeoVision's Max Yang, director of Sales of New Product Division. He talked about the surveillance market's current status and GeoVision's plans for the market. Q: What kind of company is GeoVision? What business segments does GeoVision mainly focus on? A: GeoVision has been operating in Taiwan for over 20 years, focusing primarily on developing image analysis technologies and the integration of surveillance software and hardware that cover segments ranging from back-end server systems to front-end cameras. Among the surveillance applications, our expertise is on the security field and facial recognition is a key technology that GeoVision has been developing for its latest products during the past couple of years and will be our promotion focus for 2018. As for our business model, GeoVision is a manufacturer and also a vendor of its own-brand surveillance products. But it has begun providing ODM services to support some of our regional brand clients since two years ago. We have established a new department for the ODM business, which is currently contributing about 20% of the company's revenues. Q: What is the surveillance market's current status? A: Currently, the surveillance market has two major sectors: the traditional legacy surveillance and digital artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance. The traditional legacy surveillance system is composed of conventional cameras and a back-end server. The back-end server retrieves video data from the cameras for storage and users are able to view the recorded footage via the server system. The sector is currently being dominated by China-based suppliers with the top players accounting for 50% of the sector's shipments worldwide. Although customers are able to obtain inexpensive solutions from these China-based suppliers, there are security concerns since most of their products use the same hardware configurations and software systems to cut down costs. And these suppliers usually do not bother to encrypt the video data or enforce security measures on the surveillance system's management platform, allowing hackers to easily gain control of their systems. With dwindling profitability from the traditional legacy surveillance sector, Taiwan and other international surveillance product firms have mostly turned to the newer-generation surveillance camera systems such as those integrated with AI support. The largest player of the digital AI surveillance sector is Germany-based Bosch, which has mainly been obtaining orders from international airports. Q: What is GeoVision's business strategy for the surveillance market? A: GeoVision will continue placing efforts onto its traditional legacy surveillance systems and is at the same time spending resources on the development of AIoT products that integrate AI into Internet of Things (IoT) surveillance devices, targeting market segments including smart retailing, smart factory, smart manufacturing and smart medical care. For the AIoT business, GeoVision is pushing direct partnerships with manufacturers and factories to provide services such as upgrading their existing systems to feature AI support or planning a comprehensive surveillance solution for their new facilities. The partnership will allow GeoVision to fully understand clients' demand and provide corresponding solutions to satisfy their needs. Q: Where are GeoVision's main markets? Any new markets that GeoVision will be targeting? A: North America is currently our largest market with 60% of our revenues generated from the region. At the beginning, GeoVision's business model in North America was to supply clients with customized surveillance software that could work with their existing low-resolution camera systems but provide more functionality. But as these clients started to see the needs to upgrade their systems to high-resolution digital camera solutions, we became their first choice for procuring surveillance products. North America will remain a key market for GeoVision in 2018 with Japan to also be a major target country for our AIoT solutions in 2018. We have also partnered with a local home security service provider in Taiwan to supply our AIoT products to the market. As for Southeast Asia, GeoVision does not have a branch office in the region and is mainly partnering with local distributors to sell its products. We are aware of the region's growing demand for IT applications over the past few years and will consider establishing an office there if we are able to identify any good opportunity or local partner that can help us quickly expand into the market. Q: What is GeoVision's competitiveness? A: With the traditional legacy surveillance sector mired in fierce price competition, AI technologies are the key to differentiate the digital AI surveillance system sector from the traditional legacy surveillance one. For GeoVision, the company's R&D focus is facial recognition technologies and applications. Compared to others, the special thing about our facial recognition technologies is that we have implemented the innovations onto the cameras instead of the back-end server. The concept of the edge computing surveillance system means our clients do not need to fully replace their existing systems in order to acquire AI surveillance functions for their facilities. Currently, there are three types of AI facial recognition surveillance systems available in the market. The first type is through support from cloud computing service providers such as Google, Amazon, Tencent and Alibaba. The surveillance system can perform the facial recognition functionality by sending video data to one of these players' cloud computing platforms for analysis via high-speed Internet. However, the downside of the process is it involves high costs for the service and Internet support. Another key issue is that some companies do not wish to send their surveillance data to outside companies due to security concerns and these problems have lmited demand for this type of serivce. The second type is the full surveillance solution with the back-end server system being the one handling the facial recognition task. But such a solution will require clients to replace the whole surveillance system and add up costs. The third one is the edge computing-type surveillance with the face recognition handled directly by the cameras, and this is the direction that GeoVision is currently devoted to. Our cameras feature application processors from Qualcomm and memory for processing facial recognition functionality and clients can easily view any information the cameras analyze and store. Our cameras are able to recognize 10 faces at once and are suitable for automated employee time recording and office building access control to help keep intruders out. The systems can also be adopted in retail stores where the cameras can detect the stores' MVPs or any specific person and create alerts to notify store clerks. Max Yang, director of Sales of New Product Division, GeoVision Photo: Company 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 SPOKANE (AP) A gigantic, Amazon-like warehouse could be headed to vacant fields around the Spokane International Airport. The Spokesman-Review reports a company has submitted conceptual plans for a four-story warehouse to the Spokane County Building and Planning Department. The warehouse would contain 2.5 million square feet of space. . . . 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe East Ridge Mayor Brent Lambert on Monday played audio of three calls that led to an extortion charge against County Commissioner Tim Boyd. The calls were played to reporters at a press conference at the East Ridge Community Center beside City Hall. The attorney for Commissioner Boyd, Lee Davis, called it "curious business" that Mayor Lambert would hold the press conference and release the tapes. Both Boyd and Lambert are vying for the District 8 County Commission seat. Mayor Lambert said he decided to record the calls "because I wanted a witness" to the exchange. He said no one had instructed him to make the recordings. He said Tennessee "is a one-way consent state" on recordings. The mayor said the commissioner is "scared, desperate, delusional and a bully." He said Commissioner Boyd "lies repeatedly." Mayor Lambert said he made the first call on Feb. 16 after getting a call the night before from an attorney saying that Commissioner Boyd had called saying he had some damaging information against Mayor Lambert. He said the call was from Allen McCallie, who is associated with a lawyer for the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, where Mayor Lambert is CEO and president. He said the calls were made to Commissioner Boyd on his job at a manufacturing plant in Calhoun, Ga. In the first call, Commissioner Boyd said the information had been provided to him by his political team. He said, "It looks very suspicious and certainly unethical. It is all documented. It's not going to look good for you, Brent." He added, "My political team says this is really bad." Commissioner Boyd said on the tape that his team was pushing to make the information public, but he said he did not want to hurt Mayor Lambert, his family or the Railroad Museum. Mayor Lambert, at the press conference, said the information apparently referred to him accepting large campaign donations from the developers of the Bass Pro Shop property at Exit 1 and him afterward paying off an old campaign debt. He said there was nothing illegal or unethical about taking the money and paying off the prior debt. On the tape, Mayor Lambert asked Commissioner Boyd, "What do you want me to do?" Commissioner Boyd said, "What I prefer you to do is just drop out of the race and everything goes away." He also said, "If you stay in the race, it's not going to be pretty. It will go to every media outlet there is and there will be robo calls. It will be no holds barred." In a call on Feb. 20, Commissioner Boyd said, "I don't want to hurt you, Brent." He said the Railroad Museum is "an icon" and he also did not want to harm it. But he said the information his team had found showed he had acted "blatantly unethically." He said, "It's not conjecture, Brent. They showed me the documents." He said one of his team members said the information was, "As juicy as it gets. He can't wait to turn it loose." Commissioner Boyd said in the tape that he did not want others to know, but that this would be his last term before he retires. He said, "This is just a little County Commission job. You're doing great things in East Ridge, Brent." Mayor Lambert asked if he withdrew could the information still come out. Commissioner Boyd said former state Rep. Ken Meyer had offered to take all the documents and turn them over to Mayor Lambert after he withdrew. In a final call, Mayor Lambert said he had decided he did nothing wrong and he was going to stay in the race. Mayor Lambert said he hopes the issue about the alleged threats is over and the campaign can get back to "the issues." Attorney Davis said, "Political candidate Brent Lambert issued a press release Friday threatening Tim Boyd that he will release a secretly recorded conversation today in order to gain political advantage in an election. Mr. Lambert is committing the same act today that he complained of last week. If Mr. Lambert really believes he is the victim of a crime, as he claims to be, it is curious business for him to hold a press conference today to release evidence, as he announced he intends to do. As a political candidate, Lambert is holding a press conference today, he says, to release a conversation that he secretly recorded of a political opponent. Puzzlingly, Mr. Lambert initiated the call to Commissioner Tim Boyd for the purpose of recording him. This act by Mr. Lambert, followed by an indictment, and now followed by his announcement that he will release evidence in a pending criminal case, is a mockery of our legal system. Mr. Lambert and those individuals who are helping him with his threats against Commissioner Tim Boyd should be held accountable for their actions. My law office will be representing Commissioner Tim Boyd in a court of law on Friday, and we will ask the court to set this matter for trial at the earliest possible opportunity so that we may do our part to seek justice on behalf of Commissioner Tim Boyd and to hold political candidate Brent Lambert accountable for his actions in this matter." Kristi DiMeo of softball and Jimmeh Koita of men's lacrosse have been named the Drexel School of Education Athletes of the Week for the week ending April 16.DiMeo went 10 for 25 (.400) on the week with five home runs, three doubles and 11 RBI. The freshman from Turnersville, N.J. notched her first career multi-home run game Thursday against Coppin State, going 2 for 4 with two homers, three RBI and three runs scored. She also mashed two doubles and knocked in two runs in the second game of the doubleheader against Coppin State. DiMeo opened the week with a homer and two RBI in Tuesday's win over Howard. She then closed the week with a long ball in both games of Saturday's doubleheader against UNCW. DiMeo is tied for the team lead with 10 home runs and leads the squad with an .806 slugging percentage. She was named CAA Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.Koita dominated Saturday's game at Fairfield from the face-off X to help the Dragons to a 16-14 victory. The sophomore from the Bronx won 25 of 32 face-offs against the Stags. His 25 face-off wins tied for the fourth most in CAA history. The only player to ever have more was Delaware's Alex Smith, one of best face-off men in lacrosse history. Koita also grabbed 18 ground balls, which tied the Drexel CAA record with Nick Saputo. Koita has made immense strides to improve his season face-off percentage to .551. He was named CAA Player of the Week for his efforts.Softball returns to action Tuesday afternoon at Saint Peter's, while the men's lacrosse team will host Hofstra Saturday afternoon in a crucial CAA contest.---In today's fast-paced world, it takes more than skills to succeed. The Drexel University School of Education develops leaders who are ready to take the reins and lead not just in classrooms, but in boardrooms and laboratories here in America and around the globe.We offer a wide variety of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees along with several certificate, certifications and professional development programs to prepare educators, engineers, mathematicians, scientists and administrators for a lifetime of success.Learning is not limited to the classroom. Our programs emphasize field experience as much as academic knowledge. Whether online or in-person, Drexel University School of Education's programs are molded to fit your busy life.Visit www.drexel.edu/soe to see all of our degree options and learn how the Drexel University School of Education can prepare you to lead in the future. Chattanooga was changed forever on July 16, 2015, following the tragic shootings at the Armed Services Recruiting Center on Lee Highway and the U.S. Naval Operational Support Center and Marine Corps Reserve Center on Amnicola Highway. Three years later, thousands of supporters will participate in the Third Annual Chattanooga Heroes Run/Walk to honor and remember those who lost their lives as well as the hundreds of responders who worked to protect our city. The Chattanooga Heroes Run/Walk, presented by Erlangers Level One Trauma Center, will take place on Saturday, July 14, beginning at 8 a.m. The event will include: The five mile loop course will begin at the Naval Operational Support Center and Marine Corps Reserve Center and end at the Hubert Fry Center at the Tennessee RiverPark. Parking will also be available at the RiverPark. A Stroller Corral will be reserved at the starting line for those who wish to bring a smaller buddy with them to the event. Participants can dress their children in red, white and blue and deck out their jogging strollers for the event. Participants can join virtually if they are unable to travel to the event. Deadline to register is July 10, at midnight. The one mile kids run will begin at 10 a.m. at the RiverPark. Volunteers are needed to assist with pre-run bag packing, set up, race activities, kids run, and post run clean up. For more information about the Chattanooga Heroes Run/Walk, how one can volunteer or to register for the event, visit www.chattanoogaheroesrun.com. The families of Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, Sgt. Carson Holmquist, Lance Cpl. Squire K. Wells and Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Randall Smith have chosen to use the proceeds from this event to help fund the construction of a permanent memorial space at the RiverPark. Erlanger officials thank the following for their time, manpower and support of this special heroes tribute: City of Chattanooga, Hamilton County, LIFE FORCE Event Medicine and Rock Creek. Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, has encouraged business owners to urgently contact her office if they have experienced heavy handed tactics by the Australian Taxation Office. The Ombudsman, together with the inspector-General of Taxation Ali Noroozi, has been directed by the Treasury to examine cases of unfair conduct the ATO. The investigation, announced last week by Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly ODwyer, is the Governments response to allegations raised in a joint investigation by Fairfax and the Four Corners (ABC). Whistleblowers informed the investigators of a toxic internal culture where vulnerable small businesses are deliberately targeted to help meet revenue goals, with the use of unethical tacticsat the expense of correct procedure and fairness to taxpayers. One whistleblower cited the inappropriate use of garnishee notices a debt collecting tool allowing the ATO to order a bank to hand over money from a taxpayers account, without first consulting the taxpayer. The ATO executive released a statement strongly disagreeing with the allegations on the grounds that the media have taken a handful of isolated cases, presented only one side of the story, and then extrapolated these to suggest systemic issues with our administration of the tax and super systems. The executive added, We are concerned this coverage serves only to create tension and worry for small businesses where it did not previously exist, and perhaps even stop people from coming to us to get things sorted. According to Carnell, although the ATOs culture towards the small business sector has improved markedly, it doesnt take too long for a small business to go broke when the ATO behaves particularly heavy handed or makes a mistake that takes a long time to fix. The reference to the ATO as judge and executioner rings true when you understand there is no independent review available to small businesses; only big business, she said. Then theres the added distress of the ATO being able to take money straight out of your business bank account, without your agreement. We believe the powers and capacity of the Inspector General of Taxation should be examined, so it has a greater ability to assist vulnerable taxpayers. There should also be an ability for small businesses in trouble to access an independent body, to hear and act on their case, and if they have been wronged or suffered financial loss, determine the right amount of compensation. We already work closely with the ATO and will continue to do so in light of the allegations. The ATO has said it is committed to helping viable small businesses thrive, and through this inquiry, we hope to help them do just that. Carnell advised there are extremely tight timeframes for the inquiry and that affected small businesses should share their story with her office as a matter of urgency within the next week or two. My office is interested in examples where the ATO has targeted small businesses unfairly and the business owner has been affected financially, she said. According to the ATOs latest annual report, there are 3.8 million small business taxpayers, including sole traders, in the tax system. The Inspector-General says in roughly 5% of cases, the ATO gets it wrong which on the face of it is way too many. We want to gain a better understanding of how the ATO is adversely interacting with small businesses so we can provide government with constructive and realistic advice. With complete anonymity assured, small business owners can explain their situation by emailing inquiries@asbfeo.gov.au. If you have raised your concerns with the ATO and the Inspector-General and your matter has not been resolved, ASBFEO may be able to assist via emailing info@asbfeo.gov.au. Guest Commentary Audio Article This is a short history of the Morgan family farm before the possible development of the remaining 49 acres east of Chesterton. Jesse and Jane Morgan arrived in Northwest Indiana in 1833 after traveling through Ohio, northern Indiana, stopping off in LaPorte County for a... Echoes of the Past Audio Article 10 Years Ago Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011 Bethlehem Lutheran Church will host a wellness screening event. . . CHS girls soccer team beats LaPorte 5-0 and clinches a share of the DAC title. Scoring goals are Rosie Biehl (2), Hannah Kollar (2), and Sam... Voice of the People I can drive on the left lane of Ind. 49 and not have to deal with the truck traffic any more. I dont think I know you Jim Ton but apparently youre the one that made this happen. My life is a little better now.... 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... PRESS RELEASE Statement by the staff of the European Commission and the European Central Bank following the ninth post-programme surveillance visit to Spain Staff from the European Commission, in liaison with staff from the European Central Bank (ECB), carried out the ninth post-programme surveillance visit to Spain on 9-10 April 2018. The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) participated in the meetings on aspects relating to its Early Warning System. Amid continued strong economic growth, the Spanish banking sector enjoys overall comfortable liquidity, and several banks increased their issuance of debt securities. Also, banks have over previous quarters overall enjoyed continued profitability, with the exception of a one-off factor related to the resolution of Banco Popular in the second quarter of last year. Capital buffers have been supported by the issuance of both core and non-core capital instruments. This facilitated continuation of the reduction of NPLs on balance sheets, including in banks with relatively high amounts of legacy assets. The NPL ratio for the Spanish banks, including on their international activity, declined to close to the EU average. The merger of BMN with Bankia in January 2018, accompanied by FROB's sale of another minority stake in Bankia in December 2017, is the latest step in the process of restructuring of the Spanish banking sector. Completing the privatisation of the merged entity and the divestment plans of banking foundations in savings banks will further reinforce the Spanish banking sector. In addition, banks further improved their business models and efficiency and increased the supply of new loans to the economy. At the same time, the asset management company SAREB improved its gross margin, but recorded again negative financial results, which calls for further dedicated action in managing SAREB. Going beyond the financial sector, the findings of the mission confirmed the Commission's assessment of Spain's economic situation presented in the context of the European Semester in February. Overall, the Spanish economy continues to enjoy robust growth and its rebalancing has progressed further, but high private and public debt levels and unemployment still represent vulnerabilities. It will be important that Spain puts in place policy efforts to ensure a durable growth path and achieve higher productivity growth. This includes steps to continue reducing unemployment, make the labour market more inclusive, improve the business environment and enhance the innovation capacity of the economy. Moreover, Spain should take the opportunity provided by the favourable economic conditions to pursue fiscal consolidation with a view to ensuring a decisive reduction in the government debt ratio and re-building the fiscal buffers that will enable Spain to overcome any adverse shocks. The mission would like to thank the Spanish authorities for their constructive and open discussions. The next post-programme surveillance mission will take place in autumn 2018. 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Equipped with an advanced avionics system and various airborne weapons, the domestically-developed fighter has airstrike capabilities within medium and close range and is capable of precisely striking land and maritime targets, the air force said in a statement. It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fighter will enrich the air force's offensive and defensive system and improve its capability to fulfill duties and missions, according to the statement. China's new multi-role fighter jet J-10C began combat duty Monday, April 16, 2018, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force announced.[Photo: Sina Weibo/China Air Force] Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLA air force, said that the air force will advance training and war readiness, and sharpen its striking, defensive, and air delivery capabilities. It will also firmly safeguard China's airspace security and national strategic interests in the new era, Shen said. The new jet is modified from the J-10 fighter jet and will help improve the air force's fighting and war-readiness capabilities, said Wang Mingzhi, a military expert. The air force is gradually building a combat system adapted to the need of informationized air warfare, comprised of heavy air superiority fighters such as J-11 series, multi-role fighters such as J-10 series and J-16, new-generation stealth fighters such as J-20, and medium and long-range bombers such as H-6K, Wang said. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... Latest News DU Admissions 2021: 100% cut-off continues for admission to Psychology (H), Computer Science Kirori Mal College (KMC) has kept the highest cut off at 99.75% for admission to Political Science (H), BCom AP ICET 2021 results declared Among the 38,000 students appearing as many as 34,789 students have qualified PhD not mandatory for the post of assistant professor for this year The criteria has been lifted temporarily for 2021 US resumes export of pork to Argentina The US can now resume exporting pork to Argentina after the South American country finalised the technical requirements that will allow US access to the Argentine market for the first time since 1992. In August last year, Argentina inked an deal with the US to allow American pork to enter its market. Since then, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), technical staff from the USDA and the Office of the US Trade Representative had been working with Argentina's Ministry of Agro-Industry on new terms for market access that are "practical, science-based and consistent with relevant international animal health standards". "The finalization of these technical requirements means that US exports of pork and natural swine casings can now resume", the USDA said in a press release. "This is a great day for our agriculture community and an example of how the Trump administration is committed to supporting our producers by opening new markets for their products", US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday, April 13, the day he announced the pork trade breakthrough. The US is the world's second-largest pork exporter, after the EU. Its global sales totalled $6.5 billion last year, the USDA said, adding Argentina is a potential $10-million-per-year market for America's pork producers. Guiyang to be hub for fast-growing big data industry ( chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2018-04-16 According to its local government, Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, plans to become "China's data valley" by 2020 to better serve the real economy and optimize its regulation and services. The big data industry is expected to gain total revenue of 100 billion yuan ($15.7 billion) by that time, according to an official document released by the local government last year. As one of the pilot zones for the country's development of big data, Guiyang has established 16 industrial clusters and experimental bases since 2014. After four years' exploration, the application of the technology has been promoted in different fields such as transportation, education, finance and security, according to the city's big data development committee. Zhuminsheng, an online search and consultation platform for civil affairs, for example, uses big data collected from Guiyang government departments to allow people to process social security, medical care, education and employment issues. Guiyang locals are able to access 180 services via a single online account, providing greater flexibility of access. Such online platforms include a "Tax Credit Cloud" promoted in Guian New Area to share data between government departments, banks and enterprises to cut red tape and improve efficiency. Staff members debug the system of "Tax Credit Cloud", an online platform for civil affairs used in Guian New Area. [Photo by Du Pengcheng/news.gog.cn] Further opening-up of government data was approved in Guiyang in March 2017, aiming to boost healthy development of the digital economy and improve its regulation and services. As the first city in China to share government data, Guiyang made a technical breakthrough in exploring a new way of unifying storage and management of more than 5.3 million pieces of information from 54 official departments and institutes. The operation mode is expected to influence the application of big data in other Chinese cities. Guiyang is also the first pilot city nationwide to apply big data to internet safety, as approved by the Ministry of Public Security in April 2017. An internet attack defense exercise was conducted in November 2017 to examine the city's ability to protect important information systems and provide emergency solutions. The resources, platforms, technologies, achievements and markets were further linked to improve the city's internet security. Another area of big data expansion has been blockchain, which was first introduced in Guiyang back to 2016. Investment of up to 750 million yuan was poured into innovation, testing and application of the technology last year. Major information companies, including Intel and iFlytek, have settled in the city to develop the artificial intelligence industry, including intelligent robots, advanced voice call systems and face recognition. The big data industry expo, held once a year in Guiyang, has transformed from a regional event to a national one. The annual event promotes the exchanges of ideas among experts, companies and entrepreneurs worldwide. Last year's event attracted business leaders including Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, Pony Ma, CEO of Tencent, and Li Yanhong, founder of Baidu, who shared their insights into the digital economy. More than 20,000 attendees from some 30 countries and regions took part in the expo, discussing major issues of the industry and exploring opportunities for cooperation. By Ma Zhiping and Liu Xiaoli in Haikou China Daily Updated: 2018-04-13 Tourists harvest sweet potatoes in the town of Qiaotou in Chengmai, Hainan province, last year. [Yuan Chen/For China Daily] Hainan province is taking a series of steps to help eradicate poverty by 2020, in line with the central government's poverty reduction plan. In the past five years, the local government helped 617,000 people got out of poverty, and another 83,000 people will follow suit this year. Of Hainan's total population of 9.3 million, about 477,000 remained below the poverty line in 2017. The national poverty line is an annual income of 2,300 yuan ($366) per capita. Hainan, China's youngest province, celebrates its 30th anniversary on Friday. Many measures targeting poverty have helped to improve residents' incomes, such as the development of high-efficiency agriculture and highlighting rural tourism, which yielded better jobs, new farm produce and markets for many once-poor farmers. It beautified many villages as well. In 2017, about 2.84 billion yuan was poured into the agriculture, tourism, healthcare, education and transportation systems with the goal of reducing poverty on the island. Shatu, once an impoverished village in the island's northwestern area, has now become a village of sweet potatoes with some global stature. Farmers in the village used to grow low-productivity rice and other crops, earning incomes of less than 3,000 yuan a year in 2008, before they were encouraged by the local government to grow sweet potatoes instead. The government organized training courses for the farmers to help standardize potato growing, conducted branding promotion activities and set up an online sales platform and a sweet potato research institute that is developing quality potato seedlings. "The efforts have helped to increase the annual income per household to 100,000 yuan, jumping 33 times from a decade ago," said Yang Yingchun, a Shatu resident. He expects a harvest worth 150,000 yuan from his 1-hectare sweet potato farm this year. Sweet potatoes have helped reduce the number of impoverished households to 36 in 2016 from 1,390 in 2007 in Qiaotou, which has 29,000 residents. While in the central areas of the island, where a number of national-level poverty-stricken counties and cities are located - such as Baisha, Baoting and Wuzhishan - the "poverty reduction plus tourism" model is bringing benefits. Shijin village in Baoting Li autonomous county on the island's eastern side, has developed rural tourism by tapping the spectacular views of its lush green mountains, as well as the colorful culture of Li ethnic people, the original residents of Hainan. The village's efforts have raised per capita income from 2,000 yuan about 10 years ago to more than 13,000 yuan. Sanya, the resort city at the island's southern tip, has established a smart database management system including the situation of each impoverished household - income, health condition, family members and employment - can be followed by scanning a code in front of the household name. "With the system, we can provide targeted measures to help each family rise out of poverty," said Zhang Lei, an official in charge of local poverty alleviation. Hainan has also invited agricultural experts to the villages to give lectures and provide training for farmers. It has organized night school TV programs since 2016, with topics covering new farming techniques, poverty alleviation policy explanations, industry development analyses, building confidence and benefiting thousands. Regular arrangements are made for farmers to visit other areas and broaden their vision. By US News , April 15, 2018 DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia (AP) Saudi Arabia used its perch as host of an annual gathering of Arab leaders on Sunday to push for a unified stance against rival Iran as the regional powerhouses vie for the upper hand in wars in Syria and Yemen. Saudi King Salman told leaders from across the 22-member Arab League that Iran was to blame for instability and meddling in the region. He said Yemeni rebel Houthis, backed by Iran, had fired 116 missiles at the kingdom since Saudi Arabia went to war in Yemen three years ago to try and roll back Houthi gains there. 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 CNN , April 15, 2018 (CNN) Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" that he will vote against former CIA Director Mike Pompeo for secretary of state because of what Kaine called the nominee's "anti-diplomacy disposition." "We have a president who is anti-diplomacy," Kaine said. "And I worry that Mike Pompeo has shown the same tendency to oppose diplomacy." 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and seminars often focus on landing a job. They teach you how to make a winner resume, what questions to prepare for at interviews, and how to exude confidence and self-assurance to potential employers. But what happens after? Once youve landed your first job, nothing really prepares you for the reality of immersing yourself in something completely foreign. At school, you mostly learn the technical skills, but whats navigating the real world, really like? And what can a newbie do to survive the workplace? We asked several working professionals on the advice they wish they were given before they entered the workforce. For fresh grads, this is free advice on handling working life. For those already working, theyre good reminders when things get a little crazy in the office. *** Angela Carreon, junior architect Before I started working, I wish someone told me these three things: have a strategy when it comes to saving money, choose a company with good benefits, and know that there will be days when you wont be getting a lot of sleep, so savor it while you still can. Erica Cruz, relationship manager (banking) When you start, its not about grades anymore. Because at work, whatever you do or however you perform has a real effect on your company and on other peoples lives. Its not just about making a living and thinking solely about yourself. With school, all you really have to care about is how your own performance affects you. Glenn Hu, sales director (pharmaceutical company) Don't be scared to fail. In school, I was programmed into believing that passing is the only way to succeed and grow, but in reality, failure is what transforms you into who you are supposed to be in your career, and most importantly, in your life. Joy Santos, store operations officer (retail) Its important to set goals while in the company, but dont rush to get to the top. Take the time to learn the why in the tasks given to you. The bigger picture is important, but you have to learn to appreciate the details to be able to grow. Dont be discouraged if youre not fit for a role, its often because you are unequipped for the position; but always remember that attitude trumps skills. You can either look at a challenge as a hindrance towards your goal or see it as an opportunity to grow. You always have a choice. Janvic Garcia, business analyst (OLX Philippines) Don't be afraid to take risks. When a good opportunity to advance your career comes, take it! Even if you don't feel like you're ready, it's still a learning experience that will help you grow. This applies especially to startups, because theyre very fast-paced environments. Yuki Tansengco, fashion entrepreneur Being a fashion entrepreneur and style blogger, I have been blessed to be able to work out my own hours. I have experience in both the corporate life and freelance life, so something I wish someone told me earlier is that it is okay to say no. It is okay to decline some opportunities, cherry pick the ones that you think will be beneficial at the end, and treat time like money. Being in the digital industry involves a lot of x-deal and freebies but work is work. It is okay to turn some opportunities down to keep your head focused on things that keep you on track towards your goal. Jenelle Chua, marketing manager (FMCG) 1. There will always be politics in the office, so learn to manage it. 2. Dont take things personally. Its just a job and not your life. 3. Not everyone will work as hard as you, but dont let that affect the way you work. 4. You wont always be on target even if you gave 110 percent because some things are out of your control. 5. Its okay to ask for help because you wont know everything and cant do everything all the time. Adrienne Go, marketing manager (food and beverage) The reality is that you are hired to fulfill a role in a company. Sometimes you don't get into a company that listens to input or values career development. The bureaucracy is real and it's understandable if you can't stomach that. But learn to hunker down and be humble enough to do even the most menial of tasks. You can't be an effective leader in the future if you don't learn how to do the little things now. Hallie Grace Francisco, operations coordinator (retail pharmacy) Dont be a martyr at work. I used to think that maybe if I worked extra hours, my company would see how committed I was, even if I wasnt getting paid. But one of my coworkers told me that not having a life outside of work would just burn me out more easily. Now I do my best to end my shift on time. And if I dont finish the work for the day, Ill just get back to it tomorrow. Matthew Lee, food & wedding photographer I wish someone had told me you'd have to deal with all types of personalities, and that there will be those who are beyond reasoning. But when you find people who are like-minded and share the same hunger and dreams as you, that's the best thing about your work. Steph Ycasiano, producer (video production) A lot of the things I learned in production, I learned the hard way. Accept that you will make mistakes but also take note of them so that you dont do it again. I think the only advice that wouldve helped me before taking this job is just to toughen up and learn to think on your feet because bad things can and will happen no matter how much you prepare. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said it arrested an Australian nun for "attending protest rallies and engaging in political activities." By supposedly taking part in these protests, Sister Patricia Fox, a missionary of the Our Lady of Sion, "violated the conditions of her stay" in the country, the BI said in a statement. The 71-year-old nun was apprehended Monday on orders of BI Commissioner Jaime Morente. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said Fox was arrested Monday afternoon by six Immigration officials at their mission house in Quezon City and was later detained at the BI Intelligence Division in Intramuros, Manila. Her legal counsel Jobert Pahilga said the fiscal in charge of the inquest recommended her release, provided she produce her passport, which is currently at a travel agency arranging her trip back to Australia in May. Fox submitted her passport on Tuesday, said the BI, an agency under the Department of Justice. "The BI Special Prosecutor will then submit her findings and recommendations whether to file the necessary charges or release Fox for further investigation," the bureau added. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said Fox's case "has nothing to do with her being a nun, nor with her personal advocacies." "But like any other foreigner enjoying the privilege of staying in our country, she has to obey and comply with our laws," he added. Various groups staged a protest Tuesday, condemning Fox's arrest and calling for her immediate release. They said it is part of the government's crackdown against critics and human rights defenders. Patricia Fox, Giacomo Filibeck According to the CBCP, Fox recently joined the International Fact-Finding and Solidarity Mission in Mindanao. In 2013, she was also detained for joining protests in Hacienda Luisita but was released without charges. The CBCP said the Australian nun has been working in the Philippines for 27 years helping farmers and indigenous peoples. She is also a member of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines. Fox's arrest follows the detention and deportation of Party of European Socialists Deputy Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck on Sunday, also for allegedly violating the conditions of his stay. Filibeck was part of the human rights delegation last October 2017, where members of the European Union denounced the killings under President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war against drugs. The BI has previously warned foreigners against joining rallies. In 2013, it deported a Canadian student and Dutch national for participating in an anti-government protest during then President Benigno Aquino III's State of the Nation Address. Under Philippine Immigration Law of 1940, the Commissioner of Immigration can order the arrest and deportation of any foreigner who "believes in, advises, advocates or teaches the overthrow by force and violence of the Government of the Philippines, or of constituted law and authority or who disbelieves in or is opposed to organized government," among other violations. CNN Philippines' Eimor Santos, Ver Marcelo, and Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. President Erdogan urges new groundwork for world peace President Erdogan on Monday called for a more comprehensive notion of justice to prevail in Syria, stating that the deaths caused by conventional weapons should not be ignored. Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Istanbul, President Erdogan criticized that joint air and missile strikes targeting the Assad regime in Syria came only after the alleged chemicals weapons use in Douma. Erdogan urged a new groundwork for peace in the world, one where countries are no longer bombed with random justifications. "Let's lay down a new foundation for peace in the world and let's not let rain down bombs on these countries at random, not allow the pounding of barrel bombs." stated Erdogan. "OUR AIM IS TO MAKE SYRIA SAFE AND LIVABLE" President also criticized US-led airstrikes in Syria in the wake of alleged usage of chemical weapon by the Assad regime, pointing out that conventional weapons have killed far more civilians in the country. How can there be justice if we put those killed with conventional aside and only focus on chemical weapons? We are calling for the foundations of global peace to be laid, and for bombs not to be rained down on these countries. Our aim is to make Syria safe and livable. said Erdogan. "COME AND LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF A NEW PEACE IN THE WORLD" "When it comes to words, they say 'peace, peace, peace.' How is this peace? You come and strike there and then talk about peace. Let's be honest, let's be sincere. We say, come and lay the foundations of a new peace in the world together. Let's not randomly shower barrel bombs on these countries." he continued. President Erdogan also criticized "imperialist powers" for not taking in Syrian refugees while Turkey plays host to around 3.5 million Syrians. Gwyneth Paltrow and fiance, Brad Falchuk, had a star-studded engagement party on Saturday held at the Los Angeles Theater, which many speculated was actually the wedding ceremony. A-List Guests A few months after announcing their engagement in January, the couple gathered some of the Hollywood A-list celebrities for a black-tie party extravaganza held in downtown Los Angeles. According to reports, there were 400 guests at the engagement party, which series creator and Falchuk's business partner Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story) organized for the couple. The signage outside the Los Angeles Theater boasted sweet messages for everyone to see, including "BF Loves GP" and "GP Loves BF." Of course, the initials stand for the couple's names, Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk. Paltrow arrived at the event wearing a floor-length one-shoulder maroon dress and her fiance opted for white tuxedo. Other celebrities donned on their best smile and wardrobe for the memorable gathering. Among the stars in attendance at the engagement party were Reese Witherspoon, who paired her black dress with chandelier earrings, Jennifer Aniston who wore a black choker necklace and strapless dress. She also sported a wrist brace. Demi Moore looked young beyond her years in a daring outfit that revealed her toned stomach. Julia Roberts was also at the party in a flowing dress and a pair of spectacles. She paired her outfit with a shiny red purse. Meanwhile, pregnant Kate Hudson wore a yellow ruffled dress and Cameron Diaz wore a red dress. Her husband musician Benji Madden was also at the party. Other celebrities invited to the star-studded event took to their respective social media pages to share the moment with the followers. Comedian Chelsea Handler shared a Boomerang clip of her outfit on Instagram. Jen Meyer shared a selfie with Sara Foster and Jerry Seinfeld's wife, Jessica, showcased the purple sequined dress she wore to the party on her Instagram. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Giammetti of Valentino posted his best wishes to the engaged couple alongside their photo. Steven Spielberg, Liv Tyler, and Dave Gardner were also at the event. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and Paltrow's ex-husband was not at the party. Wedding Rehearsal Paltrow's mother, Blythe Danner, was at the event too and she even raised speculations that the party was the actual wedding or the wedding rehearsal. She was photographed leaving the theater carrying a dress bag with the name Monique Lhuillier printed on the front. The designer is a favorite among celebrities when it comes to her bridal gowns. However, the guests did not give anything away when asked for details after the engagement party. Paltrows rep also did not reply to request for comments. R. Lee Ermey, the Marine Corps sergeant-turned-actor famous for his role in Full Metal Jacket has died at the age of 74 from complications of pneumonia. Ermey's long-time manager Bill Rogin shared the sad news on Twitter. Rogin said the actor died on Sunday. Statement from R. Lee Ermey's long time manager, Bill Rogin: It is with deep sadness that I regret to inform you all that R. Lee Ermey ("The Gunny") passed away this morning from complications of pneumonia. He will be greatly missed by all of us. Semper Fi, Gunny. Godspeed. pic.twitter.com/vf4O78JKmb R. Lee Ermey (@RLeeErmey) April 15, 2018 Ermey listed in the Marine Corps at the age of 17 and became a staff sergeant who also served as a drill instructor. He spent a year and two months in Vietnam from 1968 and was released from active military duty due to medical reasons in 1972. Hollywood Films Ermey often played police or military characters in movies and television. He got his first movie stint as a First Air Cavalry chopper pilot in the 1979 Vietnam War film Apocalypse Now while he was still a student at the University of Manila in the Philippines. He also served as a technical adviser to filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. However, he got his major break in the cinema when Stanley Kubrick cast him as the foul-mouthed Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. Kubrick said at the time that 50 percent of the insulting dialogues were all Ermey's improvisation. He came up with about 150 pages of insults. The role made an impression on viewers, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination and paved way for more film opportunities. Ermey appeared in over 60 films in his lifetime. He was a cast in Se7en, Mississippi Burning, and Leaving Las Vegas. Voice Credits And Shows Ermey also lent his voice as the plastic toy soldiers' leader in Toy Story. Other voice credits include The Simpsons, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Family Guy, and SpongeBob SquarePants. Aside from acting, the 74-year-old Kansas native also hosted a couple of programs. These include Lock N' Load with R. Lee Ermey, where he talked about the development of the different types of weapons, and the History Channel show Mail Call, in which he provided his knowledge about modern and historic military issues. Prior to his death, Ermey had not appeared in movies in five years and he said it was because of the liberals in Hollywood. They allegedly blackballed him over his political views when they found out that he is a conservative. Tributes Hollywood actors have posted their tribute online following news of Ermey's death. Actor Vincent D'Onofrio said he was the "real deal" and Donald Trump Jr. called him a "legend and a great American." The U.S. Army also bid farewell to the actor and thanked him for his service to the country. .@RLeeErmey passed away at the age of 74. Rest In Peace, Gunny. We are grateful for your service to our country and for supporting our servicemembers. Semper Fi pic.twitter.com/iQq9Us7aFw U.S. Army (@USArmy) April 16, 2018 The behind-the-scenes legal drama surrounding imprisoned rapper Meek Mill continues to build. The judge who set Mill to prison has again denied to free him. Judge Brinkley Strikes Again On Monday, April 16, the Philadelphia District Attorney's office stated in courtroom that it wants a new trail for the "All Eyes On You" rapper. It stated that the rapper deserves another trial after it was revealed that Reginald Graham, the officer who arrested Mill in his 2007, is part of a "do not call" list that highlights corrupt police officers. However, the prosecutors at the time of the 2008 conviction sat on the vital piece of information. TMZ reported that if the Philadelphia District Attorney office's wishes are granted, Mill's 2008 conviction would be thrown out. Also, Mill would be allowed to leave prison. However, Judge Brinkley, who initially sentenced the rapper in November 2017 to two to four years in jail for violating his probation, revealed that she has decided to wait until June to hear more about this case. Judge Brinkley also denied any members of Mill's legal team a chance for Mill to be released on bail. No Bail And Personal Vendetta This is not the first time that Judge Brinkley denied Mill his freedom. On April 3, despite growing vocal support from both the Philadelphia District Attorney's office and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfe, Judge Brinkley stated that Mill would remain in jail. Several members of Mill's legal team believe that she had a bias against their client. The group indicated that Judge Brinkley allegedly requested to re-record Boyz II Men's "On Bended Knee" and demanded that Mill should switch his management team. Judge Brinkley has denied all of the legal team's claims. Celebrity Legal Problems Meek Mill is not the only celebrity dealing with legal dramas. Fellow rapper Travis Scott was challenged with a lawsuit from a Minneapolis event planner, PJAM LLC, which paid the "Butterfly Effect" rapper over $160,000 in fees for his scheduled pre-Super Bowl celebration on February 3. However, Scott canceled at the last minute due to inclement weather. Rapper Nelly was also under investigation following an alleged sexual assault crime in London. Letters Is World History being taught Dear Editor, I have a question. Is World History being taught in our schools now? Are they being taught about Mao Z-dongs Tiananmen Square Massacre, Japans attack on Pearl Dear Editor, I have a question. Is World History being taught in our schools now? Are they being taught about Mao Z-dongs Tiananmen Square Massacre, Japans attack on Pearl Harbor, Community paramedicine may be what is needed to save lives The impact of the closure of the hospital in Oakland is already being felt across the area, with patients in emergency situations facing longer wait times before getting to a hospital and receiving Community paramedicine may be what is needed to save lives The impact of the closure of the hospital in Oakland is already being felt across the area, with patients in emergency situations facing longer wait times before getting to a hospital and receiving Letter to the editor Upon reading the article concerning the junior high football programs at Lyons Decatur Northeast (LDNE) and Oakland-Craig (O-C) I was inspired to write a short note. It gives one a Read more letters The secret fascist Democrat war against democracy: Voting for greater evil is no way to punish lesser evil By Dr. Lester Jackson President Trumps March 23 seeming betrayal of his base validated the cynicism of many that it is futile to vote Republican or to vote at all. I disagree. Although I view Republicans as corrupt and dishonest, at least they do not pose a threat anywhere close to the magnitude of that of Democrats, now controlled by the left. The recent Mueller-instigated raid on the presidents lawyer shows just how dangerous the left is. Democrat control of Congress will jeopardize the Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of all Americans. While the political correctness assault on free speech, especially by the media and on college campuses, has received widespread attention, the Democrat Party objective to obliterate First Amendment protections, from assault by the full power of the Deep State, is largely unknown. College campus anti-speech thuggery and media bias are bad enough. But these are private acts that can be countered by courageous private individuals. However, the war against free speech rises to a new level when the full power of government is deployed against freedom. Private leftists do not possess government's distinguishing feature: power to destroy financially, to imprison, and to kill. Were leftist Democrats in charge, I would be sent to the Gulag for writing this article and this site would be shut down for publishing it. That will be the overriding stake in every election unless and until democrats wrest party control from Democrats. Democrat vs. Republican Pretense Three days before betraying his base, President Trump claimed: "Pelosi's party in Congress is full of people who tell their voters one thing during the election and then go to Washington and vote" the opposite. That also applies to Republicans. But unlike Republicans, Democrats are not only corrupt liars, but also dangerous. Ten Democrat senators face difficult 2018 re-election contests: Baldwin, Brown, Casey, Donnelly, Heitkamp, Kaine, Manchin, McCaskill, Nelson and Tester. However much these senators try to trick voters into believing they are not wolves in sheep's clothing, last year, only three voted to confirm Justice Neil Gorsuch. The Gorsuch yeas surely resulted from fear of fast approaching re-election challenges. The seven leftist nays were Baldwin, Brown, Casey, Kaine, McCaskill, Nelson, and Tester. Political Dynamite The votes against Gorsuch signified what today's leftist Democrat Party seeks: dictatorial judicial imposition of unpopular and unwanted policies upon unwilling majorities. Justice Scalia often said: "If you want a policy not mandated by the Constitution, persuade your fellow citizens." This was his response to leftists unable to convince fellow citizens of their nostrums' merits but who, instead, run to liberal activist justices to lawlessly ram these nostrums down the throats of the unpersuaded. The leftist playbook counsels intimidation and dictatorship, not honest, reasoned persuasion. Few conservatives realize that the Supreme Court is now only one vote short of a majority eager to ratify legislative denial of their freedom of speech. Justice Clarence Thomas has pointed out the obvious: "[p]olitical speech is the primary object of First Amendment protection." He felt the need to state the obvious when fellow justices, "rather than going out of [their] way to protect political speech, [went out of their] way to avoid protecting it" (Thomas's emphasis). The greatest significance of the Gorsuch confirmation is that he will likely protect the heart of free democratic elections that Make America Great. In 2014, the ten named Democrat senators did not face imminent election challenges. All ten voted to abolish First Amendment protection for conservatives. See the official roll call vote and official Democrat amendment to mutilate the First Amendment. Fifty-four U.S. senators all Democrats supported government regulation of speech critical of the government, or, as they put it, the power to "reasonably limit" money spent to "influence elections." Tellingly, these anti-democratic Democrats voted to specially protect the press, an arm of their party. The Democrat Amendment seems merely to limit money. However, money is central to free speech because nowadays, television ads are required to reach voters. If such ads were not persuasive, Justice Scalia pointed out, "sophisticated politicians of all parties" would not use them. Television consumed $2.8 billion in the previous midterm election. From time immemorial, suppression of criticism has been essential to tyranny. What today's Democrats seek, destruction of self-government's core freedom, is as old as book-burning. Yet, eleven days before Trump shocked his base on March 23, Montana Democrat Senator Jon Tester, pursuing re-election, released an ad claiming he's a Trump ally. But, as noted, Tester opposed Justice Gorsuch and the freedom of speech that makes our country free and great. This is political dynamite that can explode Tester's campaign if used! Extreme leftists are, in Justice Douglas's words, "miserable merchants of unwanted ideas; their wares remain unsold." Their ideas unable to withstand critical scrutiny, leftists abhor free speech. The left tries to bully its critics into silence, even seeking to eviscerate the Constitution's most sacred words. Despite leftist claims, there is little evidence of the right (especially officeholders) trying to silence the left. The left has a monopoly on calling their opponents fascist, while most on the right recoil from exposing the truth that the fascism charge applies to the left rather than the right. A conspicuous exception is David Horowitz, whose reward is to need strong security protection to speak in public. (I once personally witnessed Horowitz being escorted by uniformed police through a normally locked back door to deliver an address. When he needed a rest room, the police first made sure no one was there and then waited outside until Horowitz came out. The building looked like an armed camp.) Dennis Prager contends that "the left-right battle [is] an existential battle for preserving our nation." Nothing could better destroy our nation than ceding power to the Deep State to determine the "reasonableness" of messages intended to persuade voters. Well financed anti-freedom hypocrites allege that something is wrong with spending money to influence elections. What do they think is the purpose of political campaigns? Campaigns to influence election outcomes are essential to democratic representative self-government. The Democrat Party is a threat to the very heart of representative democracy. If this is not publicized soon, America will cease to be free. Republicans cannot rely on conservative media, which (a) largely preach to the choir and (b) have ignored or forgotten that in 2014, all Democrat senators went on record as opposed to free speech for conservatives. To win, Republican candidates in contested elections should run political ads informing undecided voters of this explosive fact. Other Political Dynamite There are two reasons to focus on Democrat enmity toward free speech. First, it is sine qua non of every political issue. Citizens cannot seek policy change without a chance to explain or hear why. Second, it is disturbing and shocking that Republicans have done absolutely nothing to publicize the forgotten and ignored unanimous 2014 vote of all Senate Democrats to limit debate on an amendment to limit debate on all political issues. In a recent political speech, President Trump discussed every Democrat sin, except hatred of free speech. Democrats must be exposed as enemies of the fundamental freedom essential to democracy. This should be sufficient to avoid Democrat congressional control. But there is other political dynamite. It is a hallmark of leftist Democrat hypocrites to smear the right as guilty of everything of which the left is guilty: racism, sexism, hate, Russian collusion, corruption, lawlessness, etc. Space limits preclude extensive detail. But one item should be emphasized again and again in 2018 Senate campaigns. Racism. Not long after trotting out a favorite Democrat smear, calling President Trump a "racist," would-be Senate majority leader Charles Schumer openly declared his vote against a judicial nominee because the latter is a white male. Anyone familiar with judicial nominations knows that opposition or support is based on likely nominee rulings rather than ethnicity or sex. Who can forget the vicious Democrat slander of Clarence Thomas, despite his race? Less well known is that extreme ACLU leftist Democrat Ruth Bader Ginsburg faced no Democrat opposition to her confirmation as a Supreme Court justice, despite the fact that she did not employ a single black out of 57 people she hired in 13 years as a federal appellate judge. Republicans who want to win should stress Democrat racism. Dinesh D'Souza has described past and present Democrat racism. Justice Thomas has noted the racist origins of the Democrat obsession with suppression of free speech. After the Civil War, because blacks then supported Republicans, rabid segregationist Democrat Senator Pitchfork Ben Tillman initiated restrictions on corporate contributions to the Republican Party. Finally, combining racism and sexism, the most recent Democrat presidential candidate openly expressed disdain for white women and the white males in their lives. Conclusion I have made no secret of my revulsion for faithless elected Republican senators and representatives, who repeatedly lied to gain control of Congress. Now Democrats will to lie to regain control. Five weeks before he died, Justice Scalia quoted Charles de Gaulle: "God takes care of little children, drunkards, and the United States of America." So it is no surprise that the American political system rarely provides a choice of the greater good; the choice is nearly always who is the lesser evil? Those dissatisfied with "lesser evil" Republicans should defeat them in primaries. They should not substitute a vastly greater evil for a lesser evil in order to punish the lesser. The consequences will be irreversible. Although, on March 23, the president forced many of his supporters to conclude that the Democrats already control Congress, actual leftist Democrat control of even one house of Congress can result in true Bernie Sanders socialism, greater protection for law-breaking and violence against the defenseless, increased racism and sexism, and fascism. As faithless as Republicans are, they should stress and easily document what today's Democrats represent: An End to America. If Republican candidates fail to do so, they will deserve exactly what happens to them. Tragically, freedom-loving, law-abiding Americans, under relentless Deep State attack, will not deserve it! Lester Jackson is author of numerous articles about capital punishment, the Supreme Court, and American politics. His recent book is Equal Justice for Victims: A Blueprint for the Rightful Restoration of Capital Punishment. Copyright 2018 by Lester Jackson, Ph.D. Originally in American Thinker; modified. Boracay, Aklan (CNN Philippines, April 16) Despite President Rodrigo Duterte's statement that he wants to put Boracay under land reform, a local official says there is no productive agricultural land in Boracay. Rowen Aguirre, municipal executive assistant for Boracay affairs, explained some locals used to plant coconuts, corn, and other root crops in the island. However, Aguirre said Boracay is not suitable for rice farming because it is an island and has no irrigation system. When tourist arrivals in the island increased, Aguirre explained many locals stopped farming and opted to work in the tourism industry instead. He added the municipal government never considered Boracay part of the government's agrarian reform program. "Boracay never has any significant farmland. Merong kakaunti, but I don't think it will produce enough even to supply the whole island of Boracay...wala nang nagfafarm dito kasi nga mas madali mag-cater sa tourism...kasi sa totoo lang mahirap magfarm. Nakabilad ka sa araw buong araw, magkano naman kikitain mo?" he said. [Translation: Boracay never has any significant farmland. There are a few, but I don't think it will produce enough even to supply the whole island of Boracay...no one farms here because it's easier to cater to tourism...because in reality, it's difficult to farm. You're under the sun the whole day, and you earn so little.] Residents that used to plant corn and root crops said the places where they used to plant crops have already been turned into a residential area. Meanwhile, Aguirre said talks of closing Boracay and, now, turning the area into an agricultural one are sowing anxiety to the island's locals. He said, "We are already up to here in anxiety and stress... hindi naman kami mga criminal dito, why are we being treated like that? Everybody seems to think lahat kami dito ay guilty, samantalang marami naman dito nagcomply. We complied religiously with all the regulations and we're being treated the same as those who violated." [Translation: We are already up to here in anxiety and stress... we are not criminals here, why are we being treated like that? Everybody seems to think that we're all guilty, when a lot of people here are complying. We complied religiously with all the regulations ans we're being treated the same as those who violated.] On Tuesday, an inter-agency meeting will be held in Boracay to discuss the government's plans for the island and its people. On the 330h anniversary of the Glorious Revolution -- the historical significance of the English Civil War (Part Four) By Mark Wegierski Economic/Class Divisions: Although there was support for both sides among all social classes, it is traditionally considered that the English aristocracy centered in the House of Lords favored the Royalist cause, while the middle-classes centered in the House of Commons favored Parliamentarianism. (302 members of the House of Commons and 40 Lords supported Parliament, 236 Commoners and 80 Lords followed the King.) Royalist support in the House of Commons is larger than might be expected, while the image given by these numbers, with respect to the House of Lords, is largely illusory. In fact, much of the high aristocracy allied itself with Parliament. Lord Fairfax, a dashing cavalry commander who would have seemed a natural supporter of the King, was in fact a leading Parliamentary leader. Many of the great aristocratic families were on the side of Parliament, or had certainly become Whigs by 1688. The monarchy could count on the support of only a handful of high aristocrats, such as the redoubtable James Graham, Earl of Montrose. Many of the King's foremost agents and supporters were in fact men of common origins, for example, Archbishop Laud, the zealous champion of Anglicanism, so hated by the Puritans he was executed in 1645. An aristocrat and chief royal adviser executed by Parliament already in 1641 was Lord Strafford: his execution was not only one of the major causes of the conflict coming to a boil, but also showed the real strength of Parliament, the virtual helplessness of the King, and the extraordinary intensity of degree to which the incipient conflict was to be prosecuted. There are conflicting opinions where the support of the grouping called "squires" lay. On the one hand, in Henry Fielding's Tom Jones, one of the squires portrayed (Squire Western) is a caricature of an English Jacobite, a common social type of the period. On the other, Cromwell himself was a squire, and the Whig supremacy which emerged after 1688 is often characterized as "the squirearchy". Perhaps the richer and more prominent squires supported Parliament, while the more indigent ones tended to support the King. It must be remembered further that the House of Commons represented a very small section of society at the time, and it was often considered that there existed an alliance of the monarchy and the common people against the haute-aristocracy and the increasingly important (and rapacious) merchant-classes (what would have been later called the haute-bourgeoisie). The poorest and most rural sections of the kingdom were generally the most likely to support the monarchy. It should be noted also that the entire aristocracy in England in fact numbered less than 1% of the population. Country/Urban Divisions: It is generally incontrovertible that London, as well as all the large trading-cities, supported Parliament. It is not difficult to interpret the entire war as a struggle between the English metropolitan node, the capital city, against most of the rest of the countryside and hinterland. (The distinction between a decadent London and the healthy countryside is one of the central dualities in Fielding's Tom Jones.) Clearly, this corresponds to one of the classic interpretations of the English Civil War, as a conflict between the interests of the remnants of feudalism, and emergent capitalism. However, the caveats must be added that, first of all, the monarchic and aristocratic interests were not necessarily coterminous, and, secondly, that many peasants must have perceived the emergent capitalism as a greater threat than the feudal remnants. It should also be added that the notion of a classic "feudalism" ever existing in England has also been challenged, and that the peasantry of England represented "the free peasantry" typical of Western Europe, as opposed to the "serfs" of Eastern Europe, who were being subjected to the so-called "new serfdom" after 1500 or so. "Ethnic" Divisions: There is an apparently large degree of congruity between basically "Celtic" areas of the British Isles on the Royalist side, and the most "Saxon" or "Anglo-Saxon" parts of England supporting Parliament. One of the strongest centers of Parliamentary support was the Eastern Association area in East Anglia, which was probably the most "Saxon" part of England (lying closest to the area of Denmark and the North Sea coast from which the original invasions had come) -- and which had also later been part of the Danish Viking area of the Danelaw. The support for Parliament in that area might also have been because of the economic wealth of East Anglia derived from the wool trade. Searching for an explanation for the huge divergences between Highland and Lowland Scots, some historians have hypothesized that the Lowlands had been settled by Anglo-Saxon refugees from the Danish invasions, or at a later point as part of the policy of the Norman Kings. Scots-Gaelic was in fact virtually extinct already at this point, the common language of Scotland being Anglo-Scottish memorialized in its later form by the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns in the Eighteenth Century. For example, "Auld Lang Syne" is a typically Anglo-Scottish, not Scots-Gaelic phrase. To be continued. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Trump v Mueller: Who gets who first? By Dr. Robert Owens The recent raid by the Robert Muellers witch hunters on President Trumps lawyers offices shows that we are nearing the third act. The ever expanding search for a crime is reportedly now looking into a campaign donation that was made by a pro-Russian Ukrainian oligarch to the Trump Foundation in September 2015. The donation was reportedly made after then-candidate Donald Trump gave a 20-minute speech at a European conference that promoted closer ties between Ukraine and the West. Lets see Hillary and the Clinton Crime Family get a pass for running a pay-to-play scam out of Foggy Bottom but the Persecutor-in-Chief has to take a microscope to this one donation. Sounds like the creature from the Black Lagoon is alive and well in the Washington swamp. Leading constitutional lawyer and longtime Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, in what he considers "a very serious escalation" of the special investigation into Russian interference of the 2016 election, called the FBI's raid of the offices of President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen on Monday "a shocking and disturbing development." He added the development "should shock everybody, no matter what part of the partisan divide you're on." According to Dershowitz, "This is a very dangerous day today for lawyer-client relations." "If this were Hillary Clinton being investigated and they went into her lawyer's office, the ACLU would be on every television station in America, jumping up and down," he added. "The deafening silence from the ACLU and civil libertarians about the intrusion into the lawyer-client confidentiality is really appalling," Dershowitz said. Dershowitz recommended that Trump make a motion in court to take Cohen's materials away from the FBI and make a judge decide what evidence can be used and which cannot. What do some of the Presidents allies have to say? Time to fire the FBI Director,? a sometime Trump adviser, Roger Stone, said in a tweet. Other allies suggested that the Mueller investigation has become undisciplined or even criminal. Its clear Mr. Muellers operation has nothing do with fair enforcement of the law or equal justice,? Joseph diGenova, a Washington lawyer who agreed to join the presidents legal team last month before potential conflicts of interest prevented his hiring, said in an appearance on Fox Business Network. It is basically a bunch of mobsters.? Congress, he said, should impeach Rosenstein for not complying with an August 2017 subpoena seeking records related to the origin of the investigation into possible collusion between Trumps campaign and Russia. New York Post writer Michael Goodwin has some things to say about the Mueller witch hunt. "The violent swings of the leaky pendulum make this an excellent moment to call timeout on the Mueller probe. What does he have, where is he going and when is he going to get there?" "Those are basic questions that need to be answered. The American people deserve facts instead of waters muddied by partisanship, innuendo and special access to biased big-media companies." "Given the stakes, the public has a right to know at this point what it all adds up to. If Mueller won't speak for himself, his handler, Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who created Mueller, should speak for him." "The endless leaks are the final straw. The Mueller probe is the most important investigation in a generation and is casting a cloud over a presidency. If this were a probe involving a third-level bureaucrat, assassination-by-leak would be distasteful but not as meaningful. But this is the presidency, and even Trump haters should be appalled at the shoddy process." Lou Dobbs said, "We're witnessing an orchestrated assault on the President of the United States," And conservative watchdog Judicial Watch official Tom Fitton on Monday night blasted the Department of Justice as "out of control," and suggested special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation "ought to be shut down." What do the Democrats have to say? If the president is thinking of using this raid to fire Special Counsel Mueller or otherwise interfere with the chain of command in the Russia probe, we Democrats have one simple message for him: dont," the Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a statement. And what does President Trump have to say about all this? "These people have the biggest conflicts of interest I have ever seen. Democrats -- all. Either Democrats or a couple of Republicans who worked for President Obama," Trump said of the FBI investigators. "They're not looking at the other side -- Hillary Clinton... all of the crimes that were committed, all of the things that happened that everybody is very angry about from the Republican side and the independent side.? "When I saw this, when I heard about it, that is a whole new level of unfairness." "They found no collusion what so ever with Russia." "I've wanted to keep it down. I've given over a million pages in documents to the special counsel. They continue to just go forward and here we are talking about Syria, we're talking about a lot of serious things... and I have this witch hunt constantly going on for over 12 months now," Trump said. "Actually it's much more than that. You could say right after I won the nomination it started." Or as he tweeted this morning, Attorneyclient privilege is dead!? And what about those of us out here in fly-over country who voted for and still support our president? I think what we need now is a private meeting between the President and the Rosenstein-Mueller Cabal where Mr. Trump uses one of his best catch phrases, Youre fired!? Let the chips fall where they may. There is a silent coup in progress waged by the government party against a duly elected president. If the creature from the Black Lagoon can manage to lead the denizens of the swamp in overthrowing the man we elected to drain the swamp. The lie will have been exposed America has become a functioning oligarchy disguised as a nonfunctioning democratic republic. Dr. Robert Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion. He is the Historian of the Future @ http://drrobertowens.com 2018 Contact Dr. Owens drrobertowens@hotmail.com Follow Dr. Robert Owens on Facebook or Twitter @ Drrobertowens or visit Dr. Owens Amazon Page Home The brutal murder and serial rape of an eight-year-old Bakherwal-Gujjar girl living in a village near Kathua, 72 km from Jammu, is horrific enough in all its detail. But, what has emerged since the police investigation led to the arrest of the alleged perpetrators of the crime is even worse, for it has exposed the fault lines in our society. How have we reached a point where the rape and murder of a child is used to fuel communal hatred and promote politically sanctioned impunity for criminals? The gruesome details about what happened to this child between 10 January, when she disappeared, and 17 January when her brutalised young body was found, are terrifying because of what this represents in terms of human depravity. That a child could be abducted, drugged, confined in a temple, repeatedly beaten and raped, and then murdered and thrown out is horrific enough. What makes it worse is that the perpetrators included members of the local police. One of them even joined the search party with her parents after they complained that she was missing, all the time aware of where she was and what was being done to her. Once the state government finally instituted an investigation after the childs body was found, and the suspects, including the policemen, apprehended, politics took over. Instead of condemning the rape and murder, and demanding justice, politicians and even lawyers have taken up with the accused, cast doubts on the ability and the impartiality of the Jammu and Kashmir police, and demanded that the central government hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. This open display of support for rape suspects is unprecedented, with the Hindu Ekta Manch, supported by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), marching with the national flag demanding justice for the accused, and lawyers physically trying to prevent the police from filing the charge sheet. In all this, the fact that a young child was raped, tortured and murdered seemed almost besides the point. There is, of course, a larger political context behind these developments. For the BJP, in a coalition with the Peoples Democratic Party, Hindu-majority Jammu has given it a firm foothold in the state. The communally polarised politics between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley has remained undiminished despite this uneasy coalition. Thus, it is not surprising that the rape of a child, who happened to be Muslim, and the arrest of suspects, who are all Hindu, has laid the ground for playing the communal card. That this can be played out on the savaged body of a young child surely represents a new low even for Indian politics. Yet, even as we express outrage about the turn of events around this rape and murder, we need to consider the larger context. First, that child sexual abuse, rape and domestic violence are rampant in this country. Statistics do not tell half the story. Women and girls are attacked, tortured, and sexually assaulted in their homes, in their neighbourhoods, on the street, in the fields, in the forestsanywhere. Stronger laws have made little difference. In 2012, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was enacted. In 2013, the rape laws were tightened and the death sentence introduced. Despite this, the incidence of rapes and child abuse has not decreased. Laws can be effective only if the systems that implement them work. Second, we must also remember that this incident took place in Jammu. In the same state, in the Kashmir Valley, there have been countless rapes of women and girls that almost never trigger outrage in the rest of India. Apart from the usual problems in the delivery of justice, women there also have to contend with the provisions of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act that gives immunity to men in uniform from such crimes. Third, when politics injects the poison of hate between communities, it is women who are targeted to teach the other side a lesson. We have seen this play out in many locations since partition and it has not stopped. But, the new twist today is the confidence with which the purveyors of hate operate knowing that their supporters have the power to protect them. How else can you explain the brazen nature of the support for the accused in the murder of this child? It is essential that there is a demand for the systemic changes that are needed to ensure that other girls do not undergo the same fate. The first port of call for victims is the police station. Here, they find no sympathy. Even if the case is noted, and investigated, there is still little hope that there will be justice. Lackadaisical investigation and indifferent lawyers virtually ensure that these cases will fail. Our justice delivery system is broken and needs to be fixed. We thought 16 December 2012 was some kind of turning point in the conversation about crimes against women. This little girls death should surely be another such occasion, one that makes every Indian stop and ask about the direction in which our society is headed. Is it going to be one where depravity, brutality and injustice are accepted and justified in the name of religion and politics? Or, will humanity prevail to inform us that all lives are precious and that criminality knows no religion? (This editorial has been updated to conform to the 13 April order of the Delhi High Court directing the media not to use the name of a child victim of sexual assault.) There was a short-lived moment almost fifteen years ago when we all thought that the European Commission was going to seriously reconsider its own image and the way it wants to present itself to the general public. During the first press conference of its jovial new President, Jose Manuel Barroso, there were some signs that changes might soon be coming in the way Brussels is seen. The Euroscepticism, which has been very much present for quite a while, owes itself mainly to the EUs inability to communicate. This is certainly quite an issue because it threatens the wider cause of the European integration. So how can the bureaucracy turn itself into a persuasive and trustworthy source of information? The Commission must simply stop doing what it does. Mr. Barrosos promises of a communication revolution were fulfilled but not in a shape or form that we hoped for. Instead of better, clearer information, we just got more of the same. The most pressing question is still this one What is the EU for? and the task of explaining this question should still be the bread and butter. Yes, anyone who has received any kind of financing from the EU is well aware of what it does and what it is for, but ask any of the European electorates and nine out of ten of them will certainly not know the answer. And even if the European Parliaments secretariat is doing a good work with its approach to information and social media, there are still some things that the EU institutions and leadership should to if they want to successfully rebrand themselves and save the European project. The first thing to do would be to provide a constant stream of good news. Its good to pat yourself on the back sometimes, but that almost never tells us about how things are going, which problems we have successfully overcome and which problems we are going to face in the near future. Even if this means some bad news from time to time, this can only lead to the EU becoming better in the future, as it will learn from its mistakes. Second, the brochures need to go. They just add up to the unnecessary bureaucracy and are usually a waste of money. This could not only help the EU improve its image but also take the wind of the sails of all Eurosceptics, who still ask the What is EU for? question. The third one is quite simple: the EU needs to stop hiring part-timers. Instead, it needs journalist and social media experts. There will most certainly be less sugarcoating but were talking about people that have been in this business for years and they know how to use these things to their advantage. They also know that there is no such person as a European. Europe is a giant melting pot of various nations and cultures and they should be addressed as such, not just as general Europeans. And while were on the topic of media, the EU must definitely broaden its media coverage. The Brussels-based EU-accredited journalists are certainly professionals but they dont have as strong influence on the public opinion as local and regional media do. The last one should be a new symbol the blue flag and the Ode to Joy just arent enough. On the other hand, the constant messages are too much and they only cause confusion. Something that is both eye-catching and instantly recognizable, such as the logos of the Internet giants, would surely do the trick. Children should be the main targets as they are the voters of tomorrow and the teaching kits about the European Union should be a main stay in all secondary schools, in all official languages. What the EU Must Do to Be Loved and Admired Op-Ed by Giles Merritt Friends of Europe. (The Op-Ed can be downloaded here) Last month, Mali-based al-Qaeda affiliate group Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for an attack that killed 16 people in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The assault showed that despite the fact that the Islamic State has lost much of its territory, it has proliferated in the form of numerous branches throughout West Africa and Maghreb. The threat of global jihadism more broadly is far from over and in particular, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) JNIMs sister organization is currently reforming itself and undertaking organizational changes aimed at improving centralized decision-making. As such, it is very likely to re-emerge as a major security threat in the region. Until now, AQIM was mostly operating as a syndicate organization, uniting different autonomously working cells under one master brand. AQIMs members cooperate on a range of topics, such as recruitment, terrorism, drug smuggling and arms trafficking. Throughout the years, AQIM has been remarkably adaptable. It was keeping a low profile in Algeria and withdrew to the mountainous Kabyle region but at the same time it was staging attacks in Libya and building networks in Egypt. The organization also cooperates with local tribes to gain broader support. AQIM reportedly raises funds through robbery, arms trafficking, money laundering and reportedly also drug trafficking from South Africa to Europe. Analysts, however, generally agree that al-Qaedas engagement in drug smuggling has been overstated. While it is clear that the group benefits from such trade, it is mostly the corrupt Malian government that is sustaining the business. Egypt has increasingly become a target of local jihadists who have been perpetrating attacks against civilians, targeting mostly Christians and Sufi Muslims. This trend is likely to continue due to inadequate efforts to protect vulnerable groups and ineffective counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency policies. Egyptian authorities attribute the increased terror activity to the return of Egyptian foreign fighters from Iraq and Syria. There is a room for the EU to help address some of these issues with its closest partners in the region and Egypt would certainly be high on the priority list. The EU should improve cooperation with Egyptian intelligence and law enforcement agencies and make the European External Action Service (EEAS) pursue strategies to place a counter-terrorism expert at its Cairo delegation. Pushing for more access for independent journalists, development and aid organizations, and civil society groups as well as foreign partners to the Sinai and other areas of terrorist activity could benefit both the threat and the government response. Turkey is going to receive a scorecard from the European Commission tomorrow (17 April) in what will be the EUs most critical report on Turkey since Ankara started its efforts to join the bloc more than 10 years ago. Brussels warned that the years of progress might have been lost due to the countrys recent deterioration in democratic principles and human rights. Turkey is drifting away from the European Union on judicial freedoms, media, human rights, good governance, and the rule of law. The only exception is cooperation on Syrian refugees where both sides managed to find common ground. The Tuesday report is the Commissions annual summary on how far Turkey and other candidate countries have progressed in bringing EU standards and values into their political systems. According to the leaks published by the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, the Commission concluded that there was no point in opening further negotiations on new aspects of EU membership, meaning process remains to be stalled. There is massive backsliding away from the European Union, one EU official commented. The report is also meant to continue in the harsh tone towards Ankara, criticizing its huge reverses on fundamental freedoms including fair trial and free speech. Turkey started its talks to join the bloc in 2005, 18 years after applying. While Turkey has always had it hard notably due to the Cyprus issue and resistance to its membership by France and Germany, the recent purges of police, teachers, judges, and other officials since the attempt at coup detat in 2016 made Turkeys membership prospects dramatically worse. However, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that his country still remained committed to the EU membership. The United Kingdom, the United States and France launched airstrikes on Syria in response to the latest chemical attack near the capital, Damascus that reportedly killed at least 43 civilians and injured hundreds more. Despite some trans-Atlantic tensions, the three allies closely coordinated the retaliatory action underscoring an alignment between both sides of the Atlantic despite divisions over other issues. The airstrikes were targeted at the Syrian regimes chemical-weapons arsenal a research center and two production sites. The other strikes also targeted a former missile base 15 miles west of the Syrian city of Homs. The assault capped a week of coordination and planning between the US, French and British militaries. Donald Trump praised the USs allies in his tweet: Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. The EU condemned the repeated use of chemical weapons in Syria and supported the airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities. The EU reiterated that these actions had been taken with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical substances as a means of the Syrian regime to kill its own people. Federica Mogherini, chief of European diplomacy, stressed that it was deeply shocking that the international community is still confronted with the use of chemical weapons. In her declaration, she said that accountability is a must. The use of chemical weapons or chemical substances as weapons is a war crime and a crime against humanity. Perpetrators will be held accountable for this violation of international law. NATO Secretary General also supported the strikes and said there was no practical alternative in response to the use of chemical weapons. We have to uphold and support the ban on chemical weapons, and not erode it, Mr. Stoltenberg said and added that that is exactly why allies condemn any use of chemical weapons and that is why all NATO allies support the actions taken by key allies. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan plans to launch a new online portal to make it easier for European Union citizens to get the information they need to stay in the UK after Brexit.It is estimated that there are around one million EU citizens living in London and Khan believes that their rights post-Brexit are still unclear. He said that statements from the Government that they will need to apply for settled status to remain after Brexit are not particularly helpful.The Mayor is concerned that EU citizens and their families may be worried about their employment status and ability to access services after Brexit, while language skills may also be a barrier to applying for settled status.The new website will provide EU citizens with information about their rights post-Brexit and direct them to expert legal advice, support services and guidance on employment rights. It will signpost the most vulnerable to advice and support services in London.We estimate there may be as many as 25,000 Eastern European Londoners who may struggle with accessing the new settled scheme, said Barbara Drozdowicz, chief executive officer of the East European Resource Centre.Barriers include lack of awareness, poor English skill, low confidence in using technical legal language to tackle applications and difficulties resulting from frail health or age, she added.Khan does not support Brexit, He has called for the UK to remain part of the EU Single Market, with continued qualified freedom of movement ensuring that EU citizens would retain their rights to live and work in Britain.There are approximately one million European Londoners and they are part of the fabric of this city, working hard, paying taxes and playing a major role in civic and cultural life. They will always be welcome here, said Khan.I want to make sure that any future process for them is as simple and stress free as possible after what has been a particularly uncertain and daunting period for them, especially for the most vulnerable, he added.Following the EU referendum in June 2016, and the start of UK Government negotiations with the EU, the Mayor has consistently called on the Government to provide a cast iron guarantee to EU nationals that they are welcome to stay in the UK after Brexit.You are Londoners, you are welcome here and you deserve a commitment from the Government that you can stay, Khan said. THE ongoing challenges of retaining staff on WA farms, looking at new ways to address risk management and the latest requirements around farm safety were some of the key topics at the recent Inspire Summit 2018, held at Fremantle. Co-ordinated by Partners in Grain WA, the event also had a focus on how balancing a healthy lifestyle between business, family and off-farm employment is a struggle for many WA women. A panel of Emma Scotney, Gemma Walker, Tara Vermeersch and Nicole Batten spoke to the audience about their experiences and how being involved in grower groups and community boards were a relief and helped them overcome isolation. Ms Scotney now spends two nights a week in Perth after realising she could balance life as a solicitor in Perth and a farmer in Badgingarra. She works for HopgoodGanim, Perth, after she studied her post graduate law degree online. It wasnt until my third child went away to boarding school that I really started to get a bit jittery, Ms Scotney said. As much as Badgingarra was definitely home and I loved our farm and our business, it was going to be pretty quiet for me and it wasnt enough for me to be content. Ms Scotney soon realised the more frequently she went to Perth she could complete a law degree as a postgraduate. Thanks to technology and the internet she said it was possible to do the course online from home, along witha mix of face-to-face learning. Without telling her husband John Ms Scotney enrolled in a postgraduate degree, saying it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission. When she did speak about it with John, they worked out a plan and upon completing the degree, they realised two nights a week in Perth would be workable. Ms Scotney was a city girl who married a farmer and after 24 years on the land, she is working part-time back in the city. When she first moved to Badgingarra she thought she would be able to side by side with John. Being quite different personalities it didnt work and I had my first child within 18 months of getting married, she said. That again was a real adjustment because then I was housebound on a farm which was lonely and isolating, despite the fact that Badgingarra was and still is an embracing community. Ms Scotney has always maintained some interest off-farm and she was involved in partnership groups. She said she enjoyed working with the former Department of Agriculture and Food WA in business planning and community development on a part-time basis. I have seen women get lost in that phase when their children become independent and country communities dont function without the help of women in the community, she said. Munglinup farmer Gemma Walker is a busy woman, balancing many farm roles, off-farm commitments and a two-year-old daughter. Ms Walker is involved in the familys mixed cropping and livestock farm. As part of the journey to my farm I started at Muresk, then from there I worked in natural resource management, a State marketing role in AWB Landmark, then moved on to managing grower groups including the South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA), Ms Walker said. Originally from South Australia, Ms Walker has a routine that keeps her involved with the farm and also allows her to spend time on other projects. At 5am I leap out of bed, hop on the motorbike and spend two hours checking all of our sheep because we have a big wild dog problem, she said. Then from there I come back and get organised for the day and continue with the other jobs that are required. Ms Walker said she was involved in everything from the farm planning, to a grease monkey during seeding and harvest, a tractor driver, a header driver and whatever else needed doing. Our two-year-old daughter has been very lucky to grow up on the farm and has been coming in the tractor with me since she was three weeks old, she said. Off-farm Ms Walker spends approximately 25 per cent of her time in different roles, with the main role being part of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Western Panel. I am very lucky in my role at GRDC where they have allowed me to take my daughter to the meetings and she has been going to the meetings since she was seven weeks old, she said. Ms Walker is also on the Partners in Grain WA board and is helping to build the capacity of people in so many different areas. I am on the board of Esperance Organised Primary Producers and I decided to take on that opportunity because I am really keen on business development within our region. Whenever there is an opportunity presented Ms Walker said she would stop to see if it was something she was really passionate about before embracing it. With 20,000 hectares, its no wonder Cascade farmer Tara Vermeersch finds herself busy. Ms Vermeersch works on the family farm that is spread across the Cascade and Mt Madden area. With an all-cropping enterprise, the business hires three full-time employees and during peak season employs up to 13 casuals. I have been on the farm for 10 years, I started working in the office straight away, my mother-in-law was really keen to free up some time and hand over some responsibility, Ms Vermeersch said. Today Ms Vermeersch is responsible for all of the office work, including accounts payable, human resources and payroll, employee contracts and the mapping each year. She said anything to do with paperwork was her responsibility. I went paperless two years ago, but sometimes it feels like I am losing a constant battle with my husbands reading pile, she said. The farm also employs a cook to help take away some of the endless responsibilities that come with a large on-farm business. Off-farm Ms Vermeersch has been an employee relations consultant for a company based in Perth. I have been consulting with them for the past 10 years since I moved to the farm and prior to that I was in HR for BHP, she said. I have had lots of clients in Esperance, the Wheatbelt and in Perth, and it just shows that if you have an internet connection you can work from anywhere these days. One day Ms Vermeersch noticed there was a significant gap in farming communities and there was a definite lack of awareness and understanding about what their obligations were as employers. She has been able to merge her professional background in industrial relations with this new industry where she also realised how marginalised they were as small businesses in the bush. Ms Vermeersch was the co-founder and inaugural chair of Esperance Farm Office Management (EFOM). I could see technology taking off in the paddock but we were still using clunky file office systems and fax machines in the office, she said. With the help of another farmer we pitched an idea to SEPWA to start a sub-committee that was dedicated just to the professional development of the farm office manager. In 2013 she was elected to the SEPWA executive where she has sat on the board before stepping down last month. Ms Vermeersch said she suffered from relevance deprivation syndrome, with her husband working a lot. I was very isolated and back when I first moved here, I didnt have a wide support network, but I eventually realised that I was strong and I could do this, she said. More than anything I needed to be kind to myself, because doing the books and raising the kids were two significant contributions to our family, to our business and also to our industry. Yuna farmer Nicole Batten said her mixed cropping and livestock program functioned properly with shared responsibilities across the business. Ms Battens role as the director is around the finance, human resource and industry relations, grain marketing and a whole list of other things. Eighteen months ago Ms Batten resigned from her position in off-farm employment as a community development officer at her local government. I had been involved in our farm business for 19 years and had worked off-farm for most of that time in between having children, Ms Batten said. The decision to resign wasnt one I took lightly it took me about six months because I needed to analyse where my skills, time and energy were best spent. Ms Batten said working off-farm gave her a purpose during the tough seasons and it was gratifying to work with a different team in a different way with a flexible workplace. I think the survival of our communities and the survival of our businesses goes hand in hand, she said. After resigning from off-farm employment Ms Batten has been able to spend more time on their business and her goals were to do more financial analysis, redevelop their website, transition to a paperless system and improve the HR systems as well. I have definitely made some headway into all that and it has freed up some time to spend with our last child before she goes to boarding school, she said. Ms Battens message was for farms to maintain the systems they had put in place and communicate well with the rest of the team. Keeping on top of technology is definitely something that takes a bit of time as well, she said. WAs largest citrus packing plant has attracted national attention as Moora Citrus looks to the future of the horticulture industry. Shadow Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Joel Fitzgibbon travelled to WA on a mission to see a $7 million packing shed, which was the idea of five families, who are involved in the Moora Citrus business. The joint venture between the Kay, Gillon, Yildiz, Brennan and Middleton families, offers a way for the Northern Valley region to process and pack more fruit faster and more cost effectively. While admiring the new shed, Mr Fitzgibbon along with Agricultural region MP Darren West and Federal Labor candidate for Pearce Kim Travers, discussed key issues that Moora Citrus believed were effecting business operations. Northern Valley Packers shed manager and co-owner Shane Kay said some of the key topics that were focused on in horticulture or citrus is labour and biosecurity which are our big ones. This shed came as a result of a shortfall of available infrastructure to do the job that we need, Mr Kay said. The shed is the first dedicated citrus packing shed in WA that can do everything from processing, packaging, cooling, loading and inspections and allows produce to be transported straight to port. Mr Fitzgibbon was supportive of the issues facing the citrus industry and said they were industry-wide. Everywhere I go in regional Australia, the key issue is the workforce, as politicians we spend most the time talking about creating jobs, but too little time talking about how we fill existing jobs and its a real crisis in the agriculture/horticulture sector, Mr Fitzgibbon said. Moora Citrus director Sue Middleton said the local group talked to the politicians about biosecurity and the need to make sure they continue to invest in a secure Australia. Without the boarder force, the investment in surveillance and biosecurity responses, there is the possibility of so many pests and diseases that we dont have and we dont want, Ms Middleton said. Mr Fitzgibbon agreed with Ms Middleton, saying biosecurity is everything, all these export opportunities are dependent on our key competitive advantage which is our reputation as a provider of clean, green, safe and high quality food. If we ever lose that reputation of clean and green, we will lose our competitive advantage, Mr Fitzgibbon said. Other issues that arose were visas for agricultural workers and the difficulty of the visa process, the importance of trade and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreements and the future of the Roe 8 transport link. Ms Middleton said the group was committed to seeing a good transport system to get their products to market. Mr Fitzgibbon said there were a range of things that the Federal government needed to focus on. We need to focus on our vocation education and training institutions and courses to make sure the training opportunities are there, he said. We need to be getting into our schools to get it through to young people that there are not just menial jobs available in horticulture but much higher technical positions available. We need to change the culture a little, but we have to make sure the visa system properly and fully takes account of the special needs of the agriculture sector. Mr Kay said the new packing shed had decreased the amount of staff that would be needed but had increased the difficulty of the work. We are taking what would usually be 12 working holiday people and replacing them with, hopefully, two local full-time people with a more highly-skilled position to run the equipment, Mr Kay said. Before the shed was built, Moora Citrus supplied fruit from the orchard to four different packing sheds around the State. Logistically it was inefficient and there was little consistency among the sheds, which each packed fruit slightly differently. The fruit would then go to a freight forwarder in Perth, which would conduct inspections and cooling, which was an additional cost in the production line. Mr Kay said doing all those steps themselves had reduced costs and created consistency and efficiency. Ms Middleton said the shed created hugely efficient packing. Previously we were packing in three different sheds so now we can bring all of our packing into one shed plus pack for other members of the industry and export directly from here, which is a big leap forward for the citrus industry of WA, she said. Ms Middleton said the quality of the fruit and the pack was 100 per cent in their control. Mr Fitzgibbon said the shed was a great example of local people taking considered risk to create wealth and jobs in the economy. Its just wonderful and they have identified export opportunities, which is good for them, but its good for the Australian economy, he said. Agriculture is exciting, the opportunities before us are enormous but so too are the challenges, the investors matter most but there is a role for government to provide strategic guidance to set the right pathway to ensure we make the most of those opportunities. Moora Citrus marketing manager Elizabeth Brennan said the shed was working towards being able to pack most of the year. There will still be a window where no produce is ready to be packed but this line can be retrofitted to pack avocados and other odd-shaped fruits, mangoes for example and we could even do grapes, Ms Brennan said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) Newly-appointed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra wants to bring back the glory days of the Department of Justice (DOJ) which, he said, was suffering from an "image problem." "I hate to say that our department is suffering from a huge image problem. The building stays the same, but somehow it is corroded inside. It looks solid, but its structural integrity is suspect, both literally and metaphorically," he said at his first flag-raising ceremony at the department on Monday. Guevarra said he was ready to fix the problem, but asked for the help of DOJ employees to do this. "It is my personal mission to restore the DOJ's dignified and respectable image. Can I do it? I cannot do it alone. I need you, all of you, to start an inner revolution of our values," he said. Guevarra, President Rodrigo Duterte's former senior deputy executive secretary, replaced Vitaliano Aguirre II on April 5. Aguirre resigned amid controversies hounding the department. The DOJ recently drew criticism over several controversial decisions, including the dismissal of charges against alleged drug lords Peter Lim and Kerwin Espinosa and the provisional admission of alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles to the Witness Protection Program. Guevarra said that when he was appointed, Duterte reminded him to do only what is right. "I have absolutely no agenda political or otherwise. My only ambition is to do my job well. I make my decisions based on facts, my choices based on merit. Everything else based on the rule of law - with lots of compassion on the side," he said. Guevarra, who served as Duterte's lawyer when the President was still Davao City mayor, admitted he was previously tapped as Justice Secretary but declined. "So I guess the President trusted the man trusted by his right-hand man," he said, adding that he was the law firm partner of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea for 30 years. The new Justice Secretary said he would appoint a spokesperson. "In my opinion, I should be the last person to talk about matters under investigation. Lest I be goaded to make imprudent and premature conclusions, and thereby compromise the entire DOJ position," he explained. Overall, the sale recorded an 89 per cent clearance, with 177 ewes from 200 offered selling to a top of $2100 and an average of $854, to buyers from five States. In the breakdown, 146 PTIL White Suffolk ewes and ewe lambs averaged $900, while 31 Poll Dorset ewes averaged $637 on their debut in the sale. WA buyers were particularly prominent accounting for 36pc of the ewes sold. The 155 White Suffolks were offered first, commencing with 20 April-June 2017-drop ewe lambs, all pregnancy tested in lamb to top sires, including the Funke familys recent share purchase of the exceptional young performance sire, Woolumbool 173980. With 226 CarcasePlus and 166.7 Lamb Eating Quality indices, when mated over the impressive Bundara Downs ewe lambs, these were enticing genetic packages. It was one of this draft, BD179891T3w, sired by BD2261 that topped the sale, selling for $2100 to Helen Morgan, Millswyn stud, Katandra, Victoria, who was buying through Elders Shepparton. The sale topper was particularly impressive on phenotype and was backed up by extreme performance levels including 11.25 wwt, 17.67 pwwt and a 210.65 CarcasePlus index. PTIL with twins to Woolumbool 173980, the mid-parent predicted EBVs of the progeny topped out at an equal highest CarcasePlus index for the entire catalogue of 219. Ms Morgan was a particularly strong bidder on top-end ewes, purchasing 16 White Suffolks at a $1119 average. It was not until lot 70 that the $2100 high was seriously challenged for the top price honours. A magnificent ewe, BD157682, that headed the 2015-drop offering impressed all and was described by Bundarra Downs pricncipal Steve Funke as the perfect example of what we are trying to produce here at Bundara Downs. It sold to the second top of $2000 to Collyn Garnett, Gnowangerup, who purchased the ewe for Brenton Addis, Yonga Downs stud, Gnowangerup. This was one of three select ewes going this way at a $1400 average. As with the previous ewe sale in 2016, WA buying support was exceptionally strong. Landmark Breeding representative Roy Addis organised most of the WA raid, with both Mr Garnett and Josh Medlen, Williams, travelling with him, plus having buying orders for three other clients. Collectively they purchased 59 ewes, while another four ewes also went to the west through Elders. Heading Mr Addiss stable was Luke Ledwith, Kolindale stud, Dudinin, with 17 White Suffolk ewes from $600 to $900 and at a $712 average. Mr Addis also purchased 10 ewes for Giovi Cattle Co, from $700 to $1400, right on the White Suffolk average of $900, while Mr Medlen also purchased 10 White Suffolks from $700 to $1200, averaging $960. Anthony Ferguson assisted the WA buying orders by successfully bidding on four top ewes for Laurie Fairclough, Stockdale stud, York. He bid to $1450 and averaged $1213. Bidding via phone through Elders Keiths Dean Coddington, Harris Thompson, Venturon stud, Boyup Brook rounded out the WA White Suffolk buying, purchasing four ewes to $1200 and a $988 average. Mr Garnett, after purchasing for Mr Addis, who manages his Curlew Creek Poll Dorset stud, purchased strongly in the first Bundara Downs offering of Poll Dorset ewes. In a satisfying debut result, 31 of the 45 offered sold to $1050 and averaged a great value $637. From these Mr Garnett purchased 15 at a $653 average. STOCKDALE Pastoral assistant herd manager, 24-year-old Jack Day, is a young gun with nothing but love for the people and the animals he works with. When you first see Jack, long hair in a bun, slightly rugged beard and working hard, you dont get to see the kind-natured side of him. But when you see him in a Busselton paddock with the cows, or his girls as he describes them, then you understand why he is so passionate about the industry and animal welfare. Jacks motto for working cattle is you only work as fast as the animals you are working with. From a young age Jack found himself working with cattle on his grandparents dairy farm in country Victoria. Although he moved around a lot as a kid, Jack returned to Victoria to help his grandparents whenever he had the chance. About the age of five, he and his family settled in Darwin, Northern Territory, where Jack attended school for 10 years. In his mid-teens Jack left Darwin to board at Aquinas College, Perth, for his final three years of education, graduating in 2010. Aquinas was the beginning of it all for Jack and when the long weekends came around he would find himself in a car, travelling around the State. Boarding there with all of the boys who were farmers, I found myself spending the long weekends out on cropping farms or wherever they would take me, Jack said. He continued his ties with the farm in Victoria and on school holidays he would go over to give a hand. All of my school holidays were spent at my grandparents farm at Victoria my mum and dad would send me away every 10 weeks and I would go there for seven weeks over the summer holidays and help them out, he said. When Jack left school he worked on a cropping enterprise at Mingenew for a year and then went to work on a farm in Moora for a year and a half. After that he was planning to move to Scotland, United Kingdom and do a harvest season there, but his plans changed when one of his mates was working as a vet student on the Westland Acres dairy farm at Northcliffe. The farm wanted someone to give them a hand so I was going down for just six or seven weeks and I ended up staying three and a half years, he said. I fell in with the family and it all went well down there, I loved it and I am still part of the family. In November last year Jack moved to Bunbury and worked on another dairy farm. He said he moved to Bunbury because living in Northcliffe as a 24-year-old was not that fun and he said there was nothing there for his age group. Living in Bunbury I have been able to do things that I havent been able to do since I turned 18 and I have been in isolation for a while, he said. Jack has been employed full-time at Stockdale Pastoral since February after being part-time since last November. Responsibilities at Stockdale Pastoral include a lot of the computer work and milking the cows every morning. Jacks daily routine starts at 3am and he starts winding down around lunch time. My grandparents milk 150 cows, which is very small on their 140 hectares and at this farm we are milking 663 cows, so this is a big job, he said. Data analysis is an important part of any modern-day dairy farm and is a strong passion of Jacks. The data and computer systems are quite complex and every cow is read when she comes into the dairy. Jack said the cows were automatically fed according to their production, so if she is giving a lot of yield, she is fed a lot of grain. We can monitor how long they have been milking for and when they are coming in and I know we are milking for six hours and 40 minutes thats morning and afternoon, he said. Other responsibilities on the farm include feeding the calves daily and general management of staff activities. Jacks favourite thing by far is to walk through the paddock with nearly 700 cows and observe their behaviours and put that information into the computer. In a short amount of time he can identify which ones are on heat and the ones that will need injections or medical attention when they next walk into the shed. I love learning and watching the animal behaviour and how they group together or act, he said. Data is a way to get optimum yield out of a cow by feeding it through the computer and it works well with the computer system to keep records of who is where and what cow is producing what. Last week they produced 17,600 litres of milk in 24 hours, which is all computer monitored. When he left Aquinas, Jack didnt think he would go this far into the dairy scene. I always thought I would be working for agriculture but I didnt know whether or not I would do it with dairy farming, he said. It all really happened for me when I went to Northcliffe but the agricultural interest started at Aquinas. Despite being involved in broadacre farming early on, Jack reached the point where he was over driving machinery. I am a social person and I need to be talking to people and having me sit in that header for 12-13 hours a day, it was fun and I learnt so much from it, but its definitely not what I prefer, he said. Jacks preference is with the animals and he loves working with people. He said on a 4000 hectare cropping farm you could only have three or four people working with you, but the small, 1000ha dairy farm has a staff of 13. We all have a role and you arent alone in your responsibilities and here there are responsibility and opportunity, he said. I am always learning something every single day, which is similar to cropping, you learn something different every single day. Jack said his grandfather gave him the drive for the dairy industry and his return trips to Victoria kept that alive. He loves dairy cows because they are like having pets and were so friendly. Jack said the work was still labour-intensive milking cows for three and a half hours, running up and down the pit, cupping cows and keeping an eye out for anything that may be going wrong with the cows and the machines. He said computers would only take them so far as human interaction was still a vital part of the dairy industry. I could always go and do the business side of agriculture, which eventually I may go and do, but I will learn better hand-on, if they show me what I am doing, he said. Jacks future plans are undecided. It might involve returning to Victoria to work with family but he said there were so many different paths he would love to travel. He said if Stockdale leased another farm he could buy some cows and run/milk them in a share-farming arrangement, or manage another separate farm away from everyone. Jack has conceded however, it would be difficult to get to that point on his own without family input. You need a lot of money to just bang a business out like this, he said. Celebrating his 25th birthday this week, Jack is exactly where he wants to be for the time being. We will just see where it goes, but at the moment I am happy here because I am challenged everyday and I work with a great crew and it keeps me busy, he said. The DNA side of things is something I would love to get into more and I hope to do that one day with my own cows. And they trust that their elected representatives will act fairly and reasonable in doing their jobs especially when theyre appointed Agriculture Minister. That role gives them great responsibility for guarding the livelihoods of vulnerable people already facing extreme volatility, living and working the land battling unpredictable weather, while dealing with fickle markets where political intervention is becoming more fashionable than hating on American president Donald Trump. But in the case of the current Labor Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan, theres a complex challenge at play regarding the simple matter of trust and whether theyre getting a fair go. The latest issue concerning live sheep exports to the Middle East provides a timely opportunity to consider some of these trust issues more deeply and provide some food for thought. When it came time to choose a side, as farmers and industry supporters faced off with protesters who want to see live exports banned, at a 2013 rally in Fremantle, Ms MacTiernan made it clear where she stood. A picture from the day shows Ms MacTiernan then a Federal Labor MP standing alongside a woman dressed up in a cow costume, referred to in the picture-caption as one of her friends, who was a protester opposed to live exports. Ms MacTiernans opposition to the trade is not a fly-by-night position and to her credit shes an experienced and clever politician who hasnt kept her views secret. A post on her Facebook page referring to the live exports yin and yang public demonstration at Fremantle in 2013 said, Joined the punters opposing live export of sheep and cattle in Fremantle yesterday. These are compassionate and reasonable people who say there is a limit to what we can expect animals to endure, the post said. My view is that exporting livestock to the Middle East and Africa from Australia can never be made humane even if all rules were complied, the travel time on a sheep ship of three to four weeks is intolerable. There is a big market for chilled meat and many producers are engaging with this. The world market for meat is growing and we dont have to take the lowest cost option to have a thriving industry. I believe the live export trade between the Kimberley and Indonesia is different travel times are much shorter and progress is being made in entrenching stunning. We can be smart about the meat industry and do the right thing at the same time. While credible analysts have constantly and consistently rejected these theories as economically irrational, Ms MacTiernan doggedly persists with her long-held views and motivations, despite the evidence. In May 2001, as the then WA Planning and Infrastructure Minister, she gave a speech referring to 100 Kwinana residents who protested at parliament against plans to use a proposed private port at Fremantle for livestock transport. She said the residents were also concerned about the negative effect on local amenity and in particular, the increased noise and road wear due to truck traffic and the offensive sight and smell associated with intensive trucking of sheep and cattle. They believe it will be a threat to the water quality of Cockburn Sound, she said. The residents believe the export of the live animals to be inhumane and ask parliament to note that almost 30,000 Western Australian petitioners who oppose the live sheep trade have petitioned the Legislative Council to investigate it and recommended a period in which to phase it out. And its not just live exporters who need to consider the trust challenge confronting them and whether theyre dealing with a pragmatic minister with the capacity to see beyond seemingly extreme ideological limitations. WA Labors policy platform statement of 2015 deserves to have a spotlight shined on it, just like the minister would want a public light shined on poor animal welfare practices aboard live sheep exports to the Middle East. Page 69 of the 186-page document of enduring Labor values, under the animal welfare heading, says WA Labor would, Work with stakeholders to reduce and eventually eradicate intensive farming in favour of humane food production. Ms MacTiernan said the Parliamentary Party determined policy but her governments agricultural policy was released prior to the 2017 election in their Growing Agriculture and Aquaculture document and it didnt contain that plan to eradicate intensive farming. But whether its the WA Labor Partys platform from 2015 or now actual government policy, farmers will remain extremely anxious and suspicious about the ministers longer-term motives and plans and wonder whether shes merely just a protester in disguise. 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. A Florida businessman who cooperated with the DOJ after pleading guilty to conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act now faces more than three years in prison. Lawrence W. Parker Jr. owned or controlled five Florida-based telecommunications companies. He was charged in a one-count criminal information (pdf) on December 20 with conspiracy to violate the FCPA and commit wire fraud. He pleaded guilty on December 28. His case was under seal until this month. Parker admitted (pdf) to being part of wider conspiracy to bribe an Aruban official in exchange for telecommunications contracts. Egbert Yvan Ferdinand Koolman, 49, a Dutch citizen living in Miami, Florida was the product manager of the government-owned Servicio di Telecommunicacion di Aruba NV, or Setar. Koolman admitted in a plea Friday that he took $1.3 million in bribes over about ten years. He used his position to award mobile phone and accessory contracts. He pleaded guilty to a money-laundering conspiracy. Hes scheduled to be sentenced on June 27. When Parker pleaded guilty in December, he admitted conspiring to pay more than $700,000 in bribes to an official at Setar identified then as Foreign Official A. Parkers companies won almost $24 million in mobile-phone orders from Setar. In the charging document (pdf) Parker pleaded guilty to, the DOJ said Setar was controlled by the government of Aruba and performed a function that Aruba treated as its own, and was thus an instrumentality of the Aruban government as that term is used in the Foreign Corupt Practices Act (FCPA), Title 15, United States Code, Section 78dd-2(h)(2)(A). Parker paid some of the bribes directly to Koolman and some to Koolmans ex-wife, the DOJ said. According to the Miami Herald, Koolman was exposed in 2016 when the Panama Papers revealed his ownership of several offshore companies. Setar fired him after the Panama Papers revelations. Parker paid the bribes by wire transfers from U.S.-based banks, in cash during meetings in Miami and Aruba, and by withdrawing money in Aruba through a bank card connected to a U.S. account., according to the DOJ. Parker is scheduled to be sentenced April 30. Prosecutors Thursday asked for a sentence reduction (pdf) from 60 months to 40 months, based on Parkers cooperation. ____ Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. Mandy Moore celebrated her upcoming nuptials with a weekend long bachelorette party. Mandy Moore The 'This Is Us' star - who is set to tie the knot with musician Taylor Goldsmith - marked the occasion with some of her closest girl pals in Big Sur, California. Her friend Minka Kelly was in attendance as well as her 'This Is Us' co-star Susan Kelechi Watson and the group have been sharing pictures from the celebrations on their social media accounts. Meanwhile, Mandy previously revealed she adores her engagement ring and is glad it's quite understated as she never wanted a "big" ring. She said: "I've never been someone who wears a lot of jewellery. When my boyfriend and I started talking about getting engaged last year, I told him I didn't want a big ring. I figured we could just pick out some pretty bands together. So you can imagine how surprised I was when he proposed with this beautiful ring in the fall! ... I was completely caught off guard. Even though I thought I didn't want an engagement ring, as soon as I saw this one, I couldn't imagine the moment without it. Taylor went to one of my favourite jewelers, Irene Neuwirth, and picked out every detail that he thought I'd like, from the round, faceted stone to the rose gold band. It is so me." Mandy recently confessed she wants to get married "soon" but insists she isn't in a "rush". She said: "It'll happen sooner rather than later. I'm not in any rush, but also I'm like, 'I wanna do it'. I don't need to wait, I don't need to have a long engagement. I'm not planning some giant, lavish affair. So, I might as well just do it." Sir Ian McKellen has planned an elaborate "celebratory" funeral in preparation for his death. Ian McKellen The 'Lord of the Rings' star - who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006 - admitted he thinks about death "every day" and once spent a whole evening planning a memorial service "wish list" he would like to mark his life after he has passed away. Sir Ian, 78, reveals in upcoming documentary 'McKellen: Playing The Part': "I would like the memorial to take place in a celebratory way - in a theatre. Free admission. And I'd want a lot of beautiful people." When McKellen had finished planning his funeral he came to the conclusion that it would be so good that he wants to have a "dress rehearsal" so he can attend himself. He said: "And when I finished this I thought, 'Ooh, I'd love to go to that funeral.' So I hope I might arrange a dress rehearsal before I go." The 'Vicious' actor admits death has started to fill his thoughts on a regular basis as he sees his friends' health and faculties decline, and it just makes him more determined to keep working. He said: "As I see other people getting decrepit and unable to work, I think, well, that may well happen to me ... But in the meantime why deny myself the pleasure of rehearsing a play?" The 'X-Men' star announced in 2012 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer six years previously but that it was under control. Reassuring fans, he said at the time: "There is no cause for alarm. I am examined regularly and the cancer is contained. McKellen will return to the West End stage in London this summer, starring in 'King Lear' - which comes 66 years after he performed his first Shakespearean role when he was still a schoolboy. Naomie Harris practised crying as a child. Naomie Harris The 41-year-old actress - who stars as Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond franchise - has revealed that despite being a shy child, she's always loved make-believe and has been preparing for stardom for as long as she can remember. Naomie - who was raised in London - explained: "I would spend hours in front of the mirror, pretending to be someone else, making myself cry, trying out accents - I just loved it, and would literally spend the whole day doing that. "I was really lucky, because some mothers would have thought 'oh my God my child is just crazy', but my mum actually said 'ah, she has a talent, she has an interest'. "She enrolled me at the Anna Scher Theatre School, and everything started from there, because they had an agency attached to the school and I started auditioning and got jobs." Naomie admits she's moved into a "weird profession" in light of her shy nature. But, speaking to the Irish Independent newspaper, she said: "What I really enjoyed was losing myself in character, finding out what it was like to be someone else, and getting inside that and disappearing, that's what I really loved as a child. "I'm not shy anymore, but I'm not comfortable being in the spotlight, I'm not someone that enjoys being observed, I'm more of an observer, but I do still love that thing of where you find a character to such an extent that you actually feel like someone else, there's a freedom in that which I really enjoy." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) Abuse of online data can have real-life repercussions, National Privacy Commission (NPC) Chairman Raymund Liboro warned on Monday. "This matter about Cambridge Analytica [means] personal information could be used to form or influence behavior," he said. Cambridge Analytica is a British political consulting firm that worked on the 2016 campaign of United States President Donald Trump. A third party developer, Aleksandr Kogan, gathered the personal data of 87 million Facebook users through a personality quiz and sold it to the firm. The information was then used by Cambridge Analytica to develop techniques that reportedly influenced U.S. voters. The data scandal affected over 1.18 million Filipino Facebook users and shined a light on how technology can "manipulate data for a firm to achieve its objectives," the commissioner said. Cambridge Analytica's parent company, Strategic Communications Laboratories, claimed to have helped an unnamed client win the 2016 presidential election in the Philippines. President Rodrigo Duterte has denied any dealings with the company. On April 11, the NPC wrote to Facebook asking for details of the data breach which it was investigating. Liboro said they have yet to receive a reply. Related: PH privacy body to investigate massive Facebook data scandal But do Facebook users or netizens, in general, even understand the dangers of a personal data leak? Cybercrime law expert JJ Disini told CNN Philippines' On the Record the answer is no. "The truth is that people don't really understand threats to their privacy because it's so abstract," he said. "So you know that it's happening, but because it doesn't present itself to you, you don't see the threat." Liboro spoke to CNN Philippines' The Source and broke down the harm and risks involved in personal data leaks. 1. Discrimination A 2013 United States-based study found Facebook likes could accurately predict personal information including a person's race, sexual orientation, and political orientation. Related: How Facebook 'likes' predict race, religion, and sexual orientation Liboro warned a data leak could lead to discrimination if a third party had access to the political affiliation, religious beliefs, or ethnic origin of netizens. People could be marginalized "because somebody has decided (they) will not provide or issue this service (to you)," he warned. 2. Identity theft When credentials and identifiers are used to pose as someone else, this is identity theft. Liboro warned that this can lead to "direct financial losses." An example of this is a modus where subscriber identity module or SIM cards are replicated. The fake SIM is used to retrieve a person's personal identification number (PIN) code, through which bank accounts can be accessed. Another method, Liboro noted, is the use of stolen phones to tap into credit card details. He advised the public to guard their "triumvirate" of personal information, referring to their name, e-mail address, and mobile number. "This already is enough to form a starter kit for cybercriminals," Liboro stressed. 3. Loss of reputation This risk involves the "unauthorized use of personal data" in a way that could diminish the credibility of the netizen. A concrete example is the use of a netizen's picture in a pornography site. "When it's out there, it's impossible to retrieve it, and be assured that somebody will erase it," Liboro said. 4. Unfair decision making Liboro said netizens may also be cast into a stereotype based on their online profiles. Unfair decision-making happens "when other parties decide who you are and decide what you should have based on your online actions, without face to face validation of your beliefs and point of view," he explained. The risks include losing out on a loan, a job, or other opportunities on the sole basis of personal data retrieved online. Steps to stay secure online Liboro said the NPC had four primary demands from Facebook. The agency said users of the social media site must be: provided a "clear choice" whether or not to disclose their data; given a "fair and lawful notice" of access to their data; assured of optimum protection of their data; and given a "clear pathway of address of grievance," where Facebook responds immediately to their concerns. In the meantime, Liboro advised netizens not to panic and adjust their privacy settings. "This time, you have to be aware of what you're getting into. Try to read the privacy policies, the privacy terms of use... (Try) to be aware of privacy settings and adjust them accordingly," he said. Netizens should also practice "proper personal data hygiene," which includes regularly changing passwords to their accounts. This would "lessen the chances of cybercriminals accessing your information without your authority," he said. Facebook users can also restrict access to their data from third party developers' apps. This can be done by tweaking their settings. It was also revealed that Facebook had been gathering Android users' data including calls and text messages outside of the app. Android users can opt out of this function by unsyncing their contact list from Facebook. WATCH: How to find out what Facebook knows about you The Philippines is one of the leading countries that use social media. According to a 2018 report by the UK-based consultancy firm We Are Social, there are over 67 million Facebook accounts in the country. But, Liboro maintains, "Privacy should not be the price to pay to be on social media." CNN Philippines Senior Digital Producer Lara Tan and Digital Producer Ver Marcelo contributed to this story. 'Game of Thrones' will be honoured with a BAFTA Special Award. John Bradley The HBO fantasy series will be crowned with the prestigious prize at the British Academy Television Craft Awards to recognise the skill behind the making of the epic show and its contribution to pushing the boundaries in all 67 episodes. D. B. Weiss and David Benioff, Game of Thrones' executive producers, said: "This award makes us extremely happy on behalf of the people who actually earned it - all our brilliant, talented, hard-working department heads and crew. "Many, many people work insanely hard to create any film or television show. They are creators every bit as much as actors, writers, producers or directors, and deserve to be recognised as such." John Bradley - who plays Samwell Tarly - and Hannah Murray (Gilly) will accept the award on the show's behalf on April 22 at London's The Brewery, which will be hosted by Stephen Mangan. Krishnendu Majumdar, chair of BAFTA's Television Committee, said: "This award recognises and celebrates the excellent craftsmanship of the entire production team behind 'Game of Thrones'. "The craft behind what is one of the most popular dramas of our time is nothing short of incredible, from the breath-taking location shots to the intricately designed costumes and set pieces, and not forgetting the level of detail from the makeup and prosthetics team to name a few. "Huge congratulations to everyone involved." The accolade will also recognise the support the series has provided for the television industry in the UK. Parts of 'Game of Thrones' - which was first broadcast in the US in 2011 and was acquired by Sky Atlantic for UK audiences in the same year - are filmed across various locations in Northern Ireland. Lorraine Kelly mutes Twitter trolls so they carry on "ranting in an empty room". Lorraine Kelly The 58-year-old TV presenter takes a no-nonsense approach to people who send her abuse on social media, but instead of blocking them, which users can find out about, she simply clicks the mute button and no longer has to see the comments without her haters knowing. Speaking to Shayne Ward, she said: "I mute, because if you block they know. If you mute they're still ranting in an empty room. It's a good way of doing it, it really is." 'Coronation Street' star Shayne admitted he "loves" to block Twitter users who become a bit much on his social media account because they are left "powerless". Speaking on 'Lorraine', he said: "I get it all the time, but I love the power of block. That's the special button on social media. It leaves them powerless." It's not the first time Lorraine has hit out at Twitter users. In June 2016, Lorraine put a social media user in their place after they claimed a picture of her had been airbrushed, but she insisted a mark on her leg was as a result of a "serious accident" rather than any Photoshop changes. The Twitter user wrote: "Anyone else notice the disfigurement to Lorraine's right leg (inner thigh) due to airbrushing (sic)" But Lorraine hit back: "Cheryl - this is a scar on my leg from a serious accident when I was trampled by a horse. Pics are untouched. (sic)" After a fan of Lorraine commented that it was "terrible" to hear about her accident, the Scottish presenter admitted some comments about her injury still "sting a bit". She wrote: "I'm not as self conscious about it now - but remarks like that do sting a bit! (sic)" Lorraine was left hospitalised in 2016 after the traumatic accident when a horse she was riding stopped in its tracks before a small jump, and she fell off. Stephen Mulhern is taking a vow of celibacy. Stephen Mulhern The 41-year-old ' Britain's Got More Talent' host - who is currently single - is taking inspiration from Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt. Stephen told Heat FM: "Brad is really sorting himself out - getting trim, eating healthily - and has cut out the booze. "He's been in relationships for pretty much all of his entire adult life, so he's vowed to stay celibate for a year. "Well, I'm going to be off the market for a year as well. I'm going to follow in Brad's footsteps. "I'm sorry - myself and 'the Pitt' are off the market. We're out of action." The former children's TV presenter - who has just landed the task of hosting a new-look National Lottery show - revealed earlier this year that he hasn't been on a date for four years. He said: "That makes me sound really sad. I need a life. I need to stop working so much." Stephen's work load is only set to get bigger as he is hosting then new National Lottery show on ITV. He said: "The National Lottery is an iconic institution and I'm hugely excited to be part of its return to primetime Saturday night TV. "When you think about The National Lottery you think of people winning life-changing prizes. "But sometimes you forget that players raise around 30 million every week for Good Causes across the UK. "I feel privileged to be bringing those lucky numbers to the nation but also being able to show players how the money they've helped raise has made a difference to communities across the UK." Stephen is expected to reveal the important Lotto results to the nation in the show, which he said is "unbelievable". Stephen is alsi reported to be getting his own 'Saturday Night Takeaway' spin-off series. His 'In For A Penny' segment - in which unsuspecting members of the public are given the chance to win 1,000 for a stake of just 1p - has been commissioned by ITV bosses as its own standalone programme. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Citic Capital said its China buyout fund had completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Jiangsu Sky Facility Management. SkyFM provides facility management services, such as security, cleaning, engineering maintenance and administration, to multinational companies and Chinese state-owned enterprises, Citic Capital said in a statement on Monday. Based in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, the firm has more than 500 operational sites across eastern China. It has more than 7,000 staff according to its website. Citic Capital sourced the transaction via its own network and not through an auction orchestrated by investment bankers, said a person familiar with the transaction. The... MANILA, Philippines, April 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FEXCO - one of the world's leading independent financial technology providers has announced its partnership with Bayad Center, the operator of the Philippines biggest and widest multi-channel payment platform. Cardholders across the Philippines will now be able to withdraw cash using their ATM cards at selected Bayad Center Authorized Agent locations using EasyDebit's PIN Entry Device and the Bayad Centre Retail Machine. The partnership sees FEXCO's EasyDebit's cash withdrawal service offered alongside Bayad Centers existing remittance and bills payment services at selected Bayad Center locations throughout the Philippines, with further roll-out planned in the coming months. EasyDebit works in the same manner as a traditional ATM allowing cardholders to withdraw cash from their checking and savings accounts, also allowing cardholders to do balance inquiries. EasyDebit is accredited to the highest security standards - PCI DSS, minimizing the risk for potential fraud and skimming activities. Speaking at the launch, Ann Chan Foley, CEO at FEXCO Philippines, Inc. commented, "We are excited to announce this collaboration with Bayad Center, by offering EasyDebit's cash withdrawal service through Bayad Center Agents we are significantly increasing access to cash for millions of cardholders throughout the Philippines." Bayad Center's President Mr. Manuel Tuason also commented that "This partnership is in line with the thrust of Bayad Center in increasing its products and services to provide more convenience in the cash withdrawal service for more Filipinos whenever and wherever they may be." Servicing underbanked areas of the Philippines, EasyDebit the Philippines first micro ATM, has experienced a 70% increase in its Merchant base for Q1 2018. Through partnering with Sari-Sari Stores, Remittance Centers and General Trade Stores, EasyDebit provides convenience to over 75 million Filipino cardholders who otherwise find it difficult to access their cash from their bank accounts. Ann Chan Foley concluded, "At FEXCO Philippines, we greatly look forward to working with Bayad Center in rolling out this service and other services as we further extend access to cash and payment services for more Filipinos in the remotest part of the country." Notes to the Editor About FEXCO FEXCO is Ireland's most successful multinational payments, financial and business solutions provider, with operations in 29 countries worldwide. Founded and headquartered in Ireland in 1981, FEXCO employs more than 2,300 people across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, North America and Latin America. FEXCO serves some of the world's biggest brands across multiple industries through a wide range of innovative products and services including; Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), Multi Currency Pricing (MCP), Tax Free Shopping and Retail FX. FEXCO also offers bespoke Managed Business Solutions and Outsourcing services as well as a full suite of payment management solutions through its Corporate Payments business. For 36 years FEXCO has been driven by an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. This ethos has brought the company to new regions and industries of growth, connecting customers with exciting new opportunities. Through its commitment to partnership and innovation, the company has built an international network of customers. To find out more visit http://www.fexco.com About EasyDebit FEXCO has developed a microATM card solution for merchants, that allows such merchants who do not have card terminals to accept debit and ATM cards from customers and enable them to withdraw cash using their cards. To find out more visit http://www.easydebitasia.com About Bayad Center Bayad Center is the country's pioneer and leader in the multi-platform bills payment collection business. To know more about Bayad Center visit http://www.bayadcenter.com LONDON (dpa-AFX) - WPP Plc. (WPP.L, WPPGY) said that Martin Sorrell has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of the company with immediate effect. His departure followed allegations of personal misconduct and misuse of company assets. The company noted that Roberto Quarta, Chairman of WPP, becomes Executive Chairman until the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer. Mark Read, Chief Executive Officer of Wunderman and WPP Digital, and Andrew Scott, WPP Corporate Development Director and Chief Operating Officer, Europe, have been appointed as joint Chief Operating Officers of WPP. Martin will be available to assist with the transition. The previously announced investigation into an allegation of misconduct against Sir Martin has concluded. The allegation did not involve amounts that are material, the company said. In accordance with his at-will employment agreement, Martin will be treated as having retired on leaving WPP, as detailed in the Directors' Compensation Policy. His share awards will be pro-rated in line with the plan rules and will vest over the next five years, to the extent Group performance targets are achieved. Martin Sorrell said, 'Obviously I am sad to leave WPP after 33 years. It has been a passion, focus and source of energy for so long. However, I believe it is in the best interests of the business if I step down now. I leave the Company in very good hands, as the Board knows. Mark and Andrew and the management team at all levels have the knowledge and abilities to take WPP to even greater heights and capitalise on the geographic and functional opportunities.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de NORWALK (dpa-AFX) - Xerox Corp.'s (XRX) board told Chief Executive Jeff Jacobson in November to stop negotiations with Fujifilm Holdings Corp. (FUJIF.PK, FUJIY.PK) because it was considering firing him, the Wall Street Journal reported. Instead, a newly amended lawsuit alleges, the executive raced to strike a complex deal that would leave him in charge, and cede control of the American icon to the Japanese company, a move that has been criticized by two of Xerox's biggest investors. Though Xerox's board ultimately stuck with Mr. Jacobson after his performance improved and signed off on the deal he negotiated, communications disclosed Sunday in a lawsuit filed by billionaire investor Darwin Deason allege the CEO negotiated to sell the company-and keep his own job-while pushing the acquirer to help him avoid being ousted under pressure by Carl Icahn, his biggest investor. Xerox's chairman, Robert Keegan said Sunday Mr. Jacobson was 'fully authorized to engage in discussions with Fujifilm.' In January, Xerox announced a merger that would cede control to Fujifilm if completed. The deal would trade Xerox's 25% ownership of their 60-year joint venture to Fujifilm for 49.9% of a new company that combines all of Xerox with the joint venture. Xerox shareholders would also be paid $2.5 billion in a special dividend. 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. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) Malacanang on Monday defended the detention and deportation of an official of the Party of European Socialists (PES). In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said according to international law, it is up to the country if it will allow PES Deputy Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck in the territory. "We are not obliged to allow anyone into our territory if we do not want them in our territory and fortunately, the socialist leader was one of those that we determined as a person that we don't want to be in our territory," Roque said. The Akbayan party-list said in a statement Filibeck, who was supposed to join the Akbayan Party-list Congress as a guest of honor, was detained at the Cebu airport and immediately deported last Sunday. Roque, however, said the administration was just practicing its sovereignty. "There is no rule under international law that will compel us to admit anyone whom we do not want to admit in our territory. That's the exercise of sovereignty," he said. Newly-appointed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra backed Roque's remark, saying, "It is unlawful for aliens staying in our country to engage in partisan political activities, and the government has the right to refuse entry to those who have committed these illegal acts in the past." Akbayan, which is a sister party of the PES in the Philippines, decried the treatment of Filibeck. "Akbayan condemns, in the strongest terms, the detention and deportation of European human rights leader Giacomo Filibeck...The deportation of Filibeck is a deplorable act of silencing the strong voices for human rights," it said. PES President Sergei Stanishev also denounced the move, saying President Rodrigo Duterte aims to silence both his local and international critics. "It is completely unacceptable that a PES political representative...should be treated as a criminal on the orders of the government and forcibly deported from the country," Stanishev said. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin said he will seek a congressional inquiry on the matter, to see whether it "has implications on our international relations and in fact, whether this has an impact on our good standing in the international community." He also seeks to question whether it would be a national policy to bar critics of the Duterte administration coming from international watchdogs. Filibeck blacklisted The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday said it has blacklisted Filibeck because he "violated the conditions of his stay when he came to the Philippines last year." Filibeck was part of the human rights delegation last October 2017, where members of the European Union denounced the killings under President Rodrigo Duterte's war against drugs. "He was not supposed to do that because being a tourist he does not enjoy the rights and privileges of a Philippine citizen, particularly the exercise of political rights which are exclusively reserved to Filipinos," said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente in a press statement. According to BI Operations Order No. SBM-2015-025 dated 03 July 2015, foreign tourists in the Philippines "are enjoined to observe" the limits in exercising their political rights during their stay in the country. "We cannot allow the entry of foreigners who have shown disrespect to our duly-constituted authorities by meddling and interfering in our internal affairs as a sovereign nation," Morente said. A*STAR Senior Officer, Corporate Communications Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Phone: +65 6826 7654 E-mail: Kueh_Xiu_Qing@hq.a-star.edu.sg Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/ TOKYO, Apr 16, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited, Singapore Management University (SMU), and A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), today announced their collaboration to develop innovative new technologies for vessel traffic management in the Port of Singapore, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). These predictive technologies will leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics to optimize the management of Singapore's port and surrounding waters, which sees an immense volume of seaborne trade and traffic. The technologies will also be validated using real-world data to improve the forecasting of congestion and identification of potential collisions and other risk hotspots before they occur at sea.The research and development for these new maritime technologies has been conducted under the guidance of the Urban Computing and Engineering Centre of Excellence (UCE CoE), a public-private partnership consisting of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), SMU, and Fujitsu, that was established in 2014. This collaboration demonstrates the UCE CoE's continued commitment to harnessing high performance computing capabilities in the development of solutions for sustainable urban operations, offering another example of how researchers at UCE CoE are using Singapore to test-bed next generation solutions for real-world issues faced by industry and government. The outcomes of this research and development phase, as well as the practical knowledge and experience gained through the project trials, will be integrated into Fujitsu's future maritime solutions.BackgroundThe Straits of Singapore and Malacca comprise one of the world's busiest sea lanes. As a globally critical point of passage for seaborne commercial shipping traffic, the continuous enhancement of navigational safety in these crowded waters is a crucial goal. In view of this goal, the UCE CoE initiated research and development into technologies for maritime vessel traffic management in 2015, employing the diverse strengths of Fujitsu, IHPC, and SMU. IHPC contributed its capabilities in modeling and simulation, as well as probabilistic modeling and machine learning techniques, while SMU provided its expertise in large-scale multi-agent optimization models. Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. leveraged its data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies to support the endeavour.About the Newly Developed TechnologiesAs a result of the collaboration between Fujitsu, IHPC, and SMU, several key technologies are being developed for improving the management of maritime vessel traffic. These include:Prediction models, such as:- A short-term trajectory prediction model that accurately predicts the trajectory of a vessel using machine learning and motion physics- A long-term traffic model that can forecast the traffic situation based on the traffic patterns of a large number of vessel types, derived from historical dataRisk and hotspot calculation models, such as:- A risk calculation model that can reliably quantify the near-miss risk of a pair of vessels, by integrating various risk models (ensemble risk model)- A hotspot model that dynamically reveals changing risk hotspots through spatio-temporal data analysisIntelligent coordination models, such as:- A spatial coordination model that seeks to re-route vessels to avoid near-miss and collision incidents- A temporal coordination model that coordinates the passage timing of vessels to reduce hotspots- Both of the above models will support real-time decision-making to mitigate predicted risks while minimizing disruptions and ensuring smooth navigation for the vesselsThese technologies will eventually be integrated and test-bedded for their potential to enhance navigational safety, such as the ability to detect and recognise a near-miss risk prior to the event (e.g. 10 minutes beforehand) by combining short-term trajectory prediction with risk calculation. Another target is to forecast and mitigate the dynamically changing hotspot before it is generated (e.g. 30 minutes beforehand) by integrating long-term traffic forecasts, hotspot calculation, and intelligent coordination models.Comments from the PartnersMPA supports the development of technologies that harness artificial intelligence to enhance navigational safety within the Port of Singapore. Under the agreement, MPA will provide data and information for further research and development and test-bedding of technologies developed by UCE CoE for application in the Singapore waters."As Singapore develops future capabilities that will enhance our port operations, research and innovation will remain key to the maritime industry. As part of the recently launched Sea Transport Industry Transformation Map, MPA is supportive of collaborations among local Institutes of Higher Learning and technology companies to explore new technologies that will raise the standards of navigational safety within the Port of Singapore. We look forward to further testing the research outcomes at the MPA Living Lab," said Capt. M Segar, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations), MPA."A*STAR is delighted to deepen our existing partnership with Fujitsu, SMU and MPA to solve challenges faced by Singapore and other maritime nations. Such a private-public partnership model leverages capabilities from both public institutions and industry players, strengthens our collaboration through a multi-disciplinary approach, and enhances our collective ability to develop innovative solutions that can meet future maritime needs," said Prof Alfred Huan, Executive Director of A*STAR's IHPC."Multi-agent technology has been used extensively in coordinating the movements of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles. In this project with MPA, SMU is breaking new grounds in research by proposing a next generation maritime traffic coordination technology that is akin to air traffic control, yet respecting major differences and constraints between air and sea navigation. With the advent of autonomous ships, this technology can potentially disrupt vessel traffic management to reduce human errors and improve navigational safety," said Professor Lau Hoong Chuin, SMU's Lab Director and Lead Investigator of the UCE CoE."Enhancing navigational safety is an enormous challenge as there is no single right path for how to achieve it. That is why we value the collaboration with A*STAR and SMU to welcome bold ideas. We also appreciate the support by MPA to examine the applicability of the solutions, and this is a great match with Fujitsu's emphasis on "co-creation". We are pleased to not only contribute technologies, but also to have provided a platform to integrate and test the technologies by different parties," said Shoji Suzuki, Corporate Executive Advisor, Fujitsu Laboratories. "Fujitsu aims to contribute to enhancing the navigational safety of the Port of Singapore with the technologies proven through the collaboration."(1) The Straits of Singapore and Malacca comprise one of the world's busiest sea lanes. At any given moment there are about 1,000 vessels in the Singapore port, with a ship arriving to or leaving Singapore once every 2-3 minutes. Source: MPAAbout the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that spearheads economic oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit society. As a Science and Technology Organization, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by contributing to societal benefits such as improving outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. We play a key role in nurturing and developing a diversity of talent and leaders in our Agency and Research Institutes, the wider research community and industry. A*STAR oversees 18 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For more information on A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg.About the Singapore Management University (SMU)A premier university in Asia, the Singapore Management University (SMU) is internationally recognised for its world-class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU's mission is to generate leading-edge research with global impact and to produce broad-based, creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. SMU's education is known for its highly interactive, collaborative and project-based approach to learning. Home to over 10,000 students across undergraduate, postgraduate professional and postgraduate research programmes, SMU is comprised of six schools: School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Information Systems, School of Law, and School of Social Sciences. SMU offers a wide range of bachelors', masters' and doctoral degree programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with the six schools, as well as in interdisciplinary combinations of these areas. SMU has an emphasis on generating rigorous, high-impact, and relevant multi-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance. SMU's faculty members collaborate with leading international researchers and universities from USA, Europe, China and India, as well as with partners in the business community and public sector. SMU's city campus is a modern facility located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with business, government and the wider community. www.smu.edu.sgAbout Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Andy Ahn Head of Marketing, Suprema Inc. Email: andyahn@suprema.co.kr SEOUL, KOREA, Apr 16, 2018 - (ACN Newswire) - Suprema, a global leader in biometrics and security, launched the BioLite N2, a mullion-type access control and time attendance terminal featuring the world's most advanced fingerprint technology with a rugged IP67 weatherproof structure, at ISC West 2018 in Las Vegas.BioLite N2 is designed for both enterprise access control systems and time attendance applications, combining Suprema's industry-leading technologies with innovative features. Loaded with a powerful 1.2GHz CPU and massive 4GB memory, BioLite N2 achieves incredible matching speeds of up to 20,000 matches per second, accommodates up to 10,000 users and provides instant matching results with minimal lag time.For reliable operation under harsh conditions including outdoor installation or temperature extremes, BioLite N2 features a rugged IP67 structure and a class-leading operating range of -20 degrees ~ 50 degrees Celsius, or -4 degrees ~ 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The device also features an illuminated keypad and a high-contrast GUI for better visibility under various lighting conditions.BioLite N2 provides exceptional performance and accuracy on dry finger skin, particularly in the winter season when humidity drops. With its recent advances in image processing and sensor technology, the company's current 2nd generation fingerprint terminal yields up to 5 times greater accuracy on dry skin or under cold weather conditions than competing units (in terms of false rejection rate)."The new BioLite N2 is designed to provide the best reliable fingerprint matching performance in any environment, including outdoor installation and extreme weather conditions. As is common with Suprema's other 2nd generation fingerprint IP readers, BioLite N2 provides up to 200% faster matching speed than its predecessor BioLite Net, and easily outperforms competing products," said HC Kim, Director of Global Business at Suprema.At the show, Suprema also showcased its latest range of centralized access control devices including the CoreStation access control unit, fingerprint readers, RFID/keypad readers and the updated BioStar 2 with access management software.To experience the latest Suprema products and technologies, please book at the link below or visit the Suprema booth (#28065) at ISC West 2018. http://web.supremainc.com/bookameeting_ISCWest2018_webAbout Suprema Inc.Suprema is a leading global provider of biometrics and security. By combining world renowned biometric algorithms with superior engineering, Suprema continually designs and develops industry leading products and solutions. Suprema's extensive range of portfolio includes biometric access control systems, time & attendance solutions, fingerprint live scanners, mobile authentication solutions and embedded fingerprint modules. Suprema has worldwide sales network in over 130 countries and is one of the world's Top 50 security manufacturer in its turnover (ranked in A&S's Security 50, 2010-2017). For more information, please visit www.supremainc.com.Source: Suprema Inc.Contact:Copyright 2018 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Regulatory News: TechnipFMC (NYSE: FTI) (PARIS: FTI) has been awarded a front-end engineering design (FEED) contract by BP for the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit for the Tortue/Ahmeyim Field Development, a major LNG (liquefied natural gas) project located offshore on the maritime border of Mauritania and Senegal. The agreement between the two companies provides a mechanism to allow a transition of the contract to an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) contract at a later stage. TechnipFMC will work on defining the technology and equipment scope and brings expertise to deliver major projects, leveraging extensive experience with Chinese fabrication Nello Uccelletti, President of TechnipFMC's Onshore/Offshore business, commented: "We are very honored to be awarded this contract in West Africa which further demonstrates our leading position in offshore gas monetization. We look forward to collaborating with BP to unlock the full potential of this important project." The initial subsea infrastructure connects the first four wells consolidated through production pipelines leading to a FPSO vessel. From here liquids are removed and the export gas is transported via a pipeline to the floating liquid natural gas (FLNG) hub terminal where the gas is liquefied. The Tortue/Ahmeyim Field Development is located in the C-8 block off the shore of Mauritania and the Saint-Louis Profond block offshore Senegal. The Tortue discovery was made by Kosmos Energy, which farmed down its investment to BP in December 2016. BP now has the largest interest (~60%) among the four partners in the project and is the operator. Important Information for Investors and Securityholders Forward-Looking Statement This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "estimated", "aimed", "scheduled" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. Known material factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include the Company's ability to successfully deliver, and BP's acceptance of, the products ordered. For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results, please see our risk factors set forth in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which include our Registration Statement on Form S-4, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of our forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. About TechnipFMC TechnipFMC is a global leader in subsea, onshore/offshore, and surface projects. With our proprietary technologies and production systems, integrated expertise, and comprehensive solutions, we are transforming our clients' project economics. We are uniquely positioned to deliver greater efficiency across project lifecycles from concept to project delivery and beyond. Through innovative technologies and improved efficiencies, our offering unlocks new possibilities for our clients in developing their oil and gas resources. Each of our more than 37,000 employees is driven by a steady commitment to clients and a culture of purposeful innovation, challenging industry conventions, and rethinking how the best results are achieved. To learn more about us and how we are enhancing the performance of the world's energy industry, go to TechnipFMC.com and follow us on Twitter @TechnipFMC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180415005020/en/ Contacts: TechnipFMC Investor relations Matt Seinsheimer, +1-281-260-3665 Vice President Investor Relations Matt Seinsheimer or Phillip Lindsay, +44 203 429 3929 Director Investor Relations Europe Phillip Lindsay or Media relations Christophe Belorgeot, +33 1 47 78 39 92 Vice President Corporate Communications Christophe Belorgeot or Delphine Nayral, +33 1 47 78 34 83 Senior Manager Public Relations Delphine Nayral Shire, for whom the boss of Japanese drug maker Takeda is reportedly readying a 35bn bid, has agreed to sell its oncology business to Servier for $2.4bn in cash. The business generated revenues of $262m in 2017, and the total consideration represents a revenue multiple of 9.2 times 2017. Shire said the deal covers the transfer of its oncology arm including in-market products Oncaspar, a component of multi-agent treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and ex-US rights to Onivyde, which is a ... 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. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2018) - Young Mining Professionals ("YMP") is would like to remind any students enrolled in an earth sciences or mining engineering program at a Canadian University for the 2018/2019 academic year that the application deadline for the YMP Scholarship Fund is April 30, 2018. This year a total of C$12,000 will be awarded through three individual and equal scholarships of CAD $4,000. The scholarships aim to represent the industry's increasingly diverse workforce and will be awarded to one female, one male and one member of Canada's Indigenous community. These scholarships have been made possible through a commitment by IAMGOLD and Orefinders Resources Inc. IAMGOLD will fund both the female and male 2018 YMP Scholarships, while Orefinders Resources will fund the 2018 Canadian Indigenous YMP Scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded to students enrolled in an earth sciences or mining engineering programme for the 2018/2019 academic year at a Canadian university and who are pursuing a career in the mining industry. How to Apply to the YMP Scholarship Fund: Applicants will be considered based on their academic achievement, as well as their submission demonstrating their creativity, innovative ideas and commitment to a career in mining. Applicants will also be required to demonstrate their originality and passion towards Canada's mining industry through submissions on Instagram and Twitter. A strong entrepreneurial spirit is needed in Canada's exploration and mining industries, and these scholarships recognize the qualities that are integral to developing mines and building mining and exploration companies. Scholarship application packages must be completed and submitted by April 30, 2018. The three recipients will be announced by May 31st, 2018. For full details on how to apply, please visit www.youngminingprofessionals.com/scholarships. Best of luck to all students! About YMP YMP is a growing association of mining professionals based in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, Canada and in London, United Kingdom, that shares the goal of advancing the global profile and leadership of the mining industry. Our four chapters have over 1,500 followers including a diverse mix of young mining professionals with a wide variety of skills and education. Our followers are typically well educated and experienced individuals under the age of 40. YMP was established to assist participants in obtaining the skills, support and knowledge to successfully advance their careers, develop a network of contacts within the industry and identify career and mining-related investment opportunities. YMP facilitates these objectives through networking and social events, as well as high-profile guest speaker events throughout the year. For more information on YMP, the four chapters, the YMP Awards, YMP events and Career Connect, please visit our website at www.youngminingprofessionals.com or email us at info@youngminingprofessionals.com. About Orefinders Resources Inc. Orefinders is a Gold exploration and development company which is focussed exclusively within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Orefinders owns 100% of its two flagship assets the Mirado Mine near Kirkland Lake and Knight Project, near Gowganda which is approximately 100km west of Cobalt, Ontario. Orefinders is listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange under the symbol ORX. About IAMGOLD IAMGOLD (www.iamgold.com) is a mid-tier mining company with four operating gold mines on three continents. A solid base of strategic assets in North and South America and West Africa is complemented by development and exploration projects and continued assessment of accretive acquisition opportunities. IAMGOLD is in a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2018) - NetworkNewsAudio announces the Audio Press Release (APR) titled "Blockchain Set to Disrupt Trillion-Dollar Freelance Job Market," featuring Victory Square Technologies, Inc. (CSE: VST) (OTC Pink: VSQTF) (FSE: 6F6) (WKN: A2AKL8). To hear the NetworkNewsAudio version, visit http://nnw.fm/0VkvS To read the original editorial, visit http://nnw.fm/5nOzP Capaciti's business model moderates business relationships in the online marketplace. Rather than just creating a job board on which to post and pitch, participants on the platform vet the profiles and reputations of both freelancers and clients. Capaciti solves the mystery of who the clients and vendors are and what they do best. The company has designed a system for executing enterprise-level projects in a way that avoids the pitfalls of overpricing and delivery disagreements. A blockchain-based reputation management protocol empowers vendors to earn a transparent and auditable "reputation score." Blockchain smart contracts are used to manage contractual obligations between client and vendor and increase the speed and efficiency with which freelancers get paid for work performed, as payment settlements are transferred instantly upon successful completion. With blockchain technology, a global reach and a laser focus on user retention, Victory Square Technologies' Capaciti could potentially upstage companies such as Upwork, 99designs and Fiverr. About Victory Square Technologies Inc. Victory Square is a venture builder that creates, funds and empowers entrepreneurs predominantly focused on blockchain technology, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, personalized health, gaming and film. As a technology incubator, Victory Square invests in game-changing entrepreneurs who are provided access to education programs, global mentorship networks, distribution partners, creative workspaces, resources and other forms of operational support to help them scale internationally. For more information, visit www.VictorySquare.com. About NetworkNewsAudio NetworkNewsAudio (NNA) , a NetworkNewsWire (NNW) Solution, allows you to sit back and listen to market updates, CEO interviews and a Company AudioPressRelease (APR). These audio clips provide snapshots of position, opportunity and momentum. NetworkNewsAudio (NNA) is another NetworkNewsWire (NNW) Solution that can assist your company by cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNA brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is where news, content and information converge. NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a comprehensive provider of news aggregation and syndication, enhanced press release services and a full array of social communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and distribution company with an extensive team of journalists and writers, NNW has the unparalleled ability to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public with an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the nation. For more information, visit: www.NetworkNewsAudio.com About NetworkNewsWire NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets, (3) enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW 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. By cutting through the overload of information in today's market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge. For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com. Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Corporate Communications Contact: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) New York, New York www.NetworkNewsWire.com 212.418.1217 Office Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com Penticton, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2018) - Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd. ("Green Mountain" or the "Company") the large-scale, low-cost, quality cannabis wholesaler announces Marisa Cornacchia BA, RN, COHN(C), DOHS, MBA, DOMP, as Chief Clinical Affairs Officer. Cornacchia brings a strong clinical and business background in the cannabis industry to the company. She has previously held senior positions in two cannabis companies, including being part of the team to bring a cannabis organization public. "We are pleased to welcome Ms. Cornacchia to Green Mountain." said Wade Attwood, President, Co-Founder and Director of Green Mountain. "Marisa's expertise in strain identification and experience in developing coordinated care programs is invaluable to Green Mountain. Working with end users to identify effective strains is critical to anticipating consumer demands for our wholesale products." Cornacchia responded, "I am invested in the future of Green Mountain. The company's greenhouse growing model will produce premium cannabis using full spectrum light and energy in its natural cycle to develop a plant with higher concentration of cannabinoids and terpenes while reducing the carbon footprint of the industry.; The product will be as natural as possible. The natural growth cycle plays an important role in the development of cannabinoids, terpenes and overall potency which is an important factor for the medical user who is looking for standard dosing, Having met the whole team I am confident that Green Mountain can deliver the large scale quality product that is needed." Cornacchia is a practicing nurse and osteopath who has focused on pain management and complex disease care, with a specific focus on addressing natural medicine versus opioid use. She has developed a coordinated care model that delivers early intervention, functional restoration and re-integration protocols. She will continue to develop this with Green Mountain. Working with Dr. Geoffrey Smith, who is on the Advisory Board of Green Mountain, and the Grower team and Quality Assurance team, will enable the company to produce the quality strains that are needed. Cornacchia's clinical work with thousands of veterans has been transformative and continues, and Green Mountain plans to work with all its partners to implement her expertise, including our Indigenous partners. Green Mountain is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Thursday April 19, 2018 on the FrontFundr platform, www.frontfundr.com/company/green_mountain_health_alliance. Minimum investment for Canadians is $500 to own shares in the company. Funds will be used for the initial facility, scheduled to be complete by the Fall, ready for the first test harvest before the end of 2018 subject to Health Canada approval. This is the first of three facilities, which once complete will bring the company to over 1,000,000 square feet. Green Mountain is currently mid stage of Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) process. About Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd.: Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd (GMHA) is a capacity wholesale cannabis company developing large scale, low cost production facilities in the Okanagan, B.C.. The Company has submitted an application to become a licensed cultivator, processor and distributor of cannabis within Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR") As a wholesale producer, GMHA aims to fill a gap in the Canadian cannabis market, including the emerging recreational cannabis market, upon legalisation in Canada. This business model effectively eliminates retail risk. The company has secured over 140 acres with the potential for over 1,000,000 square feet of growing space. The first site will be an 200,000 square foot facility on an 16 acre parcel, located in Canada's best growing area, the Okanagan. Green Mountain's experienced team and strong partnerships are focused on cost effective and efficient production of medical cannabis. The company is committed to best in class practices for low energy and sustainable production. Grow Green. The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. For further information: Wade Attwood President wattwood@greenmountainhealthalliance.com Dave Coolidge VP Business Development dcoolidge@greenmountainhealthalliance.com Tel: (250) 486-5454 www.greenmountainhealthalliance.com SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 16, 2018 / The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. announces that a lawsuit is pending for certain purchasers of NYSE: BW shares. Investors, who purchased shares of Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: BW) in 2015 or earlier and continue to hold any of those NYSE: BW shares, have certain options and should contact the Shareholders Foundation at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 - 1554. On March 3, 2017, 2015, a lawsuit was filed against Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. over alleged securities laws violations. The plaintiff alleged that the Company was experiencing significant, undisclosed problems in its Renewable segment. The plaintiff claimed that although defendants disclosed issues with a single project in the Renewable business on June 28, 2016, they failed to disclose that similar problems were significantly and negatively impacting other projects in the Company's Renewable segment, instead assuring investors during a business update call that the problems were "a single project issue." On September 28, 2017, an amended complaint was filed and on November 13, 2017, the defendants filed their motion to dismiss the case. On February 8, 2018, the judge denied the defendants' motion to dismiss the lawsuit. On March 15, 2018, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. announced that in March 2018, it received a subpoena from the staff of the SEC in connection with an investigation into the accounting charges and related matters involving our Renewable segment in 2016 and 2017. Those who purchased Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: BW) shares should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is a professional portfolio legal monitoring and a settlement claim filing service, which does research related to shareholder issues and informs investors of securities class actions, settlements, judgments, and other legal related news to the stock/financial market. The Shareholders Foundation, Inc. is not a law firm. The information is provided as a public service. It is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied upon. CONTACT: Shareholders Foundation, Inc. Michael Daniels +1 (858) 779-1554 mail@shareholdersfoundation.com 3111 Camino Del Rio North Suite 423 San Diego, CA 92108 SOURCE: Shareholders Foundation, Inc. US retail sales rose for the first time in four months in March, boosted by a large increase in automobile purchases, but in real terms were weaker than expected by some economists. Total sales grew at a 0.6% month-on-month pace in March to reach $509.4bn (consensus: 0.2%), according to the Department of Commerce. Excluding sales of automobiles and at gasoline stations, so-called 'core' retail sales were up by 0.4% and ahead of economists' forecasts for an increase of 0.3%. Sales of furniture ... 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. VALLETTA, Malta, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kindred Group plc will publish its Interim report for the first quarter 2018on Wednesday 25 April 2018 at 07.30 (CEST). In connection with this, Kindred Group's CEO Henrik Tjarnstrom will host a presentation in English at FinancialHearings, Tandstickspalatset, Vastra Tradgardsgatan 15 in Stockholm at 09.00 (CEST). Please go to www.financialhearings.comto sign in, in advance. The presentation is also web casted live on www.kindredgroup.com. For those who would like to participate in the telephone conference in connection with the presentation,the telephone number is UK: +44 20 3008 9811or US: +1 855 753 2235.Please call in, well in advance and register.After the presentation there will be the opportunity to ask questions.When the operator asks if there are any questions from the telephone conference, please press the zero one on your phone. The presentation will also be available on demand on www.kindredgroup.com For more information: Inga Lundberg, Investor Relations, +44-788-799-6116 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/kindred-group/r/invitation-to-kindred-group-s-financial-presentation,c2497133 The following files are available for download: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) The rehabilitation efforts in war-torn Marawi City and the environmental clean-up of Boracay Island should be aired live, Senator Ralph Recto proposed on Monday. He said in a statement that livestreaming the rehabilitation efforts will ensure that "work will be on time, on budget, and according to specifications." Recto proposed the use of drone and satellite imaging to monitor the progress of the projects. He also said job-site cameras should be installed in these areas and real-time footage should be made available to the public. He added the government can also consider "remote monitoring" by installing a direct communication link in the Malacanang Palace. "So that the President, the nation's builder-in-chief, will be able to monitor work in major infrastructure projects. The Office of the President can even convert one of Malacanang's halls into an infrastructure 'war room', a command center of the Build, Build, Build program," Recto said. He added, "Hindi pwede ang tamad at makupad kasi the builder-in-chief is watching," he said. [Translation: You cannot be lazy and slow because the builder-in-chief is watching.] The reconstruction of Marawi City has been ongoing since the five-month war ended in October, meanwhile, the rehabilitation of Boracay Island will start on April 26. He said livestreaming ongoing projects can also be used for the government's other big-ticket infrastructure programs through Project DIME (Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation), a newly-launched collaboration between the Department of Budget and Management-Department of Science and Technology. Drives Growth With New Channel Partners in U.S. and UK SANTA CLARA, California, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nyotron, a provider of the industry's first OS-Centric Positive Security solution to strengthen endpoint protection, has increased global adoption of the company's PARANOID product through the company's partner program which has recently added participants in the US and the UK. PARANOID augments a company's existing antivirus and next-generation antivirus solutions. The solution incorporates the company's patented approach to cybersecurity, mapping legitimate operating system behavior to distinguish between approved activities carried out by a program or user vs. threatening activities carried out by attackers. PARANOID, which secures PCs and servers, prevents illegitimate activity from causing damage such as data exfiltration, encryption and corruption. "PARANOID works seamlessly with currently installed anti-malware products to provide what every organization has always wanted - real-time protection from any attack vector without foreknowledge of the exploit," said Nir Gaist, Founder and CTO of Nyotron. "Our partners are dramatically improving the security posture of their customers by incorporating Nyotron's solutions into their offerings." Adept4, a UK-based next-generation managed services provider that enables organizations to become operationally and culturally agile through secure, smart and adaptive cloud-based technology, is a platinum provider in Nyotron's Partner Program, and has exclusivity to sell the Nyotron portfolio in the UK. "Adept4 is a market leader in developing solutions that enable mid-market organizations to securely make faster decisions, improve operational efficiency and gain competitive advantage," comments Dave Griffiths, managing director, Adept4. "We see the Nyotron product as a logical extension of our security portfolio, especially with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will increase the scrutiny on an organization's ability to protect its customer information." In the U.S., Silicon Valley-based Guardian Insight Group, a strategic technology advisory firm dedicated to helping companies achieve their digital transformation goals with a risk-based approach, has also joined Nyotron's partner program. Guardian Insight Group specializes in Operationalizing Risk Management' to ensure that companies achieve their strategic goals and objectives through all phases of their technology lifecycle, making the company a logical fit to extend Nyotron's reach. Companies who enter into the Nyotron Partner Program receive a variety of benefits, including technology and sales training, marketing support and more. Attendees of the RSA Conference interested in discussing partnership opportunities are encouraged to visit Nyotron's Booth #1639 in the South Expo. For more information, visit www.nyotron.com. About Nyotron Nyotron provides the industry's first OS-Centric Positive Security to strengthen laptop, desktop and server protection. By mapping legitimate operating system behavior, Nyotron's PARANOID understands all normative ways that may lead to damage, such as file deletion, data exfiltration, encryption, and more. Focusing on finite "good" actions allows PARANOID to be completely agnostic to threats and attack vectors. PARANOID works seamlessly with antivirus and next-generation antivirus solutions to provide the last line of defense from modern state-level attacks. Nyotron is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA with an R&D office in Israel. Cities recognized for creative strategies to tap into the power and knowledge of citizens to solve local problems Winner will receive $100,000 grand prize NEW YORK, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Cities of Service today announced 10 finalists for the Engaged Cities Award, a new effort to elevate cities that are working creatively to tap the wisdom, talents, and energy of community members to solve public problems. Underwritten by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Award shines light on the growing number of ways city leaders are co-creating the future with residents, enabling cities around the world to learn from best practices and bring effective strategies back to their own cities. The Award is part of Michael R. Bloomberg's American Cities Initiative, a program designed to empower city leaders to generate new ideas and advance policy that moves the nation forward. In its inaugural year, the Engaged Cities Award received more than one hundred applications from cities in the Americas and Europe. The 10 finalists were selected because their efforts scored highest on key selection criteria, including significant work with citizens to tackle a public problem, clear evidence of impact, and potential to apply the strategy to other problems and geographies. The 10 finalist cities are: Bologna, Italy : The city changed its regulations to allow public collaboration between citizens and city government to improve public spaces. City staff worked with communities to design and implement projects that address local needs. : The city changed its regulations to allow public collaboration between citizens and city government to improve public spaces. City staff worked with communities to design and implement projects that address local needs. Boston, Massachusetts : The city engaged citizens to share data about unsafe streets and developed an app that encourages residents to improve their driving behaviors, with the goal of decreased traffic-related fatalities. : The city engaged citizens to share data about unsafe streets and developed an app that encourages residents to improve their driving behaviors, with the goal of decreased traffic-related fatalities. Fort Collins, Colorado : To respond to pressing fiscal needs and rising costs, city leadership educated citizens about the budget process and collected feedback in order to create a budget that aligns resources with community priorities. : To respond to pressing fiscal needs and rising costs, city leadership educated citizens about the budget process and collected feedback in order to create a budget that aligns resources with community priorities. Hamm, Germany : The shutdown of the mining industry caused a large district to suffer from economic hardship, abandoned land, and loss of identity. City leadership collaborated with residents to develop more than 540 acres of land into a public park that physically and emotionally reconnected residents. : The shutdown of the mining industry caused a large district to suffer from economic hardship, abandoned land, and loss of identity. City leadership collaborated with residents to develop more than 540 acres of land into a public park that physically and emotionally reconnected residents. Helsinki, Finland : To improve the experiences of a fast-growing immigrant youth population, the city used a human-centered design approach to rapidly prototype, develop, and implement citywide programs and services. : To improve the experiences of a fast-growing immigrant youth population, the city used a human-centered design approach to rapidly prototype, develop, and implement citywide programs and services. Huntington, West Virginia : In response to a growing health crisis, city leadership developed a hub-and-spoke approach to improve health outcomes for its residents. The city engaged citizens to develop ideas for initiatives and provided leadership and support for implementation. : In response to a growing health crisis, city leadership developed a hub-and-spoke approach to improve health outcomes for its residents. The city engaged citizens to develop ideas for initiatives and provided leadership and support for implementation. Mexico City, Mexico : City leadership created a citywide campaign to elicit citizen opinions and proposals for the city constitution using a citizen working group and online petitions, many of which were incorporated into the city's constitution. : City leadership created a citywide campaign to elicit citizen opinions and proposals for the city constitution using a citizen working group and online petitions, many of which were incorporated into the city's constitution. San Jose, California : The city invited citizens to submit their solutions to some of the city's biggest challenges in a citywide competition. The first competition resulted in a drone prototype capable of removing graffiti in difficult-to-reach places. : The city invited citizens to submit their solutions to some of the city's biggest challenges in a citywide competition. The first competition resulted in a drone prototype capable of removing graffiti in difficult-to-reach places. Santiago de Cali , Colombia : To combat a high level of violence, the city created local councils made up of residents in 15 neighborhoods. The councils launched a variety of community projects to build trust between neighbors, such as the rehabilitation of public parks and arts events, and helped resolve conflicts within the community. : To combat a high level of violence, the city created local councils made up of residents in 15 neighborhoods. The councils launched a variety of community projects to build trust between neighbors, such as the rehabilitation of public parks and arts events, and helped resolve conflicts within the community. Tulsa, Oklahoma : The city brought city staff and citizens together in person and online to analyze the large amount of data the city had collected to learn more about public problems, such as income disparity and crime, and to inform policy. "The finalists show that everyday citizens can help move their cities forward in many diverse and meaningful ways, leveraging their insights, diverse talents, and creative energy," said Myung J. Lee, Cities of Service Executive Director. "City leaders are getting more creative and experimental in the ways they are engaging community members. We are proud to highlight the work these cities have accomplished so other cities around the world can follow their lead." Local leaders are increasingly looking for new ways to involve residents in policy and program development and build trust between citizens and city government. In its recently released 2018 American Mayors Survey, Bloomberg Philanthropies found that 91% of American city leaders say engaging residents is "very important"-ranking it even higher than using data, experimentation, and collaboration. Through the Engaged Cities Award, Cities of Service aims to surface a set of tools these mayors can employ to collaborate with residents in new and more significant ways. These approaches include harnessing the power of civic tech, citizen experts, informed citizen input, participatory design, impact volunteering, and citizen-sourced data. "People are often a city's greatest untapped resource," said James Anderson, Cities of Service board member and head of government innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies. "These cities are changing that - finding new and better ways to involve their residents and leverage their expertise to solve public problems." The Engaged Cities Award was open to cities with populations of 30,000+ in the Americas and Europe. Cities submitted their applications in January 2018. Cities of Service, along with an esteemed group of experts, will choose three winning cities, including a $100,000 grand prize winner. Winners will be announced as part of the Engaged Cities Award Summit and Dinner in May 2018. For more information about the Cities of Service Engaged Cities Award, please visit: engagedcitiesaward.org. About Cities of Service Cities of Service is an independent nonprofit organization that helps mayors and city leaders tap the knowledge, creativity, and service of citizens to solve public problems and create vibrant cities. We work with cities to build city-led, citizen-powered initiatives that target specific needs, achieve long-term and measurable outcomes, improve the quality of life for residents, and build stronger cities. Founded in 2009 by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Cities of Service supports a coalition of more than 235 cities, representing nearly 55 million people in 45 U.S. states, and more than 10 million people in the U.K. Visit us at citiesofservice.org or follow us on Twitter @citiesofservice. Media Contact Cities of Service, Karen Dahl, (646) 324-8390, karen@citiesofservice.org Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677445/Cities_of_Service_Engaged_Cities_Logo.jpg BUENOS AIRES (dpa-AFX) - Argentina has requested the final exemption to duties on aluminum and steel imports in the United States. The request was made during the 8th Summit of the Americas over the weekend in Lima, after meetings between the Argentinean Minister of Production, Francisco Cabrera, and the Secretary of Commerce of the United States, Wilbur Ross, among other officials. 'That was an important advance. We are optimistic that we will achieve the final exemption. Our job is to give these discussions and defend Argentinean production everywhere,' said the minister. At the end of March, the United States announced that Argentina would initially be exempt from the duties on steel (25%) and aluminum (10%) imports. According to the Ministry of Production, Argentina represents only 0.6% and 2.3% of total U.S imports of steel and aluminum, respectively. 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. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 16, 2018) - Tudor Gold Corp. (TSXV: TUD) (FSE: TUC) (the "Company" or "Tudor Gold") is pleased to report that the Company has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement, consisting of 2,080,000 shares at a price of $0.40 per share and 2,920,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.40 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,000,000 (collectively, the "Offering"). Each Unit consists of one common share and one-half of one transferable common share purchase warrant (the "Warrants"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.65 for a period of two years from closing of the Offering. Commencing on the date that is four months and one day after closing of the Offering, if the closing price of the Company's common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"), or any other stock exchange on which the Company's common shares are listed, is at a price greater than $1.00 per share for a period of ten (10) consecutive trading days, the Company will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving written notice to the holders of the Warrants that the Warrants will expire on the date that is not less than 30 days from the date of such notice. The proceeds from the sale of the above shares and Units will be used for general corporate purposes, working capital and reduction of company liabilities and accounts payable. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid a cash finder's fee of $9,115.00 to Mackie Research Capital Corporation. All of the shares, Warrants and any shares issued upon exercise of the Warrants are subject to a hold period until August 17, 2018, except as permitted by applicable Canadian securities laws and the TSXV. The Offering included the following subscription from a "related party" of the Company as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"): Walter Storm (the Company's President and CEO) acquired, through Tudor Holdings Ltd. (a company controlled by Mr. Storm), 573,750 Units. The issuance of the 573,750 Units to Tudor Holdings Ltd. did not result in a material change in the percentage of securities of the Company controlled by Walter Storm. The participation of Tudor Holdings Ltd. in the Offering was exempt from formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements pursuant to exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that at the time the Offering was agreed to, neither the fair market value of the securities to be distributed in the Offering nor the consideration to be received for those securities, insofar as the Offering involved the related party, exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Offering as the details of the Offering and the participation by the related party were not settled until shortly prior to closing. About Tudor Gold Tudor Gold is a precious and base-metals explorer in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, an area which hosts multiple past-producing mines, several large world-class deposits that are approaching potential development and Pretium's newly commissioned Brucejack Gold Mine. The Company has a 60% interest in both the Electrum and Treaty Creek properties and a 100% interest in several other properties in the Golden Triangle area. "Walter Storm" Walter Storm President and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please visit the company's website at www.tudor-gold.com or contact: CHF Capital Markets Cathy Hume CEO Tel: 416-868-1079 x 231 Email: cathy@chfir.com Or Aris Morfopoulos Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary Tel: 604-721-2650 Email: aris@tudor-gold.com Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. All statements including, without limitation, anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering as well as any other future plans, objectives or expectations of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various 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 the Company's plans or expectations include risks relating to the actual results of current exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. 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. 1. What is WellSpring? WellSpring is gathering the power of national blockchain enthusiasts and communities, to quickly pave the official homepage for quality blockchain projects in multi-languages, to synchronized ones official releases with its very original source; to become the Secondary Official Community of the global quality blockchain projects. In the meantime, WellSpring advocates in getting global investor the most direct official updates and bringing the same accesses of purchasing all recognizable blockchain assets with no variety limitation caused by exchanges or service platforms. Before the WellSpring team officially launch its platform, they have been aiding intensively to the promotion campaign of nearly 20 blockchain projects from six countries and regions, namely China, Japan, South-Korea and Southeast Asia in the past five months. It has involved over 3 million blockchain enthusiasts global-wide and already get out of the red. Its continuous world expansion has now covered China, Japan, South-Korea America and 10 other countries in Europe and Southeast Asia. It collects information from all over the world and builds blockchain enthusiast community altogether. With the purpose of sufficiently bridging those promising projects with users from a wider range of countries, accelerates the community development with incentive mechanisms is essential for the WellSpring team to have its platform developed further. WellSpring sees itself as a Secondary Official Community of all recognizable promising projects, is going to share a rapid growth with the blockchain industry. Thanks to the quantitative financial experiences, the WellSpring Team now can see through any over-packaged shell projects and identify the faked ones covered by only concepts. Thus, there will be no fancy concepts nor pseudo-demands appears in the design of WellSprings business model and incentive mechanism, but will be set based on years of experiences and the changing demands of market, in order to accelerate the development of promising blockchain projects all over the world. 2. Why do we need WellSpring? 2.1 Backgrounds & Trends Bitcoin has become the first validated blockchain-based application since 2009. The market space of those virtual central banks and currency issuance supported by blockchain technology has directly pointed to that of the real central banks all over the world. After the birth of Ethereum in 2016, network settlement efficiency has been greatly improved, which has already supported the tokenization progress of thousands of projects, indirectly and efficiently assisted many of them to realize its asset securitization. The imagination brought by this application scenario has far exceeded that of the global stock market thanks to the same exceeding number of companies and projects that deserves an external leverage acceleration. This will be a sustainable long-term development, something worth expecting! Blockchain technology might be able to support more application scenarios in the future. But solely the current tokenize the project asset can make a hundredfold increase in its transaction volume, meaning any service platform can bring liquidity to the blockchain industry will, or at least to a large extent, rise along the blockchains era. Thats exactly what WellSpring aiming at, to bring more liquidity to the blockchain industry, to become the very original news source of quality crypto assets, to adapt and accelerate the benign development of the whole blockchain industry. 2.2 User Demand The decision-making progress can normally be defined as follows: Acquire Information Compare Evaluation Choose Platform Make Transaction Acquire Information: The information required limits the entrance of investment, from which decision-making are judged by two indispensable conditions- truly and timely, while official releases are prior to all alternatives in most cases. Investment Advice: Project code and quality evaluations given by expertise, public trend and real transaction statistics collected by big data are considered helpful for investors comprehensive understanding of project from multiple perspectives. Choose Platform: Even if the worlds TOP 100 blockchain assets are launched in exchanges of limited countries, while investors from other part of the world may find it difficult to purchase. Make Transaction: Safe and easy are the basic pursues, a direct purchasing channel from the project team would be one of the best solutions. 2.3 Project Demand In the blockchain world, an integrated approach of combining business progress and market promotion with currency management might over-pressuring those diligent hardworking team. Thus the needs in market promotion and community value management emerged, after which the team will be able to concentrate more on its products and businesss R&Ds. Concluded from the cooperation with over 10 foreign projects, the external demand of whom can be described from the following perspectives: Content Localization: China, Japan and South Korea are the worlds top three countries with the largest crypto-asset trading volumes, thus have become a MUST promotion route for all types of promising projects. By results, its four prevailing languages, namely Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English, have become a compulsory condition of communicate and publicize. Then a regular and paralleled update in these four languages will definitely contribute a lot to ones long-term localization. Promotion Method: Update and release on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Telegram, WeChat, Line, Kakao and WhatsApp etc. are deemed as a standard line for most quality projects. But most of those platforms have various mechanisms that is too hard for project parties to co-promote it. Build-up Communities: Maintenance and expansion of communities are essential to success even for excellent teams. Communities in China, Japan and South-Korea are most important among all, but cultural language and prevailed platforms are varied with extremely high thresholds, which will normally cause insufficient establishment at high costs. Token Sales: High listing fees in Chinese and South-Korean exchanges have increasingly become an open secret within the cryptocurrency industry. But normally, those team who really want to dive into details may find it unaffordable for those hardworking teams. In fact, an non-obstructed asset purchasing channel is proven as a better and fairer means for both project party and investors. 3. Project Introduction of WellSpring 3.1 Project Goals For industry: To bring fresh blood to cryptocurrency industry and to further expand the access of quality assets to more people in the world; For projects: To become an incubator and a globalized one-stop accelerator of all emerging quality projects; For investors: To become the platform that provide only the first-hand resources and original access to assets purchasing. 3.2 Product Features The initial applicable version of WellSpring is App, which will be released in the middle of April, 2018. This V1.0 is mainly launched for individuals, with the following main features: Reading Articles Community Establishment Community Rewards The following features of WellSpring will be enabled soon in its coming version: Consumer: Wallet account, real-time price monitoring, token trading (Facing non-China users only) Business: Press release, community establishment, rewards set-up and sales of token (Facing non-China users only) 3.3 Business Model Consumer Side: (*Following services will be provided with costs for individuals) Transaction fees : Certain amount of tokens will be charged as transaction fees during the token purchasing behavior of user; : Certain amount of tokens will be charged as transaction fees during the token purchasing behavior of user; Handling fees: Certain amount of tokens will be charges as handling fees during the withdrawal behavior of user. Business Side: Promotion fees : Certain amount of WELLs will be charged from project parties when localized promotion on WellSpring is needed; : Certain amount of WELLs will be charged from project parties when localized promotion on WellSpring is needed; Service fees: In non-China regions, any cryptocurrency transactions made through WellSpring platform will be charged with certain proportion of its total trading volume as service fees. The profitabilities and profit-levels of aforesaid business models are widely acknowledged in the blockchain industry, thus it is unnecessary for further illustration. 4. WELL Token Mechanism 4.1 Issuance Mechanism The ERC20 token issued by WellSpring platform is coded WELL, with the initial supply of 10,000,000,000 in total. 4.2 Application Scenarios Following are the main application scenarios for users and blockchain projects separately, which may also be deemed as a rapid value-adding solution of WELL token: For User: Candy Exchange: WELLs can be used to exchange other cryptocurrencies on the platform at a 20% to 70% off-ed market price. Deduction of Handling fees: Candy Claiming fees : After gaining all types of candies available on the WellSpring platform, 10% equivalent of WELLs will be charged for unlocking the withdrawal and transfer behavior of users; : After gaining all types of candies available on the WellSpring platform, 10% equivalent of WELLs will be charged for unlocking the withdrawal and transfer behavior of users; Deduction of Transaction fees : Transaction fees generated during platforms asset purchasing can be deducted by the equivalent of WELLs at a 50% discount. : Transaction fees generated during platforms asset purchasing can be deducted by the equivalent of WELLs at a 50% discount. Deduction of Handling fees: The small amount of handling fees conducted by users withdrawal and transfer behavior can be deducted by WELL at a 50% discount. For Business: Community Establishment : WELLs can be paid to recruit ones community manager and to attract more blockchain enthusiasts participation; : WELLs can be paid to recruit ones community manager and to attract more blockchain enthusiasts participation; Content Promotion : WELLs can be paid to WellSpring platform for content localization in multi-languages, by which can help to acquire a wider range of promotion opportunities; : WELLs can be paid to WellSpring platform for content localization in multi-languages, by which can help to acquire a wider range of promotion opportunities; Trading Services : In non-China regions, promising blockchain assets can claim to WellSpring platform to open the purchasing channel available by paying WELLs. : In non-China regions, promising blockchain assets can claim to WellSpring platform to open the purchasing channel available by paying WELLs. Token Sales: In non-China regions, any emerging excellent blockchain assets are required to pay 2% equivalent WELLs of its total trading volumes on the WellSpring platform as compensation. 4.3 Value-Adding Solutions Initial Stage: In order to better guarantee the profit of WELL holders, a token burning mechanism will be adopt at WellSprings initial running stage, the WELLs recycled during which will be 100% burnt until the total volume in circulation reduced to 80%. Mature Stage: As the WellSpring platform matures, more blockchain projects and enthusiasts shall emerge, so will the need of WELLs. By then, a large number of projects will be more than eager to build localized communities and raise awarenesses in it. Thats when the quantitative purchase of WELL comes in. Then the shortage in WELLs supply will ultimately leaves the growing room that is worth expecting. 5. The WellSpring Team Before the WellSpring team officially launch its platform, they have been deeply assisted the promotion campaign of nearly 20 blockchain projects from 6 countries and regions namely China, Japan, South-Korea and Southeast Asia in the past five months. This global team is still expanding throughout the world and currently covers 10 other countries in Southeast Asia, Europe and America. It collects information from all over the world and builds blockchain enthusiast community altogether. Currently, the WellSpring team consists of 31 people and structured as follow: 1. Product and Tech Development: 6 people; 2. Promotion, Operation and User Maintenance: 5 people; 3. Project Operation: 4 people; 4. Multi-National Community Maintenance: 16 people. To ensure a better development of the WellSpring platform, detailed information of our team members are not acknowledgeable to all at this initial stage, but the actual performance of our product and operation shall speak for itself. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) -- Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) apprehended a foreign vessel loaded with P67.9 million worth of Vietnam rice in Zamboanga Sibugay province Saturday evening. In a statement released Monday, the naval unit said it seized the Mongolian-registered Motor Vessel (MV) Diamond 8 with 15 crew members - 11 Bangladeshis and four Chinese Nationals - with 34 undocumented Filipinos, including a minor, and 17 unidentified individuals. The captain is a Chinese national identified as Lin Yang Yin. Investigation showed the vessel had 27,180 sacks of rice weighing 1,359 metric tons before it unloaded around 8,000 sacks to accompanying vessels MV Yssa Maine and MV Yousra. Naval forces are searching for "Yssa Maine" and "Yousra." Meanwhile, "Diamond 8" was escorted to Ensign Majini Pier in Zamboanga City for investigation and documentation. The individuals on board received medical and physical check-up upon arrival. "The successful foiling of the illegal transport of smuggled tons of rice is a result of an intensified and focused maritime patrol and operation of the Philippine Navy," the Navy unit said in the statement. Asked about what government plans to do with the seized rice, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Department of Agriculture advised it could be sold as cheap rice to beef up dwindling National Food Authority (NFA) stocks. "Dahil makakain ng taong bayan 'yan, ang sinabi sa akin ng Department of Agriculture, pwede po 'yan ibenta as NFA rice, cheap rice para maincrease yung stock pile ng NFA," Roque said in a press briefing today. [Translation: Because it is food, I was advised by the Department of Agriculture that it is allowed to sell the rice as NFA rice, cheap rice, to increase the stock pile of the NFA.] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) The National Food Authority (NFA) on Monday started rolling out commercial rice worth P39 per kilo to address the shortage of cheap rice. NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the lower-priced rice will be available at public markets in Metro Manila starting Wednesday, though some service outlets in Quezon City and Baclaran with the "Tulong sa Bayan" tarpaulin are already selling it. Estoperez said millers and traders made the low-priced rice available after meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte last week to address the shortage of NFA rice. "For now we have to help the farmers by buying our locally produced rice...Medyo may lugi pero for the meantime na commitment nila kay Presidente [We're selling at quite a loss for the meantime while they're committed to the President]," he said. Estoperez also explained how they came up with the 39-peso price point. "Kasi ang psychological effect pagpatak ng 40, mahal na yun eh, so nag-compute kami pabalik," he said. [Translation: Because when it reaches P40, people think it's already expensive, so we computed backwards.] The effort is a joint project of the Office of the President, the Confederation of Grains Retailers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (GRECON), the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations and NFA. GRECON national president James Magbanua, however, said they might limit sale of the rice to 3 kilograms per customer per day in order to stretch supplies to serve as many consumers as possible. In the past few weeks, consumers were left with commercial rice worth at least P42 per kilo, since NFA has no stocks of cheaper rice, which sell for P27 and P32. Estoperez said the lower-priced commercial rice will be sold in markets until NFA rice becomes available. The NFA is finalizing the terms of reference for the importation of P250,000 metric tons of cheap rice, following orders from Duterte. . " . , . . SMS, . , ... Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Apart from accessing information and other details, one of the advantages of the smartphone over the feature phone is the option to customize or design it to match their personality or current mood. One way of expressing themselves through the device is to simply change smartphones home screen, or lock screen, wallpaper or sometimes both. Every wallpaper has some aesthetically pleasing elements that ring to everyone according to their personality. When it comes to OnePlus devices be it OnePlus 3, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T, we have seen some wallpaper be it acrylic brush strokes, emotive textures, abstract close-ups and much more. These are the wallpapers that are carefully designed with attention to detail by a Swedish artist who goes by the name Hampus Olsson. Apart from designing wallpapers for OnePlus, Hampus Olsson also designs websites, illustrations, branding, games, apps, and fashion to his client including Spotify, GANT, Nestle, Hard Rock Hotel, Holiday Inn, AT&T, and more. Going back in time, Olsson made his work debut for OnePlus with OnePlus 2 where he tried out clean, uid art style with layered colored elevations. With each successive phones, Olsson tried out different styles including liquid metallic-style wallpapers for OnePlus X, acrylic brush strokes in a 3D space with new color combinations for OnePlus 3, Stroke of Genius, featuring a single, red brushstroke with a dark, monochrome mountain range for OnePlus 3T Midnight Black Edition, oating object with a plain background for OnePlus 5 and a similar approach with background color melt for OnePlus 5T. Currently, Hampus Olsson is working on the wallpapers for the OnePlus 6, where he said to be trying on clean, fluid style with mountainous depths, which according to him is more vibrant, and hold a better, more suitable composition to reveal. When asked about his inspiration in OnePlus Forum, Olsson said, For me, inspiration comes from many directions. Ive always had a creative mind. As a child, I used to paint and craft, when I was six, I made my rst couple of websites and games. Being able to create things out of nothing has always felt so nice to me. I get inspired by trying out new kind of art forms and new ways of being creative, it inspires me to come up with something challenging and different from what I used to do. I take inspiration from old progressive jazz-rock music, fashion/art magazines, shapes in nature, seeing things from another perspective, visiting new places on earth, antiques, Asian art culture and experimenting with new techniques and mediums. OnePlus is all set to launch its next-gen smartphone with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset paired with 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB/256GB onboard storage. Moreover, this smartphone is also confirmed to have a top-notch as well. Vivo recently introduced the first smartphone in the world with an in-display fingerprint sensor followed by Huawei Mate RS Porche Design. Now OPPO appears to be the third one in the list as the companys new patent which was received from State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO) reveals a fingerprint scanner under the display. The documents are backed by multiple images that reveal the scanner might be used not only for unlocking the device but also for authorizing payments. The images briefly show how the sensor works and what parts of the actual finger will be recognized. Since the is seen working even when the screen is on, it is different to what Synaptics developed which is a sensor that is emitting light underneath an OLED panel and then reading the fingerprint. OPPO has filed for the patent back in May 2017 with the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) in China. The patent was approved on March 30, 2018, and shows various images of Oppo smartphones with a built-in fingerprint sensor under the display. With OPPO widely rumored to re-introduce a premium flagship phone in 2018 theres a chance that this sensor will make its way on it. With OPPO scrapping off the Find 9, it leaves us with the successor to the already introduced R15; the R15s which is expected to be announced in October 2018. Source | Via With more choice in the bakery sector than ever before and a spotlight on health and well-being, pressure is building to reduce the calorie content of baked goods. In... Read More 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. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 16) Retired and current Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) officers have filed a complaint for plunder and grave misconduct against former SAF Chief Director Benjamin Lusad and three others for alleged failure to release around P59-million worth of allowances for SAF personnel. Apart from Lusad, the complaint filed before the Ombudsman named Senior Supt. Andre Dizon, Senior Police Officer 2 Maila Bustamante and Senior Police Officer 1 Jack James Irica. The complaint said Lusad and others failed to release the additional subsistence allowance of around 4,000 SAF troopers amounting to around P59 million. The SAF personnel did not receive their P30/day subsistence allowance from February to December 2016 and from August to December 2017, it added. Some of the complainants said they met with Lusad on two occasions, during which he allegedly confirmed receiving money meant for the subsistence allowance. They said Lusad apologized, telling them the funds were spent instead for operations, fellowship and training. Lusad is currently the chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Southern Luzon. PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Ronald Dela Rosa said he received an explanation from Lusad about the issue. "Galit. Kung totoo yan, galit ako. It doesn't mean naman talaga na kapag finile ang kaso e totoo na talaga lahat yan...Meron siyang explanation na itong perang ito nagamit sa pera sa pagpakain sa SAF sa Bilibid," said Dela Rosa. [Translation: I'm angry. If that's true, I'm angry. It doesn't mean that when a case is filed, it's true...He has explained that the money was used to feed the SAF at Bilibid.] Interior Department Officer-in-Charge, Undersecretary Eduardo Ano and incoming PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde said they would make sure SAF personnel will receive the subsistence allowance due them. Ano said: "Tayo, we fight corruption, whatever form. So I make sure na magiging maayos ang imbestigasyon na yan." [Translation: We fight corruption, whatever form. So I will make sure that a thorough investigation is conducted] Albayalde, meanwhile said, "Kung talagang may pagkakamali ang dating SAF commander, talagang wala tayong magagawa. Basically, yung additional subsistence allowance, yun lang kasi'ng incentive natin sa Special Action Force. Remember, ito yung elite force na kung saan-saan naa-assign. I think they deserve the best, this kind of support na manggagaling sa ating national headquarters." [Translation: If the SAF commander is really at fault, then we can't do anything. Basically, the additional subsistence allowance, that is the only incentive we have for the Special Action Force. Remember, this is the elite force who are assigned everywhere. I think they deserve the best, and this kind of support coming from our National Headquarters.] Police officials said they don't want to prejudge the case, and would rather wait for the outcome of proceedings. Don Prudhomme had no clue what he was doing the first time he raced Baja. He didn't know the course. He didn't grasp the conditions. He didn't even have the right setup in the car. The legendary drag racer was a last-minute fill-in for actor Steve McQueen, who had to bail because of filming obligations. Prudhomme teamed with friend and fellow racer Tony Nancy for the 1,000-mile sprint across the desert and through tiny towns in Mexico. They drove McQueen's car a dune buggy Nancy built with a Porsche engine and made it about 100 miles before flames started spewing out of the tailpipes. Prudhomme walked away with more regrets than recollections. Now, 50 years later, he's looking for redemption. "Hope to have a little better luck this time," Prudhomme told The Associated Press from his home in San Diego. The 77-year-old Prudhomme will return to Baja for the Mexican 1000 next week, his first competitive race since retiring from NHRA in 1994. "It's always been a thorn in my side that we never finished the race," Prudhomme said. "But thinking back on it, it's kind of a good thing or else I'd still be lost out there in the desert. We didn't know what the hell we were doing. I would say luckily we broke down, to be honest with you. Now, going back, it's a bucket list thing. It's like climbing a mountain you didn't make it up years ago." Or decades ago. The Mexican 1000 is a five-day, off-road rally run by the National Off-Road Racing Association, which ran the first Baja 1000 in 1967. It celebrates off-road racing history and vintage off-road vehicles. Cars, trucks, buggies and motorcycles from all eras of Baja racing are eligible to participate in a variety of classes. The race begins April 22 in Ensenda, Mexico, and ends in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Even though Prudhomme hasn't entered the event since that ill-fated trip in 1968, he has plenty of desert experience. He's made countless trips through the Baja desert in recent years, either alone on an adventure motorcycle or with buddies in off-road vehicles. Prudhomme was with three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and fellow drivers Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle in 2016 when Stewart broke his back flying over a sand dune and bottoming-out his buggy. He also knows the course considerably better half a century later. There have been significant technological advances, too, like GPS, on-board computers, helmets that don't allow in fumes and dirt, and sensors for every part of his 2018 Polaris that's been beefed up by P.J. Jones, son of 1963 Indianapolis 500 winner Parnelli Jones. "This should be a fun event for him," said former NASCAR driver and off-road champion Robby Gordon. "It's pretty cool. It's good to have other forms of motorsport come to Baja and see the adventure. That's the biggest thing that Baja brings: It brings an adventure that no other form of motorsport does because every corner is different, every road is different and just because the car went through there in front of you, the road will change. "It's the wild west of motorsports. There are no guardrails. There are no catch-fences." There's no maximum age limit, either. "It's about time he got back out there," said longtime NHRA rival "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, who recently turned 86. "He's too young to be parked." Prudhomme agrees, adding that he feels about half his age. "Physically, it's a piece of cake," he said. "I'll have a couple of Red Bulls along the way to keep me awake, but I don't think it will be a problem. ... I'm not trying to pretend I'm Superman or anything, but we go to Baja all the time." Prudhomme will race in the Stock Turbo UTV class. He also will have a full crew and a helicopter following along. "It's not a cheap date," he said. The driver nicknamed "the Snake" won 49 national events in the Funny Car and Top Fuel classes during his NHRA career divisions, including four consecutive titles (1975-78) in Funny Car. He later added another 63 victories as an owner before shuttering his team following the 2009 season. "Once you're competitive, you're always competitive. You never lose that," he said. "To be honest with you, I feel like it was yesterday that I quit drag racing, quit driving. I had a dream about it the other night. I had a dream I was in the staging lines getting ready to make a run. After competing for 50 years in drag racing, it just doesn't leave you. It's there. It's embedded." It turns out money can buy friends. At least Cadillac thinks so. The automaker is offering up to $10,000 in rebates on the Escalade to some of its customers in an effort to keep them from switching to the fast-selling Lincoln Navigator. That amount is available to current lessees of 2016 Escalades who move into a new one, while owners of the same model year SUV are eligible for $7,500, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News that was confirmed by a General Motors spokesman, who said the company is trying to keep people in the family. 2018 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR TEST DRIVE: The all-new Navigator was named 2018 North American Truck of The Year and Lincoln is investing millions to increase production by 25 percent in order to keep up with demand. Sales of the $73,250 are up 63 percent so far this year, while the similarly-priced Escalade has risen less than 10 percent in a very hot market for SUVs. The Escalade finds itself at a disadvantage to the Navigator, as it was last redesigned for the 2015 model year and a new one isnt expected until 2020. CADILLAC LAUNCHING ITS SMALLEST-EVER SUV: ABC News is being slammed by some critics for a poorly produced interview with former FBI Director James Comey that aired on Sunday night after a massive editing job. Comey raised eyebrows when he chose ABC for his first interview since President Trump abruptly fired him in May 2017. He is going to be a familiar face to media watchdogs as a variety of appearances are lined up in the coming days as Comey promotes his tell-all book, A Higher Loyalty. Authors of major news-making books usually appear first on "60 Minutes" and Comey's choice of ABC News -- perhaps so he could get friendly questions from Clinton crony George Stephanopoulos -- was unusual. In fact, Comeys ABC special attracted roughly 9.8 million viewers compared to 22 million who tuned into a recent 60 Minutes interview with adult film actress Stormy Daniels, as The Hill noted. Comeys interview was produced by the beleaguered 20/20 news magazine, which in recent years has almost entirely stopped doing hard news and instead largely focuses on mysterious murders, infidelity and even behind-the-scenes looks at other ABC programs, such as Roseanne. The ABC News producers cutting the Comey special may have been exercising muscles they hadn't used in many years, as the network had to edit down a reported five-hour interview between Comey and Stephanopoulos into a one-hour special. This was the first big primetime exclusive that troubled ABC News has landed since Caitlyn Jenners 2015 sit-down with Diane Sawyer. The interview clearly was a tall order for Stephanopulos -- and not just because he is roughly a foot shorter than Comey. The network chose not to air several key moments, such as when Comey ripped former President Barack Obama. He criticized the former president for comments made during the bureaus investigation into Hillary Clintons private email server, suggesting Obama jeopardized the Justice Departments credibility. However, viewers would need to access the entire transcript online to know Comeys comments on Obama. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman said Comeys interview ended up being a much lower grade burn than she originally thought it would be based on anticipation, according to the Washington Examiner. Filmmaker Liz Garbus tweeted, This is very distracting and makes it hard to feel like we're getting the full context of his answers. New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen added, This interview is VERY aggressively edited. Almost every sentence is ended by the ABC producers, not by Comey. CNN analyst and author Bill Carter said it was hard to be precise about the intent of his words because ABC edited the TV version like a traveler trying to sit on an overfull suitcase that felt rushed. New York magazine star Olivia Nuzzi echoed what a lot of viewers were presumably thinking with a tweet about the significant height difference between the two men. This interview is difficult for me to watch because James Comey is six foot eight and George Stephanopulos is five foot seven (lol k) and I keep imagining what it would be like if Stephanopoulos conducted the interview while sitting on Comey's lap like he's Santa, Nuzzi wrote. Media insiders weren't the only people who had an issue with ABCs production, as many other viewers took to Twitter to complain about the editing. Mediaite columnist Joseph Wulfsohn said he was disappointed with the finished product, much like he was when 60 Minutes aired its anticipated interview with Daniels. So let us retire our obsession we have with these not-so explosive interviews. As the saying goes, fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twice, shame on us, Wulfsohn wrote. James Comey is often the subject of praise from the mainstream media for his constant attacks on President Trump, but the former FBI director is now receiving fire from the left. Comeys promotional book tour kicked off on Sunday night with an hour-long interview with ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. Buildup to the interview dominated social media and political talk shows in the days leading up to the primetime special and some pundits spoke out against the ex-FBI boss ahead of the sitdown. Lanny Davis, a former special counsel to President Clinton, slammed Comey as a liar in an Op-Ed for The Hill. It is time -- accurately -- to call Comey a liar for this crucial, self-serving rationalization for his action that made Donald Trump president, Davis wrote. Davis urged Comey to admit the truth about his Oct. 28, 2016, letter that reopened an inquiry into Hillary Clintons personal email server. You wrote the letter not because you had to in order to fulfill a promise to Congress, but because you wanted to protect your political rear end from anti-Clinton Republican partisans. Period, Davis wrote. Last week, Associated Press reporter Zeke Miller called Comeys book petty, while Vanity Fair reporter Tina Nguyen seems to agree with Fox News Chris Wallace that, Higher Loyalty" comes off as bitchy at times. Indeed, the books bitchiness seemed to be the primary concern of the far right, Nguyen wrote. CNNs David Gergen took a break from praising Comey to admit he can be a showboat, while CNN law enforcement analyst and former FBI Special Agent James Gagliano called Comey a feckless leader. CNNs David Axelrod, former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, questioned the timing of the books release, asking, Maybe he should have called it Higher Royalties? FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver tweeted that it was not particularly honorable for Comey to sit on information that is vital to the nation until he had a book to promote. If Comey's decision to release the letter on Oct. 28 was influenced by his interpretation of the polls, that really ought to cut against his image as an honorable, principled decision-maker. Instead, he was just being expedient and trying to save his own hide, Silver wrote. Criticism of Comey intensified once the interview finally aired on Sunday evening. Alan Dershowitz called him a "man without courage," and Washington Post media reporter Paul Farhi tweeted, "One striking thing in this interview about James Comey: He seems to have a lot of pity for James Comey. Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass appeared on MSNBCs anti-Trump Morning Joe, and said Comey seemed to be talking to himself almost without a compass during the interview with Stephanopoulos. He did nothing to persuade us that his various interventions in the run-up to the election were justified, Haass said. It just seemed to me he took on a disproportionate role in American politics without the mandate to do it. Some members of the mainstream media had issues with the way ABC News presented the interview. New York magazine star Olivia Nuzzi echoed what a lot of media watchdogs were presumably thinking with a tweet about the significant height difference between the two men. This interview is difficult for me to watch because James Comey is six foot eight and George Stephanopulos is five foot seven (lol k) and I keep imagining what it would be like if Stephanopoulos conducted the interview while sitting on Comey's lap like he's Santa, Nuzzi wrote. The interview was clearly a tall order for Stephanopulos, and not just because of the height difference. ABC News was forced to edit down a five-hour chat into a 60-minute television event and not everyone as thrilled with the outcome. Filmmaker Liz Garbus tweeted, This is very distracting and makes it hard to feel like we're getting the full context of his answers. New York University journalism professor Jay Rosen added, This interview is VERY aggressively edited. Almost every sentence is ended by the ABC producers, not by Comey. CNN analyst and author Bill Carter said it was hard to be precise about the intent of his words because ABC edited the TV version like a traveler trying to sit on an overfull suitcase that felt rushed. Last week, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders slammed the media for giving so much attention to disgraced, partisan hack Comey. You guys spend hours upon hours every single day praising Jim Comey, propping him up, giving him the biggest platform, Sanders said. We shouldn't be praising him. We should be putting him down and taking him off of air instead of giving him minute after minute. While the spotlight wont be taken off Comey anytime soon, it appears some members of the liberal media actually agree with Sanders for a change. Australian feminist Germaine Greer didnt hold back when speaking about the future for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The 79-year-old public figure spoke about the soon-to-married royal couple and had some harsh predictions about how Markle, an American divorcee, will fit into her royal role. Harry announced on Monday that Markle will become a youth ambassador to the Commonwealth. Greer told 60 Minutes Australia she doesnt think the 36-year-old former actress will enjoy being a full time royal. Referring to Markles first marriage, Greer said, I think shell bolt she bolted before. She was out the door. She also slammed Markles decision to retire from acting to focus on her role as a royal. She will see vistas of boredom that are unbelievable. She added, I think the pressure to escape from the firm is crushing. The feminist said Markle will always come in second to Prince Harry. She will be seen as an adjunct to him, she said. The Twitterverse did not react kindly to Greers assessment. Who gives a s--- about what Germaine Greer thinks on the royal family @60Mins. She's a senile old bat, Twitter user Glenn A wrote. Twitter user Gordon added, What a spiteful woman, if she has nothing nice to say on this then keep her trap shut. A few users admitted Greers words resonated with them. I have to admit I've been thinking much the same. Nice girl but I don't think it will last long-term, sort of reminds me of Fergie & Andrew, user Sarah & Jasper wrote. Another user, Julius Perera, added Greers thoughts were pretty interesting to note and many will agree but no one wanted to say so. NBC News was humiliated on Monday when Ronan Farrow won a 2018 Pulitzer Prize for a story that the network mysteriously decided not to run letting the New Yorker claim an award that could have gone to the Peacock Network. Pulitzer Administrator Dana Canedy announced at Columbia University that Farrows expose in the prestigious New Yorker on now-disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein shared Americans most glamourous journalism prize when it split the public service award with the New York Times. Canedy called Farrows work explosive, impactful journalism that exposed powerful sexual predators and launched the #MeToo movement. Farrows reporting helped expose Weinstein as a sexual predator, though the truth about the disgraced Hollywood mogul could have surfaced months earlier if it hadnt been spiked by embattled NBC News President Noah Oppenheim and his boss, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack. NBC claimed that Farrows story as theyd seen it did not meet their editorial standards. After the Peacock Network passed, The New Yorker jumped at the opportunity to publish Farrow's work and was rewarded with the Pulitzer Prize. In various media appearances to promote his Weinstein reporting, Farrow took a series of jabs at NBC News for refusing to air his Weinstein reporting, implying that Lack and Oppenheim had maintained a veil of silence. Farrow bluntly rebutted NBCs contention that his reporting was not up to snuff in an appearance on MSNBC the day his New Yorker piece was published. Last year, HuffPost reported that NBC tried to put a stop to an interview with a woman accusing Weinstein of rape so Farrow wound up paying out of his own pocket for a camera crew to film an interview. Farrow has since left NBC for HBO, where he will produce documentaries. HBO has long considered the gold standard in that department. Farrow, son of actress Mia Farrow and filmmaker Woody Allen, also published a still photo from an interview he conducted with actress and Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan that never aired on NBC. Farrow knew he could not count on support from NBC News, The Hollywood Reporter wrote earlier this year. Multiple sources tell THR that Farrow was told to stand down, though NBC has strongly disputed this and executives have stressed that Farrow did not have one accuser willing to be identified at the time. NBCs critics have pointed out that Oppenheim, the news president, moonlights as a Hollywood screenwriter and had a conflict of interest in passing judgment over Weinstein, long the premier producer of prestige Hollywood films. Oppenheim had also sat at a small table with Weinstein at the exclusive Time 100 dinner in New York last April, when Farrows investigation was well underway. As all this is going on, Lack and Oppenheim have still not explained why they sat on another one of the biggest stories of the decade: the Access Hollywood tape of Donald Trump making lewd comments about women. The tape of Trump caught on a hot mic was leaked from within NBC to The Washington Post's David Fahrenthold, who is Oppenheim's friend from Harvard, where they worked as editors together on the student newspaper. Fahrenthold is now a contributor for NBC News. NBC continues to struggle with issues pertaining to sexual harassment and misconduct, as parent company Comcast says it is conducting an investigation to determine who knew about now-disgraced former Today co-host Matt Lauers sexual misbehavior and when they knew it. However, Lauer was ousted nearly five months ago and the network has not provided any transparency on its findings. Some insiders dont even believe there is an actual investigation taking place. NBC has not responded to multiple requests for an update. Observers have recently pondered whether NBC executives reluctance to expose other big stars bad behavior -- via the "Access Hollywood' tape or Farrow's investigation -- is linked to what Vanity Fair once called a glass houses problem. NBC and parent company NBCUniversal did not respond to a request for comment regarding Farrows win and whether or not the network has investigated why the story was spiked. The Pulitzer Prizes recognize the best journalism of 2017 in newspapers, magazines and websites with 14 categories with another seven prizes for arts and music. The awards started back in 1917. A former security guard for the Church of Scientology is claiming there is an ongoing rivalry between its two most famous members: Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Brendan Tighe, who was a Scientologist for 30 years, told Daily Mail Monday the two Hollywood stars have furiously vied for the official Number Two position under leader David Miscavige. Reps for the actors did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment. Cruise is the only celeb with a direct line to Miscavige, claimed the 37-year-old. Travolta and Kirstie [Alley] dont have that. Tighe added, Travolta doesnt get anything free, no one is giving him absurd gifts like an airplane hangar, custom-made bikes or over the top favors, apparently referring to presents offered to the "Top Gun" star. 'Travolta wasnt invited to Cruises wedding with Katie Holmes, [which] told me everything' Brendan Tighe Cruise, 55, was reportedly awarded the Freedom Medal of Valor in 2008, which is recognized as the highest award in Scientology given to its most dedicated member. This recognition allegedly made Travolta, 64, explode in jealousy. Tighe insisted Travolta felt he was the favorite son of Miscavige. Its no secret that Cruise and Travolta despised each other, he claimed. Travolta wasnt invited to Cruises wedding with Katie Holmes, [which] told me everything. I can assure you Travolta doesnt recognize Cruise as a superior in any way. When Cruise got that medal Travolta was so p---ed off. The closest person Miscavige had ever said that about before was Travolta, he was told by Miscavige that he was the most dedicated Scientologist and had introduced more members than anyone, so it was like getting his title stripped. He was jealous. The ex-Scientologist also insisted, Id say its a 50/50 split whether Cruise is even respected in Scientology. When Cruise got the medal, the Office of Special Affairs [the spy unit of Scientology] was on high alert for any comments that were negative it built up a lot of resentment within the ranks of Scientology. They didnt think he deserved it. Tighe, who previously worked at Scientologys global headquarters in Clearwater, Fla., was born in the Church along with his sister Natalie, 36. Their mother, Katie Paquette, is still a high-ranking Scientology staff member today and their father, Kevin Tighe, was formerly a public Church member. Tighe quit his post as a security guard in 2009 after a succession of incidents with higher command and left the Church two years later. His mother and sister are still members. He said he hopes his story will shed new light on its celebrity followers. Jamie Oliver has long been a proponent of providing children with healthier, better-quality meals in their school lunches and at home, making his most recent statements about allowing his kids to eat at McDonalds all the more surprising. Oliver, who just launched a new campaign against fast-food advertising called #AdEnough, has admitted that his kids are free to go to McDonalds if they so choose, despite his own aversions. If they wanted to go, I'd let them. Because they get really well fed 95 percent of the time from us. If they want to go out and have a fizzy drink I don't care, because we have none in the house, said Oliver, according to The Telegraph. MARIO BATALI SAID TO BE 'EXPLORING' OPTIONS FOR POSSIBLE COMEBACK The celebrity chef said his wife Jools, on the other hand, might not be as lenient. My wife's probably stricter, Oliver said. She'd say, Oh please, don't. But they'd only end up doing it in some other place." Oliver launched his most recent crusade against fast food called #AdEnough on Tuesday, to combat what he says is the junk food industrys relentless efforts to advertise their products to children. If youve had enough of the bombardment and the targeting of junk food advertising to British kids, then you can get involved right now, says Oliver in a Twitter message, adding that hes also working with lawmakers to change regulations for how these foods can be marketed. MARTHA STEWART TO JOIN FOOD NETWORK'S 'CHOPPED' He also asked supporters to simply take a selfie of you covering up your eyes and share it to social media with the hashtag #AdEnough, because frankly, the only thing thats going to keep your kids from seeing junk food advertising is [covering their eyes], he added. Olivers previous efforts to provide more wholesome food to kids has been documented in TV series such as Jamies School Dinners and Jamie Olivers Food Revolution, the latter of which covered Olivers attempts to teach Huntington, W.Va. the the unhealthiest city in America to change its eating habits. In the show, he also spoke out about the "pink slime" used at fast food restaurants. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS In 2005, following his BBC series Jamies School Dinners, Oliver was credited with helping convince the British government to spend 280 million pounds (approximately $400 million) on better ingredients for school meals, the BBC reported. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 By mid-May, turkey season is over in the South. The fields where gobblers strutted a month ago have grown knee-high and are home to a good hatch of chiggers. Kerry B. Wix and I have been chasing Easterns and Osceolas since early March, but its not enough to suit either of us. A Tennessean, Wix has a life-size turkey feather tattooed on his forearm and a thousand-dollar mouth-call jig in his basement. Hes never killed a Merriams gobbler, and thats reason enough to keep this madness moving to Nebraska, where theres another two weeks of season leftand three tags apiece. Were meeting up with Jeremy Atkins, a Cornhusker native and one of the owners of Big&J deer attractants. Atkins grew up in Platte River country, and big whitetails are his passion. But he knows every roost tree in the vicinity too, and considers Nebraska beef overrated when compared with fried wild turkey. Ill shoot the first three jakes that stand still, and not give one damn about it, he says. Theyre delicious. ARE NEBRASKA'S WILD TURKEYS ALL BECOMING HYBRIDS? Of course, the Plains are known for sounds other than gobbling in spring. After we hunt some, Atkins says, we should go chase tornadoes, since the forecast looks good for funnel clouds. Wix narrows his eyes. The thought of coming to Nebraska and having to break from hunting to even sleep or eat gets him triggeredand Im not sure hes at all willing to take a break to go looking for a tornado. Id rather focus on turkeys first, he says. Atkins laughs and motions for us to get in his truck. Take some time to enjoy the sights, Wix. Weve got the turkey part pretty well wrapped up, he says. Lets go roost a bird right now. PRAIRIE SAMPLER The countryside along the Platte River is a mosaic of grasslands and crop fields, divided by rows of mature cottonwoods and oaks snaking between. Like similar habitat Ive hunted in South Dakota, Kansas, and Oklahoma, its loaded with gobblers. You can still find a place to hunt here by knocking on doors, but the old rumor that no one out West cares about turkeys is pretty much a thing of the past. Its not southern Alabama, but there is some real hunting pressure, and access is a lot easier with a local contact. Atkins seems to know every farm and farmer in the area (that hes the purveyor of good, high-protein deer feed seems to help our cause). As we drive, he points to various fields and fencelines. Turkeys in that lot, and we can hunt it, he says at one place. At another: That spot would be killer, but the old man who owns it doesnt allow hunting. Farther along, we drive through a neighborhood and pass a flock of 25 or more turkeys scratching up the front lawns of two houses. There are a half dozen strutters, one of which has a gorgeous white-tipped fan. Were just far enough west to dabble in the Merriams bloodline, but the flock here has both Rio Grande and hybrid origins too; most of the birds have caramel-colored fans. Still, seeing a Merriams gobbler in the flesh seems to light a fire in Wix, who begins squirming in the front seat like a kid reaching for ice cream. God, look at that beautiful son of a bitch! he yells. Atkins slows the truck and smiles. Watch this. He leans out the window, spits a forceful stream of tobacco juice, and yells, Hoooo! All six gobblers roar back at once, a sound thats sharper and higher-pitched than that of our Easterns at home but causes the hair on my neck to stand up all the same. Yard turkeys, he says. Theyre wild but not really. They roost in the city limits and never get hunted. Im afraid the birds were after wont be quite that easy. ROOST RAID Were not far out of the neighborhood before Atkins slows his truck again and looks out his window. Usually they hang out on this side of the road all day, where I cant hunt, but sometimeswhoop, there they are right there! He points out the passenger window to a 10-acre woodlot abutting a huge cut cornfield. There are cattle milling in the woods, and the turkeys are picking and strutting all around them. Thats what I was hoping to see, says Atkins. They dont roost over here every night, but when they do, they pitch into that cornfield, hang out a while, and then cross the road later in the morning. I bet theyll be flying up in the next 10 minutes. We can kill a tom in here tomorrow, but we have to sneak in super early. Roost hunts in the Plains states are special. Gobblers in the East can fly up about wherever they want, but in Nebraska, its not unusual for 50 turkeys to pile into a few big cottonwoods because theyre the only suitable trees around. On a calm morning, the yelping and gobbling youll hear in these spots is almost deafening. We sneak into the wood lot two hours before sunrise and set up a jake and hen decoy pair 15 yards into the cornfield. Im on the gun, while Wix is filming the hunt over my shoulder. All of us are calling. By daybreak, birds are gobbling and yelping all around us. Hens pitch into the field, and minutes later, three fat strutters with snowball heads march past our right shoulders not 10 yards away, and head straight to the decoys. One of them circles the jake, itching for a fight, and my heart is pounding as if its the first turkey Ive seen all season. I drop him where he stands. TOM TWISTER Over the next few days, we hopscotch among small farms. Were in birds nearly every stop. The pace out here in the late season is punishing because its light enough to shoot by a quarter to six in the morningand turkeys arent flying up until nine at night. Yet with so much country and so many birds, we cant stop ourselves. Much of the sleep we get happens leaning against a tree. Lunch is usually an apple and some jerky rummaged from the bowels of a turkey vest. We reap field strutters during midday and wake up extra early for more roost hunts. Wix shoots his Merriams late one evening when it slips in silently to check out our decoys and calling. One day around noon, while driving to a new farm, we notice the skies turning an eerie black and subtle green. Atkins turns up the radio and, sure enough, theres a tornado warning. Light rain abruptly becomes a pounding deluge, then driving hail. But we ignore all that when Atkins spots a turkey. Theres a longbeard right there, he says. To our right, a lone gobbler is standing in a small field, attempting to fluff his feathers in the rain. Hes not 30 yards from a waist-high berm. No way hed respond to a call in this weatherbut you couldnt pick an easier place to stalk a turkey. Then Atkins hits us with a revelation: I have that field leased. He drives a quarter mile up the road, and we jump out of the truck, Wix with a shotgun and turkey fan, and me with a camera that Im struggling to keep dry. Ive never had hail hit me in the face before, and it hurts, but we keep going and sneak our way to the back of the berm. HOTTEST NEW TURKEY CALLS OF 2018 Forgetting the weather, the stalk itself seems almost too easyuntil the gobbler spots us at the last second. Hes just 35 yards off but turning to run. Wix drops the fan, shoots, and misses. The turkey disappears into the timber, which is now bending sideways against the roaring wind. My hat is sucked off my head. I grab it before its gone, and Wix and I make a run for the truck as fast as waterlogged five-pocket pants allow. Atkins is throwing mud as he speeds to us. Yall are nuts, he says with a laugh as we climb into the vehicle. I pour water out of a boot. The twister went right around us, though. As Atkins drives, listening to the radio, we pass uprooted cottonwoods and an irrigation pivot thats been twisted into a heap of scrap metal. The tornado had picked it up and slammed it into the soil while we were sneaking up on the gobbler. There she is up ahead, Atkins says. Sure enough, a towering funnel cloud is creeping across the prairie. Its as captivating as it is frightening, and I can understand why people feel compelled to chase them. Just like that, it dissipates into sunshine and a rainbow. Weve broken some tornado safety rules, but those rules werent written with turkey hunters in mind. Atkins asks if we want to run back to the hotel for a change of clothes. Maybe later. Right now, its spring in Nebraskaand we have more turkey tags to fill. 4 TURKEY HUNTING TACTICS PRAIRIE RINGERS Sound carries a long way in open country, and Merriams gobblers will come to a call from notoriously long distances. Use your standby yelps and clucks for hunting in the woods and calling toms that final 100 yards. But when youre trying to strike midday birds, err on the side of loud and obnoxious. And when a gobbler answers, look immediately for a place to sit. I always carry these three calls out West. Doctors in Australia are looking for answers as they continue to investigate a "worsening epidemic" that's been plaguing the state of Victoria in recent years: the Buruli ulcer, an infection caused by flesh-eating bacteria. "It mainly affects the skin but can also affect the bone," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states on its website. "Cases are generally seen in the tropics, primarily in West Africa and Australia." At first, it looks like a small spider bite or bump but within weeks, the lesion starts to swell and deepen due to Mycobacterium eating away at your skin and soft tissue. "Unless [it's] treated with strong antibiotics, it could grow into a gaping ulcerated wound that may take a year to heal and even need surgical reconstruction," the University of Melbourne explained in a report on Monday. Cases have spiked by 400 percent in the south-eastern Australian state in the past four years, according to the BBC. In 2017 alone, the state saw a record 236 cases a 51 percent increase from the previous year, a new study published in the Medical Journal of Australia reveals. That's compared to the average 2,000 cases seen worldwide per year. It's a difficult diease to curb, experts say, because it's unknown how people get the Buruli ulcer. However, some believe mosquitoes may be to blame, as most ulcers are located on people's arms or legs. "One possibility is that the disease is passed to humans from some insects that are found in water," the CDC states, though that's just one theory. This is a terrible disease that is just getting worse, but how do I tell people how to avoid it if I cant tell them how they are catching it in the first place? Daniel OBrien, an infectious disease expert at both Geelong Hospitals Barwon Health and the Royal Melbourne Hospital and author of the study, told the University of Melbourne there's a "huge scientific gap" that needs to be filled. This is a terrible disease that is just getting worse, but how do I tell people how to avoid it if I cant tell them how they are catching it in the first place? he asked the institution. So far, there's no evidence that the diesease is transmitted from human to human. O'Brien, along with fellow authors Eugene Athan, Kim Blasdell and Paul De Barro, are now calling on the local government to intervene. "The time to act is now, and we advocate for local, regional and national governments to urgently commit to funding the research needed to stop Buruli ulcer," the authors wrote in the conclusion of the study. "We ... need an urgent response based on robust scientific knowledge acquired by a thorough and exhaustive examination of the environment, local fauna, human behaviour and characteristics, and the interactions between them." For the first time, a treatment that boosts the immune system greatly improved survival in people newly diagnosed with the most common form of lung cancer. It's the biggest win so far for immunotherapy, which has had much of its success until now in less common cancers. In the study, Merck's Keytruda, given with standard chemotherapy, cut in half the risk of dying or having the cancer worsen, compared to chemo alone after nearly one year. The results are expected to quickly set a new standard of care for about 70,000 patients each year in the United States whose lung cancer has already spread by the time it's found. Another study found that an immunotherapy combo the Bristol-Myers Squibb drugs Opdivo and Yervoy worked better than chemo for delaying the time until cancer worsened in advanced lung cancer patients whose tumors have many gene flaws, as nearly half do. But the benefit lasted less than two months on average and it's too soon to know if the combo improves overall survival, as Keytruda did. NEW MOM GIVEN MONTHS TO LIVE AFTER FINDING LUMP ON FACE DURING LABOR All of these immune therapy treatments worked for only about half of patients, but that's far better than chemo has done in the past. "We're not nearly where we need to be yet," said Dr. Roy Herbst, a Yale Cancer Center lung expert who had no role in the studies. Results were discussed Monday at an American Association for Cancer Research conference in Chicago and published by the New England Journal of Medicine. The studies were sponsored by the drugmakers, and many study leaders and Herbst consult for the companies. ABOUT THE DRUGS Keytruda, Yervoy and Opdivo are called checkpoint inhibitors. They remove a cloak that some cancer cells have that hides them from the immune system. The drugs are given through IVs and cost about $12,500 a month. Keytruda was approved last year as an initial treatment with chemo for the most common form of advanced lung cancer, but doctors have been leery to use it because that was based on a small study that did not show whether it prolongs life. The new study, led by Dr. Leena Gandhi of NYU's Perlmutter Cancer Center, gives that proof. In it, 616 patients were given chemo and some also received Keytruda. Those not given Keytruda were allowed to switch to it if their cancer worsened. After one year, 69 percent of people originally assigned to Keytruda were alive versus 49 percent of the others a result that experts called remarkable considering that the second group's survival was improved because half of them wound up switching. How much it ultimately will extend life isn't known more than half in the Keytruda group are still alive; median survival was just over 11 months for the others. The Keytruda combo also delayed the time until cancer worsened an average of nine months versus five months for the chemo-only group. That's a big difference for such an advanced cancer, said Dr. Alice Shaw, a Massachusetts General Hospital lung cancer expert and one of the conference leaders. "This is really a pivotal study ... a new standard of care," said Shaw, who has no ties to the drugmakers. Rates of serious side effects were similar, but twice as many in the Keytruda group dropped out because of them. More than 4 percent of that group developed lung inflammation and three patients died of it. THE COMPETITION Dr. Matthew Hellmann of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York led a study testing the Opdivo-Yervoy combo versus chemo in a slightly different group of newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients. MULTISTATE E. COLI OUTBREAK TRACED TO ROMAINE LETTUCE FROM ARIZONA The study design was changed after it was underway to look at results according to patients' tumor mutation burden a measure of how flawed their cancer genes are, according to a profiling test by Foundation Medicine. Medicare recently agreed to cover the $3,000 test for advanced cancers. Of 679 patients, 299 had a high number of gene flaws in their tumors. In that group, survival without worsening of disease was 43 percent after one year for those on the immunotherapy drugs versus 13 percent of those on chemo. The immunotherapy drugs did not help people with fewer tumor gene flaws. "We have a tool that helps us determine who are the patients that are most likely to benefit from this combination," Hellmann said. The median time until cancer worsened was about 7 months on the immunotherapy drugs versus 5.5 months for chemo. Serious side effects were a little more common in the chemo group. Another rival, Genentech, recently announced that its checkpoint inhibitor, Tecentriq, improved survival in a study similar to the one testing Keytruda. Details are expected in a couple months. A bad dog in Canada who ran away from his owners to chase a deer was arrested and detained in the back of a cop car. Reid Thompson and his girlfriend were walking on a trail with the pup, Finn, in Kenora, Ontario, when they decided to let him off his leash. But instead of sticking around, Finn caught the scent of something interesting and took off after it, Thompson told Fox News. BURGER KING TRAINED GUIDE DOG TO SNIFF OUT WHOPPERS Clearly on a mission, Finn ignored the calls and whistles from his owners. But about 30 minutes later, Thompson received a call from the Ontario Provincial Police saying they had the dog and he was in a bit of trouble. I was informed that Finn had been causing some chaos as he chased a deer along the road, through the hospital grounds and back onto the road. They tangled for a bit, up and over a guard rail and down onto the ice eventually the deer got away and Finn gave up the chase, Thompson said. The police told Thompson Finn had been detained. When he arrived to pick up his dog, Thompson said he got stern lecture about keeping the dog leashed, and that there could be a follow up from the city by animal control officers. Finn, meanwhile, was sitting in the back seat of the cop car behind barred windows, looking guilty. Thompsons daughter, Emme, shared a photo of the pup on Twitter, writing someone called the police on my dog because he ran away and attacked a deer and i know this is serious but the sight of him in the cop car im alskdjfhsgh. The tweet has since gone viral, receiving over 500,000 likes and 144,000 retweets as of Monday morning. People couldnt help but make some clever jokes about Finns criminal record, as well as share photos of their own dogs under arrest. Emme wrote on Twitter that Finns future is still unknown. Hes out now but were still waiting to find out whatll happen to him. Hes a good boy he just hates deer. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Thompson added that, besides being a little sore from the chase, Finn seemed pretty proud of himself, though he wasnt too happy about getting cleaned up after. He didnt like the bath he got afterwards the baby powder spritz spray didnt match his new bad-boy image he is trying to cultivate, Thompson said. If youre flying over Tennessee this week, dont be surprised to see a giant burger sprawled across a field near Nashville. Last week, national burger chain Hardees revealed its newest advertisement. But instead of using a billboard or commercial to market its tasty products, the restaurant chose to plaster its larger-than-life ad across a field. IN-N-OUT SUING OVER 'DOWN N' OUT' RESTAURANT CHAIN Due to its size, the crop circle-like burger can only be viewed from above, where the word "Hardee's" is clearly visible underneath the burger. Designed by Stan Herd, a Kansas-based professional crop circle artist, the burger stretches across a field on Pennington Bend Road in the Opryland area, where it will remain for at least a week. Hardees commissioned Herds services to promote their new Tastes Like America campaign targeting Americas heartland, according to Tennessean. Jeff Jenkins, CMO of Hardees parent company, CKE Restaurants, told The Hype Magazine the restaurant wanted to talk to customers in a non-traditional way, with something different, something that wouldnt blend in, and something we think fits our brand a crop burger. Jenkins remarked that the food chain worked with a local farmer, and renowned earthworks artist Stan Herd, to throw our food, and our customers, a down-home salute. Aside from the publicity, the fast food chain is also hoping to earn some good will with its latest marketing stunt. One lucky fan who posts a photo of the burger with the hashtag #cropburger will reportedly win a cooler full of Hardees branded items, the Tennessean reports. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS So, if youre passing over Nashville sometime soon, don't be surprised to see a burger blanketing the ground beneath you and try to grab a window seat to secure yourself an award-winning shot. President Trumps trade war with China could hit people where it hurts their beer belly. Craft brewers across the country are worried that the trade tariffs on imported aluminum and steel will close the tap on the burgeoning industry. Tanks are made out of stainless steel. The canning line is made out of steel. The cans that we would use are made out of aluminum, Hank Hanna, co-owner of Commonhouse Aleworks, a brewery in North Charleston, S.C., told Fox News. We are talking several thousand dollars worth of equipment in tanks and kegs and machinery, in packaging equipment.. Jim McGreevy, the president of the Washington, D.C.-based Beer Institute, told Fox News more than half of the beer produced annually is packed in aluminum cans or aluminum bottles." McGreevy said the aluminum tariff alone could cost the industry $347.7 million and result in the loss of more than 20,000 jobs nationwide. "The aluminum tariff alone could cost the industry $347.7 million and result in the loss of more than 20,000 jobs nationwide." Jim McGreevy, President of the Beer Institute He said already there has been an immediate and disproportionate impact on American brewers and American jobs since it was announced in April. The announcement has caused instability in the aluminum market, leading to cost increases, McGreevy said. Aluminum foil has increased over 50 percent, and common alloy sheet has increased more than 9 percent over the same time period. And that cost could be passed on to consumers increasing the cost of a cold, refreshing can of beer. And that has beer companies foaming at the mouth. In South Carolinas coastal city of Charleston, a group of friends started Frothy Beard Brewing Company in 2013, which has grown 400 percent since it opened. The owners say the tariffs on steel or aluminum could impact their future business growth. Weve been buying new steel tanks, (and) we are planning to add two or three more, Frothy Beard Brewing Co. head brewer Joey Siconolfi told Fox News. So, its a 25 percent increase on steel theyre talking about and we are also getting into canningthat can have a huge impact. Frothy Beard Brewing cans more than 18,000 beers in one day. They have plans to expand their canning production, but they say it could cost them hundreds of dollars per day. Siconolfi said the aluminum cans typically cost 12 cents each. If the 10 percent tariff on aluminum is applied, the cost for 18,000 cans would go up from about $2,100 to more than $2,300. But some experts say it is too soon to tell how breweries will be impacted by the trade tariffs. It is still early on, said Brooke Bristow, a South Carolina-based attorney focusing on alcoholic beverage law. Bristow and other members of the South Carolina Brewers Guild are doing research on the forms of steel and aluminum that may be hit with the tariffs. He says, until we have a better idea..we need to be cautious. For now, brewers say it will be business as usual. I dont agree with the tariffs. I think its a threat to our industry. Its a threat to my personal business and its a threat to American jobs. Commonhouse Aleworks Co-owner Hank Hanna We will just adjust like we always do. Siconolfi said. It wont stop us from making beer and doing what we love. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Twitters CEO, Jack Dorsey, infamously tweeted a link in early April to a story calling for a bloodless civil war to solve Americas problems. The piece, The Great Lesson of California in Americas New Civil War: Why theres no bipartisan way forward at this juncture in our history one side must win was authored by Peter Leyden and Ruy Teixeira. The duo assert that this new civil war will follow a path blazed by California 15 years ago, namely, the crushing of the Republican Party. The Democrats won; the Republicans lost, they intone, California is the future Living and working in places like Washington and San Francisco as Teixeira and Twitters Dorsey do, tends to distort the view of the real world. Teixeiras and Leydens summary history of the California Republican collapse may seem convincing for people who didnt live it, as I did as a lawmaker in the State Assembly from 2004 to 2010. To summarize: Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in 2003 as a populist, governed as a conservative for a year and then veered to the left to preserve his political hide, massively boosting spending and signing the Global Warming Solutions Act. Democrats then started winning elections. Conveniently left out of their narrative was Schwarzeneggers championing of the largest state tax increase in U.S. history and a terrible national electoral climate in the 2006 midterms, due, in part, to war weariness, and the 2008 election blowout coinciding with the onset of the Great Recession. In 2011, after spending my adult life in California, working in the once-thriving aerospace industry there, serving 19 years in the states National Guard and six years in the legislature, I picked up my family and moved to Texas. California isnt the future, rather, its what Americas 2016 election of Donald Trump saved the nation from becoming. Its not a harbinger of things to come, but it will soon be an example of the fate we narrowly avoided. The first benefit of moving was buying a home that was close to twice as large as our old home in California for $110,000 lessproviding needed room to care for two ailing parents. That home prices and rents in California average 55 percent higher than in Texas isnt just due to the formers good weatherthe Golden States high taxes, capricious regulations, onerous lawsuit climate, and powerful unions all contribute to constraining the supply of new housing while jacking up the price of existing housing. Californias high housing costs drive Americas highest Supplemental Poverty ratea dubious distinction held by the progressive bastion since the new, more comprehensive measure was introduced by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2009. In fact, not only are there proportionately 39 percent more people living in poverty in California than in Texas (20.4 percent to 14.7 percent), but, the plight of the poor comes into greater relief when comparing like demographic groups in the two most-populous states, both of which feature majority-minority populations. This table compares the Supplemental Poverty rates of the four largest racial and national origin groups from children to working (0 to 64) in California, Texas and the U.S. averaged from 2014 to 2015. In every case, Texas poverty rate is below both Californias and the national average whereas in California, only that states rapidly growing Asian population enjoys a lower poverty rate than the U.S. average. So much for California as a liberal utopia. Group African-American Asian Mexican national origin White, non-Hispanic California 24.9% 15.4% 28.7% 12.8% Texas 19.4% 14.2% 19.3% 9.1% U.S. 22.9% 15.7% 23.7% 10.2% Californias never ending housing crisis has led to a consistent domestic outmigration with a net of about 100,000 people every year leaving the state year after year, most of whom settle in Texas. This will likely result in California losing Congressional seats for the first time in its history once the results of the 2020 census are tallied. Further, Californias soaring unfunded pension liabilities to its all-powerful government labor unions are at least $477 billion with the annual shortfall to fund the pensions hitting about $5.4 billion a year by 2024swamping rosy claims of a state budget surplus. Lastly, Californias war on traditional and affordable domestic energy has resulted in among the highest energy costs in the nation, spurred on by high taxes and billions in greenhouse gas feesfees earmarked to partially pay for a vastly oversold, over budget and years late high speed rail project that nervous voters are turning against. California isnt the future, rather, its what Americas 2016 election of Donald Trump saved the nation from becoming. Its not a harbinger of things to come, but it will soon be an example of the fate we narrowly avoided. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! President Trump has sent a message that his red line will not be crossed. It was important to degrade Syrias chemical weapons capability and thats what we did. In addition, President Trumps actions were not lost on Kim Jong Un and I believe this also weighed into the presidents calculus. The North Korea nuclear threat is the greatest threat facing the United States today. American strength and leadership has brought Kim Jong Un to the table to discuss denuclearization. Kim Jong Un was watching how we would respond to Syrian President Bashar al-Assads latest chemical attack on his own people, and he saw that with this president, red lines will not be crossed. Another complicating factor was Iran. Iran has been a great enabler of the North Korean nuclear threat, but they are also in Syria. This also had to weigh in on the presidents decision making process. The big question now is What is the next step? It is important that the United States execute a 3 Pronged Strategy simultaneously designed to drive a wedge between Russia, Assad, and Iran. Lets keep them busy and off balance, focusing on their own problems, so they have less time for mischief and we can focus on our greatest national security challengeNorth Korea. Why has Russia been AWOL for the past five years on the 2013 UN Security Council Agreement to destroy Syrias chemical weapons program and what happened to the inspections and required monthly reports? Heres a framework of how it could look: AssadSupport an international campaign to go after him as a war criminal. Yes, I understand the problem of having the UN Security Council (because of a Russian veto) referring this to the International Criminal Court at The Hague. However, look at whats going on in Sweden and Germany. Swedish and German prosecutors have been in the forefront of prosecuting Syria war crimes. And the Swiss have begun legal proceedings against Rifaat al-Assad, former Syrian Vice President and Bashar al-Assads uncle. Further, Carla del Ponte, a former member of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, has said the evidence is there to convict Bashar al-Assad of war crimes. Lets build on all of this. RussiaHere, lets focus on the 2013 UN Security Council Agreement to destroy Syrias chemical weapons program. Why has Russia been AWOL for the past five years and what happened to the inspections and required monthly reports? And why did Russia veto the continuation of the Joint Investigative Mechanism which was investigating chemical weapons use in Syria? IranTension has been growing with a number of Arab states who have had it with Iran. In the fall of 2016, some 11 Arab nations complained to the United Nations that Iran was a state sponsor of terrorism. This was followed up in late 2017 with several Arab nations saying they would bring specifics to the UN Security Council. Lets encourage these Arab nations to have a sustained plan to keep Iran busy having to deal with its own problems. Anyone who looks at the history of Syria realizes that the phrase constant turmoil best describes it. It is a quagmire and the U.S. needs to take steps now so that our involvement there doesnt escalate and the situation doesnt get out of control. President Trumps action in degrading Syrias chemical weapons capability was the right one and it showed both Assad and Kim Jong Un that with him, red lines wont be crossed. Implementing a 3 Pronged Strategy designed to drive a wedge between Russia, Assad and Iran and force them each have to focus on their own problems will help ensure that American involvement in Syria doesnt escalate and we can focus on the greatest national security threat to America todayNorth Korea. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Who is James Comey? Is he the worlds tallest Boy Scout, as he tries to convince us through five hours of insufferable earnestness with ABC News George Stephanopoulos? Or is he a self-promoter who has lied on several occasions, leaked information to the press, and who conducted a sham investigation of Hillary Clinton, whom he expected to be the next president? James Comey is a fraud. Far from being the last honorable man standing, as he surely pretends to be, the former FBI Director has shown his true colors by writing a book that does not serve the best interests of the country or his colleagues at the Department of Justice, but that only serves the best interests of James Comey. Comeys book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, and his interview with Stephanopoulos, is a vicious hit job on President Donald Trump, who fired him. In the sit-down, he presents his every interaction with the president in the most unflattering light possible, leading carefully, dispassionately, inexorably to his conclusion that Trump is morally unfit to be president. James Comey is now seeking rehabilitation on the back of the president who fired him. Liberals have not forgiven him for undermining Hillary Clintons campaign; he is doing his level best to win back their admiration... But at the same time he says I dont remember being angry when he hears hes been canned in an ignominious manner, at that. Is that credible? No. When he attends a reception for law enforcement officials in the White House, and walks across the room to greet the president, he says hes nervous about embracing Trump, but cant help the optics when his boss leans in and whispers in his ear. What was that dreaded message from his president? Trump says, I look forward to working with you. Wow how crazy. How threatening. How normal. Comey tells Stephanopoulos he is mystified that Trump and his team discuss how they are going to handle the public relations aspect of the infamous Steele dossier. Really? Did he not imagine that a White House would worry about the publics reactions to rumors of sordid goings-on with prostitutes? He carefully ponders Stephanopoulos query as to whether the Russians have something on Donald Trump, concluding that its possible. And yet, earlier he says that if someone is conducting an investigation for a year and doesnt have a good sense of where it will end up, that person should be fired. Shouldnt Comey know by now whether those salacious accusations are true or not? It appears that he knows these tales are bunk, but he delights in letting the public savor the possibility. The former FBI director colorfully likens Trumps effort to instill loyalty and teamwork in those working for him to the behavior of a mob boss. Isnt an insistence on loyalty and teamwork what you would expect of someone newly forming an administration? Everything discussed in the ABC interview is darkened by the prism of Comeys anger and hatred of the president. (He reveals that his wife and four daughters took to the streets to march in protest against the president; so much for neutrality on the home front.) Stephanopoulos of course leads the conversation, with the two singing the anti-Trump duet in perfect harmony. Never does the ABC host question why Comey the famous note-taker failed to take notes in his interview with Hillary Clinton, or to record that conversation. He also neglects to ask why the FBI chief granted immunity to five of Clintons top aides, demanding nothing in return. And so much more. The interview on ABC is the first of many that will attempt to sell Comeys book. The fact that five hours with Stephanopoulos could be whittled down to an unexciting 45 minutes suggests that Comeys moment in the sun will be brief. Brief, but insightful. Writing a book turns out to be quite a revealing undertaking. Hillary Clinton put pen to paper and showed herself to be a whiny, bitter woman who blamed everyone and everything for her loss to Donald Trump instead of what actually cost her the presidency her own shortcomings. Her book tour lost steam as even her fans tired of the relentless slog of complaints; it was the beginning of the end of the Clinton era. Mr. Comeys book, A Higher Loyalty similarly lays waste to his own painstakingly etched image. Who writes a bitchy book, as some have rightly called it, and details in interviews observations about the size of a presidents hands and the tanning circles around his eyes? Not someone who wants to be taken seriously. Not someone who expects his recollections of meetings and events to sway history. The gutter-crawl is unexpected; James Comeys past claims to nobility were convincing. I admit I was impressed by his confrontation with President George W. Bush over re-authorizing warrantless eavesdropping that had been allowed under the Patriot Act. Considering the sketchy surveillance of Trumps campaign that appears to have occurred under Comeys watch, that event will go down as epically ironic. Similarly, I admired Comeys willingness to buck President Obamas push to dumb down law enforcement and his honesty in linking a rise in violent crime to stepped-up scrutiny of police. That was then. Comey is now seeking rehabilitation on the back of the president who fired him. Liberals have not forgiven him for undermining Hillary Clintons campaign; he is doing his level best to win back their admiration by taking pot shots at the president. Unhappily for him, that field is plenty crowded already. Comey says it is a dangerous time for our country. Hes right. It is dangerous to have former law enforcement officials undermining the president of the United States through spreading malicious gossip and rumors. It is dangerous to have the FBI undertaking and managing investigations based on political calculations and preferences. Comey oversaw that FBI, which increasingly appears compromised and untrustworthy at the highest ranks. So much for being the only honorable man left standing. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Back in 2014, I visited South Africa on a location scout for a new movie I planned to make there. As I toured the country and met with animal trainers and wildlife experts, I became aware of the severity of the elephant-poaching crisis. The statistics regarding Africas elephant population were grim- the one that stood out the most was that 30, 000 elephants a year are being killed by the poachers for their ivory. During my visit I met a man named Sean Hensman whose family had been run off their land in Zimbabwe by President Robert Mugabe. The family fled to South Africa, bringing their entire elephant herd with them. These elephants were wonderfully well-trained and interacted easily with humans. I came up with an idea: a movie about a boy and his elephant who take down the elephant poachers together. Three years later I went back to Sean Hensmans property with a 75 person crew, Elizabeth Hurley, and a talented young actor from Canada, Sam Ashe Arnold. The movie we made became known as, Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure, an epic tale of how one lost orphan boy forms an incredible bond with an African elephant, and together they make a huge difference in the natural and human world. The subject matter is difficult, but presented in a family friendly way so that everyone can enjoy the movie. The story is fictional of course, but the facts are ripped from the headlines. The Great Elephant Census reported that between 2007 and 2014, Africa lost 144, 000 elephants. Think about that number: 144, 000 elephants. Knowing that the elephant has the longest gestational period of any animal at 22 months, just think about how long it would take to replace 144, 000 elephants with such a low reproductive rate! It is possible to win the war against elephant poaching and save these magnificent animals before its too late. I discovered by working with elephants for several weeks that they are the most intelligent animals on the planet. Their brains are larger than a humans, and they respond very quickly when taught new skills. They form incredibly strong bonds with their fellow elephants, traveling in herds lead by the top matriarch. They care for one another, the mother elephant, her sisters, and the grandmas, all join together to ensure that the babies are the most protected young in the animal kingdom. I pity the poor lion that so much as looks at a baby elephant! Few will travel to Africa to see these amazing animals in the wild; however, you can see them on the big screen on Save The Elephant Day, this Monday April 16th at a theatre near you. This one-time nationwide screening, has been made possible by Fathom Events. Viewers will also see an intriguing presentation on elephants by Sean Hensman himself before the movie rolls. Elizabeth Hurley speaks following the film about her commitment to elephant conservation; viewers will also hear from world famous conservationist, Dr. Richard Leakey. It is possible to win the war against elephant poaching and save these magnificent animals before its too late. Conservation begins with awareness, especially for the new generation. I hope you and your family can join us at the theatre for Phoenix Wilder And The Great Elephant Adventure. In his first interview since being fired, former FBI Director James Comey described President Trump as an ego-driven liar who treats women like meat and is morally unfit to be president. I dont think hes medically unfit to be president. I think hes morally unfit to be president, Comey said in a wide-ranging sit-down Sunday night with ABC News George Stephanopoulos. A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like theyre pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe him - that person is not fit to be president of the United States on moral grounds. Ahead of the interview, Trump fired off a series of tweets calling the countrys former top cop a slimeball, a liar and directly refuted claims he asked Comey for his loyalty. During Sundays televised interview, Comey also weighed in on the salacious and unverified - Russian dossier, as well as his reason for going public about the probe into Hillary Clintons private email server in the final days of the 2016 election. Clinton- as well as a large number of Democrats have blamed her November defeat on Comeys actions. I hope not but the honest answer is, it wouldnt have changed the way I think about it, Comey said. He added he hoped people would read his book A Higher Loyalty and put themselves in his shoes. Comey claimed he wasnt trying to favor one candidate over the other but instead tried to do the right thing, though he admitted his decision was influenced by the assumption Clinton would beat Trump in the election. I dont remember spelling it out, but it had to have been, that shes going to be elected president and if I hide this from the American people, shell be illegitimate the moment shes elected, the moment this comes out, he told Stephanopoulos. Comey, though, seemed to be aware of the weight of his action. I walked around vaguely sick to my stomach, feeling beaten down, he said. I felt like I was totally alone, that everybody hated me. And that there wasnt a way out because it really was the right thing to do. Comey also recounted his initial interactions with Trump over the unverified 35-page Russian dossier that was compiled by former British Intelligence officer Christopher Steele and funded in part by the Democratic National Committee and Clintons campaign. The dossier detailed a graphic account of Trump with Russian prostitutes during a 2013 trip to Moscow. Im about to meet with a person who doesnt know me, whos just been elected president of the United States from my watching him during the campaign could be volatile, Comey said. And Im about to talk to him about allegations that he was involved with prostitutes in Moscow and that the Russians taped it and have leverage over him. Comey claimed during a Jan. 27, 2017 private dinner meeting, Trump asked him to disprove the allegations in the dossier. He said, you know, If theres even a 1 percent chance my wife thinks thats true, thats terrible. Comey added, I remember thinking, How could your wife think there's a 1 percent chance you were with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow? I'm a flawed human being, but there is literally zero chance that my wife would think that was true. So, what kind of marriage to what kind of man does your wife think [that] there's only a 99 percent chance you didn't do that? Comey said Trump told him, I may order you to investigate that. He allegedly advised the president to be careful about that because it might create a narrative that were investigating you personally, and second, its very difficult to prove something didnt happen. Comeys interview with Stephanopoulos is part of a big media blitz designed to promote his book. In released excerpts, Comey compares Trump to a mafia boss and questions why the president initially refused to acknowledge Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election. He also takes aim at Trumps physical appearance, describing him as slightly orange, with bright white half-moons under his eyes where I assumed he placed small tanning goggles. The White House has worked hard in recent weeks to discredit Comey. Trump tweeted Sunday that Comey was the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!, suggested he should be behind bars and referred to him as a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!). In 1996, Comey served as assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia during President Bill Clintons administration. In 2002, he was named U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York under President George W. Bush. In that role, he secured high-profile convictions including one against Martha Stewart for securities fraud, conspiracy and obstruction of justice. A decade later, Comey was appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed 93-1 by the Senate as FBI director. He was fired on May 9, 2017 by Trump. On Friday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders called Comeys credibility into question. This is nothing more than a poorly executed PR stunt by Comey to desperately rehabilitate his tattered reputation and enrich his own bank account by peddling a book that belongs in the bargain bin of the fiction section, she said. A Higher Loyalty hits store shelves on Tuesday. The White House reacted Sunday night to Frances claim that it convinced President Donald Trump to maintain the U.S. military presence in Syria, shortly after the two allies took part in airstrikes against the Assad regime. Ten days ago, President Trump wanted to withdraw from Syria. We convinced him to remain, French President Emmanuel Macron said live on French television BFM and online investigative site Mediapart. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in response: The U.S. mission has not changed the president has been clear that he wants U.S. forces to come home as quickly as possible. We are determined to completely crush ISIS and create the conditions that will prevent its return. In addition we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region. The U.S., France and the U.K. launched the airstrikes early Saturday in a joint operation, saying it was in response to the deadly chemical attack on Syrian civilians an attack they linked to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Macron said the U.S., Britain and France had full international legitimacy to intervene with the strikes, to enforce international humanitarian law. It was retaliation, not an act of war, Macron said in justifying the operation a day before the French parliament was set to debate it. He also claimed France was the most active country in the diplomatic arena and at the United Nations, and said his country wanted to include Western powers, Russia and Turkey in a new diplomatic initiative to find a sustainable political solution in Syria. Macron also offered to play the role of intermediary between the United States and Russia, whose relationship has been on edge over the chemical attack and amid allegations that Russia tried to interfere in the U.S. 2016 presidential election. The French leader, described as centrist and pro-free-market, is set to make a state visit to the U.S. next week and is scheduled to travel to Russia next month. Many leaders around the globe also voiced support and understanding for the airstrikes against Syria, but warned against allowing the seven-year conflict to escalate. Strikes by US, France and UK make it clear that Syrian regime together with Russia & Iran cannot continue this human tragedy, at least not without cost. The EU will stand with our allies on the side of justice, European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted. European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: The international community has the responsibility to identify and hold accountable those responsible of any attack with chemical weapons. This was not the first time that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons against civilians but it must be the last. The NATO alliance gave its full backing; NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the attack was about ensuring that chemical weapons cannot be used with impunity. Stoltenberg said: Before the attack took place last night, NATO allies exhausted all other possible ways to address this issue to the U.N. Security Council but ... were blocked by Russia ... I am not saying that the attacks solved all problems but compared to the alternative to do nothing, this was the right thing to do. While Trump declared success, the Pentagon said the pummeling of three chemical-related facilities left enough others intact to enable the Assad government to use banned weapons against civilians if it chooses. We support the fact that our U.S., UK and French allies took on responsibility in this way as permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. The military strike was necessary and appropriate in order to preserve the effectiveness of the international ban on the use of chemical weapons and to warn the Syrian regime against further violations, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley made clear the United States would not pull troops out of Syria right away, saying U.S. involvement there is not done. Haley said the three U.S. goals for accomplishing its mission have been making sure chemical weapons are not used in a way that could harm U.S. national interests, defeating the Islamic State terror group and having a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing. Were not going to leave until we know weve accomplished those things, she said. Haley said the joint military strike put a heavy blow into their chemical weapons program, setting them back years and reiterated that if Assad uses poison gas again, the United States is locked and loaded. Fox News Jenny Buchholz and The Associated Press contributed to this report. California authorities pushed back Monday on a Trump administration official's claim that Gov. Jerry Brown rejected terms of the National Guard's initial deployment to the Mexican border. Browns Deputy Press Secretary Ali Bay provided Fox News with a letter and agreement outlining the scope and limits of the states National Guard. New government funding for the state would go to support operations targeting transnational criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers along the border, the coast and throughout the state, the letter read. California National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Thomas Keegan told Fox News on Monday that state officials have not rejected anything since the governor pledged 400 troops last week. President Trump has vowed to send up to 4,000 troops to the border. Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Ronald D. Vitiello said Californias governor determined that some tasks federal officials want the states National Guard to perform at the border were unsupportable. Browns letter went on to say: This will not be a mission to build a new wall. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. And the California National Guard will not be enforcing federal immigration laws. Bay told Fox News: There have been no new rejections, signals or changes in direction by the state of California since the letter and agreement were sent to the feds for consideration last week. Brown, who repeatedly has found himself in Trumps political crosshairs, earned rare praise from the president last week. California Governor Jerry Brown is doing the right thing and sending the National Guard to the Border. Thank you, Jerry, good move for the safety of our Country! Trump tweeted last week. It is unclear at this point what specific jobs the troops would, or would not, perform at the border. The Associated Press reported Monday that California told federal officials it would not allow its troops to fix and repair vehicles, operate remotely controlled surveillance cameras to report suspicious activity, operate radios or provide mission support. Talks between the U.S. and California officials about the duties California troops would perform, according to The Associated Press, soured over the weekend after California officials told the Trump administration they would not participate in vehicle maintenance and other initial jobs across the border in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Other border state governors, though, have supported Trumps plans to deploy the National Guard to the border. According to one U.S. official, the California Guard has suggested assigning about 40 troops to marijuana eradication across the state. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense Integration Robert G. Salesses said officials wanted 237 for service in two areas of California with a set of mission responsibility there that California National Guard has indicated they will not perform. He added that talks were ongoing. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ex-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a former federal prosecutor, blasted James Comey on Sunday for the hubris he showed in his TV interview and accused him of injecting politics into the federal Hillary Clinton email investigation. I think its unfortunately obvious that Jim Comey began to believe his own press clippings. It's the biggest danger in public life. The hubris that he shows in his interview is extraordinary, Christie tweeted about Comeys Sunday night interview on ABC, the first of several plugging his tell-all book, A Higher Loyalty, which is critical of President Trump. A Trump supporter and 2016 GOP presidential candidate, Christie was particularly critical of Comey suggesting that his decision to reveal he would revisit the email case was influenced by polling that showed Clinton, a Democrat, likely to win the 2016 White House race over Trump. When I worked for Jim Comey, if I had told him 11 days before an election that I was releasing information that could affect an election, and the decision was influenced by polling, he would have fired me, tweeted Christie, in remarks similar to those made earlier in the day on ABCs This Week. He is guilty of doing that himself-Wow. Comey suggested that Clinton would have been perceived as an illegitimate president had he concealed the restart and Clinton had won. Christie, now an ABC contributor, served as the U.S attorney for New Jersey from 2002 to 2008. Comey held the same post from the Southern District of New York from 2002 to 2003, then became the U.S. deputy attorney general from 2003 to 2005. The federal investigation focused on Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state. Comey concluded in July 2016 that Clinton had been extremely careless in her handling of classified material but recommended the Justice Department not pursue criminal charges. We're not supposed to care about politics as prosecutors. But what we find out from his interview that Jim Comey did care about politics. It is so depressing as somebody who spent seven years in the Justice Department trying to make sure it worked the right way, Christie also tweeted Sunday. What he's proving in his interview is that the president may have been right to fire him. Don't agree with how it was done, but in the interview Jim Comey is acknowledging that he took into account politics in making investigative decisions. And that breaks all the rules. Comey, in the interview aired Sunday, defended his handling of the Clinton case and made clear he wrestled with the decision to reveal the case was being revisited days before the election. Comey claimed he wasnt trying to favor one candidate over the other but instead tried to do the right thing. In the interview, he also called President Trump "morally unfit" to be president. The president fired Comey in May 2017, as the federal investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 White House race heated up, saying he had lost confidence in Comeys ability to lead the FBI. The bureau reviewed a copy of Comey's book in advance of its release, set for Tuesday. Pursuant to the FBI's Prepublication Review policy, former Director James Comey submitted a draft of his book to the FBI for review. The FBI reviewed the draft and concluded that none of the FBI information presented fell within a restricted area of disclosure," the FBI said in a statement. Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor whom Trump now consults, on Monday was also critical of Comeys comments and actions related to the Clinton investigation and aftermath. I really thought he demeaned the FBI by leaking material about unsubstantiated allegations, by trafficing in gossip. He also said Comeys decision to leak to press that the investigation was being reopened, instead of announcing it, lacked courage. A federal judge on Monday denied a request from President Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen to review the documents seized from the lawyer's home and office last week before prosecutors see them, dealing a setback to Trump's legal team. U.S. District Judge Kimbra Wood said that she had faith in the Justice Department's so-called "taint team" to isolate materials protected by attorney-client privilege, but added that she would consider allowing a neutral third party requested by Cohen to weigh in. Also Monday, attorneys confirmed that Fox News host Sean Hannity was the third individual who received Cohen's legal help. Cohen, who formerly worked at the Trump Organization, is under criminal investigation as part of a grand jury probe into his personal conduct and business dealings, including a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter with the married Trump in 2006. Wood told prosecutors to put all the seized documents into a searchable database to determine which should come under review. Prosecutors said they expected to let Wood know on Wednesday how long it will take them to share the materials with Cohen's legal team. Cohen's lawyers say they will then go through the materials and share relevant information with President Trump's legal team. Lawyers for Cohen and Trump had sought to be allowed to decide which items seized are protected by attorney-client privilege before prosecutors see them. Daniels attended the hearing and addressed reporters after it was over. "For years, Mr. Cohen has acted like he is above the law," Daniels said. "He has considered himself and openly referred to himself as Mr. Trumps fixer. He has played by a different set of rules, or, should we say, no rules at all. "He has never thought that the little man, or especially women even more, women like me mattered. That ends now," she added. "My attorney and I are committed to making sure that everyone finds out the truth and the facts of what happened and I give my word that we will not rest until that happens." Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, said Judge Wood's decision would ensure that "no documents are spoliated, destroyed or otherwise tampered with, which is our chief concern in connection with this process." The hearing took a surprise turn when Judge Wood instructed Cohen's attorneys to disclose the name of a third Cohen client, apart from Trump and top GOP fundraiser Elliot Broidy. "We have been friends a long time. I have sought legal advice from Michael, Hannity said on his radio show in response. But he also said that Cohen did not formally represent him. "Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees," Hannity said in a statement issued after his radio show. "I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective. I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party." On his Fox News show Monday, Hannity told viewers his conversations with Cohen "almost exclusively focused on real estate." "I've said many times on my radio show: I hate the stock market, I prefer real estate," Hannity said. "Michael knows real estate ... I have no personal interest in this legal matter. That's all there is. Nothing more." Lawyers for Cohen filed papers Monday saying investigators "took everything" during the raids, including more than a dozen electronic devices. They said that prosecutors had already intercepted emails from Cohen and executed the search warrants only after discovering that there were no emails between Trump and Cohen. One of Trump's lawyers, Joanna Hendon, asked the judge to block prosecutors from studying material seized in the raid until Cohen and the president have both had a chance to review those materials and argue which are subject to the "sacred" attorney-client privilege. "The seized materials relating to the president must be reviewed by the only person who is truly motivated to ensure that the privilege is properly invoked and applied: the privilege-holder himself, the President," Hendon wrote in court papers filed Sunday. On Monday, Wood rejected Hendon's request for a temporary restraining order on the grounds that it was too early for such an objection. At issue is the topic of attorney-client privilege, which the president has claimed in recent days is dead. Trump, who was in Florida on Monday, said all lawyers are now "deflated and concerned" by the FBI raid on Cohen. "Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past," he tweeted Sunday. "I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned!" Fox News' Samuel Chamberlain, Jen Oliva and Shira Bush contributed to this report. The Associated Press also contributed to this report. Ousted FBI Director James Comey, in his forthcoming book and a tell-all interview promoting it, ripped former President Barack Obama for comments made during the bureaus investigation into Hillary Clintons private email server, suggesting he jeopardized the Justice Departments credibility. In his first interview since leaving his post in May 2017, Comey sat down with ABC News George Stephanopoulos to discuss everything from the 2016 election to the Russia meddling probe to the now-infamous Trump dossier. He was unsparing in his criticism of President Trump, calling him morally unfit to be president. But in a portion of the interview that did not air during ABC News Sunday night special, Comey also criticized Obama with regard to his comments on the Clinton email probe. We had the problem that President Obama had twice publicly basically said, 'Theres no there, there.' In an interview withon Fox, an interview on '60 Minutes,' I think. Both times he said that. So thats his Justice Department, Comey said, noting that it really did surprise him. COMEY CALLS TRUMP 'MORALLY UNFIT TO BE PRESIDENT,' SAYS HE WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED HANDLING OF CLINTON PROBE Hes a very smart man and a lawyer. And so it surprised me. He shouldnt have done it. It was inappropriate, Comey said. In October 2015, Obama told 60 Minutes that Clinton had made a mistake with her private email server use but it did not endanger national security. In April 2016, he told Fox News Sunday that national security was not endangered, and Clinton would never intentionally put the country in jeopardy. When asked in his latest ABC interview whether Obama could have been trying to color the Clinton case, Comey said he was unsure. I think he felt a pressure in the political environment because he wanted Hillary Clinton to be elected, to give her a shot in the arm, and so he spoke about an investigation. And he shouldnt have done that, Comey said. But as you can imagine, creating this drumbeat that the Obama Justice Department, the fix is in because the president has told them what result they should reach. The interview launched Comeys book tour for his new memoir A Higher Loyalty, which will be released on Tuesday. In an excerpt of the book, obtained by Washington Examiner, Comey also discussed his concerns with Obama's comments. Contributing to this problem, regrettably, was President Obama. He had jeopardized the Department of Justices credibility in the investigation by saying in a '60 Minutes' interview on Oct. 11, 2015 that Clintons email use was a mistake that had not endangered national security, Comey wrote, adding that he also said Clinton did "not do anything to intentionally harm national security" during the interview on Fox News in April 2016. To this day, I dont know why he spoke about the case publicly and seemed to absolve her before a final determination was made, Comey wrote. If the president had already decided the matter, an outside observer could reasonably wonder, how on earth could his Department of Justice do anything other than follow his lead. During the interview, which aired in part on ABC News Sunday night and was posted on the network's website, Comey also recalled a conversation with Obama following the election of Donald Trump. ABC News also posted an interview transcript. [Obama] said he didnt want to talk to me about any particular case, cause he was very scrupulous about that. And he said, but I want to just tell you something generally. I appointed you to be FBI director because of your integrity and your ability, Comey said. And then he looked me in the eye and said, nothing has happened, nothing, in the last year that has changed my view of that. And look, he wasnt telling me, I agree with what you did, he wasnt telling me you made the right decision. He was telling me, I know where it came from, I know youre not a partisan hack. I know youre trying to do the right thing. Comey added: It meant a lot to me. I mean, I had not been a political supporter of President Obamas. Throughout the course of the interview, Comey also criticized former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for her instruction to call the Clinton email case a matter rather than an investigation. It gave me an uncomfortable feeling because the Clinton campaign, since the matter had come in, the investigation had started in July, had been trying to come up with other words to describe it, Comey said, noting that they used review and security referral to describe the case. It did worry me that the attorney generals direction was tracking that effort to avoid using the word investigation. Just days ahead of Comeys public announcement that the FBI would not bring charges against Clinton, Lynch and former President Bill Clinton had a meeting on a tarmac in Phoenix, Arizona, which has long been criticized. Lynch, last week in an exclusive NBC interview, again said the two discussed innocuous things like grandchildren and issues of the day. Comey criticized that meeting, but said he thinks Lynch is an honest person and said he found it hard to believe that Bill Clinton wouldve tried to obstruct justice by walking across the tarmac. EXCLUSIVE: The Hillary Clinton Campaign and the Democratic National Committee allegedly used state chapters as strawmen to launder as much as $84 million in an effort to circumvent campaign donation limits, and the Federal Election Commission ignored complaints exposing the practice, a lawsuit filed Monday claims. The Committee to Defend the President (CDP), a political action committee formally known as Stop Hillary PAC, filed its complaint with the FEC in December 2017 with the claims that the Hillary Victory Fund (HVF) solicited cash from big-name donors, and allegedly sent that money through state chapters and back to the DNC before ending up with the Clinton campaign. As first reported by Fox News at the time, the CDP alleges in its complaint that about $84 million was funneled illegally from the DNC through state party chapters and back into the war chest of the Clinton campaign. The political action committee claims that even though the FEC acknowledged receipt of the complaint and claimed that an investigation would be conducted, the needle has barely moved. The Clinton machine has escaped accountability for its illegal practices for far too long, Ted Harvey, CDP chairman, said to Fox News. After months of review, the FEC has refused to address the Clintons $84 million money laundering scheme that violated several campaign finance laws. On Monday, the CDP filed a lawsuit against the FEC with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They claim that the commission failed to act, calling the inaction arbitrary, capricious, contrary to law, and an abuse of discretion. A copy of the suit obtained by Fox News urges the court to exercise its statutory authority under the Federal Election Campaign Act and take action against what they say is an unprecedented scheme to circumvent federal campaign finance law. We urge the Court to step in and demand action from the FEC, Harvey said. The American people demand that our most corrupt political figures answer for their transgressions. In its original complaint, the CDP alleges that about $84 million was funneled illegally from the DNC through state party chapters and back into the war chest of the Clinton campaign. 'You will be notified as soon as the Federal Election Commission takes final action on your complaint . . .' - FEC letter to Committee to Defend the President Based on publicly available FEC records, repeatedly throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, HVF would purportedly transfer funds to its constituent political committees, which included between 34 and 40 state parties, reads a passage from a copy of the complaint. On the very same day each of these transfers supposedly occurred, or occasionally the very next day, every single one of those state parties purportedly contributed all of those funds to the DNC. The complaint filed against the FEC said previous reports showed a series of transactions in which the HVF disbursed contributions to its state party committee members -- and they would receive the funds on the same day. The HVF would also allegedly disburse funds to up to 40 state parties at the same time, and those parties would send the money back within 24 hours. The CDP received a letter of acknowledgment from the FEC in the days after their December 15 filing. You will be notified as soon as the Federal Election Commission takes final action on your complaint, reads the letter, a copy of which was provided to Fox News. Should you receive any additional information on this matter, please forward it to the Office of the General Counsel. Officials for the FEC declined to comment when reached for comment, citing an open investigation. A provision of federal campaign finance law requires that any Commission action on an enforcement matter be kept strictly confidential until the case is resolved, reads an FEC statement provided to Fox News. To comply with this legal commitment and to protect the interests of those involved, we have a policy of not commenting on matters that are before the agency. Florida elections tend to be fairly competitive, and the race for the open U.S. Senate seat is shaping up to be no different. Republican Gov. Rick Scott and incumbent Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson have emerged as the frontrunners in whats expected to be an extremely costly election. The fact that a sitting U.S. senator and a sitting governor will likely square off in the race is a rarity, Dr. Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida professor and expert on Floridian politics, told Fox News. Its two people with understanding of grassroots-level campaigning, two state politicians with two different views of the world, MacManus said. Its a clash of titans, I would say. Heres a look at the contentious Senate race. The Republicans Gov. Rick Scott, 65, officially declared his candidacy for Senate in April 2018. To win, Scott shouldnt try to paint himself as a political outsider after all, hes spent the past seven years as Floridas governor but should discuss congressional term limits as a way to differentiate himself from Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson, who has been involved in Florida politics for decades, MacManus said. He should also tout his success in bringing jobs to the state. Scott, in announcing his candidacy, said nearly 1.5 million jobs were added under his governing; PolitiFact said Scott brought about 86 percent of the jobs he promised to the state and he still has a few more months in office. Scott, who is term-limited, got his first experience in Florida politics as its governor. He is a Navy veteran. Also gunning for the Republican nomination is Roque De La Fuente, who sought offices this year in a handful of states, including California. The Democrats Incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson, 75, has represented Florida in the Senate for more than 17 years. Before he was senator, he served in the state legislature and the U.S. House. It was while he was a congressman that he was able to join the crew on the space shuttle Columbia in 1986 for six days. To win, Nelson needs to be able to get voters, particularly minorities, to come out to vote, Dr. Gregory Koger, a political science professor at the University of Miami, told Fox News. "I think if he campaigns as a real Democrat, a real member of the party who is interested in checking the president, thats probably a strong message for him," Koger said. In the Senate, Nelson serves on the Armed Services and Finance committees. Nelson has not had a serious challenger since 2000. The District Trump narrowly defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Florida in the 2016 presidential race by less than 2 percentage points, according to Fox News election results. Fox News has ranked the election a toss-up. Florida statewide elections tend to be fairly competitive, Dr. Kevin Wagner, a Florida Atlantic University political scientist, told Fox News. Florida is a purple state that neither side can win, and thats increasingly uncommon [nationally]. The fact that the president essentially lives here, comes on a regular basis, will make it hard for Republicans in the state to claim they do not know him or stay away from him. Dr. Gregory Koger, University of Miami political science professor Wagner said both sides will need an assist from their national parties in order to win in the fall. Florida is a very large state and a very expensive state to run in, Wagner said, adding that Scott may already have a slight advantage as hes already shown, through his gubernatorial campaigns, that he is willing to spend his own money. The issues President Trump: Its inevitable that the president will play a role in the race for better or for worse, depending on voters opinions of Trump. Its not uncommon for midterm elections to become a sort of proxy on how the president is doing," Wagner said. But Trumps visibility certainly is heightened in the state given Mar-a-Lago, Trumps Palm Beach, Florida resort considered to be a winter White House. The fact that the president essentially lives here, comes on a regular basis, will make it hard for Republicans in the state to claim they do not know him or stay away from him, Koger said. His presence here will be a constant reminder of the agenda of this administration. So much more than other states, this election will probably be a referendum on the president, and that wont do well for the Republican Party, Koger said. Gun control: In less than two years, Florida has seen two of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history the Pulse nightclub attack in 2016 and the Parkland high school shooting in 2018. Despite his A-plus rating with the National Rifle Association, the powerful gun lobbying firm, Scott ultimately signed Floridas new law raising the age limit to purchase rifles to 21 and creating a new process enabling law enforcement to seize guns from someone who is considered a danger. Nelson has advocated for universal background checks and a ban on certain types of semi-automatic rifles. Puerto Rico: Following the devastating hurricanes in 2017, particularly Hurricane Maria, more than 200,000 Puerto Ricans have relocated to Florida, at least temporarily, according to NBC News. And neither Nelson nor Scott have wasted time in courting the votes of those who have moved to the Sunshine State. The administrations poor response to Puerto Rico will probably hurt Rick Scott, Koger said, although adding that Scott hasnt been as anti-immigrant as President Trump. Both Nelson and Scott have visited Puerto Rico since the hurricanes. Wagner noted that theres typically not a high voter turnout among this demographic of people, but the hurricanes could change that this year. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In the days since House Speaker Paul Ryan announced his plans to retire from Congress, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has emerged as a clear front-runner to succeed Ryan in the demanding job. McCarthy, who was first elected to Congress in 2006, earned the endorsement of Ryan himself on Friday. Presuming Ryan serves out his term, the GOP battle to succeed him will only play out if Republicans hold the House in the midterm elections. But if that happens, other possible candidates include No. 3 House Republican Steve Scalise, of Louisiana, and Rep. Jim Jordan, of Ohio. McCarthy represents and resides in Bakersfield, Calif., where he formerly owned a deli store. Since arriving in Washington, McCarthy has made steady progress in the Republican hierarchy. In 2014, he was elected House majority leader -- the No. 2 post -- after previously serving as deputy party whip and whip. In 2015, he initially sought the speakership when then-House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio resigned. But rumblings from the conservative Freedom Caucus that he wasnt conservative enough led him to withdraw his bid just hours before his GOP colleagues were to cast their votes, the Los Angeles Times reported. Ultimately, Ryan reluctantly took the job. This time, however, many wonder if continued skepticism by conservatives may again block McCarthy from the post. To his benefit, McCarthy is reportedly one of the most prolific fundraisers for the Republican Party and GOP candidates, raising $8.75 million so far this year, the Times reported. He also raised more than $30 million during the 2016 election cycle, the Mercury News reported. Kevins the kingmaker of California Republican politics, Mark Martinez, a Cal State Bakersfield politics professor, told the newspaper. He can literally rain money on any of the other Republicans who run into trouble. Kevins the kingmaker of California Republican politics. He can literally rain money on any of the other Republicans who run into trouble. Mark Martinez, Cal State Bakersfield politics professor Another factor in McCarthys favor is his close relationship with President Trump, who has called him My Kevin, the report said. Last year, he reportedly delivered Trump a jar of cherry and strawberry Starburst candies, the president's favorites. Trump's embrace could be crucial for McCarthy if he wants to nail down support from conservative lawmakers who have been leery of his GOP establishment ties. But even in a contest of Republican lawmakers, a Trump endorsement is a double-edged sword. The president is unpopular in many suburban and other swing districts, and many Republicans don't want their leader to be viewed as beholden to the whims of the unpredictable president. Others bristle at the idea of presidential meddling in their contest. "This is a matter to be decided by the legislative branch of government, not the executive branch," Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., said of Trump supporting a candidate. Paul Ryan is a brilliant guy, but Kevin McCarthy has forgotten more about California than Paul Ryan knows about California, state GOP Chair Jim Brulte told the Mercury News. Having a speaker from California can be nothing but helpful to the state. The paper reported that during negotiations on the tax-reform bill late last year, McCarthy played a major role in watering down provisions cutting mortgage interest and state tax deductions which hit California harder than almost anywhere else in the country. Critics still said the bill hurt the state. If McCarthy is chosen as speaker and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., remains minority leader, an unprecedented arrangement of American politics would occur in that leaders of both parties in the House would come from the same state. However, if Democrats take 23 seats nationwide to win control of the House, that party will select the next speaker. It remains to be seen if Ryan's departure plans will jeopardize the GOPs prospects with potential donors and hopes for victory in November. Its like Eisenhower resigning right before D-Day, said Tom Davis, a former Republican congressman from Virginia, who once headed the House GOPs campaign committee. Paul Ryan was the franchise, Davis said. With Paul, this was a Republican Party they could still give to. Hes a great brand for the party. Hes gone. Ryan was once viewed as the future of the GOP, and he is now a rudder for a party regularly tossed about by Trumps shifting impulses. He joins a deep bench of Republicans leaving Washington in the Trump era. Overall, some four-dozen House Republicans including powerful committee chairmen are calling it quits. Paul Ryan was the franchise. With Paul, this was a Republican Party they could still give to. Hes a great brand for the party. Hes gone. Tom Davis, former GOP congressman from Virginia On Thursday, Ryan dismissed suggestions from some corners that it would be best if he stepped aside now instead of in January. My plan is to stay here and run through the tape, Ryan told reporters, noting he had shattered fundraising efforts by previous speakers, more than doubling his $20 million goal. I talked to a lot of members a lot of members who think its in all of our best interest for this leadership team to stay in place, Ryan said. It makes no sense to take the biggest fundraiser off the field. Ryan said that while he believes McCarthy can line up enough votes now to win the job, he doesnt want a campaign for the partys top job to sidetrack GOP lawmakers at a crucial time. Ryan has said he will serve as speaker through the end of his term. Meanwhile, Scalise has said he wouldnt run against McCarthy, a longtime friend. But Scalise hasnt ruled out seeking the job if McCarthy fails to nail down the votes needed to elect a speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. The White House declined to weigh in Friday on whom the president preferred for speaker. The president has a great relationship with Kevin McCarthy, but in terms of an announcement about who he wants to see as the next speaker, I dont have any announcements on that front, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said at a press briefing. Rep. Jordan said Friday hes open to running for the speaker job, according to the Mercury News. Jordan is a leader of the hard-right, 30-member House Freedom Caucus, but his candidacy seems certain to fall short, the report said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. More local governments in California appear to be resisting the state's efforts to prevent the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, reports said Monday. At least a dozen local governments have already voted to either join or support the federal lawsuit against the state or the approved resolutions opposing the states sanctuary law that limits police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions took legal action against the state last month, targeting three state law statutes concerning illegal immigrants. The DOJ argued that the laws are unconstitutional and a plain violation of federal statute and common sense. But another blow to Californias state government may be coming this week, with the city of Los Alamitos in Orange Country voting Monday to reconfirm its commitment to opt out of the state law. Los Alamitos was the first city to rebel against the state and already voted in favor of exempting itself from the sanctuary state law last month. To officially approve the motion, the council of Los Alamitos will have to vote again on Monday. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOWN STANDS UP TO STATE, VOTES TO REJECT SANCTUARY LAW The San Diego County Board of Supervisors will decide Tuesday whether to join the Trump administrations lawsuit against the state. Most local governments siding with the Trump administration are located in Orange County-- a Republican stronghold-- but some other cities across the state have showed signs of support. MORE CALIFORNIA CITIES LOOKING TO REJECT STATES SANCTUARY LAW The city of Escondido in neighboring San Diego County has recently voted to support the lawsuit along with the small city of Ripon in the state's Central Valley. Efforts to thwart the sanctuary laws have energized Californias Republicans, who were long wary of taking a hardline stance towards immigration due to the states changing demographics. "When the attorney general of the United States decides to take a firm position against it, I think that gave a signal to a lot of us that, 'Hey, California is on the wrong side of this thing,'" said Fred Whitaker, chairman of the Republican Party in Orange County. "The mobilization that could come from introducing immigration debates into county political races may be a critical element in a year like 2018 when Democrats will likely be more mobilized than Republicans," said Louis DeSipio, a political science professor at the University of California, Irvine. The Associated Press contributed to this report. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is fundraising off the firing of our only hope Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but one problem: Mueller has not been fired. The California Democrat sent out an email last week titled Mueller FIRED and asked people to donate to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) amid speculations that President Donald Trump may fire Mueller in retaliation for the FBI raid on his lawyer Michael Cohen. But as the actual fundraiser email text acknowledges, Mueller was not fired by Trump. "Im so furious I can barely write this email, Pelosi wrote, according to The Washington Examiner. President Trump is inches away from firing Robert Mueller and derailing the entire Russia investigation. The fundraising email was sent on Friday, just a day after Trump reiterated that he isnt going to fire the special counsel. If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him. Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper! Trump tweeted. Still, the Democratic leader went on to accuse her Republican colleagues of actively helping Trump to ruin the investigation into the alleged collusion between Trump and the Kremlin and asks for money to kick each and every one of them out of office. [Republicans are] jeopardizing our democracy, our national security, and the safety of every election we hold. Frankly, they cant be trusted, she added. Pelosi described Mueller as our only hope for justice and claims only Democrats can protect him." The odd email drew criticism on social media. The DCCC's subject lines may not have contributed to the fake news crisis, but damned if they help, tweeted Vox reporter Dara Lind. Who at the @dccc thought this clickbait email subject line was a good idea? seconded Garrett Haake, a correspondent at liberal MSNBC. WASHINGTON-- Vice President Mike Pence's choice to be his new national security adviser has withdrawn from consideration after President Donald Trump got wind of the plan to hire someone associated with anti-Trump ads in the past. The White House said Jon Lerner, an adviser to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, withdrew from the proposed dual role with the vice president. Alyssa Farah, a Pence spokeswoman, said Lerner informed Pence on Sunday night that he was withdrawing and Pence accepted his decision. Farah said Pence holds Lerner "in the highest regard and expressed his deep gratitude for Jon's willingness to consider joining our team." Lerner is a longtime Republican strategist and pollster who advised Haley's campaigns for South Carolina governor. He also worked with the Club for Growth, which aired ads critical of Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump's push to block Lerner's appointment was first reported by Axios. As president, Trump has bristled at Republicans who opposed him during the GOP primaries and pushed back against the hiring of foreign policy experts who were critical of him during his Republican campaign. A White House official said chief of staff John Kelly was informed of Pence's plans to hire Lerner, but the vice president's office did not notify Kelly about Lerner's past work for the Club for Growth. It was also unclear if Lerner could play a dual role within the administration, said the official, who wasn't authorized to describe internal deliberations and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One to Florida on Monday that Lerner "didn't want to be a distraction and wanted to be able to focus on helping the administration moving forward." Sanders said Lerner would continue to serve with Haley at the United Nations. Pence has been playing a larger foreign policy role in recent months. He filled in for Trump last weekend at the Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, to allow the president to manage the administration's response to the suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria and has traveled in recent months to the Middle East and to Afghanistan in support of Trump. President Trump blasted James Comey early Monday, criticizing the former FBI chief and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe for allegedly lying to Congress, suggesting they committed many crimes! In a morning tweet Monday, just hours after Comeys first interview since his termination aired, the president ripped Comey for his handling of the Clinton email probe, and said he based his decisions throughout the investigation on 2016 presidential poll numbers. Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G), then based his decisions on her poll numbers. Disgruntled, he, McCabe, and others, committed many crimes! Trump tweeted. Senator G appears to reference Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Grassley, who, during Comeys testimony before the committee last June, asked whether Comey had ever been an anonymous source to the mediaa topic Trump hit again last month. Comey testified last year that after he was fired from his post, he asked his close friend, Columbia University Law Professor Daniel Richman, to share the contents of a memo with notes of one of his first meetings with Trump. COMEY RIPS OBAMA FOR COMMENTS ON CLINTON CASE: HE 'JEOPARDIZED' DOJ I asked a friend of mine to share the content of a memo with a reporter, Comey testified. I didnt do it myself for a variety of reasons but I asked him to because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel. As the for the poll numbers, during the exclusive interview on ABC News with George Stephanopoulos on Sunday night, when discussing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, Comey referenced poll numbers. All of us were operating in a world where the polls were showing Donald Trump had no chance, Comey said, referring to the weeks and months leading up to the election. In an excerpt of his book, obtained by The New York Times, Comey wrote: It is entirely possible that, because I was making decisions in an environment where Hillary Clinton was sure to be the next president, my concern about making her an illegitimate president by concealing the restarted investigation bore greater weight than it would have if the election appeared closer or if Donald Trump were ahead in all polls. But I dont know. Trump has criticized Comey in the days leading up to the airing of the interview, and the release of his memoir A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, set to hit bookstores Tuesday. Trump ripped Comey as an untruthful slime ball, a leaker and a liar. As for McCabe, Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired the deputy director just days before he became eligible to collect his pension. Last Friday, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz issued a damning report on McCabe that led to his firing. The report said that McCabe leaked a self-serving story to the press and later lied about it to Comey and federal investigators. DOJ just issued McCabe report which is a total disaster. He LIED! LIED! LIED! McCabe was totally controlled by ComeyMcCabe is Comey!! No collusion, all made up by this den of thieves and lowlifes! Trump tweeted Friday. From his handling of a probe into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to his investigation into Russian meddling in the election, former FBI Director James Comey has long been a punching bag for President Trump. After Comey left the FBI, Trump accused him of leaving the agency in "tatters." And as Comey released his explosive tell-all book, Trump called for the former FBI boss to be "prosecuted" for allegedly leaking information and lying under oath to Congress. "He is a weak and untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI," Trump said in April. "It was my great honor to fire James Comey!" But while Trump has publicly hit the nations former chief investigator hard, his public opinion throughout his presidency and campaign hasn't been all bad. Criticism On Comey's Capitol Hill testimony On Dec. 7, Comey testified behind closed doors, despite previously seeking an open hearing. He was expected to answer a variety of questions from his decision not to recommend any criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her private server scandal in 2016 to the FBI's investigation into potential Russian collusion during the 2016 presidential campaign. Comey tweeted days before his testimony that it was "hard to protect [his] rights without being in contempt," so he agreed to "sit in the dark." House Republicans apparently weren't satisfied at the conclusion of Comey's questioning and indicated they may want to bring Comey back, according to reports. Trump, too, was clearly frustrated. "It is being reported that Leakin' James Comey was told by Department of Justice attorneys not to answer the most important questions," Trump tweeted afterward. "Total bias and corruption at the highest levels of previous Administration. Force him to answer the questions under oath!" On Clintons emails Trump has often tweeted about Comeys involvement in the FBIs investigation into Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state, saying his handling of the probe has left the FBI in tatters. Hillary and the Dems loved and praised FBI Director Comey just a few days ago. Original evidence was overwhelming, should not have delayed! Trump tweeted in October 2016. Before Comey was officially sacked, Trump said Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Clinton because he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds. After the FBI confirmed Comey had drafted a statement about Clinton before the investigation was completed, Trump took to Twitter to lambast the former FBI chief even more. Wow, FBI confirms report that James Comey drafted letter exonerating Crooked Hillary Clinton long before investigation was complete. Many people not interviewed, including Clinton herself, Trump tweeted. Comey stated under oath that he didnt do this obviously a fix? Where is Justice Dept? Trump tweeted. As it turned out, James Comey lied and leaked and totally protected Hillary Clinton. He was the best thing that ever happened to her! he said. He's also said Comey, along with others, have "committed many crimes." On Comeys firing Trump fired Comey on May 9, 2017 and sent his FBI chief a short, impersonal letter to make him aware of his termination. Trump predictably took to Twitter to defend the firing. James Comey will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI," Trump said the morning after the firing. Comey lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike. When things calm down, they will be thanking me! Trump added. On the Russia investigation Comey told Trump that he was not under investigation by the FBI, Trump said in a May 2017 interview with NBC News. I said, if its possible would you let me know, am I under investigation? He said, You are not under investigation, Trump said. When asked if he was angry with Comey over his investigation into Russias meddling in the presidential election, Trump just said he want[s] somebody thats competent to lead the FBI. He added that he is a big fan of the FBI. Trump reportedly called Comey crazy and a nut job during a conversation with Russian officials in the Oval Office the day after Comeys firing, according to The New York Times. I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job, Trump said according to a document of the meeting obtained by the Times. I faced great pressure because of Russia. Thats taken off. And when it comes to his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump has denied asking Comey to stop his investigation into potential wrongdoing. I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie! Trump tweeted on Dec. 3. On Comey's memo As Comey has promoted his new memoir, titled "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership," Trump called the former FBI head a "slimeball" and dubbed him "Slippery James Comey." "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Trump said on social media. He also criticized the book for not answering certain questions, such as: "how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give [Clinton's email server] to the FBI (why didn't they TAKE it), why the phony memos," among other things. Trump has also denied asking Comey for his loyalty, something Comey detailed in his memoir. On stopping government leaks Trump has several times expressed his disappointment with Comey and the FBI not being able to stop national security leakers and even accused the former FBI boss of leaking as well. The FBI is totally unable to stop the national security leakers that have permeated our government for a long time. They can't even find the leakers within the FBI itself. Classified information is being given to media that could have a devastating effect on U.S. Trump tweeted in February 2017. Trump also threatened Comey against leaking, himself, information to the media. James Comey better hope that there are no tapes of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press, Trump tweeted. His tweet came after The New York Times reported Trump asked for Comeys loyalty during a private dinner, which Comey declined to give. The New York Times cited sources who said they knew about the details of the dinner through Comey. Later, after Comey told Fox News the memos he shared with his legal team did not constitute a leak of classified information, Trump took to social media to call him "either very sick or very dumb." Is everybody believing what is going on. James Comey cant define what a leak is. He illegally leaked CLASSIFIED INFORMATION but doesnt understand what he did or how serious it is. He lied all over the place to cover it up. Hes either very sick or very dumb, he wrote. Praise On Clintons emails While the president eventually castigated Comeys handling of the probe into Clintons private email server, Trump initially praised him for investigating Clinton at all. It took a lot of guts, Trump said in October 2017 of Comeys decision to reopen the Clinton investigation. I have to give the FBI credit. That was so bad what happened originally, Trump said after the FBI did not recommend charges be brought against Clinton by the Justice Department. It took guts for Director Comey to make the move that he made in light of the kind of opposition he had where theyre trying to protect her from criminal prosecution, Trump said. I was not his fan, but Ill tell you what what he did, he brought back his reputation, Trump continued. He also encouraged Comey then to hang tough. On the Russia investigation In prepared remarks released ahead of Comeys testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2017, Comey confirmed reports that Trump asked the FBI to lay off his former national security adviser as the department investigated Russias influence on the 2016 presidential election. But Comey also confirmed that he did reassure the president that Trump was not under investigation. Trump was pleased by Comeys admission. The president is pleased that Mr. Comey has finally publicly confirmed his private reports that the President was not under investigation in any Russian probe, Trumps lawyer said in a statement. The President feels completely and totally vindicated. He is eager to continue to move forward with his agenda. Former FBI Director James Comey has an explosive book coming out this week and several leaked passages have already made headlines. In his book, titled A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, Comey, 57, compared Trump to a mob boss who is untethered to the truth. The ousted FBI director also said Trumps presidency has been ego driven and about personal loyalty. The president and his aides have lambasted Comey, who was fired in May 2017, ahead of the book release. He is a weak and untruthful slime ball who was, as time has proven, a terrible Director of the FBI, Trump said of Comey. It was my great honor to fire James Comey! But as he's promoted his memoir, Comey has continued to take shots at the president, calling him "medically" and "morally" unable to be president. Heres a look at five passages from the upcoming memoir. 'Loyalty dinner' As reported by Axios, Comey discussed whats become known as the loyalty dinner he had with Trump at the White House in January 2017, right after the inauguration. Comey had previously testified before a Senate panel that Trump asked him if he wanted to keep his job during the dinner. He said lots of people wanted to be director of the FBI, but that he thought very highly of me, Comey wrote, according to Axios. He said he had heard great things about me and knew the people of the FBI thought very highly of me as well. He said despite that, he would understand if I wanted to walk away given all I had been through, although then he noted that that would be bad for me personally because it would look like I had done something wrong, Comey continued. Comey described the dinner as strange because he said Trump had decided my job security was on the menu. Trump said, I need loyalty. I expect loyalty, at the meeting, ABC News reported. Now it was pretty clear to me what was happening. The setup of the dinner, both the physical layout of the private meal and Trumps pretense that he had not already asked me to stay on multiple occasions, convinced me this was an effort to establish a patronage relationship, Comey said. Comey compared Trumps quest for loyalty to Sammy the Bulls Cosa Nostra induction ceremony in the book, according to ABC. Salvatore Gravano or Sammy the Bull is a former mobster who helped the FBI put the late gangster John Gotti in prison. Investigate the prostitute claim for Melania Trump considered having Comey launch an investigation into the claims about his interactions with Russian prostitutes in the now-infamous dossier, the former FBI director wrote in the memoir, according to the New York Post. The salacious but unverified dossier compiled by ex-British spy Christopher Steele alleged that Trump asked Russian prostitutes to urinate on a Moscow hotel bed in a room that former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama had stayed in before. Comey wrote that Trump brought up what he called the golden showers things adding that it bothered him if there was even a 1 percent chance his wife, Melania, thought it was true. He just rolled on, unprompted, explaining why it couldnt possibly be true, ending by saying he was thinking of asking me to investigate the allegation to prove it was a lie, Comey wrote, according to the New York Post. I said it was up to him. Comey said he warned Trump if he did investigate the claim, it could create a narrative that we were investigating him personally. He said Trump told him the allegation couldnt be true because hes a germaphobe. Comey then speculated about the state of Trumps marriage if the first lady would even think theres a 1 percent chance the claim in the dossier was true. In what kind of marriage, to what kind of man, does a spouse conclude there is only a 99 percent chance her husband didnt do that? Comey said in his book. A Loretta Lynch mystery Comey hinted about a secret involving former Attorney Gen. Loretta Lynch that should it come out would undoubtedly have been used by political opponents to cast serious doubt on the attorney generals independence in connection with the Clinton investigation. Lynch fueled speculation that she was biased in favor of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton even during the investigation into her use of a private email server during her tenure as secretary of state when she infamously met with former President Bill Clinton on her plane on a Phoenix airport tarmac in July 2016. The oft-speculated about meeting occurred just days before Comey said he would not recommend charges against Clinton, despite calling her handling of classified information extremely careless. According to ABC News, Comey said in his memoir that he took on more of a role with the email investigation because of something involving Lynch that was a development still unknown to the American public to this day. He said the information about Lynch, according to ABC News, came from a still-classified source. Had it become public, the unverified material would undoubtedly have been used by political opponents to cast serious doubt on the attorney generals independence in connection with the Clinton investigation, he said. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., told Fox News there were a lot of things that called into question the legitimacy of the Clinton email investigation. It wasnt the tarmac, it was the information he had about Loretta Lynch that if it became public, people would question their objectivity, Gowdy said. Obamas blessing Even throughout the controversy surrounding the FBIs handling of the Clinton email investigation, Obama still gave Comey praise, he wrote in his book. I picked you to be FBI director because of your integrity and your ability. I want you to know that nothing has happened in the last year to change my view, Obama told him, according to Business Insider. Comey said Obamas encouragement nearly made him cry. Boy, were those words I needed to hear Im just trying to do the right thing, Comey said. Obama responded by saying, I know. The Washington Post reported that, "Perhaps the only politician who comes off well in the excerpts so far is Obama." John Kellys offer After he was fired, Comey wrote that John Kelly, then the secretary of Homeland Security, offered to quit his job in protest in an emotional call, The New York Times reported. Kelly is now Trumps chief of staff. Comey said Kelly told him he was sick about his ousting. According to the Daily Beast, Kelly told Comey he didnt want to work for dishonorable people. I urged Kelly not to do that, arguing that the country needed principled people around this president, Comey wrote of Kellys offer. Especially this president. Fox News Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report. An alligator was caught checking out rooms at a Quality Inn motel in Sebring, Florida, over the weekend. But officials with the Highlands County Sheriff's Office say the nearly 5-foot-long creature may have just been looking for the perfect spot to day drink. "We aren't sure if this little guy got locked out of his room at the Quality Inn in Sebring this afternoon or what," the sheriff's office joked in a post online Sunday. "Maybe he was just looking for the tiki bar to get a margatorita, but he didn't look like he was old enough to drink and didn't appear to have any ID in his alligator skin wallet." The sheriff's office shared a 40-second video of the gator slowly making its way past a block of hotel rooms before turning a corner to head down another hall. Deputies called a licensed trapper who taped the gator's mouth shut, carried it to his truck and relocated it. ALLIGATOR FIGHTS PYTHON ON FLORIDA GOLF COURSE "He was cornered by a licensed trapper and taken away. #onlyinflorida," the sheriff's office confirmed in an Instagram post. As of Monday afternoon, the video of the "partying" gator has received nearly 60,000 views and more than 1,400 shares on Facebook. Dozens of people were quick to crack jokes about the creature. "Maybe he was just looking for the tiki bar to get a margatorita..." Highlands County Sheriff's Office "Hes getting ready for that BYOB," one user replied. "Excuse me sir... i need to see some ID," another joked. "Business as usual in Florida.." a local said. 11-FOOT ALLIGATOR CAUGHT IN FLORIDA POOL Alligators are starting to become more active as the temperature rises. Tammy Sapp, spokeswoman for the Florida Wildlife Commission's Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP), warned Floridians should stay alert. "[They] become more visible and active during spring," Snapp told Fox News in late March. "Their metabolism increases, and they begin seeking prey items." Anyone who believes an alligator is posing a "threat to people, pets or property" should call FWCs toll-free hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR, Snapp said. On Monday, April 16, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA's new exoplanet hunter will train its sights on nearer, brighter stars than its predecessors did. If TESS lives up to scientists' predictions, it could energize our search for life in the cosmos. When the Kepler space telescope launched in 2009, scientists didn't know what fraction of stars hosted planets. The Kepler mission was a statistical exploration looking to see how frequently planets occur around stars, Harvard astronomer David Latham told Space.com. "One of the big surprises from Kepler was to find this whole population of planets with sizes between that of Neptune and Earth and there aren't any in our solar system, zero and they're everywhere out there," said Latham, who's worked on the Kepler project for nearly 20 years. "Kepler is what made us become aware that planets are as common as telephone poles," SETI Institute astronomer Seth Shostak told Space.com."But the stars that Kepler was staring at for four years they were all somewhere between 500 and 1,500 light-years away." TESS will survey the local neighborhood for planets like Earth. [NASA's TESS Exoplanet-Hunter in Pictures] TESS is designed to find planets orbiting nearby stars spread across the sky, astrophysicist and pioneering exoplanet researcher Sara Seager at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology told Space.com. The satellite is not specifically intended to look for planets that can support life, but it can find planets orbiting in the habitable zone of small stars, said Seager, who serves as a deputy science director on TESS. TESS will find signals of planet candidates, Seager said. A lot of follow-up work will go into determining whether these candidates are truly planets, rather than binary stars, artifacts in the data or something else. Once this is accomplished, deeper investigation can begin. Unlike with Kepler, the stars TESS examines will be bright enough and close enough to allow detailed follow-up studies with large ground telescopes, the Hubble Space Telescope and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. The amount of starlight a planet blocks tells astronomers the world's size, while the frequency with which the planet passes in front of its star indicates the world's orbital period, said Shostak. Scientists can determine the planet's mass by using the Doppler effect to measure the wobble the planet induces on its star. And mass divided by size equals density, so astronomers can determine whether they're looking at a puffy ball of gas or a solid chunk of rock. What's more, these planets are close enough for other telescopes to peer inside their atmospheres. When a planet transits its star, some of the starlight passes through the planet's atmosphere before reaching Earth. Different gases absorb different wavelengths of light, and scientists can determine the composition of the planet's atmosphere by analyzing the spectrum of this light using more-powerful observatories. [7 Ways to Discover Alien Planets] "Twenty years ago, if you told me that we were going to do this kind of spectroscopy of atmospheres of planets around other stars, I would have said you're crazy," said Latham. "Now, we're doing it." Scientists are looking for signatures of life, byproducts that organisms might emit into the atmosphere. "The first thing is we're looking for water vapor," Seager said, "because all life, as we know it, needs liquid water. And water vapor is a sign of surface water." "After water, oxygen would be fantastic. Oxygen is our best biosignature gas on Earth," Seager said, so were looking for what we know. "After that, we have lots of gases we're interested in, but mostly in space were looking for gases that don't belong that are there in high quantities, enough to really be detected from far away." [The Drake Equation Revisited: Interview with Planet Hunter Sara Seager] Many products of biology can also come from geology, though. For instance, if scientists see methane alongside many other hydrogen-rich gases, the source is likely not biological, said Seager. However, finding methane together with oxygen would be promising, because these gases would react with each other and become something else if they weren't being continually produced, she said. Unfortunately, it's often impossible to completely rule out one source over the other. On the other hand, scientist may overlook signs of life that is radically different from us. "It's a little bit like the drunk looking for his keys he looks under the lamppost, because that's where he can see them," Latham said. "We look for life that is similar to our own, because we think we understand the organic chemistry involved and so we think we know how to interpret [evidence for it]." The search for intelligent life is guided by the Drake equation, a formula devised by astronomer Frank Drake to estimate the likelihood of receiving signals from intelligent civilizations. The terms of the equation begin with the number of stars in our galaxy and proceed to the number of civilizations actively broadcasting their presence into space. Kepler mostly firmed up the fraction of stars that have planets. The TESS mission will enrich our understanding of how many planets could support life, and even the fraction of those planets where life may actually occur, Seager explained, constraining the equation further. "Thirty years ago,if you ask[ed] people, 'Do you think there are a lot of planets out there?' most people who knew anything about astronomy would say, 'Yeah, probably there are.' But nobody knew," said Shostak. With Kepler, researchers discovered that the universe is littered with planets. "For the first time in 300,000 years, Homo sapiens had found planets around other stars," he said. Shortly thereafter, scientists began to get enough data to hypothesize that many of those planets might be habitable. Over the past quarter-century, science has increasingly led scientists to believe that the existence of life may not be a miracle after all, Shostak said. And he said he sees no evidence that this trend will stop. TESS will lead the way for a wealth of discoveries and deepen our understanding of many phenomena in the cosmos. "There's technical astrophysical issues that will interest a lot of the scientists in the community," said Latham, "but I think that the question that is going to catch the attention of the educated public is this big one: Are we alone?" Visit Space.com Monday, April 16 for complete coverage of NASA's TESS mission launch. A live webcast on the launch begins at 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT). Original article on Space.com. A new fingerprint technique is being used to convict a drug gang after one of the members' fingerprints was found on a WhatsApp message. The image in question is of one of the gang members holding ecstasy tablets in his palm. The image was found on a cell phone of someone arrested in Bridgend, Wales, according to a BBC report. It was then sent to the South Wales Police scientific support unit and used to help secure 11 convictions. It is believed these are the first convictions in Wales that have been aided by using fingerprints from a photograph. IS FACEBOOK LISTENING IN ON YOUR CONVERSATIONS CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA WHISTLEBLOWER THINKS SO Dave Thomas, the Regional Head of Forensic Operations for the South Wales Police, said the new technology being used is "groundbreaking," offering new ways to analyze evidence. "It is an old-fashioned technique [fingerprinting], not new," Thomas said in comments obtained by the BBC. "Ultimately, beyond everything else, we took a phone and looked at everything on it - we knew it had a hand with drugs on it." Thomas added: "These guys [the dealers] are using the technology not to get caught and we need to keep up with advancements." The drug gang was arrested after a tip led the police to a house in the Kenfig Hill area of Bridgend. The house was raided and large amounts of "gorilla glue," a type of marijuana, was found. Thomas also noted that the WhatsApp messages had been going on for months, including details such as what the drug dealers wanted to sell, "It had a number of texts such as 'what do you want to buy?' on it," and the one photo that showed a fingerprint. When your CEO just faced a grilling by the Senate over a lack of privacy and data protection, it looks pretty bad if a company continues to fight against new privacy laws. So it will come as little surprise that Facebook has decided to no longer fight to block the proposed California Consumer Privacy Act. The Privacy Act being proposed would empower anyone in the state to tell businesses not to share or sell their personal data, give them the right to know what personal information is collected about them, and offers protections for consumers "who are victims of negligent business practices resulting in security breaches of data." All of which don't help a company like Facebook, which profits from having a lot of freedom to collect and use your data. As Engadget reports, Facebook had already donated $200,000 to help try and defeat the act. It won't be contributing anymore money, but AT&T, Comcast, Google, and Verizon are some of the bigger companies who continue to fight against it. The worry for these companies is, a limit on data access and flow also limits their business model and therefore potential profit. And if one state enacts new data privacy rules, others will surely follow. The Privacy Act is on the ballot in November. Facebook may have removed itself from the fight, but if revelations about abuse of data on the social network continue to appear, it could influence citizens who will vote to protect themselves. This article originally appeared on PCMag.com. This is a rush transcript from "Life, Liberty & Levin," April 15, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. MARK LEVIN, HOST: Hello, America. I am Mark Levin. This is "Life, Liberty & Levin" and I have two great guests tonight, Charlie Kirk and Daniel Horowitz. First of all, let me say hello to each of you. It's a pleasure. CHARLIE KIRK, TURNING POINT USA: Great to be here. LEVIN: Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing and empowering young people, more about the principles of free markets and living in government, thank goodness. You started Turning Point USA one day after you graduated from high school. KIRK: That's correct. LEVIN: So, you're how old? KIRK: Twenty four. LEVIN: Wow, you don't look a day over 23, you know. KIRK: That's what they -- they say I am getting too old for this stuff. LEVIN: And you have a presence in over 1,000 college campuses and high schools across the country. KIRK: That's correct. LEVIN: And Daniel Horowitz, you work with "Conservative Review" that I am associated with. You are, I think our most popular writer there, certainly one of them. You are the senior editor there. You host a nationally syndicated podcast, "The Conservative Conscience." A lot of people know you, you appear on radio and TV a lot, as does Charlie talking about immigration, budgets and so forth and so on. You are considered one of our really sharp thinkers out there and I wanted to have you both and go on and talk about what's going on in this country because I am very concerned about so much of what's going on. First, Charlie, let me start with you. Our college campuses, they seem to be the last holdout of this columnist philosophy in terms of free speech, freedom of association, speakers, the violence, the safe spaces, the triggering -- all of these phrases I never heard of before. What's going on? KIRK: Wow, a lot. Also, I think the greatest threat to Western civilization is what is going on in our college campuses today and I can tell you I have been doing this for six years now. I started this right out of high school. The suppression of free speech, the absolute attack on the idea of America, the outward neo-Marxist believes from the professors, the faculty and the student activists, it makes you feel as if you are entering a different country. Now, what's most stunning about this is, I have been doing this like I said for six years. I have visited hundreds of campuses across the country, not once have I seen a conservative student or a faculty member try and shout down a liberal when they come on campus. Yet, almost daily, and myself included, I experience this all the time. When I come on campus, there are leftist activists petitioning for me not to be allowed to speak, they are trying to defund conservative student groups on campus. So, it is really happening here. It's not just that the liberal is the predominant political viewpoint on campus. It's that they want to be the only viewpoint on campus, and put simply, the college left hates the idea that there are other ideas. They want a total monopoly on the conversation because they are threatened by the mere existence of a pro-free market, pro-conservative world view because they know when that does actually happen, students hear both sides and they come somewhere in the middle and they are threatened by that. And you have seen what I like to call the islands of totalitarianism which our college campuses be rather effective in indoctrinating next generation, and if we do not properly reeducate and enlighten that next generation, we are going to have a country that is completely and totally unrecognizable. LEVIN: Is part of the problem the tenure and these professors who are radical leftists, they get tenure, they cannot be removed. They cannot really be challenged and so you don't have this competition of thought among even professors? KIRK: That is correct. And you actually look at the two different kind of personality archetypes. A conservative, we are going to try to go through college as quickly as possible, go into business or finance and make a life for ourselves. A liberal, they actually love college. They love the fact that it's kind of a luxury vacation. There's very little responsibility and unlimited freedom. They don't leave, they become professors because they enjoy that kind of culture. So, it makes sense that they go into academia and the answer is yes, these tenure laws are outdated. There is no checks and balances to be able to remove these radical professors. And even more so, there is no ideological or intellectual diversity. You know, what's most interesting to me is have you for example at University of California Berkeley, they have fulltime staff members that are dedicated to the idea of racial and ethnic diversity. But as soon as you raise your hand and talk about intellectual or ideological or political or religious diversity, they say, "Oh, no, no, no, we don't really stand much for that. We only need to have racial and ethnic diversity," and so, we need to be able to have the free flow of ideas reenter our college campuses, and I find on college campuses, the most intolerant people are those people that preach tolerance. LEVIN: Daniel Horowitz, country is going broke among other reasons, funding colleges and universities, funding public education across the board. We seem to be subsidizing the left, the left's ideology to our own detriment, isn't that correct? DANIEL HOROWITZ, CONSERVATIVE REVIEW: You know, as a long-time critic of the Republican Party from the right, what I have noticed is that, we often die on their hills, not on our hills, on our ideology and I'll speak to what Charlie was saying, I think it was very important, younger people in colleges, they are faced with a dynamic now, when they go out into the world, they have endless student debt, and endless costs from health care. Health care is very expensive and naturally, if they're not offered a competing set of ideas, the free stuff is going to be very enticing. But no one ever explains to them how the government has created an insurance health care conglomerate cartel, an education cartel, that has basically inflated the cost of those services commensurate with those very subsidies we don't offer and instead the Republican Party tends to shy away from that, tends to agree with what the Democrats are offering. As you always say, they operate within their contours, within their paradigm, and as such, the American people and certainly, the younger generation, they are going to be attracted to those that offer it with a happy face rather than those who offer the same ideas with a sour face. LEVIN: What is the answer with these various oligopolies, educational oligopolies. How do conservatives or even non-leftists, how do they get involved in administration, in education because it seems like a close shot pretty much? HOROWITZ: It is, but if you look everywhere at a closed shop, there's a reason for it. The market didn't dictate it. There is always a government intervention. If we got the government out of education, then we'd have the free flow of ideas and health care is very evident. A lot of young people look at the system and say, "This is too expensive." We are being gouged, therefore, we need socialized medicine. But someone needs to get up there and say government through Medicare and Medicaid? By the way, Medicaid is 75 percent run by insurance companies. They get all their market's share through government subsidies and use that to gouge the consumer. So, I think the way to promote free markets is to show how we don't own the existing policies. They are not the result of free markets, they're the result of big government policies and only the free market policies could deconstruct that, but we've got to make the case, and unfortunately we're not seeing that too much from either party. LEVIN: How do we make the case in colleges and universities if we're not given the platform to make the case? KIRK: You know, despite all the horror that's happening on our college campuses, I've never been more optimistic about the future of this country. And I will tell you why, and I visit these campuses. We have a record amount of college chapter inquiries and request through our organization, Turning Point USA. I'll show up to give a campus lecture, standing room only, selling out tickets like you wouldn't imagine, but I also look at some of the other speakers out there. Someone who used to be an obscure social psychologist from Canada, Jordan Peterson now has the number one best-selling book on Amazon for weeks straight and getting millions of views on YouTube everyday and he talks about things that shouldn't be controversial. He'll say, there are only two genders. Oh my goodness, that's considered hate speech now on college campuses. He'll say, men are better at some things and women are better at some things. Shocking statement. But how are we going to win? We are going to win because the left, who I consider to be an enemy of democracy, an enemy of freedom, an enemy of the Constitution or Republic, the enemies of freedom always overshoot their target. Always. If history tells us anything. And because of that, decent minded people in the middle will gravitate towards better ideas, better principles and freedoms and that's why you see people between the ages of 16 and 20, right now, are much more for conservative side, that kind of Generation Z, every study shows that they are going way more conservative than the generation before them. So, how do we fix it? We fix it with better ideas, better arguments and we are going to be the decent, fair-minded champions of liberty and freedom for a generation that feels completely lost in this sea of post modernism and neo-Marxism. LEVIN: Do we find those better ideas in the party structure? In the Republican Party? What does the Republican Party stand for today? HOROWITZ: You know, I think if we're going to continue doing the same thing over and over again, we're going to define the definition of insanity. It's been three decades since Reagan and we've lost our way. We've really not found any home in the Republican Party. The reality is, Republicans take a look at what Charlie sees on the college campuses and they say, "Oh, my gosh, this is so scary, the young generation doesn't believe in conservatism. We need to go and move further to the left." But again, they're always going to vote for the authentic thing that it's not so much that the young generation is irrevocably liberal, it's that they're attracted to the strongest players on the block. So, you need to offer new ideas. How are you going to find them? Well, one thing is, I agree with you, we need a convention of the states. If you expect Washington to fix itself, I think we have enough examples, it's never going to happen ever. They control -- Republicans control all three branches of government. They control roughly 30 state governments and we're not seeing any new ideas. We need to fix it from without. We need citizens task forces to come up with new ideas, new grassroots organizations but ultimately, it has got to come from without because sadly, I don't think this duopoly of the Republicans and Democrats is serving anyone correctly and to the extent, younger voters are more attracted to new ideas, I think it will be through a new movement, not a tainted Republican Party that comes with a lot of baggage. LEVIN: How do we do what Daniel is talking about? Which is a lot of work. Convention of states, that is, the state legislatures, send delegates, they get together, they have a meeting, which they used to do all the time and then they can propose amendments to the Constitution to hone in the Federal government. That's a big task. I am all for it. I've written all about it, but in the meantime, the meantime can be years. Do you want to give the playing field up to the Democratic Party where they control the House, the Senate and the Presidency? Even now if they control the House and the Senate, the current President will be stopped immediately in his tracks. What are your thoughts? KIRK: So, look, what I am focusing my life on is both a short and long- term objective. The short-term objective is to try to change the cancerous culture on college campuses, which if we don't get that right, our culture will be completely unrecognizable. And in the great words of Andrew Breitbart, politics flows downstream from culture and culture, the first component of culture is education, and we have 1,800 major college campuses across the country, where post modernism and neo-Marxism is run amok. And so, I am focused on changing that culture, but beyond that, how do we change it politically? The activists that we, at Turning Point USA are training every single day, the thousands of young people that we're empowering, they need to run for office because they're principled, because they understand the ideas, and more than anything else, more than a lot of the current Republican officials, they have fought the left head-on. They have seen who they really are because on the college campuses, if you want to see at its most primal form what drives a leftist towards action? It's really, they don't care for the poor, they hate the rich. It's not that they have a benevolent view of the world, they want to destroy everything. They want to watch the world burn. So, because of that, we have a group of young people, more than a group, a movement of young people that we need to empower, equip and train to run for local, state and Federal office and they will be the next principled -- they will be the next Mike Lee's, the next Thomas Massie's. I mean, why don't we have a goal to say, "Let's we have 15 Mike Lee, Rand Paul and Ted Cruz's by the next elections." That's ambitious because there's people on both parties that don't want that by the way, so that's how we begin to fix it but that undercurrent is so important. LEVIN: Is that enough? HOROWITZ: The problem is, it's kind of like sending diamonds into a landfill. We've tried a lot of that. I was just dealing with several primaries throughout the country where the other side will use their superior forces, their endless special interest funding to run on our issues, paint the conservative guys as the rhinos, as the liberals and confuse the voters and we're really not having a lot of success in primaries. I mean, you know, we were together in 2014, you were early on endorsing a lot of challengers. I helped recruit a lot of them, and it's very, very difficult. I think it needs to start with some of the sitting members. You have a Freedom Caucus, you have a couple of conservatives in the Senate. We need a new contract with America. We need a new taxpayer and consumer Bill of Rights where like Charlie said, we're not just against the other side and hate the other side where we affirmatively stand for certain ideas. We stand for Federalism, for localism. We stand for free markets, and I think if we would do that, we would offer voters another, a new idea, a set of ideas even within the Republican ballot line so you don't have the ballot access issue where you're going to give control to the Democrats, they are still going to run as Republicans, but it has got to start with the sitting Republicans. LEVIN: Ladies and gentlemen, you can join me every single night on LevinTV as part of CRTV, Conservative Review TV during the week. That's LevinTV, give us a call 844-LEVIN-TV. That's 844-LEVIN-TV. Welcome back. All right, let's talk about free markets. You push free markets in our colleges and universities. Amazon is under attack. Facebook is under attack. Twitter is under attack. They're all left-wing. Let's admit it. Conservatives having difficulty dealing with all of them. Should the government get involved and regulate these entities? KIRK: Well, first I think -- first and foremost, Amazon in particular, very few people know that they're on the verge of signing one of the largest Department of Defense contracts in our history, $100 billion Cloud contract for Amazon web services over ten years which would be -- I mean, that would be subsidizing the entire Amazon empire. So, Amazon in particular, the President's instincts are actually spot-on here. Amazon loses money basically in every vertical of the company except Amazon web services. They use government subsidies. They use preferential treatment to the US Postal Service. They are masters at using tax loopholes not to mention Jeff Bezos himself owns the "Washington Post" and uses that as battering ram over politicians here in DC every day because no one wants an unflattering article in the "Washington Post." So, should there be an FTC complaint against them for monopolization? As a free market guy, I hesitate to say that, but first and foremost, let's stop subsidizing this. LEVIN: Let me ask you a question, what are they monopolizing exactly? KIRK: Well, I mean some people would make the argument, some people that they are monopolizing online retail transactions. So, the argument would be, if ExxonMobil for example controlled 42 percent of all domestic oil kind of transactions... LEVIN: How about if the domestic steel industry controlled 70 percent of steel production? KIRK: Right, that's correct. I mean, we can arbitrarily put forth monopolization of things towards all of these different categories. My argument would be, as a free market guy, let's focus on the government contracts first and foremost. They should not get preferential subsidies or corporate handouts, especially the one from the Department of Defense, $100 billion over ten years, and the President should absolutely veto and nix that completely and immediately. LEVIN: What about Facebook? KIRK: Facebook is quite interesting. Here's what I can't figure out about Facebook. Barack Obama did even more than what Cambridge Analytica did in 2012. The Barack Obama campaign. They compromised the privacy of over 25 million Americans. In fact, they bragged about it. "The New York Times" wrote a very flattering piece saying that the Obama campaign was technologically sophisticated and cutting edge to be able to use Facebook as a way to run a modern-day campaign. Zuckerberg didn't apologize after that. Zuckerberg didn't testify in front of Congress. Make no mistake, the only reason why Zuckerberg testified in front of Congress and why Facebook is under attack is because some of the data might have been used to help a Republican get elected President of the United States. It nothing to do with privacy. It has nothing to do with internet rights or freedoms and has everything to do with Democrats that are upset that their big tech monolith might have been used to aid a conservative candidate. LEVIN: Should they be regulated? KIRK: No, I don't necessarily think so. I think they should be treated as a public forum though. That is an important distinction constitutionally and for the courts because they're not a content provider. They need to be treated as a public forum which Google pretends they are, that they censor YouTube videos like (inaudible)... (CROSSTALK) LEVIN: It's a private company, so how do you treat that as a public forum? KIRK: Well, so that's the distinction. Is that if they want -- so Google, for example, pretends they're a public forum because they allow different voices and different opinions to be heard. The distinction is, Facebook is not actually not in the content creation space, they aggregate other people's content. And so are they a public forum or are they a public company? They could still be a private company and operate as a, "public forum" and they get into the space of censoring different voices. A conservative far more likely to get censored on Facebook than anyone else which represents a huge threat to the First Amendment. LEVIN: So then, don't use Facebook. KIRK: Well, that's the issue though. They have 2.1 billion active users. LEVIN: They have 2.1 and one less. KIRK: That's correct. It would take a lot of cultural realignment for us stop using Instagram which is owned by Facebook. WhatsApp is owned by Facebook and Facebook in general. I get a lot of my followers and a lot of my engagement and a lot of my kind of you know, force multiplication through Facebook, so it's kind of the devil you have to use in some sense, which I don't necessarily think government regulation is the best way to go about it though. LEVIN: Amazon, Facebook, what's your take? HOROWITZ: Well, in fact, when it comes to government regulations, sometimes they are a more potent weapon for the incumbent powers within a market than subsidies are. Because they use them to box out competition. So, I don't think they would work. But I am kind of black and white when it comes to this. There's something called private property that I think a lot of us have forgotten about. When it comes to a person's private property, I have the right to use my company, my livelihood for what I want, and you have the right to either patronize it or start your own thing. What we have done is, we have done the exact opposite. Basically, Federal courts are giving random plaintiffs standing to sue President Trump for blocking them on Twitter. Now Trump's own Twitter account he could use any way he wants. Twitter, likewise, could offer a Twitter account to anyone they want or deny it to anyone including the President. They could deny it to me. It's incumbent upon conservatives, I think to start their own platform. I know it's very difficult, but unlike health care where 60 percent of the incumbent insurance cartel organizations, 60 percent of their revenue comes from government funding, government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, in this case, it is a free market, it's just difficult to break into. We've got to take that initiative and I think, this is an example where we could be very consistent that on the one hand, you have the right to take your organization and make it as political as you want, on the other hand, I have the right with my private property to service what I want. LEVIN: Do we trust the Federal government to referee? HOROWITZ: Oh, no. LEVIN: Speech? HOROWITZ: It can only be worse. They can only make it worse. Like I said without... LEVIN: Has is the Federal government ever properly refereed speech? HOROWITZ: Never, never, I mean, because again those that already have market share and economies of scale will use the regulations to their advantage. So, I think you know, for conservatives, social media is a tough path to plow. LEVIN: And isn't the truth -- let me just say this, the two of you may have to take it to the next segment. We don't know what the next technology is. We don't know what the next platforms are going to be. If you talked about Facebook 20 years ago, nobody would know what Facebook is or these other technologies and so forth, so there may be something out there, somebody out there, somebody sitting in their dorm room at Harvard at this time who is not Zuckerberg, but somebody else that comes up with something that makes it even kind of old-fashioned to be on Fcebook and so forth. KIRK: So here's the -- you brought up the key point here. Be very careful. If there's a regulation that tries to regulate Facebook, I guarantee you Zuckerberg will have the best team of lobbyists that protects the company more than anything else so it prevents that next competitor from rising up. That is the story of regulation of America over the last 100 years. HOROWITZ: Like the auto companies right now... KIRK: Or Dodd-Frank. HOROWITZ: Yes. KIRK: It protects the incumbent. HOROWITZ: It protects the incumbent, Sarbanes-Oxley, and the auto companies, notice Trump is now easing the cafe standards. I expect the auto companies to jump on board and say, this is great, let's abolish them, they are for it because they've already gained it out. KIRK: And they have the trial lawyers, the regulators, the institutional knowledge and the capital to be able to comply with the cost of regulation. LEVIN: Regulation is typically anti-competition, an anti-individual? KIRK: That's right. Regulation is a tool for the incumbent company or business owner to use against the small little guy that does not have the same sort of resources to compete in the marketplace. And you saw that of the financial crisis as well Dodd-Frank, the big banks got bigger. They had no penalty to pay and the small local community banks got completely run over. LEVIN: We'll be right back. KELLY WRIGHT, CORRESPONDENT, FOX NEWS: Live from America's News Headquarters, I am Kelly Wright in New York. Former First Lady Barbara Bush is in failing health. The 92-year-old wife of President George H.W. Bush and mother of President George W. Bush will no longer seek medical treatment and will instead focus on comfort care according to a family spokesperson. The spokesman said she is surrounded by her family and appreciates the kind messages and prayers she's receiving. Actor and former Marine Corps drill instructor R. Lee Ermey has passed away, his longtime manager and friend says Ermey died of pneumonia-related complications. Best known for role in the drill instructor in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" Ermey was one of Hollywood's go-to actors for military roles with more than 60 movie credits to his name. He was 74 years old. I am Kelly Wright, now back to "Life, Liberty & Levin." LEVIN: Welcome back. Charlie Kirk, Daniel Horowitz. Daniel, let me start with you, a question. There seems to be some conflicting ideas within the Republican Party, even within the conservative movement, when it comes to national security and foreign policy of the Rand Paul position who's more libertarian, somewhat protectionist in that regard or isolationist in that regard, I would argue, and then you have the Marco Rubio position which is almost hyper-interventionist and actually, those aren't the two positions, there are other positions more likely traditional Reagan position. Can you explain this? HOROWITZ: You know, when we started Conservative Review, as you all know, we started out with a scorecard where we wouldn't just rate the members based on votes, but we would give a description of what they did on their committee assignments, what sort of legislation they proposed? And we had this discussion, well, how do you rate foreign policy and national security? It's not as definitive, you don't have doctrines that are just as clear cut like raising taxes, increase in spending, and we noted this false dichotomy that have in the Republican Party, and I think again, it's borne out of the lack of vision among some conservatives. That while you have got the Bloods and Crips fighting each other, Daniel, which one are you for? What we need to do is identify our interests. What are our American interests? We need to do an audit of where we are involved in, why we're there. If military a intervention, what do we hope to be in its place? Learn some of the lessons from Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan and understand what is doable, what is not doable, cost/benefit analysis. Let's do all of this, I do firmly believe that at some point, as much as we hate Congress, you need the people's representatives involved. I don't believe that any airstrike, imminent strike needs an authorization, but if we're going to have troops for 15 years, the American people are rightfully wary. LEVIN: What are you talking about in particular? HOROWITZ: Afghanistan. Afghanistan. LEVIN: Afghanistan. HOROWITZ: There was an authorization but, I mean, there was an authorization of use of force in Japan too and it's 60 years later. LEVIN: There have been very few declarations of war. I understand your point. There have been five. America is at "war" or in some battle more times than it's not, and so there's that argument whether we should or shouldn't, and I agree with it, it shouldn't be an ideological point, it should be a rational point, but that said, obviously, to get Congress involved, Congress needs to do something and Congress is a very slow body. They don't even hold hearings on budgets. So, the balance, is it not, is if they're going to deliberate for three or four weeks or three or four days and the President thinks, "You know what, I've got to hit that spot right over there." Those guys are doing whatever they're doing, this creates the conflict. HOROWITZ: Sure, but I mean, I think the question is we have about 4,000 ground troops in Syria, and they're kind of there indefinitely and you have the Sunni insurgency and then you have the Iranian hegemony backed by Hezbollah, by Assad and the Russians. LEVIN: I agree, but and we troops in Germany. They have been there for decades. HOROWITZ: Not engaged in combat. LEVIN: But they're there potentially to be engaged in combat, right? HOROWITZ: Sure. LEVIN: What do we do? HOROWITZ: Well, I mean, I think we're not going to reinvent the wheel in one generation where we go back to what was viewed as an offensive expeditionary back in George Washington's time, but I think there has to be some understanding of Yemen, Syria, Somalia. What are the players? What do we hope to get from it? Is it solvent? I don't mind if we create a red line and say, "Hey, you used chemical warfare, we're going to strike those chemical weapons." But there is a broader question of is Syria as a whole a tenable situation with the Sunni insurgency and Assad. LEVIN: Charlie. KIRK: Quickly, in the Middle East, really, the two big players consolidating power are the Iranians and the Saudi Arabians and the Saudi Arabians have lots of different proxies throughout the Middle East. And I think, we as a foreign policy in particular should be very careful to just think immediately Saudi Arabia always has our best interests at heart. I think that is a fallacy. Some people call them a frenemy. I would call them very close to an enemy. In fact, they do not have our best interests at heart despite the new guise that they have put on. The Iranians are not our friends either, but we should not fight a Saudi Arabian proxy war just -- and have American blood... (CROSSTALK) KIRK: That is exactly right, so that is more of a religious conflict. LEVIN: Are they building ICBMS for Saudi Arabia? Iran? KIRK: Well... LEVIN: Do they want nuclear warheads on ICBMS for Saudi Arabia? (CROSSTALK) KIRK: ... Israel, but no... LEVIN: No, intercontinental ballistic missiles? KIRK: No, of course not, they want them for America. HOROWITZ: But the way to go after Iran is go after Iran, not go down the rat holes in Yemen for example where you have... KIRK: I would agree. HOROWITZ: ... the Al Qaeda and the Houthis. And we lost a Navy SEAL... LEVIN: So, we should declare war on Iran? HOROWITZ: Not, necessarily, no. I don't think that's... (CROSSTALK) HOROWITZ: : Well, I agree with you... LEVIN: No, I am asking. HOROWITZ: We went into the wrong country when we went after Iraq. I mean, I think you said that before, I think it would have been more prudent... KIRK: Iraq was actually fighting Iran. I mean, Saddam was very anti-Iran and he was... LEVIN: Yes, I came to the conclusion that we picked the wrong country because Iran is a threat us to. I believe that and I believe it today. I also don't believe we have to attack Iran directly, although one day we might. It just depends, and I think Barack Obama has put us in a position which backed us up against a wall because now we're arming essentially their nuclear plans. That said, it doesn't mean I don't think we ought should be strategic and use proper tactics, and back other countries that may help us in the long run, you know? You look at all the wars we've been involved in, that's exactly what we've done. I mean, Russia is not our friend, is it? And yet, we allied with them in World War II to defeat another enemy. These things happen, but we are not going to resolve it here. I am just curious, there is this battle going on within the Republican Party, even the conservative movement on what to do in terms of foreign policy. And when we come back, I want to ask you both this question: What is the foreign policy of the Democratic Party? Because other than appeasement, I can't quite figure it out. But I would be curious to know what you guys think. Don't forget, you can join us every week night on LevinTV. Give us a call so you can join us, 844-LEVIN-TV, 844-LEVIN-TV on our network Conservative Review, CRTV. We'll be right back. Welcome back. All right, Charlie Kirk, what is the Democratic foreign policy? KIRK: If I had to put it simply, it's arm our enemies and put America in a jeopardizing position. If you look at the Iran deal, no one rationally can defend that unless you want to give money, power and an advantage to an entire country and region that wants us dead. I mean, John Kerry and Barack Obama, and you've been vocal on the Iran deal and you went through the specifics, I mean, they have put us in a totally compromising position militarily, culturally and also geopolitically. But you look even broader than that, the Democrats seem so determined and hell-bent to try to withdraw our presence from certain sectors across the world where we actually had success in keeping radical powers in check whether it be trying to advance the filibuster, put a lot of our military funding in jeopardy or conversations, so look, I think the Democratic Party is very simple. They want a globalist-type government. They don't believe America is the greatest country in the history of the world. They don't believe America is exceptional, and you can see that through the now foreign policy discussions that used to be that politics ended on the water's edge, that doesn't exist anymore. The Democrats now have a much more globalist world view where they think that these solutions can be solved in the UN or that America should not be better than any other country and they want to almost rid the world of the inequities through the lessening and weakening of our own stature and position, which is a horrible idea because we actually live in the most peaceful time in human history which is a direct corollary to America being the most dominant in human history. The more ubiquitous American military presence is, we are actually more peaceful. LEVIN: Does this also explain the position on immigration? No borders, lack of sovereignty and so forth, you are like one of the nation's great experts on this and you write about it all the time? HOROWITZ: I was headed right there because immigration, we also focus on cultural, domestic policy but it's really foreign policy and national security at its core. In the early days, we didn't have a DHS, it was the State Department that actually ran our immigration policy because it was rooted in foreign policy. I think, this is where you see the rise of the alt-left taking over the Democratic Party. I am not too old, but I am old enough to remember a time when I grew up in Maryland, the Governor was William Donald Schafer. He was a pretty liberal Democrat, but he always believed in a strong national security, traditional values and he got ran out of the party pretty late in his career because he was strong on immigration, and that just shows how far they've moved over. What -- I think you referred to this often is the de-civilization agenda where, there are certain basic things that whether they stopped at water's edge or whether they're just natural law, family structure, a man-to-man, woman-to-woman, a marriage is a marriage and borders are borders, they are now questioning just the raw basics and what is so sad about immigration is that the open border doesn't just flood the country with a lot of low- skilled immigrants, a lot of crime, but the drug crisis that we have now. If you look at any graph of what they call the opioid crisis, which they want to make a health care issue, it started in 2013. That's where the compassion and sympathy for these unaccompanied alien children comes full circle. A lot of them were drug mules, even those who weren't had to pay the drug smugglers to come in, and yet, you cannot implicate that agenda in any discussion over the drug crisis. Everything must yield because the ends justify the means. LEVIN: Do you agree with this? KIRK: Well, 100 percent. I visited the border last week and for three days, I spent extensive time. I like to say there is no border. It's a joke. In fact, I mean, there is literally a copper bar that you could just step over and walk into Mexico. This is in the Tucson sector, mind you, which is the number one sector of drug traffic in the country, and I talked to Border Patrol agents, I talked to some senior level Border Patrol agents and said, "How many of you actually support building a wall?" I said. Well, we polled our Border Patrol agents in all the different sectors, 95 percent supported building the wall. The other 5 percent didn't understand the question. What we really have here is an attack on sovereignty, an attack on our country, and an attack on our very culture at its very core. A nation is defined by its border. You have a weak border, you have a weak country, but it's intentional. I don't give the Democrats any sort of advantage on the argument. I don't give them the benefit of the doubt quite honestly. They want open borders. They want political and societal chaos. They want a globalist type agenda where America is not better than any other country where the Constitution is completely run amok because when have you 15 million illegal immigrants in this country, I like to call them foreign nationals, not illegal immigrants, then all of a sudden, the rule of law completely disappears. They are moving the goal posts intentionally. When you get rid of the rule of law, then you can have anarchy. And I believe that within the base of the Democratic Party in the left is a desire to want to completely de- civilize and destroy western civilization as we know it. LEVIN: When we come back, this rule of law, where are we on the rule of law? What about our judges? Are they upholding the rule of law? We'll be right back. All right, Daniel Horowitz, judges, we were just talking about immigration. Where do we stand with the judiciary in this country? HOROWITZ: Your grandfather was the judicial supremacist. I mean, it has gotten 10 times worse since even when you wrote "Men in Black." We are at the point where judges do not recognize any clause of the Constitution. What's a state power they give to the Feds, what's the Fed power they give to the states? What's a real right, they read out of the Constitution. What is antithetical to an unalienable right? They read into the Constitution. And moreover, they are now abusing the rules of standing to make anything a justiciable case, so everything Trump has done that often is not new territory, he merely gets rid of things that didn't exist in the country from 1789 until Barack Obama's last two years such as trans-genderism in the military, the contraception mandate. A number of his EPA regulations, a lot of conservatives are very proud of his deregulation agenda. I've got news for you. LEVIN: So, what's happened to all that? HOROWITZ: The courts are enjoining them. Basically, the legal profession has created this rule where any left-wing, third-party group could get standing in a court to sue an abstract policy with no valid injuction fact and put a nationwide -- have a district judge put a nationwide... LEVIN: There's thousands of thousands of district judges. HOROWITZ: Almost a thousand and then put a nationwide injunction on... LEVIN: And block the President's agenda. What's your take on this? KIRK: When I was raised, I was told there are three branches of government. That is not true. LEVIN: There's at least four, I think. KIRK: There's a fourth branch of government and in fact, it's the most powerful. It's unaccountable, it's unelected and it's unknown, and that's the bureaucracies and included in that are these district court judges, and as you articulate very well, in the original draft of the Constitution, circuit court or district judge is found nowhere. There was a Supreme Court and that was it. People need to understand that a majority of our laws and the power that is vested within our government is not between the Supreme Court, it is not between the legislative or the executive, it's between the bureaucracies and they are putting an unprecedented amount of pressure on our freedoms and liberties on a state, local and Federal level all across the country and again, they're unaudited, they are unaccountable and they are unknown. We don't know their names. We can't get rid of them. We can't vote them out. This is something the Founding Fathers did not, I think even foresee in some ways because the bureaucracy has a life of its own. It's a multimillion person standing army against our freedom and liberty and one of the greatest threats to America we have today. LEVIN: So with these unelected branches, the courts and much of the courts have been created by Congress and the administrative state also created by Congress, that legislate, that adjudicate and that execute, and they're outside the Constitutional system and outside our ability to reach them. All right, we'll be right back. Welcome back. I am going to ask you what I've asked all my guest so far. The next 20 years in America, do you feel positive about it or not so positive? Charlie. KIRK: Positive despite unprecedented odds, opposition from people that want to destroy this country. Never bet against America and don't bet against the American people. We have the enemies of freedom in our colleges, in our culture, in our media but with people like you and we have people like our organization and our student activists that are rising up and fighting every single day that are signaling the alarm and organizing for ideas that are timeless. I am optimistic because that's exactly it -- it's the idea. It's more than anything else, freedom will always win. LEVIN: Daniel? HOROWITZ: It's all in our hands. If you ask me about the next three or five years, I do unfortunately see a resurgent of the left, but over the next 20 years, the good news as Charlie has said, the left is overplaying their hand. The country does not want what they want and I think that is the opportunity for younger conservatives to come in and offer something affirmative that speaks to people's hearts and their intellect and where they are and when they balance that against what they see in the left, I am confident in the long run, we will win out. But we've got to seize the opportunity. LEVIN: You both are a little more confident than I am and that's okay. It doesn't really matter, I suppose. What matters is we keep fighting and keep advancing the cause and our ideas. I want to thank you. You've been terrific guests. And I want to thank you too, America and I will see you here next time. Thank you and God bless. Content and Programming Copyright 2018 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2018 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. An Air China flight bound for Beijing was diverted to central China on Sunday after a passenger held a flight attendant hostage using a pen as a weapon, authorities said. All passengers and crew on Flight 1350 made it safely off the plane after it landed in Zhengzhou city at 10 a.m. due to what had earlier been described by authorities as an unspecified "illegal interference." The flight had taken off at 8:40 a.m. from the city of Changsha in Hunan province and was scheduled to land in Beijing at 11 a.m. SOUTHWEST PASSENGERS 'SCREAMING,' 'CRYING' DURING TURBULENT LANDING The Civil Aviation Authority of China said in a statement on its website that the plane was diverted when a male passenger held a flight attendant hostage. It said only that "the matter was successfully handled" by 1:17 p.m., but did not provide any details. Police in Zhengzhou's Henan province said in a statement that the alleged hostage-taker had a history of mental illness and suffered an unspecified "sudden" psychological disorder when he grabbed the flight attendant. It identified the man by only his surname, Xu, and said he was 41 and from Anhua, a county in Hunan. Police arrested him at about 1 p.m., according to the statement. In a brief report on the microblog Weibo.com, state broadcaster China Central Television included an image of what appeared to be paramilitary police in combat uniforms and helmets assembled outside a Zhengzhou airport hotel and another image of several ambulances. The Zhengzhou airport said in a statement that it immediately activated emergency measures, adding that the passengers who disembarked were in a stable mood and that the airport was operating normally. JET AIRWAYS GROUNDS PILOTS WHO LET 'LADY FRIEND' FLY IN COCKPIT The airline said police and aviation authorities were handling the matter and refused to provide further information. It said it was arranging for another plane to pick up the passengers from Zhengzhou. The Beijing News said on its Weibo page that a passenger described being awoken by a scream coming from the front of the plane and that "nobody knew what was going on." The Xiaoxiang Morning Herald quoted a passenger as saying that the disturbance occurred in the first or business class cabins, but that the curtains separating those sections from economy class were pulled tightly shut. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS She looked out the window and saw many police cars, ambulances and fire engines parked outside the plane as it was landing in Zhengzhou, the newspaper said in a Weibo post. The passenger described seeing armed personnel in camouflage uniforms assembled in two or three rows. Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to New Orleans Saturday prepared for the worst as the plane attempted to land in a storm. The experience was so scary, people were screaming, crying and preparing "to die" as the pilot flew the plane through severe thunder and lightning, WWL-TV reports. DOG ARRESTED FOR BEING A BAD BOY, PICKING FIGHTS WITH DEER We came through the clouds and the plane was just tilting back and forth. It was going all over the place, passenger Lauren Bale, who works for WWL-TV, said of the harrowing flight. It felt like I was about to lift off. I felt like I was done. I felt like I was about to see baby Jesus and Papa God, another passenger, Marie Wary, told the station. After a failed attempt to land at its destination, the plane rerouted to Panama City, Fla. to wait out the storm. You couldnt see anything. No visibility, passenger Sharon Bikoundou told WWL-TV of the attempted landing. Right as he was about to land he pulled back up. The plane eventually arrived safely in New Orleans about four hours behind schedule, but some passengers questioned why the plane ever attempted the scary landing in the first place. Bale posted several updates on Twitter, saying it was the most terrifying experience of her life. The flight attendants were yelling over the speakers to fasten seat belts as tightly as possible and I was texting my family goodbye. I just don't understand why @SouthwestAir put everyone in that situation, Bale tweeted. This was all 100 [percent] preventable but @SouthwestAir took a huge risk and I honestly feel lucky to be alive, she wrote after the plane had landed in Panama City. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines released the following statement to Fox News: Our top focus is Safety. Flight 3461 from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans arrived about four hours behind schedule after persistent thunderstorms over New Orleans forced prolonged holding near New Orleans awaiting clearance from air traffic controllers followed by a refueling stop in Panama City before the completion of the journey. The Safety of our Customers and Employees as well as the safe operation of every flight is our highest priority. Shocking new details have emerged concerning the woman who went overboard from a P&O cruise liner off the coast of New Caledonia on Thursday. Police in Queensland, Australia, say the woman, identified as 47-year-old Brisbane resident Natasha Schofield, did not fall off the deck of the Pacific Dawn due to weather conditions or a listing ship, but rather that she jumped off of her own accord while her husband stood by helplessly, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reports. This wasnt an accident, said police Inspector Rob Graham during a press conference on Sunday. Lets be open and honest about mental health. GUEST ON WOMAN GOING OVERBOARD: IT WAS 'THE WORST THING I'VE SEEN ON A CRUISE' Schofield, who was also accompanied on the cruise with her two teenage sons and one teenage daughter, had reportedly been walking along the top deck of the ship with her husband on Thursday afternoon just before she leaped over the side, Graham said. I saw them leaning on the rails and I saw the intentional actions of the missing person take two steps back and then propel herself over the railing, Graham stated, citing closed-circuit footage provided to police. I can also say that her husband tried in vain to grab her as she went over, grabbing onto her legs, but she was too far gone, and subsequently she fell. Schofields devastated husband immediately notified crew, who began rescue operations. Were just lucky that theres not two people missing, Graham added. WATCH: MSC CRUISE SMASHES INTO DOCK UPON ARRIVAL IN HONDURAS Schofield first went overboard on Thursday afternoon at approximately 4 p.m., amid the Pacific Dawns week-long cruise through the Caribbean. The ship turned around and conducted search and rescue operations for Schofield, and life preservers were also thrown in the womans direction. A photo from a passenger confirms as much, with The Sun reporting that Schofield's head may be visible just a few feet to the right of the life preserver. The search was called off early Friday morning. The captain informed guests the cruise would be continuing on toward Brisbane. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the guest and her family at this time," said P&O in a statement obtained by Fox News on Friday. On Friday, it was also reported that Schofield might have fallen off the deck of the ship, possibly due to a strong waves causing the ship to list from side to side. P&O denied any such conditions affecting the ship on that afternoon. PREGNANT WOMAN UPSET WITH DISNEY CRUISE LINE AFTER FAMILY ESCORTED OUT BY ARMED OFFICER Damon Smith, a man who says he was close friends with Schofield, stated in a Facebook post that Schofield would never "intentionally hurt her husband or children." She must have arrived in a very dark and desperate place in her mind, very very quickly, read the post, per News.com.au. The Pacific Dawn returned to Brisbane on Sunday. P&O Cruises, which is operated by Carnival Australia, has stated that it is cooperating with the investigation. We will be able to give police CCTV footage providing an unobstructed view of what happened and portraying an obviously devoted and loving couple, said Carnival, per the AAP. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and hope that they will find comfort in their grief. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The cruise operator is also making counseling services available for guests and crew members of the Pacific Dawn. The Ohio woman who died two years after she was doused in gasoline and set ablaze could testify during her ex-boyfriends murder trial, in the form of a taped recording and her mother is standing by the decision. A judge ruled Friday that the videotaped testimony from Judy Malinowski, 33, could be used during the trial, Fox 28 reported. Judy fought to tell her story, her mother, Bonnie Bowes told WCMH. I think its the first step toward what her legacy should and will be. Malinowski, a mother of two, testified five months before she died last June, reportedly expecting that the recording would be played during the trial. She was extremely frail and she was burned, but yet could very clearly articulate what happened, where she was, fear, everything that you would expect, Bowes said. Im so proud of her and I know one day Ill see her, although my heart will be forever broken without her. Malinowskis ex-boyfriend, Michael Slager, was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading no contest in 2016 to charges including felonious assault and aggravated arson. After Malinowskis death, a grand jury indicted Slager on aggravated murder and murder charges. He could face the death penalty, if convicted. Malinowski was engulfed in flames in 2015 behind a gas station in Gahanna, a Columbus suburb. She suffered third and fourth degree burns on about 90 percent of her body. She lost both of her ears and two fingers in the attack, as Fox News previously reported, and was left with open wounds on her back and buttocks. She underwent 56 surgeries before she died. Although she could barely speak, Malinowski managed to say to the media from her hospital bed before she died: I never knew that a human being could be so evil. He just stood there and did nothing. God please, please help me, she said. Malinowski inspired Ohio legislation known as Judys Law requiring six additional years in prison for crimes that permanently maim or disfigure victims. Her two daughters said the law helped them know their mom did not suffer in vain. Jury selection for the trial is slated to begin July 6, according to the New York Daily News. His defense attorneys argued against allowing the testimony from Malinowski saying prosecutors improperly relied on civil law rather than criminal law to obtain the recording. She may be the only victim to testify in their own murder trial, Slagers defense attorney Mark Collins said, according to People Magazine. Franklin County Judge Guy Reece called it an unprecedented situation because officials knew of no other case in which a victim would testify at his or her own murder trial. Malinowskis mother, Bonnie Bowes, said, according to The Columbus Dispatch, that she was so grateful that Judy can tell her story. She went to her grave thinking that the judicial system would unseal her side of the story. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Officials in Greensboro, N.C., said one person was killed Sunday after a tornado struck the city, part of a severe storm system that also dumped two feet of snow on parts of the Upper Midwest and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands. Greensboro police gave no immediate details about the death. However, Fox 8 reported that the victim was a motorist who was hit by a falling tree. Authorities declared a state of emergency in the city after high winds reportedly damaged at least seven homes and destroyed one mobile classroom. About 75,000 homes and businesses were without power late Sunday afternoon in the Carolinas. Duke Energy said about 43,000 customers lacked power in North Carolina, and another 9,000 in South Carolina. South Carolina Electric and Gas Company reported 23,000 customers without power in South Carolina. The airport in Charlotte said on Twitter Sunday that severe weather briefly caused a ground stop and forced air traffic controllers to leave their tower. The ground stop was later lifted. The Greensboro death is at least the fourth to be blamed on the storm system which has stretched from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. A sleeping 2-year-old girl in Louisiana was killed when a tree fell on her family's recreational vehicle early Saturday. A Wisconsin woman was killed when she lost control of her minivan on slick roads and veered into an oncoming SUV. And an Idaho truck driver was killed when his semitrailer struck a semi in western Nebraska that had been stranded on a highway by the bad weather. At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where more than 13 inches of snow had fallen, 230 flights were canceled Sunday. Two runways were open, but winds were still strong and planes were being de-iced, spokesman Patrick Hogan said. On Saturday, the storm caused the cancellation of nearly 470 flights at the airport. The wintry grip on the Twin Cities continued to keep the boys of summer off the diamond, forcing the postponement of the third straight Minnesota Twins-Chicago White Sox game. The New Yankees and the Tigers were rained out Saturday in Detroit and had planned to play a doubleheader on Sunday, but those games also were postponed. The Los Angeles Angels at Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays at Cleveland Indians games also were rained out Sunday. The prolonged wintry weather is "starting to beat everybody down," said Erik Ordal, who lives in downtown Minneapolis and was taking his 3-month-old golden retriever puppy, Dakota, out for a walk in the snow. Ordal, who grew up in South Dakota, said he is used to the cold, snowy weather "but I'm certainly ready for some warmth." Two northeastern Wisconsin communities, Tigerton and Big Falls, received more than two feet of snow over the weekend, the National Weather Service in Green Bay reported. Parts of the state that were already blanketed were getting a second helping of snow on Sunday. The heavy snow caused part of a hotel roof to collapse over a pool at a hotel in Ashwaubenon, which is next to Green Bay, but no one was in the pool area at the time, and no one was hurt. The storm finally let up in South Dakota, allowing the airport in the state's largest city, Sioux Falls, to reopen for the first time since Thursday. Interstates 90 and 29 in parts of eastern South Dakota also reopened, and no-travel advisories were lifted across the state border in southwestern Minnesota. In Michigan, freezing rain that began falling overnight had left roads treacherous and cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses by midday Sunday even as heavy snow was forecast to dump a foot or more of snow on parts of the state's Upper Peninsula by early Monday. The storm system prompted Enbridge Energy to temporarily shutter twin oil and gas pipelines in Michigan that may have been recently damaged by a ship anchor strike. The Line 5 pipelines were temporarily shuttered Sunday afternoon due to a power outage at Enbridge's terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, Enbridge spokesman Ryan Duffy told The Detroit News. Enbridge decided to shut down the twin pipelines until weather conditions improve in the Straits of Mackinac, which links Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, Duffy said. In Arkansas, a tornado ripped through the tiny Ozark Mountain town of Mountainburg on Friday, injuring at least four people. In Texas, hail the size of hen eggs fell south of Dallas, according to meteorologist Patricia Sanchez. And another round of snow is possible midweek in the Upper Midwest, said meteorologist Eric Ahasic at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen, Minn. "It's not going to be as much snow as this one, thankfully," Ahasic said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A university in New York canceled classes Monday after the second murder of a student in five weeks. Binghamton University alerted students to the cancellation hours after first-year engineering student Joao Souza, 19, was stabbed to death on campus Sunday night. The university announced Monday evening that a suspect was in custody. Police said he was a student but did not give further details. Surveillance cameras captured the suspect leaving the murder scene wearing gloves and dark pants, his head covered in a hoodie and his face partly concealed. Binghamton University police released images from the video Monday afternoon. On March 9, Binghamton nursing student Haley Anderson, 22, of Westbury, Long Island, was found murdered at an off-campus residence. Due to yesterdays tragic event on campus, all classes are canceled today, Monday, April 16, the university said in a statement posted on its website just before 8 a.m. Souza's parents were in Brazil when they were notified of his death, Binghamton vice president Brian Rose told a news conference. They requested privacy, he said. University police found Souza seriously injured from stab wounds when they responded to a report of an assault in a dorm suite in Windham Hall after 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Binghamton University police chief Timothy Faughnan told reporters. Souza was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, Faughnan said. Police from multiple agencies investigating the stabbing told the university that the stabbing did not appear to be a random act. Rose said Souzas roommates had been moved to other locations on campus. Counseling was being offered to students and staff. Souza was a star soccer player in high school in Weschester County, a New York City suburb, Lohud.com reported. Anderson's murder shocked the Binghamton campus community. Authorities said she had been strangled, the New York Post reported. Binghamton student Orlando Tercero, 22, who was also studying to be a nurse, was arrested four days later in Nicaragua and charged with her murder. For the second time this semester weve struggled to absorb the news that one of our students has been killed, Rose said. Binghamton is part of the State University of New York system. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The bodies of a man and child found in an SUV that plunged into a California river were identified as members of the Thottapilly family who vanished in early April, authorities said Monday. Search crews on Sunday found the bodies of Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, and Saachi Thottapilly, 9, inside an SUV that was pulled from the Eel River in Leggett, Calif. Another womans body found about seven miles from the scene over the weekend was identified as 38-year-old Soumya Thottapilly. Police are still searching for the couples son, Siddhant Thottapilly, 12, who was believed to be with the rest of the family when the deadly incident occurred. Authorities began searching for the Thottapilly family after they vanished during a road trip from Portland, Ore., to their home in Santa Clarita. The family was traveling as a storm in Northern California dumped heavy rain in the area. The family was reported missing on April 8, when relatives said the four were supposed to visit them in San Jose. "They were such a nice family. They were very friendly, very outgoing," a neighbor previously told KTLA. "We always saw them walking up and down the street. They would ride scooters up and down the street and the grandparents would come to town." Mondays discovery comes just weeks after at least five members of the Hart family died when their SUV accelerated off an ocean overlook along the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern California. Three children remain missing in the incident, though police believe they were also in the vehicle when the crash happened. Authorities said Friday Jennifer Hart, the driver, was intoxicated when she drove off the cliff. Her wife, Sarah, and two of the six adopted children had a significant amount of an ingredient that can be found in Benadryl in their systems. None of the people in the vehicle were wearing seat belts at the time. It was built decades ago in one of Londons iconic cathedrals as a tribute to American soldiers who lost their lives during World War II and served as a reminder of the everlasting bond between allies who stuck together in the worlds greatest time of need. And now, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the opening of the American Memorial Chapel, the strength of that bond will be felt across the Atlantic Monday as the famed boy choir from St. Pauls Cathedral will be performing at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The free program is being streamed online, reflecting on themes of faith and sacrifice surrounding the war. There was a tremendous feeling of gratefulness and goodwill to the American servicemen that had done such marvelous work, and so many lives that had been lost to win the Second World War, Peter Chapman, a former member of the choir, told Fox News. Chapman, who toured the U.S. with the choir as an 11-year-old boy in 1953, went on to author a book on the shared history between St. Pauls Cathedral and America and will be speaking about it Monday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. In addition to remarks from him and the Dean of St. Pauls, the boy choir will be singing music from England, France, songs from the 1953 tour and selections from German composer Felix Mendelssohn. The sold-out New Orleans stop on the choirs ongoing U.S. tour is the first time they have visited the city since the 1950s, the museum says. With us being here this time... [we thought] this would be a unique location, not a traditional cathedral to hold this concert, Lauren Handley, the museums assistant director for public programs, told Fox News. The facility is expecting a crowd of around 800 in its U.S. Freedom Pavilion, where the event will unfold underneath a B-17 Flying Fortress hanging overhead. Chapman said the idea of the American Memorial Chapel in St. Pauls started with Royal Air Force Marshal Hugh Trenchard, who had been concerned that there was no dedication to the 28,000 Americans who died in World War II while based in Britain. A year after the war ended, Trenchard met with the dean of St. Pauls, who recommended using a space on the east end of the cathedral which had been reduced to rubble during the German Blitz of London as a site to pay tribute to those American heroes. Around 60 percent of the costs to construct the chapel were then donated by the British public, who dropped coins and bills in tin cans as they left movie theaters across the country where a short film was playing about the memorial and why it was being built, Chapman told Fox News. He added that even President Dwight Eisenhower offered financial help, but the committee planning the chapel didnt take it and insisted it was a gift from the British. In November 1958, the chapel which has stained-glass windows featuring all the state symbols opened with a dedication ceremony attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Richard Nixon, who then was a vice president. In addition to wood carvings of the birds, plants and flowers of the U.S., it also features a 500-page, leather-bound book listing the 28,000 Americans based in Britain who gave their lives during the war. "Defending freedom from the fierce assault of tyranny they shared the honor and the sacrifice, the book opens. Though they died before the dawn of victory their names and deed will long be remembered where ever free men live. St. Pauls says thousands of those whose names are listed in the book died in Normandy on D-Day and in other battles in mainland Europe right up until the end of the war. The next year, Eisenhower visited and wrote his own message in the book, saying that those whose names here appear, were part of the price that free men have been forced a second time to pay in this century to defend human liberty and rights. Fittingly, this roll of honor has been enshrined by the Mother Country of all English-speaking democracies in this special chapel of St Pauls, once a target of barbaric attack, he wrote. Here, we and all who shall hereafter live in freedom will be reminded that to these men and their comrades of all the Allies we owe a debt to be paid with grateful remembrance of their sacrifice and with the high resolve that the cause for which they died shall live eternally. Now each year, St. Pauls invites all Americans to a Thanksgiving service in London. There are a lot of American tourists who come to Britain and visit the chapel, Chapman told Fox News. I have taken people around there and people who had relations who those who were lost we look at their names in the roll of honor and that is deeply meaningful to the people who are there. Chapman, who sang for Eisenhower at the White House in 1953, before he visited the chapel, said the president greeted us all personally with a handshake and a beaming smile. After the New Orleans performance, the choir will be performing in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Memphis and New York City. 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. A Florida high school student who triggered an international discussion on whether women should have to wear bras is mobilizing girls to go braless to protest dress codes she says are unfairly strict for girls. The Bradenton Herald reports Lizzy Martinez' "Bracott" will take place at Braden River High on Monday, according to Twitter posts from her account. Martinez is encouraging her female classmates to arrive to school braless to send a message to school administrators that requiring the undergarment is sexist. On April 2, Martinez didn't wear a bra and said school administrators told her to cover her nipples because they were distracting her classmates. The dress code doesn't specifically address bras. A district spokesman declined to comment. It isn't clear how the district will respond if several students participate in the protest. Five former members of a Florida State University fraternity pleaded guilty on Monday and will serve jail time in the hazing death of Andrew Coffey. The men Kyle Bauer, Brett Birmingham, Christopher Hamlin, Conner Ravelo and John Ray pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor hazing, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. FLORIDA STUDENT'S DRINKING DEATH RENEWS CALLS FOR AGGRESSIVE 'CULTURE CHANGE' IN FRATERNITIES Bauer, Birmingham, Hamlin and Ray will spend spend 60 days in jail. Ravelo will spend 30 days in jail after already serving 20 days and cooperating with investigators. All five men are former brothers of the Pi Kappi Phi fraternity. All of the men faced up to five years in prison for a felony hazing charge before agreeing to plead guilty to a misdemeanor hazing charge. The pledge, 20-year-old Coffey, died of alcohol poisoning at an off-campus house party in November. His mother, Sandra, reportedly said in her victim impact statement that Coffey's loved ones "are heartbroken and sickened by what happened to him at Pi Kappa Phi's Big Brother night." "We talk about Andrew every single day but now we talk about what could have been and what should have been. We cannot believe that he is no longer with us." Florida State temporarily suspended alcohol and social functions at fraternities and sororities following the incident. Four other men remain charged and are scheduled to go to trial in June. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A convicted cop killer currently on the FBIs list of most-wanted terrorists was cut a check for thousands of dollars earlier this month by a North Carolina county court due to a land deal. Assata Shakur, also known as Joanne Chesimard, the godmother of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, received $15,351.39 from New Hanover County as compensation for a land deal, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. A private company had sought Shakur because she is one of the last descendants of the Freeman family that owns land near Freeman Park in Carolina Beach, the Port City Daily reported. The Superior Court of New Hanover negotiated a sale price with the Freeman descendants, according to the newspaper. The judge signed a court order April 3, saying the court wasnt aware of any legal reason to withhold payment to Shakur despite being wanted by federal authorities. The final sale had been delayed because Shakurs whereabouts were unknown, the News & Observer reported. The FBI and U.S. Attorneys Office were investigating whether the deal broke any laws, the Port City Daily reported. Shakur is suspected in a series of early 1970s incidents linked to black revolutionary groups in New York City including a bank robbery, grenade attack and the ambushing of police officers in Queens and Brooklyn. She was convicted of shooting a New Jersey trooper to death in 1973, but she escaped prison and, in the early 1980s, fled to Cuba, where she was granted political asylum. A riot spurred over money, territory and contraband at one of South Carolinas most dangerous prisons left seven inmates dead and 17 others injured, a South Carolina prisons director said Monday. Lee Correctional Institution in Bisthopville, 55 miles east of Columbia, was secured at around 2:55 a.m., nearly eight hours after multiple fights broke out in three housing units Sunday night, prison spokesman Jeff Taillon said. The incident started around 7:15 p.m., he said. Corrections Director Bryan Stirling said Monday afternoon the fights began in one unit partially about cellphones. That fight appeared to be contained until more fights broke out in two other units. Stirling said a special SWAT team arrived at the building and the inmates gave up peacefully. The riot was the deadliest in the United States in the past 25 years. All prison staff and responding law enforcement officers were reported safe after the incident, the South Carolina Department of Corrections wrote in a tweet. The department added the State Law Enforcement Division was assisting prison officials in its investigation. Emergency services from several South Carolina counties responded to the mass casualty incident, Lee County Fire wrote in a tweet. Lee County Coroner Larry Logan told The Associated Press that the seven inmates who were killed during the riot died of stabbing and slashing wounds. Logan said he arrived at a chaotic scene. "How else are you going to die in prison? They don't have guns," he said. Other details surrounding the multiple fights that had broken out were scarce, but one inmate who witnessed the incident told The Associated Press he saw bodies stacked on top of each other and that correctional officers didnt do anything to quench the violence or check on the wounded inmates. "I just saw three dead on the sidewalk outside of my unit. One guy is still alive and breathing, but just barely," the inmate said, adding he wasnt sure what started the riot. The inmate spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution from other inmates and because of the prisons no cellphone policy. SOUTH CAROLINA PUSHES FOR CELLPHONE JAMMING TECHNOLOGY IN PRISONS Most of the inmates are affiliated with gangs and several attackers taunted a rival gang member who was wounded. "I just saw three dead on the sidewalk outside of my unit. One guy is still alive and breathing, but just barely." Witness to AP The inmates killed were identified as Eddie Gaskins, 32; Joshua Jenkins, 33; Corneilus McClary, 33; Michael Milledge, 44; Damonte Rivera, 24; Corey Scott, 36; and Raymond Scott, 28. The crimes the seven inmates were charged with ranged from criminal domestic violence, kidnapping and armed robbery. Rivera was in prison for the most serious offense, murder, and was serving a life sentence without parole. State Rep. Mike Pitts, R-Laurens, warned of escalating violence in the states prisons. "Prisons are becoming more and more dangerous just like I said they would two years ago," Pitts told the Post and Courier. "We've concentrated the worst of the worst. At the same time, we have not been able to keep pace with the correctional officers we need. That puts a lot of stress on officers there and forces a lot of overtime on them. A spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster told the AP he had complete confidence in Stirling. Lee Correctional has been the site of several recent violent eruptions. In March, inmates at the prison held an officer hostage after taking control of a dorm room, The State reported. The inmates held the officer for about 25 minutes before the room was secured by law enforcement. In February, one inmate was killed by another inmate in a fight. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Fire crews in Arizona's largest city used the "Jaws of Life" in a desperate effort to free an injured horse discovered inside an abandoned trailer Saturday. The Phoenix Fire Department said the horse was found trapped upside-down, with its head on the ground behind the trailer hitch. Fire crews believe the vehicle that was towing the trailer crashed, causing the horse to be pushed forward and break part of the rusted-out trailer, according to FOX10 Phoenix. In videos posted by the fire department, crews can be seen using a hydraulic tool known as the "Jaws of Life" to cut away at the metal wreckage in order to free the horse. A veterinarian had sedated the animal before fire crews started work to free it. PENNSYLVANIA STATE CREWS RESCUE GOATS STRANDED ON BRIDGE BEAM The horse is now being treated for its injuries by the Arizona Equine Rescue Organization. Phoenix Police told FOX10 they are now looking for the driver of the vehicle that was towing the trailer. Vice President Mike Pence's choice to be his new national security adviser has withdrawn from consideration after President Donald Trump got wind of the plan to hire someone associated with anti-Trump ads in the past. The White House says Jon Lerner, an adviser to the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has withdrawn from the proposed dual role with the vice president. Alyssa Farah, a Pence spokeswoman, says Lerner informed Pence on Sunday night that he was withdrawing and Pence accepted his decision. Lerner is a longtime Republican strategist who advised Haley's campaigns for South Carolina governor. He also worked with the Club for Growth, which aired ads critical of Trump during the 2016 campaign. Trump's push to block Lerner's appointment was first reported by Axios. The manager of a Philadelphia Starbucks who called police because two black men were allegedly trespassing in the store reportedly left the company Monday. The manager, who wasnt immediately identified, and Starbucks mutually agreed to part ways, a spokeswoman told the Philadelphia Inquirer. The resignation comes as dozens of protesters packed the storefront where the two men were arrested. Protesters chanted Starbucks coffee is anti-black. This is what systemic white supremacy looks like," one protester said into a microphone. A Starbucks regional manager told FOX29 Philadelphia the protesters could remain in the store as long as the demonstrations remained peaceful. No cop zone, no cop zone, they know better, the protesters chanted. "No good cops in a racist system." Protesters were surrounded by uniformed and plainclothes police officers. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson apologized again for the manager calling the police on the men who they thought were trespassing after the men were told to leave and failing to do so. Johnson hopes to meet with the men face-to-face and personally apologize, he told the Inquirer. In watching the video, it was painful, he said. It is my responsibility to ensure that we do a complete review and to make sure we understand how this could ever happen. Johnson said Starbucks managers will now be trained on unconscious bias after the incident. Demonstrators over the weekend called for the firing of the employee who contacted the police and had the men arrested last week. Police officers were told the men had asked to use the stores bathroom but were detained because they hadnt bought anything and they refused to leave. On Sunday, Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Richard Ross defended the officers for detaining the two men. The police did not just happen upon this event, they did not just walk into Starbucks to get a coffee, he said in a Facebook video. They were called there, for a service, and that service had to do with quelling a disturbance, a disturbance that had to do with trespassing." Ross said the officers followed policy and did what they were supposed to do. He said that his department makes sure that officers receive implicit bias training. "I will say, that as an African-American male, I am very aware of implicit bias," Ross said. "We are committed to fair and unbiased policing and anything less than that will not be tolerated in this department." Johnson said in a statement Saturday the company's practices and training led to a "bad outcome," and the reason for the call that brought police into the shop was incorrect. "Our store manager never intended for these men to be arrested and this should never have escalated as it did," said the statement. Johnson said videos of the arrest were "very hard to watch," and the company was investigating. Police didnt release the names of the men who were arrested. The two men were released after the district attorneys office said there wasnt sufficient evidence a crime had been committed. Fox News Travis Fedschun and the Associated Press contributed to this report. A Texas man was sentenced to life in prison on Monday after a jury convicted him of killing a female college student whose body was found inside of a kiddie pool dismembered and charred, with her heart cut out. Charles Dean Bryant, 31, was found guilty of murder in the death of 24-year-old Jacqueline Vandagriff, whom he had met at a bar in September 2016, KXAS-TV reported. 'KINKY SEX,' NOT MURDER, CAUSED COLLEGE STUDENT'S DEATH, LAWYER SAYS Bryant was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for tampering with evidence. The sentences will be served concurrently. Bryants defense attorney, Glynis McGinty, argued that Vandagriff, who was a student at Texas Womans University in Denton, died accidentally during kinky consensual sex with Bryant. The lawyer said a plastic tie was placed around Vandagriffs neck, causing asphyxiation, and Bryant panicked. Prosecutors argued that theres no evidence Bryant and Vandagriff had sex. Bryant, according to McGinty, then disposed of the 24-year-olds body "He went to Walmart at 4 a.m. and bought a shovel and goes back to his house where he had left Jackie and tried to dig a hole but the earth was too hard but he did not commit murder. BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY CANCELS CLASSES AFTER SECOND STUDENT MURDER IN 5 WEEKS Prosecutor Lucas Allan countered that Bryant didnt freak out because Vandagriff died, but that he deliberately killed her and calmly dismembered her body while cutting out her heart. "Why cut out the heart? What does it have to do with disposing of a body? He cut her heart out," Allan told jurors on Monday, according to the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. "I want that image to sink in." Vandagriff was found dead on Sept. 14, 2016, in Acorn Woods Park near Grapevine Lake, roughly 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Her body, according to an arrest affidavit, was found inside of a kiddie pool, and firefighters determined that an accelerant was used to start the fire. The college student had reportedly met Bryant at a bar in Denton and went to a second bar before leaving together. Her cell phone was traced back to Bryants home, and her purse was found in his trash, The Dallas Morning News reported, citing a police affidavit. Court records show Bryant had been arrested twice in early September 2016, just a week before his date with Vandagriff, for allegedly stalking his teenage ex-girlfriend, who told police she had seen a blue kiddie pool in his backyard. FRAT BROTHERS PLEAD GUILTY, RECEIVE JAIL TIME IN FLORIDA STATE HAZING DEATH The jury deliberated the sentences for about an hour Monday afternoon. The same jurors convicted Bryant earlier Monday after less than three hours of deliberation. Bryant's attorney sought a 20-year sentence for his client. Fox News Caleb Parke and The Associated Press contributed to this report. China and Japan have resumed high-level economic talks after a hiatus of nearly eight years in a sign of improving ties in their often-frosty relationship. The Japan-China High-Level Economic Dialogue was being held Monday in Tokyo for the first time since August 2010. The Chinese side was led by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister for bilateral talks since 2009. Asia's two largest economies have reason to cooperate in the face of President Donald Trump's moves to impose tariffs on imports from their countries and his demands that they open their markets more to American exports. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is headed to the United States this week to meet Trump. Hundreds of Syrians came out to the streets of Damascus on Monday to rally in support of the regimes army and leader Bashar al-Assad following Saturdays U.S.-led airstrikes against the countrys chemical weapon facilities. State TV broadcast the rally live from the central Omayyad Square where regime supporters were seen waving Syrian flags as a salute to the achievements of the Arab Syrian Army and set off fireworks and unleashed celebratory gunfire. Shouts of Allah, Syria, and only Bashar were also heard at the rally. The U.S.-led airstrikes targeted sites that were reportedly linked to the regimes chemical weapons program. The three nations claimed Assad was responsible for the alleged chemical attack on April 7 in the town of Douma, just outside of Damascus. Syrian activists said over 40 people were killed in the attack, but the Syrian government denied being the perpetrator, while Russia accused Britain of staging the attack themselves as a pretext for bombing Syria. The Organization of the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived to Syria to investigate the origins of the attack but it remains unclear what sort of evidence could be uncovered as Syrian government security agencies and Russian military police have already been deployed in Douma after it fell under government control. The airstrikes led to increasing tensions on the global stage, with both the U.S. and Russia exchanging threats. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Sunday that Russia will be subjected to new economic sanctions amid its support for Assad. PUTIN WARNS CHAOS WILL ENSUE IF WEST STRIKES SYRIA AGAIN Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, said the strikes were illegal under the U.N. Charter and any further escalation in Syria will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations, according to according to a statement from the Kremlin. But despite tough words, Syrian media, Russian and Syrian officials have tried to downplay the impact of the joint bombing by the western powers, saying the Syrian regime army have intercepted most of the missiles. The Pentagon claims no missiles were engaged. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Canadian alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur is now facing an eighth murder charge the death of a Sri Lankan man who had not been reported missing. Toronto police Detective Sgt. Hank Idsinga said Monday the 66-year-old landscaper has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam. Idsinga said Kanagaratnam's remains were found at a home McArthur used as storage for his landscaping business. The remains of seven others have also been found in large planters at the home. Idsinga said Kanagaratnam, 37, arrived from Sri Lanka in 2010 and was not on file as missing. He lived in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough and had no direct family in Canada. Investigators said he was identified after they took the rare step of releasing photographs of his corpse and appealed to the public for help. Police received more than 500 tips. Idsinga said identification was confirmed with assistance of an international government agency. Police said there are currently no known links between Kanagaratnam and the "Gay Village" of Toronto which other victims are known to have visited. The alleged victims fit a pattern: Most were of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent and lived on the margins of Canadian society, their disappearances attracting little attention. One alleged victim hid the fact that he was gay from his Muslim family. Another was a recent immigrant with a drug problem. Another alleged victim was homeless, smoked crack cocaine and worked as a prostitute. "There's enough information on the backgrounds of these people that people can draw their own conclusions on that," Idsinga said. Police say McArthur targeted men he encountered through dating apps that cater to gay men, meeting them at bars in the "Gay Village" area of Toronto. Police believe Kanagaratnam was killed between Sept. 3 and Dec. 14, 2015. Idsinga said he had some cousins that lived in the greater Toronto area. Idsinga more remains might be found in the planters at the home McArthur used as storage and that 75 properties linked to the landscaper are under investigation. Police plan to search them once the weather warms in early May. "We have a lot of searches still to do," he said. Idsinga said investigators are looking into 15 other cold cases dating back to the 1975, but have not found a connection. McArthur made a brief video court appearance on Monday to hear the new murder charge. He has not entered a plea. His lawyer has previously declined to comment on the case and didn't immediately respond to messages for comment on Monday. A gaunt and reportedly demoralized American pastor detained in Turkey pleaded his innocence in a courtroom on Monday, denying charges he committed military espionage and that hes aligned with a terrorist group. He faces a possible 35-year sentence, if convicted. "I am a Christian pastor, Andrew Brunson said during the hearing. I did not join an Islamic movement. Their aims and mine are different." The Turkish government has charged the 50-year-old American of being a terrorist. But his attorneys claim the Christian minister, who has shepherded a small church in Turkey for 23 years, is a political pawn. "How could [Turkey], with a straight face, put forth this indictment that they know...we're going to read and see right through their scam that they have nothing on Pastor Brunson, said CeCei Heil with the American Center for Law and Justice, which is helping to represent Brunson. He has done nothing. He is an innocent pastor who has simply lived out his faith in Turkey." The Turkish Government has accused Brunson of being a co-conspirator of the exiled Turkish Imam Fethullah Gulen. Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan said Gulen orchestrated the failed coup attempt in 2016, from his home in Pennsylvania. Part of the 62-page indictment against Brunson cites secret witnesses and covert espionage tactics. It reads, in part, that he's guilty of, "committing crimes on behalf of the organization despite not being a member of the organization, and disclosing State information that must remain confidential for political or military espionage." Turkey has filed extradition papers with the U.S. against Gulen, which are still being reviewed. The State Department has called the charges against Brunson ridiculous and has asked for his release. President Trump and Vice President Pence have both brought up Brunson's case with President Erdogan, asking for his release. The U.S. has a team in Turkey observing the trial. It includes former Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, the U.S. Ambassador at Large for Religious Freedom. "The administration is deeply concerned about this case, Brownback said. We completely believe factually he is innocent." Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Armed Services Committee, is part of the team in Turkey. This pastor was in the United States after the coup and after Erdogan was rounding up people all across the country, he told Fox News last Friday. Does anybody really believe that he would have traveled back to a country that he felt like he could have been swept up into that?" Meanwhile, the year and a half of imprisonment has taken a personal toll on Brunson and his family. He's demoralized because he's been in prison for months even though he's innocent, said Ismail Cem Halavurt, his Turkish defense attorney. He missed his daughter's wedding, he missed his child's graduation. He is demoralized for staying in prison for so long despite not having committed a crime." His daughter, Jacqueline Furnari, said her father feels broken and very confused, but that his faith has been strengthened. "He's been digging into his relationship with God," she said, "and then giving everything to him and saying God my life is in your hands your will be done and this is all to your glory." Raul Castro's time in office has seen dramatic changes in Americans' ability to travel to Cuba, with a dramatic opening under U.S. President Barack Obama, then a partial reduction under President Donald Trump: ___ BEFORE DETENTE Before former President Barack Obama launched detente with Cuba in December 2014, most Americans without family ties to Cuba could travel to the island only on expensive guided tours dedicated to full-time "meaningful interaction" with the Cuban people and in principle at least avoiding activities that could be considered tourism, which is illegal under U.S. law. "People-to-people" tour companies needed special licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department and were regularly audited and faced steep fines or loss of licenses for allowing travelers to engage in tourism. In Cuba, U.S. tour companies were required to contract guides, tour buses and hotel rooms from the Cuban government, meaning U.S. travelers were effectively under the constant supervision of the government. As a result, they were often presented with activities and talks favoring Cuba government positions on domestic and international issues. ___ OBAMA'S REFORMS Obama eliminated the tour requirement, allowing Americans to travel to Cuba on individual "people-to-people" trips that were in reality indistinguishable from travel to any other country in the world. Travelers were legally required to maintain logs of their "people-to-people" schedules, but the Obama administration made clear it would not enforce the requirement. Online lodging booker Airbnb was allowed into Cuba and commercial flights between the U.S. and Cuba resumed after more than half a century. As a result, U.S. travel to Cuba roughly tripled by the time Obama left office. U.S. travelers engaged in what amounted to illegal tourism, but also pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into independent restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts that drove the growth of Cuba's nascent private sector. ___ TRUMP'S ROLLBACK Trump re-imposed the requirement that "people-to-people" travelers could only come to Cuba with heavily regulated tour groups. Many Cuban entrepreneurs have seen reductions in the numbers of American travelers, whose business allowed many private Cuban businesses to flourish after the start of detente. The policy also banned most American financial transactions with the military-linked conglomerate that dominates much of the Cuban economy, including dozens of hotels, along with state-run restaurants and tour buses. Most individual American travelers ignore the ban or are unaware of it, and tour groups have found myriad ways of doing business with the Cuban government while respecting the letter of the regulation, for example by doing businesses with the Tourism Ministry and other organizations without direct military ties. Individual American travelers are still legally able to go to Cuba for the purpose of supporting the Cuban people, a category that includes helping human rights organizations and non-governmental groups meant to strengthen democracy and civil society. In real terms, this sort of travel is largely undistinguishable from people-to-people trips, with Americans visiting the same private businesses, organic farms and musical venues they did under Obama. Cuban government figures show that 2017 was a record year for tourism, with 4.7 million visitors pumping more than $3 billion into the island's otherwise struggling economy. Most were Canadians, Cuban-Americans and Europeans, who face no restrictions. Still, the number of American travelers without family ties topped 600,000, more than six times the pre-Obama level. But amid the boom an 18 percent overall increase over 2016 owners of private restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts reported a sharp drop-off. In large part that's because much of the American travel since Trump's regulation has been in cruise ship passengers, a form of travel that the new administration did not restrict. Cruise ship passengers spend all or nearly all of their time in Cuba in activities organized by the Cuban government. That means that so far, Trump's regulations are steering money into the hands of the Cuban government and away from private businesses, the opposite of their intended effect. ___ Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweissenstein Canadian alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur is now facing an eighth murder charge. Toronto police Detective Sgt. Hank Idsinga said Monday the 66-year-old landscaper has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam. Idsinga says Kanagaratnam's remains were found at a home McArthur used as storage for his landscaping business. He said Kanagaratnam arrived from Sri Lanka in 2010 and was not on file as missing in Canada. Investigators say he was identified after they released photographs of the man and appealed to the public for help. Police say there are no links between Kanagaratnam and "Gay Village" of Toronto. The other victims have been linked. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed a renewed economic partnership to boost growth, jobs and investments in their two countries. In a joint news conference in Paris, Trudeau praised the "benefits" of a trade deal between Canada and the European Union that came largely into effect last September. Trudeau said "we already see the results" of the new trade rules, called the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CETA). Canadian imports from France have increased 4 percent last year and Canadian investments in France have jumped 23 percent, he said. Trudeau insists the deal included rules to protect workers' rights and the environment, but CETA had triggered many protests across Europe, with critics arguing it weakens European labor laws. A massive tunnel built by the Hamas terror group in northern Gaza -- the "longest and deepest" one ever found -- has been destroyed after the Israeli military infiltrated the territory, officials said. The passage near Nahal Oz was reported to be connected to a network of other tunnels in the Gaza Strip. Isreal's military said the tunnel was "kilometers" long, but the exact length and depth was not immediately clear. A tunnel in which millions of dollars were invested, money that instead of relieving the strain on residents, was buried in the sand, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said after the tunnel was sealed up this weekend. Residents of Gaza, Hamas is burning your money on tunnels to nowhere. We will get our hands on all of them. Israel had been monitoring construction of the tunnel network for years but decided to move in after tunnel diggers began working their way up to the surface, a military spokesman told The Times of Israel. This was clearly a terror tunnel that connected to other tunnels in the Gaza Strip, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said. It extended into Israel and violated Israeli sovereignty. The tunnel went through a border section that Hamas, especially in the last two weeks, has turned into an area of terror and fighting, Israels military said. It also was the fifth tunnel from Gaza to Israel that has been destroyed in recent months, according to Conricus, and it reportedly extended tens of yards into Israeli territory. The [Israeli Defense Forces] doesnt seek an escalation. We are defending our borders, Conricus told The Times of Israel. We will not tolerate or allow Hamas to turn the border area into an active combat zone. Conricus said the tunnel was adjacent to the site of recent mass protests, which Israel says Hamas is using as a cover for attacks. In the last two weeks, 28 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,500 wounded by Israeli fire. The marches have been organized by Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, but large turnouts on two preceding Fridays were also driven by Gaza's dire living conditions and desperation among the territory's 2 million residents, who have been enduring a crippling border closure by Israel and Egypt since 2007, according to the Associated Press. Conricus said Hamas began building the tunnel following the 2014 war. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. During the most recent conflict in 2014, Israel destroyed 32 tunnels. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Horrified tourists watched as a mans body washed ashore at a popular Mexican beach resort this weekend, the latest -- and most visible -- example of the country's soaring murder rate. The body was reported at Acapulcos Caletilla Beach around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Guerrero government officials wrote on Facebook. Local residents and tourists were pictured on the beach as soldiers removed the body. Officials eventually located the alleged gunman, who said he and the victim were fishermen arguing over drug sales when the deadly shooting happened, the government said. The grim find comes as Mexico continues to battle skyrocketing murder rates due to its war on drug trafficking. The recent spike in violence is reportedly due to cartels fighting for territory, USA Today reported. Two people were killed in late March in Acapulco after shots were fired during a car robbery, Reuters reported. Dozens of people also fled a Good Friday procession that day. In Cancun, another popular spring break destination on Mexicos east coast, 14 people were killed and five were injured within 36 hours last week, Noticaribe reported. The deaths occurred in six separate incidents, with homicides in Cancun totaling more than 100. Mexico is already on track to beat the record 30,000 homicides recorded last year. A Canadian couple may face charges after live-streaming their home-brewed sting operation Thursday against a man they called a "predator" looking to have sex with their 13-year-old daughter. The supposed suitor, an unidentified 28-year-old man, has not been charged for showing up to the parents' home in Port Alberti, British Columbia, CTV reported. The girl's mother reportedly invited the man to her home after intercepting sexually explicit messages she says the man had sent her daughter via Instagram. Dramatic footage taken from the house shows the hogtied man writhing on the floor as a woman berates him. (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE CONTENT) "He wanted to be her first," says the person videotaping the incident, which was broadcast on Facebook Live. "We f***ing tackled him and zap strapped him and called the police." "Shouldn't a guy be able to protect his own family in his house?" Father of 13-year-old girl who helped hogtie 'predator' Then, after police arrive a short time later, the woman announces on the video: "I'm arrested because we caught a predator the police refused to catch." The teen girl's mother, who is also not being identified to protect the identity of the minor, told CTV in an interview that she had alerted the police more than a month before the episode -- but got no real response. "They wouldn't even look at my phone. They just said to block him and forget it," she claimed. "I've been waiting for six weeks for the police to give me a name behind the Instagram account." VIGILANTE POTHOLE TEAM TAKES ACTION IN CALIFORNIA, IRKS AUTHORITIES The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the country's federal law enforcement body, disputed that account. According to authorities, the man in the video was in fact under investigation for child solicitation since March, after the mother brought the matter to their attention. "The police had directed her not to take matters into her own hands, that we were investigating it," an RCMP spokesman told CTV. "She was directed not to make the meet happen." For their part, the parents of the daughter are sticking to their guns. They are reportedly under investigation and facing potential charges for assault and unlawful restraint. "Shouldn't a guy be able to protect his own family in his house?" the father told The San Francisco Chronicle. "This is ridiculous, and I felt that was the best way to do it." Added the mother: "If I get charged, I still feel it was the right thing." Although the recent Syrian airstrikes were double the size of last years, President Trump reportedly selected one of the more restrained proposals designed by the Pentagon. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported that Trump was presented with a wide array of options. There were intense discussions on the best approach after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis presented the three military options, the report said. Trump chose a restrained response. The paper reported that the most expansive proposal included airstrikes on Russian air defense capabilities in Syria. The attack would have been three times the size of the operation carried outwhich included 100 advanced missiles launched at three targets. Trump reportedly wanted his team to consider the strikes on Iranian and Russian targets, but Mattis resisted. Mattis reportedly warned of a possible Russian and Iranian response. Russia has military forces, including air defenses, in several areas of Syria to support President Bashar Assad in his long war against anti-government rebels. The nighttime Syria assault was carefully limited to minimize civilian casualties and avoid direct conflict with Syria's key ally, Russia, but confusion arose over the extent to which Washington warned Moscow in advance. The Pentagon said it gave no explicit warning. The U.S. ambassador in Moscow, John Huntsman, said in a video, "Before we took action, the United States communicated with" Russia to "reduce the danger of any Russian or civilian casualties." As of Monday morning, neither Syria nor its Russian or Iranian allies retaliated, Pentagon officials said. The U.S.-led operation won broad Western support. The NATO alliance gave its full backing; NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Brussels that the attack was about ensuring that chemical weapons cannot be used with impunity. The Associated Press contributed to this report Page Content The Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER) of the European Committee of the Regions met in Tenerife to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the economic, social and territorial development of the EUs outermost regions. The message is clear: the potential of the outermost regions is still untapped and more investments are needed to convert overseas territories into innovation hubs that foster growth and jobs while they reinforce EUs strategic position globally. The COTER seminar has been hosted by the president of the Canary Islands Fernando Clavijo (ES/ALDE) as a follow up to the adoption of the CoR opinion Towards full implementation of the renewed European Strategy for the Outermost Regions last January for which he was the rapporteur. The outermost regions are a land of opportunities for the European Union, said president Fernando Clavijo in his opening speech in Tenerife. It is essential that we keep a strong cohesion policy after 2020 to overcome the remoteness and territorial isolation of our communities and to give our citizens the same opportunities in education, employment and prosperity as other European citizens, added president Clavijo. In relation to the EUs renewed strategy, president Clavijo, who currently holds the Presidency of the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions, reiterated his commitment to follow its implementation closely to ensure it matches the needs and expectations of the outermost regions. Petr Osvald (CZ/PES), president of the COTER commission and Member of the Plzen City Council declared: Cohesion policy has been and should remain the most powerful tool of the European Union to invest in our regions and bring prosperity for all citizens. We need a strong cohesion policy in the next EU budget, in order to provide outermost regions with the necessary means to bridge the inequality gap and maximise their growth potential. In this respect, I am proud that more than 4000 elected representatives, institutions and associations have already given their support to the Cohesion Alliance. Rodolphe Alexandre, president of the French territory of Guiana stressed: Cohesion policy is a vital tool for the development of Guiana and for the rest of the EUs outermost regions. It is the main investment tool in the outermost regions and has greatly contributed to create growth and jobs in our territories. Maintaining and reinforcing cohesion policy after 2020 is our absolute priority. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria addressed the COTER members in the closing session underlining that The Spanish government is committed to defend a strong cohesion policy as a key element in the future of the European Union. Representatives discussed the best ways to put the EUs renewed strategy for the outermost regions into practice. The COTER seminar included a first session focusing on the implementation modalities to boost sustainable development and social inclusion and reduce territorial disparities with EU mainland territories. The importance of connectivity and transport infrastructures as a tool for territorial cohesion was the focus of the second session. The potential for the outermost regions to become test stations for innovative projects was the main topic of the third session. The EUs outermost regions are governed by the article 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which foresees specific measures to be undertaken in favour of the outermost regions due to remoteness, insularity, difficult topography and climate or economic dependence which severely restrain their development. Additional information: Last 31 January 2018, the European Committee of the Regions unanimously adopted the CoR opinion, rapporteur Fernando Clavijo (ES/ALDE), president of the Canary Islands, entitled " Towards full implementation of the renewed European Strategy for the Outermost Regions ." The outermost regions comprise six French overseas communities (French Guyana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion and Saint Martin), two autonomous Portuguese regions (the Azores and Madeira) and the Spanish autonomous region of the Canary Islands. Outermost Regions Facts and figures, 24 October 2017, European Commission . Between November 2017 and the end of 2018, the Canary Islands is holding the chair of the Conference of Presidents of the Outermost Regions (CPOR). Communication from the Commission, 17 October 2017: A stronger and renewed strategic partnership with the EU's outermost regions . European Commission, 24 October 2017: The Outermost Regions: European lands In the world - A privileged, renewed and strengthened partnership . European Parliament, 19 January 2018: Outermost regions of the EU: A stronger and renewed partnership . The Cohesion Alliance The Alliance was born on October 9, 2017 to support the continuity of the cohesion policy, which has more than 630,000 million euros for the period 2014-2020. This policy could be one of the items of the budget that is most affected by the hole left by the departure of the United Kingdom from the Union in March 2019 in the community accounts. Cohesion policy is an EU investment instrument to smooth imbalances between the different regions of the continent. Contact: David Crous Tel. +32 470 88 10 37 david.crous@cor.europa.eu Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Sunday western powers that further attacks in Syria will bring chaos in international relations. Putin and Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani spoke on the phone and agreed that the air strikes executed by the U.S., Britain, and France on Saturday damaged the chances for political solution in Syria, according to a statement from the Kremlin, Reuters reported. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the U.N. Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations, the statement read. The comments came after the announcement that the U.S. is prepared to ramp up pressure against Russia in the form of economic sanctions in a bid to halt Moscows support for Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who is accused of perpetrating the recent chemical attack. US TO HIT RUSSIA WITH NEW SANCTIONS AFTER SYRIA STRIKE, HALEY SAYS "We're letting Russia know this is not something that we want to be a part of," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told "Fox News Sunday." "It's not something we're going to tolerate and they've got to make a decision. Right now, they don't have very good friends, and right now, the friends that they do have are causing them harm, Haley added. "The international community is telling Russia that either you make a decision on how you act and when you act, or the rest of us will make a decision in isolating you. The U.S.-led coalition launched on Saturday over 100 missiles targeting chemical weapon facilities in Syria following the suspected poison gas attack in Douma earlier this month. Western governments said Assad was responsible for the use of internationally prohibited weapons, though the Syrian and Russian governments denied any involvement in the attack. A lawyer from Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority who focuses on the trauma, mass rape and trafficking of its girls and women urged the U.N. Security Council on Monday to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court for "horrific crimes" against the Rohingya and other ethnic groups. Razia Sultana, who has been working with Rohingya girls and women in refugee camps since 2014, told the council: "Where I come from, women and girls have been gang raped, tortured and killed by the Myanmar army for no other reason than for being Rohingya." Sultana was the first Rohingya woman to address the U.N.'s most powerful body on the plight of her people, who aren't recognized as an ethnic group in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Its government insists the Rohingya are Bengali migrants from Bangladesh living illegally in the country and has denied them citizenship, leaving them stateless without basic rights including freedom of movement. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled from Myanmar's northern Rakhine state to Bangladesh since Rohingya insurgents attacked about 30 security outposts and other targets last Aug. 25. Myanmar security forces then began a scorched-earth campaign against Rohingya villages that the U.N. and human rights groups have called a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Sultana told a Security Council meeting on sexual violence in conflict that her own research and interviews provide evidence that Myanmar government troops "raped well over 300 women and girls in 17 villages in Rakhine state." She added that with over 350 villages attacked and burned since August, "this number is likely only a fraction of the actual total number of women raped." "Girls as young as six were gang raped," she said. "Women and girls were caught and gang raped in their homes, as they were running away or trying to cross the Bangladesh border. Some were horribly mutilated and burned alive." Sultana said the sexual violence involved "hundreds of soldiers and occurred across a vast part of Rakhine state." She called that "strong evidence that rape was systematically planned and used as a weapon against my people." The pattern of mutilation after rapes not only terrorized the Rohingya people, she said, but indicated "a specific directive ... to destroy their very means of reproduction." The Security Council is scheduled to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh later this month and Sultana told members they must meet with women and girls in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar and work with Bangladesh authorities to stop the increased incidents of Rohingya girls as young as 12 being trafficked. "Young women and girls are either being kidnapped, or promised jobs or marriage offers and then disappear," she said. "Many see no future and are desperate to escape to a better life. They are easily trapped by false promises and then never seen again." Sultana, who coordinates the Free Rohingya Coalition and founded the group Rohingya Women Welfare, noted that Myanmar's armed forces were put on a U.N. blacklist of government and rebel groups "credibly suspected" of carrying out rapes and other acts of sexual violence in conflict for the first time this year. "In light of this and the ongoing impunity of the army, the Security Council must refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court without delay, for its horrific crimes against Rohingya, as well as for violations against other ethnic groups in the country, including in Shan, Karin, Kachin and other states," she said. Sultana also urged international pressure to end impunity, support political and legal reform, and stop the oppression of all ethnic peoples in Myanmar. She said that "it is hypocritical to condemn the human rights violations and express horror at the new violence, while then also selling arms to Myanmar and seek explorative licenses to mine its natural resources." Pramila Patten, the U.N. special envoy on sexual violence in conflict, said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' new report "shows that sexual violence continued to be employed as a tactic of war, a tactic of terrorism, and a tool of political repression in 2017" not only in Myanmar but many other countries. She told the council that accountability is urgently needed to stop wartime rape "from being once again 'normalized' due to the frequency and impunity with which it is committed." Patten called on the international community to consider establishing a fund to pay reparations to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and to address the serious issue of alleviating the stigma surrounding survivors, "because stigma kills." A Russian investigative journalist, who drew national fame for his stories on Russian mercenaries being killed in Syria, mysteriously fell from his balcony and died a day after camouflaged security forces reportedly surrounded his building. Maxim Borodin, a 32-year-old reporter for Novy Den, was pronounced dead Thursday after plunging from the building in Yekaterinburg, nearly 900 miles east of Moscow. Police are not looking into the death and are ruling it a suicide or accident. But in a country where vicious attacks against prominent journalists frequently go unsolved, some critics are calling for a full investigation. Death of journalist Maxim Borodin in #Russia is of serious concern, tweeted Harlem Desir, the representative on Freedom of the Media for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. I call on the authorities for a swift and thorough investigation. Borodin had recently written about the deaths of Russian mercenaries in Syria, who sources told the Guardian were employed by the Wagner Group, which the newspaper describes as a shadowy Kremlin-linked private military contractor. It also said he reported on corrupt local officials and prisons in the Sverdlovsk region. His work was very dangerous, Vyacheslav Bashkov, a Russian civil rights activist, told the newspaper. He was one of the best. Bashkov reportedly wrote on Facebook in the days after the incident that Borodin contacted him at 5 a.m. Wednesday and said his apartment building was surrounded by camouflaged security forces wearing face masks. The journalist had claimed he thought his apartment was about to be raided and asked Bashkov for help in finding a lawyer, according to Radio Free Europe. But around an hour later, Borodin called Bashkov back and said he was wrong and that the mystery men were taking part in some kind of drill. Borodin was never heard from again and found badly injured outside the apartment the next morning. He died after being taken to a hospital, the BBC reported. "I didn't call him after that," Bashkov was quoted as writing in the post, although I was waiting for him to write something on Facebook. But he didn't write anything and on the 13th the media reported that Maxim had been found under his balcony and he was in the emergency room. Polina Rumyantseva, the editor-in-chief of Novy Den, gave conflicting messages on whether she believed the death is suspicious. She was quoted by The Guardian as saying that reporters from the newspaper visited the apartment and didnt see signs of a struggle, adding investigators believe he fell during a smoke break mishap. If theres even a hint of something criminal, we will make it public, Rumyantseva had told Radio Svoboda, according to The Guardian. However, Radio Free Europe said Rumyantseva does not believe Borodin killed himself. A Canadian prosecutor is recommending a sentence of 20 years for an American woman who pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit murder in a plot that envisioned her and two online friends pulling out their guns at a Canadian mall. Lindsay Souvannarath of Geneva, Illinois, pleaded guilty last April for her role in the 2015 plot. Court documents released Monday say online conversations between Souvannarath and a Canadian friend quickly devolved into a shared admiration for the Columbine killers, mass shootings and a murderous conspiracy to go on a Valentine's Day shooting rampage at a Halifax mall. Her lawyer says the sentence should be 12 to 14 years, with credit for time served. Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Peter Rosinski reserved his decision until Friday. Page Content Climate change and women's empowerment are the priorities for European cities and regions that have established partnerships with peers outside Europe,of the OECD told the CoR's Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX) during a presentation of early findings of a report on financial flows, emerging trends and innovation in cities and regions efforts to contribute to global sustainable development.Mr Marta was one of five speakers invited to highlight the potential and challenges of city diplomacy and peer-to-peer cooperation. Libya and Ukraine two countries with whose cities and regions the CoR has launched partnerships were particular case studies. The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN Habitat III and the Paris Climate Agreement all recognise that local and regional government have an important role to play in meeting global challenges.The OECD's study, the first since 2005 and the financial crisis, found that communities in Germany, Canada, Spain and Austria are investing most, but it also notes that data collection and reporting remain a weakness, with only 13 of the organisation's member states providing information.A representative of the European Commission,, said that rapid urbanisation together with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Habitat III (United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development) had prompted a new focus on cities by the European Commission, which had been "supporting partners more on rural issues than on urban issues". The UN's 11th sustainable-development goal is to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, but many of the other 16 goals require action by sub-national governments.Ms Lixi said that the Commission's "old approach was to support cities as service providers; now, the Commission supports them as key actors". Its focus, however, is on a limited number of leading cities and metropolitan areas, with a view to underpinning wider, inclusive growth.The CoR is a political supporter of greater collaboration between cities and regions, known also as decentralised cooperation, and every two years it co-organises an event Assises de la cooperation decentralisee / Regions and Cities for Development that brings together local and regional authorities from the EU, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific and Latin America to discuss ways of developing sustainable partnerships. The OECD was an important partner at last year's event Reflecting its belief that cooperation between cities and regions can be a significant contribution to meeting global challenges such as climate change and the UN's SDG, the CoR in 2016 launched an initiative to match the needs of Libyan cities with support available from its members and other cities and regions around Europe. Eight Libyan municipalities from all parts of the country and across conflict lines are involved: Tripoli, Gharyan, Zintan, Zliten from the west, Sirte from central Libya, Sebha from the south, and Benghazi and Tobruk in the east.of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies said that Europe could learn from cooperation with local governments in Libya, "because they are facing challenges that our ancestors faced after the war, for example" and that, in Europe, "we sometimes forget the roots of our development". Such cooperation requires the humility to learn about the local context, he said, recommending that partners should not be "technical and innovative" with the possible exception of e-government but should rather focus on "core skills", because Libyan local governments are at a "basic level".said that the experience of Engagement Global Service fur Entwicklungsinitiativen (Service for Development Initiatives), a German non-profit organisation, said that the many challenges of cooperation ranging from resources, institutional turnover, communications barriers, expectations and scepticism could be overcome through political support, broad participation, shared goals, mutual benefit, tangible projects, respect, and clear and sensitive communication.A country that has recently seen an upsurge in collaboration between sub-national governments is Ukraine, which has now begun a process of decentralisation.of the European Commission's Support Group for Ukraine said that "decentralisation is that this is turning into one of the most popular reforms" in Ukraine, and that "at city level", the benefits and the programme of the decentralisation reform are now "tangible". He cited the example of attitudes in Vinnitsa, a city of around 650,000 people that Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman once served as mayor: "65% of respondents believe their city is heading in the right direction, while 57% believe their country is heading in the wrong direction".The CoR itself launched a peer-to-peer programme in March with five Ukrainian cities and regions that draws on money provided by the EU's ULEAD programme for Ukraine. Mr Schleuning welcomed the initiative, saying that it is "very important" that the project, which is managed by GIZ, the German development agency, is not an "isolated, stand-alone action". In the mouse model of AML, the first cancer Oda tackled using the fusion protein approach, 90 percent of mice treated with cells carrying the fusion protein survived their disease to 100 days, the endpoint of the experiment. Only 40 percent of those treated with a T-cell therapy without the fusion protein survived that long. The research team published their AML findings in the journal Blood late last year. The impetus for that study came from the clinic, Oda said. Greenberg leads patient trials using a form of T-cell therapy where the cells are engineered to carry a naturally existing protein, known as a T-cell receptor, that recognizes and homes to cancer cells. That approach is showing promise in some patients with blood cancers, but the researchers knew from their studies that the cells could still be further optimized to make the treatment even better. We knew that T cells getting shut down was definitely an issue in the clinic, Oda said. Leukemia tumors also have tricks to stop T cells from working T cells activity is dampened by a molecule on the surface of cancer cells. The protein Oda created to get around that barricade takes the external piece of the existing T-cell protein, the part that reads the shut off signal sent by the cancer cells, and fuses it to a piece from another protein that tells the cell to ramp up its activity. Were replacing a brake with an accelerator, Oda said. The fusion protein she crafted for the solid tumor studies works a bit differently. The external piece of that protein, when it receives the signal from tumors, normally tells the T cells to commit cellular suicide. The cancer even scatters these deadly messages at the edge of blood vessels, so some of the T cells die before they ever get to the tumor. The fusion protein rewires the cells to interpret the kill switch to instead stimulate their cancer-killing abilities. The hybrid proteins arent yet ready to be added to clinical trials testing these immunotherapies in humans. The T cells engineered specifically for ovarian and pancreatic cancer, those without the fusion protein, also arent being used in clinical trials yet although they are close, Anderson said. She and Oda also hope the fusion proteins could be added to other, existing T-cell therapies to make them even more powerful. The researchers are also studying other ways the fusion proteins affect the engineered immune cells. The additional engineering seems to be a net positive, Oda said. This single addition may help the therapy get around multiple tumor roadblocks. Were seeing differences in metabolism, in how the cells proliferate and expand in the body, how theyre able to kill the tumor, she said. There are multiple T-cell functions were positively impacting. The studies were funded by the National Institutes of Health, Juno Therapeutics and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 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. NOTE: this is an archived page and the content is likely to be out of date. Fujitsu Limited, Singapore Management University (SMU), and A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), today announced their collaboration to develop innovative new technologies for vessel traffic management in the Port of Singapore, with the support of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). These predictive technologies will leverage the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics to optimize the management of Singapore's port and surrounding waters, which sees an immense volume of seaborne trade and traffic. The technologies will also be validated using real-world data to improve the forecasting of congestion and identification of potential collisions and other risk hotspots before they occur at sea. The research and development for these new maritime technologies has been conducted under the guidance of the Urban Computing and Engineering Centre of Excellence (UCE CoE), a public-private partnership consisting of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), SMU, and Fujitsu, that was established in 2014. This collaboration demonstrates the UCE CoE's continued commitment to harnessing high performance computing capabilities in the development of solutions for sustainable urban operations, offering another example of how researchers at UCE CoE are using Singapore to test-bed next generation solutions for real-world issues faced by industry and government. The outcomes of this research and development phase, as well as the practical knowledge and experience gained through the project trials, will be integrated into Fujitsu's future maritime solutions. Background The Straits of Singapore and Malacca comprise one of the world's busiest sea lanes. As a globally critical point of passage for seaborne commercial shipping traffic, the continuous enhancement of navigational safety in these crowded waters is a crucial goal. In view of this goal, the UCE CoE initiated research and development into technologies for maritime vessel traffic management in 2015, employing the diverse strengths of Fujitsu, IHPC, and SMU. IHPC contributed its capabilities in modeling and simulation, as well as probabilistic modeling and machine learning techniques, while SMU provided its expertise in large-scale multi-agent optimization models. Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. leveraged its data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies to support the endeavour. About the Newly Developed Technologies As a result of the collaboration between Fujitsu, IHPC, and SMU, several key technologies are being developed for improving the management of maritime vessel traffic. These include: Prediction models, such as: A short-term trajectory prediction model that accurately predicts the trajectory of a vessel using machine learning and motion physics A long-term traffic model that can forecast the traffic situation based on the traffic patterns of a large number of vessel types, derived from historical data Risk and hotspot calculation models, such as: A risk calculation model that can reliably quantify the near-miss risk of a pair of vessels, by integrating various risk models (ensemble risk model) A hotspot model that dynamically reveals changing risk hotspots through spatio-temporal data analysis Intelligent coordination models, such as: A spatial coordination model that seeks to re-route vessels to avoid near-miss and collision incidents A temporal coordination model that coordinates the passage timing of vessels to reduce hotspots Both of the above models will support real-time decision-making to mitigate predicted risks while minimizing disruptions and ensuring smooth navigation for the vessels These technologies will eventually be integrated and test-bedded for their potential to enhance navigational safety, such as the ability to detect and recognise a near-miss risk prior to the event (e.g. 10 minutes beforehand) by combining short-term trajectory prediction with risk calculation. Another target is to forecast and mitigate the dynamically changing hotspot before it is generated (e.g. 30 minutes beforehand) by integrating long-term traffic forecasts, hotspot calculation, and intelligent coordination models. Comments from the Partners MPA supports the development of technologies that harness artificial intelligence to enhance navigational safety within the Port of Singapore. Under the agreement, MPA will provide data and information for further research and development and test-bedding of technologies developed by UCE CoE for application in the Singapore waters. "As Singapore develops future capabilities that will enhance our port operations, research and innovation will remain key to the maritime industry. As part of the recently launched Sea Transport Industry Transformation Map, MPA is supportive of collaborations among local Institutes of Higher Learning and technology companies to explore new technologies that will raise the standards of navigational safety within the Port of Singapore. We look forward to further testing the research outcomes at the MPA Living Lab," said Capt. M Segar, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations), MPA. "A*STAR is delighted to deepen our existing partnership with Fujitsu, SMU and MPA to solve challenges faced by Singapore and other maritime nations. Such a private-public partnership model leverages capabilities from both public institutions and industry players, strengthens our collaboration through a multi-disciplinary approach, and enhances our collective ability to develop innovative solutions that can meet future maritime needs," said Prof Alfred Huan, Executive Director of A*STAR's IHPC. "Multi-agent technology has been used extensively in coordinating the movements of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ground vehicles. In this project with MPA, SMU is breaking new grounds in research by proposing a next generation maritime traffic coordination technology that is akin to air traffic control, yet respecting major differences and constraints between air and sea navigation. With the advent of autonomous ships, this technology can potentially disrupt vessel traffic management to reduce human errors and improve navigational safety," said Professor Lau Hoong Chuin, SMU's Lab Director and Lead Investigator of the UCE CoE. "Enhancing navigational safety is an enormous challenge as there is no single right path for how to achieve it. That is why we value the collaboration with A*STAR and SMU to welcome bold ideas. We also appreciate the support by MPA to examine the applicability of the solutions, and this is a great match with Fujitsu's emphasis on "co-creation". We are pleased to not only contribute technologies, but also to have provided a platform to integrate and test the technologies by different parties," said Shoji Suzuki, Corporate Executive Advisor, Fujitsu Laboratories. "Fujitsu aims to contribute to enhancing the navigational safety of the Port of Singapore with the technologies proven through the collaboration." A gang of masked men with a machete terrorised a family in Scotland while stealing cash, jewellery and a Range Rover from their farmhouse. The family, who live at Castlehill Farm in the Kittochside area of East Kilbride, were woken up at 4am on Saturday (14 April) to the sound of smashing glass. The 55-year-old man, 56-year-old woman and their 26-year-old son went downstairs to find four men, who threatened them with violence and demanded they hand over their money and valuables. See also: How to stop thieves stealing your Land Rover One of the men had a machete and used it to strike the older man in the leg. The family were then held in an upstairs bedroom while the suspects ransacked the property. They took a sum of cash, jewellery and car keys before leaving the farmhouse and joining another man who was waiting outside in a black Nissan Qashqai. They also stole a black Range Rover and damaged the front of the vehicle while leaving the scene, which they abandoned in the Mount Vernon area. One of the men is described as being in his early 20s with a local accent, and was wearing a grey hoodie. The rest of the men also had local accents and were wearing dark clothing with scarves and balaclavas covering their faces. Officers were called to the property at about 4.30am after the suspects left. Left traumatised Detective Sergeant Alan MacDonald from Cambuslang CID said: This group of despicable individuals completely terrorised this family and made threats of extreme violence, which made them genuinely fear for their lives throughout the ordeal. They have been left absolutely traumatised and it is vital that we trace the criminals responsible for this abhorrent incident. DS MacDonald has appealed for anyone in the area at the time of the incident who may have noticed a black Nissan Qashqai or black Range Rover to get in touch. He also urged anyone with a dashcam who was driving in the area at about 4.30am to contact police, as they may have captured footage of the suspects making off from the scene. Anyone with information can contact Cambuslang CID by calling 101 and quoting incident number 0782 of Saturday 14 April 2018. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 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. The 18-year-old woman was on life support after being shot by a school safety officer near Millikan High School on Monday, family members said. Both the record label Future Classic and our fave Aussie producer Flume will be the subject of two new documentaries thanks to Apple Music. Flume is set to be the main focus, with the documentary, titled Flume: When Everything Was New, focussing on his rise to fame since his first LP back in 2012. Flume has played a massive part in the expansion of the "future bass genre". The label Future Classic, signed Flume when he was a runner-up in a remix competition that they once held, and is now one of the biggest names they've ever signed. The second documentary, titled Sleepless: The Story of Future Classic, will focus on some of Future Classics bigger artists such as Cashmere Cat, Com Truise and Wave Racer. The docos are set to release April 20th: President Donald Trump Invites Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari To Washington On April 30.... xspraise at 16-04-2018 08:36 AM (3 years ago) (m) President Muhammadu Buhari will be the guest of US President Donald Trump at the White House on April 30. Trump is expected to discuss issues such as promoting economic growth and fighting terrorism with Buhari. President Muhammadu Buhari will be the guest of US President Donald Trump at the White House on April 30. Trump is expected to discuss issues such as promoting economic growth and fighting terrorism with Buhari. The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigerias economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity, the White House said in a statement. The State Department under Trump approved the sale of 12 high-technology attack planes and equipment worth $600 million to Nigeria last year after the Obama administration halted the sale because of accusations that Nigerias air force was bombing civilians. The scheduled meeting will be the second between the two leaders. In September, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, during a luncheon Trump held for a select group of African leaders. Buhari is currently in the UK where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in London. It is not yet clear when the Nigerian leader will return to the country. The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigerias economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity, the White House said in a statement.The State Department under Trump approved the sale of 12 high-technology attack planes and equipment worth $600 million to Nigeria last year after the Obama administration halted the sale because of accusations that Nigerias air force was bombing civilians.The scheduled meeting will be the second between the two leaders. In September, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, during a luncheon Trump held for a select group of African leaders.Buhari is currently in the UK where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in London.It is not yet clear when the Nigerian leader will return to the country. Post Reply I am Victor, I write reportage on sport news and latest metro happenings in Nigeria. Posted: at 16-04-2018 08:36 AM (3 years ago) | Hero ruthie at 16-04-2018 09:11 AM (3 years ago) (f) BE CAREFUL OF THE MAD MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE...WAR CRAZED FELLOW... Posted: at 16-04-2018 09:11 AM (3 years ago) | Hero BE CAREFUL OF THE MAD MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE...WAR CRAZED FELLOW... Reply angesco at 16-04-2018 09:32 AM (3 years ago) (f) Inviting the Nigerian yes sir / yes ma/ three bags full sir gang to the White House. Nothing has ever come from any Nigeria select head of state visiting the USA. Most times they send their under secretary to the airports to pick up their visitor. Unless of course the USA want something from Nigeria and so they will roll out the red carpet. Lets see if BUHARI will agree to the USA BOMBING his Muslim brothers in Boko Haram hiding in Sambisa forest in BORNO STATE or those disguised as cattle men! Posted: at 16-04-2018 09:32 AM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac Inviting the Nigerian yes sir / yes ma/ three bags full sir gang to the White House.Nothing has ever come from any Nigeria select head of state visiting the USA.Most times they send their under secretary to the airports to pick up their visitor.Unless of course the USA want something from Nigeria and so they will roll out the red carpet.Lets see if BUHARI will agree to the USA BOMBING his Muslim brothers in Boko Haram hiding in Sambisa forest in BORNO STATE or those disguised as cattle men! Reply fineboy77 at 16-04-2018 10:25 AM (3 years ago) (m) I hope that this is a ploy to trick him to Washington where he will be flogged 100 strokes of the cane each morning for two days or three What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 16-04-2018 10:25 AM (3 years ago) | Hero I hope that this is a ploy to trick him to Washington where he will be flogged 100 strokes of the cane each morning for two days or three Reply nature7888 at 16-04-2018 11:22 AM (3 years ago) (m) Quote from: fineboy77 on 16-04-2018 10:25 AM I hope that this is a ploy to trick him to Washington where he will be flogged 100 strokes of the cane each morning for two days or three Hahahahahahahaha... For not doing his job well abi? Posted: at 16-04-2018 11:22 AM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac Hahahahahahahaha... For not doing his job well abi? Reply nature7888 at 16-04-2018 11:23 AM (3 years ago) (m) He should go with an interpreter pls Posted: at 16-04-2018 11:23 AM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac He should go with an interpreter pls Reply euwilliams at 16-04-2018 11:30 AM (3 years ago) (f) Quote from: fineboy77 on 16-04-2018 10:25 AM I hope that this is a ploy to trick him to Washington where he will be flogged 100 strokes of the cane each morning for two days or three lol.............gbam.... you got it. Posted: at 16-04-2018 11:30 AM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac lol.............gbam.... you got it. Reply gogoman at 16-04-2018 11:37 AM (3 years ago) (m) BUHARI RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Posted: at 16-04-2018 11:37 AM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero BUHARI RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reply fineboy77 at 16-04-2018 11:57 AM (3 years ago) (m) Quote from: nature7888 on 16-04-2018 11:22 AM Hahahahahahahaha... For not doing his job well abi? of course na What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 16-04-2018 11:57 AM (3 years ago) | Hero of course na Reply Mykie010 at 16-04-2018 12:15 PM (3 years ago) (m) Quote from: nature7888 on 16-04-2018 11:23 AM He should go with an interpreter pls I wonder how they will understand him. Posted: at 16-04-2018 12:15 PM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac I wonder how they will understand him. Reply slimber at 16-04-2018 12:41 PM (3 years ago) (f) What difference does it make nah Posted: at 16-04-2018 12:41 PM (3 years ago) | Hero What difference does it make nah Reply SOGaiya at 16-04-2018 01:29 PM (3 years ago) (m) shithole postulated man Posted: at 16-04-2018 01:29 PM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac shithole postulated man Reply Otikadinje at 16-04-2018 02:00 PM (3 years ago) (m) Make sure to carry your food down cause I do not trust that bloody guy. Oscardeejay Posted: at 16-04-2018 02:00 PM (3 years ago) | Gistmaniac Make sure to carry your food down cause I do not trust that bloody guy. Reply james987 at 16-04-2018 02:14 PM (3 years ago) (m) Trump don dey get plans to job buhari. Infact em dun job am $600mila already Posted: at 16-04-2018 02:14 PM (3 years ago) | Hero Trump don dey get plans to job buhari. Infact em dun job am $600mila already Reply osarobo62 at 16-04-2018 03:05 PM (3 years ago) (m) Quote from: fineboy77 on 16-04-2018 10:25 AM I hope that this is a ploy to trick him to Washington where he will be flogged 100 strokes of the cane each morning for two days or three go buy the koboko ,and drop am for Whitehouse Posted: at 16-04-2018 03:05 PM (3 years ago) | Hero go buy the koboko ,and drop am for Whitehouse Reply fineboy77 at 16-04-2018 07:40 PM (3 years ago) (m) Quote from: osarobo62 on 16-04-2018 03:05 PM go buy the koboko ,and drop am for Whitehouse go buy the koboko ,and drop am for Whitehouse What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 16-04-2018 07:40 PM (3 years ago) | Hero I don already send the koboko,i even instruct dem to make sure say dem rub am kerosene for nyansh before flogging. Reply ASKER, NORWAY (16 April 2018) - The 2018 annual general meeting of TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA ("TGS" or the "Company") will be held on 8 May 2018 at the offices of Schjdt law firm at Ruselkkveien 16, in Oslo at 17:00 CET. Registration of attendees will begin at 16:30 CET. The notice for the annual general meeting is attached hereto (English and Norwegian), together with relevant appendices. The notice will be sent to all registered shareholders per 16 April 2018. To register your attendance, send proxy or to cast your vote electronically in advance through VPS Investor Services, please use the electronic link here and available on www.tgs.com. The pin code and reference number, which are sent out with the notice, will be needed. Kindly note that shareholders that have received the notice electronically will not receive and do not need a pin code or reference number, but must submit their notice of attendance, proxy or advance votes through their online investor account services (investortjenester). Online registration will open on 16 April 2017 at 14:00 CET. Company Summary TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, and data integration solutions. For more information visit TGS online at www.tgs.com. Forward-looking statements and contact information All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principle customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data products at costs commensurate with profitability. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason. TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO:TGS). TGS sponsored American Depositary Shares trade on the U.S. over-the-counter market under the symbol "TGSGY". For additional information about this press release please contact: Sven Brre Larsen Chief Financial Officer Tel: +47 90 94 36 73 Email: sven.larsen@tgs.com Will Ashby VP HR & Communication Tel: +1 713 860 2184 Email: will.ashby@tgs.com Helsinki, Finland, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Helsinki climate experts present an action plan to render the city carbon neutral by 2035, the city compiles all energy-related data on its building stock into a 3D map application labeled Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas. Executed on the CityGML data model, the semantic 3D city model of Helsinki is part of the citys toolkit for climate action and climate change adaptation. With data on each of the citys buildings, Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas can be used for advanced citywide energy analyses and simulations, as well as assessments of specific buildings. The 3D atlas can be used by city planners and decision-makers to assess the potential and the available resources for energy efficiency improvements. Property owners and managers can use the atlas to assess the propertys energy consumption, says Environmental Planner Petteri Huuska of the City of Helsinki Environmental Services, in charge of the atlas development. The atlas helps us to inform the public and enterprises about the changing climate as well as to encourage them to act, for example, by harnessing solar energy. The atlas helps enterprises to recognize clean technology business opportunities, adds Helsinki climate expert Jari Viinanen. Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas contains both real and calculated data on buildings. The data includes completed energy-efficiency upgrades, energy performance classifications, and the energy sources used for heating whether the building utilizes district heating (90% of the citys heated building stock) or other. The atlas presents an analysis of solar irradiation per building. The atlas also shows the estimated energy consumption of buildings as calculated by the Technical Research Centre of Finland VTT. Plans for new datasets to be added to the atlas involve the renewable energy potential of buildings and data that can be used in climate change adaptation. For example, the atlas could be used to simulate flooding caused by heavy rainfall and to design flood control methods. All data of the atlas is available as open data, in accordance with the Helsinki principle of releasing public data for free use. Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas is one of Helsinkis contributions to the EU-financed mySMARTLife project. The projects three lighthouse cities including Helsinki develop smart solutions to cut urban energy use by 1020% and to increase the use of renewable energy. Every city involved in the project develops its own mySMARTLife program to achieve the targets. The ultimate goal of mySMARTLife is to mitigate climate change, says Mikko Martikka, mySMARTLife Helsinki Lighthouse Lead, pointing out that cities produce 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas not only helps Helsinki to achieve the citys climate goals but supports Helsinkis strong IoT perspective in the mySMARTLife project, as building energy data is released as open data and visualized on the semantic 3D city model, Martikka continues. In September 2017, Helsinki reset the citys target year for carbon neutrality to 2035, speeding up the achievement of the goal by 15 years from the earlier goal in 2050. An interim goal is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60% from 1990 to 2030. In March 2018, the citys climate experts presented the Carbon Neutral Helsinki 2035 action plan, a detailed account how to reach the climate goals. Keys to the plan are cuts in energy consumption, increases in on-site renewable energy generation, and sustainable modes of transportation. Helsinki Energy and Climate Atlas: https://kartta.hel.fi/3d/atlas Carbon Neutral Helsinki 2035: https://www.hel.fi/uutiset/en/kaupunkiymparisto/carbon-neutral-helsinki Helsinki climate action: http://www.stadinilmasto.fi/en/ mySMARTLife: https://mysmartlife.eu/mysmartlife/ Attachment Almere, The Netherlands April 16, 2018 ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) today announces that the information regarding the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) scheduled for May 28, 2018, is now available on the Company's website, www.asm.com. This information includes the convocation, the full agenda and annexes thereto. The U.S. market proxy materials for holders of New York Registry Shares are also posted on our website. The AGM is scheduled to commence at 2:00 p.m. CET at the Hilton Hotel, Apollolaan 138, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In accordance with applicable legal requirements in the Netherlands the record date for the AGM is April 30, 2018, as further set out in the convocation for the meeting. The agenda for the AGM includes amongst others the proposal to pay a dividend in cash of 0.80 (eighty Euro cents) per common share, the nomination of Mr. C.D. del Prado and Mr. P.A.M. van Bommel for reappointment to the Management Board, the nomination of Mr. M.C.J. van Pernis for reappointment to the Supervisory Board for a period of two years, and the nomination of Mr. M.J.C. de Jong for appointment to the Supervisory Board. In addition, the agenda includes a proposal to adjust the remuneration of the members of the Supervisory Board, and the withdrawal of 6,000,000 treasury shares. Furthermore, the Company proposes to the AGM to distribute 4.00 (four Euro) per common share from the cash proceeds of the placement of the Company's 37,000,000 common shares of ASM Pacific Technology Ltd. To do this in a tax efficient manner, it is proposed that the distribution is effected as a repayment of capital to the shareholders by way of a reduction of the par value of the common shares. For that purpose, it is proposed to first increase the issued capital of the Company by increasing the par value of all common shares by amending Article 3 of the Articles of Association and subsequently, after the mandatory procedure has been followed, to decrease the issued capital of the Company by decreasing the par value of all common shares - with the same amount as the increase - by amending Article 3 of the Articles of Association. About ASM International ASM International NV, headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, its subsidiaries and participations design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International, its subsidiaries and participations provide production solutions for wafer processing (Front-end segment) as well as for assembly & packaging and surface mount technology (Back-end segment) through facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASMI's website at www.asm.com . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, epidemics and other risks indicated in the Company's reports and financial statements. The Company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances. This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. CONTACT Investor contact: Victor Bareno T: +31 88 100 8500 E: victor.bareno@asm.com Media contact: Ian Bickerton T: +31 625 018 512 Nelson Mandela, former South African president and icon of anti-apartheid movement, has died Thursday after a prolonged illness at age 95. He is survived by his third wife, Graaa Machel, whom he married in 1998 on his 80th birthday; his former wife Winnie Mandela and three daughters Pumla Makaziwe, Zenani and Zindziswa Mandela. "My father, I think, would love to be remembered as a family man, as a person who if he could change one person's mind, then he's done his job," Mandela's daughter, Zenani Mandela Dlamini, told CNN, "My father doesn't dwell on who he is ... he's just a normal human being, according to him." Nelson Mandela's early life and marriage Nelson Mandela's father died when he was nine years old. He escaped from an arranged marriage he wanted no part of when he was a student. From then on he married three times. He had six children, four girls and two boys. A daughter and two sons passed away: Makaziwe died as an infant in 1948; Madiba Thembekile [Thembi] died in a car accident in 1969 and Makgatho Lewanika died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005. His first two marriages collapsed under the strain of politics. In 1944, Nelson Mandela married his first wife Evelyn Mase and also began his political career in earnest, joining the African National Congress, ANC. Evelyn was the cousin of ANC stalwart Walter Sisulu and met Mandela in Sisulu's home in Soweto. They married months later, there were happy together for couple of years until later, Evelyn bitterly resented her husband's absences. The couple had two sons and two daughters, they divorced in 1957. Mandela wrote about the difficulties of his first marriage to Evelyn Mase in his autobiography, "Long Walk to Freedom": "My devotion to the ANC and the struggle was unremitting. This disturbed Evelyn .... I patiently explained to her that politics was not a distraction but my lifework, that it was an essential and fundamental part of my being." Winnie came into Mandela's life at the start of a second treason trial, which would see him jailed for 27 years, and they married in June 1958. In the mid-1950s, Winnie Madikizela met Nelson Mandela, who, at the time, was leader of the ANC. The two married in June 1958, despite concerns from Winnie's father over the couple's age difference and Mandela's steadfast political involvements. Nelson Mandela was routinely arrested for his activities and targeted by the government during his early days of marriage. He was eventually sentenced in 1964 to life imprisonment, leaving Winnie to raise their two small daughters, Zenani and Zindzi alone. Nelson Mandela was freed in 1990 after 27 years of imprisonment. The years of separation and tremendous social turmoil had irrevocably damaged the Mandela marriage, the couple divorced in 1996. Mandela remarried on his 80th birthday in 1998, to his third wife, Graca Machel, widow of Samora Machel, the former Mozambican president and ANC ally who was killed in an air crash 12 years earlier. "He is simply a wonderful husband. We met in life at time we were both settled. We were grown up, we were settled, we knew the value of a companion, of a partner. Because of that, we have enjoyed this relationship in a really special way. It's not like when you are still young, you are too demanding. No, no. We just accept each other as we are. And we enjoy every single day as if it is the last day. Because of that, it has been wonderful to have him as a husband." Graca Machel said in an interview with CNN. "When we married, we didn't know we'd be given 10 years together. We have been very lucky. Very grateful for that." Machel concluded. The family of North Carolina pastor sentenced to seven years in a Chinese prison for "organizing an illegal border crossing" has asked the Communist government for mercy, as the pastor's intentions were always "religious or charitable" rather than "political." Rev. John Sanqiang Cao, who has held U.S. permanent residency since 1990 but kept his Chinese citizenship so that he could continue entering China for his mission work, was arrested last March while engaging in humanitarian work along the China-Burma border. For years, Cao and his fellow Chinese Christian teachers would cross the river on a narrow bamboo raft from China into neighboring Myanmar, carrying with them notebooks, pencils and Bibles. On the day of the arrest, Cao and a teacher were on a raft returning to Yunnan province when they saw Chinese security agents waiting for them on the shore. Upon spotting the officials, Cao threw his cellphone into the water, protecting the identities of more than 50 Chinese teachers he had recruited to give ethnic minority Burmese children a free education rooted in Christianity, the AP reports. A year after his arrest, Cao was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was charged with "organizing others to illegally cross the border," a crime more commonly applied to human traffickers. Speaking to the AP, Cao's son said the pastor's sentence should be significantly reduced in light of his decades-long humanitarian work. "Nothing my father organized was ever political. It was always just religious or charitable," said Ben Cao, the pastor's 23-year-old son, a U.S. citizen living in Charlotte, North Carolina. "We hope that China will be merciful, and see that my father's intentions were good." Cao, a North Carolina pastor well-respected for building 16 schools that service 2,000 impoverished minority children in Myanmar's northern Wa State, was widely acknowledged for his humanitarian work. When earthquakes struck Sichuan province in 2008, and Nepal in 2015, Cao flew in to help victims, his fellow missionaries said, buying clothes for them even as he wore the same grey jacket and shoes for years. "My father always tried to save as much money as possible so he could give it away," Ben Cao said. On numerous occasions, the pastor tried to get state approval for many of his projects, even handing over a primary school and health clinic he established to local authorities, his son said. He also did not resist when officials asked him to halt certain undertakings, yet still remained under constant surveillance. Darek Jarmola, an American teacher who leads Christian youth trips, recalled noticing someone taking pictures of him and Cao while they were having dinner in Hunan last January. Cao simply ignored the attention, Jarmola said, stating, "I haven't done anything wrong, and if I do, they can arrest me." Bob Fu, Cao's longtime friend and president of China Aid, a Texas-based Christian rights activist, said the pastor's case shows the Communist party wants to extend its control over the activities of China's Christians even when they are abroad. "This reflects the tightening environment under President Xi (Jinping) against any kind of religious independence," Fu said. "In the past when they talked about foreign infiltration, they were referring to the activities of foreign missionaries inside China, but that has now expanded to include Chinese missionaries going overseas." "There were no secrets," Fu added. "He always believed that he operated with the government's tacit blessing." Xi Lian, a scholar of Christianity in China at Duke University, said Cao was "singled out" for the arrest and noted that pastors with "lower visibility" have been doing similar work along the China-Myanmar border with no repercussions. Cao's prominence in the house church networks, he said, made him "the kind of person that may make the Chinese government nervous." A U.S. State Department spokesman told the AP that Washington is "deeply concerned" about Cao's sentence and has urged China to release him as a U.S. legal permanent resident on "humanitarian grounds." Chinese President President Xi Jinping has pursued a plan to "sinicize" -- bring under government control -- the country's major religions, eliminate "foreign influence" and align faiths more closely with the atheist ruling Communist Party's own doctrines. Xi has said he wants Chinese faith communities to move "to the direction of localizing the religion, practice the core values of socialism, develop and expand the fine Chinese tradition and actively explore the religious thought which accords with China's national circumstances." The government increasingly views Christianity's rise in China as a threat to its rule, as there are now more than 38 million Protestants in China, according to official estimates. The sheer scale of America's opioid epidemic cannot be overstated. Deaths related to overdoses of both illicit and illegally prescribed opioids increased nearly five-fold in the United States between 1999 and 2016, surpassing 200,000 during that period. This crisis, which has shown little sign of abating, has produced two straight years of life-expectancy decreases in the U.S.Given these frightening numbers, it shouldn't be surprising that most Americans think that their governments have responded ineffectively and with an insufficient sense of urgency. Roughly six in ten feel that both federal and state governments have failed to the address the crisis in a timely and sufficient manner.In an era of profound political gridlock at the federal level and in so many state capitols, local government has a compelling need and opportunity to address this paucity of solutions. Lehigh County, Pa., has stepped forward with several promising initiatives that could serve as a model for regional responses across the country.The challenges Lehigh County faces are particularly acute. The county's opioid-related fatalities have matched or exceeded state averages for several years, rising by 20 percent between 2016 and 2017 alone. In response, the county has embarked on a multi-faceted approach revolving around rehabilitation, prevention and restitution.First, the county has joined the hundreds of municipalities, counties and state attorneys general that have gone to court seeking reimbursement from drug manufacturers and distributors for the costs those governments have incurred in dealing with opioid addiction and abuse. That effort, which has been joined by the U.S Justice Department, is patterned on the landmark 1998 tobacco settlement, in which cigarette makers agreed to reimburse states more than $200 billion over 25 years for their smoking-related health-care costs. In Lehigh County, human services subsume roughly 70 percent of the budget, and additional resources are sorely needed after years of unfunded federal and state mandates.Second, addressing the integrated nature of the epidemic requires law enforcement and medical personnel to work together to address the underlying forces driving substance abuse. Lehigh County recently unveiled a program called Blue Guardian, an innovative rehabilitation model designed to encourage long-term recovery.Blue Guardian takes advantage of Act 139, a state law that provides limited immunity from charge and prosecution for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia for individuals who experience a drug overdose or require medical care, as well as for those who seek medical care for the victim in good faith. Within 48 to 72 hours after naloxone has been administered and the victim hospitalized for additional treatment, a uniformed police officer and a certified recovery specialist will conduct a home visit and engage with the family and individual to discuss treatment options and establish a system of support. Similar immunity legislation exists in 40 states and the District of Columbia, providing an opportunity to extend programs like Blue Guardian nationwide.In the end, preventive measures, and particularly a focus on steering young people away from drug use, are always going to be the most effective means of reducing long-term costs for society. Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong, a retired educator, has proposed extending countywide an initiative called Communities That Care that has experienced considerable success in one of the county's school districts.Communities That Care, based on a national model in use across the country, is a proven program designed to facilitate discussion among community leaders in the political, business and volunteer sectors and create a community action plan. It's been associated with significant declines in destructive behavior, including drug use and early alcohol consumption, and has demonstrated savings of $7 for every $1 invested.The initial strategy for Communities That Care calls for convening the multiple school districts within the county, along with prominent community leaders, to expand the model outward. The county stands to save both lives and resources by creating healthy coping mechanisms early in life.Models like these provide localities with the ability to do more than voice frustration and express concern at the loss of life. They provide substantial and evidence-based means of resolving one of the nation's worst crises. Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation. Gov. Matt Bevin apologized Sunday for saying that teacher protests probably led to the sexual assault of children.Bevin's comments on Friday had led House lawmakers from both parties to pass resolutions condemning the remarks."I hurt a lot of people... I apologize for those who have been hurt by the things that were said," Bevin said on his YouTube and Twitter page Sunday.Bevin said that was not his intent."It is my responsibility to represent you, not only when I'm speaking to you but also when I'm speaking on your behalf. It is not my intent to hurt anyone ... but to help us all move forward. We need each other. We're in this together."Bevin, asked Friday about teachers leaving the classrooms to attend a protest rally in Frankfort, said, "I guarantee you somewhere in Kentucky today a child was sexually assaulted that was left at home because there was nobody there to watch them."Forty four of the 63 Republicans in the House signed on to a resolution condemning Bevin's statements on Saturday.His comments Friday were the latest in a long string of comments teachers have found insulting, but Sunday marked the first time he attempted to apologize.House Republicans have said they see his comments as exacerbating the already complicated debate over teacher pensions, leading to the thousands of teachers that have descended on the Capitol in recent days.In his apology, Bevin said," I appreciate so much that has been done in recent days and weeks as we've tried to get both our economic house in order but to make sure that we shore up the very pension system that currently is the worst funded in the United States of America. But we can't be so consumed with the financial that we fail to appreciate the ripple effect of the real people that are involved. The responsibility for communicating things falls on the person in large measure who is doing the speaking. Sometimes when I am doing that I do it effectively, sometimes not so much and I think this case is such an example of the latter."Bevin said he had teachers in his family and knew it was not an easy task.He thanked other public workers.Bevin said some people misunderstood his words.Bevin's comments drew both praise and criticism from people on social media.Tom Shelton, director of the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, responded by saying on Twitter that " when you tell someone else they misunderstood, it's not an apology. If you're contrite and seek reconciliation, indicate that you misspoke or didn't communicate well. One should own the problem in a real apology. Each person's perception of what they heard is their reality."State Rep. James Kay, D-Versailles, said in a tweet: "Hey Everyone, we got it cleared up. The Governor is sorry you misunderstood him. He was right, you were wrong, but if that hurt your feelings, he's sorry.} WEST VIRGINIA OKLAHOMA KENTUCKY ARIZONA An unexpected labor uprising has gripped some conservative states over the past two months as public school teachers have staged protests and strikes over low pay and strained education budgets.And so far, the agitation has worked in some places, with Republican-led legislatures approving uncharacteristic tax increases and more money for schools in response to the public pressure.Labor activism is nothing new to teachers. The profession is heavily unionized, and its major unions _ the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association _ are among the largest in the U.S.But a renewed militancy has crept into the profession this year, especially in conservative-leaning states, where teachers say education funding and wages have fallen behind after lawmakers prioritized tax cuts over new spending.Teachers have been most emboldened by their counterparts in states where the wages are lowest, such as West Virginia. The state ranks 48th in the nation, with an average salary of $45,622, according to the most recently available data from the National Education Association.Wages are highest in New York, where the average pay is $79,152, and California, where teachers average $77,179.Here's a summary of what's happened in four states.Teachers undertook the first large-scale labor action of the year in the West Virginia, no stranger to worker uprisings.Schools closed in all 55 of the state's counties Feb. 22 as public school teachers called a statewide strike. Many were clad in red bandannas, the symbol of the mine workers in the state's "mine wars" of the early 20th century.Pay was low. But the bigger issue, many teachers said, was the Public Employee Insurance Agency, which provides health insurance for state employees.The program is funded 80 percent by employers and 20 percent by employees. As health care costs continue to soar, teachers were being asked to pay more and more to fund their health insurance plans.For nine days, teachers thronged the capital, at one point voting to override their own union leaders to continue the strike, the state's first by teachers since 1990.The uprising came to an end after Republican Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill raising pay for teachers and other state employees by 5 percent this year. (Teachers' salaries are set by state statute.) Justice also promised a task force to address issues with the state's health-insurance program.While the West Virginia strike caught the imagination of Oklahoma teachers, an education funding crisis had been brewing in Oklahoma for years.Many districts had cut to four-day weeks. On Facebook, teachers shared photos of books and classrooms falling apart. One first-grader recently found the she had been assigned the same textbook used by country music star Blake Shelton, who is 41.And teacher pay was even lower than in West Virginia, with average salaries of $45,276.Districts complained of constantly losing teachers to higher-paying schools in neighboring states, including Oklahoma's 2016 Teacher of the Year, who moved to Texas, where the average salary is $51,890.And so, with school districts heavily dependent on the state for financing, frustrated school boards and superintendents supported teachers' plans to go on strike by making plans to cancel school on April 2.Teachers, demanding $10,000 in raises, were on strike for nine days. The Republican-controlled state Legislature, in response, approved $6,000 in raises, passing the first tax increases by the Legislature since 1992. But further gains have been elusive.Sensing an impasse, the Oklahoma Education Association, the state's most influential teachers' union, called for an end to the strike Thursday, saying that energies should instead be directed toward the November elections.But some teachers have urged continued action, signaling that the fight, at least this school year, may not be over.As tensions rose around the nation, teachers flooded to private Facebook groups that amassed tens of thousands of members, where educators in places such as Oklahoma and Arizona began discussing the low pay and tight budgets in their own states.In Kentucky, the "KY120 UNITED" group _ a reference to Kentucky's 120 counties _ has amassed more than 42,000 members.Caught up in the movement, teachers in Kentucky have also flocked to their state's Capitol in recent weeks to argue with Republican Gov. Matt Bevin and the Republican-led Legislature over education funding.Teachers were outraged in recent weeks by a surprise bill that that _ among other measures _ would give lawmakers the power to adjust the pension plans of new teachers. Currently, teachers receive pension benefits that are "inviolable" under state law, meaning lawmakers can't change them.The changes were tacked onto a sewage bill, heightening suspicions.On Friday, the Legislature overrode vetoes by Bevin to pass tax and budget bills expected to raise nearly $400 million and increase some education funding.Bevin Friday accused teachers of putting children in physical danger by canceling school."I guarantee you somewhere in Kentucky today, a child was sexually assaulted that was left at home because there was nobody there to watch them," Bevin said, providing no evidence. "I guarantee you somewhere today, a child was physically harmed or ingested poison because they were left alone because a single parent didn't have any money to take care of them."After an uproar by teachers and lawmakers, Bevin apologized for the remarks Sunday, saying, "I apologize for those who have been hurt by the things that were said" and that it was "not my intent."In Arizona, the education movement is called #RedForEd. The protesting teachers wear red and are talking about going on strike.Demonstrations in Arizona have swelled at the Capitol and at schools as teachers demanded more education funding and higher pay. Salaries in the state average $47,218, 43rd in the nation, according to the National Education Association.The movement is also being driven, in large part, by organizing on Facebook, in a group called "Arizona Educators United," which has more than 45,000 members.Last week, organizers announced their intent to organize a walkout unless teachers received a 20 percent raise, though they did not set a date.On Wednesday, thousands of teachers gathered outside their schools in "walk-ins" before classes began.The pressure seems to have worked.On Thursday, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey announced plans to raise teacher pay 20 percent by 2020, through a series of year-by-year raises. For millions of older Americans, theres nothing stronger than the desire to age in place, maintaining their independence and avoiding intensive institutional care for as long as possible. Increasingly, assisted living is filling the gap between home and a nursing facility.States spend a reported $10 billion in federal and state money per year on Medicaid beneficiaries in assisted living facilities, averaging $30,000 per patient, per year. But its not clear whether governments are getting their moneys worth in terms of quality of care and, critically, the safety and well-being of the facilities residents.Answers to some of those concerns came in a February report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found significant shortcomings in oversight of assisted living facilities across the country. Forty-eight states receive some kind of Medicaid funding for assisted living facilities, but 26 of those states do not report critical incidents -- including unexplained deaths, abuse, neglect or financial exploitation -- to the federal government.Yet for many who advocate for older Americans, the GAO report had shortcomings of its own. The advocacy group Justice in Aging put out a statement contending that the report barely scratches the surface of the lack of oversight and reporting requirements. And Eric Carlson, directing attorney for Justice in Aging, says that even for the 22 states that do collect data on serious infractions, the information isnt easy enough for the public to obtain. Im not sure it would be all that useful, he says.There is little in the way of federal standards around Medicaid-funded assisted living facilities, leaving states mostly in charge of regulating them. So without clear guidance from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), these facilities largely operate under a hodgepodge of rules set by states long-term care departments.A sad result of that lack of regulation was seen at Valley Springs Manor, a California assisted living facility that closed with no warning back in 2014, leaving 19 residents inside without care. The incident gained national attention when a cook and a janitor stayed behind until the residents were safely relocated, shining a light on how little is required of these facilities.Most of the 48 states that receive some form of Medicaid funding for assisted living get that money only for patients who have needs equal to an institutional level of care, such as a hospital or nursing home. So most Medicaid-reliant assisted living facilities do not employ full-time nurses -- if they employ any nurses at all -- and instead rely on caregivers, a role that requires far less education.Carlson acknowledges that he isnt an expert in what every state is doing, but he says that based on a 2014 report he worked on for the National Senior Citizen Law Center, some of the Deep South states -- Alabama, Florida and, in particular, Arkansas -- have some of the most rigorous standards for their assisted living facilities. Arkansas, for example, has a tiered system, with higher-need residents living separately from more autonomous residents and nurses responsible for designing the care plan for those needier residents.Thats a level of oversight the advocates would like to see nationwide, and there is some change on the horizon. In 2014, CMS issued new guidelines for all community-based care facilities, including those providing assisted living. The guidelines are still being phased in for many states, but advocates hope that as more states draw up transition plans, their assisted living facilities will finally be held to a higher standard. Not long after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court threw out the state's Republican-drawn congressional map earlier this year -- a boon for Democrats who hope to flip control of the U.S. House in November -- some Republicans state legislators came up with an idea. They proposed impeaching the justices who signed on to the ruling.The impeachment effort targeted justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, Debra Todd and David Wecht, all of whom were elected as Democrats and agreed that the old map was an impermissible partisan gerrymander.The Republican lawmakers said they wouldn't target Justice Max Baer, a Democrat who disagreed with the majority on procedural grounds, or the court's two Republicans, Sallie Updyke Mundy and Chief Justice Thomas Saylor.But before the effort could get off the ground, two prominent Republicans came out against the impeachment bid: Chief Justice Saylor and House Majority Leader Dave Reed. "Threats of impeachment directed against justices because of their decision in a particular case are an attack upon an independent judiciary, which is an essential component of our constitutional plan of government," Saylor said in a statement.For his part, Reed, the GOP legislator whose support would be needed to pursue impeachment, said that "while I believe the state Supreme Court's decision to draw and implement their own congressional redistricting map is wrong, disagreement over the outcome of any particular case should not be grounds for impeachment."The statements by Saylor and Reed have likely doomed the impeachment idea. "Republicans, particularly those in the legislature, are extremely agitated by the Supreme Court's redistricting decision. However, I see very little chance that the impeachment call will go beyond a saber-rattling stage," says Christopher Borick, a political scientist at Muhlenberg College. "I don't think there is a real appetite to push the state into a constitutional crisis."If the impeachment effort in Pennsylvania does peter out, it will join other failed attempts by politicians to oust members of the judiciary due to policy disagreements. Of course, it's rare in American history to try to remove sitting judges for such reasons. But it has been occurring somewhat more regularly in recent years, according to observers who watch the judiciary."There was a point in time where these sorts of elections were relative one-offs," says William Raftery, a senior analyst with the National Center for State Courts. "Now we're starting to see one example somewhere in nearly every election cycle."Sometimes these efforts take the form of impeachment, as was the case in in Pennsylvania. Other times, they take the shape of recall efforts. And still other times, they come in the form of contested retention elections, a process in which the public votes to retain or remove a judge after they've served for a certain number of years on the bench.Retention elections are usually sleepy affairs where no opponent appears on the ballot and voters merely choose to either "retain" or "remove" the current judge. But on a few occasions in recent years, judges have found themselves facing aggressive and well-funded campaigns aimed at their removal.The most recent example of a successful ouster effort came in Iowa in 2010. The year before, the state Supreme Court had validated same-sex couples' right to marry. Critics of that decision organized an effort to defeat the three justices who faced retention elections: Chief Justice Marsha K. Ternus and justices Michael J. Streit and David L. Baker.On Election Day, each of the three Iowa justices on the ballot failed to clear the 50 percent mark and were removed, even as every lower court judge facing an election was retained. "I think it will send a message across the country that the power resides with the people," Bob Vander Plaats, who led the campaign against the justices, toldafter the results were in. "It's we the people, not we the courts."However, talk of impeaching the remainder of the justices cooled, and the one justice who faced a retention election in 2012, David Wiggins, was returned to the bench. "Public opinion in the state on the issue shifted quite quickly," says Christopher Larimer, a University of Northern Iowa political scientist.Indeed, the successful 2010 ousters in Iowa are a historical outlier. That same year, conservative efforts to remove judges who faced retention elections failed in Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois and Florida. "Most of these efforts fade out and don't succeed," Raftery says, adding that such attempts are "a shot across the bow" intended to remind judges that they're ultimately accountable to the people.Florida has been home to several such attempts. But despite the fireworks, "Florida has never failed to retain a justice," says Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida political scientist.In 1990, anti-abortion groups sought to remove state Supreme Court Justice Leander Shaw after he authored a 4-3 decision that found unconstitutional a Florida law requiring parental consent before a minor could have an abortion. His share of the retention vote -- a little under 60 percent -- was a bit closer than typical elections, but he still won without much trouble.More than a decade later, after the disputed 2000 presidential election in Florida, some conservative groups sought to oust two Democratic appointees -- Harry Lee Anstead and Charles T. Wells -- for their role in extending the vote recount that kept Democratic nominee Al Gore's hopes alive. But both justices survived their retention election with more than 65 percent of the vote.And finally, in 2012, three supreme court justices -- R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince -- were targeted by Tea Party-aligned groups. A failure to win retention would have given Republican Gov. Rick Scott "an opportunity to remake the court," says Aubrey Jewett, a University of Central Florida political scientist. "The coalition raised money and paid for ads criticizing the justices, and the justices actually had to raise money and 'campaign' to keep their seats . But in the end, each won about two-thirds of the vote."Other failed ousters include an effort in Tennessee in 2014, where three state Supreme Court justices appointed by Democrats -- Chief Justice Gary Wade and justices Connie Clark and Sharon Lee -- survived retention elections despite an effort led by Republican Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to remove them. Not only could their ouster have handed the Supreme Court majority to Republicans, but in Tennessee the court is tasked with appointing the state attorney general. The judges won about 55 percent of the retention vote.In Washington state in 2016, three justices targeted by pro-business interests -- Chief Justice Barbara Madsen, Charles Wiggins and Mary Yu -- won reelection against their challengers. The well-funded opposition cited rulings they considered anti-business, as well as a decision against school choice.That same year in Kansas, five state Supreme Court justices -- Chief Justice Lawton Nuss and justices Carol Beier, Dan Biles, Marla Luckert and Caleb Stegall -- survived a concerted effort by conservatives to remove the justices over controversial decisions on school finance and a murder case in which one of their rulings was eventually overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The ouster effort spurred upwards of $1 million in spending."Much of the campaigning was under the radar screen -- lots of postcards and robocalls, and some social media," says Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political scientist.In the end, the judges were all retained with at least 55 percent of the vote. Given that Donald Trump won Kansas handily that day, the successful retention of the challenged justices "was no mean feat," Loomis says.Most of the efforts to oust judges have come from the ideological right; but not exclusively so.For instance, there's a pending effort to recall California Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky for imposing what many saw as a relatively light sentence on Brock Turner, a Stanford University athlete, after a sexual assault conviction. The recall effort has been backed by at least 10 elected Democratic officials and was steered to the June 5 ballot by Democratic consultants.On occasion, critics have eschewed impeachment, recalls or opposition in a retention election in favor of legislative hardball, such as eliminating funding for the courts.In Arizona, for instance, lawmakers tried in 2012 to flex their muscles by seeking to cut the state's court of appeals from 22 judges to six. And in Kansas four years later, the legislature initially passed, then repealed a law to cut the judiciary's budget to zero if the courts struck down certain state laws.It's not a coincidence that, on balance, the vast majority of efforts to put courts on a leash have failed.In each of the Florida cases, for instance, the decisive factor in keeping the justices on the bench was that "the justices were still within the broad mainstream of public opinion, even when a majority of the public might have disagreed with the decision, as was the case with overturning the parental consent law," Jewett says. "The majority of voters were comfortable with keeping them on the court."Douglas Keith, a counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, agrees that that this don't-rock-the-boat pattern has prevailed nationally. The string of losing efforts to bounce judges, he says, "is likely due in large part to the condemnation they've been met with from across the political spectrum. The public gets that judges need to be independent and free from political pressure. There may be a handful of officials who think it is in their political interests to stir up impeachment talk, but, by and large, elected officials seem to know that voters aren't going to tolerate this kind of encroachment on basic separation of powers principles."And judges ultimately have an ace in the hole: their reputation. As recently as December, the National Center for State Courts found that state courts had a 71 percent confidence rating, compared to 61 percent for governors and 57 percent for legislatures. On Thursday morning, Gary Berreth stepped outside of his house in the Green Meadows neighborhood and found an unexpected letter attached to his front door.The letter featured the Washington state seal and claimed to be from the Office of the Governor. It warned of "an adjustment in property taxes" due to the shutdown of an oil terminal and an agreement with BNSF to prohibit the shipping of oil, lumber and coal by rail through Vancouver.At the end of the letter was a carefully scrawled signature: "Jay Inslee," Washington's Democratic governor. CC'd on the letter were Clark County Assessor Peter Van Nortwick and Treasurer Doug Lasher."I instantly knew that there is no way the government does business like this," said Berreth, who said that he saw the same letter attached to other doors throughout his neighborhood.Berreth was correct in assuming the letter was a hoax. In an era of growing concerns of fake news spreading online, someone (or a group of people) has taken up a more old-fashioned approach to spreading misinformation.Simon Vila, spokesman for Inslee, confirmed that neither the governor nor his staff were out in Green Meadows posting notes to residents' doors."This is definitely not from our office," he said.Vila said that the governor's office suspects that whoever is behind the fake notes is also behind a series of strange letters directed to supporters of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington. These letters were typically signed by "Titania," or another character from A Midsummer Night's Dream. The letters were also accompanied by apples lobbed at the houses of their targets. Vila pointed out that the fonts of both letters are similar.When contacted about Berreth finding the letter on his door, Lasher first responded with an email: "Did he see it on Fox News?"In a phone interview, Lasher, a Democrat, said that the letter's claim that the governor has authorized an adjustment to property taxes is false. The governor cannot unilaterally alter property taxes. Changes to property taxes need to be signed off by the Legislature, which is currently out of session."If they knew the law they would know that's incorrect," said Lasher.The letter's reference to "shutting down the oil terminal" is a likely reference to Inslee's decision earlier this year to reject a proposed crude-by-rail terminal at the Port of Vancouver.The letter's claim that BNSF, which operates a large network of railways, has entered an agreement to end the shipment of oil, lumber and coal by rail through Vancouver is also highly questionable.Courtney Wallace, director of public affairs for BNSF, said in an email that as "a common carrier, we are obligated by federal law to move all regulated goods.""I'm just surprised someone took the time to write something like this up," said Van Nortwick, a Republican. He said he's not sure how widespread the letter has been distributed or where it's coming from. But he did take to Facebook to debunk the letter.However, he said that the otherwise fake letter got one thing correct."It's very rare that someone gets my name spelled right," he said/ In the span of 33 hours this week:_ President Donald Trump tweeted "TOTAL WITCH HUNT" after FBI agents, acting on a referral from special prosecutor Robert Mueller, raided the offices and residences of Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen._ Fox News host Sean Hannity said "Mueller's witch-hunt investigation" was on a "runaway train."_ Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, responding to a Republican-led legislative report of a woman's claims that Greitens had sexually and physically assaulted her, referred to a "witch hunt" five times in an eight-minute speech and said: "This is exactly like what's happening with the witch hunts in Washington, D.C."The term that now binds the right of American politics is not designed to win people over as much as harden true believers against a common enemy: the "swamp of Washington," the political elites of Jefferson City or the "deep state" of government bureaucrats and "liberal media" that Hannity attacks nightly."Witch Hunt" is a weapon in the verbal combat of what Watergate journalist Carl Bernstein has called a "cold civil war."Beyond politics, its usage tells us much about fame, shame and power in 2018 America."We have heard that term 'witch hunt' more in the last six months than we have heard it in the last 50 years," said Stephen Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., and author of a new book on presidential communication. "And that is because it is a very effective way to dismiss allegations without having to deny them, one by one."If you ask (Greitens), 'Did you tie the woman to your exercise equipment?" _ it is a yes or no answer. 'Was she crying?' is a yes or no answer. But if the governor uses the term 'witch hunt,' then he can offer up the equivalence of a denial without having to go through a specific yes or no question which might be harder to answer."Trump, who is facing a Mueller investigation into campaign collusion with Russians and a hush payment to a porn actress, has been a profligate user of the term. Hannity provides the echo chamber on the nation's most-watched cable network. Greitens, under indictment, is a more recent appropriator."When Donald Trump can retain his roughly 40 percent approval despite one revelation after another involved in the Mueller investigation, politicians in trouble will be tempted to try the same approach," Farnsworth said.Wayne Fields, an emeritus professor of English, American literature and American culture studies at Washington University, said "witch hunt" is employed by the powerful to demonize and neutralize accusers they try to argue are guilty of worse things than they are."They use this kind of language in a very vague and self-serving way, and that is what the governor of Missouri is doing, too," said Fields, author of many works on political language. "He is riding the popularity of saying: 'Just as President Trump is being persecuted, so am I. Just as Fox News is being persecuted, so am I.'"In the 2016 campaign, Trump promised to drain the "swamp" of Washington. Greitens mirrored that in Missouri, attacking what he portrayed as cravenness and dishonesty of political elites, including fellow Republicans, in Jefferson City.But the two politicians diverge in one important way.During the 2016 campaign, Trump, a brazen, self-promoting billionaire, relied on suspension of disbelief from supporters who viewed Washington through the same critical prism he did, and were willing to overlook _ even applaud _ Trump's crass behavior and language.Greitens ran as family man and inspiration. The Navy SEAL wrote books with titles like "Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life," and he ran for governor as an outsider on another righteous mission.But cornered politically on salacious allegations, Trump and Greitens have fallen back to the same "witch hunt" defense.Fields said it's a way to delegitimize accusers, "whether you call it 'deep state' the way Hannity has sometimes; or whether you call it the 'Washington elite' the way Trump is inclined to; or Greitens in the very stark way that he has defined a kind of Jefferson City elite that he was going to run against, including Republicans he attacked early on."An irony is that the allegations against the Republican officeholders are being leveled by fellow Republicans, including this week's explosive legislative report on Greitens' alleged actions in an acknowledged extramarital affair. Mueller is said to lean GOP, politically, and the U.S. attorney who approved the "witch hunt" search was appointed by Trump himself.From the literal witch hunts of the 17th century to the term's usage in the anti-Communist McCarthyism of the 1950s, it has always been about politics.Today, it's a dog whistle, a signal to supporters to ignore the details because the mission is greater and the beliefs are purer than anything the accusers stand for."Greitens has always had this about him _ the sanctimoniousness," Fields said, referring to "the holier-than-thou thing that he used in the campaign and through much of his life."By contrast, Fields said, "Trump would sort of claim the mantle, but he was also running on 'You know I am a man of the world, you know how many women I have had, you know I can get whatever I want.'"And his crowds ate that up," Fields said, arguing they believed Trump's prophecy that because he is such a threat to the status quo that, 'You know they are going to be out to get me. And we will show them.'""The thing that I find astonishing on all of this is that nothing produces shame, nothing produces humility," Fields said.Politics "has always had a self-serving element to it," he said, but the witch-hunt claims are a window into culture as a whole."Look at the famous people in the culture these days," Fields said. "There are people that did stuff that when I was a kid was considered shameful and disgraceful, whether it is the Kardashians or the Jersey Shore crowd _ people who got famous based on a sex tape and have these utterly vacuous lives that made them a fortune."You have got fundamentalist Christians who used to scream about everything from dancing to gambling that there doesn't seem to be anything _ as long as it serves their fairly narrow political interests _ that is unacceptable in terms of behavior."Men in Missouri's congressional delegation mostly have avoided comment or had cautious responses to the allegations and Greitens' "witch-hunt" claims. Sen. Roy Blunt. R-Mo., and GOP Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, expressed concern but urged that political and legal processes be allowed to play out.Fields said that was a vivid illustration of establishment Republicans like Blunt and Luetkemeyer "riding the tiger" in a Republican Party "that now has to respond to a Trumpian base."But the three women in Missouri's 10-person congressional delegation _ Republican Reps. Ann Wagner and Vicky Hartzler, and Sen. Claire McCaskill _ were the earliest and most forceful in saying Greitens was not worthy of the office, rejecting his "witch-hunt" claims."Witch" has long been used to demonize women. Trump's supporters did that to Clinton on social media and carried "ditch the witch" signs to Trump rallies where crowds chanted, "lock her up.""They couldn't burn her," Fields said of Clinton. "They were going to put her in prison." Failed efforts to reform the federal criminal justice system are getting a second look in Washington _ after the White House saw how much money Texas and other states saved overhauling prisons.President Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to be tough on crime, and rejected Congress' sweeping reform plans that drew support from both parties.But after months of behind-the-scenes lobbying from Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner _ an effort that leaned hard on data and experts from Texas _ Trump has come around to some of their ideas.The White House says the president now supports prison reforms like those Texas implemented more than a decade ago, which since saved the state more than $3 billion and has resulted in the closure of prisons and a drastic reduction in the crime rate. South Carolina has implemented similar changes and saved nearly $500 million."Texas has driven this revolution _ showing that you can reduce incarceration rates safely, while reducing crime rates and saving money," said Mark Holden, general counsel for the conservative Koch network, which lobbies hard for broad criminal justice reforms."That was explained to the people in (the White House), including the president, and I think that got everyone's attention," said Holden, who attended White House meetings on the issue.Lawmakers in Washington will now begin work on a proposal pared down to the reforms the president likes. Kushner, whose own father was once incarcerated in federal prison, has coordinated those efforts.Kushner spent months working with Holden, former Texas Public Policy Foundation President Brooke Rollins, Dallas investor Doug Deason, and governors from states that implemented reforms to identify successful ideas from the state level.They collectively presented those ideas to Trump at a White House meeting in January. The following month, the White House asked lawmakers to draw up legislation, highlighting many of the same policies.Texas, for example, invested in helping prisoners prepare for and find jobs after their release, reducing the likelihood they would be arrested again and put back into the system."The president is supportive of state efforts to reform our prisons with the purpose of helping former inmates who have served their time get a second chance," said Helen Aguirre Ferre, White House director of media affairs.She said many governors "who have met with administration officials indicate that prison reform has helped reduce recidivism and improved policies that help re-enter society while also providing the reforms needed to their systems of criminal justice."Kushner has since worked with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a longtime criminal justice reform advocate who crafted the plan the House will begin debating this month.It pulls directly from successful Texas programs, including prisoner rehabilitation programs, risk profiling initiatives and community partnerships.Texas paired with a number of faith-based groups in the state, including ROD Ministries in Dallas, to provide support after prisoners are released. The state also began placing inmates it deemed less likely to commit future crimes into less restrictive prison conditions.The proposal, though, leaves out changes to criminal sentencing, something Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions took issue with in earlier efforts.Cornyn, who has championed broader reforms in the past, called the new approach Congress' only real shot at getting something signed by Trump.But the scaled-back proposal is drawing push-back from some unexpected sources on Capitol Hill.Left-leaning groups that support prison reform don't want Congress to abandon the sentencing changes, which they say address the underlying problem.A group of 60 civil and human rights groups wrote to Senate leaders last month saying they reject any proposal that doesn't also include "front-end sentencing reforms" that "stem the tide of incarceration, reduce the exorbitant cost of the prison system, and give redress to those inside who are serving unreasonably long sentences for low-level offenses."The Texas model could offer fuel for those arguments as well.While its prison reforms have drawn praise from groups across the ideological spectrum, justice reform advocates say Texas' sentencing system needs work.The state faces fresh criticism from human rights groups for a plan to speed up executions by limiting appeals for people on death row. Attorney General Ken Paxton requested permission for that change, citing the "excessive costs" of court proceedings.Amanda Marzullo, executive director of Texas Defender Service, which is fighting the state on that issue, praised conservative groups for their role in the state's prison reforms. But, she said, "We have other issues that are very significant, that are worse than they are in other areas of the country."Marzullo cited lack of access to legal counsel and issues with due process as problems that have helped fill Texas prisons. She cited the state's high rate of prison exoneration _ meaning people who were later found not guilty after a conviction _ as evidence of the system's sentencing flaws.Still, she supports Washington's effort to model its reforms on Texas' initiatives."Texas has had some success," said Marzullo. "A lot of the reforms we've had in Texas could be replicated at the federal level."Rollins, who oversaw some of those efforts at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, is transitioning to a job at the White House, where she will lead Kushner's Office of American Innovation.She credited Texas for "redefining what criminal justice means in America," and said Trump takes the reform effort "seriously." Description GIS 16 April, 2018: The President of All India Vaish Federation, Dr Gireesh Sanghi, accompanied by other delegation members, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, on 13 April 2018, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. The President of All IndiaVaish Federation, Dr Gireesh Sanghi, accompanied by other delegation members, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, on 13 April 2018, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. In a statement, Dr Sanghi highlighted the purpose of his visit to Mauritius which is essentially to attend the Vaish Divas celebration, upon the invitation of the Government of Mauritius. He underpinned the significance of the celebration in India as the country has a huge Vaish community. The presence and participation of the delegation of All India Vaish Federation to this symbolical celebration is a testimony of the support of India to the Vaish community of Mauritius, he stated. Moreover, he reiterated the support of the Government of India for the betterment of Mauritius and its population. The head of delegation further indicated that discussions with the Prime Minister focused on the economic development of Mauritius, the tourism industry, in particular as a marriage destination, medical care and education sectors. Description GIS 16 April, 2018: The Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Mauritius in Lebanon, Mr Salem Mahmoud Beydoun, called on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, on Friday 13 April 2018 at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. During the meeting, Mr Beydoun presented to Prime Minister Jugnauth an official letter of the Lebanese Prime Minister, Mr Saad Hariri in the context of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Independence of Mauritius and the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two countries. Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me. Description GIS 16 April, 2018: Mauritius is hosting from 16 to 20 April 2018 the regional meeting on Accident Prevention in Radiotherapy within the framework of the project Strengthening Member State Technical Capabilities in Medical Radiation Protection in compliance with requirements of the new international Basic Safety Standards. The opening was held this morning at Palms Hotel in Quatre Bornes in the presence of the Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo. The purpose of the meeting, organised by the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is to provide guidance to radiotherapy professionals and the regulatory authority about activities that need to be considered and performed to reduce the likelihood of accident in radiotherapy. Around 25 foreign participants including IAEA experts are attending. In his address, Dr Husnoo pointed out that Mauritius is a member of the IAEA since 1974 and has benefitted from technical assistance from the Agency in the fields of water, energy, health and agriculture. Speaking about radiotherapy, he underlined that it is a major modality in the treatment of cancer while adding that its preparation and execution is a complex task. Errors, he said, can occur at multiple points and hence the need to learn from accidents that have occurred and to implement prevention actions. The Health Minister highlighted that there is an urgent need to improve radiotherapy services so as to be at par with international standards. He also pointed out that the risks associated with diagnostic and interventional radiology should be given due importance. Speaking about the incidence of cancer in Mauritius, Dr Husnoo said that it is the third cause of death in Mauritius after diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. He recalled that the Radiotherapy Unit was set up at Victoria Hospital in 1969 while adding that a Linear Accelerator and a Cobalt-60 machine were acquired in 1994 and 2002 respectively. In a bid to enhance the quality of service provided to cancer patients, there has been a gradual increase of staff working in the department and ongoing training programmes for oncologists are being undertaken under the supervision of the Mauritius Institute of Health, said Dr Husnoo. For her part, the Chairperson of the Regional Meeting of the IAEA and Radiation Protection Specialist, Ms Debbie Bray Gilley, stated that radiotherapy has significant global importance and that it is important to build a better safety system to ensure patient safety. She added that appropriate quality and risk management system should be implemented to build up a robust safety structure and culture in every healthcare system to reduce or prevent radiation incidents/accidents to occur. The commitment and support from the hospital and healthcare management and active support and participation of the frontline staff is essential in preventing such incidents, she concluded. Description GIS 16 April ,2018: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in the field of sexual and reproductive health was signed by the Mauritius Institute of Health (MIH) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Friday 13 April 2018 in Port Louis. The Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo, was present on that occasion. Signatories of the MoU were the Executive Director of the MIH, Dr G. Daby, and UNFPAs Country Director for Mauritius, Mr Serge Bounda. In his address, Minister Husnoo stated that the MoU will support the MIH in taking a leading role to become a regional centre of excellence for training and research in sexual and reproductive health. Training also focuses on family planning, security of reproductive health commodities, S exually Transmitted Infections / Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, maternal health, and gender issues, he added. The MoU, Dr Husnoo highlighted, will consolidate collaborative ties with the UNFPA which were established some 40 years back and strengthen capacity-building development across the Sub-Saharan region in reproductive health. For his part, Mr Bounda, indicated that the MoU will provide training and expertise both to health professionals in Mauritius and other African countries. Thus enabling these professionals to contribute in promoting a society whereby all human beings are entitled to equal rights and protections, he pointed out. According to Mr Bounda, adolescent pregnancy, the biggest challenge for African countries, needs to be prevented so as to foster a gender-equitable society with the empowerment of girls and women. The UNFPA will continue to work in collaboration with the MIH to improve the sexual and reproductive health status of all men, women and young people in the African continent, he underlined. UNFPA UNFPA, which is the United Nations reproductive health and rights agency, was created in 1969. The organisation has as objectives to promote a world where every pregnancy is wanted , every child birth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. It calls for the realisation of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education. (TNS) - Jeremy Barfield and Carter Grant stood in the backyard of the Huff House on Saturday afternoon attempting to make contact with radio frequencies during the annual Georgia QSO Party, a gathering of amateur radio enthusiasts, also know as ham radio operators.It wasn't long after that that the men, members of the Dalton Amateur Radio Club, made contact with the International Space Station."It feels achieving," said Grant of Chatsworth. "Everyone doesn't get to reach that far."The contact lasted a couple minutes, according to Barfield. Grant said they performed what's called a "slow scan.""That's when a picture is sent and turned into sound," Grant said. "It's really interesting."Barfield joined the club over a year ago and said he loves it."I have a lot of fun making contact from my home radio to people in Europe or even Japan," he said. "I like seeing how far I can reach with 1,000 watts and a wire."The Dalton members held their party at the Huff House on Selvidge Street in Dalton as a tribute to Willard Strain, a late member who purchased a gazebo for the historic home.David Stanley, one of the local club's 40-plus members, said their club is a special event station."We have a special call sign (W4D) issued to commemorate the Carpet Capital of the World and demonstrate the Huff House," Stanley said.The objective of a QSO party is for radio amateurs outside of Georgia to make contact with as many stations in all of Georgia's 159 Georgia, according to the Georgia QSO website. A contact is often referred to by the Q code QSO. This is the 58th year for the state QSO party.Dalton had two radios set up for the contest."It depends how seriously you take it as to how many contacts you make," he said. "But you can make hundreds."Stanley said members participate all over the world."Maybe they are at home, in a vehicle, wherever. They can make contact with us and still get Whitfield County."Stanley explained the contest as a signal report, which tells the person on the opposite end how well they can hear you. Then both parties log into a software program to grade the connection quality.The parties are held once a year for two days, but Dalton only participates in one day."We're just here for fun," Philip Rafey, public information officer for the Dalton Amateur Radio Club, said. "We like to get together socially."Greg Williams, president of the club, said it has been in existence since the early 1980s. They meet once a month at the Dalton Public Works building."We perform services, we're not allowed to make any money doing it," Williams said.Members help by serving the Whitfield Emergency Management Agency (EMA), the Georgia EMA and Federal EMA."They will call 'hams' when there is a loss of communication or cellphone towers aren't working," Williams said. "We can still work, theres no backbone required for ham radio structure to stay in place."Williams said when there is any kind of disaster, the Red Cross will call them to handle communications."If we have a disaster and all of our communications go down, we'll use radio," Williams said. "Radio will never fail."2018 The Daily Citizen (Dalton, Ga.)Visit The Daily Citizen (Dalton, Ga.) at daltondailycitizen.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) A bill that would allow companies to road-test self-driving vehicles in New Hampshire may be facing some speed bumps.House Bill 314 cleared the House on a voice vote earlier this year.Its prime sponsor, Rep. Steven Smith, R-Charlestown, said the measure is the result of three years of work by around 20 stakeholders here. But he said there's been some last-minute, "aggressive" lobbying by the autonomous vehicle industry to try to weaken the language in his bill.It's frustrating, said Smith, who chairs the House Transportation Committee. "All of a sudden, they're peppering us with model legislation at the end of a three-year period in the last two weeks," he said. "It's not the way we do business with our partners."Smith said lobbyists want to change the bill to allow not just testing but deployment of driverless cars. He's not budging."I am not going to write a deployment package for a car that doesn't exist," he said. "I hope that they test here, but ultimately, my first job is public safety and a responsible test framework."The legislation would allow someone to apply to the Department of Safety for an "autonomous vehicle testing license." The company would have to provide the dates and locations where testing would occur - and put up a $10 million insurance or surety bond. It would also have to share some safety data with the state.Test vehicles would have to be accompanied by escort vehicles, and the license could be revoked for violating the rules of the road.Matthew Mincieli is Northeast regional executive director for TechNet, which represents about 70 technology and "innovation" companies.Mincieli said New Hampshire is "very appealing" for road-testing driverless cars because of its varied terrain and road conditions. But he said some of the requirements in House Bill 314 are too onerous.For one thing, he said, the $10 million bond is higher than anywhere else. And he said other states don't require companies to notify them where the testing will occur. "We prefer the state not have the option of saying yes or no to certain locations," he said.And the requirement of an escort vehicle is "a major impediment to testing," Mincieli said. "That to us seems an overly complicated requirement."The escort vehicle provision is "not negotiable," Smith said. "You need eyes on (it) while it's being tested."Mincieli also objected to the provision that the state could pull the testing license for a violation of road rules. "That's pretty broad," he said. "The punishment doesn't fit the crime."The front end of the test vehicle Acura is using to test its autonomous Automated Drive car is pictured at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, Nov. 16, 2016. (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo)Smith said he cobbled together portions of legislation that has worked in other states to create a law he thinks will be good for New Hampshire. He purposely did not include any definitions, since the industry is changing so fast, he said.Smith worked for eight years as a test engineer for a tech company. "And the things that they're asking for, none of their test engineers would ask for," he said.His bill would require that any vehicle tested here be first tested under controlled conditions that simulate "real world conditions.""That's responsible, and it builds confidence," Smith said. "If a company isn't willing to do that and they come to us and say, 'We drove it around our parking lot,' no, you're not going on a New Hampshire road."The debate here comes after some self-driving vehicles have been involved in fatal crashes in other states. Last month, after one of Uber's self-driving test vehicles struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Ariz., the company voluntarily suspended all of its testing programs around the country.Mincieli said the program New Hampshire lawmakers are proposing is far stricter than those of other states. "What they'll do is end up causing testing and deployment to roll out more slowly," he said. "It will cause a few speed bumps unique to New Hampshire."The Legislature has to pass something, Smith said, noting the federal Department of Transportation has issued guidance that states can't outright ban driverless vehicles.But the DOT leaves it up to states to regulate their own roads.Meanwhile, he said, "The industry's made it clear that they don't believe that anything in our statutes prevents them from doing it here tomorrow.""If we do nothing, they can just come here and it's their playground," he said.Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, said she's spoken with some representatives of carmakers about their concerns.Birdsell said lawmakers have no intention of banning driverless vehicles. But, she said, "I want to make sure we do this right."She said she initially was skeptical about driverless cars but has changed her mind."I understand that autonomous vehicles are coming, and I honestly think it's a really excellent alternative for our disabled and our elderly populations," she said.Indeed, Jeff Dickinson, Granite State Independent Living's advocacy director, told the Senate Transportation Committee last month that autonomous vehicles would be "transformative" for the elderly and disabled, especially in rural areas of the state with no public transportation."We really feel that there is an awful lot of opportunity there for folks with disabilities as this technology moves forward," Dickinson told the committee at a March 29 hearing.At the same hearing, Elizabeth Bielecki, the state director of motor vehicles, praised the bill's focus on testing only."We're going into it with eyes wide open, and knowing where these vehicles can be so we can watch, we can observe and learn from that experience," she said.Mincieli said he's optimistic that New Hampshire will allow driverless cars to be tested here. And, he said, "Everyone wants to get this right the first time.""Some of what we're asking for is really just in line with what other states have done," he said. "Being an outlier isn't going to necessarily help New Hampshire be a leader on this issue."Smith said he doesn't mind some changes to his bill.But, he said, "If they make tweaks that allow the manufacturers to come here unsupervised, then we're going to have a problem." (TNS) AUGUSTA, Maine The Maine House and Senate are divided over a bill to prevent some internet service providers from selling users private data.On Friday, the Democratic-controlled House voted 82-63 in support of a measure that would prohibit internet service providers, or ISPs, that receive state contracts or grants from the use, sale or disclosure of or access to customer personal information without a customers permission.But the Republican-controlled Senate voted 19-16 on Thursday to kill the proposal, meaning the bill is likely dead for the year unless a handful of Republicans change their positions or a compromise is struck.The divided votes came at time of heightened concern over data privacy online and days after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress on his companys data-sharing policies.Bill sponsor Sen. Shenna Bellows, D-Manchester, said the bill was especially important given the Republican-controlled Congress decision to overturn Federal Communications Commission rules prohibiting ISPs from selling or sharing users private information gathered from emails and internet searches without consent . Bellows said she agreed to change the bill to restrict the prohibitions to only ISPs that receive state funds in order to address constitutional concerns.Imagine, for an example, you email a loved one about a sensitive medical matter or you research something deeply personal on the internet, and then the next day you get something in the mail related to that personal email that you thought was between you and one other person, Bellows said during Senate floor debate on Thursday. That is exactly what would happen in the absence of internet privacy protections because of a change in federal law.Bellows and other supporters pointed out that during committee hearings , Maine-based ISPs such as Axiom and GWI supported the bill while the large national providers opposed it. Under the revised proposal, ISPs that violate the data-sharing and data-selling prohibition could lose any state contracts or grants made through programs such as ConnectME.But opponents said the bill is unnecessary because ISPs are not engaged in the practice and customers can effectively punish any companies that do in the future by declining to purchase their service. They also pointed out that the bill would not apply to Facebook, Google or any of the other tech and social media companies currently in the spotlight for sharing or selling users data and would, instead, only impose onerous regulations on ISPs.Rep. Nathan Wadsworth, R-Hiram, predicted the bill could also lead to costly litigation for the state while discouraging ISPs from investing in expanding broadband in Maine.If implemented, LD 1610 would stifle innovation and allow government to pick winners and losers within the communications space while doing nothing to improve consumer privacy, Wadsworth said.The Maine State Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile, distributed a letter to lawmakers warning that the law would set Maine apart from other states, creating confusion and potentially harming the state economy. The Chamber warned the bill could impede the flow of information and advertising small businesses depend on to run a profitable business and could affect tourism,Virtually every weekend hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to our state and their ability to find Maine restaurants, attractions and retailers will be negatively impacted, reads the Chamber of Commerce letter to legislators. They will be subjected to an online experience unlike anywhere else in the nation and the likely result will be less use of the internet which means less business opportunity for our tourism based businesses.But bill supporters scoffed at the Chambers suggestions that protecting consumers private data could somehow affect tourism in Maine, especially considering that ISPs say they are not currently sharing or selling user data.They are going to continue to do what they have always done and the sky will fall and there will be no tourism in Maine? I dont see it, said Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, chairman of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee that reviewed the bill With the House and Senate in disagreement, the bill could now bounce between the chambers in the latter days of the legislative session. Absent an agreement, the bill would die between the chambers. (TNS) It's somewhat ironic: One of the best glimpses into Augusta, Ga.'s future can be found at a 136-year-old textile mill.The mostly shuttered Sibley Mill in the city's historic Harrisburg section is where a group of high-tech investors are working through the initial phases of a $150 million plan to develop a multi-use complex called Augusta Cyberworks.The plan would transform the hulking industrial property and the adjacent King Mill into offices, apartments and a 20-megawatt data center to power the city's growing digital economy."There is nothing like this here in Augusta," said Charles Johnson, the CEO of IT firm EDTS and a partner in Cape Augusta Digital Properties, the developer of the Cyberworks campus.EDTS, which provides remote network and cybersecurity services, is Cyberworks' first tenant. The 72-employee company moved into 32,000 square feet of renovated space in the mill's old cotton warehouse last summer.The space is just a fraction of what's available in the 500,000-square-foot Sibley Mill, and the 600,000-square-foot King Mill next door. Johnson and his Cape Augusta partners envision the 19th century textile mills becoming a "tech citadel" in the urban Harrisburg neighborhood just west of downtown.The ambitious project is just one of many byproducts of the region's rapidly growing cybersecurity industry, which was kick-started when the Army selected Fort Gordon as its headquarters for electronic warfare in late 2013.The infusion of IT talent and resources is evident in other parts of the central city, from the state-funded construction of the Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Training and Innovation Center along the riverfront to the renovation of a 94-year-old YMCA building on Broad Street, where tax software firm TaxSlayer plans to house its creative staff.Those soon-to-be-completed developments will join established tech enclaves, such as Unisys Corp.'s massive client service facility at Discovery Plaza and Rural Sourcing Inc.'s software development center at Enterprise Mill, in creating the foundation for Augusta's burgeoning IT industry.As substantial as those investments are, they could just be the tip of the iceberg, said G.B. Cazes, a former executive at Louisiana's National Cyber Research Park."This community is going to be successful and grow just because of the very fact of what's going on at the fort," said Cazes, who was hired by local leaders to help develop the seven-county Fort Gordon Cyber District initiative. "But what it can also be if we do it the right way is be transformative. We can really leverage that growth to span across all aspects of life here."The most extraordinary example of transformation is occurring at the Cyberworks site, where the flowing water of the Augusta Canal will be harnessed to power and cool a massive data center in much the same way it was harnessed more than a century ago to power the city's first factories and mills."The canal brought the industrial revolution to Augusta," Johnson said. "What we're seeing with cyber is a new industrial revolution."Sibley Mill's three-story warehouse was where the cotton was sorted and stored in the heat of summer and cold of winter. Today, it's where EDTS employees sort and store and protect terabytes of data in climate-controlled comfort for a host of small- and mid-size companies in the Southeast.Among the building's exposed brick walls and hand-hewn rafters are amenities common in the modern high-tech workplace: nursing rooms for new mothers, quiet rooms for private calls and an employee fitness center complete with showers and a laundry room."Young people today are pretty finicky, especially the talented ones," said James Ainslie, a partner in Cape Augusta and former head of the South African tech firm Cloudseed.Like the rest of the mill complex, the warehouse gets its juice from the mill's three canal-powered hydroelectric generators. The emission-free turbines and the 65-degree water source that spins them also will power and cool a massive "tier 3" server farm that will serve as the "cloud" for EDTS and future Cyberworks tenants.Johnson, Ainslie and fellow Cape Augusta partner Wayne Millar, a South African-born real estate developer who has lived in Augusta for more than a decade, envision the mill complex becoming a mini version of Maryland's National Business Park, a sprawling complex in Baltimore near National Security Agency headquarters.Currently, the tenants include EDTS and its affiliates EDTS Cyber and Secure IOT and UMBC Training Centers, a Maryland-based subsidiary of the University of Maryland Baltimore County that provides cybersecurity certificate training.Cape Augusta's long-term plan to create a "live-work-play" atmosphere at the Cyberworks complex includes converting King Mill into more than 250 market-rate apartments. Cape Augusta has a long-term lease agreement on Sibley Mill from its owner, the Augusta Canal Authority. Cape Augusta purchased King Mill from the authority in a $3 million deal announced in February.Cape Augusta's partners said Cyberworks employees would find the apartments attractive because they could walk to work. And because Harrisburg, like much of Richmond County, is part of a federal Historically Underutilized Business Zone, Cyberworks business tenants could qualify for "HUBZone" incentives if 35 percent of their employees live in the zone.The trio envisions Cyberworks helping the nearby Kroc Center and the nonprofit Turn Back the Block organization speed revitalization efforts in Harrisburg.They plan to have the data center certified through the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, a cloud-security standard known as FedRAMP. That certification, along with "tier 3" status (tier 4 is military grade), would be the seal of approval needed to market the data center to large-scale users such as Amazon, Microsoft or IBM, Ainslie said.Ainslie has used the term "citadel" to describe the Cyberworks facility, which he envisions as the private-sector analogue to Fort Gordon."(Fort Gordon) is the absolute genesis of the local industry. I'm not taking away its importance, but the DOD is 1 percent of the problem," Ainslie said. "The front lines for cyber are in the private sector small businesses, manufacturing plants, health care companies. This is where guys are fighting the war against the bad actors and the nation states." Chief Justice, Warren Burger, stated in 1988, I have also repeatedly given my opinion that there is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. The Convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda. Congress might try to limit the Convention to one amendment or to one issue, but there is no way to assure that the Convention would obey. After a Convention is convened, it will be too late to stop the Convention if we dont like the agenda. The meeting in 1787 ignored the limit placed by the Confederation Congress for the sole and express purpose. This evening [4/15/18] on Life, Liberty and Levin, Daniel Horowitz, an author at Conservative Review, asserted we need a Convention of States. Mr. Levin quickly chimed in, giving his approval. But dont expect Mr. Horowitz, or Mr. Levin for that matter, to address the many unanswered questions and dangers which arise should the Legislatures of two thirds of the States make application for an Article V convention as mentioned in our Federal Constitution.Whether knowing or unknowing, Daniel Horowitz is promoting an idea which would open the door for the enemies of our Constitution to re-write its provisions, the violation of which is the basis of Daniel wanting a Convention. So, why on earth would Daniel want a convention to re-write our Constitution when the fault is not found in our existing Constitution, but in a failure to enforce its provisions and the legislative intent behind those provisions?Im having a difficult time understanding why Mr. Horowitz has fallen for the dangerous idea of calling a convention to re-write our Constitution when he has not fallen for the Republican concocted and fraudulent Balanced Budget Amendment which would actually make it constitutional for Congress to not balance the budget on an annual basis, in addition to allowing taxes to be raised by a simple majority vote. How has Mr. Horowitz seen through the rope-a-dope BBA cooked up by Republican swamp creatures, and not realized that calling a convention under Article V at this point in time is a Pandoras Box which every conservative and freedom loving person in America should recoil from?Im hoping Mr. Horowitz will take the time to actually research the work of a number of constitutional conservatives, e.g., the late Conservative icon, Phyllis Schlafly, who was one of its most outspoken opponents, and carefully laid out a number of reasons for opposing it. But for now, perhaps Mr. Horowitz will consider James Madisons fears to calling a convention under Article V when he was asked:See: From James Madison to George Lee Turberville, 2 November 1788 JWK The European H2FUTURE project consortium, comprising voestalpine, Siemens, VERBUND, and Austrian Power Grid, together with the research partners K1-MET and ECN, officially gave the green light to the construction of a 6 MW green hydrogen pilot production plantthe worlds largestat a voestalpine Linz steel plant. (Earlier post.) The partners from industry and power generation will use this facility to research into future breakthrough technologies which are needed to meet global climate goals over the long-term. The plant is scheduled to be fully operational by spring 2019. More than 600 billion cubic meters of hydrogen are used annually worldwide, more than 95% of which is produced via a CO 2 -intensive process. Global demand for hydrogen is projected to increase tenfold by 2050, to around 6 trillion cubic meters. The EU-funded 18-million (US$22.3-million) project will be used to test the potential applications for green hydrogene.g., CO 2 -free hydrogen produced via electrolysis using renewable electricityin the various process stages of steel production, and integration into the power reserve markets for the power grid. For the industry, transport, and energy sectors, CO 2 -free hydrogen is an important source of energy for sector coupling and can significantly contribute to achieving the climate goals. The new plant is designed to be a technological milestone on the pathway to the energy transition, and thus to the gradual decarbonization of the steel industry. After the launch of the project at the beginning of 2017, construction of the pilot facility at the voestalpine site in Linz has now accelerated. The foundations are in place and construction of the hall is currently underway. The core electrolysis components will be delivered during the summer, with the plant going live within a year. The start of the comprehensive two-year test program is planned for spring 2019. Construction of the new pilot plant for the production of COCO 2 2-free hydrogen is taking us a step further towards the long-term realization of a technology transformation in the steel industry. The goal is to research real breakthrough technologies which will be applicable on an industrial scale in the next couple of decades. Wolfgang Eder, Chairman of the Management Board of voestalpine AG The vision of the technology and capital goods group is to move away from coal and coke via bridging technologies based on natural gas, as is already the case at the direct reduction plant in Texas, and finally on to the greatest possible use of green hydrogen. Siemens has developed what is currently the worlds largest PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolyzer module for the research facility in Linz. With a capacity of 6 megawatts, the plant will be able to produce 1,200 cubic meters (108 kg) of green hydrogen an hour. The goal is to achieve a record output efficiency of 80% in converting electricity into hydrogen. With its 128 hydropower plants, VERBUND, Austrias largest electricity company and a leading European hydropower electricity producer, generates almost 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. To integrate the volatile renewable energy from wind and solar power into the energy system, we will need even more storage capabilities in future. In addition to our pumped-storage plants in the Alps, and battery storage solutions of various dimensions, we see huge potential in energy storage with green hydrogen. For us, green hydrogen is the perfect example of the sector coupling which is urgently required for decarbonizing power generation, industry, and transport. Wolfgang Anzengruber, CEO of VERBUND VERBUND will supply electricity generated from renewables for the H2FUTURE project, and is also responsible for the development of grid-relevant services. Using demand side management, the PEM electrolyzer functions as a dynamic, normal load component, helping to compensate for fluctuations in an increasingly volatile power supply. Around 12 million (US$15 million) of the funding is from the European Commission, specifically from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). Exceeding CMO guidelines doesn't knock years off your life, cheap clickbait wastes your time Hysterical media coverage suggesting that exceeding the CMO drinking guidelines can shave years off your life has been met with scorn by academics, statisticians and industry insiders. The BBC, the Guardian, the Independent and many more seized upon an alcohol harm study published in the Lancet by Cambridge University researchers. Drinking an extra glass of wine will shorten your life, roared the Guardian, while the Telegraph said drinking more than five glasses a week will knock years off your life. The reports author, Cambridge academic David Spiegelhalter, was so alarmed by the BBCs take on the study that he went public with his condemnation and forced it to alter its article. The Cambridge University team was paid in part by the British Heart Foundation to compare the health and drinking habits of more than 600,000 people in 19 countries worldwide, controlled for age, smoking, history of diabetes, level of education and occupation. According to a Cambridge University press release, it decided that the upper safe limit of drinking should be just 12.5 units per week, 1.5 units fewer than the Chief Medical Officers controversially low drinking guidelines that hold sway in the UK. The release said that drinking above this limit was linked with lower life expectancy, pushing jounralists to create the alarmist headlines. The research, published today in the Lancet, supports the UKs recently lowered guidelines, which since 2016 recommend both men and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol each week, said the press release, which is titled: Drinking more than five pints a week could shorten your life, study finds. But Spiegelhalter was dismayed by the resulting media reports and admitted on Twitter that the team's research does not suggest a daily strengthener is a bad thing. A wide range of people ripped apart the articles and urged the British public to pay them no heed. Even Colin Angus from the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group and James Nicholls of Alcohol Research UK both firmly entrenched in the anti-alcohol camp called out the headlines as ropey nonsense. It is cheap clickbait, but this sort of thing can have a very real impact upon policy, so it is disappointing to see it given so much coverage. Joe Fattorini was among the industry insiders to call out the nonsense in the mainstream media. Hyperventilating absurdist headline shows BBC News didnt actually read the study but went for sensationalist clickbait, he said. He went on to explain that Britain has one of the lowest recommended alcohol consumption levels in the world, he listed the health benefits of moderate consumption and asked: Why does the medical establishment demonise wine, beer and spirits? Chris Snowdon of the Institute of Economic Affairs pointed out that, tucked away on page 31 of the Cambridge University report, it said that people that enjoy alcohol but consume less than 35 units a week have a lower mortality rate than teetotallers. Headlines like this are grossly misleading, although the study and the press release pushed journalists in this direction, he said. After the BBC changed its wording, he added scathingly: The headline has now been changed to say something that is trivially and almost tautologically true. Articles still crap though. Related articles: Interscope RecordsThirty Seconds to Mars debuted at a career-high number two on the Billboard 200 with their new album, AMERICA. The fifth studio effort from Jared Leto and company moved a total of 62,000 equivalent album units, 54,000 of which were pure album sales. Prior to AMERICA, the highest-charting Thirty Seconds to Mars album was 2013's Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams, which debuted at number six. Last month, Leto said that if AMERICA debuted at number one, he'd shave off his beard. While the band lost the number-one spot to "Bodak Yellow" sensation Cardi B's debut album, perhaps a career-high debut is a good enough reason to lose the facial hair. Thirty Seconds to Mars will launch their Monolith North American tour in support of AMERICA June 6 in Toronto. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. A protesters sign outside the Philly location. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images The indefensible arrest of two black men in a Philly cafe last week has brought Starbucks its worst PR headache in a good while. Dozens of protesters are reportedly outside the store today chanting, Starbucks coffee is anti-black, and calls for a national boycott gained enough momentum this weekend to start trending on Twitter. And this incident seems to have people on both sides of the political aisle upset. To recap: A customer near the two men who say they were sitting in the cafe waiting for a third person to arrive before ordering filmed police arresting them after the stores manager called 911: @Starbucks The police were called because these men hadnt ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why its never happened to us when we do the same thing. pic.twitter.com/0U4Pzs55Ci Melissa DePino (@missydepino) April 12, 2018 The arrests occurred on Thursday night. By midday Saturday, Starbucks released an apology. People took exception because the statement, which was posted to Starbuckss official Twitter account, was extremely generic-sounding and failed to mention the incidents racial-discrimination component: We apologize to the two individuals and our customers for what took place at our Philadelphia store on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/suUsytXHks Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) April 14, 2018 That struck many watchers online as lackluster, and by the end of the day, the company had re-apologized, this time with a much lengthier statement by CEO Kevin Johnson: Dear Starbucks Partners and Customers: By now, you may be aware of a disheartening situation in one of our Philadelphia-area stores this past Thursday, that led to a reprehensible outcome. Im writing this evening to convey three things: First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two men who were arrested with a goal of doing whatever we can to make things right. Second, to let you know of our plans to investigate the pertinent facts and make any necessary changes to our practices that would help prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. And third, to reassure you that Starbucks stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling. In the coming days, I will be joining our regional vice president, Camille Hymes who is on the ground in Philadelphia to speak with partners, customers and community leaders as well as law enforcement. Most importantly, I hope to meet personally with the two men who were arrested to offer a face-to-face apology. We have immediately begun a thorough investigation of our practices. In addition to our own review, we will work with outside experts and community leaders to understand and adopt best practices. The video shot by customers is very hard to watch and the actions in it are not representative of our Starbucks Mission and Values. Creating an environment that is both safe and welcoming for everyone is paramount for every store. Regretfully, our practices and training led to a bad outcome the basis for the call to the Philadelphia police department was wrong. Our store manager never intended for these men to be arrested and this should never have escalated as it did. We also will further train our partners to better know when police assistance is warranted. Additionally, we will host a company-wide meeting next week to share our learnings, discuss some immediate next steps and underscore our long-standing commitment to treating one another with respect and dignity. I know our store managers and partners work hard to exceed our customers expectations every day which makes this very poor reflection on our company all the more painful. Finally, to our partners who proudly wear the green apron and to customers who come to us for a sense of community every day: You can and should expect more from us. We will learn from this and be better. Respectfully, Kevin Johnson In those remarks, Johnson says that in the coming days, Starbucks will hold meetings with employees, customers, community leaders, and law enforcement to discuss making things right. Hes also tentatively scheduled a companywide meeting next week to discuss some immediate next steps, and employees can expect more training to better know when police assistance is warranted. He also hopes to travel to Philadelphia to meet personally with the arrested men, although Starbucks hasnt laid out a timeline for that yet. Some people have praised Johnsons response, but a large number are unhappy about the passage that reads the store manager never intended for these men to be arrested. Some protesters have called for the manager specifically to be disciplined, as opposed to Starbucks collectively a chain that, despite a couple past foibles, has generally been progressive. Late last night, the company reportedly told one Philadelphia journalist that the manager no longer works at the store, but didnt clarify if thats because she was fired. Haiti - Agriculture : State of Food Security in the Country (April 2018) In its latest bulletin on Haiti of April 2018, FEWS NET's "Famine Early Warning Systems Network" indicates that "preparations for the spring campaign are proceeding normally across the country, including plowing. Farmers are waiting for the first rains for sowing. In addition, the markets are well supplied with local products (banana, roots and tubers, beans) but their prices remain high; those of imported products, on the other hand, show relative stability. The Northeast Plains and the Highlands have difficulty recovering from the climatic shocks of recent months. This has affected the last autumn and winter seasons during which some households had zero production. On the other hand, in the Northwest and Nippes, above-normal rains in January disrupted winter crop development, affecting farm labor income. Plantations that were due to mature in February were almost destroyed (Baie de Henne, Bombardopolis, Mole Saint Nicolas, Jean Rabel etc...) This situation will be monitored in future updates. The North-East and Haut-Plateau are in crisis Phase 3 of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) because of the climatic shocks mentioned, the rest of the country being in Stress and Minimal (Phases 1 and 2 of the IPC), the food security conditions described in February are the same." Learn more about the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) : Phase 1 : Usually adequate and stable food access with moderate to low risk of sliding into Phase 3, 4, or 5. Phase 2 : Moderately / Borderline Food Insecure Borderline adequate food access with recurrent high risk (due to probable hazard events and high vulnerability) of sliding into Phase 3, 4, or 5. Phase 3 : Acute Food and Livelihood Crisis Highly stressed and critical lack of food access with high and above usual malnutrition and accelerated depletion of livelihood assets that, if continued, will slide the population into Phase 4 or 5 and / or likely result in chronic poverty. Phase 4 : Humanitarian Emergency Severe lack of food access with excess mortality, very high and increasing malnutrition, and irreversible livelihood asset stripping. Phase 5 : Famine / Humanitarian Catastrophe Extreme social upheaval with complete lack of food access and / or other basic needs where mass starvation, death, and displacement are evident HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Security : Workshop on the fight against violence based on gender As part of its mandate to support the National Police of Haiti (PNH), the Minujusth Police Component Unit specializing in the fight against sexual violence based on gender (VSBG), together with the Sexual Crimes Unit of the Central Directorate of Judicial Police and the School of Magistracy organized a workshop in Jeremie on gender-based violence. This workshop brought together about twenty participants in positions of authority working in the sector in Jeremie among others : senior officers of the PNH, Judges, prosecutors, local authorities, medical professionals, local media, women's protection associations, NGOs and religious representatives. It aimed to highlight best practices in prevention and the measures taken and to be taken in relation to cases of gender violence through a common understanding of the challenges and possible solutions to this problem. The discussions focused on the socio-cultural approach, the legal aspects, the consequences for the victims and the society in general, the path through the judicial chain of victims of SGBV and the importance of take care of the victim for each actor of the judicial chain. The organization of this workshop is part of the activities included in the 2018 plan of the UN Mission's VSBG unit, which focuses on the support of senior management at the intermediate and senior levels of the justice chain, SGBV services and community policing strategies to develop better relations between the community and the PNH. Witing the framework of a eries financed by a Norwegian Trust Fund, this workshop follows that held in Jacmel from 22 to 23 February 2018 and will be followed by 7 others in different regions of the country. The anti-SGBV team from Minujusth insists that the fight against gender-based violence does not only concern the police or the judicial system, but every actor in society at all levels. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... DR : Launch of the week of the Haitian diaspora Sunday in the border town of Dajabon in the Dominican Republic, in the presence of Haitian and Dominican authorities, was launched the 7th edition of the week of the Haitian diaspora, an event which aims to put in the spotlight the contribution of Haitian immigrants and to strengthen the ties of the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, two peoples destined to live together. More than 20 activities are scheduled until April 22 in Santiago and Santo Domingo, including the Diaspora Awards Gala. Finance Symposium at Lakou Souvenir ? On Friday, members of the Ministry of the Interior and the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) accompanied by the Tourist Police Haiti (Politour) made a site visit to the "Lakou" Souvenir to prepare, from April 29 to May 4, 2018 the 33rd conference of the Center of Meeting and Studies of Directors of Tax Administrations (CREDAF). Note that a previous visit has already been made to Marchand Dessalines, for the same purpose. Legal assistance for women with disabilities The Haitian Human Rights Observatory has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union of Women with Reduced Mobility in Haiti and the South Disabled Women's Association on Legal Assistance and will now be in charge of the management and monitoring of judicial files of disabled women members of these two associations. The PoliTour accompanies 40 tourists... On Saturday, April 14, 2018, the Politour accompanied from Toussaint Louverture International Airport to Christainville (Gressier), a group of 40 tourists from the Haven Foundation, visiting Haiti for 8 days. Fednel Monchery visits the DIE in Malpasse Fednel Monchery, the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities visited the premises of the Directorate of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) in Malpasse. He met with the officers in charge at the border crossing, around including on the difficulties experienced by the latter in the course of their work, to consider short and medium term recovery measures and also to redefine the image of the DIE in this region, located on the Haitian-Dominican border. 6 million for the economic integration of disabled people The Office of the Secretary of State for the Integration of Persons with Disabilities presented a check for nearly 3 million gourdes (2, 962,176 Gdes) to representatives of 6 organizations with special needs who won a competition organized by the Inclusion Center for the Disabled. HL/ HaItiLibre Myliko Wines appoints commercial manager UK & exports By Lisa Riley Myliko Wines has appointed Peter Crameri to the newly created position of commercial manager UK & exports. Joining the business today (16 April), Crameri takes on the responsibility of selected key national accounts in the UK and overseeing the development of Mylikos export business, focusing on key European markets and China. Having started his early career in his familys Bordeaux business, and been based there for the majority of his career, Crameris experience also includes a stint as sales director at a French producer and previously at a prominent importer and agent in the UK. His career to date had allowed Crameri to "accumulate a wealth of experience in all sectors of the wine trade, said Hemant Kotecha, MD, Myliko Wines. Peters experience and contacts in trade will provide the catalyst to our growing export business as well as developing key UK customers, he said, adding it had become apparent that our ethos was the same of having long term winery partners offering great quality wines, exceptional value and excellent customer service. Crameri, who will be based in Manchester, said he was looking forward to adding value to an already great business. Mylikos range is very interesting, versatile and would fit in perfectly with many dynamic markets in Europe and, further afield, in China and Asia, he said. Established in 1991 initially as a Hungarian wine specialist, Myliko now ships wines from 12 countries, from modern wineries with the latest wine making technologies to smaller boutique family run producers. Cuvee 3000 turnover soars boosted by thirst for natural wines By Barnaby Eales Cuvee 3000 - Spains leading natural wine distributor, has announced a 20% rise in annual turnover with growth triggered by a double effect in demand: growth in wine consumption (especially for local wines), coupled with an explosion in demand for natural wines. Barcelona-based Cuvee 3000 said turnover had reached the 6 million (5.1 million) mark in 2017, with the thirst for natural wines now spreading from Catalonia, to the Basque Country and Galicia and Madrid, where the company held its first natural wine fair on April 9th this year. Last year (2017) was a good year with turnover reaching 6 million, up from 5 million in 2016 and 4.5 million in 2015, Jerome Siffermann, buyer at Cuvee 3000, told Harpers. He declined to comment on the companys net profits, but said: There has been a veritable explosion in demand for natural wine. Siffermann said an upturn in the economy in Catalonia and Spain, and in the Eurozone overall in 2017, had helped improve demand. Cuvee 3000 distributes the lions share of natural wines in Spain; more than half of the companys catalogue is now made of natural wine references from Catalonia, Spain and across Europe. After 20 years of trading, the company now has 25 employees but the rise in demand for natural wines was now providing the company with the logistic challenges of distributing wines from producers who generally make small quantities of wines, We are always looking for new producers; our natural wines are sold out within the year of their release and some, like Bodegas Cueva, from Valencia, even sold out before they had been released, said Siffermann. Cuvee 3000s objective was now to sell uniquely natural wine, said owner, Joan Valencia. At the moment, this was not possible for commercial reasons, he said, adding despite the surge in demand for natural wine there were still some clients who were reticent to make the switch from conventional, technological wines to natural, organic and biodynamic wines. Since 2015, Barcelona has been transformed into the indisputable epicentre of natural wine in Spain, with local Catalan wines thriving - newly released figures show that for the first time, consumption of local Catalan wines has outstripped Rioja in restaurants in Catalonia, with Catalan wines now holding a 35.7% share of wine consumption in the region (Catalan Institute of Wine and Cava (Incavi) based on study by consultancy company, Nielsen, compiled between October 2016 and November 2017). Vella Terra, the natural and organic wine fair in Barcelona, says the number of restaurants selling natural wines in the city, has doubled over the past three years. In addition to running Cuvee 3000, Valencia owns 50% of the Barcelonas hip natural wine bar, Bar Brutal, which as well as attracting tourists, has provided greater visibility for natural wines and has enticed a new generation of wine drinkers to embrace natural wine, he said. It has also proven to be a catalyst, alongside LAnima del Vi, Barcelonafirst natural wine bar, for the opening of several new natural wine bars and bars selling uniquely local wines, with restaurants including El Celler Can Roca, embracing natural wine. In Barcelona, natural wines are generally sold at a similar price to premium conventional wines. While natural and artisanal wines are made in numerous regions of Spain, Catalonia holds the greatest concentration of natural wine producers. In March this year, Catalonias agriculture department said organic agriculture had doubled over the past five year, with 25% of Catalan vineyards now farmed organically. One of the latest talented natural wines producers in Catalonia is New Zealander, Mike Shepherd, whose wines are sold in Barcelona, in Monvinic, Celler Cal Marino and Bar Brutal as well as being exported to Japan and Singapore. Shepherd, makes a range of sulphur-free natural wines made from certified organic grapes, including Miksei (Why not?), a blend of Hairy Garnatxa, Samso and Syrah and the Patatina rose made from Garnatxa and Xarello. He is one of several producers now opting to co-ferment white variety Parellada with red varieties, to produce clean, balanced violet-red wines with natural acidity and low-alcohol. While Shepherd uses Garnatxa, for his Parellatxa wine, other Catalan producers are now blending Parellada with Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon. The new trend follows the major renaissance in recent years of Xarello as a still wine, the widespread re-emergence of Ancestral method sparkling wine and the renewed production of further local grape varieties such as Sumoll. Physician-Assisted Suicide in Hawaii is an Attack on All of Us by Monica Burke, Daily Signal, April 16, 2018 Earlier this month, Hawaii became the sixth state in the U.S. to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Proponents of the law hail the move as a step toward death with dignity, but this could not be further from the truth. Physician-assisted suicide is a direct attack on human dignity. Every human life has value, not because of what one does, but because of who one ismade for reason, freedom, to love, and to be loved. Physician-assisted suicide cuts at the heart of human dignity by dismissing some lives as not worth living. The idea that some human beings are disposable shakes the very foundations of a free and equal society. Physician-assisted suicide sets off a chain reaction that extends well beyond the health care context. It harms all of society in a host of waysit corrupts the practice of medicine, destroys relationships, and paves the way for even greater evils. This practice of discarding human life turns the practice of medicine upside down: Instead of preserving the life and promoting the comfort of the patient, it prematurely ends the life of the patient. In corrupting the meaning of medicine, physician-assisted suicide compromises the patient-doctor relationship. When medical healers are also agents of death, patients can no longer trust that their physician will be unilaterally committed to their life and health. Physician-assisted suicide further damages the broader health care context by giving insurance providers perverse incentives to provide a cheap fix for patients who require additional, more expensive care. Physician-assisted suicide also leaves patients vulnerable to pressure to end their lives, not only from their doctor or insurance provider but from family members. Families have intergenerational responsibilities to look after the young, the sick, and the aged. But the normalization of physician-assisted suicide destroys these intergenerational ties by encouraging families to view the elderly or disabled as burdens, a view which patients may then internalize themselves. This weakening of the youngs obligations to the old harms culture on a grand scale. Communities are made up of families, and as individual attitudes shift away from providing care to relatives in need, so too our society shifts away from an attitude of compassion toward those who are suffering. Even beyond these negative cultural effects, the laws themselves often come with gravely insufficient safeguards for patients. For instance, Hawaiis new law requires waiting periods, witnesses to written requests, and sign-offs from physicians, yet these do little to protect patients from the pressure to kill themselves and other forms of abuse. When he signed the Hawaii physician-assisted suicide into law, Democratic Gov. David Ige said, It is time for terminally ill, mentally competent Hawaii residents who are suffering to make their own end-of-life choices with dignity, grace, and peace. But why stop at the terminally ill? The mentally incompetent? When ending ones life is considered a valid and even ideal option for those who are suffering, why deny that option to others who may be suffering less? Surely anyone who wants to die is already suffering to some degree. Why should they not have the same right to die? Now that Hawaii has accepted the principle of physician-assisted suicide, there is a clear logical path toward extending it to more and more peoplenot just to those who choose to die, but also to those society or family believes should die. There is no natural, logical limit to who qualifies for physician-assisted suicide, and pretty soon, the death with dignity mentality will expand to include euthanasia. This has already happened in many European countries that have legalized physician-assisted suicide. Examining the state of physician-assisted suicide in the Netherlands, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel wrote in Atlantic Monthly: The Netherlands studies fail to demonstrate that permitting physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia will not lead to the non-voluntary euthanasia of children, the demented, the mentally ill, the old, and others. Indeed, the persistence of abuse and the violation of safeguards, despite publicity and condemnation, suggest that the feared consequences of legalization are exactly its inherent consequences. You heard that right: Nonvoluntary euthanasia follows almost immediately upon physician-assisted suicideperhaps even by design. Wherever it is legalized, physician-assisted suicide sets a troubling precedent for public policy by undermining equality before the law. If our legal system treats a subgroup of people as eligible to be killed, it would seriously compromise the natural right not to be killed. Where might this disturbing legal precedent lead? A lot is at stake in the debate over physician-assisted suicide. The immediate victims are the most vulnerable in societythe sick and elderly. But that also means every last one of us is vulnerable: It is only a matter of time before each one of us ages and dies. How many years until our own lives are deemed less valuable? Ultimately, we all suffer in a culture that fails to honor the dignity of every single human life. We do ourselves a disservice when we fail to empathize with those who are suffering, to do our duty by those entrusted to our care. Ministers Learn about the ministers of the Health portfolio, including who they are, what they are responsible for and what they do. The majority state-owned energy company revealed this morning that it submitted the winning bid for implementing the electricity system on the rooftops of approximately 40 commercial buildings owned by S Group, a Finnish retail co-operative, across Finland. Fortum and S Group have come to an agreement on the installation of the largest rooftop solar power system in the Nordics. With a total capacity of roughly 10 megawatts, the system would have accounted for nearly a third of the total solar power capacity of Finland in 2017 and will become the largest rooftop solar power system ever inaugurated in the Nordics. S Group, meanwhile, stated that its objective is to use its renewable energy assets to generate 80 per cent of the energy it consumes in 2025. The electricity consumption of our sites peaks in the summer, when the sunlight lasts longer and is more intense. The best case scenario is that we can produce enough solar energy to satisfy 100 per cent of the electricity needs of one building in the summer, told Mikko Halonen, the managing director of S Voima. Fortum, he added, was selected as the supplier of the solar power system because its products and processes are reliable and audited. The Finnish government has pledged to provide 20 per cent of the eight million euros required for the energy project, according to YLE. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Linda Manner Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi The tax treaty between Finland and Portugal [...] is inconsistent with the notion of fairness regarding [the] taxation of pensions. This is why the government is proposing that the treaty be terminated from the start of 2019, explains Petteri Orpo (NCP), the Minister of Finance. The Finnish government has called for the nullification of its bilateral tax treaty with Portugal. Signed in 1970, the much-criticised treaty has effectively enabled pensioners to cash out their private-sector pensions tax free in Portugal. Finnish pensioners residing in the country currently receive an average pension of over 3,700 euros a month, a sum that is roughly 350 euros higher than the average earnings of Finns in 2016. Finland has sought to renew the tax treaty for some time. A new treaty between the two countries was signed in 2016, but it has yet to even be submitted to the Portuguese Parliament. Orpo on Thursday revealed in a press release that the negotiations were carried out in a co-operative spirit and expressed his hope that the agreement will be adopted in a timely manner to ensure a new treaty is in place after the old one has been terminated. If Portugal fails to adopt the treaty by the beginning of 2019, the tax treatment of pensions paid to the country would be determined by the legislation of Finland, according to the press release. The Finnish government would thereby have the right to levy taxes on pensions paid to its citizens residing in Portugal. Finland could therefore tax, in accordance with Finnish national legislation, income received from Portugal by a resident of Finland and income received from Finland by a resident of Portugal, the press release reads. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Jussi Nukari Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Little Gem (preview) | Progress Theatre, Reading | Thursday, April 12 THIS marvellous production of Elaine Murphys Little Gem is given wings by three outstanding performances from Tara OConnor, Steph Gunner and Alison Hill. The drama shows us the challenging everyday experiences of three generations of an Irish family. Grandmother Kay is caring for her husband of many years, now incapacitated by a stroke. Lorraine is juggling home, job, and family responsibilities as a single mother. Daughter Amber is troubled but is forced to grow up when she herself becomes a mother. The set initially leads you to think you are watching a standard kitchen-sink drama, but that isnt the case. What we have here is something far more theatrical and poised. The three leads take it in turn to step into the spotlight and narrate episodes from their lives that any woman and probably many men can relate to. These intertwined monologues hold the audiences attention and Steph Dewars strong direction ensures that each account flows seamlessly into the next. OConnor, Gunner and Hill expertly deploy storytelling and mime techniques to transport us convincingly to a range of scenarios a nightclub, the workplace, even a sex shop. The script is very funny and the three leads are superbly comical in performance! Little Gem offers an honest exploration of the place of sex in womens lives. As Kay misses the physical side of her marriage, Lorraine embarks on a new relationship and Amber discovers she is accidentally pregnant with the little gem of the title a baby boy who brings hew hope to the family. Family is the main theme of the play, with the characters representing womens roles in different phases of life: daughter, wife, mother, widow. Domestic drama is shot through with fierce and poignant comedy as the three womens experiences play out the old adage that you have to laugh or youd cry, since life is full of ups and downs, hardships and disappointments. Happiness may be elusive, but its not impossible to achieve as the plays ending demonstrates. The three leads play their parts in commanding and compelling fashion, showing the courage and resilience of ordinary people. I left the theatre brimming with enthusiasm and emotion. This warm and accomplished production is the best thing I have seen in a long while. Its a quiet tour de force and I urge you to go and see it. Little Gem is playing at the Progress Theatre until Saturday. For tickets and performance times, visit www.progresstheatre.co.uk/ little-gem Susan Creed A DYSLEXIC man has invented a system for teaching the piano to people with learning difficulties. Emoji-Go is based on standard musical notation but assigns the colours of the rainbow to each of the seven notes from A (red) to G (violet). These are illustrated with emojis, the smiley-faced characters used in text messages and on social media. Inventor Kevin Thomson, 67, from Peppard Common, came up with the idea as he had struggled to learn to play the piano as a child. He couldnt read sheet music or relate it to the keyboard and became confused because they are both black and white, which he later discovered was a symptom of undiagnosed dyslexia, dyscalculia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The first two conditions make it difficult to understand text and numbers respectively while the third can cause a loss of concentration. Six years ago, Mr Thomson attempted to get back into music by learning the guitar but found he struggled as he had with the piano. He tried teaching himself using tablature, a system that uses numbers to tell players which frets to press, but still struggled. Then he found a solution by sticking coloured dots to each fret and colouring in conventional sheet music so the notes on the page corresponded to his fretboard. Mr Thomson realised this could help other people like him so he began adapting the system for the piano, which is easier to teach as the white keys are arranged alphabetically in octaves (A to G). He spent two years relearning the piano while developing his system and then he incorporated emojis, devising a different name and character for each note. His adapted keyboard has a coloured sticker for each key so that students learn chords, scales and tunes in the key of C, which uses only the white notes. They can then master the three chord trick, which involves pressing three white keys with the thumb, middle and little finger of the right hand in a shape nicknamed Claude the crab. This can form either a major chord, which sounds happy, a minor chord, which sounds sad, or a diminished chord, which sounds tense and dissonant. Students can then play along to thousands of songs that only use three chords, ranging from Kumbaya and Happy Birthday to the Beatles Twist and Shout, Johnny Cashs Ring of Fire and All The Small Things by punk band Blink-182. Mr Thomson says this boosts pupils confidence and encourages them to continue learning. He said: If I said you could learn 1,000 songs in five minutes, youd think I was mad or it was impossible. However, those chords underpin so many tunes and once youve picked that up, youve got a little trick youll want to show your friends. After mastering the three chords, students learn pieces using colour-coded sheet music and the correct fingering patterns by naming them after creature such as like Stretchy the spider and Ollie the octopus. They can also improvise melodies over a backing track by experimenting with different combinations but starting and ending each phrase on a given note. This lends their playing a particular emotion. For example, starting and finishing on C gives an upbeat feel so that notes emoji is Happy. D is named Folksy for the same reason while E is named Gypsy, F is Jazzy and G is Rocky. A is named Truly Madly Deeply as it forms a minor scale, which is commonly used in love ballads, while G is named Crazy because it sounds discordant. The next step is to play in other keys, which is more complicated because they substitute certain white notes for black ones, which are flats or sharps as they fall halfway in pitch, or a semitone, between the lettered notes. For example, the key of G major omits F but includes F sharp while the key of E major discards F, C, G and D for their sharp equivalents. To help students follow this visually, every white button on the keyboard is covered in velcro and black dots are stuck on those which should not be played. Mr Thomson, who has worked in marketing for decades and published several books on the subject, first exhibited Emoji-Go at the British Educational Training and Technology Show in January and says it was well-received. He is now in talks with a company to produce interactive slideshows and videos to accompany it as well as books that illustrate different techniques and principles. He has also applied for a patent and is trialling it on a number of volunteers. He will make adjustments accordingly before seeking investment to market the system. He says anyone can benefit from it, not just those who have learning difficulties. Mr Thomson said: Emoji-Go works on the 80 to 20 rule if you can make learning easier for the 20 per cent of people who have some kind of difficulty, how much better will it be for those who dont? Music is a whole-brain activity that combines the logical areas dealing with subjects like maths and the creative areas that deal with the arts. It creates new neural pathways so it helps your entire education. I see it like a language. You can start from the bottom by learning vocabulary and grammar by rote or you can just immerse yourself in it and pick it up naturally. I find the second way quicker and more motivating. Emoji-Go works even if youre severely disabled and can only use one finger at a time. Theres a real social element to this and people can quickly pass it on to others. You can get children doing duets with their friends in no time. Mr Thomson grew up in Canada before his family moved to Britain when he was about 10. He started learning piano when he was five but gave it up at 12 as he found it hard. He said: The critical thing with music is that you have to be able to read ahead but thats practically impossible if youre dyslexic. I got to grade five but by the end I was just learning the finger positions mechanically. Id play Fur Elise in exams but it was all muscle memory and I wasnt actually reading the music. That black and white keyboard just freaks me out and when I look at regular sheet music the notes just start jiggling all over the place. The only visual aid I recall was Charlie C and Doggie D. There are lots of books with characters for children but theyre tinkering around the edges and dont change the system on a deeper level. Emoji-Go has been through thousands of different versions as Ive sorted out what works and what doesnt. Mr Thomsons daughter Elle struggled to play the violin as a girl. He said: Her teacher stuck coloured dots to the fingerboard, which was a good idea but didnt address the problems with sheet music. She couldnt link the finger positions with what was on the page. The motivation has never been just about helping myself. It was always about sharing it with others, although I was delighted to get back into piano after seven lonely years in childhood failing to pick it up. His wife, Sally, 60, learned the piano between the ages of seven and 15 and also gave up at grade five and later discovered that she was dyslexic. Mrs Thomson, a criminal law barrister in Reading, said: As with Kevin, it reached a level of complexity that was just too much. The classical system is wonderful in many ways but it also inhibits you from messing around and picking things up by ear. Techniques like the three-chord trick will teach you a lot of songs quickly and you can actually enjoy yourself, which is great as not everybody wants to go through the grades. I act as Kevins sounding board he has a very complex mind and I encourage him to refine his ideas so that theyre as straightforward as possible. At the moment, Mr Thomson is developing a version of Emoji-Go for flexible pianos, which are electronic keyboards made from silicone that can be rolled up and stored away. They cost as little as 25 so are popular with organisations with a small budget. He has also adapted the system for toy pianos, which typically have fewer keys and are aimed at younger children. He said: Im looking to go global with this. We live in a global society and if youre going to come up with a process like this you may as well aim for that. Some teachers at the trade show overlooked us because they dont see the relevance of music to the core curriculum. In their minds its a subject you do over there in a different department and its not their responsibility to encourage it. However, children absolutely loved it because they only needed the bare minimum of teaching before they could get on with playing. Its a hugely encouraging start, although we face a daunting task as were trying to change a 1,000-year-old system. We expect our fair share of detractors but its not a question of either-or. The traditional system works for many people but this makes it easier for those who struggle. I just want to teach the world to play and I certainly wish a system like this had existed when I was younger. Mrs Thomson said: This has massive potential and theres so much good it could accomplish. Kevin is remarkably creative and now we just have to bottle it and get it out there in a digestible form. Its about opening doors for people and giving them a sense of self-worth and achievement. HENLEY Rotary Club has donated 1,500 to help rebuild a run-down rural hospital in Africa. The club presented a cheque to Kamuli Friends, a charity which is refurbishing a ward at the Kamuli Mission Hospital in Uganda, at a dinner at the Red Lion Hotel in Hart Street. Dr Philip Unwin, who is a GP at the Hart Surgery, founded the Friends in 2012. Since then, the project has built new nurses accommodation and added a guest house and covered walkway. It has also set up a scheme in which doctors and nurses can volunteer to help at the hospital for up to six months. The Rotarians raised the money at a charity auction at the hotel in February. The auction made 2,000, half of which will be donated to the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. Another 500 was added to the Kamuli donation from another Rotary fund. Dr Unwin said: Currently we are rebuilding the doctor and visitor accommodation. We are trying to raise 200,000 and this is another piece of the jigsaw. He is pictured (centre) with Barry Prior, chairman of Henley Rotary Clubs international committee, and president Maria Bunina THE Maharajahs Well in Stoke Row has been officially re-opened after a 25,000 restoration. A pink ribbon in front of the Victorian monument in Main Street was cut by seven children from the village at a ceremony on Saturday. The restoration was carried out by Allum Signs and Graphics, of Woodcote, and included repainting the elephant and spire with 24-carat gold leaf using 150-year-old methods. The well is redecorated every 10 years and the same company has been doing it for more than 30 years. The work was paid for by the Maharajahs Well Trust, which receives most of its income from renting out the wellkeepers cottage next door. Stoke Row Parish Council donated 1,000 and the Doris Field Trust gave 500. About 50 people, including Henley MP John Howell, attended the ceremony. Trust chairwoman Catherine Hale gave a short speech before the ribbon-cutting, which was carried out by nine-year-old Sam Preedy, with help from his sister Lottie, five, Nina and Chloe Govett, both 10, Henry Pether, three, Harry Dougherty, one, and Leo Daniels, four. After the ceremony, tea, coffee, cake and Prosecco were served in the village hall. Mrs Hale said: You can really see the difference and how much brighter the colours are. The well continues to attract a steady stream of visitors to the village. Mr Howell said: The well looks amazingly clean and fresh. We have just supported tourism week in Oxfordshire and its good to see this part of the tourism offering looking so good. Councillor David Nimmo Smith, the villages representative on South Oxfordshire District Council, said: The well looks very smart. The community here have been looking after it for more than 150 years. It is an attraction and its well signposted. The well, cottage and adjoining orchard have been held in charitable trust since 1863. They were given to the village by his highness Ishree, the Maharajah of Benares (now Varanasi), due to his friendship with Edward Anderdon Reade, from Ipsden. The pair worked closely together after Mr Reade spent 34 years working as lieutenant governor for the North Western provinces in India. One of his deeds was to create a well to help the community in Azimurgh in 1831. The Maharajah suggested a well in 1863 as he wanted an endowment in England. He never visited the well so Mr Reade opted for an oriental style so that it would look striking when photographed. It opened on May 24, 1864 and served the village until about 1939. It yielded 600 to 700 gallons a day with its two nine-gallon buckets on a pulley. It took 10 minutes to wind each way. The first major restoration took place from 1979 to 1983 and cost 32,000, about 125,000 today. To complete this work the monument was taken apart and rebuilt. Since then regular maintenance work has taken place. Mrs Hale said: When the first major refurbishment took place the canopy came off and it was completely dismantled. This was due to it being in such a poor state of repair. After that the trustees made sure the maintenance was regular. Nikol Pashinyan: I will be arrested when a citizen of Armenia does not want to win (video) Pashinyan suggested to go and to weaken the wheels of the evacuator. The action participants reached the Victory Bridge. They are sitting on the ground and negotiating with the police. The police insist on opening the bridge. According to the information, the evacuator was brought here and is going to take the parked cars. As soon as Pashinyan approached, the evacuator went to Hrazdan gorge. Pashinyan offered to go and weaken the wheels. The action participants called for a strike in the Pedagogical University. The doors of the high school of the Yerevan State University of Architecture and Construction were opened when Nikol Pashinyan approached the school. The action participants called on schoolmates to join them. At present, Pashinyan is in the building of the Armenian State Pedagogical University. The action participants call for a strike. According to Pashinyan, all the higher educational institutions should be self-governed. "If Galust Sahakyan is the president of this university council and has the right to come here, I also have the right to enter the university." He expressed his satisfaction that the university doors did not close and allowed them to enter. "They will arrest me when a citizen of Armenia does not want to win" Nikol Pashinyan headed toward Khanjyan Street from Sakharov Square. Nikol Pashinyan suggested a little rest, sitting along the road. Pashinyan offered to render assistance, including financial aid, to the person, who was injured in the incident on the Heratsi Street a short while ago. "As a result of our actions policemen have not suffered, our problem is political and no more. We do not want to threaten anyone, we must reach victory by peaceful means," Pashinyan said. "Let them arrest me, how can they? I will be arrested when a citizen of Armenia does not want to win. If the NA session is postponed or moved, we must take Yerevan completely under our control," said Pashinyan. Now the protesters are in Khanjyan Street. Incident in Heratsi Street (video) The march began with the center of Yerevan. Nikol Pashinyan came to Heratsi Street The police are removing citizens from Heratsi street. The citizens cracked the wall under the direction of Nikol Pashinyan. "Do not try to close doors next time." The doors of the Yerevan State Medical University's main college were closed. Nikol Pashinyan, who went with the demonstrators to the students on Heratsi Street, noticed that students were not permitted to leave the building. The demonstrators entered the Yerevan State Base Medical College. "I urge the administration of this institution not to close the doors on the children," said Pashinyan and left the building of the college. Incident Shortly there was a clash between the demonstrators and the driver of a 62SS465 car at the crossroad of Koryun-Heratsi streets. The driver and the passengers attacked the students and hit them then went into the car and left. The police did not interfere. Daniel Ioannisyan, the head of the "Informed Citizens' Union" NGO, accused the police of inaction. Nikol Pashinyan wants to go to his place of work Head of the Yelk (Way Out) faction Nikol Pashinyan announced that Baghramyan Avenue, Arshakunyats Avenue, Azatutyan Avenue, Amiryan Street are currently closed. Traffic is paralyzed. He noted that their goal was to reach the NA building. "I'm not saying that's the place of my work," he said. At present, a police barge is near the Constitutional Court. "We have to do our best to hold a special session of the National Assembly," he said. Let us remind that tomorrow it is planned to elect Serzh Sargsyan in the special sitting of the National Assembly, which will have more powers than the President. Let 400 people be detained The students who went on strike went to the Abovyan park. They stop the cars by offering them access. Traffic is paralyzed. There is a constant quarrel between students and drivers. Students close the road with trash cans. Citizens give poppies to the police, suggesting joining them. "Are you joining us?" Apply to police officers when they offer to open the road. According to the students, they exercise their constitutional right, and if they broke the law, let 400 people be detained. Police force drivers to leave the area, even when students stand in front of the car. The students joined the actor Hayk Marutyan (Kargin Hayko). The action moves to Baghramyan Avenue At Baghramyan Avenue, police officers blocked the streets near the Constitutional Court and did not allow them enter Baghramyan. Meanwhile, the leader of the Yelk faction, the author of the "My Step" initiative, running on Baghramyan Avenue, tried to reach the upper parts, calling on the protesters to follow him. At the moment the demonstrators blocked Baghramyan Avenue, Moskovyan and Abovyan streets. Nikol Pashinyan: Go home where your children are waiting for you (video) "The only success registered is becoming a policemen," Levon Barseghyan "I am going to prevent Serzhik Sargsyan to become prime minister," said Levon Barseghyan, head of Gyumri's Asparez club, who was on Baghramyan Avenue, in a conversation with "A1 +". He does not remember such a movement, such as civil disobedience, in the past. Mr. Barseghyan did not notice aggression from the police. "When the students joined this wing, they brought additional policemen from Zarubyan Street. Perhaps we have 25 police officers here, about 50-60 people. This is only 1500 people counted in this section," he said. Our interlocutor hoped that the police would not even resort to aggression. According to him, anyone who analyzed the past 10 years of his family would see that the only success he had had was becoming a policemen. "All of them are under the loans and debts, they are emigrants. Serzh Sargsyan is increasing the number of police officers every year. And then how will their police officers depend on their conscience and the conscience of their orders," he said. The police block Baghramyan Avenue. The participants of the action are standing at Baghramyan Avenue in front of the policemen. It is called for not to resort to any provocation and be quiet. "Free, Calm Armenia", "Struggling, struggling student", "Struggle, fight until the end" are repeatedly heard. Sasun Mikayelyan has stood between protesters and policemen. The Deputy Chief of Police Valeri Osipyan is next to him. It's a casual situation. Participants of the action are moving from the Haghtanak bridge to Mashtots Avenue, shouting "Join", "Make a Step, refuse Serzh" and rhythmic applause. Policemen accompany the walkers without the hindrance of their free movement. The demonstrators are on Paronyan Street. For a moment, the traffic was blocked, but it quickly recovered. The number of police officers has increased, and they walk in front of the demonstrators. The police blocked the street at Paronyan-Leo crossroad. The demonstrators took the road to Leo street. Nikol Pashinyan apologized with the loudspeaker, urging the police to go home where their children were waiting for them. Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency 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 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 Google Ad 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 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 Rally kicks off at French Square (video) 15.11 The head of the Yelk faction Nikol Pashinyan made a speech. He thanked the citizens who went out to the streets and took their right, victory, and homeland. "And so, make a step and deny Serzh," he shouted. He was surprised to find that his daily place of work was near to him. "The way to my work is closed to me, dear people. You are my employer. We, NA deputies, will accompany you with our work. We remind you that the police officers who are standing there are our brothers. Greet our policemen with fierce applause. This is a political struggle of open hands. In our hands there are no sticks, no stone, no hatred, aggression. In our hands there is only love, respect, hope. We have not applied violence against any police officer, and we will not do that. " Pashinyan said that today he apologized to all the policemen and their family members because they had to work more and did not go home because of their action. "But I assure you that what we do, we do for the sake of their children. If anybody throws anything on the police, neutralize him, he is not one of us, he is provocative," he warned. "You are people who refuse to bow down and refuse to surrender. We have to solve this issue and live in Armenia freely," said Ararat Mirzoyan, member of the Yelk faction. Arayik Harutyunyan, member of the Civil Contract party, also delivered a speech. He welcomed the students' move and called on to remove people like Karen Avagyan from youth councils of the universities. "A few days ago, when we had a symbolic visit to YSU when the Vice-Rector said, are you a university lecturer, why do you want to enter University? I said, "Hold back such people like Alik Gharibyan, hold back those who control students, otherwise our answers will be like this. It is no longer possible to suppress these students. Do not be afraid," he announced. Combat Was My Best Friend Your news item of last April, Honoring a soldiers best friend, brought back memories. I landed in Chu Lai on May 5, 1965, as a Marine sergeant with the 1st Engineer Battalion, which became the 3rd Shore Party Battalion. Some local kids followed me one day and gave me a puppy in exchange for a pack of cigarettes. My five tent mates and I kept the pup in our tent, and he was very protective. But, of course, nobody in the military was supposed to have a dog and I got caught when we were in platoon one day and my puppy sneaked up and stood next to me. Before I noticed he was there, my commander asked me what his name was. When I told him the puppys name was Combat, the colonel entered him on the roster as Private Combat. He let me keep my dog until I was sent back to North Carolina in late 1966. I had to leave Combat with the next group of soldiers that took over in our area. Adam R. Salinas Lansing, Mich. From Amtracs to AmGrunts Your article about amtracs (Arsenal, October 2008) was a fair depiction of the role they played, but a few things were omitted. For starters, after the initial insertion of amtracs, because of the volatility of the fuel cells being under the deck plates, the decks inside were sandbagged and no one was allowed to ride inside. The only exception was in the case of a medevac, transporting Marine KIAs or hauling dead VC or NVA. The amtracs suspensions took a severe beating: Of nine roadwheel assemblies on each side, we were lucky to have seven while operating in the bush. A severe shortage of track pins forced crews to short track after breaking track in the bush. The Browning M-1914A4 .30-caliber machine gun was mounted atop the gun turret and sandbagged in, with more bags placed around the top to afford some form of cover. Later, a .50-cal machine gun on a fabricated mount was issued to the lead amtracs of each section, with the .30 mounted facing aft. The .50 was used to shoot up any channeled area for mines, but the results werent always good. In March 1966, Alpha Company, 1st Amtrac Battalion moved to Cua Viet, where we became AmGrunts, conducting infantry patrols and whatever missions would be given to a grunt unit. Unfortunately, being listed as a support unit, Alpha was last for air, artillery or naval gunfire support or weapons and equipment. But the AmGrunts had to make do and get it done. Rick Johnson Orlando, Fla. No Marine RTOs I enjoyed your article on chaplains Capodanno and Watters (Personality, June 2008), but there was one slight error. Only the Army uses the phrase radio-telephone operator. In the Marines we were just called radio operators. Ed Ritcherson Gainesville, Texas Army Had LVTP-5s Too I really enjoyed Christopher Miskimons article on the LVTP-5 (Arsenal, October 2008), but have a couple of minor quibbles with it. Miskimon intimates that the production P-5s all went to the Marines. That isnt so. The U.S. Army had two units, one on each coast, up through the early 1960s that were equipped with the LVTP-5. They were the 1st and 2nd Engineer Amphibious Support Commands (EASC) at the Little Creek base in Virginia Beach, Va., and Fort Lewis, Wash., respectively. Philip C. Gutzman Middleton, Idaho Chopper Confusion The October 2008 cover photo is not of a UH-1D, but of a UH-1H. On the D model the pitot tubes are on the nose. On the H model the pitot tube is up on top of the cabin roof, just like the helicopter that is pictured. This is not the sole difference, but it is notable. Eugene Whitt Palestine, Texas Originally published in the April 2009 issue of Vietnam Magazine. To subscribe, click here. My brief respite in Hong Kong seemed to have gone by in a heartbeat, as the personnel transport trucks tires squished over the muddy road past Vietnamese vendors squatting in their shanties. The only redeeming part of the gloomy ride from the Da Nang airbase to the transient barracks at Camp Tien Sha was the fact that it had stopped raining an hour or so earlier. I tucked my nose into my T-shirt, hoping an aromatic reminder of the civilized world would block out the foul smell of nuc mam, a popular fermented fish sauce, along with the stench of human waste. You see Westmoreland back at the airport? the Marine sitting next to me inquired. I rubbed at the itching, still-healing wound on my necka reminder of the Battle of Hue. Sure, Id seen himand his entourage of photographers and suck-ups headed toward a C-130 on the tarmac where our somber group of R&R returnees disembarked from a chartered jet. I thought back to the world Id left earlier that morning, where generals and their entourages meant nothing to anyone, not even to a 19-year-old E-3 lowlife like me. Starched jungle greens, I said to the Marine who asked if I had seen Westmoreland. They were all wearing starched jungle greens and had polished boots. Where do you suppose they got their jungle greens starched? The converted Navy landing craft on which I made the final leg of the trip up the Cua Viet River to Dong Ha snaked around yet another curve, past yet another village. As it did so, a chilling rain and the stink of nuc mam returned. My nose went back under my T-shirtnow covered by a flack jacketand my thoughts about generals and their suck-ups faded with the welcome taste of hot chocolate a crewman gave me. All I wanted to do, all I cared about, was getting back to the Worldwhere no one envied starched jungle greens and polished jungle boots. Its interesting how life assigns us our paths: Almost 30 years to the day later, in early April of 1997, American Legion magazine gave me an assignment to interview General William Westmoreland an interview that turned out to be the last one he gave any media and I found myself in the atrium of the long-since-retired generals home in Charleston, S.C. Sitting across from me, and still poised with a stiff, military demeanor like none I have ever seen before or since, was a man who had begun his career pulling cannons with horses and mules, and ended it advising the president of the United States on such matters as space weapons and nuclear proliferation. The general took me to his den and let me hold the sword General John J. Blackjack Pershing had presented him as Cadet First Captain of West Point in 1932. He took me to lunch and then for a long walk along the historic Charleston waterfront. When the interview ended back in his home, I asked him about things I wanted to know personally, as a former member of his command, not as a journalistsuch as why the Vietnamese black market always had a full supply of the jungle boots we sometimes found hard to get through normal supply channels. Westmoreland leaned back a bit, his thumb tapping the arm of the chair. I wish I had known about that, the old general confessed to me. Then, sensing an opportunity to speak of frustrations he had never before been given the opportunity to express, Westy went on to confess some of his other regrets much like a father would confess to a son whom he had made some mistakes in raising. He told me he was unabashedly proud of his reputation as a professional soldier who obeyed even the orders with which he did not agree, a soldier who was raised to cherish honor and duty and who clung to those concepts his entire career. But, he sighed, he wished he had been more assertive on some issues with his old friend, Lyndon Johnsonespecially about going into Cambodia to cut off enemy supply routes. I always thought he put too much stock in the advice he got from McNamara, he huffed. McNamara tended to make decisions based on numbers, not on other factors that should have been considered. Its no secret I didnt care much for the man. With some reticence he said he regretted letting the day-to-day running of the war keep him from being as forceful about putting his troops first as he always had been before. He regretted that his family life had suffered so much because of the burden of his career. And he regretted the brouhaha with Mike Wallace and CBS, which had accused him of inflating body counts on enemy killeda brouhaha that resulted in a lawsuit he won handily. Even more, Westmoreland said after an emotional pause and some more thumb tapping on the chair, he regretted the sudden realization that some of his former troops thought of him as a distant, starched-greens, photo-op generala general who didnt know his troops were having to forcibly take their jungle boots away from black-marketeers. I wish I had known about that, he sighed. Things would have been different. Originally published in the April 2009 issue of Vietnam Magazine. To subscribe, click here. The possibility of a hard Brexit remains a "very real threat', says Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Brexit, Lisa Chambers TD, who has voiced her concerns that Irish businesses are not prepared for such a scenario. Deputy Chambers made her comments on foot of a PWC report which found that a hard albeit orderly Brexit remains the most likely outcome. Commenting Chambers said, PWCs assessment is that a hard, albeit orderly Brexit is the most likely outcome and that business need to plan on the basis of this assumption. This follows on from a warning from the Central Bank that it is still plausible that there will be a hard Brexit less than a year from now." The Central Bank has further warned that in the event of no post-Brexit trade agreement being reached, GDP in Ireland might be around 3% lower after ten years than under a no-Brexit scenario. The Central Bank also notes that this could translate into roughly 40,000 fewer jobs. These are stark warnings and I am concerned that the Government is not doing enough to help businesses prepare for such a scenario," she says. Advertisement A recent AIB survey found that only 6% of SMEs in the Republic of Ireland have a Brexit plan in place whilst the corresponding figure for Northern Ireland is 2%. I am concerned that the Government is not doing enough domestically to prepare for a hard Brexit. Our businesses and SMEs need to see more leadership, support and guidance from the Government in this regard. Brexit in whatever shape it eventually takes is going to cause disruption and it would be gravely erroneous to not heed the many warnings that a hard Brexit remains a probability. At this juncture there are no bullet proof or cast iron guarantees as to what will happen. Labour Party spokesperson on Disability, Kathleen Lynch has welcomed Inclusion Ireland joining the Together for Yes civil society group to repeal the eighth amendment Deputy Lynch commented: It is welcome news that Inclusion Ireland have joined the Together for Yes campaign. The voices of people with disabilities need to be heard over the next five weeks of this campaign. Women with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups when it comes to sexual assault and rape. The detrimental effects of the 8th amendment for womens health during pregnancy apply equally to women with disabilities. Pregnancy can often impact the health of disabled people and so the availability of abortion up to 12 weeks (and after if their health is at serious risk) on home soil with the advice and care of doctors that know the individual is crucially important. Travel to England or elsewhere is often a really difficult journey for most people, but particularly so for individuals with disabilities if they must arrange support, accessible transport and services Advertisement Irish women, including those with disabilities, have abortions every day. The referendum to repeal the 8th amendment will not change that. We now have an opportunity for us to decide to treat women better in Ireland. Inclusion Ireland are a very well respected organisation and the Together for Yes campaign will hugely benefit from their knowledge and expertise in this area. 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. 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. Translations: Portuguese (pdf) Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Transparency in Payments (TIP) has been implemented in the Finland, Norway and Sweden markets. TIP, which is being introduced in conjunction with NewGen ISS, is an industry initiative focused on providing airlines with increased transparency and control in the collection of their sales generated in the travel agency channel. At the same time, it will enable travel agents to take advantage of new forms of payment for the remittance of customer funds. "The current landscape for payment services has changed dramatically, and new players and payment solutions are emerging, offering travel agents greater options to remit customer funds to airlines. However, up until now, airlines have lacked visibility into these newer payment methods. TIP will address this issue, creating new opportunities for airlines and travel agents," said Aleks Popovich, IATA's Senior Vice President, Financial and Distribution Services. No form of remittance is barred by TIP, but travel agents can only use those forms to which an airline has previously given consent. Importantly, if an airline consents, TIP explicitly allows travel agents to use their own credit cards. IATA has worked closely with key industry stakeholders to develop TIP to ensure it provides: Increased transparency and control for each player An efficient framework and tools to enable agents and airlines to bilaterally agree on usage of Alternative Transfer Methods, such as agent's own credit cards and agent's virtual account numbers (VANs), for the direct remittance to airlines of agency Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) sales A resolution framework which is better adapted to regulatory and market conditions. Under TIP, providers of Alternative Transfer Methods wishing to participate in agency direct remittances to airlines of BSP sales will enlist with IATA, and provide relevant information about their payment products. Agents and airlines will have access to this information on a need-to-know basis. "We look forward to working with providers of Alternative Transfer Methods such as AirPlus International and Edenred Corporate Payment, who support the principles underlying TIP. We anticipate that other providers will commit to enrolling their products within the TIP framework once their technical environment is ready, to contribute to greater transparency in the airline and agency ecosystem," said Popovich. Over the coming weeks, TIP will be implemented in Iceland and Denmark (9 May), Canada (16 May), and Singapore (23 May), with rollout expected to be completed in all BSP markets by Q1 2020. For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: Great Barrington Police Investigating Fatal Crash GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. A Housatonic woman was killed late Sunday morning in a head-on collision near 200 Maple Ave. Annemarie E. Bushka, 64, was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries incurred in the crash. Bushka's motor vehicle collided with one driven by Robert Bacigalupi, 68, who police say crossed the yellow line into Bushka's lane. Bacigalupi, of New York City, was charged with motor vehicle homicide and marked lanes violation. He was taken by ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening and will be issued a summons to appear in court at a later date. The crash occurred at about 11 a.m. and Bushka and Bacigalupi were the only occupants in their vehicles. A portion of the road was closed while rescuers responded to the crash and while the vehicles were towed from the scene. All lanes were reopened once the scene was cleared. The cause of the crash is under investigation by Great Barrington Police, with the assistance of the State Police. Chief William Walsh Jr. asks that anyone who may have witnessed the crash call the Great Barrington Police at 413-528-0306. PITTSFIELD, Mass. The School Department is signing off on WTBR in June. But Pittsfield Community Television will be signing on in the fall. With Taconic High School set to be demolished, the tower needs to be relocated. The School Committee on Wednesday approved an agreement that gives management of the Brave FM station to PCTV. The organization will be transforming the station into a hybrid model of a community and educational medium and bolstering the station's offerings. "It keeps WTBR local. It keeps and expands the local mission and the local programming of WTBR. It keeps it alive, well, and thriving, and keeps it moving forward," Superintendent Jason McCandless said. PCTV submitted a proposal in February that would keep the license in the school's hands but would relocate the studio to the community broadcasting organization's offices on Federico Drive. Students will still be given a priority to learn radio and PCTV plans to simulcast some of its television shows, like municipal meetings, and add new shows. United Cerebral Palsy of Berkshire County will also still be allowed to host its show. "We are going to be reaching out to both schools and possibly even dedicating a part of the day station to the students," PCTV Executive Director Shawn Serre said. PCTV believes that public access to the radio will increase the number of diverse viewpoints. Not everybody has cable and can get PCTV's three television stations and the radio station has a larger reach. Further, PCTV says it is easier for a newcomer to get involved in radio than it is television -- the learning curve and required help is significantly smaller. "The platform itself is important. It is accessible to everybody," Serre said when the organization first presented its plan. It is still unclear where the tower will be placed. Office space at PCTV can easily be converted into a new radio studio. Some locations identified as a possibility for the tower are the Clocktower Building on South Church Street, the Crowne Plaza, 7 North St., or at PCTV's studios. Serre said he's been researching the technicalities of various locations but no site has been settled on -- but that one is very close. PCTV would likely have to replace the antennae and the transmitter and will assess the current equipment, and work to improve it as time goes on. PCTV will also have to embark on fundraising efforts to offset the cost to operate the station. Serre said the organization will be bringing in a consultant to ensure all the regulatory filings are done correctly, a radio engineer and tower specialist will be sorting the details on the relocation, and staff will be performing an inventory of the WTBR equipment to determine what can be salvaged and what needs to be replaced. "There are a lot of pieces of the puzzle that have to come together to get to the point where on June 29, the station will go off air. We will build the studio on Federico Drive. The tower will go up during the summer," Serre said. Wednesday's approval allows for PCTV to contract with those specialists to perform that work. "In order to facilitate that move, there will be a time when WTBR is literally off of the air," McCandless said." I think we can look forward to, in the fall, having a new and improved WTBR back on the airwaves for the community to be a part of and enjoy." Serre said he hopes to have the station back on the air in mid-September, but that somewhat depends on how smoothly things go. The School Committee was happy with the agreement, feeling as if they found a perfect partner to take over the station. "I think this is a match made in heaven," Chairwoman Katherine Yon. The agreement also ensures that producers of shows are guaranteed their time slots for one year. After that, management could make changes. "There are many people in the community who are really dedicated to WTBR," McCandless said. "We wanted to be really respectful of the people who kept producing shows year after year through thick and thin. But we did not want to handcuff the management." Serre expressed confidence with the School Committee's unanimous approval that they all see the same vision. "We're all very excited about the prospects of it. It was great to hear the encouragement I heard tonight from the School Committee. It sounds like they agree with us that this cooperation agreement is going to be good for the radio station, it will be good for the public schools, it will be good for Pittsfield, it will be good for PCTV," Serre said. Legislature Looking at $200M in Chapter 90 Funds; $7.2M for Berkshires BOSTON Some $200 million in Chapter 90 road funds have been approved in both houses of the Legislature for fiscal 2019, with about $7.3 million headed for Berkshire County. The funds are part of a three-year, $600 million Chapter 90 apportionment that passed the State Senate. The House the week before passed a single-year $200 million bill and both houses are now working to resolve differences in the two bills in order to get legislation to the governor's desk so that the funds can be released for this construction season. "This legislation allows the current Chapter 90 program to continue and guarantees future funding in FY 2020 and FY2021," said state Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, in a statement. "Our hope is that this change will allow for predictability and a quicker turnaround between MassDOT's calculation of each municipality's annual Chapter 90 apportionment and the ability for local construction projects to go out to bid." In total, the legislation authorizes $11,647,078 in fiscal 2019 for communities in Hinds' Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden Senate District to support local road and bridge transportation projects. "Cities and towns strongly advocated for a multi-year financing plan so they can appropriately schedule and prepare for projects," said Hinds. "Today the Senate provided that predictability. Western Massachusetts has severe regional transportation infrastructure needs especially after this long, tough winter and local budgets are impacted as municipal officials try to maintain roads and bridges in a state of good repair." State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli said more than $4 million had been allocated in the House bill to the 4th Berkshire District, which also includes the towns of Blandford, Russell, and Tolland. "This funding could not be more important to our small communities," said Pignatelli. "There is a great need to maintain and improve the infrastructure in our district, and Chapter 90 funds have always been a real lifeline for these towns. I am thrilled we got this bill passed [April 5], and I'm looking forward to the Senate doing the same." One camera works with iPhones and the other works with Android devices; both will be available to borrow for two weeks. Berkshires Beat: Thermal Cameras Available at the Milne Library Picture perfect The cameras show hot and cold spots in homes that are not visible to the naked eye. Just in time for Earth Day, the Milne Public Library is making two thermal imaging cameras available for residents to check out. These cameras, which attach to a smartphone, show hot and cold spots in homes that arent visible to the naked eye, enabling homeowners to find air leaks and poor insulation. Common culprits for air leaks include doors, windows, exterior outlets, ducts and connections to the outside such as cables or plumbing fixtures. Areas that might need additional insulation include attics, walls, floors, foundations, crawl spaces and ducts. The cameras were donated to the library by Williamstown Girl Scout Troop 12940 and the Williamstown COOL Committee. The Girl Scouts used some of the proceeds of recent cookie sales to make the donation because they want to help residents save money and energy. Both the Girl Scouts and members of the COOL Committee will be at the library on Wednesday, April 18, from 4 to 6 p.m.to demonstrate how the cameras work and distribute information about home management assessments from MASS SAVE. One camera works with iPhones and the other works with Android devices; both will be available to borrow for two weeks. Older homes that have not been well maintained can usually benefit the most from air sealing and adding insulation. Air leaks and insulation gaps are also often created during renovations, when contractors are drilling holes or moving insulation around. For more information, contact Pat McLeod at the library at 413-458-5369. The winners are The Berkshire County Real Women Essay Contest Task Force has announced the winning essays written by area students for the 32nd Real Women Essay Contest. The contest was created to honor National Womens History Month each March as an effort to increase awareness of contributions made by women to our society and used to promote students literacy and writing skills. Founded in 1986, the Real Women Essay contest, invites Berkshire County Students K-12 to write an essay, poem, scripted conversation, first person monologue or journal recognizing a woman in their lives that has inspired them. Students can write about a role model or mentor, a woman on the national stage who has inspired them or an historical figure whose contributions have made a difference in their lives. This years winners are: * Kindergarten: Allendale Elementary School, Pittsfield, Caleb Koomson, Tyler LaCasse, Reese Moran; Egremont Elementary School, Pittsfield, Emma McCullough, Nathan Sykes. * First Place honors: Grade 1, Reese Albano from Williams Elementary School, Pittsfield; Grade 2, Lucas Parise from Stearns Elementary School, Pittsfield; Grade 3/4, Maya Kee from Crosby Elementary School, Pittsfield; Grade 5/6, Christopher Lyon from Morris Elementary School, Lenox; Grade 7, Matt Lee from Reid Middle School, Pittsfield; Grades 9-12, Kacie Copeland from Drury High School, North Adams. * Second Place honors: Grade 1, Liam McGrath from Allendale ES; Grade 2, Madilynn Breault from Stearns ES; Grade 3/4, Ava Boos from Stearns ES; Grade 5/6, Sophie Cohen from Morris Elementary School; Grade 7, Aniyah Moody from Reid Middle School; Grades 9-12, Cristina Cassidy from Drury High School. * Honorable Mentions: Grade 1, Kristen Adjei and Edrisa Touray from Williams Elementary School; Grade 2, Olivia Monti and Kalvin Phillips from Stearns Elementary School; Grade 3/4, Alayna Osorio from Allendale Elementary School; Grades 5/6, Belen Gavez and Marlene Valero-Calderon from St. Agnes Academy; Grade 7, Jane Wong from Reid Middle School; Grades 9-2, Domenica Gomez from Lenox Memorial Middle and High School, Lenox, and Jade Saldo-Torres from Drury High School. Women Build For the 11th year, Habitat for Humanity and Lowes are engaging women nationwide to work together to build Habitat homes during this years National Women Build Week from May 5-13 and also for an additional five weeks following the national event. On Sunday, April 29, local volunteers will start Women Build month by attending a hands on construction training workshop that will give them the necessary tools to build on the construction site. Groups and individuals can register to participate in the Women Build dates May 5-June 16. Register online. National Women Build Week, a nationwide initiative created by Habitat for Humanity and Lowes in 2008, has brought together more than 117,000 all-women construction volunteers to build or repair homes with nearly 5,000 families over the past 10 years. This year, Lowes donated nearly $2 million to Habitat for Humanity to support the 2018 National Women Build Week, which is set to take place in 300 communities nationwide. Habitat and Lowes encourage all women to volunteerno construction skills or experience in Habitat builds necessary. To learn more about National Women Build Week, visit the website. Girls Who Code Miss Halls School is partnering with the nationally recognized organization Girls Who Code to host the two-week summer program called Girls Who Code Campus. This beginner to intermediate coding course for middle school girls will run from July 16 through July 27 on the Miss Halls School campus at 492 Holmes Road in Pittsfield. Girls Who Code Campus is open to girls entering grades six, seven or eight, and classes will be in session from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. No prior coding experience is needed, but students and their families are asked to commit to the full two-week program. To register, go online. The enrollment deadline is May 1, and space is limited to 20 participants. The enrollment fee is $1,000, and need-based scholarships are available. For more information, please contact Dr. Christopher Himes, Director of Engineering & Technology Innovation/STEAM Coordinator at Miss Halls School, by email. Swimming lessons The Dalton Community Recreation is taking registration for Session 4 Swimming Lessons. Lessons run from April 23-June 23. A General CRA Jr. Membership ($40) is required and everyone must wear a swim cap. The Dalton CRA offers a full range of swimming lessons including: Parent-Toddler (6 months to 3 years, parent needs to be in the pool with toddler); Pre-School (3-5 years, not in Kindergarten); Beginners (5 years and up); Beginners Deep End (5 years and up - no bubble); Advanced Beginners (Saturday morning class now offered), Intermediate Swimmer and Advanced Swimmer. Cost for lessons is $58.50 (plus Membership) for nine-week session, $52 for Saturday and Monday eight-week session as there will be no classes Saturday, May 26 and Monday, May 28. Parent-Toddler classes for Friday are $31.50 and for Saturday are $28 plus CRA Membership. Register at the Dalton CRA. For more information and class schedule, call the CRA at 684-0260 or visit the website. Redfield Transition Berkshire Children and Families, Berkshire Housing Development Corporation and Berkshire Fund are announcing the transition of Redfield House in Pittsfield from a supported housing environment to independent living as of September 30, 2018. With the decrease in the teen pregnancy rates in the Berkshires, funding has shifted, and the program has undergone substantial changes over the last five years moving the focus from young teen parents to young adult parents. With this change, the programmatic aspects of Redfield House are not as relevant for the young women currently being served. In 1990, Berkshire Children and Families, then Berkshire Center for Families and Children, chaired a task force comprised of representatives from community agencies, local schools, the medical community, public agencies, funding sources, and volunteers who forged a vision and developed a plan to create a supportive living program for young parents. Berkshire Housing Development Corporation served as the developer for the project and together with BCF identified the site, assembled financing and oversaw the design and reconstruction of the former Redfield School into 24 apartments, meeting rooms, offices and a daycare. The vision and collaborative spirit of the founders of Redfield House provided a safe and supportive environment for hundreds of young families over the past 26 years. Redfield House will continue to serve as home for 24 families, including current residents. After the transition from supportive housing to independent living, the mix of households living there will broaden to include anyone interested in renting a modern apartment, in an historic schoolhouse, located in a walkable, downtown neighborhood. Information about renting an apartment at Redfield House can be obtained by contacting Berkshire Housing Services, by phone at 413-499-1630, ext. 105, or online. BArT Scholarhsip Graduates of Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School who have completed their first or second year of college are invited to apply for the Julia Bowen Bridge to College Scholarship. The Bowen Scholarship fund was established in 2017 to honor Julia Bowen, BArT's founding executive director. Through her service to the School, Bowen demonstrated her commitment to supporting all students successful path to and through college. In this spirit, the Scholarship was created by and is managed by the BART Foundation to provide financial assistance to select BArT alumni through their college careers. A Bowen Scholarship of up to $1,000 will be awarded to a BArT alumnus or alumna who has successfully completed year one or year two of college. Assuming successful completion of the school year, the award will be continued through years two, three and four, and, if need be, year five. The award does not need to be used for tuition. Applications may be accessed online. The application process includes a narrative about the applicant, how the successful applicant plans to use the Bowen Scholarship to increase the likelihood of college success, and how the applicant has or will support the BArT Alumni Network or college office. The application deadline is May 11, 2018. Voter registration The Williamstown Board of Registrars will hold a special voter registration session on Wednesday, April 18, which is the deadline for register to vote for the annual Town Election and Town Meeting. The Town Clerks office will remain open until 8 p.m. on that date for new registrations. Absentee ballots are currently available for the annual Town Election that will be held on Tuesday, May 8. Residents who will be absent from the community or physically unable to go to the polls on election day may request in writing to have an absentee ballot sent to them or they may come to the Town Clerks office to cast their ballots. All absentee ballot requests and applications must be received no later than noon on Monday, May 7. The annual Town Election will take place in the gymnasium of the Williamstown Elementary School. The annual Town Meeting will also be in the gymnasium of the Williamstown Elementary School on Tuesday, May 15,at 7 p.m. Residents who have any questions regarding the absentee ballot process or voter registration process should call the Town Clerks office at 413-458-9341 or by email. iciHaiti - Artibonite : 3 Environmental Agents per commune Friday, April 13, after the Southeast, the West, the Nippes and the Northwest, it is the turn of the department of Artibonite to deploy its Environmental Agents. In her speech Nicole Yolette Altidor, the Director General of the Ministry of the Environment has expressed her honor to proceed with the official deployment of 45 Environmental Agents on the department of Artibonite, at the rate of 3 agents per commune. "Dear Envionmental Agents, we take this opportunity to exhort you, from now on, to impregnate you with the instructions, the recommendations that will be given to you by your superiors [...] in order to contribute to the success of the will of the Ministry and the Government for the rehabilitation and the effective protection of the environment in the 15 communes of the department. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24102-haiti-news-zapping.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24092-icihaiti-environment-official-inauguration-ceremony-of-men-in-green-in-the-nippes.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24017-haiti-environment-deployment-of-60-environmental-agents-in-the-west-dept.html IH/ iciHaiti Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation had a conversation on the telephone and discussed the latest international and regional issues, as well as the Syrian situation and how to develop bilateral Tehran-Moscow cooperation and relations. (AhlulBayt News Agency) - Presidents of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation had a conversation on the telephone and discussed the latest international and regional issues, as well as the Syrian situation and how to develop bilateral Tehran-Moscow cooperation and relations. In the phone call that was made on Sunday, Dr Hassan Rouhani described the recent attack by the United States, the United Kingdom and France on Syria under the pretext of the Syrian governments use of chemical weapons as an act of aggression and aimed at lifting the spirit of the defeated terrorists, saying: If aggression and blatant violation of international laws become possible easily and without paying any price by the perpetrators, we will witness new instabilities at international and regional stages. Stressing that "this act of aggression by the US has proved that they have a direct relationship with the terrorists," the President added: The Americans responded this way when they felt that the terrorists no longer have access to an important area such as the Eastern Ghouta. Dr Rouhani added: The US and its allies' attack on Syria shows that we are facing new problems and issues in the final fight against terrorism in Syria, and we should have more consultation and cooperation. Pointing out that the United States and some Western countries do not want Syria to be easily stabilised, the president said: We need to increase our speed in order to solve the Syrian crisis, and in this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate with Russia within bilateral and trilateral frameworks. "Unfortunately, at the same time with the new tensions in the region, the Zionist Regime has carried out new acts of aggression against the Palestinian people, and we should not allow a new tension to rise in the region, he continued. Dr Rouhani also referred to the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen and emphasized the need to send humanitarian aid to them, saying: The continuation of clashes and killing of people in Yemen are not in the interest of anyone, and Iran is ready to contribute to any process towards a ceasefire, security, peace and saving of the people of this country. The president also expressed hope that Tehran-Moscow relations and cooperation would further develop with the efforts of the officials of the two countries, especially in the field of economy and commerce. Dr Rouhani continued: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to develop closer relations with Russia". President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin pointed out that Iran and Russia share a common view on many regional and international issues, saying: The US and Western countries attack on Syria under any pretext is the blatant violation of international laws and this act by the United States and its allies is nothing but international crime and act of aggression, and the pretext of chemical weapons use in Syria is baseless. Stating that the US attack on Syria was carried out when the inspectors of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons had arrived in Syria, saying: The United Nations was created to build consensus among countries and should not be used for political interests of some powers because if anyone wants to act in their own way in the international stage, we will face chaos. He said that "these aggressive measures do not prevent our efforts in the fight against terrorism and extremism in the region, and in particular in Syria," adding: "The process of achieving peace in Syria has become more difficult after this US action, but consultations and tripartite ties between Iran, Russia and Turkey must continue, and we must attempt to develop peace and stability and to establish a dialogue in this country. Referring to the need for measures to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Yemen and establish a ceasefire in the country, the Russian president said: Iran and Russia should go further in coordination to contribute to the development of peace and stability in the region. Putin also emphasised the development of comprehensive cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, especially in economic and commercial sectors, and said: In the current situation, it is essential to use all potentials and capacities to deepen relations between Iran and Russia. /257 The Philippine government is aggressively advancing the acceleration of infrastructure and development of industries that will yield robust growth across the Philippines. Infrastructure projects are among the top priorities of the government with public spending on infrastructure projects targeted to reach between PHP8 trillion and PHP9 trillion ($154 billion to $173 billion) between 2017 and 2022. The existing administration's effort to address the infrastructure gap is encapsulated in its 'Build, Build, Build' programme. Under this initiative, the government intends to build, among other things, roads, bridges, railways, urban mass transport, airports, and seaports nationwide. It is envisioned this will result in a more efficient movement of goods and people, an increase in the productive capacity of the economy, and sustained inclusive growth throughout the country. The government's continued focus on prioritising infrastructure development will allow the Philippines to continue in its position as the fastest growing economy in Asia. Together with the infusion of funds for infrastructure, foreigners have expressed strong interest in participating in the Philippine construction industry. The Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) has introduced the quadruple A category (AAAA) licence, a new category of the regular licence, which is issued to contractors with more than 40% foreign equity. A 100% foreign-owned domestic construction corporation with at least PHP1 billion in paid-in equity is eligible to apply for an AAAA category licence. The PCAB also issues special licences to foreign contractors for government infrastructure projects: 1) that are foreign-financed or internationally funded with international bidding; 2) where the participation of foreign contractors is allowed under the terms of a bilateral agreement between the Philippine government and the foreign government or an international financing institution; or 3) that are implemented in accordance with Republic Act number 7718, or the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, as amended. Foreign contractors can also enter into joint ventures or consortiums with Filipino contractors in order to benefit from the knowledge of the local industry and to share and allocate risks. The PCAB issues special licences to joint ventures or consortiums for a single, specific project or undertaking. For property development projects, foreigners that wish to own land in the Philippines must do so in partnership with a Filipino or a qualified Philippine entity. Land ownership is restricted to Filipinos or corporations that are at least 60% Filipino-owned. Foreigners may generally lease private land for 25 years, renewable for another 25 years. If the foreigner is investing in the Philippines, it may lease private land for up to 75 years (50 years, renewable for another 25 years). This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Sylvette Y Tankiang Maria Concepcion P Simundac 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article An amendment to the act on employment services slated to enter into force on May 1 2018 will have a substantial impact on the employment of third country nationals. The amendment establishes simplified conditions for hiring third country nationals in selected professions where there is a documented shortage of qualified labour force in districts with an average registered unemployment rate of less than five percent. In these situations, when processing temporary residence permits for the employment purpose, the labour offices will not take into account whether a particular position can be occupied preferentially by a Slovak citizen. Moreover, these positions may be filled without the need to advertise the job before submitting the application for a temporary residence permit. The central labour office should publish on its website by June 30 2018 a list of occupations affected by the labour shortage in the districts where the average registered unemployment rate for 2017 was lower than five percent. However, the exception provided by the amendment will only apply to companies that have a workforce comprising a maximum of 30% third country nationals on the day of submitting the temporary employment residence permit application. An employer looking to hire a third country national must first announce the job vacancy (on the bulletin board at the labour office, through print media and on the internet). The amendment has reduced the time period of the announcement from the original 30 business days to 20 business days. The same time period of 20 business days applies to the announcement required for renewing a temporary employment residence permit. Employers that engage in illegal employment practices will not be permitted to hire third country nationals, as only those companies who have committed no violations of the ban on illegal employment for a period of two years before filing the application for the residence permit by the third country national will be eligible for the employment permit. The amendment also has a substantial impact on obtaining work permits and temporary employment residence permits for employees posted for more than 90 days by employers domiciled in third countries. The existing legislation provides for a specific application regime for this type of work permit, but that regime was omitted from the amendment. The existing provision has been retained whereby the labour office can grant a work permit upon a written application if a job opening cannot be filled by an applicant registered as a job seeker with the employment office. We are unable to say definitively whether this is just a formulation error or whether the lawmakers intended to retain the possibility of obtaining an employment permit for posted workers. We are inclined to believe the purpose was to repeal this regime because of its long-term abuse. Consequently, although in theory it will still be possible, in practice it will no longer be possible to obtain an employment permit and temporary residence permit in Slovakia for workers posted from third countries. If these posted workers wish to work in Slovakia, they will have to take up employment directly with an employer domiciled in Slovakia. A valid work permit issued to a third country national posted for work in Slovakia before May 1 2018 will remain valid for the entire term for which it was granted. The possibility of posting workers within the scope of an intra-corporate transfer will, of course, remain unchanged. Due to the frequent abuse of the concept of cross-border posting of workers from another EU member state, and in an attempt to prevent social dumping and enhance the protection of employees, the amendment imposes additional duties on employers that host posted workers. Until now the only duty of the receiving employer was to notify the competent labour office about the posted worker, their job position and term of posting. There will now also be a new duty to submit the following documents: (i) a document confirming accommodation for at least the expected duration of the posting in the case of a third country national not subject to the visa requirement, (ii) a copy of the A1 form as proof the third country national pays social contributions in the member state from which he/she was posted to work in Slovakia, and, (iii) a copy of a residence document issued in the member state where the third country national normally works if a residence permit is required by the laws of the country from which they were posted. Dalimir Jancovic Byung Sung Park 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Yemen's official Saba news agency, citing an unnamed military official on Monday, reported that at least two women and one man were killed after Saudi fighter jets pounded a residential area in the Manakhah district of the western province of Sanaa, adding that a child was also injured in the raid. (AhlulBayt News Agency) - At least six civilians have been killed and several others wounded when Saudi warplanes conducted multiple airstrikes against residential areas across war-ravaged Yemen as Saudi Arabia continues with its atrocious bombardment campaign against its impoverished neighbor. Yemen's official Saba news agency, citing an unnamed military official on Monday, reported that at least two women and one man were killed after Saudi fighter jets pounded a residential area in the Manakhah district of the western province of Sanaa, adding that a child was also injured in the raid. Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah satellite television network, however, raised the number of people wounded to five, excluding the child. It added that another child was wounded in a separate airstrike in Sa'fan district in the same province. Meanwhile, Saba news agency, in another report, said that at least one child was killed and her mother and sister were injured after Saudi warplanes hit their house in Bakil al-Mir district in the northwestern province of Hajjah. Additionally on Monday, at least two civilians lost their lives after Saudi snipers mortally injured them in Manba border district in the northern province of Saada, Saba further reported, citing an unnamed security official. The Saudi aggression was launched in March 2015 in support of Yemens former Riyadh-friendly government and against the countrys Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has been running state affairs in the absence of an effective administration. The offensive has, however, achieved neither of its goals despite the spending of billions of petrodollars and the enlisting of Saudi Arabia's regional and Western allies. The Yemeni Ministry of Human Rights announced in a statement on March 25 that the Saudi-led war had left 600,000 civilians dead and injured during the past three years. The United Nations says a record 22.2 million people are in need of food aid, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. A high-ranking UN aid official recently warned against the catastrophic living conditions in Yemen, stating that there was a growing risk of famine and cholera there. /257 Living donor transplants save lives Rochester, Minnesota - If youre among the 54 percent of American adults whove registered to be an organ donor, its encouraging to know your decision could save the lives of up to eight people. A living donor transplant is handled differently and often comes about when a friend or family member has a dire need, although altruistic, or good Samaritan, kidney transplant donations have been on the rise. "Some people just come forward as a potential donor wanting to help a needy patient thats on the waiting list," says Dr. Charles Rosen, director of Mayo Clinic's Transplant Center. "Another thing that happens is a donor and recipient pair come forward, where its not a match for one reason or another, and they may exchange kidneys with another donor-recipient pair." April is National Donate Life Month. Dennis Douda shares more of Dr. Rosen's thoughts. "You know, 1 out of 5 to 1 out of 4 of the people that I meet with will never get a liver," says Dr. Rosen. He says it's a hard reality. And even more patients with failing livers would die, if not for living donors. "We can take up to 70 percent of the liver but not more," says Dr. Rosen. "It grows back very quickly in both the donor and the recipient." Occasionally, parts of the lung and intestine are supplied by living donors. Four out of 5 people on the transplant waiting list need a kidney. Dr. Rosen says kidneys from living donors function better, last longer and can eliminate lengthy waits. "Which may be five to seven years in many parts of the country, during which time a patient has to be on dialysis, which may be three to four hours a session, three to four times per week," says Dr. Rosen. Living donors must be at least 18, in good mental and physical health with no alcohol or substance abuse problems. While family members often provide the best tissue match, 1 in 4 living donors are not biologically related. Brewing up Earths earliest life Cambridge, Massachusetts - Around 4 billion years ago, Earth was an inhospitable place, devoid of oxygen, bursting with volcanic eruptions, and bombarded by asteroids, with no signs of life in even the simplest forms. But somewhere amid this chaotic period, the chemistry of the Earth turned in lifes favor, giving rise, however improbably, to the planets very first organisms. What prompted this critical turning point? How did living organisms rally in such a volatile world? And what were the chemical reactions that brewed up the first amino acids, proteins, and other building blocks of life? These are some of the questions researchers have puzzled over for decades in trying to piece together the origins of life on Earth. Now planetary scientists from MIT and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have identified key ingredients that were present in large concentrations right around the time when the first organisms appeared on Earth. The researchers found that a class of molecules called sulfidic anions may have been abundant in Earths lakes and rivers. They calculate that, around 3.9 billion years ago, erupting volcanoes emitted huge quantities of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which eventually settled and dissolved in water as sulfidic anions specifically, sulfites and bisulfites. These molecules likely had a chance to accumulate in shallow waters such as lakes and rivers. In shallow lakes, we found these molecules would have been an inevitable part of the environment, says Sukrit Ranjan, a postdoc in MITs Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. Whether they were integral to the origin of life is something were trying to work out. Preliminary work by Ranjan and his collaborators suggest that sulfidic anions would have sped up the chemical reactions required to convert very simple prebiotic molecules into RNA, a genetic building block of life. Prior to this work, people had no idea what levels of sulfidic anions were present in natural waters on early Earth; now we know what they were, Ranjan says. This fundamentally changes our knowledge of early Earth and has had direct impact on laboratory studies of the origin of life. Ranjan and his colleagues published their results today in the journal Astrobiology. Setting early Earths stage In 2015, chemists from Cambridge University, led by John Sutherland, who is a co-author on the current study, discovered a way to synthesize the precursors to RNA using just hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, and ultraviolet light all ingredients that are thought to have been available on early Earth, before the appearance of the first life forms. From a chemistry point of view, the researchers case was convincing: The chemical reactions they carried out in the laboratory overcame longstanding chemical challenges, to successfully yield the genetic building blocks to life. But from a planetary science standpoint, it was unclear whether such ingredients would have been sufficiently abundant to jumpstart the first living organisms. For instance, comets may have had to rain down continuously to bring enough hydrogen cyanide to Earths surface. Meanwhile, hydrogen sulfide, which would have been released in huge amounts by volcanic eruptions, would have mostly stayed in the atmosphere, as the molecule is relatively insoluble in water, and therefore would not have had regular opportunities to interact with hydrogen cyanide. Instead of approaching the origins-of-life puzzle from a chemistry perspective, Ranjan looked at it from a planetary perspective, attempting to identify the actual conditions that might have existed on early Earth, around the time the first organisms appeared. The origins-of-life field has traditionally been led by chemists, who try to figure out chemical pathways and see how nature might have operated to give us the origins of life, Ranjan says. They do a really great job of that. What they dont do in as much detail is, they dont ask what were conditions on early Earth like before life? Could the scenarios they invoke have actually happened? They dont know as much what the stage setting was. Cranking up the ingredients for life In August 2016, Ranjan gave a talk at Cambridge University about volcanism on Mars and the types of gases that would have been emitted by such eruptions in the red planets oxygenless atmosphere. Chemists at the talk realized that the same general conditions would have occurred on Earth prior to the start of life. They took away from that [talk] that, on early Earth, you dont have much oxygen, but you do have sulfur dioxide from volcanism, Ranjan recalls. As a consequence, you should have sulfites. And they said, Can you tell us how much of this molecule there would have been? And thats what we set out to constrain. To do so, he started with a volcanism model developed previously by Sara Seager, MITs Class of 1941 Professor of Planetary Sciences, and her former graduate student Renyu Hu. They did a study where they asked, Suppose you take the Earth and just crank up the amount of volcanism on it. What concentrations of gases do you get in the atmosphere? Ranjan says. He consulted the geological record to determine the amount of volcanism that likely took place around 3.9 billion years ago, around the time the first life forms are thought to have appeared, then looked up the types and concentrations of gases that this amount of volcanism would have produced according to Seager and Hus calculations. Next, he wrote a simple aqueous geochemistry model to calculate how much of these gases would have been dissolved in shallow lakes and reservoirs environments that would have been more conducive to concentrating life-forming reactions, versus vast oceans, where molecules could easily dissipate. Interestingly, he consulted the literature in a rather unexpected subject while conducting these calculations: winemaking a science that involves, in part, dissolving sulfur dioxide in water to produce sulfites and bisulfites under oxygenless conditions similar to those on early Earth. When we were working on this paper, a lot of the constants and data we pulled out were from the wine chemistry journals, because its where we have anoxic environments here on modern Earth, Ranjan says. So we took aspects of wine chemistry and asked: Suppose we have x amount of sulfur dioxide. How much of that dissolves in water, and then what does it become? Community cross-talk Ultimately, he found that, while volcanic eruptions would have spewed huge quantities of both sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide into the atmosphere, it was the former that dissolved more easily in shallow waters, producing large concentrations of sulfidic anions, in the form of sulfites and bisulfites. During major volcanic eruptions, you might have had up to millimolar levels of these compounds, which is about laboratory-level concentrations of these molecules, in the lakes, Ranjan says. That is a titanic amount. The new results point to sulfites and bisulfites as a new class of molecules ones that were actually available on early Earth that chemists can now test in the lab, to see whether they can synthesize from these molecules the precursors for life. Early experiments led by Ranjans colleagues suggest that sulfites and bisulfites may have indeed encouraged biomolecules to form. The team carried out chemical reactions to synthesize ribonucleotides with sulfites and bisulfites, versus with hydrosulfide, and found the former were able to produce ribonucleotides and related molecules 10 times faster than the latter, and at higher yields. More work is needed to confirm whether sulfidic anions were indeed early ingredients in brewing up the first life forms, but there is now little doubt that these molecules were part of the prebiotic milieu. For now, Ranjan says the results open up new opportunities for collaboration. This demonstrates a need for people in the planetary science community and origins-of-life community to talk to each other, Ranjan says. Its an example of how cross-pollination between disciplines can really yield simple but robust and important insights. This work was funded, in part, by the Simons Foundation, via the Simons Collaboration on the Origin of Life. Baking coconut shrimp - recipe genius Scottsdale, Arizona - These crunchy, oven-baked coconut shrimp are packed with flavor thanks to coconut milk and coconut flakes. You can use smaller shrimp. Just plan for less breading and less baking time. Each week one of the 100+ tasty video recipes from the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program is featured on the Mayo Clinic News Network, just in time for you to try at the weekend. You can also have the recipes delivered via the Mayo Clinic App. Ingredients Acting Secretary Sullivan's Meeting With Caribbean Leaders Lima, Peru - Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met with the Caribbean Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers of The Bahamas, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and St. Lucia on the margins of the Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru. During the meeting, the Acting Secretary underscored the U.S. commitment to enhance engagement with the Caribbean, as envisioned in the Caribbean 2020 strategy, including increasing private-sector investment in the Caribbean; ensuring a steady, long-term supply of clean, affordable energy to the region; building resilience to natural disasters; and supporting economic growth in the region for a more secure and prosperous hemisphere. Acting Secretary Sullivan also discussed the need to rally the hemispheres united support for the Venezuelan people and their right to have a voice in government through free and fair elections. The Acting Secretary and the Caribbean leaders pledged continued engagement on security and energy initiatives, through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative and the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative, as well as disaster preparedness and emergency response efforts. The U.S. government provided nearly $22 million in humanitarian assistance to support immediate emergency relief efforts in Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint-Martin, and Sint Maarten in response to the hurricanes last year. This assistance helped an estimated 83,800 people with more than 185 tons of supplies. Public Designation of Tom Doshi Under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act Washington, DC - The Department is publicly designating Albanian Member of Parliament Mr. Tom Doshi under Section 7031(c) of the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act, due to his involvement in significant corruption. Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign officials have been involved in significant corruption or gross violations of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. The law also requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their family members. In addition to the designation of Mr. Doshi, the Department is also publicly designating Mr. Doshis spouse, Xhovana Doshi, his adult daughter, Briana Doshi, his adult son, James Doshi, and his minor children. Anshul Sharma, an Indian American engineer from Columbus, Indiana, was killed last year in March when a driver swerved into the bike lane where he was walking with his wife Samira Bhardwaj, who was severely injured in the incident. (Facebook/file photo) Attorney Kevin Thomas, who had initially filed his candidacy for New York's 2nd Congressional District, has refocused his efforts to now run for the New York state Senate in the 6th Legislative District. He is seen here with his wife Rincy. (kevinthomas2018.com photo) Stephen Gyang, a commercial motorcycle rider, has been arrested by the Plateau State Police Command for allegedly killing his girlfriend, Alice Samuel, and burying her remains in a shallow grave. Punchng reports that Gyang killed the victim for wanting to force her pregnancy on him. The JSS2 dropout said he killed his girlfriend because she had initially said he was not responsible for the pregnancy. He said she recanted on the prompting of her mother, who wanted him to take responsibility for the pregnancy. The incident happened in Tahoss village, Plateau State. According to the suspect: I decided to bury her that night in a shallow grave that was to be used either for a pit toilet or well. After the incident, the spirit of Alice Samuel did not leave me. She started disturbing me and I had to report to my brother who took the matter to my father. My father thereafter reported my predicament to the village chief. . . His friend and accomplice, 20-year-old Kelly James, who was an eyewitness, revealed that he begged Gyang not to kill the victim, but he refused. He claimed that the prime suspect threatened to kill him if he (James) did not assist him. Africas foremost philanthropist and president of the Dangote Group Aliko Dangote has bagged ABUs top Corporate Award. The Award was conferred on him by the Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association. Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The 2018 Corporate Award was presented to the top industrialist in view of the numerous contributions of his conglomerate to the development of the educational sector in Nigeria, the Associations National President Professor Ahmed Tijani Mora said. Professor Mora said the interventions of the Aliko Dangote Foundation in the educational sector over the years have been unprecedented through, especially, the sponsorship of various scholarship programmes. Reading his citation, Professor Mora said apart from the $100million donation to fight malnutrition, Mr. Dangote is a dedicated philanthropist who has also made an initial endowment of $1.25billion to the Aliko Dangote Foundation in March 2014. He said Dangote Foundation has constructed 10 blocks of hostels for ABU Zaria. According to him, the Association has 12 governors as alumni, adding that one in every four Nigerian is governed by the alumni of the school. The Dangote Academy located in Obajana Kogi State is yet another contribution of the Group to education to Nigeria, he said. The Groups executive director, Stakeholders Management and Corporate Communication Engr Ahmed Mansur who received the award on behalf of Africas richest person Aliko Dangote, said the award will spur the conglomerate to scale up its intervention programmes in all sectors. Mr. Mansur, while thanking the Association, said the Dangote Group will not rest on its oars in ensuring that the educational sector achieved its rightful place in Nigeria. He said the Dangote Group has pumped billions of naira into the educational sector over the years, even as it planned to officially launched another multi-million naira hostel, with the capacity to accommodate 1,440 students at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It would be recalled that the Group had only recently donated a World Class Dangote Business School worth N1.2bn to the Bayero University Kano, and building another one in University of Ibadan worth N250million. Earlier, it donated N200 million to Katsina State University while N500 million for Bayero State University Business School in Kano. Funding was also provided for the construction of a 500 capacity student hostel complex of the University of Science and Technology, Wudil. The Group also gave N118 million for a squash complex project at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka main campus and another N50 million to the University of Port Harcourt, as well as N100million for the proposed Otuoke University. Speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the University Professor Ibrahim Garba commended the awardees, and added that all hands must be on the deck to rescue the educational sector. Professor Garba said out of the about eighty thousand applicants yearly, of which thirty thousand are qualified, only 11,500 eventually get admitted due to limited facility. Other awardees include: Deputy Secretary General of the UN, Amina J. Muhammad, the SGF, Boss Mustafa, NNPC MD, Maikanti Baru, NPA MD, Hadiza Bala Usman, Ace Banker Hayatudeen Muhammad and the Governors of Gombe, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kano, Bauchi and Adamawa among others. YEN.com.gh understands that Patapaa Amisty left the AICC after losing an award to Fancy Gadam.His song, One Corner, was no match for Fancy Gadams Total Cheat, which featured Sarkodie Rising Ghanaian musician, Patapaa Amisty, has been captured in a video, leaving the Accra International Conference Centre, during the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA). The event, which took place on Saturday, April 14, 2018, and was co-hosted by John Dumelo and Berla Mundi attracted people from all over the country. A few of the memorable highlights of the night included epic performances by Sarkodie and Samini, both of whom walked away with awards. While Samini grabbed the Reggae Dancehall song of the Year, with My Own, Sarkodie was crowned the king of hiphop/hiplife. He also won the best rapper of the year award. In the course of the event, the Song of The Year Award was given to Fancy Gadam, for his song, Total Cheat, which was in collaboration with Sarkodie. This did not go down well with the One Corner and his team, who consequently left the premises of the conference centre. Patapaa has however taken to social media to express his faith in God for the future. According to him, he believes that Gods time is the best. Watch video: President Buhari receives Tinubu in London President Buhari yesterday, received the National Leader of the All Progress Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, at the Abuja House, London where he is observing his annual leave. President Buhari departed Nigeria for London on Monday April 9th. See the photos below: Meanwhile, The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has explained that she criticised her husband in an interview granted the BBC in 2016 out of her sense of justice, not that she intended to be confrontational. Aisha made the clarification during an event where she was honoured as Vanguard Personality of the Year 2017. The Presidents wife, who was represented by one of her daughters, Halima, said Nigerians elected her husband based on the trust and confidence they have in him. She says she stands by that and expects that the administration must serve Nigeria to the best of its ability. Aisha said, I wish to thank the management of Vanguard Media Limited for this unexpected award, in recognition of my humanitarian efforts towards improving the health and welfare of Nigerians particularly women, children and less privileged. One of the reasons adduced for honouring me was the interview I granted which some people saw as criticism to a government that I am part of. I need to state that my position was a result of my sense of justice and not confrontation or disrespect. I was brought up to stand by the truth and this is how I have always been. As we are all aware, Nigerians elected this administration based on the trust and confidence they have on my husband; I, therefore, feel that we are here to serve Nigeria to the best of our ability. Let me use this opportunity to state that I support my husband in this call to service and will continue to do so. On this note, I hereby dedicate this award to the people of Nigeria, especially women. Thank you sincerely for this award. Leave a Comment comments Nigerian President Buhari will be the guest of US President Donald Trump on 30 April in Washington. According to a statement by the White House, Donald Trump will discuss issues such as promoting economic growth and fighting terrorism with Buhari. The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigerias economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity, the statement said. Nigeria has been combating the terrorist organization Boko Haram since 2009. The State Department under Trump approved the sale of 12 high-technology attack planes and equipment worth $600 million to Nigeria last year after the Obama administration halted the sale because of accusations that Nigerias air force was bombing civilians. The scheduled meeting will be the second between the two leaders. Last year September, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, during a luncheon Trump held for a select group of African leaders. The Nigerian leader who left Abuja for the U.K. On Monday, will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit which begins in London on 18 April and ends on 20 April. This will not be the first time the two leaders will be meeting, as they crossed path during a U.N General Assembly in September 2017. Leave a Comment comments April 16, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Highlights Annual grid-connected battery energy storage installations grew by 53 percent, reaching 1.9 gigawatts (GW) in 2017. South Korea overtook the United States in 2017, to become the largest battery energy storage market globally. The global project pipeline grew to 10.4 GW at the end of the first quarter of 2018. More than 3 GW of battery energy storage is forecast to be deployed in 2018, but uncertainty over supply constraints - and potential cost increases for Li-ion batteries - may create unexpected challenges. Our analysis 2017 was a record year for deployment of grid-connected battery energy storage. The Asia-Pacific region exhibited the strongest growth, led by South Korea, Japan and Australia. The three largest markets in 2017, accounting for over half of all installations globally, were South Korea, the United States and Japan. This continued market growth was backed by an impressive project pipeline for grid-connected energy storage. While the geographic location of planned project activity is diversifying, the largest current pipelines are located in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and China. Following are the four major battery energy storage pipeline global trends to watch in the coming year: Solar-plus-storage co-location projects currently account for more than 40 percent of the total utility-side-of-meter pipeline, highlighting the future potential of this market. The behind-the-meter segment will comprise more than half of annual installations, from 2023 onward. South Korea and Canada emerged as new key markets for commercial and industrial storage systems in 2017. Battery energy storage is challenging gas-fired peaker plants to meet Californias capacity needs, leading to a significant increase in the outlook for large-scale energy storage in that state. New energy storage deployment targets, and the inclusion of storage in integrated resource planning across the United States, will drive future market growth across multiple states. The global battery energy storage market gained significant momentum in early 2018. Emerging business models, such as gas-peaker replacement and renewable firming, have been successfully demonstrated, leading to a strong uptick in the global pipeline. This strong industry growth follows a highly active first quarter, with the following encouraging policy developments presaging a bright future for storage: FERC Order No. 841 will remove key regulatory barriers for electricity storage to participate in wholesale markets across the United States, creating a level playing field for storage to access new revenue streams. Irish grid operator EirGrid has published its consultation on the DS3 program, outlining potential six-year contracts that provide frequency response and reserve services to be launched in September 2018. New York State set a target to deploy 1,500 megawatts (MW) by 2025, supported by more than $260 million in funding to accelerate industry growth. Austria launched a federal subsidy program for small-scale solar plus storage, while several states in Germany announced the introduction of support programs for residential battery storage. IHS Markit energy storage research The IHS Markit Energy Storage Intelligence Service provides a detailed and accurate view of the market for energy storage systems across all key segments of the industry, including small- and large-scale renewable integration, grid support and behind-the-meter storage. It provides the market intelligence and insight needed to understand developing market trends and capitalize on new opportunities. 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 April 16, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A fresh fear is lurking on global financial markets - and it is not about trade wars, affirms a leading analyst at one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations. The message from Tom Elliott, deVere Group's International Investment Strategist, comes as market volatility has increased in recent weeks. Mr Elliott comments: "A fresh fear is lurking on global financial markets - and it is not about trade wars. "It is that global GDP growth may have peaked in the current growth spurt, that began in early 2016." He continues: "Add to this three other key factors to add to investors' nervousness. "One, the ongoing fear that a trade war will break out between the U.S. and other major economies. Although the trade dispute with China has eased a little in recent days, largely due to Xi Jinping, the Chinese President, making a conciliatory speech last week. "Two, apprehension that a new wave of regulation will impact on the business models of some of America's largest quoted companies, such as Facebook, Google and Amazon. "And three, growing tensions between the U.S., the UK and France with Russia, and others, following Friday night's attack on Syrian installations." He goes on to explain: "However, fundamentals remain supportive for stocks. Consensus estimates for global corporate earnings growth in the first quarter are at 15 per cent over the previous year, while for the S&P 500 index it is 17 per cent. "The beleaguered U.S. tech sector is expected to see 22 per cent earnings growth, which will help sooth investors' nerves. "Despite the prospect of two, maybe three, more rate hikes from the Fed this year, and probably one from the Bank of England in May, monetary policy remains loose by historic standards in all the main economies. "This supports risk assets, buy keeping borrowing costs low for companies and their customers, and by keeping risk free' rates low and unattractive relative to the expected returns from stocks." Mr Elliott concludes: "Despite new geopolitical concerns, our investment positioning remains unaltered. "We favour a long-term, multi-asset approach to investing, whereby investors choose a suitable combination of global equities and bonds - depending on their risk profile and investment horizon - and leave the portfolio unchanged. Too frequent rebalancing ensures winners are sold and losers are bought which financial history, and common sense, supports." e: george@priorconsultancy.co.uk t: +44 207 1220 925 Twitter: @PriorConsults deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of more than 70 offices across the world, over 80,000 clients and $12bn under advisement. 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 After multiple moves in its history, and briefly becoming a storage space for Latinx student groups, El Centro is returning to Iowa State as a space for Latinx students to build community and become connected to clubs and resources on campus. On Monday, El Centro will be officially reopening its doors to students with a launch party from noon to 2 p.m. Food will be provided and students will have a place to interact and become familiar with the space. El Centro is an affinity space and will function as a space for all of Iowa States students to find information on Latinx clubs around campus and learn more about Latinx culture. El Centro has partnered with Latinx student organizations across campus, as well as the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion and the Iowa State department of residence, to provide outreach to Latinx students around campus. An affinity space is defined as a place where students have an identity-driven community to foster relationships, as well as access resources to ease the transition of becoming members of Iowa States community. El Centro is located in Martin Hall, room 2110. The event will also act as a casual forum for students and faculty in attendance to hold a dialogue and share ideas to further the future of El Centro, and provide ideas for El Centros role on campus moving forward. Graduate hall director and graduate student completing his masters of education and student affairs, Samuel Morales-Gonzalez, worked to head the revival of El Centro, seeing it as an important space for Latinx students who he believes will benefit from having an identity-based community space to build relationships on campus. El Centro revival: an affinity space for Latinx students From its beginning as a meeting place within Beardshear Hall to its conversion to storage sp Morales-Gonzalez acquired the space, and ensured the student groups who previously used the space still had accessible storage space. Morales-Gonzalez wants El Centro to be a space for students to build into whatever they envision it to be. He hopes for students from different backgrounds, including first generation students and students who may find themselves far from home, to be able to build a family within El Centro. Morales-Gonzalez believes this is only the beginning for furthering a sense of community among Latinx students on campus. After his graduation, Morales-Gonzalez believes El Centro will act as another starting place on campus to increase awareness and exposure of Latinx students at Iowa State. The government of Pakistan has failed to resolve several human rights issues within the past year, according to a report [text, PDF] released Monday by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) [advocacy website]. According to the HRCP, issues such as elimination of womens rights, restriction on speech caused by disappearances of critics to the military or advocates for better relations with India, and lack protection for religious minorities are prevalent. Additionally, the report asserts that the blasphemy law is being misused against protesters. The report also alleges that the government is failing to stifle religious zealots and that children are forced to work under hazardous conditions. HRCP reports that about 868 cases of enforced disappearances were processed in 2017 by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances. HRCP asserts, however, that the numbers are actually higher. According to the report, Pakistans infrastructure and benefits programs are failing as well. Pakistan spends less on health than 6 percent of national GDP recommended by the World Health Organization [official website]. There is a lack of housing available for its civilians. Jails are overcrowded and courts are backlogged. Pakistan was elected to the UN Human Rights Council in 2017. Accordingly, the HRCP is asking for Pakistan to meet the expectations of the Council to promote and protect human rights globally. They propose that simply enacting legislation is not enough to quell the human rights abuse in Pakistan but must be met with adequate authority, independence, and resources to carry out their mandates effectively. Participants join a traditional Lao Lamvong dance The celebrations were hosted by the Dak Lak provincial Union of Friendship Associations, the Vietnam - Laos Friendship Associations chapter in Dak Lak and the Buon Don district authorities. During the two-day event, people splashed water on one another, an act of praying for a New Year full of favourable weather conditions, prosperity and good luck. The Lao people also took part in a Buddha bathing ceremony, tying thread on their wrists, and the Lamvong dance to share their joy and happiness. Over the past few years, the New Year celebrations for Lao people have been held annually by the Dak Lak provincial authorities to help the Lao residents in the province to practice their traditional culture, while promoting solidarity between the peoples of the two countries. People splashing water on one another, an act of praying for a New Year full of favourable weather condition, prosperity and good luck. Monks tying thread on participants wrists Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy co-chairs the 2nd Vietnam-Pakistan political consultation in Islamabad capital on April 13 th .(Photo: VNA) At the meeting, co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Dinh Quy and his Pakistani counterpart Tehmina Janjua, the two sides reached consensus that the foreign ministries should uphold their core role in promoting bilateral cooperation in various fields. They highlighted the importance of high-level meetings and people-to-people exchanges while agreeing to accelerate the meeting of the inter-governmental committee on economic, cultural and sci-technological cooperation in 2018. As part of the efforts to enhance economic, trade and investment ties, both sides consented to speed up the meeting of the sub-committee on trade cooperation this year to set out initiatives and practical and flexible measures to reach the target of USD1 billion in two-way trade by 2020. Vietnam and Pakistan will increase exchange of business delegations to optimise investment and business opportunities, they said. The Pakistani side noted that it welcomes Vietnams traditional products like tea, pepper and basa fish. Agriculture, culture-sports, tourism, connections, information and communication, and exchanges of intellectuals are among the fields of potential cooperation between the two sides. The 3rd Vietnam-Pakistan political consultation will be held in Hanoi in 2019./. In this April 11, 2018 photo, people walk past electronics products at the Global Sources trade fair, a trade fair where Chinese manufacturers meet western buyers in Hong Kong. Chinese exporters of goods from electronics to motorcycle parts are scrambling to insulate themselves from U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tariff hike. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) A ceremony is held on the bank of the Lancang River to celebrate the New Year festival of the Dai ethnic group in Jinghong City, Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna, southwest China's Yunnan Province, April 15, 2018. People sprinkle water to each other to pray for good fortune during the traditional water-sprinkling festival, which is also the New Year festival of the Dai ethnic group. (Xinhua/Shao Bin) 11 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] A young man smokes a marijuana joint during a rally in downtown Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday April 20, 2011. Municipalities will have to grapple with a host of thorny issues once recreational cannabis is legalized in Canada, but it's the matter of home-grown marijuana plants that's expected to cause them the biggest headaches.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck FILE - In this June 10, 2017 file photo Austrian singer Conchita Wurst arrives for the opening ceremony of the Life Ball in front of the City Hall in Vienna, Austria. The Life Ball is a charity gala to raise money for people living with HIV and AIDS. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak, file) East China's Hangzhou City plans to build a state-level giant panda research and breeding center, according to the Hangzhou Safari Park. The park Saturday signed an agreement with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on the breeding project. Construction of the center, which covers an area of 6 hectares, is scheduled to start this year and be finished by 2022. Currently, there are four giant pandas in Hangzhou, two at Hangzhou Zoo and two at Hangzhou Safari Park. The project is scheduled to bring in another 20 giant pandas by 2022. Li Desheng, an expert from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, said there were many zoos with giant pandas across the country, but there were only a very few research and breeding centers. The center will also conduct giant panda wild training. Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species and live mainly in the northern mountains of Sichuan Province as well as in southern Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. [ Editor: WPY ] A sign marks one of the entrances to Pleasantview Elementary School on Monday, April 16, 2018, in Sauk Rapids, Minn. Authorities say an 8-year-old student took a kitchen knife to the central Minnesota elementary school and attacked three other children on Monday. (Dave Schwarz/St. Cloud Times via AP) PHILADELPHIA, the United States, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai Sunday urged U.S. politicians and strategists to "make the right choice at the crossroads of history" for the world's most important bilateral relations. The two countries have fallen into a trade dispute since January, with the U.S. slapping unreasonable tariffs on various Chinese commodities for exports, which aroused fears that the world's two largest economies would go into a trade war. Cui pointed out the two countries have come to an important moment for making choices, as they will usher in the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. "I hope that American politicians and so-called strategists will not take the wrong direction, but make the right choices at the crossroads of history," Cui said in a speech at the 2018 Penn Wharton China Summit on Sunday. HISTORIC CHOICES 40 YEARS AGO Cui pointed out that China's choice for reform and opening up, and the U.S. decision to normalize relations with China 40 years ago were both "great historical choices," which have brought tangible benefits to the two countries and two peoples. Coordination and cooperation between the U.S. and China on major issues of international significance have also brought many positive changes to the world, Cui said. "Now, the choices made by China and the U.S. will not only set the direction of bilateral ties in the coming decades, but also determine how their relationship will affect the future of the two countries and the world as a whole," Cui said. "China's choice is clear and firm," he said, "We hope that China and the United States can build a strong, healthy and stable relationship, a new type of major-power relationship featuring no-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation." MISCONCEPTIONS MUST BE CORRECTED There are some Americans who believe that the United States has suffered a loss in trade with China, Cui said, "This point of view is also untenable." The trade volume between China and the United States was almost negligible when former U.S. President Nixon visited China in 1970s. It has grown to over 580 billion U.S. dollars last year, and two-way investment is also increasing, the ambassador said. "This has brought great benefits to both China and the United States. U.S. companies have played an active role in the development of China. At the same time, they have also benefited greatly from China's development," he said. The large trade deficit between the U.S. and China is attributed to many factors, including America's economic structure, low savings rates, high-tech export restrictions, he said. "We don't want a trade war, but if anyone insists on fighting one, we will take it to the end," he noted. The ambassador also reputed accusations that Chinese academics studying and working in the U.S. in "basically every discipline" might be covertly gathering intelligence for the Chinese government, calling it "baseless." "This is unfair to Chinese students and scholars," Cui said, "The mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially the younger generation, determine the future of China-U.S. relations...This kind of thinking is disrespectful to Chinese students and it is also a disrespect to American schools and teachers." [ Editor: Xueying ] BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China's new multi-role fighter jet J-10C began combat duty Monday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force announced. Equipped with an advanced avionics system and various airborne weapons, the domestically-developed fighter has airstrike capabilities within medium and close range and is capable of precisely striking land and maritime targets, the air force said in a statement. It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fighter will enrich the air force's offensive and defensive system and improve its capability to fulfill duties and missions, according to the statement. Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLA air force, said that the air force will advance training and war readiness, and sharpen its striking, defensive, and air delivery capabilities. It will also firmly safeguard China's airspace security and national strategic interests in the new era, Shen said. [ Editor: Xueying ] The investigation will take 30 days counting from the day the decision was issued (April 13). Following Grabs announcement on March 26 about its purchase of Ubers operation in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, the VCA sent a dispatch to GrabTaxi requesting the provision of information and documents related to the acquisition. However, GrabTaxi claimed that the combined market share of both Grab and Uber in Vietnam is less than 30%, so it does not have to inform the competition authority before proceeding and completing this transaction in Vietnam. The VCA held a working session with GrabTaxis legal representative on April 6, but the ride-hailing firm failed to give evidence proving its claim. The VCA urge the company to carefully assess the market share after acquisition to ensure compliance with regulations on economic concentration of the competition law before conducting transactions in Vietnam. On April 12, the VCA also met with Uber representative, who said the company officially stopped operations and closed all offices in Vietnam from 11:59 pm on April 8, which means the transaction between Grab and Uber was already completed in Vietnam. SOUTHERN MINNESOTA Snowy and icy conditions have contributed to numerous auto accidents across southern Minnesota on Saturday and Sunday. The State Patrol says a southbound car on Highway 52 driven by Mohamed Mohamud Yusuf, 20 of Rochester, went out of control around 8 am Sunday and hit the concrete median barrier between 6th and 12th streets in Rochester. Yusuf was taken to St. Marys for treatment of a non-life threatening injury. Around 5:30 pm on Saturday, an SUV driven by Christiana Totaye, 25 of Des Moines, Iowa, was northbound on Interstate 35 in Freeborn County when she lost control and rolled. The State Patrol says Totaye was not hurt but four passengers also from Des Moines were injured. Jonathan Holman, 3, Hawa Kemokai, 23, Hannah Payne, 22, and Victor Richards, 19, were transported to Owatonna Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. There was another crash just after 5 pm Saturday on Highway 52, north of County Road 1 in Goodhue County. Olga Emaline Meillier, 21 of Rochester, was driving south when she hit a guardrail. She was taken to St. Marys with what is described as a non-life threatening injury. Two passengers were not hurt. And at around noon Saturday on Interstate 35 in Rice County, a northbound semi jackknifed near the intersection of Highway 21 in Faribault. A pickup truck driven by Jeremy Paul Roberts, 24 of Marshalltown, Iowa, stopped to check on the semi driver. Thats when another northbound semi hit the pickup and the first semi. A car driven by Brandan Chase Alliman, 23 of Port Clinton, Ohio, then rear ended the second semi. The only one hurt in this multi-vehicle collision was one of the semi drivers, Lurie Roman, 27 of Bronx, New York. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center with a non-life threatening injury. GARNER, Iowa A plea deal has been reached in a Hancock County forgery case. Jacob Aaron Schimmelpfennig, 30 of Scarville, has pleaded guilty to one count of forgery after being charged with four counts of the crime. Authorities say he cashed four checks worth a total of $1,150 at First State Bank between June 4 and October 18, 2017. Schimmelpfennig pleaded guilty to the June 4 crime. His sentencing is scheduled for May 29. Surveillance video released by the Lee County Sheriffs Office in Fort Myers, Florida, shows Lois Riess talking with a woman she is accused of murdering. Related: A nationwide search for Lois Riess is underway. The video was released Monday morning as the search for Riess, wanted in connection to the death of her husband in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, and 59-year-old Pamela Sellers Hutchinson in southern Florida, continues. The video shows Riess talking to Hutchinson April 5 at the Smokin' Oyster Brewery in Fort Myers Beach. The Lee County Sheriffs Office in Fort Myers said Friday that Riess was suspected of being near Corpus Christi, Texas, and should not be approached. Related: The search for Lois Riess. Authorities in Florida say Riess befriended Hutchinson due to similarities in their appearance. They say Hutchinson was found with fatal gunshot wounds and that her purse was in disarray" early last week. David Riess was found March 23 in rural Blooming Prairie, dead from multiple gunshots. Investigators have been searching for Lois, 56, ever since. Law enforcement say they believe that after David Riess was killed, Lois Riess transferred nearly $10,000 from his business account into his personal account and then forged her husbands signature on three checks to herself for $11,000. KIMT News 3 - Lelia Vosburgh from Clear Lake says her town is lucky. We have cats out in the country and wander but I don't think we have a feral cat problem, Vosburgh said. From what she notices, theres no issue with feral cats in town. In towns like Mason City, if a feral cat is caught by animal control they'll head over to the stray animal shelter where after seven days if no one claims the cat and the cat doesn't seem adoptable they'll euthanize it. Its Jefferson Iowa thats getting lots of attention due to seeing large cat colonies popping up and are wanting to take care of the issue. I'm not really adverse to shooting cats especially if you think they're rabid but there's a lot that can go wrong with that, Vosburgh said. Residents in Jefferson are just finding out police were able to shoot a cat they consider unadoptable, their ordinance stating if the animal is feral it shall be humanely destroyed. That policy is now changing, police will no longer be shooting them. They could live trap them take them to a shelter and humanely euthanize them, spare and neuter then realize them. They are good for keeping rodents and stuff at bay, the cats do have a use, Vosburgh said. Cities like Albert Lea and Rochester do ear tipping. A practice of clipping the left ear of a feral cat and then releasing it back into the wild. CHARLES CITY, Iowa A Floyd County man has been arrested for a drug crime. Authorities say Nathaniel Elihu Klemesrud, 47 of Charles City, delivered .34 grams of methamphetamine to someone working with the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force on June 30, 2016. Court documents state the drug delivery happened at Klemesruds home. The Charles City Police Department and the Floyd County Sheriffs Office went to the 1300 block of Gilbert Street on Friday afternoon and arrested Klemesrud on an outstanding warrant for a controlled substance violation. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa A Mason City man is now facing federal drug charges. Joseph Angel Luna, 28, has been indicted for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa says Luna worked with Brenda Ruehlow to distribute methamphetamine in September 2009. Ruehlow is charged with conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of meth. Luna was one of three people arrested after the search of a Forest City home on December 17, 2017. He was charged with a controlled substance violation and accused of delivering meth to a cooperating informant for the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force in April 2017. That state charge has now been dismissed to make way for his federal prosecution. The other two arrested with Luna, Valerie and Audrey ODell of Forest City, are still scheduled to stand trial in Winnebago County on May 9 on drug and child endangerment charges. AUSTIN, Minn. A man remains in custody after a garage fire Friday, but its still not known if he had anything to do with it. Austin police and fire were called to a blaze Friday in an alley in the 700 block of 11th Avenue. The flames were extinguished but not before officials say they caused about $12,500 in damage to a garage and its contents. No one was hurt in the fire. Joseph Henry Mallan, 34, was reportedly seen leaving the garage before the fire was called in. Austin Police Chief Brian Krueger says Mallan was then arrested on Sunday after he was discharged from Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, where he had been taken on Saturday after saying he was suffering from a drug overdose. He is listed as being held in the Mower County Jail on a parole violation for a 4th degree criminal sexual conduct conviction in Freeborn County. The State Fire Marshals Office says the cause of the garage fire is inconclusive. Mallans criminal record includes multiple convictions in Mower County stretching back to 2002. MASON CITY, Iowa A man accused of giving his infant daughter a serious brain injury has been found guilty. Jeremy Walter Rose, 28, of Mason City, was charged in June 2017 with child endangerment resulting in serious injury. Authorities say Rose violently shook his baby girl and failed to get her proper medical attention. Officers and medics were called to Roses home on June 22, 2017, on a report of a baby who was unresponsive and had difficulty breathing. Jeremy Rose Jeremy Rose Doctors at Mayo Clinic advised authorities the infants injuries indicated abuse and court documents say a cigarette burn was found on the baby girl. A jury returned a guilty verdict Monday, convicting rose of a class C forcible felony. That level of crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The Vietnamese PM made the request while attending a conference on April 16 where he said the Government will issue a directive on the development of Vietnams logistics sector. He said improvements have been made but the cost of logistics services in Vietnam remains prohibitive, making the economy less competitive than its regional peers. According to a World Bank estimate, Vietnams logistics costs currently account for 20.9% of GDP, higher than Chinas 19%, Thailands 18%, Japans 11%, and the EUs 10%. The Government leader stated that high logistics costs are one of the hurdles facing the competitiveness of the economy, quoting Benjamin Franklins saying that little expenses are like a small leak that can sink a great ship. PM Phuc said that by 2025 the costs of logistics must be cut to 16-20% of GDP while its contribution to GDP should be raised to 8-10%, to place Vietnam among the top 50 economies in the Logistics Performance Index. Pledging to create equal opportunities for all economic sectors in developing the logistics market, the Government leader expects Vietnam to be an important regional logistics centre by tapping into the countrys strategic location. He said that efforts to lower logistics costs need adequate attention, in addition to efforts to reform administrative procedures and enhance the business climate, as Vietnam is intensifying its international integration and participation in major free trade agreements. CHARLES CITY, Iowa A Minnesota man is pleading not guilty to a drug charge in North Iowa. Antoine Tormell Cureton, 43 of Minneapolis, was arrested on March 26 after a traffic stop on Highway 218 in Floyd County. Law enforcement says two baggies of crack cocaine were found in Curetons vehicle. He entered a not guilty plea Monday to possession with intent to deliver crack cocaine. Curetons trial is set to begin on May 30. MASON CITY, Iowa - On April 21st hundreds of people will walk, in the hopes of ending Multiple Sclerosis. Its a disease that affects more than 2 million people throughout the world. Jodee Bryant is secretary at Newman Catholic Elementary, a grandma of five, and one of 400,000 thousand battling MS every day. It's not too bad when Im by myself, its harder to be around the grandkids. You can't be as active as you want to be, Bryant said. Bryant is slowly finding it harder and harder to walk, watching her left side getting weaker. You can't really keep up with them you just watch and you can't be as active can't be as involved, Bryant said. Her grandkids are supporting her doing the MS walk once again this year. For Bryant the walk was something she never thought to do, now its becoming an event helping her realize more and more she's not alone. I did the short route my daughter did the long route, I did the short walk and Im ready to do it this Saturday, Bryant said. This year's MS walk in Mason City is this Saturday and starts at 10 in the morning at the Southbridge Mall. Rochester will be having its Walk for MS on Saturday, May 5th at Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial Park. ROCHESTER, Minn. A months-long drug investigation results in probation for a Grand Meadow woman. Annastacia Michelle Berghorst, 28, pleaded guilty to 5th degree drug possession. She was arrested on November 1, 2017, after the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crimes Enforcement Team searched a home in Stewartville and found Berghorst there with 4- and 5-year-old girls and 1.3 grams of methamphetamine. On Monday, Berhorst received a stay of adjudication and five years of probation. That means if she fulfills the terms of her probation, this conviction will be wiped from her record. Berghorst will also have to pay a $500 fine or do 50 hours of community work service. Jack Stubbs, Laila Bassam MOSCOW/DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions.In a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Putin and Rouhani agreed that the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in the seven-year Syria conflict, according to a Kremlin statement. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the U.N. Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations, the Kremlin statement said. Meanwhile, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, told CBS Face the Nation program that the United States would announce new economic sanctions on Monday aimed at companies that were dealing with equipment related to Syrian President Bashar al-Assads alleged chemical weapons use. On Saturday, the United States, France and Britain launched 105 missiles targeting what the Pentagon said were three chemical weapons facilities in Syria in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack in Douma on April 7. (For a graphic detailing air strikes on Syria click tmsnrt.rs/2EKgAMN) The Western countries blame Assad for the Douma attack that killed dozens of people. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in any such attack. The bombings marked the biggest intervention by Western countries against Assad and ally Russia but the United States, France and Britain have said the missile strikes were limited to Syrias chemical weapons capabilities and not aimed at toppling Assad or intervening in the civil war. Responding to Haleys remarks about the plans for new sanctions, Evgeny Serebrennikov, deputy head of the defense committee of Russias upper house of parliament, said Moscow was ready for the penalties, according to RIA news agency. They are hard for us, but will do more damage to the USA and Europe, RIA quoted Serebrennikov as saying. In Damascus, Syrias deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, met inspectors from the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW for about three hours in the presence of Russian officers and a senior Syrian security official. The inspectors were due to attempt to visit the Douma site. Moscow condemned the Western states for refusing to wait for OPCWs findings before attacking. Mekdad declined to comment to reporters waiting outside the hotel where the meeting took place. RESILIENCE Assad told a group of visiting Russian lawmakers that the Western missile strikes were an act of aggression, Russian news agencies reported. Syria released video of the wreckage of a bombed-out research lab, but also of Assad arriving at work as usual, with the caption morning of resilience and there were no immediate reports of casualties. Russian agencies quoted the lawmakers as saying that Assad was in a good mood, had praised the Soviet-era air defense systems Syria used to repel the Western attacks and had accepted an invitation to visit Russia at an unspecified time. Trump had said mission accomplished on Twitter after the strikes, though U.S. Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie at the Pentagon acknowledged elements of the program remain and he could not guarantee that Syria would be unable to conduct a chemical attack in the future. Russian and Iranian military help over the past three years has allowed Assad to crush the rebel threat to topple him. Though Israel has at times urged stronger U.S. involvement against Assad and his Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah reinforcements in Syria, it voiced backing for Saturdays air strikes by Western powers. Israel fully supports President Trumps decision to act against the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet in broadcast remarks on Sunday, adding that he had commended his British counterpart, Theresa May, in a phone call. The leader of Lebanons Hezbollah said on Sunday that Western strikes on Syria had failed to achieve anything, including terrorizing the army, helping insurgents or serving the interests of Israel. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the U.S. military had kept its strikes limited because it knew a wider attack would spark retaliation from Damascus and its allies and inflame the region. The American (military) knows well that going towards a wide confrontation and a big operation against the regime and the army and the allied forces in Syria could not end, and any such confrontation would inflame the entire region, Nasrallah said. The heavily armed, Iranian-backed Shiite Hezbollah movement, which fights alongside the Syrian army and is represented in the Beirut government, has been a vital ally of Damascus in Syrias seven-year war. DRAFT UN RESOLUTION France, the United States and Britain circulated a draft resolution to U.N. Security Council late on Saturday that aims to establish a new independent inquiry into who is to responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The mechanism would look at cases where the OPCW fact-finding mission has established chemical weapons were used or likely used. Diplomats said negotiations on the draft resolution would begin on Monday and it was not immediately clear when the United States, France and Britain wanted to put it to a vote. Most Gulf stock markets rose on Sunday, supported by firm oil prices and relief that the weekends military attack on Syria was relatively limited in scope and there was no immediate retaliation. Internationally, gold and oil are expected to extend gains on Monday, albeit modestly, when the markets open for the first time since the missile attack. Equities and bonds are unlikely to suffer big losses unless the West strikes again or Russia retaliates. Gold has benefited in recent days as a safe-haven asset amid a U.S.-China trade dispute and the escalating conflict in Syria, which also pushed oil above $70 a barrel on concerns over a spike in Middle Eastern tensions. Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Tom Perry; Additional Susan Cornwell and Joel Schectman in Washington; Michelle Nichols in New York; Samia Nakhoul, Tom Perry, Laila Bassam, Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall in Beirut; Kinda Makieh in Barzeh; Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge in London; and Jean-Baptiste Vey, Geert de Clercq and Matthias Blamont in Paris; Andrey Ostroukh and Jack Stubbs in Moscow; Alison Bevege in Sydney; Writing by Richard Cowan; Editing by Caren Bohan and Nick Zieminski Roberta Rampton, Daina Beth Solomon LIMA/MEXICO (Reuters) - The United States, Mexico and Canada will expedite NAFTA talks in a push to reach a deal in coming weeks, Mexicos president said on Saturday after a meeting with the U.S. vice president and Canadian prime minister. On the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they thought an agreement could be reached before Mexican elections on July 1, although they also said no deadlines had been set. We agreed to keep up work towards reaching a deal and to summon our special negotiating teams to accelerate their efforts, Pena Nieto told reporters after meeting Pence. It was the same thing I agreed to with Prime Minister Trudeau, Pena Nieto added. We hope in coming weeks we can reach an agreement. The three countries, which created the worlds largest free trade region by forming the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the 1990s, are under pressure to renegotiate the deal before Mexicans elect a new president in July. There are concerns U.S.-Mexico relations could get rockier with Pena Nieto, a centrist, unable to seek a second six-year term due to Mexicos term limits. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to kill NAFTA if it is not changed to secure better terms for U.S. workers and companies. In Mexico, leftist presidential frontrunner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has vowed to cut the countrys economic dependence on foreign powers and to put Trump in his place. With U.S. mid-term congressional elections also pending in November, Trudeau said Canada would defer to Mexico and the United States on a timeline. Of course, wed like to see a re-negotiated deal land sooner than later, Trudeau said in a press conference, citing Mexican and U.S. elections as a factor in timing. We have a certain amount of pressure to try to move forward successfully in the coming weeks. On Friday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said provincial elections in Canada in June were also a factor, and that a deal in May was possible. Trudeau told reporters there has been potential progress regarding car manufacturing and a broad range of things, however, no new details have emerged from the Lima conference on any specific agreements. On Friday, auto industry executives said U.S. trade negotiators significantly softened their demands to increase regional automotive content under a reworked NAFTA trade pact in an effort to seal a deal in the next few weeks. After meeting Pena Nieto and Trudeau separately, Pence said he was leaving the summit very hopeful that we are very close to a renegotiated NAFTA. There is a real possibility that we could arrive at an agreement within the next several weeks, Pence said. Reporting By Roberta Rampton in Lima and Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City, Additional Reporting and Writing By Mitra Taj; Editing by Sam Holmes LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will face criticism on Monday for bypassing parliament to join weekend air strikes against Syria, with some lawmakers calling for a potentially damaging vote on her future strategy. May, who has regained confidence after winning support for her tough stance on Syria and Russia, will make a statement to parliament on her decision to join the United States and France in Saturdays strikes in retaliation for a suspected gas attack. She has also requested a so-called emergency debate, which her spokesman presented as an attempt to soothe tensions and offer parliament three more hours to discuss the action. Critics said it was a way to try to stop any meaningful vote. The prime minister has set out very clearly over the weekend her reasons for taking the action... in Syria. Her focus today is on making a statement to parliament, allowing parliament to scrutinise that decision, her spokesman said. She will repeat Saturdays assertion that Britain is confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible and that it could not wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks, according to excerpts of her speech. She has repeatedly said the strikes were right and legal. But May will be grilled over why she broke with a convention, which dates back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, to seek parliamentary approval for the action, a decision that she and her ministers say was driven by the need to act quickly. Much of the criticism will come from opposition lawmakers, but the prime minister may also have to work hard to defend her speed of action to members of her own Conservative Party who had wanted parliament recalled. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, has questioned the legal basis for Britains involvement. She could have recalled parliament last week, Corbyn, a veteran peace campaigner, said on Sunday. I think what we need in this country is something more robust, like a War Powers Act, so governments do get held to account by parliament for what they do in our name, he told BBC television. Britain has said there are no plans for future strikes against Syria. Foreign minister Boris Johnson, in Luxembourg, again said the strikes were not aimed at regime change in Syria, but rather designed to send a message. FRAGILE Corbyns drive for legislation to limit the governments power to launch future military action could win support in parliament, where some Conservatives have expressed fears that the strikes on Syria could worsen the situation. Many Britons were scarred by the countrys involvement in the Iraq war, especially after an inquiry concluded that then-prime minister Tony Blairs decision to join the U.S.-led operation was based on flawed intelligence. In 2013, Mays predecessor, David Cameron, lost a vote on launching air strikes against Assads forces. Citing what he described as a litany of errors in Britains handling of previous interventions since 2003 and in Syria, Conservative lawmaker John Baron urged May to address how she will respond in future to any chemical weapons attacks, and parliaments role in this process. Despite winning international backing, May, who has weathered questions over her leadership due to Brexit and party scandals, has a precarious position in parliament after losing the Conservatives majority in an ill-judged election last June. She now relies on the support of a small Northern Irish party, which has supported the action in Syria, and has tried to dodge votes that might not go her way. It was not clear whether Labour or other opposition parties would be able to force an alternative emergency debate, or whether the speaker in the House of Commons would grant what one party source called a meaningful vote. But in a sign that the government feels under pressure, one lawmaker said on condition of anonymity that the partys whips, charged with maintaining voting discipline, had made clear that Conservatives should vote with the government. Defending Mays decision on Syria, one of her ministers said on Monday only the government had access to the necessary intelligence. Outsourcing that decision to people who do not have the full picture is, I think, quite wrong, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt told BBC radio. Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (TSX: FVI; NYSE: FSM) reports that first-quarter output amounted to 2.4 million ounces of silver, along with 15,041 ounces of gold. These are increases of 18% and 14%, respectively, from the first quarter of 2017. The company says it is on track to meet annual guidance of 8.3 million ounces of silver and 48,300 ounces of gold. Meanwhile, first-quarter lead production fell 2% to 7 million pounds, while zinc production rose 2% to 11 million. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Osisko Closes Financing On Victoria Golds Project Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (TSX, NYSE: OR) says it has completed the previously announced C$148 million financing with Victoria Gold Corp. (TSXV: VIT), in which Osisko received a 5% net-smelter-return royalty for C$98 million on the Dublin Gulch property, which hosts the Eagle gold project, in Canadas Yukon. Osisko also purchased, on a private-placement basis, 100 million common shares of Victoria at 50 Canadian cents each. The addition of the Eagle royalty strengthens our Canadian asset base and adds near-term Canadian gold to Osiskos growth profile from a fully permitted, fully-financed and shovel-ready project located in Yukon, a premier mining jurisdiction, says Sean Roosen, chair and chief executive officer of Osisko. By Allen Sykora For Kitco News Follow @AllenSykora 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. Mitsubishi looks for gold to continue to draw some support from geopolitical tensions. Analysts note that spot metal hit a three-month high around $1,365 an ounce last week after international condemnation of a suspected chemical-gas attack in Syria. Bullion, as well as other perceived safe-haven assets such as the [Japanese] yen and Swiss franc, hit multi-month highs amid rising geopolitical tension between the U.S. and Syrias key allies -- Russia and Iran, Mitsubishi says. Just as crude-oil prices have taken strength from the current geopolitical situation, rising to a three-year high on fears of Middle East supply interruption, so too we expect precious metals to remain well supported as traditional safe havens. Following targeted air strikes by the U.S., U.K. and France, which took place on alleged chemical-weapons sites in Syria over the weekend, gold is likely to begin the new week strongly on geopolitical tensions, though such tensions can quickly be priced out of the situation eases. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi says silver prices remain in their range from the last two months, although with the possibility that they may break out on further geopolitical concerns. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Mitsubishi: Palladium Benefits From Worries About U.S. Sanctions Palladium rose 9% last week on worries about potential U.S. sanctions against key producer Norilsk Nickel, even though such sanctions may never come about since the U.S. has few alternative sources to obtain palladium, Mitsubishi says. Palladium rose 9% last week. Russias Norilsk Nickel is the worlds largest producer of palladium, accounting for around 40% of the worlds annual mine supply, Mitsubishi says. While so far Norilsk Nickel itself has not been placed under sanctions, fears that the company could be sanctioned in future and any related disruption to the palladium market appear to have stimulated renewed investor and industrial buying interest, Mitsubishi says. Still, Mitsubishi expresses doubt that the U.S. will impose sanctions against Norilsk, since nickel and palladium are more strategic metals than aluminum and there is limited U.S. production to cover any supply gaps. Around a third of U.S. demand for palladium currently comes from metal imported directly from Russia, and Russian-branded metal is important in global supply chains for auto catalysts and other fabricated products, Mitsubishi says. A ban on trading with Norilsk, or Norilsk-branded metal, would have profound implications for global carmakers and other industrial users, and the risk of damage to U.S. industry from this may stay the hand of the Treasury Department. Nonetheless, the tail risk of this occurring in the current uncertain climate still remains and should keep palladium prices well bid as industrial users and investors alike move to secure their requirements. As of 8:57 a.m. EDT, spot palladium was $12.15 higher to $999.15 an ounce. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com Commerzbank: ETF Gold Holdings Rise During April Gold holdings in global exchange-traded funds are higher so far in April, Commerzbank says. This means investors want increased exposure to the precious metal. The ETFs trade like a stock but track the price of the commodity, with metal put into storage to back the shares. ETF investors are slowly beginning to show increased buying interest in response to the geopolitical risks and resulting uncertainty, Commerzbank says. Gold ETFs saw inflows of 16.6 tonnes last week and of no less than 36 tonnes since the beginning of the month. This is already nearly twice as much as in the whole of March. By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com BBH: Syria Strikes Unlikely To Have Major Impact On Capital Markets Weekend military strikes by the U.S. and others against Syria may not have a great impact on markets, plus there has been a respite in trade tensions, although the latter continue, says Brown Brothers Harriman. The weekend strike by the U.S., British and French forces against Syria appear to have been conducted in ways that minimize the risks of escalation by Russia, BBH says. The limited nature of the strike and objectives suggest that the impact on the constellation of forces in Syria will be minimal. There is unlikely to be much of an impact in the global capital markets, though thin markets in early Asia could see a knee-jerk effect. The fact that strike took place may lift some uncertainty seen ahead of the weekend. Meanwhile, BBH says trade tensions remain high but there appears to be a respite, as U.S. President Donald Trump has chosen to hear a conciliatory tone by President Xi last week and went as far as suggesting that perhaps tariffs might not be implemented. NAFTA negotiations are proceeding. Trump also instructed his top economic and trade advisers to look into possibly joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which the 11 remaining members signed an agreement last month. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germanys Europe minister called on Monday for a new policy of easing tensions with Russia, adding to a chorus of voices pressing Chancellor Angela Merkel to moderate her hardened stance towards the Kremlin. The conservative chancellor swung behind Britain after the poison attack on a former Russian double agent in England last month, expelling four diplomats despite uneasiness among a political class that is wary of confrontation with Germanys giant eastern neighbor. Europe Minister Michael Roth, a member of the Social Democrat party (SPD), said that while the European Union needed a united front on Russia, sanctions should aim to bring Moscow to the negotiating table. Anti-Russian reflexes are just as dangerous as naively... remaining silent over the nationalist-tinged policies of the current Russian leadership, he wrote in Die Welt newspaper. Many Western countries are pushing for a more assertive stance against Moscow over President Vladimir Putins backing for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, accused of using chemical weapons in the countrys civil war. With extensive business and energy links to Russia, Germany has been cautious in its relations with Moscow, though Merkels tone has hardened over the four years since Russias annexation of Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Roth, whose party is junior partner in Merkels coalition, echoed comments from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier - a fellow Social Democrat - that too much is at stake for Germany to cast Russia as an enemy. Opinion in the coalition is not necessarily divided along party lines. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, also a Social Democrat, has appeared to shift away from a conciliatory approach to Moscow while Alexander Dobrindt, a lawmaker for Merkels Bavarian sister party, has questioned the effectiveness of the sanctions against Russia. The sequence of interventions, by Roth and Steinmeier from the SPD, and Dobrindt and former defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on the right, highlight how Merkels diminished authority in her fourth and likely final term in office is limiting her room for maneuver. Guttenberg, once tipped as a potential Merkel successor before his fall from grace in an academic plagiarism scandal, criticized the government for its policy towards intervention in Syria in the face of a cynical Russia. We make it easy for ourselves, letting the others do the dirty work, he said of Merkels decision not to participate in missile strikes launched by the United States, Britain and France on Syria last week after its suspected use of chemical weapons. It is good that somebody still acts when someone kills children, innocent people, he told mass-selling Bild newspaper. Earlier, conservative Economy Minister Peter Altmaier echoed Merkels scepticism about the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project which will bring Russian gas to Germany via the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine with which Moscow is at odds. AMMAN (Reuters) - After Syrian forces bombed the town of Douma earlier this month in an attack the United States says involved chlorine gas, Washington and its allies launched missile strikes as punishment. The retribution has changed little in the course of the seven-year civil war, but the alleged poison gas attack did. Rebels had held the stronghold of Douma, near the capital Damascus, for years despite repeated offensives. Within hours of the April 7 attack they were in retreat. Under pressure from beleaguered residents and facing Russian threats of further such attacks, the rebel group Jaish al-Islam finally agreed to surrender Douma and leave for the Turkish border, Mohammad Alloush, a top official in the movement, said. By the time the West struck back just under a week later, armed resistance in the areas around the Syrian governments seat of power had all but collapsed, further strengthening the hand of President Bashar al-Assad. Syria and Russia condemned the Western military intervention early on Saturday, and deny the use of chemical weapons in Douma. Moscow branded it a lie concocted with the help of Britain, while the British government said a significant body of information, including intelligence, indicated the Syrian government was responsible. Whatever happened on that day, it prompted a dramatic shift on the ground. Medical relief groups said dozens of civilians were killed, and one video circulated by activists showed the bodies of around a dozen men, women and children lifeless on the floor, some of them with foam at the mouth. A couple of hours later, according to Alloush, mediators from the rebel group held talks with a team led by a senior officer from the Russian defence ministry. The threat came: You saw what happened in Douma. Now you can only sign, or there will be more strikes and nobody left in the town, Alloush, who is based in Istanbul, told Reuters. He blamed Russia for helping the Syrian army carry out the attack in order to end the rebellion. They bombed and bombed and we werent defeated by conventional weapons so they found the only way was to use chemical (weapons). The Russian defence ministry did not respond to detailed questions about Alloushs comments sent by Reuters. After talking with the Russians, Jaish al-Islam members then met a civilian council representing Douma residents: tens of thousands have stayed on despite the fighting that has reduced much of the town to rubble. The residents message to the rebels was clear: They said we can no longer hold on. If you dont leave, we are going over to the regime, said Alloush. Civilian morale collapsed with the scenes of death. A council member who declined to be named told Reuters that civilians said they could no longer resist, given the threat of further attacks. Dozens of people had been killed under intense bombardment the day before poison gas was allegedly deployed, but there was a difference, Alloush said. Chemical weapons create more terror. GRAPHIC: Syria air strikes, click tmsnrt.rs/2IEgusg ESCALATING TENSIONS Syrias civil war has been going Assads way since Russia intervened on his side in 2015. After the key capture of eastern Aleppo in late 2016, Assad and his allies have taken back one area after another from rebels who face Russian air power and lack sufficient aid from foreign states that back them only half-heartedly. Significant areas of Syria still remain beyond the presidents grasp, including nearly all of the north, much of the east, and a chunk of the southwest, areas where foreign interests will complicate further gains. But in the region around the capital he has made big gains. Eastern Ghouta fell last month, leaving Douma as the last major rebel bastion. Its fall - insurgent fighters have been bussed towards the Turkish border over the past few days - marks another milestone. The Ghouta offensive was directed from the start by Russia and waged on the ground by elite Syrian forces, according to a commander in the regional military alliance that backs Assad. When the assault got underway in February, the besieged area was pounded from the ground and air before troops thrust in. So far, the Ghouta offensive has killed more than 1,700 civilians, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Hamstrung by rivalries and weakened by the scorched earth bombardment, the handful of eastern Ghouta rebel groups were steadily defeated and forced to accept safe passage to opposition-held territory at the Turkish border. Jaish al-Islam, however, believed it could avoid the same fate even as Syrian troops encircled Douma, saying it wanted to protect the town and its people from forced displacement imposed by the Assad government. CIVILIANS FLEE Once the biggest rebel group in eastern Ghouta, Jaish al-Islam claimed to have fortified Douma extensively, meaning government forces could face a costly battle to capture it. The group also said it could have held out thanks to weapons factories it built up during the war and enough supplies to feed people for a year. Hundreds of thousands of residents had already fled the area in the years and months preceding April 7, but tens of thousands stayed. In negotiations with Russian military personnel, Jaish al-Islam pressed for a deal that would let in Russian military police, keep out the Syrian military and allow its fighters to stay as a local security force. Alloush said the talks appeared to be going well two days before the suspected chemical attack, with the Russians having promised to study fresh proposals. But, he said, Russias response the following day was a threat: face chemical attacks or leave to northern Syria. That afternoon the most ferocious bombardment yet was unleashed on Douma. Thick clouds of dark smoke rose from the town in a live state TV broadcast. The government accused Jaish al-Islam of shelling residential areas of Damascus and reneging on promises to release abducted soldiers and civilians held by the group. The rebels denied opening fire. We were fighting the Russians. We were not fighting the regime, Alloush said. THE RUSSIANS GOT ANGRY The pro-Assad commander who declined to be named said the army had been mobilized on April 6 in preparation for a possible assault, after Jaish al-Islam reneged on an agreement to leave the town and introduced unacceptable demands. These included its legalization as a political party, and a requirement that the Syrian army stay out of Douma. The Russians were furious, according to the pro-Assad commander. The Russians got very angry with them ... and asked them what are these impossible conditions? The Syrian governments position was clear, the commander said. The rebels must go to Jarablus, a town at the Turkish border. Sources in the rebel group, however, said that talks with the Russians had been about the terms of them staying in Douma, not about conditions of a withdrawal. The ensuing onslaught smashed Jaish al-Islams defensive lines, according to both Alloush and the pro-Assad commander. As the air strikes continued, Alloush reiterated Jaish al-Islams demand that it be allowed to stay in Douma to protect its people. The next evening, more than 500 people, mostly women and children, began arriving at medical centers in Douma showing symptoms consistent with exposure to a chemical agent, according to Syrian American Medical Society, a relief organization. Following the chemical attack, the target site and the surrounding area of the hospital receiving the injured were attacked with barrel bombs, which hindered the ability of the ambulances to reach the victims, it said. Hours later, the rebels began to withdraw. GRAPHIC: Overview of chemical warfare, click tmsnrt.rs/2pKDWOY Holding a reception in Hanoi on April 16 for Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani, who is on a four-day official visit to Vietnam, Party leader Trong affirmed Vietnams consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations on the basis of international principals, equality and mutual benefits. The Party chief took the occasion to congratulate the southwest Asian country on its successes in political stabilization, socio-economic development and increasing position in the international arena. He expressed his delight at the fruitful relations between Vietnam and Iran, which has been incessantly consolidated. He recommended that the two countries strengthen coordination at regional and international forums while promoting the exchange of delegations at all levels as well as exchange activities in the fields of culture, sports, education-training and tourism. The moves will bring practical benefits to both sides, for interests of their people and for regional and global peace and development, he stressed. Ali Ardeshir Larijani, for his part, lauded Vietnams achievements and roles in the regional and international arenas, believing that under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people will reap more resounding successes in the national construction, protection and development. He asserted his determination to further the friendship and cooperation between the legislative bodies, States and people of Vietnam and Iran. Iran stands ready to join hands with Vietnam in such areas as petrochemistry, mining, tourism, aviation, pharmaceuticals, security, defence and banking, among others, he noted. He invited Party General Secretary Trong to pay visit to Iran in a proper time and the later accepted the invitation with pleasure. DAMASCUS/THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The United States accused Russia on Monday of blocking international inspectors from reaching the site of a suspected poison gas attack in Syria and said Russians or Syrians may have tampered with evidence on the ground. Moscow immediately denied the charge and blamed delays on retaliatory U.S.-led missile strikes on Syria at the weekend. In the fraught aftermath of the suspected attack in Douma and the Wests response, Washington also prepared to increase pressure on Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assads main ally, with new economic sanctions. European Union foreign ministers threatened similar measures. And in London and Paris, British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron faced criticism from political opponents over their decisions to take part in the air strikes against Syria. Syria and Russia deny unleashing poison gas during their offensive on Douma this month, which ended with the recapture of the town that had been the last rebel stronghold near the capital Damascus. Relief organisations say dozens of men, women and children were killed. Footage of young victims foaming at the mouth and weeping in agony helped to thrust Syrias civil war in which half a million people have been killed in the past seven years to the forefront of world concern again. Inspectors from the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) travelled to Syria last week to inspect the site, but have yet to gain access to Douma, which is now under government control after the rebels withdrew. It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site, U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Ward said at an OPCW meeting in The Hague on Monday. It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation, he said. His comments at the closed-door meeting were obtained by Reuters. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied that Moscow had interfered with any evidence. I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site, he told the BBC. Britains delegation to the OPCW accused Russia and the Assad government of stopping inspectors from reaching Douma. Unfettered access is essential, the British delegation said in a statement. Russia and Syria must cooperate. The team aims to collect samples, interview witnesses and document evidence to determine whether banned toxic munitions were used, although it is not permitted to assign blame for the attack. Britains Ambassador Peter Wilson said in The Hague that the United Nations had cleared the inspectors to go but they had been unable to reach Douma because Syria and Russia had been unable to guarantee their safety. Moscow blamed the delay on the air strikes, in which the United States, France and Britain targeted what the Pentagon said were three chemical weapons facilities. We called for an objective investigation. This was at the very beginning after this information [of the attack] appeared. Therefore allegations of this towards Russia are groundless, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. U.S. envoy Ward also condemned the Syrian government for what he called its reign of chemical terror. The inspectors met Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad in the presence of Russian officers and a senior Syrian security official in Damascus for about three hours on Sunday. OPCW inspectors have been attacked on two previous missions to the sites of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. HORRIBLE, MISERABLE Syrian flags flew in Douma on Monday, security forces stood on street corners and Russian military police patrolled the streets. State aid trucks handed out bread, rice and pasta to people who had lived under siege for years. A government-organised media tour did not include the building where, according to rescue workers and medics who were in town at the time, dozens of people were killed by poison gas. Doctors at the hospital where suspected victims were treated told reporters on the tour that none of the patients that night had suffered chemical weapons injuries they were asphyxiated by dust and smoke in a bombardment. Medical aid groups and the White Helmets rescue organisation have said such statements - already aired on state television in recent days - were made under duress. The U.S.-led strikes did nothing to alter the strategic balance or dent Assads supremacy and the Western allies have said the aim was to prevent the further use of chemical weapons, not to intervene in the civil war or topple Assad. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson made this clear on Monday as he arrived at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, telling reporters: Im afraid the Syrian war will go on in its horrible, miserable way. But it was the world saying that weve had enough of the use of chemical weapons. The 28 ministers endorsed the missile strikes and considered steps to deepen Assads isolation. The European Union will continue to consider further restrictive measures against Syria as long as the repression continues, they said in a statement after their talks. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Sunday the United States would announce new economic sanctions aimed at companies dealing with equipment related to Assads alleged use of chemical weapons. DOMESTIC OPPOSITION The Western leaders also faced scrutiny at home over their actions. Britains May will make a statement to parliament on Monday on her decision and will repeat her assertion that Assads forces were highly likely responsible for the attack. The allies could not wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks, according to excerpts of her speech. But she will be questioned over why she did not seek parliamentary approval for the action, a decision that she and her ministers say was driven by the need to act quickly. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, has questioned the legal basis for Britains involvement. Britain has said there are no plans for future strikes against Syria, but Johnson warned Assad that all options would be considered if chemical weapons were used against Syrians again. In France, the conservatives, the far-left and the far-right have all criticised the strikes. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Monday will respond to their criticism in a debate in parliament on Monday afternoon. The French Constitution bars presidents from going to parliament and President Emmanuel Macron will therefore not be questioned by law-makers. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Commerce is banning American companies from selling components to Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for seven years for violating the terms of a sanctions violation case, U.S. officials told Reuters. The Chinese company pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Texas for conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by illegally shipping U.S. goods and technology to Iran. It paid $890 million in fines and penalties, with an additional penalty of $300 million that could be imposed. As part of the agreement, Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp promised to dismiss four senior employees and discipline 35 others by either reducing their bonuses or reprimanding them, senior Commerce Department officials told Reuters. But the Chinese company admitted in March that while it had fired the four senior employees, it had not disciplined or reduced bonuses to the 35 others. ZTE provided information back to us basically admitting that they had made these false statements, said a senior department official. That was in response to the U.S. asking for the information. We cant trust what they are telling us is truthful, the official said. And in international commerce, truth is pretty important. ZTE officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A five-year federal investigation found last year that ZTE had conspired to evade U.S. embargoes by buying U.S. components, incorporating them into ZTE equipment and illegally shipping them to Iran. ZTE, which devised elaborate schemes to hide the illegal activity, agreed to plead guilty after the Commerce Department took actions that threatened to cut off its global supply chain. The U.S. government had allowed the company continued access to the U.S. market under the 2017 agreement. American companies are estimated to provide 25 percent to 30 percent of the components used in ZTEs equipment, which includes networking gear and smartphones. The U.S. governments investigation into sanctions violations by ZTE followed reports by Reuters in 2012 that the company had signed contracts to ship millions of dollars worth of hardware and software from some of the best known U.S. technology companies to Irans largest telecoms carrier. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House cybersecurity coordinator Rob Joyce will leave his post and return to the National Security Agency, a White House National Security Council spokesman said. Joyce is three months past his detail of a year and is deciding to return to NSA, a National Security Council spokesman said. His departure follows that of his boss, Tom Bossert, who oversaw Joyces work on cybersecurity and was pushed out of the administration last week. Another senior U.S. official said Joyce was leaving the White House of his own volition and not being forced out by President Donald Trumps new national security adviser, John Bolton, or other personnel. (Reuters) - Shares of American optical components makers fell on Monday after the U.S. Department of Commerce decided to ban companies from selling components to Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for seven years. ZTE pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Texas for conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by illegally shipping U.S. goods and technology to Iran. Shares of Maynard, Massachusetts-based Acacia Communications Inc, an exclusive supplier to ZTE which got 30 percent of its total revenue in 2017 from the company, fell as much as 34.7 percent in early trade, hitting a record low. Shares of another supplier, Oclaro Inc, which earned 18 percent of its fiscal 2017 revenue from ZTE, fell 17 percent. Stocks of other optical companies were also trading lower. Lumentum Holdings Inc fell 6.8 percent, Finisar Corp 3.7 percent, Inphi Corp 11.3 percent, Fabrinet 10.4 percent, and NeoPhotonics and Applied Optoelectronics 4.7 percent each. Lumentum declined to comment, while others optical component makers were not immediately available for comment. Coal ash is produced when power plants burn coal, and Missouri lawmakers are trying to decide whether the state should create its own regulations for coal-ash waste. (Pixabay) At a reception for head of the Just Russia party Sergey Mikhailovich Mironov in Hanoi on April 16, NA Vice Chairman Luu said leaders and parliamentarians of the two countries have regularly held meetings and supported each others viewpoints on issues of shared concern. Applauding contributions made by parliamentarians from the Just Russia party and Mironov to consolidating and promoting the bilateral relations, the Vietnamese official urged them to work harder to foster the ties across fields, especially in economy and trade, in order to soon bring two-way trade to US$10 billion. He took the occasion to call for support for the Vietnamese community in Russia. In reply, Mironov highlighted the thriving economic links, along with cultural and tourism cooperation between Vietnam and Russia. He congratulated Vietnam on successfully hosting the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) last January. Stressing similar views shared by Vietnam and Russia on international issues, Mironov noted his hope that his visit will help intensify the friendship between the two countries. At the ceremony, the Vietnamese side handed over three sets of remains found by both mixed and unilateral teams during the 130th joint search session from February to April this year. The remains were jointly examined by medical experts from both sides in Hanoi and it was reported that they were possibly related to US soldiers missing from the war. It was proposed that the remains be transported to Hawaii for further verification. Speaking at the event, a US representative expressed the US Governments sincere gratitude to the Vietnamese side, while highly appreciating the humanitarian policy, goodwill and effective cooperation from the Government and people of Vietnam in the work. The search and collection of American soldiers remains missing since the war in Vietnam has been jointly held by the two governments. This is the 143rd hand-over of remains of US troops missing in action since 1973. Pianist Son Yeol-eum performs during a press showcase in Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of Credia In memory of late mentor By Yun Suh-young Pianist Son Yeol-eum, appointed last month as artistic director of PyeongChang Music Festival as the youngest director of record, has released an album in commemoration of her deceased collaborator and mentor Sir Neville Marriner. The "Mozart" album, which will be available from April 20, is an incomplete version of the Mozart album she was planning to record together with Sir Neville Marriner, former conductor and music director of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Marriner is a Mozart expert widely known for performing the soundtrack for the film "Amadeus," which documents the life of the composer. Marriner died in October 2016, after recording one piece -- Mozart Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C Major, K.467 -- with Son for her album. The two met in April 2016 at a concert as performer and conductor on stage with the orchestra of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields on their Korea tour concert, after which Marriner suggested she release a Mozart album with him. Their journey together was stalled after six months, but in memory of her friend, Son decided to release the incomplete album with three more songs -- a variation piece "Lison Dormait" K. 246 and two extra solo pieces "Sonata" K330 and "Fantasy" K475. Mozart has long been Son's favorite musician, whose works she has enjoyed playing since she was little. "Mozart's music never has one side. It's always double-sided and multi-sided and carries several meanings. Every piece of music has its drama and irony. Even a short piece seems like an opera, with a story and drama which draws people in. The finish is in perfect form and the aesthetics are just so superb which is why I like it so much," said Son, during a press conference accompanied by a performance showcase in Seoul, Monday. In drawing parallels between Mozart and the Mozart virtuoso Marriner, Son said he was the musician who best fitted Mozart. "After Amadeus, Mozart became his signature repertoire. Mozart used to be period music taken seriously, academically and complexly but Neville made it light and easy going. That's how I imagined Mozart -- the feeling of your feet never touching the ground and always walking on air. I think Neville was best at portraying that," she said. "I think he would have been happy with the outcome. It came out the way he wanted," she said referring to her new album. Her connection to the piece she recorded this time -- Mozart Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C Major, K.467 -- dates back to her childhood. But it was in 2011 that she gained huge popularity internationally after performing the piece at the International Tchaikovsky Competition which led to her winning second place and a prize for best performance of a Mozart concerto. "I didn't play the piece for nearly 20 years. It was in grade four that I first played K.467. Somehow I entered the competition with that piece, and the reaction was explosive." The piece was the second most-viewed classical video on YouTube with over 10 million views. Marriner suggested that she record the entire 27 Mozart piano concerto repertoire, but to start early to complete it in her 50s. "I never thought of playing the entire list but I do hope to record them one day. At the moment, though, I don't feel like I have to do everything at once. Mozart's music is not continuous. Every piece is a story of its own," she said. Son plans to hold a recital called "Amadeus" in October this year with two of the pieces on her album: Mozart Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 21 in C Major, K.467 and Mozart Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 8 in C Major, K. 246. Son will be touring the nation starting with Seoul, Oct. 7, and on to Busan, Oct. 21, Daegu, Oct. 23, Gangneung, Oct. 25, and Wonju, Oct. 27. By Park Si-soo Rare photos of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's mother, Ko Yong-hui, have been revealed. They were reportedly taken in Japan in 1973 when Ko was in her early 20s, according to Japanese newspaper The Mainichi, which published the photos on Saturday. The paper said the photos were taken when Ko visited Japan from July to September 1973 as a dancer with Pyongyang-based Mansudae Art Troupe. Ko died of cancer in 2004. The newspaper said the photos were "valuable materials" because photos of her taken in Japan were "extremely rare." According to Mainichi, Ko was a North Korean resident of Japan, born in Osaka's Tsuruhashi district in 1952. She is believed to have moved to North Korea in 1962. She joined the Mansudae Art Troupe as a dancer in 1971. She is known to have started living with Kim Jong-il, predecessor and father of incumbent North Korean leader, from 1976 and later gave birth to Kim Jong-un, the current leader; Yo-jong, Jong-un's younger sister who is a senior member of the Workers' Party of Korea; and Jong-chul, Jong-un's elder brother. North Korea has not given much publicity about Ko because of her career as a dancer career and family background linked to Japan. By Kim Rahn Cheong Wa Dae is going all out for the inter-Korean summit as there are only 10 days left before the bilateral talks take place. President Moon Jae-in and his aides at the presidential office as well as related ministries are setting up strategies and preparing for a seamless summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un slated for April 27. Calling the current reconciliatory mood toward the summit "a glass bowl," the Moon administration is taking a careful attitude, hoping to make the bilateral talks successful so it can lead to another success at the following summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump over denuclearization of the North. The slogan of the summit is, "Peace, a new start." A taskforce under the summit preparation committee, comprised of working-level officials from Cheong Wa Dae and foreign affairs, unification and defense ministries, have been monitoring the progress of preparation every day. During the weekend, the two Koreas had their second working-level meeting to discuss communication channels including how to set up a hotline between Moon and Kim, as agreed during Moon's special envoys' visit to Pyongyang in early March. Cheong Wa Dae officials said the meeting about the communication channel may take place a few more times, and the two leaders may be able to make their first phone call early next week before the bilateral talks. Another working-level meeting on protocol, security and media coverage is scheduled for Wednesday. Most of the items on the issues are likely to be decided at that time, such as how Kim will cross the military demarcation line to the summit venue which is on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom, and how Moon will greet Kim. The two Koreas will also hold a high-level meeting soon to set the items on the agenda for the bilateral talks, with the exact date being under discussion. Moon himself is also preparing for the summit, being briefed on the progress of preparation and refraining from participating in other events that could cause unnecessary political disputes before the historic moment. On Thursday he listened to advice from former liberal government officials who played important roles in making the previous two inter-Korean summits happen. The next day he invited the main opposition Liberty Korea Party Chairman Hong Joon-pyo, who had been critical of the North for a meeting, and asked him not to oppose the upcoming summit but to support it. The President did not participate in Monday's memorial ceremony for the victims of the ferry Sewol sinking but had Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon attend it on his behalf. Four years have passed, but the tragedy is still a bone of contention between liberal and conservative blocs over the then-conservative Park Geun-hye administration's poor response to the sinking. Choi Eun-hee By Park Jin-hai Actress Choi Eun-hee, who was abducted with her then divorced husband and director Shin Sang-ok by North Korea, died from illness at the age of 92, Monday, according to her family. Choi, born in 1926, debuted in the 1947 film "A New Oath." Following this she had had a stellar acting career, opening the "Era of the top Three Actresses," along with Kim Ji- mee and Um Aeng-ran between the 1950s and '60s. She married director Shin in 1954 and appeared in many films he directed including "A Flower in Hell" (1958), "To the Last Day" (1960) and "Mother and a Guest" (1961). Choi had been suffering from kidney failure and complications since the early 2010s. Following the death of her husband in 2006, her health deteriorated. "While Choi was in hospital for kidney dialysis in the afternoon, she died there," her family said in a press release. Choi and Shin, whom she had recently divorced at the time, were kidnapped in Hong Kong by North Korean agents on the orders of Kim Jong-il in 1978. The couple, remarried on the recommendation of Kim, and kept in North Korea for eight years, making some 17 films in the most reclusive regime in the world. After two failed attempts, the couple finally escaped the North in 1986 on a trip to Vienna, fleeing to the United States Embassy and requesting political asylum. In 2015, an English-language biography of her life was published by Paul Fischer titled "A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker." A documentary about their years in North Korea, "The Lovers and the Despot," directed by Robert Cannan and Ross Adam, was screened at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee, left, and her husband film director Shin Sang-ok are photographed with former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, following their kidnapping by North Korean agents, in this 1983 photo. They escaped the North during a trip to Vienna and returned to South Korea / Yonhap Seoul plans to remodel school bathrooms by 2021. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education By Kim Hyun-bin The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) and the Seoul Metropolitan Government Monday, jointly released a general plan dubbed "The 2018~2021 Future Education City." Teachers at elementary to high schools in Seoul will change their teaching methods to help students prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution by offering future-oriented education facilities. "We are increasing cooperation with the Seoul Metropolitan Government so more elementary to high school classrooms in the capital will provide creative and problem-solving education, and an innovative learning space for students," the SMOE said in a press statement. Schools will move on from the old ways of teaching, which relied on chalkboards and writing utensils. The new plan aims to implement new teaching methods that focus on boosting students' creativity. Thirty-eight departments of the city government and the education office will be in charge of the four-year project with a total budget of 1.9 trillion won ($1.76 billion). The project has four major fields divided into 36 subcategories. Out of the 36 subcategories, 11 are newly introduced, while 25 of them are scheduled to be upgraded or expanded. The four major fields include enhancing youth creativity, increasing science classes and providing early career experience opportunities. They will also provide an education environment without discrimination, and boosting cooperation with city districts to strengthen lifelong and extended education. Classrooms will be upgraded to offer wireless internet so teachers and students can communicate easily. They will use smart devices in classes. The city plans to make a Seoul version of "maker space," which is a collaborative workspace for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses high-tech and no-tech tools. They provide a variety of maker equipment such as 3D printers and laser cutters. "We are working with the city to better prepare our students for the rapidly changing environment. We believe the new programs and content will help students," said Jeoung-Byoung-ik, SMOE director of planning and coordination. An increase in the number of field programs will also be available, and the city plans to increase the number of future career experience centers. To provide a safer environment, the city plans to remodel old bathrooms, implement a school bus system and ban the use of genetically modified foods in school meals. "We have combined the city's assets with the education system in efforts to provide a better study atmosphere in schools and districts around the capital," said Joo Yong-tae director-general of the city government's lifelong learning bureau. The SMOE plans to operate 52 model schools in the capital by 2021. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviews the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua] BEIJING, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China has issued a set of revised regulations on the fundamental rules governing the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which stress Xi Jinping thought on strengthening the armed forces. The regulations included rules on military discipline, training management, soldiers' weight standards, use of mobile phones and the Internet as well as the use of gun-firing salutes to pay respect to martyrs. Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), signed orders to publish three regulations on the military's interior order, code of conduct and military formation. The three revised regulations, which underlined the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the people's armed forces, will take effect from May 1. The regulation on interior order has been revised to enhance the political loyalty of the armed forces, strengthen them through reform and technology and run them in accordance with law. It also underlined a greater focus on combat. It further regulated names of military units and the duties of soldiers. The regulation included revised rules on soldiers' using mobile phones, the Internet, new media, and online shopping. It also stipulated the use of military vehicles and flags, protection of servicemen's vacation rights and efforts to ensure their physical and mental health. The revised regulation on the military code of conduct stipulated relevant rules regarding the military's political loyalty, organization, combat operations, training, work, confidential information, integrity, financial affairs, interaction with the people, and daily life. It also provided detailed rules on related awards and punishments. The new regulation on military formation added 14 military ceremonial events to be held in different circumstances such as oath-taking rallies, triumphant returns and paying homage to martyrs. The first document on the code of conduct governing the CPC-led armed forces was issued in 1930. The first interior order regulation was issued in 1936 and the first formation regulation in 1951. In 1951, the three regulations were recognized as a set to serve as the fundamental rules for the PLA. From the 1950s to the 1990s, these regulations have been revised eight times. In the new century, the regulations of interior order and code of conduct were partly amended in 2002. In 2010, the three regulations underwent a comprehensive revision. By Park Ji-won It has been nearly one year since former President Park Geun-hye, a conservative icon, was arrested on corruption charges including abuse of power and bribery; and liberal President Moon Jae-in was elected. About one month ago, another former conservative president, Lee Myung-bak, was arrested on graft charges. It may be natural for voters, fed up with conservative politicians' failed state management, to lean on the liberal ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), seeking new hope. This has resulted in a nearly 70 percent support rating for President Moon and about 50 percent for the ruling party. The conservatives are losing their presence. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) with 116 out of 293 National Assembly seats is barely maintaining its reputation as an alternative force against the administration, while the minor opposition Bareun Mirae Party (BMP) is being criticized for its lack of a conservative identity. Many expect that the ruling DPK will triumph in the upcoming local elections in June, while the LKP will lose even more of its standing. No fresh candidates The conservatives have no fresh candidates for the local elections. The LKP is choosing politicians regarded as members of the "old guard" for the elections, having trouble recruiting new faces. The LKP nominated former Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Moon-soo, a strong advocate for former President Park, for the Seoul mayor post, which is often considered as a springboard to the presidency. The minor opposition BMP's Ahn Cheol-soo also announced his bid for the Seoul mayoral race last week. These candidates are experienced and well-known as politicians, but they are regarded as representing the legacy of past politics. It may be difficult for them to beat one of the DPK contenders, incumbent Mayor Park Won-soon who has a support rate of about 50 percent. By Kim Jae-heun The number of women marrying men with a higher education than themselves has dropped 25 percent over the past 35 years, according to a Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs report Sunday. The institute used demographic data from 1970 to 2015. The report said the change was because more women than men were getting higher education beyond master's degree level. However, the country still suffers from gender role stereotypes. "Despite a growing role of women in our society, they are still being stereotyped as child-bearers," the report said. The institute said the government needed to introduce new policies to support equality. By Kim Jae-heun Prosecutors may seek an arrest warrant for former senior prosecutor Ahn Tae-geun for sexual harassment and abuse of power. Prosecutor General Moon Moo-il has requested an internal commission, launched in January, to look into ways to seek a warrant "fairly." The commission was launched to look into allegations that Ahn sexually harassed Seo Ji-hyun, a female prosecutor. Seo claimed during a broadcast interview that Ahn "groped" her eight years ago. She also said a senior prosecutor transferred her to Changwon District Prosecutors' Office in South Gyeongsang Province when she reported the issue. By Kim Jae-heun Korean Air's three unions have called for the resignation of Cho Hyun-min, a marketing executive of the country's flagship carrier. "We express our deep concern over her misconduct," the unions said in a joint statement. This marks the first time for all three unions to reach this sort of an agreement. Cho is the second daughter of Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang-ho. She allegedly "yelled and threw water" at a manager of an advertising agency during a business meeting. By Lee Kyung-min KT Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu is under investigation over an allegation he used company funds to make illegal donations to a group of lawmakers in return for business favors. The National Police Agency said, Monday, it notified the head of the nation's second-largest mobile carrier to appear today at 10 a.m. at the agency headquarters in Seoul. Police believe former and incumbent firm executives to have used 430 million won ($400,000) in company funds to "donate" to a group of 90 lawmakers between 2014 and 2017, under Hwang's instruction or awareness. The money, police added, was funneled into National Assembly committees that oversaw legislations related to communications and broadcasting as well as financial institution policy. Police will question him over his possible involvement and whether the money was given in exchange for legislation that favored an internet-only banking service run by K bank, of which KT is a major shareholder. The summon follows searches of company headquarters and regional offices in January as well as continued questioning of related executive-level figures. Police believe the executives gave lawmakers gift certificates they earlier bought with corporate credit cards in a move to evade financial supervisory authorities and possible prosecution for violating the law governing political funding. Meanwhile, the police investigation into the firm expanded after the prosecution investigated the Korea e-Sports Association (KeSPA), of which KT was a major sponsor. The association, headed by presidential secretary for political affairs Jun Byung-hun, was implicated in a similar allegation that the it received "donations " from various home shopping operators in return for Jun's influence with the legislative committee overseeing broadcasting. KT sponsored numerous events organized by the association and Jun gave broad support to a company-run professional gamer team, which authorities said had room for monetary and material exchanges that mutually benefited both parties. Prosecutors said the home shopping operators gave the money to Jun, who was alleged to have called a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance to allocate 2 billion won to the association, despite protests from the ministry official. Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office indicted Jun without physical detention in January on charges of bribery, embezzlement, abuse of power and violation of the political fund law. The Seoul Central District Court is reviewing the case. At the first pre-trial conference held March 9, Jun denied all allegations. By Kim Jae-heun Lee Si-hyung, former President Lee Myung-bak's son, is expected to be called as a witness in the trial of Lee Byeong-mo, scheduled to start May 14. Lee Byeong-mo, secretary general of Cheonggye Foundation, allegedly managed the former president's assets. Former president founded the charity organization. A lawyer representing Lee Byeong-mo said in a preliminary hearing, Monday, seven witnesses including Lee's son will be requested to appear at the trial. Prosecutors said if some of their witnesses are the same as those chosen by Lee's lawyers, they will not call them up for the trial, but instead will cross examine them. The prosecution did not disclose its list of witnesses. Lee Byeong-mo is charged with dereliction of duty as he allegedly granted loans worth 4 billion won to Lee Si-hyung. He is also suspected of destroying evidence including the former president's records of his property purchases under a false name. Lee Byeong-mo has already admitted ex-President Lee was the owner of land in Dogok-dong, which he later sold to invest in scandal-ridden auto parts company, DAS. Former President Lee is said to be the de facto owner of DAS. If this is true, prosecutors said they will able to prove the 16 charges filed against the former president. By Kim Bo-eun Attention is growing on whether the issue of detained South Koreans and U.S. nationals will be brought up at the inter-Korean summit, as the meeting draws near. While South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are set to mainly discuss means to achieve the North's denuclearization, a lasting peace system on the Korean Peninsula and development in inter-Korean ties, other issues are also expected to be addressed. Government officials have stated the South aims for the inter-Korean April 27 summit to serve as an opportunity to "candidly discuss a variety of issues," as it is the first meeting between leaders of the Koreas in 11 years, and Kim's first meeting with a South Korean president since he assumed his position in 2011. One of the various pending issues is foreign nationals that have been detained in the North, which includes six South Koreans and three U.S. nationals. Expectations have grown that progress will be made on the issue, as Sweden _ which mediates affairs between Pyongyang and Washington _ stated it would help in getting the detainees released. The statement came after North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong-ho reportedly discussed the issue with his Swedish counterpart in a meeting in Stockholm last month. Among the six South Koreans detained since 2016, three are known to be missionaries and the other three are North Korean defectors who gained South Korean nationality. The missionaries received life sentences of labor, on charges of state subversion. The North Korean regime made one of the three North Korean defectors confess in a press conference in July 2016 that he attempted to abduct a North Korean child out of the country. Among the U.S. detainees _ all of whom are Korean-American _ one is a pastor detained in December 2015, and two are former faculty members of Pyongyang Science and Technology University detained in the first half of 2017. Although it appears unlikely the inter-Korean summit will enable the immediate release of the detainees, calls are growing for at least the safety of the detainees to be confirmed. Although the North Korean regime claims the individuals were detained for attempts to subvert the state, it appears to be using the detainees for leverage in negotiations. Rep. Kim Kyoung-soo holds a press conference, Saturday, to clarify the opinion rigging allegation against him. / Yonhap By Choi Ha-young The rival parties exchanged barbs, Monday, over opinion rigging allegations against Rep. Kim Kyoung-soo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), considered a loyalist of President Moon Jae-in. Since the DPK nominated Kim as its candidate for the gubernatorial election in South Gyeongsang Province in June, the case may hamper the ruling party's election plan. The scandal is further likely to complicate the deadlock at the National Assembly, which has already been paralyzed due to controversy over an alleged corruption scandal at the Financial Supervisory Service. According to a news report aired Saturday, police arrested three former DPK members, who had kept in contact with Rep. Kim, over an online smear campaign and attempts to destroy evidence. In response, Kim promptly held a press conference and claimed he had nothing to do with the incident. Kim said a liberal-minded netizen nicknamed "druking," who was leading an online group for economic justice, approached him before the presidential election in May last year and later demanded the Osaka Consulate post, in return for the group's activities in favor of Moon. "After the election, druking recommended a lawyer, saying he was qualified for the post. I delivered the recommendation to the presidential office of personnel affairs. However, the lawyer was not appointed since the office wanted a figure with diplomatic experience," Kim told reporters Monday. Kim speculated that this may have triggered the online community to write online comments against Moon. After the recommendation fell apart, druking "blackmailed" him, according to Kim. Kim admitted that he met the druking a few times at his office in the National Assembly and the netizen's office in Gyeonggi Province. However, he denied direct involvement in his communities' online activities. "Individual citizens can express their political opinion. However, media reports that I orchestrated their activities are not true." The DPK leadership is defending Kim. "The DPK has made efforts to eradicate fake news and online smear campaigns. That's why the party requested an investigation into online smear campaigns against the ruling camp," DPK Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae said. "The authorities should reveal the real person behind those who rigged online opinions," she added. Party floor leader Woo Won-shik echoed the point. "There are three truths about the incident. First, the DPK requested an investigation. Second, the popularity of the ruling camp has decreased due to the opinion rigging case. Third, Rep. Kim rejected the netizen's illegal request to lobby for someone's appointment to a diplomatic post." Conservative opposition parties blasted Kim, calling for a special prosecutor's investigation of him. The largest conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) held a rally at the National Assembly to denounce the ruling camp's "constitutional crisis." "A special prosecutor's investigation and parliamentary inspection of the administration are necessary," LKP spokesman Chang Je-won said. "Rep. Kim and druking exchanged over 30 pages of text messages. The authorities should confiscate Kim's mobile phones and recover the data." The third-largest Bareun Mirae Party (BMP) lawmakers visited Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to urge a thorough investigation into the case. The minor liberal Party for Democracy and Peace also indicated it may request a special prosecutor or parliamentary inspection if the authorities "fail" in their fact-finding. Meanwhile, a former member of the disputed online community led by druking said in a radio interview that the group defined itself as a "secret society." "Druking believed in an ancient prophet and claimed our community was the chosen and the blessed," he said. "Around the May presidential election, community members voluntarily decided to leave positive comments for Moon to win the election. However, druking told me that Rep. Kim was not favorable to our online campaigns." "After Moon took office in May, druking demanded the Osaka Consulate post but was flatly dismissed by Kim. Then he began to leave hostile comments about Moon from late 2017, using a computer macro program," he added. Immigrants participate in a mock poll organized by an election office in Busan, Monday, in preparation for the June 13 local elections. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won In 2005, South Korea gave foreign permanent residents with F-5 visas the right to vote in local elections. The upcoming June 13 local elections will be the fourth time for these people to exercise their voting rights since the law revision. However, the government and the National Election Commission (NEC) are still failing to provide candidate information in other languages, virtually violating the voting rights of foreigners who cannot speak Korean, multiple sources claimed Monday. Amid the growing influx of foreign workers and permanent residents in Korea, their rights have been expanded in recent years. However, they still have limited access to information about elections. Currently, Korean language proficiency is needed to get information about candidates and go through the voting process. According to the election commission, it has no plans yet to upload information about the candidates in English. Their official website has an English page that gives information about the elections. Other than that, there are not enough sources to fully inform people about the candidates in other languages. Meanwhile, the website gives real-time information about the candidates in Korean. The information includes basic data about the preliminary registered candidates for local elections such as their name, sex, birthday, occupation, education, party and career. Native English teachers caught in Seoul educator's re-election bid Conservatives face crisis as elections loom New airport plan revive ahead of elections Some point out it is problematic to not provide information about candidates in other languages, saying it is a person's basic voting right to be informed about local election candidates. "The government should provide candidate information in other languages because it allows foreigners to vote," said a person with a Canadian passport who has spent five years in Korea without an F-5 visa. "The language service doesn't have to be written in English, but, as the commission made the English service website, they should include updated information in the language about the candidates for voters. Even when we choose the chief of the apartment building, we are provided information about the candidates." However, some people insist the government doesn't need to provide information in foreign languages as permanent residents should learn the local language to exercise their voting right. "The Korean model is an openly assimilation model, which means if you want to come here you have to learn our language. Until that model changes, it is going to be Korean language models. If I don't want to learn Korean, then I can't participate in life fully," Jacco Zwetsloot, director of Business Innovation at HMP Law, who has voted in three Seoul mayoral elections, told The Korea Times. However, he also pointed out the law is contradictory, saying the definition of political activities is very limited. "The law is inconsistent, contradictory, confused and confusing about the precise nature of political activities. How can voting not be a political activity?" he said. According to the Immigration Control Act, foreigners cannot engage in political activities including participating in political camps or holding placards about election candidates. "Voting is surely a political activity. If I can vote, why can't I do other things? That law needs to be looked at first because either if you want a complete ban on political activity, then don't let foreigners vote. Or, if you let foreigners vote, then let foreigners participate fully in Korean politics," Zwetsloot said. For local elections held in June 2014, 48,428 foreigners had the right to vote. The number is expected to be larger this year as there are now more foreign permanent residents. Kim Ki-sik By Kim Rahn Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) head Kim Ki-sik resigned Monday after the National Election Commission (NEC) concluded that his overseas business trips and donations during his days as a lawmaker were illegal. The resignation followed President Moon Jae-in's earlier pledge that he would have Kim step down if any illegalities were found because he would be unfit to lead the financial watchdog. Moon will accept the resignation, a Cheong Wa Dae official said. With the NEC's finding of illegalities and Kim's resignation, the opposition parties are likely to intensify their offensive on the personnel selection and screening system at the presidential office. The NEC's conclusion came after Cheong Wa Dae requested it last week to review whether Kim's activities were illegal as the controversy grew. During his lawmaker days from 2012 to 2016, he went on overseas business trips sponsored by financial organizations subject to oversight by a National Assembly committee that he was a member of. When his term as a lawmaker was nearing an end, Kim also used his remaining political funds to donate 50 million won to the Korea Institute for the Future, which he headed. As to the trips, the NEC said that although such sponsored trips may have been "customary" among lawmakers as Kim claims, some part of such sponsorship can be regarded as receiving illegal political funds, and lawmakers are advised to refrain from such trips in the future. But what mattered more was the donation to the institute, according to the NEC. "If a lawmaker belongs to a civic group or an institute and pays a regular membership fee, it is not in violation of the Election Law on Public Officials. But it is in violation if the person provides money, which is much larger than usual, to the organization in the name of a special membership fee," the commission said in a press release. The opposition parties demanded Moon apologize over the controversy, as Cheong Wa Dae has claimed Kim's past wrongdoings were not serious enough to dismiss him. They also urged senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk, who was in charge of screening Kim, to step down, taking responsibility for his misjudgment. Vessels anchor at Xingang Port in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Dec. 26, 2016.(Xinhua/Zhao Yingquan) HAIKOU, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to support Hainan in developing the whole island into a pilot free trade zone, and gradually exploring and steadily promoting the establishment of a free trade port with Chinese characteristics. Chinese President Xi Jinping made the announcement when delivering a speech at a gathering to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the founding of Hainan Province and the Hainan Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Friday afternoon. Hainan will be China's largest free trade zone enjoying increased opening-up policies and will be the country's first free trade port since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. "As an isolated island, Hainan can only develop and catch up with the pace of the country's growth with the world's highest degree of opening-up," said Chi Fulin, head of the Hainan-based China Institute for Reform and Development. Chi, 67, a former official who left Beijing for Hainan in October 1987, was among 100,000 employees across the country to find opportunity and fortune in the burgeoning province in the late 1980s. Once remote and underdeveloped, Hainan has become one of China's most open and dynamic regions and a top tourist destination. Xi's speech highlighted Hainan's special advantages -- including its status as China's biggest SEZ, its unique geographic location and the best ecological environment in the country, as reasons to make it a test ground for reform and opening up. Xi urged the province to give priority to opening-up, implement a more proactive opening-up strategy, speed up the establishment of new institutions of an open economy, and make new ground in pursuing opening-up. Exchanges in international energy, shipping, commodities and carbon trading will be established in Hainan. The island will also focus on developing modern service industries such as tourism, the Internet, healthcare, finance and hosting conferences and exhibitions. Qian Jiannong, senior vice president of Fosun International Limited, investor of the first Atlantis resort in China, has high hopes of Hainan's future. "Hainan is the only tropical island province in China. The era of sightseeing is past and the era of leisure and resort is coming," said Qian. The 540,000 square-meters Atlantis resort, with an investment of 11 billion yuan (about 1.75 billion U.S. dollars), is expected to open by the end of this month in Sanya, the most famous resort city in Hainan. "The growth potential of Sanya and the entire island of Hainan is tremendous," said the resort's managing director Heiko Schreiner. BIGGEST TEST GROUND OF REFORM As the smallest province but biggest SEZ, Hainan is an ideal test ground of China's reform and opening-up. In the early 1990s, it boasted China's first listed private company, and Yangpu Economic Development Zone, the first development zone approved for lease to foreign investors by the Chinese government. It is also the only province in the country without toll stations on its highways, due to a fee-to-tax reform in 1994. Since 2001, the town of Boao has become the permanent site of the Annual Conference of the Boao Forum for Asia, the first permanent site for an international conference in China. In 2005, Hainan was the first province to remove the centuries-old agricultural tax. The national strategy of building Hainan into an international tourist destination has put it on the fast track since 2010, attracting investment and infrastructure, such as high-speed railways, hotels, high-end commercial real estate and tourism facilities. "Aiming for China' s first free trade port, Hainan will start the country's new round of reform in larger scale and in more extensive areas," said Fu Xuanchao, head of the provincial development and reform commission. With the rising flow of people, goods and capital due to the tax-free policies brought by the free trade zone and port, Hainan is expected to be a pivotal point linking the Chinese mainland with southeast Asian countries, said Lin Jian, chairman of Hainan Ganghang Holding Limited Company, a local shipping and logistics enterprise. "I believe Hainan will be a highly international and modernized island in another 30 years," said Chi, who served as head of the provincial policy research office in his early years in Hainan, who later became a scholar. North Korea celebrated the 106th birth anniversary of the country's founder Kim Il Sung, grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong Un, with a fireworks display on Sunday (April 15) in Pyongyang. The North's state-run television KRT showed Pyongyang residents watching a fireworks display around 20-minute-long near Taedong River but their leader Kim Jong Un was not seen at the event. The fireworks display was broadcast live on KRT from 1930 local time (1100GMT) for about 15 minutes. April 15th is Kim Il Sung's birthday and also known as the "Day of the Sun", which is the biggest holiday of the year in North Korea. Kim Il Sung led his country from its founding in 1948, through the 1950-53 Korean War, until he died in 1994 when his son Kim Jong Il took over. Fireworks explode in the sky in a celebration marking the birthday anniversary of the late Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founding leader, at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Sunday, April 15, 2018. His birthday, also called the Day of the Sun, is the biggest holiday of the year in North Korea. AP pectators react during a fireworks display over the Taedong river during celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang on April 15, 2018. April 15, known as the Day of the Sun, is by far the most important and sometimes marked with a military parade, as it was last year. AFP Students take part in a mass dance event during celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of late North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang April 15, 2018. Thousands of North Korean devotees laid flowers before statues of the country's founder Kim Il Sung on April 15 on the anniversary of his birth. April 15, known as the Day of the Sun, is by far the most important and sometimes marked with a military parade, as it was last year. AFP Students participate in a 'mass dance' event outside the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium in Pyongyang on April 9, 2018. AFP A squirrel runs past people arriving at Mansu hill to pay their respects before the statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang April 15, 2018. AFP Faced with an either-or choice, Gov. Jerry Brown chose a smarter third option to de-escalate a feud between California and the federal government over immigration: He will send National Guard members to the southern border _ but with restrictions. In so doing, Brown likely appeased President Donald Trump in a way that could seem reasonable to groups like the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and the San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, which urged Brown to reject Trump's deployment request because of open questions. When Trump first asked four Southwestern U.S. governors to deploy 2,000 to 4,000 troops to a border he sees only as porous, the governors of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas committed 1,600 National Guard members, but Brown was more circumspect. He deferred questions to the California National Guard, which in turn rightly asked important questions about "funding, duration and end state." Wednesday Brown said he would accept federal funding for the support operations of 400 Guard members statewide targeting "transnational criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers" but not to enforce federal immigration laws or build a new wall. Troop locations will be dictated by "needs on the ground," a Brown spokesman said. Troop actions will be handled thoughtfully. On such an emotional issue, that's welcome. The above editorial appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Kim Jong-un should pay heed to Syria strike The U.S.-led air and sea launched missile strikes Saturday on Syria were aimed at punishing the Middle East country for its regime's alleged use of chemical weapons. The military action should serve as a strong warning against any attempt to develop and use such banned arms and other weapons of mass destruction. The U.S., Britain and France staged a joint operation, hitting Syrian chemical weapons facilities with 105 cruise missiles. This surgical strike came after the Bashar al-Assad regime allegedly used sarin and chlorine in the April 7 attack on the last remaining rebel stronghold in the Eastern Ghouta area of Damascus, killing more than 70 civilians. The alleged gas attack reminded the world how brutal and violent the regime is. It was also no doubt a crime against humanity. The international community should not tolerate any such actions. Yet it is somewhat disappointing to see the United Nations do little to take harsh measures against Syria in the face of opposition from Russia and Iran. This was not the first time for Syria to carry out a chemical attack. The Assad regime has allowed chemical weapons to be used in rebel-held areas at least seven times during the seven-years-long civil war. In 2013, over 1,000 people were reportedly killed by similar gas attacks. Now, the U.S. and its allies ought to form a broader international coalition to prevent any state or non-state actors from making such an attack. They also need to dispatch a fact-finding mission to Syria to conduct a thorough investigation into the use of the banned weapons. Additionally, they must work together to prevent such a tragedy from happing again. The strikes on Syria came after U.S. President Donald Trump appointed a hawkish figure, John Bolton, as his national security adviser. Trump also nominated CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be his secretary of state. These two figures are likely to help Trump take a more hard-line stance in settling international matters of great concern. In this context, North Korea needs to pay more attention to the Syrian case. There were suspicions that Pyongyang had supplied parts and material to Syria to develop chemical weapons. The North also reportedly made other dubious deals with the Middle East nation. The strikes on Syria took place ahead of the third inter-Korean summit scheduled for April 27 and another summit between the U.S. and North Korea in May or June. They seem to be a clarion call for Pyongyang to stop its nuclear gambling and take the path toward denuclearization and peace. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should translate his diplomatic overtures into action. What Kim should keep in mind is that if the Washington-Pyongyang summit fails to produce tangible results for complete and immediate denuclearization of the North, Trump might shift to military options. With the help of Bolton and Pompeo, Trump could give a "bloody nose" or wage a pre-emptive strike to destroy nuclear facilities in the North. It depends on Kim whether to move forward for a better future or not. By John Burton The Korean government has done itself a great disservice in cutting funding to the US-Korea Institute (USKI), which will force the think tank's closure. There is no upside, only downside in the decision. With this one action, the Moon administration has alienated the close-knit and influential "Korea watchers" community in Washington, D.C., at a time when it needs its support as Seoul prepares for the upcoming South Korean and U.S. summits with North Korea. There is already skepticism about the Moon administration among many U.S. experts on Korea. Most of these analysts have national security backgrounds in government, including working at the Defense Department, the CIA and the National Security Council, and adopt a conservative and hawkish position on Korean issues. In contrast, the USKI, which is housed at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C., is known as being one of the few liberal U.S. institutions on Korean affairs, which makes the Moon administration's decision even more inexplicable. As a former U.S. nuclear negotiator with North Korea and dean of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Robert Gallucci, the USKI chairman, is widely respected within the Korean analyst community. The USKI's website, 38 North, is viewed as one of the most authoritative sources of information on North Korea. So why has the Moon administration taken such a bone-headed and self-defeating decision? The answer is a complex one that has been obscured by the partisan debate in Seoul over the action. The groundwork was laid over the last several years by penny-pinching lawmakers in the National Assembly who questioned the need for the government to fund USKI and the Korea Economic Institute in Washington, D.C. They accused these two organizations of being ineffective and a waste of taxpayer money. There were attempts last year to freeze or cut their funding. But several top aides in the Moon administration saw this funding issue as a pretext to remove Jae H. Ku, the USKI's longtime director, and Jenny Town, the dovish assistant director. It is still unclear why Ku was being targeted. Some say the Blue House regarded him as being too conservative, while others claim the Moon administration just wanted to place its own man in the post. Whatever the case, it has been an open secret for months within the Washington-based Korean watchers' community that the government wanted Ku's removal. Gallucci flew to Seoul last December to fight for Ku's retention, saying the government's interference amounted to an infringement on academic freedom given USKI's affiliation with Johns Hopkins University. The Moon administration may be technically correct in claiming that the push for Ku's removal stemmed from the USKI's allegedly poor bookkeeping in confirming to National Assembly demands, but this was not the chief motivation. The actions of both the Blue House and National Assembly lawmakers also betray a poor understanding of how Washington, D.C., operates. Providing several million dollars a year to both the USKI and KEI is a cheap price to pay for making Korea's voice heard in a town swamped by lobbyists representing other foreign governments. Both the USKI and KEI have established a good reputation for serving as reliable sources of unbiased information about Korea. But Korea's efforts in delivering its message to U.S. policymakers are now under threat. The government's attempted "purge" of USKI will only strengthen the view in Washington, D.C. that Moon is a left-wing ideologue. It will also undermine a recent effort by Cho Yoon-je, the new Korean ambassador to the U.S., to bolster the country's "public diplomacy" efforts by expanding the embassy's outreach team. The Moon administration's treatment of the USKI amounts to a public humiliation of Gallucci and could discourage other prominent U.S. officials to support Korea's cause in Washington, D.C. For example, Kathleen Stephens, the former U.S. ambassador to Korea, is expected to be named shortly as the new head of KEI. But will she be willing to accept the post if it will mean dealing with constant interference from Seoul? The Korean government's intervention in the USKI comes at a time when there is a growing debate over the foreign manipulation of think tanks in Washington, D.C. Respected think tanks, such as the Brookings Institution, have come under fire for accepting large donations from Middle East governments that have allegedly influenced their activities and research. Korea cannot afford to be seen in the same light. It is time for Seoul to undertake damage control. The Moon administration must immediately restore funding to the USKI and tell the National Assembly that this amounts to a donation that should not be subject to nit-picking legislative oversight. It must also revert to a policy of adopting a hands-off approach in allowing the USKI and KEI to pursue their activities best suited to an American environment and not one subject to micro-managing by Seoul. John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is now a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant. By Kim Yoo-chul In the latest standoff over attempts to purchase Toshiba's NAND flash memory chip business pursued by a Korea-Japan-U.S. consortium, China's regulators are seeking more protections for Chinese companies before approving the proposed purchase of the Toshiba unit. That may jeopardize the consortium's mega bid to close the deal, sources familiar with the issue told The Korea Times by telephone, Monday. "They were saying the consortium's proposed purchase of Toshiba's NAND chip business will be affected by U.S.-China trade friction. The reality is Chinese regulators want the consortium to provide more remedies to protect Chinese companies before approving the plan," one senior hedge fund manager at an investment bank said. Out of the eight countries that the consortium requested for approval of the deal, China is the only one that has been delaying the approval of the proposed takeover plan. The approval by Chinese regulators has been delayed to May 1 after the consortium's first attempt to close the deal failed. "China has typical patterns in dealing with proposed takeover deals by foreign companies. The rationale is that the country wants them to transfer key technologies and to cut payments by Chinese firms for patents as a condition for approval," said another source from a foreign investment bank operating in Seoul. China is the world's top market for semiconductors, including memory chips and non-memory chips. The country is spending significantly to build up its domestic industry. SK hynix, the world's No. 2 memory chipmaker and a latecomer in the booming NAND-type flash chip memory sector, is part of a group led by Bain Capital that is buying the Toshiba unit for $18 billion. SK hynix doesn't want to acquire the Toshiba unit given their long-term business partnership in the NAND business segment. What the SK Group's chip unit wants is to provide financing for the deal through convertible bonds that could give it as much as 15 percent of the voting rights in the business, which is subject to change according to market circumstances. The two sources declined to be named as the discussions were private. An SK hynix spokesman declined to comment on this issue. Chinese NAND flash memory chip-fabrication companies are said to spend billions of dollars each year in royalties to patent owners as they were very late to the market. Previously, China dropped its investigation over U.S.-based telecom chip giant Qualcomm in return for cutting royalty payments Chinese companies pay to U.S. firms to produce smartphones. "The biggest concerns by Chinese regulators with regard to an issue for proposed takeover deals by foreign companies are that if such plans get implemented, they could hurt Chinese industry. This is a dilemma for foreign companies as it's true China is the most attractive market by any means," the second source said. Similarly, Chinese regulators have yet to approve a separate takeover deal led by Qualcomm to purchase Dutch-based NXP. "If China blocks or nullifies the Toshiba deal, it would hurt the relevant Chinese industry and firms. All interested parties would find common ground, eventually. This is a game for negotiation not a power struggle," he said. By Kim Yoo-chul The country's trade ministry said it will hold another round of discussions on the appropriateness of disclosing the workplace environment at Samsung's chip fabrication plants. "The review committee of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy reviewed workplace assessment reports at Samsung's chip plants in Asan, Giheung, Pyeongtaek and Hwaseong whether the reports include trade and operational secrets that need to be protected as they are the country's core technologies. But no decisions have been made as the committee needs more time," the trade ministry said in a statement, Monday. "The committee didn't find whether the reports include details of memory chip-making technologies being used to fabricate them below a finer 30-nanometer level," said one judge involved in the discussions. Korea classified chips with below 30-nanometer level technology as a category of national technology that should be protected as the leakage of this technology could result in losses for the country's economy. Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest memory chip producer, was ordered to release the specifics of its workplace environment such as the amount of chemical materials being used at these target plants. Later, Samsung refused to accept the requests. Any decisions by the review committee are legally non-binding but may influence officials in the labor and justice ministries when they come to decisions on similar issues, said watchers. In a related note, Samsung filed separate lawsuits, one with the Central Administrative Appeals Commission and another with local courts as follow-up measures. Right after the decision by the review committee, the central appeals commission also delayed its decision whether to order Samsung Display, the display affiliate of Samsung Electronics, to release the specific details of its display facilities in Tangjeong, south of Seoul. Samsung Display said it can't disclose its key fact sheets as the reports have its latest tech roadmap and relevant details. "We will notify Samsung once the decision day is decided," the appeals commission said in a statement. By Baek Byung-yeul Korea's antitrust agency is investigating Google Korea over its alleged abuse of market dominance in the mobile gaming industry, sources said Sunday. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) is checking whether Google requested local gaming developers and distributors to release their games on its Play Store app store only, according to industry sources. The FTC is currently conducting a survey of gaming companies on fair trade and distribution of their mobile games. It is said that the FTC is looking into whether there were Android mobile games that were released through only one digital distribution platform among Google Play Store and the One Store. The One Store is a local app market, which has combined app stores of Korea's top three telecom carriers SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus and Naver's App Store. It is only downloadable on mobile devices with an Android operating system. It also asked if employees of an app market requested gaming companies not to register their games in other app markets and whether or not game companies received special giveaways or disadvantages. Last year, NCSOFT's "Lineage M" and Netmarble's "Lineage 2: Revolution" were released in Google Play Store and Apple's App Store excluding the One Store. They were the top two grossing games of last year. Other mobile games were rolled out first via Play Store and App Store while the One Store released them after some delay. The FTC did not clearly state that it would investigate Google's alleged abuse of market dominance, but it is reportedly inquiring whether or not Google's trade practices are unfair. The FTC said it has secured some evidence of Google's violations of the law. It is estimated that Google recorded between 3 trillion won and 4 trillion won in sales last year, but Korea has failed to collect proper taxes from the company. Google distributed mobile apps made by Korean developers not via Google Korea but through Google Asia Pacific in Singapore so the company is not obliged to open its books on revenue and taxation here. Google collects a 30 percent fee for the mobile app market. Korean Air Lines' labor unions called for the youngest daughter of its chairman, a sister of the infamous 'nut rage' heiress, to step down from management after her alleged abusive behavior against an advertising agency official caused public outrage. Cho Hyun-min, also known as Emily Cho and a senior vice president at Korean Air, apologised on Thursday for what she called her "foolish behavior" after media reports said she threw water at the face of an advertising agency manager during a recent business meeting. Cho, speaking to TV channel MBC after she cut short her vacation overseas and arrived at Incheon International Airport on Sunday, denied she had thrown a cup of water at the manager's face but said she had "pushed" it. She said her action was "foolish." Police have launched a preliminary inquiry to see whether Cho had abused her power or broken any law in connection with the latest reports. Korean Air said on Monday it was aware of the police probe. "After we observe the outcome of the investigation, the company plans to take appropriate measures," the airline said in a statement. It is the latest controversy to engulf the owner family of South Korea's largest airline group. By Nam Hyun-woo Cho Hyun-min Cho Hyun-ah The recent case of a Korean Air "heiress rage" is feared to escalate anti-business sentiment here, according to industry analysts Monday, as public trust of family-controlled conglomerates has been waning rapidly. The analysts are concerned the increasingly negative public opinions toward large companies and their owners could adversely affect corporate activities as policymakers and politicians are more inclined to adopt policies unfriendly toward businesses. "In the wake of former President Park Geun-hye's corruption scandal, the reputations of and public trust in businesses have gotten worse, and the government is being tough on conglomerates," said an official at one of Korea's large business associations who declined to be named. "With the Cho sisters' cases dealing another blow to the existing anti-business sentiment, there is a concern those pressures may cause companies to spare themselves from conducting business activities more aggressively," he said. "What we expect from heirs and heiresses of chaebol families is them showing leadership for their employees, not throwing tantrums," an official at a Seoul-based large firm said. "What they need to do so they can be acknowledged as respectful company owners for more than just their stake in the company, is to exercise their capacity and trustworthiness as leaders." The public sentiment toward businesses is far from friendly and trustworthy. According to a trust barometer survey by the global marketing and PR firm Edelman, the percentage of trust of businesses among Koreans who were surveyed improved to 36 percent in this year's survey from 29 percent last year. During the same period, the average of 28 countries surveyed remained steady at 52 percent. The survey was done between Oct. 28 and Nov. 20 last year with more than 33,000 respondents in 28 countries. On Monday, Korean Air suspended Cho Hyun-min, its marketing executive and second daughter of Chairman Cho Yang-ho, from her post until the end of a police investigation into an allegation that she yelled and threw a water bottle at a manager of an ad agency during a business meeting at her office in Seoul, March 16. In the statement, the airline said it will "take appropriate measures after the police investigation of Cho," and it is "refraining from making comments because the issue is under investigation." Cho returned home on Sunday as public anger flared up over her alleged misbehavior. Police and the prosecution are looking into the "water" rage, while additional allegations were raised that she had verbally abused her employees oftentimes in the past. Cho is the younger sister of Cho Hyun-ah, or Heather Cho, who was indicted in 2014 for violating aviation security and related laws after the "nut rage" case, which became global gossip after she ordered her flight back to the gate in New York because she was upset about the way her nuts were served on the plane. The sisters' misbehavior is dealing another heavy blow to the image of conglomerates here, which are already tarnished amid a series of non-business-related incidents by owner families. Kim Dong-seon, the third son of Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, was investigated last year by the prosecution for assaulting lawyers at a dinner party, which triggered a consumer boycott of Hanwha affiliates. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Tokyo, Japan, on April 15, 2018. China and Japan agreed to further consolidate the momentum of improvement in bilateral ties during a meeting between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lv Shaowei) TOKYO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- China and Japan agreed to further consolidate the momentum of improvement in bilateral ties during a meeting between Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono here on Sunday. Wang said that bilateral relationship between China and Japan showed momentum of improvement though there are still some complicated and sensitive factors. He said that his visit to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese side was in response to Japan's positive attitudes towards China that has continued for some time, and it is hoped that the visit could become an important step for bilateral relationship to return to normal track and to create condition and make preparation for future high-level exchanges. Wang said that as this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the 20th anniversary of the China-Japan Joint Declaration and the 10th anniversary of China-Japan Joint Statement on All-round Promotion of Strategic Relationship of Mutual Benefit, the two sides should promote long-term and stable development of bilateral relationship in the right direction by staying true to their original intentions when signing these documents, consolidating the foundation for bilateral ties, taking the history as a mirror and creating the future together. He added that improvement of bilateral relationship is currently faced with both new opportunities and new challenges. The two sides should stick to the four important political documents between them, treat history in the right way, stick to the one-China principle, implement the consensus of treating each other as cooperative partner instead of threats, and make sure bilateral relationship not fall back to the detour of ups and downs, he said. The two sides should adapt to the new situation, promote mutually beneficial cooperation with higher quality and efficiency from a new starting point, and particularly deepen win-win cooperation in energy-conservation and environment-protection, science and technology innovation, high-end manufacturing, finance and banking, sharing economy, medical care and elderly care industries, he added. The two sides should expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, continue to consolidate foundation for friendship between peoples of the two countries; jointly promote regional economic integration, trilateral cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea, and infuse new vitality into economic cooperation in East Asia, he said. He added that the two sides should safeguard economic globalization and free trade system, and make joint efforts to build a community of shared future for mankind. He also said that China welcomes Japan to join the Belt and Road Initiative and is willing to discuss it with Japan to make it a new growth point for bilateral cooperation. Kono, for his part, said that Wang's visit is an important mark for improvement in bilateral relationship, and Japan hopes to seize the current opportunities to promote continued development of bilateral relations. He said that Japan eagerly expects and welcomes Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to visit Japan and to attend the trilateral leaders' summit between China, Japan and South Korea. Japan will stick to the principles established in the four important political documents between China and Japan, and stick to the road of peaceful development and defense-only policy, he said. Japan attaches great importance to bilateral relationship with China and is willing to take the opportunity of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship to implement the consensus of treating each other as a cooperative partner instead of a threat, to enhance high-level exchanges, promote political mutual trust, and expand pragmatic cooperation and advance international cooperation, he said. Japan is willing to safeguard the global free trade system based on World Trade Organization rules, help maintain the growth momentum of global economy and promote further development of regional economic cooperation, he said. The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concerns including the Korean Peninsular situation. Wang Yi is paying a three-day official visit to Japan from Sunday and will co-chair the fourth high-level economic dialogue between China and Japan with the Japanese foreign minister. A South Korean man, covered with a mask, on suspicion of murdering his wife and seven-year-old son at a Ritz-Carlton hotel, sits inside a police wan as he is taken to a court in Hong Kong January 16, 2018. / REUTERS A South Korean man charged with murdering his wife and young son at the luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in Hong Kong earlier this year has died in custody, police said Monday. Kim Min-ho, 42, was found unconscious at the maximum security Lai Chi Kok detention centre Monday morning and was later declared dead at hospital, a police spokeswoman told AFP. Police gave no detail on how Kim died but local Hong Kong media reported he had committed suicide. Kim, who stated on his Facebook page that he was CEO in South Korea of the US-based Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory retail chain, was arrested in January and charged with double murder after the bloody discovery at the hotel room. Police had rushed to the harbourfront hotel after receiving a report that a man and woman were fighting. Ri Sol Ju, wife of Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), watches a ballet performed by the Chinese art troupe in Pyongyang, the DPRK, April 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) PYONGYANG, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Un, pledged on Saturday to jointly write a new chapter of the country's friendship with China during a meeting with a senior Chinese official in Pyongyang. Kim, chairman of the Workers's Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, met with Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee at the headquarters of the WPK Central Committee on Saturday. During the meeting, Kim extended his greetings to General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and welcomed the Chinese art troupe headed by Song that will attend the "Spring of April" International Friendship Art Festival held in Pyongyang. Kim said that not long ago, he made a historic visit to China, during which he had long-time and meaningful talks and exchanges with Xi. The two leaders reached important consensus and the meeting achieved fruitful results, he said. At the moment when the DPRK-China friendly relations are moving towards a new and higher stage, General Secretary Xi sent a high-level and large-scale troupe to the DPRK, showing that Xi highly values the implementation of the consensus and revealing his friendly feelings of the DPRK people, he said. Kim said he hopes that the two countries will take this opportunity to consolidate the basis of friendship between the two peoples and jointly write a new chapter of the DPRK-China friendship. For his part, Song conveyed Xi's greetings and wishes to Kim. Song said that the two leaders held a historic meeting in Beijing and reached important consensus, which opened a new chapter of the China-DPRK relations. He said that the visit of the Chinese art troupe to the DPRK aims to implement the consensus, enrich the China-DPRK friendship, promote exchanges and cooperation between the two parties and enhance cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries. He said that the Chinese art troupe felt that Chairman Kim, the WPK and the DPRK people attach great importance to China-DPRK relations, and also felt their friendly feelings towards General Secretary Xi, the CPC and the Chinese people from the moment the delegation arrived in Pyongyang. The two sides also exchanged views on strengthening exchanges and cooperation between the two parties and two countries, as well as international and regional issues of common concerns. Kim said that during his visit to China, he witnessed the remarkable achievement made by China and he was happy for the brotherly Chinese people. Kim said he hopes that he can learn from the experiences of the CPC and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in various fields in an all-round way between the two parties and two countries. Song said it is an unswerving policy of the CPC and the Chinese government to preserve, consolidate and develop relations with the DPRK. China is willing to work with the DPRK to implement the important consensus reached between the top leaders of the two parties and jointly contribute to promoting the development of bilateral relations in the new era, improving the welfare of the two peoples and safeguarding peace on the Korean Peninsula, Song said. Kim and his wife Ri Sol Ju held a grand reception for the Chinese art troupe on Saturday night with participation of senior DPRK officials. Members of the Chinese art troupe perform a ballet in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), April 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Members of the Chinese art troupe perform a ballet in Pyongyang, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), April 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Tokyo Police arrested a ninth-grade girl on suspicion of stealing nearly more than $93,00 when playing at her friend's house. The girl allegedly handed the money out to students at school. Police say they believe she stole the money from her friend's living room when she went over to play in January or February. She would play at her friend's two to three times a week. She is thought to have given the money to around 10 students in her class. The girl has admitted to the theft and says that she did it because she was feeling ostracized and stressed. Police are carefully investigating the crime and her motive. Photo taken on April 15, 2018 shows the exhibition hall of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province. The fair, with more than 25,000 exhibiting companies from at home and abroad, opened here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin) Rome, April 16 - Italy's political stalemate following last month's inconclusive general election has continued with the lead players, the League and the 5-Star-Movement (M5S), still looking distant from reaching an agreement to form a new government. M5S leader Luigi Di Maio at the weekend reiterated his call for the anti-migrant, Euroskeptic League to dump its centre-right coalition partner, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI), to make a deal possible. But League leader Matteo Salvini said the anti-establishment M5S should stop imposing vetoes and repeated his assertion that a united centre-right coalition should be at the heart of the next executive. Di Maio is also looking towards the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which has said it will be in the opposition after slumping to its worst-ever showing in the election, but could reportedly reconsider its position of the stalemate becomes prolonged. President Sergio Mattarella said the parties had not made significant progress towards the formation of a new government after concluding the second round of formal consultations last week and said he was taking a few days to assess things. Suspicions raised over foreign English teachers after two convicted for faking qualifications in China Fake diploma case prompts concerns over English teacher qualifications A foreign teacher interacts with Chinese students at an English corner event in West Anhui University, East China's Anhui Province on November 8, 2017. Photo: IC Two Chinese employees at an English teaching school in Beijing were given suspended sentences after fabricating diplomas for foreign teachers, prompting widespread suspicions over foreign English teachers' qualifications. The People's Court in Beijing's Tongzhou sentenced the two people, surnamed Xia and Wang, after they were convicted of fabricating foreigners' diplomas so that they could teach at their institutions, China National Radio reported on Tuesday. The verdict said that Xia asked Wang to fabricate certificates for the two foreigners last year. Wang and Xia were sentenced to eight months and one year on probation respectively, and were fined 10,000 yuan ($1,590). The report did not mention what punishment the foreigners received. The incident has ignited society's worries over foreign English teachers' certificates. Widespread practice According to the State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs (SAFEA), foreign teachers who work for private learning institutions must have work permit. Major cities such as Beijing require foreigners to have bachelor degrees or above and a minimum of two years' work experience to obtain work permits, the Beijing government said in 2014. The People's Digest reported in 2014 that only 500 out of 7,000 institutions are qualified to hire foreign teachers. Zhang, from Firstleap, an English learning institution, told the Beijing News that at least half of foreign English teachers teach at illegal schools. Not only are these schools illegal, some foreign teachers are also not qualified. Wang Yushi, an official from SAFEA, told media that there were 400,000 foreigners working in China's education industry in 2017, but only one third of them are qualified. Some do not possess diplomas, while others are not even native English speakers, Cassey Chen, an employee in charge of recruiting foreign employees at a Beijing English teaching center, told the Global Times. "The fact is, the more Caucasian you look, the higher salary you will get because most parents prefer Caucasians over other races," she added. Chen said that the government has been tightening its regulation of foreign teachers in recent years. "Sometimes they do surprise inspections, and the institution will be fined at least 10,000 yuan if there are any illegalities," she added. In 2015, all the foreign teachers at a Hangzhou branch of Disney English, a Disney subsidiary that teaches English, disappeared overnight after a police raid, local newspaper Metropolitan Express reported. It said that the reason for their disappearance was that none of them were qualified. "Most English teaching institutes lack qualified foreign teachers," said Chen. Before he left for China on Monday to attend the 2018 Boao Forum for Asia, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would try to send 100,000 Filipino English teachers to teach in China, Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday. Foreign preference However, despite concerns over their qualifications, foreign teachers are popular not only among Chinese English teaching institutions, but also with Chinese parents. Six parents contacted by the Global Times said they prefer their kids to learn English from foreigners than from Chinese. "They (children) can learn authentic English from these foreigners," said a Beijing mother surnamed Wang. Statistics show that Chinese children are learning English at younger ages than before. Nearly 70 percent of the 2,003 respondents reported that their own children or children they know started learning English before the age of 5, mainly due to Chinese parents' fixation on giving children an early advantage, the Xinhua News Agency reported in 2016. It said that many parents send their kids to early childhood English-language learning institutions, even though they can be expensive. Some 39 percent of respondents said parents pay between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan annually to such institutions. "The myth about foreign teachers reflects some parents' superficial understanding about English learning. These who haven't received proper training can only provide simple conversation skills, not systematic language education," Xiong Binqi, vice president of 21st Century Education Research Institute told the Global Times. Ragusa, April 16 - A preliminary investigations judge in the Sicilian city of Ragusa on Monday ordered the release of a migrant search-and-rescue ship run by Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, rejecting a request from local prosecutors for it to stay under sequester. The vessel has been berthed in the port of Pozzallo since landing there on March 18 having saved 218 migrants in the southern Mediterranean. It was sequestered upon an order by Catania prosecutors in relation to a probe into possible case of aiding illegal migration. The ship landed in Pozzallo after the NGO refused to hand the asylum seekers it was carrying over to the Libyan authorities. A Catania judge extended the sequester on March 27 but transferred the case to Ragusa, having rejected allegations of criminal association. Genoa, April 16 - A row erupted Monday after a statue of an ancient Greek statesman was covered up for a conference on Islam near Savona. "There was no censorship" in draping the stature of Theban leader Epaminondas, Liguria Islamic Federation chief Chams Eddine Lahcen told reporters. "I myself covered the statue but only for ceremonial reasons and for a few hours. It clashed with the Moroccan setting. Our Islam is moderate and this row wounds it". Anti-migrant League leader Matteo Salvini latched onto the case, saying "am I the only one this seems like madness to?". Nationalist Brothers of Italy (FdI) MP Ylenja Lucaselli said the covering up of Epaminondas and the bare back of a woman in a painting was a "side effect of failed multiculturalism". Brussels, April 16 - EU members states including Italy on Monday approved a regulation requiring the origin of the main ingredient of foodstuffs such as wheat for pasta or milk for cheese to be indicated on the label. The norm was approved by a large majority with only Germany and Luxembourg abstaining. The regulation applies particularly when the foodstuff comes from somewhere different from its main ingredient. Latina, April 16 - Italian police on Monday arrested 13 people in a probe into alleged money laundering and tax fraud involving Latina Calcio, which was relegated from Serie B to Serie D for financial irregularities last year. Former Brothers of Italy (FdI) MP Pasquale Maietta was among those arrested in a probe involving shell companies and bogus accounts in Switzerland, police said. Rome, April 16 - Cardboard cartons used by homeless people to help them sleep were set on fire last night near Rome's Termini rail station. The fire brigade saved two people from the flames including a 29-year-old Palestinian, who suffered burns to his back and was taken to hospital in code yellow. Garcetti in Iowa from Mark Z. Barabak on Twitter. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is living a split existence these days. Part of the time he spends in early primary states like Iowa, where he just spent several days meeting voters to prepare for running for president. Part of the time he spends at his day job as mayor of LA. He returned this weekend from a much-covered Iowa tour in time to to prepare for his fifth State of the City speech, which he will deliver Monday at 10 a.m. in the City Council chambers. The LA Times sent political writer Mark Z. Barabak on this Garcetti swing to Iowa, and he called the mayor "an utter mystery to most living beyond his city limits." Los Angeles, of course, has a reputation that precedes it swimming pools, movie stars and Garcetti's habit is to preempt it with a joke about the Kardashians and a homily on how, deep down, we're all very much the same. He tailored his iteration on this trip to local sensibilities, with mention of his wife's roots in rural Waterloo, his previous caucus experience he came here to campaign for Obama in 2008 and the fact the USS Iowa is stationed as a maritime museum at the Port of Los Angeles. "I think that Iowa and Los Angeles have a ton in common," Garcetti told about 75 Polk County Democrats, who crowded an Irish-themed tavern on a rainy Saturday in Des Moines. "We have the same struggles. We have the same hopes right now, and the same challenges before us: Can I get out from under debt and send my kid to college? Will I have the opportunity in the future economy to find a place for me in it?" Barabak terms Garcetti an "all-but-announced" 2020 candidate for president. They sat down and talked about it before the weekend, with Garcetti saying he wouldn't be pondering a run if Donald Trump were not president. Barabak asked, "What was the precise moment you said to yourself, 'You know what, I could be president. I could do that job'?" The mayor's answer: Look, I've worked closely with presidents, especially with President Obama, and I realized that what good leaders do at the national level is no different than what we do at the local level. Leadership is leadership, producing results is producing results. I mean, I'm always intimidated in life about the next step and pleasantly surprised when I get there that, "Hey, human beings figured out a way to do this before, and I can too." But I don't have a precise moment. I've always been a little scared by the next step in life. If that can keep you humble, don't be scared and jump in. Asked what could dissuade him at this point from a run, Garcetti says "Somebody else who checks the boxes that I can get behind. At the end of the day, it's a very personal decision, for my family, for me, for my daughter. I've got a family that comes first and a city that I still want to finish the work for. "I know if I were to be president, I could maybe have a greater impact on helping Los Angeles than I can even today because some of the frustrations, from homelessness to the environment, we have no help [on] from Washington." CNN sent Maeve Reston out from LA to cover Garcetti in Iowa, and AP reporters covered what they called Garcetti's Iowa debut. The trip gave Garcetti the status of being the first prospective presidential candidate to visit all four of the early nominating states, after his previous trips to New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. As for Monday's State of the City speech back here in LA, here's the set-up from Garcetti's overnight email to supporters. From bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games home to the City of Angels in 2028, to being the only city in America to win the Gold award from Bloomberg Philanthropies for the best-run city, I have never been prouder to be an Angeleno and your Mayor. I am committed to making sure all of our neighbors share in our citys progress and prosperity. Momentum is on our side as we work toward ensuring that every Angeleno has a place to call home and 2018 will mark a turning point in this effort. LA Observed photo. More on Instagram. City Hall through the department of Building and Safety and Councilman Paul Koretz is pushing to let Elon Musk soon bore a 2.7-mile tunnel beneath Sepulveda Boulevard on the Westside to test the concept for his proposed network of traffic-bearing tunnels under Los Angeles. The first tunnel would begin on land that Musk's Boring Company owns on Sepulveda just north of Pico, the website Urbanize LA reports. That happens to be the property where Whitt's Wood Yard operated for decades until moving its firewood stacks in recent weeks to a new lot on Olympic Boulevard by the 405 freeway. Urbanize LA says that Musk's "proof of concept" tunnel would start there under Sepulveda and extend south under the street for 2.7 miles to the Culver City intersection with Washington Boulevard. The tunnel would not surface, so it's unknown how much disruption there would be along the route or at either end. Last month the Los Angeles Board of Building and Safety Commissioners signed off on a proof of concept tunnel for The Boring Company, a venture which Musk founded in 2016. Though the company hopes to eventually operate a sprawling system which connects to Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Downtown Los Angeles, Inglewood, Long Beach, and the Beach Cities, the proposed initial segment will run just 2.7 miles down Sepulveda Boulevard.... City Councilmember Paul Koretz has introduced a motion which calls for the full Council to determine that the proof of concept tunnel is exempt from CEQA, and instructs the Bureau of Engineering to work towards issuing permits for the project. Construction of the proof of concept tunnel is expected to take nine months, although a timeline has not been published. OK, cue Felix Figueroa. Dr. Demento, are you listening? Whitt's vacated the spot. The opinion pages of the Southern California News Group, the endangered 11-newspaper chain that includes the Daily News and the Orange County Register, all ran a coordinated series of weekend pieces about the threats facing local news and the SoCal papers themselves. The lead editorial did not mention by name owner Digital First Media or its venture fund investor that is driving deep cutbacks at newspapers across the country, or any direct threats to the SCNG papers. Instead, the editorial calls on the public to help save newspapers. Newspapers dont mind if we still call ourselves that, though this is the modern world, and you may well be reading this on the tiny screen of your phone are as important to our democracy as your City Hall, state Legislature, Capitol dome. Maybe more important, as we have a vested interest in the facts of our shared civic lives, as opposed to the politics of them. [skip] We need Southern Californians to subscribe to our newspapers, on both our print and digital platforms. We need your businesses to advertise with us. We need the Southland to recognize that to support real journalism, you have to pay for it... We know you want the shenanigans in your City Hall covered. We know you want the same from Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Well keep bringing you that first rough draft of history every day, throughout the day, if you stand up for us. An accompanying piece by Frank Pine, executive editor of the Southern California News Group, did bring the problem home. He noted the recent call by the Denver Post, also owned by the same firm, for new ownership or a new strategy as major cuts loom. Our Southern California publications have had to make similar reductions: Our newsrooms have been cut by nearly half in just the past two years. Our business model is not just distressed or struggling. Thats putting it too lightly. It's broken. [skip] Here in Southern California, where we have 11 daily newspapers and more than 20 weeklies, were working hard to preserve local journalism even as we try to develop new business models, from events planning and management to a digital subscription strategy that will soon roll out. Journalism faces enormous challenges in adapting to new modes of media consumption. If the Fourth Estate as we know it is to survive, it will require ownership that is invested in its long-term success and a strategy that prizes purpose over profit. Were not giving up. We do, however, need your support. The pieces end with a call to subscribe to one or all of the SCNG publications. Among the other pieces is this by Toni Sciacqua, managing editor for digital for the Southern California News Group, telling readers Its time to take responsibility for how you get news. If you do care, you can seek out ways to make sure real news and not propaganda is in your feed. The best way to support newsrooms is to get your news directly. Bookmark a home page. Download an app. Sign up for an email newsletter. Pick a newspaper and pay for either a digital or a print subscription. Evangelize the work of real journalists by sharing stories with your friends and family. Doug Saunders, formerly of the chain's San Bernardino Sun, wrote a piece saying You dont want an amateur writing your breaking news like the terrorist mass shooting in San Bernardino or the Christopher Dorner manhunt, which he covered. Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits a mosque in Hotan City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 10, 2018. Wang made an inspection tour in Xinjiang from April 10 to 14. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Strict policies should still be maintained in Xinjiang to defeat whoever wants to split the country, observers suggested after a senior Chinese official visited Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The infiltration of religious extremism has been significantly curbed, as Xinjiang appears to be stable and much safer, Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the statement during his visit to Xinjiang from Tuesday to Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported. Wang asked the local officials to continue to keep up the pressure on the three forces of separatism, terrorism and extremism, uphold the correct ideology by opposing wrong thoughts, and fight poverty in southern Xinjiang to eradicate extremism. "Some strict policies should be maintained in Xinjiang to deal with enemies who intend to split the country," Xu Jianying, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Research Center for Chinese Borderland History and Geography, told the Global Times. "The terror situation in the region does not radically change. Although the situation in Xinjiang has improved in recent years, infiltration from foreign enemies still exists and terrorists remain active, a professor from Xinjiang who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Sunday. "High pressure and effective policies should be continued to consolidate what has been achieved in the region," he said. Previous media reports said that hundreds of Chinese extremists have joined the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Chinese experts warned that more jihadists are returning to China through the coastal and southern borders, as the previous route through Xinjiang is heavily fortified. "Decimated in the Middle East, terrorists intend to infiltrate into areas such as Central Asia and Southeast Asian countries, and we should be on high alert against them infiltrating Xinjiang," the anonymous professor said. Wang, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that with the significant improvement in law and order, officials and people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have a much stronger sense of security. Wang also stressed the importance of poverty alleviation to improve people's lives, thereby eradicating the breeding ground for extremism, Xinhua News Agency reported. Elon Musks tunnel-digging venture the Boring Co. raised $112.5 million in a recent funding round, according to a document filed Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of the money more than 90% came from Musk himself. The rest was from early employees of the company, according to the Boring Co. The company said no venture capitalists or outside investors were involved in this round. The funding round is a more conventional method of fundraising than Musks most recent money-maker sales of flamethrowers. Musk, who is also chief executive of SpaceX and Tesla Inc., said in January that the Boring Co. had pre-sold 10,000 flamethrowers branded with the company logo for $500 apiece. He also said at the time that he sold about 3,000 fire extinguishers for $30 each. Advertisement The flamethrower and fire extinguisher sales came after a similar, though less flashy, fundraiser by Musk to sell 50,000 Boring Co. branded hats for $20 each. The Boring Co. has said its goal is to increase the speed and lower the price of digging tunnels to reduce traffic congestion. The company has already dug a tunnel across from SpaceXs headquarters with a boring machine it purchased. Last month, Musk said the companys tunnels and Hyperloop plans would prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars. Passengers would load into a pod with large windows thats lowered underground before it speeds on a track, according to a video Musk tweeted in March. Will still transport cars, but only after all personalized mass transit needs are met, Musk tweeted Mar. 9. Its a matter of courtesy & fairness. If someone cant afford a car, they should go first. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga Welcome to California Inc., the weekly newsletter of the L.A. Times Business Section. Im Business columnist David Lazarus, and heres a rundown of upcoming stories this week and the highlights of last week. The up-and-down stock market ended Friday on a down note. It wasnt a good sign for investors who hoped that the solid numbers reported by big banks would kick off an earnings season ending the volatility sparked by increasing trade tensions between the U.S. and China. LOOKING AHEAD Advertisement Stream dreams: Netflix reports its first-quarter earnings Monday, and Wall Street will be closely watching to see if the popular video-streaming service continues to show strong user growth to support its high-flying stock. The stock has more than doubled in price in the last 12 months, giving Netflix a total market value of $136 billion. Pay up: Tax day is Tuesday. It comes two days later than the typical April 15 deadline because thats a Sunday this year and Monday is a holiday in Washington, D.C. It happens. Taxes were due last year on April 18. Next year: Back to April 15. Either way, the Beatles lament applies. Crystal ball: The index of leading economic indicators will be released Thursday. The index is a composite of 10 forward-looking economic stats, including building permits, new factory orders and unemployment claims, and attempts to predict general economic conditions six months out. State jobs: The California Employment Development Department will release March job and unemployment figures on Friday. In February, job growth slowed to 14,000 net new jobs, down from 48,900 a month earlier. THE AGENDA Mondays Business section focuses on autonomous cars specifically, the maps they need to get around. This has led to an all-out mapping war, with dozens of contenders entering into a dizzying array of alliances and burning tens of millions of investment dollars in pursuit of a massive payoff that could be years away. The one to beat: big, bad Google. STORY LINES Here are some of the other stories that ran in the Times Business section in recent days that were continuing to follow: Advertisement Hot seat: Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg was peppered with questions by House and Senate members probing how the information of some 87 million users ended up with a firm working for Donald Trumps presidential campaign. The tech billionaire, in his first-ever congressional appearance, apologized and said steps had been taken to prevent further privacy breaches but was lukewarm on government regulation. Big fine: Wells Fargo & Co. said that it might pay as much as $1 billion to regulators over its mortgage-lending and auto-insurance abuses the biggest penalty yet for the bank due to its sales-practices scandal. The San Francisco bank said that it was in early-stage discussions with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of the Comptroller. Bratz bid: Isaac Larian, the California toy mogul behind Bratz dolls, submitted a $890 million bid to buy 356 Toys R Us stores in the U.S. and Canada. The bid came a little more than three weeks after Larian launched a $1-billion GoFundMe campaign to save some of the 735 stores the bankrupt retailer operates in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The crowdfunding campaign was a bust, but Larian said he was able to line up money elsewhere. Project redux: The developer of Millennium Hollywood, a stalled $1-billion real estate project near the Capitol Records Building, will try again with a new proposal that doubles the number of apartments and condominiums. The project, halted two years ago after the environmental impact report was ruled inadequate, is now dubbed Hollywood Center and will no longer include commercial offices or a public gym. Advertisement Big move: The Los Angeles Times will move this summer from its historic art deco headquarters in downtown Los Angeles to a campus under construction in El Segundo. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong soon to be the new owner of the newspaper broke the news during his first town hall meeting with the staff, explaining that he wants to create a newsroom for the future. WHAT WERE READING And some recent stories from other publications that caught our eye: Battle lines: The New York Times casts its eye on an epic battle in the California housing market. Pitting a rising tenants rights movement against apartment owners, the fight will consume tens of millions of dollars worth of organizing effort and political advertising before the November election. Advertisement Pay gap: The Orange County Register points out that pay ratios between chief executives and ordinary workers are being disclosed for the first time across Southern California. CEOs have managed to plant themselves in a river of money, says former California Treasurer Phil Angelides. But the rise in productivity since the 1950s has not led to a parallel rise in workers wages. Female friendly: The Atlantic, and architects, examine what a workspace built for women looks like. Materials were selected to optimize female comfort, furniture would be suitably proportioned; there would be spaces to socialize and others in which to retreat. Lofty ambitions: The Wall Street Journal says airlines feel your pain when it comes to overcrowded, aging airports. From Los Angeles to New York to Atlanta and dozens of other airports, airlines and local officials are planning $100 billion in renovations over the next few years. Tasty progress: Fast Company checks out the mainstream arrival of plant-based fake burgers as White Castle rolls out Impossible Sliders. The overall market for plant-based food, driven by the fact that more consumers are becoming interested in the health and environmental benefits and animal welfare, is projected to grow globally by around 40% over the next five years to $6.43 billion. Advertisement SPARE CHANGE Sure, you know sushi and sashimi, but how savvy are you about samurai cuisine? Bloomberg offers a primer in this video on a style of food preparation that rose to prominence in the 1600s, featuring distinctive side dishes. And samurai chefs are getting noticed, with 11 restaurants earning their first Michelin star. For the latest money news, go to www.latimes.com/business. Mad props to Laurence Darmiento and Scott J. Wilson for helping put this thing together. Until next time, Ill see you in the Business section. Imagine your smartphones camera, microphone and motion sensors were monitoring you for signs of illness. Thats the future envisioned by scientists at the Pentagons secretive weapons development arm, where such a system is being built to keep tabs on deployed U.S. service members. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced last week that it has awarded a $5.1-million contract to the Fairfax, Va., cybersecurity company Kryptowire to develop what DARPA calls the Warfighter Analytics using Smartphones for Health program, or WASH for short. The app would be used to spot diseases based on data that it collects from a persons smartphone. Tom Karygiannis, Kryptowires vice president of product, said he hopes the technology can one day broaden access to healthcare by spotting health problems before a person visits a doctor or nurse. Ultimately, this could mean better treatment, cost savings and making treatment available to more people, he said. But the idea has privacy advocates spooked. Advertisement If youre activating a microphone on someones phone, that is going to raise a lot of alarms, said Jay Stanley, a senior policy analyst with the American Civil Liberties Union. People dont want to feel like someone is listening in on their private life. Thats going to have to be subject to tight controls. For DARPA, the goal is to help the military deal with some of its biggest healthcare problems while conserving resources. The WASH development program started last year and will continue through 2021, an agency spokesman said. The program aims to develop algorithms that use raw data from smartphone sensors to enable continuous and real-time assessment of service members health statuses, identifying latent or developing conditions and diseases, DARPA communications chief Jared Adams said in an email. According to a fact sheet published by the agency, the app will collect data from smartphone features including cameras, light sensors, pedometers, fingerprint sensors, microphones and other sources. With the knowledge and consent of the user, the information would be collected continuously and passively, meaning a soldiers smartphone could be constantly scanning for signs that something is wrong. Company officials say one goal of the research is to find a way to keep that data secure and private safe from hackers or inadvertent leaks. The work evolved from an earlier project at Kryptowire to replace password sign-ons with passive electronic monitoring. Kryptowires primary business is a software tool that searches for vulnerabilities in mobile applications. The company works under contract with the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and various private corporations. That work led to a technology designed to let people sign into their smartphones by identifying all the ways they interact with the device; how people walk, how they hold the phone and how often they use it became a part of the profile that could detect whether the person using a phone is its true owner. Advertisement After learning how to build these profiles, product developers at Kryptowire realized they might also be able to detect when something is wrong. For example, if a user is inebriated we found they would interact with the device differently, Karygiannis said. So if you can do that, the question is: What else can you do? Now, with financial backing from DARPA, the company is reaching out to hospitals and medical research institutions to figure out how to use that information to detect illnesses. Possible targets could include early detection of diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons or conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, company officials said. Advertisement Once the companys medical research partners understand what the technology can do, Karygiannis said, theyll probably come up with other ideas that we havent. Executives at Kryptowire say the eventual goal is to move beyond the military to everyday smartphone users, though they acknowledge that the technology would need to make a big leap from the health apps now on the market. Still, theres some precedent for what Kryptowire and DARPA are doing. Companies are pushing commercial smartphone apps that diabetics can use to track their blood sugar levels. Fitness apps such as Fitbit have become so popular that some employers are building rewards programs around them, paying their workers small bonuses for healthy behavior, for example. Seeing DARPA put money down on such a untested idea suggests that private investors might take an interest in it too. After all, there is a long history of DARPA-funded technologies eventually entering the civilian world; GPS and the internet (once called ARPAnet, after the agencys predecessor) benefited from early funding from the agency. Advertisement Chris Shipley, managing partner of Ascent Line Partners, an innovation and market strategy consultancy, said the agencys involvement could mean the technology will hit the commercial market much sooner than it otherwise would have. I think these are really early days, Shipley said. The fact that this is being deployed in a DARPA-funded application is going to be a great learning space for how they can be used in a consumer context. The U.S. and British governments on Monday accused Russia of conducting a massive campaign to compromise computer routers and firewalls around the world from home offices to internet service providers for espionage and possibly sabotage purposes. The unusual public warning from the White House, U.S. agencies and Britains National Cyber Security Center results from monitoring the threat for more than a year. It was the two countries first such joint alert. We have high confidence that Russia has carried out a coordinated campaign to compromise ... routers, residential and business the things you and I have in our home, said Rob Joyce, the White House cybersecurity coordinator. Officials say millions of users worldwide have been targeted. Advertisement We condemn the actions and hold the Kremlin responsible for the malicious activities, said Jeannette Manfra, the chief cybersecurity official for the Department of Homeland Security. The move is unrelated to the administrations recent strikes in Syria, which Russia condemned. Rather it is part of a broader ongoing effort by the U.S. government to call out bad behavior in cyberspace and impose costs as a deterrent. When we see malicious cyberactivity, whether it be from the Kremlin or other malicious actors, were going to push back, Joyce said. The U.S. and British governments jointly tracked the latest campaign, which has targeted millions of machines globally, said Ciaran Martin, chief executive of Britains NCSC, the governments central cybersecurity agency. The aim seems to be to seize control over the machines that connect networks to the internet and, in the case of Internet providers, to gain access to their customers for espionage or other purposes, he said. These network devices make ideal targets, Manfra said. Most traffic within a company or between organizations traverses them. So a hacker can monitor, modify or disrupt it, she said. And theyre usually not secured at the same level as a network server. Once you own the router, you own the traffic thats traversing the router, she said. The agencies, which include the FBI, do not know how many routers, firewalls and switches have been compromised and to what extent. They are seeking the cooperation of home-office and private-sector business owners in sharing information if they determine their networks have been compromised. Advertisement Mondays announcement is the latest in a series of related moves by the Trump administration, which in recent months has publicly blamed Russia for launching the NotPetya worm that has been characterized as the costliest and most damaging cyberattack in history. It also recently publicized that Russia had targeted the U.S. energy grid with computer malware and slapped fresh sanctions on Russian hackers for illicit cyberactivity. The U.S. government also has obtained indictments against Iranian hackers and accused North Korea of being behind the WannaCry computer worm that affected more than 230,000 computers around the world. There is something intriguing, Esa-Pekka Salonen writes in the notes for his solemnly captivating new orchestral piece, Pollux, about [a] famed beauty having a penchant for large water birds. There is also something intriguing about this translucently liquid 12-minute score that Salonen wrote for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He named it for one of the twin sons of Leda, queen of Sparta, who was seduced by Zeus in the form of a swan, and its based on a grunge rhythm Salonen heard in the background at a restaurant in Paris. With its glistening, pure sonorities and murky underpinning, Pollux was given its first performances by Gustavo Dudamel over the weekend at Walt Disney Concert Hall (I heard the second of three performances, Saturday afternoon). The big birds, and the torrential splash, came a little later, in Vareses Ameriques, offered at its most deafening, and in Shostakovichs Fifth Symphony, at its most unsettling. That completed one of the programs the orchestra will take to the East Coast this month and to London and Paris the first week of May. At home, every new Salonen work for the L.A. Phil is an occasion. But for the first time, the composer did not himself conduct something he likes, if for no other reason than it allows him to write up to the last minute, rather than allow time for another conductor to learn the score. Currently conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra in Britain, Salonen will catch Pollux at Lincoln Center. Advertisement Even figuring out exactly what Pollux is can be a little confusing. The commission had been for a short work, but Salonen said the material led to a much bigger piece, in two parts, over 20 minutes, which he dubbed Castor and Pollux after the mythological Ledas very un-identical twins. The former was mortal, Leda already impregnated when Zeus got to her, while Pollux was divine. So, the Castor movement, which will apparently be lively, is on hold. Pollux, meanwhile, is mysterious. Salonen writes that he got inspiration from Rilkes fantastic likening of Orpheus song to a tree growing out of an ear. Much of Pollux is a wash of sound. Impressionistic string arpeggios, along with other rapid figures, moody thick chords and glissandi pervade much of the piece. Fast, quiet figures in the winds offer shimmer. The deep-sea contrabass clarinet and contrabassoon that Salonen love contribute a strange bottom to the orchestral sound. Percussion shimmers too, in its metallic way. Solo melodies haunt the winds and brass, coming out of nowhere. The grunge rhythm lurks rather than dominates, rarely catching attention more like moss than muck in the spring water. Repetition will be required to appreciate all the little things too subtle to catch the first time around. For now, though, the main impression on first hearing is that Pollux needs its brother. No orchestra can match the L.A. Phil in having a feeling for Salonens music, and though Salonen may seek greater transparency when he gets around to conducting Pollux, Dudamel brought wonderfully subdued qualities of light and darkness to the instrumental textures. After that, all hell broke loose in Ameriques. Written shortly after Varese immigrated to New York in 1918, the score for huge orchestra with hoards of percussion and brass sounds like a brash Parisian modernist in Manhattan. An aggressive alto flute solo that opens the work wont leave the listener alone, as though every time Varese turns a corner, there is this inescapable thing. A lot of other things are around other corners. A siren wails. A lion roars, thanks to a then-new percussion instrument that imitates the threatening wild creatures. Finally, the whole city seems to crescendo in shell-shocking sounds that had many players in the orchestra reaching for their earplugs while producing a bravura performance. If the East Coast thinks were flashy, Dudamel will show em flashy. The East Coast currently owns Shostakovichs Fifth Symphony. The Boston Symphony won a 2016 Grammy for orchestral performance for its sumptuous recording of the symphony under Andris Nelsons. The Pittsburgh Symphony won a 2017 Grammy for orchestral performance for its capable recording of the symphony under Manfred Honeck. A year ago, New York Philharmonic music director-designate Jaap Van Zweden led the L.A. Phil in Shostakovichs Fifth in Disney Hall with aggressive directness. Advertisement Dudamel brings urgency. The 1937 symphony represents Shostakovichs fraught relationship with Stalin. We will never know exactly what the wild shifts among fervent expression, deep, depressive, trembling angst, playfulness, bombast and outright pomposity mean. Such mood swings, prompted by an unpredictable leader, are what gives the symphony its lasting relevance. The great Shostakovich conductors notably Yevgeny Mravinsky, the great Russian conductor who premiered the Fifth; Leonard Bernstein, who used the Fifth for Cold War diplomacy; and Valery Gergiev know better than to look for answers. On the other hand, Nelsons, Honeck and Van Zweden all feel to me like therapists there to help Shostakovich cope. Dudamel, who has his own fraught relationship with tyranny in his native Venezuela, offered a panoramic view of Shostakovichs symphony, so much so that it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth when its over, just as it should. He doesnt pretend the ending isnt thrilling. He doesnt pretend that Shostakovichs greatness may not be so much in defiance but in the vagaries of survival, psychic as well as physical. In a peculiar choice for an encore, since tour programs always need encores, Dudamel ended with a surprise Wagners Liebestod, from Tristan und Isolde. In one sense, this was a full circle back to the sensual beauty of Salonen (maybe even a nod to Salonens remarkable Tristan Project with the orchestra). But in a more important sense, the love death music became the revelation of a striving for something higher than survival. The bitterness became manna. Advertisement mark.swed@latimes.com China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage will release a list of cultural relics that have been reportedly stolen from foreign countries. China will prohibit them from being auctioned if they are found in China, reports China News Service. This move comes after the United Kingdom's Canterbury Auction Galleries sold a bronze Chinese water vessel for 410,000 British pounds (around 581,500 U.S. dollars) earlier this week, despite strong opposition from Chinese authorities. Screenshot of the Canterbury Auction Galleries' website with a picture of the Tiger Ying. [Photo: China Plus] An article on the website of China's cultural heritage administration said that although reclaiming the Tiger Ying water vessel would be hard, there are still many other ancient relics that can be recovered through legal means. Huo Zhengxin, the author of the article and a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, suggests Chinese organizations and individuals refrain from taking part in auctions of cultural relics that were illegally obtained. China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage will also establish an information sharing platform with the Public Security Bureau to document and trace China's lost treasures. In the high desert east of this border town, the rolling hills topped with mesquite and paloverde trees are a picture of rugged desolation. But there are flashes of movement: Darting between bushes are five migrants who just crossed into Arizona, not far from a road where they could hop into a car to continue their journey. Not one U.S. Border Patrol agent is within sight. But the group is about to be spotted anyway, and their entry thwarted. From a hilltop tower miles away, a camera scans miles of terrain providing a clear view for an agent sitting in front of a computer monitor in a darkened control room. Advertisement The operator swivels the camera to find the group hiding behind a tree. Moments later, they give up. Thats the last I saw of them, said the operator, whose identity was not disclosed for security reasons. They ran back into Mexico. In the statistical score book of border enforcement, the retreat of the migrants is considered a win one that did not involve a physical barrier, much less a 30-foot wall. What blocked their path was a surveillance tower brimming with high-technology cameras and radar systems. When the camera focused on the group, a binoculars-wielding smuggler lookout in Mexico noticed and by cellphone directed the migrants to evade arrest by returning to Mexico. Across much of the Arizona-Mexico border, authorities in recent years have erected 23 so-called Integrated Fixed Towers as part of the latest and largely unnoticed attempt to create a border enforcement system more space age than medieval. Installed mostly on hilltops in rural areas, the 80- to 180-foot towers each outfitted with radar and a pair of night and day cameras can scan hundreds of square miles of rugged terrain. A similar effort failed a decade ago, but the agency, aided by security consultants and evolving technology, has continued experimenting and testing the system. The U.S. Border Patrols so-called Integrated Fixed Towers are equipped with cameras that help agents see migrants in the high desert. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times ) Advertisement Agents and experts now say it is effective enough to expand to other remote border areas with flat or rolling terrain. And progress has also been made with other surveillance systems better adapted to cities and areas with dense vegetation. They include mobile camera systems mounted on trucks and remotely operated cameras perched atop towers in urban areas. But the technology-driven approach is a low priority in an era of enforcement policy driven by tough rhetoric and raw symbolism. President Trump has focused his strategy on a giant wall that he says would stop migrants and drugs from crossing the border. The administrations budget request for 2019 included $1.6 billion for wall funding, compared with $200 million for technology improvements. Critics and agents alike have questioned the imbalance. In an effort to nudge the debate toward other approaches, U.S. Senate Democrats from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs released a report in March that made the case for more technology, saying surveys show that agents rarely cite fencing as a solution. Advertisement This report reinforces what Ive heard from frontline border agents and [Customs and Border Protection] leaders alike, that the top priorities for addressing vulnerabilities along our border are additional personnel and better technology, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said. At a Senate hearing last April, David Aguilar, the former acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, said technology is the highest need of the Border Patrol. It gives you situational awareness, it gives you intelligence and it gives you the capability to respond in an effective and in a safe manner. A virtual border first evolved during the administration of President George W. Bush. Unveiled with great fanfare in 2006, the plan, called the Secure Border Initiative Network, envisioned a network of radar and camera towers linked to ground sensors that would provide constant surveillance and the ability to coordinate with Border Patrol agents on the ground to interdict crossers. But the $1-billion program plagued by performance snags and cost overruns was halted in 2011. Research continued at lower funding levels, and by 2015 the new systems, designed by Elbit Systems of America, the Fort Worth-based subsidiary of Israels Elbit Systems, started going up. Advertisement The improvements have been groundbreaking, according to experts and agents, some of whom have traveled to Israel to study the system. The new-generation radar can distinguish between people and other motion triggers, such as cows and even branches rustling in the wind. Thats a key upgrade because it clears up the clutter of alerts on monitors, which makes it easier for operators to focus on smuggling operations. Operators also no longer have to pan the landscape to spot people; a double-click on the screen automatically points the camera toward any movement or tripped ground sensor. Advertisement Nowhere is the rapid evolution more evident than in the control room of the Nogales Border Patrol station, which is among the most technologically advanced along the border. Teams of up to seven agents keep watch of 50 live video feeds from dozens of cameras. Some cameras are part of a separate, slimmed-down surveillance system that monitors activity in urban areas such as downtown Nogales. A fence traces along the U.S-Mexico border near Nogales, Ariz. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times ) Abuzz with beeps, flashing screens and a disembodied female voice that fills the room with every border intrusion Alert One, the voice announces the room takes on the feel of a real-life video game, as operators scan the icon-filled screens while steering agents on the ground to intercept migrants. Advertisement Hes in the wash right now, an operator informs an agent who can be heard breathing hard as he runs to arrest a suspected border crosser. Alert Five, the voice announces moments later, prompting another operator to direct his camera toward a sensor that has been tripped east of town. Another agent, meanwhile, focuses a camera on a hilltop just across the border in Mexico, where a lookout with binoculars is helping navigate migrants through the Border Patrol obstacle course. Concerns about privacy the cameras are so powerful they can zoom into windows and cars in Mexico and the U.S. prompted some protests in earlier years, but few recently. Advertisement In the town of Arivaca about 10 miles north of the border, where a tower looms off the main road outside town, some residents credit the round-the-clock surveillance with the dramatic reduction in illegal activity. Beth Lusby, a 78-year-old retired court bailiff who described herself as pro-Border Patrol, said the tower, along with highway checkpoints, are preferable enforcement options over an ugly wall. We dont have problems with the tower, she said. We have to give up a little of our freedom to maintain it. One day last month when Times journalists visited, operators assisted in many of the 17 arrests of suspected crossers and a vehicle pursuit through the morning and early afternoon. Advertisement This is 1,000 times better, said an operator who worked on previous generations of the system. We can see areas we couldnt see before. Its a lot more user friendly But the surveillance remains patchy. When the operator tries to focus on another group that has crossed the border, he cant find them because they have slipped below the ridgeline beyond the view of his camera. Its a common problem: Migrants tuck themselves inside gulleys and dips in the terrain for hours at a time. And because theres no tower with adequate camera coverage on the other side of the ridge, the operator struggles. Advertisement Thats why we need two [towers], one on each side, the operator said. richard.marosi@latimes.com Twitter: @richmarosi USC names retired aerospace executive Wanda Austin as acting president, announces Nikias departure By Harriet Ryan USC appointed a retired aerospace executive as interim president and laid out a detailed plan for selecting a permanent leader Tuesday, ending speculation about whether outgoing President C.L. Max Nikias might remain in the post. Nikias, embattled over his administrations handling of a campus gynecologist accused of sexually abusing patients, relinquished his duties after a meeting of USCs board. The trustees tapped one of their own, Wanda Austin, an alumna and former president of the Aerospace Corp., to temporarily run the university. The trustees also approved the formation of a search committee and the hiring of firm Isaacson, Miller to coordinate the selection of a successor. A second search company, Heidrick & Struggles, will also advise trustees. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Ex-student sues elite Brentwood School after teacher is charged with sexually abusing him By Richard Winton A former student sued the elite Brentwood School on Monday in the wake of a female teacher being charged with repeatedly having sex with the minor, alleging that other faculty members encouraged the unlawful behavior and failed to report it to authorities. The lawsuit accuses the private school, whose students include the children of many of Hollywoods elite and L.A.s powerful, of acting negligently and allowing Aimee Palmitessa to abuse and batter the teenager sexually. The suit alleges that the student was abused in summer 2017 after one of the schools counselors offered words of encouragement to the then-17-year-old, identified in the suit as only John Doe, to engage in an illegal relationship with the teacher. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Civil jury vindicates fired Montebello school executives in whistleblower case By Howard Blume The Montebello school district is in dire straits at risk of insolvency and under apparent criminal investigation. An outside audit in July found some teachers earning more than $200,000 a year, as well as improper raises, excess paid vacation time and inappropriate overtime, sick leave and car allowances. Fixing the district and pinpointing blame could take time. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. schools fall short on safety measures, new report warns By Howard Blume After the mass shooting at Floridas Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, Los Angeles school officials reassured parents that much had been done to keep local schools safe. California had tougher gun laws, after all, and the school district paid close attention to students mental health. But a new report issued Monday by a panel convened to take a close look offers some cause for concern, flagging inconsistent campus safety measures, thinly spread mental health staff and inadequate coordination between the school district and other public agencies. With the stakes this high, we must strive to do better, said L.A. City Atty. Mike Feuer, who assembled the panel. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. school district says more are graduating, but rate may not show it By Howard Blume The L.A. Unified School District has hopes of continuing its winning streak this year with another record graduation rate, but the official numbers may not show it. A senior district administrator warned the board Tuesday that graduation rates were likely to decline 2% to 3% across the state, even though L.A. Unified is likely doing better than ever in producing graduates, he said. The issue is that the state will now count high school students who transfer to adult school as dropouts, said Oscar Lafarga, who heads the districts office of data and accountability. Previously, schools treated these students as though they had simply enrolled in another high school, he said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Betsy DeVos to California: Not so fast on that federal education plan By Joy Resmovits Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (Erik Lesser / European Pressphoto Agency) In April, Californias top education officials breathed a sigh of relief. After months of debate and back-and-forth with Betsy DeVos staff, they had finalized a plan to satisfy a major education law that aims to make sure all students get a decent education. The state focused on aligning its plan to fulfill the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act with Californias Local Control Funding Formula, which gives extra money to districts to help students who come from low-income families, are in the foster system or are English learners. But this week, DeVos team said not so fast. Jason Botel, the U.S. Department of Educations principal deputy assistant secretary, sent California education officials a letter asking for more information in such areas as measuring student progress, graduation rates and English learners. In an unsigned statement, the California Department of Education declared itself surprised and disappointed because officials thought after a meeting with federal officials in Washington that they were on the right track to get approval. Now the Every Student Succeeds Act plan will be up for discussion once again at the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has already approved most state plans. Every Student Succeeds is the Obama administrations 2015 replacement for the No Child Left Behind Act. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. school board sets a new goal: prepare every grad to be eligible to apply for Cal State or UC By Sonali Kohli Last month, Los Angeles school board president proposed a spate of highly ambitious mandates aimed at ensuring that every district graduate be eligible to apply to one of the states public four-year universities by 2023. By the time the L.A. Unified school board unanimously approved the resolution Tuesday, the original language had been watered down. The goal is no longer that in five years 100% of students meet the long list of benchmarks, which include not just college eligibility for graduates but first-grade reading proficiency and English fluency by sixth grade for all students who enter the district in kindergarten or first grade speaking another language. The original college-readiness goal, for example, called for 100% of all high school students to be eligible to apply to one of the states four-year universities. Now the goal seems to offer more wiggle room: Prepare all high school graduates to be eligible to apply to a California four-year university. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement We have been hurt. More women say they were mistreated by USC gynecologist By Richard Winton USC student Anika Narayanan says she vividly recalls her first appointment with Dr. George Tyndall at the campus health center, alleging that he made several explicit comments during an examination she felt was inappropriate and invasive. When she came back for a second visit in 2016 after a nonconsensual sexual encounter, he allegedly chastised her, she said in a civil lawsuit and at a press conference Tuesday. He asked me if I had forgotten to use a condom again, said Narayanan, 21. At one point, she said, Tyndall asked if I did a lot of doggy style, she said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. Unified gives inspector general brief contract extension By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school board on Tuesday extended the contract of Ken Bramlett, its inspector general, by three months, though his job is far from secure and questions remain about the future direction of his watchdog office. Board members also unanimously promoted Vivian Ekchian, who had been the runner-up for the superintendents job, to deputy superintendent the districts No. 2 position. Both moves had elements of peacemaking between different factions on the board. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print USCs handling of complaints about campus gynecologist is being investigated by federal government By Harriet Ryan The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that it has launched an investigation into how the University of Southern California handled misconduct complaints against a campus gynecologist, the latest fallout in a scandal that has prompted the resignation of USCs president, two law enforcement investigations and dozens of lawsuits. In revealing the inquiry by the departments Office of Civil Rights, officials rebuked USC for what they alleged was improper withholding of information about Dr. George Tyndall during a previous federal investigation. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who has been criticized for taking a less vigorous approach to examining sexual misconduct than predecessors, called for a systemic examination of USC and urged administrators to fully cooperate. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Judge to sentence woman and her boyfriend for the murder of an 8-year-old that led to L.A. child welfare reforms By Marisa Gerber A woman and her boyfriend are expected to be sentenced Thursday for the torture and murder of an 8-year-old boy whose killing in 2013 provoked public outrage, prompted sweeping reform of Los Angeles Countys child welfare system, and led to unprecedented criminal charges against social workers who handled the childs case. Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 34, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for her role in the death of her son, Gabriel. A jury decided last year that her boyfriend, Isauro Aguirre, 37, should be executed. When paramedics arrived at the boys Palmdale home in May 2013, Gabriel had slipped out of consciousness. He had a fractured skull, broken ribs, burned skin, missing teeth and BB pellets embedded in his groin. A paramedic would later testify that every inch of the boys small body had been abused. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. Unifieds spending out of step with similar school systems, task force says By Howard Blume The Los Angeles school district is out of step with similar school systems, spending more on teachers pay and health benefits and less on activities that could enhance student learning, according to a new report by an outside task force. The L.A. Unified School District Advisory Task Force did not make specific recommendations, but instead posed a series of questions it said the district needs to answer to make sure its funding is aimed at providing a full opportunity for all students to succeed. What were trying to say is: Lets put the data on the table. Lets look at the truth. Lets be transparent and here are the numbers, said task force member Renata Simril. This is not to say that we should cut teachers salaries. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Top USC medical school official feared dean was doing drugs and alerted administration, he testifies By Paul Pringle A former vice dean of USCs Keck School of Medicine testified Tuesday that he feared the schools then-dean, Dr. Carmen A. Puliafito, could be doing drugs and expressed concerns about his general well-being to the universitys No. 2 administrator before Puliafito abruptly left his job in 2016. Dr. Henri Fords testimony at a hearing of the state Medical Board marks the first suggestion that any USC administrator had suspicions about Puliafitos possible drug use before he stepped down. A Times investigation in 2017 found Puliafito led a secret second life of using illegal drugs with a circle of young criminals and addicts. Puliafito testified about his behavior at the hearing Tuesday, saying he took drugs with one young woman on a weekly basis. Ford said that he decided to alert USC Provost Michael Quick after receiving reports in early 2016 that Puliafito was partying in hotels with people of questionable reputation, and that he came to worry about his mental stability. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Why L.A. Unified may face financial crisis even with a giant surplus this year By Jessica Calefati With more than half a billion dollars socked away for next school year, the Los Angeles Unified School District hardly seems just two years from financial ruin. Its a scenario that is especially tough to swallow if youre a low-wage worker seeking a raise or a teacher who wants smaller classes. But budget documents show that todays $548-million surplus cannot be sustained and that even basic services face steep, seemingly unavoidable cuts because of massive problems barreling the districts way. Theres a disconnect between the rosy short-term picture and what we know is coming, said board member Kelly Gonez. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print We have failed: Top USC officials try to reassure students amid gynecologist scandal By Joy Resmovits Top administrators at USC are reaching out to students in the wake of misconduct allegations against the universitys longtime gynecologist, acknowledging failings and vowing reforms as they try to address growing outrage over the revelations. Several USC deans have sent out messages trying to reassure students and faculty that the university is committed to changing. We have failed, wrote Jack H. Knott, dean of USCs Sol Price School of Public Policy, in a May 24 letter. What happened is antithetical to everything we know is right. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Rick Caruso is named chair of USCs trustees, vows swift investigation of gynecologist scandal By Thomas Curwen The University of Southern Californias board of trustees has elected mall magnate Rick Caruso to be the new chair of the board, giving fresh leadership as the university navigates a widening scandal involving a longtime campus gynecologist. The move marks the latest effort by USC to address the case, which has sparked a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of civil lawsuits. More than 400 people have contacted a hotline that the university established for patients to make reports about their experience with Dr. George Tyndall. In his first act as chairman, Caruso announced that the white-shoe L.A. law firm OMelveny & Myers would conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the gynecologists conduct and reporting failures at the clinic. He set an ambitious timeline for the review, pledging it would conclude before students return for the fall semester. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC Berkeley students persistence helps win more liberal rules for in-state tuition By Teresa Watanabe Ifechukwu Okeke thought shed be a shoo-in for in-state tuition when she was admitted to UC Berkeley for fall 2016. She had moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2012 to go to Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga. By the time she got her acceptance to transfer to UC to study molecular and cell biology, she had lived in California four years. She had a California drivers license, bank account and rental records as proof. UC Berkeley, however, ruled she was a nonresident which meant she would have to pay nearly $27,000 more. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement State medical board calls former County-USC doctor a sexual predator, suspends his license By Matt Hamilton A UCLA cardiologist has been temporarily stripped of his medical license after state regulators described him as a sexual predator who assaulted three female colleagues when he was working and training at L.A. County-USC Medical Center. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Global California 2030' aims to get more students learning more languages By Joy Resmovits Tom Torlakson (Andrew Seng / Associated Press) Outgoing state Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on Wednesday announced a new statewide effort to encourage students to learn more languages. Called Global California 2030, its goal is to help more students become fluent in multiple tongues. Torlakson said that by 2030, he wants half of the states 6.2 million K-12 students to participate in classes or programs that lead to proficiency in two or more languages. By 2040, he wants three out of four students to be proficient enough to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy. Torlakson announced the initiative at Cahuenga Elementary School, which offers a dual-language immersion program in English and Korean. Californias public school students speak more than 60 languages at home, and 40% come to school with knowledge of a language other than English. Torlakson called his plan a call to action that invites parents, legislators, educators and community members to pool resources to expand language offerings in schools and get more bilingual teachers trained. He said the state already is working with Mexico and Spain to expand a teacher-exchange program. Fluency, the plan argues, can help students succeed economically and language acquisition can help their overall critical thinking. The initiative builds on Proposition 58, a ballot initiative passed in 2016 that undid an earlier requirement that English learners be taught in English-immersion classes unless their parents signed waivers. Torlakson recently visited Mexico and met with that countrys education secretary. They later signed a pact to increase collaboration, particularly in language education. This [Global California 2030] is great follow-through on Toms part and very important, Patricia Gandara, a UCLA education professor who hosted the Mexico meeting, said in an email. It hands over a plan to move forward in an area in which California has a unique advantage, but must seize the opportunity. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Jury convicts man of murder in 2015 slaying of UCLA student found inside her burning apartment By Marisa Gerber A jury on Tuesday convicted a man in the 2015 slaying of a UCLA student found dead inside her burning apartment a gruesome stabbing case that led to a fierce rebuke of the police response amid concerns that the killing could have been prevented. The panel deliberated for about six hours before finding Alberto Medina, 24, guilty of murder, arson, burglary and animal cruelty. On Sept. 21, 2015, firefighters found the charred body of Andrea DelVesco inside her apartment after responding to the complex a block from campus. The 21-year-old student an Austin, Texas, native known to her sorority sisters as a fearless giver who befriended others with ease was stabbed at least 19 times, authorities said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print LAPD begins sweeping criminal probe of former USC gynecologist while urging patients to come forward By Adam Elmahrek The Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating 52 complaints of misconduct filed by former patients of USCs longtime campus gynecologist as detectives launch a sweeping criminal probe into the scandal that has rocked the university. LAPD detectives also made an appeal for other patients who feel mistreated to come forward, noting that thousands of students were examined by Dr. George Tyndall during his nearly 30-year career at USC. More than 410 people have contacted a university hotline about the physician since The Times revealed the allegations this month. Tyndalls behavior and practices appear to go beyond the norms of the medical profession and gynecological examinations, said Asst. Chief Beatrice Girmala. We sincerely realize that victims may have difficulty recounting such details to investigators. We are empathetic and ready to listen. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At L.A.'s only school for the deaf, parents want leaders who speak the same language By Anna M. Phillips Ever since her son was 6 months old, Juliet Hidalgo has been bringing him to the Marlton School, a low-slung building in Baldwin Hills that for generations has been a second home for deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Los Angeles. Marlton staff taught Hidalgos brother and sister, both of whom are deaf. The school was where her deaf son learned to make the signs for milk and food. Hidalgo had planned to enroll her daughter, taking advantage of a popular program that allows hearing children to learn American Sign Language alongside their deaf siblings. But after more than a decade of involvement, she and other family members are considering withdrawing their children. They are not alone. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Fueled by unlimited donations, independent groups play their biggest role yet in a California primary for governor By Ryan Menezes An unprecedented amount of money from wealthy donors, unions and corporations is flowing into the California governors race, giving independent groups unrestricted by contribution limits a greater say in picking the states chief executive than ever before. The groups have already spent more than $26 million through Thursday, the most ever spent by noncandidate committees in a gubernatorial primary, according to a Times analysis of campaign finance reports. California elections have always been expensive, and the future is even more expensive, said Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College and a former state Republican leader. The stakes are very real. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 2 hurt in Indiana middle school shooting; suspect in custody, authorities say By Associated Press Authorities say two victims in a shooting at a suburban Indianapolis school are being taken to a hospital and the lone suspect is in custody. Bryant Orem, a spokesman for the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, said in a news release that the victims in Friday mornings attack at Noblesville West Middle School are being taken to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis and their families have been notified. He says no other information is available about the victims. Orem said the suspect is believed to have acted alone and was taken into custody. No additional information about the suspect was made public. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print For new L.A. schools chief Austin Beutner, some key unions are giving no honeymoon period By Howard Blume In the less than two weeks since Austin Beutner took charge of Los Angeles schools, unions representing teachers and administrators have staged a job action and a protest. Theyve made it clear that they will not give the new superintendent the traditional honeymoon period, and they are bashing him for his wealth and lack of experience running either a school or a school district. Beutner is a billionaire investment banker with zero qualifications, local teachers union President Alex Caputo-Pearl told members in a phone alert urging them to participate in a Thursday afternoon rally in Grand Park. The board is saying that billionaires who made their money blowing institutions up and making money off it know best not the education professionals who have dedicated our careers to working with students. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pressure grows on Board of Trustees amid USC gynecologist scandal By Paul Pringle USCs large and powerful Board of Trustees is coming under growing pressure to provide a stronger hand as the university faces a crisis over misconduct allegations against the campus longtime gynecologist that has prompted calls for President C.L. Max Nikias to step down. Allegations that Dr. George Tyndall mistreated students during his nearly 30 years at USC have roiled the campus, with about 300 people coming forward to make reports to the university and the Los Angeles Police Department launching a criminal investigation. USC is already beginning to face what is expected to be costly litigation by women who say they were victimized by the physician. So far, the trustees to whom Nikias reports have expressed sympathy for the women who have come forward and launched an independent investigation while also publicly backing the president. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC regents approve leaner budget for Janet Napolitano By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents on Thursday unanimously approved a leaner, more transparent budget for President Janet Napolitano, moving to address political criticism over the systems central office operations. The $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 reflects spending cuts of 2%, including reductions in staffing, travel and such systemwide programs as public service law fellowships, carbon neutrality and food security. Napolitano shifted $30 million to campuses for housing needs and $10 million to UC Riverside to support its five-year-old medical school. She also permanently redirected $8.5 million annually to help enroll more California students, as required by the state. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print USCs Academic Senate calls on university president to resign after a series of scandals By Matt Hamilton The body that represents USCs faculty called on President C.L. Max Nikias to resign Wednesday in the wake of relevations that the universitys longtime gynecologist faced years of accusations of misconduct by students and colleagues at the campus health clinic. The Academic Senate took the vote late Wednesday afternoon after a fiery town hall meeting attended by more than 100 faculty members, many of whom voiced outrage over Nikias and the Board of Trustees leadership. The vote came a day after the trustees executive committee stood firmly behind Nikias, saying it has full confidence in his leadership, ethics and values. At the town hall meeting, Senate President Paul Rosenbloom said he did not think Nikias or Provost Michael Quick committed wrongdoing but that the university president deserved criticism for a lack of transparency. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias public universities on the way to getting a big longed-for boost in funding By Teresa Watanabe The University of California and California State University systems are poised to get major funding boosts that will help them enroll thousands of additional state students and eliminate the need for tuition increases in the coming school year. A key Assembly budget panel on Wednesday approved $117.5 million in new funds for the UC. A Senate panel approved a similar sum last week. The same committees recently approved even more funding for the Cal State system. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement UC regents to scrutinize Janet Napolitanos office budget in a step toward stronger oversight By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents this week plan to scrutinize the budget of President Janet Napolitano, whose office came under political fire last year for questionable spending and murky accounting. Regents will vote on the proposed $876.4-million budget for 2018-19 during their two-day meeting, which starts Wednesday, at UC San Francisco. They also will discuss state funding, financial aid, online education and transfer student policies. Board Chairman George Kieffer said regents are stepping up to exert stronger oversight of the presidents office after a blistering state audit last year found financial problems including an unreported $175 million budget reserve. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print State legislative panels approve major funding boost for Cal State By Teresa Watanabe Cal State students protest against a tuition increase outside the chancellors office (Irfan Khan) After months of intensive lobbying, Cal State University has convinced two key legislative panels to approve funding to enroll nearly 11,000 more students, hire more faculty and expand housing aid to those without shelter this fall. An Assembly budget panel on Tuesday approved $215.7 million more for Cal State, adding to Gov. Jerry Browns proposed $92.1 million general fund increase. A Senate budget panel approved a similar increase last week. The extra funding which went beyond Cal States own request to the Legislature of $171 million is still subject to final budget negotiations with Brown. But the actions by the Senate and Assembly panels amount to a demand from Democrats that the governor hike higher education spending. Cal State University is the workhorse undergraduate university serving hundreds of thousands of Californians, said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento), who heads the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance. We need more graduates for the California workforce and higher education is the ticket to the middle class. Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White hailed the actions, but said it was too soon to celebrate. The CSU has a singular focus on helping students earn high-quality degrees sooner, and the entire university community has rallied to reinforce that message to our states lawmakers, he said in a statement. The actions taken thus far by the Assembly and Senate are promising and show that our message is being received, but there is still work to be done. Funding for the University of California was not taken up Tuesday as originally scheduled. McCarty would not comment on sticking points but said he was confident that a resolution would be reached this week. Were looking to provide resources above whats in the governors budget, but negotiations are ongoing, he said in an interview. State per-student funding is not what it once was, leaving both Cal State and the UC in a tough financial squeeze. Both systems raised tuition last year after a six-year freeze on higher costs. For this year, Cal State had asked for funding to enroll an additional 3,621 students, but both the Senate and Assembly panels approved three times that amount. Cal State, the largest public university system in the nation, turned away 32,000 eligible students last year because its campuses werent able to accommodate them. The panels asked that at least $50 million of the extra funding be used to hire more tenure-track faculty to help boost graduation rates. The Assembly panel also approved one-time funding of $5 million to ease hunger on campuses and $14 million for rapid rehousing pilot projects at three campuses, offering needy students rental support and short-term case management. Other items approved include $5 million to support the CSU Long Beach Shark Labs research on sharks and beach safety and $2 million for equal employment opportunity practices. This post has been updated to include comments from Assemblyman Kevin McCarty and Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Faculty members call for USC president to step down: He has lost the moral authority to lead By Matt Hamilton Two hundred USC professors on Tuesday demanded the resignation of university President C. L. Max Nikias, saying he had lost the moral authority to lead in the wake of revelations that a campus gynecologist was kept on staff for decades despite repeated complaints of misconduct. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gun battle, negotiations lasted 15 minutes before Texas school shooter was apprehended, sheriff says By Molly Hennessy-Fiske Minutes after a school shooter opened fire in an art class last week, killing 10 people and wounding 13, including a local police officer, fellow officers returned fire in a protracted gun battle before isolating the suspect, the local sheriff said Monday. Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset praised first responders as well as Santa Fe Police Officer John Barnes, who was working as a resource officer at the school the day of the shooting. Their actions, he said, prevented the attack from spreading to other classrooms and potentially claiming additional victims. As officials continue to probe last Fridays shooting at Santa Fe High School, students are worried about returning to the scene of the attack when classes resume next week. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print 6 women sue USC, alleging they were victimized by campus gynecologist By Richard Winton Six women filed civil lawsuits Monday alleging that a longtime gynecologist at the University of Southern California sexually victimized them under the pretext of medical care and that USC failed to address complaints from clinic staff about the doctors behavior. One woman alleged Dr. George Tyndall forced his entire ungloved hand into her vagina during an appointment in 2003 while making vulgar remarks about her genitalia, according to one of the lawsuits. Another woman alleged that Tyndall groped her breasts in a 2008 visit and that later he falsely told her she likely had AIDS. A third woman accused the doctor of grazing his ungloved fingers over her nude body and leering at her during a purported skin exam, the lawsuit states. The wave of litigation comes as USC continues to grapple with the scandal, which legal experts said could prove costly to the university as scores of former patients come forward about their experiences with the gynecologist. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Fatalities reported in Texas high school shooting; suspect arrested, officials say By Associated Press Houston-area media citing unnamed law enforcement officials are reporting that there are fatalities following a shooting at a local high school Friday morning. Television station KHOU and the Houston Chronicle are citing unnamed federal, county and police officials following the shooting at Santa Fe High School, which went on lockdown around 8 a.m. The Associated Press has not been able to confirm the reports. The school district has confirmed an unspecified number of injuries but said it wouldnt immediately release further details. Assistant Principal Cris Richardson said a suspect has been arrested and secured. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print This student followed the new L.A. schools chief on his first-day tour L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner is greeted by Van Nuys High School principal Yolanda Gardea. (Melissa Barales-Lopez) Melissa Barales-Lopez, a senior at Garfield High School followed Supt. Austin Beutner on his first day on the job, as he toured a variety of programs around the Los Angeles Unified School District. Heres what she took from the experience. LAUSD students and staff alike are looking for a personal champion, someone who will address and improve the difficulties afflicting their education. What LAUSD students need is someone whos willing to listen and learn, someone who can understand the current issues affecting their schools and act to efficiently amend them, someone who can unlock the full potential of LAUSD students and enable them to reach their goals. During the entirety of his first day, superintendent Austin Beutner did indeed demonstrate a willingness to learn. Posing questions to teachers and students, Beutner engaged with the student communities he encountered to gain a better comprehension of the minutiae and nuances that distinguish each school inside an overwhelmingly large district. From inquiries about Grand View Boulevard Elementary Schools dual language program to questions regarding the services of LAUSDs after-school program, Beyond the Bell, Beutner revealed he has a lot to learn about the system. But, Beutner also showcased a willingness to tackle challenges head-on on his first day. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print USC let a gynecologist continue treating students despite years of misconduct allegations By Matt Hamilton For nearly 30 years, the University of Southern Californias student health clinic had one full-time gynecologist: Dr. George Tyndall. Tall and garrulous with distinctive jet black hair, he treated tens of thousands of female students, many of them teenagers seeing a gynecologist for the first time. Few who lay down on Tyndalls exam table at the Engemann Student Health Center knew that he had been accused repeatedly of misconduct toward young patients. The complaints began in the 1990s, when co-workers alleged he was improperly photographing students genitals. In the years that followed, patients and nursing staff accused him again and again of creepy behavior, including touching women inappropriately during pelvic exams and making sexually suggestive remarks about their bodies. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print On his first day as L.A. schools chief, Beutner plans a day of visits across the district By Howard Blume L.A. Unifieds new superintendent, Austin Beutner, will kick off his first day of work on Tuesday with a choreographed tour of the nations second-largest school district, from the San Fernando Valley to Carson. His day is scheduled to begin at 5:15 a.m. at a school bus depot and end more than 12 hours later at a parent meeting at Garfield High School. Along the way, Beutner is expected to be joined by school district administrators, L.A. Unified board members and the vice president of the union that represents school bus drivers. Though he will be covering a lot of ground, Beutners tour has him skipping Tuesdays school board meeting, when board members are expected to discuss labor negotiations in closed session. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Cal State trustees to discuss Browns latest budget proposal, which they say still falls $171 million short By Joy Resmovits Just how much money does California State University need to serve its students? In recent years, this question has been front and center for the nations largest public university system. Cal States leaders say that to keep their campuses quality from slipping, they need much more money than the state is giving them. This year, theyre also at odds with Gov. Jerry Brown on the question of whether any extra money should come in one-time bursts or be ongoing. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Why a handful of rich charter school supporters are spending millions to elect Antonio Villaraigosa as governor By Ryan Menezes California voters have seen a barrage of sunny television ads in recent weeks touting former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosas record on finances, crime and education, aired by Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018. But the group is, in fact, largely funded by a handful of wealthy charter-school supporters. Together they have spent more than $13 million in less than a month to boost Villaraigosas chances in the June 5 primary at a time when his fundraising and poll numbers are lagging. Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, jump-started the group with a $7-million check, by far the largest donation to support any candidate in the election. Their efforts are part of a broader proxy war among Democrats between teachers unions longtime stalwarts of the party and those who argue that the groups have failed low-income and minority schoolchildren. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Talking schools with L.A. Unifieds new superintendent By Anna M. Phillips Al Seib / Los Angeles Times ( Incoming L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner talks to students at Belmont High School.) Austin Beutner, who officially starts Tuesday as the new superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, is taking on a famously difficult job at a particularly difficult time. The school board is divided and did not back him unanimously. The nations second-largest school district has deep-seated problems, including declining enrollment, lagging academic achievement and rising pension and healthcare costs that eat away at its budget. The 58-year-old former investment banker and former L.A. Times publisher has years of experience in the financial world but none as an educator. Earlier this week, he sat down with the Times education team to discuss the challenges facing the district, which has about 60,000 employees and 500,000 students in traditional public schools. He did not talk about his plans saying repeatedly, stay tuned but he spoke in broad terms about his mindset in approaching the tough decisions ahead. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Suspect detained, authorities search campus after reports of armed man at Palmdale high school By James Queally One person has been detained after a report of an armed man at a Palmdale high school sparked a massive law enforcement response Friday morning. The suspect was spotted at 7:05 a.m. on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, according to Sheriffs Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. The person was detained in a nearby parking lot, according to Nishida, who did not know whether that person was an adult or juvenile. Deputies at the scene are clearing the school methodically, and students will be transported home via school buses once the campus is deemed safe, Nishida said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement The education of Bertha Perez: How a UC Merced custodians disenchantment led to a political awakening By Robin Abcarian Its the third day of a three-day strike, and UC Merced custodian Bertha Perez is taking a break from a picket line at the universitys unremarkable entrance, an intersection with stop lights. Photos from other UC campuses this week have shown big crowds of striking service workers members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees marching and chanting pro-labor slogans as they try to force the University of California back to the negotiating table. But here, at UC Merced, whose handful of big buildings rise from a flat expanse of farmland, the picket line is tiny, maybe two dozen workers and a few students. Its not a big-city-style show of force. Then again, a union sympathizer is banging relentlessly on a snare drum, so its noisier than youd expect. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Ref Rodriguez resigns from teacher credentialing commission By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez appears during a court appearance. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez has resigned from the states Commission on Teacher Credentialing, which oversees the integrity and quality of Californias teachers. Rodriguez faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. Separately, his former employer, a charter school organization, has accused him of improperly authorizing checks to a nonprofit under his control. Rodriguez has denied wrongdoing. Rodriguezs resignation from the state body was effective May 4, days after he cast a crucial vote as part of a narrow majority that voted to authorize contract negotiations with Austin Beutner to become superintendent of the L.A. Unified School District. Beutners first official day on the job is Tuesday. Rodriguez remains in his $125,000-a-year position on the Los Angeles Board of Education. The mission of the state body is to ensure integrity, relevance, and high quality in the preparation, certification, and discipline of Californias teachers. Critics had questioned Rodriguezs continued service on the commission, given that teachers can be suspended from work if they face criminal charges. They also can lose their jobs for lapses in personal behavior, such as excessive drinking, with the potential to affect their performance. Police in Pasadena arrested Rodriguez on a Friday afternoon in March for public drunkenness. He was not charged in the incident and has apologized. The state commission reviews teacher discipline cases and can take action to remove a teachers credential to work in a California classroom. The commission has 15 members. Rodriguezs departure was disclosed in a one-sentence announcement on the agencys website. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print School board members request for restraining order against blogger is rejected By Priscella Vega An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a school board members petition for a permanent restraining order against a Huntington Beach blogger. Attorney Jeffrey W. Shields filed the petition on behalf of Ocean View School District trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin, 46, who alleged in court documents that Charles Keeler Johnson, 56, has threatened her on social media and at school board meetings, causing her to fear for my own safety and for that of my immediate family members. Johnson, who goes by Chuck and publishes HBSledgehammer.com, said the trustee tried to stifle his freedom of speech. He also contended that Clayton-Tarvin took his blog posts and Facebook comments too seriously and out of context, saying anyone who is afraid of metaphors has serious issues. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Deal with workers averts one-day strike that could have shut down L.A. schools By Howard Blume Los Angeles school district and union officials announced a contract agreement Tuesday night that averted a one-day strike planned for next week. The pact, which runs through June 2020, removes one labor problem from the desk of incoming Supt. Austin Beutner whose first day on the job would have coincided with the strike. Plenty of other challenges remain. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC labor strike expands with show of support from more unions By Teresa Watanabe Fong Chuu is a registered nurse who has assisted with countless liver transplants, kidney surgeries and gastric bypasses during 34 years at UCLA. Working with her are scrub technicians who sterilize equipment, hand medical instruments to the surgeon and dress patient wounds. They are a team, Chuu says, which is why she walked off her job Tuesday in support of those technicians and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299. The 25,000 member AFSCME local, the University of Californias largest employee union, launched a three-day strike Monday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print We are humans too: Voices of UCLAs striking custodians, hospital aides and imaging technicians By Joy Resmovits Demonstrators parade in front of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) This week, thousands of UC employees are staging a three-day strike for better pay and working conditions. On Monday, more than 20,000 custodians, cooks, lab technicians, nurse aides and other members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 walked off their jobs. By Tuesday, two more unions joined in sympathy strikes. The union and UC reached a bargaining impasse last year. The university has said it wont meet the workers demands. The strikers said they wanted better pay, more equity in the allocation of work, stable healthcare premiums and an end to the universitys use of contract workers. These are their stories. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Massive UC workers strike disrupts dining, classes and medical services By Joy Resmovits A massive labor strike across the University of California on Monday forced medical centers to reschedule more than 12,000 surgeries, cancer treatments and appointments, and campuses to cancel some classes and limit dining services. More than 20,000 members of UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, walked off their jobs on the first day of a three-day strike. They include custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Two altercations involving protesters and people driving near the rallies were reported at UCLA and UC Santa Cruz. At UCLA, police took a man into custody Monday after he drove his vehicle into a crowd, hitting three staff members. They were treated for minor injuries at the scene and released, said Lt. Kevin Kilgore of the UCLA Police Department. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Kamala Harris to skip UC Berkeley commencement in support of striking workers By Teresa Watanabe Sen. Kamala Harris (Chris Dekmas) California Sen. Kamala Harris has canceled plans to deliver UC Berkeleys commencement address this weekend in support of UC workers who are on strike over wages and health benefits. Due to the ongoing labor dispute, Sen. Harris regretfully cannot attend and speak at this years commencement ceremony at UC Berkeley, said a statement from Harris office issued Monday. She wishes the graduates and their families a joyous commencement weekend and success for the future. They are bright young leaders and our country is counting on them. UCs largest employee union, the 25,000-member American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees Local 3299, launched a three-day strike Monday and had earlier called for a speakers boycott. The union and university reached a bargaining impasse last year and subsequent mediation efforts have failed to produce an agreement. The union is asking for a multiyear contract with a 6% annual pay increase while the university is offering 3% annual increases over four years. UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ will deliver the keynote address instead, the university announced. About 5,800 students are expected to participate in the ceremony Saturday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement School mural depicting Trumps bloody, severed head sparks controversy By Gary Warth A Chula Vista school mural that depicts the bloody, severed head of President Trump on a spear sparked a controversy that prompted officials to cover it and issue a response distancing themselves from the work. The statement also said the artist will alter the painting. We understand that there was a mural painted at the event this past weekend that does not align with our schools philosophy of non-violence, read the statement from MAAC Community Charter School director Tommy Ramirez. We have been in communication with the artist who has agreed to modify the artwork to better align with the schools philosophy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New blackface incident at Cal Poly prompts calls for state investigation By Kim Christensen Cal Poly San Luis Obispo officials have asked the state attorney generals office to investigate after a new photo of a white student in blackface surfaced on a fraternity groups private Snapchat. I am outraged, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said in a video address Friday to the campus. These vile and absolutely unacceptable acts cannot continue. We must not allow these acts to define us as an institution. Armstrong said the latest photo was intended to imitate an incident last month in which a white member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity was photographed at a party wearing blackface. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print More than 50,000 UC workers set to strike this week but campuses will remain open By Teresa Watanabe More than 50,000 workers across the University of California are set to strike this week, causing potential disruptions to surgery schedules, food preparation and campus maintenance. The systems 10 campuses and five medical centers are to remain open, with classes scheduled as planned. UCs largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, plans to begin a three-day strike Monday involving 25,000 workers, including custodians, gardeners, cooks, truck drivers, lab technicians and nurse aides. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement New L.A. schools chief Beutner pledges to listen, learn and take action By Howard Blume New Los Angeles schools Supt. Austin Beutner proved Wednesday that hes a quick learner even without an education background. Like countless public officials before him, he appeared at an important event his first speech and news conference with a photogenic background of students. His message that he would put those students first seemed heartfelt if hardly original. Nor was it a huge surprise that he pledged to push cooperatively but unflinchingly to improve the districts academic performance and stabilize its finances. As an introduction, Beutner, a former investment banker who made a fortune on Wall Street, offered little flash, but that was partly the point. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In a school lockdown, one student takes stock of the stressful scene (Phalaen Chang) At the beginning of lunch one day late last month, Duarte High School, Northview Middle School, and California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley were advised by the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to go into lockdown mode due to police activity in the immediate area. Phalaen Chang, a junior at the California School of the Arts, wrote a series of notes on her iPhone while she sat in a room with her classmates. By the time the lockdown ended an hour later, she wrote, she knew which of her friends would hold open the door for others, be the ones calming others down, be the ones barricading the doors. She knew that all of them have the potential to be such strong people. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Tale as old as time: L.A. Unified superintendent pick follows a historical pattern of outside-the-box choices By Joy Resmovits Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, superintendent from 2006-2008. (L.A. Times file photo) L.A. Unified has long gone back and forth between picking insiders and outsiders to run the nations second largest school district. The choice of Austin Beutner, announced Tuesday, places the district squarely back in the outsider camp months after a consummate insider, Supt. Michelle King, announced that she had cancer and would not return to the job. Check out this timeline of former L.A. superintendents to see how the school board members have changed their minds, sometimes favoring leaders who come from the world of education and sometimes executives from elsewhere, recruited to shock the system into change. At one point, the district hired someone from the military retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III, who served as superintendent from 2006-2008. In hiring Brewer, board members had opted for a non-educator largely because they sought a fresh thinker, unwedded to the bureaucracy, unafraid to make bold, even unorthodox moves, reads a 2008 Times story. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Austin Beutner named superintendent of Los Angeles schools By Howard Blume Austin Beutner, a philanthropist and former investment banker, on Tuesday was named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nations second-largest school system. His selection was the biggest move yet by a Los Angeles school board majority elected with major support from charter school advocates. The decision came after lengthy public testimony, most of it in support of the other remaining finalist, interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian, who is well known within the school system. Beutner, 58, has no background leading a school or school district. Less than 2 years ago, a school board with a very different balance of power named Michelle King, a former teacher who rose through the district throughout her career, to L.A. Unifieds top job. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Hearing delay gives both sides more time in Ref Rodriguezs potential trial By Howard Blume Ref Rodriguez and his attorneys will have more time to prepare their defense against charges of political money laundering, a judge ruled Monday. The preliminary hearing in the case had been scheduled to begin May 9, but that date will now be pushed back to July 23 per the ruling from L.A. Superior Court Judge Deborah S. Brazil. Rodriguez, 46, faces three felony charges of conspiracy, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. school board poised to name Beutner as superintendent By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education is poised to select philanthropist and former investment banker Austin Beutner to be the next superintendent of the nations second-largest school system. Barring a last-minute development, the only mystery is whether Beutner emerges with four or five votes from the boards seven members. Terms of his contract already have been under discussion, according to sources close to the process who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak. The selection of Beutner, 58, who has no experience managing a school or a school district, would be a signal that the board majority that took control nearly a year ago wants to rely on business management skills instead of insider educational expertise. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Teacher walkouts in Arizona and Colorado continue national debate on money for schools By Michael Livingston Following the lead of teachers who walked off the job in other states in recent weeks, thousands of teachers and their supporters took to the streets in Arizona and Colorado for the second day in a row to demand better pay and more funding for education. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Three decades before the #MeToo movement, UC San Diego led the way against sexual assault By Teresa Watanabe When Nancy Wahlig first started her fight against sexual assault, one company was marketing a capsule for women to stash in their bras and then smash to release a vile odor. Because of the very nature of society, the only person who can prevent rape is the woman herself, read a 1981 advertisement for the Repulse rape deterrent. Ideas about how to prevent sexual violence have come a long way since then, and Wahlig has helped lead that evolution on college campuses. In 1988, she started UC San Diegos Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), the first stand-alone program at the University of California. Today, she remains the systems most senior specialist. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Andres Alonso withdraws from consideration for L.A. schools job By Howard Blume Andres Alonso, believed to be one of three remaining finalists to lead the Los Angeles school system, has withdrawn from consideration. The remaining known candidates in the confidential search are former investment banker Austin Beutner and interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian. Alonso, 60, announced his decision on Twitter on Thursday night, saying he had notified the L.A. Unified School District on Monday. The exit of Alonso, the former Baltimore schools chief, seems to solidify the front-runner status of Beutner, who also was a former L.A. Times publisher and a Los Angeles deputy mayor. He held each of those positions for about a year. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Heres why the apparent increase in autism spectrum disorders may be good for U.S. children By Karen Kaplan The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among American children continues to rise, new government data suggest. And that may be a good thing. Among 11 sites across the U.S. where records of 8-year-olds are scrutinized in detail, 1 in 59 kids was deemed to have ASD in 2014. Thats up from 1 in 68 in 2012. Normally, health officials would prefer to see less of a disease, not more of it. But in this case, the higher number is probably a sign that more children of color who are on the autism spectrum are being recognized as such and getting services to help them, according to a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print UC shelves tuition increase for now, in hopes of getting more state funding By Teresa Watanabe University of California regents will not vote on a tuition increase next month, shelving the plan for now in hopes that state lawmakers will come through with more funding. Raising tuition is always a last resort and one we take very seriously, UC President Janet Napolitano said Thursday in a statement. We will continue to advocate with our students who are doing a tremendous job of educating legislators about the necessity of adequately funding the university to ensure UC remains a world-class institution and engine of economic growth for our state. Last week, Cal State Chancellor Timothy P. White said the 23-campus system no longer would consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year. But unlike Cal State, UC officials have not taken a tuition increase off the table entirely. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement A chemical spill, unchecked eyewash stations, poor training: Audit details Cal States lax lab safety By Joy Resmovits In May 2016, two bottles tumbled off a poorly supported shelf and broke, leading to a chemical spill in a Sacramento State University lab. The liquid got onto one students legs and soaked anothers feet. Five employees cleaned up the mess, even though no one knew for sure what it was and whether it was dangerous. They called fellow employee Kim Harrington, their union representative, to let her know what happened. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After blackface incident, minority students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo say they dont feel welcome By Hailey Branson-Potts Aaliyah Ramos was walking through the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus last year when a prospective student approached her. Ramos was the only black person, the young woman said, that she and her mother had seen that day. They asked about the quality of education and the diversity of the student body. Ramos, a mechanical engineering student, didnt want to sugarcoat the truth: Cal Poly long has been predominantly white. But she told the young woman who also was black that she didnt want to discourage her from applying, because that wouldnt help with diversity at a school where only 0.7% of students are African American the lowest percentage of any university in the California State system. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills wins the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon By Carlos Lozano El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills has won the 2018 U.S. Academic Decathlon, officials said. The winner was announced early Saturday at a ceremony in Frisco, Texas. More than 600 students from the U.S., Canada, China and the United Kingdom gathered there over the last three days to compete in the 37th annual U.S. Academic Decathlon. Congratulations to El Camino Real Charter High School for another impressive victory, said Vivian Ekchian, interim superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Your academic stamina and competitive spirit to win is remarkable. The entire L.A. Unified family is so proud of you. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Anticipation mounts as L.A. school board meets over superintendent selection By Howard Blume L.A. schools superintendent candidate Andres Alonso got an endorsement Friday, but Austin Beutner and Vivian Ekchian also have supporters. (Elizabeth Malby) The Los Angeles Board of Education is reconvening in closed session Friday at noon as anticipation mounts about the choice of the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. The presumed front-runner is former investment banker and philanthropist Austin Beutner, but interim Supt. Vivian Ekchian and former Baltimore Supt. Andres Alonso also are in the running. Most district insiders appear to be rooting for Ekchian, who has spent her entire career in education within the school system. After her 10 years as a teacher, her roles have included head of human resources, chief labor negotiator and regional administrator for campuses in the west San Fernando Valley. Shes managed the district since September, when then-Supt. Michelle King went on medical leave and chose Ekchian to fill in for her. King, who is battling cancer, never returned and announced her retirement in January. Numerous influential civic leaders have urged and pressured the board to select Beutner. Also lending their weight have been advocates for charter schools, which are independently operated, growing in number and competing for students with district-operated campuses. Four of the seven board members enough to control the outcome were elected with major financial support from charter supporters. Beutner has two ongoing connections with the L.A. Unified School District. The first is his leadership of an outside task force that is making recommendations on how to improve the school system. The second is his charity, Vision to Learn, which supplies glasses to low-income students. The charity and the school system are in a dispute at the moment over who is responsible for delays in providing services to students as part of a $6 million contract, half of which is paid for by L.A. Unified. Unlike Ekchian and Buetner, Alonso, who currently teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has no deep-seated local constituency, but the prospect of his selection has generated some excitement. While in Baltimore, Alonso was recognized for pushing for progress at low-performing schools, and for being willing to take strong action. While in Baltimore, he also weathered a test-score cheating scandal and occasionally rocky relations with the teachers union. But by the time he resigned, after six years, he and union leaders seemed to be working together without rancor. Leaders of some community groups have split from the pro-Beutner camp. They worry that Beutners approach to confronting the districts financial problems could shut out their voices or involve severe economic cutbacks that would undermine programs that are helping students. Some prefer Ekchian; some Alonso. Theyve been reluctant to speak out publicly because theyll have to work with whoever is selected, but they have tried to get the ear of board members. On Friday morning, one leader of a community group decided to come out in favor of Alonso. L.A. Unified has the opportunity to bring in an instructional leader of color with a history of success, said Alberto Retana, president and chief executive of Community Coalition, which works on behalf of low-income students and families in South Los Angeles. If we have a shot at that, we should go for it because its in the best interests of our kids and of our community. Retana said his statement was not meant to criticize Beutner or Ekchian but to alert board members that there also is community support for Alonso. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Cal State leader shelves proposed tuition hike: Its the right thing to do, but its not without risk By Joy Resmovits Cal State, the nations largest public university system, will no longer consider a plan to raise tuition for the 2018-19 academic year, Chancellor Timothy P. White announced Friday. The decision is a bet that Sacramento will come through in the end. If Cal State loses that bet, it could mean cuts to campus programs. White said in an interview that Californias economy is strong enough that families should not be shouldering the burden of higher college costs. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. students to participate in national walkout activities on Friday By Joy Resmovits (Los Angeles Times) Students are taking to the streets again Friday to protest gun violence on the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting. Starting at 10 a.m., students at many schools will spend 13 seconds honoring the 13 people 12 students and one teacher killed on that day in Littleton, Colo. After that, theyll participate in a host of different activities. Within L.A. Unified, one school is having an open-mic event for students to talk about school violence, and lawmakers are visiting campuses to hear students thoughts. According to a central hub for organizing the protests written by the students of Ridgefield High School in Connecticut the walkouts are intended to drive the political change necessary to curb school violence. The day is also a time for students to interact on an elevated platform they have never had before, the site states. It is a day of discourse and thoughtful sharing. Bringing together communities and students to get a national discussion rolling. Organizers have suggested using the event to convey the importance of curbing gun violence to legislators. They are encouraging students to push legislation that would ban assault weapons and tighten up rules around who can buy guns and how. Over 2,500 schools nationwide are expected to participate. In L.A., some students at campuses including Eagle Rock High School, the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts and Bravo Medical Magnet plan to walk out. Students from various schools expect to join area marches, including those in Santa Monica and Huntington Park. Other schools are hosting career days and voter registration drives. At 1 p.m., students plan to start a rally in front of L.A. Unified headquarters. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that 12 teachers and one student were killed in the Columbine shooting. The opposite is true: twelve students and one teacher died. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Stabbing of popular student devastates South El Monte High School; teen friend suspected in slaying By Sonali Kohli When administrators at South El Monte High School called Jeremy Sanchezs parents to say he never showed up for class Wednesday, his father began to worry. It was unusual for the 17-year-old junior to miss school, so his father filed a missing persons report and assembled two of Jeremys close friends to look for the popular student-athlete. Their search took them to a scenic stretch of the San Gabriel River Trail, where one of the friends a 16-year-old boy made a tragic discovery. Among the bushes in the riverbed near Thienes Avenue and Parkway Drive was Jeremys body, punctured with stab wounds, according to Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Racist fliers spark outrage at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo By Alene Tchekmedyian Soon after Neal MacDougall arrived on the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus Tuesday, the professor noticed university police standing outside a restroom near his office. A racial slur against African Americans had been scrawled in red marker on a stall wall. Later, he discovered a series of racist fliers pinned up next to his door. Someone had also slashed posters hed hung outside his office supporting students in the country illegally. The discovery was the latest controversy on the prestigious campus which the president said is less than 55% white that MacDougall said demonstrates a culture of racism at the university. Last week, photographs emerged of white fraternity members, including one in blackface, flashing gang signs. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement The superintendent waiting game, paying for L.A.'s College Promise, Princetons slave history: Whats new in education By Joy Resmovits Acting LAUSD superintendent Vivian Ekchian is a finalist for the permanent job. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) In and around Los Angeles: The L.A. Unified school board spent 10 hours interviewing and discussing candidates for superintendent. When they adjourned after 10 p.m., they said they would reconvene on Friday. Who is paying for Mayor Eric Garcettis much-touted College Promise, a program that promises two years of community college for LAUSD grads? In California: The Legislature is considering a proposal that would boost K-12 education funding for black students. When the cost of living is taken into account, California has the highest rate of child poverty. Nationwide: The families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School are suing Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never occurred. Princeton will name two spaces an arch and a garden after slaves who lived or worked on the campus. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. school board meets privately with finalists and debates choice for school district leader By Howard Blume The Los Angeles Board of Education adjourned late Tuesday after spending more than 10 hours interviewing candidates and trying to reach a decision on who would be the next leader of the nations second-largest school system. When the meeting finally recessed at 10:11 p.m., a spokesman announced only that the school board would reconvene Friday at noon. Going into the days meetings, there were apparently four finalists, according to sources who could not be named because they were unauthorized to speak. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Two Sandy Hook families sue Alex Jones and Infowars for saying the school massacre never happened By David Altimari Families of two children killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School have filed lawsuits in Texas against controversial radio host Alex Jones for continually claiming the massacre never happened. Neil Heslin, the father of Jesse Lewis, and Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah Pozner died in the massacre, filed separate lawsuits late Monday in Travis County, Texas. The lawsuits allege that Jones defamed the parents by constantly calling them crisis actors and insisting the shooting was a false flag operation; they also claim Jones accusations have led to death threats against the Sandy Hook families by Jones followers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Beutner emerges as a top pick for L.A. schools superintendent amid last-minute jockeying By Howard Blume Austin Beutner has emerged as a leading contender to run the Los Angeles school district, with backers saying he is smart enough and tough enough to confront its financial and academic struggles. Though he does not have a background in education, the former investment banker has in the last year examined some of the districts intractable problems, serving as co-chair of an outside task force with the support of then-Supt. Michelle King. Sources inside and outside the school district said Beutner appears to have more support on the seven-member board than other finalists, and his name could come up for a vote as early as Tuesday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Challenge at Chicago school construction site: Watch for 38,000 unmarked graves By Nereida Moreno A 15-year effort to build a school in Chicagos Dunning neighborhood is underway with an unusual complication: Construction workers are taking careful steps to avoid disturbing human remains that may lie beneath the soil. The $70-million school is to be built on the grounds of a former Cook County Poor House, where an estimated 38,000 people were buried in unmarked graves. Among the dead are residents who were too poor to afford funeral costs, unclaimed bodies and patients from the countys insane asylum. There can be and there have been bodies found all over the place, said Barry Fleig, a genealogist and cemetery researcher who began investigating the site in 1989. Its a spooky, scary place. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Oklahoma teacher walkout winds down despite lawmakers failure to meet demands By Washington Post Oklahomas largest teachers union has announced an end to a walkout that has drawn thousands of educators out of classrooms and to the state Capitol demanding greater investment in the states schools, which have endured the nations steepest funding cuts. The announcement Thursday from the Oklahoma Education Assn. does not necessarily end the protests at the Capitol, as teachers not affiliated with the union vowed to stay longer. Instead of a walkout, the union and school districts across the state have said they plan to send delegations of teachers to Oklahoma City to keep the pressure on lawmakers. Teachers and their supporters have also promised to push education issues to the forefront of November elections, when the state chooses a new governor. As school districts begin to reopen, the protests may lose steam. The Legislature is not in session Friday, and observers are waiting to see what happens Monday, when lawmakers return. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Most Californians are worried about school shooting threats and oppose arming teachers, survey finds By Joy Resmovits Hamilton High School student Aiyana Dabriel holds a sign during a March 14 walkout in support of the Parkland shooting victims. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Most Californians are worried that a school shooting like the one that occurred in Parkland, Fla., in February could shed blood closer to home, a new survey found. Some 73% percent of adults and 82% of public school parents said they were very concerned or somewhat concerned about school shootings. The Public Policy Institute of California surveyed 1,704 adults in the state by phone just after the March for Our Lives protest against gun violence. Latino and black respondents were significantly more likely to be concerned about school violence than white or Asian respondents, the institute found. Two-thirds of adults and public school parents said they opposed letting more educators carry weapons in school. The response differed across party lines, with 86% of Democrats and 69% of independents voicing their opposition, while 60% percent of Republicans said they would support a measure to arm educators. The poll, which had a margin of error of 3.2% in either direction, also asked Californians about school funding, educational issues in the governors race and the impact of immigration enforcement on students. You can find the full results here. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias largest virtual charter school network agrees to contract with its teachers By Anna M. Phillips Nearly four years after teachers at Californias largest online charter school voted to unionize, they have reached a deal to increase pay and create job protections, according to a spokesman for the California Teachers Assn. The contract, which is still tentative and subject to ratification, is a victory for the teachers union. Although charter schools are publicly funded, most are privately managed and their employees arent protected by labor contracts. Under the terms of the contract the result of years of negotiation and legal wrangling approximately 500 teachers working for California Virtual Academies will no longer be at-will employees who can be dismissed for almost any reason. Their average salary will rise to just over $45,000, according to union estimates, a figure that remains far below the norm for traditional public school teachers. Still, it is an improvement over the previous average of $38,000. The accord also places a limit on the number of students each teacher is responsible for monitoring in online homeroom classes. Were very satisfied with the gains we made, said teacher Brianna Carroll, president of California Virtual Educators United. I think were going to see some extraordinary changes in our schools. According to Carroll, teachers at California Virtual Academies better known as CAVA had grown frustrated with the organizations foot-dragging and were making preparations to go on strike when CAVAs leadership agreed to the deal. CAVA and K12, the Virginia-based for-profit company linked to its schools, did not immediately respond to an email Tuesday asking for comment. The network currently operates nine virtual charter schools across California. In 2016, the charter network agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle claims of false advertising, misleading parents and inadequate instruction. The state attorney generals office had also accused K12 of controlling the charters for its own financial benefit. Neither CAVA nor K12 admitted to wrongdoing in the settlement. A year later, the state imposed a $2-million fine on CAVA after an audit found that it had misspent public funds. The network disputed the findings. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement School board approves a new formula for funding high-need schools By Sonali Kohli L.A. schools will soon get more money if they are located in neighborhoods with such problems as high levels of gun violence and asthma. The Los Angeles Unified school board voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt a new formula to determine how to dole out some funding to schools, based not only on the characteristics of the student populations but on the traumas that affect the communities around campuses. The new formula will be applied to $25 million in funding next fiscal year and about $263 million annually in future years a small part of the districts $7.5 billion annual budget. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Protesters demand Ref Rodriguez resignation outside school board meeting By Sonali Kohli Students, parents, teachers and UTLA marching outside the board meeting chanting "Ref resign" pic.twitter.com/W0LRWZSIXY Sonali Kohli (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 A few dozen parents, students and teachers marched outside the Los Angeles Unified School Board meeting Tuesday, some calling for board member Ref Rodriguez to resign the week after news broke that he was taken into custody on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena bar and restaurant. Rodriguez was not cited or charged in that incident, but was held for more than five and a half hours before being released. The school board member faces felony and misdemeanor charges for political money laundering. He is accused of getting more than two dozen people people to donate to his campaign for his school board seat with the understanding that he would reimburse them. He stepped down from his post as school board president after he was charged last fall, but he did not give up his seat on the board. He has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of conspiracy, perjury, and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, as well as 25 misdemeanor counts related to the alleged campaign money laundering. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May. He cant give his full focus to our students, said Rebecca LaFond, a Highland Park parent whose three children marched with her as she chanted, Ref resign. One daughter marched in front of her, using a drum stick to hit the bottom of a gallon-size empty water jug. Our kids deserve someone who has the utmost ethical standards representing them, LaFond said. The protests continued into the board meeting, where some addressed Rodriguez directly, calling on him to step down during public comment portions of the meeting. Rodriguez, through his chief of staff, declined to comment. Some parents outside the board meeting did not know about the charges against Rodriguez but came out to protest the possibility of sharing their school campuses with charter schools. Protesters also oppose colocation not all of the parents are here to ask Ref Rodriguez to step down pic.twitter.com/1Co8zQ9zSi Sonali Kohli (@Sonali_Kohli) April 10, 2018 Cynthia Martinez said her son, who goes to Christopher Dena Elementary School in Boyle Heights, has been bullied in the past by students from a charter school sharing the campus. She said she didnt know who Rodriguez was. Some parents and teachers are worried about losing computer labs, robotics rooms and fitness centers if they are required to share their campus with charter schools, said Ilse Escobar, a parent community organizer for United Teachers Los Angeles. The issues of Rodriguez and colocation are related, Escobar said. Rodriguez is part of a majority on the school board elected with financial backing from charter school supporters, and many parents, she said, feel that the school board is compromised if he is a part of it. Staff reporter Howard Blume contributed to this post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Delaine Eastin tries to gain momentum in the California governors race, one voter at a time By Seema Mehta Delaine Eastin was a sophomore in high school when a drama teacher urged her to try out for a part in The Man Who Came to Dinner. She hesitated until he told her: This is a metaphor for your whole life. If you never try out, you will never get the part. Eastin auditioned and won the role. Decades later, the advice sticks with the former state schools chief, this time in her unlikely run for governor. Despite calls for more women in leadership roles in state politics following sexual misconduct allegations in Sacramento, Eastin has been largely overlooked in the race, lagging far behind her Democratic rivals in fundraising and the polls. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Arizona high court rejects in-state tuition for DACA recipients By Associated Press Young immigrants granted deferred deportation status under a program started by President Obama are not eligible for lower in-state college tuition, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled Monday. The unanimous ruling will affect at least 2,000 students attending the states largest community college district and hundreds more at other colleges and the states three public universities. The Maricopa County Community Colleges District and state universities said they would begin raising tuition immediately for the coming school year. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New York high school students injured when bus strikes overpass By Associated Press A charter bus carrying teenagers returning from a spring break trip Sunday night struck a bridge overpass on Long Island, seriously injuring six passengers and mangling the entire length of the top of the bus. The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday on the Southern State Parkway in Lakeview, according to New York State Police. One of the six injured passengers had very serious injuries, said State Police Maj. David Candelaria. Thirty-seven other passengers suffered minor injuries. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Some good news for California in national student test scores By Joy Resmovits National test scores for fourth- and eighth-graders were generally flat from 2015, but eighth-grade reading scores showed some improvement. Every two years, the nations fourth- and eighth-graders are tested in math and reading and newly released results from last years tests give California at least a little reason to be pleased. The 2017 results out Monday night were mostly flat nationwide compared with 2015, though the average score in eighth-grade reading went up. But while that improvement largely came from the increased scores of the highest-performing students, California eighth-graders showed some reading progress from the lowest levels to the highest. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Under state control, Inglewood school districts financial picture worsened By Anna M. Phillips When Eugenio Villa agreed to return to the Inglewood schools for a second tour last summer, he knew the district remained one of Californias most troubled. Inglewood Unified had been nearly insolvent when it was taken over by the state Department of Education in 2012. Six years later, its enrollment was still declining. Its school buildings were tired some edging into decrepitude. Its test scores and graduation rates were still below the state average. And the public was out of patience. Still, Villa, who had signed back on as the districts chief business official, was shocked at what he found when he arrived in June 2017. Two years earlier, he had left the school system on what he thought was firm ground. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Charter school group drops two lawsuits against L.A. Unified By Howard Blume A charter schools advocacy group last week announced that it would end two long-running lawsuits in which it was seeking more classroom space and construction money from the Los Angeles school district. The decision, the California Charter Schools Assn. said, reflects better relations between charter schools and the L.A. Unified School District. But the move also suggests that the litigation, which already contributed to significant gains for area charters, was unlikely to produce much more. It takes time, money and effort to litigate, said Ricardo Soto, general counsel for the charter group. Maybe its better to see if we can find the time and opportunity for collaboration. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print L.A. school board member Ref Rodriguez is arrested on suspicion of public intoxication By Richard Winton Los Angeles school board member Ref Rodriguez was arrested recently on suspicion of being drunk in public at a Pasadena restaurant, the latest trouble for an elected official who faces political money-laundering charges. Pasadena police took Rodriguez into custody on March 16, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian. Officers arrested Rodriguez at about 4:30 p.m. at the Yard House restaurant and bar at the Paseo Mall and held him in jail for more than five-and-a-half hours. Rodriguez was ultimately released without being cited or charged, Derderian told The Times. Other details about the arrest were not available, she Police have detained two men who are accused of carjacking a pickup truck in Oxnard and leading police on a pursuit through the San Fernando Valley early Monday morning, authorities said. Around 2:45 a.m., two men one armed with a knife and one with an assault rifle approached the driver of a white Ford F-150 outside a gas station at Commercial Avenue and South Oxnard Boulevard and demanded his keys, said Oxnard Police Sgt. Brandon Ordelheide. Los Angeles police officers spotted the car at 4:53 a.m. at Van Nuys Boulevard and Moorpark Street in Sherman Oaks, said LAPD Officer Norma Eisenman, a spokeswoman. The chase began there, and after about a half-hour of erratic driving and triple-digit speeds, ended in a residential, tree-lined Reseda neighborhood. The two suspects jumped out of the car and ran into the neighborhood, according to ABC 7 news video. Advertisement Police detained one man soon after he jumped out of the car, then established a perimeter around the neighborhood to look for the second, said LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez, a spokesman. Police closed a number of streets near a mobile home park as they searched for the suspects. The search was conducted between Victory Boulevard, Wilbur Avenue, Kittridge Street and Vanalden Avenue, Eisenman said. A second man was detained around 10:50 a.m. and the area was no longer on lockdown as of 11:10 a.m., Ramirez said. Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, a school serving about 2,000 students grades 4-12, is blocks from the neighborhood. No schools were affected by the incident and the Sherman Oaks school was open Monday, L.A. Unified spokeswoman Barbara Jones said. Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli. UPDATES: 11:35 a.m.: This story was updated with information about a second person being taken into custody. This story was originally published at 7 a.m. As Los Angeles County prosecutors pieced together their murder case against Robert Durst the eccentric New York real estate scion accused of killing his best friend Susan Berman in 2000 they followed a path that led to the opposite coast and decades into the past. Another devastated family. Another police investigation. Another woman close to Durst: his first wife, Kathleen, who disappeared in New York in 1982. The fates of both women, prosecutors argue, are intrinsically connected. Their theory: Durst killed Berman to keep her from telling authorities what she knew about his involvement in his wifes disappearance. Although her body has never been recovered, prosecutors and Kathleens family believe she was slain by her husband. Durst was never charged in connection with her disappearance. A preliminary hearing to determine whether Durst will stand trial in Bermans slaying is scheduled to begin Monday. Berman, an author and longtime confidant, was found dead in her Benedict Canyon home on Christmas Eve in 2000. Durst, 75, has denied killing either woman. Advertisement At the heart of the prosecutions case one that relies on circumstantial evidence rests a haunting conclusion: that because Durst escaped justice in the New York slaying, he remained free to attack again. He went on to kill Berman, prosecutors say, and an elderly neighbor in Texas. Deputy Dist. Atty. John Lewin described Durst as a menace to society. But Dursts defense team has emphasized that it has never been determined that Kathie Durst was murdered. Any suggestion to the contrary by the people, the lawyers argued in a court filing, is simply not supported by the record or evidence. Dursts lead attorney, Dick DeGuerin, said he thinks his client was arrested not because of facts but because of The Jinx, a six-part HBO documentary about Durst for which he gave an extensive interview. During the final episode, the real estate magnate mutters, What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course. Some interpreted his comments, which were captured on a hot microphone, as a confession to killing Berman and his wife, as well as Morris Black, his Texas neighbor. Durst was arrested on a murder warrant for Bermans death in New Orleans on March 14, 2015, a day before the finale aired. Its not based on facts, its based on ratings, said DeGuerin, who successfully defended Durst in the Texas case. Like prosecutors, Kathleens sisters Carol Bamonte, Virginia McKeon and Mary Hughes speak about her with a certainty. To them, its not a question. Not a maybe. Advertisement When she was murdered by Bob, that was a really rough time, McKeon said in an interview last week. The hole in the heart just never gets better. Its just a sadness and an emptiness. By the time of her disappearance, the marriage between Kathleen a 29-year-old medical student a few months shy of earning her degree and Robert had deteriorated and Kathleen had started talking to a divorce lawyer. The sisters try to focus on the lighter memories on Kathleens peasant tops and her patchouli perfume. Her love of knowledge and the sound of her caroling during the holidays. They think about her fondness for children the time she spent bonding with her nephew over science fair projects and the year she crocheted a Christmas dress for her goddaughter. But they cant help but think too, about their mother and how the loss wrecked her, or about some of their final conversations with Kathleen, ranting phone calls that signaled something was off. Advertisement And their frustration doesnt stop with Durst. Last year, the family filed a lawsuit against the New York Police Department, arguing that officers failed to conduct a meaningful investigation into Kathleens disappearance and let the case stagnate from the beginning. The NYPD did not return a request for comment. The family is grateful for the trial in Los Angeles and firmly believes prosecutors will prove Berman was killed because Durst wanted to cover up Kathleens killing, said Robert Abrams, whose firm, Abrams Fensterman, represents the family. Advertisement The one lingering question will be why Robert Durst was never prosecuted in New York, Abrams said. We believe very strongly there was a massive cover-up to shield Robert Durst and others who were involved in Kathies disappearance and murder. Lawyers representing New York City filed a response characterizing the lawsuit as sensational allegations, and stating that the investigation into Kathleens disappearance remains open. Police are still following up leads, including one received in November, the lawyers wrote. The effort by Los Angeles prosecutors to highlight Dursts alleged past misconduct is not unusual, especially in cases that rely on circumstantial evidence, said Edward J. Imwinkelried, a professor emeritus at UC Davis who co-wrote the annotated California Evidence Code. Although the strategy carries some risk a juror could view the allegations as rumor and innuendo Imwinkelried said it can also help prosecutors prove motive. But theres another wrinkle: The murder trial in Texas. Advertisement Durst was tried in 2003 in connection with the death of Black, the neighbor who Durst met while living in Galveston. Durst had fled to the Texas town and disguised himself as a mute woman in an effort to escape media attention after New York authorities reopened an investigation into Kathleens disappearance. Durst admitted to shooting Black in self-defense during a violent struggle and to chopping up his body afterward. The millionaire was acquitted in the Texas case, but Los Angeles prosecutors say they believe it was murder not self-defense and that they have evidence from the case that either wasnt presented during the trial or couldve been presented more persuasively. Dursts defense team bristles at the claim, characterizing it as a clear-cut example of double jeopardy. (During the Texas trial, attorneys argued that Durst was in a traumatized state when he dismembered the body.) Although prosecutors have occasionally mentioned the Texas case during hearings in Los Angeles over the last year, much of the testimony theyve gathered focuses on Kathleen and the New York investigation into her disappearance, which prosecutors have argued was incompetent. At one hearing last year, Michael Struk, the retired New York police detective who led the investigation, made a bombshell revelation: Hed had sex with a witness. He got a phone call from a witness asking him to search a location, he said, adding that when he arrived two people were present. One then left and the other a woman who wasnt identified made a sexual advance. Advertisement I went along, Struk said, adding that he knew it was improper. The detective also testified that hed accepted Neil Diamond tickets from a witness and spent the night on the couch at the home of one of Kathleens friends, after attending a party where hed hoped to gather information on the case. Struk said in hindsight there were many things he wished had been done differently but largely defended the investigation. He said that although he eventually came to the conclusion that Durst killed his wife, it was a tough case because he believed shed been killed outside the city and there was no actual crime scene within the NYPDs jurisdiction. Lewin asked Struk if he was reluctant to accept responsibility for mistakes in the investigation because he thought that if hed done a better job Berman and Black would still be alive. Advertisement I certainly sit here today and wish we had done other things, he answered. The prosecutor persisted, asking if he felt responsible for the deaths. No, sir, Struk said. DeGuerin has argued that the New York investigation was thorough and that his client wasnt charged with a crime there because hes innocent. Advertisement Other witnesses have testified about the tumultuous relationship between Kathleen and Robert Durst. James Harney, a retired New York state trooper, testified that while investigating Kathleens missing person case in 1982, he spoke to a doctor at a Bronx hospital who told him that in the weeks before her disappearance, Kathleen was treated for abrasions to the face, adding that it had possibly been the result of an assault by her husband. No police report had been filed at the time, Harney noted. The trooper said that when interviewed, Durst became concerned that we knew about this incident. At another hearing, retired New York City Police Det. James Varian, who canvassed the couples apartment complex shortly after Kathleen vanished, testified that neighbors told him Kathleen feared her husband wanted to kill her. Advertisement The neighbors recounted an incident, Varian said, in which Kathleen begged to come inside their apartment, where she spent two hours sitting in the bathroom. Kathleen claimed her husband beat her and owned a gun, Varian said, relying on a report he wrote at the time. Durst discussed the incident in audio commentary for All Good Things, a lightly fictionalized account of his life. He described the movies interpretation of the scene, which shows the character loosely based on Kathleen looking terrified as she knocks on the neighbors window, begging to come in, as more or less accurate. It was pouring and we were having a wrestling, shoving-type fight, Durst recalled, adding that his wife told the neighbors she was afraid to come home. Dursts defense team has signaled they will challenge the admission of much of the testimony. Advertisement The preliminary hearing is expected to take two or three days, prosecutors said, but Durst will be in court all week, as the lawyers also plan to gather testimony from witnesses. marisa.gerber@latimes.com For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber Mayor Eric Garcetti wants to reward Los Angeles neighborhoods that accept temporary homeless shelters by performing more encampment sweeps in those communities than in areas resistant to the housing. The mayors proposal, to be announced in his State of the City speech Monday, would pay for additional city cleaning crews and police services in communities that agree to find room for trailers, tents and other shorter-term shelter for people living on the street. I will give rewards to those communities that say yes first, Garcetti said in an interview last week. Theyll get more help cleaning up. Theyll get more funds. The first people to step up and say, We do want to solve this in our own neighborhood, will see those funds flow first. The proposal comes as Garcetti and City Council members want to overcome the not-in-my-backyard battles over homeless services or shelters that have erupted in Venice, San Pedro and, more recently, Orange County. Advertisement Garcettis proposed budget for the next fiscal year, expected to be released Thursday, allocates $20 million for temporary shelters in the citys 15 council districts. That money would be divided equally, with each district to receive about $1.3 million. But City Council members would lose that money if it isnt committed by January 2019 to be spent on shelters, which could consist of trailers, large tents, unused buildings or safe parking programs. If a City Council member doesnt commit the money by January, the funds would go back into a pool that other City Council members can use to pay for shelters. To smooth the way for the shelters, the mayor plans to sign an emergency shelter declaration Tuesday that would loosen zoning rules, allowing for quick construction, Garcettis deputy chief of staff Matt Szabo said Friday. We have no intention to force projects on any district or in any location, but we are confident that there is sufficient consensus that we need these projects, Szabo said. Everybody has to be part of the solution. Garcetti, who was in Iowa over the weekend as he considers a presidential run, wants to end street homelessness by 2028 and halve the unsheltered population in next five years. The city and the county are beginning to spend the voter-approved funds on new homeless housing and services, but there is growing urgency to help the citys unsheltered population, which stands at 25,237, according to the latest count. There is also mounting frustration with the tents and tarps that dot the city sidewalks, freeway underpasses and alleyways. A program to clean encampments had nearly 6,000 pending requests through early February. City Council members will debate Garcettis shelter proposal in the coming weeks. Advertisement The city is still discussing the plan with the county, which would help oversee services at the shelters, Szabo said. The goal is to shelter up to 100 people in each district, either at one location or several sites. Homeless-service providers are more successful placing people in shelters in areas where they already live, he said. Separately, the city has set a goal of building 222 new permanent supportive housing units in each council district. The shelter program is modeled after Garcettis planned trailer compound on a city-owned parking lot near Olvera Street. The trailers are scheduled to open this summer and hold beds, toilets, showers, and mental health services. Szabo said the city will try to prevent street encampments from forming again in communities that agree to host the new shelters. We wont allow for reencampment in those targeted areas. Advertisement The encampment cleanups are controversial, with homeless people complaining that their belongings have been taken away. Officials say the sweeps are necessary to protect against diseases, including hepatitis A, and to keep public walkways clear. Under the mayors proposal, neighborhoods that accept shelters would get extra sanitation crews and HOPE teams. The Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement teams, led by the LAPD, offer shelter and services to camp residents. Stuart Waldman, president of the business group Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., praised the mayors homelessness goals but questioned whether neighborhoods would support the plan. We have trouble getting community support for 100-unit apartment buildings, so I cant imagine them supporting camps that size, Waldman said. Advertisement Councilman Mike Bonin said the mayors proposal marks a significant financial investment to get people off the street, and a shift in city strategy. The only way to reduce encampments is to provide alternatives, he said. Its either shelter or sidewalks. The city has an alarming lack of shelters for the street population, Szabo said. There is virtually nothing available on the Westside, there is virtually nothing available in the Valley, each and every night. If there is any availability, its generally in the skid row area, he said. Garcettis proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-19 also allocates $429 million toward homelessness, compared with about $180 million budgeted last year. Advertisement The majority of the increase is revenue from Proposition HHH, a voter-backed bond measure to fund the construction of permanent supportive housing. Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this report. dakota.smith@latimes.com Twitter: @dakotacdsmith Mayor Eric Garcetti, fresh off a trip to Iowa to test the waters for a presidential run, delivered a State of the City address Monday that billed Los Angeles as a thriving, progressive metropolis that has hiked the minimum wage, snagged the Olympics, invested in its subway system and is tackling big issues such as climate change and gun violence. WATCH LIVE: Mayor Garcetti delivers the 2018 State of the City speech>> I want to say to anyone who wants to understand who Americans are: Dont look to D.C. come to L.A., Garcetti said, heralding an era of growth and of change in L.A. But the most pressing issue in Los Angeles, by far, is the tens of thousands of people bedding down on its streets. Advertisement In his City Hall speech, Garcetti announced that he would commit $20 million for emergency shelters to help get people out of squalid encampments that have popped up across the city, part of an overall increase in homelessness spending. The mayor detailed his plan to fund new tents, trailers and other forms of emergency shelter a program he is calling A Bridge Home as he seeks to rally communities to confront the greatest moral and humanitarian crisis of our time. The new program marks a shift for Garcetti, whose administration has focused chiefly on building housing rather than temporary shelters, an approach backed by many homeless advocacy groups. His proposal is an acknowledgment that the city has been unable to keep pace with the number of people falling into homelessness. We need to stand up more emergency shelters fast and we need to do it now shelters that serve as a rest stop on the path to permanent housing, Garcetti told the crowd of politicians, business representatives, union leaders and neighborhood advocates gathered in the City Council chambers. Proposition HHH, the $1.2-billion voter-backed bond, will help build supportive housing over the next 10 years, but homeless Angelenos cant wait years to get off the streets. We need more options for bringing them inside now, Garcetti said. In all, Garcetti said his budget would put nearly $430 million toward the crisis next fiscal year, including more than $238 million generated by the housing bond that voters approved a year and a half ago. The mayor also plans to speed up shelter applications and sign an emergency declaration allowing the city to bypass red tape that slows construction, he announced Monday. The mayor also reiterated a frequent refrain that across California, homelessness isnt an issue, homelessness is the issue. Homelessness has become the defining challenge for Garcetti, one that looms especially large as the 47-year-old Democrat flirts with running for president and travels to South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa. For politicians who prefer clear and resounding victories, it is a nettlesome issue, one that several in City Hall have quietly compared to the Vietnam War. Advertisement If Garcetti runs for president, you can imagine the commercials that they will show in Iowa or New Hampshire, said Bill Parent, a UCLA lecturer in public policy. By the time the primary is over, people in Iowa are going to be able to draw maps of skid row. Garcettis new proposal comes amid growing pressure inside and outside City Hall to come up with solutions. Two councilmen had urged the city to come up with a plan to shelter everyone on the streets by December, lamenting in February that there was scant evidence of any progress toward fixing the tattered shelter system. Activists have staged protests and camped outside City Hall to push for urgent action to shelter homeless women. And neighborhood groups have become increasingly agitated about the blight and chaos stemming from sprawling encampments. A program to clean encampments had nearly 6,000 pending requests through early February. Advertisement The first time that Garcetti delivered a State of the City address, in 2014, he did not mention homelessness. The following year, it came up only briefly, as he touted that the city would end homelessness among veterans by the end of the year. But Garcetti ended up repeatedly delaying that goal, first to the following summer, then to the end of that year, and then indefinitely as overall homelessness continued to soar. He recently has been touting his latest goal: ending street homelessness by 2028. UCLA professor emeritus of law Gary Blasi was skeptical of the new effort, saying that if Garcetti truly wants to create effective shelters, they must address the needs of homeless people, not those of neighbors wanting them off the street. Virtually all the existing shelters are not a rational choice for people living in encampments, Blasi said. Im concerned that this is an effort to manage the image of homelessness in Los Angeles for political reasons. Advertisement But some advocates praised the plan. Mel Tillekeratne, executive director of the skid row homeless provider Monday Night Mission, said Garcetti should advocate personally for each proposed shelter project to ease local opposition. He is the one the community will respond to, Tillekeratne said. Whenever there is a major community meeting, he needs to show up and back up the council members. In a meeting later with The Times editorial board, Garcetti said he plans to personally advocate for the shelters. Advertisement Other than his $20-million plan for shelters, the mayor included few sweeping policy proposals in his speech. He announced that Hawthorne-based SpaceX will start work on a rocket at the Port of Los Angeles. As he contemplates entering the 2020 presidential race, Garcetti frequently contrasted Los Angeles to Washington in his speech, challenging the nations leadership on job creation, the environment and guns. In the last five years, the mayor said, Los Angeles has helped create more green jobs than the coal jobs in the nation that we have lost over the same amount of time. He also talked up the citys efforts to curb gun violence with new laws including one that requires gun owners to lock up their weapons. Advertisement The conversation on gun violence seems to have stalled out in Washington, where our national leaders are acting like teenagers or toddlers, Garcetti said. Wait, thats not fair to teenagers or toddlers, especially when teenagers are providing the leadership that our elected leaders arent showing right now. Despite the mayors optimistic outlook, a coalition of community groups and labor unions held their own Peoples State of the City on the steps of City Hall immediately after his speech, calling on Garcetti to hire more employees to boost city services. Dozens of people stood holding up signs, flanked by placards of rutted streets and broken sidewalks. The real state of the union here, look at the pictures the real state of the union is that neighborhoods like mine in Watts, in South L.A., still dont have vital city services, said Timothy McDaniel, a member of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. Advertisement Mr. Mayor, how do you expect to be president and fix our community when you havent fixed L.A.? South Los Angeles resident Beverly Roberts said to shouts of approval from the crowd. dakota.smith@latimes.com Twitter: @dakotacdsmith emily.alpert@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @alpertreyes UPDATES: 4:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reaction. 12:45 p.m.: This article has been updated with a comment from UCLA professor emeritus of law Gary Blasi. Advertisement 12:15 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details from the speech. This article was originally published at 10 a.m. The check-in area of Terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport was evacuated for about an hour late Sunday after a man made a bomb threat, authorities said. The bomb squad was called to the terminal about 8:30 p.m. after airport police received a report of a man who had made a threat, said Officer Alicia Hernandez of the Los Angeles Airport Police Department. He had some property with him, though it was unclear if it was a suitcase or another type of bag. The bomb squad cleared the threat about 9:30 p.m. and allowed people to reenter the terminal. The man was undergoing a mental health evaluation, Hernandez said. Advertisement alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek China's renewable energy consumption is expanding rapidly, with an expected rise of 9.5 percent per year from 2016 until 2040, according to a BP report. China is expected to account for 31 percent of global renewable energy consumption by 2040, according to the "BP Energy Outlook 2018" report released in Beijing Wednesday. A Chinese scientist from SINOPEC Research Institute of Petroleum Processing (RIPP) shows the cooking oil-blended aviation fuel, right, and used cooking fuel at a research base in Beijing, China, 20 November 2017.[Photo: IC] BP publishes its energy outlook annually to examine and discuss potential energy demand based on assumptions about future changes in policy, technology, and the economy. China's energy mix continues to evolve, with coal's dominance predicted to decline from 62 percent in 2016 to 36 percent in 2040, and natural gas is expected to nearly double to 13 percent by 2040, according to the report. The share of renewable energy is forecast to rise from 3 percent in 2016 to 18 percent in 2040. As China transitions to a more sustainable pattern of growth, its energy needs change, the report said. The country's changing energy mix is driven by its shifting economic structure and its commitment to moving to cleaner, lower carbon fuels. The expansion in renewable energy is broad-based, with China and other parts of the developing world taking over from the EU as the main engine of growth, according to the outlook. The search for the Santa Clarita family of four whose vehicle plunged into a Northern California river more than a week ago has entered a new and tragic chapter. Authorities have discovered the familys maroon Honda Pilot, which had veered off the 101 Freeway and plunged into the Eel River, near Leggett, the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office announced Monday. Inside the vehicle, which was recovered Sunday, were the bodies of 41-year-old Sandeep Thottapilly and his 9-year-old daughter, Saachi. Two days earlier, the body of 38-year-old Soumya Thottapilly was pulled from the river. On Monday afternoon, the body of 12-year-old Siddhant Thottapilly was found submerged in the river about six miles north of the crash site. The Valencia family had visited Portland, Ore., and was traveling to a friends home in San Jose on April 6, authorities said. Shortly after 1 p.m. that day, a Honda Pilot matching the description of the one the family was driving, was reported to be submerged in the river. Advertisement The driver was pulling over to the side of the road amid heavy rain just before the vehicle went over the edge. The driver may have misjudged where the road ended, according to the California Highway Patrol. Authorities have said the stretch of highway that runs through the rural area gets particularly windy and that the embankment is heavily forested and drops 50 to 100 feet down. The womans body was found in the water by authorities searching the river by boat, Mendocino County Sheriff-Coroner Thomas Allman said. Authorities, who originally had said the body was a childs, anticipate that an autopsy will be performed early next week. The body was found 7 miles away from the crash site a fact that did not surprise Allman. This river at the flood stage is unforgiving, he said. Hampered initially by heavy rainfall, search crews were unable to locate the vehicle, but did find automobile parts as well as personal items. Those items were positively identified as belonging to the Thottapilly family by relatives, authorities said. Rescue workers continued to search for the vehicle and its occupants. They have been using CHP helicopters, boats equipped with sonar, kayaks, river boards, jet skis and dive teams, authorities said. At about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, a boating team noticed the smell of gasoline coming from the water roughly one-half mile north of the reported crash site, the Sheriffs Office said. Searchers began to probe the water and located a vehicle approximately 4 to 6 feet underwater. When divers entered the water, they felt what they believed to be a person inside of the vehicle. Advertisement Visibility was extremely poor, according to a department press release. And divers noted the vehicle was encased in a large amount of sediment from the river current. Several hours later, at about 6:30 p.m., the vehicle was partially removed from the Eel River by use of a tow truck. It was then that the two bodies were found. The Eel River dumps into the Pacific Ocean, and search crews will continue to explore all the way to the rivers mouth if they have to, Allman said. Law enforcement resources have been stretched, Allman said, due to searchers and investigation related to the Washington state Hart family of eight, whose vehicle plunged off a Mendocino County cliff into the Pacific Ocean surf last month. CHP Capt. Bruce Carpenter said the two incidents, probably involving 12 fatalities, are unprecedented for this county. Advertisement Our hearts go out to these families, Carpenter said. For more California breaking news, follow @AngelJennings. She can also be reached at angel.jennings@latimes.com. UPDATES: 9:40 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that the fourth member of the missing family was found. Advertisement This article was originally published at 12:40 p.m. Authorities are expected to discuss the arrest of a 28-year-old man in connection with a fire at a commercial Studio City building, where two people died and two were critically injured. Police will hold a press conference outside LAPD headquarters on Monday at 3:30 p.m. They have been tight-lipped about why they believe Eferem Demery, who was booked shortly after midnight Sunday and is being held without bail, is responsible for the deaths. (Police originally spelled his first name differently, but he was booked under the name Eferem). Police have not released a possible motive. The one-story commercial building has about a dozen recording studios, which are used around the clock, police said. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as they fled from the dark, soundproof studios. Advertisement The cause of death of the victims was pending as of Monday morning, said Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County coroners office. Police would not provide updates Monday morning on the status of the two injured people. (Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times ) Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli. As crews demolished a shuttered nuclear weapons plant during 2017 in central Washington, specks of plutonium were swept up in high gusts and blown miles across a desert plateau above the Columbia River. The releases at the Department of Energy cleanup site spewed unknown amounts of plutonium dust into the environment, coated private automobiles with the toxic heavy metal and dispensed lifetime internal radioactive doses to 42 workers. For the record: An earlier version of this article said that work was stopped five years ago on a $16.8-billion waste treatment plant. Work did stop on key parts of the plant, but there were portions that continued to operate. The contamination events went on for nearly 12 months, getting progressively worse before the project was halted in mid-December. Now, state health and environmental regulators, Energy Department officials and federal safety investigators are trying to figure out what went wrong and who is responsible. Signs remind visitors approaching the B Reactor on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in south-central Washington in 2016. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times ) Advertisement The events at the Hanford Site, near the Tri-Cities area of Richland, Pasco and Kennewick, vividly demonstrate the consequences when a radioactive cleanup project spirals out of control. The mess has dealt the Department of Energys nuclear weapons environmental management program yet another setback, following more than a decade of engineering miscalculations across the nation. Energy Department officials said in a statement that workers received only a tiny fraction of the plutonium exposure that is allowed by regulations, and there should be no threat to their health. They declined requests for interviews. If the current investigations substantiate that statement, it would be fortuitous. They are not in control, John Martell, the Washington Department of Health official who oversees radioactive air emissions, said about the Energy Department and its contractors. We want them to stop before they do become a public health threat. Tom Carpenter, executive director of the watchdog group Hanford Challenge, asserts that the demolition project used too many unskilled workers, attempted to do the work too fast and failed to adopt known safety measures that would have helped contain the contamination. They took shortcuts and stupid risks, Carpenter said. They gambled and lost. The mishap occurred at one of the nations most radioactively contaminated buildings, known as the Plutonium Finishing Plant. The factory, which opened in 1949 a few miles from the Columbia River, supplied plutonium for thousands of U.S. nuclear weapons before it was shut down in 1989. It was the notorious site where Harold McCluskey, later known as the Atomic Man, survived a 1976 explosion in which he was exposed to 500 times the occupational limit for radioactivity. The exposures from the plutonium releases last year were minuscule by comparison, estimated to be a small fraction of the background radiation that every human gets from nature. But unlike cosmic radiation or radon gas, plutonium can lodge itself inside the body and deliver tissue damaging alpha particles over a lifetime. Advertisement Union officials say they can accept the health risk of working next to contaminated equipment, but not an uptake of plutonium when eating lunch or driving home in a car after protective gear is off. It is very upsetting because they dont [care], said one exposed worker who would speak only on condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation. He said he was not given a kit to test for plutonium exposure until he asked for one in early December. They have no clue how I was exposed, he said. I look at it down the road and am mentally worried about it. It is emitting energy into my bones. Plus it is a poison. My wife is worried. My kids listen to the news and know what happened. I have to put it off in front of them as no big deal. The price tag for cleaning up nuclear waste at Hanford site just went up another $4.5 billion Advertisement In their statement, Energy Department officials said they are concerned about any health consequences, long-term or short-term, that any of the workers on site face at any time. We are addressing workers concerns by being as open and transparent with our workers as possible about what we are doing to stabilize the situation. Another longtime employee at the Plutonium Finishing Plant, or PFP, who met with a Times reporter, said the operation was out of control even before the demolition began. As workers removed equipment to prepare for walls to be torn down, air monitoring alarms sounded almost every day, he said. Workers were subjected to repeated nasal smears to determine if they had breathed plutonium dust, he said. Nobody wanted to work at PFP, he said. People who had been working at Hanford for 30 years were getting out, saying this is insane. And as the project fell behind schedule, many of the workers were compelled to put in as many as 90 hours a week, he said. Advertisement Everything we were told to do at work began to deviate from the plan, he said. Seven employee automobiles were contaminated at the plant site, according to a Jan. 9 letter from the state Department of Ecology to Doug Shoop, the federal site chief at Hanford. When one worker demanded that his contaminated car be purchased because vent ducts were potentially still contaminated, Energy Department contractors nixed it and offered him a coupon for a free detailing from a car wash, according to collective bargaining grievance records cited by union officials. The account was confirmed by two other employees. An even more serious concern was the potential for the workers to have contaminated their homes after leaving work. The Energy Department dispatched teams to take samples in eight private homes and found no contamination, a Hanford Site spokesman said in a statement. The demolition, costing $57 million, was being conducted by one of the nations largest engineering firms, CH2M, a unit of Texas-based Jacobs Engineering. CH2M is now under federal investigation for the releases, according to a letter sent by the Energy Departments enforcement office in late March. Advertisement A spokesman for the company declined to comment and referred questions to the Energy Departments Hanford Site office. In March, the company released a preliminary analysis of the contamination and blamed it on a half dozen factors, including a fixative that was supposed to bind the dust but was too diluted to work properly and a decision to accelerate demolition when the contamination seemed to be stable. The Energy Department plan for the demolition originally required the contractor to remove debris as it accumulated. But in January 2017, just before the first releases, officials authorized CH2M to allow the debris to pile up, according to a monthly site report by an inspector for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, an independent agency. In fact, workers at the plant said the demolition site was ringed by 8-foot-tall piles of radioactive debris with little to prevent dust from blowing off. Not long after, the first plutonium was detected. Another series of dispersals occurred in June, which resulted in a short work stoppage. The workers at the plant said radiation alarms sounded throughout the facility, resulting in a chaotic mass evacuation. And then in December, a three-day series of dispersals was recorded and became the basis for what is now a four-month shutdown of the project. Advertisement December was the most serious, said Martell, the Health Department chief for radioactive air emissions. Part of the reason we issued the letter was that events were growing in seriousness. The December event was the trigger. Alex Smith, who oversees the Hanford Site for the state Department of Ecology and shares oversight responsibility with the state Department of Health, said the decision to allow debris to accumulate probably increased the risk that winds could transport the dust. Plutonium was detected by monitors and collection plates about two miles away, near a public road, and potentially 10 miles away. Washingtons two senators sent a letter to the Energy Department on Dec. 22, expressing grave concern about the releases. Congressional staff say the contamination is not surprising because the Energy Department offers bonuses to contractors if they meet tight schedules. But there are no bonuses for preventing worker contamination or preventing releases to the environment, they say. The problems at the Plutonium Finishing Plant were not an isolated event at Hanford, which has struggled with its cleanup for more than a decade. Advertisement Work was stopped five years ago on key parts of a $16.8-billion waste treatment plant that is supposed to turn 56 million gallons of radioactive sludge into glass. Technical deficiencies in its design are still being studied, while delays mount. Several years ago, the Energy Department pushed back the full startup by 17 years to 2039, though it hopes to begin treating some less radioactive waste by 2022. Last year, a tunnel that stored railroad cars full of contaminated equipment collapsed. The Energy Department pumped the 358-foot long tunnel full of a concrete mixture. A decision is pending about what to do with a second storage tunnel 1,688 feet long. The state attorney general, along with Hanford Challenge and a union, is suing the Energy Department for venting noxious gases from underground waste tanks over recent years, sickening workers. Smith, the Ecology manager, said a lot of cleanup progress has been made at Hanford. Hundreds of buildings have been torn down. Much of the soil along the banks of the Columbia River has been cleaned up enough for any future use. And the sites nine nuclear reactors have been put in stable condition. Advertisement The Columbia River as it flows through the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state in 2016. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times ) But the well-publicized problems have put state officials on edge about contamination that would affect public health. One of factors that helped reduce the risks of the release is the relative isolation of the Plutonium Finishing Plant, which is deep inside the 586-square-mile Hanford Site. But other contaminated facilities scheduled for demolition border the Columbia River and are close to residential communities and fields that grow grapes, potatoes and corn. One of those facilities, known as 324 Building, was used to extract plutonium from spent fuel, said Robert Alvarez, a former assistant secretary of Energy and a longtime critic of the cleanup. The facility has civilian waste from Germany, sent as part of a research project, as well as large amounts of radioactive waste that was placed in unlined burial pits, he said. Records of what lies in the pits were destroyed in 1988, he said. When the demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant will resume is unclear, along with who can authorize it. In a statement to The Times, Energy Department Press Secretary Shaylyn Hynes said, The decision to stop work at the site was made on site by the contractor. But letters by state health, ecology and U.S. Environmental Protection Administration officials over the last several months indicate they issued a stop-work order that applies until they determine that the work can be conducted safely. Advertisement The Energy Department statement said it opted to demolish the plant in open air, because it is a proven safe method. But now, the statement said, it is looking for lessons learned from the releases. State officials, meanwhile, are asking for additional safety measures, potentially a temporary tent or other structure over the plant. John A. Christian, a veteran of nuclear demolition projects at EnergySolutions who was not involved in the Plutonium Finishing Plant demolition, said such containment structures have been used at the cleanup of the Energy Departments Rocky Flats plant in Colorado and at an Idaho National Laboratory site. In the most extreme circumstance, he said, you put a building over the building. All of the dust and debris is contained inside and it is removed through an air lock. ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com Advertisement Follow me on Twitter @rvartabedian Its too early to say for sure, but it could be that the free market will wind up doing what Congress refuses to do: tighten access to firearms and stand up to companies that make and sell assault-style weapons. Bank of America announced last week that it will no longer finance companies that make the kinds of combat-style semiautomatic rifles that have been used to such deadly effect in mass shootings. Last month, Citigroup Inc. announced that it would prohibit clients using its financial services and credit cards from selling firearms to customers who have not passed a background check, or who are younger than 21, even when neither of those things are required by law. It also now refuses to do business with clients who sell bump stocks the device the Las Vegas sniper used to convert his semiautomatic rifles into ersatz machine guns and high-capacity magazines. Those banking sector moves followed policy changes among some major retailers, such as Walmart and Dicks Sporting Goods, to end sales of some guns in their stores and tighten restrictions on sales of others. There is no persuasive argument against universal background checks, yet the spineless leaders in Congress refuse to take action. The immediate genesis of all this, of course, was the Valentines Day slaughter of 17 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students and staff members in Parkland, Fla., the furious backlash by the survivors through social and traditional media and the ensuing nationwide March for Our Lives rallies last month that drew hundreds of thousands of protesters. The massacre and public response also have led some state and local governments to tighten controls on certain weapons and buyers. Advertisement But Congress remains stuck in the gun lobbys thoughts and prayers mode, which is why its heartening to see some major banks and retailers taking action, whether the moves are born of a humanitarian impulse or a recognition that being too close to firearms can be bad for business or some combination of the two. Next week, students around the nation will lead another public protest the National School Walkout to commemorate the April 20, 1999, Columbine school massacre in Colorado in which 13 people were killed. That mass shooting was, in retrospect, the beginning of the current wave of violent attacks on schools, often by students themselves, and often using semiautomatic firearms. In normal times, responsible adults would argue against kids cutting classes, but these are far from normal times. So we hope this next round of anti-gun and anti-violence protests is even more successful than the March for Our Lives, and that it increases pressure on elected officials to shake loose of the grip of the gun lobby and adopt sensible gun controls. That should begin with a renewed ban on assault-style weapons. Guns designed for, or patterned after, weapons of war have no place in civilian hands. Universal background checks which would stop guns from changing hands without verification that the receiver is eligible to own a firearm are clearly constitutional, and help reduce access to firearms by people even the NRA thinks ought not have them. There is no persuasive argument against universal background checks, yet the spineless leaders in Congress refuse to take action. The best proposal Congress has come up with is the so-called Fix NICS bill, a good measure that would put more weight behind existing requirements that federal agencies report to the national database the names of people ineligible to own a gun, and provide money to entice more states to do the same (because of the division between federal and state responsibilities, state reporting to the federal system is voluntary). But even if it were to pass, Fix NICS would still be a baby step. Meanwhile, a bill that would require all states to recognize any other states concealed-carry permit has passed the House, though in the wake of the Parkland shooting it hasnt gained traction in the Senate. This is an extreme and dangerous proposal that would undermine states ability to set their own restrictions on who gets to walk around armed. There must be an accounting at the ballot box for Congress failure to attend to act on such a critical public safety issue as gun control. In the meantime, its good that two banks have acted, and we hope to see more banks, retailers and others that intersect with the gun industry make similar decisions. Guns may be legal, but that doesnt wash the blood of the slain from the hands of those who manufacture and prosper from firearms. Advertisement Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook When Paul Ryan became speaker of the House 30 short months ago, he was a free trader and ardent internationalist. He supported comprehensive immigration reform and believed that the Republican Party should make sincere and ongoing overtures to minority voters. He was fiercely committed to fiscal responsibility and deficit reduction as keys to private sector-driven economic growth. To many, he represented the future of the Republican Party. Under Trump, Ryans GOP no long exists, leaving Republicans singing the old Willie Nelson song, Ive Got a Wonderful Future Behind Me. President Trumps version of Republicanism is about wall-building literally, economically and philosophically and rejects the optimistic and aspirational policy objectives that drew a generation of young conservatives like Ryan to public service. Trumps brand of populism is instead fueled by a collection of grievances, resentments and vitriol that blames others for our problems rather than empowering us to overcome them. For the past year-and-a-half, Ryan has struggled to survive in the uncomfortable role of Trumps accomplice or the even more uncomfortable role of Trumps hostage. Ryans emancipation gives the Republican Party an opportunity to build its post-Trump future. Advertisement Now he is almost free. And in the long run, Ryans emancipation from the presidents cramped and vitriolic narrative gives the Republican Party an opportunity to build its post-Trump future. In not seeking reelection to Congress, Ryan is implicitly admitting that Republicans are almost certain to lose control of the House after the November elections and that the only thing worse than being Trumps apologist as House speaker would be to serve as Trumps apologist while minority leader. The move was also a tacit acknowledgment that Ryans vision for a hopeful and inclusive conservative movement has no place in Trumps populist GOP, and that Trumps hostile takeover of the Republican Party is now complete. Holdouts such as Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) sound increasingly like the scratchy pleas of Radio Free Europe emanating from Soviet-era transistor radios. The Never-Trumpers have long since been defeated. The Trump Resistors have been routed as well. Whats left not only for Republicans but for all those who believe that a two-party system benefits democracy are the After-Trumpers, those survivors who will emerge from the wreckage in 2021 (or less likely, but still plausibly, 2025) to rebuild. A minority party has a difficult path back to power when it cannot attach tangible policies to their broader principles. The post-Obama Democrats are learning this right now. Still, it was while out of power that both parties shaped their most ambitious ideological transformations in the modern era: Bill Clintons New Democrats and Ronald Reagans Revolution. Free of the burdens of governance, both parties could be more ideologically adventurous and sharpen their objectives to create a well-defined contrast to a discredited status quo. Ryan was, once upon a time, considered the boldest conservative policy thinker of his generation. But he has been too closely tethered to Trump and torn between rival factions in the House to fashion a path forward that is true to his original ideals. Early next year, far from these maddening crowds, Ryan can join forces with fellow insurgents, objectors and iconoclasts to create a new Republican Party. For those of us who have left the GOP in recent years, that is significant cause for hope. Trumps successful takeover was largely the result of an ideological atrophy in the party over the previous decade. The defenders of the traditional GOP belatedly discovered that there was little intellectual turf left for them to defend, and Trumps forces easily conquered the remnants of a once-powerful conservative order. The immediate future, for both Trump and what is now his party, is bleak. But perhaps this upcoming time in the wilderness will enable the emergence of a new right-of-center Ryan Underground movement that helps Republicans reclaim their status as the party of ideas. Advertisement Dan Schnur worked on four Republican presidential campaigns and three GOP campaigns for governor of California. He is now a registered independent No Party Preference voter. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand 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 President Trumps longtime lawyer and hard-edged fixer, Michael Cohen, lost an early round in federal court in Manhattan on Monday as a judge ordered him to disclose the name of a celebrity client he had tried to keep secret: Fox News personality Sean Hannity. The disclosure was the latest surprise in an extraordinary court case in which the president is fighting his own Justice Department and losing so far. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood rejected a request from Trumps lawyer to issue a restraining order in the case. But she delayed her ruling on the bigger question on whether lawyers for Cohen and Trump could quash at least some of the evidence that FBI agents seized from Cohen last week despite what Trumps attorney called the highly politicized, even fevered, atmosphere that envelops this matter. Cohens lawyer, Stephen Ryan, told the court that Cohen had only three clients Trump, Elliott Broidy, a prominent Los Angeles-based Republican fundraiser, and a third whom he declined to name. Advertisement Ryan said the mystery client had asked to keep his name out of the case, and to file a legal appeal if necessary to keep his identity secret. The lawyer at one point offered to reveal the name in a sealed envelope or secret filing to the court, but Wood ordered the disclosure made in open court. I rule it must be disclosed now, she said. The clients name is Sean Hannity, Ryan said. That prompted a loud gasp in the crowded courtroom given Hannitys close ties to Trump and because he had not disclosed his association with Cohen in multiple on-air commentaries about the case, even when Cohen appeared as his guest. The lawyers did not say what legal work Cohen had performed for Hannity. Hannity later released a statement saying Cohen had never represented me in any matter, although they occasionally had brief discussions on legal questions. I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third party, he said. Hannity said Cohen never sent him a bill for legal services and he never paid Cohen for his advice. That left unclear why Cohens lawyers had said in a written submission to the court that he was Cohens client and that their communications should be considered covered by attorney-client privilege. Hannity, one of Trumps fiercest defenders, has harshly criticized the Justice Department on his Fox News show for sending FBI agents to seize evidence from Cohens New York apartment, hotel room, office and safety deposit box on April 9. Advertisement A federal magistrate had approved the search warrants as part of a months-long criminal investigation into whether Cohen violated banking and campaign finance laws. The case stemmed from a referral from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, but is under the public integrity section of the office of the United States attorney for Southern District of New York. Cohen has arranged two hush-money payments to women who claimed they had sexual affairs with Trump. He gave $130,000 to Stormy Daniels, the porn actress, and she attended the court hearing Monday, listening to the arguments without expression. Depending on what is contained within those documents, I think there is significant danger to the president, her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told reporters after the hearing. The president trusted Mr. Cohen as his fixer for years and I think the chickens are about to come home to roost. For Broidy, Cohen helped broker a $1.6-million payment to a former Playboy model with whom he had a sexual relationship. The woman became pregnant and subsequently had an abortion, Broidy said in a statement last week after the Wall Street Journal first reported Cohens role. Advertisement The bulk of the hearing focused on efforts by lawyers for Trump and Cohen to stop federal prosecutors from sifting through a trove of tax records, business documents, emails and other material that FBI agents seized in the raids last week. They argued that the evidence should be protected by attorney-client privilege. We have a situation unprecedented in the history of the U.S., Ryan said. But prosecutors said Trump had no more rights under the law than anyone else if his lawyer committed a crime. No one has given any reason why President Trumps assertion of privilege is different from that of any other citizen of the U.S., said Thomas McKay, an assistant U.S. attorney. Advertisement In court filings, the government has argued that the evidence taken from Cohen can be reviewed by a walled-off taint team of prosecutors who can judge which documents are relevant to the criminal investigation and which are not and should be kept confidential. Trumps lawyers responded that it was unreasonable to expect federal prosecutors to protect the presidents rights thus disputing the Justice Departments position. In the highly politicized, even fevered, atmosphere that envelops this matter, it is simply unreasonable to expect that a team of prosecutors, even if not directly involved in the investigation of Mr. Cohen, could perform a privilege review in the manner necessary to safeguard the important interests of the president, as the holder of the privilege, Trumps attorney, Joanna C. Hendon, wrote in a filing. Hendon argued that Trumps team should have the right to first review the seized material to delete anything they believe is privileged material involving the president. Advertisement McKay told the judge that such a process would lead to long skirmishes over individual documents and lengthy delays. Theyre going to take that inch and take a mile and slow down this ongoing criminal investigation, because its in Mr. Cohens interest to do so, he said. Wood seemed sympathetic to the prosecution view, saying she had faith in the U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan. Their integrity is unimpeachable, she said, rejecting a request from the presidents lawyer to issue a restraining order blocking prosecutors from reviewing the material. Advertisement The government will first compile all the records and give an inventory to Trump and Cohen, Wood ruled, to see what kind of volume of documents were seized. She said she would hold another hearing in several weeks to determine how to proceed. McKay said agents took 10 boxes of records, but that most of Cohens files were on computer drives that they also seized. Trump has complained bitterly about the FBI raids on Cohen, saying via Twitter on Sunday that Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past. I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned! Trump may have undermined his own argument for protecting the records when he told reporters on Air Force One two weeks ago that he wasnt aware that Cohen had paid $130,000 to the porn actress, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Prosecutors are expected to argue that Cohen wasnt acting as Trumps lawyer when he paid the money. Advertisement Cohen has said he paid the money to Daniels himself, was not reimbursed by Trump, and never told Trump what hed done. joseph.tanfani@latimes.com Twitter: @jtanfani UPDATES: Advertisement 5:40 p.m.: The story was updated throughout with new details and information. 1:20 p.m.: The story was updated with Sean Hannitys statement. 1 p.m.: The story was updated with details from the court hearing. The story was originally published at 8:30 a.m. The embattled chief of the Environmental Protection Agency broke federal law when he spent more than $43,000 of agency funds to install a soundproof telephone booth in his office, federal investigators have found. The Government Accountability Office concluded that Scott Pruitt violated the Antideficiency Act by not informing Congress before he authorized the construction of the booth, which Pruitt said was needed to deter eavesdroppers. The violation subjects Pruitt to a range of punishments that could include suspension or even dismissal. Because EPA used its appropriations in a manner specifically prohibited by law, EPA violated the Antideficiency Act, said the GAO report, which was released Monday. President Trump, who continues to back Pruitt as spending scandals swirl around him, has given little sign he is looking to discipline his environmental chief. But the GAOs finding magnifies the political problems Pruitt is creating for an administration which vows zero tolerance for corruption and self-dealing. Advertisement The $43,000 phone booth was only one of several controversial spending decisions by Pruitt, who spent more than $100,000 on first-class travel, rented a bedroom at a rate far below market value from the wife of an energy lobbyist, and gave big raises to two aides that the White House refused to approve. Investigators said such spending clearly falls in the category of needing congressional approval if it exceeds $5,000. It rejected Pruitts argument that the approval was only necessary if the costs were related to aesthetic improvements. The booth itself cost $24,570. Beyond that, the agency spent another nearly $20,000 on concrete floor leveling, ceiling installation, painting and removal of closed-circuit television equipment to accommodate its installation. Federal investigators did not opine on whether Pruitt needed such a booth. They just looked narrowly at whether he needed congressional sign-off, which they said he did. The phone booth is not the only controversial move Pruitt made without first seeking approval. The federal governments ethics chief this month scolded the agency head for not getting approval from ethics officers for his housing arrangement with the wife of an energy lobbyist until long after he had used the apartment. He called for further investigation into Pruitts spending and management. The agencys inspector general has several of its own investigations open into Pruitts use of agency funds and alleged ethical lapses. Also looking into Pruitt is the House Oversight Committee, which has asked EPA for records on his travel and housing. On Fox News Sunday, committee chair Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) mocked Pruitts rationale that he needed to fly first class in the past due to security concerns around potential confrontations with other fliers who disapprove of the administrations policies. The notion that Ive got to fly first class because I dont want people to be mean to me, you need to go into another line of work if you dont want people to be mean to you, Gowdy said. Like maybe a monk. The latest from Washington More stories from Evan Halper evan.halper@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @evanhalper President Trumps reelection campaign spent more than $1 out of every $5 on attorneys fees this year as the president contended with the ongoing special counsel investigation and a new legal challenge from an adult film star. Of the $3.9 million Trumps committee spent in the first quarter of 2018, more than $834,000 went to eight law firms and Trump Corp. for legal fees, according to Federal Election Commission records filed Sunday. The latest figures bring the Trump campaigns total spending on legal fees to nearly $4 million since the president took office, records show. In the last quarter of 2017, Trumps campaign committee spent $1.1 million in legal fees. The biggest share of legal payments in the first quarter of this year about $348,000 went to Jones Day, a law firm representing the campaign in the investigations by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and several congressional committees into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Advertisement An additional $280,000 combined was paid to two law firms Harder LLP and Larocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenberg & Blaha representing Trump and his personal attorney Michael Cohen in litigation with adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Daniels filed a lawsuit in March seeking to invalidate a 2016 agreement to keep secret a decade-old alleged sexual encounter with Trump in exchange for $130,000. The president and Cohen have filed their own lawsuit against her, threatening to seek millions in damages. The Trump campaign paid an additional $13,500 to McDermott Will & Emery, a firm that represents Cohen in the Russia investigations and a newly revealed criminal inquiry. That was a sharp drop from the previous quarter, when the campaign paid the firm nearly $215,000. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan revealed in court papers Friday that Cohen, whose office and residences were raided by the FBI last week, has been under investigation for months. The campaign also paid legal fees to Trump Corp. a company being run by Trumps two older sons and law firms Belkin, Burden, Wenig & Goldman; Schertler & Onorato; Seyfarth Shaw; and Van Hoy, Reutlinger, Adams & Dunn. In all, Trumps campaign committee and two fundraising committees that jointly raise money with the Republican National Committee Trump Victory and the Trump Make America Great Again Committee together raised nearly $20.2 million in the first quarter, filings show. That was a big increase over the last quarter of 2017, when the three committees together raised $12.5 million. Unlike his predecessors, Trump began fundraising for 2020 soon after he won the presidency. Advertisement He continues to energize small-dollar donors, FEC filings show. In the first quarter of 2018, 61% of the direct contributions to his campaign committee came from donations of $200 or less. Trumps campaign spent nearly $127,000 at the presidents private properties this year, including lodging and meeting fees at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, catering services at Trump Restaurants in New York and rent to Trump Tower in New York. The campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trump committee also paid nearly $1.7 million for digital consulting and online advertising services to Parscale Strategy, the firm of Brad Parscale, Trumps 2020 campaign manager. Parscale was the digital director of Trumps 2016 campaign. Advertisement In addition to payments from the campaign, Parscales business also received $66,647 from the two fundraising committees and $46,808 in consulting fees from the main super PAC supporting Trump, America First Action. In late March, the campaign paid $22,000 to John McEntee, who joined as senior advisor for campaign operations after he was forced out of his position as Trumps personal assistant earlier in the month. McEntee lost his White House job after an investigation found his gambling habits posed a security risk, the Washington Post reported. 3-month drive intends to further clean community environment Chinese social media giant Sina Weibo removed or blocked gay-themed content on Friday as part of a campaign to "purify" the online environment, but has triggered controversy. The main targets include pornographic, violent and gay-themed cartoons, pictures, videos and articles, as well as content such as "slash, gay, boys love and gay fictional stories," according to a notice posted by the administration account of Sina Weibo, the Chinese Twitter-like platform with more than 392 million active monthly users. The three-month campaign is intended to "further make a clean and harmonious community environment" and is "based on laws and regulations, such as the Cyber Security Law," Sina said. Earlier on Friday, Marvel fans discovered that some hashtag topics related to popular fictional "gay couples" in the cartoon and film universe have been blocked, including "Thorki" and "Stucky" which stand for "Thor/Loki" and "Steve Rogers/Bucky Barnes," respectively. Many fans tend to believe that certain characters, usually of the same sex in some movies, TV series or cartoons have intimate relationships and create "fan fiction" or "fan art" about the "couples." Topics in Weibo resemble forums on which users can post related content. The Voice of Gay, a public benefit magazine with 220,000 Weibo followers, announced it would suspend its work "due to force majeure factors," six hours after Sina posted the notice. The notice had been reposted more than 90,000 times with over 20,000 comments at 2:00 a.m. Saturday. However, the number of reposts has been hidden and the comments function has been closed as of press time. Under the same campaign, the website will also remove "illegal games and related pictures and videos with violent content, such as Grand Theft Auto, Mercenaries and Mafia." By 6:55 p.m. Friday, the website announced that it had "cleared up 56,243 unregulated posts, and closed 108 severely unregulated accounts and 62 topics." Sina Weibo said on Wednesday that in March it deleted more than 1.3 million posts and closed about 85,000 accounts that violated the law. The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court in January accepted the case brought by Fan Chunlin, a filmmaker, demanding that China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT), China's top media regulator, justify the listing of homosexual relations as "abnormal." The regulation released in June 2017 by the China Netcasting Service Association, a non-government organization administered by SAPPRFT, bans service providers from releasing programs that "present abnormal sexual relations or behavior," such as incest, homosexual relations, sexual harassment and sexual violence. Really weird. That was James Comeys description of his first meeting with Donald Trump, when he needed to tell the then-president-elect there was a document alleging Russia had information about him engaging with prostitutes. The phrase could also describe the ousted FBI directors interview with ABCs George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. Ahead of a national book tour, Comey sat down for hours to provide material for what was a much-hyped hourlong special report that prompted early and frequent backlash from the president on Twitter. Advertisement Like his statement before testifying on Capitol Hill, Comey offered precise detail on his interactions with Trump, from shrimp scampi on the menu to believing the president had marks from wearing tanning goggles. He said he stared at the presidents hair too closely and remarked on the length of Trumps tie. The interview also offered more information about Comey himself, including scenes of him working at a laptop and a strange interaction where he pointed out he was rocking the bangs in a childhood photo. The biggest headline, of course, was the former head of the FBI saying, three times, he finds Trump to be morally unfit to be president. His explanation had little to do with his own job status or the investigation into the campaigns interactions with Russia. Instead, he was casting judgment on things Trump has said about women and in response to the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Va. Sign up for the free Essential Politics email newsletter Asked in the interview whether he thought Russia has something on Trump, Comey said: I think its possible. I dont know. These are more words I never thought Id utter about a president of the United States, but its possible, he said. Comey accused the president of lying constantly, about matters big and small. The president this weekend called Comey a slimeball. Keep track of the insults on this timeline. Comey, who said he did not vote in the 2016 election, sounded a bit like a candidate. He noted voters will have an opportunity to cast their judgment on Trump, and saying pointedly, This president does not reflect the values of this country. Advertisement As Comey continues his tour (hell be in Los Angeles on May 24), lets revisit the competing claims made by each man. ABCs Comey interview is dominating political conversation, even as congressional reaction to the attack in Syria might ordinarily have been the biggest story of the day. The president declared Mission Accomplished, but there are larger concerns about whether he had the proper authorization to launch the surgical strike in response to the use of chemical weapons. Make sure to sign up for breaking news alerts from the Los Angeles Times. Advertisement THE MAYOR GOES TO IOWA Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was in the early presidential caucus state of Iowa this weekend, doing all the things candidates do. He visited with firefighters and union carpenters. He met with Latino and Asian American activists, and attended a gay rights gala. He took a walk through Des Moines hipster East Village neighborhood and picked up Iowa-themed gear at an edgy boutique. He didnt pretend he was there for some other reason, and promised a decision in 2019. I didnt run for governor partially because I didnt want to be gone from home for a year. At the same time, I dont want my daughter to grow up in an America that looks like this right now and that feels like this, Garcetti told Mark Barabak in an interview in Des Moines. Advertisement The mayor is back in town, and delivers his state of the city address Monday morning. Hell outline a new plan to reward Los Angeles neighborhoods that accept temporary homeless shelters by performing more encampment sweeps in those communities than in areas resistant to the housing. NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTNING ROUND -- David Cloud explains a case being heard by the Supreme Court that normally might draw the interest of only those accused of stock fraud but actually turns on the presidents power to hire and fire officials throughout the government. -- Speaker Paul D. Ryan endorsed House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy as his successor Friday, vastly increasing chances that the Bakersfield congressman will lead House Republicans come November. Still, it may not seal the deal for a divided GOP. McCarthy has long been expected to seek the position if it came open. (Its worth revisiting this 2015 piece, which reports that McCarthy and Democractic leader Nancy Pelosi hardly ever speak.) Advertisement -- Former First Lady Barbara Bush, 92, will not seek any additional medical treatment, a family spokesman said over the weekend. -- The Trump administration is abandoning its crackdown on legal marijuana after the president negotiated with a Republican senator from Colorado. -- An unexpected labor uprising has gripped some red states over the last two months as public school teachers have staged protests and strikes over low pay and strained education budgets. -- Chastened and anxious, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will return to Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday for a crucial summit with Trump. Advertisement Get the latest about whats happening in the nations capital on Essential Washington. AUDITIONING FOR THE JOB, WHILE DOING THE JOB Xavier Becerra took Kamala Harris job four days after Trumps inauguration. As Californias appointed attorney general, Becerra has had the opportunity to challenge the administration ever since, filing 31 lawsuits and keeping himself in the news at every turn. His rivals for winning the job outright arent pleased, Patrick McGreevy reports. FOLLOW THE MONEY Advertisement A group backing Kevin de Leons efforts to topple Sen. Dianne Feinstein launched a blistering ad against the veteran Democrat. It aired for one day on cable television in Los Angeles. Billionaires Eli Broad and Reed Hastings, prominent supporters of charter schools, donated $8.5 million to a group backing Antonio Villaraigosa in his campaign for governor. Their support reflects Villaraigosas role as the most prominent California Democrat to challenge the teachers unions, despite his roots as a labor organizer, Seema Mehta reports. The Republicans in the race, meanwhile, are clashing over money to pay for the campaign to repeal Californias gas tax increase. A reminder you can keep up with these races in the moment via our Essential Politics news feed on California politics. Advertisement THE LONG CALIFORNIA BALLOT, THE MAJOR MISTAKE? With election day now just seven weeks away, a key part of the California voting experience is going to draw some close scrutiny: ballot design. The two most prominent races -- for governor and U.S. Senate -- both have a bumper crop of candidates. And as John Myers writes in his Sunday column, theres real potential for voters in some counties to mistakenly vote for more than one candidate. A QUESTION OF FREE SPEECH Advertisement Last years bloody clashes on California college campuses have spawned a battle in the state Legislature over how far the law should go to protect unpopular speech and prevent violence between those with opposing political views. Alex Wigglesworth takes a look at five protest movements that shook college campuses in California. WILL THE NEXT GOVERNOR PULL THE PLUG ON THE TWIN TUNNELS? Gov. Jerry Brown scored big last week in his tenacious effort to build twin water tunnels in the California delta, George Skelton writes in his Monday column, but his legacy project could still collapse because no potential successor supports it. The next governor could pull the plug. Advertisement We also examine who will end up paying for the $11 billlion tunnels. TODAYS ESSENTIALS -- With fears that the Trump administrations plan to ask about citizenship status in the 2020 census could hurt California, Brown formed a commission tasked with planning outreach for the decennial count. -- This weeks California Politics Podcast looks at the new effort in Sacramento to give the state control over price decisions in private sector healthcare. Advertisement -- Brown has agreed to boost the California National Guards work on crime that spills beyond the states borders, but not in the way Trump had envisioned. -- The man accused of threatening to kill Rep. Maxine Waters is expected to plead guilty. -- The internet is no longer the infant that needed freedom to innovate and grow unregulated, Skelton wrote in his column last week. It has grown into a monster and now needs to be restricted, like the railroads at the turn of the last century and financial institutions during the Great Depression, Skelton says. One potential ballot initiative gathering signatures in California would do just that by regulating profiteering off consumers private data. -- Meet Patrick Soon-Shiong, the man buying the Los Angeles Times and moving the newsroom to El Segundo. Advertisement LOGISTICS Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday. You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics? Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go. Advertisement Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox. Lights and light festivals lend a certain glow to a city or a place. Here are five including Baltimores own Light City that can light up your life. Australia Sydney rocks the light art world every year. The city explodes in color with a three-week free Vivid Sydney festival in which dizzying, rotating images and lights transform the Opera House sails, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and several neighborhoods. New this year is a water fountain that uses lights and laser to create an underwater experience. The festival also brings filmmaker James Cameron to the ideas stage, and rapper Ice Cube leads the musical side. The festival starts May 25 and lasts through June 16. Advertisement Info: Vivid Sydney Maryland Baltimores Inner Harbor takes a page from Sydney with its third Light City festival that also embraces light installations, music and ideas. Along the BGE Light Art Walk, visitors will find lighted prisms, an underwater light installation, kinetic whale ghost and octopus sculptures with thousands of LED lights, and a work called On the Wings of Freedom, which features a field of small butterfly sculptures that change color as visitors walk by. The free festival continues through April 21. Info: Light City U.S. and Canada If you havent been to Niagara Falls in a few years, you likely havent seen the light show at the spectacular waterfalls. The falls have been illuminated since 1920, but two years ago LEDs were installed on the Canadian side that allow a range of colors. The lights project from three places: Illumination Tower, on the roof of Table Rock Centre and deep in the Niagara Gorge. The cascades turn red and white on Canada Day (July 1), and red, white and blue on the Fourth of July. In April, the illuminated show operates from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Advertisement Info: Niagara Falls Illumination Oregon On your next trip to Portland, take at least one evening to walk across the Tilikum Crossing over the Willamette River. Installation artists Anna Valentina Murch and Doug Hollis designed the LED modules that beautifully light the cables, towers and underside of the deck. The intensity and shades of the colors change according to a program based on the speed and temperature of the river water. Advertisement The bridge accommodates light rail, cyclists and pedestrians but not cars. Info: Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People DIY lantern fests Folks are turning out to launch their own personal lanterns at Lantern Fests around the county. The idea is to light a lantern and let it loose en masse in the air or on water with your highest hopes, deepest regrets, and fondest dreams, according to the website. Lantern Fests provide music, food and a lantern to launch (you cant bring your own). Check the schedule for upcoming fests. Advertisement Depending on where you go, prices start at $35 per person but many are in the $50 to $60 range. Info: Lantern Fest and Water Lantern Festival travel@latimes.com @latimestravel KAILUA, Hawaii It was like a watercolor dream, blurry at the edges, filled with jungle greens and cerulean sky. It was quiet and lush in a way that only Hawaii can be. Was this place real or had I dreamed it? After all, it had been more than 50 years since I first saw it and more than three decades since I last laid eyes on this heiau, a Hawaiian temple in the windward Oahu town where I once lived. But where was it? Its a state park so surely I could find it easily, although given my map dysfunction, easily was a tad optimistic. As I drove through residential areas off Kailua Road, I grew more frustrated. Where was Ulupo Heiau? Advertisement Back, well hidden a short distance from the YMCA. On a warm Sunday afternoon in September, I wandered down a path that took me to the base of the temple, about 180 feet long by 140 feet wide and, at one time, as many as 30 feet tall. My jaw dropped, the same reaction that overwhelmed me at Mexicos Teotihuacan pyramids or the structures of Perus Machu Picchu. Although a plaque placed in 1962 credits menehune, Hawaiis small people said to be possessed of magical powers, with the creation of this heiau, it was more likely hardworking Hawaiians who passed the basalt rock hand over hand from west Oahu about 10 miles away, said Kalani Kaanaana, director of Hawaiian cultural affairs for the Hawaii Tourism Authority. And, once again, I was in thrall of humanitys desire to create something that defies time but dismayed by that same humanitys desire to destroy what it does not understand or accept. Sacred silence Ulupo Heiau in Kailua overlooks Kawai Nui Marsh. The heiau, a temple, dates back at least 500 years. (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) Heiaus are sacred sites and should be approached just as you would a great cathedral. The gilt that adorns those grand places of worship is here too, but it is the nature that is the gold: the sound of songbirds (some of which are returning to Ulupo after a long absence, Kaanaana said), the flit of a butterfly, a gentle breeze that rustles the greenery. Advertisement It is a place that encourages quiet and contemplation to envision what it once was. It was originally agricultural in nature. Taro (kalo is the Hawaiian word), a staple, bananas, sweet potatoes and sugar cane were among the crops grown. Fishponds that may have covered as many as 400 of the more than 800 acres provided protein our refrigerator, Kaanaana called it. Today, taro again is being grown as the land has been reclaimed from years of overgrowth. Advertisement But nature is not to blame for the destruction of temples. Disappearance Vegetation probably overtook Ulupo Heiau after it was abandoned, maybe before the turn of the 19th century. Today, civic groups work to restore the area and remove invasive species. (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) Kamehameha, who would ultimately become king of Hawaii, won one of the most important battles in his fight to unify the islands in 1795 at Nuuanu Pali, whose peaks you may pass if you come here from Waikiki. By 1810, the islands were as one. Kamehameha had help in his quest to defeat his enemies, thanks to munitions from Europeans. Advertisement In the ensuing decades, white settlers increasingly undermined and depleted the power of the Hawaiian monarchy, and the culture and religious practices of its people. It is possible that Ulupo was abandoned by the time Kamehameha won the battle for Oahu, but the arrival of missionaries also may have contributed to the abandonment or destruction. It is thought there were two other heiaus in Kailua, but they are lost to time. There are others on Oahu where history and meaning are clearer, including Puu o Mahuka Heiau, which overlooks Waimea Bay and is said to be the largest on Oahu. Taro again grows in Ulupo Heiau in Kailua as it did hundreds of years ago. (Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement But Ulupo is special, perhaps because it was once near home, perhaps because its past was once ignored and now is being preserved. The leaves of the taro that is again grown here look like hearts, reminding me that home is always where the heart is. That is the message the quiet whispers to me. Info: Ulupo Heiau is open until dark. 635 Manu Oo St., Kailua. Free. travel@latimes.com Advertisement @latimestravel Like many flight attendants who have worked the friendly skies, Ive administered in-flight medical assistance to numerous ailing passengers. Ive bandaged the wounds of accident victims and administered oxygen to those who have collapsed from exhaustion (and worse). I even helped administer an intravenous saline solution to a woman whose blood pressure had dropped to such a precarious level that paramedics had to wheel her away when we reached our destination. Throughout 33 years of passenger service, I never imagined I would ever be the ailing passenger. On Oct. 5, after a month-long vacation in Southeast Asia, I prepared for the long trip home a 15-hour trek from Hong Kong to Dallas, to be followed by a two-hour wait for a three-hour flight to Miami. Advertisement Before boarding any epic flight, I like to load up on sustenance. At Hong Kong International Airport, the restaurant choices seemed endless. Such lofty names as Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar were a bit out of my price range, so I settled on a Chinese fast-food eatery. I ordered the sweet and sour chicken. In retrospect, I wish I had not. The restaurant was packed with travelers hunched over bowls of rice and noodles. Piles of luggage occupied every imaginable space. The only available seat was adjacent to a young Chinese woman who motioned for me to sit. Turns out she was a 22-year-old from Beijing who had been traveling on her own in Australia. I dived into food and conversation, vaguely realizing that the sweet and sour chicken seemed crunchier than usual. If I had been traveling alone, I might have pushed the food away and tried another restaurant. But because I was talking with a woman who had grown up on the opposite side of the world, because she shared my passion for solo travel and had been kind enough to invite me to her table, I continued to gobble up the conversation and the unusually crunchy sweet and sour chicken. After the meal, we wished each other a pleasant flight and walked to our respective departure gates. Thats when the first stomach rumblings began. As I walked down the jet bridge, I felt as though compressed air were being pumped into my insides. My belly tightened. I wanted to belch, but no air would come forth. Lucky for me, I was traveling on an employee pass and had been issued the last available seat, adjacent to the lavatory. The way my stomach was acting, proximity to the lavatory might prove important. Advertisement The airplane roared down the runway. My stomach roared in response. We leaped into a clear blue sky, but as I stared out the window, it seemed as though we were plunging toward the crimson gates of hell. Never had I endured such agony. My stomach churned, knotted, somersaulted and threatened to betray me. The plane climbed in a steep ascent, the seat belt sign continued to illuminate and yet I unfastened my seat belt and lunged into the lavatory. Nothing happened. Advertisement I returned to my seat. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. At one point, the pain became so severe I leveled the sleeper seat and crouched there on my hands and knees. When a concerned flight attendant approached, all I could mutter was, Food poisoning. There was nothing anyone could do. During the lengthy meal service, I remained on all fours, shivering like a dog in the rain. At some point, the crew notified the captain. Depending on the severity of a passengers illness, the captain must decide whether to divert the plane and land at a nearby airport, or continue to the original destination. Advertisement How bad is it? one of the flight attendants asked. Ill make it, I replied. And I did, although it was the longest and most painful 15-hour flight of my life. When I finally reached my apartment near Miami, about 24 hours after leaving Hong Kong, I curled up on my bathroom floor. Nature finally ran its course. I felt significantly better and suffered minimal aftereffects. Advertisement Ill never know for sure whether this was food poisoning or that other common gastro demon, norovirus, commonly referred to as stomach flu. Norovirus is highly contagious and is spread by consuming contaminated food or water, contact with an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces. Food poisoning, a food-borne illness, is caused by eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses or parasites. The two illnesses are often confused because they share similar symptoms. But this is what leads me to think mine wasnt norovirus. With that, symptoms appear within 12 to 48 hours after exposure. With food poisoning, symptoms can occur in about an hour, which is the time took for me to board my flight after eating the bad sweet and sour chicken. Advertisement Whatever it was, I took away some important lessons. My illness was difficult, but not bad enough for me to ask the captain to return to Hong Kong or land at a nearby airport. Ive worked many flights that diverted for one reason or another, so I understand the consequences. Some passengers will miss connections and become angry. Others stress out at the thought of spending several hours at an unplanned stop. If the plane is forced to land in a foreign country, local officials may decide to quarantine the flight if they suspect the sick passenger is suffering from a communicable disease. Also, when a plane is forced to land soon after takeoff, the captain will need to dump hundreds of gallons of jet fuel so the aircraft will be light enough to land. Because I was aware of these issues, I wouldnt ask the pilots to divert unless I felt close to death. Advertisement Besides, I was embarrassed. But if youre sick, you should always flag down a flight attendant. If we cant treat the symptoms, we will ask for a physician, paramedic or nurse who may be onboard. If no qualified passenger responds, well notify the captain. He or she can radio the airlines doctor on call, a 24-hour physician on the ground who interprets symptoms, recommends treatment and helps decide whether the passenger requires immediate medical attention on the ground. Advertisement For food poisoning, theres not much anyone can do, save spending time in the lavatory. There you may, as I did, ponder whether this was lifes way of reminding me that I had just had a glorious vacation in Southeast Asia and that sometimes you have to pay to play. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Hundreds of thousands of Catalan separatists rallied in downtown Barcelona on Sunday to demand the release of high-profile secessionist leaders being held in pretrial detention. Protesters waved Catalan separatist flags behind a huge banner that read for rights and liberties, for democracy and unity, we want them back home! The demonstration was organized by two pro-independence grass-roots groups, the National Catalan Assembly and Omnium, whose presidents are among the nine separatists in prison awaiting trial for their roles in last years failed breakaway bid by the northeastern Spanish region. The regional chapters of Spains two leading labor unions, along with other civil society groups, supported the protest despite the complaints from some members who dont want secession for Catalonia. Barcelona police said 315,000 people participated in the protest. Advertisement The majority of Catalans, regardless of their political position, agree that pretrial jail is not justified, said regional UGT union leader Camil Ros. What we as labor unions are asking for now is dialogue. The secession movement in the wealthy region has plunged Spain into its deepest institutional crisis in decades. Separatist lawmakers defied court orders and held an ad hoc referendum on independence in October. Their subsequent declaration of independence for the region led to a crackdown by Spanish authorities acting to defend the Spanish Constitution, which declares the nation indivisible. Pro-independence parties retained a slim majority in Catalonias parliament after an election in December, but courts have blocked their attempts to elect as regional chief any lawmaker who is either behind bars or has fled the country. The latest poll published by the Catalan government in February said that support for independence had decreased to 40% from nearly 49% in October. The poll surveyed 1,200 people and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8%. On a clear day, drivers commuting into Damascus can glimpse the pulverized neighborhoods of the Ghouta area on the eastern flank of the Syrian capital. Many residents became accustomed to having their morning coffee to the roar of warplanes heading out for the near-daily pounding of Ghouta since its takeover in late 2012 by rebels opposed to the government of President Bashar Assad. Those living on the citys outskirts could even see what one resident called a nightly light show when hostilities flared up; it also meant they were closer to the rebels routine salvo of mortar shells and rockets on central Damascus, a scant six miles away. But on Saturday, after more than five years of a torturous stalemate, the Syrian army entered Duma, Ghoutas largest city, and in a grandiose statement declared the rebels onetime enclave purified from armed terrorist groups. The government refers to rebels as terrorists. Advertisement It had taken seven weeks of a brutal, bare-knuckled battle that killed and wounded thousands of people. In addition, the Assad government and its allies were blamed by many observers and activists for a suspected chemical attack April 7 that killed more than 40 people. But the oppositions top bastion near the capital was no more, and officials in Syria and its ally Russia denied responsibility for any chemical attack. The retaking of Duma leaves Assad secure in his seat of power in Damascus, even as his rebel adversaries flounder to find a way to continue the fight. The government also is taking over the rest of Ghouta, an agricultural area that by the 1990s had been overrun by factories and workshops, with laborers living in ramshackle slums, and which has faced decay and rampant corruption. It had a ready audience when the Arab Spring spread to Syria in March 2011. Duma, which would become the heart of the rebels future enclave, was one of the first areas to erupt in protests; other towns in Ghouta soon followed. With the uprising turning bloody, protesters began to organize into armed factions, including the Army of Islam faction headed by Zahran Alloush. Rebels expelled all government troops from Ghouta in late 2012. A few months later, they were conducting raids that reached Abaseen Square, the northeastern entrance of central Damascus and less than a mile from the cobblestoned pathways of the Old City quarter. Bayan Rehan, an opposition activist from Duma, said the governments exit from Ghouta marked the start of a fledgling civil society. She, along with other activists and former state employees, saved civil and real estate records from destruction. We tried to rebuild the state institutions. My group formed the first educational institute. A local council was formed as well as a medical system and a civil defense entity, she said by phone Sunday. And there were different strains of intellectuals: You had Communists, some secularists, Islamists. Advertisement It became even more stable than Damascus in some respects, she said, especially since the capital was full of checkpoints where a young man could be arrested and pressed into military service. In 2013 the government decided it had had enough: It couldnt stanch the flow of fighters to Damascus from Ghouta, but it could cauterize the wound. The army grabbed transit points into the rebel-held enclave to choke off supplies coming from Turkey and Jordan, even as other units pushed the front line away from the capital. (They stand accused of deploying sarin in a chemical weapons attack on Ghouta in August 2013 that killed hundreds.) It was the beginning of a siege that, Rehan said, was worse than shelling, worse than death, worse even than the chemical attacks. Advertisement Prices became five and even 10 times higher, forcing people to forgo basic foodstuffs. Sugar was scarce, so people used saccharin. Animal feed, ground and mixed with water to make a dough, took the place of flour. One checkpoint in northeast Duma, the Wafideen crossing, Rehan said, became notorious for soldiers exploiting women sent to get food from Damascus. It also became known as the million pound checkpoint, a reference to the exorbitant fees taken by government soldiers as well as rebels manning each side. A businessman with strong links to the government as well as people in Ghouta, Mohyee Din Manfoush, built an empire based on taking dairy out of the besieged enclave in exchange for barley and food. The rebels also dug tunnels stretching into neighborhoods adjacent to central Damascus where the army would not go. Capable of transporting consumer goods, arms, even vehicles, the tunnels became the backbone of a siege economy that enriched the main factions in Ghouta. Advertisement Meanwhile, Alloush was now at the zenith of his power, commanding thousands of men and an array of armor he displayed in an ostentatious military parade, televised and uploaded to social media, in March 2015. He ruled over a pseudo-state of roughly 400,000 people he grudgingly shared with some other factions, but ran it with tactics that echoed those of the government he sought to dislodge in Damascus. The factions began to interfere in civil society organizations, said Rehan, who, as the first female staffer in Dumas local council, was the target of particular scorn. Dissent was not tolerated. Many activists were harassed. Advertisement It was a policy of silencing the mouths. It was the same policy as the regime: If youre not with us then youre against us, said Rehan. Alloush launched a bid to rout the other factions and consolidate his power in Ghouta. In the chaos, the government began retaking parts of opposition-controlled areas. The rebels never bounced back, and, when Alloush was killed on Christmas Day in 2015 in a government airstrike, they lost a charismatic leader whom even the West appeared willing to embrace. It was during that fractured stalemate that the government began its Russian-backed campaign on Ghouta in February. Advertisement Employing the same playbook it had used during its battle for east Aleppo, the government marshaled its forces around the enclave as the army began an apocalyptic Russian-backed airstrike, artillery and rocket barrage, killing 1,700 people and forcing hundreds of thousands to hide in basements. That made way for troops slicing Ghouta into three parts; they subdued each faction in its separate territory and forced members to accept safe passage to areas in the rebel-held north. All that remained was the Army of Islam in Duma, whose leaders tried to negotiate a deal allowing them to retain control of the city under government stewardship, said Mohammed Alloush, Zahrans brother and a top official with the faction, in a phone interview Saturday. For Damascus it was a non-starter. This month it started pounding Duma again, and was accused of deploying chemical weapons in an attack that killed 43 people and wounded about 500 others, to force a capitulation by the Army of Islam. Advertisement We got a message [from the government] saying, The city will be destroyed with what you just saw if you dont respond, meaning the chemical [weapons], Alloush said. We gathered the civilians and the opinion was that an exit was the best we could get to preserve civilian life not because of military weakness. His group still does not know where it will settle or how it will sustain itself, he said. Some activists have chosen to stay behind, along with what the U.N. estimates are 92,000 others displaced to government-held areas and as many as 200,000 people who stayed in Ghouta. Advertisement But some 63,000 people left, including Rehan. She is among those who went to Idlib. Idlib, the largest area under rebel control, is thought to be the target of an upcoming government campaign. The rebels, despite the impending battle with loyalist troops, were concerned with fighting each other. Even now there was danger, with warplanes prowling the skies over the province. It was like going from a quick death to a slow one, said Rehan. Advertisement At one point, she apologized for not answering questions promptly. Im in an area with clashes, she said, between rebels. Bulos is a special correspondent. Twitter: @nabihbulos An American pastor facing up to 35 years in prison on terrorism and espionage charges appeared in a Turkish court Monday in the opening of a trial that has become a centerpiece in the increasingly fractured relationship between the U.S. and Turkey. Andrew Brunson, 50, a Presbyterian minister who lived in Turkey for 23 years and ran a small church in the southwestern city of Izmir, has been in custody since October 2016. I want the whole truth to be revealed, Brunson told the court, speaking in Turkish. I reject the charges mentioned in the indictment. I was never involved in any illegal activities. Prosecutors presented a lengthy indictment alleging that Brunson had been using missionary activities as a cover to work with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and with the organization of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Turkish cleric who Turkey says orchestrated a 2016 coup attempt. Advertisement There are no obvious links between Gulen and the PKK, but the Turkish government regards both as enemies. My dad is a loving, caring, Christian pastor. He never worked on behalf of any terror organization. Jacqueline Furnari, Brunsons daughter Most of the indictment, which has been heavily redacted, is based on the testimony of two secret witnesses who say Brunson was helping PKK members convert to Christianity so they could obtain asylum in Western countries, that he was a part of Gulens network, and that he was working with U.S. military and intelligence personnel in a plot to overthrow the Turkish government. Ive never done something against Turkey, Brunson said. I love Turkey. Ive been praying for Turkey for 25 years. I want truth to come out. He rejected the accusation that he was involved in Gulens movement, which is Islamic. That would be an insult to my religion. I am a Christian. I would not join an Islamic movement, Brunson said. The 556 days he has spent in a maximum security prison, Brunson said, has left his psychology broken. Brunson and his wife, Norine, were detained in October 2016, after being summoned to a police station to discuss their application to renew a residency permit. They were told they would be deported because they were involved in activities that pose a national security threat to Turkey. Jailed pastor Andrew Brunsons wife, Norine Brunson, left, arrives at a courthouse near Izmir, Turkey, on Monday for her husbands trial. (Ozan Kose / AFP/Getty Images ) Advertisement Turkey has been under a state of emergency since July 2016, giving police and prosecutors expanded rights to detain without charge, and deport foreign nationals. More than 50,000 Turkish nationals have been imprisoned on terrorism-related charges, and 150,000 purged from public sector jobs. Norine Brunson was released, but Andrew Brunson was later moved to a maximum security prison near Izmir. On March 19, nearly 18 months since he was first detained, prosecutors presented a formal indictment of Brunson. He faces up to 15 years in prison on a charge of committing crimes on behalf of a terror organization despite not being a member of the organization, and 20 years on a charge of disclosing state information that must remain confidential for political or military espionage purposes. Sen. Thom Tillis, from Brunsons home state of North Carolina, attended the hearing in Izmir, as did Sam Brownback, the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. The United States cares deeply about our relationship with Turkey, Brownback told reporters. That relationship is going to have difficulty moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated. Advertisement President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have repeatedly brought up Brunsons case with their Turkish counterparts over the last year. On his first visit to Turkey in March 2017, Tillerson met with Norine Brunson. But Brunsons fate has become entangled with an unraveling relationship between the two NATO allies. Turkey has asked the United States to extradite Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania for nearly two decades, so that he can face charges of directing the 2016 coup attempt. The Department of Justice has said U.S. courts need to first approve the extradition, and Ankara has failed to so far to provide compelling evidence the aging cleric was involved and that he would receive a fair trial in Turkey if he was sent there. In September, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Gulen could be exchanged for Brunson. Inside the secretive religious movement that is being blamed for Turkeys attempted coup Give us the pastor back, they say. You have one pastor as well. Give him [Gulen] to us, Erdogan said. Then we will try [Brunson] and give him to you. Advertisement Turkey has increasingly complained that the U.S. supports Kurdish groups in Syria that it says have ties to the PKK. Erdogan and other top officials have said that Turkish forces in northern Syria could be sent to fight the Kurdish groups, even if that means risking combat with the American troops stationed alongside them. Everyone in the family is holding their breath, said Jacqueline Furnari, Brunsons daughter, who was raised in Turkey but moved back to the U.S. several years ago. Of course I have hope; I want to get a call saying my father is coming home. She called the charges against him absolutely absurd, adding: They want to put him in prison for 35 years on charges of terror and espionage, and he is already 50 years old, so that means he would spend the rest of his life in jail. My dad is a loving, caring, Christian pastor. He never worked on behalf of any terror organization. People walk Sunday in front of Dirilis (Resurrection) Church, where Andrew Brunson had his congregation, in Izmir, Turkey. (Ozan Kose / AFP/Getty Images ) Advertisement The 62-page indictment against Brunson includes evidence obtained from his cellphone as well as a computer disc that was in his possession when he was detained, but most of it is composed of testimony by two secret witnesses code named Prayer and Fire who explain how the pastor allegedly led what they claimed was a vast network of ex-U.S. military and CIA members working in Turkey. Many of them, one witness testifies, are from the Church of Latter-day Saints the Mormon Church, which is described as very influential in the U.S. armed forces, the CIA and the NSA. Close to 40% of American soldiers stationed in foreign countries are members of this church. According to the church, 36,000 members are in the U.S. armed forces, which deploy more than 450,000 people overseas, so the testimony is grossly inaccurate. Investigators allege that a Brunson-led network held regular meetings at a hotel in Izmir with military officers stationed at Incirlik Air Base. The indictment also alleges that Brunson believed Kurds were a Biblical lost tribe, and he sought to convert them to Christianity, making trips with other foreign missionaries not only to the Turkey-Syria border, but also into Kobani, Syria. Advertisement He engages in missionary activities under the cover of providing humanitarian aid to asylum seekers, the indictment reads. Part of the evidence for this is the allegation that Brunson translated the Bible into Kurdish. The majority is really hearsay by a secret witness, said Cece Heil, executive counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Washington-based group that is funding and assisting Brunsons legal representation. Most of it is allegations against specific members of the LDS church, none of which Brunson knows. All are false. In August, Furnari said, she was able to visit her father in prison, a rare one-hour meeting in which they were allowed to hug. He was thinner than I had ever known him to be, Furnari said. His hair had changed to gray, he looked tired and broken and desperate, and it was heartbreaking to see my dad like that. Advertisement Turkey to me was home, it is all that I have known, my family, my friends, school. I loved the culture, the food, everything about it, and I miss it, said Furnari, who has delayed her wedding in the U.S. in hopes her father can attend it. My parents never had any intention of leaving Turkey. ... They said we were here because God called us here, and they would leave when God wanted them to. ALSO Turkey and the U.S. used to be close allies. Today, they cant even agree on a phone call U.S. criticizes Turkey over military offensive in Kurdish-held northern Syria Advertisement Turkish troops enter Kurdish enclave in northern Syria Farooq is a special correspondent. Activists take part in an anti-war protest in New York, the United States, on April 15, 2018. Hundreds of people took part in the rally with the theme of "End U.S. Wars at Home and Abroad" here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier and a new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine participate in the sea parade on Thursday. ZHANG KAI/HU KAIBING/FOR CHINA DAILY Carrier group, newest nuclear subs, destroyers are pride of fleet The naval hardware seen in Thursday's sea parade represented the achievements made by the People's Liberation Army Navy in its modernization drive, military observers said. Senior Captain Cao Weidong, a researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said that the Navy received a large number of new weapons with advanced capabilities over the past five years and the new hardware features a higher information capability and optimized joint operation system and thus can better carry out sophisticated joint operations. The parade's mixed grouping of ships, submarines and aircraft in different strike groups symbolized the Navy's enhanced capability of coordinating and integrating multiple elements in combat missions, he said. The appearance of new-generation nuclear-powered submarines and a carrier battle group, Cao added, indicates that the Navy has become able to perform long-range operations. Cui Yiliang, editor-in-chief of Modern Ships magazine, said the Navy showed almost all of its new hardware delivered during the past 10 years. It is now capable of conducting every naval operation, from strategic strike to amphibious assault, he said. The technological advances of China's submarine forces was obvious in the parade, Cui said. "The nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines involved in the parade are of the latest generation and have many improvements compared with their predecessors. You can see from their hull design that China has made big strides in nuclear-powered submarines," Cui said. "The new nuclear-powered attack submarines are reportedly capable of launching cruise missiles. Meanwhile, some conventionally powered attack submarines in the parade have been equipped with the advanced air-independent propulsion system that makes these boats stealthier." Wu Peixin, a defense industry analyst in Beijing, said the PLA Navy has been steadily and rapidly catching up with the United States Navy in terms of its hardware's technological and operational capabilities. "Ten years ago, it would have seemed a little unimaginable that we would have a full carrier battle group and could make it basically deployable in the decade to come. It would also appear fantastic if someone told you that we would soon begin commissioning a domestically built carrier and several of the world's mightiest destroyers," he said. Wu gave the CNS Changsha, a Type 052D guided missile destroyer that carried President Xi Jinping during the parade, as an example of the Navy's improved arsenal. The Type 052D class is the most capable fleet escort deployed by the Navy, he said. It has a full displacement of nearly 7,000 metric tons and a wide range of weapons, including a single-barrel 130-mm naval gun and a close-in weapon system, as well as 64 vertical launching cells containing HHQ-9 long-range anti-aircraft missiles and YJ-18 or YJ-83 anti-ship cruise missiles. The fighting power of a single Type 052D ship is the combat force equal of several previous models put together, Wu said. The PLA Navy had its largest-ever sea parade on Thursday morning off Hainan province's southern coast to mark its achievements over the past several years. The spectacular event, involving more than 10,000 Navy personnel, was the fifth sea parade by the Chinese Navy and the first in the South China Sea. The last sea parade was in 2009. An armada of 48 ships and submarines, including the CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier, took part in the unprecedented demonstration of China's naval prowess. Six nuclear-powered submarines, including two that carry nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, appeared in the parade. Seventy-six naval aircraft flew overhead, including helicopters, fighter jets, bombers and electronic warfare aircraft. The CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier and a new-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine participate in the sea parade on Thursday. ZHANG KAI/HU KAIBING/FOR CHINA DAILY A J-15 fighter jet and the CNS Yinchuan, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, also take part in the sea parade on Thursday. MO XIAOLIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY A J-15 fighter jet and the CNS Yinchuan, a Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, also take part in the sea parade on Thursday. MO XIAOLIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY Bad blood between two men came to a head when they happened to visit the same Bethlehem gas station last week, city police said. Jose Gonzalez and Leonel Perez previously had a dispute over buying a car, police said. On Wednesday night, Perez was pumping gas at pump 1 at the Speedway off Broadway, when he encountered the 55-year-old Gonzalez, whom he knew as "Josan." The two men argued and "tussled," according to police, when Gonzalez allegedly yelled to a woman in Spanish to "get the gun." Perez got into the car and began driving away, when he allegedly saw Gonzalez with a small silver gun in his hand and heard a gunshot. Perez left the station, and later found an impact mark on his driver's side door, police said. A witness in Perez's car reported hearing what sounded like a "cap gun" when Perez was driving off. Surveillance video showed Gonzalez was inside the store, then went out to the pump Perez was using. Gonzalez can be seen with arm outstretched toward the victim's vehicle, police said. Gonzalez was arraigned Sunday on two counts each of aggravated assault and simple assault, and a single count of reckless endangerment. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of bail. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Authorities in the Lehigh Valley are investigating if an alleged police impersonator stopped in Berks County is their guy, too. On Friday, an Exeter Township police officer driving on Route 422 saw what appeared to be an unmarked police vehicle involved in a traffic stop, Sgt. Sean Fullerton said. The officer pulled over to act as backup, and saw a man with a goatee in a blue Ford Crown Victoria with police style wheels, a spotlight and activated red-and-blue LED lights. The driver never identified himself as a police officer during the stop, but the stopped driver did yield as if the car were a police vehicle, Fullerton said. The man, whom police have not identified, has not been charged as of Monday morning; the incident is still under investigation. Exeter police are investigating if the man impersonated a police officer on other occasions. Anyone who was recently stopped by a similar vehicle, and believes it may not have been a real police officer, should call the department at 610-799-1490. Fullerton said the department has received several similar reports from other jurisdictions. South Whitehall Township police released this composite sketch of a man accused of impersonating police and pulling over a female motorist Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, on Mauch Chunk Road. (Courtesy image | For lehighvalleylive.com) The Berks County incident sounds similar to three stops made last year in the Lehigh Valley by a man impersonating an officer. An arrest was not made in those cases. Lehigh Valley police issued warnings and a sketch of a suspect after the impersonator pulled over people in separate incidents in South Whitehall, Lower Saucon and Upper Saucon townships. South Whitehall Lt. Michael Sorrentino said Monday the township departments and state police at the Bethlehem barracks are working with Exeter police to determine if it is the same suspect. In the Upper Saucon township incident, the "cop" was driving an older model black Ford Crown Victoria with red and blue overhead lights, township police said. The impersonator had a beard, was approximately 6 feet tall and weighed between 200 to 215 pounds. In the Lower Saucon Township incident, police said the impersonator was driving a white, unmarked SUV with a red and blue emergency light on the dash and a Pennsylvania license plate. In South Whitehall, police said the impersonator had what appeared to be a police badge, and was driving a black, unmarked vehicle with tinted windows and red-and-blue emergency lights on the front dashboard. If drivers are unsure about the legitimacy of an unmarked vehicle initiating a traffic stop, Fullerton said drivers should put on their four-way emergency lights, slow down, drive to a well-lit and populated area, and call 911 to confirm an officer is initiating the stop. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. No Wal-Mart stores in Warren or Northampton counties carried eggs being recalled nationally due to salmonella concerns, according to a company spokeswoman. Wal-Mart Spokeswoman Molly Blakeman said no stores across New Jersey or Pennsylvania were affected by the massive recall, pulling an estimated 200 million eggs in nine states. The problems were traced back to the Indiana-based company Rose Acre Farm, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's report. The Indiana company's farm in Hyde County, North Carolina was the distribution point of the eggs. Eggs were sold under the brand names Country Daybreak, Crystal Farms, Coburn Farms, Sunshine Farms, Glenview and Great Value. Some of the eggs also were sold at Food Lion supermarkets and the Waffle House restaurant. Great Value is Wal-Mart's store brand. Locally, there are Wal-Mart stores in Bethlehem Township; Lower Nazareth Township; Whitehall Township; and Pohatcong Township. A company spokesperson did not immediately return an email seeking information from the Waffle House, which has local restaurants in Bethlehem and Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Aside from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the potentially contaminated eggs also reached consumers in Colorado, Florida, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The FDA said the eggs were sent to retailers and restaurants by direct delivery. To date, 22 people have been sickened by the eggs, according to the FDA. Symptoms run the gamut from fever, diarrhea and nausea to vomiting and abdominal pain to in rare cases, more severe illnesses, such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A suspected child predator accused of sending lewd letters and pictures to young girls across the country reached out to a girl in the Lehigh Valley, police said on Monday. Joseph Polin's prolific and disturbing campaign involved sending letters and edited pictures to girls between the ages of 9 and 16 in 22 states and several countries, according to numerous media reports. Polin, who lived in Hazleton, Luzerne County, allegedly downloaded pictures of children from social media and mailed them to the child's home address with a note describing what he would do to them sexually. In Indiana, a family reported Polin sent an edited sexual image next to a picture of a girl that was taken when she was 3 years old. Hazleton police said a "disturbing" social media post led officers on April 9 to Polin's home , where he shot at an officer, WNEP reported. Polin, 46, killed himself following a five-hour standoff with police. Bushkill Township police on Monday said a girl in their jurisdiction received a letter from Polin last week. Police said anyone who received similar letters should contact their local police department. Parents, please check the privacy settings on all social media accounts your family may use. The reach of this... Posted by Bushkill Township Police Department on Monday, April 16, 2018 Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Entertainment Canadian Company Introduces a Robot Companion Doll Unlike Any Other Robot Companion 16.04.2018 21:10:05 - The Canadian company is attracting worldwide attention from people interested in robots that can talk, communicate, and truly simulate actual human companionship. (live-PR.com) - Although the market for personal companion robots is still relatively new, a promising disruptor is already offering something completely different from whats currently available. RobotCompanion.ca is a Toronto-based e-commerce company that has introduced something more than just a robot companion. Their artificially-intelligent (AI) robots are specifically designed to interact with its users. This holistic approach to mens needs is attracting interest - Although the market for personal companion robots is still relatively new, a promising disruptor is already offering something completely different from whats currently available.RobotCompanion.ca is a Toronto-based e-commerce company that has introduced something more than just a robot companion. Their artificially-intelligent (AI) robots are specifically designed to interact with its users. This holistic approach to mens needs is attracting interest from a much larger market, one that goes far beyond those who have shown interest in robot companions in the past. Were not looking to replace girlfriends or wives, said Company Spokesman. Instead, our main focus is helping people find happiness and fulfillment through other means, as well. Aside from sexual gratification, our robotic dolls can also facilitate friendly interactions, companionship, and mutually-satisfying human-robot artificial relationship. Other benefits their AI robot can offer include stress reduction, improved mental health, and even a longer life as some studies show. This explains why the customer base for these sex robot dolls is far more diverse than what the market has already seen. Single men who are struggling with loneliness are just one example. There are also those whose sex lives have suffered because of various disabilities or past traumas. Many men become lonely because their work takes them abroad, but countless other reasons can trigger profound loneliness, too. Thanks to Robot Companion, these men can enjoy sexual pleasure and the feeling of true camaraderie. The company spokesperson is also confident these AI Robots will deter men who may otherwise resort to paying prostitutes for physical intimacy, which is illegal in Canada. Two other under served markets are elderly men who live in care homes and couples in long-distance relationships who can use AI robot dolls to have fun from afar. Every effort has been made to create a sex robot doll that is as realistic as possible. The team at Robot Companion is made up of experts well-versed in cutting-edge robotic technology. They outfitted these robot dolls with highly sensitive sensors, so theyre able to respond to touch much like a real person would. Because they can be connected to the Internet, these robotic sex dolls can also gather information to be used in conversations. They can gather information from world wide web, can set appointments, discuss the weather, answer questions etc. Of course, they also look the part. Customers can customize their companions by height, hair color, breast size, and eye color. They feature real human parts and can even give off realistic body heat. Why is the incidence of loneliness rising worldwide? As a species, we now tend to migrate frequently. We are not living in the same place for generations, which would help us build more profound relationships. We tend to go from one place to another, form superficial and short-term relationships, however deep inside we strive for a relationship which is stable and profound. This disharmony puts us at risk of depression. It is now well recognized that social apps and social networking may easily produce loneliness and make us feel terrible. Robot Sex Dolls have become increasingly popular and accepted by the society since they have shown to help the individuals avoid being lonely and even create a form of a relationship with a robot companion. Our Artificially Intelligent Sex Robots are going to revolutionize the industry, said Company Spokesperson. The feedback weve already received confirms as much. All kinds of people are going to love these robot dolls. from a much larger market, one that goes far beyond those who have shown interest in robot companions in the past.Were not looking to replace girlfriends or wives, said Company Spokesman.Instead, our main focus is helping people find happiness and fulfillment through other means, as well. Aside from sexual gratification, our robotic dolls can also facilitate friendly interactions, companionship, and mutually-satisfying human-robot artificial relationship.Other benefits their AI robot can offer include stress reduction, improved mental health, and even a longer life as some studies show. This explains why the customer base for these sex robot dolls is far more diverse than what the market has already seen. Single men who are struggling with loneliness are just one example. There are also those whose sex lives have suffered because of various disabilities or past traumas. Many men become lonely because their work takes them abroad, but countless other reasons can trigger profound loneliness, too. Thanks to Robot Companion, these men can enjoy sexual pleasure and the feeling of true camaraderie.The company spokesperson is also confident these AI Robots will deter men who may otherwise resort to paying prostitutes for physical intimacy, which is illegal in Canada. Two other under served markets are elderly men who live in care homes and couples in long-distance relationships who can use AI robot dolls to have fun from afar.Every effort has been made to create a sex robot doll that is as realistic as possible. The team at Robot Companion is made up of experts well-versed in cutting-edge robotic technology. They outfitted these robot dolls with highly sensitive sensors, so theyre able to respond to touch much like a real person would. Because they can be connected to the Internet, these robotic sex dolls can also gather information to be used in conversations. They can gather information from world wide web, can set appointments, discuss the weather, answer questions etc. Of course, they also look the part. Customers can customize their companions by height, hair color, breast size, and eye color. They feature real human parts and can even give off realistic body heat.Why is the incidence of loneliness rising worldwide?As a species, we now tend to migrate frequently. We are not living in the same place for generations, which would help us build more profound relationships. We tend to go from one place to another, form superficial and short-term relationships, however deep inside we strive for a relationship which is stable and profound. This disharmony puts us at risk of depression. It is now well recognized that social apps and social networking may easily produce loneliness and make us feel terrible.Robot Sex Dolls have become increasingly popular and accepted by the society since they have shown to help the individuals avoid being lonely and even create a form of a relationship with a robot companion.Our Artificially Intelligent Sex Robots are going to revolutionize the industry, said Company Spokesperson. The feedback weve already received confirms as much. All kinds of people are going to love these robot dolls. Press Information: Robot Companion Mississauga, Canada Contact Person: Michael Lee Manager Phone: 416-232-9333 eMail: eMail Web: http://robotcompanion.ca 16.04.2018 21:10:05 - Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party. East China's Hangzhou City plans to build a state-level giant panda research and breeding center, according to the Hangzhou Safari Park. Two giant pandas eat bamboo at the Hangzhou Zoo in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, September 11, 2017. [File Photo: IC] The park Saturday signed an agreement with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on the breeding project. Construction of the center, which covers an area of 6 hectares, is scheduled to start this year and be finished by 2022. Currently, there are four giant pandas in Hangzhou, two at Hangzhou Zoo and two at Hangzhou Safari Park. The project is scheduled to bring in another 20 giant pandas by 2022. Li Desheng, an expert from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, said there were many zoos with giant pandas across the country, but there were only a very few research and breeding centers. The center will also conduct giant panda wild training. Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species and live mainly in the northern mountains of Sichuan Province as well as in southern Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. Stock Market News Credit Suisse raises Brent/WTI forecasts for 2018 and 2019 16-04-2018 12:34 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 FTSE 100 movers: Whitbread jumps as activist investor calls for Costa spinoff; WPP slumps 16-04-2018 13:39 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 Monday broker round-up 16-04-2018 12:57 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 Shire to sell oncology business to Servier for $2.4bn 16-04-2018 07:52 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 Sunday share tips: Flybe, Meggitt 15-04-2018 17:15 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 Chinese firms' export business appears so far to have been unaffected by tariff frictions between China and the US, as their export destinations have become more diverse and firms have sought independent innovation, Chinese businessmen told the Peoples Daily. Foreign buyers at this year's Canton Fair in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on Sunday Photo: VCG At China's largest and most important trade fair, which opened on Sunday in Guangdong, South China's Guangdong Province, a number of exhibitors said their business has not been affected yet. However, some admitted that if the situation worsens, it might lead to rising costs for their US operations. The 123rd session of China Import and Export Fair, widely known as the Canton Fair, has three phases, and the first phase, focusing on electronics, lasts until Thursday. Zhang Ziyue, a sales assistant for the North America Region for Gree Electric Appliances Inc, said that orders from US customers are stable, although the proposed tariffs announced by the US may affect one of the components in their refrigerators for export. "It's possible that the price of replacing the particular component for our US customers might rise if the tariffs take effect, thus further affecting our after-sales service in the US, and this is worrying," Zhang said. The US is one of their biggest export destinations. "However, we've mentioned our concerns to our US customers, and they are quite optimistic about the coming situation and haven't cut their orders," Zhang said. Feng Liguang, a trade representative for Wangxingda electronic company based in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong Province, which mainly exports sound equipment to overseas markets including the US, said that he cannot see any influence in their US businesses now, but "we will see at the end of the first phase." "The number of buyers from South America and Africa has been increasing in recent years and they are our main customer base now, which is another reason why we are not affected so far," Feng said. Yao Shenghua, CEO of Jingsheng Import and Export Company, also said that they are doing business with more buyers from the Middle East and Africa now. "The truth is, most Chinese companies' export destinations are more diverse; no one puts all their eggs in a single basket now," Yao noted. An exhibitor surnamed Chen who runs an auto spare parts company based in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, noted that most companies are so far not affected because the proposed tariffs have not been implemented yet. "Some US buyers just visited our booth, and showed an interest in our company's products, easing some of my concerns," Chen said, adding that their products are also sold in Europe and Japan. A US buyer, who talked on condition of anonymity, told the Peoples Daily on Sunday that the trade connections between China and the US cannot simply be "cut" by rising tariffs. He has been coming to the fair for five consecutive years. "For example, the auto parts, we don't produce them in our country, we have to import from other countries like China. In the end, the rising costs will be paid by the US and Chinese people, which are stupid and will cause losses on both sides," he said. More than 200,000 buyers from around 210 countries and regions are expected to visit the fair this year. The number remains stable compared with 2017, though rising unilateralism and protectionism has further complicated the global trade environment, Xu Bing, spokesperson for the Canton Fair and deputy director general of the China Foreign Trade Center, said at a press conference ahead of the fair in Guangzhou on Saturday. While Xu also admitted that there would be some uncertainties on the number of US buyers due to the Sino-US trade tensions, he stressed that buyers from the US are the second-largest group of overseas customers at the fair. "Chinese exhibitors have already prepared for the situation through optimizing their product structure and actively exploring a diversified market," Xu remarked. China's foreign trade reached 6.75 trillion yuan ($1.08 trillion) in the first three months, with export volumes reaching 3.54 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.4 percent and 7.4 percent year-on-year, according to data China's General Administration of Customs released Friday. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results Yi Gang, governor of the People's Bank of China, announced specific measures and a timetable for the further opening of China's finance sector Wednesday at the Boao Forum for Asia. The measures include eliminating restrictions on foreign shareholders' stake in banking and asset management joint ventures with Chinese companies, allowing foreign banks to set up branches in China and four other policies which will be carried out in ensuing months. In addition, five other measures including encouraging foreign investors to invest in trusts, financial leasing and auto finance, will be launched by the end of this year. Yi's remarks fully demonstrated that Chinese President Xi Jinping's instructions to implement policies that further open up the nation's economy are being comprehensively carried out. Xi's speech at the forum attracted worldwide attention and displayed China's genuine determination to expand its opening to the world. Meanwhile, it provided the international community with more faith about China's role in defending the global multilateral trading system. Amid an atmosphere of trade protectionism, China has brought optimism and encouragement to the world. US President Donald Trump tweeted on Tuesday: "Very thankful for President Xi of China's kind words on tariffs and automobile barriers... also, his enlightenment on intellectual property and technology transfers. We will make great progress together!" Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House press secretary said Xi's speech was "a very good sign of moving in the right direction," but "we want to see concrete steps and concrete action" from China. Presumably, the far-sighted strategy of the Chinese leader will pile pressure on the US. As Beijing plans for opening-up, Washington looks bad continuing with its trade protectionism. Washington has two options: sincerely responding to China's determination for expansion of opening-up and launching goodwill interactions or it can hold on to its unilateralism, keep pressuring China with unreasonable demands and escalating bilateral trade friction. Some Americans believe China is toning down its rhetoric under threats from Washington. If this misjudgment is used to guide US trade policy toward China, a trade war will be hard to avoid. Xi's speech is a milestone that marks China's further opening-up. Such a historic choice would not be hastily carried out due to pressure from the outside world. Since the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China last year, plans for China's expansive opening have been continuously improved and Xi's speech was a general mobilization of the nation's long decided, new round of opening-up. If Washington thinks China's upgrade of its opening-up was triggered by US menaces, it is making a historic mistake in its relationship with Beijing. Whether the Sino-US trade war is aggravated depends on Washington. It is hoped US actions accord with Trump's pleasant tweets rather than more old carrot-and-stick. For the last five years the art initiative ArToll in Bedburg-Hau hosts once a year a group of art students and their teachers from the Ecole des Beaux Arts (EBA) in Versailles. With limited facilities available, they have to work with the materials they bring along or collect artefacts around the building or during exploration travels. In this year Arielle Benzekri gave the visitors of the exhibition a fine example of a performance with pieces she picked up from her voyage by bus to the nearby Dutch city of Nijmegen just across the border. She collected among other things Dutch journals and wrote down keen observations about the Dutch in their daily life, comparing them with her experiences in France. More political themes like borders and refugees are also mentioned. As far travel notes are concerned she is in the good company of Madame de Stael and Voltaire, the last one visited the castle of Moyland in Bedburg-Hau and made some, how can it be else, some mocking remarks about the adjacent city of Cleve. The vibrant and lively young artist started her performance in her room, full of signs of travel, read aloud from a book, dressed to go on a trip and then took her audience by surprise as she rushed off with two crutches on a terrain with obstacles, pretending to not be able to use one leg. A lively performance, covering experiences with life outside of the comfort zone, not easily forgotten. The other performer, Amelie Deboichet, took her audience on a less breath taking trip, titled Blockage, on which she slowly and laboriously pushed a seemingly heavy rock like dark obstacle in the presence of a dark larger than life model of a person. Something is happening, suspense is in the air, which each observer of the act could relate to. She wisely wore a sleeveless dress and her bare arms on the dark background told a tale of ongoing toil, even more so than the rest of the body. Some actions reminded of great classical sculpture and painting, dealing with a toiling human body, and indeed after a while one finds oneself in a never ending story with no progress and no escape, a metaphor of the human condition. Both performers deservedly received a warm applause! Seen on April 14, 2018 in the ArToll building, Bedburg-Hau, Germany. Contributions about previous visits can be seen here..." Zermatt Unplugged partnership with Hublot provides a unique platform to celebrate its already very close relationship with music. In 2018, the Swiss festival was being held from 10th to 14th April and combined a wide range of musical genres with the congenial atmosphere of the village nestled in the heart of the Pennine Alps. Theses festivals in previous years have always placed great importance on offering an exclusive line-up including promising newcomer acts, and this season is no different. Emeli Sande and Ricardo Guadalupe, CEO of Hublot, in front of the chalet-style boutique in Zermatt Hublot Zermatt Unplugged 2018 Zermatt Unplugged has long enjoyed a reputation as the 'festival of phenomenal voices', coming into their own during the "unplugged" shows created especially for the festival. For the 2018 edition the festival presented renowned global stars as it does every year, with artists such as Norah Jones, Emeli Sande Lianne La Havas, and Sarah Connor for 2018. In addition to the scores of established artists, there are also a number of newcomer acts to lend Zermatt Unplugged its distinctive flair. Performing on 14 stages in and around Zermatt, these acts will ensure that the spirit of the festival can be felt throughout Zermatt and on the nearby ski slopes. Concert of Lianne La Havas Hublot Big Bang Alps The first model in the Big Bang collection by Hublot was released over ten years ago now. Since its launch, this model has become a symbol of just how multifaceted Swiss watchmaking is. This iconic and instantly recognisable design by Hublot has been used as the basis for ongoing development and enhancement ever since, in terms of both engineering and design, becoming the prestige model of the Swiss luxury watch manufacture. The Big Bang Alps pays homage to the most emblematic mountain in the Swiss Alps the Matterhorn. In this collection, the manufacture's engineers and watchmakers decided to work with an innovative new kind of coated carbon. This fusion of fine materials acts like granite. This rock can be found all over the Alpsand seen from the manufacture in Nyon it provided the inspiration for the Big Bang Alps. The Matterhorn is the jewel in the crown of Switzerland's mountains and its unmistakable shape is recognised around the world. Big Bang Alps for women and for men Hublot The Big Bang collection includes a gents' model measuring 45 mm in diameter and a ladies' version measuring 39 mm across. Both models feature the "One Click" system which enables the strap to be changed quickly and easily depending on the wearer's mood and what they are doing. The eye-catching "Cuddly Cuff" can turn any winter outfit into something extra special: this trendy oversized cuff made of warm and fashionable sheepskin can be attached to the "One Click" strap with ease. From the start of the collaboration between Baume & Mercier and Indian Motorcycle in August 2017, Alexandre Peraldi, Baume & Merciers Design Director worked closely with Indians Industrial Design team based in Minnesota, USA. The pairs aim was to capture the DNA of Indian in a refined and not obvious manner. As such, Baume & Mercier produced the Clifton Club Indian Burt Munro Tribute Limited Edition, and two unique chronographs within the Clifton Club Indian collection. The two watches are called Indian Legend, with one inspired by the iconic light-weight Indian Scout model livery and the other, reflecting the design of the heavy-weight Chief model powered by the Indians ThunderStroke 111 V-twin engine. Each limited to 1,901 pieces representing the year 1901 when Indian was founded. Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Scout Limited Edition Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Scout Limited Edition Baume & Mercier Housed within a 44mm polished & satin-finished stainless steel case with ADLC details and operating at a frequency of 28800 vph, the timepiece is powered by the self-winding caliber Valjoux 7750 offering a 48-hour power reserve. The riveted indexes as well as hour, minute coated with green emission Superluminova are complemented by the tachymeter, date and chronograph functions, which the counterweight hand, is immediately recognizable with Indian I. The date disc displays 1901 at the 19th day of the month to recall Indian Motorcycle foundations date, which is engraved on the screw down case back, along with the Indian Motorcycle logo. Also apparent are the chronograph counters designed to recall the speedometer. The open-worked opalin grey with black snailed counters is representing the livery shade of the Scout motorbike models. The Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Scout edition features a richly toned leather strap reflecting the brown color of the Scouts seat and is made by the famous USA based Horween Leather Company renowned for crafting calfskin straps that develop character and patina over time. Baume & Mercier Baume & Mercier Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Chief Limited Edition As for the Scout edition, the Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Chief model timepiece encloses a self-winding movement forged in a 44mm diameter case in polished/satin-finished steel stainless steel case with ADLC details. Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Chief Limited Edition Baume & Mercier The riveted indexes along with the hour and minute hands coated with green emission Superluminova enhance the full black dial, surrounded by a tachymeter scale for speed measurements. The timepiece aso displays a variety of signature elements from Indians, such as the Indian I on the red chronograph second hand and the 1901 on the date disc and on the back of the case, along with Indian Motorcycle Headdress logo. The Clifton Club Indian Legend Tribute, Chief edition is fitted with a 3-row polished & satin-finished stainless steel bracelet secured with a triple folding-clasp. So youre a self-confessed tropical paradise enthusiast. Youve probably ticked the Maldives off your travel bucket list, and have been to Bali more times than you can count. If youre looking for the next dreamy island adventure, why not make Hawaii your next destination? With its surreal volcanic landscapes, spectacular beaches and breathtaking tropical flora, fewer places on Earth come close to the beauty that is Hawaii. You might not know this, but there are actually hundreds of islands in the archipelago, with seven of its islands (i.e. Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Maui, and Hawaii) being the most renowned. You can choose to either island-hop or stick to one or two islands to make the most of your stay there. Whether youre a beach bum or nature enthusiast, theres something for everyone in beautiful Hawaii get inspired for your trip in the gallery above! TRAVELING TO HAWAII? HERE ARE SOME INSIDER TIPS Thought flying to Hawaii from Kuala Lumpur would be costly on your pocket and cranky on your back? Not if you choose the right airline! Here are some travel hacks for your perfect aloha vacation: Affordable flights? Yes! As it turns out, planning and booking your tickets ahead of your trip can give you huge cost savings. Enjoy 30% off your flights from Kuala Lumpur to Honolulu (via Osaka) with AirAsia X*. Hassle-Free Arrival. Honolulus peak arrival period for international flights is between 9 am to 12 pm. A perk of flying with AirAsia X is that its arrival timing (of either 12.05pm or 12.30pm) steers clear of this peak period, allowing for a comfortable, stress-free start to your vacation. Fly in Comfort! AirAsia Xs Premium Flatbed option offers complimentary luggage, fully reclinable seats, priority services and an overall hassle-free experience truly caters to your flying needs and comfort. *Enjoy 30% off when you book your AirAsia X flights from now until 22 April! Applicable for travel period from now to 31 October 2018. This post was brought to you by AirAsia X. Bertucci's closed restaurants Monday in Amherst, West Springfield and Longmeadow just hours after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Also closed were locations in Randolph, Taunton and Wayland. Bertucci's -- known for brick-oven pizza -- remains open in Andover, Beverly, Boston Children's Hospital, Braintree, Brockton, Cambridge, Canton, Chelmsford, Framingham, Hingham, Holliston, Lexington, Mansfield, Marlborough, Medford, Needham, Newton, North Andover, North Attleborough, Norwood, Peabody, Plymouth, Reading, Swampscott, Taunton, Waltham, West Roxbury, Westborough and Woburn. 1/ Today, we announced a restructuring to strengthen our company long-term, though it will have an immediate impact with the closing of 15 locations. We will help our affected team members thru transfers to other Bertuccis or help securing new jobs locally. Bertucci's (@Bertuccis) April 16, 2018 Northborough-based Bertucci's said Monday it closed 15 locations, leaving 59 remaining. Bertucci's said in a Tweet that it would assist employees with transfers to surviving locations or with finding other jobs in their communities. All told, Bertucci's management told the bankruptcy court it wanted out of 29 leases. It's unclear from court papers, but some of those leases may be for locations that closed prior to Monday. According to court papers, Bertucci's has a stalking horse bidder, Right Lane Dough Acquisitions LLC, that has agreed to purchase substantially all of Bertucci's assets and assume certain liabilities unless another buyer comes forward with a higher offer. Stalking horse bidders help set the price in situations like this by making an opening bid. Longmeadow Shops management is already talking with architects about reshaping the old Bertucci's there into a new restaurant space, said Steve Walker, a partner and regional property manger for Grove Property Fund LLC, owner of the Longmeadow Shops. He said he could tell Bertucci's was in trouble based on a lack of customer volume recently. Also, Bertucci's had fallen behind on its rent and tried to renegotiate a lower rate. "That just didn't make sense to us," Walker said. "They were not getting it done, and it's a proven restaurant location. There are so many good chefs out there. There are so many good independently owned restaurants. Let's go after one of those." He said it might take 10 months or a year before a new restaurant is open at the Bertucci's location. Bertucci's opened at the Longmeadow Shops in 1995. Previous occupants of the space were The Glass Lily from 1988 to 1995, Yankee Seasons from 1986 to 1988 and L'Amitie from 1983 to 1986. Joey Crugnale founded Bertucci's in Somerville in 1981. CEO Brian Wright took over in 2016 and started a program to combat rising competition from fast-casual chains like Panera Bread. Bertucci's has an Express Lunch promotion where diners are promised their meals in 15 minutes or less. As expected, Bertucci's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Sunday evening. The Northborough-based chain, known for its brick-oven pizza, said in a news release that it's 59 locations will continue operating for now. But the company told the bankruptcy court it plans to break 29 leases through the operation. Those could be locations that have closed already or ones that Bertucci's plans to close. Last month, the Bertucci's in Wellesley closed its doors. The Faneuil Hall and Kenmore Square locations in Greater Boston were shut down weeks earlier. Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code clocks lawsuits from creditors and gives an ailing company time to reorganize. There is a stalking horse bidder, Right Lane Dough Acquisitions, LLC, that has agreed to purchase substantially all of Bertucci's assets and assume certain liabilities unless another buyer comes forward with a higher offer. Stalking horse bidders help set the price in situations like this by making an opening bid. "Today's filing is expected to be seamless for Bertucci's guests, trading partners and vendors, and result in minimal disruption to its operations, allowing us to strengthen the company's financial structure and position it for significant future growth," CEO Brian Wright said in a statement. "We are grateful for the service and loyalty of our team members and are looking forward to focusing on a return to Bertucci's roots: authentic, high quality, fresh ingredients that guests and team members alike crave and care about." Bertucci's has 4,200 workers at its 59 locations and the Northborough headquarters. It has about $119 million in debt, according to bankruptcy papers field in a federal court in Delaware. There are Bertucci's in Amherst, Andover, Attleboro, Beverly, Braintree, Brockton, Cambridge, Canton, Chelmsford, Framingham, Hingham, Holliston, Lexington, Longmeadow, Mansfield, Marlborough, Medford, Needham, Newton, North Andover, Norwood, Peabody, Plymouth, Randolph, Reading, Swampscott, Taunton, Waltham, Wayland, West Roxbury, West Springfield, Westborough and Woburn. Joey Crugnale founded Bertucci's in Somerville in 1981. CEO Brian Wright took over in 2016 and started the program to combat rising competition from fast-casual chains like Panera Bread. Bertucci's has an Express Lunch promotion where diners are promised their meals in 15 minutes or less. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts customers who rely on natural gas for residential heating could see their average monthly bill rise by more than 3 percent in 2020 if state regulators approve a new rate structure the company proposed last week. Columbia proposed a 3.6 percent hike, an average of $4.95 a month for the average residential heating customer, beginning March 1. The company says it will discount year one's rates by $9.1 million as it refunds its savings under the new federal tax law to customers as required by the Massachusetts attorney general. The discount would leave a 2 percent increase, or $2.80 a month for the typical customer, in the first year the new rate would take effect. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, a subsidiary of NiSource with headquarters in Westborough, filed a petition with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities on Friday, according to a news release. The company wants to increase annual revenues by $24.1 million, representing a 3.9 percent increase in current operating revenues. It needs the money, Columbia Gas said, to keep up with operating and maintenance and to comply with increasingly stringent federal and state mandates. Columbia Gas last changed its rates in 2016. Gas bills come in two parts. One part, the base rate, includes costs associated with the delivery, distribution and customer services operations for Columbia Gas. Another portion of the bill is the cost of the gas itself. This cost is passed dollar-for-dollar from the gas company to the consumer and varies with market conditions. Columbia Gas has 321,000 customers in 65 cities and towns, including Springfield, Northampton, Lawrence and Brockton. "We have made organizational and work practice changes to meet this important public safety challenge and our continuous improvement efforts have involved every aspect of the company's operations," said Steve Bryant, president and chief operating officer of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts. "These changes involve more work, and therefore, more labor and labor-related costs, including ongoing comprehensive employee training. "A new state-of-the-art training facility built in Shrewsbury ensures that our workforce is obtaining the skills and capabilities necessary to achieve full compliance with pipeline safety regulations while executing best practices," he said. Columbia Gas of Massachusetts service territory by Jim Kinney on Scribd WEST SPRINGFIELD -- The West Springfield-based Irish Cultural Center of Western New England will hold its annual "La na Gaeilge" (Irish Language Day) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, at Elms College in Chicopee. It's an opportunity for anyone with an interest in the Irish language, which is still used on a daily basis in mostly remote sections along or near Ireland's west coast, to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of the spoken and written language of their Irish forbears. The program consists of two classes available at four levels: a beginner's class, a class for people with an introductory knowledge of Irish, an intermediate-level class, and a class for advanced learners. The cost is $50 per person, $45 for patrons of the Irish Cultural Center, and $15 for college-age students and under. Workshops and conversation groups will be held in addition to the formal classes. Seaghan Mac an tSionnaigh, a visiting professor in the Department of Irish Language and Literature at the University of Notre Dame, will present a lecture, "Beyond the Wild Atlantic Way: West Kerry Oral Tradition." Mac an tSionnaigh, who recently finished a doctorate in Irish folklore, spent three years in the West Kerry gaeltacht -- or Irish-speaking area -- of southwestern Ireland, where many Irish-Americans from Western Massachusetts can trace their roots. Mac an tSionnaigh is a recipient of a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant award from the Irish Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the National Lottery. The cost of next month's Irish Language Day includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day, which concludes with a music session for participants. The deadline to register is May 1. Registration forms can be downloaded online at www.IrishCenterwne.org. More information is available by calling the Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield, at 413-333-4951 or by emailing irishcenterwne@gmail.com. Elms College is located at 291 Springfield St., Chicopee. In addition to Munster Irish -- the dialect spoken regularly throughout counties Kerry, Cork, Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford up until the early 20th century -- other regionally distinctive dialects are spoken in the provinces of Ulster and Connaught. Today, Irish is still spoken in parts of Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Kerry, particularly the western half of the Dingle Peninsula and central and western parts of the Iveragh Peninsula. Smaller gaeltacht regions are found in counties Cork and Waterford, the latter of which has well-established Irish-speaking districts in the Ring and Old Parish areas south of Dungarvan. Irish is also spoken on several offshore islands, including Arranmore, Inishbofin and Tory in Donegal, the Aran islands off Galway, Achill Island in Mayo, and Cape Clear Island in Cork. In 1967, Irish speakers from the Connemara region of Galway settled in two small villages outside Navan, County Meath, and Irish-speaking pockets survive in both communities to this day. A couple of years later, an Irish-speaking district formed in the Shaw's Road area of heavily Irish-Catholic West Belfast in the north of Ireland. This settlement and the newer Gaeltacht Quarter in and around the Falls Road section of Belfast continue to survive despite the overall decline of the language by the early 20th century. Other Irish-speaking outposts in what is today known as Northern Ireland lasted into the 20th century, particularly in remote sections of the Sperrin Mountains in counties Derry and Tyrone, the Glens of Antrim in County Antrim, and Rathlin Island off the Antrim coast, as well as other scattered pockets throughout the six counties. The type of Irish spoken in the Achill and Erris sections of Mayo still retains dialectical elements of Ulster Irish due to the influx of people from parts of the north during the decades-long Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Irish is a member of the Indo-European language family. As the Irish people spread east, they brought their language with them, giving rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx, the native language of the Isle of Man. Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard defended his officer's use of force while restraining a 21-year-old Harvard University student Friday night, documented in a video posted to social media. Officer Steven Burke punched Selorm Ohene "five times" in the stomach, according to his account written in a police report. Officers had been called to the scene at about 10 p.m. Friday for reports of a naked man standing on Massachusetts Avenue. "Ideally, we use the least amount of force possible," Bard said to reporters gathered at the Cambridge police headquarters Monday afternoon. "As the situation escalates, as it often does out of our control, we have a force continuum." The video shows Ohene standing in the middle of a circle of officer when Burke grabbed his legs knocking him to the ground. In the incident report Burke says Ohene continued to resist "with all his strength." He also notes that Ohene is 6-feet-tall and muscular. The 21-year-old is also black. In the video, shared by Cambridge police, Ohene falls to his stomach and starts yelling, "Help me, Jesus! Help me, Jesus!" as the officers swarm and climb on top of him. Asked if he "stood by" the three Cambridge officers involved Bard said: "absolutely I support them." The police have committed to a thorough, internal review of the incident to ensure police followed proper protocol. No disciplinary action had been taken against the officers as of Monday afternoon. Burke, who threw the punches, hurt his leg in the scuffle and remains out of work, police said. The two other officers are back on duty. Bard, who has been on the job for about a year, said he is working with local communities of color to maintain trust in the wake of the incident. He said he had spoken to students from Harvard University concerned about the actions police took against the black student. "In order for me to build trust and legitimacy I'm going to tell you what I think my officers did wrong," Bard said. "And I'm going to come and tell you what they did right." CHICOPEE - Six people were displaced when a three-family home caught fire early Monday morning. The fire started in the rear of the third-floor apartment and was caused by an electrical malfunction. It was investigated by the Chicopee Fire Department and State Fire Marshal's Office, said Acting Fire Deputy Chief Edward Marcoux. The fire was reported at 5:15 a.m. at 517 McKinstry Avenue. When firefighters arrived the six residents of the home had escaped, he said. "The crews who were on scene did a great job for the amount of fire that was showing on arrival," Marcoux said. The fire burned through the back of the third floor and damaged part of the roof. Firefighters, under the direction of Deputy Chief Matthew Cross, brought the flames under control in about an hour. They remained on the scene for several hours to ensure the fire was completely extinguished and to clean up, Marcoux said. The efforts were complicated by the bad weather but there were no injuries while fighting the fire, he said. Holyoke, Springfield and Westover Air Reserve Base fire departments assisted by manning stations while Chicopee firefighters were on McKinstry Avenue, he said. The residents are being assisted by the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, Marcoux said. McKinstry Avenue between Arcade and Prospect streets was closed for several hours due to the fire. RUSSELL - A driver was arrested Saturday afternoon after slamming into a parked police cruiser of an officer who was on a traffic stop. Sgt. Andrew Hawley was not injured in the crash police did not say if he was in the vehicle at the time. The operator of the car he had stopped was also unhurt, police said. Hawley was pulled over to the side of the road at about 4:46 p.m., Saturday, on Route 20 near the intersection of Raymur Drive. His emergency blue lights were activated, police said. A driver traveling westbound at a high rate of speed slammed into the cruiser. The car ended up on its side propped up against the back of the police vehicle, police said. "The operator of the vehicle was removed from the vehicle via Russell Fire Department," police said. He was arrested Massachusetts State Police troopers who responded to the scene and charged with numerous motor vehicle violations, police said. Russell Police did not release his name or official charges. The back of the police SUV style cruiser was damaged and the back window and tail lights were broken. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attended on Monday the conclusion of the 'Gulf Shield' military drills, in which Egypt is participating along with 24 other Arab and Muslim countries The seven-day military exercise was held in eastern Saudi Arabia under the auspices of King Salman Bin Abdel-Aziz. The Egyptian president by received by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The military manoeuvres, which involved land, naval and air forces, included live ammunition exercises, clearing a chemical facility, naval vessel operations, targeting air force missile pads, and coastal defence operations. President El-Sisi arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to participate in the 29th Arab Summit, which started on Sunday. El-Sisi addressed his Arab counterparts on Sunday on a number of issues of mutual interest, including Arab national security in light of recent developments. Search Keywords: Short link: HINSDALE - A woman found dead Friday morning in a car in this Berkshire County town died of multiple gunshot wounds. The death of Kassedi Clark, 24, was officially ruled a homicide by Dr. Robert Welton, associate medical examiner for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, who performed an autopsy on her body Sunday in Holyoke, said Frederick A. Lantz, spokesman for Berkshire District Attorney Paul J. Caccaviello. Police arrested her estranged boyfriend, Michael S. Boulais, 32, and charged him with a single count of murder in connection with her death on Friday, Lantz said. Boulais is expected to be arraigned on the murder charge Tuesday morning in Central Berkshire District Court. He is being held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without the right to bail pending his arraignment, he said. Police responding to a call of a possible shooting at 8:30 a.m. at 53 Ashmere Drive found Clark's body inside a vehicle on the property, he said. The investigation is being conducted by state troopers assigned to the District Attorney's Office, members of the Hinsdale and Dalton police departments, the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department, state troopers assigned to the Cheshire barracks, the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services and Ballistics Sections and forensic scientists assigned to the State Police Crime Laboratory. AMHERST -- Although management put in wrought iron fences at Townehouse apartments in North Amherst to help curb large crowds, party-goers over the weekend found new ways to enter the complex -- climbing over the fence, slipping between the bars and via residents willing to let them in. Amherst police were first called to the Meadow Street complex at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday and talked to residents. About 100 people were gathered, according to the police log. Police returned three hours later, requesting police help from Hadley, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Massachusetts State Police to disperse the crowd that had grown to at least several hundred. People were throwing bottles and cans at each other, police said. There were no reported injuries and no arrests, but police will review video and court summons might be issued at a later date, police said. It took police more than an hour to clear the quad. Police returned again to complex at about 8 p.m. after another complaint was called in, but there was no noise when police arrived. In March 2017, Townehouse management, after working with police and University of Massachusetts officials, put up a fence in the western quad to help reduce the number of large gatherings there. But weeks after the fence went up, about 1,500 gathered on the eastern quad -- an area without a fence. This summer, management erected a new fence there as well. That eastern quad had remained quiet, until Saturday, but the warm weather likely brought out the revelers, police said. Police responded to more than 350 calls over the weekend and issued six noise complaint warnings. Police also arrested a 21-year-old UMass student for violating the town's noise bylaw and arrested two people, will summons two more and issued five warnings for violating liquor bylaws. The national dialogue project "Guns, An American Conversation" is coming to Massachusetts in the form of a special two-day program led by Essential Partners and MassLive. We are seeking diverse participants of all ages, including Massachusetts high school and college students, to talk about guns in America on May 4-5. The goal of the project is to overcome the anger and divisiveness driving the national debate about guns and gun violence by gathering people across our political and cultural divides in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. The first phase of the project took place at the Newseum in downtown Washington D.C. with a two-day workshop March 24-25. Time captured the weekend in a video as part of its ongoing coverage of the series. The project team is bringing together a wide range of people, and a wide variety of viewpoints: teenagers, adults, conservatives and liberals, people affected by gun violence and people who own and use guns. While some participants have already been selected based on an earlier call for applications, MassLive is actively seeking the perspectives of high school and college students, as well as people with diverse ethnic backgrounds. Applications can be submitted through this brief questionnaire. While a previous phase of this project included a follow-up Facebook group, the Massachusetts program will consist solely of this in-person meeting, as well as a chance to be included in news stories. Essential Partners will cover the cost of food and overnight accommodation on May 4 at a beautiful inn in the Worcester area. Participants will be responsible for their own travel expenses - although there may be an opportunity for people from the Springfield area to take advantage of a shuttle service. The event will be led by trained facilitators from Essential Partners, a Cambridge-based firm skilled at bringing together people across conflicting points of view. The program kicks off with a 6 p.m. dinner on Friday, May 4, followed by the workshop start, and runs through 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. Successful applicants will be notified by Wednesday, April 18. Apply now. Some 2,600 electric customers throughout Western Massachusetts find themselves without power Monday afternoon as a result of outages. Hardest hit is West Springfield with 1,100 customers affected, according to Eversource Energy. Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot said the utility company has dispatched crews to West Springfield and are looking to determine the cause of the outage. Once the extent of the problem is known, Eversource will be able to estimate when power will be restored, he said. Poirot said heavy rains damaged an underground cable in the are of Main, Elm and Park streets. Crews were working to reroute electricity from the damaged cable. As of 4:25 p.m., the estimate was that power would be restored within an hour. The National Grid is reporting a total of 1,500 affected customers in Berkshire County. These include 782 in the town of New Marlboro, 333 in Sheffield, and 215 in Lenox. East of Springfield, there are also large concentrations of outages in Belchertown, 248, some 130 in East Brookfield, and 177 in the town of Athol. Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and the Chicopee Police Department have joined the Yarmouth and Auburn police departments in signing a change.org petition demanding change in the judicial system created after the killing of Yarmouth Police Officer Sean Gannon. "First of all, to the families and police departments of Officers Sean Gannon and Ronald Tarentino, Jr., my deepest sympathy, thoughts, prayers and encouragement," Sarno said in a prepared statement. Gannon was killed April 12 while serving a warrant in the Marstons Mills village of Barnstable, authorities said. Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino, Jr. was fatally shot by Jorge Zambrano on May 22, 2016, after the officer stopped a vehicle on Rochdale Street in Auburn around 12:18 a.m. Sarno has repeatedly denounced judges for lenient treatment of defendants, most recently two weeks ago when he criticized judge David Ricciardone for reduced the bail of defendant Raul Devers, arrested on gun and drug charges, from $20,000 to $1,000 during a bail appeal hearing. "Judges low bail issues has been a driven cause of mine. Like you, allowing these violent repeat offenders back out on our streets and neighborhoods to continue to perpetuate harm, mayhem and murder is just unacceptable and must stop - two 'sentinels of peace' are now dead," he said. Sarno again called on the Massachusetts Legislature to take action on a bill he submitted giving prosecutors a right to appeal bail rulings. "I have filed legislation with District Attorney Anthony Gulluni through lead sponsor State Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. that can and will combat these tragic situations. Unfortunately, it does not seem to move out of committee. These tragic incidents cry out for this legislation to finally be moved, but more importantly, adopted," he said. Sarno said he will also be signing the change.org petition and urges others to do the same. In solidarity with their fellow police departments the Chicopee Police Department issued a statement on its Facebook page Sunday afternoon. "In light of the recent tragedy in Yarmouth Police Dept. we stand with our fellow brother and sister officers in Yarmouth, and around the Commonwealth, and want to share their link for change," said the Officer Michael Wilk, public information officer for the department. GREAT BARRINGTON - A Great Barrington woman died in an Saturday morning head-on collision on Route 41, and a New York City man has been cited for motor vehicle homicide, police said. Great Barrington Police Chief William Walsh Jr. identifed the deceased as 64-year-old Annemarie E. Bushka of the Housatonic section of Great Barrington. She was seriously injured in the crash and died at the scene, Walsh said. The other driver, Robert Bacigalupi, 68, of New York City, was taken by ambulance to Berkshire Medical Center for treatment of undisclosed injures. Walsh said the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. He was cited for motor vehicle homicide and a marked lane violation. He will be ordered to appear in court at a later date on those charges. The crash occured at about 11 a.m. in the area of 200 Maple St., which is just south of the center of Great Barrington. The crash remains under investigation by the Great Barrington Police. Walsh asks that anyone who witnesses the crash is asked to call the police at 413-528-0306. Two lanes of the Massachusetts Turnpike are closed near Exit 9 in Sturbridge as crews repair a large pothole that disabled several vehicles. State Police said that the right and center travel lanes are closed near the exit to Interstate 84 west. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation's emergency service patrol truck is assisting the disabled drivers. MassDOT is en route to repair the pothole, according to State Police. Frightened by a president whose sabre-rattling tweets treat careful diplomacy as the province of weaklings, Democrats in Congress suddenly want to exercise their military responsibility. This would be a good idea if it were not such a bad idea. It's also several decades late. Led by U.S. Senator Edward Markey, Massachusetts Democrats called on President Trump to seek their approval before engaging in military action. Air strikes on Syria that involved not only American but British and French forces - a refreshing reminder that the United States does not operate in isolation on global security - came in response to Syria's reported use of chemical weapons. The Democrats agreed that Syria's chemical warfare could not go unchallenged. Markey (who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) called out Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad's "murder of innocent Syrian civilians ... barbaric," and Sen. Elizabeth Warren lambasted it as "horrifying" and a "clear violation of American law." When the steam had cleared from their ears, they then lectured the U.S. Commander-in-Chief not to do anything about it until clearing it with them first. Using "Donald Trump" and "Commander-in-Chief" in the same sentence scares some people and makes others vomit. But since Democrats are invoking their interpretation of the Constitution, it's worth noting the president is in charge of the armed forces, which American voters knew when they chose to elect him in 2016. The president commanded the armed forces in 2011, when Barack Obama authorized the operation that brought justice through the death of Osama bin Laden. There was risk in that exercise, too - risk of failure and risk of igniting a broader terrorist response. Obama gave the go-ahead, anyway. He has not received nearly enough credit for that. Democrats in Congress were not demanding to know why he didn't clear it with them first. In fact, Congress showed no interest in exercising its Constitutional obligations until Trump came along. Congress hasn't really been a true player since December of 1941 - the last time the U.S. formally declared war as only Congress, and not the president, can do. As Commander-in-Chief, the president is allowed to take certain military action. Since 1941, that power has been stretched beyond what the Founding Fathers probably had in mind. This is because it's often unwise to advertise your military plans to the world in advance. Nothing would advertise it more openly than a long-winded debate in Congress by politicians looking for their 30-second sound byte in the sun. Taking responsibility also brings risk of being wrong and being blamed. It was President Lyndon Johnson, not Congress, who took the hit for the undeclared Vietnam War. Even if it were practical for 535 politicians in Congress to authorize military action, which often it is not, the House and Senate have not shown the ability to put politics aside and make a rapid decision (as military action requires) that puts America's interests first. This is sadly true whether the decision would be to launch a strike or not - and forget about secrecy or giving our armed forces the element of surprise. The statement by Massachusetts Democrats says this: Syria's horrible use of chemical weapons is wrong, wrong, wrong. It can't be tolerated - but Mr. President, don't do anything, even in concert with our allies (notably France, which does not enter these operations lightly) until we can put our two cents in first. Mixed messages, anyone? The Constitution does make Congress the sole authority to declare war. We don't do that anymore; in fact, the entire custom of declaring war may be obsolete because 21st Century nations look for ways to escape conflict before entering it. A declaration of war is a point of no return. It means if a country does not win, it will lose. Such a commitment is often impractical when fighting rogue regimes that operate without national boundaries. It also requires the type of all-in commitment Americans no longer embrace. With a designated professional army rather than the participation of us all, we approach conflict warily and tactically, in the hope a few decisive strikes or a quick invasion will send a message that avoids war rather than provoking it. That almost never happens in the modern world. We invade, we conquer and the rogue enemy waits for us to leave so they can start it up again. When John McCain said true success in Iraq or Afghanistan would require the same decades-long occupation that has kept us in Korea for nearly 70 years, nobody listened because nobody wanted to hear it. Trump's military authority was part of the power he was given by the American public on Nov. 8, 2016. I don't blame people for being nervous about that. But Congress has had a long time to assert its interest in acting as a 535-member body of Commander-in-Chiefs, something for which the Constitution does not provide. Using an air strike against chemical weapons to argue in favor of it is bad timing, and not a confidence builder that if Congress had the power, it would know how to use it. It isn't terribly difficult to present an argument in support of Friday's coordinated missile attack on Syrian sites used to manufacture and store chemical weapons. The assault -- carried out by the United States, the United Kingdom and France -- came in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack that left dozens dead and many more injured. That said, though one can easily understand the need to do something in the face of such unmitigated evil, Friday's military action was a response, not a policy. If the move was largely a success, as the Pentagon asserts, that's noteworthy. But it isn't a policy, isn't a game-changer. As such, President Donald Trump's post to Twitter following the assault was sadly laughable. And with its echo of President George W. Bush's wildly premature celebration of the end of "major combat operations" in Iraq, it opened Trump up to even more ridicule than usual. His Saturday morning tweet: ""A perfectly executed strike last night.Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!" Bush, of course, had landed on the deck of an aircraft carrier festooned with a giant banner reading "Mission Accomplished" on May 1, 2003. The message was not a little optimistic. Since many folks of course recalled Bush's blunder, not a few called Trump on his foolish tweet. So President Twitter, never one to admit a mistake, waded back into the muck during an unhinged Sunday morning tweet storm when he wrote the following: "The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term 'Mission Accomplished.' I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use often!" Yeah. Sure. Right. Those who believe that Trump knew exactly what he was doing probably also thought the businessman-politician would be delivering his income tax returns for review during the 2016 election season, just as he'd pledged. The frequently clueless president hasn't been doing himself any favors of late as he thrashes about, veering hither and thither, issuing attacks on Twitter, changing his mind without notice on matters great and small. That his administration actually managed to coordinate with British and French military forces ought to be seen as something of an accomplishment. But it's important to remember that Trump authorized a missile strike a year back, after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had launched another chemical weapons attack on his own people. It was intended to send a clear signal that such monstrous behavior wouldn't be tolerated ever again. A year later, it's the same thing. Trump, who got to the White House as an America-firster, isn't inclined toward intervening in Syria. Or in other such conflicts. But the horror of what happened forced his hand. It may have felt good for a moment, but there is no overall strategy, no plan, no clear agenda. And there was no mission that was accomplished. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump seemed distracted in March as his aides briefed him at his Mar-a-Lago resort on the administration's plan to expel 60 Russian diplomats and suspected spies. The United States, they explained, would be ousting roughly the same number of Russians as its European allies - part of a coordinated move to punish Moscow for the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil. "We'll match their numbers," Trump instructed, according to a senior administration official. "We're not taking the lead. We're matching." The next day, when the expulsions were announced publicly, Trump erupted, officials said. To his shock and dismay, France and Germany were each expelling only four Russian officials - far fewer than the 60 his administration had decided on. The president, who seemed to believe that other individual countries would largely equal the United States, was furious that his administration was being portrayed in the media as taking by far the toughest stance on Russia. His briefers tried to reassure him that the sum total of European expulsions was roughly the same as the U.S. number. "I don't care about the total!" the administration official recalled Trump screaming. The official, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Growing angrier, Trump insisted that his aides had misled him about the magnitude of the expulsions. "There were curse words," the official said, "a lot of curse words." The incident reflects a tension at the core of the Trump administration's increasingly hard-nosed stance on Russia: The president instinctually opposes many of the punitive measures pushed by his Cabinet that have crippled his ability to forge a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The past month, in particular, has marked a major turning point in the administration's stance, according to senior administration officials. There have been mass expulsions of Russian diplomats, sanctions on oligarchs that have bled billions of dollars from Russia's already weak economy and, for the first time, a presidential tweet that criticized Putin by name for backing Syrian leader Bashar Assad. On Friday night, the United States, acting with Britain and France, attacked Assad's chemical weapons facilities as punishment for what they say was his use of agents on civilians. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said Sunday that the administration plans to announce additional sanctions against Russia soon. A White House spokesman stressed that Trump's Russia policy has been "consistent and tough" from his earliest days in office, and that the president supports the recent moves. "While we would like to work with Russia, when faced with their malign activities on the international stage, the president will hold them accountable," Raj Shah said. Some close to Trump say the recent measures are the product of an ongoing pressure campaign to push the president to take a more skeptical view of the Russian leader. "If you're getting briefed by the CIA director on all this stuff, there's a point where, even if you're Donald J. Trump, you think, 'Hmm [Putin's] a really bad guy,' " said former House speaker Newt Gingrich, an informal Trump adviser. Others note Trump's ongoing unease with his own policy. Even as his administration has ratcheted up the pressure on Putin's inner circle, Trump has continued in recent weeks to make overtures to the Russian leader, congratulating him on his election win and, in a move that frustrated his national security team, inviting him to visit the White House. "I think I could have a very good relationship with Russia and with President Putin," Trump said at a news conference just days after the largest expulsion of Russians in U.S. history. "And if I did, that would be a great thing. And there's also a possibility that won't happen. Who knows?" Trump came to the White House believing that his personal relationships with other leaders would be central to solving the world's thorniest foreign policy problems, administration officials said. In Trump's mind, no leader was more important or powerful than Putin, they said. A cooperative relationship with the Russian leader could help Trump find solutions to problems that bedeviled his predecessor in places such as Ukraine, Syria and North Korea. Former president Barack Obama had a tense relationship with Putin. Trump said he could do better but felt stymied by the media, Congress and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 election. Any conciliatory move he made toward Putin came under heavy scrutiny. "When will all the haters and fools out there realize that having a good relationship is a good thing," Trump tweeted in November. "They are always playing politics - bad for our country." Privately, he complained to aides that the media's fixation on the Mueller probe was hobbling his effort to woo Putin. "I can't put on the charm," the president often said, according to one of his advisers. "I'm not able to be president because of this witch hunt." As the months passed, the president's options for improving relations with Russia narrowed. In late July, Congress overwhelmingly approved new sanctions on Moscow that were widely seen as a rebuke of Trump's efforts to reach out to Putin. It took aides four days to persuade Trump to sign the bill, which had cleared with a veto-proof majority. Trump advisers were reluctant to even raise the topic of Russian interference in the election, which Trump equated with Democrats' efforts to undermine his victory. "It's just kind of its own beast," a senior national security official said. "It's been a constant from Day One." Gingrich and other Trump advisers said CIA Director Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state nominee, was one of the few advisers who could address Russia without raising the president's ire. In January, Pompeo told the BBC that he had "every expectation" that Russia would make an effort to disrupt the 2018 midterm elections. Privately, he pushed Trump to take a tough line on Moscow. One area where aides worked to change Trump's mind was on a proposal to sell antitank missiles to Ukraine. Obama had opposed the move for fear of angering Moscow and provoking a Russian escalation. Trump initially was also hesitant to support the move, which had the backing of the Pentagon and State Department. "He would say, 'Why is this our problem? Why not let the Europeans deal with Ukraine?" a U.S. official said. Aides described a lobbying effort by Pompeo, Haley and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in support of the lethal aid. "I just want peace," Trump would say when pressed on Ukraine. His aides countered that the weapons would help achieve peace by deterring further Russian aggression. To bring the president around, U.S. officials argued that the $47 million military aid package could be a boon to U.S. taxpayers if cash-strapped Kiev stabilized and someday became a reliable buyer of American military hardware. To the surprise of even his closest advisers, the president agreed late last year to the weapons transfer on the condition that the move be kept quiet and made without a formal news release. Aides tried to warn him that there was almost no way to stop the news from leaking. When it broke, Russia hawks in Congress praised the president. "Another significant step in the right direction," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a frequent Trump critic. But Trump was still furious, an administration official said. "For some reason, when it comes to Russia, he doesn't hear the praise," a senior administration official said. "Politically speaking, the best thing for him to do is to be tough. . . . On that one issue, he cannot hear the praise." The poisoning in Britain in early March of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, with a nerve agent upped the tension between Trump and his advisers. Initially, the president was hesitant to believe the intelligence that Russia was behind the attack - a fact that some aides attributed to his contrarian personality and tendency to look for deeper conspiracies. To persuade him, his advisers warned that he would get hammered in the press if he was out of step with U.S. allies, officials said. "There was a sense that we couldn't be the only ones not to concede to reality," the Trump adviser said. The next task was convincing Trump that he should punish Putin in coordination with the Europeans. "Why are you asking me to do this?" Trump asked in a call with British Prime Minister Theresa May, according to a senior White House official. "What's Germany going to do? What about France?" He was insistent that the poisoning in the English city of Salisbury was largely a European problem and that the allies should take the lead in moving against Russia. Trump told aides in an Oval Office session on March 23 that he was confident French President Emmanuel Macron would deliver on promises to expel Russian officials but that he was worried about German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country depends on Russian oil and gas. The next day, at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump's aides gave him the final memo with the precise number of American expulsions. The president signed the order on the plane back to Washington. Trump was furious as news reports described the expulsions as the largest purge in U.S. history and noted the wide gap between the United States and its allies. "If you had told me France and Germany were only doing [four], that's what we would have done," one official recalled him saying. Some officials said it was a simple misunderstanding. Others blamed the president's strained relationship with his top aides, including H.R. McMaster, his former national security adviser. "Anytime McMaster came in with a recommendation, he always thought it was too much," the Trump adviser said. "They were just oil and water on everything. So his natural impulse was, if this was your recommendation, it must be too far." In the days since the expulsions, Trump has continued to take tough new actions to punish Russia. Early this month, the administration sanctioned 17 senior Russian officials and seven oligarchs and their companies, prompting Russia's foreign ministry to threaten a "harsh response." The sanctions were followed by an alleged nerve-gas attack that killed dozens of Syrians in the rebel-held town of Douma, east of Syria's capital. "President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad," Trump tweeted in his first by-name criticism of the Russian leader. "Big price to pay." The relatively modest airstrikes that Trump ordered Friday were designed to deter Assad without provoking a broader military conflict with Russia. Some European diplomats in Washington question whether the tough moves have Trump's full support. "This wouldn't be the policy unless Trump supports it. . . . Yes?" asked one ambassador. Russia analysts seem just as mystified. "This is a man who if he had his druthers would be pursuing a much more open and friendly policy with Russia," said Angela Stent, a former White House official and professor at Georgetown University. "The United States essentially has three Russia policies: the president's, the executive branch's and Congress's." Less than a month after Trump shocked his foreign policy advisers by inviting Putin to the White House, the prospects for a visit any time soon seem remote. No date has been set, White House officials said. "We're not rushing to do this meeting," a senior administration official said. "Our team wasn't thrilled about the idea." (c) 2018 The Washington Post. Greg Jaffe, John Hudson, and Philip Rucker wrote this story. The Washington Post's Julie Tate contributed to this report. Egypt's High Administrative Court ordered on Monday that former president Hosni Mubarak's grandson be allowed to travel abroad. The court rejected an appeal filed by the State Lawsuits Authority, the legal body which represents the government in judiciary related issues. The state-affiliated authority challenged a November 2014 decision by the administrative court to suspend a decision barring Omar, the son of Alaa Mubarak, from travelling following an appeal by the ousted president's son. Mubarak's family was barred from travelling in 2011 pending trial for Mubarak and his sons on charges of illicit gains and tampering with the stock market. The defendants were convicted and served a three-year prison term for the illicit gains charge. The trial for stock market tampering is still ongoing. After his ouster in 2011, the former president stood trial in a number of criminal cases on various charges, but received a final conviction in only one corruption case. Mubarak's sons have been gradually reappearing in the public eye, often being seen in public places around Cairo and holiday getaways. Search Keywords: Short link: NEW YORK (AP) -- A legal fight over what should happen to records the FBI seized from President Donald Trump's personal attorney took a surprise twist Monday when the lawyer, Michael Cohen, was forced to reveal in court that he had also secretly done legal work for Fox News host Sean Hannity. The disclosure came as Cohen's attorneys tried to persuade a federal judge in New York to delay prosecutors from examining records and electronic devices seized in the raids on the grounds that many of them are protected by attorney-client privilege. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood said in hearings Friday and again on Monday that if Cohen wanted the court to declare that the some of his files were protected because of attorney confidentiality rules, he would have to divulge the names of his clients. In a court filing Monday, Cohen's attorneys said three people received legal help from Cohen in 2017 and 2018, after Trump became president. One was Trump himself. Another was Elliot Broidy, a Trump fundraiser who resigned from the Republican National Committee on Friday after it was revealed that he paid $1.6 million to a Playboy Playmate with whom he had an extramarital affair. The Playmate became pregnant and elected to have an abortion. But they initially declined to reveal the name of the third client. The third legal client directed Mr. Cohen not to reveal the identity publicly, Cohen's lawyers, Todd Harrison and Stephen Ryan, wrote. "It almost goes without saying, unfortunately, that none of Mr. Cohen's clients want to be associated with the government raid on his home and law office, or want to be affiliated in any way with the proceedings here and the attendant media coverage." Wood, though, demanded the name. "I understand he doesn't want his name out there, but that's not enough under the law," she said. Cohen's lawyers did not detail the nature of the legal work he did for Hannity. But on his radio show, Hannity said Cohen was never involved in any matter between him and any third party. "Michael never represented me in any matter," Hannity said. "I never retained him in any traditional sense. I never received an invoice. I never paid a legal fee. I had brief discussions with him about legal questions where I wanted his input and perspective." Hannity, an outspoken supporter of Trump, has been a fierce critic of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The hearing in New York was ongoing Monday afternoon. It began with an appearance by porn actress Stormy Daniels, who was swarmed by photographers and nearly fell as she was hustled into the courthouse, a scene that captured the sensational atmosphere around a legal fight involving the president and an FBI investigation into his personal attorney. The April 9 raid on Cohen sought information on a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to Daniels, who alleges she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. At issue is exactly who gets to look at Cohen's seized documents and devices before they are turned over to prosecutors. Attorneys for Cohen say they want first crack. Trump's lawyers say they also want some form of prior review. Another option is to set up a "special master" who will vet the material to determine what is protected and what isn't; that is the Cohen team's second choice. Prosecutors, who say they raided Cohen's office, home and hotel room as part of an undisclosed crime related to his personal business dealings, prefer the ordinary procedure of reviewing the documents with a panel of prosecutors unrelated to the investigation -- a so-called "taint team." At stake is an investigation that could get at the heart of Trump's longtime fixer and image protector. People familiar with the probe told The Associated Press that agents were seeking bank records, records on Cohen's dealing in the taxi industry, Cohen's communications with the Trump campaign and information on payments made in 2016 to two women who say they had affairs with Trump, former Playboy model Karen McDougal and the porn star Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Lawyers for Cohen filed papers Monday saying investigators "took everything" during the raids, including more than a dozen electronic devices. They said that prosecutors had already intercepted emails from Cohen and executed the search warrants only after discovering that there were no emails between Trump and Cohen. One of Trump's lawyers, Joanna Hendon, filed papers late Sunday asking a federal judge to block prosecutors from studying material seized in the raid until Cohen and the president have both had a chance to review those materials and argue which are subject to attorney-client privilege. "Fairness and justice -- as well as the appearance of fairness and justice -- require that, before they are turned over to the Investigative Team, the seized materials relating to the President must be reviewed by the only person who is truly motivated to ensure that the privilege is properly invoked and applied: the privilege-holder himself, the President," Hendon wrote. Hendon proposed yet another level of protections, in which Cohen's lawyers, after finishing their initial review, would then be required to "identify to the president all seized materials that relate to him in any way and provide a copy of those materials to him and his counsel." Cohen, who has denied wrongdoing, arrived early Monday afternoon. He did not attend Friday's hearing and was then ordered by the judge to appear in court Monday to help answer questions about his law practice. Trump, who was in Florida on Monday, said all lawyers are now "deflated and concerned" by the FBI raid on Cohen. "Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past," he tweeted Sunday. "I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned!" When Jennifer Sheets first presented her idea for a web-based writing tutorial at 1 Million Cups back in December, her elevator pitch by her own acknowledgment needed a little fine tuning. Mission accomplished. Sheets nailed her StorySquares pitch on Friday night at the 28th annual John Raffatto Business Startup Challenge https://www.business.umt.edu/competitions/startup/default.php at the University of Montana, securing the $15,000 first-place prize, as well as the Peoples Choice award and its $3,500 purse. By Martin Kidston Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is set to fly to Burundi on Tuesday to work towards boosting relations between the two countries, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry said on Monday. Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said Shoukry is heading to Burundi's capital of Bujumbura to review joint ties and to discuss issues of bilateral interest. "The visit comes in the framework of Egypt's special interest to boost and support relations with Nile Basin countries and those of the African continent generally," the statement said. The Egyptian foreign minister will meet Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza, as well as other officials including his Burundian counterpart, and will inaugurate a number of development projects granted by Egypt to the African country under the framework of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development. Abu Zeid noted that Egypt was the first Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with Burundi following the latter's independence in 1962, and added that Egypt has provided aid and training towards development projects for their Burundian brothers, as well as support for Burundi's security and stability during Egypt's membership in the United Nations Security Council in 2016 and 2017. According to the spokesman, around 150 Burundian trainees participated in training workshops during 2017 in the fields of health, medicine, agriculture, military and police training and combating terrorism. Egypt has also provided medical aid to Burundi in the past, he pointed out. The issue of the Nile's water and other matters related to African relations will be discussed by Shoukry and his counterparts, according to Abu Zeid. Burundi is among other Nile basin countries, including Ethiopia, which have previously said that they want to re-negotiate all treaties related to the Nile, including the 1929 Nile Waters Agreement, which gives Egypt the right to veto Nile development projects that might threaten its water share. Burundi is one of the basin countries expected to pass the Cooperation Framework Agreement on the Nile, which will "promote integrated management, sustainable development, and harmonious utilization of the water resources of the basin, as well as its conservation and protection for the benefit of present and future generations," according to the text of the agreement. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail approved on Monday the legalising of 102 churches and 64 church-associated buildings during a meeting with a regulating committee tasked with reviewing and legalising unlicensed churches, MENA news agency reported. For decades, Egyptians Christians have congregated at unlicensed churches due to the difficulty in obtaining church building licences. In early January 2018, Egypt's Ministry of Housing issued an order allowing Christians to practice their religious rites at unlicensed churches pending legalisation procedures. In 2016, the government passed a law easing regulations around obtaining licences for building Christian houses of worship. Before the law was passed, the country's Christians, who make up an estimated 10 percent of the country's 100 million people, had long struggled to obtain building permits for churches, with the process often taking years. Monday's decision involves churches across several governorates, but their precise location is not clear. The committee meeting was attended by Egypt's Minister of Local Development Abu Bakr El-Guindy and officials from other ministries. PM Ismail called on the committee to continue reviewing more cases to speed up the process. Ismail added that the committee's work is in line with the 2014 constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of religious practice for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Search Keywords: Short link: The approval came after the title of the law was amended to cover all terrorist organisations instead of just the Muslim Brotherhood Related Draft law on sequestering Muslim Brotherhood assets approved by parliamentary committees Egypt's parliament has approved an 18-article law that aims to regulate the procedures of sequestrating, managing, and disposing of the assets of terrorist organisations. The original name of the law the Law Regulating the Procedures of Sequestrating, Managing and Disposing of the Assets of the Muslim Brotherhood and its Affiliated Organisations was amended to the Law Regulating the Sequestration, Managing and Disposing of the Assets of Terrorist Organisations and Terrorists. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Omar Marawan explained that "the change was necessary in order to go in line with the constitution, which stipulates that laws are issued to address general conditions rather than a particular case." Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqa, the head of parliament's legislative and constitutional affairs committee, also said that the law goes in line with Article 237 of the constitution, which makes it obligatory for the government to fight all forms of terrorism and track its sources of funding. Parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said on Monday that "after all 18 articles of the law were approved on Monday, it is still necessary that each MP vote [on the law]." As the majority of MPs were not available on Monday, Abdel-Aal instructed members of the majority Support Egypt bloc to attend Tuesday's session so that the law can be finally voted on in a constitutional way. A report prepared by the committee said "the sequestration of the assets of the organization of Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliated groups began in 2013 after it was listed as a terrorist organization." "A presidential decree was issued to form a committee to be mandated with regulating the procedures of sequestrating the assets of Muslim Brotherhood and implementing judicial rulings in this respect." Under the current law, the committee comprises nine members affiliated with government ministries and state institutions. This will change in the new law, whose Article 3 states that all members of the committee will be judges from appeals courts. Minister Marawan said the change was necessary as some began to raise doubts on the legality of the sequestration committee in its current form, and so it was important that its regulation and procedures be codified into law. MP Mostafa Bakri said "the law comes after a number of administrative courts ruled that the sequestration of some Muslim Brotherhood assets be lifted." The law states that all state institutions including banks, whether public or private will be obliged to cooperate with the committee, giving all necessary assistance and implementing its resolutions. "The assets include all kinds of property, in-kind possessions, bonds, domestic or foreign cash, and financial securities," the draft states. The Muslim Brotherhood was designated a terrorist organisation following a number of terrorist attacks targeting buildings belonging to security forces in Cairo and Nile-delta cities in December 2013. Many of the groups leading figures were arrested, while many of its assets were sequestrated. The government also designated two movements Hasm and Lewaa El-Thawra as terrorist organisations led by Muslim Brotherhood figures. The two movements have also been listed as terrorist entities by the UK and the US. Search Keywords: Short link: Nobody Pities the Cats of the City, published by Dar El-Tanweer, examines continued life after failed dreams in a heartbroken city Dar El-Tanweer published the first collection of stories for scriptwriter Muhammad El-Hajj, titled Nobody Pities the Cats of the City. Each story takes place in the heart of middle-class Cairo during the heavy days of the summer of 2013 and, on the surface, appear to be accounts of men and women in their late 20s or early 30s who are at a loss for meaning in life and for love. However, as Muahmmad El-Hajj stated in an book discussion hosted recently by the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo, his six short stories are not just about love; [they are] about love but really not just about love." In essence, El-Hajj's stories are about dismay, broken expectations and impasses that people walk themselves into as they fall in love with the wrong people, fail to think ahead or exaggerate their expectations. All of which is compatible with the sentiments of the January Revolution that went astray, perhaps by the hand of its own people, El-Hajj suggested. The result is not just the loss of a dream for a new social contract that could have given the city we are living in a bit of sensibility, to put aside all the big dreams, but rather the result is a sense of sadness that we had to face ourselves." Life could be generally sad," as one of the leading characters of El-Hajjs stories remembers her mother saying. Almost every single protagonist in the six pieces seems to think, say or feel the same throughout the more than 150 pages, which read like a novel, or maybe an abridged literary biography of the author. Not a biography certainly, [but] there are always elements there of ones own experiences, El-Hajj said. This was one reason he chose not to turn his consecutive literary sequel into a novel. He wanted it to reflect the various stories of people who shared a dream, maybe a dream of love or of something else, and who could not complete what was required of them to fulfill this dream. According to El-Hajj, if anything, his stories are more of a testimony to the bewilderment that is haunting the unaccomplished dreamer, the figure who is not unaware of her or his own failures but who must nonetheless move on, as straight up as possible, in search of a shelter or of some compassion just like the homeless cats of the city. But this is not necessarily the account of completely miserable fates. There is still room for something positive and maybe for hope, despite the misery, El-Hajj argued. The aching and yearning is firmly there, deep even if sometimes hidden but so are the smiles, compassion and pleasure, even if temporary. As expected of a scriptwriter, El-Hajj's stories have very distinct scene settings, very real-to-life dialogues and very detailed characterization. I thought about having some of these stories as films, originally, but it did not happen, at least not then. But it could still happen - maybe later, he concluded. Search Keywords: Short link: The Arab League called on Sunday for an international probe into the criminal use of chemical weapons in Syria and condemned what it saw as Irans interference in the affairs of other countries. We stress our absolute condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people and we demand an independent international investigation to guarantee the application of international law against anyone proven to have used chemical weapons, said a statement distributed to journalists. It emphasized the need for a political solution to the multi-sided Syrian war. Saudi Arabia and its allies have expressed support for Saturdays missile strikes by the United States, Britain and France against alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria, while Iraq and Lebanon condemned the strikes. The communique called for more international sanctions on Iran and urged it to withdraw its militias from Syria and Yemen. The summit condemned Iranian interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries, either through igniting sectarian strife or planting militias in Arab countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, and harboring al Qaeda terrorists, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir told a news conference. Tunisia will host the next Arab League summit in 2019. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: With the 29th Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia this week, the Palestinian issue has returned to the top of the agenda among Arab nations At the 29th Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia this week, Arab leaders returned the Palestinian issue to the top of the agenda after several years of prioritising other issues, with a resolution on the topic taking up a quarter of the summit's final communique. Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud announced on Sunday that the pan-Arab meeting would be the "Summit of Jerusalem", emphasising the stature of the Palestinian cause in the Arab mind. I would like to announce calling the 29th Arab Summit the Summit of Jerusalem so that everyone will know that Palestine and its people are in the conscience of all Arabs and Muslims, the king said, interrupting the speech of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA). For years the Palestinian cause was confined to one unchanging resolution placed at the end of the summit's communique. Among the likely reasons for this are the preoccupation of a number of Arab countries with internal issues and regional conflicts since the Arab Spring, as well as the long years with no comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue in the offing. This year's summit is particularly important, due to a number of pressing issues affecting the region: the December decision of US President Donald Trump to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem; Houthi aggression against Saudi national security; and recent US-led airstrikes against the government of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria. But Palestine was certainly placed front and centre at the summit in Dhahran, starting with a speech from Jordanian King Abdullah II, who was the head of the previous summit. "East Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Palestine," he said. Salman, the head of the current summit, gave a speech of his own, stating, "The Palestinian issue will remain our main priority until the Palestinian people gain their historical rights, and the most important of said rights is the establishment of their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital." The king condemned Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. He also repeated Abbas's critical stance on the current US administration, saying it is no longer an impartial broker in the peace process. In his speech, the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad, said that Washington has the responsibility of sponsoring a peace deal, thus signalling his country's disapproval of Trump's decision on Jerusalem. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, meanwhile, stated the need for unity among Palestinian factions, pointing to Cairo's role in sponsoring Palestinian reconciliation talks ever since the Fatah-Hamas schism, which resulted in Hamas's sole rule of the Gaza strip in 2007. The king of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, delivered a short speech, saying, "We remain determined to establish a Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital." He also apologised for not being able to host the 30th Arab League Summit, which has been moved to Tunisia. The summit concluded with a 29-item statement, the first seven items focused on the Palestinian issue, beginning with the emphasis on the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the importance of Jerusalem to Arab identity. The statement also emphasised that the Arabs would benefit strategically from a peaceful resolution of the issue. Moreover, it criticised Trump's decision regarding Jerusalem and welcomed the UN's condemnation of the decision, thanking those states that voted in favour of Palestine and its Arab allies. The statement went on to condemn Israel's attempts to change the status of Jerusalem and called for the implementation of the resolutions of the United Nations and UNESCO on Palestine in general and on Jerusalem in particular. As for Iran, the statement condemned its support for Houthi militias in Yemen, who have launched 106 ballistic missiles at Saudi cities. The statement requested that the international community prevent Iran from aiding terrorist groups and providing ballistic missiles to the Houthis. Although Iran was not mentioned again in the statement, the Yemeni issue was touched upon again, with the statement mentioning the importance of "Yemeni stability, unity and the prevention of foreign intervention in the Yemeni crisis". The communique also called for the prevention of foreign intervention in Arab internal issues, as well as encouraging the establishment of normalised relations with those states neighbouring Arab countries. However, the various Arab states have different priorities with regard to the non-Arab states in the region. For instance, in his speech president El-Sisi condemned the "occupation of two Arab states conducted by a regional state", implying the Turkish military operations in Iraq and Syria. Furthermore, Egypt is more focused on what is happening in Ethiopia than Iran's role in the region. Sudan is also more preoccupied with its conflict with Eritrea, which has caused it to deploy troops on their shared border. Somalia, meanwhile, is mainly interested in its unstable relationship with Ethiopia, and seeks to establish better relations with, it as well as with Kenya. Iraq maintains relations with Iran, and the Maghreb states did not mention Iran in their speeches, except when they reaffirmed their solidarity with the Gulf states. The rest of the statement demonstrated the differences the Gulf states and the rest of the Arab states have on the issue of Syria. President El-Sisi responded to new allegations of chemical-weapons use by the Syrian government, saying, "It is necessary that there be an independent international investigation on the use of chemical weapons." Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia made no reference to the need for investigations, simply condemning Damascus for using nerve agents on civilians living in Ghouta. However, on a range of other issues including the situations in Sudan, Libya, Iraq, Somalia and Comoros the Arab leaders showed no divergence of opinion. Search Keywords: Short link: Prime Minister Theresa May is set to face restive British lawmakers Monday to justify her decision to launch airstrikes against Syria without a vote in Parliament. Royal Air Force jets joined American and French warplanes and ships in hitting targets in Syria Saturday in response to a reported chemical attack in the town of Douma. Parliament, which returned Monday after a spring break, was not consulted about the action. The government is not legally bound to seek lawmakers' approval for military strikes, though it is customary to do so. May's office said Monday that she plans to tell lawmakers that the airstrikes were "in Britain's national interest," were carried out to stop further suffering from chemical weapons attacks and had broad international support. "We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalized, either within Syria, on the streets of the U.K. or elsewhere," May will say linking the chemical attack in Syria with the poisoning of a former Russian spy with a nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Monday that the strikes, which targeted three chemical weapons sites, had been "calibrated and proportionate." He said the action was "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change." In an unusual move, the government says it will seek an emergency House of Commons debate on the airstrikes so legislators can have their say. That after-the-fact debate which may not include a vote is unlikely to satisfy angry opposition lawmakers. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said Britain should introduce a War Powers Act to ban military action without Parliament's approval. Corbyn said Sunday that he was not convinced the military intervention had been legal under international law. "It looked awfully to me as though the prime minister was more interested in following Donald Trump's lead than anything else," Corbyn said. Search Keywords: Short link: Thousands of Syrians gathered Monday in Damascus in defiance of Western strikes on the country and to celebrate the regime reconquering a former rebel bastion outside the capital. The United States, France and Britain early Saturday targeted what they said were chemical weapon sites after an alleged toxic attack on Eastern Ghouta on April 7. Later Saturday, President Bashar al-Assad's army announced it had retaken the whole of the region east of Damascus from rebels after an almost two-month military assault. On Monday, Syrians gathered in the capital's largest square -- Umayyad Square -- ahead of the anniversary of the departure of French troops from the country in 1946. A day before the public holiday, schools took part in the demonstration at which some participants held up Syria's national flag and portraits of Assad. "God, Syria and Bashar -- nothing more," protesters chanted. The square was closed off to traffic, and decorated with images of Assad in military uniform and sunglasses, as well as of his father and predecessor Hafez. US President Donald Trump triumphantly declared "Mission Accomplished!" after Saturday's strikes on purported chemical weapons sites that were largely vacated. "We're here to celebrate the victory of the Syrian army in Eastern Ghouta and to send a message to Trump and his allies that they failed," Assad supporter Naila Badr said, her hair wrapped in a white headscarf. The missile strikes launched by the three countries "only show their impotence, while the army wiped out the terrorism they were funding", said the young woman. The regime and its supporters describe all rebels, including those recently defeated in Eastern Ghouta, as "terrorists". "Yes, yes, yes -- a million times yes to Bashar al-Assad," said Radina Awad, another participant who wore sunglasses. "We want to live in peace. All these states should leave us alone," she said. The last rebels were bussed out of Eastern Ghouta after the alleged chemical attack on their final holdout of Douma, which rescuers and medics said killed more than 40 people. Damascus and its ally Moscow say the allegations of a chemical attack are "fabrications". Syria's civil war has killed more than 350,000 people since it started in 2011. Search Keywords: Short link: The United Kingdom's biggest automaker, Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover, will not renew the contracts of 1,000 staffers and would relocate 350 other employees, according to reports. BBC News reports parent company India's Tata Motors blamed "uncertainty over Brexit and changes to taxes on diesel cars" as a reason to cut production and not renew thousands of staff contracts. Jaguar Land Rover is said to employ about 40,000 people in the U.K. altogether, and 10,000 at its Solihull plant. "In light of the continuing headwinds impacting the car industry, we are making some adjustments to our production schedules and the level of agency staff," the company reportedly said in a statement." The outlet reports the cuts are expected to be announced Monday, with a number of permanent staffers expected to be transferred to fill in the patches left behind by contracts not being renewed. Reuters reports Jaguar Land Rover makes nearly one in every three of the U.K.'s 1.7 million vehicles. A spokesperson confirmed with Reuters that, "we are not renewing the contracts of 1,000 agency workers at Solihull." Back in July 2017, France announced it planned to outlaw the sale of petrol or diesel vehicles by 2040. This move came a day removed from Volvo announcing it would only make electric or hybrid models starting in 2019. France was the first country to truly lay out a plan for the shunning of petrol and diesels, as the Netherlands talked about a 2025 ban and some talk in Germany eyeing 2030. India is also looking at stopping the sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2030. A BBC analyst says Jaguar Land Rover is "very exposed to the demise of diesel" as its sales in the segment had dropped 37 percent in March year over year. The outlet notes that 90 percent of the company's vehicles are powered by diesel engines. CNN reports the cuts are taking place at a Jaguar Land Rover facility in Birmingham responsible for making the Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Discovery and other Range Rover models. It was a busy week for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw that culminated with an announcement of five additional priests who have been accused of sexual abuse and the naming of an independent delegate to oversee the ongoing investigation for the church. On Friday, April 13, the Most Rev. Joseph R. Cistone, Bishop of Saginaw, announced that Michael Talbot, the chief judge at the Michigan Court of Appeals, would essentially serve as spokesman and point-person for the church with regards to the investigation. Cistone hopes bringing Talbot on signals a "fresh start" for the diocese. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com "It's my sincere hope that this will bring renewed courage to victims and their families to come forward with a fuller expectation of fairness, justice and healing," Cistone said during Friday's press conference. Talbot is retiring April 25 after 40 years on the bench. He said he'll act independently in his new role, for which he will not take a salary. "I don't need a salary and I will not take one," he said. "This is an opportunity to serve." Watch a video of the full press conference here. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Cistone, who was baptized and grew up in the Italian parish community of Our Lady of Consolation in Philadelphia, was appointed Bishop of Saginaw in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Pius XI established the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw on Feb. 26, 1938. It now includes 6,955 square miles across Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Sanilac, Saginaw and Tuscola counties. Here's a timeline of events leading up to Friday's announcement: Don't Edit Jeff Schrier | MLive.com file 2009 In May 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cistone as bishop of the Saginaw Diocese. Two months later, Cistone was installed as the sixth bishop of Saginaw at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Saginaw. Don't Edit 2012 A lawyer accused Cistone of misleading a grand jury by not acknowledging that he witnessed the shredding of documents that contained the names of priests suspected of child molestation in 1994, while he was serving as a church official in the Philadelphia area. Cistone never faced any criminal charges in that case. Don't Edit Jeff Schrier | MLive.com file Feb. 1, 2018 Cistone sent a letter to his priests and diocesan leaders informing them he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the Catholic News Agency. The diagnosis followed a series of tests Cistone submitted to after suffering a persistent cough since September. Don't Edit Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Late February 2018 The Rev. Robert DeLand, 71, known as "Father Bob," was arraigned by Judge M. Randall Jurrens on one count of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct/personal injury, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and a count of gross indecency between male persons, all felonies. DeLand was arrested Feb. 25, after conducting Mass at St. Agnes Church in Freeland and renewing the vows of a couple who had been married 25 years, according to people who were there. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com March 1, 2018 Diocese officials announced Cistone forbade DeLand from wearing his clerical attire, presenting himself as a priest in public or performing ministry until the conclusion of his criminal case. In this photo, Erin Looby Carlson, communications director for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, speaks at Friday's press conference. Don't Edit Clay Lomneth | MLive.com file March 8, 2018 Saginaw County Prosecutor John McColgan Jr. announced the formation of a task force after officials charged DeLand with one count of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct/personal injury, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and a count of gross indecency between male persons -- all felonies. Since charges against DeLand were issued, police agencies have received a number of tips regarding alleged abuse that stretch from 1970, according to the prosecutor's office. Don't Edit Henry Taylor | MLive.com Also in March, an alleged victim of sexual assault hired the law firm headed by prominent attorney Geoffrey Fieger to sue a Freeland priest accused of assaulting him and another 21-year-old male, the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw and the bishop. The lawsuit alleges "John Doe" in May 2017, who was then a 16-year-old high school student, met DeLand while at his friend's funeral. The teen filing the lawsuit helped Saginaw and Tittabawassee townships' police departments with a months-long investigation into DeLand. According to the lawsuit, the 17-year-old male subsequently was ordered to perform community service and DeLand said that he could do community service at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Freeland, where DeLand was the priest. Other allegations include DeLand encouraging illegal and dangerous behavior such as getting drunk and high, giving him cash gifts and buying an expensive "vape" machine, inappropriate physical contact at school, including back rubs, hugs and groping of the buttocks and once forcing the teen to smoke cigarettes with him after inviting him to his home to watch his dog. Don't Edit Jeff Schrier | MLive.com file March 15, 2018 A person told the diocese Rev. Ronald J. Dombrowski, 72, sexually abused them when they were a minor. The diocese suspended Dombrowski as a "precautionary measure." Cistone ordered Dombrowski not to wear his clerical attire, present himself as a priest in public or perform ministry while the allegation is being investigated. As of April 13, Dombrowski had not been criminally charged. Don't Edit Don't Edit March 22, 2018 Police raided Cistone's home on Corral Drive in Saginaw Township, the rectory at Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption, 615 Hoyt in Saginaw, and the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw offices in Saginaw Township as part of an ongoing investigation into sexual abuse in the church. Police seized records, documents and computers during the raids. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com "The purpose of the search warrants was to obtain documents and records that we desired to have now," Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Gaertner said at the time. "There's much to be examined." The warrants executed by Michigan State Police and Saginaw Township police came after prosecutors allege diocese officials failed to fully cooperate in the ongoing investigation into sexual abuse within the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. "Contrary to the statements of the diocese and the bishop that they would fully cooperate with law enforcement, they did not," Gaertner said. In this photo, Gaertner, right, speaks while seated next to Saginaw Township Chief Donald F. Pussehl, Jr. during a Feb. 26 press conference about the arrest of Deland. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com March 23, 2018 Cistone issued a statement the following evening. The statement, which was sent shortly after 8 p.m. on March 23, said that the diocese "has made a sincere effort to cooperate with law enforcement to date and will continue to do so moving forward." Don't Edit Late March 2018 Some Saginaw Diocese parishioners called for Cistone's resignation after his home and two diocese properties were raided by police. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com April 5, 2018 DeLand was re-arrested and charged with multiple additional charges. Court documents show DeLand was charged with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct causing injury against one male victim and a count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct against another as well as manufacturing or distributing a controlled substance.All three are felonies. The sex crimes carry up to 15 years in prison and the drug charge carries two years. DeLand also faces a misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. In this photo, DeLand is arraigned on the additional charges before Saginaw County Circuit Judge A.T. Frank on April 6. Don't Edit Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com April 13, 2018 Cistone introduces Talbot, right, at a press conference. Cistone reiterated the claim that the diocese had been cooperating with law enforcement. "It's not being perceived that we're doing enough," he said. "We will do our best to be as open and as fair and as clear as we can be in terms of procedures and practices." Talbot, who is retiring from the bench April 25, will act as a liaison between the diocese and media, prosecutors, police and others. He will work voluntarily and will be independent from the diocese, reporting wrongdoing to police if needed, he said. Talbot is a Catholic who wrote the first Victim's Rights Law for the State of Michigan and was responsible for implementing the law in courts and law enforcement agencies in Wayne County, according to biographical information on the Archdiocese of Detroit's webpage. He's also a member of the Catholic Lawyers Society Board of Directors, former member of the board of Catholic Education for the Archdiocese of Detroit and former chairman of the Advisory Board of St. John's Center for Family and Youth. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Talbot implored other potential victims to speak up. "I need to hear from those who have hesitated to come forward," he said during the press conference. "If you have been the victim of an assault of any sort, please come forward." To date, DeLand is the only diocese priest who has been criminally charged in the sexual abuse probe. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com In a statement released after the bishop's press conference, investigators said victims of sexual abuse by priests should go to the police and not report it to the Diocese of Saginaw or its newly-named independent delegate. "We respectfully disagree with the procedure of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, announced by Bishop Cistone during today's press conference, regarding the handling of allegations of abuse by Diocese officials and employees," according to a statement released by law enforcement investigating the diocese. Officials with the investigation team said the Diocese "cannot and should not be used as a clearing house for the reporting of crimes by victims." "That is the function of law enforcement. Any victims of abuse or other crimes should report their allegations directly to law enforcement as opposed to the Diocese or Judge Talbot, its independent delegate." The statement did say the diocese hiring Talbot appears to be a positive thing. Don't Edit Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com Hours after the press conference, the the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw released the names of five former priest they claim were removed from ministry because of credible claims of alleged sex abuse of minors. According to the diocese, since the the adoption of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and Essential Norms by the Bishops of the United States in 2002, the following clerics were permanently removed from ministry due to credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors: Each priest mentioned has been defrocked. ANN ARBOR, MI - After a wave of requests from medical marijuana dispensaries seeking approval to operate in Ann Arbor, prompting concerns from some residents, city officials are calling for a temporary moratorium on issuing new permits. The City Council will consider three resolutions regarding marijuana dispensaries when it meets Monday night, April 16. One is a resolution to direct the city's staff to prepare an ordinance amendment to limit the number of dispensaries in the city and to impose a 60-day moratorium on new permits, with the exception of dispensaries whose complete applications for zoning approval already have been accepted by the city for consideration. "City Council finds it necessary to impose this moratorium in order to promote the public health, safety, and welfare of city residents," the proposed resolution states. It's sponsored by Mayor Christopher Taylor and Council Members Zachary Ackerman, Graydon Krapohl, Julie Grand and Jane Lumm. The resolution notes state law allows the city to adopt an ordinance stipulating the types of marijuana facilities allowed in the city, as well as limiting the number of each type. "City Council would like to consider limiting the number of medical marijuana provisioning centers and other medical marijuana facilities in order to determine the effect over time of having medical marijuana facilities in the community, given the significant amount of interest in opening these facilities within the city," it states, arguing it would be counter-productive to continue to approve new dispensary applications while ordinance changes are under consideration. If the resolution is approved as worded, the city administrator and city attorney would be directed to draft an amendment to the city code to limit the number of dispensary permits available in the city to the number of approvable special-exception use applications already accepted for consideration by the city. The ordinance amendment would be presented to the City Council for consideration by May 7. Lumm, an independent from the 2nd Ward, is separately proposing a resolution to direct the city's planning staff and Planning Commission to evaluate increasing the minimum distance required between marijuana dispensaries to 1,000 feet, along with any other changes that would limit concentrations of dispensaries. The city currently requires dispensaries to be spaced at least 600 feet apart, and Lumm is seeking to enact the 1,000-foot buffer the Planning Commission previously recommended. The City Council debated the distance requirement before establishing new regulations for marijuana businesses last December. Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, advocated for increasing it to 800 feet, saying 600 feet would allow about one per block and some think that's too dense. But the council voted 7-4 to stay with 600 feet. The three who supported Ackerman's call for a larger buffer at the time were Lumm, Sumi Kailasapathy and Chuck Warpehoski. The city's new regulations took effect Feb. 12 and the city has seen more than 30 dispensary applications, some from existing dispensaries seeking to become official under the new laws and some new ones looking to set up shop. The city's Planning Commission is tasked with considering them on a case-by-case basis as special-exception uses, meaning they require special zoning approval. The city said last month six dispensary applications were turned away because they were within 600 feet of other dispensaries. But 25 others were proceeding through the city's approval process, seven of which have gone through zoning approval. Once the zoning is approved, dispensaries still need building compliance approval, permit approval through the city clerk's office and license approval through the state. The Planning Commission voted this month to reject a dispensary in the Burns Park area after neighbors raised concerns about parking and site access issues, which commissioners agreed were a safety concern and made a retail operation there inappropriate. There also were concerns about how close it would have been to Burns Park Elementary School and the Eberbach Cultural Arts Center. Ackerman, who serves on the city's Planning Commission and opposed the Burns Park dispensary, said he supports Lumm's call for another look at the distance requirement, noting 1,000 feet is what he and the Planning Commission originally recommended. "I think the goal of the people who supported the 600-foot buffer was to see what happened. I think very quickly we've seen what happened," Ackerman said, noting the many dispensary applications received by the city in a relatively short time. Though he has heard concerns from some community members, Ackerman said he thinks the state is going to be regulating dispensaries so tightly that they're going to operate much more like a pharmacy or a dentist office than a liquor store. If recreational marijuana is legalized in the next year, he said, the city will have to have a different conversation. Michigan voters could decide on legalizing recreational marijuana this November. "But for the time being, these are medical centers," Ackerman said. "If the language for recreational marijuana use in the state mirrors medical marijuana use, then we would have to have a local conversation about how we would permit that and how we would do the zoning, which means we could tighten that regulation." He said medical marijuana dispensaries with approval to operate in Ann Arbor as medical centers would not automatically become recreational marijuana dispensaries if state law changes. Ackerman noted several dispensaries have been operating in Ann Arbor for years, and he said they haven't been a problem. "I think part of it is education about what these establishments will be, and people have been living near 13 of them over the last almost decade," he said. "I think some of this is just a learning curve for the community and it's a little bit of a shock when you see 25 at once, but I think we'll move through it." Taylor offered similar remarks in a recent Facebook post, saying he looks forward to more conversations about dispensaries, also known as provisioning centers, and helping to ease concerns. "We've had provisioning centers in Ann Arbor since I believe 2010 and I've literally not heard a single complaint about them. They are good neighbors," Taylor wrote. While he's never heard concerns about any of the dispensaries that are operating in the community, he said, he is hearing concerns about the number of new dispensaries seeking to open. He said the city is undergoing a change in terms of the number of dispensaries likely to be in the community and it's appropriate to take stock. He said he wants residents to have comfort going forward, and he still believes dispensaries that are run properly are good neighbors. Each application needs to be reviewed and evaluated with care, and annual reviews are planned, Taylor said, encouraging residents to think of dispensaries more like dentist offices, not liquor stores. Lumm's resolution asking the Planning Commission to review the distance requirements again calls for a recommended ordinance amendment coming back to council by July 16. Lumm also is proposing a resolution to have the city's planning staff and Planning Commission consider adding a new requirement for special-exception use applicants to hold meetings with neighbors early in the process to get more citizen input. She's asking for a recommendation on that to also come to council by July 16. YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, MI - A man was rushed to the hospital after a fire Sunday night at a mobile home in Ypsilanti Township. Authorities were dispatched about 7:45 p.m. Sunday, April 15 to the 2500 block of Holmes Road to respond to the fire, Ypsilanti Township Fire Captain Fred Anstead said. Firefighters found two men at the scene, one with injuries, and flames coming from one room, Anstead said. The fire was extinguished within minutes. The injured man inhaled large amounts of smoke and was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital, Anstead said. He was transported in stable condition, Huron Valley Ambulance spokesman Matt Rose said. The fire caused about $15,000 in damages to the mobile home and its contents, Anstead said. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Units cleared the scene just after 10 p.m., Anstead said. The Ypsilanti and Superior Township fire departments assisted at the scene, along with HVA. Terry Heck Seibert, 61 ANN ARBOR, MI - An Eastern Michigan University professor and beloved area actress was struck and killed by a vehicle while walking her dog on Friday afternoon. Terry Heck Seibert, 61, was struck about 3:20 p.m. Friday, April 13 on eastbound Miller Avenue west of Saunders Crescent in Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor police Sgt. Bill Clock confirmed in an email Monday. She died of her injuries at an area hospital. The driver in the crash, a 56-year-old Ann Arbor man, stopped to render aid and was cooperative with investigating officers, police previously said. The crash remains under investigation, but police don't believe speed was a factor, Clock said. There was also no evidence of impaired or distracted driving, he said. Seibert was not in a crosswalk at the time of the crash, Clock confirmed. Further details were not immediately available. No tickets or charges have been issued while the investigation remains ongoing. Seibert was an Ypsilanti native and an Eastern Michigan alumna, where she taught and served as co-director of EMU Theatre, according to a release by the university. She also performed off-Broadway and at numerous theaters across the region. She was the "heart of EMU theatre," said Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Kathleen Stacey in the statement. "Her passion and energy were intense - her laughter was distinctive and infectious," she said. "She loved our theatre students. She was their tiger mom who motivated them to succeed as performers and students." Heck Seibert also had several close relatives with ties to Eastern Michigan University. She was wife to EMU lecturer John Seibert and daughter of emeritus director of records, registration and advising Ann Kettles, according to the university release. Ann Kettles is wife to U.S. Medal of Honor recipient and EMU alumnus Lt. Col. Charles Kettles. A memorial wall in honor of Heck Seibert is in place in EMU's Quirk Theatre building and a memorial Facebook page also has been created, according to the university. Information on funeral arrangements was not immediately available. ANN ARBOR, MI - A Saginaw man has opted to avoid trial in the 2017 stabbing death of his brother-in-law. Gerald Kariem, 40, pleaded no contest Monday, April 16 to second-degree murder in the death of Marcus Coney. Police believe Kariem stabbed Coney during an argument over a vehicle April 29, 2017, in the basement of Coney's Ypsilanti Township home in the 1400 block of Jeff Avenue. Coney was later pronounced dead at an area hospital and Kariem was arrested May 2 in Oak Park, Illinois. Kariem was scheduled to face trial on one count of open murder, but entered into a plea deal following negotiations between his Lansing-based attorney, Mike Maddaloni, and Assistant Washtenaw County Prosecutor Nimish Ganatra. Under the plea agreement, the charge of open murder with habitual offender notice would be dismissed, Ganatra said. Kariem previously was convicted of manslaughter in 2002 in Saginaw County He was released on parole in 2009 and discharged from state supervision in 2011, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Kariem is scheduled to be sentenced May 16. Second-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison. DETROIT, MI - Wayne and Monroe counties remain under a flood warning as rains are to continue Sunday night. There were reports of significant flooding in Grand Beach, North Shores and Luna Pier, south of Detroit on Lake Erie, according to the National Weather Service, as snow, sleet, and freezing rain have plagued Michigan this April weekend. Grand Beach, northeast of Monroe, had to be evacuated due to severe flooding, according to the the Frenchtown Township Fire Department. The water was about 4 feet deep and anyone near the beaches should consider going elsewhere, the department reported in a Facebook message and posted photographs of crashing waves and rivers of water flowing between homes. The Michigan Department of Transportation was warning of flooding across I-75 near Eight Mile Road in Detroit. By about 5 p.m., the highway had been reopened. "Water off road," reads a Tweet. HEADS UP-75 near 8 Mile FLOODING across fwy. AVOID area. pic.twitter.com/87itM9BcOs MDOT - Metro Detroit (@MDOT_MetroDet) April 15, 2018 75 REOPENED at 8 Mile. Water off the road. MDOT - Metro Detroit (@MDOT_MetroDet) April 15, 2018 There also was flooding on M-10 near Wyoming Avenue in Detroit, according to MDOT. Flooding on M-10 Location: M-10 at Wyoming Ave Lanes Affected: Right Lane Event Type: Flooding MDOT - Metro Detroit (@MDOT_MetroDet) April 15, 2018 Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a lakeshore flood warning until 10 p.m. Sunday, April 15. Strong northeast wind is to maintain high waves and high water levels along the Monroe and Wayne county shorelines, including the Grosse Point area along southern Lake St. Clair. The water level at Gibraltar, south of Detroit, near Grosse Ile, was 72 inches above "chart datum" at 2 p.m. "The water levels are forecast to hold around this level through early evening before slowly falling," according to the weather service. Showers were expected Sunday night and Monday morning, mostly before 2 a.m. in Detroit. "New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible." About 8 p.m., the Frenchtown Township Fire Department commended a shift of firefighters, able to evacuate more than 50 homes. This involved about 70 people and multiple pets. "Great job by all involved, and thank you to the citizens who loaned the firefighters a couple extra boats to help speed up the process!" reads the Facebook post. Prime Minister Theresa May defended on Monday her decision to launch air strikes against Syria, answering criticism over her bypassing of parliament by saying lawmakers could now hold her to account. May, who has regained confidence after winning support for her tough stance on Syria and Russia, said she was driven by the need to decide quickly on joining the United States and France in Saturday's strikes, made in retaliation for a suspected gas attack. Saying she had no doubt the "Syrian regime" was behind an attack which she called a "stain on humanity", May told lawmakers she had acted in the national interest and refused to say whether she would seek their approval for further action. "I'm absolutely clear that it is parliament's responsibility to hold me to account for such decisions and parliament will do so," she told the House of Commons in a rowdy session that laid bare divisions over the military action. "But it is my responsibility as prime minister to make these decisions and I will make them." May has weathered months of doubt over her leadership due to rows over Brexit and an ill-judged decision to call an early election when her Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority. She is now enjoying international support for her action in Syria and against Moscow over a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain. Still, she has had to tread carefully in parliament, where she now relies on a small Northern Irish party to get enough votes to pass legislation, and has worked hard to offer lawmakers, angry about being sidelined, time to discuss the Syrian action. Ian Blackford, the leader of the opposition Scottish National Party in Westminster, was one of many who asked May why she had not recalled parliament for a vote, breaking with a convention dating back to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. "The prime minister leads a minority government," he said. "It was perfectly possible for the house to have been recalled in advance, why was this not done?" PRAISE While some Conservatives also expressed their regret that she had bypassed parliament, May also enjoyed praise from others - one calling her a "real prime minister" by moving swiftly to support the joint air strikes. Instead, it was the opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who drew jeers and shouts when he suggested that May had simply followed the orders of U.S. President Donald Trump - something the British leader denied. "We have not done this because President Trump asked us to, we have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do, and we are not alone," May said to cheers. But she avoided answering questions on whether parliament would be consulted on any further strikes and ignored demands by Corbyn for a War Powers Act to limit the government's power to launch military action. Britain has said there are no plans for future strikes against Syria. Foreign minister Boris Johnson, in Luxembourg, again said the strikes were not aimed at regime change in Syria, but rather designed to send a message. May will be mindful of how military action can backfire. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair's legacy was tainted by his decision to join the war against Iraq, especially after an inquiry concluded that the decision was based on flawed intelligence, while her predecessor, David Cameron, was damaged after losing a vote for strikes against Syria in 2013. Opinion polls suggest that most Britons do not support military action, with one by Survation taken after the strikes were launched showing 40 percent of the 2,060 people asked opposed the action. Some 36 percent supported the strikes. "She authorised military action with no mandate," said one Conservative lawmaker on condition of anonymity. "If it's a success, she wins. If not, she's the one that will take the blame." Search Keywords: Short link: TAYLOR -- During a Sunday visit to a new Wahlburgers restaurant set to open in Taylor, actor Mark Wahlberg said he hopes to see the chain grow across Michigan. The Taylor location at 21200 Penn St. was expected to open soon, and another is planned in Royal Oak at 13 Mile and Woodward Avenue. The Wahlburger's in Detroit's Greektown opened in August 2016. During his Sunday visit, Wahlberg said he and his team have been talking about potentially opening restaurants in Lansing, Ann Arbor and even working on an opportunity in Flint. "We've been talking about Lansing, Ann Arbor... I like Flint, too," Wahlberg said. "I've been pushing these guys at an opportunity in Flint. We've been working on it." "Michigan has so much to offer. It really is about the people. I would love to put a big, beautiful Wahlburgers right in the middle of Flint." Mark Wahlberg Talks Restaurant Expansion Mark Wahlberg visits new Michigan restaurant ahead of opening Posted by MLive.com on Sunday, April 15, 2018 He added that he's been talking even more new locations, but that he's not in a rush to open a new restaurant. "We're looking at a lot of locations," said Nino Cutraro, Wahlburgers Midwest franchise owner. Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars said the new restaurant will attract people from the entire Downriver region. "For us that live in Taylor, we know how great Taylor is. We know what the opportunities are. But now I think the national markets, they're getting a glimpse of what Taylor has to offer." "This is really a little bigger than Taylor. It's this region called Downriver. There's a lot of great people that are excited to come to an opportunity like Wahlburgers." (This story has been updated with corrected information.) FLINT, MI -- Attorneys for state employees on trial for criminal wrongdoing related to the Flint water crisis are attempting to chip away at the trustworthiness of a former city water plant operator and key witness for prosecutors. Former Flint water plant operator Michael Glasgow was challenged repeatedly Monday, April 16, by attorneys for four current and former employees of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality as their preliminary examinations continued in Genesee District Court. Special prosecutor Todd Flood first filed criminal charges against Glasgow, later struck a plea agreement with him, and finally called him as a witness in the cases against Stephen Busch, Michael Prysby, Patrick Cook and Liane Shekter-Smith, all DEQ officials before and during the water crisis. Although Glasgow testified earlier that he tried to warn against putting the Flint water plant into service because of equipment and staffing problems, attorneys for the DEQ focused Monday on false information he supplied to the state, how limited his warnings were and what he stood to gain by testifying. "At the end of the day, you're just walking away ... You're the one who was responsible for the water plant when the switch was made," said Frank Reynolds, one of the attorneys for Prysby, a district engineer for DEQ. Reynolds also questioned Glasgow about previous testimony in which he acknowledged sending false information to the state in water testing reports -- something he said was a warning to the DEQ that testing for lead was being done improperly. "You submitted it to people at the state ...," Reynolds said. "They rely on the information you give them." Glasgow testified previously that he intentionally reported contradictory information in Lead and Copper Rule paperwork -- saying in one section of the reports that not every site where water was tested was at high risk of lead contamination and certifying in a separate section that every site tested was at high risk. He said Monday that the city's records on service line construction meant he couldn't certify a report without turning over information that could not be verified. Homes with lead service lines are considered a high risk for elevated lead in water and Glasgow continued to certify the city checked for lead levels in homes with lead service lines while it used the corrosive Flint River for drinking water. Depite rising levels of lead in water, the city initially stayed under the federal threshold for lead while using the Flint River, but Glasgow's testimony indicated the test results were flawed. Deday LaRene, an attorney for Busch, a district supervisor at DEQ, said Glasgow had opportunities that he ignored to voice his concerns about Flint's water safety. Although Glasgow warned the agency that the city was not ready to begin treating river water in advance of the plant going into full-time operation in April 2014, he testified Monday that he didn't continue to pursue the issue. "He did not want any future problem to come back to him ... You did not follow up the email ... did you?" LaRene said Monday of Glasgow's only warning to the state. "I did not want someone else's decisions coming back on my career," Glasgow answered. In 2016, Glasgow told MLive-The Flint Journal that he was following "marching orders" from supervisors and did whatever was necessary to start using the Flint River as the city's water source. The projected cost-saving measure happened while the city was being run by a state-appointed emergency manager and led to a federally recognized public health emergency because of elevated levels of lead in water. Glasgow said Monday that he told the FBI he wasn't directly pressured to put the plant into service and had limited contact with emergency managers. He said he expressed his concerns that the city wasn't prepared to handle water treatment "numerous times" to officials including former utilities administrator Daughtery Johnson and former Public Works Director Howard Croft. Both Johnson and Croft were also charged with crimes related to the water crisis. Johnson accepted a plea deal with prosecutors. Croft is still waiting for his preliminary examination in District Court. FLINT, MI -- A convicted felon who hoped police would shoot and kill him last month following a domestic dispute was instead Tazed and arrested, according to federal officials. Kenyon O. Powell was on a three-year term of federal supervised release when a Genesee County sheriff's deputy at Hurley Medical Center was directed toward him on March 24 as he and his pregnant fiancee sat inside a vehicle parked in front of the emergency room, according to a warrant request for a supervised release violation filed Monday, April 16, in Flint U.S. District Court. Kenyon O. Powell Powell allegedly threatened to shoot a Hurley Public Safety officer before the deputy arrived. The deputy pointed his weapon at Powell and ordered him and his fiancee out of the vehicle. The woman exited the vehicle but Powell refused and instead ordered the deputy to shoot him, according to the petition. After refusing to follow commands, Powell motioned toward the front of his pants and opened the door. Powell kept making verbal threats to shoot the deputy, but would not get out of his vehicle. The deputy shot Powell in the chest with his Taser and was able to restrain Powell, the petition said. Powell's fiancee later told investigators she drove him to the hospital after he had been at a bar drinking, punched out a car window and broke his hand, according to the petition. A woman told police that Powell is the father of her child and he had approached her vehicle at Rube's Bar on North Chevrolet Avenue and asked her to leave with him, the petition said. When the woman refused, Powell punched out the car window and then began punching the woman in the face, according to the petition. The woman did not know how many times she was hit, did not have any marks on her and refused medical treatment. Investigators claim Powell told the deputy he "wanted the deputy to kill him, and that is why he put his hand in his waist band in an attempt to make the deputy think that he had a gun." Powell later told deputies he recently had a friend kill himself and he was having a hard time dealing with it. He was charged in state court with felony resisting a police officer and was released on $5,000 cash bond. Powell was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2012, spent 57 months in federal prison and was set to be on supervised released until 2020. FLINT, MI - The City of Flint Water Pollution Control facility has discharged excess wet weather flows consisting of a treated mixture of stormwater and sewage on Sunday, April 15 into the Flint River. A statement from Robert Case, the city's Water Pollution Control director, notes the mixture was released from the city's retention/treatment basin due to water flowing in that "exceeded the treatment plant's designed capacities." The retention/treatment basin discharges into the Flint River, per the statement, noting the discharge is "disinfected and continuously monitored for the duration of the event to ensure adequate treatment." The state Department of Environmental Quality, Genesee County Health Department, Flint Township, and Flushing officials were all notified of the issue. Residents are advised by the Genesee County Health Department to avoid any contact with the river downstream of the release west of the Mill Road bridge at Flushing Road. "Notification of the water sample test results by postings on the State of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality's website," according to Case's statement. "Any revisions or withdrawal of the health advisory will be made as soon as results are available." Update: Line 5 flow resumes as Enbridge prepares to inspect damaged oil pipeline ST. IGNACE, MI -- Crews responding to a dielectric fluid spill in the Straits of Mackinac expect this week to get their first look at damage to underwater high-voltage power lines and oil and gas pipelines. Enbridge Energy reports their Line 5 oil and gas pipelines remain out of service, though the company hopes to resume pumping again once conditions allow. The flow of oil was stopped temporarily over the weekend due to bad weather. The company hopes to use an underwater vehicle on Monday, April 16, to capture the first images of what Enbridge has described as three "dents" to its 65-year-old twin pipelines, Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy said in an email. An estimated 600 gallons of toxic dielectric fluid leaked from a rupture in nearby electric transmission lines owned by American Transmission Company (ATC). ATC first noticed a problem when the lines tripped off on Sunday evening, April 1. Though Enbridge Energy initially denied any impact to its controversial Line 5 pipelines, the company later told state officials it identified three dents in the pipes -- presumably caused by whatever struck the ATC lines. The cause of the damage to both crossings was described as an "anchor strike" in a statement from Lt. Gov. Brian Calley last week. The U.S. Coast Guard has not released any details of their ongoing investigation, merely stating they are looking at "vessel activity" as one potential cause of the damaged pipes and cables. Companies contracted by ATC, a Wisconsin-based electric utility, were preparing Monday to launch a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) to provide the first images of the damage, according to a press release from the U.S. Coast Guard's unified command responding to the spill. Durocher Marine, based in Cheboygan, and Texas-based T&T Subsea are providing tug boats, a barge and the ROV itself. The crews expect to deploy the equipment "as soon as weather conditions no longer pose a danger to responders," the Coast Guard release states. A tug retrofitted with sonar side-scanning technology will be used to find the damaged areas of the utility cables. Then, the ROV will be sent underwater to obtain underwater visual images of the damaged area. "The images obtained will provide the unified command with the information needed to determine how best to deal with the damaged cables," the release states. Enbridge will go through a similar process to inspect and assess the damage to its pipeline. Previous inspections of Line 5 have revealed bends and deformations of the pipe, and numerous gaps in its protective coating. U.S. Sens. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, both called on state and federal officials Friday, April 13, to shut down Line 5 until the damage to the twin pipelines could be visually inspected. Enbridge confirmed it had suspended pipeline operations on Sunday, April 15. In a statement explaining the decision, the company cited a power outage in Superior, Wisconsin, that impacted pumping as well as hazardous weather conditions in the Straits of Mackinac. In Sen. Peters' plea for federal and state officials to take action, the senator cited forecasts showing waves in the area could reach heights of up to 12 feet. A temporary agreement between Enbridge and the state requires the company to shut down operations if waves exceed 8 feet. The first such temporary shutdown occurred on Dec. 5. The Coast Guard also suspended its spill response efforts over the weekend as the late-season winter storm swept across Michigan. Surveys from boats and planes, conducted to assess any impact to the environment or local wildlife, will begin once weather conditions no longer pose a danger to those responders, according to the Coast Guard press release. No such adverse impacts have been identified, the release states, though one bird researcher observed some unusual behavior among a large group of ducks that might suggest they came into contact with a contaminant. The American Transmission Company cables stretch a distance of about 3 1/2 miles across the Straits of Mackinac, from McGulpin Point west of Mackinaw City to Point La Barbe west of St. Ignace. The cable network consists of six separate cables that together make up two electrical circuits. Each of the 138-kilovolt cables consists of copper conductors protected by layers of neoprene, lead and exterior galvanized steel wires. Inside, dielectric fluid is pumped through small gaps inside the cable, with the fluid acting as an insulator. In total, the Coast Guard reported the company's six-cable network and its reservoirs contained more than 4,000 gallons of dielectric fluid, which would have been the worst-case scenario for a spill. An estimated 600 gallons leaked into the water from the two damaged cables before recovery efforts began. As of Sunday evening, April 15, the Coast Guard reported about 300 gallons have been pumped out from the damaged cables. The Coast Guard had previously reported that each cable can hold up to 400 gallons of fluid. Flow through Line 5 was stopped on April 3 to accommodate inspections of the pipeline, according to an Enbridge spokesperson. The pipeline was put back in service the following day, after Enbridge determined the "pipelines had not been compromised," according to a company statement released at that time. A higher-resolution inspection of the pipes was conducted Saturday, April 7, according to Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy. Analysis of that inspection data confirmed there were three dents in the twin pipelines, Duffy said, which was reported to state officials on Tuesday, April 10. Company statemnets have maintained that the dents pose no serious threat to the pipeline's structural integrity. The 645-mile Line 5 pipeline, built in 1953, runs from Superior, Wisc., to Sarnia, Canada, and transports up to 540,000 barrels of light crude oil and natural gas liquids per day. It crosses the Straits of Mackinac west of the Mackinac Bridge, as does the ATC power cables and twin natural gas pipelines operated by TransCanada. To report an oil sheen or other pollution connected to the spill, residents may call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. To report affected wildlife or animals acting abnormally, residents may call the US. Department of Agriculture at 517-336-1928. At least 118,000 Consumers Energy customers and 310,000 DTE customers throughout Michigan were impacted by the damaging ice, wind and snow that began sweeping across the state Saturday morning, according to DTE and Consumers Energy. By 5:30 p.m., DTE had restored power to more than 30,000 customers and Consumers Energy crews had restored power to 82,000 Michigan homes and businesses. Another 20,000 Great Lakes Energy customers in 22 counites had also had power restored, according to a company press release. For Consumers Energy customers, some remaining outages that occurred on Saturday will be restored by the end of today, said Consumers Energy spokesman Terry DeDoes. Outages that occurred overnight and Sunday morning are still being assessed. About 36,000 Consumers Energy customers were experiencing interruptions in electric service as of 1 p.m. Sunday due to the second wave of wintry weather causing damage to the electric system. The energy provider expects a majority of affected customers to have their power restored by 11 p.m. Monday. "Our workforce was in place and prepared ahead of the first wave of these storms, and are now responding around the clock with all hands on deck working to restore our customers' power," said Guy Packard, Consumers Energy's vice president of energy operations. "With rough weather arriving in two waves, we appreciate the patience of our customers while we work to quickly and safely restore their electric service." According to a company press release, DTE has over 1,000 employees working on this storm and have requested additional assistance from neighboring energy companies. It expects to have estimates posted by Sunday evening. In areas serviced by Great Lakes Energy, crews are being assisted by outside contractors as they battle the elements to restore power. The largest outages appear to be impacting parts of Antrim, Charlevoix and Newaygo counties. According to a Great Lakes Energy news release, by 9 p.m. on Saturday power had been restored to nearly 11,000 customers throughout the cooperative's 26 county service area with little over 500 remaining without power. Several trees and wires have been reported down across the state, and the largest outages appear to be affecting customers in the middle and the southeast regions. There is a winter storm warning for Ottawa, Kent, Ionia and Clinton counties until 10 p.m. tonight, according to the National Weather Service. That means potentially slick roads and dangerous conditions with intermittent power for some residents. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Many West Michigan students received a three-day weekend, due to a spring ice storm but Kent and Ottawa county road commissions expect to have icy roads cleared for class Tuesday, April 17. The majority of schools in the Kent and Ottawa ISDs closed Monday, April 16, because of hazardous road conditions including: Forest Hills, Rockford, West Ottawa, Hudsonville, Caledonia, Lowell, Jenison, Zeeland, Comstock Park, Cedar Springs, Northview, Kent City, Jenison, Grandville and Byron Center. "The roads our buses have to travel on are a mess,'' said Rockford Superintendent Michael Shibler, about his decision Sunday night to cancel school. "I'm going to err on the side of caution because I'm not willing to risk anyone's safety.'' Jerry Byrne, director of maintenance for the Kent County Road Commission, said their crews were dealing with the freezing rain and sleet that coated the roads throughout the night, focused on primary and local roads. Byrne said crews should be able to reach gravel roads and subdivision streets many school buses travel by 6 p.m. Monday, April 16. He said the ice storm was relentless this weekend, not ending to early Sunday afternoon. "Things could have been worse if it was only freezing rain but the sleet provided some traction,'' he said. The Ottawa County Road Commission also had a busy weekend, but officials also expect to get to roads school leaders found too treacherous for buses by Monday evening. A winter storm warning was in effect until 10 p.m. Sunday for Ottawa, Kent, Ionia and Clinton counties. Schools in the Ionia Intermediate School District were also closed Monday. Public schools are allowed six days of canceled classes without financial penalty, according to the Michigan Department of Education. Once systems exceed six snow days, they are required to make up the days missed. However, due to a winter with fewer major snow events than in the past, the mid-April closure shouldn't force a make-up day for districts that closed. Byrne said the terrain can vary widely in school districts, including gravel or dirt roads, and some can stretch for miles. He said the road commission is responsible for 1,960 miles of county roads - the fourth largest in the state. About 118,000 Consumers Energy lost power in West Michigan over the weekend but most customers power has now been restored. Charters and faith-based schools also shutdown on Monday. See a full list of public and private school closings, at WZZM. Here a few more West Michigan closures: Sparta Area Schools Allendale Public Schools River City Scholars Grand Rapids Christian Schools Ionia Public Schools Tri County Area Schools Spring Lake Public Schools Grand Haven Area Schools Chandler Woods Charter Academy Belding Area Schools Byron Center Charter School Creative Technologies Academy Lakewood Public Schools Michigan is at a crossroads. We were once the mighty manufacturing state that put the world on wheels. In 1968, a person could still walk into a car or parts factory with a high school diploma and get a job that paid well enough to buy a house, raise a family, and maybe have enough for a summer home Up North. Strong unions ensured healthy paychecks and job security. A prosperous economy allowed for good schools, roads and parks. Michigan is a much different state in 2018. For decades there has been a steady decline in jobs and wages; morale and optimism. We now have an eroding manufacturing base, weakened unions, crumbling infrastructure and a war over school funding and performance. How did we lose the Michigan Dream and what do we need to do to bring it back? Over the next several months, MLive will take a hard look at Michigan's biggest challenges - our economy, education system and infrastructure - from the historical importance, to how we got where we are today, to possible solutions. And in November, voters will choose the leaders who can help change Michigan's future. We will pick a governor, attorney general, U.S. senators, U.S. representatives, state senators and state representatives. These individuals will set our agenda for the next several years and beyond. They will shape our future, and the future of our children. We want the candidates - and eventually the newly elected leaders - to focus on the issues that will reverse our decline. What's broken and what needs to be fixed first? What will sustain us economically? How can our state reinvent itself? This week, we kick off our look at Michigan's economy. In May, we examine the state's education system. And in June, we explore Michigan's failing infrastructure. Economy At the core of our state's prosperous past were jobs. In the 19th Century, people came from all over the globe to work in industries related to our precious natural resources: lumbering, mining, commercial fishing and agriculture. Then one of our most famous native sons, Henry Ford, disrupted the entire Western world with the way he built automobiles. People flocked to work in our factories, workers who went through bloody efforts to unionize. The creation of such a solid middle class in Michigan is intrinsically linked to the rise of unions, which bargained for better wages, healthcare, vacation time, and more. The Michigan Dream was born. Main Street, Michigan was booming. Mid-sized cities like Flint, Bay City, Saginaw prospered, as did Detroit, because of the auto industry. Grand Rapids and the mid-sized cities on the west side of the state blossomed with their own mixed economies. A glimpse at some of these same places at the beginning of the 21st Century tells a different story, however. Statistics show that our manufacturing base is being pulled out from under us, mostly due to a complex stew of globalization, automation and demographic shifts. Consider this: In 1970, 36 percent of Michigan workers had manufacturing jobs compared to 18 percent in 2016. Good paychecks have also declined. In 1990 the average weekly wage for a full-time Michigan worker was 7 percent above the national average. By 2017, it was 5 percent below the average, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So what industry will replace the once-mighty manufacturing sector? This is one of the questions we will ask in our series. There's talk of a service economy, of new tech jobs, but are they enough to sustain Michigan into the future? We'll explore the push for skilled labor jobs, as Michigan leaders make a push for a trained labor work force that can bring more high-tech businesses to Michigan. And we'll examine the middle class. Once a paragon of achievement, many middle -class families now are living paycheck to paycheck. Has that economic class disappeared? Education A high school education isn't enough to get by in the today's Michigan. Many times, the only jobs available for those with just a high school diploma are in retail or fast food restaurants, many of which pay poverty-level wages. It's even worse for people who don't finish high school. In Michigan, only 28.3 percent of residents aged 25 and older have a bachelor's degree, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. That's ranks us at 35 nationally. Massachusetts leads the nation, with 42.7 percent of residents. What are we doing to prepare children at all economic levels for college? Is our current school system working? How do we prepare our children for a global marketplace that values highly trained skills over grunt labor? Over the past 13 years, the cost of college has skyrocketed while wages have stagnated. In 2004-05 school year, for instance, average tuition and fees at Michigan's public universities were $6,294. By this school year, the price has doubled, reaching $12,935. In addition, in fiscal year 1984, state aid accounted for more than half of public university operating revenue. In fiscal year 2016, it had dropped to less than 25 percent of university operating revenue. Now, tuition revenue is by far the biggest source of revenue for universities. Whereas in 1984, state aid made up a bigger portion of university revenue. Performance is also an issue we will explore. Michigan's educational performance, per the National Assessment of Educational Progress, has been sliding down in the past decade. Michigan now ranks 41st nationwide in 4th-grade reading, down from 28th in 2003. Scores in eight-grade math have also been declining. In 2015, Michigan ranked 38th nationally, down from 34th in 2003. Education is linked closely with both poverty and crime in some of the state's most struggling areas -- the city of Detroit, for instance. What is the answer to turning around failing districts like Detroit and ensuring an equitable education for everyone in the state of Michigan? Infrastructure The state that built so many road-worthy cars should have car-worthy roads, but that sadly isn't the case. How did Michigan go from erecting the biggest suspension bridge in the world in 1954 to allowing residents to drink lead-tainted water from city pipes in just a few decades? The Flint water crisis exposed not just a siloed state government, but also the tainted lead pipes that lay below the surface -- a huge infrastructure problem still being solved. Just how many more Flints are there waiting to happen? There are problematic pipes, roads, dams and bridges all over the state. The studies prove what we already know: Our roads are terrible. In 2016, the Transportation Asset Management Council rated conditions for roads that receive federal funding. The study rated 39 percent of the roads in poor condition, 43 percent in fair condition and only 18 percent in good condition. The report also reveals that Michigan bridges are in worse shape than bridges in other Great Lakes states. In Michigan, 11.1 percent of bridges were rated as "structurally deficient," which is significantly higher than 8.7 percent in Wisconsin, 8.4 percent in Illinois, 8 percent in Indiana and 6.9 percent in Ohio. There are other problems, as well. Like the 3.2 billion gallons of untreated sewage released in Michigan in 2016 from combined sewer overflows. Or the fact that 1.9 million adults still lack access to broadband internet. In 2016, a commission headed by Gov. Rick Snyder concluded that Michigan needed to invest $59 billion over the next 20 years in infrastructure. Will politicians be willing to follow through on this? Michigan's future As an important election creeps closer, we will ask the candidates who can help make Michigan better what their solutions are in these important topics. As we illuminate issues facing Michigan, we hope voters and candidates are inspired to decide which course we want for Michigan. Michigan has reinvented itself amid many social and economic upheavals. Our future demands that we do it again. DETROIT, MI - Michigan Democrats after a hard-fought race on Sunday endorsed Dana Nessel in the race for Attorney General. "I will campaign my very hardest not just on behalf of myself... but on behalf of all Democratic candidates. We're going to win all the way up and all the way down the ballot," she promised after cinching the nomination. Nessel and Pat Miles were running against each other for the spot. A third candidate, Bill Noakes, did not end up getting enough signatures to be eligible. More than 6,700 members of the Michigan Democratic Party attended the convention on Sunday, filling the Grand Ballroom to standing room only. Officially, the party picks nominees at its convention in August. But the early endorsement convention held Sunday aims to galvanize Democratic support behind a single candidate early. Traditional party power brokers like the UAW and AFL-CIO had backed Miles. Groups like the party's cannabis caucus and progressive caucus backed Nessel in the race. Nessel is an attorney who rose to prominence by challenging Michigan's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, ultimately winning at the U.S. Supreme Court level. Nessel will be the Michigan's first LGBT Attorney General if elected. In a nomination speech, Plymouth Democratic Club President Mary Maguire highlighted Nessel's leadership on the U.S. Supreme Court case. "Progress like this is made because people like Dana Nessel never give up," Maguire said. Nessel said she promised herself she would not lie to anybody in the course of campaigning, and she thinks her honesty resonated with people. "Maybe some of the things that I said were unpopular. But at least they were honest, and that's what I intend to do throughout the rest of the course of this campaign," Nessel said. She said she plans to court union members and show them she stands by them, even though major unions endorsed her opponent. Jeff Hank, a leading marijuana activist, said Nessel had been strongly in favor of legalizing marijuana from the beginning. The UAW and AFL-CIO getting behind Miles and losing showed a disconnect, he said. "Times are changing and they're not listening to the people, they're not in touch with the people," Hank said. Marijuana is an issue bigger than any one candidate, he said, and Miles' position on it evolved. Before voting started, supporters of both candidates voiced support. Stickers and t-shirts indicating support for Nessel or Miles dotted the crowd. Paul Massaron, of Southfield, is a UAW member who was sporting a Miles sticker. The union endorsed Pat Miles in the race for attorney general, and he personally was supporting Miles as well. "I think he'd be the best candidate for the party to put forward for Attorney General," Massaron said. He said Miles has a good resume and positive positions on important issues like consumer protection, keeping state government accountable and civil rights. Emily Wolfe, of Farmington Hills, came out to support Nessel. She works as an assistant prosecutor in Wayne County, and worked with Nessel when she was there. On Sunday, she wore a Nessel shirt, handed out stickers, and gave people directions as they walked into Cobo Hall. A number of people coming in assured her they were already voting for Nessel - for some, her candidacy was the only reason they showed up. "I think that she is probably more electable, and definitely more qualified," Wolfe said. She said Nessel was an experienced prosecutor. As attorney general, she thinks Nessel will bring the office back to fighting for "the little guy." The race highlighted a divide within the party. While Miles had earned the support of the AFL-CIO and UAW, traditional convention powerbrokers, Nessel had earned the support of the party's progressive caucus, made up mostly of supporters of Bernie Sanders' presidential run. Before the vote took place, many urged party unity regardless of result. "I hope you will agree we can't say 'well my candidate didn't win...' enough is enough, we need to be united or we do not win. We need to be united," said U.S. Sen. Gary Peters. Miles in a brief concession speech congratulated Nessel on her win and urged the party to unite behind its slate of candidates. But Keith Williams, chair of the party's black caucus, said a slate with no African Americans was not reflective of the party and could come with a loss of enthusiasm from African American voters. "It's got to have some reflection of how the state of Michigan looks," Williams said of the overall ticket. Assuming the party also formally nominates Nessel at its August convention, she will face the Republican nominee in the Nov. 6 general election. The MDP also endorsed a slate of candidates who were looking for uncontested seats Sunday: Jocelyn Benson for Secretary of State and Megan Cavanagh and Sam Bagenstos for two Michigan Supreme Court spots. Those candidates were endorsed through a voice vote. The Democratic and Republican parties will officially nominate candidates at an August convention. The candidates for governor will face off in an August primary. The parties' candidates will run against one another in the Nov. 6 general election. DETROIT, MI - Bubbling under the surface of a contentious race at the Michigan Democratic Party endorsement convention on Sunday was a conversation about something Democrats are optimistic about: a "blue wave' election year that would put Democrats in office up and down the ticket. After a "blue wave"-themed hype video, House Democratic Leader Sam Singh, D-East Lansing, bounded on stage, hopeful. "I'm here to tell you that a blue wave is coming, but it is only coming if each and every one of us makes a commitment. We can have a different Michigan," Singh said. He pointed to national examples of Democrats flipping seats and said Michigan Democrats had to flip nine to gain control of the House. And he wasn't the only one who referenced a wave building up momentum for Democrats in 2018, when the governorship, state legislature, Attorney General and Secretary of State seats currently controlled by Republicans are up for election. The enthusiasm was palpable at the convention, which more than 5,700 attended. A story from the Associated Press on the 2010 endorsement convention the MDP held put the crowd estimate that year at over 2,000. Michigan Republicans had a wave year of their own in 2010, taking statewide offices and flipping the state House of Representatives. Those wins combined with a longstanding control of the Senate gave the party a commanding presence in Lansing - something the Democrats are looking to unravel in 2018, wave year or not. Republicans, meanwhile, are looking to maintain control of both chambers and the governor's office. They were able to do so in 2014, the last time the full legislature and top executive slots were all on the ballot. MDP Chair Brandon Dillon was among those who acknowledged the possibility of a wave year but warned against counting on it. "I certainly think the wind is at our back... but if anybody thinks they can sit this one out and just allow a wave to wash over them they are sorely mistaken," Dillon said. He said he'd seen increased participation in Democratic politics following Republican President Donald Trump's election. "We've seen this since Trump got elected. People are showing up at conventions, county party meetings, volunteer opportunities," Dillon said. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Dearborn, also said the wave wouldn't happen if party members got complacent. The Michiganders who supported President Donald Trump in the election still support him, she warned. "If you stay home, if you think 'oh it's done, the blue wave's here' we're going to have six years of what we're looking at right now, and that should scare the hell out of everybody," Dingell said. Others, like Jim Rine of Grosse Pointe Woods, were hesitant to believe the wave until it actually landed. "Perception doesn't mean anything. It's what actually happens," he said. Paul Massaron, of Southfield, said he's interested in turning Michigan blue. But he's also willing to work for it. "It can happen if we make it happen, that's the way I look at it," he said. Unemployment recorded 14.5 percent in rural areas, versus 9.8 percent in rural areas in 2017 Egypts unemployment rate fell to 11.8 percent in 2017, from 12.5 percent in 2016, CAPMAS announced on Monday. The government has been leading a policy of prioritizing labor-intensive industries, in a bid to provide job opportunities. Unemployment in 2017 was at 14.5 percent in rural areas, versus 9.8 percent in rural areas. Unemployment among males recorded 8.2 percent in 2017, down from 8.9 percent in 2016. The gender gap results in a 23.1 percent unemployment rate for females in 2017, down from 23.6 percent in 2016. The highest unemployment rate was recorded in the governorate of Suez (22.3 percent) and the Red Sea governorate, which relies on tourism for job opportunities (18.5 percent), while the lowest was in Menoufiya (6.9 percent). Among young people (aged 15-29 years old), the unemployment rate was 24.8 percent in 2017. Within this age group, 20 percent of males and 36.5 percent of females were unemployed. A rate of 31.8 percent of youth who are degree-holders are unemployed. According to CAPMAS, the labor force in 2017 consisted of 29.474 million Egyptians including people who work and those who are seeking work up from 28.934 million in 2016. Forty-five percent of the population above 15 years old contributed to the workforce in 2017, compared with 46.6 percent in 2017. Among those, employees constituted 26.006 million people in 2017 (20.620 million of which were males), compared with 25.331 million in 2016 (including 19.986 million males). The difference between the labor force and those who are employed constitutes the 3.468 million unemployed in 2017, down from 3.603 million unemployed in 2016. Among the unemployed, the percentage of people who used to work before was at 27 percent in 2017, down from 28.9 percent in 2016. A quarter of Egyptian employees work in agriculture and fishing, 12.9 percent in building and construction, 12.6 percent in wholesale and retail trade, and 12 percent in transformative industries. Only 3,600 work in international institutions and authorities, embassies, and foreign consulates. Search Keywords: Short link: Dear readers: It's election season, and here at MLive we're hearing what you are hearing - candidates talking about Michigan making a comeback. Have we? Have you? A state that voted blue in six straight presidential elections went red in 2016, and was a critical part of sending Donald Trump to the White House. That was Michigan saying, "Something has to change." We had to ask: Where is the disconnect between what the talking heads tell us and how real Michiganders feel about their lot? We sent reporters to find out. Here's what they discovered: We have jobs, but the wages aren't enough to get people ahead. We have schools that struggle to help kids achieve, and universities that rely on rising tuition costs for funding rather than state money. Our roads and bridges and water systems are falling apart. We are now at the midterm elections and it's time to speak up at the ballot box again. We need to know what needs to be fixed and how. Not just what the candidates say, but what you have to do to make your life better. Today, MLive launches Michigan Beyond 2018, a series of stories focusing on Michigan's economy, education, infrastructure and politics and the solutions to help our state get on track. We want you to help tell the story of Michigan, and we want to provide context for voters before November. We want to give you information about the candidates, and what they say they will do to make Michigan better. And we want to give candidates information about what you - the people of Michigan - want and need. You are the most important voice between now and the election. Let's make "comeback" more than a campaign slogan. Do you have a story to share with us about living, working or learning in Michigan? Send us an email at michiganbeyond@mlive.com Gov. Rick Snyder unveiled a broad set of strategies Monday designed to improve school safety, including strengthening security systems and training to help staff identify and support students with emotional and behavioral needs. The proposal calls for $24 million in funding for school security upgrades, such as door upgrades and radio communication systems, as well as behavioral assessment training for school officials. "Recent tragedies taking place in schools nationwide have escalated emotions and driven some people to entrench upon a single position. But there is no one simple solution to solve this terrible problem and prevent it from ever happening again," Snyder said in a statement. "A multifaceted approach is the best way we can ensure stable learning environments for Michigan's students while simultaneously protecting them." Here's a look at what's included: Safety plans: The plan calls on schools to develop safety plans, which include elements such as behavioral health, student reporting, emergency response and building safety requirements. Building upgrades: The plan calls for a total of $20 million for building improvements. Two million would be made available immediately for school with the most pressing needs, while the rest would be included in the 2019 state budget. Identifying students: Snyder's proposal recommends that teachers, administrators and others receive training to identify students who need mental or emotional counseling or support. A $2 million competitive grant program would be created to help provide the necessary training. Ok2Say: Funding to raise awareness of Ok2Say, an anonymous tip line for student safety threats, would be tripled. Doing so would cost about $1.3 million, according to Snyder's office. School resource officers: The plan requests that the Michigan Council on Law Enforcement Standards develop tiered training for school resource officers. Little is known statewide about how many school have resource officers or what kind of training they've received. That's different from a plan proposed by a coalition of law enforcement and school administrators, which recommended $100 million be made available for schools to hire additional school resource officers and mental health professionals. Snyder spokesman Ari Adler said the governor "supports spending money when appropriate, but he believes we always need to truly define a problem before we allocate money toward addressing it." Recovery: The plan calls for local and state health agencies to ensure they're prepared to provide emergency counseling services to students impacted by school violence. It also says guidance should be provided to help teachers, parents and administrators determine when students might need assistance accessing resources after an incident occurs. Following its release, Snyder's plan drew fire from Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint. "The time for just talking or studying what to do about guns is over - it's time to act," Ananich said in a statement. "Democrats in the Senate have a serious plan to improve the security of our school buildings, partner with local law enforcement and increase the number of counselors in our schools." Democrats have introduced a series of bills that would provide $100 million for hiring school resource officers and improving building safety. The package also includes so-called "red flag" legislation that authorizes courts to seize the guns of individuals who are deemed a threat to themselves and others. Adler said some of the governor's recommendations could be done administratively, while others, such as those requring additional funding, will require legislative approval. When asked about Snyder's stance on the "red flag" legislation, Adler said the governor has "not taken a position on any specific legislation but he is willing to have more conversations about different bills." "Sometimes, if you put things all out at once, the good and easy stuff gets left behind while the focus turns to controversial issues that don't make headway," Adler said. "So the governor believes that by putting out the items that we can get 80 to 100 percent agreement on by themselves, then we have a better chance of doing something meaningful to protect students and teachers now. " JACKSON, MI - Police are investigating the death of a 5-month-old girl who died in her mother's bed Saturday morning. Police and rescue crews were called at 6:30 a.m., April 14, to a home in the 700 block of Griswold Street for a report of an infant who was not breathing, Jackson Director of Police and Fire Services Elmer Hitt said. Rescue crews were unable to revive the child and she was pronounced dead at the scene, Hitt said. The child's mother, 26, told police she was sleeping with the child in her bed when she woke up and found her unresponsive, Hitt said. The death is currently under investigation. BROOKLYN, MI - Rain in Tennessee and a rainy forecast in Michigan has prompted rescheduling for the April 17-18 Goodyear tire test at Michigan International Speedway. The test, which fans can view at the track for free, has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24, and Wednesday, April 25. NASCAR drivers and teams are still in Tennessee after Sunday's race at Bristol Motor Speedway was rained out. The action was postponed to 1 p.m. Monday, televised on Fox. Teams already have a short week, with next weekend's race at Richmond Raceway scheduled for Saturday night. In addition to this delay, the forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday in Michigan calls for rain and temperatures in the 30s and 40s, per the National Weather Service. The extended forecast looks better for next week in southern Michigan, with The Weather Channel forecasting sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s. The official driver list hasn't been announced. These five teams were scheduled for this week's test: No. 2 Team Penske Ford Fusion, driven by Rochester Hills native and 2012 Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro, driven by 2018 Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Fusion, driven by Aric Almirola No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota Camry, driven by 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Alex Bowman, who's replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. this year Testing times and drivers are subject to change. Last year's April testing was canceled due to the threat of rain. Fans are asked to enter the track from Gate A off Brooklyn Highway and park in the fan plaza behind the frontstretch tower. They enter the grandstands through Gate 24A and sit in Section 1 at the start-finish line. LEONI TWP., MI - The 60-day window to gather signatures to recall Leoni Township Supervisor Howard Linnabary, Clerk Michele Manke and Treasurer Lori Stack has begun. After having recall language approved in March, a group called Reform Leoni started circulating recall petitions on Tuesday, April 10, following the township's board meeting. To get the recall on the ballot, circulators must gather 984 signatures for each official in this 60-day window. If 984 signatures are not received for an official, that official's name won't appear on the ballot. The petition language approved is nearly the same for each official - besides the name listed. For Manke, it also notes she made the original motion. "(Name) voted yes on the 12/12/17 motion to approve the medical Marihuana administrative fee allocation breakdown as approved by township attorney, Eric White," the language reads. At least 100 signatures have already been gathered for each official, Leoni Township trustee and recall spokesman Corey Kennedy said. There's still an "intense passion" on this issue from the community, months after the tension arose, he said. "I do feel the majority of Leoni feels what was done was wrong. And they want to rectify it," Kennedy said. "They didn't really even try last week and they got 100 (signatures)." For those interested in signing, reach out to Reform Leoni on Facebook or email reform_leoni@yahoo.com. Circulators plan to go door to door in the coming weeks, Kennedy said. Signers must be registered voters in the township. Why recall? Local frustration stemmed from a policy passed by the township board, which doled out a percentage of the $5,000 application fee for medical marijuana license applications to township officials. The policy was later changed, but not before officials collected more than $10,000, plus additional funds added into their pensions. Linnabary returned his $4,400 received for work on 18 applications, though Manke has kept her $6,100 and Stack has kept her $3,200 for their extra work. All pension funds have been returned, Manke said. "We are very disappointed that we have a current trustee that has been pushing a recall and putting out a lot of misinformation," Stack said on behalf of the three last month. "We work very hard for Leoni Township and we will continue to do so." If enough signatures are gathered for any given official, the county clerk has 35 days to verify the signatures. If approved, the recall election would commence during the November election. For more on the Michigan recall process, click here. Township residents seeking those positions would then run against Linnabary, Manke and Stack for their spots. JACKSON, MI - Contracts for its superintendent and others are going before the Jackson School Board on Monday, April 16. The board is considering a one-year extension to Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Beal's contract, an action it takes annually following the superintendent's evaluation. I will be covering this meeting live beginning at 5:30 p.m. Come back to this story and click on the "view comments" button at the bottom to follow along. You must refresh the story or click on "newest" comments to keep up with the conversation. If you have questions, I'll do my best to answer them. In other action, the board also will consider one-year contract renewals for non-union administrators and support staff members that include 2-percent raises and a 1-percent annuity increase, where applicable. It is expected to cost the district $19,474 in the 2018-19 budget. The board also is expected to renew its PowerSchool electronic student management system for $30,926. And it is expected to hear reports on a new Young 5s program and the South Central Michigan Virtual School. The board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 16, at Northeast Elementary School, 1024 Fleming Ave. KALAMAZOO, MI -- A man kidnapping and raping a Kalamazoo teen will spend at least 18 years in prison. Dontrel Williams, 40, was sentenced Monday, April 16, to 18 to 40 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections for two counts of kidnapping and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He faced up to life in prison on each of the four counts. Kalamazoo County Circuit Court Judge Gary C. Giguere Jr. also sentenced Williams to five to 15 years for second-degree criminal sexual conduct, which will be served concurrently to the first sentence. He was given credit for 340 days already served in jail. Upon being released from prison, Williams will be subject to lifetime electronic monitoring. He also will be on the sex offender registry for the rest of his life. Giguere said Williams is a danger to the community and to children, and said Williams' own family will suffer from the crime. "This is essentially every parent's worst nightmare," Giguere said. In March, a jury found Williams guilty of all five counts of the May 10, 2017 crime. During the trial, jurors heard testimony that Williams picked up the then-13-year-old girl in his car and took her to his house without consent, then sexually assault her. On the stand, the now 14-year-old girl said she left the Washington Square Library in the 1200 block of Portage Street just after 6 p.m. May 10, 2017. The girl said she walked toward the bus stop in front of the library, when she thought she heard someone call her name. The girl said she approached a silver car because she thought it belonged to a friend. She saw a man who told her to get in the car. The girl admitted a previous story she told police and testified to at Williams' preliminary examination - that Williams dragged her into the car, dragged her into his house and dragged her upstairs - was a lie. But she said once she and Williams were at his house, Williams did touch her chest and force her to perform oral sex on him twice. The girl said she lied because she was scared she would be taken from her mother or that someone would harm her. She said she called police for help when Williams' wife came home and he left the room. At the sentencing, Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecutor Kenneth Barnard read a victim impact statement from the teen's mother, who said a part of her was taken "and has never been replaced." The woman said Williams hurt her family and robbed her daughter of innocence. She asked the judge to sentence Williams to life in prison. "My family can finally begin to move on and begin the final stages of the healing process," the woman wrote. Barnard asked Giguere to sentence Williams to consecutive sentences. Williams' attorney, Edwin Johnson III, asked Giguere to sentence his client as guilty but mentally ill, and said his client has a history of mental illness since at least 2012. Giguere explained that determination has to be found by a jury or specifically pleaded to by a defendant. When it was his turn to speak, Williams said the day of the crimes he had just gotten back on his medication after being off of them a year. He apologized to the victim and her family and thanked his own family for their support. "I would like for everyone to know that I'm not a horrible and terrible person and while I'm away I will do my best to be a productive member of society," Williams said. KALAMAZOO, MI - Two new officers of the four-legged and furry variety have joined the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety force. K9s Axl and Chase are on their second week of service after six weeks of training with their handlers Officers Caleb Dumond and Heath Shoemaker. K9 Unit Sgt. Jeff Deblecourt said the 15-month-old German Shepherds were born in Hungary and moved to the Netherlands before they came to the United States. The dogs received some bite training at a kennel in Pennsylvania before coming to Kalamazoo. When new K9s arrive in Kalamazoo, they have a lot to learn in six weeks. Their training includes tracking, drug work and building search. All the commands for the dogs are in German. To practice drug tracking, small fabric pouches with pseudonarcotics that have the smell of real narcotics are used. The K9s are aggressive alert dogs and scratch to let officers know where the drugs are. Deblecourt said the dogs are beneficial to the department because they help fight and reduce crime. "They can help find drugs we can't find or we can't smell," Deblecourt said. "They help us find bad guys that take off running ... they can also help us find missing people." Dumond has worked for KDPS for five years and said he knew when he became an officer that he wanted to be part of the K9 team. He said one of his favorite parts is watching the dogs develop. "These dogs have only been training for about seven weeks and when they came to us, they knew nothing," Dumond said. "They still have a long way to go, but their improvement is incredible." In addition to helping fight crime, the dogs allow the deparment to be an extension of the community. Shoemaker, who has worked for the department for six years, said the bond between an officer and K9 is a fantastic experience. He said he also enjoys being able to interact and serve the community. "Chase is very social, so any opportunity for me to get him out and have a kid pet him ... he's a normal dog just with extra abilities and training that make him more than just pet," Shoemaker said. KDPS was able to purchase Axl and Chase with assistance from the Collin Rose Foundation. The foundation is named after a Wayne State University Police Officer and K9 handler killed in 2016 in the line of duty. The department's K9 team now has six dogs, and two more will be joining in the fall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Friday that an Indiana-based farm has recalled more than 200 million eggs after it connected them to 22 cases of "Salmonella Braenderup infections." In a Saturday update, the FDA reports it linked the contamination to Rose Acre Farms' Hyde County, North Carolina-based farm. The company has recalled 206,749,248 eggs sold across multiple brands in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. "After learning that all of the people who became ill ate eggs or egg dishes, the FDA was able to trace back the source of some of the eggs to the Rose Acre Farms' Hyde County farm," the news release reads. "FDA investigators then inspected the farm and collected samples for testing. "FDA analysis of the samples revealed that the same strain of Salmonella Braenderup that caused the illnesses was present at the Hyde County Egg facility, tying the facility to the illnesses." Those who purchased the potentially affected eggs are advised by the agency to return them to the point of purpose for a full refund. Rose Acre Farms can be reached at 855-215-5730. Recalled eggs sold under multiple brand including Coburn Farms, Country Daybreak, Food Lion, Glenview, Great Value, Nelms, Sunshine Farms https://t.co/avbXxL1B05 Consumers with these eggs shouldnt eat them. Throw them away or return them to place of purchase for credit or refund Scott Gottlieb, M.D. (@SGottliebFDA) April 14, 2018 The FDA reports that the Hyde County farm linked to the 22 illnesses produces 2.3 million eggs each day, has 3 million laying hens and a daily on-site Department of Agriculture inspector on site. Affected eggs were sold under several different brands, which includes Great Value, Nelms, Sunshine Farms, Country Daybreak, Coburn Farms, Food Lion, Glenview and to restaurants. Salmonella is a bacterium that can cause cramps, fever, diarrhea and other symptoms. While most recover without treatment, according to the release, the elderly and young children are most likely to suffer severe illness. The FDA reports its investigations started back on March 5, after it heard of a "cluster" of Salmonella Braenderup infections spread across multiple states. After a couple of weeks, the FDA says it, and the CDC and state agencies were able to identify the source of the eggs connected to the outbreak. COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Seven people have died and at least 17 have been seriously injured during a prison riot Sunday night at Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina. The brawl started around 7:15 p.m. according to the Associated Press and it took guards more than seven hours to regain control of the prison. No officers were injured in the riot, but the majority of the injured prisoners required medical treatment offsite. The injured were slashed, stabbed or severely beaten according to Lee County Coroner Larry Logan. The South Carolina Department of Corrections tweeted about the incident Monday morning. Lee Correctional Institution was secured at 2:55 AM following an incident which started at 7:15 PM. The incident involved multiple inmate on inmate altercations in three housing units. SC Dept. Corrections (@SCDCNews) April 16, 2018 Approximately 1,500 inmates are housed at the maximum security prison where some of the state's longest serving and most violent criminals are incarcerated. The prison has a history of incidents including one in March where an inmate held a guard hostage for 90 minutes and another in February where an inmate was killed by a fellow prisoner. The exhibition will take place at Beit El-Sura An exhibition titled 'The Dream is Stil Alive' by award-winning Egyptian photojournalist Ahmed Hayman showcases a new collection of photos from Syria as it opens on 21 April at Beit El-Sura. Haymans latest project focuses on Syrian women living in the Zaatary refugee camp and Irbid area in Jordan. His work is known for capturing personality and spirit through portraits. Iin this exhibition the display of photos in human-scale light boxes promises to have a powerful impact on viewers, who can actually get to meet those beautiful women and their dreams, as the description on Facebook reads. Every photograph speaks up for their dreams, pain and hope, Hayman says. The opening day will also feature a book-signing for Haymans photo book titled The Dream is Still Alive with stories by the Syrian women. This project is in collaboration with Arab Women Organization, UN WOMEN and Japan. Ahmed Hayman was a photojournalist for 8 years at AlMasry Al-Youm Newspaper. He then recieved his Visual story telling diploma from the Danish school of media and journalism in 2011, after which he traveled to 23 countries around the world to document and share his experiences. He is the founder of Beit El-Sura, a photography hub, studio and exhibition space in Maadi operating since 2016. Throughout his career he has won 8 awards, including the First Prize for a Photo Story from Egypts Press Photo Awards in 2011, and an honorable mention in 2012; Gold prize for a Domestic Picture Story from College Photographer of the Year competition in 2011; Bronze prize for Spot News from Jordan's Ninth International Photography festival in 2011. Programme: The exhibition will open on 21 April and run till 28 April Beit El-Sura, building 30, street 15, Maadi, Cairo 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 Search Keywords: Short link: Dr. Steven Lipschultz holding frozen DNA samples Dr. Jeffrey Taub "Cancer sucks" pin on Dr. Taub's lapel As a pediatric heart specialist, Dr. Steven Lipshultz has taken pride in the work he's done to help kids here in metro Detroit. He's also shed plenty of tears with families of children he couldn't help.At one point, those tears became a catalyst for action. Lipshultz, a skilled physician scientist, recognized he had the ability to keep more kids alive by taking what he saw in clinical practice into the research lab for a deeper dive.This is a story about the power of translational, or "bedside to bench," researchwhen a clinical physician observes firsthand a medical issue requiring research, then personally seeks a solution in the laboratory.What Lipshultz saw at the bedside was the advent of multi-agent chemotherapy, lifesaving drugs that helped kids survive leukemia and other childhood cancers. He also saw the deadly side effects of those drugs. In essence, children were overcoming cancer, but the drugs they needed for survival were damaging their hearts."The price of the cure is that these medications are not exclusively restricted to killing cancer cells," Lipshultz says. "They will kill any call that is rapidly dividing. [Children] didn't die of cancer, but of heart failure. It's a very tragic substitution of one disease for another."Lipshultz, who is a pediatric cardiologist at Children's Hospital of Michigan (CHM) and interim director of the Children's Research Center of Michigan (CRCM), recalls one patient with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that affects nerve cells, whose heart failed after cancer treatment."She died in front of me. You never forget that," Lipshultz says. " She was 16 years old, with decades of active, productive life ahead of her."This was a turning point in Lipshultz's career that would make a lifesaving difference to children with cancer, not just here in Michigan, but across the globe.One of a relatively small number of medical professionals trained in both clinical and research medicine, Lipshultz set himself a goal to discover a treatment that wouldn't destroy the hearts of kids treated with chemotherapy."I made a promise that I would do whatever I could through translational research to say we could get the best cures for cancer, and at the same time, avoid toxicity and late effects of cancer therapies," Lipshultz says.Through intensive, years-long research into the mechanism by which the chemotherapy drugs were damaging to heart cells, Lipshultz, who is also a professor at Wayne State University School of Medicine, tested cells in culture dishes, then in treatment models in lab animals, observing 200 different drugs. When he found one that was effective, he sought funding for multicenter, randomized clinical trials from the National Cancer Institute.Because the trial was so successful, the government urged Lipshultz to publish data , even before the trial's conclusion. In 2014, the FDA granted "orphan" status to the drug, used as treatment for disease that affects fewer than 200,000 people per year. By 2017, the drug protocol was also approved for use in Europe for children newly diagnosed with cancer that would receive heart-damaging chemotherapy.Today, kids have a much better chance of surviving chemo, thanks to Lipshultz's "bedside to bench" research.Translational pediatric physician-scientists must have an understanding of basic scientific research, their field of expertise, and the potential impact a discovery can have on disease in a pediatric patient. Some run carefully constructed clinical trials to test drugs in a lab setting based directly on the needs they see in patients they care for every day. That is a relevant connection to patients that even doctorate-level researchers don't have."What's fundamental about translational research is it is part of a continuum of research that gets new therapies and new understandings important in outcomes to the patient," says Dr. Valerie Paula Opipari, pediatric hematologist and oncologist, and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at C. S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor.Pediatric translational research has ushered in effective treatments for many childhood illnesses, to the point that seasoned pediatricians have seen dramatic changes in survival rates just during their own careers.When Opipari started practicing, the majority of childhood cancers were not curable. Leukemia, for example, had a 15 percent survival rate. Today, five-year survival rates are between 60 and 85 percent, depending on the type of leukemia, according to the American Cancer Society."In virtually every discipline in pediatric medicine, that is the story," says Opipari. "With cystic fibrosis, most didn't make it past their second decade. Now we have many living into their sixth decade because of translational research."Where there were no treatments or cures for hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital defect that causes an underdeveloped left side of the heart, today there are three surgical procedures, and patients now in their fifth decade of life."In pediatrics, translational research has been critical," says Opipari.In a medical model that requires physicians to spend time with patients and then bill for their services, health systems rarely have funding for even highly skilled physician scientists to spend time in a laboratory setting, regardless of the potential for breakthrough cures. Pediatric specialists agree that research is grossly underfunded."Part of it is numbers," says Dr. Jeffrey Taub, oncology division chief at CHM. He cites childhood cancer, which accounts for 2 percent of all cancers, as an example."At the funding level, as the government cuts back on research, they think they should fund proportionate to the number of cases. If a disease affects 400 kids a year, why spend millions on research, compared to a disease that affects 50 million people a year? Children don't vote, and they are not advocates for themselves."In addition, panels that award funding aren't always staffed by pediatric specialists, or those who understand the critical importance of pediatric research.Stagnant federal funding makes recruiting research talent challenging, despite local economic growth stimulated by funding. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, every dollar of federal funding stimulates $2.21 in economic growth . Just 12 percent of new research grant proposals were funded by the National Cancer Institute in 2015, down from 27 percent in 2001.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds 3 to 5 percent of pediatric cancer research, leaving a dependence on private and foundation funding, even though discoveries made in pediatrics have implications for adult disease."If the NIH were to take that funding to 20 or 25 percent, imagine what could be accomplished, and what an impact that could make on adult disease," says Opipari.After spending years in a translational research environment at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Lipshultz arrived at CHM, where there was no such program. Through a relationship between CHM and CRCM, with funding from the Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation , Lipshultz has been able to establish a supportive environment to train pediatric physician scientists.Last year, a two-center proposal between the programs at University of Michigan and Wayne State University was granted funding by the government for three physician scientists, and a fourth will be funded by U-M.It takes about 10 years to become fluent in both clinical and laboratory research. But Lipshultz thinks the outcome is worth the time spent."Continued support of the Children's Research Center of Michigan might lead to new therapies we can't possibly imagine today," he says. "We don't yet have every child going home for a long, healthy life, so there is much more than needs to be done. Translational research is about as important as it gets." (1) At the beginning, Prime Minister Abe welcomed President Berset on his first visit to Japan, and stated that Japan hopes to work on maintaining the free and open international order based on the rule of law together with Switzerland, an important partner with which Japan shares fundamental values. (2) President Berset stated that Japan and Switzerland share fundamental values and the relationship between Japan and Switzerland has been developing in various fields over the 150 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, and the two countries have been cooperating on addressing the various challenges facing the international community. (3) The two leaders also shared the view that they will promote further cooperation in the science and technology field between the two countries, both of which aim to become innovation-oriented nations. Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky, the movie follows a man called Beshay as he leaves an Egyptian leper colony in search of what remains of his family Egyptian film Yomeddine has been selected for the official competition at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, which runs from 8 to 19 May, marking the first time an Egyptian director's feature-debut has made the line-up. The film is also the only feature debut in the competition this year, competing with 16 other films by renowned international directors, including Jean Luc-Goddard, Asghar Farhadi, Spike Lee and Jaafar Panahi, to name a few. Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky, Yomeddine follows a leper named Beshay who leaves the confines of the Abu Zaabal leper colony for the first time, embarking on a journey across Egypt. In the company of his orphaned apprentice Shika, he goes in search for what remains of his family. In an interview with Variety, the festivals artistic director Thierry Fremaux described Yomeddine as a "truly cinematic film". It reminded me of an Italian neorealist film," he said. "It sheds light on the depths of Egypt. Its a unique and poetic work of art. And as many films do, it enlightens us by pondering on who we are, who are the others, what the world is like." The film was initially co-produced by the director and his wife Dina Emam. However, it went on to receive several production awards that assisted with funding. It was a runner-up for the IWC Filmmaker Award at the Tribeca festival this year, which provides finishing funds to feature-length narratives. It was also awarded at the Cinegouna platform, which launched last year at the first Gouna Film Festival to support films in different stages of development. Production was further supported by a kickstarter campaign, and the films later stages were co-produced by Egyptian production company Film Clinic. One other Arab film in the main competition at Cannes is Capernaum by Lebanese director Nadine Labaki, while two Arab films will be screened in the Un Certain Regard section: My Favourite Fabric by Syrian director Gaya Jiji, and Sofia by Meryem BenmBarek from Morocco. 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 Search Keywords: Short link: Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, A team from Michigan Technological University has partnered with Avon to develop a laser-based technology that measures the elasticity and firmness of skin. As people age, their skin loses its youthful bounce, which leads to wrinkles and sagging. Skin-firming serums and anti-wrinkle creams seek to boost skin elasticity, but companies like Avon currently rely on visual grading by dermatologists or subjective verbal feedback from consumer panels to assess their products. Using technology developed by Sean Kirkpatrick, professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Michigan Tech team is refining a system that could lead to handheld devices that measure the effectiveness and longevity of beauty products. The technology could help Avon create and test experimental formulas quickly and objectively. The basic process: project bright green laser light on untreated skin, swab a bit of product on, use a puff of air to stress the skin, then measure how much the scattered laser lightcalled laser speckleshifts. The idea itself is simple, Kirkpatrick says, but the math behind it is complex. "That light that is scattered back is in a random diffraction patternand that pattern moves around," Kirkpatrick explains. "The real art of all this is tracking the motion of that diffraction pattern and mapping it back to the skin." Lasers and Skin The Biomedical Optics Lab is all white with an open ceiling, and is surprisingly tidy for a busy research lab. Various optical equipmenta handheld white-light skin tester, a 3-D printed chin rest, orange-tinted safety glassessit on workbenches throughout the room. One corner is dedicated to a wheeled cart with a strange machine on top. The black metal cover, clear lenses, various knobs and dark gray metal make up the equipment for optical elastography, a term Kirkpatrick coined when he first developed the laser-based equipment and algorithms to test skin elasticity. "It was a technology that was developed for clinical use for medical care of skin cancer and skin cancer diagnostics," he says. "It's translated out of that field to over-the-counter cosmetics, moisturizers and skin care products." What once tested the difference between the firmness of normal skin and cancerous lesions can now test the difference between before and after anti-wrinkle serums. The skin of the inner arm, just above the elbow, is an ideal test site because it's flat and sees less sun than faces or forearms. Only a little product is needed2 milliliters per square centimeter of skinand the lab tech applies it with a pipette. The biomedical engineering team is using existing Avon products to assess how well the optics and software measure changes in skin firmness. To learn what it's like to be a participant, read more of the behind-the-scenes process on our Unscripted blog. More than a Machine While the bright green laser is the showiest part of the projectand sounds like a beauty product out of the Jetsonsthe physical equipment is only part of the project. Kirkpatrick and his team are developing a technology from the ground up, including the optics, software for data acquisition and the algorithms that map the laser's diffraction patterns to skin. Other quantitative technologies do exist to measure skin mechanics; most use vacuum or indentation of the skin surface. However, they are not effective at examining tiny changes in the skin's outermost epidermis, they go deeper into the tougher dermis and fat-filled hypodermis and have to contend with the differences in how the various tissues behave. "Our technique is more sophisticated that what's currently available on the market," Kirkpatrick says, explaining that beauty measurements really are only skin deep. "Our measurement scheme stays within the upper 70 microns, maybe 100 microns, of the skin's epidermis." Shallow as it is, changes in the epidermis are linked to visible wrinkles and loss of firmness, and reflect differences in gender, race, sun exposure and age. The latter makes the most difference, which is why Kirkpatrick's group surveyed three age groups 20-30 years old, 30-45 years old and 45 years and older. The more refined laser-based system could also be better at sorting out how products differ by skin color depending on melanin levels, which are only significant in the epidermis, and can't be tested with existing technology. Kirkpatrick's work with Avon shines a light on new possibilities for measuring the skin-deep pursuit of youthful beauty. Using lasers and big data algorithms, the collaboration moves the age-old quest for the fountain of youth past science fiction into real 21st century technology. 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. LONDON (AP) Martin Sorrell is stepping down as chief executive of WPP, the world's largest advertising agency, following allegations of personal misconduct. Sorrell, who built WPP into a global brand during his 33 years at the helm, had been accused of misusing company assets. He has denied any wrongdoing. Sorrell resigned Saturday night as WPP announced that an investigation into the matter had concluded, with the firm saying only that "the allegation did not involve amounts that are material." "As I look ahead, I see that the current disruption is simply putting too much unnecessary pressure on the business," Sorrell said in a statement to WPP staff. "That is why I have decided that, in your interest, in the interest of our clients, in the interest of all shareowners both big and small, and in the interest of all our other stakeholders, it is best for me to step aside." Chairman Roberto Quarta will lead the company until a new chief executive has been chosen. Sorrell is a titan of British business who was named the world's second-best performing CEO in 2017 by the Harvard Business Review. He took a U.K. manufacturer of wire baskets and built it into a worldwide provider of advertising, public relations and marketing services through a series of takeovers. The acquisitions included the J. Walter Thompson Group, the Young & Rubicam Group and the Ogilvy Group. He was richly compensated for his efforts. Sorrell was the highest-paid CEO among FTSE 100 companies in both 2015 and 2016, according to a study released last year by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the High Pay Centre. He received 70.4 million pounds ($100.3 million) in salary, bonuses, incentive rewards, pension payments and other benefits in 2015, and 48.1 million pounds in 2016, the study found. "If WPP does well, I do well," he told the Press Association in April 2016. "Most of my wealth, if not all of it, is and has been for the last 31 years tied up in the success of WPP. So if WPP does well, I do well, and others in the company do well. If we do badly, we suffer." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. SEATTLE (AP) A U.S. judge in Seattle has ordered President Donald Trump not to ban transgender troops from serving in the military, saying it's unclear whether recent changes to his administration's policy are constitutional. U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman was one of four judges nationwide who blocked Trump late last year from overturning an Obama-era directive allowing transgender troops to serve openly. The Justice Department asked her to dissolve that ruling, citing changes that would allow transgender troops to serve in limited cases. Because the changes were announced just last month, the sides had not had time to argue whether the policy is discriminatory or whether the military is entitled to set its own policy, given its expertise in what's needed for national defense, Pechman said in an order Friday. She told the parties to prepare for trial. "Because transgender people have long been subjected to systemic oppression and forced to live in silence, they are a protected class," Pechman wrote. "Therefore, any attempt to exclude them from military service will be looked at with the highest level of care." She also said the government must show that the ban "was sincerely motivated by compelling interests, rather than by prejudice or stereotype, and that it is narrowly tailored to achieve those interests." The Pentagon lifted its longstanding ban on transgender troops in 2016. Trump took defense leaders by surprise last July, when he tweeted that the U.S. government would not allow transgender members to serve. It triggered a number of lawsuits, and federal judges in Seattle; Baltimore; Washington, D.C.; and Riverside, California, blocked Trump from rescinding former President Barack Obama's policy. The Pentagon began allowing transgender people to serve and enlist on Jan. 1. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis also launched a review on the issue, forwarding recommendations to Trump in February. Trump issued a memo March 23 giving the Pentagon the go-ahead to implement a policy that would block transgender people from serving in many cases. Transgender people who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria or have a history of the condition would be banned, with some exceptions. Those who can show they have been stable for 36 months would be allowed to serve if they adhere to the standards for their "biological sex." Anyone who has transitioned to their preferred gender or who needs medical treatment to do so would be presumed ineligible for service, though they could seek individual waivers allowing them to serve. Under Pechman's ruling, that policy can't take effect. She said the changes didn't truly amount to a new policy but "instead threaten the very same violations" that led her and other judges to block the ban. Her ruling came in a challenge brought by several transgender troops or prospective troops, as well as civil rights organizations including Lambda Legal. The state of Washington is also a plaintiff. "The court's ruling means President Trump's hastily conceived and discriminatory ban now has to stand up to the court's most rigorous standard of review," Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement Sunday night. "I am confident the ban will not withstand that." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. NEW YORK (AP) Raphael Golb's conviction wasn't quite like any other: using online aliases to discredit his father's adversary in a scholarly debate over the Dead Sea Scrolls. The 9-year-old case got a New York law thrown out and finally ended Monday with no jail time for Golb, who persuaded a judge to sentence him to three years' probation rather than two months in jail. Appeals had put the jail term on hold and narrowed the counts in his criminal impersonation and forgery conviction in a curious case of ancient religious texts, digital misdeeds, academic rivalries and filial loyalty. "Obviously, I'm relieved not to be going to jail," Golb said, adding that he remains concerned by having been prosecuted for online activity he said was meant as satire. "The judge today did the right thing, but the whole thing should have been thrown out nine years ago." Prosecutors said jail was a fair punishment for a man who posed online as a prominent professor to send academically damning emails about the scholar himself. "The (jail) sentence should stand," Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Roper said. The case began in 2008 when colleagues and students of New York University Judaic studies scholar Lawrence Schiffman got emails in which he seemed to suggest he'd plagiarized the work of another Jewish history expert, Norman Golb of the University of Chicago. The two were on different sides of an obscure but heated dispute over which ancient Jews wrote the more than 2,000-year-old scrolls, which include the earliest known version of portions of the Hebrew Bible. But the emails weren't actually from Schiffman, who later said he spent weeks refuting the claims. By 2009, authorities said they'd figured out who was behind the messages: Raphael Golb, a literature scholar and now-disbarred lawyer who is Norman Golb's son. Charging Raphael Golb with identity theft and other crimes, prosecutors said he'd created an elaborate electronic campaign involving blog posts and 70 phony email accounts to tarnish his father's detractors. Raphael Golb initially argued the writings weren't a crime but parody and academic whistle-blowing meant to counter scholarly scorn directed at his father and expose "unethical conduct" in his field. Or, as Golb put it in 2010 testimony: "I used methods of satire, irony, parody and any other form of verbal rhetoric that became the type of language used by philosophers during the Enlightenment to expose the irrational arguments of their opponents." Indeed, the trial was so full of erudite references that it sometimes felt more like an academic conference, touching on the French Enlightenment writer Voltaire, the early 1900s Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder, and more. But it also was, particularly at the time, a relatively rare internet impersonation prosecution that didn't involve financial crimes. Golb was convicted in 2010. He was sentenced then to six months in jail, a term that would be reduced as his appeals cut a twist-filled path through state and federal courts and the state Legislature. In one turn, the case prompted New York state's highest court in 2014 to strike down an often-used aggravated harassment law that made it a misdemeanor to communicate with someone "in a manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm" and with the intent to do so. Police and prosecutors saw it as an important tool for pursuing domestic violence and other cases, but Golb and his lawyer called it an unconstitutional intrusion on free-speech rights. The state Court of Appeals concluded the law was "unconstitutionally vague and overbroad." The state Legislature later passed a revised version. The Court of Appeals also dismissed some of the counts in Golb's conviction, including the only felony identity theft which had led to his disbarment. He was resentenced to two months in jail. Federal courts subsequently cut some more counts, leaving a total of 10. They reflected a total of five emails sent over two days, noted Golb's lawyer, Ron Kuby. Said Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Laura Ward: "I think Mr. Golb has been punished enough." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. During an interview on Sunday night with ABC, former FBI Director James Comey says it is possible President Donald Trump obstructed justice. And many of his comments about the president have ignited a lot of debate. Former FBI Director James Comey: President asked to close investigation into security adviser Comey says he believes president may have obstructed justice RELATED: Former Trump security adviser Michael Flynn pleads guilty to lying to FBI Comey sat down with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos in an interview that aired late Sunday night and some of the words that he used to describe the president were harsh. Comey called Trump "morally unfit" for office and that he treated women like "pieces of meat." The interview kicks off a promotional tour for Comey's new book, "A Higher Loyalty," which is set to hit the book shelves tomorrow. Stephanopoulos asked Comey more about a time that Comey says Trump cleared the Oval Office of other officials last February. Comey has said before, the president encouraged him to close the investigation into then-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who by that point was suspected of lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts. Stephanopoulos: "Should you have said, 'Mr. President, I can't discuss this. You're doing something improper.'"? Comey: "Maybe, but if he didn't know he was doing something improper, why did he kick out the attorney general and the vice president of the United States and the leaders of the intelligence community? Why am I alone if he's doesn't know the nature of the request? But it's possible in the moment another person would have said, 'Sir, you can't ask me that, that's a criminal investigation that could be obstruction of justice.'" Stephanopoulos: "Was President Trump obstructing justice?" Comey: "Possibly. It's certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice." Flynn pleaded guilty last December and is now cooperating with Muellers investigation. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said this during a White House briefing Sunday night: "The American people see right through the blatant lies of a self-admitted leaker. This is nothing more than a poorly executed PR stunt by Comey to desperately rehabilitate his tattered reputation and enrich his own bank account by peddling a book that belongs in the bargain bin of the fiction section." Trump posted several critical tweets on Comey over the weekend. Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 <_script charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"> MERIDEN Investors say the Archimedes Screw should be turning again in a few weeks after a mechanical malfunction took the hydroelectric dam out of commission in February. Were on track for getting it back up and running later this spring, said Ben Healey, director of clean energy finance for the Connecticut Green Bank. The 20-ton steel screw turbine was installed in the Hanover Pond dam in December 2016 by New England Hydropower Company. The technology is attributed to the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes and generates power by harnessing the gravity of water falling through the screw to turn it. The $4.5 million project was financed by the Connecticut Green Bank through a low-interest 20-year loan plan. The dam is reportedly the first of its kind in the U.S. and is supposed to generate 920,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, producing $20,000 in savings a year in energy costs. The screw has not functioned since Feb. 5, when firefighters responded to the site for the report of a loud noise and smoke coming from the facility. There was a combination of failures in terms of getting the screw to stop turning so there had to be manual intervention to do it, Healey said. The nice thing about having a problem early is things are under warranty and things are covered by insurance. The company pulled an electrical permit to install a temporary vehicle-mounted diesel generator to supply lighting and power for repair in March. New England Hydropower spokesman Christian Conover did not return a request for comment. Healey said the project is in no danger of defaulting as insurance will cover the disruption in power generation. Loan repayments for the project are about $175,000 a year, Healey said. From a long-term perspective we still have real confidence in the project and the project team, Healey said. Its an idiosyncratic set of circumstances that were putting in an extra level of fail safes for. ltauss@record-journal.com 203-317-2231 Twitter: @LeighTaussRJ Heavy rain that lasted until mid-afternoon led to flooding throughout the area Monday, closing roads and keeping local firefighters busy. Meteorologist Gary Lessor said 3.35 inches accumulated in Meriden as of about 3 p.m. Southington saw about 4.13 inches, Wallingford had 3.11 inches, and Cheshire had 4.5 inches. Weve been seeing torrential rain across central Connecticut since 10 o'clock this morning, said Lessor, who works at the Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University. Local fire departments responded to reports of flooding throughout the morning. In Meriden, Hanover Street was closed between Cook Avenue and South Grove Street. Sections of Crown Street and Hall Avenue were also flooded by early Monday afternoon. Wallingford Battalion Chief Edward Butkus said the department had a number of calls, mostly for basement and street flooding. Firefighters will not pump basements, but will help in other ways, he said. We go in and were looking for safety, Butkus said. They will shut off power if possible and help salvage belongings. Butkus said they responded to Pearson Street and Seneca Road for flooded roadways due to clogged catch basins. Neither road was closed to traffic. About 2 p.m., a tree reportedly came down in the area of 1317 Barnes Road in Wallingford, blocking the street. The northbound side of the Berlin Turnpike was temporarily closed between Woodlawn Road and Deming Road due to flooding. Waters also reportedly rose at the Meriden Green, which was designed to prevent widespread flooding in the downtown area. City Public Works Director Bob Bass said the green basin can hold up to 7 inches of rainfall within 24 hours. He said he was not concerned about the potential for flooding Monday. Temperatures stayed in the 40s most of the day, but increased during the afternoon, Lessor said. A few scattered rain showers were expected after heavy rain tapered off. Lessor said Monday night was expected to be cloudy with lows near 40 degrees. Tuesday will see considerable clouds with an afternoon shower or two. Thursday could see more showers, with less than half an inch of accumulation. Sign up to receive the First Reading newsletter, your guide to the world of Canadian politics. First Reading is your guide to the world of Canadian politics. Sign up now> Littleton Courier Fatal crash claims life of Bethlehem man by Justin Roshak BETHLEHEMAround 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, Bethlehem resident Casey Pillsbury was killed after his vehicle collided with a Lin-Wood High School bus on Route 116. A third vehicle was also damaged, without serious injury to the driver. The bus driver and two students were brought to hospital with minor injuries, while the bus and at least one car was towed away. The Lin-Wood students had been on their way to morning classes at White Mountains Regional High School's vocational program. The road was closed for some hours while the debris was cleared and victims attended to. Bethlehem's Fire Chief, Jack Anderson, was commanding officer on scene, and said that in his 50 years in the fire service, he has seen the worst of the worst that a hard job has to offer, and this was one of those tragic cases. He said that veteran first responders don't lose their human feelings, but they learn to set them aside on the job. Afterwards, he pays close attention to his team for signs of emotional trauma, which can be real, intense, and hard to spot. Anderson knows just about everyone in Bethlehem, and some ways that makes his job easier. Not so when the subject of an emergency call is a friend, something he's faced more than once in his career. Regardless, he and his team have a job to do. State Police, Littleton's Golden Cross Ambulance, Whitefield Fire Department, and all three branches of Bethlehem's emergency services, Fire, Police, and Ambulance, responded to the scene. "It was all hands on deck," said Bethlehem firefighter Warren Bullock, who spent several hours on site. Like many of Bethlehem's part-time fire team, he got the call at his day job. Bullock said the fire team trains to focus on the present. Indeed, a big part of their job is to react constructively and decisively in the most difficult situations. Bullock described the experience as slipping into a role, where everything is set aside except the task at hand. "When I get on scene, I know what I have to do," he said, and added, "When that tone goes off, we're all one team." Whitefield Elementary teacher Rosa Van Wie came upon the crash on her way to work She pulled over, got out, and went to meet the students as they stepped off the bus, which was then perched askance on the side of the highway. She described how students stood together, talked, and comforted one another, and checked on their injured friends. "They were so helpful and caring for each other," she said. After Van Wie assessed the situation, and called 911 (one of several passersby to do so), she retrieved her lunch box, and handed out all the oranges and apples she had. "I tried to make sure the students didn't go into shock," she explained. Van Wie, who typically works with five and six year-olds, has trained for active shooter situations, but not for this. She reckoned that anyone who works with kids would have the same instinct. After, she worked a full school-day. Known to family and friends as "Slick," 43-year-old Casey Pillsbury, who was employed by the state Department of Transportation as a Bridge Maintainer at the time of his death, was the son of Todd and Sue Pillsbury, owners of the Pillsbury Phaneuf Funeral Home in Bethlehem. His mother Sue wrote in his obituary that he had an unmatched love for life and a sarcastic and sometimes naughty sense of humor, which was on full display when he infamously mooned the audience from the stage during Profile High School's graduation ceremony in 1993. Always sporting an "infectious smile," and gifted with a heart "full of compassion and kindness for anyone who crossed his path," Sue wrote of her son that he lived anything but an average life, packing more experience into his 43 years than most can into a lifetime. His only regret, in fact, seems to have been what he described as a "toxic cheeseburger" purchased from Wendy's at some point, but even that failed to dissuade him from pulling in for a Frosty whenever he caught sight of a sign sporting their pig-tailed, red-haired mascot. Casey is survived by his son Connor, for whom a trust fund has been established in Casey's name at Littleton's Passumpsic Savings Bank where well-wishers are encouraged to donate in lieu of sending flowers. He also leaves behind the love of his life, April Dow of Littleton, and her sons Devon and Ryan, whom Sue said he treated as if they were his own; stepdaughter Kelsi Towle of Jay, Vt.; his parents; sister Kyla Pillsbury of Andover; grandmother Natalie Pillsbury of Belmont; grandfather Arthur Paula and his wife Barbara of Campton; and numerous aunts and uncles. Calling hours will be 5 to 7 p.m. this Friday, April 20, at the Pillsbury Phaneuf Funeral Home, which is run by his parents, Todd and Sue. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m. at Saint Rose of Lima Church in Littleton Saturday, April 21 followed by a gathering at Bailiwicks at noon. BETHLEHEMAround 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, Bethlehem resident Casey Pillsbury was killed after his vehicle collided with a Lin-Wood High School bus on Route 116. A third vehicle was also damaged, without serious injury to the driver.The bus driver and two students were brought to hospital with minor injuries, while the bus and at least one car was towed away. The Lin-Wood students had been on their way to morning classes at White Mountains Regional High School's vocational program. The road was closed for some hours while the debris was cleared and victims attended to.Bethlehem's Fire Chief, Jack Anderson, was commanding officer on scene, and said that in his 50 years in the fire service, he has seen the worst of the worst that a hard job has to offer, and this was one of those tragic cases. He said that veteran first responders don't lose their human feelings, but they learn to set them aside on the job. Afterwards, he pays close attention to his team for signs of emotional trauma, which can be real, intense, and hard to spot.Anderson knows just about everyone in Bethlehem, and some ways that makes his job easier. Not so when the subject of an emergency call is a friend, something he's faced more than once in his career. Regardless, he and his team have a job to do.State Police, Littleton's Golden Cross Ambulance, Whitefield Fire Department, and all three branches of Bethlehem's emergency services, Fire, Police, and Ambulance, responded to the scene."It was all hands on deck," said Bethlehem firefighter Warren Bullock, who spent several hours on site. Like many of Bethlehem's part-time fire team, he got the call at his day job.Bullock said the fire team trains to focus on the present. Indeed, a big part of their job is to react constructively and decisively in the most difficult situations. Bullock described the experience as slipping into a role, where everything is set aside except the task at hand."When I get on scene, I know what I have to do," he said, and added, "When that tone goes off, we're all one team."Whitefield Elementary teacher Rosa Van Wie came upon the crash on her way to work She pulled over, got out, and went to meet the students as they stepped off the bus, which was then perched askance on the side of the highway.She described how students stood together, talked, and comforted one another, and checked on their injured friends."They were so helpful and caring for each other," she said.After Van Wie assessed the situation, and called 911 (one of several passersby to do so), she retrieved her lunch box, and handed out all the oranges and apples she had."I tried to make sure the students didn't go into shock," she explained.Van Wie, who typically works with five and six year-olds, has trained for active shooter situations, but not for this. She reckoned that anyone who works with kids would have the same instinct. After, she worked a full school-day.Known to family and friends as "Slick," 43-year-old Casey Pillsbury, who was employed by the state Department of Transportation as a Bridge Maintainer at the time of his death, was the son of Todd and Sue Pillsbury, owners of the Pillsbury Phaneuf Funeral Home in Bethlehem. His mother Sue wrote in his obituary that he had an unmatched love for life and a sarcastic and sometimes naughty sense of humor, which was on full display when he infamously mooned the audience from the stage during Profile High School's graduation ceremony in 1993.Always sporting an "infectious smile," and gifted with a heart "full of compassion and kindness for anyone who crossed his path," Sue wrote of her son that he lived anything but an average life, packing more experience into his 43 years than most can into a lifetime. His only regret, in fact, seems to have been what he described as a "toxic cheeseburger" purchased from Wendy's at some point, but even that failed to dissuade him from pulling in for a Frosty whenever he caught sight of a sign sporting their pig-tailed, red-haired mascot.Casey is survived by his son Connor, for whom a trust fund has been established in Casey's name at Littleton's Passumpsic Savings Bank where well-wishers are encouraged to donate in lieu of sending flowers. He also leaves behind the love of his life, April Dow of Littleton, and her sons Devon and Ryan, whom Sue said he treated as if they were his own; stepdaughter Kelsi Towle of Jay, Vt.; his parents; sister Kyla Pillsbury of Andover; grandmother Natalie Pillsbury of Belmont; grandfather Arthur Paula and his wife Barbara of Campton; and numerous aunts and uncles.Calling hours will be 5 to 7 p.m. this Friday, April 20, at the Pillsbury Phaneuf Funeral Home, which is run by his parents, Todd and Sue. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m. at Saint Rose of Lima Church in Littleton Saturday, April 21 followed by a gathering at Bailiwicks at noon. Littleton Courier Downtown Littleton buzzes with weekend activity Mittersill to gain $50,000 in slope improvements Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Littleton Courier Franconia plans improvements to Web site by Justin Roshak FRANCONIAA new Web site is in the works, with citizens being urged to contribute their thoughts and experiences. Citizens can complete a short feedback survey on the current town website. It asks basic but essential questions, about why citizens use the website, and how easy it is to access. Whether positive or negative, public feedback on the current site will form a key component in building the new one. The survey could take as little as a minute, depending on how detailed a response is left. This year, voters approved some $3,000 for the purpose of updating the website. Some citizens have expressed strong interest in contracting a third party. The Web site is currently maintained (and was recently updated) by Rec Director Kim Cowles. A public meeting on the Franconia Web site update will be held Tuesday, May 1, at 6 p.m. The focus will be sharing information between citizens and civic leaders. Anyone with an interest in the issue, or who felt strongly about the relevant warrant article, should attend and make their voice heard. "The board hasn't made a decision whether they're not going to go with a new website company, or whether they will," said Town Administrator Holly Burbank at last week's Select Board meeting. "They're gathering information," she added. According to Burbank, town hall is laying the groundwork for a potential contract, and calls have been made to a website company. She also urged citizens to voice their opinions through the town's survey. All of these inputs taken together will "allow the board to make a very well informed decision." Citizen Dawn Steele was concerned that there are no security controls over the four-question survey, and said it wasn't valid because it didn't check for resident status. "My cousins out in Timbuktu can do it," she said. "I hope that we can trust our residents that they'll only do the survey once," responded Select Board Chair Jill Brewer. Franconia resident Jim Alden criticized Select Board members for reaching out to the public on their own time to gather information about the town Web site. Brewer replied, "I think it is appropriate that board members have one on one conversations with people. That's how you get information." Alden complained that his own requests for a private discussion had not been met. Other citizens voiced concerns about security, perhaps reflecting the seemingly endless series of data breaches at the highest levels of the nation's tech infrastructure. "How secure is this current email site we have? This Web site?" asked citizen Claudia Lachapelle, who expressed concern that "the advertisers or whatever can link into your Facebook account." Concerns about Facebook's use of user data have flared up, and culminated in personal testimony from founder Mark Zuckerberg to Congress last week. Brewer replied that all Web site payments are handled through a secure third party, through which the town can accept online tax payments. She urged citizens to bring their concerns about security to the May 1 meeting. FRANCONIAA new Web site is in the works, with citizens being urged to contribute their thoughts and experiences.Citizens can complete a short feedback survey on the current town website. It asks basic but essential questions, about why citizens use the website, and how easy it is to access. Whether positive or negative, public feedback on the current site will form a key component in building the new one. The survey could take as little as a minute, depending on how detailed a response is left.This year, voters approved some $3,000 for the purpose of updating the website. Some citizens have expressed strong interest in contracting a third party. The Web site is currently maintained (and was recently updated) by Rec Director Kim Cowles.A public meeting on the Franconia Web site update will be held Tuesday, May 1, at 6 p.m. The focus will be sharing information between citizens and civic leaders. Anyone with an interest in the issue, or who felt strongly about the relevant warrant article, should attend and make their voice heard."The board hasn't made a decision whether they're not going to go with a new website company, or whether they will," said Town Administrator Holly Burbank at last week's Select Board meeting."They're gathering information," she added.According to Burbank, town hall is laying the groundwork for a potential contract, and calls have been made to a website company. She also urged citizens to voice their opinions through the town's survey.All of these inputs taken together will "allow the board to make a very well informed decision."Citizen Dawn Steele was concerned that there are no security controls over the four-question survey, and said it wasn't valid because it didn't check for resident status."My cousins out in Timbuktu can do it," she said."I hope that we can trust our residents that they'll only do the survey once," responded Select Board Chair Jill Brewer.Franconia resident Jim Alden criticized Select Board members for reaching out to the public on their own time to gather information about the town Web site.Brewer replied, "I think it is appropriate that board members have one on one conversations with people. That's how you get information."Alden complained that his own requests for a private discussion had not been met.Other citizens voiced concerns about security, perhaps reflecting the seemingly endless series of data breaches at the highest levels of the nation's tech infrastructure."How secure is this current email site we have? This Web site?" asked citizen Claudia Lachapelle, who expressed concern that "the advertisers or whatever can link into your Facebook account."Concerns about Facebook's use of user data have flared up, and culminated in personal testimony from founder Mark Zuckerberg to Congress last week.Brewer replied that all Web site payments are handled through a secure third party, through which the town can accept online tax payments. She urged citizens to bring their concerns about security to the May 1 meeting. Littleton Courier Downtown Littleton buzzes with weekend activity Mittersill to gain $50,000 in slope improvements Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Littleton Courier Littleton Hospital and police pioneering new collaborative model by Justin Roshak LITTLETONLittleton Regional Hospital leadership is pursuing a more collaborative relationship with the Littleton Police Department, thanks to a home-grown New Hampshire training program which aims to improve safety and patient experience by emphasizing empathy on the job, and co-training. Diane Allen, a registered nurse at Concord's New Hampshire Hospital, has worked with Lieutenant Frank Harris of the State's Campus Police Unit, to craft a training module that aims to facilitate more productive and better prepared relations between police and hospitals. Littleton Regional Hospital (LRH) first asked them to visit this summer, and last week they led a second training for 22 local staff and leadership team members. The training was voluntary and open to all employees. The pair have also been asked to visit Weeks Memorial Hospital, and several other area facilities. Lt. Harris said the training, called SECURE, was shaped over two decades of experience at New Hampshire Hospital. It seeks to decrease the number of violent episodes hospital staff face from patients with mental health challenges. The focus is twofold: First, hospital staff and security are encouraged to exercise empathy for patients, to engage them and understand them, rather than ignore them or treat them as constant threats. Harris and Allen argue that patients are most likely to be violent when they feel afraid and powerless, and that addressing those feelings is the best way to defuse potential situations. "This is the only program we're aware of that doesn't use a reactionary approach; it uses a proactive approach," Harris explained. Second, SECURE encourages hospital staff and local police departments to plan and train together. The duo said that while many hospitals, or their leadership, have good personal relationships with police, productive co-training and joint planning is surprisingly rare. And on the other side, not all police departments have such a rosy view of their local hospitals. Even though police departments can make as much as $50 or $60 an hour for security detail, the long hours and unpredictable situations take a toll on local departments, which don't always have much manpower to spare. Littleton Police Chief Paul Smith acknowledged that in the recent past, officers have been called to LRH for situations of less then critical need, or else asked to watch patients for long, exhausting periods of time. This fatigued officers, took up precious manpower, and contributed to feelings of frustration in his department toward the hospital. With LRH's new in-house safety team and co-planning effort over the last six months, that tension has been turned into teamwork, and Smith praised the SECURE model for both improving working relations and reducing strain. "I believe our calls have been reduced by ninety percent," he said. "I hope it will be a model for other hospitals and police departments." Six months on the job, LRH's security supervisor (and ex-police officer) Brad Sargent is building the campus's in-house security team "from the ground up." Having worked in both worlds, he understand the respective needs and skills of police and hospital staff, each of whom are trained for crisis, but often with very different focuses. A big part of SECURE is developing mutual understanding between the police departments and hospitals that serve each other. "There's a greater understanding of each side then there was a year ago," said Kim Force, Littleton Regional's Clinical Director of Inpatient Services. She agreed that the unpredictability, extent, and cost of security calls had strained relations with Littleton PD in the past. Sargent said that reception to the SECURE training at LRH has been very positive, but did entail a cultural shift. Harris and Allen hope to bring their model state- and nation-wide, with the hope that New Hampshire's blend of strong community and scarce public resources might apply to wider parts of the country. especially as funding for mental health resources diminishes and demand rises. LITTLETONLittleton Regional Hospital leadership is pursuing a more collaborative relationship with the Littleton Police Department, thanks to a home-grown New Hampshire training program which aims to improve safety and patient experience by emphasizing empathy on the job, and co-training.Diane Allen, a registered nurse at Concord's New Hampshire Hospital, has worked with Lieutenant Frank Harris of the State's Campus Police Unit, to craft a training module that aims to facilitate more productive and better prepared relations between police and hospitals. Littleton Regional Hospital (LRH) first asked them to visit this summer, and last week they led a second training for 22 local staff and leadership team members. The training was voluntary and open to all employees. The pair have also been asked to visit Weeks Memorial Hospital, and several other area facilities.Lt. Harris said the training, called SECURE, was shaped over two decades of experience at New Hampshire Hospital. It seeks to decrease the number of violent episodes hospital staff face from patients with mental health challenges. The focus is twofold:First, hospital staff and security are encouraged to exercise empathy for patients, to engage them and understand them, rather than ignore them or treat them as constant threats. Harris and Allen argue that patients are most likely to be violent when they feel afraid and powerless, and that addressing those feelings is the best way to defuse potential situations."This is the only program we're aware of that doesn't use a reactionary approach; it uses a proactive approach," Harris explained.Second, SECURE encourages hospital staff and local police departments to plan and train together. The duo said that while many hospitals, or their leadership, have good personal relationships with police, productive co-training and joint planning is surprisingly rare. And on the other side, not all police departments have such a rosy view of their local hospitals. Even though police departments can make as much as $50 or $60 an hour for security detail, the long hours and unpredictable situations take a toll on local departments, which don't always have much manpower to spare.Littleton Police Chief Paul Smith acknowledged that in the recent past, officers have been called to LRH for situations of less then critical need, or else asked to watch patients for long, exhausting periods of time. This fatigued officers, took up precious manpower, and contributed to feelings of frustration in his department toward the hospital.With LRH's new in-house safety team and co-planning effort over the last six months, that tension has been turned into teamwork, and Smith praised the SECURE model for both improving working relations and reducing strain."I believe our calls have been reduced by ninety percent," he said. "I hope it will be a model for other hospitals and police departments."Six months on the job, LRH's security supervisor (and ex-police officer) Brad Sargent is building the campus's in-house security team "from the ground up." Having worked in both worlds, he understand the respective needs and skills of police and hospital staff, each of whom are trained for crisis, but often with very different focuses. A big part of SECURE is developing mutual understanding between the police departments and hospitals that serve each other."There's a greater understanding of each side then there was a year ago," said Kim Force, Littleton Regional's Clinical Director of Inpatient Services. She agreed that the unpredictability, extent, and cost of security calls had strained relations with Littleton PD in the past.Sargent said that reception to the SECURE training at LRH has been very positive, but did entail a cultural shift.Harris and Allen hope to bring their model state- and nation-wide, with the hope that New Hampshire's blend of strong community and scarce public resources might apply to wider parts of the country. especially as funding for mental health resources diminishes and demand rises. Littleton Courier Downtown Littleton buzzes with weekend activity Mittersill to gain $50,000 in slope improvements Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Aihik Sur By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Abdul Wajid, now in his 30s, was in his embroidery shop going about his daily chores when around 30-40 policemen in mufti reportedly cordoned off the neighbourhood and took him into custody. However, what followed for the next few days changed not only his life but several others who were allegedly arrested in a similar fashion. Wajid and others were allegedly tortured in farmhouses for days altogether and wrongly imprisoned on suspicion of perpetrating the blasts in Mecca Masjid, Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat, and were later acquitted. On Monday, an NIA court, will deliver the judgment in connection to the Mecca Masjid blast case. They were later released after the court pointed out the irregularities in the arrests and the lack of evidence. Though they were paid a meagre compensation by the then AP government and given a good conduct certificate for their misfortune, they say their lives have never been the same. ALSO READ | Mecca Masjid blast case: Lt Colonel Purohit declared hostile witness Till today, 11 years after the bad experience, I am still not over what I endured. It takes a little while to realise that I am in my home, claimed Wajid, who now works as a realtor. An elderly woman walks with a child at the Mecca Masjid during a curfew imposed after communal rioting, in Hyderabad. AP Another youngster, Mohammad Abdul Kareem, too, was allegedly picked up by in a similar manner. During the Mecca Masjid blast and the subsequent police firing, I helped in the rescue operations. It was probably during that time I came under the scanner of the police. In the following days, I felt that the police were following me. And finally days after the subsequent bomb blasts, the police nabbed me after I completed my morning prayers (fazr), claimed Kareem,who then used to work as a salesman. Though it has been eleven years since the arrests and though the court gave me a clean chit and said that I am not a terrorist, some people still dont want to be seen with me. A few relatives still dont talk to me, Kareem claimed. READ | Aseemanand gets bail in Mecca Masjid case Similarly, Dr Ibrahim Ali Junaid was returning from a medical seminar in Delhi when the police reportedly apprehended him at the railway station without citing any reason. However for Junaid, on being picked up on suspicion, professional life also took a hit. Even after my release, the police always kept an eye on me. This was the reason why I lost my job, Junaid claimed. It was then that he says he decided to open a clinic in his neighbourhood Akbarbagh. Although that seems to be going on well for him, the police still visited him as recently as 2016, asking about his whereabouts, he claimed. For Wajid, Junaid and Kareem, moving on in life, even after 11 years, has been tough. I still dont have the courage to tell my mother and wife what I endured. They got to know whatever happened through the media, said Kareem. If I share my ordeal with someone else, they stop talking to me thinking that the same thing might happen to them as well, he added. The three, who didnt know each other before getting arrested, only have each other to have a conversation or to share their feelings regarding the subject. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The criminal courts complex at Nampally is going to be nothing short of a fortress on Monday as a special NIA court is expected to pronounce the verdict in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. Acting on standard operating procedures, access control, media management etc are put in place, said DCP P Vishwa Prasad. On Sunday, a meeting of all zonal Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) was convened at the city police headquarters, and all ACPs and inspectors have been directed to keep vigil and take all precautionary measures in their jurisdiction. The Special Branch have identified hundreds of sensitive and hyper-sensitive places across the city and police inspectors have been instructed to keep close vigil. Tight security here at the Nampally NIA court #MeccaMasjidBlast pic.twitter.com/CgYt71cemE Aihik Sur (@AihikSur) April 16, 2018 The blast on May 18, 2007, was caused by a cellphone-triggered pipe bomb placed near wazukhana, a spot where ablutions are performed. Soon after the blast, a special investigation team was constituted by the then Hyderabad police commissioner Balwinder Singh to probe the blast. READ | Echoes of Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blasts: Three men united by 'nightmares' The SIT picked up over 125 muslim youths from across the Old City and interrogated them. Almost all of them were detained at a guest house and they alleged torture at the hands of SIT. Later, all were acquitted by a local court for lack of evidence. Later, the blast turned out alleged handy work of activists belonging to right wing organsations. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial and last week posted the case for judgement on April 16. After initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which filed a charge sheet. Subsequently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case from the CBI in 2011. ALSO READ | Mecca Masjid blast case: Lt Colonel Purohit declared hostile witness Ten persons allegedly belonging to right-wing organisations were named as accused in the case. However, only five of them Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested and faced trial in the case. READ | Aseemanand gets bail in Mecca Masjid case Two other accused Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are absconding while another accused Sunil Joshi died. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar are out on bail while three others are lodged in the central prison here under judicial remand. In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: After Hollywood, its city-based Tollywood that is witnessing a #MeToo campaign of sorts. After anchor-turned-actor Sri Reddy triggered off a protest against sexual harassment in the Telugu film industry, 15 character artistes came together on Sunday to share harrowing experiences. This is the first time that so many artistes have come forward to expose the rot in the system. READ HERE | They call me Amma at the shooting spot, demand sex at night: Telugu actress Sandhya Naidu Casting couch is just the tip of an iceberg, they said, adding that the larger issue is sustained sexual harassment at workplace. They made it clear that the abuse was not targeted at women alone, transgenders and men are also at the receiving end. The artistes did not hesitate to take names or share details of their personal encounters. Earlier, Sri Reddy had accused people in the industry of casting couch and exploitation of aspirants. She also staged a semi-nude protest outside the Movie Artists Association office after which the National Commission for Human Rights sought an explanation from the State government and I&B Ministry about creating a committee to address issues of sexual harassment. We are forced to make a commitment (read sexual favours) with no guarantee of even a few seconds of screen space, they alleged. They collectively targeted actor Pawan Kalyan for saying that they should reach out to the police and not the media if there is trouble. We saw how the police acted when a child was raped in Kashmir. You think we have any hope here? asked a junior artiste. If we decide to reach out to the police to report every case of harassment, the number of police stations in the State will not be enough, said another artiste. They called upon Pawan Kalyan to be a hero in real life and help them solve their problems. Else none of us will vote for you in polls, they said. The artistes, along with several womens associations, will now be starting a campaign to address the issue. We are not going to stay quiet anymore. These men are all hypocrites who ensure that the women in their homes are safeguarded while they look at every other woman with a sense of lust and as a sex object. We will not tolerate this anymore. They also need to start casting Telugu women. If they dont we will ensure that no film will even reach the theatres, warned Sri Reddy. Back in Hollywood, the #MeToo campaign took down big-ticket producers like Harvey Weinstein, who has now been banned from the industry. Can victims of sexual harassment in Tollywood expect similar action? By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family members of the eight-year-old girl, who was brutally gang-raped and murdered at Kathua in the state, along with their lawyer and a friend assisting them in pursuing the case. The top court also took note of the victim's father's plea seeking transfer of the trial of the case from Kathua, preferably to Chandigarh, and sought the state government's response. The minor girl was allegedly held in captivity in a small village temple in the Kathua district of Jammu region by the eight accused for a week, during which she was kept sedated and raped several times before being beaten to death. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra considered the submission of senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim's father, that his family, their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat and their friend Talib Hussain, feared for their lives in a communally "polarised situation" at Kathua. "As an interim measure, it is directed that the Jammu and Kashmir government will beef up security to the family and others and provide security to them," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said. The court made clear that it would "go by the concept of fair trial and victim protection" and said that ordinarily, it was the duty of the police to probe a case. It considered the plea that security personnel, who will guard the family members, their lawyer and the family friend, should be in plain clothes. The father expressed satisfaction with the probe conducted so far by the state police, while vehemently opposing the plea of senior advocate Bhim Singh and lawyer Anuja Kapur that the investigation be transferred to CBI. "Be that as it may, we do not intend to enter into this sphere (transfer of case to CBI) at this stage," the bench said. Jaising pleaded that the trial should be transferred from Kathua to a local court outside the state, preferably in Chandigarh, as the situation there was "surcharged and polarised" and moreover, there has been non-cooperation from the local bar. The bench asked the state government, represented by lawyer Shoeb Alam, to file a response to the plea seeking transfer of trial and fixed the matter for further hearing on April 27. "I will have to be heard on this aspect (transfer of trial ). I am grateful to the counsel for petitioner who has reposed faith in the scientific and thorough investigation conducted by police," Alam said. The bench also directed the state police to provide adequate security to the juvenile delinquent, who has been picked up in connection with the case and kept at an observation home. At the outset, Jaising, who mentioned the matter for an urgent hearing in the forenoon, said the "biological father" of the victim had no grievance with regard to the police probe. "We are not seeking transfer of investigation. The issue is that the atmosphere is not conducive (at Kathua) for fair trial and dispensation of justice," she said. "Investigation is almost complete. Charge sheet has been filed. They (police) may file a supplementary charge sheet. The father of the victim has no problem with the police investigation," she said, adding the prayer regarding the transfer of the case outside the state and Chandigarh has been mentioned due to physical proximity from Kathua. She referred to the affidavits of the local lawyer and the family friend to highlight the threats being faced by them in pursuing the case at the local court and cited an incident when policemen had to face protests while filing the charge sheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kathua. The bench made it clear that it would confine itself only to the safety and security aspect at the moment. "Suppose, we transfer the case to some other court, even then the investigation will continue," the bench said, adding it was "the primary duty of the state police to investigate a case". "We do not want CBI investigation. I am the father. We are satisfied with the investigation. Every accused has been identified. DNA samples have been matched," the lawyer said, adding that she hailed the state police. During the hearing, it was clarified that the petition was filed by the victim's father and Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur. The top court had on April 13 taken strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the gangrape-cum-murder case and initiated a case on its own, saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice". It had said it is a settled law that a lawyer who appears for a victim or accused cannot be prevented by any bar association or group of lawyers, for it is his duty to appear in support of his client. The minor girl had disappeared from near her home in the forests of Kathua on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The Crime Branch of police which probed the case filed the main charge sheet against seven persons and a separate charge sheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district. Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal incident, with bar associations and a section of people opposing the action against the accused. Why a program pairing mental health experts with local police is in danger With its current funding, Newport Mental Healths Mobile Crisis Program will be sustained for just another year. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Lots of sunshine. High 87F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Get the news faster. Tap to install our app. Access Newser even faster. Click here to install our app on your desktop. X (Newser) You'd think its punk-rock hair would be enough to bring an Australian turtle fans, even before they learn of its ability to breathe through its genitals. But if overlooked now, researchers hope the Mary River Turtle's spot on a list of unique, endangered reptiles will bring necessary attention before it's too late. Found only in the Mary River of Queensland, the docile turtle that spouts green algae resembling spiky hair is in the 29th spot on the Zoological Society of London's Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) list, which identifies 572 reptiles in all. Its cousin, the Madagascan big-headed turtle, takes the top spot, with a score denoting it as more at risk than any other amphibian, bird, or mammal in the world, per the Press Association. story continues below "Just as with tigers, rhinos, and elephants, it is vital we do our utmost to save these unique and too often overlooked animals," says an EDGE coordinator, noting many endangered reptiles "are the sole survivors of ancient lineages" that "stretch back to the age of the dinosaurs." In the case of the Mary River Turtlewhich uses gill-like organs to breathe when underwater"you have to go back about 50 million years to find a closely related species," a researcher tells Reuters. Though the Mary River Turtle's total population isn't known, numbers plummeted beginning in the 1960s, when nest sites were pillaged and the reptiles sold as pets. Advocates hope the new listing will help in the push for better protection of its habitat. (Read more reptiles stories.) (Newser) "She may be the only victim to testify in their own murder trial." So says the defense attorney for Michael Slager, who is accused of dousing his ex-girlfriend, Judy Malinowski, with gasoline and setting her on fire in 2015. The Ohio woman survived nearly two years before dying in 2017 at age 33; Slager, 42, pleaded no contest in 2016 to charges including arson and assault, and is now charged with her murder. Last week, a judge ruled that a "deathbed testimony" Malinowski gave will be used at the trial, People reports. The judge said the situation is unprecedented, the AP reports. Malinowski, who was burned over about 90% of her body in the attack, testified against Slager from her hospital room five months before she succumbed to her injuries, Fox News reports. story continues below Slager's attorneys tried to claim prosecutors improperly obtained the video testimony, but the judge noted that "the State wanted to preserve her testimony due to her fragile medical condition. She was critically ill, and was the only witness who could testify about the events that transpired on the day of her injury." He also found that the defendant did have his right to confrontation recognized, as two-thirds of the deposition was cross-examination by Slager's lawyers, 10 News reports. "Judy ... went through this traumatic experience and she went to her grave thinking that the judicial system would unseal her side of the story," her mother says. "So it was really important to me that that happens." Slager's trial is set to begin in July; prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. (Read more murder trial stories.) (Newser) R. Lee Ermey, a former Marine who made a career in Hollywood playing hard-nosed military men like Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, has died. Ermey's longtime manager Bill Rogin says he died Sunday morning from pneumonia-related complications, the AP reports. He was 74. The Kansas native, who served as a drill sergeant at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego from 1965 to 1967, was nominated for a Golden Globe for his memorable performance in Kubrick's film, immortalizing lines like "What is your major malfunction?" He also voiced the little green army man Sarge in the Toy Story films and played a helicopter pilot in Apocalypse Now, among many other roles. story continues below Ermey, who grew up on a farm near Kansas City and enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 17, also hosted History Channel programs including Mail Call, in which he answered questions about the military. "It is extremely difficult to truly quantify all of the great things this man has selflessly done for, and on behalf of, our many men and women in uniform," Rogin said Sunday, per the Wichita Eagle. "He has also contributed many iconic and indelible characters on film that will live on forever. Gunnery Sergeant Hartman of Full Metal Jacket fame was a hard and principled man. The real R. Lee Ermey was a family man, and a kind and gentle soul." (Read more obituary stories.) (Newser) President Trump is taking guidance on Syria policy from the president of France, Emmanuel Macron claimed in an interview Sunday. The French leader said he persuaded Trump to limit airstrikes on Syria on Friday to chemical weapons facilities after "things got a little carried away over tweets," the Guardian reports. France and Britain also took part in the airstrikes. Macron also told an interviewer that over several phone calls in the days before the strikes, he talked Trump into keeping American troops in Syria just 10 days after the president said he wanted to bring them home. "We convinced him it was necessary to stay," said Macron. "We convinced him it was necessary to stay for the long term." story continues below Macron is believed to have a strong relationship with Trump and will be the guest of honor at the first formal White House state visit of Trump's presidency later this month, the BBC reports. But after his comments, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied that there had been a change in American policy. "The US mission has not changedthe president has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible," she said. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said Sunday that American troops are in Syria to crush ISIS, make sure Iran doesn't take over, and to prevent chemical weapons from being used in a way that harms US interests, and they will stay until those missions are accomplished, the AP reports. (She also announced new sanctions on Russia.) (Newser) In an ABC interview certain to draw some angry tweets from President Trump, former FBI director James Comey slammed the president as "morally unfit" to lead. In the interview with George Stephanopoulos, which aired Sunday night, Comey reiterated much of what he says in upcoming memoir A Higher Loyalty, likening Trump to a Mob boss and his administration to a forest fire. He described Trump's obsession with a salacious Russia dossierand said he wasn't sure if he believed Trump's insistence that none of it was true. "I honestly never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but I don't know whether the current president of the United States was with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow in 2013," Comey said. "It's possible, but I don't know." story continues below Comey, in his first interview since Trump fired him last year, added that it was possible that the Russians might have material they could blackmail the president with, reports the Washington Post. He recounted early meetings with Trump, saying a request to drop the FBI investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn is "certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice." Comey said he believes Trump is of above average intelligence and is not in the early stages of dementia. "I don't think he's medically unfit to be president. I think he's morally unfit to be president," he said. Comey said he doesn't think Trump should be impeached, but removing him is something the American people are "duty-bound to do directly" when they vote in 2020. (Comey, whose memoir will be released Tuesday, is beginning a media blitz.) (Newser) A surfer mauled by a shark Monday off southwestern Australia managed to swim to shore despite serious injuries to both of his legs, an official and a witness say. Alejandro Travaglini was surfing at Gracetown around 8am when he was attacked, St. John Ambulance spokesman Dennis Bertoldo says. The Argentinian-born 37-year-old was treated on the beach by paramedics before he was flown 160 miles by helicopter to a hospital in the city of Perth. Friends say Travaglini fought off the shark before it returned and dragged him underwater, the West Australian reports. He punched it before making his way to shore, where his friends used the rope from his board as a tourniquet until help arrived. story continues below The hospital described the victim's condition as stable. The attack prompted the World Surf League to postpone the nearby Margaret River Pro international surfing contest, where Traviglini is a member of a work crew, for about an hour while shark-spotting drones were deployed, the AP reports. Surf photographer Peter Jovic watched the attack from the beach and likened it to the live broadcast of a shark attack in South Africa in 2015. "If anyone is familiar with the Mick Fanning moment ... it was very similar to that, where a shark pretty much popped up and ended up knocking a surfer off his board," he said. Nine News reports a 41-year-old surfer sustained a large gash to his right thigh from a shark later Monday at a nearby beach. (A shark in Hawaii bumped a man off his paddleboard before attacking.) (Newser) Employees of the Venetian, a resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, were at a company picnic at a Vegas park Sunday night when one of the hotel's employees allegedly walked up to a table and opened fire, killing a 50-year-old woman and critically injuring a man. The suspect, 42-year-old Anthony Wrobel, got away, and police found his car parked at McCarran International Airport. They say the incident was a "targeted act of workplace violence," per the Las Vegas Review-Journal. One of the victims was a Venetian executive, and KSNV reports multiple hotel executives were at the table where Wrobel allegedly opened fire. (Read more shooting stories.) (Newser) It's high drama in the obscure but passionate world of old-school arcade games. The organization that oversees records has stripped a top gamer of his high scores in Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, reports Polygon. The group, Twin Galaxies of Iowa, concluded after a lengthy investigation that Billy Mitchell did not play on an original arcade machine as required but instead used a software "emulator." The more damning implication is that Mitchellpreviously credited with being the first to score a perfect game on Pac-Man and the first to crack 1 million points on Donkey Kongfaked his games. He adamantly denies it and promised in a video statement to prove his scores are valid. Still, Guinness World Records acted in accordance with Twin Galaxies and wiped Mitchell's records from its books, per the Washington Post. story continues below More casual fans of the niche hobby might recognize Mitchell's name from the 2007 documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. Fans of that film viewed the Twin Galaxies decision "as well-deserved vindication for Steve Wiebe, the lovable underdog score-chaser who saw his heroic attempts to make Donkey Kong history repeatedly (and suspiciously) thwarted by overtly villainous Mitchell in the film," writes Sam Barsanti at the AV Club. Indeed, Wiebe is now recognized as the first to hit 1 million on Donkey Kong. After an official challenge lodged by another gamer, Twin Galaxies studied the videotape of Mitchell's 2010 record-breaking Donkey Kong game and concluded that it was not played on an original console, as he claimed. The group not only scrubbed all of Mitchell's scores from its records, it forbid him from submitting new ones. (A retro game is suddenly back in vogue.) (Newser) Another daughter of a South Korean airline exec is in trouble after a public tantrum. Emily Cho, a senior VP of Korean Air, has apologized after an outburst during a meeting in which she threw water, or perhaps a water bottle, at or near a subordinate in a fit of anger, reports Reuters. Cho, also known as Cho Hyun-min, is the daughter of airline chairman Cho Yang-ho. But the reason the incident is generating so many headlines is because Cho also is the sister of Heather Cho, she of the infamous "nut rage" incident of 2014. In that one, Heather Cho forced a taxiing Korean Air jet to return to the gate because she had been served nuts in a bag instead of a bowl, and she wanted the chief flight attendant kicked off. Heather Cho not only lost her executive post at the airline, she was sentenced to a year in jail for endangering aviation safety. story continues below The details of Emily Cho's outburst are less clear, but the Chosunilbo reports that she threw a water bottle in the face of an employee of an ad firm that was doing work for the airline. The AP reports that she threw a cup of water, and the airline maintains that Cho pushed it on the floor, not toward the staffer's face. As I was focusing on my passion for the work, I was unable to control my thoughtless words and deeds, through which I caused injury and disappointment for a lot of people, said Cho, who has been suspended from her airline post overseeing ads and marketing. Police are investigating the incident. Cho could face assault charges if investigators conclude she did indeed throw something at the subordinate's face. (Read more South Korea stories.) (Newser) "Bluetooth" may strike you as an entirely modern word, but it's one found in the pages of history by way of Danish king Harald Gormsson, or "Harry Bluetooth", as he was knownand treasure connected to him has reportedly just been found. The Guardian reports 13-year-old Luca Malaschnitschenko and an amateur archaeologist were searching a German island with metal detectors in January when they came upon what turned out to be a silver piece. That spurred a larger dig involving experts, who over the weekend covered 4,300 square feet on Rugen island and turned up jewelry, pearls, a Thor's hammer, and coins, some of which date to Bluetooth's time; he ruled for just shy of 30 years beginning in roughly AD 958. The lead archaeologist calls it "the biggest single discovery of Bluetooth coins in the southern Baltic Sea region." story continues below "We have here the rare case of a discovery that appears to corroborate historical sources," says an archaeologist, referring to the dates of the coins found there: between AD 714 and 983, which may indicate the loot was buried in the late 980s. That would sync with when Bluetooth fled to the area once known as Pomerania (now parts of Germany and Poland) after his son staged a rebellion against him. Bluetooth died there in 987, but not before making his mark by replacing Norse religion with Christianity in Denmark, which he unified. The coins feature a Christian cross, notes the Local, which describes them as some of the country's first "independent" coins. And, yes, Bluetooth technology got its name from the king. As for where the king got his name, the AP reports one of his teeth was dead and had a bluish tint. (Legendary lost gold may have been found.) (Newser) Laugavegur is Reykjavik's "best-known street" and a well-lit one, a place where a single woman walking alone at 5am would not be considered endangered. Except Birna Brjansdottir was. After having gone clubbing, the 20-year-old vanished from that street in Iceland's capital in the early hours of Jan. 14, 2017. When Brjansdottir didn't show up for work Saturday, her friend called her mother, who went to the police. They were slow to act in the absence of proof of foul play. Detective Grimur Grimsson, who was assigned to head up the investigation, wasn't initially worried, writes Xan Rice in a look at the case for the Guardian. Between 2000 and 2015, Iceland saw an average of just 1.6 murders per year; young people who go missing generally turned up at a friend's house. But then Brjansdottir's boots turned up. story continues below Two locals went looking in the harbor-area where her phone last pinged and discovered her Dr. Martens. CCTV from the docks showed a red Kia Rioone identical to a Kia seen on Laugavegur around the same time as Brjansdottir. Police determined it had been rented by Thomas Olsen, a crew member of the Polar Nanoq. The Greenland-flagged ship left the harbor Saturday afternoon, and that posed "a major logistical and diplomatic challenge," explains Rice: Icelandic officers couldn't board the ship now that it was in Greenland's waters. But the captain read about the caseand decided to return to Iceland under the pretense of having engine issues; he also cut the ship's wifi so Olsen couldn't read about any developments. Read the full story for more on how Brjansdottir's body was found, how she died, Olsen's story, and the evidence against him. (Read more Longform stories.) (Newser) Protesters descended on a Philadelphia Starbucks Sunday and again on Mondaythe same day the company's CEO came to Philly to address the Thursday incident involving two black men. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports they were sitting at a table waiting to meet a third person and had not placed an order; they were handcuffed by police after staff accused them of trespassing. The man they had been waiting for arrived as police arrested them. In a Good Morning America interview, CEO Kevin Johnson called the "circumstances surrounding the incident and the outcome at our store ... reprehensible." He said "training around unconscious bias" would occur with store managers. He also noted that guidelines vary from region to region in terms of how to react to situations that may require aid from police. "There are some scenarios where the police should be called," said Johnson. "If there's threats or disturbance, those may be appropriate times. In this case, none of that occurred. It was completely inappropriate to engage the police." The Inquirer reports via a Starbucks rep the manager who called police is no longer working for the company, and that it was a "mutual" decision. story continues below Protesters were back on the scene Monday, having moved inside the store at 18th and Spruce Streets shortly before 7:30am while chanting, "A whole lot of racism, a whole lot of crap, Starbucks coffee is anti-black." The AP reports Starbucks regional VP Camille Hymes tried to speak with protesters but was shouted over. "We don't want this Starbucks to make any money today. That's our goal," says protest organizer Abdul-Aliy Muhammad. As for what went down from a police perspective, Snopes picks up a statement issued via Facebook Live by Police Commissioner Richard Ross. He says the Starbucks employee who called 911 with a trespassing complaint told officers the two men asked to used the restroom; they were denied for having not ordered anything and asked to leave. They wouldn't, and Ross says officers "politely" asked the men three times to go "because they were being asked to leave by employees because they were trespassing." After the third request, officers made the arrest. ABC News notes that while the men face no charges, they have retained a lawyer. The Washington Post reports they were held for 9 hours before police released them. Money reports the two unnamed black men have said they will meet with Johnson as he requested. Per a Starbucks rep, the meeting has not yet been scheduled, but the company would like it to take place this week. (Read more Starbucks stories.) (Newser) Japan's Shinzo Abe became the first foreign leader to meet President Trump after the US election, and he returns for another face-to-face on Tuesday. As CNN notes, Abe sorely needs to score some points with voters back home. Trump may be facing strong political headwinds of his own, but Abe is in rougher shape, beset by cronyism scandals amid speculation that his days in office are numbered. As the two leaders prepare to meet at Mar-a-Lago, here's a look at related coverage: Gone in June? Abe's political mentor, former premier Junichiro Koizumi, predicted Abe would resign in June at the end of the current session of parliament, reports Bloomberg. That would get him out ahead of a potentially embarrassing leadership vote within his Liberal Democratic Party in September. Just months ago, it seemed a safe bet Abe would cruise to a third term. story continues below The scandals: The big one involves allegations that Abe's government sold public land for a pittance to a school connected to his wife. Worse, the Finance Ministry admitted fudging the paperwork to remove references to Abe and his wife, reports the Guardian. Abe also is accused of pulling strings to help a friend open a veterinary school. The big one involves allegations that Abe's government sold public land for a pittance to a school connected to his wife. Worse, the Finance Ministry admitted fudging the paperwork to remove references to Abe and his wife, reports the Guardian. Abe also is accused of pulling strings to help a friend open a veterinary school. The cover-up? Abe has for months largely weathered the political controversy, but patience appears to be wearing thin, reports the New York Times. There has been a lot of new evidence that has come to light that there has been some kind of cover-up, one Asian studies professor tells the newspaper. As time goes on, the disjuncture between what hes saying and the facts that are coming to light with the scandals just really increase public distrust and feelings that his leadership is no longer what the country needs. Abe has for months largely weathered the political controversy, but patience appears to be wearing thin, reports the New York Times. There has been a lot of new evidence that has come to light that there has been some kind of cover-up, one Asian studies professor tells the newspaper. As time goes on, the disjuncture between what hes saying and the facts that are coming to light with the scandals just really increase public distrust and feelings that his leadership is no longer what the country needs. Not helping: A top official of the same Finance Ministry is accused of sexually harassing female journalists regularly, reports the Washington Post. A Japanese magazine has released audio of what it says is the official, Junichi Fukuda, asking a reporter, "Can I touch your breasts?" Abe has so far resisted demands that Fukuda be fired. A top official of the same Finance Ministry is accused of sexually harassing female journalists regularly, reports the Washington Post. A Japanese magazine has released audio of what it says is the official, Junichi Fukuda, asking a reporter, "Can I touch your breasts?" Abe has so far resisted demands that Fukuda be fired. Sinking support: Thousands of protesters in Tokyo demanded Abe's resignation over the weekend, and his approval rating has dropped to 37%, per Kyodo News. Thousands of protesters in Tokyo demanded Abe's resignation over the weekend, and his approval rating has dropped to 37%, per Kyodo News. North Korea, trade: Abe had taken a hard-line position on North Korea, and Trump surprised him by agreeing to a summit with Kim Jong Un, notes Quartz. While in the US, Abe wants to make his case that Trump should press for the elimination of North Korean missiles that could reach Japan, while Trump may try to negotiate trade concessions from Tokyo in exchange for that. One sore spot: Trump didn't exempt Japan from his new steel tariffs, notes the Post. (Read more Shinzo Abe stories.) (Newser) A day after Nikki Haley announced that the US would be hitting Russia with new sanctions due to the suspected Syria chemical attack, President Trump is walking back her comments. Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said on Face the Nation that any Russian companies linked to equipment used in the attack would face new economic sanctions to be announced Monday by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Instead, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement Monday that additional sanctions against Russia were being considered and "a decision will be made in the near future." Sources tell the Washington Post that Sunday night, Trump told his national security advisers he wasn't comfortable officially rolling out the sanctions yet and was upset an announcement had been made. story continues below One official says Haley made "an error that needs to be mopped up""We would not have rolled out sanctions through somebody saying them on a Sunday show," one official tells Politicobut other officials say she's not the type to make a mistake like that and regularly goes over her talking points with Trump before doing interviews. She has not issued a statement clarifying her remarks, and when asked about the discrepancy between her interview and the official White House statement, a White House official said there was internal confusion about the plan. The Kremlin had denounced Haley's remarks, and after she made them, the Trump administration told the Russian Embassy in DC that no sanctions were actually forthcoming, per a Russian Foreign Ministry official. Administration officials tell the Post the sanctions, which were developed recently as part of a ready set of measures to be used if needed, are being seriously considered but Trump has yet to officially authorize them, and he likely will not unless there's another "triggering event" from Russia. (Read more Russia stories.) (Newser) An 8-year-old student took a kitchen knife to a central Minnesota elementary school and randomly attacked three other children Monday, authorities said. Police Chief Perry Beise said the victimsaged 8, 9 and 13suffered "superficial wounds" requiring stitches in the attack at Pleasantview Elementary in Sauk Rapids. No one else was hurt. Beise told the AP he didn't know why the boy did it. "If I could answer that question I would," the police chief said. "He randomly cut three students then walked into the office and set the knife down." School Superintendent Bruce Watkins said the boy lashed out at the other students until an adult intervened. The incident lasted about 5 minutes and took place in a school hallway. It happened about 7:15am as students were arriving for class, Watkins told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. story continues below After putting his backpack away, the second-grade student took out a knife and slashed three students with it, the superintendent said. School officials immediately called police and an ambulance. By the time officers arrived, Beise said, the boy was in an office with a counselor and the three injured students were being treated by the school nurse. He said the boy was cooperative with investigators. He said he didn't know if the boy had been bullied, or if he had mental health issues. Beise said the boy was released to his parents. The police report will be forwarded to the Benton County Attorney's Office. "They don't charge children this young with crimes," the chief said. "You try to get them treatment and help them be successful. It's also possible that human services will become involved in some way." The boy will not be allowed back in school, the superintendent said. (Read more knife attack stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Variably cloudy with snow showers. High 32F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 70%. About one inch of snow expected.. Tonight Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Chinas first home-grown aircraft carrier has been reportedly preparing for its maiden sea voyage in the northeastern Bohai Sea later in April, with experts noting that the vessel may serve the Chinese Navy in the second half of 2018. Citing sources close to the Chinese military, South China Morning post reported on April 3 that the carriers first sea trial would test the ships basic functions, including power systems, damage control and radar and communication systems. Weve already accumulated data and experience during the building of the Liaoning aircraft carrier, and our experts and workers have been working hard in recent months with enough financial support. So I would not be surprised if the carrier is to conduct such a sea trial soon, Cao Weidong, a Chinese military expert, told Peoples Daily Online. According to the latest online photos from the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) construction site in Liaoning Province, where the carrier was launched and outfitted, the scaffolds on the carrier have been completely removed, and a phased array radar has been installed. "All the equipment and devices on the carrier are in the joint debugging stage, and the main engine has been powered. In 2018, we will present a surprise to the Chinese people," DSIC Chairman Liu Zheng said, according to a report on cctv.com, the official website of China Central Television, on March 13. Once the sea trial is completed and all aspects of the carrier have met the set standards, it will be delivered to the Navy for further use. I would say that such a sea trial will be completed in the second half of 2018, meaning that it can serve the navy by then, Cao added. 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. New Delhi: Moving into the Gujarat property market, Realty firm Sobha Ltd on said it will invest Rs.500 crore on a housing project in GIFT City. "The company will make an investment of over INR 500 crore towards residential development in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City)," Sobha chairman Ravi Menon said in a statement. The Bangalore-based firm plans to build nearly 1,000 apartments in the GIFT City which is spread over 886 acres. "With our investment in GIFT City, Sobha aims to meet the increasing demand for affordable housing while contributing to Prime Minister's vision of Housing for All," J C Sharma, Vice Chairman and MD, said. GIFT City has so far received investment of over Rs.11,000 crore with allotment of about 16 million sq ft of built up area. Sobha has completed real estate and contractual projects covering about 88.93 million sq ft. Its ongoing projects aggregate to 41.37 million sq ft of developable area and 28.48 million sq ft of saleable area, and ongoing contractual projects aggregate to 7.17 million sq ft under various stages of construction, the company stated. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Television actress Niti Taylor has rubbished the reports of being in a relationship with Utkarsh Gupta, who happens to be her co-star in Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan 3. Apparently, there have been reports that the two actors are head over heels in love with each other and are often seen spending quality time. The two are inseparable and love spending time together. During the break and after shoots they hang out and are really very close, a source reportedly told Tellychakkar. However, contrary to the reports, Niti has stated that she is 'just friends' with Utkarsh and urged that people need to accept the fact that a girl and a boy can be mere good friends. Oh God no, there is nothing going on. Its just that we are really great friends and people might have perceived that we are dating. We are surely very close but its just friendship. I think people should accept the fact that a boy and a girl can be just friends also, Niti reportedly told Tellychakakr. On the other hand, Utkarsh too voiced similar views and said, I have really become great friends with Niti but there is no love happening. She is one of the closest friends I have on the set and thus we hang out together. Well, while Utkarsh and Niti share a great chemistry both off and on screen, it will be interesting to see if the cupit will stuck to two stars anytime soon. New Delhi: A state-wide bandh has begun in Andhra Pradesh on Monday called by the Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti over the demand of Special Status for the state. The opposition parties such as the YSR Congress (YSRC), Congress and the Left parties have extended support to the shutdown call, but the ruling TDP has opposed it. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which has been agitating for the Special Category Status and implementation of the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, has opposed it and not taking part in the protest.A Reportedly, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses to operate only till Andhra Pradesh state border on Monday due to the statewide bandh. Live updates: # 09:16 AM:A Tirupati: Motorcycle set ablaze near RTC bus stand during statewide bandh called in #AndhraPradesh over the demand of #SpecialStatus for the stateA # 07:22 AM: West Godavari: Early morning visuals of the statewide bandh called in Andhra Pradesh over the demand of #SpecialStatus for the state. Opposition parties have extended support to the bandh called by Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti. # 07:19 AM: Statewide bandh called by Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti over demand of #SpecialStatus for the state. Opposition parties such as YSR Congress Party, Congress & Left parties have extended support to bandh. Early morning visuals from Anantpur. # 06:54 AM: Opposition parties such as YSR Congress Party, Congress and Left parties have extended support to the bandh. Visuals from Vijayawada.A # 06:46 AM: Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti called for a statewide bandh today over #SpecialStatus for the state. Opposition parties such as YSR Congress Party, Congress and Left parties have extended support to the bandh. # 06:25 AM: Opposition parties such as YSR Congress Party, Congress and Left parties have extended support to the bandh.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced its candidates for 82 seats for the Karnataka Assembly polls. With the announcement of candidates for the 82 seats for the state assembly elections, the total number of candidates announced so far by the saffron party is for 154 constituencies. The BJP in the latest least has fielded several new faces from several constituenties. Karnataka will go to polls for 224-member Assembly on May 12. According to reliable sources in the party, the list was released a day after its central election committee met and finalised the names of the candidates on Sunday evening. The saffron party had announced names of 72 candidates on April 8. The Congress on Sunday evening released its list of 218 candidates running in the political fray. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Following the increasing incidents of crime against women, the Delhi government on Monday ordered the forensic examinations in such cases should be completed within a months time. The orders come at a time when the whole country is protesting and raging in the fire of the Unnao and Kathua gang rape cases. Satyendra Jain, Delhi Home Minister had ordered Manoj Parida, Principal Secretary (Home) to ensure that cases of crime against women should be given top priority so that the prosecution is completed as early as possible. Keeping in view the ever-increasing incidents of crimes against women/girl/Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) offences, all such cases referred for forensic examination need to be attended urgently for earliest completion of prosecution. Accordingly, please ensure that such cases are given top priority and forensic examination is completed within a month, Jain said in his order. The government was currently discovering the number of cases left pending where forensic examination had to be completed yet, said an official. Also Read| Kathua Case: SC directs J&K government to provide protection to victim's family, counsel Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that the AAP government will amend the law to ensure that the rapists of minor girls get a death penalty. Kejriwal, while vowing to amend the law during the next assembly session, said that he will also set up fast-track courts so that the trail in cases pertaining to crime against women is completed within a span of six months. The official also stated that the Home Department had started working on a bill to propose the amendment of the IPC and the CrPC. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had also asked the citizens to support DCW chief Swati Maliwal in her indefinite strike at Rajghat, who is observing the strike to demand stringent laws and a death penalty for rapists. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A martial arts instructor, who was released from prison a month ago, has been arrested by Delhi Police from Vasant Kunj area for flashing at two women. According to Delhi Police, the taekwondo instructor Sandeep Chauhan is a habitual offender and had served jail term for flashing and masturbating. He was released from jail last month. During investigating we have learnt that he is a serial offender and has been booked for molestation cases in the past, a senior Delhi Police officer said. According to Delhi Police, on Thursday evening, the victim as she got down from her office cab, Chauhan flashed at her. Shocked with the moment, she ran towards her residence, when he followed her stocked, passed lewd comments and masturbated in front of her. Also read: Surat Rape Case: 8-year-old girl was held captive, gang-raped, tortured: Gujarat Police A woman jumped off the third floor of her building after Chauhan flashed in front of her, the officer added. Chauhan is married and has two daughters. He was earlier employed with several schools in South Delhi as a martial art instructor. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The lawyer of the eight-year-old victim on Sunday said that she fears for her life as may get raped or murdered. Deepika S Rajawat, who is the counsel of Kathua rape victim's family, alleged a threat to her life and said that she will tell the Supreme Court about the danger to her life. "I don't know till when I will be alive. I might be raped, my modesty may be outraged, I may be killed, I might be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC tomorrow that I am in danger," Rajawat said. Earlier this week, Rajawat appeared on a television channel and alleged that she was threatened by Jammu Bar Association president BS Slathia from appearing in the case. aI am not a member of the Jammu Bar Association. But on Wednesday, Slathia asked me to stay away from the case while I was going to the court. I am not answerable to him, I am only answerable to my client,a she told TV channels.A aI am not scared, but I am not feeling safe either. Protesters (lawyers) are trying to put pressure on me so that I donat fight for justice. But I will continue to fight Asifaas case. I have full faith in the police investigation,a Rajawat added. The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case will begin from Monday against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case, a move being seen as made to ensure "neutrality" in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case.A The trial is expected to go smoothly after the Jammu Bar association as well as theA Kathua Bar received a rap on the kuckles by the Supreme Court on April 13 as the apex court took a strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. (With Inputs from Agencies) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. President Xi Jinping, also the chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspects a Ground Force division from the Central Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army on Jan. 4, 2018. (Photo/Xinhua) President Xi Jinping has issued an order to publish a set of revised regulations governing the responsibilities and discipline of members of the People's Liberation Army. Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently ordered that the three revised regulations, which cover every aspect of military life, including administrative procedures, duties and formalities, as well as chains of command and discipline, will take effect on May 1, the CMC Training Management Department said in a statement. The revisions are intended as modifications in keeping with the rapid evolution of the PLA and to facilitate the military's modernization efforts, the statement said. They were based on Xi's thoughts on strengthening the military, which have been included in the regulations, it said. The new regulations highlight combat training, have specific clauses on the management of training and exercises and stipulate that negligence or cheating will be punished. There are more and clearer instructions on behavior and etiquette for PLA personnel. Members of the military are required to control their weight according to a certain standard. The previous tight control on mobile phone use has been relaxed. Military members now are allowed to use mobile phones and social-networking applications after they register the hardware and the applications' accounts with their commanding unit. Fourteen new ceremonies were created for formal occasions such as oath-taking, establishment of new units and saluting those killed in the line of duty. Clauses on online shopping, prevention of training injuries and psychological consultation were also added to the regulations. A PLA researcher of regulations, who wished not to be identified, explained that the revisions eliminated some antiquated rules, such as those on mobile phone use, and took reasonable needs from military personnel into consideration. In consequence, they will extensively improve the PLA's management of services members, he said. New Delhi: In a strongly-worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a group of retired civil servants on Sunday said that the government failed "in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people". Holding Modi responsible for the "terrifying state of affairs," the bureaucrats asked him to check the nation's "free fall into anarchy" by acting tough against the culprits of the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and the perpetrators of hate crimes across the country. The bureaucrats said that the Modi "government failed" in the "darkest hour" as it was his party governing in both states -- Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir -- where the horrifying rapes happened. The group of 49 former civil servants, who included Aruna Roy, Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Jawahar Sircar and NC Saxena, termed the present state of affairs an "existential crisis". The group also called upon the prime minister to reach out to the families of the victims in the Unnao and Kathua rape cases and "seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us". Here is the full text of the letter: Honourable Prime Minister, We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now, as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution. We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the Government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed. Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the Government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings. The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-Independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our Government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty. Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values - but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao. In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh Parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide. In Unnao in UP it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal Mafia Dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the Government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the High Court, shows its hypocrisy and the half-heartedness of its intent. In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your Party President exercise, you more than anyone else have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it. And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar. Prime minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point-the way the Government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function. And to this end we call upon you to do the following: 1) Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us. 2) Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a Court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado? In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority. 3) Take steps to remove from Government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches. 4) Call for an All Party Meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively. It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope. ( With inputs from Anand Patel) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Hyderabad: A National Investigation Agency special court on Mondayacquitted five accused, including Swamy Aseemanand, in the Mecca Masjid blast case in Hyderabad. Evidence against the accused is not satisfactory, the court giving its verdict said. On May 18, 2007, bomb blast during Friday prayers in the mosque adjacent to Hyderabads Charminar killed nine people and injured 58 others. The five others were killed in police firing. The Mecca Blast case was initially investigated by the Hyderabad Police. They believed the act to be the handiwork of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed fundamentalist group Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami. The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The National Investigation Agency on directions of the Central government took up the case and charged 10 people having alliance with various Hindu groups. The accused were allegedly associated to a radical Hindu organisation, Abhinav Bharat. The accused in the case were Swamy Aseemanand a right wing Hindu ideologue, Lokesh Sharma, Rajendra Chowdhary, Tejram Parmar, Amith Chowhan and former RSS workers Sandeep Dange, Ramchandra Kalsangra, Devendra Gupta and Sunil Joshi. Earlier, Aseemanand was acquitted in 2007 Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast and is on trial in the 2006 Malegaon blasts and the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast. Joshi, an RSS activist from Madhya Pradesh, was murdered in December 2007. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) special judge Ravindra Reddy resigned soon after delivering the verdict on the Mecca Masjid blast case on . The resignation came hours after giving the judgment in the 2007 Hyderabad blast case. Reddy has submitted his resignation to the Chief Justice of Hyderabad High Court, according to reports. Earlier in the day, Reddy had acquitted all the five accused in the case, including right-wing Hindu ideologue Swami Aseemanand, saying that the evidence given against the accused was not satisfactory. The judge, while pronouncing the verdict, said, Evidence against the accused is not satisfactory. The Mecca Masjid blast case pertains to the bomb blast at Hyderabads Mecca Masjid on , during the time of prayers. The blast killed nine people and injured 58 others. Five of the nine were killed in police firing. Also Read| 2007 Mecca Masjid blasts: Swamy Aseemanand, all other accused acquitted The case, which was initially investigated by the Hyderabad Police was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), charged 10 people as accused. Some of the accused belonged to radical Hindu organisation Abhinav Bharat. The accused in the case were Swamy Aseemanand, Lokesh Sharma, Rajendra Chowdhary, Tejram Parmar, Amith Chowhan and former RSS workers Sandeep Dange, Ramchandra Kalsangra, Devendra Gupta and Sunil Joshi. Earlier, Aseemanand was acquitted in 2007 Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast and is on trial in the 2006 Malegaon blasts and the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi onA A said that the verdict on the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case which acquitted all the five accused facing trial was "injustice" to the victims and said that the case had not been pursued properly by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Owaisi, who is a Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad, felt that "justice hasn't been done in the case". He alleged on a micro-blogging site that most of the witnesses in the Mecca Masjid blast case had turned hostile afterA A and the NIA either didn't pursue the case as was expected from it or was not allowed by its political masters to do so. "Questions would be raised over the criminal justice system (of the country) if such biased prosecutions continue," he said, alleging that the Narendra Modi government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused earlier. "Justice has not been done, the NIA & the Modi govt didn't even appeal against the bail that was given to the accused within 90 days. This was a complete biased investigation which will weaken our resolve to fight terrorism," said Owaisi. Nine persons died and 58 others were injured in the 2007 Mecca blast. All the five accused in the case, including Swami Aseemanand, were acquitted by a special NIA court in Hyderabad onA . Ten persons were named as accused in the case but only five were arrested and sent up for trial. The five who faced trial included Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohan Lal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Choudhary. Two other accused in the case, Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are still absconding, while another accused Sunil Joshi had died. NIA investigation against the two absconding accused in the case is still under way. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the world in a globally broadcast live event from the historic Central Hall Westminster in London during his visit to the UK, following in the footsteps of speakers such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Modi will arrive here from Sweden on Tuesday night and is set for a packed day of bilateral meetings and events on Wednesday before the live telecast from Central Hall Westminster. According to the Europe India Forum, the organisers of Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath on Wednesday evening, the Indian prime minister will address people of all nationalities and backgrounds as questions pour in on social media from far and wide from the North Pole to New Zealand and Saudi Arabia to San Francisco. "It will be a no-holds-barred interaction with Prime Minister Modi, in a manner and format never witnessed before," said Vijay Chauthaiwale, in charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Foreign Affairs Department. Central Hall Westminster, previously known as the Methodist Central Hall, is one of the largest multi-purpose venues in the heart of London and the site of the first-ever United Nations General Assembly in 1946. Since its opening in October 1912, the then Methodist Central Hall established itself as a prime setting for current affairs and debates and played host to Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to the UK in 1931 at the peak of India's struggle for independence. Anti-apartheid leader Martin Luther King Jr, the Dalai Lama and Princess Diana are some of the other high-profile speakers at the hall. "The venue is of great global significance and will make history with this unique niche event," said the Europe India Forum, the organisation behind the mega diaspora event attended by nearly 60,000 people at Wembley Stadium during Modi's last UK visit in November 2015. Nearly 100 young volunteers from across the UK are reportedly giving the final touches to the Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath event, scheduled for early evening on April 18, as they finalise the list of just under 2,000 attendees chosen by ballot from online registrations over the last few weeks. Also read: Congress throttling democracy, abusing peoples mandate, says PM Modi The organisers said they have had an "overwhelming response" to the studio-style interaction, which will see Modi in conversation with a host who will put questions to him from around the world. Modi will attend the executive session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London on April 19 and the CHOGM leaders' retreat in Windsor Castle on April 20 before heading back to India. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday issued a stern warning to the US and western countries of global chaos if they attack Syria again. Referring to the US-led strikes in Syria, Putin said, "If such actions committed in violation of the U.N. Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations." The warning came a day after Donald Trumps statement that the US was locked and loaded to strike Syria again if the country carries out new chemical attacks. In a telephonic conversation with his Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Putin said that the strikes launched by the US and its allies against Syria had seriously damaged the chances of achieving a peaceful resolution in the Syria conflict, according to a Kremlin statement. The ties between the US and Russia were at standstill for the last one year and further deteriorated after the US-led strikes in three Syrian cities in response to a suspected deadly chemical attack in the town of Douma. Also Read | US attacks Syria: Donald Trump thanks France, UK, tweets 'Mission Accomplished' Earlier, condemning the strikes, Putin had said that Washington launched an aggression against a sovereign state which is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism. Russia took the matter to the United Nations and brought the UN Security Council vote seeking condemnation of the US-led strikes in Syria. However, the vote was rejected by the council. During the UN Security Council emergency meeting held on Saturday, Russia and US envoys indulged in a bitter exchange. Russias UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia accused the US and its allies of hooliganism and cynical disdain after they acted without waiting for the results of an investigation into the Douma incident. Must Read | World War III worries rise, Russia planning major retaliation against US For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. olalathos Following another alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, U.S. government officials are continuing to ramp up their rhetoric against the Assad regime.Though President Trump campaigned on a platform of scaling back Americas penchant for nation-building and previously scolded President Obama for attempting to intervene in Syria his administration continues to insinuate it is open to military action and has previously indicated its belief that Assads removal from power is inevitable.Amid a chemical weapons attack one year ago that lacked sufficient evidence to be definitively ascribed to Assad, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley indicated the ultimate goal in Syria was to see Assad unseated from power, asserting there would be no political solution for the country if he remained in power.John Bolton, Trumps new national security adviser and a notorious war hawk and neoconservative, wrote in The New York Times in 2015 that the goal was to change the government in at least one region of Syria. He claimed the best alternative to ISIS in northeastern Syria and western Iraq is a new, independent Sunni state, expressing his distaste for Assad and arguing:America should pursue the far-reaching goal of creating a new Sunni state. Though difficult in the near term, over time this is more conducive to regional order and stability.Creating an American-led anti-Islamic State alliance instead of Moscows proposed coalition will require considerable diplomatic and political effort. American ground combat forces will have to be deployed to provide cohesion and leadership. But this would be necessary to defeat the Islamic State even if the objective were simply to recreate the status quo ante.Secretary of Defense James Mattis said this week that a military attack against Assad was not off the table, days later acknowledging they still do not have concrete evidence to prove the Syrian president was behind the most recent attack.Barely a week after expressing his desire to remove the U.S. from Syria, Trump is now threatening military action, tweeting Wednesday:The media has long expressed its affinity for military action in Syria, spewing disapproval when Trump expressed his last week desire to eventually withdraw.But we have been here before multiple times. In 2002, George W. Bush notoriously insisted (again, without adequate evidence) that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and was a threat to mankind. As he said in his famous speech:The dictator of Iraq is a student of Stalin, using murder as a tool of terror and control, within his own cabinet, within his own army and even within his own family.On Saddam Husseins orders, opponents had been decapitated, wives and mothers of political opponents had been systematically raped as a method of intimidation, and political prisoners had been forced to watch their own children being tortured.America believes that all people are entitled to hope and human rights, to the nonnegotiable demands of human dignity.When the U.S. invaded, hundreds of thousands of people died, and many were driven to violent opposition. When the U.S. disbanded Husseins security forces, many went on to join the ranks of ISIS. The region was not stabilized as Bush had promised it would be.When Barack Obama moved to attack Libya in 2011, he echoed concerns similar to Bushs, highlighting Gaddafis tyranny and his response to Western criticism:In the face of the worlds condemnation, Gaddafi chose to escalate his attacks, launching a military campaign against the Libyan people. Innocent people were targeted for killing. Hospitals and ambulances were attacked. Journalists were arrested, sexually assaulted, and killed. Supplies of food and fuel were choked off. The water for hundreds of thousands of people in Misratah was shut off. Cities and towns were shelled, mosques destroyed, and apartment buildings reduced to rubble. Military jets and helicopter gunships were unleashed upon people who had no means to defend themselves against assault from the air.Fear not, Obama warned the West was already on its way to the rescue:Confronted by this brutal repression and a looming humanitarian crisis, I ordered warships into the Mediterranean. European allies declared their willingness to commit resources to stop the killing. The Libyan opposition, and the Arab League, appealed to the world to save lives in Libya. At my direction, America led an effort with our allies at the United Nations Security Council to pass an historic Resolution that authorized a No Fly Zone to stop the regimes attacks from the air, and further authorized all necessary measures to protect the Libyan people.Later that year, Gaddafi was brutally ousted from power in a NATO-led operation, and the country fell further into chaos. Today, an upcoming election will see Gaddafis son vie for power against an authoritarian military general and former CIA asset who has already suggested he may simply choose to take over. Libya is engulfed in a power vacuum where terrorists have thrived the U.S. recently renewed bombings against al-Qaeda there and a human slave trade has drawn international attention.In the case of Libya, Gaddafi had few allies (the U.S. abandoned its previous support for him). In Syria, Assad enjoys the support of Russia, Iran, and China and these countries are refusing to back down to Trumps bellicose threats.As Assad continues to defeat ISIS, there is no doubt destabilizing the country through military action, as has long been a U.S. goal (as it was with Libya), will yield dire consequences and even more severe chaos. Assuming the U.S. end goal is not regime change and is simply to deter Assad (and assuming he did, in fact, perpetrate the chemical weapons attack), military strikes are clearly not a deterrent as Trumps April 2017 strike failed to stop the alleged atrocities.Regardless of whether Assad is a benevolent leader and regardless of what he may or may not have done to his own people the United States track record of intervening in Middle Eastern nations for humanitarian reasons is abysmal at best, and claims from establishment leaders that they care about civilian life have proven historically hollow and hypocritical.https://www.activistpost.com/2018/04/before-attacking-syria-lets-remember-the-last-country-we-liberated-from-an-evil-dictator.html paraklisi VersesTo Agape and Chonia.The fire was as if snow to Chonia,Which she partook of with her beloved Agape.To Irene.An arrow was dispatched to that peaceful place,Intoxicated by your blood Irene.Chionia and Agape were burnt on the sixteenth.The Holy Martyrs Agape, Irene, and Chionia were sisters who lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305). They hailed from Thessaloniki and were left orphaned at an early age. When a persecution against the Christians broke out, they left their homeland and went to a mountain near a lake in the area of Nicaea, where they lived in a hermitage with a priest named Zoilos (Dec. 22).Upon the martyrdom of the blessed Chrysogonos (Dec. 22), the teacher of Saint Anastasia the Pharmakolitria (Dec. 22), near the lake where Zoilos and the three sisters lived, divine revelation led the holy priest and ascetic Zoilos to collect his honorable relics, including his head which was cut off. Thirty days later Saint Chrysogonos appeared to him and informed him that the three sisters who lived with him in his hermitage - Agapi, Chonia and Irene - were to be martyred by the emperor in nine days, and that Saint Anastasia would come and prepare them. While Saint Anastasia was instructing them, the blessed Zoilos departed unto the Lord in peace.The Great Martyr Anastasia took the sisters to another place and urged them to endure all things for Christ. Soon what was predicted in the vision came to pass. The three virgins were arrested and brought to trial before the emperor Diocletian (284-305).Seeing the youthful beauty of the sisters, the emperor urged them to deny Christ and he promised to find them illustrious bridegrooms from his entourage. The holy sisters replied that their only Bridegroom was Christ, for Whom they were ready to suffer. The emperor demanded they renounce Christ, but neither the elder sisters, nor the youngest, would consent. They called the pagan gods mere idols made by human hands, and they preached faith in the true God.By order of Diocletian, who was leaving for Macedonia, the holy sisters were also to be brought there. And they brought them to the court of the governor Dulcititus.When he saw the beauty of the holy martyrs, he was aroused with impure passion. He put the sisters under guard, and he told them that they would receive their freedom if they agreed to fulfill his desires. But the holy martyrs replied that they were prepared to die for their Heavenly Bridegroom, Christ.Then Dulcititus decided to have his way by force. When the holy sisters arose at night to glorify the Lord in prayer, Dulcititus came to the door and tried to enter, but an invisible force prevented him. He staggered about, unable to find his way out. Then he fell down in the kitchen among the cooking utensils, the pots and pans, and he was covered all over with soot. The servants and the soldiers recognized him only with difficulty. When he saw himself in a mirror, he then realized that the holy martyrs had made a fool of him, and he decided to take his revenge on them.At his court, Dulcititus gave orders to strip the holy martyrs. But the soldiers were not able to do this, no matter how much they tried. Their clothing seemed to be stuck to the bodies of the holy virgins. During the trial Dulcititus suddenly fell asleep, and no one could rouse him. Just as they carried him into his house, he immediately awoke.When they reported everything that had happened to the emperor Diocletian, he became angry with Dulcititus and he gave the holy virgins over to Sisinius for trial. He began with the youngest sister, Irene. Seeing that she remained unyielding, he sent her to prison and then attempted to sway Saints Chionia and Agape. He also failed to make them renounce Christ, and Sisinius ordered that Saints Agape and Chionia be burned. On hearing the sentence, the sisters gave thanks to the Lord for their crowns of martyrdom. In the fire, Agape and Chionia surrendered their pure souls to the Lord.When the fire went out, everyone saw that the bodies of the holy martyrs and their clothing had not been scorched by the fire, and their faces were beautiful and peaceful, as if they were asleep. On the day following, Sisinius gave orders to bring Saint Irene to court. He threatened her with the fate of her older sisters and he urged her to renounce Christ. Then he threatened to hand her over for defilement in a brothel. But the holy martyr answered, Even if my body is defiled by force, my soul will never be defiled by renouncing Christ.When the soldiers of Sisinius led Saint Irene to the brothel, two luminous soldiers overtook them and said, Your master Sisinius commands you to take this virgin to a high mountain and leave her there, and then return to him and report to him that you have fulfilled his command. And the soldiers did so.When they reported back to Sisinius, he flew into a rage, since he had given no such orders. The luminous soldiers were angels of God, saving the holy martyr from defilement. Sisinius went to the mountain with a detachment of soldiers and saw Saint Irene on the summit. For a long while they searched for the way to the top, but they could not find it. Then one of the soldiers wounded Saint Irene with an arrow. The martyr cried out to Sisinius, I mock your impotent malice, and I go my Lord Jesus Christ pure and undefiled. Having given thanks to the Lord, she lay down upon the ground and surrendered her soul to God.The Great Martyr Anastasia heard about the end of the holy sisters, and she buried their bodies with reverence.Apolytikion in the First ToneSisters in the flesh and united in the Spirit, you wrestled with the prince of evil and endured your martyrdom. Holy and blessed Agape, Irene and Chionia, pray to Christ our God to save our souls.Kontakion in the Third ToneBright mirrors of virginity, radiant with your martyrdom, you fill the Church with light and dispel the darkness of evil, Agape, Irene and Chionia, Christ's precious jewels. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has revealed updated guidelines on how soldiers should use smartphones and the internet as part of the latest rule revision of China's military forces. Mobile phones can now be used during personal time, leave and holidays, while the previous requirement for higher-level permission has been lifted. "Mobile phones" refers to phones on the civil cellular network which is separate from the military network. Soldiers will have to register their real names to use phones, a rule that is already applied nationwide. The registration for soldiers requires not only basic information like name, position in the army and phone number but also details like phone model, WeChat account and QQ number. On the Internet side, the army says soldiers should not give sensitive data to service providers, including social networks, new media platforms and online shopping websites. "The soldiers are eager to know how the army will protect their right to access information. And we know clearly how important the mobile network is to the modern world," a senior military official told Xinhua. "Now we have loosened some bans while putting more things under control, making it more practical." These changes are part of a larger revision of the army's basic rules, which was signed by its leader Xi Jinping and will take effect on May 1. The whereabouts of a 27-year-old prison escapee remained unknown on Sunday, with a weeklong search involving some 6,600 police officers on a small forested western Japan island failing to nab the convicted thief. Hiroshima and Ehime prefectural police have been pursuing Tatsuma Hirao on Mukaishima Island in the Seto Inland Sea since his escape on April 8 from a prison in the city of Imabari. Police searchers have come up empty despite Hirao leaving clues of his whereabouts including fingerprints on cars he has broken into and on trash left over from confectionary and milk products he has consumed. The unique geographical character of the island, which has a population of around 20,000, has thwarted police, its forest cover and hilly topography has prevented officers from making an effective search, they say. The search has also been complicated by the 22 square-kilometer island having over 1,000 vacant houses which police cannot enter without permission of their owners, many of whom they are unable to identify. Without access to the vacant houses, police are forced to investigate only from the outside, a senior police official said. With seven thefts having occurred in a 2.5 km-wide area of the island between last Monday and Friday, Hirao is believed to be in possession of some cash. Some police officers have speculated Hirao may be surviving on food found in vacant houses as well as items left as offerings at graves. In addition, there are citrus-fruit trees and unattended orchards that he could access. Provocations by Taiwans leaders, others result in mainlands stern warning The Chinese mainland is firmly against "Taiwan independence," Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council said on Friday when asked if the planned drill on the Taiwan Straits is targeting "Taiwan independence." "We would like to reaffirm that we have strong determination, confidence and capability to destroy any type of 'Taiwan independence' scheme in order to safeguard the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Ma said. Fujian Maritime Safety Administration announced on Thursday the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will conduct live-fire drills on the Taiwan Straits on Wednesday. The announcement came after China's Central Military Commission held the country's largest ever maritime military parade in the South China Sea on Thursday, which for the first time featured the country's aircraft carrier strike group and the PLA's most advanced weaponry. "The drill comes as the Taiwan authority has been obstinately promoting 'Taiwan independence,' especially considering that Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and the island's administrative head Lai Ching-te keep spreading the idea," Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Friday. "The mainland needs this targeted drill to punish the two," Song noted. "The US has been containing China on the Taiwan question, and 'Taiwan independence' forces have been touching the bottom line of the one-China principle," Lu Cuncheng, a research fellow at the Institute of Taiwan Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said on Friday. Tsai on Friday visited a naval base on the island and viewed a training, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao reported. A coalition of organizations known as the "Formosa Alliance" which has vowed to promote a referendum on a formal declaration of independence, was officially established last week in Taiwan. Lai's recent remarks on independence are dangerous and presumptuous, said Ma from the Taiwan Affairs Office on April 2, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Ma made the comment in response to Lai's remarks advocating "Taiwan independence." "The focus of the upcoming drill will be long-distance attacks and amphibious landing operations, which worries Taiwan the most," Song noted, adding that seizing control of the air and simulated attacks on key targets will also be conducted. Using the PLA navy's comprehensive military powers to suppress "Taiwan independence" by blockading the entire island is likely the main point of the drill, Song noted. "The drill is necessary for the development of the military of the Chinese mainland," Lu said. "The Chinese mainland should show its confidence and determination to hinder any 'Taiwan independence' scheme." TUNIS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Recent unjustified U.S. strikes against installations in Syria and backed by French and British forces, would fuel extremism in the region and delay any political solution, according to Tunisian observers. Essia Atrous, the chief editor at the Arabophone Tunisian newspaper "Assabah" (The Morning), said the U.S. attacks on Syria were not a surprise. Atrous said "( U.S. President) Donald Trump has only carried out his threats ... that may fuel violence and terrorism in the region," and "those strikes are (not only) without proof but also without the approval of the UN ... raise questions about the usefulness of law and international justice." In this sense, Atrous said it is an illegal decision as well as an aggression emanating from an international system that based on lies and banditry. Nizar Makni, a Tunisian analyst specializing in the Middle East and North Africa region, said the strike is a direct reaction to Bashar al-Assad's domination of the Ghouta, which is the main front for all attempts to overthrow the ruling government in the depths of the capital Damascus. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Makni said the strike has reflected that a tactical maneuver, which was against the epicenter of the Syria-Russia-Iran triangular alliance that manages to suppress rebel armed groups. "This strike was conducted without any supporting evidence concerning the use of chemical weapons by the official forces in Douma, or even before the arrival of investigative specialists. Admitting the lack of authorization by the Security Council, such a strike is nothing but a violation of the sovereignty of a member State in this UN Council," Makni said. "The whole region and the people of this region are suffering the repercussions of such a military intervention," Atrous said. Early on Saturday, the United States, together with Britain and France, made "targeted strikes" on Syria, saying that the Syrian government was responsible for the alleged chemical attack in Doumawhile on April 7. According to the Syrian military, over 100 missiles were fired in this strick and the Syrian Foreign Ministry has condemned the attack, said it violated the international law and the UN Charter. The UN inspectors assess the wastewater treatment in the camp of the 8th Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment to South Sudan (Wau). (mod.gov.cn) WAU, Apr. 16 (ChinaMil) -- The 8th Chinese peacekeeping engineers detachment to South Sudan (Wau) successfully passed the environmental assessment of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and received the Green Camp title on Apr. 12, local time. The Green Camp assessment is an annual comprehensive assessment of the environmental conditions of the contributor troops camps. The environmental assessment has green, yellow and red levels. The Green Camp standard can be exempted from inspection for one year. A UN inspection team conducted comprehensive inspection on domestic water management, wastewater management, general solid waste treatment, hazardous waste management, energy utilization, natural resource management and environmental protection of the Chinese peacekeeping engineers camp. An onsite assessment was carried out and all assessments of the camp had reached the Green Camp standard. The UN officials spoke highly of the clean and tidy camp of Chinese peacekeeping engineers. Inspector Yong Kuorwel said, the Chinese peacekeeping camp has always been the highest standard camp in the UNMISS. Your meticulousness and excellence are worth everyones study, and the Chinese military is awesome. Since the deployment to the mission area at the end of September last year, the 8th Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment has built more than 500 kilometers of roads of a major supply line. They have completed the construction of employees' base floor units, the UN garbage stations, the UN watchtowers, airport clearing, container lifting, employee base security housing, water transport and supply, street lamp maintenance, reinforcement of external protection facilities in the camp area, and defense facility renovations in the camp and other tasks. The Chinese peacekeeping engineers have won praise from the UN and local people and effectively established a positive national image of China. UPDATE 4:05 p.m.: Police released these photos of the suspect, taken by surveillance camera. Here are the photos of the suspect. Notice the gloves, facemask, hoodie up. @ChiefUPD says this was not a random act. This suspect looks prepared to commit a crime and hide his identity. pic.twitter.com/ymebFpIyYE Josh Martin (@JoshMartinNC9) April 16, 2018 Police have identified the University at Binghamton freshman who was stabbed to death on Sunday night as 19-year-old engineering student Joao Souza. The identity of the victim comes after the university cancelled classes on Monday. New York State Police and university police are still searching for the suspect, who was described in a tweet from the school. B-ALERT: The suspect, described as a light-skinned male wearing dark pants and a dark, Puma hooded sweatshirt, remains at large. Additional details will be provided as soon as possible. Any information that you have should be reported to BinghamtonU Police at 607-777-2393. Binghamton University (@binghamtonu) April 16, 2018 Investigators from multiple agencies interviewed people throughout the night, and determined the stabbing was not a random act. The university offered counseling services to anyone who needs it by calling the Dean of Students Office at 607-777-2804. "If there is information that relates to the immediate welfare of students and the campus community, we will communicate it via our alert system," Binghamton University said in a news release. Watch the press conference held by police below. Elder statesman and prominent politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, has disclosed that massive rigging took place in the North in the 2015 general elections.Yakassai revealed the electoral fraud to journalists when he led the newly formed Northern Leaders Stakeholders Assembly to former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, at his Uphill Mansion in Minna, the Niger State capital yesterday.He cited instances of manipulation in the elections. According to him, while the electronic voting was religiously observed in the southern part of the country, it was not so observed in the north.He remarked: When the electronic voting was introduced, I was in support of it, but I observed what happened in the 2015 general election and I changed my mind.This is because it was religiously observed in the southern part of the country, but it was not so religiously observed in the northern parts of the country. It was from that moment that I began to have some reservations about the electronic voting pattern.There are many ways of rigging election. What happened in 2015 where the majority of southerners resident in the north were scared away from their places of residence, where they had registered, to their place of origin and therefore could not have the opportunity to vote, was rigging.Again some of the southerners who did not run away were afraid to come out and vote on the day of election. So scaring people from coming out to vote for the candidates of their choice is also a form of rigging.The 2015 election led to the emergence of Major- General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), a northerner, as president while the then incumbent, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner, lost.Earlier at the meeting with Babangida, he lamented that most leaders of northern extraction had for long taken the support of northerners for granted, stressing that henceforth, it would not be business as usual.Yakassai said they were at Babangidas house to inform the former leader of the objectives of the organisation dedicated to the unity and progress of the north.Babangida praised the efforts of the group and assured them of his support as long as they worked for the unity of Nigeria.Also at the meeting were Senator Joseph Waku, Alhaji Ghali Na Abba, Dr. Mohammed Data, Alhaji Abba Hana, Hajiya Inna Corona, Hajiya Zainab Main, Gimbia Rani, Alhaji Bala Mohammed and Dr. Umaru Babangida Aliyu, among others. Exactly 19 years after contesting against each other in Nigerias first Presidential election of the 4th Republic, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, will on Tuesday meet at Obasanjos Abeokuta residence with one agenda: how to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.Reliable sources have revealed that Falae, who is the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, and Obasanjo would strategise on how to bring all third force elements under one banner.A source, who is privy to the meeting, said since Buhari had ignored all warnings by Obasanjo and other ex-generals not to seek a second term for the sake of the country, many of such political meetings would be taking place.The source said, It is obvious that Buhari has failed in his three years in office. He spent about four months of 2017 in the United Kingdom on health grounds and still wants to run for a second term for selfish reasons.He has failed to improve the lives of Nigerians but continues to give excuses for his own failings. He has also refused to endorse a younger person to succeed him.We have thus decided to set the plan in motion for his ouster through the ballot. Obasanjo will meet Chief Olu Falae with a view to uniting the third force and repentant politicians from the APC and the PDP are welcome to join.When contacted on the telephone, the Personal Assistant to Chief Olu Falae, Capt. Moshood Raji (retd.), confirmed the scheduled meeting with Obasanjo.He, however, said the meeting was a private one and would therefore not disclose it agenda.Speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone, Raji said, It is true that Chief Falae will be meeting with Baba (Obasanjo) but I dont know the purpose of the meeting because it is a private meeting.Obasanjo, who is the leader of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, had also been having talks with the Nigeria Intervention Movement and over 30 political parties.It had been reported that Obasanjo met with a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso; a former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, a former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and leaders of over 30 other parties.Others who attended the meeting which took place at the Protea Hotel, Lagos, included a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), and Dr. Abdujalil Tafawa-Balewa, both chairmen of the NIM.The former President, who has been critical of Buharis government, had recently asked the nations youths not to reinforce failure by voting for Buhari. Primate Babatunde Ayodele, founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Lagos has said President Muhammadu Buharis sec... Primate Babatunde Ayodele, founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Lagos has said President Muhammadu Buharis second term will cause Nigeria 40 years setback. Addressing journalists in Lagos, the prophet said Buharis second coming will lead to Nigerias collapse. He said, President Buharis declaration to contest for a second term in office is a waste of time. God is not with Buhari any longer to rule Nigeria. He should vacate the presidency. His followers may be telling him a lot of things, but Buharis second term in office will cause Nigeria another 40 years setback. I am not his enemy but I am talking as a prophet. They may take it or leave it. I have no apologies. Nigeria will collapse under him. They are deceiving him. In fact, the international community will fight against him. President Muhammadu Buhari holds a discussion on NigeriaBritish relations with Prime Minister, Theresa May today at 10, Downing Street, London.This was contained in the verified Twitter handle of Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad.Details of the meeting have yet to be made public. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that the stifling of education funding under the Muhammadu Buhari government is... The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that the stifling of education funding under the Muhammadu Buhari government is preparing the country for a greater future doom. It stated that the nonchalant attitude of the Buhari-led government to education appears to be the worst in the history of Nigeria with about 7 percent allocation to Education. Chairman, University of Ibadan branch of ASUU, Dr. Deji Omole, who stated this on Monday in an interview with journalists, noted that the failure to vote enough money to public varsity education is already causing gradual crisis of confrontation between University administration and students in some parts of the country. Omole said, It will be difficult to have a citizen that will love the country in the future if the current trend of abandoning the poor while taking care of the rich continues. While each senators is paid N13.5million as running cost per month the same Senate appropriated a paltry sum of N66million for capital projects for University of Ibadan with students population of about 30,000. This can only happen where the ruling class lacks vision like Nigeria. This same government refuses to drop a kobo for the revitalization of public universities. Now many children of the masses are denied access because universities cannot admit beyond what the dilapidated infrastructure can take. Yet their parents cannot afford private university. the federal government is owing about N800billion revitalization funds to public varsities as contained in the agreements with ASUU. The ASUU, who vowed that the union will oppose any plan to force children of the masses out of school by imposing on them dues that are the duties of federal government, asserted that the ruling APC has performed poorly in Education. According to him, the United States of America that members of the elite takes their children to funds her public varsities because the USA is interested in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor, and knows the negative implication of having a growing pool of illiterates as we have in Nigeria. Omole maintained that the Buhari government has paid lip service to public education but prefers to pacify militants and terrorists. The President of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Mr Josiah Biobelemoye, said on Monday that the the union would commence an inde... Biobelemoye said this when he led the union executive on a courtesy visit to the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Jafaru Momoh, in his office.He alleged that the union members had been treated as slaves by the Minster of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.He said that the minister failed to implement the agreement reached by the union with the Federal Government on Sept. 30, 2017 for upward adjustment of CONHESS.He said that the implementation of the agreement was supposed to begin five weeks after it was signed as was done for medical doctors.He said that JOHESU accounted for 95 per cent of health sector workers in the country but regretted that the unions demands were always taken for granted.We are committed to ensuring peace in the sector hence for the past three years we resisted strike but we should not be forced to withdraw the peace.Help us to tell government. All we are saying is equity, justice and peace.We love Nigerians and government should help us love Nigerians the more by doing the needful, Biobelemoye said.The Chairman, Board of National Hospital, Abuja, Ms Patricia Etteh, appealed to union officials to shelve its proposed strike in the interest of the people.Etteh urged the union to consider the plight of the masses, who always suffered more during such actions in the health sector.In the event of strike in health sector, the poor always bear the burden as they cannot afford access to healthcare in private hospitals in Nigeria and abroad.But the rich will not mind as a lot of them travel abroad to receive the desired healthcare services.There so many ways you can embark on strike without shutting down hospitals because the masses will suffer, she said.Etteh decried the poor attention by government to the nations health sector and welfare of health workers in the country.She called for greater attention to the sector and health workers, saying that they deserved prompt and priority attention by government.She said, Health sector is one particular area that should receive prompt and adequate response because when the people are healthy, it will reflect on the nations economy.If healthcare providers are not properly taken care of, they will not be able to give the desired medical attention and care to patients.Etteh, who was the former Speaker of House of Representatives, urged the government to look into the requisite entry qualification of health workers in the country.She said that the measure would help to ensure a more efficient healthcare delivery for patients.She assured the union that she would channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities.I plead with you to give me sometime to dialogue with the concerned ministry with regard to your demand for upward adjustment of CONHESS and other issues.I believe before the close of work tomorrow (Tuesday), through the concerted efforts of all and sundry, something positive will come out from my dialogue with the Minister of Health and others.Also speaking, the CMD pleaded with the union not to withdraw emergency services in hospitals in the event of any strike.He assured the union members that their issues would be resolved in the shortest possible time through divine interventions. BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China plans to launch its heavy-lift carrier rocket, the Long March-5 Y3, in late 2018, after finding the cause of the failure of the Long March-5 Y2, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. The Long March-5 Y2 rocket was launched from Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern province of Hainan on July 2, 2017, but a malfunction happened less than six minutes after liftoff. Analysis based on computer simulations and ground tests showed that a problem occurred in a turbine exhaust device in the engine of the first stage of the rocket, the administration said Monday. The engine has been improved and has passed many ground tests. The research team is producing the Long March-5 Y3 rocket, according to the administration. If the Long March-5 Y3 rocket is successful, the Long March-5 Y4 rocket will be used to launch the Chang'e-5 lunar probe, which is expected to bring lunar samples back to Earth. President Muhammadu Buharis decision to suspend Nigerias participation in signing African Continental Free Trade Agreement has been applauded by Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council.President Buhari had in March cancelled a trip to Kigali, Rwanda, where an extraordinary summit of African Union was scheduled to sign the agreement.The President explained that the cancellation was to allow for more consultations with stakeholders in Nigeria over the trade agreement.But the Industrial Council at its meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, weekend, in Abuja, received a status report on the Continental Trade Agreement and supported the need for more consultations before Nigeria ratifies the agreement.Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, told State House correspondents after the meeting that council reinforced the importance of consultation, which was what the President said.He said: The meeting agreed with the President and concurred that more consultation is the way to go because the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement will have implications for us, which we hope will be positive. Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki on Sunday announced a ban on grazing in some communities attacked by suspected herdsmen in the state.The affected communities include Odighi and Odiguete, in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.Obaseki also ordered the arrest of any erring herdsman during the period of the ban, which he said would last for 90 days to enable the government to identify those lawfully allowed to graze in the areas so as to prevent further attacks.The governors order came 48 hours after residents of Odighi community protested at the Government House against the killing of a pastor, the late Pius Eromosele, by suspected herdsmen.The protesters, who laid the coffin of the deceased at the entrance to the Government House, had called for the arrest and prosecution of the killers.The remains of the pastor of the Church of God Mission were said to have been found decomposing in a bush during a search by hunters and vigilance group members on April 2.Speaking during a meeting with members of the Odighi, Owan and Odigwuetue communities at the palace of the Enogie of Odighi, the governor said the ban became necessary to stop further killings as the duty of his administration was to protect the lives and property of the people.He also stated that a special task force, comprising various security agencies, would go round the affected communities within two weeks to get information that would help dislodge the criminals who posed as herdsmen in the forest.Obaseki said, We have set up a special task force made up of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, hunters and vigilance groups to comb bushes and dislodge squatter camps of killer herdsmen and ensure that no grazing takes place in Odighi, Odiguetue communities and their environs.He stressed the need to separate herdsmen from cattle rustlers, whom he said stole cattle, invaded farms, raped and killed people, even as he assured that efforts were being made to identify the real herdsmen in the state.Before now, Fulani herdsmen were known for carrying sticks around to control their cattle. Today, some of them have become criminals, he added.Obaseki also said his administration would boost agricultural activities in Odighi community which was once known as the food basket of the state.He also pledged to fix the water system in the area and reconstruct the old roads in the community to open up the area for development.The governor said, We have taken the designs of the old roads in these areas and in two weeks time, we will start the reconstruction of the roads. Tomorrow (Monday), government officials will be here to check the water system in the communities and fix it; so that the people will have access to potable water. Unidentified gunmen Monday killed a police Sergeant and abducted a German engineer with Dantata & Sawoe, Mr. Michael Cremza in Kano.A statement by the police in Kano signed by the Command Public Relations Officer, SP Magaji Musa Majia said the ugly incident occurred along Sabon Titi, Madobi Road, Kano, about 0745hrsThe police image maker explained that an armed gang of five men in a Motor vehicle ambushed and opened fire on a motor vehicle conveying the staff Dantata & Sawoe.He said the attackers killed one Police Sergeant attached to Special Protection Unit (SPU) on Escort duty .Below is the statement:The Kano State Police Command is displeased to inform the general public of an ugly incident which occurred today Monday 16th April, 2018 at about 0745hrs along Sabon Titi Madobi Road, Kano, where an armed gang of five men in a Motor vehicle ambushed and opened fire on a motor vehicle conveying the staff of Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company going to a construction site.The attackers killed one Police Sergeant attached to Special Protection Unit (SPU) on Escort duty and abducted Mr. Michael Cremza, a German National working with the Company. The Police Commissioner CP Rabiu Yusuf psc+ has since deployed powerful team of operatives and detectives to cordon the axis with a view to arresting the culprits and rescue the victim. Manhunt of the abductors is ongoing. Any person with useful information should report to the nearest Police Station or call our Emergency Telephone lines as follows; 08032419754, 08123821575. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday called its 16th witness before a Federal High Court in Lagos in the ongoing trial of a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, standing trial on charges of N3.2bn fraud.The witness, Mr. Robinson Imafidon, the Head of Regulatory Liaison in a first generation bank, narrated how a series of monetary transactions were carried out on the account of the Abia State Government House during Kalus tenure.EFCC had, on October 31, 2016, slammed a 34-count bordering on N3.2bn fraud on Kalu and his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo (the second accused).Also charged is Kalus company, Slok Nig. Ltd.The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bails.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that since the trial began, the prosecution had called 15 witnesses.Leading the 16th witness in evidence on Monday, the prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), asked the witness to introduce himself to the court.In response, the witness said he works as the banks regulatory liaison officer and has a work schedule of responding to emails and requests from regulators such as the EFCC, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, among others.He told the court that EFCC had written a letter to the bank, requesting account opening documents of the Abia State Government House, Umuahia.According to the witness, the document including the statement of account and mandate were retrieved from the system and after due certification and verification, were sent to the EFCC.The prosecution then showed the witness a bulk document and asked him to confirm if the certification was from him, to which the witness replied in the affirmative.Jacobs sought to tender in evidence the statement of account of the Abia State Government House, Umuahia, from 2002 to 2007.The defence did not raise any objections and the court admitted the document and marked same as Exhibits U to U18.The prosecution asked the witness to identify Exhibit U14, and in response, the witness explained that it was the statement of account of the Abia State Government House, but in an old format.He told the court that there had been a change from the old format which had the old account number, to a new format which he called Finaco, and which has the new 10-digit account number.When showed Exhibit B23, the witness told the court that the exhibit was a fund transfer form by the second accused (Udeogo) in which he applied for a draft of N50m with the debit to be made from the Government House account.He said on May 31, 2002, there were two cash deposits by the second accused in the sums of N2m and N7.3m respectively.The witness told the court that on June 3, a draft of N10m was paid by the second accused; while on July 1, there was an issue of a demand draft of N11m and another draft of N15m on August 19.He said on September 16, 2002, there were two cash deposits of N50,000 and N5m respectively by one M. A. Udoh, who was an accountant in Abia State at the time.Under cross-examination, Mr. Awa Kalu, counsel to the first accused, asked the witness, How many times have you testified in all your life?In response, the witness told the court that he had testified several times before law courts but could not recall how many times.On whether it was the practice for two people to append their signatures on a document as shown in some of the exhibits, the witness replied, two people may sign, but there are exceptions.When one of the signatories is not available, then someone else can sign; more so, where the issue is not so significant, then one person may sign.Defence counsel then asked that the witness should be showed exhibit B, and asked the witness, When do you archive a transaction?Witness: There was no specific time to archive a transaction; adding that once a transaction was concluded and thoroughly verified, it goes to the archive.Counsel: Do you know how many of your colleagues have testified in the instant case ?Witness : No.Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned cotinuation of trial until April 17.NAN also reports that Kalu is alleged to have used his company to retain several sums of money in his account, illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.His company (Slok Nigeria Ltd) and one Emeka Abone, who is said to be at large, were also alleged to have retained in the companys account the sum of N200m on behalf of the first accused.The accused were alleged to have retained about N2.5bn in different accounts which funds were said to belong to the Abia State Government.Cumulatively in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2bn from the Abia State Governments treasury during Kalus tenure as governor.The offences contravened the provisions of sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2005.The offences also contravened the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 1995 (as amended) by the amendment Act No.9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation, 1990. The Peoples Democratic Party, the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the Campaign for Democracy on Sunday knocked President Muhammadu Buhari for saying he had not done badly, as well as blaming past leaders for the poor state of the economy.The President had on Sunday said considering the condition in which his administration met the country allegedly without savings and the economy vandalised; we have not done too badly.According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke while receiving some members of the Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation, led by Mr. Charles Sylvester.Buhari noted that Nigeria was gifted with human and natural resources, but regretted that past leaders failed to capitalise on the nations resources to improve the lot of Nigerians.Failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalise on resources to improve the lot of the people, the President said.He added that those he described as wicked people plundered the country and kept Nigerians poor.Buhari said the damage done to the Nigerian economy in the years of plunder was massive, adding that the government was doing its best to recover some of the loot.If they had used 50 per cent of the money made when oil prices were as high as $143 per barrel and stabilised at $100, with production at 2.1 million barrels per day for many years, Nigerians would have minded their business.The stealing was so much and they were so inept that they could not even cover the stealing properly. I wonder how all those things could have happened to our country, the President said.He commended members of the Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation for deciding to identify with the country when they could have stayed abroad where they were comfortable.I am happy that people like you are here, on your own, defending the country. You have shown courage and sacrifice. I assure you that your confidence in us wont be abused; we will do our best to justify it, Buhari said.Sylvester was quoted as saying that members of the group were happy with the achievements of the Buhari administration so far.He said the same God who healed the President when he was sick would grant him victory in 2019.He said, You met a difficult situation, but you have overcome most of them. We are happy with the agriculture revolution, the ease of doing business, the anti-corruption war, the employment of youths through the N-Power programme, and the blockage of leakages in the public sector through the Treasury Single Account.We are proud of the speed with which you recovered the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls. It shows you as a worthy general. We are happy that you have declared for 2019. Majority of Nigerians are happy, but agents of corruption and darkness are unhappy.The same God, who healed you when you were ill, will grant you victory in the 2019 elections. You are a General who does not fear combat, either with Generals or non-Generals.We declare our love and support for you. You are fixing the faulty foundations of our country and second term is when you will build the enduring structure.But the Peoples Democratic Party said it was wrong for the President to mark his own scripts, saying there was no way Buhari could judge himself fairly.It said it would be better for the President to listen to the cry of the electorate, who had been regretting voting the former army General into power in 2015.The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Sunday, wondered why the President had not been able to initiate and complete a single project since he assumed office about three years ago.He said, Only a failure will set questions for himself and sit down to mark it. In this case, ask the President if he was the one who elected himself. He should ask those who voted for him, campaigned for him as well.If he has done well or he has not done badly as he claimed, let him point to a single project he initiated and completed in three years. Nigerians are tired of a leader like him.Ologbondiyan said if the President had done his best and the country remained the way it was, it would be better for him to pack his load and leave the Presidential Villa.Buhari never displayed competence in governanceAlso, the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, supported by a former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, lambasted Buhari for always blaming past leaders.The spokesman for the CNM, Mr. Akin Osuntokun, said this during an interview with one of our correspondents on Sunday.Osuntokun said Buhari should not forget to blame himself for Nigerias woes since he is also a former leader having served as a military head of state from 1983 to 1985.He said, He has never displayed competence in the area of governance. It is therefore expected that he will give himself a pass mark. However, while blaming past leaders, he should not forget to blame himself since he also ruled Nigeria in the past.The President continues to blame everyone for what he fails to do. Transparency International has exposed the deception of his anti-corruption war. This is the same President who indicted his own government when he revealed that the Inspector-General of Police failed to relocate to Benue to curb a crisis as commanded.The CNM spokesman urged the international community not to be deceived by Buharis utterances in London because he would never accept blame for anything.The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the Campaign for Democracy, on Sunday said it was not proper for the President to blame past governments for the countrys woes, noting that his goodwill among Nigerians was fast receding.The CDHR President, Malachy Ugwummadu, said, I just hope that there will be an end to passing the buck with this present administration. The energy the government is dissipating on castigating previous governments can be deployed in reorganising the country.One of the reasons Buhari was voted in was the belief that he would be able to deal with Nigerias exigencies, not to come in, pass the buck, and abdicate responsibility. Buhari should not fritter the goodwill of Nigerians he has, which is fast receding.Also, the CD President, Usman Abdul, said, The President should be mindful of what he says about past leaders because he was also a former leader of the country. The President has not done any better than the previous governments. After ensuring system stability for more than two months, the countrys power grid collapsed twice in the past five days. Electricity ... After ensuring system stability for more than two months, the countrys power grid collapsed twice in the past five days.Electricity generation figures obtained from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in Abuja on Monday showed that the grid recorded partial collapses on April 12 and 14 this year.Generated power on the grid dropped from a high of 3,946.5 megawatts on April 11, to as low as 351.3MW on April 12, which was the lowest quantum of grid electricity recorded in past two months.Further findings showed that power generation remained in a partially collapsed state, as it only moved up marginally from the 351.3MW recorded on April 11, to 596MW on April 14.Electricity on the grid eventually rose to 3,500MW on April 15, according to generation figures obtained from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator, an arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, on Monday.It was also observed that before the recent partial collapses, Nigerias power generation had hovered above 3,900MW for more than two months.Data obtained by newsmen showed that the last system collapse before that of April 11 was recorded on the first day February this year.On February 5, 2018, it can be recalled that the collapse of the national electricity grid from a high of 4,699.9MW on January 31, to 219MW on February 1.The report also revealed that prior to the February 1 grid collapse, the countrys power generation system had earlier collapsed six times in the first eight days of 2018.The Chief Executive Officer, TCN, Usman Mohammed, had at the time explained that there was a need for adequate investment in order to stabilise the grid.There are certain things that need to be put in place for us to have grid stability and one of them is that we need to put in adequate investments, Mohammed had said.The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, recently stated that investment appetite for Nigerias power sector was high, dismissing claims that investors were leaving the industry.If there is one sector in the Nigerian economy that investment appetite is high, it is the power sector and the potential that it brings on, Fashola told local and international guests at the inauguration of a 60MVAR power capacity bank at the TCN transmission substation in Abuja. Officials are concerned that five more African athletes could not return home from the Commonwealth Games, after eight competitors from ... Officials are concerned that five more African athletes could not return home from the Commonwealth Games, after eight competitors from Cameroon were confirmed missing.The Gold Coast organisers confirmed a total of 13 representatives from African countries could not be accounted for as at Sunday when the event ended.Commonwealth Games Federation Chief Executive David Grevemberg revealed that athletes from Rwanda, Uganda and two squash players from Sierra Leone got missing toward the twilight of the event.We have a service to people who have legitimate visas to be in this country. The focus now is to support teams in trying to track down the athletes who are missing.More than 100 athletes overstayed their visas at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Athlete visas for the Commonwealth Games expire on May 15, Grevemberg said.With regards to the search for Cameroons five boxers and three weightlifters, Grevemberg insisted that their welfare of the athletes come first.We obviously have been in close contact with Cameroon officials. We share their concern regarding obviously the safety, welfare, whereabouts of these athletes, he added.Meanwhile, Australias Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has warned that athletes would be forcibly removed from the country if they attempted to overstay their visas.They arent going to game the system, he told local radio. Australian Border Force officers will find these people (and) theyll be held in immigration detention until they can be deported.The officials of the host country could not mention any of Nigerian athletes was missing as at the end of the competition.The Gold Coast games ended with Africa represented on the medals table with a total of 97 medals. While, South Africa finished in the 6th position with a total of 37 medals, Nigeria occupied 9th position with a total of 24 medals and Kenya in the 14th position with a total of 17 medals.Other African countries on the medals table included Uganda with 6 medals, Botswana with 5 medals, Namibia with 2 medals, Cameroon with 3 medals, Mauritius, Seychelles and Ghana, each with 1 medal. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday berated the presidency for allegedly insulting Nigerians. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday berated the presidency for allegedly insulting Nigerians. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had last week said that some Nigerians are twisting every word from President Muhammadu Buhari in the negative. He said the aim was to demean and de-market Buhari ahead of the 2019 elections. Adesina said this in response to those who criticised Buharis statement that the late Libyan president, Muammar Gadaffi, armed the herdsmen who have been terrorising the country. The PDP accused the presidency for insulting Nigerians who criticised the failure of the Federal Government in the handling of insurgency and governance in the country. This was contained in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, where he said that it was shocking that rather than being repentant and responsive to the views of Nigerians, the Presidency has resorted to insulting the citizens. PDP said, If in the course of investigations, it (Buhari Presidency) discovered that the insurgents were from outside Nigeria, why is the government reportedly paying ransoms to them and even considering amnesty options? Is it part of governance to pay ransom to invaders? These are the questions that Nigerians expect the Buhari presidency to answer. It is therefore a misplaced reaction for any member of the Buhari Presidency to recourse to personal insults, diatribes and invectives against Nigerians, low or high, who had expressed his view or demanded some explanations in the governments handling of the insurgency challenge. The police in Abuja have again dispersed protesting members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria with tear gas.The Shiite members were protesting the continued incarceration of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakyzaky on Monday at Maitama, when armed policemen swooped on them, firing tear gas canisters at them.The development paralysed traffic and commercial activities around the area as everyone avoided the area to avoid getting caught up in the fracas.Many of the Shiite members were seen running away while some of them defiantly stood their ground as a police truck fired water cannons at them.The police had last Friday cordoned off the Unity Fountain where the Shiite members usually hold their rallies.They also arrested an activist and convener, Concerned Citizens, Deji Adeyanju, who had been championing the protests for over three weeks.He was released after about four hours. The operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on Thursday forced four armed robbers to abandon a hijacked danfo commercial bus, a gun and six passengers whom they had held hostage while in transit.The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal disclosedthis today at the Command's headquarter while parading some suspected criminals the police arrested.The four robbers who boarded the bus heading to LASU - Iba route from Iyana Ipaja hijacked the bus from the driver immediately one of the passengers alighted at Diamond Estate, Isheri, Lagos.According to the driver of the bus, Sherrif Dada, at around 11:00 p.m on Thursday, after returning from a chartered trip to Sango, my conductor and I went straight to our usual route at Egbeda to make some more money before the closing for the day. We saw lots of passengers at Egbeda Bus Stop who were heading to Igando.We picked the passengers and we dropped the first passenger at Diamond Estate Bus Stop. Just after leaving the Bus Stop, one of the passengers, four guys in their 20s brought out a gun and told me to stop.Just after pinning the gun to my head, the other robbers began to ransack the passengers particularly, a lady suspected to be carrying a handbag and her Infinix Note 4 android phone. The robbers began to scuffle with the lady to dispossess her of her belonging but the lady refused to surrender her bag to the gun wielding bandits.It wasn't quite long my conductor escaped that they threw me down on motion after sighting an RRS patrol vehicle chasing them. They felt I was not fast enough, he stated.According to the conductor, Hakeem Hassan, I was also held down at gun point after attempting to jump down from the moving bus to stop me from raising alarm.Unfortunately for them for them I managed to escape from the bus after the driver slowed down. I ran for my dear life. They threatened to shoot me but I defied all their threat to stop me from calling attention of those around the area.He stated further, immediately I manage to jump from the bus, I ran backward screaming for help and also hearing the robber telling me to stop that he was going to shoot me but I continued running until I ran into a filling station.It wasnt quite long I had been screaming for help when I saw an RRS patrol vehicle speeding towards me. I guessed other road users who saw me had told them.The chase by the police vehicle unsettled the four robbers. They instantly stopped collecting our valuables and were thinking of how to escape. As soon as we left Igando General Hospital, they drove the danfo into a bush and escaped leaving behind their only gun and mobile phone they took from one of the passengers", one of the commuters stated.Recovered from the bus were a locally made gun and an Android mobile phone, which they collected from one of the passengers.Both the danfo bus and the mobile phone were handed over to their owners at the RRS Headquaters in Alausa.Commenting on the development, the Police PRO, SP Chike Oti said Lagos is not a safe zone for any criminal to operate, if they risk it, we will get them. Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans, Senator Shehu Sani, has said sycophancy under President Muhammadu Buharis administ... Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans, Senator Shehu Sani, has said sycophancy under President Muhammadu Buharis administration has been elevated to historic levels. Sani, who represents Kaduna Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, stated this while airing his thought over the undue emphasis of pro- and anti-Buhari cliques within the federal legislature. Buttressing his point with the recent issue of re-ordering election sequence, Senator Shehu Sani told NewTelegraph newspaper: The mood in the National Assembly is that the majority of lawmakers are not happy with the President vetoing the election sequence bill, and when the majority is not happy, you can predict what the outcome is going to be. The idea that the Senate is trampling upon the duties and rights of INEC is not true. Nobody is stopping INEC from fixing dates; all that we are saying is for it to rearrange the order of elections. And unfortunately, in Nigeria today, everything is now interpreted on the basis of whether you are for Buhari or against Buhari. You can imagine senators who have won elections on the platform of APC and have worked for Buhari to succeed as a President, simply because we have a different view with regard to others, and then they will be tagged as being anti-Buhari. We have reached a point whereby in the National Assembly today, if you are supposed to eat rice and then you go ahead to eat beans, if Buhari loves to eat rice, they will say that you are anti-Buhari. So, the pro and anti-Buhari formula is now applying to people who are simply exercising their constitutional rights as legislators. The only time you are not going to be considered anti-Buhari is when you agree with everything the Presidency says, and even go ahead to be sycophantic about it. Then that is when you will be termed as pro-Buhari or else, any view, any position or anything you do, you are most likely going to be anti-Buhari. In fact, even if you wear clothes nowadays that doesnt look like that of Buhari; they will say that you are anti-Buhari. So, I dont know how our President from our party will now be our enemy simply because we say that we dont agree with him on one issue, we become anti-Buhari. Now, Buhari that vetoed the position of the Senate, is he going to be addressed as anti-Senate or is he anti-National Assembly? The people who are currently in detention contrary to court orders, is Buhari going to be called anti-democracy for that? No. We have just elevated sycophancy in our system, up to the position of even undermining the duties of people to defend democratic institutions. As far as I am concerned, that is my position on that. The only way is that you will be altruistic in Nigeria for people to understand this re-ordering of elections is for the National Assembly to come up with a law and say nobody in the National Assembly should contest election; only people who love Buhari should contest. Then they will say that National Assembly is altruistic. Otherwise, any action you take is certainly going to be suspicious. Nigerians have been raising issues of its elections, and this re-ordering is an opportunity for them to elect legislators they like and also de-elect those they dont like; and the only way to go about it is to reorder the sequence of our elections and see how we can do the elections in peace. If president Buhari is popular with the people, even if you make his election the last, he is certainly going to win. It was with great amusement that I received news that the minister for propaganda, the rightly and prophetically named Lai Mohammed, was p... It was with great amusement that I received news that the minister for propaganda, the rightly and prophetically named Lai Mohammed, was planning on releasing a new looters list. The nation was witness to the flop of the pathetic looters lists he had earlier drawn up which read more like a list of noise makers drawn up by a primary school class captain who wanted to implicate his enemies. After having been shamed at home and abroad for its one sided and fallacious list, the Buhari administration wants to redeem itself by releasing a third list, which from the look of things, will go into infamy like its two elder brothers. The funniest thing is that both Lai Mohammed and President Buharis spokesman, Garba Shehu, had condemned the release of a looters list by the pioneer Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu in 2007. It is very obvious that they have no moral compass. Their loyalties are only to their bellies. If not, why condemn a looters list released by Nuhu Ribadu and commend a looters list released by the Buhari administration? In any case, Nigerians and the international community may find the list below to be a more credible list and I call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to investigate, interrogate and prosecute those contained therein, especially as I have produced details and named names, dates and amounts involved which stand at over $30 billion. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. There are many others, including a South South ex-Governor who is close to President Buhari, whose security vote was incredibly substantial, but unless I have hard documentary evidence or eyewitness testimony, I have avoided listing such persons. Muhammadu Buhari and His Cronies: On several occasions during the 2015 election campaign, then candidate Muhammadu Buhari said he did not know what fuel subsidy is and accused the Jonathan administration of scamming Nigerians through the scheme. On several occasions during the 2015 election campaign, then candidate Muhammadu Buhari said he did not know what fuel subsidy is and accused the Jonathan administration of scamming Nigerians through the scheme. Again, on December 28, 2015, President Buhari said he was ending fuel subsidy. On May 12, 2016 the minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, said subsidy had been removed. The price of petrol was increased on that basis to 145. Then on December 15, 2016, Vice President Osinbajo said there was no more fuel subsidy in Nigeria. In the 2016 and 2017 budgets, the National Assembly made no provision for appropriations for fuel subsidy. On Friday, December 22, 2017, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, said that President Buhari had authorized him to make fuel subsidy payments which he tried to hide by using the ingenious term under recovery. On April 6, 2018, the minister of state for petroleum resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu revealed that 1.4 trillion was being spent annually on fuel subsidy payments by the Buhari administration. Section 162 (1) of the Constitution provides that: (1) The Federation shall maintain a special account to be called the Federation Account into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, except the proceeds from the personal income tax of the personnel of the armed forces of the Federation, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry or department of government charged with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Moreover, there is a Treasury Single Account policy in operation. If all funds belonging to the federation are remitted into the Federation Account, if all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are bound by the TSA, how is it possible for President Buhari to unconstitutionally instruct the GMD of the NNPC to use funds which were not appropriated by the National Assembly to pay for a scheme that was scrapped? This amount is more than twice what was spent by the Jonathan administration on fuel subsidy annually, yet under that government, fuel sold for 87 per liter which is half the price it is being sold for today at 145 per liter. Not only should fuel subsidy not be paid, because the minister of petroleum, who also happens to be the President, said he had ended that policy, but even if it is being paid, it should not be at a higher amount than was paid under Jonathan. Did the population of Nigeria double overnight? Did Nigerians become so rich in a depressed economy that they started consuming twice the amount of subsidy that they consumed a mere 3 years ago even when they are paying more for the product? The inescapable conclusion is that the 1.4 trillion now being paid annually for fuel subsidy, according to Ibe Kachikwu, is money that is going largely to private pockets. Rochas Okorocha: In a secret memo from a top diplomat and found on Wikileaks with the Canonical ID:06ABUJA483_a, Rochas Okorocha was identified as an embezzler of government funds. To quote the memo word for word, the top diplomat said The head of the National Airport Management Authority (NAMA), Rochas Okorocha, was caught and dismissed for embezzling about $1 million through an inflated contract. In a secret memo from a top diplomat and found on Wikileaks with the Canonical ID:06ABUJA483_a, Rochas Okorocha was identified as an embezzler of government funds. To quote the memo word for word, the top diplomat said The head of the National Airport Management Authority (NAMA), Rochas Okorocha, was caught and dismissed for embezzling about $1 million through an inflated contract. Malam Nasir El-Rufai: In a secret memo from a top diplomat and found on Wikileaks with the Canonical ID:06ABUJA483_a, an American diplomat gave eyewitness testimony of how Nasir El-Rufai had gone from extreme poverty to extreme wealth almost overnight. To quote the memo word for word, the top US diplomat said El-Rufai is at the CENTER of the corruption allegations. Well-known to PolCouns eight year ago, when he was homeless and seeking a loan to import a taxi from the UK, El-Rufai is said to have recently purchased seven upscale properties in a posh Abuja neighborhood. In a secret memo from a top diplomat and found on Wikileaks with the Canonical ID:06ABUJA483_a, an American diplomat gave eyewitness testimony of how Nasir El-Rufai had gone from extreme poverty to extreme wealth almost overnight. To quote the memo word for word, the top US diplomat said El-Rufai is at the CENTER of the corruption allegations. Well-known to PolCouns eight year ago, when he was homeless and seeking a loan to import a taxi from the UK, El-Rufai is said to have recently purchased seven upscale properties in a posh Abuja neighborhood. On June 20, 2017, saharareporters.com, a website that Malam Nasir El-Rufai himself had previously praised for its credibility, published government documents stating that Malam El-Rufai had awarded heavily over invoiced contracts to his wives, children and family members to the tune of 3 billion. NNPC/Maikanti Baru: On August 30, 2017, the minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, revealed in a memo to President Buhari, which ended up getting leaked, that despite the legal requirement for all contracts above $20 million to be approved by the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, has unilaterally awarded sundry contracts without due process to the tune of $24.5 billion. On August 30, 2017, the minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, revealed in a memo to President Buhari, which ended up getting leaked, that despite the legal requirement for all contracts above $20 million to be approved by the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, has unilaterally awarded sundry contracts without due process to the tune of $24.5 billion. No independent inquiry was conducted into these allegations. The NNPC, instead, issued a statement claiming that the contracts were approved by President Buhari. However, the dates the contracts were approved coincided with the dates the President was in London and had officially handed over to Vice President Osinbajo. When the media pointed this out, the NNPC contradicted itself and said that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo approved the contracts. However, Vice President Osinbajo released a statement on October 13, 2017, denying that he approved the contracts. The truth about what happened to the almost $25 billion will not come to light now while Buhari is still in power. Alhaji Abba Kyari: On September 20, 2016, saharareporters.com published a report that Malam Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President, had received a bribe of 500 million from the South African telecom giant, MTN, to help influence the reduction of the $5.2 billion fine imposed on them. On September 20, 2016, saharareporters.com published a report that Malam Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President, had received a bribe of 500 million from the South African telecom giant, MTN, to help influence the reduction of the $5.2 billion fine imposed on them. Given that the $5.2 billion fine was eventually and significantly reduced on December 3, 2016, just two months after the reports of the alleged bribe surfaced, a lot of credence has been given to those reports. This is especially so as the former acting Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, ambassador Mohammed Dauda, in a sworn testimony to the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, revealed that President Buharis kitchen cabinet comprising of Abba Kyari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe, had pressured him to share the $44 million Ikoyi millions. After giving his sworn evidence, ambassador Dauda was dismissed and has now gone underground. Abubakar Malami: Currently the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice. On April 8, 2018, investigative journalism website, The Cable, alleged that they have documents proving that AGF Malami spuriously hired lawyers at a cost to the Federal Government of 6 billion, to handle the repatriation of looted Abacha funds of $321 million (it would seem that contrary to President Buharis publicly stated position, Abacha did loot). Currently the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice. On April 8, 2018, investigative journalism website, The Cable, alleged that they have documents proving that AGF Malami spuriously hired lawyers at a cost to the Federal Government of 6 billion, to handle the repatriation of looted Abacha funds of $321 million (it would seem that contrary to President Buharis publicly stated position, Abacha did loot). It was discovered that the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, had finished up the matter and there was no need for the engagement of the lawyers in the first place. Incidentally, the lawyers was alleged to have been hired by Malami (Oladipo Okpeseyi, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and Temitope Adebayo) had both worked for President Muhammadu Buharis party, Congress for Progressive Change, and also worked for the All Progressive Congress. Interestingly, the current AGF, Abubakar Malami, was the legal adviser of CPC. Adebayo Shittu: Current minister of communications. On March 12, 2018, Mr. Shittus Special Assistant on media, Victor Oluwadamilare, revealed in a letter leaked to the media, that whereas Mr. Shittu was struggling financially prior to joining President Buharis cabinet, according to the said aide, he has almost overnight become fabulously wealthy to the point where he has, according to his own aide, investments that run into hundreds of millions of naira in your less than three years in the office. Current minister of communications. On March 12, 2018, Mr. Shittus Special Assistant on media, Victor Oluwadamilare, revealed in a letter leaked to the media, that whereas Mr. Shittu was struggling financially prior to joining President Buharis cabinet, according to the said aide, he has almost overnight become fabulously wealthy to the point where he has, according to his own aide, investments that run into hundreds of millions of naira in your less than three years in the office. Mr. Shittu was revealed by his aide to have suddenly come into possession of 12 luxury houses in Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan and recently bought a brand new 93 million printing press. This is in addition to 25 luxury vehicles. The total value of these largesses the minister has suddenly accrued, according to his aide, is conservatively estimated at 2 billion. Babatunde Raji Fashola: Current minister of power, works and housing. It was established and even admitted by Fashola himself that he spent 78 million on his personal website. Current minister of power, works and housing. It was established and even admitted by Fashola himself that he spent 78 million on his personal website. Now, government funds should not be spent on a personal website. But even at that, the amount is grossly over bloated. 78 million was equivalent to half a million dollars at the time of the transaction. Moreover, Info Access Plus, the company that got the said contract, released a statement stating that it received only 10 million from the Lagos state government for the website contract. The company further revealed that the website, www.fashola.com, already existed and the contract was only for upgrading the site. Also, substantiated allegations were made against Mr. Fashola with documented evidence indicating that he awarded a 139 million naira contract for the drilling of two boreholes at the government secretariat. This amount was equivalent to $900,000 at the time the contract was awarded. It goes without saying that two bore holes can be sunk for less than 5% of the amount expended by Fashola. Rauf Aregbesola: It was reported in several investigating journals that the contract to provide schools in Osun state with the tablet nick named Opon Imo was awarded to a firm linked to Governor Rauf Aregbesolas son at an inflated price of 8.6 billion. This allegation was also made in a petition by the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun state (CSCEOS). It was reported in several investigating journals that the contract to provide schools in Osun state with the tablet nick named Opon Imo was awarded to a firm linked to Governor Rauf Aregbesolas son at an inflated price of 8.6 billion. This allegation was also made in a petition by the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun state (CSCEOS). The introduction of the so called knowledge tablet was meant to boost education in Osun State. The curious thing however is that in the latest rankings from WAEC, only 46.77 per cent of Osun State students got five credits and above in the 2017 West African Senior School Certificate Examination. In fact, Osun State, which used to be one of the top performing states in education was outperformed by five northern states, including Borno, to emerge 24th position nationwide out of 36 states. In 2016, the state fared even worse, ranking 29th among the 36 states and the FCT in 2016s West African Senior School Certificate Examination results released by WAEC. Usman Yusuf: Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Suspended by the minister of health for allegedly misappropriating approximately 1 billion. A probe panel was set up by the minister of health, Isaac Adewole. Mr. Adewole found the evidence against Mr: Yusuf compelling enough to warrant his suspension. Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Suspended by the minister of health for allegedly misappropriating approximately 1 billion. A probe panel was set up by the minister of health, Isaac Adewole. Mr. Adewole found the evidence against Mr: Yusuf compelling enough to warrant his suspension. According to the investigative journalism website, premiumtimesng.com, their editors had cited the documents presented as evidence against Mr. Yusuf and their conclusion is that cases of misconduct was clearly established against Mr. Yusuf. Again, Premium Times report that their investigations revealed that Mr. Yusuf used his closeness to President Buhari to countermand the minister of healths decision and was reinstated to his position. According to Punch Newspapers When our correspondent reached out to him to respond to the allegations levelled against him last December, Yusuf had said, F*ck you, and f*ck the minister-This is the type of character that has been reinstated by President Buhari to Head the NHIS after being suspended for a 1 billion scam. Lai Mohammed: Currently serving as minister of information, Mr. Lai Mohammed used his office to intimidate a parastatal under his ministry to engage in unethical practices. Currently serving as minister of information, Mr. Lai Mohammed used his office to intimidate a parastatal under his ministry to engage in unethical practices. Documentary evidence reveal that Mr. Mohammed was alleged to have begged his subordinates at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for a loan of 13 million to enable him travel to China, an act which is against civil service rules and against the rules of public decency. A civil society organization, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) describes Mr. Lai Mohammeds action as a subtle attempt at blackmail and a sinister plot to seek to extort N13 million from one of the agencies under his ministerial supervision. The action is absolutely against President Muhammadu Buharis current anti-graft disposition which is signposted in the bringing into being of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). How many other parastatals, departments and agencies has Lai Mohammed gone a-begging and for which he has not been exposed. Yet this is the same man that goes about parroting lies, half truths and innuendo against others. EFCC: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently headed by Ibrahim Magu, a man whose confirmation as Chairman of the EFCC was denied down by the Senate after a negative report on him by the Department of State Security. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently headed by Ibrahim Magu, a man whose confirmation as Chairman of the EFCC was denied down by the Senate after a negative report on him by the Department of State Security. Under his tenure, Nigeria made her worst ever retrogression in the Transparency International annual Corruption Perception Index, moving 12 places backward from 136 to 148. Also, the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, which is the officially recognized global body that fosters cooperation in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism, has suspended Nigeria because Mr. Magus EFCC has, in their opinion, continued to leak financial information passed on to them to the media. This information they leak is overwhelmingly information related to opponents of the Buhari administration. When they suspended Nigeria, the Egmont Group gave as reason the repeated failures on the part of the FIU, (Nigeria) to address concerns regarding the protection of confidential information. At various occasions between 2017 and 2018, Mr. Magu publicly declared that the EFCC had recovered looted funds totaling 739 billion. However, in a leaked memo to Mr. Magu by the minister for finance, Kemi Adeosun, the minister asserted that contrary to the public claims by Mr. Magu that 739 billion has been recovered by the EFCC, only 91.3 billion had been deposited by the commission into the treasury. She then demanded to know the whereabouts of the balance of the monies. Between what Mr. Magu claims to have recovered and what the EFCC paid in, there is a difference of 647.7 billion. Shehu Sani, a Senator elected under the banner of the ruling APC has alleged that the looted funds recovered by this administration has been relooted. Conclusion Unfortunately, rather than accept the truth that there is an unprecedented corruption, ineptitude and nepotism in their government, the Buhari administration continues to promote the propaganda that our current economic malaise is as a result of the mismanagement of Nigerias economy by the Jonathan administration. However, even members of President Buharis cabinet have testified publicly to the fact that the President, his vice and their fallacious minister of information have falsely accused the previous government. Speaking on February 1, 2018 at a civil society engagement workshop on the Power Sector Recovery Programme in Abuja, the minister of works, power and housing, Babatunde Fashola, in trying to defend himself from allegations of ineptitude as regards the epileptic power supply in the country, ended up vindicating both Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP, albeit unintentionally. At that event, Mr. Fashola said: We hear all our so-called experts who say (non-availability of) power is why the economy of Nigeria is not growing. That is not factual and it is not correct. At the time when we had less power in 2013 and 2014, THE ECONOMY OF THIS COUNTRY WAS GROWING AT SEVEN PER CENT PER ANNUM. We had less power then than we have now, but the economy was growing. Nigerians can now see that Mr. Fashola, in a Freudian slip, was made by God, to expose the truth that his boss, his party and his colleagues have been trying to suppress for the past three years, namely that former President Jonathan developed and grew Nigerias economy at an unprecedented and consistent growth rate of over 6% per annum and handed over a thriving economy that was projected by CNNMoney to be the third fastest growing economy in the world when Dr. Jonathan handed over power to President Buhari. Unfortunately, due to the ineptitude of the Buhari administration, a booming economy became an economy in recession in just one year under the All Progressive Congress. In less than three years, President Buhari has borrowed more money than the PDP borrowed in the last sixteen years. Yet the economy has gotten worse! Buhari is 75 years old. Who do you think will pay for these loans he is taking? And to those who think Buharis APC is better than the PDP should consider this fact. The Southwest states were the top states in education until the APC took over there. The Southeast/South-south states were educationally disadvantaged until PDP took over. Now they are on top. Do not take my word for it. Google WAEC state by state rankings for the last 5 years yourself. The corruption by the APC government is so pervasive that it has not only affected the economy, but it has affected knowledge acquisition. Culled: TheCable In Ghana, mosques and churches are seen to be compounding the problem of noise pollution, according to a report by Deutsche Welle.In the capital, Accra, authorities are seeking to deal with the noise caused by these places of worship, mosques in particular.Mosques are being asked to use mobile text or WhatsApp messages to call the Muslim community to prayer.Why is it that time for prayer cannot be transmitted with a text message or WhatsApp? So, the imam would send WhatsApp messages to everybody, said environment minister Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.I think that will help to reduce the noise. This may be controversial, but its something that we can think about, he told DW.The government says it is hopeful such a change could contribute to a reduction in excessive noise.For many Muslims living in the capital, the idea of a mobile call to prayer is more difficult to embrace.Fadama community mosque imam, Sheik Usan Ahmed, calls Muslims to prayer five times at prescribed times throughout the day. Although he agrees that the level of noise could be reduced, relying on text and WhatsApp messages could also have economic implications, he told DW.The imam is not paid monthly. Where would he get the money to be doing that? We try to practice what is possible. So the text message or any other message is not a problem. But I dont think it is necessary, Ahmed said.Other Muslim residents who spoke to DW also rejected the suggestion. I dont find anything wrong with Muslims waking up at dawn and using the megaphone to call their people to come worship their God, because we have Christian churches who use megaphones as well and they also preach at dawn, said Nora Nsiah.Another Accra resident, Kevin Pratt, also dismissed Frimpong-Boatengs suggestion. Not everyone is on social media, and not everyone is as literate as he is. The Muslim call to prayer is traditionally supposed to reach as far as possible, Habiba Ali added.The government has signalled it ultimately intends to enforce laws in order to quiet things down in Ghana.The World Health Organisation has long warned of the harmful impact exposure to environmental noise may have on public health.It lists cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment among some of the short and long-term problems people could develop. A suspected heroin dealer was charged with homicide on Monday after one of his customers - a 15-year-old girl - fatally overdosed just after Christmas last year. Austin Cooper Austin Cooper, 21, of Willingboro, was charged with first-degree strict liability for drug-induced death, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. On December 26, a family member found Madison McDonald unresponsive at her home in Evesham Township's Marlton section. She was barely alive and transported to Virtua Marlton Hospital, and later flown to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She died on December 28. Authorities investigating McDonald's death found that Cooper delivered 10 bags of heroin to the home before she died. He was charged at the time possessing and dealing heroin. Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina has pledged to "aggressively" pursue the strict liability charge when possible in prosecution, to help fight the opioid epidemic. On that charge, a dealer can face 10 to 20 years in state prison, as opposed to three to five years for drug distribution. "We cannot arrest our way out of this epidemic," Coffina wrote in an Op-Ed in March. "...But law enforcement also must vigorously enforce the law to disrupt the distribution of these lethal substances." Cooper will appear in Superior Court in Mount Holly on Wednesday, where prosecutors will move to detain him, the county prosecutor's office said. Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips A new law passed this week empowers New Jersey school administrators to warn other districts about teachers accused of sexual abuse, potentially stopping them from getting a new job. But the law's success will ultimately come down to one key factor: Whether or not those officials actually speak up. "You can't legislate people telling the truth," said Ron Bolandi, a longtime superintendent. "I hope my colleague take it seriously. I hope my colleagues say enough is enough." The law, signed Wednesday by Gov. Phil Murphy, imposes strict new rules for vetting school employees, calling on school districts to check references dating back 20 years to ensure teachers have a clear record. It requires school officials asked for a reference to say if a teacher had resigned from a job while under investigation for child abuse of sexual misconduct. The changes follow an NJ Advance Media investigation that revealed the damning effects of a cycle known as "passing the trash," in which teachers accused of misconduct move to a new school district while their former employer stays silent. One teacher highlighted in the story was convicted of sexually assaulting six students in three different schools districts. Another teacher was recently indicted on charges he sexually abused two teenagers in the 1990s. A third teacher, who left three jobs where he was accused of misconduct over 10 years, was fired the day the story published. The new law, which goes into effect June 1, imposes a significant burden on school districts to do due diligence in vetting employees, said David Rubin, a veteran school board attorney. "Everybody should understand that this is going to require a lot of time, energy and resources," Rubin said. That investment will be for naught if school officials don't disclose information, he said. "It will only work if former employers are prepared to be candid," he said. Bolandi, the interim superintendent of Plainfield School District, said last year that school officials often aren't honest with one another when they do reference checks because they fear being sued over a bad reference. Administrators protect the adults, rather than the kids, he said then. Now, it's in the hands of school officials to make the law a success, Bolandi said. After all, the law gives school officials immunity in reporting allegations of child abuse or sexual misconduct to other districts, unless officials know the information they are providing is untrue. "You hope people are honest," Bolandi said. "That's our job." The New Jersey Association of School Administrators fully supports the law and believes full disclose is critically important, said Anne Gallagher, a spokeswoman for the organization. The law doesn't carry a specific punishment for school officials who don't follow it, but it gives them every incentive to comply, said Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris), one of its sponsors. Webber doesn't expect any problems considering the potential lawsuits districts would face if they get caught not complying he said. "I am confident that our school administrators are going to carry out the law in good faith," he said. "This system is going to work." Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Hackensack Meridian Health will bear the full financial responsibility of operating a private medical school with Seton Hall University that will open in July, NJ Advance Media has learned. Seton Hall issued a statement Monday saying the "tremendous investment" was more than it could afford. "From the beginning, Seton Hall administrators knew that the opening of a new school of medicine and the creation of a new Interprofessional Health Sciences campus would be incredibly complex projects, requiring tremendous investment and coordination with our partners at Hackensack Meridian Health," university spokeswoman Laurie Pine said in an emailed statement. "As the process continued to evolve, it became increasingly clear that the original structure of the partnership needed to be revised," the statement said. "Seton Hall University will continue to have the academic responsibilities and will issue the diplomas to medical students upon graduation." In a joint statement, Seton Hall and Hackensack Meridian confirmed, "Hackensack Meridian Health is taking on the financial responsibility of operating the School of Medicine beginning July 1, 2018." The new arrangement will not affect the medical school's opening. In just two weeks, the school has received 1,872 applications for its inaugural class of 55 students. "What hasn't changed is how incredibly excited we are," said Jeffrey R. Boscamp, the associate dean of Medical Education Continuum at Hackensack Meridian. "We opened admissions two weeks ago and received almost 2,000 applications. We started interviewing last week, and acceptance letters are going out a week or two. "On July 9, students will be in the classroom," Boscamp said. The shift in responsibilities is reflected in the institution's name, which is now the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. When the school won preliminary accreditation in February, the school was called Seton Hall-Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. The school retains its preliminary accreditation status, said John Buarotti, spokesman for the Association of American Medical Colleges. In a separate action demonstrating its commitment to the school's success, the Board of Trustees for Hackensack Meridian last month approved a $100 million endowment to fund scholarships, the statement said. Tuition is approximately $60,000, but with the endowment, "we are expecting we are going to bring that down substantially," Boscamp said. The school also offers year-round classes, enabling students to finish in three years, instead of four years, to cut down on loan debt, he added. Seton Hall's initial financial commitment to the project was never publicly revealed, and Boscamp declined to explain how much more the hospital network will have to spend as a result of the new arrangement. But Hackensack Meridian -- the largest hospital and health care network in New Jersey -- "has already seen financial benefit," Boscamp said. "We have been able to recruit physicians from around the country with the promise of new medical school." The medical school, Seton Hall's College of Nursing and its School of Health and Medical Sciences will share the 17-acre campus in Clifton and Nutley once occupied by Hoffmann-La Roche, an international pharmaceutical and health services company which relocated to California five years ago. In a letter to the university community, Seton Hall interim President Mary J. Meehan outlined the changes in the arrangement with Hackensack Meridian and the benefits to students. "The University's strategic academic partnership with Hackensack Meridian is comprehensive and will continue well beyond the School of Medicine's transition," Meehan wrote. "Our nursing and health science students will have broad access to train at Hackensack Meridian's 16 hospitals in the state, four of which are ranked among the top 10 in New Jersey." One-quarter of the class accepted each year will be set aside for Seton Hall students, "a valuable benefit in the very competitive environment for medical education," she said. "Eventually, the school will be administered solely by Hackensack Meridian Health after a defined transition process," Meehan wrote. The medical school's goal is to educate and retain more medical students in New Jersey, which, like the rest of the country, is suffering from a physician shortage. The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University joins four public medical training institutions in the state: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark; Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick; Rowan University's School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford; and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden. NJ Advance Media Staff Writer Adam Clark contributed to this report. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. I felt befuddled. Disoriented. Frightened. And ready to scream in frustration. Fortunately, it was only for eight minutes. But that was more than long enough to give me a sense of what it might be like to have Alzheimer's disease. My brief descent into the world of dementia was by invitation, and harrowing though it was, I'm glad I accepted. The invite came from the Carrier Clinic, one of the largest behavioral healthcare centers in New Jersey. Among the people who the clinic serves are adults over 60 with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. In 2017, the clinic began offering employees a program called the Virtual Dementia Tour, which is designed to let them experience first-hand the kinds of physical and mental challenges that people with dementia face. "It's compassion training, it's a sensitivity training," says occupational therapist Nicole Kiseli. "It allows people the opportunity to walk in the shoes of someone with dementia, and get a sense of what the patient's life is like." There are more than 5.7 million Americans with Alzheimer's, and caring for people with this dreadful disease can be daunting for experienced health professionals, let alone family members trying to take care of a loved one at home. When care-givers actually experience what Alzheimer's might feel like, it gives them a whole new frame of reference, says Molly Fogel, director of educational and social services for the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. "It's a start to the conversation," Fogel says. "They say, 'Oh my goodness, I had no idea this is what mom is experiencing every day. This is scary.'" The Virtual Dementia Tour that I went through has been around for more than a decade, and its creator, Second Wind Dreams, says more than a half a million people have been through it. And the opportunity to experience a simulated form of dementia will become even more accessible in the near future, as the Alzheimer's Foundation of America prepares to launch a virtual reality version. That effort was on the national stage in March when it was presented in a workshop at the annual conference of the National Association of Aging in San Francisco. Fogel says people who don the virtual reality headset get to "briefly experience what it's like to step into the shoes" of someone with Alzheimer's. "Especially someone who is not connected to illness may stay, 'I'm so glad I can take this (headset) off,'" she says. "But individuals with this illness can't take it off, so how do we help build empathy and understanding?" I can attest that the experience of an Alzheimer's simulation can be intense -- overwhelming, actually. And truthfully, I thought I'd be better prepared for it than I was. Three years ago, I lost my mother to one of the less common forms of dementia -- known as frontotemporal degeneration. So I know what dementia is. I've seen what it does to a person. But dealing with it isn't the same thing as experiencing it. That's what I learned in the most jarring way possible when I reported to the Carrier Clinic, located in Belle Mead, for my virtual dementia experience. I met several employees there, including Nyree Sampson, the new director of the clinic's Older Adult Unit, who was going through simulation with me. After brief introductions, things quickly got serious. The staff fitted us with special glasses, headphones and gloves that mimicked some of the cognitive and sensory impairments that people with dementia experience. Right before I enter the simulation room, Nicole Kiseli gives me a set of tasks to perform -- more than I can possibly remember. As they led us down the hall to the simulation room, my anxiety level already was rising. At the door, I was quickly given a set of tasks -- more than I could possibly remember, and then suddenly we were in the simulation room. The next eight minutes were like a surreal nightmare. Loud, startling noises. Flashing lights. An unfamiliar setting. I couldn't get my bearings. I muttered. I groped around. There was something I was supposed to be doing, but I struggled to remember what. Finally, my mind grabbed onto the notion that I was supposed to find a pair of pants and a belt, and put the belt through the belt loops. I found the pants, but I never found the belt, and didn't even manage to complete that one simple task. It was frustrating, humiliating. (I learned later that there was no belt, simulating a common experience where a person with dementia futilely looks for their wallet or their purse, but never finds it because they don't have one.) By the time the eight minutes was up, I desperately wanted out. They took us back to a meeting room, where we shed our gear. Suddenly, I was a capable, cognitively normal person again. But a changed person. Those eight minutes reshaped my understanding of Alzheimer's. I could see that Sampson was as shaken as I was. I search for a pair of pants in the simulation room while Nyree Sampson, director of the Older Adult Unit, attempts to perform another task behind me. "After it's done, coming out of that anxiety you just went through, it take you a minute," she said. "The way your heart is pounding . . . afterward, you have to take that time to process down from it." She then said aloud what I was wondering. What must it be like for a patient with Alzheimer's to experience all of that, and have no escape from it? "If I was off on my own, sitting in my room," she said, "I'm trying to imagine how hard it would be to calm down." "You can see how that could lead to depression," Kiseli told her. Kiseli and Kristin Carr, lead group counselor in the Older Adult Unit, dissected the experience for us, describing the behaviors they observed in us as we struggled with our anxiety and confusion. "You were mumbling to yourself; you did a lot of wandering," Carr told Sampson. "You had a lot of repetitive behaviors. But one thing you were more successful at was setting the table. You've done that so many times." They explained how the training allows staff members to be more understanding of the behaviors that Alzheimer's patients exhibit, and more effective in dealing with them. For instance, during the short time we were in the room, Sampson and I began to shadow each other without realizing it. "Shadowing is a good sign," Kiseli explained. "It means that the patient feels comfortable with you, they trust you. They kind of cling to a staff member, or follow another patient around. It's a pretty normal response. It's a way to cope with confusion." I told them what unnerved me most was being bombarded by loud noises. Carr said a noisy environment can be particularly difficult for people with dementia, and the staff does what it can to avoid startling sounds or loud ambient noise. "If someone drops a table tray or slams a door, or people are shouting, it's too much stimulus," she said. "It's very frustrating and it's all day long for them, not eight minutes." Carr said the staff has been appreciative of the training, and it's helped reinforce the empathy and patience that's important in working with Alzheimer's patients. "A caring touch, kind words, telling them, 'You're going to be OK,' those acts of compassion are so important," she said. "People with dementia have less cognitive decline in a setting with positive reinforcement." Shortly after the training, as I further researched the topic, I learned of the virtual reality workshop that the Alzheimer's Foundation of America offered in San Francisco. To me, that showed the elevated role these simulations are taking in the effort to educate families and communities about Alzheimer's. So I contacted Fogel to talk about it. It turns out Fogel had been through the same Virtual Dementia Tour I took, and still remembers the impact it had on her personally. "It was eye-opening for sure," she said. "When I did the Virtual Dementia Tour, I felt a lot of anxiety. I was very nervous. I didn't know what to do." The foundation has worked with the Virtual Dementia Tour, and now is collaborating with Greener Media to develop a virtual reality version that's more portable and can be experienced by people in a greater variety of settings. The virtual reality version mimics what the moderate stage of Alzheimer's can be like. Of course, nothing can truly replicate the experience of dementia for someone who doesn't have it, but the goal is to give people a glimpse of that reality. "We're very clear that this is what it may be like, or could be like," Fogel said. "Each individual who has Alzheimer's lives with it differently. We talk about the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's and the physiological symptoms. We're just trying to give that snapshot. We're trying to help the person who's living with that person have a better understanding." What the foundation showcased at the National Commission on Aging event is a demo version of the virtual reality experience. It expects to have the full version ready in a few months, and Fogel looks forward to reaching as many people as possible with it. She said anyone can benefit from spending a few minutes walking in the shoes of someone with Alzheimer's, and that's true not just of health professionals and family members, but also of community members who come in daily contact with the growing population of dementia patients, such as grocery store clerks or bus drivers or servers in restaurants. "This is empathy-building and we could all use this understanding," Fogel said. "Everyone should go through this experience." Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, who is seeking election to a second term on May 8, will sit down with The Jersey Journal this evening in an interview to be live-streamed on Facebook. The second of The Jersey Journal's three interviews with Bayonne mayoral candidates this season is set to begin at 6 p.m. and be live streamed on our Facebook page. Incumbent Jimmy Davis will take questions from Political Insider Agustin Torres and reporter Corey McDonald, who covers Bayonne. Readers have sent in a number of questions that will be posed as well. More will be taken during the event. Davis is looking to fend off challenges from former state Assemblyman Jason O'Donnell and local physician/lawyer Mitchell Brown in the May 8 contest. If none of the candidates receives at least 50 percent of the vote plus one vote on Election Day, the top two finishers will face each other in a June 12 runoff. Brown's interview is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 18. To watch this evening's live stream, go to The Jersey Journal's Facebook page, The interviews will continue to be available afterward there, on the Journal's Bayonne Facebook page, , and on through Election Day. JERSEY CITY -- Jurors in the trial of a 60-year-old Jersey City man charged with strangling his brother in 2016 told the judge for a second time today that they were deadlocked, but the judge instructed the jury to continue deliberating. The third day of jury deliberation came and went without a verdict today in the trial of Gangaram Maharaj, who faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murdering Rajendra Maharaj, 62, inside the victim's Journal Square apartment in February 2016. Later this afternoon, the jury passed a note to the judge saying they wanted to hear a playback of the more than two hours of testimony given by the medical examiner. Jurors looked tired when they were called to the jury box and Hudson County Superior Court Judge Patrick Arre told them playback of the testimony would start at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Arre dismissed for the day just after 4 p.m. In her opening statement, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Najma Rana noted that DNA found under Rajendra Maharaj's fingernails matched that of his brother. In response, the defendant's attorney, Gerald Miller, said it is not uncommon for two people who live together to have each other's DNA on their person. He said it was even more likely in this case, because his client would often carry his brother after he passed out, apparently from drinking. During the trial, the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Rajendra Maharaj said he had numerous health conditions that could have proven fatal, including cardiovascular disease, but he stuck by his conclusion the man was strangled. Rajendra Maharaj was found dead in the third-floor apartment at 72 Van Reipen Ave. on Feb. 27, 2016 at about 10:30 a.m. by EMTs responding to a 911 call placed by the sister of the two brothers. JERSEY CITY -- Former Bayonne Mayor and Police Director Mark Smith has been named the first full-time director of homeland security for the Hudson County Sheriff's Office. "I have known Mark for many years and have great respect for his outstanding law enforcement career with the Bayonne Police Department, where he earned many commendations for heroism, saving lives and outstanding police work," Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari said. The sheriff continued saying, "Mark also has significant public safety management experience and he will be a great asset to our office." In his new position, which he started today, Smith will coordinate with homeland security offices at the county, state and federal levels, including with the FBI and New Jersey State Police, Schillari said. The position comes with an annual salary of $104,000. Smith is collecting a $107,000 annual pension from his time as police officer, police director and mayor of Bayonne. New Jersey's director of homeland security, Jared Maples, earned $141,000 in 2017 when he was the acting director. "By establishing a formal Homeland Security Office, Hudson County will now be eligible to pursue additional funding available through the federal government," Schillari said. Smith will work out of the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. Smith succeeded Joe Doria as Bayonne mayor, filling the unexpired seat when Doria stepped down and then winning a full term in 2010. He ran and lost against Jimmy Davis i 2014. Smith served as police director under Doria after rising through the ranks of the Bayonne Police Department. In a separate interview, Haley told CBS News that new sanctions against Russia, which has forces in Syria supporting the Assad regime, would be announced Monday that would "go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use." "We'll see how smart he is," Haley said. "We'll watch his actions. Hopefully he's gotten the message." She said that it is "entirely up to Assad" whether the missile attack on Syria was a one-time response to the suspected chemical attack by Syrian forces a week ago that killed more than 40 people or part of a continuing allied military effort. Haley told Fox News, "If Assad doesn't get it" after Saturday's barrage of 105 missiles fired by the U.S., Britain and France at three Syrian chemical weapons facilities, "it's going to hurt. There will be more. We can't allow even the smallest use of chemical weapons." Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday that the U.S. would launch new missile strikes against his regime if he carries out another chemical weapons attack. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter, "The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term 'Mission Accomplished.' I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use often!" Haley, in her Fox News interview, also defended its use as a military term, rather than as a broader political statement. After the middle-of-the-night attack on Syria, some U.S. television commentators poked fun at Trump's use of the "Mission accomplished" term, first used in 2003 by former President George W. Bush, who claimed prematurely and wrongly that the U.S. had successfully completed its military attack on Iraq. "We all know our work in Syria is not done," she said. Haley rejected the premise posed by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace that the U.S. has condoned Assad's use of conventional weapons to kill rebels attacking his forces, just not chemical agents. "I don't say we've ever said it's OK," she said. "We can't control what a country does to its people." With Russian involvement in Syria and Moscow condemning Saturday's allied missile strike, Haley acknowledged that U.S.-Russian relations are at a low point. "Everything that has strained the relationship is on Russia's side," she said, adding that the U.S. hopes for improved relations with Moscow, but that "we're not going to put up with bad behavior to get it." Much like U.S. statements, Britain's foreign secretary Boris Johnson said there are no plans to launch additional military strikes against Syria, but that his country and its allies will consider further action if Assad uses chemical weapons against his people in the future. U.S. military officials said an initial assessment showed every one of the missiles struck its target on Saturday, reducing the facilities to rubble while avoiding any civilian casualties. The operation targeted three Syrian chemical weapons facilities -- one in the capital of Damascus and two others near Homs, near the border with northern Lebanon. The action was in response to a recent deadly attack in the town of Douma. The U.S. and its allies accused Assad's forces of using chemical weapons, a claim Syria and Russia have rejected. U.S. defense officials say they have high confidence chlorine gas was used and are still assessing evidence indicating the presence of sarin gas. But late Saturday, senior administration officials called the evidence "incontrovertible." The Syrian Foreign Ministry Saturday condemned what it called "the brutal American-British-French aggression... which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law." Russia also decried the U.S.-led operation as a failure, saying the majority of the rockets fired at Syria were intercepted by the Syrian government's air defense systems. Russian news agencies reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a phone call, told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani there would be chaos in international relations if there are further Western strikes on Syria. Trenton police are asking for the public's help in finding the mother of a newborn baby left in a duffel bag on a porch Sunday afternoon. The male infant, who is not more than 48 hours old, was found by residents in the western area of Trenton at about 12 p.m., Lt. David Cruz told NJ Advance Media Sunday evening. After residents notified authorities, the infant was taken to a local hospital where he seems to be in good health, Cruz said. Detectives identified the baby as being of black or Hispanic descent. The baby will remain in the care of the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency as authorities continue to investigate. Trenton police are asking anyone with information that could help locate the child's family to call the department's tip hotline at 609-989-3663 or its detective's bureau at 609-989-4155. Alexis Johnson may be reached at ajohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @alexisjreports. Find nj.com on Facebook. Gerber is packing up its diaper bag and leaving New Jersey. The kid food giant said Monday that it will be closing its headquarters in Florham Park and moving to Arlington, Virginia, beginning the transition in January 2019. Gerber will move operations to the same building as its sister company Nestle USA, which also recently relocated to the Washington D.C. area, the company said in a statement. This means close to 180 New Jerseyans will be out of a job. But the company promised to help employees affected, mostly in corporate positions such as marketing, finance and HR, by offering them the chance to relocate, and severance and outpatient support for those that can't make the move. "We are committed to supporting all of our employees through this process," said President and CEO of Gerber Bill Partyka. "Employees are receiving advance notification to allow them to plan for relocation. The transition will be executed over more than a year-long period which is expected to minimize any disruptions to our colleagues and the Gerber businesses." Joined local officials - and one friend from Richmond - in Arlington today to welcome Gerber to Northern Virginia. Their headquarters will be another great addition to a thriving Rosslyn community! pic.twitter.com/KAsvQmvd6b Rep. Don Beyer (@RepDonBeyer) April 16, 2018 Gerber said the move will not impact its manufacturing locations. Gerber Products Company became a subsidiary of Nestle in 2007. Alexis Johnson may be reached at ajohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @alexisjreports. Find nj.com on Facebook. A former New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission clerk pleaded guilty Monday to charges he accepted bribes to give driving permits and licenses to people who never passed required exams. Rodman Lora, 39, altered driving records for more than 200 people between 2014 and 2016, in some cases approving commercial driver's licenses with special approvals for driving school buses or trucks with hazardous materials, according to the state Attorney General's Office, which brought charges against Lora last year. Rodman Lora, 39. Lora, who worked at the motor vehicle office in Lodi, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy, computer criminal activity and records tampering. "When motor vehicle clerks engage in fraud involving driver's credentials, public safety is compromised," Grewal said in a statement after Lora entered his plea at Superior Court in Bergen County. "It is particularly alarming that school bus drivers were being licensed illegally. Authorities say two other men - Luis Tiburcio, 46, of Passaic, and Masood Ahmadi, 55, of Lake Hiawatha - funneled customers to Lora, with Tiburcio acting as a "runner" and Ahmadi, who owns a bus company, referring his employees and relatives. Both men also pleaded guilty to records tampering charges on Monday. Under a plea deal, prosecutors are recommending Lora serve a seven-year prison sentence with two years and four months of parole ineligibility. He will also give up his pension and be barred from public employment. The trio were among 10 people indicted in December, and authorities now say their investigation led to charges against 60 other customers and runners. Of those, eight pleaded guilty and 52 others entered into a pre-trial intervention program, authorities said. S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Her kidneys were at risk of failing and she was vomiting violently with bloody diarrhea, she said. And by the end of her two weeks in the hospital, she had undergone three blood transfusions. "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy," said Louise Fraser, of Readington Township, summing up her recent battle with E. coli that she claims was from romaine lettuce eaten at a Panera Bread in Raritan. Released just last week from the hospital, Fraser, 66, said she has never experienced such pain and brutal symptoms before. "I was out of it and miserable," said Fraser, who is now recovering at her home. Her illness comes amid an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 35 people in 11 states, including New Jersey, in the past few weeks. Fraser is now suing Panera Bread and its lettuce supplier, Ohio-based Freshway Foods Inc., after health officials identified chopped romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona, as the culprit of the outbreak. The suit alleges that the salad she ate had Freshway-supplied romaine lettuce that had been grown in the Yuma, Arizona, region. And, Freshway recently issued a recall of salads made with pre-chopped romaine. Fraser went to the emergency room on March 25 -- a few days after eating a salad at the Panera Bread. There, doctors confirmed diagnosed her with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure, the lawsuit said. They also confirmed that she had contracted Shiga toxin-producing E. coli -- a severe strain of E. coli that can potentially cause people to become dangerously ill. She said she was pumped with so many fluids in the hospital that she gained about 20 pounds in two weeks. In New Jersey, seven people in four counties have contracted E. coli related to the outbreak -- including four in Hunterdon County, and one each in Monmouth, Sussex and Somerset counties, according to state health officials. According to the CDC, 17 people nationwide were infected with the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The illnesses in all the states were reported between March 22 to March 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No deaths have been reported, the CDC said. The New Jersey Department of Health on Friday said that people "who have bought romaine lettuce -- including salads and salad mixes containing romaine lettuce -- should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick." William Marler, a Seattle-based attorney specializing in food-borne disease cases, who is representing Fraser in the matter, said, "You can look at it and say, 'What did Panera do wrong?'" But, he added, "You're not supposed to sell consumers defective food, and food that has E. coli is defective." The suit is seeking in excess of $75,000 in injuries, damages and medical expenses. The New Jersey Department of Health has said that the E. coli cases in the state had "a possible association with a chain restaurant," but did not name the specific chain. However, the Warren County Health Department had confirmed that Panera Bread restaurants were part of a "regional investigation" into the E. coli outbreak, but that other chains could also be involved. The CDC, however, has said that "no grower, supplier, distributor, or brand has been identified" as the source at this time. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us. nj.com/tips Police have released the name and photo of a postal worker from Lyndhurst whose car was found abandoned near the banks of the Passaic River. Vitorino Cirne Vitorino Cirne, 51, left his home between 1:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Thursday in his car, which was later found in the area of the Lyndhurst Bridge, according to police Chief James O'Connor. Cirne worked for the U.S. Postal Service on Midland Avenue in Kearny, police said. Workers at the facility on Monday declined to comment. Not long after he was reported missing, police found his car near the bridge in the area of Kingsland and Riverside Avenues in Lyndhurst. Divers have been searching the river for several days, police said. Cirne is 5-feet, 7-inches tall, 150 pounds with brown eyes, brown-and-gray hair and a fair complexion. He was last wearing blue lounge pants and a black Adidas jacket with white stripes on the sleeves and a zippered front, police said. Lyndhurst police are being assisted by the Bergen County Regional Scuba Task Force, NJ State Police and the Maywood and Nutley police departments, O'Connor said. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 201-939-2900. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. No one was inside either of the two houses that caught fire along the Jersey Shore blocks from the ocean on Monday morning after one was possibly hit by lightning during heavy rain. The fire, which broke out just after 7 a.m. damaged homes on Sea Gull Lane in the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, police said. The home where the fire started was fully engulfed in flames when police arrived. Officers forced their way inside because they though people might have still been asleep. Both homes suffered heavy damage. A witness said the fire might have been caused by a lightning strike as heavy rain is falling across the state on Monday. Toms River police described the weather conditions as "severe," adding firefighters had to deal with near zero visibility while fighting the fire. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The state's dominant health insurer, Horizon, is battling efforts to force release of internal documents concerning its effort to reshape the state's health-care market, despite the public's undeniable interest in an open and informed discussion. But last week, a judge in Bergen County slapped the company down and ordered it to reveal the information -- a big win for democracy, and for the principle of transparency in our public affairs. At issue is Horizon's effort to transform the way we pay for health care, through a program known as Omnia. If you ask Horizon, the effort is all about saving money and improving care. The core idea is to pay hospitals based on results, measured by patient outcomes, rather than by reimbursing them for each service they provide. It's a promising approach in principle, one embraced by Obamacare. But is that really Horizon's intent? Several community hospitals say that is a cover story for a darker purpose. They charge that Horizon is trying to drive them out of business by steering patients to the large hospital chains, like Hackensack Meridian and Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas. Once the smaller hospitals are gone, they argue, prices will skyrocket due to lack of competition. "That is Horizon's exact strategy and intent," says Michael Maron, the CEO of Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck. "This is a David and Goliath story, and I'm David." The big question is how Horizon picked its winners and losers, a question that is impossible to settle without seeing the documents. In 2015, the insurer created two "tiers" of hospitals, and offered steep discounts to patients who used its preferred Tier One hospitals. Horizon said its intention was to steer more patients into hospitals that were prepared to make this big change. But many Tier Two hospitals are among the best in the state. The well-regarded Leapfrog rankings of hospital quality give many Tier Two hospitals, including Holy Name, higher rankings than many hospitals in Tier One. The community hospitals, including several Catholic hospitals, argue that Horizon is damaging their business by steering patients elsewhere and stigmatizing them as second-rate. "It's hurt our reputation," Maron says. "People think we're not good enough for Horizon, so don't go there." Horizon will appeal last week's ruling, arguing that releasing the information would damage its business. But Superior Court Judge Robert Contillo ruled that the public's right to know outweighs that concern. NJ Advance Media joined the suit, seeking release of the documents. The low-point in the proceedings came when Horizon attacked one of NJ Advance Media's reporters, Sue Livio, as "overwhelmingly" biased against the company. That charge was insulting, even desperate, and the judge rejected it. Where did Horizon find the inspiration for that stunt? From Donald Trump, perhaps? 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. By David Nathan and Paul Armentano Our nation controls potentially dangerous drugs in a variety of ways, either through direct regulation, as with alcohol and tobacco, or by placing them on particular lists, also called schedules. The government's "Schedule I" designation is the most restrictive classification for controlled substances, reserved for the most dangerous, most addictive drugs with no medical value. Heroin and PCP are Schedule I drugs, and despite an overwhelming body of scientific evidence supporting its medical value and safety, so is marijuana. Marijuana's classification as a Schedule I drug is the result of politics and ignorance rather than science. In the coming weeks and months, New Jersey has a historic opportunity to become one of the first states to actively "deschedule" this oft-maligned and misunderstood plant. Last year, Judge Michael Guadagno ruled that the state must reconsider the Schedule I status of cannabis in New Jersey. This decision was referred to the Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA), which oversees the New Jersey Drug Control Unit (DCU). The DCA and DCU have decision-making authority over the scheduling of drugs in New Jersey, and they are now free to reschedule or even deschedule marijuana. Against this backdrop, the DCA announced recently that a series of hearings will take place over the coming weeks so that officials may consider public comments about changing the regulatory status of medical marijuana in New Jersey. Rather than placing marijuana in a less restrictive category under the DCU, we believe a better solution is to deschedule it entirely. When the U.S. Supreme Court declared the "Reefer Madness"-era law against marijuana to be unconstitutional in 1969, the federal government was faced with a choice between legalization or another means of continuing the drug's prohibition. President Richard Nixon appointed the Shafer Commission to study the health effects of marijuana and recommend a course of action. To the surprise of many, this blue-ribbon commission concluded that cannabis should not be included in the prohibitive Schedule I category, but rather should be regulated like alcohol, which is not scheduled at all. The commission's findings were ultimately rejected by the federal government, which was eager to include marijuana in its nascent "war on drugs." Following the reconstituted prohibition of marijuana at the federal level in 1970, the state of New Jersey followed suit. Yet today, the science is clearer than ever that cannabis -- like alcohol and tobacco -- is best controlled when it is regulated rather than criminally prohibited. According to the Controlled Substances Act, a Schedule I drug must meet all of three specific criteria. It must have "a high potential for abuse," "no currently accepted medical use," and "a lack of accepted safety." By this definition, marijuana's inclusion in that category is an insult to any rational person. Cannabis clearly does not share the high abuse potential associated with other Schedule I substances like heroin, or even other legal recreational substances. According to a comprehensive review by the National Academy of Sciences, cannabis's dependence liability is similar to that of caffeine (9 percent), and it is far lower than the dependence associated with other substances like alcohol (15 percent) and tobacco (32 percent). The science is also clear that cannabis possesses an acceptable and well-understood safety profile. Unlike most drugs and even some foods (such as bananas, coffee and kombucha), cannabis possesses no known risk of lethal overdose. According to a World Health Organization review, the acute toxicity of cannabis is vanishingly low: "There are no confirmed cases of human deaths from cannabis poisoning in the world medical literature." Further, there exist numerous FDA-approved trials assessing the safety and efficacy of cannabis in various patient populations. A recent scientific review of these trials concludes: "Based on evidence currently available the Schedule I classification is not tenable. It is not accurate that cannabis has no medical value, or that information on safety is lacking. Finally, it is simultaneously absurd and tragic to conclude that cannabis "has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States." In reality, most states - including New Jersey - recognize the therapeutic use of cannabis by statute. Some of these laws have been in existence for nearly two decades, and societal support has only increased. It is now estimated that over 1.2 million Americans are using cannabis as a legal medicine under state law, yet current restrictions prevent access to millions more. Rather than continuing to keep cannabis misplaced in Schedule I, or moving it to another unnecessarily restrictive schedule - a better option would be to deschedule it completely and regulate its commercial production and retail sale in a manner similar to alcohol or tobacco. Such regulation has been advocated by Gov. Phil Murphy, and we request the DCA to respect scientific evidence and make New Jersey among the first U.S, states to deschedule marijuana. David Nathan is the Princeton-based founder and board president of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, which is a member of New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform's steering committee. He is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and clinical associate professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Paul Armentano is the deputy director of NORML -- the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and he is the co-author of the book, "Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?" (Chelsea Green, 2013). Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Now we face the spectacle of a former FBI director comparing Donald Trump to a mob boss, charging that he is "ethically unfit" for office, and warning that the Russians may indeed have recordings of him cavorting with prostitutes in Moscow. Based on the storm of deranged tweets from Trump in response, James "Slimeball" Comey must have hit a nerve. But the striking part of Comey's book is not his attack on the president's morals, or even his account of Trump's explicit attempts to derail the investigation into Russian meddling. We knew that stuff. The surprise is that Comey's book serves as a powerful indictment of Comey himself. He stands by his political interference in the 2016 campaign, among the most damaging mistakes in the history of the FBI. He still doesn't get it. In fact, Comey dug his hole even deeper by admitting that he considered Hillary Clinton's lead in the polls when he announced that he was resuming the FBI investigation of her 11 days before the vote. "I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump," he told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News. "And so, I'm sure that it - that it was a factor...that she's going to be elected president, and if I hide this from the American people, she'll be illegitimate the moment she's elected, the moment this come out." We do not hire FBI directors to manage the nation's politics. We hire them to catch criminals. Because when police and prosecutors meddle with politics, democracies die. That's why we have laws, rules, and traditions to reinforce the boundary. Police and prosecutors are supposed to keep investigations confidential, and comment only if charges are filed. Even then, they are supposed to restrict their comments to the contents of the indictment. And if no charges are filed, they are supposed to be quiet except in rare circumstances, like police shootings. Comey barreled across each of those red lines. In July of 2016, he held a press conference to announce his recommendation that Hillary Clinton should not be charged with a crime over her use of that private e-mail server, since she showed no intention to commit a crime, and fully cooperated with the investigation. That's all he had to say. But Comey stepped beyond his brief and added his personal condemnation of Clinton as "extremely careless." If you're looking for the arrogant streak that Comey's critics are discussing, there it is. A far more damaging mistake came 11 days before the election, when Comey sent a letter to Congress saying the FBI was reviewing a new batch of Clinton e-mails discovered in a separate investigation of possible sex crimes by Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former Congressman. Weiner was married to a top Clinton advisor, Huma Abedin, who used his laptop to communicate with Clinton. It turned out to be a dead-end. The search of Weiner's laptop turned up nothing to implicate Clinton. But the damage was done. The story dominated the final stretch of the campaign, and Clinton's poll numbers dropped by three points within a week. She lost Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin by less than 1 point, and would have won the presidency had those states gone the other way. In interviews, Comey pleads with viewers to understand that it was a no-win situation for him. He was reluctant to reveal the information during the campaign's final days but had assured members of Congress that he would tell them if the investigation took an unexpected turn. So, wasn't it a mistake to give Congress that assurance in the first place, when the FBI is supposed to keep its mouth shut? Comey doesn't go there. Granted, Clinton was a weak candidate who lost this race for a dozen reasons. But Comey put Trump over the top in that final stretch. He played with fire, and America got burned. "One of the things I've struggled with my whole life is my ego," Comey writes in the book. "I have to be careful not to fall in love with my own view of things." It's a pity he was not more alert to this personal flaw back when it counted, in the summer and fall of 2016. 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. The largest state employee union that for years feuded with former Gov. Chris Christie is on the verge of forging a contract with Gov. Phil Murphy that includes salary increases and back pay, the union announced Monday. The New Jersey section of the Communications Workers of America, whose 32,000 members have been working without a contract for three years, has a "tentative agreement" with the new administration reaching back to July 2015 and expiring in June 2019. The new contract will provide all covered workers with two 2-percent pay increases and, importantly, compensate them for the longevity pay bumps Christie's administration had frozen since 2015, according to the announcement on the group's website. CWA leaders said they will provide members with additional details on the contract later this week and set a date for members the ratify the deal. The union made no concessions in the tentative agreement, the negotiating team said in its message to workers. "We achieved our goals," they said. "The contract improves on the pattern set by other settlements and sets a foundation for our next contract. We bargained to receive all of our increments retroactively and raises for workers at max." Hetty Rosenstein, state director of the Communications Workers of America, and a spokesman for Murphy, a Democrat, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The previous contract expired in June 2015. And union leaders said at the time they were holding off on entering formal negotiations with the state pending a state Supreme Court ruling on funding for government worker pensions they said would set the tone for those talks. After the contracts expired, Christie, a Republican, suspended these employees' pay bumps, called step increases, they typically receive when they reach certain longevity milestones, and the CWA and other state labor groups filed suit. In the past when previous contracts expired without a new one in place, workers continued to receive their step increases. Christie's administration broke from this longstanding tradition, setting off a years-long fight that concludes with this contract. A similar dispute between local public safety unions and Atlantic County and Bridgewater Township went in the workers' favor, with the state Supreme Court largely upholding the practice. Still, the Christie administration refused to pay employees' step increases, and asked the state agency in charge of public labor relations to block the CWA's request to go to arbitration to argue that the state should unfreeze their pay. Then, Murphy's decidedly more labor-friendly administration took office and negotiations appeared to begin in earnest. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. The two ministers have since resigned after facing accusations of obstructing justice, the Supreme Court has demanded answers from the lawyers for their conduct and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to ensure justice for the accused. Among those who had protested their detention were two ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the local Kashmir government. Outrage flared this week after the brutal gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl from a Muslim nomad tribe in a Hindu dominated region of Indian Kashmir in January hit national headlines. The case came to attention after lawyers shouting Hindu nationalist slogans tried to block police from filing charges in court against eight accused men, all Hindus. It was the biggest display of public anger in the country since the 2012 gang rape of a physiotherapy student in the Indian capital sparked nationwide protests. Thousands of people gathered Sunday across India demanding justice for two young victims of rape and raising questions over why safety for children and women still eluded the nation despite tighter laws. Women Shortchanged But this has failed to quell the growing tide of anger in the country among ordinary men and women. Holding placards in cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, they called for swift action to punish the culprits, speedier trials and harsher punishments for child rapists. "Hang the culprits," said many placards. Among the protesters in New Delhi was 37-year-old professional, Aditi Sengupta. "I have reached a saturation point. I am done with the way the country has shortchanged the women." The case of a 16-year-old girl in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, who has accused a powerful BJP lawmaker in the state of raping her last June has also stirred anger. The lawmaker was only arrested on Friday, following widespread outrage over the victim's family's allegations the local police had stonewalled their attempts to file a case against him. The family has also accused him of conspiring with his brother to beat up the girl's father, who later died in police custody. The case only came to public attention after the young girl tried to kill herself in front of the Chief Minister's office. The case is now being investigated by federal police. "The need for justice is obvious but what has been happening of late is that it takes too much outrage and so much protest for people to even sit up and say that yes, something is wrong," actress Sameera Reddy, who joined the protestors in Mumbai told a television channel. Political analysts say the two incidents could have a fallout for the Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Modi, which faces national elections next year. In particular the protests by Hindu activists against the arrest of the men accused of raping the eightyear-old in Kashmir have deepened unease that the government is not doing enough to rein in Hindu fringe groups that have been emboldened under BJP rule. "It also shows probably the challenge that is coming from the extreme right, fringe groups to this government," says political analyst Neerja Chowdhury. "Maybe I feel it is a turning point." A man who claimed the testimony he gave in a murder trial almost 18 years ago was coerced pleaded guilty Monday (April 16) to perjury charges, admitting he lied under oath. William Varnado, 37, testified as an eyewitness in Duvander "Chevy" Hurst's murder trial. Hurst was convicted of second-degree murder in 19-year-old Allen Delatte's death, and sentenced to life in prison on Sept. 15, 2000. Delatte was found gunned down outside the Mercedes Benz Superdome on June 7, 1999. At trial, Varnado testified he saw Hurst's red Oldsmobile Cutlass pass by the Superdome just before the shooting. He told jurors he saw a gunman get out of that car and open fire on Delatte. At an April 2016 hearing for post-conviction relief aimed at overturning Hurst's verdict and sentence, Varnado testified he was nowhere near the Superdome the night Delatte was killed. Varnado said he initially made up a story about what happened the night of the shooting in an interview with lead NOPD homicide detective Archie Kaufman. He said he was coerced by police and prosecutors. Kaufman denied the claim, and Criminal District Judge Camille Buras found Varnado's account was not credible. She denied Hurst's motion for post-conviction relief, and her decision was affirmed in February by Louisiana's 4th Circuit Court of Appeal. 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 Buras previously recused herself from Varnado's case. Criminal District Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson sentenced him on the perjury charges. Varnado pleaded guilty to four counts of perjury-inconsistent statements and one count of theft under $1,000. Landrum-Johnson sentenced him to five years in prison. Per a plea agreement with the state, Varnado received five-year sentences for each of the four perjury counts and one year for theft. Landrum-Johnson ordered the sentences to be served concurrently. The state agreed not to have Varnado sentenced as a triple-felony offender, sparing him a minimum sentence of 20 years, according to District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's office. "In this instance, this defendant either lied 18 years ago to convict an innocent man of murder, or he is lying later to help set a murderer free," Cannizzaro said. "Either is destructive to a criminal court system on which victims so sorely depend for justice to be rendered for themselves and their loved ones." A 46-year-old man was fatally shot during a drug deal that turned deadly in Ponchatoula on Thursday night (April 12), according to police. Shortly after 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Crayton Dillion, 28, and Kenyatta Spears, 33, arranged to meet with Darian Williams on President Hoover Street for a drug deal, according to a news release from the Ponchatoula Police Department. While the three were negotiating, police said Dillion pulled out a hand gun and attempted to rob Williams, who was inside his car at the time. Dillion then shot Williams more than once and fled the scene, according to police. Spears was arrested on the scene Thursday, police said, and she was booked on one charge of principal to first-degree murder. Dillion was found in the Baton Rogue area the next morning, according to police, and was booked on one charge each of first-degree murder, armed robbery with a firearm and carrying of a firearm by a convicted felon. The news release states Dillion is on parole for simple robbery. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's office and the Hammond Police Department assisted with the investigation, as well as the Department of Probation and Parole, the Office of Homeland Security and the Attorney General's office, according to the news release. Two women, including a Tulane student and "her guest," were sexually assaulted in the student's off-campus home early Sunday (April 15), according to a news release from Tulane University police. The two women told police they met two people at an Uptown "establishment" Saturday night, and they all went back to the student's home in the 6100 block of South Claiborne Avenue, according to the TUPD release. Shortly after, a group of men who knew the two people the women had met came to the home where police said they assaulted the two women. Police said the victims could not describe the men who assaulted them, "other than to say they did not believe they were Tulane students." TUPD was notified of the assault early Sunday, according to the news release. As of Sunday night, New Orleans police are assisting TUPD in the investigation. NOPD said Monday morning the women were assaulted by a group of six or seven men. A woman pleaded guilty in Gulfport Monday (April 16) to embezzling $266,598 from a Mississippi Gulf Coast non-profit that provides wigs and prostheses to cancer patients, the Biloxi Sun-Herald reported. Melinda Rosetti-Spence, 53, made her tearful plea in Harrison County Circuit Court before Circuit Judge Lisa Dodson, saying she had a gambling problem, the newspaper reported. Rosetti-Spence is free on a $50,000 bond pending her July 2 sentencing. The state of Mississippi is recommending a 20-year prison term, with 10 suspended, plus restitution. In court Monday, Rosetti-Spence admitted that between March 2015 and July 2016, she stole donations and wrote checks to herself from the Pink Heart Funds, the Sun-Herald reported. Rosetti-Spence was the volunteer treasurer and event planner for the group, based in Long Beach. Earth Day is just around the corner, on Sunday (April 22). Loyola University, in Uptown New Orleans, is hosting a full week of activities to celebrate the day. Events include live music, talks on the solar system and water management, a farmers market and an art exhibit, according to a news release. Free parking will be available at the West Road garage for the events. Most of the events are free and open to the public. Monday (April 16): From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m, the 3,000-square-foot Azby Fund Greenhouse will be open for the public to peruse, while enjoying food from La Monita. The greenhouse is located on the rooftop of Monroe Hall on the main campus and includes a range of plants, including Arabica coffee shrubs and Venus fly traps. Physics students and faculty will host a star gazing show. Loyola music students will perform live. Tuesday (April 17): From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., fresh fruits and vegetables will be for sale at the Sodexco Farmers Market in the Peace Quad. Wednesday (April 18): From 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., there will be a reception for an environmental-themed art at Monroe Hall, Room 411. The exhibit "Nature by Design" features work celebrating nature by Loyola students and will be displayed on the fourth floor of Monroe Hall Monday through Friday. Wednesday (April 18): From 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Loyola Professor Robert Thomas will lead a discussion on new water management strategies in New Orleans. The discussion will focus on a shift in thinking from removing water to making space for water. Friday (April 20): From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., authors Jeffrey Jerome Cohen and Lindy Elkins-Tanton will discuss their book "Earth." The authors -- one a humanist, the other a scientis -- will discuss matters of ecology, scale, perspective, disaster, space exploration, and the future of our planet. Click here to see a full list of the week's events. The U.S. wants Korea to pay part of the cost of deploying so-called strategic assets like aircraft carriers here, a Foreign Ministry official said Friday. The demand was made in talks between the two sides on Jeju Island last week to discuss Seoul's share of the upkeep for the U.S. Forces Korea. At the moment the U.S. bears all costs of deploying the strategic assets if they take part in joint annual military exercises. The fresh demand means Korea's overall share of the cost of U.S. military protection could increase by hundreds of billions of won a year. This year its contribution is W960.2 billion (US$1=W1,070). Reading the headlines last week, you might have thought U.S. District Court nominee Wendy Vitter was the second coming of George Wallace, Bull Connor or Leander Perez. The suggestion was that Vitter, nominated by Republican President Donald Trump for a seat on the federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana, was hostile to the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 ruling that rejected the "separate but equal" legal construct of Plessy v. Ferguson and ordered schools across the country to begin desegregation. "Trump Judicial Nominee Refuses To Say If She Agrees With Desegregated Schools," the Huffington Post said. "Trump judicial nominee refuses to say if landmark civil rights opinion was correctly decided," CNN reported. And PBS Newshour went with "This Trump judicial nominee wouldn't say if she agreed with Brown v. Board of Education." NOLA.com offered up, "Wendy Vitter won't say if Supreme Court was right to outlaw segregated schools." The headlines are technically correct, but journalistically disingenuous based on what we know about the nature of partisan questioning in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It began when Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., asked Vitter, "Do you believe that Brown v. Board of Education was correctly decided?" Did Blumenthal have any reason to believe that Vitter disagreed with the court ruling or that she would be looking to overturn 64 years of precedent by deciding that "separate but equal" was constitutional? Of course not. He was trying to set a trap by coaxing Vitter to comment on one Supreme Court ruling that would then open the door to the case he really wanted to get to, the abortion right the court found in Roe v. Wade. There are plenty of legal experts and judges, including some on the Supreme Court, who might argue that Roe v. Wade was not "correctly decided" but that position coming from a nominee would mean likely defeat or a career of recusals from cases involving abortion issues. Vitter tried to avoid the trap as other judicial candidates have done. "Senator, I don't mean to be coy, but I think I get into a difficult ... difficult area when I start commenting on Supreme Court decisions, which are correctly decided and which I may disagree with," she told Blumenthal. "Again, my personal, political, or religious views, I would set aside. That is Supreme Court precedent. It is binding. If I were honored to be confirmed, I would be bound by it and of course I would uphold it." But Blumenthal asked again, and Vitter again demurred. Vitter made it clear that she was refusing to comment on cases "which are correctly decided" and that she would be "bound" to uphold as a district court judge. A perfectly reasonable and judicious response, but that didn't stop the inflammatory headlines and condemnations from civil rights groups from coming. This, of course, was the Catch-22 that Blumenthal was trying to put Vitter in. Either she gets tarred as a racist or she becomes disqualified to rule on cases regarding abortion rights. How do we know that was the senator's plan? In March, Blumenthal asked the same question of Sixth Circuit nominee John Nalbandian. Nalbandian responded that, "Brown, Senator, is a seminal decision in the Supreme Court's history and corrected an egregious error in Plessy v. Ferguson and I believe ... I believe it was [correctly decided]." The next question immediately from Blumenthal was whether Roe v. Wade also was correctly decided. "I'm reluctant," Nalbandian told Blumenthal, "and I think it would be inappropriate for me to go down a list of Supreme Court cases and say I think this case was rightly decided and that case was not, because I think it would call into question my partiality going forward." The answers, of course, are inconsistent and make the nominee appear shifty and deceitful. Not a good look for a judge. And neither is being made to look racist. As the general counsel to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans and a critic of abortion rights in her public life, Vitter no doubt has personal and legal issues with Roe v. Wade, as do many others. But the role of a judge in the lower courts is to rule according to the law and Supreme Court precedent. Despite the headlines, there was nothing in her testimony to suggest that she would do anything but that on the bench. Tim Morris is an opinions columnist at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at tmorris@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter @tmorris504. State workers and students in Louisiana likely will soon have to show proof of immunization, or an exception to being vaccinated, now that the federal Food & Drug Administration fully approved Monday one of the COVID vaccines. North and South Korean officials meet again Wednesday in the border truce village of Panmunjom to prepare for the inter-Korean summit. A follow-up high-level meeting to discuss the agenda will be held on Thursday or Friday. Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday it will open a website at www.koreasummit.kr that will provide a live feed on the summit. The website will be updated real time with news, videos and photos. President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will reportedly talk on the phone later this week or early next week. iStock/Thinkstock(BISHOPVILLE, S.C.) -- At least seven inmates were killed and 17 injured when a prison melee broke out at a South Carolina prison, officials said. The "mass casualty incident" at the Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina, erupted around 7:15 p.m. and didn't end until 2:55 Monday morning, the South Carolina Department of Corrections said in a statement. The deadly altercation occurred in three housing units at the maximum security prison. "All SCDC staff and responding law enforcement officers are safe and accounted for," according to the statement. Lee County Fire and Rescue a sent crews to assist in the "mass causality incident," the agency said in a Facebook post. It was not immediately clear what started the incident. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Amid an escalating trade war between the U.S. and China, Samsung and LG are considering stopping their production of LCD TVs for export to the U.S. in China. The news comes after Washington announced a plan earlier this month to slap 25 percent tariffs on some 1,300 Chinese goods including industrial robots and electric cars. Chinese-made semiconductors and displays, which are Korea's major export items, are not on the list, but the 40-inch LCD TVs Samsung and LG make in China are. Industry insiders on Sunday said a recent meeting of key executives in Samsung's home appliance division concluded that the TVs the company is producing in China for export to the U.S. are not profitable enough. "If we're slapped with a 25 percent tariff, we can't make ends meet and have to stop production," a Samsung executive said. This is also the case for LG, which is producing TVs in China on an original design manufacturing contract. The two companies make only a small volume of TVs in China for export to the U.S. Samsung produces a mere 10 percent of the TVs it exports to the U.S. there and the rest in Mexico. If the trade war between Washington and Beijing escalates, they will have to adjust production volumes of their global bases. Apr 16, 2018 JB Sibiraj is one actor who has not tasted much success but has earned the name of being associated with quality content. His last release was Sathya, which was the Tamil remake of the Telugu film Kshanam. The film was appreciated by the audience and the critics. Now it has been announced that producer SR Prabhu of Dream Warrior Films and Potential Studios would be bankrolling a film with Sibi as the lead. SR Prabhu is one of Tamil cinemas promising producers known for funding content driven films. Sources say that Kamalakannan, who made the critically acclaimed Madhubaanakadai, will be directing the film. The makers havent made any official announcement due to the ongoing strike. Kamalakannan is said to have written the script for more than two years. The story is reported to have unique elements and offer a fresh movie watching experience to the audiences. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The North Korean regime is raising the profile of leader Kim Jong-un's wife Ri Sol-ju, giving her a new honorific title and showcasing more of her public activities. The official [North] Korean Central News Agency reported Saturday that Ri attended a performance of "Giselle" by the visiting National Ballet of China along with Workers Party officials but without her husband. KCNA said "revered first lady" Ri Sol-ju attended the performance with apparatchiks Choe Ryong-hae, Kim Yo-jong, Kim Yong-chol and Ri Su-yong. The normal designation has been "comrade." The last time the state media used "revered first lady" was in 1974, referring to nation founder Kim Il-sung's wife Kim Song-ae. China's largest trade fair opens From:ChinaDaily | 2018-04-15 11:26 GUANGZHOU - China's largest trade fair opened its 123rd session Sunday in South China's Guangdong province, attracting more than 25,000 companies as exhibitors. The biannual China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, is considered as a barometer of China's foreign trade. Xu Bing, the fair's spokesperson, said buyers from more than 210 countries and regions are expected to attend the fair, with the total number of buyers to level with the previous session. The first phase of the fair, which runs from April 15 to April 19, features products including home appliances, electronics and hardware, with major brands such as Haier and Midea showcasing their latest models. The fair also features an exhibition area for imports, with more than 600 companies from 34 countries and regions to exhibit at around 1,000 booths. Latest data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed that China registered sound growth in foreign trade for the first quarter, with trade surplus shrinking. The country's goods exports rose 7.4 percent year on year in the first three months while imports grew 11.7 percent. Trade surplus stood at 326.18 billion yuan (about 51.85 billion US dollars), a 21.8 percent drop year on year, GAC data showed. Police in Kanungu is investigating circumstances under which a 63-year-old French national lost his life while on the way from a gorilla tracking expedition. Tutin Jean Piere, who also works with France embassy in Kenya died on Saturday at Kanyambeho-Kinurira cell in Buremba parish, Mpungu sub-county, Kanungu district. The tourist lost his life while returning from a gorilla tracking expedition According to Christine Posi, 59, another French national who was part of the team, their colleague developed a strange illness soon after returning from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where they had spent time together tracking gorillas. According to Christine Posi, 59, another French national who was part of the team, their colleague developed a strange illness soon after returning from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where they had spent time together tracking gorillas. They were residing at Mahogany Lodge in Kayonza sub-county. Kigezi region police spokesperson Elly Maate says that the body of the deceased has been taken to City Mortuary in Kampala for postmortem as part of ongoing investigations into the matter. Piere becomes the second tourist to die in almost similar circumstances in the region this month. On April 7, Shukla Mukesh,60, a British tourist also reportedly collapsed and died while on the way to tour pygmy settlements in Kyevu Butanda sub-county, Kabale district. Mukesh collapsed as they were climbing a hill in Kyevu and died while being rushed to the nearby Kyevu health centre II. Police wants such attire confiscated Police commanders across the country are uncertain on how to enforce a directive to confiscate camouflage attire similar to that of the army and police from the public. Police commanders across the country are uncertain on how to enforce a directive to confiscate camouflage attire similar to that of the army and police from the public. Last Friday, Asuman Mugenyi, police director of operations directed all district and district police commanders to confiscate the camouflage attire. He also directed the district security committees across the country to stop shops selling the camouflage immediately. The district security committees, which comprises of the district internal security officer (DISO), district police commander (DPC), resident district commissioner (RDC), district chairperson and the chief accounting officer are expected to decide how to go about the directive. URN talked to about 16 of the 157 DPCs across the country on the implementation of the directive. However, none of them had a clue on how to implement the directive. The DPCs told URN on condition of anonymity that they were confused on how to implement the order especially with the business community. "How do I go and stop someone from selling a cloth when there is no law that backs me," asked a DPC in Kampala. The UPDF act only criminalizes dressing in clothes that are of close likeliness to UPDF uniforms. Patrick Onyango, the deputy police spokesperson, said he was only aware how they would confiscate the clothes from the civilians wearing them but not how to handle the business people. "Talk to the DPC they are the ones who will be implementing the orders. They must be in the know on what to do," Onyango said. The DPCs couldn't speak on record and therefore referred URN to the Kampala metropolitan police commander (KMP) or spokesperson. The KMP spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire asked for time to consult with his bosses. He however told URN four days later that he was still trying to get in touch with the director of operations. "I still need to consult with the director operation," Owoyesigyire said. In downtown Kampala, one can barely see the camouflage clothes on display since the order to confiscate them was issued. Most of the traders interviewed by URN, said they only bring in one or two clothes. Faridah Nakato, a cloth dealer who used to sell camouflage trousers, short and vests, says they will have to stop selling them if the worst comes to worst. "What can we do? We will have to stop selling them. For those who still have some in stock, it's sad, "Nakato said. The worlds most faithful male is a stork. Every year, for the past 16 years, he has flown 14,000 km from his winter home in South Africa to a small village in Croatia, Europe, to be with his handicapped mate, who cannot fly due to an old gunshot wound. The amazing love story between Klepetan and Malena has made the two storks celebrities in Croatia. Every March, the male stork flies back to the village of Brodski Varos, where Malena is waiting for him. They mate and have new babies each year, which Klepetan then teaches how to fly, before migrating with them to South Africa. The injured female stays behind, as she cannot fly, but shes always well taken care of during the cold winter. Photo: YouTube screengrab 71-year-old Stjepan Vokic, a local school caretaker, adopted Malena in 1993, after finding her near a pond. She had been injured by hunters, and would have surely ended up as a meal for foxes or other predators, but he took her home and nursed her back to health. She wouldnt be able to migrate for the winter ever again, but Vokic made sure her winter home was as comfortable as possible. Called improvised Africa, by Vokic, the storage building Malena spends her winters in features a nest, heating and aquarium, and her human dad makes sure to bathe her regularly and rub cream on her feet to stop them drying out. So when Klepetan arrives in the first days of Spring, shes ready to add more baby storks to the 62 they already have together. I also take her fishing since I cant take her to Africa. We even watch TV together, Vokic told AFP. If I had left her in the pond foxes would have eaten her. But I changed her fate, so now Im responsible for her life. Klepetan wears a tracking ring on one of his legs, and his final migratory destination has been traced to a wetland near Cape Town, in South Africa, some 14,500 km from Brodski Varos. It takes him little over a month to fly back to his beloved Malena every Spring. Stjepan Vokic, who lives by himself, after losing his wife a few years ago, says that every time Klepetan arrives, he feels like one of his sons has returned home. A naturopath in Victoria, British Columbia, is facing massive criticism online, after boasting that she treated a four-year-old boys aggression and behavioral problems with a remedy made from rabid dog saliva. Dr. Anke Zimmermann recently wrote about this interesting case on her website. Apparently, when she first 4-year-old Jonah, he had trouble sleeping, partly because he was afraid of werewolves, and would hide under tables and growl at people at school. After talking to his parents, Zimmermann also learned that he liked meat, particularly hamburgers, hot dogs and meatballs, and didnt like to be cuddled, but instead would someone sniff, nuzzle and lick his mother, like a dog. Armed with this information, the naturopath asked Jonahs mother a critical question: Unrelated photo: Jan Tik/Flickr At this point I asked his mother if Jonah had ever been bitten by a dog. Indeed, the answer was yes, he was bitten when he was two years old by a dog on a beach. The dog bit his hand because he wanted the food Jonah had. The bite broke the skin, the naturopath wrote on her website. Jonah was obviously in a dog state, slightly rabies-flavoured dog state to be more precise. I decided to give a homeopathic remedy made from rabies, Dr. Zimmermann added. The dog who bit him may have recently been vaccinated with the rabies vaccine or the dog bite in and of itself may have affected the boy with the rabies miasm. Either is possible and the phenomenon is welll-known in homeopathy. Jonah was treated with the unusual cure, called Lyssinum 200CH several times over a few months, and this allegedly improved his condition dramatically. According to the article posted by Dr. Zimmermann, he slept better, as he was no longer afraid of werewolves, and didnt hide or growl at people anymore. The way I see it, he is coming back into a more human state from a slightly rabid dog state, the naturopath concluded. The reaction to this case has not been as positive as Dr. Zimmermann had hoped. Soon after posting a link to the controversial article on her Facebook page, with the caption Why are some kids so aggressive? Maybe they were bitten by a dog! This four-year-old boy with sleep and behavioural problems, including aggression and violence towards school mates as well as hiding under tables and growling, improved dramatically with a remedy made from a rabid dogs saliva, negative comments started pouring in. May God help us all. Whats next, injecting with tuberculosis for anorexia, leprosy for eczema? Andrej Spec, MD, tweeted. What living parent would allow this. What nonsense, another Twitter user wrote. What living parent would allow this. What nonsense. catfish as in catfish hunter (@catfish8888) 12 April 2018 Things werent much better in the comment section of the actual article, with some people asking really interesting questions, like how does someone get their hands on rabid dog saliva, or how does someone bit by a rabid dog not get rabies (i.e. Jonahs case) How is this even real? What sane adult thinks that werewolves and vampires exist? How does one obtain the saliva from a rabid dog? one person wrote. How does someone bitten by said rabid dog not get rabies? You do know that rabies is mostly not going to end well for either dog nor human? One doesnt simply get over rabies. What utter drivel, another person commented. Interestingly, despite all the criticism, the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia stands by Dr. Zimmerman and her unusual treatment. May God help us all. Whats next, injecting with tuberculosis for anorexia, leprosy for eczema? Andrej Spec, MD, MSCI (@DocFungal) 12 April 2018 Dr. Anke Zimmermann is licensed to practise naturopathic medicine in B.C., Phillipa Stanaway, Deputy Registrar, College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia, told HuffPost Canada. Lyssinum is not excluded from the pharmacopoeia for naturopathic doctors in B.C. Homeopathy, which includes the use of substances such as lyssinum, is a traditional modality with a long history in the naturopathic scope of practice; it is still used by some naturopathic doctors today. Children usually launch their toy pirate ships in their pool or bathtub, but two Scottish brothers decided they wanted their toy ship to tackle the high seas. They launched it from Peterhead, in Scotland, last May, and it has been sailing the worlds seas and oceans ever since. Ollie Ferguson (8) and his brother Harry (5), launched their Playmobil pirate ship into the North Sea as part of a bucket list of adventures that they put together. Their parents were more than happy to help out, preparing the ship for its maiden voyage. They toy ship had a counterweight added, to help it stay afloat, and its hull was filled with polystyrene to improve its buoyancy. But despite these modifications, no one expected it to still be sailing almost a year after being launched from Peterhead. Its currently passing by Guyana, in South America. Photo: The Days Are Just Packed/Facebook Named Adventure by the two Scottish brothers, the toy pirate ship originally sailed hundreds of miles from Peterhead, in Scotland, all the way to Denmark, where a family found it and set it on its way again. It then reached Sweden and Norway, and every time it reached a shore, someone would find it and launch it again. The Adventure carries a written message asking anyone who finds it to launch it back into the sea. After being launched from the Norwegian shoreline, last year, the Adventure was taken aboard the Christian Radich, a Norwegian full-rigged ship, and transported to a larger body of water that it could explore. Late last year, the Playmobil ship was launched off the coast of Mauritania, in the Atlantic Ocean, and its been continuing its exciting adventure ever since. Its hard to imagine anyone anticipating that the Adventure would last so long at sea, but Ollie and Harrys father did find the idea of tracking the toy boat on its voyage exciting, so before launching it into the North Sea, he partnered up with a leading GPS tracking company to have it equipped with a state-of-the-art transmitter. So theyve been able to keep an eye on the Adventures location ever since the beginning. The boys love it, their father, MacNeill Ferguson, said. When they come home from school they ask if there is there any news about the ship. Theyve also set up a Facebook page where they document the ships progress and post photos and news about its incredible sailing adventure. Believe it or not, theres now an international community following this page and even helping the Fergusons by keeping an eye on the toy boat should it be sailing past their location. Its been quite a journey for the toy pirate ship, but last week, it seemed to have come to an end. On The Days Are Just Packed Facebook page the Fergusons announced that the Adventure had not been transmitting its location twice a day, as it usually did. It had missed several pings, and everyone feared that its Atlantic voyage may have finally come to an end. However, yesterday, just when it looked like the voyage was over, the Adventure starting transmitting off the coast of South America. So I guess the Adventures epic adventure continues. And the icing on the cake is that the little pirate ship is actually heading for the Bahamas, home of the most famous pirates in history. You can the Adventures position here. Karen Hinton Karen Hinton, who was press secretary for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has re-launched her firm to focus on issues such as environmental protection, affordable housing and employment opportunities for low-income individuals. Most recently chief strategy officer at Fenton, Hinton handled de Blasio's messaging, branding and oversight of a ten-person staff. Prior to joining de Blasio's team, she ran Hinton Communications and was senior advisor to former Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary and current New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Currently working from her suburban NYC home (100 Jay St., Katonah, NY 10536), Hinton represents Business Network for Offshore Wind, Nonhuman Rights Project, National Community Reinvestment Coalition and the Amazon Defense Coalition, which is waging a legal battle with Chevron over a $12B oil pollution judgment. Hinton can be reached at 703/798-3109. Home Just In Nepals foreign minister flying to Beijing to prepare the ground for Olis China trip Kathmandu, April 16 Nepals Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali is flying to Beijing of China on Monday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its official statement says Gyawali is paying the visit to the northern neighbour upon an invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. During the visit, he will also hold bilateral talks with various leaders. However, it is believed that the trip is meant to prepare the ground for Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis visit to China. The two sides are yet to confirm any date, but Oli is planning to visit China at the earliest. It is expected that both the sides will announce the date after Gyawali returns home on April 21. Likewise, the Minister with the Chinese leadership may discuss the long-awaited visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Nepal. Meanwhile, Gyawali is hosting a press meet to share his agendas for the trip this afternoon. Opalesque Industry Update - Fidante Partners, an international investment management business, announced the appointment of Hugh Ferrand to the Institutional Business Development team in its London office. Hugh has over 20 years' experience in institutional sales, principally as head of the Invesco Perpetual Institutional Division, where he successfully grew the institutional business whilst developing strong relationships with clients across pension schemes, charities, endowment funds and insurance firms. Prior to joining Invesco in 1999, Hugh was an investment manager, initially at Adam Bank and then at Blairlogie. Hugh's career began at Cazenove in 1981 where he worked for 11 years researching and selling Asian equities. Hugh is currently a Governor at Birkbeck College. Working closely with Max Bickford in the institutional sales team, Hugh will be responsible for developing Fidante Partners' institutional business development activities and engagement with pension funds and insurance companies across the UK. Hugh is the latest senior leader appointed by Fidante Partners as it grows its business operations. Gihan Ismail has joined in the newly created role of Head of Strategic Partnerships to provide strategic support to Fidante Partners' managers while John Armstrong-Denby has joined Fidante Capital, the international capital markets business of Fidante Partners, as Head of Corporate Finance to lead the origination and execution of transactions. Joachim Klement recently joined to lead the Investment Research efforts at both Fidante Partners and Fidante Capital. Hugh reports directly to Cathy Hales, Global Head of Fidante Partners. Cathy Hales, Global Head of Fidante Partners, said: "We are constantly looking at ways of delivering better outcomes for our clients and achieving their investment objectives. Hugh has an impressive track record in institutional sales and built a reputation for creating client confidence and a positive team environment. We've been impressed with the recent interest among institutional clients for the highly active and alternative strategies offered by our investment partners and Hugh's appointment will continue to build on this recent momentum. His extensive experience will prove highly beneficial to Fidante over the years to come. It is a really exciting time for the business, with Hugh complementing several other recent high quality senior hires across the business." Hugh Ferrand added: "Fidante Partners is a fast growing and client focused organisation. I am impressed with the firm's high quality new leadership team and recent achievements. The global Fidante platform offers strategies that are an exciting prospect for institutional investors. I look forward to contributing towards the continued growth of the Fidante business through developing new client opportunities and managing existing ones." Apple warned employees to stop leaking internal information on future plans and raised the specter of potential legal action and criminal charges, one of the most-aggressive moves by the world's largest technology company to control information about its activities. The Cupertino, California-based company said in a lengthy memo posted to its internal blog that it "caught 29 leakers," last year and noted that 12 of those were arrested. "These people not only lose their jobs, they can face extreme difficulty finding employment elsewhere," Apple added. The company declined to comment on Friday. Apple outlined situations in which information was leaked to the media, including a meeting earlier this year where Apple's software engineering head Craig Federighi told employees that some planned iPhone software features would be delayed. Apple also cited a yet-to-be-released software package that revealed details about the unreleased iPhone X and new Apple Watch. Leaked information about a new product can negatively impact sales of current models, give rivals more time to begin on a competitive response, and lead to fewer sales when the new product launches, according to the memo. "We want the chance to tell our customers why the product is great, and not have that done poorly by someone else," Greg Joswiak, an Apple product marketing executive, said in the memo. The crackdown is part of broader and long-running attempts by Silicon Valley technology companies to track and limit what information their employees share publicly. Firms like Google and Facebook are pretty open with staff about their plans, but keep close tabs on their outside communications and sometime fire people when they find leaks. Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg last week talked about her disappointment with leakers. In 2016, Google fired an employee after the person shared internal posts criticizing an executive. The employee filed a lawsuit claiming their speech was protected under California law. In messages to staff, tech companies sometimes conflate conversations employees are allowed to have, such as complaining about working conditions, with sharing trade secrets, said Chris Baker, an attorney with Baker Curtis and Schwartz, PC, who represents the fired Googler. "The overall broad definition of confidential information makes it so employees don't say anything, even about issues they're allowed to talk about," he said. "That's problematic." Apple is notoriously secretive about its product development. In 2012, Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook pledged to double down on keeping the company's work under wraps. Despite that, the media has continued to report news on the firm to satisfy demand for information on a company that's become a crucial part of investment portfolios, many of which support public retirement funds for teachers and other essential workers. In 2017, Apple held a confidential meeting with employees in another bid to stop leaks. Since then, publications, including Bloomberg News, published details about the iPhone X, a new Apple TV video-streaming box, a new Apple Watch with LTE, the company's upcoming augmented-reality headset, new iPad models, software enhancements, and details about the upcoming iPhones and AirPods headphones. Here's the memo: Last month, Apple caught and fired the employee responsible for leaking details from an internal, confidential meeting about Apple's software roadmap. Hundreds of software engineers were in attendance, and thousands more within the organization received details of its proceedings. One person betrayed their trust. The employee who leaked the meeting to a reporter later told Apple investigators that he did it because he thought he wouldn't be discovered. But people who leak -- whether they're Apple employees, contractors or suppliers -- do get caught and they're getting caught faster than ever. In many cases, leakers don't set out to leak. Instead, people who work for Apple are often targeted by press, analysts and bloggers who befriend them on professional and social networks like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook and begin to pry for information. While it may seem flattering to be approached, it's important to remember that you're getting played. The success of these outsiders is measured by obtaining Apple's secrets from you and making them public. A scoop about an unreleased Apple product can generate massive traffic for a publication and financially benefit the blogger or reporter who broke it. But the Apple employee who leaks has everything to lose. The impact of a leak goes far beyond the people who work on a project. Leaking Apple's work undermines everyone at Apple and the years they've invested in creating Apple products. "Thousands of people work tirelessly for months to deliver each major software release," says UIKit lead Josh Shaffer, whose team's work was part of the iOS 11 leak last fall. "Seeing it leak is devastating for all of us." The impact of a leak goes beyond the people who work on a particular project - it's felt throughout the company. Leaked information about a new product can negatively impact sales of the current model; give rival companies more time to begin on a competitive response; and lead to fewer sales of that new product when it arrives. "We want the chance to tell our customers why the product is great, and not have that done poorly by someone else," says Greg Joswiak of Product Marketing. Investments by Apple have had an enormous impact on the company's ability to identify and catch leakers. Just before last September's special event, an employee leaked a link to the gold master of iOS 11 to the press, again believing he wouldn't be caught. The unreleased OS detailed soon-to-be-announced software and hardware including iPhone X. Within days, the leaker was identified through an internal investigation and fired. Global Security's digital forensics also helped catch several employees who were feeding confidential details about new products including iPhone X, iPad Pro and AirPods to a blogger at 9to5Mac. Leakers in the supply chain are getting caught, too. Global Security has worked hand-in-hand with suppliers to prevent theft of Apple's intellectual property as well as to identify individuals who try to exceed their access. They've also partnered with suppliers to identify vulnerabilities - both physical and technological - and ensure their security levels meet or exceed Apple's expectations. These programs have nearly eliminated the theft of prototypes and products from factories, caught leakers and prevented many others from leaking in the first place. Leakers do not simply lose their jobs at Apple. In some cases, they face jail time and massive fines for network intrusion and theft of trade secrets both classified as federal crimes. In 2017, Apple caught 29 leakers. 12 of those were arrested. Among those were Apple employees, contractors and some partners in Apple's supply chain. These people not only lose their jobs, they can face extreme difficulty finding employment elsewhere. "The potential criminal consequences of leaking are real," says Tom Moyer of Global Security, "and that can become part of your personal and professional identity forever." While they carry serious consequences, leaks are completely avoidable. They are the result of a decision by someone who may not have considered the impact of their actions. "Everyone comes to Apple to do the best work of their lives - work that matters and contributes to what all 135,000 people in this company are doing together," says Joswiak. "The best way to honor those contributions is by not leaking." -- Mark Gurman, Bloomberg Bloomberg's Mark Bergen and Sarah Frier contributed. The Oregon Department of Transportation's freeway sign replacement project continues this week with nighttime lane and ramp closures. ODOT is upgrading, repairing and replacing interstate highway signs on Interstates 5 and 84 throughout 2018. According to a release, the upgraded signs are brighter, more reflective and meet new federal standards. Starting Monday night, the following ramps and lanes will see closures. The northbound I-5 off-ramp to Terwilliger Boulevard will be closed 10 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday April 16-17. The southbound I-5 off-ramp to Multnomah Boulevard will be closed from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. Wednesday April 17-18. The right lane on northbound I-5 at milepost 292.5 (near Boones Ferry/Carmen Drive) will be closed 8 p.m. Wednesday to 5:30 a.m. Thursday April 18-19. The right lane on southbound I-5 at milepost 292.8 (near Boones Ferry/Carmen Drive exits) will be closed from 8 p.m. Thursday to 5:30 a.m. Friday April 19-20. *** VANCOUVER 7:54 a.m.; Crash on the I-5 northbound exit to 39th Street. Right side of the exit is blocked. Use caution. Update 8:13 a.m.; Cleared. *** NORTHWEST PORTLAND 7 a.m.; Signals out on Northwest 27th Avenue and Vaughn Street. Treat as an all-way stop. *** TRIMET MAX LINES 6:41 a.m.; Westbound MAX Blue and Red towards Hillsboro and Beaverton may be delayed up to 15 minutes through 7 a.m. due to an earlier mechanical issue near Washington Park. Update 7:34 a.m.; Just when you thought... TriMet reports MAX Blue Line is delayed up to 15 minutes through 8 a.m. due to an earlier mechanical issue near the Elmonica/SW 170th Ave station. *** A Vancouver water utility project will require a temporary closure of the Evergreen Boulevard exit on westbound SR 14, all days and hours for about two weeks beginning Monday, April 16. The work is the final step in the project to replace nearly 1,000 feet of aging water main that crosses beneath SR 14, from East Evergreen Boulevard on the north to Southeast Evergreen Highway on the south. Pavement restoration is anticipated to follow during the week of April 23 - weather permitting. Expect a road closure of Southwest Merry Lane at Scholls Ferry Road in Southwest Portland from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday, April 16. Water service crews will be surveying. Crews will be performing work at the northern end of the road. Traffic will be routed through the southern end of the looped road. Check back throughout the morning for the latest commuting updates and follow us on Twitter: @trafficportland Oregonian file photo/2015 Above: nLight's factory north of Vancouver By Mike Rogoway | The Oregonian/OregonLive The Silicon Forest hasn't had a tech IPO in 14 years, a historic drought that reflects the region's failure to produce any large, local companies even as other West Coast regions produced scores of other prominent businesses. That losing streak could end as soon as this month, with Clark County laser manufacturer nLight Corp. (above) planning its long-anticipated IPO. The company's revenues grew by nearly 40 percent last year, reflecting a surge in demand for high-output lasers from manufacturers in the industrial, aerospace, defense and electronics industries. The lasers' capabilities are improving rapidly and nLight's revenues grew nearly 40 percent last year, to $138 million. The company employs more than 1,000 worldwide, many of those at its headquarters north of Vancouver and at an outpost in Hillsboro. Here's a look back at past tech IPOs in Oregon and Southwest Washington, and the amount each company raised: Don't Edit VintageTEK Tektronix, 1963: $10 million raised The godfather to Oregons tech industry went public in 1963 and continued growing for two more decades, spinning off scores of other companies. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo Floating Point Systems, 1978: $9.5 million Former Tektronix engineer Norm Winningstad started the supercomputing company in 1970 and it grew into one of the regions biggest tech businesses, with revenues peaking at $127 million in 1985. Floating Point lost its direction in subsequent years, though, and Cray Research acquired Floating Points assets for $3.25 million in 1991. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo Electro Scientific Industries, 1983: $18 million Oregons oldest tech company (yes, its older than Tek) has re-emerged in the last year as a specialty laser manufacturer. Above: Former CEO William Walker in 1981. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo Mentor Graphics Corp., 1984: $55 million The Silicon Forest's last $1 billion company, Mentor's software helps engineers design complex electronics. It sold to Siemens last year for $4.5 billion but continues operating at its Wilsonville campus. Above: Former CEO Thomas Bruggere in 1984. Don't Edit Don't Edit Oregonian file photo Sequent Computer Systems, 1987: $29 million Sold to IBM in 1999 for $810 million. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo, 1988 Lattice Semiconductor Corp, 1989: $14 million Founded by alumni of Tektronix and Intel, Lattice makes programmable computer chips and is now Portland's biggest tech company. In 2016 and 2017 it tried unsuccessfully to sell to Chinese investors, but President Donald Trump shut down the deal on national security grounds. Above: A Lattice Semiconductor computer chip called a GAL, for generic array logic, is surrounded by testing process. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo, 1996 InFocus Corp., 1990: $24 million Sales at the digital projector manufacturer peaked near $900 million in 2000 but plunged amid overseas competition. It went private in 2009 and continues operating, at a severely diminished level, in Tigard. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo/1998 Planar Systems, 1993: $21 million A pioneer in computer monitors and electronic displays for industrial equipment, Planar sold to a Chinese company in 2015. It now specializes in jumbo displays for command centers, digital ads and corporate lobbies. Integrated Measurement Systems, 1995: $38 million Don't Edit Oregonian file photo FEI Co., 1995: $21 million The electron microscope company sold in 2016 for $4.2 billion. (Above: President Barack Obama using an FEI microscope at Intel in 2011.) Don't Edit Don't Edit Oregonian file photo, 1991 Radisys, 1995: $20 million Don't Edit Oregonian file photo, 1996 Electric Lightwave Inc., 1997, $128 million The Vancouver company capitalized on nascent telecom competition in the 90s with the IPO and tremendous borrowing. It couldnt pay down $1 billion in debt, though, and sold for pennies on the dollar. Webtrends, 1999: $46 million Webtrends sold in 2001 to a company called NetIQ for $1 billion in stock but shares plunged with the dot-com crash and the deal was ultimately valued at just $250 million. Webtrends eventually spun back out and helped seed a new generation of Portland technologist. It sold core technology to Oracle last year. Don't Edit Oregonian file photo/2000 Digimarc, 1999: $84 million MedicaLogic, 1999: $100 million Don't Edit Oregonian file photo, 2004 Pixelworks, 2000: $58 million Once among Oregons most promising tech companies, the onetime Tualatin business which emerged from the states electronic display industry faltered repeatedly at delivering the products it promised would speed the transition to high-definition video. Its Oregon operations have dissolved but its still a public company, based in Silicon Valley. Corillian, 2000: $32 million Don't Edit Oregonian file photo Cascade Microtech, 2004: $74.2 million Another company that emerged from Tektronix, Cascade Microtech made equipment for testing and designing semiconductors. It sold in 2016 for $350 million. -- Mike Rogoway; 503-294-7699; @rogow Don't Edit Once again Gen. James Mattis stands out above the rest in service to this great country. I hope to persuade you to support his further service in the role of president of the United States in 2020. Few others have shown the ability to lead the general citizenry of all races and walks of life in service to the common good. Few other persons have the experience on the world stage that combines military capability and commitment to diplomatic primacy. No other person can rally this country to new levels of cooperation and performance. No other person can heal this nation through renewed common vision in sacrificial service to the benefit of all. Mattis has this country's attention, now is the opportunity for him to articulate a vision of cooperation and sacrificial service and let God determine whether he chooses to have him serving in this role. Gordon Shaw, Sisters The picture had an immediate and unavoidable emotional impact. An African American boy, tears streaming down his face, hugging a police officer in a helmet, in the middle of a 2014 Black Lives Matter protest. At a time when the country felt so divided -- by race, gender, politics -- it was the easiest possible answer to the question we all ask ourselves every day: "Will things ever get better?" It said, look, protesting has worked! Look, reconciliation is possible! Look, this young black boy is hugging this white cop! Bridging a seemingly endless chasm! The hard work is over! Let love rain down. The photo went viral like it was destined to do. It was a well-framed, poignant moment -- when looked at in a certain light -- that a lot of people, especially white people, wanted to believe in. It went from being a news photo to being an art piece to being a ubiquitous symbol. For some people, it symbolized hope. For some people, it was about the trauma of existing as a black person under systemic racism in the United States. In all the hype, we forgot Devonte Hart was a 12-year-old child. And for some reason, that child was holding onto a police officer and crying. Here's another way of looking at the photo of Devonte and Portland police Sgt. Bret Barnum, a way that has been gnawing at me since the first report that an SUV found at the bottom of a California cliff may have carried the boy in the photo. Devonte is clinging to an adult in a position of power and sobbing. Maybe he is begging silently for help. The photo, so beautiful, so perfect, felt like it must be about the macro. It must be about systems, the country, something big. What if, in fact, it was about the micro: a child from an abusive household trying to tell an adult something was wrong? After the photo went viral, we heard what Devonte thought about what was happening through the lense of various adults. He told Barnum that he "was sad about the protest, kind of about national events." When Johnny Nguyen, the freelance photographer who took the picture, was interviewed in 2014 about what happened, he said Devonte was crying even before the photo was taken. "I asked, 'Do you know what's going on?'" Nguyen told The Oregonian/OregonLive at the time. "He said, 'A protest.' I asked him if he knew why it's going on. He said 'Yes. I asked him if he thought it was good or bad. He didn't say anything. He kept crying, so I gave him a hug." Nguyen has declined to speak to the media since the crash. Barnum said in a short statement after the incident, "As you can imagine, the tragic news about Devonte and his family deeply saddens me. The short interaction with Devonte in November 2014 was certainly one of those moments in my career which reinforced my love, passion, and duty in providing compassion and service to my community." When Devonte finally spoke, he was with his mother, Jennifer Hart, a woman who four years later would drive an SUV likely containing her six children and her wife off a cliff onto the rocks and sea below. "I was trying to show peace, that there was a different way to handle it," Devonte told The Oregonian/OregonLive in 2015. Now we know things we didn't know then. We know that his two white mothers who had adopted six black children were investigated multiple times for abuse, that his mother Sarah Hart was convicted of abuse. We know the parents pulled the kids out of public school after Sarah's legal case ended. We know that Devonte and his siblings were part of a social media narrative that does not seem to match what was happening at home. We know the Hart children were isolated from adults outside the family, that they were not registered as homeschool kids and so their academic and physical progress wasn't being tracked by anyone outside the family. It was so easy when we saw the picture of Devonte crying to ascribe a meaning to it that bolstered whatever narrative we chose. We projected what we wanted onto that image, instead of asking ourselves, on a human level, why this kid was holding onto this officer. Why was he really crying? Devonte is now likely dead. We won't get another chance to ask him why he was crying, why he was crying at other times when he was filmed with tears streaming down his face. All of us who felt moved by that photo must take some responsibility for making Devonte a prop in whatever story we were telling ourselves. He was a child and he was crying. We should have tried to figure out why. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052 lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Comments on this story have been closed. Readers can comment on The Oregonian's Facebook page Bob Day, who was demoted from assistant chief to captain under the former Portland police chief, will serve as No. 2 in command under new Chief Danielle Outlaw. Day becomes deputy chief, a new job that drew some community criticism for adding another layer of costly bureaucracy to the police force. The post, approved by the Portland City Council in October, will cost $346,000 a year, including salary, benefits and a new administrative assistant. Outlaw also selected two new assistant chiefs as part of her command staff: Ryan Lee will serve as assistant chief of operations and Jami Resch, as assistant chief of investigations. Chris Davis will remain as assistant chief of services. The moves come seven months since Outlaw was sworn in as chief and mark her first major changes in the bureau and her effort to surround herself with supervisors she trusts to support her goals. "These selections were made after careful thought and consideration,'' Outlaw said in a statement. "These individuals have demonstrated leadership, creativity in the use of resources and ideas to get the job done and willingness to make changes when and where they are needed.'' Outlaw moved aside both Chris Uehara and Dave Hendrie, who had been serving as assistant chiefs in charge of operations and investigations, respectively. The announcement marks a resurrection for Day, a 28-year bureau veteran who was removed as one of three assistant chiefs and returned to the captain's rank in July 2016 after former Chief Larry O'Dea's off-duty shooting of a friend during a camping trip became public. An investigation by the city's Independent Police Review office found the assistant chiefs under O'Dea and then-Mayor Charlie Hales ignored protocol that called for an immediate internal investigation of O'Dea, marking "an organizational failure of the highest order.'' O'Dea misled his assistant chiefs and Hales about the case, the independent review also concluded. Day has been serving as head of training for the Police Bureau, working on required reforms as part of a city settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice after a federal investigation found that Portland officers too often used excessive force against people with mental illness. He also is the lead trainer for the bureau's "implicit bias'' curriculum that will start in May for officers. Day worked 10 years as a patrol officer before he was promoted to sergeant in 2000. In 2006, he was promoted to lieutenant and three years later to captain. As captain of North Precinct, he responded to a police callout at a Northeast Portland apartment, where officers had surrounded Aaron Campbell. The Portland Police Association at the time argued that the encounter went sour when Day arrived at the scene without a ballistic vest and called away Sgt. Liani Reyna, the incident commander, to brief him on what was happening. That's when police at the scene fatally shot Campbell after he emerged from his apartment unarmed. Day didn't face discipline but Reyna and others did. Day will graduate next month with a bachelor of arts in organizational management and leadership from George Fox University. He holds an associate's degree in criminal justice from Clackamas Community College. He, wife Lorna and daughter Natalie this month announced the formation of a new Portland-based foundation in the name of 15-year-old son, Sam Day, to raise money and awareness for rare pediatric cancers. Sam Day died in August 2016 of a rare bone cancer, Ewing's sarcoma. Day, who has historically been accessible to the press, responded Monday to messages for comment through the bureau spokesman, who put out a statement on Day's behalf: "I'm very honored to be selected as deputy chief, and will take the time to evaluate, listen and learn about the needs of the bureau. I am grateful for Chief Outlaw's confidence in me. I will work hard to implement the Chief's vision and goals as we move the bureau into the future.'' Lee, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, joined the Police Bureau on Sept. 21, 2000. He most recently served as acting captain of Central Precinct. He was a supervisor of the bureau's Rapid Response Team and has coordinated bureau responses to large protests and demonstrations. Resch joined the bureau on Feb. 15, 1999. She most recently served as acting commander of North Precinct. She has served as manager of the bureau's Honor Guard and as a critical incident commander. She's also a member of the bureau's Muslim police advisory council and Slavic advisory council. The chief also promoted these lieutenants to serve as captains: Michael Frome, Erica Hurley, Peter Mahuna, Andrew Shearer and Wendi Steinbronn. In other changes, Outlaw directed the bureau's Criminal Intelligence Unit to report to the chief's office, and the Rapid Response Team, canine unit and police reserves to the Tactical Operations Division. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Silicon Valley may be the world's tech paradise, but it's a hiring nightmare for many local startups now forced to venture from Portland to Boise in search of talent. Enormous salary expectations _ driven by the Bay Area's soaring cost of living and competition from well-paying giants such as Google and Facebook _ have made it too expensive for a growing number of local startups to recruit employees here. Others say the workers they do have want to leave, frustrated by their inability to buy a home as the region grapples with a chronic housing shortage. Now local startups increasingly are opening satellite operations in cheaper markets _ no longer expecting all their employees to congregate in one Silicon Valley office for work, free food and ping-pong. It's a cultural shift shaking up the startup eco-system that has long been credited with powering Silicon Valley's iconic tech industry. "As we've been looking to hire, we're running into the same issue that everyone else is running into _ in that the Bay Area is broken," said Michael Dougherty, co-founder and CEO of San Mateo, Calif.-based advertising tech startup Jelli. Jelli, founded in 2009, opened a satellite office last June in Boise, Idaho, where Dougherty says average salaries are about a third lower than the Bay Area. The startup has 10 people in the office so far and plans to add another 30 or 40. "The community's cool," Dougherty said. "There's a lot of really great folks there." As with many startups that operate satellite offices outside Silicon Valley, Jelli's 30 employees in San Mateo generally make more than their counterparts in Boise, Idaho. But the money goes farther in Boise. The median home value in Boise is $236,200 -- compared to $1.3 million in San Francisco, $1.1 million in San Jose and $755,600 in Oakland, according to Zillow. San Francisco-based startup UrbanSitter, which runs an online platform for on-demand babysitters, recently started recruiting engineers in Portland, Oregon. About two years ago, one of their top engineers said he was moving to Portland because he wanted to a buy a home in the Bay Area and couldn't. Not wanting to lose him, the company let him work remotely from his new home. The next year, two more UrbanSitter engineers announced within a week of one another that they, too, were moving to Portland in search of cheaper real estate. "We said, listen, maybe this is a huge opportunity for us," UrbanSitter co-founder CEO Lynn Perkins said. "Maybe we should open an office in Portland." UrbanSitter now has four engineers in a WeWork space in Portland _ about a third of its engineering team. The company invested in Zoom video conferencing technology to bridge the 600-mile gap between the two offices and tries to share the fun events that have come to be synonymous with startup culture. Workers in Portland and San Francisco connect via video chat for lunches, happy hour drinks with online trivia games, and even the occasional in-office yoga session. Those efforts help, but working in the satellite space isn't the same as being in the main office, said UrbanSitter lead engineer Travis Dobbs, who moved from the Bay Area to Portland in October. "I would say there definitely is a small bit of longing," he said. "You feel like you're missing out a little bit on things that are happening in San Francisco." Dobbs was fed up with renting a tiny, two-bedroom home in Berkeley with his wife, two kids and their dog. The family was so short on space that their son, now 1, slept in a room with Dobbs and his wife, and the dining room also served as the kids' playroom and an office. Shortly after moving to Portland, the family bought a five-bedroom house for just over $700,000. Now the kids each have their own room and a yard to play in. Seeking talent outside the Bay Area is a major change, because Silicon Valley remains one of the world's premier tech talent pools, said Chris Nicholson, co-founder and CEO of open-source artificial intelligence startup Skymind. From the company's inception more than three years ago, Skymind's founders decided they weren't going to limit hiring to the San Francisco headquarters. Now about six of their 37 employees are in the Bay Area. They also have large engineering teams in Japan and the Ukraine and other workers scattered in Canada, Australia, Germany, India, Ohio, Tennessee and Los Angeles. Nicholson says not paying everyone Silicon Valley wages is saving the company millions annually _ a sum that can make or break a fledgling startup. "It's a painful decision to make," he said, "but we did that to increase the likelihood of our survival as a company." Remote working is becoming increasingly viable as Silicon Valley shifts its focus from hardware _ and the silicon chips that gave the region its name _ to software and app development, Nicholson said. Engineers can code from anywhere, and there's no shipping costs associated with transporting their code around the globe. "Startups that decide to keep all their employees physically in one office in the Bay Area," Nicholson said, "by default become vehicles that transfer cash from venture capitalists to Bay Area landlords." Toni Schneider, a partner at San Francisco-based venture capital firm True Ventures, said nearly every company his team invests in has some remote workers _ it's become a "best practice" for a Silicon Valley startup. Schneider is the former CEO of Automattic, the company behind the WordPress blogging website, which started 12 years ago with a mostly remote team of employees who worked from home. Over time, Schneider said, Automattic began attracting tech talent who lived in the Bay Area but wanted to leave, and those who wanted to stay in the Bay Area but ditch their nasty commutes. "We never had a problem finding people," Schneider said, "whereas every single startup in San Francisco, we ask them what their biggest problem is, and it's always hiring. And that's directly related to the cost of living." -- By Marisa Kendall, The Mercury News Anyone who's been to London has seen them. Many tourists, in fact, seek them out. There are more than 900 blue plaques on buildings around the British capital, tipping off passersby to the history-making men and women who once lived or worked inside them. A plaque marks where legendary Prime Minister Winston Churchill lived and died, where World War II codebreaker Alan Turing was born, where novelist Virginia Woolf lived. There's even a plaque on the Mayfair flat once inhabited by Seattle-born musician Jimi Hendrix. Now, it seems, there's an unofficial blue plaque heralding the beginning of the FBI's investigation into possible collusion between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russian operatives. It was during a May 2016 drinking session at London's Kensington Wine Rooms that Trump campaign foreign-policy adviser George Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat that Russia had "dirt" on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. In recent weeks, visitors to the bar and restaurant have begun tweeting photos of a plaque that states: "DONALD TRUMP got into trouble here when a chat over wine turned to Russian hacking. The Mueller Enquiry." Kensington Wine Rooms in London commemorating #TrumpRussia treason with a classy blue plaque pic.twitter.com/C7xhXJzYcr Owen W-G (@OwenWG1976) April 15, 2018 Well played London pic.twitter.com/KRMNgBCj93 Sebastian Payne (@SebastianEPayne) March 10, 2018 In October 2016, anti-secrecy campaigner WikiLeaks, which critics insist is a Russian "cut-out," began publishing selected hacked Clinton-campaign emails damaging to the Democratic nominee. Special Counsel Robert Mueller took over the FBI investigation in the spring of 2017. Trump has repeatedly called the probe a "witch hunt." It shouldn't be a surprise that the Kensington Wine Rooms would put up its own commemoration: not only is the Trump investigation in the news every day, but the blue plaques in London are hugely popular. The historical preservation organization English Heritage reports that the oldest surviving official plaque, installed in 1867, marks where the last French emperor, Napoleon III, lived in exile before revolution in France sent him racing back to his native land. He left in such a hurry that his King Street landlord found the famous Frenchman's bed "unmade and his marble bath still full of water." Headed for London? Download the Blue Plaques app. -- Douglas Perry Harveys impact on financial status puts bond COST in question Humble ISD has several compelling reasons why the school board approved a $575 million school bond for the May 5 ballot. First, the district is fast growing, projected to grow by 1,000 students per year, meaning about 30 percent growth through the year 2025. Multiple campuses are at maximum capacity or over capacity. Bond money is used for infrastructure improvement and cannot be used for operating costs. Humble ISD has several compelling reasons why the school board approved a $575 million school bond for the May 5 ballot. First, the district is fast growing, projected to grow by 1,000 students per year, meaning about 30 percent growth through the year 2025. Multiple campuses are at maximum capacity or over capacity. Bond money is used for infrastructure improvement and cannot be used for operating costs. It has been 10 years since the last bond election; the 2008 $245 million bond was primarily used to purchase land and build new schools. It has been 10 years since the last bond election; the 2008 $245 million bond was primarily used to purchase land and build new schools. The way the State of Texas operates has a direct impact on school districts. Over the last two decades, the state has provided less and less funding for district operating budgets, leaving school bonds as the only option for communities to improve their schools.The way the State of Texas operates has a direct impact on school districts. Over the last two decades, the state has provided less and less funding for district operating budgets, leaving school bonds as the only option for communities to improve their schools. With the vote on the $575 million bond fast approaching, the question on the minds of some is: After Harvey, can the community afford such a bond?With the vote on the $575 million bond fast approaching, the question on the minds of some is: After Harvey, can the community afford such a bond? TAX RATES Back in November 2017, board president Angela Conrad announced that a tax rate increase would not be necessary to fund the 2018 bond, if the district were to have one. At the time, the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee (CBAC) was reviewing the proposed bond items to determine if a bond package was necessary. Conrad said the tax rate of $1.52 per $100 valuation would be kept for 2018 and that the board hoped it could be maintained until 2023. Damage from Harvey was just starting to shape up, and the board and superintendent decided to keep the flat tax rate to be sensitive to the situation in the community.Back in November 2017, board president Angela Conrad announced that a tax rate increase would not be necessary to fund the 2018 bond, if the district were to have one. At the time, the Citizens Bond Advisory Committee (CBAC) was reviewing the proposed bond items to determine if a bond package was necessary. Conrad said the tax rate of $1.52 per $100 valuation would be kept for 2018 and that the board hoped it could be maintained until 2023. Damage from Harvey was just starting to shape up, and the board and superintendent decided to keep the flat tax rate to be sensitive to the situation in the community. With the current schedule for debt retirement, Humble ISD could have lowered the tax rate. However, with the post-Harvey uncertainty and the need for the bond and additional capital investment, the district really could not function properly with a lower tax rate. With the current schedule for debt retirement, Humble ISD could have lowered the tax rate. However, with the post-Harvey uncertainty and the need for the bond and additional capital investment, the district really could not function properly with a lower tax rate. TAX BASE How compliant is the community in paying property taxes? At the October 2017 school board meeting, the accounting firm of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins and Mott provided their annual report on delinquent property taxes. The 2016-2017 report stated that of the $220 million tax base, $217 million had been collected. One of the firms roles is to continue to work on collecting the remaining $3 million. However, last years report only went through the end of June, before Harvey hit. What will the post-Harvey delinquent tax situation look like? The 2017-2018 report wont be out until this summer, and perhaps wont be presented to the board of trustees until the fall, months after the May 5 election.One of the firms roles is to continue to work on collecting the remaining $3 million. However, last years report only went through the end of June, before Harvey hit. What will the post-Harvey delinquent tax situation look like? The 2017-2018 report wont be out until this summer, and perhaps wont be presented to the board of trustees until the fall, months after the May 5 election. PROPERTY VALUES In December 2017, The Tribune asked several local Realtors, including RE/MAXs Joan Imperato, about the storms effects on property values. Imperato has lived in the Kingwood community for many years a community she described as strong and cohesive. Imperato has great faith that the community will recover, but said in December that it was way too early to tell what effect the storm has had on property values.In December 2017, The Tribune asked several local Realtors, including RE/MAXs Joan Imperato, about the storms effects on property values. Imperato has lived in the Kingwood community for many years a community she described as strong and cohesive. Imperato has great faith that the community will recover, but said in December that it was way too early to tell what effect the storm has had on property values. The Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) will release its new appraisal values in early to mid-April. The chief appraiser has already said that HCAD expects property values in Harris County to be flat with a total tax base about the same as in 2017.The Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) will release its new appraisal values in early to mid-April. The chief appraiser has already said that HCAD expects property values in Harris County to be flat with a total tax base about the same as in 2017. Humble ISDs tax base is approximately $16 billion. Chief Financial Officer Mike Seale said that the district has seen about a five percent growth rate annually. Humble ISDs tax base is approximately $16 billion. Chief Financial Officer Mike Seale said that the district has seen about a five percent growth rate annually. On April 10, board president Angela Conrad said that the board now has sufficient information from HCAD, district insurers and other state and local officials, so the board voted unanimously to reappraise property values in order to better address the districts estimated $100 million losses due to Harvey. The process will take several months, and will not be complete prior to the bond election on May 5.On April 10, board president Angela Conrad said that the board now has sufficient information from HCAD, district insurers and other state and local officials, so the board voted unanimously to reappraise property values in order to better address the districts estimated $100 million losses due to Harvey. The process will take several months, and will not be complete prior to the bond election on May 5. DEBT Prior to convening the bond committee, Seale calculated the districts debt capacity, meaning the bond amount that could be financed without increasing the districts debt-service tax rate. That amount was determined to be $600 million, but the board of trustees only approved a $575 million bond. Prior to convening the bond committee, Seale calculated the districts debt capacity, meaning the bond amount that could be financed without increasing the districts debt-service tax rate. That amount was determined to be $600 million, but the board of trustees only approved a $575 million bond. Of the $1.52 tax rate for Humble ISD, $1.17 is dedicated to maintenance and operations (M and O).Of the $1.52 tax rate for Humble ISD, $1.17 is dedicated to maintenance and operations (M and O). The remaining 0.35 cents of the $1.52 tax rate covers the Interest and Sinking (I and S) bond portion, which is directly related to district debt. The state has capped all districts from exceeding a .50 cent I and S portion, and they dont step in to help district shortfalls in that area.The remaining 0.35 cents of the $1.52 tax rate covers the Interest and Sinking (I and S) bond portion, which is directly related to district debt. The state has capped all districts from exceeding a .50 cent I and S portion, and they dont step in to help district shortfalls in that area. The I and S portion of the tax rate is what the district uses to cover its annual debt payment. The districts current debt is approaching $1 billion: approximately $600 million in principal and around $227 million in interest, for a total debt of $827 million, according to figures presented to the CBAC.The I and S portion of the tax rate is what the district uses to cover its annual debt payment. The districts current debt is approaching $1 billion: approximately $600 million in principal and around $227 million in interest, for a total debt of $827 million, according to figures presented to the CBAC. If property values go up, the district has breathing room an expanded ability to make their debt payments. Conversely, lower property values mean less money available to the district, and that puts pressure on the district to pay their debt. These factors must be considered in the post-Harvey climate. The district does have good bond ratings; they report that only three percent of all Texas schools have higher bond ratings than Humble ISD. Furthermore, Seale assured the CBAC that Humble ISD would not sell bonds until the value growth and payments toward the existing debt allowed the district to do so without raising the debt-service tax rate.The district does have good bond ratings; they report that only three percent of all Texas schools have higher bond ratings than Humble ISD. Furthermore, Seale assured the CBAC that Humble ISD would not sell bonds until the value growth and payments toward the existing debt allowed the district to do so without raising the debt-service tax rate. If the bond passes on the May 5 ballot, it does not automatically mean the district is incurring more debt; it just means that the community is giving the board approval for $575 million worth of bonds for capital improvements.If the bond passes on the May 5 ballot, it does not automatically mean the district is incurring more debt; it just means that the community is giving the board approval for $575 million worth of bonds for capital improvements. When voting on May 5, taxpayers need to remember that voting for the bond means two things. First, it means giving the school board authority to issue $575 million in bonds. Second, it means that voters approve expansion of the total debt owed by citizens. On top of the $827 million currently owed, the new bonds would likely increase the total debt load to over $1 billion.When voting on May 5, taxpayers need to remember that voting for the bond means two things. First, it means giving the school board authority to issue $575 million in bonds. Second, it means that voters approve expansion of the total debt owed by citizens. On top of the $827 million currently owed, the new bonds would likely increase the total debt load to over $1 billion. With the City of Humble canceling its May 5 election, the lone item on the May 5 ballot will be the Humble ISD bond. The three candidates for city council will retain their seats as no one else filed to run for office.With the City of Humble canceling its May 5 election, the lone item on the May 5 ballot will be the Humble ISD bond. The three candidates for city council will retain their seats as no one else filed to run for office. At the March 20 school board meeting, the board approved a $35,000 motion to approve the Order Appointing Election Officials. The district and the City of Humble normally share costs for these elections; it is unclear at this time whether the district will incur any additional costs with the cancellation by the City of Humble. Early voting begins April 23. The following locations were posted at the March 20 board meeting for early voting: Early voting begins April 23. The following locations were posted at the March 20 board meeting for early voting: - Humble ISD Administration Bldg., 20200 Eastway Village Dr., Humble - Creekwood Middle School, 3603 W. Lake Houston Pkwy., Kingwood - Humble City Hall, 114 W. Higgins St., HumbleVoting day is May 5. Regular voting locations are as follows: - Humble City Hall - Creekwood Middle School - North Belt Elementary School, 8105 North Belt Dr., Humble - Oaks Elementary, 5858 Upper Lake Dr., Humble - Foster Elementary, 1800 Trailwood Village Dr., Kingwood - Kingwood Middle School, 2407 Pine Terrace, Kingwood - Rosewood Funeral Home, 17404 W. Lake Houston Pkwy., Atascocita The central counting station will be at the Humble ISD Administration Building. Congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw brings his campaign to Kingwood Virginia Schilling isnt supporting Dan Crenshaw for U.S. Congress just for herself.Virginia Schilling isnt supporting Dan Crenshaw for U.S. Congress just for herself. Were grandparents and were doing fine, Schilling said. Its our kids and our grandkids that Im concerned about. Thats why Im supporting Dan Crenshaw for Texas Second Congressional District.Were grandparents and were doing fine, Schilling said. Its our kids and our grandkids that Im concerned about. Thats why Im supporting Dan Crenshaw for Texas Second Congressional District. And thats why Schilling, an Atascocita resident since 1970, helped to organize a group of grandparents male and female to work the polls, talk to neighbors, print flyers and coordinate a meet and greet April 3 at the Kingwood Community Center that attracted more than 100 voters.And thats why Schilling, an Atascocita resident since 1970, helped to organize a group of grandparents male and female to work the polls, talk to neighbors, print flyers and coordinate a meet and greet April 3 at the Kingwood Community Center that attracted more than 100 voters. They call themselves #DansGrans, theyre grandparents and they support 2nd District Congressional Candidate Dan Crenshaw. We call ourselves #DansGrans, a named coined by one of our members, Margo Rushin, said Schilling. We call ourselves #DansGrans, a named coined by one of our members, Margo Rushin, said Schilling. Rushin admits that she was looking for a name that would made a good hashtag for their Facebook page and #DansGrans fit the bill.Rushin admits that she was looking for a name that would made a good hashtag for their Facebook page and #DansGrans fit the bill. #DansGrans arranged for the Kingwood Community Center meet and greet attracting supporters and the curious from the Lake Houston area as well as from throughout Congressional District 2, an interesting looking district that includes Kingwood, Humble and Atascocita then twists down to Memorial Park, Montrose and Rice University. Center meet and greet attracting supporters and the curious from the Lake Houston area as well as from throughout Congressional District 2, an interesting looking district that includes Kingwood, Humble and Atascocita then twists down to Memorial Park, Montrose and Rice University. In the March 6 primary, Crenshaw came in second, beating the number three candidate, Kathaleen Wall, by 155 votes. He credits his supporters, many at the Kingwood Community Center meet and greet, for pushing him into second place.In the March 6 primary, Crenshaw came in second, beating the number three candidate, Kathaleen Wall, by 155 votes. He credits his supporters, many at the Kingwood Community Center meet and greet, for pushing him into second place. On May 22, he will face Kevin Roberts, a Texas state representative and the candidate who received the most votes in the March primary. The Republican candidate who comes out on top in May will face Democrat Todd Litton in the November election. That winner will replace current Congressman Ted Poe who is not seeking re-election after 13 years representing the 2nd Congressional District.On May 22, he will face Kevin Roberts, a Texas state representative and the candidate who received the most votes in the March primary. The Republican candidate who comes out on top in May will face Democrat Todd Litton in the November election. That winner will replace current Congressman Ted Poe who is not seeking re-election after 13 years representing the 2nd Congressional District. Candidate Dan Crenshaw outlining his mission at a Meet and Greet at the Kingwood Community Center. Photo by Tom Broad Crenshaw graduated from Tufts University, earned his Naval officer commission and became a SEAL, the Navys primary operations force, and was deployed to Iraq twice and then to Afghanistan where he lost his right eye to an IED blast.Crenshaw graduated from Tufts University, earned his Naval officer commission and became a SEAL, the Navys primary operations force, and was deployed to Iraq twice and then to Afghanistan where he lost his right eye to an IED blast. My first mission is border security, he said. We need more technology at the border including more drones.My first mission is border security, he said. We need more technology at the border including more drones. My second mission is flooding, Crenshaw said. Theres $13 billion available and itll be settled in Austin. We need to fight for that.My second mission is flooding, Crenshaw said. Theres $13 billion available and itll be settled in Austin. We need to fight for that. My third mission is to maintain our conservative values for our younger generation, he said. We cant let these conservative values from our greatest generation disappear with our youngest generation.My third mission is to maintain our conservative values for our younger generation, he said. We cant let these conservative values from our greatest generation disappear with our youngest generation. Crenshaw also encouraged his Kingwood Community Center supporters to go to his webpage to learn where he stands on 15 different issues ranging from national security, foreign policy and defense and the economy to education, healthcare and flood policy.Crenshaw also encouraged his Kingwood Community Center supporters to go to his webpage to learn where he stands on 15 different issues ranging from national security, foreign policy and defense and the economy to education, healthcare and flood policy. Concluding his meet and greet, Crenshaw again emphasized the power of 155 votes, the number that put him in second place in the March primary and earned him a spot in the primary runoff. Concluding his meet and greet, Crenshaw again emphasized the power of 155 votes, the number that put him in second place in the March primary and earned him a spot in the primary runoff. Remember 155, he told #DansGrans. It shows how important each vote is and its empowering because it was a team effort from #DansGrans.Remember 155, he told #DansGrans. It shows how important each vote is and its empowering because it was a team effort from #DansGrans. For more information, go to crenshawforcongress.com. 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. Donald Trump Makes a Last-Ditch Effort to Potentially Save His Presidency By Dustin Rowles | Politics | April 16, 2018 | Adam Davidson wrote a piece in the New Yorker this weekend that suggested that Trump has reached the end stage of his presidency. The raid on Michael Cohens office is the nail hovering over the coffin: There are lots of details and surprises to come, but the endgame of this Presidency seems as clear now as those of Iraq and the financial crisis did months before they unfolded. Last week, federal investigators raided the offices of Michael Cohen, the man who has been closer than anybody to Trumps most problematic business and personal relationships. This week, we learned that Cohen has been under criminal investigation for monthshis e-mails have been read, presumably his phones have been tapped, and his meetings have been monitored. Trump has long declared a red line: Robert Mueller must not investigate his businesses, and must only look at any possible collusion with Russia. That red line is now crossed and, for Trump, in the most troubling of ways. Even if he were to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and then had Mueller and his investigation put on ice, and even ifas is disturbingly possibleCongress did nothing, the Cohen prosecution would continue. Even if Trump pardons Cohen, the information the feds have on him can become the basis for charges against others in the Trump Organization. This is the week we know, with increasing certainty, that we are entering the last phase of the Trump Presidency. This doesnt feel like a prophecy; it feels like a simple statement of the apparent truth. It wont be collusion with the Russians that brings down Trump, however. It will be his business dealings. I am unaware of anybody who has taken a serious look at Trumps business who doesnt believe that there is a high likelihood of rampant criminality. In Azerbaijan, he did business with a likely money launderer for Irans Revolutionary Guard. In the Republic of Georgia, he partnered with a group that was being investigated for a possible role in the largest known bank-fraud and money-laundering case in history. In Indonesia, his development partner is knee-deep in dirty politics; there are criminal investigations of his deals in Brazil; the F.B.I. is reportedly looking into his daughter Ivankas role in the Trump hotel in Vancouver, for which she worked with a Malaysian family that has admitted to financial fraud. Back home, Donald, Jr., and Ivanka were investigated for financial crimes associated with the Trump hotel in SoHoan investigation that was halted suspiciously. His Taj Mahal casino received what was then the largest fine in history for money-laundering violations. And for those who think that Trumps base will simply look the other way where it concerns Trumps criminal financial dealings, Davidson has a rebuttal for that, too: The narrative [even among Trumps base] that will become widely understood is that Donald Trump did not sit atop a global empire. He was not an intuitive genius and tough guy who created billions of dollars of wealth through fearlessness. He had a small, sad operation, mostly run by his two oldest children and Michael Cohen, a lousy lawyer who barely keeps up the pretenses of lawyering and who now faces an avalanche of charges, from taxicab-backed bank fraud to money laundering and campaign-finance violations. The news for Cohen hasnt gotten any better. A judge has ordered that he turn over his client list this morning, which will be made public. We now know that Cohen also killed a story about Donald Trump Jrs affair with Aubrey ODay, that he paid the pregnant mistress of a top GOP fundraiser $1.6 million to keep quiet (and was paid $250,000 to do so). Theres speculation, that Cohen denies, that Mueller has evidence that Cohen was in Prague when he says he wasnt, which would verify a key element of the Steele Dossier. Moreover, not that it matters, but it makes for good drama: Stormy Daniels will be at Cohens hearing today. No one is more aware of the danger that the raid on Michael Cohens office poses than Donald Trump himself. When Manafort and Michael Flynn were brought down, Trump distanced himself from them. When Rick Gates was indicted. Trump remained largely silent. When George Papadopoulos was indicted, he became the coffee boy. Carter Page was reduced to just some name on a list. But Michael Cohen? Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past. I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 Attorney-client privilege is dead! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2018 A TOTAL WITCH HUNT!!! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 10, 2018 Whats he so afraid of? If Davidson is right, and this is the last stage of Trumps presidency, then Trump has launched one last-ditch effort to potentially save it: NEW: President Trump has asked a federal court in New York to block federal agents from reviewing materials seized in a raid of his private lawyer, Michael Cohen. pic.twitter.com/DgVX8Ls46S Brad Heath (@bradheath) April 16, 2018 If this is the last card Trump has up his sleeve to save himself, its a six of clubs, and it wont even give him a pair. Citing attorney-client privilege may be even more difficult in this case, however, because as prosecutors have noted Cohen performed little to no legal work; it was mostly business. Meanwhile, Cohen is thinking about defending himself, which tells you how desperate he is. You know what Lincoln said about that: He who defends himself has a fool for a client. Apt. Often, whenever I really want to see which way the winds are blowing, I will check to see what George Conway the husband of Trumps senior aide, Kellyanne Conway is retweeting. He retweeted this on Saturday. Notable [email protected] this morning, who often defends @realDonaldTrump. He says the Michael Cohen situation puts POTUS in a real legal bind. (and in jeopardy) And is very critical of Cohen defense team.https://t.co/Y4qgTtCSUu John Berman (@JohnBerman) April 14, 2018 A real legal bind, indeed, folks. It should be another interesting day. Do Corporate Tax Cuts Create Jobs? Probably Not, But 'Last Week Tonight' Investigates Anyway | Jeff Goldblum and Jodie Foster Team Up For the Bonkers 'Hotel Artemis' Trailer Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba. Sam Gallagher asked a question that required an answer too long for last weeks Conversations Under the Oaks. I am a life-long non-religious person. I find the Pagan path to be the most appealing of any faith I have encountered, but I still feel somewhat baffled about one aspect of any religion: belief. Simply put, placing unconditional faith into any particular theological framework feels completely foreign to me. I know that scholars tell us that ancient Paganism was far more orthopraxic than orthodoxic, but I feel like Im missing out on an important part of spiritual practice if I cant comprehend how to wholeheartedly believe. Is unconditional belief required in a Pagan framework? What am I missing? The short answer is that youre not missing anything. Unconditional belief not only isnt required, it isnt advised. While there is a place for belief in Paganism, the beliefs we have should be held loosely. But many people feel like unconditional and unsubstantiated belief is a necessary part of real religion. And thats worth exploring in more detail. The Protestant emphasis on belief Any discussion of religious belief must begin with the emphasis placed on it in Protestant Christianity, the dominant religious approach in the Anglo-American world. While all religions have an element of belief even if its only the belief that its practices are a good and proper expression of its tradition no other religious tradition elevates belief to the level Protestantism does. Try as I might, I can never forget two verses from the New Testament that were pounded into my head as a small child: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, KJV). As I think about it now, it was always the faith part that was emphasized, not the grace. Not here is Gods gift but you must believe. And also, if you believe, what you do doesnt really matter. Which emphasis is correct or more correct is a matter I leave for Christians to decide. For Pagans and pretty much everyone else what you believe matters far less than what you do. Yes, its good to believe in the Gods to believe They exist, and that They are (among many other things) the personification of Their virtues. But its better to honor Them and to embody Their virtues in our daily lives. Belief as unreflective acceptance of unsubstantiated assertions Another verse I cant not remember says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, KJV). Thats not a bad definition. Its a far better than the working definition most people Christian or otherwise use: what Ive always been told is true and never really gave much thought. Why should you believe something? Because some authority figure says so? Because its in some book that was written 2500 years ago for a specific group of people in a specific place and time and then translated into English by people with ideas of their own? Or even because thats the way weve always done it? Im a Pagan polytheist who practices magic I believe a lot of things that dont have enough evidence to convince skeptics. But I refused to accept beliefs that didnt make sense to me when I was told the fate of my soul depended on it. Im certainly not going to mindlessly and unconditionally accept things now just because someone tells me its true. On the other hand, Im not going to refuse to believe something just because a different set of authority figures and books say its not possible. Belief that comes from experience Two years ago I saw a green glowing bird. There is no question what I saw the question is how to interpret it. I ran through the mundane options and none of them fit. Then I ran through the non-ordinary options and came to the conclusion that the Otherworld is bleeding through into this world. I cant prove that to my satisfaction, much less to the satisfaction of an atheist. But based on my experience both here and elsewhere Im convinced that believing this is a reasonable and helpful thing to do. Cherish your religious and magical experiences. Examine them with rational thought and with intuitive meditation. Listen to the opinions of experienced practitioners, but then make up your own mind. Unreflective acceptance of unsubstantiated assertions is never a good thing. From believing to knowing Not everyone who says I want to believe is under the influence of Protestant domination or is looking for some authority figure to do their work for them. I regularly hear from Pagans who like the idea of living in a magical universe and of having relationships with some of the many Gods, but who have trouble accepting that such things are possible. You dont have to believe. You just have to do. The best way to believe in magic is to work magic. Do the spells and do them right, intent alone isnt enough and youll get results. Maybe the first time is a coincidence. Maybe the second time is random chance. But by the fifth or sixth or tenth time, its easier to accept that the magic works. Now you believe in magic. After youve worked magic for a few years, after youve had success after success after success and after youve had your share of failures, and investigated them to figure out why you failed belief doesnt do it justice anymore. Now you know that magic is real. Oh, you still cant convince your skeptical friends theyre operating under a materialist worldview. Youve moved on to a magical worldview. But your goal never was to win arguments with atheists it was to have a deep and fulfilling life. Knowing the Gods are real It works the same way with the Gods. You dont have to believe in the Gods you just have to honor them. Set up a shrine, pray, make offerings, and meditate. Read Their stories and sing Their songs learn to embody Their virtues. The Gods are sovereign, autonomous persons. They cannot be commanded, so unlike with magic, theres no guarantee that doing the right things will bring the results you want. But They are virtuous persons who (for the most part) embody hospitality and reciprocity. If you show interest in Them, They are likely to show interest in you. It may take some time for you to get the attention of a particular deity. But also, it may take some time for Them to get your attention. My relationship with Cernunnos goes back to all the time I spent in the woods as a kid. But it took five years from the time I got serious about my Pagan practice until I had my first ecstatic experience of Him. It took three more years before I had my second. Was I not working hard enough or fast enough? Or was I simply otherwise occupied? That was the time when I was working through the OBOD training, and part of it was when my paying job got really stressful. I think I had my hands full. Or maybe Cernunnos didnt need that from me at the time. I dont know. But I do know that through eight years, I believed in the Gods. After that second ecstatic experience, my communion with Him became more frequent. And then I began to have first-hand experiences of the Morrigan with regularity, and with Danu, Lugh, Brighid, and some of the Gods of Egypt. I cant tell you exactly when it happened, but at some point I shifted from believing in the Gods to knowing the Gods. Practice Experience Belief Belief, practice, and experience form a virtuous circle. As I discussed last week, the circle can go in either direction, and you can enter from any point. But most people will be best served by beginning with practice. Do the right things. Experiences will come from your practices some may be dramatic, but most will be subtle. Then form beliefs as you interpret your experiences and put them into context. Then do it again, and again, and again. Keep practicing. Keep doing the things that bring magical results or that facilitate the presence of the Gods. Figure out what it means. Over and over and over again. So no, unconditional belief is absolutely not required in our Pagan traditions. If you feel you have to believe unconditionally, ask yourself why, and make sure its not the influence of the majority religion. But if you simply want to believe, begin with practice. Let belief come in its own time. One of the things that I love about teaching my course on the Bible and music is how much I learn from my students. This year has been no exception. Even the things that they simply identify as relevant and bring up in class suggest new avenues of research, whether of the sort that would be enough for a blog post, or of the sort that might lead to an article or book. I confess that, despite how many countless times I must have heard the song We Are The World, I had not noticed how profoundly religious its lyrics are. And I had not noticed that it makes reference to turning stones to bread. An online article suggests that this is simply a factual error of a kind that is common in song lyrics. After all, in Do They Know Its Christmas? there is blunder after blunder, since people in Africa have known it was Christmas since long before the English were converted to Christianity for the first time, and the continent has rivers, vegetation, and yes even snow. Why should this follow-up fund-raising song not also have at least one major blunder in it too? As Gavin Edwards wrote in Rolling Stone: With a squint, Nelson delivers the oddest line in the song: As God has shown us, by turning stone to bread. Actually, there is no Biblical passage where God transforms stone to bread, although He gets a shout-out for bringing forth all food from the Earth in Psalms 104. In Matthew 4, however, the Devil comes to Jesus Christ in the desert after hes been fasting for 40 days, and trying to tempt him, tells him that he should change the stones into bread. Christ spurns him with the aphorism Man shall not live on bread alone. So the Bible seems to be against turning stone into bread (not that it comes up often as an option in most peoples lives). In Lipstick Traces, Greil Marcus writes about John of Leyden, who in 1535 told the people of Munster, Germany, suffering from a blockade, that God would turn the citys cobblestones into bread. People tried to eat the cobblestones, and found that they were not feeling groovy. The bottom line: when people are suffering from famine, it seems cruel to bring up the possibility of stones being edible. Eric Mataxas has also commented on it, and thinks it is evidence of the profound ignorance of the Bible among secular pop stars. However, given that the main lyricist was Michael Jackson, who was raised as a Jehovahs Witness, Im not convinced that this was simply a mistake. If we take a look at what that organization has to say about the passage in Matthew 4, we read things like Knowing that it is wrong to use his miraculous powers to satisfy his personal desires, Jesus rejects that temptation. I suspect that many would view the multiplication of the loaves and fishes as precisely the same sort of miracle except aimed at taking care of others, and therefore appropriate. And so I think that this may not be a mistake, but something else. Perhaps it is an effort to connect biblical imagery of the provision of abundance of food with the need to turn stony ground in an area of famine into something else. But it definitely seems to be intentional rather than a blunder. In which case, my thinking is that it probably represents the conviction that, since Jesus said that God is a loving father, and even a human father would not give his child who asks for bread a stone, that God does this miracle, and the issue in Jesus temptation was the timing and motivation rather than the appropriateness of the action per se. What do you think? Notorious Iranian Judge 'Disappears' Before Serving Sentence For Murder 04/16/18 Source: Radio Farda Tehran's former Prosecutor General Saeed Mortazavi who was supposed to serve a two-year prison term as an accomplice to the killing of detained protesters is nowhere to be found, according to Iran's Judiciary. WANTED: Saeed Mortazavi Iranian Judiciary's Spokesperson Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei says the country's most notorious judge, former Tehran prosecutor and Press Court Judge Saeed Mortazavi, has vanished into thin air before going to jail as "accomplice in murder." President Hassan Rouhani's media adviser Hesamoddin Ashna warned on April 13 that Mortazavi might flee in order to evade justice. Meanwhile, social media users commenting on the development have questioned the Judiciary's authority and the regime's integrity. cartoon by Mohsen Zarifian, Ghanoon daily Mortazavi was sentenced to jail for two years after an unusually long judicial process that took nearly nine years to be finalized. Although Mortazavi was accused of breaking the law in several cases, including the murder in jail of Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi in 2003 and harassment of scores of journalists for more than two decades, he was only condemned as an accomplice in murdering three young men in a detention camp south of Tehran in the aftermaths of the unrest that followed the disputed presidential election in 2009. Abdolhossein Rouholamini, the father of one of the victims, Mohsen Rouholamini, who happens to be a regime insider close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took the case to several courts during the past nine years and persistently chased Mortazavi to make sure that he does not escape justice. Mohsen Rouholamini (undated photo) Finally, Mortazavi was handed down the sentence and was supposed to go to jail. ButRouholamini's lawyer, Majid Taheri, told reporters in Tehran that not only Mortazavi's whereabouts is unknown, but the dossier containing his case is no longer at the disposal of the court. Earlier, Khorassan newspaper quoted Ejei as saying during a meeting with university students in Mashad that a court verdict calls for imprisoning Mortazavi for two years, but unfortunately Judiciary authorities were not able to arrest him as his whereabouts are not known." Reacting to Ejei's comments, presidential aide Ashna warned the Judiciary to stand watchful as Mortazavi might flee the country, reminding judiciary officials of a similar case of evasion in which a bank governor fled Iran with millions of dollars. Ashna said in a tweet "Mortazavi carries many secrets with him," adding that if he flees, "the history of a decade of judiciary's secrets might vanish." Read related article (in Persian) by Ghanoon daily Saeed Mortazavi, nicknamed "the hangman of the press" was the judge at the Tehran Press Court from mid 1990s to late 2000s. During his term of office as the Press Court judge, he banned tens of reformist publications and imprisoned scores of journalists. Former Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi has said hat "Mortazavi was the main person responsible for the murder of Zahra Kazemi." Mortazavi had said in March following his official conviction "I have not been summoned for the execution of the imprisonment order. I am not aware of that." Following Mortazavi's apparent disappearance, political figures and other users have commented on the case, many saying they were surprised by the news of Mortazavi's vanishing. "How come Iranian authorities arrest terrorists on board aircraft, and detain criminals while they are in the air, but fail to arrest Mortazavi on the ground," tweeted one user. Some other users charged that Mortazavi has served the regime very well as a judge, and maybe the regime is now protecting its own man. Iranian alternatives for Telegram messaging app in close-up 04/16/18 By Setareh Behroozi, Tehran Times Iranian alternatives for Telegram messaging application are now on the table for Iranian users, who are encouraged by the government to replace their Telegram account with a domestic application. The replacement of Telegram, as the most popular messaging app in Iran, with Iranian messaging applications is being turned into a challenge on the national level. Telegram, with 40 million subscribers in Iran, is on top list of messaging applications in the country. Hundreds of people and companies in Iran use the app for their marketing and sales. Here there is a short introduction to three famous Iranian messaging applications, which are introduced as good alternatives for Telegram: Soroush Soroush, an Iranian messaging application, is considered as one of the most probable replacements of Telegram. Developed by the Soroush Resaneh Institute, it was launched in January 2016. Affiliated to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Soroush stated that it had over 700,000 active users since January 2017. It is available in all platforms and its current manager is Seyyed Meysam Seyyed Salehi, who previously was the CEO of Fan Ava Data Center, which provided high-speed internet for customers. iGap Founded by Mohammad Rasoul Kazemi, iGap messaging application was launched in 2016. It is supported by the RooyeKhat Media Company Ltd., which designs and develops communicative solutions and digital products. Kazemi, 30, stated in an interview last month that all of his employers are under 30 as well. "I am an expert in computer [sciences] and developing a domestic messaging application was always one of my concerns," Kazemi announced in a note he published on his Instagram account. "I have not been supported from any organizations and I announce that iGap has the capacity to cover all 40 million Iranian users," he continued. In December 2017, Kazemi announced that he will give 10 billion rials (about 200,000 dollars) to the first person to break iGap. Eitaa Launched in 2017, Eitaa messaging application is now available for android and web platform. Supported by Andishehyavaran-e Tamadon-e Emrooz Company, which operates under private sector. Its website announced that the application runs under the laws of Islamic Republic of Iran and doesn't share data of its subscribers with any government or person. No one is announced as its founder on the Eitaa website. Privacy matters! Privacy and security of data, which have been shared in cyberspace matter to all users of messaging application and Iranians are not exception. Domestic messaging apps (cartoon by Mojtaba Heidarpanah, Ghanoon daily Following this, Iran's Communication and Information Technology Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi highlighted data security and privacy as important factors, which is observed in cyberspace in Iran, in his recent note on his Instagram account last week. "Our religion and laws highlight the importance of privacy," he said. The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has stated that it would be haram for domestic social apps to trespass users' personal space in his speech on April 9. He suggested that government and judicial bodies should take care that people will not be victimized by social apps and that their personal information remain secure and private. The Mauritius Ambassador to the USA, H.E. Soorooj Phokeer, has offered to assist Groupe Nduom to invest in productive and profitable ventures in Mauritius. Ambassador Phokeer was speaking at the official commissioning of the Groupe Nduom office building in the Metro Washington area, specifically, Alexandria, Virginia. He specifically mentioned rice cultivation and milling among other ventures after being presented with a sample of the Edwumawura perfumed rice milled at Worawora in the Volta Region. Ghanas Ambassador to the USA H.E. Dr. Barfour Adjei-Barwuah, offered to support the international expansion efforts of Groupe Nduom as a Ghanaian company bold enough to envision and implement becoming a true multi-national company. Ambassador Barfour Adjei-Awuah held the hope that the Groupe would lift up high Ghanas image and create jobs and wealth for the benefit of Ghanaians and the country. A Vice-President of Groupe Nduom, Dr. Nana Kweku Nduom traced the history of the Groupe to existing companies such as IBS LLC which was started in the 1980s in Fairfax County, Virginia. As the one who initiated the acquisition of the new office complex, Dr. Kweku Nduom was glad that Groupe Nduom had reached the stage where it could have its own permanent address in the USA. Also present at the event were executives and members of the Council of Ghanaian Associations and people from different countries attracted by the vision of Groupe Nduom to forge partnerships throughout the world. Mrs. Yvonne Nduom, Dr. Edjah Nduom and Mr. Papa Wassa Nduom and officials from the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC were also present. Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, President & Chairman of Groupe Nduom invited all present to help spread the word that Groupe Nduom was ready to become a significant player on the international scene through mutually beneficial partnerships with others. He highlighted the companys investment in the banking industry in the USA as something that will help provide a useful link between Africa, Caribbean and the American people. He announced the multi-national companys Digital Money platform, PayGlobal which was demonstrated by Mr. Kofi Asamoah-Siaw the General Manager of GN Money. The Groupe Nduom Liaison Office in the Washington Metro Area, is specifically located at 5509 Vine Street, Alexandria, VA to promote the products and services we offer in Africa and elsewhere. Signed Frank Owusu-Ofori Head, GN Corporate Affairs Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Major Mahamas trial case was thrown into further jeopardy Monday morning at the Accra High Court when some jurors begged the court to exclude them from the trial of the 14 people accused of killing Major Maxwell Mahama. At its last sitting on April 12, 2018, six jurors were empaneled, falling short of the required seven. But the courts attempt to get the last juror Monday was thrown into jeopardy when a member of the six jurors, presented a letter to the court, praying the court to exclude her. Her exclusion brought the number of jurors to five, but the process to select other jurors failed when two potential jurors told the court that they were not comfortable being part of the panel. One of them, a male, was excluded after one of the accused persons rejected him, but the other juror, a female, even after her selection begged the court to exclude her. When asked by the presiding judge to give a tangible reason, she said she was not comfortable and capable. The court finally excluded her and adjourned the case to April 25, 2018 to continue with the jury selection. Source: Graphic.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 A new beer coming to Harrisburg Beer Week was a joint production by four Harrisburg area breweries. Troegs Independent Brewing, Pizza Boy Brewing Company and Appalachian Brewing Company all joined forces once again for this year's 717 Collaboration Beer, this year's special brew for the 2018 Harrisburg Beer Week. Unlike last year, a fourth brewery is joining the team: Harrisburg's Zeroday Brewing Company. The 717 Collaboration Beer for this year's Harrisburg Beer Week is an "Extra Cream Ale" with cherries and vanilla. The flavor inspiration is from Theo Armstrong, co-owner and brewmaster of Zeroday, as a reference to an Appalachian Trail tradition where hikers stop at the Pine Grove Furnace General Store and grab some ice cream. According to the official description, the new beer "uses malts with subtle flavor profiles, hops with stone-fruit notes, lactose and loads of cherries and vanilla beans." The ABV (alcohol by volume) is 7.17%, and it rates at a 20 on the IBU (International Bitterness Units) scale. "In the spirit of Harrisburg Beer Week, we want to celebrate the growth and inclusivity of our local beer community," said Sara Bozich, Harrisburg Beer Week co-founder and organizer, in a press release. "As our community continues to flourish and grow, it only makes sense to add new breweries each year to grow the 717 Collaboration beyond the tanks and taps of its originators." The 717 Collaboration Beer will be release on April 20, the first day of Harrisburg Beer Week. It will be served at the Beer Week VIP Kickoff Party at Strawberry Square on the 20th, as well as at the Pa. Flavor event at the Pennsylvania Farm Show on April 21. Want to get a sneak peek before the beer's wide release? PennLive will be in attendance for the "First Sip" media event on April 19 to give our first look at the new brew. For more info on Harrisburg Beer Week, visit the event website As far as Pennsylvania is concerned, Idaho and Alabama are now in and Virginia is on its way out. In fact, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Monday, in 30 days Virginians who try to carry concealed firearms in the Keystone state will be breaking the law. Virginia's requirements for obtaining concealed carry permits fall too far below Pennsylvania's, so the Virginia permits will no longer be accepted as valid here. Shapiro made that announcement during the launch of a new online site that tells Pennsylvania concealed carry permit holders which other states will recognize those permits as legal under reciprocity agreements. The reciprocity list in on the AG's web site, www.attorneygeneral.gov. There are 29 states on that roster whose concealed carry permits are recognized by Pennsylvania, one more than when Shapiro ordered his staff to review Pennsylvania's concealed carry reciprocity deals with its sister states 10 months ago. Shapiro said 32 states accept concealed carry permits issued by Pennsylvania. The unveiling of Shapiro's reciprocity list comes amid the national debate on gun control spurred by several recent mass shootings. Idaho and Alabama were added to Pennsylvania's reciprocity that list because they require background check as comprehensive as those Pennsylvania conducts before issuing permits, Shapiro said. As a result, the permits issued to Alabama and Idaho residents will be accepted here and vice versa, he said. Virginia's removal from the list is due to that state's omission of mental health, juvenile delinquency, character and protection from abuse order checks on its background investigations for permit applicants, Shapiro said. He said a 30-day notice is being issued by his office advising Virginia officials their permits will no longer be accepted as lawful in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania permits will continue to be recognized in Virginia, however, he said. Shapiro said he commissioned the reciprocity exam to resolve confusion for the public and for law enforcement. He noted that last year his office received more than 100,000 inquiries on the interstate reciprocity issue. For police, the online list will provide a rapid reference as to whether someone might be carrying a concealed gun illegally. "It gives law enforcement the tools at their fingertips...to make sure they get answers very quickly in the field," the AG said. Abington Township Police Chief Pat Molloy "With the click of a mouse an officer on the street can get this information," said Abbington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy, one of several police officers at the news conference. That will lead to stricter enforcement of existing gun laws, Shapiro said, specifically those designed to keep firearms out of the hands of unstable people. "People say all the time, 'Enforce the laws that are on the books'," Shapiro said. "That is what we are doing." Then he took a swipe at a measure under consideration in Congress, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, that would allow anyone with a concealed carry permit to tote a hidden gun anywhere in the U.S., regardless of state laws. "The proposed law, I believe, is terrible policy," Shapiro said. "If we have a national standard you are accepting the weakest standard. And in the case of some states, no standard at all." State and local police in Pennsylvania are helping to detain and initiate deportation against undocumented immigrants who have no criminal records at a higher rate than any other state. They are doing so via tactics which are questionable if not illegal, and could open their departments to civil damages, according to an investigation by ProPublica and The Philadelphia Inquirer. One installment in the three-part series shines a spotlight on Cumberland County-based state trooper Luke C. Macke. Saying Macke's name turned up repeatedly in complaints from people alleging overzealous law enforcement, reporters from the two publications scrutinized a batch of cases where Macke turned people over to federal immigration agents. According to the article, "he turned over at least 19 undocumented immigrants to federal deportation officers after interrogating them about their legal status and detaining them without warrants." The article further details separate incidents involving local police offices in central Pennsylvania communities including Lemoyne and Camp Hill. Overall, the articles concluded the Philadelphia Immigration and Customs Enforcement office arrested more undocumented immigrants without criminal convictions than any of the other 23 regions in the U.S. last year. Undocumented immigrants without criminal records made up 64 percent of "at large" arrests last year in the Philadelphia ICE field office, compared with 38 percent in the rest of the U.S., said the report. There's a national debate over how much state and local police should cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency known as ICE. It comes amid President Donald Trump's focus on deporting illegal immigrant regardless of whether or not they have committed crimes. Under President Obama, ICE focused on those who had committed crimes. Some states have placed limits on how their officers can question immigrants about their legal status or hold them for ICE without a warrant. More than 400 counties have restricted their officers involvement with ICE. A relatively small number have partnered with ICE to deputize the local officer to enforce immigration laws. The Inquirer and ProPublica wrote, "Pennsylvania is in neither group, with no ICE partnership and no state-imposed restriction. The result is heightened uncertainty for immigrants about encounters with local and state authorities who might take it upon themselves to act unofficially as surrogates for the federal immigration agency. This is especially true in the center of the state, where anti-immigrant feelings run high." The intensity of the effort in central Pennsylvania is likely related to the presence of Interstate 81, which has long drawn special police attention because of its role as a major corridor in drug trade and crime throughout the northeast. A state police spokesman told the two publications the agency has no specific guidelines for how troopers should handle encounters with undocumented immigrants. State police declined to address the reporters' questions in full. Gov. Wolf told the publications the situation warrants a review of how state police are handling the cases and of the department's policies. The article stated: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to prolong traffic stops beyond the time it takes to address the traffic violation. In addition, the court has written that "detaining individuals solely to verify their immigration status would raise constitutional concerns." The Fourth Amendment protects noncitizens as well as citizens from illegal searches and seizures. The article detailed a case where a Lemoyne officer pulled a restaurant cook over for speeding, discovered he had no license, and detained him so an ICE agent could interrogate him by phone. The officer then drove the man to a spot well outside his patrol area to turn him over to ICE. The article quotes Lemoyne Mayor Gale Gallo, involved in overseeing regional police, as saying, "In my view, he'd be within his authority to make sure that anyone driving illegally would not continue to drive in our borough." Reflecting a different law enforcement approach, the article quoted Carlisle Police Chief Taro Landis as saying, "We have rules we have to go by -- rules of criminal procedure, crime code and vehicle code -- and none of them allow us to take someone into custody without a warrant." According to the article, Landis expressed "surprise" that some officers in Pennsylvania don't follow those rules regarding undocumented immigrants. Pennsylvania officials are trusting patients to use dry leaf and flower forms of medical marijuana according to doctors' orders and the law, meaning they will vaporize it but not smoke it. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine announced on Monday she has accepted a recommendation to allow the leaf and plant forms, saying she expects them to be available to patients this summer. She said her decision followed months of review of medical research and input from medical marijuana patients. She said patients will benefit because dry plant forms are the cheapest to buy and fastest to reach the market, since they require the least processing. She further said they are safer because they are less concentrated, and that inhaling vaporized medical marijuana is safer than inhaling burned marijuana. Levine also noted the only marijuana that has been available for study in the United States is the leaf form. She said a primary goal of Pennsylvania's medical marijuana program has been to give doctors a new "tool" in helping their patients, and this allows another form of that tool. "I really do feel this is the right thing to do," she said. Everything we know (so far) about Pa.'s medical marijuana dispensaries When Pennsylvania voted to legalize medical marijuana in early 2016, the law that finally won approval allowed medical marijuana in forms including oils that can be orally ingested or vaporized, pills, tinctures that dissolve in the mouth, and oils and creams that can be rubbed on the skin. But the law didn't allow the dry leaf forms, mostly to appease lawmakers who worried it would wind up getting smoked and would make it easier for young people to get marijuana. But while the law is firm in prohibiting smoking of medical marijuana, it allowed the state's Medical Marijuana Advisory Board to study and recommend additional forms including leaf, as long as it isn't smoked. Last week, the advisory board overwhelmingly voted to recommend allow leaf and flower, leaving the final decision to Levine. On Monday, Levine was pressed by reporters over what would stop someone from smoking leaf medical marijuana. She said she expects people will follow the direction of their doctor and the pharmacist they consult at their medical marijuana dispensary. If someone were caught smoking their legally-obtained medical marijuana, their case would be handled under criminal laws pertaining to marijuana, she said. Levine said vaporizing and inhaling medical marijuana has medical and intoxicating effects identical to smoking it. However, she said, "We're not looking for the intoxicating effects, where looking for the medical effects." Levine further said on Monday she is accepting the full list of recommendations made last week by the advisory board, which was created to make recommendations and evaluate the program at a point two years after the law was passed in April, 2016. These include expanding the list of serious medical conditions that can be treated with medical marijuana to include four more ailments, including cancer in remission, opioid addiction and other forms of chronic pain. They further include allowing doctors who become approved to certify patients for medical marijuana to opt out of the public registry of such doctors. That was done to allay concerns of some doctors who fear the fact that medical marijuana remains illegal at the federal level makes them vulnerable to prosecution. Levine accepted a recommendation that child patients be certified by a pediatric specialize, but delayed it for year because there aren't enough pediatricians and pediatric specialists who are certified to recommend medical marijuana. She also accepted the recommendation that patients will have to renew their medical marijuana card, which costs $50, only once in a year, even if their doctor initially recommends a course of medical marijuana that lasts less than a year. A state Superior Court panel has sacked an appeal by a scalper who was convicted of selling $300 worth of bogus tickets for a Philadelphia Eagles game. In short, neither the state judges nor a Philadelphia judge bought Derrick Smith's claim that he didn't know those tickets were fakes. Instead, the state court upheld Smith's convictions for theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and receiving stolen property in an opinion by Judge Anne E. Lazarus. Smith's run-in with the law occurred on Sept. 25, 2016 when he sold two tickets to a woman who was with her son and one of his friends in the parking lot outside Lincoln Financial Field. The woman gave the tickets to her son and his friend, who soon returned after they were refused admission because the tickets already had been scanned or were merely copies of legitimate tickets. The woman flagged down a cop, pointed to Smith and the case took off from there. Lazarus cited Smith's testimony that he sold tickets outside the stadium for a living yet did not know if those he sold to the woman were genuine. He claimed he promised to give the woman a refund if they turned out to be fakes and had given her his business card. Philadelphia County Judge Jeffrey P. Minehart convicted Smith, 53, during a non-jury trial and imposed an 11 1/2- to 23-month prison sentence. On appeal to the Superior Court, Smith claimed prosecutors hadn't proven he intended to con the woman and commit a crime. His promise of a refund and the fact that he gave the woman his business card belies any criminal intent, he contended. Lazarus found that Smith's testimony in the case wasn't credible. "Specifically, Smith testified that he had been in the business of reselling tickets for 38 years," she wrote. "Nevertheless, he claimed to have purchased five tickets, for a total of $575, without first ascertaining their validity." She agreed with Minehart's conclusion that Smith was lying, knew the tickets weren't genuine, and intended all along to steal the woman's money. When Sybil Knight-Burney took over as Harrisburg schools superintendent in 2011, student test scores were among the lowest in Pennsylvania, fewer than half of students graduated, and the district was in financial crisis. She was the latest in a long line of superintendents brought in with the hopes that each would be the leader who could finally turn around one of the state's worst-performing school districts. The job is not done, but she points to some improvement in student performance. She and supporters argue that she has laid the groundwork for more improvement by putting in place such things as a curriculum that teachers can follow through the from year to year, establishment of a teaching academy and assessment and data management system. But is it enough? The school board is divided on that. Board Vice President Danielle Robinson says the district is on the right course. "We've come such a long way. We have momentum. We're improving as a district," she said. "This is what we've been fighting for." But board President Judd Pittman disagrees, saying the data - test scores, teacher turnover and more - speak to the need to explore other options. He was among the five members of the nine-member board who voted to invite other candidates to apply for the superintendent job. He said Knight-Burney, whose contract expires June 30, is also welcome to apply. Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse endorsed that move. "I believe there hasn't been enough progress made on academic fronts in the district," Papenfuse said. "I don't think there's any question about that, and I think everyone's committed to trying to work to improve that." Recovery June 30 is not only the day Knight-Burney's current contract expires. It's also the day the district is scheduled to emerge from Pennsylvania's Act 141 for distressed schools. The district entered the recovery effort in 2013, when officials laid out a out a five-year strategy intended to lead the district to financial health and improved academic performance. With two months left, the district has accomplished 74 percent of the initiatives laid out in its recovery plan, said chief recovery officer Audrey Utley. The district, which five years earlier was in financial distress, slashing budgets, closing schools and laying off hundreds of employees, now has a $30 million fund balance, although there are concerns about long-term revenue projections. But in terms of meeting academic goals, the district continues to fall short. "There's no question the school district has seen some (academic) growth," Utley said. "While there has been some growth in the last couple of years, it has not reached the targets set for the recovery plan." Most of this growth in student performance has come from students moving from the "below basic" scoring level on standardized tests up to "basic," but not in the "proficient" and "advanced" levels sought under the recovery plan. From 2016 to 2017, for example, the percentage of students scoring "basic" at Harrisburg High School increased from 49.2 percent to 53.5 percent in math while below basic dropped from 39.1 percent to 38.4 percent, indicating some growth over the year. It's slow growth when comparing the same scores to 2013 when recovery began. Math held steady at 49.2 percent basic, but below basic was even higher at 40.5 percent. While there are numerous pockets of improvement, only three of the district's schools actually met their academic targets: the SciTech high school campus, the Middle School in math and science, and Melrose Elementary. The target for all schools was a 5 percent improvement per year -- still below the state average -- and most have fallen short. Here's a look at Harrisburg's high school test scores, compared to the state average and to two nearby, similar-sized school districts. And here's a look at how Harrisburg's scores compare to the goals set by recovery. A bright spot is the district's SciTech campus. Students must apply to attend the school, which limits its enrollment "to 400 serious and motivated students" who "demonstrate interest in and enthusiasm for a rigorous educational experience focused on a well-rounded education," according to the application form. Contrary to scores in at Harrisburg High School, the SciTech campus test scores were generally better than the state average. Knight-Burney would not comment for this story, but at the March 19 school board meeting, she said that test scores, while not meeting goals, are improving, showing students have the potential to achieve. It's just going to take time, she said. Sybil Knight-Burney has been superintendent of the Harrisburg School District since 2011. Her contract expires in June, and the school board recently voted to open up the search for other candidates. She is shown in this 2014 PennLive photo. Knight-Burney said she was made superintendent under conditions most superintendents never see in their careers - a $22 million deficit, decisions to close schools, furlough employees and institute pay cuts. At the time, there was also no curriculum in place for teachers to follow through the grade levels. There is now, she said. The same is true with management plans for curriculum, assessment and data, all of which are important factors in student achievement. Some of her other successes include the restoration of a full-day kindergarten and the establishment of a celebrated Teacher Leadership Academy. And though graduation rates are hovering just above the 50 percent mark, that is up from 45 percent when Knight-Burney started in 2011. Harrisburg has special challenges that other schools do not, Knight-Burney told the school board, the most daunting being an 85 percent poverty rate. "Yes, our kids have some challenges, but comparing them to school districts around us is not fair," Knight-Burney told the school board. "They don't have the kind of low-income that we have." That 85 percent poverty rate, among the highest of any district in the state, is substantial, said Dr. Sharon Wolf of the University of Pennsylvania. She studies child development and learning, focusing on the disadvantaged populations. Coming from an impoverished family can negatively affect a student's learning, but those difficulties are exponentially worse when a student grows up in a neighborhood of concentrated poverty, she said. The district is also grappling with a high teacher turnover rate. That number is roughly 11 percent this year but had been cited as high as 25 percent in previous years, and improving it was a target of recovery. Wolf said she's found experienced teachers are key to student success. "A higher rate of teacher turnover means higher levels of novice teachers," Wolf said. When this happens, "professional development is often undermined, creating additional challenges above and beyond the individual family circumstances." History repeating itself? Knight-Burney is not the first superintendent to struggle to improve Harrisburg's schools. Back in 2000, the state's Educational Empowerment Act placed the school district under an appointed control board in an effort to turn the ship around. The law, now defunct, mandated control boards be appointed by the state, except in the case of Harrisburg, where members were chosen by former Mayor Stephen Reed. He went on to recruit Gerald Kohn to serve as district's superintendent - the third person to hold that position in a five-year period. Kohn's nine-year tenure was a mixed bag of success and failure. Kohn and his defenders pointed to improved attendance and higher graduation rates. Critics contended that scores remained low and that improvements there were too slow. When former Mayor Linda Thompson defeated Reed in the mayoral election in 2009, Kohn lost an ally. Thompson was a vocal critic of Kohn, citing the district's failure to meet targets on state-mandated testing for seven years in a row and scoring among the bottom three of Pennsylvania's school districts. The school board soon took action to terminate Kohn. Nearly a decade later, the mayor's office is no longer overseeing the school, but the fate of the school district and city are still entwined. "If the school system isn't adequately educating the next generation, any recovery for the city is not going to be as robust or as strong," Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said. Sybil Knight-Burney's report card At last month's school board meeting, when the board chose to open the contract and look for a possible new superintendent, the community was divided on Knight-Burney's performance. "As a family, we're in favor of opening up bidding," parent Kimberly Thompson Leader said. "Our current administration had eight years to prove itself." Rev. Earl Harris and several clergy members spoke in favor of renewing Knight-Burney's contract. "The clergy stands firmly with not opening contract, but making sure we have consistency," he said. "There is steady, slow growth, and the reality is another superintendent coming in will start it all over again." Community member Gina Roberson said there has been progress, and she said it's due to Knight-Burney's leadership. "When she took over, we had no money, and now we have money," she said. "Something is going in the right direction. Why change now?" But another community member, Gerald Welch, said it's competition that "sharpens the sword," and the school board should let Knight-Burney hold her accomplishments up against that of other candidates. Board President Judd Pittman said the search starts a dialogue that can only help the district, asking questions like, "What are other ideas, what are other visions, what are other pathways for success?" he said. He pointed to tests scores, teacher turnover, and graduation rates, which in recent years have hovered around 55 percent, as underscoring the need for change. "At some point, the accountability falls on someone," he said. The future? The challenges facing Harrisburg schools may seem daunting, but chief recovery officer Audrey Utley said the district can turn things around. "The challenges are great, there's no question about that," Utley said. "But once we get the systems and programs in place, there's no reason Harrisburg can't grow and improve." These include intervention programs targeting the students who need the most help and working with them on the areas where test scores show they are struggling. When recovery comes to an end in June, the state has three options. It could determine that the school district has reached its targets and can exit the program, which is the least likely option, Utley said. Option two is that the handling of the school will be taken out of the school board's hands, and a state receiver will come in to replace the school board for most decisions. The third option would keep the district in recovery for a few more years. It remains to be seen whether Knight-Burney will be guiding the district through this next stage, whatever that may be. Whether the superintendent at the helm is Knight-Burney or someone else, they will be facing big challenges. But Utley believes those challenges are not insurmountable. "I'm not suggesting that, considering the population and the challenges the population brings with them, that we'll be competing with Camp Hill, but they'll at least be competing with like districts and improving their scores overall," Utley said. The state House of Representatives on Monday passed controversial legislation that would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion based on the belief the expected child is likely to have Down syndrome. By a bi-partisan 139-56 vote, the measure now goes to the Senate, where a similar bill has been sitting idle in that chamber's Judiciary Committee since March 7. If the legislation reaches Gov. Tom Wolf's desk, its fate doesn't look promising. "Pennsylvania Republicans are trying once again to criminalize a health care decision that Governor Wolf has been clear should be made by a woman and her doctor, not politicians in Harrisburg," said Wolf spokeswoman Sara Goulet about the bill. "This is another example of Harrisburg Republicans exploiting vulnerable families and trying to undermine the doctor-patient relationship to score political points. The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny County, comes in large part due to recent news reports focusing on Iceland where nearly all pregnancies in which prenatal tests show the child is likely to have Down syndrome are ended in abortion. Down syndrome is a chromosome-related condition that affects peoples' appearance and causes physical and learning disabilities. The legislation would alter the Pennsylvania's abortion law which allows abortions until week 24 of a pregnancy for any reason other than the child's sex, to include one more exception when abortions would not be permitted: "A prenatal diagnosis of or belief that the unborn child has Down syndrome." The bill drew more than an hour and a half debate filled with personal stories about children with Down syndrome they know and arguments from opponents who see the bill as another attempt to rollback women's reproductive rights. House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, took the rare step of leaving the rostrum to speak on the bill he sponsored that he views as a disability rights issue. He spoke of long-distance swimmer Karen Gaffney who came to the Capitol last month as an example of how babies born with this disorder are capable of achieving amazing feat such as swimming across Boston Harbor, the San Francisco Bay and Lake Tahoe. "Karen Gaffney understood her life to be a good life and understood the mere existence of that life was wondrous," he said. "I think sometimes my goodness, what if my parents for some reason didn't think I was good enough as an unborn child ... not perfect enough as a human being." Rep. Kate Klunk, R-York County, said she sees the push for terminating fetuses with Down syndrome as "nothing short of eugenics, a cleansing of the genetic pool in order to eliminate those who are not wanted in our population. Iceland is very proud of this fact and the United States is not far behind." But Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny County, who was unsuccessful in his attempt to get the legislation ruled unconstitutional by the chamber, strongly opposed the bill. He called it "another blatantly unconstitutional legislative power grab with one goal: To infringe upon the protected rights of women in the commonwealth to make their own health care decisions." Further, he said this bill should give pause to all physicians and health care providers as well as their patients. "If this bill becomes law, we must assume providers are supposed to find out and judge a patient's motivation for terminating a pregnancy," he said. "Providers will be put in a position of trying to figure whether or not they will be criminally charged for doing something their patients requested." Rep. Kathy Rapp, R- Warren County, countered that medical and scientific technological advances are changing what it means to live with Down syndrome and other disabilities for the better. "What should never be denied is the fact that people with Down syndrome and other disabilities have contributed much to our society and they will continue to do so when we finally recognize that each of their precious lives is worth living," Rapp said. Opponents, including Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky, D-Delaware County, however, argued that if lawmakers were so concerned about serving the individuals with intellectual disabilities they would invest more money to eliminate the waiting lists for the services and supports they require. "This proves that this bill is not about protecting people with intellectual disabilities or special needs or Down syndrome," she said. "This bill is just another unconstitutional abortion ban from the same legislators who attempt to roll back the right to a safe legal abortion every single change they get." Pennsylvania has a new law in place to strengthen the protections for domestic abuse victims, and it has the family of Tierne Ewing to thank for it. Ewing was a 48-year-old Washington County woman who was killed by her husband in 2016 after he had been arrested and released a couple of months before for beating and pistol-whipping her, and branding her legs with a piece of hot metal, along with other forms of domestic abuse, while holding her captive from June 26 to July 8. Her story brought to light the need for fixes in the system when it came to judges setting bail for perpetrators in domestic abuse cases. Watching as Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed the legislation into law that is named in memory of her daughter, Annelle Kopko said aloud, "it's law" and "thank you" as she looked heavenward and her husband Richard and other family members wiped tears from their eyes. "This bill will allows judges to use risk assessment tools to determine if the perpetrator of these kinds of heinous acts pose a continued danger to the victims," Wolf said, prior to signing the bill. The legislation, which passed both chambers without any opposition, also adds strangulation to the list of offenses for which police officers can arrest someone without a warrant when the offense is committed against a family member or someone who shares their household. While some judges have risk assessment tools available to them now, this one to be developed by the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing would present a more objective view and be more uniformly used across the commonwealth. Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington County, who sponsored the legislation, described it as a survey of sorts that will determine a perpetrator's propensity for re-offense or the likelihood of committing more harm to the victims. It will use an algorithm that takes into account such factors as criminal background, drug and/or alcohol abuse history, the number of protection from abuse orders issued against them. "Every single time a prosecutor that says to a judge or magistrate I want to be sure that you use Tierne's law, every time Tierne's name is spoken, her memory will live on," Bartolotta said. "She will never be forgotten." Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam is shown in a Toronto Police Service handout photo made available on Monday, April 16, 2018. Alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur has been charged with an eighth count of first-degree murder.Police have identified the alleged victim as Kanagaratnam.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Toronto Police Service MANDATORY CREDIT FILE - In this March 13, 2018, file photo, a motorcade carrying President Donald Trump drives along the border in San Diego. California has rejected the federal government's initial plans for National Guard troops to the border because the work is considered too closely tied to immigration enforcement. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Russian military police officers check a weapons factory left behind by members of the Army of Islam group, in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus, Syria, Monday, April 16, 2018. Faisal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister, said on Monday that his country is "fully ready" to cooperate with the fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that's in Syria to investigate the alleged chemical attack that triggered U.S.-led airstrikes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) A rescue helicopter and other emergency vehicles are seen at the scene of the shark attack in Gracetown, Australia, Monday, April 16, 2018. A surfer mauled by a shark Monday off southwest Australia managed to swim to shore despite serious injuries to both of his legs, an official and a witness said. (Anthony Pancia/Australian Broadcasting Corp via AP) This Sunday, April 15, 2018, photo provided by Kauai resident James Hennessy shows the view as he maneuvers a stand-up paddleboarding along his flooded street in Haena, Hawaii. Heavy rains on Kauai let up on Monday, which helped emergency workers better rescue people stranded by flooding on the Hawaiian island. (James Hennessy via AP) Guyana-ExxonMobil contract as oppressive as GTT monopoly deal- Ramson By Kaieter News GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 04 16 2018 Attorney-at-law, Charles Ramson, has said that the 2016 contract inked between ExxonMobil and Guyana is reminiscent of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT), which allowed that company to stifle the nation. In 1990, the People National Congress government and Atlantic Tele-Network (ATN) signed an agreement in which ATN acquired 80 percent shares in GTT and the government retained 20 percent. GT&T subsequently commenced operations on January 28, 1991. According to Ramson, the ExxonMobil contract is just as oppressive as the GTT contract and will see generations suffering the consequences, but the effects of this contract (ExxonMobil's) will be worse. Ramson said, The contract with Exxon will trap Guyana for decades to come even after the APNU+AFC loses power; the situation with GT&T's 40-year monopoly of Guyana's international voice and data traffic awarded by the PNC. Ramson noted that the GTT contract has severely restricted the liberalization of the telecommunication sector in Guyana for decades causing Guyana to have about the highest telecommunication rate in the world. The money that GTT has been able to make off Guyana is well known. In the operating year 2007/2008 alone, GTT raked in $21M of which $9M was declared as profit. This sort of profit was recorded despite the fact that GTT was paying $100M per month, accumulating to $1.2B per year, to its parent company, ATN as advisory fees; an expenditure that stunned authorities. Many questioned, how can a company operating in a nation as poor as Guyana make such a large turnover and profits? While Guyana wanted to wriggle itself out of the vice of GTT, the contract was binding and little could have been done. As a result, 27 years later, telecommunication in Guyana is still to be liberalized. Just last year, when the Guyana Consumers Authority was advocating liberalization, it had this to say, For 26 years, the Guyanese consumers have funded all investments by GTT within and outside of Guyana. This funding is the formidable basis of a company that uses internal interest-free funds to expand and then claim increased rates from double dipping. Ramson said that 27 years from now, Guyana will still be feeling the squeeze of the ExxonMobil contract which the APNU+AFC Government is not willing to renegotiate. In fact, Article 32 of the contract (the stabilization clause) with ExxonMobil has already trapped Guyana since it states that there can be no re-negotiation of the contract unless ExxonMobil agrees. This, it goes without saying more, is flaw number one and will see not only the lost revenue amounting to billions of US dollars from the unfavourable fiscal terms of the contract but the loss of an opportunity for another government to correct the flaws in the now extant contract. The oil and gas consultant said that no contract should have a stabilization clause without a term limit. Ramson further noted, Recently, we heard the Minister of Natural Resources saying that the contract will be reviewed in four years, but review doesn't mean renegotiate. I hope Guyanese note that. The lawyer said Guyana will definitely not be getting the kind of revenue it deserves from ExxonMobil. Ramson opined that decades after Guyana signed the GTT agreement, there is no way we should have been making the kinds of mistakes made in the ExxonMobil agreement. Our politicians should have learned. Now we all have to live with the consequences of mistakes made over and over again. Hit your target - Advertise with us Story from Kaieter News Kaieteurnewsonline.com 04 15 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 transferred overseas ExxonMobil's signing bonus to earn interest- Finance Minister By Demerarawaves GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 04 16 2018 The US$18 million ExxonMobil signing bonus, which was initially deposited in the Bank of Guyana, has been transferred overseas to an interest-bearing account, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said. If it stays here, it will sit down doing nothing. It can't earn interest if it stays here so it's in matured US treasury bills, Canada bonds , he said. US$36,163 in interest have been already earned since the monies have been deposited overseas. He restated that after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates how much is required at any given time for legal fees for the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy court case at the International Court of Justice, the Finance Ministry would go to the National Assembly for a supplementary amount after which the cash would be converted and released to Consolidated Fund for disbursement. Jordan said there was absolutely no secret about the signing bonus, and the Bank of Guyana, Accountant General or the Ministry of Finance could at all time provide that publicly accessible information. US$15 million have been set aside for the legal fees, and the US$3 million have been set aside for capacity building and training. Foreign Minister, Carl Greenidge has not ruled out the possibility that legal fees could exceed US$15 million as the case before the ICJ could take as much as six years. Hit your target - Advertise with us Aquaterra Energy installs first CSP platform offshore T&T By TT Guardian PORT SPAIN Petroleumworld 04 16 2018 Aquaterra Energy, a leading global offshore engineering solutions provider, has completed the delivery of a Sea Swift conductor supported platform (CSP) for DeNovo Energy in the Gulf of Paria, offshore T&T. This is the first platform of its kind to be installed in the country and it was completed in just ten months. Located in the Iguana field, the Sea Swift was installed from a jack-up rig in 27 metres water depth, accommodating up to four wells and includes local power generation, manifolds and a control system. To meet the tight delivery timetable, the design phase of the project overlapped with the fabrication of the Sea Swift. It was built by Chet Morrison Contractors who also designed and installed the Iguana pipeline to shore. Drilling of the first of a three-well development campaign has commenced, using the Well Services Rig 110. Aquaterra's Sea Swift platform has been installed across a number of shallow water locations, including three in West Africa, one in Egypt and one in the Far East. Its deepest deployment to date is at 65 metres water depth using two subsea structures, offshore Peninsular Malaysia. It is also the largest known CSP in terms of topside weight at more than 400 tonnes fully laden. Stewart Maxwell, Technical Director of Aquaterra Energy said: The Sea Swift platform is an ideal solution for shallow water field developments, such as Iguana. From concept to completion, this project showcases Aquaterra's agility and ability to work quickly and efficiently to deadline and budget. The promise of a more efficient and tighter delivery envelope is an attractive option for operators looking to accelerate the journey to first oil and natural gas in marginal field developments, added Maxwell. As the price of fabricated steel has fallen, it means the straight cost differential between a conventional jacket and a Sea Swift is also falling. The overall cost savings really come to the fore when using smaller and more agile fabrication yards, and a jack-up for installation ensures simpler project management and reduced risk. The Trinidad Sea Swift platform in place. This first for the upstream industry in Trinidad and Tobago opens up further opportunities for the country, which has several stranded reserves full of development potential. Hit your target - Advertise with us Saudi Aramco is world's most profitable oil company By Reuters LONDON Petroleumworld 04 13 2018 Saudi Aramco is the world's most profitable oil company, Bloomberg reported on Friday, but its huge earnings and cash flows may still fail to justify its desired $2 trillion valuation. Financial performance at Aramco has long been one of the best kept secrets in the oil industry but as the company prepares for a long-awaited initial public offering (IPO) this year or next it needs to tell investors what it earns and how it operates. Bloomberg news agency cited company accounts as saying Aramco had net income of $33.8 billion in the first six months of 2017 and cash flows of $52.1 billion. Aramco said: This is inaccurate, Saudi Aramco does not comment on speculation regarding its financial performance and fiscal regime. The accounts, prepared to the IFRS standard, showed the firm made $7.2 billion in net income in the first of half of 2016, when crude averaged $41 a barrel, Bloomberg said. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has made the Aramco IPO a cornerstone of Saudi economic reform to 2030, wants to raise a record $100 billion by selling a 5 percent stake in Aramco on local and foreign exchanges. That would give Aramco a market capitalisation of $2 trillion, the biggest achieved by any company and dwarfing peers such as Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell. By comparison, Shell's current cost of supplies earnings excluding one-offs - the closest equivalent to net income - stood at $7.4 billion in the first half of 2017, the same as Exxon's. Exxon had cash flow from operations and asset sales at $16 billion in the first half of 2017, compared with Shell cash flows of $20.8 billion. Exxon's current market capitalisation stands at $327 billion and Shell is worth $285 billion. Even though Aramco's cash flows are two to three times bigger, its desire for a market value six to seven times higher than those of Exxon or Shell might look too ambitious to many investors and analysts who have said the company could be worth more than $1 trillion. Hit your target - Advertise with us Mexico's energy minister rejects Leftist presidential candidate's call for fuel price freeze By Reuters MEXICO CITY Petroleumworld 04 13 2018 Mexico's energy minister on Friday rejected calls by the frontrunner in the country's upcoming presidential race to freeze gasoline prices, saying the government must find better ways to avoid price spikes. Leftist presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is leading most polls by double digits ahead of the July 1 vote, said this week he would mandate a three-year fuel price freeze if elected. While a promise to fix gasoline and diesel prices might seem attractive, consequences of such a government-mandated policy would be unpredictable, said Energy Minister Pedro Joaquin Coldwell at an event in the capital. It's easy to freeze but, on the other hand, the challenge is how you unfreeze, he said. When you unfreeze, buckle your seat belts because prices are going to jump. Mexico, which has over the past couple years gradually ended a policy of government-set gasoline prices, was rocked by protests early last year after a double-digit increase. The so-called gasolinazo, which officials defended at the time as a necessary measure to end costly fuel subsidies, helped sink President Enrique Pena Nieto's approval rating to historic lows. The liberalization of fuel prices in Mexico is part of a landmark energy reform finalized in 2014. The energy minister said the government should instead find ways to make prices for motor fuels, as well as electricity rates, as low as possible through what he described as technology and competence. The longtime politician whose family also owns several Pemex gas stations said the finance ministry's current policy of weekly adjustments to a key tax applied to fuel sales is a better way to keep volatile prices swings at bay. That permits you to cushion the volatility without the need to manipulate the market, he said. Hit your target - Advertise with us U.S. Vicepresident urges regional leaders to isolate Venezuela's Maduro By Lisandra Paraguassu and Roberta Rampton LIMA Petroleumworld 04 13 2018 The United States urged regional leaders on Saturday to take stronger steps to isolate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as it joined a declaration condemning the worsening humanitarian crisis and political repression in the South American nation. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told the Summit of the Americas in the Peruvian capital that immediate action was needed as Venezuela gears up for presidential elections on May 20 that have been condemned by many regional leaders as a farce to legitimize Maduro's rule. For the first time, the United States backed a statement by heads of state from the Lima Group of nations - established last year to seek a peaceful end to Venezuela's political turmoil - which called on Maduro to release political prisoners and hold free elections. Despite an economic collapse that has driven an estimated 3 million people to flee his once-prosperous OPEC nation, Maduro is expected to win next month's poll. Venezuela's two most popular opposition leaders are banned from competing and electoral authorities are stacked with government supporters. The United States of America will not stand idly by as Venezuela crumbles, Pence said in a speech. Every free nation gathered here must take stronger action to isolate the Maduro regime. We must all stand with our brothers and sisters suffering in Venezuela. The statement by the Lima Group voiced alarm at an exodus of migrants from Venezuela and urged governments to intensify actions aimed at restoring democracy. Washington has already targeted senior members of Maduro's administration with sanctions due to accusations of corruption and rights abuses. Former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson raised the prospect in February that this could be broadened to restrict Venezuela's exports of crude oil and its imports of U.S. refined products. Neighboring countries' frustration with Maduro's socialist government has been stoked by the arrival of thousands of hungry migrants across the border into Colombia and Brazil every day. CALL FOR HUMANITARIAN AID The joint statement called on international organizations to offer support to neighboring countries to cope with the arrivals and for Maduro to allow access for humanitarian aid to his nation of 30 million people - something he has refused to do, denying there is a crisis. To have in Maduro a leader that will not allow humanitarian aid into his own country as people are starving and people are dying is unconscionable, Pence said. Addressing red-shirted supporters at an anti-imperialist rally in Caracas, Maduro branded the meeting in Lima as a complete failure and said Latin American presidents were wasting their time criticizing him. Maduro was banned from the Lima gathering due to regional censure of his democratic record. Hosting the summit, Peru has sought the broadest possible support for the document from governments outside the 14-nation Lima Group - which includes regional heavyweights such as Brazil, Mexico and Canada but not the United States. However, efforts to build momentum behind the statement were hit by the last-minute cancellation of U.S. President Donald Trump's attendance. In the end, the statement was signed by 16 nations, fewer than half of the 35 countries that are members of the Organization of American States (OAS). Previous efforts to build consensus behind strongly worded condemnations of Venezuela at the OAS have run into resistance not just from Caracas' left-leaning allies such as Cuba and Bolivia, but Caribbean nations that have benefited from Venezuela's subsidized oil programmers. The official theme of the Lima summit was the fight against corruption and leaders agreed a statement calling for improvements in transparency of public tenders, more independent and accountable judiciaries and stronger international cooperation on money laundering. However, the meeting was overshadowed by U.S. air strikes in Syria in retaliation for what Washington said was a chemical weapons attack by President Bashar al-Assad's government. While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced strong support for the air strikes by the United States, France and Britain, several Latin American nations including Brazil, Argentina and Peru expressed caution about the escalating military action. There's deep concern in Brazil with the escalation of military conflict in Syria, Brazilian President Michel Temer told the summit. It's time to find permanent solutions based on international law to a war that has been going for far too long and ended too many lives. Hit your target - Advertise with us OPEC output dropping near 3-year low on Venezuela woes - IEA Output cuts by OPEC and Russia are clearing the glut Stockpile surplus Source: IEA Venezuela's unintended cuts almost match Saudi Arabia's: IEA. IEA sees Venezuela's capacity falling to lowest since 1940s. By Angelina Rascouet LONDON Petroleumworld 04 16 2018 OPEC's crude production fell to the lowest in almost three years as Venezuela's woes continued to mount. The size of Venezuela's production declines are matching those of Saudi Arabia, the International Energy Agency said in its monthly report. However, the essential difference is Venezuela's reduction is unintentional with the Latin American nation's oil industry suffering from chronic mismanagement, the IEA said. The Biggest Losers More than a second Saudi Arabia has been added to the output deal, IEA says Actual cuts in March Pledged cuts Source: International Energy Agency March cuts in relation to reference level of October 2016 for Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. September 2016 for Angola. The collapse of Venezuela's oil industry is partly a reason the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has over-delivered on its pledge to curb supply. The group and its allies including Russia are not only nearing their target of bringing global stockpiles back in line with five-year averages, but are starting to suggest markets may tighten sharply later this year. OPEC's compliance with its pledged cuts in March rose to a record 163 percent in February, the IEA said. To all intents and purposes, more than a second Saudi Arabia has been added to the output agreement, the IEA said. Venezuela's oil production last month was 580,000 barrels a day below its reference level of 2.07 million barrels a day. That's just shy of Saudi Arabia's 620,000 barrel-a-day cut in March. Venezuela had originally agreed to slash 95,000 barrels a day when it signed the deal. The pain is set to continue. The Latin American nation's output capacity is likely to drop to 1.38 million barrels a day by the end of the year, the lowest level since the late 1940s, Paris-based IEA said. Production fell to 1.49 million barrels a day in March from 1.55 million barrels in February, helping boost its compliance rate to 607 percent. Difficulties in sourcing diluents, payment issues and ongoing operational challenges are likely to lead to further production declines, the agency said. Here are some of the other highlights from the report: Production in Saudi Arabia, OPEC's biggest producer and its de-facto leader, fell a further 40,000 barrels a day in March to 9.92 million barrels a day. Algeria's output fell to just below 1 million barrels a day, the lowest since 2002, after maintenance at Hassi Berkine South and Bir Rebaa North fields. Angolan production fell further to 1.52 million barrels a day, the lowest since October 2016, mostly because of natural declines at mature fields. Iraq, OPEC's second biggest producer, pumped 4.44 million barrels a day. Its compliance rate was 58 percent in March, the worst among the participants in the supply-cut deal. Hit your target - Advertise with us Brazil's presidential candidates Bolsonaro, Marina Silva tied amid racism charges - first poll Facebook/Jair Bolsonaro Jair Bolsonaro is tied with Marina Silva in the race for 2018. Accusations against Bolsonaro based in part on 2017 speech. Datafolha poll shows lawmaker with 17% of vote intentions By Aline Oyamada SAO PAULO Petroleumworld 04 16 2018 The first poll since Brazil's former president was arrested showed environmentalist Marina Silva technically tied as a leading candidate in the next election with Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing accusations of racism and inciting hatred. A Datafolha poll released by Folha de S.Paulo newspaper showed Bolsonaro with 17 percent of vote intentions and Silva with 15 to 16 percent. The polling scenario didn't include former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose chances of returning to power have likely ended after he was jailed on a conviction for corruption and money laundering. Lula was a front-runner for October's presidential race before his arrest a week ago, and the three scenarios in the Datafolha poll with him as a candidate showed the 72-year-old still getting 30 to 31 percent of vote intentions. Bolsonaro was next with 15 to 16 percent, followed by Silva with 10 percent. Members of Lula's Workers' Party reaffirmed that he remains a candidate after the poll was released, Folha de S. Paulo reported Sunday. Bolsonaro, a lawmaker and former Brazilian army captain, was on Friday charged by General Prosecutor Raquel Dodge for, among other incidents, remarks during a speech in Rio de Janeiro in April 2017. The charges, made to the Supreme Court, accused the 63-year-old of prejudice against Brazil's indigenous population, women, refugees and LGBT people. Sensationalist' News Bolsonaro's adviser and lawyer, Gustavo Bebianno, said in a video shared in message groups that the candidate isn't a racist, and that this will be easily proved in any legal proceeding. Bolsonaro's press office said in an emailed statement that the charges were groundless and aimed to produce sensationalist news -- adding that, as a lawmaker, the candidate has the right and duty to discuss controversial topics. The prosecutor's office statement quoted Bolsonaro saying in the 2017 speech that he had four male children but that his fifth, a female, was the result of a moment of weakness. According to Dodge, his remarks violate constitutional rights of the victims and the rights of the whole society. If convicted, Bolsonaro could face up to three years in prison and a fine of as much as $117,000. Hit your target - Advertise with us Scholars who study corporate embarrassments said Starbucks was using corporate textbook moves from the social-media playbook to limit damage to the chain's brand and reputation in the wake of police handcuffing and removing two African American men from a Rittenhouse Square-area store last week. "In the old days they'd jump out quickly and apologize," even without the facts but now the steps are different, says Americus Reed, professor of marketing at Penn's Wharton School, who advises companies on "brand crises." To keep loyal users coming back, the first step is to "validate concern" by "recognizing it's not a good situation, it's a horrible thing that's happened" without necessarily apologizing, because "your information is usually incomplete," Reed said. "Two, you show action." By telling protesters on Sunday that the chain was taking responsibility, then on Monday that the manager who reported the men to the police had agreed with the company she should leave the store, Starbucks moved fast to show "there are things we are putting in place to make sure it doesn't happen again." And by responding fast and continuously, Starbucks was working to "control the narrative. Get out front with your public relations story before competitors or folks that don't like you." >>READ MORE: Latest developments on the Starbucks arrests Mark Zuckerberg's recent reaction to revelations that companies were exploiting Facebook users' data also hit all those "golden standard" points, Reed said, though it took a few days longer. He contrasted the Starbucks and Facebook response to United Airlines' past reaction to viral reports of customers getting kicked off flights: United seemed to blame its customers before shifting its story in reaction to customer pushback. This kind of thing has happened at Starbucks before, Reed noted: Its 2015 initiative, 'Race Together,' "had the baristas trying to have these very difficult conversations about race, in shops where they were selling $10 coffee. It was a good idea, badly executed." Reed predicted Starbucks will get passive help from an unlikely source President Trump: "All Starbucks has to do is show this is a 'one-off' when you have tens of thousands of employees and sometimes someone makes a bad decision and everything will be fine. In this 24-hour news cycle there's probably 10 stories on Capitol Hill that will replace this. People don't have time to find out what's going on at Starbucks while entire democratic institutions are in trouble. And that benefits Starbucks." >>READ MORE: Starbucks manager who called police has left the company The incident occurred in a wealthy, largely white neighborhood, Tibbs added. "The gentlemen who were handcuffed don't fit that demographic they are black, they are male, the way they are dressed." Tibbs said Starbucks' Johnson acted "admirably" in flying to Philadelphia as soon as the arrests blew up on social media, fueled by a video of the incident. "They have to review their policies in terms of asking potential patrons to remove themselves with the establishment." But Tibbs challenged the chain's initial effort to avoid blaming individual staffers: "Someone on the staff set this in motion. They had to have said they were there to meet someone else prior to the police being called. Not only do you need to change your policies, you need to give your staff training to understand how implicit bias and white privilege works. You have to give responsibility to the management." As to lasting damage, "I know I won't be making purchases at Starbucks for awhile. It is an international incident." Still, the world has a short attention span. "I strongly suspect Starbucks will not see any lasting damage from this incident," so long as the protests remain local and the company keeps responding, said Kevin Werbach, a legal studies and business ethics professor at Wharton. Starbucks has "created a reservoir of good will" by portraying itself as a socially-responsible company, and "they have responded very aggressively in apologizing and saying they will not let this happen again," he added. The arrested men's lawyer, Lauren Wimmer, said they went to the store for a business meeting with developer Andrew Yaffe, who had invited them for coffee. Videos of the arrest, which spread to millions on social media last weekend, show the developer arriving on the scene and questioning the arrests, while officers insist on detaining and removing the men, who were released around 12:30 a.m. Friday without charges. Starbucks chief executive Kevin Johnson flew from the company's Seattle headquarters to Philadelphia Sunday night to apologize for the incident. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross on Saturday said a supervisor and a group of police had detained the men after complaints from Starbucks staff. The department sometimes dispatches supervisors when officers have different views on how to handle an incident. After police announced an Internal Affairs investigation into what happened, but before that investigation was completed, Ross declared that police did "absolutely nothing wrong" and were following the department's usual policy when business owners complain that people won't leave and are trespassing. Community and racial disputes are a risk for companies that rely on low-paid retail employees to deal with the public, Wharton's Werbach said. Despite cultivating a liberal image to match an urban and college-town clientele, "every company can make mistakes, especially companies that have large numbers of front-line employees. It comes back to culture," Werbach added. Given its pay scale, "Starbucks can't depend on highly compensating employees [to ensure] they are taking appropriate behavior. They have to create a culture where people who work at Starbucks feel proud of working at Starbucks, and feel a personal impetus to protect the brand." In blaming his company, not staff or police, for the arrest, Johnson admitted Starbucks' culture needs improvement. "Watching the video, it was painful," Johnson told the Inquirer this morning. The result was "reprehensible." He said he's studying what to do. Werbach noted, for example, that Amazon, the online retailer and distribution giant, had weathered past embarrassments over grueling treatment of thousands of warehouse employees by continually working to improve its "tremendous consumer focus." Uber and other companies known for riding roughshod over critics can have a tougher time when they face scandal and negative news. Service bias can be costly: Cracker Barrel paid almost $9 million in 2004 to settle allegations that the restaurant chain mistreated black customers and discriminated against black workers. IHOP, run by International House of Pancakes LLC, apologized in March after a waitress asked black teenagers to pay upfront for a meal at an Auburn, Maine IHOP. And Applebee's apologized, fired workers and closed a restaurant in Independence, Missouri, after two black women said they were falsely accused of not paying for meals in February, according to the Associated Press. Greg Matusky, founder of public relations firm Gregory FCA in Ardmore, said the Starbucks incident points to a demographic challenge for the sweetened-coffee chain: "Starbucks is way too invested in the yoga-pants demographic," he said. "It has to diversify its culture and approach. Ironically, that opens the door for other brands, such as Philly's urban, authentic La Colombe." (Matusky's firm doesn't represent La Colombe or Starbucks.) "They have the street cred with hipsters in Northern Liberties, and they have a Bryn Mawr store on the Main Line. Starbucks needs to be very careful where they fall on that spectrum." He suggested Starbucks develop "brands with that kind of sensibility and sensitivity and use their connection to better understand the reality of America's diversity. I don't know how long they can depend on Mom in her yoga pants getting out of her Land Rover will be seen as cool and contemporary." While the P.R. people rush Johnson around to cope with the YouTube cycle, some observers in the African American community are considering longer-term pocketbook protests. "We haven't yet decided" on whether to boycott Starbucks as a business or to divest its shares from retirement portfolios, said Reverend Mark Tyler, pastor at Mother Bethel AME congregation in Center City Philadelphia. "We're having a conversation with 20,000 clergy [Monday] afternoon on a phone conference call, to figure out the appropriate response to Starbucks. Everything is on the table," Tyler said. "But we don't want it to hurt employees of color who work at Starbucks. Sometimes a hasty boycott can have unintended consequences." Marc Lamont Hill, founder of the black-owned Uncle Bobbie's coffee cafe in Germantown, said the culture of coffee houses is that customers often come and wait for friends without purchasing anything. "That's why so many coffee houses die, because customers buy nothing, or buy a water and stay for hours. It's so foreign to me for police to be called for something so minor," Lamont Hill said. When he saw the video, "I thought 'why would I call the police on my customers'"? Uncle Bobbie's brews La Colombe coffee, and Lamont Hill said he doesn't frequent Starbucks, although he did attend a rally there on Sunday. "Part of being a black-owned space or a cafe is the sense of safety. At Uncle Bobbie's we have better coffee and you don't go to jail." In 32 days, applicants for the second and most likely final round of permits to grow medical marijuana in Pennsylvania must have their applications completed and mailed to the state Department of Health. This is what has to happen before then: By the May 17 deadline, they must come up with a non-refundable $10,000 application fee, a refundable permit fee of $200,000 and proof of $2 million in capital, $500,000 of which must be on deposit. While there's no set acreage minimum, a facility that can handle mass agricultural production is probably going to need a minimum 20,000 square feet of land. The applicants will need to show they have a parcel in hand, or at least on contingency. They shouldn't expect landlords will refund deposits used to hold the property for them, just in case they get a permit. They also must have all necessary zoning approvals and a diversity plan and, if successful, be operational in six months. "It's a huge undertaking," said Gabe Perlow, CEO of PurePenn, which picked up one of the coveted 12 cultivation permits last year. Its 23,000-square-foot McKeesport facility made a first harvest last week. Given the state's six-week timeline for applying, he said, repeat applicants who have already organized their financing and secured zoning approvals have a clear advantage. Many of those unsuccessful applicants also took advantage of a post-selection debriefing by state officials that detailed where their application might be strengthened next time. In other words, expect stronger proposals from everyone this time around. "That alone would scare me," Mr. Perlow said. In the first round, he explained, there were many unknowns regarding what the state was looking for, making it easier for groups to set themselves apart. "Now the playing field is really level for everyone in Pennsylvania," which he believes will make this round much more competitive. What's at stake is a time-and-expense investment that may well exceed $1 million, all for a chance at one of the 13 remaining grower permits. The permits will be distributed geographically among six regions; southwestern Pennsylvania gets two permits, with the 13th going to the highest remaining score statewide. Southeastern Pennsylvania will get two growing permits and up to nine new dispensary permits. If the region's 27 unsuccessful first-round applicants try again and no newcomers apply, that means there's roughly a 7 percent to 8 percent chance of winning a permit this time, if all other factors are more or less equal. But, of course, they're not equal. Last year, Cure Pennsylvania missed scoring a first-round Region 5 permit by 12 points out of the 1,000 allowed while Cresco Yeltrah, which scored 9 points below Cure Pennsylvania, did get a permit in Region 6, which covers northwest Pennsylvania. "That was pretty tough on us," said Ryan Smith, the Colorado-based chief operating officer for Cure Holdings. Despite its seeming inside track position this time, Mr. Smith will only say, "We are strongly considering" applying for one of this region's second-round grow-process permits. "We have to make the final decision within the next two weeks." Meanwhile, PennAlt Organics in Harmony, Butler County, which had scored 87 points below Cure Pennsylvania and finished 11th in this region, is quickly gearing up for the second round. Ron Zorn, president of the renamed Penn Health Group, said last week the organization has added to its leadership and brought on additional investors. He said the group's total investment to date exceeds $1 million. "We learned a lot from the first time. We're better educated. We know a little bit more what's expected," Mr. Zorn said. "In the first round, you were guessing a little bit. There were some things we just didn't know." The group, which currently has seven employees, is looking at "multiple sites" in Fayette County for its proposed cultivation facility. Mr. Zorn said they're optimistic about their chances. "You can't go into any business any other way." Locally based Maitri Medicinals had the fifth-highest score in the first round, but three of the groups ahead of it got permits, so only Bay remains ahead based on first-round scores. Maitri did receive dispensary permits and plans to open shops in Uniontown and East Pittsburgh this summer. Maitri CEO Corinne Ogrodnik said having those dispensary permits has led to regular communication with state health officials regarding compliance and other issues. "Given it's a brand new industry, it's a dynamic process," she said. "We have in round two a little more information on how each breakdown will be scored." But she also knows the competition has more information, too. "We think the competition is going to be tougher this time." In fact, despite its strong showing in the first round, Maitri faces an extra hurdle. Pennsylvania law allows only five permits statewide for groups that want to both cultivate and dispense medical marijuana. Four of those "vertical integration" permits were issued in the first round. "Unless the state changes the statute," Ms. Ogrodnik said, "we indeed will be competing for one remaining VI permit." Steve Twedt: stwedt@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1963. If you're a last-minute income-tax filer, you still have time before Tuesday's deadline. That is, you have Monday and Tuesday. How do you file a quick extension? The internet is your friend: You can file extensions online and on paper for your federal tax return and individual states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, which is helpful if you earned income in one or more of these states. For taxpayers who cannot meet the Tuesday deadline, requesting an extension can prevent some penalties, said Jim McGrory, partner with the Drucker & Scaccetti accounting firm in Center City. "Remember, it's not an extension to pay, just an extension to file," he said. If payment is due, he suggests filing for an extension online and also mailing in the proper paper forms with a check. If you can't pay, there will likely be penalties, but for many folks who have side gigs or multiple jobs Uber or Lyft drivers, dog walkers, and Walmart greeters filing can be complicated, and income-tax penalties can sometimes be the cost of doing business, he added. Request a federal income-tax extension. Visit www.irs.gov and search for Form 4868. For federal income taxes, you can use Free File to request an extension electronically or submit a paper Form 4868, "Application for Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return." Other free ways to get an extension include using IRS Direct Pay, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, or by paying with a credit or debit card. There is no need to file a separate Form 4868 extension request when making an electronic payment and indicating it is for an extension. The IRS will automatically count it as an extension. But keep in mind that while an extension grants additional time to file, it's best to pay by Tuesday, or face extra penalties. In Pennsylvania. Visit the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue website: www.revenue.pa.gov. There you can find the extension form REV-276 online. Or, the department automatically grants an extension to file when your federal extension is granted by the IRS. The Department of Revenue has longer hours for taxpayers to get help by phone, and will be open 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Tuesday. Taxpayers can call the department's information center at: 717-787-8201. Assistance is also available through the department's Online Customer Service Center. In New Jersey. Visit the state Department of the Treasury's website: www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/howdoi.shtml. Electronically, you can file an New Jersey extension request online until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. You can also file a paper extension by printing and mailing Form NJ-630, on or before Tuesday. The envelope must be postmarked by Tuesday. One benefit of filing extensions? If self-employed, you can still contribute to a SEP IRA and get the deduction. "We had two self-employed clients who had to file extensions this year. That gave them time to contribute to what's known as a SEP IRA [a self-employed person's retirement fund] and still claim the contribution as a deduction on their 2017 taxes," McGrory said. For more on SEP IRA, an acronym for a Simplified Employee Pension, visit the IRS website: www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plans-for-self-employed-people. Tax Extenders. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which the White House signed into law Feb. 9, contained several tax provisions that could reduce the amounts some of us owe for the 2017 tax year. Key provisions, according to Isdaner & Co. in Bala Cynwyd, include: Cindy Treyger spends time in the Elite flight simulation at the Infinity Flight Group flight school. She will have to spend around 20 hours on the simulator as part of her training. The Veterans Administration is covering tuition for her to attend Infinity Group flight school. MICHAEL BRYANT / Staff Photographer Read more Since she was a young girl growing up in small-town Maine, planes took Cindy Treyger's breath away. But becoming a pilot just didn't seem like a realistic option. So she did the next best thing. Treyger, a mother of three who now lives in Medford, Burlington County, joined the Air Force, where she worked for nine years as a Russian linguist. In the service, she met her husband, a flight engineer. But the itch to fly never went away, which is why thanks to the Department of Veterans Affairs covering her tuition Treyger is now halfway through a two-year program that will yield the pilot's license she's wanted since childhood. "Every pilot's dream is to work at an airline," said Treyger, 42, who is enrolled in a joint program at Infinity Flight Group in Trenton and Mercer County Community College. If all goes according to plan, Treyger could be employed as an airline pilot within just a couple of years. When she gets there, she'll likely fly from a seat that was long occupied by a man. Across America, airlines are facing an unprecedented shortage of pilots, with some estimates indicating U.S. airlines could be short 14,000 pilots in 10 years. So some flight schools and airlines are actively recruiting people who traditionally haven't been pilots: women. Nearly half the country's workforce is female, but for the last century, flying has been a man's profession. Though there are more than four times as many female pilots today as there were in 1960, women still are only 7 percent of all licensed pilots, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Of pilots with licenses to work for airlines, women make up just 4 percent. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, fewer than 300 women have that license, compared with 6,500 men. Historians and industry leaders say it's not necessarily a failure on the part of airlines. The applicant pool is similarly male-dominated, and experts largely blame long-standing stereotypes for keeping women from getting licenses. "There's still a lot of discrimination out there," said Lisa Cotham, secretary of the Ninety-Nines, a 90-year-old organization of licensed women pilots. "There are still passengers who get freaked out at women in the cockpit." Female Pilots in the United States Of the five airlines that serve the most passengers out of Philadelphia International Airport American, Southwest, Delta, Frontier, and United none would disclose the number of female pilots it employs. United did indicate that "almost 8 percent" of its 12,000 pilots nationwide are women, but a spokeswoman declined to provide the exact figure. The International Society of Women Airline Pilots keeps a running tally of how many female pilots they believe are employed at the major airlines all over the world based on reports from the group's own members. When it comes to pilots, most airlines, according to the group, employ between 3 percent and 8 percent women. Society chairwoman Glenys Robison, a retired Air Canada captain who lives north of Vancouver, cited two major reasons for the current dearth of American female pilots: Airlines often hire from the military, which is facing a pilot shortage of its own and where less than 6 percent of Air Force pilots are women. She also blamed "unsupportive labor laws" related to maternity leave that she said can stymie women from being able to balance a family and a career in the cockpit. (The health requirements are stricter for pilots than for flight attendants.) Robison said recent moves by some major airlines to implement new parental time-off policies "will go a long way toward correcting some of the imbalance." Maggie Linn, a 35-year-old mother of two who lives in Doylestown, is an American Airlines pilot who helped develop a new airline maternity policy unveiled last year that offers 10 weeks of paid leave. Linn said that in the last 15 years she's spent as a pilot everything from a flight instructor to a first officer at American she couldn't think of a time she faced outright discrimination because she was a woman. "I was aware that people thought maybe it was unusual," she said, "but never something that was shocking." Yet, when Cassie Mastriana told her high school guidance counselor that she wanted to be an airline pilot, Mastriana was told "that's a man's job." But she'd told her father since she was 5 that she was going to be a pilot, and she never wavered. "I was going to do it," said Mastriana, now 37, "whether someone told me yes or no." Today, Mastriana, of Doylestown, is a flight manager with United, an administrative position she's held for the last two years while raising two kids. She still flies two or three times a month to keep up with her certifications, and she anticipates that one day she'll go back to flying full time. "I'm meant to be a pilot," she said. "It's in my blood." Some good news on the horizon for airlines looking to hire more women: Of licensed female pilots many of whom don't yet fly commercial the largest cohort is younger than 30, according to the FAA. That means hundreds following the typical career path school, teaching, and work at a regional airline will soon be ready for a major airline. That could be key to helping airlines that have had trouble replacing retiring pilots, said Rob DeLucia, vice president of labor and employment for Airlines for America, a trade group that advocates on behalf of airlines. Historically, besides the military, the biggest pilot pool has been the children of pilots, DeLucia said. But the latter category has become less interested after pay cuts, furloughs, and benefits reductions took place after 9/11. As the demand for flights decreased and the recession took hold, airlines also hired fewer pilots. For example, DeLucia said, in all of 2010, JetBlue was the only airline nationwide of the trade group's members to hire pilots. It hired 30. Yet in the last five years as the industry has financially rebounded, larger airlines have embarked on a hiring spree, plucking pilots from the regional airlines, DeLucia said. But that tactic has had something of a trickle-down effect, said Katie Pribyl, vice president of strategy and programs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association: Some of the smaller, regional airlines have become so understaffed that they've had to ground planes. Meanwhile, she said, flight schools across the country are desperate for instructors to train newcomers so those students can get the required experience at a faster pace. Pribyl, a former airline pilot herself, said the association sees women as an important part of meeting industry workforce needs. A Decline in the Number of Commercial Pilots And it's not just female pilots who would benefit. Some studies indicate women pay greater attention to detail and are calmer during problems, skills that make them adept at flying planes. "Women are just really good pilots," Pribyl said. "They're thoughtful. They're methodical. They've got a great touch. They're cool, calm, and collected in crisis situations. They generally don't overreact." Steven Richards, owner of Brandywine Flight School in West Chester, said women are "naturally suited to do extremely well," and yet "they're not here." He said about 5 percent of the students who attend Brandywine are women. Richards said there's long been an image of a stereotypical pilot, but aviation safety has changed, along with what it means to be a good pilot. "Instead of being a swashbuckling risk-taker, the epitome of a great pilot is a person who's calm, can multitask, and mitigate risk," he said. "The change has taken place, and aviation safety is greater than it's ever been. Could it be that our image of what a pilot needs to be hasn't kept up with that?" Before World War II, when the Air Force first allowed female pilots, the number of women in aviation was "crazy small," said Deborah Douglas, author of American Women and Flight Since 1940. Then, in the early 1990s, the federal government removed provisions to allow women to fly combat missions. There are still barriers today keeping women out of the Air Force, including a requirement that pilots be at least 5-foot-4. In 2015, the Air Force announced it would grant more height waivers as part of an effort to increase diversity in its ranks. DeLucia said there's evidence to suggest minority representation in the cockpit will improve, too, namely that the Air Force Junior ROTC recently reported that, of its 120,000 cadets, 58 percent are people of color. Still, Douglas said the number of women of color working as pilots is almost "statistically improbable." "Lightning has to strike in the same place many times in order to make a black woman a commercial airline pilot," Douglas said. "Those odds are hard to come by." And, despite "valiant" efforts to get more women interested in aviation, she's not convinced the overall demographics will change so long as societal stereotypes exist among all science and technology fields. "As long as, fundamentally, we perceive airplanes as male technologies ," she said, "you will continue to see a small or proportionately smaller number than is normal to the population." Trade groups, airlines, and nonprofits have developed programs to recruit young girls, and other groups offer scholarships for women who want to be pilots. Beth Hollar benefited from programs like these. In her mid-20s she became a flight attendant but ended up frequently hanging out in the cockpit with the men. One of the pilots once said to her, "Why don't you just go to flight school?" A lightbulb went off. She attended flight school in Florida, and in 2007 after attending a women in aviation conference won a scholarship, which turned into a job interview, which turned into a job offer to work for Continental. The airline later merged with United, where Hollar still works today. Now, 46 and living with her husband (who is also a pilot) in Pipersville, Bucks County, Hollar flies 737s all over North and Central America, and she frequently sees young girls in the airport who say they want to be pilots. "If I can do it," she tells them, "you can do it." I spent an hour on the radio this weekend criticizing Starbucks for exhibiting what I believe to be, and what the circumstances seem to suggest, was indeed racism. Two black men who had not yet ordered anything were denied the code to open the locked door to use the bathroom, and then were asked to leave the store. They did not, the manager called the police, and at the end of it all two black men were handcuffed and detained for several hours. It's hard not to read racism in that, especially when white eyewitnesses confirmed that other white customers had been doing exactly the same thing and were not treated in the same egregiously offensive way. I got pushback from some people who are loath to assume racism unless there is absolute proof that the manager said, "Get out, we don't serve your kind here." I have myself criticized the playing of the "race card," as some call it, every time we inject color into a controversy. But this time it's really hard to see how bigotry was not involved. And as someone who has patronized Starbucks regularly for almost two decades, and who has never been asked to leave or denied a bathroom code, I have a very hard time thinking that the color of the customers' skin in this case was incidental. That said, I'm kind of thrilled that a company that touts its liberal cred from the mountaintops has gotten a comeuppance. This is a place that waves the rainbow flag, that strongly supports Planned Parenthood and its mission to make America safe for "choice," and that has been fairly clear about its position on the Trump administration. For Starbucks to be exposed for its lack of sensitivity to minorities is delightfully ironic (except, of course, to the minority men who had their hands shackled). This does not mean I will stop going to Starbucks. I do not engage in boycotts, much to the dismay of my fellow pro-life warriors, who get angry when I post a photo on Facebook of me sipping a Frappacino or similar concoction. I can't spend my entire life worrying if I've advanced an agenda I oppose by slaking my thirst with an enemy beverage. I wish liberals would follow my lead. Alas, a recent New Yorker article proves I would have better luck waiting for the 12th, or even the 11th of Never. The essay was titled "Chick-fil-A's Creepy Infiltration of New York City." It wasn't written by Mayor Kenney, but it could have been. As my fellow Philadelphians will remember, then-Councilman Kenney waged his own personal war on the fast-food company because Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathay had the audacity to express his opposition to gay marriage in an interview. Mind you, there has never been any proof that the company denies service to gays and lesbians, except on Sundays, when it also denies service to heterosexuals, bisexuals, transgenders, pansexuals, asexuals, and the Kardashian sisters (who are in a category by themselves). The restaurant stays closed on the Sabbath, consistent with its Christian values. And that's the thing that horrifies the skittish folks at the New Yorker, who cannot believe that a company should be able to exist if it has a religious foundation based on principles of Christian charity. Jim Kenney tried to ban the company from doing business in Philly because of its owner's personal views. Fortunately, people who understand the Constitution, including the First Amendment, counseled the councilman to pipe down. Then, they voted him into higher office, which is what liberals do when they are out of better ideas. So, on the weekend that we have a very progressive company like Starbucks engaging in what is very likely a violation of two men's civil rights, we have a conservative company being attacked and ridiculed for hewing to its Christian ideals. Those ideals, by the way, compelled Chick-fil-A in Orlando to stay open on a Sunday to provide free meals to the victims of the Pulse Nightclub massacre, many of whom were very likely gay. I'll be waiting with bated breath for that moment when Starbucks decides to provide free coffee to the families of young black men gunned down in the streets of Philadelphia. That Starbucks employee who sicced police on those two black men last week couldn't have been more wrong. That was a racist act and, frankly, I'm infuriated. Non-paying customers use Starbucks' restrooms all the time without having purchased something. People also hang out in Starbucks for hours without having bought anything. They bring their laptops and park themselves in a spot. You see it all the time. >> READ MORE: Latest updates on the Starbucks controversy I don't do it. I can never forget I'm black long enough to risk hanging out like that. Call me hypervigilant if you want, but what happened Thursday afternoon to those two black men arrested while waiting for an acquaintance inside the Starbucks at the 18th and Spruce is proof that the old double standards still live. Granted, we don't know all of the details about what took place before a Starbucks worker dialed 911 last week but witnesses say the men, whose names haven't been released, hadn't done anything to draw attention to themselves. >>READ MORE: Starbucks CEO in Philly as another protest planned for Monday at coffee shop Reportedly, they were waiting on an acquaintance and had asked to use Starbucks' restroom but were denied access because they hadn't bought anything. When store management asked them to leave, they refused. Around 4:40 p.m., at least six Philadelphia Police officers showed up, and, after some back-and-forth, escorted the men out in handcuffs as if they'd each stolen an armload of overpriced Starbucks mugs. Judging from a viral video of the episode, it was an appalling scene, one that was carried out in full view of customers. Kant Khatri was among those at the Starbucks that afternoon. He'd been studying for an actuarial exam when the officers came in. "I've seen plenty of people of all races just sit there without buying anything and never saw a problem. One time, one of the baristas asked a man not to sleep there in a chair, but that's it. No police involvement," Khatri told me by Facebook Messenger. "I was shocked. Partly because it didn't make sense why that had to happen. But also because I know if they were two white guys, I don't think the same situation would have unfolded." I don't think so, either. Nor do a whole lot of other folks, which is why people are so worked up about the Starbucks employee's decision to summon the police. "I was just sitting there because I could, nursing the same cup of coffee that you do," said Melissa DePino, who shared video of the episode on her Twitter account. "I was working on the computer like people do at Starbucks." "A lot of people stood up in there and expressed their anger and frustration about what was happening," DePino told me. "It was really good to see. It needs to happen way more." >>READ MORE: Starbucks arrests put Philly police in national spotlight She's not lying about that. More people need to speak up, something made even more apparent Sunday afternoon. Dozens had gathered outside the Starbucks near Rittenhouse Square to listen as Asa Khalif of Black Lives Matter Pennsylvania and others denounced the men's arrests. As he spoke, customers inside were sipping on lattes and working on their laptops as if the demonstrators, TV cameras, and police were miles away. At one point, Khalif and other protesters entered the Starbucks where they were met by Camille Hymes, a company vice president. One customer sitting at a table covered his head with a newspaper. Some others didn't appear especially fazed. After the crowd left, I peeked inside and saw that some were still sitting where they had been, just hanging out, like people do in Starbucks. But as I pointed out earlier, that's not illegal. What happened to those two men was racist, and frankly I'm sick of it. Apologies aren't enough. Starbucks needs to make this right and do it quickly. It can begin by firing the employee who called the police on the two black men. Gov. Murphy has unveiled the first step toward his goal of making community college free for everyone in New Jersey, regardless of income. Reactions are mixed. Read more The lunch at New Jersey's 19 community colleges isn't free. But the tuition and fees will be, if Gov. Murphy has his way. Murphy, a Democrat, championed free community college during his campaign and last week proposed the first step toward that goal, what he called "a major down payment." It called for $50 million in increased funding, with $45 million for a new financial aid program for low-income students and $5 million going to the two-year schools to accommodate the expected increase in enrollment. "We believe we can achieve the ultimate objective of free community college for everybody, regardless of your circumstances, in three years," Murphy said at an announcement event at Mercer County Community College. The aim is to make higher education accessible to all who want it, reverse dramatically declining enrollment at two-year schools, boost the state economy by training the local workforce, and retain more students in a state that has a notoriously high level of brain drain. But while presidents of the two-year schools which enroll nearly half of the state's undergraduates and their four-year counterparts applauded the governor's attempt to address ever-rising college costs, they questioned whether the money would be more wisely directed elsewhere. Their suggestions included sending the money directly to schools for academic-support services or making the new financial aid available to all students regardless of school. "If I had any say in the matter, that would be really the focus of the conversation at the state level: How do we strategically best use money available to help students succeed? I think that is really a very big conversation, rather than just 'give everybody free tuition,' " said Don Borden, the president of Camden County College. Borden said his students face a variety of issues that go far beyond tuition, and he would prefer some of the money be given directly to the college so it could expand support services such as academic advising and tutoring. "It's not simple. There's nothing simple about it, and that's the issue. You can throw money at whatever you want, and how you spend the money is the real question." Frederick Keating, the president of Rowan College at Gloucester County, said some of his community-college students would benefit, but he noted the state already has financial aid programs, including Educational Opportunity Fund programs for low-income students; NJ STARS for academically high-performing high school graduates; and Tuition Aid Grants to fill some of the gap left after federal programs such as Pell Grants. Keating led a state task force on college affordability that in 2016 recommended changes to help students graduate on time and revamping financial aid, but did not endorse tuition-free community college. "Student aid should be based on financial need and follow the student wherever he or she chooses to attend," said Stockton University president Harvey Kesselman. Under Murphy's plan, the financial aid would go to newly created Community College Opportunity Grants to cover any remaining costs not covered by other financial aid sources. The governor said that would allow 15,000 students to attend community college without paying for tuition and fees, which on average cost just under $5,000. About 29,600 students currently do not pay tuition and fees, he said. Susan A. Cole, president of Montclair State University, raised the issue of unequal treatment for the state's neediest students. "We absolutely should not be creating a policy that funnels students into community college because they come from families with fewer economic resources," she said. "New Jersey students deserve affordable access to the public higher education opportunity that is consistent with their abilities and their educational objectives." Some presidents said they were concerned that state would be creating a de facto K-14 system. Others said "free" and "affordable" were quite different concepts. Critics have expressed concern about the eventual costs of free community college, which Murphy on the campaign trail pegged at $200 million. That and other educational programs would be funded through a $1.6 billion revenue boost from increasing the sales tax and tax on high-income residents. Murphy's budget proposal is now before the state legislature, which has until July to pass a budget. State Senate President Steve Sweeney (D., Gloucester), who is blocking the confirmation of Murphy's education and higher education cabinet posts over questions about education funding, declined to comment on the community college proposal. Murphy's community-college proposal is "part and parcel of his larger liberal agenda," including free pre-K and job training initiatives, said Patrick Murray, polling director at Monmouth University. "There's a whole host of national issues that he wants to try out here in New Jersey." "The vast majority of New Jerseyans are not paying close attention to what Phil Murphy is actually proposing. Quite frankly, they didn't when he was running for governor, either," Murray said. "The question is: Does public opinion turn against him once he starts implementing these things, or support him?" A Monmouth University Poll released this week found that, while Murphy is beginning his governorship with higher approval ratings than his two predecessors, more than half of New Jersey residents believe property taxpayers will be hurt by his proposals. "There's a concern the middle class is going to get screwed when these things get going," Murray said. Several other states, beginning with Tennessee, have sought to make community college free in various ways. It's become an increasingly popular political idea since 2015, when former President Barack Obama proposed making community college free across the nation. The proposal has been floated in Pennsylvania, and a Senate bill could soon be introduced in Pennsylvania, said John Neurohr with the Keystone Research Center, which supports the idea. Programs have boosted enrollment in some states, an appealing prospect for New Jersey. In 2016, the latest year for which data are available, the state's community colleges enrolled 71,949 full-time students, down more than 25 percent since the Great Recession enrollment peak six years prior. "It's not going to be a silver bullet for the enrollment challenges the state faces," Michael Cioce, acting president of Rowan College at Burlington County, said, noting a projected decline of high school graduates in the Northeast. Cioce was also unsure how Murphy's plan would specifically affect his college, but he said he likes the proposal. Jianping Wang, the president of Mercer County Community College, sat beside Murphy when he unveiled his proposal. She said she supported it, but did not directly answer when asked whether the money could be better spent addressing college affordability in other ways. Several presidents said they are anxious to learn the details of Murphy's plan. "People ask me what I think of Murphy's plan. And I say that's a different question from what do I think of Murphy's philosophy," said Borden, the Camden County College president. "Because the philosophy is great. But I haven't seen a plan, and it's hard for me to weigh in until I do." New research shows that transgender and gender nonconforming youngsters are at far greater risk for depression, attention deficit disorder, suicidal thoughts, and other mental and emotional problems than their peers. Moreover, sexual minority youth including those who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual or are still questioning their identity reported higher rates of cyberbullying and dissatisfaction with family relationships than heterosexual adolescents, resulting in higher levels of depression that persisted into early adulthood. These youths were also more likely to have unmet medical needs, in part because they fear that health-care providers would disclose their sexuality or gender identity to their parents, researchers said. Both studies were published online Monday in the May edition of the journal Pediatrics. Unlike much of the previous research on LGBTQ youth, these studies involved many subjects and large volumes of data. In one of the studies, conducted by the researchers at the health management company Kaiser Permanente based on medical records, more than 1,300 transgender and gender nonconforming youngsters were found to have at least triple the rate of mental-health conditions of their cisgender peers (those whose gender aligns with their sex assigned at birth). "Among these young people, the prevalent diagnoses were attention deficit disorders in children 3 to 9 years of age, and depressive disorders in adolescents 10 to 17 years of age," said Tracy A. Becerra-Culqui, the study's lead author. At least 15 percent of trans children had attention deficit disorder, a rate three to seven times higher than cisgender youngsters. Among teens, depression was reported in 49 percent of transfeminine youth (those assigned male at birth who identify as feminine) and 62 percent of transmasculine youth, four to seven times the rate of their cisgender peers. Other emotional disorders also were far more prevalent among trans and gender nonconforming youths, including anxiety, eating disorders, and, especially troubling, suicidal thoughts. Researchers said some of these conditions may be due in part to gender dysphoria, distress over feeling that one's identity doesn't match the assigned gender. The prevalence of emotional disorders, they added, may also reflect the stress from prejudice and discrimination many of these children experience. The second study, which was conducted by the National Institutes of Health, involved nearly 2,400 sexual minority youths ages 17 to 21 and sought to identify factors contributing to higher rates of depression in this group. About 32 percent of the sexual minority youth reported being victims of cyberbullies and almost 40 percent said they had "low satisfaction" with family relationships twice the rate of heterosexual teens. The research also found that almost 30 percent of the sexual minority youth thought they did not have adequate medical care in the 12 months before the study. Jeremy Luk, lead NIH study author, said the research shows that adolescence is an important time to help these youth address their depression. "Without appropriate screening and intervention, these disparities may likely persist into young adulthood," said Luk. Elaine Dutton, Trans Care Services Manager at Philadelphia's Mazzoni Center, said the findings are consistent with the experiences of youths at the center's Pediatric & Adolescent Comprehensive Transgender Services program. "Many of the youth in our PACTS program report having experienced bullying in school, lack of acceptance and understanding from family members, and high rates of depression and anxiety," Dutton said. In May, the PACTS team will launch two new support groups for children ages 5 to 17 who are nonbinary, not identifying as either male or female. Dutton said the initiative, similar to support groups available to trans youth, came about after hearing from nonbinary kids as young as 7 who said they wanted a group of their own. "Nonbinary youth often report feeling incredibly isolated, which can lead to symptoms of depression, and anxiety in social situations," Dutton said. "Creating a space for nonbinary youth to connect with one another will help to alleviate that isolation, and ideally minimize symptoms of depression and anxiety if they are present." Two new national studies released Monday show the high risks of LGBTQ children and teens for depression, thoughts of suicide, and other mental-health problems, compared with their cisgender peers. One of the studies says nearly a third of these kids are cyberbullied and many have unmet medical needs. The reason for the latter is they're afraid their doctors will tell their parents they're gay. On a more positive note, Philadelphia's Mazzoni Center is announcing it is starting a new support group project for non-binary kids ranging from teenage to as young as 5. Msgr. Joseph McLoone at the 2013 dedication of a new church building at St. Joseph Parish in Downingtown. Read more Seven years ago, Msgr. Joseph McLoone was dispatched to Downingtown with a tall task: to try to stabilize St. Joseph Parish, a Catholic community left shell-shocked after its pastor was charged with protecting priests who preyed on children across the region. In time, McLoone, a Philadelphia native, proved to be a popular figure at the church, which, with about 4,700 families, is among the largest in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. But this weekend, St. Joseph parishioners learned that his tenure had come to a shocking end. The archdiocese announced that McLoone, 55, had resigned less than two months after he went on an indefinite leave of absence amid an investigation into financial improprieties and inappropriate "relationships with adults" that violated archdiocesan standards. Ken Gavin, the archdiocese's spokesman, said that in 2011, McLoone allegedly set up an off-the-books bank account in the parish's name that only he could access. More than $110,000 worth of donations and "other revenue generated by the parish" was funneled into the account, although the archdiocese doesn't believe the money came from Sunday collections, or school and tuition fees, he said. Some of the transactions from the secret account appeared to be linked to normal parish expenses, Gavin said. Others clearly weren't. McLoone told archdiocesan officials that he spent approximately $1,500 on "personal expenses of an inappropriate nature," according to Gavin. "Those expenses were related to relationships with adults that represent a violation of the Standards of Ministerial Behavior and Boundaries established by the archdiocese." His statement did not elaborate on the nature of the relationships, except to say none involved members of the parish or children. The archdiocese standards, intact for at least 15 years, outline conduct expectations for priests, deacons, administrators, staff, and even volunteers, on matters ranging from harassment and sexual misconduct to contact with children, gambling, and the use of email and other technology. In February, the archdiocese froze the account that McLoone secretly maintained. At least $50,000 worth of expenses and ATM withdrawals still need to be explained, Gavin said, and the archdiocese will seek restitution for any transactions that were inappropriate. He also said the ongoing review could also include referring the matter to law enforcement. McLoone could not be reached for comment Sunday. In an emailed statement, his brother, Pat McLoone, a managing editor at the Inquirer and Daily News said: "My family and I love our brother and just hope he is given a chance to defend himself. Other than that, we have no comment." With more than 250 parishes spread across the five-county region, the Philadelphia archdiocese has endured its share of investigations and clouds. McLoone's departure is notable in part because the parish is one of the largest and more affluent, and his arrival there was intended to bring calm after one of the church's most turbulent stretches. McLoone had served at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Chester, Delaware County, when he was tapped in 2011 to replace Msgr. William Lynn, who stepped down as pastor after a Philadelphia grand jury investigation ended with him as the first church administrator nationwide to be charged with ignoring or covering up pedophile priests. Lynn, who before coming to St. Joseph had spent a dozen years as the archdiocese's secretary for clergy, was convicted in 2012 on conspiracy and child endangerment charges. That conviction was overturned in 2015, but he is expected to face a retrial. Prior to arriving at St. Joseph, McLoone spoke about the turmoil its parishioners were experiencing over Lynn's arrest. "I do think it's a very hard time for them because their pastor, it's a person they know and loved," he said. "I'm sure they will have conflicting emotions." On Sunday, some were confronting a new turmoil. "I just feel like now as a parish we really need to unite as a community," Chrissy Bannon said after attending the 4 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph. "I feel like this is just another wound so many people are feeling." Some curious parishioners began raising questions about McLoone's absence more than a month ago on Catholics4Change.com, an independent accountability forum. "There were rampant rumors of financial problems," said Kathy Kane, one of the website's editors. Kane said she contacted the archdiocese and was told that McLoone wasn't under criminal investigation, but that a financial review was simply being conducted for the benefit of Msgr. Thomas Dunleavy, who replaced McLoone this year on an interim basis. But rumors of deeper problems persisted and she said she urged the archdiocese to address the matter with parishioners. Dunleavy shared the archdiocese's statement on his departure at Masses this weekend. But someone apparently beat the archdiocese to the punch; an anonymously written flier speculating on the reasons behind his absence was inserted into some copies of the parish bulletin, and later shared online. During the late-afternoon liturgy on Sunday, Dunleavy told the congregation of about 200 that the fliers were neither official nor accurate. McLoone's photo and biographical information have since been removed from the parish's website. As of Sunday afternoon there was no mention of the controversy on the church's Facebook page, which still features words of praise for McLoone from several visitors, one of whom described the pastor as a "great guy" in 2015. The church bulletin also offered no clues, though it did note it was "Commitment Weekend," and urged supporters to pledge for a parish fund-raising campaign that has already collected $1.2 million. Among those who trickled out after Mass on Sunday evening, the news of the pastor's resignation stirred conflicting emotions. "You can't understand how many people enjoyed [McLoone]. The man, not the sin part of the man, but the man," said Mark Michaels, 54, a parishioner who lives in Downingtown. Michaels said McLoone was known for using comedy to help people understand faith. He and others struggled to reconcile their sunny memories of McLoone with the troubling allegations. "We can't control what happened," said Michaels, whose children graduated from St. Joseph School. "[McLoone] has to deal with that on his own." Chrissy Bannon, 38, who said she drives 25 minutes from Morgantown every week to attend Mass at St. Joseph, called the church "an amazing parish" that had overcome so much and would continue to thrive. "This does not define who we are as a community," she said. "We're stronger than this and we can get through this." Protestor Anthony Smith, right, leads a chant, inside the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce Streets, in Philadelphia, April 16, 2018. Protesters are angry over the arrest last week by Philadelphia police of two African-American men inside this Rittenhouse Square area coffeeshop. Read more Starbucks is in damage-control mode after a weekend of negative media coverage and protests over the arrest of two men who to many who saw a viral video of the incident at the chain's 18th and Spruce location Thursday appeared to be guilty of nothing but waiting for a friend while black. Chief executive Kevin Johnson was in Philadelphia on Monday morning to meet with the two men, who have not been identified, as well as with government and community leaders. >>LATEST: Starbucks manager who called police has left company in 'mutual' decision In an interview with the Inquirer and Daily News, Johnson said he was in town to learn more about the situation and formulate a plan to make sure such a "reprehensible" incident doesn't happen again. You spoke with Mayor Kenney and Police Commissioner Richard Ross over the weekend. What did you discuss? The fact that what happened in our store last Thursday and the outcome from that incident was reprehensible. That should not have happened, it was wrong, and my role and responsibility as CEO is to learn, to understand it and fix it. So that's why I'm here: to listen, to learn from this experience, and to ensure we take appropriate action to make sure it doesn't happen again. What do you plan to discuss with the two men? To start, that, in watching the video, it was painful. And that the incident that escalated and the outcome from it was reprehensible. It is my responsibility to ensure that we do a complete review and to make sure we understand how this could ever happen. In conducting that review, in the process we're at right now, clearly, with 28,000 Starbucks stores around the world, in some local markets they have some guidelines they implement that, in this particular case, were ambiguous. That ambiguity was part of what caused the problem, the ambiguity about when and whether to call the police. There are situations where it's appropriate to call the police, situations where there are threats or disruptions in our store. This situation had none of that, and these two gentlemen did not deserve what unfolded. What was the policy? It was a policy on incidents and scenarios of whether to call the police. These two gentlemen were in our store to meet another customer that was coming. There was no reason in my opinion to call the police, and when you look at our guidelines, that could have been much more clear. I think our focus is on not only the guidelines but also the training we intend to do for our store managers, not only on the guidelines but also on unconscious bias. Part of our plan is to make sure we do a broad set of training that includes unconscious bias for all store managers. >>READ MORE: Need to catch up on the Starbucks arrests? Here's what happened There was a report that the manager called the police before asking the men to leave. Do you know whether that's accurate? My understanding is that the store manager had asked the gentlemen to leave and then, following that, called the police. Calling the police was wrong; it should not have happened. Calling the police was unnecessary. Was there training in place that should have prevented this? We have training, and that's part of the review we're going through to understand: Are there gaps where we could do a better job to ensure we have a very clear set of actions to make sure it doesn't happen again. How will you accomplish that? All I can say right now is we're doing a complete review, and we are making the changes necessary to ensure this doesn't happen again. That's part of why I'm here in Philadelphia, is the opportunity to listen and learn and understand the scenario. But at a broad level, if there's something threatening or disruptive in our stores, there are appropriate times where partners should call the police and this is not that. Clarifying that policy is one of the actionable steps we'll be taking. After the failed "Race Together" campaign (to encourage baristas to lead conversations about race) and now this, some people may perceive Starbucks as a racist space. Do you need to work on diversity? We've always been an inclusive company, and this comes down to an individual incident and an individual leader's decision. We're an industry leader in the retail industry on diversity. We continue to embrace diversity and inclusion. This particular incident does not reflect who we are as a company. Starbucks has tried to navigate a space that functions as a business but also a de facto community center. How do you want people to use this space now in 2018? Our concept has always been that Starbucks is in the community. It's a gathering place. Starbucks was built around the concept of the third place and creating a warm and welcoming environment for all customers. In this particular incident, we did not deliver on that warm, welcoming environment for those two gentlemen, and for that I apologize to them. It's clear from Starbucks Reddit discussions and online forums that staff regularly must make decisions on how to deal with people dealing with addiction or homelessness. Are there clear policies for this and how do you equip staff to handle these situations? We're working to ensure we have clarity for our partners we call our employees "our partners" and that we're doing the right thing to train them to handle these situations and to handle them in the right way. And in this particular case that didn't happen. A protest outside the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce on Sunday. Read more Philly cops had a bad weekend. It had nothing to do with an officer-involved shooting or allegations of excessive force. Turns out even a trip to Starbucks can inflame passions over race and policing in America. The arrest on Thursday of two African American men who were sitting in a Rittenhouse Square Starbucks waiting for an acquaintance to arrive set off a national outcry on social media. A video of it taken by a customer went viral over the weekend. Police said the men, who hadn't ordered anything, were arrested after they were asked to leave but refused to do so. More controversy began to stir Sunday morning, when police tased and arrested an Eagles player after finding him in his car with a gun. Police didn't provide additional details, but by the end of the day cornerback Daryl Worley, who was signed in the offseason, was released by the team. On a different day, the story may have generated more buzz. >>LATEST: Starbucks manager who called police has left company in 'mutual' decision But the bizarre episode at Starbucks resonated. The coffee chain serves millions of people every day, many of whom treat it as a personal office space to make business calls, conduct job interviews, study for exams, and catch up with old friends. Many stay for hours on end, usually after spending just a few bucks. That image of Starbucks was incongruous with the video of two men being handcuffed and surrounded by at least six police officers. The episode set off protests Sunday outside the store on 18th and Spruce Streets and talk of boycotts on social media. It also prompted an apology from Starbucks' chief executive. "Philly is superficially progressive. We want to be better but we are unwilling as a community to do the tough work in reconciliation of our past," said Erica Atwood, a former executive director of the Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission. "I know I have an ability to hide," said Atwood, 43, who is black and a resident of Philadelphia's University City section. "I present young. I look like I have some level of economic status. I get to sit in places hours on end and just use up WiFi. Nobody calls a cop. Nobody asks anything of me." Atwood and others said the episode was alarming not just because of the arrest. After all, it was a Starbucks employee who believed the whole thing warranted a call to the police in the first place. It wasn't lost on activists that the episode took place in a wealthy neighborhood. For some, that raised questions about who gets to shape national conversations about such issues as race. >>READ MORE: Starbucks' racial blunder shows it's too invested in 'yoga-pants' set and must diversify culture, PR exec says For example, many white people cannot imagine being shot by a police officer but they "certainly see themselves in the position of being in Starbucks and waiting upon a friend to make an order," said Paul Hetznecker, a Philadelphia civil rights lawyer. Being able to empathize with people caught in that situation could spur "more self-reflection within white society" about the consequences of racism, he said, "to say, 'Wait a minute, this is not justice, this is not fair.' " City Council President Darrell L. Clarke said the "overwhelming support for these men from people across the country indicates that more Americans are aware of persistent structural racism." "That's a development that I hope everybody takes to the voting booth this year," he said in a statement, using the hashtag #StarbucksWhileBlack. Police Commissioner Richard Ross said in a video posted to Facebook that the officers did "absolutely nothing wrong," though he added that the episode underscored the importance of expanding the department's body camera program. >>READ MORE: Need to catch up on the Starbucks arrests? Here's what happened Seven hundred officers are equipped with body cameras, he said; there are more than 6,300 sworn officers in the Philadelphia Police Department. The viral video taken by the customer didn't capture the full encounter. John McNesby, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, said the officers "acted very professionally." "I can't control what people think," he said, referring to the resulting firestorm. The officers, he said, "did their job." District Attorney Kevin Steele, right, and Assistant District Attorney Kristen Feden leave the courtroom during the lunch break in the second day of sexual assault retrial of actor and comedian Bill Cosby at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. on April 10, 2018. Read more Just days in, Bill Cosby's retrial is already packed with headline-grabbing variations from the court fight last year. But one of the prosecutors' more subtle strategy shifts could be the one that pays the greatest dividends. Before parading a string of new accusers to the witness stand in Norristown five former actresses, bartenders, or models who each told jurors the comedy icon drugged and assaulted them in the '80s Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele chose to kick off his case with a less emotionally charged but perhaps equally potent perspective from another, lesser-known woman. Barbara Ziv, a forensic psychiatrist and Temple University professor, spent an hour on the witness stand Tuesday dispelling common cultural misconceptions on how sexual-assault victims ought to react to their abuse. It was a master class for understanding the #MeToo moment that has pervaded the wider culture since Cosby's last trial. Critically, her testimony seemed designed to lay down a defensive perimeter and preemptively blunt the attacks Cosby's lawyers would lob at the accusers called to the stand throughout the week. "Sexual assault is one of the most misunderstood crimes," Ziv told the jury of seven men and five women. "People think they know it. However, most common knowledge about sexual assault is wrong." Victims rarely report their allegations immediately, she said. Some take years to acknowledge to themselves that they were raped. And once they speak out, the psychiatrist added, it is normal for victims' stories to evolve even sharpen over time, as they remember or accept more details of abuse they once tried to suppress. "In 2018, I think that we are more educated about this as a society, certainly more than we were 20 years ago," she testified. "But it is still part of the U.S. rape myth that we blame victims for not being the kind of victims that we think that they should be." Ziv's impact on the jury remains to be seen Cosby's lawyers are expected to only step up their attacks as the central accuser, Andrea Constand, returns to the witness stand Monday. But in cross-examination, defense lawyer Kathleen Bliss strove to deflate the psychiatrist's testimony and invited jurors to question whether her broad-brush conclusions applied to any of the specific six accusers that prosecutors would call to testify. "Allegations of sexual assault can be made by a true victim, just as they can be made by a liar, can they not?" Bliss asked a point Ziv conceded. Still, her dispelling Tuesday of what she repeatedly described as "rape myths" at the start of the trial foreshadowed much of the testimony in the ensuing days. "One of the consequences of sexual assault is that it makes you doubt yourself and judgment of the world," Ziv said. "You hold out hope that there is some logical way that you can wrap your mind around what happened in a way that doesn't mandate that you throw out your belief in your own judgment and your belief in that person." That sentiment hung over the courtroom a day later as Cosby accuser Janice Baker-Kinney described her own struggle to finally use the words sexual assault to describe her alleged encounter with Cosby in 1982. Baker-Kinney insisted that for years she had blamed herself for making "a stupid choice" accepting Quaaludes from the comedian at a Reno, Nev., get-together that later caused her to black out. "It still takes me everything in my being to say the words I was raped, because I still carry the guilt," Baker-Kinney said. "Back then, there was no 'acquaintance rape' or 'date rape' or anything like that. I didn't have the verbiage." Defense lawyer Tom Mesereau scoffed at the idea that it had taken three decades for Baker-Kinney to conclude that she had been raped and only after other women began coming forward to accuse Cosby. On Friday, when the defense aimed its attack on Constand who says Cosby drugged and assaulted her at his Cheltenham home in 2004 about the shifting accounts she gave to police over several interviews more than a decade ago, Ziv's words again echoed. "People believe a victim of sexual assault should be able to tell you a consistent, coherent narrative of what happened," the psychiatrist had testified. "In my experience, I don't think I've ever seen that pattern of reporting from a victim. People's memories may be impacted by substances, but they are also impacted by the sexual assault itself." Feelings of disassociation, out-of-body experiences, and focusing on seemingly odd, extraneous details are also routine, Ziv had told jurors. That testimony resonated when accuser Heidi Thomas testified about keeping mementos and photos from her 1984 trip to Reno, where she says her assault by Cosby occurred. "Nowadays, I look back and think, 'You really saved the boarding pass and a jacket from the plane ticket?' " Thomas said, surprising herself with her behavior. "But yeah, I guess I really did." Prosecutors had also offered testimony at the first trial from a sex-assault expert designed to serve much the same purpose. But the timing was markedly different. That witness, Veronique Valliere, testified in the waning days of the trial and well after the defense had spent hours attempting to discredit the testimony of Constand and Kelley Johnson, a former talent agency assistant who was the only other Cosby accuser then permitted to testify. Cosby's defense lawyers at that time accused Valliere of trying to patch over earlier testimony with her broad-brush descriptions of victims' post-assault behavior and accused her of having a rooting interest in the case pointing to Facebook posts in which she seemed to cheer on the Cosby prosecution. As a result, Valliere had less impact as a witness than she could have, said Dennis McAndrews, a former prosecutor who sat through last year's trial and attended the proceedings last week. "It was less effective coming late in the trial," he said. "It was particularly critical to do it up front [this time] because of the number and nature of the accusers. It was important for the jury to hear right away why each of the accusers would not have had a prompt outcry especially with someone with the power, money, fame, and prestige of Bill Cosby." The decision to let Ziv testify could face its biggest test Monday. That's when Constand returns to the witness stand for what's expected to be an intense cross-examination. Keep up with every development in Bill Cosby's case with our day-by-day recaps, timeline, and explainer on everything you need to know about the case and its major players. Rapper Meek Mill, right, arrives at the Criminal Justice Center with his lawyer Brian McMonagle, left, in Philadelphia, PA on November 6, 2017. DAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer Read more Meek Mill is one step closer to freedom. The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said Monday that due to questions about the credibility of his arresting officer, the imprisoned rapper's decade-old conviction on gun and drug charges should be vacated and he should be granted a new trial. The recommendation, disclosed by Assistant District Attorney Liam Riley during a status hearing in Mill's case, marked the first time prosecutors have publicly said they agree with the claim by Mill's lawyers that his original arrest in 2007 might have been improper. It could also signal they would not press forward with a new trial possibly freeing Mill from the legal trouble he's had for a decade. Still, Mill's release from prison is not yet secured, nor has his case been officially tossed out. Common Pleas Court Judge Genece E. Brinkley, who in November sentenced Mill to two to four years in prison for violating his probation, ultimately would have to agree to vacate the conviction and she did not do so Monday. Instead, she scheduled another hearing for June, and refused to hear arguments from Mill's attorneys that he should be let out on bail. She also was quick to spar with his attorneys and repeatedly told them she would handle Mill as she did any other defendant. "This case is not going to be done any differently," she said. Brian McMonagle, one of Mill's lawyers, said his team planned to filed motions with higher courts seeking to secure Mill's release "immediately." McMonagle said his team was "elated" by the decision of the District Attorney's Office, and said it would be "reprehensible" if Brinkley did not sign off on it. Lawyer Joe Tacopina, who also represents Mill, added: "Now the fact that he's in jail is even more egregious." Mill, 30, did not attend Monday's hearing, but upwards of 100 people rallied in support of him outside the Criminal Justice Center. He has been incarcerated since November, when Brinkley sentenced him to prison and told him: "I gave you break after break, and you basically just thumbed your nose at this court." Neither city prosecutors nor his probation officer at the time had recommended sending him back to prison. Her sentence sparked immediate outrage, with athletes, musicians, and other celebrities saying the outcome demonstrated the flaws of the criminal justice system. Protesters rallied outside the Criminal Justice Center to call for Mill's release, and political leaders including Mayor Kenney and Gov. Wolf have since expressed varying degrees of support for the Philadelphia-born Mill, whose legal name is Robert Rihmeek Williams. Perhaps his most concrete reason for optimism came when District Attorney Larry Krasner who took office after Mill was sentenced said his office had questions about whether Mill's original conviction should stand. That position, made public in a motion Krasner's office filed last month, was taken after Mill's legal team produced evidence accusing his arresting officer, Reginald V. Graham, of lying to secure his conviction. Krasner's office also disclosed in February that prosecutors had placed Graham on a list of police officers with credibility questions something Mill's attorneys said they had not previously been told. Riley, the assistant district attorney, said in court Monday that prosecutors reviewing Graham's history have since identified 56 cases with similar credibility issues, and that the office believes his questionable conduct dates back to 2005, well before he arrested Mill. Still, the fate of the entertainer's case at least for the moment lies in the hands of Brinkley, the judge whom Mill's supporters have spent months petitioning to have removed from the case and accused of ethical improprieties. Late last month, the judge defended herself in an opinion filed in court, writing that she had "committed no error" and that her sentence of Mill was "not manifestly excessive." She also struck back at his legal team, accusing the lawyers of making evidence-free allegations about her behavior in overseeing his case. While lawyers for Mill and the District Attorney's Office wrangled with Brinkley in a ninth-floor courtroom Monday, "Free Meek Mill" protesters outside the building raged against what they called her tyranny and called on the governor to pardon the rapper. The peaceful gathering which resulted in police closing off Filbert Street in front of the courthouse included the rapper's mother and son, fans, criminal justice reform advocates, 25 Boston teens in town for a service project, and a smattering of politicians. "The flaws of our criminal justice system are many," State Sen. Sharif Street said from a platform. "Meek Mill is one of thousands of citizens, many from my district in North Philadelphia, trapped by its imperfections. As we examine ways to reform an imperfect system, we as leaders are charged with meeting our constitutional mandate of a fair and equitable system for all Americans." "Free Meek Mill," Papi Williams, 6, the rapper's son, chanted while hoisting a portrait of his father, to the delight of the crowd. "I miss my dad very much," the boy told reporters after he and his grandmother left the stage. "He picks me up from school sometimes. We do fun things." "I'm more optimistic now that things have changed and turned around," said Kathy Williams, the rapper's mother. "Hopefully, by the time May gets here, he'll be out. Hopefully, this weekend, really." At various times during the rally, loudspeakers blasted the rapper's profanity-heavy recordings, including "Dreams and Nightmares," causing his supporters to break into frenzied dancing while singing along. A large contingent of police officers, in uniform and street clothes, stood watch. The executive director of the civilian oversight board for Philadelphia police said Monday that the officers involved in the arrest of two black men at a Rittenhouse Square-area Starbucks last week appeared to act "in accordance with the law" and Starbucks employees "broke no laws either" but he did note the obvious undercurrent race was playing in the explosive case. "Starbucks and the residents of this city should consider if their handling would have been different if the subjects were not two black men," Hans Menos, the director of the Police Advisory Commission, said in a statement. "They should consider how police have been used as tools by citizens to perpetuate many social ills especially racism." The officers and police supervisor who responded "should consider the same issues," he said. >> READ MORE: City looking into other incidents at same Starbucks where two black men were arrested Menos' statement came amid protests and a national spotlight trained on the city, the coffeehouse chain and its store at 18th and Spruce streets. He said the agency's conclusions were based on a report it received Monday from the police, as well as Police Commissioner Richard Ross' statements on Facebook on Saturday, videos of the incident posted on social media, and a phone conversation he had with Starbucks' general counsel on Sunday night. >> READ MORE: For black cafe patrons, Starbucks arrests raise concerns and interest in black businesses "Given the information disclosed it seems clear that the responding officers, in this case, did not violate the current policies which guide their work and acted in accordance with the law," Menos said in a statement. " Further, it seems that the men who were ultimately arrested in this incident may not have been legally justified to be in Starbucks once they refused to make a purchase and did not leave when asked by both the store management and police." In the statement, Menos wrote that while it seems no laws were broken by the officers or the store employees, "we cannot discount the likelihood that the race of these men played an integral part in the precipitation and overall outcome of this incident." "What we know is that black men in this city and nationwide experience disproportionate contact with the police and the criminal justice system," he wrote. "We also know that this contact often occurs despite the fact that they do not disproportionately engage in crime or the violation of social norms." Menos added that "this recent incident seems to be another example of the minefield that is societal and institutional racism." >> READ MORE: What happened when two black men were arrested at Starbucks? Catching up on the case The agency said it is looking to review any more video that's available and seeks to interview the citizens and responding officers who were present at the store when the incident occurred, around 4:40 p.m. Thursday. Menos took over as head of the citizen watchdog group in October. A social worker, he came to Philadelphia from New York, where he helped place, train, and supervise more than 100 victim advocates inside police precincts in New York City, when he worked for an organization called Safe Horizon. First, U.S. Rep. John Lewis warmed up his audience with humor: He told a story about his childhood days preaching to farmyard chickens. But then, the man who sat at segregated lunch counters as a college student and later spoke at the 1963 March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. told the world about his "dream," shared how, when he was 25, his skull was cracked on "Bloody Sunday." In Selma, Ala., on March 7, 1965, it was the first time a group of nonviolent voting-rights activists tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge to march to Montgomery. State troopers on horseback had galloped into a crowd of about 100 marchers, swinging billy clubs, firing tear gas, and knocking over marchers. Lewis was one of 58 people injured and 17 hospitalized after the violent attack that was retold to new generations in the Ava DuVernay film Selma. "I was the first to be hit, I was knocked down. I thought I was going to die," Lewis, the now 78-year-old Democrat from Georgia, told about 1,000 students, staff, and visitors at Hagan Arena at St. Joseph's University on Monday morning. Later, when King came to Selma, Lewis told him: "I don't know how President Lyndon Johnson could send thousands of troops to Vietnam but not send soldiers to protect people who only want the right to vote." Lewis' lecture was the final event of a yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the speech King gave at St. Joseph's on Oct. 26, 1967 at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse, where Hagan Arena now sits only months before he would be assassinated in Memphis. Lewis was presented with the President's Medal for Excellence on Monday. He first was inspired to get involved in the fight for civil rights when he was 15 and heard on the radio both Rosa Parks and King speaking about the Montgomery bus boycott. When he was 17, before he was about to head to college, he wrote King a letter and was invited to take a bus to Montgomery to meet King and his chief lieutenant in those days, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. When he got to Montgomery, he was led into a room at the First Baptist Church: "I was so scared. I didn't know what to say. And then I saw Dr. King, and he said to me, 'Are you the boy from Troy?' "I said, 'I am John Robert Lewis,' but he still would always call me the 'boy from Troy.' " Lewis said he believed King and the civil rights movement permanently changed America. " I remember when black people trying to vote had to count how many bubbles were in a bar of soap or how many beans were in a jar." There are people who want to turn the clock back, he said. But he vowed they won't succeed. (He didn't answer questions about what he thought about the arrests of two black men at a Center City Starbucks last week.) "We are going forward," he said. "We are not going backward." Former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode Sr. was in a small room of people meeting Lewis immediately after the speech. "I believe Dr. Martin Luther King was the most impactful person in our fight for rights, and right after him comes John Lewis," Goode said. Tristen Shoemaker, 20, a sophomore marketing student from Scranton, said he was inspired by Lewis' speech. Shoemaker, who is biracial, said he grew up with his white mother and didn't have a sense of black history until he arrived at St. Joseph's and met his black roommate. The irony that Lewis was speaking of his lunch-counter sit-in days while people protested the arrests at Starbucks didn't surprise Shoemaker. "To be honest, that's typical" of how black men are treated, he said. He recalled a time when a white woman dropped her wallet and he picked it up to return to her. Shoemaker said she told him: "Don't touch my belongings, n." Another time, his friend was walking behind a group of white students who turned around to see him in a big, black coat "because it was really cold" and they took off running. "He took off running too because he thought they were running from some danger," he said. Still, he said, the "clear majority of our classmates are fine." Monica Nixon, assistant provost for inclusion and diversity, said of the characterization by Shoemaker and his friends of their campus experiences: "We abhor any incidence of intolerance or discrimination," she said. "As part of our mission, we strive to be an inclusive and diverse community that educates and cares for the whole person. We also know that we must, individually, as a university, and as a society, do more to pursue social justice and to create a more equitable and inclusive community, which Dr. King and Rep. Lewis describe as the 'beloved community.' " Jeffrey Chiesa, left, the states appointed overseer of Atlantic City, escorted by Chris Filiciello, the mayors chief of staff, into his first meeting at City Hall. AMY ROSENBERG / Staff . Read more Jeffrey Chiesa, the close ally of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie whose law firm racked up more than $4 million in billings to run Atlantic City under a state takeover, will be transitioned out of that role, Gov. Murphy announced Monday. The North Jersey-based law firm Chiesa Shahinian and Giantomasi will continue to handle "some litigation matters" related to Atlantic City, according to the governor's office. Chiesa's role will end within 30 days, the state said. The law firm has submitted an additional 50 billing invoices beyond the $4 million, according to a state records custodian, but the amount of those billings was not yet made available under an Open Public Records Act request previously submitted by the Inquirer and Daily News. The Chiesa law firm has received mixed reviews for its work in Atlantic City, with credit given for a favorable negotiation of a tax-appeal settlement with Borgata. Less popular has been its role in court seeking to cut the city's fire department budget and its pay. It has also been involved in litigation challenging the law that established a payment in lieu of taxes for casinos. "It's definitely a good day for the residents and workers in Atlantic City," said John Varallo, head of the Local 198 of the International Association of Fire Fighters, which has tangled with the law firm in court. "I'm going to let them walk out the door. It's been a bad dream for the last year. " Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam applauded the move by invoking the Revolutionary War. "In memory of Patriots' Day, the commemoration of the first battle of the American War for Independence, I am happy about the steps taken by Governor Murphy and Lt. Governor Oliver," he said in a statement. Chiesa and his law firm have been running Atlantic City as part of a state takeover since November 2016. Its lawyers are credited with negotiating a settlement over tax appeals with the Borgata that saved the city about $70 million, and with helping to secure state backing for about $50 million in new bonds to pay off a debt to the state, a move that officials say helped avert a tax increase. The state did not move to sell the city's water authority or other assets, as some had feared. Chiesa, a former U.S. senator appointed by Christie and state attorney general, billed $400 an hour. His contract with the state permitted his entire law firm, including paralegals, to also bill for their work, at various rates. The Murphy administration has been telegraphing its desire to adjust the state's role in Atlantic City for months. Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, appointed by Murphy to oversee the Department of Community Affairs, which has authority over Atlantic City under the takeover law, has been a critic of the state takeover and has said she would be scrutinizing the role and price tag for the Chiesa law firm's activities in Atlantic City. Murphy also appointed Jim Johnson to serve as a special counsel pointedly for a salary of just $1 a year to recommend ways to return the city to local control. The statement says the Department of Community Affairs will continue its role in Atlantic City, where Tim Cunningham, the state's director of Local Government Services, attends council meetings, oversees agendas and budgets, and meets regularly with city officials. Chiesa's role as "designee" will be phased out within 30 days, the state said. The takeover law was passed during a time of steep fiscal crisis for the city, which saw five casinos close in recent years and the city coffers go nearly bare. By contrast, the casino resort is now anticipating two new casinos opening and its finances, with the help of redirected taxes and state backing of bonds, have stabilized. Although the state retains vast powers over Atlantic City operations, personnel, and assets, both Murphy and Oliver referred to the state's future role as a "partnership." "DCA will continue to play an active role in Atlantic City to build upon the significant gains the City and State have made over the last 18 months in stabilizing Atlantic City's finances," Oliver said in the statement. "This ongoing partnership between DCA's knowledgeable local government experts and the City's governing body and its professionals will keep Atlantic City moving in the right direction." City Council President Marty Small Sr., who fought the takeover in numerous trips to Trenton with then-Mayor Don Guardian, said he had nonetheless established a productive working relationship with both Chiesa, his law partner Ron Israel, and with Cunningham, the state official. He said the state's move with respect to Chiesa did not change the fundamental relationship under the legislated takeover. "From the state's point of view, it's a cost-savings measure," he said. "I think it doesn't change anything for Atlantic City. We're still in the state takeover." "No one fought harder against the state takeover than me," Small said. "While they were there, we had a great professional relationship. Tim Cunningham has proven to be a champion for Atlantic City, as far as state aid and other issues are concerned." State Sen. Chris Brown, a critic of the takeover and of the price tag for Chiesa, said Murphy "made the right decision for our taxpayers. As I said from the beginning, DCA already had the authority to manage the city's finances without spending over $4 million with the takeover." The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill prohibiting abortions based on a diagnosis or even just a belief that a fetus has Down syndrome. Read more HARRISBURG Pennsylvania's House passed a politically charged bill Monday that would prohibit abortions based on a diagnosis or even just a belief that a fetus has Down syndrome. The House passed the bill with bipartisan support, 139-56, marking the second time in five months that the Republican-led chamber has rushed through a bill restricting abortions without holding a public hearing. Sponsored by House Speaker Mike Turzai (R., Allegheny), the bill goes to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. Democratic Gov. Wolf opposes the bill and likely would veto it if it were to reach his desk. The measure prohibits abortions when they are sought exclusively because of "a prenatal diagnosis of, or belief that the unborn child has, Down syndrome." Similar measures have passed in other states but face legal challenges on grounds they are unconstitutional restrictions on abortion rights. Turzai has said he introduced the bill after he read reports about abortion after Down syndrome diagnoses in Iceland. Rep. Kate Klunk (R., York), speaking on the House floor Monday, described the bill as an effort to prevent "eugenics," and bill cosponsor Judy Ward (R., Blair) read a series of quotes from families who said their lives had been enriched by children with Down syndrome. State law now allows abortion for any reason up until 24 weeks' gestation, with the exception of termination based on the gender of the fetus. "Opponents of this legislation fight any reasonable limitation to abortion," Randall Wenger, the Pennsylvania Family Institute's chief counsel, said in a statement. Fellow institute attorney Jeremy Samek said: "We should be encouraging the current support systems available to help with raising a child with Down syndrome. And we should be providing information on adoption to women who feel like they cannot provide for a child with Down syndrome." Critics of the bill argue that it doesn't provide any additional services for children born with the condition. Some, including State Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D., Montgomery), have said they fear this bill would result in "state-imposed" pregnancy, which would violate the Constitution. Multiple medical groups, including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, also oppose the legislation. Included in the critics are some women who chose to continue a pregnancy after a Down syndrome diagnosis and others who chose to have an abortion after the diagnosis. Jennifer Schrad, of Bryn Mawr, said the day she learned that her daughter would likely be born with Down syndrome was "the most difficult day of our lives." She and her husband received information about Down syndrome that they ultimately felt was outdated and incomplete. They chose to continue with the pregnancy. But, Schrad said: "Choosing to continue our pregnancy was our decision to make. We would not want politicians in Harrisburg making that choice for any other woman facing similar circumstances." In an interview, one Bucks County mother who chose to have an abortion after receiving a Down syndrome diagnosis called it "the most difficult decision a person can make." The mother, who asked that only her first name Elizabeth be used, for fear of backlash, said she and her husband did a lot of research before making the decision to terminate the pregnancy, speaking to medical and other health professionals, as well as families raising children with Down syndrome. Among the factors she and her husband considered was who would care for her child if she and her husband died. Neither has a large network of people who could have stepped in to help. "I can't tell you for sure I made the right decision," said Elizabeth, who opposes the bill and made herself available to abortion-rights advocacy groups to share her experience with lawmakers and reporters. Taking away a family's ability to make the choice, in consultation with medical professionals and others they trust, sets a dangerous precedent, she said. "It's such an insult to how personal and painful this is," she said. "What's dangerous about this particular bill is that they are using Down syndrome as a playing card to draw support for what is really an attack on reproductive rights," she said. "It's cruel." Christopher Potts (right) protests outside the Starbucks on 18th & Spruce Streets on Monday. Read more As a protest outside a Starbucks at the typically tranquil corner of 18th and Spruce Streets wound to a close Monday morning, a woman poured a cup of (non-Starbucks) coffee out onto the sidewalk. The implication was that the protesters were there not only to decry the arrest of two men who to many who saw a viral video of the incident at the cafe Thursday appeared to be guilty of nothing but waiting for a friend while black. The protesters were also intent on seizing the moment to spark a larger discussion about how black people are treated, surveilled, and policed across Philadelphia. Fallout from the two men's arrest so far has included three days of protests, castigating statements from Philadelphia elected officials, a sit-in by community and faith leaders to deliver a list of demands, a #boycottStarbucks hashtag that's trending on social media, and a damage-control tour by Starbucks chief executive Kevin Johnson, who flew into town to apologize personally to the two men. He was accompanied by Roz Brewer, the company's president and chief operating officer, a spokeswoman said. >>READ MORE: For black cafe patrons, Starbucks arrests raise concerns and interest in black businesses >>READ MORE: Philly looking into other incidents at same Starbucks where two black men were arrested The Rev. Mark Tyler, pastor at Mother Bethel AME Church, said the reason for the quick and fierce backlash is this: "It demonstrates that if you're black, there's nobody that's safe. You can't do anything less threatening as a black person than hanging out at Starbucks." "It says to us that it doesn't matter what you attain in this country, black people and black lives are treated with the same amount of disrespect." The incident that started it all took place Thursday afternoon, when two African American men sitting in a Starbucks were asked to leave. The men had not purchased anything but were waiting for a third man, a developer named Andrew Yaffe, to discuss a real estate deal. But by the time Yaffe arrived, the manager had called 911 and the two men were surrounded by seven police officers, who led them away in handcuffs. The District Attorney's Office declined to charge the men, who have not been identified, and who were released eight hours later. Meanwhile, a video of the incident, posted by Philadelphia novelist Melissa DePino, has been viewed more than 10 million times. The Philadelphia Police Department has defended its handling of the incident, while the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations has contacted Starbucks to discuss what occurred. The manager who called 911 has left the store pending an investigation by Starbucks, a spokeswoman for the company said. >>READ MORE: Latest updates on fallout from the Starbucks arrests >>READ MORE: Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson promises unconscious-bias training for managers In an interview, Johnson said part of the problem was a local policy that was ambiguous about when to call police. "There are situations where it's appropriate to call the police, situations where there are threats or disruptions in our store," he said. "This situation had none of that, and these two gentlemen did not deserve what unfolded." Starbucks' response, he said, will include a review of policies and training practices. Already planned is unconscious-bias training for all Starbucks managers. The crowd of Monday morning protesters, racially diverse and about 40 strong, foreclosed any hope of obtaining a morning caffeine boost, to the irritation of at least one customer who was escorted out while shouting that staff had done nothing wrong. But, chanting "anti-blackness anywhere is anti-blackness everywhere" and singing an impromptu protest song adapted from the Black Panther soundtrack, the demonstrators insisted this is no tempest in a coffee cup. "These are two black people who just wanted to be in the world," said Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, of the Black and Brown Workers Collective. "They weren't protesting, they weren't angry. They were waiting on a white friend to discuss business." Megan Malachi, an organizer of Monday's demonstration, said the Philly for REAL Justice group had received reports of similar incidents in the past. In a Facebook post, Muhammad wrote of having been booted from Starbucks during a recent visit. The activist, per the post, intended to buy something, but was taking some time "to regroup." Philadelphia's elected officials joined in the outcry in critical written statements. Mayor Kenney was "heartbroken." Councilman Kenyatta Johnson was "alarmed and extremely discouraged." Sen. Bob Casey was "very concerned." City Council President Darrell L. Clarke tagged his statement #StarbucksWhileBlack: "The overwhelming support for these men from people across the country indicates that more Americans are aware of persistent structural racism." In a Facebook Live video posted Saturday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross defended the arrests and said officers three times asked the two men politely to leave. "These officers did absolutely nothing wrong," he added. "They followed policy. They did what they were supposed to do. They were professional in all their dealings with these gentlemen, and instead they got the opposite back." After a meeting between Starbucks' Johnson and city leaders Monday afternoon at City Hall, the mayor, who had criticized the incident as an example of racial discrimination, acknowledged there was "a very complicated set of circumstances." He said no officers should be disciplined. Councilman Johnson was not impressed with Starbucks' response. "At the end of the day, I walked away thinking it was typical corporate talk, and I'm ready to see action," he said. "It's going to be lip service for me," Johnson added, "until I actually see a plan in action that deals specifically with diversity, inclusion, and training." In a statement, the Police Advisory Commission concurred: "It seems that the men who were ultimately arrested in this incident may not have been legally justified to be in Starbucks once they refused to make a purchase and did not leave when asked by both the store management and police." That did little to quell the outcry from groups like the Anti-Defamation League, which urged training for the Starbucks staffers, and the ACLU of Pennsylvania, which demanded that police cease racial profiling. The ACLU noted that the police service area where the Starbucks is located, part of the Ninth District, has the city's greatest racial disparities in pedestrian stops. In 2017, 67 percent of stops in that area were of African Americans, who account for just 3 percent of the area's population. "Which side are you on?" the Rev. Nicolas O'Rourke, of the Living Water United Church of Christ, bellowed in song, as the group occupying nearly every square inch of the Starbucks chimed in: "I'm on the justice side." A few minutes later, the group marched to the Starbucks at 15th and Latimer Streets, where they again sang and chanted before making their way to the Starbucks at the Bellevue Hotel on Broad Street. This time, they stayed outside. Staff writers Holly Otterbein, Caitlin McCabe, Julie Shaw, and Rob Tornoe contributed to this article. Jennifer Bennetch and her son, Yusuf Williams-Bey, protest outside the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce Streets on Monday. Read more Starbucks is grappling with controversy after two black men were arrested at a Center City shop last week. Here are highlights from Monday, when protests continued. Protesters march to several Starbucks locations in Center City After holding a sit-in at the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce Streets, protesters marched four blocks to the Starbucks at 15th and Latimer Streets and took that over. They then marched to the Starbucks along Broad Street at the Bellevue Hotel, where they chanted outside. Police tried to block the protesters from entering, and some activists found the Bellevue doors locked. "I want to know why these doors are locked. I want to know whose city this is!" one protester said upon trying to get in. Activists march down Spruce after sit-in Protesters were on the move after holding a sit-in at the coffee shop at 18th and Spruce Streets. Activists take over city officials news conference and hold sit-in Clergy leaders and activists from POWER, an interfaith organization in Philadelphia, came to the Starbucks for a planned sit-in and sang, "We shall not be moved." Councilman Kenyatta Johnson and other officials were holding a news conference when the activists arrived. Philadelphia LGBT Affairs Office says it was appalled by the arrests "We stand not only with the two black men who were wrongfully detained, but also with the countless people of color whose very existence continues to be daily undervalued and overpoliced often without the benefit of a running camera," the office said in a statement. Starbucks CEO meets with Mayor Kenney Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission defends officers actions The commission put out a statement saying the officers acted within the law. "Given the information disclosed it seems clear that the responding officers, in this case, did not violate the current policies which guide their work and acted in accordance with the law," the statement said. "As for the Starbucks employees, while it will ultimately be up to the company to decide whether their employees acted within the spirit of their organizational policies, they certainly broke no laws either. "Further, it seems that the men who were ultimately arrested in this incident may not have been legally justified to be in Starbucks once they refused to make a purchase and did not leave when asked by both the store management and police." Starbucks issues correction about managers departure The manager who called police to the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce Streets on Thursday has left the store "while there is an internal review pending," a company spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman said she had erred earlier Monday by describing the separation as "mutual." Anti-Defamation League calls for Starbucks employees to undergo mandatory implicit bias training Nancy K. Baron-Baer, ADL Philadelphia's regional director, also called for police to undergo training. "Systemic racial discrimination and structural biases in our country are real and have devastating outcomes," Baron-Baer said in a statement. "Nobody should have to fear using a place of public accommodation because of the color of their skin." Manager at 18th and Spruce Starbucks leaves the company The manager of the Center City Starbucks where two black men were arrested last week has left the company in what a Starbucks spokeswoman called a "mutual" decision. Activists had demanded the firing of the manager, who called police on the men Thursday as they were waiting to meet a white acquaintance in the coffee shop at 18th and Spruce Streets. A video of the arrests went viral and has sparked national outrage and led the company's CEO to apologize. More protests planned Monday afternoon A sit-in at the coffee shop was planned for 4 p.m. Monday. On Monday morning, Council member Helen Gym and about 40 others chanted and protested at the Starbucks. On Sunday, dozens of protesters also occupied the store for a brief time. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson is in Philadelphia and wants to meet with the two men Johnson has said he wants to offer a face-to-face apology. In an interview with the Inquirer and Daily News, he called the arrests "reprehensible." "There are situations where it's appropriate to call the police, situations where there are threats or disruptions in our store," Johnson said. "This situation had none of that, and these two gentlemen did not deserve what unfolded." Johnson said that the company's guidelines on when and whether to call the police are "ambiguous" and that he wants to clarify the guidelines and have all store managers do training on unconscious bias. Starbucks shares open lower The coffee company's shares moved down slightly Monday. As most stocks rose, news of the arrests spread and public-relations experts critiqued the company's response. People are calling out other alleged incidents of racism at Starbucks Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, co-founder of the Black and Brown Workers Cooperative and one of the activists involved in the Philadelphia protests, recalled being told to leave a Philadelphia Starbucks while checking emails in 2017. The store manager, Muhammad wrote, said seats were for paying customers only. "I'm pretty sure that if I had on different attire or had been white, this wouldn't have happened the way it did," Muhammad wrote. On Twitter, a video from a Starbucks in Los Angeles also showed a store manager telling a man to leave. The man said in the video he had not been allowed to use the restroom before making a purchase, even though a white man had. A woman recalled a similar experience in Philadelphia. >>READ MORE: Need to catch up on the Starbucks arrests? Here's what happened I am an adoptive mother of three nonwhite children, each with a history of early trauma. My oldest child, a beautiful black boy, will be a man some day. That terrifies me. Not for the typical reasons a parent might worry: Will my daughter get into her dream college? Will my son end up lonely and single? No, my fears are more along the lines of: Will my smart, creative boy survive until adulthood? Will his difficult start in life predispose him to panic and run if questioned by a police officer? Will he get a handle on his impulsiveness before he faces life-altering consequences? Stories of police brutality surface every week, and research on the long-term impact of childhood trauma is finally getting mainstream media attention. But the national conversations on these topics rarely overlap. What if we had cities where the police were not only equipped with body cameras but also trained to understand the impacts and markers of childhood trauma? What if our cops were armed with the knowledge that the average black man is likely to have experienced adverse childhood experiences with lifelong repercussions? Like so many others, my boy has the double burden of being a black male in America and having experienced trauma early in life. At his recent annual checkup, the pediatrician cheerfully reported that based on his growth chart, he might end up around 6 feet tall. This is not purely welcome news when every inch of growth brings him one step closer to being viewed as a threat. CBS on March 11 aired an episode of 60 Minutes concerning trauma-informed care, a treatment mode that leads with the question "What happened to this child?" instead of the more knee-jerk "What is wrong with this child?" The 60 Minutes episode ran about a month after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., a shooting perpetrated by Nikolas Cruz, a man with an early life marked by trauma. The episode also ran just one week before the death of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man killed by the police in his grandmother's Sacramento, Calif., backyard. Clark had one thing in common with Cruz: a history of trauma, difficult circumstances outside of his control. Cruz's dysfunctional past led him to commit an egregious, ugly crime, while Clark was shot dead by the police. Cruz opened fire on innocent students and ran from the police, but he was apprehended and safely brought into custody, where he is getting legal representation. Might the fates of Cruz and Clark have differed if their skin tones were reversed? Trauma leaves its victims with invisible scars, wounds that carry consequences and may even alter their brain wiring. My son is 9, and he still has the fleeting advantage of being seen as a child vulnerable, malleable, deserving of support and help. We are utilizing every therapeutic service available to help him catch up to his peers in emotional development and self-regulation. But even with our best efforts, my boy will likely enter the adult world more fragile than his peers. He will have to face more suspicion, harsher treatment, and the presumption of guilt. By the time he reaches his full height, will the police charged with protecting him know that adults who experienced trauma as children may behave differently than adults who did not? Will they be informed about the "fight, flight, or freeze" response so often triggered in traumatized individuals facing a perceived threat or frightening situation? We are raising our son right outside of Philadelphia, a city where just last week two black men were arrested for sitting in a Starbucks while waiting for a friend before they made a purchase. Fortunately, these men had the presence of mind and self-control to allow themselves to be detained peacefully, making no protest in the face of what was apparently unjust profiling. I tremble to think of how a grown-up version of my little boy would have reacted in the same situation. When Stephon Clark's predictable fear response kicked in on that fateful night last month, the very forces entrusted with protecting our most susceptible became the aggressors. We need more than trauma-informed care for children in crisis. We need trauma-informed policing for the adults those children will become. We need a police force trained to view men who were once in my son's shoes not as "typical perpetrators" but as "likely victims." Tet George is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Glenside with her husband and three kids. Melloblocco 2018 on tour at Cresciano and Lugano 16.04.2018 by by Planetmountain From Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 May 2018 Melloblocco, the worlds biggest bouldering and climbing meeting, goes on tour: for the first time it will travel to Switzerland's Cresciano, a world bouldering mecca, and Lugano for the MBB Street Boulder. The definitive and official confirmation by MBB Street Boulder Lugano and the Municipality of Riviera and Patriciate of Cresciano has arrived: now it's all true, Melloblocco 2018 will go ahead as always! And it promises to be absolutely special. This year, for its 15th edition, Mello and all melloblockers will go on tour, will travel across the Alps and reach Cresciano and Lugano, in Switzerlands Canton of Ticino. From Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 May 2018 therefore the world's biggest bouldering meeting will share all its joy and desire for climbing in one of the most famous, and also legendary, international bouldering paradises. During the day climbers will tackle the magical problems littered throughout the Cresciano forest, but also in Lugano itself. At night the Boulder Arena, the great Melloblocco village will animate Piazza Manzoni and Piazza Riforma , right in the heart of Lugano. In short, it will be another classic and unmissable Melloblocco. This trip from Italy into Switzerland was stimulated by the organisers of the MBB Street Boulder Lugano event and the historic Melloblocco team accepted the invitation with joy. Mello 2018 is about to go on tour therefore. To get to know each other, to climb, to meet up. And to say, once again, we are part of it! Theres almost no point in saying that this move is big news: for the first time since 2004 the great international bouldering meeting leaves Val Masino and Val di Mello. At the same time, it must be underlined that this too is another stage that fully embraces the greater Mello journey. Marked by expectations, hopes and challenges, but also happiness and the desire to spend time together. Its an adventure that continues, in order to combine the free spirit of bouldering and boulderers with their desire for discovery, for untouched nature and for sharing. All aspects which are typical of rock climbing and great passions. Mello is an idea. Indeed, Mello experienced as an idea and a spirit. This is what motivated, and convinced, the historic Melloblocco team to accept the farsighted invitation of Lugano MBB Street Boulder of this great "traveling" Mello edition. A decision taken to allow Melloblocco to grow and evolve, and that confirms the international spirit of bouldering and once again underlines the strength and desire to continually explore new horizons. This is why it promises to be a special Melloblocco and, as always, a true Melloblocco for climbing and everyone involved. Stay tuned! Team Melloblocco - Team MBB Street Boulder Lugano All info, the program and pre-registration / http://streetboulder.balmelli-sport.ch Main Sponsor: Mammut A 16-year-old accused of shooting a Harnett County, NC, deputy in the face and chest Saturday evening has been charged, reports WRAL. Deputy James Eric Cook (Photo: Harnett County Sheriff) According to Sheriff Wayne Coats, authorities received a tip about a missing juvenile at about 6:34 p.m. and Deputy James Eric Cook responded to a wooded area in Cameron, NC, to investigate. Coats said Cook confronted Mario Alexander Garza III, who was reported missing Friday night, and the pair got into an altercation. During the altercation, police say Garza pulled a .45 caliber gun and shot Cook in the face and chest. Coats said one bullet struck Cook in the cheekbone and the one that struck his chest was stopped by a ballistic vest. Coats said Cook may have eye damage, and his right ankle is shattered, possibly by tripping over a log, reports the Fayetteville Observer. Cook was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he was in stable condition and able to talk late Saturday night. He was expected to require surgery. Garza has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and serious injury assault on a law enforcement officer. His bond was set at $1.5 million. The final concert of the Rochester Symphony season is so chock full of a variety of musical expressions that its difficult to know where to begin in describing it. "We begin with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.," Jere Lantz, orchestra director, said to set us straight. From there, the concert embraces Abraham Lincoln, African-American spirituals, immigrant tunes and the world premiere of a locally composed piece, "Sing." But the main focus of the concert, presented April 20-22, will be on King, who was assassinated 50 years ago this month. Lantz, who was a freshman in college at the time, recalled a campus in shock. "We were paralyzed," he said. "Nobody knew what to do." The pairing of King with Lincoln, who also was the victim of an assassins bullet, is natural, Lantz said. "The thing about these two figures in American history, is they gave the two greatest speeches that define America, one in 1863, the other in 1963," he said. He was referring specifically to Lincolns Gettsyburg Address and Kings "I Have a Dream" speech. One of the King-related pieces is the rock group U2s "MLK," which will be performed a cappella by the symphony chorale. "Its absolutely beautiful," said Lantz. A selection of African-American spirituals will include "Precious Lord," which was likely the last music King heard on the day he was killed. Also on the program is J. Bruce Browns "Legacy of Vision: MLK." "American Kaleidescope," by Minnesota composer Carol Barnett, takes tunes that came to America via various immigrant groups and weaves them into a whole piece. "Its like a chronology of the melting pot," Lantz said. The tribute to Lincoln will come in the form of Coplands "Lincoln Portrait," which will be narrated by George Thompson. The piece, written in 1942, combines stirring music with excerpts from Lincolns writings and speeches, and has been a perennial favorite. "This is the one piece in the entire standard orchestra repertoire that has a narrator," Lantz said. For a finale, the orchestra, chorale and guest artists will give the world premiere of "Sing," developed by the Statecraftsongwriting project launched by Torres Hodges of the Rochester Diversity Council. "Song" was composed by local residents who participated in sessions organized by Hodges since last September. "Its addressing disconnection through creation of a song that will have lasting impact," Hodges said. "When Jere said, Can you perform it at the concert? that gave us a deadline to finish it." The song looks forward in a concert that largely looks back, Lantz said. "It talks about how important it is to meet together as a people," he said. One of the main targets of our air attack on Syria the other day was described by the Pentagon as a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area. We attacked it because its a Syrian center for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological warfare. But how central is it to Assads chemical weapons program? If we can answer that question, we will have a better grasp on the likely utility of our attack. Claudia Rosett takes up the question for PJ Media. Based on the Pentagons description, she believes with a very high level of confidence that the target was the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC). According to Rosett, the SSRC is an incredibly high-value target, an outfit central to some of the worst depravities of Assads weapons programs, and as it happens a longtime client of North Korea and Iran. The SSRC has been on the U.S. sanctions list for 13 years, first designated under the Bush administration in 2005, with periodic, horrifying updates under the Obama and Trump administrations, targeting its various fronts, procurement arms, officials and connections. This is not just any old research center. According to the U.S. Treasury, it is the Syrian government agency responsible for developing and producing non-conventional weapons and the missiles to deliver them. According to a 2012 Treasury press release, the SSRC was established in 1971, and while it operates with the camouflage of an overtly promoted civilian research function, its activities focus on the development of biological and chemical weapons. The same press release mentions the SSRCs purchase through one front company of a precursor for soman nerve agent, plus its purchase from Iran, via another of its various front companies, of components used in the production of solid fuel for rockets. Rosett says the SSRC remained active and in the chemical weapons business during the period when Russia assured us that 100 percent of the chemical weapons were gone from Syria. The Russians and Syrians must have had a good laugh at Barack Obama. President Obama couldnt attack the SSRC even if such a move had been in his playbook. Doing so would have amounted to a concession that Russia and Syria had played him (or, alternatively, that he and Russia had played the American people). If Rosetts reporting is sound, and I have always found it to be, President Trump should have attacked the SSRC last April when he hit that Syrian air base. Even so, he deserves credit for doing it now. As Rosett concludes: Michael Anton is the author of the famous The Flight 93 Election article, a powerful statement of the case for supporting Donald Trumps candidacy. Until recently, he served as deputy assistant to the president for strategic communications on the National Security Council. When Gen. McMaster was replaced as NSC head, Anton left the White House to return to teaching and commentating. The Flight 93 Election piece appeared in American Greatness. The editors of that publication interviewed Anton this weekend. The interview is well worth reading. I want to focus on this exchange: Q. Several unnamed critics said you flipped and became former National Security Advisor H.R. McMasters guy. In other words, you abandoned the Trump base for McMaster. What do you say to that? A. Its both sad and hilarious that people who consider themselves President Trumps biggest supporters would make this charge, because its really a huge insult to the president. Think it through. The charge only makes sense if you remove agency and responsibility from the president. The implicit assumption is that a staff member, not the president, was making national security decisions throughout the past year. That the administrations policies and decisionswhich I explained and defendedwere not the presidents, but were someone elses. Thats nuts. And, as I said, its a huge insult and disservice to the commander-in-chief. Its also just not true. I was in the room for nearly every national security decision the president made for the first 15 months of the administration. And let me tell you, there is absolutely no doubt who is in command: President Donald J. Trump. Whats behind this charge, anyway? How exactly did McMaster or I betray the president or his base? The complainers never say. The unspoken undercurrent seems to be that Trump promised some form of neo-isolationism and hasnt delivered, because he has been beguiled by staff. But this is hogwash. I studied Donald Trumps campaign speeches with care. As president, in foreign policy, he has acted exactly as he promised he would. Just last Friday night, the president ordered a strike on Syria. H.R. McMaster wasnt there. That was all Trump. That action represents who he really is and what he really believes. In any case, whatever the specific complaints may be, they would be criticisms of the presidents policiesno one elses. So if were going to have that debate, Ill be on President Trumps sideas I was when I worked for him. My allegedly pro-Trump critics will have to argue openly against the president. I await that with bated breath. I dont fully agree with Anton. Its possible for the National Security Advisor to push policies inconsistent with what the presidents base wants, what the president campaigned for, and/or what the president is inclined to do. If that National Security Advisor has the backing of his staff (as he should), and if the disconnect is frequent and fundamental, then staff members fairly can be said to have abandoned the presidents base. And saying so does not necessarily insult the president. (I take no position here on whether this happened with McMaster and Trump). It is, however, an insult to the president to say that this or that adviser has hijacked policy in any strong sense. Anton is right about that. Its possible for advisers and agency heads to make some decisions the president wouldnt knowingly consent to. Surely, someone other than President Trump decided that he would re-nominate Chai Feldblum. But the president makes the big ticket decisions. No one should doubt Antons first-hand testimony that the current president is making them when it comes to national security. Yet, we find headlines like this one in the Washington Post: Trump, a reluctant hawk, has battled his top aides on Russia and lost. I dont deny that Trump is a reluctant hawk (and there is nothing wrong with that). But the notion that he has lost to his top aides on Russia makes no sense. Trump has the final say on these decisions. He also decides who his top aides will be, which ones he will listen to, and which ones he will sack (as he often does). Its obvious what the Post is up to here. It cannot square the fiction that Trump owes his election to Russia and/or is vulnerable to blackmail by Putin with Trumps tough policies towards Russia. Thus, its forced to claim that these policies somehow result from Trump losing policy battles with his subordinates. The result is pathetic journalism precisely what one would expect from an newspaper whose top priority is political resistance. For months, Sen. Cory Gardner has been blocking the Trump administration from staffing key positions at the DOJ. Among these position are Assistant Attorney General, Civil Division; Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division; Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division; and, until Gardner was finally shamed into relenting, Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division. In all, around 20 positions reportedly were affected. You might think that Gardners obstruction leaves these key divisions directionless, or at least without the degree of direction they should have. Its actually worse than that. As Christian Adams has shown, the absence of presidential appointees at the Assistant Attorney General level can leave left-wing Obama holdovers with enormous sway at the Justice Department. Why has Gardner done this significant favor for the left? Because of marijuana. Gardner is vexed with Attorney General Sessions because Sessions refuses formally to nullify federal drug law in Colorado, which has legalized marijuana. Its not that the Sessions Justice Department is prosecuting marijuana cases. Coloradans can still get as high as they want while others reel in the profits. Rather, the DOJ has simply rescinded a document, the Cole memorandum, that discouraged federal prosecutors in most cases from bringing charges wherever marijuana is legal under state law. As Sessions has explained: I cannot and will not pretend that a duly enacted law of this countrylike the federal ban on marijuanadoes not exist. Marijuana is illegal in the United Stateseven in Colorado, California, and everywhere else in America. To punish Sessions for upholding this self-evidence proposition, Gardner has impaired the proper functioning of the Justice Department. And such is the state of the Senate that one petulant, irresponsible Senator can succeed in this irresponsible endeavor. No wonder the Senate has become a laughingstock. Now, however, the logjam has been broken. Trump and Gardner have made a deal. According to the Washington Post, Gardner will graciously permit key DOJ positions to be populated with Trump nominees. In exchange, Trump reportedly told Gardner that, in the words of the Post, the marijuana industry in Colorado will not be targeted. In Gardners words, Trump promised the Department of Justices rescission of the Cole memo will not impact Colorados legal marijuana industry. (Its telling, I think, that Gardner speaks of protecting his states marijuana industry. Gardner likes to cast this dispute as a matter of states rights. More likely, its a matter of currying favor with those who are making money off of dope and, I imagine, with the multi-billion dollar legalization movement). In addition, President Trump reportedly agreed to support legislation providing, in a way yet to be determined, that the federal government cannot interfere with states that have voted to legalize marijuana. Legislation is, of course, the appropriate way to achieve this result. Holding the Justice Department hostage is not. How meaningful are Trumps concessions? To me, they dont seem terribly meaningful. In terms of a legislative fix, I doubt that Trump will twist any arms. More likely, he will offer some lip-service and, of course, decline to veto any marijuana legislation Gardner is able to steer through. But Trump was never likely to use the veto over this. In fact, as a candidate he took the position that states should be able to decide how to deal with marijuana. Nor does there seem to be much in Trumps commitment that the withdrawal of the Cole memo wont impact Colorados weed industry. Theres little, if any, indication that the rescission was going to have any adverse effect. To my knowledge, the local U.S. attorney has shown no interest in marijuana busts. And Sessions himself has told federal prosecutors, whether in Colorado or elsewhere, not to take on routine drug cases. For Trump and Gardner, the deal is win-win. Trump will finally get his nominees confirmed and at no cost to him, given his agreement with Gardner on the merits. He also strikes a blow against Jeff Sessions, though not much of one (for the reasons just discussed). Gardner wins favor from his states marijuana industry to which he has demonstrated his loyalty. He can also claim, with superficial plausibility, to have won this showdown. The loser here is good government. By rewarding Gardners behavior, the administration encourages other Senators to block large numbers of nominees for reasons having nothing to do with their merits. Liberals tout wind and solar energy as sustainable, but is that really true? The Science and Environmental Policy Project offers a different interpretation of sustainability: The electrical grid is an energized system serving all those on it, producers and consumers alike. It can be likened to a nervous system, serving all organs in the human body. Failure, for whatever reason, such as South Australia Black Event or the US Northeast blackout of 2003, can be dangerous and expensive. In the US and southern Canada, independent system operators (ISOs) or regional transmission organizations (RTOs) are responsible for maintaining the grid at a constant level voltage and frequency. Frequency is kept to tight tolerances. Serving about 65 million people, the PJM Interconnection is the largest ISO in the US, in terms of population. It serves parts or all of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. During the harsh storm of December 27, 2017, to January 8, 2018, called the Bomb Cyclone, the PJM Interconnection almost failed. John Constable of the Global Warming Policy Foundation discusses an important study of this near failure, and the near failure of other ISOs in the Northeast and Midwest. Failure was prevented by coal-fired power plants increasing electrical generation by 63%, natural gas plants by 20%, nuclear by 5.3% and seldom used oil by 26% over planned generation. These forms of electrical generation are condemned by the environmental industry. Generation from highly praised and highly subsidized wind and solar fell by 12%. So-called sustainable energy cannot be sustained in bad weather. Modern civilization requires reliable electricity. Power engineers call it dispatchable, it can be dispatched when and where needed. Pretending that wind and solar can substitute for thermal electricity generation (coal, oil, gas, and nuclear) is promoting a myth, just like the myth promoted by the EPA that carbon dioxide emissions endanger public health and welfare. However, based on these myths, the environmental and energy policies by many in the federal government and many states are endangering public health and welfare. These are the real threats, not a gas needed for life. ( Read 2949 Times) 16 Apr 18 Share | Print This Page This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : Your Comments ! Share Your Openion What is Emergency if not this, Madam Chief Minister? ( Read 10450 Times) 16 Apr 18 Share | Print This Page What is Emergency if not this, Madam Chief Minister? Dr.H.S.Chandalia Sitting MLA of Gujarat Legislative Assembly Jignesh Mewani was held at Jaipur Airport and was not allowed to go to Nagaur where he had to address a gathering on Babasaheb Ambedkar's contribution and the Constitution of India. The Collector and District Magistrate said that he could not enter Nagaur. Jignesh Mewani who has risen as a prominent Dalit leader has been asked by the Rajasthan Police to refrain from a public meeting anywhere in Rajasthan. This comes just after Ambedkar's Birth Anniversary when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched the feet of a Dalit woman and helped her wear Chappals. Is this also not another act of " Jumlebaji"? Jignesh was told by the Rajasthan police, Additional CP, Jaipur that he would not be allowed into Nagaur and for the next 15 days, he would not be allowed to hold any public meeting or participate in any programme in Jaipur. Also claiming that wherever he has gone he has vitiated the atmosphere, caused law and order problems, caused caste conflict that there were several criminal cases against him. And that Jaipur had a lot of disturbance post Bharat bandh of 2nd April and Jaipur commisionerate had to lodge several cases in various police e stations. It is alleged that In the past too he had participated in several programmes in the city. The order of the Additional Police Commissioner II, Jaipur Dr. Nitin Deep Blaggan states that there is section 144 in the city, from 15th April to 30th April and so Jignesh Mewani will not be allowed to participate in rallies, protests, programmes, issue statements. In case he violates this then he will be booked u/s 188 of the IPC. A day before Mr.Gulab Chand Kataria, Home Minister of Rajasthan had addressed a programme on Ambedkar's birth anniversary in Udaipur and sung eulogies for Baba Sahab. He said that we are the Swayamsevaks of RSS which does not discriminate between Dalits and non-Dalits. Just next day his police stops a dalit leader from speaking and moving around. The Chief Minister herself had said that their government would give special subsidy to private industries which employed SC and ST people. But right under her nose the Jaipur Police issues an arbitrary order. The BJP has been exposed fully in Unnav case in Uttar Pradesh, in Kathua rape case in J&K where the Hindu Ekta Manch demonstrated in favour of the accused rapists and in which two BJP Ministers also participated and were made to resign and now in Rajasthan it has been exposed fully that BJP's Dalit rhetoric is only an election gimmick. Source : This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : National News Your Comments ! Share Your Openion Life Events of Great Emperor of Mewar Kingdom staged at The City Palace--- ( Read 7177 Times) 16 Apr 18 Share | Print This Page 'King is a trustee of his people. If there is anything above his physical pleasure, desires, and business, then it is the well being of people of his kingdom.' This is a dialogue from 'Gaurav Gatha Rana Sanga Ki' which described the character of Emperor and revived the glorious saga of history where Maharana Sangram Singh-I ruled the kingdom of Mewar from 1509 to 1527 and was also known as Rana Sanga. The 536th birth anniversary of Rana Sanga was celebrated at Zenana Mahal on 9th April by Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation. This is the very first time when trust thought for celebrating his birthday and sharing his ideology, bravery and righteous to students and tourists visiting the City Palace. The trustee of the foundation Shri Lakshya Raj Singh Mewar and Smt. Nirvruti Kumar Mewar attended the occasion. The program started by showering the flower on the statue of Rana Sanga followed by the inspirational play based on important incidents of his life. It was written and directed by Shri Vilas Janve and produced by Martin Foundation, Udaipur. The play, Gaurav Gatha Rana Sanga Ki' was based on the Historical references from the book of Pt. Harivilas Sarda 'Hindupati Maharana Sanga' where the life history of the monarch was given along with various other information of that period. Maharana was a real warrior. He spent him all life in battle. He got 80 wounds on his body but despite all these wounds, he never took rest and was always ready for the next battle. His love and affection towards his people can be felt from the incident when he lost his one eye and his one leg and hand stopped working, he asked his court generals to select a new king for the throne in his stead. He said that a king has to be physically fit to rule the kingdom. He gave the example of a God's idol. He said that if a statue breaks down, then it does not remain worthy of worship and it should be immersed and new idol should be placed and worshiped. But his generals refused to accept anyone other than him as their king. They said that Maharana lost his organ in battlefield where he defeated the enemy and won the battle with his incomparable valor and power. A person who did not care about his wounds and served the nation is the real king. The Turks and Mughals were scared of Maharana. When Babar became the king of Delhi, he tactfully captured Bayana which was under the custody of Maharana. Rana Sanga decided to fight with Babar and this battle was named as 'Battle of Khanwa' which turned the Indian history. Maharana moved towards the Khanwa with his soldiers and they had weapons like spears, arrows, barks, and swords. But Babar used cannons for the first time. He took the devious move and shook hand with Silhidi who was fighting from Maharana's side, now joined Babar with his army of 35000 soldiers. Maharana was shocked but did not move from his decision to fight with Babar. During the battle an arrow hit his head and he laid down. The Rajput officers sensed the situation and took Rana to a safe and secure place. On the battlefield Rajrana Ajjaji of Kathiawad took the place of Rana and fought the battle but after his death Rajputs lost the battle. After some time, when Maharana got his conscious back, he asked where he is and what happened at a battle. Knowing the reality of battlefield he yelled at the court generals and decided to fight back. His passion motivated everyone but his body was deeply wounded and tired. Maharana, who won over 80 wounds, closed his eyes forever on 30 December 1527. Writer-director, Sh. Vilas Janve, included all the 9 Rasas of Natyashashtra to make it a strong play. The presentation imbibed storytelling with theatrical elements. All the characters were beautifully performed by the young talented artist of Udaipur Manish Sharma who was the sole actor in the play. Back to back four shows were performed and show by show energy of Manish was increasing and performance got better. He made scenes alive by his acting. The enchanting music and song sung by Samarth Janve attracted the audiences. Actually, music was the cherry on the cake. One of the foreigners said that she did not understand anything as the language of the play was Hindi but grasped the essence of the play through music. She added music was spiritual and refreshing. Backstage activities and Music were handled by Bhuvan Sharma and by Shubham Sharma respectively. Abdul Mubin Khan welcomed the guests and did curtain call on behalf of Mart and Foundation. Students of Maharana Mewar Public School and G. D. Goenka School enjoyed the show and went with lots of knowledge about the life of Rana Sanga and his values. 'I am pleased to watch the show as it gave details of important events held in history and it is more interesting than reading a book.' said Smt. Nivruti Kumari Mewar. Chief Administration Officer of MMCF, Thakur Bhupendra Singh Auwa informed that An Exhibition was also organized along with distributing special brooches and brochures of Maharana Sangram Singh. to students and tourists. -----Rekha Sisodia--- Source : This Article/News is also avaliable in following categories : Udaipur News Your Comments ! Share Your Openion PUNE, India, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Automotive Paints Market by Type (E-coat, Primer, Basecoat, Clearcoat), Resin (PU, Epoxy, Acrylic), Technology (Solvent, Water, Powder), Paint Equipment (Airless, Electrostatic), Texture, Content, ICE & EVs, Refinish, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is estimated to be USD 8.74 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 10.65 Billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 2.88% from 2018 to 2025. The growing vehicle production (especially, passenger cars), stringent VOC emission regulations for paint manufacturing, and changing customer preferences for paint textures are projected to drive the automotive paints industry and advancements in the paint technology. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 124 market data Tables and 73 Figures spread through 194 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Automotive Paints Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automotive-paints-market-1246.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Polyurethane resin is projected to have the largest demand in Automotive Paints Market Polyurethane-based coating is widely used in automotive OEM and refinishes painting process because of its excellent combination of properties, including good elasticity at low temperatures, abrasion resistance, solvent- and water-resistance, dry cleanability and machine washability. In addition, high performance (color, clarity and finish) can be achieved with very thin paint coat that do not increase paint thickness or change styling factors, including drape. Hence, polyurethane-based paints have the largest market in Automotive Paints Market, by resin type. Ask for PDF Brochure @https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=1246 Powder coating technology is estimated to have the fastest growth in Automotive Paints Market Powder coating technology is projected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period from 2018 to 2025. A key factor driving the growth of powder coatings is the reduced wastage compared to liquid-based paints and increasingly stringent environmental regulations for zero or non-VOC coatings. Powder coating is eco-friendly and emits only a small amount of volatile organic compounds. It is anticipated to experience rapid growth due to its unique features such as high corrosion resistance, high-quality finish, and abrasion. It also offers protection from moisture, heat, and chemicals. Increasing vehicle production and improving economy would drive the Asia Oceania Automotive Paints Market The Asia Oceania region comprises emerging economies such as China and India, along with developed nations such as Japan and South Korea. The automotive industry in the Asia Oceania region has been dynamic over the past few years and has seen an increase in the annual production and sales of vehicles. According to OICA, Asia Oceania has the largest share of global vehicle production, which is approximately 54% in 2017 and is expected to grow in the future. With such a large share, Asia Oceania has witnessed substantial growth in the demand for automotive paints. Due to an increase in the disposable income of consumers, China has emerged as a key market for premium vehicles, which in turn would boost the demand for innovative and advanced automotive paints. Hence, Asia Oceania is projected to be the largest market for automotive paints. Major manufacturers in the Automotive Paints Market include PPG (US), Axalta (US), AkzoNobel (Netherlands), BASF (Germany), Sherwin Williams (US), Valspar (US), Solvay (Belgium), DOW Chemical (US), 3M (US), and KCC (South Korea). Know more about the Automotive Paints Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automotive-paints-market-1246.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://mnmblog.org/market-research/automotive-transportation Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets PUNE, India, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- India's most trusted investment fortnightly Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ) has now launched 'Mutual Fund Unlocked', a DSIJ Magazine based on DSIJ's proprietary research methodology. Having a history of more than 32 years in equity research, DSIJ has taken advantage of its research strength and experience of understanding listed companies to ascertain the expected return of the underlying stocks of each equity fund. Post evaluation of the underlying portfolio of stocks in each fund, the expected returns are calculated. Based on this, DSIJ ranks the funds without getting biased by the historical returns of the funds. This also allows DSIJ to rank newly launched funds that are not rated by others due to their shorter duration of existence. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677312/DSIJ_Logo.jpg ) With this launch DSIJ has further strengthened its market coverage and reach beyond 'Direct equity' to now also include the 'Mutual Fund' investors. Interesting Key features of Mutual Fund Unlocked includes: DSIJ unique MF ranking with expected return of each fund Dedicated Cover Story on the Mutual Fund industry Special reports, interviews and expert opinions on events occurring in the fortnight Fund of the fortnight recommendation and follow through reviews DSIJ Pvt. Ltd. Managing Director, Rajesh V Padode said, "We, at DSIJ, are embarking on a new journey of bringing equity mutual funds information to our readers. As the investment by retail and HNI investors has gone up in mutual fund in the recent years it has become imperative for us to be in this space in the interest and safety of our reader investors." About DSIJ Starting off as a 12-page cyclostyled stapled booklet in 1986, Dalal Street Investment Journal (DSIJ), the flagship product of the company, soon began to be looked upon as the gospel of stock market investing. At a time when quality financial and guidance was rare, DSIJ pioneered many 'firsts' to cater to the fast growing investor base of India. Over the years, DSIJ's publication and products have helped investors create and protect their wealth in the most meaningful manner, guiding both new investors and the experienced ones, not to forget the established traders, to choose the right stocks, avoid pitfalls and reap the benefits of high tides in the vast ocean of equity investments. It is this vast experience, study and toughening during all kinds of scams and markets ups and downs that gives DSIJ an unbiased balanced insight about the several unfolding events without getting swayed by temporary and misleading populous excitement. To learn more about the company and services offered please visit: http://www.dsij.in For more information about Mutual Fund section, please visit http://dsij.in/mutual-fund Media contact: Mayank Dubey Sr. Manager - Online Marketing DSIJ Pvt. Ltd. +91-20-49072625 [email protected] SOURCE DSIJ Pvt. Ltd. SURAT, India, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shri Govind Dholakia, Founder and Chairman, Shree Ramkrishna Exports Pvt. Ltd., Surat, made an encouraging presence at one of India's most elitist institutes, The Department of Management Studies, IIT-Delhi on 10th April, 2018. During the enthusiastic interaction with the management students on 'Business: Brand is Promise,' conducted by Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF), Shri Dholakia shared his journey from being a less fortunate to becoming a stalwart of the leading diamond manufacturing company today. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677275/Shri_Govind_Dholakia_IIT_Delhi.jpg ) As Shri Dholakia narrated his story of success, disconcert, opportunities and various threats coming his way, he said, "To become successful, one must have perseverance, determination, integrity, composure and must follow the principle of morals and ethics." He quoted the examples of current market trends and business start-ups, saying that to earn big profits in business, one might adopt the path of dishonesty and earn well, but, this never lasts in the long-term. One must create a brand for their company and for this one must have faith and conviction on their product and deliver customer friendly services. He elaborated the concept of 'Price and Value', saying one may have lot of money, assets and lead a luxurious life, but it is not necessary that they are happy, in fact, true assets are family, friends, contentment, respect and moral values. The notion of 'Price' is temporary while possessing the 'Values' is perpetual. Focusing on the HR practices, he said, the company must have an employee friendly policy. Shri Dholakia, while speaking on the need of respect and virtue to gain reputation and success, with an intention to empower the youth to become the successful future of new India, said, "Our habits in personal life always have a direct impact on our professional life too. Therefore, it is utmost necessary to learn good habits, moral values and practice integrity in our life." The ardent young and sparkling minds found the session mind boggling. As it, seldom happens, a person with as little as primary education teaches management students of an elite institute, the art of managing business and creating business brand. Dr. Prof. Harish Chaudhary, Associate Professor, IIT-D and Shri Sandeep Srivastava, leading technocrat and educationist, IIT-D along with other eminent faculties of the institute and the students of management attended the talk. Dr. Chaudhary whole heartedly expressed his gratitude to Shri Dholakia on enlightening them with life changing business lessons. Shri Govind Dholakia was accompanied by Shri Kamlesh Yagnik, President, Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF); Dr. Sanjay Mehta, CEO, SRKKF; Shri Bhavesh Lathiya, CMO, SRK and other second generation business leaders of SRK. About Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF) is a culmination of the journey embarked upon, more than half a century ago, by our Founder Chairman, Shri Govind Dholakia in 1964. His focused, resilient, visionary, passionate and innovative approach along with his belief of 'Giving back to the Society' has inspired to setup SRKKF. Our aim includes extensive contribution in the areas of health, education, agriculture and community welfare. For more information, please visit: http://www.srk.foundation Media Contact: Shantanu Pawar [email protected] +91-8866800776 Project Manager Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation SOURCE Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundation (SRKKF) ST LOUIS, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Exegy Inc., a leading provider of managed services and low-latency technology for market data normalization and distribution, announced today the launch of Exegy Trade Port FX, a fully managed FX market data and order execution solution. Trade Port FX delivers network connectivity, normalized market data, and order entry to major FX venues as a fully managed service. The comprehensive solution enables sell-side banks, buy-side fund managers, and multi-national corporations to meet all their FX market access requirements via a single vendor. This is an increasingly attractive solution as the FX markets experience rapid and simultaneous growth in market fragmentation, speed and functionality requirements, and the costs and complexity of building, maintaining, and managing trading infrastructure. "We view the macro environment in FX to be driving firms to managed technology solutions that we are well-positioned to deliver. Over the past ten years, we have refined our ability to provide fully managed solutions that are differentiated by their performance, functionality, ease-of-use, and quality of service," said chief executive officer James O'Donnell. Access to Exegy Trade Port FX is provided via a cross-connection at the co-location data centers for FX markets in London and New York. Future points of presence in Asian data centers will be enabled based on customer demand. Through a single network connection within the data center, trading applications gain on-demand access to major FX trading venues and liquidity providers, insulating firms from the cost and complexity of establishing and maintaining connectivity to an increasingly fragmented market. Consistent single-digit microsecond speed and a rich set of data aggregation and filtering features are provided by Exegy's purpose-built, hardware-accelerated computing appliances. The combination of managed venue connectivity and bespoke computing appliances allows Trade Port FX to deliver normalized FX market data and order execution through a unified, FX-specific API. Applications can dynamically customize their real-time data views, including composite pricing across venues. To streamline workflows and expedite implementation schedules, Exegy also provides easy-to-use sample applications and code-generation tools for a wide variety of applications. Over the past ten years, Exegy has established an impeccable reputation for providing high-performance, managed market data solutions for global equities, derivatives, commodities, and fixed income trading. Exegy began adding FX venues to its market data feed handler portfolio in 2012, winning adoption from leading banks and buy-side fund managers. Exegy tapped industry veteran Karl Dundon to lead the expansion of its FX offering to include order entry functionality and managed venue connectivity. "Trade Port FX is simply the right technology and service model for the FX markets today," said Dundon. "Exegy assembled a team with deep industry experience and unmatched technology prowess to deliver a transformative product to the marketplace. We have also been greatly aided by expert guidance and enthusiastic encouragement from our Tier 1 clients," added Dundon. About Exegy, Inc. Exegy provides best-of-breed technology and managed services for the normalization and distribution of real-time market data to a diverse set of elite firms in the financial services industry. Today Exegy serves as a strategic partner to leading exchange and ATS operators, market makers, sell-side banks, buy-side asset managers, and proprietary traders. At the heart of Exegy's product line are purpose-built, hardware-accelerated appliances derived from an extensive portfolio of patented and patent-pending technology. For more information, please visit www.exegy.com and follow Exegy on LinkedIn and Twitter @ExegyMarketData. Contact: Diana Leach Exegy, Inc. 1 314 218 3622 [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/439673/exegy_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.exegy.com SOURCE Exegy, Inc. PUNE, India, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Geospatial Analytics Market by Component (Software & Solution, Service), Type (Surface & Field Analytics, Network & Location Analytics, Geovisualization), Application (Surveying, Medicine & Public Safety), Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size is estimated to be USD 40.65 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 86.32 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 16.3% from 2018 to 2023. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 84 market data Tables and 45 Figures spread through 159 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Geospatial Analytics Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/geospatial-analytics-market-198354497.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The increasing penetration of Internet of Things (IoT), integration of geospatial technology with mainstream technologies, and advancements in geospatial analytics with the introduction of artificial intelligence and big data analytics are driving the market growth. Based on component, the services segment of the Geospatial Analytics Market is expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period. Based on component, the services segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The need for appropriate training & support services, post the deployment of geospatial analytics software & solutions, is projected to drive the growth of the services segment. Inquiry Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=198354497 Based on application, the surveying segment is estimated to lead the Geospatial Analytics Market in 2018. Based on application, the surveying segment is estimated to lead the Geospatial Analytics Market in 2018. With the advancements in sensors, positioning, and other technologies, a huge amount of geospatial data is available. Surveyors can rely on geospatial analytics solutions to evaluate such data and find useful insights in real time. Geospatial solutions are used for surveying in infrastructure development, mining, defense & government, agriculture, and other sectors to utilize available resources optimally. Hence, the surveying segment is expected to show considerable growth during the forecast period. Based on vertical, the automotive segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Based on vertical, the automotive segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The use of geospatial technologies in the automotive industry is witnessing high growth globally owing to the growing safety concerns among passengers, due to which governments across several regions have mandated the use of GIS and GPS technology in vehicles. North America is estimated to lead the Geospatial Analytics Market in 2018. North America is estimated to lead the Geospatial Analytics Market in 2018. The growth of the Geospatial Analytics Market in North America is primarily driven by the presence of key players in this region, such as Alteryx, Inc. (US), DigitalGlobe (US), Trimble Navigation Ltd. (US), Harris Corporation (US), ESRI (US), Pitney Bowes (US), and Google (US) which offer geospatial analytics software & solutions. The high adoption of latest technologies such as cloud computing, big data, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and business intelligence tools is one of the significant factors driving the Geospatial Analytics Market in the North America region. Key players operating in the Geospatial Analytics Market include Alteryx (US), DigitalGlobe (US), Fugro N.V. (Netherlands), Hexagon (Sweden), RMSI (India), SAP (Germany), Trimble Navigation(US), Maxar Technologies (Canada), MapLarge (US), Harris Corporation (US), Bentley Systems (US), ESRI (US), General Electric (US), Pitney Bowes (US), Oracle (US), and Google (US). Know more about the Geospatial Analytics Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/geospatial-analytics-market-198354497.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]ketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Blog: http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets There are three methods of cleaning shoes. One is hand-washing, which is a difficult, time-consuming and laborious process that requires using a variety of brushes; the second method is to throw one's shoes into the washing machine, which not only results in cross-infection with clothes, but also damages the shoes and does not guarantee a clean wash. The last is to go to a dedicated shoe-washing store and leave them to be cleaned with other people's shoes, but the traditional commercial shoe-washing machine still uses brushes, making it difficult to ensure proper care is taken while still providing a thorough clean, especially for high-end footwear care. Usually, manual cleaning is still most people's first choice. Haier's shoe-washing machine handily solves this dilemma. The world's first water flow stereo type spraying technology uses high-pressure water flow to wash shoes. The water flow can penetrate the fiber inside to remove deeper dirt and minimize the damage, which allows it to achieve a clean that is both thorough and delicate. At the exhibition site, many visitors questioned whether the product will be able to earn its own space in people's homes. Haier-affiliated personnel explained that this household shoe-washing machine adopts a drawer design, which can be combined with a washing machine or a dryer, so it does not occupy its own separate space, and it can realize partition washing, simultaneous washing, and time-sharing washing: a fully-featured, comprehensive shoe-care solution. In the past 12 years in exploring the "RenDanHeYi" model, Haier washing machines have been relying on the 10+N R&D model to integrate global quality resources to meet the diverse needs of users. The launch of the world's first household shoe-washing machine once again leads a new trend, this time in the field of shoe-washing, and provides a useful reference for enterprises who are interested in developing their own products in this field. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677305/Haier_shoe_washing_machine.jpg SOURCE Haier BANGALORE, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HeyHolidays, a global player in the online alternate stays market, launched its 'Groupify' campaign to provide customised experiences to guests travelling in groups of 4-10 or more. Through this unique focus on group stays, HeyHolidays offers amazing short stay accommodations across the world. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628531/HeyHolidays_Logo.jpg ) "In hotels, a group gets scattered in different rooms on different floors. We wanted to bring in the 'travel together, stay together' concept where an entire group can be accommodated in single property. People can enjoy more special time with family and friends and this type of accommodation is also great for business outings and meetings. Also, by selecting these properties, a customer and his/her group realise lower costs for their overall accommodation," said Kenny Blatt, Co-founder of HeyHolidays. The type of properties ideal for group travel includes private bungalows, holiday villas with private pool, tree houses and beach houses. Many of the listings can even accommodate more than 16 people. Properties suitable for groups are available across 120+ countries including India, Italy, France, Spain, UK, Switzerland, Croatia, Greece, Netherlands, Costa Rica, US, Australia and New Zealand at various price ranges. "Indian travellers opting for travel destinations are mainly groups of young people, families and honeymooners. Food is rapidly becoming another area of concern for Indians traveling to these destinations as a large number of them have vegetarian as their food preference," said Mr. Blatt. HeyHolidays' 'Groupify' campaign is giving emphasis to these areas. HeyHolidays promises to provide a wide selection of the most competitive offers and options for group travel. Its Virtual Front Desk[TM] handles booking inquiries and special requests to help select and negotiate accommodations with the hosts. Guests and hosts also have the ability to chat on the HeyHolidays app which allows for a seamless booking process. HeyHolidays is integrating state-of-the-art user-friendly technologies to facilitate ease of listing online properties for its hosts and a seamless intuitive booking process for its guests. HeyHolidays is cementing its hold on the local and inbound travel to major tourist destinations in India like Goa, Rajasthan, Kerala, Kashmir, Sikkim and South East Asian markets. About HeyHolidays HeyWorld Holiday Pvt. Ltd. company currently operates in more than 120 countries. In India, it is present across 120+ destinations. For more information or short stay home reservations, email us at [email protected] or visit the company website at http://www.heyholidays.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyholidays Twitter: https://twitter.com/hey_holidays Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hey.holidays Email: [email protected] Media Contact: Kenny Blatt [email protected] +91-80-4146-4444 Co-founder, HeyHolidays SOURCE HeyHolidays Adoption of digitisation, blockchain and telematics to drive new growth opportunities, finds Frost & Sullivan LONDON, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2018, new mobility models such as electronic vehicle (EV) leasing, private vehicle leasing and used car leasing are set to transform the global fleet leasing market and create tremendous growth opportunities. Frost & Sullivan expects demand to be driven by operational leasing, which is predicted to account for 30.3% of company cars sold in 2018. Emerging countries such as Ukraine (33.6%), Russia (19.6%), Croatia (15.3%), and Hungary (12.6%) will top year-on-year growth rates in fleet leasing sales. "Fleet accounts for 12.8% of global vehicles in operation with 91.2% recognised as true fleet volume. Only 19.5% of this true fleet volume is leased - this represents a huge growth opportunity as usage rises," said Abishek Narayanan, Mobility Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Europe has the largest company car market globally with 33.8% of total company cars on roads. Out of the company cars in Europe, 40.4% are leased, which is the highest across regions." Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Fleet Vehicle Leasing Market Outlook, 2018, identifies the prevalent factors contributing to market growth; challenges serving as barriers to success; top 10 trends; new mobility solutions; technology advancements and legislations; leasing providers in Europe, Africa, Americas and APAC; and distribution strategies of key providers in the market. For further information on this analysis, please click here. To be successful in a consolidating market, Narayanan recommends providers focus on offering customers full-service operational leases with added features like flexibility in duration, vehicle swapping, etc. "Additionally, they can place emphasis on expansion into emerging markets and introduction of new product line such as EV leasing and private leasing which are the next growth segments in the leasing industry," he added. Seven trends driving transformational change in the global fleet vehicle leasing market include: Strong growth in private lease market in Europe and North America due to consumers' preference for fixed-budget and hassle-free user experience; Used car leasing becoming a lucrative market; Small-medium enterprise (SME) leasing offering enormous potential; Mobility as a Service solutions such as car subscription, car sharing and mobility budget are posing fierce competition to fleet leasing industry; Adoption of blockchain technology in fleet and leasing to enable faster paperless smart contracts; Leasing providers aggressively targeting companies via digital tools and white-label partnerships to attract new business and Leasing companies offering telematics which is transforming leasing into a sophisticated mobility solution "With current used car leasing options limited, players should focus on building trust among customers with regards to the reliability of used cars and stress their ability to better predict/service maintenance issues," noted Narayanan. "They should also develop strategies for customer segments looking for leases with affordable monthly payments, such as SMEs, retirees, and first car buyers." Global Automotive Aftermarket Outlook, 2018 is part of Frost & Sullivan's Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service programme. 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 Fleet Vehicle Leasing Market Outlook, 2018 MD66_18 Contact Kristina Menzefricke Corporate Communications Frost & Sullivan, Europe P: +44 (0)208 996 8589 E: [email protected] http://www.frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan PUNE, India, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "People Counting System Market by Technology (IR Beam, Video-Based, Thermal Imaging), Hardware and Software, End User (Retail Stores, Supermarkets, and Shopping Malls, Transportation, Corporate, Hospitality), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is estimated to be valued at USD 694.7 Million in 2018 and is likely to reach USD 1,150.2 Million by 2023, at a CAGR of 10.6% between 2018 and 2023. The major factors driving this market include growing retail sector and increased adoption rate of people counting technologies, availability of low-cost and easy to set up people counting solutions, and increasing need for people counting solutions in the transportation sector. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 67 market data Tables and 26 Figures spread through 145 Pages and in-depth TOC on "People Counting System Market - Global Forecast to 2023" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/people-counting-system-market-206905443.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Video-based technology expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period The market for the video-based technology is growing because of its advanced features, such as the ability to differentiate between a child and an adult and between a person and an object, allowing more accuracy in high-volume traffic, and the ability to withstand changing environmental conditions. The video-based people counting technology is one of the most popular technologies in the market owing to its high accuracy and advanced features. Retail stores, supermarkets, and shopping malls to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Based on end user, the retail stores, supermarkets, and shopping malls segment is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. The retail industry is becoming more complex and is constantly evolving. To sustain amidst the shifting demographics, new technologies, and well-informed shoppers, retailers have to modify their existing strategies to achieve new goals. Retailers need to know the footfalls at their shops at regular intervals to remain competitive in the complex retail world. By observing the ratio of traffic to sales, retailers can fairly and accurately compare stores with low sales volume and high sales volume. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=206905443 North America expected to hold the largest market share during the forecast period North America emerged as the major consumer for people counting systems. The presence of many of the world's busiest airports and increasing adoption of people counting solutions in transportation are factors expected to propel the growth of the people counting system market in North America. Major companies, such as RetailNext, ShopperTrak, and Axis Communications, are launching their products in this region. The major players in the people counting system market include Axis Communications AB (Sweden), HELLA Aglaia Mobile Vision GmbH (Germany), InfraRed Integrated Systems Ltd. (UK), RetailNext, Inc. (US), ShopperTrak (US), Eurotech S.p.A. (Italy), Axiomatic Technology Limited (UK), Countwise LLC (US), DILAX Intelcom GmbH (Germany), IEE S.A. (Luxembourg), Iris-GmbH (Germany), V-Count (Turkey), and Xovis AG (Switzerland). Know more about the People Counting System Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/people-counting-system-market-206905443.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/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets HYDERABAD, India, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- - Reflects the evolution and the future strategy to enhance the product portfolio and its emergence as an integrated engineering solutions provider - Pitti Laminations Limited (BSE: 513519) (NSE: PITTILAM), the Hyderabad-headquartered manufacturer of stator & rotor core assemblies, die cast rotors & assemblies, traction motors, casting & high precision machine components, pole assemblies, specialized electrical steel laminations, etc., announced that its shareholders have approved the change in name of the company to 'Pitti Engineering Limited '. Mr. Sharad B. Pitti, Chairman & Managing Director explained that the new name would reflect the company's evolution over the past few years and the future focus. The name change, approved and passed by the shareholders at the EGM held on April 11, 2018, will be effective on receipt of fresh certificate from the Registrar of Companies, Hyderabad. This change corresponds to the significant and evolving growth in the product portfolio of Pitti, thereby moving up the product value chain and being able to offer integrated solutions to its customers. Over the past few years, the company has made a conscious effort at the products and services development level to become a preferred turnkey supplier of a range of products to MNCs. The company is the market leader in its segment in India and is the only integrated player in this space in Asia. Pitti manufactures stator & rotor core assemblies, die cast rotors & assemblies, traction motors, casting & high precision machine components, pole assemblies, specialized electrical steel laminations, etc. and provides machining of various metal components for multiple applications. Pitti caters to the industries like transportation (rail, road and off-highway), power generation, aerospace, oil & gas, mining, earth moving and others. The company supplies the full assemblies and sub-assemblies right from casting, high precision machining, laminations to fabrication, etc. The company has been manufacturing special purpose laminations and stampings for all types of rotating electrical machinery, motor cores, sub-assemblies, die cast rotors and press tools. The company is a key and critical supplier to its customers which are mostly the Fortune 200 MNCs like GE, Alstom, Siemens, ABB, Cummins, etc. The company has three manufacturing facilities with four integrated business verticals including tool room and employs about 1,700 professionals and workmen directly and indirectly. Elaborating on the name change, Shri Sharad B. Pitti said, "The change in name of the company is to reflect our much enhanced capabilities, development of new products encompassing the entire engineering value chain and the added capacities to serve the existing and the new customers. Pitti has now emerged as the only integrated engineering solutions provider in its space in Asia. We are confident that all our stakeholders would be pleased with this change." Mr. Akshay S. Pitti, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, said, "The Company's offerings have evolved, based on its core business, strongly rooted research and industry led innovation. The name change was planned to align with the advancement in our skills and capabilities to cater to a varied range of basic engineering products for developing an integrated supply chain for our customers." To find out more, please visit their website: http://www.pitti.in. About Pitti Engineering Limited: Pitti Laminations Limited is a Hyderabad headquartered company, established in the year 1983 and engaged in the manufacturing stator & rotor core assemblies, die cast rotors & assemblies, traction motors, casting & high precision machine components, pole assemblies, specialized electrical steel laminations and stampings, etc. The Company caters to the needs of the power generation, transportation, industrial motors, locomotives, aerospace, automobile, earth moving and mining, oil and gas and infrastructure industries. Disclaimer: The name change will become effective on receipt of fresh certificate consequent to change in name, from the Registrar of Companies, Hyderabad. This press release contains "forward- looking statements" that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should" or "will". Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behavior of financial Industry, from future integration of businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. Media Contact: Hari Prasad [email protected] +91-9618883774 Concept Public Relations India Limited Supreeth P [email protected] +91-9505129309 Concept Public Relations India Limited N K Khandelwal [email protected] Pitti Engineering Limited SOURCE Pitti Engineering Limited MUMBAI, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SPJIMR, a constituent of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and a leading school of management, will welcome over 400 guests to 'FMB Connect '18', its annual Family Managed Business (FMB) awards and conclave scheduled in Mumbai on April 21 at the Taj Santa Cruz Airport hotel. The theme of the event is 'Dare to Dream'. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/676830/SPJIMR_Logo.jpg ) The conclave and awards night is billed as a gala event that will see the coming together of some of India's leading family managed businesses to celebrate achievement and reconnect with SPJIMR, which is a pioneer in management education for FMBs. 'FMB Connect '18' will recognise the contribution made to the India growth story by family businesses, which together drive a significant share of India's GDP and are known to be the largest employment generators. The awards night will be hosted by SPJIMR's Centre for Family Managed Business, which runs the premier 18 month PG-FMB programme, apart from a range of value added programmes for the family managed businesses. These programmes are: Owner Management Programme (OMP), Women Management Programme (WMP) and a host of executive education programmes tailored to meet the operational and strategic needs of FMBs. The awards night is a platform for the alumni of SPJIMR's FMB programme to showcase their contribution and share their success stories. It will offer FMB alumni leaders an opportunity to network, connect with seniors from the FMB space, other business leaders and faculty members. Awards will be given out under the following categories: Business of the Year, Business person of the Year, Woman Business Leader, Young Entrepreneur, Innovative Company, Socially Responsible Company/Leader. This year SPJIMR will also recognise institutions and entities in India who have contributed to their growth and success of FMBs. The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA) will be awarded as the 'Institution Championing the Cause of Family Managed Business'. Bombay Stock Exchange's SME Exchange will be recognised for its contribution in transforming FMBs and will be awarded as the 'FMB Change Agent of the Year'. The event would also witness the felicitation of FMB legend Padmashri Rameshwarlalji Kabra, founder of the RR Group, which is known for its electrical industry brand, RR Kabel. The awards night will come after daylong events that include an industry networking session, workshops and master classes featuring Dr. Ajit Ranade, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group, and Mr. Arun Gupta, Serial Entrepreneur, Private Equity Guru and advisor to growth stage businesses. The event will also see a conversation between Dr. Ranjan Banerjee, Dean SPJIMR, and Mr. R. Gopalakrishnan, a leading author, corporate leader and SPJIMR Executive-in-Residence on the topic of 'Mindset for Dreaming Big', moderated by the FMB Programme Head Dr. Tulsi Jayakumar. Mr. Ashok Goel, Chairman & Managing Director, Essel Propack Ltd., will be the Chief Guest and deliver the keynote address. Dean Dr. Ranjan Banerjee said: "Our alumni are the custodians of our brand. The FMB Awards showcases the achievements of leading family businesses, and brings our alumni together to meet, celebrate, learn and grow and create stronger companies, thereby building a stronger India." The Head of the Centre for Family Managed Business, Mr. Vijay Sampath said: "SPJIMR's Family Managed Business Alumni are a shining example of India's entrepreneurial spirit. Celebrating the diversity and depth of their achievements is a celebration of India's business potential." Dr. Tulsi Jayakumar, Head of the FMB programme said: "The awards celebrate the achievements of our alumni, as also those in the family business eco-system, who have given their best to their businesses, their employees, customers, the community and other stakeholders. They inspire through their action. We look forward to this flagship event of the Centre for FMB becoming the most prestigious awards ceremony for family businesses in India." To attend the event, register at the following link: http://www.spjimr.org/fmb-connect-2018 Visit the FMB programme page and admission page at the following links: http://spjimr.org/pgpfmb/programme http://www.spjimr.org/omp http://www.spjimr.org/wmp http://spjimr.org/pgpfmb/admissions Media Contact: Prof. Abbasali Gabula [email protected] +91-9821362495 Deputy Director (External Relations) and Placements - PGDM, PGPM, PGMPW S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research SOURCE SP Jain Institute of Management & Research The 700-ton hydraulic excavator is powered by two 1,700-horsepower motors that can generate stronger force than two Type 99 tanks. Its weight is equivalent to 500 sedans, and is 23.5 meters (77 feet) long. The XE7000E can achieve a maximum thrusting force of 243 tons and a digging force of up to 230 tons, while its bucket can dig up 50 tons of coal with each scoop. It can load and transport 30,000 tons of coal in eight hours, a high level of efficiency that is a major breakthrough for China's mining industry. "I am extremely proud of the team that helped make the XE7000E a reality. Everyone at XCMG has spared no effort making excavating and mining machinery the No.1 business sector for the company," said Wang Min, Chairman and President of XCMG. "Not only does the arrival of the XE7000E cement XCMG's status as a global leader in cutting-edge heavy machinery manufacturing, it also supports and promotes China's 'Made in China 2025' strategy." While developing the hydraulic excavator's drive wheel, guide wheel, support wheel, riding wheel and crawler, as well as an innovative soft start dual-motor control strategy, XCMG obtained 52 patents and independent intellectual property claims when designing and building the XE7000E, which is now the largest-tonnage hydraulic excavator in the country. XCMG has invested 1.8 billion yuan (US$285.62 million) to build a 94-acre mining machinery industrial base that includes a large boring milling machining center, intelligent welding robots, and has focused R&D efforts on destressing equipment, laser tracking and measuring instruments for large structural parts. About XCMG XCMG is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company with a history of 74 years. It currently ranks sixth in the world's construction machinery industry. The company exports to more than 177 countries and regions around the world. For more information, please visit: www.xcmg.com, or XCMG pages on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677206/XCMG.jpg SOURCE XCMG Nine companies have come together to launch the Circle of Practice. CFOs and finance representatives of the organisations attended the kick-off on Friday 13 April, with founding members at the meeting including: DBS Bank, CapitaLand, Japfa, Olam International, Sysmex Asia Pacific, and SATS. The aim of the A4S Circle of Practice is to bring together the finance community to embed effective responses to social and environmental risks and opportunities into finance processes and decision making. Each COP meeting will be based around a series of workshops to review sustainable business practice and to learn, challenge and support each other to achieve progress. At the kick-off meeting for the Singapore Circle of Practice held at Olam's Learning Academy, members explored macro sustainability trends, common challenges faced by finance professionals in responding to these trends and what practical approaches to take. Members also agreed the initial focus of activities and set out how the COP will operate. Members of Singapore's COP will leverage A4S's global guidance and insights from Singaporean members to develop Asia-specific mechanisms focused on: Developing a strategic response to macro sustainability trends, including engaging the Board Developing measurement and valuation tools, including Natural, Social and Human Capital Accounting Integrating material sustainability factors into decision making, including Strategic Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting, Integrated Management Reporting and Capex Engaging with finance providers on the drivers of sustainable value, including Enhancing Investor Engagement and Debt Finance A4S Executive Chair, Jessica Fries said: "As an international hub with strong public and private sector support for sustainability, Singapore is an ideal launch pad for A4S to inaugurate its first Circle of Practice in Asia. Our work with the CFO community internationally has highlighted the financial and wider business benefits that can come from adopting a sustainable approach, but it isn't always straightforward to analyse the issues and develop effective responses. We are excited to work with our COP members to create pragmatic approaches to put us on a sustainable trajectory." The launch of the Singapore COP follows a successful event A4S co-hosted with Olam in November 2017 that gathered finance leaders from some of the country's foremost organizations to discuss how CFOs can address social and environmental risk and opportunity. Olam Co-Founder & Group CEO, Sunny Verghese said: "Sustainability is fundamental to how we do business at Olam. Having embarked on our own journey towards identifying and measuring a broader set of financial and non-financial drivers that drive long term value for Olam, we are keen to collaborate, share and learn from our peers and others in improving our reporting in a way that is more relevant to our key stakeholders. We believe that platforms like A4S will be a key catalyst in bringing the private sector together to drive change at scale and re-imagine what sustainable business can be." Olam Global Head of Corporate Finance, Rishi Kalra, said: "As a founding member, I am delighted to support A4S on the formation of its first Circle of Practice in Asia. I believe that sustainable finance and accounting will determine whether a company can be enduring and is able to create long-term value for its stakeholders. I look forward to working with A4S and fellow members to learn, challenge and support each other as we develop strategic and practical approaches that work in Singapore, Asia and beyond." Earlier in the morning on Friday, A4S and Olam also jointly hosted a workshop on implementing the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Representatives from 15 companies shared their experiences and challenges in adopting the recommendations and discussed potential solutions. Speakers included Ms. Lian Sim Yeo Special Adviser, Diversity, Singapore Exchange and Vice-Chair, TCFD, and Mr. Chris Brown, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability from Olam, who shared the practical steps they are taking in line with the recommendations. More information on A4S can be found at: www.accountingforsustainability.org APPENDIX A. FOUNDING MEMBERS OF A4S CIRCLE OF PRACTICE SINGAPORE CapitaLand Ltd DBS Bank Ltd Jadestone Energy Inc Japfa Ltd Norbreeze Group Olam International Ltd SATS Ltd Sysmex Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Wipro Consumer Care (From left to right) Ravi Abeywardana, Finance Accountant, Olam International SzeYen Tan, Senior Vice President, Group Accounting Policy, DBS Bank Kok Khong Seah (Manfred), CFO, Sats Andrew Lim , Group CFO, Capitaland Rishi Kalra , Global Head of Corporate Finance, Olam International Nelson Lee , CFO, Sysmex Asia Pacific Jessica Fries , Executive Chair, A4S Kevin Monteiro , CFO, Japfa Ltd Sunny Verghese , Co-founder and Group CEO, Olam International Steve Roder , Former CFO, Manulife Neelamani Muthukumar, Group CFO, Olam International Chris Brown , Vice President, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, Olam International Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677256/COP_Singapore_launch.jpg Related Links http://www.accountingforsustainability.org SOURCE Olam International LONDON, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PremFina Ltd (the "Company"), the UK's first venture capital backed premium finance company, is excited to announce it will be exhibiting at the 2018 British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) Exhibition in Manchester on May 16-17. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677292/PremFina_Logo.jpg ) At its BIBA stand, PremFina will demo its innovative state-of-the-art software, which supports BIBA's goals to innovate, evolve and thrive in the industry. PremFina will also be showcased in ITN's video "De-Risking the Future," played at BIBA's opening event, as being the most innovative UK premium finance company. With PremFina, brokers have some much-needed freedom of choice. Brokers can select a financing option to suit their needs or simply automate existing manual processes with PremFina's white-labeled Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). They also receive the support of the Company's dedicated Customer Service and IT teams. It's the PremFina trifecta that's designed with brokers in mind. Mia Constable, Head of Sales at PremFina and previously at BNP Paribas Premium Finance, says the Company's success is down to one simple fact: "We put brokers first." "By focusing on tailored solutions for brokers, we've quickly built a solid reputation in the market," she added. PremFina's CEO Bundeep Singh Rangar will host a fringe session at BIBA on the positive potential of insurance on the BlockChain: "It will help us maintain our technological lead in the market," he said. "Embracing BlockChain could also help brokers and insurers future-proof their business models." PremFina offers software and financing, separately or together, for the payment of insurance premiums in the UK market. To learn more about PremFina, come visit stand D77 or register for the Company's fringe session. Send an e-mail to Natalia.Zurowski@premfina.com to secure your place today! About PremFina PremFina Ltd is a UK-based premium finance company that promotes financial inclusion by enabling the payment of insurance premiums via instalments. It supplies insurance brokers with funding lines and also enables broker-funded and branded credit agreements via its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) affiliate IXL PremFina Ltd. With PremFina, brokers receive higher profit, greater autonomy and the opportunity to increase the lifetime value of their customers as well as cross-sell and up-sell additional products. PremFina's shareholders include global investors Rakuten Capital, Draper Esprit Plc, Thomvest Ventures, Emery Capital, Rubicon, Venture Capital, Talis Capital and the company's founder. Website: http://www.premfina.com For further information about PremFina: Natalia Zurowski Strategic Marketing Associate Natalia.Zurowski@PremFina.com +44(0)-203-500-3462 http://www.premfina.com SOURCE PremFina Limited TEL AVIV, Israel, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tel Aviv University is establishing a venture fund focused on early stage startups named TAU Ventures. This is the first time that a model of that sort is being established in Israel and it is similar to those in the most prestigious universities in the US such as MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, etc. The fund will operate different incubation programs, together with strategic partners, in various technological fields. The first program running is with NEC, the Japanese giant, focusing on Cyber security. Among the investors is the anchor Singaporean investment fund, "Chartered High Tech Fund", which unites leading Japanese firms via the designated "Japan - Israel High Tech Fund", as well as additional investors from United States and Canada. The fund will operate in a typical 7 years model. President of Tel Aviv university, Joseph Klafter addressed: "Tel Aviv University is the most innovative and entrepreneurial university in Israel and I am proud that we evolved to the next essential step. This is a new model in Israel, and sets the university in line with the leading universities in the world. As a university which gathers the leading students and alumni in Israel, TAU Ventures will enable the entrepreneurs among them to execute their revolutionary ideas". Nimrod Cohen, the Managing Partner of the fund said "the advantage of the fund will be identifying unique opportunities in early stages. TAU Ventures will also be able to offer added value to the entrepreneurs among the students and our alumni of TAU, via variety of resources surrounding the university. The fund will enjoy the wide spectrum of knowledge and support of the industry given the important position TAU holds." Eyal Agmoni, the Head of Chartered Group said: "we made this investment out of strong belief in the Israeli high tech industry in general, and a deep understanding that the main part of entrepreneurial in Israel generates around Tel Aviv University". "As a person deeply enthusiastic about higher education and the future of Israel, I am proud to be a part in a fund which will operate under TAUs umbrella "said Bahzad Kianmahd, co-founder and the lead investor from Los Angeles, CA, who is the chairman and CEO of Maxim Commercial Capital. He also added "the fund will have many possibilities for dealing with complex C in the world and it will open doors for the younger generation in Israel." Contact: Meital Levi, +972-54-7739677,meital@xmind.co.il SOURCE Tel Aviv University --gKMricLos+KVdGMg Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 201804-12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - https://security.gentoo.org/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Severity: Normal Title: Go: Arbitrary code execution Date: April 15, 2018 Bugs: #650014 ID: 201804-12 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Synopsis ======== A vulnerability in Go allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands. Background ========== Go is an open source programming language that makes it easy to build simple, reliable, and efficient software. Affected packages ================= ------------------------------------------------------------------- Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 dev-lang/go < 1.10.1 >= 1.10.1 Description =========== A vulnerability in Go was discovered which does not validate the import path of remote repositories. Impact ====== Remote attackers, by enticing a user to import from a crafted website, could execute arbitrary commands. Workaround ========== There is no known workaround at this time. Resolution ========== All Go users should upgrade to the latest version: # emerge --sync # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=dev-lang/go-1.10.1" References ========== [ 1 ] CVE-2018-7187 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-7187 Availability ============ This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201804-12 Concerns? ========= Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users' machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at https://bugs.gentoo.org. License ======= Copyright 2018 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text belongs to its owner(s). The contents of this document are licensed under the Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5 --gKMricLos+KVdGMg Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name="signature.asc" Content-Description: Digital signature -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- iQEzBAEBCAAdFiEEiDRK3jyVBE/RkymqpRQw84X1dt0FAlrT30wACgkQpRQw84X1 dt0HGwf/Ypr0rqpIK5w+exme2PwQ6En1YBILcsXMzMAjXJKHhA6T/XprNCYP/1pv ZxOucpU3+KS327W1eJjaIJAhlkC9dVgmbCtDQhfeeYTmOqXH5E42xEnW4+a7WMqP 8GakgOI9McdPy+RxbkK+YESPB5LZwg8nqhrObQo5rqxFsTcn7VEy0I5UwnYTSf2s mQHN9Nn2J5nvOJjSGLhd7kVi7+wp40vkhuoq1qEJ1QVknTBMeuDYhu+5jcYjuvXi ga/YoPGQqG9P1JYhpUtKV56PT1HxIvHZ1qVnDZhojx6Ii0gZuSfWpiDvqDpTKBSv qrqeItueUV4ylVUaLWW6r80bHMW+Sw== =Gil8 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --gKMricLos+KVdGMg-- #land development scandal Prosecutors arrest key suspect in Seongnam land development scandal A key figure in the snowballing land development scandal in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, was arrested Friday for questioning over suspicions of bribery and other misconduct, and ... #TWICE TWICE to release first English single South Korean girl group TWICE will release its first English single Friday, its agency said, signaling a full-scale inroad into the North American music market. The band's first... Russian Oil Production Is About To Peak and Start Declining in the Near Future According to Finanz, with reference to the International Energy Agency, Russia has been benefitting from its oil production and export for decades. However, this is about to change in the future since the Russian oil industry is about to see its production peak, which means it will inevitably start going down further down the road. According the IEAs 2018 oil report, there is no way Russian oil companies are going to boost their oil production forever. Moreover, in 3 years, the Russian oil industry is about to reach its all-time high and start declining steadily. Last year, Russia produced 11,2 million barrels of crude oil, which is still the highest production level in 29 years. In 2021, the production level is going to peak at 11,74 million barrels. Shortly after that, the production is expected to start declining. Its interesting to note that this gloomy forecast made by the IEA has been confirmed by Russian stats. Yet, the newly-opened oil fields are unable to make up for the boosting production. For instance, according to RusEnergy , the average size of the oil fields discovered n 2016-2017 is 1,7 million tons, which is under 30% of the current oil export to China. Some experts in Russia assume that after peaking at some time after 2020, the production is definitely going to start declining rather fast up to 10% a year. This contradicts, the Russian governments promises to preserve the production above 525 million tons a year up until 2035. If the forecast is correct, in 2035 Russia will be producing around 6 million barrels a day to barely cover internal needs. With that being said, there will be nothing to export. You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investors 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 Dynafios TRACE offers ease of use & contract compliance TRACE is the perfect tool for physicians and healthcare organizations to effectively manage contracts. As part of its commitment to help health care organizations better mitigate risk with hospital-physician contracts, Dynafios, a leading healthcare analytics and consulting company is pleased to announce the release of Dynafios TRACE v4.6. This release includes enhancements and updates to TRACE, the companys groundbreaking physician time tracking and contract compliance software. The announcement was made during the Health Care Compliance Associations 22nd Annual Compliance Institute held at the ARIA Resort in Las Vegas. This version builds on the foundation of the TRACE app as one of the first tools to accurately track physician time associated with medical directorships, on-call and co-management agreements, while helping to ensure contract compliance. Hospitals, health systems and physicians will benefit from TRACE v4.6 compliance enhancements for both physician medical directorship and on-call agreements, including: Maximum Annual Hour Cap. This feature will expand the monthly cap to include an annual cap of hours. This will automatically prevent the entry of hours that exceed the cap for any medical directorship, thereby reducing compliance risk. More Flexible Time Tracking. Now physicians can track time in 15 minute increments. Entering time takes just seconds and this feature will allow physicians to track and log all medical activities up to a maximum of 12 hours per day. New Burden of Call Option. On-call time tracking now includes the ability to log burden of call call backs and telephone calls. This feature will allow physicians to enter time for telephone calls, as well as document any time they are physically called into the Emergency Department. Expanded Reporting. TRACE reporting capabilities have been extended to recognize new annual cap and monthly caps for medical directorships. Now healthcare organizations can better monitor physician hours and payments, while ensuring compliance with physician medical directorships. Dynafios is demonstrating these new TRACE compliance features at the Health Care Compliance Associations 22nd Annual Compliance Institute at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas on April 16-17 in booth #527. Attendees can learn about Dynafios compliance offerings, including audit and adjudication services, and view a quick demo of TRACE features. TRACE also offers: Streamlined Approval Process. The TRACE end-to-end approval process helps contract and financial managers digitally approve or reject logs prior to submission for payment, resulting in more efficient contract management. Automated Alerts. Never miss a deadline with automated email reminders. Physicians, contract and financial managers are automatically notified of due dates according to each agreement. Payment Tracking. TRACE provides the ability to quickly track the status of any physician timekeeping log throughout the system. Mobile Talk-to-Text. TRACE offers a robust talk-to-text features that allows physicians to quickly sign, approve and submit logs from any desktop or mobile device. Complete Audit Trail. TRACE provides a comprehensive audit trail documenting contract compliance, complete with electronic signatures. TRACE enhanced compliance features will further ensure regulatory compliance with physician agreements. TRACE is the perfect tool for physicians and healthcare organizations to effectively manage contracts, said Steve Elliott, chief executive officer and co-founder of Dynafios. We are committed to helping healthcare organizations increase compliance, improve efficiencies and enhance financial performance. To learn more about Dynafios TRACE, email info(at)dynafios.com or visit https://www.dynafios.com/products/trace-time-tracking-software/. ### About Dynafios Dynafios (http://www.dynafios.com) is a leading analytics and healthcare consulting company helping both hospitals and health systems become more successful in a dynamic and ever-changing environment. Dynafios software products include 4CAST Analytics Platform and TRACE, a mobile physician app and compliance tool. Health systems and leadership utilize the Dynafios 4CAST Analytics Platform and the TRACE app to work closely with providers in reducing variation, driving performance and elevating compliance. Visit us at http://www.dynafios.com, call 877.858.3282 or email info(at)dynafios.com to learn more about our wide range of consulting services analytics tools and how we can help transform your organization. Dynafios, Dynafios logo, TRACE and 4CAST are trademarks of Dynafios. The Brazilian market is very unique ... Marcellos experience in Brazil will be a tremendous benefit to iXerv's customers and partners in the region. iXerv, a global provider of implementation and strategic services for SAP SuccessFactors, announced today that it has appointed Marcello Cafarella as General Manager, Brazil. In this role, Mr. Cafarella will be responsible for expanding iXervs sales and operations in Brazil and supporting existing processes across Latin America. This new role demonstrates iXervs commitment to extending its local expertise and offerings in the growing Brazilian market. Marcello Cafarella comes to iXerv from ADP Brazil where he was most recently Service Delivery Director, MNC LATAM. Prior to his tenure at ADP, Mr. Cafarella spent ten years at NorthgateArinso Brazil, including five years as Country Manager. He began his SAP career with SAP Brazil in 1998. The Brazilian market is very unique. To be successful there, you must have deep SAP SuccessFactors knowledge as well as a strong understanding of local payroll, regulatory, and human resources practices, said Joseph Ramos, Chief Executive Officer LATAM at iXerv. Marcellos experience in Brazil will be a tremendous benefit to iXervs customers and partners in the region, added Ramos. A local presence is very important to achieving success in Brazil and across Latin America, said Marcello Cafarella. iXerv has established an exceptional reputation globally for its successful implementations of SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central and Employee Central Payroll. I am looking forward to bringing that expertise to customers in Brazil, added Cafarella. To learn more about iXervs SAP SuccessFactors expertise, discuss customer references or schedule a discussion about your organizations cloud HCM plans, please contact http://www.ixerv.com. About iXerv iXerv has been designated as having Recognized Expertise in SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central and Payroll by SAP. As a certified SAP partner, iXerv believes that a strong core HRIS is a critical part of a successful cloud HCM landscape. Thats why our focus is on Employee Central. Our team of experts works hard to ensure the proper implementation, integration, optimization and support of Employee Central and Employee Central Payroll in order to build a solid cloud HCM foundation for your company. iXerv Media Contact AJ Whalen Director Marketing and Global Business Development aj.whalen(at)ixerv(dot)com SAP, SAP HANA, SuccessFactors and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate company) in Germany and other countries. See http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. [SB 7026] was dishonest because it purports to prevent future murders through legislation Pensacola, April 10, 2018: Mike Hill, candidate for Florida House of Representatives district 1, announced his intention to repeal portions of FL SB 7026. Hill said of the bill that, Florida recently passed restrictive gun laws that were enacted by emotional mob rule resulting from an intellectually dishonest debate. It was dishonest because it purports to prevent future murders through legislation, something that God Himself hasnt achieved. It was mob rule because our legislators refused to debate facts over emotions. Hill said, In 2017 there were 15 students killed by gunfire on public school grounds and Democrats used this to justify the theft of our constitutional rights in their legislative agendas. He then compared the deaths of students killed by firearms to other causes of death such as texting and driving, which claim the lives of 300 teens annually. He said that 3,500 teens die annually from vehicle related incidents and wondered if the Florida legislature would use those deaths to deny the tens-of-thousands of other teen drivers in our state from owning a vehicle until they are 21. Hill stated, There is one statistic which truly demonstrates the hypocrisy of this legislation: 128 people are killed annually by a school transportation vehicle. Will the New Democrat Party now call for bus-free zones? Mike Hill aims to repeal the higher age limit and three-day waiting rule just passed in SB 7026. He also voiced great concern over the wording of what constitutes a bump stock. The bill defines a bump stock as, a conversion kit, a tool, an accessory, or a device used to alter the rate of fire of a firearm to mimic automatic weapon fire or which is used to increase the rate of fire to a faster rate than is possible for a person to fire such semiautomatic firearm unassisted by a kit, a tool, an accessory, or a device. Hill firmly believes this wording will be construed by an activist judge to mean that any OEM part replaced on a weapon that causes the firearm to fire faster or easier will be in violation of this new law. In an effort to educate the citizens of Florida on the truth regarding the gun control debate, Mike Hills campaign created a website dedicated to illustrating just how rare school shootings are, especially in comparison to the other causes of death among those aged 21 and under. Visit VoteMikeHill.com for a more detailed presentation of this very important issue. Mike Hill is a former representative in the Florida House and decided to run the race again to help bring common sense balance back to Floridas legislative efforts. Media Contacts: Mariya Calkins, Campaign Manager, (850) 357-1919 Growing up, positive family dynamics were very important to Belinda Barbieri. She grew up in a large and connected family. One that would tell stories around the dinner table and help other neighborhood kids in need. She now shares a new childrens book that introduces kids to a unique family, a colorful story and important life lessons with Meet the Pops. Meet the Pops is a childrens book sharing the lives of a family of candy farmers, the Pops. Cherry and Lolly Pop live on their candy farm with their daughter Coco Pop and their adopted son Soda Pop. Barbieri takes readers through Soda and Cocos first day at school as they learn to share and make new friends. This imaginative story captures several teaching moments, including lessons on how to take care of their personal things, coping with fears and building friendships. Additionally, Barbieri utilizes a unique method for aiding children in vocabulary. A special emphasis is placed on family dynamics, as the Pops son is adopted, making this a great story for adopted children or children of families who are adopting. My sister once asked me to read at my nephews school and I absolutely loved the experience. It gave me the confidence to write Meet the Pops, Barbieri said. I wanted to share a vibrant story that will capture childrens imaginations while also highlighting a positive and caring family. The kind of family I grew up in and look to share with my readers. Meet the Pops is the first in an ongoing childrens series by Barbieri. The Pops adventures will continue in Flag Day, coming Spring 2018. Meet the Pops By Belinda Barbieri ISBN: 9781480850194 (hardcover) 9781480850217 (softcover) 9781480850200 (ebook) Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Archway Publishing About the author Belinda Barbieri stepped away from the corporate world to give life to a lovable, unique farming family. Meet the Pops is the first book in the Pops series. Barbieris fondness of sweets stems from her childhood. She grew up in a large, loving family, where special occasions led to storytelling and sweet treats. This contributed to her desire to be a childrens author. Today, she is living that dream. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Jacquelyn Brazzale 480 998 2600 x 569 jbrazzale(at)lavidge(dot)com A Florida-based entrepreneur and writer has released his debut book, which diverges from commonly accepted Christian viewpoints, takes readers beyond the organizational, locational or emotional elements of current Christian religious dogma and, ultimately, emphasizes the spiritual transformative nature and depth the human spirit is designed to experience. In Crossruption: Journey of a Disrupted Life, author Jacob William explains that the modern worlds practice of Christianity has gradually shifted from that of a literally spiritual, Jesus-led perspective to one of pathos-driven belief and baseless labels. Williams book disrupts traditional thinking about what it means to be Christian and speaks to divisive political, racial and religious issues that are perpetuated by the teachings of today. Religion was started as an answer to the inner emptiness of man. We go to church and do religious things in hopes that it will fulfill our inner emptiness, and often, we are fooled into thinking more religious activity will satisfy that inner vacuum, William said. At present, Christianity is predominantly like any other religion of the world an intellectual and emotional stimulant with no spiritual transformation. My hope is that Crossruption can change that. Through relevant business metaphors, scripture-guided passages and his own personal testimony, William calls for a shakeup of the Christian mindset and an identity-focused reckoning for believers of all backgrounds. A practical, accessible resource, Crossruption delivers a roadmap for spiritual rebirth and transformation and encourages readers to reconnect with themselves and their creator. Crossruption: Journey of a Disrupted Life By Jacob William ISBN: 978-1-5127-8738-2 (hardback); 978-1-5127-8736-8 (paperback); 978-1-5127-8737-5 (electronic) Available at the WestBow Press Online Bookstore, Barnes & Noble and Amazon About the author Jacob William is a serial entrepreneur and the president and group CEO of Flatworld, a global corporation that provides IT and business consulting services. William was born and raised in a Christian household in India, where he was exposed to a diverse landscape of religions and spiritual practices. After experiencing a brush with death as a teenager, William underwent his own renewal of faith, ultimately inspiring the writing of Crossruption. He currently resides in West Palm Beach, Fla. To learn more, please visit http://www.crossruption.com or follow William on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. ### Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix 480-648-7557 dgrobmeier@lavidge.com General Inquiries: LAVIDGE Phoenix 480-998-2600 x 584 mdriver@lavidge.com DataXoom logo DataXoom, the nations first mobile broadband service provider built for businesses, is proud to announce that Best Buy for Business has selected DataXoom as a strategic partner expanding the companys 4G LTE data connectivity offerings. Best Buy for Business provides a one-stop business model for its enterprise customers to improve on their existing technology challenges or build customized, turnkey technology solutions. The partnership with DataXoom allows Best Buy for Business to provide its customers with single-sourced access to the nations leading 4G LTE networks. Our business model is built around providing business-centric LTE data connectivity through our Channel Partners, explains Chris Hill, CEO of DataXoom. Our multi-carrier, flexible data plans are ideally suited for Best Buys account representatives to offer to their enterprise clients. We are thrilled to partner with Best Buy for Business to provide 4G LTE data connectivity to their customers. DataXoom will also be participating at the Best Buy Direct Business Summit as an exhibitor on April 18-19, 2018 in Minneapolis, MN. About DataXoom DataXoom Corp. connects businesses to the mobile internet. DataXoom provides 4G LTE data network connectivity for tablets, mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, USB modems, and specialty devices used by the mobile workforce. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Walnut Creek, CA, DataXooms mobile data service and solutions are designed to meet and exceed the requirements of an enterprise. For more information, please visit http://www.dataxoom.com or call 855-533-2829. Follow us on Twitter @DataXoom. About Best Buy Best Buy is a leading provider of technology products, services and solutions. The company offers expert service at an unbeatable price more than 1.5 billion times a year to the consumers, small business owners and educators who visit our stores, engage with Geek Squad Agents or use BestBuy.com or the Best Buy app. The company has operations in the U.S. where more than 70 percent of the population lives within 15 minutes of a Best Buy store, as well as in Canada and Mexico, where Best Buy has a physical and online presence. Hani Al-Hajari, Managing Director of Flower Secret, comments on his company's NanoFreeze technology. Compared to their parents weddings, millennial weddings are extremely extravagant.1 In fact, 70% of millennial newlyweds acknowledge that their wedding was by far more elaborate than their parents special day.1 The millennial generation is meeting online, and even incorporating advanced technology into all aspects of their weddings. Technology can really provide spectacular enhancements to weddings, said Hani Al-Hajari, Managing Director of Flower Secret. Even more remarkable is the way technology can be used to create everlasting wedding keepsakes. Immersed in technology all of their lives, the millennial generation is even meeting their spouse through online dating services. In this day and age, approximately 33% of couples meet online through dating sites and apps.1 This technology serves millennials well, as a study found that couples who met their spouse online are found to have a happier more satisfying marriage than those who met their spouse offline.1 Additionally, research suggests that marriages that originate online have lower incidence of ending in separation or divorce.1 Once a couple is engaged, the next step is getting all of the wedding details sorted out. As one of the most anticipated days in the life of a bride-to-be, everything needs to exemplify what the couple has been dreaming about and be an experience of a lifetime. Research indicates that 72% of millennial women are happiest when spending money on experiences.2 More than 80% of millennial women will look for the best deals, but are willing to indulge themselves.2 With that in mind, millennial brides are more likely to go all out to create a truly memorable wedding experience for themselves and their wedding attendees. As weddings evolve, it is easy to see that advanced technology is taking weddings to the next level. Millennial weddings are more digitally focused than ever before with online wedding registries, drone photography, 3-D cake toppers, and even heart-rate monitors for when the bride and groom walk down the aisle.3 Other hot wedding trends include putting selfie sticks on the tables for guests to use when taking pictures, so they can post on social platforms, such as Instagram, along with the wedding couples designated hashtag.4 Couples are also using button-hole cameras or a bridal bouquet camera to get a first-person perspective of what the bride and/or groom are experiencing on their big day.4 Innovations in wedding-related technology can also keep wedding memories alive for anniversaries (and generations) to come. One of the top predictive wedding trends uses advanced technology for wedding flower preservation. While the bouquet camera is able to capture the wedding day from the brides perspective, being able to freeze the bridal bouquet in time is a technological advancement that many couples desire. The time has arrived for this wedding dream to become a reality with the first-of-its-kind NanoFreeze technology. Flower Secrets NanoFreeze technology allows brides to keep one of the most precious wedding memories alive with an incredible scientifically-proven and sustainable technique. NanoFreeze Technology holds a state-of-the-art solution for an age-old flower preservation problem, as it actually tackles the root cause of decay. By targeting the microorganisms in the flower cells, as well as enzymatic reactions within the cell walls, and the sustaining food or fluid found in the stem, NanoFreeze technology creates an ideal environment for prolonged floral life. Flower Secrets comprehensive seven-step process preserves bridal bouquets in such a way that they will never wilt, crumble, mold or fade. By halting the enzymatic reactions within the flower cells on a nano-molecular level, NanoFreeze technology permanently alters the physical and chemical properties of each flower, while leaving the integrity of the structure, appearance and bloom in tact. Many wedding elements are being saved in an intangible digital world, comments Al-Hajari. NanoFreeze technology allows couples to keep the faith and fidelity alive that their wedding flowers once represented in ancient Roman times. It gives them a significant keepsake of their vows and commitment that they can see in their home every single day of their happily ever after. About Flower Secret Since 2005 Flower Secret has been perfecting the science behind their advanced preservation techniques. Working in their own labs they created a process and have been refining it over the years as technology advances. In fact, Flower Secret has evaluated over 20 different methodologies prior to creating their NanoFreeze process. They now produce the highest quality, longest lasting blooms available in the world. 1Lebowitz, Shana. 9 Ways Millennials Are Approaching Marriage Differently from Their Parents. Business Insider, Business Insider, 19 Nov. 2017. businessinsider.com/how-millennials-gen-x-and-baby-boomers-approach-marriage-2017-11#millennial-weddings-are-especially-lavish-7 2Sweeney, Erica. Experiences Will Drive Biggest Purchases for 54% of Millennial Women, Study Finds. Marketing Dive, Industry Dive, 9 Mar. 2018. marketingdive.com/news/experiences-will-drive-biggest-purchases-for-54-of-millennial-women-study/518767 3Torgerson, Rachel. 10 Wedding Tech Trends Straight From the Future. Theknot.com. theknot.com/content/wedding-technology-trends 4Allen, Ben. 4 Ways Technology Is Changing Weddings. The Sociable, 22 Sept. 2017. sociable.co/technology/technology-chaning-weddings Jamie Moore Marcario, an intellectual property and small business general counsel attorney at Thrive Law, discusses the impact of intellectual property theft. On Jan. 24, 2018, after deliberating for less than half a day, a federal jury in Madison, Wisconsin found Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Sinovel Wind Group Co. Ltd. guilty on all counts of stealing the software technology of AMSC, a U.S. company. This is the first time that a Chinese company has been charged and convicted of crimes in a U.S. federal criminal court.1 The stealing of other countries technology and military secrets has gone on throughout history, a form of attempted corporate or government homicide. Thrive Law founder Jamie Moore Marcario points out that the Massachusetts-based AMSC lost approximately $1.2 billion and more than 600 jobs. Its too soon to determine whether the court actions will deter the IP theft, but the U.S. government is correct to focus on IP theft as a serious threat to the nations economy. On the global level, the theft of IP and other business confidential information steals from a nations future. Intellectual property contributes $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy annually. IP-intensive industries help generate approximately 45 million jobs across the U.S. It is a theft of future national security, future wealth creation for companies, future tax revenues and future high-paying jobs and standards of living for a nations citizens costing the U.S. economy $300 billion annually.2 Marcario, an intellectual property and small business general counsel attorney in Tampa Bay, who helps protect the intellectual property rights of small businesses, artists, musicians, writers, and other creators, feels that in the modern digital economy, IP piracy is becoming more widespread because having an online presence equals marketability. The need to make some version of property available online in some format is balanced against the reality that it is easy for consumers to download and copy anything that is there. Recently the Associated Press reported on an event where Russian hackers infiltrated several U.S. corporations, attempting to steal drone technologies used by the U.S. military. Such cyberattacks seek to acquire technical leadership for nations lacking the investments, human talent or other foundational elements associated with technical innovation.3 In short, the organizations feel entitled, a common thread among theft of intellectual property both on a global level and personal level, notes Marcario. Surprisingly, the tip of the iceberg is that there is far more piracy going on perhaps accidentally in the United States than many other countries. Intellectual property or IP is really an idea, a product of the human intellect that should be protectedideas in the form of invention, visual art, musical art or other written work, product or literary work.4 In the U.S. Free Software clouds the definition of free by often seeking compensation when consumers improperly give attribution. The fine print reveals that some free software licenses are copyleft and require several conditions to be met for legal distribution.5 In the fashion industry, designers with XYZ Workshop created a dress, reproduced it intentionally on a 3D printer and distributed it online in order to enjoy its proliferation among like-minded makers. The question is then raised How far will this go? 6 The very fact that it is on the Internet makes consumers feel a sense of entitlement; that its there for the taking. In the digital age theres the popular notion that if a file is on YouTube, Spotify or some other platform, it doesnt belong to any one person, entity or cause. The property is then presumed OK to share, download, post, or use for ones own consumption. That is completely wrong. Marcario points out from experience that often a cease and desist letter or legal take down notice is the first inkling that its not ok. 7 According to Marcario, the three intellectual property law best practices to avoid piracy on a personal, artistic and small business scale are to: 1. Put your material out on the Internet in a low-resolution format making it difficult to reuse that material if it's downloaded and embedded. 2. Use a digital watermark in the visual work that will render the work unable to be copied some robust watermarks can actually track where your material goes and who downloaded it. 3. Register your work with either the U.S. Copyright Office (if it's a visual work, a musical work or a type of code or a literary work, including things like a blog) or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office if its an invention or aesthetic such as a brand logo you're trying to protect. Registering with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office is the first step to putting the world on notice that youre the owner. The burden of proof lies with the creator to prove that you have a better claim to your work than someone else. About Thrive Law Thrive Law helps creatives and entrepreneurs overcome legal obstacles so that they can be free to do what they lovewrite, perform, act, paint, compose and innovate creatively. The firm, led by Jamie Moore Marcario, transforms artistic and entrepreneurial endeavors into an artrepreneurial business by identifying and protecting creative works. Leveraging its collective experience in the arts and intellectual property protection, Thrive Law identifies and safeguards trademarks and copyrights, while also navigating the maze of financial, tax and insurance details that often stymie and paralyze big ideas. Services are tailored to clients needs and budgets, regardless of where they are in their business growth. For more information, contact http://www.thrivelaw.com 1. Mayers, Josh. Catching a Chinese IP Thief: How the FBI Tracked and Caught Sinovel. The Cipher Brief. 5 April 2018. Web. 2. Croom, Sara. Moving Forward by Protecting Intellectual Property. The Hill. 13 January 2018. Web. 3. Grobman, Steve. When Nation-States Hack the Private Sector for Intellectual Property. The Hill. 31 March 2018. Web. 4. Staff Writer. Intellectual Property Defined. Cornell Law School.edu. Web. 5. Ohrstrom, Fredrik. Supplying Legal Notices for Free Software in your Products. IP Watchdog. 2 December 2017. Web. 6. Goehrke, Sarah Anderson. Accidental Infringement: A Cautionary Tale of 3D Design & Intellectual Property. 3D Print.com. 17 December 2015. Web. 7. Burk, David. Intellectual Property: Who Owns What? Jamie Moore Marcario interview. American Cafe. Voice of America radio. 4 April 2018. Web. Precision Information, LLC., DBA Financial Fitness Group (FFG) (wwwFinancialFitnessGroup.com), headquartered in San Diego, CA, who provides interactive financial education solutions for the financial services industry and Inc. 5000 companies across the nation, celebrates 20 years of providing financial education to the American workforce. The 20th anniversary of the organization also coincides with National Financial Literacy Month. It is exciting to see a simple but innovative idea that was hatched and then refined while a graduate student and later a faculty member at the UW-Madison grow to positively impact 1000s of companies and millions of people, said Joe Saari, Founder & Chairman. Thanks to our clients, customers and team for helping us make a positive impact in empowering people to take control of their financial fitness Academic Research Based and Tested For 20 Years Precision Information Inc., was established in 1998 by a $2M academic research, development and design grant. Through the years, FFG, took the information gathered through the initial grant to develop the industry standard for a financial wellness score, along with a massive library of FINRA compliant financial education content and a modular learning platform. Over 20 years, FFG has provided financial education to more than 2M individuals and more than 1,000 major U.S. organizations. Our companys team and partners share a vision for a greater future that delivers on the promise to create financial vitality for millions, said CEO Miguel D. Vasquez. Im proud to lead an impressive team that is passionate about designing and delivering the industrys most engaging, reliable, unbiased financial education solutions. Our holistic approach is based on decades of academic research and experiential execution. With the launch of this powerful platform we have opened the opportunity for financial enrichment solutions to be quickly deployed by any organization. Financial Wellness in America Since the 1970s, the United States has shifted the burden of saving for retirement from the employer to the employee. Pensions are now a thing of the past, and employees have taken on the sole responsibility for their financial futures. 80% of the workforce is living paycheck to paycheck - with 46% of those employees stressing about finances at work at least 3 hours per week. FFG, was created to help empower the individual to become more profitable and suffer less daily stress. Their online education solutions were specifically developed to reduce the anxiety, lack of clarity or absence of financial planning that yields uncertainty related to money, including debt, medical bills, saving for retirement or childrens education. FFG impacts peoples lives by giving them the knowledge and information to confidently reach their financial goals. Financial Fitness Center Deluxe Product Launch FFG launched a new and improved financial fitness solution help investors and employees in making more informed and confident financial decisions. This powerful product expands years of development to create online coursework to help every American understand the language of money. The new solution offers powerful and actionable financial education tools including: A mobile-friendly design to allow for anytime learning A simple recommendation engine to help investors build a personalized financial action plan Independent, unbiased FINRA compliant content to teach people about money and investing Over 250 interactive courses on expanded group of topics from financial planning, to stocks, bonds, mutual funds and much more The ability to track progress and earn points and progress and a gamification engine A powerful search engine to help users find instant answers to common questions about money As an education solutions group, FFG strongly believed that the Spanish speaking community is being underserved when it comes to financial education. In the U.S. there are 41 million native Spanish speakers, and another 11.6 million are bilingual. (source: NY Post). In an effort to create a financially literate population across all cultural barriers, Financial Fitness Group launched an initiative to translate our custom financial education content into Spanish. To date, FFG has translated 62 financial education tutorials, over 400 FINRA Compliant articles and 900 quiz questions. This initiative allows FFG to reach a Spanish speaking population in US (and beyond). About Precision Information, DBA Financial Fitness Group: Financial Fitness Group (FFG) is an enterprise software company that developed multiple academically based financial e-learning platforms and actionable ecosystems designed to maximize employee engagement, personal financial knowledge and predictive behavioral linkages. A leader since 1998, Financial Fitness Group has partnered with the countrys most forward thinking financial institutions and workforce service providers to empower more that 2 million employees within more than 1,000 major U.S. corporations, universities and government agencies. Our cloud-based, independent and unbiased financial education and engagement platform, assesses and benchmarks participants overall financial fitness. Founded in 1998 based on scientific research around how to improve the financial literacy of the citizens of the United States. That research continues to this day and is the driving force, along with our clients, to continuously meet the new challenges facing those with financial stress. FFG developed the Financial Fitness SCORE. This score allows participants to identify, benchmark, and positively change their financial aptitude, behavior, and confidence. Our exclusive, robust online content enables users to build up their Financial Fitness SCORE in a fun, engaging manner using a foundation of over 10,000 pieces of FINRA compliant content each user can select from. The platform is modular and easily adaptable to enterprise-level capacity offering solutions to meet each organization's unique needs. The turnkey solution was developed to easily disseminate and implement in an organization. The platform can be configured to each client's needs and includes online and offline communication assets, a step-by-step best practice guide, and 1-million data points to cross check each user's progress and engagement through real-time analytics. For additional information, images, and press materials, please contact Georgette Regan, georgette(at)financialfitnessgroup(dot)com. Financial Fitness Group Social Media: DiversyFund We believe the way we invest in real estate has to change. Up until now, it has been next to impossible for the average investor to get involved in commercial and multifamily real estate projects. But through our platform, investors now have access." DiversyFund, a crowdfunding platform that is revolutionizing real estate investing, has launched its Commercial and Multifamily Real Estate Growth Fund. Investors in this fund will own shares of a variety of real estate investments, with 80% of the fund dedicated to commercial and multifamily properties. Projected returns are between 15% and 20% per year. The minimum investment is $5,000. The Growth Fund is DiversyFunds second fund offering, following its Income Fund, which has enjoyed a five-year track record with double-digit returns to investors. We believe the way we invest in real estate has to change. Up until now, it has been next to impossible for the average investor to get involved in commercial and multifamily real estate projects. But through our platform, investors now have access to top-line real estate asset classes previously limited to a select few, says DiversyFund CEO Craig Cecilio. The Commercial and Multifamily Real Estate Growth Fund is intended for investors willing to build wealth through real estate for a period of at least five years. During the first years of the fund, DiversyFund will use its capital to invest in a series of projects. After five years, DiversyFund will then start to sell its assets and make final distributions to its investors. Investors will have the option for early redemption after two years. The first assets in the fund include a 58-unit multifamily housing project with 5,000 square feet of commercial space in San Diegos trendy Hillcrest neighborhood and a 3-unit student rental property located near the University of San Diego. Multifamily housing has traditionally outperformed its peers in both strong and weak markets. DiversyFunds multifamily strategy will include ground-up asset classes that may appreciate over time while renters provide cash flow. In addition, DiversyFund will also look to purchase existing multifamily properties that can increase in value as improvements are made and rents are increased. In addition, a well-known housing shortage in California also provides DiversyFunds investors with previously unattainable opportunities. We continue to search for the best and most unique multifamily and commercial real estate opportunities for our investors using our combined expertise. California is among the best areas in the world for real estate appreciation. We know the California marketplace. Now, through our platform, anyone around the world can invest in real estate in this area, Cecilio says. Cecilio has over 20 years of experience in Southern California. He has underwritten and financed over $500 million in real estate assets and has managed or developed $100 million in real estate properties. Chief Investment Officer Alan Lewis has also developed and managed over $200 million in real estate assets and previously worked as a corporate attorney specializing in real estate transactions. Unlike its competitors, DiversyFund does not charge its users any platform fees. This is because DiversyFund is the only vertically-integrated real estate crowdfunding platform, meaning that it develops its projects in-house. Our structure doesnt just give us an advantage when finding the best properties to invest in. It also allows us the opportunity to charge our investors with zero platform fees. DiversyFund was started with the intention of changing real estate investing, and we are well on our way with this exciting, new fund, Cecilio says. Ceterus is an early-mover in what is quickly becoming the new era for accounting Ceterus, a Charleston-based Software-with-a-Service company today announced the close of $10 million in venture capital for their Series B funding round from a host of prominent investors. Harbert Growth Partners led the round with participation from earlier investors TechOperators, GroTech Ventures, Idea Fund Partners, and Alerion Ventures. Ceterus delivers a done-for-you accounting and benchmarked reporting solution for entrepreneurs. The future of accounting will be automated, continual, and will provide entrepreneurs forward-looking insights, not just a record of the past, says Levi Morehouse, Ceterus Founder and CEO. Our team is excited to put this capital to work and continue to build this future. Wayne Hunter, the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Harbert will join the Ceterus board of directors. Ceterus is an early-mover in what is quickly becoming the new era for accounting, said Hunter. We are thrilled to partner with Ceterus, a company that is building a solution that prepares small businesses for the future. Ceterus will use the new funding to continue development of its automated accounting and benchmarked reporting platform, Ceterus Edge. Enhancements will focus on additional functionality for entrepreneurs who own multiple businesses, as well as support for CPA firms who serve multi-unit entrepreneurs. The funding round brings Ceterus total fundraising to $20.2 million dollars raised since 2016. Ceterus is also hiring software engineers and cutting-edge accountants in Charleston, SC. About Ceterus Ceterus empowers small business entrepreneurs with done-for-you accounting and benchmarked reporting. Ceterus Edge Automation system automates entries into QuickBooks Online and aggregates financial data to provide peer benchmarked reporting. Ceterus pairs technology with people to deliver a one-stop solution for entrepreneurs. Headquartered in Charleston, SC, Ceterus has been named to the Inc. 5000 and South Carolinas Best Places to Work for the past two years. For more information, visit http://www.ceterus.com. About Harbert Growth Partners Harbert Growth Partners (HGP) is a leading emerging growth investor focused on promising technology and healthcare companies led by exceptional management teams. The HGP investment team combines substantial investment, advisory and operating experience with capital and network relationships to support entrepreneurs in successfully executing their growth plans. For additional information, visit http://www.harbert.net. The Business Intelligence Group today announced that the SendSafely Dropzone has won the 2018 Fortress Cyber Security Awards in the Encryption category. The inaugural program sought to identify and reward the worlds leading companies and products that are working to keep our data and electronic assets safe among a growing threat from hackers. SendSafely provides end-to-end encrypted file exchange that can be integrated with popular CRM and ticketing platforms like Desk, Salesforce, and Zendesk. The Dropzone Suite lets companies securely collect sensitive files from customers, vendors, or business partners, and then seamlessly incorporate those sensitive files into existing SAAS platforms, business processes and workflows. With SendSafelys Dropzone, you can securely receive any file, from any user, from any device, then access those files from the systems and processes you already use. "We are thrilled to be a winner in the Fortress Cyber Security Awards," said Brian Holyfield, the Chief Technology Officer at SendSafely. "We feel like our Dropzone has become a game changer for companies that depend on cloud platforms. By integrating our secure file exchange capabilities with their existing operational platforms, our customers can continue to focus on what they do best with the peace of mind that their workflows are secure. We are so proud to name the SendSafely Dropzone as a winner in our inaugural Fortress Cyber Security Awards program, said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. It was clear to our expert judges that the entire group of 35 innovators and innovations are the tip of the peak helping to prepare, defend and respond to the growing threat of cyber attacks. Congratulations to all! For information about the SendSafely Dropzone please visit https://www.sendsafely.com/dropzone/. For information about the annual Fortress Cyber Security Awards, please visit https://www.fortressawards.com. About SendSafely SendSafely offers a hassle-free way for business users to securely exchange encrypted files and confidential email with anyone on the web. SendSafely uses end-to-end encryption to protect files before they are transferred, and a split-key encryption model ensures that encrypted files and the keys needed to decrypt those files are kept separate at all times. With SendSafely, users can securely exchange highly sensitive files with the comfort of knowing their data wont be exposed to anyone - not even SendSafely. The company also allows customers to isolate stored files within any one of 18 geographic regions around the world, facilitating compliance with complex data privacy requirements. To learn more about SendSafely, or to request a enterprise trial, visit https://www.sendsafely.com. About Business Intelligence Group The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives having experience and knowledge. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers. For more information about the Business Intelligence Group, visit https://www.bintelligence.com. Contact Business Intelligence Group Maria Jimenez Chief Nominations Officer contact(at)fortresswards(dot)com +1 909.529,2737 SendSafely Media Relations info(at)sendsafely(dot)com +1 646-568-7233 Stertil-Koni Palm Light - The Magnetic LED Lighting Solution Providing portable, area-specific under-vehicle lighting is vital to ensuring shop safety and efficiency. Following a review of vehicle maintenance shop environments across North America, experts at heavy duty vehicle lift leader Stertil-Koni, which has been in the vehicle lift business for seven decades, has determined that professional lighting is one of the keys to enhancing overall shop safety and performance. The stakes are high and the payoffs big when it comes to worker safety, notably in reducing accidents, minimizing eyestrain, and increasing overall efficiency and productivity. As Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni noted: Mission number one at any vehicle maintenance and service facility is to deliver a safe environment for its personnel. Continued Peter Bowers, technical sales manager at Stertil-Koni, Providing portable, area-specific under-vehicle lighting is vital to ensuring shop safety and efficiency. Whether techs are doing routine maintenance, removing components or installing new parts, lights brighten the environment and help reduce overall repair time. For its part, Stertil-Koni has incorporated lighting into its lifting systems and has engineered new technologies for a well-lit workspace by offering a variety of options: Mobile column lift lighting: Consisting of two IP-67 dust and water resistant rated fixtures, illumination is available on all mobile column (and platform) lift models manufactured by Stertil-Koni. Fixtures for DC-powered mobile column lifts utilize LED technology whereas fixtures for AC-powered mobile column lifts use fluorescent technology. These lights ensure that workspace around the mobile lift is well-lit. 4-post platform lift lighting: The 4-post lift has impact-resistant LED lights, as do all models of Stertil-Koni lighting systems. In this case, they switch on and off automatically just above floor level, illuminating even the darkest undercarriages. SKYLIFT - Platform lift lighting: Special LED lighting is available for the SKYLIFT, a true, vertical rise platform lift from Stertil-Koni. These LED lamps consist of high output light engines coupled to a solid reflector tube. The lamps are virtually unbreakable and as bright as conventional fluorescent tubes. Also available is a moveable light fixture for use anywhere around the shop. Palm Light: The Stertil-Koni Palm Light, provides up to 800 lumens of directed light. It is contained in a die-cast aluminum housing and is powered with a lithium-ion battery. The Palm Light is IP65 dust and water resistant, and comes with a 12.6V 0.8A charger with a magnetic charging base. The tripod that supports the light is magnetic. In conclusion, Dr. Jean DellAmore, president of Stertil-Koni noted, Safety has always been at the forefront of design at Stertil-Koni. Our lighting systems help ensure a more visible workspace for technicians, allowing for a safe, well-lighted lifting approach every time. About Stertil-Koni Stertil-Koni is the market leader in heavy duty vehicle lifts, notably bus lifts and truck lifts, and proudly serves municipalities, state agencies, school bus fleets, major corporations, the U.S. Military and more. Stertil-Koni's breadth of products meets all ranges of lifting needs and includes portable lifts such as mobile column lifts, 2-post, 4-post, inground piston lifts, platform lifts, and its axle-engaging, inground, scissor lift configuration, ECOLIFT. The companys innovative, inground telescopic piston DIAMONDLIFT is now available with an optional Continuous Recess system, ideal for low clearance vehicles. Stertil-Koni USA is headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland with production facilities in Europe, The Netherlands, and in Streator, IL. The MPN (Myeloproliferative Neoplasms) Research Foundation (MPNRF) and MPN Alliance Australia (MPN AA) are proud to announce a research partnership focused on the MPN Interferon Initiative. MPNRF and MPN AA are both patient advocacy organizations who work on behalf of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, a group of rare, chronic blood cancers. The MPNRF Interferon (IFN) Initiative is a multi-center project which will bring together internationally recognized experts in both blood and solid tumors to determine how cytokine-driven pathways affect the trajectory of the MPNs, a closely-related group of progressive blood cancers. The collaboration among this group of scientists is unprecedented and speaks to their drive to answer this question, which could have wide-ranging impact on the lives of people living with cancer. About this partnership, Barbara Van Husen, President of MPNRF says We are thrilled to have joined forces with a group outside of the United States in order to bring clarity to how Interferon works, why it works for some MPN patients but not others, and how to expand its capabilities and extend its use if possible. We have long operated under the model that collaboration among patient advocates is the only way forward to help all patients. MPN AA says We are pleased to have partnered with MPNRF for the benefit of the global MPN Community. We are honored to contribute towards Australian based MPN Research and see the Interferon Initiative as a worthy cause. We know that some patients are unable to take advantage of this treatment due to side effects and others have a poor response. We are hopeful that this research initiative will help overcome these limitations to provide better treatment options. The MPN Alliance Australia is a small volunteer advocacy team of MPN patients. It is our aim to make a difference to the lives of all MPN patients around Australia. We are grateful for the donations from supporters of the MPN cause and we are delighted to be able to contribute towards this unique project. We are excited to see what the outcomes of the study may reveal. The funds will directly support Dr. Steven Lane, of the Royal Brisbane Hospital in Queensland, Australia. He is a collaborator of Dr. Ann Mullally of Harvard. About The MPN Research Foundation: The MPN Research Foundation is fully dedicated to funding research into the myeloproliferative neoplasms, a rare group of blood cancers which include polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and myelofibrosis. Founded in 2000 by a group of patients, the focus is to fund high innovation research that can expand our understanding of the MPNs and get us closer to a cure. The Foundations Scientific Advisory Board works with the patient-led board of directors to utilize a rigorous selection process to ensure donations are allocated to the most innovative research projects. To date, the Foundation has awarded twelve million dollars for MPN research and has initiated a patient registry myMPN which is a platform that allows for people with ET, PV and MF to self-report their experience of living with an MPN. To find out more go to http://www.mpnrf.org Email: mwoehrle@mpnrf.org Phone: 773-453-9917 For the patient registry: http://www.mympn.org Twitter: MPN_RF Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MPNResearch/ About MPN AA: The Myeloproliferative Neoplasms Alliance Australia (MPN AA) was formed in 2015 by a small group of motivated MPN patients. The patient-led advocacy group collaborates with the Leukaemia Foundation of Australia with the common goal of achieving better outcomes for Australian MPN patients. MPN AA aims to make a difference for all Australian patients through advocacy, sharing of educational resources and supporting research. Contact Information: To find out more go to http://www.mpnallianceaustralia.org.au To donate directly to MPN go to http://www.leukaemia.org.au/mpn To connect on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MPNAllianceAustralia Instagram: @mpnallianceaustralia Twitter: @MPN_AA Information security is both a worldwide concern and a moving target. As Servicengine President Harry Dayton explains, Security is a huge issue for our clients. We are entrusted with highly sensitive information for corporate clients as well as government and military personnel. Its essential that we protect our processes and systems to the highest standards. Prior to receiving ISO 27001 certification, Servicengine was compliant with the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the standards advocated by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Says Dayton, To maintain compliance with GDPR we continuously monitor and benchmark our activities and methodologies. Servicengine was already complying with OWASP guidelines and for us, ISO 27001 certification was a logical step that maintains the confidence of our clients in the integrity of our information management. The ISO 27000 group of standards puts in place a comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS) which includes detailed controls for processes, personnel, physical, and technical security. This accredited certification demonstrates Servicengines clear commitment to information security for its clients, service partners, and employees. ABOUT SERVICENGINE Servicengine creates innovative technologies for global workforce mobility. Clients include Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies and relocation service companies. Servicengine technology is used to manage over 250,000 employee moves per year. The company is based in Ridgefield, Connecticut with offices in Chicago and Denver in the United States, and Mangalore in India. To learn more, please visit: https://servicengine.com/. ABOUT BSI BSI (British Standards Institution) equips businesses with the necessary solutions to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. From assessment, certification and training to software solutions, advisory services and supply chain intelligence, BSI provides the full solution to facilitate business improvement and help clients drive performance, manage risk and grow sustainably. Through the passion and expertise of our people, BSI embeds excellence in organizations across the globe to improve business performance and resilience. BSIs influence spans across multiple sectors with particular focus on Aerospace, Automotive, Built Environment, Food, Retail, Healthcare and IT. To learn more, please visit http://www.bsigroup.com/en-us. If you would like more information about Servicengine, please contact Kaitlin Nygren at 203-438-7880 x120 or Kaitlin.Nygren@servicengine.com On Tuesday, April 17th, women businesses owners from all over the DFW area will convene for the annual Power to Potential event held by the Womens Business Council Southwest (WBCS). This procurement-focused event includes corporate roundtable discussions, a keynote lunch, a pitch event, breakout sessions, and a networking reception. Returning this year is the popular Power Pitch session in which 16 pre-selected women business owners will pitch their product or service to a room of corporate buyers. At the end of the session, two finalists will be selected to give their pitch to all event attendees during the networking reception and will be featured on the WBCS blog, newsletter, and social media. We are very excited to bring back the Power Pitch session again this year because it is such a unique opportunity for our women business owners, said Debbie Hurst, President of the Womens Business Council Southwest. As is consistent with our mission, we strive to help Women Business Enterprises grow and providing them with face time in front of corporate buyers is one of the best ways to do that. The day will kick-off with corporate roundtable discussions in which any attendee can sit down face-to-face with 25 corporate decisions makers and learn how to do business with that specific corporation. Afterwards will be a luncheon with keynote speaker Sarah Reilly Engle, VP at Alice. Engle leads the Alice global accelerator for high-growth female founded companies, customer experience, content strategy, and event programming. Prior to joining Alice, Sarah founded a consulting company, Campsix, where she leveraged her startup expertise to help female founders scale their companies through growth-strategy services. The luncheon is followed by breakout sessions and concludes with a networking reception. Event Details: Tuesday, April 17, 2018, 10:30am - 5pm Hurst Conference Center 1601 Campus Drive, Hurst, Texas 76054 On-site registration is available. Sponsors: This event is graciously sponsored by DFW International Airport, Software Professionals Inc., PepsiCo, Asociar, BNSF Railway, Anderson Asphalt and Concrete Paving, Painters USA, Walmart, Raytheon, AT&T, and Prestige Maintenance USA. Corporate Roundtable Hosts: Alcon/Novartis American Airlines AT&T BNSF Railway Company City of Dallas City of Fort Worth Conduent Dallas County Community College District DFW International Airport Fluor Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas FedEx Office JCPenney Company Lockheed Martin Nokia Oncor Parkland Health & Hospital System Pearson PepsiCo Raytheon Shell Southwest Airlines Toyota Trinity Regional Water District Vistra Energy About WBCS Headquartered in Irving, Texas, the Womens Business Council Southwest (WBCS) is dedicated to increasing mutually beneficial procurement opportunities between certified woman-owned businesses, corporations, businesses, government entities, institutions, and other organizations. With more than 1,200 Women Business Enterprise (WBE) Members and over 80 Sustaining (Corporate) Members, WBCS is in its 23rd year of providing national certification to women-owned businesses. WBCS administers the national certification on behalf of the Women Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for north and central Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico. Join us at the Delta Hotels Marriott in Fargo on May 9th, 2018 We are excited to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of a conference of this caliber right here in Fargo. This event has provided significant actionable information over the years. We also highly value the opportunity to come together to network with other IT professionals from the area. The Technology Council of North Dakota (TechND) and the North Dakota IT Symposium are coming together this year to help bring more of the regions top IT executives together for a day of networking, education and collaboration. Register yourself and your management teams today by visiting http://www.northdakotaitsymposium.com. This is a one-day, executive-level event designed for Chief Information Officers and their direct management teams. There will be over 150 CIOs, VPs, and Directors present at this years event. The tremendous lineup of keynote speakers features, Harry Campbell (Author & Speaker Get Real Leadership), Bryce Austin (Technology Executive and Best-Selling Author) and Russ Finney (Former CIO & Researcher, itmWEB Group). Along with the 3 keynote speakers there will be 12 plus peer-led breakout/panel sessions specifically addressing issues and trends North Dakota's IT leaders have told us are important to their organizations. View our full day's agenda by visiting the event website, http://www.northdakotaitsymposium.com. "We are excited to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of a conference of this caliber right here in Fargo. The North Dakota IT Symposium has provided significant actionable information over the years. We also highly value the opportunity to come together to network with other IT professionals from the Fargo area & beyond". Marc Windahl, VP of IT, Scheels. This year the North Dakota IT Symposium will be giving back $25 of every paid registration back to the local Fargo community. The chosen charity receiving this donation is, The Legacy Children's Foundation of Fargo. For more information about this charity please visit their website, http://www.legacychildrensfoundation.com. For more information about this exclusive event meant for executive level IT practitioners please contact Jason Heinz at info@northdakotaitsymposium.com or by visiting the event website. Bruce Raines, President and CEO of Raines International, was honored by the AESC for his lifetime of achievements and contributions to the executive search industry. Raines International Inc., a leading executive search firm, announced that Bruce R. Raines was honored as the recipient of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. The AESC comprises more than 9000 consultants across more than 350 firms in 70 countries. A pioneer in the executive search industry, Bruce Raines leads the firm across offices in New York City, Bentonville, Boston, and San Francisco. Bruce Raines has continuously led the firm since its founding in 1969. He helped lead the AESC and Cornell University to create an Advanced Certificate Program in Executive Search and Leadership Consulting, which launched in 2012. Bruce was an early and consistent champion of creating educational programs and performance standards for executive search consultants. "Bestowed annually since 1982, this prestigious award honors and recognizes the highest standards of work, said Dan Smith, Managing Director and COO of Raines International Inc. It is extremely satisfying to see the AESC celebrate Bruce's contributions to the development, evolution, and credibility of our industry." About Raines International Founded in 1969, Raines International Inc. is one of the countrys leading retained executive search firms, conducting global searches for C-Suite executives and their direct reports. Raines International Inc. offers unparalleled access to exceptional talent across the globe, leveraging over 45 years of experience building exclusive relationships. With expertise in all major industry sectors and functional areas, its client base includes privately-held companies, publicly-held corporations, leading private equity and venture capital firms, and not-for-profits. The firms collaborative partnership with its clients, global reach, and industry and functional leadership allow Raines International Inc. to engage the worlds top talent to serve each clients unique leadership needs. The firm is a longstanding member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) as well as the International Association for Corporate and Professional Recruitment (IACPR). For more information about the firm, please visit http://www.rainesinternational.com. This grand meeting of maternal minds will feature interactive workshops led by industry experts, a dynamic panel discussion, an awards ceremony, and a charitable donation to No Kid Hungry, culminating with a networking, cocktail hour. Parents Magazine serves as the official media sponsor. Global confections brand Loacker has announced the date of their Second Annual PowerMom Day, to be held on Thursday, May 10th from 12pm 6pm at Garys Loft, located at 28 W 36th St., New York, NY. This grand meeting of maternal minds will feature interactive workshops led by industry experts, a dynamic panel discussion, an awards ceremony, and a charitable donation to No Kid Hungry, culminating with a networking, cocktail hour. Parents Magazine serves as the official media sponsor. The event will begin with interactive workshops led by respected experts such as Dr. Joanna Stern of The Child Mind Institute, Digital Influencers Destiney Green of Mom Crush Monday and Brianne Manz of Stroller in the City, along with Fitness Expert Lynda Salerno Gehrman of Physio Logic NYC. Each workshop will correlate in theme with a pillar from Loackers brand values, which includes respect, family, authenticity, nature and quality. This unique format will allow for mothers to have their parenting questions answered in an intimate setting with leading professionals. Following the workshops will be an all-star panel discussion, focusing on how to balance motherhood, career and self. The panel will be led by Fitness Influencer Massy Arias, Parents Magazine Digital Director Julia Dennison, Rockets of Awesome CEO & Founder Rachel Blumenthal, Fast Company Senior Editor Kate Davis with People TV Host Lola Ogunnaike serving as Moderator. Rounding out the event will be an awards ceremony honoring noteworthy PowerMoms, along with a charitable donation to No Kid Hungry. The event will close with an evening of networking and cocktails. Recognizing the unique demands of balancing children and career, Loacker aims to empower working mothers everywhere with this PowerMom campaign. There is a big void in our conversation about motherhood, the celebration of the working mom, and not making her feel guilty. I felt there was a need to create some sort of community platform to have working moms come together who have very similar experiences, that can not only network, but also understand that they are not alone. - Crystal Black Davis, Executive Vice President / Vice President of Marketing, Loacker USA. Loackers Second Annual PowerMom Day is a free event that is open to the public. To attend PowerMom Day, RSVP at https://www.loackerlove.com/powermom/. For additional information regarding Loacker USA, visit the official website at http://www.loackerusa.com. For media credentials to attend PowerMom Day or to schedule an interview, please contact Ashli Urquhart at ashli(at)auprnyc.com. To register to attend the event, visit https://www.loackerlove.com/powermom/. ABOUT LOACKER The name Loacker has become an internationally sought-after brand, on store shelves in more than 80 countries. Combining a love of nature with a passion for the art of baking, Loacker selects the best untreated and unmodified raw ingredients with precision and an uncompromising eye. Ingredients consist of the finest Italian hazelnuts that are freshly roasted by Loacker, real Bourbon vanilla pods, luxurious aromatic cocoa, the finest quality milk from the Alps and fresh mountain water. This results in delicious crispy wafers and chocolates created with love and family tradition. It was over 90 years ago that the Loacker brand started in the little confectionery shop of Alfons Loacker in Bolzano, Italy. In manufacturing their products in the heart of the Italian Alps, 1000 meters above sea level, Loacker focuses precisely on the most important element: pure quality products. RAPID I look forward to helping iSchemaView achieve business success and more importantly to help physicians effectively diagnose and treat many more afflicted patients than previously thought possible. Don Listwin, CEO, iSchemaView iSchemaView, the leader in cerebrovascular imaging analysis, today announced that former Cisco and Openwave Systems executive, Don Listwin, has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Listwin comes to iSchemaView with over 30 years of technology management experience, helping dramatically grow both large and emerging brands. Don stands out as a highly respected leader with an incredible track record of success. He will ensure that iSchemaView capitalizes on its leadership position as the company that provides automated software solutions that aid in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease, and are used by many of the worlds leading stroke centers as they work to identify and successfully treat more patients than ever before, said Gregory W. Albers MD, Stanford University Neurologist and cofounder of iSchemaView. RAPID is the only imaging software solution used in the studies that selected patients for stroke treatment in the expanded window between six and twenty-four hours. Don will help us not just grow quickly, but also intelligently, as we meet the large demand for clinically proven imaging software in the US and around the world. iSchemaViews RAPID platform assists physicians in the analysis of brain images using automated tools for CT, CT Perfusion and MR diffusion and perfusion. Under IRB approval, RAPID was recently used to select patients for two landmark stroke trials published in The New England Journal of Medicine, DAWN and DEFUSE 3, that successfully treated patients up to twenty-four hours after onset. RAPID was the exclusive imaging tool used to aid in patient selection in both studies. The results of the studies have changed the AHA stroke guidelines to include CT Perfusion and MR perfusion. The prior treatment window for mechanical thrombectomy was up to six hours. Starting in 2018, select patients with salvageable brain tissue identified through advanced imaging are now eligible for treatment up to twenty-four hours after they were last seen well. Greg and his co-founder Doctor Roland Bammer, innovators in the treatment of stroke, had a mission to eliminate the long-term dogma that stroke was untreatable after three to six hours, said Don Listwin, CEO of iSchemaView. With an intuitive but novel approach to brain imaging they are achieving their goal. And with a world of healthcare administrators and clinicians interested in taking advantage of new guidelines I look forward to helping iSchemaView achieve business success and more importantly to help physicians effectively diagnose and treat many more afflicted patients than previously thought possible. Don Listwin spent a decade at Cisco Systems, where he served as executive vice president. During his tenure at Cisco, Don built several multi-billion-dollar lines of business, including the companys Service Provider line of business that underpins much of todays global Internet infrastructure. More recently, Listwin served as chief executive officer of both Sana Security and Openwave Systems. In addition, Don founded and holds the role of chief executive officer of the Canary Foundation, a non-profit research organization focused on the early detection of cancer. He also serves as a director on the boards of AwareX, Calix, D-wave, POET Technologies, iSchemaView, Robin Systems and Teradici. Previously, he also served on the boards or was an advisor to JDS Uniphase, PLUMgrid, Redback Networks, E-TEK Dynamics, the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). Listwin received a BSEE from the University of Saskatchewan, He is also a consulting professor in the School of Medicine at Stanford University About iSchemaView iSchemaView is the leader in cerebrovascular imaging analysis, delivering the proven software tools that healthcare professionals around the world use to successfully identify and treat more stroke patients than ever before. iSchemaViews RAPID is the most advanced brain imaging platform, and in clinical trials, under IRB, RAPID has been shown to aid in the selection of patients in early and late window stroke trials, including SWIFT PRIME, EXTEND IA, DAWN and DEFUSE 3. In addition to achieving the best clinical outcomes and largest treatment effects ever obtained, these landmark studies led to new American Heart Association and American Stroke Association guidelines, and have dramatically altered the management of acute stroke around the world. For more information, visit http://www.iRAPID.com Randolph Lundberg lays out his view about how the conscious experience of human beings and other animals is related to the rest of what there is in his new book Quadrants of the Corporeal: Reflections on the Foundations of Experience. Often referred to as the mind/body problem, Lundberg explores the limitations conscious beings have in understanding the causal foundations of their own consciousness. He elaborates on his innovative quadrants view, comparing his theory to those of other writers. The reason there is a problem here is that all the discoveries of modern science fail to shed significant light on the question, Lundberg said. Somehow, conscious experience is created and sustained within each of us, yet nothing that has been learned about us by physicists, chemists or neuroscientists, enables us to understand how that happens. Lundberg explains that the resources of the universe are limited in such a way that it cannot develop a being with sufficient cognitive powers to fully understand any corporeal object. His book offers a compelling case as to why the mind-body problem cannot be solved and that no being that the universe can make, can comprehend what makes conscious beings conscious. This is because observation-based science has no access to remote properties, which play a critical role in producing conscious experience. Some of the outwardly observable properties that scientists take pride in discovering also play a crucial role in producing experience, but without knowing the remote properties one cannot figure out how it all happens, Lundberg said. No conscious creature can understand where its consciousness comes from because every conscious creature, no matter how clever it might be, is dependent for its knowledge of nature on the same spatial transmissions. For more information, please visit http://www.randolphlundberg.com. Quadrants of the Corporeal: Reflections on the Foundations of Experience By Randolph Lundberg ISBN: 9781483472218 (softcover) Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Lulu Publishing About the author Randolph Lundberg has a bachelors degree in chemistry and physics and a Master of Science degree in applied mathematics from Harvard University. He earned his PhD in philosophy at the University of Minnesota. Though working mainly in the software industry, Dr. Lundberg is a philosopher at heart with interests in consciousness, language, and time. He brings to these subjects not only the benefits of his formal education but also his drive to understand and his precious freedom from the fashions of academic thought. Review Copies & Interview Requests: LAVIDGE Phoenix Kalin Thomas 480-648-7540 kthomas(at)lavidge(dot)com Hash Card The revolutionary card is a crypto currency funded, user-friendly debit card with real time conversions. Many have promised this but until Hash Card it was never a reality. It can be used wherever Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Hash Card converts crypto currencies to traditional currency in real-time via an instant conversion to Fiat. The exchange feature allows users to make the most of opportunities to change traditional currency (EUR/USD) for crypto, or crypto back to traditional currency to take advantage of market rates. The token sale starts on 1st May. The first 3000 early adopted receive a free Hash Card and guaranteed 0.5% lifetime transaction fees on their card. The revolutionary card is the brainchild of Hong Kong based Hash Network Limited. After the initial release cards will only be available for purchase with HSHC tokens. The Hash Card wallet is available on both iPhone and Android systems and fully protected by Multi-Sig technology, SSL encryption and 2-Factor Authentication, providing users with peace of mind as well as flexible access to comprehensive crypto currency management. The Hash card puts control firmly into the hands of the user rather than the banks. Hash Card holders will be able to use crypto currency for everyday living without the need for complicated conversions. Hash Card is the way of the future. Email: sm(at)hashcard(dot)io Connecticut Innovations (CI), the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticuts innovative, growing companies, announced it has teamed with Stanley Black & Decker, the New Britainbased manufacturer of tools and hardware, to offer an Innovation Prize to VentureClash competitors focused on market opportunities in the areas of security and Industry 4.0, often referred to as smart factory technologies. The winner of the inaugural prize can potentially take home as much as $50,000. VentureClash is a $5 million global venture challenge for early-stage companies in digital health, financial technology, insurance technology and the Internet of Things. Security and Industry 4.0 are two technology sectors that continue to undergo innovation and disruption, said Matt McCooe, CEO of Connecticut Innovations. Along with Stanley Black & Decker, we are eager to support companies developing innovative products, solutions and services within these areas. The Innovation Prize will further entice startups competing in VentureClash to pursue opportunities and develop their businesses right here in Connecticut. Companies who apply to VentureClash will automatically be considered for the Innovation Prize. Within the security track, eligible entrants will be those working to develop physical and cyber methods for security in the enterprise and retail sectors as well as for the factory, home and school, with a focus on automated detection, response, recovery management and IoT. Industry 4.0 startups will consist of those developing advances in robotic perception, mobility, reasoning and manipulation that yield a productive and economic advantage within factories. We believe that advanced manufacturing and next-generation security technology will be two of the driving forces shaping our changing world over the next decade, said Mark Maybury, Chief Technology Officer for Stanley Black & Decker, and we believe that Connecticut provides the right climate in which innovative businesses focused on creating these changes can thrive. We are excited to partner with Connecticut Innovations, and our commitment to VentureClash is a commitment to fostering a culture of innovation. The Innovation Prize will be presented at the VentureClash finals event, to be held on October 18, 2018, at the Yale School of Management. About VentureClash Managed by Connecticut Innovations, VentureClash is Connecticuts global venture challenge focused on early-stage companies. The challenge identifies high-potential companies in digital health, fintech, insurtech and the Internet of Things that will receive investments from a $5 million investment award pool. Learn more at http://www.ventureclash.com. About Connecticut Innovations Inc. Connecticut Innovations (CI) is the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticuts innovative, growing companies. To maximize the growth potential of each business, CI tailors its solutions and often combines its funds with resources from other financial leaders to provide venture capital and strategic support for early-stage technology companies, flexible loans for established companies with new innovations, grants that support innovation and collaboration, and connections to its well-established network of partners and professionals. For more information on CI, please visit http://www.ctinnovations.com. About Stanley Black & Decker Stanley Black & Decker, an S&P 500 company, is a diversified global provider of hand tools, power tools and related accessories; electronic security solutions; healthcare solutions; engineered fastening systems; and more. Learn more at http://www.stanleyblackanddecker.com. Teramind provides an employee monitoring and insider threat prevention platform that detects, records, and prevents, malicious user behavior. When data is left unguarded, its not a matter of if a data breach will happen, but when it will happen. Teramind Inc. (RSA booth #5110), a provider of insider threat solutions, today announced a new approach to data loss prevention that will continue to help organizations from healthcare to banking, legal, energy and customer service teams and more address their internal cyber security and data breach vulnerabilities. Teramind brings organizations the latest in preventional security software after another year of global data breaches. The new software features a comprehensive platform that combines technology supporting traditional data loss prevention (DLP) software capabilities coupled with behavioral data analytics. This unique approach brings forth the next generation of forensic insight to keep companies data safe. When data is left unguarded, its not a matter of if a data breach will happen, but when it will happen. One of the major opportunities to lose your sensitive corporate data lies with your insiders. Behind every users action is the potential for monetary loss and a devalued company reputation. Insider, in security jargon, refers to anyone who has privileged access to sensitive data inside your organization: employees to vendors and even business owners themselves, said Isaac Kohen, CEO of Teramind. Teramind provides a user-centric security approach to monitor employee behavior, with software that streamlines employee data collection in order to identify suspicious activity, detect possible threats, monitor employee efficiency, and ensure industry compliance. Teraminds new file anti-exfiltration analysis combined with the softwares traditional DLP software capabilities and behavioral data analytics brings forth a stronger layer of protection against data breaches. File anti-exfiltration analysis targets and tags sensitive file repositories as well as sensitive content. Data protection is preserved throughout multiple file transformations - encryption, compression, or partial extraction - allowing the user to preserve sensitive data in all forms of data transit. Industries across verticals from business to healthcare and government now have a fighting chance to prevent insider threats as if an attempted breach occurs, the softwares full indexing and video recording allows the administrator to have concrete forensic evidence of these flagged events, Kohen noted. A few use cases for Teraminds preventative approach to insider threats are below: As just one area of compliance, financial institutions have access to millions of customers personally identifiable information (PII) as well as self developed intellectual property. The first step in securing this sensitive data is understanding who has access to it, then monitoring those access points for changes in behavior. Teramind secures sensitive PII data against insider threats by permitting for risk-based rules to define and identify high risk behavior by users within a financial organization. Through user analytics, managers identify the data thats most important and understand its risk. From a dashboard, one can see all their data and receive alerts in real-time when a profiled behavior triggers it. Teraminds full video playback and customized alerts meet PCI DSS compliance requirements. Customer service departments and contact centers deal with vast amounts of information on a daily basis. As one example scenario, a malicious criminal gains access to an upper managers personal Google email account. An email is sent to an employee down the ranks, and the email asks for information on a high-profile client to be downloaded from the company server and sent to the gmail account. Luckily, the file anti-exfiltration analysis functionality allowed administrators to tag this sensitive high-profile clients data. Once the system caught that the tagged information was in movement, measures could be taken quickly to intercept. Visit the home page of http://www.teramind.co to view a live dashboard or sign up for a free cloud trial version. Teramind also offers a partner program, which offers best-in-class user activity monitoring. Teramind is focused on helping VARs, resellers and MSPs to grow their bottom line and expand their reach by adding Teramind cloud or on-premises endpoint monitoring and security platform to their portfolios. The company provides hands-on training for staff and provides customers with first-level support. Teramind also offers recurring revenue opportunities for referrals as well as white-labeled solutions. Teraminds blog, IT Security Central, offers an industry insights and analysis for busy IT and security professionals, and recently published the infographic Steps to Beat the Insider Threat in 2018, which is available to be downloaded by clicking here. About Teramind Teramind provides an employee monitoring and insider threat prevention platform that detects, records, and prevents, malicious user behavior in addition to helping teams to drive productivity and efficiency. Their software is available in both cloud-based and on-premise deployment options to meet any organizations requirements. Companies from enterprises to small businesses across the globe utilize Teraminds software. For more information, visit http://www.teramind.co. Follow Teramind on Twitter @teramindco. Mr. Joao Sena, Owner/Area Director for Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine Club Z! tutoring programs are extremely effective in raising grades and test scores, because we follow the same curriculum as our local schools. Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine, CA, proudly serving families in Irvine, Kathryn, Woodbridge, Northwood, and Orchard Hills, is celebrating its official grand opening with special offers, including FREE online homework help, and a FREE SAT or ACT diagnostic test. Local families are encouraged to like and follow the Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine Facebook page @ClubZIrvine to participate in all of its grand opening special offers and promotions or call (714) 669-2770 to register. Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine offers in-home and online tutoring for all subjects, including SAT and ACT test preparation and study skills development. In addition, Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine has services and programs to support students of all ages, from Kindergarten readiness through college admissions counseling. Club Z! tutors are all highly qualified, professional educators who are thoroughly screened and background checked prior to hire. Students are carefully matched to a Club Z! tutor using its proven Z! Tutor Match process, which is based on academic qualifications, personality traits, and other factors that help foster student success. Club Z! even offers a 100% satisfaction Z! Guarantee backing their tutor match. Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine is owned and operated by Joao Sena, whose experience as a tutor helped perfectly prepare him for this new adventure with Club Z! Mr. Sena was attracted to Club Z! because of the companys 20+ year track record of success, having served hundreds of thousands of students across its 450 North American franchise offices. But Mr. Sena was also drawn to the opportunity to provide a meaningful service to his community, as he adds: Im very excited to be able to bring Club Z!s tutoring and test prep programs to families in and around Irvine. At Club Z!, we treat each student as an individual, and create customized learning plans based on your childs specific needs and academic goals. Our tutoring programs are extremely effective in raising grades and test scores, because we follow the same curriculum as our local schools. But we also have enrichment programs, such as SAT and ACT test prep and our proven study skills program. When parents call Club Z!, they can feel confident that they are getting a totally unique educational experience for their child. Mr. Sena is particularly excited to bring Club Z!s proven SAT and ACT test prep programs to the area, due in large part to the companys Z! Prep Score Booster, which is its SAT and ACT diagnostic test and online study tool. Club Z! of Irvine is offering a free Z Prep! Score Booster SAT or ACT diagnostic test as part of its grand opening activities. Local families can visit Club Z! of Irvine on Facebook to sign up for the free SAT or ACT diagnostic test, and try out the Score Booster for themselves. Adds Sena: With this special grand opening offer, students will not only get a full-length, timed SAT or ACT diagnostic test with a projected score for the actual SAT or ACT, but they will also get 30 days of access to our Z Prep! Score Booster study platform. This includes video modules from some of our best test prep tutors demonstrating the correct way to answer each and every question on the test, and general tips and strategies for improving your score. The Score Booster is a real game-changer for test prep and were excited for our local families to try it out. Club Z! Tutoring of Irvine is also extending free online homework help to students in and around Irvine, now through May 30, 2018, in recognition of the companys grand opening. The online homework help program is one of Club Z!s most popular services, providing one-on-one access to a highly qualified tutor, to help with homework assignments in all subjects, ranging from reading to science and math. Club Z! online homework help is available Monday-Thursday from 3 pm to 7 pm Pacific, and students will have unlimited access during the promotional period. Families are encouraged to like and follow Club Z! of Irvine on Facebook, or call (714) 669-2770 to participate in all of the exciting grand opening promotions. GMPs commitment to evolve its business and operating strategy supports the needs of its customers, the goals of the state of Vermont and the health of the electric grid. Green Mountain Power (GMP) in Vermont has several high-impact opportunities to build upon its customer-focused energy programs while reimagining its business model as an energy transformation company, delivering low-carbon, affordable, reliable energy to customers, according to a new Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) report. Electric utilities like Green Mountain Power are confronted by new economic and operational challenges. Customers are demanding more choice over their energy use, even as overall demand is flat or declining, and as new energy-saving technologies reach more homes and businesses. State legislatures like Vermonts are mandating new targets for renewable energy generation that require new and innovative ways to think about generating and using energy. Needed investments to modernize an aging grid require sustained capital investment in a rapidly changing operational and economic landscape. Vermont has set a requirement that 75 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2032, including 10 percent from distributed generation, and that all utilities achieve fossil-fuel savings equivalent to 12 percent of their annual electric sales through energy transformation projects, such as replacing gas or oil heating systems with electric heat pumps, or replacing gasoline cars with electric vehicles (EVs). GMP is responding through its transformation vision, offering innovative energy products and services, building new revenue sources to help keep energy rates affordable and using distributed energy resources like storage and demand-response technologies to enable customers to actively participate in generating and managing energy. RMIs Customer-Centric Energy Transformation report provides recommendations to GMP for expanding its offerings and impact as it shifts its business model toward an energy-services company. GMP is partnering with customers on this new energy future, to find ways to continue to drive down costs, said Josh Castonguay, GMP vice president of innovation. Reports like this from RMI help push us to move faster in this innovative future, and think creatively about better ways to serve our customers. The energy transformation that is happening is exciting, and we are so proud Vermont is helping lead the way. GMPs commitment to evolve its business and operating strategy supports the needs of its customers, the goals of the state of Vermont and the health of the electric grid, Mike Henchen, a manager at RMI and one of the lead authors of the report, said. The companys efforts help guide the way toward the transformation of the larger energy system to one that is more innovative for customers, and low carbon, affordable and reliable. New service offerings already introduced by GMP include a managed EV charging program for homeowners, as well as an automated demand flexibility program to shift the operations of water heaters, thermostats and EVs to capture less-expensive energy rates available at different times of the day. GMP hired Rocky Mountain Institute as a consultant to assess how GMP can advance the transformation to a low-carbon, reliable, affordable energy system by building on its portfolio of innovative customer programs and its evolving business model. GMP Chief Executive Mary Powell also serves as a trustee on RMIs board. To access a copy of the Customer-Centric Energy Transformation report, see https://www.rmi.org/insights/reports/customer-centric-energy-transformation/ ### About Green Mountain Power Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 265,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with customers to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. In 2014, Vote Solar named GMP a Solar Champion. More information at: http://www.greenmountainpower.com. Connect with GMP on Facebook and follow on Twitter @GreenMtnPower. About Rocky Mountain Institute Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)an independent nonprofit founded in 1982transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous and secure low-carbon future. It engages businesses, communities, institutions and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. More information at: http://www.rmi.org/. CONTACT: Kristin Carlson Green Mountain Power Tel: 802-229-8200 Email: Kristin.Carlson(at)greenmountainpower(dot)com Todd Zeranski Marketing Manager, Rocky Mountain Institute Tel: 917-670-6568 Email: tzeranski(at)rmi(dot)org NCPDP We hope that a candid and provocative discussion on challenges and opportunities to improve the patient journey will inform and inspire our members to continue to innovate at NCPDP through our industry standards and guidance and in the solutions that their companies bring to the industry. NCPDP announced today the Opening Keynote Panel for its 2018 Annual Technology & Business Conference, Industry United to Improve the Patient Journey, May 7-9, 2018, at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Keynote Panel will address Data Challenges and Opportunities to Improve the Patient Journey, on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Panelists representing multiple stakeholder perspectives from physician to patient, pharmacist and manufacturer - will weigh in on data challenges and how to improve the patient experience: Walter G. Suarez, MD, MPH, Executive Director, Health IT Strategy and Policy, Kaiser Permanente, will moderate the panel and provide the physician perspective. Regina Holliday, Patient Rights Activist, Artist, Author, Speaker and Founder of the Walking Gallery, will provide the patient perspective. Troy Trygstad, MBA, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Vice President, Pharmacy Programs, Community Care of North Carolina, will present the Community Pharmacy perspective. John D. Musil, Pharm.D., FACA, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Avella Specialty Pharmacy, will provide the specialty pharmacy perspective. Thomas Evegan, Managing Director, Cumberland Consulting Group, LLC, will provide the specialty pharmacy manufacturer perspective. We have assembled an impressive panel of industry thought leaders who will share their perspectives on data challenges that impact patient care, explained Lee Ann Stember, President and CEO of NCPDP. We hope that a candid and provocative discussion on challenges and opportunities to improve the patient journey will inform and inspire our members to continue to innovate at NCPDP through our industry standards and guidance and in the solutions that their companies bring to the industry. To register for NCPDPs 2018 Annual Technology & Business Conference, Industry United to Improve the Patient Journey, visit http://ncpdp.org/ac/index.aspx. Follow us at http://twitter.com/ncpdp or join the discussion using NCPDPs 2018 Annual Technology & Business Conference hashtag: #NCPDP18. About NCPDP Founded in 1977, NCPDP is a not-for-profit, ANSI-accredited, Standards Development Organization with approximately 1,500 members representing virtually every sector of the pharmacy services industry. Our diverse membership provides leadership and healthcare business solutions through education and standards, created using the consensus building process. NCPDP has been named in federal legislation, including HIPAA, MMA, and HITECH. NCPDP members have created standards such as the Telecommunication Standard and Batch Standard, the SCRIPT Standard for ePrescribing, the Manufacturers Rebate Standard and more to improve communication within the pharmacy industry. Our data products include dataQ, a robust database of information on more than 80,000 pharmacies, resQ, an industry pharmacy credentialing resource, and HCIdea, an innovative prescriber database that provides continually updated information on more than 2.5 million prescribers. NCPDP's RxReconn is a legislative tracking product for real-time monitoring of pharmacy-related state and national legislative and regulatory activity. For more information about NCPDP Standards, Data Services, Products, Educational Programs and Work Group meetings, go online at http://www.ncpdp.org or call 480.477.1000. ### Being seen as a connector builds your credibility as a business professional. -Nancy Covert Nancy Covert, president of Dale Carnegie of Central and Northern Alabama, appeared on Talk of Alabama to talk about a new workshop: Networking to Build Your Personal Brand & Promote your Organization. Co-sponsored by the Birmingham Business Journal, this half day seminar will cover how to strengthen your first impression as well as how to develop an effective personal branding statement. Business people of all walks of life have opportunities to network, says Covert, and its not just for sales people. Building a strong personal brand is important because people will recommend you for jobs based on getting to know you and in sales, prospects will want to do business with you based on authentic relationships you have built. Many professionals avoid networking events because they dont know how to handle themselves in these uncomfortable situations. This event will help participants understand: -Who to talk to -What to say -How to walk up to a total stranger and start an authentic conversation -How to effectively break in to a conversation and politely excuse yourself from a conversation when the time is right -How to make connections and share business strategies Being able to connect is a skill that helps other people succeed. If youre able to connect someone with someone else and help them both mutually benefit, you will be seen as a business resource. Being seen as a connector builds your credibility as a business professional. Sales professionals often view networking events as an opportunity to sell their products or services. Pushing products or services at a networking event is not only sure fire way to turn people off, but it will also give these individuals a bad reputation. At this workshop, participants will learn the importance of building relationships first and then taking the step towards talking business. Participants will walk away from this half-day seminar with the tools they need to start making a stronger first impression, building more authentic relationships and developing a more effective personal brand. Dale Carnegie of Central and Northern Alabama has a variety of personal and organizational development programs including a 3-Day Sales Training program June 1, 8, and 15: Winning with Relationship Selling. For more information, visit Dale Carnegie Training on the web at http://www.dalecarnegie.com/birmingham or call 204-444-5011. The Network to Build Your Brand Event sponsored in part by the Birmingham Business Journal is taking place on Thursday, April 26 | 8:30am - 11:00am. Click here to register. If youd like to view the full Talk of Alabama segment, click here. Reckon by AL.com will host and stream the 2018 Alabama Gubernatorial debates at the Lyric Theatre in Birmingham. Media and the public are invited to attend and cover the event, or watch via Facebook Live on Reckon by AL.com or on ABC 33/40s digital channel. While other media outlets cannot broadcast the event live, ABC 33/40 will provide a pool feed recording of the debate that can be used after the event. Media may request credentials in advance by emailing events(at)al.com. The Republican debate will take place April 18 at 7 p.m. and panelists will include ABC 33/40s Lauren Walsh, Reckons John Archibald and Cameron Smith of the R Street Institute. Free tickets are available via Eventbrite. The Democratic debate will be held April 24 at 7 p.m. and panelists will include Walsh, Smith and Reckons Kyle Whitmire. Free tickets are available via Eventbrite. Each event will last approximately two hours and will be moderated by AL.com columnist, Roy S. Johnson. Each of the gubernatorial candidates have been invited and will have a lectern on stage. The candidates will each receive 90 seconds for opening statements, followed by a question and answer section. A Spin Room will be open for media immediately following the debate. Please contact Alabama Media Groups Director of News, Izzy Gould, with any questions or media access at igould(at)al.com. The Certrec App is the latest manifestation of our efforts to reinvent the way we deliver information and data to our customers in a fast, concise, and usable format, notes Ted Enos, Certrec President. Certrec, a leading regulatory compliance solution provider, is pleased to announce the release of its new mobile application, Certrec App, in the Apple App Store. The app is free to download and install. Without even logging in, users can view press releases and news related to Certrec and contact support staff to gain access to Certrecs team of industry experts. Once the user logs in, the real power of the app is brought to the front. Users can access their Certrec RegSource subscriptions and set when they would like to be notified of new alerts and issues on their phones. With the right Certrec subscription level, users may access CertrecTV to search and find the perfect videos for their current situations, all streaming seamlessly to their phones. With a Recall subscription, users will automatically be logged in and taken to a mobile-friendly web view of Recall. With podcasts, you can now listen to the latest industry information and news on your way to work, getting even more of a head start on your day. The Certrec App is the latest manifestation of our efforts to reinvent the way we deliver information and data to our customers in a fast, concise, and usable format, notes Ted Enos, Certrec President. Certrec has utilized Apples fingerprint recognition technology, enabling users to log in to the app faster and more securely. Traffic between devices and Certrecs systems is encrypted and protected to the highest level of available SSL technology. The Certrec App does not ask for any additional permissions. More and more each day we find the smartphone at the center of our information universe, notes Enos. We believe that bringing the power of Certrec's products and information to the smartphone is crucial in meeting our customers needs. We are very excited about the first version of our app, and already have a lot of ideas for the next update, so stay tuned. The app is currently in development for Android devices. CERTREC Founded in 1988, Certrec is an engineering and technology based organization providing regulatory support services in the electric power industry. With more than 1,000 cumulative years of direct industry experience (including nuclear, fossil, and renewables), Certrec has developed exceptional capabilities to support regulatory activities emanating from regulatory entities such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ,the North American Electric Reliability Corporation and Regional Entities (NERC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other regulatory agencies. Certrec's Office of Licensing and Compliance (OLC), Office of Assessment and Recovery (OAR), Office of NERC Compliance (ONC), and Office of New Plant (ONP) services are used by utilities and entities across the United States to help manage the regulatory process to their advantage. Certrec offers support from highly skilled and experienced industry professionals who possess degrees in a variety of engineering disciplines (civil, electrical, mechanical, and nuclear). Additionally Certrec's staff has multiple degreed personnel in physics, communications, a variety of MBAs, and information technology. This highly skilled team has direct working experience in all regulatory areas of licensing, compliance, and engineering, including nuclear, fossil, and renewable generation and transmission. For more than 25 years, Certrec has been using its hundreds of years of industry experience to help clients develop and manage solutions to complex regulatory issues. Combining this direct industry experience with Certrec's Information Technology assets has led to the development of technology-based solutions and tools directly targeted to the electric power industry and specifically focused on helping clients manage regulatory issues. We're excited to partner with the Puerto Rico Primary Care Association Network to help them achieve seamless and secure sharing of records, test results, and other information across their care ecosystem," stated Steve Yaskin, CEO of Health Gorilla. Health Gorilla (http://www.healthgorilla.com), provider of a nationwide clinical network that solves healthcare interoperability issues and drives better consumer health, announced recently that the Puerto Rico Primary Care Association Network (PRPCAN) has selected the companys secure Clinical Network as their data exchange platform. "The Puerto Rico Primary Care Association Network (PRPCAN) is the name chosen for the HRSA-funded Health Centered Controlled Network (HCCN). As part of our goals and deliverables, the PRPCAN must improve Meaningful Use, clinical quality metrics, health outcomes, and Health Information Exchange (HIE), among other objectives. In Puerto Rico, resources, both technical and financial, are limited. Over fifty percent of the providers do not have an EHR. There is no state HIE and there are two other networks that do not comply with the HHS and ONC requirements of an HIE, explained Javier Jimenez, Director of the Puerto Rico Primary Care Association Network. PRPCAN began searching for a clinical communication platform that was compliant with the ONC and would allow providers in Puerto Rico to exchange healthcare information and improve their quality of care. After weeks of research, we found Health Gorilla, a clinical network that could securely exchange clinical information from laboratories, imaging centers, hospitals and any EHR using industry standards (HL7, LOINC, DICOM, CCDA, FHIR and others). Since 50 percent of the providers do not have an EHR, most must use the fax as their exchange platform; some can use the internet and others do have EHRs. The beauty for us is that Health Gorilla can manage all of these media and securely connect everyone in our current healthcare ecosystem. Health Gorilla allows our providers to communicate and exchange relevant clinical information securely with other providers in many settings: health systems, hospitals, patients, LTC facilities, and shelters, if there is a disaster. All of this can be accomplished from a cell phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, Mr. Jimenez added. We're excited to partner with the Puerto Rico Primary Care Association Network to help them achieve seamless and secure sharing of records, test results, and other information across their care ecosystem," stated Steve Yaskin, CEO of Health Gorilla. "The healthcare industry has many pain points in its delivery process, and most can be tracked back to data and communications issues, both simple and complex. Our Clinical Network has become a key driver in the revolution of todays healthcare delivery by effectively connecting the entire continuum of care within a single, universal and secure platform. Health Gorilla has been working for years to close communications gaps and interoperability issues across the medical community that demands seamless, automated communications and a single point to view entire medical history for all citizens, Mr. Yaskin added. The Health Gorilla Clinical Network is a unique clinical interoperability solution for all healthcare organizations and clinicians, interconnecting all affiliated members: hospital systems, ambulatory providers, service facilities, sub-acute centers, diagnostic labs, imaging centers, SNFs and patients. Health Gorilla is fully HIPAA-compliant and ONC certified and is available via mobile devices through Health Gorilla apps, which allows both medical professionals and consumers to securely access its full features while on-the-go. In addition, consumers can obtain their medical records accumulated over their lifetime and have them stored in one location. With Health Gorilla, consumers are able to claim their records in ten minutes or less, creating a comprehensive health history that they can access, as well as securely share with others. This gives physicians and other care givers accurate patient data at the point of care to improve diagnostics and enhance preventive care, while giving consumers full control over their health information. About Health Gorilla Health Gorilla's nationwide Clinical Network connects doctors, vendors, and patients within a single, secure interoperability platform creating a closed loop of communication and transforming how care is managed. Health Gorilla automates clinical data aggregation, including hospital admissions, transfers, discharges, social and family history, plan of care, referrals, lab results, imaging and medications to compile entire patient chart into a universally interchangeable CCDA format for physicians, medical facilities and patients, which provides better communication between all parties involved, and leads to better communication and an overall healthier population. Health Gorilla is HIPAA-compliant and MU2-certified and is available online or on-the-go. To join the clinical network and redefine what quality care means, visit http://www.healthgorilla.com. About Puerto Rico Primary Care Association Network (PRPCAN) With a strategic work plan covering 2016-2019, the PRPCAN works with health centers to achieve the significant use of the electronic medical records (EHR) certified by the ONC. In addition, enabled by technology as a tool, the centers facilitate the adoption of strategies to improve the quality of care. Finally, it is instrumental in the exchange of health information (HIE) to strengthen the quality of care and improve the health outcomes of patients throughout Puerto Rico. END Photo Caption: 2017 Top Producer for MacArthur Sothebys International Realty, Kai Ioh, R(B) and Director of International Sales, Closes Over $150 Million in Global Sales in 2017 and 2018. This approach has led to global successes under Kais belt in 2017 and 2018 totaling over $150 million in sales. The global success of MacArthur Sothebys International Realty Associate Broker and Director of International Sales, Kai Ioh, R(B), is a testament to the power of the firms global network and personal relationships. Kai, a Japanese American, is fluent in Japanese and English, and works closely with global Japanese clients from his home base on the Big Island of Hawaii. I work with both Japanese corporations and individuals. Im very pleased about a $120 million residential property transaction in Los Angeles that closed in March 2018, currently undisclosed because of its exclusivity and price point, said Kai. At the core of Kais success lies personal attentiveness and customized assistance to the needs of his clients. Global transactions of this magnitude can take up to two or three months of preparation. It is a vastly complex and interactive process, so Kai personally shepherds the client through it, providing customized in-person support services: translation, schedule coordination, gathering local school and community information, connecting clients with an immigration attorney, and corporation setup including obtaining the relevant tax ID numbers required. This is in addition to a wide array of other value-added services such as developing relationships with exceptional brokers in local markets to complement the buying process for his clients. This approach has led to global successes under Kais belt in 2017 and 2018 totaling over $150 million in sales. These sales include New York City sales totaling more than $35 million - encompassing $22 million of commercial property in the East Village, $12 million for a new Midtown project, and a $4 million condo in Tribeca. Kai has a remarkable grasp of the technicalities of purchasing luxury real estate world wide, said Dodie MacArthur, Founder and Owner of MacArthur Sothebys International Realty. MacArthur Sothebys International Realty recently launched a brand new global website to support the expanse of its global success, featuring international currency conversion, global inventory, and a brand-new URL, http://www.macarthursothebysrealty.com. The new website and a promotional video about the new home search experience debuted on the big screen in a private, first-of-its-kind event, held at the Waikoloa Luxury Cinemas on March 27, 2018. Experience the video, and view the photos of the exclusive screening event that brought key industry players together for an unforgettable launch. Our greatest strength is personal connection, and with that in mind weve completely reimagined the home search experience with our new website, said Dodie MacArthur, founder and owner of MacArthur Sothebys International Realty. Its now a custom experience that reflects the breadth of our international reach with more than 80,000 properties across 69 countries, and offers a bespoke experience for our distinguished clients. MacArthur says that the firms international business will be further supported by the new website. About MacArthur Sothebys International Realty For over 29 years, MacArthur Sothebys International Realty has served the Hawaii Island as a boutique luxury real estate company offering the best in customer service for distinctive clients. The Sothebys International Realty network currently has a marketing reach in approximately 950 affiliate offices throughout 69 countries and territories with over 22,000 affiliated independent agents in a global referral program. Each office is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit http://www.macarthursothebysrealty.com. SupplySide East, the East Coasts leading ingredients and supply-chain solutions event, gathered more than 3,500 global industry professionals from 39 countries together with 250 exhibitors showcasing the newest and most innovative ingredients, products and services. Now in its 20th year, the show returned to the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ, April 10-11, 2018. Produced by Informa Exhibitions, SupplySide East brought members of the industry together to provide an opportunity to identify top ingredients to fuel innovations, and facilitated networking in a tight-knit community setting to drive enhanced success. The two-day tradeshow featured a robust variety of exhibitors and networking opportunities to set attendees up for success in 2018. SupplySide East enabled top product developers, marketers, buyers and other leaders from the most innovative supplement, food, beverage and personal care brands to connect with the suppliers that help them bring these products to market, said Jon Benninger, vice president of Informas Global Health & Nutrition Network. It was a great two days of networking and business. SupplySide Easts return to Secaucus was a success for us, said Gregory Ris, vice president of sales for Indena USA Inc. The high concentration of Pharma, Nutrition and cosmetic companies in the area made it convenient for companies to send multiple representatives. The show was well attended and we made a number of new contacts and generated new product leads. In addition to new ingredients and services, attendees found education opportunities at this years event. Two training courses presented with NSF International offered training around key GMP (good manufacturing practice) issues, while the SupplySide East Presentation Theater showcased industry professionals addressing science, trends and market data. Education is a key component of the SupplySide experience, said Heather Granato, vice president of content for Informas Global Health & Nutrition Network. This years combination of sponsored presentations and invited speakers offered SupplySide East attendees the opportunity to enjoy short talks focused on new ingredient launches, regulatory issues facing the industry and much more. Granato and Steve Myers, senior editor of Natural Products INSIDER, share their insights on the top trends of SupplySide East in a new Healthy INSIDER podcast featured on the Natural Products Insider website. The Presentation Theater also featured demonstrations of the new SupplySide Connect website, which launched this spring and features detailed information about the offerings of more than 1,200 suppliers. This free tool is designed to help manufacturers find ingredients, services and suppliers both on and off the show floor. About SupplySide East: Hosted by Informa Exhibitions, SupplySide East is all about the exploration, discovery, innovation and marketing strategy around the development of finished consumer goods that drive the global business economy. The SupplySide East 2019 show will be held April 9-10 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ. The SupplySide West 2018 show will be held November 6-10 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The SupplySide China 2018 show will be held June 28-30 at the China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. About Informa Exhibitions: SupplySide East is part of Informas Global Exhibitions Division. With over 200 trade and consumer exhibitions annually, Informa Exhibitions is a global market leader in such end markets as Boating, Beauty, Construction & Real Estate, Life Sciences, Maritime, Health & Nutrition, Agriculture and Pop Culture. Through face to face and digital channels, its transaction-oriented exhibitions enable communities to engage, experience and do business. In doing so, Informa brings together people who want to buy and sell, network, do business and gain inspiration. Industry insight, coupled with an innovative and entrepreneurial approach, provides Informa Exhibitions customers and partners with the opportunity to create business advantage and access markets. Informa Exhibitions is a division of Informa PLC, a leading business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events business, creating unique content and connectivity for customers all over the world. Informa PLC is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100. Working in Support of Education (W!se), a New York City-based, national educational nonprofit, today announced that Chicagos Youth Connection Charter School earned first place in the 2018 100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance rankings. W!se announced the annual rankings at a ceremony sponsored by Voya Financial. The Youth Connection Charter School achieved this honor after only two years of participating in the program. Virginias Page County High School and New Yorks High School of Math, Science and Engineering at CCNY placed second and third, respectively. W!se created the 100 Best W!se High Schools Teaching Personal Finance list, now in its sixth year, to recognize schools of excellence in its national network of participants in its Financial Literacy Certification program. The 100 Best Schools rankings represent 18 out of the 46 states that participated in the program last year with enrollments ranging from 76 students in the smallest school, York River Academy in VA, to 3,841 at the largest, Forest Hills High School in Queens, NY. And, in an era when nearly two-thirds of Americans cannot pass a basic financial literacy test according to FINRA, 94 percent of students in the 2018 100 Best Schools rankings earned W!ses Financial Literacy Certification based on their coursework throughout the year and their performance on W!ses Certification Test. Preparing our young people for a life of financial wellness through personal finance education is of the utmost importance, said Phyllis Frankfort Perillo, Founder, President and CEO of W!se. W!se is honored to showcase the top 100 schools and congratulate their incredible teachers, administrators and students for this outstanding achievement. New York City Council Minority Whip Joe Borelli delivered the keynote address at the ceremony. Other notable speakers included Sam Stovall, Chief Equity Strategist at CFRA; Avi Daswani, Financial Specialist at Allstate Insurance Company; and students from Wausa Public School in Nebraska and the High School of Math, Science & Engineering at CCNY. Financial literacy is essential if students are to achieve financial independence and social mobility as adults, noted Borelli. I applaud W!se for helping so many young Americans to harness this knowledge at such a young age. The 100 Best is the first and only national ranking in the field of personal finance education and is determined based on the average Certification Test score from each school with consideration given to the number of test takers and the socio-economic background of the students at each school. W!ses award-wining Financial Literacy Certification program provides schools with the curriculum and resources to support their personal finance instruction and to measure students financial literacy when they take the Financial Literacy Certification Test. Students passing the Test become Certified Financially Literate a nationally recognized credential. For the complete list of this years 100 Best schools, click here. About Working In Support of Education (W!se) Working in Support of Education (W!se) is a leading educational nonprofit based in New York City with a mission to improve the lives of young people and at-risk adults through programs that develop financial literacy and readiness for college and careers. At the heart of our offerings is a family of financial literacy initiatives, comprising the Financial Literacy Certification for high school students, the Certification in Personal Finance for educators and the MoneyW!SE program for survivors of domestic violence. These programs differ in scope and target audience, but all share a common thread the administration of our standardized assessment of personal finance knowledge and a certification for those who master the subject matter. For more information, visit wise-ny.org. Follow W!se on Facebook and Twitter @wisenewyork. About Voya Financial Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), helps Americans plan, invest and protect their savings to get ready to retire better. Serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States, Voya is a Fortune 500 company that had $11 billion in revenue in 2015. The company had $452 billion in total assets under management and administration as of Dec. 31, 2015. With a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible one person, one family, one institution at a time Voyas vision is to be Americas Retirement Company. The company is equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible Voya has been recognized as one of the 2016 Worlds Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, and as one of the Top Green Companies in the U.S., by Newsweek magazine. For more information, visit voya.com or view the companys 2014 annual report. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook and Twitter @Voya. About Voya Foundation Voya Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life in communities where Voya Financial operates and its employees and customers live. Voya Foundation provides grants and establishes signature partnerships in the areas of financial literacy and children's education and fosters employee engagement to deepen our positive impact on the community. For more information, visit http://www.voyafoundation.com. Media Contacts: Andrew Carter Finsbury 646-805-2086 andrew.carter(at)finsbury(dot)com Steven Appel Working in Support of Education (W!se) 212-421-2700 Sappel(at)wise-ny(dot)org Nicole Vasile Voya Financial 860-839-1589 Nicole.Vasile(at)voya(dot)com Andrew Salisbury Consumers who are concerned about health and food safety, as well as protecting the environment, need to prioritize selecting organic coffee. - Andrew Salisbury EWGs 2018 Dirty Dozen is an important tool for consumers seeking to decrease their exposure to dangerous pesticides in the food they buy. Purity Coffee, the only coffee crafted specifically for health, seeks to educate consumers that the coffee they drink every morning may be dirtier than anything on the list. The number of pesticides sprayed on coffee far exceeds those used on the fruits and vegetables listed in the EWG 2018 Dirty Dozen and coffee is consumed in greater volumes every day than any of the twelve varieties of produce on the list. Andrew Salisbury, an expert on issues surrounding coffee and health, and Co-founder of Purity Coffee stated, EWGs criteria for judging coffee mostly focuses on caffeine content, overlooking coffees major pesticide problem. To support their mission statement and to protect the millions of consumers who drink coffee everyday, Purity Coffee would encourage a deeper dive into the risks of pesticide-contaminated coffee. Countries of origin are responsible for regulating their own chemical usage and the United States does not test or regulate the amount of residual pesticides found on imported coffee. This leaves consumers vulnerable to a number of both known and unknown substances, including chemicals that have been banned from use in American agriculture. Of all coffees worldwide, the World of Organic Agriculture 2016 reported only 8.5% are certified organic while the other 91.5% are heavily treated with pesticides, synthetic herbicides, and other chemicals. And the number of pesticides used around the world continues to grow. Brazil, the world's leading coffee-growing region, has increased its usage almost 800% from levels reported in 1990. Andrew Salisbury continued, Consumers who are concerned about health and food safety, as well as protecting the environment, need to prioritize selecting organic coffee. Sources: EWGs 2018 Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce, April 10, 2018, https://www.ewg.org/release/out-now-ewg-s-2018-shopper-s-guide-pesticides-produce#.WtC8L9PwYlU The World of Organic Agriculture 2018, http://www.organic-world.net/yearbook/yearbook-2018/pdf.html Food and Agriculture Organization FAO Stat, Pesticide Use, Brazil 1990-2015, Retrieved April 13, 2018, http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RP/visualize Purity Coffee was started in 2015 by Andrew Salisbury and Missy and Jon Butcher. The Purity Coffee mission is to craft a coffee that is specifically optimized for health. Purity Coffee only sources organic, specialty grade Arabica coffee beans, tested to be free of mold, yeast, mycotoxins and pesticides. Purity Coffees antioxidant-rich beans are independently lab-tested to have 2x-10x times more antioxidants than other brands. For interviews with founder Andrew Salisbury Contact: Erin Berrios erin(at)PurityCoffee(dot)com 323-393-3746 http://www.puritycoffee.com http://www.facebook.com/mypuritycoffee http://www.twitter.com/purity_coffee http://www.instagram.com/purity_coffee We are very proud to welcome Rich to New Fed Mortgage Rich started his mortgage career over 21 year ago and has used his expertise in mortgage lending to offer his customers reliable personalized and professional service. He strategizes with each of his clients to structure the perfect loan program that is specific to their needs and is knowledgeable to understand that each mortgage loan scenario is different. Rich prides himself on exceptional customer service. His clients have access to contact him at all times of the day, night or weekends and his philosophy is that he will always make time for his clients through every step of the process. He understands the importance of closing transactions on time, if not early, and does what it takes to get things done. He truly cares about his clients needs and consistently receives recommendations and referrals from satisfied past clients. Rich is a native of Massachusetts, has a Bachelors Degree in Business Management from Merrimack College, and has worked for several large regional and national lenders prior to joining New Fed Mortgage. He resides in Dracut with his wife and two children. President and CEO Brian DAmico commented, We are very proud to welcome Rich to New Fed Mortgage. He is an accomplished mortgage industry professional who is passionate about providing quality fast service and will complement our mortgage origination team in Massachusetts and New Hampshire . New Fed Mortgage, locally based in Massachusetts has specialized in residential mortgage lending since 2001. Licensed in seven states, New Fed offers a multitude of mortgage programs, including Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Mass and New Hampshire Housing along with access to a wide array of specialty portfolio programs. To contact Rich Garofalo, he can be reached by cell phone at 781-910-8345 or by email at rich(at)newfed(dot)com or visiting at the New Fed Mortgage website http://www.newfed.com The concept of Insights on Demand and collaborating with like-minded professionals to navigate the consumer insights landscape together was very compelling. Our hope is to unearth best practices that helps move us forward individually and as an entire industry. ITWP, parent holding-company of Toluna and Harris Interactive Europe, today announced significant growth and momentum of the Insights on Demand Consortium it established in January 2018 to reshape the market research industry. Since the consortiums founding, consumer insights and marketing professionals representing some of the worlds most recognized consumer brands across diverse industries and geographies have joined. The consortiums core mission to evolve, refine, and promote new ways of understanding consumers has sparked widespread interest, as market research sits at a critical crossroads. Since its founding, the consortium has grown rapidly to include brands and agencies: Abbott, Amazon, Audible, Clorox, Estee Lauder, GlaxoSmithKline, Heineken, LOreal, Masteclass, Mindshare, Mintel, McMillan, Morgan Stanley, Natures Way, Nestle, Nike, Nordstrom, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Purina, Royal Bank of Scotland, Schroders, Simmons, Sky, Sony, Tetra Pak, W2O Group, and more. A list of current members can be found here https://www.insightsondemand.org/consortium-members/. "As market researchers in today's fast-moving digital economy, we face a lot of challenges from measuring the ROI of research, to generating actionable insights with data. The concept of Insights on Demand and collaborating with like-minded professionals to navigate the consumer insights landscape together was very compelling. Our hope is to unearth best practices that helps move us forward individually and as an entire industry," said Terence Jacinto Market Research Manager - Sony Electronics North America Marketing Strategy & Innovation The consortium held its first official meeting on March 1 to establish objectives and share opinions, experiences, and challenges with fellow members. ITWP Group CEO Frederic-Charles Petit presented the vision for the consortium to more than 30 attending members. Mark Uttley, Group Strategy Director at AKQA then presented four core discussion topics that the group will focus on including: Agility & Speed: Companies today are increasingly moving towards a fast, iterative test and learn approach. Traditional marketer research is often too slow for todays market reality. The industry needs to become more agile, iterative and nimble when it comes to consumer insights. Big Data & Data Science: There are questions about whether big data and data science will make market research obsolete, or empower a vibrant new era for the industry. There are many important things that the market research industry can learn from the world of big data and what the researcher of the future looks like. Market Research vs. Customer Experience: Understanding the holistic customer experience is more important than ever. The market research industry needs to adapt as gathering customer journey data touches many roles and functions in a company, not just research. Automation: Research tools are becoming increasingly automated. There are many opportunities for the market research industry to adapt to a world where clients increasingly want automated, on demand data and insights services, as well as concerns about what the industry will lose with increased automation. The group further explored and discussed these topics in depth at the official consortium launch dinner on March 28 in London. Every industry eventually faces the disruptive force of innovation, so its no surprise especially in an age of intense technology advancement that market research is being forced into a rapid rate of change, said Mark Uttley, Group Strategy Director at AKQA. Agility, big data, customer experience, and automation are all major factors driving this change in market research, and its exciting to be part of a group thats committed to exploring ways that we can all adapt to these new market realities. Commenting on the consortiums great momentum, Frederic-Charles Petit, CEO of ITWP Group said, The interest and participation in the consortium has been positively overwhelming so far. Our first meeting was a great success with lots of positive energy and camaraderie amongst members. I see a lot of runway ahead as we work to tackle issues that will help shape the future of consumer insights and market research in a way that benefits the members of this group and the industry at large. If youre interested in learning more about Insights on Demand, contact info@insightsondemand.org. About Insights on Demand Insights on Demand is a transformational market category based on business needs for fully integrated approaches to understanding constantly shifting consumer sentiment and taste. This democratized vision for market research makes insights into consumer intent accessible and achievable for all business professionals in companies of all sizes. Insights on Demand promotes the tight integration between technology and companies to provide iterative real-time insights that reflect constantly shifting market sentiment. ITWP, parent company of Toluna and Harris Interactive launched Insights on Demand in November, 2017. This release marks the launch of an industry-wide member consortium. For more information about Insights on Demand, or to join the consortium visit http://www.insightsondemand.org. Siemplify wins 2018 InfoSec Award for Cutting Edge Incident Response solution. Siemplify is committed to delivering solutions that enable security teams to improve their incident response processes. Siemplify, the leading innovator in security orchestration, automation and incident response today announced that it has received the 2018 InfoSec Award for cutting edge provider of incident response solutions. The InfoSec Awards recognize the top 200 information security products and services known for their commitment to innovation. Selected from among more than 3,000 entrants, Siemplify was recognized for its unique security operations workbench that combines security orchestration and automation to power faster, more effective incident response processes for enterprises and MSSPs around the world. The Siemplify platform triples analyst productivity and reduces mean time to respond by 70% by automating data gathering and other repetitive tasks while bringing together disparate security technologies. We are proud to be recognized as a leader by Cyber Defense Magazine, said Nimmy Reichenberg, CMO, Siemplify. Security operations teams face more threats while being more resource constrained than ever. Siemplify is committed to delivering solutions that enable them to get the most from their security tools, better understand the context around cyberthreats and improve their incident response processes. An evolving threat landscape demands an innovative approach, said Pierlugi Paganini, Editor-in-Chief, Cyber Defense Magazine. We are proud to see companies like Siemplify leading the way to help security teams succeed in identifying and responding to cyberthreats. About Siemplify Siemplify provides a holistic security operations platform that empowers security analysts to work smarter and respond faster. Siemplify uniquely combines security orchestration and automation with patented contextual investigation and case management to deliver intuitive, consistent and measurable security operations processes. Leading enterprises and MSSPs leverage Siemplify as their SOC workbench, tripling analyst productivity by automating repetitive tasks and bringing together disparate security technologies. Founded by Israeli Defense Forces security operations experts, Siemplify is headquartered in New York with offices in Tel Aviv. http://www.siemplify.co About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 1.2 Million annual readers and growing, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and limited print editions exclusively for the RSA conferences and our paid subscribers. Learn more about us at http://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Dirk De Bock wanted to create or make new stories repeatedly. So he started writing poetrynot just a few lines, but in a way that nobody else does it, a whole page with a completely new story. He returns to the publishing scene with his sixth book of poetry, Stay Strong (published by Xlibris UK). The poetry collection shares a combination of 50 poems in English, plus one in French at the end of the book. These poems describe situations that happened and continue to happen all over the world today. Every poem brings another story, another situation, even another adventure. I have a feeling that the poems in this book are a bit heavier with more fierce language, De Bock says. In every book that I wrote so far, this is my sixth one, I have always put some personal stories in those books. As always, I've tried to put some emotions in these lyrics. Also after reading the poems a few times, people should be able to recognize personal things in these poems and should be able to get a personal view about some of its aspects. Stay Strong By Dirk De Bock Softcover | 6 x 9in | 58 pages | ISBN 9781543488937 E-Book | 58 pages | ISBN 9781543488920 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Dirk De Bock was born in Belgium on Jan. 4, 1958. Stay Strong is his sixth book of poetry. Xlibris Publishing UK, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider dedicated to serving authors throughout the United Kingdom. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles. For more information, visit xlibrispublishing.co.uk or call 0800 056 3182 to receive a free publishing guide. Follow us @XlibrisUK on Twitter for the latest news. The Lynch School of Education is one of the nations leading schools of education, and we are delighted to be working with their faculty to help them meet their institutional goals and academic mission, said John Katzman, CEO of Noodle Partners. Noodle Partners, the nations fastest-growing online higher education provider, today announced a partnership with Boston College's Lynch School of Education (LSOE) to offer masters programs in Curriculum and Instruction, and Educational Leadership, for working professionals. The Lynch School of Education is one of the nations leading schools of education, and we are delighted to be working with their faculty to help them meet their institutional goals and academic mission, said John Katzman, CEO of Noodle Partners. A reimagining of the traditional online program management (OPM) model, Noodle Partners leverages pre-vetted providers and the internal strengths of university partners to create successful online programs. Bringing external expertise in key areas such as digital marketing, student recruitment, instructional design, and student support, Noodle Partners lowers costs while providing best-in-class service and transparency. During 2018-19, LSOE will welcome working professionals to its two online master's programs. The Curriculum and Instruction program prepares educators to re-conceptualize what they teach, how they teach, and where teaching and learning can occur, while the Educational Leadership program is committed to preparing aspiring educational leaders to shape the learning culture and organizational structures in an array of settings. Were excited to work with Noodle Partners, said Stanton Wortham, Dean of the Lynch School of Education. Theyre flexible, innovative, cost-effective and transparent, and they will make a great partner. Boston College and the Lynch School anticipate that our new online programs in education will allow us to reach broader audiences with our distinctive blend of academic excellence and care for students holistic development." Noodle is now building out 20 degree programs with some of the best universities in the world, and the programs are scaling well," said Katzman. "As we continue to perfect our model, there will be a point this year that no reasonable provost or CFO will allow his or her university to sign a decade-long agreement handing tens of thousands from each student to the stockholders of a traditional OPM." About Noodle Partners Founded by a team of education and technology veterans, Noodle Partners creates innovative online and hybrid programs while improving traditional classroom models. Noodle Partners has the capability to work with universities on every aspect of building a certificate or degree program that they choose marketing, student recruitment, enrollment, curriculum design, student engagement, support services, graduate placement, and alumni engagement and provides an exceptionally high level of fit and finish. For more information, please visit: http://www.noodle-partners.com or follow Noodle Partners on Twitter at @NoodlePartners and LinkedIn. About the Lynch School of Education; Transformative Education for a More Just World Boston College's first coeducational school on the Chestnut Hill campus, the School of Education opened in 1952 to 176 freshmen. Today, more that 1,400 undergraduate and graduate students attend LSOE, ranked first among U.S. Catholic schools of education, and 23rd among graduate schools of education by U.S. News & World Report. In 1999, Boston-area philanthropists Carolyn and Peter Lynch contributed more than $10 million to the University; in recognition of that gift, the school was formally named in their honor in November 2000. Media Contact: Alyssa Miller alyssa(at)ammediaworks.com 973-615-1292 This partnership will provide the female employees of Janney with Ellevate Network memberships to support a culture of inclusion, excellence, and continuous advancement. We work with corporations every day to close the gender achievement gap and Janney has shown that they are committed to improving the business environment for women within their firm. Janney Montgomery Scott, a full-service financial services firm, has joined Ellevate Network, the leading network for professional women, in a partnership that supports the professional development of women at Janney. This partnership will work in conjunction with Janneys Womens Interactive Network, which exists to improve the business and professional environment for all at Janney, with an emphasis on the advancement, retention, and recruitment of women. Ellevate Network, known for their high caliber educational content and quality networking opportunities for professional women, will collaborate with Janney to provide the firms female employees with Ellevate Network membership. This membership includes access to Ellevates global events, giving Janney women the high-quality networking and educational opportunities they need to advance their careers. As an organization committed to championing diversity, Janney is actively providing their female employees with the resources to be successful in their careers. Working with some of the most elite corporate leaders in diversity, Ellevate Network has a proven track record of changing business culture from the inside out, and Janney is one of the most recent companies to join these leaders. With over 700 events yearly and over 40 chapters globally, Ellevate Network is committed to giving professional women the tools they need to make a difference in the world, move up the ranks, and provide diverse perspectives to business. We are very pleased to have Janney join us as a new corporate partner of Ellevate Network, said Ellevate Network CEO Kristy Wallace. We work with corporations every day to close the gender achievement gap and Janney has shown that they are committed to improving the business environment for women within their firm. Our missions are very much aligned, and we look forward to working with them to make positive changes for their professional women. About Ellevate Network Ellevate Network is a global network of professional women committed to elevating each other through education, inspiration, and opportunity. Our mission is to close the gender achievement gap in business by providing women with a community to lean on and learn from. About Janney Janney is a full-service, financial services firm committed to helping clients meet their investment, retirement, and business goals. We foster a professional, respectful, and team-oriented culture where each employee can use their talents to thrive and grow with the firm. Our corporate culture rewards both individual and team successes and is the driving force behind building strong, long-lasting client relationships. About the Janney Womens Interactive Network (WIN) The Janney Women's Interactive Network exists to improve the business and professional environment for all at Janney, with an emphasis on the advancement, retention, and recruitment of women at the Firm. Professionals from across Janneys various business lines and corporate departments collaborate to deliver programs in support of womens advancement at the Firm. All Janney employees receive the benefit of access to information and educational resources provided by the Network that support professional development, personal growth and diversity at Janney. StoneGate Senior Living, LLC The launch of the Global Liaison program and expansion of the Central Intake Center ensures patients and their families will have even greater levels of ease and access to the highly-successful programs offered by StoneGate Senior Living's communities. Award-winning senior care and housing company launches white glove patient service resource. In a move to further enhance its award-winning standard of care for Texas seniors, StoneGate Senior Living, LLC announces its Global Liaison program for the Greater Dallas/ Fort Worth region, effective April 19th, 2018. The program delivers a seamless contact point for patients across its myriad of services and programs, ensuring each patient receives even greater levels of coordinated care across its 13 participating facilities. StoneGate Senior Livings communities have earned recognition and awards for their programs serving seniors minds, bodies and spirits, says Angela Norris, RN & StoneGate Senior Living Senior Vice President of Business Development. The launch of our Global Liaison program ensures our patients and their families will have even greater levels of ease and access to the highly-successful programs offered in our network of exceptional skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. The Global Liaison program will ensure that a thorough analysis is conducted for a patient, evaluating their needs and pertinent information, including insurance coverage, prior to admission. The goal of this service is to ensure optimal care quality and customer satisfaction beginning at the time of hospital-to-skilled nursing facility transfer. The Global Liaison team member will discuss ease of access to the StoneGates spectrum of care and lifestyle-enriching programs, including such offerings as the Dining Your Way restaurant-style dining program, which features the option of pre-ordering selected meals; Life Works Wellness, an exhilarating exercise program calibrated to the unique needs of each senior, customized levels of support for each seniors need, property design with a focus on well-being as well as pleasing aesthetics, and a third-party listening program that ensures each family and patients voice can be heard by a neutral, external resource. Participating Texas facilities include: Accel at Willow Bend, located in Plano; Baybrooke Village Care and Rehabilitation Center, McKinney; Emerald Hills Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, North Richland, Garnet Hill Rehabilitation & Skilled Care, Wylie; Lakewest Rehabilitation & Skilled Care, Dallas; Ridgeview Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing, Cleburne; Settlers Ridge Care Center, Celina; The Homestead of Sherman, Sherman; The Plaza at Richardson, Richardson; Town East Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center, Mesquite; Villages on MacArthur, Irving; and Williamsburg Village Healthcare Campus, DeSoto. (Simpson Place, Dallas Coming Summer 2018) In addition to the Global Liaison program, StoneGate is expanding its Central Intake Center (CIC). The CIC's mission is to streamline the process of incoming medical referrals, assessing which communities would be a good fit for a patient and whether those buildings have the availability to support the coordinated patient care between hospitals and post-acute care. The CIC also validates health insurance benefits and secures prior authorizations from managed care organizations when necessary. The CIC will work in tandem with the Global Liaisons. The CIC, which first launched in all Dallas/Fort Worth locations in September 2017, will now coordinate medical referrals to Houstons Pathways Memory Care and Villa Toscana at Cypress Woods, and College Stations Accel at College Station. Longviews Treviso Transitional Care is also included in the expansion. The centralized referral system is aimed at ensuring the continuity of patient care and expediting admissions for the medical care community. Located in StoneGate Senior Livings headquarters in Lewisville, Texas, CIC is a free service available to patients, families, and medical professionals seeking post-acute short-term placement in a skilled nursing & rehabilitation center or long-term care in a nursing home. The CICs referral service can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 833-EZ-ADMIT (833-392-3648). About StoneGate Senior Living, LLC StoneGate Senior Living, LLC provides support services to senior living and care properties that offer skilled health care, assisted living, memory support and independent living locations in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas. Founded and led by a team of senior living industry veterans, StoneGate understands that careful attention to customer expectations is vital to the success of a senior living and care community. Learn more at http://www.stonegatesl.com/. This event spotlights New Jersey's successful food community and the leaders like David who are driving the industry forward." NJBIZ, New Jersey's leading business journal, will welcome world-renowned Chef David Burke as the keynote speaker for its upcoming FoodBizNJ event being held on April 24th at the Palace at Somerset Park. Burke, a leading pioneer in American cooking, will join hundreds of local food and beverage companies, entrepreneurs and vendors from the region to spotlight the growing food economy in New Jersey. FoodBizNJ brings together leaders from New Jerseys food and beverage community for a day of informational sessions, tastings and networking opportunities designed to grow and promote their businesses. The events full-day program features discussions on restaurant and beverage trends, franchising, regulatory and workforce issues, and branding, among others. Speakers for the event include Paul Dillon, Associate Dean, Business, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Hudson County Community College; Adam Torine, Executive Vice President of Development, Villa Restaurant Group; Marilou Halvorsen, President, NJ Restaurant & Hospitality Association and Jeanne Cretella, President, Landmark Hospitality. New Jersey is at the forefront of the food and beverage revolution with some of the nations hottest chefs, entrepreneurs and companies calling our state home, said Ken Kiczales, publisher of NJBIZ. This event spotlights New Jersey successful food community and the leaders like David who are driving the industry forward. Were excited to host these talented business leaders at the fourth installment of our FoodBizNJ series and look forward to a tasty day of food, drinks, discussions and networking. Attendees will have a chance to experience some of New Jerseys most talked about food, beverages and restaurants. More than 20 local vendors including bakeries, breweries, meat producers, wineries, and specialty product companies will be on hand providing samples and tastings to FoodBizNJ attendees. For the full event agenda, speaker lineup and to register, please visit: https://foodbiznj.com/ To sponsor FoodBizNJ, please contact Damon Riccio at driccio(at)njbiz(dot)com or 732-246-5715. About NJBIZ NJBIZ, New Jersey's leading business journal, produces a weekly print edition with a circulation of more than 15,000 copies, as well as providing 24/7 business news coverage through its NJBIZ.com website and multiple daily e-newsletters. The publication, founded in 1987 and based in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, is also well-known throughout the state for its events honoring New Jerseys top business professionals. It is owned by BridgeTower Media, the leading provider of business-to-business information, research and marketing solutions across more than 20 local economies in the U.S. Kelly Dobbs Bunting of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP will be moderating a panel at the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of International Laws Mid-Year Meeting, April 18, in New York City. Bunting will be moderating the panel, Fire at Will? Not so Fast: A Global Guide to Employment Compliance. The panel includes attorneys from India, the EU, Africa, and Central America who will discuss the challenges that U.S.-based companies face when laying-off or firing employees overseas. They will review global laws that U.S.-based companies need to be aware of, common mistakes U.S. companies make when they are expanding and hiring employees overseas, as well as best practices for determining compliance with global employment-related laws. Bunting is co-chair of the firms Labor & Employment Practices Workforce Compliance & Regulatory Enforcement Group. She advises multinational clients on workplace policies, best practices, internal investigations cross-border issues and employment-related FCPA/anti-corruption law compliance. In addition, she drafts and negotiates national and international employment agreements, secondment agreements, and settlement and severance agreements. About Greenberg Traurigs Labor & Employment Practice Greenberg Traurigs Global Labor & Employment Practice serves clients from offices throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Members of the practice have had numerous trial wins and are frequently called upon to handle complex, bet-the-company, and large high-stake cases, including class and collective actions. On the labor side, a leading group of lawyers regularly represents management with labor-relations matters. Labor & Employment team members assist clients with complex employment issues, and design practical, proactive strategies that can be readily implemented by todays human resources professionals. The practice has been recognized by Law360 as Practice Group of the Year for Labor & Employment (2011 and 2013), and has received a regional award from American Lawyer affiliate, Daily Report, for Litigation Department of the Year in Georgia (Labor & Employment 2015 and 2017). In addition, the practice is recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the areas of Labor and Employment Litigation, Labor-Management Relations, ERISA Litigation, and Trade Secrets Litigation. Visit Greenberg Traurigs Labor & Employment Blog for insights and analysis of the latest labor and employment developments, including legislation, regulations, cases, policies, and trends. 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. HOUSTON, Texas, April 17th, 2018, Cala Corporation makes the following correction to its March 14, 2018, announcement regarding a construction agreement with Cosco Dalian Shipyard. More accurately, Cala and Cosco Dalian Shipyard have executed two letters of intent, with one reissued after the expiration of the first, setting out the details of the agreement. The Company and Cosco Dalian Shipyard have exchanged a draft construction contract that will be fully executed when the project is funded. The last letter of intent expired on 3-30-18, and a new one has not been signed as of today's date. Contacts: Joe Cala, 713.380.5147 CEO, Cala Corporation Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Ri Sol Ju, the wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has been upgraded from "comrade" to "revered first lady" in a potential bid to create a cult of personality around her. State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Ri attended a ballet performance by the visiting National Ballet of China on Saturday. In the report, Ri was referred to as the "revered first lady," or "respected first lady," along with a special verb ending which reinforced her honor. Peter Ward, a writer for NK News, tweeted that the upgraded term is usually reserved for North Korea's supreme leaders. While the KCNA article listed other high-ranking regime members who attended the performance including military official Choe Ryong Hae, national intelligence head Kim Yong Chol, and Kim's sister and head of propaganda Kim Yo Jong they were reportedly given the designation "comrades," signifying a lower status than Ri. According to UPI, the designation of Ri as a "first lady" may be part of an attempt to present North Korea as a "normal state" that has a traditional "first couple." During a meeting between Kim and a South Korean envoy in March, Asahi Shimbun reported that Ri referred to Kim as "my husband," marking a major shift in language deliberately potentially used to normalize the relationship between the leader and his wife. While very little is known about the Ri, she was officially identified as Kim Jong Un's wife in state media in 2012. She has made few public appearances in the past, but was praised for her fashion sense during her surprise visit to China with Kim. South Korean intelligence reports believe her to be 28 and a mother to three children, however the North Korea's secretive government has not confirmed that information. Massive missile strikes conducted by US, UK, and French air and naval assets on Friday hit three targets that were allegedly related to the Syrian government's chemical weapons program. The strikes appear to have been largely successful. US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff, described the operation as "precise, overwhelming, effective," and said that it "significantly crippled" the Syrian government's chemical weapons capabilities. In all, 105 weapons struck the Barzah Research and Development Center outside of Damascus, the Him Shinshar bunker, and a storage site near Homs. "Taken together these attacks on multiple axes were able to overwhelm the Syrian air defense systems," he said. McKenzie also said that Syrian air defenses fired up to 40 surface-to-air missiles "without guidance," and that they were "largely ineffective" as they had not managed to shoot down any US aircraft or prevent the intended targets from being destroyed. Often overlooked in the assessment of the operation is the fact that two new weapons, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range, known as the JASSM-ER, and the Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine both made their combat debuts during the operation and appear to have performed perfectly. The JASSM kept bombers out of Syrian airspace The JASSM is a standoff air-launched cruise missile made by Lockheed Martin. It is usually dropped from a bomber like a B-1B Lancer or B-2 Spirit, but can also be carried by F-15s and F-16s. Its standoff capability enables it to be launched well away from its target, meaning its carrying vehicle may not even need to enter hostile airspace. This appears to be what happened in Syria, as Air Force spokesman Lt. Col Damien Pickart told Military.com that the B-1B was able to "launch stand-off weapons from outside Syrian airspace." The JASSM has a range of 200-500 nautical miles, a 1,000 pound penetrator/blast fragmentation warhead that can strike within 10 feet of its target, and a stealthy airframe that, in Lockheed Martin's words, make it "extremely difficult to defeat." The missile has been in service since 2009, and at least 2,000 of them were delivered to the US Air Force. They are also in service with Australia, Finland, and Poland. A total of 19 JASSMs were launched from B-1 bombers on Friday, all of which struck the Barzah Research Center. The bombers flew from the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with an escort of EA-6B Prowlers that are designed for electronic warfare. The Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine is one of the quietest submarines in service Made by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries, the Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine is one of the newest classes of submarines in the US Navy, and is considered by some to be one of the quietest submarines in service. It has 12 vertical launch missile tubes that can fire 16 Tomahawk submarine-launched cruise missiles, as well as four 533mm torpedo tubes. A Virginia-class submarine, the USS John Warner, was one of four US Navy vessels that took part in Friday's operation, firing six Tomahawks. The other vessels were the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Monterey, and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Higgins and USS Laboon. USS Laboon and USS Monterey fired 37 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the Red Sea, while USS Higgins fired 23 from the Persian Gulf. The Warner was notably the only US Navy vessel firing weapons from the Mediterranean Sea, where Russia reportedly has a considerable naval presence. Before the strike, a former Russian navy admiral said the Russian navy would sink the USS Donald Cook, a guided-missile destroyer in the Mediterranean, if it carries out a strike on Syria. In the end, the Cook didn't fire, and the Warner, a submarine, fired missiles while submerged, presenting a much more difficult target than a destroyer on the surface. Norway's government may ask the US to extend a Marine Corps deployment in the country, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide told Reuters. "We are currently in a phase where we are discussing different options, but I think from our point of view it has been very useful and very successful," she said. Contingents of about 300 Marines from various units have been stationed in Norway for six-month deployments. The first rotational force arrived at Vaernes in central Norway in January 2017 the first time a foreign force was stationed on Norwegian soil since World War II (though Norway and the Marine Corps have managed weapons and equipment stored in caves there since the Cold War). The deployment has already been extended, with the initial rotational force being replaced by another in August 2017. The roughly 330 Marines in the country are now scheduled to stay until the end of the year. Marines in Norway have focused on cold-weather training, doing exercises with Norwegians and other partner forces. Some of those exercises have taken place near Norway's border with Russia, which has criticized the Marines' presence in Norway. Russia's embassy in Norway told Reuters that extending the Marines' presence would worsen Norway's relations with Moscow and could raise tensions on NATO's northern boundary. "The Americans have been very happy with how things have played out," Soereide said. "They do see after many years where they had a lack of winter training and expertise of wintry conditions ... they are now, to a larger extent, able to deal with the cold." Norwegian Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen said in March that the US was interested in continuing the deployment and that his government hoped to make a decision on it in the coming months. The Pentagon "would like to extend the [deployment] and they would like to see whether we could increase," he told Defense News during a visit to Washington. "We will look into it and give them an answer in, before the summer ... that's my ambition." A big-ass fight The Norway deployments are part of efforts across the US military to increase training for cold-weather operations. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller said in January that US forces "haven't been in the cold-weather business for a while." "Some of the risks and threats there," he said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "There is a possibility we are going to be there." During a visit with Marines stationed in Norway at the end of 2017, Neller was more blunt in his assessment. Telling Marines in the country to remain ready to fight at all times, he said he foresaw a "big-ass fight" on the horizon, according to Military.com. "I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming," Neller said. "You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence." Neller added that he believed the US military's focus would shift away from the Middle East in the coming years, with the Marines in particular focusing on the Pacific and Russia. Norway is one of many countries that have expressed concern about an increasingly assertive Russia, especially in the years since the Russian occupation of Crimea. Norwegian military officials have publicly discussed ways to counter Russian armor apparently "breaking a taboo among Western military officials" by doing so. And Oslo has sought to boost its military spending. In 2017, Norway decided to buy five P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft, bringing it closer to the US and the UK, with whom it maintained a surveillance network over the North Atlantic during the Cold War. Norway has also teamed up with Germany to buy new submarines. In November, Oslo accepted three F-35 fighters, the first to be permanently stationed there. Concerns about Russia military action as well as the potential for US retreat from the NATO alliance have boosted political support for Norway's increased defense spending, but opposition leaders have still criticized the way it's been financed and questioned what role US troops will have. Nigerian e-commerce brand, Konga, will be retaining its name as the official merger with Yudala kicks off on May 1, 2018. The brand, which tags itself Nigerias largest online mall, will now operate an online and offline business in association with Yudala. Though it was widely reported that Yudala acquired Konga with the help of Zinox Group, Yudalas CEO, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, noted that the new Konga is an operational merger where both companies combine their operations to improve synergy. Also, the new Konga will operate with dual CEOs in the persons of Nick Imudia, who will be in charge of online operations, and Prince Nnamdi Ekeh who will be responsible for offline operations. According to official statements from Konga, both companies will leverage on the combined strengths of their e-commerce platforms to further broaden the scope of organized retail and e-commerce in Nigeria. Speaking on the operational merger, Kongas chairman, Olusiji Ijogun, said, Combining forces to power the new Konga will enable us effectively achieve our goals of platform expansion and accelerated growth, as we embark on an ambitious journey to redefine the retail ecosystem with the industrys most advanced technology. Who gains most from the new Konga? Despite the report that Yudala acquired Konga with the help of Zinox Group, Yudala and Konga are yet to reveal the company with the bigger stake after the merger. This leaves us wondering who gains most from the new Konga and what will be the vision for the new Konga. According to Kongas ex-executive, Ifeanyi Abraham, Leo Stan Ekeh and his Zinox Group will be smiling and content with the achievement of Yudala. Abraham went further to say with the right team, the e-commerce in Nigeria and Africa stand the chance to gain so much as this operational merger might be the platform to give Alibaba a run for its money from Africa. Yudala, haven kicked off with a mandate of 150 stores in the first 18 months of operations and 512 shops in Nigerias local government councils within three years, already has a strong offline presence. Konga, on the other hand, has a bigger name and more online competence. It should also be noted that Konga, before the merger, had a partnership with Nipost (Nigerian Postal Service) that saw Konga leverage upon the postal services establish logistics network. Nipost has about 5,000 locations nationwide. KongaPays huge potential One of Kongas biggest assets is KongaPay, its mobile money platform. This merger will see the product ride on Yudalas shoulders nationwide, providing it the potential to compete on a larger scale. Their response comes after Patapaa and her fans dragged the event company in the mud for awarding the "Song of the Year" award to Fancy Gadam and claimed they were financially influenced. George Quaye, the Head of Communication at Charter House, dismissed claims that the organisers were financially induced in the award of the "Song of the Year" category. George Quaye, reacting to Patapaas allegations, told Class FM on Monday, 16 April, that the allegations were untrue. He told show host Moro Awudu that: It is unfortunate for Patapaa to suggest that there have been some kind of financial influence, that who influenced who? That the person influenced the public or the person influenced the academy or the person influenced the board because I dont know who on the board anybody can influence, its not possible. READ MORE: Patapaa storms out of 2018 VGMA after losing out to Fancy Gadam So at which point did who influence who? The only way you can influence the public is to probably buy credit for people to vote for you, that is about the only way you can influence anyone but aside that, I dont know. Abdul Rashid Mohammed was arrested by the Police after being spotted in a military uniform at the Peduase Lodge at Aburi. Mohammed was picked up by a Police patrol team after his movements at the Peduase Lodge raised suspicions. According to the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, the suspect confessed after being arrested that he is not a military man. A team of officers from Accra assisted the guard duty men at the Peduase Lodge and arrested one suspect Abdul Rashid Mohammed, aged 20, was dressed in full military uniform. They reported that the suspect was seen at the Peduase Lodge and was arrested on suspicion. After that, he was handed to the Aburi police, and on interrogation, he admitted impersonating a soldier, ASP Tetteh said, adding that the suspect will soon be processed for court. The suspect revealed that the uniform was given to him by one Sowa. Further reports suggest that Sowa and the other six accomplices later reported themselves to the Police after learning about the fate of their colleague. This is not the first time that a case of impersonating a military official has been recorded in the country. Earlier in January, a 27-year-old man, Prince Ferguson Essel, was detained for impersonating a military officer and duping residents at Nsawam. According to a report by Starr News, the fire officer lived a Sawla but came to Damango to visit his farm during the weekend. However, he did not return home which led to some worried locals mounting a search for him in the area. Information from the Police indicate that the victim was found dead a few miles away from his farm, having been shot many times. He was shot several times in the chest and chin, which has led to suspicions of an armed robbery attack. Surprisingly, the victims motorbike, mobile phone and other belongings were found to be intact and untouched. The Police are yet to make any arrests, but have confirmed that investigations are still ongoing to ascertain the true cause of the death. In an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, the Central Regional Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Police, ASP Irene Serwah Oppong said Daniel Essel was transporting the children in a Hyundai Grace with registration number GW 6076-17 from Ekumfi Arkrah. She narrated that they (the patrol team) stopped the car and they interviewed the driver but then they were not convinced with the answers coming from the driver, so they referred the driver, the car and the children to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service in the Central Region. The children aged between 2 and 17 years include 12 girls and 9 boys are currently in a shelter as the police investigate the matter. ASP Oppong said some of the parents came to the police in the evening to identify their children. She encouraged the parents to help the Ghana Police Service fight child trafficking in the region. A scheduled meeting has been arranged to take place from Monday to Friday on the theme Towards a Common Future. This is expected to afford the heads of government the opportunity to address the shared global challenges we face, and agree actions on how to create a better future for all. President Akufo-Addo is also expected to hold further talks with the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Boris Johnson; the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Jeremy Corbyn; the Mayor of London, Mr Sadiq Khan; and the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, as part of the visit. He would then deliver the keynote address at the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce Investment Summit, speak at the Malaria Summit hosted by Bill Gates, and attend the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council of Business Forum, a statement from the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said. The statement further stated that President Akufo-Addo is lined up to deliver a keynote address at the London School of Economics Africa Summit on. His speech will be centred on the theme Africa at Work: Educated, Employed and Empowered. Joining the President on the trip are First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayokor-Botchway; the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanten; Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba; the Minister for Business Development, Mt Mohammed Ibrahim Awal and other officials. The report did not say if they discussed the North Korean dictators upcoming summits with President Donald Trump and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea to defuse a standoff over the Norths development of nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles. The warm reception was a reciprocal gesture. Last month, when Kim visited China to meet with President Xi Jinping on his first trip abroad as North Koreas leader, it was Song who greeted him on the border and accompanied him in his special train to Beijing. That surprise visit by the secretive Kim was apparently an effort to improve ties with China, which had also cooled over the Norths weapons programs, before the summits. Kims friendly welcome also contrasted with the reception that Song received the last time he visited North Korea, as a special envoy of Xi in November. At that time, Kim refused to meet him and launched an intercontinental ballistic missile several days later. This time, Beijing sent Song and an art troupe to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, to attend an international art festival. On Saturday, Kim expressed satisfaction with improving ties between the two parties and nations, the North Korean news agency said. He voiced a need to elevate the traditional friendship to a new level of development meeting new demands of the times. Ties between China and North Korea had become strained in recent years, as Kim conducted a series of nuclear and missile tests and Beijing voted for increasingly harsh U.N. sanctions designed to squeeze the North to stop. The sanctions banned all major North Korean exports, such as coal, iron ore, textiles and seafood. Those sanctions have hit the isolated North hard, as China accounts for more than 90 percent of North Koreas external trade. Until recently, Kim had refused to enter any talks on ending his nuclear weapons program. Instead, he accelerated his missile and nuclear tests after taking power in 2011, and declared in this years New Years Day speech that the North had achieved its goal of developing a nuclear deterrent. Since then, he has suddenly shifted toward dialogue. He agreed to meet with Moon on the inter-Korean border on April 27. Trump has also accepted Kims invitation to a summit, agreeing to meet him in May or early June. Kim said he was willing to discuss denuclearizing if certain conditions, such as security guarantees for his regime, are met. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Trump characterized it as the beginning of a sustained effort to force Assad to stop using banned weapons but only ordered a limited one-night operation that hit three targets. These are not the actions of a man, Trump said of last weekends attack in a televised address from the White House Diplomatic Room. They are crimes of a monster instead. Shortly after the attack, the Syrian presidency posted on Twitter, Honorable souls cannot be humiliated. The strikes risked pulling the United States deeper into the complex, multisided war in Syria and raised the possibility of confrontation with Russia and Iran, both of which were supporting Assad with military forces. Within 90 minutes, the Russian ambassador to the United States warned of consequences for the allied attacks. While Trump vowed as recently as last week to pull U.S. troops out of Syria, he said he would remain committed to the goal of preventing further chemical attacks. We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents, Trump said. But Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who had urged caution in White House deliberations leading up to the strike, told reporters Friday night that there would be no more attacks unless Assad again used gas on his own people. We confined it to the chemical weapons-type targets, Mattis said. We were not out to expand this; we were very precise and proportionate. But at the same time, it was a heavy strike. The assault was twice the size and hit two more targets than a strike Trump ordered last year against a Syrian military airfield. Launched from warplanes and naval destroyers, the burst of missiles and bombs struck Syria shortly after 4 a.m. local time Saturday. They hit three of Assads chemical weapons facilities: a scientific research center in greater Damascus that was used for production of weapons, and two chemical weapons facilities west of Homs one used for the production of the nerve agent sarin and the other a part of a military command post, said Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Residents of Damascus, the capital, woke to the sounds of multiple explosions shaking the city before the dawn call to prayer. Syrian state television said government air defense systems were responding to the American aggression and aired video of missiles being fired into a night sky. It reported that 13 missiles had been shot down by Syrian air defenses near Al-Kiswa, a town south of Damascus. U.S. officials said they could not yet confirm that. Trump called on Syrias patrons in Russia and Iran to force Assad to halt the use of poison gas in the seven-year civil war that has wracked his country. To Iran and to Russia I ask: What kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women and children? he said. The nations of the world can be judged by the friends they keep. No nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants and murderous dictators. Russia responded with sharp words. We warned that such actions will not be left without consequences, Anatoly Antonov, the ambassador to the United States, said in a statement. All responsibility for them rests with Washington, London and Paris. Taking umbrage at Trumps accusation that President Vladimir Putin was not living up to a promise to disarm Syria of its chemical weapons, Antonov added: Insulting the president of Russia is unacceptable and inadmissible. In choosing to strike, it appeared that Trumps desire to punish Assad for what he called a barbaric act and make good on his tweets promising action this week outweighed his desire to limit the U.S. military involvement in the conflict, at least in the short term. The strikes marked the second time Trump has attacked Syria to punish the government after it was accused of using chemical weapons. The White House had sought to create a response that would be more robust than the attack in April 2017, when the United States fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian air base that was back in use a day later. Unlike last year, France and Britain joined the United States in retaliating for the suspected chemical attack in the town of Douma, outside Damascus, last Saturday, but Germany refused to take part, even though Chancellor Angela Merkel called the use of chemical weapons unacceptable. Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain said Syria had left the allies no choice. This persistent pattern of behavior must be stopped not just to protect innocent people in Syria from the horrific deaths and casualties caused by chemical weapons but also because we cannot allow the erosion of the international norm that prevents the use of these weapons, she said. But she also emphasized the limits of the operations goals, reflecting the reluctance in London as well as Washington to become too immersed in the fratricidal war in Syria. This is not about intervening in a civil war, she said. It is not about regime change. It is about a limited and targeted strike that does not further escalate tensions in the region and that does everything possible to prevent civilian casualties. Defense officials said that Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from at least three U.S. warships, while B-1 bombers dropped long-range missiles on targets. French and British warplanes also fired long-range missiles, while a British submarine launched cruise missiles. Early reaction to the strikes from Capitol Hill appeared to break down along party lines, with Republicans expressing support for the president and Democrats questioning whether Trump has a well-thought-out strategy for what happens after the military action is over. President Trumps decision to launch airstrikes against the Syrian government without Congress approval is illegal and absent a broader strategy its reckless, said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who has long argued that presidents should request permission from Congress before taking military action. Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the House Democratic leader, said that one night of airstrikes is not a substitute for a clear, comprehensive Syria strategy. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the House Republican majority whip, wrote in a statement: President Trump is right to assert that the Assad regimes evil acts cannot go unanswered. A fact-finding mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was to begin investigating the incident on Saturday in Douma, which had been held by rebels before the suspected attack. The missions job was only to determine whether chemical weapons had been used, not who had used them. Medical and rescue groups have reported that the Syrian military dropped bombs that released chemical substances during an offensive to take the town. A New York Times review of videos of the attacks aftermath, and interviews with residents and medical workers, suggested that Syrian government helicopters dropped canisters giving off some sort of chemical compound that suffocated at least 43 people. At the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the world body, accused the Syrian government of using banned chemical arms at least 50 times since the countrys civil war began in 2011. State Department officials said the United States was still trying to identify the chemical used on April 7. Leaders in Syria, Iran and Russia denied that government forces had used chemical weapons and accused rescue workers and the rebels who had controlled Douma of fabricating the videos to win international sympathy. On Friday, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said images of victims of the purported attack had been staged with Britains direct involvement. He provided no evidence. Karen Pierce, Britains ambassador to the United Nations, called those allegations bizarre and a blatant lie. Mattis had sought to slow down the march to military action as allies compiled evidence of Assads role that would assure the world the strikes were warranted. Mattis also raised concerns that a concerted bombing campaign could escalate into a wider conflict between Russia, Iran and the West. Before the strikes, the United States had mostly stopped aiding Syrias rebels, like those who were in Douma, who want to topple Assads government. The Pentagons most recent efforts in Syria have focused on the fight against Islamic State militants in the countrys east, where it has partnered with a Kurdish-led militia to battle the jihadis. It is the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops there that Trump has said he wants to bring home. In his televised address Friday night, Trump sought to repeat his desire to disentangle the United States from the Middle East at some point. Its a troubled place, he said. We will try to make it better, but it is a troubled place. The United States will be a partner and a friend, but the fate of the region lies in the hands of its own people. Russian forces and Iranian-backed militias also are deployed around Syria to help fight the rebellion including the Islamic State and other extremist groups that has surged against Assad since the conflict started. Last years U.S. attack on Syria came after a chemical attack on the village of Khan Sheikhoun killed scores of people. Trump ordered a cruise missile strike against the Al Shayrat airfield in central Syria, where the attack had originated. The base was damaged but Syrian warplanes were again taking off from there a day later. Still, the response set Trump apart from President Barack Obama, who declined to respond with military force after a chemical weapons attack in August 2013 killed hundreds of people near Damascus, even though Obama had earlier declared the use of such weapons a red line. Obama ultimately backed off a military strike and reached an agreement with Russia to remove Syrias chemical weapons arsenal. That agreement was said to have been carried out, although a series of reported chemical attacks since have raised doubts about its effectiveness. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. The migration took place on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos, Monday, April 16, 2018, after the four companies applied and met the Exchanges listing requirements for the board. Access Bank Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc will be joining Dangote Cement Plc, FBN Holdings Plc, and Zenith International Bank Plc who were migrated to the Premium Board in 2015, bringing the total number of companies on the Board to seven. NSE in a statement said Access Bank, Lafarge, Seplat and UBA passed the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) and have the market capitalisation of N347.12bn, N378.60bn, N391.37bn and N374.48bn respectively. Oscar N. Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, NSE, while commenting said, This migration affirms the strides our listed companies are making towards meeting the highest standards of corporate governance and underpins the robustness of our market. The new companies have consistently demonstrated their inherent values to be globally competitive brands and we congratulate them on the attainment of this migration. Companies on the Board are already enjoying the highest levels of visibility and appeal to investors looking for large companies with highest standards of corporate governance. From inception to date, the Premium Board Index continues to outperform the benchmark NSE ASI with the Premium Board recording a total return of 84.99% versus the NSE ASIs 41.79% as at 11 April 2018. The Premium Boards performance continues to reinforce the sentiments of both foreign and domestic investors on the importance of corporate governance and sustainability, he added. What is NSE Premium Board? The Premium Board is the listing segment for the elite group of issuers that meet the Exchanges most stringent corporate governance and listing standards. The Board is a platform for showcasing companies who are industry leaders in their sectors. Premium Board features companies that adhere to international best practises on corporate governance and meet the Exchanges highest standards of capitalisation and liquidity. The Board gives a company access to a global pool of investors who are focused on companies managed in conformity to the highest standards in their target markets. Requirements for joining NSE Premium Board To be listed on the Premium Board of The NSE, the aspiring companies must attain a minimum market capitalisation of N200bn as at the date of application. A minimum score of 70% on the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS), and maintain a minimum free float of 20% of their issued share capital or a free float value equal to or above N40 billion, as well as meet other standard listing criteria. Recall the NSE Premium Board and the associated Premium Board Index were launched on Tuesday, August 25, 2015. The Nigerian president closed-door meeting with the British Prime Minister was held at 10 Downing Street, on Monday, April 16, 2018. Buhari had fixed meeting with the British PM to discuss Nigeria British relations as part of his 2018 CHOGM in London. The two leaders are also expected to meet on the sideline of events during the Heads of Government meeting. At the end of the meeting, President Buhari thanked Prime Minister May for Britains efforts at the training of the Nigerian Armed forces in fighting Boko Haram, Bashir Ahmad, special assistant on new media to President Buhari said in a tweet on Monday. President Buhari, who travelled to the United Kingdom a week before the commencement of the Commonwealth meetings met with religious leader and the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the Abuja house last week. ALSO READ: Trump invites Nigeria's Buhari to White House to discuss 4 key priority issues The Commonwealth, which kicked off today, Monday, April 16, 2018, in London, is a diverse community of 53 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace. The Commonwealth leaders are expected to reaffirm common values, address the shared global challenges face and agree how to work to create a better future for all citizens, particularly young people. Fresh details have emerged on the court case between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and former Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke over the sale of the Oil Processing Licence 245 known as Malabu oil bloc. The former Minister of Justice had gotten four of his five prayers answered by Justice Binta Nyako at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The Court had ruled that Adoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, could not be held liable for his roles in the Oil Processing Licence 245 transactions. Justice Nyako, while delivering the judgment in the suit marked, FHC /ABJ/ 94/ 446/2017, held that since Adoke only executed the lawful directives/approvals of the then President Goodluck Jonathan, the former minister was free of any liability for his roles in the deal. The judge also resolved all the issues raised for determination in favour of the plaintiff and also dismissed the preliminary objection raised against the suit by the current Attorney General, Abubakar Malami. ALSO READ: 5 things you should about Malabu Oil deal and JP Morgan Not yet uhuru for Adoke While Adoke is happy to have gotten a favourable judgement, the judge refused to grant one of his requests. Justice Nyako refused to grant relief 5 where Adoke prayed for a declaration that his prosecution by the EFCC, on account of his carrying out of the lawful directives and implementation of the approvals of the President while he served as a minister of the government of the federation, is illegal, null and void and inconsistent with the intendment of Section 5 (1) of the Constitution. The judge said the prayer was unnecessary and amounted to an academic exercise in the light of Exhibit 19 (Adokes letter to the Acting Chairman of the EFCC). 'OPL 245 Malabu Oil Field Malabu Oilfield, popularly known as 'OPL 245', is believed to be the richest oil block in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. The oil field is estimated to have over 9 billion barrels of crude oil in the deposit. As a result, it is a choice asset for many multinational oil companies operating in Nigeria. On Wednesday, January 31, 2018, DJ Cuppy announced on Twitter that she has a plan to send 10 people to university this year and that she started the initiative by sending one Akeem Owolabi to study at the University of Lagos. So far, Cuppy has offered free education to three people and all of them were offered admission in UNILAG. In an exclusive interview with Pulse, the billionaire's daughter explained she embarked on a mission to help students and why the University of Lagos is not the only school she is considering ''I pledge to help students this year, I haven't spoken about this yet, but I am excited to announce here on Pulse TV that I am launching a Cuppy Foundation this year and I am very excited about it. ''I pledge this year to send 10 young people to university, I have sent three of them to UNILAG and I am glad to announce that there are other universities I consider. ''Unfortunately, there is a bit of long process in sorting out applications, I am sure you can imagine there are lots of people who reach out for help. So, we have to kind of comb through and look at each scenario, particularly, I am looking at people with disabilities because I think that is very important and for me, education is very important''. DJ Cuppy to launch a foundation to help more people Apart from helping people with disabilities with their university education, DJ Cuppy also said she is willing to give more people more opportunities as she announced that Cuppy Philanthropy Foundation will be launched very soon. ALSO READ: 10 private universities that are not owned by religious institutions Like I said, I have two degrees, I may not be using my two degrees as a DJ but there is something about education. When you educate young persons, you give them confidence and you open their minds. So, I am excited that it is April and I have helped three students, I have seven more to go to reach my pledge by the end of the year. So, wish me luck and look out for the Cuppy Foundation is coming soon. I am really excited to launch that. This year, I added a new leaf to my Cuppy tree, which is philanthropy. I now want to be known as a philanthropist. I am sitting here because someone gave me an opportunity, so it's my responsibility give others an opportunity as well. In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, Koreyo said he was demoted by the school management for eight years. However, investigation shows that a directive was given by the federal government in 2007 asking lecturers to produce additional qualification relevant to the job they do. According to NAN, the 7th Governing Council of the institution also gave Koreyo two years to produce a foreign institution-issued masters degree in Ceramic Science and Engineering or he would be dismissed from service. But Koreyo said the Polytechnic management refused to communicate the information to him in writing, alleging that the management since 2010 had refused to approve his application for staff development opportunity because the Igbo constituted principal officers in the school ALSO READ: 53 candidates sit for Common Entrance Exam in Cotonou The lecturer also said that several communications to the institution variously from the Head of Service of the Federation, Attorney General of the Federation, Servicom and a host of others, on the issue were in his favour for reinstatement. The letter reads in part: I love to continue as citizen of this great nation on earth. But since I do not have the financial power or connection to challenge the rector to obey the Federal Governments directives in my favour, I decided to take this peaceful action. I have decided that the renunciation of my citizenship by birth will be the best way to peacefully end my quest for social justice at the ministry of education and finally resign from Federal Public Service of Nigeria, Ministry of Education reacts Meanwhile, a staff of the ministry of education told NAN, on condition of anonymity, that the ministry was already looking into the matter. According to him, the matter is also before the newly constituted council of the institution. The suspect identified as Emani Kure was arrested by officers of the Abuja Police Command, for allegedly hacking her 40-year-old father, Kusha Kure, to death at their home in Karavan on March 11, 2018. According to the reports, Emani carried out the dastardly act because the deceased had not been in support of her marital plans with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Nasiru Musa. ALSO READ: Father sentenced to death for killing daughter's boyfriend Sunnews reports that Emani and Musa have been dating for about two years. During her interrogation by the police, Emani said: I killed my father because he did not allow me to marry my boyfriend. "My father has beaten me several times, to stop me from marrying Nasiru. Around 3.00am on March 11, my mother told me while we were sleeping outside, to go into my fathers room where he was sleeping. "She said that I should take his cutlass and kill him. I ran to where my father always keeps his cutlass and went to his room. I cut him on the neck with the cutlass while my mother held his leg. "After killing him, I ran away to the house of my friend, Regina. Nasiru did not know that I wanted to kill my father. He was shocked when he heard that I killed my father. The 35-year-old wife of the deceased identified simply as Asabe, however, denied any involvement in the shocking act. She said, ''I went to the Bwari Police Division to report that my husband was killed in his room. "I told the police that I suspected my daughter and her boyfriend. Later the police arrested Nasiru and my daughter. "She confessed to the crime but claimed that I gave her instruction to kill my husband. I was not involved in killing my husband." We hope that justice takes its full course in the case upon the completion of the investigation. May the soul of the departed rest in peace. 19-yr-old boy stabs father to death, vows to kill mother, siblings There was an equally shocking case in 2015 in which a 19-year-old boy identified as Joshua Uzochukwu Ezirim, was arrested by officers of the Anambra State Police Command for allegedly stabbing his father,Sampson Ezirim, to death with a kitchen knife. He is also alleged to have chased and threatened to kill his mother and siblings. ALSO READ: Son kills mum who kept disappearance charm for herself According to reports, the Imo State born, Onitsha based book seller was stabbed by his own sonmore than 30 times following an undisclosed argument. According to the reports, Mohammed who is a primary school dropout, owned and ran a clinic where he reportedly administered intravenous injections to patients as well as collecting blood and urine samples for tests. ALSO READ: Fake doctor arrested for operating illegal hospital in Ogun The state Police Commissioner, Imohimi Edgal, disclosed that Mohammed confessed to buying the drugs from Idumota, Lagos State. Edgal said: Detectives from the Area D Command, Mushin, arrested one Abdulrahman Mohammed, a native of Ran, Borno State, for operating as a medical doctor whereas his education stopped at primary school level. "Further investigation into his activities revealed that he had been administrating intravenous injections, conducting medical test on his patients and taking urine and blood samples from his patients. Instablog9ja reports that Mohammed, however, claimed that the thermometer and other medical gadgets recovered from his shop during the arrest, were used by his patients. I was a hawker. I was hawking drugs before I decided to open a pharmacy. "I did not finish my primary school and I was not taught to sell the drugs. My pharmacy was not licensed. I do not treat people. I do not collect blood or urine samples. I only sell the kits and people come to buy it. "For the thermometer, people used to come and check their temperature and other things by themselves. If someone comes and complained of a headache and fever, I give them Panadol or Boscopan and blood tonic. The suspect will be charged to court upon the completion of further investigation into the case. Fake doctor who operated for 11 years arrested after 2 die in his hospital Similarly, a fake doctor, who had been operating a hospital for over 11 years, Celestine Yolonfun, was arrested by the Lagos State Police Command after two patients lost their lives in his care. The 32-year-old Badagry-born suspect was arrested in the Apapa area of the state where he ran a hospital, "Be Well Hospital" on Liverpool Road, after the husband of a pregnant woman who died in the hospital, reported him to the police. It was gathered that during investigations, the police realised that Yolonfun who dropped out of a Nursing School, had paid someone the sum of N700,000 to obtain fake certificates of the Nigerian Medical Association and the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, with which he has been parading as a qualified doctor. On interrogation, Yolonfun confessed that he was not a qualified doctor. The deceased, Deborah Ifejuwura Olajide, who was running a degree programme in Food Science Technology, at the institution, was knocked down on Thursday, April 12, 2018. Her corpse was discovered by school colleagues according to reports which also revealed that the driver of an unknown vehicle has ran into a FUTA junction speed breaker before killing Olajide who was still in her second year before passing. A picture showed what is believed to be the lifeless body of the deceased covered in a hospital sheet. Final year student reportedly dies in her sleep A final year student of Ebonyi State University (EBSU) has died mysteriously in her sleep. The deceased identified as Doris Chinaza Edeh was a final year student of the Sociology Department of the school. According to reports, Doris was found dead on the morning of Monday, March 26, 2018. Her corpse has now been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre. He reportedly made the confession to his brother according to Punch News. Gyang, who suspected that the mother of the departed encouraged her to pin an unwanted pregnancy on him also threatened to kill his friend, Kelly James, who had earlier tried to convince him against the committing murder but he refused. I had been seeing him and the girl together for over three years now. He is my friend and the two of us are commercial motorcyclists. "On that particular day, I had gone to see his girlfriend, who sold palm wine. After taking palm wine at her shop, I went to my friends house. "When I discovered that he was not at home, I picked the house key where he usually kept it, opened the door and slept off in his room. When he returned home at night, he was not happy that I entered his house without informing him of my visit. "While I was asleep, I heard a knock on the window and he informed me it was his girlfriend, Alice. When I asked him what brought the girl by that time of the night, he said she came to see him. He opened the back door for her and they started having a discussion behind the curtains. He called me outside that the girl had implicated him over a pregnancy which did not belong to him. He insisted that the girls mother asked her to do so. "I told him that since he had accepted the pregnancy and the case was already in the palace of the village chief, he should allow her to be with her parents for now. But he said no, that he was going to deal with the girl by killing her. I advised him against it, warning that if he killed Alice, we would not be friends again. But he refused. I left him outside and went into the room. I started trembling on the bed as I feared the worst. He was talking to the girl and I thought he had decided against killing her. Suddenly, I heard the sound of two legs on the ground, which suggested that she was struggling for life. I stood up and saw that he held the girls neck to the wall; he had strangled her and her eyes were already white. "As I told him to leave the girl, he threatened to kill me if I did not assist him to cover up, says friend James who rides a motorcycle for income. Punch reported that the suspect will be charged to court following a confession. This was confirmed by state police commissioner, Undie Adie, who described the case as "culpable homicide". 300 level student slits girlfriend's throat for refusing to abort Ringim Ismail, a 300-level student of the Jigawa State College of Islamic and Legal Studies, has been arrested by security operatives over the murder of his girlfriend, Salamatu Garba. According to the reports, the 22-year-old student reportedly slit his girlfriend's throat for refusing to terminate the pregnancy she had for him. Premium Times reports that Ismail and the deceased 22-year-old had been dating for over eight years with hopes of getting married. He disclosed that they had attempted to abort the pregnancy at three months but after the attempt failed, Salamatu refused to undergo the process for the second time two months later. During his confession, the suspect said that he decided to kill Salamatu for her refusal. At about 9 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2018, Ismail took Salamatu on a motorcycle to the outskirts of town and used a jackknife to slit her throat. In a video that has since gone viral on social media, Aunt Genny (because who am I to call her by her first name) is seen pulling her moves outside a building in the city of New York. Her shaku-shaku has been described as many things and we cannot help but agree. In the many concerts and parties Ive had the misfortune to attend since shaku-shaku became a thing last year, Ive seen the dance done in different styles and manners. Aunty Gennys Shaku-Shaku is different. It is vegan, to start with; her shaku-shaku only drinks vitamin water when its done having those completely natural meals. It takes yoga classes on Friday and Saturday, after which, it goes out to feed homeless pets and people. On Sundays, it goes out to rural areas and builds eco-friendly houses. In simpler terms, Aunty Gennys Shaku-Shaku has international exposure. It is the perfect cosign for shaku-shaku, a dance which even the street guys dismiss as a street dance. In the last few months, shaku-shaku has gone from Agege to the rest of Nigeria and Nigerians in the diaspora. But everywhere it is done, it is with an air of exotic support; like the people from the city rocking that new cap from your last visit to your hometown. Genevieves dance has elevated the dance to a new level, the one where the most beautiful subjects of our fantasies and people that we adore can dance it anywhere. Someone has decided to bring the story a little closer to home by re-imagining what would happen if Mark Zuckerberg were to testify before the Nigerian National Assembly in the ongoing investigation of the Facebook data breach scandal. Big English. But basically, imagine what would happen if Mark Zuckerberg was Nigerian and after Facebook had done something wrong, like grant private companies (and foreign governments) access to your personal information, he had to appear before Nigerian lawmakers. ALSO READ: You should be worried that Facebook has your contacts and call records Twitter user, Demola (@omogbajabiamila) decided to give us this peep into Nigerian idiocy in a Twitter thread assisted with memes. A night before the testimony, a group of rented crowds from Mpape and Gwagwalada areas of Abuja will be ready on the ground close to the National Assembly holding placards with inscriptions such as Live Mark NsukkaBag Alone, This is Witchhunt, Our Son is Innocent, the first tweet reads. While the offline activism waxes louder, paid online warriors will ensure that the #WeStandWithMark hashtag trends on social media. Like a true son of his father, Mark will enter the National Assembly with moves, panache and half of his hometown dressed for the wrong party behind him. After a quick prayer session and some whispers from senators asking each other what theyre supposed to do with this NsukkaBag person, the session will begin with none other than the ever-trendy meerkat of Kogi, budding musician and Instagram influencer, Senator Dino Melaye. Because Senator Melaye is not about to ask any groundbreaking questions, someone, most likely Senator Ben Murray-Bruce asks Zuckerberg how much Facebook is worth. 64 BILLION DOLLARS, he responds. On hearing this amount, pandemonium ensues in the minds of the senators, as well as our Presidents beloved press aides, who scramble to find a way to link to the coming elections. All sorts of crazy questions follow. While all these was ongoing in the NASS, Governor Yahaya Bello was somewhere in Abuja, hoping to see Mark Zuckerberg & talk him into attending Kogi Investment Summit & of course catch a glimpse of Zarah Buhari one more time., another tweet reads. The shenanigans continue, until Zuckerberg mentions his plan to use Facebook to monitor the 2019 elections so there is no rigging. Deep inside the hallowed chambers, you begin to hear the sound of heartbeats racing, livers cutting and tables falling over each other. News breaks almost immediately that the National Assembly has sponsored a bill to stop Zuckerberg from using Facebook to monitor the 2019 elections. It passes very quickly. After asking irrelevant questions, NASS members bring the successful probe to an end as they troop out in their Agbadas to take group photos with Mark Zuckerberg. Trust Dino Melaye to get a selfie he will use to tension Yahaya Bello. ALSO READ: 5 tips for living a normal life if your father is a corrupt politician Truth or Nah Were certain that if he was Nigerian, appearing before the National Assembly would be the least of Mark Zuckerbergs worries, hed have to deal with entire groups of people gathered in front of his house, with bands singing his familys oriki. What makes Demolas thread of memes all the more realistic is that it is as close to reality as they come. In a series of tweets that seeks to lampoon Nigerian lawmakers and how far our society has plunged into the doldrums, much of what Demola has associated with the lawmakers, activists and fans is what they do on a regular basis. Just last week, four of these keyboard warriors were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (which was ironically created to catch their daddies in Nigerian government and public service) in Lekki, Lagos. True to form, the EFCC took photos of the four suspects, Ale Daniel, Tunde Badmus, Adams Tunde Adedeji and Ajiboye Gbenga and shared them via its social media accounts. Besides living in one of the most highbrow areas of Lagos, the suspected fraudsters were found in possession of luxury cars, a Range Rover, a Mercedes Benz and assorted charms. Yea. Its gotten to that now; It is a reality that we have tried our faux-oblivious best to ignore, that Nigerian fraudsters are using charms, fetishes and various assortments in a bid to make quick wealth. For a while, stories of yahoo boys sleeping in internet cafes with turtles around their necks circulated on social media. Most of it was folklore admittedly, but in recent times, proof has crept out of podcasts to social media. In a video posted on social media, a young Nigerian male can be seen barking in a manner similar to a dog while hes taunted by his peers for the severity of his paper chase. Texts which followed the footage suggest that this form of fetish-assisted internet fraud is a new trend among youths in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Which then begs the question; when does it become too much? ALSO READ: Everything you need to become a Yahoo Boy in 2017 Nigerians who are rooted enough to know the intricacies of these practices or anyone who has seen a Nollywood movie for that matter knows that there is often a price to be paid for these gifts, and more often than not, it is human. Internet fraud was once treated with levity as a crime with no real victim, at least, at home in Nigeria. Today, it has degenerated into a behemoth, sullying the reputation of young Nigerians and the country as a whole. From foreign nationals with their life savings, these fraudsters are putting holes in the security frameworks of the countrys biggest financial institutions and conning businessmen into handing over their wealth. The duo is also known for dressing the A-list celebrities at all major red carpet events in South Africa. They are currently working with Boity Thulo, Lerato Kganyago, Thando Thabethe, Dineo Moeketsi, Terry Pheto just to name a few. According to their website: is a proudly South African brand that aims to tell a story and inspire change and innovation through their designs. With Africa at the epicenter of inspiration within the industry, this gives Quiteria & George the creative edge over its competitors. In their creative stance, they have managed to design couture garments of moving architectures, structured silhouette, and even graphic and intricate handwork elements on each of their unique designs. Baru stated this at the weekend when he was conferred with award by the Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association. He noted that such mutual relations would lead to proffering solutions to some of the societal challenges. The NNPC boss described the award as unique among the numerous others he had received during his career in public service because of the special place ABU occupies in his heart. Baru was honoured with the award alongside other eminent alumni such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the Governors of Nassarawa and Kebbi States, Alhaji Tanko Almakura and Alhaji Atiku Bagudu. He said unlike other Nigerian politicians who are already working towards the next poll, he is bothered about the state of the nation. The President visited May 10, Downing Street, London on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina said Buhari's meeting with May focused on the three main agenda of his administration - security, economy and fight against corruption. "We campaigned on three major issues, to secure the country, revive the economy and fight corruption," Buhari was quoted as saying. "We have elections next year, politicians are already preoccupied with the polls, but I am bothered more about security and the economy." Buhari begs for investment The President added that Nigeria-Britain cooperation is historical. He said, "People ought to know how they arrived where they are, if they would move forward. It was a mistake for us to have stopped the teaching of history as a subject in schools, but we are returning it to the curriculum now. "British companies like Unilever, Cadbury, and many others have stood with Nigeria through thick and thin. Even when we fought a Civil War, they never left. "But like Oliver Twist, we ask for more investments. We are encouraging more British companies to come to Nigeria. We appreciate the support you have given in training and equipping our military, particularly in the war against insurgency, but we want to also continue to work with you on trade and investment." Speaking on education, Buhari said the government is making more investment in the sector because "people can look after themselves if well educated. In this age of technology, education is very important. We need well-staffed and well-equipped institutions to move into the next generation." In her remarks, May commended the Buhari administration for "making good progress on the economy", urging it to maintain the focus. ALSO READ: Analysts say killer herdsmen will make Buhari lose votes in middle belt In an address, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that the initiative was to engender participatory democracy in the 450 autonomous communities. Ugwuanyi said that the initiative became necessary to take even development to all corners of the state. He said that the disbursement was done in batches, adding that certain criteria needed to be met before a community was deemed qualified to benefit. The governor said that each of the communities would get N10 million at the longrun adding that the N5 million was the first tranche of the disbursement. Ugwuanyi said that communities were given the freedom to choose projects of interest in accordance with local needs. Earlier, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Emeka Okeke, said that the gesture was to enable communities drive their infrastructural development. Okeke described the initiative as laudable adding that it showed the concern government had for residents of the state. Also, the Accountant-General of the State, Mr Paschal Okolie, said that the state government had in 2017 set aside N2.25 billion for the initiative. Okolie said that the hallmark of the current administration in the state was accountability, productivity and transparency adding that communities that met up with the conditions would certainly benefit. He said that the traditional ruler and the town union president generals of each of the communities would be given the money. The new list is an update on the one he released two weeks ago where he listed alleged looters in President Buhari's cabinet as well as members of the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC). This had been in response to the federal government for releasing two lists of looters accused of stealing from the government's treasury when the People's Democratic Party (PDP) was in power. The federal government's list included people in Jonathan's government, including his cousin, Robert Azibaola, who recently had a Federal High Court ruling decide that he has a case to answer for allegedly collecting $40 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser. The new list by Omokri is believed to be a reaction to the federal government's plan to name more 'looters' who are expected to be members of the opposition PDP. In his list, Omokri names Mohammed, who has spearheaded the government's looters list, as well as Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf. His most sensational additions are President Buhari and the EFCC under the leadership of Ibrahim Magu whose appointment has been rejected by the National Assembly two separate times. In his statement, Omokri accuses President Buhari of authorising fuel subsidy payments even though the National Assembly made no appropriations for such payments in the 2016 and 2017 budgets. He called the EFCC's credibility into question, saying the anti-graft agency has been indicted by international organisations for using dirty tactics to fight the president's political enemies. Omokri argued that Nigerians and the international community should find his list to be more credible than the ones released by the federal government and urged the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate and prosecute the subjects mentioned. His statement read, "The #RealLootersList That President Buhari and Lai Mohammed Should Have Released. "It was with great amusement that I received news that the minister for propaganda, the rightly and prophetically named Lai Mohammed, was planning on releasing a new looters list. "The nation was witness to the flop of the pathetic looters lists he had earlier drawn up which read more like a list of noise makers drawn up by a primary school class captain who wanted to implicate his enemies. "After having been shamed at home and abroad for its one sided and fallacious list, the Buhari administration wants to redeem itself by releasing a third list, which from the look of things, will go into infamy like its two elder brothers. "The funniest thing is that both Lai Mohammed and President Buhari's spokesman, Garba Shehu, had condemned the release of a looters list by the pioneer Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu in 2007. "It is very obvious that they have no moral compass. Their loyalties are only to there bellies. If not, why condemn a looters list released by Nuhu Ribadu and commend a looters list released by the Buhari administration? "In any case, Nigerians and the international community may find the list below to be a more credible list and I call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission to investigate, interrogate and prosecute those contained therein, especially as I have produced details and named names, dates and amounts involved which stand at over $30 billion. "Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. There are many others, including a South South ex Governor who is close to President Buhari, whose security vote was incredibly substantial, but unless I have hard documentary evidence or eyewitness testimony, I have avoided listing such persons. "Muhammadu Buhari and His Cronies: On several occasions during the 2015 election campaign, then candidate Muhammadu Buhari said he did not know what fuel subsidy is and accused the Jonathan administration of scamming Nigerians through the scheme. "Again on December 28, 2015, President Buhari said he was ending fuel subsidy. On May 12, 2016 the minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, said subsidy had been removed. The price of petrol was increased on that basis to 145. Then on December 15, 2016, Vice President Osinbajo said there was no more fuel subsidy in Nigeria. "In the 2016 and 2017 budgets, the National Assembly made no provision for appropriations for fuel subsidy. "On Friday, December 22, 2017, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, said that President Buhari had authorized him to make fuel subsidy payments which he tried to hide by using the ingenious term under recovery. "On April 6, 2018, the minister of state for petroleum resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu revealed that 1.4 trillion was being spent annually on fuel subsidy payments by the Buhari administration. "Section 162 (1) of the Constitution provides that: "'(1) The Federation shall maintain a special account to be called the Federation Account into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, except the proceeds from the personal income tax of the personnel of the armed forces of the Federation, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry or department of government charged with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. "Moreover, there is a Treasury Single Account policy in operation. "If all funds belonging to the federation are remitted into the Federation Account, if all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are bound by the TSA, how is it possible for President Buhari to unconstitutionally instruct the GMD of the NNPC to use funds which were not appropriated by the National Assembly to pay for a scheme that was scrapped? "This amount was equivalent to $900,000 at the time the contract was awarded. It goes without saying that two bore holes can be sunk for less than 5% of the amount expended by Fashola. "Rauf Aregbesola: It was reported in several investigating journals that the contract to provide schools in Osun state with the tablet nick named Opon Imo was awarded to a firm linked to Governor Rauf Aregbesolas son at an inflated price of 8.6 billion. This allegation was also made in a petition by the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun state (CSCEOS). "The introduction of the so called knowledge tablet was meant to boost education in Osun State. The curious thing however is that in the latest rankings from WAEC, only 46.77 per cent of Osun State students got five credits and above in the 2017 West African Senior School Certificate Examination. "In fact, Osun State, which used to be one of the top performing states in education was outperformed by five northern states, including Borno, to emerge 24th position nationwide out of 36 states. "In 2016, the state fared even worse, ranking 29th among the 36 states and the FCT in 2016s West African Senior School Certificate Examination results released by WAEC. "Usman Yusuf: Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Suspended by the minister of health for allegedly misappropriating approximately 1 billion. A probe panel was set up by the minister of health, Isaac Adewole. Mr. Adewole found the evidence against Mr: Yusuf compelling enough to warrant his suspension. "According to the investigative journalism website, premiumtimesng. com, their editors had cited the documents presented as evidence against Mr. Yusuf and their conclusion is that 'cases of misconduct was clearly established against Mr. Yusuf.' "Again, Premium Times report that their investigations revealed that Mr. Yusuf used his closeness to President Buhari to countermand the minister of healths decision and was reinstated to his position. "According to Punch Newspapers When our correspondent reached out to him to respond to the allegations levelled against him last December, Yusuf had said, F*ck you, and f*ck the minister-This is the type of character that has been reinstated by President Buhari to Head the NHIS after being suspended for a 1 billion scam. "Lai Mohammed: Currently serving as minister of information, Mr. Lai Mohammed used his office to intimidate a parastatal under his ministry to engage in unethical practices. "Documentary evidence reveal that Mr. Mohammed was alleged to have begged his subordinates at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for a 'loan' of 13 million to enable him travel to China, an act which is against civil service rules and against the rules of public decency. "A civil society organization, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) describes Mr. Lai Mohammed's action as 'a subtle attempt at blackmail and a sinister plot to seek to extort N13 million from one of the agencies under his ministerial supervision. The action is absolutely against President Muhammadu Buharis current anti-graft disposition which is signposted in the bringing into being of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).' "How many other parastatals, departments and agencies has Lai Mohammed gone a-begging and for which he has not been exposed. Yet this is the same man that goes about parroting lies, half truths and innuendo against others. "EFCC: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently headed by Ibrahim Magu, a man whose confirmation as Chairman of the EFCC was denied down by the Senate after a negative report on him by the Department of State Security. "Under his tenure, Nigeria made her worst ever retrogression in the Transparency International annual Corruption Perception Index, moving 12 places backward from 136 to 148. "Also, the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, which is the officially recognized global body that fosters cooperation in the fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism, has suspended Nigeria because Mr. Magu's EFCC has, in their opinion, continued to leak financial information passed on to them to the media. "This information they leak is overwhelmingly information related to opponents of the Buhari administration. "When they suspended Nigeria, the Egmont Group gave as reason the repeated failures on the part of the FIU, (Nigeria) to address concerns regarding the protection of confidential information. "At various occasions between 2017 and 2018, Mr. Magu publicly declared that the EFCC had recovered looted funds totaling 739 billion. "However, in a leaked memo to Mr. Magu by the minister for finance, Kemi Adeosun, the minister asserted that contrary to the public claims by Mr. Magu that 739 billion has been recovered by the EFCC, only 91.3 billion had been deposited by the commission into the treasury. She then demanded to know the whereabouts of the balance of the monies. "Between what Mr. Magu claims to have recovered and what the EFCC paid in, there is a difference of 647.7 billion. "Shehu Sani, a Senator elected under the banner of the ruling APC has alleged that the looted funds recovered by this administration has been 'relooted'. "Conclusion "Unfortunately, rather than accept the truth that there is an unprecedented corruption, ineptitude and nepotism in their government, the Buhari administration continues to promote the propaganda that our current economic malaise is as a result of the mismanagement of Nigeria's economy by the Jonathan administration. "However, even members of President Buhari's cabinet have testified publicly to the fact that the President, his vice and their fallacious minister of information have falsely accused the previous government. "Speaking on February 1, 2018 at a civil society engagement workshop on the Power Sector Recovery Programme in Abuja, the minister of works, power and housing, Babatunde Fashola, in trying to defend himself from allegations of ineptitude as regards the epileptic power supply in the country, ended up vindicating both Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP, albeit unintentionally. "At that event, Mr. Fashola said: "'We hear all our so-called experts who say (non-availability of) power is why the economy of Nigeria is not growing. That is not factual and it is not correct. At the time when we had less power in 2013 and 2014, THE ECONOMY OF THIS COUNTRY WAS GROWING AT SEVEN PER CENT PER ANNUM. We had less power then than we have now, but the economy was growing.' "Nigerians can now see that Mr. Fashola, in a Freudian slip, was made by God, to expose the truth that his boss, his party and his colleagues have been trying to suppress for the past three years, namely that former President Jonathan developed and grew Nigeria's economy at an unprecedented and consistent growth rate of over 6% per annum and handed over a thriving economy that was projected by CNNMoney to be the third fastest growing economy in the world when Dr. Jonathan handed over power to President Buhari. "Unfortunately, due to the ineptitude of the Buhari administration, a booming economy became an economy in recession in just one year under the All Progressive Congress. "In less than three years, President Buhari has borrowed more money than the PDP borrowed in the last sixteen years. Yet the economy has gotten worse! Buhari is 75 years old. Who do you think will pay for these loans he is taking? "And to those who think Buhari's APC is better than the PDP should consider this fact. The Southwest states were the top states in education until the APC took over there. "The Southeast/South-south states were educationally disadvantaged until PDP took over. Now they are on top. Do not take my word for it. Google WAEC state by state rankings for the last 5 years yourself. Muhammed said 81 others had been quarantined following the development. He said that 45 members of the deceaseds families and other 36 persons including some health workers who had direct contact with the deceased had also been quarantined. Muhammed explained that the state government, World Health Organisation and other collaborative agencies had established an emergency centre in Yola to receive information and quick response. He said that the centre would also serve as control centre of the killer disease. He said that the deceased, Gadiel Ambe, 46, hailed from Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa. Muhammed further explained that the late Ambe before his death was a Nigerian Secutity and Civil Defence Corps officer working in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba. According to the record available, late Ambe fell sick in Gembu, Sardauna Local Government Area and he was later referred to Adamawa for treatment. Eyewitnesses have taken to social media to report gun shots from the police as protesters were also attacked with tear gas and water canons. Trouble has reportedly spread through Maitama, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Unity Fountain, Millennium Park and Ministers Hill in the capital city as protesters have been reported to fight back. Monday's altercation reportedly started after the protesters continued their demonstrations in Maitama which led to armed police officers trying to disperse them with tear gas canisters and water canons. While some of the protesters ran for safety, others were recorded on video attacking a Police anti-riot van after it sprayed the mob with water from mounted canons. Last week, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command banned protests and rallies at the Unity Fountain in Abuja where the Shiites usually stage their protests. The ban had resulted in the arrest of Deji Adeyanju, the convener of Concerned Nigerians group which organises daily sit-outs at the Unity Fountain in demand for El-Zakzaky's release. El-Zakzaky's imprisonment El-Zakzaky has been in custody for two years after the Nigerian Army raided his residence in Zaria and killed hundreds of his followers, including three of his sons, in December 2015. This was a direct consequence of his followers' clash with the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai. Despite the court order of Justice Gabriel Kolawole calling for his release on December 2, 2016, after he ruled that the government's justification of "holding him for his own protection" is insufficient, the cleric remains in government custody with his wife. THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER How 2015 poll was rigged in North Tanko Yakassai Elder statesman and prominent politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, has disclosed that massive rigging took place in the North in the 2015 general elections. Tinubu meets Buhari in London President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met behind closed doors with the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, in London, the United Kingdom (UK). Reserves inch closer to $47b on stable oil price The positive development in international price of crude oil and the producers cut agreement have continued to strengthen Nigerias external reserves buffer and supporting the currency defense of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). __________________________________________________ VANGUARD NEWSPAPER Its impossible to recover all looted funds Buhari PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said that it will be impossible for his administration to identify and recover looted funds of the country. 5 dead, 50 houses razed, as Kogi communities clash over cashew Harvest from a disputed cashew plantation, weekend, led to a fracas that claimed the lives of five people, with over 50 houses razed at Aloko-Oguma in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State. 2019: IBB endorses SDP Former Military President and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, General Ibrahim Babangida, IBB, yesterday shocked many when he openly declared support for the Social Democratic Party, SDP, led by former Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Chief Olu Falae. __________________________________________________ THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER Knocks as Buhari says he hasnt done too badly The Peoples Democratic Party, the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the Campaign for Democracy on Sunday knocked President Muhammadu Buhari for saying he had not done badly, as well as blaming past leaders for the poor state of the economy. Killer herdsmen: Obaseki imposes 90-day ban on grazing in Edo communities Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki on Sunday announced a ban on grazing in some communities attacked by suspected herdsmen in the state. Badaru, Akeredolu head APC convention panel The All Progressives Congress has constituted a 68-member National Convention Committee. __________________________________________________ THISDAY NEWSPAPER Babangida: Ill Support Anything Targeted at One Nigeria Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) has said he will support any project, organisation or body whose objective is to achieve one Nigeria. Buhari to Meet Trump April 30, Holds Talks With Theresa May Today President Muhammadu Buhari will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on April 30 to discuss issues on the fight against terrorism and economic ties between Nigeria and the United States, the White House announced yesterday. Adeosun Explains Reinstatement of Trading on Oando Shares White House Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement announcing that Trump will welcome Buhari to the Oval office later in the month. Sanders says Buhari and Trump will discuss economic reforms, fighting terrorism and ways to grow Nigeria's "role as a democratic leader in the region." She adds that the United States has a "deep and strong" relationship with Nigeria. "President Trump looks forward to discussing ways to enhance our strategic partnership and advance our shared priorities: promoting economic growth and reforms, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security, and building on Nigeria's role as a democratic leader in the region," the White House said in a statement. "The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigeria's economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity", Sanders said in her statement. Luncheon It won't be the first meeting between the two leaders since Buhari was elected president in 2015. In September of 2017, Trump and Buhari met at a luncheon in honour of select African heads of States on the sidelines of theUnited Nations General Assembly. Shithole Trump came under intense criticism back in Nigeria in January of 2018 after it was reported that he referred to Nigeria and other third world countries as Shithole. In December of 2017, the New York Times (NYT) reported that Trump said people live in huts back in Africa. During a meeting at the Oval Office in June, Trump was quoted as saying immigrants from Haiti all have AIDS, Afghanistan was described as a haven of terrorists" and Nigerians living in the US were scoffed at by the US President for residing in huts back home. Forty thousand (migrants) had come from Nigeria, Mr. Trump added. Once they had seen the United States, they would never go back to their huts in Africa, the NYT piece read, quoting sources at the meeting. El-Zakzaky and his wife have been in custody since the clash between Shiite and men of the Nigerian Army in Zaria in 2015. Over three hundred Shiites were reportedly killed during the incident. Since the arrest and detention of their leader, Shiites have held protests in demand for the release of El-Zakzaky across states in Nigeria. The demand, however, took a drastic turn this year following El-Zakzakys continuous detention despite court judgements for his release from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). In January 2018, convener of Concerned Nigerians pro-democracy group, Deji Adeyanju began a daily sit-out with Shiites to demand the release of their leader at the Unity Fountain, Abuja. On Thursday, April 12, 2018, Shiite members embarked on a mass protest to the entrance Villa to press home their demands alongside human rights lawyer, Femi Falana. Falana while condemning Federal Governments failure to release the IMN leader urged the protesters not to rest on their oars in demanding for El-Zakzakys freedom. "When we were fighting for the restoration of democratic rule under brutal military dictators, I never thought that court orders were going to be treated with disdain by elected governments,"Falana said. "It is particularly painful for me that court orders are disobeyed under the current political dispensation, whereas under the Buhari/Idiagbon military junta, court orders for the release of victims of the obnoxious Decree No 2 of 1984 were complied with. "I urge you and other lovers of democracy not to allow the Buhari administration disobey the judgments of competent courts. Please continue protesting until impunity stops," the senior lawyer admonished. At the 86th day sit-out on Friday, April 13, 2018, men of the FCT Police Command stormed the Unity Fountain to stop their daily activity at the venue. As the protesters insisted on sitting at the Fountain, the Police released teargas at the venue dispersing them and arrested Adeyanju "for inciting civil unrest". Adeyanju was however released after four hours in Police custody. However, the Police announced a ban on gatherings and protests at the Unity Fountain, Abuja. Safe to mention that Unity Fountain had also served as venue for the daily sit-out of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) advocacy group since the abduction the Chibok schoolgirls four years ago. The BBOG had condemned the ban on meetings at the Fountain, a move which has affected their daily sit-out for a few days. Despite the ban on meetings at the Unity Fountain, Shiite members converged in the numbers at the venue on Monday, April 16, 2018. Regardless of the warnings by the Police, the group insisted on having their sit-out at the venue, which is opposite Transcorp hotel. The result, teargas canisters and hot water cannons were released at the protesters as residents ran for their lives. Resistant Shiite members also attacked police officers with sticks and stones A Shiite member was reportedly killed from a stray bullet fired during the incident. He was shot dead while trying to gain access to the Unity Fountain alongside members of the sect, the witness said. Offices around the Venue in the highbrow Maitama district were also not left out as cars of workers parked outside their work places were vandalized with bullet holes on windows and walls. Spokesman of the FCT Police Command, Anjuguri Manzah said he had no information on the attack as at press time. Musa argued that a single individual could not raise funds required for election campaigns single-handedly. He blamed the socio-economic problems of the country on the political structure, where, he noted that 99 per cent of the people in the corridors of power were thieves. What is the quality of Nigerias leadership?" the elder statesman asked. "The quality of the Nigerian leadership is a thief (sic). Since the end of the Second Republic, how has it been possible in Nigeria to have a political leadership which is not made up of thieves? Of course, there are exception. Im not saying that 100 per cent of the leadership in Nigeria is made up thieves, no, there are exceptions, but I doubt if there are up to one per cent who are clean99 per cent are thieves. ALSO READ: This APC presidential aspirant just challenged President to debate For example, how can you win on the basis of the Nigerian laws and the Nigerian culture; how can you be a Nigerian President without being a thief first? Because it is through stealing that you can make it. Both the political parties and election in Nigeria are based on money power and this money power is equal to corruption. So, this is what you have. We have a socio-economic and political system controlling all developments in the country and the political leadership produced by that system both of which are made up of people who regard self-interest first, public interest second, as opposed to public interest first and self-interest second. Now, how can you have order; how can you have development in a situation like this? I gave you the example of the President; nobody can be a President of Nigeria unless he is a thief or supported by thieves. I mean, the fact is clear. You know, the reasonable estimate of the cost of campaigning for presidency in Nigeria is billions. How can you acquire these billions? he added. 2015 election rigged in north Meanwhile, a founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Tanko Yakassai has said that the 2015 elections which produced President Muhammadu Buhari as presidentwas characterized by electoral fraud. The President is enabled by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended to contest the presidency for a maximum of two consecutive terms of four years each, he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Buhari had at a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on April 9 in Abuja, announced his intention to seek a second term in 2019. The intention had triggered mixed reactions in the polity with the opposition giving knocks while a cross-section of Nigerians either applauded it or were ambivalent. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida had earlier advised Buhari not to run. Braimoh, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, said notwithstanding the reactions trailing Buharis declaration, his sterling performances qualified him for re-election. He said it was surprising that the Presidents re-run bid was generating undue controversy. As a matter of fact, what should have been antithetical is if the President has decided not to run. It is, therefore, proper, legal, moral and courageous of the President so seek election for a second and final term in office, Braimoh, representing Kosofe Constituency II. said. The lawmaker noted that morally the President had deployed so much energy, zeal, agility, ability, dedication and commitment in governing Nigeria. Ecuador's Interior Minister Cesar Navas said Sunday he had sent 550 police and troops, backed by tanks and a helicopter, to take "total control" of the border town of Mataje, where the journalists were kidnapped. As part of a coordinated operation Bogota sent troops into the Tumaco area on the Colombian side of the border, known as the zone with the world's highest density of coca-leaf plantations. The northwestern area is marked by dense jungle, criss-crossed by rivers, leading into the Pacific -- an ideal launching pad for seaborne drug shipments and "transnational crime" under the influence of the Mexican drug cartels, said local Colombian military commander General Mauricio Zabala. This is the fiefdom of the Oliver Sinisterra Front, which claimed responsibility for the kidnappings of Javier Ortega, Paul Rivas and their driver Efrain Segarra. Its leader is Walter Patricio Artizala, better known by his nom-de-guerre Guacho, a former middle-ranking FARC commander known to operate on both sides of the border with about 80 men. "Guacho will fall, sooner or later," Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Sunday, confirming the kingpin is on a list of high value targets. "The highly-present Mexican cartels see that one of their main cocaine supply sources is drying up, that is why they are trying to generate violence," he added. However, the full-on military approach being undertaken by the governments risks unleashing a fresh wave of violence, according to analyst Fernando Carrion, pointing to the bloodshed in Mexico under Felipe Calderon's government (2006-2012). In depressed areas like this one "an economic policy is required so that there is substitution of crops, so that the income of the inhabitants doesn't come from narcotics," he said. "We have to have a multilateral policy, where there are issues of economy, politics and obviously military issues," said Carrion, an expert in security at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Quito. Government contradictions The situation hasn't been helped by glaringly contradictory statements coming from each government. Navas, the interior minister, said the journalist team was killed on the Colombian side of the border. "They were murdered on Colombian territory," he said, tacitly putting the onus on Bogota to find and repatriate the bodies. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said they were killed in Ecuador, where they were kidnapped. The two governments also differ on the nationality of Guacho, the man they hold responsible for the murders. Each say he is the national of the other country. "The impression is that there has been a kind of hand-washing going on and handing on responsibility to the other side," said Carrion. It's an uncomfortable reminder of old diplomatic failings in the region. In 2008, a Colombian attack on a guerrilla camp in Ecuador, without the endorsement of Quito, led to a diplomatic crisis. For years afterwards, Ecuador refused to carry out joint operations. "And this case reveals that when you don't have good coordination, it opens up a space for criminal activities to grow," said Jorge Restrepo, from the Resource Center for Conflict Analysis, CERAC. Security problems For all that relations have improved under Santos, there is a growing sense of the ball having been dropped, according to Sebastian Bitar, an analyst at the Colombian University of the Andes. Bitar points out that the 10,000 troops both governments claim are continually deployed in the border area have not helped resolve the problems, as the journalists' killing shows. Until a recent spate of violence in which police barracks were attacked, capped by the news team's killing, Ecuador believed it could remain safe despite sharing a 700 kilometer (430 mile) border. "If these dissidents managed to enter Ecuadoran territory to commit crimes, something failed in what we are doing together," said Bitar. Part of the problem is that the Colombian side of the border has been under the FARC control for decades, and government oversight non-existent. Since the peace treaty, there are now 12 groups vying for control of the drug trade in Tumaco, according to analysts. "This is not any direct consequence of the demobilization of the FARC, it is a consequence of the lack of control that occurs in the Colombian border area due to the high degree of criminality," said Mauricio Jaramillo, of Bogota's Rosario University. The North is using its Beijing embassy to arrange Xi's itinerary with the international department of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, quoting Chinese and North Korean sources. Asked about the report, a foreign ministry spokeswoman in Beijing said: "We are willing to maintain and strengthen high-level exchanges with the DPRK (North Korea), deepen strategic communication and expand exchanges and cooperation to benefit the people of both countries." "Not long ago, President Xi said he is willing to maintain regular contact with Chairman Kim Jong-Un through visits, special envoys and the exchange of letters," said spokeswoman Hua Chunying. The Chinese side will make a final decision after observing the results of the planned US-North summit, according to the Yomiuri. Xi's planned trip to Pyongyang appeared to have been on the agenda of a weekend meeting between Kim and a senior Chinese official in Pyongyang, it said. Kim made a surprise trip to the Chinese capital to meet Xi in late March and invited him to visit Pyongyang. China and North Korea are trying to repair relations, which have been strained as Beijing has backed a series of United Nations sanctions intended to pressure Pyongyang to stop its nuclear activities. Kim is scheduled to hold a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27. "No to America, no to the bombardment of Syria," they chanted. Protestors set light to US flags as they chanted against the military action by the US, France and Britain. Crowds also took to the streets in the cities of Najaf and Basra, south of Baghdad. Sadr -- whose militias battled US forces after the 2003 invasion -- joined the protest in Najaf, where he lives. After withdrawing from Iraq in 2011 after a years-long occupation, US troops returned to the country in 2014 to help fight the Islamic State group. American military support at the head of an international coalition helped Iraqi forces to roll back the jihadists and eventually declare victory over IS in December. "You will see that Russian sanctions will be coming down. Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin will be announcing those on Monday, if he hasn't already," Haley said in an interview with CBS's "Face the Nation." "They will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," she said. The move follows air strikes by US, French and British forces in retaliation for an alleged Syrian chemical weapons attack on April 7 in Douma, a rebel-held town near Damascus where more than 40 people were killed. US military officials said the air strikes early Saturday in Syria took out "the heart" of Syria's residual chemical weapons capability. The strikes sought to avoid contact with Russian forces in the country to support Assad's regime. But US officials have blamed Russia for failing to rein in its Syrian ally, as the guarantor of a 2013 agreement to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons. That agreement was brokered by Moscow to avert retaliatory US strikes in the wake of a sarin attack in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus on August 21, 2013 that reportedly killed more than 1,400 civilians. "I think everyone knows that we sent a strong message and our hope is that they listen to it," Haley said of this week's air strikes. They occurred late at night or early in the morning, with the attackers using long-range sniper rifles and night-vision equipment, according to Afghan officials, who tallied at least 10 wounded in all, along with those killed. In separate assaults, a girls high school in Logar province, near the capital, Kabul, was burned on April 11, and masked attackers struck a school in the village of Momandara, in Nangarhar province, on Saturday night, setting archives and labs ablaze, according to education officials. No one was reported hurt in those two attacks. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but government officials blamed Taliban insurgents for the attacks on the government outposts. In recent years, mainstream Taliban forces have normally refrained from attacking schools. In the Sancharak District, in the northern Sar-i-Pul province, the governor, Naqibullah Daqiq, said that two government checkpoints in the west had been attacked by Taliban fighters using night-vision equipment and sniper rifles, with one guard killed at first. When local pro-government militiamen tried to counter the assault, they fell into a Taliban ambush, and 10 others were killed, Daqiq said. Nematullah Tofan, police chief of the district of Dawlat Abad, in another northern province, Faryab, said that two government checkpoints in the village of Khairabad had fallen to Taliban fighters after their snipers killed four government defenders. The third attack was in Ghazni province, in southeastern Afghanistan, where two Afghan Local Police checkpoints in the district of Jaghatu were attacked at 2 a.m. Sunday, killing eight officers and wounding four others, according to Hamidullah Nawruz, a member of the Ghazni provincial council. A fourth attack took place Sunday afternoon, when three guards outside Nangarhar University in the eastern city of Jalalabad took a break for worship. Gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on them while they were praying, killing two immediately, according to a news release from the provincial governors office. The third guard fled but was chased by the gunmen and killed, according to a witness who insisted on anonymity for fear of reprisals. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. He fought the New York attorney generals office for a dozen years before he agreed to pay $9 million as part of a civil settlement last year. Despite the settlement, the battle continues. Greenberg has taken aim at the Martin Act, the sweeping state securities law that was used against him. The far smaller insurer where Greenberg is serving as chief executive, C.V. Starr & Co., has helped develop, circulate and lobby for new federal legislation that would pre-empt the Martin Act and other state securities laws. I care about my country and I care about the rule of law, Greenberg, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, said in a feisty interview this past week. I fought two wars for my country. This is another war. The Martin Act, a 1921 New York securities law that predates the creation of the Securities and Exchange Commission, grants sweeping powers exceeding even those of Washington. In addition to bringing the case against Greenberg, former New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer used the act to force investment banks to curb abuses related to how analysts overhyped stocks, and challenged Richard Grasso, onetime head of the New York Stock Exchange, over his pay. Although there have been attempts to limit the Martin Act in the past, Greenbergs bid is gaining traction. He is working alongside a powerful ally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and has the backing of The Wall Street Journal editorial page. And he has had a warm relationship with President Donald Trump. State securities regulators say that the legislation would gut their powers, even though relatively few executives were held to account after the financial crisis. This bill would be terrible for investors all across America, Eric Schneiderman, the attorney general of New York, said in an interview. For every Fortune 500 CEO who walks away with a bruised ego, there are dozens and dozens of lower-level scam artists who we put out of business through the state securities laws. Joseph Borg, the longtime director of the Alabama Securities Commission, said, Any way you look at it, this bill is going to put investors at not only a disadvantage, but deep in harms way. If I cant prosecute, then whats the deterrent? added Borg, who is also the head of the National American Securities Administrators Association. If I cant bring civil action, then whats the deterrent? None. Critics of the bill also said it represented the kind of rollback of states rights for which Republicans once criticized Democrats. Trump is already challenging the states on sanctuary cities and Californias power to set its own car regulations. The securities bill was introduced by Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J. and a former AIG executive who once worked for Greenberg. C.V. Starr, Greenbergs current company, has backed MacArthurs campaign. A spokesman for the congressman said he was unavailable to comment. Blair Holmes, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Chamber, said the organization was reviewing the legislation. This issue has always been important to many members, she said. If it goes through, the bills text says it would provide for exclusive federal jurisdiction over civil securities fraud actions. It also says that differing state regulatory requirements create inefficiencies, raises costs and harms markets without providing material investor protection benefits. Greenberg and his staff said the legislation would only affect civil enforcement related to stocks, bonds and other securities listed on national exchanges. State regulators disagree, saying it would also hamper their criminal jurisdiction related to such securities. The bill language says that state officials can proceed with criminal enforcement provided they comply in all respects with the legal requirements for securities fraud under federal law. State regulators fear that such language is specifically intended to curtail their ability to bring criminal cases. One feature of the Martin Act is that it does not require the state to prove that someone actually intended to defraud people, a lower bar than what is required at the federal level. Its outrageous, Greenberg said of the intent issue. Asked if legislation broadly targeting all states was an appropriate remedy, he replied: So is it better to have a law that violates every principle? Is that better? You can be tried for something without having to prove intent? Are we a Third World country? The case against him centered around two sets of transactions. One of them inflated AIGs reserves at a time when analysts were criticizing the company for its flagging reserves. In a second series of deals, the insurer invested in an offshore entity in a way that allowed it to mask losses from one of its divisions. After Greenbergs ouster, AIG restated its earnings by more than $3 billion. In 2006, the company reached a $1.64 billion settlement with federal, state and insurance regulators related to business practices stretching back two decades. Greenberg has disputed much about the case. Eliot Spitzer decided he wanted to take me down, he said. He was successful. Destroyed a company that had a $180 billion market cap. Now its what? A fraction of that. Theres been seven CEOs since I left the company. Destroyed a great asset. But in a statement he made as part of his 2017 settlement, he said he initiated, participated in and approved the transactions that inaccurately portrayed the accounting, and thus the financial condition and performance for AIGs loss reserves and underwriting income. AIG also faced a reckoning and near failure in the financial crisis. The notion that we would weaken one of the few statutes that was used effectively to confront structural failures on Wall Street defies logic, at a moment so soon after the economic cataclysm of 2008, Spitzer said in an interview. Greenberg said he decided to settle last year because theres a limit to how much any individual can endure fighting the state. He added: There was no acknowledgment of any wrongdoing, No. 1. And thats important. Schneiderman, the attorney general who settled the case, said Greenbergs case was very straightforward, noting that AIG had restated the transactions on its books. Regarding the legislation, he added, I dont know anyone who is saying we should have less regulation of securities fraud. The New York Times Mwangi was responding to a tweep seeking his help over house demolition happening in Huruma estate but dismissed him with no assistance. " We need you here bro,they have come to pull this buildings down yet they gave us notice last week hatujahama bado," one HEMSTNEY VAN CHAXI tagged Mr. Mwangi in a tweet. However, the former Starehe parliamentary aspirant directed Hemstney to seek the help of his Member of Parliament or Member of County Assembly. "Poleni. Call your MCA & MP. Theyre your representatives," he responded. The activists response opened a can of worms with a section stating that locals refused to vote for Mwangi hence should deal with their own problems. Some mentioned that it was a pity that Kenyans do not want to vote for progressive leaders but always seek their help once things are thick. At the same time, a section noted that Bonnie ought to have offered help. Here are the responses: Congestion Pricing Is A Terrible Idea Congestion pricing hearings are now taking place. We cannot believe anyone is even considering this terrible idea. It is going to cause a rift between... Astoria Civic Association Will Be Sorely Missed The Astoria Civic Association has existed for 87 years. They have been a community institution ever since the founding by Judge Charles J. Vallone when... QUIZ: Guess the Road Songs We can't wait to get back on the road again! Play this quiz and see if how many you can get right! The first direct freight service between China and Wien left the Chengdu Qingbaijiang freight terminal on April 12, carrying 44 containers of electronic components, lighting equipment and homewares on a 9 800 km route via Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and Slovakia. It was organised by Chengdu International Rail Port Group and ... INNOTRANS: A total of 23 national and international trade associations from countries including Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Romania, Sweden, the UK and USA will be presenting their members capabilities at InnoTrans 2018. Poland extradites false healer charged with fraud to Russia flickr.com/Lukas Plewnia 15:49 16/04/2018 MOSCOW, April 16 (RAPSI) Authorities of Poland have extradited false healer Alla Narushevichene, who is charged with large-scale fraud, to Russia, the Prosecutor Generals Office has reported. According to investigators, in 2003, the defendant convinced a resident of Yaroslavl that her daughter had incurable leukemia and promised her to save the girl. After the healer received $47,000 she went into hiding. In 2017, the defendant was arrested in Poland and Russian prosecutors asked to extradite her. BRICS and EEU countries need single legal platform - experts RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin 16:59 16/04/2018 MOSCOW, April 16 (RAPSI) Experts have concurred that BRICS countries and member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) must adjust their intellectual property (IP) protection laws to a unified legal system for the productive use of new digital technologies, RAPSI reports from the Digital Transformation Conference held in Moscow. On Monday, experts from Russia, Brazil and China discussed the future of IP use during the current digital revolution which is comparable in its precipitance and fatefulness only with electricity appearance in the human life. According to the President of Russias Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin, economic partners would not reach real growth in this economic sector without regulation and forming-up of uniform rules for using and protecting intellectual property. In his speech Katyrin pointed to the importance of harmonization of BRICS countries legislation because a rise in this economic realm is possible only in cooperation. Chairman of the Presidential Council for Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov in turn said that the Internet is transboundary, and digital economy implementation is impossible in one country, for that reason transboundary problems require transboundary regulation. Moreover, Russias actions in cyberspace control do not still cater to the present-day needs, according to Fedotov. However, some experts believe that an evolutionary approach must be prevalent during law change because a revolutionary approach may upset the existing system, which adequately protects IP. Furthermore, the aspect of implementing an integrated digital system with the EEU countries is already being worked out extensively, according to the First Deputy Chief of the Russian Government Staff Maxim Akimov. Property details: This Listing Cost me $150. 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Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Texas Type: Attractions State/Province: Las Vegas Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 City: Nevada Property Address: 80 E Harmon Ave. Zip/Postal Code: 89109 Location: 891**, Las Vegas, Nevada You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 89109 'Curiously, Pinarayi's approach, stressing the imperatives of development, is robustly backed by Nitin Gadkari.' 'I stand next only to Gadkari, one of the few outstanding ministers in the Modi government, in applauding Pinarayi's political courage and vision,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar. IMAGE: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, left, with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in Thiruvanathapuram, March 28, 2018. 'Met CM of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan and discussed ways to expedite projects of National Highway in the state. Our ministry is working closely with the state to ensure better infrastructure across the nation,' Gadkari tweeted after the meeting. Photograph: Kind courtesy @nitin_gadkari/Twitter The American think-tank, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, had featured a riveting 'curtain-raiser' to the 2014 general election entitled Does Good Economics Mean Good Politics In India? (external link). The essay appeared in December 2013 and I'd carefully stored it in my archives, as a fairly prescient analysis of 'a noticeable shift in the voting patterns in India' toward prioritising good economic performance when evaluating incumbent governments. Of course, this nascent and uneven shift continues to run into the headwinds of entrenched political culture devolving upon patronage, populism and parochialism and the run-of-the mill Indian politician still believes that good economics does little to help -- and may even harm -- future political prospects. The above dialectic playing out in India's electoral politics casts shadows on the raging controversy in Kerala currently over land acquisition measures initiated by the state government for the widening of the national highway passing through Malappuram district in Malabar. Unsurprisingly, there is resistance from private landholders. Land is a precious asset for the Malayali -- second only to his daughter. Thus, the Opposition parties, including the Congress party, lent support to the agitation by private landholders. (I wonder what Rahul Gandhi thinks of these mofussil leaders with tunnel vision.) What complicates the situation is also that Malappuram is a Muslim-majority district and 'vote-bank' politics comes into play. However, the stunning thing is that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is adamant that the infrastructure development must be advanced in the long-term interest of the state's economy. Curiously, Pinarayi's approach, stressing the imperatives of development, is robustly backed by none other than Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari (an erstwhile hugely successful industrialist, RSS follower and former BJP president). I stand next only to Gadkari, one of the few outstanding ministers in the Modi government, in applauding the political courage and vision shown by Pinarayi. In the run-up to the Kerala state election in May 2016, Pinarayi and the secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, had taken a 'brainstorming session' with a few of us in Thiruvananthapuram to discuss the priorities of a Communist government, if elected to power. (The writing on the wall was already there that the Left was coasting to victory.) When my turn came, I made a brief intervention, prefacing that my life was largely lived outside Kerala, but certain observations could be relevant drawn from a life spent in as many as 8 countries as a diplomat keenly observing men and mice: The Kerala model of development is unquestionably the proud legacy of Communist governments. However, it must be realised that Kerala's development pattern (largely based on social justice and welfare) has plateaued. Even for sustaining the present model, much more income needs to be generated. It is possible to compare the social formation in Kerala in terms of various indices with where China stood at the time of the launching of reforms by Deng Xiaoping. A base is available to shift gear to rapid economic growth in Kerala. Socialism with Kerala characteristics? There is political imperative as well. The best way of weaning the youth away from the orbit of political violence and obscurantism will be by making them stakeholders in development. Clearly, development orientated toward job creation in large numbers is crucial here. Kerala's salvation lies in Pinarayi's leadership. Pinarayi is a rare strong-willed political personality with deep experience in statecraft and administration who has an established reputation for his grit to take difficult decisions and the tenacity to implement them. Most important, Pinarayi is known to be open to fresh thinking and 'out-of-the-box' ideas. Therefore, the next Communist government under Pinarayi's leadership will be well placed to push for a breakthrough in Kerala's development and launch the economy on a higher trajectory of growth. The welfare system provides the underpinning to shift gear. But I came away feeling throughly disheartened because no one else picked up my hypothesis and I had an uneasy feeling of having been heretical in a gathering of leftist thinkers. However, Pinarayi's forceful leadership on infrastructure development in the state seems a game changer. Of course, the widening of a national highway is not a big deal, but in the Kerala context, it can be a defining moment. The point is, the world is changing and India (and Kerala) cannot remain rooted in time. The Financial Times published a report on the weekend that the US is backing the proposal for a $13 billion capital increase for the World Bank, and as part of the deal, China will see its voting power in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) rise from 4.45 percent to around 5.7 percent. In the classic line of Left politics, the World Bank and the IBRD are despised as agents of Western neo-liberal imperialism. And here is China moving into the driver's cabin to navigate the vehicle. To my mind, the US is probably gearing up to mainstream China's Belt and Road Initiative. Various online platforms let you invest in direct mutual funds. Priyadarshini Maji takes a look at their charges and offerings. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com After receiving approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India to become a registered investment advisor, Paytm will soon launch a new wealth management app, Paytm Money, which will allow investors to invest in mutual fund products of all categories. The app will offer mutual funds from the top 12 largest asset management companies (AMCs). Paytm Money will only sell direct mutual funds, with no charges up to a certain limit. "We are trying to make wealth management more accessible to the masses. Till a certain investment limit, Paytm Money will be free of any fees. Beyond that limit there might be a small transaction or subscription fee," says Pravin Jadhav, senior vice-president, Paytm. "India's wealth management services market has focused mainly on the urban segment so far, leaving a huge chunk of the market untapped for the mutual fund industry. Paytm's new launch will help in expanding it," he adds. Expense ratios of direct funds are much lower than those of regular funds. They are meant for investors who invest directly without the help of a distributor. They do not have any embedded distributor commissions, unlike regular mutual funds. Due to their lower expense ratios, the returns of direct funds are higher than those of regular funds. A large number of online platforms are available from which you can buy direct mutual funds. You can opt for an AMC's portal, mutual fund utility (MFU), CAMs and other online portals set up by private players. Some of these platforms are absolutely free of cost, some charge a flat fee, some charge a flat fee after a certain threshold or have percentage-based transaction charges. Individual AMCs and MF Utility let you invest in direct funds by registering on their platforms. They do not charge any fee. CAMS' investment facility is also free of any charge. They also provide you with a consolidated statement online across all the mutual fund schemes. Other online platforms such as Zerodha Coin let you invest in direct schemes up to Rs 25,000 for free and then charge Rs 50 per month, but do not have a built-in investment advisor. Clearfunds lets you invest in direct schemes with a charge of Rs 199 every time you invest a lump sum or start a fresh SIP, irrespective of the amount invested. This platform also provides you an advisory on which are the top schemes based on your requirements. They have also partnered with leading analytical companies and provide in-depth analysis of mutual funds. Moneyfront charges a flat yearly fee of Rs 1,200 per year for Indians and Rs 3,000 per year for NRIs. This platform lets you compare between funds and helps you find out how much you will need to invest to meet a certain goal. To invest in mutual funds from their platform, Expowealth charges you Rs 149 for every transaction you make. You can also take a yearly subscription of Rs 1,788, which will let you make an unlimited number of a lump sum or SIP transactions. They are also coming up with services such as providing advisory and managing portfolios based on your specific needs, goals, and risk profile. Invezta, an online portal, also lets you invest in direct plans for free up to Rs 50,000, above which they charge a minimum amount of Rs 948 per year and Rs 1,308 per year as platform fee and advisory. For these charges, they provide advisory services such as personalised asset allocation, fund selection and portfolio rebalancing. Kuvera, a Sebi-registered investment advisor, offers goal-based planning but does not charge any fees on its investment platform. Industry experts believe that to invest directly in mutual funds, buyers need to have proper knowledge of the product. Right now the number of such mature buyers is still limited. According to a report by the Association of Mutual Funds of India, only about 10 per cent of retail investors and 18.1 per cent of HNIs invest in direct mutual funds. Around 41 per cent of the assets of the mutual fund industry, including retail, HNIs, institutions and corporates come directly. A large proportion of these direct investments are from institutional investors and corporates. Viral Berawala, chief investment officer, Essel Mutual Fund says, "Physical distributors still add a lot of value to customers. They handhold clients and help them understand which fund is better and will help them fulfil their goals. This kind of knowledge is needed before buying a scheme." If you need advice, pay a Sebi-registered investment advisor for it and then invest in direct mutual funds. Market leaders in this line of business - New India Assurance and Tata AIG - have begun to reassess the premium on risk exposure of their portfolio in the directors and officers liability business. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Insurance companies that sell liability insurance have begun to reprice the costs of cover they offer to directors on bank boards. Market leaders in this line of business - New India Assurance and Tata AIG - have begun to reassess the premium on risk exposure of their portfolio in the directors and officers (D&O) liability business. The rules are simple. If there is a claim, our policies are locked in for payout for years, so it is better to renegotiate now, said a top source in the non-life insurance sector. Insurers are in a hurry because as in the health and fire businesses, premiums have been reduced to a minimum. Most of the listed banks buy insurance policies to cover the action of their directors on the boards against any claims, whether of shareholders or customers or even other stakeholders. ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank, which are listed abroad, have D&O policies that would be valued at $100 million, said a senior executive of a company that sells liability insurance. But other banks too have signed on to these policies. Insurance companies do not divulge the client-wise premium they have booked, but sources say the combined exposure of these banks could be close to Rs 100 crore. The risks for non-life insurance companies have risen sharply because of the non-performing asset crisis. Insurance companies, through D&O policies, offer cover to firms against claims made by shareholders, customers or any other stakeholders for supposed losses suffered by them because of the actions of the boards of companies. This includes the money to pay for legal action to defend board members against class action suits that may be filed by investors. ICICI Bank chief executive officer (CEO) Chanda Kochhar is in the middle of a controversy over her role in sanctioning a Rs 3,250 crore loan to Videocon. The company, in turn, had allegedly invested in NuPower, run by her husband, Deepak Kochhar, in 2010. He has come under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating allegations of a quid pro quo. In unrelated developments, Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma, who had been given an extension of her term by the banks board, has been asked by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to step down. And, public sector Punjab National Bank has been buffeted by controversies on whether its board should have been more vigilant in monitoring its human resource as mandated by the RBI. K K Mishra, former CEO of Tata AIG and now an independent director on the boards of several companies, said: The portents of higher risks in the D&O are going southwards. He said it made sense for financial companies to apprise insurers about the risks before any insurable action starts. I believe the news flow has started, he said. Insurance firms are rushing in because April is the month when they place their reinsurance business. At least one leader of the reinsurance business in a state-run insurance company said the rates for taking out cover against liability insurance had risen this year. It had begun to rise last year because of the claims against Indian IT companies in US courts. The risks for professional liability insurance have suddenly risen because of the boardroom battles coming to surface in Indian banks. Farzan Khansaheb, chief underwriting officer at Raheja QBE, said, No one in this space runs a benign book. While the quantum of claims is rising, pricing the risks is still taking time to adjust. The industry data shows there has been a spike in claims from D&O and E&O (errors and omissions insurance) in India from 2014-15. The claims have reached about $1 billion for the latter. D&O numbers are rising in tandem. No one expects those to match E&O, but things get complicated because the costs keep rising through successive court hearings, said Swapnil Jain, senior associate at Tuli & Co, one of the major legal firms specialising in liability insurance. As the cases wind through courts, insured companies incur legal costs and keep billing insurers till the financial limit runs out. Even though the cover is for a year, once a claim is triggered it runs through the course of the case. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India data shows industry-wide gross premium for liability insurance had clocked Rs 1,890 crore in 2016-17, rising at a compound annual growth rate of 14.7 per cent for the past four years. That the stakes are rising is evident from the action of industry bodies too. Last month, the General Insurance Council had sent feelers to independent directors of several non-life insurance companies about the risks they run in the case of the motor insurance business. Several of these companies had made aggressive deals with motor car dealers to secure preferential access to consumers to buy insurance cover. The deals have come under question from the indirect tax department, while the insurance regulator has warned the companies to institute checks and balances in the business. The directors have been advised by the Council to make their position clear for any eventualities. Jain concurs tougher regulations and demands to implement those in full have made life for the directors tough in boardrooms. With faster resolution of cases, there is a higher chance for them to wind up in courts. The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday filed a chargesheet against two companies and 12 people, including former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav, for alleged irregularities in granting an operational contract of two Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation hotels to a private firm. The chargesheet was filed in a special CBI court in New Delhi, officials said. Besides these three, former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, then group general manager of IRCTC B K Agarwal, who is at present Additional Member of Railway Board, then Managing Director of IRCTC P K Goyal and then IRCTC Director Rakesh Saxena, have been named in the chargesheet. Others named in the chargesheet, include then group general managers of IRCTC V K Asthana and R K Goyal, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited, have also been named as accused companies in the chargesheet. The CBI had registered a case in July last year and carried out searches at 12 locations in Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Gurugram in connection with the case. The charges in the case include criminal conspiracy (120-B), cheating (420) under IPC and corruption, the CBI had said. The chargesheet said that between 2004 and 2014, a conspiracy was hatched in pursuance of which BNR hotels of Indian Railways, located at Puri and Ranchi, were first transferred to the IRCTC and later for its operations, maintenance and upkeep, it was given on lease to a private firm Sujata Hotel Private Limited based in Patna. It alleged that the tender process was rigged and manipulated and the conditions were tweaked to help the private party (Sujata Hotels). It is alleged that Vinay Kochhar on February 25, 2005 sold commercial property in the form of three acres of land in Patna through 10 sale deeds for Rs 1.47 crore to Delight marketing in which Sarla Gupta was a director as a front benami holder on behalf of Lalu Prasad. Subsequently between the period 2010 to 2014, this land was further transferred, the CBI alleged. In 2001, a decision was taken to handover management of catering services of Indian Railways, including of its hotels, to IRCTC. Two such hotels namely BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri were also identified and an MoU was signed between the Railways and IRCTC on March 19, 2004. Lalu Yadav, the then railway minister, allegedly entered into criminal conspiracy with owners of Sujata hotels, Sarla Gupta, wife of his close associate Prem Chand Gupta, a Rashtriya Janata Dal MP in Rajya Sabha, and IRCTC officials for undue pecuniary advantage to himself and others, the CBI FIR had alleged. The BNR hotels were transferred to Sujata Hotels through a rigged and manipulated tender process managed by P K Goel, the then MD IRCTC, the CBI alleged. The CBI enquiry shows that Railway sought bids for developing, operating and maintaining Rail Ratna Hotels on September 16, 2006. The CBI has alleged that Lalu Prasad, as Railway Minister, was aware about the whole process and was keeping a track of the tender proceedings. It surfaced that while over 15 bid documents were received for both the hotels, IRCTC has no records of bidders other than Sujata Hotels. It is also alleged that with an intention to render undue pecuniary gains to Sujata Hotels, bid of another hotel was deliberately and unreasonably given low marks under technical evaluation. As a result, Sujata Hotels remained the only bidder in financial evaluation and was qualified, the CBI alleged. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotels, the ownership of Delight marketing also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time Lalu Prasad had demitted the office of railway minister. A group of retired civil servants also called upon the PM to reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and "seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us". IMAGE: The bureaucrats also also asked the PM to remove anyone from the government who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo This is post-independent India's "darkest hour", a group of retired civil servants has said in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the backdrop of the Unnao and Kathua rape cases while holding him responsible for the "terrifying state of affairs". Instead of owning up and making reparations, the prime minister chose to remain quiet, breaking his silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when he could no longer ignore it, the group of 49 former bureaucrats said. On Friday, Modi called the incidents of rapes of minors in Unnao and Kathua a "shame" for the country and asserted that the guilty would not be spared and daughters would get justice. "In post-independent India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the letter said. Referring to the rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, the letter said the "bestiality and the barbarity" shows the depths of depravity the country has sunk to. The 49 former bureaucrats include former Pune police commissioner Meeran Borwankar, former Prasar Bharati chief executive officer Jawhar Sircar, former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro, RTI activist Aruna Roy and former Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah. "We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed," the letter said. Referring to the case in Kathua, the letter said it is the "culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh Parivar" which emboldened "rabid communal elements" to pursue their perverse agenda. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus, society has failed as human beings, the letter stated. "We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling," it added. In Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, where a teen alleged that she had been raped by a legislator of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, the "reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal Mafia Dons" to capture votes and political power gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power, the former civil servants said. Even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become, the strongly worded letter read. The BJP is in majority in Uttar Pradesh while it is in alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. "In both cases, prime minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you more than anyone else have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs," the bureaucrats said in the letter. They also called upon the prime minister to reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and "seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us", fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and set up a court directed Special Investigative Team in the Unnao incident. "In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of state authority," it said. It also demanded that steps be taken to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches. Read the full text of the letter:- The list of signatories 1. SP Ambrose, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport, GoI 2. Vappala Balachandran, IPS (Retd). Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 3. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 4. Pradip Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Development & Planning and Administrative Training Institute, Govt. of West Bengal 5. Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (Retd). Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 6. Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 7. Javid Chowdhury, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 8. Anna Dani, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 9. Surjit K. Das. IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 10. Vibha Puri Das. IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 11. Nareshwar Dayal. IFS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 12. Keshav Desiraju, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 13. M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 14. Sushil Dubey, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Sweden 15. K.P. Fabian, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Italy 16. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 17. Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 18. Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 19. Sajjad Hassan, IAS (Retd). Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 20. M.A. Ibrahimi, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary (rank) Bihar 21. Ajai Kumar, Indian Forest Service (Retd). Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 22. Arun Kumar, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 23. Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd). Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 24. Aditi Mehta, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 25. Sunil Mitra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 26. Sobha Nambisan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Secretary (Planning), Govt. of Karnataka 27. Amitabha Pande, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 28. Niranjan Pant,IA&AS (Retd). Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 29. P. R. Parthasarathy, IPS (Retd). Former Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govt. of Maharashtra 30. Alok Perti, IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 31. N.K. Raghupathy, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 32. M.Y. Rao, IAS (Retd). 33. Sujatha Rao, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Health, GoI 34. Julio Ribeiro, IPS (Retd). Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & Ambassador to Romania 35. Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned) 36. Manabendra N. Roy, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 37. Umrao Salodia, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation, Govt. of Rajasthan 38. Deepak Sanan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 39. E. A.S. Sarma, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI 40. N.C. Saxena, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 41. Ardhendu Sen, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 42. Abhijit Sengupta, IAS (Retd). Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 43. Aftab Seth, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Japan 44. Navrekha Sharma, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Indonesia 45. Har Mander Singh, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, ESI Corporation, GoI 46. Jawhar Sircar, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & CEO, Prasar Bharati 47. K.S. Subramanian, IPS (Retd). Former Director General, State Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development, Govt. of Tripura 48. Geetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd). Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata 49. Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. Of Maharashtra We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution. We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed. Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings. The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty. Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao. In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide. In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent. In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it. And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar. Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function. And to this end we call upon you to do the following: Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us. Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado. In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority. Take steps to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches. Call for an all party meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively. It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope. Donald Trump is morally unfit to be president, former Federal Bureau of Investigation chief James Comey asserted on Monday as he claimed its possible that Russia may have some information on him that Moscow could use to compromise him. Comey, 57, who was unceremoniously fired by the US president in May last year, in a wide-ranging interview to ABC News warned that The foundation of this country is in jeopardy when we stop measuring our leaders against that central value of the truth. He also cautioned that if Trump ever tries to sack special counsel Robert Mueller, then it would be his most serious attack yet on the rule of law and causing tremendous damage to the countrys institutions. Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election and any potential ties between Trump campaign and Russia. Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a witch hunt and denied any collusion. Comey led the federal probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election before he was fired by Trump. He called for a national moment of reflection, in which everybody, regardless of partisan views, to evaluate the President and to consider whether he presents a threat to America itself. The former Federal Bureau of Investigation directors blunt comments came as the lawyer kicked off a high-profile tour to promote the release of his new book, A Higher Loyalty. Asked if he thinks the US president has been compromised by the Russians, Comey said, I think its possible, I dont know, Comey said. I wish I wasnt saying it, but its the truth. It always struck me, and still strikes me, as unlikely, and I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I cant, its possible, he said. Comey expanded on that statement in an interview USA Today published on Monday. Theres a non-zero possibility that the Russians have some, some sway over him that is rooted in his personal experience, and I dont know whether thats the business about the activity in a Moscow hotel room or finances or something else, Comey said. Trump, 71, has said the badly reviewed book raises big questions. He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, and in recent days began referring to him as a slime ball. In the ABC News interview, Comey offered a scathing judgment about whether Trump is qualified to serve as president, saying that he believes Trump is morally unfit to serve in the nations highest office. Comey also said, I dont buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia. I dont think hes medically unfit to be president. I think hes morally unfit to be president. Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that, Comey said. The former FBI director went on to say that a person who talks about and treats women like theyre pieces of meat, who lies, constantly, about matters big and small, and insists that the American people believe it -- that person is not fit to be president of the United States on moral grounds. Comey said he knew the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private email server was going to present a no-win situation for him. One half of the partisan divide is gonna be angry at us no matter what we do, he said. The email saga became a major part of the 2016 presidential campaign, as Clinton was the Democratic candidate against Trump, a Republican. During the interview, Comey repeated his assertion that Trump told him that he expected loyalty and pressured him to drop an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser. Flynn has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is now cooperating with the special counsel. When asked was President Trump obstructing justice? Comey responded, Possibly. Its certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice. Trump has denied asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn and insisted he never asked for loyalty. When Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee last year, he said that he did not know if Trump obstructed justice, adding, thats Bob Muellers job to sort that out. In his book, Comey deferred to the Mueller investigation on the question of obstruction. I presume that Bob Muellers team is investigating ... whether or not urging me to back the FBI off our investigation of his national security adviser and in firing me, President Trump was attempting to obstruct justice, which is a federal crime, Comey writes. Its certainly possible. After the interview aired, Trumps party - via the Republican National Committee - released a statement saying Comeys publicity tour for his new book showed his true higher loyalty is to himself. Comey served as the seventh director of the FBI from September 4, 2013, until he was fired on May 9, 2017. Parvathy Nair's poem about the little girl who went to graze horses and never returned has moved many Indians to tears. The school teacher tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih that writing the poem was a catharsis and wonders if only the horses could speak. IMAGE: A protest about the Kathua and Unnao rapes in New Delhi. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo A school teacher and mother, Parvathy Nair was deeply upset on hearing about the bestiality perpetrated on a little girl who had gone to graze horses in a meadow in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. For two days she kept thinking of men going in and out, raping the child on a temple floor, as revealed in the police chargesheet. She could not get the child in a flowered purple frock out of her head. More so because as a Class IV teacher, she is surrounded with 8 to 10 year olds all day. "Every day I see children around me walking and having fun and here was one body of a child -- lifeless and brutally exploited," she says over the phone from her home in Pune on Sunday morning. On Friday, Parvathy got a weekend off after a long time. She had planned to read, relax and spend time with her family, but she found herself in agony. The little girl is all she could think of. So, sitting beside her husband, with the television on mute, she started writing her thoughts. Her husband was talking to her, but she wasn't listening. He thought she was chatting with someone on Whatsapp, but she was giving catharsis to the pain that was gnawing her soul. What Parvathy Nair wrote has moved innumerable people to tears. Read it if you haven't already and hear your heart tear. Maai, I sent the horses back home Maai, I sent the horses trotting, And they found their way back home. But, I couldn't. My legs that you thought were Swift as those of a deer, They froze. Maai, they froze. But I sent the horses back home. Maai, them monsters, They had no horns or fangs, Or deadly long nails. But they hurt me. They hurt me bad, Maai. The purple flowers, The yellow butterflies, They stood there helpless. While I sent the horses back home. Maai, Tell Baba that I know, I know, I know he tried. I heard him say out my name, I heard him repeat it loud. But, I was sleepy Maai, I was tired. Them monsters, They hurt me bad. Strange as it may seem to you, Maai, It feels like your warmth now. It doesn't hurt anymore. The blood has dried And it looks like the purple blossoms That swayed with me in the meadows. It doesn't hurt, Maai. Maai, The monsters are still out there. And there are stories too. Don't listen to them Maai, Gut wrenching and agonizing they are And a lot you've gone through. Maai, Lest I forget, There's a temple there Where lives a goddess. Thank her, For I think it's she who helped, The horses find their way back home. IMAGE: Parvathy Nair is a school teacher and story teller. Kind courtesy, Parvathy Nair IMAGE: Parvathy Nair is a school teacher and story teller. Parvathy's poem has been shared widely on social media. She does not usually post much on Facebook because she feels there is too much negativity on social media. "A little girl went to the meadow to graze horses, the horses came back. She didn't," says Parvathy, a teacher for 20 years. "I read stories to my students like Wizard of Oz and other stories where animals speak. I wish animals could talk or if there was a horse whisperer who could have told her parents that the girl was in mortal danger," says Parvathy. It was difficult for her to read the poem aloud to her husband because she knew she would choke. When he read it, he told her she should share it and since she posted it on Friday night, she has been startled to discover that the poem has resonated with so many people. "I wrote it for myself. For the pain I felt. It was like releasing somebody's ashes into the water," says Parvathy, who is familiar with the milieu of the nomads that the child belonged to because of her trip to Kashmir to participate in a volunteer teaching programme in Ladakh. "Imagine the plight of the father, she probably heard him. She was sedated, I just hope it reduced her pain. I can't imagine how people can perpetrate a crime of such bestiality on children." One comment on her poem asked why she had not written about the rape and tragedy that befell the teenager in Unnao. "I am not trying to compare and contrast. This incident moved me because it concerns a child -- it is a space I belong to as a teacher," says Parvathy whose 14-year-old son asked if she would read it in the school assembly. "This poem," says Parvathy, "is a pain sharing process for all those who feel that pain." 'When one joins an office most of the initial conversations would always be efforts to identify the new entrant's caste.' 'Once one says that one is a bachelor still, the next thing they would say will be: "We know an educated girl from among our acquaintances, what caste do you belong to?' 'If it is education that is being discussed, they would definitely ask, "Under which quota do you come?",' recalls P Rajeskannan. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com In all spheres of society caste has pierced its sharp nails. Caste keeps revealing itself directly and indirectly depending on the circumstances. Schools, colleges, work places are where caste shows itself indirectly. In temple festivals, marriage celebrations and funerals, caste reveals itself nakedly. Where schools are concerned, before the times when private school buses arrived to take school kids to faraway schools, school education was normally in a school near one's village. All the students knew from where every student came and who their parents were. 'He is from Ambedkar Street,' 'He is a boy from the Pallar Street,' were normal comments indicating the caste of a student. In colleges, even as they fill up the forms they get to know the castes, and friendships are formed based on that. In offices, different kinds of efforts are made to find out about the caste of a person. When one joins an office most of the initial conversations would always be efforts to identify the new entrant's caste. Once one says that one is a bachelor still, the next thing they would say will be: 'We know an educated girl from among our acquaintances, what caste do you belong to?' If it is education that is being discussed, they would definitely ask, 'Under which quota do you come?' If one says in general BC, MBC or SC they would begin asking about the sub-castes of those groups. Or they would mention the name of a person known to them and ask if you were related to that person. Or it can be a more direct and somewhat shocking question: 'Which community do you belong to?' During weddings, temple festivals and funerals, when they get together they will spend their time glorifying their caste or talk about how the lowered castes are coming up and ridicule their progress. One is prepared for caste being an important factor in these situations. What I would like to share here are unexpected situations when I was caught in the terrible clutches of caste. I belong to Periyeri near Thalaivasal in Salem district. There are two groups of Vanniyar living in this district known as Arasu Vanniyar and Padaiyachi. My family belongs to the Arasu Vanniyar group. I completed my entire school education staying with my grandparents, at Kongavalli near Aathoor. In government high schools, every now and then there would be squabbles among students based on caste. Once an inter-school kabaddi competition took place. The final round was between our school team and the Dhammampatti school team. The boys in our team were all Dalit students. So the non-Dalit students of our school cheered the rival team and stood by them. The next day this became an issue and the result was an outbreak of fisticuffs and it went to the extent of the school being closed for an unspecified period of time. An incident that occurred when I was in the eleventh is one that fills me with persistent feelings of guilt and shame. A boy from another class next to ours would come often and talk to his friends in our class. Since he was a Dalit, the other students did not like this. One day, during the recess, that boy came to our class, chatted with his friends and left. Some non-Dalit students who were outside rebuked him and came towards the first row where I was sitting. They told me to tell the teacher that I had lost the money kept in my notebook. I agreed and went and told the teacher that I had kept thirty rupees in my notebook and that it was lost. Immediately those students stood up and mentioned the name of the boy from the other class and said that he came often to our class and that this should be settled one way or the other, else they would boycott the classes. Some students went out and called the other students to come out also. With the intensity and stubbornness of that age, they even argued that that Dalit student must be rusticated from the school. Excerpted from Black Coffee in a Coconut Shell, Caste as Lived Experience edited by Perumal Murugan, Professor, Presidency College; Chennai, C S Lakshmi (Translator) - Independent Researcher in Women's Studies; 2017/252 pages/ Paperback: Rs 595 (9789352804979)/ SAGE Yoda Press, with the publisher's kind permission. Somalia: Somaliland, including government structure, security, and presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Somalia (2016-March 2018) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 23 March 2018 Citation / Document Symbol SOM106058.E Related Document(s) Somalie : information sur le Somaliland, y compris la structure gouvernementale, la securite et la presence de personnes deplacees en provenance de la Somalie (2016-mars 2018) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Somalia: Somaliland, including government structure, security, and presence of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Somalia (2016-March 2018), 23 March 2018, SOM106058.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ad453514.html [accessed 1 October 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. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Government Structure Sources indicate that Somaliland's government has three branches: the executive, the legislature and the judiciary (Hersi and Farah Jan. 2016; UNPO Jan. 2017). According to sources, the two chambers of Somaliland's bicameral parliament are the House of Representatives, and the elders chamber (UNPO Jan. 2017) or the House of Elders (US 3 Mar. 2017). Sources explain that the Guurti, the House of Elders [also called Upper House (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 2)], is composed of 86 appointed members [or 82 appointed elders (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 2)], while the House of Representatives has 82 elected members (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 2; US 3 Mar. 2017, 27), "with proportional clan representation" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 27). A joint 2017 report by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Academy for Peace and Development (APD) [1], on the political and security situation in Somaliland, written ahead of the 2017 presidential elections, explains that the Guurti institutionalises the clan system prevailing in Somaliland and "traditional governance dynamics" (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 2). Sources indicate that Somaliland has a three-party political system (Phillips Dec. 2013, 62; ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 62), which was introduced in 2001 (Phillips Dec. 2013, 62). Article 9 of Somaliland's constitution provides the following: Article 9: Political System The political system of the Republic of Somaliland shall be based on peace, co-operation, democracy and plurality of political parties. The number of political parties in the Republic of Somaliland shall not exceed three (3). A special law shall determine the procedures for the formation of a political party, but it is unlawful for any political party to be based on regionalism or clanism. (Somaliland 2000) A 2013 research paper published by the Developmental Leadership Program (DLP), an international research initiative on leadership, power and political processes based at the University of Birmingham (DLP n.d.), further explains that the three political parties allowed by Somaliland's constitution must secure a minimum of 20 percent of the votes in local elections in Somaliland's six electoral regions in order to gain legal status (Phillips Dec. 2013, 62). According to the same source, "[t]hese political parties are then mandated to compete in parliamentary and presidential elections for the next ten years after which the selection process should be repeated" (Phillips Dec. 2013, 62). The joint ISS and APD report indicates that, although the three-party system was elaborated to prevent clan-based politics, "the influence of the clan remains an important determinant of Somaliland's political processes" (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 7). The same source states that the "majority" of people living in Somaliland, including all three candidates to the presidential election, belongs to the Isaaq clan and, therefore, "intra-Isaaq politics are a crucial aspect in deciding any election" (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 7). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Sources indicate that Somaliland's three political parties are the Ururka Caddaalada iyo Daryeelka (UCID) Party (Justice and Welfare Party), the Kulmiye party and the Wad[d]ani party (Somaliland n.d.; ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 3). According to the ISS and APD joint report, these three parties gained or conserved their status as political parties in Somaliland in the 2012 local council elections, which allowed the parties to contest the 2017 presidential elections (ISS and APD Oct. 2017, 3). For further information on the UCID party, see Response to Information Request SOM106012 of December 2017. The US Country Reports 2016 on Human Rights Practices for 2016 indicates that Somaliland's justice system includes sharia, customary and formal laws, but that "they were not well integrated" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 9). The same source adds that although there are functional courts in Somaliland, there was a shortage of trained judges, limited documentation for jurisprudential purpose, and "increasing" allegations of corruption (US 3 Mar. 2017, 9). According to the same source, [t]here was widespread interference in the judicial process, and government officials regularly intervened to influence cases, particularly those involving journalists. International NGOs reported local officials interfered in legal matters and invoked the public order law to detain and incarcerate persons without trial. (US 3 Mar. 2017, 9) The US Country Reports 2016 reports that Somaliland provided, in 2016, free legal representation for defendants facing "serious" criminal charges who could not afford private attorneys (US 3 Mar. 2017, 10). The same source adds that defendants in Somaliland had a presumption of innocence and "the right to a public trial, to be present at trial, and to consult an attorney at all stages of criminal proceedings" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 10). The same source adds that defendants in Somaliland had the right not to be compelled to testify or confess guilt, and that there was a legal aid clinic in Somaliland (US 3 Mar. 2017, 10). According to the same source, [t]he government did not always inform defendants promptly and in detail of the charges against them and did not always provide access to government-held evidence. The government did not provide defendants with dedicated facilities to prepare a defense but generally provided adequate time to prepare. The government provided defendants with free interpretation or paid for private interpretation if they declined government-offered interpretation from the moment charged through all appeals. Defendants could question witnesses, present witnesses and evidence in their defense, and appeal court verdicts. (US 3 Mar. 2017, 10) The same source adds that Somaliland's constitution prohibits publication or circulation of "exaggerated or tendentious" news that could create public unrest and that "officials used the provision to charge and arrest journalists" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 17). 1.1 2017 Presidential Elections According to sources, presidential elections in Somaliland were held on 13 November 2017 (The National 16 Nov. 2017; Africanews 21 Nov. 2017). Sources indicate that Muse Bihi [Abdi] from the ruling Kulmiye party won the November 2017 presidential elections with 55 percent of the votes, while Abdirahman Iro, of the Waddani party, received 41 percent of the votes and 4 percent of the votes went to Faysal Ali Warabe [of the UCID party] (AFP 21 Nov. 2017; Africanews 21 Nov. 2017). According to a joint statement by the European Union and 13 partner countries [2], international and local observers "praised the smooth and peaceful conduct of voting and, despite areas of concern, concluded that irregularities were not on a scale such that they would undermine the integrity of the electoral process" (EU 21 Nov. 2017). The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), which aims to collect data on the dates and locations of all reported political violence and protest events across Africa, South Asia, South East Asia and the Middle East (ACLED n.d.), reports that, on 21 November 2017, after the preliminary results of the 2017 presidential elections were announced, "violent" demonstrations took place in New Hargesia, Burao [Burco] and Ceerigaabo [Cerigabo], and that supporters of the Wadani party accused the ruling party of rigging their votes (ACLED [2018], events 536 720, 536 721, 536 722). According to the same source, two persons were injured in Ceerigaabo (ACLED 2018, event 536 720). The same source reports that, according to Voice of America, on 16 November 2017, Wadani supporters alleged that their votes were rigged and they clashed with police and lit fires in Hargeisa and Ceerigaabo; between one and three casualties were reported in Hargeisa (ACLED 2018, events 546 588, 546 589). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to the US Country Reports 2016, in 2016, the government of Somaliland banned political rallies from the opposition "outside the official campaign window, which typically [begins] 45 days ahead of a scheduled national election," but similar restrictions were not imposed on pro-government political rallies by Somaliland's authorities (US 3 Mar. 2017, 20). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2. Security Situation A 2017 report on the security situation in Somalia by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) indicates that, according to a fact-finding mission report on Somalia by Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migrations (SEM) and Austria's Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA), the "main threat" to security in Somaliland is the conflict with Puntland over Sanaag and Sool [administrative regions] (EU Dec. 2017, 114). The US Country Reports 2016 states that conflict in Sanaag and Sool restricted, in 2016, humanitarian access to the regions and that "NGOs reported incidents of harassment by local authorities" in both regions (US 3 Mar. 2017, 16). However, the same source states that, overall, there were no major restrictions on the work of international and local NGOs in Somaliland (US 3 Mar. 2017, 30). The US Country Reports 2016 also states that, in 2016 in the regions of Sool and Sanaag, security forces used "excessive force" against residents opposed to voter registration efforts from Somaliland authorities (US 3 Mar. 2017, 2). The EASO report indicates that, according to the joint SEM and BFA fact-finding mission report on Somalia, there has not been any recorded attack by Al-Shabaab in Somaliland since 2008, and that Al-Shabaab is "deemed incapable of executing targeted assassinations in Somaliland" (EU Dec. 2017, 114). According to the same source, Al-Shabaab tracked down "deserters" around Laascaanood in eastern Somaliland, but "there have never been reports from Hargeysa [or Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital city] of an [Al-Shabaab] deserter being killed" (EU Dec. 2017, 114). The same source states that, according to the joint SEM and BFA fact-finding mission report on Somalia, one should assume that Al-Shabaab has a "covert" presence in Somaliland, "including Hargeysa," but that its capacities are limited (EU Dec. 2017, 114). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. A report on the protection of civilians published by the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and UNHCR states that Somaliland has its own security and police forces (UN Dec. 2017, 9-10). The EASO security report indicates that the main armed forces in Somaliland are the following: the Somaliland army; the Somaliland police force; "the Special Police Unit responsible for the protection of international organisations and NGOs;" the Rapid Reaction Unit; the National Coast Guard; the National Security Service (EU Dec. 2017, 114). According to the same source, there are four to five divisions in Somaliland's army and approximately 6,000 officers in the Somaliland police force (EU Dec. 2017, 114). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. The EASO report also indicates that, "in order to fight crime and terrorism," there was "a number of permanent" roadblocks operated by the police in Somaliland, 3 of which lie between Hargeysa and Wajaale, a town located on the border between Ethiopia and Somaliland, and 10 to 15 of which are located between Laascaanood and Hargeysa (EU Dec. 2017, 114). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3. IDPs from Somalia According to the US Country Reports 2016, the government and authorities in Somaliland cooperated with UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) "to assist IDPs, refugees, returning refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and other persons of concern" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 21). The same source indicates that, in 2016, the Somaliland Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Reconstruction registered less than 1,000 "new arrivals and asylum seekers" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 24). The same source states that, "in some instances," the government of Somaliland refused to register Ethiopians and Eritreans as asylum seekers, and "[s]ome Yemenis with Somali origins" were registered as returnees instead of refugees, "shifting the costs associated with resettlement from UNHRC to the government of Somaliland" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 24). According to the same source, it was reported that some refugees returned to Yemen due to "[p]oor refugee reception services in Somaliland" (US 3 Mar. 2017, 25). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. UNHCR indicates that, as of July 2016, there were approximately 85,000 IDPs in Somaliland (UN 18 Aug. 2016). The Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat (RMMS), an organization that aims to improve the protection and assistance response to people in mixed migration flows in the Horn of Africa and Yemen sub-region (RMMS n.d.), explains that a "large proportion" of the IDPs in Somaliland comes from regions in the south of Somalia, and that disputes over the border between Somaliland and Puntland contributes to displacements in Somaliland (RMMS July 2016). The Protection and Return Monitoring Network (PRMN) dataset on internal migration network, a project led by the UNHRC and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) that "identifies and reports on displacements and return trends of populations in Somalia," indicates that, from January 2016 up to January 2018, there have been 266,039 newly registered IDPs in Somaliland, including 242,823 who relocated from within Somaliland and 23,206 IDPs who came from regions of Somalia other than Somaliland (PRMN 31 Jan. 2018) [3]. The same source indicates that, of those 23,206 newly arrived IDPs, approximately 99 percent of them were displaced for reasons related to drought, around 0.4 percent were for reasons related to conflicts or insecurity, while approximately 1 percent were displaced for "other" reasons (PRMN 31 Jan. 2018). The US Country Reports 2016 indicates that, according to local civil society organizations in Somaliland, gang rape continued to be a problem in 2016 in Somaliland's urban areas; they were "primarily" perpetrated by youth gangs and male students and, in 55 percent of reported cases, the victim was a minor (US 3 Mar. 2017, 32). According to the same source, these events occurred in "poorer neighborhoods and among immigrants, returned refugees, and displaced rural populations living in urban areas" and most of them were unreported (US 3 Mar. 2017, 32). A December 2017 UN Security Council report of the Secretary-General in Somalia states that the UN received reports "from across the country" of sexual violence affecting "mostly" women and girls living in IDP settlements (UN 26 Dec. 2017, para. 64). Amnesty International's The State of the World's Human Rights report for 2017 and 2018 indicates that Somalia's Integrated Management System, an agency of the Somali government, documented 271 cases of gender-based violence in 2017 "against displaced women and girls in Somaliland" (Amnesty International 22 Feb. 2018, 332). Without providing further detail, the same source states the following about gender-based violence in Somalia: The drought led to more women being separated from their families, which put them at greater risk of sexual and gender-based violence, particularly because they were perceived as lacking "male protection". (Amnesty International 22 Feb. 2018, 332) The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), a centre collecting information and data and providing analysis on internal displacement around the world, indicates that in 2017, there were 14 settlements for IDPs in Hargeisa inhabiting "economic migrants mixed with IDPs," from areas of Somaliland affected by drought and conflicts, and returnees and refugees (IDMC [2017]). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Notes [1] The ISS is an African non-profit organization that provides analysis, training and assistance to governments and civil societies on issues related, among others, to transnational crimes, migration, peacekeeping, conflict and governance (ISS n.d.). The APD is a research institute with an interest in peacebuilding (APD n.d.). [2] The joint statement was signed by Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, the UK and the US, in addition to the European Union (EU 21 Nov. 2017). [3] The provinces of Sool and Sanaag, disputed by Puntland, were considered as parts of Somaliland in computing the number of IDPs. References Academy for Peace and Development (APD). N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 21 Feb. 2018] Agence France-Presse (AFP). 21 November 2017. "Ruling Party Wins Presidential Vote in Breakaway Somaliland." [Accessed 19 Feb. 2018] Africanews. 21 November 2017. Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban. "Somaliland Ruling Party Candidate Wins Nov. 13 Polls -- Media Reports." [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] Amnesty International. 22 February 2018. "Somalia." Amnesty International Report 2017/18: The State of the World's Human Rights. [Accessed 22 Feb. 2018] Armed Conflict Location & Event Dataset (ACLED). [2018]. Clionadh Raleigh, Andrew Linke, Havard Hegre and Joakim Karisen. "Somalia." Data. [Accessed 6 Mar. 2018] Armed Conflict Location & Event Dataset (ACLED). N.d. "About ACLED." [Accessed 6 Mar. 2018] Developmental Leardership Program (DLP). N.d. "About the Developmental Leadership Program (DLP)." [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] European Union (EU). December 2017. European Asylum Support Office (EASO). Somalia: Security Situation. [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] European Union (EU). 21 November 2017. European External Action Service. "Joint Statements. Somaliland Election: Statement by International Partners." [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] Hersi, Mohamed Farah and Mohamoud Hussein Farah. January 2016. "Update: Research Guide to the Somaliland Legal System." [Accessed 21 Feb. 2018] Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). [2017]."Somalia." [Accessed 15 Mar. 2018] Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and Academy for Peace and Development (APD). October 2017. Omar S. Mahmood and Mohamed Farah. High Stakes for Somaliland's Presidential Elections. [Accessed 21 Feb. 2018] Institute for Security Studies (ISS). N.d. "How We Work." [Accessed 21 Feb. 2018] The National. 16 November 2017. "Domestic Observers Say Somaliland Election Was Free and Fair." [Accessed 21 Feb. 2018] Phillips, Sarah. December 2013. "Political Settlements and State Formation: The Case of Somaliland." [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat (RMMS). July 2016. "Somalia/Somaliland." [Accessed 20 Feb. 2018] Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat (RMMS). N.d. "About RMMS." [Accessed 20 Feb. 2018] Somaliland. 2000. Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland. [Accessed 19 Feb. 2018] Somaliland. N.d. Somaliland National Electoral Commission. "Political Parties." [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] United Nations (UN). 26 December 2017. Security Council. Report of the Secretary-General on Somalia. (S/2017/1109) [Accessed 20 Feb. 2018] United Nations (UN). December 2017. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UN Assistance Mission to Somalia (UNSOM). Protection of Civilians: Building the Foundation for Peace, Security and Human Rights in Somalia. [Accessed 15 Mar. 2018] United Nations (UN). 18 August 2016. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "Somalia. July 2016: Total Internally Displaced Persons." [Accessed 19 Feb. 2018] Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organization (UNPO). January 2017. Member Profile: Somaliland. Government of Somaliland. [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] United States (US). 3 March 2017. Department of State. "Somalia." Country Reports on Human Rights Practice for 2016. [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018] Additional Sources Consulted Internet sites, including: Africa Research Institute; ecoi.net; Factiva; Freedom House; Global Shelter Cluster; Human Rights Watch; International Crisis Group; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre; International Organization for Migration; Minority Rights Group International; ReliefWeb; UN Development Programme, Refworld; The World Bank Group. United States: Period of authorized stay for holders of visitor visas (B1, B2 and B1/B2) (2016-February 2018) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 6 February 2018 Citation / Document Symbol USA106051.E Related Document(s) Etats-Unis : information sur la periode de sejour autorise des titulaires d'un visa de visiteur (B1, B2 et B1/B2) (2016-fevrier 2018) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, United States: Period of authorized stay for holders of visitor visas (B1, B2 and B1/B2) (2016-February 2018), 6 February 2018, USA106051.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ad454a34.html [accessed 1 October 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. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa In an information flyer on visitor visas, the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the US Department of State indicates that visas allow foreign citizens to travel to a port of entry in the US and request permission to enter the US (US Mar. 2015). According to the same source, "a 'visitor' visa is a nonimmigrant visa and generally is used to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1), for pleasure or medical treatment (B-2), or a combination of these purposes (B-1/B-2)" (US Mar. 2015). The website of the US Bureau of Consular Affairs states that "[a] visa does not guarantee entry into the United States," explaining that officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have, at the point of entry, the authority to grant or deny admission in the US to visa holders, including to B1, B2 or B1/B2 visa holders (US n.d.a). The Frequently Asked Questions, available on the website of the US Embassy and Consulates in Japan, indicates the following about the length of stay for B1, B2 or B1/B2 visa holders: Validity of a visa relates only to the length of time the holder may travel to the United States and apply for admission. It does not determine the length of time you can stay in the United States. The length of time a visitor is permitted to remain in the United States is determined by the United States Customs and Border Protection Officer at the point of entry. Each traveler will be permitted to stay in the U.S. for a period of time that is fair and reasonable for the completion of the purpose of the visit. (US n.d.b) Official sources indicate that B1 visa holders may initially be admitted for the period needed to carry out their business activities (US 14 July 2015; US n.d.c). The US Citizenship and Immigration Services website explains that the "initial period of stay" granted to B1 visa holders is 1 to 6 months, 6 months being the maximum, and that an extension of stay can be requested by the visa holder for up to 6 months (US 14 July 2015). The same source states that the "maximum total amount of time permitted in B-1 status on any one trip is generally 1 year" (US 14 July 2015). According to a recorded message on the automated voice system of the CBP Information Center consulted on 23 January 2018, if the B1 visa holder needs to remain in the US for more than "a few months," it is helpful to bring evidence as to why the visa holder requests more than a few months (US n.d.c). The CBP automated voice system indicated that B2 visa holders are "automatically" given a 6-month length of stay in the US, though it can be shorter if the CBP officer thinks the holder is abusing the visa to become a "de facto" resident of the US (US n.d.c). B2 visa holders can apply for a 6-month extension of their length of stay in the US (US n.d.c). Section 2(D) of the Tourists and Business Visitors subchapter of the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), written for the staff of the US Department of State, indicates the following: 9 FAM 402.2-2(D) (U) Temporary Period of Stay (U) Although temporary is not specifically defined by either statute or regulation, it generally signifies a limited period of stay. The fact that the period of stay in a given case may exceed six months or a year is not in itself controlling, provided that you are satisfied that the intended stay actually has a time limitation and is not indefinite in nature. (U) The period of time projected for the visit must be consistent with the stated purpose of the trip. The applicant must establish with reasonable certainty that departure from the United States will take place upon completion of the temporary visit. (U) The applicant must have specific and realistic plans for the entire period of the contemplated visit. (U) In evaluating these cases, you should not focus on the absolute length of the stay, but on whether the stay has some finite limit. For example, the temporariness requirement would be met in a case where the cohabitating partner will accompany, and depart with, the "principal" alien on a two-year work assignment or a four-year degree program. (US 22 Feb. 2017) In addition, section 402.2-4(B)(5) of the FAM, on "Cohabitating Partners, Extended Family Members, and Other Household Members not Eligible for Derivative Status," states the following: (U) The B-2 classification is appropriate for aliens who are members of the household of another alien in long-term nonimmigrant status, but who are not eligible for derivative status under that alien's visa classification. This is also an appropriate classification for aliens who are members of the household of a U.S. citizen who normally lives and works overseas, but is returning to the United States for a temporary time period. Such aliens include, but are not limited to the following: cohabiting partners or elderly parents of temporary workers, students, diplomats posted to the United States, and accompanying parent(s) of minor F-1 child-student. B-2 classification may also be accorded to a spouse or child who qualifies for derivative status (other than derivative A or G status) but for whom it may be inconvenient or impossible to apply for the proper H-4, L-2, F-2, or other derivative visa, provided that the derivative individual intends to maintain a residence outside the United States and otherwise meets the B visa requirements. If such individuals plan to stay in the United States for more than six months, they should be advised to ask DHS for a one-year stay at the time they apply for admission. If needed, they may thereafter apply for extensions of stay, in increments of up to six months, for the duration of the principal alien's nonimmigrant status in the United States. You should consider annotating to indicate the purpose and length of stay in such cases. (US 22 Feb. 2017) According to the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, CBP officials provide an admission stamp or a "paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record" to travellers who are allowed to enter the US (US n.d.a). However, a factsheet on I-94 expiration dates states that I-94 forms were "automated" for air and sea arrivals in May 2013, and foreign visitors to the US can obtain and print an electronic copy of their I-94 on the CBP website if needed (US n.d.d). Similarly, the webpage on the I-94 form on the CBP website indicates that foreign visitors travelling to the US by sea or air no longer need to complete Form I-94 or Form I-94W, the "Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record" form, though those who arrive at land border points of entry are still issued a paper Form I-94 by the CBP (US 5 Jan. 2018). Concerning non-immigrant travellers arriving in the US, the same source states the following: Upon arrival, a CBP officer stamps the travel document of each arriving non-immigrant traveler with the admission date, the class of admission, and the date that the traveler is admitted until. If a traveler would like a paper Form I-94, one can be requested during the inspection process. All requests will be accommodated in a secondary setting. (US 5 Jan. 2018) This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References United States (US). 5 January 2018. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). "Arrival/Departure Forms: I-94 and I-94W." [Accessed 22 Jan. 2018] United States (US). 22 February 2017. Department of State. "9 FAM 402.2 Tourists and Business Visitors and Mexican Border Crossing Cards - B Visas and BCCs [Redacted]." Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM). [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018] United States (US). 14 July 2015. Citizenship and Immigration Services. "B-1 Temporary Business Visitor." [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018] United States (US). March 2015. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. "U.S. Visas." [Accessed 22 Jan. 2018] United States (US). N.d.a. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Visitor Visa." [Accessed 22 Jan. 2018] United States (US). N.d.b. Embassy and Consulates in Japan. "Business and Tourist Visas (B1, B2 Visas)." [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018] United States (US). N.d.c. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Information provided via an automated voice system on 23 January 2018. [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018] United States (US). N.d.d. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). "I-94 Expiration Dates." [Accessed 22 Jan. 2018] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: US Consulate in Montreal, Customs and Border Protection Agency, Embassy in Ottawa. Internet sites, including: ecoi.net; UN Refworld. Mexico and Somalia: Visas and permits issued to Somali citizens to transit through Mexico (2016-March 2018) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 15 March 2018 Citation / Document Symbol ZZZ106056.E Related Document(s) Mexique et Somalie : information sur les visas et les permis delivres aux citoyens somaliens afin qu'ils puissent transiter par le Mexique (2016-mars 2018) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Mexico and Somalia: Visas and permits issued to Somali citizens to transit through Mexico (2016-March 2018), 15 March 2018, ZZZ106056.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ad455474.html [accessed 1 October 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. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Overview In articles discussing African migrants arriving in Mexico via Latin America, various media sources report that Mexican authorities have issued African migrants documents which they refer to as 20-day "transit visas" (AP 30 Aug. 2016) or "temporary transit permit[s]" (Thompson Reuters Foundation 16 Jan. 2017) or "temporary travel document[s]" (The Guardian 6 Sept. 2016). However, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Embassy of Mexico in Kenya, a representative of the Embassy of Mexico in Ethiopia and the Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico in Canada indicated that Mexico does not issue so-called "transit visas" (Mexico 26 Feb. 2018; Mexico 27 Feb. 2018a; Mexico 27 Feb. 2018b). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of UNHCR in Mexico rather referred to ''exit permits'' (UN 6 Mar. 2018). He stated that [translation] [i]n a case where a person finds themselves in Mexico through an irregular manner, it is likely that the National Institute of Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migracion - INM) [1] orders the departure of the person of Somali origin and issues them an "exit permit" (oficio de salida) (UN 6 Mar. 2018). According to the UNHCR representative in Mexico, the exit permit [translation] "should not be confused with a transit visa [2], as it is an order to leave the country for lack of regular migrant status, and for not being in a position to be regularized" (UN 6 Mar. 2018). Sources similarly indicate that in order to transit through Mexico, an exit permit (oficio de salida) is used (Milenio 28 Sept. 2016; Cuarto Poder n.d.; El Universal 30 Aug. 2016) by [translation] "foreigners of an African nationality" (El Universal 30 Aug. 2016). Sources also indicate that migrants request for the exit permit at the INM (BBC 11 Mar. 2016; Milenio 11 Oct. 2016; El Universal 30 Aug. 2016). 2. Requirements and Procedures to Apply for an Exit Permit In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an academic from La Salle University in Mexico City, who is a former researcher of the Center of Migration Studies at INM, provided the following information: According to the Regulations of the Migration Law (Reglamento de la Ley de Migracion), there are two types of exit permit (oficio de salida). 1. Exit permit from the Immigration Detention Center (Estaciones Migratorias) [IDC] and 2. Exit permit from Mexico. The first one is produced automatically by the [INM] when the maximum allowed time for keeping foreigners in irregular migration status within [IDC] expires, which is 60 working days (Migration Law, Art. 111). There are no further requirements for this exit permit from the IDCs. The second is issued to foreigners with no proper, valid or outdated identity or travel documents, only if they head to the countries that issued such documents (i.e., if they were heading to Somalia ) and after the proper checks on alerted people lists have been done ([Regulations of the Migration Law], Art. 54). In case that there is no trustable information about the foreigner's nationality or identity, or in case of difficulties for obtaining their identity and travel documents, the maximum time of stay of foreigners at the IDC is 60 working days (Migration Law, Art. 111, [para.] I). In such case, the INM must issue documents for their stay in Mexico as visitors with work permit, as long as the causes by which this document was issued prevail (for example, for humanitarian reasons). In practice, some alleged Somali citizens have arrived to Mexico without proper travel or identity documents, and are presented at some of the IDCs (there are around 50 of them). Since there is no Somali diplomatic representation in Mexico, their very identity or nationality could not be properly established, and when 60 working days have passed, they must be set free from the IDC. In such a case, they get the exit permit from the IDC, and after that they could request their legal stay in Mexico as visitors with work permit. Typically, the foreigners that obtain [an] exit permit from the IDC do not have reliable documents or they do not have documents at all. [T]hey usually can get the exit permit from the IDC without providing their identity. The exit permit from the IDC has immediate effects, and no time limit is applicable. However, foreigners in this hypothesis have 30 working days to start the regularization process to get their documents as visitors to Mexico with work permit. Past this time, they will get the exit permit from Mexico (but only to be directed to the country that issued their dubious travel or identity documents, according to the Migration Law). In practice, alleged Somali citizens that receive the exit permit from the IDC do not present themselves to the INM in order to receive the documentation as visitors to Mexico with work permit (for humanitarian reasons). Instead, they typically go to the frontier with the United States and try to cross it without documents in order to ask for asylum there. (Academic 9 Mar. 2018) Sources report that the INM issues the exit permit free of charge (Milenio 11 Oct. 2016; Cuarto Poder n.d.) to [translation] "men, women and children" (Milenio 11 Oct. 2016). According to Cuarto Poder, a Chiapas newspaper, INM issues the exit permits to foreigners who cannot have their national identity verified due to the lack of consular representation in Mexico (Cuarto Poder n.d.). Media sources mention that people seeking to obtain an exit permit voluntarily entered an immigration detention centre called "Estacion Migratoria Siglo XXI" (Cuarto Poder n.d.; El Universal 30 Aug. 2016). According to sources, Estacion Migratoria Siglo XXI is located in Tapachula, Chiapas (El Universal 20 Oct. 2017; Global Detention Project n.d.) and operates under the "custodial authority" of the INM (Global Detention Project n.d.). According to the Mexican newspaper El Universal, the exit permit is issued within 10 to 15 days, while waiting in the immigration detention centre (El Universal 1 Sept. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Sources indicate that the exit permit is valid for 20 days (Milenio 28 Sept. 2016; Cuarto Poder n.d.; UN 6 Mar. 2018) or 21 days (The Guardian 6 Sept. 2016; Insight Crime 12 Sept. 2016). The BBC indicates that the exit permit is valid for 30 days (BBC 11 Mar. 2016). According to the UNHCR representative in Mexico, the exit permit "gives a person 20 days to leave Mexico, allowing the person to transit through the country within the 20-day period" (UN 6 Mar. 2018). According to The Guardian, the "temporary travel document" allows "Asian and African migrants" to "continue unimpeded to the US border" (The Guardian 6 Sept. 2016). The BBC reports that the exit permit allows migrants to remain in Mexico [translation] "without the risk of being deported while seeking to leave [Mexican] territory" (BBC 11 Mar. 2016). Other sources indicate that the exit permit allows migrants to either regularize their migratory status in Mexico or to leave Mexican territory, within the permit's validity timeframe (Milenio 11 Oct. 2016; Cuarto Poder n.d.; El Universal 30 Aug. 2016). El Universal indicates that [translation] "any border" can be used to leave Mexico (El Universal 1 Sept. 2016). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3. Humanitarian Visa In an article on migrants who arrive in Mexico, including Somali migrants, the CBC reports of a case where a Somali migrant was provided a "humanitarian visa," allowing him to "stay in Mexico City for only a few weeks" (CBC 21 Feb. 2017). According to the UNHCR representative in Mexico, [translation] [i]n certain cases when a person is in Mexico and has requested asylum in Mexico; and/or has been victim of a crime in Mexico; and/or is a young boy, young girl or unaccompanied adolescent; and/or a humanitarian cause exists that justifies the stay of the person in the country - according to criteria of the INM a Visitor's Card for Humanitarian Reasons [Tarjeta de Visitante por Razones Humanitariana] (known colloquially as a "humanitarian visa" [visa humanitaria]) is issued. The card is valid up to a year and allows the person to legally stay and to work in Mexico. It is requested at the INM's Offices of Migratory Regulations [Oficinas de Regulacion Migratoria] in Mexico. (UN 6 Mar. 2018) Further and corroborating information on the issuance of humanitarian visas to Somali citizens could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Notes [1] The INM is a Mexican administrative organ that is part of the Secretriat of Governance (Secretaria de Gobernacion) and seeks to strengthen the protection of rights and the security of national and foreign migrants (Mexico n.d.). [2] The UNHCR representative in Mexico also mentioned that [translation] "the closest thing related [to a transit visa] that exists is the tourist visa that allows the stay and transit through the country for a period of 180 days," and confers the status of "visitor without permission to conduct remunerated activities" (UN 6 Mar. 2018). Both the Head of the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico in Canada and the representative of the Embassy of Mexico in Kenya also stated that any person who wants to travel through Mexico to a third country [or "travel to Mexico" (Mexico 27 Feb. 2018b)], if required, must apply for a visitor visa without permission to conduct remunerated activities [visa de visitante sin permiso para realizar actividades remuneradas], while complying with the requirements (Mexico 27 Feb. 2018b; Mexico 26 Feb. 2018). References Academic, Universidad La Salle, Mexico City. 9 March 2018. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. Associated Press (AP). 30 August 2016. "Mexico Issues Transit Visas to Surge of African Migrants." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2018] British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 11 March 2016. Alberto Najar. "La sorprendente y silenciosa migracion de africanos que cruza por Mexico." [Accessed 26 Feb. 2018] Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 21 February 2017. Lisa Laventure. "'I Am a Man With No Land': African Migrants Wait in Limbo, Dreaming of Sanctuary in Canada." [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018] Cuarto Poder. N.d. R. Garcia and R. Victorio. "Otorgan oficio de salida a migrantes." [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] El Universal. 20 October 2017. Dennis A. Garcia. "Emite CNDH recomendacion por suicidio de dos migrantes salvadorenos." [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] El Universal. 1 September 2016. Maria de Jesus Peters. "La ruta de la migracion africana: Congo-Brasil-Mexico." [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018] El Universal. 30 August 2016. Astrid Sanchez. "Mexico enfrenta una oleada de africanos." [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] Global Detention Project. N.d. "Tapachula Estacion Migratoria (Siglo XII)." [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] The Guardian. 6 September 2016. "Passage Through Mexico: the Global Migration to the US." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2018] Insight Crime. 12 September 2016. Tristan Clavel. "Migracion entre Africa y Latinoamerica muestra nuevas rutas de contrabando." [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] Mexico. 27 February 2018a. Embassy of Mexico in Ethiopia. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. Mexico. 27 February 2018b. Embassy of Mexico in Canada. Correspondence from the Head of the Consular Section to the Research Directorate. Mexico. 26 February 2018. Embassy of Mexico in Kenya. Correspondence from a representative of the Consular Section to the Research Directorate. Mexico. N.d. Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM). "Que hacemos?" [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] Milenio. 11 October 2016. Issa Maldonado. "Continua crisis migratoria de africanos en Chiapas." [Accessed 28 Feb. 2018] Milenio. 28 September 2016. Fanny Miranda. "Llegan a Mexico 12 mil africanos en un mes: INM." [Accessed 27 Feb. 2018] Thomson Reuters Foundation. 16 January 2017. Anastasia Moloney. "Surge of African Migrants Brave Latin America Jungle Trek for US Dream." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2018] United Nations (UN). 6 March 2018. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Correspondence from a representative of the Mexico office to the Research Directorate. Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Aeromexico; Asylum Access; Chiapas Fiscalia de Inmigrantes; International Organization for Migration; Mennonite Central Committee; Mexico Embassy in Guatemala, Instituto Nacional de Migracion; Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Migration Policy Institute; Professor and Researcher in migration at the Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales; Secretaria de Asuntos Migratorios del Comite Ejecutivo Nacional del Partido Revolucionario Institucional; Sin Fronteras IAP. Internet sites, including: Aeromexico; Agencia EFE; Al Jazeera; Avianca; Conectas; Deutsche Welle; ecoi.net; Eje Central; El Pais; Global Voices; Mexico Consejo Nacional de Poblacion; Secretaria de Gobernacion, Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores; The New York Times; Public Radio International; UN Refworld; The Washington Times. Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United States: Requirements and procedures for Somali citizens to obtain identity documents, including passports, at Somali embassies in Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Washington D.C. (2016-March 2018) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 23 February 2018 Citation / Document Symbol ZZZ106057.E Related Document(s) Somalie, Ethiopie, Kenya et les Etats-Unis : information sur les exigences et la procedure applicables aux citoyens somaliens pour l'obtention de pieces d'identite, y compris des passeports, aux ambassades de Somalie a Addis-Abeba, a Nairobi et a Washington (2016-mars 2018) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United States: Requirements and procedures for Somali citizens to obtain identity documents, including passports, at Somali embassies in Addis Ababa, Nairobi and Washington D.C. (2016-March 2018), 23 February 2018, ZZZ106057.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5ad456334.html [accessed 1 October 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. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Embassy of Somalia in Addis Ababa Information on the requirements and procedures for Somali citizens to obtain identity documents at the Embassy of Somalia in Addis Ababa could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2. Embassy of Somalia in Nairobi Information on the requirements and procedures for Somali citizens to obtain identity documents at the Embassy of Somalia in Nairobi was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Protection Unit of the UNHCR Representation in Kenya stated that Somali nationals including refugees are able to access the Somali Embassy [in Nairobi]. They can obtain national passports. For those willing to go back to Somalia on their own (not requiring to be assisted by UNHCR), they can get a one-way travel document to go back to Somalia. The [Somali] Embassy in Nairobi does not register weddings or issue marriage certificates. It does not seem to record weddings of Somali nationals once registered with the Kenyan Registrar of Marriages. The [Somali] Embassy in Nairobi can issue a birth record of any Somali child born in Kenya, whether as a refugee in a refugee camp/elsewhere or as a visiting Somali who happens to give birth [in Kenya]. (UN 19 Feb. 2018) Corroborating information on obtaining identity documents at the Embassy of Somalia in Nairobi could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3. Embassy of Somalia in Washington D.C. Information on the requirements and procedures for Somali citizens to obtain identity documents at the Embassy of Somalia in Washington D.C. was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to the website of the Embassy of Somalia in Washington D.C., the requirements to renew a passport issued after 2013 include: Proof of a VALID United States citizenship and/or residency: passport, citizenship certificate, or Green-Card as well as a VALID government issued ID. OR proof of VALID legal stay document: immigration documents to the United States of America. (Somalia n.d., emphasis in original) The same source also provides the following information: Applicant(s)/Guardians of minors must make an appointment prior to arriving at the embassy. Applicant(s) and minors along with guardians/parents must apply and interview at the embassy in person. Passport processing days and times are: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 11:00am to 2:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Passport Pick up days and times are: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11am - 2:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Passport application fees: Adults: $150 per passport. Child (under 15 years old): $95 per passport. ONLY money order and/or cashier check accepted. Estimated Processing time: New Passports 4 - 6 weeks. (Somalia n.d., emphasis in original) The website of the Embassy of Somalia in Washington D.C. also states that "all passport renewals and 'NEW' passports are processed in Somalia and not at the Embassy," and that an expedited service is not available (Somalia n.d., emphasis in original). The same source adds that "[t]he process and steps for applying for a passport at the Embassy does not guarantee the applicant a passport from The Federal Republic of Somalia" (Somalia n.d.). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Somalia. N.d. Embassy in Washington D.C. "Passport Information." [Accessed 12 Feb. 2018] United Nations (UN). 19 February 2018. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Danish Refugee Council; International Organization for Migration Office in Addis Ababa, Office in Nairobi; International Rescue Committee; Jesuit Refugee Service; Norwegian Refugee Council Office in Nairobi, Office in Addis Ababa, Office in Washington D.C.; Refugee Consortium of Kenya; Somali Development Center; Somalia Embassy in Addis Ababa, Embassy in Nairobi, Embassy in Washington D.C., Immigration and Naturalization Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Internet sites, including: Al Jazeera; Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Dalsan Radio; Danish Refugee Council; ecoi.net; International Organization for Migration; Jesuit Refugee Service; Mogadishu Law Office; Norwegian Refugee Council; Quartz Africa; Refugee Consortium of Kenya; Somali Development Center; Somalia Embassy in Addis Ababa, Embassy in Nairobi, Immigration and Naturalization Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Refworld, Reliefweb; Unrepresented Nations and People Organization. Cairo, Egypt -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/16/2018 --Nahed comes to Al Thuraya with extensive experience spanning over 25 years in a variety of positions in international non-governmental organizations, the oil and gas and the export and import industry. Her new responsibilities in Al Thuraya include leading a multidisciplinary team that provides support and external counsel on complex risks facing multinational companies working with the Al Thuraya Holdings. Areas of support include human resources, business intelligence and analysis, information security and crisis management advice. Michael J. Padilla Pagan Payano, Global Chief Executive, Al Thuraya Holdings, said: "The appointment of Nahed Sakr to the role of Global HR director and a partner of Al Thuraya Consultancy LLC Egypt demonstrates the importance of Egypt to the development of our global business. Nahed's knowledge and extensive experience of working within the global oil and gas industry will be invaluable as we look to grow our practice. Nahed Sakr, Global HR director and a partner at Al Thuraya Consultancy LLC, Egypt, said: "I am honored to be the first female partner of Al Thuraya Consultancy LLC, Egypt and to take a role in a globally growing company in its overall HR policies. I look forward to working with my talented colleagues around the world to ensure that our clients receive the highest quality advice wherever they may be located." Share Tweet Pin 3 shares Note all articles are independently researched and written by myself. However, if you buy via one of the links it may be an affiliate and I may earn a small commission. We got very excited when these were launched last year, but were disappointed that it was US-only, followed by Australia earlier this year. But just over a year on from the US launch, these pop art-style Andy Warhol Campbell's Soup Cans are finally in UK supermarkets. They should be on the shelves today (9th September) with supermarkets chains Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose all expected to be stocking the tins. There are four colour options available (just like the US series), all of which are inspired by the Warhol Campbell's Soup artwork from 1962 the soup Andy Warhol was said to eat for his lunch for 20 years on the trot. The Warhol signature and Foundation details are also on the can. Each can will be priced at a bargain 95 pence (making them arguably the cheapest Warhols around) and with appeal to both foodies and interior design lovers, we suspect these will quickly disappear. So don't hang around if you want to add a pop art angle to your kitchen. Tesco website Sainsbury's website Waitrose website Via Switched On Art A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. A MOTORIST who was caught driving under the influence of drugs has been banned from the road for 15 months. Morgan Kelly (19), of North Place, East Dene, tested positive for three drugs after driving a Vauxhall Corsa on Browning Road, Herringthorpe. Mrs Alison Head, prosecuting, said a police officer driving an unmarked vehicle had seen Kelly overtake him and he had been forced to swerve to avoid Kellys car. He pulled Kelly over and could smell cannabis when he approached the car. Kelly tested positive for THC, which is found in cannabis, cocaine, and BZE, a cocaine breakdown product. He admitted to police that he had been driving and had picked up two friends after work so they could smoke cannabis together. Kelly said he had passed his driving test in December 2016. He told police he smoked cannabis regularly and he knew the drugs test would be positive. Kelly admitted taking cocaine but said he had taken this two days before he was caught. He admitted at Sheffield Magistrates Court last Tuesday (10) to three charges of driving with a proportion of a controlled drug above the specified limit on October 30. Mr Andrew Jepson, mitigating, said it was a shame Kelly had been convicted because he was a young man with no previous convictions or cautions. He said Kelly had been working as a groundworker for four years and was set to lose his job because of his driving ban. It just goes to show that someone can use something recreationally on a Saturday and its still in his system on a Monday, said Mr Jepson. Sentencing Kelly, District Judge for Sheffield, Ms Naomi Redhouse, said: Im always sorry to see somebody like you here. Youre someone who works hard and very much enjoys having a car. We are all too comfortable when we are in a car and we forget its a big lump of steel and is a weapon if used wrongly. Ms Redhouse banned Kelly from the road for 15 months, fined him 200 and ordered him to pay 115 costs. Part 1. Weight This article opens a series of popular science publications about rough and polished diamonds, their properties and characteristics, peculiarities of their origin, mining, cutting and polishing and evaluation. And we start with the latter a 4C system widely used for describing the jewellery characteristics and for the subsequent polished diamond pricing. Such a natural phenomenon like a diamond, actually needs no special presentation. The bright luster, unique refraction of light, extreme dispersion of light, the highest hardness among all the natural materials, extraordinary chemical resistance all these are not a full list of remarkable features of this mineral. It is used in the manufacture of a wide range of tools, in watch making, microelectronics, semiconductor instruments, in science when creating quantum computers and solving the tasks facing the nuclear industry. However, such a list of diamond applications, probably, is a surprise to many ordinary people: from time immemorial, diamonds have been taking on particular value and gaining in popularity in the jewellery industry only. When polished and set, a tiny piece of carbon immediately turns into a symbol of wealth, status, love, beauty and success. At a rough estimate, nowadays over 300 million women have diamond jewellery. In general, if we use the unequivocal terminology, rough diamonds are the crystals in their natural state and they look very much different from their jewellery versions. The optical properties of a diamond reveal themselves after cutting it means, after the stone is given the right shape that ensures its full internal light reflection and maximum sparkling. A polished rough diamond is called a polished one. Figure 1. Rough diamonds. Image credit: ALROSA (PAO) A polished diamond evaluation is a complicated process with many aspects to consider. In many respects, it is somewhat subjective as most of criteria used (for example, colour, clarity, cut) cannot be expressed in absolute units and their evaluation is qualitative. In fact, the only parameter measured objectively is its carat weight. The most common evaluation system is the 4C diamond grading one developed by the Gemological institute of America (GIA). Its 4Cs of a diamond are carat weight, color, clarity, cut (that is why it is dubbed 4C). An expert evaluates a polished diamond weight, its hue, clarity from the point of view of internal abnormalities and the quality of cutting. Based on this analysis, the conclusion is made about how this stone stands out against other polished diamonds, which results in its price. In Russia, all the technical specifications (TUs) for gem-quality polished diamonds and the polished diamonds to be sold in the national and foreign markets are regulated according to TU 117-4.2099-2002 and there is no one-to-one correspondence with the western systems. In the national jewellery market, the 4C system is more frequently used. So, the weight of a polished diamond. Its measurement is the easiest and most objective assessment parameter of a cut stone. From time immemorial, a carat (ct) is the measurement unit that equals to 0.2 g in the metric system of units. It is believed that the term itself came from the name of a Ceratonia plant, the seeds of which were from Bible days used as a measure of weight thanks to a wonderful feature of their constant mass the weight difference between two Ceratonia seeds was less 0.003 g. For rather long, there was no unified reference weight for a carat for example, in Florence it was 0.1972 g, while in London 0.2053 g. It caused a great confusion in the trade between the countries, and in 1871, the Paris Gem Traders Chamber made the first attempt to bring this metric to the international level. The attempt was not very successful as the measure of 205 mg set did not satisfy part of jewelers (the small-scale domestic traders unwilling to buy new weight pieces played a considerable role in this). It was not until 1907 that a compromise was reached after the meeting of the International Committee on Weights and Measures in Paris and a reference carat weight was finally defined. In Holland, the metric carat was put into effect from 1911, in the USA from 1913, in the Great Britain from 1914, and it became an official measure in the USSR in 1923. In the jewellery industry, there exist one more carat (karat, kt) a gold one that does not show the weight but is a measure of the purity of gold or a percentage ratio of pure metal and inclusions (so called an assay carat). When any piece has a 24 K hallmark it means it is a 100% gold one. It is thought that this system of measures stemmed from a solidus coin weighing 24 karats and circulating in the days of the Emperor Constantine the Great in the Rome Empire (however, many experts think it to be a mere coincidence). For example, semi pure gold is marked as 12 K, 2/3 pure gold is 16 K, and 3/4 pure gold is 18 K. Carat countersigns are widely used in the UK and USA the countries that have not been accepting the metric system of measures for a long time. In Europe and in the former USSR countries, the metric system is used to assess the gold purity that shows directly the percentage of gold in a jewellery piece (i.e., the most common is a 585 hallmark, it means that the gold content in the piece is 58.5%). But let's get back to polished diamonds and their weight. The stones fall into three groups: large 1.00+ ct medium-sized 0.30-0.99 ct small up to 0.29 ct diamond powder up to 0.01 ct Jewellery carat balances are used to measure the weight of a loose stone. The procedure itself is very simple but, probably, requires attentiveness, precision and compliance with the procedure. The electronic balances used in the diamond industry fix the weight with the precision of the 3d significand after a dot (i.e., the error in the weight does not exceed 0.001 ct). According to the generally accepted rounding-off rules, the weight is indicated in a measurement protocol with the precision of the 2nd significand after a dot, and the 3d significand is rounded if it is 9 and rejected if it is 8 or less. It means, that the weight of 0,999 ct is written in a protocol as 1.00 ct, while 0,998 as 0,99 ct. Figure 2. Weighing. Image credit: ALROSA (PAO) Precious large and medium-sized stones are weighed by the piece. As for small and very small polished diamonds, it is possible to weigh them by parcels. In this case, the polished diamonds are sorted using a set of sieves to get size-groups (in this case, they are of the same clarity and colour) and are weighed in bulk. Often, small and very small polished diamonds are counted in quantity per one carat and sold as parcels. Table 1 shows examples of size-weight groups of very small polished diamonds. Also, a pointer (equal to 0.01 ct.) is used in the global practice to describe the weight of a single small stone. Table 1. Size-weight groups of small and very small polished diamonds It is much more difficult to determine the weight of a diamond already set, that is why jewelers recommend to do this before it is set in a jewellery piece or after it is removed. If the jewellery piece as a whole is considered valuable (it's unlikely that anyone would agree to dismantle a family heirloom just to evaluate it), its weight is calculated using approximation formulas. For example, it is as follows for a standard round diamond: = D2*H*K, where, is an unknown weight, D girdle diameter (the middle part of a polished diamond), height, coefficient from 0.0061 to 0.0067 depending on the girdle width. The computational error for a classical cut could be up to 10%, and it is higher for the stones having a disturbed shape or for vintage ones. Ideally, the cut is based on exact ratios of dimensions, facets angles and lengths of a polished diamond, that is why the carat weight of many stones can be approximately determined by its size. The dependence of the linear dimensions of the polished diamonds having various cuts on their carat weight is shown in Table 2 (for full version, see Lumera Diamonds http://www.lumeradiamonds.com/files/size_chart.pdf ). Table 2. The dependence of the polished diamond linear dimensions on their carat weight Traditionally, the rough diamonds and polished diamond value is in US$ per carat. The weekly pricelist Rapaport Diamond Report is the most popular price index in the world. For the first time, it was published in 1978, and although it still draws strong criticism, it is the basis for most rough and polished diamond deals. It represents the consolidated retail asking prices for polished diamonds in the New-York market that are received based on dealer surveys. In fact, the pricelist represents the opinions of the Rapaport Corporations experts on the price level but is not a buying or selling offer. It is issued individually for round diamonds and individually for fancy cut (pear, princess, oval, cushion, etc.) diamonds. It consists of 18 or 8 tables, respectively, grouped together into weight groups (0.30.39 ct, 1.01.49 t, etc.). Within each group, the value varies with the diamond clarity and colour. All other things being equal, the polished diamond value is the higher the more its carat weight is, which in general, is evident large rough diamonds are very rare. Fig.3 shows the price comparison of the Ideal cut round polished diamonds similar in colour () and clarity (IF, VVS2, SI2), available for buying in March-April 2018. Figure 3. The comparison of the polished diamond price with their dimensions. The data provided by Blue Nile, Brilliance, Brilliant Earth, Ritani, James Allen is compared. The important thing in the Rapaport Pricelist is the transition between the weight groups it increases the carat price on the average by 20-40 %. And while the sizes of stones - 0,99 ct and 1,00 ct can look the same, their prices differ much. It may seem that one can play and choose the stone close to the upper weight limit (0.49, 0.99, 1.49, etc.). However, it's not all that simple. Not so many such stones are offered on the market from the diamond value point of view, often it is more beneficial to make small defects when cutting the stone to try and achieve the next weight category. Besides, retailers often use an additional premium for the marginal diamond jewellery. In Russia, official prices for polished diamonds are set by the pricelist issued by the State Precious Metals and Gems Repository. For the 10+ ct polished diamonds, there are no price indexes, and when pricing very large polished diamonds, the traders are guided by the international auction results or sell them at the price a buyer can afford. Olga Tretyakova, Rough&Polished The League of Railway Women (LRW) inducted Kathy Keeney, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) vice president of Member Engagement & Sales, into the LRW Hall of Fame. Keeney was recognized with the inaugural honor at the 2018 ASLRRA Connections conference, officials said. It is with great honor that I present Kathy Keeney with the first annual League of Railway Women Hall of Fame award, said Tanis Petersen, LRW president. Kathys tenure with the League of Railway Women (formerly League of Railway Industry Women) has been instrumental to the success of our organization and to the careers of many. We are pleased to acknowledge and thank Kathy for her leadership, vision and inspiration that has created a legacy for women in the railroad industry. Keeney is a seasoned transportation executive with experience in publishing, sales, marketing and finance, LRW said. She joined the ASLRRA in 2015, and was previously Rail Publisher for the JOC Group, Inc., UBM Global Trade and Commonwealth Business Media. Keeney has also served as an executive and writer at other rail industry trade publications. LRW says she has been deeply involved with the league since she joined the organization 20 years ago, just one year after LRWs founding in 1997. Officials also note she has held several board positions, including scholarship director, vice president and president. Kathy has always been a great advocate of the League of Railway Women and its support for women at every level of their railroading careers, said Susan Robertson, LRW secretary. We have worked together in the LRW for a long time and I can honestly say there is no truer voice for women in the railway industry than Kathy Keeney. Today's Daily Dose brings you news about Albireo's pharmacodynamic marker data measured in its completed phase II clinical trial of A4250 in children with cholestatic liver disease and pruritus; Alnylam's new results from its phase 1 and Phase 1/2 trials of Givosiran for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyrias; encouraging data from Glaukos' Investigational Device Exemption pivotal trial of iStent inject Trabecular Micro-Bypass System, and NewLink's decision on its IDO pathway inhibitor Indoximod. Read on Albireo Pharma Inc. (ALBO) on Saturday presented results on a pharmacodynamic marker measured in its completed phase II clinical trial evaluating lead product candidate A4250 in children with cholestatic liver disease and pruritus. In the study, treatment with A4250 decreased ATX (lysophospholipase autotoxin) levels in most patients, and there was a statistically significant correlation with a reduction in serum bile acids. The level of ATX and its product, lysophosphatic acid, have been shown to be increased in patients with pruritus due to cholestasis. Pruritus intensity at baseline was significantly correlated with baseline levels of ATX Correlations between reduction in ATX and reduction in pruritus did not reach statistical significance. The Company looks forward to commencing its phase III clinical trial of A4250 for the treatment of patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis this spring. ALBO closed Friday's trading at $33.94, up 0.62%. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ALNY) has announced new results from its phase 1 and Phase 1/2 open-label extension studies of its investigational RNAi therapeutic Givosiran for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyrias. In the phase I study, monthly Givosiran demonstrated more than 80 percent lowering of urinary aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a disease biomarker, and more than 75 percent decrease in mean annualized porphyria attack rate, relative to placebo. Acute hepatic porphyrias (AHPs) are a family of rare, genetic diseases characterized by potentially life-threatening attacks and for many patients chronic debilitating symptoms that negatively impact daily functioning and quality of life. In the ongoing phase 1/2 Open-Label Extension (OLE) Study, patients treated with Givosiran experienced greater than 90 percent decrease in mean annualized porphyria attack rate, relative to baseline run-in attack rate. ALNY closed Friday's trading at $100.76, up 0.01%. AstraZeneca plc (AZN) and Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) presented updated overall survival data for LYNPARZA from OlympiAD trial. The OlympiAD trial is a phase III study, which involved patients who had germline BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative (hormone receptor-positive or triple negative) breast cancer, and it formed the basis for FDA approval of LYNPARZA in January 2018. According to the updated findings, the median overall survival was 19.3 months in patients treated with LYNPARZA and 17.1 months for patients treated with chemotherapy. The results of the OlympiAD trial were originally reported last August, and the data demonstrated that median progression-free survival in the LYNPARZA-treated group was 7.0 months, significantly longer than in the standard-therapy group, which was 4.2 months. The response rate was 59.9% in the LYNPARZA group and 28.8% in the standard-therapy group. AZN closed Friday's trading at $36.32, down 0.11%. Glaukos Corp.'s (GKOS) two-year U.S. Investigational Device Exemption pivotal trial data has shown that its iStent inject Trabecular Micro-Bypass System achieved a statistically significant reduction in unmedicated diurnal intraocular pressure in patients undergoing cataract surgery. The study involved 387 subjects who were randomized to iStent inject in combination with cataract surgery, and 118 subjects were randomized to cataract surgery only. Subjects were followed through 24 months with annual medication washouts. According to trial results, at 24 months, 75.3% of the iStent inject cohort achieved a 20% or greater reduction in unmedicated IOP, compared to 61.9% for the cataract-only cohort. At 24 months, the mean unmedicated IOP reduction was 6.9 mmHg for the iStent inject cohort, compared to 5.4 mmHg for the cataract-only cohort. The iStent inject is commercially available in the European Union, Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa. But it is not approved for use in the U.S. Glaukos submitted a pre-market approval application for the iStent inject to the FDA in December 2017. GKOS closed Friday's trading at $27.62, down 9.94%. Merck's (MRK) phase III study investigating its blockbuster drug KEYTRUDA as adjuvant therapy in resected, high-risk stage III melanoma has shown that KEYTRUDA significantly prolonged recurrence-free survival, reducing the risk of disease recurrence or death by 43 percent compared to placebo in the overall study population. Roy Baynes, senior vice president and head of Global Clinical Development, chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories, said, "These are the first data for KEYTRUDA in the adjuvant setting and mark an important advancement for the treatment of resected stage III melanoma". Merck has a broad clinical development program in melanoma with KEYTRUDA as monotherapy and in combination with other novel mechanisms. The program, which is comprised of more than 4,500 patients across 10 clinical studies, is evaluating KEYTRUDA across all settings and stages of the disease. MRK closed Friday's trading at $57.17, up 0.76%. NewLink Genetics Corp.'s (NLNK) initial data from a phase I study evaluating Indoximod in combination with radiation and chemotherapy for the treatment of pediatric patients with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, a type of progressive brain tumor, indicate Indoximod has clinical activity, with minimal toxicity. Indoximod is an IDO pathway inhibitor. The IDO pathway provides a direct defense against T cell attack. Separately, the Company announced that it will not initiate the randomization portion of Indigo301, its phase III study of Indoximod or placebo plus KEYTRUDA or OPDIVO for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma in the context of the failure of a competitor's trial of its enzymatic IDO inhibitor in a similar clinical setting. On April 6, 2018, a late-stage study combining Incyte's IDO inhibitor Eepacadostat and Merck's Keytruda to treat people with metastatic melanoma had failed to meet the primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival. NLNK closed Friday's trading at $4.47, down 0.67%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Norway's foreign trade surplus decreased notably in March from a year ago, as imports grew much faster than exports, preliminary figures from Statistics Norway showed Monday. The trade surplus decreased to NOK 14.98 billion in March from NOK 19.07 billion in the corresponding month last year. The surplus also fell from NOK 21.06 billion in February. Exports rose 2.6 percent year-over-year in March and imports surged by 10.6 percent. On a monthly basis, both exports and imports advanced by 8.2 percent and 23.4 percent, respectively. At the same time, the mainland trade deficit widened to NOK 26.05 billion from NOK 17.13 billion in the same month of 2017. 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. European stocks held steady near four-week highs on Monday despite renewed concerns over the prospect of imminent U.S. sanctions against Moscow. As far as developments in Syria are concerned, fears of a wider escalation appear to have faded following the weekend's U.S.-led strike. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was marginally lower at 379.02 in late opening deals after closing 0.1 percent higher on Friday. The German DAX was rising 0.2 percent and France's CAC 40 index was moving up 0.1 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down about 0.4 percent as Sage extended Friday's losses and WPP's CEO Martin Sorrell resigned in the face of a probe. Advertising conglomerate WPP fell nearly 5 percent in London after its CEO Martin Sorrell stepped down following an allegation of personal misconduct. Sage shares fell over 3 percent, extending Friday's 8 percent loss, after the company cut its annual forecast for revenue growth. Hammerson rallied 2 percent. Dutch pension fund APG said it would vote against the firm's proposed 3.4bn takeover of rival shopping centre owner Intu Properties. Whitbread soared 7 percent after Elliott Advisors said it has become the largest shareholder in the company. France's Sanofi gained half a percent on a Bloomberg report that Advent International Corp. is close to acquiring its European generics division. Deutsche Bank shares also rose half a percent. Reuters reported citing sources that the European Central Bank has asked the German bank to ascertain the potential costs of winding down its investment banking operations. Germany's Software AG tumbled over 2 percent after posting weaker-than-expected quarterly revenues at its Digital Business Platform . For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Sowa Labs, the fintech subsidiary of Germany's second largest stock exchange, Boerse Stuttgart, launched a prototype of its cryptocurrency trading app that will be available free of charge from autumn. The BISON app promises free, uncomplicated and secure trading in cryptocurrencies from users' smartphone. The new app hopes to give traders an easy entry into the world of cryptocurrencies. The app was unveiled at the finance and investment trade fair Invest in Stuttgart. "It is the first crypto app in the world to have a traditional stock exchange behind it," Ulli Spankowski, Managing Director at Sowa Labs, said. The user interface of the app, which is available in German now, will also be offered in English later. 'With BISON, also registering and providing proof of identity is less complicated," Spankowski said. Activation of the trading service will only take a few minutes and there is no need for crypto wallets. The BISON app also has the Cryptoradar service that uses artificial intelligence to filter the glut of news in social media. The service gives a general view of the market in realtime and provides information on which cryptocurrencies are currently being discussed. A recent survey among more than 1,000 persons, carried out by Sowa Labs, found that investors want easier access to the cryptocurrency market. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Canadian stocks were set for a negative open Monday, as Bay Street looked ahead to the mid-week meeting of the Bank of Canada. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured Canadians that the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline would be built despite protests from British Columbia. "The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is of vital strategic interest to Canada," Trudeau said after a two-hour meeting in Vancouver. "It will be built." Vermilion Energy Inc. (VET, VET.TO) said Monday that it agreed to buy Spartan Energy Corp. (SPE.TO) for total consideration of about $1.40 billion. The purchase price comprised of $1.23 billion in Vermilion shares plus the assumption of about $175 million in debt. CP Rail (CP.TO) is having trouble in negotiations that would stave off a railwoad worker strike before next week's deadline, according to reports. Crude oil futures fell from 3-year highs as traders booked profits following last week's big rally. Oil has risen sharply over the psat month despite signs the U.S. shale boom continues unabated. WTI light sweet oil was down 84 cents at $66.55 a barrel. In economic news, U.S. retail sales rose 0.6 percent following a 0.1 percent drop in the previous month, according to Commerce Department figures. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The government of Bermuda has proposed a Bill to create a regulatory framework that controls the Atlantic island nation's nascent cryptocurrency industry. The Blockchain Task-force presented a consultation paper on draft regulations pertaining to virtual currency businesses and initial coin offerings or ICOs. The consultation paper on the Virtual Currency Business Act was published on the Bermuda Monetary Authority's website. The document is open to public for their comments and suggestions to be submitted by May 2, the Authority said. Outlining Bermuda's Fintech Strategy, Wayne Caines, the Minister of National Security, said that the government considers this to be a landmark legislation for Bermuda, and recognizes that there is significant interest in virtual currencies and blockchain . It emphasizes Bermuda's hope to "become a global leader in the fintech space," he told more than 150 of Bermuda's key partners. "By being one of the few countries in the world to specifically regulate ICOs, we believe that the proposed regulatory framework will provide legal certainty to companies looking to conduct ICOs in Bermuda," he added. Under the proposed Bill, an ICO will be treated as a restricted business activity that will require consent from the Minister of Finance. The Virtual Currency Business Act will be presented to the Parliament next month for a final discussion. Bermuda is a self-governing British overseas territory island nation that had one of the world's highest GDP per capita until the global recession. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The majority of the European ended the first day of the new trading week in the red, after early gains eroded. Traders were in a cautious mood after the coalition airstrikes that were carried out in Syria late Friday. While investors appear to have accepted that the strikes were a one-time event, they remain concerned about how Syrian ally Russia will respond. The U.S. also revealed that it will be imposing new economic sanctions on Russia and a tweet from President Donald Trump accusing China of currency devaluation also has put investors in an uncertain mood. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index weakened by 0.39 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone blue chip stocks decreased 0.19 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, lost 0.57 percent. The DAX of Germany dropped 0.41 percent and the CAC 40 of France fell 0.04 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. declined 0.91 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished lower by 0.57 percent. In Frankfurt, Deutsche Bank fell 0.77 percent. Reuters reported citing sources that the European Central Bank has asked the German bank to ascertain the potential costs of winding down its investment banking operations. Germany's Software AG dropped 6.04 percent after posting weaker-than-expected quarterly revenues at its Digital Business Platform . In Paris, Sanofi gained 0.09 percent on a Bloomberg report that Advent International Corp. is close to acquiring its European generics division. In London, advertising conglomerate WPP tumbled 6.48 percent after its CEO Martin Sorrell stepped down following an allegation of personal misconduct. Sage Group fell 3.01 percent, extending Friday's 8 percent loss, after the company cut its annual forecast for revenue growth. Hammerson rallied 3.02 percent. Dutch pension fund APG said it would vote against the firm's proposed 3.4bn takeover of rival shopping centre owner Intu Properties. Whitbread surged 7.19 percent after Elliott Advisors said it has become the largest shareholder in the company. Shire declined 1.32 percent after it agreed to sell its Oncology business to Servier S.A.S for $2.4 billion in cash. Germany's wholesale prices increased at a steady pace in March, Destatis reported Monday. Wholesale prices grew 1.2 percent year-on-year in March, the same pace of increase as seen in February. The average asking price of a house in the United Kingdom was up 0.4 percent on month in April, property tracking website Rightmove said on Monday - coming in at a record 305,732 pounds. That follows the 1.5 percent spike in March, and it beats the old mark of 304,943 set in July 2017. With auto sales rebounding strongly, the Commerce Department released a report on Monday showing retail sales in the U.S. increased by more than anticipated in the month of March. The report said retail sales climbed by 0.6 percent in March after edging down by 0.1 percent in February. Economists had expected retail sales to rise by 0.4 percent. A report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday showed a notably slower pace of growth in New York manufacturing activity in the month of April. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index fell to 15.8 in April from 22.5 in March, although a positive reading still indicates growth in regional manufacturing activity. Economists had expected the index to drop to 18.6. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The Swiss stock market ended the first day of the new trading week in negative territory. The weak performance of index heavyweight Nestle pressured the overall market, as the food giant began trading on an ex-dividend basis. Traders were in a cautious mood after the coalition airstrikes that were carried out in Syria late Friday. While investors appear to have accepted that the strikes were a one-time event, they remain concerned about how Syrian ally Russia will respond. The Swiss Market Index decreased by 0.57 percent Monday and finished at 8,726.54. The Swiss Leader Index dropped 0.29 percent, but the Swiss Performance Index rose 0.06 percent. Sika slid 0.3 percent ahead of its financial report tomorrow. Meanwhile, ABB rose 0.1 percent ahead of its report on Thursday. Index heavyweights Novartis and Nestle will also report results on Thursday. Novartis weakened by 0.5 percent and Nestle dropped 2.4 percent. Roche also finished lower by 0.3 percent. Vifor Pharma climbed 0.7 percent, while Dufry and Zurich Insurance added 0.5 percent each. UBS dipped 0.1 percent and Credit Suisse surrendered 0.4 percent. The bank stocks struggled despite better than expected quarter results from U.S. rival Bank of America. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis (Agencia CMA Latam) - Argentina affirmed that it should ignore the election result in Venezuela since it considers that it would "not be democratic," said President Mauricio Macri during the weekend at the Eighth Summit of the Americas in Lima. "There is no doubt that Venezuela shows the extreme case of what can happen to a society under an out-of-control corruption," Macri said during a plenary session that brought together heads of state and representatives of more than 30 countries of the continent. The Venezuelan presidential election, scheduled for Sunday, nears amid a climate of disagreement between the government of Nicolas Maduro and the opposition. In February, opposition parties that are part of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) announced that they would not take part in the election, claiming that the process does not meet democratic conditions or guarantees. A few months ago, the anticipation of the presidential election was among the main demands of the Venezuelan opposition to Maduro's administration, as well as of the United States and its regional allies. 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. The U.S. Commerce Department has banned US companies from selling components to ZTE. American tech companies like Dolby and Qualcomm would not be able to export any parts to ZTE for up to seven years. In March 2017, ZTE agreed to a combined civil and criminal penalty and forfeiture of $1.19 billion after illegally shipping telecommunications equipment to Iran and North Korea, making false statements, and obstructing justice. In addition to these monetary penalties, ZTE also agreed a seven-year suspended denial of export privileges, which could be activated if any aspect of the agreement was not met and/or if the company committed additional violations of the Export Administration Regulations. The Department of Commerce has now determined ZTE made false statements to BIS in 2016, during settlement negotiations, and 2017, during the probationary period, related to senior employee disciplinary actions the company said it was taking or had already taken. "ZTE made false statements to the U.S. Government when they were originally caught and put on the Entity List, made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation." said Secretary of Commerce Ross. These false statements covered up the fact that ZTE paid full bonuses to employees that had engaged in illegal conduct, and failed to issue letters of reprimand. "ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored," Secretary Wilbur Ross said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News (Agencia CMA Latam) - The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, made a new call to the Venezuelan government to allow international humanitarian aid to alleviate the situation of the Venezuelan people, who "are physically dying of hunger." Santos made the call in Lima, at the Eighth Summit of the Americas, where he said that in Venezuela "the social and economic crisis is getting worse every day, which paradoxically has served the government to repress the civilian population." He said that "it is incredible that he [Nicolas Maduro] remains in a state of denial in the face of such an evident crisis, while the whole world is watching with emotion as the Venezuelan people die of hunger." Santos added that "Colombia is the country that suffers the most with the desperate situation that Venezuelans go through" and "that is why we are most interested in the restoration of democracy, respect for human rights and civility in our sister nation." Also, Santos reiterated that his administration would not recognize the results of the presidential elections scheduled for Sunday in Venezuela. 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. Canadian stocks rose slightly on Monday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline would be built despite protests from British Columbia. "The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is of vital strategic interest to Canada," Trudeau said after a two-hour meeting in Vancouver. "It will be built." The TSX Composite Index was up 26.41 points to 15,300.38. June WTI oil settled at $66.22/bbl on Nymex, down $1.17, or 1.7%. Prices tumbled from a 3-year peak reached last week. Vermilion Energy Inc. (VET, VET.TO) said Monday that it agreed to buy Spartan Energy Corp. (SPE.TO) for total consideration of about $1.40 billion. The purchase price comprised of $1.23 billion in Vermilion shares plus the assumption of about $175 million in debt. Vermilion shares fell 2.9 percent. CP Rail (CP.TO) is having trouble in negotiations that would stave off a railwoad worker strike before next week's deadline, according to reports. Shares rose 1 percent. Bombardier Inc. is extending the range of its Global 7000 jet to 7,700 nautical miles, making it the world's longest-range jet. Shares rose 1.5 percent. In economic news, U.S. retail sales rose 0.6 percent following a 0.1 percent drop in the previous month, according to Commerce Department figures. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Several Saudi soldiers, mercenaries killed, injured, shelling artillery in many places [16/April/2018] SANAA, Apr. 16 (Saba) Several of Saudi solders and mercenaries killed and injured by the army artillery and missiles forces to gatherings and sites of Saudi aggression coalition in numbers of places of borders, a sources told Saba on Monday. Four Saudi' mercenaries were killed and injured in confrontations with the army in several places of borders. In Najran , a Saudi' mercenary was killed and the other was injured explosion on Alagasher desert. Also the artillery was shelling attacked to gatherings of mercenaries in Qabala, Oleeb sites and Boqua desert. Causing heavy casualties. In Asir, the army snipers killed two mercenaries in Alab crossing point; also the artillery hit several places and sites. In Jizan, there were many hit of the artillery at solders and gatherings of mercenaries on many sites and places, causing two mercenaries killed. In Bayda, several mercenaries killed and wounded when the army foiled the mercenaries infiltration in Anaeem district in Baydah province. Meanwhile, tow Saudi mercenaries killed by the army snipers in Qufaa in the same province. In Taiz, also three other mercenaries killed when the army snipers gunned down the mercenaries in Khald camp in Moza. In Lahaj the army killed another mercenaries in Toal albaha . In Hodeidah , artillery shelling gatherings of mercenaries in the north desert of Medi. In Jawf, the army was destroyed Saudi mercenaries a military vehicle in Sabreen area in Jawf province, causing all the crew were killed. Amal saba Kathua rape and murder accused The Supreme Court on Monday ordered adequate security to the Kathua rape victim's family, their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat and others and sought the Jammu and Kashmir government's response to a plea for transfer of the case trial to Chandigarh. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed the state to provide adequate security also to Rajawat's family as well as Talib Hussain -- a member of the Bakerwal community who is helping the victim's family. The court order came on the eight-year-old girl's father's plea who sought transfer of the trial in the case from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir to Chandigarh and protection to the family in the face of threats. Rajawat alleged that she was labelled 'anti-Hindu' and was facing social boycott for taking up the case of the child rape victim, who was kidnapped on January 10 from Rasana village in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua and found murdered on January 10. Senior counsel Indira Jaising, representing the girl's father, expressed satisfaction over the investigation and told the apex court that they wanted the transfer of the case trial to ensure it was fair. The apex court directed for next hearing on April 27. All eight accused in the Kathua rape-murder case were on presented on Monday before Kathua Chief Judicial Magistrate A.S. Langeh amid tight security as the trial began. The eight include Sanji Ram, a former revenue official and an alleged mastermind of the heinous crime. The trial court will hear the matter on April 28. Aseemanand (file photo) Eleven years after a powerful explosion killed nine people and injured over 50 during Friday prayers near the iconic Charminar here, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Monday acquitted all five accused in the Makkah Masjid case. A lawyer for one of the accused told reporters outside the Nampally criminal court complex that the court held that the prosecution had failed to prove the charges. Hindu right-wing group Abhinav Bharat members Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajender Chowdhary, who were charged by the NIA, were all acquitted. The explosion ripped through the mosque on May 18, 2007. Two live IEDs were also recovered by police and defused. Later, five more people were killed in subsequent police firing on a crowd outside the mosque. There were a total of eight accused in the case. One, Sunil Joshi, a RSS pracharak, was murdered during the course of investigation. Two other accused, Sandeep V. Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, both RSS activists, still elude the investigators. Monday's judgement was about five accused who were chargesheeted by NIA. A total of three chargesheets were filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the NIA in the sensational case that took many twists and turns. The city police, which initially took up investigation, blamed Harkatul Jihad Islami and rounded up about 100 Muslim youths. All those arrested and jailed were acquitted in 2008 and the subsequent investigations by the CBI in 2010 revealed that the blast was the handiwork of Hindu rightwing group Abhinav Bharat. The case was handed over to NIA on April 4, 2011. The fact-finding committee of the National Minorities Commission found that the innocent youth were arrested on charges of terrorism and police kept them in illegal confinement and tortured them. In 2012, the government of then united Andhra Pradesh paid a compensation of Rs.3 lakh each to 26 people who were acquitted and Rs 20,000 each to 50 people others were let off the police after questioning. According to the chargesheet, the accused were "angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples" and conspired to "avenge" such acts with attacks on Muslim places of worship and places densely populated by Muslims. The chargesheet also mentioned that Aseemanand made a confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate in Delhi. He had allegedly disclosed the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in different places, including Makkah Masjid. Aseemanand allegedly retracted the statement later. Aseemanand was first arrested by the CBI in 2010 but was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the case. He was earlier acquitted in Ajmer Dargah blast case and also got bail in the Samjhauta Express blast case of 2014. Dear Editor Re: Govt. sacks Village Mayor Another evil method your government is using and undermining faasamoa. First they create a parliamentary system, which is not; its a slow motion system of a coup over the people. Many people dont understand this slow motion coup over their faasamoan system because they understand a Matai system. Now youre the government uses this coup system to pass laws wily nily. Then your government uses these wily nily laws to infiltrate villages giving themselves all the village power by controlling the mayor position. Just to make sure the government keeps all the power, they have also passed laws in 2014 to take away the liscence of lawyers who will try to fight for the rights of people. This law was just used against the lawyer trying to defend the rights of the Sogi people in their land rights case against your government. Faasamoa is in deep trouble because of these power grabs your government is manufacturing through that thing you call a parliamentary system. Its actually not its a slow motion coup to destroy any democratic power people had under faasamoa placing all power in the hands of your government. With the reference to the letter titled The true state of play, I want to say that it is no longer done in secret. The Governments coup in slow motion over faasamoa and the Matai system of governance is complete. The P.M. has used his manufactured majority to create a system with no opposition. This now allows him to change the Constitution at will to alienate lands from the people and create laws in a second that gives him absolute power to suspend the license of lawyers that try to stand up for peoples rights to lands, and control village power by owning the mayors. He no longer has to operate in secret because he has all the power. Next we will see more dissidents thrown in jail, or deported, or denied entry, or condemned without due process like the good people of Luatuanuu have been. Wendy Wonder Former Cabinet Minister, Magele Mauiliu Magele, is back in Government. This time, he will serve as the Trade Commissioner of the New Zealand Samoa Trade and Investment Commission, for the next three years. He replaces Fonoti Dr. Lafitai Fuatai who has completed his two terms. I am grateful for the opportunity to once again serve in the Government, Magele told the Samoa Observer yesterday. The former Vice Chancellor at the National University of Samoa and former Minister of Education will depart Samoa on Thursday with his wife, Tuagalelai, for New Zealand where they will be based for the next three years. Magele, while he was the Minister of M.E.S.C. received the "Exemplary Leadership Award in Education" prize at the Africa Education Leadership Awards. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, Magele is a man on a mission and does not want to waste time. He said there is a lot of work to do. For starters I am meeting with Foreign Affairs tomorrow (today) to discuss on the issues that will be the focus of the beginning of my term for the next three years, he said. I am looking into the trade between the two countries, trying to identify what needs to be changed that will benefit both New Zealand and Samoa. Secondly I will also look at Seasonal Work Scheme and also looking at the skilled trade for our people and garner the opportunities. He told the Samoa Observer the appointment couldnt have come at a better time. I look forward to the new post, he said. I was informed at the end of February and just last week I received the letter of confirmation. I want to thank the Prime Minister and the Cabinet for the confidence and belief in my ability to serve Samoa in this capacity. Again I am looking forward to serving in the new post. Drug defendant, Taoa Faraimo Stowers, convicted of cultivating 160 marijuana plant, has been jailed for three years and six months. The sentence was handed down by Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Falefatu Tiavaasue Sapolu. Taoa faced charges of cultivation, possession of narcotics, possession of the seeds, possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of unlawful ammunitions. He pleaded guilty to all five charges, at the earliest reasonable opportunity. Taoa is charged together with two other accused and have already entered guilty pleas. According to the summary of facts, on Thursday, 11 January, 2018 around 6pm, the Police arrived at Satapuala with a search warrant to search a land in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation. Whilst the Police were conducting their search, they saw marijuana plants growing on a neighbouring land which belongs to the accused. The Police then contacted the accused to come to where they were. When the accused arrived, he was questioned by the Police about the land where the marijuana plants were growing. He admitted to the Police that the land belongs to him and the marijuana plants also belong to him. The Police then conducted a search of the accuseds land and found 160 marijuana plants between six inches to eight feet high, 867 marijuana branches weighing a total of 11.675 kilograms and between 3 to 11 inches long, 9,545 marijuana seeds, loose marijuana leaves weighing 21.4 kilograms, an unregistered air gun, and five unlawful ammunitions. The accused was then arrested and brought to the Apia Police Station for further investigation. The accuseds matter was referred to the Alcohol Drugs Court clinician for screening. However the A.D.C. did not recommend him for further assessment because he was not suitable for the A.D.C. According to the pre-sentence report, the accused is a 39-year-old male of Satapuala. He is married with eight children. He had a low level of education having left school at Year 8. He then worked at the Fletcher Construction Ltd as a plumber for one year before working for S.T.E.C. at one of its Vaipapa properties for eight months. The accused admitted to the probation service that he started smoking marijuana in 1998 to give him energy when carrying out his chores. In 2012, he started his marijuana plantation not only for his personal consumption but to earn a living for him and his family. He said a six foot marijuana branch could sell for $500. The money that he earned from his drug business was used to provide for his family. He also owns a car. As a result of this matter, the accused has been banished from his village of Satapuala. The Chief Justice pointed out that Taoa is a first offender. The aggravating features relating to this offending is the large and substantial quantity of marijuana plants the accused was cultivating, the large and substantial quantity of marijuana substances found in the accuseds possession, and the marijuana was not only for the accuseds personal consumption but was for a commercial purpose. The mitigating features relating to the accused as offender are the banishment that has been imposed on him by his village and his early guilty plea. The fact that the accused is a first offender is neutral and given the circumstances of this case, I do not consider that the first offender status of the accused is a reflection of good character. It is therefore not a mitigating feature relating to the accused as offender. The aggravating features relating to this offense is the prevalence of drug offending and the need for personal and general deterrence in this type of case. The Chief Justice noted that applying the totality principle, the accused is convicted and sentenced on the lead offence of cultivation of prohibited plants to four years and eight months imprisonment. On the charge of possession of narcotics, the accused is convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment. On the charge of possession of the seeds of a prohibited plant, the accused is convicted and sentenced three and a half years imprisonment. On the charge of possession of an unregistered firearm, the accused is convicted and sentenced to nine months imprisonment. On the charge of possession of unlawful ammunitions, the accused is convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment. All sentences to be concurrent. Any time that the accused has already spent in custody is to be deducted. Taxes are due tomorrow. Among the less noticed features of the federal tax overhaul enacted late last year is a provision eliminating the deductibility of sexual harassment settlement payments and related attorneys fees if the parties agree to keep the settlement secret. Federal tax reform was the unexpected first legislative move to discourage secret sexual harassment payoffs. It wont be the last. Pending bills in state legislatures across the country -- including in California -- would prohibit employers from requiring employees to sign agreements blocking disclosure of alleged workplace sexual harassment. California law already bars confidential settlement of civil actions alleging elder abuse, childhood sexual exploitation, and any act that may be prosecuted as a felony sex offense. A California attorney who demands such an agreement in these contexts or counsels a client to sign one is subject to State Bar discipline. Proponents of prohibiting nondisclosure clauses in sexual harassment settlements argue those clauses enable a culture of sexual harassment to fester within an organization because serial abusers remain unexposed and a later potential accuser, unaware of other claims, may feel she will not be believed. Such clauses also may deprive victims of the therapeutic value of openly sharing their experience with others. Advertisement Critics of stripping this choice from the parties contend that the unimpaired right to include nondisclosure agreements in sexual harassment settlements results in faster and higher settlements and respects the preference of the accused and, in many cases, the accuser for the matter to remain private. Noted attorney and feminist Gloria Allred was quoted in The Los Angeles Times as opposing a ban on confidentiality clauses in sexual harassment settlements. The most important thing, said Allred, is the accusers satisfaction with the settlement terms. The new federal tax provision adds an exception to section 162 of the tax code which allows a business to deduct all the ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred in operating the business. New subsection 162(q) bars any deduction under this chapter for any settlement or payment related to sexual harassment or sexual abuse if such settlement or payment is subject to a nondisclosure agreement and for attorneys fees related to such a settlement or payment. Tax experts say the language of the provision specifically the broadening phrase under this chapter -- applies the deduction bar both to the businesses that pay settlements under an NDA and the accusers who receive the payments. That means, according to experts, the recipient of such a secret settlement payment now must pay taxes on the full settlement including the amount she turns over to her attorney rather than excluding or deducting the amount paid in fees from her taxable income. That also means the fees paid to the accusers attorney will be taxed twice, once as income to the accuser and again as income to her attorney. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., originally offered conceptual language for this provision that expressed his intent to direct the new provision only to businesses that pay such settlements. Sen. Menendez has called for a legislative fix to what he called the enacted provisions direct conflict with his stated legislative intent. Sen. Menendezs office did not answer emailed questions about the introduction of corrective legislation. The Internal Revenue Service has not issued guidance about 162(q). Tax experts say one open question is whether the provision prohibits a deduction for settlement with an NDA even if sexual harassment is only one of several distinct claims of wrongdoing made and settled by the accuser. Also uncertain is whether the non-deductibility of attorneys fees applies only to fees incurred in negotiating and drafting the settlement or fees spent defending the claim up through settlement. Even if the non-deductibility provision is limited to employers, or rendered irrelevant in states that later bar nondisclosure clauses, settling sexual harassment claims will effectively become more burdensome for employers. In the service of transparency, that increased burden on settlement may reduce payouts to accusers. Maybe that is to the good, in a greatest-net-benefit-for-the-greatest-number kind of way. But federal and state lawmakers should consider that fully before proceeding further in this direction. Dan Eaton is a partner with the San Diego law firm of Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek where his practice focuses on defending and advising employers. He also is an instructor at the San Diego State University Fowler College of Business where he teaches classes in business ethics and employment law. He may be reached at eaton@scmv.com. His Twitter handle is @DanEatonlaw. The Santee City Council has chosen the map that outlines the boundaries for the four voting districts that will be used for the first time in the November election. By a 3-2 vote, with Rob McNelis and Brian W. Jones dissenting, the council adopted a map designed by Santee Mayor John Minto. The council will finalize the boundaries on April 25. Its OK, McNelis said of the map. I dont think it was the best that we could have done. Its not horrible, it qualifies. Advertisement The council has been unhappy about the change in voting style, and again expressed frustration at being forced into by-district elections. We needed to get it done and this is the best we thought we can do, said City Councilman Ronn Hall. Santee, which has had at-large, citywide voting since its 1980 incorporation, will transition to a system where candidates are elected from four distinct districts. The mayor will continue to be elected by the entire city. As part of the California Voting Rights Act, more and more cities are moving to by-district voting. The main reason for by-district voting is to guarantee minorities have a voice and to increase minority political participation and representation. Cities that have refused to make the change have been threatened with legal action. Santee is predominantly Caucasian. The 2010 census said Santees makeup is about 83 percent white, 16 percent Hispanic or Latino, 4 percent Asian and 2 percent African-American. A previous map created by onetime city council hopeful Dustin Trotter that was chosen in March by the City Council was shelved. Some residents asked the City Council to consider one of the maps that had been created by or approved by NDC Corp., the demographics consultants the city hired. Others said they didnt want their neighborhoods split up. Advertisement In the end, Mintos map was thought to be more equitable for its evenly divided quadrants. Minto placed the 16-square-mile city into quadrants of nearly equal amounts of residents about 13,000 in each based on data from the 2010 U.S. Census, which uses a Santee population of just over 53,000. Mintos map also keeps all the current City Council members in different parts of the city, except for District 2, where both Jones and Hall live. McNelis is alone in District 1. McNelis and Hall are up for re-election this year and have indicated an interest in running for office again. McNelis was unsuccessful in a bid for mayor in 2016. Councilman Jones, appointed last year to fill the end of a two-year term, would also be up for election this year. Jones, however, announced last year that he would be running for state Senate. Advertisement District 4 is where City Councilman Stephen Houlahan resides. He was elected in 2016. Minto lives in District 3, but because the mayor gets the citywide voting opportunity, that area will need to be filled. The City Council voted to have the coming term for District 3 be for two years, and will need to be filled again in 2020, along with the mayors seat and District 4. District 4 resident James Sly, who had announced his candidacy several months ago, expressed disappointment in not being able to run for office in the coming election because of the way the boundaries play out. July is the citys unofficial deadline for redistricting to be finished in time for candidates who are interested in running for a City Council seat in the November election. Nomination papers will be available for interested candidates from July 16 through Aug. 10. Advertisement Current estimates of Santees population are near 58,000, with the city still growing thanks to several coming housing developments. Districts will need to be redrawn in 2021 for the 2022 election once the 2020 census information has been taken. Advertisement karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Marine Gunnery Sgt. Derik Holley will receive full military honors Tuesday during a special ceremony at Miramar National Cemetery. The dead Marine wont be buried there. His cremated remains will return for a private family memorial service at a nearby mortuary. The public is urged to line the route his funeral procession will take from the cemetery shortly after 10 a.m. on Tuesday, after a Marine aircraft flyover. People might think that this is backwards, but the procession is leaving early in the morning, during rush hour traffic and when kids are going to school, so we decided it was better to honor Gunnery Sgt. Holley and his family when they left the cemetery, said Laura Herzog, the founder and chief executive officer of the Honoring Our Fallen organization. Advertisement A native of Dayton, Ohio, Holley, 33, was one of four Warhorse crewmen from the Miramar-based Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 who died on April 3 when their CH-53 Super Stallion helicopter crashed about 15 miles west of El Centro, near the desert community of Plaster City and the international border with Mexico. The other Marines lost in the crash were Capt. Samuel Abraham Schultz, 28, of Pennsylvania; 1st Lt. Samuel D. Phillips, 27, of North Carolina; and Lance Cpl. Taylor J. Conrad, 24, of Louisiana. Military investigators continue to probe the cause of the mishap. Holleys remains were flown to San Diego International Airport on Saturday evening. San Diegans lined parts of the route from the airport to the Greenwood Mortuary following a special ceremony for him on the tarmac. On Tuesday morning, the funeral procession to sister funeral parlor Clairemont Mortuary will begin by heading west on Nobel Drive, just outside the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs cemetery. It will then turn south on Genesee Avenue before traveling east on Balboa Avenue and north on Mount Abernathy Avenue. Herzog said that she expects many well wishers waving flags to honor him near the mortuary entrance at 4266 Mount Abernathy Avenue. Advertisement Born on Sept. 27, 1984, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to Richard and Sylvia (Rockwell) Holley, Gunnery Sgt. Holley graduated in 2002 from Westlake High School in nearby Waldorf. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in late 2003 and became a helicopter crew chief. He served tours in Japan, Iraq and at sea with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. His awards included the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, nine Air Medals with Strike/Flight designations and four Good Conduct Medals. Advertisement A memorial service is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday at Miramar National Cemetery. Along with his parents and sister Lindsay, he is survived by wife Kasey Carpenter and his son Dane. The family asks that memorial contributions be sent to the Ronald McDonald House Charities or San Diegos Wingman Foundation. 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 When the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California voted to finance the lions share of the delta tunnels project, some on the board called it a bold stroke of leadership. The delegations from Los Angeles and San Diego, however, called the move alarming, financially risky and irresponsible. MWDs two largest member agencies, L.A. and the San Diego County Water Authority, were on the losing end of the April 10 vote to invest nearly $11 billion in the construction of two massive tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. This vote was honestly quite divisive, Los Angeles board member Mark Gold said. The Metropolitan Water District is basically subsidizing benefits for the entire state of California over and above the 19 million customers that Met has in Southern California. To have local ratepayers incur that risk is inappropriate and potentially illegal. Advertisement State constitutional provisions requiring local government fees to be proportional to the services provided could leave MWD vulnerable to court challenges, Gold and others warn. According to MWD, financing the twin tunnels would add an average of $60 a year to household water rates across the Southland. But local purchases of agency supplies vary, meaning costs will too. The board vote amounted to an 11th-hour rescue of the massive project, known as California WaterFix, which was floundering over the issue of who would pay to revamp the linchpin of the states water delivery system. Backers worried that a plan to downsize the project to one tunnel would drag out the permitting process beyond the end of the year, when Gov. Jerry Brown WaterFixs chief political cheerleader would be out of office. His successor might not be so enthusiastic about the tunnels, which are opposed by delta interests and major environmental groups. Brown played that card in a last-minute appeal to the MWD board. Moving ahead with just one tunnel would risk serious delay and jeopardize the entire project, he wrote to the directors on the eve of the vote. That resonated with my board very strongly, MWD general manager Jeff Kightlinger said. In a measure of how complex and contentious debate was ahead of the vote, Kightlingers staff issued conflicting signals on the project. The staff formally recommended that the agency press ahead with one tunnel because bankrolling the full project entailed more financial risk. And a staff analysis concluded that twin tunnels would not send more water to the Southland than a single one. Advertisement But the staff also said twin tunnels would provide more overall benefits, with greater flexibility in operating the delta export operations, additional water quality improvements and the capacity to transfer water purchases above and beyond MWDs regular deliveries. There are multiple values in it that would accrue to MWD, and the extra investment would not violate the law, Kightlinger said. The projects original funding scheme collapsed last fall, when the San Joaquin Valley agriculture districts that were supposed to pick up nearly half of the $17-billion tab backed out. That prompted the state to shrink the proposal to a cheaper, one-tunnel version that would be financed by MWD and the other, mostly urban districts that get State Water Project deliveries from the delta. Under that scenario, WaterFix would move ahead in stages, with a second tunnel built when financing materialized. Not long after the downsizing proposal emerged, MWD started talking about picking up agricultures unfunded portion, with the assumption that the agency could recoup the extra cost by selling tunnel capacity to growers after the project is built. Advertisement But there is no guarantee agricultural districts will buy tunnel supplies or if they do, that they will pay a price that reflects the waters true cost. I will be shocked if ag water users paid their fair share of the tunnels, said Doug Obegi, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. It doesnt make economic sense for them. He called the boards approval of an $11-billion stake in the project an act of desperation ... subsidize everyone else, or you dont get your tunnels. To some extent, the board split reflected different levels of dependence on the imported supplies that Metropolitan wholesales to the Southland. Advertisement The San Diego authority has spent the last two decades trying to wean itself from MWD supplies and repeatedly has tangled with the agency over rate setting and other policies. L.A., which gets water from the Owens Valley as well as MWD, has embarked on a campaign to develop more local supplies and cut its MWD purchases. That led to sniping during the board debate, when chairman Randy Record, who represents parts of Riverside County, implied that L.A. was just looking out for itself. That comment was not very well received by the L.A. delegation, said Gold, who expressed concerns that the tunnel fight will leave a lasting mark on board relations. Having the two largest cities in California split from most of the rest of Metropolitan is not in the best interests of Metropolitan. Advertisement L.A. and San Diegos concerns about the tunnel financing are not new. But they escalated with the move to make MWD the projects lead investor. Funds to pay MWDs tunnel debt will come from a yet-to-be-specified mix of charges, including water sales which make up the bulk of the agencys income fixed charges on water deliveries and the agencys long-standing property tax levy. In a report earlier this month, the Los Angeles Office of Public Accountability said the twin tunnels could tack an average of $30 a year onto L.A. household bills. But that surcharge could jump to $81 in what the office called a worst-case scenario: Dry years when the city purchases more MWD supplies to make up for low Owens Valley deliveries. And no buyers for the second tunnel capacity, leaving MWD customers stuck with the bill. Board member Brett Barbre, president of the Municipal Water District of Orange County, led the push for MWD to finance the majority of the full project. Advertisement He said he balanced the risk of delay if the courts ordered a new environmental review for the one-tunnel version with the financial risk of building two tunnels. I think well have a much greater likelihood of selling that water and being made whole than succeeding on the phased approach, Barbre said. Politically conservative Orange County, he said, noting the irony, is doing something that is great for the Jerry Brown legacy. A Lemon Grove native who owns a horse stable and once ran for city council was sentenced in San Diego federal court Monday to just over four years in prison for her role as a delivery driver in a fenantyl-trafficking ring. Anna Baker was drawn to the job for financial reasons, unlike her co-conspirator who worked in exchange for methamphetamine and cocaine to feed his addiction, said the prosecutor. Baker, 31, was arrested on Nov. 30, 2016, during a traffic stop, when investigators found 33 pounds of fentanyl inside the car she had rented for the occasion, according to court records. Another 64 pounds of the drug, a deadly synthetic heroin, was found stored at her Lemon Grove home, prosecutors said. Baker admitted to making at least seven of the delivery runs from San Diego County to distribution points in Los Angeles and Riverside. She said she was told at one point that she was shuttling cocaine. Another defendant, Hector Rapido Fernando Garcia, was responsible for bringing the drugs up from the U.S.-Mexico border after theyd been smuggled through, authorities said. He was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison. Advertisement Authorities said the two worked for Jonathan Ibarra, who has pleaded guilty to possession of nearly 100 pounds of fentanyl and aiding and abetting. He is set to be sentenced next month. The seizure in the case was the largest fentanyl seizure to be sent to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration lab in the nation, representing more than 14 million fatal doses, authorities said. The case took many of Bakers friends and family by surprise, as she has no criminal history and was described as a hardworking mother raising four children with her husband. The courtroom Monday was at capacity with supporters, including her mother, Lemon Groves most recent former mayor. In a letter to the judge written on Office of the Mayor letterhead just days after Bakers arrest, Mary Sessom said she was wearing two hats that of a mayor and mother. She said Baker was a high school athlete and in 2010 opened an equestrian stable where she teaches riding lessons to students, including disabled adults and children with autism. I love my daughter very much and, while I am puzzled by this incredibly bad choice she made, I 100% stand beside her, Sessom wrote. In court, Baker made a tearful apology to all those who came out to support her. I made a terrible, huge mistake, Baker said. Im very ashamed about what I did. Advertisement Advertisement kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis Becoming a U.S. citizen in San Diego takes longer than it used to. While the number of citizenship applications has grown steadily across the country in the last four years, San Diego has far outpaced the national trend. Combined with increases in visa applications and policies from the Trump administration that require more time spent investigating many of those applicants, the rise in citizen-hopefuls has increased the average wait time to naturalize by several months. In extreme cases, potential future citizens in San Diego can wait almost two years from when they file their initial paperwork to their oath ceremonies while the average case takes closer to 10 months. Ginger Jacobs, an immigration attorney, recalled cases taking between one and two years to process after 9/11 when noncitizens were highly scrutinized by the federal government but the wait times had dropped significantly in the following years. Advertisement A year ago, people waited about six months start-to-finish to naturalize, Jacobs said. The number of San Diegans applying for citizenship has more than doubled in the last four years from 9,352 to 20,630. Nationally, the number of citizenship applications rose 27.4 percent from 773,811 to 986,142 during the same time frame. Most of San Diegos dramatic increase happened during the most recent election season and in the year following President Donald Trumps inauguration. Juan Manuel Licona Terrazas, 67, became a U.S. citizen at the monthly oath ceremony in March. It was a dream I didnt think would ever come true, Licona said in Spanish. He worried that his English was not strong enough to pass the required tests. Licona first came to the U.S. in 1996 and was granted asylum in 2002 because he was afraid of being persecuted in Mexico due to his sexual orientation. He felt happy to have his green card, and time passed, much longer than the required five years for him to become a citizen. What finally pushed him to try was a combination of fear as an immigrant under the Trump administration, even though he had a green card, and wanting to vote in the next election. He went to a naturalization workshop hosted by Alliance San Diego and found support to help him study. Advertisement The process took about a year, he said, from when he first turned in his application. The waiting made him feel more stressed, but he focused on studying and was able to pass. Its worth all the things you feel in the process, Licona said. There arent words to explain how fabulous it felt when they gave me that document. He feels more protected now, he said, especially when he travels to see his family in Mexico. My life changed. I can see things in another way, Licona said. I feel more freedom. Advertisement Now that hes a citizen, he wants to sponsor his mother to come to the U.S. so that he can take care of her. A new tool released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services allows applicants to check how long the process has been taking in their area. It estimates that San Diegans will wait between 10.5 and 22 months to become citizens. Thats the third longest wait in the country after Wichita, Kansas and Oakland Park, Florida. Maria Elena Upson, a spokeswoman for the agency, said the tool is still in the pilot phase and that the agency is refining it. Advertisement We are aware that the numbers dont reflect reality, Upson said. Were working towards making sure we provide accurate numbers. Because of the way the tool calculates the estimated waits, complex cases that require extra scrutiny may act as outliers skewing the projections higher than they should be. The tool also tells applicants how long they have to wait before they can ask USCIS why they havent heard back. The inquiry date for San Diego was listed in late June 2016 when checked by the San Diego Union-Tribune on Thursday. Youre looking at potentially 22 months that youre not able to inquire about a case that was filed and hasnt been schedule for an interview, said Kimberley Best Robidoux, an immigration attorney who chairs a working group that meets regularly with USCIS. Thats a long time to not be able to inquire about a case. Advertisement Sometimes green cards expire while people are waiting, Robidoux said, and they have to go to USCIS to get a special stamp in their passports to keep their status. That adds more work to agency staff. Last year, in response to an executive order from the president, the agency began requiring in-person interviews for more types of visa applications. Many predicted the change would bog down processing for any type of application handled by USCIS, including people waiting to naturalize. The agency saw a 5.5 percent increase in overall application volume between fiscal 2016 and 2017, which also added to the workload for USCIS staff. We will not compromise national security for the sake of speeding up an application, Upson said. Advertisement Clean applications shouldnt take as long as those that require additional scrutiny, she said. USCIS is having more employees work overtime and is hiring to fill vacancies to try to mitigate the issue, according to Upson. Robidoux said shes seen the local office of the agency working hard to keep up, scheduling extra interviews on Saturdays and planning double oath ceremonies every month this summer through September. The agencys San Diego office processed more applications than it received in the last quarter of fiscal 2017, a change from the middle of the year when it processed closer to half of what was coming in, according to data from USCIS. That reduced the number of pending applications from a peak of over 14,000 in the second quarter to about 11,200 at the end of the fiscal year. Advertisement Jacobs said for some of her cases, USCIS officers have asked her clients more involved questions about how they got their green cards than shed seen in recent years. One of her more complex naturalization cases took about 15 months. The man, who had to have two interviews with USCIS before getting approved, applied in September 2016 and will have his ceremony in May 2018. Itzel Guillen, immigrant integration manager at Alliance San Diego, said that people have a mix of reactions when they find out the process can take that long. Some think that they need to apply as soon as possible while others put off the process, especially if they have trips abroad coming up, Guillen said. Advertisement She encouraged people interested in voting in the 2020 election to apply as soon as possible. Theres already a risk now that they wont make it in time if they wait, she said. The nonprofits naturalization workshop schedule is available at readynowsandiego.org. Advertisement Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter North San Diego County mayors called for the county Board of Supervisors to support the Trump Administrations lawsuit against Californias immigrant sanctuary law at a news conference on Monday. Two Republican mayors Escondidos Sam Abed and San Marcoss Jim Desmond joined conservative radio host Carl DeMaio in calling the states sanctuary laws divisive and a threat to public safety. The law, known as Senate Bill 54, limits how much assistance local authorities can provide to federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws. The county Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote on whether to support the lawsuit at a closed session on Tuesday. DeMaio and the elected leaders pushed back against accusations the effort was anti-immigrant and instead said rolling back the sanctuary laws would protect unauthorized immigrants who are otherwise law-abiding. Advertisement DeMaio had harsh words for supporters of SB 54. The people who are supporting SB 54 are going to be unmasked as frauds as people who were willing to put public safety at risk to score some cheap political points in the name of racial division. Desmond said the effort was about public safety, not immigration. This is not about anti-immigration, anti-Hispanic or anything else, he said. This is about protecting the citizens. SB 54 and the sanctuary city law actually protects felons more than it does law-abiding citizens. Desmond who is running for county supervisor signed an amicus brief in support of Trumps lawsuit. Law enforcement needs to work together to keep us safe, he said. Ingrid Lake, the mother of a 6-year-old boy injured in a DUI collision with an unauthorized immigrant last year, said the states current policies would protect the man accused in her case. Prosecutors tried the man, Constantino Banda Acosta, for felonies related to the crash twice, each resulting in deadlocked juries. He was not found guilty of any felony charges, she said. If (he) is ever found again in California in the future for any reason...the sanctuary state law in its current form would shield him from being turned over to immigration officials. Advertisement An opposing group held a news conference last week, asking the supervisors to stay out of the court case. It sends the wrong message about how we in San Diego value our immigrants contributions, Vilavanh Sanginthirath, owner of the small business San Diego Innovations and a board member of the group Business for Good, said at last weeks event. andrew.dyer@sduniontribune.com @adyer619 British Prime Minister Theresa May told restive lawmakers Monday that military airstrikes on Syria were right both legally and morally, and she accused Syria and its ally Russia of attempting to cover up evidence of a deadly chemical weapons attack. May faced down her domestic critics as Frances premier defended the proportionate response to the use of chemical weapons. European Union foreign ministers united to say they understood the need for the airstrikes and called for a new push for a political solution to the war in Syria. British Royal Air Force jets joined American and French warplanes and ships in hitting targets in Syria early Saturday in response to a reported chemical attack by the Syrian government in the town of Douma. The British government is not legally bound to seek Parliaments approval for military strikes, although it is customary to do so, and many lawmakers expressed anger that they were not consulted. Advertisement May told legislators in the House of Commons that seeking their approval would have been impractical, both because Parliament was on a spring break until Monday and because some of the intelligence behind the decision was classified. We have always been clear that the government has the right to act quickly in the national interest, May said, calling the military action not just morally right but also legally right. We cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalized, either within Syria, on the streets of the U.K., or elsewhere, May said linking the chemical attack in Syria with the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter last month with a military-grade nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury. Syria and Russia have both denied that Syrian government forces carried out the Douma gas attack, suggesting it may have been staged to implicate them. May said the presence of helicopters and the use of barrel bombs pointed the finger of blame squarely at the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. She accused Syria, aided by Russia, of trying to block an investigation into the gas attack by the international chemical weapons watchdog. The Syrian regime has reportedly been attempting to conceal the evidence by searching evacuees from Douma to ensure samples are not being smuggled from this area. And a wider operation to conceal the facts of the attack is underway, supported by the Russians, she said. Ahmet Uzumcu, director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said Monday that the organizations team has not yet deployed to Douma, two days after arriving in Syria. He said Syrian and Russian officials who met the OPCW team in Damascus told them that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place. Advertisement In Britains House of Commons, much of Mondays scheduled business was scrapped for an emergency debate on the airstrikes that stretched late into the evening. But the after-the-fact debate without a binding vote did not satisfy angry opposition lawmakers. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, called the airstrikes legally questionable and accused May of following Donald Trumps lead. Corbyn said May should remember she is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the U.S. president. May denied acting at the behest of the U.S. Advertisement We have not done this because President Trump asked us to do so, May said. We have done it because we believe it was the right thing to do and we are not alone. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe also justified the military action in a speech Monday to the National Assembly, Frances lower house of parliament. Philippe told lawmakers that Frances riposte was proportionate and sent a strong, clear message to dissuade Syrias government from using chemical weapons. He said the joint action of the U.S., Britain and France was aimed at placing a prohibitive cost on the use of chemical weapons and degrading Assads ability to use them. Some French opposition leaders have criticized the strikes, saying they were not legitimate. Under the French Constitution, the government must inform the parliament, but a vote is requested only if a military intervention is expected to last more than four months. Advertisement In Luxembourg, the foreign ministers of the 28 EU countries called for a political breakthrough involving regional players to put Syria on track to a peaceful solution for its seven-year conflict. The ministers said the EU understands the need for the coordinated U.S, French and British airstrikes following the suspected April 7 chemical attack. They insisted it was executed with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the EU wants to use a major meeting on Syria in Brussels next week to give impetus to U.N. peace efforts following Saturdays airstrikes. There is the need to give a push to the U.N.-led process, Mogherini said. Advertisement More than 70 delegations are expected at the April 24-25 donor conference for Syria in Brussels. Lawless reported from London and Casert reported from Luxembourg. Associated Press writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed. San Diego may eliminate a loophole in its term limits law. The change would prohibit council members from serving longer than eight years even if they shift districts. Voters would need to approve the change as a city charter amendment in November. San Diego officials may ask voters to eliminate a term limits loophole that allows some City Council members to serve longer than the eight-year maximum that voters approved in 1992. If the proposed change was already in place, Councilwoman Lorie Zapf would not be eligible for the third consecutive four-year council term she is seeking this year. In addition, former Councilwoman Marti Emerald would not have been eligible in 2016 for a third term, which she ultimately chose not to seek partly because of health problems. The loophole made Zapf and Emerald eligible for third terms because the geographic council districts they represented shifted while they were in office. The idea is, being the District 6 council member is a different office than being the District 2 council member, for example, starting the term limits clock over. Advertisement The proposed change, which the councils Rules Committee unanimously approved last week, would prohibit council members from serving longer than eight years even if they shift districts. The Rules Committee voted to have the city attorney write an amendment to the city charter that the full council could decide this summer to place on the November ballot for voter approval. Councilwoman Barbara Bry of La Jolla said its clear the loophole contradicts what voters intended when they approved term limits 26 years ago. The language, for whatever reason, was unclear at that time, and it is just our intent to clear it up, she said. Councilman Chris Ward of University Heights said the loophole has created an uneven playing field. This affords a special opportunity for some, but not other, council members to qualify for additional terms, Ward said. Zapf is eligible for a third term this year because her Bay Ho home shifted from District 6 to District 2 during her first term in office in 2011, when boundary lines were re-drawn something that happens every 10 years with a new census. Zapf served four years in District 6, is now serving her fourth year in District 2 and is seeking another four-year term in District 2. Advertisement Emerald served four years in District 7, then moved from Tierrasanta to College Area in the newly created District 9 in 2011 and served four years in that district. She was expected in 2016 to seek a third term her second in District 9 but decided instead to retire and was ultimately replaced by Georgette Gomez of City Heights. Term limits have created opportunities for the emergence of new leaders that might not have happened otherwise. No incumbent council member has lost a re-election bid in the city in more than 25 years. The first election affected by the change would be in 2020. Advertisement david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick An armed man held up a Dennys diner and made off with cash early Monday in City Heights, police said. Nobody was reportedly injured in the robbery, which happened at 5:35 a.m. at the 24-hour eatery on the corner of University and Fairmount avenues, San Diego police Officer Billy Hernandez said. The robber left with an undisclosed amount of cash from the restaurant. The armed suspect was described as white, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighing around 160 pounds. He was between 25 and 30 years old and was wearing a gray and black hoodie with jeans. Advertisement Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com Like any defense lawyer, Matthew Speredelozzi wants to know how San Diego prosecutors concluded that his clients DNA was found on a blood-stained pair of gloves not far from a murder scene. But his efforts to do so have touched off a legal skirmish between the defense lawyer, the San Diego Police crime lab, the District Attorneys Office and a private company that developed a new DNA analysis technique that is on the forefront of forensic science. At issue is a defendants fair-trial rights, including the right to confront and challenge evidence used against him, against a private companys business secrets secrets that were integral to producing key evidence in the case. Speredelozzi said he needs to see the computer software source code, the user manual and other materials used in a DNA analysis computer program called STRmix, which was used by the San Diego crime lab to connect his client, Florenico Jose Dominguez, to the 2008 murder of 15-year-old Moises Lopez in San Diego. Advertisement But prosecutors balked, contending that information is both copyrighted and a business trade secret of the private company that developed the software program. Moreover, the terms of a Non Disclosure Agreement that the city inked with the company when purchasing the software in 2015 prohibit turning over that material. The company is willing to make the code and software available to defense lawyers but only under strict conditions one of which requires the defense lawyer to sign similar confidentiality and Non Disclosure Agreements. At a hearing on March 28, San Diego Superior Court Judge Charles G. Rogers ruled that Speredelozzi should get the information he needs from prosecutors, though he delayed enforcing that for a month to allow prosecutors to appeal. The judge said the concerns of Environmental Science and Research or ESR the makers of STRmix, which is a joint venture between the governments of New Zealand and the State of South Australia that its proprietary information could be exposed in court, dont outweigh Dominguezs rights. Why should Mr. Speredelozzis hands be tied in defense of his client? Rogers asked. He said terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement Speredelozzi would have to sign could prohibit him or his expert witnesses from revealing how the program works and their critiques of it in open court at a trial. Speredelozzi says he has to have his experts examine the software and determine not only if it is accurate, but also how it works. The program uses a powerful algorithm to interpret complex DNA evidence that contains genetic material from multiple people. The software runs millions of calculations on the statistical likelihood of whether or not a specific individuals DNA is present in the mixture, and does it quicker and with greater accuracy than humans can. The San Diego police crime lab is one of a growing number of labs in the country using this method, known as probabilistic genotyping. The city purchased STRmix from the New Zealand company that developed it in 2015, and so far has spent $189,000 on licensing and training, city records show. The FBI and U.S. Army labs started using STRmix, and last year the crime lab for the city of New York did, too. Other companies have developed similar computer software programs for sale to labs. Advertisement The tool is especially useful for DNA evidence that has two or more contributors to it known as mixture samples. Analyzing these samples has been a controversy among scientists for years, leading to concerns that interpretations by scientists can be error-prone or rely too much on subjective determinations. In 2010, a leading forensic science group recommended changes to interpretation guidelines that made DNA analysis that previously would have included a defendant to now be deemed inconclusive. The probabilistic genotyping software is heralded as a solution, sorting out the different DNA contributors in a sample with greater precision. Dominguezs case history reflects how using DNA-mixture evidence has changed. At his 2010 trial he was included as a contributor to a blood mixture found on the gloves, though at low levels and under guidelines that were soon changed. Under the revised guidelines, that same evidence was deemed inconclusive. That change was a key factor in Speredelozzi getting Dominguezs conviction thrown out last year and earning him a new trial. In preparation for that trial, the San Diego crime lab again tested the evidence, this time using the STRmix tool. Court papers said those tests showed the likelihood that Dominguezs DNA is in the blood on the gloves is 318 billion times more likely than not in one sample, and 4.16 billion times more likely than not in a second. Advertisement Speredelozzi wants his experts to see how that conclusion was reached by examining the software. At the hearing he likened the process to a black box, where evidence goes in, a conclusion comes out but what happens in between cant be known. The prosecution is saying, sorry, its a secret we cant tell you, he told Rogers. In an email response to questions, Bjorn Sutherland of ESR said the company makes the software and code available to defense lawyers on a time-limited basis. (Speredelozzi argued that the time limit is inadequate for analysis.) Sutherland also said that income from the sale of the program is applied to activities that underpin the criminal justice system and publicly disclosing how the program works would injure the company and imperil those revenues. Public disclosure of STRmix source code or other proprietary information has the potential to cause irreparable damage to these efforts, he said. Doing so could destroy our ability to undertake development, training, implementation and validation support, defense training, and court appearances. Advertisement District Attorney spokesman Steve Walker said the office plans to appeal Rogers ruling. He said the materials the defense wants are the property of a private company that the DAs office has no control over, and noted that ESR is willing to provide the information to Speredelozzi. He said the appeal will be challenging (Judge Rogers) ruling that we possess and can distribute the companys intellectual property without limitation. In his ruling, however, Rogers determined that ESR was part of the prosecution team, a designation that if it stands would mean the computer program is information the prosecutors have control of and would have to turn over. Defense lawyers access to the genotyping programs has been an issue in cases around the country. In a 2012 murder case, a Los Angeles judge ruled another maker, TrueAllele, had to produce its code for defense examination, though under a court protective order limiting who could see it. That ruling was overturned on appeal, when the appeals court concluded the reasons for accessing the code did not outweigh the trade secret protections, and the code was not needed to understand how reliable the program is. Advertisement Suzanna Ryan, a Carlsbad-based forensic consultant who has worked on the Dominguez case, said defendants need to know if the program works as boosters say it does. She said the genotyping tool was an issue in a New York state case, where a DNA sample was interpreted using STRmix and included the defendant. But another test done with TrueAllele said the results were inconclusive. You need to know how the program is working, she said, and in order to do that you need an expert to look at it who can say whether or not what it is supposed to be doing, it is doing. Advertisement Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com Police have identified the 67-year-old woman who was found dead on a Little Italy street corner as Victoria Sullenger of San Diego. Sullenger was found around 3:40 a.m. Saturday at Hawthorne and State streets after someone called 911 to report finding her body. Homicide detectives are investigating the death as suspicious, but they arent clear what happened to Sullenger, who police believe was homeless and living in an encampment in the area, police Lt. Anthony Dupree said. She had what appeared to be traumatic injuries on her upper and lower body consistent with a fall, Dupree said. Advertisement We think she fell, but we dont know if she fell or if she was pushed, Dupree said. Right now we dont have anyone who witnessed her falling. He said investigators are waiting for the county Medical Examiners Office to finish an autopsy on Sullenger to see what that shows. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 Advertisement karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com Former Vice President Joseph Biden will visit the Salk Institute in La Jolla on Friday to talk about national efforts to greatly improve the ability of scientists and physicians to diagnose, treat and prevent cancer. Biden has long been a proponent of investing larger amounts of public funds into fighting cancer, a disease that claimed the life of his son, Beau, in 2015. The former vice president also has been teaming up with industry and biomedical institutes like the Salk to work on a so-called Cancer Moonshot. The Salk is launching its own initiative to study cancer, an area where the institute has prospered over the years. The Salk is home to such researchers as Tony Hunter, whose work has contributed to the development of more than 30 cancer drugs. Advertisement Biden will visit the Salk on Friday to speak on a panel that will discuss ways to better understand the underlying causes of the five deadliest cancers: triple-negative breast, brain, pancreatic, lung and ovarian. The event is not open to the general public. ICYMI Salk Institute reports robust health amid hard times for biomedical institutes San Diego scientists span the globe to unearth new discoveries, solve deepest mysteries One of the most dangerous things you can do in the city of San Diego is cross the street. In the last decade, drivers have injured more than 7,000 pedestrians, severely wounding or crippling about 660 and killing 302, according to data from the California Highway Patrol. The annual death toll approaches that of homicides and rivals the number of those killed from drunk driving. Along with recent commitments by elected officials to redesign deadly intersections, law enforcement has in the last year increasingly targeted crash-prone streets with enforcement details. Advertisement San Diego pledges to ramp up efforts to eliminate pedestrian deaths However, a City Auditors report released last week found such efforts by the San Diego Police Department have yet to result in an increase in the number of tickets written for the most risky behaviors exhibited by drivers and pedestrians. In fact, the report found the number of tickets issued for the top violations associated with pedestrian collisions is less than 2 percent of all traffic citations. Those violations such as jaywalking or failing to yield to someone in a crosswalk were more often than not written as the result of a crash. The Pedestrian Safety Audit is one of the most important audits my office has issued, City Auditor Eduardo Luna said in an email. Implementing the audit recommendations can help save lives and prevent serious injuries for pedestrians. The Police Department initially embraced a 2016 recommendation by the auditor to set a target for issuing a higher percentage of traffic citations for violations associated with pedestrian collisions. Such an approach has been implemented in San Francisco where in recent years roughly 40 to 50 percent of all such tickets are aimed at discouraging the most dangerous behaviors that threaten pedestrians. Then in January, the City Attorneys Office released an opinion that found setting even an aspirational goal for issuing such tickets could violate state law prohibiting arrest quotas. Advertisement What San Francisco does, theyre absolutely welcome to do that, but we dont want anything to do with a quota or anything that might be perceived as being a quota, said Keith Lucas, assistant chief of the departments traffic, youth and event services. According to the City Attorneys memo, the police department can, however, prioritize specific enforcement actions, such as those taken to curb driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police department officials have said they are planning to ramp up enforcement details that focus on improving pedestrian and bicycle safety. Currently, those details are dispatched about two times a month for roughly eight hours at a time, with modest increases slated for coming years. The Pedestrian Safety Audit is one of the most important audits my office has issued. City Auditor Eduardo Luna Advertisement Still, those efforts wont necessarily translate into a higher number of citations, said Capt. Bernie Colon, who oversees the departments traffic division. The idea of the details is to stop the problem, so that may be a citation. It may be a warning. It may be a matter of just educating people, Colon said. Its not a matter of they have to write citations. The recent auditors report, at the same time, praised the department for embracing a more data-driven approach, including identifying crash hot spots and the specific types of violations that are most closely associated with pedestrian deaths and injuries. The data suggests that pedestrians and drivers are each at fault about half of the time, according to the auditors report. Failing to brake for a pedestrian in a crosswalk is the most common violation accounting for such collisions, accounting for more than a third of the accidents. Advertisement Police officials said theyre in the process of educating officers on the issue, with plans to roll out new training and assignment strategies. Thats come as welcome news to the auditors office. The SDPD is developing an effective, measurable plan to ensure officers increase their focus on violations related to pedestrian safety during regular citywide patrol and traffic enforcement efforts, and I look forward to reviewing SDPDs strategy once it is finalized, Luna said. El Cajon Blvd. between Highland Avenue and 45th street in front of Hoover High School was called out for attention by Circulate San Diego in a memo to council members. Improvements would include sidewalk improvements, new medians, curb extensions and safe crosswalks. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune ) Advertisement The increased attention to enforcement comes as elected officials renewed a longstanding pledge this week to eliminate all traffic-related fatalities by 2025, as part of a nationwide campaign called Vision Zero. On Tuesday, Mayor Kevin Faulconers team committed to spend roughly $375,000 in upgrades in this years budget to pay for striping and walk signals with countdown clocks at 15 of the citys most dangerous intersections. Attention to the issue comes after the citys Vision Zero campaign had hit the skids in recent months and pedestrian deaths mounted, with 11 so far this year. Pedestrian deaths in San Diego rack up as city drags on Vision Zero campaign Advertisement The campaigns task force, now scheduled to meet in May, hasnt been active for nearly a year, and a promised overhaul of the citys Vision Zero website along with planned public service announcements are long overdue. Since 2015 when the city embraced Vision Zero, drivers have killed 104 pedestrians and brutally injured another 213, according to data from the California Highway Patrol analyzed by UC Berkeleys Safe Transportation Research and Education Center. By comparison, 166 people were killed while riding in a vehicle, with 726 severely wounded, during the same time period. City Councilman Chris Ward, whose District 3 has taken the brunt of traffic injuries and fatalities in the city, said hes optimistic about the citys newfound dedication to the issue. Advertisement Its been painfully slow, unacceptable, and thats why Im grateful that theres been a huge effort now, Ward said. Still, results are likely a ways down the road. Fixing the citys most dangerous intersections is a years-long project and as the population grows and neighborhoods urbanize there will be more traffic and more people walking the streets. Advertisement Twitter: @jemersmith Phone: (619) 293-2234 Advertisement Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com A federal judge signaled Monday that she is unlikely to grant President Donald Trumps request to let him unilaterally determine what material seized last week from his personal lawyer is privileged, but she indicated that she may appoint an outside attorney to assess the records in an effort to carefully navigate the high-stakes case. The investigation of Cohen which has pitted the president against his own Justice Department took another unexpected turn Monday with the courtroom revelation that one of Cohens legal clients was Fox News commentator Sean Hannity. Hannity played down the relationship, saying he occasionally asked Cohen legal questions but never paid him. On his show Monday night, he described it as a minor relationship that had to do with real estate. But the connection between the two men inserted another high-profile, polarizing Trump ally into the drama surrounding the criminal investigation of the presidents longtime lawyer. The legal showdown began last week when FBI agents searched Cohens office, home, hotel room and safe-deposit box, seizing records and documents as part of a probe by federal prosecutors in New York into possible bank fraud and wire fraud. Advertisement Sean Hannity of Fox News arrives in National Harbor, Md., on March 4, 2016. (Carolyn Kaster / AP) Attorneys for Cohen and Trump have argued that the seizure could lead to violations of attorney-client privilege. At a hearing Monday before U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood, federal prosecutors sparred with lawyers for Cohen and a lawyer for Trump, who Sunday night asked the judge to let the president review the seized material before investigators go through it. Last week, Cohens attorneys asked to review the documents, or have a court-appointed special master do so, to determine what material is protected by attorney-client privilege. Wood did not dismiss Cohens motion, dealing the government team a setback by keeping open the possibility of having a third party evaluate the seized documents. The judge did not make a decision but said she was considering appointing a special master not because of legal precedent but in the interest of avoiding the appearance of bias in the politically charged case. Wood said she wanted more information before ruling. I have faith in the Southern District U.S. Attorneys Office that their integrity is unimpeachable, she said. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels and her attorney Michael Avenatti arrive at Federal Court in New York on Monday. (Victor J. Blue / Bloomberg) Advertisement But she added that to address concerns about fairness raised by Trump and Cohens attorneys, a special master might have a role here. Maybe not the complete role, but some role. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas McKay urged the judge to reject the requests from the president and Cohen. Just because he has a powerful client doesnt mean he should get special treatment, said McKay, who warned that if the judge gives them an inch, theyre going to take a mile. Trump attorney Joanna Hendon told the judge that the president is objecting to anyone other than himself making the initial determination of privilege, urging caution over haste. Advertisement This is an extraordinary case, she said. Theres tremendous risk that privileged material could not be recognized as such. It is unusual but not unprecedented for criminal investigators to seize documents from a lawyer, and there is a policy in place designed to shield information covered by attorney-client privilege. That procedure involves having a taint team also called a filter team of prosecutors outside the investigation review all the material and separate what is covered by the privilege. A lawyers communications with a client are not covered by the privilege if they did not involve legal advice or were used to further a crime or fraud. Under the procedure, the taint team would turn over to the case investigators all the material that is relevant and not covered by attorney-client privilege. Advertisement Wood said Monday that a taint team is a viable option, but it was unclear how she would ultimately decide to assess the possibly privileged material. The judge asked the government to make digital copies of all the material it had seized and share those files with Cohens lawyers, who would in turn share relevant information with lawyers for Trump and the Trump Organization. The goal, Wood said, would be to have a sense of how much work would be required of a special master and, therefore, how long that process might take. Over the Trump and Cohen teams objections, Wood allowed the governments filter team to run mechanical searches on the material collected to determine an estimate of how many documents it thought might be privileged. Advertisement The masses of reporters outside and inside the courthouse in Lower Manhattan underscored the importance of the case and the strange circumstance of a Justice Department lawyer squaring off in court against a lawyer for the president to argue about potential evidence in a criminal probe of the presidents private attorney. In the course of those arguments, Cohens lawyers acknowledged that he has had only about three legal clients in the past year and a half Trump, former Republican National Committee deputy finance chairman Elliot Broidy and a mystery third client whom Cohen initially didnt want to name. Under pressure from the judge, Cohens legal team eventually revealed that Hannity was the third client drawing gasps and some chuckles in the courtroom. The firebrand commentator is a close informal adviser to Trump, who has urged the public to watch Hannitys show, during which he regularly attacks the special counsel investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 campaign. Advertisement Last week, Hannity criticized the raids on Cohens office and residences as an unprecedented abuse of power, never mentioning his relationship with the Trump lawyer. Hannity said Monday that he occasionally turned to Cohen when he had legal questions but that he never paid him to be his attorney. Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter, the conservative commentator wrote on Twitter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective. I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party, Hannity added. Advertisement McKays arguments for having a government filter team evaluate the seized material focused on the incentives that each side might have in its analysis of the documents. He noted that the U.S. Attorneys Office would face legal repercussions if it was overly narrow in its determination of privilege. He also argued that the effort to keep Hannitys name from being made public was a perfect illustration of what will happen if Cohens proposal carries the day. If they are going to continue to hide behind overbroad claims of privilege, the process isnt going to work, he said. As he had on Friday, McKay said that the Cohen teams inability to demonstrate its claim thousands, if not millions of documents were likely subject to privilege mean that the court should dismiss Cohens request out-of-hand. Cohen, who is under criminal investigation in possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations, has come under scrutiny by federal prosecutors for his efforts to tamp down negative stories about Trump. In late 2016, he paid adult-film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her agreement not to discuss an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Advertisement Last week, it was revealed that Cohen had helped Broidy negotiate a $1.6 million settlement with a former Playboy model who got pregnant after they had an affair. Daniels attended Mondays hearing, telling reporters afterward that for years, Mr. Cohen has acted like he is above the law. He has never thought that the little man or especially, women, and even more, women like me matter, she said. That ends now. My attorney and I are committed to making sure that everyone finds out the truth. A letter from Cohen lawyer Todd Harrison filed Monday said that during last weeks raids, agents seized more than a dozen electronic devices and other items that include documents and data regarding topics and issues that have nothing to do with the material sought in the search warrant. Advertisement The letter says that from 1996 to 2006, Cohen had hundreds of clients, adding that he did not know if any material from those clients was in the seized files. From 2007 to 2017, Cohen worked as a lawyer for Trump and the Trump Organization. The letter said that in 2017 and 2018, Cohen had at least ten clients, but seven of those were business consulting clients whose work did not involve legal advice. Three months after being sworn in as the official in charge of setting property taxes across San Diego County, Ernest Dronenburg bought up to $100,000 worth of stock in the financial-services firm BGC Partners. Later in 2011, weeks after the company announced it would acquire the commercial real estate giant Newmark Knight Frank, which manages millions of square feet of San Diego County office space and other property, Dronenburg boosted his investment by up to $100,000 more. By the end of 2012, the assessor-recorder-county clerk owned as much as $400,000 worth of BGC Partners stock, according to the state-mandated financial disclosure Dronenburg filed in 2013. By 2017, he owned up to $1 million in shares of the company. Advertisement Many assessors in California have policies on how to value an officials personal property such as a house for instance, handing the job off to counterparts in other counties to avoid a conflict of interest. But investments like those Dronenburg has in companies with real estate holdings are a gray area. Professional groups say there is no specific standard for elected assessors when it comes to such investments. I contacted two staff members who used to work in assessment offices and they concurred that they were not aware that any IAAO standard addresses this situation, said Mike Ardis, a spokesman for the International Association of Assessing Officers. Charles Leonhardt, the Plumas County assessor and president of the California Assessors Association, said the organization has no guidelines on personal investing although members tend to work diligently to avoid competing loyalties. Assessors are typically very aware of situations that could create the perception of conflict of interest, he said by email. Dronenburg said there is nothing improper about investing in a real estate firm that manages property subject to his assessment because BGC Partners is not the landowner. There cannot be a conflict of interest with property taxes if they dont own the property, he wrote in response to questions. The county assessor noted his investments amount to a fraction of the value of the multibillion-dollar companies and said his finances are publicly disclosed and regularly audited by outside agencies, including the state Board of Equalization, the Fair Political Practices Commission and San Diego County. Advertisement In all my years in office and with regular review by multiple oversight agencies, my investments and personal finances have been found to be in full compliance without any issue, he wrote. Determining a precise value of investments disclosed by public officials is tricky because California Form 700 provides only four ranges: $2,000 to $10,000; $10,001 to $100,000; $100,001 to $1 million; and over $1 million. In 2014, Dronenburg invested in Gilead Sciences, the Northern California pharmaceutical giant. He purchased up to $1 million worth of that companys stock while it owned a 65,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Oceanside. The tax assessment on the plant has doubled in the past four years from $421,000 to $859,000 but so has the property value, which was just under $40 million in 2014 and now tops $77 million. Advertisement Two months after the Gilead investment, Dronenburg purchased up to $100,000 worth of shares in Community Health Systems, which then operated Fallbrook Hospital and more than 100 other medical centers across the country. Dronenburg, who lives and owns a family flower farm near the Fallbrook property, said the investment made financial sense and posed no conflict because, again, the company was a tenant not an owner. Community Health Systems owns no real estate holdings in San Diego County, he wrote. The reasons I buy these Fortune 500 companies, like every other average investor, is because they are safer and offer capital appreciation and/or dividends. * * * Advertisement Dronenburg was already a wealthy man when he announced his candidacy for San Diego County assessor-recorder-clerk in 2010. A career tax professional who served on the state Board of Equalization in the 1990s, Dronenburg approached his investments with the same surety and predictability he applied to his consulting work and to his flower farm. According to the financial disclosure he filed as a candidate, most of Dronenburgs assets were held in mutual funds and bonds. He reported accounts with Vanguard and Franklin Funds worth up to $1 million each, and up to $1 million in Bank of America bonds. The candidate also disclosed an interest in the Finish Line shoe chain valued up to $100,000 and assets from his tax-consultancy and flower farm worth up to $1 million. Advertisement In his first year as county assessor, Dronenburg amended his investment portfolio, disposing of the bank bonds and investing in BGC Partners along with shares of Dow Chemical and AT&T, the disclosures show. Over the next several years, Dronenburg acquired interests in oil production, medical device makers, robotics, computer software, optical technology and pharmaceutical research. He said there was no deliberate change in his approach to investing, and he still keeps most of his personal wealth in mutual funds that are not required to be disclosed. No average person would consider me to be an active trader, Dronenburg wrote. My investment strategy, with a strong emphasis on mutual funds, has not changed in 15 years. Advertisement Under state law, county assessors are to report their interests in real estate and corporate stock to the Board of Equalization, which is responsible for monitoring the investments to prevent any conflicts of interest. Additionally, state regulators audit practices exercised by individual county assessors and issue public reports of their findings. The latest assessment in San Diego County, issued in July 2016, found that Dronenburg was properly managing all of his administrative programs and offered nine recommendations for technical aspects of the offices operations, none of which regarded his investments. * * * Advertisement Matthew Strabone, the San Diego lawyer challenging Dronenburg on the June 5 ballot, said it is not appropriate for an elected assessor to buy and sell shares in companies that own property subject to their assessment. My opponent can have a directly beneficial impact on these companies and he stands to benefit himself from that potentially beneficial impact, he said. This is the very definition of a conflict of interest. Strabone said assessors should be prohibited from investing in companies that own property within their jurisdiction. Sometimes holding public office requires sacrifice, and this is a reasonable and necessary sacrifice for the County Assessor/Recorder/Clerk to make, he said. Advertisement Dronenburg said he complies with every rule and reports all of his investments. Transparency to taxpayers is of the utmost importance to me and I am being transparent now as I have always been, he wrote. Advertisement Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Re Trump vows to back law to protect marijuana industry, breaking with Sessions (April 13): Finally, our president has seen the light. He is smart enough and intelligent enough along with being progressively thinking enough, to realize that is one battle that is winnable, not just for him, but for this whole country. This industry is providing and has provided a great boom and boost to our economy, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, especially for the people of the states with forward-thinking people who voted for this decades ago and is now coming to fruition, in the west to the east and states in between I, along with other employees of this industry salute Trump and wish him the best. To the rest of the slow-thinking, non-progressive people of this country, wake up for this storm will not be stopped, for besides the addiction to war that is so entrenched in D.C. this madness to war has got to end. Jobs for Americans, not related to wars for profit which has devastated this country for way too long. Advertisement Paul Tenner Spring Valley Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. 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. Philadelphia, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/16/2018 -- C.R. Thompson Roofing, the leading roofers in Roxborough, PA, and the surrounding areas, have happily served the Greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey for over 100 years. Dating back to 1909 when the company opened for business, they knew that by treating customers like family, they would help create a reputation for high customer satisfaction. When homeowners throughout the region are in need of roofing services, they know they will receive excellent service from start to finish. Clients can rest assured knowing that their roof is in good hands with the highly-skilled technicians at C.R. Thompson Roofing as they go to great lengths to ensure satisfaction. The company believes so much in the level of their work that each roof installation comes with a 30-year guarantee. C.R. Thompson Roofing also wants homeowners to be aware that they should have their roof inspected by a licensed roofer now that winter is over. Living along the east coast, many residents know that winters can be very grueling on their homes, especially the roof. This roofing company believes that property owners should have their roof inspected twice a year. Once in the spring, following the winter weather and the other coming in fall. For more information on C.R. Thompson Roofing, the services they offer or emergency roof repair in Philadelphia, residents can head over to their website at http://www.crthompsonroofing.com. They can also be reached over the phone by dialing 215-375-7904. About C.R. Thompson Roofing C.R. Thompson Roofing is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based roofing company that serves home and commercial property owners in and around Philadelphia and South Jersey. The company can install and repair shingle roofs, slate roofs, rubber roofs, and many others. C.R. Thompson Roofing not only offers roofing services but can also install and repair siding and windows, perform brick pointing, clean gutters, and much more. To learn more about this top-rated, family-owned and operated roofing company located in Philadelphia, please visit http://www.crthompsonroofing.com/. PCFC Hotels, owned by the Dubai government and part of Dubais Ports, Customs & Free Zone Corporation (PCFC), announced a 'soft opening' of the new hotel scheduled for April 18, 2018. Initially five of the planned 13 restaurants will be open and visitors can eat and drink in The Lido, The Yacht Club and the Queens Grill. Adjacent to the lobby is the QE2 Exhibition, which showcases the QE2 during the 60s. Coming soon will be the Grand Room, Chartroom bar and The Pavilion. Rooms are available for booking at qe2.com. For the opening night rates start from AED599(114), excluding taxes and fees The official opening of the floating hotel is planned for October this year. Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched by Her Majesty The Queen on September 20, 1967. In 2017, Cunard marked the 50th anniversary of the legendary vessel with a 17 night cruise on Queen Elizabeth. During a 39-year career for Cunard, QE2 completed 806 transatlantics and 25 circumnavigations, hosted 2.5m passengers and sailed 5.6m miles. QE2 sold by Carnival to Dubai government in 2007 When purchased by Dubai's Istithmar for $100m from Cunard in 2007 the intention was to turn the vessel into a floating hotel and museum at The Palm Jumeirah. Last year QE2 was positioned in front of the original Dubai Cruise Terminal (T1) in Mina Rashid, now designated as a permanent home for the liner. PCFC Hotels, chief executive Hamza Mustafa, said: 'To finally open the QE2 is a dream come true for my team and I. It is one of Dubais most highly anticipated projects and we know that a lot of people are going to be very excited to see her for the first time, or to step back on board the vessel that created so many wonderful memories during her 40 years at sea.' Mustafa said more than 2.7m man-hours have been spent on trasforming the ocean liner 'into the multi-faceted tourist destination that she is today.' Queen Mary 2 guests have chance to visit the new QE2 hotel Guests travelling on Queen Mary 2 will have the opportunity to join VIPs and local media at the opening of the QE2 hotel on April 18. Future guests will also have the chance to visit when QM2 returns to Dubai in January and April 2019 as part of her World Voyage. 'On behalf of Cunard, we are so excited for our guests sailing on Queen Mary 2 to be of the first to board the QE2 Hotel in Dubai,' said Josh Leibowitz, svp Cunard North America. 'QE2 holds a very special place in Cunards history, and we hope that the ship will continue to be enjoyed by many guests to come.' This is the first time Princess Cruises has operated a direct cruise from Singapore to Alaska, meeting growing demand from Asian passengers says the cruise line. Sailing from Singapore, Golden Princess 29-day cruise is visiting 11 ports Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hong Kong, Taipei, Busan, Osaka, Shimizu, Yokohama, Sakaiminato, Hakodate and Muroran before crossing the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean, and arriving in Anchorage on May 12, 2018. Asian guests have the chance to continue on the 7-day Alaska Grand Adventure from Anchorage visiting the Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Skagway, Juneau, before arriving in Vancouver in British Columbia, combine these two voyages into a 36-day sailing. The 2,600-guest Golden Princess will homeport in Alaska until September after which she will re-position to Australia. Largest deployment to Alaska in 2018 and 2019 Seven Princess Cruises ships will sail Alaskas waters in 2018 on 130 cruise departures, with more than 75% of all voyages sailing to Glacier Bay National Park, departing from Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, B.C. and Anchorage (Whittier). Princess Cruises is also celebrating its 50th year of sailing to Alaska in 2019 and its largest deployment of the lines fleet. The 3,560-guest Royal Princess, which will be the largest Princess ship ever to sail the region, will join six other Princess ships sailing to Alaska from May to September. In addition, guests can choose from more than 23 cruise tours while visiting Princess Wilderness Lodges and Denali National Park. Golden Princess dry dock enhancements include Sabatinis specialty restaurant changing its name to Sabatinis Italian Trattoria with a fresh new design and menu. Guests can also participate in onboard pasta-making classes. The signature Movies Under the Stars outdoor cinema has been fitted with a new screen that delivers twice the picture definition of the previous screen and improved sound. Aesthetic enhancements were also made to the onboard shopping area. Golden Princess also features the new Princess Luxury Beds developed with board-of-medicine certified sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus. Club Class Mini-Suites offer priority embarkation/disembarkation, priority specialty dining reservations, dedicated servers and other services. Under the identified 'levels of ambition,' the initial strategy envisages for the first time a reduction in total GHG emissions from international shipping which, IMO said, should peak as soon as possible, and to reduce the total annual GHG emissions at least 50% by 2050, compared to 2008. Meanwhile, efforts will be pursued toward phasing out GHG emissions entirely. The strategy includes a specific reference to a 'pathway of CO2 emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goals.' The initial strategy was adopted by IMOs Marine Environment Protection Committee during its 72nd session, a meeting attended by more than 100 IMO member states. Framework identifies barriers and supportive measures The initial strategy represents a framework for member states, setting out the future vision for international shipping, the levels of ambition to reduce GHG emissions and guiding principles. It includes candidate short-, mid- and long-term further measures with possible timelines and their impacts on states. The strategy also identifies barriers and supportive measures including capacity building, technical cooperation and research and development. Secretary-general Kitack Lim said the adoption of the strategy would allow future IMO work on climate change to be rooted in a solid basis. According to the 'roadmap' approved by IMO member states in 2016, the initial strategy is due to be revised by 2023. Continuing the momentum of work on this issue, MEPC agreed to hold the fourth Intersessional meeting of the Working Group on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships later in the year. This working group will be tasked with developing follow-up actions to the Initial strategy, further considering how to progress reduction of GHG emissions in order to advise the committee and reporting to the next MEPC session, which meets Oct. 22-26. IMO has already adopted global mandatory measures to address the reduction in GHG emissions from ships and is executing global technical cooperation projects to support the capacity of states, particularly developing states, to implement and support energy efficiency in the shipping sector. The initial strategy's levels of ambition note that technological innovation and the global introduction of alternative fuels and/or energy sources for international shipping will be integral to achieve the overall ambition. Reviews should take into account updated emission estimates, emissions reduction options for international shipping, and the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Average carbon intensity of ships to decline at least 40% by 2030 Levels of ambition directing the initial strategy start with the reducing the carbon intensity of ships by implementing further phases of the energy efficiency design index for new ships and a review aimed at strengthening the energy efficiency design requirements for ships with the percentage improvement for each phase to be determined for each ship type. Second, the carbon intensity of international shipping is to decline, as an average, by least 40% by 2030, pursuing efforts toward 70% by 2050, compared to 2008. And GHG emissions from international shipping are to peak as soon as possible with the total annual GHG emissions reduced by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008, while pursuing efforts to phase them on a pathway of CO2 emissions reduction consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goals. On Saturday, nine Post-panamax vessels transited through the new locks. The original Canal locks, where the operation is carried out with locomotives, have been operating normally. The decision is based on the fact that these tugboat captains refused to fulfil their duty of assisting the transit of vessels through the [new] Post-panamax locks, which affected the regular operation and caused a negative economic impact on the country as it affected the confidence of our clients and the image of the Panama Canal, the authority said in a statement. It was the first time that tug captains had refused to obey Panama Canal Authoritys orders to operate the Post-panamax vessels within the new locks with two tug seamen on deck after the decision by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) since April 12, to do away with a third seaman in the Alpha (lead) tugboat; a measure which had been introduced on a temporary basis when the third set of locks started operations, in June 26, 2016. Because of a dispute with the captains of tugboats, operations continued on Friday with some pilots opting to take Post-panamax vessels through the waterway without the lead tug. Some tug captains refused to work without a third seaman on the tugboat, reported the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). This process [to sanction the tug captains] will address the seriousness of the facts and will be fulfilled within the framework of the regulations of the Panama Canal. Due to the severity of what happened, the applicable sanctions may result in the dismissal of those responsible, the ACP said. The five transits [in the new locks] that were scheduled for Thursday could not be completed because of the decision of the tug captains. Panamas Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) rejected the actions taken by the tugboat captains saying that the Panama Canal provides a fundamental service for world trade, and cannot afford any kind of paralysis. The Bohai Rim ports saw throughput rise an impressive 23% to 1.6m teu in March from 1.3m teu in the previous corresponding period. Gains were led by Dalian Container Terminal, where volumes rose by more than half to 806,300 teu and the Euroasia International Container Terminal at Tianjin Port, which gained 15% more boxes with 228,100 teu moved in March. Traditionally commodities driven Qinhuangdao Port also contributed, with the CSPs New Harbour Terminal seeing volume rise 6% to 54.400 teu. At the usual powerhouses of the Yangtze River and Pearl River Delta regions however, throughput fell 8% and 5% to 1.6m teu and 2.0m teu respectively in March as they came off relatively high bases in the previous in March 2017. The Pearl River Delta terminals, which have now been grouped into the Hong Kong cluster, Guangzhou cluster and Yantian International Container Terminals, were most affected by slowdowns at the Fragrant Harbour, which saw throughput plunge 10% to 268,300 teu. This erstwhile major South China transshipment hub is already the smallest component of the cluster and continues to see its volumes being eroded, as the Hong Kong Port official statistics will no doubt show when they are released later on Monday. Both megaship-focussed Yantian and the Guangzhou terminals saw pullbacks as they approached the 1m teu per month mark, falling 4% and 5% respectively. CSPs fringe ports on the Southeast and Southwest coasts saw a sharp divergence in performance, with the formers throughput rising 26% to almost hit the half a million teu per month mark at 499,300 teu, driven by an outstanding performance at Xiamen Ocean Gate Container Terminal, where volumes more than doubled to 199,300 teu. Perhaps affected by seasonal factors, volumes at the sole Southwest coast terminal at Guangxi Qinzhou slid 2% to 109,600 teu. The overseas terminals meanwhile continue on their steady growth path, with throughput rising 36% to 2.1m teu and now making up the single largest contributor to CSPs volumes, overtaking all other segments. Press Release April 16, 2018 De Lima urges Senate to prioritize bills on cryptocurrency, syndicated estafa Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has urged her fellow senators to push for the swift passage of her bill that seeks to impose stiffer penalties for crimes involving cryptocurrencies to prevent a repeat of the recent P900-M pyramiding "scam" disguised as a Bitcoin investment. De Lima, a former justice secretary, said she hopes the legislative chamber will give priority to Senate Bill (SB) No. 1694 which she filed last month. "I hope that this occurrence will push my esteemed colleagues in the Senate to take my proposed bill seriously and help pass it into law soon. Knowing that virtual currency resembles money, and that the possibilities in using it are endless, higher penalty for its use on illegal activities is necessary," she said in a statement. The Senator from Bicol added that "as legislators, we should not allow these kinds of crimes to go unnoticed and let the perpetrators easily get away with their evil schemes while fooling more people." According to De Lima, SB No. 1694 would allow all crimes defined in the Republic Act No. 3815 or the Revised Penal Code (RPC), when committed through and with the use of virtual currency, to have a penalty that is one degree higher than what is provided for by the RPC. It may be recalled that last April 4, suspected con artist and operator of New G Bitcoin Investment Trading Arnel Ordonio and with his wife Leonady were arrested in an entrapment operation in Ilocos Sur by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG). The suspects allegedly promoted NewG through social media and lured people to invest in their online business--which trades in Bitcoin--with a promise of a 30 percent return on investments with payouts every 15 days. The couple reportedly lured more than 100 people to invest money into their investment scam, amassing up to nine million pesos. De Lima reiterated that the criminal justice system must always be prepared in case virtual currency--like Bitcoins--would be used in unlawful activities anew. "As I've mentioned before, our penal laws must adapt with the changing times and our criminal justice system must come prepared in the event like this," she said. De Lima noted that illegal activities involving virtual currency include "estafa where unscrupulous individuals entice unsuspecting people to purchase fake bitcoins, sending a virtual currency as payment for child pornography, or a public officer agreeing to perform an act in consideration of payment in bitcoins (direct bribery)." Considering that there were only two people involved in the supposed investment scam, De Lima said she also hopes for the swift passage of her bill seeking to lower the number of persons involved for the crime of syndicated estafa or other forms of swindling to be punishable by life imprisonment. "No matter how small or big a group, same punishment must be given. It should never be easy to escape after stealing the hard earned money of other people," she said. Senate Bill (SB) No. 959 seeks to amend Section 1 of the 36-year-old Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1689 which reduces from five to two persons involved to qualify for syndicated estafa. Under Section 1 of PD 1689, syndicated estafa and other forms of swindling shall be punishable by life imprisonment to death if it is committed by a syndicate consisting of five or more persons. The Senator's measure, however, seeks to reduce the minimum number from five to two people involved to qualify as crime of syndicated estafa. De Lima, who is currently under pre-trial detention for trumped-up illegal drug trade charges based on manufactured evidence and perjured testimonies of convicted felons, reminded the citizenry to be vigilant of the use of cryptocurrencies and avoid investments that are "too good to be true." Press Release April 16, 2018 Install jobsite cameras, livestream Boracay, Marawi rehab The rehabilitation of Marawi and Boracay can be the two pilot areas of a new government project that will use drones, satellite imaging and other cutting-edge technology that will monitor the progress of big-ticket infrastructure projects, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said today. Recto said the two projects, where billions of pesos are at stake, are prime candidates for inclusion in Project DIME, or Digital Imaging for Monitoring and Evaluation, a newly-launched Department of Budget and Management--Department of Science and Technology collaboration. In addition to drones and satellites, DOST said Project DIME will employ various technologies and expertise in data acquisition it had developed, including Light Detection and Ranging, Open Roads Platform and Geotagging. Recto said environmental cleanup of Boracay and the reconstruction of the war-damaged Marawi should be livestreamed, "so that work will be on time, on budget, and according to specifications." He said that if "remote monitoring" is now being used by owners of houses being built, many of whom are abroad, then the same should be done on major government infrastructure projects. Recto said job-site cameras should be installed and real-time footage be made available to the public--if not, "a time-lapse video can be uploaded daily." A direct communication link can also be installed in the Palace, "so that the President, the nation's builder-in-chief", will be able to monitor work in major infrastructure projects. "The Office of the President can even convert one of Malacanang's halls into an infrastructure 'war room', a command center of the Build, Build, Build program," Recto said. The said war room can even be linked to CCTVs of transport hubs, like NAIA, or MMDA's command center, so the President can monitor the traffic situation anytime. "Raw live video is the best feedback. Why wait for Powerpoint presentations during Cabinet meetings when the President can go on a virtual inspection of projects from the comfort of his office?" Recto said. "At kung pwede ma-view sa cellphone ni Bong Go, then anytime pwede niya masilip kung ano ang nangyayari," the senator said. "Pag report niya sa umaga sa Palasyo at bago siya umuwi, pwede siyang tumambay sa infra war room. Pwede rin i-display ang scoreboard ng fund releases at bidding dates, para walang underspending," he added. Recto said the war room should also receive complaints from citizens. "That way we will harness citizen involvement in project monitoring." "This is a benevolent-Big-Brother-is-watching management and diagnostic tool. Hindi pwede ang tamad at makupad kasi the builder-in-chief is watching," he said. Restaurant Brands New Zealand increased annual profit 37 percent after the fast-food operator lifted earnings in its local market and benefited from its new businesses in Australia and Hawaii. It's now eyeing expansion to the US mainland. The Auckland-based company said net profit rose to $35.5 million, or 28.83 cents per share, in the 52 weeks ended Feb. 26, from $26 million, or 24.08 cents, a year earlier. Sales jumped 49 percent to $740.8 million. Full-year profit excluding non-trading items lifted 32 percent to $40.4 million, in line with the company's forecast for about $40 million. The company said today that profit on that measure would lift at least 10 percent next year. Its shares slipped 0.7 percent to $7.09, having gained 33 percent over the past year. Restaurant Brands holds the rights to the KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks Coffee and Carl's Jr brands in New Zealand and has expanded its business to KFC in Australia and Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in Hawaii, with almost half its sales generated overseas in the latest year. "The full effects of two major acquisitions is evident in this years financial results," Restaurant Brands said. "From a sound, established position in both the Australian and US (Hawaii) markets the company now has significant scope to expand further in both these geographies through acquisition, store refurbishments and organic growth. At the same time, organic growth opportunities within the New Zealand business will be pursued." Today the company said it's looking at expanding its KFC business in New Zealand and Australia and potentially acquiring KFC operations in Hawaii and the US. It also plans to further develop its Pizza Hut business in New Zealand and Hawaii and may introduce the Taco Bell business to New Zealand and Australia, expand the business in Hawaii and potentially acquire Taco Bell operations in the US. Chief executive Russel Creedy said Restaurant Brands may expand to the US mainland this financial year if it finds the right opportunity. "It will be great if we can get going in this financial year," Creedy told BusinessDesk. "The exciting thing about mainland USA is there are a lot of opportunities and it is a very very big market." Creedy said the west coast in the US "makes sense" for Restaurant Brands, offering several cities with direct flights and the Californian economy alone ranking among the fifth or sixth largest economies in the world. Texas was also a big economy, he noted. "The US mainland is a bit more like New Zealand KFC was 15-to-20 years ago, extremely under-invested, and needing a lot of love and care," Creedy said. "I think thats from our point of view a good opportunity to export some good old Kiwi ingenuity innovation, and IP." Creedy noted that expansion to the mainland US would be a big growth step for Restaurant Brands, likely involving buying businesses with 70-to-100 stores at a time. The company currently has 314 stores, 171 of which are in New Zealand, 82 in Hawaii and 61 in Australia. He said the company is getting close to its $1 billion sales target and will likely hit it "in the not too distant future". Its expansion plans mean it's likely to hit $1.5 billion of sales within the next three-to-five years, he said. The expansion has seen the company's bank debt lift to $166.8 million at the end of the financial year, from $46.5 million at the end of the previous year. At balance date, it had bank debt facilities of $253 million in place. In September last year, Restaurant Brands dual-listed on the Australian Securities Exchange to enable it to access additional pools of capital that may be needed to fund future acquisitions. Creedy said the company was still lightly geared and had flexibility to reduce its capital investments in stores if it chose to use cash elsewhere. The company will pay a final dividend of 18 cents per share on June 22, taking its annual dividend to 28 cents, up from 23 cents a year earlier. In the latest year, the company's New Zealand operations lifted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation by 6.5 percent to $75.8 million, largely due to the performance of its KFC business which increased ebitda 7.4 percent to $66 million. It wrote down the value of its Carl's Jr chain by $1.2 million and said the business was focused on generating profitable sales rather than driving volume through discounting and promotional activity. In Australia, ebitda jumped to $22 million from $15 million after the KFC business was acquired in April 2016, part way through the company's 2017 financial year, and more stores were added during the 2018 financial year. In the Hawaii business that Restaurant Brands acquired in March 2017, the operation contributed $24.1 million in ebitda. (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. 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Related News: Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Clears First Hurdle in Orangewood Amalgamation Vital Healthcare Property Trust (NZX: VHP) Announces Debt Refinance and Facility Limit Increase Restructure of Cannasouth Cultivation Limited (NZX:CBD) 1st October 2021 Morning Report Gentrack Group Limited (NZX: GTK) Market Announcement New Zealand King Salmon Investments Limited (NZX: NZK) 1H22 Half Year Results Announcement 30th September 2021 Morning Report Pictor and SCIENION partner to commercialise high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing system to support ongoing fight against pandemic Rakon Limited (NZX: RAK) Upgrades Earnings Guidance and Appoints New Director The Warehouse Group Limited (NZX: WHS) Annual Result 2021 A four-day hearing kicked off in the Wellington High Court challenging the Environmental Protection Authority-appointed committees decision to grant a marine consent to Trans-Tasman Resources offshore iron mining project with the first appellant arguing it misunderstood and misapplied the statute. TTR has sought permission to extract 50 million tonnes of seabed material a year to export up to 5 million tonnes of iron sand per year from the ocean floor in the South Taranaki Bight. It was initially rejected in 2014 when a committee ruled the environmental impacts of the proposal were too difficult to gauge on the evidence available. The company went back to the drawing board and a second hearing was held between February and May last year. Consent was granted last August, under a series of conditions. Francis Cooke, QC, who represents Maori and fishing interests in the hearing, said the EPA's decision-making committee committed a series of errors and consent should never have been granted. According to Cooke, among other issues, the committee never identified the statutory requirements it was applying to evaluate the project. He underscored that while people can have personal views about the issue at hand the "members of the DMC have to apply the statute" and it failed to identify the standard by which the application would be judged. For example, he presented evidence that would indicate the committee was aware the mining project would have adverse effects but said it expects those to be "temporary, albeit of considerable duration." According to Cooke, the DMC "appears to be applying a standard that allows the environment to be harmed, provided it ultimately recovers," but never identified the corresponding standard that was based on. He also argued that it should have taken into account the prior decision, something he said it failed to so. He said the DMC failed to get baseline information about the environment and said it did not properly address the impact of the project on the coastal marine area, which is outside of the project's direct area but nonetheless is impacted, he said. The decisions is being appealed by several other applicants, including Kiwis Against Seabed Mining with Greenpeace, and Forest & Bird. KASM and Greenpeace are appealing on 12 points of law. Among these is the issue of what is called adaptive management whereby an activity like seabed mining is allowed to go ahead, adapting the conditions on which it occurs along the way. Forest & Birds legal team will be arguing that the panel misunderstood their obligation to protect the environment, confusing it with an obligation to avoid, remedy, or mitigate adverse effects on the environment. If the appeal is successful, the court could instruct the committee to reconsider its decision or the decision could be thrown out, which is what KASM is lobbying for, said KASM chair Cindy Baxter. She noted, however, if the ruling goes against them they would likely be an appeal. (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: Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Clears First Hurdle in Orangewood Amalgamation Vital Healthcare Property Trust (NZX: VHP) Announces Debt Refinance and Facility Limit Increase Restructure of Cannasouth Cultivation Limited (NZX:CBD) 1st October 2021 Morning Report Gentrack Group Limited (NZX: GTK) Market Announcement New Zealand King Salmon Investments Limited (NZX: NZK) 1H22 Half Year Results Announcement 30th September 2021 Morning Report Pictor and SCIENION partner to commercialise high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing system to support ongoing fight against pandemic Rakon Limited (NZX: RAK) Upgrades Earnings Guidance and Appoints New Director The Warehouse Group Limited (NZX: WHS) Annual Result 2021 Ne puteti urmari si pe pagina noastra de Facebook sau pe Google News WASHINGTON -- Former FBI Director James Comey says he thinks it's possible the Russians have compromising information on President Donald Trump, that there is "some evidence of obstruction of justice" in the president's actions and that Trump is "morally unfit" for office. Comey's comments in an ABC News interview that aired Sunday were almost certain to escalate his war of words with the president and further erode a relationship marked by open hostility and name-calling. Hours before the interview aired, the president, who fired Comey last year, unleashed a Twitter outburst that labeled Comey "slippery," suggested he should be put in jail and branded him "the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Comey's televised remarks, coupled with the release of his forthcoming book, offer his version of events surrounding his firing and the investigations into Russian election meddling and Hillary Clinton's email practices. Several of the episodes he describes in detail, including a private conversation about former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, are central to special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation and his recollections are presumably valuable for prosecutors examining whether the president's actions constitute obstruction of justice. The FBI director, who until his firing last May led an investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, acknowledged that it was "stunning" to think Russia could have damaging information on an American president. But he said in Trump's case, he could not discount the possibility that the president had been compromised. "These are more words I never thought I'd utter about a president of the United States, but it's possible," Comey told ABC News' chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. He also answered "possibly" when asked if the president was attempting to obstruct justice when he cleared the Oval Office of other officials last February before encouraging him to close the investigation into Flynn, who by that point was suspected of lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts. The retired general pleaded guilty last December and is now cooperating with Mueller's investigation. Comey also said he believed that Trump was "morally unfit" to be president and that he treated women like "pieces of meat." "A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it -- that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds," Comey said. Trump on Sunday rejected Comey's assertion that the president had sought his loyalty at a January 2017 dinner, saying "I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies." He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, saying, "how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail)." There is no indication Comey is under investigation for doing either. Asked if the president wanted the Justice Department to investigate Comey, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that she was not aware of a specific request. But, she said, "if they feel there was any wrongdoing, they should certainly look into that just as they do on a number of other topics." The president's attacks on Comey began even before the interview aired. He seized on an excerpt shown Saturday in which Comey said his belief that Clinton would beat Trump in the 2016 presidential race was probably a factor in his decision to disclose, just days before the election, a renewed investigation into her emails. Comey, Trump tweeted: Unbelievably, James Comey states that Polls, where Crooked Hillary was leading, were a factor in the handling (stupidly) of the Clinton Email probe. In other words, he was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 That argument was startling given that Comey's handling of the email investigation, including his disclosure shortly before the election that the FBI had reopened its probe, enraged Democrats. After Clinton's loss, many Democrats blamed Comey, and Clinton herself has said it hurt her election prospects. Comey again defended his actions, saying he made what he thought was the best decision at the time. He said he did not remember "consciously thinking" about the election results as he decided to disclose that the FBI had reopened its investigation into candidate Clinton's email use. But, he acknowledged, "I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump, and so I'm sure that it was a factor." "I don't remember spelling it out," he added, "but it had to have been that she's going to be elected president and if I hide this from the American people, she'll be illegitimate the moment she's elected, the moment this comes out." Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch pushed back against Comey's criticism in the book that, early in the Clinton email inquiry, she had instructed him to refer to it as a "matter" rather than an "investigation." In a statement Sunday, Lynch said she was simply following longstanding Justice Department protocol against confirming or denying the existence of an investigation. Trump's firing of Comey set off a scramble at the Justice Department that led to the appointment of Mueller as special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation. Mueller's probe has expanded to include whether Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey. So far, 19 people -- including Flynn and Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort --have been charged in the investigation. Flynn and two of the president's campaign aides, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos, have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with Mueller. Asked whether he believed Trump ought to be impeached, Comey said that was a political and legal question. "I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they're duty bound to do directly," he said. "People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values." He added: "But you cannot have, as president of the United States, someone who does not reflect the values that I believe Republicans treasure and Democrats treasure and Independents treasure. That is the core of this country. That's our foundation. And so impeachment, in a way, would short circuit that." --By Catherine Lucey and Eric Tucker STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Fire marshals arrested a Staten Island contractor for allegedly starting a four-alarm fire in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Lukaz Wasiukiewicz illegally used a torch to install roofing material on the front porch of a home on 63rd Street in Mapleton, investigators allege. Combustible materials near where the Tompkinsville resident was working ignited, and caused the massive fire, a spokesman for the FDNY said in an email. One civilian and two firefighters suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the FDNY. #FDNY members are operating on scene of a 3-alarm fire, 1945 63 St #Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/Mh2Uw8LCo7 FDNY (@FDNY) April 11, 2018 Authorities charged Wasiukiewicz with reckless endangerment, according to the NYPD and FDNY. Neither Wasiukiewicz nor his lawyer could be reached for comment on Monday. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One 10-year-old who now calls Staten Island home says Girl Scout Troop 6000, which consists of homeless young women across the city, helped bring them together, according to a report on Moneyish.com. "It's important to show other girls that it doesn't matter where they're from, or the problem they're in, they could still be a Girl Scout," Sanaa Angebin told Moneyish. Sanaa lived with her mother and two brothers in a Queens homeless shelter where the troop was formed last year, the report said. She has since moved to a home on Staten Island. "Living in the shelter was kind of hard before Girl Scouts. I thought I was different from everybody else because they had an actual home or apartment, and I was living in a shelter ... Girl Scouts brought everybody together," she said. Sanaa's troop has sold 17,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies so far thanks to hundreds of people who purchased them at the troop's first-ever cookie sale last week in Union Square, Manhattan, the report said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Manhattan man, who authorities said shot and wounded his girlfriend's 21-year-old son last year during a dispute in Elm Park, pleaded guilty Monday to a gun charge that will put him behind bars for up to five years. David Anderson, 44, shot the victim once in the stomach outside a home on the 200 block of Granite Avenue shortly after 11 a.m. on May 10, 2017, said authorities. The victim was taken to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton with non-life-threatening injuries, a Fire Department spokesman said. Police did not initially say what sparked the confrontation. A witness said he saw the victim lying on the ground screaming, "Somebody shot me, somebody shot me." Sources said the shooter fled in a black Mustang toward Walker Avenue, the Advance reported. Anderson was arrested early the next morning just before 1 a.m. He was later indicted on multiple counts of felony assault, criminal weapon possession and criminal firearm possession. The hulking defendant, who stands about six-and-a-half feet tall and weighs more than 300 pounds, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal weapon possession to satisfy all charges against him. Garbed in a gray hoodie and gray sweatpants, Anderson responded, "Yes, sir" and "No, sir" to Justice William E. Garnett's questions. He did not make an independent statement. In exchange for his plea, Anderson will be sentenced on May 17 as a second felony offender to 30 months to five years in prison. The defendant was previously convicted in Manhattan in 2003 of felony drug sale and sentenced to seven to 14 years in prison, according to statements made in court. Attorneys Gregory C. Clarke and Gregory Coleman represented Anderson at Monday's proceeding. Clarke declined comment outside court. Assistant District Attorneys Arda Ozdinc and Mark Palladino are prosecuting the case. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The borough's turkey population makes it difficult -- and dangerous -- for drivers to navigate roads in many East Shore neighborhoods. Motorists often get stuck, or are forced to swerve around, a flock in the middle of busy streets like Seaview Avenue, Capodanno Boulevard, Laconia and Mason avenues, and surrounding blocks. The fowl take their time crossing the street in a line -- picture ducks in a row, but bigger. Pedestrians going for a walk cross the street out of fear of being attacked and residents have to make sure the coast is clear before opening their front doors. Staff shoo the flock out of the parking lot and away from the main entrance to Staten Island University Hospital, while cars dodge the slow-walking creatures, now making their way towards the middle of Seaview Avenue and surrounding residential blocks. Many started their lives on the grounds of South Beach Psychiatric Center -- but now are flocking from Ocean Breeze to Dongan Hills and the population continues to grow. A DEAL TO RELOCATE THE BIRDS A "milestone deal" between the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) was struck to humanely capture and relocate the birds to an animal sanctuary in upstate New York. The DEC issued the USDA a permit to capture and transport the turkeys, according to a DEC spokesman. Since 2014, the And-Hof Sanctuary has taken more than 150 turkeys from Staten Island, said Kurt Andernach from the sanctuary. Andernach said hundreds of turkeys remain on the Island -- a number that is expected to grow as mating season approaches. "We are concerned because they will continue to breed and the problem won't stop - it's self-perpetuating," Andernach said. The sanctuary is still interested in giving the remaining turkeys a new home; one that's away from noise and traffic -- but funding is needed for the capture, care and transport of the birds. THE ISSUE OF FUNDING Andernach said providing a safe space for the wild birds has been a rewarding, but expensive, task since the DEC requires a space for them to live that is "species-specific and can provide the animals caregiving services in compliance with [their] guidelines." He said that he, along with other workers and volunteers, used logs to create a wide-open space for the turkeys, graded the land, built a pond and fenced everything in. To date, the sanctuary's costs have "far exceeded" $100,000, according to Andernach. "From the beginning, there was never any money offered," he said. He says the sanctuary asked DEC for compensation but were told that there was none. A DEC spokesman said any related costs involving the sanctuary were supposed to be handled by the sanctuary. The spokesman said the money for capturing and relocating the turkeys were provided by the New York State Office of Mental Health and Hygiene on behalf of the South Beach Psychiatric Center, which contracted the USDA for the capture and transport. A source with knowledge of the arrangement said he was told that money was paid to the appropriate party, however, money to continue rescuing the remaining turkeys ran out. The source did not know who the money was paid to. The USDA did not return several Advance requests for comment for this story. THE BOROUGH'S TURKEYS MAY BE NO MORE "These turkeys have been a public nuisance for years, which is why I worked with state and federal agencies as well as with my colleagues on this relocation plan -- but we have to continue our efforts," Councilman Steven Matteo said. Matteo said his office is currently working on details to hopefully relocate the remaining turkeys and "rid the community of this problem." Andernach said the sanctuary would be happy to take the rest of the turkeys but will need financial support for the large undertaking. "Our commitment to save all of the remaining Staten Island wild turkeys is ongoing and unmitigated, but we can only succeed in our endeavor as a non-for-profit organization if we receive funding from private and public supporters," Andernach said. Lou Tobacco, associate executive director for government affairs for Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, said the hospital has cooperated with all local, state and federal agencies in allowing access to the hospital's campus to work to lower the turkey census. "And that still stands -- we will continue [to work with agencies] -- should they come back to us with a plan that meets the criteria," Tobacco said. The DEC spokesman said that USDA recently completed its final roundup of turkeys, concluding the current contract. "DEC is prepared to issue additional permits if an applicant comes forward with the funding and capacity to capture and transport the turkeys to a DEC-approved sanctuary," he said. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Judge Philip Straniere is no stranger to being the center of attention. In fact, before joining the judiciary, he performed in dinner theater shows, at community theaters, and even as an extra on the Andy Griffith-led "Matlock." Judge Straniere is known as much for his sense of humor as he is his unique style on the bench. What did you want to be when you were a child? I wanted to be a centerfielder for the New York Yankees. But I couldn't hit the curve ball and couldn't even crack the lineup of the Carlton Cleaners. What jobs did you have before you passed the bar exam? Where did you pass the bar? I worked one summer at the JCC day camp, with the Parks Department another summer, and held a substitute teacher's license. I passed the bar in New York, New Jersey, Florida and California. In those years, I had to take the exam in each one of the states. After you passed the bar, what was your first job in the field of law? First was in private practice until I was elected in 1996. This was a help in being a judge. What other kinds of legal jobs did you hold? I served as an administrative law judge for the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission; Environmental Control Board and Parking Violations Bureau (1980-1983); and as an impartial hearing officer for special education placement issues at the former Board of Education (1983-1996). At the Board of Education, I conducted hearings and wrote decisions affecting a child's educational placement. What influenced you to work with the Board of Education? Did the experience have any influence on your future career? I became involved with special education because of my son Gregory's disabilities. He taught me to focus on what people can do rather than what they can't. It was here that I realized I could be a judge. I used the training I received there as a template of how to structure a written decision, throughout my entire years as a judge, and it made me think being a judge was a good way to contribute to people on Staten Island. You held so many positions and presided over so many courts. Can you give us a run down? And how many times were you elected? I was Supervising Judge of Civil Court Richmond County and an acting Supreme Court Justice from 2003-2017. I handled just about every type of civil case other than matrimonial. The last few years, I served as the commercial part judge of Supreme Court. I gained some notoriety because of how I handled consumer credit litigation and for the use of items from common culture in my decisions, especially references to Broadway shows and music. Also, humor, occasionally, made its way into my writing. I was elected three times. Civil Court terms are for 10 years. The electing of judges is the worst way to pick them, except for every way. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, I was honored to be endorsed by all of the political parties in 2006 and 2016. You have a reputation for a great sense of humor and love of theater. You used comedy and lyrics while on the bench. How did that come about? How did people react? It came naturally. Apparently some distant relative was a royal jester to some ruler in Italy or Russia-Poland. I started writing in high school. My first script was a holiday show for Curtis. My mother submitted it to Instructor Magazine. It was printed. I was humor editor for the Wagnerian (Wagner College's newspaper) in 1969. Tell us more about your theater involvements in the past and, perhaps, in the future. I started using humor in decisions as a way to make a point in a particular case. My writing style got me to be the subject of articles in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and other publications. In fact, it was the subject of an academic paper. My decisions have been the subject of several law articles, as well as being mentioned in books. I also wrote a book, "Filing and Winning Small Claims Court for Dummies." The royalties from it would qualify me for public assistance in a Third World country. You performed previously. Have you considered performing again as you are retired? I did a lot of acting before I became a judge mostly with S.I. Civic Theatre. I might consider doing some now, but have the fear I won't remember the lines. I can probably recreate a role of 30 years ago because those words are stored somewhere in my brain. People tell me I should have my own court television shows, but I can't find a drugstore to sit in wearing my robes, drinking an egg cream and waiting to be discovered. Where is Judge Judy when I really need her? I am waiting to be discovered and get my own show or become a "talking head" on some news station. After all, I can give baseless opinions based on my own set of facts as well as anyone else. You were forced to retire as a judge at age 70, and fought very hard to change the retirement ruling. Now that you are retired, will you still fight to get the age changed for the benefit of judges who will have to retire as you did? Yes. Ironically, the court system is the branch of government charged with protecting people from discrimination, yet it has no problem discriminating because of age and removing experienced judges not based on ability, but solely on age. No one benefits from any kind of discrimination and it hurts not only the persons involved but society as a whole. What do you think are the worst things that are happening in the world today? The worst thing going on today is that most people have no idea what a great country we live in. They have no idea what rights we have as American citizens or have even read the Constitution. Political correctness is the first step to the loss of those rights. People think that their free speech rights mean you can't say something with which they disagree, and therefore you should not be allowed to speak. What it actually means is everyone has the right to speak, no matter how much you might disagree with them. Listening only to people who share your opinions means you're living in an echo-chamber. Instead of insulting someone or shutting down their speech because it doesn't match your world view, start a dialogue, ask why they feel that way, and learn from each other. It may require that you turn off your phone to do so. The beauty of the First Amendment is that we're allowed to speak out about what we believe in, no matter how inane someone else might find it. Before you call someone who disagrees with you a "Nazi," I suggest you think about what the term really means. Who inspires you? My parents inspired me to always do the best you can, help others and enjoy what you're doing. My brother set an example by being a lawyer and an elected official. [The late state] Sen. John J. Marchi taught me about public service. Jennifer has always been an inspiration, letting me do all the things I enjoy while reminding me not to trip over my judge robes while putting out the garbage. GET TO KNOW JUDGE STRANIERE His tie to Staten Island: "My parents lived on Staten Island, in St. George, but I was born in a hospital in Manhattan. I think I'm still a Staten Island native (for Advance obituary purposes)." His family: "Jennifer and I were married in 1971. We met at Wagner during the student protests in 1969-70. We both loved the theater and being active in the community. Jennifer has been an equity stage manager, administrator, teacher and real estate salesperson. She is the production manager for the department of performing and creative arts at CSI. Like Ado Annie in "Oklahoma," Jennifer can't say no, especially if asked to do costumes for a period theatrical production. It is always a thrill to attend one of her productions and see an actor parading around in my bathrobe. We have three children: Gregory, who is disabled and resides at an On Your Mark group home; Amanda, who is the development manager at the Staten Island Museum; and Nicholas, who is a musician and sound engineer. His group, Pastel, is releasing its first album this month. My son-in-law, Rob Hart, is an author of mysteries, with five books already published. Granddaughter Abby is busy being a 3-year-old, which includes being a princess and battling scary monsters." Organizations he belongs to: "I am currently on the advisory board of On Your Mark; the board of the Curtis High School Alumni Association; president of Hillel at the College of Staten Island (CSI); Chai Society at Wagner College; and active with the creation of the Holocaust Center." His plans for retirement: "To try to find space in my house for all my memorabilia, which I successfully hid from [my wife] Jennifer in my chambers all these years. Also, I look forwarding to babysitting my granddaughter, Abby; teaching judges for the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada; and serving on moot court and mock trial panels at area law schools." Since he has retired: "I get up, eat some breakfast, watch 'Perry Mason' and 'Matlock' reruns, eat lunch, take a nap and, pretty soon, my day is shot. ... I still teach two mornings a week at St. John's. Otherwise, my day is spent ... trying to figure out which book to read next. I am a Yankee fan and watch most games. I'm still looking for an illustrator for a book called '101 Moose Jokes' and a place to publish a humor piece called 'Shecky Mime-Colonial Comic.'" China's Weibo backtracks on gay content ban Beijing, April 16 (AFP) Apr 16, 2018 China's popular Weibo microblogging platform on Monday reversed a decision to block "homosexual" content, in an unusual concession to a storm of online protest at the weekend. Sina Weibo said in a statement Friday it had begun a three-month-long "clean-up campaign" to remove "illegal" content, including "manga and videos with pornographic implications, promoting violence or (related to) homosexuality". But the Twitter-like platform backtracked on Monday, stating on its administrators' official account: "This clean-up of games and manga is no longer directed at homosexual content, but is primarily to clean up pornographic and bloody, violent content." It also thanked the public for "discussions and suggestions". Weibo's decision on gay content had prompted a tide of protest from outraged users who rallied behind the hashtag "#IamGay", viewed some 240 million times before it was banned by the platform on Saturday. Even the Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily jumped into the discussion, posting an essay promoting LGBT acceptance to its official Weibo account on Saturday. The posting was viewed nearly 6.5 million times. "Everyone is unique and sexuality is just one side of us that differs, just like skin colour, height and weight," the essay said. But it added that "even homosexual people are regular citizens" whose affiliated content was not above being subjected to censorship laws against porn and violence. Monday's reversal was met with an outpouring of support. "I support Sina in clearing out pornographic content, but it definitely must not do so as before and target homosexuality -- that kind of discrimination is wrong," wrote one user. "Through everyone's unrelenting efforts, we finally got a basic right -- how rare!" wrote another. A third said: "Although I still don't like you, I thank you." Gay Voices, which has since 2009 been one of Weibo's major LGBT accounts with some 230,000 followers, had on Friday declared it would be forced to indefinitely suspend its postings. On Monday it was back online and thanking supporters, saying: "Only by speaking up can we affect change." Weibo's purge was the latest move in a crackdown by the ruling Communist Party to clear the Chinese internet of any content deviating from its "core values of socialism", while stifling criticism of social norms and established policies. The platform -- which has some 400 million active monthly users -- said in its original Friday statement that it was merely implementing China's new cybersecurity law and had already removed some 56,240 items. - 'A step further' - Much of the homosexual content on Weibo is fuelled not by LGBT activists, who are quite low-profile, but by the large online community of "funu" ("rotten girls") -- heterosexual women who are avid fans of male gay romances and share comics or stories, frequently erotic. The affair has highlighted the cultural gap between younger Chinese more open to LGBT issues and "China's older generation -- mostly very conservative 40-year-old men -- who are now the main force of our society because they control the resources," Xiao Tie, director of the Beijing LGBT Center, told AFP, using a nickname. Xiao Tie said the homosexuality ban was a result of over-cautiousness in the absence of specific information from authorities on what kind of content should be censored. "Sina Weibo doesn't want to make trouble, so they went a step further with their censorship before the government even asked for it," she said. China has a mixed track record with gay themes in cultural products. Last year it banned gay content from all online streaming platforms Last month it pulled the Oscar-winning film "Call Me by Your Name" from the ongoing Beijing International Film Festival. But after a two-year delay, Chinese theatres on Friday finally released "Seek McCartney", a film about a secret homosexual romance between Chinese and French lovers that has been hailed as the country's first gay movie. Page Content Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and Finance Minister Michael Ferrier were on hand Monday, April 16th in Washington DC to witness the signing of the Trust Fund Agreement between the Netherlands and the World Bank. The Trust Fund, which would make 470 million euro (US $580 million) available for the continued recovery of Sint Maarten was signed by State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Affairs of the Netherlands, Raymond Knops, and World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva. During a press moment after the signing Prime Minister Romeo-Marlin, in addition to thanking the Netherlands and World Bank representatives, thanked Sint Maartens Minister of Finance for his contribution and tireless efforts to reach this juncture. She also acknowledged that the signing was an important step and that Sint Maarten looked forward to working with the World Bank and the Netherlands in speeding up recovery efforts. Prime Minister Romeo-Marlin added, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Sint Maarten and ask you for your continued patience displayed during this process. As your Prime Minister, I too feel the pain, suffering and frustration of not having a roof over your head, being unemployed and not knowing where the next meal will come from. With the securing of the Trust Fund we are one step closer to initiating the planned projects that will take care of you the people and continuing to stimulate the economy of Sint Maarten. With the official signing of the agreement, 128 million US dollars has been set aside so that work can begin on three emergency projects identified as needing urgent priority in preparation for the peak of the next hurricane season. These projects will concentrate on recovery and disaster preparedness and the rehabilitation of water and electricity utilities, debris removal especially concentrating on the newly created landfill and the Simpson Bay Lagoon as well as the continuation of the hospitality training and cash for work programs. Future projects will continue to be selected based on the needs identified in the National Recovery and Resiliency Plan and will be chosen upon agreement by an appointed Steering Committee consisting of one member from Sint Maarten, the Netherlands and the World Bank. Photo caption Minister of Finance Michael Ferrier, Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin, State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Affairs of the Netherlands, Raymond Knops & World Banks Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The application process for the annual Hurricane Passes for the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season which starts June 1 and runs through November 30, commences on Monday, April 16. There are two types of passes, the Disaster Pass and the Hurricane Pass. No passes will be issued to business owners, only with some exemption categories as noted below. The pass allows the bearer to access the public road to visit the place of business to assess possible damage to the property. No company passes will be accepted during curfew hours. This can only take place during certain hours that will be stipulated and announced by the Prime Minister in a curfew situation. Potential applicants have until May 7 to present all relevant information related to the process of requesting a pass. Disaster Passes are issued to the following crucial disaster relief organizations and are valid for three years. The disaster relief organization consists of the following: Emergency Operations Center staff, Emergency Support Services staff, Crucial governmental organizations and entities involved in disaster management such as medical institutions, general practitioners and pharmacies, Red Cross, WIENS, White & Yellow Cross, National Security Service VDSM, Sea Rescue, Shelter Management, Ministers and their drivers. The following categories qualify for a Hurricane Pass which is valid for two-years: Government personnel without a disaster pass; Essential personnel of crucial companies or organizations: NV GEBE, Seven Seas Water, Telecom and Internet providers, Princess Juliana International Airport, Port St. Maarten, Hotels and Guesthouses, Marinas, Fuel distributors and gas stations, Commercial banks, Medium and large sized supermarkets, Restaurants (those providing food services to emergency services), Importers and Wholesale Companies for perishable goods (Only requests can be submitted for refrigeration and or generator technicians). The crucial organizations as listed above (disaster & hurricane passes) can request personal passes for their key personnel. The Office of Disaster Management that falls under the Ministry of General Affairs is handling the application process for the passes on behalf of the Prime Minister. The Hurricane Pass system is a mechanism to maintain public order during emergency situations. The Prime Minister assesses the damage in conjunction with Emergency Disaster Management entities of the Government after a disaster has occurred and can impose a curfew if the extent of the damage poses a threat to the safety and security of the community. An application form can be requested by sending an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Emails should include the following: Name of organization; Request for disaster or hurricane pass. When submitting the application the following documents need to be attached: - copy business license fee paid (or receipt) for 2017/18; - proof of 2018 registration at the Chamber of Commerce; - copy valid Sint Maarten ID-card of applicant; - Nafl. 50,- in leges stamps per application (to be obtained at the Receivers Office or the Public Service Center), this is a non-refundable handling fee; - One (1) passport picture for new applicants. The application form has to be completed and submitted to the offices of the Fire Department & Disaster Management, to the attention of the secretary located at Jackal Road 5 (Office hours Monday-Friday 9.00AM to 4.00PM), Cay Hill or at the Simpson Bay Public Service Center, (Monday-Friday 8.30AM to 12.00PM and 1.00PM to 3.30PM) Airport Road 6, before May 7, 2018, with all necessary documents attached. Applicants will be informed by email or telephone when to pick up the pass at the aforementioned addresses. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, April 13th, Moniek Bouland, Partner in the organization Governance & Integrity paid a working visit to Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin as a follow up to an inquiry made on exploring the possibility of re-establishing an internal Integrity Bureau within the Government of Sint Maarten. The Prime Minister is fully committed to a government that is built on transparency and integrity. In order to achieve this goal, an internal Integrity Bureau can be an asset to the civil service core as the Bureaus proposed tasks can encompass periodical integrity training of civil servants, internal investigations of possible integrity violations and building trust in the organization to name a few. At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed that further consultation should be pursued and the Governance & Integrity organization has pledged its support in assisting the Government of Sint Maarten where possible as it explores the possibility of re-establishing the Integrity Bureau. PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Chris Johnson, head of the Dutch Representation Office on St. Maarten, presented Prime Minister Leona M. Marlin-Romeo a copy of the final version of the Trust Fund agreement. Along with the agreement, the Prime Minister received an invitation to attend the official signing ceremony and special program hosted by the World Bank in Washington. The Netherlands and the World Bank will be signing the Trust Fund agreement at the ceremony on April 16th, 2018. The Netherlands has reserved 550 million euros for the rebuilding of St. Maarten in the wake of hurricane Irma. The largest portion 470 million euros will be made available via a Trust Fund, which will be managed by the World Bank. The Netherlands will deliver the funds to the World Bank in tranches. The Trust Fund will be accessible to St. Maarten via the World Bank until 2025. This Monday, the Netherlands and the World Bank will ratify the Trust Fund by signing the agreement. Once the agreement is signed, the next step is to set up a steering committee that will be led by three persons; one appointed by the Netherlands, one by the World Bank, and one by St. Maarten. The steering committee will be responsible for approving projects that are proposed by St. Maarten. This is followed by a call of funds by the World Bank, which will indicate that the Netherlands has to dispatch another tranche of funds. St. Maarten is currently already in the process of developing projects scheduled to be funded by the 1st tranche of funds. St. Maarten with assistance of the World Bank are also hard at work to complete the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). The NRRP will act as a guideline for St. Maarten and the World Bank indicating what priorities there are for the recovery of St. Maarten, with as added goal to build back better and stronger. WASHINGTON DC:--- Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and Finance Minister Michael Ferrier were on hand Monday, April 16th in Washington DC to witness the signing of the Trust Fund Agreement between the Netherlands and the World Bank. The Trust Fund, which would make 470 million euro (US $580 million) available for the continued recovery of Sint Maarten was signed by State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Affairs of the Netherlands, Raymond Knops, and World Bank Chief Executive Officer Kristalina Georgieva. During a press moment after the signing Prime Minister Romeo-Marlin, in addition to thanking the Netherlands and World Bank representatives, thanked Sint Maartens Minister of Finance for his contribution and tireless efforts to reach this juncture. She also acknowledged that the signing was an important step and that Sint Maarten looked forward to working with the World Bank and the Netherlands in speeding up recovery efforts. Prime Minister Romeo-Marlin added, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Sint Maarten and ask you for your continued patience displayed during this process. As your Prime Minister, I too feel the pain, suffering and frustration of not having a roof over your head, being unemployed and not knowing where the next meal will come from. With the securing of the Trust Fund we are one step closer to initiating the planned projects that will take care of you the people and continuing to stimulate the economy of Sint Maarten. With the official signing of the agreement, 128 million US dollars has been set aside so that work can begin on three emergency projects identified as needing urgent priority in preparation for the peak of the next hurricane season. These projects will concentrate on recovery and disaster preparedness and the rehabilitation of water and electricity utilities, debris removal especially concentrating on the newly created landfill and the Simpson Bay Lagoon as well as the continuation of the hospitality training and cash for work programs. Future projects will continue to be selected based on the needs identified in the National Recovery and Resiliency Plan and will be chosen upon agreement by an appointed Steering Committee consisting of one member from Sint Maarten, the Netherlands and the World Bank. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, April 13th, five students from the Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts accompanied by their Drama teacher, Miss Melissa Hamm traveled to Anguilla to witness the CSEC Drama practical exam by the students of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School. The first-hand experience provided them with an insight into the preparation and delivery process of the examination. After the exam, CBA students were treated to an island tour and local cuisine. The first- hand experience was like entering into a new atmosphere, the residents, faculty, and students were welcoming and filled with humor. I really enjoyed the students CXC play, Angelique Helliger, 3rd form CBA student. We learned new acting techniques and the students are great actors Yaelle Javois, 3rd form student. On behalf of the Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts (CBA), we would like to thank Drama Teacher, Ms. Trevreen Queeley of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School and her students for allowing us to opportunity to be present at their theatre arts exams, said Mrs. Claudette Forsythe- Labega. She also expressed gratitude to school official, Ms. Ruan, Junior Interact Club of Anguilla, CBA Drama Teacher Ms. Hamm, faculty, parents and Suki Supermarket in Quartier d Orleans for sponsoring two students to travel to Anguilla. This opportunity will enable our students to better prepare for their Theatre Arts exams and contribute to their success said Mrs. Claudette- Forsythe Labega, Director of CBA PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday, April 17th, Social & Health Insurances SZV will host an Employer information session for employers on the topic of Employer obligations for companies in or dealing with the construction sector specifically. The session will be from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm in Building 2, Level 2 at the Harbour View Building where the SZV offices are located. Topics such as registration, chain of liability, premium declarations, payments and administration do's and don'ts will be discussed. The session is not for employees but solely catered to employers and those within the company who are responsible for the administrative duties in relation to SZV. It is mandatory by law for all companies with one or more employees executing labor to register their company and their employees at SZV. You are considered an employer by SZV in the following cases: you are established on Sint Maarten, and you have employees executing labor for you on Sint Maarten, you are established on Sint Maarten, and your employees are executing labor for you outside of Sint Maarten (Dutch Caribbean). A foreign company can also be categorized as an employer on Sint Maarten (Dutch Caribbean). An employer can be a natural person (such as an individual, called a sole proprietor), or a legal entity (such as a corporation, an N.V. or a B.V.) An overview of the general Employer obligations is available on SZVs website www.szv.sx. The information session will be the first of a series of sessions and workshops to be hosted by SZV on the topic of Employer obligations. Alongside intensified controls by SZV, the organization aims to increase awareness of the obligations and procedures. With a dedicated customer service Employer Desk that was launched in June of last year, SZV aims to improve access to information and resources to employers. During the information session, there will be an opportunity to get direct customer service support from the Employer Desk. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Special Unit Robbery is presently investigating two armed robberies in the Cole Bay/Simpson Bay areas. The first robbery took place on Saturday, April 14th at approximately 04.00 a.m. in the vicinity of Toppers close to Kim Sha Beach. According to report, two men arrived on the scene in a small SUV with French license plate. The passenger of the vehicle stepped out and approached a couple that was parked in the area and threatened both occupants with a gun in his hand. He demanded that they exited the vehicle which they did. The suspect stepped into the victims vehicle at which time he fired a shot from his gun. He then fled the scene with the stolen vehicle in the direction of the French Side. No one was injured according to reports. Detectives and Forensic Department were on scene talking to witnesses and collecting evidence. The second robbery took place on the same day at approximately 09.30 p.m. at the Jasmin Chinese Restaurant located on Welfare road. According to the manager, an unknown man dressed in dark clothing with a hoody covering his head and armed with a handgun stormed into the building around closing time. The robber threatened a client with his gun and then robbed him of his personal belongings. The robber then came behind the counter and stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the register. After committing this act the robber fled the scene on foot into the direction of Cole Bay. KPSM Press Release. PHILIPSBURG:--- Well known detective and now staff member of the Prime Ministers cabinet Jerry Gerardus has been detained by authorities as they investigate the looting of jewelry. SMN News understands that Gerardus was detained on Monday morning. At the moment Chief of Police Carl John said he is not aware of the case or the arrest while the Prosecutor handling the case has refused to confirm or deny the arrest of the well-known detective. This is not the first time Gerardus has been involved in problems with the law even though he is a lawman. SMN News will bring you more information on this case as soon as it becomes available. US, Nigeria hold military summit in Abuja Abuja, April 16 (AFP) Apr 16, 2018 Military top brass from across Africa on Monday kicked off a conference co-hosted by the United States aimed at boosting cooperation between countries fighting extremist groups. The African Land Forces Summit brings together "land force chiefs from across Africa for candid dialogue" to improve security, said the US Army in an April 10 statement. Military leaders from almost every country on the continent -- including Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya and Rwanda -- were in Nigeria's capital of Abuja to exchange notes on threats in Africa, from Al-Shabaab in the east to Boko Haram in the west. Under former president Barack Obama, the United States took the fight against rising Islamist extremism to Africa and stepped up its military presence in several countries. President Donald Trump has continued to prioritise security on the continent. Before he was sacked in March, secretary of state Rex Tillerson had just completed a five-country tour of Africa, pledging military assistance. The Sahel region is host to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Mali and Boko Haram in Nigeria. US forces are stationed in neighbouring Niger, where last November the government gave the green light to arm drones to fight jihadists. Ankara hits back over Macron comments on Russia-Turkey split Istanbul, April 16 (AFP) Apr 16, 2018 Turkey on Monday hit back at French President Emmanuel Macron over his comments that the weekend's air strikes against the Syrian regime had driven a wedge between Ankara and its increasingly close ally Moscow. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag insisted that Turkish policy on Syria was independent of other nations, as signs grow of Western discomfort over Ankara's alliance with Iran and Russia on Syria. "Turkey's Syria policy is not a policy of being on the same side or being opposed to another country," Bozdag told reporters in Qatar in response to a journalist's question about Macron's remarks. "Whoever defends what is right, we are on their side," he added in televised comments. France, the United States and Britain launched strikes against regime targets on Saturday, following an alleged chemical attack blamed by the West on the Damascus regime that reportedly killed dozens. "With these strikes and this intervention, we separated the Russians and the Turks on this issue... the Turks condemned the chemical strike and supported the operation that we conducted," the French president told BFM TV in an interview. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday welcomed the strikes, which he described as "appropriate" and strongly condemned the alleged chemical attack. Bozdag's comments follow tension between Ankara and Paris after Macron offered to mediate between Turkey and outlawed Kurdish militants, an offer furiously rejected by Erdogan. But Bozdag insisted Turkey's longstanding opposition to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had not changed. "Until now, has the policy put forward by Turkey changed? No," Bozdag said, adding that Turkey "has different policies to Iran and Russia." While Turkey has repeatedly called for Assad's ouster, it has been working closely with regime allies Tehran and Moscow in the Astana peace process, albeit with only moderate success. Earlier this month, Erdogan hosted a summit on Syria with Iran and Russia in Ankara, the second such meeting after trilateral talks in November in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. "Turkey is neither chasing the same goals as Iran, Russia nor is it a country chasing the same objectives as the US," Bozdag said. China, Japan vow 'new starting point' in ties Tokyo, Japan, April 16 (AFP) Apr 16, 2018 Asian rivals China and Japan on Monday pledged a "new starting point" for bilateral ties, vowing close co-operation amid a flurry of diplomacy on the North Korean missile threat and global trade tensions. Welcoming Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for a rare three-day visit, Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe called for warmer relations between the two countries and said they should work together on North Korea. Abe said he would be visiting the United States for talks with President Donald Trump to seek the "complete and irreversible denuclearisation" of North Korea and added "we want to co-operate with China." "We hope to develop a strategic, mutually beneficial Japan-China relationship in various fields," said Abe. Wang had earlier told his Japanese counterpart at a meeting in Tokyo: "With both of us standing on a new starting point, I hope we will promote the further development of both nations by opening a new future of bilateral cooperation." Relations between the pair are entering an "important phase of improvement and growth," Wang added. Tokyo is battling to stay relevant amid a string of summits on North Korea's nuclear programme in which Beijing is likely to be a major player. With this in mind, Japan is pushing to host a trilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Abe said this would be held "after Golden Week", a series of national holidays that ends on May 6. Bilateral visits by Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping are also being planned. China demonstrated its significant influence over its reclusive ally when Xi hosted the North's leader Kim Jong-un and his wife in Beijing last month. With Moon and Trump also preparing to meet Kim, reported efforts by Japan to reach out to Pyongyang have gone ignored. Meanwhile, Japan and China are targets of Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs, with Beijing also targeted with a further heavy levy. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Wang did not specifically mention the proposed US trade policies, as its implementation and consequences were still unclear. But they noted the global economy has dramatically changed during the eight years the bilateral dialogue has stalled. "We must have fresh perspectives and think about ways of cooperation and coordination," said Kono. "We share the common understanding that starting of a trade war would have a significant impact on the prosperity of the global economy." France's Macron won't 'break' Turkey-Russia alliance: Ankara Ankara, Turkey, April 16 (AFP) Apr 16, 2018 Turkey on Monday said French President Emmanuel Macron will be unable to "break" its partnership with Russia, after he argued the weekend's air strikes against the Syrian regime had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. NATO allies, including France, have become wary of the flourishing friendship between Ankara and Moscow based on joint efforts to end the seven-year Syrian civil war. "We can think differently but they (our relations with Russia) are not so weak that the French president can break them," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "We have strong relations with Russia," Cavusoglu added. "But our relations with Russia are not an alternative to NATO relations or our allies." Stoltenberg hailed Turkey's position in NATO, which Ankara joined in 1952 with strong American support to anchor Turkey firmly in the West amid the Cold War. "Turkey really does a lot for our alliance, despite facing serious security challenges... Turkey is important for NATO and NATO is important for Turkey," he said. "That is the strength of this alliance: 29 allies, standing together, protecting each other," Stoltenberg added. - 'Befitting of a president' - In an interview with French television, Macron suggested that the weekend air strikes against Syrian government targets had succeeded in engineering a split in the Russia-Turkey alliance. "With these strikes and this intervention, we separated the Russians and the Turks on this issue... the Turks condemned the chemical strike and supported the operation that we conducted," the French president told BFM TV in an interview. Russia and Iran are the key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and their military intervention in Syria is widely seen as helping him stay in power. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday had welcomed the strikes, which he described as "appropriate" and strongly condemned the alleged chemical attack. But Cavusoglu said Macron was mistaken in his assessment and said that Ankara "expected statements befitting of a president" and should express himself "more seriously". Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also hit back at Macron, saying our "Syria policy is not a policy of being on the same side or being opposed to another country." The dispute marked the latest outbreak of tension between Ankara and Paris after Macron offered to mediate between Turkey and outlawed Kurdish militants, an offer furiously rejected by Erdogan. Erdogan said Monday he had told Macron on the phone that France should first take responsibility for massacres in colonial Algeria and also its failures over the Rwanda genocide before lecturing Turkey on Syria. "You (France) killed people there. Are you going to account for that?" he said in a speech in Istanbul. - 'Differ on several issues' - Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied that the air strikes prompted a split between Moscow and Ankara, who reconciled in 2016 after Turkey shot down a Russian plane over Syria. "It's not a secret that Ankara and Moscow's positions differ on a number of issues," he said. But he emphasised that such differences would have "no impact on the prospects of our cooperation in a number of areas," Peskov. On a visit to Ankara earlier this month, Putin launched the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power station which is being built by Russia. Meanwhile, Turkey's Western allies are closely watching its deal to buy S-400 air defence systems from Russia which some officials have warned may not be compatible with Western technology. Also earlier this month, Erdogan hosted a summit on Syria with Iran and Russia in Ankara, the second such meeting after trilateral talks in November in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Cavusoglu said that Macron had expressed interest in attending the Ankara summit and Erdogan then sounded out Moscow and Tehran over the idea. But while Putin did not oppose him coming, Iran preferred to meet with just the three presidents and leave a broader summit for later, he said. burs-raz/sjw/gd 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 English15/04/2018 SRNA News Roundup /I/ April 15, 2018 REPUBLIKA SRPSKA KOZARSKA DUBICA - The central event marking the Remembrance Day for the victims of Ustasha crime - genocide in the Jasenovac death camp and its biggest execution site Donja Gradina has begun with memorial service being held in the Church of Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Kozarska Dubica this morning. BANJALUKA - Members of the Republika Srpska Interiro Ministrys Administration for Countering Organised and Serious Crime have seized a kilogram of pure cocaine in Banjaluka area today, the Ministry confirmed to SRNA. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA SARAJEVO - Minister of Finance and Treasury in the BiH Council of Ministers, Vjekoslav Bevanda, told SRNA that this mandate is marked by political turbulences and an unstable parliamentary majority, and that the political tensions will be raised as the election date is getting closer. SERBIA BELGRADE - Serbian Justice Minister Nela Kuburovic has stated she is not sure that the Special War Crimes Court for KLA war crimes will be operational, which the EU is insisting on, as filing indictments is being announced for some time, but nothing is happening. BELGRADE - Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has stated he can guarantee that the number of countries that have recognised the self-proclaimed Kosovo will fall below a hundred. BELGRADE - Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Chepurin, has compared the air attack on Syria with the bombing of the FR of Yugoslavia in 1999, pointing out that there are obvious parallels between these two aggressions. REGION PODGORICA - The presidential elections are being held today in Montenegro, the seventh time since the introduction of the multiparty system in 1990. PODGORICA - According to a report of the Montenegrin Ministry of Interior, there were 37 criminal offenses committed by using explosive ordnance were registered in Montenegro last year, while the arson was recorded in as many as 119 cases, which is less than in 2016,. PODGORICA - Cocaine, which is smuggled from South America to Western Europe, is passing through the Montenegrin and Croatian ports, and part of the smuggling operation is led by Skaljari and Kavaci mob clans, said member of the International Association of Police Chiefs, Marko Nicovic. /end/vos A focus on continued professional development and career progression was the key message as 11 AGCO apprentices collected their awards having successfully completed the industry focused courses during a lavish presentation and dinner at the Forest of Arden Hotel, near Birmingham. In the 18th year of AGCOs industry recognised dealer apprenticeship scheme, in partnership with WCG (formerly known as Warwickshire College Group), the award ceremony was combined with presentations for the Vehicle Parts apprenticeship programme, run in conjunction with Reaseheath College in Cheshire. Independent consultant, and author of engineering apprenticeship programmes across many industries including motorsport, aerospace and agriculture, David Kirschner welcomed apprentices and guests to the event by congratulating the recently qualified engineers on their career choice. This industry provides one of the best engineering apprenticeship schemes, providing the foundations to build your career. Mr Kirschner explained. But, your learning experience has only just begun. Agriculture is a vital industry supplying food for this country, and we will always need food. Therefore, with the right work ethic, job security will never be an issue. I have learnt that there is not one machine man cant damage! Mr Kirschner continued to explain the importance to the industry of bringing in fresh, young talent with new ideas, and the need to treat this juncture as a stepping stone to continued learning and development. He noted how industry, and AGCO in particular, recognise the important contribution apprentices make to agriculture. The standard cost to bring a new apprentice through is 75,000. That is how much is invested, so it demonstrates the value and significance of apprenticeships, said Mr Kirschner. The awards were presented by William Judge, the Massey Ferguson National Sales Manager for UK & Ireland, and once again saw success for AGCO dealer B&B Tractors, as Bradley Smith became the third employee in a row to collect the Apprentice of the Year award. Luke McDaid, who works at the Attleborough branch of Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd (TNS) received the Most Improved Apprentice of the Year, while Jack Huckstep of Lister Wilder of Wallingborough, Oxfordshire was voted Apprentices Apprentice of the Year by his fellow peers. Mary Wallbank was awarded the Best Parts Apprentice of the Year, commenting, Completing the AGCO apprenticeship has really helped me deepen my knowledge in the agricultural industry but also enabled me to establish new links within the industry itself, this has been a huge benefit in my current job but also will help when it comes to moving forward in my career. Mary was joined by Antony Hempstead of Chandlers Farm Equipment in Belton, Grantham, as he also collected his Parts Apprentice Award. Tim Hutchinson, course leader of the AGCO apprenticeship scheme at WCG commented, One of the key benefits of the scheme and the course is that it is a combined effort. The apprentices on the course want to succeed and they can see a clear career path. Their dealerships and AGCO therefore equally benefit from committed and skilled technicians joining their teams at the end of their training. 103 - 103 - . , , - 103 . , , , , . - , . , , . , . , , ... , , , , , , , ! 30 000 400 000 , 300 . , . 15 000 . . , , , ... . , . , ... . , 100 , . , . , , , , , ... , , ... . ... . , , , ... , , ... . . , , , , , ... , , , ... . , , , ... , , : ? 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In the past decade, Ethiopian agriculture has developed rapidly. A farmers extension education system offering local training and distributing packages of fertilizers, improved seed varieties and credits for small-holder farmers, has helped improve yields. But at the same time, population growth and climate change are putting an increasing pressure on land and ecosystems. Soil is lost at a high rate, and in 2015 the country faced one of the worst droughts in decades. A transformation of the agricultural system is necessary for poverty reduction and increased food security and human well-being. Which direction this transformation takes will be of crucial importance for farmers, ecosystems and the Ethiopian economy. This is the point of departure for a study published by several centre researchers, led by project coordinator and former MSc student Linn Jarnberg. She was intrigued by what is happening in Ethiopia: It is interesting, as Ethiopian agriculture is in an early phase of transformation, and the country has an ambitious agenda to drive agricultural development. There is even a new Agricultural Transformation Agency in place, precisely with the purpose to catalyze the transformation of agriculture," she explains. A comprehensive transformations framework For the study, which was published in Land Use Policy, Linn Jarnberg set out to interview entrepreneurs, NGOs and other actors working for sustainable intensification of agriculture during the drought stricken year of 2015. She wanted to investigate the prospects for such green niche actors to contribute to a more sustainable and productive agriculture. She also analyzed a number of official policy documents as well as the key government institutions in the agricultural sector. But the political system in Ethiopia is dominated by a single party in power since more than a quarter century, that has in the last decade gradually reduced the space for non-state actors. Given the strong state, rigid bureaucracies and the top down extension system, what are the opportunities for the green niche actors? Together with centre researchers Elin Enfors Kautsky, Linus Dagerskog and Per Olsson, Jarnberg developed a new theoretical framework to analyze her data. By incorporating key insights from the literatures on transitions and institutional entrepreneurship into current theories on social-ecological transformation the researchers try to move towards a more comprehensive conceptual framework for analyzing sustainability transformations. 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. Political machismo By Ian Buruma, Exclusive to the Sunday Times View(s): View(s): NEW YORK Parts of the world are experiencing eruptions of hyper-masculinity. The president of the United States presents himself as a kind of caveman, beating his chest, grabbing women by the pussy, and roaring like a great ape. A Canadian psychology professor, Jordan Peterson, has attracted countless young male followers by telling them to stand up straight, fight the liberal softies, reassert their male authority, and restore the old social hierarchies that he believes are forces of nature. Peterson is a slightly more couth version of another male self-help guru, Julien Blanc, who caused a scandal a few years ago by stating that women enjoy being taken by force. Such eruptions have occurred before in a more politically toxic manner. In Italy between the two world wars, Mussolini made himself the focus of a masculine cult: the great leader in riding boots, hands planted firmly on his leather belt, scowling and strutting and jutting his massive jaw, dominating the Italian public, as though it were his submissive mistress. Other fascist leaders in Europe followed Mussolinis example. Obsessed by a sense of national decadence, of cultures growing soft, they sought to invigorate their people with shows of theatrical manliness. Hitlers description of the Hitler Youth put the manly ideal succinctly: Fast as greyhounds, tough as leather, and hard as Krupp steel. Fascists commonly portrayed Jews as a pernicious force that threatened, through wicked manipulation, to undermine the health of nations and dominate the world. This image, barely disguised in the rhetoric of aspiring strongmen, is still potent in some parts of Europe. And yet official haters also exploited a stereotype of Jews as weak, eager to please, and bookish the opposite of the masculine ideal. Extending the hierarchy of the school playground to society, they were the natural victims of bullies. The elevation of violence and hyper-virility was not confined to the western world. The grotesque forms of Japanese militarism in the 1930s are well enough known. But what happened in India at roughly the same time is not. Radical Hindu nationalists founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a voluntary Hindu nationalist paramilitary organisation that remains a strong influence on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party today. Inspired by late-nineteenth-century slogans such as Beef, Biceps, and the Bhagavad Gita, the RSS emulated European fascists by instilling their own ideals of military discipline in young Hindus in khaki uniforms. Although eruptions of hyper-masculinity may occur at more or less the same time in different parts of the world, they come about for a variety of reasons. They usually stem from humiliation, or the fear of humiliation. The Hindu nationalists in India were reacting, understandably enough, to the shame of colonial subjugation. They had to become as strong as their British masters, even if this involved the alien habit of eating beef. Many Germans, especially men who had served in the armed forces, felt humiliated by defeat in World War I, and the harsh terms imposed on their country by the allied governments. They wanted revenge, not only on the victorious allies, but also on the liberals and Jews who had supposedly betrayed them. The French who started radical right-wing movements like Action Francaise at the end of the nineteenth century were still smarting from defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. Reactionary French intellectuals dreamed of reinvigorating the nation. Some were so tormented by the idea of French decadence that they welcomed the German invasion in 1940 as a necessary shock that would restore manly virtues. So why todays outbreak of political machismo? Why in the US? Why in Europe? Fear of humiliation can have many causes. Some young men might feel intimidated by feminist demands for equality. Even though men still occupy most leading positions in society, this is no longer a given. Indeed, one explanation for the loathing of Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate was that she reminded too many men of the kind of female boss they hated. Many young men seem to crave the reassurance from self-help gurus who tell them that it is natural for men to lead. Others might feel sexually intimidated by the #MeToo movement and other assertions of womens rights. Another target of the macho right is multiculturalism, and the presence of Muslims in particular. The rise of women to positions of authority in western societies is matched by an increase in the number of successful people from non-European backgrounds. Again, as with Jews in the past, Muslims today are depicted as a danger to western civilization: zealots and terrorists. But the truth is that most Muslims in the west are in a position of weakness, making them easy targets for popular aggression. And while this is happening at home, non-western powers like China loom as existential threats abroad. If Clinton was seen as a despicable figure of female power, Barack Hussein Obama, though hardly a softie himself, represented everything that many people resent: he was highly educated, liberal, had a Muslim middle name, and his father was African. Obamas presidency, along with the rise of China, the visibility of non-western immigrants, and the challenges of feminism, showed how much the world has changed. And so people chose a tall, blond, swaggering, pussy-grabbing president who promised that he would change it all back again. And yet, somehow, Trumps hyper-masculinity is distinctly unconvincing. Despite his rants and bluster, one still has the impression that behind that facade of pumped-up machismo lurks a frightened little white man who knows that he is no longer in control. (The writer is the editor of The New York Review of Books and is the author of Year Zero: A History of 1945.) Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018. www.project-syndicate.org Learning Spanish in Spain normally follows one of two routes. The first is attending lessons at a language school, which tend to be highly structured and all too reminiscent of school days. The other is attending a language exchange, where you run the risk of sticking to speaking in English by hanging around with native speakers or meeting a Spanish speaker who wants to improve their English, with little thought of your own language goals. Spanishcafe offers an alternative: conversation-based lessons in a relaxed cafe atmosphere. Clara Anuncio, one of the organisers, said: There is an enormous difference between our classes and a conversation exchange, given that, as well as practising the language, the teacher helps the students with their mistakes and explains grammatical structures as needed. The sessions, which cost far less than the equivalent at a language school, take place in either the Picnic Dreams cafe or the cafeteria of the Carmen Thyssen Museum in Malaga. There are also classes in both Madrid and Seville. A typical class begins with students ordering drinks, followed by a general discussion and some informal group activities. The sessions usually end with a conversation centred around topics chosen at random by the organiser, which can range from animal rights, to fashion or whether true love really exists. One of the best things about Spanishcafe is being in a small group with people of a similar ability, says Suzy, an Irish student who began learning Spanish three months ago. She explained how she started off as a beginner but after an intensive language course complemented by Spanishcafe she is now an upper intermediate. Spanishcafe has really built my confidence and speaking ability. Not only does Clara support me during the session, but she is more than happy to correct any written Spanish that I bring to class, she added. Clara is enthusiastic about the benefits of Spanishcafe: It's really rewarding to teach Spanish to people from so many different countries with varying abilities. We design our classes to be fun and enjoyable, to allow everyone to improve their Spanish and increase their fluency in a natural way by using the language. Heike, a student from Austria, says she has really come into her own since joining Spanishcafe. I learnt some Spanish at school, but it wasn't the same as the teachers themselves weren't native speakers and they were trying to get you to pass an exam, not learn the language for the enjoyment of it. Spanishcafe is very different. You become very comfortable with the other pupils and enjoy going to the sessions. It's a lot like going for coffee with friends, except that you're also learning a second language. Spanishcafe is a recent offshoot of the long-running Englishcafe, which has been helping locals learn English for several years. One of the teachers, Martin Hyam, 57, from London, has spent the last four years teaching in Malaga, having previously lived in Valencia, Santiago de Compostela and Sorbas in Almeria. He has a PGCE in adult basic education and has taught in adult and community education. Englishcafe provides students with an opportunity to develop their functional communication skills, he said. The classes, he continued, have been helpful for Spanish adults who are preparing for English oral exams, interviews in English, and for work and travel needs. The regional minister for Health, Marina Alvarez, announced on Monday that all Andalusian health centres will begin routine colon cancer screening this year. That means going from just 25 health centres with the necessary equipment to carry out blood tests on faeces at present, to 1,600 by the end of 2018. That was the commitment made by the regional Health minister, who assured listeners at the event in Seville that the prevention of bowel cancer is a priority for the Andalusian government, because it is a very important public health issue. She said that screening will be a priority this year as part of our comprehensive oncology plan. Alvarez acknowledged the difficulty of implementing screening across the board, given that the target population, those between 50 and 69, is over two million, of whom 400,000 live in Malaga province. Currently there are only three health centres in Malaga city that have a colon cancer screening programme: Alameda-Perchel, La Roca and Carlinda. The blood test is carried out on faeces to detect the early stages of cancer and premalignant lesions Discovering colon cancer at an early stage is essential if the patient is to make a full recovery. Undertaking a blood test on a patient's faeces is an effective and sensible measure to ascertain whether a patient is suffering from bowel cancer and how advanced the disease is. The announcement from Marina Alvarez came after the Andalusian provincial branches of the Spanish cancer association, AECC, called for the health service to extend the screenings to everyone aged between 50 and 69 years old. The AECC, marking the Day Against Colon Cancer held on 31 March, declared that Andalucia is a black spot in Spain's fight against the disease. Of the 1,983,846 Andalusians between the ages of 50 and 69 years who have the right to access the bowel cancer screening programme, only 104,807 have received a letter inviting them to have the test, which makes up just 5.2 per cent of the total, according to the organisation. The AECC has shown that 90 per cent of cases of colon cancer that are detected early, through a blood test carried out on faeces, can be beaten. This test, as well as saving many lives and reducing patients' suffering, is cheap: it costs the health service two euros. If the result is positive, as it is for between six and seven per cent of people who take the test, doctors will undertake a colonoscopy to confirm that the patient is suffering from colon cancer. The colonoscopy costs the health service is 180 euros. In contrast, the average cost of treatment for full-blown cancer of the colon is currently around 27,000 euros. DeWitt, N.Y. -- Work is underway on a one-of-a-kind facility in DeWitt for teaching excavators from throughout New York how to dig without damaging underground utilities. Dig Safely New York Inc. has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for Thursday for its new home, a 21,432-square-foot facility at 6706 Collamer Road. The new building, literally a stone's throw from the organization's existing, 8,000-square-foot home, will include a 50-seat classroom and a 5,570-square-foot indoor training arena. Its construction will cost an estimated $6.5 million, not including furnishings. Dig Safely New York's current headquarters at 5063 Brittonfield Parkway in DeWitt will be sold after the organization moves into its new home nearby in the spring of 2019. (Provided photo) Dig Safely bought the 4.1-acre property six years ago for $485,000 in anticipation of the need for a new training center. A house and several barns on the property were demolished in the fall, and additional site work began recently. The indoor arena will contain a paved area with mock underground utilities such as gas, electrical and communication lines. It also will have an area with a dirt floor where a mini-excavator can be used to practice safe digging. Dig Safely Executive Director Kevin Hopper said employees of excavation companies throughout the state will receive training at the facility on how to identify and avoid striking underground utilities. The indoor training facility will be particularly useful in the winter, when snow makes it difficult to conduct training outdoors, he said. "It's something that is not available anywhere in the country," he said. "We can run a mini-excavator in there. We'll be able to provide vital hands-on training in a safe and controlled environment." Kevin Hopper Founded in 1969, Dig Safely is a non-profit organization that, in addition to providing safe-digging training, serves as a link between underground utility owners and excavators. It contacts utilities potentially affected by any planned excavation when notified by an excavator. The organization, which has 1,400 utility and municipal members, operates a 24-hour call center that serves all of the state except New York City and Long Island. Homeowners, do-it-yourselfers, municipalities and professional contractors are required by law to call the center by dialing 811 or submitting a request online at www.digsafelynewyork.com before doing any digging. The center identifies the utility companies and municipalities in the area and notifies them to mark the location of any underground utilities at the dig site. (Gas lines are marked yellow, electrical lines red, water lines blue, communication lines orange and sewer lines green.) Dig Safely provides the notification service free of charge. It is supported financially by its members. The center processed a record 500,039 utility location requests last year and trained approximately 14,000 excavators on safe digging best practices. In 2017, utility companies in the state reported 644 cases in which underground gas and electric lines were damaged during digs. Hopper said that in 27 percent of those cases, the people or companies doing the digging failed to call the Dig Safely center. In another 46 percent of the cases, the cause of the damage was determined to be "excavator error," he said. Hopper said the organization's goal is to eliminate all cases of underground utility damage from digging. The organization, which has a staff of 43, plans to sell its existing building at 5063 Brittonfield Parkway once it moves into the new building in the spring of 2019. Designed by QPK Design, the indoor training arena will have a glass wall facing Collamer Road so that anyone passing by will be able to look in "know what we are," Hopper said. Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Update: Police Monday night say they arrested a 20-year-old Binghamton University student they say fatally stabbed 19-year-old freshman engineering student Joao Souza. Michael M. Roque was charged Monday with second-degree murder. BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Less than 24 hours after a Binghamton University freshman was stabbed to death Sunday night, the university's police chief announced a suspect is in custody Monday evening. Joao Souza, a 19-year-old engineering student, was attacked around 10:30 p.m. inside Windham Hall residence hall. Investigators from multiple agencies interviewed people throughout the night and determined the stabbing was not a random act. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday, the State University College at Binghamton police chief tweeted that a suspect was in custody. "There is no active threat to the campus, but we will maintain additional police patrols tonight," the Tweet read. "Thank you to everyone who provided tips and info." This is the second student killed this school year at Binghamton University. Hayley Anderson, of Westbury, Long Island, was found dead in an off-campus home in March. The university cancelled all classes on Monday, and offered counseling services to anyone who needs it by calling the Dean of Students Office at 607-777-2804. Syracuse, NY -- Federal Express is being sued for causing a fatal crash in October 2017 along Interstate 81 in LaFayette in which a Syracuse man was pinned by a delivery truck. Madhav Regmi, 36, was struck and killed while walking back to his vehicle about 10:30 p.m. along the shoulder. He stopped after noticing that the door of a friend's box truck ahead of him had come open, Onondaga County sheriff's deputies have said. The lawsuit blames a FedEx tandem tractor trailer for swerving off the highway, striking the box truck and pinning Regmi. It's the second time in the past few years FedEx has been blamed for a fatal crash. Two months before Regmi's crash, FedEx agreed to a $7 million settlement with another family who lost a mother and daughter in a September 2014 crash in Granby. Vicky and Liz Tully In that case, Victoria Tully, 38, and her daughter, Elizabeth, 20, were killed when a FedEx truck driven by Kevin Frank crossed into oncoming traffic and hit them. Frank was also killed in the Sept. 29, 2014 crash. A lawsuit filed by a New York City lawyer was settled in July 2017 for $7 million, according to court records. Paperwork was completed in January of this year. The Tully family got money for pain and suffering, as well as wrongful death. It's unclear what caused that fatal crash. In Regmi's case, neither authorities nor the lawsuit suggests what caused the FedEx truck to swerve on I-81. The driver, Gary Fox, 43, was not injured. That lawsuit remains in its early stages. FedEx has not responded to the lawsuit in court. CAMILLUS, NY - Federal agencies have joined New York State Police and Camillus police to investigate a "swatting" bomb threat that resulted in the evacuation of West Genesee High School Monday afternoon. Swatting is the practice of making a prank call to emergency services designed to prompt a large response from law enforcement, said Camillus Police Chief Thomas Winn. U.S. Homeland Security and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms are involved in the case, Winn said. The person making the 1:55 p.m. call to the high school said they were going to "blow up the building" if a certain student wasn't paid a sum of money within 30 minutes, school district officials said. Winn declined to release any more details about the swatting call as the investigation is ongoing. Winn said a thorough search of the building and bus garage by the state police's K-9 unit discovered no trace of any explosives. School will resume tomorrow as usual, district officials said. All afternoon and evening activities at the school were canceled. Investigations like these are usually involved, and take some time to conclude, Winn said. Swatting can turn deadly. In December, a 28-year-old man was shot dead in Wichita, Kansas by police who were responding to a false report that a man had shot his father and was holding his family hostage. Police charged a California man with making the fake call reporting the hostage situation in Wichita and making it appear the call was coming from a home in that city. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse police say they charged two city residents with robbing a man Saturday afternoon on North Salina Street. Minnie DuBois, 25, of 1127 Bellevue Ave., was charged with first-degree robbery, a felony; fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor; and second-degree harassment, a violation. Luis Rosa, 25, who lives at the same address, was charged with second-degree robbery, a felony; fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor; and second-degree harassment, a violation. Officers accused DuBois and Rosa of attacking an acquaintance at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of N. Salina St., police spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Shulsky said in a news release. "The victim told police he dropped his cell phone and car keys during the attack and he saw DuBois taking his property," Shulsky said in the release. "The victim tried to get the items back, but DuBois pulled out a knife and threatened him with it," the release said. "Rosa then smashed the victim's cell phone on the ground before he and DuBois got into a vehicle and drove away." Officers went to DuBois and Rosa's home after the victim reported the attack, and arrested the pair, Shulsky said in the release. DuBois and Rosa were sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center. They both remained in jail Sunday. DuBois is the daughter of Susan Wagner, sister of Korinna and Michael DuBois, and aunt of 1-year-old Hunter DuBois -- the four killed in a fire April 5 at their home, at 253 Fitch St. Her brother, Charles DuBois, 20, is accused of intentionally setting two fires around 3:15 a.m. April 5 as his family slept inside. He has been charged with murder, arson and assault. RoseAnne DuBois posted on Facebook Sunday morning that her twin sister, Minnie DuBois, is innocent of the robbery. The first of three caskets was carried out of the church sometime after 1 p.m. Saturday after a funeral for the four family victims of the April 5 Fitch Street fire. The funeral was held Saturday afternoon at St. Lucy's Catholic Church in Syracuse. "She was sitting right next to me the WHOLE TIME at the funeral services and was there with me at 10 till we all left after (repast) at st lucys!!!!" RoseAnne DuBois wrote on Facebook. "We just laid 4 of our family members to rest yesterday!!!! Please drop as many pics and any videos with time stamps!!!!" The funerals began at 12:05 p.m. and lasted until about 1:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Lucy's Church on Gifford Street, according to a news photographer at the scene. A photo of a woman with green hair -- who appears to be Minnie DuBois -- was taken sometime after 1 p.m. as she helped carry out a casket from the church, the photographer said. Nada Odeh left Syria in 2012. There were snipers on the rooftops and she worried for the safety her son and daughter, then 8 and 10. The final straw was when her daughter's school bus was stopped and searched by armed military to see if rebels were hiding on board. They went first to Dubai to stay with her ex-husband, but sought asylum in United States. Odeh is now finishing up her master's degree in museum studies at Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts. She graduates next month. Her show, "My Voyage: I Float," is at the 914Works gallery. Many of her pieces show the forgotten plight of refugees. She also was commissioned to make a poster for the Syracuse Poster Project. It focuses on Syracuse's welcoming heritage. Marnie Eisenstadt Nada Odeh still has the suitcases she used to pack up her family's belongings when they fled Syria. Now, they are in her Syracuse home. They are shown here in her work, "Asylum," that represents the journey she and her children took from their home in Damascus, where snipers were constantly on the rooftops, to Syracuse. Odeh has lived in Dubai and Ann Arbor since leaving Syria in 2012, but Syracuse feels most like home. "There is unity in one thing," Odeh said. It is the city's welcome to everyone, including refugees like her. Don't Edit provided Odeh was commissioned to make a poster for the Syracuse Poster Project. She made a boat from newspapers telling the stories of refugees who did not make it as others danced, holding hands, hoping to a better ending to their journey. The words are from Vinh Dang, a Vietnamese refugee who also calls Syracuse home now. "They are holding each other's hands as they try to get somewhere safe," Odeh said. One of those safe places in Syracuse. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt Refugees in camps often find themselves briefly in the spotlight, when celebrities come. But after the selfies are taken and the celebrities are gone, the refugees are left behind, largely alone in their struggle. "You can't only be nice,"Odeh said. "You have to do something for the refugees by helping them get out of where they are." That is the story told in "The Red Carpet," which juxtaposes the spotlight stars put on refugee camps when they visit to the daily reality of living in a limbo. The bags on the carpet are the actual bags that are used to send clothing and supplies to camps. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt This bag, labeled "home," is part of Odeh's piece "The Red Carpet." The bags are the same as the ones used when organizations send donated goods to refugee camps. Odeh, who has volunteered with several refugee assistance organizations, has always been struck by the things people donate to send. "We still get trash," said Odeh. The bag is part of the exhibit "My Voyage: I Float" at 914 Works in Syracuse. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt The thousands of children living in refugee camps are no different from the children here, in Syracuse, or anywhere else around the world, Odeh said. They love to play dress up and imagine the world beyond their reality. In "I am Princess," a refugee girl places a crown on her head. "She is a child like your children," Odeh said. "She is not different." Don't Edit Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt In her piece, "Asylum," Odeh stretched her family's journey across three panels. They applied for asylum in the United States. She and her children are here legally, like thousands of others. But the journey was hard and long. The did not spend time in refugee camps, but they moved from place to place, searching for the home they finally found in Syracuse. She made the path golden, because it led to something better. But it was not easy. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt The plight of refugees is often highlighted by celebrities, but forgotten once the performance is over. In "The Cellist," refugees hold up the stage as a famous musician performs. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt A wedding dress Odeh bought for $15 at an estate sale hangs on the wall of her exhibition at 914Works. In Syria, the possibilities for women were limited. In America, and in Syracuse, they are vast. "I am happy for my daughter," she Odeh said. "She can think the way she likes." The dress is meant to make people think about what it means to be married and how it changes in different cultures. "What does it mean for women to have a wedding dress? Does it mean to be locked in a box or does it mean to have more freedom?" Odeh said. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt Odeh worked on an exhibition of Frida Kahlo's work and was struck by how the issues she dealt with so many years ago are still relevant, and a struggle, today. This piece, "The Frida in Me," depicts Kahlo on the bottom and Odeh above her. Don't Edit Marnie Eisenstadt "There are times when you pass through lots of pressure in life, and you sit down and curl in," Odeh said. "It's like being in your mother's womb; going back to where you were born." In this curling in, there is safety and comfort, Odeh said. This painting, "In My Mother's Womb," is about the need we all have to feel that security. Don't Edit Noam Shuster Eliassi from Wahat al-Salam - Neve Shalom, Israel It didn't bother Noam Shuster Eliassi that about 5,700 miles away from home, she delivered a presentation to a nearly empty room. In her complicated field of work, that's often just how it is. "You are constantly, constantly standing alone by yourself in the beginning. And then people join you and they see that you were right," said Eliassi. "You cannot give up on your voice." Eliassi spoke on Friday morning at Syracuse University in a lecture hall populated by a handful of professors, community members and students. But this time - she wasn't speaking alone. Samah Salaime stood beside her. Salaime is an Israeli Arab and Eliassi is an Israeli Jew. They visited Syracuse together from their home village within the "no man's land" of Latrun, Israel, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There, 66 families, half Israeli Arabs and half Israeli Jews, choose to live together in one community called Wahat al-Salam - Neve Shalom (WAS-NS). Eliassi and Salaime represent the "Oasis of Peace," and are hosting dialogues around the United States to spread awareness of the community mission to achieve peace by practicing a shared living model. In WAS-NS, it is expected that Israeli Jews and Israeli Palestinians come together for discussion, no matter how controversial or uncomfortable. Founded by Father Bruno Hussar and recognized by the Israeli government in 1970, WAS-NS is an intentionally mixed community where Jews and Arabs live side-by-side and govern together. The community's children (along with many brought in from outside the village) attend the School for Peace together where they study Arabic, Hebrew and English and learn the multiple narratives surrounding the land and region. Noam Shuster Eliassi, left, and Samah Salaime, right, address a small group of Syracuse University students, professors and community members on Friday, April13. While the Israeli-Palestinian conflict may seem like a distant struggle to many, the implications are of great importance to citizens of Syracuse who have a connection to Palestine or Israel. This includes Stephanie Shirilan, associate professor of English at Syracuse University. She has been following the project at WAS-NS since her daughter visited the community while in Israel last year and describes herself as "very much so a part of the Jewish community." "I'm filled with a lot of confusion and grief as to what's happening," said Shirilan. Even in the United States, bringing together people who hold different views of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is difficult, Shirilan said. Opposition groups often won't even agree to meet, let alone hold constructive conversations about the prospective of peace. "I mean, look at this room," she said, referring to the sparsity of event attendees. "I don't know what to do." Shirilan looked to Eliassi and Salaime for strategic advice in facilitating conversations between people of opposing ideas regarding the statehood of Israel. "I can see why the discourse from here [the U.S.] can be frustrating. I went to Brandeis, I know how hard it is also within the American-Jewish discourse and right now with (President Donald) Trump," said Eliassi, who also added that she has a difficult time comprehending how pro-Israel Americans and anti-semitic "neo-Nazis" voted for the same candidate. "American Jews are part of this - you are taxpayers, you have high stakes in this," Eliassi responded to Shirilan. "Don't give up those conversations. This is the hard work, we can't be in rooms of [people] agreeing with each other." Also in attendance was Elaine Rubenstein, who has family members living in WAS-NS and has visited the community on various occasions. In Syracuse, she participates in the Syracuse Area Middle East Dialogue group (SAMED), a diverse organization of about 18 local members. At Friday's event, Rubenstein explained to the Israeli guests that within the American Jewish population there are varying beliefs about Israel's role in the conflict that are difficult to mediate. "We at SAMED are trying to influence our government...it's like bumping your head against the wall, but we have to keep trying," Rubenstein said. Ken Frieden, a Syracuse University professor in religion, languages, literature and linguistics and the B.G. Rudolph Chair of Judaic studies is also a member of SAMED. At the dialogue Friday, he spoke about the challenges of connecting with other Americans in regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "What's the point? We [members of SAMED] get along, but it's very difficult to speak to the local Jewish community," said Frieden. "That's our role, I think- to let the politicians know that American Jewish community is not one-sidedly pro-Israel no matter what, we're critical of the way Israel is moving. But how do we do that?" Another issue that Frieden raised is the ignorance of many American Jews regarding what's currently going on in Israel. He asked Eliassi and Salaime how to remedy the lack of alertness. "I'm not here to give magic solutions for your dilemmas, because I have my own dilemmas in my community," Salaime said frankly. Salaime also suggested that people have prematurely become too occupied with finding the end-all, diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where two state figureheads shake hands for a photo op. "We are not there yet. The people that are thirsty for this image, they are not ready because they don't talk to others because they don't share values." Friday's lecture was a dialogue about the importance of dialogue, and while no solutions were discovered, the professors, students, community members and reporters in attendance, however few, left the room with a little more understanding of what peace looks like and what it will take to get there. Salaime and Eliassi's community is an example of one solution: it brings together two communities with individuals of all different opinions and ideals. By simply living daily life together, the people of WAS-NS not only find their common hopes, struggles and values, they find the places where they don't agree and then they confront these issues head-on. "We're not comfortable living together," said Eliassi. "That is the point of our place." Save Save Save Save Save Save U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer asked President Donald Trump's administration on Monday to make dairy trade with Canada a priority in any effort to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Schumer, D-N.Y., visited Cayuga Milk Ingredients in Aurelius, Cayuga County, to draw attention to how Canadian trade practices have affected the $101 million milk processing plant that opened in 2014. The plant, which produces ultra-filtered milk used as a liquid concentrate to make cheese, lost about $30 million in annual sales to Canada because duties were imposed on ultra-filtered milk. Schumer said Monday that those tariffs have effectively created a "dairy wall" between the U.S. and Canada. "As trade officials near a deal to renegotiate NAFTA - an issue President Trump and I both agree on - we must make it a top priority to begin reversing restrictive dairy pricing policies in Canada that are hurting our dairy producers at their core, and now is a real opportunity to do just that," Schumer said. Schumer sent a letter Monday to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, asking him to make sure dairy trade with Canada is included in the NAFTA talks. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 WASHINGTON -- Zephyr Teachout, an anti-corruption Democrat who has emerged as a leader of the party's progressive wing, on Monday gave her endorsement to Dana Balter in Central New York's 24th Congressional District election. Teachout becomes the first prominent Democratic Party official to make an endorsement in the potential primary campaign between Balter and Juanita Perez Williams. The two Syracuse women filed petitions with the state Board of Elections on Thursday, trying to make it on to the ballot for the June 26 Democratic primary. The winner will face Rep. John Katko, R-Camiulls, in the November election. Teachout's endorsement offers an early preview of a campaign that will likely shape up as a battle between Democratic activists in the party's progressive wing and establishment Democrats. "Dana will stand against big-money interests and put the hardworking families of Central New York first, working for economic opportunity, affordable healthcare, and high-quality public education for everyone," Teachout said in a statement. "Her campaign has the energy and grassroots support needed to take on John Katko and win in November." Perez Williams, who launched her campaign less than 10 days before the state's deadline for nominating petitions, has received support from establishment Democrats, most notably the campaign arm of House Democrats in Washington. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in Washington, told syracuse.com on Friday that he helped recruit Perez Williams and that the DCCC may support her in the primary. Teachout, a Fordham University law professor, could help deliver progressive voters to Balter in a Democratic primary. Teachout surprised political observers when she received 34 percent of the vote in a Democratic primary against Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014. She went on to win a Democratic primary in the 19th Congressional District, but lost the 2016 election to Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Thomas Ullmann, a former chief public defender in Connecticut known for taking on difficult cases, has died while hiking in the Adirondacks, according to several people who knew him and media reports. Ullmann, 67, who retired last fall from New Haven Judicial District, most notably represented Steven Hayes, one of the two men convicted in the 2007 Cheshire home-invasion murders. New York State Police said Saturday that they found the body of a hiker on a trail Friday near Indian Lake, New York, according to a report in the New Haven Register. The Register said the police identified the hiker as Ullmann, but have have not released a cause of death. His death stunned his legal colleagues. "Tom Ullmann was a hero of mine," said Norm Pattis, a criminal defense lawyer. "Defending unpopular people is a vocation few people understand. Tommy did it with dignity and courage every day that he came out to court and was an inspiration to me and will remain so." Pattis said Ullmann, who had served as chief public defender since 1992, had an unwavering commitment to the interests of his client, exemplified in his representation of Hayes in the murders of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Michaela, 11, and Hayley, 17, in 2007. "He stood by [Hayes] through every phase of the proceedings up to the time he was condemned to die," Pattis said. "Tommy could find the humanity in the accused." The death sentences of Hayes and partner, Joshua Komisarjevsky, were later changed to life in prison when Connecticut abolished the death penalty. "He was just an Odysseus-like character," Pattis said. "He was a man of many wiles. You know what it is to defend people, especially a case like the Cheshire case. Everybody in the room wants your client dead. You stand between the crowd and that person, and your defense is a civilizing influence, and that's who Tommy was. He was one of the most civil people I ever knew." Willie Dow, another lawyer, said Ullmann had lost two close friends at a relatively young age and wanted to take advantage of his time to travel and hike. "Tom was the gold standard for professional responsibility of a criminal defense lawyer," Dow said. "He was always the one that [we] used to measure our own performance. "He represented his clients wholeheartedly and many of his clients were very unpopular people. And that had no effect on the vigor and energy that he devoted to protecting their rights." He said lawyers would ask themselves, "Have I done as good as Tom Ullmann would do in representing my clients? He really was universally admired and respected by judges, by lawyers, by clients." Ullmann was a graduate of Quinnipiac University and the University of Connecticut School of Law. Even though he retired, Ullmann maintained membership in a number of law committees, particularly the Sentence Reform Committee, Dow said. Dow said Ullmann also taught trial practice at Quinnipiac's law school and made himself available to assist lawyers in tactical decision, how to approach problems, and the the best results for clients. He said Ullmann stood up to judges when he thought they were wrong, and once was held in contempt of court. "He wouldn't buck under to an unreasonable demand by a prosecutor," he said. He didn't have to go to jail in that contempt case, Dow said. "He told me, 'I always figured I had the Constitution on my side. That's all I needed,'" Dow said. "It's a terrible, terrible loss that all of us are feeling." Ron Osach, another New Haven lawyer, said Ullmann was "full of life. He loved to do many things. He loved the outdoors, he loved the law. He was a role model among lawyers. He had so many close personal friends and acquaintances from living in CT for 40 years and practicing law here." Osach said Ullmann was a "fervent advocate of the abolition of the death penalty. He represented numerous individuals who potentially faced either life imprisonment or the death penalty and he fought for them. "He will be terribly missed by all who knew him." -- Kathleen Megan and Rebecca Lurye, The Hartford Courant Police on Long Island seized an arsenal of illegal guns, including one equipped with a bump stock, along with hundreds of high capacity magazines from a pizza delivery man after checking out a "threatening" message he allegedly left for an employee at a school for troubled youth. The man was apparently carrying a "grudge" against the employee of Summit School in Upper Nyack, Suffolk County Police Chief Stuart Cameron said a news conference Sunday. He "felt slighted by this individual from an encounter back in 2002," Cameron said. Summit is a school for students "with social and emotional difficulties." Another school employee alerted police to the message, which was left on an answering machine. The call prompted police to make a "welfare check" Saturday at the home of Robert Csak, 32, of Lindenhurst, New York. Newsday described Csak as a pizza delivery man. The apartment was sparsely furnished, with only a mattress, and a plastic chair and table. The officer, a military veteran, looked inside, saw the weapons and recognized them as illegal, Cameron said. Police then obtained a search warrant and seized them, Cameron said. Cameron said the arsenal included 19 long guns, including what he described as assault weapons that are illegal in New York, night vision goggles, bulletproof vests, gas masks and hundreds of high capacity magazines. One of the long guns was equipped with a bump stock, a plastic or metal device which when attached to a semiautomatic weapon enables it to fire like a fully automatic rifle. Bump stocks gained widespread notoriety after Stephen Paddock used them to fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas in October, killing 58 people and wounding about 500. Police went looking for Csak and arrested him, holding him on multiple illegal weapons charges. A hearing is scheduled for later in the week. Police on #Longisland found this huge stash of weapons, ammunition, bullet proof vests and more. Authorities in Suffolk County say the most they ever seized. Coming up at 6, the disturbing thing that led police to Robert Czak, whos now under arrest. @ABC7NY pic.twitter.com/RIz4RL6POL Kemberly Richardson (@kemrichardson7) April 15, 2018 This is suspect Robert Csak, more at 6 pic.twitter.com/5eUBT5LXWp Kemberly Richardson (@kemrichardson7) April 15, 2018 Utility workers in Upstate New York found a woman's body in the Genesee River while on the job Monday. Rochester Gas & Electric employees called police after seeing a leg in the water near the company's facility in downtown Rochester, News 8 WROC-TV reported. Police and fire crews responded, and it took almost an hour to retrieve the woman's body from the water, News 8 said. More than 20 firefighters used rescue ropes to secure the woman's body in a basket so it could be moved out of the water, the Democrat & Chronicle reported. RGE workers find woman's body in building where water from Genesee River is diverted under Brown's Race https://t.co/kdPrmomiMo Democrat & Chronicle (@DandC) April 16, 2018 Cause of death for the unidentified woman, believed to be in her 40s, is unknown, News10NBC reported. Police said they received a call Sunday evening for a possible woman in distress near the Genesee River, though they found nothing when they arrived, the D&C reported. It is not clear whether the two incidents are related. The investigation is ongoing. Follow Georgie Silvarole on Twitter @gsilvarole. Sauk Rapids, Minn. -- A second-grader in a Minnesota elementary school attacked classmates with a knife on Monday morning. Three students were wounded. All three were treated and released from a local hospital, according to the Star Tribune in Minnesota. The attacker will not be allowed back into the school, the paper said. The incident took place before school started. A second-grade male student took out a knife after he put his backpack away and cut three others, according to the Star Tribune. The injured students suffered superficial wounds that required stitches, according to KARE in Minnesota. The attacker is 8 years old. The victims were 8, 9 and 13, the station said. The weapon was a kitchen knife the boy brought to school. The attacker "randomly" cut the other students, KARE said. The school, Pleasantview Elementary in Sauk Rapids, has about 790 students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Sauk Rapids is about an hour outside Minneapolis. Staff and students at the school will be able to speak with mental health counselors if needed, according to KARE. The attacker was taken into custody by police and released to his parents. The case will be forwarded to prosecutors, KARE said. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112 IZMIR, Turkey (AP) -- An American pastor imprisoned in Turkey is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. Andrew Craig Brunson, a 50-year-old evangelical pastor from North Carolina, is facing up to 35 years in prison on charges of "committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member" and "espionage." The trial begins Monday in western Izmir province. Brunson was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for a masterminding a failed military coup that year. The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, denies the claim. Brunson, who has lived in Turkey for 23 years, has denied all allegations, saying that he solely worked as a pastor. The Turkish government has clearly linked Brunson's case with its determination to force the U.S. to extradite Gulen -- and some see the pastor as a diplomatic pawn. The American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian group in the U.S., has called Brunson a "hostage of the Turkish government." A petition has garnered more than half a million signatures, claiming that the case was putting Christianity on trial. Brunson's lawyer, Ismail Cem Halavurt, told The Associated Press on Sunday he expects the pastor's acquittal, arguing that the "weak" indictment lacked sufficient evidence to make the case hold up in court. American officials have repeatedly requested that Brunson be released -- President Donald Trump himself asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to have his government "expeditiously" return the pastor to the U.S. But Erdogan fired back at Washington, demanding that the U.S. first return Gulen. "You give him to us and we'll give you this one," he said, referring to Brunson. Turkey has submitted an extradition request to the U.S. for Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, but so far it not been granted. That has created festering frustration in the Turkish government, which has hunted down tens of thousands of alleged Gulen supporters and either imprisoned them or fired them from government jobs. Brunson has served as the pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church with a small Protestant congregation. He was first detained in October 2016 with his wife, Norine Brunson, who was later released. Brunson's lawyer said he was healthy but "demoralized" after being stuck behind bars, having missed his daughter's engagement and another child's graduation. The Izmir prosecutor's indictment against Brunson claims he was in contact with top-level executives of Gulen's network and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Both are designated terror groups in Turkey. Brunson is accused of acting in "parallel and coordinated fashion" with them, aiming to "divide" the country. "We think we can debunk these claims tomorrow," Brunson's lawyer said. The prosecutor also accuses Brunson of espionage, saying Brunson acted "as an agent of unconventional warfare," gathering intelligence with religious work as his cover. The indictment -- based on the testimonies of witnesses, including three secret ones, and alleged digital evidence -- claims the pastor worked to convert Kurds to Christianity to sow discord. Halavurt called the use of secret witnesses a "serious wound" in Turkey's legal system that has contributed to Brunson's suffering, and he argues that the spying accusation is "completely baseless." The lawyer said he is opposed to the "politicization" of Brunson's case and says his client wants to remain in Turkey if he's acquitted. Posted on Monday, April 16, 2018 Texas A&M University-Kingsville President Dr. Steven H. Tallant has announced that he will retire at the end of December 2018. Steve Tallant is one of a kind. He has been an incredible asset to the Texas A&M System and to Texas A&M-Kingsville, said Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp. Finding another Steve Tallant will be a real needle-in-the-haystack challenge. We will all miss him greatly and wish him and his wife well in their retirement. Tallant became the universitys 19th president in 2008 and has led the university through years of unprecedented growth and development. When I came to Javelina Nation nearly 10 years ago, I felt that we were at a special moment in our institutions historya moment of opportunity, Tallant said. Now, looking back at all we have accomplished together, I am proud of the work we have done and know that the best is yet to come for our university. Karen and I truly have been blessed to serve this community. We love this campus. We love Kingsville. The third-longest serving president in university history, Tallant came to Texas A&M-Kingsville in October 2008 from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he previously served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. In his inaugural speech, Tallant harkened to the pioneer spirit that laid the foundation for the university and outlined several areas he planned to target, including enrollment, retention, and academic offerings. Since then, the university has experienced a surge in enrollment, growing by nearly 30 percent. In 2015, the university was named the fastest-growing four-year doctoral institution in the nation. Student retention rates have also increased by more than 10 percent during Tallants presidency. As enrollment increased, the campus reflected the growth. Campus construction, renovations and beautification projects during Tallants administration total more than $200 million. The largest of these projects is the construction of the new music education complex, set to open in fall of 2019. Other major construction projects include: National Natural Toxins Research Center Serpentarium Student Recreation Center Citrus Center Building in Weslaco Lucio Hall Javelina Dining Hall Mesquite Village West Vet Tech Facility The university also expanded academic offerings in an effort to better meet the evolving needs of the region, adding 15 new programstwo doctoral degrees, eight masters degrees and five bachelors degrees. New programs include: Counseling Psychology (MA) Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MS) Social Work (MSW) Sustainable Energy Systems Engineering (Ph.D.) Educational Leadership (Ed.D.) Cultural Studies (MA) Petrophysics (MS) Physics (BS) Environmental Engineering (BS) Natural Gas Engineering (BS) Statistical Analytics, Computing and Modeling (MS) Criminal Justice (BA) Criminology (MS) Music (MM) Veterinary Technology In addition, several other programs received accreditation under Tallants leadership. Four engineering programs received ABET and ATMAE accreditation and in 2017, the College of Business Administration earned AACSB accreditation. Tallant also served as a leading force behind the formation of the groundbreaking Premont Alliancea partnership through which the university provided academic support, training and mentorship to students, teachers and district board members. At the time, Premont ISD faced possible closure by the Texas Education Agency after years of struggling. Five years after the formation of the Alliance, the district has made significant progress in all areas and has met state accountability standards two consecutive years. The Alliance continues to serve as a model for K-12 and higher education partnerships. In April, Tallant announced the launch of a comprehensive campaign aimed at raising $100 million. The campaign will be an ongoing effort. The Texas A&M University System will soon form a search committee for Tallants successor that is expected to complete its work prior to his departure. A chili grower defended the Carolina Reaper, after it was recently reported that a man was hospitalized due to eating the world's hottest pepper during a competition. This is not the first time that pepper has resulted in a medical emergency. Back in October 2016, a ghost pepper puree tore a hole through a man's esophagus. However, it should be noted that there is a correct way of eating these potentially dangerous ingredients. Carolina Reaper Triggers Thunderclap Headache According to recent reports, a 34-year-old man was hospitalized in 2016 after eating a Carolina Reaper. He complained of a thunderclap headache, which is characterized by bleeding in areas surrounding the victim's brain. The incident was the first case of a thunderclap headache linked to eating chili peppers. The man said that the symptoms emerged after he ate one Carolina Reaper piece during a hot pepper eating contest. He experienced dry heaves, with intense neck and occipital head pain, and doctors discovered that the temporary constrictions on his brain's arteries resulted the thunderclap headaches. One of the doctors who attended to the man warned people to be cautious about the consequences of eating hot peppers. Chili Grower Defends Carolina Reaper Salvatore Genovese, a chili grower who grows and sells the Carolina Reaper out of his 7-acre farm in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, aptly named Love My Chillies, defended the world's hottest pepper. "We have sold, in the past couple of years or so, over half a million Carolina reapers and I have never had any knowledge or any complaint of anyone having to be hospitalized," Genovese said in an interview with Sky News. According to Genovese, there is a proper way to cook and eat the Carolina Reaper. The chili grower said that he would not recommend simply consuming the pepper as it is, to avoid any health issues. "Just cook with it, make a curry, infuse it slowly take it out if you want to afterwards, and get the rich flavors from that super-hot chili," Genovese said, adding that the pepper should be treated like salt and used in small amounts. Benefits Of Eating Spicy Food The Carolina Reaper, if prepared properly, will provide several benefits for people who love spicy food. The findings of a study from January 2017 claim that eating chili peppers may be linked to reduced mortality rates, primarily from deaths caused by stroke and heart disease. An older study from December 2015, meanwhile, claimed that spicy food may also boost brain power, as flavonoids found in red pepper named apigenin improves nerve formation and connections between brain cells. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Small retailers are not collecting state taxes from online shoppers unless the store has a physical presence in the state where the buyer lives. That could change soon. Based on a prevailing Supreme Court law, retailers can be forced to collect taxes only in states where the company has physical presence. This law was challenged by the state of South Dakota as it seeks to collect sales taxes from out-of-state internet retailers. On April 17, Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will conduct oral arguments, and will decide whether it will retain or overturn a 26-year-old ruling related to catalog retailers. The court will also rule whether states have the authority to tax all online purchases. Whatever ruling that the Supreme Court will issue would likely affect the national e-commerce and online shopping industry. Hello, Sales Tax? In 1992, during the era of mail-order catalog shopping, the Supreme Court ruled that retailers can only be required to collect taxes in states where the company has an actual store or physical presence. The said ruling was imposed in response to the case of North Dakota vs. Quill, an online office supply firm. However, in 2016, South Dakota passed a law requiring retailers with at least 200 transactions or $100,000 in sales per year in the state to collect state taxes. Even retail companies without a physical store in South Dakota were required to follow the state law. South Dakota sued top online retailers Wayfair, Overstock, and Newegg, for failing to comply to the said state tax law. In the said case, South Dakota state attorneys asked the High Court to review if retailers can be required to collect state taxes in states where they lack physical presence. In 2017, an audit of the Federal Government Accountability Office indicated that states missed the opportunity to collect some $13.7 billion due to the Supreme Court law on state tax for online purchases. Effects On E-commerce And Online Shopping Retailers that have brick-and-mortar stores and are already collecting taxes are backing South Dakota. "Things have changed a lot since 1992. The entire nature of interstate commerce has changed," says Stephanie Martz, general counsel of the National Retail Federation, which has members such as Walmart Inc., Target Corp., and Amazon. Online retailers said reversing the 1992 precedent is a negative move in terms of e-commerce. "[It] provides the many small businesses that use the internet with a very clear and simple and stable legal environment in which to grow their business," according to Brian Bieron, eBay's senior director of government relations. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Global warming is changing the planet. The increasing global temperature, for instance, is linked to the 15 percent decline in the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean, which experts fear could disrupt weather patterns. Climate change is also seen as the primary driver of melting ice and rise in sea level that threatens to submerge coastal cities and island nations. Surviving Climate Change How can humans survive a changing world amid rising temperatures? Findings of a new study offer hope that humanity will be able to ride out global warming. In a study published in the Journal of Quaternary Science, researchers showed that trade and social networking have helped human ancestors survive a climate-changing catastrophe 40,000 years ago. The findings suggest the staying interconnected can help modern humans survive climate change. Social And Trading Network Julien Riel-Salvatore, from Universite de Montreal, Canada, and Fabio Negrino, from Universita di Genova, Italy analyzed archaeological finds that include ancient tools, ornaments, and human remains discovered in the prehistoric rock shelter Riparo Bombrini in Liguria, Italy. Some of the first homo sapiens lived in Liguria. Home sapiens were already in the region for about 1,000 years when a climate-changing eruption of the Phlegraean Fields supervolcano occurred. A 2010 study suggested that an eruption of this volcano about 40,000 years ago may have contributed to the extinction of the Neanderthals. Unlike the Neanderthals, the group of early homo sapiens that lived in Liguria did not go locally extinct or abandoned the region when they had faced sudden changes in their climate. What they did was adapt. The archeologists found that some of the flint used by this group of homo sapiens were from hundreds of kilometers away, which suggests they had very extensive social and trading network that helped with their survival for the next 4,000 years. "The ProtoAurignacian shows some internal variability that could reflect an adaptation to changing environmental conditions, overall it remains very stable in terms of its technotypology and social geography across these events," the researchers wrote in their study. Key To Survival The archaeologists acknowledged it is a "bit of a leap" to say that what occurred thousands of years ago may help predict how modern-day humans will cope with climate change but lessons from the past offer hint at how people today can survive these changes.The researchers cited the importance of cooperation amid challenges humans face today. "Cooperation and resilient social networks were really key in helping people ride out dramatic climate change in the past," said Riel-Salvatore 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Rogan Productions, the indie behind Channel 4s The Gun Shop, has hired Jonathan Taylor as Executive Producer. He joins immediately and will oversee a development slate and a number of commissions in production. Taylors work has been nominated for BAFTA, RTS and Grierson awards with films including Protecting our Parents (BBC Two), American Justice (BBC Two) and Great Ormond Street (BBC Two). He is currently Executive Producing Start Up Libya (w/t) for BBC World News, with a number of other projects in pre-production, both for himself and others to direct. Rogan Productions was established in 2013 by husband and wife team James (Creative Director) and Soleta Rogan (Managing Director). James Rogan is an award-winning producer, writer and director who co-directed (with Roger Graef) the documentary Monty Python: The Meaning of Live, and has directed two of BBC Twos highest rating series Life in the Freezer Cabinet and A Very British Airline. He has directed three feature documentaries for BBC Storyville: Amnesty! When They Are All Free, The Trouble with Pirates and Blog Wars. Soleta Rogan set up Rogan Productions having previously worked in the retail sales and marketing industry. Rogan Productions recent work includes The Confession (BBC Storyville/BFI), The Gun Shop (Cutting Edge, Channel 4), The Refugee Diaries (BBC Three) and the Panorama Special: Life at 100 (BBC One). James Rogan has just finished making landmark BBC One series Stephen: The Murder That Changed a Nation, with Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees On the Corner Films, in association with Rogan Productions, exploring the murder of Stephen Lawrence. On Jonathan Taylors appointment, Soleta Rogan said: Were thrilled to welcome Jonathan to the team. You only have to look at his track record of producing some of the finest documentaries of recent times such as Protecting our Parents and Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks to see what he will bring to the team, and we look forward to continuing what has been a fantastic 12 months for the company with Jonathan on board. Jonathan Taylor said: James, Soleta and the Rogan Productions team have quickly established a reputation for excellent work told in innovative ways. Im delighted to join the team and look forward to bringing fascinating stories to the screen. Share this story The direction of the state's spending priorities for the coming year is about to come into sharper focus as the State House gears up to pass a budget bill out of the chamber this week. But it's still unclear whether lawmakers will ultimately rally around a plan to end the regular session ahead of schedule next month to hold yet another special session to try to shore up the state's shaky finances. Boost in Louisiana budget projection means 'fiscal cliff' still there -- but not quite as steep Louisiana has a little bit more money to spend on health care, higher education, mental health services and other priorities in the coming yea The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to take up its spending plan on Monday the first unveiling of the deep cuts that House Republican leaders say they believe they can make to solve the looming fiscal cliff. Thursday has been set aside as the day the budget will hit the House floor, where even more budget maneuvering is likely to take place. From there, House Bill 1 heads to the Senate for vetting, where lawmakers have already been working weekends to begin hearings on state agency budgets. Senate Finance Chair Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte, said he is trying to move at the pace that Gov. John Bel Edwards has sought, so the Legislature can end the regular session early and convene another special session without additional costs. "Obviously we don't have a budget bill yet," LaFleur said during Sunday's hearing, which focused on the Edwards administration, the Inspector General's Office and other state agencies. State lawmakers got a bit of good news last week, when the state's revenue estimating panel recognized about a $346 million boost in revenue the state is expected to collect in the coming budget cycle. That lowered the fiscal cliff the state faces when temporary tax measures expire June 30 to about a $648 million. House, Senate in budget mode as Gov. John Bel Edwards urges lawmakers to end session early State lawmakers haven't yet agreed on an approach to address the looming fiscal cliff Louisiana faces when temporary tax measures expire this Edwards, a Democrat, wants lawmakers to end the regular session early to begin another special session, after one earlier this year ended with no action on legislation meant to bridge the gap. Edwards has said if lawmakers can end the regular session in mid-May, rather than its June 4 scheduled end, then a special session can run without as much additional costs to taxpayers. Another special session would be the state's sixth since February 2016. 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 So far, the Republican-controlled House hasn't committed to an early end, nor the need for another special session. House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, said he believes that the chamber can pass a balanced budget this week that would rely on cuts to make up the difference. "We'll see what the Senate does from there," he said. The House Appropriations Committee has spent the past several weeks holding its own hearings on the budget, taking deep dives into spending at the state Department of Health during hearings that stretched several hours over two days last week. House budget writers also heard from Louisiana residents during the annual public testimony hearing, during which families with medically fragile children and others who rely on the state's safety net health care programs discussed the services on which they rely, and college students begged lawmakers not to cut universities and the popular Taylor Opportunity Program for Students scholarships that thousands of students in Louisiana receive to attend college in the state. "Let's foster a new era of reinvestment in higher education," said Arthur Williams, a student at Southern University Law Center who implored the panel to fully fund higher education and TOPS. "We believe it's critically important especially considering the times we are in now." Families, many of them dressed in bright yellow shirts, packed the hearing to detail the health care services they rely on for their children with severe and costly needs that are met through waiver programs that could face cuts, despite already long waiting lists. Nina Savoie, of Ascension Parish, testified that her son John Harris, 5, died last fall without receiving aid from state programs for children with serious medical issues. He had a trach and a feeding tube, and although his case was screened and deemed among the most urgent, the wait list was longer than his life. "It doesn't have to be like this and we are not the only family on a waiting list with a terminal diagnosis," Savoie said, clutching a photo of her son during the hearing. "I can't help but wonder what could have been if we had gotten a waiver." After 10-year-old Sam Peter, of Harahan, wasn't allowed to speak during a Louisiana House committee meeting, Gov. John Bel Edwards invited the student to his 4th floor office. In this Wednesday, March 18, 2015, photo the Uber app displays on a smart phone cars available for a pick up in downtown Manhattan. New York Cityis storied yellow cabs are taking a back seat to Uber now that the ride-sharing app has more vehicles registered in the city than the total number of taxis. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) ORG XMIT: NYMA103 Lots of Louisianans are keeping an eye on how House Majority Whip Steve Scalise fares in Washington now that House Speaker Paul Ryan has announced his departure from Congress. One local who has more than a passing interest is surely Gov. John Bel Edwards. The Democratic governor is gearing up to run for reelection next year, and the Republican field is unformed. Although he hasnt done much to publicly encourage the rumors, theres a theory among some political insiders that, if the Republicans lose their congressional majority, Scalise might shift his ambitions from Washington back to Baton Rouge. Stephanie Grace: Steve Scalise's fix for Louisiana legislature's woes? Form coalitions across party lines It took House Majority Whip Steve Scalise just six years to rise from the lowliest position in Congress to the U.S. House of Representatives' Not that Scalise has been a particularly vocal critic of Edwards. Despite their partisan and ideological differences, the two appear to have a warm relationship. Unlike other potential opponents, chiefly U.S. Sen. John Kennedy and Attorney General Jeff Landry, Scalise doesnt go around picking attention-getting fights with the governor. He lets Edwards hold meetings in his office suite when hes in Washington. Scalise still uses crutches after having been shot last summer, and when he needed a hand to climb the podium stairs at the recent Louisiana Political Museum Hall of Fame dinner, it was Edwards who jumped from his seat to help. Yet if he were to decide to come home, many insiders peg Scalise as the most formidable challenger Edwards could face. Hes one of the more well-liked figures in Louisiana politics, and the shooting raised his profile and made him a sympathetic figure whod be hard to attack. Theres still much to be sorted out before anything like that could happen. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy wants the partys top job and is Ryans official pick, even though hes got weaknesses as a candidate. We wont know until November whether the open position is House Speaker or Minority Leader, and its also not clear whether Republicans will wait until then to pick a new chief. Also to be determined is how Scalise would feel about serving in the minority partys leadership after having helped lead the majority. So for now, theres not much to do but wait and watch. That goes for everyone who follows Louisiana politics, but maybe just a little more for current occupant of the Governors Mansion. Changing the culture of a community, or even one organization, can be a tall order. But Tales of the Cocktail now has a $250,000 tab on the table to help fill it. Thats the amount the new leaders of the annual spirits industry happening have pledged in grant funding for 2018, their first year at the helm. The organization is now putting out a call for ideas for where that support should go, with a focus on social, economic and health issues in the hospitality field. The grants are part of a new approach for Tales of the Cocktail, a New Orleans-based group best known for its annual conference, and one that underwent a recent shake up. It changed hands in February, was restructured as a nonprofit (officially, the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation) and has been recalibrating ever since. It also has a new executive director, Caroline Rosen, and as she has begun steering the ship she is now shedding more light on how Tales of the Cocktail will pursue its new course. Grants are one big part of that, and they will be awarded at the beginning of this years Tales of the Cocktail conference (July 17-22). We want that to kick us off to set the tone, said Rosen. We are an organization thats passionate to help, and as we introduce ourselves were putting the people we help at the forefront. I think thats a big change. In February, Gary Solomon Jr., head of the local production company the Solomon Group, and Neal Bodenheimer, proprietor of the cocktail lounges Cure and Cane & Table, bought Tales of the Cocktail from its founders, Ann and Paul Tuennerman. The move was supported by Solomons family, which is prominent in local business and philanthropic circles. Through Tales of the Cocktail, they have pledged $250,000 this year in grants to support a mix of New Orleans-area organizations and others working on issues that affect the hospitality field more broadly. Diversity, access, equity, addiction treatment these are things were interested in as a family, things the city has a stake in and that the industry is calling out for, said Gary Solomon Jr., in an earlier interview. If we can address them through Tales, thats pretty attractive to us. A multi-part grant application process launched this week, beginning with a call for proposals that runs through early May (see guidelines at talesofthecocktail.org). These are simple letters of intent, meant to gather ideas without the strictures of a formal grant proposal. Ideas that rise to the top will continue to the next step, with more detailed applications for evaluation by a grants committee. Rosen said that committee will be composed of leaders, influencers and experts in our industry, and that its membership would be finalized soon. We decided to reach out to Tales' greatest critics first to ask if they'd like to be involved and/or who they felt should be involved in the process, Rosen said. It is important for us to have the right people on this committee and we wanted its selection to be a collective effort. The new leadership team has repeatedly called 2018 a year to stabilize and reintroduce Tales of the Cocktail. That approach guides the first round of grant funding also. Were a year one foundation, and its very rare that a year one organization can start by saying we want to help our community in a big way, and reach out to diverse members of the community to help drive it, said Rosen. Were ready to hear where the needs are. We dont want to dictate where this goes, we want to learn more about whats needed. Tumult, and new beginnings Tales of the Cocktail started small but grew rapidly, in step with the rising profile of the spirits business. It became an important networking and career development stop for professionals internationally, and its brought an influx of tourism business to the city during the deep summer lull. But last year, outcry over a racially charged social media post led to its founders resignations and put the organization on the market. Once structured as a commercial production company with a nonprofit arm, Tales of the Cocktail was reorganized under its new leadership as a nonprofit. 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 Rosen herself comes to the job from another local organization that saw its own tumult last year. She was previously executive director of the John Besh Foundation. In October, a newspaper investigation accused Besh of sexual harassment and claimed his company fostered a hostile work environment. The foundation is a separate organization from the restaurant group, but it immediately felt the impact of the scandal. That included anxious inquiries from recipients of Chefs Move scholarships, the signature program of the John Besh Foundation that pays for aspiring minority chefs from New Orleans to attend culinary school in New York. When the news came out about John and the restaurant group, our first thought was to our recipients and alumni, of Chefs Move scholarships, Rosen said. I had a responsibility to four young adults from New Orleans who were in New York at that time. The calls I was getting were gut wrenching. They didnt know if theyd be able to finish, what would happen. Before I did anything I wanted to make sure they were able to fulfill this experience. Once we did that, I decided it was time to move on. Im proud of the work I did there, proud of the young people coming home to become leaders in this industry, she said. Raising the bar Now at Tales of the Cocktail, Rosen said one of her aims is to build new bridges in New Orleans, for the benefit of her organization and the people who attend and support it. Were starting to dig in to see how can we reengage the spirits community and also the New Orleans community, Rosen said. New Orleans makes Tales of the Cocktail what it is, the food, the history, the architecture, the music. Were leaning in to ideas for how we bring all those aspects into Tales. Thats how were going to continue to grow. One example is a new quarterly series of industry education events in New Orleans, to be led by top international talent. The idea is to stretch the groups professional development opportunities beyond the summer conference, when many in the local business are too busy serving the rest of its visitors to attend. Rosen believes the groups new structure, its focus on local programs and broader grant funding can position Tales of the Cocktail to be a stronger voice in the hospitality field, at a time when the culture of that field has been up for new assessment. She said thats the potential that motivates the work now underway for Tales of the Cocktail. Our hospitality in New Orleans is the best in the world, Ill stand by that, and were on the cusp of doing something really special, she said. My vision is that people around the country and around the world will be seeing these ideas take root and making a difference, and theyll be things that started with support from Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. Click here to sign up for the New Orleans morning roundup! He's a 71-year-old businessman who started as a plumber's apprentice, having dropped out of college, and now owns a whole swath of downtown real estate, most of it in the French Quarter and Central Business District. He's spent most of his career studiously avoiding reporters but he spoke recently with Tyler Bridges about his first public crusade, an attempt to scuttle the 30-year extension that Harrah's has negotiated with state lawmakers for the company's exclusive license to run a casino in New Orleans. Jaeger thinks Louisiana should be getting a much better deal, though Harrah's is promising to invest some $350 million in a new hotel on the site, along with other improvements. Inevitably, he's facing suspicions that his lobbying in Baton Rouge is more about protecting his own downtown hotels from competition, or opening up an opportunity for Jaeger himself to bid on the license when Harrah's lock on it expires in a few years. Jaeger insists that he is simply out to save the state from getting ripped off. In economic terms, black families in the New Orleans area are no better off today, on average, than they were at the end of the Jim Crow era. That's according to stats compiled by the Data Center, a local nonprofit group that tracks the health of the region on a variety of measures. Consider: Since 1979, black household incomes have fallen by 7 percent in the metro area, while white household incomes have held steady. Within Orleans Parish over that period, black incomes have dropped by 15 percent, while white incomes have risen by nearly a third. Since 1979, the percentage of black households designated as high-income dropped by 3 points, while high-income white households grew by 5 points. While more than 85 percent of white women and men have some college education, the same is true for only 55 percent of black women and 42 percent of black men, as of 2016. The folks who run the St. Roch Market were already controversial, and now they're more controversial. Having opened a high-end collection of food stalls in what used to be a working-class grocery store and seafood market -- not a popular move among the opponents of gentrification -- they went ahead and opened another St. Roch Market in a chic neighborhood of Miami. And they've got plans for another one in Nashville. 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 Ian McNulty now informs us that Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration has decided to sue the company, Bayou Secret. The city, which leases out the building through the New Orleans Building Corp., wants to get the company's trademark on the name "St. Roch Market" canceled and seize any profits from the Miami operation. In case you were wondering. But some lawmakers in Baton Rouge are taking up the cause to raise the marriage age to 18, in line with the goal established by the United Nations. Advocates for the move have helped draft similar bills in more than half a dozen states. In Louisiana, 4,532 people under the age of 18, one as young as 12, were legally married between 2000 and 2010, according to a compilation of marriage licenses by a nonprofit organization and Frontline, a documentary television program. Matt Sledge brings an interesting question to our attention. If employees at the Sewerage & Water Board, in the course of working on the city's decrepit infrastructure, come across some old scrap metal that's otherwise bound for the garbage bin and sell it, should they be prosecuted for theft? It's complicated, because some employees have been accused of selling brass fittings in bulk -- like half a million dollars worth -- which seems more straightforwardly criminal. But an agency employee named Cedric Beaulieu made the case recently that investigators were being a little ridiculous, bringing criminal charges when he was only selling dirty old fittings from work sites that weren't of any future use, rather than slipping new material out of the warehouse. Last month, a six-person jury acquitted him with only 15 minutes deliberation, and Beaulieu is now fighting to get his job back. From around the web Things have somewhat escalated between Trump and Comey. Trump is a "stain" on everyone who works for him. Comey is "slippery." The administration, meanwhile, is planning new sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Syria. It's also quietly helping Mexico fight opioid production. And there's a looming potential fight over gene editing in the food industry. Also... David Attenborough "was unconscious and there was blood everywhere." He was almost killed making "Blue Planet II." *** The Morning Briefing is compiled by Andrew Vanacore, deputy editor for the New Orleans Advocate. Get in touch with feedback, tips, complaints at avanacore@theadvocate.com. Your morning roundup... Click here to sign up! Jury selection will begin in Gretna this week in the trial of Darwin Bethune, a New Orleans man accused of killing a girlfriends ex-husband in the belief he could get his hands on a half-million-dollar insurance settlement. Bethune, 28, is accused of shooting Joseph Anderson, 31, a sergeant in the U.S. Army who was home on leave, after Anderson dropped off his three children at his in-laws' Marrero home on Jan. 1, 2014. Authorities say Bethune waited near the Ray Street home for hours and ambushed Anderson in the driving rain just after 9:20 p.m., shooting him once in the face and taking off with his car. Anderson's body was found by a neighbor. A decorated soldier, he was a veteran of three tours of duty in the Middle East. The Toyota 4Runner that Anderson was driving would be found abandoned the next morning. He still had his wallet on him, along with his credit cards and $20. Part of a .40-caliber bullet was found in a flower bed near where he was killed, but a casing was never recovered. Bethune is charged with second-degree murder, obstruction of justice, inciting a felony, unauthorized entry and identity theft. He will be tried before 24th Judicial District Court Judge Adrian Adams. Denise Morgan-Anderson, Anderson's ex-wife, was visiting a friend in Georgia at the time of the killing. The two had been divorced for about a year, and she had begun dating Bethune. Neighbors across the street said they had seen a man with a hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head pacing back and forth next door to Andersons in-laws' house until about 9:15 p.m., when they went inside. Bethunes behavior with investigators raised eyebrows early. He agreed to be interviewed at the Sheriff's Office, only to decide he wanted an attorney present. As an officer drove him back to Morgan-Andersons home, however, he asked if that made him look guilty. Once they arrived, Bethune wouldnt get out of the car for 45 minutes and continued to talk about the case, saying he wasnt a murderer and had no reason to kill Anderson. He agreed again to waive his right to remain silent and they headed back to the station. Bethune said his relationship to Morgan-Anderson was not exclusive and that he lived with his wife and children in New Orleans East and had another girlfriend, whom he said he was with until 6 p.m. the day Anderson was killed. 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 After 6, he said, he drove around the west bank with a friend getting high and looking to buy marijuana and couldnt exactly account for where he was. However, license-plate recognition camera photos and cellphone records placed his car and phone close to Ray Street soon after 5 p.m. Bethune said that was impossible and got upset when deputies mentioned the insurance policy and the fact that Andersons mother was the beneficiary. Bethune took a lie-detector test and it showed deception in all questions related to the murder, authorities said. His wife had told deputies he had a Glock, but it was not found during a search of the house, though a box for the gun was. Bethune told police it had been stolen. Investigators also noticed the drivers side floor mat in Bethunes Infiniti was missing and there was a bottle of peroxide in the vehicle. Meanwhile, investigators' report on the case says, officers interviewing Morgan-Anderson discovered she did not know Bethune was married and was living with his wife and children. She said he had talked about moving in with her but she had resisted that idea because Anderson was soon going to be home permanently and would have regular contact with their three children. On Jan. 10, Jean-Luc Williams, the friend Bethune said he was driving around with on the night of the murder, was arrested on a traffic warrant in Lafourche Parish. He told investigators he had been working in Golden Meadow on Jan. 1, an alibi that held up when detectives checked with his employer and his cellphone records. Six days later, investigators were notified that Bethune had applied for an expedited passport, saying he was going on a cruise. U.S. marshals picked up Bethunes other girlfriend, Jasmine, at the passport office on Canal Street, and she told them Bethune had told her that authorities were trying to frame him for a murder. She told them he had said that Morgan-Anderson, whom he identified as his cousin, had asked him to kill Anderson because she didnt want him around anymore. She said he told her he had gathered all the necessary items to do it and chose Jan. 1 because he wanted to start the year off with a bang, but never did it. She said he admitted to being in the area in the hours leading up to the murder and allowing his Infiniti to be used, even telling her he had cleaned blood from the car. She told the marshals he implied Williams may have done it. On Feb. 6, investigators were notified that New Orleans police were investigating Bethune and Morgan-Anderson about the theft of $70,000 from a school where Morgan-Anderson was a payroll clerk. She said she had supplied Bethune with two checks and had been complicit in the fraud scheme but would cooperate in the investigation. Bethune surrendered on Feb. 7 and was booked on second-degree murder. He remains in the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center more than four years later. The file on the case indicates authorities dont think Morgan-Anderson knew anything about the killing of her ex-husband. April 18 marks the 112th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, one of the most devastating disasters in American history. Although the Richter scale would not be developed until the 1930s, the 1906 earthquake likely approached an 8.0 on the scale . It nearly wiped San Francisco, a city of 400,000 people, off the map, and seismograms felt the quakes shaking as far away as Germany . The earthquake not only collapsed buildings but also set off massive fires, the combined effects of which killed 3,000 people , leveled almost 500 city blocks, and rendered a quarter million people homeless. The disaster also gave rise to litigation that strikingly paralleled the legal battles over Hurricane Katrina , which inundated Louisiana and Mississippi in August 2005. The Miles Brothers Films One of the distinctive features of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake is how well-documented it was, giving rise to pictures that continue to capture our imagination. For example, on the 110th anniversary, the Atlantic published 40 photographs taken immediately after the earthquake. In addition, last year the San Francisco Chronicles website published a huge collection of post-quake photographs. It now turns out there is even film of the disaster. As reported this weekend by the New York Times, the silent film historian David Kiehn has identified and helped restore a 112-year-old film taken by the Miles Brothers film studio shortly after the earthquake. The new footage premiered on Saturday night at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California. The newly discovered post-earthquake film represents a sequel to the famous pre-earthquake film taken by the Miles Brothers on San Franciscos Market Street. The pre-earthquake footage, filmed days before the disaster, is available here at the Library of Congress website (the LOC version is 8 minutes long). The timing of the pre-earthquake film was extremely fortuitous. On April 14just four days before the earthquake struckthe Miles Brothers fixed a primitive camera to a Market Street cable car. The Miles Brothers film reveals the sights along Market Street as the cable car made its way to the San Francisco Ferry Building, the iconic landmark that miraculously escaped the 1906 earthquake with minimal damage. The Miles Brothers footage captured an extraordinary moment in time, as the city unwittingly stood on the precipice of disaster. Its almost as if we had film of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the days before Mount Vesuvius erupted. Besides memorializing a sliver of pre-earthquake San Francisco, the street footage also provides a fascinating glimpse into what big city life was like in the early 1900s. The film shows pedestrians, bicyclists, trolley cars, horse-drawn carriages, and automobiles traveling across and along Market Street. As they filmed, the Miles brothers did not realize they were documenting a San Francisco that less than a week later would no longer exist. It will thus be quite interesting to see the post-earthquake footage that the Niles Museum has, which completes the story of the pre-earthquake film. The Earthquake Exclusion In addition to the visual dimensions of the story, there is an interesting legal dimension to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that has continuing relevance for modern insurance law. In 1906 insurance policies routinely covered fire losses, but they provided no coverage for earthquake losses. California experienced massive earthquakes in 1857, 1872, and 1892, so insurance companies doing business in the state fully understood the extent of the risk. Accordingly, the carriers included standard policy language that expressly excluded losses caused directly or indirectly by earthquake or occasioned by or through earthquake. When policyholders filed fire damage claims following the 1906 earthquake, many insurance companies argued that there was no coverage for San Franciscos post-quake fire losses. The insurers contended that since an excluded eventan earthquakewas the underlying cause of the fire destruction in San Francisco, property owners had no coverage for their earthquake-related fire losses. Needless to say, the insurers legal arguments did not go over well with thousands of policyholders. The ensuing court battles pitted the solvency of insurance companies against the effort to rebuild San Francisco. As the British Consul General explained, If the insurance is not paid the city is ruined. If it is paid, many of the insurance companies will break. Although some out-of-state insurers won a few victories in the federal courts (sitting in diversity jurisdiction), California state courts overwhelmingly sided with policyholders. Moreover, even some federal courts tended to give the policyholders the benefit of the doubt. For example, in Richmond Coal Co. v. Commercial Union Assurance Co., the 9th Circuit reversed a trial verdict for the insurance company and directed that a heavy burden of proof be placed on insurers to show a sufficient connection between the earthquake and the policyholders specific fire loss if the insurers sought to invoke the earthquake exclusion. When all was said and done, insurers paid out a total of $235 million to San Francisco policyholders, a staggering figure that caused many insurance companies to go bankrupt. The whole story is told in a fascinating article by Robert James, an attorney at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. His article, Six Bits or Bust: Insurance Litigation Over the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, was published in 2011 by Western Legal History. In the article James examines the massive damage caused by both the earthquake and the citywide fires that burned for 3 days afterward, the legal arguments of policyholders and insurance companies, and the outcomes of the various cases in state and federal courts (as well as one case heard in Hamburg, Germany). James concludes that [b]y showing that policyholders could recover even under strict policy language, these cases helped to spur settlements by reluctant insurers and determined the pace at which the citys rebirth was completed in the years immediately following the disaster. He also explains how the concurrent causation problem shaped the development of insurance policy language in the years after the earthquake. Today it is common for insurance policies to cover a policyholders ensuing loss through provisions that make clear if an excluded cause of losssuch as a flood or an earthquakeresults in a Covered Cause of Losssuch as a firewe will pay for the loss or damage caused by that Covered Cause of Loss. Jamess article is available here and its a fun and interesting read. Hurricane Katrina Almost exactly one century after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, a natural disaster once again raised the issue of whether an excluded peril barred insurance coverage even though a covered cause of loss was also potentially involved. In August 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana and Mississippi, costing more than 1,000 lives and causing $150 billion in property damage. Despite the widespread prevalence of ensuing loss provisions, many insurers initially denied coverage to Katrina-affected homeowners on grounds that storm surges caused much of the damage in Louisiana and Mississippi, and thus the standard exclusion for flood damage barred coverage. However, as policyholders and their attorneys pointed out, the policies covered wind damage, and hurricane force winds had accompanied Katrinas storm surge. The result was years of litigation in Mississippi and Louisiana courts, this time with more mixed results for policyholders than the San Francisco earthquake litigation a century before. In the end, however, the insurance companies still ended up paying billions in damage claims. But one should not feel too bad for the insurance companies. PBS Frontline did an excellent program, The Business of Disaster, on the huge profits that insurance companies have generated through administering FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program. If you are interested, the Frontline documentary is available here. U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazards Map I happened to be in San Francisco on April 18, 2006, and will always remember the citys emergency warning system sounding at 5:12 a.m., the exact moment the earthquake struck 100 years before. It was an eerie, moving, and memorable experience. The risk posed by earthquakes is not limited to the West Coast. If you are curious about the earthquake risk where you live, you can find the U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazards Map here. As one would expect, the entire West Coast is located in a high risk area. What is surprising is the large portion of the United States that is exposed to at least some level of long-term seismic hazards, including in particular the Memphis, Tennessee and Charleston, South Carolina areas. The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake is thus a good reminder to all of us that we should take nothing for granted, not even the ground beneath our feet. Fall army worm is back: season two After over-wintering in Queensland's sweet corn growing districts the recent pest Fall Army Worm is set to wreak havoc on NSW cropping with the first confirmed sighting west of the range at Croppa Creek this week. The inherent role of literary critics is to provide a bridge between social classes that share the same living space but are separated by a mammoth gap. In Indonesia, fiction in the form of short stories and novels are predominant, and Indonesian critics do not refrain from giving critiques that are direct and blunt, but that amaze in the manner they maintain personal integrity, objectivity and fairness. One writer who has captured the attention of the countrys literary community is the late Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Pram showed an exceptional affection for the female gender in his works. His literary pieces showcase an array of intricate portrayals of different women in a way that is unrivaled by his literary peers, who often portray men as the main characters in fiction, while marginalizing and stereotyping women as prostitutes, sweethearts or mothers. In Prams view, women should be acknowledged. In particular, he acknowledged his mothers conspicuous presence in his life, and claimed he got everything in his life from her. His works personified the Indonesian upheaval in a female form and as such, his mother inspired many of his works. Yet Pram was highly critical of gender issues. He criticized the condition of women in Javanese society during the feudalism era in the novel Midah Si Manis Bergigi Emas (Midah, The Sweetheart with a Gold Tooth). In the novel, Pram disparages Haji Abdul for selling his daughter, Midah, to wed a rich man to fulfill his ambitions. Set in 1950, the story follows Midah, a young woman from a well-known religious family, who, because of problems at home, runs away and lives on the streets of Jakarta. She is strong and earns a living playing songs from house to house, becoming known as the sweet Midah with a gold tooth. Prams views were also refined. In the novel Bumi Manusia (This Earth of Mankind), he depicts Nyai Ontosoroh, a mistress of a Dutchman, as a brave and strong woman. She becomes aware of the need for freedom. Being a woman who has attained a European education and has mastered its traditions, Pram uses her to show that women should not be underestimated in the fields of business and academia. Nyai fights for her independence and to possess sovereignty for her people, society, family, children and herself. Prams characterization shows how a person can be nurtured to challenge and oppose oppressive power without yielding or sacrificing ones class or personal integrity. Pram swam against the tide of the dominate ideology in which his works were created. The women in the entirety of his oeuvre are depicted in a positive light and he argued that womens stories were needed to solve gender issues. Pram was highly critical of the male dominion. In Bumi Manusia, the male dominion was represented in the Javanese and colonial cultures. Nyai is a commendable woman. She was a concubine of a Dutchman during the colonial period and later fights against the barriers of dependency and suppression placed before her by Javanese society. Meanwhile, in writing Gadis Pantai (The Girl from the Coast), Pram aimed to address the inequality that exists between men and women, as propagated by priyayi, a cruel nobility system in Javanese culture. Pram himself was brought up and educated to become an excellent Javanese, having been born into the culture. However, he later left the nobility and became progressive. His works reflect humanism and are crafted from elements of Javanese culture, redirected to portray a sense of social realism and morality that carry both truth and beauty. In Gadis Pantai, Pram offers a critique of the nobility, based largely on the experiences of his grandmother. In the novel, he depicts the role of women in the feudal era of Javanese culture, when young women had their marriages arranged by their parents. The novel tells the story of a girl who is married off at the tender age of 14 to a nobleman from Rembang. Customs had it that if she delivered a female child, she had to leave her spouses house without the baby. According to Pram, during these times in Indonesias history, marriages to local women meant little to noblemen as their wives could be reserved till the time they were ready to give birth or until the man became disinterested in them and discarded them. Throughout his career, Pram made clear that fighting for women was his ideologically literary endeavor. The writer, a lecturer in literary studies at Andalas University, is pursuing a Ph.D at Deakin University, Australia. It looks as though Huawei is in a race against Samsung, LG and other manufacturers for the title of worlds first truly foldable smartphone". According to a report from Korean news site ETNews, which claims its information comes from sources with direct knowledge of the plans, Huawei has recently signed non-disclosure agreements with its suppliers, in connection to the mysterious foldable phone that could be unveiled as early as November. If there is a November reveal, that date could very likely win the brand the title of worlds first. But before getting too excited and putting this on top of the Christmas list, its not sure whether the foldable phone will actually be available for purchase, with that time period more likely being for a reveal. That could give the company some time to figure out what apps would complement double the screen real estate, which comes with the unique feature of being able to be folded down the middle. Read also: Will Samsung unveil foldable phones next year? And according to the same sources, Huawei is also planning to unveil a folding phone with 5G support in the later part of 2019. But Huawei is not the only brand working on a foldable smartphone. Earlier this month, it was reported that LG had been granted a patent for a foldable smartphone design while Samsung Mobile president, DJ Koh, has been quoted saying that they too will have something to show in regards of a truly foldable Galaxy smartphone this year. Meanwhile, the Axon M by ZTE, which launched in China earlier this year, is a foldable smartphone, however it takes a different approach to the foldable aspect, taking the form of two screens sandwiched together via a hinge. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 17:30 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee2771 1 City anies-baswedan,morocco,Turkey,visit Free Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is set to fly to Morocco and Turkey on Monday night to attend discussions on smart cities and water management. Jakarta Gubernatorial and Foreign Affairs Bureau head Muhammad Mawardi said Anies would visit Casablanca and Istanbul and return to Jakarta on April 23. [Anies received] an invitation from Morocco to attend an event on smart cities. In Istanbul, he will participate in a discussion on water management and meet Istanbuls social agency on issues related to street vendors, Mawardi said Monday as quoted by kompas.com. He added that Anies would also visit Istanbuls Old Town and meet Indonesian students. The governor will be accompanied by Jakarta Communications, Information and Statistics Agency head Dian Ekowati. (wnd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 14:12 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ced2661 2 National environment,Citarum-River,Indonesia,#Indonesia,river-conservation,Japan,China,Luhut-Binsar-Pandjaitan,Jokowi Free The multiyear rehabilitation project of the Citarum River in West Java is set to become another arena for Japan and China to flex their financial muscle, as the two global powerhouses eye a stake in what has been labelled as Indonesia's most ambitious environmental project to date. For now, Japan and China, two countries that have faced off in head-to-head competition in some of the biggest projects under President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's infrastructure development program, appear to be the most serious foreign economies that want, or at least have shown an interest, to do business in the Citarum. Officials said Indonesia welcomes any country that wants to participate in the effort to clean up the Citarum as their involvement would only aid the implementation of the ambitious program. "We are very happy to open opportunities to all parties [to participate in the Citarums rehabilitation project]," said Safri Burhanuddin, the Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Ministers undersecretary for human resources, science and technology and maritime culture, in an interview recently. The Citarum has been dubbed the world's dirtiest rivers by several international organizations and media outlets since at least 2012. The 297-kilometer Citarum is the third-longest river in Indonesia's most populated island of Java, after Bengawan Solo in Central Java and Brantas in East Java. Read also: Government responds to documentary film about Citarum River To achieve the rehabilitation of the Citarum, Jokowi is setting an ambitious goal. He said he wanted to make the river's water very clean by 2025, having established in February a program nicknamed Citarum Harum (Fragrant Citarum), which will run for seven years. The government has yet to calculate the cost of the program. The successful implementation of Citarum Harum would be a boost for the 30 million people living near the river, spanning from Bandung in West Java to Jakarta. They depend on the Citarum for water supply, hydropower and farming. Most of Jakartas raw water supply for tap water come from the Jatiluhur Dam, which captures water from the Citarum. Past efforts to clean the Citarum Human and business activity, such as the thousands of textile factories and millions of households dumping untreated liquid waste into the river, has contaminated the Citarum for decades. The central government and West Java administration have previously implemented programs to clean the river. In 2010, the government launched the Integrated Citarum Water Resources Management Investment Program. The goal was to clean the river in 15 years and involved the central government, regional governments, NGOs and the private sector. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) calculated in 2008 that the program would cost Rp 35 trillion over 15 years, the equivalent of US$3.5 billion at the time. The bank loaned Indonesia $500 million for the program. In 2013, the ADB and the World Bank released another report stating that two-thirds of the pollution was coming from municipal domestic waste and the rest from industrial and agriculture waste. The cost to treat domestic waste stood at Rp 14 trillion while industrial waste stood at Rp 1.6 trillion over 20 years, the report said. The financial benefit of cleaning the river, it went on, was estimated at Rp 2.1 trillion per year. The results of the existing programs, however, have been invisible. In September last year, the river was in the international spotlight again after the Bencheghib brothers from France made a documentary about how dirty the Citarum was. Dubbed #PlasticBottleCitarum expedition, the Benchegib brothers from France spent a total of two weeks cruising the river, starting from Majalaya to Pantai Bahagia, which located at the river mouth in the Java Sea. (Make A Change World/File) Attractive business opportunities Yet for Indonesia's economic partners, Citarum Harum means business opportunities in Southeast Asia's largest economy. Safri said Japan and China were the only two countries as of now that had officially presented proposals to rehabilitate the Citarum. In late March, the Japan-Indonesia Coordination Agency gathered businesspeople who operated around the Citarum river basin at an event held in Bandung to present waste management technology that could be implemented in the region, said Safri. Prior to the event, there was a meeting between Japans Deputy Environment Minister Arata Takebe and Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar on Jan. 19, in which the former agreed to help Indonesia rejuvenate the dirty Citarum. This picture taken on February 5, 2018 shows people crossing the Citarum river in a boat in Majalaya, West Java. Now faced with a health emergency after decades of failed clean-up efforts, Jakarta is stepping in with a seemingly impossible goal: make the Citarum river's water drinkable by 2025. (AFP/Adek Berry) Meanwhile, China's first intervention was manifested in a move by the Shenzhen Fountain Corporation, a listed Chinese water management company. It presented this month three Chinese water specialists offering "a comprehensive solution" to address the multilayered problems in the Citarum before high level Indonesian officials and water specialists at the BPPT auditorium in Central Jakarta. One of the water specialists, Wang Hao, is an influential water adviser to Chinese government, Fountain assistant CEO Alexander Gevanno told The Jakarta Post. Wang is the director of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. Alexander, an Indonesian, claimed the foremost aim of the seminar was for educational purposes in order to introduce the government to what China had carried out to address its water pollution problems and water scarcity. The company, however, admitted it was eyeing future business opportunities and aimed at handling two to three projects within the Citarum Harum program. "I think we can demonstrate and provide the scheme with the lowest cost to supply clean water. Then, we can develop more business opportunities," Fountain CEO Andrew Zheng told the Post. Officials said the Jokowi administration had a special expert team that would decide which technology or scheme offered by foreign countries was the most feasible for the Citarum Harum project. "In the end, they [foreign countries] want to do business [in the Citarum] and each of party wants its technology to be used. We will examine the pros and cons of each proposal," said Safri. In the seminar at the BPPT, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan hailed China's use of technology and achievements in handling its environmental problems, including water pollution and water scarcity. "Let's use technology such as that presented by our friends from China," said Luhut, referring to the presentation by Fountain. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 15:41 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ced86f7 1 City odd-even-license-traffic-policy,transjakarta,Cibubur Free Monday's implementation of the odd-even license plate policy at the Cibubur 2 tollgate heading toward Jakarta has caused an unusually long queue at a Transjakarta bus shelter in front of the Cibubur Junction shopping mall in East Jakarta. The line of waiting Transjakarta bus passengers extended beyond the shelter and into the street, kompas.com reported. I usually line up to take a Transjakarta bus here, but todays queue is surprisingly long, said Ridho, a regular busway rider. The Greater Jakarta Transportation Agency (BPTJ) is running a trial of the odd-even policy in the area from Apr. 16 to the end of the month. The policy, which is in effect from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays, is expected to reduce the number of vehicles entering the capital. On the first day of the policy's trial run in Cibubur, several drivers in vehicles bearing odd-numbered license plates seemed unaware of the operation and attempted to enter the tollgate. I did not know about the odd-even policy, and now I am confused about where to go, said one driver. Traffic officers instructed the drivers of odd-numbered vehicles to alternative roads to the capital city. The agency also started the trial run of the odd-even rationing on Monday at the Tangerang 2 and Kunciran 2 tollgates in Banten. The BPTJ previously implemented the policy on toll roads connecting Jakarta and Bekasi, West Java. The policy reportedly cut the travel time from Bekasi to Jakarta significantly by 30 to 40 minutes. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Chris Strohm and Margaret Talev (Bloomberg) Washington, United States Mon, April 16, 2018 16:35 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cedd208 2 World trump,James-Comey,Russia-meddling,investigation Free Donald Trump is morally unfit to be president, former FBI Director James Comey said in a highly anticipated prime-time interview Sunday, adding that he couldnt rule out the possibility that the Russian government has incriminating information about the president. I think its possible. I dont know, Comey said in an interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, when asked whether Trump has been compromised by the Russians. These are more words I never thought Id utter about a president of the United States, but its possible. Comey said that he had concluded during the presidential campaign that Trump was dishonest. Americans should be united, he said, in the idea that our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president. The comments were made in Comeys first interview since writing his book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, which is scheduled for release Tuesday. Excerpts have already been widely reported, prompting President Donald Trump and his conservative allies to launch a furious attack on Comey. Slippery James Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! Trump said on Twitter early Sunday. Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 Trump fired Comey in May, leading to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Muellers probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election is reviewing whether Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey, and through other actions. Comey said the FBI opened its counterintelligence investigation into potential Russian election interference in July 2016, triggered by discussions that George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign adviser, had in London. The FBI was also interested in Carter Page, another adviser. Comey said an unverified dossier assembled by former British spy Christopher Steele dossier had no impact on triggering the investigation. Of Trumps practice of not criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin, Comey said, I dont know whats behind that. Portions of the roughly five-hour interview were aired Sunday night in a one-hour special on ABC. Obstruction of Justice Comey described a meeting with Trump where the president asked him to let it go when it came to the FBI investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. He told ABC that he maybe should have said something to Trump at the time to indicate the request was inappropriate. He said Trumps request possibly amounted to obstruction of justice. I mean, its certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice. It would depend, and Im just a witness in this case, not the investigator or prosecutor. It would depend upon other things that reflected on his intent, Comey said. Comey, who ran the Federal Bureau of Investigation for almost four years, portrays the president in his book as a liar, dumb and rude, and he compares elements of Trumps behavior to that of a Mafia boss. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Elly Burhaini Faizal (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 19:43 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee856f 1 National methanol,methanol-poisoning,liver,oplosan,bootleg-liquor,Cicalengka,West-Java,Oslo,Oslo-University-Hospital,Medecins-Sans-Frontieres,MSF Free Administering the proper course of treatment for victims of methanol poisoning, such as those who fell ill or died after drinking oplosan (bootleg liquor), can prevent further deaths, an expert has said. According to Knut Erik Hovda, a medical expert from Norways Oslo University Hospital, methanol is not toxic before it is transformed into formic acid in the liver. Only by giving the patient ethanol can the process be stopped, he added. We often get confused to see that people who consume bootleg liquor do not get sick or [fall into a] coma until at least 24 hours after they drink it. This is because ethanol in liquor will stop the metabolism of methanol into formic acid. As long as there is still ethanol in the blood of the patient, this toxic metabolism will not start, Hovda told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. He further explained that methanol would transform into formic acid only after ethanol has left the body, which is why it takes 12-24 hours before a person consuming bootleg liquor shows symptoms of methanol poisoning. This is why the most important part of the treatment is to give the patients more ethanol. They need alcohol. This is the life-saving concept needed here, Hovda said. (Read also: Bootleg liquor death toll rises to 60 in West Java) The death toll from a spate of recent cases of people drinking unlicensed liquor has risen to 60 in West Java. The West Java Health Agency said the victims had likely died of methanol poisoning. Ethanol is what we drink for recreational purposes, while methanol is the industrial alcohol mixed into ethanol. The only reason for mixing methanol with ethanol is to make more money, Hovda said. With methanol, you can sell more at higher price to make more money with less amount of ethanol. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) country director Daniel von Rege said methanol poisoning was not unique to Indonesia; it was happening globally. This case has always followed the same pattern and the pattern is that you will have one manufacturing site, usually, where additional substances, like methanol, get added on, he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Bekasi Mon, April 16 2018 The Bekasi Police have arrested EDB, 28, a resident of Jatimakmur, Pondok Gede, for allegedly growing cannabis in his home. According to the police, EDB had three pots of cannabis which had grown to about 2 meters on the second floor of his house. Officers confiscated the plants and a jar of dried cannabis during their raid on Tuesday, EDB had reportedly bought the cannabis seeds from a friend who lived in Bali, and had them delivered through a courier service. EDB said he planted the cannabis seeds seven months ago. He lives alone, Bekasi Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Wijonarko said as reported by kompas.com. EDB told police he had planted the cannabis for his own consumption, because he had been an addict for some time. Despite the statement, Wijonarko said the police were still investigating whether EDB was a... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Athens, Greece Mon, April 16, 2018 20:49 1263 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ceecbe5 2 World communist,greece,protest,Syria,war Free A group of Greek communist students on Monday attempted to topple a statue of former US president Harry S Truman during an anti-American demonstration in Athens, police said. Riot police fired tear gas to prevent the students from bringing down the three-metre (10-foot) bronze statue using a chainsaw and ropes. At least two people were injured, reports said. Students who tried to bring down Harry Truman's statue in Athens, are beaten by police during an anti-war protest. #Greece #Syria pic.twitter.com/k7xFgyKf9v Savvas Karmaniolas (@savvaskarma) April 16, 2018 Around 700 people were demonstrating at the time, part of a wave of protests against this weekend's aerial bombing campaign in Syria by the United States, France and Britain. The statue was erected in 1963 in recognition of America's 33rd president who approved the 1948 Marshall Plan of economic assistance that helped rebuild war-shattered Greece. It was built by late US sculptor Felix Weldon, best known for the Arlington County Marine Corps War Memorial. The Truman statue has been a frequent target in anti-American demonstrations in Greece. It was bombed in 1986 and sawn off at the legs a decade later. In 1999 it returned to its pedestal just in time for an official visit to Athens by then US president Bill Clinton. There is strong anti-American sentiment in Greece over Washington's support for the brutal army junta that ruled the country from 1967 to 1974. Truman is also reviled for ordering the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that hastened Japan's surrender in World War II. pic.twitter.com/vwxfZlGavw (@Gath___) April 16, 2018 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 14:22 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ced7518 1 Business BPS,Trade,march,surplus,Suhariyanto Free The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Monday that Indonesia booked a US$1.09 billion trade surplus in March after posting a trade deficit for three consecutive months from December 2017 to February. BPS head Suhariyanto said the surplus was supported by a surge in exports that reached $15.58 billion, a 6.14 percent year-on-year (yoy) increase, while the import value reached $14.49 billion, a 9.07 percent yoy increase. The export surge mostly occurred in non-oil and gas sectors such as agriculture commodities -- herbs, coffee and corn that grew 20 percent, he said, adding that exports in the industry and mining sectors also increased. China, the United States and Japan were the three top importing countries of Indonesias non-oil and gas products, contributing 37.78 percent to the total Indonesian export value. Coal, lignite, and steel were the main products we exported to China in the first quarter, he said. However, the value of oil and gas exports decreased 3.81 percent month-to-month (mtm) to $1.3 billion due to a slow performance in gas exports. Meanwhile, on the import side, industrial materials and capital goods made up over 90 percent of total imports in the first quarter of 2018, a 8.35 percent and 27.72 percent yoy increase, respectively, Suhariyanto added. Meanwhile, imports of consumption goods only contributed 8 percent of the total import figure in March. Suhariyanto expressed hope over Indonesia maintaining its achievement in April through the diversification of exported products. Also, we have to create more trade partnerships with non-traditional markets, he said. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru Mon, April 16 2018 A day laborer working for a sago producer in the Meranti Islands, Riau, died in a crocodile attack on Saturday. Eighteen-year-old Hongkiat was gathering sago stems for plantation company PT National Sago Prima near waters around Kepau Baru village on Saturday morning when a crocodile dragged him into the river. Other workers witnessed the incident, Meranti Islands Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. La Ode Proyek said on Sunday. He added that the victim, a Kepau Baru village resident, screamed for help when the crocodile grabbed hold of his leg. Hongkiats coworkers and his elder brother, Aking, who was fishing nearby, tried to help him, but he disappeared under the water. After a four-hour search by residents and company employees, the victim was found dead, La Ode said. His body remained intact; only his right leg had a bite wound... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 21:17 1263 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ceeee40 1 National election,Komnas-HAM Free National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) vice chairman Hairansyah has called on the Home Ministry to expedite the e-ID registration process ahead of Junes simultaneous local elections, emphasizing the potential violation of peoples right to vote. We urge the Home Ministry to speed up the process for the e-ID registry, or provide an alternative solution for those who are not able to register for an e-ID yet, he said during a press conference at Komnas HAMs headquarter in Central Jakarta on Monday. He added that the delay was a serious matter because it stripped Indonesians of their right to vote. Millions of Indonesians are at risk of not being allowed to vote due to a lack of e-IDs. The elections, which will take place on June 27, require voters to own an e-ID or a statement letter for those who have not received their IDs yet. As of today, the General Elections Commission (KPU) recorded 152.9 million voters listed on the temporary voters list. However, 6.7 million have yet to register their identities or exchange their current IDs for the electronic one, which may cause them to be removed from the list once the KPU finalizes the final voter list. (dpk/swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 17:17 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee1ea5 1 National KPK,Emirsyah-Satar Free Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators have questioned Emirsyah Satar, the former president director of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, in an alleged bribery case related to the airlines procurement of Rolls-Royce aircraft engines. Emirsyah was questioned as a witness against Soetikno Soedarja, KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said on Monday, referring to the owner of diversified business group Mugi Rekso Abadi who had also been named a suspect in the case. Emirsyah exited the KPKs office in South Jakarta at around 2 p.m. after undergoing a four-hour questioning session. He declined to answer journalists questions upon leaving the building. It was the second time Emirsyah had been questioned by the KPK within a span of a week, with the first session taking place last Tuesday. The antigraft body named Emirsyah and Soetikno as graft suspects in January last year in a bribery case related to the procurement of 50 aircraft between 2005 and 2014, when Emirsyah served as Garuda president director. The KPKs investigation started from a report from the United Kingdoms Serious Fraud Office, which raised allegations of bribery and corruption involving senior Rolls-Royce aerospace employees, and Indonesian businessmen and officials from July 2011 to March 2012. Soetikno was accused of acting as an intermediary between Rolls Royce and Emirsyah in an attempt to secure major deals for the British company to provide aircraft engines to Indonesia. Emirsyah stands accused of accepting several illicit payments totaling 1.2 million euros (US$1.5 million), $180,000 and other items worth $2 million. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Paris, France Mon, April 16, 2018 22:54 1263 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cef02b7 2 World trudeau,Emmanuel-Macron,meeting,Paris,bromance Free French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed their common vision and the strength of their personal friendship as they met in Paris on Monday. The two young leaders, both progressives in their 40s, exchanged a hug on the steps of the Elysee Palace and spoke warmly of their ties afterwards at a press conference that ended with them leaving the room with their arms across each other's backs. Macron and Trudeau see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism which has gathered strength in Europe and the United States, as well as in Russia, Turkey and China. "We have an extremely close convergence of views," Macron said during the press conference, which came after a working lunch and talks with Trudeau. Trudeau, speaking mostly in French, ended his remarks lauding the "friendship" between the two leaders -- a contrast with the often difficult relationship he has with his North American neighbour, US President Donald Trump. "Canada, France and Europe are extremely aligned," he said. Talks included trade, the war in Syria and an upcoming summit of G7 countries which will be hosted by Canada in June. Trudeau and Macron's first meeting as leaders came in May last year when they were photographed together at a meeting of G7 countries in the dreamy setting of Taormina, a hillside town in Sicily. It led to widespread commentary about the "bromance" between the two married liberals -- as well as jokes online that they looked like they had gone to Sicily for their wedding photographs. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 17:34 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee3055 1 National child-marriage Free Amid campaigns to eradicate rampant child marriages in the country, a minister has called on the House of Representatives to prioritize a revision of the 1974 Marriage Law, seeking to raise the minimum age at which women can marry. During a meeting with House Commission VIII overseeing religious and social affairs, Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Yembise emphasized the importance of the revision, which was expected to end cases of child marriages in the country. "A proposal to revise the Marriage Law has been listed in the 2015-2019 national legislation program, but it is not included in the 2018 priority," Yohana told lawmakers as quoted by kompas.com on Monday. Read also: Fifth grader set to marry man, 30 The 1974 Marriage Law sets a minimum legal marriage age of 16 years for women and 19 years for men. However, in some parts of Indonesia, girls as young as 13 years old can marry legally with parental consent and judicial approval. According to UNICEF, one in nine Indonesian girls are married before their 18th birthday every year. Women and children rights activists have repeatedly called on the government to seriously address child marriage, arguing that the practice perpetuates the cycle of poverty, and threatens the chances for girls to obtain a higher education and gain access to decent jobs. In 2015, however, the Constitutional Court (MK) rejected a request filed by a coalition of civil society groups to raise the minimum age for girls to marry from 16 to 18, on the grounds that it would not be a guaranteed solution to health and social problems. (afr/swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 16:14 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cedaee5 1 City North-Jakarta,elderly,death Free The Penjaringan Police in North Jakarta are in the dark over the motive and identity of a 72-year-old woman who was found dead after allegedly jumping off the 27th floor of an apartment at Laguna Apartment in Penjaringan on Sunday. Penjaringan Police criminal unit chief Comr. Mustakim said the police had yet to identify the woman. We are still trying to figure out her identity. Whether or not she was a resident at the apartment complex is not yet clear, Mustakim said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Monday. The police are currently gathering information about the woman from residents of Laguna Apartment. The majority of the residents do not recognize the woman, he added. She was found dead on the third floor of a balcony. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 11:05 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cece3c0 1 Business Iceland,palm-oil,ban,protest,Palm-oil-producing-countries,#PalmOil Free The Council of Palm Oil Producer Countries (CPOPC) has expressed dismay over the decision of UK-based supermarket chain Iceland Foods to stop selling palm oil products. CPOPC executive director Mahendra Siregar said the ban was an act of discrimination against palm oil products and could turn into a global campaign against the commodity. In a letter to Iceland Foods managing director Richard Walker dated April 13, Mahendra said palm oil had the highest productivity among vegetable oils, making it the most sustainable commodity in the use of land. He said 1 hectare of land yielded only 0.3 tons of rape seed oil or 0.6 tons of soybean oil and sun flower oil, while 6 tons of palm oil could be produced in the same space. Such a discriminative measure would speed up land degradation, cause more flora and fauna damage and boost CO2 emission, he added. The supermarket chain said oil palm plantations contributed to deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia and threatened the extinction of endangered species, Reuters reported recently. The campaign to cease using palm oil by Iceland would even cause more excessive use of land and is unlikely to replace palm oil [by another vegetable oil] globally, said Mahendra in the letter, a copy of which was seen by The Jakarta Post on Sunday. The CPOPC has 10 member countries. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru, Riau Mon, April 16, 2018 16:56 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee0ba3 1 National bear-attack,Riau Free Dasril, 50, a farmer from Lubuk Ulat hamlet in Rokan Hulu regency, Riau, injured his thigh after fighting off two sun bears on Sunday. Rokan Hulu Police chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Hasyim Risahondua said the farmer was attacked by the bears on Sunday while on his way to a rubber plantation where he worked, about three kilometers away from the hamlet. He was going to the plantation on foot. After walking for two kilometers, he heard the sound of an animal roar and suddenly two bears appeared in front of him, Hasyim said Monday. Dasril said a bear about 1.5 meters high attacked him, so he defended himself using a machete, eventually hurting the bears head and back. The bear ran away and was hiding in the bushes when a second bear appeared and mauled his left thigh. Dasril screamed until the bear eventually let him go and left. [Dasril] struggled to return home using a piece of wood to support him. After one kilometer, he couldnt take it any longer and stopped. He was found by two local men who then walked him home, Hasyim said, adding that Dasril was then rushed to a local hospital for surgery. Dasrils son Rio Andri asked the local natural resources conservation agency to capture the bears over fear of repeated attacks. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Jerusalem Mon, April 16, 2018 22:20 1263 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ceefe07 2 World Syria-war,Israel,Russia Free Israel will not accept limitations on its "actions" in Syria from Russia or any other country, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Monday, a week after a deadly raid attributed to the Jewish state. "We will maintain total freedom of action. We will not accept any limitation when it comes to the defence of our security interests," Lieberman said in a video interview with the Walla news site in response to a question on Russia's criticism of the recent strike. "But we do not want to provoke the Russians. We have an open line of communication at the level of senior officers. The Russians understand us and the fact is that for years we have managed to avoid friction with them" in Syria. Lieberman again accused Israel's main enemy Iran of seeking to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria and threaten his country. "We will not tolerate a significant Iranian military force in Syria in the form of military ports and airports or the deployment of sophisticated weaponry," Lieberman said. On April 9, seven Iranian personnel were among 14 people killed in an early-morning strike on the T-4 airbase in Syria, with regime allies Iran and Russia blaming Israel for the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin later called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to take any action that could further destabilise the situation in Syria. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility, but has said repeatedly that it cannot accept Iran establishing itself militarily in Syria. Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in Syria's civil war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, another of its enemies. Hezbollah, like Iran and Russia, is backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the war. Iran also supports Hezbollah. Netanyahu has also voiced "total support" for US-led strikes over the weekend against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 11:56 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cecec8c 1 Business soekarno-hatta-airport,runway,construction,land-acquisition Free State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (AP) is in the process of acquiring land for a third runway at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, to boost the airports capacity to 100 million passengers by 2025. AP II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said the Rp 2.6 trillion (US$189 million) project was designed to increase the take-off and landing frequency to 114 movements from currently 81. With the construction of the third runway, we will boost the aircraft movements at this airport, Awaluddin said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Sunday. The third runway would be built on 216 hectares of land, of which AP II had so far acquired 115 ha. The acquisition of the remaining 101 ha was expected to be completed in September 2018, he added. The land that will be acquired is located in the villages of Bojong Renget, Rawa Buring and Rawa Rengas in Tangerang, he added. Meanwhile, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the government supported the expansion of the airport with the construction of key infrastructure projects. The construction of the key projects at Soekarno-Hatta airport will certainly improve services for the airlines and [passengers], he said while visiting the airport on Sunday. AP II is in the process of constructing the first phase of the east cross taxiway to connect the existing north and south runways to increase airplane mobility and thereby boost movements to 86 per hour. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Washington Mon, April 16, 2018 08:07 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cec9ffd 2 Business Starbucks,Racism,apology Free The CEO of Starbucks has apologized for an incident at one of the mammoth chain's Philadelphia cafes where two black men were arrested while waiting for a friend. A video of the incident, posted Thursday on Twitter, was viewed millions of times and drew widespread condemnation on social media. CEO Kevin Johnson, in a statement, expressed the company's "deepest apologies" to the men for what he said was the "reprehensible outcome" of the incident. Johnson said the company would investigate and "make any necessary changes" to avoid a recurrence. "Starbucks stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling," he said. The video posted by a Starbucks client shows several uniformed police officers questioning and then handcuffing the two men, who offer no resistance. In the foreground, a white client objects to the scene, repeatedly asking an officer, "What'd they do? What'd they do?" The woman who posted the video, Melissa DePino, tweeted: "The police were called because these men hadn't ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs ... All the other white (people) are wondering why it's never happened to us when we do the same thing." She said it was a Starbucks employee who called police. The two men's pro-bono lawyer Lauren Wimmer, interviewed by a CBS affiliate in Philadelphia, said they were waiting for a third man to arrive for a business meeting. Philadelphia police commissioner Richard Ross, who is black, said police had received a 911 call from a Starbucks worker who said the men were trespassing, after sitting down and refusing to buy anything. Ross said his men had "politely" asked the two to leave before finally arresting them. The men were released after Starbucks declined to prosecute them. Johnson, in his statement, said the store manager never intended for the men to be arrested, adding that he hoped to meet them personally "to offer a face-to-face apology." The video drew widespread attention. Drummer Questlove of the group Roots tweeted a question: "Waiting in a Starbucks while black is a crime?" Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moses Ompusunggu, Bambang Muryanto and Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Yogyakarta/Medan Mon, April 16, 2018 19:26 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee797e 2 National foreign-workers,foreign-lecturers,Universitas-Gajah-Mada,Universitas-Indonesia,higher-education,Jokowi,Indonesia Free Indonesian state universities are welcoming the latest policy of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration allowing foreign academics to serve as permanent lecturers in the country's universities. The administration announced last week that it was opening opportunities for foreign academics to become permanent lecturers at Indonesian universities in an attempt to increase the countrys quality of higher education and meet international standards. The move followed a recent presidential regulation (Perpres) signed by Jokowi on the recruitment of foreign workers, which aims to ease the visa process of foreign workers the country needs most, including those who work in the education sector. Based on the Perpres, the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry is preparing a supporting regulation to ease the bureaucracy for foreign lecturers to live and work in Indonesia, including the possibility of issuing a new type of visa for them. The new policy is the latest move by Jokowi to implement a sturdy foreign academic culture in Indonesia's higher education system, after announcing in February that foreign universities would be allowed to operate in Indonesia. Read also: Government aims to attract foreign lecturers The country is home to more than 4,500 universities and other higher education institutions like polytechnics, but around 77 percent are still of substandard quality, according to the latest government survey. The presence of foreign academics as lecturers could be a catalyst in boosting the countrys academic achievements, said Panut Mulyono, the rector of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM), ranked Indonesias best university, according to a 2017 government survey. Indonesian universities could also have bigger opportunities to augment their network by, for instance, teaming up with foreign academics to conduct research projects "funded by international network of the foreign academics," Panut said on Monday. "The results could then be published in international scientific journals. Joni Hermana, rector of the state-run Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS), said the university had long awaited such a policy. "This will encourage our lecturers to improve their qualifications," Joni said last week, adding that ITS currently employed around 30 foreign lecturers on a temporary basis. Foreign academics who will be prioritized in the policy are those qualified in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as these majors are considered the most relevant in Indonesia's goal of "inspiring industrial innovation for the wider purpose of development, the ministry said last week. "We actually do have an adequate numbers of lecturers in the prioritized majors," said the ministry's human resources qualifications director, Mukhlas Ansori. "But we intend to attract lecturers whose qualifications exceed current benchmarks in our universities." However, Panut said that UGM had requested the administration to allocate foreign academics to the university's social science departments, where more research needed to be conducted. Several social science department heads agreed with Panut, asserting that the presence of permanent foreign lecturers may boost Indonesian universities' global rankings. Only three Indonesian universities were included in the 2017 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best 500 Universities of the World list, namely the University of Indonesia (UI), ranked 277th; the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), in 331rd place; and UGM at 401st position. "If foreign academics joined Indonesian universities, it would boost the quality of our campuses," said Budi Agustono, head of North Sumatra Universitys (USU) cultural studies department in Medan, the province's capital. However, some observers raised concerns over the policy, pointing out that employing foreign lecturers was not a guarantee in improving the quality of higher education in Indonesia. "Employing foreign lecturers, whether temporarily or permanently, will not improve the quality [of education] as long as local lecturers are not treated equally," said Hamid Hasan, a higher education expert at the Indonesia University of Education (UPI). He said the underlying problem in Indonesias higher education system was that lecturers did not enjoy the same facilities and level of support foreign governments give their teachers. The new policy also demonstrates how the state has fallen short in harnessing local resources, some private university lecturers have said. "We still have plenty of quality local lecturers. Why do we have to import foreign lecturers?" asked Arifin Saleh, a lecturer of social science and politics at the privately run Muhammadiyah North Sumatra University (UMSU). Wahyoe Boediwardhana contributed to this report from Surabaya. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 18:30 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee4b7d 1 City smuggling,shark-fin,soekarno-hatta-airport Free Security officers at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, arrested six people who flew from Portugal to Jakarta as they reportedly tried to smuggle shark fins. National Fish Quarantine, Quality Control and Fishery Products Safety Agency (BKIPM) head Habrin Yake said on Monday the suspects, who worked as a deck crew, were arrested last Thursday at the airports new Terminal 3 Ultimate, with the help of Aviation Security officers. We found shark fins in the suspects luggage, Habrin said, as quoted by tribunnews.com. He added that a similar case had also occurred at the airport on March 25. The security officers arrested a man allegedly attempting to smuggle shark products. He attempted to fly to Makassar, South Sulawesi, with six boxes containing blacktip shark products. The suspect brought six boxes containing 90 kilograms of black shark [products], he added. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 19:50 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee87dc 1 City Tangerang,road-repair,protest Free Dozens of residents of the Taman Royal residential area in Tanah Tinggi, Tangerang, Banten, planted banana, papaya and water apple trees on potholes on dilapidated roads on Sunday, as a part of a rally to demand for road repairs. The residents claimed that the residential areas management had ignored the road conditions for far too long. The rally was secured by Tangerang Police officers. Tangerang Police chief Comr. Ewo Samono said the residents demanded for permanent road repairs. The residents will continue carrying out such actions until the damaged roads are permanently repaired, Ewo said as reported by tribunnews.com. They have also threatened to seal off the marketing office of the management, he added. Separately, the Tangerang administration said road maintenance was the responsibility of the residential areas management as the housing area had yet to be handed over to the administration. The management had requested for the facilitys handover to the administration in 2014, but we asked for the repairs first due to severe [road] conditions, as regulated under prevailing laws, Tangerang City secretary Dadi Budaeri said on Monday. (vny) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 13:47 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9ced225a 4 Business odd-even-license-traffic-policy,Tangerang,jakarta,toll-road Free The odd-even traffic policy that will be trialed on the Tangerang-Jakarta toll road starting Monday is expected to reduce traffic from Tangerang to Jakarta by up to 45 percent, the transportation minister has said. In Bekasi, the policy has managed to reduce traffic by about 36 percent. Here [in Tangerang], we project traffic reduction of between 40 and 45 percent, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said on Sunday during his visit to Kunciran Tollgate II in Tangerang, Banten, tempo.co reported. During the trial, the odd-even policy will be implemented from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday to Friday, excepting holidays, at the Kunciran 2 and Tangerang 2 tollgates. Under the new policy, only vehicles with even license plate numbers are permitted to pass through the tollgates on even dates, and only vehicles with odd license plate numbers are allowed to pass through the tollgates on odd dates. Apart from applying the odd-even policy starting May 1, the government will also introduce special lanes for public transportation along the toll road while restricting the passage of cargo trucks. Earlier, Greater Jakarta Transportation Management Agency (BPTJ) head Bambang Prihartono said that about 3,000 vehicles passed through the Tangerang 2 and Kunciran 2 tollgates from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. every day. The ideal toll road capacity during the time period is 1,700 vehicles. Similar policies had been introduced to the Cikampek-Jakarta toll road, and the odd-even policy was also introduced along the Jagorawi-Jakarta toll road, particularly from the Cibubur 2 tollgate headed to Jakarta. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Quetta Mon, April 16, 2018 06:26 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cec66e2 2 World Christians,shooting,Pakistan Free Two Christians were killed in a drive-by shooting outside a church in southwestern Pakistan Sunday, officials said, the second such attack on the minority community in the area this month. The Islamic State group's local franchise claimed responsibility for the attack in Quetta, capital of Balochistan province, the SITE intelligence group said. "Four men on two motorbikes opened indiscriminate fire" on a group of Christians, "killing two people while injuring three others", local police official Abdul Razzaq Cheema told AFP. It came just weeks after four Christians were shot dead in the city, an attack also claimed by IS. Sunday's shooting took place in the Christian-majority Esa Nagri neighbourhood of Quetta, where hundreds gathered to protest the killings. "Around 500" protesters blocked a road by placing the bodies of the two victims in the middle, said local official Javed Anwar Shawani. "We are negotiating with them to make them disperse and bury" the victims, he added. Islamist militants have in the past attacked Christians and other religious minorities in Balochistan. In December last year, two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a Quetta church, which was packed with worshippers, killing nine people and wounding over a dozen. Christians make up less than two percent of Muslim-majority Pakistan's 200 million people, and have long faced discrimination and violence. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Iraq Mon, April 16, 2018 08:23 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cecb069 2 World US,Syria,flag-desecration,Iraq Free Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets in several cities on Sunday to protest against US-led strikes on Syria, following a call by influential Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr. "Stop destroying Syria as you destroyed our country," shouted protesters in Baghdad's Tahrir Square, in reference to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. "No to America, no to the bombardment of Syria," they chanted. Protestors set light to US flags as they chanted against the military action by the US, France and Britain. Crowds also took to the streets in the cities of Najaf and Basra, south of Baghdad. Sadr -- whose militias battled US forces after the 2003 invasion -- joined the protest in Najaf, where he lives. After withdrawing from Iraq in 2011 after a years-long occupation, US troops returned to the country in 2014 to help fight the Islamic State group. American military support at the head of an international coalition helped Iraqi forces to roll back the jihadists and eventually declare victory over IS in December. The Iraqi government warned Saturday that the Western air strikes on Syria were a "very dangerous" development that could fuel a jihadist resurgence in the region. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, April 16, 2018 20:04 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee8ffd 1 City fire,victims,West-Jakarta,relocation Free West Jakarta Mayor Anas Effendi has said 122 families made homeless by a fire in Taman Kota in North Kembangan will soon be relocated to Rawa Buaya low-cost apartments (rusun) in Cengkareng, despite the apartment management claiming to know nothing about the plan. Next month, 122 families who were the victims of the Taman Kota fire will be relocated to Rawa Buaya, Anas said Monday, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. He added that the relocation could not be carried out in April because work on the rusun was still being completed. Last month, a fire tore through around 3,000 square meters of Taman Kota leaving two people dead and 450 families homeless. The fire razed more than 500 houses. Separately, Rawa Buaya apartment management unit head Sarjoko said he had not received any information about the planned relocation. However, he said, two of the five towers of the apartment complex were ready to accommodate the affected families. (wnd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak Mon, April 16, 2018 16:18 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cedbc59 1 National illegal-logging,timber Free The West Kalimantan Police have named five individuals suspects after they were allegedly caught red-handed illegally exploiting protected forests for timber on Mount Bawang in Bengkayang regency, West Kalimantan, an official has said. The five individuals have been charged under Law No. 18/2013 on the prevention and eradication of forest damage, the West Kalimantan law enforcement task force head for the Pontianak area, David Muhammad, said on Monday. The five loggers were allegedly caught last week by the West Kalimantan Police cutting down trees using chainsaws in Meranti, Keladan and Majau. The police's forest unit confiscated stacks of wood that had already been cut, a makeshift workshop and a railway used to transport the wood. The wood was allegedly to be sold to buyers in Singkawang and Bengkayang. The task force also raided a wood-processing workshop in Bengkayang over the weekend and confiscated at least 512 pieces of wood and work machines. Mount Bawang is situated 1,460 meters above sea level. The protected forest is home to endangered plants such as ironwood and animals endemic to the region, such as orangutans, Enggang birds and sun bears. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, April 17 2018 The Penjaringan Police in North Jakarta are in the dark over the motive and identity of a 72-year-old woman who was found dead after allegedly jumping off the 27th floor of Laguna Apartment in Penjaringan on Sunday. Penjaringan Police criminal unit chief Comr. Mustakim said the police were yet to identify the woman. We are still trying to figure out her identity. Whether or not she was a resident of the apartment complex is not yet clear, Mustakim said as quoted by tribunnews.com on Monday. The police are currently gathering information about the woman from residents of Laguna Apartment. The majority of the residents do not recognize the woman, he added. She was found dead on a third floor balcony. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login ... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Choong En Han (Bloomberg) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Mon, April 16, 2018 17:20 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee268d 2 SE Asia Malaysia,apology,company Free One of the worlds largest glovemakers Supermax is rallying after its founder Stanley Thai apologized to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak for vocally supporting the opposition in the nations last general election five years ago. Supermax surged as much as 6.9 percent in Kuala Lumpur after Thai apologized in a press conference over the weekend. The Star on Saturday cited Thai as saying he realized it was wrong for him as a businessman to be involved in politics. As a member of the business community I like to see political stability, Thai said at the media briefing. Businesses operating in Malaysia will continue to prosper with the sound economic policy of the ruling government that is led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib. This isnt the only issue Thai has had to deal with. He was sentenced to a five-year jail term and fined 5 million ringgit ($1.3 million) for insider trading in November and is currently appealing against the conviction and sentencing. Even without Thais mea culpa speech, Supermax has been having a good 2018 so far -- the stock had gained 30 percent this year through Friday amid strong fourth-quarter results reported in February. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Manila, Philippines Mon, April 16, 2018 19:20 1264 2c798a31c212039f000dc5df9cee7960 2 SE Asia Saudi-Arabia,maid-abuse,Philippines,Foreign-Ministry Free A Philippine domestic worker has been hospitalised in Saudi Arabia after her employer allegedly forced her to drink household bleach, Manila's foreign ministry said Monday. Domestic worker Agnes Mancilla underwent emergency abdominal surgery after she was taken, unconscious, to a hospital in Saudi's southwestern Jizan city on April 2, the ministry said. "We are working closely with authorities in Jizan to make sure that justice will be given to Agnes Mancilla," the ministry said in a statement. The victim is in "serious but stable condition" in hospital and Saudi police have arrested her female employer, who has not been named, it added. Mancilla had worked in Saudi Arabia since 2016 "but was repeatedly physically abused by her lady employer" who also failed to pay her salary, the statement said, citing Edgar Badajos, the Philippine consul in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The report is the latest incident of alleged mistreatment of Filipino workers in the Middle East. In February, allegations of abuse of domestic workers caused a diplomatic flap between the Philippines and Kuwait. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out at Kuwait, where the body of a murdered Filipina maid was found stuffed in a freezer. He banned Filipinos from going to work in the Gulf state, one of several Middle East countries that host, in total, more than two million Filipino workers. Duterte claimed that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day, and feed them scraps. Last week Duterte said Kuwait had agreed to his demands to improve the working conditions of Filipinos, following negotiations between the two countries on a labour accord. One of his key demands is that Filipino workers be allowed to keep their mobile phones and passports -- which can be confiscated by employers under current conditions. Duterte said he would visit Kuwait to witness the signing of the agreement, without giving an exact date. Selayar, home to Taka Bonerate National Park, which was added to the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 2015, is now more accessible following the opening of Garuda Indonesia's latest route from Makassar to the regency, both in South Sulawesi. Officially launched on Monday, the new service is available three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday using the ATR 72-600 aircraft, which can accommodate 70 passengers. Read also: How climate change threatens Indonesia's marine tourism The GA 7856 flight departs from Makassar at 2:10 p.m. local time and arrives in Selayar at 3 p.m. Meanwhile, the return GA 7857 flight is scheduled to take off from Selayar at 3:35 p.m. and land in Makassar at 4:15 p.m. "Selayar has a lot of potential in tourism, especially marine tourism [...] such as Taka Bonerate National Park. Hopefully, this new service can ease access for visitors looking to reach the destination," said the national flag carrier's marketing and IT director, Nina Sulistyowati, in a statement. In addition to Selayar, Garuda Indonesia also flies to Palopo from Makassar three times a week as part of its South Sulawesi operations. (kes) Developed by the Foreign Ministry, the newly launched Safe Travel app is intended for Indonesian citizens who are planning to travel overseas or are currently living abroad. Launched on Saturday, Apr. 14, the app is available on the Apple Store and Google Play Store. The app caters to many purposes, starting from studying, working and umroh trips (minor hajj). Among the information Safe Travel provides are time differences, security, laws, local customs, immigration requirements and locations of houses of worship. Users can create an account, users will also receive notifications on travel warnings for the countries they are currently in. Safe Travel's "Country List" page lists the countries that Indonesian citizens can visit. The colored dot in the right-hand column shows the countries' security statuses, starting from normal (green) to banned travel (red). (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira) Users can select from among several menus on the apps homepage. Fun Facts, for instance, is filled with unique information about different countries. Meanwhile, Tips gives suggestions for different users, including Indonesian migrant workers (TKIs). Read also: US travelers to be asked to separate food from carry-on bags Safe Travel also has an emergency feature to call for immediate help when users need assistance. They can send their location, record a video and contact the nearest Indonesian Embassy (KBRI), Indonesian Consulate General (KJRI) or Indonesian Consulate (KRI). The Safe Travel app has a special page feed for regularly updated travel news. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira) The Foreign Ministry collaborated with Yogyakarta-based IT company PT Gamatechno Indonesia in developing the app. Following the launch event, we will [continue to] provide full support on app maintenance and further development, Gamatechno government solutions managerTaufik Suryawan Edyna said on the companys website. (wir/wng) More than 15,000 South Koreans have applied for the governments special vacation fund, a new state project. The Korea Tourism Organization said Monday that 1,211 corporations and 15,443 individuals had filed applications by April 11. Although applications are open until April 20, the organization expects the number of individual applicants to soon surge beyond 20,000, as 1,200 workers are applying per day on average. Read also: Six tips to get the best hotel deals for a year-end vacation The fund, called Vacation Fund for Workers, is supported by corporations and the government. If an employee applies for the vacation fund with 200,000 won, the company and the government will provide an additional 100,000 won each. If more than 20,000 workers apply, small and medium-sized enterprises which joined the pilot project in 2014, will be selected first, and the rest will be chosen based either on the size of the corporations or their participation rate. The final list will be announced on April 30. Tokyo Disneyland marked its 35th anniversary Sunday with the reopening of renovated popular attraction "It's a Small World". The operator, Oriental Land Co., held a ceremony with Mickey Mouse and his Disney friends at the theme park, which first opened to the public on April 15, 1983. "We would like to create the next Disneyland with everyone for a new dream," Toshio Kagami, chairman of Oriental Land, said at the ceremony. The park plans to run special anniversary event "Tokyo Disney Resort 35th 'Happiest Celebration!'" through March 25 next year with the new parade "Dreaming Up!" to celebrate the anniversary. Read also: Exploring Disney parks with Google Street View Oriental Land also plans to open a new area inspired by the Beauty and the Beast film by 2020. Ryoichi Miyauchi, operating officer in charge of corporate planning, told reporters the company is considering expanding one of the two parks. "Whenever I come here, I feel like I'm spellbound. I hope (the park) will keep creating new pleasures," said Yu Kuroki, 34, who visited the park with her family. Tokyo Disneyland and its adjacent Tokyo Disney Sea, which opened in 2001, had attracted a combined 720 million customers as of the end of March. Posted Sunday, April 15, 2018 11:00 pm Eagle Scout Andrew C. Towner of Hamel Boy Scout Troop 91, received his Eagle Scout Badge at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Sunday, Feb. 24, at Immanuel United Church of Christ in Hamel. Towner is 17 years old and is a senior at Litchfield High School. He has participated in Scholastic Bowl for seven years, starting in middle school. His parents are Steve and Joyce Towner. He has a brother, Kyle, who earned his Eagle Scout rank on Nov. 13, 2014, while a member of Troop 91. Andy's grandparents are Bob and Mary Ann Towner of Edwardsville, and the late Joan Franz and the late Glenn and Loretta Kruckeberg. Towner's Eagle Scout project was constructing, installing and landscaping a sign for the Worden Community Park in Worden. He decided on his project, knowing there are a lot of activities held at the park, and only a small brown sign attached to the street sign post marking the entrance. He raised the funds for his project by requesting donations from area businesses and individuals. After completion of the project and paperwork, Towner went before the Eagle Board on Dec. 14, 2017, and was awarded his Eagle Rank. He is grateful for everyone's support, whether it was a monetary donation, materials, labor or time. Towner's scouting life began when he joined Pack 89 in Litchfield in September 2007, where he earned his Bobcat, Wolf and Bear ranks. While a Webelo, he earned 18 activity badges. In November 2007, he earned his religious emblem, God and Me with Pastor Sheryl Cross. Towner was awarded his Arrow of Light, the highest Cub Scout honor, on Dec. 11, 2010. This religious knot patch and Arrow of Light are two of only a few that can be moved from a Cub Scout to Boy Scout uniform. He crossed over to Boy Scouts on Jan. 15, 2011, and joined Troop 377 in Hillsboro. In 2012, he transferred his membership to Troop 91 in Hamel. He attended summer camps at Rhodes France near Pana, Sunnen and S Bar F, both near Farmington, MO, Camp Lewallen near Silva, MO, Camp Saukenauk near Mendon and Camp Roy C. Manchester on Kentucky Lake. Towner was called out for Order of the Arrow, an Honor Society of Boy Scouts, in June 2015, and completed his ordeal in August 2015, at Camp Warren Levis in Godfrey. In his Boy Scout career, Towner earned a total of 43 merit badges of which 13 are required to achieve Eagle rank. He was also awarded two Bronze Palms, one Silver Palm and one Gold Palm, acknowledging his efforts going above and beyond the minimum requirements for Eagle rank. At the ceremony, Pastor Christy Eckert gave the invocation and the scouts, led by Cody Murphy, assistant senior patrol leader, presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Taylor Bussett, senior patrol leader and Master of Ceremonies, gave the Scout Oath. Towner's fellow troop members and relatives active in scouting participated in the ceremony. His cousins, Justin and Mitchell Riegerix of St. Charles, MO, helped light candles representing the Scout Oath and Scout Law. His brother, Kyle, gave the Eagle Scout Challenge and his cousin, Joe Towner of Edwardsville, read the poem, "It's Only a Pin". Towner chose two mentors, his first scoutmaster in Troop 91, who had just stepped down from his position, Caine Kelso of Alhambra and his brother, Kyle, presenting them both a mentor pin. A special presentation of Eagle Grandparent pins were given to Bob and Mary Ann Towner. The troop gift of a flag that has been flown over the United States Capitol was presented to Towner by Committee Chair Sheila Cramer. Dan Blotevogel of Worden American Legion Post 564, of which Towner's grandpa Glenn Kruckeberg, was a member, said a few words about Glenn and his work ethic and community dedication being obvious in Towner, and presented him with a certificate of recognition from the National Commander of the American Legion. Representatives of the General George Rogers Clark Chapter, Illinois Society, Sons of the American Revolution presented Towner with an Eagle Scout Certificate of Recognition for outstanding leadership and citizenship along with a patch. Towner said a few words about his life in Scouts and recognized special people in attendance. The program closed with a benediction by Pastor Eckert and retirement of the colors. A reception immediately followed in the church hall. Posted Sunday, April 15, 2018 11:00 pm The annual membership meeting of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation was held Thursday evening at the Litchfield Country Club. "We're all in this together," Dr. Robert Mulch, chairman of the MCEDC Board of Directors addressed the attendees. "Our problems won't be solved individually, solutions will be found in cooperating together." Executive Director Valerie Belusko noted that in her last year and one half, "all the struggles we have here in Montgomery County are interrelated, so to solve them we need to be looking for solutions, instead of looking for complaints." "I want to remind everyone about the good things around us, and if you see a problem, ask yourself what are you going to do to change it." she said. Re-elected to the board of directors were municipal members Rex Brown, city of Hillsboro, and Shelly Herman, city of Litchfield. Business member John Galer was also re-elected. All will serve three year terms. Officers were elected and include Dr. Robert Mulch, chairman; Tim Hopper, vice chairman; John Galer, secretary; and Sheila White, treasurer. Heather Hampton+Knodle discussed the origins of MCEDC and its evolution from the Competitive Communities Initiative 15 years ago. She, with Emily Battin, Mike Plunkett and Yvonne Purcell, worked to get every community in the county involved and participating. Battin in particular worked hard leading the town hall meetings. As MCEDC was organized, Battin helped write the by-laws, was the leader in parliamentary procedures, which the organization operates under today, and worked tirelessly to increase membership, Hampton+Knodle said. Battin, who just recently passed away, "needs to be in our thoughts tonight," Hampton+Knodle said. The MCEDC efforts this past year have helped in bringing a competitive fiber optic broadband system into the county. CTI from Taylorville has begun its expansion into Nokomis and is headed to Hillsboro. A partnership with the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln has been established which will lead to long term resources becoming available from charitable local gifts to many area projects. Announcements were made for members to attend the CEO Marketplace on Tuesday, May 8 and the Legislative Breakfast Monday, May 14. Both events will be held at Lincoln Land Community College. in Litchfield. MCEDC Community Assistance has garnered grants to the village of Coalton and the village of Panama this past year for equipment and improvements. Since 2005, the MCEDC has secured $730,142 in grants for new construction, new equipment, training and community health programs throughout the county. Posted Sunday, April 15, 2018 11:00 pm When I first met Andy Manar, I was Regional Superintendent of Schools for Christian and Montgomery counties and he was a key member of the Illinois State Senate staff. He was the "go to" person for those of us all over Illinois who were working on behalf of our schools and schoolchildren, primarily because his knowledge and understanding of public education in our state was considered unparalleled. If we had an issue related to education that demanded legislative attention, Andy Manar was the person to whom we went to for advice and assistance. Later, when he became a candidate himself for the state senate, Andy told me that he wanted to do whatever he could to fix the way Illinois funded public education so that schools like ours here in Hillsboro could have the benefit of operating with facilities comparable to those of schools in the wealthier suburban Chicago school districts. The inequities were no secret, and I joined many others in supporting Andy's plans and efforts. I knew that Andy's proposals would face opposition from those who did not want to share the wealth. For example, both Andy and I were aware of the Olympic-sized swimming pools and high-tech computer labs in many northern Illinois school districts. The regional superintendent's health/life safety inspection checklist included a section on a school's "swimming pool room." Needless to say, such a space is rarely if ever found in central and southern Illinois schools. Our schools didn't have sufficient funding to allow for these. Andy was right in pointing out that our children in Hillsboro and in the rest of downstate deserve state taxpayer funding that can provide safe and updated facilities and thus a greater chance for equal educational opportunity. The concern was not about a swimming pool room specifically, but rather the issue of whether or not all Illinois residents have an obligation to assist all Illinois schoolchildren, regardless of the part of the state in which they live. When I learned that the state will be sending more than $175,000 more each year to Hillsboro schools, I was pleased to know that Andy's six-year-old promise to our community was becoming a reality. Andy Manar has worked tirelessly for us in central Illinois during his time as our state senator. As an educator myself, I can attest to the respect and support he has in our community. He has earned re-election. I am pleased and proud to vote for him again. Posted Sunday, April 15, 2018 11:00 pm Anyone in Illinois with a question about a legal matter can consult with a lawyer at no cost during the 37th annual Ask A Lawyer Day from 9 a.m. to noon on April 28. The event is sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association in cooperation with several other bar associations. Volunteer lawyers will be standing by to provide legal information about consumer problems, family law, estate planning, personal injury and other common legal issues. Callers will be given information about their legal difficulties, which may include consulting with another lawyer on the callers specific legal situation. In addition to two toll-free numbers, the public can send their questions to a lawyer by email. More information is available online at www.isba.org/public/askalawyerday. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES PERTH, Australia, April 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perseus Mining Limited (Perseus or the Company) (TSX:PRU) (ASX:PRU) reports on its activities for the three month period ended March 31, 2018 (the Quarter). An executive summary is provided below. However, full details of activities in the March Quarter, including reconciled production and all-in site cash costs, are included in the Companys March 2018 Quarterly Activity Report released to the market on April 16, 2018. The full report is available for download from www.perseusmining.com, www.asx.com.au and www.sedar.com. Perseus continued to perform strongly across all parts of its business during the March 2018 quarter, materially advancing its transformation into an emerging mid-tier, multi-mine gold producer, developer and explorer. Highlights of the March 2018 quarter included: Perseus completed development and commissioning of the Sissingue Gold Mine ahead of time and on budget and declared commercial production from April 1, 2018. A combined total of 64,027 ounces of gold was produced at the Edikan and Sissingue gold mines, 13% more than the amount produced by the group in the previous quarter and 32% more than in the corresponding period in 2017. The quarterly production cost at Edikan was US$993 per ounce and the all-in site cost (AISC) was US$1,104 per ounce, both in line with the prior quarter and the corresponding period in 2017. All costs at Sissingue were capitalised prior to declaration of commercial production on April 1, 2018. The average price of gold sold by the group during the quarter was US$1,283 per ounce. Production and cost guidance for the June 2018 half year is unchanged at 140-160,000 ounces at an AISC of US$950US$1,050 per ounce, leaving guidance for the full 2018 fiscal year also unchanged at 250-285,000 ounces at an AISC of US$950US$1,100 per ounce. Perseus applied for an Exploitation Permit (EP) for the Yaoure Gold Project, Perseuss third project, in January 2018 and completed a community consultation process required as a pre-requisite to granting of the EP, during the quarter. Funding alternatives for Yaoure and resulting capital structures for Perseus were comprehensively analysed and a preferred funding plan identified, with implementation scheduled to start in the June 2018 quarter. Exploration programmes aimed at increasing Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves at Sissingue, Yaoure and Edikan in the short to medium term started during the quarter with a budget of US$5 million. At March 31, 2018, Perseuss working capital totalled A$40.0 million, A$18.2 million or 83% more than at December 31, 2017 and included available cash and bullion of A$59.5 million, A$14.3 million or 31% more than at year end. Changes to Board Composition During the quarter, non-executive director, Mr Alex Davidson, resigned from the Board of Perseus with effect from February 21, 2018 in an effort to reduce his workload as a professional director in line with modern governance principles. Mr Davidson joined the Board following the acquisition of Amara Mining plc by Perseus in April 2016. Subsequent to the end of the quarter, Mr Michael Bohm has also resigned as a non-executive Director with effect from May 31, 2018. Mike has served on Perseuss board since 2009, and with the successful development of Sissingue, the companys second mine, and with a growing portfolio of board positions, he has decided it is timely to step down from the Perseus board. There are no current plans to appoint replacements for either Mr Davidson or Mr Bohm and going forward Perseuss Board will be comprised of five directors including three independent non-executive directors, as it was prior to the addition of two additional directors following acquisition of Amara Mining plc in April 2016. Program for June 2018 Quarter Edikan Produce gold at a total all-in site cost is in line with June 2018 Half Year guidance; Continue to implement practices aimed at optimising and improving mine to mill performance; Continue training operating and maintenance staff; Continue to implement business improvement initiatives across all departments at Edikan; and Assess exploration targets and prepare drill programmes for targets identified by the recent review of geological datasets relating to the Edikan mining leases. Sissingue Produce gold at a total all-in site cost is in line with June 2018 Half Year guidance; and Resume drilling at the Fimbiasso (formerly called Bele) and other prospects within trucking distance of Sissingue with the aim of identifying the potential for additional Mineral Resources which could be processed at the Sissingue processing facility. Yaoure Complete sterilisation of key infrastructure locations and commence the FEED study; Subject to the granting of an Exploitation Permit to operate the Yaoure mine, commence negotiation of the terms of a Mining Convention for the mine; Continue the programme of Resource definition drilling adjacent to the proposed Yaoure and CMA pits; Continue an exploration drilling programme of the NE CMA trend with the aim of infilling and extending known mineralization in this area and if possible locating the contact between the volcaniclastic basin and basalt in the area. Plan a programme of early work to establish the project site in readiness for a decision to commence full scale construction; and Commence implementation of a financing plan to fund the Yaoure development. Jeff Quartermaine Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer To discuss any aspect of this announcement, please contact: Managing Director: Jeff Quartermaine at telephone +61 8 6144 1700 or email jeff.quartermaine@perseusmining.com; Media Relations: Nathan Ryan at telephone +61 4 20 582 887 or email nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au (Melbourne) Competent Person Statement: All production targets for Edikan and Sissingue referred to in this report are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code. The information in this report in relation to Edikan Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on February 21, 2017 and was updated for depletion in the Financial Statements released on August 30, 2017. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affect the information in that market release and that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Central Ashanti Gold Project, Ghana dated May 30, 2011 continue to apply. The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources for Sissingue was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on December 15, 2016. The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources for Fimbiasso was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on February 20, 2017. The information in this report that relates to Ore Reserves for Sissingue and Fimbiasso was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement released on March 31, 2017. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Sissingue Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated May 29, 2015 continue to apply. The information in this report in relation to Yaoure Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates was first reported by the Company in compliance with the JORC Code 2012 and NI43-101 in a market announcement on November 3, 2017. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Yaoure Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated December 18, 2017 continue to apply. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information: This report contains forward-looking information which is based on the assumptions, estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, development of a mine at Yaoure, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information 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 anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Companys ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Coleridges great-great-great-grandson, Richard Coleridge, a Newham police officer said: you could see it as appropriate, but it is not in a very fitting state for him, and the family would support the plans to improve it. His lead coffin is visible though a ventilation brick in the cellar wall, where he lies with his wife Sara, his daughter, also called Sara, his son-in-law, and his grandson. The only way of seeing his coffin is by going down into the cellar and climbing over debris and rubble.From a safety point of view it would be quite impossible to bring members of the public down here, said the vicar of St Michaels church, Kunle Ayodeji. But we hope that the whole crypt can be cleared as a space for meetings and other uses, which would also allow access to Coleridges cellar. The church aims to hold a fundraising event in June for the restoration project where there will be recitals and lectures, and several members of Coleridges family are expected to attend. Coleridge, the Romanticist poet of Kubla Khan and co-author of Lyrical Ballads with William Wordsworth, suffered poor physical and mental health towards the end of his life. He became addicted to alcohol and opium, seeking refuge with a doctor who lived opposite the church. Coleridge died in July 1834, aged 61, and was originally buried at the chapel of Highgate school. He was later moved to St Michaels when an international fundraising event raised enough money to transfer him due to his vault becoming derelict. Poor Coleridge was moved from a tip to a tip, said Drew Clode, a member of the St Michaels stewardship committee. They put the coffins in a convenient space which was dry and secure, and quite suitable, bricked them up and forgot about them, and never did anything about the rest of the space. Coleridges coffin is situated almost directly below the memorial plaque in the nave which is inscribed with an epitaph he wrote himself. Given Estonias unique position in Europe (and the world), it makes sense that Tallinn Music Week would reflect this uniqueness and be a festival unlike any other. As a young independent nation, having broken the austerity of Soviet rule and drawing progressive ideals from their Scandinavian neighbours they pride themselves on innovation and doing things differently. Opening the tenth edition of TMW Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid beamed with pride, speaking of the nations fresh thinking on the challenges of our world and a shared humanity, evoking Martin Luther King. This was my first time in Estonia and at Tallinn Music Week, and she has much to be proud of. While the majority of festivals sit with their feet firmly in the past TMW has actively developed itself based on inclusion, diversity and forward-thinking ideas. The key presence of the Keychange PRS Foundation, the campaign to create a 50:50 gender balance at festivals by 2020, throughout the festival is testament to this fact. TMW has already achieved this gender split in both the organisers and across their line-up, which undoubtedly created a different voice and atmosphere through out the festivals multiple venues. In the repurposed power station confines of Kultuurikatel, which held the day-time conference, the Future Proofing The Music Industry panel, moderated by PRS CEO Vanessa Reed, laid bare the issues and the industry wide change of culture needs to balance gender in music. TMW is already there, and the rest of the industry needs to catch up. Given this theme, our own musical experiences largely took in progressive female talent and artists subverting the pop form from within, largely at the basement, artists haunt Kuku Kubi, for the Cryptoculture events, over two nights. Suzi Wu In the dark underground bar, the casual and wonky punk edged pop of Londoner Suzi Wu was a great start. Her free reign over vocal styles and commanding stage presence make her a talent to watch. As expected the biggest surprises came from artists from outside of our usual British scope of reference. Russias Kate NVs esoteric avant-pop showed an artist with a split personality. Flitting between 80s pop influences and organic, experimental electronica NV had both mainstream and underground appeal equally. Flitting between a two-synth set-up, adorned with pedals and gadgetry she became immersed in the creation of her bubbling electronic sounds, while delivering stunning vocals and improvisation. Russian dark-wave duo, Tema Kresta, dealt in sonic minimalism, and a meta attack on digital communication. Completely detached from the performance and the audience, the duo switched vocal and visual duties, delivering austere vocals and a cut and paste visual approach that featured internet searches, strange videos and live translation of their lyrics via Google translate. They delivered a thoroughly modern take on electro-pop. Tema Kresta Messing with the concept of gender and identity, Florian Wahl delivered one of the festivals talking points with a middle-finger to conservatism. His electroclash sound is nothing new but a display that included him strutting the stage in a black leotard that displayed his buttocks, exposing his genitals and simulating sex with a cream cake, made his set something of a unique experience. A Euro house version of Michael Jacksons Earth Song with amended lyrics was an unexpected inclusion. Florian Wahl is coming for your moral judgements with a pick axe. Outside of the Cryptomarket gigs, the femme element was no less powerful. In front-woman Allie Sheldan, Little Destroyer have a star in the making. Musically, the Canadian trios synth-driven, alt-pop is not going to change the world but unleash Sheldan in the live arena and something compelling happens. Dressed in Honda motorcycle chaps and a smiley face bra, Shelden burst forth with pure compelling energy and conviction that made her a must-see performer. Writhing around the stage, forcing out her words and clawing at her skin (so much so she draws blood) there is little doubt that this is an artist caught in the moment and not in a contrived act. The Magnettes On the surface, The Magnettes could be just another contemporary pop band, but something interesting is happening with their own brand of fuck pop an empowering, angsty message for the #MeToo generation. Their show destroyed pop convention, as they flaunted both their overt sexuality and individual power. With their stage-chat and song lyrics they represented themes that, in the past, belonged largely to emo and rock music small town alienation, anger, dark thoughts and kicking against authority. Their latest album is simply called Ugly Youth and standout track Sad Girls Club expresses sentiments that are vital for our put-upon youth, including, We just wanna cry cos the worlds so mean, we just wanna die because they killed our dream and Im a downer, not a dancer. Please stop talking, go get cancer. The Magnettes message is one of being OK to be different, owning your unhappiness and doing something about it. In delivering this message Sanna Kalla and Rebecka Digervall owned the stage and converted the crowd with ease. This is conceptually the most interesting pop act to emerge recently. Elizabete Blacus Also, digging her own furrow, was Latvian artist Elizabete Blacus. Performing in the intimate and ornate surroundings of the Russian Theatre of Estonia she delivered a set that sat at the fault lines of pop music, experimental electronic exploration and performance art. The neo-psychedelic dream pop/avant-garde pop, performance connected the organic (with her fruit headdress and veggie synths fruit and veg hooked up to be played as part of her set-up) and the array of electronic equipment which built the beats and stabs of the music. Creating each song live with loops, ethereal vocals and live flute playing, the result was an mesmerising work of art. Icelandic hip hop revolutionary Fever Dream is also rolling the dice for fem-revolution, in her home country and worldwide. Her feminist background, against the back drop of our world, gives a certain anger and aggression to her horror hip hop. Live she has an effortless flow, swaggering around the stage rapping over juggernaut beats. At Tallinn Music Week whether it was bringing a shopping centre to a standstill or performing on stage, Fever Dream own every space and displayed an inspiring conviction. Elsewhere, across the festival the music was no less interesting and inspiring. Estonian star Mart Avi, created a singular pop language, with pop music as high-concept art. Avis live interpretation of pop culture embodies a bedroom Bowie persona and the cut-up, strange visuals of the Avi Network that harks back to when live video art was subversive and strange. The moment he sat at the back of the stage to vape, like no one was watching, summed up his strange, artistic detachment from the room and the audience. Mart Avi exists in his own world even on stage. Russian Aleksei Taruts provided aural audience provocation. In front of a single strobe light he stalked the stage speaking slowly in Russian or forcing out guttural death metal growls over dark techno and digital hardcore beats. Mart Avi Slovenian band Lynch's rock mash-up assault which straddled punk, post-punk, alternative rock, metal and even grunge, ended in an explosion of strobes and an audience member playing guitar was one of the few traditional rock moments of witnessed, and was still away from the norm. And this is what Tallinn Music Week has achieved in its ten years of existence a festival which can be aptly described as away from the norm. Of the blast of new music, ideas and art the above review outlines the standout moments, but TMW was so much more. Some hits, some misses, some ideas that are close to Black Mirror coming to life, it was an overload of the senses. Estonia is a country connecting innovation and progression with the rest of the world, and Tallinn Music Week showcased this perfectly with a line-up that smashed geographical, cultural and political boundaries and was all the more interesting because of that fact. When it comes to delivering unique music, art and ideas Tallinn Music Week is a leading light lets hope the rest of the world catches up soon. 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 TEMECULA, Calif., April 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new online resource for mental health assistance is now available. Helping Disorders has locations in Temecula, Orange County and San Diego. Living with a person who is under bouts of depression and anxiety is quite stressful. A constant watch would be required to guard the loved ones from taking any drastic steps. Dealing with this behavior can be challenging especially when there is no professional care at reach. Often it has been proven that for mental ailments the best source of medicine is to spend time with people who are either recovering through that phase or are trying to draw inspiration from each other. The new website offers the ability to speak with someone about treatment for eating disorders, anxiety, depression and more. Helpingdisorders.com has evolved with the same notion of building relationships by combating the disorders. The support group system where everybody shares their experiences builds immense confidence and empowers the patient to take back the charge over their life. The ailments that are supported at this center are anxiety, bulimia, exercise addiction, depression and anorexia. Each of these broader segments handles various phases of addiction through their detailed approach to each scenario. The FAQs also provide loads of information on the ailments that would bring in more awareness for those who deal with ailing loved ones. Helpingdisorders.com true to its name has empowered many patients take charge of their lives through the constant support they received from this group of experts. The client testimonials on the website are evidence to the success of helpingdisorders.com. A family member can also initiate the conversation with the center to understand how to help their loved one. A quick call to the facility will be the first step to help the loved one get back to normal. Helpingdisorders.com is indeed a friend in need offering support through an ailing phase. Mental disorders are hard to live with often leaving a scar on the persons personal and professional life. Having dealt with similar experiences in life the founder has extended this service to people across CA to benefit from the inpatient and outpatient services and the support group service. To know more on the services offered visit the company website. Author: Kim Stewart Organization: HelpingDisorders.com Address: Temecula Phone: 951-395-0797 The Lincoln Park City Council has been short one member since August when longtime Councilman Mario DiSanto died. Four people have filed for the upcoming May 8 special election to fill his seat. SEE ALSO: Lincoln Park Councilman Mario DiSanto dead at 76 The candidates are Lylian Ross, Carlos Salcido, Sean Stansberry and Rikki Varieur. The Lincoln Park City Charter allows two provisions for filling a vacancy either a special election or offering the spot to someone who ran in the prior election and didnt get in. In the 2016 election, seven people ran for the six seats. Maureen Tobin, who finished fourth in the race, declined to be seated as she was promoted after filing for the election. Since she is a city employee, she had to choose between the council seat and her job. That moved Thomas Parkinson, who finished seventh, into the final seat on the council and left no qualified people to fill any potential vacancies. DiSanto got sick not long after the election and hadnt attended meetings in several months before he died in August. Whoever wins the seat will only hold the position through November when all six council seats are up for election again. Ross, 50, has lived in the city for the last 21 years. Shes married with children and formerly worked as an administrative assistant at Manufacturers Bank. Salcido, 57, has lived in the city for more than 50 years. He is a 1979 graduate of Lincoln Park High School and has worked at Ford Motor Co. for over 30 years. Stansberry, 47, has lived in the city for three years. He is a graduate of Riverview Community High School and works as an automotive and marine mechanic. Varieur is a former employee of the citys Building Department and a longtime resident of the city. She did not provide her age or how long shes lived in the city. The News-Herald asked each candidate the same series of questions. Below are their answers. The News-Herald: What is your agenda? Ross: I realize I have a lot to learn about city business. I plan to do just that. My plan is to be available. Citizens concerns are important to me. Citizens are the roots of our city. They are our volunteers, employees, and neighbors and we need them. They lead to the prosperity of Lincoln Park. I plan to work my hardest to see us continue to move forward and find solutions. Salcido: My agenda if elected is to be a voice for the citizens and listen to their concerns and address them accordingly. And promote Lincoln Park as a good place to live and locate a business. Stansberry: The first thing on my agenda are the failing city roads. For far too long Lincoln Parks roads have been neglected and forgotten. Its time we patch all the potholes we can until the city comes up with a plan. It will take years to rebuild and a great amount of revenue to replace. My main focus is to get the holes filled to limit damage to our vehicles and city vehicles. I want to rally the people of Lincoln Park to help keep our city and parks clean for citizens and newcomers to enjoy thereby attracting new businesses and families. Varieur: There are a few things this term that I would like to try and tackle. I have spoke with many residents and all seem to focus on the same things recycling program, roads and ordinances. I know we had a recycling program many years ago and would love to try and find a way to bring one back. We also need to find a way to patch/fix these roads. Too many times we hear, we just cant do it right now! We need to find a way. N-H: Local taxes often come up at election time, often inaccurately. Property taxes fell drastically during the recession, and are only increasing marginally because of restrictive laws in Michigan. Therefore, government-based revenue is down drastically. How will you address that as a member of the council? Ross: Making smart fiscal decisions is vital. We have to put every penny to the best possible use. Salcido: As a council we need to attract more retail and family friendly restaurants. With space available at the Sears mall and also the Fort and Emmons plaza, those businesses would help generate more tax revenue for Lincoln Park. Stansberry: As a member of council I will work with our city manager and elected officials to promote pro-growth ideas and other ways to generate revenue. While Headlee and Proposal A have prevented property tax revenue from catching up, the only recourse we have is to amend the Michigan Constitution. However I feel you cant tax your way into prosperity nor does the average taxpayer agree with that concept. I believe our city manager has streamlined everyday operations to maximize services and save the city money. Taxes are important but should never be the solution. Varieur: This in my opinion comes back down to enforcement of properties. We have so many vacant, boarded up, dilapidated buildings in Lincoln Park. We will never be able to bring new homeowners and new business owners into the city if it looks run down. We need to get these building back on the tax roll. N-H: What issue is most important to tackle in the remaining term? Ross: You cannot argue that some of our roads are so far gone. We need to fix our roads. We really have residents who keep their homes looking good all the time. As you drive down the streets you see beautiful home after beautiful home but then you hit a pothole or two or you are swerving around them. Upkeep is vital. The eyes are the first senses engaged when driving though town. Salcido: Talking to residents over the last three months, the biggest concern has been the poor condition of our city streets. Although some have been getting fixed over the last two to three years, as a council we need to come up with a way to get more funding and speed up the process of repairing the streets. Also I would like to see more activities at our parks, like the possibility of a dog park or two. Stansberry: In my opinion they are all important but prioritization should be the main focus. Making Lincoln Park attractive to new businesses that generate revenue is foremost to the city. Police and fire pensions are a difficult issue to try to make right but an important problem to our previous employees. An upcoming issue is hiring more police and fire to bring services more manageable to our overburdened civil servants. Lincoln Park is fortunate to have some of the finest first-responders in Michigan. Lastly keeping dedicated city officials overseeing our town is key to continuing to move us forward. Varieur: The most important item in my agenda is the property ordinances. There are many that need to be revamped and looked at. The rental, resale and vacant ordinance are huge to me. We have so many rental homes in the city and more than half are not in compliance. Home are being sold without inspections. We also need to hold homeowners accountable and follow the (International Property Maintenance Code) for the condition of their homes. Not just rentals, everyone! N-H: The city has recently come out of emergency management. What will you do to ensure it doesnt go back down that path? Ross: The stock market crash, housing market crash and high unemployment were forces beyond ones control. If elected, this would be my first time in office. I am learning as I go. I certainly dont have all the answers. What I do have is a determination to keep Lincoln Park moving forward. What I can do is ask questions and make the best informed decisions possible for today and with tomorrow in mind. Salcido: I will work with the mayor and council and make decisions that are in the best interest of the city and the residents of Lincoln Park. Stansberry: I feel being fiscally conservative is the way to avoid being under emergency management. For years, money mismanagement, inefficiency and frivolous lawsuits have at times damaged our ability to maintain our basic services. I believe having our City Manager Matt Coppler gives Lincoln Park our best chance at staying clear of emergency management. Look for city owned properties to sell for revenue that would go to this purpose. Replacing old lights and fixtures with LED lighting in all city buildings will save money. Varieur: I think in the last year, Matt (Coppler) and the council have done an excellent job at keeping things on track. We need to be sure there are no more frivolous spending, funds staying in correct accounts and spent the correct way. Maybe have more frequent audits of the accounts to be sure the projected and actual balances are on track. N-H: Tell readers why you are best qualified to be on the council for the rest of the term. Ross: I am a wife, mother and a common sense person. I care about being honest and fair and kind. I care about Lincoln Park. If the citizens of Lincoln Park will allow me, I will work with them and for them. Salcido: In regards on why Im the best qualified to be on the council is while living in Lincoln Park for over 50 years, I have witnessed both good times and not so good times. So with my age and experience and working well with people, I want the city of Lincoln Park to succeed and do well. Thats my goal and thats why Im the best qualified. Stansberry: I will work with city council and the mayor to find ways to keep the general fund positive and always growing. I will personally do everything I can that would be in the citys best interest. Selling our city to anyone that wants to invest and stay in the community is something I will work at. I feel I will bring a strong conservative voice and ideas that would benefit Lincoln Park and my fellow citizens. I am willing to roll up my sleeves and do whatever is needed. I feel Im best qualified because Ill be working for you. Varieur: As a previous employee of the Building Department, I feel I have a lot of knowledge that could help on the enforcement side of things. I worked very hard to get the rental program going. In my three years there, we more than doubled the registered rental and tripled the compliance. There are still so many to go though. I also helped implement the vacant property ordinance. I may not have a ton of political background, but I am here to try and be the voice of those in Lincoln Park that need one. SAN DIEGO, April 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HeroinDetoxClinics.com outlines new plan to combat heroin addiciton and the opioid epidemic. Marylands Medicaid Health Insurance has switched its drug of choice from Suboxone to Zubsolv to help ease opioid withdrawals in inmates. Suboxone is a dissolvable film strip and Zubsolv is a pill that dissolves under the tongue. Both of these drugs are used for the treatment of opioid dependence and should be used in conjunction with a full treatment planned by a licensed professional. Both drugs contain both buprenorphine and a drug called naloxone that reverses the effects of an overdose, although Suboxone has a higher amount of buprenorphine. Naloxone is used by emergency responders to revive people who overdose. So why the switch? State officials say the change was made to stop the illicit flow of the drug into jails and prisons. The Suboxone strips, similar to Listerine dissolvable strips, was seized in 2300 cases illegally going into jails to be sold to inmates. It is very easy to hide and smuggle in through all kinds of creative ways. Once jailer saw inmates eating pages out of a Bible. The following investigation found that Suboxone strips were being melted into the page, brought or mailed into the jail, pages were marked and then consumed. So Medicaid took Suboxone off the covered drug list and switched to Zubsolv to combat the smuggling. This, however, has not been met with positive responses by the rest of the Medicaid patients who are struggling recovering addicts. Suboxone has been immensely helpful to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay so those in recovery can reclaim a normal, healthy life. They are not having the same results with Zubsolv. Many are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, trouble sleeping, feeling sick and making life very difficult and relapse a very real possibility. Doctors are reporting the same findings with their patients. Many who have been very successful on Suboxone are struggling with the lack of help they get when taking Zubsolv. People are asking for help from Medicaid to make Suboxone a covered medication outside the jail and prison system. Why punish everyone if the problem is in a very small and specific situation? Author: Kevin Leonard Organization: Heroin Detox Clinics Address: 402 West Broadway, #400, San Diego, CA 92101 Phone: 888-325-2454 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/0ec8831f-8a18-4057-bfed-6ff72d4b8b6c You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Staffing shortage, COVID-19 costs causing crisis in long-term care Finding a nursing home or assisted-living center is getting harder due to a shortage of facility workers and financial losses suffered amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Taiho Pharmaceutical and Helsinn Group present preclinical data at AACR Annual Meeting for a RET inhibitor under co-development as an attractive compound for anticancer therapy Lugano, Switzerland, and Tokyo, Japan, April 16, 2018 - Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a Japanese R&D-driven specialty pharma focused on oncology and Helsinn, a Swiss pharmaceutical group focused on building quality cancer care products, today announce that they are collaborating on the development of an investigational highly-selective RET inhibitor TAS0286/HM05, being evaluated in non-small cell lung cancer and other carcinomas. Preliminary data regarding TAS0286/HM05 is being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) meeting in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Abstracts of the presentations are available at: http://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/4562/presentation/6785 In in-vitro preclinical studies, TAS0286/HM05 inhibited the proliferation of various RET fusions and RET-activating mutations positive cells as well as in in-vivo preclinical studies, TAS0286/HM05 was shown to significantly inhibit the growth of tumors harboring various RET fusions and activating mutations at a range of 20 to 100 mg/kg/day without any body weight loss. The antitumor efficacy of TAS0286/HM05 was more potent than pre-existing multikinase inhibitors at their maximum tolerated dose. Primary data in mice studies has shown an effect in tumor growth, providing an induced tumor regression of 40% within 15 days. This study is being presented as a poster on Tuesday, April 17 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM CST in Poster Section 36, Poster Board Number 13 (Abstract No. 4784). "Preliminary data for TAS0286/HM05 suggests it may be a potential agent for future clinical development in patients with RET gene abnormalities," Sergio Cantoreggi, Helsinn Group Chief Scientific Officer commented. "Helsinn and Taiho Pharmaceutical have collaborated over many years on a number of programs and we are delighted to be able to present this promising preclinical data, and we look forward to further collaboration." "Over the years, Taiho Pharmaceutical has collaborated with Helsinn as an excellent partner in the development and marketing of new drugs. I am excited about the new collaboration with Helsinn on the selective RET inhibitor that was discovered by the Taiho Tsukuba Research Center. I look forward to the success of the program and the strengthening of our partnership." Teruhiro Utsugi, Taiho Managing Director commented. TAS0286/HM05 was discovered by Taiho Pharmaceutical and it will now be jointly developed by Helsinn and Taiho Pharmaceutical. TAS0286/HM05 is an investigational agent and is not approved for commercial use in any country. About the Helsinn Group Helsinn is a privately owned pharmaceutical group with an extensive portfolio of marketed cancer care products and a robust drug development pipeline. Since 1976, Helsinn has been improving the everyday lives of patients, guided by core family values of respect, integrity and quality. The Group works across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices and nutritional supplements and has expertise in research, development, manufacture and the commercialization of therapeutic and supportive care products for cancer, pain and inflammation and gastroenterology. In 2016, Helsinn created the Helsinn Investment Fund to support early-stage investment opportunities in areas of unmet patient need. The company is headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, with operating subsidiaries in Switzerland, Ireland, the U.S., Monaco and China, as well as a product presence in approximately 190 countries globally. For more information, please visit www.helsinn.com About Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japan) Taiho Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. (https://www.otsuka.com/en/), is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the three fields of oncology, allergy and immunology, and urology. Its corporate philosophy takes the form of a pledge: "We strive to improve human health and contribute to a society enriched by smiles." In the field of oncology in particular, Taiho Pharmaceutical is known as a leading company in Japan for developing innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, a reputation that is rapidly expanding through their extensive global R&D efforts. In areas other than oncology as well, the company creates and markets quality products that effectively treat medical conditions and can help improve people's quality of life. Always putting customers first, Taiho Pharmaceutical also aims to offer consumer healthcare products that support people's efforts to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. For more information about Taiho Pharmaceutical, please visit https://www.taiho.co.jp/en/. For more information please contact: Helsinn Group Paola Bonvicini Group Head of Communication Lugano, Switzerland Tel: +41 (0) 91 985 21 21 Info-hhc@helsinn.com For more information, please visit www.helsinn.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Vimeo. Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Emiko Nonami Public Relations Tokyo, Japan Tel: +81-3-3293-2878 th-koho@taiho.co.jp : ... NBPE Publishes Investor Presentation for Investor Update Call 16 April 2018 NB Private Equity Partners Limited ("NBPE" or the "Company") today published a new presentation for the previously announced investor update conference call scheduled for Monday 16 April 2018. The conference call will take place at 13.30 BST / 14.30 CEST / 8.30 EDT and can be accessed by dialing +1-866-453-9043 (U.S.) or +1-706-643-0379 (International) with the access code 9182407. Please ask for "the NBPE investor call." A playback facility will be available two hours after the conference call concludes. This facility can be accessed for the following two weeks by dialing +1-855-859-2056 (U.S.) or +1-404-537-3406 (International). The code to access the playback facility is 9182407. A recording of the investor call will also be available on NBPE's website within several days after the call. An updated investor presentation is attached and also available on NBPE's website at http://www.nbprivateequitypartners.com/. For further information, please contact: NBPE Investor Relations +1 214 647 9593 Neustria Partners +44 (0)20 3021 2583 Nick Henderson Nick.Henderson@neustriapartners.com Robert Bailhache Robert.Bailhache@neustriapartners.com Charles Gorman Charles.Gorman@neustriapartners.com ABOUT NB PRIVATE EQUITY PARTNERS LIMITED NBPE is a closed-end private equity investment company with class A ordinary shares admitted to trading on the Premium Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and Euronext Amsterdam. NBPE has 2022 ZDP Shares admitted to trading on the Specialist Fund Segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange. NBPE holds a diversified portfolio of direct equity investments, direct income investments and fund investments selected by the NB Alternatives group of Neuberger Berman, diversified across private equity asset class, geography, industry, vintage year, and sponsor. ABOUT NEUBERGER BERMAN Neuberger Berman, founded in 1939, is a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager. The firm manages a range of strategies-including equity, fixed income, quantitative and multi-asset class, private equity and hedge funds-on behalf of institutions, advisors and individual investors globally. With offices in 20 countries, Neuberger Berman's team is approximately 1,900 professionals. For five consecutive years, the company has been named to Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management survey (among those with 1,000 employees or more). Tenured, stable and long-term in focus, the firm fosters an investment culture of fundamental research and independent thinking. It manages $295 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2017. For more information, please visit our website at www.nb.com. This press release appears as a matter of record only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any security. NBPE is established as a closed-end investment company domiciled in Guernsey. NBPE has received the necessary consent of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and the States of Guernsey Policy Council. NBPE is registered with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets as a collective investment scheme which may offer participations in The Netherlands pursuant to article 2:66 of the Financial Markets Supervision Act (Wet op het financial toezicht). All investments are subject to risk. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. The value of investments may fluctuate. Results achieved in the past are no guarantee of future results. This document is not intended to constitute legal, tax or accounting advice or investment recommendations. Prospective investors are advised to seek expert legal, financial, tax and other professional advice before making any investment decision. Statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are based on current expectations, estimates, projections, opinions and beliefs of NBPE's investment manager. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Additionally, this document contains "forward-looking statements." Actual events or results or the actual performance of NBPE may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such targets or forward-looking statements. 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. FT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE--PotNetwork Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink:POTN) On Monday April 16, 2018 PotNetwork Holdings, Inc. announced its wholly owned subsidiary Blockchain Crypto Technology Corporation has recently acquired a purpose built, climate controlled cryptocurrency mining facility. This facility will allow the company to diversify its investments by capitalizing on the lucrative Bitcoin mining industry. With 115 dedicated cryptocurrency mining rigs, the companys Ucrypto mining pool will allow it to handle the future transactions of its proprietary altcoin digital currency. Chris Burniske, an established cryptocurrency market analyst, founding partner at Placeholder VC and former lead at ARK Invest, recently projected the global Bitcoin mining industry to be worth $4 billion. To learn more about Bitcoin mining, check out this short explainer video. For a more detailed understanding of the global digital currency industry, check out the 2017 Global Cryptocurrency Benchmarking Study by the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School. Check out PotNetwork Holdings, Inc.s energy consumption optimized cryptocurrency mining rigs. Visit Blockchain Crypto Technology Corporation to learn about their cryptocurrency mining operation. About Diamond CBD Inc. : Diamond CBD focuses on the research, development, and multinational marketing of premium hemp extracts that contain a broad range of cannabinoids and natural hemp derivatives. Diamond CBDs team consists of hemp industry pioneers and natural product experts, chemists, doctors and scientists, dedicated to producing the finest and purest cannabidiol (CBD) oils. The result is a robust selection considered among the most powerful natural CBD oils, tinctures, edibles, and vape liquids found anywhere. For more information, please visit its website at www.DiamondCBD.com. About PotNetwork Holdings, Inc: PotNetwork Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink:POTN) is a publicly traded company that acts as a holding company for its subsidiaries, First Capital Venture Co., the owner of Diamond CBD, Inc., the maker of Diamond CBD oils. Safe Harbor Act: Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: PotNetwork Holdings, Inc. Investor Relations: Marisol Elwell, 1-800-915-3060 investor@PotNetworkHolding.com Recover your password. A password will be e-mailed to you. Saudi Arabia used its perch as host of an annual gathering of Arab leaders on Sunday to push for a unified stance against rival Iran as the regional powerhouses vie for the upper hand in wars in Syria and Yemen. Saudi King Salman told leaders from across the 22-member Arab League that Iran was to blame for instability and meddling in the region. He said Yemeni rebel Houthis, backed by Iran, had fired 116 missiles at the kingdom since Saudi Arabia went to war in Yemen three years ago to try and roll back Houthi gains there. The summit took place in the oil-rich eastern Saudi city of Dhahran, a location that may have been selected by the kingdom to avoid cross-border Houthi missile strikes that have targeted the capital, Riyadh, and southern border cities. While locked in proxy conflicts in Yemen and Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran also back opposing groups in Lebanon, Bahrain and Iraq. The summit this year takes place after the U.S., Britain and France launched dozens of strikes early Saturday at sites they said were linked to Syrian chemical weapons program. President Bashar Assad and his close ally, Russia, have denied government forces ever used such weapons. Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said Assads government and international players trying to achieve their own strategic political goals bear responsibility for the crisis there. Regional interference in Arab affairs has reached an unprecedented degree. And first of these is the Iranian interference, the aim of which is not for the well-being of the Arabs or their interests, he said. The Saudi monarch made no reference to Syria in his remarks before Arab leaders amid divisions within the region-wide body over support for the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria. The kingdom, as well as Bahrain and Qatar, have issued statements backing Saturdays strikes on military targets in Syria. More wary of the widening conflict are countries like Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon. A final statement by the 22-member states refrained from supporting or criticizing those strikes. The league said it condemns the use of chemical weapons, but did not lay direct blame on any one party. Assad was not invited to the summit, though most heads of state from across the Middle East and North Africa attended the Arab League meeting, including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes in Darfur. At the start of the summit, Aboul-Gheit lamented a lack of consensus among Arab states on regional security. The crises burning in some corners of the Arab world today cast a shadow over the safety and security over the entire region, Aboul-Gheit said. These take a toll on the national security of all of us. Instead, Arab heads of state stressed unity and unwavering support for Palestinians. King Salman reiterated Saudi Arabias rejection of the U.S. decision to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Despite the monarchs stern words of condemnation, Saudi Arabia has strengthened ties with Washington under the Trump administration. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir defended those ties, saying there is no contradiction with having very strong strategic ties with the U.S. while advising against certain policies. The fact that we have very strong ties with the U.S. over history, and the Trump administration in particular, is a positive factor, not a negative factor in trying to help guide them towards a positive engagement in the Middle East, al-Jubeir told reporters after the summit. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, announced at the summit a $150 million donation to the religious administration that oversees Jerusalems Al-Aqsa mosque one of Islams holiest sites. The kingdom announced another $50 million for programs run by the U.N. relief agency for Palestinians after the U.S. slashed its aid. The strongest criticism of the Trump administration came from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The decisions have made the United States a party to the conflict and not a neutral mediator, Abbas said at the summit. Saudi tensions with neighboring Qatar were on display at the summit. Qatars emir was not in attendance, instead dispatching his countrys Arab League representative to the meeting. While the Qatari flag was erected alongside other member-state flags on the streets of Dhahran, the countrys representative did not appear in a group photo of the top delegates in attendance. Tensions erupted nearly a year ago when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed ties with Qatar and imposed a de facto blockade on the small Gulf state. The four accuse Qatar of sponsoring terrorism because of its support for Islamist opposition groups in the region and its warm relations with Iran. Qatar denies the allegations and says the moves attempt to undermine its sovereignty. The standoff with Qatar, however, did not feature in summit deliberations. (AP) Their request to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to permit them to visit Har Habayis together with members of bereaved families on Sunday, 30 Nissan was rejected. They wished to accompany the group in a showing of solidarity with the families. Not left with options, MKs Yehuda Glick and Shuli Muallem accompanied the bereaved family members to the entrance of Har Habayis nonetheless. They addressed the group, which continued onto the holy site without them. The families, who lost some of their loved ones, decided it was appropriate to visit Har Habayis ahead of Memorial Day, with the latter observed this week, on Wednesday. YWN NOTES: Gedolei Yisrael over the generations and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel prohibit visiting Har Habayis, which they explain carries the punishment of karess. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The annual Jewish Agency Memorial Day ceremony memorializing fallen Israeli servicemen and women and victims of terror will take place this Wednesday, 3 Iyar, at 9:00AM in the plaza of the Jewish Agency headquarters building in Jerusalem (48 King George Street). This years ceremony will center on the Last of Kin, 144 Holocaust survivors who lost their entire families in Europe, immigrated to British Mandate Palestine before the War of Independence, joined the nascent Israel Defense Forces, and were killed defending the new state. Author Moshe Oren will share the story of these immigrants contribution to the State of Israel. The ceremony is being hosted by The Jewish Agency for Israel in partnership with the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), Keren Hayesod-UIA, The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), and Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA (JFC-UIA). The ceremony will be attended by Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky, Deputy Chairman of the Executive David Breakstone, Chairman of the World Zionist Organization Avraham Duvdevani, Chairman of the KKL-JNF Board of Directors Danny Atar, JFNA Senior Vice President for Global Operations and Director General of the JFNA Israel Office Rebecca Caspi, Director General of the JFC-UIA Israel Office Yossi Tanuri, and CEO and Director General of The Jewish Agency for Israel Alan Hoffmann. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) OTTAWA, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) will host a community town hall in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 17 as it winds up its national pharmacare tour. That same day, the Standing Committee on Health will release its recommendations on the creation of a national prescription drug plan. If the Committees report is reflective of the nearly 100 expert witnesses they heard from, then it can be expected to confirm the need and economic benefit of a national pharmacare plan that is universal, comprehensive, and publicly-administered, said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. The CLC launched a cross-country tour last fall to promote the expansion of Canadas medicare system to provide universal prescription drug coverage. The 23-stop tour attracted more than 2,000 people across the country and engaged nearly 50,000 others who signed petitions and sent emails to Members of Parliament. What: Canadian Labour Congress Pharmacare Ottawa Town Hall When: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., April 17, 2018 Where: Delta Ottawa City Centre - Ballroom B & C, 101 Lyon St N Ottawa, ON Who: Hassan Yussuff, CLC President Dr. Danielle Martin, Vice President Medical Affairs and Health System Solutions, Women's College Hospital Dr. Danyaal Raza, Chair, Canadian Doctors for Medicare Today, 3.5 million Canadians cant afford their prescriptions, and access to coverage often depends on where you live and how much you earn. Nobody should have to choose between paying for groceries and paying for the medication they need, said Yussuff. The Standing Committee on Health report, titled Pharmacare Now: Prescription Medicine Coverage for all Canadians, is expected to lay the groundwork for the recently announced Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare. To learn more about the CLCs pharmacare campaign, visit: aplanforeveryone.ca. Journalists wishing to attend the event or to arrange an interview with an expert, please contact: Chantal St-Denis CLC Communications 613-355-1962 Email: cstdenis@clc-ctc.ca Unilever is facing a shareholder revolt over plans to move its HQ to the Netherlands that could see it delisted from the FTSE 100. A growing number of investors in the dual listed Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant, whose products include Marmite and Dove soap, are understood to have voiced their opposition to the board. It raises questions as to whether the firm will be able to secure the 75 per cent of votes needed to pass the proposal. Unilevers decision last month to choose Rotterdam over London for its headquarters came as a blow to the UK Government as it tries to uphold Britains status as a post-Brexit centre for business. Rotterdam calling: The giant company owns brands such as Coleman's mustard and PG Tips However, Unilevers chief executive Paul Polman has insisted the move has nothing to do with Brexit but is because 55 per cent of its shareholders are based in the Netherlands and more of its shares are traded there. Although Unilever, which also owns Colmans mustard and PG Tips, plans to keep its offices and main listing in London, it could lose its place in the blue chip FTSE 100 index. Iain Richards from Columbia Threadneedle Investments, a top-ten shareholder in Unilever, said recently: They need to do more to convince UK shareholders of the merits of the move. The firm has been jointly based in Rotterdam and London since its creation in 1929 following the merger of Britains Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie of the Netherlands. But a 115billion hostile takeover approach from US rival Kraft Heinz last year which the board rejected raised concerns that its London base left it open to predators. Dutch laws offer more protection against hostile takeovers than the UKs. A spokesman for Unilever said: There is a small group of shareholders whose holding may be directly affected by our proposal, and we will continue to engage with them. Unilever employs around 7,300 people in the UK at factories and research and development centres. The company has maintained that its operations in this country will not be affected by any HQ move. The restructure would see Unilevers beauty and personal care and its home divisions, which make up around 60 per cent of its revenues, managed in the UK. BUY THIS: XP POWER Analysts at broker Peel Hunt have given XP Power a buy rating. Last week the power supply firm reported a 9 per cent rise in orders and 18 per cent increase in revenue for the three months ending March 31. Peel Hunt said: The year has begun strongly, with revenue growth well ahead of expectation against tough competition. We are already upgrading profits for the full year by 5 per cent. Slow down: The UK recruitment market is subdued compared to European markets SELL THIS: HAYS Deutsche Bank suggests that investors should ditch shares in recruitment firm Hays. Hays warned of a subdued UK market last week, despite reporting an increase in net fees growth. Analysts said: Hays is probably pushing lower-cost models more aggressively than peers to take market share. While in the short term this may be good for the company, we suspect this will help speed up lower industry returns. MBABANE It seems government has sneezed and landlords have caught the cold. Government has enforced what some regard as a freeze on rental rates on houses it leases from private owners for civil servants. This has prompted some to call on government to either table improved offers or find alternative houses for civil servants. The freeze was done through the Ministry of Public Service which is responsible for the housing of civil servants among other things. A landlord, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said government declined applications from landlords to increase rent for the past two years. The source said they signed contracts with government with the hope that the decision would be reviewed but that has not been the case. The source said this during an interview yesterday. Owners Government leases houses from private owners which are then occupied by civil servants. The landlords have the responsibility of ensuring that houses are maintained and remain descent. However, the source stated that this came at a cost for them as they had to maintain the houses regularly. He said at times they foot maintenance bills of at least E6 000 while receiving monthly payments lower than that from government. The source lamented that this then translated to them not making profit; something which is the primary objective of every business. He stated that most of the faults in the houses were due to negligence on the part of the tenants. He said they were forced to continue running at a loss for the sake of keeping their houses in good condition. He added that other landlords were contemplating stopping maintaining the houses while others wanted to withdraw their services. He explained that they could be making more money renting out their houses through estate agents or to interested individuals at commercial rates determined by them (landlords). Commercial Government pays rent to landlords at varying commercial rates depending on house sizes among other things. Senators have in the past raised concern that the ministry charged civil servants rental fees as low as E600 for two bedroom houses while it paid landlords at commercial rates. Senators were concerned that government would be milked dry by this approach and asked the ministry to do something about it. English French NEWMARKET, Ontario, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial: Phase I is being launched in Ontario as part of a national coordinated effort to advance zero emissions transit technology, spearheaded by the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) with its partners in Brampton and the Regional Municipality of York. With this visionary funding investment, we are launching the Pan-Canadian Electric Bus Demonstration & Integration Trial: Phase I which has a national project value of $40 Million and encompasses 18 standardized and interoperable electric buses, seven standardized and interoperable overhead chargers, and on five routes in three cities, says CUTRIC Executive Director & CEO Josipa Petrunic. Todays funding announcement by the Province of Ontario is building the future of low-carbon smart mobility in this country. CUTRIC has brought together manufacturers, transit agencies, utilities, funding partners, research teams, and technology development capacities to ensure a world-leading demonstration trial with TransLink in Vancouver, B.C., and now with Brampton Transit and the Regional Municipality of York, with Brampton Transit having been the first to initiate and champion the national trial planning process back in 2016. The project integrates competitive bus manufacturers with competitive charging station manufacturers all of whom are designing and delivering interoperable high-powered charging systems for on-route charged electric buses across multiple municipalities and utility jurisdictions. This project is unique in many ways. It is the first global standardization trial that integrates more than one bus manufacturer and more than one charging system manufacturer, says Petrunic. This type of collaboration, standardization and integration is proving to the country, and to the world, that transit agencies can be at the forefront of technology development and job creation. And its happening in Canada first. Brampton Transit, York Region Transit and TransLink are working with two Canadian transit vehicle manufacturers (New Flyer Industries of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Nova Bus, of St. Eustache, Quebec) and two charging station manufacturers (ABB Group and Siemens Canada) to deploy four electric buses and two overhead electric charging stations that plug into an open protocol known as the OppCharge protocol (https://www.oppcharge.org/ ) first jointly developed by Siemens and Volvo Bus Corporation. The protocol standardizes the design of the off-board pantograph that connects the high-powered charging station to the bus, communications between the bus and the charger, and performance metrics of the overall system. This project is also unique in that it is the first electric bus collaboration in which a utility in this case Newmarket-Tay Power Distribution Limited is purchasing an on-route charging station on behalf of its local transit agency, adds Petrunic. The launch of a new business model that puts a utility at the forefront of electric transit operation and service delivery will highlight Canada as a global leader in electric vehicle innovation. The project will continue to attract electric vehicle manufacturing in Canada among heavy-duty platform designers and manufacturers helping to grow jobs in the low-carbon economy nationally. To get this project going we had to sell a vision to a lot of sceptics. The vision is one in which publicly shared mobility services, like transit, can be faster, cheaper and greener than automobiles in all jurisdictions of the country in the future, continues Petrunic. Brampton, York Region and TransLink bought into that vision with us, and todays announcement is the first step in a multi-year effort to make it a reality. This is good news for Canadian job growth in the manufacturing and tech sectors which must demonstrate that their e-buses and e-chargers work seamlessly with one another wherever they are used, states Petrunic. Growth in skilled trades will be aligned to electric bus manufacturing by Nova Bus and New Flyer, charging system innovation by ABB Group and Siemens, and electric mobility maintenance support in Canada. The trial will also integrate neutral third-party vehicle and systems analyses by the National Research Council of Canada. Our job is to change the world, and to do it by radically transforming the transportation and mobility landscape in this country, Petrunic says. CUTRIC is proud to have led this Canadian first. We are showing the world Canada is a leader in driving down emissions, improving transportation, and creating greener, cleaner and more liveable communities. CUTRIC is a member-based innovation consortium that partners stakeholders in industry, transit and academia to develop the next-generation of low-carbon smart mobility technologies. Its mandate is to drive forward innovation in transportation across Canada, create jobs by doing so, and lead to significant GHG reductions. For further information, please see the BACKGROUND document. www.cutric-crituc.org Twitter: @cutric_crituc MBABANE When you are a police officer you are supposed to be fearless and this proved true when a police officer ended his own life by throwing himself in front of a moving truck. Charles Shongwe was being investigated by his colleagues and he apparently decided to avoid being sent to jail by ending his life on Friday night. Shongwe, as he was popularly known in Mbabane, was based at the Mbabane Police Station, underthe Lukhozi Department for some years before he was moved to the shifts department where he would be in uniform. When he met his death, he had been moved again to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in Mbabane. Shongwe is said to have gone to his parental home in Siteki when he received the information that he was being investigated. On Friday evening, he allegedly took his vehicle and parked it near KaMartins Bus Stop and remained in it for a while. He is alleged to have then alighted from the vehicle and when the truck came he threw himself into the road. When the truck driver applied brakes, it was already too late. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Khulani Mamba confirmed the death of the police officer. Mamba stated that they were still investigating the allegations that Shongwe had committed suicide. It is true that Shongwe was being investigated. He had not been charged yet when he met his death. His wife is also a police officer and she was based in Mbabane too. His move from Lukhozi was the normal shuffle we have as a police service, Mamba said. Information gathered was that Shongwe and another police officer allegedly confiscated 15 dagga bags at Maphalaleni. The two officers allegedly did not take the dagga bags back to the police station and after some time, they went back to Maphalaleni where they took another bag of dagga. They allegedly took the one bag to the police station and handed it in as an exhibit and it is alleged that the two police officers reported that the suspects had fled the scene. According to a reliable source, the owner of the dagga then went to the police station and asked about his consignment. This then started the investigations as the dagga owner mentioned the names of the police officers who had taken the dagga. What was gathered is that the other police officer had told the truth when he was called by his superiors on what had happened at Maphalaleni. After allegedly admitting to what had happened on the day, it is speculated that the police officer was promised that he would be turned into a State witness, when the other police officer (Shongwe) had been formally charged and when the matter was taken to court. The deceaseds family, when contacted yesterday, stated that they were still shocked by the incident and could not say anything. SAN FRANCISCO, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nozomi Networks Inc., the leader in real-time cybersecurity and operational visibility for industrial control systems (ICS), announced today that Cyber Defense Magazine, the premier source of IT Security information and media partner of the RSA Conference 2018, has named Nozomi Networks the most Cutting Edge in Industrial Control Systems/SCADA technology. This award comes on the heels of a momentous year for Nozomi Networks. The company continues to experience strong market demand after it surpassed its 2017 revenue expectations, rapidly gaining new customers across five continents. Over 200 Nozomi Networks installations support more than 200,000 devices in energy, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, mining, utilities and other sectors. Cybercrime, hactivism, cyberespionage, ransomware and malware exploits are all on the rise. Threats are increasing daily, said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher, Cyber Defense Magazine. Nozomi Networks and their SCADAguardian platform are helping critical infrastructure around the world fight these vulnerabilities. Thats why our magazine has recognized them for the most Cutting Edge Industrial Control Systems/SCADA technology. They won because they are an innovator on a mission to help stop breaches and get one step ahead of the next threat. Led by an executive team of highly respected veterans in industrial control cybersecurity and automation technologies, Nozomi Networks quadrupled its field staff this past year and strengthened its partner program. Deep knowledge of the complexities of ICS networks, continuous innovation and expertise in artificial intelligence have made Nozomi Networks SCADAguardian the most comprehensive, scalable, and mature product in its category. It rapidly detects cyberattacks and process anomalies, providing insights that improve cyber resiliency, reliability, and safety. By automating the task of providing up-to-the minute visualization of the industrial network, including its components, connections, and topology SCADAguardian allows OT and IT teams to focus on pre-empting or mitigating issues that could impact security or availability. Receiving this recognition and award from Cyber Defense Magazine further validates Nozomi Networks as the leader in industrial cybersecurity, said Nozomi Networks Founder and Chief Product Officer Andrea Carcano. We are thrilled to be acknowledged in this crucial industry as an organization providing the best security product to protect our most important assets, the worlds critical infrastructure. About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 1.2 Million annual readers and growing, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and limited print editions exclusively for the RSA conferences and our paid subscribers. Learn more about us at http://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. About Nozomi Networks Nozomi Networks is leading Industrial Control System (ICS) cybersecurity with the most comprehensive platform to deliver real-time cybersecurity and operational visibility. Since 2013 the company has innovated the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to secure critical infrastructure operations. Deployed across five continents, in hundreds of the worlds largest industrial installations, customers benefit from advanced cybersecurity, improved operational reliability and easy IT/OT integration. Amid escalating threats targeting ICS, Nozomi Networks delivers one solution with real-time ICS monitoring, hybrid threat detection, industrial network visualization, asset inventory, and vulnerability assessment. Nozomi Networks is headquartered in San Francisco, California. www.nozominetworks.com Press Contacts: Jil Backstrom jil.backstrom@nozominetworks.com - 303.913.1650 Jessica Quinn jessicaq@cyberdefensemagazine.com - 1-800-518-5248 x2002 Follow the Nozomi Networks Blog Follow @nozominetworks on Twitter Visit and Follow the Nozomi Networks Corporate Page on LinkedIn [April 16, 2018] Drizly Expands Its Online Alcohol Marketplace To Six Additional Florida Cities BOSTON, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Drizly, the first and largest alcohol e-commerce marketplace, brings a revolutionary way to shop for adult beverages to tens of thousands of additional Floridians, starting today. Drizly connects adults of legal drinking age with best-in-class local alcohol retailers like ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, making it easy for consumers to shop for the widest local selection of their favorite adult beverages, with full price transparency, by simply downloading the Drizly mobile app (App Store and Google Play) on a smartphone or tablet, or visiting Drizly.com. Orders can be delivered by local partner retailers within one hour or at a conveniently scheduled time. Adults of legal drinking age in Gainesville, Jupiter, Melbourne, Naples, Tallahassee and West Palm Beach, can now use the Drizly platform to shop beer, wine and spirits available at local ABC Fine Wine & Spirits locations. Drizly provides its partner retailers with advanced mobile proprietary ID verification technology that enables delivery personnel to scan IDs and confirm that customers are of legal drinking age. There is no price markup, and a modest delivery fee of $5 per order remains the same no matter how many items are ordered. Beyond alcohol, Drizly users can shop for ice, mixers and ore. For a limited time only, first time users can enter promo code ABC for $10 off their first purchase. "We were eager to expand our partnership with Drizly after seeing strong customer satisfaction in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa," said Andy Abernathy, SVP of Business Development, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. "Broadening our store base on the Drizly platform to 34 locations enables us to even better serve adults of legal drinking age by bringing our wide selection of beer, wine and spirits right to their fingertips, wherever they may be." "Our mission is to bring consumers a new way to shop for alcohol, with more choice, convenience and full price transparency, while building local retailers' business. Our growing partnership with ABC Fine Wine & Spirits shows this model working at its best," said Justin Robinson, Drizly's Co-Founder and SVP of New Business. Drizly, available in more than 70 cities across the U.S. and Canada, is a one-stop shop for beer, wine, and spirits (and even a range of popular soft drinks, juices, ice and other mixers), allowing consumers to arrange fast on-demand or scheduled delivery or in-store pickup through their favorite local liquor store. The Drizly mobile app and website offer deep wells of information, packed with cocktail recipes, pro tips, popular adult beverage trends, and advice from Drizly's Top Shelf Bloggers: best-in-class local experts on alcohol, entertaining and lifestyle. Follow Drizly on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, or visit Drizly.com for additional information. About Drizly Drizly is the world's largest alcohol marketplace and the best way to shop beer, wine, and spirits. With the speed and convenience of on-demand delivery, in-store pickup, or intrastate shipping, customers can easily browse and order their favorites from the Drizly website or mobile app. By partnering with the best retail stores in over 70 cities in North America, Drizly provides consumers a rich e-commerce experience that offers unrivaled selection, competitive pricing, and personalized content to users of legal drinking age. Drizly operates across the United States and Canada, from Austin to Boston, Calgary to Tampa, New York City to Denver (and beyond). Backed by world-class institutional investors, the company has raised $35 million to date. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drizly-expands-its-online-alcohol-marketplace-to-six-additional-florida-cities-300629868.html SOURCE Drizly [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Green Hills Software Opens New Subsidiary in Japan SANTA BARBARA, Calif., April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Hills Software, the global leader in high-assurance real-time operating systems and virtualization, is further expanding its global footprint with the opening of a new subsidiary in Japan, Green Hills Software G.K., with its main office located in the Jingumae Tower Building, Level 14, 1-5-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 150-0001. The new location which opened on April 9th is in the heart of the vibrant Harajuku neighborhood, a true representation of the strength, vitality and ingenuity of the Japanese marketplace, and the subsidiary will act as a central support system for the company's rapidly growing Japanese business, supporting both direct customers and existing distribution channels. Doing business together in Japan since 1992, Green Hills Software and its distributor Advanced Data Controls Corporation have helped Japanese customers successfully build and deploy embeddd systems in automotive and other markets. The new local subsidiary will target additional markets while providing a foundation to expand new business and support in Japan, working closely with Advanced Data Controls Corporation. Both will continue the established tradition of Advanced Data Controls Corporation providing customers the highest support, tailored services and technical training. Green Hills Software G.K. can be reached by email at japan@ghs.com, or by telephone at +81- 3-6741-7168. About Green Hills Software Founded in 1982, Green Hills Software is the largest independent software vendor for the Internet of Things (IoT). In 2008, the Green Hills INTEGRITY-178 RTOS was the first and only operating system to be certified by NIAP (National Information Assurance Partnership comprised of NSA & NIST) to EAL 6+, High Robustness, the highest level of security ever achieved for any software product. Our open architecture integrated development solutions address deeply embedded, absolute security and high-reliability applications for the military/avionics, medical, industrial, automotive, networking, consumer and other markets that demand industry-certified solutions. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with European headquarters in the United Kingdom. Visit Green Hills Software at www.ghs.com. Green Hills, the Green Hills logo and INTEGRITY are trademarks or registered trademarks of Green Hills Software in the U.S. and/or internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/green-hills-software-opens-new-subsidiary-in-japan-300627416.html SOURCE Green Hills Software [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 15, 2018] Wacom introduces upgraded Intuos pen tablet to "Get Creative" Technologically and ergonomically improved pen tablet bundled with creative software provides an immediate start into digital art TOKYO and SINGAPORE, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Wacom announced a new, significantly upgraded version of its Intuos pen tablet for creative beginners and enthusiasts. Bundled with software for drawing, painting and image editing, the new Intuos tablet offers an immediate start into digital art. Anyone interested in getting creative on a digital level will be able to enjoy a natural pen experience, improved accuracy and enhanced online navigation capability. Ambitious comic and manga fans, hobby painters and photographers just need to download a software of choice to "get creative." "Wacom has a legacy of providing state-of-the-art technology and full solutions to our customers," said Faik Karaoglu, Executive Vice President at Wacom's Creative Business Unit. "We know that only the combination of hardware and software allows for an immediate start. That is why we asked leading software partners to join us in the new pen tablet offer. We believe that our customers will love the new Intuos for its advanced technology and software options." Upon purchase of the new Wacom Intuos, users can download up to $160 worth of creative software, including Corel Painter Essentials 6 for design and illustration, CELSYS CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO for comic and manga creation, and Corel AfterShot 3 for photo editing. Numerous video tutorials found at https://ww.wacom.com/en-dk/getting-started/intuos by Wacom, Corel and Celsys will help users get started. New Intuos features include built-in wireless Bluetooth integration on some models, and three color choices. Available in small and medium sizes, all models have the same active tablet area as previous versions but with a smaller footprint and lighter weight. A built-in pen tray, four express keys, an LED indicator and in the Bluetooth models a 60 percent improvement on battery life rounds out the upgrade. The included pen boasts 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, battery-free Wacom EMR technology, and an improved ergonomic design with increased weight and soft touch grip area, in-pen nib compartment, and nib extractor. Configuration, Pricing and Availability The new Intuos line comes in small and medium sizes and offers the following features: Wacom Intuos Small With Bluetooth Software options offer a choice of two out of three software downloads: Corel Painter Essentials 6, Corel AfterShot 3, or CELSYS CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO (in China : UDM PAINT PRO) Corel Painter Essentials 6, Corel AfterShot 3, or CELSYS CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO (in : UDM PAINT PRO) Color: charcoal black, pistachio green or berry pink (in selected regions) Price: USD99 Without Bluetooth Software options offer a choice of one out of two software downloads: Corel Painter Essentials 6, or Corel AfterShot 3 Color: charcoal black Price: USD79 Wacom Intuos Medium With Bluetooth Software: Purchasers may download all three software options: Corel Painter Essentials 6, Corel AfterShot 3, or CELSYS CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO (in China : UDM PAINT PRO) Corel Painter Essentials 6, Corel AfterShot 3, or CELSYS CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO (in : UDM PAINT PRO) Color: charcoal black, pistachio green or berry pink (in selected regions) Price: USD199 Without Bluetooth Software options offer a choice of one out of two software downloads: Corel Painter Essentials 6, or Corel AfterShot 3 Corel Painter Essentials 6, or Corel AfterShot 3 Color: charcoal black Price: USD149 Wacom Intuos will be available in selected retailers and online in June, 2018. About Wacom Founded in 1983, Wacom is a global company based in Japan (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 6727) with subsidiaries and affiliate offices around the world to support marketing and distribution in over 150 countries. Wacom's vision to bring people and technology closer together through natural interface technologies has made it the world's leading manufacturer of interactive pen tablets and displays as well as of digital styli and solutions for saving and processing digital signatures. The advanced technology of Wacom's intuitive input devices has been used to create some of the most exciting digital art, films, special effects, fashion and designs around the world and provides business and home users with their leading interface technology to express their personality. Please visit www.wacom.com for further information. Factsheets with detailed product information as well as images and other material for editorial use are available for download here: https://wacom.box.com/v/Wacom-Intuos SOURCE Wacom [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 15, 2018] HeyHolidays Launches #Groupify Program to Focus on Group Travel BANGALORE, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HeyHolidays, a global player in the online alternate stays market, launched its 'Groupify' campaign to provide customised experiences to guests travelling in groups of 4-10 or more. Through this unique focus on group stays, HeyHolidays offers amazing short stay accommodations across the world. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628531/HeyHolidays_Logo.jpg ) "In hotels, a group gets scattered in different rooms on different floors. We wanted to bring in the 'travel together, stay together' concept where an entire group can be accommodated in single property. People can enjoy more special time with family and friends and this type of accommodation is also great for business outings and meetings. Also, by selecting these properties, a customer and his/her group realise lower costs for their overall accommodation," said Kenny Blatt, Co-founder of HeyHolidays. The type of properties ideal for group travel includes private bungalows, holiday villas with private pool, tree houses and beach houses. Many of the listings can even accommodate more than 16 people. Properties suitable for groups are available across 120+ countries including India, Italy, FranceSpain, UK, Switzerland, Croatia, Greece, Netherlands, Costa Rica, US, Australia and New Zealand at various price ranges. "Indian travellers opting for travel destinations are mainly groups of young people, families and honeymooners. Food is rapidly becoming another area of concern for Indians traveling to these destinations as a large number of them have vegetarian as their food preference," said Mr. Blatt. HeyHolidays' 'Groupify' campaign is giving emphasis to these areas. HeyHolidays promises to provide a wide selection of the most competitive offers and options for group travel. Its Virtual Front Desk[TM] handles booking inquiries and special requests to help select and negotiate accommodations with the hosts. Guests and hosts also have the ability to chat on the HeyHolidays app which allows for a seamless booking process. HeyHolidays is integrating state-of-the-art user-friendly technologies to facilitate ease of listing online properties for its hosts and a seamless intuitive booking process for its guests. HeyHolidays is cementing its hold on the local and inbound travel to major tourist destinations in India like Goa, Rajasthan, Kerala, Kashmir, Sikkim and South East Asian markets. About HeyHolidays HeyWorld Holiday Pvt. Ltd. company currently operates in more than 120 countries. In India, it is present across 120+ destinations. For more information or short stay home reservations, email us at contact@heyholidays.com or visit the company website at http://www.heyholidays.com. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyholidays Twitter: https://twitter.com/hey_holidays Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hey.holidays Email: contact@heyholidays.com Media Contact: Kenny Blatt kenny.blatt@heyholidays.com +91-80-4146-4444 Co-founder, HeyHolidays [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 15, 2018] Fintech O2O Global Summit 2018 sees players converge on Hong Kong on May 9 HONG KONG, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The fintech revolution marches on with global leaders in blockchain, AI, cybersecurity, insurtech, regtech, payments and investment converging on Hong Kong in May. From fresh startups and fintech champions to financial services and technology giants, innovators will craft the future this May 9 in Hong Kong. PMQ, in the heart of Hong Kong's hip SOHO district, will host a multivariate event that will explore the convergence of different fintech verticals. Major financial services institutions, regulators and venture capitalists are looking carefully at the next wave of innovative startups, many of whom are beyond concept and now in-market with their solutions. The event will take place the day after, and connect to the Block O2O Blockchain Summit 2018. "Advances in blockchain and cybersecurity are going to need to implement AI solutions. Payment gateways will have to integrate with leading open banking solutions to deliver real utility to users. The silos are crumbling as the startups and traditional players are connecting to deliver the future promised to consumers," says NexChange CEO, Juwan Lee. The Fintech O2O Global Summit is the apex event of the Fintech O2O events that have been held in Hong Kong, New York, London, Seoul, Toronto, Shenzhen and Moscow since 2015. It is co-hosted by Cyberport and NexChange. Speakers from major players like Google, Prudential, RBS, and Santander Group will meet up with fast-growing, game-changing firms like Graphen.AI and Bucket Technologies from the USA, and Mindbridge Ai from Canada. Leading Israeli accelerator The Floor is bringing a delegation, as is the US Commercial Service within the USA Department of Commerce. Leading investment leaders like 500 Startups and the Blockchain Investment Consortium will be represented, along with the World Business Angels Investment Forum. Investors and fintech startups, from seed level to mezzanine level, will find opportunities to connect in the "Marketplace: The Investors' Stage" area and the targeted networking. Those looking to discover the next big thing, find investment targets, collaborate on competition beating fintech solutions are coming from around the world to the 2nd Fintech O2O Global Summit, running back to back with the Block O2O Blockchain Summit 2018. Full list of speakers updated daily at www.fintechO2O.com/speakers Last name Position Company Lucy Werner Industry Leader Google Scarlett Chen Director of Strategic Investments Prudential Edward Shen General Manager, Hong Kong Graphen.AI Juan Jimenez Zaballos Head of Fintech, Blockchain and Data Science - GCB (Global Corporate Banking) Santander Group Neil Cuthbertson Head of Partner Innovation Network Royal Bank of Scotland John Craig Director, Solutions Delivery Mindbridge.AI Lapman Lee Co-chair Fintech Association of Hong Kong Paul Schulte Founder and Editor Schulte Research Brad Yasar Co-founder & Managing Partner Krowd Mentor, Inc. Bonnie Cheung Venture Partner 500 Startups Andrey Rodionov CEO of Asia StartCASCO Moises Cohen Co-founder & Board Director The Floor Max Liu Co-founder & CEO EMQ Mac Ling Managing Director, Asia Bucket Technologies Armodio Corrado VP of Operations Difitek Maurizio Cimato Chief Innovation Officer, Partnership Management Office Intesa Sanpaolo Simon Phipps Head of Asia, Global Development & Blockchain The Digital Insurer Avi Cohen Co-founder & CEO The Floor Jonathan Halevy Sales Director Thetaray Yuval Porat CEO Kazuar Wojciech Kaszycki CEO & Co-founder Mobilum - Pay anywhere Carman Chan Founder & Managing Partner Click Ventures Pepe Moreno Founder & CEO BeachHead PR Newswire, a Cision company, is the premier global provider of media monitoring platforms and news release distribution services that marketers, corporate communicators and investor relations professionals leverage to engage key audiences. PR Newswire is the supporting media organization of Fintech O2O Global Summit 2018. For more information, visit www.prnasia.com For a fill list of fintech events and conferences in Asia and around the world, download the NexChange app at www.nexchange.com. For more information about the event, including the full agenda, speaker list and delegate registration, please visit www.fintechO2O.com Contact: Andrew Work Head Content Strategist, Asia Pacific NexChange Email: andrew.work@nexchange.com Tel: +852-6010-0794 About Fintech O2O The Fintech O2O initiative began in 2015 as a regular meetup in Hong Kong for like-minded professionals who recognize the impact of technology on traditional finance, co-hosted by Cyberport and NexChange. Past events have covered topics such as digital payments, wealth management, insurance, blockchain, cybersecurity, venture capital, and much more. More than 30 Fintech O2O events have been held in Hong Kong, New York, London, Toronto, Seoul, Shenzhen and Moscow. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180416/2105558-1 SOURCE NexChange Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Building a Security Net for Personal Data SHANGHAI, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On 30 March, TUV Rheinland Greater China ( "TUV Rheinland"), the world's leading third-party inspection, testing and certification company, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co Ltd ("Dahua Technology") to provide a comprehensive solution that centres on IoT (Internet of Things) product privacy protection certification for multiple Dahua Technology products, such as IP cameras, network video recorders, software platforms and intelligent servers. The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Jay Yang, Vice President of Electrical Greater China, TUV Rheinland; Mr Li Huayu, General Manager of Electrical Greater China, TUV Rheinland; Mr Chen Yibo, Manager of Huangzhou, TUV Rheinland; Zhang Xingming, Vice President of Dahua Technology and General Manager of Dahua Technology R&D Center; Mr Zhang Junchang, Director of Cybersecurity Product Line of Dahua Technology; and other representatives of both sides. The cooperation agreement is expected to help Dahua Technology better respond to the upcoming implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a law drafted by the European Union (EU) and deemed the most stringent regulation on data privacy ever developed; to set strict protection standards for personal data security and privacy rights; and to increase the level and expand the scope of personal data protection. The GDPR will come into effect on 5 May 2018 and will be globally applicable. Regardless of its location, any company that stores or processes personal data on an EU citizen during the provision of products or services must comply with the GDPR. Otherwise, the company may be fined up to $20 million or 4% of its annual revenue. "As the GDPR will be globally applicable", said Mr Jay Yang, "it will significantly impact the manufacturers and exporters of IoT products in China." To help such companies cope with the GDPR, TUV Rheinland, with years of experience in the field of information security, has launched a brand-new privacy protection service for IoT products. "This service will help IoT manufacturers to identify their risks under the new legislation, successfully enter the European market and rapidly seize market opportunities," said Mr Yang. On the significance of the companies' strategic cooperation, he added that, "Dahua Technology is among the first batch of companies that have cooperated with TUV Rheinland to enjoy our IoT product privacy protection service, demonstrating their respect for privacy and responsiveness to market changes. Dahua Technology and TUV Rheinland will work together to enhance the competitiveness of the industry through their respective professional capabilities". According to the cooperation agreement and based on the EU's GDPR and its internal 2PfG standard, TUV Rheinland will provide comprehensive testing services, such as hardware and firmware testing, privacy data processing, local communications testing, Internet communications testing, application testing, penetration testing and factory inspection, for Dahua Technology's IP cameras, network video recorders, software platforms, intelligent servers, etc. Any product that passes a test and receives TUV Rheinland's test logo for IoT product privacy protection will meet the requirements of the GDPR and thus attain the highest level of information security and privacy protection worldwide. As a leading IoT solution provider and operating service company focusing on video technology, Dahua Technology provides end-to-end video surveillance solutions, systems and services that are widely used in key sectors, such as public security, finance, transportation, energy and communication. Dahua Technology has established global marketing and service networks, with 42 subsidiaries in the Asia-Pacific region, North America, Europe, Africa, etc., and its products are used in 180 countries and regions worldwide. According to the IHS Markit Annual Report 2017, Dahua Technology has the second largest global share in the video surveillance equipment market. "As a leading IoT solution provider," said Mr Zhang Xingming, "Dahua has always attached great importance to users' personal privacy and data security". He went on to note that the cooperation agreement with TUV Rheinland is entirely consistent with Dahua Technology's mission to cultivate a safer society and smarter living. "With the support of TUV Rheinland's professional services we will further build and enhance our data supervision capability and thus consolidate our momentum in the global market." Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180416/2105401-1 For Media Inquiries: Simon Hung +852-2192-1948 SOURCE TUV Rheinland [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] TORONTO, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S. Park Lawn Corporation (TSX:PLC) (PLC or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire all of the outstanding membership interests of two U.S. businesses: Signature Funeral and Cemetery Investments, LCC (Signature or Signature Acquisition) and Citadel Management LLC (Citadel, together with Signature the Acquisitions) for a total purchase price of approximately US$136.4 million in cash, subject to customary working capital adjustments. In conjunction with the Acquisitions, the Company also announced that it has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters (the Underwriters) co-led by National Bank Financial Inc., CIBC Capital Markets and Cormark Securities Inc. to issue, on a bought deal basis, approximately C$165 million of subscription receipts (the Subscription Receipts) to finance the Signature Acquisition (the Offering). The acquisition of Citadel will be funded from PLCs existing credit facility. The acquisitions of Signature and Citadel present an exciting opportunity for Park Lawn. The acquisitions are in line with our communicated growth strategy and significantly increase our footprint and presence in the U.S. market, said Andrew Clark, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the PLC. The addition of Signatures executive management team to PLCs existing leadership team will allow us to facilitate the consolidation of our expanding U.S. operations. Highlights of the Acquisitions Strategically Compelling Significantly increase PLCs footprint and scale in the U.S. market . Together add six new states into PLCs portfolio, while expanding its footprint in the Texas market. . Together add six new states into PLCs portfolio, while expanding its footprint in the Texas market. Enhanced scale leading to a highly attractive portfolio of both funeral homes and cemeteries. Together add 38 cemeteries, 29 funeral homes and 5 crematoria to PLCs portfolio. Together add 38 cemeteries, 29 funeral homes and 5 crematoria to PLCs portfolio. Provide PLC with opportunities to grow in markets with attractive dynamics . Locations in Dallas provide entry into a high-growth geography, while the cemetery locations in New Mexico and Kansas City create strong regional platforms from which to grow. In addition, on-site funeral home operations are expected to provide additional top-line growth, as well as incremental margin expansion. . Locations in Dallas provide entry into a high-growth geography, while the cemetery locations in New Mexico and Kansas City create strong regional platforms from which to grow. In addition, on-site funeral home operations are expected to provide additional top-line growth, as well as incremental margin expansion. Provide strong inventory and real estate value . Key sites offer over 90 years of inventory capacity and augment the existing PLC business with a strong portfolio of real estate. . Key sites offer over 90 years of inventory capacity and augment the existing PLC business with a strong portfolio of real estate. Strong management team that will establish central PLC U.S. platform. Signature Groups Jay Dodds and Brad Green will be taking on senior leadership positions within PLC, with a particular focus on integrating U.S. operations into a centralized platform. It is anticipated that both Jay and Brad will become named executive officers of the Company following closing. Financially Attractive Significantly increase PLCs revenue, while individually providing strong operating margins . In the first full year of operations following closing, PLC management expects Signature to generate approximately US$32.9 million of revenue and US$9.6 million of EBITDA. If Signature achieves these results and expected synergies are realized the purchase price of US$123 million would represent a multiple of approximately 9.8x. In the first full year of operations following closing, PLC management expects Citadel to generate approximately US$15.5 million of revenue and US$2.5 million of EBITDA. If Citadel achieves these results, the purchase price of US$13.4 million would represent a multiple of approximately 5.4x EBITDA. . Immediately accretive. The transactions are expected to be immediately accretive to both PLCs adjusted net earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA per share before any synergies are achieved. The transactions are expected to be immediately accretive to both PLCs adjusted net earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA per share before any synergies are achieved. Significant synergies are expected in the near term . Management expects annual synergies of approximately US$3 million to be realized within 24 months of closing, with a one-time cost of US$750 thousand, primarily in the areas of IT systems, back office integration, consolidated procurement, implementing proven sales practices into different operational areas and management team optimization. . Management expects annual synergies of approximately US$3 million to be realized within 24 months of closing, with a one-time cost of US$750 thousand, primarily in the areas of IT systems, back office integration, consolidated procurement, implementing proven sales practices into different operational areas and management team optimization. Financed to provide PLC with dry powder to execute on organic growth initiatives and opportunistic tuck in acquisitions going forward. Pro forma the Acquisitions and the Offering, PLCs net leverage is expected to be under 1.75x adjusted EBITDA. Signature is very excited to partner our business with Park Lawn. Jay and I look forward to serving Park Lawn in our new expanded roles. We view this as an opportunity to match our operational and integrational expertise with the continued growth of Park Lawn, said Brad Green, Chief Executive Officer of Signature. Combining our respective portfolios under a single leadership group will give our employees a great opportunity and Park Lawn a competitive edge in the market place, added Jay Dodds, Chief Operating Officer and President of Signature. We look forward to working with Park Lawn and see them as the right partner to continue growing our business throughout our communities, stated William W. Gaffney, current President of Citadel. The team at Park Lawn has established a strong portfolio and management team that will allow us to maximize the opportunity for growth in the long term. The Acquisitions are expected to close before the end of the third quarter, with each separately subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions, including, among other things, third party consents and approvals, which are currently in progress. Description of Signature Signature currently owns and operates 9 cemeteries, 21 funeral homes (including 7 on-sites) and 5 crematoria in Texas, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Mississippi. Through managements successful growth strategy, Signature is a recognized leader in the death care industry in the United States. Founded in 2011 by Brad Green (CEO) and Jay Dodds (President and COO), who together bring more than 40 years of industry experience with them, Signature has successfully executed on a number of accretive acquisitions over the last seven years. Description of Citadel Citadel currently owns and operates 29 cemeteries and 8 funeral homes (including 1 on-site) throughout North and South Carolina. The portfolio is strategically located in cities with attractive growth opportunities. Citadel was established in 2001 by William W. Gaffney (CEO and majority owner), who has more than 40 years of industry experience. PLC Post Acquisition With the Acquisitions, PLC and its subsidiaries will own and operate 176 properties, including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels, planning offices and a transfer service, with its footprint now covering 11 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces. The Company continues to experience strong organic growth opportunities throughout Canada and the United States. Going forward, PLC intends to continue executing on strategic acquisitions that complement its existing portfolio. Subscription Receipt Offering The Company has reached an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters co-led by National Bank Financial Inc., CIBC Capital Markets and Cormark Securities Inc. to issue 6,735,000 Subscription Receipts at a price of C$24.50 per Subscription Receipt, on a bought deal basis, for gross proceeds of approximately C$165 million. The Company has also granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 1,010,250 Subscription Receipts on the same terms and conditions, exercisable at any time, in whole or in part, up to 30 days after the closing of the Offering (the Over-Allotment Option). Upon the satisfaction or waiver of each of the conditions precedent to the closing of the Signature Acquisition (other than the payment of the consideration for the Signature Acquisition): (a) one common share of the Company (a Common Share) will be automatically issued in exchange for each Subscription Receipt (subject to customary anti-dilution protection), without payment of additional consideration or further action by the holder thereof; (b) an amount per Subscription Receipt equal to the per-share cash dividends declared by the Company on the Common Shares to holders of record on a date during the period that the Subscription Receipts are outstanding, net of any applicable withholding taxes, will become payable in respect of each Subscription Receipt; and (c) the net proceeds from the sale of the Subscription Receipts will be released from escrow to the Company for the purposes of completing the Signature Acquisition. The net proceeds from the sale of the Subscription Receipts will be held by an escrow agent pending the fulfillment or waiver of all outstanding conditions precedent to closing of the Signature Acquisition (other than the payment of the consideration for the Signature Acquisition). There can be no assurance that the applicable consents and regulatory approvals will be obtained, that the other closing conditions will be met or that the Signature Acquisition will be consummated. If the Signature Acquisition fails to close as described above by October 31, 2018 or if the Signature Acquisition is terminated at an earlier time, the gross proceeds of the Offering and pro rata entitlement to interest earned or deemed to be earned on the Subscription Receipts, net of any applicable withholding taxes, will be paid to holders of the Subscription Receipts and the Subscription Receipts will be cancelled. The Subscription Receipts will be offered pursuant to a short-form prospectus to be filed in each of the provinces of Canada, which will describe the terms of the Offering. The Offering is expected to close on or about May 4, 2018 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all regulatory approvals including the approval of the TSX Exchange (the TSX). The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the 1933 Act) and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act), except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons. Conference Call and Presentation A short presentation on the acquisition is available on the Companys website at www.parklawncorp.com PLC will hold a conference call on April 16, 2018 at 3:45 p.m. ET to review the Acquisitions. To access the conference call by telephone, dial 647-427-7450 or 1-(888) 231-8191. Please connect approximately 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the call to ensure participation. A recording of the call will be available on the companys website following the call. About Park Lawn Corporation PLC provides goods and services associated with the disposition and memorialization of human remains. Products and services are sold on a pre-planned basis (pre-need) or at the time of a death (at-need). PLC and its subsidiaries own and operate 104 properties including cemeteries, crematoria, funeral homes, chapels, planning offices and a transfer service. PLC operates in five Canadian provinces and six US states. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) relating to the business of the Company and the environment in which it operates. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as believe, anticipate, project, expect, intend, plan, will, may, estimate and other similar expressions. These statements are based on the Companys expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and include, without limitation, statements regarding the completion of the Acquisitions, the completion of the Offering, the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering, the Companys continued growth strategy, the anticipated effect of the Acquisitions and the Offering on the performance of the Company (including the extent to which the Acquisitions are expected to be accretive to adjusted net earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA per share and post-closing leverage), the quantum and timing of potential cost synergies, expected revenues, expected EBITDA and the expected purchase price multiples. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions, including without limitation that all conditions to completion of the Acquisitions and the Offering will be satisfied or waived, the Signature and Citadel businesses will continue their recent trends of improved operating performance, the Company will be able to implement business improvements and achieve cost savings, the Company will be able to retain key personnel, there will be no unexpected expenses occurring as a result of the Acquisitions, and that currency exchange rates remain consistent. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the risk that either (or both) of the Acquisitions will not be completed, the Offering will not be completed, the Signature and Citadel businesses will not perform as expected, the Company will not be able to successfully integrate Signature and Citadel, and the other factors discussed under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual information form available at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Non-IFRS Measures EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net earnings are not measures recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. Such measures are presented in this news release because management of the Company believes that such measures are relevant in interpreting the effect of the Acquisitions on the Company. Such measures, as computed by the Company, may differ from similar computations as reported by other similar organizations and, accordingly, may not be comparable to similar measures reported by such other organizations. Please see the Companys most recent management's discussion and analysis for how the Company reconciles such measures to the nearest IFRS measure. Contact Information Andrew Clark Chairman & Chief Executive Officer (416) 231-1462 Joseph Leeder Chief Financial Officer & Director (416) 231-1462 Suzanne Cowan VP, Business Development & Corporate Affairs scowan@parklawncorp.com (416) 231-1462 McAfee Cloud Workload Security Now Supports Containers, the Fastest Growing Deployment Model for Cloud Applications RSA Conference USA 2018 - McAfee (News - Alert) , the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company, today announced the company is accelerating its innovation in the cloud with its latest release of McAfee Cloud Workload Security (CWS) v5.1, one of the core pillars of McAfee's Cloud Security Solution Portfolio. Containers have become developers' preferred deployment model for modern cloud applications, helping organizations innovate and differentiate themselves in the marketplace. The release of McAfee CWS v5.1, which will be available Q2 2018, identifies and secures Docker containers, workloads and servers in private and public cloud environments. McAfee CSW v5.1 quarantines infected workloads and containers with one click thus reducing misconfiguration risk and increasing initial remediation efficiency by nearly 90 percent. "As enterprises turn to the cloud to transform themselves into a digital business and develop compelling experiences for their customers, they often overlook the security challenges involved in adopting a multi-cloud or hybrid-cloud environment," said Rajiv Gupta, senior vice president of the cloud security business unit, McAfee. "McAfee Cloud Workload Security enables organizations to secure cloud workloads and containers across AWS, Azure, VMware, and their private cloud, addressing key security, compliance and governance requirements so that they can accelerate their business in the cloud." Previously, point solutions were needed to help secure containers. With multiple technologies to control multiple environments, security management faced unnecessary complexities. McAfee CWS supports major cloud service providers allowing seamless and simplified management through a single interface. The newly released McAfee CWS can now identify Docker containers within five minutes from their deployment and quickly secure them using micro- and nano-segmentation. With a new interface and workflow to streamline security management, new features of McAfee CWS include: The ability to use micro-segmentation to quarantine workloads or containers of concern with a single click, quickly limiting the potential for the threat to move within the environment and reducing the risk of incorrectly configuring resources. This also gives administrators the ability to manage the configuration of native security groups through the McAfee CWS console. Discovery of Docker containers using Kubernetes, a popular open source platform used to manage containerized workloads and services, enabling McAfee customers to view and manage containers within McAfee ePolic Orchestrator (ePO). Enhanced threat monitoring and detection with AWS GuardDuty alerts - available directly within the CWS dashboard. Compliance assessments to audit internal or standardized ( PCI (News - Alert) , SOX, HIPAA, patches, etc.) policies allowing simple remediation for administrators. According to the Market Guide for Cloud Workload Protection Platforms, published March 26, 2018 by Neil MacDonald, Gartner (News - Alert) , "The CWPP market addresses the protection needs of workloads in modern 'hybrid' data centers that run in a mix of physical machines, VMs, containers, and private cloud infrastructure and almost always more than one public cloud IaaS. Leading CWPP offerings provide information security leaders with visibility and control across all of these environments with a 'single pane of glass' - a consistent way to manage policy and monitor for risk." Built around McAfee Skyhigh Security Cloud to protect enterprise data and McAfee Cloud Workload Security to protect workloads, McAfee is the first company to provide a comprehensive cloud security solution that protects both data and workloads across the entire Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service spectrum. Resources Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. About McAfee McAfee is the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company. Inspired by the power of working together, McAfee creates business and consumer solutions that make our world a safer place. By building solutions that work with other companies' products, McAfee helps businesses orchestrate cyber environments that are truly integrated, where protection, detection and correction of threats happen simultaneously and collaboratively. By protecting consumers across all their devices, McAfee secures their digital lifestyle at home and away. By working with other security players, McAfee is leading the effort to unite against cybercriminals for the benefit of all. www.mcafee.com McAfee technologies' features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software, or service activation. No computer system can be absolutely secure. McAfee and the McAfee logo are trademarks of McAfee, LLC or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks and brands may be claimed as the property of others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180415005129/en/ [April 16, 2018] Sogou to Report First Quarter 2018 Financial Results on April 25, 2018 BEIJING, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sogou, an innovator in search and a leader in China's internet industry, today announced that it will report its first quarter 2018 unaudited financial results on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, before U.S. market hours. Sogou's management team will host a conference call at 7:30am U.S. Eastern Time, (7:30pm Beijing/Hong Kong time) on April 25, 2018, following the quarterly results announcement. The dial-in details for the live conference call are: U.S. Toll Free: 1-888-346-8982 Mainland China: 400-1201203 (Toll Free); Hong Kong: 800-905945 (Toll Free); +852-301-84992 (Local Toll) International: +1-412-902-4272 Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. When prompted, ask to be connected to the Sogou Inc. call. A live webcast and archive of the conference call will be availble on the Investor Relations section of Sogou's website at http://ir.sogou.com. About Sogou Sogou Inc. (NYSE: SOGO) is an innovator in search and a leader in China's internet industry. With a mission to make it easy to communicate and get information, Sogou has grown to become the second largest search engine by mobile queries and the fourth largest internet company by MAU in China. Sogou has a wide range of innovative products and services, including the Sogou Input Method, which is the largest Chinese language input software for both mobile and PC. Sogou is also at the forefront of AI development and has made significant breakthroughs in voice and image technologies, machine translation, and Q&A, which have been successfully integrated into our products and services. For investor enquiries, please contact: Jessie Zheng Sogou Investor Relations Tel: +86-10-5689-8068 Email: zhengyan@sogou-inc.com For media enquiries, please contact: Rachael Layfield Brunswick Group Tel: +86 10 5960-8600 Email: sogou@brunswickgroup.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sogou-to-report-first-quarter-2018-financial-results-on-april-25-2018-300630093.html SOURCE Sogou Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] WISeKey Announces Audited Consolidated Financial Results for FY 2017 and Q1 2018 Preliminary Revenue Record revenue driven by strong growth from the Cybersecurity, IoT and Semiconductor business segments Reaffirms its FY 2018 revenue guidance of US$60 million The Company will host a conference call on Tuesday, April 17th at 3:00 pm CET (9:00am ET) ZUG, Switzerland- April 16, 2018 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd ("WISeKey" or the "Company") (SIX: WIHN) a leading Swiss cybersecurity and IoT company announced today its audited consolidated financial results for FY 2017. 2017 was an important building year for WISeKey. During the year, not only did we significantly increase our revenue and improve our financial position, we also expanded our product offerings, increased our geographical footprint, enlarged our customer base and set the stage for continued growth in 2018 and beyond. FY 2017 Financial and Operational Highlights Reported record FY 2017 revenue of $43.1 million, up 292% as compared to FY 2016 revenue of $11.0 million. Growth reflects the successful integration of the Cybersecurity, IoT and Semiconductor business segments and was driven by higher demand for strong security in industries such as smart cars, luxury products, pharmaceuticals and financial technology and also IoT chips as WISeKey reached 1 billion chips production milestone. WISeKey adopted US GAAP Topic 606 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" as of January 1, 2017 with the objective of providing enhanced financial transparency on the deferred revenue component in the balance sheet. Reduced FY 2017 losses by 35% to $24.3 million, as compared to losses of $35.9 million for the same period of last year. Of note, the majority of losses reported in 2017 were related to QuoVadis' acquisition cost, paid in cash and shares. The Non-US GAAP adjusted operational losses for FY 2017 were reduced from $6.9 million to $5.0 million. U.S. GAAP (Million US$) 2017 2016 Net Revenues 43.1 11.0 Gross Profit 20.7 4.4 Operating Loss, as reported (13.5) (36.2) Net Loss attributable to WISeKey, as reported (24.3) (35.9) Non-U.S. GAAP (Million US$) 2017 2016 Adjusted Operating Loss (5.0) (6.9) Adjusted Net Loss attributable to WISeKey (3.2) (4.9) Achieved strong liquidity and financial position; cash of $12.2 million at December 31, 2017, compared to $5.2 million at December 31, 2016. Increased its R&D effort with $7.4 million spent during the year to develop new IP, patents and products to create business opportunities in cybersecurity, IoT, Microprocessors, Blockchain an AI. Aggregated over 39 patent families (more than 200 patents in total) to its patent portfolio, some of them on critical sectors such as Microchip designs and Cybersecurity algorithms. As part of its M&A strategy, acquired 85% of QuoVadis from private equity firm ABRY and One Communications Ltd. (formerly known as KeyTech) for $15.0 million cash plus 1,110,000 newly issued Class B Shares of WISeKey (issued from its existing authorized capital). WISeKey has the right to purchase and QuoVadis' minority shareholders have the right to sell, the remaining 15% stake in QuoVadis in May 2018 (based on QuoVadis' performance in FY 2017, and at the election of WISeKey this can be completed either in cash or against new Class B Shares, which would be capped at 946,000 Class B Shares). Strong Growth Expected to Continue in 2018 We started 2018 on a very strong note due to the new razor and blade cybersecurity business model which is accelerating the commercialization of our semiconductor products with embedded security. WISeKey's razor and blade business model uses a strategy that involves selling highly secure and tamperproof microchips (or "razor" products) at very competitive rates, enabling the inclusion and promotion of the higher margin cybersecurity products and services (or "blade" services) thus bundling a very attractive combination of core security components. Thus, for FY 2018, we expect revenue to continue to increase and reach approximately $60 million (under the new accounting approach), which represents an increase of approximately 39% as compared to FY 2017. Q1 2018 preliminary non-audited revenue increased by 100% to $14.0 million, as compared to $7.0 million in Q1 2017. FY 2018 revenue are expected to be $60.0 million, an increase of approximately 39% as compared to FY 2017. Recently WISeKey introduced WISeCoin, a Cryptocurrency platform for Connected Object crypto payment, secured by WISeKey Microprocessor and Digital Identities, which represent a new revenue segment for the company. WISeKey's PKI technology continues to be in high demand by companies, helping them to facilitate compliance with the new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy laws. Carlos Moreira, CEO of WISeKey, commented, "2017 was a year of significant growth for WISeKey and our performance is an indication of the successful integration of Quovadis and VaultIC businesses into WISeKey's platform. Our combined portfolios allowed us to focus on the development of a vertical platform and expand our customer base, while our global go-to-market strategy provided us with significant cost synergies to enhance our profitability. Revenue acquisition activities have strengthened in geographic markets in which we have a strong presence already, while we continue to fine tune our go-to-market efforts in new geographic markets." Peter Ward, CFO of WISeKey, noted, "Due to our disciplined and focused execution strategy, reinforced by the Quovadis and VaultIC resources team, we were able to drive strong financial results throughout 2017. Although WISeKey's FY 2017 GAAP results were impacted by acquisition related accounting expenses associated with the QuoVadis integration, our non-GAAP net operating loss was $3.2 million, i.e. a 35% reduction compared to FY 2016." Conference Call & Webcast Carlos Moreira, CEO and Peter Ward, CFO will host a conference call on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at 3:00 pm CET / 9:00 a.m. ET) to discuss these results, recent business developments and growth initiatives. A Q&A session will follow the prepared remarks. Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing: United States & Canada: 877 445-9755 Switzerland(fixed/mobile): 0 800 835 525 / 0 800 891 374 France: 0 800 912 848 Germany (fixed/mobile): 0 800 182 0040 / 0 800 184 4713 United Kingdom: 0 800 756 3429 To access the call, please dial-in approximately five minutes before the start time. The call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet via the following link http://www.investorcalendar.com/event/27777 and such link will also be made available in the "Investor Relations" section of WISeKey's website http://wisekey.com/investors/ . 2017 Annual Report Additionally, investors may download FY 2017 Annual Report from WISeKey's website at https://www.wisekey.com/investors/reports/annual-reports/. Non-GAAP Financial Measures In managing WISeKey's business on a consolidated basis, WISeKey management develops an annual operating plan, which is approved by our Board of Directors, using non-GAAP financial measures. In measuring performance against this plan, management considers the actual or potential impacts on these non-GAAP financial measures from actions taken to reduce costs with the goal of increasing our gross margin and operating margin and when assessing appropriate levels of research and development efforts. In addition, management relies upon these non-GAAP financial measures when making decisions about product spending, administrative budgets, and other operating expenses. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures, when coupled with the GAAP results and the reconciliations to corresponding GAAP financial measures, proide a more complete understanding of the Company's results of operations and the factors and trends affecting WISeKey's business. We believe that they enable investors to perform additional comparisons of our operating results, to assess our liquidity and capital position and to analyze financial performance excluding the effect of expenses unrelated to operations, certain non-cash expenses related to acquisitions and share-based compensation expense, which may obscure trends in WISeKey's underlying performance. This information also enables investors to compare financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. The presentation of these and other similar items in WISeKey's non-GAAP financial results should not be interpreted as implying that these items are non-recurring, infrequent, or unusual. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to the most comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP are provided in the financial statements portion of this release in a schedule entitled "Financial Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Results (unaudited)." Well positioned for the future WISeKey's ability to authenticate, protect and remotely manage millions of networked, automated devices and equipment, using its semiconductors and cybersecurity, is becoming pervasive - from the factory floor, to the hospital operating room, to the residential home - everything, from automobiles to assembly robots, refrigerators to watches and wearables to wine bottles, is connecting and communicating via the Internet. The IoT security landscape is still evolving even as the IoT adoption is likely to pick up. Early movers in this space, such as WISeKey, stand to gain big, since Root of Trust ("RoT") is required for secure communication over IoT. WISeKey is well positioned to generate operational synergies from cross-selling opportunities in the space through its expanded offerings by integrating chips, SAP's HANA and other key technologies. WISeKey's OISTE Root is unique among publicly trusted Roots with its affiliations with Economic and Social Council of the United Nations ("ECOSOC") and the Non-commercial Users Stakeholders Group (NCSG), ensuring geopolitical neutrality and data sovereignty. This is a key differentiator for the company vis-a-vis its competitors. This is especially important as the WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor, which is recognized by operating systems (OS) and IoT applications to ensure the authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of on-line transactions. We believe these features could be vital in creating significant business opportunities with various governments, international bodies, industrial companies which are wary of foreign government oversight and centralization of data on servers outside their jurisdiction. Also, multinational corporations that need to comply with International Standards on the deployment of their IoT infrastructure are ideal candidates for WISeKey Trust Model. Amidst the threat of increasingly sophisticated data and online identity thefts, WISeKey's robust solutions should ensure data protection for its customers including individuals, enterprises & their IoT objects and government organizations. Unique Swiss cryptographic Root of Trust for the Internet of Things market RoT is the basis for a global end-to-end security solution. RoT serves as a common trust anchor, which is recognized by the operating system (OS) and applications, to ensure the authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of on-line transactions. With the certificates signed by this cryptographic RoT, embedded in the device, the IoT product manufacturers can use Public Key Infrastructure ("PKI") technologies to secure interaction among objects and between objects and people. Launched a secured Internet of Things The solution, called WISeKeyIoT is a scalable framework, offering digital Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificates for connected devices, protected in certified tamper resistant silicon chips, as well as an outsourced or on-premises certificate management system, with device life cycle control functions and security enforcement entities. The digital PKI certificates can be signed by the publicly trusted root, owned by OISTE (https://oiste.org/) and operated by WISeKey. IoT is a very promising new business segment for WISeKey, with an estimated 50 billion devices expected to be connected by 2020, while the world's population is estimated to grow to 6.8 billion; thus, there will be more than 7 devices per person connected to the internet by 2020 (Cisco, n.d.). As a result, a huge and increasing amount of data will be interchanged between connected devices and back-end servers, allowing companies to provide users with new types of exciting applications, which will be designed to offer increased control over the use of resources: improve efficiency in power grids, optimize processing of information in industrial environments, provide better and higher quality healthcare services and personalized experience for shopping or leisure, among others. This is only possible though, if the data can be trusted. The IoT business case will collapse if, over time, hackers get access to devices, change the way they operate, intercept and modify data, or bring down systems by executing Distributed Denial of Service attacks through the devices on a network. It is therefore crucial to implement security features in the system from scratch. Not only in the back-end system, using the PKI technologies proposed by the framework WISeKeyIoT, but as well as in the otherwise vulnerable connected objects in the field, made secure through the tamper resistant chip technology, all part of the WISeKey framework. Customer adoption for IoT Cybersecurity services continued to accelerate in 2017, reaching more than 3,500 customers across all regions at the end of 2017 (more than doubling year-over-year), mainly due to our integrated vertical trusted platform which combines a range of chips with software applications that cater to our customers' security and business needs. Our software application offerings include proprietary technology developed by the Company such as RoT and Public Key Infrastructure ("PKI"), which are offered as standalone products, as well as part of our fully integrated Vertical Trusted Platform that enables WISeKey's clients to manage their digital identity, information, and communications through a seamless process. We enable our clients to easily adapt to a continuously changing landscape of services designed specifically for their needs, without compromising their digital security. The rapid growth and proliferation of internet based devices, as well as people's dependence on them for personal and business needs, precipitated the connectivity of digital devices. However, such connectivity creates numerous opportunities to alter or manipulate digital footprints. We believe that our integrated products provide the most comprehensive solution to fill these gaps in cybersecurity and data protection. The core of WISeKey's Vertical Trusted Platform is based on our Cybersecurity SaaS business, also known as managed PKI services, and on our Semiconductor chips. WISeKey ISTANA PKI platform allowed WISeKey to enter the Connected Car industry in 2017 by offering manufacturers a secure way to validate the authenticity of different vehicle components. Certificate-based security also protects onboard communication between vehicle components and enables secure over-the-air software updates. Additionally, authentication certificates can be used by employees, dealers and suppliers to access car components to diagnose mechanical/technical issues and update software, from any location. Finally, the ISTANA PKI platform allows users to securely interact with a car's smart features using smartphones and other devices. Currently, WISeKey is working with several smart car manufacturers and its ISTANA PKI platform is already active in several large-scale projects. A recent example is a strategic contract signed with a leading European automobile manufacturer, cementing its role in the Connected Car industry. WISeKey's total identifiable 5-year ISTANA revenues from the car manufacturing industry are expected to be in excess of $30 million, of which approximately $7.0 million are expected to be realized in 2018. WISeKey experienced substantial revenue growth with the combination of IoT and Cybersecurity technology on new markets such as the smart automobile with our Secure Connected car technology. The WISeKey security for connected car solutions allow manufacturers to authenticate legitimate car components and enable owners to securely interact with the car's smart features. WISeKey technology is now used by major players integrating our IoT and Cybersecurity on their platforms with Microsoft and IBM already deploying large scale projects with our company. WISeCoin WISeKey is using its own cryptocurrency WISeCoin as a method of payment between connected objects. WISeCoin uses the latest blockchain technology and works as part of payment system using WISeKey Blockchain-as-a-Service ("BaaS") technology offerings. To empower a seamless cryptocurrency enabled for IoT connections, WISeCoin is supplemented with highly secured solutions such as biometrics-driven hardware wallets, integrated exchange platforms, MicroChips Blockchain enabled semiconductors, and NFC-based contactless payment solutions. WISeKey's objective with WISeCoin is to become an emerging powerhouse in the global cryptocurrency market by supporting the development of economies built on Blockchain technology. The WISeCoin development team inherits WISeKey Semiconductors R&D and expertise with more than 25 years' experience delivering secure hardware modules, semiconductors, RoT, Crypto keys, crypto wallets and digital identities that protect sensitive data for governments and private corporations in 75 countries. Among other applications, WISeKey's chips are widely used by global telecommunication, manufacturing and healthcare organizations as well as by bank cards. The same certified technology is now available in WISeCoin embedded VaultIC lightweight hardware security modules. WISeCoin VaultIC chips' cryptographic security is a powerful anti-counterfeiting tool used to identify and authenticate any item online using a contactless Near Field Communication (NFC) technology through an Android or Apple iOS based smartphone. WISekey Blockchain technology has triggered innovations in many countries since its introduction in 2016. Today, cryptocurrencies have become a global phenomenon, so much so that even central banks are trying to create their own cryptocurrency systems. To this end, WISeKey is helping private and public customers around the world to create their own cryptocurrency with WISeCoin, a cutting edge Blockchain identification platform for people and IoT objects, a revolutionary design and state-of-the-art cryptographic security system. To empower a seamless cryptocurrency enabled economy, WISeCoin is supplemented with highly secured solutions such as biometrics-driven hardware wallets, integrated exchange platforms, MicroChips Blockchain enabled semiconductors, and NFC-based contactless payment solutions. WISeKey's goal with WISeCoin is to become an emerging powerhouse in the global cryptocurrency market by supporting the development of economies built on Blockchain technology. IoT Cryptocurrency Smart Payment solution allowing connected objects to pay with WISeCoin. The IoT CryptoCurrency Smart Payment allows the ability for connected objects secured by WISeKey Semiconductors to pay other connected objects using WISeCoin. WISeKey has tested the technology on connected cars allowing a connected car secured by WISeKey to pay for electricity, gas and parking through the integration of WISeCoin crypto wallets at the Secure Element Chip level. About WISeKey: WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying large scale digital identity ecosystems with a patented process. WISeKey's Swiss based cryptographic Root of Trust ("RoT") provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com. To receive WISeKey's latest news, subscribe to our Newsletter or visit the WISeKey Investors Corner. Press and investor contacts: WISeKey International Holding Ltd Company Contact: Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@wisekey.com WISeKey Investor Relations (US) Contact: Lena Cati The Equity Group Inc. Tel: +1 212 836-9611 lcati@equityny.com Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey. WISeKey International Holding AG Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information U. S. GAAP - Non-U.S. GAAP Reconciliation Following is a description of the adjustments made to US GAAP financial measures: Stock-based compensation Intangible impairment and amortization Merger and acquisition-related legal fees and professional fees Debt extinguishment Amortization of debt discount Financial charges The Company encourages investors to carefully consider its results under GAAP, as well as its supplemental non-GAAP information and the reconciliation between these presentations, to more fully understand its business. Non-GAAP financial results are reported in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. (Million US$) 2017 2016 Operating Loss, as reported (13.5) (36.2) Stock-based compensation 2.2 24.8 Intangible impairment and amortization 1.9 - M&A-related legal fees 2.6 - M&A-related professional fees 1.8 4.5 Adjusted Operating Loss (5.0) (6.9) Net Loss attributable to WISeKey, as reported (24.3) (35.9) Stock-based compensation 2.2 24.8 Intangible impairment and amortization 1.9 - M&A-related legal fees 2.6 - M&A-related professional fees 1.8 4.5 Debt extinguishment 7.1 - Amortization of debt discount 1.5 0.9 Financial charges 3.9 0.8 Adjusted Net Loss attributable to WISeKey (3.2) (4.9) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Sydor Technologies Signs USA Representation Agreement with Infinition, Inc. ROCHESTER, New York, April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sydor Technologies, a global provider of mission critical instrumentation for the defense, energy, and security industries, is pleased to announce a representation agreement with Infinition, Inc. of Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, Sydor will be the exclusive sales representative and provide service support of the Infinition Doppler Radar product lines in the United States. Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/676661/Sydor_Technologies_sign_agreement.jpg Infinition specializes in the manufacturing of a unique set of radar antennas that operate at 10.5 and 35 GHz. These devices are complemented by the powerful TestCenter 6 Doppler signal analysis software. Infinition's product range will accompany Sydor's existing suite of ballistic products, including certified test equipment spanning ammunition, test guns, and targts. Doppler radar equipment is used in conjunction with Sydor's velocity screens, in-barrel velocity testing, and targeting/tracking test configurations. "We have worked with Infinition outside of North America for many years. We already have fully certified service, installation, and calibration capabilities on radar systems. Partnering with Infinition will add resources into the US market that will help our customers acquire comprehensive, integrated solutions. This integration will make it easier to start up and operate these advanced testing platforms," said Michael Pavia, President and CEO of Sydor Technologies. Sydor has delivered & supported Infinition radars outside of North America for many years, prior to Sydor's acquisition of SABRE Ballistics in 2014. Sydor will be utilizing the Infinition product family to complement the Air Weapons Scoring Systems (AWSS) and Mobile Artillery Scoring Systems (MASS) for global military testing protocols. To learn more, please visit https://sydortechnologies.com/ballistic-impact-testing/ ABOUT SYDOR TECHNOLOGIES Sydor Technologies is a global leader providing complex measurement solutions that generate critical results for the world's most advanced applications in the defense, energy, ballistics, security, space, and research industries. Established in 2004, Sydor Technologies is headquartered in Rochester, NY and now supplies systems and support in over 33 countries. For more information, please visit www.SydorTechnologies.com. Media Contact: Chuck McFee Chuck.mcfee@sydortechnologies.com [April 16, 2018] G4S Secure Solutions (USA) Encourages its 44K Employees to Volunteer during National Volunteer Week JUPITER, Fla., April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- G4S Secure Solutions (USA), the nation's leading integrated security company, is celebrating National Volunteer Week by encouraging its employees to volunteer in their local community. This year's National Volunteer Week is April 15-21, 2018 and honors the impact of volunteers in communities and inspires others to serve. Through its G4S Match-it! Program the company encourages G4S employees to become involved in their local community by matching the money they raise for a charity, up to $500. In 2017, G4S matched more than $30,000 employee donations. In Florida, G4S launched its month of service at a March 29, 2018, groundbreaking ceremony for the company-sponsored Habitat for Humanity home. G4S has been a strong supporter of Habitat for Humanity in Palm Beach County since 2011 when 50 G4S volunteers painted the Habitat Thrift Store in Jupiter, FL. Since then, G4S hs sponsored four home builds for four families, with nearly 200 employees donating more than 1,000 hours. This year's Habitat home is being built for Cartiana, who is building a brighter future for herself after a devastating fire left her with nothing. "Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. At G4S, we make a difference by helping people live and work in safe and secure communities," Fiona Walters, G4S Senior Vice President, Commercial, said at the groundbreaking ceremony. "We are honored to work alongside Cartiana as she works to build her home and her dreams." To learn more about National Volunteer Week and search volunteer projects, visit Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. To volunteer in a local home build, click here to find your local Habitat for Humanity. G4S employees interested in volunteering should contact their local office. Current employees interested in applying for G4S Match-it! funds should email matchit@usa.g4s.com for more information. ABOUT G4S G4S is the world's leading, global, integrated security company specializing in the provision of security and related services across six continents. The group is active in around 90 countries, and is the largest employer quoted on the London Stock Exchange with over 570,000 employees and has a secondary stock exchange listing in Copenhagen. For more information on G4S, visit G4S.us. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/g4s-secure-solutions-usa-encourages-its-44k-employees-to-volunteer-during-national-volunteer-week-300629631.html SOURCE G4S [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Abstract Highlighting the Early European Experience With Titan Medical's SPORT Surgical System Presented at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons Annual Meeting TORONTO, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Titan Medical Inc. (Titan or the Company) (TSX:TMD) (OTCQB:TITXF), a medical device company focused on the design, development and commercialization of a robotic surgical system for application in minimally invasive surgery (MIS), announces the presentation of an abstract highlighting the early physician experience with the Companys SPORT Surgical System at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) Annual Meeting. Barbara Seeliger, MD, Research Fellow, and Prof. Lee Swanstrom, MD, FACS, Chief Innovations Officer, both from Institute of Image Guided Surgery / IHU Strasbourg in France, authored the abstract titled Multidisciplinary applications of a new single port robotic platform. The abstract is available for viewing here. The 16th World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery, hosted by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and Canadian Association of General Surgeons, was held in Seattle April 11-14. Comprised of over 6,000 surgeons worldwide, the mission of SAGES is to improve quality patient care through education, research, innovation and leadership, principally in gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery. David McNally, President and CEO of Titan Medical, said, We are pleased to begin setting a foundation of peer-reviewed publications for the SPORT Surgical System with the acceptance and presentation of this multidisciplinary abstract of an early European experience at the SAGES annual meeting. This abstract was the culmination of successful preclinical feasibility studies completed at IHU Strasbourg earlier this year. The abstract highlighs the successful completion of critical tasks using the SPORT Surgical System in a variety of procedures, and positive early physician impressions of the rapid learning curve. We believe the acceptance of this peer-reviewed abstract at a well-regarded surgical society such as SAGES further validates the potential and excitement surrounding our single-port surgery platform. About Titan Medical Inc. Titan Medical Inc. is focused on research and development through to the planned commercialization of computer-assisted robotic surgical technologies for application in minimally invasive surgery. The Company is developing the SPORT Surgical System, a single-port robotic surgical system. The SPORT Surgical System is comprised of a surgeon-controlled patient cart that includes a 3D high-definition vision system and multi-articulating instruments for performing MIS procedures, and a surgeon workstation that provides an advanced ergonomic interface to the patient cart and a 3D endoscopic view inside the patients body. Titan intends to initially pursue focused surgical indications for the SPORT Surgical System, which may include one or more of gynecologic, urologic, colorectal or general abdominal procedures. For more information, please visit the Companys website at www.titanmedicalinc.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements which reflect the current expectations of management of the Companys future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as may, would, could, will, anticipate, believe, plan, expect, intend, estimate, potential for and similar expressions have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect managements current beliefs with respect to future events and are based on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, those listed in the Risk Factors section of the Companys Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2018 (which may be viewed at www.sedar.com). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or achievements may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors should be considered carefully, and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in the news release are based upon what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure current or prospective investors that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Contacts: LHA Investor Relations Kim Sutton Golodetz (212) 838-3777 kgolodetz@lhai.com or Bruce Voss (310) 691-7100 bvoss@lhai.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Unisys Appoints Mathew Newfield as Chief Information Security Officer BLUE BELL, Pa., April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today announced that Mathew Newfield has joined the company as its corporate chief information security officer (CISO). In the CISO role, Newfield leads the Unisys corporate information security team. The team is responsible for the design, development and implementation of the company's corporate information security and risk program across all regions and functions including the company's two go-to-market organizations, Enterprise Solutions and Unisys Federal so that both client and Unisys information assets are protected. He reports to Eric Hutto, senior vice president and president, Enterprise Solutions, Unisys. Prior to joining Unisys, Newfield served as director of global managed security services (MSS) for IBM as well as the business information security officer within IBM's security organization. In that role, he was responsible for the delivery of services in 133 countries and managing a staff of 1,500 security professionals. Newfield also has previously held security leadership roles with Cybertrust, RSA and DDC Advocacy. Newfield has published books on seurity and has been an instructor with the SANS Institute, a security research and education organization. He has been a frequent presenter around the world on cyber topics and worked closely with many global organizations to improve their security. "Matt's experience working as a global leader at some of the world's most prominent security and technology companies will help Unisys to continue our momentum as a company focused on leading-edge security," said Hutto. "He brings an enormous array of skills and knowledge in both internal and client-facing roles. Unisys will leverage this experience in protecting both client information assets and our own." About Unisys Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most digitally demanding businesses and governments on Earth. Unisys offerings include security software and services; digital transformation and workplace services; industry applications and services; and innovative software operating environments for high-intensity enterprise computing. For more information on how Unisys builds better outcomes securely for its clients across the Government, Financial Services and Commercial markets, visit www.unisys.com. Follow Unisys on Twitter and LinkedIn. RELEASE NO.: 0416/9580 Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder. UIS-C View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unisys-appoints-mathew-newfield-as-chief-information-security-officer-300629684.html SOURCE Unisys Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Inamori Foundation Doubles Monetary Awards Bestowed with its Annual Kyoto Prizes The Inamori Foundation has announced that it will double the monetary awards that accompany its annual Kyoto Prizes, to nearly one million dollars at current exchange rates, in each of the prize's three annual categories. The increased monetary awards - rising from a current 50 million yen to 100 million yen apiece - will be presented for the first time with the 34th annual Kyoto Prizes on Nov. 10, 2018 in Kyoto, Japan. The Kyoto Prize is presented each year in three categories: Advanced Technology, Basic Sciences, and Arts and Philosophy. Within each category are four annually rotating fields from which Kyoto Prize laureates are selected. As a result, the Kyoto Prizes recognize achievements within 12 separate fields of endeavor. Advanced Technology fields include: Electronics Information science Materials science and engineering Biotechnology and medical technology Basic Sciences fields include: Biological sciences (evolution, behavior, ecology, environment) Life sciences (molecular biology, cell biology, neurobiology) Earth and planetary sciences, astronomy and astrophysics Mathematical sciences Arts and Philosophy fields include: Music Thought and ethics Theater and cinema Arts(painting, sculpture, craft, architecture, photography and design) rita, or altruism, as the virtue he wanted to see embodied in the form of an international award when he created the Kyoto Prize in 1984. "It is my sincere hope, modest though it may be, that the light of the Kyoto Prize, born in Japan's ancient capital, Kyoto, a place endowed with a rich intellectual and cultural legacy, will play a role in inspiring courage in humankind and offering hope for generations to come," Inamori stated. Click here1 to read the full announcement. The Kyoto Prize is Japan's highest private award for global achievement, consisting of academic honors, a 20-karat gold medal, and a cash gift. Since 1985, it has been presented to 106 laureates - 105 individuals and one group (the Nobel (News - Alert) Foundation) - collectively representing 17 nations. Individual laureates range from scientists, engineers and researchers to philosophers, painters, architects, sculptors, musicians and film directors. The United States has produced the most recipients (43), followed by Japan (21), the United Kingdom (12) and France (8). Click here2 for full list of Kyoto Prize laureates. 1 Full announcement: http://www.inamori-f.or.jp/press/en/2018/ToMakeRitaEverlasting.pdf 2 Full list of laureates: http://www.kyotoprize.org/en/laureates/list_by_year/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180416005481/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Ixia, a Keysight Business, Enhances Visibility Solutions With Threat Insights Into Malicious Activity Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers, and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, has added advanced threat insights to Ixia (News - Alert) solutions including Vision ONE and Vision 7300 network packet brokers (NPBs) and CloudLens Private, Ixia's cloud visibility solution. The new capability recognizes malware, botnet, intrusion attempts, hijacked IPs and phishing activity. This enhanced visibility is provided in the SecureStack feature set, a key component of Ixia's security and visibility intelligence framework. Today's organizations are under cyberattack. Malware can find its way into an organization in a multitude of ways including email, clicking on malicious links, mobile devices, USBs used by employees, as well as physical intrusions into a network. Cyber Security Ventures reported that ransomware will attack a business every 14 seconds by the end of 2019.1 Leveraging threat insights from Ixia's Application and Threat Intelligence (ATI) Research Center, Ixia's Vision ONE, Vision 7300, and CloudLens Private solutions now deliver real-time information about malicious activity on an organization's network. This eliminates the need for an expensive threat intelligence feed, while improving efficiency. Users can easily identify threats and indicators of compromise with Vision ONE, Vision 7300, or CloudLens Private, and report that threat information automatically via NetFlow to existing security and monitoring tools. "In today's ever-expanding cyber threat climate, it is critical to gain visibility into security anmalies quickly and efficiently," said Scott Register, vice president cloud and security product management for Ixia. "By building threat insights from our ATI research into the Vision ONE and Vision 7300 network packet brokers, as well as into CloudLens Private, Ixia enables organizations to maintain security, as well as identify and resolve performance problems across physical and virtual infrastructures from a single platform." Vision ONE fights against threats hidden in encrypted traffic, detects IoT attacks, and feeds the right data to the right forensic solution to boost network protection without negatively impacting performance. AppStack and SecureStack capabilities enable Ixia's solutions to filter and visualize Level 2-4 traffic, as well as Layer 7 application traffic. As a result, suspicious applications can be tagged and watched to quickly spot rogue applications or unusual activity, including traffic to or from unauthorized geographies, questionable file transfers, brute-force attacks, ransomware connections, and connections to phishing sites. The Ixia Vision family of NPBs and CloudLens Private deliver end-to-end network visibility across both physical and virtual networks, with flexible functionality that includes traffic aggregation, filtering, secure socket layer (SSL) decryption with data masking, deduplication, and intelligent packet management to the tools that manage, analyze, and secure networks. Vision 7300 enables line rate, zero-loss packet processing on networks up to 100 GE for both Layer 2-4 traffic, and Layer 7 application-level data. It expands as network monitoring needs grow, and adapts as new applications are added or new security threats occur. CloudLens, Ixia's platform for public, private and hybrid cloud visibility, addresses the challenges of granular data access in the cloud. It offers organizations the visibility they need, while keeping aligned to "all cloud," hybrid cloud, multi-cloud or any cloud strategy. CloudLens Private supports private cloud technologies, and can tap, filter, process and manipulate traffic in a cloud environment. About Keysight Technologies Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) is a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers, and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight's solutions optimize networks and bring electronic products to market faster and at a lower cost with offerings from design simulation, to prototype validation, to manufacturing test, to optimization in networks and cloud environments. Customers span the worldwide communications ecosystem, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics end markets. Keysight generated revenues of $3.2B in fiscal year 2017. In April 2017, Keysight acquired Ixia, a leader in network test, visibility, and security. More information is available at www.keysight.com. Additional information about Keysight Technologies is available in the newsroom at www.keysight.com/go/news, Keysight blog, and on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. 1 Ransomware Damage Report 2017, https://cybersecurityventures.com/ransomware-damage-report-2017-part-2/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180416005249/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] The first ecological battery available in Canada, let's celebrate the Earth on April 22nd SAGUENAY, QC, April 16, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The first ecological battery on the market is finally available to all Canadians. It's distinctions? It is mercury, cadmium, lead, lithium, and PVC free, and it is just as powerful, if not more so than the competition. Respectful of the environment, it is composed with more than 93% of recycled and recyclable materials. It's packaging is also made of recycled and recyclable materials and 100% recyclable PET plastic. 60% of Canadians put their unloaded batteries in the garbage A household and environmental survey, conducted in 2005, states that 60% of Canadians dumped their discharged batteries to the garbage. This poses a significant threat to the environment because they contain toxic substances identified in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/16-002-x/2008001/10539-eng.htm According to Environment Canada's PE Study, in 2004, 11,300 tonnes of batteries were discarded and 323 tonnes recycled. In 2010, 15,327 tons of batteries were discarded and 650 tons recycled. A green and logical alternative A green alternative is now available to all to counter the use of household batteries harmful to the environment. The range of Fuji EnviroMAX eco-friendly batteries can even be disposed safely because they are environmentally friendly and landfill compliant. Why? Fuji EnviroMAX batteries and packaging: do not contain mercury, cadmium, lithium, lead are not made of harmful and non-recyclable PVC plastic are safe for landfills do not contain harmful elements for the environment are as powerful if not more than the competition, without being more expensive Manufacturing is also responsible Fuji EnviroMAX batteries do not emit ozone-depleting compounds and their factories operate according to strict environmentally responsible standards. Following a totally green approach, the 3R approach is recommended: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The Quebec Center of durable development concludes in a report that: "the Fuji EnviroMAX battery has many environmental benefits" and that "the company stands out from its competitors on several levels." Where to get them? The products are currently available in many food markets, hardware stores and distributors across Canada. Consumers are more likely than ever to turn to "green" and choose environmentally friendly, high-performance and competitively priced products. An innovation for fundraising campaigns for organizations! Organizations are often short of ideas for fundraising. The division www.Myfundraisingcampaign.com has the solution to stand out with a useful product, that is ecological, easy to sell and very profitable. Let's celebrate the Earth, on April 22nd, and for that, every gesture contributes to a better tomorrow. Let's continue to change our habits by using environmentally friendly batteries, Fuji EnviroMAX batteries. Additional information and reports are available at www.fujienviromax.ca.ca. SOURCE Fuji Batteries Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] BOCA RATON, Fla., April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dawson James Securities, Inc., is pleased to announce the addition of Carol Ann Werther, Managing Director, Equity Research. Carol has built a 20-year career focused on identifying break through products and science derived from her previous positions in both healthcare clinical research and nutrition education. Ms. Werther was most recently Managing Director with H.C. Wainwright & Co., and previously with Summer Street Research Partners, Winslow Management and Adams, Harkness & Hill. Ms. Werther received her MBA Finance from the NYU Stern School of Business and an MS Clinical Nutrition Sciences from the University of Alabama in Birmingham as well as a BS in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University. Robert D. Keyser, CEO of Dawson James, says, We are excited to have Carol on board as her deep sector knowledge alongside of her impressive research in therapeutic areas for gene therapy, RNAi and oncology will certainly expand our existing biotechnology expertise led by Robert Wasserman, Director of Research. Carol Werther adds, I am pleased to join the Dawson James team in New York. Their dedication on behalf of small cap growth companies in the Life Science sector was a strong factor in my decision and I look forward to continue to identify compelling ideas in my vertical. About Dawson James Securities, Inc. Dawson James Securities specializes in capital raising for small and microcap public and private growth companies primarily in the Life Science/Health Care, Technology and Consumer sectors and is a full service investment banking firm with research, institutional and retail sales, and execution trading and corporate services. Headquartered in Boca Raton, FL, Dawson James is privately held with offices in New York, Maryland and New Jersey. www.dawsonjames.com Safe Harbor Statement Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A Of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements that include the words believes, expects, anticipates or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Member FINRA/SIPC. For more information, please contact: Thomas W. Hands, President thands@dawsonjames.com [April 16, 2018] IBITx Software Inc. announces its new African Brand to focus on Blockchain Incubation and Commercialisation NEW YORK, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IBITX Software Inc. (OTCMKTS:IBXS) is proud to announce its new African brand, AFRIBITx.com. IBITx Software Inc. as a crypto-currency exchange platform and crowdsale software provider is positioned well to assist blockchain companies and ideas in their incubation and development within Africa. IBITx Software has a talent pool of blockchain developers in India, Philippines, and South Africa, with the intent to develop not only crypto-currency but the effective use of Blockchain across the continent. The brand AFRIBITx will endeavour to become the exchange, crowdsale, and blockchain incubator brand for the African Continent. (www.afribitx.com) Our intention is to launch in partnership with a financial service provider a regulated environment in at least 2-8 African Countries to start ideally by June 2018. The systems skeletal structure is available for testing, however, we are still endeavouring to negotiate with regulated brokers and regulatory organisations as to which Country will house the first African Blockchain incubator, Exchange, and Crowdsale system, Rose Marie D. Araos, CEO IBITx Software Inc. The intent is to incorporate a revenue sharing partnership with local brokers as the management and custody locally of the various markets. There have ben several developments in blockchain technology across the African continent, including the African Union announcement with Hyundai to produce an African Union crypto-currency, and President Cyril Ramaphosa who has supported the idea of a single currency for the African Union, and suggested that it may be digital-only. Cryptocurrency is in high demand around Africa with demand throughout 2017 leading to crypto prices as much as 40% above global averages. For more information visit www.ibitxsoftware.com About IBITX Software Inc. IBITx is a dynamic new type of currency exchange software which matches new Initial Currency Offerings (ICOs) and those interested in buying those currencies in a single platform for "Offerings" as well as a "free market" trading system for an aftermarket trading of all available Crypto and Virtual Currencies registered on the platform. The platform can be licensed to broker dealers, or firms interested in launching their own crypto-currency exchange in partnership with IBITX utilizing the Software as a Service (SAAS) model, or users can login directly to the IBITX trading system, and make online payments and transactions in Crypto-Currency. http://www.ibitxsoftware.com. (Exchange Platform as www.ibitx.com) IBITX Software Inc. Rose Marie D. Araos Rose@ibitxsoftware.com http://www.ibitxsoftware.com Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend", "could" and similar expressions, as they relate to the company or its management, identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and probably will, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above. In addition, such statements could be affected by risks and uncertainties related to the crypto currencys, regulations, product demand, market and customer acceptance, competition pricing and development difficulties, as well as general industry and market conditions and growth rates and general economic conditions. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. Information on IBITX Software's or IBITx website does not constitute a part of this release. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 16, 2018] Bask Rebrands Small Business Tech Support Division, Digity, as "Bask for Business" and Unveils Redesigned Website Bask, a leading provider of home and small business tech support, today announced it has rebranded its small business division, Digity, as Bask for Business. In doing so, Bask for Business unveiled a redesigned website to ensure small business customers have intuitive access to all tech support offerings. Since 2004, Bask for Business (formerly Digity) has provided small businesses with one-on-one tech support, security and backup protection, and superior technology advice. With this rebranding, Bask for Business is refocusing its small business product and customer service efforts on core strengths, including worry-free tech support and simple fixed-fee pricing. Bask for Business also plans to introduce patented proactive care technology, developed by sister company Nanoheal, in early May 2018. Worry-free Tech Support. Security risks, backup and disaster recovery, and not knowing when a system might break are the biggest technology worries for small businesses. Bask for Busiess resolves these issues with a comprehensive technology bundle backed by a top-rated, U.S.-based tech support team. Security risks, backup and disaster recovery, and not knowing when a system might break are the biggest technology worries for small businesses. Bask for Busiess resolves these issues with a comprehensive technology bundle backed by a top-rated, U.S.-based tech support team. Simple, Fixed-Fee Pricing. Small businesses demand predictable IT expenses that behave like an insurance policy and promote constant maintenance rather than paying overwhelming fees for Small businesses demand predictable IT expenses that behave like an insurance policy and promote constant maintenance rather than paying overwhelming fees for Proactive Care Technology. Large companies and service providers already use Nanoheal's Cognitive Workplace Management platform to improve detection and automated resolution for computers and other networked devices. Bask for Business will soon offer this enterprise-level technology to its small business clients. "Bask has achieved the highest online satisfaction and customer NPS ratings of all major tech support providers nationwide," stated Bask VP of Product and Marketing Tim Kapp. "The combination of Bask's reputation and the rollout of Proactive Care Technology will help us maintain an advantage in providing worry-free tech support with predictable pricing for small business customers." ABOUT BASK TECHNOLOGY, A DIVISION OF NANOHEAL Based in Orem, Utah, Bask offers more than technical support, they provide people support. The company empowers its home and small business customers to embrace new technology and stay protected from threats to their privacy and data by combining top-rated software with advice and solutions from an all U.S.-based team of Technology Advisors. Bask provides assistance when people need it, for any device, in everyday language. For more information, visit https://www.bask.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180416006178/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] English French MONTREAL, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alphinat Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NPA) announces a loss of $12,587 for the quarter ended February 28, 2018 During the quarter under review, Alphinat has focused its efforts on nurturing and expanding its distribution channels and on diversifying its offering. In order to accelerate future growth, Alphinat has continued to invest in packaging SmartGuide along two major areas of focus: SmartGuide Portal Edition for Dynamics 365 will optimize the way that clients create and deploy online services on top of Microsoft Dynamics 365. This offering will be available in SaaS mode as well as on premises; SmartGuide Municipal Cloud aims at offering unparalleled productivity to municipalities. Municipalities will be able to choose from a catalogue of pre-built applications, further accelerating the speed at which they can deploy citizen-centric services. These services include service requests, permitting and licensing as well as numerous other citizen-facing services and internal applications. During the quarter under review, the Company sold new SmartGuide licenses to the Ministry of Finance of an African country and to a ministry of the government of France. Alphinat also sold a SmartGuide license to a commission of the City of Montreal as well as a SmartGuide license in SaaS mode to a city in the Silicon Valley region in California. Furthermore, Alphinat has been mandated for professional services for a partner, for municipal clients and for an agency of the Federal Government of Canada. The company has pursued its commercialization efforts with various agencies of the Canadian government and municipalities in North America. Furthermore, the company continues to be involved in supporting its partner deliver solutions to government clients. Alphinat intends to pursue its partnership strategy with consulting firms and systems integrators for resale and delivery of SmartGuide, with independent software vendors for OEM agreements and with other partners for the launch of SaaS services. Management believes that these agreements will help reduce the sales cycle of the companys products while giving it additional exposure to potential clients. For the 3-month period ended February 28, 2018, the Company recorded total revenue of $354,373 compared to $499,399 for the same period in 2017. For the quarter ended February 28, 2018, profits before financial expenses and depreciation amount to $36,927. The loss for the period ended February 28, 2018 amounted to $(12,587) or $(0.0002) per outstanding common share compared to earnings of $167,455 or $0.003 per outstanding common share for the 3-month period ended February 28, 2017. Alphinat's financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended February 28, 2018 can be found on SEDAR, at www.sedar.com. About Alphinat At Alphinat, we are driven by the passion to make application development easy for everyone. It always struck us as odd that the people with the vision of how a finished application should look and behave would only be involved at the start of the process. After all, what better way to ensure a favourable outcome than to provide those closest to an applications end-users with a vested interest in its success throughout its development? Thats why we bring you new ways to empower the right people at the right time in the application development process. At the same time, were constantly working to reduce the need to code in order to make application development and maintenance simpler and less error-prone. So, whether you choose to develop your applications with the help of our low-code platform SmartGuide, kickstart your project using one of our pre-built apps or engage us or one of our partners to do the work for you, were here to help you deploy better applications in record time. Visit https://www.alphinat.com for more information. We look forward to hearing from you. Forward-looking statements Certain statements in this document, including those which express management's expectations or estimations with regards to the Company's future performance, constitute "forward-looking statements" as understood by applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are, of necessity, based on a certain number of estimates and hypotheses; while management considers these to be accurate at the time they are expressed, they are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and risks on the commercial, economic and competitive levels. We advise readers that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other known and unknown factors that 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 in these forward-looking statements. A number of factors could cause significant differences between actual results and those described in forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, the Company's capacity to increase acceptance of its products on the market, and to penetrate new markets; the potential existence of defects or undetected problems in the Company's products; the Company's ability to manage its growth; the Company's ability to compete with others; potential commitments; maintaining the Company's intellectual property rights and defending against litigation putting those rights in question; the Company's reliance on the knowledge of its key personnel; and the Company's access to sufficient capital to finance its future needs. This is a partial and non-exhaustive list of factors that could bear on any of our forward-looking statements. Investors are advised to not rely unduly on the forward-looking statements. This advisory applies to all forward-looking statements, whether expressed orally or in writing, attributed to Alphinat or to any individual expressing them in the name of the Company. The Company is under no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether to reflect new information, future events, or other circumstances. Risks and uncertainties that bear on the Company are described in greater detail in the Company's Annual Report. 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. For further information please contact: Mr. Philippe Lecoq Chief Executive Officer Alphinat Inc. (514) 398-9799 ext 222 The U.S. government recently put pressure on telecommunications companies to stop buying Huawei networking equipment and consumer electronics products. ZTE, another Chinese company, now seems to be next in the line of fire of both the UK and U.S. governments. UK Warns ISPs Against Using ZTE Hardware Unlike Huawei, ZTE is a state-owned company, which seems to raise more questions even for the UK government, which hasnt banned Huawei hardware yet. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) believes that the potential national security risks are too significant to be ignored, and that it would be better if UK telcos stopped buying ZTE hardware to avoid future security problems that wouldnt be easily mitigated. Dr Ian Levy, Technical Director of the NCSC said: It is entirely appropriate and part of NCSCs duty to highlight potential risks to the UKs national security and provide advice based on our technical expertise.NCSC assess that the national security risks arising from the use of ZTE equipment or services within the context of the existing UK telecommunications infrastructure cannot be mitigated. ZTE Banned From Exporting American Technology Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross, Jr. announced that the U.S. Department of Commerces Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has blocked ZTE from exporting technology from U.S. companies. In March 2017, ZTE settled after the U.S. government discovered that it was shipping U.S. technology to sanctioned countries such as North Korea and Iran. ZTE agreed to pay $1.19 billion and to a suspended denial of export privileges for seven years, which could be activated if ZTEs violations continued. The Department of Commerce has now learned that ZTE made false statements to the U.S. government during the 2016 settlement negotiations as well as the 2017 probationary period. Secretary Ross said: ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored. The order against ZTE also means American companies can no longer sell any type of technology to ZTE to minimize the chances that ZTE would once again export that technology elsewhere. A Bill To Ban Huawei, ZTE Hardware Is Coming Texas Representative Mike Conaway introduced a bill this January to ban Huawei and ZTE from selling hardware to the federal government. In a statement, Conaway said: Chinese commercial technology is a vehicle for the Chinese government to spy on United States federal agencies, posing a severe national security threat.Allowing Huawei, ZTE, and other related entities access to U.S. government communications would be inviting Chinese surveillance into all aspects of our lives. The American intelligence agencies have also warned against consumers buying Huawei and ZTE devices. U.S. versions of ZTE phones were found to have a backdoor in 2012. Activist embraces themes of identity, equality at Pride Month lecture Jordyn Bensyl UMKC's LGBTQIA Affairs Council welcomed DeRay Mckesson to campus Tuesday night for the 2018 pride month lecture. Mckesson is an American social rights activist and former school administrator. He is best known for his support in the demonstrations that took place in Ferguson after the shooting of the unarmed black man Michael Brown Jr. Kangaroo conversation recently offered a forum to a renowned and controversial organizer in the name of unity with the LGBT community that has dominated campus life at the city college and pushed an unapologetic Progressive agenda for almost 30 years. Read more: Snowflakes who deny global climate change. Snowflakes who believe the Prez is "morally unfit" are only slightly more interesting than snowflakes who think Prez Trump is anything but a protest vote and the lesser evil amid late stage Democracy. Snowflakes who want to devise yet another KCMO racial dividing line as a twisted tribute to an iconic civil rights leader and the snowflakes who oppose/support them from the comfort of Johnson County. Snowflakes still supporting the disgraced Missouri Guv and touting "Conservatism" despite disavowal of Eric Greitens by ALL of the Missouri Republican leadership. Snowflakes who pout over any negativity directed toward the so-called Downtown Kansas City Renaissance that has mostly been built upon TIF, voter suppression, gerrymandering, irrational exuberance and corporate sponsored content. A very quick roundup of Kansas City Springtime snowflakes our blog community has noticed as of late . . .Worst of all . . . Snowflakes who can't reference the term "snowflakes" and realize thatYou decide.Hopefully, more for the morning update . . . Bullets tear through townhouses, cars in KCMO neighborhood KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police are investigating after shots rang out at a townhome complex near 23rd and Wheeling on Sunday afternoon. A caller reported hearing 20-30 shots at the Blue Valley Court Townhouses around 4:30 p.m. When Kansas City police officers arrived on scene, they found bullet holes in three buildings and a couple cars. Report from an urban core community fiends resident outcry over "war zone" conditions and many residents to scared to talk on camera.Take a look: Complicating this naming fight is a simple truth: Kansas City, like much of the country, struggles with segregation. Whose Neighborhood Should Get a Street Named for M.L.K.? Mr. Lucas said he leaned toward giving the name to a street where white people tend to venture more often, because it could have a greater impact there. "There's something to be said for the fact that you need to make sure the entire community honors it, instead of saying, 'That's something the black folks are doing for the black folks in a black area.' The nation's paper of record offers a round-up of the controversy that has distracted most urban core leaders from the ongoing murder spike.Money line . . .Read more: Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. Idemia, a global leader in augmented identity, regional payment solutions company Network International, and Mastercard have launched a project to enable merchants to use smartphones to accept contactless payments. A first-of-its-kind initiative in the MEA region, the partnership project will enable UAE-based Network International merchants to accept contactless transactions using any near-field communication (NFC)-enabled Android smartphone, thus simplifying their payment acceptance processes significantly. This smartphone-turned point-of-sale (POS) solution will provide small merchants, who previously relied on cash and checks to accept payments, with a simpler and more secure way to run their business. Merchants can download and install an app, create an account with their payment service provider and start accepting contactless transactions from their customers without separate payment terminal or any peripheral device, as well as associated costs. Furthermore, it offers innovative solutions to large merchants to enable safe and convenient payment-on-delivery options for their customers. The new solution will also offer a queue-busting feature where merchants can enable their customers to avoid queues and cash exchanges at sporting, music and other events. The mobile payment solution, which integrates Mastercards advanced security technologies, will allow consumers to make quick, convenient and secure electronic transactions by tapping their contactless card or smartphone (using a digital wallet, e.g. Masterpass) on the merchants device. Idemia is leveraging its leading position in the payment ecosystem, working with more than 1,800 financial institutions and the major mobile operators, to offer an end-to-end mPOS contactless service, allowing NFC devices to accept secure contactless payments. Muzaffar Khokhar, president of Middle East Africa region at Idemia, said: At Idemia, our focus is on enabling the digital transformation by bringing to the market the latest technology and innovation to enhance, simplify and secure the payment experience for both businesses and consumers. We are very excited to support Network International, our long-standing strategic partner, in introducing the mPOS solution to the MEA region. Network International is delighted to introduce this innovation to our UAE merchants in collaboration with global technology leaders, Idemia and Mastercard, said Paul Clarke, group head of Product & Innovation, Network International. The initiative reaffirms our commitment to enhancing the UAEs payment ecosystem through innovative technologies and global best practice and we look forward to expanding its success across our MEA network. As a leading technology company that strives to transform the global payments industry and drive cashless transactions in the UAE and the wider region, Mastercard is committed to enabling every connected device to accept payments, said Girish Nanda, general manager, UAE & Oman, Mastercard. With 'Tap-on-Phone', our latest digital payment solution, merchants, particularly small and micro merchants, who have traditionally taken cash and check payments, can enable their customers to make contactless transactions by making the most out of their existing digital devices. 'Tap-on-Phone' solution eliminates any additional cost of acquisition, a major hindrance to the widespread adoption of cashless payment acceptance solutions in the region, thereby enabling even the smallest of small businesses and entrepreneurs to enter the digital world of payments. As a forward-looking economy, the UAE has been at the forefront of innovation and adoption of new technologies, and the introduction of the new smartphone-based payment solution will accelerate its digital endeavours. This will also contribute to the countrys efforts to empower its small and medium enterprises, the main backbone of its economy, to further its economic growth and development, he added. TradeArabia News Service The English Excellence - award-winning Chef Adam Byatt is introducing an exquisite insight into hearty English cuisine at the Capital Club Bahrain, premier private City Club situated in the heart of the kingdom's financial district. A place must be perceived in a dish, words by Food Director of Rocco Forte Hotels, Fulvio Pierangelini, and One Michelin Star Chef Adam Byatt delivers exactly that in three unique settings through his multi-award winning restaurants, Trinity, Upstairs, and Bistro Union - each highlighting different elements of English cuisine. Combining his love for food, passion for cooking, and quest for working with the freshest ingredients, Chef Adam Byatt presents a delicious trilogy of the makings of the English culinary scene; from special occasions to comfort eating, Chef Adam Byatt brings to his diners a personal and noteworthy dining experience. Exposed to the world of cooking from a very young age, Essex-native Byatt learnt the art of good food making from his very own kitchen as his grandfather was a cook in the Army, and his mother, a professionally trained chef - becoming an eminent member of the worlds gastronomic scene was only inevitable for him. By the age of 16, Chef Adam was introduced to the Savoy Education Trust that offered him a placement at the notable Claridges Hotel, and started his culinary education at Bournemouth - via the Academy of Culinary Arts and a scholarship with Claridges. His time was divided yet fully dedicated between Claridges and Bournemouth allowing him to fully immerse himself in the world of culinary, and eventually graduating as a qualified chef. His ambition towards the industry lead him to working as a Sous Chef for award-winning restaurant, The Square, which earned their second Michelin during his time there, and by 2001 he opened his own celebrated restaurant, Thyme in Clapham. In 2005 Trinity was launched in Clapham Old Town, earning its Michelin Star, as well as AAs London Restaurant of the Year, Time Out Best New Restaurant, holding three AA rosettes for four years, and was voted top ten restaurants by Hardens and Zagat in 2010 and 2011, and many other noteworthy accolades amongst its long list of achievements. The restaurant even earned the praise of Giles Coren of The Times who said Trinity was, as close to an absolutely perfect experience of eating out as it is possible to have. Showcasing his dexterity and command on the cuisine, Chef Adam opened his second restaurant, Bistro Union, which was epitome of a British bistro with all-day dining in a more relaxed environment, compared to Trinity, which has a more upscale and luxe ambiance. The refurbishment of Trinity also saw the inception of Chef Adams third venue in 2015, Upstairs, which he describes as an extension of the food that I cook at home, and the venue earned its Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide in just under a year of of its launch. Chef Adams obvious love for the culinary arts allowed him to delve into three different segments of authentic British dining, catering to his wide range of clientele all the while maintaining a personal element to his of his venues and their respective menus. His vigor has not only allowed for his expertise to be shared through his restaurants, but also though his culinary writing that include three cookbooks, a contribution in a cookbook, and a monthly contributor as a columnist, and a to a blog. Additionally, the celebrity chef has made numerous appearances on television and radio, as well as being a regular on BBC 1s Saturday Kitchen. Sharing his knowledge and skills with the aspiring chefs of the future, Chef Adam also is a mentor to young chefs through his own restaurants and through the Academy of Culinary Arts - the institution that allowed him to take his first steps into the culinary world. Proud of his native cuisine, Chef Adam also travelled to Hong Kong, as an ambassador to promote British food abroad to educate the world about what is traditional British food, and bringing the same knowledge and delicious menu to Bahrain, Chef Adam visits the Capital Club Bahrain as part of the Celebrity Chef Series to share with the region a sample of his skills. Over the course of the 3-day stay, Chef Adam will use local produce to create his signature dishes, as well explore the tastes of the GCC and understand what makes food in this part of the world so unique and flavorous. It is the perfect opportunity to have the East meet the West in a culinary combination to allow our guests and members to experience different cultures through their dishes, remarked General Sumeet Jhingan. Since Bahrains Food and Beverage industry has seen a major change in the recent years, having a chef like Chef Adam possibly explore the possibility of setting up a venue in the kingdom would be a great opportunity, as the addition of a Michelin Star restaurant would give the dynamic food industry an even higher elevation, as well as allow Chef Adam to work with the like-minded gastronomic creatives here to share ideas, recipes, cooking methods, and much more," stated Jhingan. During this special occasion, 5 lucky winners will be chosen to dine in Chef Adams flagship One Michelin star restaurant, Trinity in London. Winners can enjoy either lunch or dinner and a specially prepared menu by Chef Adam valid for one year, he added. Audi, a leading automobile manufacturer, announced that it has sold around 463,800 automobiles worldwide between January and March, up 9.8 per cent over the same quarter last year. In particular, the high demand in China (+41.9 per cent) and North America (+10.2 per cent) drove growth in the first three months, said a statement. In Europe, however, sales since January came in below the record-breaking level from 2017, down 4.7 per cent, it said. In March, the company delivered around 183,750 premium automobiles (+6.0 per cent) worldwide, it added. Bram Schot, board member for sales and marketing at Audi, said: The record-breaking start to the year provides us with important momentum. With the Audi A7, A6, A1 and Q3 models, we will be renewing around a quarter of our sales in Europe alone throughout the year. In China, Audi also closed the first quarter successfully. Here the company delivered 154,270 cars since January, an increase of 41.9 per cent, said a statement. In the past month, demand increased by 30.6 per cent; the Ingolstadt-based automaker sold more automobiles in China than ever before in the month of March, delivering 54,031 units. The Audi A4 proved an important growth engine. The number of deliveries of the midsize model increased by 86.4 per cent year-on-year to more than 13,800 cars. Since the start of the year more than 37,350 Chinese customers received their keys for an Audi A4 (+99.2 per cent). The top seller is following this positive trend worldwide too, achieving growth of 15.3 per cent to around 87,850 A4 models delivered in the period January through March. With sales down 5.8 per cent in March, Europe is indicative of the complex ramp-up and discontinuation situation of the current model initiative. In Germany and the UK, Audis two largest European markets, deliveries were down on the very strong sales figures from 2017. In the domestic market, the premium brand delivered 28,247 automobiles (-9.0 per cent) in March, which had less selling day than last year. In the UK, sales fell 2.9 per cent year-on-year in the past month. In the first quarter, UK sales were on a par with the prior-year level, up 0.1 per cent, and performed far more resiliently than the declining overall market. Demand in Spain (+11.3 per cent) and Italy (+2.8 per cent) also remained positive in the past month. In both markets, customer interest in the Audi Q5 held up since the start of the year. A total of 1,618 Spanish customers (+51.5 per cent) and 2,106 Italian buyers (+131.9 per cent) opted for the SUV in the first quarter. Another positive result: In Austria Audi accomplished premium market leadership regarding car registrations between January and March. On the North American continent, Audi also continued to grow in March, increasing sales by 8.3 per cent to around 24,550 cars. With around 61,400 deliveries, the company posted growth of 10.2 per cent year-on-year in the region since January. In Canada alone, Audi sold 3,404 units in March, continuing its double-digit sales growth of the past few months (+14.0 per cent). Since January, around one in three Canadian Audi customers chose an Audi Q5. Audi of America achieved another record-breaking month, with sales up 7.4 per cent to 20,090 units. The Q family once again contributed largely to this success. The SUV share in the US is currently 52 per cent, i.e. one out of every two Audi models sold in this market is a Q model. The Audi Q7 is proving popular. In the past month, one out of every three Audi Q7 models delivered went to an American customer. Across all models, cumulative sales are up 9.7 per cent in the US, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Flydubais inaugural flight touched down yesterday at N'djili Airport (Kinshasa International Airport - FIH). Following the launch, flydubai will operate daily flights to Ndjili Airport with an en route stop in Entebbe. Flydubai is the first national carrier for the UAE to create direct air links to the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, and with the start of the service sees its comprehensive network in Africa grow to 13 destinations in 10 countries. With the start of flights to Kinshasa, another gateway is opened up for passengers from the GCC, Russia and the Indian Subcontinent into Central Africa. Passengers from Kinshasa have access to more than 90 destinations on the flydubai network and through its codeshare partnership with Emirates can connect easily and conveniently to Emirates destinations spanning six continents in over 80 countries. The inaugural flight touched down at 14:20 (local time) and on board was a delegation led by Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Indian Subcontinent & Africa) for flydubai. The delegation was met on arrival by Tshiumba Pmunga Jean, director general, Civil Aviation Authority; Kufula Makila Rex, cabinet director, Minister of Transport and Constant Bopima Moelo, cabinet director, Minister of Tourism. Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer of flydubai, said: As one of the largest and most populous cities in Africa, Kinshasa, is a key hub for travel and trade. Africa is one of the UAEs emerging trade partners and with the opening of this new route to one of the busiest airports in the Democratic Republic of the Congo there will be further opportunities to strengthen commercial ties across a neighbouring continent with vast natural resources. The fast-growing economies of the countries of Africa are important trading markets for the UAE and their increasing prosperity will ensure that their contribution of visitor numbers to Dubai will similarly grow strongly. Sudhir Sreedharan, senior vice president, commercial operations (UAE, GCC, Indian Subcontinent and Africa) at flydubai, who led the inaugural delegation, added: Africa has been an important market for flydubai since the airlines launch in 2009. We continue to see strong demand for direct air links and last year flydubai contributed 13 per cent of the total growth at Dubai Airports for the African market. I am pleased to see our network in Africa grow to 13 destinations in 10 countries with the launch today of flights to Kinshasa. With the start of the daily service from Dubais aviation hub to one of the largest countries in Africa, passengers will have access to increased connectivity. All flights to and from Kinshasa will offer travellers flydubais onboard experience, whether opting for priority services and more space and privacy in Business Class, or enjoying flexibility and convenience as a passenger in Economy Class. Flydubai will codeshare this route with Emirates, offering all passengers the benefits of this partnership, including travel on a single ticket and increased connectivity with more choice to travel and access to Emirates destinations spanning six continents in over 80 countries. In under 10 years, flydubai has grown an extensive network across Africa and currently offers flights to Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Asmara, Djibouti, Entebbe, Hargeisa, Juba, Khartoum and Port Sudan as well as Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. - TradeArabia News Service Travelport today announced a new long-term technology partnership, via Travelports distributor in Oman, with Eihab Travels, one of Omans most reputable travel companies. Eihab Travels, an Iata accredited agency established in 1978, will use Travelports industry-leading point of sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint, to provide corporate as well as leisure travel services to major multinational corporations, prominent Middle East firms and individuals. Aided by Travelports support, the companys consultants will benefit from intelligent, fast and accurate search of high-quality content from over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotel properties and 35,000 car rental locations. With over 250 airlines signed up to use Travelports unique merchandising technology, the company is able to display, gain powerful information around, and sell branded fare families and ancillary products (such as paid seat assignments, baggage fees, priority boarding, etc.) from these airlines. Having recently become the first global distribution system (GDS) to be certified by Iata as a Level 3 Aggregator under its New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative, Travelport will soon further benefit the company by creating NDC connections with airlines as they become available. Commenting on the new partnership, Dinesh Poojary, general manager of Eihab Travels, said: We are delighted to now offer our consultants real-time access to the best fares and content through a platform that enables us to quickly respond to customers personalised needs. We are confident that Travelports edge in technological innovation and advanced position in NDC certification will help us further differentiate our travel services and deliver exceptional customer service. Matthew Powell, Travelports managing director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Travelport, commented: We are pleased to have signed this new partnership with Eihab Travels and are proud to power its business via Travelports distributor in Oman. This agreement demonstrates the tremendous value we are able to provide travel agencies through our leadership in technology, content and service. We look forward to working with Eihab Travels to continually find new ways to set them apart from their peers by delivering exceptional value to their customers. - TradeArabia News Service Cebu Pacific, The Philippines largest carrier, is sending-off its first batch of cadet pilots to an intensive aviation training program at Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) in Australia. The batch is composed of 16 cadet pilots who were selected from over 12,500 applicants. The applicants went through screening and a series of tests, as well as medical and physical examination, with 16 candidates attending an aviation foundation course at the Philippine Academy for Aviation Training in Clark Field, Pampanga last month. The final 16 cadet pilots are Dexie Jay Aljas (Banga, South Cotabato); Janine Alyssa Marie Bautista (Cainta, Rizal); Aaron Jhun Bernabe (Santiago City, Isabela); James Kevin Chua (Sta Cruz, Manila); Paulo Martin Concepcion (Sta Rosa, Laguna); Martha May De Leon (Sta Rosa, Laguna); Darryl Dave Ditucalan (Iligan City); Geronimo Miguel Mantes (Fairview, Quezon City); Lorenzo Miguel Montinola (Malate, Manila); Rydale Pintor (Cebu City); Ardeen Bernabe Reguyal (San Jose, Occidental Mindoro); Kayrwin Kirch Remolona (Mabalacat, Pampanga); Jose Angelo Santos (Cainta, Rizal); twin brothers Ian John and Ivan Kevin Satentes (Noveleta, Cavite); and Juan Carlo Wage (Bamban, Tarlac). Ever since I was a child it has always been my lifelong dream to become an airline pilot but my family is not financially capable of supporting my dreams, shares Ian John Satentes. My twin brother and I have the same dream of becoming pilots since we were kids. The reason for this is all the airplanes we saw up-close whenever we accompany or fetch dad at the airport. While waiting for dad and looking at those big planes, our mom would always tell us that someday we will be inside the cockpit of whichever airplane shes pointing at, enthused Ivan Kevin. The cadet pilots will be spending a total of 52 weeks at the FTA campus in Adelaide. After successfully completing their training there, the cadet pilots will return to the Philippines to complete type-rating and licensing requirements to become commercial pilots. After completion of the programme, the cadet pilots become First Officers at CEB, and join the corps of aviators at Cebu Pacific, flying domestic and international routes. Cebu Pacific will shoulder the cost of the training, type-rating and licensing, with successful cadet-pilots guaranteed employment with CEB. They will then reimburse the cost of the program through salary deduction over a maximum of 10 years at zero-interest. Cebu Pacific will be investing $25 million for its Cadet Pilot Programme. In partnership with FTA, the programme selects a total of 240 candidates over a five-year period, or 48 candidates per year divided into three batches, with each batch composed of 16 Cadet-Pilots. The programme is open only to Filipino citizens who are college graduates, proficient in English and hold passports valid for at least two years prior to the start of the programme. The screening process for applicants begins with an online screening, followed by an on-site screening for core skills and pilot aptitude tests, among other examinations where a fee of AU$425.00 ($329.8) will be charged. CEB and FTA will jointly select the final list of candidates. Candidates for the second batch of CEB Cadet Pilots are currently being screened. Application for the third batch is set to open by mid-May 2018. - TradeArabia News Service These new books are now available at the Transylvania County Library: Fiction Delury, Jane. The Balcony. The past and present inhabitants of an estate in Paris, including the servants cottages, are the cast of characters whose stories are told over the course of several generations. From a Jewish couple who hides in the manor from the Gestapo to an unfaithful housewife who starts an affair while the renovating the downstairs, each story intertwines love, survival, and new beginnings. (FIC DEL) Grimes, Martha. The Knowledge. A Richard Jury Mystery. The offbeat Richard Jury mysteries continue with a cab driver held at gunpoint by a man who robbed an art gallery/casino. Richard Jury takes on the case that moves through Tanzanian gem mines to a pub only for black drivers. (M FIC GRI) Lawhon, Ariel. I Was Anastasia. For 50 years, Anna Anderson did everything she could to convince Russian authorities that she was the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov. Everyone believes Anastasia was killed along with the rest of her family in 1918, but then Anna shows up cold and shivering near a canal in Berlin two years later. Is she really the duchess or is she an imposter who is bent on exploiting the Romanov name to gain their fortune? (FIC LAW) Maberry, Jonathan. Glimpse. Rains life has never been easy. She had to give up her baby for adoption when she was only 16, the love of her life died in Iraq, her family disowned her and shes a recovering addict. But all of these problems combined do not equal the difficulty Rain deals with when the voices in her head start talking. And now, it seems that two lives are merging in Rains head, making everything about her life harder, not to mention terrifying. (FIC MAB) Nonfiction Hinton, Anthony Ray. The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. Anthony Hinton was 29 years old when he was charged with two counts of murder. A poor, black man, Hinton could not afford a lawyer and was sentenced to death despite his innocence. For 27 years, Hinton sat on death row, managing to inspire goodness. With the help of a civil rights lawyer, Hinton was finally cleared of all charges in 2015. (B Hinton) Odom Jr., Leslie. Falling Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning. Life cant get much better for Leslie Odom Jr. since he won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in Hamilton and singing for the Obamas at the White House. But his life wasnt always so easy. Odom had to work hard and take risks. He challenges his readers to do the same by asking thought-provoking questions. (158.1 ODO) The Perfect Cake: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic, Modern, and Whimsical Cakes. Years of baking knowledge went into this first cake book by Americas Test Kitchen. Everything from basic to elegant, these cakes are not only the tastiest recipes, but are also guaranteed to bring smiles. (641.86 PER) Schweizer, Peter. Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends. Schweizer exposes political corruption again, this time showing that many of Americas public servants are involved in questionable business deals that create multi-billion dollar investments. These politicians also offer those benefits to friends and family. (320.973 SCH) Having a cataract is akin to looking through a foggy window; reading and driving are challenging. Good lighting and eyeglasses will help temporarily, but a cataract patient may eventually need surgery. Fortunately, cataract surgery is generally a safe and effective procedure. Transylvania Regional Hospital will host a free program on Tuesday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Carlson Conference Room at the hospital (use the main entrance and continue straight ahead through the main hallway; the CCR is on the left). As part of the "Dessert with the Doc" series to educate the community, Dr. Hank Johnson, ophthalmologist, will present "Cataracts: All You Ever Wanted to Know." Register for this program by calling 883-5130. Room size limits attendance to 65 people. Refreshments will be provided. Each individual is responsible for making the right choices depending upon his or her own health issues. Johnson is a board certified ophthalmologist. He attended Clemson Univer-sity where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry. He then graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston receiving his Doctorate of Medicine. After an internship in internal medicine in Charlotte at Carolinas Medical Center, he completed his residency in ophthalmology at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he was elected chief resident during his senior year. His fellowship in cornea, external disease and refractive surgery is from Columbia University in New York City at the Edward Harkness Eye Institute. Madison Allen is the first BHS student to qualify for the Western Region Jazz Band, and represented Brevard High and Transylvania County Schools in the ensemble for a second consecutive year. Brevard High School congratulates Madison Allen, a senior who recently earned a top alto saxophone position in the Western North Carolina All-Regional Jazz Band at Asheville High School. Allen will audition for All-State Jazz Band in March 2018. Allen has represented Transylvania County and Brevard High School in the All-Regional Jazz Band for the past two years. Contenders were scored on preparing a solo, etude, improvisation, and sight reading. Of the 32 who auditioned in the West region, only four were selected for the All-Region Jazz Band Clinic at Asheville High School on February 2-3. By Josh Tinsley We often hear people say things like, Kids these days just [insert negative observation about todays children]. These statements are true on the surface, but they are also shortsighted. Youth these days have cell phones, social media accounts and the ability to communicate with people all over the world. I had none of those things growing up, and Im betting that most of you reading this didnt either. Because of their recent intrusion into our lives, were just learning how to deal with them in regards to our personal and cultural ethics. A lot of adults would argue that these kids are distracted and disconnected from the real world. I would argue the opposite. Older generations may be better connected with their present surroundings, but kids are living very real dual realities that will persist for the foreseeable future. I dont want to get into a philosophical discussion about the nature of reality, but I think we can agree reality is defined by our emotional, physical and mental experience. Using that definition, the virtual world is becoming our real world, and kids are living in a reality that most adults cannot understand. Todays means of communication are different, but the foundational emotional struggles, identity construction and desire for authentic self-expression are the same as theyve ever been for teenagers. In fact, things are harder for kids these days. Yes, I said that. Harder. I know the older generations walked to school in the snow, milked the cows at dawn and had to actually answer their landlines, but the emotional chores of constant interactions require some pretty heavy lifting for todays kids. Kids used to discover and create their identities using family, friends, celebrities and other role models. However, they are now presented with a two-fold problem that no other generation has faced before. First, they are inundated with examples of how to live, look and behave from all sides. In fact, they cannot escape this constant barrage. Perhaps more importantly, they have the freedom to create whatever perception of themselves they want, and they can promote that identity online 24 hours a day, whether or not the identity promoted meshes with their day to day lives. Though the research is still in its infancy, its looking more and more like this type of identity construction is wreaking havoc on our kids psyches. Researchers are noting more instances of depression and anxiety among students who spend a great deal of time on social media. When everyone on our social media is smiling at the beach or riding daintily perched on ponies, we come to believe our everyday physical realities are much worse than theirs and our emotions follow suit, even if its not true. We know that the ubiquitous presence of cell phones and the constant tug they have on our hearts and minds can be a distraction at best or a full-fledged addiction at worst. Many of our students find their phones to be a distraction from school work, family time and rest, but its not just your childs preoccupation with his or her phone thats the problem. Its our whole culture. Parents expect their kids to immediately respond when texted. Friends, not even best friends, expect others to reply in seconds when they send out a text or Snapchat. Seriously. Seconds. Ive witnessed kids arguing with one another because one friend went to bed after reading a text and not replying until the next morning. Todays youth simultaneously love and hate their dual realities and the doubling of expectations they put upon them, but they feel powerless to stop it. Their entire friend group would have to agree upon a very different set of norms for them to feel comfortable putting down their phones or abandoning their social media for more than a few minutes. Their parents would have to grow comfortable not knowing where their kids were for a couple of hours. My students said they would be left out or feel left out. Think back to when you were a kid: Did you want to feel left out? Be honest. Some might say these kids are weak. They are not ready for the real world. They are slaves to technology. Maybe theyre right, but I would bet that most of us gave into similar technological changes as we grew up. Video games and cable TV were the increasingly popular innovations for many of us, and many of us would, even now as grownups, balk at giving up our Netflix or our phones. I say all this to ask a question: How do we, as a culture, as parents, as children and as educators, begin to address these issues? I dont have a solution, but I have an idea. Our schools and legislatures need to make room in the curriculum for discussions about philosophy in public schools. The education system should be a part of this cultural dialogue: What is real? What are my responsibilities to others? How do I conduct myself online? How much of my reality is open to deception? What does success look like for me? Happiness? Belonging? How do I reconcile my online and offline identities? Kids these days want to talk about these issues, and we, as educators, need to provide them with the opportunity to do so in an open dialogue. Science and math brought us the smartphone. Only philosophy and tough conversations about ethics and conduct can teach us how to use them, as opposed to them using us. (Tinsley is an English teacher and yearbook advisor at Brevard High School.) Blue Ridge Community College President Dr. Laura Leatherwood recently participated in Business North Carolina Magazines roundtable discussion on manufacturing. Leatherwood joined a diverse, statewide panel of education, manufacturing, human resources and accounting leaders to discuss how North Carolina can attract high-technology companies to the state as well as educate and train a manufacturing workforce. Leatherwood noted that community colleges, like Blue Ridge, are customizing training programs to meet the needs of local companies. As an example, she shared that Blue Ridge Community College built a high-pressure die-casting training cell specifically to train workers for GF Linamar, a company that has made a $217 million investment in Henderson County. Manufacturers across the state say business is better than ever, but they face a labor shortage, she said. Community colleges are rising to the challenge of addressing this workforce shortage. In fact, one of the reasons GF Linamar chose to invest in Henderson County is because Blue Ridge Community College committed to building a custom training program that uniquely suits the companys workforce needs. Blue Ridge Community College has also worked with Henderson County Public Schools to develop an early college program for high school students, which is housed under the same roof as career academy students in the recently opened Innovative High Schools. Having something like the Innovative High Schools on our campus is an economic catalyst for our next generation of workers for our manufactures, said Leatherwood. We are exposing students to careers like welding, mechatronics, advanced machining, robotics, high-pressure die casting, plastics and injection moldings. BRCC offers more than 100 programs of study; awards associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates; offers a wide range of college transfer courses; has articulation programs with four-year colleges and universities; and provides one of the largest continuing education programs in the state. Students who graduate from BRCC are eligible to transfer to any of North Carolinas 18 public colleges and universities. Many students take advantage of scholarships offered through the colleges Educational Foundation or receive assistance from grants and loans. BRCC maintains an extensive lineup of technical programs designed to prepare students for successful careers in nursing, automotive technology, law enforcement, emergency response, engineering technology, machining technology and many others. To learn more, visit http://www.blueridge.edu/. On May 1, the Transylvania County Schools Educational Foundation (TCSEF), in partnership with First Citizens Bank, will host the 2018 Taste of Transylvania. This fundraiser will feature more than 15 Transylvania County restaurants and caterers providing "tastes" of appetizers, entrees, and desserts, as well as wine and beer donated from Broad Street Wines and Oskar Blues. Tickets are available for purchase online at the TCSEF website and for cash or check at Broad Street Wines in Brevard and Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman. The event will open at 5:30 p.m. Ticketholders will be able to obtain a beverage (each ticket includes two drink vouchers for those over 21) and to browse the amazing auction items and raffle baskets donated for the event. Ticketholders are encouraged to come prepared to purchase raffle tickets for the chance to win themed baskets brimming with gift certificates, local items, local experiences and all around fun. Transylvania County Schools' teachers and staff will also be attending to highlight and discuss some of the innovative and creative grant projects that have been funded through TCSEF's Creative Classroom Grants program. Restaurants participating this year include Blue Ridge Bakery, Blue Smoke BBQ, Schenck Job Corps Culinary Arts, and Dugan's Pub that were the "Best of" winners for desserts, entrees, appetizers and the taster's choice, respectively. Further crowd favorites returning this year include Cedar Mountain Cafe, Jamie's Creole Brasserie, Jordan Street Cafe, The Pavilion at Key Falls Inn, Magpie Meat and Three, Wine Down, and The Falls Landing. New participants are 185 King Street, The Blind Mule, The Phoenix and The Fox, Quixote Fine Cuisine, and The Square Root. While ticketholders are busy selecting which raffle baskets to use their tickets on, three guest judges will begin sampling the food and scoring each dish in the three categories. The evening will also feature live music by the Jason DeCristofaro Trio. Many of the participating restaurants will serve more than one taste category, so guests should arrive hungry and ready for fun and goodwill. Toward the end of the evening, ticketholders will be able to vote for their overall favorite and the winners of each category selected by the judges, as well as the Taster's Choice Award, will be announced. TCSEF, which is a nonprofit that exists to promote, develop and encourage public and private support of the Transylvania County Schools, has benefited from the Taste of Transylvania each year through a steady growth in fundraising that has awarded $18,000 in Creative Classroom Grants to Transylvania County Schools' teachers and staff each of the past three years. By providing financial support for programs and projects that are not funded through government revenues, TCSEF is a leading resource for helping to preserve, maintain, advance and enrich public education in Transylvania County. Taste of Transylvania is an example each year of how community members come together to support Transylvania County Schools through an evening of fun. Tickets for the seventh annual Taste of Transyl-vania are on sale now at http://www.TCSEF.org. 17 SP 9 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE North Carolina, Transylvania COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by James R. Lestoric and Kim P. Lestoric to PRLAP, Inc., Trustee(s), which was dated September 18, 2003 and recorded on September 19, 2003 in Book 000193 at Page 000764, Transylvania County Registry, North Carolina. Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on April 23, 2018 at 10:00AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Transylvania County, North Carolina, to wit: TRACT I: Being all of Lot 10 of Sapphire Village Subdivision as more particularly described in a deed from Kenneth J. Wilson and wife, Laura E. Wilson, to Francis B. Longley and wife, Marguerite E. Longley, dated April 27, 1977, and recorded in Book 226, page 622, Records of Deeds for Transylvania County to which reference is hereby made for a more complete description thereof. Also being all of the same land described in a deed from Francis B. Longley and wife, Marguerite E. Longley, to Joe B. Baldridge and wife, Emily G. Baldridge, dated October 31, 1983, and recorded in Book 264, page 321, Records of Deeds for Transylvania County. There is also conveyed hereby and herewith a right-of-way to the public road over and along the private roads which now connect the land hereinabove described with the public road, said right-of-way to be for travel of all kinds, on foot and with all types of vehicles, with the right of ingress, egress and regress over and along the same in common with all others entitled to the use thereof. TRACT II: Being all of Lot 11 of Sapphire Village Subdivision as more particularly described in a deed from Kenneth J. Wilson and wife, Laura E. Wilson, to Joe B. Baldridge and wife, Emily G. Baldridge, dated October 11, 1971, and recorded in Book 192, page 507, Records of Deeds for Transylvania County, to which reference is hereby made for a more complete description thereof. There is also conveyed hereby and herewith all water rights, water line rights-of-way, well and reservoir access rights-of-way, road rights-of-way and other rights and rights-of-way set out in the deed recorded in Book 192, page 507, hereinabove referred to, subject, however, to all water system and road maintenance obligations, restrictive covenants, road easements, utility line easements and water system easements set out in said deed including specifically a 40 foot wide easement for a central system for obtaining water for other residences in Sapphire Village Subdivision which is located within a radius of 40 feet from a stake located in the center of the unnamed circle (driveway) located at the easternmost corner of Lot 11 of Sapphire Village Subdivision. Tracts I and II hereinabove described being all of the same land, rights and rights-of-way described in a deed from Joe B. Baldridge and wife, Emily G. Baldridge, to James Douglas Baldridge and wife, Courtney R. Baldridge, dated August 24, 1990, and recorded in Book 332, page 270, Records of Deeds for Transylvania County. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 263 Village Way and Lot 10 adjacent to 263 Village Way, Sapphire, NC 28774. A cash deposit (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of 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. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are James R. Lestoric and Kim P. Lestoric. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to 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 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 no more than 90 days after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS A 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. 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. 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. Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 FAX: (910) 392-8587 File No .: 16-21467-FC01 M/4/9/2TC-68237 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18-E-112 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Betty Davis Hensley of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Betty Davis Hensley to present them to the undersigned on or before July 3, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 2, 2018. Traci Hensley Ballenger 85 Sawyer Lane Horse Shoe, NC 28742 M/4/2/4TP-68223 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18-E-111 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Joe LeVeigne Hensley of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Joe LeVeigne Hensley to present them to the undersigned on or before July 3, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 2, 2018. Traci Hensley Ballenger 85 Sawyer Lane Horse Shoe, NC 28742 M/4/2/4TP-68222 _________________________________________________ IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF North CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Transylvania COUNTY 17SP45 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY VERONICA HOWELL DATED JANUARY 26, 2007 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 392 AT PAGE 435 IN THE Transylvania County PUBLIC REGISTRY, North CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in the payment of the secured indebtedness and failure to perform the stipulation and agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the owner and holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will expose for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 12:00PM on April 23, 2018 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Transylvania County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that piece, parcel or lot of land, with improvements thereon, lying, being and situate in the County of Transylvania, State of North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 14, according to the Survey of Verdery and Duckworth Subdivision, as recorded in Deed Book 30, page 640, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Transylvania County, State of North Carolina. Being the same property conveyed by Thomas Mack Gardin, unmarried to Veronica Howell, unmarried dated 9/12/2005 and recorded 9/16/2005 in Book 308, Page 207 in the Registers Office for Transylvania County. The Parcel/TMS number for said property is 8585-39-3796-000. And Being more commonly known as: 235 Duckworth Ave, Brevard, NC 28712 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Veronica Howell. 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, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either 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. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is made subject to all prior liens and encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments including but not limited to any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid 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. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. Following the expiration of the statutory upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are a tenant residing in the property, be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon written notice to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time notice of termination is provided. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. The date of this Notice is March 22, 2018. Grady I. Ingle or Elizabeth B. Ells Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 http://shapiroattorneys.com/nc/ M/4/9/2TC-68170 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO: 18-E-73 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF VICTORIA I. LARKIN EXECUTORS NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of VICTORIA I. LARKIN of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of VICTORIA I. LARKIN to present them to the undersigned on or before July 2, 2018, or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. This the 2nd day of April, 2018. Tony C. Dalton, Administrator c/o Ashley B. Fortune, Esq. 542 South Caldwell Street Brevard, NC 28712 M/4/2/4TC-68207 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF Transylvania IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 18-E-89 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of George L. Neill of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of George L. Neill to present them to the undersigned on or before June 26, 2018, or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate, please make immediate payment. This the 26th day of March, 2018. Todd J. Webb, Personal Representative c/o Ramsey & Pratt, P.A. 35 N Gaston Street Brevard, NC 28712 ATTORNEY: Michael K. Pratt Ramsey & Pratt, P.A. 35 N Gaston Street Brevard, NC 28712 828-884-4113 M/3/26/4TC-68164 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF Transylvania IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 18-E-133 EXECUTORS - ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Barbara Calloway Prugh of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of Barbara Calloway Prugh to present them to the undersigned on or before July 16, 2018, or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate, please make immediate payment. This the 16th day of April, 2018. John Lawrence Prugh, Jr., Personal Representative c/o Ramsey & Pratt, P.A. 35 N Gaston Street Brevard, NC 28712 ATTORNEY: Michael K. Pratt Ramsey & Pratt, P.A. 35 N Gaston Street Brevard, NC 28712 828-884-4113 M4/16/4TC -68418 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18-E-109 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Sandra Bryson Lasater of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Sandra Bryson Lasater to present them to the undersigned on or before July 3, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 2, 2018. Martha B. Mathis PO Box 147 Rosman, NC 28772 M/4/2/4TP-68215 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18-E-114 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Betty Rogers Nicholson of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Betty Rogers Nicholson to present them to the undersigned on or before July 3, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 2, 2018. Roger F. Nicholson 70 Beckaruth Lane Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 M/4/2/4TP-68225 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18E62 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Elsa Lee Moses Whittemore of Transyl-vania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Elsa Lee Moses Whittemore to present them to the undersigned on or before July 9, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 9, 2018. John Carroll Whittemore 39 Gossett Road Candler, NC 28715 M/4/9/4TP-68298 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18E119 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Frank Clyde Summey of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Frank Clyde Summey to present them to the undersigned on or before July 9, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 9, 2018. Tracy A. Manoogian 1175 Deer Chase Circle Cedar Mtn., NC 28718 M/4/9/4TP-68322 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18E122 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Joan Eileen Krill of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Joan Eileen Krill to present them to the undersigned on or before July 9, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 9, 2018. Robert D. Krill 98 Bird Song Road Penrose, NC 28766 M/4/9/4TP-68338 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA Transylvania COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK File No. 18-E-115 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF Luzelle B. Owenby, DECEASED NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Luzelle B. Owenby (Estate File Number 18-E-1118), deceased, late of Transyl-vania County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent and/or the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned in care of Gilreath Shealy Law, PLLC, 224 6th Avenue East, Hendersonville, NC 28792 on or before July 9, 2018, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said decedent and/or decedents estate will please make immediate payment. Dated the 9th day of April, 2018. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Executor of the Estate of Luzelle B. Owenby, Deceased Adam L. Shealy, Esq. Gilreath Shealy Law, PLLC 224 6th Avenue East Hendersonville, NC 28792 M/4/9/4TC-68326 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North Carolina COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18E127 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Lois Ann Holden of Tran-sylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Lois Ann Holden to present them to the undersigned on or before July 16, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 16, 2018. Billy Dennis Walker PO Box 627 Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 M/4/16/4TP - 68424 _________________________________________________ STATE OF North CAROLINA COUNTY OF TRANSYLVANIA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 18E126 EXECUTORS ADMINISTRATORS NOTICE Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Edna Inez D. Owen of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claim against the Estate of Edna Inez D. Owen to present them to the undersigned on or before July 16, 2018 or the claim will be forever barred thereafter. All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment. Dated: April 16, 2018. Monica Owen 10585 Boylston Hwy. Mills River, NC 28759 M/4/16/4TP - 68425 _________________________________________________ EXECUTORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the estate of SHERRY ANN WICKER, deceased, late of Transylvania County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the said estate to present such claims to the undersigned at PO Box 2188, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, on or before the 25th day of June, 2018, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment. This the 26th day of March, 2018. PEGGY G. MIKEAL Executrix Law Offices of Robert G. Greene, Jr., PLLC Robert G. Greene, Jr., Attorney for the Estate of SHERRY ANNE WICKER PO Box 2188 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 (336) 838-8800 M/3/26/4TP-68116 _________________________________________________ PUBLIC NOTICE The following federal projects are currently being amended by Transylvania County Schools: IDEA Part B 611: Special Education programs for qualified students ages 5-21 IDEA Part B 619: Special Education programs for qualified students ages 3-5 Title I-A: Supplementary math and reading instruction for elementary students Title II-A: Improving Teacher Quality Title III-A: Limited English Proficient Grants Title IV-A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Carl Perkins Act Grant: Programs for Career Technical Education Interested persons are encouraged to participate in the development of these projects and to make comments concerning the implementation of the specifics of these projects. A public meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 9:30 am in the Morris Education Center. All comments will be considered before final submission to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Raleigh, North Carolina. For your information and consideration please know that these grants are based on last year's budget, because the planning allotments are not yet available to LEA's from DPI. The projects are open for review and comments the week of May 14th in the Office of Federal Programs, 225 Rosenwald Lane, Brevard. Please contact Jeremy Gibbs or Kerry Putnam for further information. Private schools, including home schools, are eligible to participate in the programs. This notice is to inform interested parties of your potential eligibility and to invite your comments. Transylvania County Schools is non-discriminatory with respect to race, color, religion, political affiliation or belief, sex, national origin, age handicap, marital or parental status. M/T/4/16/2TC 68419 _________________________________________________ Bryan Grosvenor, of the Key Falls Inn, is hoping to make the Smokin' on the River barbecue festival one of the biggest fundraisers for the Boys & Girls Club. It will run April 27 and 28. (Photo courtesy of Ray Tuers) The outdoor cookout season will get off to a savory and musical start this month when the Key Falls Inn next to the French Broad River will host its third annual "Smokin' on the River" barbecue festival. The two-day event, April 27 and 28, will begin a new tradition this year in that ticket proceeds will benefit the largest youth organization in the county, the Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club. "We're just delighted to have this great festival join our annual parade of special events," said Candice Walsh, the club's executive director. "Community support such as this is what allows us to serve our county's young people so well." Bryan Grosvenor, of family-operated Key Falls, said he, too, is delighted with the prospect of the festival supporting the Boys & Girls Club. "I'm so excited!" he said. "I just thought there's no better way to help this great organization than to do it with an event that brings together the community for fun, food and music." The festival will run from 5 to 10 p.m. on the first day, Friday, April 27, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the second, Saturday, April 28. Tickets will be $15 per day or $25 for both days, with children under 12 free. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Inn at 884-7559 or at the gate. Along with the live music from local groups, the main attraction will be a barbecue contest in which chef contestants at their cookers will vie for trophies, with samples of their pulled pork tasted by the crowd. "This is a fund-raising-for-fun contest," said Grosvenor, himself a chef with extensive barbecue experience in his native Memphis. The festival will be held next to a pond on the inn's grassy field, with access from Poplar Lane off Everett Road. The French Broad River runs along Poplar in that area. The inn property, which has a small stream and waterfalls, fronts on Everett, a short distance from its intersection with Old Hendersonville Highway. The site is approximately four miles east of downtown Brevard. Youth and staff volunteers from the Boys & Girls Club will be at the event Saturday selling soft drinks and refreshments to go with the barbecue treats. Beer and wine will also be available at the festival. The Boys & Girls Club will provide some of the judges to taste the barbecue entries that day, and one of the music groups, the bluegrass Creekside Crawfish, is made up of a dozen second to fifth graders who participated in the club's Junior Appalachian Music-ians (JAM) program. The club will run a Kids Korner, too, with activities for children. Other music groups that will perform are Pretty Little Goat Band and Chrysalis on Friday and The Clay Babies and Bull at the Wagon on Saturday. Six barbecuing teams have already signed up to compete. Each will provide its own charcoal or wood cooker and food items. The deadline for entering the contest is April 20. There is no entry fee. The teams will be handing out samples to the crowd and to specific judges, who will rate the shoulder and Boston butt pulled pork and ribs. The teams will also dispense barbecue sauces, coleslaw and beans. "The admission gets you in to hear music and sample barbecue until you pop!" said Grosvenor. "I expect most everyone in the crowd will be stuffed." Grosvenor himself has competed in the largest sanctioned barbecue contest in the world, held each May in Memphis. He is now the chef at Key Falls' Pavilion restaurant, which will be open during the festival. The crowd's Peoples Choice voting will last until Saturday at 3. The winners in that and other categories will be announced late that afternoon. "We are super excited about this event," said Meredith Baldridge, president of the club's board of directors. "This could grow," said Grosvenor enthusiastically as he looked out on the inn's large field one day last week. "It would be great to have a big event for the club in the spring to couple with the big event in the fall." He referred to the Mountain Song Festival, held in September at the Brevard Music Center; it is the club's biggest benefit of the year. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 15 The city Congress has announced to hold a protest against the hike in parking rates, in front of the office of the MC on Monday. Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal alleged that an unreasonable increase in the parking rates was another decision of the BJP Government, which made the lives of residents miserable. He said the fee for conversion of properties from leasehold to freehold too was hiked multiple times. Bansal alleged that the government failed to provide any relief to the common men. The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act was also not implemented properly by the BJP Government. He flayed the government for its failure on rising incidents of theft, snatching and rapes in the city, adding that residents were feeling unsafe in view of the rising crime. Bansal said while residents were burdened with the hike the Budget allocation for the city had been declining for the last four years when the BJP Government was in power. He said during the UPA Government in 2014, the city was granted Rs 813 crore for its development. Thereafter, the funds were reduced every year. City Congress president Pradeep Chhabra said MP Kirron Kher failed to bring Central funds for the development of the city. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Rajinder Nagarkoti Tribune News Service Panchkula, April 16 Gangster Bhupesh, alias Bhupi Rana, was on Monday morning shot dead by unidentified assailants in Barwala. Rana was going to a barber shop when the attackers came in a Maruti Swift car and fired seven bullets at him near Shiv temple. The gangster was out on bail. His body has been taken to a hospital in Panchkula for postmortem. Police have filed a case. Later, the family and relatives of Bhupi blocked the Barwala-Panchkula road, protesting against the killing. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Panchkula, April 16 Family members of gangster Bhupesh Rana (27), who was shot dead at Barwala on Monday morning, along with his friends and villagers, blocked the Panchkula-Barwala road for nearly three hours. The protesters kept the body in a Canter and staged a protest. They were demanding that the Deputy Commissioner, Panchkula, should come and issue directions to the police to arrest the attackers as soon as possible. Ranas father Ram Pal Rana told ACP (Crime) Adarshdeep Singh that his son recently suspected an attack on him and had given the names of Bhupinder Singh, alias Bhupi Rana, a resident of Handesra in Mohali who heads the Bhupi Rana gang, Gaurav Rana, a resident of Barwala, Sahil Rana of Ambala, Ashok, alias Shonky, and Rinku of Ambala, all members of the Bhupi Rana gang, to the Barwala police post in-charge, but to no avail. Panchkula MLA Gian Chand Gupta reached the spot to pacify the protesters. Later, on an assurance of senior police officials and district administration officials, the family ended the protest. Police post in-charge sent to Police Lines As the victims family members alleged that the Barwala police post in-charge, Ram Mehar, did not act on their complaint about a possible attack, the Panchkula police sent the police post in-charge to the Police Lines. Four bullet shells recovered The police recovered four bullet shells from the spot. The attackers first fired on Bhupesh Ranas white Alto car, and when he tried to run for his life, they fired on his leg, chest and head. The police said at least five to seven bullets were pumped into Bhupesh Ranas body. Will nab killers soon: Police Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said they would catch the killers soon. Brother lodges FIR On a complaint of Prateek Kumar, younger brother of Bhupesh Rana, the police lodged an FIR under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC and under the Arms Act against five people, all members of the Bhupi Rana gang, at the Chandimandir police station. School staff helped victims friend As the gunshots were fired at Bhupesh Rana, there was panic in a nearby primary school where Bhupeshs friend took shelter to save his life. The school staff, including teachers and the principal, helped Neeraj, a friend of Bhupesh Rana, by hiding him in a classroom. After the firing incident, when the school staff came out, they found a woman lying unconscious because of witnessing the firing incident. She was later helped by the villagers. Attackers car had Hry number Bhupesh Ranas friend Prince, who was with him, told the police that a Swift car (HR 06 AJ 2106) arrived and Bhupi, Gaurav, Sahil, Ashok and Rinku fired at Bhupesh Rana, with their pistols and murdered him. Prince ran towards a nearby primary school and saved his life. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 15 A Ludhiana resident, who, along with his female friend, had gone to attend a party at a club in Sector 26, was hit on the head and stabbed in the stomach with a beer bottle by a youth outside the club on Saturday night, leaving him seriously injured. The victim has been identified as Karamjeet Singh. The victims friend, Jasbir Kaur, said a youth, who was allegedly in an inebriated condition, had also come to attend the party along with his friends and offered a cigarette to her. The accused kept on doing so repeatedly following which I objected and told him that I dont smoke. The accused then misbehaved with me that led to heated arguments, she said. The bouncers at the club made the accused leave the club. A few minutes later, the victim and his friend also came out of the club and found the accused standing with a broken beer bottle. The accused hit the bottle on Karamjeets head and then stabbed him with it in the stomach, she said. The police were informed about the incident, who rushed to the spot. The injured was taken to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16. The accused was nabbed on the spot. A case has been registered against him at the Sector 26 police station. The footage of CCTV cameras installed outside the club was scrutinised by the police. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 15 While the MC General House will discuss the shortcomings in the operation of paid parking lots in the city on Monday, the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the civic body and the parking firm, Arya Toll Infra Limited, does not authorise the House to cancel the contract once approved by it. Sources said as per the MOU, the licence to operate parking lots could be cancelled only by additional commissioner or joint commissioner of the MC in case of adverse verification of the antecedents of the licensee by the District Magistrate of the place of the residence and in case it was found at any stage that the licensee was defaulter of the Chandigarh civic body. Sources said the licence could also be cancelled if the company violated the terms of the contract five times. These violations include overcharging, non-issuance of parking slips, commercial activities in the parking areas and non-availability of e-ticketing machines. Additional or joint commissioner of the MC could cancel the contract after giving a hearing to the firm. There is no mention of cancellation of contract for violations like employees not in uniform, misbehaviour by licencee or any of his employees and parking of the vehicles in an unauthorised area or haphazard parking. For these violations, the MC could only impose penalty. The MoU does not provide for setting up a committee of councillors by the Mayor to inspect the parking lots. How can firm lose licence to operate editorial@tribune.com Pavneet Singh Chadha Tribune News Service Mohali, April 16 A Mohali woman, in her late thirties, was rescued after she jumped into a canal in Ropar with her six-year-old son on Sunday afternoon. Police sources said the boy, Harsimrat Singh Tiwana, a Class I student at Doon International School, was feared dead after he was swept away by the current. An intensive search operation has been initiated to trace the boy. According to the police, the incident occurred at 3 pm on Sunday when Kirandeep Kaur, a Sector 69 resident, went to her parents house in Pathreri Jattan village, Ropar, along with her son on a scooter. After parking the vehicle, she went near the canal and jumped into it with her son in her arms. The police said some youths of a nearby village managed to rescue the woman, but the boy was swept away and possibly drowned. SHO Sukhbir Singh of the Bhagwant Pur police station, Ropar, said the woman in her statement to the police said that she took the step because of a marital discord. A case has been registered against her under Sections 302 (murder) and 309 (attempt to suicide) of the IPC, said the SHO. The police said a search operation had been initiated and divers in the area had been alerted. The canal flows toward Sirhind, before splitting into two sides to Rajpura and Khanauri, a police official said. The accused was produced in court after a medical examination and sent to judicial custody. Dreams shattered More than 24 hours after the incident, at their house in Sector 69, the boys grandfather, BS Tiwana, was hoping at the faint possibility that the boy may have been saved by some miracle. I dread to imagine his last moments before the jump. He must have wailed, begging his mother that he did not want to die, he said. The family said their daughter-in-law told them that she was going to the Phase IX market to purchase a tooth brush and some household supplies. Little did we know that we would be seeing our grandson for the last time, said a kin. BS Tiwana said Simrat (as he was fondly called) was an intelligent boy who wanted to become a scientist or a pilot. Kirandeep Kaur had married Varinder Singh, a PSEB employee, in 2009. The family said the boys father had gone with the police to the canal to trace him. editorial@tribune.com Rajinder Nagarkoti Tribune News Service Panchkula, April 16 Bhupesh Rana (27) was murdered because of a gang war in this region between the Bhupi Rana gang and the Monu Rana gang. The Bhupi Rana gang is headed by Bhupinder Singh, alias Bhupi Rana, of Mohali, whereas the Monu Rana gang is headed by Shamsher Singh, alias Monu Rana, of Ambala. A number of clashes have been reported between both gangs in their battle for supremacy to show their control in Ambala, Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Karnal and Kurukshetra districts. According to the police, Bhupesh Rana, who was a member of the Monu Rana gang, was murdered by the Bhupi Rana gang probably to take revenge of Mustaks murder. Bhupi Rana gangs key member Mustak, a resident of Zirakpur, was allegedly murdered by Bhupesh Rana and other members of the Monu Rana gang on August 7, 2014, the police said. A senior official of the Panchkula police said in 2014, both gangs had reached a compromise. However, later when the Monu Rana gang headed towards Ambala, members of the Bhupi Rana gang had chased them. Members of both gangs again had an encounter at Barara village. Members of the Monu Rana gang had opened fire at the Bhupi Rana gang in which Mustak, Mohit and Ashok were injured. Mustak, who was critically injured, was admitted to the PGI, and later succumbed to the bullet injuries. In the Mustak murder case, the Panchkula police had arrested Bhupesh Rana, who was languishing in an Ambala jail. Last year, he had come out on bail, the official said. In January last year, Monu Rana was attacked on the premises of the Yamunanagar court when he was produced by the police in a murder case there. In that attack, Bhupi Rana gang members Sahil and Gaurav were involved. Both Sahil and Gaurav have also been named as the accused in the murder of Bhupesh Rana that took place on Monday. Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said they had arrested a number of accused, who were part of these two gangs, in different cases. Bhupi Rana close to SAD leaders Bhupi Rana, who is absconding, is one of the dreaded gangsters whose posters the Punjab Police have put up at various places in Punjab. Bhupi Rana is close to leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal. In his recent interview, he had stated that he was willing to surrender, but an honest officer should probe his case. He feared that his rivals might try to eliminate him during the court proceedings. Ashok Sharma Ashok Sharma India's former ambassador to Finland The first India-Nordic Summit on April 17 is an acknowledgement by the technologically advanced Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) that India is not only a growing market but also an important business partner. This was also highlighted in February, 2016, when Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Lofven and Prime Minister of Finland Juha Sipila visited Mumbai for the inauguration of the "Make In India Week". The proposal to host an India-Nordic Summit mooted by PM Modi was gladly accepted by Lofven. The two PMs have invited the leaders of the other four Nordic countries. This is only the second time that all five Nordic leaders will be present in a summit-level meeting with an important partner country. President Obama had met the Heads of State of the five Nordic countries in Stockholm in September, 2013 before the G20 Summit in St Petersburg. During the summit with PM Modi, the countries will be represented by their PMs, which makes it more businesslike. India's relations with the Nordic countries have been developing steadily, except for some stagnation in bilateral relations with Denmark as high-level interactions were almost frozen since the Purulia arms drop case. This will be first time since September, 2009 when the PMs of India and Denmark will have a bilateral meeting. President Pranab Mukherjee had visited Norway and Finland in October, 2014 and Sweden in June, 2015. Even though the economies of individual Nordic countries are much smaller than those of the G20 countries, their combined GDP is over $1.5 trillion and per capita income over $54,000. With a territory bigger than India's (over 3.42 million sq km), and a population of only 2.7 crore (less than Haryana), these countries are among the top in education, quality of life, civil liberties, human development, economic competitiveness and environmental protection. 'Save the Children' puts them at 1-5 topmost ranks in child rights. Except Norway (which has abundant oil and gas resources) and Sweden (which has metals, uranium etc), these countries do not have much natural resources, except timber and water. However, through technological advancement and human resource development, they have achieved high levels of industrialisation. Their technology in sectors like dairy, food processing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, ship-building, maritime, oil and gas services, telecommunications, renewable energy, smart grids, electronics, pulp and paper, forestry, information technology, environmental sciences and climate change, smart cities, circular economy and waste management have been identified as key areas of cooperation in the "Make In India" programme. India has a trade turnover of about $5.3 billion annually with these countries and has attracted FDIs of over $2.5 billion. Trade balance has been in favour of the Nordic countries. Bilateral cooperation is multi-faceted and whereas Nordic companies have a big presence in India, several lndian business houses (especially IT firms) have a considerable presence in these countries. Sweden is India's biggest trade and technology partner in this region. One of India's largest business conglomerates, L&T, was started by two Danish engineers (having surnames Larsen and Toubro) during the World War II. Nokia had popularised Finland's technological prowess in India and was the most popular mobile phone brand till it quit this business. The Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund is a big investor in India, with a portfolio of $11.7 billion. Some well-known Nordic companies in India are Volvo, Ericsson, Alfa Laval, Tetra Pak, IKEA, Carlsberg, Emmvee Solar, Scandic Food, Vestas, Wartsila, Kone, Metsa, Ahlstrom, Telenor and Elkem. The India-Nordic Summit should be seen in a wider perspective. These countries have been able to achieve something that PM Modi has advocated. The Nordic countries have presented the concept of a welfare state within the framework of capitalism rather than the socialism (or, state capitalism) through the democratic process. While communism and Soviet-style socialism have suffered setbacks, the Nordic model is thriving and has shown that the concepts of democracy and welfare society can coexist. This is a unique welfare model within parliamentary democracy and market economy combined with strong labour unions and a universalist welfare system financed by heavy taxes which has led to a high degree of income redistribution with little social unrest. This can be illustrated by the fact that in Norway, petrol and diesel prices are 80 per cent higher than India even though it is an exporter of oil and gas (third largest exporter of natural gas). This democratic welfare system enhances individual autonomy, promotes social mobility, provides economic security and creates opportunities within the private ownership, free market and free trade. It is a corporatist system with tripartite arrangement where the representatives of labour and employers negotiate wages and labour market policies mediated by the government. The ownership is private but widely held, and the government also participates as a direct shareholder or, through various funds. Another feature of these countries is universal free education, free healthcare, gender equality by maximising gender participation, free childcare (daycare) and care for the sick and elderly. Manufacturing has been gradually declining in all these economies except Norway (where it still stands at 35 per cent due to its oil and gas sector). Services sector has an increasing role and new vistas in this sector are opening due to the welfare activities funded by the public sector. Individuals are no more dependent on their families for care in case of need which has provided more freedom to the citizens. The Nordic welfare model In January, 2017, Finland became the first country to experiment with the universal basic income which will transfer money directly to all beneficiaries every month without any strings attached which will do away with the bureaucracy. Free from the fear of becoming destitute, more people can pursue creative interest or, start their own businesses through innovative ideas. This will also act as a cushion for workers whose jobs might be replaced by automation or robots. The Nordic welfare model has not only done away with the dependence on the family but has also created an environment for rational thinking, innovation and scientific temper while weakening the institution of religion. They are moving in the direction of post-industrial society and have some lessons for India. MK Bhadrakumar MK Bhadrakumar THE developments over Syria during the past 10 days have been breathtaking. In the eyes of some observers, the cascading tensions between the two superpowers the US and Russia harked back to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. But that is a stretch. There is no ideological struggle today; Syria is not Cuba; nor is Russia the Soviet Union or the world bipolar. The leitmotif, if at all, lies in geopolitics. Fundamentally, the precipitate situation has a lot to do with the United States unipolar predicament. The failure of the wars in Afghanistan and Syria underscored that the US has lost the capacity to impose its will abroad despite being the biggest military power. The Harvard professor who invented the term soft power, Joseph Nye, wrote recently that the US has to relearn the lessons of using power with others as well as over others. He added, In other words, the US will have to use its soft power to create networks and institutions that will allow it to cooperate with China, India, Japan, Europe, and others to deal with transnational problems that no country can solve unilaterally. That will require overcoming the unilateral policies and attitudes associated with the rise of Trump. However, the problem is more deep-rooted than the rise of Donald Trump. The American elites, with very few exceptions, are in a denial mode regarding the decline of the US influence after nearly a century of global hegemony and over the shift in global power away from the West after a history of five centuries of dominance. Trump accentuates this contradiction because although his support base in the 2016 election roots for America First, he actually represents Wall Street interests. And American capitalism is fuelled by wars. The highly contrived Russia-collusion hypothesis worked well so far for the swamp to nudge Trump incrementally toward the trodden path of the military-industrial complex and Wall Street. Barack Obama also faced a similar predicament in Libya and Afghanistan; in proclaiming a pivot strategy in Asia; in ramping up NATO as the vehicle for the New American Century project; in the deployment of US missile defence system to Central Europe; and, in piloting the regime change in Ukraine in 2014 which turned the tide of the Wests relations with Russia. Obamas master plan to resuscitate the Western alliance system and to re-establish the US trans-Atlantic leadership was never in doubt. In fact, the Syrian conflict is Barack Obamas legacy. The new element that Trump has introduced is his virtual handover of the endgame to the generals. First he began saying he wanted American troops in Syria to return home where they belong and end the US wasteful Middle Eastern wars that cost $7 trillion so far. But when his generals objected, pleading there is unfinished business still, hes swung to the other extreme by seizing a rumoured chemical attack in Douma and ordering the Pentagon to plan an attack on the Syrian regime. And Trump then took a de tour to announce that the attack would be deferred. By Thursday, Trump had tweeted: Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all! Was he playing a video game, as the former US Deputy of State Nicholas Burns put it? The US domestic politics indeed becomes a moot point where a wave of support is steadily building up for the Democrats in the November elections to the Congress. In the foreign policy arena too, like in a Salvador Dali painting, all this rather becomes the stuff of a surrealist meditation on the collapse of our notions of a fixed world order. The present crisis has morphed into an inflection point. Trump is all but jettisoning his foreign policy instincts and is also opting to play safe. Clearly, a limited US strike on the Syrian government cannot hope to achieve anything significant. The Syrian troops and their allies have quietly evacuated the major air bases and relocated elsewhere. In effect, the Syrian regime has all but won the seven-year conflict. All major cities and main population centres Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Homs and Hama are under the regimes control. These regions spanning the fertile lands along the western coast and the northwest of the country were once dubbed cynically useful Syria by the French colonialists, as distinct from the vast inhospitable deserts and infertile regions to the east and northeast where the US and its Kurdish allies (who form around 10 per cent of Syrias population) are operating. The only plausible explanation for the ecstatic interest in London and Paris for the US-British-French attack on Syrian regime is their collective frustration and anger that the entire regime-change enterprise has collapsed. The capture of East Ghouta, a set of suburbs of Damascus to the east, by government forces a week ago from Salafi jihadi militia has infuriated the Western intelligence. (Douma, where the alleged chemical attack took place last Sunday, is one of three districts of East Ghouta, and was dominated by the Saudi Arabian proxy, Army of Islam.) Then, there is the overarching Western concern that the resurgence of Russian power on the global stage, especially in the Middle East, needs to be countered before it is too late. Without doubt, Trumps earlier decision to drawdown the US forces in Syria is fundamentally correct. The point is, a narrow exercise of deterrence the current one-time shot, as US Defence Secretary James Mattis described the wave of attacks on Saturday will not alter the balance of power in Syria. It seems improbable that Trump has any interest, either, to commit resources for nation-building in Syria. The futility of reversing the history of political failure in Syria under Obamas watch is at once apparent except through a large-scale invasion of Syria. Again, it is already apparent that the European Union is badly divided on the US-UK-French operation. Above all, Trump will come under fire for not seeking Congressional approval and acting without mandate from the UN Security Council, leave alone wait for the chemical investigation team to report back from Syria. Conceivably, a fair amount of mil-to-mil US-Russia consultations took place through the most recent days regarding deconfliction procedures. From all appearance, Moscow was notified in advance about the US strike on Syria. However, the heart of the matter is that Saturdays strike is hugely symbolic and cannot be shrugged away as a stand-alone event. Moscow will suspect that a pre-designed scenario is being implemented and Russia itself is threatened. The writer is a former ambassador monicakchauhan@gmail.com Greenwood (US), April 16 Police say a brawl at a gurdwara in suburban Indianapolis has left four people with minor injuries. Greenwood Assistant Police Chief Matthew Fillenwarth says police and medics responded to a verbal and physical fight involving about 150 people at the gurdwara in the city just south of Indianapolis. He tells WISH-TV the altercation began as there was a change of leadership within the temple that he says happens every two years. Fillenwarth says it's believed that there was a worship service going on when the fight broke out. Fillenwarth says four people suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital, where they will be questioned by police. Police are reviewing surveillance video from the temple and interviewing other participants in the fight. AP harinder@tribunemail.com The Pakistan army chief, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwas speech on Sunday at Kakul Military Academys passing out ceremony received a much wider audience due to a surprising olive branch towards India. Gen Bajwas supposed quest for a comprehensive and meaningful dialogue echoed the Pakistan Foreign Ministers formulation a couple of months back. South Block will be studiously reading the tea leaves to determine if the Pakistan states civilian and military wings are at last on the same page. Gen Bajwa has been more substantive and realistic; Indo-Pak talks, he said, would be the precursor to peace. In other words, the process of talks may not be a guarantee of return of instant civility between the two countries but promises to be the harbinger of a meaningful breakthrough. Both sides have been tentative in testing the waters for reopening dialogue on core issues by opting to break bread on less waspish issues such as exchanging prisoners on humanitarian grounds. The approach is in tune with the push towards a web of energy and transportation links which necessitates close coordination among all participants. Sooner or later, the Pakistan army must accommodate India in one of biggest energy projects in the region the four-nation TAPI gas pipeline. General elections are just three months away and the promise of TAPI gas will shore up the armys stock which has already succeeded in marginalising Nawaz Sharif. Gen Bajwas sole swallow, however, is unlikely to make a summer. Both sides have generated considerable bad blood since talks broke down three years back. The border remains alive and Indias core concern about Pakistan-incubated terrorism remains unmet. The spat over Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan highlights the level of testiness in bilateral ties. On the other side, the hawkishness in the Indian political right and the near-constant unrest in Kashmir seem to justify the Pakistan armys all-consuming posture against India. Despite the favourable winds of regional economic cooperation, India should wait for the elections to throw up a new, preferably stable, civilian leadership to discuss the more substantial politico-military issues like Siachen, Kashmir and terrorism. Meanwhile, the channel of National Security Advisers and the nascent dialogue proposals can serve as vehicles to leverage the currently open window of conviviality. Apart from the respective core issues terrorism (India) and Kashmir (Pakistan) there is the world of trade, fluid borders and a settlement on Afghanistan that needs to be explored. harinder@tribunemail.com The sight of lawyers raising slogans, waving flags and blocking officers of the law from doing their duty is distressing, to say the least. So much so that a Bench of the Supreme Court has issued notices to the Bar Council of India, the Jammu and Kashmir State Bar Council, the states High Court Bar Association at Jammu and the Kathua District Bar Association. Thereafter, the Bar Council of India weighed in and has decided to probe the misconduct of lawyers regarding the Kathua rape and murder case and constituted a committee to do so. There have also been instances when lawyers have sought to interfere with the smooth functioning of the courts, and even obstructed judicial proceedings. Unfortunately, the sight of men in black robes collectively protesting in streets as they seek to address their grievances publicly, unhappy one as it is, is not so unusual. People, who seek justice on behalf of others from the courts, sometimes forget who they are and what they represent. Lawyers are required to defend their clients, no matter how heinous the crime. Even this fundamental right of an accused to get legal representation is sought to be violated by some groups of lawyers, from time to time. Such behaviour is not expected of them. The Kathua rape case has shocked the nation. There should be no interference in the work of the police investigation and the filing of chargesheet. The din of political and sectarian noises needs to be blocked out consciously by all those engaged in the judicial processes. These should be allowed to function unhindered by considerations other than legal. The Supreme Court did well by taking suo motu notice of the matter and by rapping the Bar associations concerned on their knuckles. editorial@tribune.com Mukesh Tandon Tribune News Service Panipat, April 16 Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced that 29 of 79 colonies in the city would be regularised and a new three-bay bus stand would be constructed in the Madlauda block in the district. Khattar was addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of the Panipat bus stand at its new location at Sewah village on the National Highway-1. He said that only 29 of 79 colonies had fulfilled the norms and they would be regularised soon. The government is working to provide facilities to people and it had decided to shift bus stands located in the middle of the cities that were causing traffic jams. The bus stands in Panipat, Karnal, Sonepat, Jhajjar and Jind had been shifted and city bus services would be provided to local residents, he added. Besides, the government had decided to provide bus shelters at all villages in the state to be constructed by the Zila Parishads, according to the requirement, he said. The Chief Minister said that the government had decided to provide better facilities at cremation grounds under the Shivdham Navikaran Scheme and allocated Rs 600 crore for the construction of sheds, ways to cremation grounds and water facilities there. Khattar praised the players who had won medals in the just-concluded Commonwealth Games. He said that, Haryana is a small state. It has only 2 per cent of the total population of the country but our players won more than 33 per cent of the total medals. All players, who have won medals in the Commonwealth Games, will be facilitated at Raj Bhawan in Chandigarh on April 26. He said that the government had established the Haryana Pond Authority to develop 14,000 ponds in villages. There are 220 government welfare schemes but due to lack of awareness people are not able to avail of their benefits. The government has decided to establish Antyodaya Sewa Kendras in all 22 districts to provide benefits under all schemes online and seven kendras will be ready soon, he added. Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said that the 18-bay bus stand would be built on 6.5 acres at Sewah village on the National Highway-1 at a cost of Rs 17 crore and it would have a four-storied building on the modular basis. The city bus stand and a roadways workshop would also be constructed on 5.5 acres in Sector 13/17, he added. Krishan Lal Panwar said that the government had decided to purchase 600 more buses (150 Volvo, 150 deluxe and 300 ordinary) in the current financial year. Besides, the government had also decided to include 500 private buses in the roadways fleet which would be ply under the control of the Haryana Roadways General Manager. While the private company would provide drivers, conductors would be from the Haryana Roadways, Panwar said. MP Ashwani Chopra and Panipat Rural constituency MLA Mahipal Dhanda also addressed the gathering. Panipat Urban MLA Rohita Rewri, Samalkha MLA Ravinder Machroli, and district BJP president Pramod Vij were present on the occasion. Arrests in HSSC scam just a beginning: CM Panipat: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the arrest of members of the Haryana Service Selection Commission (HSSC) involved in corruption was just a beginning. Interacting with mediapersons at Sewah village in the district on Monday, the CM said people involved in corruption would not be spared. The accused targeted those candidates who had passed their examinations. If I am found guilty in the case, I must be penalised. Probe is under way and the truth will be revealed soon, said the CM. harinder@tribunemail.com Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 16 The Manohar Lal Khattar government has issued a show-cause notice to the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, New Delhi, asking why its 33-year lease of land to run an eye hospital in Gurugrams Ullawas panchayat should not be cancelled. Principal Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, Anurag Rastogi said the Trust had failed to operationalise the hospital despite repeated extensions. Its reply is being examined. Last month, the department had sent a show-cause notice asking the Trust why its lease should not be cancelled since the hospital was not operational till the deadline of January 2017 granted by the previous Congress government. The notice added that the Town and Country Planning Department, Haryana, had rejected the occupation certificate for the eye hospital on the leased land. The Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, in his letter dated December 6, 2017, also reported that the hospital has not been operationalised properly, nor has the Registration Certificate been obtained so far. A report sought from the district authorities stated that an eye OPD was functional in the building constructed by the Trust. The hospital building was ready but the finishing of interiors was still on, it added. The report said though no regular recruitment of doctors and staff had been carried out, they had been deputed from a hospital operational in the Sohna block and no fee was being charged from the patients. This report was submitted in December last year. A resolution was passed by the Ullawas gram panchayat to lease 5 acres and 3 marlas to the Trust for setting up an eye hospital and was executed in January 2010 during the BS Hooda rule. The Trust sought extension in December 2011 and again in July 2012. The then state government extended the time till January 2014 and gave another extension for operationalising the hospital till January 2017. editorial@tribune.com Sunit Dhawan Tribune News Service Rohtak, April 16 An ISI informer has been nabbed in a joint operation carried out by the Central and state intelligence agencies and the district police. The accused has been identified as Gaurav Kumar, a resident of Gannaur town in Sonepat district. Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Nain told mediapersons here on Monday that Gaurav, who studies at a local academy, was arrested from Model Town area on Sunday. They had information that Gaurav used to share information related to the Army with Pakistans intelligence agency ISI, he said, adding that he had been arrested and a case was registered against him at the Civil Lines police station. Gaurav was produced before a local court, which remanded him in four-day police custody. Nain said investigation had revealed Gaurav was preparing to join the Army. Nearly one-and-a-half-years ago, he came in contact with two girls, Amita, alias Sonu Kaur, and Amita Ahluwalia, on Facebook. The girls are ISI agents. Gaurav told them he worked for the Army, he stated. The SP said that the girls then asked Gaurav to share photographs and videos of the Army areas. Whenever Gaurav used to visit Army camps for recruitment, he used to share photographs or videos through video calls or social media. Gradually, the girls advised Gaurav to work for the ISI and assured him that he could get an attractive amount for his services. Gaurav sent his bank account details to the girls through Facebook. During questioning, the accused revealed that he had appeared in 18 recruitment drives of the Army. Yes, it is a kind of honey-trap. The ISI has been using girls or women for its undercover or intelligence activities. These girls or women assume fictitious names and contact youths through Facebook or other social networking websites. They lure the youths to share secret information of the country in return for handsome amounts, the SP said. editorial@tribune.com Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 16 A young girl haunted with rejections while seeking a matrimonial alliance; a highly respectable, flower-fearing man- a daughter-murderer the kind who innocently prays to God to grant him strength to kill his own daughter for loving a lower caste; an abandoned woman-ridiculed, lusted after, burdened with work and then asked to seek refuge in God after having forsaken at the altar of matrimony; and a child-bearing machine a woman forced to mass produce kids until she produces a male suiting her family constitute the four lead protagonists of the explosive play Eh Gallan kade Fer Karange staged during the ongoing KL Saigal Punjabi Rang Utsav held in the city. Directed by Kewal Dhaliwal, the play written by Swarajbir hits at the very core of the ills of Punjab loaded with satire it unveils layer after layer of patriarchy even as the audience twitches and the women empathise. Its a story of the evils lurking within our villages and cities among the elite and rustic alike. In the first act Pasand, Mandeep Ghai an eternal reject by prospective grooms, is at receiving end of ridicule and chiding from her parents who blame her for not being liked by the nice, choosy men. In an act of rebellion she decides to vest the final word with her. In the second monologue the respectable Ujagar Singh, a high caste Jatt, now in jail for killing his daughter, recalls the agonising ordeal his life became ever since his younger daughter Choti arrived into the world and how his honourable dream crumbled ever since she set eyes on a low caste boy. He and his son younger than his scandalous sister tried to convince her to forget him, but unable to do so, the duo hit her on her head. The girl was fond of planting little flowers in their backyard. As he later recollects in pain Main putt chahunda si, par eh jamm pai ose din maar dena chahida si (I wanted a boy but she was born instead I should have killed her that very day). He is also haunted by smells flowers, henna and blood phullan di, mehndi di, lahoo di khushboo. He pants, Main izzatdaar banda waheguru phullan di khushbo kitthon aundi hai? (Im a respectable man God where does this smell of flowers come from?) The role of Jatinder Kaur is a revelation. The immense courage in Kaurs act lies in the fact that she makes us forget that Guro is a character. The way she makes love to her pillow, blushes at the mention of her childhood sweetheart and tearfully laments her first beating by her husband denotes an extraordinary empathy for her character. Abandoned by her in-laws at a young age, because her husbands uncle insinuated School vich kise munde naal rali sain (she was associated with a boy in her school days) and her mother-in-law believed she was a sukki khui eh janani kis kamm di (dried well, good-for-nothing woman), she became a by-word for abandonment at her village as women covered their childrens faces from her and men deemed her their own. editorial@tribune.com Srinagar/New Delhi, April 15 The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Sunday decided to probe the misconduct on part of lawyers in connection with the Kathua rape and murder case on a day Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti accepted the resignations of two BJP ministers who had participated in a rally in support of the accused. The resignations of Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, received from BJP state chief Sat Sharma, were immediately accepted and sent to Governor NN Vohra. The BCI decision came after its general body met in the backdrop of the apex courts notice to it. The Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the strike call in connection with the gangrape and killing of an eight-year-old girl. BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said: If any lawyer is found guilty, the Bar Council will go to the extent of cancelling the legal practice licence. Mishra said a five-member team headed by former HC Chief Justice Tarun Agarwala and comprising two co-chairmen of the council, S Prabhakaran and RG Shah, advocate Razia Begum and independent lawyer Naresh Dixit would visit the state on April 20. The team would submit a report to the BCI, which would further submit it to the Supreme Court. Since the case is fixed on April 19 and the team is going on April 20, we will seek two or three days adjournment. The Bar counsel, meanwhile, has asked the Jammu and Kathua Bar associations to call off their strike. The victim had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua on January 10. Her body was found a week later. The J&K Police Crime Branch filed a chargesheet against seven persons and another against a juvenile earlier this week. It revealed chilling details about how the girl was allegedly kidnapped, drugg-ed and raped inside a place of worship before being killed. The trial against the eight accused is to begin on Monday. The Kathua Chief Judicial Magistrate will be sending one chargesheet, in which seven have been named, to the sessions court. He will, however, hold the trial for the juvenile as it is a designated court. The trial is expected to go on smoothly after the Jammu and Kathua Bar associations got a rap on the knuckles by the SC, which took strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. TNS/PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 16 The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Jammu and Kashmir Government on a petition filed by the biological father of the minor victim of the Kathua rape seeking transfer of the trial from Kathua to Chandigarh. Asking the state government to respond to the transfer plea, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra posted the matter for further hearing on April 27. On behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate Indira Jaising said the atmosphere was so polarised in Kathua that a fair trial couldnt be held there, and therefore the case should be transferred out of the state. As senior advocate Bhim Singh sought transfer of the probe to the CBI, Jaising vehemently opposed it. "The state police have done a commendable job," she said. "We are only concerned with fair trial, protection of victim's family and their lawyers," said the CJI, refusing to allow anyone else to intervene. Jaising also requested the court to monitor the case. When Jaising raised the issue of protection of the victim's family, Jammu and Kashmir Government counsel M Soeb Alam said the state has already provided five armed policemen, including an ASI, for their security. The Bench said the protection should continue. It also asked the state to provide protection to advocate Rajawat who is extending legal assistance to the family after Jaising said the lawyer was facing grave threats in Kathua where lawyers had allegedly obstructed court proceedings. The minor victim had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua on January 10 and her body was found a week later in the same locality. She was allegedly kidnapped, drugged, raped inside a place of worship and then killed. The Supreme Court had on Friday issued notices to Bar Council of India, Jammu and Kashmir State Bar Council, the states High Court Bar Association at Jammu and the Kathua District Bar Association after a group of lawyers told it that some lawyers were allegedly obstructing court proceedings in the Kathua rape case. Taking cognizance of alleged unruly behavior of some lawyers, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra asked bar members in Jammu and Kathua not to obstruct judicial proceedings in the case. The BCI had on Saturday decided to send a team to look into the allegations levelled against local lawyers. Lawyers in Kathua and Jammu had earlier gone on strike against filing of a charge sheet in the case. Some lawyers had allegedly obstructed a woman lawyer and prevented her from representing victim's family. The state police have already completed the probe and filed a charge sheet against the accused. They were expected to file a supplementary charge sheet in the case. harinder@tribunemail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 16 The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to Jammu and Kashmir on a petition filed by the biological father of the minor Kathua rape victim, seeking transfer of trial from Kathua to Chandigarh. Asking the state government to respond to the transfer plea, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra posted the matter for further hearing on April 27. Edit: The dignity of the robe As senior counsel Indira Jaising raised the issue of protection to the victims family, J&K government counsel M Shoeb Alam said the state had already provided five armed policemen for their security. The Bench said the protection should continue. It asked the state to also provide protection to advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who has been extending legal assistance to the family, after Jaising said she was facing grave threats in Kathua where lawyers had allegedly obstructed court proceedings. She said owing to polarisation in Kathua, a fair trial couldnt be held there. Therefore, the case should be transferred outside the state. She requested the court to monitor the case. Vehemently opposing senior advocate Bhim Singhs plea for a CBI probe, Jaising said the state police had done a commendable job. Directing the government to strengthen security at the juvenile home where the juvenile accused in the case was lodged, the CJI said: We are only concerned with a fair trial, protection of the victims family and their lawyers. The eight-year-old had disappeared from a village near Kathua on January 10. She was allegedly kidnapped, drugged, raped inside a place of worship and killed. Meanwhile, a PTI report from Jammu said eight lawyers have been named in an FIR for allegedly trying to prevent filing of a chargesheet. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Srinagar, April 16 Stating it was not in favour of transferring the trial in the Kathua gangrape and murder case outside the state, the Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Monday urged the High Court to transfer the case to itself as the atmosphere was not conducive for a fair trial in Kathua. The demand was put forward by Bar association president Mian Qayoom as the lawyers body organised a protest in solidarity with the minor victim, who was brutally raped and killed. We are not in favour of transferring the case outside the state. The atmosphere in Kathua is not conducive for holding a fair trial of the case. The HC, which has wings both at Jammu and Srinagar, should transfer the case to itself. It can nominate a judge for the purpose who can be given an exclusive task to complete the trial of the case as soon as possible, Qayoom said while talking to the media on the sidelines of solidarity protests outside the HC here. Demanding death penalty for the accused in the case, Qayoom said the Bar was ready to provide legal assistance to the victims family. Meanwhile, scores of students at the University of Kashmir took out a rally demanding stern punishment to the accused in the case. We demand that the accused should be given a strict punishment so that the incident is not repeated with any girl. The crime was gruesome and demands strict punishment. She was just a child, said a student Asmat Bhat. A group of students also took out a demonstration at Srinagars Press Colony demanding justice to the victim and her family. editorial@tribune.com Jammu, April 15 The trial in the Kathua rape and murder case will begin on Monday against the eight accused, including a juvenile. The accused had allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year. They sedated her and sexually assaulted her before bludgeoning her to death. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Kathua will commit one of the chargesheets, in which seven people have been named, to the Sessions Court for trial as mandated under law. The CJM will, however, hold the trial for the juvenile as it is the designated court under the Juvenile Act, according to officials. The state government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case, a move being seen as made to ensure neutrality in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case. The trial is expected to go smoothly after the Jammu Bar Association and the Kathua Bar Association received a rap on the knuckles by the Supreme Court on April 13 as it took a strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. The Supreme Court initiated a case on its own record, saying that such impediment affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud was also critical of the Jammu High Court Bar Association, which had passed a resolution not to attend the courts, saying that it is the duty of the Bar Association as a collective body and they cannot obstruct the process of law. The Crime Branch will also be handing over the notices issued to the Jammu Bar Council and the Kathua Bar Council for appearing before the Supreme Court on April 19. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Known as an actor with a heart of gold, Gurmeet Choudhary has fronted socially relevant causes from time to time. Now, the talented actor plans to go back to his roots to address the grievances of the people of his hometown, Bhagalpur in Bihar. Faced with power cuts and electricity issues, the people of the region will be attending sessions by Gurmeet and his team to learn about renewable alternatives. Gurmeet, who is one of the most loved names of the television industry, will also be sponsoring solar panels for the residents of the city. Gurmeet shared, This thought had been there on my mind for the longest time. We keep hearing about drastic climatic changes in the news and we think that theres not much we can do about it. But renewable sources of energy are our best options. Going solar is a great way to combat climate change. editorial@tribune.com Television show Game of Thrones will be given the BAFTA Special Award at this years British Academy Television Craft Awards. Actors Hannah Murray and John Bradley from the hit series will receive the award on behalf of the team. The accolade is recognition of the boundaries that have been pushed across all areas of production in the making of the fantasy epic. Filming is underway on the eighth and final six-episode season of Game of Thrones, which will air in 2019. The award also recognises the support that Game of Thrones has provided for high-end TV production in the British, according to BAFTA officials. Lens eye The show has filmed across various locations in Northern Ireland and set up a production headquarters at Titanic Studios in Belfast, the Northern Irish capital, which has been a base for the series since the pilot. D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, executive producers, jointly said in a statement: Many, many people work insanely hard to create any film or television show. They are creators every bit as much as actors, writers, producers or directors, and deserve to be recognised as such. The craft behind what is one of the most popular dramas of our time is nothing short of incredible, from the breathtaking location shots to the intricately designed costumes and set pieces, and not forgetting the level of detail from the make-up and prosthetics team, to name a few, said Krishnendu Majumdar, chair of BAFTAs television committee. The BAFTA Craft Awards will take place in Los Angeles on April 22. IANS harinder@tribunemail.com Suresh Dharur Tribune News Service Hyderabad, April 16 All five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case were acquitted by a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here on Monday. Among those acquitted was Swami Aseemanand, a right wing ideologue and a former RSS member. The court found fault with the prosecution for not presenting satisfactory evidence. The NIA is likely to move the High Court, challenging the acquittal. In March last year, Aseemanand was also acquitted in the Ajmer blast case. He is also on trial for the 2006 Malegaon blasts and the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing. On May 18, 2007, a powerful blast ripped through the historic Mecca Masjid during Friday prayers, killing nine people and injuring 58. Five others were killed in the police firing during the violence that followed soon after the blast. A pipe-bomb triggered by a mobile phone timer went off near the ablution spot of the 17th-century mosque located close to the iconic Charminar. After initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the CBI, which filed a chargesheet. The NIA took over the case from the CBI in 2011. Eight people belonging to right-wing organisations, including Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharatbhai and Rajender Chowdhary, were charged by the NIA in the blast case. The court, however, delivered its verdict with regard to the five accused. One accused, Sunil Joshi, was murdered in 2007 during the course of investigation while two others Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra from Madhya Pradesh are still at large. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Suresh Dharur Tribune News Service Hyderabad, April 16 A special anti-terror court here on Monday acquitted right-wing ideologue and former RSS member Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. The special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) found fault with the prosecution for not presenting satisfactory evidence. The NIA is likely to move the High Court, challenging the acquittal. Barely hours after acquitting the five accused in the case, the special NIA court judge of Hyderabad K Ravinder Reddy resigned, a senior judicial officer said. Reddy handed over his resignation to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge. He cited personal reasons for his resignation, and said it had nothing to do with today's judgement. In fact, he said, he was considering resigning for quite some time, the official told PTI. On May 18, 2007, a powerful blast ripped through the historic Mecca Masjid during Friday prayers, killing nine people and injuring 58 others. Five others were killed in the police firing during the violence that followed soon after the blast. A pipe-bomb triggered by a mobile phone timer went off near the ablution spot of the 17th-century mosque located close to the iconic Charminar. After initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the CBI which filed a chargesheet. The NIA took over the case from the CBI in 2011. Eight people belonging to right-wing organisations, including Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharatbhai and Rajender Chowdhary, were charged by the NIA in the blast case. The court, however, delivered its verdict with regard to the five accused. One accused, Sunil Joshi, was murdered in December, 2007, during the course of investigation while two others Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra from Madhya Pradesh are still at large. (Read: Alert in Hyderabad after Mecca Masjid acquittals People losing faith in NIA: Azad on Mecca Masjid blast case acquittals) A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and 411 documents exhibited. Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar are out on bail, while three others are in the Central Prison in Hyderabad. In March last year, Aseemanand was also acquitted in the Ajmer blast. He is also on trial for the 2006 Malegaon blasts and the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing. The accused in the sensational Mecca Masjid blast case are allegedly linked to a fringe Hindu organisation called Abhinav Bharat. Initially, the Hyderabad police who investigated the case suspected the involvement of Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI), a fundamentalist group supported by Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The police had picked up more than 90 Muslim youth for interrogation and 21 of them were charge-sheeted. The police blamed Bilal, linked to HuJI, as the mastermind behind the terror attack. He was later killed in an encounter. After a trial, the Nampally criminal courts acquitted all the accused in January, 2009, for lack of evidence. Subsequently, the Central Government transferred the case to the CBI. Later, the case was handed over to the NIA in 2011. Meanwhile, reacting to the courts verdict, Hyderabad MP and president of Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) Asaduddin Owaisi said the majority of witnesses in the case had turned hostile after June 2014. The NIA did not pursue the case as it was expected from them. The NIA is guided by the political masters. It is a deaf and blind parrot. Our fight against terrorism is weakened after todays acquittal, he said. In May, 2010, the CBI had said the Mecca Masjid blast and the 2008 Ajmer Dargah blast were linked, going by the nature of phone timer devices, explosives and the bomb used and common identity proof used to obtain SIM cards. On November 19, 2010, Aseemanand, who had been on the run since 2008, was arrested from Haridwar for his alleged role in the blast. He had submitted a signed declaration that he, and several members of the Abhinav Bharat, had conspired and executed the bomb blast at Mecca Masjid. With PTI inputs rchopra@tribunemail.com Kanpur, April 16 An Army captain and a hostel warden have been arrested for allegedly stalking and molesting a woman professor here, the police said on Monday. An FIR was registered against the duo under relevant sections of the IPC at Bithoor police station, SSP (Kanpur) Akhilesh Kumar said. The Army official, who is a doctor, had come to the city to attend a medicos meet on Friday where he met the professor, also a doctor, he said. According to a complaint filed by the professor, the official, who was in an inebriated condition, misbehaved with her and tried to pull her away from her car when she was returning to her hostel. She also alleged that the captain, accompanied by the hostel warden, followed her to her college hostel in Bithoor, and started knocking at her door. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Amaravati, April 16 A state-wide bandh called by a peoples forum for granting special category status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh is being observed on Monday. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), though supporting the cause, decided to stay away from the agitation. No untoward incidents, except burning of a motorbike in Tirupati, have been reported so far during the bandh called by the Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti. The strike has been supported by all opposition parties, including the YSR Congress (YSRC) and Congress. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who reviewed the situation with top police officials, directed them to ensure that peace prevailed in the state. Educational institutes remained shut and examinations scheduled for the day have been postponed in view of the stir. State Road Transport Corporation buses remained confined to the depots as protesters staged sit-ins and road roko at various places. In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti president Chalasani Srinivas, CPI and CPI (M) state secretaries K Ramakrishna and P Madhu organised a dharna at the PN bus station. In Visakhapatnam, YSR Congress MP V Vijayasai Reddy led the protest. YSRC president YS Jaganmohan Reddy announced a days break to his ongoing padyatra (foot march) to monitor the bandh from his camp in Krishna district. The police said unidentified miscreants set a bike on fire outside the bus terminus in Tirupati town. The ruling Telugu Desam Party had withdrawn its ministers in the Union cabinet and walked out of the NDA after the BJP-led Centre denied special category status to Andhra Pradesh. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 16 The BJP on Monday hit back at the Congress after the court verdict on the Mecca Masjid blast case and asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to apologise for propagating the theory of saffron terror. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused the Congress of using the policy of minority appeasement for narrow political gains and for divide and rule. The special NIA court in Hyderabad on Monday acquitted the five accused in the case. Patra said the people of the country were wise and would respond to the Congresss machinations by way of votes. rchopra@tribunemail.com Beijing, April 16 China wants to stick to the right path of bilateral ties with India, explore new areas for cooperation and ensure sound and steady development of the relationship, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunyings remarks came during a media briefing as she replied to a question on a series of high-level meetings between the two countries. After last years stand-off in Doklam, India and China have stepped up dialogue at various levels to reset the ties. Hua said Chinas ties with India had seen new progress and allround cooperation this year. This year, under the guidance of the two leaders (Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi), China and India relations have been developing with a sound momentum, Hua said. China attaches great importance to developing relations with India and we would like to work together to implement the consensus reached by leaders, stick to the right path of the bilateral ties, accumulate more positive energy, explore new areas for cooperation and ensure sound and steady development of bilateral ties, she said. We have seen close exchanges at all levels and new progress in allround cooperation, Hua said without elaborating. On April 13, a meeting was held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Yang Jiechi, Director of Chinas Foreign Affairs Commission and member of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in Shanghai. Besides the meeting between Yang and Doval, the two countries successfully held the 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), she said. Hua said officials from the two foreign ministries also met. The two sides also held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and cross-border rivers, she said. These interactions show that China and India share wide range of common interests and our bilateral cooperation holds great potential, she said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are also due to visit China on April 24 to take part in the meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Prime Minister Modi himself is scheduled to visit China in June to take part in the SCO summit in the Chinese city of Qingdao. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 16 The Delhi High Court on Monday upheld the sentence of life imprisonment till death awarded to five convicts for gang-raping a 52-year-old Danish woman here in 2014, saying the most important scientific evidence, the DNA report, has proven their guilt. The court, however, took a serious view over the lapse of the investigating officer (IO) in not preparing a proper site-plan of the place of the crime, saying this was very important as it is very rare that there are witnesses to such crimes other than the victim. A Bench of Justices S Muralidhar and IS Mehta noted that the foreigner was raped for five hours and said if she was raped in a secluded area among the bushes, the IO has to satisfy himself by standing at the mud hill of the construction area to see if the crime spot was visible and this basic exercise of reconstruction of the crime scene was not done. The high court dismissed the appeal of the convicts challenging their conviction and jail term awarded by a trial court in 2016. The trial court had awarded the maximum punishment while making it clear that rigorous imprisonment for life means jail till remainder of natural life of the convictsMahender alias Ganja (25), Mohd Raja (23), Raju (23), Arjun (21) and Raju Chakka (30). The court had also imposed a fine of Rs 81,000 each on Raju and Raju Chakka, Rs 91,000 each on Mahender and Mohd Raja and Rs 1,01,000 on Arjun respectively. It said the testimony of the victim and the DNA report, which was a clinching piece of evidence, have nailed the guilt of the convicts. In view of the victims evidence, corroborated by the DNA report, this court his satisfied that the conclusion of the trial court on the guilt of the accused is correct. Accordingly, the appeals are dismissed, the Bench said. The high court, meanwhile, rejected the testimony of an eyewitness, who claimed to have seen the accused persons committing the crime, saying he could not be accepted as a natural witness. It said the witness claimed to be standing at the construction site and seeing the crime but the site plan prepared by the police showed the construction side and did not indicate the spot where the man was supposed to be seen standing. Even the witness was not questioned on this aspect in the trial court, the Bench said. Carelessness of the IO is seen in undertaking the investigation of the case, it said. During the hearing, advocate Amit Chadha, appearing for the Delhi Police, said the DNA of all the accused had matched with the samples taken from other articles belonging to the victim in Denmarks Copenhagen and India and the woman was examined in the trial court over 18 months after the incident, so some indulgence must be granted. The court rejected the contention of the counsel for the convicts that the prosecution had manipulated the evidence under media pressure and said the DNA profile connected the convicts with the crime and there was also a similarity in the forensic report sent by Denmark authorities with the DNA report prepared in India. The victim had come here on January 1, 2014, and stayed for a couple of days before leaving for Agra. After visiting several places, she returned to Delhi on January 13, 2014, and stayed in a hotel in Paharganj near the station. The next day when she was returning to her hotel, she lost her way and had asked one of the accused for directions when the men waylaid and gang-raped her. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 17 The fresh spat between Delhi and Islamabad over Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan for Baisakhi celebrations has become more bitter. India on Monday summoned the Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner to lodge a strong protest against reported attempts being made during the ongoing visit to raise the issue of 'Khalistan'. MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) has accused Pakistan of making inflammatory statements and displaying posters at various places and shrines where the pilgrims are visiting from April 12 to 21. "Pakistan was called upon to immediately stop all such activities that were aimed at undermining India's sovereignty, territorial integrity and incitement of disharmony in India," said the MEA official statement. Of the nearly 20,000 Sikh pilgrims from across the globe, nearly 2,100 Sikhs from India have been issued visas under the bilateral Protocol of 1974 governing the exchange of visits of pilgrims between the two countries. The pilgrims are to visit holy sites like Nanakana Sahib and Gurdwara Panja Sahib to celebrate the 320th birth anniversary of the Khalsa. "It was conveyed that such repeated attempts by authorities and entities in Pakistan to extend support to secessionist movements in India amount to interference in the internal affairs of India," MEA added in its statement issued after summoning the Pakistani diplomat today. Earlier on Sunday, MEA had protested against Islamabad for not allowing High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria and counsellor/protocol team to meet with the visiting pilgrims and called it 'inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy'. Pakistan, however, rejected the allegation as distortion of facts and said Bisaria had been advised against the meeting in view of riled up sentiments in sections of the Sikh pilgrims over the release of film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' in India. pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, April 16 Strongly pitching for Indias inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany on Monday said the global export control system will benefit a lot from New Delhis participation in all its four regimes. Out of the four export control regimes that work to keep proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in check, India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. Indias membership to the 48-member NSG is being primarily opposed by China on the pretext that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Germany has strongly supported India in its efforts to become a member of the export control regimes just as we continue to strongly support Indias membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Jasper Wieck, the Deputy Head of the German mission here, said. We are convinced that the global export control system will benefit a lot from Indias participation in all four regimes, he said while speaking at the inaugural session of India-Wiessbaden Conference 2018, organised jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs in cooperation with Germany and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Representatives from the government and industry of 39 countries, as well as experts from the UNSC 1540 Committee and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in New York, are participating at the two-day conference titled Securing Global Supply Chains through Government-Industry Partnerships towards Effective Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540 . The UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) establishes legally binding obligations on all states to adopt and enforce appropriate and effective measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their delivery systems to non-state actors. It requires, therefore, that countries implement appropriate and effective measures to prevent non-state actors such as terrorists, from obtaining access to WMDs. We consider this initiative (the conference) as yet another example of Indias engagement with regards to international cooperation in the areas of export controls, Wieck said. PTI editorial@tribune.com Yash Goyal WITH state elections barely seven months away and Dalits on a warpath, especially after the April 2 Bharat Bandh against the Supreme Court order diluting the SC/ST Act, the ruling BJP seems on a shaky ground. Besides wanton destruction of property and arson, at least one Dalit protester was killed in police firing during the Bharat bandh in at least 10 districts. The government was left red-faced when in retaliation non-Dalits in Hindaun torched two houses of Dalit leaders one a sitting BJP woman MLA and the other a former Congress MLA. Now, the NGOs have upped their ante. The Dalits and non-Dalits are at daggers drawn and ruling party MLAs are being questioned by their own workers in their constituencies. Congress leader Ashok Gehlot demanded CM Vasundhara Rajes resignation for alleged Dalit atrocities and the deteriorating law and order after state Home Minister GC Kataria, at a review meeting recently, disclosed that crime against SCs had risen by 27 per cent and against STs by 31 per cent owing to agitations by different caste groups in the past three months. The BJP is panicky. In the 200-member state Assembly, the Raje government has 32 Dalit MLAs and 17 belonging to the Scheduled Tribes. Kirorilal Meena, the MP back with the BJP after a decade, recently rushed to Delhi to apprise PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on violence-hit districts and his hold in 45 SC/ST constituencies. Losing the SC/ST vote bank to Kiroris National Peoples Party (NPP) in the 2013 polls, the Congress is now working to woo over this section, especially since the NPP merger with BJP has earned it an anti-Dalit label. Though on Ambedkar Jayanti CM Vasundhara Raje tried damage control by announcing new grants and subsidies for SC/ST schemes, it does not seem enough. The Centre for Dalit Rights, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties and Third Front, all NGOs, allege that Dalits were beaten up and booked in 250 false cases after the Bharat Bandh. The BJP has now hinted at withdrawing all such cases. Raje govt left red-faced The govt was left red-faced when in retaliation non-Dalits in Hindaun torched two houses of Dalit leaders one a sitting BJP MLA and the other a former Congress MLA editorial@tribune.com Rami Chhabra It is hard to find the words to describe a colleague and friend who in the last few decades became more of a family member, as he lies awaiting his last rites, blood congealing cold in the veins from which ink freely flowed till just a couple of weeks ago. Nihals love for journalism so ably documented in his memoir Ink in My Veins was such that even between the frequent bouts in hospital with several surgeries since last December, he could and did bounce off trenchant pieces of criticism, one on the Prime Minister, his particular bete noire, as secularism and freedom of speech was the creed by which Nihal lived and his book Modi counterpointed. I was so incensed with what Modi is saying that I just had to write, he cheerily told me, sounding so much the better for having done so. As a person, Nihal was always a poised gentleman, gracious, well-mannered, punctual to a fault. But in professional life, his political analysis and prose, concise and precise, knocked holes in super-flated political egos with a delight that he loved to recall with equal delight. I first met Nihal 61 years ago when I walked into The Statesman News Editors room with a clutch of stories to sell while he, then still an intrepid staff reporter bored with his daily assignments, was selling the News Editor the line that there were no celebrities in town to cover! I next encountered him at my husbands baraat as best man, alongside the late Inder Malhotra and Bikram Singh. Nihals days of glory came as he moved from reporter to foreign correspondent Islamabad, Moscow, Singapore, Paris then as Resident Editor of The Statesman in which capacity he mainly took the flak of blank spaces and much more as the newspaper refused to be cowed down by the censors during Emergency that was to cover The Statesman with glory that CR Irani, Statesmans then Managing Director, largely appropriated. Nihal Singh received the International Editor of the Year Award in New York in 1978. But he soon moved onto The Indian Express and later to try and bring out The Indian Post. His travels across the world had already made him a much sought after foreign affairs expert. Wearying of the slender offerings the Indian press gave him, he went off to edit the Khaleej Times in Dubai, so that I can retire to write books in India and drink good whisky with my friends. His wife died while he was still in Dubai and he returned home and gamely looked for a suitable senior vantage point from which to say his piece. But the media had changed by then and those with the ability to remain true to oneself were not in demand anymore. It is to Nihal Singhs credit he did not let this frustrate him. He gamely wrote his books nearly a dozen in all and his columns and the occasional TV panel. He remained a true friend, frequently visiting us as my husband ailed over the last few years, listening gravely and with respect to all that was said around him and recounting his own stories with his characteristic economy of words and dry humour, relishing his single malt. And at the IIC Saturday Discussion group, where he had the chair next to a chair reserved for him after another dear friend Krishen Katyal passed away, he always asked a succinct single question and quietly presented the speaker with an on-the-spot sketch: a talent lesser than his gift for words but which he liked to pursue as diligently. editorial@tribune.com London, April 15 Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will arrive here on a four-day visit to the UK on Tuesday, is the only head of government to be offered bilateral meetings ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), officials said. In what has been categorised as an unprecedented welcome, Modi will hold not just one, but two meetings with his British counterpart Theresa May on Wednesday before they begin formal deliberations as part of the multilateral Commonwealth summit on Thursday. PM Modi, who arrives in the UK from Sweden on Tuesday night, is also among the three senior world leaders attending CHOGM to be invited for an audience with Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday evening, they said. Modis royal welcome will include a special event hosted by Prince Charles, during which the heir to the British throne will drive up in a Tata Motors first-ever electric Jaguar to symbolise the India-UK technical collaboration. The welcome being accorded to the Indian PM reflects the importance the UK attaches to the visit and shows the mature level of India-UK ties, an official said. The bilateral leg of the UK tour begins with Modis talks with Theresa May at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday morning, during which both leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including separatism, cross-border terrorism, visas and immigration. Following his meeting with May, Modi will head to the Science Museum in London to visit the 5000 Years of Science and Innovationexhibition. This will be followed by some events, including the launch of an Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence. The India-UK technological partnership will be the centre feature of Modis second meeting with May on Wednesday at the Francis Crick Institute in London, where a new India-UK Technical Alliance is expected to be among a series of announcements. Modi will then head for his audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace before the Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath diaspora event to be telecast live from an as-yet undisclosed iconic central London venue on Wednesday evening. At the end of the telecast, the PM will join Heads of Government from 52 other nations at a dinner hosted by May to mark the launch of CHOGM. This will be followed by official deliberations between the leaders on Thursday before they head to Windsor for the CHOGM retreat. Several UK-based Kashmiri and Sikh groups are likely to protest against Modi's visit. PTI Modi to meet German Chancellor PM Narendra Modi will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the UK, the MEA said. It said Modi would make the stopover in Berlin following a suggestion by Merkel. Both leaders will exchange views on bilateral, regional and global issues. Take on key role in Commonwealth Indias engagement with multilateral bodies has been increasing and the Commonwealth is no different. There is a desire to play a greater leadership role in the international arena and the UK wants India to take on a more important role. Dinesh Patnaik, Deputy High Commissioner of India uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 16 Noted journalist and former Chief Editor of The Statesman and The Indian Express, Surendra Nihal Singh passed away here at his residence on Monday evening. He was due to turn 89 later this month. Born on April 30, 1929, in Rawalpindi, Nihal Singh, as he was popularly known, was an authority on foreign affairs. For the past few months, the veteran columnist was suffering from renal failure and breathed his last at about 5 pm today. Cremation would take place at the Lodhi Road electric crematorium tomorrow at 12 noon, family members said. His wife predeceased him and he was survived by his sister-in-law Indoo Nihal Singh. Son of Gurmukh Nihal and Lachchmi (Devi) Singh, he was awarded the prestigious International Editor of the Year Award in New York for his role in opposing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhis emergency in mid-1975. He was a foreign correspondent in Moscow, London, the United States, and Indonesia, and most of his assignments were for The Statesman. He took over as the Resident Editor of The Statesman at Delhi in 1973 before becoming the Chief Editor of the newspaper in Kolkata in 1975. During 1981-82, he was the Editor-in-chief, The Indian Express, and also the founding editor of The Indian Post, Mumbai, in 1987. His last assignment was as the Editor of the Khaleej Times, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 1994. After his return to Delhi, he became a noted columnist and contributed to a number of dailies, including The Tribune. editorial@tribune.com Islamabad, April 15 The peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir, can be found through a comprehensive and meaningful dialogue, Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said. His remarks came during his speech at the passing-out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul on Saturday. While such a dialogue is no favour to any party, it remains the inevitable precursor to peace. Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour, he said. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 16 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday left for a five-day visit to Sweden, Germany and the UK, where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). "PM @narendramodi embarks on a tri-nation visit to Sweden, United Kingdom & Germany from 17-20 April. A visit with a rich bilateral & multilateral content in the form of meetings with other leaders & participation at two multilateral meetings (India-Nordic & Commonwealth Summits)," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. In the first leg of his visit, Modi will reach Sweden's capital Stockholm where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, besides attending a India-Nordic Summit. "India and Sweden share warm and friendly ties. Our partnership is based on democratic values and commitment to an open, inclusive and rule-based global order. Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives," Modi had said in a departure statement last night. The two prime ministers will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday. Modi said he and Lofven would also interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, clean energy and smart cities. The prime minister said he would also call on King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. India and Sweden will also jointly organise the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm tomorrow. The summit is scheduled to be attended by the Prime Ministers of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. From Sweden, Modi will later tomorrow travel to the UK where he will also attend the CHOGM, besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security," the prime minister said. "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship," he said. Modi would also call on the Queen, interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership, launch an Ayurveda Centre of Excellence in London, and welcome the UK into the International Solar Alliance, as its newest member. On April 19 and 20, Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," Modi had said. Ahead of his visit, Modi had also said he was looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement with Sweden and the UK in a number of areas, including trade, investment and clean energy. The External Affairs Ministry had on Saturday said Modi would also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. - PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 16 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-day official visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) on Monday. The visit of the Prime Minister to the two nations aims at enhancing bilateral cooperation in key areas like trade, investments and science and technology. Apart from bilateral visits to the two countries, Prime Minister Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sweden and the United Kingdom, respectively. At the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Modi will undertake his first visit to Sweden on April 16 to 17. He is scheduled to arrive in Stockholm on April 16 evening and will have a number of meetings on April 17, including an audience with the King of Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf, and consultations with Prime Minister Lofven, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement. Modi will address a gathering of select Swedish business leaders and will also meet Indian community in Sweden. On the sidelines of the India-Nordic Summit, Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway, respectively. The Prime Minister will visit the UK from April 17 to 20 for a bilateral visit and attend CHOGM. The visit will focus on enhancing India-UK tech partnership. The visit will see a number of deliverables in the area of skill development, health care, cyber security, innovation, traditional medicine and education. The India-UK CEOs Forum will also take place during this visit. Also, the UK will formally convey their readiness to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Modi will attend the CHOGM in London from April 19 to 20. The meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government usually take place every two years and serve to shape the organisations agenda for the next two years. The CHOGM is a multilateral organisation known for its focus on the development issues that confront the Small States and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), many of whom have deep historical and bilateral ties with India. ANI amansharma@tribunemail.com Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 16 Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev on Monday defended his country's growing relationship with Pakistan even as he called ties with India 'durable and multi pronged'. Delivering a special address at the Ananta Aspen Centre in Delhi, Kudashev stressed that the Afghanistan situation cannot be addressed without taking onboard every neighbouring country. "This logic also guides us towards further developing relations with Pakistan, which is, on the other hand, Russia's historic and important regional partner as well. These ties are not emanating from the regional balance of power equations, but growing on their own merits," said Kudashev. Later in response to a question, he further claimed that Pakistan's credibility is growing since its full membership of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and after taking "strong measures to counter financing of terror". Interestingly, Kudashev also underlined that Russia does not look at countries through lens of bilateral disputes where it cannot take sides. "We are open for contacts with every country, especially if it would help to ensure the regional stability, which, on the other hand, also remains largely dependent on constructive relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad. No doubt, that existing disagreements between India and Pakistan should be resolved politically and diplomatically, according to the provisions of the 1972 Shimla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration. We believe in dialogue, and stand ready to support it, if requested by both sides," added the Ambassador. Kudashev also called for a creative thinking on Chinese BRI (Belt and Roads Initiative) to which India objects to, as it has CPEC (China Pak Economic Corridor) as a flagship project. "Russia is ready to cooperate on BRI, which involves almost all the countries in the SCO region," said Kudashev adding that Russia sees this project purely from the economic perspective. On defence ties with India, the envoy hoped for greater military collaboration. Asked about delays in agreements on S-400 air defence missile systems andco-production of Kamov-226 T helicopters, Kudashev hoped they would be inked by the time President Vladimir Putin visits India for the summit meeting in October this year. He also dismissed suggestions that Delhi's close ties to DC and the tense standoff between US and Moscow could impact Indo-Russian defence ties. "Our military relationship with India is an independent relationship that is not affected by any American strategic calculations," stressed Kudashev. Hitting out at the United States, UK and Europe, the Ambassador claimed that recent air strikes in Syria was "taken under an absolutely contrived pretext of the alleged use of chemical weapons" by the Syrian government in the city of Douma on April 7. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 16 Veteran journalist and former Chief Editor of The Statesman and The Indian Express Surendra Nihal Singh passed away at his residence here on Monday. Born in Rawalpindi on April 30, 1929, Nihal Singh, as he was popularly known, was an authority on foreign affairs. Suffering from renal failure for the past few months, he breathed his last at 5 pm. The cremation will take place at the Lodhi Road electric crematorium on Tuesday noon. He is survived by his sister-in-law Indoo Nihal Singh and four sisters. His long-time friend and former MP, who was the Editor-in-Chief of a number of dailies, including The Tribune, HK Dua, said: He was one of the most outstanding editors who believed in liberalism and democracy. He knew the value of dissent in public debate A thorough gentleman, he promoted the highest standards of journalism. Son of Gurmukh Nihal and Lachchmi (Devi) Singh, Nihal Singh was awarded the International Editor of the Year Award in New York for his role in opposing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhis Emergency in mid-1975. A foreign correspondent in Moscow, London, the US, and Indonesia, most of his assignments were for The Statesman. He took over as Resident Editor of The Statesman in Delhi in 1973 and then the Chief Editor in Kolkata in 1975. During 1981-82, he was the Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express and also the founding editor of The Indian Post, Mumbai, in 1987. His last assignment was as the Editor of the Khaleej Times, Dubai (1994). On his return to Delhi, he became a columnist and contributed to a number of dailies, including The Tribune. Nihal Singh also became the president of the Press Club of India in 1994. In 2016, he was given the Press Council of Indias Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award for outstanding contribution to journalism. His publications include The Yogi and the Bear: A Study of Indo-Soviet Relations; Ink in my veins: A Life in Journalismand The Gang and 900 million: A China Diary. harinder@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 16 Controversial film Nanak Shah Fakir, based on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev, will continue to be screened in cinema halls as the Supreme Court on Monday made it clear it would not stop its public viewing. A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, however, issued notice to the filmmaker and the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on a petition filed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and posted it for further hearing on May 8. The film has already been released across India, except in Punjab, senior advocate RS Suri told the Bench. Appearing for the SGPC, senior counsel PS Patwalia referred to a 2003 SGPC notification, which categorically stated that no person could be allowed to portray the life of the 10 Sikh Gurus, their family members and the Panj Pyaras. Sikhism bans human beings from portraying its Gurus, he added. Let the actor playing the Guru not take credit. Let it be an abstract person, said the Bench, which had on April 10 cleared the decks for the April 13 nationwide release of the film and criticised the SGPC for opposing it. The Bench said the fundamental issue was if the life of Guru Nanak had been portrayed in the right manner or not. TNS editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 15 Over a month after the Union Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, was censured for disobedience of judicial orders before being directed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court to pay Rs 10,000 from his pocket, the order has been complied with. The developments took place on a petition filed against the Employees Provident Fund Appellant Tribunal and another respondent by the Board of Trustees, through the Jalandhar Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, through counsel Sanjay Tangri. As the case came up, Justice PB Bajanthris Bench was told that the previous order, dated February 23, has been complied with and the Centre had made alternative arrangement for hearing pending appeals by the Employees Provident Fund Appellant Tribunal, now Central Government Industrial Tribunal. The Bench was earlier told that the functioning of two Central Government Industrial Tribunals-cum-Labour Courts had been affected with the resignation of regular incumbent in one and presiding officers superannuation in the other. The Bench had directed the counsel for the Centre to seek instruction whether ad hoc arrangements could be made. The counsel subsequently submitted that there was no response, despite repeated communications to the ministry. The Bench directed the Secretary of the ministry concerned to appear in person. The Bench, in its previous order, took exception to the submission of an application for exemption from personal appearance on the date of hearing itself, and that through a subordinate. He is senior-most officer and must be presumed to know that under the Constitution, orders of the court have to be obeyed implicitly., Justice Bajanthri ruled. He observed that the Secretary was supposed to appear and apprise the court. But he was not present and application for exemption was moved the same day. Besides, the application was not moved by the Secretary himself. amansharma@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 16 The Cabinet sub-committee set up the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to crack down on unauthorised occupation of government lands has called for the Justice Kuldip Singh Tribunal report on illegal transfer of hundreds of acres of common village land in name of individuals, covering 38 villages on the outskirts of Chandigarh. This could spell trouble for or influential people, including politicians, bureaucrats and police officers in whose name hundreds of acres of common village land has been illegally transferred in the villages. The panel in its meeting held here on Monday decided to seek expert advice of Justice S.S. Saron (retd) and former DGP Chander Shekhar who would also be attending the next meeting. Local Bodies Minister Navjiot Singh Sidhu, Rural Development Minister Tripat Rajinder Bajwa and Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, who are member of the sub-committee, attended todays meeting. While deciding to extend the purview of the sub-committee beyond the rural development and local bodies department, the panel asked for identifying the departments whose assets have been illegally encroached upon. Sidhu said the data pertaining to all the government departments whose lands are under illegal occupation must be submitted in the next meeting. The panel also asked for details of the departments where the land despite under ownership of the government had not been entered in the mutation records. Before formulating any policy, it is necessary to ascertain that how much of the government land is under illegal occupation irrespective of the department, said Sidhu. The next meeting has been called on May 3. editorial@tribune.com Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 16 Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is likely to expand Cabinet on April 19, it is learnt. The development is significant in the wake of speculation that the Cabinet expansion might get delayed due to the pending judgment in the Navjot Singh Sidhu road rage case. Though there is no official confirmation, it is believed that the CM has scheduled a meeting with AICC president Rahul Gandhi over the next couple of days. Capt Amarinder has already expressed his keenness to expand the Cabinet at the earliest. After checking the availability of Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore between April 18 and 23, the date would be announced, it is learnt. A senior party leader said Asha Kumari met the CM in Chandigarh on April 11 to discuss the names. The CM has already hinted at distributing most of his 42 portfolios. After the resignation of Power and Irrigation Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, nine Cabinet berths are vacant. Besides expansion, shuffling of portfolios is also expected. It will be better if the Cabinet is expanded before the Shahkot bypoll notification, said a senior PPCC leader. Sources said due representation would be given to Hindus, Dalits and OBCs. Maintaining a mix of youth and talent, three new faces from the Rahul brigade Kuljit Nagra, Vijay Inder Singla and Randeep Nabha are the frontrunners. Three-time Mohali MLA Balbir Singh Sidhu could emerge as the dark horse among Jat faces. Urmar MLA Sangat Singh Gilzian may also find a place in the Cabinet as an OBC representative. Senior-most Cabinet minister Brahm Mohindra may be given more responsibilities. From Majha region, there is pressure on the party to induct Sukhjinder Randhawa and Amritsar MLA Raj Kumar Verka. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 16 The Supreme Courts refusal to stay the release of Nanak Shah Fakir has upset the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), even as film producer Harinder Singh Sikka said the ruling was based on the merits of the case. The film on the life and teachings of Guru Nanak was officially released in the country, except Punjab, on April 13. Talking to The Tribune, SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal said the judiciary had shown indifference towards Sikh principles and religious sensibilities. He said the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had been approached to stall the screening of the film. Sikka said he had sought permission at every stage from the SGPC and made amendments as directed before releasing the film. The film was endorsed by a qualified jury and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification. The SGPC and Akal Takht acknowledged the movie. A total of 31 amendments were made on their recommendation. Even before releasing the poster, the SGPC was taken into confidence and one of its members attended the event, he added. DSGMC general secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, We have full faith in the judiciary. We will fight the case to its logical conclusion. A film getting the national award holds no significance if it hurts religious sentiments. Barring one or two places in Gujarat, the film was not screened anywhere. I am thankful that the Sikh sangat abided by the directions of Akal Takht. harinder@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 16 The fresh spat between Delhi and Islamabad over Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan for Baisakhi celebrations has become more bitter. India on Monday summoned the Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner to lodge a strong protest against reported attempts being made during the ongoing visit to raise the issue of Khalistan. The Ministry of External Affairs accused Pakistan of making inflammatory statements and displaying posters at various places and shrines where the pilgrims are visiting from April 12 to 21. Pakistan was called upon to immediately stop all such activities that were aimed at undermining Indias sovereignty, territorial integrity and incitement of disharmony in India, said the MEA. Of the nearly 20,000 Sikh pilgrims from across the globe, nearly 2,100 from India have been issued visas to visit holy sites. TNS editorial@tribune.com Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 15 An Indian man, who died under mysterious circumstances in an immigration detention centre at Ibaraki near Tokyo (Japan) on Friday, has been identified as Ludhiana resident Deepak Kumar (32). He had been in detention for the past nine months. His family, which runs a footwear manufacturing unit here, has sought a probe into the death and urged the Indian government to help bring the body back. The deceaseds brother, Sanju, told Tribune, Deepak, along with his friends Rajan and Mahinder, had left for China on a tourist visa on April 14, 2017. Three days later, while returning to India, they got stranded at an airport in Japan. My brother then took an on-arrival visa from the Japanese embassy. He kept extending the visa till July. On July 13, when he went to the immigration centre, he was detained by the embassy officials without specifying any reason. Sanju said he last got a call from his brother on Thursday. Deepak said he was fine, he added. On Friday, Deepaks friend Sunny, who was also detained in Japan, informed the family about the death. We received a call from the Indian Ambassadors office in Japan on Sunday. They have promised help, Sanju said. editorial@tribune.com Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, April 15 The site of the proposed government medical college and hospital has sparked off a turf war among senior Congress leaders, including MLAs. MP Sunil Jakhar, who has been asked by the CM to finalise the location, has said that it would be equidistant from all major towns of Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency. Party insiders, however, claim that the MP is under pressure from his own party leaders who are demanding that the prestigious entity be established in their respective Assembly seats. Qadian MLA Fateh Jung Bajwas logic is that since the Dhariwal woollen mill has almost shut down, leading to the loss of hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, the college should be established near Dhariwal. The PAU has 25 acres in Dhariwal on the Gurdaspur-Batala highway. The site is equidistant from Sri Hargobindpur, Qadian, Batala, Fatehgarh Churian and Dera Baba Nanak, he said. Dhariwal forms part of Bajwas Qadian seat. Pathankot legislator Amit Vij wants the location to be in Pathankot. That way, the hospital can also cater to patients of HP and J&K. At present, patients -- in emergency cases -- have to be shifted to Amritsar, 110 km away, he said. Former Batala MLA Ashwani Sekhri said that as Batala catered to five Vidhan Sabha seats, the government should buy land on the Batala-Amritsar highway. Batala is the biggest sub-divisional town in Punjab and is a known industrial hub. It is also vying for district status. Keeping in view the poor healthcare facilities available, it is high time the hospital is set up here, said Sekhri. A powerful section of residents want the hospital to come up adjacent to the Verka milk plant on the Gurdaspur-Pathankot road. This move has the blessings of the local MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra. It remains to be seen whether Jakhar will be able to stick to his stand of no vote-bank politics will be allowed to come in the way when the final decision is made. Tough call for Jakhar MP Sunil Jakhar, who has been asked by the CM to finalise the location, has said that the medical college will be equidistant from all major towns of Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency. It remains to be seen whether Jakhar will be able to keep vote-bank politics out of the way when the decision is made. editorial@tribune.com Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Pathankot, April 16 A case of carjacking was reported by a person living near the international border late on Sunday night, following which an alert was sounded in three border police districts Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Batala. The IG (Border), Surinder Pal Singh Parmar, confirmed the carjacking and added that a massive hunt had been launched after the questioning of Gujjar Maskin Ali, owner of the car. Pathankot SSP Vivek Sheel Soni received a call from the Control Room around 11 pm about the incident. After making initial inquiries from the SHO, Narot Jaimal Singh police station, the SSP sensed that the threat was indeed real and immediately put his force into action. Within two hours all vital installations in the city, including the road leading to the civil airport, Air Force Station, Mamun Cantonment and the ammunition dump, considered to be one of the biggest Army storage facilities in north India, were secured. By the time morning walkers hit the streets, the city had been converted into a fortress with the police also establishing a dozen check posts on the strategic Jammu-Pathankot national highway. The police took Maskin Ali into custody and took him away to an undisclosed destination. At the time of filing of this report, his questioning was still on. Ali told the police that around 10.45 pm on Sunday night, he was going from Bamial, which is near the international border, to the nearby village of Fatehpur to drop a relative in his Alto car, bearing registration plate PB 35 2833. Near Fatehpur, two persons, wearing Army fatigues and carrying weapons, asked him to stop. When he stopped the car they took away his vehicle. Later, around 2 am, the car was found abandoned on the outskirts of Fatehpur village. Suspecting that terrorists might have gone in hiding somewhere nearby, the police fired several rounds in the air. The police then widened their search to adjoining areas after nobody retaliated. Scores of Gujjars having their habitations near the zero line were also questioned. An intelligence source said the threat was real. SSP Soni, too, claimed that nothing can be ruled out at this stage. I have quizzed Ali. It seems he is speaking the truth, said the police chief. After receiving alerts from the Pathankot police in the wee hours, Gurdaspur SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar personally took over the search operations near the border. LMG-mounted vehicles, equipped with night-vision devices, were also pressed into service at strategic points near the border. Batala SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman, too, confirmed that an alert had been sounded in villages falling under the Dera Baba Nanak police station. Vehicle found abandoned Maskin Ali, a Gujjar, told the police that around 10.45 pm on Sunday night, he was going from Bamial, which is near the international border, to the nearby village of Fatehpur to drop a relative in his Alto car, bearing registration plate PB 35 2833. Near Fatehpur, two persons, wearing Army fatigues and carrying weapons, asked him to stop. When he stopped the car they took away his vehicle. Later, around 2 am, the car was found abandoned on the outskirts of Fatehpur village. editorial@tribune.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 15 Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday ruled out Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhus resignation over the 1988 road rage case, even as victim Gurnam Singhs family demanded that the course of justice should not be obstructed. The question of the minister resigning merely because the state government has repeated its stand before the Supreme Court does not arise, the CM said. There was neither any impediment to Sidhus induction into the Cabinet nor to his continuation now, in view of the stay on his conviction, the Chief Minister added. Over the past two days, the Opposition parties, particularly the Shiromani Akali Dal, have been gunning for the minister. Meanwhile, Gurnams family has sought closure to its prolonged struggle. His grandson, Amaninder Singh Suyach, who resides at Ghalori village in Patiala district, said, Its been a 30-year-long legal battle for the Suyach family. The system has rubbed salt into our wounds as the person responsible for the death of our family head has remained on top political positions, even as he (Sidhu) openly accepted his crime on national television. Gurnams son Narvedinder Singh said, Everyone talks of justice for victims. Look at the recent cases of abuse of young girls. Why then should justice be denied to us? He added: An old man was killed by a person (Sidhu) who was drunk on his popularity and power, but strangely no one is fighting for our cause. I request his partys leaders Rahul Gandhi and Capt Amarinder Singh to stand by us, purely on humanitarian grounds and for the sake of justice. There is a ray of hope for us after 30 years. Let it not be doused by politics. Gurnams grandson did not comment when asked if the Suyachs had been subjected to political pressure, even as there are reports that Congress MLA Gurpreet Singh Kangar, a close relative of the family, and senior party leader Lal Singh had tried to intervene to bring about a compromise. editorial@tribune.com Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 15 Expressing displeasure over the Ministry of Defence (MoD) getting into unnecessary litigation, the Supreme Court has imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the government for filing an appeal in the case of a disabled soldier when similar appeals had already been dismissed earlier. A former soldier, Naik Balbir Singh, who hails from Hoshiarpur district, had been granted relief by the Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal in 2016. The MoD, however, challenged the order. This is unnecessarily adding to the burden of the justice delivery systems for which the Union of India must take full responsibility, a Division Bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta held recently. It also asked the government to deposit the costs with the SC Legal Services Committee within four weeks for utilisation in juvenile justice issues. The case is expected to come up for hearing on April 23 for the government to file its compliance report. A committee of experts on reduction of litigation had come down heavily upon the MoD and the services headquarters for generating unnecessary ego-fuelled litigation by perceiving litigants as persons acting against the state. The panel had noted that even SC decisions, sentiments expressed by the PM and Defence Minister and letters by A-G for reducing litigation had not had any effect. editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, April 15 In a fresh row with Pakistan, New Delhi on Sunday accused Islamabad of preventing a 2,100-strong Sikh jatha, currently in Pakistan for Baisakhi celebrations, from meeting Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria and his team. India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the block of access for visiting pilgrims to Indian diplomats and consular teams, the MEA statement read, calling it an inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy. The MEA said it was a violation of standard practice of consular/protocol team being attached with visiting pilgrims to facilitate consular and protocol duties, such as helping out in medical or family emergencies. Protesting against the reported denial of access to the consular team at the Wagah railway station and Gurdwara Panja Sahib, the MEA added: On April 14, the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, who was to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib at the invitation of the chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), was suddenly asked to return while en route to the shrine, for unspecified security reasons. Pakistan, however, termed the allegations as baseless and said it was deeply regrettable that facts had been completely distorted and misrepresented, while claiming that strong resentment had been noticed among segments of Sikhs protesting the release of Nanak Shah Fakir in India. Considering an emotionally charged environment and the possibility of any untoward situation, the ETPB authorities contacted the Indian High Commission officials and suggested cancellation of the visit. The Indian High Commission officials, after due deliberation, conveyed back to ETPB their agreement to call off the visit, the statement read. Islamabad also argued that consular/protocol teams had no scheduled meeting with the pilgrims on April 14 but had visited Gurdwara Panja Sahib on Sunday. TNS editorial@tribune.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Faridkot, April 15 Devoid of the sewerage facility, people in rural areas of the state are looking for alternative measures to dispose of wastewater. In one such measure, which has the potential of spelling an environmental disaster, residents of Ramuwala Dalianwali village in the district have dug up a tubewell more than 260-ft deep to dispose of untreated sewage. A youth leader of the village, Nirmal Singh, says: We know that what we have done is not right, but we do not have any other alternative. Besides creating stink in the village, the overflowing sewage has eroded the walls of our houses and the village gurdwara. Reacting to the development, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Tript Rajinder Bajwa says: During my tenure as the head of the PPCB, we used to get disturbing reports about industrialists digging tubewells to dump waste. This one will be even worse. At Mari village of Moga, Gurjet Singh, a youth volunteer, says the insanitary conditions have led to unexplained high incidence of cancer and Hepatitis in the village. Senior political leaders, including former BJP state president Vijay Sampla, have toured the village, but in vain. Besides several international medical teams have conducted research in the village, but again there is no relief, he adds. Nishan Singh, a resident of Burj Raike village in Tarn Taran district, says: Grants announced for our village pond are never utilised. The story is the same in many other villages. Even the road to the village school is in pathetic condition and our children have to take long and alternative routes. Narinder Singh, a resident of Nangal Isher village in Hoshiarpur, says: While the government is not bothered to find an early solution, we are forced to live in inhuman conditions. There is stench all over the village and overflowing sewage is giving rise to diseases. Several people like us are thinking of migrating to some other place. The minister says a special programme for managing ponds is being launched in 748 villages, which will be replicated elsewhere after its success. Bhoa MLA Joginder Pal has also pointed out the pitiable condition of sewers in villages in Pathankot district. I have sought the immediate intervention of the government in creating water channels to dispose of sewage, which otherwise is flowing in the open and has the potential of spreading an epidemic. Kahan Singh Pannu, Chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board, says: It is unfortunate to learn about sewage flowing into the earth. Our department has recently prevented a similar digging in a Ludhiana village. We have written to the Rural Development Department and sought names of two villages in each block to allow installation of a workable project to treat sewers and make water fit for irrigation. Tript Rajinder Bajwa says: We have already taken note of the deplorable conditions of overflowing ponds and untreated sewage in rural areas during the recent Budget session. The issue was also debated by Opposition and ruling MLAs. Congress MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and AAP MLA Baldev Singh had highlighted the plight of villages all over the state. No outlet for village ponds was the main cause of public misery. Besides water from households, the ponds also got septic lavatory flow, rendering its water unfit for any use, they had agreed. Jaito MLA Baldev Singh had said: Papers show that the government spent Rs 48.47 lakh on the drainage project at Dhilwan Kalan village. But on ground, not a penny has been spent. AAP MLA Harpal Cheema said: Nearly Rs 70 lakh was sanctioned for renovating pond at Khanal Khurd village (Sangrur) in 2006, but not a brick is laid till date. The minister concerned has also not responded to the query. What they said... We know that what we have done is not right, but we do not have any alternative. Besides creating stink in the village, the overflowing sewage has eroded the walls of our houses. Nirmal Singh, youth leader, Ramuwala Dalianwali village During my tenure as the head of the state pollution control board, we used to get disturbing reports about industrialists digging tubewells to dump waste. This one will be even worse. Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Rural Development Minister It is unfortunate to learn about sewage flowing into the earth. Our department recently prevented a similar digging in a Ludhiana village. We have written to the Rural Development Department and sought names of two villages in each block to allow installation of a workable project to treat sewers and make water fit for irrigation. Kahan Singh Pannu, chairman, Punjab Pollution Control Board laxmi@tribune.com Tribune News Service Dehradun, April 16 The police on Monday arrested a head constable with the BSF for allegedly trying to molest a policewoman at a hotel on the Mussoorie diversion road. The accused, Surinder Singh, hails from Chakrata. The police said the lady constable had come from Kolkata to get training at the Doiwala BSF training centre. On Sunday night, the victim requested a fellow constable, who was known to her (as he was posted in Kolkata), to arrange a room for night stay. The head constable, who was in Dehradun on leave, picked up the lady constable from the railway station and took her to some hotel. He then started misbehaving with the woman. When the latter asked him to leave, he started teasing her and even snatched her mobile phone. The woman managed to press the panic button. Following which, the hotel staff rushed to the room and rescued her. singhking99@yahoo.com Tokyo, April 15 The leaders of China and Japan are expected to pay reciprocal visits as relations between their countries warm, the Japanese foreign minister said today. After rare talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Taro Kono said the ministers had forward-looking and fulfilling discussions about rebuilding ties between the Asian powers. They agreed that Japan would host a trilateral summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, without setting a date. After such a meeting, they hoped to organise reciprocal visits by Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kono said. We agreed to fully improve the bilateral relations through exchanges of the leaders ... with Premier Lis visit at the time of the trilateral talks as the starting step, Kono told reporters. However, Kono warned there would be no true improvement of Japan-China relations without stability in the East China Sea. We agreed the importance of making it a sea of peace, cooperation and friendship, he said. The worlds second and third largest economies have a fraught relationship, complicated by longstanding maritime disputes and Japans wartime legacy. The dispute over islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkakus in Japanese and the Diaoyu by the Chinese remains a source of tension. But Tokyo is eager to get the relationship back on a firmer footing, especially as it fears being shut out of negotiations on North Koreas nuclear programme in which Beijing is likely to be a major player. AFP rchopra@tribunemail.com Washington, April 16 Former FBI Director James Comey in his first exclusive interview since he was fired last May said Donald Trump is morally unfit to be the President of the US. In the exclusive ABC News interview on Sunday night, Comey dismissed claims made by some that Trump was medically unfit to hold office. I often hear people talk about it. I dont buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia. He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence whos tracking conversations and knows whats going on, Comey said. I dont think hes medically unfit to be president. I think hes morally unfit to be president. A person who treats women like theyre pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that persons not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds, Comey added. The interview comes ahead of the release of his tell-all book A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership on Tuesday. Also a lawyer, Comey told ABC News that he was standing in the middle of the Los Angeles Federal Bureau of Investigation field office on May 9, 2017, thanking employees and the buildings support staff for their hard work, when he saw the televisions on the wall flash Comey Resigns. One of the many great things about the FBI is we have some hilarious pranksters, and so I thought it was a scam by someone on my staff... As the TVs in the bureau started to show the news on other networks, he saw some were displaying the words Comey Fired. The audience could see my face change, he said. Comey said his reaction to the news was disbelief. That's crazy... How could that be? He received a call from then-Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly who was very upset with the news and was thinking about quitting too. Comey said he urged Kelly to remain in the administration. The former FBI Director said he was actually nervous to meet Trump in person. Im about to meet a person who doesnt know me, whos just been elected president of the United States...And Im about to talk to him about allegations that he was involved with prostitutes in Moscow and that the Russians taped it and had leverage over him. He had impressively coiffed hair, his tie was too long as it always is, he looked slightly orange up close with small white half-moons under his eyes, which I assume are from tanning goggles, he said. When asked if the Russians had something on Trump, Comey said: I think its possible. I dont know...These are more words I never thought Id utter about a president of the United States, but its possible. Comey told ABC News that he knew the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons use of a private email server was going to present a no-win situation for him. Comey revealed that while he did not vote in the 2016 election saying that as the FBI director he was trying to be outside of politics and there were a lot of Clinton supporters in his family. IANS 15:19 Nikol Pashinyan and others fail to push through the police cordon. Yerevan Deputy Police Chief Valery Osipyan says he will only allow MPS to pass and approach the National Assembly. Pashinyan responded that no preconditions should be set and that, whatever happens, he, along with reporters and the protesters, will march to the parliament. MP Pashinyan said he was going to the parliament to receive some of his constituents, who were in the crowd, and that they had the right to enter the parliament. Osipyan refused the request. You are pushing this to a clash, Osipyan told Pashinyan. Hundreds of police and just as many protesters face one another divided by barbed wire. Individuals heeding the call of Nikol Pashinyan, whos spearheading a movement to prevent Serzh Sargsyan from becoming the next prime minister of Armenia, have launched a series of actions designed to shut down Yerevans main intersections, bridges and the subway. Heres some of whats taken place. 2:13 pm In response, police and special military units closed off the street where the offices of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia are located. Police transport vehicles were parked in a nearby park. Some university students had gathered at Abovyan Park, declaring they were boycotting classes. 1:01pm Police cordoned off a section of Paronian Street leading to the private residence of Serzh Sargsyan, Armenias former president. 12:27pm At noon, members of the Im Kayl (My Step) movement blocked traffic on Haghtanak Bridge, calling on drivers to join the anti-Serzh protests. Yesterday, Nikol Pashinyan had urged car owners to stop their cars in the middle of the street, turn off the engine, and leave. 11:57am A contingent of activists also managed to close a vital tunnel linking Khanjyan and Grigor Lousavorich Streets. 11:46am Activists entered the Khachatur Abovyan Teachers College. Shouting slogans like Join the Movement and Reject Serzh, they called for a general student strike. A few then defaced a banner of Serzh Sargsyan hanging on the cafeteria wall. 10:48am Hundreds of activists marched up Mashtots Avenue to join striking students at Yerevan State Medical University. A large contingent of police and special forces tried to disperse the students who had closed off Heratsi Street. Students broke through the police cordon. 10:42am Marching on, students noticed that one of the rear doors of the Medical University was locked. Pashinyan and other students pounded on the door, demanding that it be opened. The activists gained entry and called on students inside to go on strike. No one can close the doors on our children, Pashinyan declared. 10:30am Pashinyan called on protesters not to clash with police, saying their struggle was directed against Serzh Sargsyan. 10:20am Students at the Yeritasardakan Metro station shut down the subway for thirty minutes. 10:16am Hundreds of protesters marched up Mashtots Avenue to Baghramyan Avenue, shouting Join Us, Reject Serzh. Approaching the police cordon, Pashinyan called on the protesters not to engage the police in political debate or bait them verbally. Pashinyan said the police have been on high alert for the past several days and their nerves have been compromised. He asked forgiveness from the families of police officers. 10:00am Pashinyan led hundreds of activists from France Square to Mashtots Avenue, joining up with other protesters who had closed off Amiryan Street. 9:50am Subways were bypassing the Marshal Baghramyan station, allegedly for technical reasons. The station is close to the presidential palace. University students had blockaded the Koryun-Abovyan intersection. 8:30am Launching their Day of Civil Disobedience, members of Nikol Pashinyans Im Kayl initiative and others opposed to Serzh Sargsyan becoming the next prime minister of Armenia, shut down Amiryan Street by sitting in the middle. The activists disregarded police calls to disperse. Earlier today, some activists blocked the entrance to the Barekamutyun Metro station. Activists throughout Yerevan have blocked several streets by sitting in front of cars. uttara@tribuneindia.com JERUSALEM, April 16 Israel maintained its official silence on Monday over its possible involvement in an April 9 air strike on a Syrian airbase after the New York Times quoted an unnamed Israeli military source as saying Israel had carried out the raid. Syria and its main ally Russia blamed Israel for the attack, near the city of Homs, which followed reports of a poison gas attack by President Bashar al-Assad's forces on the rebel-held town of Douma. Israel, which has often struck Syrian army locations during its neighbour's seven-year civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid. But Israeli officials said the Tiyas air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria of its arch foe. Iran's Tansim news agency said seven Iranian military personnel had been killed in the attack, which contributed to a sharp escalation of tensions between the West and Russia. "(The Tiyas strike) was the first time we attacked live Iranian targetsboth facilities and people," New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman quoted the Israeli military source as saying. Friedman described the seven Iranians killed as members of the Qods Force, a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps that oversees operations abroad, and one of them as a commander of a drone unit. Asked about the claim of Israeli responsibility cited in the New York Times article, which was published on Sunday, an Israeli military spokeswoman said: "There is no comment at this time." While acknowledging that it has carried out scores of strikes in Syria against suspect Iranian deployments or arms transfers to Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, Israel generally does not comment on specific missions. The attack on Tiyas came days before the United States, Britain and France launched 105 missiles targeting what Washington said were three chemical weapons facilities in Syria in retaliation for the suspected poison gas attack. Assad has denied using chemical weapons. Despite the Israeli source's comment to the New York Times that the killing of Iranians at Tiyas was unprecedented for Israeli missions in Syria, a 2015 air strike there that Hezbollah blamed on Israel killed an Iranian general along with several of the Lebanese guerrillas. Freedom of action Israel will not accept limitations on its "actions" in Syria from Russia or any other country, Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday. "We will maintain total freedom of action. We will not accept any limitation when it comes to the defence of our security interests," Lieberman said in a video interview with the Walla news site in response to a question on Russia's criticism of the recent strike. "But we do not want to provoke the Russians. We have an open line of communication at the level of senior officers. The Russians understand us and the fact is that for years we have managed to avoid friction with them" in Syria. Lieberman again accused Israel's main enemy Iran of seeking to entrench itself militarily in neighbouring Syria and threaten his country. "We will not tolerate a significant Iranian military force in Syria in the form of military ports and airports or the deployment of sophisticated weaponry," Lieberman said. On April 9, seven Iranian personnel were among 14 people killed in an early-morning strike on the T-4 airbase in Syria, with regime allies Iran and Russia blaming Israel for the attack. Russian President Vladimir Putin later called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to take any action that could further destabilise the situation in Syria. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility, but has said repeatedly that it cannot accept Iran establishing itself militarily in Syria. Israel has sought to avoid direct involvement in Syria's civil war, but acknowledges carrying out dozens of air strikes there to stop what it says are advanced arms deliveries to Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, another of its enemies. Hezbollah, like Iran and Russia, is backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the war. Iran also supports Hezbollah. Netanyahu has also voiced "total support" for US-led strikes over the weekend against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons. Reuters/AFP gspannu7@gmail.com Kathmandu, April 16 Nepals Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will leave tonight on a four-day visit to China. Gyawali is visiting the country at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart and state councillor Wang Yi. This is his first visit to China after the recent formation of the new Nepal government led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. Gyawali said that during bilateral talks he would focus on implementing old agreements reached with the Chinese government and discuss enhancing connectivity and constructing a railway line between Nepal and China. However, there will be no agreements during the visit, said officials. Gyawali is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Wang on Wednesday, foreign ministry sources here said. The Nepal Government believes in strengthening bilateral relations with its neighbours, he said. The government will mobilise its diplomatic mechanisms to introduce Nepal as an inclusive, progressive and democratic country on the global stage, Gyawali said in a statement prior to his departure. He said the government gives high priority to amicable relations with neighbouring countries. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Boston, April 16 The personal diary of the White House nanny during the Kennedy administration, which details the formative years of the former US Presidents kids between 1957 and 1962, has been sold for USD 3,327 at an auction. The diary of Maud Shaw, which contains 22 handwritten pages, covers the emergence of teeth, first steps, first words, illnesses, and a detailed record of their nutritional intake. With a resume that featured nanny positions in England, Iran and Egypt, Shaw was hired by the Kennedys in 1957 to care for the newborn Caroline while JFK was still a senator, according to US-based RR Auction. Regarding Caroline, Shaw notes in July-August 1959, Says Da-Da, laughs very loudly, play pat-a-cake. Most notably, under the first entry for John Kennedy Jr, born 25th November 1960, Shaw notes that he was two weeks premature. Weight 6 lbs 3 ozs, slow gaining weight, put on full strength Simalax a Beef, 3 times daily at 4 weeks, I look on John, 28th Feb 1961, she wrote. In March 1962, she notes that John is repeating words after me--very well. Accompanying the diary are four handwritten letters addressed to Shaw by a young Caroline, dated 1965-1967, two of which are postcards, illustrating the warm relationship Shaw shared with the Kennedy children in the years immediately following their untimely departure from the White House. Thank you so much for The Finding Out Treasury. It is so good. I read about how Smallpox Vaccination was invented. It was very interesting. I didnt have time to read anything else as I was busy opening presents. John loves his book too, Caroline wrote in one letter. Another letter, postmarked March 26, 1967, says, I miss you. We are in Mexico now. It is beautiful! A third letter, postmarked January 1, 1966, says, Thank you very much for the pink thing (I dont know what to call it) and the picture frame. I have it here in Switzerland. Shaw remained in the Kennedys employ for more than seven years and became one of the most trusted, and evidently adored, adult influences on the closely protected Kennedy children. Held in such high regard by the Kennedys, Shaw was given her own private quarters in the White House, where she could be reached at a moments notice. When the president and first lady were tasked with other matters, Shaw became the fixed parental figure, and it was Shaw who ultimately informed five-year-old Caroline that her father had died. Shaw detailed her service in the memoir White House Nannie: My Years with Caroline and John Kennedy, Jr, published in 1966. PTI laxmi@tribune.com London, April 16 Prince Harry has been appointed as Commonwealth youth ambassador, his highest-profile public role to date and a job that will see him working with his future wife encouraging young people to use the network of mostly former British colonies. Queen Elizabeth awarded the position to her 33-year-old grandson who is fifth-in-line to the throne and has led a rebranding of the monarchy in a bid to make it more modern and relevant. I know that serving as ambassador to young people Ill have to try to keep up with you all... my job will be to listen to you, my duty will be to ensure that your ideas, concerns, thoughts and hopes are heard, Harry told the opening of a Commonwealth forum discussing youth issues. The announcement coincides with the start of a summit of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in London this week, which will seek to boost the network at a time when Britain is negotiating its departure from the European Union. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said more than 60% of the Commonwealths 2.4 billion people were under age of 30. Reuters singhking99@yahoo.com Moscow/Damascus, April 15 Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, while signs emerged that Moscow and Washington want to pull back from the worst crisis in their relations for years. Putin made his remarks in a telephone conversation with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani after the United States, France and Britain launched missile strikes on Syria on Saturday over a suspected poison gas attack. A Kremlin statement said Putin and Rouhani agreed that the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in the multi-sided, seven-year conflict that has killed at least half a million people. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the UN Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations, a Kremlin statement said. The attacks struck at the heart of Syrias chemical weapons programme, Washington said, in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack a week ago. All three participants insisted the strikes were not aimed at toppling President Bashar al-Assad or intervening in the conflict. The bombings, hailed by U.S. President Donald Trump as a success but denounced by Damascus and its allies as an act of aggression, marked the biggest intervention by Western countries against Assad and ally Russia, whose foreign minister Sergei Lavrov called them unacceptable and lawless. Putins comments were published shortly after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov struck a more conciliatory note by saying Moscow would make every effort to improve political relations with the West. When asked whether Russia was prepared to work with the proposals of Western countries at the United Nations, Ryabkov told TASS news agency: Now the political situation is extremely tense, the atmosphere is extremely electrified, so I will not make any predictions. We will work calmly, methodically and professionally, using all opportunities to remove the situation from its current extremely dangerous political peak. Russian Foreign Ministry official Vladimir Ermakov said Washington would want to maintain a dialogue with Moscow about strategic stability after the raids, Russian media reported. In the US administration there are specific people who it is possible to talk with, said Ermakov, head of the ministrys department for non-proliferation and arms control. In Damascus, Syrias deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, met inspectors from the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW for about three hours in the presence of Russian officers and a senior Syrian security official. The inspectors were due to attempt to visit the site of the suspected gas attack in Douma on April 7, which medical relief organisations say killed dozens of people. Moscow condemned the Western states for refusing to wait for OPCWs findings before attacking. Mekdad declined to comment to reporters waiting outside the hotel where the meeting took place. Reuters France urges Russia to join peace push laxmi@tribune.com Moscow, April 16 The Kremlin on Monday dismissed as groundless claims that Russia and Syria have not allowed a fact-finding mission by the worlds chemical weapons watchdog to enter Douma to probe an alleged gas attack. We consider such accusations against Russia to be groundless, President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that Moscow was in favour of an impartial investigation. Western countries accused Moscow on Monday of preventing inspectors from reaching the site of a suspected poison gas attack and said Russians or Syrians may have tampered with evidence on the ground. Britains embassy to the Netherlands said Russia and Syria had not yet allowed a team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to enter Douma, where an attack on April 7 allegedly using chlorine and sarin killed at least 40 people. Moscow has vowed not to interfere in the teams work and hit out at the United States, saying the weekend strikes by the US, France and Britain on three facilities in Syria were a bid to undermine the credibility of the mission. Peskov also dismissed French President Emmanuel Macrons claims that the weekend air strikes had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. Meanwhile, the Kremlin said it still hopes for dialogue with Washington despite US-led strikes in Syria. We hope that, when our American colleagues solve their internal issues, some kind of communication will begin despite all the damage to (our) bilateral relations currently imposed by Washington, Peskov said. Action in UKs interest: May Britain's decision to conduct air strikes against Syria was in the countrys interest, and not the result of pressure from the US President PM Theresa May told Parliament on Monday. We have not done this because President Trump asked us to, we have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do, and we are not alone. There is international support for the action we have taken. Agencies Scribe who reported on Wagner Group dies laxmi@tribune.com Washington, April 16 Donald Trump is morally unfit to be President, former FBI chief James Comey asserted on Sunday as he claimed its possible that Moscow may have information on him that could be used to compromise him. Comey, who was unceremoniously fired by Trump in May last year, in a wide-ranging interview to ABC News also warned that if Trump ever tries to sack special counsel Robert Mueller, then it would be his most serious attack yet on the rule of law and causing tremendous damage to the countrys institutions. Mueller is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US election and any potential ties between Trump campaign and Russia. Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a witch hunt and denied any collusion. The former Federal Bureau of Investigation directors blunt comments came as he kicked off a high-profile tour to promote the release of his new book, A Higher Loyalty. Asked if he thinks the president has been compromised by the Russians, Comey said, I think its possible, I dont know, Comey said. I wish I wasnt saying it, but its the truth. It always struck me, and still strikes me, as unlikely, and I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I cant, its possible, he said. Theres a non-zero possibility that the Russians have some, some sway over him that is rooted in his personal experience, and I dont know whether thats the business about the activity in a Moscow hotel room or finances or something else, Comey said. Trump, 71, has said the badly reviewed book raises big questions. He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, and in recent days began referring to him as a slime ball. In the ABC News interview, Comey said, I dont buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia. I dont think hes medically unfit to be president. I think hes morally unfit to be president. During the interview, Comey repeated his assertion that Trump told him that he expected loyalty and pressured him to drop an investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser. Our President must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that, Comey said. When asked was President Trump obstructing justice? Comey responded, Possibly. Its certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice. Trump has denied asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn and insisted he never asked for loyalty. When Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee last year, he said that he did not know if Trump obstructed justice, adding, thats Bob Muellers job to sort that out. In his book, Comey deferred to the Mueller investigation on the question of obstruction. After the interview aired, Trumps party via the Republican National Committee released a statement saying Comeys publicity tour for his new book showed his true higher loyalty is to himself. Comey served as the seventh director of the FBI from September 4, 2013, until he was fired on May 9, 2017. PTI The worst FBI Director in history Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far! Donald Trump, US President On February 23 of 2017, the European Court of Human Rights registered the complaint-application of Andreas Ghukasyan and prioritized the examination Rules of the European Court of Human Rights, Rule 41, which means that the Courts should address questions to the RA Government on the violations within short deadlines. Nevertheless, after more than 12 months, the RA Government has not received any questions by the Court. This circumstance creates additional concerns, that postponing the questioning procedure to the RA Government can be conditioned by the influence of the Armenian advocates working in the European Court of Human Rights. This concern is supported by the fact, that by the letter of April 9 of 2018, the Court once again demands the same documents, which had already been presented and checked during the stage of complaint submission. Particularly, the European Court of Human Rights demands to present the complaint submitted against the decision made by the Court of December 22 of 2016 in case when the complaint was attached to the complaint-application. In this way, the Court once again prolongs the deadline of the questions to be addressed to the state. It is notable, that based on the letter received from the ECHR on April 21, the representatives of Andreas Ghukasyan have already submitted all the necessary documents, which according to the electronic system of letter deliver have been received by the Court. Taking into consideration this circumstance, we once demand European Court of Human Rights Refrain from the delay of the case examination of Andreas Ghukasyan and demonstrate consistency and responsibility towards the examination of the cases having political implication, moreover, when a priority order for their examination has been established. The European Union and other international organizations working with the Republic of Armenia Make the demand to stop political persecutions and especially the one against Andreas Ghukasyan one of their main preconditions for the development of their relations with the Republic of Armenia. Armenias Ministry of Health reports that as of 7pm local time 31 people injured during todays civil unrest continue to receive medical treatment. The ministry says that 46 individuals, including six police officers, sought medical help today. Acting Minister of Health Levon Altounyan visited the Surb Grigor Lusavorich Medical Center and inquired about the treatment being provided to the injured. Earlier, the ministry released a statement that most of the injuries sustained were to the hands and feet. One police officer underwent an operation for a torn artery and is now in a hospital resuscitation ward. The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire Fresh waves of unrest and violence in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have forced hundreds of thousands of Congolese people to flee to other countries in Africa, making this one of the worlds most complex, challenging and forgotten displacement crisis. UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, has allocated DKK 10 million from Denmarks Emergency Reserve Fund to strengthen the underfunded humanitarian response. The money allows UNHCR to boost lifesaving support to Congolese refugees seeking protection, shelter and food in Uganda, Zambia and Angola and undertake preparations for a larger influx in the neighbouring countries of Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Republic of the Congo. People are fleeing their homes at a worrying pace. By late March 2018 tens of thousands have fled to neighbouring countries, bringing the current number of Congolese refugees in Africa to 740,000. More than half (nearly 55 percent) of the refugees are children, many crossing borders unaccompanied or separated. The risk of further displacement is high, as political and ethnic conflicts affect many areas with a disastrous impact on the precarious humanitarian situation in the DRC, a country almost the size of Western Europe, and the entire surrounding region. By the end of the year it is estimated that the number of Congolese refugees seeking protection across Africa, will surpass 800,000. Protection needs are enormous, particularly for the most vulnerable, like the numerous women who have been subjected to sexual and gender-based violence before and during their flight. Furthermore, the challenge of getting aid to those in need of protection and assistance intensifies with growing numbers of new arrivals of Congolese refugees. Existing camps are saturated and available basic services are stretched to the limit. Conditions in reception centres are extremely poor, and an outbreak of cholera is still threatening Congolese refugees in Uganda, killing more than 40 people in two refugee settlements in western Uganda since mid-February. Access to clean water and proper sanitation is an urgent priority. The allocation from the Danish Emergency Reserve Fund to UNHCR will be used to ensure that the Congolese refugees can benefit from adequate medical care, food security, effective water systems and quality education. The allocation from the Danish Emergency Fund is greatly appreciated in our efforts to avoid more suffering or loss of lives in this emergency, which is one of the most complex and challenging humanitarian situations globally. Denmarks support is an important sign of solidarity to help both the refugees and the host communities generously sharing their land and resources with refugees, says Ann Encontre, Regional Refugee Coordinator for the DRC Situation and the Regional Representative for Central Africa. For newly arrived refugees, UNHCR is distributing hot meals and identifying those with specific needs, as well as providing psycho-social support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Together with authorities and partners in many hosting areas, UNHCR is relocating refugees to safe spaces away from the borders. Because of over-crowding in some of the transit facilities in the region, UNHCR has started to work on increasing capacity to receive the growing number of new arrivals. Temporary shelters are being erected, boreholes are being drilled for drinking water and temporary latrines are being constructed. UNHCR is undertaking preparations to develop a more permanent settlement where new arrivals will be able to stay longer and develop some self-sufficiency. UNHCR, together with 30 humanitarian partners, is now appealing for USD 504 million for the Congolese refugee population, highlighting the urgent need to scale up aid and assistance. The United Nations, the European Commission and the Dutch government co-hosted a humanitarian conference on 13 April in Geneva to address the humanitarian challenge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Denmark is a strategic donor to UNHCR Denmark has long ranked among UNHCRs top donors and was UNHCRs 4th largest donor per capita in 2017. The UNHCR Emergency Reserve Fund of DKK 50.5 million is part of Denmarks annual contribution to UNHCR, and UNHCR can allocate to where the needs are most urgent. The flexibility of the fund allows UNHCR to respond to emergencies, which saves lives and assists displaced people with critical protection needs and acute basic necessities. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Architect Zaven Grigoryan (above photo) was one of the anti-Serzh Sargsyan protesters injured today on Baghramyan Avenue when police fired concussion grenades. Momik Vardanyan told Hetq that Grigoryan is recuperating from foot surgery at Yerevans Armenia Medical Center. We cant say if all the fragments have been removed. Doctors say hes in satisfactory condition, but we suspect they are inclined to downplay his condition, Vardanyan said, adding that his friend suffers from a blood disorder and his health has been poor in general. Doctors say the surgery went well, but that Grigoryan needs to be monitored for the next four months. April 16 2018 Drinks giant Diageo is to invest 150m transforming the visitor experience at 12 distilleries as it eyes an increased share of the booming food and drink tourism market.Heading up this plan will be a flagship visitor experience based in Edinburgh designed to bring the public closer than ever before to the distillation process in the run up to the 200th anniversary of the Jonnie Walker brand in 2020.Under the plans four distilleries at Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish, will be linked directly to the capital base, encouraging tourists to strike out from the central belt and explore more far flung corners of the country.In a statement Diageo wrote: The building in Edinburgh will become a new hub for Diageos business in Scotland linking to wider social investment and creating opportunities in the hospitality sector for young unemployed people, through increased investment in the companys Learning for Life programme.Diageo has already committed 35m to reopen distilleries at Port Ellen and Brora, hot on the heels of a 1m Talisker Distillery visitor centre on the Isle of Skye. Jake Goheen UW Faculty Senate Speaker April 25 Jake Goheen is the UW Faculty Senate Speaker. He will discuss his research in Kenya during a free public lecture Wednesday, April 25, at 4:10 p.m. in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center auditorium. (Jake Goheen Photo) Jake Goheen, a University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology associate professor, will discuss wildlife conservation efforts in Kenya as part of the UW Faculty Senate Speaker Series Wednesday, April 25. Goheen will discuss Wildlife conservation in human-occupied landscapes: three improbable stories from East Africa at 4:10 p.m. in the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center auditorium. His lecture is free and open to the public. The Faculty Senate Speaker Series is an award established by Faculty Senate that is awarded to a fall and a spring semester recipient each academic year. Nominations are open to all faculty and academic professionals, and the award carries an honorarium of $1,000. Recipients also are required to speak in Casper. Goheen will discuss the same topic Thursday, April 19, at 1 p.m. in Room 421 of the Union/University Building at Casper College. In his research in East Africa, the Intermountain West and other rangelands throughout the world, wildlife conservation and human livelihoods sometimes are compatible, Goheen says. He will discuss three examples of his UW students and his own research in Kenya. That research is being implemented to bolster on-the-ground conservation efforts. Those include conservation efforts of the worlds most endangered antelope, hirola, in an area of civil conflict; using cattle ranching as a tool to remotely control where and what lions hunt; and working to understand how trees defend themselves against elephants, resulting in the rerouting of funds toward anti-poaching squads and black rhino conservation. Cattle in Kenya share the land with giraffes and other wildlife. UW Associate Professor Jake Goheen will discuss conservation efforts in that country during his Faculty Senate Speaker lecture. (Jake Goheen Photo) At first glance, these examples seem different from each other, but common denominators exist, Goheen says. All were implemented in human-occupied landscapes through a combination of targeted management; all required collaboration with Kenyan students and local communities; and all involved blind luck. Goheens overall projects with his on-campus groups have been carried out in the United States, Mozambique and Iran, but most of his and the UW students work occurs in Kenya, where he has worked for 15 years. He has long-standing interests in the ecology, conservation and natural history of wild mammals, as well as in enhancing educational infrastructure for wildlife conservation in East Africa. His work has included the development of field courses for UW and Kenyan undergraduates and the establishment of endowed funds to support African students working with wild animals through the American Society of Mammologists. Goheen has become a bridge builder between research in Africa and UW. He has helped mentor students from Africa, and he has supported UW students to travel to Africa for research. Goheen also has created and maintained a long-term ecological experiment with his Kenyan partners. For more information about the Faculty Senate Speaker Series, call Amy Kopp, Faculty Senate coordinator, at (307) 766-5348. Murdock Selected to Give Buchanan Lecture at UW April 27 Maggi Murdock A recently retired University of Wyoming professor and administrator will give UWs 2018 Buchanan Lecture Friday, April 27. Maggi Murdock, a professor emeritus of political science, will discuss Lessons from an Unexpected Life at 1:30 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Center Ballroom. Her talk is free and open to the public. The lecture was established to honor Tom Buchanan, who retired in June 2013 after serving as UWs 23rd president since 2005. The lecture is delivered annually by one of UWs most accomplished retiring faculty members. The lecture offers members of the university community the opportunity to hear distinguished UW faculty members distill a life of inquiry, reflection and service into important guidance for successive generations. A native of Wyoming, Murdock began her career at UW in 1975 in the Department of Political Science. She also taught as an adjunct faculty member in the UW Department of Criminal Justice. She received the John P. Ellbogen Meritorious Classroom Teaching Award and the George Duke Humphrey Distinguished Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, distinction in scholarly work and distinguished service to the university. In addition to her teaching duties, Murdock served in various administrative roles at UW. Her leadership posts included dean of UW-Casper; dean of the Outreach School; associate vice president for academic affairs; and interim vice president for academic affairs. Murdock has been active in local and state organizations, as well as political science and distance education professional organizations. She was a longtime guest lecturer at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy. She also served on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Board of Trustees for eight years. She is currently a member of the HLC Committee on Strategy and the HLC Partners for Transformation. Additionally, she serves on the Wyoming Public Media Public Advisory Council and the Wyoming ReNEW (Revolutionizing Nursing Education in Wyoming) Board. Murdock earned her masters degree (1974) and Ph.D. (1978), both in political science from Tufts University. She received her bachelors degree (1970) in political science from Creighton University. The Office of Academic Affairs sponsors the Buchanan Lecture, selects the speaker and provides a monetary award. For more information, call the Office of Academic Affairs at (307) 766-4286. Fillipino soldiers patrol a road in the southern island of Mindanao which is under martial law (AFP or licensors) 71-year-old Sister Patricia Fox had been part of an international human rights mission investigating the plight of indigenous people and impoverished farmers The Philippines on Monday detained an Australian nun for alleged "illegal political activities" after she took part in a human rights fact-finding mission in the south of the country. Sister Patricia Fox, regional coordinator for the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, was taken to the immigration bureau in Manila and is expected to be deported from the country. Work with poor and indigenous The 71-year-old had been involved with an international human rights mission on the southern island of Mindanao. She has served as a missionary in the Philippines for 27 years, working especially with indigenous people and impoverished farmers. President Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law on Mindanao last May, after militants associated with the so-called Islamic State, stormed the city of Marawi. Over a hundred people died in clashes as government forces battled to take back control of the city. Island under marital law Mindanao has long been plagued by conflict, as successive governments have launched military crackdowns against Communist insurgencies, as well as Islamist organisations. The majority of Muslims in the Philippines live on Mindanao and the surrounding islands, but the political instability has made the area a flashpoint for drug smugglers, kidnappers, and extremists groups operating across the region Looking Back at the Music of the Last 66 Years Men waive the Syrian flag on April 14, 2018 as they drive a motorcycle in a street in the Eastern Ghouta town of Douma after Syrian government forces retook the rebel bastion AFP/Handout International inspectors launched their investigation on Sunday (Apr 15) into an alleged chemical attack near Damascus that prompted an unprecedented wave of Western strikes against Syria's regime. Russian President Vladimir Putin, the regime's top ally, warned that fresh strikes would spark "chaos", but Washington promised economic sanctions on Moscow rather than further military action. US, French and British missiles destroyed sites suspected of hosting chemical weapons development and storage facilities on Saturday, but the buildings were mostly empty and the Western trio swiftly reverted to its diplomatic efforts. Details on types of weapons reportedly used by Britain, France and the United States during strikes on April 14 against targets in Syria. AFP/Thomas SAINT-CRICQ US President Donald Trump lauded the "perfectly executed" strike, the biggest international attack on President Bashar al-Assad's regime during Syria's seven-year war, but both Damascus and Syria's opposition rubbished its impact. A team of chemical experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, based in The Hague, arrived in Damascus hours after the strikes. They have been tasked with investigating the site of the alleged Apr 7 attack in the town of Douma, just east of the capital Damascus, which Western powers said involved chlorine and sarin and killed dozens. They arrived in Damascus on Saturday but there were no reports they had travelled to Douma to begin their field work, as announced by a senior Syrian official earlier. Syrian soldiers inspect the wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC) compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, on April 14, 2018 AFP/LOUAI BESHARA An AFP reporter saw Deputy Minister Faisal Mokdad enter the Four Seasons hotel where the chemical experts are staying and leave three hours later. The fact-finding team usually starts its investigation by meeting top officials but any talks were held behind closed doors and both parties imposed a strict media blackout. "We will ensure they can work professionally, objectively, impartially and free of any pressure," Assistant Foreign Minister Ayman Soussan told AFP. The OPCW itself had declared that the Syrian government's chemical weapons stockpile had been removed in 2014, only to confirm later that sarin was used in a 2017 attack in the northern town of Khan Sheikhun. INSPECTION STILL USEFUL? The inspectors will face a difficult task, with all key players having pre-empted their findings, including Western powers, which justified the strikes by claiming they already had proof such weapons were used. The OPCW team will also have to deal with the risk that evidence may have been removed from the site, which lies in an area that has been controlled by Russian military police and Syrian forces over the past week. "That possibility always has to be taken into account, and investigators will look for evidence that shows whether the incident site has been tampered with," Ralf Trapp, a consultant and member of a previous OPCW mission to Syria, told AFP. The Syrian military late Saturday declared Eastern Ghouta, the former rebel enclave of which Douma is the main town, fully retaken after a blistering two-month assault. Wresting back the opposition stronghold on the doorstep of Damascus had been a priority for the resurgent regime. US leader Trump hailed the pre-dawn strikes that lit up the sky around Damascus and exclaimed "Mission Accomplished" on Twitter. The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey fires a Tomahawk land attack missile on April 14, 2018 as the United States, Britain and France carried out a wave of pre-dawn strikes against Syria's regime AFP/Kallysta CASTILLO That drew scoffing comments from his critics and parallels with the Iraq war and the premature victory speech his predecessor George W. Bush gave on an aircraft carrier almost exactly 15 years ago. According to American officials, the operation involved three US destroyers, a French frigate and a US submarine located in the Red Sea, the Gulf and the eastern Mediterranean. The US air force confirmed on Sunday that B-1B bombers deployed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar took part in the strikes. "LOCKED AND LOADED" British Tornado and Typhoon warplanes, American B-1 bombers and French Rafale jets also took part in the strikes. The Pentagon said no further action was planned but Washington's envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, warned that the US was "locked and loaded" should another gas attack occur. Haley later told CBS that sanctions would be announced, most likely on Monday, against Russian companies supplying the Syrian regime. British foreign minister Boris Johnson said the Syrian war would continue despite the "successful" strikes, saying the "overwhelming purpose" of the mission was to respond to repeated chemical attacks. French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that "we have not declared war on the regime of Bashar al-Assad". Putin told his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, also an Assad ally, that any new Western strikes in Syria would provoke "chaos in international relations". The two leaders "found that this illegal action seriously damaged the prospects of a political settlement in Syria," a Kremlin statement said. Assad denounced a "campaign of deceit and lies at the (United Nations) Security Council" after a push by Moscow to condemn the strikes fell far short. Macron and other Western leaders have called for a diplomatic offensive after the strikes, aiming to end a conflict that has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced half of Syria's population. A Western draft resolution obtained by AFP at a meeting of the UN Security Council Saturday calls for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid and enforcement of a ceasefire, along with demands that Syria engage in UN-led peace talks. But Russia has blocked countless resolutions against its Syrian ally and the regime has appeared determined to continue its military reconquest of the country. "For all the sound and fury of these strikes, their net effect is a slap on the wrist of Bashar al-Assad," said Nick Heras, an analyst at the Centre for a New American Security. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono at a high-level Japan-China dialogue in Tokyo on Apr 16, 2018. (Photo: AFP) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Japanese counterpart at a meeting in Tokyo: "With both of us standing on a new starting point, I hope we will promote the further development of both nations by opening a new future of bilateral cooperation." Relations between the pair are entering an "important phase of improvement and growth," Wang added, on a rare visit by a top Chinese official to Japan. Tokyo is battling to stay relevant amid a string of summits on North Korea's nuclear programme in which Beijing is likely to be a major player. With this in mind, Japan is pushing to host a trilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Bilateral visits by Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping are also being planned. China demonstrated its significant influence over its reclusive ally when Xi hosted the North's leader Kim Jong-un and his wife in Beijing last month. With Moon and Trump also preparing to meet Kim, reported efforts by Japan to reach out to Pyongyang have gone ignored. Meanwhile, Japan and China are also targets of Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs, with Beijing also targeted with a further heavy levy. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Wang did not specifically mention the proposed US trade policies, as its implementation and consequences were still unclear. But they noted the global economy has dramatically changed during the eight years the bilateral dialogue has stalled. "We must have fresh perspectives and think about ways of cooperation and coordination," said Kono. Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Vladimir Bartl tells a conference in HCM City yesterday that businesses in his country are looking for investment and trade opportunities in Viet Nam. - VNA/VNS Photo Viet Dung. Speaking at a conference in HCM City yesterday attended by Czech business delegations seeking customers and partners in Viet Nam, he said the Czech Republic has invested US$90 million in 36 projects in Viet Nam. Viet Nam and the Czech Republic have been partners for nearly 70 years, and his country ranks Viet Nam among its most important business partners in Asia and ASEAN, he said. But more can be done to reach their full bilateral trade potential, he said. Czech businesses can invest in fields such as infrastructure, energy, insurance and environmental protection, he said. We are also very competent in city planning, transport, public transport and traffic control. Those are the references we have in many countries, and we can bring that to your region. The Vietnamese Government and businesses need to give a clearer signal that they are looking for investment and business opportunities, he said. "The Vietnamese Government should continue to create a good business environment and strive to wrap up the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible," he said. Vo Tan Thanh, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, invited more Czech businesses to invest and do business in Viet Nam, especially HCM City, adding that Vietnamese firms should be more pro-active and network with their Czech counterparts. Statistics from the General Department of Customs revealed that bilateral trade turnover reached more than $257 million in 2017, representing a modest yearly increase of 3 per cent. Of the sum, Viet Nam exported $151 million worth to the Czech while its imports hit $106 million. UberMOTO drivers march in Hanoi on April 8 to mark the last day of the ride-sharing company in Vietnam. Photo: Khoa Thu UberMOTO driver Tien Sy had only worked for the company for a month in Hanoi, but says he feels his whole life has fallen apart now they have closed. I had a stable source of customers with Uber and was able to make ends meet. I am so disappointed that the company is now closed in Vietnam, he said. Uber officially closed in Vietnam on April 8, two weeks after it announced its withdrawal from the market in exchange for a 27.5 per cent stake in its Singapore-based rival, Grab. The two weeks notice Uber gave its drivers and employees seems not enough to prepare them for the sudden change. UberMOTO driver Nguyen Thi Kim Cuong in Ho Chi Minh City said she was not ready to switch to other ride-hailing services. People told me there were other similar companies out there, but since my husband and I had both driven for Uber for more than a year, we felt so connected to the company, she told Zingonline newspaper. At the moment we dont know what we will do next, she said. Not only the drivers, but the former Uber employees in Vietnam are also living in uncertainty. Although they were all promised jobs at Grab, many see that company as the enemy. How can we not see the irony, now that we have to try to love the values, the people and the colour that we once disliked? Its hard just to think about it, Duyen Pham, a former Ubers City Operators official in Ho Chi Minh City, wrote on her social media profile. We have been fighting for so long, so much prejudice has been formed, she wrote, referring to the relationship between Uber and Grab. For many of us, it is better to be unemployed than to work for them. Uber leaving Vietnam without instructing its drivers and employees how to transfer to Grab has posed the question of corporate responsibility to labourers. Vo Dan Mach, a member of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association, told Youth newspaper that the sharing economy, has brought about disadvantages to labourers since no written labour contracts ever existed between Uber and its drivers. (A sharing economy is an economy which focuses on the sharing of underutilised assets via a community-based online platform). Nguyen Tuan Anh, CEO of Grab in Vietnam, said ride-hailing services like Grab and Uber cannot provide benefits like social insurance, health insurance or training to its drivers like traditional business because drivers are not their employees. The relationship between Uber, Grab and their drivers is partnership, he told the Youth. Uber representatives could not be reached for comment. Since Ubers office closed in Vietnam on March 27, Grab helped Uber drivers make the switch to their company. On April 7, a few hours before the Uber application stop working in Vietnam, Grab sent a thank-you email to all of its customers, pre-existing drivers, and new drivers who transferred from Uber. To make sure that we reached as many Uber drivers as possible, several Grab employees and driver-partners had gone out to find them, gave them information and invited them to Grabs support centres before the Uber application ceased to work on April 8, 2018, it reads. Having more drivers joining Grab does not mean there will be fewer customers, because now we have a lot more customers who switched from Uber, the section of the email addressing the new drivers reads. You can increase your income because there will be more rides, and the distribution of the rides will be faster and more effective, now that we are on the same platform. Britain and France, along with the US, launched strikes against the Syrian regime, in a punitive response to an alleged chemical weapons attack on civilians near Damascus. (Photo: AFP/Adrian Dennis) The 28 ministers condemned the military offensive, backed by Russia, that the Syrian government is waging against rebels and called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian access. US, French and British missiles destroyed suspected chemical weapons development and storage sites in Syria on Saturday in response to an alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma which killed at least 40 people. In a statement after talks in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers unequivocally blamed President Bashar al-Assad's regime for the Douma attack and gave implicit backing to Saturday's Western military action. "The Council understands that the targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria were specific measures ... with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people," the statement said. "The Council is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons." French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the EU was "united at a very serious moment" in wanting to "prevent and dissuade against any use of chemical weapons". Germany's powerful Chancellor Angela Merkel declared the strikes "necessary and appropriate", but other EU members have been keen to avoid any step that could lead to further escalation. Johnson stressed the strikes were "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change or to get rid of Bashar al-Assad". The day before the strikes Russian President Vladimir Putin warned during phone talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron against "ill-considered and dangerous actions" in Syria which could lead to "unpredictable consequences". RUSSIAN ROLE Ministers discussed ways to apply pressure to get Russia to drag the Assad government to meaningful negotiations on the future of his country. "You have to see it, whether you like it or not: without Russia you won't be able to solve this conflict," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said as he arrived for Monday's talks. Washington has said it will impose new sanctions on Russia over the Douma attack, targeting companies that supplied Syria with equipment related to chemical weapons, but the EU is not yet ready to follow suit. An EU diplomat told AFP that it would be possible to add Russians or Iranians to the Syrian sanctions list, but the idea is not yet being discussed at the level of foreign ministers. Some European governments are wary of provoking an angry response from Russia, which among other things remains a key supplier of gas to the EU. Moscow has been keen to exploit fissures within the EU that were laid bare by the response to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. All 28 EU leaders signed up to a statement blaming Russia for the poisoning at a summit in Brussels last month, but only after intense lobbying by Britain, France and Germany. Afterwards, 18 EU countries followed Britain's lead and expelled Russian diplomats from their territory, six took the more limited step of recalling their own ambassadors, and three did nothing. 'NO MILITARY SOLUTION' Next week the EU hosts a major conference in Brussels on the future of Syria aimed at gathering financial pledges for humanitarian aid and boosting a floundering UN-led peace process. In their statement ministers said "the momentum of the current situation should be used to reinvigorate the process to find a political resolution of the Syrian conflict". The EU insists "there can be no military solution" to the war in Syria, which has killed over 350,000 people, and has repeatedly called for the UN-led talks in Geneva to be given fresh impetus. But privately some European diplomats already acknowledge that the Assad regime's military campaign is likely to succeed and they should begin planning for the next stage. Garment and textile firms should understand the needs of their workers and invest in enhancing human resource management to sustain a productive and quality workforce, a seminar heard in HCM City last Saturday. - VNA/VNS Photo An Hieu Pham Xuan Hong, chairman of the HCM City Association of Garment, Textile, Embroidery and Knitting, told the Develop high quality garment and textile workforce in the context of international business integration seminar that building a skilled and high-quality workforce has always been a major focus for the garment and textile industry. It is becoming an increasingly important factor since Viet Nam is acceding to many international trade agreements and has to compete with other countries. According to the 2017 Better Work report published by the International Labour Office and International Finance Corporation, Viet Nam is the fifth largest garment and textile supplier in the world and second largest to the US. Last year its exports were worth US$34 billion and they are expected to reach $35 billion this year. According to Dr Pham Xuan Thu, who has done a lot of research on the industry, though the exports are huge the value addition is growing at a very slow pace. To bolster competition and add more value to Vietnamese garment and textile products, the industry should improve the quality of its workforce, he said. Also according to the report, the garment sector is the largest formal employer in the country, providing jobs to more than 2.5 million people. Thu said most garment and textile workers are young, with about 80 per cent of them being under 30, physically fit for the job and very hard-working. Besides, the rate of workers with technical skills in the industry is 21.1 per cent, which is higher than the average rate of other manufacturing and processing industries, he said. But the industry also faces some challenges such as its productivity, which is lower than the average rate for the countrys industrial sector. With the two of them being VND56 million ($2,460) and VND104.3 million ($4,590) per person per year. Though the productivity of major garment firms is much higher than the average rate, Viet Nam has a huge number of small and household garment and textile businesses. Another challenge is the high employee turnover rate, he said. At major garment and textile companies like Nha Be, Viet Tien, and Phong Phu, it is 15-20 per cent. The number is much higher at small and FDI firms: 20-30 per cent and 30-40 per cent respectively. Thu said one of the reasons for this is that companies fail to meet the needs of their workers. The monthly salary of a garment worker is around VND4.3 million, which is just enough to cover 75-80 per cent of their basic needs. Though the salary has been raised over time there are still companies which fail to pay workers on time, leading to strikes and employees quitting. Another reason is that employees tend to switch to other companies to look for better opportunities after getting training and experience, he said. Besides, with the main workforce in the industry being young women emigrant workers, they are highly likely to quit their jobs to marry and return to their hometown after a period of time, he explained. FILE PHOTO: Bottles of Johnson & Johnson baby powder line a drugstore shelf in New York October 15, 2015. Photo source: REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo The ruling was in favor of a man who said his asbestos-related cancer was caused by long-term use of J&J's baby powder. J&J has been battling some 6,000 cases claiming its baby powder and Shower to Shower products cause ovarian cancer. The verdict by a New Jersey jury last week, however, involved a different form of cancer that is clearly linked to asbestos. Plaintiffs lawyers claim that internal J&J documents seen in that trial show that baby powder had been contaminated with asbestos. They now plan to use the documents in upcoming ovarian cancer trials to allege that the asbestos contamination also caused that form of cancer. J&J and Imerys Talc America, a unit of Imerys SA, have vowed to appeal the New Jersey verdict and deny asbestos has ever been present in their products or that their talc can cause any form of cancer. The case of Stephen Lanzo, a New Jersey resident who claimed he developed mesothelioma after using baby powder since his birth in 1972, was the first time a jury saw the internal J&J documents which plaintiffs claim show that J&J knew since the 1970s that the talc in its baby powder was contaminated by asbestos during the mining process. J&J says the documents present no such evidence, but merely show the company's caution. Peter Bicks, a lawyer leading J&J's talc asbestos defense, said that in the early 1970s, the company was looking at how it could potentially remove asbestos from talc if the two became intermingled in the mining process. He says no contamination was ever found, citing decades of testing by independent laboratories and scientists. Bicks called the claims of a link between talc and asbestos "junk science." Mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer closely associated with exposure to asbestos, affects the delicate tissue that lines body cavities. While the link between asbestos and mesothelioma is sufficiently established, scientists are divided on whether asbestos exposure can cause ovarian cancer. Some studies have shown an association between the two, while other studies have found no such link. Elizabeth Burch, holder of the Charles H. Kirbo Chair of Law at the University of Georgia, said it remained an open question whether talc contained asbestos and that each case would turn on the facts. But J&J, which had US$76.5 billion in sales in 2017, gives the plaintiffs' bar an enticing new target, said Nathan Schachtman, a lecturer at Columbia University who used to defend asbestos cases. Some 3,000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year, according to the American Cancer Society, a number that Howard Erichson, a law professor at Fordham University who specializes in mass tort litigation, called significant from a legal standpoint. But the roughly 22,000 women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer last year, according to the National Cancer Institute, provide lawyers with a potentially much larger pool of plaintiffs to tap. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," said Mark Lanier, one of the lawyers representing consumers, who said plaintiffs would file thousands of additional mesothelioma and ovarian cancer cases. New Jersey-based J&J in a statement after the Lanzo verdict said plaintiffs' attorneys had shifted their strategy to focus on asbestos after a series of losses at trial and in court rulings over previous allegations that the talc itself causes cancer. Of the six ovarian cancer trials to date, juries found J&J liable five times, but a Missouri appellate court threw out the first verdict and a California judge tossed another. Appeals of the other cases are pending. J&J in November also won the first trial over allegations that its talc contained asbestos and caused a woman's mesothelioma. Plaintiffs lawyers say the jury in that case did not see the documents presented during the Lanzo trial. But Erichson said the widespread use of J&J's consumer products generally make the company an attractive litigation target. "Baby powder is as ubiquitous a product you can think of and there are lots of people who can testify they've been exposed to it," he said. Hanosimex's land plots may act as a counterpoint to the firm's average performance The Hanoi Stock Exchange has approved Hanoi Textile and Garment Joint Stock Corporation (Hanosimex) to list 20.5 million shares on UpCOM at the reference price of VND15,800. According to the plan, the listing will be conducted on April 19. Established in 1984, Hanosimex is a large-scale corporation within the yarn-textile-garments supply chain of Vinatex, with factories in Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, Ha Nam, Nghe An, and Ha Tinh provinces. In 2017, Hanosimex reported a revenue of VND2.36 trillion ($103.6 million), including VND1.65 trillion ($72.4 million) of revenue from the yarn segment and VND335 billion ($14.7 million) from the garment segment. VND1.58 trillion ($69.37 million67.31 per cent) of its revenue came from exports, while VND771 billion ($33.8 million) came from the domestic market. As of December 31, 2017, Hanosimex had total assets of VND1.57 trillion ($68.9 million), up VND182 billion ($7.99 million) compared to early year. The firm has been carrying a debt volume of VND1.3 trillion ($57.08 million), VND510 billion ($22.39 million) of which was short-term debts. In this year, it sets the target to earn VND2.55 trillion ($111.9 million) in revenue with an after-tax profit of VND77 billion ($3.38 million). Investors might not find too many overly attractive indices in Hanosimexs financial statement, however, the firm owns a great number of valuable land plots. Notably, it owns a 2,575sq.m land plot in Hoang Mai district, 125,00sq.m in Ha Nam province, and a 68,540sq.m land plot in Nghe An province. Besides, it manages numerous large-scale land plots in industrial parks in Ha Nam, Hung Yen, and Nghe An provinces. Outgoing chairman Vo Thanh Ha and Thai Beverage representative Koh Poh Tiong Vietnams top brewer Sabeco has just released the documents for its April 23 extraordinary meeting. According to these files, Sabeco chairman Vo Thanh Ha, who represents the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), will resign from his position and three new investors will be nominated to the board. Specifically, the two independent nominees are Tan Tiang Hing, CEO of Dexcel International, and Sunyaluck Chaikajornawat from Weerawong Chinnavat & Partners Ltd. The last nominee is Koh Poh Tiong, chairman of Thai Beverage-owned Beer Group. It is alleged that all of these nominees were put forward by Thai Beverage that forked over $4.8 billion to MoIT last December in exchange for 53 per cent of the stakes. Sabecos extraordinary meetings have been shrouded in controversy throughout the past three weeks. Conflicts started when Thai Beverage submitted a complaint letter to the Vietnamese government in late March, stating that it has yet to be given any measure of control at Sabeco, despite having a majority stake at the corporation. Debate then broke out on whether Thai Beverage is justified in making this complaint or if they are too hasty to gain power at Sabeco. The brewery has also been on the news for its $110-million tax scandal. Although tax collectors have ordered Sabeco to declare its undistributed profits, both Sabeco and independent analysts believe that the firm does not have to do so. Following the extraordinary meeting on April 23, Sabeco will hold its annual general shareholders meeting on June 29. In this meeting in June, the brewery will introduce its new chairman, who is likely to come from Thai Beverage. MoIT, with 36 per cent of the stake following the share sale, will also retain its presence at Sabecos board. Lawyer-talk: can and should Thai Beverage gain control of Sabeco now? Lawyers Luong Van Trung from the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre and Tran Thi Anh Tho from Lexcomm Vietnam LLC discuss whether Thai Beverage has the ... Sabeco urged to pay $109.8 million tax arrears The Ministry of Finance (MoF) urged Saigon Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Corporation (Sabeco) to pay VND2.5 trillion ($109.8 million) in tax arrears after its undeclared ... ThaiBev should wait for Sabeco's extraordinary meeting, says MoIT The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that the April 23 annual general meeting (AGM) will have the final say on who can manage Sabeco, ... Tommy Leong Today, more than 700 million people in the region have no access to electricity, even though electricity demand in Southeast Asia alone is set to triple by 2040. With the threat of climate change in the picture, world leaders and international organisations have recognised the need to ensure access to energy for all, in addition to curbing the ill effects of widespread environmental dangers. Environmental deterioration due to pollution, deforestation, and land degradation has been increasing in the wake of industrial revolution and rapid urbanisation growth in developing nations. This is exacerbated by a dependence on fossil fuels, which has become the linchpin of economic growth in these countries in the past decade. Asia, the region with the highest rate of greenhouse gas emissions, has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of people. Governments in the region have recognised near-future implications of climate change and expressed stronger political will to re-appraise their approach by implementing sustainable and more secure energy policies; this in addition to the use of renewable energy resources that have a lower environmental impact and are almost infinite in supply. Promote community participation towards renewables Now, it is time for countries, organisations, and corporations to expedite the development process toward a sustainable future with renewable energy sources. Through years of involvement and expertise in the area of sustainability, it is Schneider Electrics ethos to help people access reliable, clean, and affordable energy. This commitment comes with a unique focus on habitants in isolated, rural areas where energy poverty is still rife, and ironically where electrification rates are lowest. Further to providing clean and sustainable energy solutions for communities, we believe in promoting community participation, and supporting the notion that significant effort is required in strengthening local capacity to manage and service energy access solutions, especially for those living in remote areas. ADB found that most of the successful case studies shared a common thread communities reacted positively to renewable energy systems with very high payback rates, while local households or village leaders even operated the technology themselves. One such success story is a government-funded project in Indonesia. In 2016, Schneider Electric worked with Indonesias Directorate General of Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation and other government partners to provide over 250 villages and 37,500 households with electricity, through 100 per cent renewables. Not only does this eliminate their dependency on diesel a highly polluting source of energy but the off-grid solar and battery storage systems allow them access to energy around the clock, while containing costs. Similarly, Schneider Electric electrified 12,500 households in 100 villages in Cambodia with solar home systems, as well as over 1,000 households in five villages in Myanmar via microgrids. While these countries face similar challenges with access to energy, energy profiles in terms of use and resource endowments vary across the region, hence solutions need to be customised according to their regional, economic, political, and cultural distinctions. Engage the youth for a future-ready world As energy demand and population are set to grow in this region, there is an urgent need to improve the efficiency of solutions and effect real change in the long run. On top of continued development in innovation and technology, todays youths are the worlds greatest assets to accelerate the journey toward a green and sustainable future. To further our initiatives in Indonesia, the Schneider Foundation and Schneider Electric recently announced a partnership with the Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesia and the French Ministry of National Education, to improve the quality and skills of electrical experts in the country. Supported by a 1.5 million ($1.85 million) grant from the Schneider Foundation, the partnership has set a common goal to develop an international class curriculum and educational system that link the academic world to industry needs, and help prepare over 1,500 Indonesian students to work in the electricity sector every year from 2018. With these initiatives in place, we expect to see success and longevity in the use of renewable energy, as well as strong community ownership and effective participation through labour, decision making, and planning. Access to energy starts with collaboration The world has established that energy is crucial for shaping a sustainable and equitable future, as well as for combating poverty and driving human development. While targeted initiatives including Sustainable Energy for All, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement drive a universal framework to achieve shared goals and commitments, we believe that it is also the responsibility of corporations that have the necessary resources and innovations to make decisions in the direction of clean energy development. Schneider Electrics commitment to promoting sustainable development and providing safe and clean access to energy is in its DNA. Together with our employees and sponsors from our partners and customers from Asia Pacific, we have contributed to providing over five million people with access to energy in rural communities over the past seven years. And it does not stop there our goal is to reach 50 million people within the next 10 years. By working with communities, governments, and corporations, we have the power to bring safety and security to people, improving productivity and living standards whilst lessening reliance on fossil fuels for the benefit of our environment. Now more than ever, we need to work together to empower these communities with access to safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy, as well as training, that will foster safer and cleaner living environments. By Tommy Leong, President, East Asia and Japan, Schneider Electric For sustainable future development, it is important to set the country's priorities right (Illustration photo: GE's factory in Haiphong) Sectors of current focus Numerous foreign groups have been doing business successfully in Vietnam, such as Samsung, LG, Intel, GE, Mitsubishi, and Panasonic. However, the draft of FDI attraction orientation and strategy for 2018-2030 built by the Ministry of Planning and Investment in collaboration with the World Bank noted that Vietnam needs to carefully review the priority sectors to attract FDI in the time to come. According to Simon Bell, the World Banks senior advisor on investment policy, experts mentioned high-added value in FDI attraction but have not pointed out sectors and what to do, and that in the new orientation, Vietnam needs to identify these two points. This is the largest challenge not only for Vietnam, but also of other countries which are attracting FDI successfully in the first 10 or so years. These sectors must become engines of development for the country. Thereby, the World Banks experts have researched and outlined a series of priority sectors, such as chemicals, high-tech electronic components, creative and high-tech agriculture, and high-quality tourism, in order to raise value and improve competitiveness. Original equipment manufacturing, automobiles and transport parts, and environmental technology are short-term priorities, while healthcare and education, pharmaceuticals and health products, and financial and IT services are mid-term ones. They are all high added-value sectors. Professor Nguyen Mai, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE) stressed that it is important to lure FDI into high-tech and environmentally friendly projects that comply with Industry 4.0. Additionally, they need to be promoted by attractive incentives which lure large groups and corporations to invest into renewable power projects, added Professor Mai. Sectors Vietnam must say no to In addition to priority sectors, Professor Mai said that Vietnam must say no to FDI projects in cement and iron-steel manufacturing as well as oil refineries in order to implement its green growth goals. He suggested choosing modern and high-tech investors to develop coal and gas thermal power projects. The leader of Samsung Vietnam told VIR that Vietnam should continue luring FDI capital into labour-intensive fields such as textile, footwear, and the processing and manufacturing sectors. He said that countries attracting FDI usually aim to transfer technology, take advantage of big capital exceeding domestic firms capacity, and create jobs for local human resources. These three factors are necessary for socioeconomic development. Processing and manufacturing projects are also very important to create jobs with simple requirements and skills. How will workers live without such projects?, he noted. The World Banks experts said that Vietnam should not stop pouring FDI capital into sectors which have been invested successfully. Agriculture and the basic production fields are still very necessary. In addition to pouring capital into big cities, FDI also needs to reach the fields of textile and footwear or create jobs in remote areas, according to Simon. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. The US alongside its allies conducted a missile strike by its air and naval carriers targeting military and civil facilities of the Syrian Arab Republic on April 14 in the period from 3.42 am till 5.10 am (MSK). The Russian air defence systems at the Khmeimim and Tartus air base timely located and controlled all naval and air launches made by the USA and the UK. Announced French aircraft have not been registered by the Russian air defence systems. It is reported that the B-1B, F-15 and F-16 aircraft of the USAF as well as the Tornado airplanes of the UK RAF over the Mediterranean Sea, and the USS Laboon and USS Monterey located in the Red Sea were used during the operation. The B-1B strategic bombers approached the facilities over the Syrian territory near al-Tanf illegally seized by the USA. A number Syrian military airfields, industrial and research facilities suffered the missile-bomb strike. As preliminary reported, there are no civilian casualties and losses among the Syrian Arab Army (SAA). Information will be further specified and made public. As evident by the available data, 103 cruise missiles have been launched, including Tomahawk naval-based missiles as well as GBU-38 guided air bombs fired from the B-1B; the F-15 and F-16 aircraft launched air-to-surface missiles. The Tornado airplanes of the UK RAF launched eight Scalp EG missiles. The Syrian air defence systems, which are primarily the USSR-made AD systems, have successfully countered the air and naval strikes. In total, 71 cruise missiles have been intercepted. The S-125, S-200, Buk, Kvadrat, and Osa Syrian AD systems were involved in repelling the attack. It proves high efficiency of the Syrian armament and professional skills of the Syrian servicemen trained by the Russian specialists. Over the last eighteen months, Russia has completely recovered the Syrian air defence systems, and continues its development. It is to be stressed that several years ago given the strong request by our western partners, Russia opted out of supplying the S-300 AD systems to Syria. Taking into account the recent incident, Russia believes it possible to reconsider this issue not only regarding Syria but other countries as well. The strike targeted Syrian air bases as well. Russia has registered the following data. Four missiles targeted the Damascus International Airport; 12 missiles the Al-Dumayr airdrome, all the missiles have been shot down. 18 missiles targeted the Blai airdrome, all the missiles shot down. 12 missiles targeted the Shayrat air base, all the missiles shot down. Air bases were not affected by the strike. Five out of nine missiles were shot down targeting the unoccupied Mazzeh airdrome. Thirteen out of sixteen missiles were shot down targeting the Homs airdrome. There are no heavy destructions. In total 30 missiles targeted facilities near Barzah and Jaramana. Seven of them have been shot down. These facilities allegedly relating to the so-called Damascus military chemical programme were partially destructed. However, the objects have not been used for a long time, so there were no people and equipment there. The Russian air defence systems have been alerted. Fighter jets are on combat air patrol now. There were no cruise missiles entering the Russian AD responsibility area. The Russian air defence systems were not applied. Russia considers the strike to be a response to the success of the Syrian Armed Forces in fighting international terrorism and liberating its territory, rather than a response to the alleged chemical attack. Besides, the attack took place on a day when the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) special mission was to start working on investigating incident in the city of Douma where chemical attack allegedly occurred. It is to be stressed that there are no facilities on producing chemical weapons in Syria, and this has been documented by the OPCW. The American aggression proves that the USA is not interested in objectivity of the ongoing investigation, seeks to wreck peaceful settlement in Syria and destabilize environment in the Middle East, and all these have nothing to do with declared objectives of countering international terrorism. Currently the situation in Damascus and other settlements is assessed to be stable.The environment is being monitored. Key Takeaway The United States assesses with confidence that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons in the eastern Damascus suburb of Duma on April 7, 2018, killing dozens of men, women, and children, and severely injuring hundreds more. This conclusion is based on descriptions of the attack in multiple media sources, the reported symptoms experienced by victims, videos and images showing two assessed barrel bombs from the attack, and reliable information indicating coordination between Syrian military officials before the attack. A significant body of information points to the regime using chlorine in its bombardment of Duma, while some additional information points to the regime also using the nerve agent sarin. This is not an isolated incidentthe Syrian regime has a clear history of using chemical weapons even after pledging that it had given up its chemical weapons program. Chemical Weapons Use on April 7, 2018 A large body of information indicates that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons in the Duma area of East Ghutah, near Damascus, on April 7, 2018. Our information is consistent and corroborated by multiple sources. These chemical weapons were used as part of a weeks-long offensive against this densely populated opposition-held enclave. This assault has killed and wounded thousands of innocent civilians. On April 7, social media users, non-governmental organizations, and other open-source outlets reported a chemical weapons bombardment in Duma. Videos and images show the remnants of at least two chlorine barrel bombs from the attacks with features consistent with chlorine barrel bombs from past attacks. In addition, a large volume of high-resolution, reliable photos and video from Duma clearly documents victims suffering from asphyxiation and foaming at the mouth, with no visible signs of external wounds. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement about its concern over suspected chemical attacks in Syria, noting that victims showed symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals. Multiple government helicopters were observed over Duma on April 7, with witnesses specifically reporting a Mi-8 helicopter, known to have taken off from the Syrian regimes nearby Dumayr airfield, circling over Duma during the attack. Numerous eyewitnesses corroborate that barrel bombs were dropped from these helicopters, a tactic used to target civilians indiscriminately throughout the war. Photos of barrel bombs dropped in Duma closely match those used previously by the regime. These barrel bombs were likely used in the chemical attack. Reliable intelligence also indicates that Syrian military officials coordinated what appears to be the use of chlorine in Duma on April 7. Following these barrel bomb attacks, doctors and aid organizations on the ground in Duma reported the strong smell of chlorine and described symptoms consistent with exposure to sarin. The symptoms described in reporting from media, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other open sourcessuch as the WHOinclude miosis (constricted pupils), convulsions, and disruption to central nervous systems. These symptoms, in addition to the dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries reported, suggest that the regime also used sarin in its attacks on April 7. The Assad regime chooses to deploy chemical weapons to terrorize and subdue both opposition fighters and the civilian population. It seeks to minimize regime casualties, in part because its military lacks the strength needed to otherwise prevail. Because the regimes intent is to terrorize, it makes no effort to discriminate between military and civilian targets. By using these banned weapons and wantonly bombarding civilian neighborhoods with conventional munitions and crude barrel bombs, Assad is collectively punishing his own people as a warning against further rebellion. Further, Assad uses chemical weapons in a manner to maximize suffering, such as against families huddled in underground shelters, as was seen in Dumaa population that was already negotiating for surrender and evacuation. The regimes continued use of chemical weapons threatens to desensitize the world to their use and proliferation, weaken prohibitions against their use, and increase the likelihood that additional states will acquire and use these weapons. To underscore this point, not only has Russia shielded the Assad regime from accountability for its chemical weapons use, but on March 4, 2018, Russia used a nerve agent in an attempted assassination in the United Kingdom, showing an uncommonly brazen disregard for the taboo against chemical weapons. In this caseas with previous instances of regime chemical weapons useUnited States experts considered alternative explanations beyond the Syrian regimes culpability for chemical weapons use. Within hours of the first allegation of chemical use on April 7, Syrias state-run news agency painted the reports as a smear campaign by the last remaining opposition group in East Ghouta, Jaysh al-Islam. We have no information to suggest that this group has ever used chemical weapons. Further, it is unlikely that the opposition could fabricate this volume of media reports on regime chemical weapons use. Such a widespread fabrication would require a highly organized and compartmented campaign to deceive multiple media outlets while evading our detection. The Syrian regime and Russia have also claimed that a terrorist group conducted the attacks or that the attacks were staged are not consistent with the existing body of credible information. The Syrian regime, conversely, has already been condemned by United Nations (UN) investigators for past and continued chemical weapons attacks. It is the only actor in Syria with both the motive and the means to deploy nerve agents. The use of helicopters further implicates the regime; no non-state group has conducted air operations in the conflict. Precedent of Chemical Weapons Use and Retention of Assets The Assad regime continues to flout international agreements to which it has assented, even after Russia agreed to act as a guarantor of the regimes compliance and claimed that the Syrian chemical weapons program had been neutralized. The Syrian regime and Russia have also worked to undermine international inspection and accountability mechanisms. Assad used sarin in November 2017, as the UN entity for attributing chemical use in Syria expired, ensuring that no UN Security Council (UNSC)-authorized investigative body remained to determine blame for chemical attacks. Since that time, the regime has also used chlorine on multiple occasions. The U.S. assessments of these attacks are based on credible, public information showing victims with symptoms of nerve agent exposure, including pinpoint pupils, as well as munitions of a type that largely matches previously assessed regime chemical munitions. The Syrian regime has repeatedly used chemical weapons to compensate for its lack of military manpower, to achieve battlefield goals, and to compel rebel surrender, especially when the regime believes critical infrastructure or territory in the core of the country to be at risk. The regime has also demonstrated a willingness to use chemical weapons against entrenched opposition forces to maintain offensive momentum when as it calculates this behavior will not be detected and punished. The Syrian regimes chemical weapons attacks on Duma were part of an effort to recapture the city in order to eliminate the final opposition pocket in East Ghutah capable of threatening the capital. The regime also seeks to punish Dumas civilian population, who have long resisted Assads domination, as a deterrent to further rebellion. The regime took advantage of Russias protection to use chemical weapons to advance its assault on Duma. If not stopped, Syria has the ability to produce and use more chemical weapons. The Syrian military retains expertise from its traditional chemical weapons agent program to both use sarin and produce and deploy chlorine munitions. The United States also assesses the regime still has chemicalsspecifically, sarin and chlorinethat it can use in future attacks and that the regime retains the expertise necessary to develop new weapons. The Syrian military also has a variety of chemical-capable munitionsincluding grenades, aerial bombs, and improvised munitionsthat it can use with little to no warning. Last fall, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) determined Syria was responsible for the sarin attack on Khan Shaykhun in April 2017. This determination was based in part on sample analysis that linked signatures from the Khan Shaykhun attack to previous samples from the Syrian regimes sarin stockpile, making clear that Syria retained chemical weapons well past its promise that it had destroyed its stockpiles and eliminated its program. Chlorine Use Only Weeks after Khan Shaykhun The most recent attack in Duma represents a continuation of the Syrian regimes pattern of chemical weapons use. Only weeks after the Syrian regime used sarin on Khan Shaykhun, it dropped chlorine barrel bombs as many as three times on opposition forces between April 29 and May 6, 2017, as regime forces attacked toward Al Lataminah, near Khan Shaykhun, where the Syrian regime used sarin in April 2017. The United States has indications of regime helicopters in the vicinity of the targets around this time, pictures of an unexploded chlorine barrel bomb consistent with munitions the regime has used in previous chemical attacks, and a video of chemicals being dispersed. This evidence is consistent with what the OPCW-UN JIM detailed in its fall 2016 reports assigning responsibility to the regime for chlorine attacks in 2014 and 2015. Since 2014, the regime has used chlorine in similar battlefronts to terrorize opponents and break their will to fight. Photos of barrel bombs used in at least one of these attacks were consistent with regime-designed chlorine barrel bombs used throughout the conflict. Regime helicopters were in the vicinity around the time chemical weapons attacks occurred and in the same area where we identified public allegations. At least one public video of the attack showed footage of helicopters in the area. Victim accounts of these events specifically mentioned chlorineincluding its distinctive odor after the attackand symptoms consistent with chlorine exposure, including respiratory distress. In one of the attacks, pro-opposition social media video footage showed the explosion of a munition that resulted in a yellow-green plume consistent with the dissemination of chlorine. Chemical Weapons Attacks in Damascus Area On November 18, 2017, the Syrian regime used sarin against opposition forces in the Damascus suburb of Harasta as part of an increased effort to recapture an opposition stronghold that had resisted Assads rule for several years. This attack resulted in dozens of injuries and deaths. This assessment is based on credible public information showing victims with symptoms of nerve agent exposure, including pinpoint pupils, and details on the munition type that largely match previously assessed regime chemical munitions. A Western NGO received patients suffering from a variety of symptoms, including constricted pupils, coughing, vomiting, and abnormally slow breathing. Some public videos referred to nerve gas or an organophosphate, which would be consistent with the victims accounts of constricted pupils. Social media and the press estimated varying numbers of casualties, including 19 fatalities and 37 injuries. The symptoms described are unlikely to have resulted from a conventional attack given the lack of other injuries associated with conventional weapons use. For instance, we have no reporting of victims experiencing the severe burns that would be expected with white phosphorus exposure. Social media reported that regime forces conducted the attack with hand grenades containing toxic gas, which further suggests that sarin was used in the attack. The United States assesses that the regime has produced and used sarin-filled hand grenades since 2013 and retained them after acceding to the Chemical Weapons Convention. In a public statement in late April 2017, France compared the sarin it detected in samples associated with the Khan Shaykhun attack to its laboratory analysis of sarin-filled grenades the regime used in April 2013. On January 22, 2018, the regime used at least four chlorine-filled rockets in Duma, demonstrating its willingness and capability to use multiple types of small-scale chemical munitions. A large body of social media and press reporting provided not only written accounts of the event but also images and videos that increased our confidence that a chemical was used and that the Syrian regime was responsible. Social media accounts note the attack resulted in tens of victims, including at least some women and children, suffering from symptoms such as asphyxiation, consistent with chlorine exposure. Several photos of the children receiving medical care after the attack were posted to such social media accounts. Images of munition fragments from this attack have similar design attributes to chlorine-filled rockets that the regime used in attacks in the Damascus area in early 2017. Multiple public accounts of the January 22 attack also noted that victims smelled a chlorine odoran indicator of chemical use that we have observed in previous regime chlorine attacks. Given recent regime chemical use in Duma and Harasta, the continued allegations of chemical use in the Damascus area, and the regimes use of chemicals under similar battlefield conditions, we are convinced that there have been other instances of both sarin and chlorine use in this area that we have not verified. We are also convinced the regime will continue to use such munitions. The regimes likely objective was to retake the East Ghutah area. East Ghutah has been one of the last pockets of territory in the Damascus suburbs held by entrenched opposition forces. The regime sought to defeat similarly entrenched opposition forces during the Aleppo offensive in fall 2016, where it repeatedly used chlorine. Syrias return to small, ground-launched munitions to deliver these toxic chemicals reflects CW tactics employed earlier in the conflict that gave regime ground forces a standoff capability to target personnel in sheltered areas such as buildings and tunnels, similar to those the Syrian regime has faced in East Ghutah. Since June 2017, we have identified more than 15 reports of chemical use in East Ghutah. Additionally, accounts of at least four alleged attacks in East Ghutahincluding in the towns of Harasta and Jawbarbetween July and November 2017 have mentioned chemical hand grenades, such as those we assess were used in Harasta. This history clearly illustrates the Assad regimes consistent use of chemical weapons. Such use will continue until the costs to the regime of using these weapons outweigh any idea that they may provide military advantages. My fellow Americans, a short time ago, I ordered the United States Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway. We thank them both. Tonight, I want to speak with you about why we have taken this action. One year ago, Assad launched a savage chemical weapons attack against his own innocent people. The United States responded with 58 missile strikes that destroyed 20 percent of the Syrian Air Force. Last Saturday, the Assad regime again deployed chemical weapons to slaughter innocent civilians this time, in the town of Douma, near the Syrian capital of Damascus. This massacre was a significant escalation in a pattern of chemical weapons use by that very terrible regime. The evil and the despicable attack left mothers and fathers, infants and children, thrashing in pain and gasping for air. These are not the actions of a man; they are crimes of a monster instead. Following the horrors of World War I a century ago, civilized nations joined together to ban chemical warfare. Chemical weapons are uniquely dangerous not only because they inflict gruesome suffering, but because even small amounts can unleash widespread devastation. The purpose of our actions tonight is to establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread, and use of chemical weapons. Establishing this deterrent is a vital national security interest of the United States. The combined American, British, and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power military, economic, and diplomatic. We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents. I also have a message tonight for the two governments most responsible for supporting, equipping, and financing the criminal Assad regime. To Iran, and to Russia, I ask: What kind of a nation wants to be associated with the mass murder of innocent men, women, and children? The nations of the world can be judged by the friends they keep. No nation can succeed in the long run by promoting rogue states, brutal tyrants, and murderous dictators. In 2013, President Putin and his government promised the world that they would guarantee the elimination of Syrias chemical weapons. Assads recent attack and todays response are the direct result of Russias failure to keep that promise. Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path, or if it will join with civilized nations as a force for stability and peace. Hopefully, someday well get along with Russia, and maybe even Iran but maybe not. I will say this: The United States has a lot to offer, with the greatest and most powerful economy in the history of the world. In Syria, the United States with but a small force being used to eliminate what is left of ISIS is doing what is necessary to protect the American people. Over the last year, nearly 100 percent of the territory once controlled by the so-called ISIS caliphate in Syria and Iraq has been liberated and eliminated. The United States has also rebuilt our friendships across the Middle East. We have asked our partners to take greater responsibility for securing their home region, including contributing large amounts of money for the resources, equipment, and all of the anti-ISIS effort. Increased engagement from our friends, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, and others can ensure that Iran does not profit from the eradication of ISIS. America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria under no circumstances. As other nations step up their contributions, we look forward to the day when we can bring our warriors home. And great warriors they are. Looking around our very troubled world, Americans have no illusions. We cannot purge the world of evil, or act everywhere there is tyranny. No amount of American blood or treasure can produce lasting peace and security in the Middle East. Its a troubled place. We will try to make it better, but it is a troubled place. The United States will be a partner and a friend, but the fate of the region lies in the hands of its own people. In the last century, we looked straight into the darkest places of the human soul. We saw the anguish that can be unleashed and the evil that can take hold. By the end of the World War I, more than one million people had been killed or injured by chemical weapons. We never want to see that ghastly specter return. So today, the nations of Britain, France, and the United States of America have marshaled their righteous power against barbarism and brutality. Tonight, I ask all Americans to say a prayer for our noble warriors and our allies as they carry out their missions. We pray that God will bring comfort to those suffering in Syria. We pray that God will guide the whole region toward a future of dignity and of peace. And we pray that God will continue to watch over and bless the United States of America. Thank you, and goodnight. Thank you. 1.This is the Governments position on the legality of UK military action to alleviate the extreme humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people by degrading the Syrian regimes chemical weapons capability and deterring their further use, following the chemical weapons attack in Douma on 7 April 2018. 2.The Syrian regime has been killing its own people for seven years. Its use of chemical weapons, which has exacerbated the human suffering, is a serious crime of international concern, as a breach of the customary international law prohibition on the use of chemical weapons, and amounts to a war crime and a crime against humanity. 3.The UK is permitted under international law, on an exceptional basis, to take measures in order to alleviate overwhelming humanitarian suffering. The legal basis for the use of force is humanitarian intervention, which requires three conditions to be met: (i) there is convincing evidence, generally accepted by the international community as a whole, of extreme humanitarian distress on a large scale, requiring immediate and urgent relief; (ii) it must be objectively clear that there is no practicable alternative to the use of force if lives are to be saved; and (iii) the proposed use of force must be necessary and proportionate to the aim of relief of humanitarian suffering and must be strictly limited in time and in scope to this aim (i.e. the minimum necessary to achieve that end and for no other purpose). 4.The UK considers that military action met the requirements of humanitarian intervention in the circumstances of the present case: (i) The Syrian regime has been using chemical weapons since 2013. The attack in Eastern Damascus on 21 August 2013 left over 800 people dead. The Syrian regime failed to implement its commitment in 2013 to ensure the destruction of its chemical weapons capability. The chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017 killed approximately 80 people and left hundreds more injured. The recent attack in Douma has killed up to 75 people, and injured over 500 people. Over 400,000 people have now died over the course of the conflict in Syria, the vast majority civilians. Over half of the Syrian population has been displaced, with over 13 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The repeated, lethal use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity. On the basis of what we know about the Syrian regimes pattern of use of chemical weapons to date, it was highly likely that the regime would seek to use chemical weapons again, leading to further suffering and loss of civilian life as well as the continued displacement of the civilian population. (ii) Actions by the UK and its international partners to alleviate the humanitarian suffering caused by the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime at the UN Security Council have been repeatedly blocked by the regimes and its allies disregard for international norms, including the international law prohibition on the use of chemical weapons. This last week, Russia vetoed yet another resolution in the Security Council, thwarting the establishment of an impartial investigative mechanism. Since 2013, neither diplomatic action, tough sanctions, nor the US strikes against the Shayrat airbase in April 2017 have sufficiently degraded Syrian chemical weapons capability or deterred the Syrian regime from causing extreme humanitarian distress on a large scale through its persistent use of chemical weapons. There was no practicable alternative to the truly exceptional use of force to degrade the Syrian regimes chemical weapons capability and deter their further use by the Syrian regime in order to alleviate humanitarian suffering. (iii) In these circumstances, and as an exceptional measure on grounds of overwhelming humanitarian necessity, military intervention to strike carefully considered, specifically identified targets in order effectively to alleviate humanitarian distress by degrading the Syrian regimes chemical weapons capability and deterring further chemical weapons attacks was necessary and proportionate and therefore legally justifiable. Such an intervention was directed exclusively to averting a humanitarian catastrophe caused by the Syrian regimes use of chemical weapons, and the action was the minimum judged necessary for that purpose. On April 14, the United States, supported by its allies, launched an airstrike against military and civilian targets in the Syrian Arab Republic. An act of aggression against a sovereign state that is on the frontline in the fight against terrorism was committed without a mandate from the UN Security Council and in violation of the UN Charter and norms and principles of international law. Just as one year ago, when the Shayrat Airbase in Syria came under attack, the US used as a pretext a staged chemical attack against civilians, this time in Douma, a Damascus suburb. Having visited the site of the would-be chemical attack, Russian military experts did not find any traces of chlorine or any other toxic agent. Not a single local resident was able to confirm that a chemical attack had actually taken place. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons dispatched its experts to Syria in order to investigate all the circumstances. However, in a sign of cynical disdain, a group of Western countries decided to take military action without waiting for the results of the investigation. Russia condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack against Syria, where Russian military personnel are assisting the legitimate government in its counterterrorism efforts. Through its actions, the US makes the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Syria even worse and brings suffering to civilians. In fact, the US panders to the terrorists who have been tormenting the Syrian people for seven years, leading to a wave of refugees fleeing this country and the region. The current escalation around Syria is destructive for the entire system of international relations. History will set things right, and Washington already bears the heavy responsibility for the bloody outrage in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya. Russia will convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the aggressive actions by the US and its allies. The European Union reiterates its strongest condemnation of the repeated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, as confirmed by the OPCW/UN Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) and as reported continuously in recent months in Eastern Ghouta and other areas in Syria, including the most recent reports of a devastating chemical attack on Douma. In this context, the EU was informed about targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria, these specific measures having been taken with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people. The EU is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons. It finds it deeply shocking that the international community is still confronted with the use of chemical weapons, as confirmed by the OPCW Fact Finding Mission. The reports of the Declaration Assessment Team show that the Syrian declaration cannot be fully verified as accurate and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. Accountability is a must. The use of chemical weapons or chemical substances as weapons is a war crime and a crime against humanity. Perpetrators will be held accountable for this violation of international law. Therefore, the EU deeply regrets that the mandate of the JIM, established by UNSC Resolution 2235 (2015) to identify perpetrators of chemical attacks, has not been renewed in November 2017. In this respect, it is highly regrettable that the UN Security Council has so far failed to adopt a strong resolution re-establishing an independent attribution mechanism to ensure accountability for perpetrators of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. In July 2017 and in March 2018, the EU imposed additional restrictive measures on Syrian high-level officials and scientists for their role in the development and use of chemical weapons and is always ready to consider imposing further measures as appropriate. The EU calls upon all countries, notably Russia and Iran, to use their influence to prevent any further use of chemical weapons, notably by the Syrian regime, and supports the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons. The EU reiterates that there can be no other solution to the Syrian conflict than political. We have a common goal in preventing any escalation of violence that could transform the Syrian crisis into a wider regional confrontation, with incalculable consequences for the Middle East and indeed the whole world. The EU calls upon all parties to the conflict, especially the regime and its allies, to implement immediately the ceasefire, and to ensure humanitarian access and medical evacuations as unanimously agreed in UNSC Resolution 2401. The EU repeats that any sustainable solution to the conflict requires a genuine political transition in line with UNSCR 2254 and the 2012 Geneva Communique negotiated by the Syrian parties within the UN-led Geneva process. The Second Brussels Conference on Syria which will be held on 24-25 April 2018, co-chaired by the EU and the UN, will be the opportunity for the entire international community to relaunch its consistent support for the political process and commit new pledges to help the main victims of this ongoing conflict, namely the Syrian people inside and outside Syria. In the North Atlantic Council today the United States, France and United Kingdom briefed Allies on their joint military action on 14 April. They briefed that a significant body of information indicated that the Syrian regime was responsible for the attack against civilians in Douma on 7 April, and that their military action was limited to the Syrian regimes facilities enabling the production and employment of chemical weapons. The three Allies emphasized that there was no practicable alternative to the use of force. Allies expressed their full support for this action intended to degrade the Syrian regimes chemical weapons capability and deter further chemical weapon attacks against the people of Syria. Chemical weapons cannot be used with impunity or become normalized. They are an immediate danger to the Syrian people and to our collective security. Allies regret that the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism, established by UNSC Resolution 2235 (2015), to identify perpetrators of chemical attacks, was not renewed in November 2017. Allies support international mechanisms to establish responsibility and prevent impunity for the use of chemical weapons. Allies strongly condemned the repeated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime, and called for those responsible to be held to account. Allies also called on the Syrian regime and its backers to allow rapid, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access. Despite sustained diplomatic efforts, the Syrian regimes repeated use of chemical weapons against civilians has contributed to appalling human suffering since the start of the conflict in 2011. The use of such weapons is in flagrant violation of international standards and non-proliferation norms, multiple UN Security Council Resolutions, and the Chemical Weapons Convention, which Syria ratified in 2013. NATO considers any use of chemical weapons by State or non-State actors to be a threat to international peace and security. Allies reiterate their support for UN-led efforts to achieve a lasting political resolution to the conflict that is consistent with UNSCR 2254 (2015) and the Geneva Communique (2012) and call on all members of the UN Security Council to uphold their responsibilities. In this regard, the Allies call on all supporters of the Syrian regime, notably Russia, to exercise responsibility to ensure that the Syrian regime participates constructively in the UN-led Geneva process. Allies took this opportunity to restate our commitment to the Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh, as defeating terrorism in all its forms remains a key objective for our countries and a key challenge for the stability of the region. War has been raging in Syria for seven years. Time and again, we have seen that the Assad regime has committed war crimes and also used chemical weapons against civilians, as all available information indicates was recently the case in Douma, too. Chemical weapons are banned internationally. Their use is a war crime that must lead to consequences in order to ensure that these terrible events are not repeated. The United Nations Security Council has already been blocked for months on Syria, including on the issue of the use of chemical weapons, by Russias actions. In the current case, too, the Security Council was unable to fulfil its role. In this situation, the limited attack on Syrian regime military structures by France, the United Kingdom and the United States as permanent members of the Security Council sent an appropriate and necessary message, which will help to make it more difficult for suffering of this kind to be caused again in the future. We too call for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to be tasked again with carrying out a thorough and independent investigation of suspected uses of chemical weapons. We also call for effective access for humanitarian aid. At the same time, this conflict and its development, intensity and dimensions are an urgent reminder to us that only a political settlement will bring lasting peace. That is why we will continue to do our utmost to support the work of the United Nations in the Geneva process. The political process needs new momentum and the will of all those involved to now reach solutions. Only this can pave the path to enable the people in Syria to find a new future in security and peace. Photo: FOX This story was originally published in 2018 and has been updated. Did you forget that today is Tax Day? Are you buried under the stress of trying to file your W-2s and 1099s, swearing youll follow some good advice and prevent this debacle again next year? Youre not alone! Sitcoms have mined this fraught annual tradition for years, and once you finally hit submit on that e-file, take comfort in knowing that there are some great episodes to help you work through your financial trauma. Here are five to watch thatll help take the edge off of tax season, from The Honeymooners to The Simpsons. 3rd Rock from the Sun, Dick and Taxes (Season 4, Episode 12) This episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun involves several moments where characters just read from the tax code and shout with frustration. The Solomon family (who are aliens, by the way), have never paid any taxes in their time on Earth, and then try to lie to wiggle out of the $9,000 they owe. This involves starting a pretend home business that somehow turns real, and ends with them carefully memorizing some Very Real Human Facts to convince an auditor theyre real people. Dick and Taxes is available to stream on Amazon Prime. The Honeymooners, The Worry Wart (Season 1, Episode 28) Ralph Kramden happily opens an envelope with what he expects will be his tax refund, only to find that the IRS has summoned him to their offices. He assumes theyre about to audit him, and flies into an apoplectic fury, shouting, The government is investigating me! In the end, Ralph is fine. But he spends much of the episode going through his entire tax return with his best friend Ed, and realizes he failed to pay taxes on his gambling winnings, including $85 that he won in a poker game. Like several of the sitcom episodes in this genre, just reading aloud from the real tax code is enough to make a studio audience roar with sympathetic laughter. The Worry Wart isnt officially available to stream, but you can find bootleg versions on YouTube. The Simpsons, The Trouble With Trillions (Season 9, Episode 20) The bulk of this episode involves Homer going undercover with the FBI to investigate a missing trillion-dollar bill issued in 1945, an investigation that quickly escalates to Homer, Smithers, and Mr. Burns meeting with Fidel Castro and then finding themselves on a rickety raft near Cuba. The windup is far more quotidian, though: Homer get arrested after he fails to file his taxes on time and then fills out a fraudulent tax return. (Will you look at those morons, Homer chuckles as he watches coverage of Tax Day on TV. I paid my taxes over a year ago!) The Trouble with Trillions is available to stream on Simpsons World. All in the Family, Archies Fraud (Season 3, Episode 2) After some obligatory yelling about Richard Nixon, Archies friend Mr. Munson shows up and tells Archie that hes committed fraud by not reporting income from his side gig driving taxicabs. It wasnt income, Archie insists to Edith. It was money I earned by working on Sundays. What a man does on his Sabbath is between him and his maker! The situation at the tax office deteriorates when Archie realizes his IRS officer is black, and then gets even worse when he attempts to bribe his way out of the problem. In the end, Archie earns himself an extra three years of audits and much snide commentary about George McGovern. Archies Fraud is available to stream on Crackle and rent on iTunes. Slings & Arrows, Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair (Season 2, Episode 4) One of the running stories of Slings & Arrows second season is that flighty, obstinate lead actress Ellen Fanshaw gets audited by the Canadian version of the IRS, and realizes shes been underpaying her taxes for years. Ellen is pretty helpless in the face of it all, gesturing fruitlessly at her hatboxes full of receipts and refusing to accept responsibility for knowing about her own finances. But the classic Slings & Arrows twist comes through in the end anyhow, as she manages to turn her audits into what are essentially therapy sessions. Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair is available to stream on YouTube. Meek Mill attends Medusas 1 Year Anniversary Celebration Hosted by Meek Mill on March 6, 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Picasa/WireImage When Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner announced today during a hearing at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center that jailed rapper Meek Mills conviction should be overturned, a spontaneous dance party broke out on nearby streets. As fans gathered to support Mill, 30, who was sentenced in November to two to four years for violating probation, they eagerly awaited news with homemade signs and shows of solidarity. Meek Mill has been contending with an almost decades-old gun and drug case that has frankly perplexed experts in both the music and legal communities. As friends and colleagues rally in support of Mill, his lawyers have been unsuccessfully appealing the sentence, even calling for the judge in the case, Genece Brinkley, to step down. Mills lawyers have accused the judge of impropriety, saying that she has an unhealthy personal stake in the case, even going so far as to ask the rapper to write a song about her. The good news for Mill is that his legal team may now have the opportunity to appeal the conviction based on new evidence that a police officer in the case has a history of racial bias and abuse, according to the Philly DAs office. Krasner, along with the states governor and Phillys mayor, has thrown his support behind Mill since he was incarcerated late last year. The DA would like to see Mill get a new trial, which was good news to the hip-hop stars fans celebrating outside the courthouse this morning. Todays announcement comes on the heels of a rumor circulating on social media that Mill might be released from jail as early as today, a rumor that his legal team quickly quashed as of late last week. Based on todays hearing, Mill is expected to remain in jail in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, until at least June when he faces another hearing with Judge Brinkley. He has already served time for the original conviction, which was handed down almost ten years ago. Homeland Clarity Season 7 Episode 10 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: Antony Platt/Antony Platt/SHOWTIME Carrie Mathison and President Elizabeth Keane are both faced with life-changing decisions this week. Carries daughter Franny could be taken away from her forever, while Keane could play right into the hands of Russian operatives who have been working to dismantle the entire U.S. government all season long. Carrie ends up making the right decision when shes at that crossroads; Keane almost certainly does not. And as our actual president faces ongoing investigations about Russian collusion, its impressive how much Homeland season seven has been a funhouse mirror version of the real world. In a tone-setting, sad opener, Carrie gets her third electroshock treatment after the breakdown she had at the end of last weeks episode. We also learn that Dante Allen really is dead and that Yevgeny got away wait, how the hell did that happen?! Not only did Yevgeny apparently walk right out of the hospital after killing a man in federal custody, but he got all the way out of the country! Unless we learn that Saul or Paley helped him, this is the kind of Homeland twist thats ridiculously hard to believe. And its not the last eyebrow-raiser this week. While Carrie is getting better, the second arc of Clarity begins to play out in the nations capital. In a meeting between David Wellington and Vice-President Warner, we learn that Senator Paley has completely dismissed the Russian story and continues his assault on the presidency. But why? Last week, Paley believed Saul and said it all made sense. Later well learn that the death of Dante Allen convinced Paley that Keane was silencing people in custody, including McClendon, Simone, and now Dante. But Warner isnt buying it yet. He tells David that the president has nothing to worry about. The VP has to sign off on any use of the 25th Amendment, and Warner says he wont do it. Despite those suspensions of disbelief, the episode draws a really interesting parallel between Carrie and Keane. As the President considers her options in the face of the possibility that her own Cabinet will march her out of the White House, Carrie mulls what to do about the custody battle with her daughter. Theyre both struggling to hold on to things. Carrie learns that Maggie wants sole custody and is offering visitation every third weekend. Otherwise, there will be a hearing and Carrie may not be allowed to see Franny at all. Carrie tells Anson that Maggie gave her sister the meds she needed off-book so that the agency wouldnt find out. In other words, Carrie has information that could get destroy her sisters medical license. Will she use it? Almost as if he knows that Carrie is trying to get back to normalcy, Saul comes to his favorite spy with an offer. Theyve figured out Simone and Yevgeny were lovers and theyre likely together somewhere in Russia. They need an extraction team, and Saul wants Carrie to lead it. Carrie claims she wants to put her job behind her once and for all, but Saul looks like he doesnt really believe her. Of course, we dont either. After the VP goes to meet with the secretary of Defense and is ambushed by Senator Paley, the wheels really start to come off the Keane Presidency. Via David, she learns about the meeting and she presumes that Warner, who is so easily manipulated that she calls him a weather vane, will be swayed by Paley and the Secretary, and then she totally panics. She tries to call Warner, but when he hasnt returned her calls by the next morning, she decides to take drastic action: She plans to fire the people she suspects will push her out. While the idea that Keane would fire half her Cabinet to keep her grip on the office seems ridiculous on paper, it makes sense if you consider everything shes been through. Shes been under attack, sometimes literally, for the last year. She has abandoned reason and logic in an effort to hold on to what shes fought so hard to get. Its such a horrible, almost naive idea to think that a president could fire half her Cabinet and expect to keep her job, but Keanes panic is more understandable when you remember what shes been through. Shes on tilt, acting through fear and emotion. While Keane is making a horrible decision, Carrie is about to make the right one for her daughter, for her sister, and for herself. After an emotional custody hearing, including Maggies testimony about how Carrie keeps making promises that she simply doesnt keep, Carrie gives in. She agrees to give up custody if she can visit every other weekend. Its the right decision and Danes sells the emotional tumult of it all very well. If Carrie Mathison seems to finding the titular clarity this week, Elizabeth Keane keeps losing it. VP Warner marches in when the Cabinet firing news breaks. He informs her that her panic was for naught. He never signed a document. He needed time to think, and so didnt answer Keanes calls. In the end, he chose to side with his president but not if she does something this insane. Power without authority is tyranny, he tells her. Will Keane trust him? If hes lying or changes his mind, she could be seen as unfit. And she chooses not to take that risk. When presented with the option to, as Warner says, plunge this nation into crisis or defend it from its real enemies, she chooses the former because it guarantees her more control. As Keane is arguably losing her sanity, Carrie tells Saul that shell go to Europe to lead the extraction team. She goes to tell Franny about it, and theres a beautiful beat for Danes as Carrie hugs her child. Its tender and emotional. As long as this subplot has been, its a strong scene for both Danes and Amy Hargreaves as Maggie. And then Carrie marches out the door with her bag. After ten episodes, the seventh season of Homeland is finally going overseas. Go do what you were born to do, Maggie tells her sister. Other Notes Could Anson be next years Quinn? Remember, Quinn started as more of a supporting character becoming a fan favorite. It feels like we havent seen the last of Anson. Beau Bridges rules. Always. While I wish his character had been more prominent all year to give this end game more heft, its nice to see him getting a juicy episode. If youre wondering about the opening scene and only know of electroconvulsive therapy from horror movies, it is still a practice used to induce minor seizures to reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. Thinking about the opening credits again this week and the final line weve heard every week, Carrie really did steer clear of the rocks. Will she continue to do so for the final two episodes? And has President Keane crashed right into them? Killing Eve Ill Deal With Him Later Season 1 Episode 2 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: BBC AMERICA By the end of Killing Eves first episode, the titular detective and Villanelle ended up in roughly the same place: too good at their jobs and self-destructively lashing out from boredom. Eve was fired for attempting an illegal interview with a bedridden murder witness, who Villanelle killed along with four other people while the MI5 officer was in the bathroom fussing with her hair. (Wear it down, Villanelle advised.) The assassin was supposed to make her targets death looks like a suicide, but slashed the victims throat instead. Eve and Villanelle diverge for most of the second episode, but like two strands of a double helix, they meet once again in the closing minutes, if only in their memories. Like many second episodes, Ill Deal With Him Later is a transitional installment meant to get us from Point A to Point B. As far as bridges go, its breezy and effective, but I cant help feeling a little let down by the plot and character shortcuts that are already appearing to show. Female impudence, in all its subversive appeal and antisocial implications, ties Killing Eve to series writer Phoebe Waller-Bridges earlier work, Fleabag. This episode begins with practically a diorama of it, as a young woman on a bus sees a bloodied businessman in an office building across the street chased by Villanelle. The woman on the bus takes her phone out and makes a call to her mother to talk about food, the soon-to-die man as important to her as a bug on a windshield. Its a scene thats almost funny, but the characters rebellion against human decency feels a bit too misanthropic for my tastes. Its a difficult tonal trick to pull off, and Waller-Bridge keeps narrowly missing the bulls-eye in this hour. Cut to Villanelle, looking like the most fashionable girl on campus in boxer braids and a satin bomber jacket. (With splatter so frequent in her line of work, her dry-cleaning bills must be through the roof.) Why are you doing this to me? her victim asks as shes about to shoot him. I have no idea, she replies, then smirks as she watches him die. I believe her. Back in London, Eve meets up with her MI6 idol, Carolyn Martens, and stammers her way into a job she didnt even know existed. Eves work computer revealed that shed been collecting information on female killers on her own, because shes fascinated by what makes a woman able to she trails off. We learn a little more about her: Eve was born in the U.K., grew up in Connecticut, and studied criminal psychology. Shes a bit of a loon, too! She calls herself a fan of the female mercenary she suspects is racking up a hefty body count in multiple countries a killer with no signature, but a lot of style. Its also honestly jarring to hear a female law-enforcement protagonist blithely declare of a murderer, If shes not killing me, then frankly its not my job to care anymore. That provocative line makes me like Eve a bit less, but also a lot more interested in what Waller-Bridge is up to. Carolyn takes Eve up to a dingy apartment nearby: a secret office funded by a discretionary budget, where the senior official tracks down her pet cases. Its like Ive walked into the inside of my brain, remarks Eve. The disgraced agent gets assigned a computer geek and two staff members to help her with her pursuit of Villanelle, who she assumes is responsible for all the unsolved cases she believes involved a female killer. (Thats a lot to place on womens intuition.) Eve immediately hires her former MI5 boss Bill, who was fired along with Eve, and her former assistant Elena, who is thrilled to quit her job. If I were Carolyn, Id investigate the morale problem at my nine-to-five. As Eve gets promoted to Worker of the Month, Villanelle is proving to be a problem employee. Her handler Konstantin is worried that shes not following instructions, and that a screws loose in her head somewhere. He drags her to see a psychologist, who asks Villanelle if she still dreams about Anna. Villanelle looks upset for a long time, then laughs. Your face, she says. The three of them then talk about a drawing of a woman with no face, but the only thing I got out of this scene is that Jodie Comers Tommy Wiseau accent is supposed to be Russian. The psychologist agrees that Villanelle should take a break, and Konstantin tells her to go do something normal, so she bangs her hot Spanish artist neighbor Sebastian. Sebastian, you in danger, boy. Workaholism is both Eve and Villanelles default mode. Eves husband tells her shes glowing after her first day investigating the cases shed been hoping to crack all along. Villanelle is supposed to stay home, but she goes into the office anyway, dressed as a catering server to assassinate a powerful entrepreneur. The founder of a cosmetics company, Madame de Mann is annoyed to be accosted in the bathroom by a rando who wants the wealthy woman to give her homemade perfume a try. But the entrepreneurs soft heart leads to her downfall: Villanelle has poisoned the perfume. As the older woman dies, the assassin looks at her face with pride and fascination. I hope Waller-Bridge gives Villanelles sociopathy some dimensions soon. Konstantin is so pissed that Villanelle went ahead and killed Madame de Mann despite being put on leave that he throttles her the next time he sees her. The handler is interrupted by Sebastian walking in, and the sweet, doomed hottie asks Villanelle if he should stay to help mollify the tension between the two. The young man leaves, but not without the bottle of perfume that Villanelle had used to kill Madame de Mann. Villanelle hashes things out with her handler her way, by which I mean she puts a knife to his throat and reminds him that if she killed him right there, they would just send him a new Konstantin. Harsh. Even harsher: Sebastians accidental death after trying on Villanelles scent. Harshest yet: the truth that Konstantin drops on Villanelle that MI6 is searching for her. Villanelle Googles the name of the detective after her and is shocked to discover that theyve already met. Meanwhile, Eve casts a wide net in her search for Villanelle. She tasks Kenny the computer guy with finding the names of any women between 16 and 45 who has been detained, hospitalized, or whispered about displaying psychopathic tendencies anywhere in the world, which honestly sounds like the plan B punishment for Sisyphus. Eve also has a pretty interesting argument with Bill whos now her subordinate, and maybe less-than-thrilled about their reversed positions about whether its more important to look for Villanelle or into the agenda of the people who hired her. But weve got a hunt to get to, so a blind leap will have to do: Eve is convinced that the killer shes looking for is the nurse she met in the hospital bathroom. Id be more annoyed if the scene didnt ring so true. A fair amount of seemingly intractable life problems have definitely been solved through chance encounters in womens bathrooms. Silicon Valley Tech Evangelist Season 5 Episode 4 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: HBO In the IT world, the tech evangelist preaches the gospel of the product, and does so with a fervor bordering on zealotry. Though the position has always existed in some fashion, Steve Jobs is responsible for bringing tech evangelism to the forefront and making it such a big deal. It is the marketing job to end all marketing jobs one I couldnt do if my life depended on it. A good tech evangelist has to have a religious devotion to the product, which is why this weeks Silicon Valley episodes title is so clever. As well see, its a play on words that puts the tech world and religion on a collision course. But the title is the only clever thing this episode has to offer; Tech Evangelist plays as if someone wrote a coming-out story and then substituted Christian for gay in every scene and joke. Now, I have never sought religious counsel of any sort in the 12 years Ive worked in Silicon Valley, so Ill have to take the shows word on how Christianity is as verboten as cigarette smoking. But the usage of gay metaphors to depict it as such feels as half-assed and lazy as the tech industrys lame attempts at diversity. Tech Evangelist begins with Richard conducting a meeting outside of the office, away from the prying ears of the Hooli Mole. Richard has brought together eight companies willing to be the first sites hosted on Pied Piper: The Next Generation. A bocce ball court provides the location, though the 20-something CEOs seem weirded out about the elderly players. They look so old and yet so happy, says the owner of the music site. I dont understand it, either, says Richard before revealing that PP: TNG is now live. He presents each attendee with a phone for testing and christens his app PiperNet. Since we now have an official name for the decentralized Internet, I shall retire the PP: TNG moniker. Richard should follow my lead and immediately retire the name he gives his first eight customers. The Octopipers consist of a diverse group of CEOs including a woman of color and a gay man named DeeDee. DeeDee runs an LGBT-exclusive dating app called First Sight. Richard acts a little odd whenever talking about First Sight, so DeeDee asks if the sites exclusivity is upsetting. Richard quickly denies any discomfort. I may as well be straight, says DeeDee. Im boring. I have been with the same man for seven years and I go to church every Sunday. He then hugs Richard, who clearly has a problem with that. Nevertheless, its a good day for Richard. Its made even better by Jared and Gilfoyle, who reveal they have found the mole. I cant keep this smile forever, says Gilfoyle as Jared rambles through a long-winded explanation. Turns out that Jareds police work and Gilfoyles mastery of decryption discovered that Jeff Washburn is the Hooli Mole. How did he get all this information? asks Richard. By exploiting our most glaring weakness, says Gilfoyle. Cut to Dinesh, who is karaoke singing Dont You Want Me, Baby to Jeff just before Richard & Co. barge into the apartment. While Dinesh whines about betrayal, Gilfoyle brutally murders Jeffs laptops with a drill. An angry Richard reminds Jeff that violating Pied Pipers NDA results in immediate termination and one helluva lawsuit. But instead of hiring Michael Cohen, Richard forces Jeff to remain employed at Pied Piper so Hoover wont know his mole has been smoked out. Dinesh later blackmails Jeff into spending time with him as part of this agreement. You know what happens when I get drunk, Jeff? I get real sincere, warns Dinesh. Im surprised Jeff doesnt run to Hooli and confess immediately, especially after Gilfoyle tells him to wash your fucking hair. Over at Hooli, Gavin is practicing his latest tech evangelist performance. Hell introduce Box 3: The Domination, a.k.a. The Gavin Belson Signature Box, next Tuesday. And yes, the penis-inspired signature is still emblazoned across it. Matt Ross tops himself here: Not only does he give us the standard Gavin bullshit we expect, he effortlessly glides through a litany of tech specifications as well. Gavins yes men may understand all that technobabble, but they are absolutely clueless when he tells them, The bear is sticky with honey. Gavin is referring to the bear-shaped honey dispenser next to the teapot, but two of his lackeys think hes giving them some kind of animal-based coded message about the presentation. It makes sense when you think about it, given Gavins track record of using animals as props in his speeches. The duo embark on two different paths of interpreting Gavins message, one of which features the CGI bear from The Revenant. Gavin goes off to Jackson Hole unaware that his spotlight will be usurped by Richards Octopipers announcement on Monday. Its about to get even better for Richard: The super-successful gaming company K-Hole, makers of Undead Sex Offender, are interested in joining PiperNet because Professional Badass Laurie Bream takes MDMA with K-Holes owner, Colin. Not only is Laurie so badass that she can see Richard dancing in celebration through the phone (Stop doing whatever it is youre doing! she yells), shes also qualified to record a cover of Tweets classic ode to ecstasy, Oops (Oh My)! Its always dangerous to look in the background while watching this show. As Richard and the Octopipers visit K-Hole, their gamers are playing a game so gory it looks like a Lucio Fulci movie. Richard is supposed to let the Octopipers sell PiperNet, but of course he starts rambling incoherently and outs DeeDee as a Christian. After the meeting, an upset DeeDee runs off, leaving Richard confused. You know my default position is blind support of anything you do, but this was not your finest moment, says Jared. Apparently, you can be as nasty as you wanna be in Palo Alto, you just best not be asking Jesus to forgive you for it. Even Gilfoyle, who hates anything to do with the Nazarene, agrees that Richard was wrong. Because of DeeDees belief system, Colin is ready to call off the deal and this is a guy who believes that life is one big computer simulation! Making matters worse, DeeDee has decided to embrace his outing by creating a gay, Christian dating site. Richard objects to the Christian part before revealing his heretofore unknown mastery of gay terminology. How did you know all that? asks a surprised DeeDee. Ask Dan Melcher! I yelled at the screen. Richard tells DeeDee that he cant host the site without losing K-Hole. So DeeDee resigns from PiperNet and takes his Grindr/Christian Mingle mashup to Pied Pipers competition. No, its not Gavin. Its Jian-Yang! If you recall, Jian-Yang had a list of Chinese knockoffs of famous software written on the whiteboard at Hacker Hostel. Jared saw most of them, but Jian-Yang secretly erased New Pied Piper when Jared wasnt looking. Richard has been ignoring Jian-Yangs numerous phone calls demanding to get more involved now that hes inherited Erlichs 10 percent of the company. The newly obnoxious Jian-Yang looks poised to become the new Erlich he even shows up at Pied Piper HQ driving the yellow convertible his nemesis used to own. But things dont always turn out as planned. When Jared mentions that Russ Hanneman pissed in that same car back in Customer Service, Jian-Yang leaves the convertible parked across three spaces in the garage. Should I bill Mr. Bighetti for this tow? asks the tow truck guy who Jared hires for the abandoned convertible. Jared is surprised that the car isnt registered under Erlich, so he goes to visit Big Head at his new apartment. Big Heads new digs come with the 8,000-pound tiki head Erlich bought for Bachmanity Insanity (and subsequently lost in San Francisco Bay). Bighead tells Jared that his dad forced him to dissolve his partnership with Erlich, so the tow driver was mistaken. But Big Head goes digging through his paperwork and discovers that, lo and behold, he mailed a Chinese menu to the lawyer rather than the partnership form. So, legally, Big Head is Erlichs next of kin, which means he owns Hacker Hostel and 10 percent of a company he was fired from four seasons ago! Can you say deus ex machina? While Jian-Yangs reign as the new Erlich may be over, that doesnt mean he wont still be trouble for Richard: Hes escaped to China to make that New Pied Piper. A Montgomery principal is headed to north Alabama for a new job at Meridianville Middle School. The Madison County Board of Education approved hiring Cameron Whitlow as the new principal of Meridianville Middle at its Thursday night meeting. Whitlow is currently principal at Brewbaker Middle School in Montgomery. He also serves as a captain in the Alabama National Guard. Cameron brings passion, drive and determination to Meridianville," Madison County Schools Superintendent Matt Massey said in a news release. "He will be a great fit because he is known for his open door policy of leadership and he and believes success relies on motivation and collaboration." Former First Lady Barbara Bush, who has been battling congestive heart failure, has decided not to seek additional medical treatment and go home from a hospital to be "surrounded by a family she adores," according to a statement released Sunday by the office of former President George H.W. Bush. Mrs. Bush, 92, has been hospitalized several times in Houston, Texas, over the past year to be treated for chronic pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure, her family has said. Barbara Bush visits during round 2 of the 2016 Champions Tour Insperity Invitational, The Woodlands Country Club, The Woodlands, Texas. Barbara Bush visits during round 2 of the 2016 Champions Tour Insperity Invitational, The Woodlands Country Club, The Woodlands, Texas. In this Sept. 2, 2008 file photo, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, left, and former first lady Barbara Bush are seen at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. In this Sept. 2, 2008 file photo, former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, left, and former first lady Barbara Bush are seen at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. Following a recent series of hospitalizations, and after consulting her family and doctors, Mrs. Bush, now age 92, has decided not to seek additional medical treatment, and instead will focus on comfort care, read a statement released by her husband's office. "It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself -- thanks to her abiding faith, but for others," the statement reads. "She is surrounded by a family she adores and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving." In January, Mrs. Bush and her husband were hospitalized at the same time. She was being treated by bronchitis and the nation's 41st president was being treated for pneumonia. Barbara Bush served as the country's first lady from 1989 to 1993. She is the mother of George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States. AMP, National Australia Bank and Westpac have all made payments that breached a 2013 ban on banks and wealth management businesses from paying kickbacks to advisers, but failed to tell the royal commission about the full extent of this misconduct earlier this year. Financial advisers working for Commonwealth Bank-owned businesses had also received "prohibited" pay, and gaps in a statement from the bank meant it was not possible to say if there had been further contraventions, counsel assisting Rowena Orr said. In addition, AMP didn't provide detailed information on customers in in-house products to the commission in spreadsheets until 9.30pm on Sunday night, which meant it had not been able to review it yet, Ms Orr said. As the royal commission's hearings into financial advice kicked off on Monday, Ms Orr said the three institutions had in recent weeks revealed incidents that fell foul of a 2013 ban on commissions, under the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) laws. Why then, does this idea of big tech muscling into banking keep popping up? In a nutshell, the argument goes, the tech giants are so cashed-up, with such enormous reach into the lives of millions of people, that they would be in a prime position to pinch some of the revenue banks make from payments, and perhaps loans. With a $1.4 trillion capitalisation, Tim Cook's Apple could invest sums of money that no Australian bank could ever match. Credit:Bloomberg NAB's Cahill made the point at last month's Productivity Commission hearings, saying Apple and Facebook have so far concentrated their efforts on the payments sector. He also highlighted that sheer size (Apple's market capitalisation of $US883 billion ($1.14 trillion) exceeds the big four's combined) meant the tech firms could invest sums of money that no Australian bank could ever match. Down the track, it's also possible the tech firms could start offering loans for the things people buy on their platforms, further cutting the banks' grass. This is one potential scenario, sure. But it is also a long way from the current reality, in which the tech giants are still very much bit players in finance, if that. For example, Facebook holds a patent in Australia that would allow it to let users make "peer-to-peer" payments to each other. One day, this might give people yet another way to transfer money - though whether users would be keen to do so is another matter altogether. Loading Or take the example of Apple Pay - the tech giant's service that allows you to use your iPhone for tap-and-go payments. ANZ Bank is the only big four bank to offer the service, after the other majors reached a stalemate in talks with Apple. And although there is no comprehensive public data, ANZ's numbers suggest Apple Pay, launched almost two years ago, is used by a very small minority. The bank says 45 million transactions have occurred on all its "digital wallets" and "wearable" products in total. When you compare that to the 2.5 billion credit card transactions that happen annually across the economy, it's a tiny share, and in any case, it is being done in partnership with a bank. Peter Harris, who chairs the Productivity Commission and is reviewing competition in finance, pointed to these types of trends and signalled he was unconvinced by the bank's warnings about tech giants. "Existential threat? I don't know. Probably adjunct service in the marketplace," said Harris, who was speaking alongside Silk at the same conference. Another reason to be sceptical about the big banks' warnings on tech giants is that even if they were about to attack the banks, the big four would probably get plenty of warning, because overseas banks would be targeted first. Managing director of payments consulting firm The Initiatives Group, Lance Blockley, says there is little evidence so far to suggest Facebook, Google and Apple are about to launch an assault on the Australian banking sector. If they are going to do something new, we would expect them to do something new in their home market first, where the payments system is to some extent less advanced than Australia, Blockley says. Moreover, the small steps these tech giants have made into finance have, in many cases, seen them work in partnership with the existing payment systems, which are operated by the banks. Amazon and PayPal have both launched plastic payment cards in the US. But Blockley points out that Amazons credit card is issued by US bank Chase, while PayPals debit card is issued by a regional lender. Its not like these guys have said 'weve got to get ourselves banking licenses', says Blockley. A migrant worker who was underpaid the value of 93 weeks' wages over four years worked seven-days-a-week without time for lunch breaks or getting sick so he could support his family. The Federal Circuit Court also heard evidence that he was threatened with the sack when he asked for a pay rise and twice a week he took the rubbish home because the pharmacy he worked for did not have a bin. An employee who worked at Save and Deliver Sydney pharmacies was underpaid the equivalent of 93 weeks' wages. Credit:Virginia Star The court has fined the operators of four Sydney "Save and Deliver" pharmacies $45,000 after underpaying the Egyptian migrant worker who spoke little English. The total fine amounts to $62,010.59 over four years. Sydney men Nader Bastawrose, Amgad Samaan and Ashraf Youssef were each fined $15,000 after the Fair Work Ombudsman investigated and took legal action. A fireman extinguishes smoke that rises from the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center. Credit:Hassan Ammar Saturday mornings strike in response to the use of chemical weapons in Douma will have little impact on the Assad regime, leaving behind only a footnote in the history of the Syrian conflict and a question mark over the United States commitment to the Middle East. While Trump has, for the second time, been galvanised into action by the use of chemical weapons, which are estimated to have killed 2000 people through seven years of war, over the same period the United States has been silent on the approximately 100,000 civilian deaths. That many of them were killed by, among other means, siege and starve tactics, incendiary bombings and land mines all illegal under international law reinforces a view of the United States as uninterested. Loading Washingtons absence from Syria, other than through its war against Islamic State, was a strategy begun by President Obama and now continued by his successor who only weeks ago committed to leave Syria "very soon". This commitment should have been a positive pivot replacing a military mission with one focused on securing a role for the United States in the post-war Syria. Instead, the White House last month instructed the State Department to freeze US$200 million in funds earmarked for recovery efforts in Syria, an amount approximately equal to the cost of Saturday mornings strikes. Except for Panama and Haiti, each intervention was justified as a defence of innocent Muslims against their murderous leaders. This was not the only reason for each campaign, but it is a reason common to all of them. And Trump is no different. The United States attacks or invades a country about every 2 years. It has become a tradition of its foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. Elected to end it, President Donald Trump has joined that tradition. Attacking Syria has become something of an annual, Easter custom for Trump. His first strike was last April, his second almost exactly a year later. He is consistent, if nothing else. The President who apparently dislikes Muslims has now used the US military twice in defence of them. "Britain, France, and the United States of America have marshalled their righteous power against barbarism and brutality," he told us. The means were minimalist short, sharp air strikes but the aim, as in all the proceeding interventions, was substantially moral: to stop bad men doing bad things to innocent Muslims. Trump the Islamophobe is now, along with Britain's Theresa May and France's Emmanuel Macron, setting himself up as the principal protector of Muslim lives in Syria so long as those lives are threatened with chemical weapons. We fetishise the difference between Trump and Barack Obama but their approach to the human rights of Muslim populations is more similar than different. Obama famously led a military incursion "from behind" into Libya. His narrow aim was to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe sanctioned by the United Nations. The result was the assassination of Libyas leader and regime change not sanctioned by the UN. Trump wants to keep things simple. Get in and get out. Mission accomplished. Perfect execution. The lesson of previous military actions designed this way from the Balkans to Iraq, from Libya to Syria is that they rarely are. The US has found itself in possession of failed states without the political or psychological will to impose order upon them. Americans dont do empire. George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump were all initially elected to roll back US military adventurism, and yet all found themselves indulging in it. Even Trump. To save Muslims from poison gas, in coalitions of the willing, outside a United Nations mandate. The Western strike was a small action with a specific stated aim - the strikes "were successful and necessary to deter" Assad from using chemical weapons in future, according to a background briefing for reporters at the Pentagon. The US, Britain and France on the weekend launched missiles at a handful of Syrian government sites to defend the global ban on the use of chemical weapons. After an unhappy century, the Western powers are leaving the Middle East in a state of dangerous disarray but sought to retrieve a little dignity on the way out. It's little enough. Assad has killed at least 400,000 of his fellow Syrians in seven years of civil war. Of those, he has killed perhaps 2000 with chemical weapons, on the best estimates of human rights observers. That's just half of one per cent of the total toll of his great butchery. And all of Assad's conventional butchers' tools remain, sharp and ready. As British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson told the BBC: This is not about intervening in a civil war. It is not about regime change. It is about a limited and targeted strike that doesnt further escalate tension in the region." Unfortunately, it's not even likely to succeed in its very limited aim of deterring Assad from patching up his chemical weapons facilities and using them again. Three reasons. First, Assad's latest use of chemical weapons only confirmed their power. After the chemical attack on the hardy holdout rebels in the town of Douma, the rebels agreed to surrender within a couple of days. Assad won. Chemical weapons work. The Turnbull government is set for showdown with states and territories over its signature energy policy after new details of the plan revealed any additional efforts by the states to curb carbon emissions would not count towards the national target. A key policy design paper circulated among the states at the weekend and obtained by Fairfax Media appears to recommend a review of the emissions reductions target only every five years and provides for exemptions of trade-exposed companies that constitute as much as a fifth of demand. The exemption will be welcomed by manufacturers such as steelmaker Bluescope, but critics of policy regard aspects of the plan including the five-year reviews as inflexible at a time when the energy market is changing quickly. The emissions intensity of the power sector is on the increase. Credit:Bloomberg The 12-page Commonwealth Design Elements paper will be examined closely this week by energy ministers as they prepare for a gathering of Council of Australian Governments in Melbourne on Friday. Australias most senior bureaucrat during the period of its biggest economic reforms, has warned against cutting taxes if Australia is to avoid harsh austerity measures such as those forced on Greece and other debt-laden economies. Mike Keating says a sound taxation system is critical to future wellbeing. Credit:Sean Davey As the Turnbull government pursues tax cuts for companies and prepares to propose personal tax cuts in its forthcoming budget, the former secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in the 1990s, Michael Keating, said Australia was among the lowest taxed of all OECD countries, and could not afford to go lower. He dismissed Treasury's growth forecasts for its company tax cut as "infinitesimally small" amounting to "margin of error stuff" that few economic modellers would take seriously over 20-and 30-year time spans. The government's projections of demand for its spending programs in the Intergenerational Report showed, despite its achievement of a small surplus in 2012, worsening structural deficits that were unlikely to be addressed if the constant refrain from politicians was that Australia is a high-tax nation, he said. A briefing paper delivered to the Turnbull government amid a politically fraught debate on immigration warns cutting the current intake risks costing the federal budget billions of dollars, lowering economic growth and damaging the living standards of Australians. The migrant intake from 2014-15 alone will provide a $10 billion boost to the budget over the next five decades, the newly released Treasury and Home Affairs analysis found. It warned of "far reaching effects" of significantly lower economic growth if the current rate of migration is not maintained. The document adds a new dimension to disagreement inside the Coalition over whether Australia's 190,000 annual migration cap is to high. Former prime minister Tony Abbott has called for a cut of 80,000, while Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton privately canvassed a reduction of 20,000 before the idea was eventually ruled out. Other senior ministers, including Treasurer Scott Morrison, have publicly pushed an unashamedly pro-immigration policy. The briefing, ordered by Treasury secretary John Fraser and Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo in 2017 but delivered this year, found migrants boost the Australia economy by up to 1 per cent per year and those who have arrived since 1996 performed better in the workforce than the average Australian-born employee. The federal government needs to be prepared as a scandal over a data breach engulfing Facebook makes people more careful about web security, former Finance Department boss Jane Halton says. As the social media giant faced international scrutiny and US House and Senate hearings over a data breach involving Cambridge Analytica, a data-mining firm associated with Donald Trump's presidential campaign, Australian web users would become "smart purchasers" of technology, Ms Halton said. Jane Halton has spoken after the Cambridge Analytica revelations. Credit:Graham Tidy She said she'd been sceptical before the scandal that younger web users accustomed to social media would be casual about where their data went. "Seeing Mark Zuckerburg didn't want to say what hotel he stayed in has everyone saying 'we need to know about this'," she said, referring to an awkward exchange between the Facebook founder and a top US Democratic senator last Tuesday when the lawmaker asked him personal questions. The iconic WA-owned business Miss Maud Hotel has officially been sold off. The Miss Maud Swedish Hotel and Restaurant first opened on the corner of Pier and Murray Streets in 1973, and it went up for sale in August last year after nearly 45 years of trading. The Miss Maud Hotel in Perth's Murray Street. It is currently owned by managing director and namesake Maud Edmiston, who made the announcement on Monday morning. The hotel has been acquired by Stockholm Hotel Management, and the hotel's current employees were notified at the end of February their employment would be transferred from Miss Maud to the company. An 83-year-old man has been charged with historic child sex abuse offences, allegedly committed while he was a priest at a Shenton Park Catholic church between 1979 and 1992. Police allege the man physically and sexually assaulted seven children - boys and girls - who were aged between six and 12 years old at the time of the first offence. The man has been charged with six counts of indecent dealing with a child under 14 years old, one count of unlawfully and indecently assaulting a male and two counts of unlawful assault. He is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today. Detectives are urging anyone with information on the alleged offences to come forward as the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or go to www.crimestopperswa.com.au. West Australians are missing out on $1 billion in federal health funding in a "Canberra rip-off", the state's Health Minister says. Roger Cook met with his federal counterpart Greg Hunt last week to discuss what Mr Cook claims is a gap that sees WA taxpayers miss out on $277 per person in health care funds, compared to the national average. Health Minister Roger Cook says WA is being subjected to a "Canberra rip-off". "It's time for the Canberra rip-off to stop," Mr Cook told reporters on Monday. "WA taxpayers are having to foot the bill for funding which is not coming to our state," he said. Washington: President Donald Trump on Monday put the brakes on a preliminary plan to impose additional economic sanctions on Russia, walking back a Sunday announcement by US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley that the Kremlin had swiftly denounced as "international economic raiding." Preparations to punish Russia anew for its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government over the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria caused consternation at the White House. Haley said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that sanctions on Russian companies behind the equipment related to Assad's alleged chemical weapons attack would be announced on Monday by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. But as officials in Moscow condemned the planned sanctions as overly punitive, Trump conferred with his national security advisers later on Sunday and told them he was upset the sanctions were being officially rolled out because he was not yet comfortable executing them, according to several people familiar with the plan. Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United Nations UN. Credit:Bloomberg Administration officials said the economic sanctions were under serious consideration, along with other measures that could be taken against Russia, but said Trump had not given final authorisation to implement them. Administration officials said on Monday it was unlikely Trump would approve any additional sanctions without another triggering event by Russia, describing the strategy as being in a holding pattern. Russia, which backs the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, had repeatedly warned in the build-up to the cruise missile strikes that there would be consequences if they went ahead, and Johnson told the BBC's Andrew Marr that Russia "gives us every possible signal and evidence that we have to beware". Whitehall confirmed a 20-fold increase in "disinformation" being spread by Kremlin-linked social media "bot" accounts since the missile attacks on Syria in the early hours of Saturday. There are fears that this could be a precursor to a full-scale campaign of cyber attacks by Moscow, with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson saying Britain would take "every possible precaution" to guard against it. London: Russia has launched a "dirty tricks" campaign against Britain and the US following the Syria air strikes, British government sources say. Asked if he was worried about cyber attacks on the National Health Service (NHS), the National Grid and other infrastructure, Johnson said: "I think we have to take every possible precaution and, when you look at what Russia has done, not just in this country in Salisbury but the attacks on TV stations, on the democratic processes, on the critical national infrastructure, of course we have to be very, very cautious indeed." The Pentagon said there had been a surge in Russian "troll" accounts promoting false claims about the missile attacks, including that 70 per cent of the missiles had been shot down. "The Russian disinformation campaign has already begun. There has been a 2000 per cent increase in Russian trolls in the last 24 hours," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said. A Whitehall source said Russia was engaging in a "dirty tricks" campaign, while government sources said officials would be analysing Kremlin-linked social media "bot" accounts in the coming days to assess the extent to which Britain had been targeted by them. Johnson warned of a need to be prepared for retaliatory attacks just as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn attempts to force a Commons vote on Syria that could make it harder for Prime Minister Theresa May to mobilise the country's Armed Forces without the permission of MPs. From 26 March to 4 April 2018, the WCO conducted a Workshop on Coordinated Border Management in the City of Apia, Samoa, hosted by Samoa Customs and supported by Inland Revenue Service. The main objective of the Workshop was to provide the cross-border regulatory agencies in Samoa with the WCO perspective and tools for the improvement of border management procedures focusing on port operations related to the release and clearance of commodities. The WCO shared some experiences and best practices from other countries that have enhanced the collaborative environment in respective economies. The workshop was attended by different authorities of Samoa, such as Immigration Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Port and Airport authorities and Samoa Police. The workshop, as highlighted by the participants, was perceived as to be of great added value to the improvement of collaboration and engagement of all stakeholders involved in the cross border environment. Around 15 officials from cross-border regulatory agencies and other government agencies in Samoa attended to the workshop and worked together on several exercise scenarios in information sharing between agencies. The WCO experts presented different WCO instruments and tools about trade facilitation to provide guidance to participants in adopting a Coordinated Border Management approach and possibly designing the Single Window Environment to meet the needs and expectations of the private sector. During the workshop, WCO experts outlined the concepts of Coordinated Border Management, Single Window, Risk Management, Business Process Analysis, Data Harmonization, etc. supported by case studies from different countries. In addition, the participants, with the support of experts, carried out practical exercises to harmonize the data used by different agencies to process customs declarations, permits, certificates etc. The WCO workshop on Coordinated Border Management proved highly effective for the engagement of the different stakeholders and to identify future challenges for the enhancement of the collaborative environment. For further information please contact facilitation@wcoomd.org. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Man Arrested for Rape of Two Tennessee Girls Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 16, 2018 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 16, 2018 | 03:40 PM | PADUCAH, KY A McCracken County man was arrested after two girls told police they were kidnapped and sexually assaulted. The Paducah Police Department says a resident in the Forest Hills area called officers on Saturday, April 7. When interviewed, the 15- and 16-year olds said they were from Henderson, Tennessee, and had been brought to Paducah against their will. They reportedly told police they had been sexually assaulted multiple times and forced to cut and dye their hair. The girls said they escaped when the man left for work. Police investigated the claims, and learned that the girls were reported missing from Chester County, Tennessee. A joint investigation between Paducah Police and Tennessee law enforcement determined that one of the girls had communicated with 29-year-old Joshua S. Meyer through social media. Police went to the home and say Meyer, the home and the neighborhood resembled the description given by the girls. On April 10, police interviewed Meyer, who said he met one girl on social media over a year ago and that they had run away from home. Police say Meyer admitted driving to Henderson, bringing the girls to Paducah, and having sex with them. Meyer was arrested last Tuesday night on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy, along with second degree unlawful transaction with a minor. He was booked into McCracken County Jail, and police say more charges are likely. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 15, 2018 | 07:02 PM | GRAVES COUNTY, KY Twenty restaurants in Mayfield and Graves County will offer samples of their tasty cuisine Saturday, April 28, at the festive 5th annual Empty Bowls Event. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. you can try out a smorgasbord of yummies at the big community gathering, which raises money for the Mayfield-Graves County Food Pantry. The eating extravaganza will be held at Trace Creek Baptist Churchs Family Life Center, 3357 State Route 131. For a $15 ticket each diner gets to pick from a mixture of a unique bowls to gather samples of the goodies. After eating, participants take the bowls home as a reminder of hungry people around the world and in their own community. Participating restaurants this year are: A&B BBQ, Carrs Steakhouse, Cracker Barrel, Dairy Queen, Dinner Bell, Dominos, Happy House, Hardees, Larry, Darrel & Darrel, Majestic Pizza and Steak House, Mayfield Creek Market, Reds Donut Shop of Mayfield, Ritas Cafe, Snappy Tomato, Southern Reds BBQ, Taco Johns, The Catfish House, Wendys, Wilmas Kountry Kitchen, and Wings, Etc. Each year we have been blessed to have 20 of the local restaurants donate their time and food to help us raise funds to feed the hungry of our county said Claudia Heath, who started the local effort and has served as project coordinator each year. Local businesses donate to sponsor the cost of the bowls and that allows us to give 100 percent of the ticket money to the local pantry. The church graciously donates the facility. This is truly a community effort to help those who need the safety net provided by the pantry. In addition to all the food tasting, there will be a silent auction and door prizes donated by local merchants and individuals. There are about 20 silent auction items including paintings by local artists, unique home decor items, jewelry and one of a kind items donated by local artisans. Local businesses and individuals donating auction and door prizes to date are: The Artisan Event, Kings Antiques and Florist, Stones Drug Store, Duncans Drugs, Broadway Flowers & Gifts, Food Giant, The Frosted Farmhouse, plus 12 local artists. And more items are being donated every day. Tickets are available at the Trace Creek Church office, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., M-F; The Good News Shoppe, 203 E. South St., M-Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; or the Mayfield Food Pantry, S. 9th St., Mon.-Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon. For 10 or more tickets call Heath at 270-705-6062. Tickets will be available at the door as long as there are enough bowls to accommodate diners. About 1,000 persons are expected to attend. The past four years the event has raised about $50,000 for the Food Pantry, which provides emergency food supplies for about 350 local needy families each month. It is my belief that in this great county of ours, no one should go hungry, Heath noted. And if someone has a need, then we as a community have a responsibility to help in any way we can. I urge you to mark your calendars and come have lunch with us that day. If you attend once, I just know you will be back the next year. We are so thankful for this great fund-raiser that has provided needed money for the Food Pantry to keep assisting local residents, said Food Pantry Director Jackie Herndon. We encourage everyone to come out and support this event and have a great time for a great cause, helping our neighbors in need. The Empty Bowls project is an international effort started some 20 years ago to help alleviate hunger and raise awareness of the issues of hunger around the world. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 16, 2018 | 12:01 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY, KY A police pursuit through Marshall and Graves counties Sunday night left three people facing numerous charges. The Marshall County Sheriff's Office says police spotted a vehicle that had reportedly been taken without permission on West 5th Street in Benton around 11:00 pm. Police chased the vehicle on several roads throughout southwestern Marshall County and into Graves County until a deputy was able to use a PIT maneuver to bring the vehicle to a stop. The driver of the vehicle, Samuel Brackett, was arrested on a long list of charges, which include DUI, speeding, fleeing or evading police, driving on a DUI-suspended license, wanton endangerment, possession of meth, and possession of marijuana. Because a two-year-old child was found in the back seat of the vehicle, Brackett also faces a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor. Two adult passengers, Shelbie Vibbert of Calvert City and Kenneth Bean of Benton, were also arrested. Both were charged with possession of meth, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a minor. Police said after all three suspects were taken to the Marshall County Detention Center, a deputy jailer found a 2 gram bag of methamphetamine on Brackett's person. He was additionally charged with promoting contraband. By The Associated Press Apr. 16, 2018 | 10:59 AM | FRANKFORT, KY Gov. Matt Bevin's secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet has resigned to accept an appointment to the state Board of Education. Hal Heiner announced his resignation in a news release on Monday. The Louisville businessman was one of Bevin's GOP primary opponents in 2015. He has worked in the Bevin administration since December 2015. Heiner was one of seven new appointments Bevin made to the state Board of Education on Monday. They include Amanda Stamper, Bevin's former communications director who is now the public relations director for Anthem Inc. Heiner called his time at the cabinet the highlight of his career. He said he plans to use his new role to help improve test scores and other academic achievement indicators. AK AL AS AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA GU HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VI VA WA WV WI WY Dr. Thomas Seyfried URBANA, Ill. Promising research in pre-clinical models, and in humans, has shown efficacy in metabolic therapy for management of malignant cancer. Boston College biology professor, Thomas Seyfried, will discuss this issue during his keynote address, Cancer as a Mitochondrial Metabolic Disease: Implications for Novel Therapeutics, at the 2018 Nutritional Sciences Graduate Student Association Nutrition Symposium on Wednesday, April 18, from 4 to 5 p.m. in 180 Bevier Hall at the University of Illinois. The event is open to the public. Seyfried, who received his Ph.D. in genetics and biochemistry from the U of I in 1976, researches mechanisms by which metabolic therapy manages chronic diseases such as epilepsy, neurodegenerative lipid storage diseases, and cancer. In his keynote address, Seyfried will discuss how metabolic therapies targeting glucose and glutamine while increasing therapeutic ketosis may significantly improve quality of life and overall survival for many cancer patients. In addition to Seyfrieds keynote address, a mini-symposium including U of I faculty will take place from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. in the Monsanto Room of the ACES Library, Information, and Alumni Center. This years presentations will address nutritions role in metabolic alterations of disease, and will feature John Erdman, Rex Gaskins, and Hannah Holscher. Oral presentations by graduate students will take place from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. Poster presentations will occur from 5:15 to 6:40 p.m. All sessions except for the keynote address will take place in the ACES Library. Visit the symposium website, http://nutritionsymposium2018.weebly.com/, for more information. The Nutrition Symposium is sponsored by Abbott Nutrition; Mead Johnson Nutrition; Beneo; Hills Pet Nutrition; and the Student Organization Resource Fee (SORF). Friends of the symposium are Campbell Soup Company; U of I College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Departments of Animal Sciences, Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Human Development and Family Studies; U of I Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology; Carle Illinois College of Medicine; and U of I College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Comparative Biosciences. Source: Sarah Wells, 217-244-7819, slwells@illinois.edu News writer: Stephanie Henry, 217-244-1183, slhenry@illinois.edu Date: April 5, 2018 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 WiGBits Headline News Would you like to receive our WiGBits? Signup today! WiG Entertainment News Would you like to receive our WiG Entertainment News? Signup today! Digital Issue Would you like to receive our Digital Issue? Signup today! Weber says despite her overwhelming loss as a Kasich delegate that she has "as record of successfully representing the Republican electorate of our region as our IL-17th Congressional District State Central Committeeman." Wednesday, Illinois GOP committeemen will decide at county conventions throughout the state who they want to represent their congressional districts on the IL GOP State Central Committee. The 17th CD race is heating up as the day draws near, as incumbent Jan Weber argued her case in a letter sent to voting committeemen. PEORIA - The 17th CD State Central Committeeman race is coming down to a choice between re-electing Jan Weber - who ran in 2016 as a delegate for presidential candidate John Kasich - and Patrick Harlan - who won the highest number of primary votes in the 17th CD as a delegate for presidential candidate Ted Cruz . She goes on to blast opponent Patrick Harlan as an "extremist agitator" working for "a syndicate of Chicago political consultants" - assuming she means Dan Proft's Liberty PAC. She continues with an emotional appeal to the disgusted IL GOP base that she evidently believes will win support district-wide: "We can't allow his personal agenda to distract from what really matters - electing a state central committeeman who will unite and strengthen the IL GOP before the general election." What's the personal agenda Weber accuses Harlan of using to distract from IL GOP unification, Illinois Review asked Harlan. "I am not sure," Harlan said. "I am unapologetic about being a conservative. Assuming that must be what this letter refers to..." According to Illinois State Board of Elections vote tallies from the presidential primary delegate race in 2016, Harlan was overwhelmingly the district's favorite with nearly 27,000 votes. Weber, on the other hand, won a little over 11,000 votes as a Kasich delegate. That same year, Harlan did try but failed to knock off incumbent 17th CD Democrat Congresswoman Cheri Bustos - a favorite of Rahm Emanuel. The SSC vote this Wednesday will determine the direction of the IL GOP. Conservatives in the 17th are supporting Patrick Harlan. Rauner's devotees are pushing for Weber. Will the SSC's direction head more Left under Rauner's leadership, or will it shift to the Right as the conservative base indicated it desired with such overwhelming support for a little-known, under-funded state rep that nearly ousted the incumbent governor? Weber's letter echoes the arguments Governor Rauner's campaign has been making since he won the gubernatorial primary by less than 3 points last month: "The primary is over and we need to unite around what we agree on instead of focusing on what divides us. I have kept my promise to work toward uniting and strengthening the party and that's why I'm asking you to support me for another term." Surely Weber would have argued similarly had Jeanne Ives won the primary. Wits celebrates its rated researchers The Wits Research Office has recognised scholars at the University whom the National Research Foundation (NRF) has rated or re-rated. At a ceremony held at the Wits Art Museum in Braamfontein on Thursday 11 April, the University also acknowledged Wits most highly cited researchers worldwide and in faculties, the Universitys top supervisors in faculties, and special awards for research innovation and excellence. View photographs from the event here. Thuthuka grant recipients were recognised as emerging young researchers, as were Friedel Sellschop Early Career Academic awardees. National Research Foundation-rated researchers at Wits Following the ratings in 2017/18 by the National Research Foundation (NRF), the number of rated academics at Wits University now stands at 423. NRF A-rated researchers are those scholars recognised by their peers internationally as global leaders in their field. Wits now boasts 28 A-rated researchers. Additionally, the NRF awarded 39 Wits researchers with B, C, or Y ratings as follows: Three Wits researchers received B-ratings, denoting they are internationally acclaimed 24 Wits researchers received C-ratings, indicating they are established researchers 12 Wits researchers received Y-ratings as promising young researchers. Here is the complete list of names of NRF-rated Wits researchers awarded at the ceremony The Innovation Excellence Award acknowledges a researcher whose work has impact in that it changes a field of research and becomes a commercial innovation. Professor Luke Chimuka in the School of Chemistry received this award for a method he developed to produce an extract from the Moringa plant through pressurised hot water extraction. The result was the production of sophisticated food and supplement products for consumers, now sold as yoghurt in Wits canteens. Microbiologist Professor Lynn Morris and Paleoanthropologist, Professor Lee Berger were recognised for being the most highly cited scholars in the world. Highly Cited Researchers is an annual list compiled by Clarivate Analytics that recognises leading researchers in the sciences and social sciences globally. The most highly cited researchers per faculty were: Professor Neil Covill, Director: Postgraduate Affairs pointed out that Wits has some 12 000 postgraduates students, all of whom require supervision. Coville recognised the top postgraduate supervisors in faculty: Research Professor of Virology, Professor Caroline Tiemessen received the 2018 Vice-Chancellors Research Award. Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Tawana Kupe, Acting Vice-Chancellor, said: Research at Wits is alive and well. In the last eight years, our annual output has doubled. The average annual growth is 10% since 2009 and in 2016 a stellar year our growth was 18%. And just in case you felt it was a numbers game only, this growth has been achieved without a drop in quality. Indeed, quality is rising too. According to the Web of Science, Wits research is, on average, 30% better than the world average. Furthermore, we have consistently had two or more scholars in the top 1% of global scholars by citations. All of this is only possible because of the talented people that contribute to Wits. With an unusually long editorial in Monday's newspaper, The New York Times is making a forceful statement: "The president is not above the law." The 1,366-word article warns that President Donald Trump "may act to cripple or shut down an investigation by the nation's top law-enforcement agencies into his campaign and administration." It says that "lawmakers need to be preparing now for that possibility because if and when it comes to pass, they will suddenly find themselves on the edge of an abyss, with the Constitution in their hands." The editors are referencing concerns Trump could fire special counsel Robert Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. "More Republicans need to make it clear that they won't tolerate any action against either man," The Times says. The editorial takes up a full page of Monday's Times. Normally, there are several editorials and letters from readers on the page. But the editorial page editor, James Bennet, said this moment in time called for a unique response. "It's become apparent in recent days that this political and legal struggle could escalate at any moment into a full-blown constitutional crisis that no one should want," Bennet told CNNMoney in an email. "We hope that won't happen, but we wanted to prepare our readers -- and maybe even help fend off the crisis -- by making clear how high the stakes would be." Related: Can Congress stop Trump from firing Mueller? The editorial was published on NYTimes.com Sunday evening. It was produced by the newspaper's editorial board, a team of writers and editors who work separately from the newsroom. The article says that if Trump moves to fire Mueller or Rosenstein, "he will be striking at the foundation of the American government, attempting to set a precedent that a president, alone among American citizens, is above the law." It will "instantly become a constitutional crisis," the writers say. The editorial board saves its strongest words for the end. "The president is not a king but a citizen, deserving of the presumption of innocence and other protections, yet also vulnerable to lawful scrutiny," the editorial says. "We hope Mr. Trump recognizes this. If he doesn't, how Republican lawmakers respond will shape the future not only of this presidency and of one of the country's great political parties, but of the American experiment itself." Beauty is a multibillion-dollar global business dominated by a few massive brands. Competing with the likes of L'Oreal, Estee Lauder and Shiseido is tough, especially for smaller companies. But one Singaporean startup, Allies of Skin, has managed to take on big beauty by building a global network. The company started out in 2016 with just three products. "It was a little unusual for this industry because you have brands usually launching with eight or ten products," said founder Nicolas Travis. Related: Why is L'Oreal buying a technology company? Allies of Skin now has seven products, and they're not cheap. Prices range from 50 Singapore dollars ($45) for a small bottle of cleanser to 159 Singapore dollars ($120) for an overnight facial product. In the beginning, getting noticed wasn't easy in a crowded industry where three companies account for over 25% of the market, according to research firm Euromonitor International. But Travis said he was persistent, repeatedly calling and emailing buyers. He eventually persuaded high-end retailers in a dozen countries to start stocking Allies of Skin products. Related: Glossier CEO: Brands of the future will be 'co-created' The company was also tapping into a growing demand for niche and indie products. Cult brands like Glossier and NYX in the United States, and Charlotte Tilbury in Britain, have seen massive growth thanks to word of mouth and so-called online influencers. The global industry for beauty and personal care products is expected to grow about 4% annually, reaching $430 billion dollars by 2022, according to Allied Market Research. Digital sales are driving that growth. Shoppers are increasingly bypassing department stores, once the main place for selling high-end beauty products, according to a report last year from consulting firm Deloitte. Now, four out of five beauty shoppers research and buy products online. Related: Americans are putting snail slime on their faces Allies of Skin is riding that wave: e-commerce accounts for more than half of its total sales. Travis said he expects revenue to grow from $700,000 in the company's first year to at least $2 million this year. In addition, exactly how those topics and personalities are portrayed in American history will be outlined int the state proposal, an how they are included in a school's curriculum will be the responsibility of regional superintendents. The sexual orientation of various historical figures will be mandated to be included in public school's history textbooks for Illinois students if either of two measures in the Illinois General Assembly become law. The contributions of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual persons will be the emphasis of the new curriculum requirements for elementary and high school levels. SPRINGFIELD - Was Abraham Lincoln gay or straight? How about Woodrow Wilson or Robert Taft? What type of sex did they prefer - or what were their identified sexual orientations? Senate Bill 3249 has passed the Senate Education Committee and is on 2nd reading in the chamber. The current sponsor and co-sponsors are all Democrats, including Sen. Heather A. Steans - David Koehler - Emil Jones, III - Toi W. Hutchinson - Daniel Biss, Cristina Castro, Omar Aquino, Melinda Bush, Julie A. Morrison, Kimberly A. Lightford and Iris Y. Martinez. Synopsis As Introduced Amends the School Code. With regard to the textbook block grant program, provides that the textbooks authorized to be purchased must accurately portray the diversity of our society, including the role and contributions of people protected under the Illinois Human Rights Act, and must be non-discriminatory as to certain characteristics under the Act. Provides that the teaching of history of the United States in public schools shall include a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State. Requires every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the significant role of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in society. Specifies instruction requirements. Requires the regional superintendent of schools to monitor a school district's compliance with the curriculum requirements. Effective July 1, 2019. House Bill 5596 has also passed the House Education Committee and is on 2nd reading in the House. Republican State Rep. Steven A. Andersson has signed on as a co-sponsor, along with Democrats Rep. Anna Moeller - Juliana Stratton - Arthur Turner - Jonathan Carroll - Sam Yingling, Will Guzzardi, Sara Feigenholtz, Ann M. Williams, Theresa Mah, Deb Conroy, Robert Martwick and Jaime M. Andrade, Jr. Synopsis As Introduced Amends the School Code. With regard to the textbook block grant program, provides that the textbooks authorized to be purchased must accurately portray the diversity of our society, including the role and contributions of people protected under the Illinois Human Rights Act, and must be non-discriminatory as to certain characteristics under the Act. Provides that the teaching of history of the United States in public schools shall include a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history of this country and this State. Requires every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the significant role of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals in society. Specifies instruction requirements. Requires the regional superintendent of schools to monitor a school district's compliance with the curriculum requirements. Effective July 1, 2019. As long as legislation is on 2nd reading, it can be amended. Once moved to 3rd reading, the measure can be voted upon in that chamber. It would then proceed to the other and then to the Governor. Currently, only the state of California has similar mandates of teaching sexual orientations of certain historical figures. Walt Heyer, who, during childhood, considered himself a trans-sexual, is adamantly opposed to this idea. He wrote a piece on the California law as a fellow with the Witherspoon Institute which included these thoughts: By Jamie Gangel, CNN (CNN) -- Former first lady Barbara Bush is in failing health, a source close to the Bush family tells CNN. The source said she is being cared for at her home in Houston and has decided she does not want to go back into the hospital. She has been on oxygen for some time. Her husband, former President George H. W. Bush is with her, as are daughter Doro and sons Marvin and Neil. Her other sons, former President George W. Bush and former Gov. Jeb Bush, have been in and out visiting her the past week. Bush's office released a statement, confirming after a "recent series of hospitalizations," she has decided against seeking additional medical help and will instead focus on "comfort care." "It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself thanks to her abiding faith but for others. She is surrounded by a family she adores, and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving," the statement continued. At 92 years old, Bush has been suffering for some time and has been in and out of the hospital multiple times in the last year while battling with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, and congestive heart failure. Most recently, she was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital on Good Friday suffering from shortness of breath. She was doing better and had been released earlier this past week, but started to get worse in the past couple of days. People are generally aware that Bush Sr. suffers from a form of Parkinson's disease that has him in a wheelchair; however, most were not aware of the former first lady's health problems, which started about two years ago. The Bushes have been married for 73 years. The former President wrote in his book, "All the Best, George Bush:" "We are two people but we are one." Bush is the only living wife of one former President and the mother of another former President. She has dedicated her life post-White House life to the cause of literacy, and she and her husband have raised more than a billion dollars for charity since they left office. (The-CNN-Wire & 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.) UPDATE: Sherman Drive across from MVCC has be reopened, according to the New York State Department of Transportation. UTICA- List of road closures the New York State Department of transportation. 1. Sherman Drive across from MVCC, crews installing new utility pole. 2. Route 365 in Trenton in both directions between Corber Road and Mappa Ave. in Barneveld, wires down. 3. Route 12 South to Route 5A West exit ramp, failing power pole on Oriskany Street. 4. Route 5A closed in both directions from Platt Street to Schuyler Street, failing power pole. NEWSChannel 2 will provide the latest information as it becomes available. Proposals to overturn the physical presence standard in Quill and expand state taxing powers risk undermining foundational principles of competitive federalism while increasing compliance burdens on small businesses. Permitting interstate tax collection would undermine local business owners ability to vote on tax laws that affect them. Without a physical presence standard, local Oregon e-retailers would suddenly have to comply with every sales tax law in over 10,000 state and local taxing jurisdictions. If states wish to impose costs on retailers within their borders, they should be able to do so. However, retailers should not be subject to mandates from states with which they have no physical connectionand whose policymakers face no accountability for the tax and regulatory costs they impose. Interstate taxation would also introduce a new disparity. Local brick-and-mortar stores have only the compliance burden of their state and local tax systems. Expanded interstate taxes would subject remote sellers to tax systems in every state in which they have a customer. The compliance burdens for online retailers could be prohibitively expensive. Even with new technology solutions and simplified state sales taxes, the cost of new tax software, compliance and liability costs, claims by tax-exempt customers, inquiries from tax authorities, and time to address the inevitable glitches are overwhelming costs to small businesses. The physical presence standard preserves the natural limits of state revenue collectors and protects out-of-state retailers from undue compliance burdens. Internet vendors should be taxed on an equal footing with brick-and-mortar retailersat the origin of sale.Because legislators have enlisted businesses as their tax collectors, the tax collection is best tied to the business location.[Internal citations omitted.] CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (AP) A western Indiana church is seeking people willing to give up semi-automatic rifles, bump stocks or large-capacity ammunition clips. Members of Wabash Avenue Presbyterian Church in Crawfordsville say they'll give gun owners a $100 grocery store gift card for guns and a $25 gift card for accessories. Church members David and Sheridan Hadley tell the (Crawfordsville) Journal Review that they wanted to take action after the February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people. David Hadley says the buy-back program is giving people a chance to get some guns out of circulation. The buy-back effort is set for April 28 at the Crawfordsville Police Department in the city about 40 miles northwest of Indianapolis. All items collected will be melted down at Nucor Steel. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Atucha 1 operating licence renewed 16 April 2018 Share Argentina's nuclear regulator has extended the operating licence of the Atucha 1 nuclear power reactor. The licence extension allows the 44-year-old 362 MWe (gross) pressurised heavy water reactor - the first nuclear power plant in Latin America - to operate until 2024. The Atucha 1 plant (Image: NA-SA) On 9 April the Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear (ARN) issued an amendment to the operating licence of Atucha 1, which authorises the start of Stage A of the plant's long-term operation. ARN said that during this phase progress will be made in the preparation of the plant's modernisation project, which would make its operation viable in the longer term, at Stage B. The new permit allows Atucha 1 to operate for five years of full power generation, or until 29 September 2024, the end date of the current periodic safety review, whichever occurs first. A formal delivery ceremony was held on 12 April at ARN's headquarters in Buenos Aires, during which ARN chairman Nestor Masriera presented the amended operating licence to Ruben Semmoloni, president of Nucleoelectrica Argentina SA (NA-SA). Construction of the Siemens-supplied Atucha 1 plant began near Lima, 100km northwest of Buenos Aires, in June 1968. The plant - also now known as Peron - entered commercial operation in June 1974. Atucha is home to two of Argentina's three operating nuclear power plants, all pressurised heavy water reactors. With total generating capacity of 1627 MWe, the three units - Atucha 1 and 2 plus Embalse - provide about 10% of the country's electricity. A prototype domestically designed and developed 25 MWe small pressurised water reactor - CAREM - is under construction at a site adjacent to the Atucha plant. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics But this time McCann may be seeking a bid for his own Senate seat in 2018, but instead of a member of the GOP caucus, he would be seeking it as an independent. The Republican announced earlier this year he would not be seeking re-election in 2018. SPRINGFIELD - GOP State Senator Sam McCann has threatened an independent bid for governor in the past, and the rumor is two-term Jacksonville lawmaker will be making an announcement Monday on a similar theme. McCann is a strong advocate for the state employees that live in his district, and because the district leans Republican these days, the state employee unions are concerned that a Rauner-esque Republican could fill McCann's Senate seat. McCann is also a Second Amendment proponent - as well as one of the governor's harshest critics. Just last week, the senator made these comments on his Facebook page tying Rauner budget cuts to new attempts to undermine the Second Amendment: In 2016, 2017 and now with the proposed 2019 state budget, Gov. Rauner continued to eliminate state support for mental health programs. His cuts denied mental health services to nearly 47,000 people in need and cost almost 1,000 mental health workers their jobs. We (the Illinois General Assembly) enacted a 2018 budget to support mental health over the governors objections and veto. As lawmakers we can only authorize spending, we cant make the governor actually spend the money to support mental health. To date, the governor refuses to fund $26 million worth of mental health programs despite having the full authority to do so. So, regardless of party and regardless of ZIP Code, the one thing that nearly all political leaders seem to agree on, at least in words, is the need to get back to investing adequately in our mental healthcare system. It needs to become less about words and more about deeds. 2018 Sam McCann Illinois Review will update this story with more developments as they occur. Earlier this year, Senator McCann endorsed Republican primary candidate Jonas Petty, who failed to knock off incumbent State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer. Police in California began an investigation after women reported getting rashes and bumps on their bodies after using some brand name cosmetics. Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department soon learned that those cosmetics with brand names such as Anastasia, MAC, and Kylie were counterfeit. LAPD Captain Marc Reina posted photos, showing police raiding stores and collecting the counterfeit cosmetics. He wrote that the Major Task Force went to 21 locations in the L.A. Fashion District, where they confiscated $700,000 worth of counterfeit cosmetics. Shockingly, after testing the products, Reina said that police learned the cosmetics contained bacteria and human waste. Reina advised people that the best price is not always the best deal. Man dies after being struck by a train at Gwersyllt station This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 16th, 2018 A man has sadly died after an incident at Gwersyllt station late last night. British Transport Police have told us this morning: A 30-year-old man has sadly died after they were struck by a train at Gwersyllt station yesterday evening. Officers attended the incident, alongside paramedics and North Wales Police, after receiving a call shortly after 10:20pm. British Transport Police added: The mans family has been informed. This incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner. Many nearby residents reported a large emergency service response in the area near to the station, through to the early hours of this morning. Wrexham man arrested twice within hours on suspicion of drug driving overnight This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 16th, 2018 A local man was arrested twice on suspicion of drug driving within the space of a few hours over the weekend. The 42-year-old man from Penley in Wrexham was arrested shortly after 11:30pm last night (Sunday) after being initially stopped due to driving at excess speed. Police say he failed the roadside drugs test after testing positive for cocaine and was taken into police custody. The man was later released under investigation pending the results of further tests. Despite being warned not to drive he was seen getting into his car and was arrested on suspicion of drug driving for a second time shortly before 02:30am this morning. Officers now await the results of further tests before any charges are brought forward. The arrest was one of several drink and drug driving related incidents dealt with across the region over the weekend. North Wales Police Roads Policing Unit are once again issuing a warning to the motoring public that they will crack down on those caught driving whilst under the influence. Sergeant Meurig Jones from the Forces Roads Policing Unit said: Despite our repeated warnings regarding the dangers of drink and drug driving, people are still choosing to risk their own lives and the lives of other road users by taking to the roads whilst under the influence. Throughout 2017 North Wales Police made 882 drink drive and 600 drug drive arrests and we will continue in our efforts to change driver behaviour in order to make our roads safer. He added: The man who was arrested twice in the space of a few hours now has an anxious wait for the test results. If convicted of drug driving he could face being disqualified from driving, a fine, a prison sentence and a criminal record. A drug drive conviction also means greater insurance costs and the possibility of being unable to travel to countries such as the USA. Elsewhere across North Wales, a 38-year-old woman was arrested on Holyhead Road, Bangor just after midnight on Monday 16th April after testing positive for cocaine at the roadside. She was initially stopped by police after being seen driving at excess speed. She also tested positive for alcohol but the reading was just under the legal limit. She has since been released pending the results of further tests. At around 3pm yesterday afternoon a man was arrested after testing positive for cocaine at the roadside in Queensferry. The 22-year-old, who is from the Anglesey area has since been released pending the results of further tests. During the early hours of Sunday morning a man was stopped whilst travelling on the A5 near Bangor as he had a defective light. He was subsequently arrested after testing positive for cocaine at the roadside. The 33-year-old man from Wrexham also provided a positive roadside breath test, however he blew under the legal limit after arriving at custody. He has since been released under investigations pending the results of further tests. On Friday, 13th April a man was stopped on the A548 in Towyn as he was suspected to be involved in shoplifting. Officers searched the vehicle and the 27-year-old driver, who is from the Pensarn area, was arrested on suspicion of going equipped. He also tested positive for cocaine at the roadside and was further arrested on suspicion of drug driving. His vehicle was seized due to no licence or insurance. He has been released under investigation pending the results of further tests. And a 43-year-old man from Greenfield, Holywell was arrested during the early hours of Saturday after testing positive for cannabis at the roadside. He has since been released under investigation pending the results of further tests. Sgt Jones said: Driving with excess alcohol or under the influence of drugs is not just a criminal offence but also completely unacceptable which puts lives at risk. We will continue to target those breaking the law as part of daily policing. The weekend also saw officers dealing with serious road traffic collisions, assisting colleagues from a neighbouring force who were looking for a high risk missing person who was later found, and assisted local policing colleagues with domestic-related incidents. If you have information relating to someone you think is driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, please contact North Wales Police on 101 or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency always dial 999. Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner smiles after signing legislation that limits how local and state police can cooperate with federal immigration authorities. AP (Ashlee Rezin /) The following petition has been filed by Rosanna Pulido via the White House site "We the People". WE, The Citizens of Illinois want the Dept Of Justice to sue The State Illinois for their Sanctuary State Policies. In Illinois we have unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on us, by the Illinois General Assembly and the Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. They have enacted the TRUST ACT SB31 Illinois Trust Act. Provides that a law enforcement agency or official shall not detain or continue to detain any individual solely on the basis of any immigration detainer \ immigration detainer . Provides that a law enforcement agency or official shall not (1) give any immigration agent access to any individual; (2) transfer any person into an immigration agent's custody; (3) permit immigration agents use of agency facilities or equipment. Our Public Safety is at risk! We ask the Dept of Justice to give the Tax payers of Illinois Protection, and a fighting chance!! According to the website, in order for the petition to get a response from the White House, the petition needs 99,997 signatures by According to organizers, 25,000 people demonstrated in the German capital Berlin on Saturday against rising rent prices and the lack of housing. Like other cities across Germany, apartments in Berlin are unaffordable for growing numbers of people due to investors insatiable profit demands. A section of the protest A broad alliance of 200 organizations called the demonstration. Over recent days, various actions took place daily under the slogan Coming Together. These included public debates, the symbolic blocking of streets, and film screenings. The large numbers participating in the demonstration, which was originally only expected to attract 4,000, illustrates the depth of the anger over expensive rents among students, workers, low-paid self-employed professionals and pensioners. The official parties and trade unions were hardly anywhere to be seen, while homemade signs and banners predominated. "Apartments instead of weapons" Many participants linked the issue of rent with criticism of capitalism. Housing is not a commodity, No profit from our rent, and Push back capitalism were some of the banners. One participant focused on the major programme of rearmament agreed upon by the new grand coalition government, demanding, Apartments instead of weapons. Many of the demonstrators have first-hand experience of the impact of rent increases. Nadja, who came to the protest with her sister Katja, fears that she will no longer be able to keep living in her district of Prenzlauer Berg with her partner and two children. Like many other renters, she has an old contract. If renovations take place, that would be a total disaster. She spoke about an 80-year-old neighbour who lost her apartment because she was unable to pay the rent. Housing is a basic right, interjected Katja, who lives in Berlin Mitte. She said hyper capitalism was responsible for rent increases and growing social polarisation. She gave expression to what many demonstrators were thinking. Christine also has first-hand experience of the situation. Her rent was recently increased by 10 percent. She is in her mid-20s, works as a social worker, and has to spend around 50 percent of her wages on rent. I have virtually nothing for cultural activities, because electricity, groceries, transport costs, etc. eat up almost all the rest. A group of students and apprentices has made the same experience. They are directly impacted by rent increases. Some of them are already spending 40 percent of their low incomes on rent. Niko is looking for an apartment. But as an apprentice it is difficult, because landlords prefer people with a secure income. Jens, a doctoral medical student, confirmed this. During his search for an apartment, he has received offers of apartments with rents between 12 and 17 per square meter, which is unaffordable for him. Niko, Hanne and Sahra with a group of students and trainees Another demonstrator explained that her 21-year-old son still stays with her because he cannot afford his own apartment due to the rapidly increasing rents. She also fears not being able to afford her apartment when she retires soon. Then I would have to move away from Berlin, she said. Angela, a 44-year-old saleswoman who came alone to the demonstration, explained that rent is not the only problem. My wages havent increased in years. If my job paid well, it wouldnt be so bad. Asked if she thought the rent issue was part of precarious social conditions, Angela answered, Yes, rents and wages are political problems, but none of the governing politicians are interested in them. This view was widespread at the demonstration. Christine, the social worker, felt that the politicians who allowed this misery in the housing market are deaf to the needs of the population. The Socialist Equality Party (Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, SGP) distributed a statement which declared that exploding rent costs are a product of a deliberate policy of redistributing wealth from the bottom to the top. All parliamentary parties are involved in this. Katja (left) and Nadja As an SGP member discussed this with Katja and Nadja, they responded thoughtfully. Nadja said that in the face of the constantly deteriorating social situation, she often feels helpless. Katja recalled that she experienced the reunification of Germany. Maybe we need to step up the pressure. We certainly need to come together, she said. The problems are the same around the world, her sister added. The connection between the social crisis and the drive to war was repeatedly discussed. Nadja and Katja were very concerned about this. Im not actually very political, but it is becoming increasingly scary, said Nadja. A very one-sided picture is being presented in the media, as if Russia is responsible for everything, she added. I have friends in Russia, reported Katja. Of course there are dictatorial tendencies in the country. But you get a very NATO-conformist picture from Berlin. Nadja also referred to the alleged attack on the former double agent Sergei Skripal. Moscow was accused straight away. The waves started, as if they agreed on it beforehand. Stefanie (left) and Sabine Stefanie and Sabine were also not only protesting over rent increases. The whole system needs to be condemned, they said. I always wonder when this began, that the rich own so much and the vast majority have nothing. All of this concerns me, especially the war policy, said Sabine, a social worker. With regard to Syria and Russia, she did not feel she is being neutrally informed. I dont understand whats going on in their heads. And when they want to let refugees die at the border or treat them so badly here. The SGP leaflet distributed in large numbers at the demonstration was met with great interest. In contrast to the organisers and the political organisations at the demonstration, the SGP linked the question of rent to the social crisis and drive to war. The statement declared, Todays protest over rent is part of a growing struggle against social inequality, work speed-up and the militarisation of the state. In France, students are protesting and railway workers are on strike, large numbers of teachers are walking off the job in the United States, and here in Germany sections of the public sector have been on strike. The SGP leaflet advanced the following perspective for the struggle, When workers defend their social rights and fight for affordable rent, they inevitably come into conflict with the government and all parties in parliament. Winning this struggle requires the adoption of a socialist programme that places the needs of the population ahead of profit and a revolutionary party to unite workers around the world in the fight against social inequality and war. The Socialist Equality Party (SGP) fights for this perspective. On Friday, students protested in Paris as rail workers began two more days of strike action against rail privatization. On the fifth strike day, the explosiveness of the social and international situation was plainly apparent. President Emmanuel Macron had just appeared on TF1 television, promising to disregard public opinion and continue his social attacks, while also threatening Syrian and Russian forces with the air strikes in Syria that went ahead early Saturday morning, European time. Students also opposed Macrons call, supported by Jean-Luc Melenchons Unsubmissive France (LFI) movement, to return to the draft under cover of a universal national service, as well as moves to systematically break student blockades of universities protesting Macrons reforms. They stressed the link between militarism abroad and repression at home, as well as the rise of social inequality under capitalism. Maxime and his friend told WSWS reporters at the Tolbiac campus in Paris of their opposition to Macrons reforms and the military escalation launched by Washington, London and Paris in Syria. He said, We are still living with nuclear weapons everywhere, and we are trapped in an escalation spiral that threatens to go nuclear. That can lead nowhere, so it is totally stupid to let a global conflict heat up this way. Maxime was doubtful of Macrons allegations that the Syrian regime had waged a chemical attack in Douma. France, he said, would not have the right to intervene this way without UN approval, even if it were the case that the chemical attacks were in fact launched by Bashar al-Assads government. Anyway, we have seen that all the Middle East wars in the last 30 years in Iraq, Afghanistan, and so on, the Western interventions do not do much except send violence soaring in those countries. In the end, I think it is probably just to justify our military budget and boost our weapons sales. He stressed his support for the rail workers faced with the danger of privatization: What is being done is just to smash all the public services. If we dont support the rail workers, the reform will necessarily pass. It is good also for them to be with us, a real coming together of the struggles is taking place now, a real counter-power to the government is emerging. He also pointed to the ever more violent and authoritarian policy of the French government, noting that Macron is totally separated from reality and is responding with police repression. There are attacks in Rennes, Montpellier, Lyon, and Nanterre. Macron is separated from the people, the youth, from the ideas of the rail workers, from everyone. Livio, a sociology student, also pointed to the imminent danger of war: Many people think that there can or could be the beginning of a third world war. We are watchful, but the fact remains that the climate is extremely dangerous. He added that universal military service was removed a few years ago, putting it back into place in 2018 is scandalous. The youth these days are not anymore in a mindset of joining the army, it is impossible especially if one does not support the government. Livio warned that if Macron imposes his plans for stepped-up selection of students in the universities, It will be an anti-egalitarian system, like paying private schools. Unfortunately, it will be those with the best grades and the most money who will go to university. It will accentuate class divisions that are still present, and now it will accentuate them even more. It is dangerous. Adelaide stressed her opposition to the anti-egalitarian principles involved in selecting students: For me, the principle of the university is to provide an education for everyone. And this law will prevent the broadest masses from having access to college and an education. Getting an education is not just about getting a diploma and finding a job, its also about intellectual growth. We have a right to make mistakes in our educational path, to change fields, not to know what we are doing. Macrons reforms, she added, would of course harm the poorest people, whose parents cannot afford to support them financially in their studies. Students who are working are also important, I am thinking for example of older students who come back later in life to continue their studies. She also called for the population to support striking rail workers: Yes, its annoying to be 40,000 in a subway and yes its annoying to have trains canceled, but ultimately its in a good cause. I live in the suburbs, but of course the rail workers are not doing this just for kicks. It takes up their working time. They lose money when they dont work, it is a sacrifice that they are making and I think we should support them. Ella criticized media claims that the goal of France and NATO in bombing Syria is to help the Syrian people. She said, In my town there is the biggest camp with Syrians in France. We help them to start a better life; the Syrians who are fleeing war, they arrive without anything, just like that. I could speak about it for hours. There are pregnant women who do not have what is needed to prepare to give birth. But they cut electricity in the city, our mayor has refused access to education to Syrian children. Most of the Syrian people never wanted this war. They now find themselves in France where they are repressed, discriminated against, singled out and rejected by everyone. On universal national service, she said that youth will end up being totally against it, because for one it will increase social inequality. They will put more money in some new military service thing, whereas we already dont have enough funding for our studies. And it would be training youth to do military service, lets be blunt, training them for war. Youth between 18 and 25, we dont need to be trained for war, to be brainwashed by an army that is just looking for cannon fodder. She also criticized Macrons reactionary social priorities, pointing to the case of Liliane Bettencourt, Frances richest woman, who died last year with a net worth of almost 36 billion: I am for sharing the wealth of all, in fact. There is this story of Liliane Bettencourt. It would take you 2 million years of your salary to accumulate the net worth that she had, this shows clearly that there is something really wrong. She added, There are many people who come see us, many rail workers, health care workers. It is all the same struggle. I really hope that after a while, we will have a general strike. We hope that our struggles will come together and that we will end up with 10 million people in the street, like what happened 50 years ago, during the 1968 general strike. Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to workers and young people over the weekend on the military assault by the US, Britain and France on Syria. At a lobby outside Prime Minister Theresa Mays official 10 Downing Street residence Friday evening, Jeff, a software engineer, said, Theres no certainty that the Syrian government is responsible for a chemical weapons attack. Protesters gather outside Downing Steet on Friday evening to oppose war in Syria You dont bomb another country because you disapprove of what they are doing. If you want to bomb countries because you disapprove of them, why is Yemen still going on? Why is the problem in Myanmar still going on? We saw what happened last time in Libya. We saw what happened before that in Iraq. We have had enough of going to war based on intelligence that we never see. The Russians poisoning of the Skripalsagain intelligence we cant see. Just believe us, just trust us the government says. No, not any more. Trust is gone. Youve got to prove it. Going toe to toe with Russia is a brave step, even for these fools. In the case of Iraq with Saddam Hussein and in Libya with Colonel Gaddafi, it was an easy win. But its not an easy win if Russia says they will retaliate. That must give pause for thought. If the British government lost a frigate or a submarine, it could not do much to Russia. But America obviously could, and we dont want to be sitting here between America and Russia having a war. I think its because the press and the television, who are cheerleaders for this nonsense, that we are in this situation. Rather than lobbying my MP Id rather lobby the BBC, Radio 4s Today programme or Newsnight demanding they do a proper job holding Parliament to account. I feel betrayed by the Guardian failing to oppose military intervention. Their lead editorial today is full on pro-war. People discuss the military strikes in Syria at the Socialist Equality Party stall in Manchester Artist Aheela has composed two paintings, portraying Prime Minister Theresa May and President Donald Trump as warmongers. He explained, According to the British Constitution, the prime minister cannot declare war without the consent of Parliament. She just shows contempt for Parliament, so I paint her as you see. With or without parliamentary approval, what will a war achieve? Which war has ever achieved anything, apart from destruction, misery and massacres? In Manchesters Rusholme district, reporters spoke to Tashoor. He said, I think this is more to do with politics against Russia than Syria or concern for the people there. They are opposing Russia on all fronts. NATO is dominated by the US and the UK is just following it. The same thing happened with Iraq and Afghanistan. We dont need any more wars. We need a peace process, but we need people to resolve things, not politicians. All that is happening now is that regimes are being taken out through invasions and others are put in and they are just as exploitative as the ones they replaced. All these wars since 1990 are to do with politics and economics, arent they? Its about resources and how the UK can get better sanctions in place so they can make more money for companies who are manufacturing weapons. BAE Systems is one of the biggest weapons makers in the world. How can it be beneficial to the people of Syria to give rebel groups weapons and then after that bomb areas in Syria with planes from the UK and US? I dont believe all this stuff about chemical weapons attacks. It was the same with Iraq. They said they had weapons of mass destruction there. They destroyed the whole country and the country is still in ruins. It was same in Afghanistan when they just installed Hamid Karzai. Karzai worked for an oil company in America. The United Nations was supposedly set up to ensure we would have no major wars in the world, but the UN is just a puppet for the US. There should have been a referendum on whether to go to war! They are asking us to go to war with no evidence. Nothing at all. This is all governed by economics and geopolitics. Ruairi is a student and lived in Russia for eight months: Its very corrupt there. Its a capitalist country run by an oligarchy. But we dont start from that when looking at these wars. I dont agree with what America and the UK are doing. No good is going to come of it. How can we know whats going on? We cannot have proof. There is complete disrespect and lack of interest in other peoples countries by Western governments. They say they support democracy, but support ISIS. They trained these groups in Afghanistan. George George is from Teeside and spoke to reporters in Leeds on Saturday. When I heard the news about the bombing this morning I didnt believe it at first. It seemed to spring out of nowhere. How much will it all cost? They can find the money for airstrikes, but not for the people that need it mostthe homeless, the sick, the elderly, mental health services and those on low incomes. I get most of my news from Twitter and Reddit, which is good for news because it is quick to cross reference. I dont trust the media. I want to look at all the sources. I think that somebody is benefiting from this terrible situation and its not ordinary people. The Tories have shares in arms companies and it makes economic sense for them that they want to build more Tridents. As far as the poisoning of the Skripals is concerned I am very sceptical. There is no hard evidence. They moved so quickly from the claim about the poisoning to kicking out the diplomats. My mother says it stinks. They just wanted an excuse. Steve works for Deliveroo. He said, I feel repulsed and outraged about last nights attack on Syria. It was completely unnecessary. We should know this by now. This is not the first time we have gone on these outrageous Middle Eastern adventuresnot just 2003 but every bit of meddling in the Middle East. They are after regional control and I suspect they aim to surround Russia and Iran and there is probably a financial incentive as well. They should stop it right now. They acted on the flimsiest, probably nonexistent evidence, and Parliament was not consulted. It has been a complete failure of our democracy. Isobella Isobella is a supporter of the Stop the War Coalition. She suggested, It may have been a false flag operation in Douma. That is the lesson of the lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. But was any of it a reason to go to war? So many deaths and so much suffering have been caused. The UK is one of the largest exporters of arms. Their aim is to sell more weapons to make more profit. The big corporations run the world, dont they? Almost everyone I know is against warmy parents, the old, the youngeverybody. Ive been thinking a lot about how to empower people. The YouGov poll found that only 22 percent supported the war, 43 percent were against and the rest didnt know. Todays demo in Leeds is about saving the National Health Service, which is in tatters. There is plenty of money for the war machine, but not for the NHS. Theresa Mays talk about humanitarianism is all crap! There is enough money to solve all the problems of society but it is in the hands of the wrong people. The British government has admitted that it likely had contacts with two Islamist groups, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) and the 17 February Martyrs Brigade, for which the 2017 Manchester Arena bomber, Salman Abedi, and his father reportedly fought during the 2011 war in Libya. Abedi killed 23 people in a suicide bomb attack as they were leaving the Manchester Arena concert last May. A member of the 17 February Martyrs Brigade, an LIFG offshoot, Rachid Redouane was part of the terror group that killed eight people in the London Bridge/Borough market attack last year. He fought in the Libya war of 2011 for the Liwa al-Ummah unit. The admission came as the British government, without a shred of evidence, continued to denounce the Russian government of Vladimir Putin for the supposed nerve gas attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. But there is now real evidence of Britains deep ties with terrorist groups that have killed many British citizens on British soil. The US, UK and French governments provided air support in the NATO-led war to topple the Libyan regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, while using Islamist groups as proxy forces on the ground. Foreign Minister Alistair Burt, who was an under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office between 2010 and 2013with responsibility for Counter Terrorism, Counter Proliferation, Counter Piracy, North America, Middle East and North Africa, the Maldives and Sri Lankatold Parliament that During the Libyan conflict in 2011 the British government was in communication with a wide range of Libyans involved in the conflict against the Gaddafi regime forces. He added, It is likely that this included former members of Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and 17 February Martyrs Brigade, as part of our broad engagement during this time. His admission was contained in a written response to a parliamentary question submitted by Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle. It was published after the start of the parliamentary Easter recess in a move that would ensure it got minimal attention. Russell-Moyle said Burts response meant that the government had serious questions to answer over whether it facilitated Abedis travel to fight in Libya, backed Islamists linked to Al Qaeda in pursuit of its war aims in Libya, supported the Islamist militia that had radicalised a Briton who went on to kill 23 and injured many hundreds in Manchester, and whether the Arena bombing was blowback. Conservative Security Minister Ben Wallace refused to say which groups the Abedi family fought for in Libya, stating, The Home Office does not comment on intelligence matters nor on matters which form part of ongoing investigations. This ambiguous answer to another of Russell-Moyles questions provides a further indication of the nature of the links between the Abedis and the security services. Within days of the Manchester and London attacks, the authorities were forced to admit that the perpetrators were known to the police, and that the UKs MI5 intelligence agency had prior warning from the FBI that the Manchester suicide bomber planned a terrorist atrocity. In effect, MI5 gave him a free hand to launch a terrorist attack. While Britains links with Libyan Islamist groups were widely suspected, this is the first time the government has admitted to having had contacts with them. It adds to the mounting evidence of the role of British intelligence and successive governments in cultivating terror networks and protecting these assets as part of their regime-change operations in Libya and Syria. In the 1990s, the British government allowed numerous Islamist groups to operate in London, to such an extent it became known as Londonistan. Libyan dissidents and the LIFG, formed out of a group whose members had fought in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, were able to develop a base of logistical support and raise funds. MI6 even used an LIFG agent in London to plot Gaddafis assassination in an attack that killed or injured several civilians, while leaving Gaddafi unhurt, according to a report by former British spy David Shayler subsequently confirmed by US intelligence. All that changed in 2004, when the Labour government of Tony Blair brought Gaddafi in from the cold to secure lucrative contracts for British oil companies. As part of the deal, the authorities designated the LIFG as a terrorist group, which sought to establish a hard-line Islamist state and part of the wider Islamist extremist movement inspired by Al Qaeda. They rounded up opponents of the Libyan regime, in Britain and overseas, including one of LIFGs leaders, Abdel Hakim Belhaj, and his wife. Britain sent them back to Libya, as confirmed by documents belonging to Libyas intelligence chief Moussa Koussa discovered after the fall of the Gaddafi regime. Following a deal between Gaddafi and the LIFG in 2009, many of these Islamists were released from Libyan jails. LIFG was apparently disbanded and many of its members joined the 17 February Martyrs Brigade. In another switch of foreign policy, Britainas part of the NATO-led invasion of Libya in 2011used LIFGs successor organisations and similar forces linked to Al Qaeda as proxies to topple Gaddafi. But by this time, former Prime Minister David Cameron was telling Parliament that LIFG was no longer linked to Al Qaeda. According to reports published by the Middle East Eye website, which cited interviews with former rebel fighters, Camerons Conservative-led government effectively operated an open door policy. Prime Minister Theresa May was home secretary at the time when the security services allowed LIFG members to travel to Libya, providing them with passports and giving them security clearance, as part of the military operations to overthrow Gaddafi. The Manchester bombers parents were both LIFG members. These individuals, including Abedi, were able to travel freely back and forth with no questions asked, even though many had previously been under counterterrorism control orders, with tight restrictions on their movement and Internet activity. May lifted the control orders when Britain joined US and French efforts to topple Gaddafi. This was because the UN resolution sanctioning the war on the Gaddafi regime specifically excluded ground troops, a restriction Britain later admitted it had covertly overridden. The 17 February Martyrs Brigade and similar rebel groups were provided with $400 million of weaponry by Qatar. Britain reportedly approved Qatars arms supplies, working closely alongside it as its principal partner in the war and helping covertly with their training. Such training was covert precisely because providing such assistance to opposition forces is illegal. The same Islamist militias, along with large quantities of Libyan arms, were later shipped off to take part in the next US-sponsored regime-change operation in Syria, alongside offshoots of Al Qaeda. The British government and security forces worked closely with these terrorist organisations in both Libya and Syria, and then allowed them to return without hesitation, thereby helping to spawn a layer of British-born jihadis such as Abedi. Despite the publication of several articles about this relationship on Middle East Eye, none of the mainstream media have seen fit to comment on the governments admission. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has likewise remained silent on the issue. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) unequivocally condemns the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) banning of the Fightback group from the picket lines of the ongoing strike by York University contract faculty and graduate assistants. The ban, engineered by a cabal of union bureaucrats, is a flagrant attack on democratic rights. It underscores the reactionary character of the trade union bureaucracy and of the #MeToo campaign, which is being used to legitimize a frontal assault on basic democratic juridical principles and, in this case, to explicitly silence political debate. The IYSSE and Socialist Equality Party have long-standing, well-documented, and unbridgeable political differences with Fightback, the Canadian section of the pseudo-left International Marxist Tendency. But this does not lessen our determination to uphold the basic democratic rights of political tendencies to present their programs and policies to workers and young people, especially under conditions in which they are engaged in a bitter struggle against the combined forces of university management and the provincial Liberal government. CUPE Local 3903 Chair Devin Lefebvre announced the ban on Fightback in a terse March 29 letter. The immediate ban of Socialist Fightback from CUPE 3903s picket lines and spaces was justified by Lefebvre as a response to the pattern of sexual violence, and most shockingly, harassment of survivors attempts to speak up, that your organization has displayed in the recent past. Lefebvre cited a vote in favour of the ban at a hastily organized special membership meeting the day before that had been attended by just a tiny fraction of the 3,000 strikers; then arrogantly declared, Our members do not feel comfortable with your organization, as you continue to fail to take the proper steps to take collective accountability for the groups actions. Lefebvre did not provide a shred of evidence for his inflammatory accusations. Nor was any individual identified as having carried out sexual violence or any other illegal or even untoward act. In a style reminiscent of the inquisition, no specific incidents, victims, or acts were referred to, beyond the vague accusation of harassment of survivors. CUPEs resort to political censorship goes hand-in-hand with its determination to isolate and suppress working class struggles whenever they break out. Like the other pro-capitalist unions, it has capitulated, time after time, before employer concession demands and policed anti-strike laws. There is a growing international rebellion of teachers and education staff against austerity and privatization, with strikes and protests breaking out from Oklahoma and West Virginia in the US to Britain and Latin America. But CUPE, whether at the national, regional or local level, has been determined to isolate the York strike. The well-resourced union apparatus wouldnt even lift a finger to link the York strikers with the strike (now concluded) by education support staff at Carleton University in Ottawa. From the outset of the York strike, it has been clear that the contract faculty and graduate assistants are in a fight not just with the university administration, but with the Wynne Liberal government, which has slashed education funding as part of sweeping social spending cuts and repeatedly illegalized teachers strikes, But CUPE is utterly opposed to making the York strikers fight against precarious employment and poverty wages a rallying point for the struggle against capitalist austerity and its Liberal enforcers. It has done nothing to prepare strikers and their supporters for the all but inevitable intervention of the Ontario Liberals to end the strike, even though the government of Kathleen Wynne illegalized a strike of college instructors less than six months ago. CUPE, Unifor, and the rest of the unions are focused on the June 7 provincial election and, in the name of stopping Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservatives, their efforts to secure the re-election of the big business Liberals. Side-by-side with their isolation and smothering of workers struggles, the union bureaucracy politically subordinates workers to pro-austerity and pro-war parties like Liberals and New Democrats. In Ontario they have staunchly supported the McGuinty-Wynne Liberal government for the past 15 years, as it dismantled public services and slashed taxes for big business and the rich. At the federal level, the unions collaborate closely with the Trudeau Liberals, who plan to hike military spending by 70 percent over the next decade and have further integrated Canada into Washingtons military-strategic offensives around the world. The banning of Fightback underscores the anti-democratic character of the trade union bureaucracy, which resorts to smears, witch hunts, and political censorship to suppress political debate, suppress worker opposition, and protect the privileges of its well-paid executives. The political implications of CUPEs resort to open political censorship is underscored by the turn of the ruling elite internationally towards authoritarian forms of rule. Governments in the United States, Canada, and Europe have whipped up a furor over so-called fake news, because they fear the growing alienation of working people from the establishment, including the corporate media, and the increasing use of social media to expose injustices and organize opposition. The New York Times, for example, has carried a series of articles in recent weeks expressing dismay about striking teachers use of social media to coordinate their struggles independently of the trade unions. As CUPEs ban of Fightback illustrates, the #MeToo campaign is conducive to witch hunting. It is being used to legitimize the trashing of vital democratic juridical principles like the right to be duly informed of any charges of misconduct and to present a defence. Vague and unsubstantiated allegations of sexual misconduct are being wielded to settle scores, end peoples careers, and suppress open political debate. #MeToo was launched on the pages of the pro-war New York Times and has been spearheaded by the right-wing Democratic Party, as a means of strengthening identity politics after Hillary Clintons debacle in 2016 presidential election. Through #MeToo, privileged elements within the top 10 percent of society are conducting a bitter struggle for a more favourable redistribution of wealth and privileges among themselves. Even more importantly, #MeToo is fodder for the ruling elites drive to divide the working class along lines of race, gender, and sexual orientation at a time when more and more working people around the world are recognizing their common interests in the struggle against social inequality, austerity and war. The IYSSE urges all striking faculty and their student supporters to demand that CUPE immediately rescind its anti-democratic ban on Fightback. Such action could be an important step in the strikers and their student and faculty supporters taking control of the strike in their own hands and making it a spearhead of the struggle against austerity in Canada and internationally and the fight for the development of an independent political movement of the working class against the capitalist profit system. Workers, students, youth, professionals and housewives participated in a public meeting in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu state capital, on April 8, against Internet censorship. The event was organised by Indian supporters of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). ICFI supporters extensively promoted the meeting, distributing thousands of leaflets and campaigning at colleges and working-class areas in and around Chennai. The event was conducted in English and Tamil and streamed live via Facebook. Chairing the meeting, Sathish Simon said governments, working hand-in-hand with IT corporations such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, were mounting a serious attack on freedom of speech. Under the guise of fighting fake news, socialist, left-wing and anti-war web sites were being blacklisted, with the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS), the internet publication of the ICFI, a central target. The speaker recalled that Washingtons weapons of mass destruction claims in 2003 were a blatant lie, used by the US and its allies to invade and loot Iraq. The operation was part of an unending series of US-led wars aimed at establishing its global dominance and leading up to the latest threats of a full-scale imperialist intervention against Syria. Censorship of social media sites, such as Facebook, is being intensified, Simon explained, because workers are increasingly using these platforms to organise their struggles in defence of wages, jobs and working conditions. This is graphically shown in the recent eruption of militant strikes by teachers in Oklahoma, West Virginia and other states in the US. Arun Kumar and Sathish Simon Delivering the main report to the meeting, Arun Kumar said Google began targeting the WSWS last year because of its socialist and anti-war perspective and a rapid increase in its readership. The ICFI, he said, is building an international movement of the working class to combat the growing danger of imperialist war and had issued major political statements in June 2014 and February 2016 on war and the fight for socialism. The imperialist powers led by the US want a free hand to carry out their reactionary neo-colonial wars and treat any attempt to mobilise mass opposition to their militarist policies as treason. This is one of the chief reasons why the WSWS came under heavy attack via Google censorship, an anti-democratic move that has now been joined by Facebook. Kumar said the Indian Stalinist and Maoist parties were downplaying the danger of war, claiming that such warnings would scare the people. The speaker pointed out that the Lenin and the Bolsheviks had spoken about the danger of World War I well in advance and fought to prepare the working class on the basis of international socialist policies. When WWI began, the speaker continued, Lenin called for the imperialist war to be turned into a civil war against workers own ruling capitalist class. The victory of the 1917 October Revolution was the beginning of the end of the war and opened up a new epoch for mankind. Kumar reviewed the WSWSs principled defence of victimised Maruti Suzuki workers at the companys car assembly plant at Manesar in northern India. The WSWS reported their militant struggles against sweatshop working conditions and exposed the joint company-government witch-hunt against them. When 13 Maruti Suzuki workers were sentenced to life imprisonment and 18 given three to five years jail term on March 18, 2017, the ICFI, through the WSWS, launched an international campaign for release of the framed-up workers, the speaker said. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and the Communist Party of India (CPI) and their affiliated trade unions turned the other way. They calculated that any identification with the victimised Maruti Suzuki workers would undermine their close ties with sections of Indian bourgeoisie, which wants to use the witch-hunt as a warning to the entire working class and send a signal to global investors about the governments determination to establish slave labour conditions. Kumar told the audience that Prime Minister Narendra Modis government, under the pretext of opposing hate speech and defending national security, is also working closely with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to censor selected websites and social media accounts. These anti-democratic measures are also related to the Modi governments close strategic partnership with the US and the transformation of India into a frontline state in Washingtons war drive against China. As opposition grows to attacks on social rights and the pro-US shift, the government fears social media being used to organise opposition. Audience members asked important questions, including whether planned talks between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would avert war and whether it was possible to fight for socialism in India without resolving the caste question. Kumar told the audience that irrespective of any future talks involving Kim Jong-un, a new period of imperialist war was being driven by the deepening crisis of the world capitalist economy. The caste issue in India, he explained, was interwoven with capitalist class exploitation and was one of the outstanding questions created by the political abortion of anti-colonial democratic revolution by the Indian bourgeoisie in 1947. The major social division in India is class, not caste, Kumar said. Caste oppression and other unresolved issues of the democratic revolution can be resolved only by the working class rallying other oppressed masses under its leadership and in the struggle to overthrow capitalism based on a socialist program. After the meeting WSWS correspondents spoke to some of those in attendance. Muthukumar Muthukumar, a law student, said: I support the meetings banner: Oppose Internet censorship and defend freedom of speech. International politics revolves around the economy and geographical interests. We have to mobilise the working class and educate workers to become class-conscious and understand that they can save the world from another destructive world war. We can use this same force to overthrow the capitalist system. Mani, an accountant, said: I always support freedom of speech and so I strongly oppose any kind of Internet censorship. Through this meeting I learnt about the perspective of internationalism and how the problems we face, nationally and internationally, are caused by capitalism. Referring to the ongoing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over Cauvery River water-sharing, he commented: This is being used by political parties to create divisions in the working class I previously thought that Marxism could not properly address the caste question but you have provided some direction on how we can counter caste issues. I still have some doubts but we can discuss this further. Manikkiam, a press worker, commented: After Modi became prime minister there have been lots of attacks on freedom of speech and other democratic rights. I thought the danger of war was because of certain leaders but now I understand that the reason is capitalism. What Marx said is correct: The working class should throw away capitalism and form a government under its leadership. TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our livesIf we remember those times and placeswhere people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we dont have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory. --Howard Zinn I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the "isness" of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal "oughtness" that forever confronts him. --Martin Luther King Jr. True religion consisted in an inward life, wherein the heart does love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true justice and goodness...I found no narrowness respecting sects and opinions, but believed that sincere, upright-hearted people, in every society, who truly love God, were accepted of him. --John Woolman Love each other as I have loved you.. I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father. --Jesus in John 15: 12-15 ...Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. You have answered right, said Jesus, do this and life is yours... Who is my neighbor? Jesus replied with the Parable of the Good Samaritan [heretic, outsider, enemy]. --from Luke 10:27-37 Religion has been emphatically embodied, not in speculative theories, but in practical righteousness, in active virtues, in reverence to God, in benevolence to man- the latter being the only sure test of the former. --Thomas M'Clintock ...It is safer to approach God through the Holy Spirit than through the door of theology. We can identify the Holy Spirit whenever it makes its presence felt. Whenever we see someone who is loving, compassionate, mindful, caring, and understanding, we know that the Holy Spirit is there. --Thich Nhat Hanh In the immediate aftermath of this weekends US-led missile attack on Syria, the preparations for a wider war that could trigger a nuclear catastrophe are being laid. The recklessness of US policy has only increased. Hardly had the smoke cleared from the carnage left by more than 100 cruise missiles than the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, was boasting that the US remained locked and loaded. On the Face the Nation Sunday interview program, Haley said the US troops would remain in Syria and announced that the Trump administration would unveil new sanctions on Monday against Russian firms doing business with Damascus. Russia countered by announcing that it was upgrading Syrian missile defenses. Numerous media commentaries criticized the so-called limited attack by US, British and French naval and air forces as inadequate and demanded a more extensive and sustained military offensive. The New York Times quoted Republican Senator Lindsey Graham as saying, I fear that when the dust settles, this strike will be seen as a weak military response and Assad will have paid a small price The Washington Post in its lead editorial Sunday attacked Trump for again hinting at removing US troops from Syria. It pointed to the huge swath of territory in eastern Syria occupied by US troops and American proxy forces and demanded that Trump further fortify the US position on the ground in order to force the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The New York Times David Sanger and Ben Hubbard in a front-page article Sunday argued against Pentagon claims that the strikes had seriously damaged Assads alleged chemical weapons program. They wrote: While it is easy to blow up Mr. Assads chemical facilities, it is also relatively simple for him to reconstitute them elsewhere, or just turn to a commercially available substance like chlorine to make a poison that any nation is allowed to possess. The bases for new provocations and fresh pretexts for military aggression are already being laid. If not another staged chemical attack, the next casus belli for war could well be a terrorist attack or an assault on US troops in the Middle East attributed to Assad. For more than 25 years the United States has been engaged in continual warfare, justifying each conflict with bogus claims of committed or imminent atrocities by the targeted country: weapons of mass destruction against Iraq, a looming massacre of civilians against Libya, and now gas attacks against Syria. The media campaign in recent weeks against Russia and Syria over alleged poison attacks was an orchestrated operation to provide a suitable pretext for a military attack that was, in fact, planned months ago. The alleged Russian government poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter was followed immediately by the media campaign over the supposed gas attack by the Assad regime on the town of Douma, then held by US-backed Islamist militias fighting to overthrow the Iranian-and Russian-backed regime. An utterly corrupt and dishonest Western media promoted the government claims without producing any evidence to substantiate them, while it barely noted the evidence produced by Russia and Syria exposing the claims as fraudulent. The attack launched over the weekend was not a response to a gas attack that allegedly occurred a week before. It was a highly coordinated joint strike involving missiles fired from US, French and British naval and air platforms in the Red Sea, the northern Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. Such an action is not the result of a few days planning. Now, in the aftermath, the international geopolitical situation and the internal political crises of the US and the European powers have only grown more explosive. In the US, the preparations for a wider war in the Middle East and the political war against Trump waged by sections of the ruling class and the state have merged into a single process. Defense Secretary James Mattis and the military brass decided to avoid a clash with Russia for now not only out of military considerations, but also political ones. Strikes and rebellions by teachers against the corporatist trade unions are continuing, and the political crisis in Washington is deepening. Sentiment against war is widespread in the working class. Under these conditions, the military has no confidence in Trumps ability to oversee the actions abroad and at home it deems necessary to overthrow Assad and take on Russia. The neoconservative pundit Max Boot explicitly connected a major expansion of the war in Syria with the removal of Trump in a Washington Post op-ed piece titled Airstrikes amidst the scandals. Just as Bush had no Iraq plan in the spring of 2003, so today Trump has no Syria plan, he wrote, adding, If the United States had a parliamentary government, Congress could pass a motion of no confidence, thus allowing Trump to devote 100 percent of his attention to fighting the multiplying charges against him without the distraction of running the government. The New York Times published an editorial written just prior to the missile strikes calling on Congress to pass a new authorization for the use of military force. This push for a new legal justification for war shows that the ruling class is preparing for a much more extensive military intervention. It knows that there will be growing opposition and wants to create a legal framework to criminalize antiwar dissent and ban antiwar speech. In Europe as well, the missile strikes have intensified the internal political and social crisis as well as tensions with America. British Prime Minister Theresa May faces demands for a parliamentary debate on the Syrian attack, with polls showing broad antiwar sentiment and widespread skepticism toward the claims of a chemical attack by Assad. The air strikes have exacerbated popular anger against French President Emmanuel Macron, who faces a wave of rail strikes and escalating student protests. In Germany, sections of the media are using the strikes, which Chancellor Angela Merkel supported but did not directly join, to demand the full-scale rearmament of Germany and a foreign policy less dependent on the US. Indicative of the war fever gripping the German ruling class is a commentary published by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung editor Berthold Kohler, who wrote: The selfish child in the Oval Office forces Germany to finally grow up in regard to foreign policy. It will not happen so quickly that the German Navy gets aircraft carriers and the Luftwaffe cruise missiles. But the willingness of Germany to assume more responsibility in the world in the face of Trumpismcannot be limited to applauding the French and the British The fundamental contradiction of German foreign policy of having high moral and humanitarian standards, but only a low readiness to enforce them robustly in an emergency, cannot be solved in any way with unarmed reconnaissance flights. It would be a fatal error to confuse the tactical decision by the US military to avoid for now a direct clash with Russian forces in Syria with a shift in the strategic orientation of American imperialism toward a wider war in Syria and a military confrontation with Iran and Russia. The circumscribed nature of this weekends strikes reflects the awareness within the American military of the potential consequences of any military attack in Syria. There is no question that if Russian forces had been hit, the result could have been Russian retaliation. But it is only a matter of time before a future military attack triggers a direct conflict between the two largest nuclear powers in the world. Russian President Vladimir Putin himself warned Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would inevitably lead to chaos in international relations. Each such attack underscores how real and present is the danger of a massive war with catastrophic consequences. The world is witnessing an eruption of US and world imperialism that threatens to destroy human civilization. It can be prevented only by the revolutionary mobilization of the international working class to put an end to capitalism. On Thursday morning, the Board of Trustees at Portland State University (PSU) voted at a public meeting to postpone a decision on tuition hikes by two weeks in the face of student backlash. The meeting was ostensibly called to consider the proposal to raise tuition by 14 percent over the next two years, but the real reason was to allow students to let off steam; the decision to raise tuition, the board made clear at the end of the meeting, had already been made. The state-appointed board includes former business owners, health insurance executives and other business and corporate elites. Collectively, their accumulated wealth is in the tens of millions. PSU President Rahmat Shoureshi alone makes a base salary of $600,000 plus additional living expenses. The meeting opened with a presentation composed of a series of graphs which purported to show that there was no money to cover basic costs of the university. In an attempt to pit students and teachers against each other many board members repeatedly noted that the highest cost was the salaries of the teachers. After the presentation the board heard testimony from just a handful of the students in attendance, many of whom spoke movingly about the economic hardship high tuition places on their lives. Katherine, a 28-year-old business student, explained to the trustees, many of them millionaires, her situation working 20 hours per week at a minimum wage job with a full course load and extracurricular activities. It is challenging simply keeping my grades where they need to be she said. I work a part time job and I go to school full time. I apply for scholarships, but they require that you do extracurricular activities, which I also do. I have every hour of my day booked. Katherine told IYSSE members after the meeting that she is sometimes forced to skip homework or class because of her work schedule. She explained that her situation was not unique on the campus. There is a food pantry on campus and you can go see there is a line 50 or 60 feet long of students. A 2016 survey showed that 54 percent of students at PSU are food insecure. All of this causes many mental health issues among students, Katherine explained. They are depressed. Theres are a lot of people struggling. After each student speaker a member of the board delivered the canned response, Thank you for sharing your story and We hear you. The meeting concluded with the board postponing the vote, claiming that they needed to consider the remarkable conversation we had today. Chairman of the board, Rick Miller, told a group of students after the meeting that they should expect tuition to be raised at the next meeting in two weeks but assured them it probably wont be as high as originally proposed. Miller also admitted the coming vote would be held in a teleconference, with no outside participation. Only about 30 students, a small fraction of the university population, attended the board meeting to voice their anger against the tuition hikes. The majority of students are alienated from the political process, dealing with the challenges of balancing school and work with many having no knowledge that the tuition hikes have even been proposed. After the Board of Trustees meeting, members of the IYSSE spoke with the broader student body about their response to the growing crisis in education. Kenneth, an undergraduate student, reacted to the Boards decision by saying its easier for them to have a closed meeting and not publicize it, because then you can just make the change with no push back. He argued that the state legislators and university administrators are cutting education funding to put money in their pocket and that they just dont care about the burdens students are facing. I think that the part of the reason for the cuts is to dumb down society. Pointing to the unprecedented levels of inequality he said, each year, each decade you can see that the top 1 percent has more and more money while the bottom 50 percent has less and less. I believe education is a human right because at the end of the day as humans, we are meant to grow mentally, physically and emotionally, and this is the mental aspect of it, he asserted. We dont learn just from books, but we learn from other people. And we learn to have conversations that are uncomfortable. Kenneth supported the proposal for an independent movement of the working class to defend democratic rights, such as education, saying I dont vote because its too corrupt. Things have not changed regardless if its been a Democrat or Republican You cant fix [the system] from within, you have to actually destroy it. Duane, a science student, explained, I dont think education should be treated as a capitalist business like it is currently. I believe everyone has the right to an education. Duane agreed with the need to link up the struggles of students and teachers: We need to not only unify the struggles but we need to demand that education be funded. They arent going to just give it to us. It is our money after all that we are asking to be used for education. Susanna, an English major originally from Texas, told the IYSSE that she opposes the tuition hikes and the efforts to divide teachers and students. She said the increase will affect her already difficult financial situation. Its hard to get involved in the protests because I am already busy trying to work to pay tuition and complete my coursework. Susanna came to Oregon because she thought the schools offered a higher quality education than in Texas. I quickly realized that to complete my education would require that I take on much more debt than I imagined, even with my scholarships. Susanna explained that even with her part time job and her $4,000 scholarship she has racked up $10,000 of debt in her first year alone. She explained the impact these costs have on her life, I cant go on trips. I cant travel home to see my family. Its difficult to pay rent. I have been wondering lately if getting an education is worth it and if I made the right decision in going to school. Susanna said that she decided to go to school later in life after working for years as a nanny and later in the service industry. I make much more money in the service industry than I would with most of the entry level jobs I will be offered coming out of school but that isnt the job that I want. She also spoke about the ongoing teachers revolt around the country and internationally. Teachers go to school and get degrees to do their jobs. They dont deserve to be denied a livable wage and basic needs. In Texas, teachers are very underpaid. I think they make near minimum wage if you consider how much they work. The education system suffers from this because teachers cant do their jobs well if they are worried about surviving. Millions of college students confront the same social forces behind their dire conditions while they seek a stable job and better future. Students must reject the notion that their own right to education will be granted at the expense of instructor salaries, new buildings and repairs, or student-led programming. Instead, it will be essential that students turn toward the campus faculty and workers to defend higher pay and adequate funding for high quality education. As teachers have proven in Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia, a working-class battle to defend basic rights will gather momentum among broad sections of workers across the country and world. What the ruling class fears most is a mass movement of the working class, backed by wide layers of students, in defense of democratic rights. Such a movement would necessarily confront the political, financial and military establishment, which does not have the ability to resolve the social crisis. Instead, they are turning towards more open forms of censorship, police repression and war. The legal and political infighting within the US government is reaching a new point of explosion as President Trump threatens former FBI Director James Comey with imprisonment, while his own personal attorney, Michael Cohen, is set to appear in court Monday to face an array of criminal allegations from the FBI. In a series of tweets Sunday morning, Trump declared that Comey deserved jail time for allegedly leaking classified information and lying to Congress. This came less than 48 hours before Comeys memoir of his years in the Justice Department and FBI, including the barely 100 days he served in the Trump administration, hits the shelves in bookstores throughout the United States. The combination of media promotion of Comeya series of network and cable television interviews, including an hour-long session with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News on Sunday nightand the negative attention supplied by Trump, Fox News and the Republican Party, has pushed Comeys book, A Higher Loyalty, to the top of the best-seller list even before its publication. Trumps tweets also contained increasingly incendiary charges against his Democratic Party opponents. He asked, Why cant we all find out what happened on the tarmac in the back of the plane, referring to the June 2016 meeting between Bill Clinton and then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, one month before the Justice Department cleared Hillary Clinton of criminal charges in the investigation into her use of a private email server while secretary of state. Was she promised a Supreme Court seat, or AG [another term as attorney general], in order to lay off Hillary. The US president also returned to the raid conducted by the FBI against the residences and office of his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, declaring, Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past. I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned! Cohen is set to appear in court Monday morning where he is required to present a list of his clients and his own lawyers to Federal District Judge Kimba Wood so that she can evaluate his claims that the FBI seized materials in the raids last Monday that compromise attorney-client confidentiality. Wood herself has a longstanding connection to the Clintons. She was Bill Clintons second choice for the position of US attorney general in 1993, after his initial selection, Zoe Baird, withdrew her nomination because she had hired an undocumented immigrant as a nanny and failed to withhold income taxes from the nannys wages. Woods nomination was torpedoed because she also had employed an undocumented nanny. More information on the federal investigation into Cohen has been made public by prosecutors over the past week. The office of the US attorney in New York City filed a 22-page document Friday declaring that the searches of Cohens office and home were the result of a months-long investigation into Cohen, and seek evidence of crimes, many of which have nothing to do with his work as an attorney, but rather relate to Cohens own business dealings. The filing was signed by acting US Attorney Robert Khuzami in the Southern District of New York, since the current US attorney, Geoffrey Berman, has recused himself because he was recently appointed to the job by Trump. Berman is a longtime Trump supporter who was recommended for the post by former New York Mayor (and former US attorney) Rudy Giuliani. Cohens attorney Todd Harrison asked Judge Wood Friday to issue a temporary restraining order to allow Cohens lawyers or a court-appointed special master to review the materials seized by the FBI and exclude those covered by attorney-client privilege. The judge did not dismiss this motion outright, as federal attorneys requested, instead demanding that Cohen appear in court to substantiate that the relationship was an attorney-client relationship. Another private attorney representing President Trump appeared before Wood Friday, declaring that Trump had utmost interest in preserving attorney-client privilege and noting that some of the materials seized by the FBI included communications between Cohen and Trump. The New York Times reported Saturday, citing unnamed people close to Mr. Trump, that Trumps advisers have concluded that a wide-ranging corruption investigation into his personal lawyer poses a greater and more imminent threat to the president than even the special counsels investigation. Trump also telephoned Cohen Friday, according to the Times report. Federal prosecutors revealed that they were investigating Cohens role in two separate payoffs made to women who have claimed sexual relationships with Trump dating back about a decade, porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy centerfold Karen McDougal. Cohen wrote a $130,000 check to Daniels in October 2016 to keep her from going to the press during the final stages of the presidential election campaign. He was also reportedly instrumental in getting American Media Inc., publisher of the National Enquirer tabloid, to buy the rights to McDougals account for $150,000, and then suppress it. Cohen also reportedly worked out a deal late last year in which a Republican contributor and deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee paid $1.6 million to another Playboy model who became pregnant with his child as the result of an affair. The RNC official, Elliott Broidy, resigned his position Friday after the payment was made public. There is no obvious criminality associated with any of these payments, which are merely the price of doing business for wealthy men who wish to keep their extramarital affairs secret. There have been suggestions that Cohens payment to Daniels could be construed as a campaign contribution and thus violate campaign finance laws, but no one has been successfully prosecuted on such charges before. A further line of media attack on Cohen and Trump was opened up by McClatchy Newspapers Friday when it published a report claiming that Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating unproven allegations of meddling by Russia in the 2016 elections, has evidence that Cohen was in Prague for a meeting with Russian emissaries in the late summer of 2016, at the height of the presidential election campaign. This secret meeting was one of the principal allegations in the so-called Steele dossier, a document detailing alleged Trump business and political connections with Moscow that was produced on contract from the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton campaign. Cohen has publicly denied that he has ever been in Prague and even showed his passport to the press to prove it. There are conflicting reports over whether Trump intends to fire either Special Counsel Mueller or his immediate supervisor, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who signed off on the criminal referral of Michael Cohen to the US attorneys office in Manhattan. Last week, two Republican and two Democratic senators introduced a bill to make it more difficult and time-consuming for Trump to fire Mueller, titled the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act." In addition, some 245 former Justice Department officials in both Democratic and Republican administrations sent a letter to Congress urging it to swiftly and forcefully respond to any Trump action to fire Mueller. 25 years ago: FBI raid in Waco, Texas, kills 76 The Mount Carmel compound of the Branch Davidians in flames after FBI attack On April 19, 1993, US Attorney General Janet Reno ordered a military-style FBI raid on the compound of a small Christian sect near Waco, Texas, resulting in 76 deaths, including 25 children. The FBI attack on the Branch Davidian complex, called Mount Carmel, was the outcome of a 51-day siege that began on February 28 when federal authorities attempted to enter the building with a search warrant based on the claim that the sect and its leader, David Koresh, had built up a stockpile of illegal weapons. The initial raid was a fiasco for the ATF. Six of its members were shot dead and another 16 were wounded. Five adult male members of the Branch Davidians were killed. In the ensuing standoff, the FBI, guided by the Clinton administration, showed little interest in negotiating a peaceful outcome. The FBI first inflamed the situation by falsely claiming that the Branch Davidians were making illegal drugs, and later, as the siege dragged on, that Koresh and other adults were physically abusing children, a claim for which there was also little evidence. The FBI approached the situation as if it were dealing with a hostage crisis, but, whatever the peculiarities of the religious cult, its adult members had joined voluntarily. The FBI attempted to starve out the Branch Davidians by cutting power to the compound and denying food and water. It equipped its agents with an array of military hardware, including .50 caliber rifles, nine Bradley Fighting Vehicles and five other US Army combat vehicles, which were used to crush the Branch Davidians cars in the compound parking lot. It blasted piercing soundsrecordings of rabbits screaming as they are slaughteredat night into the structure to deny sleep to occupants. On April 19, the FBI attacked the building, first using armored vehicles to punch holes in its walls, through which it then pumped combustible CS tear gas. It then bombarded the building with CS gas grenades. By noon, fires had broken out in the structure, which the FBI claimed were started by the Branch Davidians. Only nine occupants were able to escape the assault alive. The rest were killed by the fire, collapsed walls and ceilings, or gun fire, with evidence suggesting that some, including perhaps Koresh himself, shot themselves to avoid perishing in the flames. 50 years ago: Leading Tory delivers fascist Rivers of Blood speech Enoch Powell On April 20, 1968, a leading Conservative Member of Parliament Enoch Powell (1912-1998) delivered a fascist speech to a major Tory Party gathering, the West Midlands Area Conservative Political Center in Birmingham. The unabashedly racist diatribe, parts of which were televised, condemned non-white immigration and warned that in the United Kingdom eventually the black man will have the whip hand over the white man. Powell, who represented Wolverhampton South West in the House of Commons, framed his argument as if he were speaking on behalf of ordinary constituents. This was a lie. Powell was a representative of the ruling class. His real intentions were to incite a right-wing movement and to divide immigrant workerswhose arrival in the UK was an outcome of the long and bloody history of British colonial plunderfrom British workers. Powell sought to blame immigrants for the austerity being imposed on the whole working class. British workers, he said, found themselves made strangers in their own country. They found their wives unable to obtain hospital beds in childbirth, their children unable to obtain school places, their homes and neighbourhoods changed beyond recognition, their plans and prospects for the future defeated; at work they found that employers hesitated to apply to the immigrant worker the standards of discipline and competence required of the native-born worker. Powell also sought to incite fears that Britains immigrants could become like what he referred to as the American Negro: That tragic and intractable phenomenon which we watch with horror on the other side of the Atlantic but which there is interwoven with the history and existence of the States itself, is coming upon us here by our own volition and our own neglect. Indeed, it has all but come. In numerical terms, it will be of American proportions long before the end of the century. To stop Britain from becoming a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre, Powell proposed ridding it of immigrants by stopping, or virtually stopping, further inflow, and by promoting the maximum outflow. 75 years ago: Warsaw Ghetto uprising Women of the Jewish resistance, including Malka Zdrojewicz (right), who survived the Majdanek extermination camp. On April 19, 1943, Jewish inhabitants of the Warsaw Ghetto, in the capital of German-occupied Poland, launched a heroic rebellion against the genocidal Nazi regime. The uprising inspired workers and young people throughout Europe who were engaged in the resistance to the fascist powers and their crimes. The Warsaw Ghetto had been established by the Nazis in late 1940. Some 450,000 Jews in the Polish capital were rounded up and forced into what was effectively an open-air prison about 2.5 miles long and one mile wide. By early 1942, an estimated 5,000 people were dying every month of disease and starvation. At the same time, the Nazis began sending tens of thousands from the ghetto to their death in the gas chambers at the Treblinka concentration camp. In early 1943, just 60,000 Jews remained in the Warsaw Ghetto. In February, senior Nazi minister Heinrich Himmler planned an onslaught against the remaining population. This began on April 19, when 5,000 German troops, predominantly from the notorious SS, entered the ghetto, with the intention of exterminating its residents. The Jewish population resisted the onslaught. Political organizations in the ghetto, including the left-wing Zydowska Organizacja Bojowa (ZOB), had conducted widespread political agitation, and logistical preparations to oppose the Nazi incursion. They conducted a guerrilla campaign against the fascist troops, using small arms, a handful of rifles and machine guns, and improvised weapons, including hand grenades. Over the following days, the barbarism of the German troops intensified. They killed women and children, and set much of the ghetto on fire. On May 9, Nazi troops surrounded the secret ZOB headquarters. The fighters inside committed suicide rather than fall into the grip of the fascists. On May 16, the ghetto was liquidated. Some 20,000 Jewish residents had been killed. Almost all of the rest were transported to Treblinka. The uprising, and the tragic fate of those who led it, also highlighted the complicity of the Allied powers in the genocide against the Jewish population. All of them, including the Roosevelt administration in the United States, had rejected calls for mass intakes of Jewish refugees and had made no military effort to block the Nazi transfer of Jews to the concentration camps. 100 years ago: Britain extends draft age to 56, includes Ireland Moderate Irish MP John Redmond urges a Volunteer to join the British army. Anti-recruitment cartoon by Ernest Kavanagh published in the Irish Worker. On April 20, 1918, the House of Commons issued a proclamation lifting the draft age of British men up to age 56 years and subjecting, for the first time, the colony of Ireland to the draft. The law, called British Military Service (2), was proclaimed by the King in council with the title Withdrawing certain certificates of exemption from military service. The first military conscription bill had been imposed by the Military Service Act of January 1916. This had capped the service age at 41 and exempted Ireland so as not to inflame the growing anti-colonial movement there. The second military conscription bill triggered a wave of protest in Ireland, with Catholic bishops denouncing it and the nationalist Sinn Fein taking the lead in political opposition. Mass protest meetings were held throughout the island. On April 18, a one-day general strike brought all commerce, production, transporteven government officesto a stop. Prime Minister Lloyd George had demanded the measure for the obvious reason that the British Army had suffered too many casualties to maintain its positions on the Western Frontsome 2.5 million dead, wounded, and missing in all. There were simply not enough young men left from England, Scotland, and Wales. It was necessary find new cannon fodder among middle-aged men and the Irish. Theresa Mays Conservative government is in deeper crisis than ever over her decision to take part in Saturdays US-led bombing of Syria together with France. She faces criticism for having acted against Syria without parliamentary approval. The precedent requiring a parliamentary debate and vote for what was clearly an act of war was set by Tony Blairs Labour government over Iraq in 2003. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn demanded that either Parliament break its Easter recess or that any decision on military action be delayed until it reconvened. So did the Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales) and the Greens. The decision to bomb Syria was in fact made long ago, in collaboration with and under instructions from the US. Corbyn was able to taunt May on Friday, hours before bombing began, that The government appears to be waiting for instructions from President Donald Trump on how to proceed. However, on Sunday, May was forced to issue the legal advice she says authorised four Royal Air Force Tornados to launch eight bunker busting Storm Shadow missiles at what was described as a former missile base 15 miles west of Homs. The advice is a legal travesty. It does not cite a single international authority to back its assertion that The UK is permitted under international law, on an exceptional basis, to take measures in order to alleviate overwhelming humanitarian suffering No such provision exists in any international treaty authorising military action against another state. Dismantling the British governments advice, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan Craig Murray wrote Sunday, all the relevant texts say that an attack on another state is illegal without authorisation of the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Murray added, Nor does the government quote any judgement of the International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court or any other international legal authority. May is due to make a formal statement to Parliament today on the airstrikes, but no vote is to take place. Mays coalition partners, the Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs allow the Tories to remain in office as a minority government, backed the UK air raids. Were a vote to have been held in Parliament on military action, it is likely to be authorised, given that May can count on most of her own MPs and between 30 and 50 Blairite Labour MPs. In December 2015, British fighter jetsunder the pretext of targeting ISIS positionsbegan bombing raids in Syria. This came immediately after 66 Labour MPs backed the then-David Cameron Tory government, after being given a free vote on the issue by Corbyn. However, such is the unpopularity of the decision to attack Syriawith polls showing only 20 percent supportthat May could not risk reconvening Parliament before the event even if Corbyn once again gave his right-wing a free pass. On Sunday, Corbyn told the BBCs Andrew Marr that he favoured a war powers act that would constitutionally force future UK governments to seek approval from Parliament. Mays woes are made worse because the handful of Tory MPs who insisted that Parliament was given a vote are influential figures. Julian Lewis, chair of the House of Commons defence committee, said last Wednesday, When we are contemplating military intervention in other peoples conflicts, Parliament ought to be consulted. Ken Clarke, the longest-serving MP, warned of the dangers of a move to authoritarian rule, stating, In a modern parliamentary democracy, youve got to have parliamentary approval if you have a planned policy decision to launch a military attack of any significant size. All this stuff about invoking the royal prerogative so that on treaties or going to war the Cabinet is a kind of autocracy is, I think, extremely dangerous. Clarke was responding to the focus placed by May, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and others on the recent nature of the 2003 precedent and insistence that the prime minister must reassert her constitution prerogative. But Blair was forced to take this step because of the massive opposition to war against Iraq and widespread scepticism in the dodgy dossiers about weapons of mass destruction cooked up to sanction war. Opposition to war with Syria, bringing with it the danger of a confrontation with Russia, is equally universal as is disbelief in the claims that May is motivated by humanitarian concerns over the unproven use of chemical weapons in Douma. Leading figures within the military also expressed dismay that the evidence justifying military stakes was nonexistent. Just hours before the Saturdays bombardment, Lord West, the former head of the Royal Navy, said, I think we need unequivocal proof that this chemical attack was done by Assads forces. Im not at all convinced at the moment we have unequivocal proof. All of the reports are coming from people like the White Helmets, who have a track record of actually doing propaganda for the opposition forces in Syria. The World Health Organisation reports are coming from doctors working in Douma who are also part of the opposition there. Major-General Jonathan Shaw, who commanded UK forces in Iraq in 2006, asked during an interview on Sky News, What possible motive could have triggered Syria to launch a chemical attack at this time and this place? You know, the Syrians are winning! And dont take my word for ittake the American militarys word for it! Shaw, clearly referring to Douma, continued, And then suddenly you get At this point Sky Newss Samantha Washington cut in, insisting, We do need to leave it there. To underscore the fraud being perpetrated, the attack on Syria took place immediately prior to the arrival in Douma of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to carry out an inspection of the alleged attack site. Innumerable social media messages denounced the attack launched by the US, UK and France as a means of pre-empting the investigation. Russian military personnel, who investigated the alleged site of the attack last week, found no evidence of chemical substances in the area or any traces of chemical poisoning. As of last Thursday, Russian military police have been deployed in Douma and are guarding the site of the alleged attack. A key element in whipping up anti-Russia hysteria in preparation for the military attack on Russias ally, Assad, was the entirely manufactured claims by the May government that Moscow used military grade nerve agent to try and assassinate former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia in Salisbury on March 4. It was amid the unravelling of this fabrication that, on April 7, the chemical attack on Douma was reported by the UK-funded Islamist group, the White Helmets. Their say so provided the casus belli for Saturdays attack on Syria. Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov directly accused the special services of a country, which is now seeking to be in the first ranks of the Russophobic campaign of involvement in this staged event by the White Helmets. This weekend Lavrov stated that the nerve agent used against the Skripals contained not only novichok, but an agent known as BZ that has never been produced by the Soviet Union or Russia. A chemical lab in the Swiss town of Spiez sent a sample by the OPCW of the substance used in Salisbury had concluded it had traces of the BZ agent, which has the effect of temporarily disabling a person. The effect is achieved within 30-50 minutes and lasts up to four days. This was not included in the OPCW report. Lavrov said the Spiez report mentioned no nerve agents by name, including novichok, but instead gave a long chemical formula. Citing the report, dated March 27, Lavrov added, This formulation was in the inventory of the United States, Britain and other NATO states. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WTTV) On Thursday, the Wayne Township Fire Dept. responded to an unresponsive person call and found a case of dusting. It is causing concern for emergency responders, who have seen this in the central Indiana community before. Doctors say they have seen cases of people huffing and dusting, producing a variety of health problems. (We dont know) the effect they may have on their brain, but we have seen people with seizures, people unconscious, and sometimes combative, sometimes with respiratory difficulties, Dr. Dan ODonnell said. Dr. ODonnell is an emergency room physician at Eskenazi Hospital and says you can die after your first time huffing. Someone who has underlying lung disease, and they huff for the first time, and have an asthma attack or something like that, or they just dont know how it will affect their bodies. Dr. ODonnell said. Wayne Township authorities seized 9 bottles of air duster during the incident. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana University Health officials are considering whether to save any of the century-old sections of the state's largest hospital as they prepare for a planned $1 billion consolidation project. A major overhaul is expected of the 589-bed Methodist Hospital near downtown Indianapolis. IU Health's plan calls for closing the nearby University Hospital and consolidating clinical operations into expanded facilities at Methodist and Riley Hospital for Children. "We are absolutely arriving at a set of options which we will be able to articulate in a more defined master plan late this year," said Dr. Ryan Nagy, president of Methodist and University hospitals. Officials are evaluating which buildings on the Methodist campus should be renovated, the Indianapolis Business Journal reported . Many of the buildings have mismatched floor plates, uneven ceilings and a conglomeration of electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. Trying to update the existing infrastructure can be a challenge, said Timothy Frank, a partner at Artekna, an Indianapolis-based design and architecture firm specializing in health care. "It's very complicated to renovate an old hospital, and often not worth the effort," Frank said. About a third of the campus can likely be saved and updated, said Monte Hoover, the senior director of health care planning for engineering firm BSA LifeStructures. Some of those buildings are less than 40 years old. Trying to save Methodist Hospital "in its entirety would be a massive undertaking, Hoover said. The main goal of the redesign is to deliver care more effectively and give patients more value, Nagy said. Combining hospitals will eliminate duplicated function and could build in flexibility to allow the hospital to adapt to future changes in the health care system. "This was always meant to be a campus structure in which we could build new and renovate and update accordingly," Nagy said. The newest buildings at Methodist those that went up in the 1990s, including a 10-story patient tower are still in good shape mechanically and architecturally, and are likely to stay. "It has a lot of life left in it," said Jim Mladucky, IU Health's vice president for design and construction. IU Health is still struggling to fill beds at its 15 hospitals across the state. Its occupancy rate was just 67.6 percent last year. Methodist Hospital now has 589 beds, and University Hospital has 328. By moving all its clinical operations from University to Methodist, the system says it plans "a slight increase" in total beds on the Methodist campus. IU Health has been making other changes to its downtown Indianapolis setup. In 2014, the emergency room at University Hospital on the IUPUI campus closed and merged into the ER at Methodist. Last December, the IU Health board gave approval for Riley Hospital for Children to start a $142 million project renovating four floors into a new maternity and newborn health unit. The project is set to be completed by 2020.10:58 AM 4/16/2018 TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - We are expecting to learn more information this week from the prosecutor's office on their findings in the Mikey Reynolds stand-off case. On Wednesday, the Vigo County Prosecutor's Office will reveal if any charges should be filed in the police-action shooting. Indiana State Police investigators handed off their findings to the prosecutor's office on April 6th. In March, Mikey Reynolds was involved in a 20-hour stand-off in Terre Haute. That's after police said Reynolds shot two people, killing one of them. During the stand-off, a Terre Haute Police sniper fired at Reynolds. Later in the stand-off, an Indiana State Police SWAT officer fired the fatal shot, killing Reynolds. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti caught heat in his home state last week when he suggested Iowa was a lot like California. But he never strayed from that message during his weekend visit to this state, with one prominent Democrat noting that the potential 2020 contender has already got some "Obama buzz." "Iowa and Los Angeles have a ton in common, not just because we have the U.S.S. Iowa battleship in our port," Garcetti said during a visit to Cooney's Tavern in Beaverdale Saturday, where he noted that LA's neighboring city of Long Beach was once known as 'Iowa by the Sea' because so many Iowans settled there. "We have the same struggles. We have the same hopes right now, and we have the same challenges before us," Garcetti said. "People who are wondering, 'Can I get out from under debt and send my kid to college?' Will I have the opportunity in the future economy to find a place for me in it?' .... People here are sick and tired of Washington, or the state capital, telling us what we should do in our local communities." At each stop, the LA mayor described Iowa not only as the "geographic heart" of the country, but also "the moral center." As a counterpoint, he delivered an increasingly sharp critique of the effect that the Trump administration's policies are having on poor and middle class voters - on issues from taxes to tariffs. Garcetti repeatedly highlighted the potential economic harm of President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum on Midwest farmers. (As a retaliation technique to Trump's tariffs, China has announced tariffs on soybeans, pork and ethanol, which are among Iowa's biggest exports). Sean Bagniewski, chair of the Polk County Democrats, said Garcetti's intensive retail campaigning at such an early stage would pay dividends with voters later, because of the potential size and breadth of the 2020 Democratic field. "I hate to say what I'm about to say, but he's got some of the Obama buzz that we've been hearing about - somebody who is coming out of nowhere, but is dynamic, has a great American story, and has the ability to cross a bunch of different lines within the Democratic Party and with independent voters," Bagniewski said in an interview at Cooney's. The Polk County chair, who volunteered for Hillary Clinton in both her campaigns and appeared in her 2015 announcement video, noted that one mistake the 2016 Democratic nominee made was not doing more retail stops like Cooney's, where voters could take her measure at a more intimate level. "The big dinners don't cut it anymore," Bagniewski said. Garcetti is hardly alone in his early visit to the Hawkeye state. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander and Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan have all campaigned in Iowa recently. California Rep. Eric Swalwell, a native Iowan who is frequently mentioned by Iowa voters as a future presidential candidate, spoke along with Garcetti at the Scott County Democrats' Red, White and Blue Gala on Saturday night. After touching down from LA Friday afternoon, Garcetti toured a carpenter's union training facility, walked Des Moines' East Village with the city's mayor, and attended the annual gala of One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ organization. The Iowa visit completed Garcetti's circuit of early contest states. He visited New Hampshire last summer to campaign and raise money for Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. He raised money for the South Carolina Democratic Party in February during a multi-day tour there. Over the years, he has campaigned extensively for Barack Obama, Clinton and other candidates in his neighboring state of Nevada. Earlier this year he spoke at a fundraiser for US Senate hopeful Jacky Rosen, who currently represents Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. Garcetti has committed to raising money for Democrats across the country through his new political action committee, the Democratic Midterm Victory Fund. (The group's first report is not yet public). On Saturday alone, he covered some 300 miles of Iowa -- getting a taste of the state's wintery spring weather with near-freezing temperatures, hail and high winds. He began the day with a chorizo breakfast burrito at a bar and restaurant known as Mullets, the law enforcement hangout in Des Moines, where he talked to firefighters who had just finished their overnight shift about the opioid crisis. He drew an enthusiastic crowd of Democratic activists at Cooney's-an Irish-themed pub that has hosted numerous Democratic presidential candidates. Some of his listeners imbibed a few local Iowa brews during his mid-morning talk beneath strings of green Christmas lights and the bar's Irish flags and street signs. At Cooney's, Bagniewski presented Garcetti with an "Iowa: The California of the Midwest" T-shirt printed by Raygun, the local Des Moines T-shirt company where Garcetti shopped the day before for his wife, Amy Elaine Wakeland, and his daughter Maya. (After Garcetti's visit, Raygun decided to reissue the T-shirt on its website and sent one over as a gift). Saturday afternoon, Garcetti made a detour to Waterloo to visit the gravesite of Wakeland's great-grandparents and attempted to door-knock at the first home of her grandparents. (No one was home.) He made a new friend in the mayor of Altoona, Dean O'Connor, a moderate Republican who told reporters he'd like to see a Republican challenger to Trump in 2020 because nothing is getting done in Washington as a result of all the distractions. Garcetti picked up on that theme at his final stop in Davenport at the Scott County Democrats' dinner Saturday night in his rallying cry to party members for 2018. He urged fellow activists to engage voters by convincing them that the current leadership of the GOP is defining the Republican Party by the politics of division and what "they can take away" from average Americans. "Washington isn't even talking, and they are certainly not listening," Garcetti said. "They are tweeting and trumpeting disinformation, discrimination, denigration and division. They are trying to pit us against each other instead of bring us together." The Democratic Party needs to reframe its image, the mayor said, "and remind people that we are the party of decency, the party of strength and the party of action." Embattled Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heads to Mar-a-Lago Tuesday for a meeting with US President Donald Trump in dire need of a policy win as he faces challenges abroad and protests at home. After staking out a hawkish position on North Korea, Abe was caught on the back foot when Trump announced he was open to a summit with leader Kim Jong Un. Tokyo's previous warnings not to trust Pyongyang have been dropped as both Washington and Seoul barreled forward with engagement. Abe is now seeking a summit with Kim for himself, rather than be further left out of North Asia's rapidly changing political situation. While Abe had cultivated close ties with Trump, becoming the first foreign leader to meet him after his election, he has also faced disputes with the US leader over trade. "It's a sign of the continuing close relationship that he was granted a meeting at short notice," said Euan Graham, director of the International Security Program at Australia's Lowy Institute. "But the shine is coming off there too, given Trump's tendency to apply leverage freely between economic and security issues." Protests and polling Tens of thousands protested outside Japan's parliament in Tokyo Saturday, calling Abe a liar and demanding his resignation over a corruption scandal which has dogged his premiership for months. Abe has been forced to deny intervening in land sales to ensure preferential treatment for schools close to him and his wife. The Prime Minister's approval rating has dropped 5.4% to 37%, according to a recent Kyodo News poll, the second lowest since his election in 2012. While there is little political challenge to Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), his grip on power may nonetheless be slipping, as the poll showed less than a fifth of respondents, or 18.3%, backed him to remain as leader when the party holds an internal election in September, the first time support for Abe has dropped below 20%. While this weekend's protests did not come near the size of rallies in 2015 protesting Abe's push to expand the military, the combination of pressure from within the LDP and from the public has some questioning whether Abe can hold on. Junichiro Koizumi, a former LDP Prime Minister, reportedly said this week Abe may have to stand down as leader in a matter of months. "Abe appears unable to shake off the scandals," said Graham, though he pointed out "there was a time when serving Japanese Prime Ministers would be lucky to register more than 20% popularity ratings." "But it is the stickiest period he has faced since returning to the premiership, without question," he said. Trade deal Duncan Innes-Ker, Asia regional director at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said there was "no question" that Abe had been hurt by the ongoing scandal. "Against this background Abe badly needs a win," he said. The Japanese leader may be hoping that win will come at Mar-a-Lago, where, according to a statement from the White House, Trump and Abe will "explore ways to expand fair and reciprocal trade and investment ties between the United States and Japan." Innes-Ker said Trump "could potentially offer concessions on the steel and aluminum issue or he could signal a US intention to rejoin the (Trans-Pacific Partnership)." While "both would be seen as a triumph for Abe," he warned they would not come without concessions from Tokyo. While Trump did surprise observers by indicating last week he may be open to rejoining the TPP -- an Obama-negotiated trade deal he once slammed -- the White House is more likely to push Tokyo to sign a bilateral deal less to Abe's liking. Security concerns Since returning to the premiership in 2012, Abe has made security a key plank of his appeal. His tough response to North Korean missile testing last year was a key part of his election campaign during last year's snap election. The eventual landslide victory in that election seemed to clear the way for Abe to push for a longtime goal of his, changing the country's post-WWII constitution to allow the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), Japan's military, to develop significant offensive capabilities. While the constitution has hardly hampered ramped up Japanese military spending in recent months, some conservatives feel a failure to change the law could leave the SDF exposed. Abe's hawkish posture seems to have backfired, however, with both Seoul and Washington pursuing engagement with Pyongyang. "On North Korea, Japan now looks the most isolated of the allies. It has even tried re-opening independent contacts with Pyongyang, and is conducting fence-mending diplomacy with China currently," Graham said. "But Abe has made his choice to double down on the US Alliance, and cannot be expected to reverse course now." One major concern in Tokyo is that a US future deal with North Korea could result in Pyongyang retaining missiles which can target Japan. Speaking in parliament last week, Abe said an agreement to abolish North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities "has no meaning for Japan." He said he would call on Trump to push North Korea to "also abandon short and intermediate-range missiles that put Japan within range." However, speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday, Trump's pick for new secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said while the US would continue to defend Japan, the point of the Trump-Kim summit was "to address the nuclear threat to the United States." "Even South Korea is struggling to get its voice heard as the denuclearisation push increasingly becomes a US-China-North Korean discussion," Innes-Ker said. "It is not clear that any party is sidelining Japan as a conscious move, but they are certainly not reaching out to include it, and its priorities could get pushed down the list as a result." DECATUR COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - Crews continue to pick up down trees and power lines and power has been restored in Decatur County. Everyone should have power in Decatur County according to Georgia Power. You can check the latest on outages here. The City of Bainbridge experienced severe weather on Sunday causing trees, power lines, and limbs to be down all over the area. Residents were urged to stay home and if they had to go out, were asked to use extreme caution. BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (WTXL) - Bainbridge was one of the cities under a tornado warning Sunday. The National Weather Service says, they issued the warning because storms moving through had winds capable of creating rotation, which can lead to tornadoes. Luckily a tornado didn't touch ground, but winds in Bainbridge were powerful enough to knock down trees and power lines. "That tree was probably 15, maybe 20 feet off the street. So, it fell in the streets. It's unbelievable," said Bainbridge resident Anthony Washington. The Chief of Brainbridge Fire Department Doyle Welch says they immediately blocked off roads. They were waiting for electric crews to arrive on scene to start cleaning the area. Crews in Bainbridge hit the streets before 9 a.m. to start restoring power. "These power lines are still energized. We're waiting on the power companies to come and de-energize so we can remove the trees," said Welch. By 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, nearly 600 in Decatur County lost power. Welch says these fallen trees couldn't withstand the 60 mph wind gusts. "These are some older trees, Oak trees. The limbs gave way off the main trunk and broke and hit the service lines going to the house," said Welch. Others in Bainbridge were lucky, saying it was just another stormy day. "Just really heavy rain and high winds. The tops of the trees were moving, but it wasn't too bad," said Bainbridge resident Russell Turknett. "It wasn't as bad as we were worried it would be." Bainbridge officials say homes off Spring Creek Road were hit with high winds, damaging some homes and cars. Georgia Power said crews are still working to get power up and running for just a few people in that area. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tallahassee band, The Fried Turkeys, made a special appearance at the Tallahassee Memorial Rehabilitation Center. On Saturday, The Fried Turkeys performed for patients and their families at TMH. Since patients cannot attend the Word of South event this weekend, the band came to TMH to bring joy and distraction on a Saturday afternoon. Band members say they enjoy sharing their music with patients, and hopes it brings them joy during their time of healing. "Just sharing what we do. Just the joy of music, it's a very healing thing for me and I know for people who are in the healing process. It's certainly a very helpful thing," said Frank Douglass, Fried Turkey Band Member. The patients say they enjoyed the songs and were thankful for the visit. ADDIS ABABA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Border conflict along Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regional states has displaced 710,662 people, a local official said on Sunday. Speaking to local media, Lemma Megersa, President of Oromia regional state, said the regional government in collaboration with federal authorities is working to rehabilitate displaced people and bring to justice those suspected of being behind the unrest. He further said authorities will soon disclose to the public details of rehabilitation program for the displaced and moves to prosecute those suspected of crimes in the conflict along the boundary of the two regional starts. Heavy clashes along the Oromia-Somali boundary in last September spilled into ethnic violence which left scores of people dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. Oromia and Somali regional states have been locked in a dispute over the delineation of their common boundary for almost two decades. A referendum in October 2004 was supposed to demarcate the boundary between the two regional states, but its implementation has been stalled ever since with both sides accusing each other of non-compliance. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 01:14:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KIRKUK, Iraq, April 15 (Xinhua) -- One civilian was killed and 10 others wounded in a car bomb explosion on Sunday in the Iraqi ethnically-mixed city of Kirkuk, a local police source said. The incident took place in the afternoon when a booby-trapped car detonated at a car selling market in al-Khadhraa district in southwestern Kirkuk, some 250km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Najor Ali al-Obeidi from Kirkuk police told Xinhua. The huge blast also caused fire on a nearby civilian car, causing damages to several others, Obeidi said. The ethnically-mixed city of Kirkuk is part of the disputed areas claimed by both Iraqi central government and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan. In mid-October, the Iraqi federal security forces took control of Kirkuk province, including its oil fields and military bases, after the withdrawal of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces. Since then, the city witnessed attacks by gunmen against the Iraqi forces and civilians from time to time, while the western and southern part of the oil-rich Kirkuk province have been witnessing attacks by remnants of Islamic State militants. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 02:34:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside have isolated three previously unknown bacterial species from wild bees and flowers that may help prevent spoilage of the pollen that wild bees provision for their young. According to the new study, published in the current issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, the news strains, which belong to the genus Lactobacillus, are Lactobacillus micheneri, Lactobacillus timberlakei and Lactobacillus quenuiae. Lactobacilli are often used by humans to preserve dairy products, fermented vegetables and other foods. The study, led by Quinn McFrederick, an assistant professor of entomology in UCR's College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, suggests the newly identified species may help bees in a similar way, inhibiting the growth of fungi inside pollen provisions. "Wild bees lay their eggs inside chambers filled with nectar and pollen," McFrederick said, quoted by the university's press release. "Once an egg has been laid, it may take several days to hatch and an additional week for the larvae to eat through all the nectar and pollen, so it is important that these provisions don't spoil during this period." Researchers are currently conducting research to further explore this hypothesis. To study the bacteria associated with wild bees, McFrederick and co-authors collected wild bees and flowers from two sites in Texas and on the UCR campus. Compared to honeybees and bumblebees, little is known about the microbial communities associated with wild bees, despite the important role these insects play in the pollination of flowering plants. Genomic DNA sequencing coupled with traditional taxonomic analyses confirmed the isolation of three new Lactobacillus species, according to the study. By Claire Logue HOUSTON, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese students studying internationally may be susceptible to certain mental health issues, and that the situation may be worsening, Yu Liu, assistant professor of clinical mental health counsel at the University of St. Thomas in Houston told Xinhua in a recent interview. "From my personal and clinical perspective, I believe things are getting worse," Liu told Xinhua, stating that this may be due to students moving to other countries for school at younger ages than in the past, or that people are starting to realize how serious mental health is. A survey released by Yale University researchers in 2013 found that 29 percent of Chinese international students on their campus reported symptoms of anxiety, and a startling 45 percent reported symptoms of depression. This is more than double and triple the average 13 percent rate of depression and anxiety for the general student population at American universities and colleges. Sitting down in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling office on the University of St. Thomas campus, Liu told Xinhua about her experiences and insights on the relative mental health of Chinese students studying in the United States. "I see struggles with depression, anxiety and social adjustment," Liu said. "Nowadays, more students are coming for undergrad or high school, and even some are coming for middle school." Being an only child, like most Chinese students are, means things are taken care of, letting the child focus on school work and performing well, Liu said. But this means some students are not prepared for taking care of their own home, managing their finances, and the resulting stress of these lifestyle changes can be exacerbated by cultural changes in new environments. "Everything had been taken care of before we came here," said Liu, who had been an overseas student herself. "They don't know how to maintain a household, manage their money and their friendships, and it becomes an experiment time. Some people go through this experiment time easily, and others will develop mental health issues." While Liu indicated that it is not necessarily more likely for Chinese students to face mental health issues, there are definitely unique challenges. One of these challenges is adjusting to a culture with more siblings. Cultural differences can prompt major adjustments, and for most international students, this is accompanied by language problems. "Language becomes a big issue," Liu told Xinhua. "When you don't have the skills in a language, you don' t know how to ask, who to ask or what to say." Although sometimes it can be difficult to determine when you need help, Liu said there are helpful indicators of potential mental health problems. "Individuals are different, and experiences are different," Liu told Xinhua. "But most likely when someone is suffering from depression, they have lack of interest in the things that they used to like to do." She gave the example of a runner. If someone who enjoys long jogs suddenly has no desire to go running and sees no joy in the activity he used to enjoy. She also said those suffering from depression also begin to question the purpose of things. Besides depression, anxiety is another mental health issue Liu has commonly seen in her clinical practice. Like with most things, anxiety exists on a scale, and when you begin to have physical, consuming symptoms related to anxiety, this is the time to seek help. "We might have certain anxieties about things, but if it comes to the point that I am unable to do complete activities, and I become consumed with the things I am anxious about," Liu said, this is where you can see real problems with anxiety. According to Liu, there are several factors involved in one's ability to handle mental health, such as their support systems and their learned coping strategies -- how they are taught to handle things in times of mental distress. These support systems can be family members or friends, but access to that support can be difficult after moving a long distance from home. "Some international students do not have their families around them," Liu said. "So friends become this huge support system for them." Because of this shift in comfort and a variety of other changes, Liu said it can be difficult to determine when you might need help and what to do when you're not feeling like yourself. Most of the Chinese students Liu provides counseling help are ones that are required to do so. "The majority of them are prompted because something has happened in their academic performance and the school intervened, asking for reasons or issues, and asking them to go seek counseling services." Ultimately, Liu wants students to know that seeking counseling does not mean you are "sick or crazy." With the resources available on most college campuses, she would like to see more information going out to the students. Liu believes it is important for school to provide "a checklist," so that students can identify when a problem is medical and when a problem is mental. This would help them identify their personal need for counseling or a psychiatrist. She also emphasized the importance of awareness of mental health and removing the stigma. "I think it is very important for us to know how important is to take care of mental health, just like we take care of our physical health," Liu said. "It is equally important." "We could just have a problem with our best friend," Liu said. "Then seeking counseling can help us figure out how to have relationships with the significant others in our life. It is going to be beneficial no matter what the issues are." ADDIS ABABA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's new prime minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday assured Ethiopians of his administration's commitment unity in seeking a better future. Ahmed made the remarks while addressing a gathering of some 25,000 Ethiopians and members of the the diplomatic community. He called on participants, including officials from federal and regional governments, religious leaders, representatives of women and youth, academia and experts from various disciplines, to work closely to build peace and democracy, to ensure good governance and accountability for public officials. Ahmed came to power amid worries of deteriorating unity among Ethiopians, who witnessed recurrent ethnic clashes and violent anti-government demonstrations in different parts of the country. His call for stronger unity started earlier last week as part of his first official trip outside the capital, Addis Ababa, to the eastern Somali regional state that was mainly aimed at resolving deadly communal clashes that have claimed the lives of hundreds of Ethiopians and displaced hundreds of thousands others. The east African country has recently experienced deadly clashes among two of its largest regional states, Oromia and the Somali regional state, which were triggered by tensions over border delineation. Addressing residents of Jijiga, capital of the Somali regional state, he said the deadly clashes between the two ethnic groups "should never have taken place." Ahmed expressed his commitment to bringing a lasting solution to the tragedy that affected hundreds of thousands of people from the two groups. Ethiopia's National Disaster Risk Management Commission estimated that close to 900,000 people have been displaced as a result of the conflict. Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at Addis Ababa University, told Xinhua recently that the problem of youth protests in Ethiopia is the other challenge for Ethiopia "that has the potential to escalate into a wider conflict." Noting the power of youth protests in Ethiopia's recent history, which saw the resignation of former prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn followed by the proclamation of a six-month emergency rule, Costantinos praised Ahmed for giving due emphasis on the youth when he addressed a huge gathering of youngsters in Ambo, a town in Ethiopia's largest Oromia regional state. According to experts, Ahmed's trip to Ambo, a town that has been a hotbed of mass anti-government protests over the past few years, was mainly aimed at assuring the local youth of his commitments. Ahmed urged the youth to support his administration. "We are now on the path of change and love," he said. "We want to work hand-in-hand with you." The premier also hosted a dinner reception for the country's opposition leaders on Thursday night, promising to work with opposition figures to improve socioeconomic conditions for Ethiopia, which has been rocked by bouts of unrest since the second half of 2016. "We need to rally together to make sure that a constitutional and democratic culture is sufficiently developed to the extent we would like to have," he told opposition politicians. Ahmed said building a country "where different political opinions are tolerated, equality is guaranteed, and accountability is ensured" is his major target. His first speech as premier before the Ethiopian parliament's lower house, on April 2, was welcomed with rapture by the general public and critics. Ahmed, chairman of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), vowed to ensure unity and equality among Ethiopians in socioeconomic and political scenarios. "Now is the moment to look back and make amends with the past, assess our current stance, and look to the future," he said. WASHINGTON, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. first lady Barbara Bush, in the face of her "failing health", won't seek additional medical treatment, a family spokesman said Sunday. Bush, 92, is the wife of George H.W. Bush, the country's 41st president, and the mother of George W. Bush, the country's 43rd president. The former first lady will "focus on comfort care," Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath said in a statement, adding that her decision was made after "consulting her family and doctors." The statement did not indicate the nature of Bush's illness but her family has said that she has been hospitalized several times in Houston, Texas, over the past year to be treated for chronic pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure. Bush served as the country's first lady from 1989 to 1993, but also known for her work to promote literacy and reading. She is also the mother of Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida who ran for the U.S. president in 2016. Bush and her husband celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary on January 6. She is the only woman to see her husband and son sworn in as U.S. president. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, the nation's second president, died before her son John Quincy Adams was elected president in 1824. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 07:20:36|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 15 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday condemned an attack on the UN peacekeeping mission and French Operation Barkhane's camps in Mali that left one peacekeeper killed and many others injured, said Stephane Dujarric, his spokesman. Saturday's attack in Timbuktu left one UN peacekeeper from Burkina Faso dead, and seven other peacekeepers, seven French soldiers and two Malian civilians injured. It was the largest attack on the UN mission, known as Minusma, since its deployment in 2013 and the third attack against the mission this month. The secretary-general conveyed his condolences to the government of Burkina Faso, and the family and loved ones of the deceased, and wished a swift recovery to the injured, said Dujarric in a statement. Guterres called on the Malian authorities as well as the signatory armed groups to the peace agreement to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of this attack, so that they can be brought to justice as swiftly as possible. The UN chief recalled that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law and that those trying to obstruct the peace process may be subject to sanctions. These acts will not deter Minusma's determination to support the Malian people in their quest for peace and stability, said the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 08:25:42|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close People transfer the body of a victim to a hospital following a shooting attack in southwest Pakistan's Quetta, on April 15, 2018. At least two persons were killed and five others injured on Sunday in a shooting attack in Pakistan's Quetta, local media and police said. (Xinhua/Asad) ISLAMABAD, April 16 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and five others injured in a drive-by shooting incident in Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta, local media and police said. Deputy Inspector General of Quetta Police Abdur Razzaq Cheema said on Sunday that unknown gunmen sprayed bullets at the people belonging to the Christian community when they were leaving after attending a service in a church in Essa Nagri area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province. Rescue teams shifted the bodies and the injured to the Bolan Medical Complex in the city. All the wounded, including two women, were reportedly in stable condition, hospital officials said. The assailants riding on a motorcycle fled the scene soon after the incident, the police official said. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police registered a case against unknown persons and launched an investigation into the incident. Earlier this month, at least four members of a Christian family were shot dead in Quetta when they reached the city from eastern Punjab province to visit their relatives. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 09:45:57|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The value of Australia's wine exports has hit the highest mark in a decade, a report released on Monday found. Wine Australia's latest Export Report revealed that the value of wine exports from Australia increased 16 percent in the 12 months to March 2018 to 2.65 billion Australian dollars (2.06 billion U.S. dollars). "Regional Australia continues to benefit from higher exports -- we're not going to get rich selling to ourselves," Anne Ruston, Australia's assistant minister for agriculture and water resources, said in a media release on Monday. "It makes sense that we export our wine when the world's largest market is right on our doorstep." "These record wine export numbers also have benefits far beyond the cellar door, with important flow-on effects for the towns and cities around our wine regions." Exports to China rose 51 percent to 1.04 billion Australian dollars (808 million U.S. dollars), the first time exports to a single market were worth more than 1 billion Australian dollars. Ruston credited the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) for the considerable growth. "New market opportunities underpinned by free trade deals secured by the ... government are providing producers the ability to increase their sales and reinvest in their business." "The government anticipates the value and volume of wine exports to China will only grow as tariffs for Australian wine into China will be entirely removed from January 1 next year." The Australian government in August 2017 announced the Export and Regional Wine Support Package, a 50 million Australian dollar initiative aimed at growing the Australian wine sector by showcasing the nation's wine tourism and driving demand for wine exports. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 09:45:57|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close File photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint press conference with his Turkish and Iranian counterparts after their meeting on Syria issues at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, on April 4, 2018. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya) MOSCOW, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Illegitimate actions like the latest U.S.-led missile strikes on Syria will disrupt international relations, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Sunday in a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani. "Putin, in particular, emphasized that if such actions continue in violation of the UN Charter, this will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations," said a Kremlin statement released after the conversation. The two top leaders also discussed the overall state of the Middles East issues, the statement said. The Syria missile strikes at 3:55 a.m. local time (0055 GMT) on Saturday were carried out by the United States and its European allies, Britain and France, for the sake of, as the three claimed, deterring future use of chemical weapons. Some 110 missiles were launched in Syrian territory, targeting Syrian military sites in Damascus and elsewhere, Syria's state news agency SANA said, citing the military. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the joint strike, saying in a statement "this invasion is a clear violation of international regulations and undermining Syria's national sovereignty and integrity." Putin said Saturday that the U.S.-led strike on Syria was "an act of aggression" against a sovereign state and Russia strongly condemned it. SEOUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's approval rating dipped for the second consecutive week on controversy over the nomination of the financial watchdog chief, a weekly poll showed Monday. According to the Realmeter survey, support for Moon fell 1.3 percentage points over the week to 66.8 percent last week, keeping the downward trend for two weeks. The result was based on the poll of 2,501 voters conducted from Monday to Friday. It had 2 percentage points in margin of error with a 95-percent confidence level. The decline came amid rising controversy over the president's naming of a former lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party to the head of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Kim Ki-shik, newly appointed FSS head, was criticized by the opposition bloc for his overseas business trip paid for by agencies subject to parliamentary inspection while he was the lawmaker in charge of inspecting the agencies. Kim rebutted the opposition bloc's criticism, saying he offered no favor to the agencies in return for the business travels. Support for the Democratic Party lost 0.7 percentage points to 50.4 percent, but it kept its top post by wide margin. It was followed by the main conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party which earned a support rate of 21.9 percent. Approval rating for the minor conservative Bareun Future Party was unchanged at 5.7 percent, while support scores for the minor progressive Justice Party and the minor centrist Party for Democracy and Peace stood at 4.2 percent and 3.3 percent, respectively. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 11:21:18|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close LIMA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela has voiced his support for open and inclusive trade, and advocates further boosting global trade. Varela said at the eighth Summit of the Americas, a two-day meeting that concluded here Saturday, that he is in support of a world with open border and with larger movements of people and goods. Varela said Panama was a "firm believer" in China's Belt and Road Initiative. "Panama adheres to the vision of the Belt and Road Initiative, as we are firm believers in connectivity ... through our canal, our ports and airports. We support all initiatives which strengthen connectivity," he told Xinhua. "The first project as part of this initiative, once we finish the feasibility studies, will be a train from Panama to Costa Rica. We also want to extend it to other Central American countries," he said. Varela said that, beyond China, Panama is looking for more cultural, trade, and tourism exchanges with India, Australia, Africa, the Middle East etc. Minneapolis police union president Lt. Bob Kroll told In These Times that he lobbied Minnesota lawmakers to advance a statewide law clamping down on protestslegislation that civil liberties advocates say targets Black Lives Matter. The pending bill, HF 390/SF 676, would significantly increase fees and jail time for protesters who block highways, a common civil disobedience tactic, including at protests against police killings. According to the ACLU of Minnesota, the proposed legislation chills dissent and constitutes an attempt to silence Black Lives Matter movement. I knew they were trying to pass it last year, and I encouraged them to do it again, Kroll told In These Times. Kroll has faced numerous accusations of racism for, among other comments, likening protests against police killings to the local version of Benghazi in 2015 and calling Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization in 2016. His acknowledgement of the lobbying by his union, Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, raises concerns that law enforcement is pressuring legislators to clamp down on protestsand specifically, on protests against police violence. Cops are going to keep pursuing ways to keep themselves above the fray and unaccountable for the things they do, says Tony Williams, a member of the MPD150, a police abolitionist project that recently released a 150-year performance review of the Minneapolis Police Department. It's a naked case of self-interest more than anything else. Minneapolis police arent alone: According to research conducted for In These Times in partnership with Ear to the Ground, law enforcement in at least eight statesArizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington and Wyominglobbied on behalf of anti-protest bills in 2017 and 2018. The bills ran the gamut from punishing face coverings at protests to increasing penalties for economic disruption and highway blockage to criminalizing civil protests that interfere with critical infrastructure like oil pipelines. Emboldened by the Trump administration, at least 31 states have considered 62 pieces of anti-protest legislation since November 2016, with at least seven enacted and 31 still pending. The full scope of police support for these bills is not yet known. As in the case of Kroll, police support often takes place in private meetings, far from the public eye. That police are playing any role in this wave of anti-protest legislation is raising alarm among organizers and civil liberties advocates. Traci Yoder, director of research and education for the National Lawyers Guild, a progressive bar association, is the author of a recent report on the forces behind the wave of anti-protest bills, which include conservative groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporations like as Energy Transfer Partners (the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline) and state Departments of Homeland Security. We are deeply concerned about the role of law enforcement agencies and leaders supporting the current wave of anti-protest legislation, Yoder tells In These Times. We see this as a direct response to the success and visibility of recent movements of color such as Black Lives Matter and #NoDAPL. The collusion we are seeing between law enforcement, lawmakers and corporate interests is undemocratic and designed to deter social movements for racial and environmental justice. Beyond Minnesota Following uprisings in Ferguson, Standing Rock, Baltimore and elsewhere, the policing of protests became a hot topic at law enforcement conferences and within law enforcement publications. But law enforcement like Lt. Bob Kroll are not merely discussing how to apply the law to protests, but actively lobbying for new laws curbing public action. According to research by In These Times and Ear to the Ground, police associations, police unions, district attorneys or officers in leadership positions lobbied in favor of protest suppression laws in 2017 and 2018 in at least eight states: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Washington and Wyoming. State Year Introduced Bill Law Enforcement Support Result Arizona 2018 HB 2007: Wearing disguise at protest Rebecca Baker of the Maricopa County Attorneys Office Weakened, but signed Florida 2017 SB 1096/HB 1419: Blocking Highways Fraternal Order of Police Died Georgia 2017 HB 452: Domestic Terrorism, including anyone who disables or destroys a highway/street or a public building Fraternal Order of Police Signed Iowa 2017, 2018 SF 426: Blocking Highways; SF 2222: Blocking Highways Iowa State Police Association Did not pass in 2017, but reintroduced in 2018 and pending Iowa 2018 SF 2235: Critical Infrastructure Iowa Dept of Homeland Security Passed, awaiting governors signature Minnesota 2017 HF 390/SF 676: Blocking Highways Lt. Bob Kroll / Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis Pending Missouri 2017, 2018 HB 826: Blocking Highways; HB 2145: Blocking Highways Missouri State Troopers Association, Fraternal Order of Police and the Missouri Sheriffs Association Did not pass in 2017, but reintroduced in 2018 and pending Washington Dec. 2016, 2018 SB 5009: Economic disruption Whatcom County Prosecutor Dave McEachran Did not pass in 2017, but reintroduced in 2018 and pending Wyoming 2018 SF 74: Protests Near Critical Infrastructure Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police Vetoed One bill was signed, two passed but were vetoed, and a 2018 Iowa bill to protect critical infrastructure has passed, but still awaits its governors signature. Four are still pending, and the rest died or were voted down. In other states, top sponsors of protest suppression legislation had close ties to law enforcement. In Tennessee, for example, the main sponsor of a bill that was signed into law in 2017 was a member of Blue Lives Matter Tennessee. These state-level efforts appear to be compounding the repressive national political climate, where the Trump administration has aggressively prosecuted more than 200 Inauguration Day protesters, and the president has openly endorsed police brutality. Support for state-level anti-protest laws extends far beyond police departments, as showcased in Minnesota, where an action item to require prosecution of protestors who impede emergency traffic was approved by the Republican Party Convention in 2016. And the cozy relationship between Minnesota state lawmakers extends far beyond anti-protest legislation. Representative Zerwas and Minnesota State Senator Tony Cornish, who have advanced the anti-protest legislation, have also advanced law enforcements agenda on a number of other issues, including body worn cameras, school police and new protections for police dogs. As highway-blocking protests continue, some in Minneapolis remain skeptical that police areor will ever beon the publics side. Police officers and police unions try to portray themselves as nonpartisan enforcers of laws, says Williams. But if you look at the history of police departments in Minneapolis and across the country, there's a documented history of that not being true. Police have an agenda. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 11:31:19|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese are now eagerly looking to its own navigation app that's expected to debut next month and greatly improve the navigation accuracy to within a meter. Many netizens expressed the hope of shifting from GPS to China's own Beidou navigation and positioning system. "I'm very happy to see that Chinese are willing to support Beidou," said Xu Ying, a Beidou navigation expert at the Academy of Opto-Electronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. However, she noted that downloading the app to a smartphone doesn't necessarily mean Chinese can use the Beidou system immediately. "It's the chip installed in the smartphone that determines which navigation system to use. If your mobile phone doesn't support Beidou, no app can help," Xu said. Many models of smartphone brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Meizhu, HTC and Nubia support Beidou, and more are expected in the future. Named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper constellation, Beidou aims to rival the U.S. GPS system, Russia's GLONASS and the European Union's Galileo as an alternative global satellite navigation system. The project was formally launched in 1994. It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region in 2012. China plans to send 18 Beidou-3 satellites into space in 2018. The system is expected to provide navigation and positioning services to countries along the Belt and Road by late 2018. By around 2020, when the Beidou system goes global, it will have more than 30 satellites. Over the past five years, the system has helped rescue more than 10,000 fishermen. More than 40,000 fishing vessels and around 4.8 million commercial vehicles in China have been equipped with Beidou, said Beidou spokesperson Ran Chengqi. China has sold more than 50 million domestically manufactured chips connected to the Beidou navigation and positioning system in the past five years. By 2020, the value of China's satellite navigation business is expected to surpass 400 billion yuan (about 58 billion U.S. dollars), of which 240 billion to 320 billion yuan will go to the Beidou system, Ran said. SYDNEY, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A number of Australian universities said on Monday that they will join a global initiative which tracks the link between health and climate change. First published in October 2017, the Lancet Countdown report measures 40 indicators related to climate change including change impacts, adaptation planning, mitigation actions, economic costs and public and political engagement. "A group of Australian academics and researchers will collect data from different sources including policy analysis, renewable energy programs, health impacts and disease data," senior lecturer at the University of Sydney's School of Public Health Zhang Ying told Xinhua. "Australia is one of the top countries for carbon emissions per capita and we really want to track the progress of what we have done in terms of health, protection, policy and environmental management," Zhang said. "But most importantly we need to know where the gaps are to make improvements for the future." Hoping to raise awareness of health issues related to climate change among Australian medical professionals, the inaugural Australian report is planned for release in late 2018 and will be updated annually until at least the year 2030. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 11:51:24|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Security Council on Sunday condemned an attack on the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali that left one peacekeeper killed and many others injured. Saturday's attack in the northern town of Timbuktu left one UN peacekeeper from Burkina Faso dead, and more than a dozen others, including French soldiers deployed separately in Mali, injured. In a press statement, the council expressed deepest condolences and sympathy to the family of the victim, as well as to the government of Burkina Faso and to the UN mission, known by its French acronym as Minusma. The Security Council called on the Malian government to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice. It underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. Involvement in planning, directing, sponsoring or conducting attacks against Minusma peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions designations pursuant to Security Council resolutions, said the statement. The Security Council expressed concern about the security situation in Mali and the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region and urged the Malian parties to fully implement the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali without further delay. The Security Council stressed that these heinous acts will not undermine its determination to continue to support the peace and reconciliation process in Mali. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 12:31:30|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close TUNIS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Recent unjustified U.S. strikes against installations in Syria and backed by French and British forces, would fuel extremism in the region and delay any political solution, according to Tunisian observers. Essia Atrous, the chief editor at the Arabophone Tunisian newspaper "Assabah" (The Morning), said the U.S. attacks on Syria were not a surprise. Atrous said "( U.S. President) Donald Trump has only carried out his threats ... that may fuel violence and terrorism in the region," and "those strikes are (not only) without proof but also without the approval of the UN ... raise questions about the usefulness of law and international justice." In this sense, Atrous said it is an illegal decision as well as an aggression emanating from an international system that based on lies and banditry. Nizar Makni, a Tunisian analyst specializing in the Middle East and North Africa region, said the strike is a direct reaction to Bashar al-Assad's domination of the Ghouta, which is the main front for all attempts to overthrow the ruling government in the depths of the capital Damascus. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Makni said the strike has reflected that a tactical maneuver, which was against the epicenter of the Syria-Russia-Iran triangular alliance that manages to suppress rebel armed groups. "This strike was conducted without any supporting evidence concerning the use of chemical weapons by the official forces in Douma, or even before the arrival of investigative specialists. Admitting the lack of authorization by the Security Council, such a strike is nothing but a violation of the sovereignty of a member State in this UN Council," Makni said. "The whole region and the people of this region are suffering the repercussions of such a military intervention," Atrous said. Early on Saturday, the United States, together with Britain and France, made "targeted strikes" on Syria, saying that the Syrian government was responsible for the alleged chemical attack in Doumawhile on April 7. According to the Syrian military, over 100 missiles were fired in this strick and the Syrian Foreign Ministry has condemned the attack, said it violated the international law and the UN Charter. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 12:36:32|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- World leaders have adhered to the call for de-escalation in war-torn Syria and political settlement, following the U.S.-led tripartite military attacks on alleged chemical weapons facilities in the nation. The strikes, launched by the United States along with its allies Britain and France before daybreak Saturday, followed reports of suspected chemical weapons use in Douma district on the outskirts of Syrian capital Damascus on April 7. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegation, calling for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to send a fact-finding mission for investigations. However, the three nations carried out the strike on the day the mission just arrived in Damascus. The United Nations Security Council on the same day held an emergency meeting over the missile attacks at Russia's request, but failed to approve a resolution condemning the bombardment. On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Ruhani condemned the airstrikes over phone, agreeing that the "illegal action seriously damages the prospects for a political settlement" in the war-torn country, according to a Kremlin statement. "Putin in particular stressed that if such actions, carried out in violation of the UN Charter, continue, it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations," the statement said. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said he was ready to talk to all, including Russia and Iran, to pave the way for inclusive political transition in the war-torn Syria. "I say it from the beginning, to build lasting peace, one needs to dialogue with Iran, Russia and Turkey. France's policy is to talk with everyone. It's the condition to have peace," Macron told French news outlets on Sunday. The just-concluded yearly Arab League (AL) Summit on Sunday reiterated that political solution is the only path for Syria to realize peace. Only eliminating terrorist groups and cutting off world powers' meddling could create chance for Syrian people to build an independent Syria. The AL, at the summit held in eastern Saudi city of Dhahran, also denounced the use of chemical weapons in any place, requiring an international investigation in accordance with international regulations into any such case. At the meeting, Jordanian King Abdullah II said the Syrian crisis should be resolved through political negotiation other than any military action which could escalate regional conflicts. In this regard, the Astana talks only involving Russia, Iran and Turkey, which was brokered last year for a political settlement of the Syrian conflict, cannot replace the UN-backed Geneva talks which have more global parties, he added. Also at the meeting, the Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah regretted that double standard was applied in the Syrian issue, saying Kuwait will not hesitate to offer humanitarian aid to east the agony of Syrian people. The African Union (AU) Commission on Sunday called on world powers to undertake international efforts to find lasting solutions to the Syrian civil war that respect the country's territorial integrity and serves the interests of Syrian people. In a press statement, it said "Africa expects the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) members, especially those that are permanent, to put aside their differences and spare no efforts in the pursuit of global peace and humanity's common good, in line with the responsibilities conferred upon them by the United Nations Charter." It further said "any response" to the alleged poison gas attack "ought to be based on incontrovertible evidence gathered by a competent, independent and credible entity and comply strictly with international law, including the primacy of the UNSC for any recourse to force." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 12:56:34|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close LIMA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela said he is satisfied with progress in China-Panama relations after the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties last June, and has voiced support for open and free trade. "We felt it (having established diplomatic ties with China) was the right thing to do," said the president on the sidelines of the eighth Summit of the Americas, a two-day summit that concluded here Saturday. Varela said he was delighted with the steps that had been taken since the establishment of bilateral ties ten months ago, including the signing of over 20 agreements in different sectors, which are being implemented. As an example, he mentioned the first direct flight operated by Air China between Beijing and Panama City, with a stopover in Houston. Panama has also been included as an "approved tourism destination" by Chinese travel agencies, providing Chinese visitors with better access. "We have opened our embassy in Beijing and our consulate in Shanghai," Varela added. During the interview with Xinhua, Varela also advocated further boosting global trade. Concerning the speech made by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Boao Forum for Asia last week, in which he defended open trade, Varela said he was in support of a world with open border and with larger movements of people and goods. Varela said he believes in the message of Xi that we live in a planet where residents are able to enhance exchange of trade, tourism and culture, as well as to conduct safe and positive migration. Varela said Panama was a "firm believer" in China's Belt and Road Initiative. "Panama adheres to the vision of the Belt and Road Initiative, as we are firm believers in connectivity ... through our canal, our ports and airports. We support all initiatives which strengthen connectivity," he told Xinhua. "The first project as part of this initiative, once we finish the feasibility studies, will be a train from Panama to Costa Rica. We also want to extend it to other Central American countries," he said. Varela said that, beyond China, Panama is looking for more cultural, trade, and tourism exchanges with India, Australia, Africa, the Middle East etc. China is the second-most frequent user of the Panama Canal after the United States, and a Chinese consortium operates the ports at both ends of the passageway. CANBERRA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The man in charge of keeping asylum seekers out of Australia has been appointed the nation's new chief of defence force. Along with his role as head of Operation Sovereign Borders aimed at stopping people-smugglers, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell played a key part in the United Nations efforts to restore peace and order in East Timor. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull addressed the media in Canberra on Monday afternoon, saying Campbell proved his skills in previous roles. "Campbell brings leadership and experience to this vital role," Turnbull said. "The leadership renewal of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) that we're announcing today will ensure we have a seamless transition in the uniformed leadership of our defence forces at a critical time in our history." Campbell said he was privileged and honored to serve. "I deeply appreciate the confidence and trust being displayed and given to me by the prime minister, the minister of defence and the chief of defence force," Campbell said. "It is also an extraordinary responsibility to lead and take care of the men and women of the Australian Defence Force." Campbell has served as the chief of army since 2015. He will take over from current Chief of the Defence Force Mark Binskin when his term ends at the end of June. Turnbull paid tribute to Binskin, who will retire after giving up his role. Binskin oversaw the management of Australia's military engagements in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. CANBERRA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Australia is set to take a leading role in attempts to strengthen the Commonwealth of Nations to boost global trade and security. Julie Bishop, Australia's foreign minister, on Monday confirmed she is working with her British counterpart on expanding Commonwealth membership beyond English-speaking nations. "The British are keen to have a great revival of the commonwealth at this London meeting, with the royal family playing a big role, and there is a strong emphasis on trade after Brexit," she told News Corp Australia. "There is a big push to extend the commonwealth beyond its old colonial image with a campaign to include new members which were not under British control. Mozambique has been admitted and others are trying." Bishop's comments came as she prepared to depart Australia for London where she will join Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). YANGON, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will pay an official visit to Vietnam this week, said a statement of the State Counselor Office on Monday. Suu Kyi attended the Asia-Pacific Ecomomic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam in November last year. Myanmar established diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1975. In August last year, a Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership was established between the two countries during a state visit to Myanmar by Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Meanwhile, bilateral trade between the two countries hit 592 million U.S. dollars, with 103 million U.S. dollars' export values while its import value took 489 million U.S. dollars as of January in current 2017-2018 fiscal year, according to the Commerce Ministry. Myanmar's trade with Vietnam totaled over 494 million U.S. dollars in last 2016-2017 fiscal year. NEW DELHI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-day visit to Sweden and Britain, and attend two multilateral summits - the India-Nordic Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), officials said Monday. The prime minister has expressed confidence that his visit to Sweden and Britain will be useful in enhancing India's ties with the two European countries. Modi will attend the first ever India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm scheduled on Tuesday which is being co-hosted by India and Sweden. Besides Modi, prime ministers of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland will attend the summit. "I will be visiting Sweden and the UK for bilateral meetings and for the India-Nordic Summit and the CHOGM during," Modi said in a statement ahead of the visit. Modi said Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and he will have the opportunity to interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation with focus on trade and investment, innovation, science and technology, skill development, smart cities, clean energy, digitization and health. Modi would reach Britain on Wednesday. "On Wednesday, I will be in London on the invitation of Prime Minister Theresa May. India and the UK share a modern partnership bound by strong historical ties," Modi said. "I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas healthcare, innovation, digitization, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security." The Indian Prime Minister is also scheduled to call on Queen Elizabeth II and interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership. Officials said Modi would also welcome UK into the international solar alliance, as its newest member. "On Thursday and Friday, I will also participate in the CHOGM being hosted by the United Kindom which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta," the prime minister said. Modi will make a brief stopover in Berlin on his way back home on Friday and meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel to exchange views on several bilateral, regional and global issues, reports said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 14:01:45|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese economy has started the first quarter of 2018 on a strong note with better than expected data, indicating steady and sustainable economic growth. The following are a group of facts and figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on China's solid economic performance in the first quarter. -- The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 51.5 in March, the strongest level this year. -- Small enterprises witnessed a particularly strong increase in manufacturing activities, as the PMI for small manufacturers jumped to 50.1 in March from 44.8 in February. -- The non-manufacturing sector accelerated the pace of growth in March with its PMI standing at 54.6, up from 54.4 in February. -- Loan demand for the real economy picked up in the first quarter with the index for loan demand rising 5.2 percentage points from last quarter to 70.9 percent. -- Entrepreneurs are becoming more optimistic about economic conditions in Q1 with the entrepreneur confidence index coming at 74.3 percent, the highest level since Q3 2011. -- Electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose 9.8 percent in Q1, up 2.9 percentage points year on year. -- The national freight volume, an indicator of economic activity, maintained steady growth in Q1 as the freight volume was up 6.3 percent year on year to 10.2 billion tonnes. -- Consumers showed stronger willingness to spend in February with the Consumer Confidence Index reaching 124 points, the highest level since October 1993. -- The World Bank on April 12 revised up China's growth prospect from 6.4 percent in last October to 6.5 percent. -- The Asian Development Bank said in a report on April 11 that China's economic growth is expected to reach 6.6 percent this year, citing strong demand from home and abroad. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 14:11:48|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese automaker FAW Group plans to open more than 100 dealerships for Hongqi (Red Flag), the country's iconic sedan brand, this year. In order to provide better sales, maintenance and repair services for customers, Hongqi will open the first 63 sales centers next week. The company hopes to establish 100-plus such dealerships by the end of this year, covering almost all provincial capitals and major cities in the country. The figure is expected to reach 170 by the end of 2020. Hongqi made its debut as a parade sedan at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square during China's 10th National Day celebration in 1959. Since then, the Hongqi sedan has long been featured in parades during major national celebrations and has mostly been purchased by government departments. In recent years, it has increasingly explored the private car market by expanding its product portfolio and sales networks. Hongqi has set sales targets of 100,000 cars in 2020, 300,000 in 2025 and 500,000 in 2035. SAN FRANCISCO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The House of Representatives of the northwestern U.S. state of Alaska Sunday passed a bill that will give better job opportunities to people who were convicted of possessing marijuana before it was legalized in 2015, a local TV report said. House Bill 316, proposed by Alaska Representative Harriet Drummond, will bar the public from accessing records of people charged with simple possession of marijuana, the TV news outlet KTVA reported. "This bill is not a get-out-of-jail card, it's a reasonable approach to allow Alaskans to get jobs currently unavailable to them because they did something that Alaskans have voted repeatedly they believe should be entirely legal," said Drummond. Alaska became the third U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana on Feb. 24, 2015, which allowed Alaskans aged 21 or older to buy and possess marijuana. Bill 316, if cleared by the state Senate and signed by Governor Bill Walker, will not expunge any marijuana possession conviction, but only seal it from the public, thus removing barriers for those who "made mistakes" in possessing marijuana in the past to look for better jobs. "This bill does not benefit drug dealers. Rather, it helps mothers and fathers clear their names from past mistakes, allows many of our friends and neighbors to apply for jobs they didn't think they could ever get," Drummond said. Despite the new bill, the state's law enforcement would continue to keep those people's previous records of marijuana convictions. SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A 15-member group of the Islamic State (IS) outfit has switched side and joined the Taliban group in Darzab district of the northern Jawzjan province, deputy to provincial police chief Abdul Hafiz Khashi said Monday. "Fifteen IS fighters who were active under the name of Ghazanfar group in Darzab district deserted IS rank and joined Taliban outfit in the said district on Friday," Khashi claimed in talks with Xinhua. Many members of IS outfit are former Taliban fighters, according to the official. The desertion of IS fighters and joining Taliban, according to the official, took place in the wake of heavy bombardments on IS hideouts in Darzab district over the past couple of months which have claimed scores of lives including IS commander Qari Hekmatullah. IS militants are yet to make comments on the report. SYDNEY, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Western Australian (WA) hospital staff will soon receive stab-proof vests and duress alarms to give them extra protection from violent and drug affected patients. State Minister for Health Roger Cook announced on Sunday that the WA government has committed 2.2 million Australian dollars (1.7 million U.S. dollars) towards protective equipment for frontline health and security staff in major hospitals and other health institutions, to address increasing levels of violence and aggression. During 2016-2017, more than 11,000 incidents of violence and aggression were reported. Over the next three years, around 250 anti-stab vests will be provided to over 2,500 personal with mobile duress alarms also on offer for health workers to reduce the risk of injury during home visits and remote area travel. "Frontline health workers perform a vital service in our community, so it is essential we do all we can to ensure their safety," Cook Said in a statement. "The purchase of this equipment will complement a range of other security measures in place to enhance the safety of the work environment for these highly-valued workers." According to Cook, the security needs of high-risk sites such as tertiary hospital emergency departments, mental health institutions and maternity wards will be addressed in 2018-2019, with additional protective equipment to be rolled out at other sites in subsequent years. While workers unions have supported the move, they are highly concerned about the problem of drugs such as ice (methamphetamine) in the state and have called for wider action from the community. "Dealing with violent and drug affected patients can be very dangerous for security officers and clinical staff," Health Services Union WA secretary Dan Hill told Xinhua Monday. "Security Officers are particularly at risk as they attempt to control violent situations, restrain patients and protect other staff and patients." "Any measure that increases the safety of staff and patients is to be commended but adequate security staffing levels in areas of high risk need to be reviewed." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 15:32:01|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China's new multi-role fighter jet J-10C began combat duty Monday, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force announced. Equipped with an advanced avionics system and various airborne weapons, the domestically-developed fighter has airstrike capabilities within medium and close range and is capable of precisely striking land and maritime targets, the air force said in a statement. It is China's third-generation supersonic fighter and made its debut when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary in July 2017 at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fighter will enrich the air force's offensive and defensive system and improve its capability to fulfill duties and missions, according to the statement. Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLA air force, said that the air force will advance training and war readiness, and sharpen its striking, defensive, and air delivery capabilities. It will also firmly safeguard China's airspace security and national strategic interests in the new era, Shen said. KABUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban key commander, together with three of his subordinates, has been killed following an Afghan army cleanup operation in eastern province of Paktia, the country's Defense Ministry said on Monday. "Afghan National Army (ANA) launched an operation in Zurmat district, Paktia province on Sunday, killing four insurgents, including Abdul Hakim, who served as commander of Taliban's Sara Ketta or Red Unit in the province," the ministry said in a statement. The so-called Sara Ketta is the special forces of Taliban. Five militants were also injured following the raid in the province. The Taliban group, which has been waging an insurgency for more than 17 years, has yet to make comments. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 15:52:08|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai addresses the 2018 Penn Wharton China Summit in Philadelphia, the United States, April 15, 2018. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai Sunday urged U.S. politicians and strategists to "make the right choice at the crossroads of history" for the world's most important bilateral relations. (Xinhua) PHILADELPHIA, the United States, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai Sunday urged U.S. politicians and strategists to "make the right choice at the crossroads of history" for the world's most important bilateral relations. The two countries have fallen into a trade dispute since January, with the U.S. slapping unreasonable tariffs on various Chinese commodities for exports, which aroused fears that the world's two largest economies would go into a trade war. Cui pointed out the two countries have come to an important moment for making choices, as they will usher in the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. "I hope that American politicians and so-called strategists will not take the wrong direction, but make the right choices at the crossroads of history," Cui said in a speech at the 2018 Penn Wharton China Summit on Sunday. HISTORIC CHOICES 40 YEARS AGO Cui pointed out that China's choice for reform and opening up, and the U.S. decision to normalize relations with China 40 years ago were both "great historical choices," which have brought tangible benefits to the two countries and two peoples. Coordination and cooperation between the U.S. and China on major issues of international significance have also brought many positive changes to the world, Cui said. "Now, the choices made by China and the U.S. will not only set the direction of bilateral ties in the coming decades, but also determine how their relationship will affect the future of the two countries and the world as a whole," Cui said. "China's choice is clear and firm," he said, "We hope that China and the United States can build a strong, healthy and stable relationship, a new type of major-power relationship featuring no-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation." MISCONCEPTIONS MUST BE CORRECTED There are some Americans who believe that the United States has suffered a loss in trade with China, Cui said, "This point of view is also untenable." The trade volume between China and the United States was almost negligible when former U.S. President Nixon visited China in 1970s. It has grown to over 580 billion U.S. dollars last year, and two-way investment is also increasing, the ambassador said. "This has brought great benefits to both China and the United States. U.S. companies have played an active role in the development of China. At the same time, they have also benefited greatly from China's development," he said. The large trade deficit between the U.S. and China is attributed to many factors, including America's economic structure, low savings rates, high-tech export restrictions, he said. "We don't want a trade war, but if anyone insists on fighting one, we will take it to the end," he noted. The ambassador also reputed accusations that Chinese academics studying and working in the U.S. in "basically every discipline" might be covertly gathering intelligence for the Chinese government, calling it "baseless." "This is unfair to Chinese students and scholars," Cui said, "The mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially the younger generation, determine the future of China-U.S. relations...This kind of thinking is disrespectful to Chinese students and it is also a disrespect to American schools and teachers." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 15:57:09|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the U.S.-led strikes on Syria proves that Washington has direct ties with terrorists, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. "The Americans showed such a reaction when they felt the terrorists were dislodged from an important region like Eastern Ghouta," Rouhani said in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said the attacks violated international law and if they go unanswered by international bodies, more of such chaos in the world will be conceivable. Putin said further Western missile strikes on Syria would lead to chaos in international relations, Tehran Times reported. "Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions in violation of the UN Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations." Earlier Saturday morning, the United States, in cooperation with Britain and France, attacked Syrian military facilities allegedly related to Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. The move was to retaliate for the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops early the month in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma near the Syrian capital Damascus. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegations. Iranian political and military officials on Saturday strongly condemned the U.S.-led strike on Syria's military facilities. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani arrive for a joint news conference after their meeting in Ankara, Turkey April 4, 2018. (Reuters Photo) TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the U.S.-led strikes on Syria proves that Washington has direct ties with terrorists, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. "The Americans showed such a reaction when they felt the terrorists were dislodged from an important region like Eastern Ghouta," Rouhani said in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. He said the attacks violated international law and if they go unanswered by international bodies, more of such chaos in the world will be conceivable. Putin said further Western missile strikes on Syria would lead to chaos in international relations, Tehran Times reported. "Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions in violation of the UN Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations." Earlier Saturday morning, the United States, in cooperation with Britain and France, attacked Syrian military facilities allegedly related to Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. The move was to retaliate for the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops early the month in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma near the Syrian capital Damascus. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegations. Iranian political and military officials on Saturday strongly condemned the U.S.-led strike on Syria's military facilities. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 16:17:13|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SEOUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korea held a nationwide mourning on Monday over the victims of the sunken ferry Sewol in 2014. The memorial service, led by the government to mark the fourth anniversary of the tragedy, was held at a group incense altar in Ansan, outside of Seoul, local TV footage showed. About 5,000 people attended the ceremony, including the bereaved families, politicians, Danwon High School students and ordinary citizens. On April 16, 2014, the Sewol ferry capsized and sank in waters off the southwestern island of Jindo. A paroxysm of grief swept over the entire nation as victims were mostly high school students on a field trip to the southern resort island of Jeju. Among the 476 passengers on board the ill-fated ship, only 172 were rescued. A whopping 299 have been confirmed dead, with five others still unaccounted for. Before the memorial service, about 1,000 people marched some 3.3 km to the group incense altar, wearing a badge of yellow ribbon, which symbolizes the teenage victims, and holding placards that read "We'll remember and act," and "We'll not sit idle." Heads of the ruling Democratic Party as well as the minor opposition parties, including the Justice Party, the Bareun Future Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace, participated in the memorial ceremony, but none of the main conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party members was present. The previous government under the impeached President Park Geun-hye was criticized for a botched initial response to the maritime tragedy, one of the motives for the nationwide candlelit rallies in 2016 that led to the impeachment of Park. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said at the memorial service that he cannot quell his furor when he thinks again of the ferry's captain, one of the first to be rescued though most of passengers stayed below decks as they were ordered to stay put through a public address (PA) system. As the vessel tilted over fast, the passengers trapped below the decks were killed with water rushing in. The prime minister wished the deceased rest in peace. On Sunday, memorial services were held nationwide to mourn over the victims. People laid flowers before their portraits in memorial altars across the country, demanding the government get to the bottom of the tragedy. Some people also visited the salvaged hull, which was raised in March last year to the surface and moved to a port in Mokpo, about 410 km south of Seoul. The port fence was filled with yellow ribbons people tied to appease the victims' souls. President Moon issued a message Sunday, saying he promises to get to the bottom of the truth behind the incident. He said he will fully support the investigation by a special investigatory body into the salvaged hull and why it sank. Moon said his government will make best efforts not to leave any regret for the bereaved families and all people, adding that he will keep on his pledge to make South Korea a safe country and remember the Sewol ferry tragedy. Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani in Ankara, on April 4, 2018. (AFP Photo) TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the U.S.-led attacks on Syria violated international law and if they go unanswered by international bodies, more of such chaos in the world will be conceivable, Tasnim news agency reported on Monday. The U.S.-led strikes on Syria proves that Washington has direct ties with terrorists, Rouhani said, stressing "The Americans showed such a reaction when they felt the terrorists were dislodged from an important region like Eastern Ghouta," Rouhani said in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin said further Western missile strikes on Syria would lead to chaos in international relations, Tehran Times reported. "Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions in violation of the UN Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations." Earlier Saturday morning, the United States, in cooperation with Britain and France, attacked Syrian military facilities allegedly related to Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. The move was to retaliate for the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops early the month in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma near the Syrian capital Damascus. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegations. Iranian political and military officials on Saturday strongly condemned the U.S.-led strike on Syria's military facilities. KABUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The armed opposition groups in Afghanistan in a new tactic have obviously aimed their gun to education and have torched at least three schools in the insurgency-plagued country over the past week. In the latest attack on school, the unidentified armed militants targeted a primary school in Mohmandara district of the eastern Nangarhar early Sunday and damaged parts of the school including burning textbooks. According to Mohammad Asif Shinwari, spokesman for Nangarhar's Education Department, four masked gunmen entered the school early Sunday. After tying the guards of the school and locking them in the bathroom, the gunmen set fire of all documents including textbooks and a lab room. In an identical incident, unknown armed men attacked and burned another school in the eastern Logar province a couple of days ago. Similarly, the militants targeted Mohmandara district of the eastern Nangarhar province on April 10 and badly damaged an education center, the provincial government said in a statement. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks on schools yet, locals as well as officials do not rule out the involvement of Taliban militants. Spokesman for Logar's provincial administration, Salim Saleh, claimed early this month that the Taliban militants had closed 30 schools only in the restive Charkh district following the murder of their commander during a clash with security forces. Nearly 10 million Afghan children with around 40 percent of them girls attend in some 15,000 schools across the war-torn country, while around 3.5 million school-age children have no access to schools due to poverty, traditional barriers and security problems. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 16:37:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CHONGQING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- With a gavel strike on the table, a trial opened on a ferry in the waters of the Three Gorges Reservoir region in Gaoyang Township, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Inside the cabin, some 10 people sat upright, eyes falling on the passenger in the middle. "Now the court is in session to hear the divorce dispute between..." announced the judge. The 10-meter-long, 3-meter wide cabin has become a mobile court for nearby residents and judges from the people's court in Yunyang County. With a judge, court clerk, bailiff and jurors, the floating court is no different from a traditional one. Wang Renfeng, 73, attentively listened to the trial. "Instead of going to court in town, now the judges come to us to hear cases. We feel more relaxed at home and can learn a lot of legal knowledge in the process," he said. The floating court, initiated in 2012, was the predecessor of the circuit courts inaugurated by China's Supreme People's Court in 2015 as a major step in advancing judicial reform. Now a total of six circuit courts have been established, covering more than 20 provincial-level regions including Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. By moving the courts to farmland, orchards and rivers, residents in remote and isolated areas can enjoy the same convenience as urban dwellers in dealing with disputes and legal affairs. Over the years, such courts have provided great flexibility and changed the way litigants and legal professionals approach cases. Gaoyang Township is situated in the hinterland of the Three Gorges Reservoir region, and local residents are surrounded by rocky hills and steep ravines. Therefore, the waterway has replaced mountain roads to become the main form of transportation. "There are more than 400 fishermen in seven townships under the administration of our court, and the floating courts are like mobile law classes to promote legal knowledge," said Wang Yong with the court. A total of 186 cases have been heard at the floating courts over the past six years, of them 82 percent, or 152 cases, were closed with mediation agreements. More than 300 legal publicity and education campaigns have been conducted on the river. Ran Yiming, 64, said he now knows how to seek legal assistance after participating in these activities. "Such activities totally fit our demand, and the judges are very patient in explaining policies and legal terms to us," said Wang Heping, a local resident. When the judicial officers finally returned to shore hours later, their shirts were soaked with sweat from the scorching sun, but everyone was smiling as both sides in the divorce case finally achieved an agreement. Another case closed. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 16:37:20|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China is encouraging central state-owned enterprises (SOEs)to gradually adjust their industrial structure, the country's SOEs regulator said Monday. The SOE sector has seen a gradual reduction in its share of the overall economy since 1978, but its competitiveness has been gaining strength, said Peng Huagang, spokesperson for the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). SOEs will phase out from some sectors while expanding presence in others, but it might be difficult to define a clear share of the SOEs' presence in certain sectors, Peng pointed out. Peng said central SOEs in traditional sectors should upgrade their businesses by developing new technology and industries. SASAC data showed that central telecom SOEs saw new business such as data and information and communication technology contribute over 51 percent to their overall revenue in the first quarter of this year, up 13.4 percent year on year. The government will encourage central SOEs to capitalize on their assets via means such as IPOs and mixed-ownership reform to channel more capital into strategic and prospective industries, he said. Central SOEs will see healthy, sustainable, and high-quality development as they gradually adjust their industrial structures, Peng added. HANOI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- An Asian food festival will be held for the first time in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on April 20-22, and in northern Ha Long city on April 27-29, its organizers said on Monday. The festival will feature over 100 food booths where chefs and bartenders from countries such as South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam will demonstrate their talents. Famous Chinese-American chef and food writer Martin Yan will show his skills at the festival in Hanoi along with his Vietnamese counterparts. The festival in Ha Long, home to the world heritage site of Ha Long Bay, will also include hot air balloon trips and a charity color run at which runners will be given T-shirts and bags of food color powder to throw at each other during the race. JUBA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in opposition (SPLA-IO) led by the former First Vice President Riek Machar, said they have released the seven aid workers captured in March in the central region of Morobo. The seven aid workers were handed over to the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) at the Ugandan border town of Koboko, deputy SPLA-IO spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said in a statement on Sunday evening. "This morning (Sunday), the SPLA-IO command of Div. 2B and the administration of Yei River State safely released seven aid workers with three vehicles to a delegation of the UNOCHA along the Uganda border in Koboko," Gabriel said. "The handover was witnessed by the Ugandan police service." He said the aid workers were detained due to security issues concerning two of their colleagues who were discovered to be government security agents intentionally deployed to carry out hostile surveillance in the rebel controlled areas. Gabriel said the seven were released on directive of SPLA-IO leader Machar. "The SPLA-IO... calls on all humanitarian agencies to avoid being infiltrated by the regime so that they get easy access to SPLA-IO-controlled areas," Gabriel said. This came after UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan Alain Noudehou called for the immediate and unconditional release of the aid workers and strongly urged all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to ensure that the operating environment is conducive to the delivery of aid. A relief official working for the Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (CORDAID) was recently killed along the Nhialdlu-Bentiu road in the northern Unity State. The SPLA-IO denied responsibility. About 90 aid workers have been killed and several captured by armed groups since outbreak of violence in December 2013, which hampers relief activities in the country with an estimated 7 million people in dire need of humanitarian aid. In March 2017 eight aid workers from the U.S.-based charity Samaritan's Purse were captured and held by the SPLA-IO at Mayendit, about 680 km northeast of the capital, Juba. They were later released. South Sudan descended into violence after political disputes between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Machar led to a split, leaving soldiers to fight alongside ethnic lines. A 2015 peace agreement to end the conflict was weakened after the outbreak of renewed fighting in July 2016. The warring parties are expected to resume a third round of talks in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on April 26. NEW DELHI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- An anti-terror court in India Monday freed five men, including a Hindu saint, accused of engineering a bomb blast in one of the country's biggest mosques in the southern city of Hyderabad some 11 years ago. The explosion at the historic Mecca Masjid (mosque) took place during Friday prayers on May 18 in 2007, claiming the lives of nine people and injuring over 50 others. Five others were also killed in police firing during riots that followed the blast. The court acquitted all the accused, citing lack of evidence. The anti-terror National Investigation Agency (NIA) has failed to prove anyone's guilt, according to the court. "The NIA had taken over investigation in the case from the Central Bureau of Investigation in 2011. But even after seven years, the anti-terror agency has failed to prove the involvement of the accused in the bomb blast. So, all were acquitted by the court," said a lawyer. A total of 10 men, allegedly belonging to right-wing Hindu groups, including saint Swami Aseemanand, were initially named as accused in the case by NIA. Among the 10 suspects, one was killed during the investigation, two others went missing, and the probe is still on against two others, leaving five of them acquitted. More than 200 witnesses testified during the trial and as many as 400 documents were exhibited. However, Hyderabad's Muslim parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi slammed the NIA for the acquittal of the five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast. "The NIA deliberately did not pursue the case," he told the media. Hyderabad is home to a large number of Muslims, many of whom live in the congested old city where the mosque is located. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 17:57:38|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TOKYO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The names of 3,607 members of the Imperial Japanese Army's (IJA) clandestine Unit 731, known for conducting heinous live germ and chemical warfare experiments on thousands of Chinese victims, have been disclosed by the National Archives of Japan, a research professor said Monday. "It is the first time that almost all the real names of the unit's members have been unveiled. We will post them on the website so they can be utilized for research," Katsuo Nishiyama, professor emeritus of Shiga University of Medical Science, told a press briefing on the matter Monday. The names of those working at the headquarters of the notorious unit, as well as their ranks and other information including their addresses and family members, are disclosed on the list, which is dated Jan. 1, 1945. The list covers 52 surgeons, 49 engineers, 38 nurses and 1,117 combat medics operating out of the headquarters of the unit, deceptively dubbed the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army. Unit 731 of the IJA was based in the Pingfang district of Harbin, the largest city then in northeast China. The unit was set up at around 1936 and conducted vivisection experiments on live human beings to test germ-releasing bombs and chemical bombs among other criminal atrocities. The unit became Japan's top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base and operated as the nerve center of Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during World War II. At least 3,000 people were used for human experimentation by Unit 731 along with a small percentage of Soviets, Mongolians, Koreans, and soldiers of the Allied Forces taken captive. Some of those killed in ways unimaginable were just children. More than 300,000 people across China were killed by Japan's biological weapons during WWII. The first list containing details of Unit 731's war criminals was released in Japan after a request in 2015, but information on the unit's participants was heavily redacted. A declassified list released in January still obscured some of the information of the unit's personnel. The notorious Unit 731 managed to keep its atrocities largely concealed due to the International Military Tribunal for the Far East not prosecuting the unit's commanders under condition they handed over the germ warfare data to the United States. Right wing forces here have also, since the unit's abominable crimes committed before and during WWII, attempted to sequester the facts of the unit, going as far as denying its actual existence. A documentary released on Aug. 13, by Japan's public broadcaster NHK, however, through testimonies of Unit 731 participants and authentic records of the Khabarovsk War Crimes Trials in 1949, presented vividly the cruel and irrefutable historical truth to a public here who knew little of this aspect of the IJA's deplorable war crimes. ANKARA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkey does not stand by any country on the issue of Syria and its policy in the region is different from that of Iran, Russia and the United States, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Monday. "Our Syria policy is not about standing with or against any country," said Bozdag at a press conference, adding that Turkey aims to work together with any country who defends the "correct principles" in Syria. His comments came in response to a reporter's question about an earlier comment from French President Emmanuel Macron, who said Turkey's support for U.S.-led strikes against Syria showed it had "separated" from Russia. "With those strikes we have separated the Russians and the Turks on this. The Turks condemned the chemical weapons," Macron said on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, the United States, joined by Britain and France, struck a number of targets in Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack in the Eastern Ghouta's Douma district last week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday supported the airstrikes, calling the move "appropriate." Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said "It is a positive step but more needs to be done for lasting peace." COLOMBO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's national airline carrier, SriLankan Airlines on Monday said it had achieved a record annual passenger revenue of Rs. 126.9 billion (US dollars 830.7 million) for its just ended financial year of 2017/18, the highest ever in the company's 38-year history. In a statement, the airline said the revenue came as a result of the recent expansion of it to several new destinations such as Gan Islands, Hyderabad and Melbourne and additional frequencies to popular cities in its network. The statement said, both passenger and cargo divisions exceeded their annual target, enabling the SriLankan Airlines Group to exceed the overall annual revenue target. SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Captain Suren Ratwatte said this is the first instance of the airline achieving its annual revenue target since Emirates Airline left as the managing partner ten years ago. "This comes at a turbulent time for the industry when most airlines are facing difficulty maintaining their yields due to intense competition. SriLankan has just completed a year of significant expansion with minimal erosion on yields and ended the year comfortably exceeding the revenue target," Ratwatte said. The airline said the year had been one of transformation for SriLankan Airlines, in which it inducted 4 brand new fuel efficient narrow-bodied aircraft to the fleet, in the process of becoming the first A321neo aircraft operator in Asia. A new Board of Directors was also appointed to SriLankan Airlines last month, to accelerate the restructuring process and create the enabling environment to proceed with entering into a Public-Private-Partnership with a strategic investor. In February, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a special Presidential Commission to investigate alleged large-scale frauds and malpractices in SriLankan Airlines, after the company recorded severe losses in recent years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 19:12:55|Editor: ZX Video Player Close URUMQI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Tarim oilfield in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has seen its total output exceed 300 million tonnes of oil equivalent by mid April, PetroChina Tarim Oilfield Company said Monday. The huge amount of crude oil and natural gas produced since the firm's establishment in 1989 has played a key role in safeguarding the country's energy security and promoting social and economic growth in Xinjiang, it said. As China's third-largest onshore oil and gas producer, its annual output had increased to 25.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2017 from 33,900 tonnes in 1989. In 2017, the Tarim oilfield reported a natural gas output of about 25.3 billion cubic meters. Meanwhile, its petroleum production hit 5.2 million tonnes. The oilfield's crude and gas output accounted for nearly one-seventh of PetroChina's domestic production and it also contributed to one-sixth of China's total domestic gas output. By 2017, the Tarim oilfield had sent over 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the country's bustling east through a 4,000-km pipeline project. Tarim's natural gas reserves account for 22 percent of China's total. The oilfield plans to increase its annual output to 30 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2020. Helped by the growing output of Tarim Oilfield, PetroChina plans to increase its total output in Xinjiang to 50 million tonnes of oil equivalent. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 19:17:57|Editor: ZX Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iran's private exchange centers remained banned from selling any currency for the third consecutive day on Monday. Iran's Central Bank (CBI) has banned non-governmental forex market from buying, selling and transferring foreign currencies in an attempt to regulate and stabilize currency rates. The decision was made on Wednesday following the steep slide of Iran's currency rial against major foreign currencies recently. Last week, one U.S. dollar was traded for 61,000 rials and one euro was for 70,500 rials, registering a loss of more than half of rial's value over the past year. On Friday, a CBI announcement said that new guidelines pertaining to currency deals had been developed based on which private exchange centers would be banned from currency deals and they would have the chance to involve in international financial activities. The new guidelines redefine the job description of exchange centers and "They might be given the role of a mediator for cases when Iranian banks are not interacting with some foreign banks," said Mohammad Ali Karimi, head of public relations for the central bank. Besides, the CBI has set the official rate of one U.S. dollar for 42,000 rials and it will be available at the banking system and in the liscenced centers designated by the CBI, Karimi said. Iran's first Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri said trading at any other price was forbidden and would be considered "smuggling." The government also said in a statement that each person can keep 10,000 euros (12,346 U.S. dollars) and they should deposit the rest of their foreign currencies in an account to be opened at the banks. If people fail to abide by the regulation, they might be prosecuted for "smuggling," the statement warned. All the exporters are also required to bring back their export earnings to the country's "economic cycle" through procedures set by the central bank, the CBI said. Exporters are required to sell their hard currency to the banking system or deposit it in domestic banks, it added. According Financial Tribune, also all purchase orders for imports, including those at free trade zones and special economic zones, will have to be officially registered, the hard currency for which will be provided exclusively by banks or the liscenced center designated by the CBI. Currency exchanger, some of which are affiliated with banks, have traditionally played an important role in transferring money for importers, especially during the long years of sanctions when Iranian banks were cut off from the global financial markets. After the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions on January 2016 in the wake of the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, Iran began to gradually prompt the banking system to trade in the open forex market. Three days after announcing the new policy and the new currency rate of one U.S. dollar for 42,000 rials, no U.S. dollar at that rate is available for the users. Experts believe that the new rate for the U.S. dollar is not closer to the real rate and the government will have to reconsider its policy. Mohsen Jalalpour, the former head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture and a prominent businessman, censured the forex controls, saying that they are a repeating the mistakes committed by former governments. Describing the act as an obstacle to businesses, Jalalpour predicted that the policy would fail, according to Financial Tribune on Monday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 19:33:00|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Photo taken on April 14, 2018 shows relics of the Scientific Research Center in the Barzeh neigborhood of northeast of Damascus, after United States, Britain and France carried out a wave of joint airstrikes on Syrian military facilities. The U.S., along with its allies Britain and France, launched missile strikes on Syrian military positions earlier on Saturday. (Xinhua/Monsef Memari) DAMASCUS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Monday his government is keen to cooperate with the chemical weapons investigators who have arrived in Damascus three days ago, according to the state news agency SANA. Mekdad said that the investigators of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Damascus three days ago and held meetings with the Syrian government side, during which both sides discussed the cooperation for the team to carry out its work with transparency, impartiality, and accuracy. The official also stressed the Syrian government's willingness to cooperate and facilitate the work of the OPCW team, which arrived to look into the allegations of chemical weapons use by the Syrian army on April 7 in the formerly rebel-held Douma district east of Damascus. The Syrian government side denied the accusations, accusing the rebels of staging and fabricating the attack to frame the Syrian army and attract foreign military campaign. On Saturday, the U.S., France and Britain launched missile strikes on Syrian military positions in retaliation for the alleged chemical attack in Douma, without waiting for the results of the investigation. HANOI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade decided to conduct a preliminary investigation into GrabTaxi's purchase of Uber's stakes in Vietnam in suspicion of breaching regulations of the country's Law on Competition 2004, Vietnam News Agency reported on Monday. The investigation, conducted by the Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA) under the ministry, will take 30 days. Following GrabTaxi's announcement on March 26 about its purchase of Uber operations in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, the VCA sent a dispatch to GrabTaxi requesting the provision of information and documents related to the acquisition. However, GrabTaxi claimed that the combined market share of both Grab and Uber in Vietnam is less than 30 percent, so it does not have to inform the competition authority before proceeding and completing this transaction in Vietnam. The VCA held a working session with GrabTaxi's legal representative on April 6, but the ride-hailing firm failed to give evidence proving its claim. Other Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia, are requesting a detailed explanation of GrabTaxi's acquisition of Uber operations out of concern about the risk of Grab's monopoly in the market. HANOI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and visiting Iranian Speaker of the Parliament Ali Larijani agreed here on Monday to consolidate traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The Vietnamese top legislator called for close coordination between Vietnam and Iran to lift two-way trade to 2 billion U.S. dollars, and said that the fields of information technology and telecommunications boast major cooperation potential, Vietnam News Agency reported. Larijani said he believed that the two countries will achieve the trade target, adding that Iran can assist Vietnam in the field of oil and gas, and wants to learn from Vietnam's experience in agriculture. He suggested boosting ties in potential fields such as pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, bank connectivity, tourism, film, television, and exchange of lecturers and students. He said while the two sides had operated several chartered flights, they need to consider launching direct flight service to step up economic, trade and tourism development. Both sides agreed to enhance the exchange of all-level visits and coordinate more closely at global and regional forums, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union. COLOMBO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A 21-member delegation from the Pakistani National Defense University (NDU) is on a study tour in Sri Lanka till April 19, a statement from the Pakistani High Commission in Sri Lanka here said on Monday. The statement said the delegation comprised senior officers from the Pakistani Armed Forces, Civil Services, and officers from other countries, who are undergoing the National Security and War Course at the NDU. The delegation visited the Pakistani High Commission for an interactive session on Monday. Pakistani High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Shahid Ahmad Hashmat briefed the delegates about the overall relations between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The statement said, during the study visit, the delegates will be meeting with a number of prominent personalities from Sri Lankan Armed Forces and civil institutions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 19:58:07|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LANZHOU, April 16 (Xinhua) -- At its peak, the silk carpet company in northwest China had 2,000 workers. Now the number is down to 60. Making silk carpets had been a tradition in Tianshui City in northwest China's Gansu Province. The technique, which can't be replaced by machinery, is listed as a national heritage due to its artistic value and complexity. Liu Jingbo, vice general manager of Xintian Silk Carpet Company, worries that fewer young people know how to make the carpets. Liu, 55, is also a nationally accredited tapestry technician. In the 1990s, silk carpets were quite popular and the company mainly produced them for export to Japan, Germany and United States. Annual production totaled 9 million yuan (1.43 million U.S. dollars), said Liu. "We had close to 500 full-time workers and had to hire as many as 2,000 when there were many orders," said Liu. "Now it is difficult to hire. Young people do not like to sit there for eight hours a day. And it is difficult to sell. Sales are fewer than five million every year, and collecting payment is slow," he said. Weaving a silk carpet takes a long time and is meticulous work, which contributes to its price of about 10,000 yuan for one square meter. "It is quite taxing for the eyes and the body. It takes two skilled workers a year to complete a carpet which is two meters in height and four in length," he said. Weaver Liu Xiaoying has worked at the company for 30 years. At 45 years old, she is still the youngest worker. "To finish a line, which is less than one millimeter in thickness, it takes me a full hour," she said. It is almost impossible to replace the handicraft with machinery, because silk is not as strong as wool. "For simple patterns I could use machines, but then I have to use glue to stabilize the silk threads and it will decrease the quality of the piece. For exquisite pieces, it is impossible to use machines, because the silk threads can easily break," she said. Strict environmental standards have also raised the cost. "We used to dye the silk ourselves, but now we have to buy the finished silk threads, which has raised costs by 20 percent," said manager Liu. Liu is eager to solve his company's dilemma. He is seeking help from designers and draws inspiration from luxury brands. "A growing number of Chinese consumers are buying luxury products -- high-quality materials, intricate techniques and custom-made products that are non-necessities. I think silk carpets can find new life as modern luxuries," said Liu. Now Liu and his colleagues make items printed with Buddhist figures or decorative art tapestries for companies. "Silk tapestries carry the warmth of hands and have high emotional value. These traits, strengthened by artistic elements, could be strong selling points," said Liu Yang, a lecturer at Tianshui Normal College. National funds have been allocated to promote and develop the techniques. Special labs have been established in the college. The Xintian company has received 700,000 yuan in funding since 2014 and favorable loan policies. "We are trying to attract younger customers," said Wang Lizhen, a designer of silk tapestries. "Personally I like palatial pieces, but young people may like simple and modernist designs. For example, silk tapestries could be used to make seat cushions in luxury cars," she said. "Heritage cannot sit on the shelves. We are trying to bring it back to life," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 20:18:13|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Britain Foreign Minister Boris Johnson (2nd R) attends an EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in Luxembourg, April 16, 2018. (Xinhua/European Council) BRUSSELS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers of the 28-member European Union (EU) on Monday formally endorsed the bloc's backing to the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria launched Saturday. Following their monthly meeting in Luxemburg, the foreign ministers adopted conclusions on Syria, which claimed that the airstrikes were carried out "with the sole objective" to prevent further use of chemical weapons. "The Council is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons. This is the position expressed on behalf of the EU at the OPCW," read the conclusions. The conclusions were consistent with the statement issued on Saturday by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who also called for a political solution to the Syrian conflict. "The European Union will spare no efforts in support of a peaceful solution to the Syrian conflict. A lasting peace in Syria is the ultimate objective of the EU," read the conclusions. The EU and the UN are set to co-chair an international conference on Syria on April 24-25 in Brussels, aiming to mobilize humanitarian aid to Syrians and garner political support for the UN-led peace process. The United States, in cooperation with Britain and France, on Saturday attacked Syrian military facilities allegedly related to Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. The move was to retaliate for the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops on April 7 in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma near the Syrian capital Damascus. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegation, calling for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to send a fact-finding mission for investigations. However, the three nations carried out the strike on the day the mission just arrived in Damascus. RABAT, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Council of the European Union (EU) on Monday gave green light for the negotiation on a new deal between Morocco and the EU in the fisheries sector, Morocco's official MAP news agency reported. The current fisheries protocol between the two sides will expire next July and the decision to reach a new deal has been approved by the 28 EU member states, said the report. The EU decision is in line with the joint statement by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, on Feb. 27. The statement confirmed the commitment of both sides "to the strategic partnership between Morocco and the EU and their determination to preserve and strengthen it." Negotiations between the two parties are expected to start soon, the same source noted. Turkish President and the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the AK Party's parliamentary group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in Ankara, Turkey on April 10, 2018. (AFP Photo) ISTANBUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged the international community to build a new foundation for world peace so that no countries would be bombed "at random." "Let's lay down a new foundation for peace in the world and let's not let bombs rain down on these countries at random, not allow the pounding of barrel bombs," the president said at a meeting in Istanbul. He described the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria as a "late response," saying they came only after the alleged use of chemical weapons. "If one person dies from chemical weapons, 10 others die from conventional weapons," he said. The United States, Britain and France hit Syrian military facilities with a wave of joint airstrikes last Saturday in response to an alleged chemical attack blamed on the Syrian military, sparking an outcry from Russia, Iran and other countries. Turkey has refused to have a direct dialogue with the Syrian government, though it is working with Russia and Iran for peacemaking in the war-torn country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 20:53:20|Editor: ZX Video Player Close HAIKOU, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Under the betel trees of Beireng Village in China's tropical island of Hainan, Wang Qiuxiang's coffee stall always does brisk business, even if her menu is more expensive than those of some boutique coffee shops in the city. Wang, 46, learned to make coffee from her father, who learned the trade from his parents. Wang's grandparents migrated to Singapore and ran a snack bar. Every morning, the couple made coffee with beans they had grown and roasted themselves for workers at a nearby rubber plantation. After quitting a job at a four-star hotel in Qionghai City, Hainan Province, where she worked for 17 years, Wang returned to Beireng, her hometown, to start a coffee business in 2014. At the time, the local government was cleaning up the village and planning to develop tourism. "Piles of garbage and sewage used to be everywhere in the village.Villagers themselves were leaving. Why would any tourist want to come?" Wang said. Now, with its idyllic setting and well-preserved old buildings, the village of 162 residents receives thousands of tourists each day. It was recognized as one of the most beautiful and livable villages by the housing and urban-rural development ministry in 2016. "We cherish our clean water and green hills. We clearly know that they can make money and bring us better lives," said villager Lin Zonghao. Beireng is a model of Hainan's increasing environmental awareness in supporting local health and economic development. The province's natural environment is already the best in the country. Air quality in the provincial capital of Haikou has ranked first among 74 major cities for five consecutive years and the province's forest coverage has grown by 65 percent during the past three decades to its current 32.04 million mu (2.14 million hectares), according to statistics from the local environmental protection department and forestry department. The Communist Party of China Central Committee has decided to support the province, which was founded 30 years ago, to build a national ecological development pilot zone, with the country's strictest ecological and environmental protection mechanism and a modern regulation mechanism. "The good environment is the biggest asset for Hainan. The foundation for green development is preservation of the environment," said Professor Ge Chengjun with Hainan University. Since 2013, the provincial environmental protection department has issued dozens of regulations, including a rule establishing a red line for protected coastal areas covering more than 19,800 square km. To balance environmental protection and development, the local government has stopped assessing the economic performances of 12 cities and counties in terms of GDP and fixed asset investment starting this year. Across the island, the province is prioritizing the development of 12 environment-friendly industries, such as tourism, internet, agriculture, and healthcare. A software park in Chengmai County has attracted about 2,500 companies, including heavyweights Tencent, Baidu, and Huawei. In addition, Hainan plans to have all its vehicles run on new energy by 2030 to cut emissions. With about 1.18 million vehicles, the province plans to introduce 5,600 new energy vehicles into the market and build more than 10,000 recharging posts this year. Since Sansha City was established in 2012 to administer the Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha islands and their surrounding waters in the South China Sea, the city government has intensified measures to improve the environment of the islands. Last year, the city began piloting an "island chief" scheme in Qilianyu Islands to control pollutant discharge, protect sea turtles and restore the environment on the islands. Thanks to the efforts of the island chiefs and reef protectors, more than 170 sea turtle nests were spotted during breeding season in 2017, compared with some 50 recorded in 2014. Despite the progress, Hainan still faces challenges, such as water pollution and environmental damage caused by real estate development. Earlier this month, the provincial government issued a three-year work plan to eliminate filthy bodies of water in cities by 2020. The government also aims to raise the proportion of villages with sewage treatment facilities to 30 percent and will shut down or relocate some large farms by the end of this year. Hainan is working to reduce its reliance on the lucrative real estate industry, as home buyers across the country have been flooding into the tropical island. Starting in late September, Qiongzhong, Baisha, Baoting counties and Wuzhishan City in central Hainan stopped approving construction of new property projects to be sold to buyers from outside the province in order to protect the environment. "Hainan cannot be a 'processing plant' for real estate. We cannot build as many houses as buyers outside Hainan want," Liu Cigui, Party chief of Hainan, told reporters during the annual national legislative session in March. KAMPALA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The death of 11 lions in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park left many conservationists perturbed on whether the east African country was making progress in saving the big cats. As news filtered in on April 12 that three lionesses and eight cubs were poisoned to death by some elements in a nearby community in retaliation for the killing of their cattle, Ephraim Kamuntu, minister of tourism, rushed to the park, located in the western part of the country. Since then, three suspects have been arrested and the government is threatening to evict the Hamukungu fishing village from the precincts of the park. "Government made a mistake to allow pastoralists in this sanctuary. You are all suspects as per now until you bring us those who keep killing our icons," Kamuntu said, according to the Daily Monitor on Monday. This is not the first time lions are being killed by cattle-keeping communities around the national park. In 2007, 13 lions were poisoned and in 2010, eight were killed. This time around, Kamuntu said, the government is not going to handle the perpetrators softly, warning that if the community does not identify them, the government may resolve that the community stops raring cattle. In the meeting convened by Kamuntu, the community reasoned that they have lost several animals to lions. The pastoralists argue that despite reporting to the authorities, no action is taken. The United Nations says lions and other charismatic predators are facing many and varied threats, which are mostly caused by human activities. Overall, their populations are declining at a disturbing rate due to loss of habitat and prey, conflicts with people, poaching and illegal trade. Figures from the International Union for Conservation of Nature show that populations of African lions have declined by 42 percent over the past over 20 years. In Uganda, a recent census put the country's count of lions at 420, compared to 1,000 in 1990. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement issued in commemoration of the World Wildlife Day on March 3, called for personal action to help ensure the survival of the world's big cats and all its precious and fragile biological diversity. According to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), a state agency charged with conservation, the country gets 50 percent of the revenue from Queen Elizabeth National Park from visitors who come to see lions. The agency says out of 10 tourists who visit the park, five want to see lions, meaning that half of the 6 billion shillings (1.7 million U.S. dollars) comes out of lions. Lions and other big cats like cheetahs and leopards are an important tourism attraction in Uganda. They are second only to the mountain gorilla as the most-sought-after species. Tourism is Uganda's main foreign exchange earner. It contributed up to 1.35 billion dollars to the export basket in 2016. Minister Kamuntu says there is need to create awareness about the value of wildlife, especially for the lions, cheetahs and leopard that are under major threat. The public needs to work toward preserving wildlife, as it provides enormous opportunities, especially in tourism, he said. Organizations like the Uganda Carnivore Program are helping to create awareness on the protection of the cats, especially among communities around Queen Elizabeth National Park. Working with the UWA and Makerere University, Uganda Carnivore Program conducts school and community outreaches. On the other hand, the government has enacted policies and laws that promote wildlife conservation. In one of the proposed laws, if one is found guilty of poaching and illegal wildlife trade, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison. The country has also established a dedicated court to deal with wildlife-related crimes. BEIRUT, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Monday that Hezbollah is "still committed" to the political settlement that led to the election of Lebanese President Michel Aoun and the formation of his government. Hariri told reporters on his way back from Saudi Arabia, where he attended the recently concluded Arab League Summit, that Saudi Arabia is keen to see stability in Lebanon. The Gulf kingdom supports Lebanon politically and economically and Hezbollah is still committed to the political settlement, said the prime minister. "In the next parliament, the sizes of blocs will be close and will not differ much," he added, reassuring that the ban on the travel of Gulf tourists to Lebanon will be lifted after the elections in May. WINDHOEK, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Namibia is deeply concerned about the ongoing developments in Syria, a senior official said on Monday, adding that unilateral action is incompatible with the United Nations Charter. As a state party to the United Nations Chemical Weapons Convention, Namibia welcomes a statement issued by the African Union on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said in a statement. "For the sake of the people of Syria and peace in general, we call on the UN Security Council to live up to its charter obligations and find a lasting solution to bring about peace in Syria, through peaceful means," she added. Nandi-Ndaitwah said unilateral action is incompatible with the UN charter and risks undermining the effectiveness of the very institution created to resolve conflicts. "The United Nations Security Council must remain united and pursue common justice, peace, security and stability through dialogue and diplomacy based on the principles of multilateralism," she said. In its statement on Sunday, the African Union Commission called on world powers to undertake international efforts to solve the Syrian civil war that respects the territorial integrity of Syria. The statement by AUC chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said while he condemns the use of chemical weapons, primacy should be given to international efforts to find lasting political situation for the Syrian civil war solely based on the interests of Syrian people. "Africa expects the United Nations Security Council members, especially those that are permanent, to put aside their differences and spare no efforts in the pursuit of global peace and humanity's common good, in line with the responsibilities conferred upon them by the United Nations Charter," said the AU statement. "AU is strongly committed to multilateralism, underlines that any response to such acts ought to be based on incontrovertible evidence gathered by a competent, independent and credible entity and comply strictly with international law, including the primacy of the UNSC for any recourse to force," the statement added. On Saturday morning, the United States, France and Britain conducted airstrikes on Syrian government targets following reports of alleged chemical weapons use in Douma, near the capital city Damascus, on April 7. The Syrian government has strongly denied the allegation, calling for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to send a fact-finding mission for investigations. However, the three nations carried out the strikes on the day the mission just arrived in Damascus. File Photo: Former President George H.W. Bush (L), and former first lady Barbara Bush attend the Texas A&M University commencement ceremony in College Station, Texas, Dec. 12, 2008. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. first lady Barbara Bush, in the face of her "failing health", won't seek additional medical treatment, a family spokesman said Sunday. Bush, 92, is the wife of George H.W. Bush, the country's 41st president, and the mother of George W. Bush, the country's 43rd president. The former first lady will "focus on comfort care," Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath said in a statement, adding that her decision was made after "consulting her family and doctors." The statement did not indicate the nature of Bush's illness but her family has said that she has been hospitalized several times in Houston, Texas, over the past year to be treated for chronic pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure. Bush served as the country's first lady from 1989 to 1993, but also known for her work to promote literacy and reading. She is also the mother of Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida who ran for the U.S. president in 2016. Bush and her husband celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary on January 6. She is the only woman to see her husband and son sworn in as U.S. president. Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams, the nation's second president, died before her son John Quincy Adams was elected president in 1824. HAVANA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban government decided to advance the ordinary session of the national parliament, which will appoint the new president of the country, to April 18, an official release said Monday. The Council of State of the Republic of Cuba agreed to begin the constituent session of the National Assembly of People's Power, the country's legislative body, on April 18 at Havana's Palace of Conventions, said a statement broadcasted by the official Radio Reloj. Previously, the beginning of the constituent session was scheduled for Thursday. The new president will replace Raul Castro. ISLAMABAD, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The government of Pakistan is planning to raise 500 million U.S. dollars to 1 billion U.S. dollars a year through issuing a U.S. dollar-denominated certificate for overseas Pakistanis. The local media quoted Director General of National Savings Zafar Masud as saying that the government is in search for ways to shore up its depleting forex reserves which have hit a three-year low. The Pakistani government is likely to launch the U.S. dollar-denominated certificate by June 2018, before the general elections which are due in the country later this year, he added. Zafar Masud said the Pakistani economic managers have already sought bids, which will expire on April 30, to appoint financial managers for the transaction. He mentioned that Pakistan was one of the few nations in the world which have not yet offered such a product to its overseas citizens. The National Savings official was of the belief that the certificate would offer better returns to the overseas Pakistanis than what they were getting from other such products in their home markets. In the wake of depreciating Pakistani rupee against the U.S. dollar and rising trade deficit, the country is in the middle of a balance of payment crisis, which has also hurt the country's foreign exchange reserves. Earlier this month, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi launched the country's first tax amnesty scheme, which was aimed at including the undeclared foreign assets into the national records. The international accounting firm A.F Ferguson has estimated that Pakistanis have foreign assets worth 150 billion U.S. dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 22:13:39|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close DAMASCUS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Syrians in Damascus thronged the Umayyad Square celebrating the military victory in Eastern Ghouta despite the U.S.-led attack on Syrian military positions. Holding Syrian flags and posters of President Bashar al-Assad, the crowds chanted slogans in support of the army forces, which recently wrested full control over the towns of the Eastern Ghouta region east of Damascus. The Douma district was the last piece of Eastern Ghouta to fall back to the Syrian military control, with over 21,000 rebels and their families evacuating to the northern rebel-held city of Jarablus last week. The evacuation of rebels from Douma came after 43,000 thousands of rebels and their families evacuated other towns in Eastern Ghouta to rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib late last month. Meanwhile, the crowds also hailed the response of the Syrian army to the U.S.-led missile attack on Syrian military positions on Saturday, as the Syrian army said its air defenses shot down most of the missiles launched on Syria. "Today we are here to celebrate our army forces, which brought back peace and security to the capital after years of rebels attacks, and also confronted foreign military strikes so it's about time we celebrate in this square without fear," Jamal Salem, a 22-year-old university student, told Xinhua while covering his shoulders with the Syrian flag. The Umayyad Square is the main square in Damascus and it was the stage for pro-government rallies ahead of the rebels control over Eastern Ghouta, but when the rebels took over the pro-government rallies have stopped out of fear of the rebels' mortar shells. But after the rebels' threats have been eliminated, this square has returned to be an arena for celebrations for the first time in years Monday. Fatima Jasem, another university student, said she was attending the rally to deliver a message that the U.S. missile strikes or threats couldn't instill fear in the heart of the Syrians. Tamer Shaban, a state employee, described his feeling with proud, saying "I am so proud now it feels like a long time in the war, but now we are safe I wish peace prevails all of Syria so that everyone can sense the priceless feeling of peace." He said "the U.S. should stop meddling in other country's affairs they need to leave us alone we can solve our problems on our own, we didn't call for them to be a global police force that has gone rogue anyway." On Saturday, the United States, Britain and France launched missile attacks on military positions in the Syrian capital Damascus and the central province of Homs to retaliate for the Syrian army's alleged use of chemical weapons in Douma on April 7. The Syrian army said in a statement that the air defense system has intercepted most of the missiles, stressing its resolution to continue fighting the foreign-backed terrorism in Syria. The attacks came just before the arrival of the international investigators of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), who are supposed to visit the district of Douma, where the alleged gas attack took place on April 7. The OPCW team arrived on Saturday afternoon and held several meetings with Syrian government officials, after the Syrian government and its Russian allies called for the OPCW to send a team of investigators to look into the allegations, which were completely rejected by the government. The Syrian government accused the rebels of staging the attack to draw in foreign military strikes. Earlier on Monday, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said his government is keen to cooperate with the chemical weapons investigators, according to the state news agency SANA. HANOI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The court of appeals on Monday upheld the life imprisonment passed in 2017 by the court of first instance on Chau Thi Thu Nga, former member of Vietnam's National Assembly, the country's top legislature, for swindling to appropriate assets. The court of appeals in Hanoi capital city also ruled that Nga, who was dismissed from the National Assembly in 2015, and former chairwoman of local real estate firm Housing Group, has to make a compensation of over 54 billion Vietnamese dong (nearly 2.4 million U.S. dollars) to her customers. The Housing Group had not been licensed by Hanoi authorities to implement a housing project in the city, but Nga ordered staff to make up things so that a big apartment building seemed to be under construction. According to the verdict passed by the court of first instance, Nga and eight of her accomplices publicized false information about the project to deceive customers and misappropriated nearly 377 billion Vietnamese dong (16.6 million U.S. dollars) paid by 726 housing buyers who received no apartments. Nearly 29 billion Vietnamese dong (1.3 million U.S. dollars) was returned to 43 customers. In 2017, the court of first instance handed down life imprisonment on Nga and jail terms of two to seven years on the eight accomplices. The court of appeals on Monday slightly reduced sentences on the eight accomplices. MOGADISHU, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Somalia on Monday hinted it could release the 9.6 million U.S. dollars seized from a plane chartered by United Arab Emirates (UAE) diplomats to transport the cash to Mogadishu, a move that can defuse tension between the two countries. The Somali foreign ministry said it has received a satisfactory response regarding the money seized on April 8 at Mogadishu airport. "The Federal Government of Somalia has sought to clarify facts surrounding recent developments in order to remove any room for misunderstanding between the two governments and peoples. This effort continues," the ministry said in a statement. "As part of these efforts and after lengthy deliberations between the two governments on the recent incident involving funds that were intercepted... the UAE has explained the purpose and the utilization of the said funds and the Federal Government will work together with the UAE on their utilization," it added. The statement came hours after the UAE disbanded its Somalia training program it started in 2014 in protest of the incident at Mogadishu airport. The Gulf nation has also been paying the salaries of 2,407 Somali soldiers and built three training centers, a hospital, and dispatched Emirati medical teams for treating Somalis. Mogadishu officials reportedly stopped a plane from the UAE from leaving the country after Emirati military trainers on board refused to hand over their luggage to be scanned and searched. According to reports, some 47 Emirati Armed Forces personnel who were on the plane were held at gunpoint and assaulted by Somali security forces. Mogadishu has since denied the allegations, saying that it only took the action after the UAE ambassador, who was at the airport, refused to let the bags containing the cash be scanned. The UAE, which has been supporting the Horn of Africa nation for years as part of its stabilization efforts, said the money was meant to pay the salaries of Somalia National Army (SNA) soldiers and trainers. The UAE has since condemned the seizure, terming it illegal and a breach of diplomatic protocol, and accusing the Somali government of creating "unnecessary tension." Mogadishu said Somalia and the UAE share a strong economic, political and cultural bond that dates back several centuries linking the citizens of both countries through history, economy, culture and geography. "Somalia's leaders have been committed to strengthening its bilateral relationship with this traditional and valued partner," the ministry said. It noted that the Horn of Africa nation is making great progress in implementing critical political and economic reforms to rebuild its institutions of government and financial systems to deliver security, services and rule of law to the people of Somalia. "Somalia hopes the UAE can be a contributing partner to these efforts as a counter-terrorism and trade partner," the statement said. The ministry said Somalia welcomes foreign direct investment because prosperity and economic growth will help unite the nation," the statement added. Ties between Somalia and the UAE have been strained since mid-2017, when Mogadishu defied UAE and Saudi Arabia pressure to cut ties with Qatar, following a diplomatic dispute between the Gulf neighbors. CAPE TOWN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The South African government has voiced its opposition to the airstrikes conducted by the U.S., British and French military on Syria. The government noted with grave concern the airstrikes against a sovereign state, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement posted on the government website on Monday. The alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria cannot be a justification for military airstrikes in a territory of a sovereign state without the authorization of the United Nations Security Council, the statement said. In the same vein, South Africa condemns the use of chemical weapons by any party in the Syrian territory, the statement said. "We remain steadfast in our principled position that the issue should be resolved in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations Security Council," said the statement. South Africa urges all members of the UN Security Council to shoulder their UN Charter mandate for the maintenance of international peace and security and double all efforts toward a peaceful non-military solution that respects and guarantees the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria, the statement said. From the onset, when the Syrian crisis broke out, South Africa has consistently and constantly called for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. On Saturday, the U.S., Britain and France launched coordinated airstrikes against Syrian military targets reportedly associated with Syrian chemical weapons program, according to the statement. The airstrikes were conducted under the pretext of punishing the Syrian government for the alleged use of chemical weapons in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma in the east of Damascus on April 7. The Syrian government has repeatedly dismissed the alleged chemical attack in Douma as fabrication by the rebels and their foreign supporters to justify military strikes on Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 22:23:42|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ZHENGZHOU, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Monday called on people across the Taiwan Strait to work together for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and peaceful reunification of the motherland. "National reunification is the aspiration of people on both sides and follows modern trends," said Liu Jieyi, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a forum on intelligent equipment manufacturing. The event was held in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan Province, by the Summit for Entrepreneurs across the Taiwan Strait. "The summit has made important contributions to boosting industry cooperation across the Strait," said Liu, who pledged continued efforts to promote economic and cultural exchanges and communication between the two sides. Liu called on people from both sides to adhere to the "1992 Consensus," which embodies the one-China principle, and resolutely oppose any separatist activities advocating "Taiwan independence," to realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. During the forum, Liu met with Vincent Siew, president of the Taiwan-based council of the summit, and its vice president Chiang Pin-kung. Liu also visited factories of two Taiwanese companies in Zhengzhou, including the giant electronics manufacturer Foxconn. Syrians rally in Damascus Umayyad square on April 16, 2018 in support of President Bashar al-Assad and celebrate the Syrian army's victories in eastern Ghouta. (AFP Photo) DAMASCUS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Syrians in Damascus thronged the Umayyad Square celebrating the military victory in Eastern Ghouta despite the U.S.-led attack on Syrian military positions. Holding Syrian flags and posters of President Bashar al-Assad, the crowds chanted slogans in support of the army forces, which recently wrested full control over the towns of the Eastern Ghouta region east of Damascus. The Douma district was the last piece of Eastern Ghouta to fall back to the Syrian military control, with over 21,000 rebels and their families evacuating to the northern rebel-held city of Jarablus last week. The evacuation of rebels from Douma came after 43,000 thousands of rebels and their families evacuated other towns in Eastern Ghouta to rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib late last month. Meanwhile, the crowds also hailed the response of the Syrian army to the U.S.-led missile attack on Syrian military positions on Saturday, as the Syrian army said its air defenses shot down most of the missiles launched on Syria. "Today we are here to celebrate our army forces, which brought back peace and security to the capital after years of rebels attacks, and also confronted foreign military strikes so it's about time we celebrate in this square without fear," Jamal Salem, a 22-year-old university student, told Xinhua while covering his shoulders with the Syrian flag. The Umayyad Square is the main square in Damascus and it was the stage for pro-government rallies ahead of the rebels control over Eastern Ghouta, but when the rebels took over the pro-government rallies have stopped out of fear of the rebels' mortar shells. But after the rebels' threats have been eliminated, this square has returned to be an arena for celebrations for the first time in years Monday. Fatima Jasem, another university student, said she was attending the rally to deliver a message that the U.S. missile strikes or threats couldn't instill fear in the heart of the Syrians. Tamer Shaban, a state employee, described his feeling with proud, saying "I am so proud now it feels like a long time in the war, but now we are safe I wish peace prevails all of Syria so that everyone can sense the priceless feeling of peace." He said "the U.S. should stop meddling in other country's affairs they need to leave us alone we can solve our problems on our own, we didn't call for them to be a global police force that has gone rogue anyway." On Saturday, the United States, Britain and France launched missile attacks on military positions in the Syrian capital Damascus and the central province of Homs to retaliate for the Syrian army's alleged use of chemical weapons in Douma on April 7. The Syrian army said in a statement that the air defense system has intercepted most of the missiles, stressing its resolution to continue fighting the foreign-backed terrorism in Syria. The attacks came just before the arrival of the international investigators of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), who are supposed to visit the district of Douma, where the alleged gas attack took place on April 7. The OPCW team arrived on Saturday afternoon and held several meetings with Syrian government officials, after the Syrian government and its Russian allies called for the OPCW to send a team of investigators to look into the allegations, which were completely rejected by the government. The Syrian government accused the rebels of staging the attack to draw in foreign military strikes. Earlier on Monday, Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said his government is keen to cooperate with the chemical weapons investigators, according to the state news agency SANA. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 22:28:43|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Monday dismissed the interference allegations by a recent Arab League (AL) summit. The AL statement, containing anti-Iran allegations, has been issued under the influence of Saudi Arabia who is the cause of regional problems, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said. Iran's principle policy is based on non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries and respect in bilateral relations, said Qasemi. It is regretful that the statement comes short of creating convergence for the regional good, he said. The AL summit held in Saudi Arabia's Dhahran on Sunday accused Iran of interfering in the internal affairs of the Arab countries. It called for more international sanctions on Iran. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 22:33:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- An official with the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) Monday warned against security loopholes at many heritage sites and vowed to enhance law enforcement. "There are still outstanding problems concerning the security of cultural heritage sites," said Chen Peijun, a senior SACH official when briefing on the result of cultural heritage security inspections from last year. "Awareness of cultural heritage protection needs to be raised among local officials and the public, and manpower of law enforcement in this aspect should be expanded," Chen said. "It is still quite common that the administration is kept in the dark since the parties in charge of preserving heritage sites do not report security accidents." Last year, cultural heritage administrations across the country recorded about 60,000 security problems when inspecting 437,333 cultural heritage sites, and about 3,600 problems in heritage sites under national protection, according to SACH. The SACH opened investigation into 90 cases involving heritage sites under national protection in 2017. Six of these cases involved criminal offense and were handed over to the police. "SACH will enhance cooperation with the police, step up law enforcement and punish those who fail to close security loopholes," Chen said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 22:48:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BERLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese automotive investor and Geely-owner Li Shufu urged German carmaker Daimler AG to enter further strategic partnerships on Monday. Li recently became the single largest shareholder of Daimler after acquiring a 9.69 percent stake in the Stuttgart-based company. Writing in an opinion published in the newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", Li said that traditional carmakers could only survive far-reaching structural change in the automotive industry through enhanced cooperation. "We must actively assess the possibility of comprehensive alliances, instead of hiding from reality by sticking our heads in the sand," Li wrote. He added that "any legally-feasible bilateral and multilateral cooperation of mutual benefit" needed to be "discussed." The opinion piece was widely-interpreted in German media as a sign that the new Daimler shareholder would play an active role in shaping the company's future. Earlier, Li already added Volvo to his portfolio of vehicle brands and helped the struggling Swedish carmaker achieve a commercial turn-around. Li highlighted on Monday that carmakers who were willing to face significant challenges, such as a need to pivot to self-driving and electric-powered technologies, could still benefit in the long-run. According to the automotive investor, those who were "ready to unite to create digital platforms", which can be used cooperatively by their diverse brands, would have a "recipe for success" in a "more and more embattled industry." Li emphasized the current transition phase would be a critical juncture for carmakers as they struggled to juggle competing goals of profitability and sustainability. Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that it would be possible to "use global economies of scale and reduce risks" on the one hand, while ensuring the "independence of brands" and "autonomy of management" on the other. Additionally, carmakers could keep increasing dividends to shareholders in parallel to creating greater product differentiation and respecting intellectual property rights. Since it was founded by Li in 1986, Geely Automobiles has grown into one of the leading carmakers in China. ABUJA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A local police spokesman on Monday confirmed four policemen were killed in an ambush by gunmen in central Nigeria. The police personnel came under fire during an attack late Sunday in the central state of Benue, Moses Yamu, police spokesman of the state, told reporters. They were shot dead by unidentified gunmen who attacked Anyibe community in Logo area of the state, Yamu said. An investigation has been launched into the attack, he said. Killings in Benue have increased since the start of the year, as relations between local herdsmen and farmers remained tense. About 75 people have been killed in violence between farmers and herdsmen in Logo area of the state since early this year. BERLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has reiterated her support for far-reaching Eurozone reforms on Monday despite growing opposition in the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU). "The firm desire to find a shared pathway remains", Merkel's official spokesperson Steffen Seibert told press. The federal government still aimed to reach an agreement among eurozone members over changes proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron before an upcoming European Union (EU) summit at the end of June. Seibert further announced that Merkel would hold discussions with senior CDU and CSU politicians on Monday to clarify their stance and subsequently meet Macron to discuss progress resulting from an "intensive" working process at the international level in Berlin on Thursday. Earlier, CDU/CSU deputy parliamentary faction leader Ralph Brinkhaus (CDU) had described June as being too early a date to reach a comprehensive agreement on Eurozone reform and ruled out key elements of the plan proposed by Macron such as the creation of a European Monetary Fund (EMF), shared Eurozone budget and uniform insurance scheme for banking deposits. Seibert tried to downplay a resulting appearance of backtracking by Germany by highlighting that it was "not unusual" for Berlin and Paris to agree on some aspects of policy and disagree on others. Joining the debate on Monday, however, German EU Commissioner Guenther Oettinger (CDU) attacked the federal government of being too hesitant to embrace change. "Macron deserves to no longer be kept waiting by Germany", Oettinger told the newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Oettinger warned that German policymakers could not simply "skeletonize, dissect and individually refuse" the French president's reform program. The Eurozone was currently presented with a unique opportunity to complete Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and hereby make up for mistakes and omission of past decades which had hampered its development so far. "We need to achieve this by the European parliamentary elections next spring, that is why we need first resolutions by June", Oettinger argued. The EU commissioner described the attitude of fellow party members as an "existential threat to Europe's rebirth." Reacting with similar consternation at the CDU/CSU's apparent change of heart, German Europe minister Michael Roth (SPD) called on the two parties to stand by the coalition agreement which underpinned the formation of the new federal government. Roth noted that the document's significant chapters on Europe clearly rejected "unambitious and delayed pseudo-reforms" as a solution to the EU's challenges. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 23:09:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RAMALLAH, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian officials welcomed on Monday the pro-Palestine resolutions of the Arab League (AL) Summit which kicked off Sunday in Saudi Arabia. "The Arab leaders have accepted all the resolutions adopted by Arab foreign ministers on the Palestinian issue without reservation nor amendment," Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said. In a statement to Palestinian official radio Voice of Palestine, Malki underlined the importance of the decisions made by the Arab nations in support of Palestinian people and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). According to the summit's concluding announcement, the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the "core issue" concerned by the entire Arab world, which firmly insists the fact that East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine. The AL strongly opposes the U.S. administration's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, calling all the countries not to follow the U.S. measures to harm Arab states' sovereignty. UN resolutions shall be the only norms in negotiating the conflict, and Israel's unilateral actions could only tamper the facts and hamper the peace process, it said. The Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat, who is also a member of the Palestinian delegation to the Arab League summit, said that Arab Ministerial Committee would continue its effort to discourage Guatemala and Honduras from recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In the same context, member of the PLO Executive Committee, Ahmed Majdalani, said the most significant outcome of the Arab League summit was blocking the way for the U.S. administration to liquidate the Palestinian cause through terminating the issues of Jerusalem and refugees. Majdalani told Xinhua that the position adopted by Saudi Arabia to support Jerusalem and strengthen its steadfastness would push other Arab parties to follow this approach. "We have an opportunity to make Palestinian President Abbas's vision for peace a reality by launching an international multilateral conference and mobilize support for recognizing a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders in addition to getting a permanent UN membership," Majdalani added. Meanwhile, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) also welcomed the resolutions adopted by the summit, calling for setting up Arab plans, programs and mechanisms to safeguard the city of Jerusalem from Judaization attempts and annexation. "This has importantly proved that the Arabs reject the U.S. peace plan, known as the deal of the century," said Hani Habib, a Gaza-based political analyst. Habib added that the official Arab decisions must be turned into actions on the ground, especially after the Palestinian cause had lost its place as a top priority for the Arab countries in recent years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 23:09:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Cai Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, meets with a delegation led by Sophia Shaningwa, secretary general of Namibia South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in Beijing, capital of China, April 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Cai Qi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with a delegation led by Sophia Shaningwa, secretary general of Namibia South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) Monday in Beijing. Cai, also secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, said the CPC stood ready to work with the SWAPO party to give full play to the strategic guidance of political parties in developing bilateral ties and to enhance experience exchanges in party building and state governance. Cai expressed hope that the two parties will transform their friendship into a driving force for the sustainable and healthy development of bilateral ties. For her part, Shaningwa said the SWAPO party expected to consolidate the fraternal friendship of the two parties and hoped to have an in-depth understanding and learning of the CPC governance philosophy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 23:24:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of Iranian lawmakers will visit Syria Tuesday in the wake of the U.S.-led airstrikes on Syria, said a senior Iranian lawmaker on Monday. The parliamentary delegation will be headed by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Mohammad Javad Jamali told Tasnim news agency. The Iranian delegation would hold talks with Syrian senior officials to discuss a host of political issues, including the recent missile strike launched on Syria by the U.S. and its allies, Britain and France. Iran on Saturday strongly condemned the U.S.-led attack on Syria's military facilities under the pretext of deterring Syria from using chemical weapons. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 23:39:13|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ISTANBUL, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Monday warned Greece over raising a Greek flag on an uninhabited islet in the Aegean Sea. "We advise Greece to remain within the context of neighborhood law and avoid provocations that would increase tensions," Yildirim told reporters while attending a panel in Istanbul. Yildirim said Greece recently raised a flag on an islet off Turkey's Didim district in the province of Aydin, but the flag was removed following the intervention of the Turkish coast guards. "We especially expect them to think that we will not give up the sovereignty rights of our country," he said, adding Turkey is ready to give necessary response to such actions. Turkey and Greece came to the brink of war in 1996 over a sovereignty dispute on the islets of Kardak, or Imia in Greek, in the Aegean Sea. MOSCOW, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led missile strikes on Syria prevented experts of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) from entering Douma to investigate an alleged chemical weapons attack, a senior Russian diplomat said Monday. Earlier in the day, the British delegation to the OPCW tweeted that the "OPCW arrived in Damascus on Saturday. Russia & Syria have not yet allowed access to Douma. Unfettered access essential. Russia & Syria must cooperate." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denied the accusation and said it was Britain's speculation. He said the OPCW experts did not visit Douma due to a lack of permission from the United Nations following the missile strikes launched by the United States, Britain and France on Saturday, without waiting for the results of the investigation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also criticized the accusation that Russia is blocking the OPCW's access to the site where a Syrian rebel group accused Syrian government forces of alleged use of toxic substances in the formerly rebel-held Douma near the capital Damascus on April 7, which the Syrian government denied. Peskov said the accusation is groundless and Russia always advocates an impartial investigation into the incident. The Kremlin reiterated that the recent U.S.-led missile strikes were an "aggression" against Syria and violated international law. "The U.S. tries to undermine the credibility (of) the (OPCW) Fact-finding mission in Syria even before it arrives at Douma. Russia confirms its commitment to ensure (the) safe(ty) and security of the mission and will not interfere in its work," the Russian Embassy in The Netherlands tweeted. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-16 23:44:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd L) meets with representatives of seven Japan-China friendship organizations in Tokyo, Japan, April 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) TOKYO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with representatives of seven Japan-China friendship organizations here on Monday. Wang said he was glad to meet old friends from the Japan-China friendship organizations. Members of these organizations are supporters, promoters and constructers of the cause of China-Japan friendship and their continued efforts to promote bilateral exchanges and cooperation under all circumstances are worthy of admiration and gratitude, Wang added. Wang pointed out that his visit to Japan at the invitation of the Japanese side was in response to the positive messages sent by Japan for some time on enhancing bilateral relationship, and that China is willing to work with Japan to push bilateral relationship back to normal track as soon as possible. As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship, the two sides should draw experiences and learn lessons from the ups and downs of bilateral relationship in recent years, and make joint efforts to create a healthy and stable bilateral relationship, he added. Wang stressed that friendship between peoples of the two countries has always been an important asset for bilateral relationship, as well as a great tradition of the peoples of the two countries. Under the new circumstances, bilateral relationship is facing a new starting point for development, and it is hoped that people from various circles of the two countries could actively promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges to deepen friendship, and especially encourage young people to pass on the friendship. Representatives of Japan-China friendship organizations said that China and Japan are important neighbors and friendship between the two countries serves the fundamental interests of both countries and their people. People from various circles of Japan were delighted to see the momentum of improvement in bilateral ties and are willing to continue their efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan in order to deepen traditional friendship between peoples of the two countries and pass on the friendship to future generations, they said. ADDIS ABABA, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Aman Adinew, a veteran of the Ethiopian coffee industry, is facing a new challenge as he endeavors to increase the international market share of his Ethiopian specialty coffee. The new challenge is climate change, which has resulted in delays in ripening of coffee seeds in his two coffee farms in Hambela, Guji zone of Oromia, and Gedeb, Gedeo zone of Southern region, according to the CEO of METAD Agricultural Development PLC. METAD exports specialty coffee to North American, Asian and European markets, helping Ethiopia meet its export target for its most important cash crop. Ethiopia earned 866 million U.S. dollars exporting 221,000 tons of coffee during the last Ethiopian fiscal year, which ended on July 9. "This year harvesting was delayed in our Hambela, and Gedeb coffee farms by a month as the coffee beans hadn't turned red yet by December," Adinew told Xinhua. "It was still green, creating major problems in timely delivery to our customers." "By now we should have completed the coffee processing for export, but this year, because of shortage of rain, we're having major problems," he said. The threat climate change poses to Ethiopia's coffee is also something that worries Birhanu Tsegaye, coffee, tea and spice extension directorate director of Ethiopia Coffee and Tea Development Marketing Authority (ECTDMA). "The rising temperature and decreasing rainfall has negative effects on Ethiopia's coffee industry," Tsegaye told Xinhua. "One problem of climate change is occasional drought, the other one is erratic rainfall," leading to crop failure, land degradation and other significant effects that affect coffee industry, he said. Since coffee is a temperature- and moisture-sensitive crop, climate change affects the production and productivity of coffee in Ethiopia, Tsegaye said. To fight climate change, he said, the country needs to diversify coffee production systems, diversify coffee genetic resources, strengthen coffee research institutions, improve soil and water conservation practices, and use water conserving irrigation systems in moisture-stressed areas. EXISTENTIAL THREAT While climate change has visibly reduced Ethiopia's overall coffee production in recent years, some say it could even threaten the very existence of Ethiopian coffee, a devastating impact for a country that's thought to be the original place of the plant and on a sector that directly or indirectly employs about 20 million Ethiopians. Tadesse Woldemariam, senior technical adviser at Ethiopia Environment Change and Coffee Forest Forum, a local no-governmental organization, says Ethiopia has already lost 60 percent of its forest coffee over the last 40 years due to deforestation, a trend expected to accelerate with climate change. "This deforestation is going at a rate of one percent annually," he told Xinhua. "In the last three decades we've seen increase in temperature of about 1.3 degrees centigrade. We have observed the impact especially in the drier coffee-producing areas of eastern Ethiopia, with droughts leading to exposure of coffee berry disease," said Woldemariam. Woldemariam said that effective tree shade management can reduce temperature by five degrees centigrade, conserve moisture by having effective water management practices to protect coffee species from climate change-induced drought. However, he warned that unless effective climate change mitigation and adaption work is done, coffee-producing areas could be reduced by 60 percent in a relatively short span and with it thousands of years of coffee-growing culture. Woldemariam's warnings are echoed by Adinew, who explains if the effect of climate change isn't addressed, his entire business model could be endangered. "If the climate change trend continues, there won't be any 'arabica coffee' from this area; we won't be able to fulfill our contracts, pay our employees. It affects even the survival of our organization. No foreign currency for our coffee, which is popular for its quality and distinctiveness in parts of Asia, North America and Europe," he said. While climate change has alarmed businesspeople, government officials and academics alike, some say it could have an unintended positive impact for Ethiopia. Woldemariam said that with an increase in temperature, areas previously unsuitable for coffee production could soon be suitable. "In the past coffee used to grow at maximum 2200 meters above sea level. Now it's growing at around 2600 meters above sea level. We expect it even to grow up to 3200 meters above sea level soon," he told Xinhua. However, he said with highland areas of Ethiopia having little history of coffee agriculture, it's important that government agencies and NGOs partner to tap such potential if Ethiopia is to turn a loss into a gain. ZAGREB, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese bid to build Peljesac Bridge brings benefits to Croatia and contributes to the rational spending of EU funds, said former Croatian President Ivo Josipovic during an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Monday. China has shown itself as a country that opens up many new opportunities and advances the market with its offers. The Chinese bid to build Peljesac Bridge brings benefits to Croatia, said Josipovic who served as Croatian president from 2010 to 2015. The Peljesac Bridge, one of the most strategic infrastructure projects in Croatia, will connect the southernmost part of Croatia around Dubrovnik with the rest of the mainland. A Chinese consortium led by China Road and Bridge Corporation won the bid for the project in January, but was challenged days later by competitors who accused the winner of offering "dumping prices" and using "state aids" in the bid. The appeals of Austrian construction firm Strabag and an Italian-Turkish consortium were rejected by Croatia's State Commission for Control of Public Procurement Procedure (DKOM) in late March for lack of evidence. DKOM decided that the Chinese consortium had fulfilled all technical conditions for the project and that the price claims in the appeal were not accurate. According to Josipovic, also current party president of Forward Croatia, the European Union (EU) is a desirable market for China, just as the Chinese market can be attractive to European companies. Croatia has been able to make use of positive moves in the economic relations between China and the EU and strengthen its cooperation with China. "I hope that the deal with the Peljesac Bridge will not be an exception in bilateral relations, but the beginning of much more intense economic, cultural and other relationships. From China, a state like Croatia can learn a lot," said the former president. LAGOS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 81 people have been placed under surveillance for coming into contact with a victim of Lassa Fever in the restive Adamawa state in northeast Nigeria. The victim who is now dead came into the state to meet his family from the neighboring Taraba State, Abubakar Mohammed, a spokesperson with the state ministry of health said in Yola, the capital of Adamawa state. Mohammed said the victim was taken by his family members to a private hospital in Yola from where he was referred to Yola Federal Medical Center (FMC). According to him, the victim passed away at the FMC where he was diagnosed of Lassa fever. "All those that came into contact with him- about 81 of them comprising his family members and staff of the private clinic he was first taken to are now under observation by the emergency operation center set up by government to contain the epidemic," he added. The spokesperson told Xinhua that they would be under observation for the next 21 days. Mohammed urged members of the public to be on the alert and report any case of high fever to the nearest health center. Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus from exposure to urine or feces of infected multimammate rats. Other than common preventive measures such as washing hands regularly, the World Health Organization has also recommended keeping cats. West African countries including Ghana, Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone also reported cases of Lassa fever recently. ISLAMABAD, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani law enforcement agencies (LEAs) on Monday foiled a major terror bid in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province and arrested three terrorists during an operation, local media reported. According to local police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and Intelligence Bureau carried out a joint operation in the Nabi Pura area of Sheikhupura city in the province, and three terrorists belonging to the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were arrested in the operation. LEAs also recovered arms and ammunition including improvised explosive device and detonators from the arrested terrorists, said CTD officials, adding that the suspects were planning to attack security personnel in the city. The suspects were shifted to an undisclosed location for further interrogation shortly after their arrest. A case has also been registered against them, according to local media. ABUJA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A policeman was shot dead while trying to prevent some gunmen who abducted a German construction engineer in northwest Nigeria on Monday, local police said. The German, identified as Michael Cremza, was on his way to a construction site in the northwestern city of Kano when the gunmen struck, the police said. Musa Majiya, the spokesman of Kano police, said a team of operatives and detectives had launched a manhunt of the abductors. Barely a week ago, a Syrian national based in Kano was killed, and his son kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the Nigerian city. Abduction is common in Nigeria. The abduction of foreigners and high profile individuals in the country has been on the increase recently. SINGAPORE, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Singapore identified a listeria bacteria strain similar to the one that a patient had contracted in the deadly outbreak in Australia this year, Singapore's Ministry of Health said here Monday. The ministry said in a statement that its National Public Health Laboratory has completed the genetic sequence analysis on bacteria strains taken from five patients who had listeriosis this year. The ministry found that two of them were infected by the listeria strain ST240, which had a similar gene sequence to the strain found in a patient in the Australian listeriosis outbreak. One of the patients has recovered while the other died "for reasons not due to the listeria infection," it added. Rock melons contaminated with the listeriosis bacteria were exported from Australia to at least nine countries including Singapore, where the affected rock melons were recalled and destroyed by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority in March. "There is no further public health risk from the Australia outbreak as the risks have been mitigated through the recall of the implicated consignments in March 2018," it said. The ministry added that it will continue to monitor the situation closely. NAIROBI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) are likely to increase in Kenya in 2018 due to favorable business climate, experts said on Monday. Stephanie Onchwati, Investment Analysts at Cytonn, told Xinhua in Nairobi that most of the Chinese funding is likely to go into the real estate sector with high returns for investors. "Due to stable macro-economic conditions, we are likely to see more Chinese FDI into Kenya in 2018 as the Asian nation seeks to invest in countries with high potential for growth," Onchwati said during the release of the Cytonn 2017 banking sector report. Onchwati said the Chinese government is currently the largest source of overseas development funding for Kenya reflecting the strong Sino-Kenyan ties. She added that the Chinese private sector is likely to follow its government lead and invest more funds into Kenya. According to Cytonn, Chinese investors have already helped to transform Kenya's real estate sector. "The Chinese have been able to upgrade Kenya's skyline into a modern metropolis through the construction of modern skyscrapers," Onchwati said. She noted that Chinese firms are beginning to set up manufacturing plants to produce goods that were previously imported and hence improve Kenya's balance of trade. LAGOS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-two persons have been confirmed dead over the weekend in renewed attacks by suspected herdsmen in central Nigeria's Nasarawa State. According to the Lagos-based The Nation newspaper, the attackers carried out the dastardly act in Awe, Keana, Obi and Doma local government areas of the state. The report said 19 others sustained injuries from machete cut, noting that over 10,000 Tiv villagers were trapped along the Agwatashi-Jangwa road after the marauding herdsmen sacked over 200 villages. The raids by nomadic Fulani herdsmen are considered as the biggest security threat facing Nigeria after the Boko Haram insurgency. The herdsmen, mainly from the Fulani ethnic group, and farmers often clash for control of water and land (grazing territories). According to the Global Terrorism Index, over 1,200 people were killed in 2014 by different groups of Fulani herders. In 2016, more people died in clashes with the herdsmen than in Boko Haram attacks. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 00:59:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Oman's Minister of Oil and Gas on Monday called for increased investment in its oil industry. "Decrease in investment of oil production poses a major challenge for the oil industry, oil producers should attract further investments to protect the market," Mohammed Al-Rumhi made the remarks at the fifth Kuwait Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition in Kuwait. OPEC members' commitment to the oil output cut agreement, which began in January 2017, has helped bring back investment and contributed significantly to the recovery of oil markets and prices, he noted. Oil prices have fallen sharply over the past 40 years and hit the lowest level in 2017. OPEC was not ready and prepared for the oil price slump in 2014, Al-Rumhi said, adding that it took the organization two years to find ways to deal with the crisis. OPEC members should deal with such crisis in the best way that secures the interests of all parties, including the producers and consumers, Al-Rumhi noted. Oman is world's largest non-OPEC producer of crude oil. ABUJA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A conference co-hosted by the U.S. military and aimed at boosting cooperation between military forces of countries fighting extremist groups opened in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Monday. Top military officers from at least 30 African countries and some top military chiefs from the United States and Europe attended the opening session of the sixth African Land Forces Summit, with the theme "Unity in Strength: Combating Africa's Security challenges." The military leaders exchanged notes on threats in Africa, from al-Shabab in the east to Boko Haram in the west. At the opening, Nigeria's defense chief Abayomi Olonisakin urged Africa's army chiefs to develop and adopt a united approach to confront various emerging security threats on the continent. Olonisakin noted that a united approach became imperative as global security threats had continued to be volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. "Terrorism, human trafficking, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, as well as piracy, have continued to pose security challenges to our individual and collective countries," he said. The Nigerian defense chief also said there was the need to acquire fighting capacity through training, intelligence sharing, and acquisition of equipment among the various armies, adding the summit might provide the continent's army chiefs with new ideas and ways to tackle the numerous challenges bordering on security and military professionalism. Curtains will fall on the four-day summit on Thursday, followed by a joint press conference by the military leaders of the participating countries. LAGOS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian health workers on Monday threatened to embark on a nationwide indefinite strike beginning Tuesday midnight due to alleged government failure to meet their demands. Josiah Biobelemoye, President of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) issued the strike notice during a sensitization meeting in Abuja, the country's capital. Biobelemoye attributed the industrial action to what he described as the insensitivity and lackadaisical attitude of drivers of the health sector. He directed all JOHESU members in federal health institutions across the country to commence the strike at midnight of April 17. Biobelemoye listed their demands to include upward adjustment of Salary Scale and employment of additional health professionals. Other demands are implementation of court judgments and upward review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years. Biobelemoye told his audience that the union suspended its last nationwide strike on Sept. 30, 2017, after signing a Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MOTS), with the federal government. According to him, the MOTS was supposed to be implemented within five weeks after the date of suspension of the strike. He added that six months after the suspension of the nationwide strike, government was yet to do anything tangible over the pending issues. According to him, the union had on Feb. 5 given a fresh 21 days ultimatum to enable government meet the agreement reached. The JOHESU president told reporters that the union gave an additional 30 working days effective from March 5, after the expiration of the earlier 21 days ultimatum. Biobelemoye, who described the union members as peace lovers, emphasized that the 45 days was given simply because the union had the interest of the masses at heart. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 01:09:34|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday blamed the "strategic mistakes" of the U.S. policies for the crisis in the volatile Middle East. "The strategic mistakes made by the U.S. are the cause of region's abnormal situation," Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said at the weekly press conference. The U.S.-led invasions in the Middle East are not new, as they "seek to dictate their expansion policies" in the region with occasional military actions under "false" pretexts, Qasemi said. He also denounced the recent airstrikes on Syria by the U.S., Britain and France as "contrary to all international norms." The U.S. and its allies, Britain and France, attacked Syrian military facilities on Saturday morning under the pretext of deterring Syria from using chemical weapons. RIGA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Next year, the Latvian armed forces will obtain three unmanned aircraft systems that will be purchased with U.S. financial support, the Baltic country's public media reported Monday. The United States has allocated 3 million U.S. dollars for the purchase of the drone systems, each of which consists of three drones, so Latvia will receive a total of nine drones, according to Latvian Defense Ministry. The three RQ-20A systems will be supplied by the U.S. company AeroVironment and purchased under the U.S. Foreign Military Financing program to boost Latvia's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the Defense Ministry said. AeroVironment is a developer and producer of unmanned aerial vehicles and the largest supplier of drones to the U.S. military, as well as many allied countries. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 01:44:40|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Iraq said on Monday it executed 13 convicted prisoners over charges of terrorism, despite international calls to end the death penalty. "Eleven convicts were accused of charges ranging from car bombings, killing of security members and kidnappings," the Iraqi Ministry of Justice said in a statement, without giving further details on the other 2 convicts. The ministry renewed its commitment to "implement the law without being affected by any pressures." The increase of executions in Iraq has sparked calls to stop capital punishment by the UN mission in Iraq, European Union and some international human rights groups, which have criticized the lack of transparency in Iraqi courts. Death penalty in Iraq was suspended on June 10, 2003, but was reinstated from Aug. 8, 2004. OSLO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A fresh report showed that two in three asylum seekers to Norway, mostly women and children, were permitted to remain in the Nordic country in 2017, public broadcaster NRK reported Monday. About 67 percent of those who applied for asylum in Norway last year were allowed to stay, according to the status report by the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers (NOAS). The status report showed that 60 percent of the approximately 3,300 asylum seekers to Norway last year were women and children and they were mostly from Syria, Eritrea and Turkey. "Sixty-one percent received protection and around six percent got a residence permit on humanitarian grounds," said Ann-Margitt Austena, secretary general of NOAS. She said more questions should be asked about what is actually happening with Syrians outside of Europe. "We know very little about what happens to people who are trying to escape and are being held back from Europe," Austena said. "It may seem that parliament, government and the others dealing with political discussions are satisfied as long as refugees are kept outside Europe," she said. According to Austena, closed borders throughout Europe and agreements prevent asylum seekers from searching for protection in countries such as Norway. MOGADISHU, April 16 (Xinhua) -- African Union top envoy in Somalia on Monday called for concerted efforts, to defeat the threat posed by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to security forces and civilian populations in the Horn of African nation. Francisco Madeira, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission (SRCC), told the opening of the fourth Bi-annual Counter IED Conference that the use of IEDs presented a major threat to the country's stabilization process and called for practical solutions to the menace. "The best way to defeat IEDs is to have our politics right. If the politics is not right, no matter how much technology we put on the ground we may not succeed, and to have politics right, will require everyone to play his or her role," Madeira said in a statement released by the AU mission in Mogadishu. He urged the military, the police and the government to cooperate, in order to effectively counter the indiscriminate use of the improvised explosive devices. The conference organized by AMISOM seeks viable ways of building the capacity of AMISOM and Somali national security forces, to effectively counter terrorist group al-Shabab's weapon of choice. Madeira stressed the importance of effective intelligence and information sharing and working closely with civilian populations to end the IED threat. The AU mission says al-Shabab terrorists have been using asymmetrical warfare to extensively engage in the use of IEDs to kill and maim innocent civilians and security forces. Madeira said AMISOM, Somali government and development partners are currently working on strategies to counter the threat, to ensure gains made so far, in Somalia's stabilization are not eroded. Richard Maundrell, the Commander of the British Forces in Somalia, called for increased collaboration between stakeholders and security agencies in the country to rid the country of the IED menace. "While it is important to prepare the force and defeat the device, the only way the counter IED battle can be won is through proactive operations against the IED system. This will focus on the perpetrators of IED activity," he noted. At least 3,000 civilians have been either killed or injured by IEDs in Somalia in the past three years, the UN Mine-Action Service (UNMAS), UN's demining agency, said in early April. It said the year 2017 was the deadliest, in large part due to an IED attack on Oct. 14 in Mogadishu which killed more than 500 people and injured over 300 in twin bombings. ARUSHA, Tanzania, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian government plans to employ 6,000 teachers by June this year, in an effort to end the shortage of science and mathematics teachers in the east African nation, a senior official said on Monday. Joseph Kakunda, Tanzania's Deputy Minister of State in the President's Office, said that the plan is to end the shortage of teachers in all public schools by 2020, thus several initiatives are undertaken towards the target. Kakunda unveiled the plan when speaking during the ongoing parliamentary sessions in the country's capital, Dodoma. The deputy minister said this in response to a supplementary question asked by the Mchinga MP, Hamidu Bobali who had wanted to know what the government was doing to end the shortage of teachers in public schools, especially ward schools. Kakunda said that the government is determined to improve quality of education in the country and is working to improve infrastructure in all public schools. "Employing more teachers, especially science teachers, building new schools, building teachers houses, improving infrastructure, providing books, among others are key indicators that the government is serious in improving education," he noted. BERLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- German economy minister Peter Altmaier on Monday demanded far-reaching reforms from the auto industry in the ongoing "dieselgate" scandal. Speaking to the newspaper BILD, Altmaier urged German carmakers to develop new business models which were "compatible with an ecological and digital future". The senior Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician called for the "electric vehicles of the future" needed to be built in Germany and criticized that automotive corporations had so far been reluctant to commit to related investments. Altmaier warned that the likes of Daimler, BMW and Volkswagen would be "left behind by international competition" unless they reacted quickly and "invested tens of billions of euros" into the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs). He further called for the creation of an independent European battery cell manufacturing industry to prevent the "lion's share" of profits in the automotive value-added from being concentrated in the U.S. or Asia. At the same time, however, Altmaier emphasized in his interview with BILD that he shared the views of transport minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) on the need to prevent outright driving bans on diesel vehicles in Germany. There could be "no punishment of those who had merely relied on the assurances of the automotive industry", he argued. A recent landmark ruling has empowered German cities to introduce driving bans on heavily-polluting diesel vehicles as a means to lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution levels. A recent study found that diesel sales in Germany have collapsed since the ruling in spite of assurances by policymakers to prevent owners from suffering a sharp depreciation in the value of their vehicles. Speaking on Monday, Altmaier said it's time for German car manufacturers to focus on "setting the course for an environmentally-friendly future of mobility". JUBA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudan government on Monday launched a factory producing concrete poles that will facilitate an ambitious project done by a Chinese company to rehabilitate and expand the Power Distribution System in Juba, its capital. The Minister of Dams and Electricity, Dhieu Mathok, said that the factory, rented by Power China, will produce some 13,350 poles for the electricity distribution in the capital and other states. "The main objective of this project is to increase the supply capacity and reliability of the power distribution system in Juba. Access to the grid will replace the use of generators by the population, allow supply of energy at more affordable price and, hence contribute toward economic growth and poverty eradication in South Sudan," Mathok said during the inauguration of the plant along the Yei road in Juba. He disclosed that it will help solve the problem associated with non-availability of concrete poles for the project and to mitigate the risk of importing poles from other countries. "This factory will create positive impact on the construction of the national grid in South Sudan. It is owned by South Sudanese business people but currently it has been taken over by Power China for a brief period of one year," he said. South Sudan is largely generator driven economy with continued electricity blackout in the wake of the collapse of the generator power plant operated by the South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC) in 2013. Wang Cun, an official with Power China said they got the contract to build the electricity project in June 2016 and that they will continue to support South Sudanese staff with skills and knowledge and also work with the government on several major power projects. "We have achieved much from these projects and we also suffered much from the instability and continuous conflicts all these years, but we confirm and believe the year of 2018 will be a year of peace and development in South Sudan," Wang said, adding that the company has been operating in South Sudan since 2009. He disclosed that Power China has conducted several projects before South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011 such as the peace road project from Renk to Malakal, Maridi water plant and Malakal municipal road projects. Wang said they will immediately reorganize all necessary resources to increase post-production capacity and immediately shall commence the erection of these poles to all corners of Juba city and start the distribution. "We shall do as we did before to recruit more local technicians, engineers and laborers during the construction period, so that they are there in place for similar projects in the near future. We shall make more efforts to improve these local staffs' working environment and to realize sustainable development of Power China and Sino-hydro in South Sudan," said Wang. Power China has been committing itself in the economic development of South Sudan and has signed eight commercial contracts with the government of South Sudan since independence like the Juba-hydro power project and the Tharjiath thermal power plant project. Liu Xiaodong, the Charge d'Affaires at the Chinese embassy in South Sudan, said Power China has been working very hard in the engineering and procurement in the earlier stage of the project and also thanked the South Sudan government and the African Development Bank for their strong support. Liu added upon completion Juba will have an upgraded power distribution system with 2,250 lighting points along the main roads in the capital and lamps will be LED ones. The project falls under the Juba Power Distribution System Rehabilitation and Expansion Project, which was funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB). It comprises of five different lots like Rehabilitation of Diesel plant substation, Rehabilitation and Expansion of medium voltage network, low voltage network, and Rehabilitation and Expansion of street lighting and improvement of customer care. BUDAPEST, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China's customized travel market in 2017 was growing fast, an industry report revealed here on Monday. Some 40 percent of customized travel by Chinese tourists was for outbound travel plans, among which Europe accounted for 10 percent, according to the report. The report was jointly released by online tour operator Ctrip.com and China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI), at the first Business Summit of Ctrip Customized Travel held in the Hungarian capital on Monday. The joint report, "Customized Travels of Chinese Visitors to Europe", detailed the growth of demand for customized travel to Europe in 2017. Ctrip Customized Travel CEO Kane Xu said, "China's travel market is booming which offers a new business model and opportunities for products and services in customized travel." With a year-on-year growth of 130 percent, Europe has seen increasing Chinese travelers opting for such unique, personalized travel experiences. Apart from being unique, main demands for trips were those that were in-depth, slow pace, private, niche and more about leisure. From Ctrip's travel data, 2017 saw more than 6 million Chinese making their first entry to Europe. A total of 9.3 percent of Chinese travelers chose Europe as their outbound destination, making it the second most popular continent for Chinese travelers. Females traveled more than males and 23 percent of total outbound tourists to Europe were aged 50 and over. The top 5 European countries for customized travel were Britain, Italy, France, Russia and Greece. On average, customized trips to Europe lasted around 12 days with tours not exceeding two countries. "The demand and consumption of customized travel by Chinese consumers is unique and represents a leading global market segment. It is characterized by its popularity, youthfulness and high growth rates," according to Director of COTRI Wolfgang Georg Arlt. Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou were the top three departure cities for customized travel. While they made up 50 percent of customized travel, second-tier cities such as Harbin, Wuhan, Fuzhou, Nanjing and Hangzhou were part of the fastest-growing cities with year-on-year growth exceeding 100 percent. Personalized demands and themes from gastronomy to wedding photography to study tours to honeymoons to specific sporting interests and activities could be fulfilled through Ctrip's vast resources and selections. The sheer size of Europe provided a great variety of options for Chinese tourists, according to the report. HOUSTON, April 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. natural gas production will increase through 2050 across a wide variety of alternative assumptions about the future, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Monday. EIA projected that based on current laws and regulations, U.S. natural gas production grows 59 percent from 2017 to 2050, starting at 73.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2017 and reaching 118 Bcf/d in 2050. The agency forecast that beyond 2020, natural gas production grows faster than consumption in almost all cases, said EIA, adding near-term production growth across all cases is supported by growing demand in an environment of low and stable natural gas prices in both domestic and international markets. After becoming a net natural gas exporter in 2017, U.S. natural gas exports continue to increase in the coming years, EIA said. Although Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports from the U.S. increase through the 2020s as more export terminals come online, U.S. LNG exports level off as U.S.-sourced LNG becomes less price competitive with increasing LNG supply from other global suppliers. A girl holding a Syrian flag participates in a protest against U.S.-led attacks on Syria, at Tahrir Square, Baghdad, Iraq, on April 15, 2018. Thousands of Iraqis rallied Sunday in downtown Baghdad to protest against U.S.-led attacks on Syria. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) UNITED NATIONS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The French ambassador to the United Nations on Monday vowed to push forward a draft Security Council resolution on a new inquiry mechanism for chemical weapons use in Syria. Negotiations will start on Monday among the 15 members of the Security Council, Francois Delattre, the French ambassador, told reporters. "Our priority now is to open a new phase in engaging all members of the Security Council on the draft resolution." The French-drafted resolution was circulated to council members on Saturday, shortly after the United States, France and Britain launched missile attacks on Syria over reports of chemical weapons use in the Arab country earlier this month. "The goal of the resolution is clear: it is for the Security Council to restart collective action to deal with the chemical weapons dossier, to protect civilians and to work toward a political settlement of the Syrian crisis," said Delattre. He said there is no "artificial timeframe" for negotiations. "We will work hard, in good faith, in good spirit, to listen to everybody in order to move ahead with the draft resolution because we believe that now is the time to move forward toward an inclusive political settlement of the crisis." The Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the watchdog of the Chemical Weapons Convention, has sent teams into Syria for an investigation of the latest allegations of the chemical attack in Douma on April 7, which triggered the U.S.-led military strikes. But the teams were reportedly unable to access Douma. Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy said Monday that his country is facilitating the FFM's access "as much as possible." He said it was Russia's initiative to invite the FFM for an investigation. Asked why the teams were unable to carry out their work, Polyanskiy said: "Ask them (the investigators)." UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday that the United Nations has given the necessary clearance for the OPCW teams to work in Douma. Russia has said that no chemical attack had happened in Douma. The new draft resolution came after Russia last week vetoed a U.S.-drafted resolution for the purpose of an investigative mechanism for chemical weapons use in Syria that has the power to attribute accountability. The OPCW's FFM may investigate chemical attacks, but it does not have the power to attribute responsibility. There used to be such a mechanism called the Joint Investigative Mechanism between the OPCW and the United Nations, which had found that both the Syrian government and the Islamic State terrorist group used chemical weapons in Syria. Russia blocked the renewal of its mandate in November 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 03:09:59|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on April 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Qin Yanyang) ANKARA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday called on Turkey to contribute to the alliance's plan to launch a training mission in Iraq to fight terrorism. Stoltenberg met Turkish leaders in Ankara on Monday, underlining the alliance's support to Turkey which he identified as "a highly valued and key ally for many reasons." "At a NATO summit in July, we plan to launch a training mission in Iraq to help local forces to stabilize their own country and prevent international terrorist threats like the Islamic State (IS) from coming back," he said at a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. This year's NATO summit will be held on July 11-12 in Brussels, Belgium to underpin the strong bond, solidarity and unity among its members, and further strengthen NATO's adaptation. Stoltenberg hailed the "essential contributions" that Turkey has been making to fight IS, citing Turkish government's role in Afghanistan for building stability, as well as its contributions to NATO missions in Kosovo and Iraq. "I count on Turkey's support to launch the mission," he noted, "No other NATO ally has suffered as many terrorist attacks as Turkey. You are the ally most exposed to stability in this region." The NATO head also stressed that there is no military solution to the Syrian conflict. "NATO fully supports efforts led by the UN to achieve a lasting political solution to the conflict in Syria," he said. Cavusoglu said Turkey will continue NATO's missions abroad. "We expect important decisions to be taken at the NATO summit," he said. He added that Turkey expected NATO to meet its expectations on the issue of air defense, referring to the ongoing NATO mission in southeast Turkey to protect the Turkish border from threats from Syria. Spain and Italy have deployed air defense systems along Turkey's border with Syria, after the U.S. and Germany pulled out their Patriot Air and missile defense systems. The NATO chief's visit to Ankara comes at a moment when Turkey's relationship with the U.S.-led Western countries has been strained due to Turkey's crackdown on political dissidents following a failed coup in 2016 and the recent Turkish military operations inside Syria to fight the Kurdish militia. Turkey's decision for procurement of Russian S-400 missile defense systems also irked many NATO allies. Turkey, meanwhile, has developed close ties with Russia, particularly over cooperation on the issue of Syrian crisis, amid rising tensions between Moscow and the West. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 03:15:00|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Amina Mohammed (C, front), United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, addresses the UN Security Council open debate on preventing sexual violence in conflict at the UN headquarters in New York, April 16, 2018. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Monday stressed the need to stop sexual violence in conflict. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Monday stressed the need to stop sexual violence in conflict. "This year, in Myanmar and many other conflict situations, the widespread threat and use of sexual violence has, once again, been used as a tactic to advance military, economic and ideological objectives. And, once again, it has been a driver of massive forced displacement," Mohammed told the Security Council. Both genders endure the horrific brutality of sexual violence in conflict. But, overall, women and girls are disproportionately affected, she said. Gender-based discrimination is the invisible driver of most crimes of sexual violence. And, the lower a woman's status -- in terms of health, wealth and education -- the greater is her vulnerability and exposure to harm, she said. "Our responsibility must be to bring justice, recognition and reparations to the survivors of these horrendous crimes -- not only justice in the courtrooms, but also social justice and economic empowerment. "We should recognize and support the resilience of the many survivors who are working as agents of change. And, if we are to prevent these crimes being repeated, we must ensure accountability and deterrence." Special Representative of the UN secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, said that while significant normative progress has been achieved, there is an urgent need to consolidate it by ensuring accountability. Otherwise the situation risks a reversal, resulting in wartime rape being once again "normalized" due to the frequency and impunity with which it is committed, she said. Wartime rape is preventable, and addressing it is the collective responsibility of the international community, said Patten. The Security Council was holding an open debate on sexual violence in conflict. SARAJEVO, April 16 (Xinhua)-- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Border Police have intercepted 1,036 migrants from January 1 to April 15, 2018, a significant increase year-to-year, an official report said Monday. The 1,036 persons originating from "high migration risk countries", 157 were discovered in January, 315 in February, 340 in March and 224 until April 15 en route to countries of the European Union. The report states that the greatest number of migrants originates from Syria (312), Pakistan (163), Libya (118), Afghanistan (100) and Palestine (63). When it comes to the place where the migrants were detected, the report says the majority of them were seen in the northern part of BiH near the border crossing with Croatia and in the southeastern part where BiH borders with Serbia. Additionally, 1,191 persons gave up of entering BiH due to the engagement of police officers at the border line with Montenegro and Serbia. "According to the statutory regulations, persons who enter BiH illegally are put under the supervision of the Service for Foreigners' Affairs Immigration Center or if they intend to pursue asylum in BiH, they are sent in asylum center under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Security, the Asylum Sector," BiH Service for Foreigners' Affairs explained. In 2016, some 100 migrants were recorded in BiH, in 2017 the number of persons was 754, local media quoted BiH Border Police as saying. LJUBLJANA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian opposition party Left urged the government on Monday to condemn the air strikes on Syria conducted by the United States, Britain, and France, and to oppose any additional interventions in Syria within the European Union (EU) and NATO. "We need to realize that unilateral actions may trigger a confrontation of global proportions, which could also affect Slovenia as a NATO member," the party said in a statement. "The continuation of such a policy would violate the Constitution," the statement said, quoted by Slovenian national news agency STA. Earlier, Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar and foreign minister Karl Erjavec had expressed support for the strikes. The Slovenian government should change its position and immediately condemn the attack, Left deputy Matej Tasner Vatovec said. In such instances, it should also consult parliament before speaking up. He said Slovenian political support for the strike was "evidence that Slovenian foreign policy is subjugated to the interests of Western imperialism" and constituted support for a grave violation of international law. Opposition to the Slovenian stance was also voiced Monday by Solidarity, a non-parliamentary leftist party, which said Cerar and Erjavec had "sheepishly supported...a renewed destabilization of Syria". KHARTOUM, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday announced the return of 53 Sudanese refugees after they spent more than 14 years in refugee camps in eastern Chad. "On April 14, 2018, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Commissioner of Refugees (COR) welcomed the first convoy of 53 Sudanese refugees who have returned to Sudan after more than 14 years in exile in eastern Chad," the UNHCR said in a statement Monday. "It is very moving to see refugees returning to their home country after many years in exile," Noriko Yoshida, UNHCR representative in Sudan, said in the statement. She appealed to the international community to assist the efforts of the Sudanese government on the return of Sudanese refugees from Chad. Meanwhile, Sudan's Commissioner of Refugees, Hamad El-Gizouli, was quoted in the statement as saying that Sudanese government attaches great concern to the voluntary return of refugees as being the best solution for them so that they could begin to rebuild their life as Sudanese citizens. Thousands of Sudanese refugees fled to Chad after the eruption of the conflict in Darfur during 2003-2004. Sudan and Chad and UNHCR signed a tripartite agreement in May 2017 for the voluntary repatriation of Sudanese refugees from Chad and the Chadian refugees from Sudan. The UNHCR and the two governments concerned are targeting the repatriation of 20,000 refugees from Chad in 2018. According to UN statistics, some 300,000 Sudanese refugees currently live in eastern Chad. YEREVAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Protests led by Armenian opposition MP and leader of Civil Contract Party Nikol Pashinyan were held in the Amenian capital city Yerevan on Monday. The protests are aimed at blocking the country's former president's return to power in the new role of the all-powerful prime minister. The protests have left the nation's capital paralyzed for the fourth day with protesters blocking main roads in Yerevan and disrupting public transportation thus calling on people to voice dissent to what they described as Serzh Sargsyan's third term in office. Sargsyan, who completed his second and final five-year term as Armenian president on April 9, oversaw the country's transition from a semi-presidential system of governance to a parliamentary system. The protests have been mainly held at the French Square in downtown Yerevan. Though Monday also saw major roads in the center of the capital being blocked by demonstrators. Scuffles and brief clashes took place with police during the second half of Monday when protestors decided to march on the parliament. Police fired stun grenades and used barbed wires to stop the protestors, leaving several people wounded, after thousands of opposition supporters began to march toward parliament in Yerevan. Armen Sarkissian, new president with largely ceremonial roles, was sworn in on April 9, and now with Karen Karapetyan's caretaker government running the country, the National Assembly of Armenia will move to elect a new prime minister on Tuesday. Serzh Sargsyan's ruling Republican Party and their junior coalition partners Armenian Revolutionary Federation hold a comfortable majority in the parliament and no electoral hurdles are expected on Sargsyan's path to the premiership. On Monday, the country's police released a warning publicly, demanding opposition leader Pashinyan stop the rallies and disruption of "public order" in the capital, otherwise the "use of force" would be applied to disperse the crowds. Meanwhile, Pashinyan called everyone to join them on Tuesday, April 17, to block all the streets leading to Parliament, so the MPs are not able to gather and cast their vote for a new prime minister of Armenia. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 03:45:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DUQM, Oman, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The construction commencement ceremony for the Wanfang commercial-residential complex was held Monday in the China-Oman Industrial Park in Duqm. Lee Cheekhian, CEO of Special Economic Zone Authority in Duqm, presided over the ceremony, which was also attended by Salim Al Sulaimani, CEO of Tatweer, and Sha Yanju, chairman of Oman Wanfang. A the ceremony, 16 heavy construction equipments lined up in the light industrial area of the China-Oman Industrial Park in Duqm, about 500 km from Omani capital Muscat. The Wanfang commercial-residential complex project, covering a total area of 40,000 square meters, comprises four three-storey commercial buildings, one five-storey office building and one five-storey commercial office building. In the first phase, it plans to build a five-storey building with a construction area of 15,000 square meters. Cheekhian spoke highly of the project and wished it a success with the support of bilateral governments. "Providing high-standard supporting facilities for the staff is an important part of the construction of China-Oman Industrial Park," said Sha, whose company is the developer and operator of the park. Under a deal signed in May 2016 between China and Oman, the park, covering an area of about 11 hectares, will be built with a total investment of 10.7 billion U.S. dollars from Oman Wanfang, a subsidiary of Wanfang China from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwest of China. LILONGWE, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Malawi police have arrested three men for being found in possession of bones believed to be part of the remains of a man with leprosy who died sometime back. The three were arrested in the eastern district of Machinga barely two weeks after seven men were also arrested in the same district in connection to the brutal killing of a 22-year-old man with albinism, apparently for his body parts. A statement released Sunday by the district's police spokesperson, Constable Davie Sulumba, said the police received some information on April 11 that a man was keeping human bones and the police followed the tip-off and arrested the suspect. The arrest of the man led to further arrests of the other two suspects. The police spokesperson said the bones have since been seized pending examination at the country's College of Medicine to ascertain if they are indeed human bones. The three face charges of possessing human tissues which contravenes Section 224 of the country's Anatomy Act. Malawi has since 2014 registered over 150 cases of attacks on people with albinism and during the same period over 20 persons with albinism have been brutally killed for their body parts which some believe are vital for rituals to accumulate wealth. However, the case at hand involving exhumation of remains of a person who had leprosy is a new trend altogether. Earlier in the month the United Nations in Malawi strongly condemned the resurfacing of killing of people with albinism in the country describing it as "retrogressive given the achievements made in fighting the same since 2014". The UN was reacting to the recent brutal killing of the 22-year-old man, Macdonald Masambuka, who went missing early March and his body was later found in April buried in a shallow grave in the eastern district of Machinga. Malawi president Peter Mutharika has since asked for an honest national dialogue on implementation of a death penalty following the incident, describing it as "depressing development being happening at the time government has made tremendous progress in efforts to stop the barbaric act". The Association for Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) also registered its concern on the latest development saying capital punishment to the offenders could be the only solution to end the malpractice. LUSAKA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Monday appointed wife of late President Michael Sata as the country's envoy to France. Christine Kaseba-Sata, who is a medical practitioner and married to Sata who died in 2014, will head the country's embassy in France with immediate effect, according to a statement released by Lungu's office. Lungu said he had confidence that the former first lady's vast experience as a health practitioner for over 30 years will enable her fulfill her duties diligently as her profession has enabled her work for the United Nations and other agencies both in Zambia and abroad. The Zambian leader added that the country has a lot to benefit from France in various areas of human endeavor and urged the former first lady to facilitate this and enhance the bilateral relations between the two countries. On her part, the former first lady pledged to do her best to attract investment from France into Zambia. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 03:55:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close AMMAN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Monday denied reports that the kingdom has foreign military bases, state-run Petra news agency reported. "Such media reports are groundless," said Jordan's Minister of State for Media Affairs Mohammad Momani, warning that some media publications seek to spread false information about Jordan. The denial came at a press conference to announce some decisions by the Jordanian cabinet. As a part of a U.S.-led coalition to combat terrorism, Jordan conducts joint military operations with ally countries to uproot terrorism, Momani said. On Syria, he reiterated the need for a political solution to the crisis in the country. The minister also reviewed Jordan's efforts to promote the peace process in the Middle East during its presidency of the 28th Arab League Summit last year. The Palestinian issue was on top of the agenda at the 29th Arab summit, which concluded in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, as it did in 2017 in Jordan, he noted. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 04:00:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Francesco Pisano (3rd L, Front), Director of the Library, United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), and Yu Jianhua (2nd L, Front), China's Permanent Representative to the UNOG, watch a Chinese calligraphy show during the exhibition "Charm of Chinese Culture: from Characters to Literature" at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 16, 2018. The exhibition was held here on Monday marking the Chinese Language Day, one of the days the United Nations sets aside for each of its six official languages. (Xinhua/Xu Jinquan) GENEVA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is happy to count on China as an important partner, said the chief of UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) on Monday, when celebrating the Chinese Language Day, one of the days the UN sets aside for each of its six official languages. Speaking at the opening of an exhibition, "Charm of Chinese Culture: from Characters to Literature", at UNOG, Michael Moller, director-general of UNOG, said, "As one of the Permanent Members of the Security Council, it plays a unique role in our global peace and security architecture." He noted China's success in lifting hundreds of millions people out of extreme poverty and its performance on many of the other Millennium Development Goals. "China's leadership and commitment in this context are encouraging," he said. Moreover, Moller said, "Multilingualism is the basis for multilateralism. Only if we understand each other can we find common ground." The Chinese language is not only one of the oldest today, but also one of the most widely spoken around the world, said the UN Geneva chief. He praised the "ambitious project of learning Chinese for their invaluable contribution to building bridges across language divides." Moller said the Geneva exhibition will have an interactive workshop with touch screen games, video clips, and demonstrations of Chinese calligraphy. Books of contemporary Chinese literature and its translation are also presented. PUT PEOPLE FIRST China's permanent representative and ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Yu Jianhua, explained that one of the thousands of Chinese characters in use today that holds the key to understanding Chinese philosophy is "Min," or "people" in English. This, he said, is central to the idea of "putting people first, a founding principle of the Chinese society" a value echoed by the UN's theme for 2018 with "people at the center." Yu said that since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 the government has developed further the "idea of putting people first." "In formulating every policy, the government asks itself these questions: Do we have the people's support? Do we have their consent? Will they be happy? Will they agree?" said Yu. "Taking the pulse of the times," he said that today the Chinese leadership has shown great insight by highlighting a people-centered philosophy of governance. "Development, he said, must be for the people; realizing, upholding, promoting their interests is our fundamental goal. Development must be by the people," said Yu. by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reiterated Greece's focus on innovation as a fundamental tool to exit the eight- year debt crisis and boost growth, when addressing an economic forum here on Monday. The Greek leader made the remark as the European Investment Fund (EIF) and the National Bank of Greece (NBG) signed three loan guarantee agreements worth 640 million euros (792 million U.S. dollars) to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Greece. "Greece is standing on her feet again and is trying to change course. The country has a strategic planning, wants to invest in young people, in scientists, in highly-qualified persons. We want to change the production model, we want to invest in innovation," the Greek leader said in a speech at the event. "Innovation and human capital are two building blocks we must use to build a different, better future," he added, calling on investors to back up young entrepreneurs with modern ideas. "This is the time to take a risk. If not now, when Greece is recovering after eight years of a crisis which changed so much, which hit hard the economy and society, if not now when we stand on our feet again, when?" the Greek Premier asked when urging fund managers to invest more in innovative companies, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. Monday's forum in Athens marked the debut of EquiFund, a new investment platform which brings together national, European and private funds to support Greek companies by providing loans at favorable terms. Established in December 2016 by the EIF and the Greek state, Equifund supports nine fund managers who invest in Greek enterprises, as part of the Juncker plan and efforts to support Greek economic recovery. From very small businesses and start-ups, to mid- sized enterprises, more than 5,000 companies will benefit from the new major project sealed on Monday over the next three years, EU migration, home affairs and citizenship commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said, according to an e-mailed press statement. Avramopoulos co-signed the three agreements with EIF chief executive Pier Luigi Gilibert and the CEO of NBG, Leonidas Fragkiadakis. The Juncker Plan, Europe's ambitious investment program launched in 2014, aims at unlocking public and private investments in the "real economy" across Europe to boost entrepreneurship and create job positions and growth. Under the plan, these goals can be achieved by making smarter use of new and existing financial resources, removing obstacles to investment, and providing visibility and technical assistance to investment projects. MOSCOW, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The real targets of the U.S.-British-French missile strikes on Saturday were Syrian military facilities, including airfields, in addition to three targets announced by the United States and its allies, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford said on Saturday that the attack had three targets in Syria -- a scientific research center in the greater Damascus area, a chemical weapon storage facility west of Holmes and a facility near the second one. Radar detected 103 missiles fired by the Western coalition, meaning that an average of more than 30 missiles were aimed at each of the three targets, the Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a press release. But by any calculation methods, 10 missiles would be sufficient to destroy each of the targets, he said. "This was what really happened. The true targets of the strike by the United States, Britain and France on April 14 were not only facilities in Barzeh and Jaramana but also Syrian military targets, including airfields," he said. Syrian forces used Soviet-era air defense systems and fired 112 surface-to-air missiles to repel the U.S.-led strike, destroying 71 out of the total 103 missiles launched by the coalition, Konashenkov said. The United States, Britain and France hit Syria with a wave of missiles on Saturday, saying it was in response to an alleged chemical weapon attack by Syrian government forces in the rebel-held district of Douma near capital Damascus on April 7. The Syrian government has categorically denied the accusation and Russia said its military experts found no traces of toxic substances in Douma. DUBLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Ireland will start exporting beef to China very shortly, announced the Irish agriculture minister on Monday. The announcement was made by Michael Creed, Minister for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), in a press release posted on the DAFM website. He said that DAFM will complete the final technicalities to allow the export to commence in the coming weeks. With the commencement of the Irish beef exports to China, Ireland will become one of the first European Union (EU) countries to gain the access to the Chinese beef market which was closed for the beef exports from the EU about 17 years ago following a breakout of mad cow disease in Europe. In early 2016, Hungary became the first EU member state allowed to export beef to China. Creed viewed the opening of the Chinese beef market for Ireland as "an excellent opportunity" for the Irish beef sector. He said that opening and developing new markets is a key part of the Irish government's response to the uncertainties arising from Brexit. "Our agri-food exports to China have increased roughly five-fold from around 200 million euros (about 247 million U.S. dollars ) to nearly one billion euros last year," said Creed, adding that "this has been a remarkable achievement and underlines the importance of the Chinese market". According to the DAFM, China's consumption for quality imported beef is expected to rise significantly, driven by increasing urbanization, higher disposable incomes and health awareness. (1 euro=1.238 U.S. dollars) KIGALI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 41 people were killed and more than 160 others were injured across Rwanda by disasters triggered by heavy rains since March, Rwanda's Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs said on Monday. The disasters also killed more than 600 animals, destroyed property including school structures, more than 3,000 houses and more than 1,700 hectares of plantations, said Philippe Habinshuti, director of disaster response and recovery of the ministry. The destruction and deaths were mainly caused by floods and lightning, Habinshuti told media. Relief efforts are ongoing but the government appealed to residents living in high risk zones to relocate to safer areas, he said. In 2017, disasters caused by heavy rains killed 82 people and injured 151. More than 5,000 houses were destroyed while over 5,000 hectares of different plantations were also ruined. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 04:30:18|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TIKRIT, Iraq, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Two policemen were killed and two others wounded Monday in an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's central province of Salahudin, a provincial police source said. The incident took place in the evening when IS militants attacked a police checkpoint near the town of Ishaqi, some 60 km south of the provincial capital Tikrit, sparking fierce clashes between the two sides, Capt. Ahmed al-Safi from Salahudin's Operations Command told Xinhua. The attackers fled the scene before the arrival of the Iraqi security forces, who launched an investigation into the incident and carried out a search in the area for the attackers, Safi said. The predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin has been the scene of a major offensive by Iraqi security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi units to drive out IS militants from the provincial key cities and towns, including its capital Tikrit, some 170 km north of Baghdad. During the past few months, dozens of IS militants fled their former urban strongholds in Mosul of Salahudin Province and Hawijah area in the west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas through major anti-IS offensives. However, many IS remnants have resorted to hideouts in the rugged areas near the rivers of Tigris and Zab, as well as Himreen mountainous areas to continue their almost daily attacks against civilians and Iraqi forces. On Dec. 9, 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants. But small groups of IS militants regrouped in the rugged areas and have been carrying out attacks against the security forces and civilians despite the repeated Iraqi military operations to hunt them down. THE HAGUE, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Russia on Monday urged the global chemical arms watchdog inspectors to complete their mission in Syria as soon as possible to establish the truth following the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria's Douma earlier this month. Speaking at the headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, Russia's permanent representative Alexander Shulgin asked: "why are we here today? Why was this session convened by our Western partners, who -- without any conclusions of the OPCW Technical Secretariat -- have already made their decisions? What was this tragicomedy for? The FFM is still working on establishing the truth." He referred to the OPCW Fact Finding Mission, nine experts all together, who have all arrived in Damascus since last Saturday, according to OPCW Director-general Ahmet Uzumcu. "The Team has not yet deployed to Douma. The Syrian and the Russian officials who participated in the preparatory meetings in Damascus have informed the FFM Team that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place," Uzumcu told the session of the OPCW governing body, the Executive Council. "Russia & Syria have not yet allowed access to Douma. Unfettered access essential," the British delegation to the OPCW tweeted. In his statement, Shulgin stressed that the FFM mission dispatched with the consent of the Syrian authorities, and Russia has also offered every support. With forces deployed in Douma, Russia has an opportunity to ensure security in those areas where the OPCW inspectors will work but Russia will not impose this aid, he added. "The mission should do its work impartially. This assistance relates to the security, since the area has been for a long time under control of terrorist groups. This should be borne in mind and every effort should be made to ensure that the FFM carries out its work without any obstacles," said Shulgin. "We believe that in the light of the recent attack on Syria, the work of the OPCW inspectors in Douma is becoming even more relevant. We insist on the need to complete their work as soon as possible and to present their conclusions to the OPCW Member States," he said. Russia said the the so-called use of chemical weapons was staged by pseudo-humanitarian NGOs which are nourished by the opponents of the official Damascus in order to deceive the international community and justify their aggression against Syria. The attack against Syria "by the so-called Western coalition" is a gross violation of the UN Charter and of the fundamental norms of international law, said Shulgin. British ambassador to the Netherlands, Peter Wilson, urged Monday's meeting "to act to hold perpetrators to account", saying failure to do so "will only risk further barbaric use of chemical weapons in Syria and beyond". He repeated that the military attack by the United States, France and Britain on Saturday had struck at a "limited set of targets" and "hitting these targets will significantly degrade the Syrian regime's ability to research, develop and deploy chemical weapons". Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-17 04:50:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A number of members of the United Nations Security Council are considering a draft resolution that would address the mechanisms for investigating the suspected chemical weapons attacks in Syria, diplomatic sources said on Monday. The United Kingdom, France, the United States on Saturday handed over to other Council members a new draft resolution on Syria, which is expected to address the chemical weapons issue, as well as the political and humanitarian problems, sources said. The new draft resolution is believed to propose independent investigations into the reported chemical attacks in Syria. Besides, it calls for ensuring humanitarian access to besieged areas, ceasefire and also requires the participation of Damascus in peace negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations. On April 10, the Council failed to adopt either of the two Russia-drafted and one U.S.-drafted resolutions, calling for an investigation into the recently reported chemical attack in the Syrian city of Douma in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, as diplomats from Russia and the United States vetoed each other's drafts. On Friday night, the United States, France and the United Kingdom launched strikes on a number of targets in Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack in Douma on April 7. The Western powers have accused the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad of the attack with the use of chemical weapons in Douma. The Syrian government denied any involvement in the attack and invited the experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to investigate into the reports. The U.S.-led allied attacks sparked an emergency Security Council meeting on Saturday and a failed vote on a resolution condemning the raids. The rare Saturday session was convened at Russia's request only about 14 hours after the U.S., British and French bombardment began. The attacks were carried out despite the arrival of a fact-finding mission in Damascus on Saturday. People protest against the U.S. strike on Syria outside the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 14, 2018. (Xinhua/Yang Chenglin) UNITED NATIONS, April 16 (Xinhua) -- A number of members of the United Nations Security Council are considering a draft resolution that would address the mechanisms for investigating the suspected chemical weapons attacks in Syria, diplomatic sources said on Monday. The United Kingdom, France, the United States on Saturday handed over to other Council members a new draft resolution on Syria, which is expected to address the chemical weapons issue, as well as the political and humanitarian problems, sources said. The new draft resolution is believed to propose independent investigations into the reported chemical attacks in Syria. Besides, it calls for ensuring humanitarian access to besieged areas, ceasefire and also requires the participation of Damascus in peace negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations. On April 10, the Council failed to adopt either of the two Russia-drafted and one U.S.-drafted resolutions, calling for an investigation into the recently reported chemical attack in the Syrian city of Douma in the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta, as diplomats from Russia and the United States vetoed each other's drafts. On Friday night, the United States, France and the United Kingdom launched strikes on a number of targets in Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack in Douma on April 7. The Western powers have accused the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad of the attack with the use of chemical weapons in Douma. The Syrian government denied any involvement in the attack and invited the experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to investigate into the reports. The U.S.-led allied attacks sparked an emergency Security Council meeting on Saturday and a failed vote on a resolution condemning the raids. The rare Saturday session was convened at Russia's request only about 14 hours after the U.S., British and French bombardment began. The attacks were carried out despite the arrival of a fact-finding mission in Damascus on Saturday. NICOSIA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of the estranged Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities ended a meeting on Monday night without announcing any agreement towards restarting the stalled peace negotiations for the reunification of their partitioned country. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci talked privately for two hours during their first meeting in almost 10 months. A statement by the United Nations peace mission in Cyprus said they had "a frank and open exchange of views during a two-hour tete-a-tete discussion" before proceeding to dinner with their host, Elizabeth Spehar, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Cyprus. Though expectations were low, sources said before the meeting that an agreement for a process to explore the possibility of further peace negotiations could be expected. However, the wording of the UN statement dashed hopes that at least some progress forward could be achieved. Anastasiades approached the meeting with a proposal to resume negotiations from the point they were left when they collapsed at the end of an international conference under the auspices of the UN Secretary General in Switzerland. Akinci's position was to start a completely new process at an international conference with a time limit for its conclusion. Anastasiades told journalists after conferring with his close advisors that during the meeting, he and Akinci discussed "with much frankness and very calmly the problems and the prospects for a new dialogue." "We established the problems on the way to new negotiations, but we also pinpointed common ground," said Anastasiades without going into details. He also said that he could not exclude the possibility of the UN Secretary General dispatching an emissary to further explore the possibility for a new dialogue. Anastasiades said that Akinci raised Turkish objections to the government's energy planning and his demand for Turkish Cypriots to have a say in the energy planning. He said, however, that there was agreement on the opening of two new crossing points, one by the beginning of July and the other by the middle of September. BERLIN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday discussed the situation in Syria and the possible political process there. Steffen Seibert, spokesperson of the German federal government, told a regular press conference on Monday that the two leaders agreed on telephone call that the situation was particularly urgent. Merkel and Erdogan also exchanged views on the possibilities of promoting the political process in Syria, according to Seibert, who added the two leaders also discussed bilateral relations. Seibert said at the press conference that given the situation in Syria, a new political process needs to get underway. "A long-term, peaceful solution can only be imagined" without Bashar al-Assad, added Seibert. CAPE TOWN, April 16 (Xinhua) -- South Africa will host an investment summit later this year to lure 1.2 trillion rand (about 100 billion U.S. dollars) over five years, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Monday. Ramaphosa said he will extend an invitation to leading investors and leaders of business to attend the Investment Summit scheduled for August or September this year. "The investment conference, which will involve domestic and international investors in equal measure, is not intended merely as a forum to discuss the investment climate," said Ramaphosa. South Africa, he said, would rather expects the conference to report on actual investment deals that have been concluded and to provide a platform for would-be investors to seek out opportunities at the South African market. "Given the current rates of investment, this is an ambitious but realizable target that will provide a significant boost to our economy," the president said. He voiced confidence that the conference will produce results that can be quantified and quickly realised. Ramaphosa was speaking before leaving for London to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2018). He said he will utilize the opportunity to engage with major investors and business leaders based in the United Kingdom. For South Africa, the CHOGM 2018 is an opportunity for the marketing and promotion of South Africa as an investment destination, Ramaphosa said. The CHOGM 2018 will be held on April 17-18 to discuss common international challenges facing Commonwealth states, including weak global trade and investment flows. Ramaphosa said his government will dispatch four special envoys on investment to Asia, Middle East, Europe and the Americas to meet with potential investors before the Investment Summit. WASHINGTON, April 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he plans to nominate Columbia University professor Richard Clarida and Kansas banking regulator Michelle Bowman to fill two vacant seats at the board of the Federal Reserve. Clarida will serve as the vice chairman of the Fed for a four-year term, according to a statement released by the White House on Monday. Clarida is also nominated as one of the seven members of the Fed's board of governors. Bowman is nominated to become a Fed governor who should have community banking experience as required by the Congress. Both nominations will be subject to approval of the Congress. The vice chair job, which was vacant since Stanley Fischer stepped down in October last year, was considered as one of the most influential positions in the central bank alongside the chair and the president of the New York Fed. Clarida is now an economic professor at the Columbia University, as well as managing director and global strategic adviser at Pacific Investment Management Co. As a Phd economist, he also had deep experience in U.S. government and served as assistant secretary for economic policy at the U.S. Treasury from 2002 to 2003, who provided economic advices to the Treasury Secretary. With extensive experiences in academic research on monetary policy and macroeconomics, Clarida is widely expected to provide critical support for the Fed chair Jerome Powell who has no education background on economics on monetary decisions and solutions to possible future recession. In his previous speeches and interviews, Clarida was largely supportive of policy decisions by former Fed chair Janet Yellen, whose gradual approach to tighten monetary policy was also inherited by current Fed chair Powell. Bowman is now the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, the chief regulator for local banks and non-depository lenders. Before the local bank regulator job, Bowman served as the vice president of the Farmers and Drovers Bank in Kansas, a local bank owned by her family. Clarida and Bowman were the fourth and fifth nominees announced by Trump to fill the Fed board's vacant seats, following chair Powell, vice chairman for banking supervision Randal Quarles, and Carnegie Mellon University professor Marvin Goodfriend whose nomination to be a Fed governor still awaits Congressional approval. 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. MAPUTO, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The Emergency Committee for the Protection of Freedoms (CEPL) required Monday that the Office of the Attorney General (PGR) investigate in the attacks and murders against journalists and political commentators in the country. The petition came after prominent journalist and TV commentator, Ericino de Salema, was kidnapped, beaten up and abandoned in the bush outside the city of Maputo three weeks ago. After meeting with Attorney General Beatriz Buchili, the representative for CEPL Fernando Lima said that the CEPL had a good impression of the meeting, but it expected to see concrete action in resolving this type of cases. "The impression is encouraging, but society needs action, rather than the words and intentions," said the representative. Lima emphasized that the committee was there not only to speak up about the latest tortured journalists but for many others beaten or even murdered, and the perpetrators were never found. Also a commentator on the same TV program as Salema, political analyst Jose Jaime Macuane was kidnapped and maimed in May 2016, after the assassination of constitutional lawyer Gilles Cistac in March 2015. Lima said the PGR is already investigating in Salema's case, adding that the CEPL is waiting for presenting the same subject to the presidency of the republic. File Photo: Film producer Harvey Weinstein poses for photos at the Shangri-La Hotel during the Asian Film Summit of the 38th Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Canada, Sept.10, 2013. (Xinhua/Zou Zheng) NEW YORK, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The New York Times and The New Yorker have jointly won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for public service for their reporting on exposing powerful and wealthy sexual predators, including allegations against Hollywood movie maker Harvey Weinstein. Pulitzer Prize Administrator Dana Canedy announced the winners of the 2018 Pulitzer Prizes at the Columbia University Monday in New York City. The New York Times also shared the honor for national reporting with The Washington Post for their coverage of the investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. This file photo taken on October 09, 2017 shows an inmate firefighter monitoring flames as a house burns in the Napa wineregion in California, as multiple wind-driven fires continued to whip through the region. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) The Press Democrat of Santa Rosa, California, won the breaking news award for coverage of the wildfires that swept through California's wine country last fall. Activists paint the US-Mexico border wall, as part of the "Picnic prototype, Security through Friendship" activity at the border near U.S. President Donald Trump border wall prototypes, in Tijuana, northwestern Mexico on April 14, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP PHOTO) The Arizona Republic and the USA Today Network took the Explanatory Reporting prize for their reporting on U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed border wall. American rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN" won the Pulitzer Prize for music. It is the first non-classical or jazz work to win the award. The 30-year-old musician won five Grammy awards in January for the album. The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction went to "Less" by American novelist Andrew Sean Greer. It is a delightful book about growing older and the essential nature of love. The Pulitzers, the most prestigious honors in American journalism, have been awarded since 1917. Public service award winners receive a gold medal, and the other awards carry a prize of 15,000 U.S. dollars each. ANKARA, April 16 (Xinhua) -- The hope for Greece and Turkey to eradicate their historical territorial disputes suffered a setback in recent weeks as the two NATO members ratchet up tensions in the Aegean Sea. Some Greek civilians raised a Greek flag on a disputed rocky islet across from the Turkish resort of Didim, but it was removed by Turkish coast guards on Sunday. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim urged the Greek government to avoid "provocative moves" in the disputed areas in the Aegean Sea. "Our advice to Greece is to stay within the boundaries of good neighborly relations and to avoid provocations that would escalate tension," he said. "No one should think that we would give any concession over our sovereign rights. We are determined to give necessary responses against de facto interventions," he said. He compared the flag-raising incident to the one in 1996 when Turkey and Greece went nearly to war over the uninhabited islets, called Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish. "Populism brings no benefits to Greece. As two NATO allies, we should focus on the positive agenda," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, warning Athens that such moves in the Aegean Sea may cause "accidents". Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzannakopoulos said his government had no knowledge of the incident and Yildirim's statement was "provocative and reprehensible." In February, a Turkish vessel collided with a Greek coast guard boat off the disputed Kardak islets. In January, the Turkish Coast Guard blocked Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos from approaching Kardak to lay a wreath there. Ankara accuses Kammenos, a nationalist politician, of being the main source of recent problems. In 1923, Turkey had renounced in favor of Italy all rights and titles over certain named islands and over "dependent islets" in Lausanne Treaty. Later on, Italy ceded to Greece the same islands and "adjacent islets". Turkey and Greece have been in negotiations, calling for holding "exploratory talks" to solve their territorial disagreement in Aegean Sea. But they have failed to reach a breakthrough. However, the reason for the latest tensions isn't limited to a few rocks. Two have been at odds over a host of issues from ethnically split Cyprus to sovereignty over airspace and overflights. Last week, a Greek air force fighter pilot died after his jet crashed in the eastern Aegean Sea while on his way back after flying sorties in the disputed area. The plane crashed after nearly daily mock dogfights with Turkish warplanes in airspace disputed with Turkey, Greek media reported. The historical dispute between Athens and Ankara over the airspace and maritime territories have poisoned their relations for decades. Oil-and-gas drilling rights off the divided island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean also raised tensions between Ankara and Athens. Turkey deployed war ships in the region to block Greek drilling activities for natural gas, saying it disregards the rights of Turkish Cypriots. Another factor leading to the recent dispute is the incident in which eight Turkish soldiers who fled to Greece right after the failed coup of 2016. Greek judiciary rejected Turkey's request for extradition of them. In March, two Greek soldiers were arrested after they crossed the border into Turkey. Greek army argued they strayed into Turkey because of thick snow and fog, but the prosecutors have charged them with espionage. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently visited Greece where both parties underlined the significance of holding dialogue and calming down the tensions. "The two countries have not resolved the decades-old bilateral problems and but their disputes are just be deferred," said Serhat Erkmen, a Middle East expert at the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute. Therefore, the two countries will see a spike in tensions from time to time, due to domestic political reasons, he said. The developments regarding natural resources in eastern Mediterranean will continue to be a major source of disputes, Erkmen noted. by Stefania Fumo MILAN, Italy, April 16 (Xinhua) -- France, Germany and Italy have roles to play in weaving a stronger and more tight-knit European Union (EU) in the wake of divisions over Brexit, the economic crisis, and migration, experts said here at a roundtable organized by the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), a Milan-based think tank. The three countries were founding members of the EU in the aftermath of World War II, along with Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. While France and Germany differ in their self-perception and in their ways of wielding power, they are both exercising leadership within the EU, and Italy risks being marginalized if its coming government fails to engage in the dialogue, the experts said at the forum held in Milan on Monday. ISPI Director Paolo Magri said that the worst of the divisive economic and migration crises is over, while paradoxically Brexit, U.S. President Donald Trump's protectionism, and other international pressures have brought the EU closer together. "Thanks to Trump's threats we have seen a dynamic EU going around the world making trade agreements with the Mercosur (South American trade bloc), Canada, and Japan," Magri pointed out. "This is the time for a jump forward -- for a return to a logic of cohesion after so many divisions," he said. "And it is a fact that very little happens in the EU in terms of progress if France and Germany aren't on board." Beda Romano, the Brussels correspondent for Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore, agreed that both Brexit and Trump have strengthened the EU. "In one way or another, the UK has always been an obstacle to European integration, especially on defense and security," Romano said. "The Brexit could free up a greater desire for integration in the rest of the Union." Also paradoxically, the advent of the "unpredictable, isolationist and protectionist" Trump presidency has been good for the EU, Romano said. "American policy is a source of concern in Brussels, and it is coagulating the EU-27 on trade and more," the journalist said. "American isolationism has reawakened Europe's desire to stick together." However, the journalist was pessimistic on the prospects for further European integration because "the weakness of some countries is a serious problem." He pointed to Germany's "politically weak" brand-new coalition government, to Spain's battle with its independence-minded Catalonia region, and to Italy, which still lacks a government and where the last election delivered relative victory to two eurosceptic parties. Lucio Caracciolo, editor of influential Italian geopolitics journal Limes (meaning "border" in Latin), said that Germany and France are too different from one another for a cohesive vision of Europe to emerge from their partnership. While Germany remains the central European power in terms of the size of its economy and its population, France is a world power, and more importantly, sees itself as such. "France has a capacity to project strength and will to power that Germany and Italy don't have," said Caracciolo. "French will probably become the second most-spoken language on the planet in the second half of the century thanks to rapidly growing francophone populations in Africa," Caracciolo added. Also unlike Germany and Italy, France does not have a demographic problem because its population is relatively young and growing. Caracciolo said he doubts that French President Emmanuel Macron's outspoken vision of a sovereign and federalist Europe with an integrated fiscal system run by an EU finance minister will get past Germany, which has "let it be known" that it does not look favorably on altering current EU monetary and fiscal policies. However, Michele Valensise, a former Italian ambassador to Germany and ex-Foreign Ministry undersecretary, saw grounds for a strong Franco-German entente capable of driving European integration to the next level. It is true, he said, that France and Germany see themselves very differently. "(Germany had) a kind of self-limitation -- like a beautiful woman who doesn't go to the hairdresser, wears no makeup and unflattering clothes (as opposed to) France, a beautiful woman who gets her hair done, wears perfect makeup, and is incredibly elegant and fashionable," the former ambassador said. But in spite of this, the two are made for each other, according to Valensise. "For France, Germany is and remains the privileged interlocutor to jump-start the process of European integration," he said. Germany is looking to Italy with expectation, in the awareness that this "embryonic European table", like all tables, cannot stand on two legs alone, no matter how strong they are, Valensise continued. "And this third leg, from every point of view, is Italy," he said. However if Italy's next government takes an anti-EU stance, the country risks being left out while important decisions are being made. Germany's new government is outspokenly pro-EU, as shown in a "contract" signed in March by the coalition members, Valensise added. "I was struck by the fact that this document opens with a strong chapter dedicated to Europe -- it is the very first item in the coalition contract" as opposed to hot-button issues such as the economy, security, or immigration, he continued. "There is a real commitment (to the EU), and it is to be hoped that others will also honor and contribute to its realization," Valensise said. It remains to be seen whether Italy will step up to the plate, and whether France and Germany can come together to lead Europe to become a better and stronger union. A 15-year-old Budapest secondary school student has been sentenced to two years probation for planning a school shooting, Budapest chief prosecutor Tibor Ibolya said in a statement on Friday. According to the statement, the teen had told two of his classmates both in person and on social media that he was planning to carry out a school shooting similar to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, after which he would also kill himself. The student had sent his classmates an amateur video of a school shooting in the United States as well as a link to a photo and a description of an assault rifle. His classmates told police that they were afraid he would act on his plans. The teen was questioned by investigators of the Budapest police headquarters after which he was arrested. In its non-binding ruling, the Budapest Court of Appeals sentenced the teen to two years probation for conspiracy to commit homicide and ordered him to complete a self-awareness training course. The prosecution appealed the ruling seeking a suspended juvenile prison term while the teens attorney appealed for an acquittal. The Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce, together with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Swisscham Hungary, and in cooperation with the British Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (BCCH), the Danish Business Club and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hungary, are organizing a digital transformation conference on April 19. Entitled Digital Business Transformation: Driving for business performance in a digitalized world, the event promises best practice sharing for company executives. Organizers say the aim is to spread the word about the implementation and development of digital culture at corporations in an age where life-long learning applies as much to businesses as to the individual. The language of the event will be English, with translation into Hungarian. It will be held at the new Ericsson House (1117 Budapest, Magyar tudosok korutja 11) on the banks of the Danube on the Buda side of the city. Tickets cost members of the co-organizing chambers HUF 19,000 plus VAT for a single ticket, or HUF 50,000 plus VAT for three executives/business partners from the same company. Tickets for non-members cost HUF 39,000 plus VAT/person or HUF 100,000 plus VAT for a group ticket for three. More details, including the list of speakers and agenda, are available here. A huge group of demonstrators dissatisfied with last weeks general election results protested in the capital on Saturday afternoon, calling for a new honest election. The demonstration, called We are the majority! Protest for democracy, started in front of the opera house on Andrassy Avenue. Protestors made their way to Kossuth Square, in front of parliament, to hear speeches. The organisers, who announced the demonstration on Facebook, wrote that the election system of Fidesz and the governments campaign of hate have squeezed the majority into a one-third minority. They called for a recount of votes, a free press, a new election law and for the opposition not to fight with itself. A number of opposition parties were represented at the demonstration. The protestors waved the national colours, European Union flags, the stripes of the House of Arpad and banners they made themselves. When the protestors at the front of the demonstration turned onto Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street from Andrassy Avenue, the last ones were starting out from Liszt Ferenc Square, a distance of some 800 metres. Arriving in front of the parliament building, the crowd filled Kossuth Square, overflowing into neighbouring streets. Speakers at the square called for solidarity and unity among democrats in the interest of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and freedom of the press. They also urged joint action by opposition parties to unseat the government. Demonstration organiser Ors Lanyi also called for unity to replace the government. Balazs Gulyas, who organised an earlier demonstration against a proposed tax on internet use, said Fidesz had become a party of lies, hate, fear and stolen assets. He said the playing field was terribly tilted during the election, adding that if Fidesz had any honour, it would dissolve parliament and call new elections. Peter Marki-Zay, the recently elected mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, in south-eastern Hungary, who ran as an independent jointly supported by opposition parties, urged the protestors in a letter to pull together for a Hungary without corruption and without fear. Gergely Homonnay, a writer, journalist and teacher, called for a new electoral system and demanded to recall Chief Public Prosecutor Peter Polt so that corruption cases can be properly investigated. Viktor Gyetvai, the organiser of the Independent Student Parliament demonstrations, said the demonstrators were there to say no to oppression. This movement is the beginning of a process, which means hope that young people do not have to leave the country, but can grow up here, establish families, live in peace and democracy. A number of opposition parties were represented at the demonstration, among them Gergely Karacsony, the former prime ministerial candidate of the Socialist-Parbeszed alliance, Egyutt leader Peter Juhasz, LMP co-leaders Bernadett Szel and Akos Hadhazy, Jobbik leader Gabor Vona and Democratic Coalition leader Ferenc Gyurcsany. Former prime minister Gordon Bajnai was also present. The demonstrators said they would continue to protest to see their demands met. Demonstrations were organised in Gyor, in northwest Hungary, as well as in London and Berlin to coincide with the one in Budapest. There were around 150 demonstrators in Gyor. About 300 people participated in the demonstration in London, near Downing Street. Some 120 people protested in front of the Hungarian embassy in Berlin. Photo source: MTI The ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrat party (KDNP) alliance have won a two-thirds majority in Hungarys next parliament, according to the final result of the April 8 general election published on Sunday. Fidesz-KDNP will have altogether 133 seats in the 199-member National Assembly, followed by the radical nationalist Jobbik with 26 seats and the Socialist-Parbeszed electoral alliance with 20 seats. The leftist Democratic Coalition (DK) will send nine deputies to the parliament, and the green LMP eight. Egyutt and the ethnic German minority will be represented by a single lawmaker. An independent candidate has also made it to parliament. Out of the 106 individual constituencies, 91 were secured by Fidesz-KDNP, eight by the Socialist-Parbeszed alliance and three by DK. Jobbik, LMP, Egyutt and an independent candidate each won a single individual constituency. Ninety-three mandates were distributed among national party lists. Fidesz-KDNP won 42 seats, Jobbik 25, the Socialist-Parbeszed alliance 12, LMP 7, DK 6 and the German minority one. The election results may still be appealed. It was announced on Saturday that over 96% of voters with no permanent residence in Hungary cast their ballots for the Fidesz-Christian Democrat list. MTI Photo: Balogh Zoltan A pro-government weekly published a list of 200 people on Thursday whom it deems as members of the Soros network in Hungary. The left-liberal side reacts with fury and compares such drawing up of lists to Nazi practices. The weekly retorts that a list of pro-government personalities was compiled by a left-liberal outlet years ago. In Nepszava, Robert Friss accuses Figyelo of legitimising hatred and introducing the possibility of preparing executioners lists in public life. Where that is possible, Friss fulminates, anyone can be declared a Jew or a Gypsy or a German, to be deported. Hvg.hu describes the Figyelo article as a new stage in the harassment of NGOs. Merce writes that the list included names of people who deceased years ago. Zoom reports a declaration by the Soros-founded Central European University condemning the publication of the list. Rector Michael Ignatieff called it a flagrant attempt at intimidation. (Likewise, the US Embassy in Budapest tweeted a message condemning Figyelos attempt to intimidate these citizens.) In a tongue-in-cheek reaction, Figyelo expresses its interest in following the hysteria that erupted among those active in implementing the Soros Plan. The editors apologise to the families of the deceased who were mistakenly included in their list. Besides, it invites those who intend to join the compendium to express their wish and offers to delete the names of those who are ashamed of having been included. In a separate article, Figyelo asks if it was the exclusive prerogative of George Soross blog (i.e. 444.hu) to compile lists of people they dislike. The left-liberal website asked its readers in 2013 to vote for the most servile Hungarian and published a list of thirty pro-government personalities with denigrating comments on their activities. This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of this portal. Your opinion articles are welcome too, for review before possible publication, via info@xpatloop.com In their first issues after last Sundays election, the five nationwide opposition weeklies paint a desolate picture of Hungarys future, while the two pro-government ones find that the crushing victory achieved by the government gives it unprecedented legitimacy. Figyelo describes the third consecutive victory of the government side a result which defies the imagination. After all the votes were counted, Prime Minister Viktor Orbans party got almost 50% of the ballots which makes any complaints about the electoral system irrelevant, Figyelo writes. In his Demokrata editorial, Andras Bencsik remarks that outside the capital city, the right-wing and left-wing opposition combined only won in three urban districts throughout Hungary. He believes that people living in their natural environment value the national tradition more than their compatriots who are city dwellers and are more prone to be influenced by fashionable ideas. In Elet es Irodalom, political analysts Attila Juhasz and Peter Kreko think that the political differences between urban and rural regions are not specifically Hungarian phenomena but can be observed wherever what they call right-wing populism has increased its influence. They recall that the fate of the Brexit vote in Britain as well as of the presidential election in the United States was decided by rural and elderly voters. Magyar Narancs suggests that opposition parties should boycott Parliament, because given the two thirds majority of the government, they will have no influence whatsoever on political events. Their participation would only help maintain the semblance of democracy. They should demand a new electoral law and other constitutional changes before they return to Parliament, the editors suggest. Meanwhile, the next elections in four years time can only produce a different result if there is only one opposition party to challenge Fidesz, Magyar Narancs writes. In Heti Vilaggazdasag, Ferenc Koszeg, a former Liberal MP and founder of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, believes the election decided Hungarys fate for two generations. He sees the results of the past two elections as proof that Hungary has returned to its historical tradition of being eternally governed by a giant ruling party with the semblance of a multi-party system. Heti Valasz editorial, Gabor Borokai ascribes the third consecutive victory of the government side to the weaknesses of the opposition. Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a European political player and has not had to face a comparable challenger. Nevertheless, half of the electorate still voted for that scrappy opposition, he remarks. The governments campaign against mass immigration was victorious over the anticorruption campaign conducted by the opposition, Borokai writes, but warns the victor that he must serve the population as a whole, and give the population something to hope for, which might prevent further mass emigration. In 168 ora, political analyst Zoltan Vasali deems its surprising that the outcome of the election caught the opposition unawares. The explanation, he writes, is that they live in an information bubble and therefore ignore the public mood. He condemns those among them who despise the rural population which bought the anti-Soros and anti-migrant campaigns. He also cautions them against seeking culprits among their own ranks. Instead they should try and rebuild themselves for the future. This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of this portal. Your opinion articles are welcome too, for review before possible publication, via info@xpatloop.com Monday, April 16, 2018 Talk Of The Town: Ambassador Sanchez? Here Comes The Mail, Looks Like Joe Is A Go And BernCo DA Torrez Busted Again Over Flynn DWI Wire Job Not long ago we picked up on chatter about Lt. Governor John Sanchez possibly getting an ambassadorship from the Trump White House. But where? How about Panama? That's the latest from the rumor mill on John, who is finishing up an eight year stint as Light Guv under Gov. Martinez. But a Panama posting wouldn't be all Pina coladas and sunshine. The US has had The mailboxes are going to start getting cluttered soon in that multi-candidate battle for the Dem nomination for the ABQ congressional seat. Readers report Dem congressional candidate Antoinette Sedillo Lopez has already hit with two mailers that appear to be aimed at women voters. No candidate is up yet with broadcast TV ads. On it goes but it will soon end. We speak of that battle by Dem Guv contender Jeff Apodaca to keep rival Joe Cervantes off the June 5 primary ballot. For a second time a district court judge has Mediocre. That's the best description of the most recent Governor Susana's approval continues to be mired in the 30 percentile bracket. She scores 37 percent approval in the latest survey. The national polling of all senators and governors by Morning Consult was done from online surveys conducted with about 275,000 registered voters from Jan. 1 through March 31. A BUSTED DA Torrez's office didn't take kindly to the questioning, went into bunker mode and lashed out at us for daring to question him. But between Emails show prosecutors misled public about plea deal with former Martinez Cabinet secretary. Assistant District Attorney Joshua Boone wanted to reassure his boss. A political blogger was raising questions in February about why the DAs office had agreed to plead Ryan Flynns aggravated DWI charge, leveled after a May 20, 2017, traffic stop, down to careless driving. In a Feb. 8 email, Boone told DA Raul Torrez he believed the case against Flynn could clear an initial legal hurdle. Additionally, because Boones direct supervisor, Metro Division Chief Jason Greenlee, was really good friends with lawyers on Flynns defense team, Boone told Torrez prosecutors had removed Greenlee from making any decisions about the case. But the Santa Fe Reporter and New Mexico In Depth have found that Greenlee was intimately involved with assessing evidence and negotiating Flynns plea throughout the case. Further, Boone, Greenlee and others misled SFR and NMID about the strength of Flynns case. Torrez has often blamed others for the crime crisis in ABQ--the judges, his office budget, etc.--but the self-proclaimed "progressive Democrat" appears to have entered the ranks of the old ways network and that his tough on crime rhetoric applies to some but not to others. The refusal of the ABQ Journal to hold him accountable--probably because he has gotten into bed with their favorite Governor--only makes matters worse. When the NM In-Depth piece hit Friday, Torrez was quick to put out a Will there be more Ryan Flynns for DA Torrez? Well, deals with the devil aren't usually one time affairs. THE BOTTOM LINES Well, as noted above the the newspapers can have their biases but we don't believe they charge candidates for news coverage yet. According to this Gator in Cruces not all of them appear to be aware of that: Joe, Jaime Gonzalescastillo, the primary challenger of Dem State Rep. Doreen Gallegos, has an interesting notation on his finance report--a $250 "in-kind" donation from the Las Cruces Sun News for an article they published about him. Gonzalezcastillo reported no contributions nor expenses and was told by the Sun News not to report its coverage as a contribution. Lucky that article about Jaime wasn't negative or else he might have sent the paper a bill for $250. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018 Here's what they're talking about as the new week kicks off.Not long ago we picked up on chatter about Lt. Governor John Sanchez possibly getting an ambassadorship from the Trump White House. But where? How about Panama?That's the latest from the rumor mill on John, who is finishing up an eight year stint as Light Guv under Gov. Martinez. But a Panama posting wouldn't be all Pina coladas and sunshine. The US has had a troubled relationship of late with the Latin American nation. But for Sanchez it couldn't be more troubling than dealing with a Governor who doesn't even want to lay eyes on you.The mailboxes are going to start getting cluttered soon in that multi-candidate battle for the Dem nomination for the ABQ congressional seat. Readers report Dem congressional candidate Antoinette Sedillo Lopez has already hit with two mailers that appear to be aimed at women voters. No candidate is up yet with broadcast TV ads.On it goes but it will soon end. We speak of that battle by Dem Guv contender Jeff Apodaca to keep rival Joe Cervantes off the June 5 primary ballot. For a second time a district court judge has turned back Apodaca. He'll make a final pitch to the NM Supreme court but it appears Joe is a go.Mediocre. That's the best description of the most recent approval ratings for Dem US Senators Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall. Heinrich, who is seeking re-election this year, comes with an anemic 41 percent approval rating and Udall manages only 44 percent. But they are not alone. Washington politicians aren't the most popular species these days. For example, both of Colorado's senators score approval ratings below that of ours. Ditto for Arizona. The pundits continue to rank Heinrich a heavy favorite for re-election. He will face Republican Mick Rich and Libertarian Aubrey Dunn, Jr.Governor Susana's approval continues to be mired in the 30 percentile bracket. She scores 37 percent approval in the latest survey.The national polling of all senators and governors by Morning Consult was done from online surveys conducted with about 275,000 registered voters from Jan. 1 through March 31.Thanks to our Alligators it was this blog that first questioned how the office of BernCo District Attorney Raul Torrez handled the DWI case of politically connected Ryan Flynn, a former cabinet secretary under Gov. Martinez who is now the executive director of the NM Oil and Gas Association.Torrez's office didn't take kindly to the questioning, went into bunker mode and lashed out at us for daring to question him.But between this piece in the Santa Fe Reporter and this more recent piece by NM In-Depth, the Democratic DA is thoroughly busted. It is more than clear that Flynn's DWI was reduced to careless driving because of his political stature and interference by the DA. And that's a miscarriage of justice. Also, we reiterate that the Governor's support for a huge increase in the DA's budget during the last legislative session could very well have been a result of the Flynn/Torrez deal.Torrez has often blamed others for the crime crisis in ABQ--the judges, his office budget, etc.--but the self-proclaimed "progressive Democrat" appears to have entered the ranks of the old ways network and that his tough on crime rhetoric applies to some but not to others. The refusal of the ABQ Journal to hold him accountable--probably because he has gotten into bed with their favorite Governor--only makes matters worse.When the NM In-Depth piece hit Friday, Torrez was quick to put out a news release about gun possession to divert attention. The newspaper gladly obliged him.Will there be more Ryan Flynns for DA Torrez? Well, deals with the devil aren't usually one time affairs.Well, as noted above the the newspapers can have their biases but we don't believe they charge candidates for news coverage yet. According to this Gator in Cruces not all of them appear to be aware of that:Lucky that article about Jaime wasn't negative or else he might have sent the paper a bill for $250.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Money is not always the only factor for a satisfied employee. Similarly important elements are family-friendly allowances and more leisure time, says a report in business daily Vilaggazdasag. Above a certain wage level in Western Europe, free time becomes more important than money, Laszlo Acs, former HR director at Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary Kft., told Vilaggazdasag. In many sectors in France, working hours are 35 hours per week, while in Germany unions have succeeded in obtaining even fewer working hours in some regions. Regarding family-friendly allowances, in Hungary there are differences depending on whether those concerned are white-collar or blue-collar employees. In the case of the former, flexible working hours are generally accepted, as well as home office working and, in some cases, four-day weeks. Employers need to offer these conditions, as a highly skilled labor force is increasingly difficult to hire, and valuable employees must be kept. Flexible work or family-friendly measures are more difficult to implement with blue-collar employees working in three shifts, but in some cases - for medical checks or private issues - employees can take a day off. Cafeteria benefits, as well as nursery and kindergarten facilities in the workplace, are also motivating factors, Acs noted. The Hungarian National Theatres 5th 'Madach International Theatre Meeting' is hosting 26 performances from 14 countries, along with exhibitions, round-table discussions and other programmes in Budapest until April 29. Among those invited are the Berliner Ensemble performing The Caucasian Chalk Circle by its founder Bertolt Brecht and Gunter Grasss The Tin Drum. The Chalk Circles director, Michael Thalheimer, is to participate in a roundtable discussion on Brecht. Exhibitions and further talks are centred on Brechts impact and relevance in modern theatre, including an exhibition on the Ensembles past from Brechts own direction of the Chalk Circle in 1954 to Thalheimers production and a show of scenery and costume designs of Hungarian designer students. A roundtable discussion dedicated to Arab theatre in exile will feature outstanding artists such as Iraqi directors Mokhallad Rasem and Muhaned Alhadi, and Syrias Rafat Alzakut in talks on the choices, topics and prospects of young dislocated artists. Other performers include Milans Piccolo Teatro, the Toneelhuis from Antwerp, Belgium, and Moscows Vakhtangov State Theatre. Photo: mitem.hu Four and a half years to the day after its launch, The Budapest Beacon is publishing its final article today in the form of an exit interview with Budapest Beacon managing editor Richard Field. Why has our publisher decided to stop publishing the Budapest Beacon? The severe erosion of media plurality in Hungary makes it nearly impossible for us to continue publishing a fact-based newspaper of record about Hungary. Doesnt Wednesdays closure of Magyar Nemzet mean we should redouble our efforts? When we started we could typically draw on four or five different articles published by different media outlets on any given news story. The closure and/or purchase of a number of independent media outlets by pro-Fidesz businessmen makes it increasingly difficult for us to source accurate, reliable news about what is really happening in Hungary. Fortunately, there is ample English language news about Hungary these days, from The New York Times to the BBC, so I dont think well be missed. For sure government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs is going to miss us! Like a hump on his back! Anyway, our publisher feels the money spent on the Beacon can be better spent on other worthwhile projects. Such as? Hungary isnt the only western country going over to the dark side. Our publisher loves Hungary and is genuinely concerned about democratic backsliding in this small central European country of 10 million. However, theres a North American country of 320 million people hes even more concerned about, if only because, for all of its problems, it remains a bastion of democracy for the time being. Whats going to happen to Abcug? Our publisher will continue to underwrite its operations, in part because it is an invaluable source of information for Hungarian policy makers about what is happening in the countryside, a topic virtually neglected by the Hungarian press until recently. Before Abcug, journalists rarely ventured more than 10 km from Budapest or other large cities. Im pleased to see that, in addition to republishing Abcug articles, other publications have started writing about issues affecting the countryside, such as poverty and segregation. What about the American House Foundation? The American House Foundation will continue to supply the Hungarian Red Cross with bread and milk for distribution to poor families in the countryside, as well as other foodstuffs for distribution to people living in the poorer parts of Budapest, for the foreseeable future. These programs have been successfully running for a number of years and we have no intention of defunding them. What do you make of the fact that Fidesz won big in the poorest regions? People threatened with starvation or exposure tend to be risk averse. Viktor Orban told them Islamic terrorists were going to steal their social benefits and rape their women. And they believed him. Why do you think the European Union hasnt done more to force Hungary to return to the path of democracy? As a consensus-based organization, the EU needs the cooperation of all member states to enact reforms necessary to ensure its survival. I imagine this makes it very difficult to single out one or two member states for harsh criticism. Is that the only reason? My understanding is that western companies are making a lot of money in Hungary and are only too happy to run interference for Viktor Orban with their governments. German companies in particular receive huge Hungarian state subsidies. But even that doesnt explain the reluctance of Brussels or the European Peoples Party to pressure Hungary under Viktor Orban and Fidesz to honor international obligations with regard to human rights, rule of law, separation of powers, press freedom, or judicial independence. Corruption extending beyond Hungarys borders might be a factor. Certain EU officials may also be in on it. Who knows? If someone is stealing billions worth of European taxpayer money each year, they can afford to share the love. Why is corruption such a problem in Hungary? Because if you can steal $5 million a day filling in forms why would you do anything else? So they have to wind up a few government agencies from time to time to hide their tracks. Winning a national election in a EU structural fund net recipient country today is a license to steal money from European taxpayers. Thousands of government employees do little more day in and day out than generate the reams of documents necessary to call down EU funds and disburse them to the companies owned by businessmen close to Fidesz officials or their relatives. Just last week 24.hu reported that shortly before the election the government paid out $100 million worth of special bonuses to some 3,000 government employees dealing with EU funds. Guess where the money came from? The European Union? The European Unions Government Administration and Public Service Development Operative Program (KOFOP). The problem is that sooner or later independent media and government watchdog NGOs get wind of this and start criticizing you. So you accuse them of being in the pay of foreign subversives. As for the electorate, you scare them by, for example, telling them that an old rich Jew is sending young Muslim men to rape your wives and daughters and strip you of your jobs and pensions. The European migration crisis came at the perfect time for Viktor Orban and his merry band of kleptocrats. And the more the government spends informing the public about existential threats at home and abroad, the more taxpayer money can be diverted to pro-government media and advertising agencies. Over a period of three years they spent 100 billion forints, or $400 million, on a virtually continuous countrywide campaign conflating migration with terrorism. This perfectly dovetailed with plans to launch a new pro-government media empire paid for by Hungarian taxpayers in the way of state advertising. And it would not surprise me to learn that much of this money ended up in the coffers of certain political parties, or even in the offshore accounts of certain government officials. In the wake of the Good Friday evacuation of Gyongyospata in April 2011, you condemned Jobbik chairman Gabor Vona. And yet recently the Budapest Beacons editors thanked Vona for his service to the country and wished him well. Why the change of heart? I was furious with Vona for seeking to score political points with conservative voters by arranging for Jobbik gendarmes to patrol the gypsy quarter there. Nevertheless, I believe his efforts to reform Jobbik were sincere. If were prepared to criticize politicians for their mistakes, then we should be prepared to praise them when they do something right. I believe Gabor Vona deserves a lot of credit for trying to move his party away from the radical right towards the political center. Vona may have tried to expel the most radical elements from Jobbik, but a lot of Jobbik politicians continue to espouse radical views. People like Marton Gyongyosi who, several years ago, called for a list to be compiled of Jewish members of parliament, to make no mention of Laszlo Toroczkai. What Gyongyosi meant to say was MPs who are dual citizens of Hungary and Israel. But I agree that was not one of his better moments. But let me tell you an interesting story. Sometime after that incident I took my two young sons to the park. And who was there spinning his son on the merry-go-round but Marton Gyongyosi. At first, I was reluctant to go near him, and he sensed my disapproval. But when my boys climbed onto the merry-go-round next to his son, I had no choice but to give it a push myself. At one point we looked up at each other and smiled because our children were laughing. Whatever our philosophical differences, for a few moments that one afternoon we had one big thing in common: the love of our children and our hope for a better future. Any closing thoughts? I was appalled by the fascist speech Orban delivered in Szekesfehervar the Friday before the election, especially the part when he accused all opposition politicians of being in the service of George Soros, saying they were capable of doing anything for money and power, when clearly it is Viktor Orban who is capable of doing anything for money and power. However, there was one thing he said at the end of the speech with which I found myself in complete agreement: Even in times of greatest struggle, find in your hearts and see in your neighbor a friend and fellow countryman. We are all of the same blood, said the son of the wolf, and he is right. It binds our hearts, our memories, and our loyalty to our country. All of us are Hungarians. To be Hungarian means we love our homeland and respect each other. For Hungarys sake, I sincerely hope he means it. But in light of yesterdays article in Figyelo listing the names of alleged Soros mercenaries, the vast majority of which happen to be Hungarian citizens, I seriously doubt it. WAKEFIELD-MARENISCO students took the time to decorate the doors of classrooms to usher in higher scores and to acknowledge the importance of the state tests for the students, the school, and the community. Teri Giuliano submitted the picture. WAKEFIELD - The Wakefield-Marenisco School teachers and students are getting ready for annual state testing. Students will take grade-specific state tests during testing windows, which are scheduled from now through the end of May. The teaching staff worked together at an in-service earlier this year to create an action plan which would help to reduce student anxiety over state testing and ultimately increase state test scores for the district. Some of the activities the teaching staff came up with were serving healthy breakfasts at school, posting testing tips on the school website, decorating classroom doors with motivational testing strategies, and students creating motivational posters to help other students get ready for testing. In addition, the PTO will reimburse classroom teachers for the purchase of healthy snacks for students prior to testing. The goal this year is to help the students to understand that the state testing results have an impact on not only the student, but also on the school and the community. The focus on preparing for state testing also creates an atmosphere where students realize that all students in the school are on this voyage together. Parents and caregivers can also help students to prepare for state testing by encouraging their child to do their best on the test, ensuring the student gets plenty of rest the night before the test, and making sure the student has a healthy breakfast on the days they are testing. VILLANOVA, Pa.Three Villanova University students have been named as 2018 Goldwater Scholars by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program. Kali Carrasco (Brookfield, Wis.), a Biology major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS); Claire Teahan (Eastchester, N.Y.), a Chemistry major in CLAS; and, Alexander Vetter (Omaha, Neb.), a Mathematics major in CLAS, were selected as Goldwater Scholars from a group of nearly 1,300 faculty-nominated students nationwide. The three Goldwater Scholars in 2018 set a new one-year mark for the University. Andrew Lee (Leonardtown, Md.), a Mechanical Engineering major in the College of Engineering, was also recognized by the Goldwater Program receiving Honorable Mention. The success of our students in this years Goldwater Scholars program is remarkable, said University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD. Its a testament to their tireless efforts in the lab and classroom, as well as the commitment of Villanova faculty and staff mentors to help them achieve their academic goals. Congratulations to Kali, Claire, Alexander and Andrew on this prestigious honor. The Goldwater Foundation awards $7,500 scholarships to sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering. It is widely considered the preeminent award for undergraduates preparing for research careers in STEM. The 2018 Villanova University Goldwater Scholars are: Kali Carrasco is a Biology major and Villanova Beckman Foundation Scholar who works with the roundworm C. elegans , studying how the expression of certain genes related to the ins-1/IGF insulin-signaling pathway contribute to the functional decline of tissues that occurs with aging. She conducts this work as part of Dr. Matthew Youngmans group and has also conducted research with Dr. Troy Shirangi. Carrasco has presented her work at multiple meetings and authors biology content for a study platform. She tutors students in Genetics, General Biology, and General Chemistry, and teaches English as a second language to adults at Centro San Jose. She will pursue a career in molecular biology and research on carcinogenesis to help inform innovative cancer therapies. is a Biology major and Villanova Beckman Foundation Scholar who works with the roundworm , studying how the expression of certain genes related to the ins-1/IGF insulin-signaling pathway contribute to the functional decline of tissues that occurs with aging. She conducts this work as part of Dr. Matthew Youngmans group and has also conducted research with Dr. Troy Shirangi. Carrasco has presented her work at multiple meetings and authors biology content for a study platform. She tutors students in Genetics, General Biology, and General Chemistry, and teaches English as a second language to adults at Centro San Jose. She will pursue a career in molecular biology and research on carcinogenesis to help inform innovative cancer therapies. Claire Teahan is a Chemistry major who joined the research group of Dr. Jared Paul early in her first year at Villanova. She was awarded the James J. and Ann M. OMalley Research Fellowship in 2016 and the Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2017. Teahans research has centered on advancing alternative renewable energy sources to solve the critical issue of fossil fuel dependence. While studying abroad in Fall 2017, she joined a lab at the National University of Ireland Galway, designing an independent project. Teahan aspires to research and teach at the university level after pursuing graduate studies in catalytic chemistry and renewable energy. At Villanova, she is the Vice President of the Villanova Chemistry Society and co-founder of the Chemistry Peer Mentorship Program in addition to holding a leadership role in Blue Key. is a Chemistry major who joined the research group of Dr. Jared Paul early in her first year at Villanova. She was awarded the James J. and Ann M. OMalley Research Fellowship in 2016 and the Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2017. Teahans research has centered on advancing alternative renewable energy sources to solve the critical issue of fossil fuel dependence. While studying abroad in Fall 2017, she joined a lab at the National University of Ireland Galway, designing an independent project. Teahan aspires to research and teach at the university level after pursuing graduate studies in catalytic chemistry and renewable energy. At Villanova, she is the Vice President of the Villanova Chemistry Society and co-founder of the Chemistry Peer Mentorship Program in addition to holding a leadership role in Blue Key. Alexander Vetter is a Villanova Presidential Scholar and Mathematics major with a Computer Science minor. He was a Match Research Program grantee as a freshman and worked with Dr. Michael Brown in Psychology and Brain Sciences. Vetter also participated in an independent research study with Dr. Andrew Woldar on graph theory and projective geometry in Summer 2016 and was selected as a National Science Foundation REU student to research coding theory at Clemson in Summer 2017. He spent his junior year abroad, studying in two math-focused programs in Budapest and Moscow. In Summer 2018, Vetter will conduct mathematics research at the University of Minnesota as a NSF REU grantee. He intends to pursue a research career in applications of algebra and combinatorics and intends to teach and mentor students as a professor. Receiving 2018 Goldwater Honorable Mention was: Andrew Lee is a Villanova Presidential Scholar and Mechanical Engineering major who began his research career in Dr. Gang Fengs research group as a Villanova Match Research Program grantee, studying thermal enhancement of phase change materials via conductive nano-scale networks. He won a Villanova Undergraduate Research Fellowship in 2016, but chose to accept an engineering research position with the Pax River NAVAIR Materials Division. In 2017, Lee pursued materials research in Grenoble, France as part of the Research and Education in Active Coating Technologies cohort, which solidified his ambition to pursue a research career focused on materials science. Lee aspires to work in a national lab and then become a professor after pursuing graduate studies in materials science. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was established by Congress in 1986 to honor Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater, who served for 30 years in the United States Senate. The program is designed to encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering. For more information about the Goldwater Scholarship, click here. About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova Universitys Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six collegesthe College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nations top universities, Villanova supports its students intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-15 16:58:03|Editor: pengying Video Player Close Palestinians take part in a protest following a wave of U.S., British and French military strikes on Syria, in Gaza city, on April 14, 2018. The U.S.-led military attack on Syria could further destabilize Syria and the Middle East at large by heightening the tensions there, experts said. (Xinhua/Yasser Qudih) by Xinhua writer Zhi Linfei CAIRO, April 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led military attack on Syria could further destabilize Syria and the Middle East at large by heightening the tensions there, experts said. Without the United Nations authorization, the U.S.-led aggression against Syria has been widely criticized for violating the territorial integrity of a sovereign nation by resorting to the use of force based on unverified claims. Observers expressed concerns that such a move will only destabilize the region and serve the terrorists who could take advantage of it to justify their cause. UNAUTHORIZED ATTACK The United States, along with Britain and France, launched joint airstrikes on military targets in Syria on Saturday for its alleged use of chemical weapons early this month. The allegations, strongly denied by Syria and Russia, have not been independently investigated and verified. "I think the American attack on Syria is an unjust aggression, and does not comply with the international law and consensus," Ahmed Rafiq Awad, a professor of political science at Birzeit University in the West Bank, Palestine, told Xinhua in an interview. Awad noted that the United States launched attacks against other countries in the region without authorization from the U.N. in the past, for example, the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Cahit Armagan Dilek, head of the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute, said that there is no international legal base for the U.S.-led attack on Syria. "It's against international law. This kind of unauthorized actions will open door for further illegal operations. So it's not a justified attack," Dilek said. U.S. MOTIVES By launching attacks on Syria, experts said, Washington and its allies intended to send out a message that they are not willing to be sidelined on the final settlement of the seven-year old Syrian crisis. Russia, Iran and Turkey have met several times on settling the Syrian crisis under the Astana process, without participation of the United States. Sarit Zehavi, chief executive officer and founder of Alma Research and Education Center in Israel, said that one of the messages sent out by the United States to Syria, Russia, Iran and all the others is that they are "not immune from the U.S. involvement in the Middle East." If followed by a consistent policy, the U.S.-led attack will show to the world that Washington "is back in town, back in business," she added. Professor Awad said that the Western powers want to be partners in settling the Syrian crisis, especially after the Syrian government's recent victory in liberating Eastern Ghouta. Supported by Russia and Iran, the Syrian government has been making steady gains in fighting the Western-backed rebels, and has controlled almost 80 percent of the country. "That's why the West hits Syria. They want to say that they want to play a part in the next settlement (of the Syrian crisis)," Awad said. CONSEQUENCES The U.S.-led attack on Syria will have grave consequences, not only in Syria, but the whole Middle East by heightening the tensions, experts said. Awad said that such a move will further aggravate the tensions, hostility and confrontation in Syria and the rest of the region. It could intensify the U.S.-Russia rivalry for influence in Syria, though Moscow is unlikely to give a strong military response. "I believe neither Russia nor Iran wants to escalate the situation. If anything, we will probably just hear some more rhetoric," said Imad Salamay, director of the Institute for Social Justice and Conflict Resolution at the Lebanese American University. He added that the U.S.-led attack "wouldn't change the situation in Syria." Initial information showed that no Russians were injured in the U.S.-led attack, Dilek noted, "so I don't expect a strong response (from Russia)." Togrul Ismayil, a Turkish expert on foreign relations and Russian affairs, said that he did not believe that "Moscow will retaliate militarily to the coalition's air raids." However, observers are concerned about the attack's impact on the anti-terrorism war as militant groups could take advantage of power struggle. Ahmad Ban, a researcher with the Cairo-based Nile Center for Strategic Studies, said that the attack will further complicate the region and "would unfortunately bring back terrorist groups such as the Islamic State to the surface" again as "the strikes will stir more conflicts." (Xinhua bureaus in Damascus, Ankara, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Tehran, Beirut and Ramallah also contributed to the story.) 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... NEW DELHI: The CBI on Monday filed a charge sheet against former railway minister Lalu Prasad and others in connection with alleged corruption in handing out a management contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private company, officials said. Former Bihar chief minister and Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi were also among the 14 people named by the CBI in the chargesheet file in a court here. The agency had recently questioned former Rabri Devi in connection with the case, they said. The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Prasad, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a prime plot of three acres in Patna through a benami company. The FIR alleged that the RJD leader abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhars and acquired a piece of "high value premium land" through the benami firm, Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" awarded the contract to them for the two hotels, the FIR had alleged. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotels, the ownership of Delight Marketing Company also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time, Lalu Prasad had resigned as railway minister. New Delhi: The Supreme Court today made clear that its interim order permitting the release of regional film 'Nanak Shah Fakir', based on the life of the first guru of the Sikhs, shall remain operational. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will hear on May 8 the submission and the counter on behalf of the film producer and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body, on the same. The movie has already been released in the country, except in Punjab, senior advocate R S Suri, appearing for the producer, told the bench which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud. The bench said the fundamental issue was to see whether the life of Guru Nanak Dev has been portrayed in the right manner or not. Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the SGPC, referred to the 2003 notification of the apex Sikh body that had categorically stated that no person can be allowed to portray the life of 10 Sikh gurus, their family members and the 'Panj Pyaras'. The top court had on April 10 criticised SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, for imposing restrictions on the film 'Nanak Shah Fakir' and had cleared the decks for its nationwide release scheduled on April 13. New Delhi: Gold prices declined by Rs 100 to Rs 32,000 per ten gram at the bullion market today, tracking a weak trend overseas amid easing demand from local jewellers. Silver followed suit and shed Rs 100 to Rs 39,900 per kg on reduced offtake by industrial units and coin makers. Traders said apart from a weak trend overseas, slow down in buying by jewellers and retailers at prevailing levels at the domestic spot market dampened the sentiment. Globally, gold fell 0.13 percent to USD 1,343.79 an ounce and silver by 0.36 percent to USD 16.57 an ounce in Singapore today. In the national capital, gold of 99.9 percent and 99.5 percent purity drifted lower by Rs 100 each to Rs 32,000 and Rs 31,850 per ten gram, respectively. The precious metal had gained Rs 300 in Saturday's trade. Sovereign also slipped by Rs 100 to Rs 24,800 per piece of eight gram. In step with gold, silver ready declined by Rs 100 to Rs 39,900 per kg, while weekly-based delivery edged up by Rs 25 to Rs 38,950 per kg. Silver coins fell by Rs 1,000 to Rs 74,000 for buying and Rs 75,000 for selling of 100 pieces. Mumbai: Worried over possible job losses post disinvestment, as many as 11 Air India unions representing more than 10,000 employees have taken to Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook to protest against the stake sale plan. Messages and graphics with Save Air India slogan are being posted on various social media platforms. People are also being urged through WhatsApp messages to raise their voice against the strategic disinvestment of the national carrier, according to union representatives. As part of efforts to revive the loss-making Air India, the government has kicked off the stake sale process and has issued a detailed preliminary information memorandum wherein it has proposed to sell 76 percent stake and cede management control to private players. Even though there have been discussions at different points of time among the government, Air India management and various employees unions, concerns over the future of staff at the airline as well as the subsidiaries continue to remain. Against this backdrop, a joint forum of 11 Air India employees unions, including those from various subsidiaries, are now resorting to social media engagements to put across their concerns to the larger public, policy makers and elected representatives about the stake sale proposal. Apart from traditional ways of protest like lunch hour meetings and wearing badges, the forum has started using Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram platforms to reach out to employees across stations and solicit their support, according to a member of the forum. The employees are also being encouraged to write blogs with regard to Air India disinvestment as there are concerns over possible job losses, the member added. The 11 unions -- that represent more than 10,000 employees of Air India group -- are vehemently opposing the proposal to sell 76 percent government stake in Air India, 100 percent shareholding in Air India Express and its 50 percent stake in equal joint venture AISATS. The forum comprises Air Corporations Employees Union, All India Service Engineers Associations, Air India Employees Union, Aviation Industry Employee Guild, Air India Aircraft Engineers Association, All India Aircraft Engineers Association, Air India Engineers Association, United Air India Officers Association, All India Cabin Crew Association, All India Airline Retired Personnel Association and Indian Aircraft Technicians Association. Pilots groupings -- Indian Pilots Guild and Indian Commercial Pilots Association -- are said to be in support of disinvestment provided their salary dues and other arrears are cleared, according to sources at the airline. These unions have already held lunch hour meetings at four places, including at Old Airport in Kalina in the Western Santacruz suburb of Mumbai against the privatisation and have now called on their members to wear Save Air India badges from Monday to oppose the move. As per the preliminary information memorandum, issued on March 28, the government would retain 24 percent stake in Air India while the winning bidder would be required to stay invested in the airline for at least three years. LONDON: A Pakistani-origin peer on Monday raised the rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in the House of Lords. The woman called on the UK government to intervene to bring perpetrators of human rights abuses in the region to justice. A firm critic of the Indian government, Lord Ahmed raised the matter in the Upper House of the UK Parliament. In her response, Baroness Stedman-Scott on behalf of the British government said that India has a strong democratic framework which guarantees human rights. "But we do acknowledge it does face numerous challenges relating to its size and development when it comes to enforcing fundamental rights enshrined in its Constitution," she said. "These cases (of rape and murder) are nothing short of horrific and we extend our condolences to the families of the victims. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has been clear that justice will be done," she added. An eight-year-old girl belonging to the nomadic community had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Kathua's Hiranagar area. Her body was found a week later. Police investigations revealed she was held captive inside a temple, sedated and repeatedly raped before her murder. Hyderabad: The verdict in Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid blast in 2007 will be announced by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in a short while. Prime accused Aseemanand has been presented in front of the court in Hyderabad's Nampally area on Monday morning. Meeca Masjid blast verdict: Accused Aseemanand brought to Namapally Court #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/xMtUBwBSkO ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018 Eleven years ago, on May 18, 2007, a powerful blast killed nine people and injured 58 during Friday prayers at Mecca Masjid near Hyderabads Charminar. The blast was allegedly carried out by a group of right-wing terrorists. The NIA took over the case from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2011, Ten people were named as accused by the central probing agency. However, only five Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested. Two accused persons Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are absconding. Another accused Sunil Joshi was murdered during the probe. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar are out on bail while three others are lodged in the central prison here under judicial remand. In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. With agency inputs HYDERABAD: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Monday acquitted all the ten persons in Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blast case, including Swami Aseemanand. "All accused persons have been acquitted," said the defence lawyer, adding that a copy of the judgement will be available after 15 days. Ten persons are - Nabakumar Sirkar alias Swami Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma alias Ajay Tiwari, Lakshman Das Maharaj, Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajender Chowdhary. All of them are members of right-wing Hindu organization Abhinav Bharat. The Hyderabad-based court set them free over lack of evidence. Reacting to the development, former Under Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs RVS Mani said, "I had expected it. All the pieces of evidence were engineered, otherwise, there was no Hindu terror angle." "People who perpetrated the attack were protected through misuse of agency (NIA). This is what is alarming. How do you compensate those who suffered and were maligned? Will Congress or anyone else who propagated this theory compensate them," he added. Eleven years ago, on May 18, 2007, a powerful blast killed nine people and injured 58 during Friday prayers at Mecca Masjid near Hyderabads Charminar. The NIA took over the case from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2011. At the time, 10 people were named as accused by the central probing agency. However, only five Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested. Two accused persons Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are still absconding. Another accused Sunil Joshi was murdered during the probe. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. With agency inputs A quick glance at the top news of the day: 1. Monsoon 2018 will be normal, expect rainfall at 97% of average: Met Department India is likely to receive average monsoon rains in 2018, the weather office said, raising the possibility of higher farm and economic growth in Asia`s third-biggest economy, where half of the farmland lacks irrigation. Read full report 2. Lessons from Bhagwad Gita added to Rajasthan civil services curriculum Revising the curriculum for RAS 2018 examination, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has included lessons from Bhagavad Gita to the General knowledge and general studies paper. The excerpts of Gita have been added to a new unit called 'Niti Shastra'. Read full report 3. Karnataka polls: BJP announces second list of candidates for 82 constituencies The BJP has announced its second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2018. The second list contains the names of candidates for 82 constituencies. With this, the party has now named its candidates for 154 of the 224 seats in the Karnataka Assembly. Read full report 4. Provide security cover to Kathua child victim's family: SC to J&K govt The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeking a reply on the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua. Read full report 5. Tatkal ticket booking 2018: How to book, details of fares, refund rules and more Summer vacations are on and last minute ticket-booking for the most-anticipated holiday destination can become hassle free if you are aware of the Tatkal ticket rules. Read full report HYDERABAD: Asaduddin Owaisi has now confirmed that his party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will not contest the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018. The Hyderabad MP however confirmed that the party will extend its support to Janata Dal (Secular). We will not contest in upcoming Karnataka elections. AIMIM will support JDS and will campaign for them. We feel both national the parties have totally failed us, said Owaisi. Earlier, there were rumors that the party feels it's participation in Karnataka polls can have a negative effect on the other Congress' vote bank. This allegation on us of cutting votes to benefit BJP is baseless. We did not contest in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir. Did not contest Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra. What happened to Congress there counter-questioned the Hyderabad lawmaker. Karnataka polls are scheduled to be held on May 12, with the counting on May 15. In January this year, the party had identified few constituencies in northern Karnataka, where they planned to contest the polls. The Hyderabad MP had earlier said that the country is fed up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, and it's time to go for a third front, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi. ..people of the country are fed up with BJP governance and Congress is not a viable option, neither it can become one," said Owaisi. Last week, the BJP announced its first list of 72 candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections 2018. A meeting of the party's Central Election Committee was held in the evening to decide over the candidates. "The central election committee of the party has decided the first 72 names for the ensuing Karnataka legislative assembly elections," said the BJP's state unit in a statement. LUCKNOW: On being asked about the implementation of laws in villages by school students in Amethi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that they should ask the same to Prime Minister Narendra Modi instead. Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency Amethi, hit out at the Narendra Modi government while he was on a visit to a school in Amethi. "It's Modi ji's (Narendra Modi) government now. I will answer this question after we form the government at the Centre." #WATCH: Rahul Gandhi interacts with school students in Amethi, on being asked about law implementation in villages, says. 'Ye aap Modi ji se puchiye', on being asked about Amethi, says, 'Amethi ko toh Yogi ji chalate hain.' pic.twitter.com/jmi8T6xO2G ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 16, 2018 Pointing out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Congress chief further said, "Amethi is run by Yogi ji (Yogi Adityanath). I am an MP. My job is to make laws for Parliament." Rahul Gandhi kick-started his Amethi visit On Monday. On his arrival at the Chowdhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow, he faced protests from a group of party workers, alleging that the party had fallen to middlemen and demanded that the leadership should take action against such people. Gandhi gave them a patient hearing and assured them of necessary action before leaving for Amethi by road. There, he went straight to Shuklabazaar where he paid his condolences at the house of a party worker who passed away some time back. His cavalcade thereafter drove to Zainabganj where he met locals and party workers. Rahul Gandhi also laid the foundations of some development projects. He met farmers and inaugurated a passport seva kendra, a road project, and a private school. (With inputs from agencies) MUMBAI: Muslims in India did not demolish the Ram Mandir, said Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat while raking up Ayodhya dispute once again on Sunday. "The Muslim community in India did not destroy the Ram Mandir. Indian nationals can't do such a thing. Foreign forces destroyed temples here to demoralise Indians," said Bhagwat while speaking at a Viraat Hindu Sammelan at Dahanu in adjoining Palghar district. Bhagwat further stressed that it is the nation's responsibility to restore the Ram Mandir. The temple in Ayodhya was demolished by those outside India. It is our responsibility to restore what was demolished within the country. The temple should be built where it actually was. We are ready to fight for it, he added. "If the Ram Mandir (in Ayodhya) is not rebuilt, the root of our culture will be cut. There is no doubt that the temple will be built at the spot where it was," Bhagwat said. "But today, we are independent. We have the right to rebuild whatever was destroyed because these were not just temples but the symbols of our identity," he said. The final hearing in the centuries-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute is before the Supreme Court at present. The top court is hearing 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgment of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits. The petitions challenge the high court verdict that mandated a three-way division of the disputed site in Ayodhya. The RSS chief also hit out at opposition parties, blaming them for the recent caste violence in several parts of the country. "Those whose shops have been shut (those who lost out in elections) are now inciting people to fight on issues of caste," Bhagwat said. With agency inputs NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening boarded his flight on his latest foreign tour. This time, the PM's tour will last five days and he will visit three European countries - Sweden, United Kingdom and Germany. The visit will put India's multilateral commitments front and centre, with PM Modi set to take part in the first India-Nordic Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and meet the country's monarch, King Carl XVI Gustaf. Officials have said PM Modi will be received at the airport by PM Lofven, in an unprecedented gesture for Norway. Modi is the first Indian PM to visit Sweden since Rajiv Gandhi's visit in 1988. PM Modi is also scheduled to attend the first India-Nordic Summit on April 17, which is an effort to raise relations with the five countries of the region - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. The PMs of all five nations will attend, and Modi is expected to have bilateral talks with all of them on the sidelines of the summit. The Nordic countries are leaders in green technologies and sustainable development, and the Ministry of External Affairs has said they could be ideal partners for the Modi government's flagship programmes like Swachh Bharat and Smart Cities. PM Modi will then head to the United Kingdom, where he will meet Queen Elizabeth II and hold a bilateral meet with British PM Theresa May on April 18. He will also focus on meeting the heads of state of number of small island nations from across the globe who will attend the CHOGM, which is being held on April 19 and 20. The Ministry of External Affairs has refused to make it clear if PM Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who would also attend the CHOGM. However, officials have said India is likely to use the platform to push its message against terrorism and the support it receives. On the way back from the UK, PM Modi is set to make a short stopover in Berlin, where he will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel. NEW DELHI: With an aim to improve bilateral cooperation in several areas, including trade and investment, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to embark on a five-day visit to European nations Sweden, the United Kingdom and Germany. The Prime Minister will fly to Sweden's capital Stockholm on Monday morning, around 9 am. He'll meet Swedish PM Stefan Lofven on Tuesday and later travel to the UK. On his way back home, there'll be a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20. On 17th April, I will be in Stockholm to hold talks with PM Stefan Lofven. Indias relations with Sweden are warm and friendly. This visit will focus on further deepening India-Sweden ties in sectors such as business, science and technology, energy and smart cities, he tweeted. On 17th April, I will be in Stockholm to hold talks with PM Stefan Lofven. Indias relations with Sweden are warm and friendly. This visit will focus on further deepening India-Sweden ties in sectors such as business, science and technology, energy and smart cities. @SwedishPM Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 15, 2018 In an FB post, he said, " Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives. PM Lofven and I will also have the opportunity to interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation with focus on trade and investment, innovation, S&T, skill development, smart cities, clean energy, digitization and health. I would also call on His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden." India and Sweden will jointly organize the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on April 17, which will be attended by the PM. In the UK, the PM will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May and meet the Queen. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security," the Prime Minister said. I will call on Her Majesty The Queen, hold talks with PM @theresa_may and meet leading CEOs to deepen economic relations. An Ayurveda Centre of Excellence will be launched in London. During this visit, UK would be welcomed to the International Solar Alliance as well. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 15, 2018 He further said, "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship." On April 19 and 20, PM Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," PM Modi said. While coming back, the Prime Minister will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. With agency inputs Taking the probe in the Unnao rape and custodial death cases forward, officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are likely to take prime accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his alleged accomplice Shashi Singh to Unnao on Monday. Both the accused can be taken by the CBI to the spot where the crime was allegedly committed. They might also be brought face to face with the alleged victim. Meanwhile, the agency is also likely to give an application in the court seeking permission to conduct lie-detector test on Sengar. According to sources, Sengar has been changing his statements repeatedly during interrogation by CBI. He is giving different answers to same questions before different teams of the agency. This comes amid fresh allegations by the family of the alleged victim that goons of the BJP MLA threatened villagers in Unnao to remain quiet and not tell investigators anything about the case. The uncle of the alleged victim had said that the goons told the villagers to either remain quiet or leave the village. Last week, Sengar was taken into seven-day police custody after a 17-hour interrogation session. It came after the Allahabad High Court rapped the police for its inaction against the BJP lawmaker who was influencing the "law-and-order machinery". "The disturbing feature of the case is that the law and order machinery and the government officials were directly in league and under the influence of Kuldeep Singh," a bench of Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice Sunit Kumar had said on Friday. The other accused, Shashi Singh, had allegedly taken the victim to Sengar on the day of crime, and stood guard outside the door as the heinous crime was allegedly committed inside by the MLA and others. After a massive public outrage over the inaction of the UP police, the case was handed over to the CBI on April 12. Three FIRs have been file by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the case. The first FIR pertains to the alleged rape of the girl in which Sengar and Shashi Singh have been named as accused. New Delhi: Smriti Irani-led Information and Broadcasting Ministry has proposed installation of a chip in new television set-top boxes which will provide data about channels watched and their duration. A senior official of the ministry said the move is aimed to get "more authentic" viewership figures for every channel. "This would help advertisers and the DAVP to spend their advertising expenditure wisely. Only those channels which are widely watched will get promoted," the official added. The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the nodal agency of the government for advertising by various ministries and its organisations. In the proposal, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has told the TRAI, "It is also proposed to ask DTH operators to install a chip in the new set-top boxes which can give data about channels watched and their duration." The proposal was part of the ministry's response to a number of recommendations made by the TRAI on issues related to new direct-to-home licenses. The official said the ministry also "feels that Doordarshan viewership is under-reported" and if the chip is installed, it would give the real viewership figures of the channel. The move is seen to end the monopoly of the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC), which measures the television audience preferences in the country. The ministry official alleged that the BARC is "almost like a monopoly and there is no alternative" and it "does not reveal how they arrive at the viewership figures, methodology they apply and the area of survey". The official said the ministry discussed the possibility of procuring about 300 people meter and randomly installing them to verify the veracity of BARC data, but 300 meter were too small number to meaningfully compare and verify data. He said the BARC measures viewership by installing 30,000 people meter, which are soldered to the TV's mother board. The official said nobody would allow such thing to be done on their television sets and thus there were concerned about the genuineness of the assessment done through volunteers. The BARC, however, refuted the accusations. "We are a joint industry body that was set up in close consultation with all stakeholders, including government representatives and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Our data collection and reporting methodology was arrived at post these consultations and consensus. TRAI is telecom and broadcasting sector watchdog. "Guided by the goals of transparency, the detailed methodology has always been available on our website," BARC India spokesperson said. He said the BARC operates within the regulatory framework as mandated by the ministry's guidelines. "We also meet regularly with officials of ministry and TRAI to brief them and provide status report on our operations. The same has been done through periodic presentations," the spokesperson said. He said that the BARC always had government nominee on its Board and also on its technical committee. "We will be happy to again meet and address all their queries for which we have been seeking a meeting with them since some time," the spokesperson added. The TRAI, in its response to the ministry's suggestions, recently said, ?Regarding asking DTH operators to install a chip in new set-top boxes, it is stated that this is a new issue and cannot be part of the reference. "If the MIB (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) desires TRAI's recommendation on this issue, it may send a separate reference to TRAI as per the provisions of the TRAI Act 1997,? it said. The lawyer of Kathua rape and murder victims family, Deepika S Rajawat, has claimed threat to her life. She claimed that she was threatened and fears that she might be even raped or killed. The lawyer has decided to formally inform the Supreme Court about the alleged threats she has been receiving. Speaking to news agency ANI, Deepika said, I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC that I am in danger. This comes ahead of the beginning of the trial in the brutal gangrape and murder case of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua. The trial is slated to be held against eight accused, including a juvenile, who allegedly held the minor girl in captivity in a village temple in Kathua district. The minor girl was allegedly sedated and sexually assaulted before being murdered. Meanwhile, a five-member committee of the Bar Council of India (BCI) will visit Kathua city in Jammu and Kashmir and submit a factual report on the case after seeking time from the Supreme Court on April 19. An announcement in this regard was made by BCI chief Manan Mishra on Sunday. The fact-finding team will include former BCI chief Tarun Agarwal, BCI co-chairmen S Prabakaran and Ramachandra G Shah, and members Razia Beig of the Bar Council of Uttrakhand and Naresh Dikshit, an advocate. They will visit the state and reach out to office-bearers of the Bar Associations of Jammu and Kathua and also meet the affected families and the common people to figure out what actually transpired, Mishra told reporters. In a related development, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday accepted the resignations of two controversial BJP ministers Chandra Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh who had participated in a rally in support of the people arrested in connection with the recent rape and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in Kathua district. An eight-year-old girl belonging to the nomadic community had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Kathua's Hiranagar area. Her body was found a week later. Police investigations revealed she was held captive inside a temple, sedated and repeatedly raped before her murder. The father of the eight-year-old girl, who was brutally gangraped and murdered in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, has approached the Supreme Court seeking safety and security. He has demanded that the case, which has led to country-wide uproar, be shifted to a court outside Jammu and Kashmir. The top court is likely to hear the case at 2 pm. He has demanded in his plea that the case should be transferred to Chandigarh, claiming that the trial might get influenced in Jammu. The victims father has further demanded that the trial must be put on hold unless the case is transferred out of Jammu. The plea further says that politicians must be stopped from meeting the juvenile accused in the case, and that the status report of the case should be submitted before the Supreme Court as the case proceeds. This comes as the trial in the case began in the rape and murder case on Monday. The court was, however, adjourned soon after the hearing began as the defence claimed that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had not provided a copy of the chargesheet to them. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for April 28. Notably, the victims father has moved the Supreme Court after his lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, claimed threat to her life. She claimed that she feared getting raped or killed following threats. She had decided to inform the Supreme Court about the same. Speaking to news agency ANI, Deepika had said, I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC that I am in danger. An eight-year-old girl belonging to the nomadic community had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Kathua's Hiranagar area. Her body was found a week later. Police investigations revealed she was held captive inside a temple, sedated and repeatedly raped before her murder. (With agency inputs) A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad on Monday acquitted all accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, which had claimed at least nine lives. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial and last week posted the case for judgement on April 16. The blast at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007 during Friday prayers had also left 58 others injured. After initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI), which filed a chargesheet. Subsequently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case from the CBI in 2011. Heres a timeline of the case: May 18, 2007: Explosion at Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad during Friday prayers claims 9 lives and injures 58 others. June 2010: CBI named RSS activist Sunil Joshi as an accused. He was, however, shot dead by three unknown assailants on December 29, 2007. November 19, 2010: Swami Aseemanand aka Jatin Chatterjee, a member of Abhinav Bharat, was arrested by the CBI. 2010: CBI arrested other accused namely Devender Guptha and Lokesh Sharma. December 18, 2010: Aseemanand confessed before the court that he was involved in Mecca Masjid blast. April 2011: The NIA took over the case from the CBI. March 23, 2017: Aseemanad granted bail by Hyderabad court, paving way for his release from jail after seven years. March 31., 2017: Aseemanad released from Chanchalguda jail. February 15, 2018: Lt Col Prasad Purohit, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case and a witness in Mecca Masjid bomb blast case, turned hostile. April 16, 2018: All accused acquitted by special NIA court. (With PTI inputs) Top headlines of the day: Mohan Bhagwat says Indian Muslims did not demolish Ram Mandir, vows to 'fight' for it The final hearing in the centuries-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute is before the Supreme Court at present. Read more I can be raped or killed: Lawyer of Kathua victim's family claims threat ahead of trial The trial in the Kathua rape and murder case is slated to begin on Monday. Read more Business on mind, PM Modi embarks on five-day tri-nation European trip The Prime Minister will visit Sweden, United Kingdom and Germany. Read more BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj inaugurates nightclub in Lucknow, sparks row The nightclub, called Lets Meet, was inaugurated by Sakshi Maharaj reportedly on Sunday. Read more No change in Syria mission, forces to return, says US amid World War 3 fears President Donald Trump has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible, said White House. Read more Bigg Boss 12 auditions open, but with a twist Details inside Taekwondo instructor arrested for flashing, masturbating at 2 women in Delhi About 20 cases of snatching, robbery and molestation have been filed against the Taekwondo instructor at various police stations in the city. Read more NEW DELHI: There is nothing called 'saffron terror', the Congress today said, asserting that it was of firm belief that terror cannot be linked to any religion or community, and made it clear its leader Rahul Gandhi or the party never used the phrase. The party's reaction came after the BJP attacked it following the acquittal of right-wing activist Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast, alleging that the Congress had defamed Hindus by using the term "saffron terror" and demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi. Congress spokesperson PL Punia said terrorism is a criminal mentality and it cannot be linked to any religion or community. "Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party has never used the words 'saffron terror'," he told reporters when asked about the BJP's allegations. "It is mere rubbish. There is nothing called saffron terror. It is our clear belief that terror cannot be linked to any religion or any community or caste. It is a criminal mentality which leads to criminal activity and it cannot be linked to any religion or community," he told reporters. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is visiting his constituency Amethi, steered clear of commenting on the issue and dodged a query by reporters on the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast. Asked about the acquittal, Punia said they will assess the judgement first and then discuss it. "However, in preliminary reports it has been stated that the evidence was not provided and confessional statement is missing along with other documents. There seems some failure on the part of the prosecution. It would be proper to talk about it later after the judgement comes," he said. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, raised questions on the functioning of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the case. "It (acquittal) is happening in each case since the government was formed four years ago...People are losing faith in the agencies," he told news channels. Former union home minister Shivraj Patil said he would have to study the judgement before commenting on it. "How can I comment whether the judgment is correct or wrong until I read judgment and the charge sheet? Will need to study details of the judgment before commenting on it,? former Union Minister Shivraj Patil told PTI. It is the government which has to decide whether the NIA should appeal to the higher court or not, he added. Punia said, "We believe in the judiciary. If the court says documents have been stolen or evidence has not been present, then we can raise questions that it is the failure of the prosecution." Former Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had in January 2013 at the Jaipur Chintan Shivir of Congress party accused the BJP and the RSS of promoting "Hindu terror" through its training camps, but later he expressed regret over his remarks after the BJP created uproar. The Congress had, however, distanced itself from his terror remarks. Shinde in a statement on the eve of Budget session of Parliament in 2013 expressed regret over his "Hindu terror" remark, saying his comments had been misunderstood. Shinde, who was also the then Leader of the Lok Sabha and faced the prospect of boycott by the BJP, underlined that he had no intention to link terrorism with religion or political organisations. Before that, former home minister P Chidambaram had used the term "saffron terror" in 2010, but the party had distanced itself from his remarks saying terrorism has no colour. A special anti-terror court in Hyderabad today acquitted Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, holding that the prosecution failed to prove "even a single allegation" against them, lawyers said. A powerful blast, triggered by remote control, had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007 when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. "Prosecution (NIA) could not prove even a single allegation against any of the accused and all of them stand acquitted," J P Sharma, the counsel for Assemanand, told reporters quoting special judge for NIA cases K Ravinder Reddy who delivered the verdict amid tight security. Media was barred entry in the courtroom during the pronouncement of the judgement in the high-profile case, dubbed as one of "saffron terror", a term that riled the BJP and Hindu organisations no end. Aseemanand was acquitted last year in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah terror attack. He is an accused in the 2007 Samjhauta blasts case. A day after India lodged protest with Islamabad over blocking of access of visiting Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats in the country, Pakistan has reacted angrily terming the move as ironic. Pakistan-based Dawn News quoted countrys Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal as saying that India had on two occasions in 2018 denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims. A statement attributed to Faisal said, It is ironic for the government of India to accuse Pakistan of violating the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, whereas it is the Indian government that has, in clear violation of the protocol, twice within this year denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims on occasions of Urs of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri and scuttled at least three visits of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims to religious shrines in Pakistan since June 2017. The Pakistani official rejected Indias charges as baseless, alleging that facts had been distorted by New Delhi. India had on Sunday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over blocking of access of visiting Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats in that country and even "compelling" the Indian envoy to return while on way to a prominent gurudwara. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said that a group of around 1800 Sikh pilgrims are on a visit to Pakistan from April 12 under a bilateral agreement on facilitating visits to religious shrines. In a statement, the MEA also said the Indian High Commissioner, who was to greet Indian pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi, was compelled to return when he was en route to Gurdwara Panja Sahib on Saturday. The MEA called it an "inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy" by Pakistan, holding that these incidents constitute a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. "India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over a block of access for visiting pilgrims to Indian diplomats and consular teams," it said in a statement. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over increasing incidents of violence and sexual assault of minors. Citing that there have been 19,675 cases of rapes of minors in 2016, the Congress chief said that PM Modi must fast track the cases and punish the guilty. He tweeted, There were 19,675 rapes of minor children reported in 2016. This is shameful. PM should fast track these cases and punish the guilty if he is serious about providing justice for our daughters. There were 19,675 rapes of minor children reported in 2016. This is shameful. PM should fast track these cases and punish the guilty if he is serious about providing justice for our daughters. #SpeakUp Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 16, 2018 Last week as well, Rahul Gandhi had targeted PM Modi saying his silence over growing violence against women and children was unacceptable. Taking to Twitter, he had asked as to why accused rapists and murderers are protected by the state, in an apparent reference to Unnao rape case where the accused is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. The Congress chief had on Thursday last held a midnight candlelight march at India Gate in the national capital against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, which have triggered a country-wide outrage. Rahul's sister Priyanka, husband Robert Vadra, Congress leaders and cadres, and others, carried out a march against the BJP-led Centre demanding urgent action against the perpetrators of the two incidents. On Sunday as well, the Congress party held a candlelight march at Juhu Beach area in Mumbai, attacking the central government over the two rape cases. Leading the protest, Congress Mumbai unit chief Sanjay Nirupam had said that acting against these horrific crimes was "not the choice but the moral responsibility" of the government. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nirupam said the PM had been silent on the two incidents for the "longest time" and he now needed to spell out clearly to the nation what he intended to do to ensure that justice was done in both cases. In Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, an eight-year-old girl from a minority nomadic community disappeared near her house on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area. A Special Investigation Team, formed to probe the incident, has arrested eight people, including two special police officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destroying evidence. In Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, a teen alleged that she was raped by ruling BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was later held by police. She alleged she was raped by the MLA at his residence on June 4, 2017, where she had gone with a relative seeking a job. NEW DELHI: A day after reports of Centre's proposal to install chips in set-top boxes emerged, the Congress accused Bharatiya Janata Party of citizen's breaching privacy. Party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, in a Twitter post, accused the government of intruding into people's bedroom. BREAKING! The Next Stage of Surveillance by BJP Revealed! In a serious breach of privacy, Smriti Iraniji wants to know what show you watch on your TV, within the four walls of your bedroom, without your permission! Why? wrote Surjewala on the micro-blogging platform. BREAKING! The Next Stage of Surveillance by BJP Revealed! In a serious breach of privacy, Smriti Iraniji wants to know what show you watch on your TV, within the four walls of your bedroom, without your permission! Why? Surveillance , -! pic.twitter.com/2RqHNekaaE Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 16, 2018 Earlier, reports of Information and Broadcasting Ministry proposing installation of a chip in new television set-top boxes emerged. The chips will provide data about channels watched and their duration. "This would help advertisers and the DAVP to spend their advertising expenditure wisely. Only those channels which are widely watched will get promoted," a senior official said. In the proposal, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has told the TRAI, "It is also proposed to ask DTH operators to install a chip in the new set-top boxes which can give data about channels watched and their duration." In 1978, Manipur-based Khomdram Gambhir disappeared from home. A newly-married man at the time, Gambhir's disappearance without any reason or explanation shook his family. Forty years since the incident, Gambhir's family was able to trace him in Mumbai, thanks to social media. A chain of events unfolded after a street photographer uploaded a video containing a shot of Gambhir on YouTube in October last year. On Saturday, Gambhir's nephew spotted the video and immediately informed the family. However, the family was not able to bring him back due to financial difficulties. This is when, the video caught the attention of Aheibam Dinamani, an assistant professor at NERIST university of Arunachal Pradesh, who contacted the family to inform them about the man from Manipur living in the streets of Mumbai, reported the Indian Express. At the same time, activist Angellica Aribam tweeted about it, requesting the help of Mumbai Police in tracing Gambhir and bring him back. Hi @MumbaiPolice, This man was untraceable for around 40 years and his family has been looking for him. This video taken by a photographer at Bandra has surfaced. Please help in finding him. Family can be contacted at **********, she tweeted. Mumbai Police successfully traced him and further helped the family in getting in touch. Thanks @MumbaiPolice for locating the man and safeguarding him in your custody. His family will bring him back to Imphal after 40 years. Thanks everyone for your help, Aribam later wrote on Twitter. Thanks @MumbaiPolice for locating the man and safeguarding him in your custody. His family will bring him back to Imphal after 40 years. Thanks everyone for your help. I'm now deleting the original tweet. https://t.co/pEhDFHc7Jm Angellica Aribam (@AngellicAribam) April 15, 2018 Gambhir, who served the Manipur rifles for seven years, had left home after he separated from his wife within two months of marriage. SRINAGAR: Soon after the Supreme Court directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and murdered in J&K's Kathua, her parents urged for justice. "We want justice, the culprits should be hanged." Claiming threat to their lives, the father of the victim told ANI, "We feel the need for having security as anything can happen." While the father asserted threats to their lives, the mother of the eight-year-old girl urged justice for her daughter. "We just want justice for my daughter," she said. While the father asserted threats to their lives, the mother of the eight-year-old girl urged justice for her daughter. "We just want justice for my daughter," she said. Father of #Kathua rape victim says, 'We want justice, the culprits should be hanged. We feel the need for having security as anything can happen.' Mother says, 'We just want justice for my daughter.' #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/TR9i39smm7 ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018 Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Mehbooba Mufti government seeking a reply on the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl. The top court directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to give police protection to the victim's family and their counsel Deepika S Rajawat. This had come shortly after the father of the girl moved the apex Court seeking safety and security. He had also demanded that the case, which has led to a country-wide uproar, be shifted to a court outside Jammu and Kashmir. Approaching the apex court, the father of the eight-year-old girl demanded in his plea that the case should be transferred to Chandigarh, claiming that the trial might get influenced in Jammu. The victim's father further demanded that the trial must be put on hold unless the case is transferred out of Jammu. The plea further says that politicians must be stopped from meeting the juvenile accused in the case and that the status report of the case should be submitted before the Supreme Court as the case proceeds. The next hearing in the trial case which had begun on Monday has been scheduled for April 28. The victim's father had moved the Supreme Court after his lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, claimed threat to her life. She claimed that she feared getting raped or killed following threats. An eight-year-old girl belonging to the nomadic community had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Kathua's Hiranagar area. Her body was found a week later. Police investigations revealed she was held captive inside a temple, sedated and repeatedly raped before her murder. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeking a reply on the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in J&K's Kathua. The top court directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide police protection to the victim's family and their counsel Deepika S Rajawat. "The Supreme Court has issued directions to the authorities to provide protection to us (victim family and their counsel)," said Deepika S Rajawat, Counsel of the Kathua rape victim. The development comes shortly after the father of the girl moved the apex Court seeking safety and security. He also demanded that the case, which has led to a country-wide uproar, be shifted to a court outside Jammu and Kashmir. Senior Supreme Court lawyer, Indira Jaising who is appearing for the victim's father, told the top court that the atmosphere is not conducive to a fair trial. "The atmosphere is highly polarised," said Indira Jaising. "The state police had done a good job and it not only arrested all the accused persons on evidence but also on a scientific basis," she added. Approaching the apex court earlier on Monday, the father of the eight-year-old girl demanded in his plea that the case should be transferred to Chandigarh, claiming that the trial might get influenced in Jammu. The victim's father further demanded that the trial must be put on hold unless the case is transferred out of Jammu. The plea further says that politicians must be stopped from meeting the juvenile accused in the case and that the status report of the case should be submitted before the Supreme Court as the case proceeds. This came as the trial in the case had begun in the rape and murder case on Monday. The court was, however, adjourned soon after the hearing began as the defence claimed that the Jammu and Kashmir Police had not provided a copy of the chargesheet to them. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for April 28. The victims father had moved the Supreme Court after his lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, claimed threat to her life. She claimed that she feared getting raped or killed following threats. "I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC that I am in danger," Deepika had said. An eight-year-old girl belonging to the nomadic community had gone missing on January 10 while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Kathua's Hiranagar area. Her body was found a week later. Police investigations revealed she was held captive inside a temple, sedated and repeatedly raped before her murder. New Delhi: Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has discontinued the Mi A1 in India, several media reports have claimed. Xiaomi is reportedly ditching the Mi A1 because of a possible launch of its successor Mi A2. It may be noted that the company is scheduled to host an event in China on April 25 where it may announce the launch of the Mi A2. The Mi A1 smartphone, was launched in India in at Rs 14,999 in September last year. In December Xiaomi slashed the price of the phone by Rs 2,000. Mi A1 is Xiaomi's first Android One phone, with a software experience designed by Google. A major highlight of the phone is the camera setup that comprises a 12MP + 12MP primary camera with a telephoto lens and a wide-angle lens, 1.25 um and 2x digital zoom and 10x optical zoom. Like other dual-rear camera smartphones, Mi A1 also supports `Bokeh` style imaging. Here are the key features of the Xiaomi Mi A1 NEW DELHI: Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced a new expressway connecting Delhi and Mumbai. Though he did not reveal the exact route the new expressway would take, a release from the government indicated it would pass through Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Gadkari revealed that the government would spend Rs 1 lakh crore on the expressway. The new road would be expected to augment the existing capacity built to connect the two megacities under the Golden Quadrilateral project of the previous NDA government. The minister has said in a number of recent interviews that the government is not looking to expand existing highways into expressways, but would instead focus on greenfield projects. The rationale for this that has been provided by government sources is that the cost of land acquisition for greenfield projects is likely to be lesser since they would pass through relatively less developed areas. Another rationale being offered is that it would take investment and connectivity into these relatively less developed areas. The expressway would also help the Centre leverage its plans for a Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project, which covers six states between the two megacities, by enlarging and spreading out the land area available for industrial clusters. Gadkari also spoke of plans for a Chambal Expressway, which he said would be connected to the new Mumbai-Delhi Expressway. The statement from the government said the projects are "likely to benefit states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the backward areas will also shine like Gurugram." Reports on these projects have been appearing since the beginning of April, and suggest that the new 1400-km road would be designed to facilitate travel between the two cities in just 12 hours. That's an average speed of close to 120 kmph. A man has been arrested in Mumbai for allegedly molesting and chasing a woman during protests held against Unnao and Kathua rape cases. The incident occurred at Carter Road area in Mumbai. The accused allegedly made indecent gestures directed at the woman and followed her when she tried to leave the spot. The accused has been identified as Raju Jadhav, who works as a labourer. Large-scale protests were held in Bandra and Juhu areas of Mumbai on Sunday against the rape cases in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir. While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised a protest in Bandra, the Congress party held a candlelight march at Juhu beach. The protests at Bandra was joined by several members of the Bollywood fraternity, including actors Vicky Kaushal and Kalki Koechlin. There has been country-wide outrage against the rape cases in Unnao and Kathua. While the Unnao rape case involves a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, eight accused are facing trial in connection with brutal gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. Protests against the cases were also held in the national capital. On Friday midnight, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders held a candlelight vigil at the India Gate in the national capital to demand strict action in Unnao and Kathua rape cases. In yet another shocking incident of sexual abuse, a four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a neighbour on Friday in Odisha's Balasore district. The accused, 24-year-old man, lured the minor victim to his home with chocolates and raped her. The child was reportedly playing outside her home at the time of the incident. Later, the victim narrated the incident to her mother. The family rushed her to Nilagiri hospital for treatment after her condition deteriorated. Her family lodged a police complaint on Saturday. While the girl was sent for medical examination, efforts are on to trace the accused who is missing, said Inspector In-Charge of Nilagiri police station, Ramesh Singh. The recent reports of rape from across the country has shocked many, with people coming out on streets to protest against it. Meanwhile, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal went on an indefinite hunger strike demanding death penalty for rapists on Sunday. Maliwal launched the protest at Rajghat on Friday in the wake of the horrific rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh`s Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir`s Kathua districts. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, she said: "I will not break my anshan (fast) until the Prime Minister does not (promise) the country a better system for the safety of our daughters." In a gruesome reminder of the Kathua rape case, the mutilated body of 11-year-old girl was recovered from Gujarat's Surat Bhestan locality earlier this week. She was likely held captive, tortured and raped over a period of time, said the police on Sunday. The case has now been transferred to the Crime Branch. Mathura: Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra on Monday extended his full support to elephant rescue efforts, after a visit to the rescue and rehabilitation centre run by Wildlife SOS. A special guest at 'Save the Elephant Day' celebrations at the centre, he expressed concern over the plight of Asian elephants. Sidharth spent time with rescued elephants Laxmi, Maya and Phoolkali, feeding them fresh fruits - bananas, sugarcane, and watermelon. He also interacted with the veterinarians at the centre providing treatment to the elephants and learning about the status of Asian elephants in India. The highlight of the visit, however, was his keen interest in Gajraj, the 70-year-old tusker rescued from Maharashtra's Satara. Used in temple processions for over 51 years, the elephant was, with advancing age, found to be suffering from several medical issues like foot abscess, partial blindness etc. Gajraj is now under lifetime care and treatment at Wildlife SOS's Elephant Conservation and Care Centre, which is home to over 20 elephants that were rescued from critical situations and are under rehabilitation now. Several of these majestic animals have spent a majority of their lives doing hard work in harsh and cruel conditions, which in turn has taken a negative toll on them both physically and psychologically. Sidharth was deeply moved upon hearing the heart-breaking stories of these elephants and what they had endured before they were rescued by Wildlife SOS. "Save The Elephant Day is a great initiative and Wildlife SOS is doing some fabulous work by saving the endangered species. It's extremely essential for each one of us to do our bit and help save our animals." Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are listed as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. India currently has a population of about 25,000-30,000 elephants out of which about 3,500 are captive. Kolkata: Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi says India was the 'best choice' to shoot outside his country, as the two nations share a lot of cultural similarities. Majidi, who was recently in the city for the promotion of his first Hindi film 'Beyond the Clouds', said it is difficult for a filmmaker to go out of his own country, unless there is a cultural connection. "We have a place in Iran called Baloch. It's very close to Indian culture ? the clothes they wear, the language they speak. I shot my first film (Baduk 1992) there," he said. Majidi added that Baloch also feels much like India in terms of the customs and rituals. "All these factors made me think that if I were to make a film out of Iran, India would be the best choice," he said. 'Beyond the Clouds', set to hit the screens on April 20, was shot in in Mumbai and centres around a brother-sister relationship. The film, which has original score by A R Rahman, stars Ishaan Khatter and Malavika Mohanan in the lead. Mumbai: Actor Patralekhaa says she wants to be known as a good actor but in her four-year-old Bollywood career, her biggest struggle has been to get good scripts. Patralekhaa made her acting debut in Hansal Mehta's "CityLights" in 2014, which received critical acclaim, and two years later the actor starred in Vikram Bhatt's forgettable erotic-thriller- "Love Games". She is back on the big screen with Abhay Deol-starrer "Nanu Ki Jaanu". "It's very difficult to get good scripts. The scripts that come to me are not great. So to get a good script from the 10-15 that are offered is a blessing. I want to be a good actress, I want to be among the best in the country and I believe I have the capabilities to be the same," Patralekhaa told PTI in an interview. "What's stopping me is that there are no good projects coming my way. That makes me angry," she added The actor says what's even worse is that she does not even know why she is not offered meaty parts. "People wouldn't even tell me, honestly. Maybe they are confused, 'Is she a good actor or is she not?' I don't know... Also, I am not a very pushy person. I feel if there's work, someone will call me, but I can't go after people for work. I think people see through that." While lack of good projects might make her angry, the 28-year-old actor is patient enough to not let the waiting period between her films affect her. She, in fact, uses the breaks to hone her skills. "The waiting period doesn't frustrate me because there are so many things to do. I watch films. I travel, I have learnt dancing, there are these acting workshops that I attend. I am not entirely dependent on (films), but also, I don't have a business, so I live my life on what I earn," she said. When asked if she had an idea how the filmmakers and writers in the Hindi film industry view her as an actor, she said because she played an under-privileged mother of two in her first film, people try to label her as the girl-next-door. "Your starting point should be damn good for your survival as that puts you in a genre. It's a human tendency that they want to put you in a category, it becomes easier for people to function. "Thinking outside-the-box is a little difficult, and it's just comforting to put things in boxes. So that's what happens with me," the actor said. Patralekhaa tried to break away from the "CityLights" image with her second film, but admitted she failed miserably. The failure of "Love Games" taught her to not do films that she is not convinced about. "It didn't work for me, it tanked because I wasn't comfortable. I know I didn't do a good job, it wasn't my space. I can't blame anyone else for it because I was the person at fault. I shouldn't have taken up that film. I didn't do justice to it," she said. The actor, however, is looking forward to the release of "Nanu Ki Jaanu", which she feels falls in a happy space. "It's such a sweet, endearing film. I had so much fun doing it. Both my previous films were heavy and high on drama, so this was super fun. It is in a very happy space, something I relate to the most." Directed by debutante Faraz Haider, "Nanu Ki Jaanu" releases this Friday. Mumbai: Katrina Kaif has flown to London to spend some time with her family. The Bollywood star, who has seven siblings - six sisters and a brother - is having a rocking time at her home in the UK. The Tiger Zinda Hai star took to her Instagram page to share a photograph with two of her sisters. Farm girls A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Apr 14, 2018 at 12:49am PDT Her fan club too shared a few photographs from her vacation with her sisters. Take a look here: Katrina Kaif with her siblings in the UK pic.twitter.com/MMLbx9jQgl Katrina Kaif Online (@KatrinaKaifFB) 14 April 2018 Victory dance from Katrina Kaif! pic.twitter.com/KyLkg1O48I Katrina Kaif Online (@KatrinaKaifFB) 14 April 2018 Katrina Kaif on holiday with her sisters pic.twitter.com/28QeMXQJmG Katrina Kaif Online (@KatrinaKaifFB) 15 April 2018 Well, we are sure these pics will definitely give you sibling goals. Going by the pics and video, it is apparent that Katrina knows how to make the most of her precious time with her family. On the work front, Katrina has had a great 2017. Her film Tiger Zinda Hai co-starring her former real-life boyfriend Salman Khan turned out to be a blockbuster. In the film, Katrina performed some jaw-dropping stunts and action sequences. This year, the actor will have two releases - Aamir Khan starrer Thugs of Hindostan and Shah Rukh Khan's Zero. Katrina has been posting photographs from the sets of both the films to keep her fans updated. But her fans will be equally happy to see her pics with her sister as she is now in the UK for a much-deserved break from work. New Delhi: Pakistani actress Sajal Aly, who made her Bollywood debut in late actress Sridevi starrer 'Mom' has opened up about ill-treatment of stars during award functions in Pakistan. According to Dawn, Sajal Aly has lashed out at hosts and organisers of Pakistan's biggest award shows for ill-treating actors and ridiculing them. The report reveals that Sajal received two nominations in the Best Actress category but lost to 'Hindi Medium' actress Saba Qamar, who bagged the award for starring in slain Pakistani model Qandeel Baloch's biopic. Sajal was a good sport and showed support to Saba but what disturbed her was the 'ridiculing' of actors during the award ceremony. I feel like we have gradually gone from treating awards as an evening of celebration of good work and art to ridiculing actors and our industry. I was quite disappointed," Sajal told Dawn. During the award ceremony, Sajal found the Best Dressed segment distasteful in which the hosts lined up some male and female stars and left the decision of who deserves the title to audience applause. Sajal was pitted against a fellow Pakistani actress who eventually walked away with the trophy. It might sound harsh, but unfortunately thats the reality. Actors were treated as subjects of humiliation and were used for cheap laughs. I may also sound like Im ranting, but does no one go over the script and point out whether something is a bit much? Sajal said. Not a lot of actors attend the awards in the first place and slowly that number will grow. I know I dont want to be disrespected for the sake of a shows rating, " she added. Sajal became a known face in Bollywood because of her path-breaking performance as Sridevi's daughter in Ravi Udyawar's 'Mom'. Sajal shared a great rapport with Sridevi and when the actress passed away, Sajal posted a heartbreaking message on her social handle, that read, "Lost my mom again...' Lost my mom again... A post shared by Sajal Ali Firdous (@sajalaly) on Feb 24, 2018 at 11:51pm PST 'Mom' was Bollywood superstar Sridevi's last film. The actress passed away due to accidental drowning in Dubai on February 24, 2018. Recently, Sridevi was conferred with the National Award posthumously for 'Mom'. Mumbai: India's latest social media sensation Priya Prakash Varrier knows how to make heads turn. After grabbing a million eyeballs by 'winking', Priya is all set to make hearts skip a beat. The young girl who has over 5.4 million followers on Instagram took to the photo-sharing site to share a few pics clicked by Mojin Thinavilayil. She looks resplendent in a cream saree with a red border teamed up with a multi-coloured embroidered blouse. The red bindi and lip-stick complete her look for Vishu, the Malayalam New Year, which was celebrated on April 15. Check out her posts here: A post shared by priya prakash varrier (@priya.p.varrier) on Apr 14, 2018 at 8:07am PDT For the unversed, the pretty girl made the internet go gaga over her captivating expressions in a leaked video clip from a Malayalam song in an upcoming film directed by Omar Lulu. Priya had been signed for the film to play a small role. But ever since a clip featuring Priya from the song Manikya Malaraya Poovi from Omar Lulus Oru Adaar Love went viral on social media, the makers decided to extend her role. They have made her role in the film meatier to make the most of her popularity. The script and climax have reportedly been changed to give her more prominence. The song sung by Vineeth Sreenivasan and composed by Shaan Rahman became popular but it was Priya who stole the show. In the video, we can see Priya making adorable expressions and winking to grab her crushs attention. Oru Adaar Love is Omars third venture. Besides Priya, the movie also stars Siyadh Shajahan, Noorin Shereef and Roshan Abdul Rahoof. The film is slated to release on June 14 this year. The Malayalam film will now release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages too. JAIPUR: Revising the curriculum for RAS 2018 examination, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has included lessons from Bhagavad Gita to the General knowledge and general studies paper. The excerpts of Gita have been added to a new unit called 'Niti Shastra'. Along with Bhagavad Gita, the curriculum will also include - lessons from Mahatma Gandhi's life, life sketch of national icons, social reformers, and administrative officers. The syllabus for RAS 2018 exam has been amended by adding a sub-unit, 'Role of Bhagavad Gita in management and administration'. Aspirants preparing for RAS 2018 exam can be asked questions on management and administrative lessons from as the 18 chapters that deal with the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjun ahead of the Kurukshetra fight. The candidates who will be appearing in the examination will have to read the book thoroughly in order to answer the questions. RPSC has lately released a notification for RAS 2018 recruitment. The online submission of forms for RAS 2018 has begun on April 12, 2018. The candidates will be able to apply online until May 11, 2018. The RAS stands for Rajasthan Administrator Service. The purpose of the recruitment is to shortlist eligible candidates for the Rajasthan administration department who will be able to contribute in serving the Rajasthan state. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL) to deposit Rs 100 crore with its Registry by May 10 as a part payment of the amount required to pay the principal amount to 2,800 home buyers seeking refund. JAL, in response told the apex court that it has already deposited Rs 100 crore on April 12 in pursuance of an earlier order. JAL has also told the SC that it has been completing 500 houses per month and seeks consideration of its revival proposal. SC has directed Insolvency Resolution Person to consider representation of JAL as per law. In the last hearing on March 21, JAL had told the court that it received/sought occupation certificate for 13,500 flats in 2017-18. The company apprised the court that 8 percent home buyers have opted for refund. The next hearing on the case has been scheduled for May 11. Mumbai: Well, this is a surprise for sure. The auditions for Bigg Boss season 12 have opened. This news will definitely make diehard fans and aspiring participants happy. But wait, there's a twist. Not individuals but jodis will take part in the reality show. The same was announced last evening during the grand finale episode of the second season of the country's one and only Live singing reality show - Rising Star - which saw Hemant Brijwasi, from Mathura, emerge as the winner. Actor-host Ravi Dubey made the announcement about Bigg Boss 12 auditions during the live show and it was indeed a big surprise. Bigg Boss, an Indian version of Dutch reality show Big Brother has successfully completed 11 seasons. The first season of the show was hosted by Arshad Warsi, followed by Shilpa Shetty and Amitabh Bachchan in the second and third editions respectively. Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who joined the team of Bigg Boss in 2011 by hosting the fourth season, became the face of the show. He was joined by his friend Sanjay Dutt for a brief period during the fifth season but since then, it has always been a Salman Khan show. Though the makers haven't yet announced the name of the host for the twelfth season, one may wonder if it will be Salman Khan once again. Given the fact that the film industry heavyweight has an extremely busy schedule, it would be interesting to see if he teams up with the Bigg Boss team for the 12th season. The hunk of an actor has Race 3 slated to release on June 15 on the occasion of Eid and has Ali Abbas Zafar's Bharat in the pipeline. He will also be seen as the host of reality show Dus Ka Dum which is expected to go on air sometime in June or July this year. Salman has contributed a lot to Bigg Boss by actively engaging with the contestants during the Weekend Ka Vaar episodes. Will he be a part of the show for the ninth consecutive time? Let's wait and watch. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions. In a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani, Putin and Rouhani agreed that the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in the seven-year Syria conflict, according to a Kremlin statement. "Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the U.N. Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations," the Kremlin statement said. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, told CBS` "Face the Nation" program that the United States would announce new economic sanctions on Monday aimed at companies "that were dealing with equipment" related to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s alleged chemical weapons use. On Saturday, the United States, France and Britain launched 105 missiles targeting what the Pentagon said were three chemical weapons facilities in Syria in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack in Douma on April 7. The Western countries blame Assad for the Douma attack that killed dozens of people. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in any such attack. The bombings marked the biggest intervention by Western countries against Assad and ally Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that he had convinced Trump, who previously said he wanted to take US forces out of Syria, to stay for "the long term." The United States, France and Britain have said the missile strikes were limited to Syria`s chemical weapons capabilities and not aimed at toppling Assad or intervening in the civil war. Macron said in an interview broadcast by BFM TV, RMC radio and Mediapart online news that he had convinced Trump to focus on the chemical weapons sites. The White House pushed back against Macron`s comments about Trump`s intentions for US forces. The US mission has not changed - the president has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. "We are determined to completely crush ISIS and create the conditions that will prevent its return." she said. "In addition we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region. `HARD FOR US, BUT WILL DO MORE DAMAGE TO THE USA` Responding to Haley`s remarks about the plans for new sanctions, Evgeny Serebrennikov, deputy head of the defence committee of Russia`s upper house of parliament, said Moscow was ready for the penalties, according to RIA news agency. "They are hard for us, but will do more damage to the USA and Europe," RIA quoted Serebrennikov as saying. In Damascus, Syria`s deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, met inspectors from the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW for about three hours in the presence of Russian officers and a senior Syrian security official. The inspectors were due to attempt to visit the Douma site. Moscow condemned the Western states for refusing to wait for the OPCW`s findings before attacking. Mekdad declined to comment to reporters waiting outside the hotel where the meeting took place. Assad told a group of visiting Russian lawmakers that the Western missile strikes were an act of aggression, Russian news agencies reported. Russian agencies quoted the lawmakers as saying that Assad was in a "good mood", had praised the Soviet-era air defence systems Syria used to repel the Western attacks and had accepted an invitation to visit Russia at an unspecified time. Trump had said: "Mission accomplished" on Twitter after the strikes, although US Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie at the Pentagon acknowledged elements of the program remained and he could not guarantee that Syria would be unable to conduct a chemical attack in the future. Russian and Iranian military help over the past three years has allowed Assad to crush the rebel threat to topple him. Although Israel has at times urged stronger US involvement against Assad and his Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah reinforcements in Syria, it voiced backing for Saturday`s air strikes by Western powers. RISK OF WIDER CONFRONTATION The leader of Lebanon`s Hezbollah said on Sunday that Western strikes on Syria had failed to achieve anything, including terrorizing the army, helping insurgents or serving the interests of Israel. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the US military had kept its strikes limited because it knew a wider attack would spark retaliation from Damascus and its allies and inflame the region. "The American (military) knows well that going towards a wide confrontation and a big operation against the regime and the army and the allied forces in Syria could not end, and any such confrontation would inflame the entire region," Nasrallah said. The heavily armed, Iranian-backed Shi`ite Hezbollah movement, which fights alongside the Syrian army and is represented in the Beirut government, has been a vital ally of Damascus in Syria`s war. France, the United States and Britain circulated a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council late on Saturday that aims to establish an independent inquiry into who is responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The mechanism would look at cases where the OPCW fact-finding mission has established chemical weapons were used or likely used. Diplomats said negotiations on the draft resolution would begin on Monday and it was not immediately clear when the United States, France and Britain wanted to put it to a vote. Amid reports that Vladimir Putin-led Russia is planning a major retaliation against the Unites States, triggering fears of World War 3, the White House has asserted that the US mission in Syria has not changed. According to news agency AFP, US forces would return from the war-torn country as soon as possible. "The US mission has not changed. The President (Donald Trump) has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible," press secretary Sarah Sanders said, hours after French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that Paris had convinced Trump to stay engaged in Syria "for the long-term". This comes after a combined military strike against Syrian chemical sites by US, France and UK, following claims of chemical gas being used by Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, evoked a sharp response from Russia. Threatening to give a tough response to the US, Russia had called the military attack in Syria fabricated claiming that no evidence suggested the use of chemical weapons by Assad regime. While the attack by US and other countries have triggered fears of World War 3, it might have also cast a shadow on North Korea de-nuclearisation talks. Notably, Russian state television too cautioned citizens of the country to prepare for World War 3 after the US declared that it was locked and loaded to strike Syria again if President Bashar Assad's regime continued using chemical weapons and poisonous gas in the war-torn country. The statement issuing World War III warning appeared on Russian state media after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rejected a resolution by Russia calling for condemnation of "aggression" by the United States, United Kingdom and France against Syria. The US, UK and France had said that they launched air strikes against Syrian chemical sites after obtaining evidence that a chemical weapon was used by President Bashar Assad's government. (With agency inputs) The militants performed 22 attacks over the past 24 hours, as the Donbas conflict HQ press-office reported on Facebook. The militants of Russias occupation troops did not obligate the ceasefire during the first half of the day. 22 attacks were documented as at 18:00, the message says. The militants shot at the defenders of Pisky from 82-mm mortar launchers, infantry fighting vehicles, and heavy machine guns. The enemy attacked Ukraines defense works near Vodyane, Verkhnyotoretske, and Avdiivka from various grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. Besides, the aggressor was shooting at our positions near Novotroitske and Marinka from grenade launchers and small arms, near Vodyane from armored vehicles and near Lebedynske - from heavy machine guns. The militants performed attacks from grenade launchers and snipers weapon near Shyrokyne, the HQ reported. The militants used infantry fighting vehicles and grenade launchers firing at Ukrainian positions near Luhanske. Besides, the positions in Krumske were attacked by grenade launchers and near Novoluhanske from heavy machine guns. According to the HQ information, no casualties among Ukrainian soldiers reported. As the representative of the HQ stated the militants intend to create a provocation against the OSCE mission in Donbas conflict zone. As it was reported, the SMM OSCE restarted monitoring the situation in Donbas using the unmanned aircrafts. The militants did not allow the OSCE observers to launch the unmanned aircraft and threatened them with weapons. Later, Kurt Volker, the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, demanded Russia and the militants to stop threatening the OSCE observers. Ukraine news on 112.international Over the past 24 hours, since Sunday morning, two Ukrainian fighters suffered combat injuries due to enemy attacks in the conflict zone in Donbas. Dmytro Hutsulyak, the defense ministry spokesman said that at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday. 'None of the Ukrainian troops deceased over the mentioned period; two men sustained wounds. They both are in moderately grave condition', he said. The official also confirmed that since the morning of April 15, the enemy shelled Ukrainian positions 59 times; all attacks were adjusted. In 24 cases, the government forces returned fire. In Donetsk sector, the militants opened fire on the defenders of the village of Pavlopil from 120- and 82-millimeter mortars. 'In addition, from the 82-mm mortars, weapons of the AFV, rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and small arms, enemy fired defenders of Pisky, and grenade launchers and small arms were used by them near Vodiane and Avdiivka. Butivka mine defenders also got under the grenade launcher fire , and a sniper fire was noticed near Novotroitske,' the headquarters of the Donbas conflict informs. The enemy intends to frame the Ukrainian army for the downing of a UAV in Donetsk region Russian mercenaries may go for a provocation against the OSCE observers - and the Ukrainian army - in the near future. The Ukrainian military intelligence reported that on Monday. 'The hostile anti-aircraft defense units are cleared to destroy OSCE SMM drones flying over their responsibility areas. The enemy has the instructions to take into account the trajectory of the Mission's UAVs in respect of the location of Ukrainian positions so that they can shift the responsibility for the attacks onto the Ukrainian troops', the message says. On March 23, OSCE monitoring mission resumed surveillance in the conflict area, using drones. Earlier in April, militants did not let the observers launch a drone, threatening them with guns. Kurt Volker, the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine, demanded that Russia and pro-Kremlin militants stop threatening the OSCE observers. The idea is quite good, yet it requires a lot of time to be implemented, - Pavlo Zhebrivsky, Donetsk region Governor, commented on the plan of Arsen Avakov, Ukraine's Internal Minister Open source Pavlo Zhebrivsky, Donetsk region Governor, commented on Avakovs plan on the liberation of some of Donbas districts on air of 112 Ukraine. He believes that the main disadvantage of the plan is the terms of its implementation. Every idea on the decreasing of the occupied territories is worth attention. Still, I think if we follow this way, we will reach the border with Russia till 20130. In this part, if we enter every town, every district and hold elections, introduce administrations, it will take at least half a year per each city, Zhebrivsky said. He also expressed doubts that Russia was ready to make concessions in terms of Donbas. Actually, there is a decision, there is something being discussed by Poroshenko and others on the fact that the peacekeeping mission is to be brought on the entire occupied territory and the key point here is the control over the Ukraine-Russia border, he added. I regard the idea, proposed by Avakov, quite good but it will take a lot of time to implement. Essentially, not everyone will like what the local government is doing, if we follow the way, chosen by the residents of these territories. What if it is ineffective? It is not a civilian-military administration. It will not be Ukraines central authority responsibility. The local government will be responsible for that. If we choose this path, it will be endless. Still, there are lots of good ideas, Zhebrivsky concluded. It should be mentioned that Arsen Avakov, Ukraines Internal Minister, in the interview for Ukrainska Pravda told about his personal view on the liberation of Ukraines occupied territories. Accodring to him, the liberation of the territories from the occupants can be conducted the following way to take control over separate regions. Avakov believes that it is impossible to reintegrate the entire territory at once. The Internal Minister supported the adoption of the laws on collaborationism supporters and on amnesty. The crime rate decreased by 30% within this time Open source The criminal investigative units of Donetsk region revealed more than 2,000 militants in the region since 2015, as the press-office of the region police reported. The criminal intelligence units of Donetsk region solved more than 32,000 crimes since 2015. The police investigators eliminated 38 organized crime groups, revealed more than 2,000 militants, seized around 680 grenade launchers and 650 kg of explosive devices, the message says. The police detained more than 460 murderers and 500 perpetrators, who committed grave bodily injury, solved 350 armed assaults, eliminated 38 groupings, which are involved in 183 felonies and extremely grievous crimes, among which are kidnapping, tortures and murders, 2,070 militants are suspected. The police investigators seized more than 600 units of fire-arms, more than 1 million firearm ammunition units, 7,500 grenades, 64 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 650 kg of explosive substance (trinitrotoluene, plastid, powder). More than 7,400 drug-related crimes were eliminated, 546 kg of drugs were withdrawn from the illegal commerce. 85 crimes related to human trafficking were documented. The police informs that over the past three years the crime rate in the region decreased by 30%. More than 32,000 crimes were documented in 2015, and 9,000 less in 2017. As it was reported, nine militants turned themselves in to the Donetsk region police, most of them did it at the beginning of April. The number of militants who came back to Ukraine be the SBU Home is waiting for you programme was announced 200 people in total. The courts released 123 participants of the programme from the criminal liability and nine of them from the service of sentence. SBU programme was created to return the citizens, who voluntarily refused to participate in the militants armed formations on the territory under Ukraines control. The programme functions since August 18, 2015. According to Avakov, it is impossible to reintegrate the whole occupied territory Arsen Avakov, the Interior Minister of Ukraine announced his plan on the reintegration of occupied territories of Donbas as Ukrayinska Pravda reported. According to him, it is impossible to reintegrate the whole occupied territory. Due to this, Avakov offers to begin with the particular areas. Here is a plan: the UN peacekeepers are deployed at the border of conditional city Horlivka or rural Novoazovsk region. The blue helmets and the Ukrainian border guards take the border with the occupied territory under control. The bodies of the Ukrainian justice enter the returned territory and hold the election according to our law, he said. The minister admits that the joint patrolling of the Interior Ministry and local territorial units delegated by the local district councils can take place in Horlivka after its returning under Ukrainian control. Such experience in the transition situations took place in Croatia. It is an extremely serious police function that can cause the conflicts and nuances of the transition period. But it is much better than the head-on collisions. A compromise is always a compromise, he added. According to his plan, the attention should be paid to the infrastructure. Then the restoration of the infrastructure and increase of the quality of life of people in occupation will take place. The restoration of the water supply, electricity, restoration of the school, issuance of the Ukrainian passports should take place. However, there is also a nuance as the level of a check of the people from the occupied territories should be special to not issue the Ukrainian passports to anybody, only to the Ukrainian citizens, the minister thinks. According to him, the next step should become the taking of another five regions under control. There will the nuances connected with the peculiarities of the transition period. The people from occupied territories will be disqualified in the right for an election of central authority bodies, such as parliament, president. But it is a usual international experience, Avakov noted. As we reported, the law On the specifics of the state policy on ensuring state sovereignty of Ukraine on the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, known as Donbas reintegration law came into force on February 24. The law declares the political and diplomatic ways as the main ways of resolving the conflict and restoring the sovereignty of Ukraine. The total foreign trade turnover of agricultural goods in Ukraine between January and February 2018 was estimated at $3.7 million, of which $2.8 billion was made up by agrarian and food products produced in Ukraine and sold abroad. In the first two months of the current year, exports of Ukrainian agrarian commodities grew by $102.1 million against the same period of 2017 and reached a $2.8 million threshold. The traditional staples of Ukrainian exports still include grain crops, which accounted for 35.3%, vegetable oil (24.1%), and oilseed (12%), the Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Olha Trofimtseva said, the press service of the ministry informed, UNIAN reports. According to the Deputy Minister, over the aforementioned period, considerable expansion was exhibited in exports of poultry meat ($29 million), eggs ($11.4 million), butter ($20 million), chocolate ($7.5 million), and grape wines ($6.1 million). In particular, exports of goods from Ukraine to member states of the European Union over the period under review skyrocketed by 28.1%, or by $224.7 million, and reached $1.025 billion. This means that the European Union was the primary country of destination for Ukrainian agricultural and food products with 36.5%, Olha Trofimtseva added. The deputy minister also mentioned that India became a major importer of agricultural and food products over the two months of 2018, as the country purchased a total of $335.9 million worth of Ukrainian food products and commodities. The Top 5 leaders also included Spain with $201.1 million, the Netherlands ($199.3 million), Egypt ($189.6 million), and Italy ($185.6 million). The total revenue from exports of Ukrainian agrarian products in 2017 rose by 16.3% against 2016, to over $17.9 billion. The major products of Ukrainian agri-exports in 2017 were grain crops, accounting for 36.2% of the export structure, vegetable oils (25.1%), and oilseeds (11.3%.). Open source The Ukrainian government intends to sign a free trade agreement with the government of Turkey, following a similar deal with the European Union, Canada, and Israel. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman on the air of a Ukrainian TV channel, UkrAgroConsult has informed citing the website of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers, UNIAN reports. Earlier, on 28 March, Volodymyr Groysman announced that his government and its Israeli counterpart had reached the final stage of negotiations on signing the agreement on the creation of a free trade area between the two countries. According to the Prime Minister, the agreement could benefit Ukraine to the tune of $800 million. On the other hand, the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Canada was signed in 2017. The bilateral trade in goods and commodities has risen by 60%, according to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. When the presidents of Ukraine and Turkey met in October 2017, Petro Poroshenko noted the importance of Turkey as Ukraines trade partner: Turkey has entered Top-5 trade partners and Top-10 investors of Ukraine. The two presidents announced mutual plans to raise bilateral trade between the nations to $10 billion. Maas also accused Moscow of cyber-attack at his ministry Heiko Mass, the Foreign Minister of Germany criticized Russia for its actions within the state as Radio Liberty reported. Maas accused Moscow of cyber-attack at his ministry and said that Russia should change its behavior. Germans Foreign Minister listed a number of the events he called problematic actions, such as the lack of the progress in the ceasefire at the east of Ukraine, chemical weapon attack in the UK, support of the Syrian government headed by Bashar al-Assad and attempts to influence elections in western countries. The foreign ministry was attacked, supposedly from Russia, he claimed. According to Mass, Germany cannot just brush aside of this, what is happening should not be considered as the constructive contribution. As DW reported, Mass urged for the diplomatic solution of the Syrian crisis. We are trying to establish the political process, he claimed. All attempts for the solution of this conflict should take place under the aegis of the UN, however, Russia blocked 12 resolutions and the countries involved in the process look for a new format as he specified to ARD. Russia has become a complex partner recently, Mass acknowledged and emphasized that the solution of the Syrian crisis is impossible without Russia. He named ceasefire in Syria, a possibility of humanitarian aid supply, forming an interim government and holding of the constitutional reforms and election in the country as the main goals. Mass added that different groups in Syria should agree and Russia that represents only Assads regime interests should accept this. On April 13, the U.S. troops landed a missile strike on chemical infrastructure in Syria; the UK and France joined in. The strikes killed at least six people and dealt damage to a number of weaponry research objects. On April 7, the volunteer organizations reported that the chemical attack at Douma, the East Ghouta took place. As a result of this attack at least 70 people died. The Syrian government and Russia called this information untrue, while the US and allies have blamed Bashar al-Assad for the attack. Later U.S. President Donald Trump announced about a coming missile attack in Syria and urged Russia to be prepared. In its turn, Russias Foreign Ministry claimed that the missiles should aim the terrorists. The General Staff of Russia recommended the US and its allies to restore Syrian Raqqa instead of threats. The official is to visit Moscow for negotiations with the Russian side on Thursday The progress in the solution of the Syrian conflict is only possible if all sides are involved in the negotiations. Karin Kneissl, the Austrian foreign minister said so at a briefing before the EU foreign ministers session in Luxembourg. 'We should be talking to everyone. One cannot say that certain sides, certain persons are not allowed to participate in the negotiation', she claimed. The Austrian official added that her government's position remains the same, which is to save the basis for discussion - both in and outside the EU. She also announced she is to visit Moscow for negotiations with the Russian side on Thursday; the officials will discuss the latest developments in Syria and the Iran nuclear deal framework. As is known, on April 13, the U.S., France and the UK landed missile strikes on Syria - in response to the reported use of the chemical weaponry in Douma, Eastern Ghouta. The Syrian government denied any involvement in the attack that claimed at least 70 lives. Open source Ukraine will not denounce the agreements on diploma recognition, employment and transition within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Iryna Lutsenko, the Ukrainian presidents representative claimed this as 112 Ukraine broadcasted. The Supreme Commander urges the government to make an inventor of all multilateral agreements between CIS members denounce the particular agreements, leaving only those that are pragmatically necessary for Ukraine agreements on diploma recognition, employment and transition and other necessary agreements for the economy of Ukraine, Lutsenko said. As we reported Petro Poroshenko intends to submit the draft law on the stop of the particular points of the Friendship Treaty with Russia to the parliament. Also, he urged the government of Ukraine to stop the participation in the statutory bodies of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Poroshenko also stands for the closing of the Ukrainian office at the proper institutes in Minsk. Earlier Russia offered to denounce the Agreement on friendship, cooperation and partnership between Ukraine and Russia in the part where countries recognize the territorial borders of each other. Leonid Kravchuk, the first president of Ukraine commented this. On appeal, a sailor got a new term instead of release A Greek court sentenced Ukrainian sailor Anatoly Cherkassky to 70 years of imprisonment as Vesti reported. According to Cherkassky, he learned about the court decision from an advocate. In 2015, Cherkassky was imprisoned for 204 years for the involvement in the transporting of the illegal refugees from Syria at the Greek sheep, he was an Assistant Captain. I was sure that I would be released. An appeal court sentenced me for seven years and according to the Greek system, it is 32 months. It is a term that I have already served. The translator told me so and then with the advocate congratulated me. The Ukrainian consul also came to the Athenian prison to congratulate me and emphasized that it is his credit, Cherkassky said. According to him, when the translator and advocate learned about 70-years term, they were completely puzzled. They are sure they heard absolutely different information. The Greek judges said one thing and wrote another one, the Ukrainian claimed. Vasyl Kyrylych, the Head of Department of Consular Support said to Vesti that it will be possible to talk meaningfully about this after the familiarizing with the case. In March 2018, the Greek court sentenced Ukrainian sailor Denys Brovchenko to 180 years of the imprisonment for the transporting of the illegal refugees from Syria. Also, Ukraines Foreign Ministry reported that 42 citizens of Ukraine were convicted and 78 Ukrainians are under the investigation in Greece due to the accusation of the transfer of the illegal migrants. Earlier we reported that 214 Ukrainian sailors imprisoned in Greece, India, Spain, Libya, Oman and Sri-Lanka as the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported. According to BIMCO and ISF, 69,000 Ukrainians worked at foreign ships in 2015. Ukraine was enlisted to the TOP-6 largest supplier of the workforce to the ship owners. The police detained the drunken man who threw the grenade; he appeared to be Donbas conflict veteran Open source A fight occurred in the Ukrainian capital; as the five brawlers mixed it up, one of them threw a hand grenade to the ground. According to Vlad Antonov, the CEO of dtp.kiev.ua project posted that on Facebook. The drunken man who threw the grenade appeared to be Donbas conflict veteran, Antonov wrote. 'One of the fighters was seriously injured. They took him to a hospital with multiple wounds of the lower body. The attacker suffered as well... he hit the ground twice during detention', Antonov wrote. The police of Warsaw and the Polish Ministry of Culture reported that they managed to recover three pictures, which were previously considered lost during the Nazi occupation of Poland during the WWII. According to Onet.pl, these are 'Pineapple' by Jozef Pankiewicz, 'A Landscape from The Outskirts of Naples' by Ivan Trusz, and 'The Portrait of President Moscicki' by Kazimierz Pochwalski. The listed pictures were seized by the Nazi occupant administration from the National Museum in Krakow in 1940. There has been no information about the pictures' whereabouts ever since. The paintings were included in the list of the database of the military casualties, composed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The police do not reveal the names of the actual owners; however, it is known, that the paintings were tendered in early 2018. Find more news at 112.international. The helicopter will go through the tests during a year A helicopter made in Ukraine took off for the first time at Motor Sich heliport in Zaporizhia on April 16 as the website of the city reported. It took us 10 years. I promised you that the Ukrainian helicopter will take off in Zaporizhia. We have built a heliport and it is a legal place for the equipment testing. We had to certify the place and we did it recently and got the certificate, Viacheslav Bohuslaev, the General Aircraft Engineer of Motor Sich claimed. It is noted that MSB-2 Nadia helicopter is the upgraded version of Mi-2. It consists of composite for 70% and the feeder tank is removed from the cabin. The helicopter will go through the tests during a year. As we reported on April 10, the state testing of new Vilkha missile system has begun in Odesa region, Southern Ukraine. Also, Oleksandr Turchynov, the Secretary of the National Security Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) claimed that a large-scale testing of the Ukrainian cruise missiles will take place at the end of 2018. On December 22, 2017, the Armed Forces of Ukraine held the successful trial of the Vilkha missile system. Russia can seize the Ukrainian ships in Azov and Black Seas as the response to the detention of Nord ship by Ukraine. The press service of the Headquarters of Ukrainian Armed Forces reported this on Facebook. Ukraines intelligence notes the activation of the activity of the ship of the Coast Guard of the Border Service of the FSB and the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy in the marine environment of Azov Sea. The holding of the number of the vents on the strengthening of Russias disposition by ships and auxiliary vessels is spotted in the same region. Possibly, the main aim of such actions is the symmetric response to the detention of the Nord vessel in the marine environment of Azov Sea by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the message said. The Headquarters warned the Ukrainian fishermen performing the fishing in the marine environment of Azov Sea on the possible provocations made by Russia that can cause the detention of the Ukrainian fishing vessels. Also, the Headquarters does not exclude the preparation of the similar provocation in the marine environment of Black Sea. As 112 International reported, nine members of the crew of the Nord fishing vessel, detained in the Sea of Azov by Ukrainian border guards, tried to travel to the territory of the Russian Federation with the help of representatives of the Consulate General of Russia. Ukrainian border guards detained fishing ship-violator under the Russian flag in the Sea of Azov on March 25. The Nord ship was stopped in 15 miles from the Obytichna sandspit. The inspection defined that the ship was registered in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Besides, the members of the crew violated the order of the exit from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. All of them had the so-called Russian passports, issued in Kerch. Later, the court arrested the detained ship. Ukrainian border guards detained Volodymyr Gorbenko on April 4. As we reported earlier, the ports, located on the territory of Crimea (Yevpatoria, Kerch, Sevastopol, Feodosia, Yalta) were shut down by the order of the Cabinet of Ministers on Ukraine (Some question on the functioning of marine and river transport) and according to the order of the Ministry of Infrastructure (on shut down of sea ports). As we reported earlier, Horbenko was arrested until May 31, 2018. At the same time, the court provided a possibility to bail him out for $1, 354, and his lawyers used this opportunity. On April 12, Russia threatened to 'respond' to the arrest of the Nord vessel in Ukraine. Open source MP Nadia Savchenko and Volodymyr Ruban, the Head of Officer Corps suspected in the preparation of the terrorist acts and coup detat in Ukraine, refuse to testify, using their procedural rights as the SBU reported on Facebook. At the moment, the suspected refuse to testify, using their procedural rights. The investigation has appointed and holds 13 expert studies of the weapons, ammunition, explosives, video- and audio-recordings, speeches and public messages, including forensic and forensic psychological on the check of the veracity of the testimony of Nadia Savchenko, the message said. Moreover, SBU noted that the witnesses were questioned; the review and analysis of the documents and items confiscated at the place of work and residence of Ruban and Savchenko are held. They are checked for the involvement in the crimes in which they are suspected. The preliminary investigation bodies and prosecutors office plan to finish the preliminary investigation in the reasonably prompt, taking into account the complexity of the criminal proceeding, volume and specification of the procedural actions and behavior of the participants of the criminal proceeding, the message said. As we reported Shevchenkivsky Court of Kyiv decided on the preventive measures for Savchenko, which is custody for two months until May 20, 2018, without a right for a bail. Besides, the Court decided that the detention on March 22 was illegal. On March 29, the Appeal Court of Kyiv kept Savchenkos arrest effective. The same day the MP went on the hunger strike. She also emphasized that she is not going to escape from Ukraine. On April 12, Savchenko was transferred from the remand center to the hospital for the examination. On April 16, it was reported that Savchenko continued her hunger strike and polygraph was postponed until April 17. On March 15, Lutsenko claimed during his speech at the parliament that Savchenko personally planned, recruited and ordered how to hold the terrorist attack in the Verkhovna Rada, destroying two lodges, governmental and post, by the combat grenades, bringing down the dome of the Verkhovna Rada by the mortar launchers and killing the survived with the assault rifles. Also, it was reported that non-affiliated MP Nadia Savchenko and Volodymyr Ruban, the Head of 'Officer Corps' planned to attack the cortege of the President of Ukraine with the large caliber sniper rifle. The officers of the Security Service of Ukraine revealed an organized group in Chernihiv, which created provocations aimed to incite the interethnic and inter-religious hostility for the benefit of the aggressor state Ukraines Security Service in Chernihiv found the organizer of provocations ordered by Russias special services and aimed to incite the interethnic hostility, as the press-office of the service reported. The officers of the Security Service of Ukraine revealed an organized group in Chernihiv, which created provocations aimed to incite the interethnic and inter-religious hostility for the benefit of the aggressor state, the representatives of the SBU informed. The Service reported that the resident of one of the south regions organized provocations ordered by Russias special services, which were looking for the organizers in social networks. The officers of the SBU documented the fact that a resident of the administrative center wrote anti-Semitic signs on the building of Chernihiv synagogue. During the search of the suspects house, the law enforcers found instructions on the subversive activity and the materials with anti-Semitic and pro-Russia propaganda. The experts have concluded that the data comprised explicit calls for aggressive actions concerning the representatives of a certain ethnic group, provoked enmity between people of different ethnicity and religion. The man received the brochures from his mentor through Internet and then replicated it with a printer, the SBU informs. The law enforcers are defining the individuals involved in the illegal activity. As it was reported earlier, the officers of the Security Service of Ukraine stopped using Russian software an enterprise in Mykolaiv region. Gas supplies through this pipeline would make Europe more energy dependent on a country like Russia that ignores norms, contracts, laws, treaties, and borders, - Atlantic Council Of all nations, Germany must heed the lessons of history, both current and past. This brings the question as to why Germany would help Europe become more energy dependent on a country like Russia that ignores norms, contracts, laws, treaties, and borders. And yet that is exactly what Germany is about to do if it approves Gazproms $11.5-billion pipeline gas megaproject called Nord Stream 2. Proponents argue that the pipeline is an economic project that simply will deliver cheaper gas to German industries and turn Germany into a European hub for Russian gas. They say this is the same gas, only a different pipeline. But this is not an economic project and this is not just a different pipeline. This is a chilling move in Vladimir Putins chess game designed to recapture his Soviet empire. And Germany is playing checkers. Nord Stream 2and Gazproms Turk Streamare energy weapons that Russia will wield to tighten control over its former Central and Eastern European vassal states. Currently, Russian gas arrives in Europe through two pipelinesone through Belarus and Poland and another through Ukraine and Slovakia. Nord Stream 2, along with the existing Nord Stream 1, will transit under the Baltic Sea and bypass, and eventually close, existing routes, creating a dangerous, and vulnerable, infrastructure dependency. The implications for Ukraine are dire, not merely because it will lose $2 billion a year in transit fees, but because Russia will be able to cut off supplies to the country and pave the way for more control. This is not fiction. Before and since the war with Russia began in 2014, Ukraine has reliably shipped Russian gas through its pipeline to European customers. But it has been forced to buy back enough Russian gas for itself, from its European customers in order to keep the lights and heat on, because of Gazproms manipulations. Nord Stream 2 will flood the market with so much gas that Central and Eastern European countries will lose access and the incentive to buy competing gas from Western Europe. Next, Gazproms other new pipelineTurk Streamwill complete market dominance by controlling gas shipments to south and southeastern European markets. Even worse, Western Europe will also become more dependent on Russian gas down the road as gas reserves in Norway and The Netherlands diminish. Once Nord Stream 2 is built, Putin can do with Ukraine whatever he wants, and then we have potentially his army on the eastern border of the EU, stated Polands Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki last week. This looming dependence on a lawless monopoly is why twenty of the European Unions twenty-eight members oppose Nord Stream 2, as does the European Commission. But laws allegedly fall short of preventing construction or putting into place protections which, frankly, wont work anyway given Gazproms past behavior. If the line, and the Turkish one, are complete, Putin will drive Ukraine out of the pipeline business, into bankruptcy by overcharging, or onto its knees by denying gas altogether. Likewise, all the other small countries will be forced to make direct deals with Gazprom, providing the Russians with leverage over their economies and politics. Washington joined the concern by Europe and last week, 39 US Senators, led by John McCain, wrote to US Secretary of the Treasury to encourage stoppage of the project. It would undermine the economy of Ukraine and other gas transit countries in Central Europe by allowing Russia to reduce or even cut off gas supplies to those countries with impunity. By circumventing Ukraine, Nord Stream 2 will remove one of biggest reasons for Russia to avoid large-scale conflict in eastern Ukraine. Strangely, Germanys Nord Stream 2 supporters, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, maintain against all evidence that Gazproms Nord Stream 2 is strictly an economic deal, and not political. They also believe that market abuse wont occur against Germany or the others and that Ukraines pipeline will remain operational. But consider recent behavior by Gazprom. Since 2010, Gazprom has been under investigation by Europes anti-trust officials for market abuse against a number of these nations. And last month a Swedish Court awarded Ukraine $2.56 billion from Gazprom for years of market abuse, and has already reneged on some of its terms such as supplying gas to Ukraines domestic market. Ukraines Andriy Kobolyev, CEO of Naftogaz, says these warning signs should be heeded by Europe. At a recent security conference, he hinted that, in anticipation of Gazprom playing its usual tricks by appealing the award, his firm will have to start seizing $2.56 billion Gazprom assets as payment across Europe including Nord Stream 2 assets. Ironically, seizures by Ukraine may provide the only brake on the Nord Stream 2 strategy unless Germans and Europeans wake up to the grand game underway at the Kremlin. Germany must disavow thinking that Russia would not abuse them as it has Ukraine, Slovakia, and others. It must realize that if gas prices are hiked and volumes cut, they will also have no recourse. Will the Germans sue Gazprom? Will they send to Moscow cadres of Berlin executives and lawyers with briefcases? Petition the European Commission? The United Nations? Europes energy authorities? Or be forced to shut down schools and industries then burn dirty coal and impose sanctions? Europe must get its act together and stop this naive thinking until ramifications are fully understood by the public. Putin is already several moves ahead. Read the original text at Atlantic Council. 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!) Mario Cabrerahe directs a production of Agatha Christies first stage play. The Adobe Theater announces its production of Agatha Christies first stage play, Black Coffee, which launched her second successful career as a playwright. Fans of the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot will be delighted when he and his friend Captain Arthur Hastings are summoned to visit a famous physicist, Sir Claud Amory. Set in the early 1930s, Sir Claud has come up with a secret formula for one of the deadliest weapons known to man. Too late to save the scientist, however, Poirot and Hastings discover on their arrival that he has been murdered and the formula stolen. Black Coffee is one of Christies most gripping country house murders, a superbly crafted whodunit with endless red herrings, subplots of infamous spies and an astonishingly prophetic storyline about weapons created through bombarding the atom. Blackmail, the stolen formula, and family tensions contribute to the suspense. Will Poirot successfully employ his little grey cells to correctly deduce which of Sir Claud's house guests or family members is the killer? Of course he will! But will you? Director Mario Cabrera says In her first play ever written, Agatha Christie introduces us to a character who went on to become one of the most famous detectives of all time as well as the only fictional character ever to receive a full-page obituary in the New York Times. Arriving at the estate just moments too late, one man instantly sniffs out a sinister brew of secrecy, treachery, and deception amid the households occupants. That man is Hercule Poirot. Like her other plays, Black Coffee is sophisticated and full of suspense, with just the right amount of humor tossed in for good measure. It is a formula that still works today. Please sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee in Sir Claude Amory's sitting room, and watch what this great cast helps unfold! Appearing as the dapper detective Hercule Poirot will be Dehron Foster, and director Cabrera has attracted a top-notch cast from Albuquerques favorite actors, including Mike Eddie Dethlefs as Hastings and Neil Faulconbridge as Inspector Japp, Nick Fleming as Richard Amory and Fawn Hanson as Lucia Amory. Follow the Adobe Theater on social media for additional details about the cast and the show. Black Coffee opens April 13th and plays through May 6 at The Adobe Theater, 9813 4th Street NW. Friday & Saturday evenings at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm. General Admission $20, Discount $17 (Seniors, Students, ATG/PBS Members, Military, First Responders). Opening Weekend Special: All Tickets $15! Tickets: www.adobetheater.org YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. The Azerbaijani military opened gunfire at the Armenian border town of Baghanis in the Tavush province on April 15 at 14:00. Armenian defense ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan told ARMENPRESS the gunfire didnt last long. A few days ago when [Azerbaijan] opened gunfire at the same direction, the Baghanis-Voskepar road section was closed for traffic due to danger. There are warning signs in that section to bypass the area, but sometimes people just want to travel through this section, Hovhannisyan said. Earlier on April 12, the Azerbaijani military opened gunfire at a civilian cargo truck in the border town of Baghanis. The Armenian Armed Forces suppressed the enemy fire with countermeasures. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The Yerevan Police Department has called on opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan and his followers to refrain from unlawful actions and to maintain public order and not endanger the freedoms and rights of citizens. Police released a statement, saying: Member of Parliament Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech April 15 in the France Square of Yerevan, calling on citizens to conduct actions from the morning of April 16, actions if implemented would violate the law on assembly, and would contain features constituting crimes and would lead to criminal liability. Most of these actions, in addition to causing significant harm to the free movement of citizens and other rights, the normal functioning of businesses, would also contain real danger to the life and health of citizens in individual cases. We call on the organizers of the rally and certain participants to refrain from actions containing criminal offenses and not to endanger the freedoms and rights of citizens, as well as the lawful interests of organizations. The opposition MP had organized a two-week walking tour from the city of Gyumri to Yerevan. After an April 13 rally, the MP and his supporters began a sit-in at the France Square of Yerevan. In the early morning of April 16, organizers and certain participants of the rally blocked several major streets of downtown Yerevan, causing traffic jams. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and a crowd of supporters have blocked several busy streets of Yerevan from the morning of April 16. As of this moment, traffic is suspended in the following sections: Koryun Street Abovyan Street intersection, Baghramyan Avenue - Moskovyan Street intersection and France Square. Heavy traffic jams are reported in nearby streets. Protesters are blocking traffic by sitting in front of public transportation vehicles, private cars, and even barricaded several sections with garbage bins. A group of protesters attempted to obstruct metro operations in the Yeritasardakan station, however police intervened. Police called on opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and his supporters to refrain from unlawful actions and maintain public order. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and his supporters have blocked several streets of Yerevan causing heavy traffic jams from the morning of April 16. Armenpress correspondent reports nearly 10 young people are sitting in front of public transportation vehicles in the Baghramyan-Orbeli intersection as a result of which the traffic from Barekamutyun metro to Proshyan-Baghramyan intersecton has been suspended. Passengers have to continue their route by walking. Drivers express their complaint, urge the youth to open the road. At present the Police officers are trying to get the young people out of the traffic. The protesters call on passers-by to join them. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Milo Djukanovic was set to win Montenegros presidential election on Sunday with 53.8 percent of votes, according to a projection by the Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI) pollster, Reuters reported. Djukanovic a candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), served as Prime Minister in the 90s. Milos Nikolic, a DPS parliamentary deputy, told reporters at the party's headquarters that there would be no second round, according to Reuters. "Djukanovic is the new president of Montenegro." Djukanovic was a major player in Montenegro's politics from 1991 to 2016 and announced he would go back to politics last month as a "responsibility for Montenegro's future", as quoted by Euronews. The future president is likely to complete talks for EU membership while in power. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The Police of Armenia released a statement saying that the right to a peaceful protest, which however is accompanied by public disturbance, is not absolute and can be subject to restrictions by appropriate actions of the police as required by the given situation, even up to ceasing the rally, the Yerevan Police Department told ARMENPRESS. Since early morning MP Nikol Pashinyan organized an action of blocking several vitally significant streets of Yerevan suspending traffic and restricting the constitutional right of hundreds of citizens of free movement. The police is warning that such actions may give way to crimes endangering the life, health or property of citizens, the statement in part said. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The Baghramyan-Orbeli intersection remains closed. Police officers are urging protesters of the sit-in to leave the intersection and allow traffic to be restored. The protesters refused to comply and continued the sit-in. Shortly afterwards police officers tackled a few protesters and escorted them into a police van. But fellow rally-goers quickly blocked the van from moving, ARMENPRESS correspondent reported from the scene. The protesters continue blocking the cars from moving, and even barricaded the road with nearby benches. Traffic is suspended in a number of busy streets of Yerevan. Police released a warning saying that such actions can endanger public safety and law enforcement agencies are entitled to use appropriate measures if necessary. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Karabakh is a small country, but it doesnt serve a basis to say that it doesnt have a right to live freely. People lived here for thousands of years and will continue living, 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the ruling Republican Partys candidate for Prime Minister, said in an interview to the Russian Izvestiya news agency, Armenpress reports. He stated that although the active stage of the Nagorno Karabakh exists for already three decades, this conflict existed previously. 25 out of 30 years have passed through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group. In 1994, by the mediation of Russia, a trilateral termless ceasefire agreement was signed. Unfortunately, since 2014 Azerbaijan almost every day violated the ceasefire regime. In April 2016, failing in the negotiations, the Azerbaijani side, by violating all its commitments through the agreement, launched a large-scale aggression against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic by using a large number of air force, armored vehicles, large caliber artillery, missile and artillery systems, most of which has been acquired from Russia. But they failed to solve any serious issue, and on the 5th day the sides met by Russias mediation and agreed to restart the implementation of the provisions of the agreement signed earlier, Sargsyan said. He recalled that during the period following this a number of summits were held during which agreements were reached to create investigative mechanisms for ceasefire violations and expand the powers of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. But the Azerbaijani side, returning to Baku, refused to implement the agreements. In 2007 the Minsk Group proposed to solve the conflict based on the three principles of international law non-use of force of threat of force, equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and territorial integrity. We think that this is a balanced approach of mutual concessions. This is not what we have dreamed of. This is not the best option for us. But understanding that the issue can be settled only based on a mutual concession, we agreed to negotiations. And it seemed in 2011 we were close to the signing in Kazan. But Baku put forward additional demands, and the signing didnt take place, the 3rd President of Armenia said. Serzh Sargsyan stated that the Azerbaijani leadership has an illusion according to which the mutual concession is possible only by Armenia and Artsakh. According to its leadership, it is due to this that the status-quo remains unchanged. But here a response mutual concession is needed. Azerbaijanis still hope for the military settlement of the conflict. As the practice showed both in early 1990s and in 2016, this is impossible. There will be great losses, casualties, but the situation will not change in any case. Nevertheless, sooner or later we should come to any settlement. The sooner the better. And the future of Karabakh is the free life. Yes, its a small country, but this is not yet a reason to say that you have no right to live freely. People lived there for thousands of years and will continue living also in the future. Of course, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries Russia, the United States and France, do a lot for the conflict settlement. Five statements were made at the presidents level, and all these speak about the fact that the conflict can be settled based only on these three principles. These principles are inseparable. And this is very important, Serzh Sargsyan said. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and his crowd of supporters have blocked the Victory Bridge in Yerevan. The crowd was proceeding from Grigor Lusavorich Street to Baghramyan Avenue, when suddenly the activists changed the route in the direction of the bridge to remove a tow truck which was attempting to restore traffic. Passengers of a vehicle who were transporting a child were asking the crowd to allow to move on, but MP Pashinyan did not allow for the car to resume traveling. The MP instructed his followers to deflate the tires of the tow truck, after which the crowd proceeded to the France Square. ARMENPRESS correspondent reported from the scene that a group of protesters have blocked traffic from Mashtots Avenue to Republic Square, Saryan Street and the section leading to the Opera House. Traffic is suspended in several busy streets of Yerevan. Police released a warning saying that such actions can endanger public safety and law enforcement agencies are entitled to use appropriate measures if necessary. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Nune Sarkissian on April 14 visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin where they met with His Holiness Garegin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. His Holiness Garegin II congratulated Armen Sarkissian on inauguration, expressing confidence that his rich experience in public administration field will serve at best for the countrys progress justifying the peoples expectations both in the Fatherland and the Diaspora. Catholicos Garegin II affirmed that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin should continue supporting the countrys leadership and the President in strengthening the Armenian independent statehood and overcoming the existing challenges. He wished President Armen Sarkissian that his vision and dreams on the future of the country and people become reality. President Armen Sarkissian thanked His Holiness Garegin II for the wishes and stated that he assumed the post of the President of Armenia by having a belief towards the people, Fatherland and Armenian Church. He also highlighted the Churchs uniting role. During the meeting Catholicos Garegin II and President Sarkissian also talked about numerous programs. At the end of the meeting His Holiness Garegin II and the President visited the Mother Cathedral. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. By the initiative of the foreign ministry of the Artsakh Republic the comment of the ministry on the massacre of the population in Maragha village of Martakert region has been disseminated in the OSCE, the Artsakh MFA said on Twitter, Armenpress reports. The full comment runs as follows: The massacre of the inhabitants of the village of Maragha of the Artsakh Republics Martakert region, committed by the Azerbaijani army on April 10, 1992, is one of the most tragic episodes of Azerbaijan's military aggression against Artsakh. After intensive artillery shelling, the Azerbaijani troops invaded the village of Maragha, where 118 people remained, mostly the elderly, disabled, women, and children. As a result of the war crime committed with unprecedented cruelty by the Azerbaijani armed forces, over 50 people were killed and the rest, including 9 children and 29 women, were taken hostage. Some of them were later returned, but the fate of 19 hostages remains unknown to this day. The village was liberated by the armed forces of Artsakh, however two weeks later, it was again attacked, and those who had returned to bury their relatives became victims of the new atrocities of the Azerbaijani army. The attack on the village was not conditioned by a military necessity, but was was primarily aimed at exterminating its peaceful civilian population. The crime in Maragha became the continuation of the series of pogroms and deportations of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other settlements of Azerbaijan, as well as in the villages of Northern Artsakh in 1988-1991. These were intended to strangle at its birth the national-liberation struggle of the Armenians of Artsakh and deprive them of the homeland through ethnic cleansing and terror against Artsakh and the Armenian population of Azerbaijan. The impunity of the organizers and perpetrators of these crimes created a fertile ground in Azerbaijan for enrooting the cult of hatred towards Armenians as a state policy and unbridled a propaganda of xenophobia, intolerance, and militarism. Azerbaijans aggression against Artsakh in April 2016, which was accompanied by war crimes against civilians and soldiers of the Artsakh Defense Army, demonstrated that the methods and approaches of the Azerbaijani side remained unchanged. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The Police of Armenia released a new statement saying law enforcement agencies are entitled to cease a rally under Article 33 of the law on assembly, if it assesses that otherwise it is impossible to prevent the restrictions of rights of other citizens or the disproportionate restriction of public interest. Police are receiving numerous complaints from individual organizations of Yerevan, including from educational and medical institutions, stating that their normal functions are obstructed because of the actions of protesters since morning. The Constitutional right of free movement of thousands of people is being restricted. This situation had led to the restriction of basic rights of other citizens and public interests. The Police of Armenia is reminding that law enforcement agencies are entitled under Article 33 of the law on assembly to cease the rally if it is deemed that otherwise the disproportionate restriction of basic rights of citizens and public interests cant be prevented. The Police of Armenia is calling on Nikol Pashinyan, the organizer of the rally, to unconditionally fulfill the obligations of an organizer under the law, namely to cease blocking the streets and ensure the normal process of the assembly, the statement of the police said. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Armenia strives to actively participate in integration processes in the post-Soviet region, thereby multiplying the growth opportunities, 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the ruling Republican Partys candidate for Prime Minister, said in an interview to the Russian Izvestiya news agency, Armenpress reports. In response to the question what benefit Armenia received by joining the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in 2015, Serzh Sargsyan mentioned two factors. Armenia has always been interested in integration processes as they help to more actively develop. Secondly, we are always interested in close relations with all countries, he said. The 3rd President said by joining the EAEU Armenia became a part of a big market worth 170 million. Here in case of good work it is possible to be competitive and benefit from that. In any case we saw positive changes already in 2016: the double-digit figure in trade turnover growth was recorded. And in 2017 our trade turnover with the EAEU member states increased by almost 26%. Our export to the EAEU countries increased both in 2016 (53.7%) and 2017 (41%). These are good figures. I dont say that the situation is perfect. The organization is still at the development stage. And there are still obstacles in the free movement of goods, services, capital and labor force. But no organization could ever reach perfection in 2-3 years. We will continue working, Sargsyan said. Asked what Armenian goods are the most demanded in the EAEU markets and especially in Russia, Serzh Sargsyan said this list in reality is quite big. Vegetables, fruits both fresh and processed, mineral water, wine, brandy, jewelry, textile, tobacco, as well as pharmaceutical products and the products of mining industry. I once again want to repeat that 37% share of GDP belongs to export of goods and services, this is a good figure, he said, adding that Armenia has set a goal before it to reach the export of goods to 40-50% up to 2022 and 50% up to 2030. Serzh Sargsyan said this will give the country a macro-economic stability. In addition, the economys structure also changes. The share of industry and services also increased. Such trends are very useful, and I think the potential has not been completely utilized here. I even can state that we have utilized only a small part of it as of now, Serzh Sargsyan noted. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian is a person who is able to worthily represent Armenia in the international arena, 3rd President of Armenia, candidate for next Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan told the Russian Izvestia news agency in an interview. In his younger years Armen Sarkissian was a promising physicist. In the early 1990s he was appointed as our Ambassador to Great Britain. Afterwards he served as Prime Minister. In 2013, he returned to the UK as Ambassador of Armenia. When we were considering presidential candidates, we reached a conclusion that he is the most appropriate person. He has a wide range of contacts in Russia, the West and in the Arab world. Armen Sarkissian is able to worthily represent our country in the international arena. Im not speaking about foreign policy, rather foreign contacts. These are different things, Sargsyan said. Sargsyan mentioned that the president is widely known in the Armenian Diaspora. Therefore Sarkissian can have a unifying role for Armenians living outside Armenia. According to Serzh Sargsyan, the administration type is being changed in Armenia, not the regime. Until 2022, both domestic and foreign policy will be mainly implemented by the parliamentary coalition. The 3rd President also commented on acting PM Karen Karapetyans recent statement when the latter had said that Serzh Sargsyan is the most worthy candidate for next Prime Minister. My fellow party members supported the recommendation of Karen Karapetyan and I am ready to bear this responsibility. But nothing is eternal, and thats why simultaneously with my responsibilities if of course my candidacy gets approved in the parliament I am planning to spend much time for exchange of experience, which I have gathered during tenures in various positions throughout the years. This is very important. We must think about worthy young politicians, who exist both among Republicans and beyond. We have great and useful work to do for Armenia, Sargsyan said. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian on April 16 received Senator Olivier Cadic representing French citizens living abroad, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The Armenian President noted with satisfaction that the visits of French parliamentarians to Armenia have already become a good tradition which is one of the best manifestations of unique relations between the two countries. The officials attached importance to the Francophonie Summit which will be held in Armenia in autumn 2018. President Sarkissian said the International Organization of La Francophonie is not only a structure formed over linguistic or cultural commonalities for Armenia, but also it is a broader unit meaning the business forum of the Francophonie countries to be held on the sidelines of the summit and the creation of the Francophonie business network. President Sarkissian highly appreciated the efforts of France, as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country, aimed at peacefully settling the Artsakh conflict and strengthening security, stability in the region and developing the cooperation. Senator Olivier Cadic introduced the system on representing French citizens living abroad in the Senate and the mutual cooperation mechanisms of French organizations abroad. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Army of Artsakh told ARMENPRESS that on April 15, as of 19:15, Defense Army soldier Alek Karapetyan, born in 1998, received fatal gunshot wound as a result of an emergency incident in one of the military units. Investigation is underway to clarify the details of the incident. The defense ministry of Artsakh shares the grief of the loss and extends its condolences to the family, relatives and fellow servicemen of the soldier. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Relations between Russia and the West are worse than in the Cold War era, because before there were certain communication channels between the parties concerned and no obsession with russophobia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the BBC in an interview, as reported by TASS. An excerpt from the interview was published on Monday. "I think, its worse (the relationship between Russia and the West). Because during the Cold War there were channels of communication. And there was no obsession with russophobia, which looks like genocide by sanctions," he said. Lavrov voiced the hope people in the West, including those in power, were aware of how precarious this situation was. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan on April 16 received a group of members of the National Commission on Television and Radio of Armenia led by chairman Gagik Buniatyan, as well as heads of a number of Armenian leading information companies, the Artsakh Presidential Office told Armenpress. Various issues relating to the cooperation of Armenia and Artsakh in telecommunication and information fields were discussed. President Sahakyan noted with satisfaction that Artsakh's cooperation with the Armenian National Commission on Television and Radio and leading media companies was on a high level, expressing hope that it would be maintained in the future too. The meeting was also attended by Chairman of the Artsakh state commission on regulating public services and economic competition Hakob Ghahramanyan and other officials. English translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan did not suffer serious injuries and he is in a normal condition, the lawmakers wife Anna Hakobyan told reporters in Baghramyan Avenue. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan has been transported to the Nairi Medical Center of Yerevan after suffering minor injuries as result of passing through a barbed wire. Reporters are lined outside the hospital awaiting updates from medical personnel who are treating the MP, ARMENPRESS correspondent reported. Earlier, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and his crowd of supporters escalated the situation in Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan. Pashinyan led his followers from France Square to the beginning of the Baghramyan Avenue, mentioning he wants to go the parliament, his working place. Along with other opposition MPs from the Yelk faction, Pashinyan intended to breach the police line. Deputy chief of the Yerevan Police Department Valery Osipyan negotiated with the MPs and agreed to allow the opposition lawmakers to head to the parliament. However, Pashinyan began shouting that he will not go alone and that his supporters must also go through the lines. Despite numerous calls from the police to maintain order, Pashinyan climbed onto the steel barricade, which led to a chaotic situation. The crowd began lifting the barricades and using them against officers. A brawl began between protesters and police officers. At one point the MP and his supporters even climbed on a vehicle. The situation drastically escalated. Police forces installed a barbed wire across the street and smoke was briefly seen on the scene. Yerevan police issued a statement demanding opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan to cease the rally in the city. In case of failure to comply within a reasonable period of time, police said they will disperse the rally with special measures and force. Public order has been grossly violated as a result of the violent actions of protesters of the rally led by you in Baghramyan Avenue. All warnings, demands and other restrictive actions of the police are no longer effective, thus, under Article 33 of the law on assembly, police are demanding from you to cease the rally. In case of your absence from the location of the rally or failure to comply with the demand within a reasonable period of time, police will disperse the rally using force and special measures, the police said in a statement addressed to opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Three police officers have been injured in the brief clash with opposition MP Nikol Pashinyans crowd in Baghramyan Avenue, Yerevan. The officers have been hospitalized in the Nairi Medical Center. We cant assess the condition of one officer right now because he is currently in the operating room. His condition is worse than the other two. He had fragmentation wounds, Nairi Medical Center executive Anatoly Gnuni told reporters. Gnuni said opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan suffered injuries only to his wrists. Gnuni also added that Pashinyan doesnt require a hospital stay and he can leave whenever he wants because he has been treated. Earlier, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and his crowd of supporters escalated the situation in Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan. Pashinyan led his followers from France Square to the beginning of the Baghramyan Avenue, mentioning he wants to go the parliament, his working place. Along with other opposition MPs from the Yelk faction, Pashinyan intended to breach the police line. Deputy chief of the Yerevan Police Department Valery Osipyan negotiated with the MPs and agreed to allow the opposition lawmakers to head to the parliament. However, Pashinyan began shouting that he will not go alone and that his supporters must also go through the lines. Despite numerous calls from the police to maintain order, Pashinyan climbed onto the steel barricade, which led to a chaotic situation. The crowd began lifting the barricades and using them against officers. A brawl began between protesters and police officers. At one point the MP and his supporters even climbed on a vehicle. The situation drastically escalated. Police forces installed a barbed wire across the street and smoke was briefly seen on the scene. Yerevan police issued a statement demanding opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan to cease the rally in the city. In case of failure to comply within a reasonable period of time, police said they will disperse the rally with special measures and force. Public order has been grossly violated as a result of the violent actions of protesters of the rally led by you in Baghramyan Avenue. All warnings, demands and other restrictive actions of the police are no longer effective, thus, under Article 33 of the law on assembly, police are demanding from you to cease the rally. In case of your absence from the location of the rally or failure to comply with the demand within a reasonable period of time, police will disperse the rally using force and special measures, the police said in a statement addressed to opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecution of Armenia released a statement saying that criminal cases have been initiated on organizing rallies with violation of rules and public disturbances since April 13 in Yerevan. Since April 13, MP Nikol Pashinyan organized and held rallies in Yerevan, during which the law on assembly has been repeatedly violated, obstructing the right of citizens of free movement and the exercise of other rights, and normal functioning of organizations. By failing to follow numerous statement of the police, the participants of the rally breached into the YSU on April 13, and into the Public Radio building on April 14, by damaging property and harming on-duty citizens and endangering public safety. Since the morning of April 16, by continuing unlawful actions, the participants of the rally proceeded through Baghramyan Avenue in an attempt to bypass on-duty police officers and failing to comply with lawful orders. By damaging state and private property in the Avenue, the participants of the rally used violence on on-duty police officers and endangered public safety. Criminal cases have been launched on Article 225, 225,1 and the investigation has been tasked to the special investigative service, the Prosecution said in a statement. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The National Assembly of Armenia will work normally on April 17, the MPs will work until fulfilling the agenda, head of RPA parliamentary faction Vahram Baghdasaryan told the reporters at the National Assembly, commenting on the activities of head of Civil Contract party, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan. To the question if there is an option of changing the building or the area of the parliament session, Baghdasaryan noted that their building is the National Assembly and its Session Hall. The election of the Prime Minister will take place tomorrow, on April 17 at 12:00 during the parliament session. The candidate will be nominated and debates will take place, ARMENPRESS reports Vahram Baghdasaryan as saying. The reporters noted that the session of the RPA Council took place in Tsakhadzor on April 14 to which Baghdasaryan responded that it was not the first time and they often do so. The ruling coalition of Armenia, the parliamentary factions of the Republican Party and the ARF, unanimously decided at an April 16 joint sitting to nominate the candidacy of third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan for next Prime Minister. The election of the PM will take place in an open voting format in the Armenian parliament on April 17 when for the first time in modern history of the country a Prime Minister will be elected by Members of Parliament. Earlier on April 14, the RPA (ruling party) Council also unanimously approved the Executive Bodys decision on nominating Serzh Sargsyans candidacy. Armenia transitioned into a parliamentary system April 9. On the same day, Armen Sarkissian (no relation to Serzh Sargsyan) was sworn in as 4th President of Armenia. A new government will be formed within 20 days after lawmakers will elect a Prime Minister. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. Opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan has left the Nairi Medical Center after being treated for minor injuries. The lawmaker headed to Baghramyan Avenue. The MP is seen with a bandaged hand, an injury which resulted after contacting a barbed wire earlier in the day. Pashinyan did not suffer serious injuries. Earlier, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan and his crowd of supporters escalated the situation in Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan. Pashinyan led his followers from France Square to the beginning of the Baghramyan Avenue, mentioning he wants to go the parliament, his working place. Along with other opposition MPs from the Yelk faction, Pashinyan intended to breach the police line. Deputy chief of the Yerevan Police Department Valery Osipyan negotiated with the MPs and agreed to allow the opposition lawmakers to head to the parliament. However, Pashinyan began shouting that he will not go alone and that his supporters must also go through the lines. Despite numerous calls from the police to maintain order, Pashinyan climbed onto the steel barricade, which led to a chaotic situation. The crowd began lifting the barricades and using them against officers. A brawl began between protesters and police officers. At one point the MP and his supporters even climbed on a vehicle. The situation drastically escalated. Police forces installed a barbed wire across the street and smoke was briefly seen on the scene. Yerevan police issued a statement demanding opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan to cease the rally in the city. In case of failure to comply within a reasonable period of time, police said they will disperse the rally with special measures and force. Public order has been grossly violated as a result of the violent actions of protesters of the rally led by you in Baghramyan Avenue. All warnings, demands and other restrictive actions of the police are no longer effective, thus, under Article 33 of the law on assembly, police are demanding from you to cease the rally. In case of your absence from the location of the rally or failure to comply with the demand within a reasonable period of time, police will disperse the rally using force and special measures, the police said in a statement addressed to opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. The details of the death of conscript Alek Karapetyan have been revealed. A criminal case has been initiated charged with murder. The suspect is identified and arrested. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Investigative Committee of Armenia, according to preliminary information Alek Karapetyan was fatally injured at 19:15, April 15 during conducting sentry duty. The latter died on the way to the military hospital. The serviceman was fatally injured by his co-serviceman during a brawl. Preliminary investigation is underway. YEREVAN, 16 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 16 April, USD exchange rate is down by 0.56 drams to 482.36 drams. EUR exchange rate is up by 0.66 drams to 596.39 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is down by 0.05 drams to 7.80 drams. GBP exchange rate is up by 0.12 drams to 689.92 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price is up by 12.29 drams to 20838.41 drams. Silver price is down by 2.63 drams to 255.96 drams. Platinum price is down by 1.20 drams to 14407.15 drams. YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS. A police officer warned the participants of the rally gathered at the France Square that the protesters throw different items at the police forces. Some protestors throw different items at the police forces. Move them away otherwise the Police will take measures to ensure order, the police officer said. In response, one of the organizers of the rally, MP Ararat Mirzoyan noted those people have already been moved away. Afterwards, Nikol Pashinyan said that their rally is peaceful, and urged the participants of the rally not to throw anything at the police and to withdraw a little from the barbed wires. Earlier, the police issued a statement demanding Nikol Pashinyan to stop the protest. In case of failing to meet the demands the Police will disperse the rally using force and special means. English translator/editor: Tigran Sirekanyan NEW YORK CITYStormy Daniels will finally come face-to-face with Michael Cohen, the personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump who paid her $130,000 in 2016 to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump, in a New York federal courtroom on Monday afternoon. In a CNN interview on Sunday, Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti revealed that Daniels will attend Cohens Monday hearing. Daniels is suing Cohen and Trump to be released from that agreement that she not discuss the Trump matter, and is also suing Cohen for defamation, saying that statements he made dismissing her allegations about Trump as false were tantamount to denouncing her as a liar. Avenatti denied, however, that Daniels attendance at Cohens hearinga hearing where Cohen will try to block the government from looking at documents seized in raids on his offices a week agowas a stunt intended to rattle Cohen. "It's intending to send a message that this is a very, very serious matter for her, and she wants to make sure that the American people know that she's behind efforts to bring to light as much information and documents as possible," Avenatti said in the interview. "She wants to ensure that she is heard. This has nothing to do with getting into his head at all. Avenatti, who has repeatedly denounced Cohen in television interviews, will also be present in the federal courtroom, he said. But the in-person appearance will actually be the second time that the two bitter legal adversaries have encountered each other in public. According to a report in The New York Post, the pair were seen dining at the same upscale Manhattan restaurant at some point in the weeks since it was revealed that Cohen paid off Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election. The foes sat with their own separate parties at the upscale Greek restaurant, Avra on Madison Ave., the New York tabloid reported, adding that Cohen and Avenatti shook hands and that their interaction was not tense. But Avenatti has nonetheless attacked and ridiculed Cohen in public relentlessly in recent weeks, on Friday claiming on his Twitter account that Cohen organized a protest in Florida on Friday outside a strip club where Daniels was making a live appearance. As usual, his execution was flawless, Avenatti wrote, over a photo showing a mere four people attending the protest, bearing signs reading, Stormys (sic) Weathered, and Over the Hill. Federal investigators reportedly seized documents detailing the hush money payoff to Daniels when they raided Cohens office, as well as his home and hotel room, on April 9. Cohen and Trump claim that those documents should not be examined by the investigators because they are covered by attorney-client privilege. Lawyers for Trump filed court papers over the weekend acknowledging that Trump is indeed the other person involved on those privileged communications. However, before seizing the documents, the investigators would have needed to show evidence to convince a judge that the raid was necessary, and following the raid, the Justice Department must follow an elaborate procedure to ensure that no attorney-client privilege is violated. In addition, lawyers and clients cannot generally claim a blanket attorney-client privilege for anything at all that they discuss, and discussions that could be designed to aid commission of criminal acts are also not protected, experts say. Cohen is reportedly under investigation for bank fraud and other criminal charges, At the same time, the government has asserted in court documents that Cohens communications would not be protected because Cohen performs little to no legal work. Photos by Wikimedia Commons-IowaPolitics.com, Glenn Francis-PacificProDigital.com LOS ANGELESStudio20, the first live cam franchise, on Monday announced its first trimester as a success in revenue, award wins, opening new franchises and hourly income per model. Studio20 cam studios are available in four countries: Romania, Colombia, USA, Hungary with 16 locationstwo new opened this year in Romania, in Arad and Pitesti, and another two signed in Galati, Romania and Bogota, Colombia. 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This is going to be an amazing year. Regarding the #hunksfromstudio20, Studio20 Men is opened to franchising. After seeing the earnings and the earning potential of their first male studio, Studio20 Men is offering franchising opportunities. Among Studio20's 2018 awards so far are Best Cam Studio from GFY and Favorite Cam Boy for Aamir Desire at the AVN Awards. We've detected that JavaScript is not enabled in your browser. You must enable JavaScript to use craigslist. 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 ideals. Civil libertarians warn FOSTA may suppress legitimate free speech online A bill to crackdown on sex trade websites is now federal law - but not all anti-trafficking experts back the measure.On Tuesday, April 11, President Trump signed the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, a bill to block the proliferation of modern sex slavery. The law criminalizesandPenalties include fines and prison terms of anywhere between 10 and 25 years.The intent of the bill is commendable, said N.C. Rep. Bill Brawley, R-Mecklenburg. Brawley has been an outspoken advocate in the fight against human trafficking in North Carolina, last year introducing legislation that would fund victim care centers and provide human trafficking awareness courses to public school students and law enforcers.Brawley told Carolina Journal.While many back the push against online trafficking, some experts believe the new law is the wrong answer to an admittedly serious problem.FOSTA targets commercial sex advertisers such as Backpage.com, an online marketplace seized Friday, April 6, by the U.S. government. On Monday, April 9, seven Backpage administrators were arrested after a 93-count indictment of conspiracy, facilitating prostitution, and money laundering.Backpage knowingly allowed the victims, some of whom were 14, to be trafficked, the indictment says.it reads.In 2017, the U.S. Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations found thatThe committee's report, which took nearly two years to compile, says Backpage didn't deny its site is used for criminal activity,The company has avoided indictments by claiming immunity under the Communications Decency Act of 1996. The law protects websites hosting third-party content independent of the site's operators. But Backpage staffers have on occasion removed references of underage girls from published ads, the Senate subcommittee discovered.Though services like Backpage often facilitate crime, FOSTA could unhinge free speech rights, the American Civil Liberties Union wrote in a Feb. 26 letter to Congress.the letter said, suggesting the law would bring unintended consequences.Any liability for lawbreaking should be on content creators and advertisers, not on the site itself, wrote Faiz Shakir, national political director for the ACLU.The bill could also hurt the people it is designed to protect, wrote Ian Thompson, the ACLU's legislative representative. The law casts a "dangerously broad definition of the 'promotion of prostitution.'" Arbitrary interpretation of the law could harm voluntary sex workers by forcing their return to street work, where risk of violence is much higher.Most "sex work" is illegal in every state but Nevada. Even so, laws aren't enforced consistently.Sex trafficking is abhorrent, and Congress should address the issue. But it must do so in ways that protect the rights and safety of sex workers, said Thompson. Legal scholar Frank Buckley discusses the role of federalism and limiting presidential power as antidotes to corruption in Washington RALEIGH Americans have debated the U.S. Constitution's meaning for more than 225 years. A recent book, The Republic of Virtue: How We Tried to Ban Corruption, Failed, and What We Can Do About It, argues that the Constitution's framers wanted to create an anti-corruption covenant. Author F.H. "Frank" Buckley is foundation professor at the Scalia Law School at George Mason University. He discussed the book during a presentation for the John Locke Foundation's Shaftesbury Society. Buckley shared themes from that speech during a conversation with Mitch Kokai for Carolina Journal Radio. (Head to http://www.carolinajournal.com/radio/ to find recent CJ Radio episodes.)Why is the U.S. Constitution, in your view, an anti-corruption covenant?There are two stories. The first story is that whatever we might have thought about the British, we admired their constitution, except for one thing: It was just a nest of corruption. The king was essentially bribing members of Parliament to vote his way. That was just accepted. So that's part of the story. Part of it is, it's a matter of product differentiation. We like the Brits, but we don't like their corruption.And then the other part of it has to do with the story behind the way the [constitutional] convention worked. We kind of have this feeling that,but it didn't. We nearly fell apart. There was nearly a walkout led, I think, by [James] Madison. And then at one crucial point, one delegate got up and said,The name of that fellow was Gouverneur Morris, and he's one of the untold heroes of the convention.What he persuaded people to do, which I think was the most momentous decision at the founding, was to have a structure for electing the president, which turned out in the fullness of time to be popular election. And that was supposed to cure corruption. So that's how we got our Constitution, and that's how it was supposed to be an anti-corruption covenant.This was back in 1787, at the start of the process. As the subtitle of your book says, we tried to ban corruption and then ... failed. How did it end up failing?I think a lot of people would agree we failed. I don't think that's terribly controversial. In fact, there are people who run studies ofThey interview local people, and we don't do terribly well. Sometimes people say,I tell them,And they say, "Oh. OK."But, chiefly, I think the problem is a Washington problem. I think chiefly the problem is the swamp, and there are a number of reasons for that. One of them is the presidency. It's an all-powerful institution, and the checks and balances, which were supposed to prevent the president from being too powerful, failed and turned out to be a cloak with which he could hide his sins. I think the obvious example was [Barack] Obama's presidency and the IRS scandal, for example. He said,and it all went away.... Are there elements of the Constitution, the original plan, that did work or are working, that we ought to preserve?Yes, and the big one is federalism. The point about federalism is when power is chiefly located in the state government, if a state happens to be corrupt, you've got an exit option, right? If you don't like Illinois, you can move to Texas or, maybe even better still, North Carolina. So that tends to cure the problem. But the more the power is centralized in the feds, the harder it is to exercise that escape hatch. You can escape from Illinois, but [it is] not so easy to escape from Washington, you know?So restoring federalism would be a big answer to it. That apart, there are some smaller things we can do, which I think would be really, really useful. But you know what? We're not going to absolutely ban corruption. The optimal level of corruption is not zero, because that would take a Robespierre to chop off some heads. We don't want that.You already got into this, but the last part of the prescription in the subtitle is "what we can do about it." Restoring federalism is important. Are there other things we really need to look at?There are. I mentioned two things. The first is kind of a negative thing. We have all these campaign finance laws, and the guys who talk about corruption, typically, are on the left. They say,by which mostly they mean,Because, I mean, look, Hillary [Clinton] outspent [Donald] Trump by 50 percent last time around. So they know how to spend money. They've got tons of money. They have a good more money than we do.But that's fine, you know. More power to them. The problem with our campaign finance laws is they're like a net that has a curious feature that the big fish swim through and the small fish get caught. And the small fish often are people with inconvenient political views. So it's a good tool for persecuting your opponents.In addition to all of that, when you have to disclose who your donors are, ... you can unleash an internet mob, where they post your name, and your address, and your kids, and where you go jogging, and all of that. It's an invitation to an assault. And, of course, you've got these Antifa monsters out there who are only too happy to do that.So I would just junk all we have out there in terms of campaign finance laws. There are no limits on expenditures by virtue of the Supreme Court. I would get rid of contribution limits. They're basically eliminated for smart people with lawyers. And I'd let people do it anonymously. And what I'd do, positively, is I'd concentrate on the lobbyists. There you can do something.What about the lobbyists?I'm here visiting North Carolina from the D.C. area. I'm right in the middle of the swamp. The swamp is composed of a lot of smart, good ol' lawyers working in the district and influencing legislators. In part, that's a good thing. They are educating people who often arrive in Congress not knowing what's going on. But at the same time, they shouldn't be able to give money to the congressmen. And outright gifts have been banned, but right now congressmen can receive campaign finance contributions from lobbyists, and lobbyists can organize these meetings for congressmen. I [would] get that part of the money out of it.They have good intellectual resources - the lobbyists. Let them inform congressmen about what bills are all about. They're good at that. What they don't have to do is give them monetary contributions.How convinced are you that we can and will do something about this? Is this wishful thinking, or is it likely that we can actually accomplish something that will fix the system?I have high hopes. I don't want to predict the future in any way, shape, or form. But I think a lot of people have recognized that we had a real problem with corruption. The election in 2016 was, I think, importantly, a referendum on that. Whatever you might think about Trump, I think many of your listeners will have pretty clear ideas about what Hillary Clinton was all about. When you walk into politics and you end up making a ton of money, that sort of tells you something.So it was a moment where we rediscovered corruption, and Trump has had plans to drain the swamp, as he puts it. We're a year into it, and we're still waiting, and we'll see what's going to happen. I think the instincts were right. You know, there was this French guy, Charles Peguy, who had a line about this. He says, On Friday, The New Yorker honed in on a serious threat to the lives of all New Yorkers: the arrival of Chick-Fil-A in their homey little corner of the universe. In a 1400-word diatribe titled "Chick-Fil-A's Creepy Infiltration of New York City," one Dan Piepenring wrote that New Yorkers should not accept the intrusion of a popular restaurant serving chicken because the owner happens to be a religious Christian. "The air smelled fried," Piepenring wrote, ominously. "New York has taken to Chick-fil-A...And yet the brand's arrival here feels like an infiltration, in no small part because of its pervasive Christian traditionalism." What signs are there of this incipient theocracy? Its Atlanta corporate headquarters - not its New York store or any of its other stores - has Bible verses and a statue of Jesus, and its stores close on Sundays. That's it.But the mere whiff of Jesus means that New York must cast out Chick-fil-A like a leper, and that those who refuse to do so have succumbed to the blasphemous entreaties of the Midianites. "When a location opened in a Queens mall, in 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed a boycott. No such controversy greeted the opening of this newest outpost. Chick-fil-A's success here is a marketing coup. Its expansion raises questions about what we expect from our fast food, and to what extent a corporation can join a community," Piepenring rants.And insultingly, Chick-fil-A seeks to build community, using the word in its marketing, he complains. "This emphasis on community, especially in the misguided nod to 9/11, suggests an ulterior motive. The restaurant's corporate purpose still begins with the words 'to glorify God,' and that proselytism thrums below the surface of the Fulton Street restaurant, which has the ersatz homespun ambiance of a megachurch."Are workers forced to sing hymns as they work? Are they required to worship while they work? Not at all. No, the problem is that Chick-fil-A's VP of restaurant experience told BuzzFeed that they want their employees to be efficient but "feel like you just got hugged in the process."The horror!But the real gods of Chick-fil-A are - no joke - "The Cows." According to Piepenring:Um, because it's kind of funny, and acknowledges a basic truth? And because every company in America has some sort of slogan or marketing gimmick? Will Piepenring next go after the Hamburgler or Ronald MacDonald, or the lady from the Progressive commercials?But no, it's more sinister:Most restaurants take pains to distance themselves from the brutalities of the slaughterhouse; Chick-fil-A invites us to go along with the Cows' Schadenfreude. In the portraits at the Fulton Street restaurant, the Cows visit various New York landmarks. They're in Central Park, where "eat mor chikin" has been mowed into the lawn. They're glimpsing the Manhattan Bridge from Dumbo, where they've modified a stop sign: "stop eatin burgrz." They're on the subway, where the advertisements . . . you get the picture. The joke is that the Cows are out of place in New York-a winking acknowledgment that Chick-fil-A, too, does not quite belong here.Yes, it doesn't belong here because New York restaurants ought not be chain restaurants, either. The dirty sidewalk shops must never bear a corporate brand, serve fast food, or be cleaned regularly by staff:But what of the fact that Chick-fil-A donates literally tons of food to the New York Common Pantry and employs hundreds of people? That's just because they're trying to cover for their evil capitalism:Want to know why Trump won? Because not only will he eat Chick-fil-A, but because he doesn't scorn companies just because their owners happen to believe the crazy Biblical notions that undergird Western civilization. Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sarah Sanders Press Release: James S. Brady Press Briefing Room 3:00 P.M. EDT, April 13, 2018 MS. SANDERS: Good afternoon. Today, I had the opportunity to visit the National Safety Council's Opioid Memorial on the Ellipse. It's a moving experience. President Trump and the First Lady encourage you all to visit the memorial before it leaves Washington, D.C. on April 18th. Today at the Summit of Americas in Lima, Peru, Assistant to the President and Advisor Ivanka Trump, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Acting U.S. Secretary of State announced OPIC's 2X Americas Latin American women's initiative - say that fast - which will mobilize $500 million in private capital to invest in projects that empower women in Latin America. This new initiative will help break down barriers that limit women's full participation in the economy and reaffirms the Trump administration's commitment to empowering women in Latin America and around the globe. As you all saw, yesterday's confirmation hearing for Secretary of State-designee Mike Pompeo went very well. From his years in the Army, to his time as a key member of the House Intelligence Committee, to his successful tenure as CIA Director, Secretary-designee Pompeo has excelled as one of the nation's key leaders in national security and foreign policy. As a result of Mike Pompeo's leadership, America has been safer, more secure, and more prosperous. There is absolutely no legitimate reason that Secretary-designee Pompeo's confirmation process should not be done in a speedy and bipartisan manner. Even the Washington Post editorial board - hardly a cheerleader for this administration - published an editorial yesterday with a simple, straight-to-the-point headline: "Confirm Mike Pompeo." Democrats and Republicans should do exactly that by coming together and doing what is, without question, the right thing for our country. And with that, I will take your questions. Cecilia. Q Thank you, Sarah. The President came out swinging today, calling James Comey a "liar," a "leaker," a "slime ball." Is he worried about what he's saying? MS. SANDERS: Not at all. The American people see right through the blatant lies of a self-admitted leaker. This is nothing more than a poorly executed PR stunt by Comey to desperately rehabilitate his tattered reputation and enrich his own bank account by peddling a book that belongs on the bargain bin of the fiction section. Instead of being remembered as a dedicated servant in the pursuit of justice like so many of his other colleagues at the FBI, Comey will be forever known as a disgraced partisan hack that broke his sacred trust with the President of the United States, the dedicated agents of the FBI, and the American people he vowed to faithfully serve. One of the President's greatest achievements will go down as firing Director James Comey. Q And another topic, quickly, if I may. The Deputy Attorney General was here yesterday. Is the President going to fire Rod Rosenstein? MS. SANDERS: I don't have any announcements at this time. The President has voiced some frustrations, but beyond that, I don't have anything to add. John. Q Sarah, the President, a short time ago, issued a pardon of Scooter Libby, the former Vice President's Chief of Staff. There are many people who believe that Scooter Libby was the victim of a Special Counsel investigation run amuck. The recent statements that we have heard from the White House would seem to indicate that you feel much the same thing about the Mueller investigation. Was the President sending some sort of signal to the Mueller investigation or about the Mueller investigation by pardoning Scooter Libby? MS. SANDERS: Not at all. One thing has nothing to do with the other, and every case should be reviewed on their own merits. Pardoning Libby was the right thing to do, after the principal witness recanted her testimony. The D.C. Court of Appeals panel unanimously voted to restore Mr. Libby's bar membership after being presented credible evidence in support of his version of events. And it appears that that key prosecution witness, Judith Miller, changed her recollection of the events in question. Q In the statement, the pardoning statement today, the President acknowledges he doesn't know Scooter Libby. What was it that convinced him that Scooter Libby deserved a pardon? MS. SANDERS: The President thought it was the right thing to do. Justin. Q Thanks, Sarah. I have two questions. I wanted to ask about the first - The President, at the beginning of the week, said he expected a decision - MS. SANDERS: Sorry, can you speak up a little? Q Sure. The President, at the beginning of the week, said he expected a decision within 24 to 48 hours on Syria. On Tuesday, he said a decision would probably come that night. But here we are on Friday, and in a statement last night, you said that no final decision had been reached. So I'm wondering if you could walk through why the President hasn't met his own timeline there, and specifically, if it had anything to do with the, sort of, Syrian troop movement that we saw after his tweet on Wednesday, sort of threatening a missile strike. MS. SANDERS: No, we're continuing to have ongoing conversations with our partners and allies. The President spoke with President Macron of France, again, earlier today. We're continuing to have ongoing meetings and conversations here at the White House. And when we have any further developments, we'll let you know. Q And then, because it's Friday, I'm wondering if - MS. SANDERS: Friday the 13th. Q Yeah. (Laughter.) You could walk us through exactly what the President has - MS. SANDERS: You guys all groan like that's a bad thing. Q - committed to Senator Gardner in terms of both what the Justice Department would do and what the White House would do in terms of supporting legislation on states that legalize marijuana. MS. SANDERS: I can confirm the President did speak with Senator Gardner yesterday and again today. We're always consulting Congress about issues, including states' rights, of which the President is a firm believer. And the statement that the Senator put out earlier today is accurate. Steve. Q You mentioned he's spoken to President Macron. How big a coalition does he have for this expected action in Syria? MS. SANDERS: Again, I can't talk about anything that may or may not happen, but I can tell you that the President and a number of individuals within his administration have spoken to a number of our partners and allies at various levels across the world. Q And is he satisfied now that Syria was responsible for the chemical weapons attack? MS. SANDERS: Yes. We're, again, confident that both Syria had responsibility in this chemical weapons attack, but we also hold Russia responsible for their failure to stop chemical weapons attacks from taking place. Josh. Q It was reported today that Michael Cohen, the President's personal attorney, helped negotiate a $1.6 million settlement to a Playboy playmate. It also emerged, today, that Michael Cohen is under criminal investigation by the Southern District of New York. Is the President still associated with Michael Cohen? Does he continue to consider Michael Cohen someone he holds in confidence? MS. SANDERS: I know that the President has worked with him as a personal attorney. Beyond that, I don't have anything else to add about their relationship. Q Is he concerned about these developments? Would the President like to say anything about them? MS. SANDERS: Look, the President has been clear that he has a deep concern about the direction the Special Counsel has taken. The investigation started as Russia collusion, of which there was none. The President has spoken on this topic at length, and I'd refer you back to those comments. Q What about Michael Cohen's actions, though? Does the President have any concern with those? MS. SANDERS: Again, I would refer you to Michael Cohen's personal attorney. That's simply reports right now, but I can't get anything beyond that. Jill. Q Just a follow-up on that and then another topic. Is Cohen still the President's personal attorney? MS. SANDERS: I'm not sure, Jill. I'd have to check. Q And I wanted to ask - MS. SANDERS: I can only speak about White House staff. Q It looks like Paul Ryan just endorsed Kevin McCarthy for Speaker in an appearance, or an interview, with "Meet the Press". Does the President believe that McCarthy should be the next Speaker? MS. SANDERS: The President has a great relationship with Kevin McCarthy. But in terms of an announcement about who he wants to see as the next Speaker, I don't have any announcements on that front. Jon. Q On the James Comey book, some excerpts came out today. He speaks of the President - writes about the President in very personal terms. Were you surprised by that? Was the President surprised by that? MS. SANDERS: I don't think we're surprised by the fact that James Comey continues to spread false information. The guy is known to be a liar and a leaker, and so there's not a lot about James Comey that we would find to be very surprising. Q And just really quickly on the pardon that came out today for Scooter Libby. The President, so far in his time in office, has issued three presidential pardons. One of those was to Joe Arpaio. Is there a commonality, in terms of what the President looks for when he pardons individuals? MS. SANDERS: Again, every case should be reviewed on their own merits, and that's what the President has done in each of those. Steven. Q Yes, Sarah. I'm wondering if the administration has reacted with any message to Moscow after officials there today said that the chemical attack in Douma was faked and staged with Britain's direct involvement. MS. SANDERS: Certainly, our intelligence tells us otherwise. I can't go beyond that. But again, we have a very high confidence that Syria was responsible. And once again, Russia's failure to stop them and their continued disaction on this front has been part of the problem. April. Q Sarah, what part does the President bringing Russia into the Syria equation now cause for the delay in the strike timeline? MS. SANDERS: Again, we are continuing to have ongoing conversations with partners and allies, assess the information. And once a decision is made, we'll let you know. Dave. Q Thanks, Sarah. The Justice Department Inspector General came out with his long awaited report this afternoon on former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, saying that he improperly leaked information about the Clinton Foundation investigation to a reporter, and then lied to James Comey about it and, under oath, to two FBI investigators. Do you have a reaction to that? And does that, in your mind, validate the decision to fire McCabe? MS. SANDERS: I haven't seen the full report, but sounds like two peas in a pod with McCabe and Comey. McCabe was fired in disgrace for misconduct and lying about it. Beyond that, I don't have anything at this point. Francesca. Q Thank you, Sarah. You said that James Comey was a liar, that he's a leaker, that he made false representations or claims. Other than what the President tweeted this morning about lying under oath to Senator Grassley, what exactly has he said that's false or a lie? MS. SANDERS: Comey claimed reopening the Clinton investigation when he did was based on merit. Now he says it was based because of poll numbers. Comey claimed the President told him to stop investigating Flynn, after he previously testified that no one told him to stop investigations. On Friday, The New York Times did its level best to defend the bloated corpse of Senator Teddy Kennedy (D-MA), one of the worst human beings ever to occupy a seat in the Senate, from a recapitulation in film form of the night he left a woman to drown in a shallow river in Chappaquiddick. The new movie Chappaquiddick ably tells the tale of how Teddy drove a car into the river with Mary Jo Kopechne, then somehow escaped the vehicle and went to sleep, only telling the police about the incident the next day - and how the Kennedy family worked with local authorities to cover up the crime and ensure that Kennedy never served a day in jail.But in a truly stunning op-ed in The New York Times, Teddy biographer Neil Gabler says that Chappaquiddick is in fact too harsh on Senator Kennedy - who is depicted in the film as confused and remorseful throughout the situation, and a victim of his family's predations as well as his own weakness.Hilariously, Gabler contends thatReally? A senator known for being drunk off his ass is found to have been in a car with a young woman who is not his pregnant wife in the middle of the night, her dead body ends in a river, he goes home and sleeps it off, and nothing much was covered up? Anyone else would have gone to jail for DUI manslaughter at the slightest.But according to Gabler, the real victim of Chappaquiddick is Kennedy:Ted Kennedy isn't in the public domain? He was in the public domain in all senses. And he was a garbage human being, even if the Left liked his politics. But according to Gabler,In reality, Kennedy was so haunted that he would go on to create "waitress sandwiches" with fellow Senator Chris Dodd (D-DE), as Michael Kelly reported:Yes, clearly Kennedy learned his lesson.But according to Gabler, Chappaquiddick is a smear job - despite the fact that the movie doesn't imply that Kennedy was even drunk (which he likely was) or that he was having an affair with Kopechne (which he may have been). Gabler's real complaint is that people may begin to see Kennedy for the monstrous human being he was, even if you agreed with his politics:Fake history is no better than fake news; it's maybe worse. It is very possible that over time, through the osmosis of social media, the despicable Kennedy of this movie will eradicate the honorable if flawed real one.The New York Times should know fake news when it sees it. And it's fake news to suggest that Chappaquiddick was an innocent incident, that Teddy Kennedy was a responsible human being, and that retelling the story of Mary Jo Kopechne 50 years after the fact is some sort of blot on Kennedy's stellar reputation. Computer Weekly 17 April 2018: Can China's Alibaba successfully take on the US public cloud giants? In this weeks Computer Weekly, as Chinese cloud provider Alibaba grows its presence in Europe, we examine how it can compete with public cloud giants AWS, Microsoft and Google. A government announcement about moving data policy has caused controversy among Whitehall digital experts we find out why. And we assess the use of cloud for disaster recovery. Read the issue now. Fish such as Yellow Tangs are most heavily targeted by aquarium collectorsyet they are essential to avoid algal overgrowth of corals and degradation of the reef. Photo by iStockphoto 728 shares Hawaii is one of the worlds biggest suppliers of aquarium fish, with a vast aquarium industry that collects and sells nearly a million tropical fish from the states coral reefs each year. This industry is both cruel and unsustainable, and it has placed Hawaiis coral reefs, already threatened by pollution, climate change and ocean acidification, under even greater stress. Last week, a state court gave the beleaguered fish populations and Hawaiis fragile coral reefs a reprieve by invalidating 131 active recreational aquarium fish collection permits that together would have allowed approximately a quarter of a million tropical fish to be removed from the coral reefs in a single year. This important ruling comes on the heels of a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling last fall, where the court held that all commercial aquarium collection permits in the state had been issued illegally. Commercial collection permits are similar to recreational permits, but commercial permits authorize the collection of more animals per permit. Though the commercial permits were ruled illegal last fall, the legality of the recreational permits was still in question until this latest ruling. The Humane Society of the United States, along with coalition partners, sued the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources in 2012 to challenge the agencys unquestioning issuance of unlimited aquarium fish collection permits that resulted in the removal of approximately 4.5 million animals from Hawaiis coral reefs over a six-year period. Hawaiis coral reefs are delicate ecosystems and it is critical to maintain their biodiversity. Fish and other animals living on these reefs serve many unique and critical functions. For example, herbivores such as Yellow Tangs are most heavily targeted by aquarium collectorsyet they are essential to avoid algal overgrowth of corals and degradation of the reef. And heavily targeted invertebrates, including hermit crabs, serve important roles such as grazers, scavengers and cleaners. There are also significant concerns about common practices in the industry that are inhumane. It is now well documented that fish and many invertebrates, like hermit crabs, feel pain. When fish are taken from deeper waters, collectors often use a practice called fizzing (also called venting or needling), in which they use a hypodermic needle to pierce the fishs swim bladder and vent gasses. Collectors also cut the spines of certain fish to prevent them from tearing shipping bags and starve fish for up to 10 days to reduce the amount of animal waste in transport. Many animals die during collection, holding and transportsometimes up to 80 percentand survivors live greatly shortened lives in home aquariums. There is little to no support among Hawaiis residents for this industry. A recent poll shows that 90 percent of Hawaii residents believe that the state should limit the collection of fish for aquarium purposes, and 83 percent believe the state should end the trade altogether. But despite the concerns and the lack of public support, the Hawaii DLNR has failed to review any of the impacts of aquarium fish collection, in violation of the Hawaii Environmental Policy Act. As a result of our litigation, DLNR has just published the first two environmental assessments required by law. The environmental assessments purport to analyze the impacts of commercial aquarium fish collection on the islands of Hawaii and Oahu, but they are flawed and fail to adequately consider the full impacts of commercial permits. They also propose that the unlimited collection of fish from Hawaiis imperiled reefs has no significant impactan entirely preposterous conclusion to make after only a period of months since the Supreme Court ruling, and with no new research presented. In fact, Hawaiis resources managers only recently estimated that completing stock assessments and catch limits for only 40 species would require $10 million a year for 10 to 15 years. The HSUS and its partners are calling on DLNR to require the industry to conduct a full environmental impact statement and thoroughly examine the impacts of these permits prior to issuing any more. Please join us by telling DLNR that Hawaiis delicate coral reefs need to be protected, and request a better environmental analysis. There are also other important actions you can take as a consumer, including taking our Dont Buy Wild Pledge. We are counting on your support, so please act now. No Return for the Vacation From Hell Peter Hiam's vacation hell started before he left. He booked a tropical villa for a week in Belize, only to learn later that the property didn't exist. He was out more than $46,000, so he went after the online service that set it up. The U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals shared Hiam's bewilderment over the company's actions, but that wasn't enough to get his money back. In Hiam v. HomeAway.com, the watchword is "limited guarantee." VRBO Vacation VRBO, short for "vacation rentals by owner," is a website operated by HomeAway. It acts like an online bulletin board, allowing property owners to list properties for rent. Peter Hiam, with the help of his adult son, used the site to plan a family vacation in 2014. With rooms for fourteen people, a private chef, local transportation, and other amenities, "The Jewels of Belize" sounded like the perfect spot. Of course, it was not -- literally. There's a Facebook page with a similar name, but Hiam said nobody was home for the rental he purchased. The company investigated his claim, and discovered other people had been scammed by the same listing. In addition to its Terms and Conditions, the website offered a limited guarantee up to a $1,000. Conditional Refund Hiam wanted no part of it and sued, arguing the company's contract was also a sham. A trial judge dismissed, and Hiam appealed. The First Circuit saw the problem right away. No doubt Hiam got scammed, but HomeAway had a clear limit to its guarantee. "It clearly discloses that the 'nature and extent of the guarantee' is a conditional limited refund of 50% of the amount paid, up to $1000," the appeals panel said. "Any amount lost above that is excluded from coverage." The judges said they shared Hiam's "bewilderment," and seemed to empathize with his loss. But, they said, the guarantee was not misleading or deceptive. Related Resources: Massachusetts Man Awarded $8.25M for Injuries From Falling Asphalt Melter There are normal injuries sustained from everyday activities like fender benders or slip-and-falls. And there are catastrophic injuries from asphalt melters that fall on your head. Brian Goodrich of Oxford, Massachusetts sustained the latter, suffering permanent disfigurement to his face and skull, permanent blindness in one eye, and loss of "even remedial cognitive function." And last week a jury awarded Goodrich and his family $8.25 million, determining that the melter's designers were more than 50 percent at fault for the accident. A Factual Dispute In some accidents, more than one party can be at fault. Cimline Inc., Garlock Equipment Inc., and parent company Plymouth Industries Inc. argued that Goodrich failed to use a safety pin with a jack while changing the machine's oil. Goodrich, in turned, argued that the companies failed to include a warning on the asphalt melter or in its manual detailing the dangers of failing to use the pin. Judge Timothy S. Hillman allowed the case to go to trial in January, after hearing both sides. "I find the lack of warning and instructions with regards to use of the jacking system, especially considering the warnings and instructions provided for other 'obvious' perceived dangers," he wrote at the time, "provide a factual dispute in which a reasonable fact finder could infer that the plaintiff's use of the unpinned jack was reasonably foreseeable." Judge Hillman also noted that the companies' safety engineer, Richard Stoffels, testified he was not actually a licensed engineer at all, and was still "a few credits shy of a bachelor's degree in engineering." Stoffels, according to Judge Hillman, "is responsible for the design and safety of the melter," and the companies provided no evidence that they ever performed a "hazard safety analysis" on the product. Fractions of Liability After the trial, jurors determined the companies were 52.5 percent at fault for the accident, while Goodrich was 47.5 percent at fault. Under Massachusetts negligence laws, the threshold is 50 percent for a plaintiff to recover for injuries: Contributory negligence does not bar recovery so long as the plaintiff's negligence is not greater than that of the defendant. But, any damages awarded are diminished in proportion to plaintiff's attributed negligence. If there are multiple defendants, the plaintiff's negligence is compared to the total combined negligence of all defendants. State injury laws can vary when it comes to contributory or comparative negligence. If you have questions about a possible injury lawsuit, contact an experienced injury attorney in your state. Related Resources: A federal judge rejected a request from President Donald Trump and from Michael Cohen, his personal lawyer, for a temporary restraining order to keep federal prosecutors from reading files seized in 'no-knock' FBI raids last week. "At issue was exactly who gets to look at Cohen's seized documents and devices before they are turned over to prosecutors," reports ABC New York. Attorneys for Cohen wanted to access the devices first. Trump's current attorneys also wanted to review them before investigators do. Excerpt: Judge Kimba Wood said a government taint team can weed out privileged documents, but she left open the possibility an independent third party could play a role at a later time, in the interest of "the perception of fairness." "I have faith in the Southern District prosecutors, that their integrity is unimpeachable," Wood said. Her ruling came at the end of a hearing attended by Cohen and Stormy Daniels, who sat feet apart but did not appear to interact. Daniels was swarmed by photographers and nearly fell as she was hustled into a federal courthouse. Wearing a lilac suit and high heels, Daniels was the main attraction for the media anyway at the court hearing before a federal judge made her ruling. The April 9 raid sought information on a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to Daniels, who alleges she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. BREAKING: Stormy Daniels just made a brief statement outside a New York court room about Michael Cohen. Learn more: https://t.co/WVQTIRKhwo #11MSNBC pic.twitter.com/Pwn7b87Mph 11th Hour (@11thHour) April 16, 2018 In New York today, a judge ordered Michael Cohen to reveal the name of a third client, someone who didn't want to be named. It's Sean Hannity. What was Michael Cohen doing for Sean Hannity? We don't know. Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective. Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018 I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party. Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018 The other two Cohen clients we know about are President Donald Trump and Republican National Committee power broker Elliott B. Broidy. Cohen is not much of a lawyer. He's more of a 'fixer' in the organized crime sense of the term. For Broidy, Cohen arranged a settlement of $1.6 million to a woman with whom Broidy had a sexual relationship that resulted in a pregnancy which the woman terminated. Effectively, one could say that Cohen brokered funds for a married politician's mistress to have an abortion. For Trump, Cohen did a lot of different dirty deeds. The legal matter at hand involves Cohen having arranged a settlement of $130K to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels, with whom Donald Trump had a sexual affair before he became President. Today, shortly after he was outed as Cohen's third client, Sean Hannity addressed the matter himself on his Fox News radio show. "It's very strange to have my own television network have my name up on the lower third," he said. He seemed distracted as he spoke, stopping to answer incoming text messages, pausing periodically for silence. And it really is strange. Sean Hannity is a TV pundit, but he's also President Trump's single most powerful supporter in broadcast media, a surrogate voice with volume turned up to 11, the frequency tuned to just the right spectrum of hate. Two thoughts: 1) It's Monday. 2) Is there a fourth client? Why does Sean Hannity need a fixer? https://t.co/aUAqrN63Kj Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 16, 2018 "Hang on. I gotta send this. 'I am on air.' I wish everybody would stop calling me." Sean Hannity on his show just now. Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) April 16, 2018 Sean Hannity just now addressed the announcement on his radio show. "It's very strange to watch my own television network with my name in the lower third." Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) April 16, 2018 "I'm not just the president of Trump's Hush Money Club for Men, I'm also a client" pic.twitter.com/3oWA8AKFTU Adam Blickstein (@AdamBlickstein) April 16, 2018 Cohen attorney Steve Ryan: "I know that materials for the Trump Organization are in the materials that have been seized." Stephen Brown (@PPVSRB) April 16, 2018 Michael Cohen doesn't seem to be much of a lawyer, and has served mostly as a "fixer" for his other clients (Elliot Broidy and Donald Trump). So what exactly does he do for Sean Hannity (AKA client number 3) Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) April 16, 2018 State media operates under a different set of rules. https://t.co/Xwj8nAYkJ6 Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) April 16, 2018 Of all the possible Michael Cohen mystery clients in the world, Sean Hannity might be the least surprising possibility. Cohen's other two clients, Elliot Broidy and the President of the United States, needed his help paying off women to avoid sex scandals. https://t.co/XiUfidQ30y Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 16, 2018 3. A source familiar with the representation tells CNN that what Hannity hired Cohen for did not involve a 3rd party meaning an NDA involving a woman etc. Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) April 16, 2018 The Sean Hannity radio show just started. There's SILENCE. DEAD. AIR. Zack Ford (@ZackFord) April 16, 2018 He had some thoughts on the Cohen raid. pic.twitter.com/HhP7p7VLZI Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 16, 2018 As an ethicist, I can tell you that in any normal media organization this would merit immediate suspension pending a determination on firing. At Fox he will probably get a promotion. https://t.co/CXgjtpAb2S Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) April 16, 2018 Fox News just reported that Hannity was Michael Cohen's third client. Max Tani (@maxwelltani) April 16, 2018 Tweet from April 11. No mention that Hannity was Cohen's client. https://t.co/pzWMcnsyhQ Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 16, 2018 Shepard Smith just said on Fox News, "Hannity's producers are working to contact him," as word breaks that he's Michael Cohen's third, previously unnamed client pic.twitter.com/ieEvT16lQ7 Brian Ries (@moneyries) April 16, 2018 Fox has serious questions to answer about why Hannity was allowed to rant on the Cohen raid without disclosing this. Did they not know?https://t.co/Ku3H3hdjGx andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) April 16, 2018 BREAKING: Michael Cohen's previously unnamed third client is Sean Hannity. Watch more from @Tom_Winter pic.twitter.com/qCC8ROQSV7 MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 16, 2018 Protip: if possible avoid having a federal judge say this to you.https://t.co/nHwgjFLVHB TheNewNormalHat (@Popehat) April 16, 2018 ABA Model Rule 1.6(b)(6) on confidentiality of lawyer-client information indicates that a lawyer may reveal the identity of a client without the client's consent if it is "to comply with other law or court order." https://t.co/6ndwOWmg5c Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) April 16, 2018 Why doesn't @FoxNews have a conflict of interest policy requiring Hannity to disclose his personal interest in the Cohen search when commenting on it? https://t.co/ydgpAcGDVo Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) April 16, 2018 Marvel: "Infinity War is the most ambitious crossover event of all time" Me: https://t.co/3oIodJv66y Brett LoGiurato (@BrettLoGiurato) April 16, 2018 Source familiar w/ Hannity/Cohen legal relationship tells @GloriaBorger: "Michael Cohen has never represented Sean Hannity in any matter involving a third party. Hannity has occasionally asked Mr Cohen questions concerning the law that Mr Cohen indicated would be privileged" Dianne Gallagher (@DianneG) April 16, 2018 "oh, and by the way, he's my lawyer." https://t.co/x3RHmiKCfT Nick Hentoff (@Nick_Hentoff) April 16, 2018 So Sean Hannity has been using his perch at Fox News to rail against the investigation into someone who he didn't disclose was his own lawyer. https://t.co/gGjz3uPMoz Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) April 16, 2018 Hannity blasted the FBI raid for more than 10 minutes the day it happened. Never once even indicated Cohen also represented him: "This is now officially an all hands on deck effort to totally malign, and, if possible, impeach the president of the United States." pic.twitter.com/na1Ap7CvYJ Ryan Parker (@TheRyanParker) April 16, 2018 .@gabrielsherman reports that Sean Hannity hired Michael Cohen to defend him against the @mmfa advertiser boycott pic.twitter.com/UswIjnhN8M Media Matters (@mmfa) April 16, 2018 Newsflash everyone: Cohen is not the first lawyer that Trump and Hannity have shared. He's actually the second! Last year, Hannity ALSO hired Jay Sekulow who is on Trump's Russia legal team. Angelo Carusone (@GoAngelo) April 16, 2018 Hannity is saying that he's never paid Micheal Cohen or received an invoice from him "I never retained him in the traditional sense as retaining a lawyer" but that he did seek advice from him or asked him legal questions Salvador Hernandez (@SalHernandez) April 16, 2018 Hannity previously told @rebeccaballhaus, "I have sought legal advice from Michael." https://t.co/lF3TLpY5ir southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 16, 2018 HANNITY says he has 8 different lawyers, but occasionally slipped Cohen a few dollars "I definitely might have handed him 10 bucks: "'I want attorney-client privilege on this'." David Martosko (@dmartosko) April 16, 2018 Sean Hannity just explained on his radio show that his conversations with Michael Cohen were privileged because, "I might have handed [Cohen] 10 bucks and said, I definitely want privilege on that." Susan Simpson (@TheViewFromLL2) April 16, 2018 [PHOTOS: REUTERS] The United States and Britain today accused Russia of launching a new wave of internet-based attacks targeting routers, firewalls and other computer networking equipment used by government agencies, businesses and critical infrastructure operators around the globe. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, which is GCHQ's 'cyber' division) today said that hackers supported by Russia are gearing up for a series of digital attacks. "This is yet another example of Russia's disregard for international norms and global order this time through a campaign of cyber espionage and aggression, which attempts to disrupt governments and de-stabilize business," a British government spokesman said. "The attribution of this malicious activity sends a clear message to Russia we know what you are doing and you will not succeed." The U.K. press response: Targeting national infrastructure could bring the UK "to a standstill", reports the Express. The paper says President Putin's hitlist includes airports, rail networks, hospitals, power supplies and banks. He will combine this with a "fake news" campaign, it adds. The attack is "imminent", says the Mirror, and could target politicians as hackers seek to release "embarrassing" information about them. It also carries a warning by the Russians that the strikes were an "act of aggression" and that further military interference could disrupt world peace. The Mail says there's been a 2,000% increase in the number of Russian social media accounts spreading Kremlin "propaganda" in the hours after the strikes. It also adds intelligence officers at GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence are on standby to hit back if the Kremlin wages digital warfare. The Kremlin has not commented. Russia's embassy in London issued a statement citing British accusations of cyber threats from Moscow as "striking examples of a reckless, provocative and unfounded policy against Russia." Russian investigative journalist Maxim Borodin died in a hospital after falling from his fifth floor apartment in Yekaterinburg on Friday. Recently Borodin had been writing about the Syria-based activities of a Russian mercenary organization called the "Wagner Group." Officials say there is no sign of foul play, but one of Borodin's friends, Vyacheslav Bashkov, said that security personnel had surrounded his apartment the day before he fell. From BBC: Journalists in Russia have often been harassed or attacked in recent years for their work. On the same day that Maxim Borodin was found fatally injured, the editor of an official regional newspaper was assaulted in Yekaterinburg, reports say. Much of Russia's media is controlled by the state and Russia is ranked 83rd out of 100 countries for press freedom by Freedom House. One of Russia's best-known investigative reporters, Anna Politkovskaya, was shot dead in a lift at her block of flats in 2006. Politkovskaya exposed Russian human rights abuses in Chechnya. Anna Politkovskaya's reports were highly critical of President Vladimir Putin Two years later, journalist Mikhail Beketov was left brain-damaged. He had highlighted corruption and fought against the planned destruction of the Khimki forest near Moscow to make way for a road. He died in 2013. Oleg Kashin, was severely injured in an assault in Moscow in 2010. He had been reporting on protests against the Khimki forest highway. Last year, well-known Russian radio presenter Tatyana Felgengauer was stabbed in the neck while at work at her radio station, Ekho Mosvky. News / Health by Byo24News Reporter Cholera has affected a tleast seven people in Harare and Chitungwiza with authorities suspecting seventeen more cases.Ministry of Health and Child Care announced the outbreak through the portfolio's official social networking tweeter handle @MoHCCZim"Nine suspected cholera cases, four confirmed cases were recorded in Stoneridge and another suspected case was reported in Belvedere but it tested negative."Eight suspected cases and three confirmed cholera cases have been reported in Chitungwiza Central Hospital as of 14 April 2018," read the tweets.Director of Epidemiology and Disease control Dr Portia Mananganzira said in the City of Harare, the first report of cholera was made on 22 March 2018."To date there has been a total of 13 patients, seven of which are confirmed and three dates," she said.Dr Mananganzira said Stoneridge, which is largely an informal settlement has seen an increase in the number of cholera cases.She added that the epidemic has also spread to St Marys in Chitungwiza.She contributed the outbreak to unavailability of water."In Stoneridge, there is no water at all. People use public boreholes and we gather there are queues, so people end up using readily available water which is untreated," she said.Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control also appealed to local authorities to ensure that residents have safe water, garbage is collected and also waste managed efficiently."These contribute to the rise in cases of cholera and typhoid. News / National by Staff reporter President Mnangagwa has appointed Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Retired Colonel Christian Katsande Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.The appointment was announced by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda in an Extraordinary Government Gazette published on April 10, general notice 184A of 2018."It is hereby notified that His Excellency the President has, in terms of section 110(2)(i) and 204 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No.20) Act, 2013, appointed Rtd Colonel Christian M. Katsande as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland," said Dr Sibanda.Col Katsande, a retired soldier, is a former military attache to Britain, where he served as a diplomatic green-horn in the 1980s.Relations between Zimbabwe and Britain are set to improve following the new dispensation led by President Mnangagwa.Zimbabwe has been invited to the Commonwealth Heads of State Summit that begins in Britain today and ends on Sunday, albeit on observer status ahead of planned re-admission into the bloc before year-end.Recently, British Prime Minister Theresa May was impressed by statements made by President Mnangagwa on economic and political reforms, which have sent important signals around the world about the country's readiness for investment.Prime Minister May sent her envoy Mr Rory Stewart, who was then Minister of State for Africa, to meet President Mnangagwa a few hours after his inauguration on November 24 last year.In February, Prime Minister May sent another envoy, Mrs Harriet Baldwin, who succeeded Mr Stewart as Minister of State for Africa, to meet President Mnangagwa.Mrs Baldwin said Zimbabwe and Britain were on the cusp of a major diplomatic breakthrough that could see the two countries soon engaging in various investment ventures underpinned on mutual benefit and interest.She was in Zimbabwe making her first overseas official visit following her appointment as Minister of State for Africa in a Cabinet reshuffle.Mrs Baldwin held a meeting with President Mnangagwa and discussed wide-ranging issues on mutual relations and the new era in Zimbabwe.Rtd Col Katsande has been serving as deputy chief secretary in the Office of the President responsible for policy formulation, analysis and co-ordination. News / National by Staff reporter The whereabouts of former Zimbabwe Republic Police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri have remained a mystery after he twice failed to appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Mines and Energy.When he appeared before the committee on Mines and Energy, his successor Godwin Matanga said they could not locate him.Chihuri has since failed to appear before the committee which is looking into the illegal deployment of police officers and their ruthless conduct in the Chiadzwa diamond fields.Also, a female police officer Sithulisiwe Mthimkhulu who has taken Chihuri to court claiming maintenance and demanding a one-off payment of US$272 242, for the upkeep of an 8-year-old child she claims was sired by the former top cop had the messenger of court at one time also reportedly failing to locate him.Mthimkhulu had threatened to publish a notice in a newspaper to alert Chihuri of the impending summons, only for the former commissioner general to send his lawyer to court to answer to the claim but still his whereabouts are not known.Chihuri was also in the news recently over theft claims made to the police by a local businessman, Bigboy Pachirera who alleges that the former top cop impounded five of his posh cars and properties while also causing his unlawful arrest and torture.At the time he was at the helm, the ZRP was perceived to be the most corrupt institution in the country.There had been public outcry over the manner in which the police officers, especially those in the traffic department were conducting their jobs with corruption allegations ranging from bribe taking, extortion and negligence in enforcing the law.Addressing senior officers during the last days of his career Chihuri admittedly said at the time that 291 police officers were discharged from the police service in 2016 and 437 in 2017 for various offences.Then 156 officers had their cases pending trial for acts of misconduct.ZRP Commissioner-General Matanga has admitted that there is rampant corruption in the organisation and pledged to address the situation.This also comes as government is said to be probing the financial irregularities at the ZRP after it emerged that some senior officers had directed unsanctioned salary deductions raising over $5 million per month.In December last year, after 23 years in the force Chihuri was sent on leave pending his retirement, this after Emmerson Mnangagwa had been inaugurated as the president at a celebration function at which the former police boss was booed by members of the public after pledging his loyalty to the new president.Chihuru was dismissed on the day the military announced the end of Operation Restore Order and succeeded by Matanga.Crisis Coalition spokesperson Tabani Moyo said if the former police commissioner general is missing, the government is responsible."Whether he is genuinely missing or not the government has a responsibility and accountability on every Zimbabwean."We can't continue with the situation where people disappear and no one is answerable."There are two things here: either he is missing like many other people who went missing due to political reason where some like Itai Dzamara to this end are still to be accounted for or he is on the run!"In both cases the State is accountable through its various arms such as the security services or the Immigration and Home Affairs departments," said Moyo.Zimbabwe Human Rights Association national director Okay Machisa said if it is true, then Zimbabweans have to gang up and demand answers from government."There is no way Chihuri could have gone out of the country without the assistance of others in high office because he has been in the system for long."And I am pretty sure that he is not in the country. As Zimbabweans we cannot have a situation where an individual could benefit from a natural resource that is supposed to benefit everyone and just vanish," said Machisa.He added that action has to be taken if Chihuri is not found. "We know he has properties in the country and if it is proved that he benefitted in any corrupt way in Chiadzwa then his properties have to be confiscated by government."And I reiterate that if government fails to act on this one, then the people of Zimbabwe have to rise and stop this kind of rot and cover-up."Social commentator Rashweat Mukundu is of the opinion that it's a case of those with power and influence being above the justice system."If the former police chief is indeed missing then his family should have raised alarm."Legislator Jessie Majome said: "If it is true that the police cannot locate their ex-commissioner then surely they must be awarded a prize for being the most incompetent police service in the world!"It matches well their other dubious distinction of being recently adjudged one of the worst police services in Africa."Political analyst Vivid Gwede said people do not just vanish into thin air; so he must be somewhere and if he is somewhere then somebody must know."This latest fiasco is part of the growing trend of unaccountability of Zimbabwean high-ranking officials with regards to the current investigations by the parliamentary committee on Mines and Energy."Whether it's the refusal by Obert Mpofu to speak or the present hide-and-seek by Chihuri, it all goes on to show noncooperation with the committee which raises even more questions than had been there already," said Gwede.Former MDC spokesperson and lawyer Obert Gutu said it is very hard to believe that Chihuri can't be located by the police; if at all he is still in Zimbabwe."Chihuri was a police boss for many, many years and naturally, he would have quite a number of sympathisers within the police force.Chihuri is very intelligent. He is anything but stupid. He is obviously deliberately avoiding to be served with court processes as well as the parliamentary subpoena."If push comes to shove, Chihuri can be served ...by way of substituted service. He shouldn't be allowed to duck and dive."He must present himself before both Parliament and the courts of law. After all, as a former policeman, that is the decent thing that he is expected to do."Chihuri shouldn't behave like a fugitive from justice," said Gutu.Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme could only say: "Anything is possible. The guy could have gone where (Saviour) Kasukuwere, (Jonathan) Moyo and others have gone or it could just be a case of covering up for each other." News / National by Staff reporter Mama even some rogue commanders who staged a military coup in Zimbabwe claiming to be 'Lestoling Regacy' against alleged criminals surrounding President Mugabe but ended up targeting Mugabe are here as Vice Presidents. Signal what we must do to them mama..https://t.co/EiI3VgWNtf pic.twitter.com/FBzpeVL6Rd Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) April 15, 2018 VICE president Constantino Chiwenga has urged Zimbabweans to ignore social media attacks on the government, dismissing the critics as "mad men and juveniles".Although he did not mention him by name, Chiwenga was likely referring to former higher education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo who has repeatedly used Twitter to criticise the new Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government.Moyo is now in exile after surviving an assassination attempt during the military intervention which ousted former president Robert Mugabe last November.Chiwenga was head of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and led the military revolt which resulted in the resignation of Mugabe and his succession by Mnangagwa."There are those who spend time on social media criticising and saying things out of bitterness and behaving like mad man and juveniles," said Chiwenga."If you read their rantings, don't take them seriously. This will never stop us from building the country. Our work will not stop."Chiwenga was addressing hundreds of people at a field day held at President Mnangagwa's Pricabe Farm in Sherwood Block in Kwekwe last week.Prof Moyo, a loyalist of the deposed Mugabe, has called the new government illegitimate and dismissed Mnangagwa as unelectable.Moyo and other loyalists of Mugabe such as former cabinet ministers Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao escaped into exile during the military operation.Over the weekend, Prof Moyo used Twitter mocked Chiwenga who attended the burial of South African anti-apartheid activist and politician Winnie Mandela; News / National by Staff reporter A HARARE man is suspected to have been fatally shot by a stray bullet in a crossfire between suspected armed robbers and police last Thursday in Marlborough.Muchesa Chatsama was shot dead by a stray bullet while in his office during the shooting, according to information gathered from several sources.Police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said they had received a case of a man who was found dead in his office in the proximity of the shooting incident."We are investigating the case."Police followed some suspected armed robbers from town to Marlborough where there was an exchange of gunfire between the police and the suspected robbers. Four of the five suspects were nabbed while one escaped."Later on there was a report that a man was found dead in his office and police are investigating the case," said Chief Sup Nyathi.Chatsama's bother Dzago Chatsama blamed the police for not being tactful in apprehending the suspected armed robbers saying rather than being overzealous after the arrests, the police had to check for any casualties."Feels so helpless watching your own brother covered in blood with a bullet in his chest after a police vs robbers shootout. Munhu akazvigarira muoffice make nhai wongobatanidzirwa," said Dzago."After exchanging fire with armed robbers in broad daylight in a neighborhood like Malborough."Shuwa shuwa pachena ipapo pane Mandel paya and not even going around checking if there are any casualties. Mongobata mbavha dzenyu mobuditsa news moenda and you look like heroes," Dzago wrote on his Facebook Page.He likened the killing of his brother to the slaughtering of cattle."Saka wasina mhosva ndovamunouraya ka kunge mombe and the robbers you only wound. God help us. Rest well mukoma Muchesa Chatsama. I will forever love you Boss," wrote Dzago.One of his friends in a WhatsApp group for Arsenal fans, Xave Muzhandu said postmortem would be held on tomorrow while burial arrangements are still not known."Postmortem is set for Tuesday and we will be notified of burial arrangements," said Muzhandu. Opinion / Columnist As the 2018 elections draw near, political office contenders have begun to perfect plans on how to woo voters to vote for them at the polls.One of such way of wooing them is through stomach infrastructure. The term stomach infrastructure has varied definitions but whichever way it is defined, it all boils down to the provision of food, funds and other gifts for voters in order to secure their support or votes during elections.Although not a novel trend in the Zimbabwe electoral system, stomach infrastructure became popular in the recent time following the pivotal role it was believed to have played in the victory of many political office contenders in the country. Believing in the potency of stomach infrastructure at inducing voters during elections, many contenders, allegedly, have begun to hoard money and gift items to be shared to voters come general elections in the country.For the political contenders, stomach infrastructure is a means of alleviating the electorates from poverty. They see it as that which ensures food security and job creation in the country. It is true that any leader who claims not to believe in stomach infrastructure is not ready to lead, as "you cannot lead hungry people." But the sound strategy is to identify the national problem and tell the electorate how you wish to deal with it.The voters on the other hand, see stomach infrastructure, not necessarily as an act of charity or food security as claimed by the contenders, but as the only way they can get a share of the national cake as well as make candidates squeeze out goodies and rewards if they must win at elections. They believe that once the contenders win at elections, they will, not only become inaccessible to them, but will forget all the promises they made in their manifestoes as regards meeting the basic needs of the masses. A friend in power is a friend lost.For these reasons, some of them (electorates) threaten that they will not vote for any candidate who does not attend to their stomach. Others even say they will collect such gifts at the elections but will still vote against such money bag contenders, especially if voting for them parallels their conscience. The question now is: between the contenders and the electorates, who is deceiving who?If the both parties are sincere to themselves, they of course, know that stomach infrastructure is neither a better way citizens can benefit from their leaders in a democratic setting nor, a better way leaders can ensure food security for their citizens. Although many Zimbabweans claim there is nothing wrong with it, probably because it is not a crime in the eye of the constitution, let them not forget that, though Esau's sale of birth right was not a sin in the eye of God, it had serious implications on him.Those who promise nothing and bring gifts are a danger to democracy. They are manipulating people and indeed have no desire to develop. They want to maintain the status of master servant relationships where the voters remain poor so that they can be willing slaves of the stomach.In that vein, stomach infrastructure may not be a crime in the eye of the law but it has serious implications on Zimbabwe. One of such implications is that it will make political greenhorns who may have the zeal and determination to take the country to a greater height to slump for public fund embezzlers who are ready to feed us to the neck only during elections. What then does this portend for our nation?It will promote corruption and offer bad leadership a fertile land in our country. This is because whatever is spent on the stomach cannot be accounted for compared to what goes into physical infrastructure. It would, as political analysts speculate, encourage the bad eggs in our leadership field to see themselves as celebrities who could throw money around until they sell the nation into slavery.If Zimbabweans are yearning for fish, who will give them fish, against those who will provide them with fishing skills and nets, if they are yearning for sadza in exchange for their votes, and I know many are, then we are in for a worst image and reputation in the international community.In other words, if we had stayed this long as a third world country in spite of clamor for development, we should be getting ready to shift to a worst place with the stomach being our new priority.As voters continue to pretend they are deceiving the contenders and vice-versa, it will make sense if we bear our dear country and the generations yet unborn in mind as we clamour for what gives immediate satisfaction at the expense of what offers a more lasting satisfaction that will be beneficiary even to future generations. To this end, as we campaign and prepare to vote, it is good we do so right and wisely mindful of stomach infrastructure and its implications on the nation and on development. The greatest present for the nation is development. Packed lunch does not go beyond lunch. Those who use their money to gain votes must be re-educated. Opinion / Columnist "Make sure you're civically engaged and you vote for people that you want. Change doesn't happen overnight. Change starts with you."Zimbabwean youths want change. But to get change, they must be active participants in civil society. They must understand their history and their future. Youth must not be gullible and give in to fake promises of airports in Mutoko and airports in Murehwa.The next few months are "exciting" for Zimbabwe the country will hold presidential, parliamentary and local government elections."It's an incredible opportunity for change and for civic engagement and for organizing young people to be more engaged in their community. For the young people to benefit they must be in it and not to lead it. Young people must not mistake leadership to mean a 40-year-old lying president. Putting a young face in front does not mean that it is the young people in charge. Those in charge work effectively in the background.ZANU PF has transformed to become youth compliant. We now have the youth on social media. Our President is on face book. He is not a young man by any chance but he adapts to all the ages and he is technically compliant. He leads with experience. Experience does not mean experience in success only. The president has seen the failures and has learnt from that failure. He has graduated from the experience and indeed he has the youth at heart.Most youths are uninterested in the election process. So the youth league decided to use expertise in communications and marketing to form an information campaign that could turn around the situation. #EDHAS MY VOTE campaign targets youth ages 1836 and uses a combination of social media and hip-hop music videos and concerts to deliver messages about the importance of voting and civic engagement.The youth campaign relies heavily on social media for its increasing penetration into the population and for its cost effectiveness. He said money saved using social media instead of advertising in traditional media can be used in activities on the ground.ZANU PF is making extensive use of social media and technology to communicate with voters.ZANU PF technology is only a tool for achieving your objectives. Anyone wishing to create campaigns and initiatives of this type must have an effective strategy to reach the target constituencies and spur them to action. This is exactly what ZANU PF is doing.ZANU PF is engaging unemployed youths in the democratic process instead of letting them fall into the trap of violence, this campaign addresses the need for civic engagement as a violence-prevention measure:The challenge is to find a way to convince young people that if they want to lead another life, the vote is a way to get there.It is not being young which brings in change. It is working together as a nation. The message being flown around by Chamisa is that discard of your parents and be the parent yourself.ZANU PF is entrenched in deep culture and love; it unites and does not believe in the generational gap. The young and the old all will need to live in the country and be united. We have to build citizens and the other major effort the ZANU PF Factory is helping youths build a sense of belonging to their nation and gain a sense of citizen responsibility.We should know that encouraging citizens to be civically engaged is what will lead to change: We tell young people to make sure they're civically engaged and you vote for people that you want. Change doesn't happen overnight. Change starts with you and casting your vote for people who will deliver in your best interests will lead to the change you want."A good leader says 'believe in yourself' versus 'believe in me'.The youths must not vote for a bullet train but for a seasoned leader who now knows what to avoid and what to do. Do not experiment with your life. It will be a tragedy to give your life to Chamisa and the MDC simply because he is young. Zimbabwe has a history with these Bishops. Remember Bishop Abel Muzorewa, now there is Bishop Nelson Chamisa.Zimbabwe is not a toy to be given to a toddler to play with. We must all guard our interest with our vote for ED. #ED must have your vote for your own good future. Opinion / Columnist Many independent observers were shocked when the United States recently renewed economic sanctions on Zimbabwe at a time when it appeared Harare and Washington were warming up to each other following the resignation of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in November last year.The US renewed what its calls Restrictive Measures on Zimbabwe in February this year in a move interpreted by many as an antithesis of the warm relations that were developing between the two countries following the coming into the fold of the new political dispensation led by President Mnangagwa.The European Union and the United States imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2002, after accusing ex-president Mugabe's government of human rights violations, rigging elections and repression of press freedom.While the renewal of sanctions might have surprised many, those who have followed America's foreign policy towards Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular, following the end of the Second World War were not so much shocked by the country's reticent move.The decision by America to renew sanctions needs to be interrogated from the perspective of a country that has always played second fiddle to its European partners, particularly Britain when it comes to control and influence of overseas territories that were once the domain of particular colonising powers.The US has cooperated with Britain and its European Union partners on numerous international platforms, but its tag of not having been a colonising power has always made it look like a junior partner when it comes to overseas "territories", particularly those that were under the domain and influence of Britain.Conscious of its junior tag, the US has always sought other means of asserting its authority and influence on foreign governments in former colonies of Britain and in most cases the approach has not yielded the much needed positive results.Given its military might, the US has in reality never embraced playing second fiddle to any country Britain included, on the international political arena.What is easily observable even to a political novice is the fact that when it comes to Zimbabwe, the US is not particularly happy with Britain's swift embrace of the new political dispensation.The Americans appear particularly piqued by Britain's ambassador Catriona Laing's enthusiastic acceptance of the new political dispensation.Britain was arguably the first country to embrace the new political order in Zimbabwe in November. It appears all other European countries took a cue from Britain, which described the November development as a peaceful transition.It is without doubt that if Britain was still in the EU, it would have surely weighed more its influence on other members to consider lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe almost two decades ago.Britain has massive investments in the country and is keen on ensuring that years of inflexible relations between Harare and London are swiftly mended.Britain is also aware of China's economic impact in Zimbabwe and is not prepared to continue being bystanders in a country which historically was the crown's sphere of influence.Besides other considerations, economic interests are always the primary driver of any foreign policy strategy.While America has traditionally pursued an isolationist policy in the aftermath of the First World War, there is general appreciation of the fact that the world has changed and is changing.The characterisation of America's foreign policy between the two World Wars as isolationist has long been trashed as nothing, but a myth.America has always acted in a subtle way in safeguarding its interests and the idea that only the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour jolted Americans from their insular stupor is a misnomer.The country has always delicately weighed the pros and cons of intervening in crisis situations beyond its shores.The advent of religious fundamentalism, the need to contain communism, the rise of China and Russia as competing world powers completely shattered the myth of isolationism.In short, America had to engage and cooperate with other countries to safeguard its own economic, political and security concerns.Despite Donald Trump's "America First" mantra, the truth is that America needs the world in as much as the world needs America.So why is America behaving like a bigoted partner when it comes to Zimbabwe at a time when almost every other country is warming up?There are several reasons that explain the US' attitude.First, the US is known for supporting opposition political parties in Zimbabwe, particularly the failed MDC-T party. Over the years, the US government has financially and morally invested in the opposition party directly and through different non-governmental organisations fronting or pursuing the opposition agenda.The new dispensation in Zimbabwe is not an ideal that the Americans have always aspired to happen in the country. It was a bitter sweet development. Although Mugabe had become an albatross, the Americans would have preferred change initiated from outside Zanu-PF.On the other hand, the British had long envisaged that change can only come from within and readily accepted the new political dispensation.The second explanation is that the US' obstinate attitude could be interpreted as a bargaining act meant to press the new government to be amenable to latent demands by the world's sole super power, particularly after the harmonised elections.The third and more fundamental reason for America's inflexible attitude emanates from the need by Americans to strategically position themselves in the geopolitics of the region.Zimbabwe is a critical country in the region and the Americans would want to exert some pressure in a bid to make the new government amenable to US' long term foreign policy interests.Another fact that also explains the US' nonchalant attitude is the reality that the country is far freer from commitments in Africa south of the Sahara than any other region in the world.In almost all other parts of the world, American policy operates in a setting of old established friendships and understandings, supplemented in the post-war years by a network of alliances that include Nato, CENTO and SEATO.In other words, while the US was the first country to establish a permanent embassy in Harare at independence in 1980 and is the biggest provider of aid (not direct to government), it still remains a newcomer to sub-Sahara Africa.The actual American stake in Africa remains relatively slight. There is an inherent thinking within the US establishment that America can do without Africa.Andrew N Kamarck of the International Bank in 1958 once remarked that: "We could get along without African commodities and African markets with an imperceptible ripple in our standard of living."While Kamarck's remarks could have been mere hyperbole, the investment figures from America don't paint a picture of a country that takes Africa seriously.In round figures estimated of the $30 billion which Americans have invested abroad, less than $850 million has found its way to Africa.Despite its sparse interest in sub-Sahara Africa, it must not be forgotten that America has always had a keen interest in developments in Zimbabwe.It will be remembered that after the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in November 1965, the United States recalled its Consul General from the then Salisbury, closed its Information Service (USIS) library and withdrew its Agency for International Development (USAid) and trade promotion officials.The United States was to completely close its Consulate General on March 17, 1970.Despite administration opposition, the US Congress was to pass legislation on January 1, 1971, which permitted it to import strategic materials, such as chrome from Rhodesia.The legislation was to be repealed in March 1977 and the United States once again enforced all sanctions.Since 1976, the United States has lent support to initiatives aimed at bringing majority rule in Zimbabwe.It supported the Anglo-American proposals for a peaceful settlement as it supported British efforts to bring about and implement the Lancaster House Agreement of December 21, 1979.Of course, the prime interests of the Americans could have been to dilute the influence of the Chinese and Russians in a new independent State, but the fact remains that the country has long had a keen interest in developments in Zimbabwe.Given its historical involvement, including the political and financial resources it has invested, the US must be ruing its late embrace of the new political dispensation and might be seeking to recover lost ground already occupied by the British and the Chinese.It has not escaped the US that at the Zimbabwe conference on reconstruction and development (ZIMCORD) held in March 1981, the country pledged $225 million over a three-year period towards the government's goals of post-war reconstruction, distribution and development of skilled manpower.By the end of 1986, the US had contributed $380 million, the majority in grants, with some loans and loan guarantees.However, in July 1986, the US government decided to discontinue future bilateral aid to Zimbabwe owing to some political differences, particularly certain statements that it deemed undiplomatic uttered at the United Nations.Aid programmes previously agreed upon were not affected by the decision nor were regional development programmes that might benefit Zimbabwe.Historically, America's real influence and presence in southern Africa might be scanty, but it has always had serious vested interest in Zimbabwe.As recently remarked by the US acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto in a Reuters interview, Zimbabwe has always been on the radar of the world's super power."It's a transition to a new era for Zimbabwe, that's really what we are hoping for," Yamamoto said.One is persuaded to agree with the view that the coming of the new dispensation caught the US by surprise and is now seeking to recover lost ground.In short, the Americans might be seeking a "soft-landing" that would redefine their relations with Zimbabwe. Opinion / Columnist Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice activist, writer, author, and speaker. He is the Programmes Director with the Zimbabwe Network for Social Justice (ZimJustice). Please feel free to call/WhatsApp: +263782283975, or email: zimjustice@gmail.com. Please also 'Like' the 'ZimJustice' page on Facebook. If ever there is one thing that will forever be engraved in this country's history, it is that: Rhodesia took great care of its Whites, whereas, Zimbabwe treated its people as rubbish - only to be used to attain power and wealth, but then quickly forgotten and discarded.Whenever I study how White people were treated under the Rhodesia regime, and contrast it to how the independent Zimbabwe junta treats the majority of its people - my heart is gripped by a pain that can not be described.Furthermore, as the country heads towards commemorating - as, I do not exactly see anything to celebrate - its 38th independence anniversary on 18 April, and a crucial election in a few months time - one can not help but be filled with a sense of shame, when comparing how Rhodesia's democracy towards its White population contrasts with independent Zimbabwe's towards its majority.When the liberation struggle was waged in the 1960s and 70s, the main inspiration was that the Black majority of this country were disenfranchised and oppressed, such that there was a dearth of genuine democracy for 6 million of the country's people, as opposed to the 270,000 of the White population.Various Rhodesia constitutions tried to give a facade of democracy for the Black people, especially the 1961 Constitution, with its complex rolls A and B system - based on income earned, and property owned by the voter - which, resulted in all 50 constituent seats going to White people, and the 15 district members being mostly Black.Nevertheless, the situation only worsened for the Black population with the 1965 revisions to the Constitution, and a completely new one in 1969.With such apparently repressive constitutions, one would have thought that the advent of an independent Zimbabwe - with its promise of 'majority rule', and 'one man, one vote' - democracy for the people of this country would be akin to heaven on earth - as it had been for Whites under Rhodesia.Besides, was that not the reason why thousands upon thousands of men, women, and children sacrificed and lost their lives during the protracted liberation struggle - culminating in independence on 18 April 1980?However, that was not to be, as true democracy and freedom in independent Zimbabwe remained just a pipe dream - as the regime seemed intent on continuing, not with the enviable and exemplary democracy shown towards the White people by Rhodesia - and extending it to all - but, with the repression of the majority.Since 1980, the majority of Zimbabweans have never known what true democracy is, such that, even today, some people may wonder what the hack I am talking about - as it is so easy to normalize abuse and repression.Even during the Rhodesia days, some Black people never saw anything amiss about their welfare and disenfranchisement, leading them to wonder what the nationalists where fighting for - even regarding them as 'trouble causers'.For those people, Whites were entitled to such privileges.Similarly, today, we still have those who do not see anything wrong with the country's democracy - or lack of.It would shock many to know that it was not illegal to insult the prime minister - and later under the 1969 Constitution, the ceremonial president - yet, in our beloved independent Zimbabwe, it is a crime.How can democracy thrive when one can not even vent their feelings towards the leader of their own country?That is where democracy starts, as the leader of a country is put into that job by the people, and as such - as with any other employer - they have every right to express themselves openly and candidly, and any deprivation of such a right is the beginning of tyranny.In Zimbabwe cult politics is the norm in both the ruling ZANU PF party and the opposition, whereby, leaders are treated as demigods - to be worshipped, always infallible, and never to be questioned or challenged - yet, in Rhodesia, leaders were truly the servants of their people, and were genuinely answerable to them.Instead of party symbols, such as coats of arms, and organization colours, being used as images of political parties - faces of party leaders are used...a clear sign of the cultism that has gripped independent Zimbabwe's political landscape.In Rhodesia, a leader was just one of the people, whom they would have chosen to lead, but could easily be challenged, or even removed - yet, in Zimbabwe, choosing a leader is akin to choosing a god, who will become untouchable.In fact, those seeking office in Rhodesia were solely motivated by the love for their people, and sought to fulfill certain agendas and programs that they sincerely believed were the best for the country.Even in the heavily contested 1962 general elections between Winston Field's Rhodesia Front (RF) - that was committed to independence without majority rule and to the continued separate development of white and black communities - and Edgar Whitehead's United Federal Party (UFP) - committed to slow progress to majority rule - the main issues of contention had everything to do with their genuine belief in the country, rather than personal aggrandizement - as we unashamedly witness in Zimbabwe.Let no one fool themselves, political parties in Zimbabwe are mostly about individuals' desire for power and wealth.I see how, for instance, then president Robert Gabriel Mugabe was living and was being worshipped, and then I also envy the same for myself - that is the only reason most Zimbabweans venture into politics.One just needs to take a look at the lifestyles of the various political party leaders in Zimbabwe - their motorcades, bodyguards, and so forth - and it is clear to all what these people are all about...themselves!Yet, in Rhodesia, leaders like Ian Douglas Smith were just as ordinary as the next guy.These were leaders one could meet on the street, and wait in a queue at OK Supermarket together - without any motorcades and bodyguards!That is why it was once said that Smith even challenged Mugabe to walk along First Street in Harare without bodyguards, a see who would be attacked!Under Rhodesia, all registered White political parties were provided with continued unfettered access to state media, without favouritism and bias - as only, the Black nationalist movements were vilified as 'terrorists'.Yet, in independent Zimbabwe, all registered opposition political parties are vilified in, and even denied access to, the state media - and are only availed token coverage a few months before elections.Opposition political parties in Zimbabwe are treated in the same manner as Black nationalist movements in Rhodesia - when, instead, a truly democratic society would provide continuous access to the state media to all parties.Similarly, Rhodesia provided all registered White political parties and civil rights organizations freedom to campaign and hold gatherings without any hindrances - yet, in independent Zimbabwe, the same can not be said.There have been numerous reports of opposition political parties and civil rights organizations being denied permission - even when none is required under the Zimbabwe Constitution - to hold peaceful gatherings and demonstrations.Furthermore, the police, and ruling ZANU PF thugs have been known to attack opposition supporters who would have gathered for peaceful demonstrations, meetings or rallies.This was unheard of in Rhodesia in relation to their own White population, yet, Zimbabwe brutalizes the people it is supposedly representing.In fact, the only time that this country experienced genuine multi-party democracy - whereby, several parties peacefully exchanged power - was during Rhodesia.During the period, parties such as the Rhodesia Party, United Party (also United Rhodesia Party, and United Federal Party), Rhodesia Front (later Republic Party), peacefully and democratically exchanged power.However, since independence in 1980, only ZANU PF has ruled in Zimbabwe, albeit via undemocratic means highlighted in this article.Rhodesia used chieftainships as instruments of repression only towards the Black majority - who mostly resided in the rural areas - whilst, their own White people were accorded enough respect to decide their own political futures without cohesion, and intimidation.Rhodesia valued its own White population's independent decisions, and never sought to force them into voting for any particular political party.Nevertheless, in Zimbabwe, it has become the norm that - inter- or intra- party - intimidation and cohesion is regarded as part and parcel of acceptable campaigning.In Rhodesia, seldom - if ever - were there any reports of people coming to blows over political office, or whilst campaigning.Recently, registered voters, under the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) process, were being forced to divulge their confidential registration numbers - mostly by ZANU PF members - as a means to intimidate them into believing that government would be able to tell who voted for which party.There is so much that Zimbabwe can learn from Rhodesia in democracy, and we need not even look as far as to the West.At some time, we had democracy, that was the envy of the world, right here in this country - yet, it was discarded soon after independence, in favor of the continued repression of the majority.Nevertheless, if Zimbabweans truly crave for the return of such democracy, we need to elect politicians whose values are in alignment with these principles.Black people need to finally prove to themselves, and to the rest of the world, that we are not some primitive savages, who have no decency, but thrive on the pain and abuse of others.Even wild animals protect and defend their own, as only the most primitive cannibalise one another - the very thing we are doing in our current political landscape.If White Rhodesians could be there for each other, and afford one another only the best - why then should our Black leadership seek to subjugate, repress and be parasitic towards their own?Who should Black leadership be the only one known for power-hungry, brutality and tyranny, especially towards their own?Unfortunately, I seriously doubt that Zimbabwe is currently blessed with leaders who can take us to the next level of civilization - however, we can start by teaching our own children on the true values of democracy.If we once had it in our country, then we can surely have it again. Opinion / Columnist MLO President, Cde Paul Siwela saw brutality and agony caused by fractured bones, broken limbs and untreated festering gun shot wounds when he was detained at Khami Maximum Security Prison from 2011 to 2012. All Matebeles charged with armed robbery were groaning in pain with gun shot wounds on their left foot, but Shona speaking prisoners who had committed same offenses were looking clean without even a single scratch.The reason given for these acts of ruthlessness is that Matebeles get shot or injured when they resist arrest. But the truth of the matter is that the Zimbabwe government and its security agents want to cause pain and suffering for Matabeles so as to keep them under submission and oppression.Some tearful Matabeles reported torture, beatings, suffocation, electrocution and poisoning.Prisoners charged with murder have their food laced with slow poison. As a result some do not make it back home or die soon after their release. Majority victims of torture die of internal injuries. Cde Paul Siwela, himself a high profile prisoner charged with treason for advocating for Matabeleland statehood restoration, did not escape the cruelty. He was subjected to solitary confinement while in cold and tight leg irons 24/7. Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyers refused to represent him on the basis of tribe and political ideology. This caused a tribal split within ZLHR organization with Matabeles forming Abammeli Mthwakazi to accommodate discriminated Matabeleland political activists. All Shonas remained in the segregative Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to represent their Shona tribes and Zimbabwe oppressive political ideologies. To them Matebeles are not human enough to be represented by Shona lawyers in a Zimbabwe court. An abused Matabele dying in a Zimbabwean dirty prison is seen as not only normal but acceptable. They serve and promote the narrow interests of Shona supremacism not that of humans.MLO notes that when Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti were charged with treason, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights members sprang up and lined up to stand for them simply because they were Shona and represented what they believed was the correct political ideology. Protest Pastor, Evan Mawarire pulled a record 200 volunteers from ZLHR thanks to his tribal orientation.The duo of Tsvangirai and Biti were not subjected to solitary confinement nor leg irons. Is this the reason why there is no school of law nor school of medicine in Matabeleland? This is another subject which the people of Matabeleland must expose and interrogate vigorously. But it should be subject of the next article.Killing and torturing people in prisons was common with apartheid South Africa and other colonialists in Africa. If apartheid which discriminated people according to skin colour and caused much pain to blacks was fought and defeated in South Africa, Shona supremacism that segregates blacks on the basis of tribe must fall in Matabeleland.In our last article, MLO revealed how genocidists that dominate Zimbabwe government and security put Matebele soldiers in the front lines to be killed in Mozambique and DRC wars. Without fear or favour, today we reveal abuse and genocide against Matebeles that takes place inside prison high walls and bars.Perpetrators are still the same gukurahundists that committed genocide in Matabeleland in which more than 40 000 Matabele civilians were dastardly burchard.Taking a closer and careful look at the political developments in Matabeleland one can tell that the sleeping giant called Matabeleland has awakened. The oppressive Shona government security agents are running around like headless chickens carrying fire extinguishers to stop revolutionary flames in Matabeleland.Last year they had to rush to Lupane in Matabeleland North to protect Shona teachers who were chased away from primary schools for causing law pass rates.Late last year they took their water cannons, AK 47ns and baton to Bulawayo Trade Fair Grounds to stop Stanley Raphael Khumalo's supporters from anointing him as Matabeleland King. In march this year the riot police had to surround BF Stadium to prevent Bulelani Lobhengula Khumalo from being coronated as King. The reasons given for blocking the people of Matabeleland from exercising their right to practice their culture are stupid as the oppressor himself. We watch with laughter as the oppressor exposes and shoots himself in the foot. All oppressors are not smart. Are they?The above mentioned events and many others bear testimony that a new generation has arisen in Matabeleland. A generation that worships God who is in heaven not a demi- god somewhere in Mashonaland. A generation that is not only aware but says it loud and clear that we are all equal before the eyes of God and that we all have the right to self determination.These are God given and United Nations recognised rights that MLO unapologetically stands for. We urge all Matabeles not to be collaborators in their own oppression by legitimising the government of Zimbabwe by participating in their political events. Do not listen or follow Shona supremacist stooges who work around the clock to lead you back to Zimbabwe which to us is like the biblical Egypt to all Matebeles. These sellouts are more active during this period of elections campaign. We hear that they now define themselves as "Zimbabweans first" to try and deceive many in Matabeleland to abandon the restoration cause for political wilderness and oppression in Zimbabwe.MLO will keep all its promises. We do not forget or forgive oppressors. Surrender is not an option but independence and sovereignty is our first and last option. For it, we are prepared to fight to the bitter end. If it means dying in the process let it be.Give us Matabeleland or death!Izenzo Kungemazwi!Israel DubeMLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs Opinion / National The testimonies from bigwigs and stakeholders involved in exploiting diamonds in Chiadzwa given before Parliament last week painted a picture of intrigue and corporate sleaze that could have potentially prejudiced the fiscus of fortune-changing amounts.As has been the case with diamond mining and trading around the world, those who volunteered their testimony such as Gye Nyame shareholder Mr Itai Munyeza told riveting tales of greed, deceit and corporate malfeasance, which all came at a huge monetary cost to Government.Gye Nyame was a Ghanaian firm that had partnered with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), ostensibly with the blessing of the previous political administration, under the pretext that this would help them raise funds to bankroll their operations. This model was replicated in other security arms of Government.Evidence presented in Parliament shows that Gye Nyame was not the serious investor it was made out to be.It failed to raise the US$15 million capital investment required and Mr Munyeza and his partner, Mr Blessmore Chanakira, ended up mobilising US$5 million from local financiers to rescue the project.However, the most intriguing part was the relationship between shareholders in Gye Nyame : Bill Minerals, the ZRP and the local consortium.The ZRP rode roughshod over everyone else, and its stake rose from 5 percent to 10 percent and then 20 percent, in one week.Surprisingly, the CR14 of the firm did not bear the ZRP's name but the name of former police Commissioner General Dr Augustine Chihuri appeared prominently.Dr Chihuri's three deputies were not aware of the 20 percent stake in Gye Nyame. Retired Commissioners Mekia Tanyanyiwa and Grace Ndebele said they were verbally appointed to sit on the Gye Nyame board by Dr Chihuri.His former right hand man, Retired Commissioner Oliver Chibage, was assigned to identify possible names.Said Mr Munyeza: "The police felt like they were the owners of the claim."A top lawyer, who was believed to be Dr Chihuri's advisor, is alleged to have called Mr Munyeza, directing him to fire the Ghanaian shareholders.Further, as soon as ZRP had its stake, Dr Chihuri imposed 140 "serving" police officers, ostensibly to provide security. But the clincher was when eight heavily armed police officers allegedly sent by Dr Chihuri demanded from Mr Munyeza, spare keys to the diamond vault. Mr Munyeza, who at that point had gone to pick up his child at school, was force-marched, movie-style, to a building near the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) in Harare where police pestered him for the keys.After hours of refusing to surrender the keys, police officers took Mr Munyeza to a dark room, where he eventually succumbed and handed over the keys.Mr Munyeza's version that the police grabbed all the diamonds was corroborated by former ZMDC board chairman, Mr Godwills Masimirembwa."Gye Nyame had started mining and stockpiling but there were issues that happened. I think that they will speak for themselves exactly what happened; but the reports we have are that one day, they were visited by police and keys to their box that contained diamonds were taken," said Mr Masimirembwa.No one, including ZMDC the joint venture partner representing Government knows what later happened to the gems whose value was estimated at US$10 million. This means Mr Munyeza "never realised a reward" from his investment.Kusena Diamonds, which was in a mining venture with the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), says it also lost US$1 million when its stockpiled diamonds were sold. Former CIO Director General Mr Happyton Bonyongwe said: "Our diamonds were sold, we understand by the ZMDC. The total amount was US$1million (and) the money never came to the department. I think it's with the ZMDC."Overall, Government was potentially prejudiced of revenue from the sale of Gye Nyame and Kusena diamonds worth US$11 million.ZMDC role under scrutinyEstablished by an Act of Parliament in 1982, ZMDC had the mission to superintend over mining of minerals on behalf of Government "for the benefit of the stakeholders".But evidence presented in Parliament last week suggests that Government has wrong representatives at ZMDC.The fact that Government generated a paltry US$282 million in six years through taxes and dividends from Mbada, DMC, Jinan and Marange, raises several questions without answers.Other miners didn't contribute anything. ZMDC officials shockingly said they had not received financial results from other companies, despite being 50/ 50 joint venture partners."The ones that contributed, like I said, are Mbada, Jinan, DMC and Marange and these figures are based on audited financial statements. Mr Chairman We don't have the financial statements for those entities (whose contribution was not revealed)," said a ZMDC official.Zimbabwe is estimated to have hauled 16,9 million carats in 2013, representing 13 percent of global rough diamond supply: 12 million carats in 2012; 8,7 million carats in 2011, and 8,2 million carats in 2010. This story is part of Deadly Force, a CBC News investigation into police-involved fatalities in Canada. Kunuk Qamaniq from Pond Inlet, Nunavut, was most comfortable when he was outdoors. The 20-year-old was a hunter who camped on the land to harvest seal, caribou and narwhal. His mother, Leah Qamaniq, describes him as easy going and loved by family. As the second eldest son in his family, he was also a big help around the house. Kunuk had never been in trouble with anyone, his mother said, especially police. "The people here know Kunuk was trouble-free to anyone or any cop, they know that he was a good person," she said. On March 18, 2017, RCMP were called to the hamlet's cemetery, where officers were responding to a report of a man with a firearm. No answers for family The man, who police said was suicidal, suffered a gunshot wound. RCMP statements at the time did not say whether the man was shot by police and to this day, it is still unconfirmed by officials. That Saturday afternoon in March, Leah received a call at home from a relative working at the health centre. Kunuk was in critical condition. He died shortly after she arrived at the health centre. Kunuk's death last year was one of 461 deadly encounters with police in Canada between 2000 and 2017, according to a CBC News analysis. The five men who died in Nunavut Kunuk; Naytanie Atadjuat, 26; Felix Taqqaugaq, 30; Charles Qirngnirq, 21; and Jeremy Nuvviaq, 39 were all fatally shot during RCMP interventions. The CBC database shows the number of people dying in police encounters has steadily increased since 2000. Kunuk was one of three victims of RCMP-involved shootings that took place in the six-month period between December 2016 and May 2017. Ottawa police, which acted as third-party investigators in all three cases, are expected to testify at mandatory coroner's inquests. The coroner's office did not release the date for the inquest into Kunuk's death. Story continues "My husband and I, we've been trying to find the justice for my son, we've been trying to ask the supervisor for RCMP here," said Leah, who says she believes the officer responding to the call fatally shot her son. "I don't know what else to do anymore." The events at the cemetery were investigated by Ottawa police, according to standard practice in Nunavut RCMP-related fatalities. Ottawa police told CBC their investigation is concluded and with the RCMP. RCMP's V Division in Nunavut did not respond to CBC's requests for an interview. David Qamaniq, Kunuk's father, says he has lost faith in police. "We thought the RCMP was going to help us to diffuse the problem," he said. "From now on I will never ever call the cops for help." David wants Nunavut politicians to push for independent investigators who aren't police to look into RCMP-involved deaths. All 5 victims were Inuit The CBC investigation found that 70 per cent of victims suffered from mental illness, substance abuse, or both, and Indigenous victims were over-represented. All five victims in Nunavut were Inuit, and are believed to have been suicidal or in distress due to mental illness, according to reports by police and family. Before he died, Kunuk was struggling to cope with the loss of his sister, who died by suicide in 2016, according to Leah. Former Nunavut RCMP Sgt. Yvonne Niego said in times of crisis, rifts in community relations become apparent. "When that anxiety and stress level is high, that's when mistakes are made, assumptions are made and wrongful actions can happen," she said. Jimmy Akavak, another former Nunavut RCMP sergeant, says language barriers increase the chances of miscommunication. "When we're in a crisis situation we want to talk to somebody who we trust, in the same language, our mother tongue, and a lot of times that helps as an officer," he said. "Over the years the majority of the negotiations I've done crisis negotiating was in Inuktitut." Police are often responding to households in Nunavut where firearms are commonly used for hunting and aren't properly stored, according to Akavak. "Especially when narwhal or beluga whales come in, people have guns on their porch," he said. Of the five police-involved deaths between 2000 and 2017 in Nunavut, three victims were reportedly armed with guns and two victims had a knife. Niego, who is currently the deputy minister of Family Services in Nunavut's government, says deadly encounters with police are also related to a shortage of mental-health services. "There are so many needs," she said. "Bit by bit some of those things are being addressed ... but it takes time." Victoria Madsen, director of mental health and addiction in the territory, says the government is bringing new training to communities. After five years since the government first introduced the pilot, Nunavut's Department of Health and Quality of Life Secretariat is finally implementing the Interagency Information Sharing Protocol program in some communities that would allow frontline workers to communicate across agencies. That means RCMP can contact mental-health staff in times of crisis. The first training will take place in Kunuk's home community of Pond Inlet on Monday, and more training will happen over spring and summer. "If RCMP gets a call and there's an imminent risk of suicide, they can call mental health and we can tell them what we need to know," said Madsen. "This at least increases the chance of getting the help they need." The Pasco County Sheriffs Office in Florida on April 13 shared bodycam footage shot the day before showing Yager, a member of the K9 unit, apprehending a suspect for the first time. The video shows Deputy Michael Sentner and Yager running into a wooded area in pursuit of a man who the sheriffs office said had bailed from a stolen vehicle after the tire popped. The man was charged with drug possession, fleeing an officer, and driving with a invalid license, among other charges, the sheriffs office said. The Pasco County Sheriffs Office regularly shares footage of its K9 unit in an effort to promote their contribution to law enforcement. A previous bodycam video, shared by the sheriffs office in February, showed an officer and his K9 splitting up to catch two men suspected of stealing a car. Credit: Pasco County Sheriffs Office via Storyful By Paul Carsten and Abraham Achirga ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian police fired bullets and tear gas to disperse Shi'ite Muslim protesters marching for their leader's freedom in the capital on Monday, and organizers said at least one demonstrator was killed and several were wounded by gunfire. Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) leader Ibrahim Zakzaky has been jailed since December 2015, when security forces killed hundreds of members in a crackdown on a group estimated to have 3 million followers. The violent repression of the group and the detention of its leader have drawn accusations that President Muhammadu Buhari's government is abusing human rights. The IMN, which has held regular peaceful protests in Abuja in recent months, says Zakzaky must be freed after a court ruled his detention without charge illegal. The crackdown has sparked fears that IMN could become radicalized, in much the same way the Sunni Muslim militant group Boko Haram turned into a violent insurgency in 2009 after police killed its leader. "As we started protesting they started shooting tear gas and using water cannons," Abdullahi Muhammad, an IMN youth leader, told Reuters by phone. "We refused to disperse and they used bullets as well, and they shot so many people." "They want to push us to violence but they couldn't, so that is why they are using live ammunition, thinking that killing will stop us. No amount of killing will stop us," he added. Muhammad said he witnessed police dragging bullet-hit protesters into a van and sitting on them, adding that he did not know if they were dead or alive. At least eight other IMN members were hit by bullets and were now receiving treatment, Muhammad told Reuters. An IMN statement said at least one protester was killed. Police said in a statement the protesters had injured 22 officers, and they arrested 115 demonstrators. The IMN statement said about 230 members were arrested. Nearly all of the Muslims that make up around half of Nigeria's population are Sunnis. The IMN was founded in the 1980s after the revolution in mainly Shi'ite Iran in 1979, which inspired the group's founders. A judicial inquiry after the December 2015 clashes concluded that the military had killed 347 IMN members in Zakzaky's home base, the city of Zaria. Soldiers buried the bodies in mass graves. The group calls the incident "the Zaria massacre". A Reuters journalist near the scene of Monday's demonstration heard gunshots ring out and was stung by tear gas in the air. Videos uploaded on social media showed wreaths of the gas enveloping Abuja's streets in the upmarket Maitama district, near the landmark Transcorp Hilton hotel. Other videos showed protesters pelting an armored police vehicle with rocks before it sped away, and people fleeing the area. "The only thing that will stop these protests is when the government frees our leader," said Muhammad. (Reporting by Paul Carsten and Abraham Achirga; Additional reporting by Camillus Eboh in Abuja and Garba Muhammad in Kaduna; Editing by Peter Graff and Jonathan Oatis) Two of the main highways in the Municipal District of Taber reopened Sunday morning after overland flooding from melting snow closed dozens of roads the day before. The area, however, remained under an emergency alert as of 1 p.m. Sunday, as many roads were still affected by the high water flow. At 9:20 p.m., a second emergency alert was issued for Forty Mile County, south of Medicine Hat, due to localized overland flooding. The alert cautioned that several roads had been closed. Highways 36 and 864, which are both provincial roads, were deemed fit for motorists again Sunday morning after flood waters dropped overnight. However, RCMP said they are monitoring the situation and are prepared to close the roads again if the situation worsens. On Sunday evening, Alberta Transportation cautioned that the following highways had started to flood. - Highway 500, east of Coutts. - Highway 877, northeast of Milk River and between Highway 513 and Highway 61. - Highway 36 at the Old Man River and at Range Road 163 near Vauxhall. - Highway 884 south of Jenner. - Highway 555 between Atlee and Buffalo. - Highway 772 north of Calgary. There was also a mudslide caution for Highway 837 near Drumheller. Cooler temperatures overnight and into Sunday morning initially helped slow the water, which allowed for some of the drainage systems to get caught up. But as temperatures rose into the afternoon, M.D. officials said they were preparing for the worst. Environment Canada forecast temperatures as high as 6 C for Taber on Sunday, with snow expected overnight, and above 0 C temperatures again on Monday. "It's not over with yet," said Merrill Harris, the deputy reeve of the M.D. of Taber on Sunday morning. "There's still lots of snow to be melted, today if gets warm as it did yesterday it's just going to be that much worse again this afternoon." Harris said the main canal of the St. Mary's River Irrigation District the main system for irrigation in the area, which is acting as the drainage outlet is currently right at the brim. Story continues "It's flowing at full capacity or more than full capacity so there's a serious situation that could happen there yet if it starts overflowing its banks," he said. 2 family homes evacuated Two families a total of 13 people were forced to leave their homes on Saturday due to flooding. Margaret Thiessen and her four children were among those forced to leave. She said she had been watching the waters rise on her property for the past three days and was prepared to evacuate the home. They were allowed to return home Sunday morning, but only to check on their property. "We're going there to rescue our animals," she said. A full list of road closures and updates on the emergency situation are available on the district's website, and @511Alberta is is tweeting out updates on highway conditions. - MORE CALGARY NEWS | How the Waterton Lakes wildfire took a toll on park staff - MORE CALGARY NEWS | Where does all that garburator waste end up? TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart have pledged to improve ties between their nations and affirmed a commitment to stick with U.N. resolutions aimed at forcing North Korea to abandon nuclear weapons. Kono met the Chinese governments top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, in Tokyo on Sunday, having made his own official visit to Beijing earlier this year. Wang is the first Chinese foreign minister to visit Japan in a bilateral context in the nine years. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping last year promised to reset the sometimes fraught relations between Asia's two largest economies. "Through mutual visits between our two leaders we agreed to pursue wide-reaching cooperation and improved ties," Kono said after Sunday's meeting. Economic ties between Japan and China are close, led by corporate investment. The neighbors remain at odds, however, over China's growing military presence in the South China Sea, through which much of the region's sea-borne trade sails, and a dispute over ownership of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea, known as the Senkaku in Tokyo and the Diaoyu in Beijing. Wang said his visit was in response to Japan's positive attitude towards China. "Since last year Japan has, in relations with China, displayed a positive message and friendly attitude," he said. The talks came ahead of a summit between the two Koreas this month and a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jon Un and U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S-North Korea talks are aimed at ending a stand-off over Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. "To establish a complete, irreversible and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea we agreed to continue to fully implement all relevant U.N. resolutions and to work closely together," Kono said. Wang, who spent eight years in Japan as a diplomat, including three as China's ambassador, is scheduled to hold further talks with Kono and other Japanese Cabinet ministers on Monday. On Tuesday Japanese Self Defense Force officers will meet counterparts from China's People's Liberation Army at a reception hosted by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in an effort to build trust between the military rivals. (Changes to Japan and China pledged relationship reset last year.) (Reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo; Writing by Tim Kelly and Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Sam Holmes and David Goodman) The writ has yet to drop, but it seems that the gloves already have. Attack ads targeting Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford are rolling out now, setting the tone for the battle for votes leading up to the June 7 election. Two ads criticizing Wynne that started airing this week are being paid for by Ontario Proud, which started out as a Facebook campaign and has grown to more than 350,000 followers since it launched in February 2016. "With the spending limits and the rules it's imperative that we do everything we can right now to spread our message," said Jeff Ballingall, founder of Ontario Proud. "We still want to reach the one third who are not on Facebook, so people will see our message on their phones, they'll see it on their computers, they'll hear us on their car radios and they'll see us on TV." The first of two ads airing on CP24, depicts an exclusive dinner party with Kathleen Wynne's so-called "insider friends." The spot criticizes what it calls "cash for access" and accuses the government of giving tax breaks to Liberal Party corporate donors. "It showcases how Liberal insiders have been getting rich. We've seen hydro executives making obscene amounts of money giving themselves million-dollar raises," Ballingall told CBC Toronto. The second ad plays out like a fast-paced promo for a greatest hits album, listing off what it calls the "highlights" of years of Liberal mismanagement, including the gas plants cancellation, e-health failure and skyrocketing hydro bills. "It's satire. It's parody. It's a review of those greatest hits albums [on] those great K-Tel ads. We thought it was a great way to add some humour into the mix," Ballingall said. It's the first time in recent memory that anti-Liberal attack ads have been produced and airtime paid for by a third party. Ads attacking then-Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak were paid for by the Liberal-friendly Working Families coalition of unions during the 2014 campaign. Story continues Meanwhile, not to be outdone, the Ontario Liberal Party is launching a pre-election attack ad campaign of its own called: "The Real Doug Ford." It evokes the spectre of public sector workers layoffs of teachers and healthcare workers to pay for promised corporate tax cuts. The second ad uses statements made by Ford on topics, such as autistic children, abortion and race. "It's really Doug Ford in his own words," said Liberal campaign co-chair Deb Matthews, who denied the ads show the party is desperate because it lags in popularity in most recent polls. "We didn't start this," said Matthews. "At this moment he is winning. But we need to make sure people understand the consequences of that." It's a big contrast to ads from the last election campaign, which featured Wynne prominently, such as the one that showed her on a long-distance run. Matthews denies the shift to the attack is because the premier is personally unpopular. "The premier is out every day doing media availability, unlike Doug Ford," she said, adding the PC leader is trying to avoid public scrutiny. In a statement, the Ontario NDP says leader Andrea Horwath's first campaign ad focuses on her positive vision for the province, and how she will replace the cynicism people are feeling about politics right now with hope. "A lot of people have become cynical about politics and politicians," says Horwath in the 30-second Facebook spot. "It absolutely does not have to be this way." The party says it will run its biggest campaign ever in Ontario, and that will include television advertisements. Meanwhile a guerilla campaign called "Not Doug," which says it's run by a group of volunteers who live in Ontario and is paid for with their own personal funds, denies any association with any political party The group says some its members have even supported the PCs in the past. "Not Doug" has yet to register as a third-party group with Elections Ontario. Parents of children with autism announce plan to take legal action against government Claudia Taboada said she had to quit her job as a lawyer to be able to care for her son who has autism spectrum disorder. Taboada is part of a group of Quebec parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are planning to take legal action against the Quebec government in an effort to improve services and access to them. "We're going to go all the way. We are tired," Taboada said. The group is made up of three mothers and one father who said that cuts to programs have made it difficult to access medical and social services for their children. Among the parents' grievances is having to endure seemingly endless wait lists for diagnoses and treatment. This means they have to spend money on private health care services. "I have lost at least $100,000 over the years because of sick leave, taking unpaid leave due to my son's condition and the lack of appropriate services for him," said Katharine Cukier, mother of 15-year-old Benjamin, who has ASD. She spoke at a news conference Sunday at the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR). The parents are planning to sue various government institutions, such as school boards and health care institutions. They will either file individual complaints of systemic discrimination with the Quebec Human Rights Commission, or eventually, a class action lawsuit. 'Very anxious about the future' Taboada's greatest concern is her son's future. Her 17-year-old has been on multiple waiting lists for special services and has been bounced around the public school system. Children with special needs stay in school until they are 21, but after that, Taboada said she has no real options a lack of day centres and huge waiting lists make her worry that her son will lose everything he learned in school just sitting at home. "I'm very scared, very anxious for his future," Taboada said. Though the province invested $29 million into an action plan to improve autism services nearly a year ago, these parents say they haven't seen any change and that it's simply not enough money. Story continues "Very little has been done," Cukier said. Spokesperson for Quebec's Public Health Ministry Alexandra Regis said the increase in autism rates has made it difficult to deliver services. She said the five-year action plan is supposed to remedy that. In 2014, the Ontario government invested $810 million in services for people with developmental disabilities. Cukier considers this a model to follow. "We are far behind other provinces in providing for this very vulnerable population," she said. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told a group of Russian lawmakers on Sunday that Western missile strikes on his country were an act of aggression. The meeting followed missile strikes by the United States, France and Britain against Syrian government targets over a suspected poison gas attack a week ago. Russia, which is helping Assad fight militants and rebels opposed to his rule, immediately condemned the strikes and called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. "From the point of view of the president, this was aggression and we share this position," Russia's TASS news agency quoted lawmaker Sergei Zheleznyak as saying after the meeting with Assad in the Syrian capital Damascus. The president was in a "good mood" and continuing his work in Damascus, agencies cited the lawmakers as saying, and praised the Soviet-era air defense systems Syria used to help to repel the Western attacks. "The tripartite aggression against Syria accompanied a campaign of disinformation," Assad's office quoted him as saying on Sunday. Moscow and Damascus are "waging one battle, not only against terrorism" but also to protect the sovereignty of states, he told the Russian officials. Both countries have dismissed the reports of the alleged gas attack as bogus, accusing Washington of using it as a pretext for the strikes. A senior Russian military official said on Saturday that Syria's air defenses, which mostly consist of systems made in the former Soviet Union, had intercepted 71 of the 105 American, British and French missiles. The Pentagon has said the strikes successfully hit the three chemical weapons facilities which were targeted. "Yesterday we saw American aggression. And we were able to repel it with Soviet missiles from the 70s," Russian lawmaker Dmitry Sablin quoted Assad as saying, TASS reported. Sablin also said Assad accepted an invitation to visit the Siberian region of Khanty-Mansi in Russia. It was not clear when the visit would take place. Russia said on Saturday it would consider supplying S-300 surface to-air missile systems to Syria following the Western strikes, but this was not discussed at the meeting with Assad, agencies reported. Assad also declined to comment on calls by the U.S. State Department to declare alleged Syrian stockpiles of chemical weapons, Zheleznyak said. (Reporting by Jack Stubbs; Additional reporting by Ellen Francis; Editing by Jane Merriman) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to Paris is a serious visit with a "steadfast ally," the former Canadian ambassador to France Lawrence Cannon says. Much of the prime minister's two-day visit to France is expected to focus on trade as Canada looks to ease its reliance on the U.S. market. Cannon says he doesn't expect to see Trudeau repeat the errors that marred his recent trip to India. "We won't see the prime minister with a beret and a baguette under his arm," Cannon told Radio-Canada in an interview. Cannon, Stephen Harper's former foreign affairs minister, served as Canada's top diplomat in Paris for five years until last fall. Trudeau arrived in Paris early Monday morning after a seven-hour pitstop in Ottawa to deal with the Trans Mountain pipeline crisis. This is Trudeau's first official visit to France and he will sit down with President Emmanuel Macron. "Prime Minister Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron get along very well," Cannon told CBC News. "Both of them are young politicians. They basically view the world particularly through the same kind of glasses." Trudeau supported France ordering military intervention in Syria alongside the United States and Britain. It was Macron's first big military action since taking office a year ago. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron exchange words in Paris. Photo from The Canadian Press. Recent events in Syria are expected to come up in discussions between the two leaders, but Cannon doesn't think Macron will ask for any assistance. Macron is expected to thank Trudeau for Canada's upcoming contribution in Mali, which France had been requesting for some time. It was announced in March that Canada would send six helicopters and up to 250 aircrew and troops to assist with the UN peacekeeping mission this summer. Canada's year-long commitment will involve two CH-147 Chinook helicopters for medical evacuations and logistical support and four CH-146 Griffon helicopters for armed escorts. Story continues French troops are battling a deadly Islamist insurgency in Mali, but Canadian Forces will only provide transportation assistance for UN peacekeepers in the country. Trade as economic tool On the topic of trade, Cannon says Trudeau and Macron both see global trade as a vital economic tool that promotes jobs, gender equality, human rights and can help address climate change. "We have a wonderful opportunity here in diversifying our economy and given, of course, what's taking place in NAFTA (re-negotiations) it gives us a better chance," Cannon said. Trudeau will be the first Canadian head of government to deliver a speech to the French National Assembly on Tuesday. Cannon says that by extending that honour, Macron is signalling a desire to build even stronger relations. Cannon suggested some of themes that Trudeau might touch on in that speech. "He certainly might want to make comment on Europe being a steadfast ally, and the necessity for Europe to be able to still stand as tall as it has over the course of the last years. Europe is somewhat pressured these days. You've got the rise of populism. That's still there, so there are a number of elements I think the prime minister can speak to," Cannon said. The prime minister will also meet Michaelle Jean, the former governor general of Canada who is now head of the International Organization of La Francophonie. Additionally, he'll meet with the head of French aerospace giant Airbus, which has partnered with Canadian counterpart Bombardier on the latter's C Series passenger planes. By Ezgi Erkoyun ALIAGA, Turkey (Reuters) - A U.S. pastor denied allegations of links to a group accused of orchestrating a failed military coup in Turkey as he went on trial on Monday in a case that has compounded strains in U.S.-Turkish relations. Andrew Brunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was indicted on charges of helping the group that Ankara holds responsible for the failed 2016 coup against President Tayyip Erdogan. He faces up to 35 years in prison. "I've never done something against Turkey. I love Turkey. I've been praying for Turkey for 25 years. I want truth to come out," Brunson told the court in the western Turkish town of Aliaga, north of the Aegean city of Izmir. Brunson has been the pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church, serving a small Protestant congregation in Turkey's third largest city. "I do not accept the charges mentioned in the indictment. I was never involved in any illegal activities," said Brunson, wearing a white shirt and black suit and making his defense in Turkish. His wife was in the courtroom, as were North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and the U.S. envoy for religious freedom, Sam Brownback. At the end of the hearing, the court ruled Brunson should remain in jail as the trial continues, the pastor's lawyer told reporters. He said the next hearing will be on May 7. Brunson's trial is one of several legal cases roiling U.S.-Turkish relations. The two countries are also at odds over U.S. support for a Kurdish militia in northern Syria that Turkey considers a terrorist organization. Washington has called for Brunson's release while Erdogan suggested last year his fate could be linked to that of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose extradition Ankara has repeatedly sought to face charges over the coup attempt. Gulen denies any association with the coup bid. Tens of thousands of Turks have been arrested or lost their jobs over alleged connections with the coup bid. "The United States cares deeply about our relationship with Turkey," Brownback told reporters during a recess at the trial "That relationship is going to have difficulty moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated." RELIGIOUS BELIEFS Brunson's lawyer said the pastor, detained 18 months ago, was in custody because of his religious beliefs. Turkey is a majority Muslim country though constitutionally secular. "There is evidence that shows Brunson was arrested due to his faith," Ismail Cem Halavurt told Reuters on the eve of the trial, saying Brunson's religious role had been "classified as aiding terror organizations". The Izmir prosecutor's office said that sufficient evidence had been obtained to charge Brunson with aiding armed terrorist organizations and obtaining confidential government information for political and military espionage. A copy of Brunson's indictment seen by Reuters accuses him of working both with Gulen's network and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group which has waged an insurgency in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey and is designated a terrorist group by the United States and European Union. Halavurt said on Sunday he believed Brunson would ultimately be acquitted and there was no reason for his continued detention during trial. "Our prior expectation from the hearing is ending the arrest," he said. "We want Brunson to be freed immediately." (Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay in Ankara; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by David Dolan and Matthew Mpoke Bigg) Open Educational Resources OER Vendor Top Hat Commits to CARE; Opens Content An open education resource vendor has committed to following the CARE Framework for the care and feeding of OER available through its site, while also announcing that 90 percent of the resources in its own OER repository will be freely available to students. Top Hat, which has a cloud-based teaching platform and other digital learning tools, announced its "open content initiative," eliminating platform or subscription fees for access to its course content Marketplace. According to the company, 90 percent of the 20,000 digital resources, textbooks and other curricula in its repository are free. Other content is available for pricing between a few dollars and $86. The materials cover 20 different academic disciplines. All of the content is customizable by instructors; the original authors may choose to accept the revisions and share updated versions of their materials with those who have downloaded it. The CARE Framework is an open effort to ensure that OER creation and usage adheres to broader goals related to community contributions, attribution, release and use, and accessibility. In a blog article on Top Hat's website, Mike Silagadze, the company's founder and CEO, said the framework's principles would help "guide our stewardship of these open materials." The community contribution provided by the company is the organization and search capabilities the marketplace provides. All contributors receive "full attribution." Users that adopt the textbooks "can provide feedback and suggest enhancements to the authoring team, who can accept or reject the changes and push updates to new and existing users." And soon, he added, the OER will be subject "to the same community-review and revision process as the commercial textbooks available on the marketplace; and all OER derivatives will be openly licensed and remain free." Top Hat is working with Creative Commons to get its open licensing sorted out. Top Hat will continue charging fees for Top Hat Classroom, a classroom engagement product; Top Hat Test, for administering formative and summative assessments; and its own commercial textbooks and other course content, which are available in the Marketplace. After an instructor has developed curriculum using existing content from the marketplace and adding his or her adaptations, students download a Top Hat app, create an account and enter a course code to receive access to the textbook on their devices. The company said access would remain free "for life." Joel Stake, a lecturer within the School of Biological Sciences at Louisiana Tech University, is one instructor who has assigned materials through Top Hat. In a prepared statement he said the company is "enabling access on a large scale so that educators no longer have to worry about how they're going to assign high-quality and relevant content that is also affordable. My own students use [Rice University's] OpenStax textbooks on Top Hat's platform, and now have the opportunity and resources to be successful in their coursework." Online Learning Research Finds Online Service Providers Boost Program Enrollment Universities that contract with an online program management company tend to outperform those that go it on their own. OPM providers may offer end-to-end services for online programs, including marketing, recruitment, course design, enrollment and retention; examples include Pearson Embanet, 2U and Academic Partnerships. Or they may focus on a specific vertical, such as healthcare education, or type of service, such as instructional design. Research by Eduventures has found that on average, schools working with OPMs have seen a five-year online enrollment increase significantly above that of peers: 43 percent vs. 15 percent at the undergraduate level between 2012 and 2016; and 34 percent vs. 23 percent at the graduate level, during the same period. According to "Expanding the OPM Definition," available to members of the National Research Center for College and University Admissions, the OPM market is evolving with new financial models and development of unbundled service tiers. Traditionally, the report noted, OPM companies have signed long-term contracts with schools, incorporating investments in new online programs. They recoup their investments via revenue-sharing agreements. Now, hybrid and limited models have surfaced to offer fee-for-service terms, enabling institutions to retain control over their enrollment revenue. "Some OPM schools have super-charged online enrollment well over 200 percent while others are flat or declining," explained Richard Garrett, Eduventures chief research officer at NRCCUA, in a company article about the research project. "Numerous factors, such as institutional commitment, market maturity and program quality, affect enrollment, not just the presence or absence of an OPM." As he noted, the market continues to grow and evolve. "Moreover, as online learning continues to [go] mainstream, more schools may decide the modality is a core business and worry that an OPM might limit institutional capabilities long-term. When judging an OPM, it should also be noted that enrollment is not the only metric that matters. Student engagement and outcomes are just as important." NRCCUA is an educational data science and research organization serving more than 1,800 member institutions, including public and private colleges and universities. Eduventures is a division of the company. I have the privilege of looking after my two nieces, Tilly and Pippa, fairly regularly, and we always have a wonderful time together. I have my own daughter as well (Lucy), and the three of them especially love music: dancing and singing. Recently, as the four of us were hanging out, I was especially blessed by this shared joy. To set the scene, I was sitting in an armchair in our playroom (which was a chaotic mess) towards the end of a busy day with all three girls. I was having a much needed coffee and watching them play, when Pippa, three years old, requested I put on her favourite song Shout Hosanna (by Passion Conference). As I sat and watched, these three little girls (five, three, and one) danced around the mess, banging on drums and shaking maracas, singing praises to King Jesus at the top of their lungs. I watched in awe, grinning uncontrollably (and possibly shedding some happy tears), being totally blessed by the worship of these three little women of God. And I thought to myself, if I am so blessed by this, imagine what joy this must bring to God, our father! Overflowing joy Often when we look on scenes such as this, we assume such uninhibited, joyful worship (worship is more than song, but for the sake of this article I am referring to worship through music) is reserved for young children, people on stage, or certain 'happy clappy' Christians. At least in the 'brand' of Christianity I am most accustomed to, quiet, thoughtful, reverent worship seems to be the norm. I understand that there is a place for contemplation (something I need to get better at), and that we should revere God, but personally, when I worship God in song, I regularly have an uncontrollable grin on my face and my arms waving in the air. I can't help it, when I start to praise God through song, joy overflows. King David had a similar experience. In 2 Samuel chapter six, we read how David and his men retrieve the ark of the Lord, and are so ridiculously happy, so delighted to have God's presence with them again, that they take a mere six steps (verse thirteen) before breaking out the sacrifices. David danced with all his might (verse fourteen), in nothing but his jocks (Australian for undergarments)! The story goes on to say that as David approached the city, as he leapt, shouted, danced, and his men played music, his wife, Michal, saw (and heard, I'm sure) them coming, and she was embarrassed for David. In fact, she despised him (verse sixteen). To put it simply, Michal was mortified by David's act of worship. Michal was so offended by David's display that she didn't just keep it to herself, she waited for him, ready with a sarcastic comment about how dignified he wasn't, even calling him vulgar. Pretty harsh words to deliver to the King of Israel! For anyone who worships God, David's response to his wife is humbling, powerful, and ultimately, self-deprecating. It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lords people Israel - I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes...(2 Samuel chapter six verses twenty-one to twenty-two) David did not give two hoots about what anyone, even his wife, thought about his joyful display of worship before the Lord. He didn't care that he looked foolish or silly, he wasn't worried about what people would say about him or if it would affect his position as King. As we can see in his response to Michal, David was completely secure in whom God had made him to be, and he was so overjoyed by the presence of God, that his joy overflowed into pure celebration. Reflecting on my opening illustration, it seems to me that somewhere between childhood and adulthood, most of us lose something of the joy of worship. Perhaps we are worried about what people might think, maybe we're embarrassed about our singing or inability to clap in time, maybe we just don't feel very joyful to begin with. Whatever it is, often our worship seems more like a chore than a chance to let loose, and 'shout hosanna'. I'm reminded of that popular 90's hit by Michael W. Smith, The Heart of Worship: I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus... As I said, of course there are times to reflect, to repent, to be still, but there is also a time for uninhibited joy. If the heart of worship is Jesus, shouldnt there be times (I would even say more often than not) when we are so pleased by his presence, so grateful for his sacrifice, so full of joy about who he is and what he has done, that the right response is to put fear or embarrassment aside, and to dance before the Lord with all our might? Next time I come before God in worship, I want to be secure in who God has made me to be, I want to acknowledge who he is and what he has done, and I want to learn from our three little girls (who have so much to teach me), how to joyfully and unashamedly, shout hosanna! Jess is married to Colin, and they have a one year old daughter, Lucy. Together they are striving to live like Jesus every day, by loving God, loving people, and serving the world with joy. Jess Curries previous articles may be viewed at: https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/jessica-currie.html Lancero fans will have plenty to look forward to from Viaje Cigars. The company announced a 6 x 40 small batch release will be coming to its Viaje Exclusivo, Viaje Exclusivo Leaded, and Viaje Exclusivo Nicaragua lines at the end of the month. Its the first time the size has been introduced to these three lines. All three petite lanceros will be packaged as a single unit of 75 cigars, each containing 25 cigars of Exclusivo, Exclusivo Leaded, and Exclusivo Nicaragua. Viaje used a similar strategy when it released its Trifecta lancero release in 2014 containing the Oro, Platino, and Plata blends. Viaje Exclusivo is a Nicaragua puro that is currently the companys only regular production line. It is available in four sizes, but the company has continued to do small batch limited edition runs in other sizes. The cigar is produced in Honduras. Meanwhile, Viaje Exclusivo Leaded is an offshoot of the line in that it contains rare high priming medio tiempo. It has been released in two sizes, a Robusto and Double Edged Sword Perfecto both of which were limited edition small batch runs. Finally, Viaje Exclusivo Nicaragua is also a Nicaraguan puro, but its a different blend than the core Viaje Exclusivo. This is a cigar that was produced in Nicaragua and was released once in 2016 as a small batch limited edition cigar in two sizes. Photo Credits: Viaje Cigars Well hello everyone and hope you made through this sudden blast of winter in mid April but I am going chase away those sudden winter blahs with a dose of music and fun for the next 5 hours and I do encourage you to follow along on our interactive chat online and let me know where you are listening from. Hope you do enjoy this week's show and there's always more fun in store and I wish you all a safe and pleasant day ahead. Mist And Shadow The Sword - High Country 2LP (2015) - Razor & Tie The Bray Road Beast The Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum (2016) - Jagjaguwar - A Coliseum Complex Museum (2016) - Mexican Radio The Wall Of Voodoo - Call Of The West (1982) - IRS Shooting Star Bad Company - Straight Shooter (1975) - Swan Song Up The Creek Cheap Trick - Up The Creek - Orignal Motion Picture Soundtrack (1984) - Pasha Mr. Speed Kiss - Rock And Roll Over (1976) - Casablanca You Wallek Away Prism - Armageddon (1979) - Capitol - Armageddon (1979) - Peg Steely Dan - Aja (1977) - ABC Alana Loves Me Kim Mitchell - Shakin Like A Human Being (1986) - Atlantic - Shakin Like A Human Being (1986) - Two Hearts On The Loose Randy Bishop - Up The Creek - Orignal Motion Picture Soundtrack (1984) - Pasha - Up The Creek - Orignal Motion Picture Soundtrack (1984) - Go All The Way The Raspberries - Raspberries Best (1976) - Capitol Ground Zero Kerry Livgren - Seeds Of Change (1980) - Kirshner Valentina Way Al Stewart - Time Passages (1978) - Arista Gemini Dream The Moody Blues - Long Distance Voyager(1981) - Threshhold Side 1: Muppet Show Theme/Missisippi Mud/Mah Na Mah Na (Umilliani) With Lullaby Of Birdland/Flight Of The Bumble Bee/Mr. Bassman/Cottlestone Pie/The Amazing Marvin Suggs And His Mupaphone Play "Lady Of Spain"/Lydia The Tattooed Lady/Halfway Down the Stair The Muppet Show - The Muppet Show (1976) - Arista Side 2: Tenderly/ I'm In Love With A Big Blue Frog Tit Willow/Vetterinarian's Hospital/Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear/What Now My Love?/A Monologue By Fozzie Bear/Trees/Sax And Violence/ Bein' Green The Muppet Show - The Muppet Show (1976) - Arista Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now Starship - 7" (1987) - Grunt My Baby Loves Lovin' White Plains - 7" (1970) - Deram Galveston Glen Campbell - 7" (1969) - Capitol Don't Stop Fleedwood Mac - 7" (1977) - Warner Brothers Show Me The Way Peter Frampton - 7" (1976) - A&M Cry Your Eyes Out Les Emmerson - 7" (1973) - Lion - 7" (1973) - I Got You Split Enz - 7" (1980) - A&M Through The Years Tim Finn - 7" (1983) - Mushroom Closer Together The Box - 7" (1987) - Alert - 7" (1987) - Mooligjt Desires Gowan - 7" (1987) - Columbia - 7" (1987) - J'attendrai Dalida - J'attendrai (1975) - Able Outta My Sight Peter Pringle - Fifth Avenue Blue (1982) - A&M - Fifth Avenue Blue (1982) - Je Reviendrai A Montreal Robert Charlebois - Longue Distance (1976) - Solution - Longue Distance (1976) - I Think I Love You The Partridge Family - The Partridge Family Album (1970) - Bell Sweetheart Frankie And The Knockouts - Frankie And The Knockouts (1981) - Millennium Da Da Da (I Don't Love You You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha) Trio - 12" (1982) - Mercury (Keep Feeling) Fascination The Human League - Fascination (1983) - Virgin Oh Sheila (Extended Version) Ready For The World - 12" (1985) - MCA Juicy Friut Mtume - 12" (1982) - Epic Music Sounds Better Than You (12" Club Mix) Stardust - 12" (1998) - Roule Torture The Jacksons - 7" (1984) - Epic Jump To It (Extended Version) Aretha Franklin - 12" (1982) - Arista Float On The Floaters - The Floaters (1977) - ABC Oh My My Ringo Starr - Ringo (1973) - Apple Saturday Night Bay City Rollers - Rollin' (1975) - Bell Miss You The Rolling Stones - Some Girls (1978) - Rolling Stones Major Tom (Coming Hoime) Peter Schilling - Error In The System (1983) - WEA One Man Woman Sheena Easton - Sheena Easton (1981) - EMI-America A Woman Needs Love Ray Parker Jr. And Raydio - A Woman Needs Love (1981) - Arista Two Shades Of Roses Patrick Norman - Only Love Sets You Free (1987) - Star - Only Love Sets You Free (1987) - All Of You Julio Igesias & Diana Ross - 1100 Bel Air Place (1984) - Columbia Livin And Lovin' Just For You Triple "S" Connection - Triple "S" Connection (1979) - 20th Century Fox Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night Boney M - Nightflight To Venus (1979) - Atlantic Only A Fool Karla Bonoff - Restless Nights (1979) - Columbia MONDAY, April 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The color of your hair turns out to be a complicated thing, with a full 124 genes determining whether you wind up a blonde, brunette or redhead. The researchers who pinpointed the origins of hair hue said their findings could improve understanding of health conditions linked to pigmentation, including skin, testicular, prostate and ovarian cancers. For the study, investigators analyzed DNA data from nearly 300,000 people of European descent, along with information about their hair color. Using this information, the team identified 124 genes that play a major role in determining hair color. Of those genes, more than 100 were not previously known to influence pigmentation. "This work will impact several fields of biology and medicine. As the largest ever genetic study on pigmentation, it will improve our understanding of diseases like melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer," said study co-lead author Tim Spector, a professor at King's College London. "The genes that affect hair color also affect other cancer types, while other pigment genes affect the chances of having Crohn's and other forms of bowel disease," he added in a university news release. "Our work helps us to understand what causes human diversity in appearance by showing how genes involved in pigmentation subtly adapted to external environments and even social interactions during our evolution," Spector said. "We found that women have significantly fairer hair than men, which reflects how important cultural practices and sexual preferences are in shaping our genes and biology," Spector added. Co-lead author Manfred Kayser, a professor at Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, said the finding could have yet another application. "Besides substantially increasing our understanding of human pigmentation genetics in general, finding these new hair color genes is also important for further increasing the accuracy of hair color prediction from DNA traces in future forensic applications, which can help to find unknown perpetrators of crime," Kayser said. The study was published April 16 in the journal Nature Genetics. More information The U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute has more on DNA, genes and genomes. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, April 16, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned a decision by Angolan authorities to continue the trial of journalists Rafael Marques de Morais, who runs the anti-corruption news website Maka Angola, and Mariano Bras Lourenco, a correspondent for the newspaper O Crime, behind closed doors instead of in open court. The two were charged in June 2017 with crimes against the state. Marques de Morais told CPJ that the trial judge, Josina Falcao, today ruled that proceedings will continue in the office of the attorney general, Helder Fernando Pitta Gros, on April 24. Former Attorney General Joao Maria de Sousa, who filed charges against the two journalists, has refused to appear in open court claiming he has special privileges as the former attorney general, according to Marques de Morais and a report from Agence France-Presse. The defense team will also not be allowed to question de Sousa directly, but will have to submit questions to the judge who will then determine which questions are appropriate, according to Marques de Morais and Radio France Internationale. Todays developments flout the basic right to equality before the law, and call into question whether the state has something to hide, said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal. We urge Angolan authorities to ensure that journalists Marques de Morais and Mariano Bras Lourenco receive a fair, transparent trial. The charges against the two journalists relate to an article about deSousa originally published in Maka Angola in October 2016 and republished in O Crime. Strategic service providers don't just sell technology, they use information technology to solve problems for their customers. That means the installation and break-fix skills that solution providers traditionally offered just don't cut it anymore. "You have to have the technology chops to solve the customers' problems," said Bay Young, president and chief operating officer at vCORE Technology Partners, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based solution provider and MSP, in an interview with CRN. "Our value to our customers is that we have that enterprise-class skills set. If you can't bring that technical expertise to the customer, you'll become irrelevant." Businesses and organizations today are looking for solution providers with deep skills in the technology IT products they sell to ensure they derive the maximum business value from those technologies. That's why training and certifications are so critical. As solution providers evolve into strategic service providers, they must continuously maintain and raise their skill sets to meet their clients' demands. Training and certifications are also crucial for ensuring that solution providers' engineers and technical sales specialists are up to date on vendors' rapidly evolving IT product portfolios. CRN's annual Tech Elite 250 list honors an exclusive group of North American IT solution providers that have earned the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading IT vendors. vCORE, for example, has developed expertise around five core areas: converged/hyper-converged infrastructure, network engineering, cloud computing, security, and data storage and protection. That expertise is supported by high levels of certification from many of the solution provider's IT suppliers including Dell EMC, Cisco, VMware, F5 Networks, Palo Alto Networks and others. vCORE's Young says the initial training and certification is critical for developing the skills and expertise around vendors' IT portfolios that customers expect from their strategic service providers today. And ongoing training and certification is critical for making sure those skills stay sharp as IT rapidly evolves. Groupware Technology, a Campbell, Calif.-based solution provider, makes a point of having the highest level of training and certification with every one of its vendors that it deems strategic to its business. Among Groupware Technology's several dozen IT vendor partners the company maintains top certifications with Amazon Web Services, Cisco, Dell EMC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Intel and Microsoft, among others. CEO Mike Thompson acknowledges that can be costly, both for the training and testing itself, as well as the opportunity cost of taking high-salaried engineers and technical sales people away from customers. "It is a big commitment for [Groupware] to maintain certification levels," Thompson said, noting that he even has a team that's assigned the job of tracking and managing the company's certifications. But Thompson says maintaining high-level certifications with strategic vendors has benefits beyond being able to field a highly skilled workforce. It signifies Groupware Technology's commitment to those vendors, creating a bond that provides Groupware with access to more vendor resources and faster access for problem resolution. Thompson specifically points to Groupware's ability to obtain demonstration products from vendors for use within its proof-of-concept labs and early access to new products that provide Groupware engineers with hands-on expertise. "It's time to market, it's speed and it's success rate," he said of the benefits that high-level certifications bring. "It's an investment, from our perspective." This year 101 of the companies on the Tech Elite 250, just over 40 percent, did not appear on last year's list. The 2018 Tech Elite 250 account for more than 25,000 technical positions in North America. And over 23 percent of the solution providers making this year's list had annual revenue greater than $100 million. For information on purchasing the complete list with all collected firmographic data, contact Laurie Condon on the East Coast (lcondon@thechannelcompany.com) or Nora Uriarte on the West Coast (nuriarte@thechannelcompany.com). India is coordinating with China and other Asian countries to raise voice against Asian premium charged by Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Indian Oil Corporation Chairman Sanjiv Singh will coordinate with head of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) to chalk out strategy that will result in getting better price from OPEC countries. Asian Premium Asian Premium is extra charge being collected by OPEC countries from Asian countries when selling oil in comparison to western countries. For example, production cost of one barrel of crude oil is Rs. 100 in OPEC countries. These countries want to make profit of Rs. 100 so they ideally should sell one barrel for Rs. 200. But under Asian Premium pricing mechanism, OPEC countries gives discriminatory treatment to Asian countries (though being largest importer of OPEC produced oil) by charging them Rs. 220 per barrel and on other side giving discount to western countries by selling them at Rs.180 or below one 180 per barrel. The discriminatory Asian Premium is mainly used by OPEC countries to subsidised western buyers at cost of Asian buyers Indias concern India sources about 86% of crude oil, 75% of natural gas and 95% of LPG from OPEC member nations. It has been voicing its dissent against this discriminatory practice and has called for replacing Asian Premium with Asian Discount (dividend). India has emphasized implementation of Responsible and Reasonable Pricing by oil producing countries, given importance of Asian markets for OPEC, particularly fast growing energy markets in the region as they are reliable and continued customer. The removal of discriminatory Asian Premium will allow poor Asian countries including India to provide energy to people who have been deprived of energy so far. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) The OPEC is an intergovernmental organization (or cartel) of 14 oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its member countries. It was established in 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq by the first five members. Its headquarters are in Vienna, Austria. OPEC Members are Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia (de facto leader of OPEC), Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (from Asia and Middle East); Algeria, Angola, Libya, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon (from Africa); Ecuador and Venezuela (from South/Latin America). As of 2015, these 14 OPEC member countries accounted for an estimated 43% of global oil production and 73% of the proven worlds oil reserves. Two-thirds of OPECs oil production and reserves are in its six Middle Eastern (west Asian) countries that surround the oil-rich Persian Gulf. Jammu, April 16: The legal counsel for the rape and murder of eight-year-old Kathua girl, Aasifa, has said that she can be raped or killed for the stand she has taken for the victim. Victims counsel, Deepika S Rajawat, told media in Jammu: I dont know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that we will not forgive you. I am going to tell Supreme Court tomorrow that I am in danger. The child was kidnapped on January 10. Over the next week, she was drugged, starved, repeatedly gangraped and then murdered. It has been said that the crime was committed to warn off the Muslim nomadic community away from the areas belonging to Hindus. A group of 49 retired civil servants wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, holding him responsible for what they called a terrifying state of affairs. Sri Lanka: New National Policy pertaining to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector is ready to be tabled in parliament April 16,2018 | Source: Colombo Page The draft on the New National Policy pertaining to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector has been prepared by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, a statement on recent cabinet decisions said. In preparing the policy, the views of all stakeholders including the fishermen, aquaculture farmers and exporters and academics and the general public have been sought in accordance with the approval granted by the Cabinet to formulate such a policy. The new policy has focused on the sustainable management of the fisheries industry and aquaculture farming with equitable distribution of benefits. The policy provides provisions for engagement in the fisheries industry in accordance with the International Standards, elimination of illegal fishing, introduction of appropriate new technology, minimizing of the post-harvest losses, increasing of the national fish consumption, promotion of fish product exports and enhancing the socio-economic status of the fisher community. Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development following the directions of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has made a request through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Government of Norway seeking technical assistance to formulate the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy for Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the Ministry of Trade, Industries and Fisheries of the Government of Norway in consultation with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Fisheries has developed the project to assist the Government of Sri Lanka to formulate the new fisheries and aquaculture policy to suit the present and emerging needs of the sector, develop manpower for management, and facilitate investments in the sector. A proposal made by Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera to present the proposed new National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy in Parliament, to seek the views of all Members of Parliament, was approved by the Cabinet. Tamil Nadu: Fishnet manufacturers welcome anti-dumping duty on Chinese imports by Deepa H. Ramakrishnan April 16,2018 | Source: The Hindu Fishnet manufacturers here are elated over the anti-dumping duty imposed on the import of nets from China and Bangaldesh. Calling the decision a big help to local fishermen, M. Shafiullah, former honorary secretary of the Indian Fishnet Manufacturers Association, said Indian nets were better in quality. China is our main competitor now in terms of numbers. But when it comes to quality, the world trusts Indian nets. This anti-dumping duty means an additional $2.19/kg for Chinese nets and $2.8/kg for Bangladeshi nets. This will put an end to imports and aid our units to work to their full capacity, he said. Earlier, nets were being imported at prices less than the cost of raw material, he pointed out. India was ranked second in the world in manufacturing nylon fishing nets and the country exported around 10 - 12% of the 25,000 tonnes produced annually. Tamil Nadu, a major manufacturing hub, will benefit from this move, said Suresh Radhakrishnan of Indonets, Nagercoil. Of the total 550 fishing net units in the country, Tamil Nadu has around 250 units that produce nylon nets and many of them are in Kanniyakumari district. We can expect more business from places such as Kolkata and Mumbai where Chinese nets have been dumped. If we have regular business, then we will be able to give better prices to fishermen, he said. Fishing nets retailer M.D. Dayalan of Kingfish Fish Nets, who welcomed the move, said it would provide an opportunity for Indian manufacturers to improve their quality. Call for regulation However, a few dealers were sceptical about the move. Of course, it will do away with outside competition but the Indian manufacturing sector does not have proper regulation. The quality of the nets here too need to improve, said S. Muthu, a dealer. In many cases, small manufacturers do not even give us bills or paste MRP rates on net bundles, which leads to various taxation issues for us, he said adding that the manufacturers, at times, reduce prices to kill smaller companies. The trade has its share of unfair practices and it needs to be regularised, he demanded. Alabama on Thursday is set to execute its oldest death row inmate, an 83-year-old man convicted of mailing a deadly pipe bomb to a Birmingham judge in 1989. Walter Moody was convicted of mailing the bomb that killed U.S. 11th Circuit Judge Robert Vance, 58, and seriously injured his wife, Helen, in the kitchen of their Mountain Brook home in December 1989. A similar bomb killed a Georgia civil rights attorney, Robert Robinson, at his Savannah law office the same month. Moody was convicted in federal court in 1991 on 71 charges before an Alabama jury sentenced Moody to the death penalty in 1997. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year declined to take up Moody's appeal, leading Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall to set an April 19 execution date. Moody on Thursday filed a stay of execution motion over jurisdiction issues. Moody, who maintains his innocence in the case, has previously argued his federal sentence of 7 life terms plus 400 years should take precedent over the state's death penalty sentence, and that Alabama is holding him unlawfully. "Were fighting until we cant fight anymore, and we appreciate that the courts are giving us an opportunity to be heard, said Christine Freeman, executive director of the Middle District of Alabama Federal Defender Program. Vance's son, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Bob Vance, said the family doesn't plan to attend Moody's execution. "I got closure in my life when Mr. Moody was convicted," Vance said. "I realized that he would never be in a position to hurt anyone else.That was the point that was most important to me. The execution coming up next week really, to me, doesnt add anything to that. Ive moved on, having gotten that peace of mind with the realization that he would no longer pose a danger to anyone." The December 1991 explosions set off a massive federal investigation which found and disarmed two additional bombs at an Atlanta circuit court and Florida NAACP office, but also hit several dead ends. Federal agents at first focused on Alabama salvage shop owner Robert O'Ferrell, who investigators believed owned the typewriter used by a letter writer claiming credit for the bombs. Investigators ultimately linked Moody to the crimes through a 1972 bombing incident, in which Moody's then-wife Hazel was injured by a homemade bomb in their Georgia home. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for possessing the bomb. Bob Vance still finds Moody's murky motive frustrating. "When something like that happens, one of the first things that torments you is, 'Who would do this?' That question has been answered," Bob Vance said. "The 2nd question is, 'Why?" Investigators originally believed the bombings to be racially motivated. Vance, who was white, was politically active and progressive on civil rights issues, his son said. Prosecutors later alleged Moody harbored an obsession over his 1972 conviction, and anger at the court system motivated Moody in the 1989 bombings. Moody hoped the civil rights links would throw investigators off his scent, prosecutors said. "There wasnt any real good reason why Moody targeted my dad," Vance said. "Its always so frustrating when you think about it, its almost a random act of violence." "I try to focus on my dad's life more than the circumstances surrounding my dad's death He was a one-of-a-kind, larger-than-life person in many respects," Bob Vance said. " He was a special guy. He was a great dad. I miss him every day." Moody's execution date is the fourth scheduled in Alabama this year. One execution has been carried out. | 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 Following the publication of Amnesty International annual report, 'The State of the World's Human Rights 2017/2018,' Amnesty International Morocco accused the El Othmani government of instrumentalizing religion to violate scores of human rights. In a report published on April 13, Assabah said that the executive director of Amnesty International Morocco, expressed the human rights organization's concerns over the Moroccan government's use of religion for its own political ends. The newspaper reports that the executive director the NGO's Morocco branch, Salah Abdellaoui, made his remarks during a conference on Thursday, April 12. Speaking about the 'rampant' human rights abuses, Mr. Abdellaoui reportedly criticized the government for its inflexibility on some articles in the civil and criminal codes. Singling out the state of death penalty in Morocco, Salah Abdellaoui allegedly said that the government refuses to take bold steps to abolish capital punishment because of its desire to maintain its in power, especially as Moroccan officials reportedly fear that such 'revolutionary moves' would unsettle some conservative circles, undermining their authority. According to Mr. Abdellaoui, while it harbors the ideological and emotional needs of a minority of the population, maintaining the death penalty frustrates the aspirations of the majority of Moroccans. He also explained that the government's resolve to keep some people 'retarded in the criminal code' so as to 'toy with Moroccans' emotions and lure them in believing that keeping the law on death penalty is the surest way to prevent high criminality rates.' In its 2017 report on the death penalty, Amnesty International pointed out that despite the existence of some positive signs mainly motivated by 'recent judicial reforms,' Morocco and North Africa in general are still faced with the reality of 'disturbing trends' that do not favor for human rights. The report documented that, although Morocco has witnessed no execution in recent years, death sentences are still being issued. In addition, of the 90 people who were sentenced to death by 2017, over 15 death sentences were issued just last year alone. In its general 2017 annual report, the group mentioned the repression of political dissent and the bleak prospects of freedom of expression, saying that the prevalence of 'Islamic tenets' in the country's laws and legal system prevents officials from a bold commitment to allowing more fertile grounds for the advancement of human rights. This is not the first time that such claims are directed at the Justice and Development Party-led government. Since rising to the realm of the executive in 2011, the party has constantly been criticized for its Islamic leanings and a vision of society which opponents claim constitutes a major impediment to the consolidation of a secular way of life in Morocco. | 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 menafn.com, April 14, 2018 Iran Human Rights (Apr 13, 2018): Mohammad Reza Haddadi, a juvenile offender who was arrested for murder during a robbery at the age of 15, is in danger of execution. According to a close source, prison authorities have told Mohammad Reza Haddadis father that if they fail to obtain the consent of the plaintiff, their son might be executed very soon. Mohammad Reza Haddadi, currently held at Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz, was born on March 17, 1988, and has been in jail since 2002. He is convicted of murder during a robbery along with three other people. Haddadi had pleaded guilty at first, but later he explained that his friends promised him some money to admit the charge because he was a minor and he wouldnt receive a death penalty. The juvenile offenders lawyer, Hossein Ahmadi Niaz, told Iran Human Rights, Last year, we were able to delay the execution. The Supreme Court has to apply Article 91 which states that if a juvenile confesses, it should be made clear to him that what would be the consequences. It means the juvenile must be fully aware of his confession and the consequences. A judge in Branch 101 of the criminal court of Kazerun refused to apply Article 91 and claimed that the juvenile was certain about his confession. Whereas, the forensics should decide whether the defendant was mature or not and whether he understood the consequences of his actions. If the judge had accepted our request, we could have saved Mohammad Reza Haddadi. The lawyer continues, I asked the head of the Judiciary to permit the review of the case because there are some pieces of evidence which prove the defendant is innocent. Mohammad Reza comes from a poor family, and the other three deceived him. He only made that confession because he was ignorant and he needed the money they promised him for his family. It is worth mentioning that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Iran has signed, clearly bans execution and life imprisonment of juveniles. In 2017, at least five juvenile offenders were executed in Iran. Furthermore, at least three juvenile offenders were executed in January 2018 in Iran. | 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 In a report released on April 12, London-based international human rights watchdog Amnesty International said more than half (51%) of all recorded executions in 2017 were carried out in Iran. Iran ranks second in the world after China in terms of executions and has carried out 84% of the global total number of executions with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan. However, Amnesty International has observed that there has been a slight decrease (5%) in execution figures in Iran compared to 2016. The report said Iran is one of the 23 countries that have not yet abolished the death penalty. According to Amnesty International, Iran executed at least 507 people, accounting for 60% of all confirmed executions in the region. Out of the 507 individuals executed in Iran last year, 501 were men and 6 were women. At least 5 juvenile offenders were executed and 31 executions were carried out publicly. The executions were carried out for murder (240); drug trafficking (205); murder and rape 4; robbery 11; spreading corruption on earth 2; rape (male on female rape) 16; kidnapping and murder 3; moharebeh (politically motivated) (2); and 19 were for offences that could not be confirmed, the AI reported. Amnesty International received reports indicating that at least 5 people in Iran were executed for crimes committed when they were under 18 years of age. Iran also sentenced to death other people who were younger than 18 at the time of the crime. The imposition and execution of the death penalty against people who were aged under 18 when the crime was committed is a violation of international law. Amnesty International added, For the first time in many years Amnesty International recorded more executions for murder than for drug-related offences. The organization believed that hundreds of death sentences were imposed during the year; however, it was unable to confirm any credible figure. Amnesty International recorded a noticeable decrease in the overall number of executions carried out for drug-related offences. This was due to the fact that in November, Iran amended the Anti-Narcotics Law, raising the level of drug possession needed to trigger the imposition of a mandatory death sentence, with potential retroactive effect, the Amnesty International observed. Meanwhile, The widespread use of the death penalty remains a grave concern; Iran continued to use the death penalty for conduct that did not amount to a recognizably criminal offense", such as "enmity against god", "spreading corruption on earth" and insulting the Prophet. Amnesty Internationals research showed that basic fair trial guarantees were absent in death penalty cases and that courts often relied on confessions extracted under torture to impose death sentences. The use of torture is absolutely prohibited under the UN Convention against Torture, the AI report stressed. In Iran and Iraq some of these confessions were broadcast on television before the trial took place, further violating the defendants right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Amnesty International believed that hundreds of other death sentences were imposed in Iran but was unable to confirm any credible figures. The AI noted that execution figures in China are probably the highest in the world, but there are no figures publicly announced as China regards such figures state secrets. Iran ranks the 2nd with 507 registered executions and Saudi Arabia is the 3rd with 146 executions in 2017 according to Amnesty International. Raha Bahraini, an Iran researcher with the IA, told Radio Farda that Iran lags behind the global progress in the move to abolish death penalty. Bahraini reiterated that Iran even lags behind its neighbors, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Iraq, as Tehran has executed far more people than those 3 countries during the past year, adding that these 4 countries and China comprise an isolated minority in the community of nations that still violate peoples right to live. Meanwhile, Mahmoud Amiri Moghaddam, head of the Iran Human Rights Organization in Norway, said in an interview with Radio Farda that some 70 to 80% of executions in Iran are not reported. | 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 radiofarda.com, April 14, 2018 Over 100 death sentences were handed out last year by courts in India which also expanded the scope of capital punishment by enacting new laws against hijacking, human rights watchdog Amnesty International said. In 'The Death Sentences and Executions 2017' report released here yesterday, Amnesty said it has recorded at least 993 executions in 23 countries in 2017, down by four per cent from 2016 (1,032 executions) and 39 per cent from 2015 (when the organisation recorded 1,634 executions, the highest number since 1989). At least 2,591 death sentences in 53 countries were recorded in 2017, a significant decrease from the record-high of 3,117 recorded in 2016. These figures do not include the thousands of death sentences and executions that Amnesty International believes were imposed and implemented in China, where figures remain classified as a state secret. In India, 109 death sentences were recorded in 2017. However, there were zero executions in the country last year. Amnesty International recorded commutations or pardons of death sentences in 21 countries: India, Bangladesh, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco/Western Sahara, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tunisia, the UAE, the US and Zimbabwe. "Against international standards, India, Singapore and Thailand expanded the scope of death penalty by adopting new laws that would impose death sentence for hijacking, nuclear terrorism and corruption, respectively," it said. In India, a total of 371 people were known to be under sentence of death at the end of 2017. The report said that nine countries in the Asia-Pacific region carried out executions, down from 11 in 2016. Indonesia and Taiwan did not implement any death sentences and India observed a hiatus on executions for the second year running. The report added that a research by the Centre on the Death Penalty, National Law University, indicated that the courts in India imposed 109 new death sentences, including 51 for murder and 43 for murder involving sexual offences. This represented a decrease in the total number of death sentences imposed (136 in 2016), as well as in those imposed for murder not involving other offences (87 in 2016). 2 new death sentences were imposed for drug-related offences. The Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, which provided for the death penalty for hijacking resulting into death, came into force in July, the report said. Amnesty recorded drug-related executions in four countries China (where figures are classified as a state secret), Iran, Saudi Arabia and Singapore. The secrecy that shrouded capital punishment in Malaysia and Vietnam made it impossible to determine whether executions for drug crimes occurred. Singapore hanged eight people in 2017 all for drug-related offences. There was a similar trend in Saudi Arabia, where drug-related beheadings rocketed from 16 per cent of total executions in 2016 to 40 per cent in 2017. "Despite strides towards abolishing this abhorrent punishment, there are still a few leaders who would resort to death penalty as a 'quick-fix' rather than tackling problems at their roots with humane, effective and evidence-based policies. Strong leaders execute justice, not people," Amnesty International's Secretary General Salil Shetty said in the report. He said the fact that countries continue to resort to death penalty for drug-related offences remains troubling. "However, steps taken by Iran and Malaysia to amend their anti-drug laws go a long way towards showing that cracks are appearing, even in the minority of countries that still execute people," Shetty added. | 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 The New Indian Express, April 14, 2018 Instagram is a very popular app in Iran, and companies in Iran like elsewhere often use it to communicate directly with customers. Iran's ministry of education on April 15 banned the use of foreign social media networks in schools, the ILNA news agency reported, amid a push by Tehran to limit the influence of outside online platforms. Schools must "only use domestic social networks" for their communication, the ministry said in a statement, according to the reformist-linked news agency. Telegram is the most popular social network in Iran. In 2017, the app claimed it had 40-million monthly users in the Islamic Republic. Instagram is also very popular, and companies in Iran like elsewhere often use both platforms to communicate directly with customers. Less used, Facebook and Twitter are blocked in Iran, but easily accessible using a virtual private network (VPN). During a wave of protests that hit dozens of Iranian cities over at the start of the year, Iranian authorities temporarily banned Telegram, accusing the app of allowing foreign-based "counter-revolutionary" groups to fuel unrest. Since then, authorities have sought to develop Iranian social media networks and limit the reliance on foreign-based platforms, which Tehran accuses of hosting sites deemed hostile to the Islamic Republic. Several Iranian platforms offering services similar to Telegram have emerged in recent months, like the Soroush network, which already claims to have five million subscribers. According to the official IRNA news agency, Telecommunication Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi recently pledged Iranian networks would offer the same guarantees of confidentiality as foreign platforms. "No message is read, and no (personal) information is communicated to anyone," he told parliament. In a statement recently posted to his website, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the government should guarantee the "security and privacy" of people on the internet. Khamenei called intrusions into online privacy "haram," or prohibited from a religious standpoint. Iranian media has appeared to encourage people to join the new networks by assuring viewers they will continue to operate even if Telegram is again banned. 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. Ukraine's infrastructure ministry tracks companies involved in Kerch bridge construction Omelyan We are monitoring all contractors working at the facility, adding them to our sanctions list, the minister said. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Russia's Gazprom failing to fulfill obligations under gas transit contract Naftogaz envoy Naftogaz official suggests Gazprom will treat similarly its contracts with European companies. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter On October 21, 1991, Mishra decided to close the case as untraced. The police didnt submit their closure report to the court and instead maintained silence. (AFAQ SHAH) Srinagar, April 16: The rape and murder of an 8-year old nomadic girl in Kathua has reopened the wounds of the survivors of the Kunan-Poshpora mass rape of 1991, who came all the way down from their small hamlet to show solidarity with the minor victim. If the State would have acted in case of Kunan-Poshpora, Kathua would have never happened, they said. As many as 27 years have passed, but the survivors of the mass rape are still longing for the guilty army personnel to be punished, as the probe has been thwarted again and again by the government. We are happy that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is pushing for a fast track court to be set up to expedite the Kathua rape and murder case and to ensure speedy justice to the victim. The CM has also asked for the termination of the accused police officers from service. If this one rape has shaken her conscience, why is she unfazed by the mass rape of women by armed forces in Kunan-Poshpora? Doesnt she have a responsibility towards us also, said a victim who had come along with other people from the village at the office of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society. If the state would have booked the perpetrators (armed forces) who unleashed terror in the village and raped our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives; a minor girl would not have been raped. Kunan-Poshpara could have acted as a deterrent, so that no girl in Jammu and Kashmir would ever be raped. On the night of 23 February 1991, as many as 150 girls and women were raped and nearly 200 men tortured by the armed forces. None has been punished till date for the horrendous atrocity inflicted on the villagers of Kupwara district of Kashmir. When the incumbent Chief Minister was not in power, she promised us that she would fight to provide justice to us. Now when she is in power what did she do for the survivors of the mass rape. The rapists should have been given an exemplary punishment so that no one would dare to rape any girl, said Mohammad Amin of Kunan-Poshpura who had come to represent the victims. Many people have come to us, recorded our statements. Every time a person would come we would think now something would happen. Now its been 27 years, the culprits are yet to be booked. I appeal the government to take cognizance of our case and ensure justice in our case as well. A look at how the State failed to provide justice to mass rape victims: The villagers say the army continued the cordon of the villages for three days after the incident and did not allow them to approach the local administration. And some days a group of village elders finally managed to meet deputy commissioner Yasin. On March 5, 1991, Yasin visited the villages and a couple of days later wrote to police about the mass rape. Subsequently, Trehgam police station registered an FIR and SHO Farooq Ahmad Shah conducted an investigation, finding that the offence u/s 376/RPC stands made out against 4th Raj Rifles under the command of Commandant Adjutant R Kuler and only the arrest and the identification of the culprits was to be done. On March 22, 1991, director general of police entrusted the investigation to SP Headquarters Kupwara, Dilbagh Singh, who conducted a fresh investigation and recorded the statements of witnesses again. On March 26, 1991, Singh constituted an SIT and statements of a few army officials were recorded. On July 12, 1991, Singh was transferred and the new SSP Kupwara, S K Mishra, began a fresh probe instead of relying on the two preliminary investigations conducted earlier. The survivors, however, didnt appear before Mishra because they had already deposed several times. A sense of hopelessness had set in and the villagers had understood that the government wasnt interested to probe the case. Subsequently, Mishra sought the opinion of director prosecution in the DGPs office. On September 23, 1991, director prosecution responded that the challan is not maintainable and the case was un-fit for launching criminal prosecution. On October 21, 1991, Mishra decided to close the case as untraced. The police didnt submit their closure report to the court and instead maintained silence. Instead of ensuring a fair police investigation, the government has been citing a report prepared by a Press Council of India delegation led by B G Verghese that had been sent on a fact finding mission in June 1991. The committee termed the mass rape a massive hoax orchestrated by militant groups and their sympathizers and mentors in Kashmir and abroad. Verghese had flown in an Indian Air Force helicopter to Kunan-Poshpora and stayed with the army unit accused of the mass rape. The villagers insist that the PCI team never visited the village. But this clean chit by a media watchdog literally replaced a police investigation. After years of living in horror and hopelessness, a survivor finally approached the State Human Rights Commission on November 10, 2004, to seek re-investigation into the mass rape. Subsequently, more survivors approached the SHRC in 2006 and 2007. The SHRC treated their petitions as a composite complaint. On October 19, 2011, the SHRC said it had found that the personnel of the 4 Rajputana Rifles, 68 Mountain Brigade, had raped indeed the women, and recommended that the case be re-opened and reinvestigated by a Special Investigation Team headed by a SSP rank officer. The SHRC also asked the state government to prosecute the then director prosecution in the DGPs office for recommending that the case should be closed. It also recommended compensation of two lakh rupees to each of the victims. The government, however, didnt take any action. In March 2013, a group of 50 young women from across Kashmir came together in a Support Group for Justice for Kunan-Poshpora and planned to file a PIL in the J&K High Court, seeking implementation of the SHRC decision in the case. On June 10, human rights lawyer Parvez Imroz filed a protest petition on behalf of the survivors against the closure report. On June 18, Judicial Magistrate Kupwara J A Geelani dismissed the closure report and asked for further investigation to unravel the identity of the perpetrators. He ordered that a police officer of the rank not below SSP should investigate the case within three months. But the SSP didnt record the statement of the victims. In 2014, the High Court asked the government to implement SHRC direction and also conclude the investigation in the case. The state government brought a stay to the High Court order and approached the Supreme Court. The army too brought a stay to the High Courts order and approached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court stayed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court proceedings in 2015 and there has been no further movement since. Ukraine sees US$ 2.8 bln in agriexports in Jan-Feb 2018 India became a major importer of Ukrainian agricultural and food products. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter March 28, the Ukrainian Prime Minister announced that Ukraine and Israel had reached the final stage of signing the agreement on a free trade area. Ukraine plans in 2018 to sign a free trade agreement with Turkey, following that with the EU, Canada and Israel. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman made the announcement, speaking on air of a Ukrainian TV channel, UkrAgroConsult reports citing the Government website. "We want to sign a free trade agreement with Turkey this year. This will positively influence the economy and, primarily, the quality of life of Ukrainians," Groysman said. March 28, the Ukrainian Prime Minister announced that Ukraine and Israel had reached the final stage of signing the agreement on a free trade area. Read alsoUkraine launches serial production of new weapons for Turkey (Photo, video)The Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2017. Since then, the bilateral commodity turnover between Ukraine and Canada has increased by 60%. DC's Gift to Uber and Lyft Charles Hughes, E21 Some policymakers are increasingly concerned about the concentration of power in a small number of companies, leading to calls for more expansive antitrust policy or stricter regulations across a range of industries. However, government policies create barriers to entry that lead to the market concentration that fuels their consternation. The most recent example is in Washington D.C., where Mayor Bowser's office recently said that ride-hailing company Via had 90 days to broaden its coverage areas to comply with a District law. Read more here.... Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Acting Assistant Secretary Susan Thornton co-chaired the 31st U.S.-ASEAN Dialogue in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 3 together with Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Dato Ramlan Ibrahim of Malaysia. The Dialogue included fruitful talks among the United States, all ten ASEAN members, and the ASEAN Secretariat, and demonstrated the ongoing importance of the U.S.-ASEAN Strategic Partnership. Representatives of the United States and ASEAN reaffirmed their commitment to the rules-based order and to the ASEAN-centered regional architecture. The United States and ASEAN exchanged views on the free and open Indo-Pacific concept. Participants welcomed recent developments indicating the willingness of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea to engage with the United States on denuclearization, but shared continued grave concern about the DPRKs nuclear and ballistic missile programs. They committed to maintaining maximum pressure until the DPRK takes concrete steps towards complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization, and called for full implementation of all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Participants reaffirmed the need to ensure peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, including in the South China Sea, with full respect for legal and diplomatic processes. They underscored the importance of countering terrorism and implementing UN Security Council Resolutions to prevent foreign terrorist fighter travel. And they celebrated strong economic ties between the United States and ASEAN, looking forward to enhancing economic cooperation through U.S.-ASEAN Connect, the U.S.-ASEAN Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement, and capacity building programs. Both sides welcomed Singapores resilience and innovation theme for its 2018 ASEAN chair year. Participants expressed the need for states to adhere to international law and non-binding peacetime norms in their use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and shared concerns about malicious actors exploiting cyberspace. They celebrated the steady growth of socio-cultural ties between ASEAN and the United States, particularly through the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) and the Fulbright program and welcomed ongoing cooperation on capacity building through the Lower Mekong Initiative, the U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program, and other programs. The United States is proud to partner with ASEAN to continue to promote the security, prosperity, shared values and cultural ties between the U.S. and the nations of the Asia- Pacific. Authorities in Vietnam have given harsh prison terms to six peaceful Vietnamese human rights activists following a one-day trial on charges widely viewed by rights monitors as spurious. In a written statement, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said the United States was deeply troubled by the activists conviction and sentencing. Renowned human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai received the longest sentence -- 15 years; the five others -- Le Thu Ha, Pham Van Troi, Ngueyn Trung Ton, Ngueyn Bac Truyen and Truong Minh Duc received sentences ranging from seven to 12 years. Ms. Nauert called the charges against the rights defenders vague, including the charge of activities aimed at overthrowing the peoples administration. She also noted that Vietnamese authorities held Nguyen Van Dai, who co-founded the pro-human rights network Brotherhood for Democracy, and his assistant Le Thu Ha, in pre-trial detention for over two years. As the State Departments 2016 human rights report notes, Vietnam severely restricts its citizens political rights; limits their civil liberties, including freedom of assembly, association, and expression; and fails to protect the Vietnamese people from arbitrary detention and unfair judicial procedures. The State Department also reported mistreatment of suspects during arrest and detention, including the use of lethal force and austere prison conditions. Amnesty International recently reported that Vietnam is holding at least 97 prisoners of conscience who have been robbed of their freedom for nothing but promoting human rightsmany of whom are kept incommunicado in squalid conditions and routinely subjected to torture or other ill-treatment. In her statement, State Department Spokesman Heather Nauert emphasized that [i]ndividuals have the right to the fundamental freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, both online and offline. The United States is deeply concerned by the Vietnamese governments efforts to restrict these rights, through a disturbing trend of increased arrests, convictions and harsh sentences of peaceful activists. The United States, she wrote, calls on Vietnam to release all prisoners of conscience immediately, and to allow all individuals in Vietnam to express their views freely and assemble peacefully without fear of retribution. We also urge the Vietnamese government to ensure its actions and laws, including the Penal Code, are consistent with the human rights provisions of Vietnams constitution, and Vietnams international obligations and commitments. Srinagar, April 16: Protests erupted at various places across Kashmir valley on Monday against the rape-and-murder of eight-year-old Muslim nomadic girl in Kathua earlier this year. Scores of members of Kashmir High Court Bar Association held a protest march in Srinagar as a mark of solidarity with the victim. They also raised slogans against Jammu bar Association for trying to shield the culprits. The students of Kashmir University staged a protest at the campus and demanded justice for the victim. Reports said that students from various departments assembled at the campus and staged a demonstration to seek justice for the girl. At Central University of Kashmir, Nowgam, scores of law students assembled in the varsity while holding placards that read: Punish the culprits and Justice for the victim Meanwhile, scores of members of various trade bodies in north Kashmirs Sopore town sopore staged a protest against the gang-rape of the girl. The protesters also demanded death penalty for the culprits. They also denounced the political backing in favour of the accused in the said case and termed the protest of Kathua advocates a black mark on their judicial identity. Also, in Bandipora amid incessant rains, traders Federation Bandipora (TFB) staged a protest against the horrific rape-and- murder. The protest was also joined by Employees Joint Action Committee Bandipora, Civil society Bandipora and transporters association Bandipora. The protesters while carrying banners and placards sought justice for the girl. They were demanding immediate action against those who committed the heinous crime. Eight accused arrested in the case were produced before chief judicial magistrate Kathua today. Kyiv-based PrJSC Imperial Tobacco Production Ukraine's net profit fell by 77.3% in 2017 from 2016, to UAH 99.42 million. The company's net revenue from sales rose by 31.7%, to UAH 2.7 billion, it said in an annual report posted in the information disclosure system of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission. In 2017, the company posted UAH 123.7 million in operating profit against UAH 16.8 million in operating losses in 2016. Its gross profit almost doubled to UAH 563.5 million. Imperial Tobacco Production Ukraine sold 14.431 billion cigarettes, which was not a significant change from 2016. Imperial Tobacco in Ukraine is represented by the company with foreign investments Imperial Tobacco Ukraine and joint-stock company Imperial Tobacco Production Ukraine, part of Imperial Brands PLC. The company's brands include Davidoff, Parker & Simpson, West, Style, R1, and Prima. The tobacco factory is located in Kyiv and manufactures products for the domestic market and for export, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, the United Arab Emirates, Mongolia, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, and the United States. Lozova Machinery (the brand of soil-cultivating agricultural machinery manufactured by the enterprises of UPEC industrial group, Kharkiv region) has signed a dealer contract with PMT d.o.o., a leading distribution company of Croatia, the Ukrainian company has said in a press release. The contract was signed after Lozova Machinery's debut participation in the Bjelovar Fair held from April 6 to April 8, 2018 in the Croatian city of Bjelovar. "Within long-term cooperation, along with purchase of our equipment, this year PMT d.o.o. plans to conduct a number of demonstrations of the Dukat disc harrow directly in the field, so that farmers can be convinced of the energy efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of our equipment," the press service said, citing Foreign Sales Director Eduard Chudopalov. According to him, Lozova Machinery became the only Ukrainian company at the East European exhibition and aroused great interest of the agrarians of this country. The company reminded that this year in support of green technologies during the Greentour the company plans to demonstrate its soil-cultivating equipment in 20 countries, taking part in more than 100 events - exhibitions, Days of Field and demo tours. Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov considers real the peaceful return of the occupied territories of Donbas with the use of tactics of "small steps", a peacekeeping mission can become one of the effective mechanisms. "With the current development of events, we cannot plan a military operation to return the occupied territories without the risk of a full-scale clash with the Russian army. That's why President Poroshenko talks about the peacekeeping mission, the "blue helmets." This is one of the mechanisms that can be effective," Avakov said in an interview with the Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet, published on Monday. At the same time, he said that it is unacceptable that the "patrols "of the blue helmets" go along Horlivka on a par with the patrols of the Russian puppet Zakharchenko." Speaking about the kind of a peacekeeping mission, he said: "An ideal peacekeeping mission?" The peacekeepers come in, all the Russians leave, any military groups led by the puppet governments of Plotnitsky, Zakharchenko, or whoever is there, withdraw with the Russians." According to him, after the peacekeepers enter the occupied territory, the bodies of Ukrainian justice should enter. "After the return of this territory to Ukraine, Ukrainian judicial authorities may enter and hold elections in line with our legislation," the minister said. Avakov drew attention to the fact that his plan to return the occupied territories of the east of the country involves the "tactics of small steps welcomed by everyone." "I do not think that all the territory of the occupied Donbas can be reintegrated at once." There are not enough "blue helmets" for the whole territory. So, I propose, let's say, to take under control Horlivka or Novoazovsky district first: the peacekeepers enter and stand on the border of the conditional town of Horlivka or the rural Novoazovsky district. The border with the occupied territory is immediately taken under control of both the "blue helmets" and the Ukrainian border guards. The Ukrainian judicial authorities enter this territory, which has been returned to Ukraine's control, and hold elections according to our law," he explained. According to the minister, on the basis of bodies and representatives of the state authorities of Ukraine elected by Ukrainian law, it is necessary to form a transitional administration. "A central government along with the Ukrainian police forces should come there. Then Ukraine should pass an amnesty law. It must concern absolutely everyone except those who have blood on their hands, who killed our soldiers, participated in repressions against civilians," Avakov said. In addition, he said, it will be necessary to adopt the law "on collaborators." "The essence is very simple: we need to determine what the degree of compromise is, whether the degree of cooperation with the occupation authorities was critical, or you had such circumstances that you do not deserve censure, and in some cases - in spite of actions - deserve public pardon?" the minister said. Subsequently, he said, it will be necessary to resolve issues with the "transitional status" of territories with possible attraction of international funds, restore infrastructure and people's living standards. Later, according to Avakov, a similar procedure is reduplicated in other areas of the occupied Donbas. "If all this is implemented, then we will be able to gradually reach a point where Ukrainian border guards are deployed along the Ukraine-Russia border, ensuring full control. "Blue helmets," on whom Poroshenko is negotiating, will stand alongside," Avakov said. Ukraine not to denounce agreements within CIS on transit, diplomas recognition and employment Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has called to denounce all treaties within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), except for those related to transit, recognition of diplomas and employment, the president's representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Iryna Lutsenko, has said. "The supreme commander-in-chief has urged the government to make an inventory of all multilateral agreements between CIS member countries in order to withdraw from all but those pragmatically needed by Ukraine, such as the recognition of education certificates and employment, the transit agreement, and others required for Ukraine's activity and economy," Lutsenko said. She reminded deputies that Poroshenko intends to end Ukraine's activity in CIS statutory bodies. Poroshenko will also submit a bill on unilaterally canceling certain provisions of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership with Russia that contravene Ukraine's national interest and right to self-defense, Lutsenko said. "Article 75 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 1969 enables him to do so," she said. Russian occupation forces plan in the nearest future to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) of the OSCE in the Anti-Terrorist Operation area and blame it on Ukrainian soldiers," the ATO press center has said. "Russian occupation forces are planning near Bakhmut to shoot down OSCE UAVs," the ATO press center said, adding, "Russian occupation forces received instructions to take into account the trajectory of the UAVs in order to blame Ukrainian soldiers for shooting them down." The Ukrainian transit route is strategic for the EU's energy security, and Germany's involvement in finding a solution that would safeguard its commercial viability is much appreciated and needed, European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic has said. "I could envisage a quadrilogue as a political impulse for negotiations with Ukraine," he wrote on Twitter after a meeting with German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier on Monday. Sefcovic said at a joint press conference in Berlin that the European Commission very much appreciates German Chancellor Angela Merkel's latest statement on Nord Stream 2. According to him, it gives grounds to talk about the possibility of such a potential expansion of negotiations from the trilateral (Ukraine, Russia and the European Commission) to the quadrilateral format (Ukraine, Russian, the European Commission and Germany). He noted that despite difficult conditions, Ukraine managed to ensure reliable transportation of 97 billion cubic meters of natural gas last season, setting a new record. "This confirms that this transit route is working and is of strategic importance for providing gas not only to such a big country as Ukraine, but also to Central and Eastern Europe," Sefcovic said, confirming the priority for the European Commission to ensure that Ukraine retains a role in gas transit. With regard to Nord Stream 2, he recalled the position of the European Commission that this pipeline should be built according to the same rules as all other gas pipelines in the EU. Since the Ukrainian-Russian gas contract expires in 2019, he again called for negotiations to resolve problem issues and stated the need to give a political impetus to such negotiations, especially at high-level meetings. Altmaier, in turn, noted that in the Nord Stream 2 issue, Germany DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia, April 15 (Reuters) Arab League leaders on Sunday called for an international probe into the "criminal" use of chemical weapons in Syria and condemned what they see as Iran's interference in the affairs of other countries. "We stress our absolute condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the sisterly Syrian people and we demand an independent international investigation to guarantee the application of international law to everyone proven to use chemical weapons," said a document distributed to journalists. It emphasized the need for a political solution to the multi-sided Syrian war, which has killed at least half a million people in the past seven years. A previous statement read out at the close of the summit in the eastern Saudi city of Dhahran did not mention Syria. Saudi Arabia and its allies have expressed support for Saturday's missile strikes by the United States, Britain and France against three alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria, while other Arab states such as Iraq and Lebanon have condemned the strikes. The Syrian government denies using or possessing chemical weapons and said the strikes were an act of aggression. The communique called for additional international sanctions on Iran and urged Tehran to withdraw "its militias" from Syria and Yemen. "We renew our strong condemnation of terrorist acts carried out by Iran in the Arab region, and we reject its blatant interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries," King Salman said in an opening speech. Iran denies the accusations. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed cooperating with the Arab League on regional security, specifically in Iraq and Syria following the defeat of Islamic State militants there, according to Russian news agencies. Saudi Arabia, which takes over the rotating chair of the Arab summit from Jordan, announced that the current gathering would be named the "Quds (Jerusalem) Summit", a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's decision last year to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which Arab states condemned. Delegates pledged in the closing statement to support the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state. Qatar did not send a senior official to Dhahran in a sign that its 10-month-old dispute with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt is still a long way from being resolved. The four countries severed diplomatic and transport ties with Doha in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott is an attempt to impinge on its sovereignty. The Qatari delegation was headed by Doha's permanent representative to the Arab League, Saif bin Muqaddam al-Buainain, Qatar's state news agency said, without elaborating. ADB will consider supporting Bhairahawa airport The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has remained Nepals key development partner since 1966. Over these years, the Manila-based multilateral lending institution has provided assistance totalling $5.25 billion. The ADBs current portfolio in Nepal consists of 35 projects. Meeting in Luxembourg, EU foreign ministers strongly defended the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, and declined to impose new sanctions against Iran over its role in the Syrian conflict. "There is no consensus at the moment on the fact that these measures would be useful in this moment, or appropriate in this moment," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said after the April 16. She added that further consideration on how to deal with Iran's role in Syria "will happen in the coming days or weeks." Britain, France, and Germany had used a meeting of the EU's 28 foreign ministers to try to build support for expanding sanctions against Iran over its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. "We disagree with the role that Iran plays in Syria," German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. "And that is why, in particular, my French colleague and myself, but also the British colleague, have once again addressed the topic of sanctions." The nuclear deal reached by Tehran and six world powers -- the United States, Britain, China, Russia, France, and Germany -- in July 2015 provided Iran with relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its atomic program. But U.S. President Donald Trump has set a May 12 deadline to either improve or scrap the accord, which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump accuses Tehran of violating the spirit of the nuclear deal and called on European powers to "fix" what he says are the "terrible flaws" of the agreement. He wants new restrictions to be imposed on Tehran's nuclear and missile programs. "One thing is clear to all of us," Mogherini said of the 28 EU nations. "We want to preserve the nuclear deal with Iran. We want to see the full compliance by all to all commitments included in the deal." Mogherini said the EU takes Irans activities in the region "extremely seriously, and that is why we already have a sanctions regime in place addressing some of this behavior." Last week, the European Union prolonged sanctions against Iran over its "serious human rights violations for another year. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/... The sanctions, which consist of travel bans and asset freezes against 82 people and one entity, were first put in place in 2011. They also include a ban to export equipment to Iran that might be used for internal repression as well as equipment for monitoring telecommunications. With reporting by AFP, dpa and AP Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 76 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said April 16. Armenians were using large-caliber machine guns and grenade launchers. 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, April 16 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Assistance in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is one of Russias priorities, the Moscow-Baku news portal reported citing the Russian Foreign Ministry. Assistance in the settlement, in particular, of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, is one of our priorities fixed in the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation. We will continue to conduct the mediation work taking into account the Russian co-chairmanship in the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as the agreements reached with the leadership of Azerbaijan and Armenia in the trilateral format, said the ministry. The ministry noted that Russia and Azerbaijan are linked by strategic partnership relations, based on the principles of equality and good-neighborliness, centuries-long traditions of friendship, common history and culture, intertwined fates of millions of people. The ties between the two fraternal peoples have rich history, are rooted in the depths of centuries. We consistently support further comprehensive and mutually beneficial development of political, trade-economic and humanitarian ties with Azerbaijan. We are convinced that the Russian-Azerbaijani partnership meets the fundamental interests of the peoples of our countries, serves stability and security in the South Caucasus and the Caspian region, added the ministry. 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, April 16 Trend: The visits by representatives of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijans occupied territories to the US and France hinder the process of negotiations on the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, propagandize separatism and occupation. The remarks were made by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Vice-President Azay Guliyev during the Bureau Meeting of the organization in Copenhagen. He expressed strong protest against the illegal visits by representatives of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijans occupied lands to the US and France. According to the confirmed information, the representatives of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijans occupied lands, in Nagorno-Karabakh, have recently paid illegal visits to the US and France. The separatists have held meetings in the US Congress, French Senate and the National Assembly, said Guliyev. The fact that such visits by illegal regime representatives are gaining a systematic nature is contrary to the development of Azerbaijans friendly relations and cooperation with the US and France and most importantly, this is incompatible with the mandate of these countries as OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, he added. Organization of such visits hinders the negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and propagandizes separatism and occupation. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev congratulated Head of the countrys Presidential Administration, Ramiz Mehdiyev, on his birth anniversary on April 16. The president awarded Ramiz Mehdiyev with the Order of Glory (Shohrat Order) for his fruitful activity in the strengthening of statehood and the great contribution to the development of science in the Republic of Azerbaijan. Mehdiyev thanked the head of state for the high appreciation for his activity and the award. The head of the administration underlined the exceptional services of President Ilham Aliyev in strengthening the modern Azerbaijani statehood founded by national leader Heydar Aliyev. Mehdiyev noted that very high achievements have been reached in all spheres in Azerbaijan under the leadership of the head of state. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: A favorable atmosphere has been created in Azerbaijan for all nations, Jason Katz, the head of Tool Shed Group, the former director of Public Relations and Public Affairs for the American Jewish Committee, told STMEGI. He also monitored the presidential election held in Azerbaijan on April 11. Katz said that while Jews are discriminated and persecuted in other countries, in Azerbaijan, on the contrary, the state provides all possible support to Jews. "A beautiful synagogue was built and commissioned in Baku with the support of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for the community of Mountain Jews in March 2011. A favorable atmosphere has been created in Azerbaijan for all peoples who have been living on this land under conditions of peace, mutual respect and friendship for many years," he said. The American expert noted that Mountain Jews build successful career in Azerbaijan, they are integrated in the country's social and political life and occupy relevant posts, share their knowledge and experience with the Azerbaijani government. "Today, memorial plaques have been preserved on buildings in Baku, where influential Jews, such as Nobel laureate physicist Lev Landau, honored doctor Solomon Guzman, Karabakh war hero, national hero of Azerbaijan Albert Agarunov, lived," he said. Speaking about the Azerbaijani-Israeli relations, Katz noted that the two countries successfully cooperate in the military and economic sector. "Azerbaijan covers more than 40 percent of Israel's oil demand. Israel, in turn, supplies high-tech military equipment to Azerbaijan. The relations between the two countries are beyond the military and economic cooperation. Today, Azerbaijani Jews play a very important role in strengthening of the Azerbaijani-Israeli relations," Katz said. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Azerbaijan is a reliable partner of West in ensuring energy security, CEO of Caspian Group Holdings Rob Sobhani said in his article published in Washington Times. He pointed out that a lot of positive changes have taken place in Azerbaijan since gaining independence. I first visited Azerbaijan in November 1990. Much has changed during these past 27 years and I have been fortunate to have witnessed first-hand the progress of this strategically important country with a rich culture. said Sobhani. Since its independence, life expectancy has gone from 64 to 71. When I first visited Azerbaijan, its GDP stood at a mere $8.7 billion. It peaked to $75.2 billion in 2014 and now stands at $37.8 billion. He noted that the story of Azerbaijans stable economic growth is what accounts for the improvement in the lives of ordinary Azerbaijanis. According to the World Bank, poverty rates have fallen from 49.6 percent to 6 percent today. And as poverty rates have dropped, more and more Azerbaijanis have seen their purchasing power increase, thus allowing them to transition to the middle class, said the article. Sobhani noted that without political and economic stability, Azerbaijan would not have been able to improve the lives of its citizens. Indeed, any Azerbaijani with whom I have spoken to has put a premium on stability (which explains why President Ilham Aliyev won with over 80 percent of the vote in a transparent election on April 11). They want to see their country remain stable and independent, said the article. The author pointed out that on the energy security front, Azerbaijan has been a reliable partner of the West. In fact, Washington and Baku share the same goal of uninterrupted exploration, development and transportation of oil and gas from the Caspian Basin to consumers in the West, said the article. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 Trend: Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his victory in the April 11 election. "Dear Mr. President, I was very glad to hear about your re-election as the President of Azerbaijan. I am honored to convey to you the most sincere congratulations," reads the congratulatory letter. "China and Azerbaijan are traditional partners in the field of cooperation. Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, the political trust of both sides is constantly strengthened, pragmatic cooperation in all spheres is deepened, while the relations between the two countries are constantly developing," Xi Jinping said. The Chinese leader further stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of relations between China and Azerbaijan. "Together with you, I want to raise the cooperation in all spheres to the next level for the sake of prosperity of our peoples," he said. "Recently, the Azerbaijani side has applied to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as an observer state. The Chinese side attaches great importance to Azerbaijan's application, and together with other countries, that are the SCO members, will consider it on the basis of a common agreement," Xi Jinping said. "I wish you good health, success in your work, constant big achievements in high state activity. I wish progress to your country and prosperity to your people," reads the congratulatory letter. Details added (first version posted on 16:57) Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 Trend: The Armenian leadership admits that its country is in a state of isolation and that it has no access to regional transportation projects, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend. He was commenting on the interview of Armenias former president Serzh Sargsyan with Russias Izvestiya newspaper. Apparently, the Armenian leadership, which has not achieved any results in the development of the state and the improvement of well-being of the people, is trying to compensate for this by means of war and propaganda on the eve of the forthcoming change in power. Over the past 10 years, Armenias external debt has been growing rapidly and nears $7 billion. This figure surpassed the level of external debt defined in national legislation in relation to GDP, said Hajiyev. Unemployment is at a high level, accounting for 18.9 percent, and poverty stands at 32 percent. In reality, these figures are even higher. The country is experiencing demographic crisis. Speaking against the background of this real socio-economic picture about some kind of economic development is an illusion, he noted. In the interview, the Armenian leadership admits that the country is in self-isolation and is deprived of access to regional transportation projects. Due to the continuation of the policy of aggression and occupation against Azerbaijan, territorial claims to other neighboring states, today Armenia has isolated itself both geopolitically and geoeconomically, added the spokesperson. Hajiyev said that contrary to the commitments undertaken by Armenia on the basis of the UN Charter, Armenia, using force against Azerbaijan, occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories and committed ethnic cleansing in the occupied lands against the native Azerbaijani population. Negotiating with the state that occupied your territory is the biggest concession by the Azerbaijani side. In order to achieve progress in the settlement of the conflict, the Armenian troops, in line with the requirements of the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, must be completely and unconditionally withdrawn from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The April 2016 battles once again showed that aggression and presence of Armenian troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan continue to be the main threat to regional peace and security, noted the spokesperson. The only way out of the geopolitical and geoeconomic isolation, into which Armenia fell, is to put an end to the occupation against Azerbaijan, to establish civilized relations with neighboring countries. Otherwise, further aggravation of the socio-economic and demographic situation in Armenia is inevitable. The sooner the Armenian leadership understands this, the better it will be for the population of Armenia, added the Azerbaijani official. 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. City authority designates six areas for public assemblies The Kathmandu District Administration Office has designated six places where people can organise assemblies and rallies. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Azerbaijan and Tajikistan discussed organizing and holding a meeting of the intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation, the Tajik Foreign Ministry said in a message on April 16. The talks were held within a meeting of Tajik Foreign Minister Sirodjidin Aslov and Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud Mammadguliyev. During the meeting held in an atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding, the sides considered state and prospects of the bilateral relations in political, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres. "The parties also discussed issue of organizing and holding the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. They also exchanged views on agenda of the next meeting of foreign ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Dushanbe, scheduled for April 17," according to the ministry. According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover with Tajikistan in 2017 amounted to $2.045 million, of which about $47,370 accounted for the import of Tajik products. Details added (first version posted at 17:55) Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 Trend: Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his victory in the April 11 election. "Dear Mr. President, I was very glad to hear about your re-election as the President of Azerbaijan. I am honored to convey to you the most sincere congratulations," reads the congratulatory letter. "China and Azerbaijan are traditional partners in the field of cooperation. Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, the political trust of both sides is constantly strengthened, pragmatic cooperation in all spheres is deepened, while the relations between the two countries are constantly developing," Xi Jinping said. The Chinese leader further stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of relations between China and Azerbaijan. "Together with you, I want to raise the cooperation in all spheres to the next level for the sake of prosperity of our peoples," he said. "Recently, the Azerbaijani side has applied to become a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as an observer state. The Chinese side attaches great importance to Azerbaijan's application, and together with other countries, that are the SCO members, will consider it on the basis of a common agreement," Xi Jinping said. "I wish you good health, success in your work, constant big achievements in high state activity. I wish progress to your country and prosperity to your people," reads the congratulatory letter. The cooperation agreement was signed between UNEC and Inonu University of Turkey with the purpose of expanding the cooperation in education and research area. According to the document, the parties will implement exchange of teachers, the students of bachelors degree level and masters degree level of study, the doctoral students and the researchers, as well as, conduct the joint scientific researches, work on joint scientific publications, hold seminars and conferences. The rector, professor Adalat Muradov spoke to the the delegation headed by the rector of Inonu University, the professor Ahmet Kizilay about the UNEC Development Strategy diections and gave the information about the double- degree program implemented with the leading, well-known universities of the world. Expressing satisfaction with the acquaintance with UNEC, the professor, Ahmet Kizilay said that, the Inonu University wanted to benefit from the rich experience of UNEC. He highly appreciated the masters degree level and the doctorate education and noted that, the coopertaion in this area would be beneficial for them. In the meeting, were exchanged the views on expanding the cooperation in the field of scientific-research. Was emphasized the importance of joint cooperation in the training of staff in technical specialties. The parties discussed the opportunities for expanding the Mevlana exchange program and the collaborating on Erasmus+ exchange program, as well. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: There are no reasons for the growth of foreign currency rate in Azerbaijan, Jalal Nagiyev, adviser to the chairman of the board of Azerbaijans NIKOIL Bank, financial expert, told Trend. He noted that there are no fundamental prerequisites for devaluation of Azerbaijani national currency, the manat, adding that the manats exchange rate against the US dollar has remained stable at 1.7 AZN/USD for a long time. He said that a number of factors contribute to the manats stability. In particular, domestic production is growing in Azerbaijan, he noted. In particular, more entrepreneurs, especially representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises, started to apply for business loans aimed at creating or expanding production, he said. The measures undertaken by the Azerbaijani government - various benefits, increase of the number of industrial, IT and agricultural parks, as well as other measures also contribute to this. Secondly, more foreign currency enters Azerbaijan as the tourism sector develops, the expert noted. Only in the first quarter of this year, the number of tourists visiting Azerbaijan increased by 12.5 percent compared to the same period last year. This is while the growth exceeded 20 percent last year, according to Azerbaijans Ministry of Culture and Tourism, he said. In addition, one shouldnt forget about major gas projects that will provide additional inflow of foreign currency into Azerbaijan in the medium term, he added. The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is expected to be launched this year and, accordingly, production within the second stage of the Shah Deniz fields development is expected to start. This gas will be the base source for the Southern Gas Corridor. The expert mentioned extension of the Contract of the Century, as part of which Azerbaijan will receive foreign investments worth tens of billions of dollars, and additional $3.6 billion as a bonus. Among other factors the expert also mentioned oil prices. Oil prices remain at $70 per barrel, although many international experts were more skeptical about this, he said. Azerbaijani oil recently renewed almost 3.5-year high, reaching $74 per barrel. These figures are much higher than the base oil price in the state budget [$45]. Therefore, it may be assumed that this year we will have no problems with budget execution. This is also a very positive factor when it comes to national currency. The trust of the Azerbaijani population to the national currency is also quite high and continues to grow, the expert added. He stressed that the value of deposits in national currency in Azerbaijans banks amounted to 2.935 billion manats in February this year, which is twice more than in February 2017. The share of deposits in national currency for this year increased from 20.6 to 37.8 percent, he said. Azerabaijani startup has participated in Seedstars Summit held in Lozanna, Switzerland, with the organizational support of Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center supported by Azercell Telecom and PASHA Bank. 12 participants out of 60 startups qualified to the final round to compete for USD 1,000,000. Azerbaijan was represented in the competition by Wake Me Up project which won the qualifying round in the country last year. Notably, Wake Me Up is a new and invaluable device which will prevent user from sleeping and protect from different kinds of accidents through specially designed glasses. According to the operating principle, the device receives the signals from sensor and instantly activates voice and vibration sensors on the glasses. The device identifies each time when you feel like sleeping and prevents the possible dangers. It should be noted that Seedstars is a Swiss based group of companies which has the goal of impacting peoples lives in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship. Through different activities of startup scouting, company building and acceleration programs, the team has now access to entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, corporations and government officials from dozens of countries. This year over 75 countries from Asia, Africa and Europe joined the competition. The competition which also brought together recognized investors and company managers had panel discussions about health, technology, environment, social networks and other important topics. Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center was founded in 2009 by Azercell with the aim to support entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan. The Center generally supports IT projects and start-ups operating in this industry and helps them become successful businesses. 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. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: In 2018, 36 million tourists are expected to visit Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Turkish media reported April 16. Erdogan also did not exclude a possibility that this figure can reach 40 million people by the end of 2018. "Turkey has a great tourism potential. Tourism is among the important sectors for development of the country's economy," Erdogan said. Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey expects the number of tourists visiting the country to be over 30 million in 2018. According to the report, over 2.988 million foreigners visited Turkey in January-February 2018. -- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov will pay an official visit to Russia in mid-May to attend the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, Kyrgyz media outlets reported. Head of the foreign policy department of the Kyrgyz Presidents Office Daniyar Sydykov previously said at a press conference that the upcoming meeting of the heads of the Eurasian Economic Union member states will be held in Sochi. In June, Kyrgyz president will also visit China amid the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Previously, Kyrgyz president paid an official visit to Turkey on April 9. During the visit, Jeenbekov met with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a narrow and extended format, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Speaker of the Great National Assembly (Turkish parliament) Ismail Kahraman. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 Trend: The 23rd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization will be held in Dushanbe on April 17, Tajik media reported on April 16. According to the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan, ministers and deputy foreign ministers of countries, members of the Organization, will take part in the meeting of the ECO Foreign Ministers Council. The participants of the meeting will discuss the status of the implementation of the ECO projects and programs, the relationship of the ECO Secretariat with international organizations, the activities of the specialized agencies and affiliated bodies of ECO. They will also discuss progress and assessment of the implementation of the goals and objectives defined in the 2025 ECO Prospects, the adoption of the New ECO Program on Assistance to Afghanistan, as well as the administrative and financial issues of the Organization. The meeting of the ECO Foreign Ministers Council is preceded by a meeting of the Senior Officials of the member countries of the Organization, which will be held on April 16. Within the framework of the 23rd meeting of the ECO Foreign Ministers Council, an exhibition of folk handicrafts of the ECO countries will be held on April 16-17 in the Bogi Iram park. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has banned offering foreign currencies in exchange shops across the country amid growing concerns over the depreciation of the national currency, rial. "The sale of foreign currency through the exchange shops is prohibited, so far," Mohammad Ali Karimi, the head of Public Relations Office at the CBI, told IRIB news agency. He added that the central bank will provide the nation with the required currencies through its systems. Saying that the central bank has decided to create its system for trading foreign currency namely "Nima", he added that the exporters of non-oil products will supply their foreign currency through the system. Earlier this week, Iran imposed a 10,000-euro ($12,400) ceiling on the amount of foreign currency that citizens can hold outside banks. The rial lost close to half its value on the free market since September, driven in part by concerns over a possible return of sanctions in case of US exit from the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri on Monday evening announced the authorities latest decision on unifying official and free-market exchange rates for the rial in favor of a single rate set at 42,000 against the US dollar. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has left Tehran for Dushanbe, Tajikistan, to attend the 23rd meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), Iranian media reported. According to Tajik sources, the ECO meeting will be held in Dushanbe on April 17 where the officials of the Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan, ministers and deputy foreign ministers of countries, members of the Organization, will take part. The participants of the meeting will discuss the status of the implementation of the ECO projects and programs, the relationship of the ECO Secretariat with international organizations, the activities of the specialized agencies and affiliated bodies of ECO. They will also discuss progress and assessment of the implementation of the goals and objectives defined in the 2025 ECO Prospects, the adoption of the New ECO Program on Assistance to Afghanistan, as well as the administrative and financial issues of the Organization. The meeting of the ECO Foreign Ministers Council is preceded by a meeting of the Senior Officials of the member countries of the Organization, which will be held on April 16. Within the framework of the 23rd meeting of the ECO Foreign Ministers Council, an exhibition of folk handicrafts of the ECO countries will be held on April 16-17 in the Bogi Iram park. Employees should work as deputed: Minister Pandit Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Lalbabu Pandit has said that government employees should quit their jobs if they refuse to go to deputed workstations. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Gazenfer Hamidov Trend: Iran has exported 11 billion cubic meters of gas to its north western neighbors, including Turkey during the last fiscal year (ended March 20), Yadollah Baibordi, an official with the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), said. Baibordi, who heads Zone 8 of the NIGC's Gas Transfer Operation said that over 17 billion cubic meters of gas was transferred via the zone for domestic consumption in various sectors including households, power plants and industry in the period, the NIGCs official website reported. The official added, that in general 29 bcm of gas was transferred via Zone 8 of the NIGC during the last fiscal year, which is 7 percent more compared to the preceding year. According to the Iranian officials the Islamic Republic exports 27 million cubic meters per day (mcm/d) of gas to Turkey, barters about 1 mcm/d with Armenia, while swaps the same volume with Azerbaijan. Turkeys gas import from Iran in 2017 accounted to 9.2 billion cubic meters. Irans overall gas exports to Turkey accounted to 7.8 and 7.7 bcm in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Iran has announced that beside the exist deals with Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Pakistan and Iraq, the country is in talk with Afghanistan, Oman, Kuwait and other Persian Gulf countries to export gas. Iranian gas refineries processed 214 billion cubic meters (bcm) of sweet gas during the last fiscal year, ended March 20, 2018. Head of Mahabad Blood Transfusion Office Davoud Nasr said on Monday that Mahabad base has European standard to produce and export blood products, and added that 3,000 liters of blood plasma had been exported from Mahabad to Europe last year, Irna reported. Nasr told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that this amount of plasma was delivered to the Austrian Company of Octapharma, as representative of the European Union. Nasr said that Mahabad ranked first in blood donation in West Azarbaijan province cities and last year 20,000 units of blood were donated in this town. He said that total number of blood donators in Mahabad over last year were 12,311 men and 344 women, which shown 12 and 17 percent increases, repectively in comparison with the preceding year. The office produces also other blood products. Mahabad with a population of 237,000 persons is located in southwest of Azarbaijan province. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 17 Trend: Participants of the protests against the election of Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister of the country started blocking the central streets of Yerevan, RIA Novosti reported. The oppositionists have already blocked the intersection of Tumanyan and Abovyan streets, as well as the intersection of Mashtots avenue and Amiryan street. Groups of protesters move to the center - the Republic Square through the Northern avenue. Earlier, the head of the action, MP Nikol Pashinyan said that the protesters will try to block all the ways to the parliament on Tuesday. He proposed to block the central streets at night, and also to begin blocking streets and roads in the regions of the country. The International Monetary Fund has completed the second review on the Extended Fund Facility approved last year under which Georgia is receiving $285.3 million over a period of three years, Agenda reports. The Georgian Government pledged to ensure fiscal consolidation over the medium term as well as to shift spending towards capital investment to address infrastructure bottlenecks. After the IMF Executive Board approves the second review Georgia will receive $43.6 million over the course of this year. "The economic growth rate that we have since the beginning of this year provides a solid foundation for fulfilling all the obligations taken on by the Government of Georgia, Georgias Economy Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili said today at the joint briefing held by IMF, members of the Georgian government and the National Bank of Georgia. Kumsishvili said that Georgias economic growth in 2017 was five percent, which was higher than previously forecasted and was largely caused by increased activity in the private sector - 39,000 new jobs and private sector turnover increased by 19 percent. "The program, which is being implemented in partnership with the International Monetary Fund, is fully based on the four-point reform plan of the Government of Georgia. The IMF fully agrees with the countrys political reform program and its economic policy. The successful completion of the second review confirms that the IMF supports the economic policy of the Government of Georgia, said Kumsishvili. The minister said that investors confidence would further increase towards Georgias business environment and this would help to attract more foreign direct investments. The Arab League called on Sunday for an international probe into the criminal use of chemical weapons in Syria, Reuters reported. We stress our absolute condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people and we demand an independent international investigation to guarantee the application of international law against anyone proven to have used chemical weapons, said a statement distributed to journalists. It emphasized the need for a political solution to the multi-sided Syrian war. Saudi Arabia and its allies have expressed support for Saturdays missile strikes by the United States, Britain and France against alleged chemical weapons facilities in Syria, while Iraq and Lebanon condemned the strikes. Damascus denies using or possessing chemical weapons and called the strikes an act of aggression. More than 59,000 Syrians have returned to their homes in Eastern Ghouta thanks to the assistance of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties, the centers chief, Yuri Yevtushenko, said on Sunday, TASS reported. "Thanks to the efforts taken by the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties and the Syrian government, as many as 59,003 residents of Eastern Ghouta have returned to their homes from camps for refugees and temporarily displaced persons," he said. "The reconciliation center is offering all-round assistance to ensure free, unimpeded and safe works of experts of the special mission from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons," he noted. According to Yevrushenko, a total of 2.9 tonnes of humanitarian cargoes were delivered during the day to the settlement of Kiswah in Damascus governorate and the settlement of Tell Hassel in the province of Aleppo. During the day, as many as 133 Syrians, including 66 children, received medical assistance from Russian military doctors. Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Taro Kono and his Chinese counterpart kicked off the first high-level economic talks between their nations in eight years on Monday, at a time of tense trade relations with the United States for both countries, Reuters reported. Concern is growing about a trade row between China and the United States in which the two nations have threatened each other with tariffs. Japan has come in for criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump on trade and been hit with tariffs on steel and aluminum, but Japan has not yet threatened counter-tariffs. Chinas top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, is the first Chinese foreign minister to visit Japan in a bilateral context in nine years. He and Kono discussed a broad range of issues, including North Korea, Kono on Sunday night. In these eight years, both nations as well as the economic conditions surrounding them have changed greatly, even as our regional economic roles have increased, Kono said at the start of Mondays discussions, noting a need for a reset of their often-fraught bilateral ties. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged last year to reset the sometimes touchy relationship between Asias two largest economic powers. I hope that today we can discuss closer, tighter economic cooperation as well as the regional and global economic situations, Kono added. Wang, who spent eight years in Japan as a diplomat including three as ambassador, said the changing economic climate presented fresh opportunities. After reopening these talks were both standing at new starting points to discuss future cooperation that will, I hope, lead to fresh economic growth for both nations, Wang said. Financial markets have been roiled recently over fears that a full-blown U.S.-China trade war could shatter global trade and economic growth, and these issues are likely to be high on the agenda, along with Japanese cooperation on Chinas Belt and Road projects. Japanese officials are also eager to avoid trade friction with the United States, with the issue to be discussed in the Abe and Trump talks later this week. Japan and China agree that a trade war will have serious consequences for the world economy, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said on Monday after a high-level economic dialogue between the worlds third- and second-largest economies, Reuters reports. Concern is growing about a trade row between China and the United States in which the two nations have threatened each other with tariffs. Japan has been criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump on trade and been hit with tariffs on steel and aluminum, but it has not yet threatened counter-tariffs. We have shared understanding that a trade war, no matter which country has brought it about, would have a very large impact on the prosperity of the international economy, Kono told reporters after the first such dialogue in more than seven years. Kono and the Chinese governments top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, co-chaired the Tokyo meeting. Wang is also foreign minister. Financial markets have been roiled recently over fears that a full-blown U.S.-China trade war could shatter global trade and economic growth. Trade issues will likely be at the forefront of a summit between Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Trump later this week. Tokyo is eager to avoid being pushed into talks on a two-way free trade agreement aimed not only at market access but at monetary and currency policies. Kono also said it was possible that Japan works with China on Beijings Belt and Road projects. It is quite possible that Japan cooperates with China on various (Belt and Road) projects on a case by case basis where international standards are met, Kono said. Chinese President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative, unveiled in 2013, aims at building a modern-day Silk Road connecting China by land and sea to Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Abe and Xi pledged last year to reset the sometimes touchy relationship between Asias two largest economic powers. Wang, who spent eight years in Japan as a diplomat including three as ambassador, said the changing economic climate presented fresh opportunities. After reopening these talks, were both standing at new starting points to discuss future cooperation that will, I hope, lead to fresh economic growth for both nations, Wang said at the start of the economic dialogue. Wang is the first Chinese foreign minister to visit Japan in a bilateral context in nine years. He and Kono discussed a broad range of issues, including North Korea, on Sunday night. Japanese and Chinese finance ministers agreed on the importance of multilateral free trade in the face of global fears of trade protectionism, a Japanese official said on Monday, Reuters reports. Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso and Chinas Finance Minister Liu Kun discussed the matter on the sidelines of high-level economic dialogue between Japan and China. There was no reference to (U.S. President Donald) Trump. They reaffirmed the importance of free trade in general, the official told reporters after the meeting. The bilateral economic dialogue was co-chaired by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and the Chinese governments top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi. The U.S. Department of Commerce is banning American companies from selling components to leading Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for seven years for violating the terms of a sanctions violation case, U.S. officials said on Monday, Reuters reports. The Chinese company, which sells smartphones in the United States, pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Texas for conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by illegally shipping U.S. goods and technology to Iran. It paid $890 million in fines and penalties, with an additional penalty of $300 million that could be imposed. As part of the agreement, Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp promised to dismiss four senior employees and discipline 35 others by either reducing their bonuses or reprimanding them, senior Commerce Department officials told Reuters. But the Chinese company admitted in March that while it had fired the four senior employees, it had not disciplined or reduced bonuses to the 35 others. Shares of big U.S. ZTE suppliers fell on the Commerce ban. Acacia Communications Inc, which got 30 percent of its total 2017 revenue from ZTE, tumbled as much as 34.7 percent in early trade, hitting a near two-year low. Shares of optical companies including Lumentum Holdings Inc fell 6.8 percent and Finisar Corp dropped 6 percent. Oclaro Inc, which got 18 percent of its fiscal 2017 revenue from ZTE, lost 17.4 percent. ZTE provided information back to us basically admitting that they had made these false statements, said a senior department official. That was in response to the U.S. asking for the information. We cant trust what they are telling us is truthful, the official said. And in international commerce, truth is pretty important. ZTE officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, Britains main cyber security agency said on Monday it has written to organizations in the UKs telecommunications sector warning about using services or equipment from ZTE. FM Gyawali leaves for China today Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali is leaving on a five-day official visit to China on Monday at the invitation of State Councillor and Minister for Foreign Affairs of China, Wang Yi. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday a dialogue with Russia, Turkey and Iran is needed for the settlement of the Syrian crisis, TASS reported. "It is necessary to cooperate with Russia, Turkey and Iran in the interests of Syrian settlement," he said in an interview with BFMTV. In his words, dialogue is needed for sustainable settlement in Syria. According to the French leader, Saturdays operation in Syria was successful. All missiles hit their targets, he said and thanked the French army for the operation. He argued with journalists who called the Saturday strike as act of war. "We did not declare war, the operation entailed no casualties," he said, adding that Frances goal was to ensure the supremacy of international law. "The operation was absolutely legitimate," he pledged. He confirmed that three chemical weapons production and storage facilities had been destroyed. He also said that intelligence services of his country and Frances partners had obtained evidence of the use of chlorine in Syria on April 7. French President Emmanuael Macron has confirmed his plans to pay a visit to Russia in May, TASS reported. "Yes, I will go to St. Petersburg in May," he said in an interview with BFMTV on Sunday. Macron was invited to have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum in May. Macrons visit to Russia is expected to continue dialogue that began in May 2017. Shortly after his election French president, Macron invited Putin to visit France. The two leaders met in Versailles in late May 2017 and the Russian president invited his French counterpart to attend the St. Petersburg Economic Forum. Macrons visit to Russia is scheduled for May 24-25. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis changed his stance on the air strikes on Syria, carried out by the US, Great Britain and France, after a conversation with President of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman, as can be seen from the statements he made while talking with reporters, TASS reports. "It would have been better if the strike was conducted after the United Nations Security Council had issued a mandate," Babis said. On Saturday, the Czech prime minister said that the "the strike on the Syrian regime, which has been targeting civilians with chemical weapons, was inevitable." Babis also criticized the Saturday statements made by Czech Defense Minister Karla Slechtova and Foreign Minister Martin Stropincky, saying they had been hasty to assess the missile attack on Syria after the first reports from the Middle East. "The problem was that our two ministers were competing to see who is the first to make a statement, they were addressing press conferences. I would like to note that it did not reflect the entire governments position," Babis said. The Czech prime minister also called for resolving the Syrian conflict through diplomatic means. In his view, in order to achieve this goal, Russia, the European Union, the United States, Turkey and Israel need to cooperate, while the EU should step up its activities as far as the Syria issue is concerned. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the missile attack on Syrias military and civilian infrastructure facilities was carried out by US warplanes and naval ships in cooperation with British and French on Saturday. The Syrian air defenses managed to shoot down 71 out of 103 missiles fired by the United States and its allies. Earlier, the US, Great Britain and France claimed the strikes had been conducted in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, a suburb of the Syrian capital. Washington, London and Paris claimed the strikes to be a response to a chemical weapons attack, which had allegedly happened in the Syrian town of Douma on April 7. Reports about the incident had been spread by a number of non-government organizations, including the White Helmets. The Russian Foreign Ministry slammed those allegations as a bogus story, while Russias Defense Ministry pointed out that the White Helmets were not a reliable source of information as they were known for spreading fabricated news. On April 9, officers from the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the opposing sides in Syria visited Douma but did not find any traces of chemical weapons. Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has been in jail since last week, is still leading presidential election choices ahead of the vote in October, according to a new poll released on Sunday, Xinhua reported. According to the poll by the Datafolha Institute, 31 percent of Brazilians would vote for him, if he was legally able to stand, more than double the 15 percent favoring the far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, and the 10 percent choosing former environment minister, Marina Silva. President Michel Temer, who is allegedly mulling a run for re-election, would garner just 1 percent. However, in the likely scenario that Lula will not be a candidate, Bolsonaro, a retired soldier who has spoken fondly of Brazil's military dictatorship, would see his share rise to 17 percent, according to the poll. Marina Silva would remain in second place on 15 percent, with Ciro Gomes, another popular left-wing choice, rising to 9 percent. The poll was taken after Lula turned himself in to police between April 11-13, interviewing 4,194 people in 227 Brazilian municipalities. Lula was arrested on April 7 to purge a 12 year and one month prison sentence, after being found guilty of corruption and money laundering within the Petrobras corruption case. According to Brazilian law, no politician found guilty of a criminal charge can stand for election. Despite this, Lula's Workers' Party (PT) has said it is not considering replacing him at the top of the ticket. Lula was accused of receiving a luxury apartment along the coast of Sao Paulo from construction company, OAS S.A., as a bribe in exchange for favoring the firm with public Petrobras contracts. The Moroccan authorities have arrested 80 sub-Saharan illegal migrants in the northern city of Nador while they were attempting to reach Spain, Xinhua reported citing local media. Citing security sources, Hespress.com news site said the migrants' attempts were foiled after two separate operations conducted by the Moroccan authorities in two local beaches in the city of Nador. In the first operation, 25 illegal migrants were intercepted off the Moroccan coast en route to Spain. In the second operation, 55 illegal migrants, including women and children, were arrested while they were getting ready to embark on inflatable boat heading to Spanish coast. Morocco has become a hub for African migrants who seek to reach Europe for a better life. Thousands of migrants are trying to flee poverty and unrest in Africa each year via Morocco to Europe, either by land into Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish ports in the Moroccan territory, or by sea to Spain or Italy, often in flimsy vessels. According to Morocco's Interior Ministry, security forces arrested some 50,000 illegal migrants in 2017 and dismantled over 70 organized illegal migration networks. At least nine people have been killed in Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam by heavy rains pounding the city of five million people for three consecutive days, police said on Monday, Xinhua reported. Lazaro Mambosasa, the Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, said the nine were killed by flash floods and falling walls. "The victims include children, women and men and the number might rise as the rains continue pounding the city," he told a news conference after he had conducted air patrol by an helicopter. Mambosasa said most areas of the capital have been submerged in the rains that started on Saturday. He said authorities, including the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), had warned people living in low areas to move out of the areas but most of them did not take the warning seriously. Paul Makonda, the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner, ordered on Monday public schools to close to avoid more casualties from the rains. "It is not convenient to send children to schools in this situation where vehicles are prone to accidents and infrastructure of some schools have been destroyed," said Makonda. The Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART), a public transport firm, suspended its operations, bringing transport to a standstill. The suspension left many city residents stranded as they failed to report for work. According to a statement released last week by the TMA, the rains were expected to continue for some time. The statement mentioned the hardest hit regions as Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Coast, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Arusha, and Morogoro. Others were Mwanza, Mara, Kagera, Geita, Kigoma, Katavi, Tabora, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Lindi, and Mtwara. In April last year, a 24-hour deluge in Dar es Salaam resulted in the deaths of at least two people and displacement of hundreds as business almost came to a standstill. Further anti-Russian sanctions the United States is looking at are meant to punish Russia for the mere fact of its being a global player, with no particular events cited as a reason, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday, TASS reported. "I can really confirm that the sanctions are to be imposed on Russia without any link to any realities. If earlier they used to say they punished us for Ukraine, now the wording has been changed dramatically: now they punish us for the mere fact of being on the global arena," she said in an interview with the Voskresny Vecher s Vladimirom Solovyovym (Sunday Evening with Vladimir Solovyov) program on the Rossiya-1 television channel. "This is exactly how they worded these sanctions: for Russias role in international affairs," she stressed. Russia will not interfere with the work of the mission of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Syrian city of Douma, Russian Permanent Representation to the OPCW stated on Monday, commenting on the meeting of the organizations executive council, TASS reports. "The US is trying to undermine confidence in the Mission regarding the establishment of facts of the use of chemical weapons in Syria ahead the experts arrival in Douma," the Permanent Representation stressed. "Russia confirms its adherence to the provision of security for the mission and does not plan to interfere with its work." Bulgaria, as the EU chairman, stated at the meeting that solution to the Syrian crisis should be searched for in the sphere of politics, the Russian mission reported. "It is hard to disagree with this statement, especially after two (yet) members of the community conducted a strike [on Syria] two days ago," the Permanent Representation noted. An OPCW meeting devoted to the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria is being held in The Hague on Monday. A number of NGOs, including the White Helmets, stated that chemical weapons were used in Eastern Ghouta on April 7. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the White Helmets are an unreliable source of information and are notorious for disseminating falsified material. Representatives from the Russian Reconciliation Center for the Opposing Sides examined Douma on April 9, and found no trace of any use of chemical weapons there. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, warplanes and warships of the US, the UK and France carried out missile strikes over military and civil infrastructure facilities in Syria on Saturday from 03:42 to 05:10 Moscow time on April 14. Syrian air defenses shot down 71 out of 103 cruise missiles, the ministry reported. Washington, London and Paris earlier stated that the strikes are a response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma. On Saturday, an OPCW expert group arrived in Syria to investigate the incident. Different stance of Russia and Turkey on the recent strikes of the United States against Syria will not obstruct further cooperation between Moscow and Ankara, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, TASS reports. "These strikes did not divide Russia and Turkey," Peskov said commenting on a recent statement from French President Emmanuel Macron. "It is of no secret that positions of Moscow and Ankara differ on a number of issues, however, this does not hamper further exchange of bilateral opinions as well as discussions of differences in our positions," Peskov said. "Most importantly, it has no impact on the long-term multilateral perspectives of the cooperation development and interaction regarding the implementation of major economic and other projects," the Russian presidential spokesman added. French President Macron said on Sunday he believed that following last weekends US missile strikes against Syria positions of Moscow and Ankara on the ongoing Syrian conflict tend to differ. According to data of Russias Defense Ministry, the missile strike against Syrias military and civilian infrastructures was carried out by US warplanes and naval ships in cooperation with the British and French air forces between 03:42 and 05:10 Moscow time on Saturday. As the Russian Defense Ministry reported, the Syrian air defenses shot down 71 out of 103 missiles fired by the United States and its allies. The United States, Britain and France said the strikes were in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syrias Douma. Russia and the US are not discussing any possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, TASS reports. "There is no discussion of the presidents possible meeting, which they talked about during their recent telephone conversation," the Kremlin spokesman said. Peskov added that Moscow "expects some conversation to start with time, when American colleagues settle their domestic issues, despite the damage to bilateral relations that Washington is inflicting now." Gay Rights Lawyer Immolates Self in NYC in Ecology Protest A well-known gay rights lawyer and environmental advocate burned himself to death in New York City on Saturday in a grisly protest against ecological destruction, the Associated Press reported. Russia is surprised by the absence of reaction from the OSCE European security agency to an act of aggression by Western countries against Syria, Russias Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich said on Monday, TASS reports. "Democracy of our Western partners turns out to be selective, applied only to the matters advantageous for them, while inconvenient things are brushed away," the Russian ambassador told a session of the Working Group on Structured Dialogue. "We are surprised by the absence of any reaction to what happened from the chairmanship and the OSCE secretary general (the reaction to deteriorating situation on the Korean peninsula was immediate in due time)," the diplomat said. On April 14, the Russian diplomat urged the OSCE secretary-general and the Italian chairmanship to react to reckless behavior of the US, the UK and France in Syria, coming in direct violation of rules of international law, to a crackdown on the basic principles of the OSCE. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the missile strike against Syrias military and civilian infrastructures was carried out by US warplanes and naval ships in cooperation with the British and French air forces between 03:42 and 05:10 Moscow time on Saturday, April 14. The ministry reported that Syrias air defense units had been able to shoot down 71 of 103 cruise missiles. The United States, the UK and France said the strikes were a response to an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, a suburb of Syrias capital. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey is preparing to demonstrate the PARS 6X6 IZCI new generation domestic armored combat vehicle at the 16th Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference, DSA 2018, to be held in Malaysia April 19 this year, Turkish media reported citing the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries of Turkey. The PARS 6X6 IZCI is fully developed by Turkish engineers, the armored combat vehicle has the ability to run on water. From 2011, Turkey has set up the production of mobile outposts that proved effective in fight against the militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and also the Canik TP9 handguns, unmanned ANKA aircraft and other military equipment to strengthen the domestic defense industry. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: An armed attack has been committed to a military unit in the southeastern Turkish province of Sirnak, the Turkish media reported April 16. Reportedly, three servicemen were killed and another one was wounded. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) stands behind the attack, according to the report. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for more than 30 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The main reason for the use of chemical weapons in Syria is related to the fact that the world community didnt apply tough sanctions against the Assad regime at the time, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said, Turkish media reported April 16. Bozdag noted that Turkey is not only against the use of chemical weapons against civilians, but also strictly condemns all acts of violence against the peaceful population of Syria. Turkeys policy towards Syria is very clear - Ankara stands for stability in the region, Bozdag said. On April 14, Joseph Dunford, a US Marine Corps general and the 19th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US and its allies fired more than 100 missiles at Syria at 9 p.m. EST (1 a.m. GMT) and three main chemical weapons facilities were targeted by missiles from both the sea and aircraft, which triggered Syrian air defenses. Dunford acknowledged the strike was designed to degrade Syrias chemical weapons capability without killing civilians or the many foreign fighters in Syrias multi-sided civil war. The Pentagon said one of the targets was a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area, which it described as a Syrian center for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weaponry. The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of the city of Homs. The third target, which was also near Homs, contained both a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and a command post. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The Turkish opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) will hold protest rallies in all provinces of the country against extension of the state of emergency, Turkish media reported April 16. The protest rallies will start today, April 16, at 12:00 (GMT +3). Earlier, the CHP demanded that the Turkish government abolish the state of emergency. This is while Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said that the state of emergency will be extended in Turkey. The state of emergency was introduced in Turkey after the military coup attempt in 2016. On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. The death toll as a result of the coup attempt stood at over 250 people, and more than 2,000 people were wounded. In January 2018, the emergency state in Turkey was extended for the sixth time. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Ankara is hosting negotiations between the Minister of National Defense of Turkey Nurettin Canikli and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a message April 16. Stoltenberg is also expected to meet with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu today, according to the message. Previously, it was reported that during the meetings, a number of regional issues, including the settlement of the Syrian crisis, the Operation Olive Branch in Syrias Afrin district, as well as the latest air strikes on chemical facilities in Syria will be discussed. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: As many as 461 employees of the Turkish Foreign Ministry have been dismissed as part of the fight against the FETO terrorist group following the military coup attempt in Turkey, said Mevlut Cavusoglu, the countrys foreign minister, Turkish media reported April 16. He noted that the number of those dismissed makes about 20 percent of all employees of the Turkish Foreign Ministry. The foreign minister also noted that there are consular employees and advisers of the Foreign Ministry among the dismissed. The Turkish authorities accuse the leader of the Hizmet (FETO) movement, Fethullah Gulen, who resides in the US, of being involved in an attempted military coup, and demand the US to extradite him. On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. The death toll as a result of the military coup attempt stood at over 250 people, and more than 2,000 people were wounded. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkish police cordoned off Taksim Square in Istanbul in connection with expected protests against the extension of the emergency state, Turkish media reported on April 16. The police blocked all entrances to Taksim Square without exception, according to the media. Turkish opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) will hold protest rallies in all provinces of the country against extension of the state of emergency April 16. Earlier, CHP demanded that the Turkish government abolish the state of emergency. This is while Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said the state of emergency will be extended in Turkey. The state of emergency was introduced in Turkey after the military coup attempt in 2016. On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. The death toll as a result of the coup attempt stood at over 250 people, and more than 2,000 people were wounded. In January 2018, the emergency state in Turkey was extended for the sixth time. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Syrian leadership who used chemical weapons against civilians mustnt go unpunished, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with Turkish TRT Haber TV channel. He noted that Turkey, as a member of NATO, supported the US in carrying out air operations in Syria. He thanked Turkey for the support and said the country is a valuable ally for NATO. On April 14, Joseph Dunford, US Marine Corps General and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US and its allies fired more than 100 missiles at Syria and three main chemical weapons facilities were targeted by missiles from both sea and aircraft, which triggered Syrian air defenses. Dunford acknowledged the strike was designed to degrade Syrias chemical weapons capability without killing civilians or the many foreign fighters in Syrias multi-sided civil war. The Pentagon said one of the targets was a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area, which it described as a Syrian center for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weaponry. The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of the city of Homs. The third target, which was also near Homs, contained both a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and a command post. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Further destructive plans of the West include not only the Middle East, but also Asian countries, Turkish foreign policy expert Fatih Oztosun told Trend. He said that presently only own interests are most important for the West, and therefore the Western states arent interested in the development of Muslim countries, because they were actively developing their national policy in the past years. The expert noted that the West is gradually implementing plans to weaken the Muslim states, as well as the Asian countries. The expert believes that the West isnt interested in strengthening of relations between Turkey and Russia, either. Oztosun noted that aggravation of relations between Ankara and Moscow will be one of the next steps of the West. The events in Syria and the Middle East in general are the first stage of weakening of the countries of the region, Oztosun said. On April 14, Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US and its allies fired more than 100 missiles at Syria and three main chemical weapons facilities were targeted by missiles from both sea and aircraft, which triggered Syrian air defenses. Dunford acknowledged the strike was designed to degrade Syrias chemical weapons capability without killing civilians or the many foreign fighters in Syrias multi-sided civil war. The Pentagon said one of the targets was a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area, which it described as a Syrian center for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weaponry. The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of the city of Homs. The third target, which was also near Homs, contained both a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and a command post. Govt concerned about Nepalis in war-torn Syria As tensions mount in Syria in the wake of airstrikes by the United States and its allies France and Britain, the Nepal government has expressed concern about safety of Nepalis in the Middle Eastern country. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkeys Armed Forces launched a military operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the countrys south, the Turkish media reported April 16. Reportedly, the domestically produced ATAK helicopters are used against the PKK during the operation. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for more than 30 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: American pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, imprisoned in Turkey, has today stood a trial in Izmir, Turkey, Turkish media report April 16. Reportedly, 50-year-old Brunson had close ties with the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is involved in a military coup attempt of 2016 in Turkey. Brunson may be sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment. Earlier during a phone talk, US President Donald Trump asked President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extradite Brunson. On July 15, 2016, Turkish authorities said a military coup attempt took place in the country. Meanwhile, a group of servicemen announced about transition of power to them. However, the rebelling servicemen started to surrender July 16 and Turkish authorities said the coup attempt failed. The death toll as a result of the coup attempt stood at over 250 people, and more than 2,000 people were wounded. -- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 17 Trend: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a phone conversation on Monday, Turkish media reports. The parties exchanged views on bilateral relations and regional issues. The operation of the United States, Great Britain and France after the use of chemical weapons by the Damascus regime was also discussed during the talks. According to data of Russias Defense Ministry, the missile strike against Syrias military and civilian infrastructures was carried out by US warplanes and naval ships in cooperation with the British and French air forces between 03:42 and 05:10 Moscow time on Saturday. US President Donald Trump informed the US Congress about the missile strike on Syria, stating that he acted in line with the US Constitution, according to Trump's letter to the Congress, Sputnik reported. In a letter from Trump to Congress distributed by the White House, the president claims that he acted in accordance with his constitutional authority to conduct foreign operations and to defend the vital interests of national security and foreign policy of the United States. The United States will take additional measures, if needed, to promote its national interest, the letter reads. US President Donald Trump seems to have been misled by his aides on the number of Russian diplomats planned to be expelled in the wake of the Skripal incident, senior US administration official said, TASS with reference to The Washington Post reported. According to the administration source, on March 24, Trumps aides explained to him that the US "would be ousting roughly the same number of Russians as its European allies part of a coordinated move to punish Moscow for the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil," The Washington Post wrote. The aides meant the total number of Russian diplomats expelled by London and planned to be declared personae non grata by other EU members. However, Trump "seemed to believe that other individual countries would largely equal the United States, was furious that his administration was being portrayed in the media as taking by far the toughest stance on Russia," while he had said that Washington would not take the lead and would only match the number of expulsions. On March 16, Washington expelled 60 Russian diplomats, including 48 embassy staff and 12 members of Russias Permanent Mission to the United Nations. In addition, the US authorities decided to close Russias consulate in Seattle. Meanwhile, France and Germany expelled four Russian diplomatic workers each. Dupa inscrierea pe site-ul HotNews.ro, poti deschide sectiunea MyHotNews ca sa completezi sau sa schimbi profilul de utilizator. Atentie! Logarea pe site se face cu adresa de email, nu cu nickname-ul. Adresa ta de email va ramane confidentiala si nu va fi niciodata data unor terte persoane sau institutii. Inainte de a te inscrie pe site te rugam sa parcurgi termenii si conditiile atasate unui cont HotNews.ro. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Apr 16, 2018 - 19:29 | World, All North Korea has recently started to introduce state-of-the-art technology for the training of future schoolteachers in a possible world first. At the newly remodeled Pyongyang Teacher Training College, the mostly female students study how to educate kindergartners and primary school children with the aid of virtual reality and 3D display technologies. A group of Kyodo News reporters was granted rare access to the college late last week. In one classroom is installed a large widescreen monitor on which are displayed animated avatars representing primary school pupils. Speaking to the virtual children through a microphone, they respond in a timely manner. When a college student asked one animated pupil on the screen how he is, the boy quickly answered, "I'm very fine," just like a teacher and a child communicating in a real classroom. The training program is apparently powered by artificial intelligence. But sometimes, other college students play the role of primary school pupils in a different classroom so that they can observe teachers' personality and behavior through the eyes of children, the college said. By creating a situation more closely simulating reality, college students can learn how to interact with children more effectively, it said. The college students also utilize projection mapping, in which images are mapped onto 3D objects, and augmented reality, a technology that overlays digital images onto the real world. They can experience the natural environment and get a close look at the lives of wild animals and birds using 3D virtual reality goggles, as well as feel how things change their forms by scooping sand projected on the screen with their hands. A sphere with projection mapping technology instantly becomes Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter, and other planets. College students can visually recognize what the differences between stars are. These cannot be learned from textbooks. The college said it has developed a curriculum that can enable teachers in the making to acquire teaching skills both physically and theoretically, while putting emphasis on North Korea's traditional ways to raise children. "Have you ever seen such a place in other countries?" said Pak Gum Hui, the 44-year-old president of the college. "Our program is globally advanced." In North Korea, there is a tradition that teachers, family and society cooperate to foster children. At the college, therefore, students are required to learn how to educate mothers and to communicate closely with family to shape children's characters. Tapping into advanced technologies, "We are also trying to promote the combination of school education and family education," Pak said. The Pyongyang Teacher Training College, founded in 1968, has around 1,600 students. This year marks the 50th anniversary of its foundation. The number of applicants has increased every year, the college said, adding that the acceptance rate has been about 20 percent in recent years. Nearly 70 percent of kindergarten and primary school teachers are female in North Korea. In February 2017, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gave instructions to turn the college into a model put on a scientific, information technology and modern basis at a high level and generalize it across the country, according to state-run media. The project for upgrading the college, which has a total floor space of over 24,000 square meters, was concluded in October last year. In January, the leader visited the college and expressed satisfaction at the state of its "ultra-modern education facilities," the Korean Central News Agency reported. Students in North Korea have to complete 12 years of compulsory education prior to college -- one year in kindergarten, five years in primary school, three years in lower secondary school and another three years in higher secondary school. Would-be teachers were seen taking classes with earnest facial expressions. During a break, they were walking with smiles on the campus, saying "hi" to passersby. KYODO NEWS - Apr 16, 2018 - 09:15 | All, Japan The whereabouts of a 27-year-old prison escapee remained unknown on Monday, with a weeklong search involving some 6,600 police officers on a small forested western Japan island failing to nab the convicted thief. Hiroshima and Ehime prefectural police have been pursuing Tatsuma Hirao on Mukaishima Island in the Seto Inland Sea since his escape on April 8 from a prison in the city of Imabari. (Police checking vehicles in Onomichi in Hiroshima prefecture) Police searchers have come up empty despite Hirao leaving clues of his whereabouts including fingerprints on cars he has broken into and on trash left over from confectionary and milk products he has consumed. The unique geographical character of the island, which has a population of around 20,000, has thwarted police, its forest cover and hilly topography has prevented officers from making an effective search, they say. The search has also been complicated by the 22 square-kilometer island having over 1,000 vacant houses which police cannot enter without permission of their owners, many of whom they are unable to identify. Without access to the vacant houses, police are forced to investigate only from the outside, a senior police official said. With seven thefts having occurred in a 2.5 km-wide area of the island between last Monday and Friday, Hirao is believed to be in possession of some cash. (Mukai Island (L) in Hiroshima Prefecture) Some police officers have speculated Hirao may be surviving on food found in vacant houses as well as items left as offerings at graves. In addition, there are citrus-fruit trees and unattended orchards that he could access. The narrowest point between Mukaishima and the main Japanese island of Honshu is only 200 meters, leading to speculation Hirao may attempt to swim across. But an official from a local ferry operator said it would be a bad idea, "The tide is fast and the water temperature is still cold. It would be reckless to swim." There are also four bridges that he could use. Hirao escaped from Matsuyama Prison's Oi shipyard, a rare open-type prison facility in Japan. One of Japan's four prison facilities without perimeter walls, the shipyard has seen 19 other people escape since it was established in 1961, according to the Justice Ministry. Island residents are fed up with commotion Hirao has caused, especially traffic jams at police checkpoints. "It takes many times longer than usual to drive (around). I'm wondering how long this situation will continue," said Hiroyuki Mizuno, a 70-year-old resident of the island. Govt to provide legal security for Nepalis in foreign jails The government has decided to provide immediate legal service for the legal security of the Nepalis languishing in foreign jails. KYODO NEWS - Apr 16, 2018 - 18:53 | World, All Japan and China agreed Monday on the importance of the global free trade system amid escalating trade friction between China and the United States. "We share the recognition that bringing on a trade war would have a huge impact on the prosperity of the global economy," Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono told reporters after a high-level bilateral economic dialogue in Tokyo. China's Foreign Ministry quoted State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi as saying in the dialogue that Japan and China "should jointly oppose trade protectionism and preserve the multilateral trade system. A recent thaw in bilateral relations prompted Japan and China to return to the dialogue framework after a roughly eight-year hiatus. Kono, who led the Japanese side in the talks, said Japan had said something needs to be done about China's overproduction of steel, and asked it to join international frameworks for the free and fair transfer of technology while ensuring the protection of intellectual property. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has cited both of the issues as driving its new tariffs on imports of various Chinese products and commodities. The tariffs and China's retaliatory action have prompted worldwide concern over a trade war. (Taro Kono, center-right, and Wang Yi, center-left. Pool photo) Although primarily aimed at China, the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports rolled out last month also apply to Japan. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to repeat Japan's call for an exemption like those granted to other U.S. allies when he holds talks with Trump in Florida later this week. Kono said the Japanese and Chinese officials discussed their countries' visions for development across the Indo-Pacific region -- Japan's "free and open Indo-Pacific" strategy and China's "One Belt, One Road" infrastructure megaproject. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the outset of the talks that China hopes to "deepen dialogue" with Japan about working together on the Chinese project. (Pool photo) Kono said Japan told China it is willing to "cooperate on a case-by-case basis" with projects that meet international standards regarding transparency, openness, feasibility, the fiscal soundness of the countries that accept financing, and environmental and social considerations. According to Japanese officials, the Chinese side replied that Beijing is of the same mind as Japan on the importance of international standards. Kono said both sides shared a recognition of the importance of speeding up talks on both a bilateral free trade deal and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership multilateral deal in order to unify the East Asian economic area. The RCEP negotiations bring Japan and China together with the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as Australia, India, New Zealand and South Korea. Kono also said the officials agreed the next round of the economic dialogue should be held in China, possibly next year. The talks were held in 2007, 2009 and 2010 before the hiatus was prompted by a chill in bilateral relations, primarily over China's activities in the East China Sea and its challenge to Japan's sovereignty over the uninhabited Senkaku Islands. The two countries are now trying to rebuild and expand economic cooperation in tandem with the recent improvement in diplomatic relations, spurred by Chinese President Xi Jinping's bolstering of his domestic power base since late last year. The Japanese contingent at the economic dialogue included Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko, while Commerce Minister Zhong Shan and Finance Minister Liu Kun were among the Chinese officials. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of a peace and friendship treaty between Japan and China. During separate talks on Monday, Finance Minister Taro Aso and his Chinese counterpart Liu recognized the importance of promoting exchanges between the two countries' financial authorities. Aso and Liu agreed to step up preparations for the next round of bilateral dialogue between finance officials that China is scheduled to host this year, a Japanese official said. 13,834 new COVID cases in Kerala after 1.05L tests on Friday With this, the number of active COVID cases in the state rose to 1,42,499. Of the new cases, 13,138 contracted the virus through contact while 74 came from outside the state. A Silicon Valley venture capitalist whose saw his dream to carve California into six separate states fizzle has returned with a slimmed down idea: this time, three states. Tim Draper filed his proposed 2018 ballot initiative on Friday asking voters to split California into three new states: Northern California, California and Southern California. "The citizens of the whole state would be better served by three smaller state governments while preserving the historical boundaries of the various counties, cities, and towns," Draper wrote in the initiative's statement of findings. He did not immediately respond to emails sent seeking comment. Draper's plan would draw the northernmost dividing line from Santa Cruz County eastward to Mariposa County. The middle state, which would retain the name California, would be closer aligned to the coast and would place Los Angeles and Orange counties into separate states. The state of Southern California would run from Orange County to Mono County in the north and down to the border with Mexico. The wealthy political tinkerer's 2014 plan would have created six separate states. Draper spent $4.9 million of his own money to collect signatures on the proposal, only to find . In 2015, he promised . State campaign finance records show no contributions from Draper to any efforts that year. There have been . None, including Draper's new effort, spell out the complicated choices on water rights, economic benefits or border disputes. Draper's new effort comes on the heels of . Its backers must also gather the needed signatures for voters to consider the proposal next November. - Read More I/NGOs should work to meet govts objectives Province 4 Chief Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that the I/NGOs in Nepal are only teaching people to seek their rights but not teaching them civic responsibilities. Cybersecurity U.S. and U.K. say Russia targeted network infrastructure worldwide The United States and Great Britain are publicly accusing Russia of undertaking a coordinated campaign to target and compromise home office and residential routers, switches and other network infrastructure devices around the globe. According to officials, the campaign, which involved a range of Russia- aligned cyber entities, used a series of exploits to target millions of devices around the world and that sustained targeting of government networks and critical infrastructure entities was apparent. White House Cyber Coordinator and acting Homeland Security Advisor Rob Joyce said the campaign has been ongoing for more than a year, and that targets include Internet Service Providers, government networks, private-sector firms and critical infrastructure providers. While the attacks did target the critical infrastructure sector, officials said they have not witnessed an effort to go after election officials or the systems they use. This activity isnt always to steal information from the network targeted in these operations, said Joyce. He such efforts sometimes are used to facilitate other operations that the Russians can do against high value targets worldwide. The full scope and impact of the operation is not fully known, and White House and DHS officials said they were releasing the information now in the hopes that businesses and other affected entities come forward if they have witnessed similar suspicious activity. While millions of devices were targeted, Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security, said only a small number were actually hacked. What we can see is targeting and some compromise," Manfra said, "but we need the owners and operators of those devices and systems to work with us to determine the extent of the actual compromise. The announcement, made during an April 16 briefing call with reporters, was paired with a joint technical alert issued the same day by the DHS and the UKs National Cyber Security Centre detailing the devices targeted and avenues for mitigation. Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the UKs National Cyber Security Centre, said his country have been tracking the activity for close to a year and can independently verify the campaign and its attribution to the Russian government. Officials said the goals for the operation were varied, including espionage and intellectual property theft, but that it also would give attackers control of the sort of basic infrastructure that might allow them to launch dedicated denial of service attacks, steal intellectual property or lie dormant to facilitate future attacks. For this reason, we cant rule out the possibility Russia may intend to use these set of compromises for future offensive cyber operations as well, Joyce said. The announcement comes more than a month after DHS made public a 2016 report and binding operational directive warning government employees that nation states were targeting vulnerable routers and switches as agencies hardened their defenses around computers, laptops and other devices. In a 2016 letter to federal employees, then-Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson noted that for several years now, network infrastructure devices have been the attack vector of choice for government-sponsored hacking groups. Manfra and others said vulnerable network devices are ideal targets because these devices are often not patched or maintained properly, and a compromise gives attackers access to most Internet traffic within an organization and the organizations it communicates with. Once you own the router, you own the traffic thats traversing the router, said Manfra. The announcement was characterized as just one step in a series of actions planned by the U.S. and British government. We are looking at cybersecurity as something where we need to use asymmetric tools to respond to cyber intrusions, and that means all elements of our national power, said Joyce. Whether it is the ability to do deterrence by denialwhether its indictments, whether its sanctions or whether it is using our capabilities in the offensive [cyber] world. Telecommunications ZTE banned from buying from U.S. firms The U.S. hit Chinese telecom firm ZTE with a potentially devastating enforcement action on April 16, prohibiting the company from doing business with American firms. The Department of Commerce order is in response to an ongoing case involving ZTE's contracting work with the Iranian government and trade with North Korea. In March 2017, ZTE agreed to pay a $1.19 billion fine for violating the U.S. trade embargo against the two countries. The company was required to discipline certain employees as part of that agreement. According to according to U.S. officials, ZTE failed to punish employees who destroyed and concealed evidence related to the violations, and some were rewarded with bonuses. "ZTE made false statements to the U.S. government when they were originally caught and put on the Entity List, made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation," Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said in a statement accompanying the decision. According to Reuters, U.S. firms contribute one quarter to one half of the material and components used in ZTE's smartphones and telecommuncations networks. In addition to other lines of business, ZTE sells smartphones in the U.S. in partnership with AT&T and other carriers. This isn't the first time ZTE has found itself in the crosshairs of U.S. regulators. The Chinese-owned company is essentially banned from U.S. government contracts, under supply chain rules first passed in 2013 and enshrined in National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines. More recently, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission floated a proposal to ban expenditure of billions of dollars in Universal Service Fund subsides on companies deemed to pose a national security risk -- a veiled shot at Chinese manufacturers Huawei and ZTE. MGIC (MTG) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues. The Q1 earnings season is at an early stage with reports available from only a handful of companies. A high proportion of companies are yet to unveil their numbers. This is a very busy time for investors looking to add stocks, which have the potential to surpass earnings expectations in the current reporting cycle. This is because an earnings beat generally leads to stock price appreciation. However, the task of selecting stocks for handsome returns is by no means easy with a plethora of stocks flooding the market at any given point in time. The uncertainties in the investment world make the task even more daunting. This is all the more true now, as uncertainty has gripped investors owing to the Syria-related tensions and the well-documented concerns about Facebook. In this backdrop, identifying a winning stock is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack, for an investor. Proper guidance, in this respect, comes from brokers, who are deemed to be experts, with vast knowledge of investing. Generally, there are three types of brokers/analysts (sell-side, buy-side and independent) present in the investment world. Out of the three, sell-side analysts are most common. Various brokerage firms employ them to provide unbiased opinion to investors after thorough research. Buy-side analysts are employed by hedge funds, mutual funds etc. while the independent ones simply sell their reports to investors. Broker Advice - An Invaluable Guide Brokers not only scrutinize the publicly available financial documents but also attend company conference calls and other presentations. Naturally, it is in the best interest of investors to pay heed to such well-researched information as they aim to generate maximum returns from their portfolio. Since brokers closely follow the stocks in their coverage, they revise earnings estimates only after carefully examining the pros and cons of an event for the concerned company. In fact, a rating upgrade or downgrade by brokers has the potential to influence the price of the stock. Story continues Naturally, when investors see brokers revising their estimates or recommendation on a stock, they often assume that there is something in the stock that has attracted analyst attention.In fact, a rating upgrade generally leads to stock price appreciation. Similarly, the price of a stock may plummet following a rating downgrade. Estimates can move north for a number of reasons favorable earnings performance, a bullish guidance, product launch or any favorable macro scenario. Framing a Winning Strategy The above write-up clearly suggests that by following broker actions, one can arrive at a winning portfolio of stocks. Keeping this in mind, we have designed a screen to shortlist stocks based on improving analyst recommendation and upward revisions in earnings estimates over the last four weeks. Also, since the price/sales ratio is a strong complementary valuation metric in the presence of analyst information, it has been included. The price/sales ratio takes care of the companys top line, making the strategy foolproof. Screening Criteria # (Up- Down Rating)/ Total (4 weeks) =Top #75 (This gives the list of top 75 companies that have witnessed net upgrades over the last 4 weeks). % change in Q (1) est. (4 weeks) = Top #10 (This gives the top 10 stocks that have witnessed earnings estimate revisions over the past 4 weeks for the upcoming quarter). We have also added the following screening parameters to ensure that the strategy is a winning one: Price-to-Sales = Bot%10 (The lower the ratio the better, companies meeting this criteria are in bottom 10% of our universe of over 7,700 stocks with respect to this ratio). Price greater than 5 (as a stock trading below $5 will not likely create significant interest for most of the investors). Average Daily Volume greater than 100,000 shares over the last 20 trading days (Volume has to be significant to ensure that these are easily traded). Market value ($ mil) = Top #3000 (This gives us stocks that are the top 3000 in terms of market capitalization). Com/ADR/Canadian= Com (This takes out the ADR and Canadian stocks). Here are five of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen: Caleres, Inc. CAL is a footwear retailer and wholesaler. The company is headquartered in St. Louis, MO. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has an impressive expected earnings per share growth rate of 11% for three to five years. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM is one of the leading food processing companies in the world. It procures, transports, stores, processes, and merchandises agricultural commodities and products. This Zacks Rank #1 company has an average four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 1.7%. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, WellCare Health Plans, Inc WCG offers government-sponsored managed care services. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company has an impressive earnings history, having outshined the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters with an average beat of 53.9%. Comstock Resources, Inc. CRK, headquartered in Frisco, TX, is an oil and gas exploration and production company engaged in exploitation activities of crude resources. This Zacks Rank #2 company delivered a positive earnings surprise of 67% in the last reported quarter. Pittsburgh, PA-based United States Steel Corporation X is a leading steel manufacturer in the United States and the fifth largest in the world.This Zacks Rank #1 stock has an impressive expected earnings per share growth rate of 8% for three to five years. You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge. The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial today. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out. Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today. Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance. Zacks Restaurant Recommendations: Inaddition to dining at these special places, you can feast on their stock shares. A Zacks Special Report spotlights 5 recent IPOs to watch plus 2 stocks that offer immediate promise in a booming sector. Download it free Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (WCG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comstock Resources, Inc. (CRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Caleres, Inc. (CAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report United States Steel Corporation (X) : Free Stock Analysis Report Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research * Adecco sees synergies with its own training business * Sees General Assembly margins above group average mid-term * Investments to modestly dilute group earnings in 2018 (Adds analyst comment, shares) By John Miller ZURICH, April 16 (Reuters) - Swiss staffing company Adecco Group is buying U.S.-based technology education provider General Assembly for $412.5 million including debt, it said on Monday, adding heavy investments in the business would initially drag on earnings. General Assembly, whose founders include Hyatt hotels heir Adam Pritzker, is a private school business started in 2011 that provides training in fields such as data science and analysis. Its revenues in 2017 were about $100 million with a strong 2018 booking backlog, Adecco said in a statement. Adecco has gone into acquisition mode to kickstart growth and address its lagging performance compared with faster-growing rivals, such as Randstad. Adecco said it saw synergies between General Assembly and its own training business, in particular the Lee Hecht Harrison career transition business. "General Assembly is currently in a high-growth investment phase and is therefore expected to be modestly dilutive to Group earnings in 2018, the impact of which is included within the group's current guidance on planned strategic investments," Adecco said in a statement. "From 2019, General Assembly is expected to be modestly accretive to earnings," it added. "In the medium-term General Assemblys EBITA (core earnings) margins are anticipated to be significantly higher than the group average." Over the last three years, Adecco said General Assembly's revenue had grown at a compound annual rate of 30 percent. The total enterprise value (equity plus debt) of the deal is $412.5 million, Adecco said, adding General Assembly would continue to operate as a separate division under its Chief Executive Jake Schwartz, a co-founder. General Assembly lists Viacom, Pearson and L'Oreal as clients, according to its website. Story continues Analysts from Zuercher Kantonalbank (ZKB), who earlier this month downgraded their rating on Adecco to "market weight", said they were not expecting a big market reaction to the deal, which represents less than 1 percent of the Swiss company's 23.7 billion euros ($29.2 billion) in annual sales. "The takeover price is high," ZKB said. "However, there is a significant synergy potential and the growth profile of Adecco is slightly improved." The shares fell 0.7 percent in early trading in Zurich. ($1 = 0.8108 euros) (Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter) Taobao, often known as eBay of China has updated their policy banning Cryptocurrencies, ICOs, and other virtual currency-related services. Taobao is a subsidiary of Chinese eCommerce Giant Alibaba set up in 2003 where individuals and small business can list items for sale within China. Taobao previously had a ban on the sale of Cryptocurrency Miners and offering Mining Tutorials. In addition to that, they have now banned any product or service that makes use of the Blockchain. The new rule prohibits Cryptocurrency related services which include ICO Consultancy, White Paper Writing Services, smart contract deployment services and other crypto related technical services. This also prohibits the sale of blockchain based virtual assets like CryptoKitties and their numerous clones. These new rules will be valid from April 17th. Taobao has cited recent bans from Peoples Bank of China behind the crackdown. In September last year, PBoC banned all ICOs and early this year, they banned Cryptocurrencies itself. Though there is no ban on mining yet, most miners are looking to move their services outside the country. Taobao considers breaking these new rules as serious violations and has a penalty system in place to penalize those who fail to follow. After PBoC banned ICOs last year, most of the advertisers have been able to circumvent this ban by changing the spellings. For example, they write ICO as IC0 where they change the O to 0(zero). Though China has been extremely hostile towards Cryptocurrencies, most of the traders are optimistic about a change in stance in the coming months. In fact, PBoCs new head Yi Gang said Bitcoin is a currency that provides freedom to anyone that uses it, and emphasized that the cryptocurrency is transparent. Though Taobao has banned all Blockchain related services, there is no ban on Blockchain in China. In fact, the Chinese government has been extremely optimistic of Blockchain technology. A $1 Billion Blockchain fund was just launched which is backed by the government to invest in Blockchain startups. Also, PBoC filed the most number of Blockchain patents in 2017. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Alibaba Subsidiary Taobao Bans listing of Cryptocurrency and ICO Services appeared first on CCN. Is something brewing? Oli government should state clearly its position on the proposed policy to control I/NGOs Investors who want to cash in on Apache Corporations (NYSE:APA) upcoming dividend of $0.25 per share have only 3 days left to buy the shares before its ex-dividend date, 20 April 2018, in time for dividends payable on the 22 May 2018. What does this mean for current shareholders and potential investors? Below, I will explain how holding Apache can impact your portfolio income stream, by analysing the stocks most recent financial data and dividend attributes. View our latest analysis for Apache How I analyze a dividend stock When researching a dividend stock, I always follow the following screening criteria: Is it paying an annual yield above 75% of dividend payers? Has it paid dividend every year without dramatically reducing payout in the past? Has dividend per share risen in the past couple of years? Does earnings amply cover its dividend payments? Will it be able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future? NYSE:APA Historical Dividend Yield Apr 16th 18 How does Apache fare? The company currently pays out 29.22% of its earnings as a dividend, according to its trailing twelve-month data, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a higher payout ratio of 50.75%, leading to a dividend yield of around 2.47%. However, EPS is forecasted to fall to $1.51 in the upcoming year. Therefore, although payout is expected to increase, the fall in earnings may not equate to higher dividend income. Reliablity is an important factor for dividend stocks, particularly for income investors who want a strong track record of payment and a positive outlook for future payout. APA has increased its DPS from $0.6 to $1 in the past 10 years. It has also been paying out dividend consistently during this time, as youd expect for a company increasing its dividend levels. These are all positive signs of a great, reliable dividend stock. Compared to its peers, Apache produces a yield of 2.46%, which is on the low-side for Oil and Gas stocks. Story continues Next Steps: Considering the dividend attributes we analyzed above, Apache is definitely worth keeping an eye on for someone looking to build a dedicated income portfolio. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I recommend taking sufficient time to understand its core business and determine whether the company and its investment properties suit your overall goals. There are three essential factors you should further examine: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for APAs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for APAs outlook. Valuation: What is APA worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, its not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether APA is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. To help readers see pass the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. April 16 (Reuters) - Canada's benchmark index was slightly higher on Monday, helped by industrial shares and waning fears of an escalating conflict in Syria following the weekend's U.S.-led air strikes. * At 9:53 a.m. ET (1353 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 12.05 points, or 0.08 percent, to 15,286.02. Eight of the 10 main index sectors were higher. * Saturday's strikes marked the biggest intervention by Western countries against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his ally Russia, which is facing further economic sanctions over its role in the conflict. * The United States, Mexico and Canada will hasten NAFTA talks in a push to reach a deal in the coming weeks, Mexico's president said on Saturday. * The industrial sector advanced 0.5 percent, boosted by a 0.8 percent rise in shares of Canadian National Railway . * The energy sector was down 0.9 percent as oil prices slipped after U.S. drilling activity rose and tensions in the Middle East eased. * Canadian Natural Resources and Suncor Energy dipped about 1 percent and were the biggest drags on the energy sector. * Share of Vermilion Energy Inc fell about 3 percent after the oil and gas producer said it would buy rival Spartan Energy Corp in a C$1.40 billion deal. * Shares of Kinder Morgan Canada rose 0.8 percent. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday offered financial aid to ensure the Trans Mountain line project went ahead in a move to end an escalating crisis over the oil pipeline. * The TSX posted one new 52-week highs and two new lows. Across all Canadian issues there were three new 52-week highs and eight new lows. * The biggest percentage gainer on the TSX was medical marijuana producer Aphria Inc, which rose 7.5 percent after reporting quarterly results. The biggest decliner was Torex Gold Resources, down 5.4 percent. * Among the most active Canadian stocks by volume were Aurora Cannabis, Neovasc Inc, and Aphria Inc . * Volume on the TSX index was 8.02 million shares, while the total volume on Monday was 14.32 million shares. (Reporting by Medha Singh in Bengaluru) By David Ljunggren OTTAWA, April 15 (Reuters) - Canada's government got just 24 hours notice that it would be thrust into a political and economic crisis by an ultimatum from a pipeline operator, government sources said, leaving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scrambling for options in a dispute that could damage his re-election chances. The Kinder Morgan Canada pipeline issue has pitted Ottawa against the Pacific province of British Columbia and could turn into a constitutional crisis, derail Trudeau's energy strategy and dent business confidence. Trudeau broke off a foreign trip to hold an emergency meeting on Sunday with the premiers of two provinces locked in a standoff over the pipeline after the company set a May 31 deadline to resolve the impasse or it would walk away. Federal officials had been talking to the company since February when British Columbia's left-leaning coalition, which includes the Green party, made clear it would delay the planned expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to the coast. But the government had no idea that Kinder Morgan Canada was about to drop a bombshell. "Kinder Morgan's announcement on Sunday was unexpected," said a senior government official who declined to be identified given the sensitivity of the situation. "We had 24 hours' notice." The move by Kinder Morgan Canada, which was spun off by its U.S. parent last year, puts pressure on Trudeau to solve the problem without alienating voters in British Columbia or presiding over an investment failure ahead of 2019 elections. A second federal government source said the prime minister and senior cabinet members had worked behind the scenes for weeks, pressing British Columbia to change its position. "If we're talking of things going awry, British Columbia knew this was federal jurisdiction," said the source. The operator wants to almost triple the capacity of the existing pipeline. Ottawa, which approved the project in 2016, insists it has jurisdiction. British Columbia's government, elected in 2017, disagrees, citing the risk of a spill. Story continues "I do believe we have a mandate to defend the coast," provincial Premier John Horgan told reporters on Friday. Trudeau won power in 2015 partly thanks to extra seats his Liberals won in British Columbia as well as increased support from environmentalists. Cracking down too hard would cost him support in both camps, leaving him with a weak minority government in the October 2019 elections. Long-standing tensions over the pipeline meant Liberals in British Columbia were already nervous about softening support before Kinder Morgan Canada's ultimatum, said a Liberal party official. The Liberals also have to pick up seats in the province of Quebec, which has a strong green tradition. "It wouldn't really take a lot to tip the government into minority territory," said pollster Nik Nanos of Nanos Research. "If you're looking at hard political calculus, the prime minister realistically has to tilt in favor of the environment because if he doesn't that will kill him in Quebec." During Sunday's meeting, Trudeau will lay out the various financial, regulatory and legal options, said the second government source. "It's not a matter of getting angry, or being mean or nice about it - he will lay out the facts," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The federal and Alberta governments both say they could take a stake in the pipeline to keep the project alive, with Alberta's premier saying her province could even buy it outright. Kinder Morgan Canada has said it was open to discussions but did not elaborate. The first government source there was a "huge gray zone" of possible government help, citing the past bailout of the auto industry in 2009, federal loan guarantees for a hydro-electric project and Ottawa's investment in an offshore energy project. Toronto-Dominion Bank Deputy Chairman Frank McKenna, a member of Alberta's pipeline advisory taskforce, said he raised the issue with Trudeau in a recent call and that Ottawa has to "provide deal certainty ... a backstop". "That could be something in the nature of an indemnity agreement or a guarantee against potential losses that would come from political instability and not based on normal construction risk," said McKenna, a former premier of New Brunswick. TD Bank is Kinder Morgan Canada's biggest lender. "At the end of the day this pipeline can't be allowed to fail, it would be a huge blow to the leadership of the country and to the image of the country." (With additional reporting by Matt Scuffham in Toronto, Julie Gordon in Vancouver;) By Lisa Baertlein LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ.N) is ramping up the food delivery wars, adding online ordering for more than 150,000 new delivery "hotspots" at U.S. parks, beaches and other destinations that do not have traditional addresses. Executives say the move opens new sales opportunities for the company, a pioneer and dominant player in restaurant delivery, as traditional eateries and supermarkets face pressure from third-party delivery "disruptors" that are flush with venture capital or subject to less stringent expectations when it comes to profits. "We know that delivery is all about convenience, and Domino's Hotspots are ... all about flexible delivery options," said Russell Weiner, president of Domino's USA. While customers previously could ask Domino's to deliver to offbeat locations, the initiative establishes set drop-off points that customers can find with the location services on their smartphones. This will help customers order via Dominos.com and the chain's mobile app, said Dennis Maloney, the chain's chief digital officer. Such orders previously were only available by telephone. Customers pre-pay the orders, select a location from a menu and have the option to add instructions to help drivers identify them. Domino's texts them order status updates, including estimated arrival times. Customers also supply mobile phone numbers in the event of a hiccup, he said. Despite the company's name for them, the locations are not wifi hotspots. Domino's declined to disclose costs related to the project and said it had no immediate plans to hire additional drivers. Roughly 60 percent of its orders are digital and Domino's delivers around 65 percent of overall orders. U.S. sales from third-party restaurant and grocery delivery services are forecast to nearly double within five years, significantly outpacing growth in the U.S. food industry overall. Story continues Strategy firm Pentallect Inc expects the third-party food delivery industry's sales to grow from $13 billion in 2017 to $24.5 billion by 2022. The firm say the industry has a 13.5 percent annual growth rate, versus the 3 percent rate for the U.S. food industry overall. Restaurant delivery companies GrubHub Inc (GRUB.N), UberEats and DoorDash, the latter of which has raised funding totaling $722 million, are in a fierce battle to win the segment that was once the domain of national pizza chains like Domino's, Papa John's (PZZA.O) and Yum Brands' (YUM.N) Pizza Hut. At the same time, Whole Foods owner Amazon.com (AMZN.O), Target Corp-owned (TGT.N) Shipt and Instacart, which has raised about $1 billion, are shaking up the grocery industry with home delivery. While venture capital firms and deep-pocketed retailers invest heavily in third-party delivery, many restaurant operators are weighing whether it is best to work with outside delivery providers who take a percentage of sales, often 15 to 30 percent, or to spend the money to do it themselves. McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) is partnering with UberEats for delivery in the United States, even though its stores in China and elsewhere dispatch their own delivery drivers - often on scooters. Panera Bread Co, which has spent about $150 million on technology that underpins delivery and other services, has built its own U.S. delivery service. It hired 10,000 drivers in 2017 and is on track to do the same this year. Restaurants lose margin "every time you have more hands in your pocket," Panera CEO Blaine Hurst said, referring to third-party services. Nevertheless, the chain continues to experiment with third-party delivery companies as it looks for better, more efficient ways to provide the service, Hurst said. Yum, which also owns the Taco Bell and KFC brands, took a different tack earlier this year, spending $200 million to buy a 3 percent stake in GrubHub. Related Video: Dominos Pizza Hopes to Roll Out Self-driving Delivery For more news videos visit Yahoo View. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Visitors pass in front of the Chinese telecoms equipment group ZTE Corp booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Sergio Perez By Steve Stecklow and Karen Freifeld LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Commerce has banned American companies from selling components to leading Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for seven years for violating an agreement in a sanctions violation case, U.S. officials said on Monday. The U.S. action, first reported by Reuters (https://reut.rs/2H3p0Vl), could be devastating to ZTE since American companies are estimated to provide 25 percent to 30 percent of the components used in ZTEs equipment, which includes smartphones and gear to build telecommunications networks. The ban is the result of ZTE's failure to comply with an agreement with the U.S. government after it pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Texas to conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions by illegally shipping U.S. goods and technology to Iran, the Commerce Department said. The Chinese company, which sells smartphones in the United States, paid $890 million in fines and penalties, with an additional penalty of $300 million that could be imposed. "If the company is not able to resolve it, they may very well be put out of business by this. Many banks and companies even outside the U.S. are not going to want to deal with them," said Eric Hirschhorn, a former U.S. undersecretary of commerce who was heavily involved in the case. Shares of several U.S. suppliers to ZTE dropped. As part of the agreement, Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp promised to dismiss four senior employees and discipline 35 others by either reducing their bonuses or reprimanding them, senior Commerce Department officials told Reuters. But the Chinese company admitted in March that while it had fired the four senior employees, it had not disciplined or reduced bonuses to the 35 others. ZTE officials did not respond to requests for comment. The Commerce Department order quoted a ZTE official's letter admitting it "had not executed in full" some disciplinary measures and that there were "inaccuracies" in a 2017 letter. But, the Commerce order said, ZTE "argued that it would have been irrational for ZTE to knowingly or intentionally mislead the U.S. government in light of the seriousness of the suspended sanctions." Story continues Under terms of the ban, U.S. companies cannot export prohibited goods, such as chip sets, directly to ZTE or via another country, beginning immediately. Shares of big U.S. ZTE suppliers fell sharply on the Commerce ban. Optical networking equipment maker Acacia Communications Inc (ACIA.O), which got 30 percent of its total 2017 revenue from ZTE, tumbled 35 percent, hitting a near two-year low. Acacia said it was suspending affected transactions and assessing the impact. Shares of optical component companies including Lumentum Holdings Inc (LITE.O) fell 8.9 percent and Finisar Corp (FNSR.O) dropped 4.0 percent. Oclaro Inc (OCLR.O), which got 18 percent of its fiscal 2017 revenue from ZTE, lost 14.1 percent. ZTE "provided information back to us basically admitting that they had made these false statements," said a senior department official. "That was in response to the U.S. asking for the information." The ban on supplying ZTE comes two months after two Republican senators introduced legislation to block the U.S. government from buying or leasing telecommunications equipment from ZTE or its Chinese rival Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, citing concern the companies would use their access to spy on U.S. officials. Meanwhile, Britain's main cyber security agency said on Monday it has written to organizations in the UK's telecommunications sector warning about using services or equipment from ZTE. 'DEVASTATING' Douglas Jacobson, an exports control lawyer who represents suppliers to ZTE, called the ban highly unusual and said it would severely affect the company. This will be devastating to the company, given their reliance on U.S. products and software, said Jacobson. Its certainly going to make it very difficult for them to produce and will have a potentially significant short- and long-term negative impact on the company. ZTE has sold handset devices to U.S. mobile carriers AT&T Inc (T.N), T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS.O) and Sprint Corp (S.N). It has relied on U.S. companies including Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O), Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Intel Corp (INTC.O) for some components. Shares of Taiwan's MediaTek Inc (2454.TW), which sells smartphone chips and competes with Qualcomm, were not trading when the announcement was made. The U.S. action against ZTE is likely to further exacerbate current tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade. After the U.S. placed export restrictions on ZTE in 2016 for Iran sanctions violations, Chinas Ministry of Commerce and Foreign Ministry criticized the decision. A five-year federal investigation found last year that ZTE had conspired to evade U.S. embargoes by buying U.S. components, incorporating them into ZTE equipment and illegally shipping them to Iran. ZTE, which devised elaborate schemes to hide the illegal activity, agreed to plead guilty after the Commerce Department took actions that threatened to cut off its global supply chain. The U.S. government had allowed the company continued access to the U.S. market under the 2017 agreement. The new restrictions stem from a Jan. 16 report by a U.S. monitor appointed by a federal judge in Texas who accepted the guilty plea in March 2017. Although Commerce Department officials would not discuss the report, they said the department followed up in February. The U.S. governments investigation into sanctions violations by ZTE followed reports by Reuters in 2012 (https://reut.rs/2H3p0Vl) that the company had signed contracts to ship millions of dollars worth of hardware and software from some of the best known U.S. technology companies to Irans largest telecoms carrier. (Read the Reuters report that exposed the practice: https://reut.rs/2H3p0Vl) (Reporting by Karen Freifeld in New York and Steve Stecklow in London; additional reporting by Noel Randewich and Peter Henderson in San Francisco; Munsif Vengattil in Bangalore; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Lisa Shumaker) Lack of a cost conscious culture has allowed those in govt to believe they can spend the states money as they like The Auditor Generals annual report presented to President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Thursday has only reinforced what preliminary audits of financial transactions indicatedmost federal units are far from compliant to standard accounting practices. And these discrepancies in book keeping, it seems, are not confined to the local levels, pointing to a serious lack of financial accountabiilty country-wide. Mukul Humagain and Prithvi Man Shrestha talked to Auditor General Tankamani Sharma about the reasons behind this recurring financial indiscipline. Despite sales of the Lexus CT hybrid hatchback ending last year in the U.S., Lexus isn't planning to abandon the hatchback segment in favor of the new compact crossover, the UX. The CT remains on sale in some countries, and Lexus's European boss is adamant the brand has to keep offering hatchbacks. Talking to the British AutoExpress, Lexus's Pascal Ruch says the CT has an important purpose, which is introducing new customers to the Lexus brand. Ruch told AutoExpress that the CT has a high "conquest ratio" of 70-75 percent, and that a CT customer is different from the envisioned UX customer. "I believe that all the segments we are now in, it's important to stay there," added Ruch. AutoExpress says the CT could be replaced in 2020 with a model that would be offered both as a hybrid and as all-electric, built on Toyota's new TNGA global platform. The hybrid is likely to be the 177-horsepower 2.0-liter unit seen in the new European Auris, which corresponds to the new U.S. market Corolla Hatchback. The CT's successor could be sold as both a conventional hatchback and a more crossover-like version, much like the new Ford Focus and its Active trim level; Ruch says Lexus is thinking through a new approach for the CT. The CT was introduced way back in 2011, selling some 15,000-17,000 examples per year in the U.S. until its first really weak year, 2016, which saw less than 9,000 cars sold. The following year, which proved to be its last model year in the United States, sales dropped under 4,700. In Europe, it's different for Lexus: The brand overall sells only some 45,000 cars per year, and the CT's steady sales of more than 8,000 cars per year are quite important for it. Related Video: By Jessica Resnick-Ault NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped on Monday as investor concern waned about escalating tensions in the Middle East following air strikes on Syria over the weekend. The United States, France and Britain launched 105 missiles on Saturday, targeting what they said were three chemical weapons facilities in Syria in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack on April 7. Oil prices had risen nearly 10 percent in the run-up to the strikes, as investors bulked up on assets, such as gold or U.S. Treasuries, that can shield against geopolitical risks. "Some of the ease in Syria is the headline that is bringing it down," said Phil Streible, senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago. Because the attacks were more surgical than anticipated in more extreme scenarios, the market has shrugged off bullish factors, he said. "It has got everything to possibly boost it: weak dollar, Syria, potential sanctions, White House uncertainty, China trade," he said. Brent crude oil futures (LCOc1) settled down $1.16 at $71.42, while U.S. crude futures (CLc1) were down $1.17 at $66.22 a barrel. "As far as developments in Syria are concerned, the market has had a sigh of relief in the sense that there is no escalation, either diplomatically, or on the ground, following the intervention by the U.S., France and the UK," said BNP Paribas global head of commodity market strategy Harry Tchilinguirian. "As a macro asset-allocator, if you want to hedge your portfolio against geopolitical risk, your prime candidate is oil, especially if that risk is in the Middle East." Although Syria itself is not a significant oil producer, the wider Middle East is the world's most important crude exporter and tension in the region tends to put oil markets on edge. "Investors continued to worry about the impact of a wider conflict in the Middle East," ANZ bank said. Fund managers hold more Brent futures and options than at any time since records began in 2011, according to data from the InterContinental Exchange. [O/ICE] Story continues Investors have added to their bullish positions in Brent, which now equal nearly 640 million barrels of oil, in nine out of the last 10 months. The next event on investors' radar is potential U.S. withdrawal from a deal on Iran's nuclear restrictions, signed in 2015. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the United States from the pact, barring action from Congress and Europe. Even the imposition of unilateral sanctions by the U.S. government could hamper exports of oil from Iran, one of the world's largest producers. "Oil is still holding relatively well and the mid-May Iranian deadline is going to be a bit of a subject for the next four weeks," Petromatrix strategist Olivier Jakob said. (Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein and Roslan Khasawneh in Singapore and Amanda Cooper in London; Editing by Louise Heavens and Matthew Lewis) U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark Brent crude oil futures are trading lower early in the session on Monday after an attempt to breakout to the upside fizzled, encouraging investors to book profits. At 0045 GMT, June WTI Crude Oil futures are trading $66.85, down $0.48 or -0.73% and June Brent Crude Oil is at $71.98, down $0.60 or -0.83%. Daily June West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil After driving prices to their highest closes for the week on Friday, the market were on edge all week-end after the U.S., U.K. and France attacked Syria, targeting military positions and research weapons linked to chemical weapons. Russia, Iran and Lebanons Hezbollah group condemned the action while rallying around the Syrian Assad regime. Also of note, they did not threaten retaliation. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia said it would take part in the U.S. coalition if asked. Additionally, the U.S. said it remained locked and loaded if there were further chemical attacks on civilians or a retaliation. Daily June Brent Crude Forecast Despite the early setback on Monday, the crude oil market remain on edge and at heightened volatility levels because of the fiery rhetoric being spewed by Russian President Vladimir Putin who warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions. In a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Putin and Rouhani agreed that the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in the seven-year Syria conflict, according to a Kremlin statement. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the U.N. Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations, the Kremlin statement said. Profit-taking and the fact that there have been no disruptions to the crude oil supply after the week-end attack are two reasons for Mondays weakness. Story continues Additionally, traders are not forgetting that U.S. crude production reached a fresh weekly record of 10.53 million barrels per day, which led to the increase of U.S. crude stocks by 3.3 million barrels in the week to April 6. Furthermore, the U.S. rig count rose by seven to reach 815 in the week-ending April 13, the highest since March 2015, according to Baker Hughes data. Although increased speculative buying launched last weeks huge rallies in WTI and Brent crude oil, the market is being underpinned for legitimate reasons. Last week, the latest reports from OPEC and the International Energy Agency, showed that total QECD commercial oil stocks are standing just 30-40 million barrels above the 5-year average, from more than 400 million barrels in 2016. Also last week, The OPEC Secretary-General declared that the global oil surplus would be eradicated by September, while the IEA indicates that this could be the case as early as next month. Traders and analysts are saying that this forecast is being backed by data which shows OPEC current production at 0.6-0.7 million barrels per day below its mandate for production at 32.5 million barrels per day and demand growth that is estimated to be 1.5-1.8 million barrels per day. This should be more than enough to offset the rise in non-OPEC production this year, estimated at 1.8 million barrels per day. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark Brent crude oil finished sharply higher last week, driven primarily by the possibility of on an escalation of military activity in the Middle East which could lead to a supply disruption. June WTI crude oil settled at $67.33, up $5.23 or +8.42% and June Brent crude oil finished the week at $72.58, up $5.47 or +8.15%. Weekly June WTI Crude Oil Concerns over military strikes against Syria underpinned crude oil prices throughout the week, fueled by comments from President. Trump met with his national security team on Thursday to discuss the situation in Syria, but did not make a final decision on whether or not to use military force, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. We are continuing to assess intelligence and are engaged in conversations with our partners and allies, Sanders said in a release. Trump spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday. At the same time, CNBC was reporting that the U.S. was considering striking eight potential targets. Those targets include two Syrian airfields, a research center and chemical weapons facility. Earlier in the week, Trump broke protocol about a potential U.S. air strike against Syria by Tweeting, Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and smart! You shouldnt be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it. Weekly June Brent Crude Oil Adding to the news driven rally was a report that Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted missiles over Riyadh. In other news, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said U.S. crude inventories rose by 3.3 million barrels to 428.64 million barrels. Additionally, U.S. crude oil production last week hit a fresh record of 10.53 million barrels per day (bpd), up by a quarter since mid-2016. The rise in production means the U.S. now produces more crude than top exporter Saudi Arabia. Only Russia, at currently just under 11 million bpd, pumps out more. Story continues In another bullish development on Thursday, OPEC said that a global oil stocks surplus is close to evaporating. The cartel supported its claim by saying it was based on healthy energy demand combined with its own supply cuts. Furthermore, it revised up its forecast for production from rivals who have benefited from higher oil prices. Additionally, OPEC Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo told Reuters in an interview that OPEC and its oil producer allies are poised to extend their supply-cutting pact into 2019 even as a global glut of crude is set to evaporate by September. Forecast Volatility is expected to remain at elevated levels and prices are likely to rise early this week after a US-led missile attack on a Syrian chemical weapons factory early Saturday local time. The next move is likely to come from Russia, Iran or Syria. In a statement released on Twitter, Russias ambassador to the U.S. said the country was being threatened, and issued an ominous warning that reprisals could follow. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile branded the coalition strike as an act of aggression, as he demanded an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council on Saturday. Keep in mind that there havent been any reported disruptions in the crude oil supply coming out of the Middle East, but with the supply glut nearly erased and demand growing, the market is vulnerable to more erratic price swings. With the peak summer season for oil demand approaching, oil is likely to establish a new, higher price floor which will make it easier for it to spike to multi-year highs. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Oil slips to start the week Investing.com - Oil prices pulled back to start the week on Monday, as investors expected there would be no immediate military escalation in Syria following the weekend's American-led strike. The U.S., U.K. and France launched more than 100 missiles targeting Syrian government sites on Saturday in response to a suspected poison gas attack on April 7. Suggesting that the military action would not be prolonged, President Donald Trump hailed the attack as "perfectly executed," while adding that the military campaign to degrade the Assad regime's chemical weapons capability had accomplished its goals. New York-traded West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost 73, or roughly 1.1%, to $66.66 a barrel by 8:45AM ET (1245GMT). The U.S. benchmark touched its highest level since Dec. 2014 in the last session at $67.76. Meanwhile, Brent crude futures, the benchmark for oil prices outside the U.S., declined 72 cents, or about 1%, to $71.86 a barrel. Both benchmarks last week saw their strongest weekly percentage performance since late July of last year, with WTI gaining about 8.6%, while Brent saw a weekly increase of 8.2%. Meanwhile, a rise in U.S. drilling for new production also dragged on prices. U.S. drillers added seven oil rigs in the week to April 13, bringing the total count to 815, General Electric (NYSE:GE)'s Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday. That was the highest number since March 2015, underscoring worries about rising U.S. output. Domestic oil production - driven by shale extraction - rose to an all-time high of 10.52 million bpd last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, staying above Saudi Arabia's output levels and within reach of Russia, the world's biggest crude producer. Analysts and traders have recently warned that booming U.S. shale oil production could potentially derail OPEC's effort to end a supply glut. OPEC and other producers, including Russia, agreed to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in November last year to slash global inventories to the five year-average. The arrangement is set to expire at the end of 2018. Story continues In the week ahead, oil traders will await fresh data on U.S. commercial crude inventories on Tuesday and Wednesday to gauge the strength of demand in the worlds largest oil consumer and how fast output levels will continue to rise. Comments from global oil producers for additional signals on whether they plan to extend their current production-cut agreement into next year will also remain on the forefront. In other energy trading, gasoline futures shed 0.9% to $2.045 a gallon, while heating oil slumped 0.8% to $2.084 a gallon. Natural gas futures inched up 0.8% to $2.757 per million British thermal units. Related Articles Kuwait Sees OPEC, Allies Mulling Longer Oil Cuts at June Meeting Oil prices drop as fears about Syria strikes fallout wane Gold Prices Swing between Small Gains and Losses Man arrested for killing girlfriend in a fit of rage A man has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend by assaulting her with a stone in a fit of rage in Kathmandu. April 16 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - Scrambling for ways to contain America's out-of-control opioid crisis, some experts are convinced that one bit of good advice is to just say no to the enduring "just say no" anti-drug message. Researchers are now studying a promising drug that could block the delivery of opioids from blood to brain, giving addicts a path to recovery. https://nyti.ms/2Hn2Tsn - The Trump administration plans to impose new sanctions against Russia on Monday to punish it for enabling the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons in its civil war, the latest in a series of actions by both sides underscoring the deterioration in relations between Moscow and the West. https://nyti.ms/2EODwua - Rose Acre Farms of Seymour, Indiana has recalled more than 200 million eggs after an outbreak of salmonella was traced to one of its farms in North Carolina. https://nyti.ms/2H1s9Fh (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom) Telegram ICO A Russian court has levied an official ban against messaging app Telegram, just weeks after its initial coin offering (ICO) presale raised nearly $2 billion in two private funding rounds. Tagansky court judge Yuliya Smolina ruled against Telegram on Friday, siding with communications regulator Roskomnadzors request for the authorization to block access to the app on the grounds that the company had refused to comply with local laws. Intelligence officials with the FSB Federal Security service had repeatedly demanded that Telegram hand over its encryption keys, which would have allowed them to view messages stored in encrypted chats between users. They claimed that they needed access to these keys so they could thwart terrorist attacks. However, Telegram said that the request was an affront to user privacy and refused to comply, leading to Fridays court ruling. Telegram founder Pavel Durov said in response to the ruling that the company would endeavor to bypass the ban, using in-app methods to evade the block, which could go into effect at any time. Users may need a VPN to ensure continued access to the app. The power that local governments have over IT corporations is based on money. At any given moment, a government can crash their stocks by threatening to block revenue streams from its markets and thus force these companies to do strange things (remember how last year Apple moved iCloud servers to China), Durov wrote on his public channel. At Telegram, we have the luxury of not caring about revenue streams or ad sales. Privacy is not for sale, and human rights should not be compromised out of fear or greed. An estimated 9.5 million of Telegrams 200 million global users live in Russia. As CCN reported, the company recently concluded the second round of its ICO presale, which has thus far been held through a private placement. The company has raised $1.7 billion to create the Telegram Open Network (TON), a blockchain ecosystem with a native cryptocurrency called Gram. It is unclear whether the company will proceed with a public ICO or conclude its offering following the record-setting presale. Story continues Iran, another authoritarian country in which Telegram is popular, is also reportedly mulling a ban on the app, with officials citing its transition into an economic platform that will undermine the national currency of Iran as justification for its censorship. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Russian Court Bans Telegram on Heels of $1.7 Billion ICO appeared first on CCN. SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore proposed on Monday allowing private home owners to let out their property for short-term rentals but with an annual cap of 90 days a year - part of a consultation process welcomed by rental service Airbnb. Private homes in Singapore are currently subject to a minimum rental period of three consecutive months, and such strict rules make the city-state one of the tougher markets in which Airbnb operates. Two Airbnb hosts were fined S$60,000 ($45,800) each by a local court this month for unauthorized short-term letting. Singapore's proposal to limit rentals days is broadly in line with measures introduced by other cities such as Paris, London and Amsterdam. The city state has begun seeking public feedback on the proposal and other measures to regulate the sector. Airbnb, which previously called Singapore's regulatory framework "untenable" after news of the illegal rentals broke late last year, said on Monday it welcomed the consultation. "We're committed to reasonable solutions that will allow responsible home sharing to thrive in Singapore and welcome the opportunity to provide feedback through the consultation process," said Mich Goh, head of public policy for Airbnb Singapore. While Singapore has been an early adopter of the sharing economy, it is also keen to minimize any potential negative impact of allowing short-term rentals, as most of the wealthy but land-scarce city-state's 5.6 million people live in public and private apartments. The proposed rules require that a significant majority of owners in a condominium complex agree to the presence of short-term rentals in their development. The government is also seeking feedback on issues such as what homes should qualify and the responsibilities of short-term accommodation companies, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said on Monday. The URA said it will also consider the licensing of operators that advertise or market short-term rental units. Responsibilities of such companies could include paying relevant taxes on revenue generated from business activities in Singapore and facilitating the collection of taxes from hosts. The agency said it would consider factors such as the type of residential development and the character of the area when assessing applications for short-term rentals. The public can provide feedback until May 31. (Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Edwina Gibbs) Several cities in Mexico have seen violence due to organized crime. Tourists are starting to fear for their safety after a string of horrific murders in Cancun, Mexico. On April 4-5, the popular tourist destination experienced 14 homicides over the span of 36 hours. The deaths occurred in six different incidents and are believed to be targeted and tied to organized crime. Unfortunately, the violence isnt new to Mexico. In October 2017, Mexico saw 35,000 hotel nights canceled for the next year after violence erupted and the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory. Then on March 16, a level 2 travel warning was issued for Mexico, stating that travelers should exercise increased caution. One area with a level 2 warning is Mexicos Quintana Roo state, which is home to tourist destinations including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Riviera Maya. The State Department recognizes that most of the crime in this region seems to be tied to criminal organization assassinations, and that turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. These altercations, however, have led to the deaths of innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The advisory also includes some level 4 warnings, which means travel is strongly discouraged. This includes travel to the Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas states because criminal activity, such as homicide, kidnapping and robbery. Tips for staying safe Even with the travel warnings, U.S. travelers are still flocking to Mexico. According to AAA, Cancun was the fifth most popular spring break destination for Americans in 2018. If you plan on visiting Cancun, Tulum or one of the other hotspots in Quintana Roo, there are some things you can do to stay safe. The Bureau of Consular Affairs suggests American travelers stay on high alert when visiting local bars, avoid displaying signs of wealth (like wearing expensive jewelry) and avoid driving at night. ATM skimming is also prevalent throughout Mexico, so tourists should be extra diligent when getting cash and do so at indoor machines in well-lit areas. Story continues Doing your research is also important. Reading through the State Departments Mexico Crime Report for your desired region will give you some background information on violence and resources to keep you and your family safe. Before you go, its also probably a good idea to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which sends alerts of safety threats, and makes you easier to locate in case of an emergency. Want to change your plans? If the news from Mexico makes you want to change your travel plans, it might be difficult if you didnt take the necessary precautions. Currently, no airlines have posted travel advisories to Mexico, so it will cost you (typically $150-$200) to change or cancel your reservation with a non-refundable ticket. Going forward, however, there are some things you can do. The first step is to purchase travel insurance, which can be a nice safeguard if youre heading to a volatile region. Some plans wont cover cancellation under these circumstances; in fact, several insurance plans dont provide coverage in areas under advisory from the State Department. Still, most plans include a Cancel for any reason feature that allows you to cancel up to 48 hours before the trip and get up to a 75% reimbursement for your costs. This add-on usually costs extra, but its a nice option to have at your disposal if you feel uncomfortable before departing for your trip. If you want to avoid Mexico altogether, there are some other destinations to consider. While parts of Puerto Rico are still recovering from Hurricane Maria, the city of San Juan has been welcoming tourists for months. Round-trip airfare is affordable (around $340 from Atlanta), accommodations are plentiful, and the weather is always just right. Another top spot in the Caribbean is the Dominican Republic, where tourism increased by 4% in January and February. There is also the beautiful island of Barbados, where round-trip airfare from New York currently hovers around $330, about $300 less than flying to neighboring islands like Martinique and St. Lucia. Brittany is reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @bjonescooper. Credit card debt has now reached pre-recession levels The Points Guy: Fliers should question their airline loyalty 4 ways to avoid paying baggage fees 5 ways to protect your money from credit card skimmers In a report published today, Reveal details evidence that Tesla has been undercounting the injuries sustained by workers at its Fremont, California factory. Over the last couple of years, injury rates at the factory have been higher than the industry average, but for 2017, the company reported a sharp drop in injury rates. The reductions brought Tesla in line with the rest of the industry, but Reveal's investigation, in which it conducted interviews with more than three dozen current and former employees and reviewed hundreds of pages of official documents, suggests that the company has been mislabeling work injuries. By law, the company has to report any injuries sustained on its property that result in missed work, job performance restrictions or medical treatment beyond first aid. But according to Reveal's findings, the company has frequently labeled such injuries as "personal medical" cases, meaning they don't have to be reported. "I saw injuries on there like broken bones and lacerations that they were saying were not recordable" said one safety professional. "I saw a lot of stuff that was like, 'Wow, this is crazy.'" Former managers claimed that they had pointed out a number of safety issues to their superiors. Many of those, however, were dismissed. For cases like using more yellow or posting more signs to denote areas that require extra caution, higher-ups said Elon Musk didn't like those things. Same for wearing safety shoes. For its part, Tesla has denied the claims, saying it tallies injuries accurately, provides adequate training and is very concerned with workers' safety. "Anybody who walks through our doors into this factory is our responsibility, and we care about them," Laurie Shelby, Tesla's VP of environment, health and safety, told Reveal. "I have a passion for safety and it's about caring." In a statement to Reveal, Tesla said that the report was "an ideologically motivated attack by an extremist organization working directly with union supporters to create a calculated disinformation campaign against Tesla." Story continues You can read the full report here. We've reached out to Tesla and we'll update this post if we receive more information. Update: Tesla has released a response to the Reveal report. "The report suggests Tesla doesn't accurately track injuries or that we mislabeled or undercounted injuries to make our record look better than it actually is," says Tesla. "We believe in transparency and would never intentionally misrepresent our safety record to our employees or the public." It goes on to say that it did properly record the injuries presented to it by Reveal and that the report suggests "a lack of understanding about how injury reporting works." It also claimed that Tesla employees reported feeling harassed by Reveal reporters and that those reporters ignored what they were told by current employees Tesla invited them to speak with. "This is not to say that there aren't real issues that need to be dealt with at Tesla or that we've made no mistakes with any of the 37,000 people who work at our company," says Tesla in its response. "However, there should be absolutely no question that we care deeply about the well-being of our employees and that we try our absolute hardest to do the right thing and to fail less often." You can read the full response here. The U.S. Treasury Department will announce fresh sanctions on Monday on Russia related to its involvement in Syria's use of chemical weapons, U.S. United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley said on Sunday. "Russian sanctions will be coming down, Secretary Mnuchin will be announcing those Monday if he hasn't already and they will have to do with chemical equipment used by Assad," Haley said on CBS's "Face the Nation," referring to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The U.S. has previously expelled Russian diplomats and sanctioned Russia, a Syrian ally, for a suspected nerve-agent attack against a former spy in Britain and other actions. The U.S., France and the U.K. launched military strikes Friday night on what the Pentagon said were three Syrian chlorine and sarin gas research facilities in response to a suspected chemical attack by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Corruption in rationing electricity: Minister vows action against perpetrators Energy Minister Barsha Man Pun has said the government would investigate the policy-level corruption in rationing electricity in the past and take action against the guilty. (Adds reports of missiles fired, paragraphs 10-13) * Chemical weapons experts' access to site blocked * West says no more strikes planned just now * UK, French leaders face scrutiny at home By Laila Bassam and Anthony Deutsch DAMASCUS/THE HAGUE, April 16 (Reuters) - The United States accused Russia on Monday of blocking international inspectors from reaching the site of a suspected poison gas attack in Syria and said Russians or Syrians may have tampered with evidence on the ground. Moscow denied the charge and blamed delays on retaliatory U.S.-led missile strikes on Syria on Saturday. British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron faced criticism from political opponents over their decisions to take part in the air strikes. Syria and Russia deny unleashing poison gas on April 7 during their offensive on Douma, which ended with the recapture of the town that had been the last rebel stronghold near the capital, Damascus. Relief organisations say dozens of men, women and children were killed. Footage of young victims foaming at the mouth and weeping in agony has thrust Syria's civil war - in which half a million people have been killed in the past seven years - to the forefront of world concern again. Inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) travelled to Syria last week to inspect the site, but have yet to gain access to Douma, which is now under government control after the rebels withdrew. "It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site," U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Ward said at an OPCW meeting in The Hague on Monday. "It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation," he said. His comments at the closed-door meeting were obtained by Reuters. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied Moscow had interfered with any evidence. "I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site," he told the BBC. Story continues Increasing regional jitters, Syrian anti-aircraft defences shot down missiles fired at the Syrian air base of Shayrat in Homs province, Syrian state television said. The Pentagon said there was no U.S. military activity in that area "at this time". Separately, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia said Syrian air defences intercepted three missiles aimed at Dumair military airport northeast of Damascus. An Israeli military spokesman said: "We don't comment on such reports". TRUMP WANTS U.S. TROOPS HOME Two days after the missile strikes that he hailed as a well-executed military operation, President Donald Trump still wants to bring the small number of U.S. troops in northern Syria home, the White House said. But spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said he had not set a timeline for a pullout. Trump was also willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, she added, while indicating that no such encounter was imminent. Britain's delegation to the OPCW accused Russia and the Assad government of stopping inspectors from reaching Douma. "Unfettered access is essential," it said in a statement. "Russia and Syria must cooperate." The team aims to collect samples, interview witnesses and document evidence to determine whether banned toxic munitions were used, although it is not permitted to assign blame for the attack. British Ambassador Peter Wilson said in The Hague that the United Nations had cleared the inspectors to go but they had been unable to reach Douma because Syria and Russia had been unable to guarantee their safety. Moscow blamed the delay on the air strikes, in which the United States, France and Britain targeted what the Pentagon said were three chemical weapons facilities. "We called for an objective investigation. This was at the very beginning after this information (of the attack) appeared. Therefore allegations of this towards Russia are groundless," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. A Russian defense ministry official said later the OPCW experts would travel to Douma on Wednesday. Russia's defence ministry said the United States and its allies had hit military targets and not just research facilities, Interfax news agency reported. The RIA news agency quoted the ministry as saying the Syrian military destroyed 71 out of 103 cruise missiles detected in Syrian airspace. The inspectors met Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad in the presence of Russian officers and a senior Syrian security official in Damascus for about three hours on Sunday. OPCW inspectors have been attacked on two previous missions to the sites of chemical weapons attacks in Syria. Syrian flags flew in Douma on Monday, security forces stood on street corners and Russian military police patrolled the streets. State aid trucks handed out bread, rice and pasta to people who had lived under siege for years. A government-organised media tour did not include the building where, according to rescue workers and medics who were in town at the time, dozens of people were killed by poison gas. Doctors at the hospital where suspected victims were treated told reporters on the tour that none of the patients that night had suffered chemical weapons injuries - they were asphyxiated by dust and smoke in a bombardment. Medical aid groups and the White Helmets rescue organisation have said such statements - already aired on state television in recent days - were made under duress. 'RIGHT THING TO DO' The U.S.-led strikes did nothing to alter the strategic balance or dent Assad's supremacy, and the Western allies have said the aim was to prevent the further use of chemical weapons, not to intervene in the civil war or topple Assad. At a meeting in Luxembourg, the 28 EU foreign ministers endorsed the missile strikes and considered steps to deepen Assad's isolation. Britain's May told parliament the decision to conduct air strikes against Syria was in the British national interest and not as a result of pressure from Trump. "We have not done this because President Trump asked us to, we have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do, and we are not alone. There is broad-based international support for the action we have taken," May said. May has said she did not seek a green light from parliament for the attacks, citing the need to act quickly. (Additional reporting by Jack Stubbs and Andrey Ostroukh in Moscow, Jeff Mason, Susan Cornwell, Leslie Wroughton, Yara Bayoumy and Steve Holland in Washington, Michelle Nichols in New York, Samia Nakhoul, Tom Perry, Ellen Francis and Angus McDowall in Beirut, Kinda Makieh in Barzeh, Syria, Elizabeth Piper, Michael Holden and Guy Faulconbridge in London, Laurence Frost, Michel Rose and Ingrid Melander in Paris and Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman; Writing by Angus MacSwan and Richard Balmforth Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney) Despite all the doubts and controversies surrounding the project, El Petro, the Venezuelan cryptocurrency, has recently received the Satoshi Nakamoto Prize from the Russian Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Association (RACIB) for its outstanding contribution to the development of the blockchain industry, according to the official community. The awards ceremony was held in Russia and was attended by Venezuelan ambassador Carlos Rafael Faria Tortosa. In addition to El Petro, the awards ceremony that took place at the World Trade Center during the BLOCKCHEINF-2018 international congress held by Racib had another twelve winners in different categories. Racib is an organization active in the Russian blockchain industry and has several members from traditional and Fintech sectors, including governments. The award reinforces suspicions about the involvement of Russian officials with Venezuelas project. According to Telesur, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Russian Federation Oleg Nikolaevich Ryazantsev was in Venezuela in April to discuss cooperation with the Latin American nation in several areas, including the adoption of Petro as a form of payment among nations. The proposal was presented by Wilmar Castro, vice president for the Venezuelan economic area. Recently, a much-publicized Time report claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin directly greenlit Russia to help the Venezuelan crypto project. According to the publication, Denis Druzhkov and Fyodor Bogorodsky were the intermediates of the initiative. Mr. Druzhokov is CEO of Zeus Trading. Mr. Bogorodsky has been described as the director of the company Aerotrading, whose website consists of a single home page, without any further relevant information about the company. He was convicted in the US for fraud in future contracts and nowadays lives in Uruguay. Both companies were announced by President Maduro as members of the project. The Russian government has denied any suggestion of its involvement in the PEtro. Story continues The Venezuelan Congress has already declared that the currency is illegal and unconstitutional, and the countrys National Assembly has also recently denounced cryptocurrency as a fraud and a threat to potential investors. On the other hand, the Chinese agency Dagong said it is legitimate. US President Donald Trump has shown himself to be opposed to Maduros cryptocurrency and recently signed a constitutional order banning the Petro in the United States. In addition, according to a survey conducted by the Criptomoedas Facil along with the CCN, President Nicolas Maduro may have announced false numbers on the total investment collected during Petros ICO. Despite all this, President Maduro has persevered with the project and even plans to release a new token, the Petro Gold. It would be backed by the nations gold reserves, considered the second largest gold reserve in the world, with the potential to extract seven thousand tons. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Venezuelan Cryptocurrency Petro Receives the Satoshi Nakamoto Prize in Russia appeared first on CCN. tax refund delay Tax season can be stressful but the saving grace is that many tax filers will receive a refund. In January 2018, the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) revealed that more than 70% of tax filers are expected to receive refunds after filing their federal income tax returns. Many people even count on a refund to help them pay down debt or cover bills early in the year. That means a delayed refund can cause problems for some. Lets look at common reasons for a tax refund delay and how you may be able to prevent it. How Long It Takes the IRS to Process a Tax Refund For 2017 tax returns (what you file by April 2018), the IRS has said it plans to issue 90% of refunds within 21 days. Some refunds could take as little as 14 days. That means you should prepare to wait three weeks, from when the IRS accepts your return, to receive a refund. This three-week prediction only applies to e-filed tax returns. If you file a paper return, the IRS says you can expect refund processing to take six to eight weeks. If you elect to receive your refund as a paper check, you will then need to wait for your check to go through the mail. Get an idea for when your refund will arrive with this 2018 tax refund schedule. The IRS also maintains a Wheres My Refund? tool. One tangential thing to remember is that the IRS does not accept tax returns before a certain date. The earliest you could file a 2017 tax return is Jan. 29, 2018. So the earliest date you could possibly expect to get a refund is about midway through February. This is a good thing to keep in mind if you are hoping to use your refund to pay something early in the year. Reason for Delay: You Claim Certain Credits If you file early and claim the earned income tax credit (EITC) or the additional child tax credit (ACTC), you will have to wait a bit for a refund. According to the law, the IRS has to wait until Feb. 15 to issue a refund to taxpayers who claimed either of those credits. Presidents Day and bank processing times can slow down your refund further. For 2018, the first refunds (if you claimed the EITC or ACTC) arent available in taxpayer bank accounts until Feb. 27. Story continues This hold on your refund may get in the way of your budgeting, but there is nothing to be nervous about. The hold is not a result of mistakes or problems with your return. The IRS simply takes the extra time to confirm that everyone who claimed the credit could rightfully do so. If you claimed those credits and you have been waiting weeks for a refund, you can check the status of your refund status on the IRS website through its Wheres My Refund? tool. Reason for Delay: Filing Early or Late It feels good to get your taxes done with as soon as possible, but early filers may have to wait a bit for refunds. One reason for this is because the IRS may still be making changes to their processes. That could include updated security measures or process tweaks due to changes in the tax code. And if the IRS needs to update or make changes, it probably wont make them until just before tax time. This could be especially true in 2018 and 2019 because of President Trumps new tax law. Your refund could also face a delay if you file early in the tax season because this is a high traffic time for the IRS. The same is true at the end of tax season. The majority of taxpayers file either as soon as they can or wait until close to the tax day deadline (April 17, 2018). Going through a high volume of returns will take time. Reason for Delay: New Security Measures tax refund delay Identity theft is a big threat in todays world. To combat the threat, the IRS maintains strict security standards. Some security measures will cause the IRS to increase processing time for returns (and refunds). If the IRS suspects that someone has attempted to steal your identity (by filing a fake return), this could hold up your return. You would then have to wait until the IRS completes any investigating and until it can ensure that you are who you say you are. The IRS may also convert your refund from a direct deposit to a paper check. This will delay your refund but it is simply a security measure. It protects the IRS from sending money to a bank account it does not believe is yours. Many state governments in 2018 have also said that they will take longer to process tax returns because of new security measures. A state government may also work on a different timeline than the IRS. For example, Alabama will not start issuing refunds on 2017 tax returns until March 1, 2018. The IRS started issuing refunds in February. If you are trying to track your state refund, read this article on where your state refund is. Reason for Delay: You Filed a Paper Return As mentioned earlier, the IRS takes significantly longer (six to eight weeks) to process paper returns. That means you will wait longer for a refund than if you e-file. If you file a paper return via certified mail, it will take the IRS even longer to process the return. Speaking of paper returns, you will need to file all amended returns (1040X) as a paper return. The IRS estimates the processing time for amended returns to be somewhere between eight and 12 weeks. Even if you file electronically, you will have to wait longer if you elect to receive your refund as a paper check. Sending a check through the mail also creates the possibility of the check getting lost or sent to the wrong address. That would delay your refund similarly to the way sending a refund to the wrong bank account would. Reason for Delay: Mistakes on Your Tax Return If you file an incomplete return or if you have any mistakes on your tax return, the IRS will spend longer processing your return. This will slow down any potential refund. Mistakes could include mathematical errors or incorrect personal information. Using a tax filing service, such as TurboTax, will likely eliminate mathematical errors from your return. The software will do the math for you. However, its still possible to make a mistake is you are inputting any information manually For example, lets say you manually input the information from your W-2. If you earned $50,000 over the year but you accidentally input $51,000, you may run into problems. The IRS will contact you if there are any issues with your return. In some cases, the IRS will correct small mathematical errors. That could save you the work of having to file an amended return. Incorrect personal information will also slow down your return. As an example, lets say you incorrectly input your Social Security number (SSN). The rest of the information on your return could be correct, but the IRS may not be able to confirm that because it cant match you to the incorrect SSN. Reason for Delay: Incorrect Refund Information Most taxpayers now receive refunds via direct deposit into a bank account. When you provide your account number and bank routing number, its important to double check that the information is accurate. No one wants to miss out on a refund because it went to the wrong bank account. If you entered the wrong account information, there are a few things you can do. In the case that the IRS hasnt sent your refund yet, you can ask them to stop the direct deposit. Call the IRS toll-free at (800) 829-1040, any weekday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. In the case that the IRS already sent the payment, you will need to contact the financial institution. If the institution can get the funds, it will return the refund to the IRS. The IRS will then issue your refund as a paper check. If the institution says it cannot get the funds back, you should file Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, with the IRS. Form 3911 will allow the IRS to contact the financial institution on your behalf and attempt recovery of your refund. When you file the form, the IRS will initiate whats called a trace. Banks have 90 days from the date of the initial trace to respond to the IRS request for information. However, a bank is not required to provide information to the IRS. If the bank doesnt respond, your final option is to take civil action against the financial institution and/or the owner of the account into which your refund was deposited. Reason for Delay: You Have Outstanding Debt For certain types of debts, the IRS has the authority to garnish your tax refund. (Wage garnishment is the act of withholding money from you in order to put it toward something else.) Common reasons that the IRS will garnish your refund include You owe money for back taxes You defaulted on a federal student loan You owe money for child support You filed a joint return and your spouse has outstanding debt In the event that the IRS garnishes your refund, you will receive a notice explaining why it did so. If you dont think you owed that debt, you will need to dispute it with the agency to whom the money was paid. The Takeaway tax refund delay There are a number of reasons why you could experience a tax refund delay. Some reasons wont require any additional work on your part. This could be the case if you claimed certain credits or if you file at certain times. Filing a paper return or receiving your refund as a paper check will also slow things down. Other reasons for delay will require you to do additional work. Maybe you input your wages or SSN incorrectly. That could prevent the IRS from successfully confirming your identity and cause a hold on your refund. You should also double and triple check that all your direct deposit information is correct. It could be very hard to get your refund back if it is sent to the wrong bank account. Tips for Making the Most of Your Refund In some states, the average federal income tax refund is over $3,000. Its tempting just to spend that money, but it can also help you meet some of your financial goals. For example, maybe you want to pay down your credit card debt or your mortgage this year. Putting your refund toward those debts can certainly help you in the long run. If you have debt but youre unsure which to tackle first, talking to a financial advisor can help you create a plan. If you do not have any pressing debts to pay off, you may want to put your refund right into the bank. In that case, look for a high-interest savings account. Getting the highest interest rate possible will make your money work for you. Another way to use your refund is by putting it toward retirement. That may not sound very fun but its important to ensure you can live your golden years doing whatever you want to do. Photo credit: iStock/LPETTET, iStock/anyaberkut, iStock/AntonioGuillem The post Why Is My Tax Refund Delayed? appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. Related Articles: A number of sources have indicated that WeWork is holding talks with some companies in a bid to secure to more offices in San Francisco. This is part of the companys wider expansion program. The company, which specializes in provision of co-working services, will sign a lease for around 90,000-square-foot lease at WeWork holding talks to lease two additional offices in San Francisco offices. The move is part of the companys wider expansion program. Among the venues being targeted are KBSs 353 Sacramento St, whire the company intends to lease 90,000-square-foot and Mckesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK)s headquarters at One Post St where it is targeting a lease of between 100,000 and 200,000 square feet. Last week, the company took the entire 251,000 square feet in 430 California St from 353 Sacramento St. This was the largest deal the company has signed in San Francisco. The company currently has 1.7 million square feet in Bay Area. WeWork specializes in renting out working desks and charges monthly fees for members who range from single entrepreneurs to large Fortune 500 companies like General Electric Co. (NYSE:GE) and Facebook Inc. (NYSE:FB). Additionally, the company designs and manages the rented spaces. There is growing interests from large companies which is pushing WeWork to seek larger leases. Japanese conglomerate SoftBank has rolled out a $4.4 billion investment to fund expansions. Investors have valued the company at $20 billion,with critics saying it is unjustified. WeWork has not commented on the new deals. In March, the companys West region managing director Jon Slavet said the company is not experiencing any demand problems. He noted that the companys main challenge and opportunity is maintaining its consistency and culture as well as high quality services to its clients. At the time, he said that the company if focusing on securing space in buildings that have access to restaurants, transit plus affordable financial term The 488,882-square-foot One Post is situated just next to Montgomery BART station and just a block away from another WeWork situated at 44 Montgomery St. another station, the 284,751-square-foot 353 Sacramento St is situated just a few blocks away from Embarcadero BART. Afghan border police and members of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps have clashed near the two countries' disputed border, leaving several dead and wounded on both sides. Afghan security officials told RFE/RL that two Afghan police officers and six Pakistani paramilitary troops were killed in clashes on April 15 in the Zazi Maidan district of the eastern Afghan province of Khost. Pakistani officials told Reuters that two Pakistani soldiers were killed. Abdul Hanan, the acting provincial police chief in Khost, told RFE/RL that clashes broke out in three locations along the border in the early hours of April 15 after Pakistani paramilitary troops ignored repeated warnings from locals and Afghan border police officers and crossed the border. "First they targeted locals who were trying to stop them from entering our soil, and then they fired mortars on our border police," Hanan said. Hanan's claims could not be independently verified. A statement by Pakistan's military said the Afghan side fired on the Frontier Corps fighters while they were carrying out "routine surveillance" along the border. The statement said two paramilitary troops were injured. Afghanistan routinely accuses the Pakistani Army of attacking civilians and security checkpoints on the disputed border, accusations Pakistan routinely denies. Pakistan claims it is subject to attacks by Pakistani Taliban militants that Islamabad says are based on the Afghan side of the border. The two countries share a 2,500-kilometer border known as the Durand Line, which Pakistan considers to be an international border. Afghanistan rejects the colonial-era border that was created in 1893. Last year, Pakistan said it began building a fence along the border to improve security, a move that sparked condemnations in Kabul. Pakistani forces have continued to build border fortifications, sparking numerous clashes along the border. The fencing has threatened to disrupt the daily lives of people living in communities that straddle the border. In some villages, mosques and houses reportedly have one door in Pakistan and another in Afghanistan. With reporting by Reuters and dpa Afghanistan has returned the dead bodies of five Pakistani soldiers to Pakistan following clashes near the two countries' disputed border, Afghan officials say. Hukum Khan Habibi, the governor of Afghanistans eastern province of Khost, said that one captured soldier was also handed over to Pakistans military on April 16. The dead bodies and the soldier were returned through mediation by tribal elders in the provinces Zazi Maidan district, said a spokesman for Khost police, Basir Bina. Afghan security officials told RFE/RL that two Afghan police officers were also killed in the clashes that erupted between Afghan border police and members of Pakistan's paramilitary Frontier Corps in Zazi Maidan district early on April 15. The two sides later agreed on a cease-fire. They both claim troops from the other country started the fighting. Abdul Hanan, the acting provincial police chief in Khost, said that the clashes broke out in three locations along the border in the early hours of April 15, after Pakistani paramilitary troops ignored repeated warnings from locals and Afghan border police officers and crossed the border. The Pakistani Army said the Afghan side fired on the Frontier Corps fighters while they were carrying out "routine surveillance" along the border. Afghanistan routinely accuses the Pakistani Army of attacking civilians and security checkpoints on the disputed border, accusations Pakistan denies. Pakistan claims it is subject to attacks by Pakistani Taliban militants that Islamabad says are based on the Afghan side of the border. The two countries share a 2,500-kilometer border known as the Durand Line, which Pakistan considers to be an international border. Afghanistan rejects the colonial-era border that was created in 1893. Last year, Pakistan said it began building a fence along the border to improve security, a move that sparked condemnations in Kabul. Pakistani forces have continued to build border fortifications, sparking numerous clashes along the border. The fencing has threatened to disrupt the daily lives of people living in communities that straddle the border. In some villages, mosques and houses reportedly have one door in Pakistan and another in Afghanistan. With reporting by Reuters and dpa Army wants AI to help soldiers sort signals intell The Army wants to use artificial intelligence to better classify signals for soldiers fighting against adversaries with well-developed electronic warfare capabilities. The solution would highlight signals of importance, so soldiers dont have to sort through the data themselves. The Army Rapid Capabilities Office plans to hold a challenge to find the best algorithms and AI implementations for integrating with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. RCO was created in August 2016 to speed the delivery of critical combat capabilities to the warfighter. In lieu of submitting white papers, the participants will submit source code for their applications and would provide AI/Neural network pipeline designs, hyperspace parameters, and AI model configuration parameters or design features, according to the draft announcement. When the challenge goes live, participants will be given the data needed to build their application. No other data will be allowed to be used for development. The winner will receive $100,000, with second place taking $30,000 and third place getting $20,000. Comments on the draft can be submitted until April 19, and the challenge will appear on Challenge.gov once it is live. Read the draft solicitation here. Sellbyville, Delaware, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global DCIM Market is anticipated to surpass USD 3 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. The high penetration of the DCIM market is strongly aided by the increase in environmental and data security regulations put forth by governments of various economies to lower the power consumption through conventional sources and reduce the overall detrimental effect on the environment. Data centers consume large amounts of electricity and are required to be constantly cooled to work effectively without developing any faults. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) noted that by 2020, the data center power consumption is projected to increase to approximately 140 billion kilowatt-hours annually. The data center infrastructure management (DCIM) market technology is highly beneficial in tracking consumption, mitigating companies carbon footprints and identifying locations of higher usage and power leakages. Additionally, these software solutions and services also aid in managing the various facilities infrastructure and are designed to accommodate future changes in the infrastructure. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2496 The adoption of DCIM market is fueled by the ability of these solutions to provide high cost savings to an organization. Organizations invest heavily in technologies that provide them with substantial cost savings in the following years and subsequently provide a competitive advantage. Additionally, these also aid in effective resource handling, capacity planning, and demand management. The integration of these technologies can aid in reducing the overhead management costs, reducing energy wastage, and providing a very high ROI over its lifespan. They are also instrumental in reducing the time to identify faults, further aiding in the higher growth of the market. The segmentation of the DCIM market by component indicates that the services segment is anticipated to witness a significant growth of over 16 percent. The increase in outsourcing activities, primarily in companies operating in the North American region, is contributing heavily to the growth of the managed segment of the market. Companies can obtain high cost savings by outsourcing management solutions to third-party entities that have an in-depth knowledge as opposed to appointing a focused in-house team. The consulting segment of the data center infrastructure management (DCIM) market market is also anticipated to witness a significant growth as companies are increasingly focusing on installing data centers but lack adequate information pertaining to their space and energy requirements which can be released through the aid of a service provider. The end-use segmentation of the DCIM market indicates that the healthcare sector is anticipated to witness a substantial growth as opposed to the other sectors. Medical professionals are increasingly adopting cloud solutions that will allow them a fast access to a vast storage of information at any interval of time. For instance, in cases where a patient has changed doctors or locations or in cases where a second opinion is required for diagnosis and treatment, a patients records can be exchanged and accessed by the authorized personnel even if they are separated over a large geographical area. Browse key industry insights spread across 250 pages with 283 market data tables & 32 figures & charts from this 2018 report Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) Market in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/data-center-infrastructure-management-market The rising instances of cyber-attacks and breach of security in data centers are contributing heavily to the proliferation of these technologies in the North America data center infrastructure management (DCIM) market market. The average cost of data center attacks in the U.S. was estimated to be over USD 4 million. The adoption of DCIM can reduce the instances of such attacks through the installation of security management solutions. The increasing government investments in the improvement of the broadband infrastructure in regions including China and India are creating a platform to streamline the DCIM market growth in the coming years by allowing a rising number of companies situated in underserved and rural locations to have access to these solutions. For instance, in 2014, the Chinese government proposed to invest USD 182 billion to improve the internet speed in the country by 2017 to move the country toward a service-driven digital economy. The players operating in the DCIM market include Nlyte, Raritan, Inc., NTT DATA, Schneider Electric, Delta Electronics, Inc., Huawei Technologies Co., CommScope, Inc., Sunbird Group, Vertiv Co., Tech Mahindra, and Unisys Corporation. Companies operating in the DCIM market are required to adopt strategies such as partnerships, acquisitions, and new service and software solutions to sustain growth in the global marketplace. Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2496 Browse Related Reports: Data Center Power Market Size By Component (Solution [Power Distribution Units (PDUs), UPS, Generators, Cabling Infrastructure], Service [Managed, Professional]), By Application (BFSI, Colocation, Energy, Government, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Telecom & IT), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Benelux, China, India, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, GCC, South Africa), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/data-center-power-market Data Center Cooling Market Size By Component (Solution {Chilling Unit, Air Conditioner, Cooling Tower, Control System, Economizer, Liquid Cooling System}, Service {Consulting, Maintenance & Support, Installation & Deployment}), By Cooling Technique (Rack/Row Based, Room Based), By Application (IT & Telecom, BFSI, Retail, Energy & Utility, Healthcare, Colocation), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, UK, France, Russia, Spain, China, India, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/data-center-cooling-market 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. BANGOR, MAINE, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its 119th Annual Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine, Husson University will confer honorary doctorates on two leaders who have distinguished themselves in construction and education. Peter G. Vigue In addition to delivering the keynote Commencement address, Peter G. Vigue, the chairman of the board of the Cianbro Companies, will receive an honorary Doctor of Business degree in recognition of his leadership abilities, his dedication to employee health and safety, and his devotion to the people of Maine. Vigue graduated from Maine Maritime Academy in 1969 with a degree in marine engineering. After a brief stint in the merchant marines, he found his true calling in the construction industry. In 1970, he accepted an entry-level position at Cianbro in his hometown of Pittsfield, Maine the town where Cianbro was founded and where the firm maintains its corporate headquarters to this day. Over the years, Vigue held a series of increasingly responsible positions, including field engineer, project engineer, area superintendent, project manager, purchasing director, and senior vice president of operations. In 1991, he became the president of the company; a position he held for more than 15 years. He became CEO of the Cianbro Companies in 2000, and chair of the board of directors in 2008. In 2018, Vigue stepped aside as Cianbros chief executive officer to make room for the companys next generation of leaders. He continues to serve as chair of the board of directors while also devoting time to the Cianbro Development Corporation. Despite his many business responsibilities, Vigue focuses a great deal of his energies on state and local, civic and educational matters. He strongly believes that businesses should be involved in education and continues to seek new ways to improve Maines economy in an effort to provide more opportunities for state residents. During Vigues tenure, Cianbro and its team members have been nationally recognized as the Contractor of the Year by the Associated Builders and Contractors of America, and the Healthiest and Safest Company in America in 2004 by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Cianbro has also received awards for excellence in construction, outstanding civil engineering achievement, and engineering excellence. Vigue gives full credit for these accomplishments to the men and women of Cianbro. When asked about the organizations most meaningful achievements under his leadership, he points to two milestones. The first was when Cianbro was named Americas Healthiest and Safest Company. The second milestone occurred when the firm finalized the purchase of stock from the Cianchette brothers in 2003, completing Cianbros transition to 100 percent employee ownership. Dr. Susan J. Hunter Another person who will receive an honorary doctorate is Dr. Susan J. Hunter. Hunter is the 20th president of the University of Maine and the president of the University of Maine at Machias, now a regional campus of UMaine. She was the University of Maines first woman president. She began her full-time career at the University of Maine in 1991 as a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences. Hunter is a cell biologist whose research focused on the structural and functional aspects of bone cell biology. She received grant support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. For six years, she served as a co-principal investigator of an award-winning, $3 million National Science Foundation grant that placed graduate teaching fellows in K12 schools as science demonstrators. In addition, Hunter was the original principal investigator of a five-year, $3.3 million National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant. Her administrative positions included stints as the chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, associate provost and dean for undergraduate education, and five years as the executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. Just prior to her appointment as UMaines first woman president, Hunter served as the vice chancellor for academic affairs for the University of Maine System. University of Maine achievements under Dr. Hunters leadership include advances in enrollment, fundraising, advocacy, and partnerships. In the community, Hunter served on the boards of directors of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, the Bangor Symphony and the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance. She also participated in a planning initiative for the Maine Arts Commission Steering Committee, in preparation for a cultural strategic plan for the state of Maine. Hunter currently serves on the boards of Maine & Company and the Maine Development Foundation. She also serves on the advisory network for the Olympia Snowe Womens Leadership Institute. In 2016, Hunter was inducted into the Deborah Morton Society at the University of New England. One year later, she received the Wilma Award from the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine for her promotion and enhancement of cultural activities; and the Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Award from the Maine Development Foundation. In 2018, Hunter received the Catherine Lebowitz Award for Public Service from the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Hunter received her bachelors degree in biology from James Madison University and a Ph.D. in physiology from Pennsylvania State University. She also did postdoctoral work at Case Western Reserve University and Pennsylvania State University. Hunter received an Honorary Doctor of Science from James Madison University in December 2017. Commencement Both of these individuals will receive their honorary degrees as part of Husson Universitys 119th Annual Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The Cross Insurance Center is located at 515 Main Street in Bangor, Maine. The commencement ceremony begins at 10:30 a.m. For more than 100 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. Our Bangor campus and off-campus satellite education centers in Southern Maine, Wells, and Northern Maine provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies; science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu. Attachments OAG report: Questions hover over Nepal Armys helicopter purchase The Office of Auditor General (OAG) has raised question over Nepal Armys decisions to purchase three helicoptersone medium and two light helicopterswithout or limited competition. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVA LEAP HEALTH CORP. (TSXV:NLH) ("Nova Leap" or the Company), a company focused on the home health care industry, has completed the acquisition of the business assets of Home Health Solutions, Inc. (the Vendor) located in Holyoke, Massachusetts for $1.2 million. The purchase price for the acquisition was paid with $1 million in cash, partially financed by a demand loan of $0.75 million from a Canadian Schedule 1 Bank, and a $0.20 million promissory note issued to the Vendor. The execution of the definitive agreement and related information pertaining to this acquisition was previously announced on March 19, 2018. All amounts are in United States dollars (USD) unless otherwise specified. We are excited to work with the team at Home Health Solutions, said Chris Dobbin, President & CEO of Nova Leap. It is a privilege to work with such wonderful people. The Transaction Nova Leap incorporated a subsidiary, Nova Leap Health MA II, Inc., which has acquired the business assets of the Vendor, including customer contracts and intellectual property, and will continue to operate under the name Home Health Solutions. The acquisition represents Nova Leaps fifth investment in New England and second in Massachusetts. Nova Leap now has approximately 330 employees in Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Nova Leap Reaches $9 million Annualized Recurring Revenue The acquisition of the Vendor is expected to be immediately accretive and, when combined with existing Nova Leap subsidiaries, is expected to result in 350,000 annualized recurring client service hours. Nova Leaps annualized recurring revenue run rate is approximately $9 million following the acquisition of the Vendor. Nova Leaps recurring client service hours are paid primarily by clients, the Department of Veteran Affairs or through long term care insurance plans. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Nova Leap The Home Care Providers industry is becoming one of the fastest growing healthcare industries in Canada and the United States. Home care saves patients billions of dollars every year by treating them in their own homes instead of in hospitals. An aging population, the prevalence of chronic disease, growing physician acceptance of home care, medical advancements and a movement toward cost-efficient treatment options from public and private payers have all fostered industry growth. Nova Leap is focused on a highly fragmented market of small privately-held companies providing patients one on one care in their homes. Nova Leap's post-acquisition organic growth strategy is to increase annual revenue per location through a combination of increased employee investment, including training, focused sales and marketing efforts, billing rate increases, expansion of geographical coverage, and improved referral sources. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION: Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding the completion of the second tranche of the brokered private placement, the anticipated use of the proceeds from the first tranche of the Private Placements and the second tranche of the brokered private placement, and the increase in the Companys recurring client service hours and annualized recurring revenue. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions concerning economic and market conditions, the Companys ability to integrate its acquired businesses and maintain previously achieved service hour and revenue levels, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Risks that could cause results to differ from those stated in the forward-looking statements in this release include regulatory changes affecting the home care industry, unexpected increases in operating costs and competition from other service providers. All forward-looking statements, including any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information, contained in this press release are made as of the date of this release and included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com. For further information: Christopher Dobbin, CPA, CA, Director, President and CEO Nova Leap Health Corp., T: 902 401 9480 F: 902 482 5177 cdobbin@novaleaphealth.com John Boidman, Vice President Renmark Financial Communications Inc. T: 416 644-2020 or 514 939-3989 jboidman@renmarkfinancial.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: 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. TORONTO, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rupert Resources Ltd (Rupert or the Company) (TSX-V:RUP) (FSE:R05) announces a baseline resource for its Pahtavaara Project in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt of Northern Finland (the Pahtavaara Project). The Pahtavaara Project comprises a permitted 1,400tpd mill, 35km of underground infrastructure and a land package of 225km2. The new Inferred Resource of 4.6Mt grading 3.2g/t Au (474koz) is reported using a 1.5g/t cutoff and is based on an updated geological interpretation of the deposit following a review all available data that has been collected over the past 30 years (see Table 1). The new estimate represents a significant uplift in grade and tonnage from the historically disclosed Measured and Indicated Resource of 1.3Mt grading 2.1g/t in Measured and Indicated categories (85koz) and 1.5Mt grading 1.8g/t in Inferred category (84koz) calculated using a 0.5g/t cutoff prepared in 2014 (see Ruperts September 8, 2016 press release). The new resource includes over 50,000m of drilling completed by Rupert up to the end December 2017 along with drilling by the previous owners since the last resource estimate. The drilling has confirmed that the Pahtavaara deposit is demonstrably open at depth and along strike. The modelling work also estimated that 441koz has been mined from Pahtavaara historically (consistent with production data from 1996 to 2014) indicating a yield of over 2,000oz/vertical meter for the Pahtavaara Project. James Withall, Chief Executive of Rupert Resources said The resource reported today represents a significant increase from the historical resource and confirms that Pahtavaara is indeed a larger deposit than previously considered with a mineralisation style consistent with other Greenstone belts. Gold mineralisation is believed to continue both along strike and at depth in close proximity to the existing resource. Work in 2018 is focussed on increasing the confidence level of the new resource. A 5,000m underground channel sampling program is underway within the current underground infrastructure to delineate new additional mineralisation with potential to add further to the new resource. Further to this, 42% of almost 320km of diamond drilling remains unsampled at Pahtavaara and a significant amount of this drill core remains at the site. All sampling gaps in diamond drilling have been assumed to have no mineralisation for the purpose of the new resource model so an infill assay program is planned to sample these intersections within the model and additional prospective areas based on the updated geological interpretation. Table 1 - Pahtavaara Project, Inferred Mineral Resource Cutoff (g/t Au) Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Au oz Au kg 0.5 1.6 14,540,000 756,000 23,500 1.0 2.4 7,980,000 605,000 18,800 1.5 3.2 4,640,000 474,000 14,700 2.0 4.0 3,030,000 385,000 12,000 3.0 5.6 1,470,000 264,000 8,200 4.0 7.0 880,000 199,000 6,200 5.0 8.5 560,000 153,000 4,800 The Mineral Resource estimate for the Pahtavaara Project is reported in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and has been estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves best Practice Guidelines. This mineral resource estimate is classified as Inferred as defined by the CIM. Numbers affected by rounding. A cut-off of 1.5g/t Au was selected for the reported estimate based on historical breakeven operating costs, recoveries of 85% and a gold price of EUR950/oz Qualified Person and notes on the resource The Independent and Qualified Person (the QP) for the Mineral Resource Estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is Brian Wolfe BSc Geology (Hons), MAIG and Principal Consultant, International Resource Solutions Pty Ltd. Mr Wolfe confirms that he has reviewed this press release and that the scientific and technical information is consistent with his work. The Qualified Person will prepare and deliver to Rupert a NI 43-101 technical report (the Report ) in support of this initial resource estimate for the Pahatvaara Project. Rupert will, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, file the Report on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) within 45 days of this release. The Company will provide notification once the Report has been filed. ) in support of this initial resource estimate for the Pahatvaara Project. Rupert will, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, file the Report on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) within 45 days of this release. The Company will provide notification once the Report has been filed. The effective date of the estimate for the Inferred Resources is 13 April 2018. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. The QP is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues, or any other relevant issue, that could materially affect the potential development of Mineral Resources. Appendix 2 to this release provides details on the resource estimation approach taken. Pahtavaara Project, Depleted Mineralisation The study also estimated resources within previously mined areas of the Pahtavaara deposit (see Table 2 and Table 3). For the purposes of the estimated resources occurring within the previously open pits a 0.7g/t cutoff was applied to calculate grade and tonnage above the topographic surface. For the underground stopes and development all blocks occurring within the digitised wireframes were reported without a lower cut off grade. The total approximates to historical production data for the mine, confirming the efficacy of the model. Table 2 - Depleted Mineralisation - Open pit Cutoff (g/t Au) Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Au oz Au kg 0.5 1.9 2,870,000 178,000 5,500 0.7 2.2 2,420,000 169,000 5,300 1.0 2.6 1,870,000 154,000 4,800 Numbers affected by rounding Table 3 - Depleted Mineralisation Underground Cutoff (g/t Au) Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Au oz Au kg 0.0 2.4 3,600,000 272,000 8,500 Numbers affected by rounding Pahtavaara Deposit Geology Mineralisation at the Pahtavaara Project is hosted by amphibolitised komatiites. The principal geologic control in the area is considered to be a linear structural corridor that trends between east-west and northeast-southwest, with gold mineralisation identified in both the larger structures parallel to this trend. oblique fractures and steeply plunging zones that represent the intersection of these structures or possibly fold hinges. The mineralised structural corridor identified at the Pahtavaara Project is characterised by hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation within komatiiites that have been subjected to several phases of intense, pervasive alteration. The hydrothermal alteration and the Au-bearing structures and veins associated are a result of a prolonged period of ductile deformation and later brittle-ductile deformation related to a belt scale thrusting event. Mineralisation remains open at depth along the entire zone. Gold occurs mostly as free gold with a smaller proportion associated with magnetite. About Rupert Rupert is a Canadian based gold exploration and development company that is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol RUP. The Company owns the Pahtavaara gold mine, mill, and exploration permits and concessions located in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt in Northern Finland (see the Companys November 9, 2016 press release). The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Gold Centre property, which consists of mineral claims located in the Balmer Township, Red Lake Mining Division of Ontario. Two properties in Central Finland, Hirskangas and Osikonmaki are subject to a binding definitive share exchange agreement dated effective March 16, 2018 with Northern Aspect Resources Ltd. (NARL) and all the shareholders of NARL, to provide for the completion of a business combination, whereby the Company has agreed, subject to certain conditions, to acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of NARL (the Transaction). The Company has also received conditional approval from the TSX-V for the Transaction and is working to fullfill the exchanges requirements for final approval and closing of the Transaction. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute forward-looking statements, including the statements with respect to those that address potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential for minerals, completion of the proposed Transaction, deadlines, regulatory approvals, business activities and operating performance of the Company. The words may, would, could, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the general risks of the mining industry, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended February 28, 2017 available at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects The above mineral resource estimate used Inferred Mineral Resources, which is a category per CIM Definition Standards (2014) as required by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. This news release or other disclosure provided by the Company may use the terms measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources and inferred mineral resources. While these terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects), the SEC does not recognize them. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted to reserves. In addition, Inferred Mineral Resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and 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 securities legislation, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, although they may form, in certain circumstances, the basis of a preliminary economic assessment as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an Inferred Mineral Resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. For further information, please contact: James Withall Chief Executive Officer jwithall@rupertresources.com Thomas Credland Head of Corporate Development & Investor Relations tcredland@rupertresources.com Rupert Resources Ltd 82 Richmond Street East, Suite 203, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1 Tel: +1 416-304-9004 Web: http://rupertresources.com/ APPENDIX 1 To view Figure 1 Long Section Of BLOCK MODEL Cut Off 1.5g/t, please visit the following link: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/44fed1e6-1bbb-42ae-bf21-07f65b940078 APPENDIX 1 To view Figure 2 Plan view Of BLOCK MODEL Cut Off 1.5g/t, please visit the following link: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/b322d40b-8a42-4a3d-999c-fedd42f680e7 APPENDIX 2 Resource Estimation Approach Database The grade estimation study was based on the drillhole database developed by Rupert that contains all historic sampling along with that completed by Rupert. Vulcan mine planning software package was utilised for interpretation and modelling. The database includes coding of the interpreted mineralisation and drill type. An assessment of an appropriate mineralisation extent using an indicator estimate (0.3g/t Au cutoff) was developed and subsequent grade shells generated. The mineralisation wireframes thus generated were coded to the drillhole database and 2m composites generated and used for the grade estimation. A statistical and geostatistical investigation of the data was undertaken before estimation of Au via multiple indicator kriging (MIK) into an appropriate block model. Localisation of the MIK estimate from parent cell dimension to SMU dimension blocks was then completed along with appropriate validation and checks of the block model. The database, as supplied, was used for resource estimation after a review was completed to subdivide and summarise the various phases and types of drilling. Database statistics are provided below as Table 1. The vast bulk of the data originates from diamond drilling and sludge sampling. Table 1. Summary of the Available Database DH type Holes Metres % of Total Diamond 2,607 319,666 62.9% RC 183 12,227 2.4% Sludge (UG) 9,077 175,554 34.5% Unknown 8 300 0.1% Channel 380 718 0.1% Total 12,255 508,465 100.0% For the purposes of the current resource estimate it has been assumed that the unsampled portions of the drillcore are essentially unmineralized and therefore those absent intervals in the database have been set to 0.001 ppm Au. In the case of all other unsampled data (sludge etc), the unsampled intervals have been ignored as it is less certain why the intervals remained unsampled. The drillhole database contains different data types. Raw sample type statistics are presented in Table 2 below. Table 2. Summary Database Statistics based on sample gold grades Sample type All data >0.2g/t Au Number Mean % Number Mean % Channel 321 3.95 0 141 8.94 0 Dia unknown 152,302 0.48 53 31,750 2.18 42 Dia core 24,927 0.22 9 1,764 2.71 2 RC 16,606 0.5 6 4,155 1.82 5 Sludge 95,171 0.99 33 37,681 2.43 50 Unknown 201 0.3 0 67 0.78 0 Total 289,527 0.63 100 75,738 2.31 100 The main dataset is composed of diamond and sludge drilling. Above 0.2g/t Au, 50% of the data is sludge drilling. Grades <0.2g/t Au have been filtered on the basis of the diamond core having long intercepts outside the mineralisation and sludge sampling being mostly within thte mineralisation. Inclusion of the diamond assays <0.2g/t Au therefore skews the average diamond gold grade lower. A log probability plot of the different data types is presented below. Virtually identical distributions can be observed for sludge (light blue), diamond (red and dark blue) and additionally RC samples (pink). To view Figure 3. Log probability plot different sampling types, please visit the following link: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/10e89925-f135-4b54-ae8b-02f97a5be27a As the above demonstrates equivalency of global data distribution only, additional tests have been carried out to determine if different sample types co-located within discrete 3D volumes demonstrate equivalency of gold grades. These tests have been undertaken in Isatis geostatistical software. The generalised approach is as follows: Create a grid of blocks with dimensions of 5mE x 5mN x 5mRL (125m 3 ) and 10mE x 10mN x 10mRL (1,000m 3 ) ) and 10mE x 10mN x 10mRL (1,000m ) Record statistics for each data type enclosed within each individual block to that block i.e. number, minimum, maximum, mean, etc. In this way the different type of samples contained within each block may be compared. Filters may be applied so that any given block enclosing too few samples of any type will be excluded from the overall comparison. Statistics for both grid dimensions have been calculated and results compared. Only blocks where both types of samples are co-located have been considered. Results are presented in Table 3 below. Results indicate equivalency of diamond and sludge sample gold grades when both occur in close proximity. It can be concluded that both types of data can be combined for the purposes of resource estimation. Table 3. Equivalency of diamond and sludge samples Sample type 5mE x 5mN x 5mRL (125m3) 10mE x 10mN x 10mRL (1,000m3) Number blocks Average grade Total samples Number blocks Average grade Total samples Diamond 804 2.9 1,327 949 2.08 4,043 Sludge 804 3.1 1,769 949 2.20 8,987 QA/QC Rupert has followed an extensive and robust suite of protocols to manage and document data acquisition and quality control (QAQC). Rupert have utilised two separate laboratories for gold analysis. The first, CRS laboratories of Kempele, Finland used the PAL 1000 assay method (crush, cyanide leach and AA finish). After 5 months, primary lab was changed to ALS Chemex with a prep lab in Sodankyla and Au assays completed via Leachwell process in Pitea, Sweden. In summary, Rupert have routinely completed the following: Routine production of field duplicates by producing two quarter core samples from a standard half core sample interval. Routine submission of crush duplicates taken after crushing and splitting. Pulverised duplicates taken after the pulverisation stage taken from the same bowl. Routine submission of blanks (commercial available quartz crush from Nilsian kvartsi). Routine insertion of independently prepared and verified certified reference material (CRM) or standards. Approximately five percent (5%) of the pulps and rejects are sent for check assaying at a second lab with the results averaged and intersections updated when received. Core recovery in the mineralized zones has averaged 99%. While the CRMs initially submitted to the laboratories generally underperformed, this has been attributed to the small size (100g) of the individual CRMs submitted in comparison to the drill samples submitted (1kg to 2kg). Larger, 500g CRMs more in line with the general sample size were then sourced and these CRMs have since performed satisfactorily. Duplicate sample submission (pulps) indicates satisfactory laboratory precision and approximate equivalency of the duplicate samples. Precision and equivalency for the core (field) and crush duplicates is less well established, however this is down to the variability of the mineralisation and the relatively small size of the dataset once lower grade filters are applied and is an expected result. Umpire laboratory check sampling (coarse rejects from initial laboratory) demonstrates moderate levels of accuracy and precision between the sample pairs. Mineralisation Constraints To establish appropriate grade continuity, the mineralisation envelope was based upon a nominal 0.3ppm Au indicator mineralisation shell estimated using 3m unconstrained downhole composites. This interpretation is designed to capture the broad mineralisation halo that encompasses the geological vein system and is not intended to constrain individual veins or vein clusters. As the main grade estimation technique is MIK with change of support technique, this type of mineralisation constraint is deemed appropriate. The mineralisation grade shell was generated by grade shell via indicator kriging at a single cut-off, 0.3 g/t Au. Grade estimation was undertaken into a block model with cell dimensions of 5m E 5 N 5 m RL. Grade shell triangulations were then generated by constraining the block model at 20% and 35% probability cut-offs to approximate the mineralisation continuity and also to capture some low to medium grade material as a dilution skin to the higher grade mineralisation. The selected probability shells are considered optimal to capture the observed continuity and tenor of mineralisation while excluding obvious low grade material. Mineralisation estimation domains were thus defined with further sub-division being differentiated on the basis of orientation, flexures in the structures and tenor of gold grade. A total of fourteen estimation domains have been defined with three relating to flat-lying zones located in the central part of the deposit. The constraining wireframe models were then coded to the drillhole database and also used in the construction of the estimation block model. The mineralisation grade shell wireframes have been flagged to the drillhole database and 2m run length composites generated. Statistical and geostatistical investigations were then undertaken on the coded composite database. Flagging was based on the sample interval centroid either being inside or outside of the wireframe and compositing was terminated at the wireframe boundary. The domain grade shell has been divided into fourteen separate sub-domains with similar grade characteristics and orientations. The higher grade core to the mineralisation has been given a separate coding system (with 35 as prefix) compared to the lower grade halo (which has a prefix of 20). Based on a statistical review, high-grade cuts were determined for the high grade domains (35 prefix). Top-cut composite statistics are detailed in Table 4. In all instances where top-cutting was applied, the cuts are light to moderate, however domains with extreme high-grade data are typically much more strongly affected. Table 4. Summary Statistics Top-cut (Maximum) 2m Run Length Composites Domain Count Minimum Maximum Cut Mean Std. Dev. Variance cv 3510 34,479 0.001 30 1.42 3.21 10.302 2.26 3520 2,686 0.001 30 1.74 3.796 14.408 2.18 3530 460 0.005 30 1.82 4.046 16.373 2.22 3540 3,584 0.001 35 2.26 5.215 27.198 2.31 3550 3,800 0.001 55 2.10 5.282 27.895 2.52 3560 2,209 0.001 55 2.20 4.871 23.724 2.21 3570 428 0.001 55 3.20 9.308 86.632 2.91 3580 1,624 0.001 35 1.43 3.095 9.577 2.16 3590 1,227 0.01 30 0.79 1.788 3.197 2.25 35100 3,447 0.001 30 1.61 3.577 12.792 2.22 35110 4,764 0.001 30 2.26 4.578 20.954 2.02 35120 6,175 0.001 55 2.42 5.648 31.899 2.33 35130 238 0.005 35 2.09 5.004 25.043 2.40 35140 340 0.001 30 1.91 4.344 18.871 2.26 Based on the uncut descriptive statistics and overall domain locations and geometry, the fourteen estimation sub-domains have been grouped into four. Indicator Kriging cutoffs or indicator bins were selected for each of the estimation groups for estimation by MIK. Cutoffs were based upon population distributions and metal proportions above and below the mean composite value of the proposed cutoff bins. Full details of the variography used will be disclosed in the NI 43-101 release. Variography A variographic analysis was completed on the coded composite data for the resource estimate study. Composite data from the combined domains has been utilised for variographic analysis. The variograms are presented in the direction of optimal continuity, as determined from fan variography calculated in the cartesian planes. Gaussian semi-variograms were calculated and modelled to determine the appropriate directions of spatial continuity. In general, one representative domain within each group was selected and experimental variography calculated and modelled. Appropriate directional orientations were then applied to the other domains in the group. The gaussian semi-variograms were then back transformed into raw space and the back-transformed variograms were used as input to the support correction calculations. Full details of the variography used will be disclosed in the NI 43-101 release. Block Model The grade estimation was completed into a sub-blocked block model with a 20mE x 10mN x 10mRL parent cell size, sub-blocked to 5mE x 2.5mN x 2.5mRL. No rotation has been applied. Block model variables were added to enable MIK estimates of all variables of interest including auxiliary variables and density. Service variables were also added to record various estimation parameters to review the quality of the estimates. Mining has been undertaken both from open pit operations and underground. Underground workings and open pits have been coded to the block model and the model has been depleted using these via insertion of a block model flag. Grade Estimation Multiple Indicator Kriging (MIK) was applied to grade estimation at Pahtavaara within the defined 0.3g/t Au 35% probability indicator mineralisation shells. The lower grade halo to this, as defined by the 20% probability indicator shells, was estimated via ordinary kriging (OK). A kriging plan was devised which utilised hard boundaries throughout. A series of tests were undertaken in Isatis geostatistical software to optimise the kriging neighbourhood parameters to ensure the best quality of estimate. Three estimation passes were made for each domain where necessary, with the sample search criteria relaxed for each successive pass not estimated by the previous estimates and reducing the minimum number of input composites. The OK estimate was undertaken on the basis of one estimation pass. The estimation parameters are summarised in Table 5 and 6. Search ellipsoid orientations were determined for each of the 14 sub-domains. Note that search radii have been locally varied dependent on Domain and the information summarized in Tables 5 and 6 are typical parameters. Note also that the MIK grade estimates were generally more than 90% completed in the first two estimation passes and the third pass represents a negligible volume compared to the total. Table 5. Estimation Parameters MIK Estimation Pass Sample Search Disc (X x Y x Z) Orientation (X Y Z) Search Radii (X Y Z) Min Max Max Data per Hole 1 Variable per domain 40m x 40m x 20 24 72 16 3 x 3 x 2 2 80m x 80m x 40 18 72 - 3 x 3 x 2 3 240m x 240m x 120m 12 72 - 3 x 3 x 2 Table 6. Estimation Parameters OK Estimation Pass Sample Search Disc (X x Y x Z) Orientation (X Y Z) Search Radii (X Y Z) Min Max Max Data per Hole 1 Variable per domain 80m x 80m x 40 4 6 - 2 x 1 x 1 Model Validation MIK grade estimate validation was undertaken via visual review on a sectional and plan basis. Validation of the CCDF of the estimated blocks versus the input composites indicates a good correlation between the two with an example of the Medium Grade Group displayed below. To view Figure 4. CCDF Validation Curves Medium Grade Group, please visit the following link: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/198f9951-dff9-41a2-99e8-83f964f14a20 Change of Support Applying the modelled variography, variance adjustment factors were calculated to emulate a 5mE x 2.5mN x 2.5mRL selective mining unit (SMU) via the indirect lognormal change of support. The intra-class composite mean grades were used in calculating the whole block and SMU grades. The change of support study also included the calculation of the theoretical global change of support via the discrete Gaussian change of support model. Information effect factors were modelled and a variance adjustment ratio of 0.1 was applied. Grade Localisation MIK grade estimates are generated in large blocks or panels and are inherently not intuitive to review. Post processing of these MIK estimates aims to simplify the presentation by producing a single SMU dimension block grade where the distribution of the grades in the panel matches that of the distribution in the SMUs. The MIK panel grades have been localised to SMU dimension blocks in Isatis geostatistical software. Validation of the results indicates a near identical distribution and the resultant model has been accepted. A typical section is presented below. To view Figure 5. Typical sectional view displaying localised Au grades, please visit the following link: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c09123bd-7046-491d-8f59-ba246dde91ce Validation of Localised Au Grades Validation of localised block Au grades has been undertaken on a per domain basis by comparing the block mean grades with the relevant composite mean grades Validation of the localised au grades has shown that a reasonable correlation between both declustered and non declustered composites and block model grades. Resource Reporting The grade estimate was classified in accordance with the current CIM guidelines as an Inferred Mineral Resource. The Inferred Mineral Resource reported is summarised below as Table 7. Table 7. Pahtavaara Gold Deposit Inferred Mineral Resource Cutoff (Au g/t) Au (g/t) Tonnage (kt) Au Ounces Au Kg 0.5 1.6 14,540,000 756,000 23,500 1.0 2.4 7,980,000 605,000 18,800 1.5 3.2 4,640,000 474,000 14,700 2.0 4.0 3,030,000 385,000 12,000 3.0 5.6 1,470,000 264,000 8,200 4.0 7.0 880,000 199,000 6,200 5.0 8.5 560,000 153,000 4,800 The Mineral Resource estimate for the Pahtavaara Project is reported in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and has been estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves best Practice Guidelines. This mineral resource estimate is classified as Inferred as defined by the CIM. Numbers affected by rounding. Oslo, 16 April 2018: Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO), calls for the annual general meeting of PHO to be held at Hoffsveien 4, 1st floor, 0275 Oslo, Norway on 9 May 2018 at 17:00 hours (CET). The notice convening the general meeting, including the agenda and the board's proposals to the matters to be dealt with, is enclosed with this notification and will be sent to all shareholders with known addresses. Relevant documents referred to in the notice are made available on www.photocure.no . For further information, please contact: Photocure CFO Erik Dahl Tel: +47 450 55 000, Email: ed@photocure.no About Photocure ASA Photocure, headquartered in Oslo Norway, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on urology. Based on its unique proprietary Photocure Technology platform, Photocure is committed to developing and commercializing highly selective and minimally invasive solutions to improve health outcomes for patients worldwide. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). More information about Photocure is available at www.photocure.com, www.hexvix.com, www.cysview.com. GMATPill wrote: National Defense Coordinator: Each week, the Department of Defense sends food packages to its Navy Seals training in a covert operation. The ten specially ordered shipments sent out last week were sent out on Monday. Last week, all of the shipments that were sent out on Friday consisted entirely of granola bars and water. On Saturday and Sunday, no shipments were sent. Six shipments were sent to Navy Seals training in Covert Location #1, only three of which consisted of granola bars and water. If the shipping clerk's statements are true, which of the following must also be true? (A) At least one of the shipments sent to Covert Location #1 last week was specially ordered. (B) At least one of last week's specially ordered shipments did not consist of granola bars and water. (C) At least one of the shipments sent to Covert Location #1 was not sent out on Monday of last week. (D) At least one of the shipments that were sent out on Friday of last week was sent to Covert Location #1 (E) At least one of the shipments sent to Covert Location #1 last week was sent out before Friday. WRONG: Total six were sent to Location#1 out of which three contained Granola water. Rest three could contain anything other than specially ordered shipments that was sent last week . WRONG: Not Sure. Nothing can be inferred about the contents of the specially ordered shipments from the information given in passage. WRONG: Since we do not know contents of rest of three shipments sent to Loc#1 and that of shipments sent on Monday, we can not correlate these two shipments. WRONG: As we do not have information about the shipments sent throughout the week and those sent on Monday, we can not be sure whether the shipments sent on Friday were sent to Loc#1 or somewhere else as shipments sent to Loc#1 could have been sent on some other day. CORRECT: As all the shipments sent on FRIDAY contained Granola bars and water and three of the shipments received at Loc#1 were not Granola bars and water, they must have been received on some other day. (A) At least one of the shipments sent to Covert Location #1 last week was specially ordered.(B) At least one of last week's specially ordered shipments did not consist of granola bars and water.(C) At least one of the shipments sent to Covert Location #1 was not sent out on Monday of last week.(D) At least one of the shipments that were sent out on Friday of last week was sent to Covert Location #1(E) At least one of the shipments sent to Covert Location #1 last week was sent out before Friday.+1 kudos if the reply helped In 1776 a committee of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin were charged by the Continental Congress with creating an official seal, a sign of sovereignty and authenticity, for the new United States. Two committees later, in 1782, the primary suggestion from their committee included in the final design was the motto, E Pluribus Unum. Other committees, meanwhile, contributed the eagle, and the use of 13 elementsstars, stripes, arrows, olive leavesto symbolize the original states in the Union. The final design was described in terms of its heraldic elements by Congressional Secretary Charles Thomson, and this text remains the law Congress enacted in June 1782. Thomson provided an engraver with a sketch, which was turned into a die and put to use by September. In October 1785, as the new Constitution was being negotiated nearby, the Vestry of Trinity Church on Wall Street commissioned an unidentified artist to paint one of the earliest public depictions of the Great Seal of the United States. The painting was installed on the north wall of St. Pauls Chapel above the pew reserved for George Washingtons family. The pew is gone, but the painting (above) remains. After his inauguration in April 1789, President Washington asked Thomson to transfer custody of the Great Seal from Congress to the Department of Foreign Affairs. It has remained under the charge of the Secretary of State ever since. Between 1782 and 1885, four dies were created as replacements were needed, with minor changes or heraldic corrections each time. But since 1885, the dies design has been fixed. It was installed inside a new press in 1904, and in 1986, the current die, along with a master die from which all future dies may be created, was put into service. An officer of the Department of State uses the Great Seal for 2-3,000 official statements, treaty documents, ambassadorial appointments, and such, per year. It is most widely seen via its depictions on the back of the $1 bill and the covers of US passports. With this context in mind, I hereby announce a new work, Untitled (Art In Embassies), which went on exhibition this week in some courtyard at the US Embassy in Lima, Peru. It comprises a pop-up The Great Seal step & repeat tradeshow photo-opp backdrop and thirteen folding chairs, arranged in a circle. The installation is visible in these photos showing the US official representative to the Summit of the Americas, a relative of the president with no experience or actual role, who cannot obtain a security clearance because she and her family are under criminal investigation; eleven alumnae of some economic development grant programs of the previous administration; and someones tio. Previously, related: Untitled (Presidential Seal), 2017, ed. 25+5AP The Great Letterpress of the United States How ya like How Ya Like Me Now? Questions over date of UML, Maoist merger With both the left parties adamant on their stances, the planned unification between the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Centre) next week seems difficult to materialise. Theres a new calf killer in town was the title of the April 2018 Hoards Dairyman webinar. The title lived up to its billing as three veterinarians discussed Salmonella Heidelberg, a disease that was identified less than two years ago but has quickly claimed the lives of the youngest members of the herd. Rachel Klos is a veterinarian and serves as an epidemiologist for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that is the human side of the equation. She conducts interviews when zoonotic cases break to better understand the symptoms, mode of transmission, and potential illness link from animals to people and visa versa. Klos provided some suggestions to curb the spread of the disease in humans: - Thoroughly wash hands after working with animals - Remove barn clothes before entering the home - Do not let children work around sick calves - Do not consume food in areas with animals - Do not consume raw milk Salmonella Heidelberg is resistant to antibiotics, but calves generally do not live long enough to show symptoms to even be treated. They may appear fine in the morning, but could be dead by early afternoon. Because of advances in technology, the genetic code of bacteria that affect humans can be compared to the code of the bacteria affecting animals. The DNA markers can determine if it is indeed the same strain or a related strain by analyzing their profiles. Don Sockett, D.V.M., works for the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as an epidemiology/microbiologist. He shared that many dairy and beef calves leave the state and because of the transportation involved, Salmonella Heidelberg has spread beyond its borders. While colostrum feeding is still highly encouraged, it does not provide any immunity to Salmonella Heidelberg. Not all salmonellas behave the same and since S. Heidelberg is not commonly found in mature animals, cows cannot provide immunity. Vaccinations are still important to support overall animal health, but they provide no protection from shedding the disease. He encouraged farmers to clean and disinfect pens, trailers, and other equipment that calves come in contact with after each use. But, even the best management practices cannot prevent this stubborn bacteria from impacting a herd. Because the issue goes beyond Wisconsin, Jason Lombard, Dairy Specialist/Veterinary Epidemiologist for USDAs National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) has been heavily involved. He is the on-farm investigator that seeks to understand the presence and transmission of Salmonella Heidelberg. S. Heidelberg is not biased, as it affects all herd sizes. Lombard took samples from calf housing, the bottom of plastic boots, milk preparation areas, and the calves themselves. The disease was present in multiple locations. The boot (or bootie) swabs were important as they showed the disease moved from one area of the farm to another by human traffic. The risk is elevated when animals are transported or co-mingled with others, like at an auction facility or in a trailer. This makes cattle dealers especially susceptible to working with S. Heidelberg. Where there is transportation (particularly over 50 miles), stress, changes in location, common equipment, and mixing of calves, the risk of shedding is significantly elevated. While S. Heidelberg is a new disease, there are some positive things to focus on: Human and cattle agencies are working together to learn more. Genetic testing has helped link cases and will continue to be important to finding solutions. Preventative measures are being shared with producers, employees, and consumers. Click to download samples of the materials. The webinar has been archived for viewing. Watch it to learn more about Salmonella Heidelberg. The webinar was sponsored by Land OLakes Animal Milk Products Company. Next month: The May webinar, Calf rearing affects lifetime eating behavior will be presented at noon (Central time) on Monday, May 14. The feeding behavior patterns of dairy cattle are known to impact health, productivity, and welfare. Trevor DeVries, University of Guelph, will discuss how the way we feed, house, and manage calves impacts the learning and persistence of their feeding patterns. The webinar is sponsored by Advanced Agri Solutions (AAS). Register at on.hoards.com/New-web-signup The author is the online media manager and is responsible for the website, webinars, and social media. A graduate of Modesto Junior College and Fresno State, she was raised on a California dairy and frequently blogs on youth programs and consumer issues. This series is like a GPS for your child's learning adventure. When you start homeschooling, you need to know your destination and chart a course for getting there. Discover how to start your year off on a path that works for you and your child! Did you know its pretty common for parents to find that their child is on or above grade level in a certain subject, like math, but is a few years behind in some other subject, like reading or language arts? Homeschooling lets you see your child as a whole personwhere they may be at different levels academically, physically, socially, emotionally, and mentallyand then adjust their education to fit them! In this series, you can learn how to do this and what kind of options and tools are available. Tusker kills 3 people in as many days An adult male elephant at Parsa National Park (PNP) has killed three persons in the last three days. Just two days after killing Sadhu Kamalesh Giri on Thursday, the wild tusker attacked and killed Saga Bahadur Dong and Manmohan Dhakal on Saturday. In todays digital world, making sure you know what information youre sharingand how its being usedis more important than ever. You shouldnt have to guess what data is being collected about you, and you shouldnt have to worry whether its safe. Here at HSLDA, we want to be open about what kinds of data we gather, how we protect it, and what we do with it. And we empower you to make choices about your data, while giving you confidence that your information is secureso you can focus on whats really important. Privacy Policy Our privacy policy is guided by three principles: Transparency: You have a right to know what personal information we collect. 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Note: As you decide what kind of special needs services and therapy best meet your childs needs, we want you to know that HSLDA Compassion Curriculum Grants are available to help with diagnostic services, therapy, curriculum, or other educational materials. Please note: The information on this page has been reviewed by an attorney, but it should not be taken as legal advice specific to your individual situation. 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 Yesterdays impunity is todays impunity The recently held conference on impunity has shown that South Asia stands together against human rights abuses By Benjamin Jumbe. Governments move to host 500 asylum seekers expelled from Israel has been welcomed by some international relations experts. Addressing journalists in Kampala last week the minister of state relief, disaster preparedness and refugees Musa Ecweru confirmed that Israel had indeed requested that it relocates 500 Eritrean and South Sudan refugees to Uganda. This move has however sparked debate with some sections accusing government of having a hidden agenda in allowing such a deal. However speaking to KFM Ambassador Harold Acema said hosting this group would not be a problem. He further allays fears of the number increasing the burden on the already stretched countrys economy, arguing that their welfare will be a responsibility of the UN. By Scovin Iceta. Ugandan officials are still demanding for recovery of the animals that were raided over the last two months from locals in Moyo district. Earlier attempts to recover the animals failed as the UPDF soldiers and policemen were engaged in clashes with the armed men in which a UPDF soldier was killed. Williams Anyama, the Moyo district Chairman says over 830 animals were raided in the past two months in Lefori and Moyo Sub-county. The UPDF 4th division commander, Brig Emmanuel Kanyesigye says a meeting between leaders from Uganda and South Sudan was held and it was agreed that the two governments focus on ensuring cross border security. He however warns that should there be another raid of cattle in the district, the UPDF will not hesitate to pursue the animals inside South Sudan. Meanwhile, the governor of Yei River state, Emmanuel Adil blames the Dinka Boro tribe for the Moyo raids, promising to have the matter addressed internally. New Delhi, Apr 15 (IBNS): Before leaving for Sweden and the UK, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he is hopeful that the visits to the two nation will be useful in enhancing our engagement with these countries. "I am confident that these visits to Sweden and UK will be useful in enhancing our engagement with these countries," Modi said prior to his visit to Sweden. He will be visiting Sweden and the United Kingdom for bilateral meetings and for the India-Nordic Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. He will visit the two nations between Apr 17-20. Apart from these two nations, he will also visit Germany on Apr 20 briefly. "At the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be making a brief stopover in Berlin on 20 April after completing his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. During his visit, PM will meet Chancellor Merkel and the two leaders will exchange views on a number of bilateral, regional and global issues," read a statement issued by the MEA. "This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Chancellor Merkel began her fourth term on 14 March 2018," it said. Kabul, Apr 16 (IBNS): At least 37 Taliban terrorists were killed during an operation conducted by foreign and Afghan forces in Afghanistan's western Farah province, media reports said. Nasir Mehri told Pajhwok Afghan News that the militants staged a group attack on police check-posts in the Ting area of Farah City at around midnight. He told the Afghanistan-based news agency that reinforcement, with the air support from foreign forces, arrived at the site and assaulted the militants. Two cops reportedly injured in the incident. Afghanistan has witnessed several terrorism-related attacks this year. Armed conflict in Afghanistan killed 763 civilians and injured 1,495 in the first three months of this year, the United Nations mission there said Thursday. All parties to the conflict in Afghanistan must do everything in their power to protect civilians from harm, said Ingrid Hayden, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. Afghan civilians continue to suffer, caught in the conflict, in ways that are preventable; this must stop now. The 2,258 civilian casualties, documented from 1 January to 31 March by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA, are at the similar levels recorded in the first three months of 2017 and 2016. Anti-Government elements caused 1,500 civilian casualties, up six per cent from the same period last year. Suicide improvised explosive devices (IED) and complex attacks were the leading cause of civilian casualties a new trend. The Mission found that combats on the ground were the second leading cause, followed by targeted and deliberate killings, explosive remnants of war, and aerial operations. The Australian Signals Directorate appears to be blowing hot and cold over its reaction to the granting of Protected to status to Microsoft last week, for using some of its services to store and access government data. Last week, as iTWire and other tech outlets reported, the ASD had issued a consumer guide containing a number of fiats about the services that Microsoft claimed to have received Protected status for on 3 April. The company contested this, issuing a long statement to iTWire. The ASD's reaction to a query from iTWire, asking why it had issued a consumer guide three days after Microsoft announced it had gained Protected status, was to only point out that issuing such a guide was not uncommon, leading to the conclusion that there was no concern over the granting of the Protected status to Microsoft. In response to the query from iTWire, asking why the consumer guide had been issued as no guide has been issued when the other four companies that have gained Protected status were certified a Defence spokesperson did not directly answer the question, only pointing out that this was not the first time such a guide had been issued. "This is not the first time ASD has produced Consumer Guides. ASD released a Consumer Guide for Apple iOS devices at Protected to aid secure configuration by government consumers," the spokesperson said. "The ACSC works with providers to ensure guidance is provided to government agencies on how to consume the services in a more secure manner to meet business and risk objectives." But in a comment to another news website, Defence stood by the fiats in the consumer guide issued by the ASD, "confirming more work is required on Microsofts side before Azure reaches an appropriate comfort level". Adding to the confusion was a statement made by Alastair MacGibbon, national cyber security adviser and ASD deputy director-general to the InnovationAus website, saying he was "very, very satisfied" with the measures Microsoft had taken to mitigate risk and gain Protected status for some of its Azure Cloud and Office 365 services. InnovationAus also reported that what appeared to be a "seemingly radical change in government cyber policy in relation to its cloud accreditation program has been a hotly discussed topic at the Australian Cyber Security Centre conference in Canberra" last week. The Museum of the American Revolution celebrates its one-year anniversary this month. Officials say the museum is having success in getting visitors in a city filled with revolutionary war history. You can stop by the Museum of the American Revolution during a visit to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia was the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. A few years later, the city served as the early capital of the United States. The museum will celebrate its first birthday on April 19. That is also the anniversary of the first gunshots fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, in 1775. These battles led to the revolutionary war between Britain and its North American colonies. In honor of its first birthday, the Museum of the American Revolution is adding some exhibits while leaving its most popular ones unchanged. We had no idea how people were going to receive this story of the revolution as we have written it, said the museums Scott Stephenson. But the public response has been tremendous, he added, noting they have received support from all sides. The campaign to build and open the museum succeeded in raising $173 million. The goal was $150 million. Stephenson is the museums vice president of collections, exhibitions and programming. He said this has been a good year to open a museum about the American Revolution for a number of reasons. One was the public debate over the removal of Civil War statues honoring Confederate soldiers. In addition, Americans have debated the Second Amendment to the U.S. constitution because of school shootings. The amendment guarantees Americans the right to keep and bear arms. Inside the museum The museums exhibit starts with the event in New York City where Americans pulled down the statue of Britains King George III. The incident happened after a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Stephenson said he has overheard several debates from museum visitors about the act of removing statues. Most people would agree, regardless of their political affiliation, that this is one of those moments of deep reflection of who we are as a people, he said. Planned new additions to the museum will include a look at Philadelphia at the time of Alexander Hamilton, the early American statesman. The museum also plans to open the Revolution Place Discovery Center, which will recreate historical environments for families to experience. Interacting with history On a recent day, Bill and Amanda Hrehowsik and their two sons were visiting the Museum of the American Revolution from their home in Middletown, New Jersey. The museum was at the top of their list to visit because it was new, and because 10-year-old Matthew Hrehowsik was studying the revolutionary war. Its really interesting, because there was some stuff I learned here that I didnt learn in school, he said. Maud Lyon is president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. She told the Associated Press that it is difficult for all Philadelphia museums to get visitors to move beyond the bell meaning the Liberty Bell. Lyon added that said the Museum of the American Revolution is an important place that was much needed in Philly to tell the historic story we are known for. Im Lucija Millonig. Kristen de Groot reported this story for the Associated Press. Phil Dierking adapted her story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story affiliation n. the state of being closed allied with a person or group exhibit n. an object or a collection of objects that have been put together in a public space tremendous adj. of notable size, power or greatness Confederate adj. related to the Confederate States of America response n. a reaction; answer reflection n. an image that is seen on a shiny surface bear v. to carry bell n. a metallic device that gives off a sound when struck stuff n. things n. things Russia has begun enforcing a nationwide ban on the popular messaging service Telegram. A Russian government agency said on Monday that it had sent a notice to telecommunications providers to block Telegram. The order came from the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media. Last Friday, a Russian court ruled against the messaging service. The court said Telegram should be blocked until it obeys a government order to provide users encrypted messages to the Federal Security Service (FSB). Russian officials have said they need to read the messages to investigate the use of Telegram by violent extremist groups. Telegram has repeatedly refused to surrender access to messages, arguing this would violate its users privacy. The service is the creation of Russian businessman Pavel Durov, who criticized the ban Monday in a statement on social media. We consider the decision to block the app to be unconstitutional and we will continue, he said. Durov added that the ban will only hurt the quality of life for 15 million Russian users, and not do anything to improve security. The terrorist threat in Russia will stay at the same level, because extremists will continue to use encrypted communication channels - in other messengers, or through a VPN, he said. Durov said last week that Telegram had built-in features so people could continue using the service during the governments ban. In addition to being popular with the Russian public, Telegram has also become the messaging app of choice for many government officials. For example, it has been used in the past to set up conference calls between officials and reporters. But on Monday, the Russia spokesmans office said it will now start using a different app. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His story was based on reports from the Associated Press and Reuters. George Grow was the editor. Do you use the Telegram service? Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story access n. way of getting near something encrypted adj. having electronic information changed into a secret system of letters, numbers or symbols to hide its meaning app n. computer program that performs a special function channel n. way of communicating with people or getting something done VPN n. short for Virtual Private Network, a private computer network within a larger system, such as the internet feature n. an interesting part or quality of something . An American clergyman jailed in Turkey since December 2016 went on trial Monday. Andrew Craig Brunson is accused of spying and committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member. If found guilty, he faces up to 35 years in prison. The case has hurt relations between Turkey and the United States. The 50-year-old Brunson is an evangelical Christian. He is from the state of North Carolina. The Associated Press reports that he has lived in Turkey for 23 years and has served as the pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church. He and his wife Norine were arrested for suspected immigration violations in October 2016. Their arrests came weeks after members of Turkeys armed forces attempted to overthrow the government. The overthrow attempt failed. More than 250 people were killed in the unrest. In the year after the overthrow attempt, the government arrested more than 40,000 people. Norine Brunson was later released. But Turkish officials expanded the charges against her husband. They accuse him of having links to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which is banned in the country. Turkey also accuses him of ties to a group led by exiled Muslim clergyman Fethullah Gulen. The government blames Gulen and his followers for the failed overthrow attempt. He denies any wrongdoing. The Turkish clergyman lives in the American state of Pennsylvania. On Monday, Andrew Brunson spoke at the beginning of his trial. He told the court I dont accept any of the allegations or accusations." The state-operated Anadolu news agency reported his comments. I did not engage in any illegal activity. I had no relations with anyone engaged in such activity." Brunson added, I am a Christian pastor. I did not join an Islamic movement. Their aims and mine are different. The U.S. government has repeatedly asked Turkey to release Brunson. American President Donald Trump urged President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to have his government expeditiously return the pastor to the United States. In September 2017, Turkey said it would release Brunson if the United States agreed to surrender Gulen. In a television broadcast, Erdogan spoke about the case. They say give us the pastor, he said. You have a preacher (Gulen) there. Give him to us, and we will try (Brunson) and give him back. A declaration last year gave Erdogan the power to offer foreigners in exchange for Turkish prisoners jailed overseas. The order permits such exchanges in situations where it is necessary for national security or in the countrys interests. U.S. relations with Turkey have worsened recently over a number of issues. They include, what the U.S. government considers to be Erdogans expanding powers. Im Ashley Thompson. George Grow wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on information from the Associated Press and VOANews.com. Mario Ritter was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story commit v. to carry out or do something behalf n. someones interest or support evangelical adj. of or relating to a Christian group that believes in the power of Jesus Christ as Gods son pastor - n. a clergyman responsible for a group of religious believers church n. a building that is used for religious services allegation n. claim or accusation engage v. to take part in; the organize the use of something expeditiously adj. acting or doing something quickly We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. The recent United States missile strikes against Syria could increase pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Or the missile strikes could show North Korean officials the need for nuclear arms to keep the country safe from attack. The United States, France and Britain fired 105 missiles at three suspected chemical weapons factories in Syria early Saturday. The allies said they acted to answer a reported chemical weapons attack in the Syrian city of Douma. The attack killed at least 40 people and wounded or sickened hundreds of others. The Syrian government has repeatedly denied any use of chemical weapons. The raid on Syria comes as U.S. and North Korean officials are preparing for talks in late May or early June. They are working on plans for a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. U.S. officials want the North to discuss plans for ending its nuclear activities. North Korea is expected to demand security guarantees from the U.S. government. Maximum pressure Observers say Trumps decision to use force against Syria can be seen to support his maximum pressure campaign message. For the U.S. side, that means sanctions against North Korea, including a ban on most North Korean exports. In addition, the U.S. would take military action against the North, if necessary. The goal is to force Kim to end his nuclear program and the continued development of a nuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile one that could reach North America. On Monday, a South Korean newspaper, The Korea Joongang Daily, called the U.S. attack on Syria a warning for Pyongyang. It said that the North Korean leader must end his countrys nuclear program or face the same kind of airstrike. U.S. officials hope the show of force in Syria will increase pressure on North Korea to offer meaningful nuclear proposals at the leaders meeting. The Trump administration will not be satisfied, unless the North suspends at least some of its nuclear and missile activities, said Bong Youngshik. He studies politics at the Yonsei University Institute for North Korean Studies in Seoul. Nuclear weapons as protection But the U.S. military strike on Syria could also increase concerns in North Korea that giving up its nuclear arms would leave the country defenseless in a similar attack. Kim Hyun-Wook serves as a professor of American studies at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy in Seoul. He thinks that if North Korea thinks its leadership is not guaranteed, it will keep the nuclear program. North Korea has long justified the need for its nuclear program by pointing to what happened to Moammar Gadhafi in Libya. The long time Libyan leader lost power and was killed by rebel forces, just a few years after he agreed to give up his countrys nuclear weapons. At the time, those forces were allied with the U.S. government and NATO forces. The U.S. and its allies justified their military action in Libya as a humanitarian intervention to prevent government forces from killing the civilian opposition. Without nuclear weapons, North Korean officials worry the U.S. could use the same humanitarian justification to intervene in North Korea. Kim Hyun-Wook noted The U.S. can see North Korea as an autocratic state or human rights violator, and then it can remove Kim Jong Un if he does not have nuclear weapons. The Kim government could use the missile strikes in Syria to demand a step-by-step system to end the nuclear program as a way to guarantee security. That would include the reduction or removal of U.S. forces in Korea over time as part of the required security guarantees. Asia reaction Major U.S. allies Japan, South Korea and Australia voiced strong support for military action to punish Syrias reported use of chemical weapons and to stop other countries from using them. China, however, objected to the strike by the U.S. and its allies before an investigation and without the agreement of the United Nations Security Council. I'm Mario Ritter. Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted his report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story maximum adj. the most or largest amount sanction n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country intercontinental adj. ability to move from one continent to another continent ballistic adj. a weapon that is shot through the sky over a great distance and then falls to the ground and explodes autocratic n. a person who rules with total power James Comey led the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from September 2013 until May of 2017. Then, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered Comeys dismissal as FBI Director. The war of words between Trump and Comey has heated up with the publication of Comey's new book. It is called A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership. Comeys ouster led the Justice Department to appoint former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel. Muellers team is investigating Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Comey spoke with ABC News about his new book. In a television program broadcast on Sunday night, Comey called Trump morally unfit to be president. He also said that its possible the Russians have something on Trump. And he added there is, in his words, some evidence of obstruction of justice. Even before the broadcast, Trump attacked Comey on Twitter. Trump called him the WORST FBI Director in history and a slimeball. He wrote that Comeys writings are self serving and FAKE! On Monday, the president accused Comey and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe of having committed many crimes. McCabe was recently dismissed from the Trump administration. A Higher Loyalty Comeys book tells about the FBI investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. It offers Comeys version of the investigation on Hillary Clintons use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. The book also offers Comey's version of a private discussion with Trump about former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn. Comey told Congress earlier that he and the president spoke about Flynn in private. Comey remembered Trump saying, I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go. He also said that Trump told him during a private White House dinner in January 2017, I need loyalty. I expect loyalty. On Sunday, Trump rejected Comeys claim that he had sought Comeys loyalty. Trump wrote on Twitter, I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, tweeting, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail). Obstruction of justice During the hour-long ABC News broadcast, Comey was asked if Trump was attempting to obstruct justice when he told other officials to leave the room before the meeting about Flynn. Comey answered, its possible. At that time, Flynn was suspected of lying about his Russian contacts. The former national security adviser admitted guilt in court last December. He is now cooperating with the Mueller investigation. During the broadcast, ABC reporter George Stephanopoulos asked, Do you think the Russians have something on Donald Trump? Comey said, I think its possible. I dont know. He did not offer any proof that Russia has anything on Trump. Clinton email investigation Comey also discussed the Clinton email investigation during the broadcast. He said his belief that Clinton would win the 2016 election was probably a factor in his decision to talk about the investigation. He added, I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump, and so Im sure that it was a factor. The admission led to strong criticism from Trump. He tweeted that Comey was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball! Many Democratic Party activists blamed Comey for Clintons loss. And Clinton herself has said his actions hurt her candidacy. Stephanopoulos also asked Comey whether Congress should take legal action against Trump. Comey answered, I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe theyre duty-bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values. Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English. His report was based on stories from the Associated Press and transcript from ABC News. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story unfit - adj. not having the necessary qualities, skills, mental health, etc... to do something obstruction of justice - n. the crime of trying to stop authority from learning the truth about something slimeball - n. a very bad, unpleasant or dishonest person guy - n. a man classified - adj. kept secret from allbut a few people in the government factor - n. one of the things that cause something to happen impeach - v. to charge (a public official) with a crime done while in office off the hook - idiom used to describe someone who has avoided trouble or punishment bound - adj. required by law or duty to do something booth - n. a small area that is enclosed in order to provide privacy for a person American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. 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Aviva plc provides various insurance, retirement, and savings products in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Italy, Poland, and internationally. The company offers life insurance, long-term health and accident insurance, savings, pension, and annuity products, as well as pension fund business and lifetime mortgage products. It also provides insurance cover to individuals, small and medium-sized businesses for risks associated with motor vehicles and medical expenses, as well as property and liability, such as employers' and professional indemnity liabilities, and medical expenses. In addition, the company offers personal and commercial lines insurance products; long-term insurance and savings products, primarily for individuals. Further, it provides investment management services for institutional pension fund mandates; and manages various retail investment products, including investment funds, unit trusts, open-ended investment companies, and individual savings accounts for third-party financial institutions, pension funds, public sector organizations, investment professionals, and private investors. Additionally, the company offers asset management and protection insurance products. Aviva plc markets its products through a network of insurance brokers, as well as MyAviva platform. The company was formerly known as CGNU plc and changed its name to Aviva plc in July 2002. Aviva plc was founded in 1696 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Sony has been selling 13.3 inch tablets with E Ink displays and pen input as part of its Digital Paper line for the past few years, and now the company has a new, smaller model. While previous Sony Digital Paper devices have had 13.3 inch displays, making the about the size of an A4 sheet of paper, the new Sony DPT-CP1 has a 10.3 inch display, making it closer to the size of an A5 piece of paper. Itll be available in Japan in June for about $650, making the smaller Digital Paper device a little cheaper than the latest A4-sized model, but a little pricier than its closest rival: the recently-launched Onyx Boox Note, which sells for about $570 in Europe. If youre wondering why these things are so expensive when you can pick up a Kindle for less than $80, its partially because these digital paper-style devices support pen and finger touch input, allowing you to write notes, annotate documents, and perform other tasks that would normally require a PC or tablet. But a more important factor is likely economies of scale: theres not nearly as much demand for 10.3 inch and 13.3 inch E Ink displays as there is for smaller versions of these electronic paper screens. So they cost more to produce in smaller quantities. Likewise, theres less demand for this type of device than there is for a Kindle, so theyre produced in smaller batches, which helps make them more expensive and which also probably helps companies like Sony and Onyx justify a premium price tag (I wouldnt be surprised if they take a higher profit margin on these devices than they do on cheaper, mass-produced eReader-style devices, but I havent audited their finances, so I cant say for certain). Anyway, if you can afford one, the Sony DPT-C1 has a 1872 x 1404 pixel display (227 pixels per inch) measures 5.9mm (less than a quarter of an inch) thick, and weighs about 8 ounces. It has 16GB of storage, which Sony says should allow you to save about 10,000 PDF files on the device. And it has a micro USB port for connecting to a PC. It also supports 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, and NFC. The DPT-C1 is powered by a Marvell IAP140 64-bit quad-core processor and has a battery that Sony says should provide up to a month of run time when using the tablet to write for about an hour a day with WiFi and Bluetooth turned off. press release via Engadget Share this article: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Pocket Tumblr Pinterest LinkedIn Email An Air China flight bound for Beijing was diverted to central China yesterday after a passenger held a flight attendant hostage using a pen as a weapon, authorities said. All passengers and crew on Flight 1350 made it safely off the plane after it landed in Zhengzhou city at 10 a.m. due to what had earlier been described by authorities as an unspecified illegal interference. The flight had taken off at 8:40 a.m. from the city of Changsha in Hunan province and was scheduled to land in Beijing at 11 a.m. The Civil Aviation Authority of China said in a statement on its website that the plane was diverted when a male passenger held a flight attendant hostage. It said only that the matter was successfully handled by 1:17 p.m., but did not provide any details. Police in Zhengzhous Henan province said in a statement that the alleged hostage-taker had a history of mental illness and suffered an unspecified sudden psychological disorder when he grabbed the flight attendant. It identified the man by only his surname, Xu, and said he was 41 and from Anhua, a county in Hunan. Police arrested him at about 1 p.m., according to the statement. In a brief report on the microblog Weibo.com, state broadcaster China Central Television included an image of what appeared to be paramilitary police in combat uniforms and helmets assembled outside a Zhengzhou airport hotel and another image of several ambulances. The Zhengzhou airport said in a statement that it immediately activated emergency measures, adding that the passengers who disembarked were in a stable mood and that the airport was operating normally. The airline said police and aviation authorities were handling the matter and refused to provide further information. It said it was arranging for another plane to pick up the passengers from Zhengzhou. The Beijing News said on its Weibo page that a passenger described being awoken by a scream coming from the front of the plane and that nobody knew what was going on. The Xiaoxiang Morning Herald quoted a passenger as saying that the disturbance occurred in the first or business class cabins, but that the curtains separating those sections from economy class were pulled tightly shut. She looked out the window and saw many police cars, ambulances and fire engines parked outside the plane as it was landing in Zhengzhou, the newspaper said in a Weibo post. The passenger described seeing armed personnel in camouflage uniforms assembled in two or three rows. AP Anima Macau has received MOP1.9 million in funding from Macao Foundation on Friday, the president confirmed. Last week, Albano Martins told the Times that Anima faces annual expenses amounting to MOP10.5 million, yet only receives MOP3.8 million annually, forcing the association to announce a shut down of operations. Speaking to the Times yesterday, Martins explained that the MOP1.9 million in funding will sustain the association which looks after 700 cats and dogs until the end of June. However, the association would nevertheless still need to reduce its employees. Usually our monthly budget is around MOP650,000 to MOP820,000, which means there are a lot of expenses that need to be cut, and maybe we have to begin to reduce the staff, he said. We are considering the staff reduction at the end of this month. Martins added. The president then noted that Animas activities would be limited due to the constrained number of employees, citing the publics visit to the animal shelter. Currently, Anima Macau is working on submitting funding requests to gaming operators and launching its own campaign that will be open to the public. Martins expressed that funding from gaming operators would be significant to the non-government association, recalling the past contributions of Wynn Macau. Yet, Martins remains positive that the association still has the publics support. We have good international support. We are positive of that, he said. He also urged the local government to be more supportive of the regions non-government associations, calling for an increase in its annual budget. I am expecting that the Macau government will think a little bit more carefully about associations that are considered by government as public service to finance [us] not in a poor style, Martins said. We are not putting money in our pockets, were just taking care of animals. We [urge] the Macau government to understand that we need more support, at least in 2019 if not this year, he added. The president also hoped that the association would acquire sufficient funding so as to not close down by the end of June, noting that it would celebrate its 15th anniversary on December 11. LV Most of the worlds nations agreed to an historic deal that for the first time will limit emissions from the global shipping industry. After a week of negotiations at a London meeting of the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations body, envoys from 173 countries agreed to cut emissions by at least 50 percent by 2050 from 2008 levels. Saudi Arabia and the U.S. both objected. The accord is a significant step in the fight against global warming. Shipping, the only industry not included in the 2015 Paris climate agreement, would rank as the sixth-largest greenhouse gas emitter if it were a country, according to the World Bank. If left unchecked, that share could account for 15 percent of global carbon emissions by 2050, a five-fold increase from today. It is likely this target will tighten further, but even with the lowest level of ambition, the shipping industry will require rapid technological changes, said Tristan Smith, a reader at University College Londons Energy Institute. Vessels typically burn heavy fuel oil, one of the cheapest but also among the dirtiest fossil fuels. The industry wasnt included in the Paris agreement because each country presented an individual plan to reduce their own emissions, while the seas were left out. Fridays agreement commits to pursuing emission cuts that will be consistent with the Paris deal goals. Reducing the industrys emissions has been a hotly contested issue. One of the most vociferous proponents of emission controls have been the Pacific island nations, where rising sea levels are already swallowing up land, and the rate is expected to increase in the coming decades. Other countries have resisted targets. Oil producing nations including Saudi Arabia have expressed concern about the impact of the measures on their fuel supply business, while some countries have said controls could penalize those that are far from the worlds main consumer hubs. Canada, Argentina, Russia, India, Brazil, Iran and the Philippines also raised concerns over the proposals for reasons ranging from worries that targets could have a negative effect on global trade to a lack of sufficient data. A principle of the IMO is to have no discrimination and thats what differentiates the deal and thats not the IMOs principle, said Jeffrey Lantz, director of commercial regulations and standards at the U.S. Coast Guard and head of the U.S. delegation. This isnt the first time the IMO has tried to be cleaner. Six years ago, the organization adopted design requirements to make new vessels more energy efficient. More than 70 percent of container ships built between 2013 and 2017 exceed the standard, which sets limits on carbon emissions per ship, according to analysis from Transport & Environment, a Belgian NGO. The IMO should and could have gone a lot further but for the dogmatic opposition of some countries, said Bill Hemmings, shipping director at Transport & Environment. Scant attention was paid to U.S. opposition. So this decision puts shipping on a promising track. Anna Hirtenstein, Jeremy Hodges, Bloomberg Chinas foreign minister is making a rare visit to Tokyo, in a sign of improving cooperation between Asias two largest economies as they face policy whiplash from the U.S. over trade and security. Foreign Minster Wang Yis trip yesterday to meet Japanese counterpart Taro Kono will be the first of its kind in more than eight years. Japan is keen to confer with its neighbor ahead of a summit between the two Koreas and a potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Chinas bid to repair relations comes as the U.S. threatens trade sanctions and a renewed emphasis on Taiwan ties. Long-fraught ties between Tokyo and Beijing deteriorated to a 40-year low after the Japanese governments 2012 purchase of disputed islets near Taiwan sparked Chinese demonstrations, damaged trade and even raised fears of a military clash. Since taking office at the height of the dispute, Abe has sought rapprochement with his countrys largest trading partner. He finally managed to turn the tide last year with a qualified pledge of cooperation on Chinese President Xi Jinpings signature Belt and Road trade and infrastructure initiative. For the Abe administration, China is essential to effectively pressuring North Korea, said Madoka Fukuda, a professor of global politics at Hosei University in Tokyo. China is motivated by a lack of transparency in U.S. policy making, as well as tougher American security and trade stances, she added. Abe is set to meet Trump in Florida next week, where he plans to press the president to maintain a hard line on North Korea and seek to persuade him to take a more multilateral approach to trade. Despite the diplomatic push, tensions over territory and Japans militarist history remain. Coast guard and military ships from both countries continue to tail one another around the uninhabited Senkaku islands, known as the Diaoyus to China. Japans Self-Defense Forces activated a new amphibious unit to help defend remote islands just a week ago. A poll published in December found a marked fall in the percentage of respondents in Japan and China who saw ties between the two countries negatively. Still, few see the relationship as good. On the agenda for yesterdays talks are preparations for a May trip to Japan by Premier Li Keqiang. Abe has expressed hopes the exchanges will presage a return to regular reciprocal visits between leaders of the two countries. A high-level Japan-China economic dialogue will resume today, amid concerns in both countries about the potential for a trade war sparked by the U.S. The Chinese are seeking Japanese cooperation on U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs implemented last month, Kyodo News reported Saturday, citing people close to the talks. Trump threw fresh confusion into trade negotiations Thursday by instructing advisers to review the possibility of returning to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. The TPP, which Trump withdrew from soon after taking office last year, includes 11 Pacific Rim nations, but not China. Successful visits by Wang and Li would provide positive publicity at a crucial time for Abe, whose chances of winning a ruling party leadership election in September have been damaged by a series of allegations of cronyism and government cover-ups. Recent polls show public support for his cabinet has fallen below disapproval. For China, Trump is unstable and unreliable, said Yasuhiro Matsuda, a professor of international politics at the University of Tokyo. Even if Abe resigns, Japan is relatively stable. So they can use ties with Japan as a form of insurance.Isabel Reynolds, Bloomberg Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologized for the 2010 hostage-taking incident in Manila that killed eight tourists from Hong Kong. Speaking to the Filipino community in Hong Kong, Duterte noted that Manila has yet to make an official apology over the incident. There has been no official apology coming form the Philippines regarding that incident that happened in August 2010, Duterte said. From the bottom of my heart, as the President of the Republic of the Philippines and on behalf of the people of the Philippines, may I apologize formally to you now, Duterte was quoted by Philippine media as saying in a meeting with Filipinos in Hong Kong. We are sorry that the incident happened and as humanely possible, I would like to make this guarantee also that it will never, never happen again, he said. A bus with 21 Hong Kong tourists onboard was hijacked in the Philippine capital Manila on Aug. 23, 2010. The 11-hour hostage crisis ended with eight Hong Kong tourists killed in a bungled police rescue. Duterte was in Hong Kong last week for a three-day informal visit after attending the Boao Forum for Asia in Chinas Hainan Province. MDT/Xinhua Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters marched Saturday in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, demanding a new election and a new national electoral system in the biggest opposition rally in years. Prime Minister Viktor Orban was re-elected for a fourth term last week. His right-wing populist Fidesz party won a supermajority in the national assembly, with preliminary results showing that Fidesz and tiny ally the Christian Democratic party won 134 seats in the 199-seat legislature. Opposition supporters are upset that Hungarys electoral rules have given Orbans party such a large majority in Parliament when it only won around 50 percent of the vote. While the left-wing opposition parties won 12 of 18 seats at stake in Budapest districts, Fidesz won 85 of 88 seats outside the capital. The other 93 seats were allocated based on votes for party lists. Protesters marched from the Opera to Parliament, shouting New elections! We are the majority! Vik-tator! and Filthy Fidesz! The size of the crowd, overflowing from the citys Kossuth Square outside the striking neo-Gothic Parliament, rivalled the pro-government Peace March held on March 15. Organizers said another anti-government protest would be held next weekend. We want new and fair elections, opposition activist Gergely Gulyas told the huge crowd. This is the responsibility of the government and were going to remind them of this, peacefully and massively. Orban, whose campaign focused on the demonization of migrants, has promised significant changes in his next government, which could push for a constitutional amendment against migration. A fragmented opposition, a complex electoral system that disproportionately favors the biggest party and Orbans decision to greatly facilitate citizenship for Hungarians living in neighboring countries like Romania and Serbia all contributed to his large win on April 8. Over 96 percent of voters in those bordering countries including areas that Hungary lost after World War I backed Orbans Fidesz party. When I asked my grandparents why they allowed (communist dictator) Matyas Rakosi to stay in power for so long, they answered that they were scared, writer and journalist Gergely Homonnay, one of the rallys organizers, told protesters. Well, Im not scared. Were not scared. Homonnay said protesters had three requests: Changing the electoral system which forever cements Fidesz in power; ousting Chief Prosecutor Peter Polt, an Orban ally, because as long as he is in office not a single corruption case will be investigated; and getting Fidesz out of state media, which has become an unabashed promoter of government propaganda in recent years. Orban claims that opposition parties want to turn Hungary into an immigrant nation with the help of the European Union, the United Nations and Hungarian-American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros. Opposition members deny the claim. At the end of the rally Saturday, participants sang Hungarys national anthem, as well as the EU anthem, which is based on Ludwig van Beethovens Ode to Joy. Pablo Gorondi, Budapest, AP Tens of thousands of people joined a demonstration outside Japans parliament Saturday, in a sign of growing public anger over cronyism scandals engulfing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Organizers say about 50,000 people attended this weekends rally in Tokyo the biggest in nearly three years. Protesters, many young, held up signs calling Abe a liar and seeking his resignation. The prime minister has been forced in parliament to deny his involvement in two controversies over land deals to close associates. An alleged cover- up over the activity of Japanese troops during the Iraq war is also casting a cloud over his government. A spokesman for Abes office didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The scandals have pushed Abes approval ratings toward all-time lows, raising questions about his ability to win the ruling Liberal Democratic Partys leadership election in September. Victory would put him on track to become Japans longest-serving prime minister. A Kyodo poll taken over the weekend showed a drop of 5.4 percentage points in Abes approval from a survey just two weeks earlier, tumbling to 37 percent. The disapproval rating rose to almost 53 percent. Almost four-fifths of those surveyed said they were dissatisfied with Abes explanations over a long-running scandal centering on the decision to let his close friend open a veterinary school. The large number of people gathering is due to growing anger, said Takeshi Suwahara, one of the leaders of Saturdays protest. A strong sense of crisis is spreading people now sincerely feel they have to speak out for what is right. While the protests are significant in a country where people tend to be reluctant to attend public demonstrations, they are still dwarfed by rallies in the summer of 2015 over Abes push to expand the powers of Japans military. Organizers of those gatherings said that around 350,000 people attended. Tokyos Metropolitan Police Department said it didnt keep official figures for the numbers of attendees of Saturdays event. The current protests only started last month, but the number of people joining them is going up at a pace that is faster than even in 2015, said Koichi Nakano, a professor of political science at Sophia University in Tokyo. The protesters are, of course, angry, but they also share the growing conviction that the Abe government is finally coming to an end. Bloomberg The Macau Consumer Council (CC) is expecting to sign an agreement with the Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection (DECO) to handle consumer disputes concerning Portuguese citizens and some mainland Chinese citizens, as announced by Wong Hon Neng, president of the executive committee of the CC. Consumer organizations representing nine cities in the Greater Bay Area and the two special administrative regions were part of the conference held in Macau last week. The conference involved discussion and planning of projects regarding consumer rights protection, as well as the signing of the Memorandum of Co-operation for Consumer Protection in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area. On the sidelines of the conference, Wong said that hopefully, [an agreement between Macau and Portugal] can be signed in the second or third quarters. Earlier, we reached an agreement with Portugal [on the topic]. When questioned by the Times, Wong revealed that when Portuguese residents are confronted with consumption disputes in mainland China or Macau, the Consumer Council will forward the case to the related [mainland] consumers organizations, and vice-versa. In the past, this kind of dispute would have to even sometimes go through a few diplomatic channels. In addition, Wong said that as the platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries, we [Macau] are happy and willing to do it [transfer cases between mainland China and Macau]. Hopefully, we will be able to better protect consumer rights on both sides [the Greater Bay Area and Portugal]. According to Wong, it will be more convenient for residents from the Greater Bay Area or residents from Portugal to solve consumption disputes through Macau. One of the reasons is that Macau can provide translation between the Portuguese and Chinese languages. Currently, the agreement between Macau and Portugal has already been drafted; it will have to be approved before eventually being printed. Wong also informed that in recent years, approximately 20 percent of all consumption complaints were filed by residents from the Greater Bay Area. Regarding the past several years, the closing rate concerning consumer complaints exceeded 96 percent, said Wong. Last year, [the majority of] the complaints were related to common consumer goods. There have been [were] less complaints about dishonest shops. On the other hand, there is [was] a rather serious source of complaints: taxis, Wong noted. Based on the memorandum, Wong explained that a resident from the Greater Bay Area can either choose to send a complaint to the Consumer Council or can directly take it to his/her local citys consumer organization, which will pass it to the CC. The council will then decide the steps to be taken to the related citys consumer organizations. The Consumer Council claims that the memorandum not only enhances the information exchange among the 11 cities in the Greater Bay Area, but also sets the Council as the main platform for referring cases between cities within the region and Portuguese consumer organizations. The Judiciary Police (PJ) has arrested a mainland Chinese resident for involvement in phone scams across China. The mainland police had informed PJ of a case related to the suspect, who was said to be involved in phone scams in which criminals pretended to be mainland government officers. The suspect, who was arrested at the immigration checkpoint of the Macau Border Gate to Zhuhai, had reportedly scammed victims out of RMB540,000. An investigation by the mainland police revealed that the criminals went through 14 steps to transfer the money obtained from such schemes, and that they had used some banks and ATMs with Macau IP addresses. PJ seized more than 1,200 mainland bank cards from the suspects apartment at R. de Coimbra. 36 of the cards corresponded to approximately RMB100,000 out of the aforementioned total of RMB540,000. The suspect has confessed to the crimes and has been transferred to the prosecuting authorities, having been charged with fraud and money laundering. The police forces of Guangdong and Macau met recently in Guangdong province to discuss their cooperation for the year. They agreed that telecommunication scams, together with financial crimes, would be their key targets in 2018. Chinas global trade balance swung to a rare deficit in March as exports shrank but its surplus with the United States, the center of a worsening dispute with Washington, stood at USD15.4 billion. Exports contracted 2.7 percent from a year earlier to $174.1 billion, down from the 24.4 percent growth for the first two months of 2018, customs data showed Friday. Imports rose 14.4 percent to $179.1 billion, though that was down from 21.7 percent growth in January and February. The upshot is that the latest trade data suggest that both domestic and foreign demand held up well in March, said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a report. The trade surplus with the United States contracted 13 percent from a year earlier, while Chinas global trade balance swung to a $5 billion deficit. President Donald Trump has approved a possible tariff hike on $50 billion of Chinese goods in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology. Trump is demanding Beijing take steps to narrow its trade deficit with the U.S., which Washington says stood at a record $375.2 billion last year. China runs multibillion-dollar monthly surpluses with Europe and the U.S., which helps to offset deficits with Japan, South Korea and developing countries that supply industrial components and raw materials. The global trade balance often slips into deficit for one month early each year as factories restock following the Lunar New Year holiday. The biggest risk going forward is clearly that the current trade tensions escalate to the point where meaningful tariff barriers are erected, said Evans-Pritchard. But even if this is avoided, trade looks likely to soften slightly over the coming quarters given that global growth now appears past its peak and Chinas own economy faces rising headwinds from tighter policy. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced market-opening measures including a cut in import taxes on autos and an easing of controls on foreign ownership in Chinas auto industry. The Commerce Ministry denied Thursday that had anything to do with the dispute with Washington and said negotiations were impossible while Trump was threatening tariff increases on a possible $100 billion list of additional goods. Forecasters have been expecting Chinese economic growth to weaken since late last year after regulators tightened controls to cool a boom in bank lending and real estate sales they worry is driving a dangerous rise in debt. Meanwhile, Chinas trade surplus with the 28-nation European Union, its biggest trading partner, shrank by half from a year ago to $3.6 billion. AP Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen reviewed military drills Friday ahead of planned war games by China amid rising tensions between the rivals. Tsai went aboard a U.S.-made destroyer in the port of Suao as the islands armed forces simulated breaking a blockade of the self-ruled island. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has scheduled live-fire war games in the Taiwan Strait for next Wednesday. That follows Beijings heated objections to U.S. moves to strengthen relations with Taiwans democratic, independence-leaning government. Despite a lack of formal ties, Washington is legally bound to respond to threats to Taiwan and is the islands main supplier of foreign military hardware. Chinese officials have denounced the recent passage of a U.S. law encouraging more high-level government contacts with Taiwan, saying that violates U.S. commitments not to restore formal exchanges severed when Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979. An agreement to provide Taiwan with submarine manufacturing technology and the appointment of hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton have also hardened views among anti-America nationalists in China. In a reiteration of Chinas military resolve, President Xi Jinping spoke about the importance of naval power while attending a massive fleet review on Thursday in the South China Sea. The mission of building a mighty peoples navy has never been more urgent than it is today, Xi, dressed in army fatigues, said in remarks delivered on the helicopter deck of one of Chinas most advanced destroyers. Strive to make the peoples navy a first-rate world navy. During the Chinese sea drills, a U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and several escort ships sailed in the South China Sea in a display of Americas naval might. It later visited Manila and hosted Philippine government and military officials in a reception Friday night. The Theodore Roosevelt is a symbol of our commitment to protecting the enduring values that have generated so much prosperity in this amazing region, U.S. Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim said. Values and principles like freedom of navigation, freedom of commerce and freedom from fear and coercion. AP Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More 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 KAZ Minerals PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing copper and other metals primarily in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. It operates through Bozshakol, Aktogay, East Region and Bozymchak, and Mining Projects segments. The company operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the east region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan; three underground mines in the east region of Kazakhstan; and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. It also develops greenfield metal deposits; operates Koksay deposit in Kazakhstan, and the Baimskaya licence area in the Chukotka region of Russia; and produces and sells various by-products, such as gold, silver, molybdenum, and zinc. In addition, the company supplies and distributes heat, water, and electricity; and offers construction, project management, financing, management, sales and logistics, and repairs and maintenance services. The company was formerly known as Kazakhmys PLC and changed its name to KAZ Minerals PLC in October 2014. KAZ Minerals PLC was founded in 1930 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. engages in the operation of senior living communities. The firm manages independent living, assisted living and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers. It operates through the following segments: Independent Living Assisted Living & Memory Care, CCRCs, Health Care Services and Management Services. The Independent Living segment is primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors who desire an upscale residential environment providing the highest quality of service. The Assisted Living & Memory Care segment offer housing and 24-hour assistance with ADLs to mid-acuity frail and elderly residents. The CCRCs segment offers a variety of living arrangements and services to accommodate all levels of physical ability and health. The Healthcare Services segment provides home health, hospice and outpatient therapy services, as well as education and wellness programs, to residents of many communities and to seniors living outside communities. The Management Services segment composes of communities operated by the company pursuant to management agreements. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN. Read More (HealthDay)Pembrolizumab is associated with significantly longer recurrence-free survival than placebo as adjuvant therapy for high-risk stage III melanoma, according to a study published online April 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, held from April 14 to 18 in Chicago. Alexander M.M. Eggermont, M.D., Ph.D., from Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus Grand Paris, and colleagues randomized patients with completely resected stage III melanoma to receive 200 mg pembrolizumab (514 patients) or placebo (505 patients) intravenously every three weeks for 18 doses. The researchers found that in the overall intention-to-treat population, pembrolizumab correlated with significantly longer recurrence-free survival than placebo at a median follow-up of 15 months (one-year rate of recurrence-free survival, 75.4 versus 61.0 percent; hazard ratio for recurrence or death, 0.57); the correlation was also seen in the subgroup of 853 patients with programmed death-1 ligand-positive tumors (one-year rate of recurrence-free survival, 77.1 versus 62.6 percent; hazard ratio, 0.54). Overall, 14.7 and 3.4 percent of patients in the pembrolizumab and placebo groups, respectively, had adverse events of grades 3 to 5 that were related to the trial regimen. One treatment-related death occurred in the pembrolizumab group. "As adjuvant therapy for high-risk stage III melanoma, 200 mg of pembrolizumab administered every three weeks for up to one year resulted in significantly longer recurrence-free survival than placebo, with no new toxic effects identified," the authors write. One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry. The study was sponsored by Merck, the manufacturer of pembrolizumab. Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: Yale University Halle Berry. Janet Jackson. Mariah Carey. Those are just a few celebrities who gave birth well after turning 40. Browse any tabloid rack at your local supermarket and you're bound to see stories of womensome even pushing 50who are now proud parents. It's not only women over 40 sharing tales of success. Lesbians and gay men are also fulfilling their dreams of creating a family (using sperm or egg and gestational surrogates, respectively). Transgender men are welcoming children, too. Advances in reproductive medicine have made possible what once seemed impossible. But, what you read in gossip magazines might not always tell the whole story. Sure, a 45-year-old woman had healthy twins, but she might have used donor eggs (in conjunction with in vitro fertilization [IVF]) or any other number of fertility treatments. Her male partner might have needed a sperm extraction or another procedure. Have modern treatments cured infertility? Can anyone who wants to start a family do so? Not quite. So what is the truth behind these headlines? The reality is that treatments are evolving and improving. At the Yale Fertility Center, physicians and researchers use the latest evidence-based fertility treatments. We checked in with our reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) specialists to hammer out some little-known facts about infertility. In the field of baby-making, they, of course, want to offer hope for couples and individuals looking to become parents. But as physicians, they believe that hope should be tempered with realistic expectations. "If you want to conceive traditionally, that requires family planning," says David B. Seifer, MD, an REI specialist who practices in the Yale Fertility Center's Westport office. "The biological clock is real. But there are lots of ways people can become parents." Where patients receive their fertility care also matters, notes Lubna Pal, MBBS (a medical degree awarded in several countries outside of the U.S.), interim section chief of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Yale Medicine. "There are so many places in the countryacross the worldthat are delivering good care. But I think academic centers are more up-to-date on best practices," she says. "For patients, my strategies are individualized and based on facts. And the Yale Fertility Center epitomizes that philosophy. Our providers are invested in our patients' well-being. We choose a data-driven approach to individualized care." Fact: Fertility problems affect men, too. If a couple is unable to get pregnant after a year of trying, it could be due to a reproductive problem or "factor" affecting the female or male partneror some combination of both. Worldwide, up to 30 percent of infertility cases are related solely to male factor infertility, says Amanda Kallen, MD, director of the Recurrent Pregnancy Loss Program. A number of issues can contribute to male infertility, including abnormal sperm production, motility, blockage of sperm delivery or low sperm production. Fortunately, many of these conditions are treatable with medications or minor surgeries. The Yale Fertility Center also offers sperm-harvesting procedures for conditions including those in which there is no sperm in a man's semen. (Sperm can be retrieved from the epididymis, a tube behind the testicles, or from the testicular tissue.) Fact: Even with IVF, age is still an important factor. Even in the best of circumstances, IVF is successful only about 50 percent of the time. Many women need several treatment cycles, and sometimes, even that is not enough. Age is a powerful factor when it comes to reproductive health. For a healthy couple in their 20s or early 30s, the odds of getting pregnant without assisted reproductive methods are about 20 percent each month, notes Pinar Kodaman, MD, Ph.D., an REI specialist. This percentage drops off significantly after age 37, and by age 40, a woman's odds of getting pregnant are less than 10 percent per menstrual cycle. According to a 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a woman between ages 41 and 42 has a 14 percent chance of getting pregnant using IVF with her own eggs. Between ages 43 and 44, the success rate dips to 7 percent. However, with donated eggs, IVF results in births in about 50 percent of cases, reports the Society for Reproductive Technology. And the Yale Fertility Center raises the odds even higher. "Our donor egg cycles have much higher success rates than this," Dr. Kodaman says. Women who know they want to have children later in life can also consider freezing their eggs. "Many women postpone motherhood for a variety of reasons, including their career, further education or maybe they have not yet found the right partner," says Pasquale Patrizio, MD, MBE, director of the IVF, Male Fertility and Fertility Preservation programs. The Yale Fertility Center has a state-of-the art lab for freezing (cryopreserving) eggs, embryos and ovarian tissue. "Women can freeze eggs through vitrification [a technology used during the egg and embryo freezing process]. They can be cryopreserved for years, until they are ready to use them," Dr. Patrizio says. Fact: If you have or have had cancer or other serious medical conditions, you can still have children. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation can negatively impact fertility. But thanks to cryopreservation, men, womenand even children who have gone through pubertycan preserve sperm, eggs, and testicular and ovarian tissue before they start treatment. In fact, in Connecticut, insurance carriers must cover the cost of cryopreservation for men and women under the age of 40 who have cancer or other medical conditions. "The hope is that more states soon follow suit," Dr. Patrizio says. "Right now, elective egg banking for non-cancer patients is not covered, but hopefully, this will change, too." The Yale Fertility Center REI specialists spend one day each week at Smilow Cancer Hospital. "We talk to patients who need to have chemotherapy or radiotherapy to beat their cancer about preservation methods," Dr. Patrizio says. "Now, the patient doesn't need to travel to the Fertility Center. We can see them there, and that has been great." Plus, a number of other medical problems and their treatments can affect male and female fertility. For women, those include fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis. Yale Medicine REI clinicians specialize in these disorders on both the treatment and research fronts. For fibroids and endometriosis, surgery may be an option to improve fertility. For PCOS, ovulation induction is often a first-line treatment. Fact: LGBTQ individuals have multiple options if they want to have children. There are many options for starting a family for individuals and couples who identify their sexual orientation or gender in a number of ways. Egg donation, sperm donation and gestational surrogacy are three primary choices. Lesbian couples seeking fertility treatment may prefer to choose only one of the partners to undergo intrauterine insemination with donor sperm in order to achieve motherhood. However, others, in addition to donor sperm, may also need IVF or egg donation. Some same-sex female couples choose to have both partners involved in the process. One female partner can provide the eggs, and the other partner can be the recipient of the resulting embryos. Gay male couples can achieve fatherhood through the process of IVF with an egg donor and a gestational carrier or surrogate. One or both male partners can contribute their sperm, which are then used to inseminate eggs provided by an egg donor; the resulting embryos are then transferred into the uterus of a gestational carrier. For transgender men and women, the Yale Fertility Center provides services and support both before and after transitions. In addition to being a resource for hormonal management, our center offers fertility preservation options for female-to-male and male-to-female transgender patients, as well as assistance in third-party reproduction options. Men transitioning to women may freeze their sperm or testicular tissue. For women transitioning to men, we offer egg freezing, embryo freezing and ovarian tissue freezing. "The best option varies from person to person. For one, egg freezing may be an ideal strategy. Or ovarian tissue, while considered experimental, is available as well," says Dr. Kallen, who also specializes in fertility preservation for transgender individuals. "This is specialized careand you won't find it elsewhere in the state. Everyone should have the opportunity to have a child." Advances in reproductive medicine are only continuing, and physicians and researchers are hard at work to make the tantalizing headlines you see at the supermarket a reality for all. Explore further Demand for fertility preservation increasing for women Credit: CC0 Public Domain Neurobiology researchers have identified a pathway in brain circuitry that, when stimulated, leads to "antidepressive" behavior in animals. If such brain stimulation proves to have similar effects in people, it may eventually lead to a novel treatment for depression. "Major depressive disorder is a serious health problem worldwide. Existing treatments are helpful for many people, but also have a high rate of relapse and significant side effects," said study leader Amelia J. Eisch, PhD, a neurobiology researcher at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). "Because scientists consider depression to be caused by malfunctions in brain circuitry, we suggest that 'tuning' a specific circuit could set the stage for a targeted treatment." Eisch and first author Sanghee Yun, PhD, both from the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at CHOP, collaborated with other scientists in a study published online today in Nature Medicine. The study team focused on a circuit upstream from the hippocampus, a brain region linked to mood regulation and memory. Previous researchers found that directly stimulating the human hippocampus had no effect on memory or made memory worse. The current study instead targeted a region upstream from the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex (Ent) in laboratory mice. The researchers examined depressive-like behavior as well as memory. In animal studies and human research, scientists already knew that stimulating the Ent circuit improves memory and learning. "Our group was the first to investigate whether stimulating Ent could affect mood," said Yun. Yun identified a protein in the Ent-hippocampal pathway, called TRIP8b, that increases during stress, and inhibits cell firing. In the current study, the researchers used mice genetically engineered to "knock down" or eliminate TRIP8b in Ent neurons. Ent neurons in those mice were more likely to fire, and produced new hippocampal neurons at a faster rate. Crucially, the mice with greater stimulation in their Ent circuits showed "antidepressive" behaviors. In testing this mouse model of depression, the study team put the animals through a battery of experiments. "There are many mouse behavioral tests we used to identify antidepressive-like behavior," said Eisch. For instance, in a forced swim test, a researcher observes how a mouse behaves after being placed in a beaker of water. The mouse keeps moving until it becomes immobile and floats; a shorter duration of immobility signifies antidepressive behavior. In a novelty-suppressed feeding test, a mouse that is less anxious approaches a food pellet faster than an anxious mouse; the researchers regard mice that more readily approach something pleasurable as showing more antidepressive behavior. "Our findings are the first evidence that targeting this particular brain circuit may offer a potential new depression treatment," said Yun. "This is a first step, so there is much research to be done to determine if we can translate this knowledge into practical, noninvasive treatments for people with depression," said Eisch. She added, "Existing brain stimulation therapies for depression are extremely helpful for many patients, but they don't work for everyone, and they also have side effects such as memory loss and cognitive impairment. It is important to increase the number of tools available to treat depression, and find those with fewer side effects as well." She added that her team hopes the new study presents opportunities to collaborate with translational researchers in pursuing promising implications for clinical treatments. Explore further How electroconvulsive therapy relieves depression per animal experiments More information: Stimulation of entorhinal cortexdentate gyrus circuitry is antidepressive, Nature Medicine (2018). Journal information: Nature Medicine Stimulation of entorhinal cortexdentate gyrus circuitry is antidepressive,(2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41591-018-0002-1 This image shows pancreatic cancer cells (nuclei in blue) growing as a sphere encased in membranes (red). Credit: National Cancer Institute Dr. Christian Marin-Muller's grandmother died of cancer before he was born. It saddens him that he never had the chance to meet her, but thanks to her he knew from an early age what he wanted to be when he grew up. He would become a scientist and find a way to fight cancer so nobody else would have to lose a grandma. Fast forward almost 40 years. Marin-Muller has achieved major milestones along his journey to provide cancer patients with better treatments. He has a Master of Science degree in molecular biology from the Florida Institute of Technology and an M.S. in biotechnology entrepreneurship from Case Western Reserve University. For this master's thesis, he developed a business plan for launching a biotechnology startup company. He raised several rounds of seed investment funding, obtained exclusive licensing agreements for proprietary technologies from several institutions and developed distribution agreements with suppliers and manufacturers in half a dozen countries. Within three years, the company had more than 600 customers and distributed 750,000 products, including its own product line of laboratory supplies. Marin-Muller was selected one of the "Top 10 entrepreneurs under age 30 in Ohio" by Inside Business Magazine. Then, he returned to science. He enrolled in Baylor College of Medicine's doctorate program in molecular virology and microbiology and joined the lab of Dr. Qizhi Cathy Yao, professor of surgery, molecular virology and microbiology and pathology and immunology. Marin-Muller wanted to work on one of Yao's lines of research developing effective therapeutics for pancreatic cancer. "Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The disease affects around 300,000 people every year around the world. Eighty percent of them dies that same year," Marin-Muller said. During his doctorate studies, he worked with microRNA-198 (miR-198). He found that this molecule naturally present in the body is abundant in normal cells, but is dramatically reduced in cancer cells. When he analyzed samples of human pancreatic cancer, he found that patients with the lowest levels had a shorter life expectancy than those with higher levels. The molecule is a tumor suppressor, but when its levels are reduced, it helps tumors grow. "We showed that if we reintroduced miR-198 into cancer cells grown in the laboratory and in animal models of the disease, we were able to control tumor growth and metastasis," Marin-Muller said. "The promising preclinical in vivo treatment data we have generated strongly suggest that miR-198 has significant potential to become a novel effective therapy for pancreatic cancer," said Yao, who also is a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. From lab bench to bedside The question then was, Can miR-198 become a drug to treat pancreatic cancer? After graduation, Marin-Muller founded Speratum CR, S.A., a fast-growing biotechnology startup company, based in San Jose, Costa Rica. Its primary mission is to develop a microRNA-directed treatment for pancreatic cancer as well as other relevant human malignancies. In April 2015, Baylor College of Medicine and Speratum executed an exclusive worldwide license agreement to enable commercial development of miR-198 technology for pancreatic cancer treatment with an exclusive option to expand the development to treat other types of cancer. Two U.S. patents were granted to Baylor on the miR-198 technology, and there is one additional U.S. patent application pending. During the past two years, the Speratum team has successfully completed a variety of preclinical studies of miR-198, and the results further validate the efficacy and safety of miR-198 in treating cancer. Speratum has been successful in its fundraising efforts and has thus far raised $1.4 million in private equity investment and another $200,000 in non-refundable grants, which will enable them to move into the next phase of development. And Speratum is already expanding. Since early February 2018, the company has had a laboratory at the Rotterdam Science Tower in the Netherlands, and it recently won first place as the most innovative company in the Netherlands, the Axon Innovation for Health Award. Speratum expects to initiate its first trial in human subjects in the next 12 months. Another key issue to this novel treatment approach was how to deliver miR-198. RNA has proven to be difficult to deliver to cells by itself, prompting a number of labs to develop different types of delivery systems. "For example, liposomes can be used clinically and have been tested to deliver RNA, but they are not very efficient," said Dr. Changyi Johnny Chen, professor of surgery and molecular and cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine. "For almost 10 years, my laboratory has been developing DNA/RNA delivery systems. Finally, we designed, synthesized and characterized a new LGA-modified PEI polymer. This delivery system can self-assemble into nanoparticles and deliver nucleic acids both to cell cultures in the lab and to animal models, including difficult to transfect cells and organs, or tumors in animal models." The Chen lab is aiming to develop the LGA-PEI nanoparticle delivery technology for human use. It has increased delivery efficiency and lower toxicity than other delivery technologies. "Since we moved to Baylor 16 years ago, Dr. Yao's lab and mine have been studying a lot of genes. Our findings encouraged us to investigate the possibility that the RNAs we were studying had clinical applications," said Chen, who also is a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. "If they did, we were going to need an effective and safe delivery system. They were not available at the time, so my lab focused on developing one." Baylor and Speratum entered into an exclusive option agreement in April 2016 to the LGA-PEI nanoparticle delivery technology developed by Chen's research team. This LGA-PEI polymer delivery system also may carry reagents other than nucleic acids and can be customized for targeted delivery, thus having broad research and clinical applications. Upon conducting comparative studies with other delivery vehicle candidates, Speratum elected to exercise its option and executed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Baylor in December 2017 for the LGA-PEI nanoparticle technology. The licensed patent portfolio from Baylor includes patent applications in the U.S., Europe and other foreign jurisdictions, which would further strengthen Speratum's global presence. Speratum plans to use the LGA-PEI nanoparticle as the delivery vehicle for miR-198 in its clinical trials, and is optimizing necessary protocols and apparatus. It also will develop the LGA-PEI nanoparticle to target the research reagent market. "We are incredibly excited by the opportunity to co-develop these two complementary technologies," said Marin-Muller. "The synergy between this uniquely powerful delivery technology and our potent tumor suppressor means we have unlimited potential to treat the most devastating forms of cancer. In addition, we can now fully exploit the potential for drug delivery for an unprecedented and virtually unlimited number of applications. All this has been possible thanks to the support provided by a team of dedicated scientists who work closely with Dr. Chen and Dr. Yao to move our science forward." "It has been gratifying for us to see Speratum take off and achieve success with the preclinical development of the miR-198 therapeutic candidate. I am very pleased that the company and Baylor College of Medicine have expanded the scope of their relationship to incorporate Chen's nanoparticle delivery technology. With Christian Marin-Muller's dedicated leadership, I look forward to hearing more about Speratum's future successes," said Michael Dilling, director of the Baylor Licensing Group. Explore further Team tests ultrasound as way to enhance cancer drug delivery More information: C. Marin-Muller et al, A Tumorigenic Factor Interactome Connected through Tumor Suppressor MicroRNA-198 in Human Pancreatic Cancer, Clinical Cancer Research (2013). Journal information: Clinical Cancer Research C. Marin-Muller et al, A Tumorigenic Factor Interactome Connected through Tumor Suppressor MicroRNA-198 in Human Pancreatic Cancer,(2013). DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-12-3776 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Nearly 80 genes that could be linked to depression have been discovered by scientists. The findings could help explain why some people may be at a higher risk of developing the condition, researchers say. The study could also help researchers develop drugs to tackle mental ill-health, experts say. Depression affects one in five people in the UK every year and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Life events - such as trauma or stress - can contribute to its onset, but it is not clear why some people are more likely to develop the condition than others. Scientists led by the University of Edinburgh analysed data from UK Biobank - a research resource containing health and genetic information for half a million people. They scanned the genetic code of 300,000 people to identify areas of DNA that could be linked to depression. Some of the pinpointed genes are known to be involved in the function of synapses, tiny connectors that allow brain cells to communicate with each other through electrical and chemical signals. The scientists then confirmed their findings by examining anonymised data held by the personal genetics and research company 23andMe, used with the donors' consent. The study, published in Nature Communications, was funded by Wellcome as part of Stratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally, a 4.7 million project to better understand the condition. Professor Andrew McIntosh of the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, who leads the Edinburgh-based research group, said: "Depression is a common and often severe condition that affects millions of people worldwide. These new findings help us better understand the causes of depression and show how the UK Biobank study and big data research has helped advance mental health research. "We hope that the UK's growing health data research capacity will help us to make major advances in our understanding of depression in coming years." Dr David Howard, Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and lead author of the study, said: "This study identifies genes that potentially increase our risk of depression, adding to the evidence that it is partly a genetic disorder. The findings also provide new clues to the causes of depression and we hope it will narrow down the search for therapies that could help people living with the condition." Explore further Chronic pain linked to partners of people with depression More information: Genome-wide association study of depression phenotypes in UK Biobank identifies variants in excitatory synaptic pathways, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Genome-wide association study of depression phenotypes in UK Biobank identifies variants in excitatory synaptic pathways,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03819-3 Electron micrograph of a varicella zoster virus. Credit: Centre for Disease Control/Dr. Erskine Palmer/B.G. Partin, Source: Public Health Image Library A research team led by UCL and Erasmus University has found a missing piece to the puzzle of why the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles can remain dormant for decades in human cells. Described in a recent paper in Nature Communications, researchers discovered there is an RNA transcript in the varicella zoster virus (VZV), that continues to remain active after a person has recovered from chickenpox. Most adults worldwide are infected with VZV, which stays dormant after chickenpox has cleared, but can reactivate later in life in about 30% of people as shingles, which causes both a painful rash and the potential for more serious complications including debilitating pain, blindness or a stroke. "It's been more than 30 years since VZV latency in human nerve cells was first described, and ever since then, researchers have been trying to identify the factor that causes the virus to remain latent. Our discovery provides an important step forward towards control of this virus," said the study's lead author, Professor Judith Breuer (UCL Infection & Immunity). Previous studies were unable to identify how VZV latency works, partly because, unlike the herpes simplex viruses, which are also alphaherpesviruses that remains dormant after initial infection, there are no animal models of VZV latency. To overcome this challenge, the researchers developed a new technique using human neurons that were obtained very quickly after the patients had died (6 hours on average), when previous studies had shown that fewer post mortem changes had occurred in the tissues. Of the 18 donors, the neurons of 13 of them were infected with both herpes simplex and VZV, enabling the researchers to compare their findings against the better-understood model of herpes simplex. The researchers extracted nucleic acid from the neurons and sequenced the RNA, comparing it with models of the VZV genome. They found that only one VZV RNA transcript was detectable in all the neurons, which they called the latency-associated transcript. The researchers also confirmed that only one herpes simplex transcript is detectable when dormant, something that has been queried in the past. They supported their findings by infecting cells in the lab with VZV and found that the latency-associated transcript inhibits the expression of a gene that is critical to viral replication, suggesting that the transcript may play a key role in determining whether the virus is actively replicating or remaining dormant. "Our findings are now helping us understand how VZV can remain dormant for so long. Further research will tell us more about how exactly this RNA transcript works, and what happens differently when VZV reactivates later in life to cause shingles. "We hope our discovery can help the eventual development of a new, improved vaccine that instead of causing dormancy, entirely prevents VZV infection," said the study's first author, Dr. Daniel Depledge, who conducted the research at UCL before moving to New York University. The researchers say their discovery was made possible by a combination of high quality human clinical specimens from the Netherlands Brain Bank and specialised highly sensitive molecular detection technologies developed at UCL. More information: Daniel P. Depledge et al. A spliced latency-associated VZV transcript maps antisense to the viral transactivator gene 61, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Daniel P. Depledge et al. A spliced latency-associated VZV transcript maps antisense to the viral transactivator gene 61,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03569-2 School-based prevention programs can substantially reduce children's cavities - but what type of treatment should be delivered in schools to best prevent tooth decay? A new study by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry, published in the journal BMC Oral Health, suggests that cavity prevention programs with a combination of prevention strategies may be more effective than one alone for reducing tooth decay. Dental cavities are the world's most prevalent childhood disease, affecting nearly 30 percent of school-age children and 50 percent of rural, minority, or Medicaid-receiving children in the United States. School-based cavity prevention programs have emerged as an important way to improve access to dental services. In medically underserved areas, these programs often serve as the sole source of dental care for children. While the American Dental Association supports the use of school-based cavity prevention programs, questions remain on the optimal mix of treatment services, intensity, and frequency of care. "Given the high variability in school-based programs to prevent cavities, comparing the effectiveness of different prevention agents, frequency of care, or intensity of treatment can lead to optimal program design," said Ryan Richard Ruff, MPH, PhD, assistant professor of Epidemiology & Health Promotion at NYU Dentistry and the study's lead author. In this study, NYU Dentistry researchers compared two cavity prevention programs in elementary schools serving more than 8,200 students over 10 years (2004-2014). Both programs provided school-based care twice a year to children ages 5 to 12. One program provided sealants on molars (primary prevention) while the other provided sealants on all teeth and interim therapeutic restorations (primary and secondary prevention). Interim therapeutic restorations are a minimally-invasive method for controlling tooth decay by filling a cavity with a fluoride?releasing agent. Interim therapeutic restorations are intended to bridge the gap between identifying a cavity, particularly in a nontraditional setting or in a very young child, and having the cavity filled or crowned in a more permanent procedure. Both school-based cavity prevention programs reduced the risk of untreated decay over time. While the total number of all decayed or filled teeth observed over the course of the study increased across both programs, the comprehensive program that provided primary and secondary prevention significantly lowered the rate of new and untreated cavities when compared to only sealants on molars. "A comprehensive cavity prevention program, particularly for children without regular access to dental care, can be significantly better than the traditional molar sealant programs," said Richard Niederman, DMD, professor and chair of the Department Epidemiology & Health Promotion at NYU Dentistry and the study's coauthor. Ruff and Niederman are continuing to study how to optimize school-based cavity prevention. They are currently leading two large studies - a PCORI-funded study in the Bronx and an NIH-funded study in New Hampshire - to compare two cavity prevention techniques in school-based dental programs. One technique is a more complex treatment similar to the combined primary and secondary prevention, but the Bronx and New Hampshire studies will also introduce the use of silver diamine fluoride, a non-invasive, cavity-fighting liquid that is painted onto teeth to halt the progression of tooth decay. The cavity prevention programs will begin in schools in the fall of 2018. Explore further Better food choices near schools for healthier teeth Colon polyps from patients with Lynch syndrome, a hereditary condition that raises colorectal cancer risk, display immune system activation well before cancer development, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The preclinical research challenges traditional models of cancer immune activation and suggests immunotherapy may be useful for colorectal cancer prevention in certain high-risk groups. The findings, published in JAMA Oncology, will be presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018 in Chicago by Kyle Chang, graduate research assistant. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1, such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, have been successful in treating colorectal cancers with deficiencies in DNA mismatch repair (MMR). These tumors accumulate large numbers of genetic mutations and mutant proteins, or neoantigens, which are thought to stimulate an immune response, making them more susceptible to checkpoint blockade therapy. "Our question was how this worked in premalignancy," said senior author Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention and Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology. "Can we apply checkpoint inhibitors or checkpoint inhibitor strategies to prevent MMR-deficient colorectal cancer?" Lynch syndrome (LS), which is caused by inherited mutations in MMR, provides the perfect context in which to study early immune activation and explore the potential use of checkpoint inhibitors in a prevention setting, explained Vilar-Sanchez. Over 1 million people in the U.S. are affected by LS, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome. In the study, the researchers analyzed gene expression to characterize the immune profile in 11 polyps and three early-stage tumors from 14 patients with LS. As a control, the researchers also analyzed 17 polyps from patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome which does not exhibit MMR deficiencies. The resulting profiles revealed increased expression of several markers of immune activation, including CD4 T-cells, proinflammatory molecules and checkpoint molecules, such as PD-L1 and LAG-3, in LS polyps compared to FAP polyps. However, contrary to traditional models of immune activation, the observed immune profiles were independent of the rate of mutations or neoantigens present in the sample. "To our surprise, our findings don't follow the standard model. The majority of premalignant lesions do not have an excessive increase in mutations or neoantigens," said Vilar-Sanchez. "However, we observed there is already immune activation, meaning the activation precedes the development of the mutations." The findings suggest a baseline level of immune activation exists in precancerous polyps, which may prime them for susceptibility to checkpoint blockade, explained Vilar-Sanchez. Future work will be necessary to clarify the mechanism by which this immune activation occurs, as the current study was observational in nature. The researchers hope to initiate clinical studies to investigate the use of checkpoint blockade strategies for preventing colorectal cancer in high-risk groups, such as those with LS. "Lynch syndrome patients have a strong immune activation in the colon, and that immune activation can be exploited for preventive purposes," said Vilar-Sanchez. "I think our data provide the information needed to launch studies to use checkpoint inhibition in the setting of prevention." Explore further Study uncovers early genetic changes in premalignant colorectal tissue Credit: Northwestern University Screening patients for diabetes based solely on their age and weight a recommendation from a leading medical expert group could miss more than half of high-risk patients, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study of a nationwide sample. These limited screening criteria also missed more racial and ethnic minorities, most notably Asians. Failing to screen high-risk adults could lead to delayed treatments to prevent type 2 diabetes or manage the condition for those who already have it, possibly contributing to a worsening of the diabetes epidemic. Prediabetes and diabetes affect half of U.S. adults with an estimated cost of $327 billion per year. The United States Preventive Service Task Force (USPSTF) currently recommends that physicians screen patients for dysglycemia (prediabetes or type 2 diabetes) when they are 40 to 70 years old and are overweight or obese. By following this recommendation, 53 percent of patients who had prediabetes or type 2 diabetes would not be screened. The study showed that screening patients using an expanded set of risk factors, which the USPSTF suggests but does not formally recommend, would identify most cases of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Only 23 percent of patients with prediabetes or diabetes would be missed if expanded screening criteria were used to make screening decisions, the study found. The expanded criteria include a family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome or non-white race or ethnicity. "This seems like a no-brainer to screen patients who have any of these additional risk factors," said lead author Dr. Matthew O'Brien, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "By demonstrating how well these expanded criteria work in identifying patients with prediabetes and diabetes, we're proposing a better path for the USPSTF to strengthen its screening guidelines." The study was published today, Friday, April 13, in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. O'Brien will be presenting his findings today at the Society for General Internal Medicine conference in Denver, Colorado. This is the first study to report how these expanded screening criteria would perform in practice among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The USPSTF has come under scrutiny for other screening recommendations, most notably for breast cancer. But there has been little attention focused on this group's most recent diabetes screening guideline. Intensive lifestyle programs and some medications have been proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes among adults with prediabetes. A large volume of research over the last three decades has demonstrated that treating type 2 diabetes prevents life-threatening complications such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. "The earlier patients are diagnosed with these conditions, the sooner they can begin to combat them," O'Brien said. African-Americans and Latinos develop type 2 diabetes at younger ages, so waiting until they are 40 years old to screen them is problematic, O'Brien said. In the study, 50 percent of whites with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes were identified using the limited criteria compared to only 48 percent of African-Americans and only 44 percent of Latinos. Asians are at high risk of developing diabetes even at a healthy weight. By following the limited guidelines and only screening patients who are overweight or obese, approximately 30 percent of Asians with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes would be identified. That would leave 70 percent of Asians with prediabetes or diabetes undiagnosed until their next screening test, which could occur years later. The study also touches on the financial implications of these guidelines. Under a provision in the Affordable Care Act, all services recommended by the USPSTF must be fully covered by insurers. But O'Brien said it is unclear whether insurers will be required to pay for diabetes screening if patients only meet the expanded criteria. "This could be a particular problem for people of low socioeconomic status who are at high risk of developing diabetes and may be unable to pay for a screening test," O'Brien said. The study was conducted collaboratively with the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), using data collected every year from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. It builds on findings from a previous study O'Brien conducted that incorporated electronic health record data from 50,515 adult primary care patients at community health centers in the Midwest and Southwest between 2008 and 2013. Explore further New diabetes screening recommendation misses more than half of high-risk patients More information: Matthew J. O'Brien et al. Performance of the 2015 US Preventive Services Task Force Screening Criteria for Prediabetes and Undiagnosed Diabetes, Journal of General Internal Medicine (2018). Journal information: Journal of General Internal Medicine Matthew J. O'Brien et al. Performance of the 2015 US Preventive Services Task Force Screening Criteria for Prediabetes and Undiagnosed Diabetes,(2018). DOI: 10.1007/s11606-018-4436-4 Credit: CC0 Public Domain UCLA-led research finds that internet search terms and tweets related to sexual risk behaviors can predict when and where syphilis trends will occur. Two studies from the UCLA-based University of California Institute for Prediction Technology, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, found an association between certain risk-related terms that Google and Twitter users researched or tweeted about and subsequent syphilis trends that were reported to the CDC. The researchers were able to pinpoint these cases at state or county levels, depending on the platform used. "Many of the most significant public health problems in our society todayHIV and sexually transmitted infections, opioid abuse and cancercould be prevented if we had better data on when and where these issues were occurring," said Sean Young, founder and director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior and the UC Institute for Prediction Technology. "These two studies suggest that social media and internet search data might help to fix this problem by predicting when and where future syphilis cases may occur. This could be a tool that government agencies such as the CDC might use," added Young, who is also an associate professor of family medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. One study, to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Epidemiology, investigated the association between state-level search queries on Google with primary and secondary syphilis casesthe earliest and most transmissible stages in the sexually transmitted infectionthat were subsequently reported in these states. For this study, the researchers compiled data for 25 keywords and phrases (such as "find sex" and "STD") collected on Google Trends from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2014. They also obtained weekly county-level syphilis data from the CDC covering the same time period for all 50 states, merged that data by state and collated them with the weekly Google Trends data they had collected. The research incorporated a type of statistical computer science model called machine learning, which can look through large amounts of data to find patterns and predict those patterns. This artificial intelligence-based machine looked at the relationship between people's syphilis-related searches on Google and actual rates of syphilis over a period of time. After learning that pattern, it tested whether it could accurately predict future syphilis cases by using just the syphilis-related Google search terms. Researchers found that the model predicted 144 weeks of syphilis counts for each state with 90 percent accuracy, allowing them to predict state-level trends in syphilis before they would have occurred. Researchers from the institute found the same held true with Twitter. In a study published in Preventive Medicine, they took county-level Twitter data from May 26 to Dec. 9, 2012, amounting to 8,538 geo-located tweets. As with the Google Trends analysis, the researchers compiled a list of words associated with sexual risk behaviors. They reviewed weekly county-level cases of primary and secondary syphilis and early latent syphilis (infection within the previous 12 months, with no symptoms evident) that likely occurred over the previous 12 months. The cases were from the 50 states and Washington, D.C., and were reported to the CDC from 2012 to 2013. The 2012 data were included because a county's previous syphilis rates are likely to predict future rates, and they wanted to determine how the Twitter-based method would perform matched with the previous year's data. They found that counties having higher risk-related tweets in 2012 were associated with a 2.7 percent jump in primary and secondary and a 3.6 percent boost in early latent syphilis cases in 2013. By comparison, counties that reported higher numbers of syphilis cases in 2012 were associated with increases of 0.6 percent and 0.4 percent of primary/secondary and early latent syphilis cases, respectively, in 2013, suggesting that the Twitter-based model performed as well as simply using previous year's syphilis data. This is important because Twitter data are extremely inexpensive and suggest that social media data are low-cost alternatives for predicting syphilis. Both studies have certain limitations. For the Google paper, they include the likelihood that many primary and secondary syphilis cases are not reported; the findings were biased toward Google users, who account for about 64 percent of search engine users; and the Google Trends data are a random sampling of all data and not the full dataset, which might have affected how the model worked. In the Twitter study's case, data were based on Twitter users, which is a select sample of people; the researchers reviewed data only for 2012 and 2013, when data from a longer time span would be needed to develop appropriate public health responses; and some areas with high numbers of syphilis cases may have had public health messaging via social media that contained relevant keywords that were captured in the data the researchers examined. Explore further First ever state-level primary and secondary syphilis report shows highest cases among MSM More information: Sean D. Young et al, Using Search Engine Data as a Tool to Predict Syphilis, Epidemiology (2018). Journal information: Epidemiology , Preventive Medicine Sean D. Young et al, Using Search Engine Data as a Tool to Predict Syphilis,(2018). DOI: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000000836 Less than half of women who filled a statin prescription following a heart attack received a high-intensity statinindicating they continue to be less likely than men to be prescribed this lifesaving treatment, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The persistent gap in heart disease treatment between women and men continues despite similar effectiveness of more-intensive statins for both sexes and recent efforts to reduce sex difference in guideline-recommended treatment. The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults recommends the use of high-intensity statin therapy for women and men less than 75 years of age with established heart disease for secondary prevention. "Prior studies have found that women are less likely than men to receive treatment with statins following a heart attack. Our study shows that even when women receive statins, these continue to be in lower intensities than the guidelines recommend. The underutilization of these drugs in women was not explained by sex differences in demographics, comorbidities or health care utilization," said Sanne A.E. Peters, PhD, a research fellow in epidemiology at the George Institute for Global Health at the University of Oxford and the lead author of the study. Using the MarketScan and Medicare databases, researchers analyzed data from 88,256 U.S. adults who filled a statin prescription within 30 days after hospital discharge for a heart attack between January 2014 and June 2015. High-intensity doses were the first statin prescription fill following hospital discharge after heart attack for 47 percent of women and 56 percent of men. Trends in sex differences in high-intensity statin use over time were examined using beneficiaries with the same inclusion criteria between January 2007 and June 2015. Overall, high-intensity statin prescription fills increased from 22 percent to 50 percent in women and from 27 percent to 60 percent in men. Researchers found no evidence of the sex difference in the use of high-intensity statins post heart attack diminishing between 2007 and 2015 or following the publication of the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline. "While we found that the magnitude of the sex difference in the use of high-intensity statins after heart attack was larger among the youngest and oldest patients and among those without comorbidities, women were consistently less intensively treated across a broad range of patient characteristics," Peters said. "This gap between our youngest and oldest patients is concerning because the oldest are at the highest risk and young women have been shown to have the slowest rate of decline in heart disease rates in the United States. The underutilization of high-intensity statins in women can be expected to result in a substantial number of preventable vascular events." The researchers said clinicians may perceive women who have experienced a heart attack to be at a lower risk of recurrence than their male counterparts. A previous study found that sex disparities in treatment were in part due to clinicians' lower perceived heart disease risk in women. The sex difference in the use of high-intensity statins may be explained by variation at the hospital or health care provider level. "Clinicians should communicate the benefits of high-intensity statins to their female patients in terms of reducing the risk of another heart attack and discuss possible concerns about side effects," Peters said. "Moreover, clinicians themselves should also be aware of the risk of recurrent heart attack in their female patients and the persistent sex disparity in the utilization of high-intensity statins." In an accompanying editorial, Annabelle Santos Volgman, MD, FACC, and colleagues at Rush Medical College, stated the importance of determining the barriers facing both women and men in receiving guideline-recommended care. They also noted pathophysiologic differences in the disease presentation in women and men may contribute to clinicians treating women less aggressively. Women are more likely to present with nonobstructive disease, which is not benign, but patients and doctors minimize the significance of nonobstructive coronary artery disease leaving patients undertreated with lower intensity statins. They said, "We think sex should matter, as well as age, race and ethnicities when it comes to patient care and adherence to guidelines. Implementation of such sex-specific strategies will improve CVD outcomes for women and by doing so may also improve outcomes for men." Limitations of the study include that pharmacy claims identified whether a prescription was filled and do not provide information about the actual written prescription, medication adherence or the reason a clinician may have prescribed a lower-intensity statin. Earlier this year, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) revealed its plans to launch an initiative called Project Khokha, to experiment with distributed ledger technologies. The projects goal is to replicate interbank clearing which currently runs on the South African Multiple Option Settlement system. The head of financial technology at the Reserve Bank, Arif Ismail, told MyBroadband they have now partnered with ConsenSys to implement a permissioned blockchain called Quorum, which is based on Ethereum. Eight banks have signalled interest in being nodes on the network and tests of the system have already commenced, said Ismail. The test is intended to allow the SARB and the banking industry to collaboratively assess the potential benefits of distributed ledger technologies. Ismail said they will set up test cases that are as real as possible, but emphasised they will purely be for testing. Real transactions will not be processed on the blockchain. This will allow them to stress test a distributed ledger platform to gauge how it responds, and gain insight into the security aspects of moving a token within the network. Through the proof of concept that ConsenSys developed with the industry, the SARB and the participating banks hope to gain a practical understanding of the technology. Ismail said they hope to produce a report on this by May 2018, but did not guarantee that a report on the tests would be published. Blockchain interest The move by the SARB follows many large companies implementing or researching the use of blockchain technology. The latest multinational to get on board is Samsung, which is considering a blockchain ledger system to keep track of global shipments. Samsungs global shipments are immense and worth billions of dollars each year, and would be a big victory for blockchain tech if successful. Samsung SDS the groups logistical and information and technology arm said the blockchain system could cut shipping costs by 20%. It will have an enormous impact on the supply chains of manufacturing industries, said SDS. Now read: SARS details its Bitcoin tax plans for South Africa Credible reports are being received of alarming coal supply problems at numerous Eskom coal-fired power stations in South Africas Mpumalanga province. The reports indicate that the situation has become so serious that Eskoms primary energy division has recommended to the utilitys new generation head, Thava Govender, that a coal supply emergency be declared. This follows information received on 27 March 2018 by EE Publishers, and only confirmed by Eskom after persistent questioning, that Eskom has been relying on emergency, diesel-driven, open-cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) regularly to meet demand this year. The latest coal supply reports suggest that Eskoms current coal supply problems are as serious, if not worse, than those that existed in South Africa shortly before the load shedding of 2008. On Saturday, 14 April 2018, Eskom confirmed to EE Publishers that, at present, stockpiles at seven of its power stations Arnot, Camden, Hendrina, Komati, Kriel, Majuba and Tutuka are low, and that additional contracts for all these power stations are required. While the reports indicate that Eskoms 3600 MW Matla power station is also about to run out of coal, Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe denies this, and states that Matla has sufficient coal stocks. However, when pressed further on the matter, no clear answer was received from Eskom to EE Publishers specific question as to how many days of USABLE coal is currently in the Matla coal stockyard. The reports indicate that the coal currently in the Matla stockyard is in fact unusable. Eskom also denied its head of generation had received any recommendation that a coal supply emergency should be declared. However Eskom added that even if such a recommendation existed, it would not be able to confirm this. It would be highly irregular and irresponsible of us if the board, the minister and regulator could learn anything about this company through media reports. Eskom will release all its operational and financial information once all the correct protocols have been followed, said Khulu Phasiwe. The causes of the crisis The coal supply problems at Eskom arise from declining production volumes from a number of tied coal mines that are linked with and supply coal directly to specific Eskom power stations in Mpumalanga. The coal supply arrangements with tied collieries require that Eskom bear all capital expenditure (capex) costs for the establishment, development and expansion of a tied coal mine. Eskom then contracts with a coal miner to operate the mine and deliver coal to the tied power station on a cost plus basis, with the contract price for coal delivered covering only the engineering, fixed and variable operating costs, plus a management fee. However for the last five years or so, Eskom has been failing to meet its capex commitments for the ongoing development and expansion of a number of tied collieries. This has resulted in massive declines in the production of coal delivered from these tied mines to Eskom, in some cases to as low as 20% of planned levels. The result has also been massive associated price increases per tonne of coal delivered, because the fixed overhead and management fees are then recovered off a much lower production volume. Other coal supply challenges at Eskoms Arnot, Hendrina and Komati power stations arise from the dysfunctional Tegeta coal mining operations, that have left Eskom high-and-dry in the months prior and subsequent to the Gupta mines filing for business rescue in February 2018. Instead of incurring the capex to develop and expand tied collieries to maintain production volumes, Eskom has elected instead to save the capex, and meet the tied-mine production shortfalls though contracting separately with emerging coal miners on shorter term contracts. This has also led a shift in the transport of coal by conveyer belt to road transportation, leading to hundreds of trucks a day delivering coal to Eskom power stations at great cost, in the process causing destruction of the roads in Mpumalanga also for Eskoms cost. The problem now, according to reports received, is that the production shortfalls from the tied collieries In Mpumalanga have become so large that they cannot be procured in full any longer from the domestic market, and Eskom is currently burning more coal than it can source. The justification for coal procurement from non-tied mines The procurement of the tied-mine shortfalls from non-tied mines at high cost has been justified in some minds based on the artificially high prices of coal from the tied collieries, resulting from Eskoms decision to avoid capex. In addition, Eskom justifies procurement from non-tied miners on the need to increase diversity and facilitate black economic empowerment (BEE) in the coal mining sector. Others have suggested the production shortfalls and rising prices from under-capitalised tied mines has been an elaborately engineered scheme by interested persons in Eskoms primary energy division to create a series of crises that justify emergency coal procurements without going out to tender. According to this narrative, the intention would be to have lucrative coal supply and transportation contracts placed with business associates, friends and family at inflated prices, using BEE as a cover. Whatever the truth of the matter, the outcome is that a large number of costly coal supply and road transportation contracts have been and will be concluded with non-tied coal miners in Mpumalanga. Perhaps this explains the vociferous nature of the emerging new coal mining and road transportation sectors, and the clamour from these new sectors as they lobby to benefit from and protect their commercial interests from alternative, cleaner energy sources. The need for transparency The new Eskom board was appointed to ensure more effective oversight, increased transparency and greater accountability from the utility. However, all the formal Eskom power system status reporting has been systematically and deliberately discontinued by former CEOs Brian Molefe and Matshela Koko, and no power system status information is currently made available routinely. This serves to reduce transparency and oversight by the board, scrutiny by the media, analysts and public, and accountability by Eskom management. There is perhaps again a need for the board to initiate an independent forensic investigation into the procurement practices within Eskoms primary energy division, as was done by Deloitte and the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) following the load shedding In 2008. Eskom is currently asking the regulator, NERSA, for R67-billion of unbudgeted costs and reduced sales volumes to be passed through to customers via a 30% increase in electricity tariffs, using the regulatory clearing account (RCA) mechanism. There are also indications that Eskom will be applying for a significantly greater price increase per annum than CPIX for the fourth multi-year price determination (MYPD4) period commencing 1 April 2019. Eskom needs to start demonstrating through its actions its intention, commitment and ability to act in a more transparent way that will build confidence and trust by stakeholders, financiers, banks, lenders, suppliers, customers and the general public. Now read: Eskom forced to burn more diesel due to plant failures German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the country has to assume that a recent cyber attack on his ministry came from Russia, Reuters reported. Malware was discovered on government computers which may have been planted there a year earlier. News agency dpa reported that the attack was by Russian hacking group APT28, which infiltrated the German Foreign and Defense Ministries. Maas also urged Russia to adopt a more constructive approach to the conflict in Syria and other problem areas, such as implementing a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. We had an attack on the Foreign Ministry where we have to assume that it stemmed from Russia, said Maas. We cant just wish all that away and I think its not only reasonable but necessary to point out that we do not view those as constructive contributions. Karabakh search for fallen Armenian soldiers remains yields no results Friday Armenia Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Combine co-owner: This is first step in broader investment vision Armenia Deputy PM Suren Papikyan receives UK Ambassador Armenia premier congratulates on 72nd anniversary of People's Republic of China Celebrity content on Instagram is linked to negative user feelings Iran ambassador to Azerbaijan: Dreams of Zionism for this region will never be interpreted Dollar goes up in Armenia Sarkissian: Armenia highly values relations with China Peskov: Putin and Erdogan discussed construction of new nuclear power plants in Turkey Catholicos of All Armenians receives newly appointed Ambassador of Sweden to Armenia Australians to be allowed to travel abroad from November Armenia high-tech industry minister receives Japan Ambassador Armenia v. Azerbaijan case hearing days announced at International Court of Justice Suicide occurs in Artsakhs Vank village Pakistan bans unvaccinated adults from domestic flights Ambassador to minister: India ready to further deepen collaboration with Armenia in defense sector President: Armenia attaches great importance to cooperation with China Azerbaijan declares Armenians wanted on charges of committing crimes during its own military aggression Ex-President Kocharyan discusses future tactics with opposition Armenia Faction MPs, analysts (PHOTOS) Turkey and Greece to hold next round of bilateral talks on October 6 Azerbaijan prosecutor general plans to hold accountable foreign companies working in Karabakh Woman, 74, dies of coronavirus in Artsakh Yerevan to host 5th meeting of Armenian-Czech intergovernmental commission Armenia FM: Karabakh conflicts peaceful political settlement remains on agenda Prague welcomes Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs New York meeting, says Czech Rep. foreign minister Armenia ambassador briefs US Congress member on challenges after Azerbaijan military aggression against Karabakh Czech Rep. FM visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan (PHOTOS) FM: Artsakh ready to negotiate with Azerbaijan on equal footing 934 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Iran Army Ground Forces begin military exercises in northwestern border Armenia government plans to increase revenues by almost 30% in 2022 state budget, which is unrealistic Australias New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian resigns Grape harvest in Artsakh's Amaras valley carried out with interruptions due to Azerbaijan provocations Newspaper: Reporting, providing fake, false information to Armenia parliament inquiry committees to be criminalized? Newspaper: Armenia army general staff chief to be summoned for questioning Greece PM says he has no intention of entering into arms race with Turkey Armenia arms supplier to be arrested International Court of Justice to hold public hearings over Armenia v. Azerbaijan lawsuit on October 14-15 Israel opens embassy in Bahrain US couple die from COVID-19 in same hospital one minute apart GRECO releases interim report on Armenia, says situation incompatible with judicial independence Russian analyst predicts granting of special status to Karabakh and "eternal" presence of Russian peacekeepers Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Ground Force commander warns Azerbaijan Armenia ex-defense minister Davit Tonoyan arrested South Korean authorities prepare for regular contacts with Pyongyang More than half of Britons are disappointed with Brexit Erdogan on purchase of S-400s and Turkey's relations with the US: It was worth it Russia MFA: Moscow hopes OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs' visit helps organize Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders' meeting Erdogan: "Zangezur corridor will open opportunities for the region" Serbia, Kosovo agree to reduce tension on border Digest: Armenian ex-defense minister charged, Putin and Erdogan discuss Karabakh conflict Armenia FM and Iran Ambassador discuss situation on Goris-Kapan motorway Newly appointed Ambassador of France presents credentials to Armenia President Russian MFA: Moscow continues to work on the release of Armenian POWs Russia MFA: Moscow has submitted proposals to Yerevan, Baku on border delimitation talks Armenia justice minister meets with head of CoE Office in Yerevan, presents ministry's reforms agenda Armenia President, parliament speaker discuss collaboration between both institutions Bloomberg: Europe asks Russia for additional coal supplies Armenia justice minister has new deputy Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan tests positive for COVID-19 Armenia Special Investigation Service deputy head sacked Armenia education, science, culture and sport minister meets with UNESCO Director-General Alizadeh: Route to Armenia for Iran trucks not changed Dollar gains value in Armenia Karabakh emergency service: Remains of another fallen soldier found Lukashenko: Belarus is open to proposals for further development of strong relations with Armenia in all areas PACE adopts resolution on Afghanistan Armenia Parliament Speaker, Peru Ambassador discuss their countries' participation in Ancient Civilizations Forum Putin and Erdogan planning meeting before end of this year Did Serzh Sargsyan and Sergey Kopirkin meet? Czech FM to arrive in Armenia on working visit Armenia Deputy PM Suren Papikyan: Government to grant nearly AMD 1,000,000,000 to Syunik Province Armenia ex-Deputy PM Tigran Avinyan visits Syunik Province Peru new ambassador presents letter of credence to Armenia President Putin, Erdogan discuss current situation in Karabakh Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker, Russia Ambassador touch upon peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict Lithuania to donate to Armenia 50,000 doses of Spikevax vaccine manufactured by Moderna US Ambassador to Armenia visits 2 renovated local fire stations (PHOTOS) Azerbaijan PM invites Georgia to using Zangezur corridor Iran ground forces to hold military exercises on Azerbaijan border 7 people, 3 of them minors, taken to Yerevan hospitals Armenia government approves draft state budget for 2022 Armenia government provides another funding to Artsakh Azerbaijan, Belarus discuss collaboration between their missile, artillery troops What Armenia National Security Service looked for in home of ex-defense ministers elderly mother? Armenia PM: Our goals in 2022 budget are ambitious, realistic Hayko's compositions are played at Yerevan subway stations (VIDEO) 1,022 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Protest being staged outside Armenia government building Senator Menendez to US Ambassador to Turkey nominee: In past you voted against resolutions recognizing Armenian Genocide What are Armenia former defense minister, arms supplier charged with? World oil prices falling Hraparak.am: Armenia former minister of defense released on signature bond Newspaper: Opposition Armenia Faction in parliament plans to go to Constitutional Court to challenge bonuses legality Newspaper: Armenia PM Pashinyan had promised now-detained ex-defense minister new position Amazon introduces home robot of its own production French authorities close 650 Islamist propaganda centers since 2017 The Vatican to require all employees to provide proof of coronavirus vaccination Hraparak.am: Motions filed with court to arrest Armenia ex-defense minister and weapons supplier Slovenia terminates vaccination with Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after death of 20-year-old girl YEREVAN. Police of Armenia have called on opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan and his supporters to refrain from unlawful actions. The respective police statement says, in particular, that speaking on Sunday at France Square in downtown capital city Yerevan, Pashinyan called on people to on Monday morning carry out actions, a considerable part of which are a violation of the Law on Freedom of Assembly. In some cases, some of these actions () contain a real threat to the lives and health of the citizens, the statement also reads. We call on the organizers and some participants of the rally to refrain from actions that contain offenses. As reported earlier, on Monday morning, Pashinyan and his supporters have blocked Baghramyan Avenue in Yerevan. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. Opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan announced that the demonstrators have blocked several streets in downtown Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The plans to block the houses of the RPA members are [also still] in force, he added. As to which of them we will carry out depends on the peoples support. The police, in turn, have closed off Baghramyan Avenue with barriers, so that the protesters will be unable to reach the NA building. Also, Pashinyan confirmed the information that police have detained several representatives of their political party. The demonstrators had attempted to block the Yeritasardakan subway station, but had failed. In addition, the subway cars do not stop at Baghramyan station. A large number of police forces have accumulated on the street near the aforesaid subway station, and which runs parallel to the NA building. Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. The demonstrators, led by opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, on Monday clashednear a police stationwith a police chain that was attempting to stop the protesters march in capital city Yerevan. The demonstrators, however, broke through the police chain and continued their march in downtown Yerevan. Dont close our way because were going to open [it], Pashinyan stated. Dont close because this is our homeland. As reported earlier, Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. The demonstrators, led by opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, on Monday entered the Armenian State Pedagogical University, in capital city Yerevan. We call for a boycott of classes, Pashinyan said. Subsequently, the demonstrators chanted and went up the university floors. You went in, saw that the door is open, a university representative told them. Whoever wanted to join [you] has joined you. [Now] come out; well continue our work. Since Monday morning, the demonstrators have blocked numerous streets in downtown Yerevan. As reported earlier, Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. The protesters, led by opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, on Monday blocked Victory Bridge in capital city Yerevan. Deflate the tires of the police evacuator [vehicle], Pashinyan told the demonstrators. Close off the street; close off Victory Bridge. Although the police special forces attempted to stop the protesters from reaching the bridge, they could not, and the demonstratorswith their hands up, symbolizing nonviolence on their partwent ahead and blocked the road leading to the bridge. The police are our brothers; we treat them with respect, Pashinyan said. But dont use force against the demonstrators; its not necessary. As reported earlier, Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. The Karabakh conflict has longer history than 30 years, former Armenia president Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview with Russias Izvestiye newspaper. In fact, there has been an active phase of the problem for thirty years already, but it existed before. During 25 years out of 30, the OSCE Minsk Group has been acting as a mediator. In 1994, with the mediation of Russia, a trilateral unlimited ceasefire agreement was signed. Unfortunately, starting from 2014, ceasefire regime is violated by Azerbaijan almost every day, said Sargsyan who is nominated for the post of a prime minister. After failing the talks, Azerbaijani side in April 2016 violated its obligations under the agreement and launched a large-scale aggression against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic with a large number of aircraft, armored vehicles, large-caliber artillery, missile systems, flamethrower systems, by the way, most of them purchased from Russia, he said. The Azerbaijani side failed to solve any crucial task, and on the fifth day of hostilities they agreed to meet under mediation of the Russian side to renew the terms of previously signed agreements. The meeting was followed by a number of summits during which the parties agreed to establish investigation mechanisms and expand the office of the personal representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. However, each time returning to Baku, Azerbaijani side refused from implementing the agreements, he added. Back in 2007 the Minsk Group offered to solve the issue based on the three principles: non-use of force or threat of force, self-determination of people and territorial integrity. We believe that this is a balanced compromise. This is not what we were dreaming about. This is not the best option for us, but realizing that the issue can be resolved only on the basis of compromise, we agreed to negotiations. And, it seemed, in 2011 in Kazan we were close to signing. But, Baku put forward additional demands, and the signing did not take place, he said. According to Sargsyan, Azerbaijan has an illusion that compromise can be reached only by Armenia and Artsakh. But, here we need a counter-compromise. Azerbaijanis still hope for a forceful solution to the problem. The history showed that in the early 90s, and in 2016, it was impossible. There will be great losses, victims, but the situation will not change. Anyway, sooner or later we must come to a decision. The earlier, the better, Sargsyan said. He emphasized that the future of Karabakh is a free life. The fact that it is a small country, is not the reason to ban their people from living in a free country. Of course, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs - Russia, the United States and France - are doing a lot to solve the dispute. Five statements at the level of presidents were made, and they all say that the issue can only be resolved based on three principles. You cannot separate these principles, and this is very important, Sargsyan concluded. YEREVAN. Two people were killed and one person was severely injured as a car crashed into a crane in Yerevan. The Ministry of Emergency Situations received a call, on Monday at 2:50am, informing that a car accident had occurred in the capital city of Armenia, people were stuck in the vehicle, and rescuers were needed. Rescue squads were dispatched to the scene. It was found out that a vehicle had crashed into a parked crane. The rescuers brought out two dead bodies and an injured passenger from the car, and they carried them to the waiting ambulances. The injured passenger was hospitalized. Physicians say he is in critical condition. According to shamshyan.com, in order to bring the dead bodies out, rescuers cut apart the vehicle with special equipment. YEREVAN. Opposition Civil Contract party leader Nikol Pashinyan urged his supporters to leave the streets that they had blocked and come to the France Square. He said that dozens and hundreds of thousands of people have gathered at the square. Earlier the protesters marched along the streets in downtown Yerevan closing the central streets for traffic. Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. VANADZOR. Numerous people on Monday are protesting also in Vanadzor, at the central square of the town, and against the likelihood of ex-President Serzh Sargsyan becoming the next Prime Minister of Armenia. The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter in Vanadzor informed that the demonstrators blocked the avenue that leads to the square, this has caused traffic jams, and there are a large number of police officers in civilian clothesbut they are not intervening. Primarily university students and schoolchildren, who have boycotted classes, have joined this protest march. Since Monday morning, the anti-Sargsyan demonstrators have closed off and marched through several streets in downtown Yerevan, the capital city. As reported earlier, opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. Armenia Police have deployed large numbers of forces to Baghramyan Avenue, in capital city Yerevan. The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed from the scene that the police forces are positioned until nearby the National Assembly (NA) building. They are armed with clubs and shields. All police divisions are in the area. The My Step initiative, which protests against the likelihood of ex-President Serzh Sargsyan becoming the next Prime Minister of Armenia, is holding a rally at France Square in downtown Yerevan. As reported earlier, My Step initiative leader, opposition Civil Contract Party member and NA Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. The demonstrators, led by opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, on Monday are marching from France Square in downtown capital city Yerevan to the NA building via Baghramyan Avenue (PHOTOS). Police, however, have closed off the avenue. Accompanied by you, we, the four MPs of the National Assembly, now will go to our place of work, Pashinyan told the protesters. Those [police officers] standing here are our brothers. This is a political struggle. There is neither [a piece of] wood nor stone in our hand; there is no aggression. There is only love, respect, hope in our hands. Since Monday morning, the demonstrators have closed off and marched through several streets in downtown Yerevan. As reported earlier, Nikol Pashinyan, on Sunday had called on people to block Yerevans bridges, streets, and subway on Monday. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. My Step initiative leader, opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, on Monday was taken from Baghramyan Avenue to hospital, in capital city Yerevan (PHOTO). He was with me, Civil Contract Party press officer Tigran Avinyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. He has injuries; his face was injured, is legs were injured by barbed wire. But I dont think that they are serious injuries. Just recently, police took special measures against the demonstrators. According to preliminary information, there are other injured. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Nikol Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. Two people were taken to hospital as a result of Mondays clashes at Baghramyan Avenue, in Armenias capital city of Yerevan. The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed that cameramen Sargis Gevorgyan and Zaven Grigoryan were hospitalized. The Armenian News-NEWS.am camera crew also is working at the scene. As reported earlier, clashes took place on Baghramyan Avenue, between the demonstrators and police. My Step initiative leader, opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, jumped over barbed wires, and other protester followed him. Police used special means, especially stun grenades, against the demonstrators. As a result of these clashes, several peopleincluding Pashinyanwere taken to hospital. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Nikol Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN. Police on Monday continue deploying forces at Baghramyan Avenue, in Armenias capital city of Yerevan (PHOTOS). The Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informed from the scene that a water cannon also was brought to the area, just recently. Police have taken special measures against the demonstrators. Sometime thereafter, the law enforcement issued a message addressed to the leader of these protesters, opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, demanding from him to end the rally. Otherwise, police informed that they will disperse this public assembly by using force and special means. As reported earlier, clashes took place on Baghramyan Avenue, between the demonstrators and police. Nikol Pashinyan, jumped over barbed wires, and other protester followed him. Police used special means, especially stun grenades, against the demonstrators. As a result of these clashes, several peopleincluding Pashinyanwere taken to hospital. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Nikol Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. Armenia police warn they can use special means Armenia opposition leader hospitalized Tense situation in downtown Yerevan, police use special means YEREVAN. Opposition Civil Contract Party member and National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Way Out (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan, who on Monday was taken to a capital city Yerevan hospital, is in satisfactory condition. Anatoli Gnuni, deputy director of the hospital, informed about the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. He added that Pashinyan had sustained scratches to his wrist, and he is being taken to a patient room. Also, Gnuni informed that three injured police officers were admitted to the hospital. One of them received medical care and was discharged, the second officer had sustained small fragmentary injuries, whereas the third policeman was undergoing surgery. He sustained a damage to an upper limb vessel, he said. We cant say anything yet about his condition. As reported earlier, clashes took place on Baghramyan Avenue, between the demonstrators and police. Nikol Pashinyan, jumped over barbed wires, and other protester followed him. Police used special means, especially stun grenades, against the demonstrators. As a result of these clashes, several peopleincluding Pashinyanwere taken to hospital. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Nikol Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armeniaand whose objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. YEREVAN.- The Health Ministry informs that as of 16:30, at least 46 people, including six police officers, have applied to Yerevan's medical centers. At the time of preparing this report, no one's life is in danger. Earlier it was reported that Opposition Civil Contract Party member, leader of the opposition protest Nikol Pashinyan returned to Baghramyan Avenue and joined the demonstrators after leaving the hospital where he was taken after sustaining injuries in clashes with police. He was welcomed by the leaders of two other parties, members of Yelk faction. Nikol Pashinyan, jumped over barbed wires, and other protester followed him. Police used special means, especially stun grenades, against the demonstrators. As a result of these clashes, several peopleincluding Pashinyanwere taken to hospital. On March 31, the Civil Contract Party, led by Nikol Pashinyan, had started a protest march through several towns of Armenia. The objective is to prevent the third term in office by ex-President Serzh Sargsyan; but this time as the next likely Prime Ministerand which concluded on April 13, with a rally at Liberty Square in downtown Yerevan, and then with a round-the-clock sit-in at France Square. Also, the protesters had announced that they plan to block the NA building as well as the houses of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs on Tuesday, so as not to enable them to take part in the next PMs election at the special parliamentary session on that day, and during which the RPA will nominate Sargsyan as candidate for the next PM. Shabaab Claims Attacks on Ugandan Forces (AMISOM) in Lower Shabelle, Somali Troops and Police in Mogadishu Home | News | General | IDP, 4 others killed after withdrawal of soldiers, says Taraba council boss By John Mkom JalingoChairman of Donga Local Government, Mr. Nashuka Ipeyen, yesterday, confirmed the killing of four persons in an attack at Sabon Gida hours after soldiers were withdrawn from the area. Nashuka also said an internally-displaced person, IDP, was killed at Tunari and three others missing, when they went to pick some of their valuables and get some foodstuff for their families. He, however, said the presence of the mobile police personnel deployed to the area prevented the attackers from razing down Sabon Gida village and appealed to the people to avoid going into the hinterland until the security situation in the area improves IDPs Meanwhile, the Chairman of Takum Local Government, Mr. Shiban Tikari, has described as laughable the statement by the Nigerian Army that Mr. Danjuma America and Danasabe Gasama arrested in the middle of the night in Takum recently, were perpetrators of crisis in Takum and Ussa Local Government areas of Taraba State. Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu, had in a statement said Danjuma and Gasama were arrested on Friday by troops deployed for Operation Ayem Akpatuma in a community in Takum, following a tip-off. Tikari urged the military to stop diverting attention from the main issues of their complicity in the attacks and killings in the state. His words: We have been crying on top of our voices that the Operatives of Exercise Ayem Akpatuma were out for something. How come they have not told Nigerians about the arrest of the mastermind of the attack in Jandeikyula in Wukari council, where over 25 people were killed? The Commanding Officer of the 93 Battalion Takum, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Gambari, has withdrawn all soldiers at various checkpoints in Takum Local Government. So that is the type of Army we have in Takum now. Tikari said he had since tabled his complaint before the investigative panel on the alleged collusion of the military with bandits to kill people in the state. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Sanction senators who endorsed Omo-Ageges suspension Delta Central APC By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta Central has condemned the suspension of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and asked the national leadership of the party to sanction APC senators who endorsed the action. The Delta Central populated by the Urhobo said the suspension was a violation of the rights of the people to quality representation as they quarrelled with the basis of the suspension of their senator. Addressing a caucus of the APC and other Urhobo following the suspension, chairman of APC in Delta Central, Olorogun Adelabu Bodjor, said: What took place in the National Assembly and the suspension of the senator representing the Urhobo people in the National Assembly, has again called to question the affairs of the Senate. Our Senator has been providing quality representation to the people of Delta Central and we are proud of him. By suspending him, if the Senate leadership thinks that it will deter him, they are wrong. The Urhobo nation is solidly behind him, we believe in him and we will give him all our support at any time and any day in this whole process. We therefore, pass a vote of confidence in the distinguished Omo-Agege. We still believe that he will bounce back better and stronger than his distractors in the National Assembly. But we want to say here and very emphatically, that Urhobo nation will never tolerate any act of political intimidation and threat to our Senator who we overwhelmingly voted for to represent us in the National Assembly. The primary responsibility of Omo-Agege in the National Assembly is to provide quality representation to the people of Delta Central and attract the dividends of democracy to the Urhobo people and that he has been doing excellently well since we cast our votes for him to the Senate. Olorogun Bodjor condemning the APC senators who joined the move against Omo-Agege, he said: It is a shame that the party has the leadership of the National Assembly but it has decided to stand the morals of good leadership on its head and has also decided to take the party that brought them to power on a roller-coaster. We call on the national leadership of the party to call the members of the party at the National Assembly to order before they take the party down the cliff hanger. The national lawmakers got the mandate of the people of Nigeria to make enduring laws that will better the lot of Nigerians and the future generation of our children in general. They were not voted for go and feather their own nests and engage in selfish activities to the detriment of good governance for the entire Nigerian people. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | The insanity of looters protest against sane governance: The Kogi Example By Kingsley Fanwo The Ocean of confusion created by the advent of social media, the readiness of the conventional media to be used as a derogatory pawn, the desperation of the political class to intimidate and harass the truth and the unfortunate gun-to-the-head of facts; have combined to create a centrifugal force against the laudable leadership in Kogi State. As a state, we werent without our problems. Both the leaders and the followers were guilty of wrong choices. From an incompetent leadership to an unprepared leadership, the citizens continued to make wrong choices. The roads government is constructing now, the hospitals government is building, the school projects across the state and many more would have been put in place in the era of boom. But rather than hold the leaders down to the balcony of accountability, we hailed them on as they used 90% of the resources to build their private businesses and the remaining 10% to arm our youth against our population. We hailed the benevolent ignoramuses, blowing up the future that has come! Also, the leaders of yesteryears in the state knew they had no meaningful achievement to sustain their avarice for power, hence, the resort to ethnic jingoism to perpetrate their political perfidies and set the people against one another. It worked for a while and while it lasted, the state was balkanized along ethnic banks. It was a case of poor people fighting one another, a bait of the political manipulators. Our roads were derelict. Our hospitals were hospitalized. Our schools were testaments of monstrosities and wicked neglect. And they say we shouldnt refer to the past. They kept reminding us that Governor Yahaya Bello knew the enormity of the task ahead of him. We cant forget the past. If we do, the future will be worse. We need to constantly remind ourselves of where we are coming from. How our children were sitting on the floor to learn while their leaders hotels were built with glasses in Abuja. We need to remind them how their son was Governor for nine years, yet, his village has no electricity. We need to remind them GYB is not taking half of what they were taking and yet he has done more for the people. The past is a guide to the future, a guard against the hawks of destinies, a gourd of reference to the maladies of misadministration, a sound reminder of where we can be when united as a people. The advent of Governor Bello has redrawn the sharing formula for the big elephant. It is no more for the few oligarchs who see themselves as the gods of the land, but for the good and welfare of the people. He is rebuilding the damages done by past leaders who never saw a future giant in Kogi. He is rebuilding our infrastructure that was left to rot. He is constructing roads, hospitals, schools, water facilities and many other social infrastructures to better the living condition of the people. The angst of the elites is the failure of GYB to patronize them and share the allocations to them or use state resources to pay staff of their private hotels or private radio stations. If he were to be doing these, he would be seen to be the best Governor ever. He is the worst Governor ever because he has stopped children from sitting on the floor to learn by providing the right environment and facilities for learning. He is a Pharoah because he has stopped the syphoning of revenue generated by repositioning the KGIRS to generate more revenue for the development of the state. He is a coronated Governor because he has given good roads and electricity which they refused to give their own people. He is politically naive because he decided to stop the multi-million-naira monthly fraud in the civil service and pensions through a thorough verification exercise. He doesnt pay salaries because those found to be unmerited beneficiaries and ghost names were removed from the payrolls. As mighty as the pen is, truth is mightier. It takes a revolution to confront the Kogi Cabal. They have fought with everything and sponsored spurious reports to discredit the State Government. But the young and focused Governor has remained undaunted. Just as we didnt suffer the maladministration of the past immediately, the remedies of the present may take time to yield fruits. Meanwhile, the low-hanging fruits are already in our hands. Road projects are going on across the state. Our tertiary institutions are witnessing awesome transformation. Medicare has received a boost as government is providing the right equipment and incentives. A diagnostic centre project which was abandoned has been turned to a world-class facility which will be commissioned later this year. It was remodeled, repackaged, expanded to become the best in the country. GYB Model schools are going on in all the wards in the state. Water provision has been a top priority. Agriculture has been thrusted at the center of his economic diversification agenda. We are the biggest producers of cashew and cassava today. The Indigent Fund has been established to cater for people with health challenges in the state. The Omi Dam Project and similar ones in Osara, Ibaji and Bassa have helped to engage thousands of our youth. They were given guns in the past but this government is giving them jobs. With the Health Plus Initiative, he has dragged down the maternal mortality rate in Kogi State. There is no doubt that the ongoing reforms in Kogi will survive the elites conspiracy to take the state to the dark days. Even the critics cannot deny the excellent performance of the Governor in the area of securing the state. He is not only looking at saving lives, but sharing prosperity through the New Direction Agenda. Kogi will get there. Fanwo Kingsley is the Director General of Media and Publicity to the Governor of Kogi State. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Lagos has the potential to become Africas tourism hub Lai Mohammed The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has reiterated that Lagos State has the potential to become Africas tourism hub. Lai Mohammed According to the minister, the Federal Government will support it in developing the sector. The minister said this on Monday in Lagos, at the Lagos Tourism Summit with the theme; Destination Lagos: Towards a Sustainable Tourism Drive. Mohammed commended Gov. Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos for his interest in the tourism and creative sectors of the economy; both at the state and national level. The minister said the Federal Government had identified the tourism and creative sectors as alternative to oil, adding that his ministry was working toward developing the industry. Mohammed recalled that upon assumption of office, his ministry organised a national tourism summit to provide the platform for harnessing the potential in the sector. He said the ministry had revived the national tourism master plan to catalyse the development of the sector and also hosted a round-table on financing tourism. The minister also disclosed that Nigeria would host the 61st edition of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)/Commission for Africa (CAF) Meeting, scheduled for June 4 to June 6, 2018 in Abuja. He also disclosed that the ministry would partner with relevant stakeholders, particularly, the people of Ile-Ife in Osun State in hosting the 2018 Olojo festival. Olojo is not just only Yoruba new festival, but the oldest known festival in the world started by Ooni Ogun with the wearing of the worlds oldest monarchical crown, the sacred Aare Crown. The festival will bring 35 of the top Africa-American travel writers, group travel agents, travel bloggers and travel film crews to the Olojo 2018 festival, he said. Former President of Ghana, John Mahama commended Ambode for his contributions toward developing Lagos to a mega city and a potential tourism hub. Mahama, who was the keynote speaker at the event, underscored the need for Africa to develop tourism sector in order to solving the challenge of unemployment. He also suggested a development of integrated tour packages between Nigeria and Ghana that would attract international tourists from Lagos to Accra and vice versa. Earlier, Gov. Ambode said that his administration was committed to funding alternative platforms, particularly the tourism sector to enrich the state. The governor said that the tourism sector contributed N800 million to the states Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2017. He said as parts of efforts to transforming Lagos to tourism hub, the Lagos government was reclaiming a 50 hectares of land at the Oworonshoki end of the lagoon, for aquatic tourism purposes. He stated that the summit would help the state to develop its tourism master-plan that would be implemented within a specified number of years to turn Lagos to continental tourism hub. (NAN) CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | NNPC boss calls for partnership between academia, industry Dr Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has called for more collaboration between the academia and the oil and gas industry on research, to attract investments into country. Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru Baru, represented by Mr Silky Aliyu, the Managing Director, Nigeria Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO), made the call at the 1st National Education Summit organised by the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) in Lagos. Newsmen report that the summit was tagged Sustaining Local Content Through Quality Education and Training, Prospects and Challenges. He stressed the need for the country to develop and adopt research and development structures that will create opportunities in the industry through risk reduction and production costs. Baru promised to collaborate with OGTAN to accelerate skills development in the industry, in order to keep pace with changing environment globally. According to him, research must be prioritised in order to keep up with developmental changes in the world. In her remarks, the former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, said that continuous dependence on oil and gas will not take Nigeria to its anticipated state of development. According to her, without development of human capital and local content, Nigerias vast natural resources would amount to nothing when put at par with developed countries of the world. It does not matter what quantity of oil and gas and minerals still existing in our grounds, without developing human capacity and local content, we might as well be heading for collapse. The oil and gas is a means to an end. The end is about the development of human capital. Ezekwesili said that the discretionary allocation of oil blocks gave rise to `massive corruption in Nigeria. The discretionary allocation of oil blocks led to massive and grand corruption in Nigeria. So to this end, we entrenched the system of licensing and marginal fields allocation, in order to encourage local players. But I guess politicians assumed marginal fields and they distributed them without due process, she said. According to Ezekwesili, proper policies need to be put in place in the oil and gas sector to avoid political sentiments. The Executive Secretary, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Simbi Wabote, said that out of the 20 billion dollars spent by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in engaging foreign contractors, about 14 billion dollars would be retained in-country, in the next ten years. Wabote said that already, the board has achieved five billion dollars annually through effective implementation of the Local Content Act. He said that apart from the remaining five per cent of the industry spend, 300,000 jobs have equally been created. The executive secretary said that there were plans to unveil a Research and Development Fund, in collaboration with the academia, to foster research and development in the oil and gas industry. He said the board was shifting emphasis from building capacity to skills development that gears towards engagement of those that benefit from the training. According to him, the NCDMB has developed a ten year strategic plan that will facilitate achievement of the ambitious 70 per cent in-country job retention set by the agency. He said that the board would continue to pursue all the identified parameters that are germane in building a strong local content structure in the country. These parameters include capacity building, strong regulatory framework, gap analysis, research and development, funding and incentives. On his part, OGTANs president, Dr Afe Mayowa, said that the body is working on a couple of projects to encourage researchers in oil and gas and the academia. Mayowa said that some of the projects were categorised as member companies, in line with international standards, issuance of guidelines for standardisation of training and the establishment of a National Occupation Standard (NOS). He said that the projects were in conjunction with the NCDMB in fostering collaboration between regulatory bodies, the academia and the oil and gas industry, to help close the gap between the ivory towers and the practical aspects of the oil and gas industry. NAN CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Delta government commissions N10.7million transformer Delta state commissioner for basic and secondary education, Barrister Chiedu Ebie, weekend, commissioned a N10.7million transformer donated by the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of the Deeper Life High School, Opete in Udu local government area of Delta state. The commissioner, who was visibly elated, poured encomiums on the management of the school and the authority of the church, saying the Deeper Life High School was a pace setter in the citadel of learning in the entire Delta state. Represented by the Chief Inspector of Education in Udu local government area, Barrister Stephen Heme, the commissioner, who was greatly impressed by the effort of the schools PTA, said such benevolence acts were needed as no government all over the world could meet all the needs of people in all sectors, hence the contributions of individuals and groups were needed to lessen the burden of development on government. He noted that no school in the local government area has a private transformer that could supply power for their learning and research activities as the Deeper Life High School in Opete area of Udu. He said: Schools need electricity, especially in their laboratories, libraries, to power their computers and above all to make their children comfortable and able to learn and assimilate effectively. In many spheres, you need electricity; you cant do much in the academic environment without electricity. Every aspect of learning requires power supply. Speaking further, he said: Im really happy that we have a kind of school like this that is founded on a proper moral principle. I was here during their junior school examination and I discovered that honestly incidence of exam malpractice is zero. It does not exist here. And if we have schools like this where people imbibe the religious ethics and principles, the society will be good for every person. It will even assist our job and make it easier. And will create a good atmosphere for the society to grow. Pastor Pius Idume, Deeper Life Bible Church, Delta state Overseer The commissioner advised PTAs of other schools to emulate Deeper Life High School and assist the state government in meeting certain needs of their schools with a view to relieving government of some of the burdens of development. Delta state Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Pius Idume, said the transformer which was the initiative and solely sponsored by the PTA would go a long way to guarantee steady and constant power supply to students of the institution. He said the school has been depending on generating set for power supply and which often breaks down leaving the students in darkness, but noted that with the transformer now available, the generator will now be on standby, hence leading to uninterrupted power supply. He said: Because the generator has been overused, most times it breaks down and when it breaks down the school will be in total darkness. With this, we are sure light will be here always. Pastor Idume told journalists at the school premises that the school has made a lot of progress since its inception in 2013, adding that as at now the school has the challenges of accommodating the influx of students from different parts of the state and beyond. Chairman of the school management committee, Pastor Philip Enweazu, said the school has made tremendous improvement from when it started in 2013, noting that it has grown both in infrastructure and students attendance. Besides the structural development of the school, he said the character of the students has been greatly moulded as parents have given good testimonies of the changes in the character of their children. According to him: The academic performance of the children is very good. Our students have been engaged in other external competitions before internal examinations. And it has been great. Recently, three of our students excelled in the bee spelling competition. Their performance was wonderful. Even in the mathematics competition, our children are doing fine. Chairman of the schools PTA, Moses Edema, explained the rigorous process the PTA passed through to make the transformer available to the school. He said following the impressive performance of the students, we therefore looked inward and identified an area where we could impact on the schools training and learning process. We eventually observed that the school had not been linked to the national electric power supply since inception. So, we decided to make our contribution in this area. Mr. Edema said the plan to sponsor the project began on May 7, 2016 where a six-man-committee was appointed to ascertain the cost of implementing the project. He said the committee recommended N20million but the project with assistance from engineers was finally executed at the rate of N10,741,000 in November 2017. Osiki Peter Monday, Principal of the school, commended the initiative of the PTA, saying it is one of the biggest achievements the school has witnessed since inception. He said the school is moving forward to becoming the best not just in Delta state but at the national and international levels, noting that the school with 471 students has represented Delta state in competitions at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Focus on how to make your country better - US ambassador sends message to Nigerians The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, on Monday., April 16 urged Nigerians to focus on how to make their country better by investing in the resources that abound in Nigeria. He said that tapping into the countrys resources and investing in them would improve the economy. READ ALSO: EFCC recovers N216m From Swiss Golden Symington gave the advice when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. According to the ambassador, Nigeria is blessed with a lot of human and natural resources that could boost the countrys economy if well harnessed. Nigeria is filled with places, creatures of beauty; the citizens should appreciate Gods blessings in the country and guard the resources jealously. Every Nigerian should think of no other thing than what can be done to improve Nigeria and make it better, he said. He also said that IITAs research initiatives were highly commendable, especially in the development of agriculture in Nigeria and Africa at large. Earlier, the IITA Director-General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, had noted that the institute plays a vital role in revitalising agriculture in Africa. For instance, 86 per cent of cassava planted in Nigeria originate from IITA; its a pity that Nigeria spends a lot of money importing what we can produce in the country, he said. Sanginga also said IITA engages youths in agriculture through its agri-prenuer programme, urging Nigeria to improve its agriculture sector in order to attract youths into farming. We need to change the mindset of Nigerians about agriculture; there is need to make agriculture a business and not just a hobby, he said. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has implemented several programmes and initiatives to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. He made the disclosure on Saturday, February 24, at the 22nd convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja. Buhari who was represented by the deputy executive secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Chinedu Mafiano, also urged youths to key into any of the programmes for national growth and development, The Nation reports. List President Buhari's achievements in two years on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Aspirant warns APC against fielding Fayemi as candidate ahead of Ekiti election - A governorship aspirant in Ekiti state, Wole Oluyede, has warned APC against fielding the minister of mines and steel development, Kayode Fayemi as its candidate - INEC is conducting gubernatorial election in the state on July 14 - Oluyede said that allowing Fayemi to emerge at the party's May 5 primary would spell doom for the party at the poll A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti state, Wole Oluyede has warned the party against fielding the minister of mines and steel development, Kayode Fayemi, as its candidate in the July 14 gubernatorial election. Daily Trust reports that Oluyede, who served in the administration of the former governor in the knowledge zone committee, said allowing Fayemi to emerge at the party's May 5 primary would spell doom for the party at the poll. READ ALSO: 4 policemen killed, 11 missing as gunmen allegedly ambush police team in Benue NAIJ.com gathered that the aspirant, who made the statement while addressing a news conference in his Ikere-Ekiti county home, on Monday, April 16, slammed Fayemi for allegedly believing that he owns the party structure in the state and controls delegates to vote at primary. The aspirant, who is a medical doctor, also criticised a former governor of the state, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo, for allegedly promoting Fayemis ambition and former governor Segun Oni for also joining the governorship race instead of playing the role of statesman. According to him, the state's chapter of APC presently has no rallying point adding that those who supposed to act as leaders had already taken sides in who gets the partys ticket. Oluyede was reacting to a statement credited to Ekiti APC chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, on a live interview programme on Adaba 88.9 FM. Awe was reported to have said that the party would disqualify any aspirant that has been found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction or a judicial panel of inquiry. Some party faithful had said that Awe's statement was targeted at Fayemi, and this already causing tension in the local APC chapter with supporters of the contending aspirants pouring invectives on one another. But Oluyede, who supports the APC chairmans reported statement, urged party leaders and delegates to listen to voters whom he said are not favourably disposed to any former governor returning to office. He said: Nobody can buy the delegates at the primary no matter how highly placed" urging the leadership to organize a transparent primary. Canvassing for zoning, Oluyede said it was time the governorship ticket is zoned to Ekiti south senatorial district, saying Oni and Fayemi, whom he claimed were products of zoning in the past are now up in arms to deny the zone the opportunity. Oluyede: "When I joined the race, some people were bandying it that Fayemi owns the structure in APC but that never bothered me. They (Oni and Fayemi) are welcome to the field; if what I said is not the truth, let them take me to court. The chairman of the party has said let there be free and fair election. He (Awe) said that any aspirant can be disqualified if he or she is found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction or a judicial panel of inquiry. He (Awe) said our party should listen to the people, that they have desires and they are saying it, listen to them. We made that mistake in Osun state when we didnt listen to the people and we lost that senatorial seat. Does that sound like what somebody suppose not to say? Nobody would allow any manipulation of any kind and he (Awe) said there is no more Baba sope (meaning this is what the godfather has said). That means the president or the national leader in Lagos has not anointed anybody, they have guaranteed free and fair election. He said that openly. We are only asking for free and fair (primary) election and the party should apply the law as it stands. Why would you want to go against the will of the people? We should not recycle a man that is so disconnected from his people and does not even think there should be a free and fair (primary) election within his party. That person is not even qualified to hold a political position within the country, we should move beyond that type of person. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app How can they set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry against you and you didnt show up. Is that responsible? Even if what you can do is to show up with your lawyer and refute all allegations you. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that a former governor of Ekiti state Kayode Fayemi declared that Governor Ayodele Fayose will spend many years in jail after leaving office in October, describing Fayose as a pathological liar for claiming that he (Fayemi) left debt behind. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | After Buhari, presidency will come to southeast and it will be me - Okorocha Governor Rochas Okorocha has said that he will succeed President Muhammadu Buhari when the position of the presidency is zoned to the southeast. Thecable reports that Okorocha spoke on Monday, April 16 when he hosted some political stakeholders at the state government house in Owerri. READ ALSO: While politicians are concerned about 2019, I am focused on economy, security - President Buhari The Imo state governor expressed optimism that like 2015, President Buhari will win the election in 2019. He said: Buhari will win again and again. After Buhari, the turn will come to south-east and it will be the turn of Okorocha. On the criticism against his endorsement of Tony Nwosu as governor of Imo, Okorocha said it was because he was his son-in-law. He said: Nwosu is the least of the political children I have trained but I dont know any of them as much as I have known Nwosu, I took him up when he was just nobody and he grew to the height he is now, his only sin is that he is my son-in-law. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Nwosu will win in 2019, dont be afraid, I am there, I have retired the Arthur Nzeribes, the Udenwas, now I will retire the rest of them finally, I know them and they know me, their plan is to push me so that they can get the senate, its a lie, I will run for the senate as well. Meanwhile, Reverend Geoffrey Okorafor, the bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egbu, Imo, has said that Governor Rochas Okorocha has not only failed God, but has also disappointed the people of the state. This is as a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Okorochas former aide, Theodore Ekechi, described the process adopted by the governor to replace himself with his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, in the state as a charade and an insult to the integrity and dignity of Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu people, Vanguard reports. What is cooking in Imo state? - On NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Youre among past leaders who caused our problems, Fayose tells Buhari By Rotimi Ojomoyela ADO-EKITI GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Monday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop blaming past leaders for his inability to fulfill his campaign promises. Fayose Reacting to the presidents statement, on Sunday, while receiving some members of the Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation in London, Fayose said: It appears Buhari has forgotten that he is also among the past leaders of Nigeria because blaming past leaders for the countrys economic problems amounts to blaming himself. The negative foundation the likes of President Buhari laid caused the problems of the country. In a statement, by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor said: It is appalling that Buhari, who at a very young age was Military Governor of a North Eastern State; Petroleum Minister, Head of State and later Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, under the Abacha administration, is the same person that is blaming past leaders of Nigeria. What difference did he make as Governor of the North Eastern State? What was his role as Minister of Petroleum and Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, when it was created in 1977? the governor queried. In addition, Fayose said: It is on record that it was during President Buharis tenure as Minister of Petroleum that N2.8 billion went missing from the accounts of the NNPC in Midlands Bank in the United Kingdom. N2.8 billion as at that time, is like $2.8 billion, over N1 trillion, now. It is also on record that President Buhari was a key player in the Abacha government that the country is still recovering its loots up till today. Interestingly, our Mr. Integrity President once said that Abacha never stole. Fact that the President must face is that he has blamed everyone, including the late President of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi. He is now blaming himself as part of the past leaders of Nigeria, it is shameful. If the President is someone who faces reality, he would have realized that his goodwill has declined to the lowest level. He will also realize that in 2015, Nigerians did not really vote to elect him as President. Rather, it was a vote from the North against PDPs failure to pick a northern candidate that made him President. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Methodist advocates quick resolution of herdsmen, farmers clashes By Sam Eyoboka THE Methodist Church Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to address the herdsmen/farmers crisis across the country. In a communique by Synod Secretary, Very Rev. Simeon Onaleke, Lay President, Bro. Frederick Ogunjuboun, and Bishop, Metropolitan Diocese of Ikeja, Rt. Revd. Stephen Tunde Adegbite, at the end of its second Annual Synod in Lagos, it lamented the security situation in Benue, Southern Kaduna, Taraba, Yobe, Oyo and some other parts of the country, advocating enactment of laws to guide cattle grazing on public lands. The church also lauded the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in the war against Boko Haram terrorists, adding we, however, enjoin the government, especially the intelligence community, to work together so that planned attacks can be nipped in the bud before they are carried. It noted that lack of cohesion and sharing of intelligence and information among security agencies within the intelligence community and calls for synergy in the overall interest of the common man, who is always the most affected. The Church also thanked members of the international community, particularly Switzerland, the United States of America, Great Britain, France and Belgium and the Red Cross for their efforts in securing the safe release of 101 of the kidnapped Dapchi schoolgirls. The church also called on Nigerians to continue to pray for the unconditional release of Leah Sharibu, who is still being held because of her refusal to denounce her faith, and others including the Chibok girls, yet to be released. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | World | Africa | Energy council shoots down Zesa reforms The Zimbabwe Energy Council has said Cabinet should focus on privatising entities, strengthening corporate governance structures and employing more competent people on the board instead of creating one board for Zesa Holdings. Finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa announced last week that Cabinet had approved the collapsing into one board from the power utility boards. The Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) and Zesa Enterprises, as part of reforms for State enterprises. Energy Council executive director Panganai Sithole has shot down the proposal. "ZPC is a company that can generate its own resources but what it needs to do is have its own investors, so what we need to do with our power sector is sort of re-evaluate it, the whole power sector. "We need ZPC to be a standalone company with private investors, so that it can go out and look for its own monies. "It does not need government support and after all the government does not even have support," he said. "ZETDC should be a standalone institution (it does not even get funding from government) that should go out and get resources. Before this, (the establishment of a singular board) the government had thought of separating the entities where ZETDC was going to become a standalone company and ZPC was going to be a standalone company that was the way to go." Sithole said without good corporate governance, the same problems plaguing the boards of ZPC, ZETDC and Zesa Enterprises would continue. "So my comment from ZEC is that these things should not be independent of each other, you cannot have a board without improved code of conduct or the good governance act, which the government was speaking about. "I think that should come firstthe second thing it is not about having one body it is also about having the quality of the people of the board. "If you look at the quality of the people on the board they left a lot to be desired," he said. Chinamasa said the Zesa board would be allowed to engage strategic partners under the ZPC operations were necessary. "Let me just say this that at present ZPC owns the Kariba generation plants, both the old and the new as well as the Hwange Colliery. "These will remain the property of ZPC but any future developments can include strategic partners as is already the case with Hwange 7 and 8 where we have a minority shareholder with 15% by way of Sino Hydro," he said. ZPC is an investment vehicle in the power generation, ZENT an investment arm of Zesa and ZETDC's responsible for transmission, distribution as well as retailing electricity to end users, the singular board will be responsible for tackling tariffs among other challenges. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Home | World | Africa | US seeking a 'soft-landing' in Zimbabwe? Many independent observers were shocked when the United States recently renewed economic sanctions on Zimbabwe at a time when it appeared Harare and Washington were warming up to each other following the resignation of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in November last year. The US renewed what its calls Restrictive Measures on Zimbabwe in February this year in a move interpreted by many as an antithesis of the warm relations that were developing between the two countries following the coming into the fold of the new political dispensation led by President Mnangagwa. The European Union and the United States imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2002, after accusing ex-president Mugabe's government of human rights violations, rigging elections and repression of press freedom. While the renewal of sanctions might have surprised many, those who have followed America's foreign policy towards Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular, following the end of the Second World War were not so much shocked by the country's reticent move. The decision by America to renew sanctions needs to be interrogated from the perspective of a country that has always played second fiddle to its European partners, particularly Britain when it comes to control and influence of overseas territories that were once the domain of particular colonising powers. The US has cooperated with Britain and its European Union partners on numerous international platforms, but its tag of not having been a colonising power has always made it look like a junior partner when it comes to overseas "territories", particularly those that were under the domain and influence of Britain. Conscious of its junior tag, the US has always sought other means of asserting its authority and influence on foreign governments in former colonies of Britain and in most cases the approach has not yielded the much needed positive results. Given its military might, the US has in reality never embraced playing second fiddle to any country Britain included, on the international political arena. What is easily observable even to a political novice is the fact that when it comes to Zimbabwe, the US is not particularly happy with Britain's swift embrace of the new political dispensation. The Americans appear particularly piqued by Britain's ambassador Catriona Laing's enthusiastic acceptance of the new political dispensation. Britain was arguably the first country to embrace the new political order in Zimbabwe in November. It appears all other European countries took a cue from Britain, which described the November development as a peaceful transition. It is without doubt that if Britain was still in the EU, it would have surely weighed more its influence on other members to consider lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe almost two decades ago. Britain has massive investments in the country and is keen on ensuring that years of inflexible relations between Harare and London are swiftly mended. Britain is also aware of China's economic impact in Zimbabwe and is not prepared to continue being bystanders in a country which historically was the crown's sphere of influence. Besides other considerations, economic interests are always the primary driver of any foreign policy strategy. While America has traditionally pursued an isolationist policy in the aftermath of the First World War, there is general appreciation of the fact that the world has changed and is changing. The characterisation of America's foreign policy between the two World Wars as isolationist has long been trashed as nothing, but a myth. America has always acted in a subtle way in safeguarding its interests and the idea that only the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour jolted Americans from their insular stupor is a misnomer. The country has always delicately weighed the pros and cons of intervening in crisis situations beyond its shores. The advent of religious fundamentalism, the need to contain communism, the rise of China and Russia as competing world powers completely shattered the myth of isolationism. In short, America had to engage and cooperate with other countries to safeguard its own economic, political and security concerns. Despite Donald Trump's "America First" mantra, the truth is that America needs the world in as much as the world needs America. So why is America behaving like a bigoted partner when it comes to Zimbabwe at a time when almost every other country is warming up? There are several reasons that explain the US' attitude. First, the US is known for supporting opposition political parties in Zimbabwe, particularly the failed MDC-T party. Over the years, the US government has financially and morally invested in the opposition party directly and through different non-governmental organisations fronting or pursuing the opposition agenda. The new dispensation in Zimbabwe is not an ideal that the Americans have always aspired to happen in the country. It was a bitter sweet development. Although Mugabe had become an albatross, the Americans would have preferred change initiated from outside Zanu-PF. On the other hand, the British had long envisaged that change can only come from within and readily accepted the new political dispensation. The second explanation is that the US' obstinate attitude could be interpreted as a bargaining act meant to press the new government to be amenable to latent demands by the world's sole super power, particularly after the harmonised elections. The third and more fundamental reason for America's inflexible attitude emanates from the need by Americans to strategically position themselves in the geopolitics of the region. Zimbabwe is a critical country in the region and the Americans would want to exert some pressure in a bid to make the new government amenable to US' long term foreign policy interests. Another fact that also explains the US' nonchalant attitude is the reality that the country is far freer from commitments in Africa south of the Sahara than any other region in the world. In almost all other parts of the world, American policy operates in a setting of old established friendships and understandings, supplemented in the post-war years by a network of alliances that include Nato, CENTO and SEATO. In other words, while the US was the first country to establish a permanent embassy in Harare at independence in 1980 and is the biggest provider of aid (not direct to government), it still remains a newcomer to sub-Sahara Africa. The actual American stake in Africa remains relatively slight. There is an inherent thinking within the US establishment that America can do without Africa. Andrew N Kamarck of the International Bank in 1958 once remarked that: "We could get along without African commodities and African markets with an imperceptible ripple in our standard of living." While Kamarck's remarks could have been mere hyperbole, the investment figures from America don't paint a picture of a country that takes Africa seriously. In round figures estimated of the $30 billion which Americans have invested abroad, less than $850 million has found its way to Africa. Despite its sparse interest in sub-Sahara Africa, it must not be forgotten that America has always had a keen interest in developments in Zimbabwe. It will be remembered that after the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in November 1965, the United States recalled its Consul General from the then Salisbury, closed its Information Service (USIS) library and withdrew its Agency for International Development (USAid) and trade promotion officials. The United States was to completely close its Consulate General on March 17, 1970. Despite administration opposition, the US Congress was to pass legislation on January 1, 1971, which permitted it to import strategic materials, such as chrome from Rhodesia. The legislation was to be repealed in March 1977 and the United States once again enforced all sanctions. Since 1976, the United States has lent support to initiatives aimed at bringing majority rule in Zimbabwe. It supported the Anglo-American proposals for a peaceful settlement as it supported British efforts to bring about and implement the Lancaster House Agreement of December 21, 1979. Of course, the prime interests of the Americans could have been to dilute the influence of the Chinese and Russians in a new independent State, but the fact remains that the country has long had a keen interest in developments in Zimbabwe. Given its historical involvement, including the political and financial resources it has invested, the US must be ruing its late embrace of the new political dispensation and might be seeking to recover lost ground already occupied by the British and the Chinese. It has not escaped the US that at the Zimbabwe conference on reconstruction and development (ZIMCORD) held in March 1981, the country pledged $225 million over a three-year period towards the government's goals of post-war reconstruction, distribution and development of skilled manpower. By the end of 1986, the US had contributed $380 million, the majority in grants, with some loans and loan guarantees. However, in July 1986, the US government decided to discontinue future bilateral aid to Zimbabwe owing to some political differences, particularly certain statements that it deemed undiplomatic uttered at the United Nations. Aid programmes previously agreed upon were not affected by the decision nor were regional development programmes that might benefit Zimbabwe. Historically, America's real influence and presence in southern Africa might be scanty, but it has always had serious vested interest in Zimbabwe. As recently remarked by the US acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Donald Yamamoto in a Reuters interview, Zimbabwe has always been on the radar of the world's super power. "It's a transition to a new era for Zimbabwe, that's really what we are hoping for," Yamamoto said. One is persuaded to agree with the view that the coming of the new dispensation caught the US by surprise and is now seeking to recover lost ground. In short, the Americans might be seeking a "soft-landing" that would redefine their relations with Zimbabwe. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Home | World | Africa | Chiwenga lampoons Jonathan Moyo VICE president Constantino Chiwenga has urged Zimbabweans to ignore social media attacks on the government, dismissing the critics as "mad men and juveniles". Although he did not mention him by name, Chiwenga was likely referring to former higher education minister Professor Jonathan Moyo who has repeatedly used Twitter to criticise the new Emmerson Mnangagwa-led government. Moyo is now in exile after surviving an assassination attempt during the military intervention which ousted former president Robert Mugabe last November. Chiwenga was head of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and led the military revolt which resulted in the resignation of Mugabe and his succession by Mnangagwa. "There are those who spend time on social media criticising and saying things out of bitterness and behaving like mad man and juveniles," said Chiwenga. "If you read their rantings, don't take them seriously. This will never stop us from building the country. Our work will not stop." Chiwenga was addressing hundreds of people at a field day held at President Mnangagwa's Pricabe Farm in Sherwood Block in Kwekwe last week. Prof Moyo, a loyalist of the deposed Mugabe, has called the new government illegitimate and dismissed Mnangagwa as unelectable. Moyo and other loyalists of Mugabe such as former cabinet ministers Saviour Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao escaped into exile during the military operation. Over the weekend, Prof Moyo used Twitter mocked Chiwenga who attended the burial of South African anti-apartheid activist and politician Winnie Mandela; Mama even some rogue commanders who staged a military coup in Zimbabwe claiming to be 'Lestoling Regacy' against alleged criminals surrounding President Mugabe but ended up targeting Mugabe are here as Vice Presidents. Signal what we must do to them mama..https://t.co/EiI3VgWNtf pic.twitter.com/FBzpeVL6Rd Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) April 15, 2018 CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: Africa Bitmain, Chinese cryptocurrency mining company, has been given a green light to set up a blockchain facility in Western Walla Walla County, a county in the U.S. state of Washington. Local newspaper Union-Bulletin wrote that the decision was in complete agreement of the three commissioners involved in the situation. Last month, CCN reported that Ant Creek was in talks with the officials to buy land in the port of Walla Walla. Bitmains co-founder, Jihan Wu, was listed as the governing person of the company, with Jeff Stearns as the director of operations. The initial deal included leasing 40 acres of land which would result in 15-20 full time jobs. However, a few changes have been made to the original offer. Currently, the company is receiving 10 acres land and the opportunity to show the county its technological potential. If Ant Creek accepts the offer, the lease will run until the end of 2018, after which the company will be given a choice to purchase the land. The company would pay $4,701.67 monthly, and if it decided to buy the land, it would need to pay $150,000. Additionally, $2.5 million would be spent on constructing a roadway since the land is currently inaccessible. The port will cover access improvement design, and drinkable and fire protection water expansion costs of $140,000 and $300,000 respectively. However, Stearns neither accepted nor denied the altered deal yet. The decision was made at a public hearing, where many residents opposed the idea of cryptocurrency mining. According to them, allowing such a project would benefit anonymous people while using their lands electricity. Without mentioning Bitmain, Stearns explained that Ant Creek was both a blockchain and artificial-intelligence company to the people. Some people spoke against bitcoin mining, while some said the company was focusing more on blockchain to soften the idea. At one point, a person was escorted out of the hearing. One of the commissioners even clarified that blockchain had various use-cases, one of them being food security. Story continues Les Teel, CEO of Columbia Rural Electric Association (REA), also said that the company could easily fulfill Art Creeks demand without putting the residents at risk. However, when it came to finalizing the deal, president of the commission, Peter Swant, said, We are elected to do what the people would like us to do. Out of the 60,000 residents, only 60 or 70 people were opposing the collaboration which made it difficult to vote in favor of the minority. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Chinas Bitmain Gets Approval for US Bitcoin Mining Operation appeared first on CCN. Guatemala City (AFP) - Guatemalans voted overwhelmingly Sunday to send a centuries-old border dispute with neighboring Belize to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final resolution, according to preliminary referendum results. A total of 95.89 percent voted "yes," with votes from over 92 percent of polling stations accounted for, said Gustavo Castillo of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Polls closed at 6:00 pm (0000 GMT) after 11 hours of voting, which took place "without reports of security incidents," tribunal president Maria Eugenia Mijangos said. But despite 7.5 million Guatemalans being summoned to the ballot box, the vote was marked by low turnout. The border disagreement, whose roots go back two centuries, has seen tensions spike from time to time. Two years ago Guatemala mobilized 3,000 troops along the densely forested unmarked border zone after an incident in which a Guatemalan teenager was fatally shot. A Belize border patrol had opened fire after being shot at, but an investigation by the Organization of American States found it not responsible for the death. The two nations agreed in 2008 to send the dispute to The Hague-based ICJ, if the people of both countries approved. Observers from 25 countries were on hand to monitor the polling. Belize has not yet fixed a date for its referendum on the issue, although officials say it could take place next year. The Guatemalan plebiscite asked voters to respond "yes" or "no" as to whether any legal claims by Guatemala against Belize relating to its territories "should be submitted to the International Court of Justice for final settlement" and boundary determination. Mijangos told reporters that voter apathy was a big risk. Efforts by President Jimmy Morales to boost turnout have foundered on the rocks of his low popularity. - 'Very important issue' - On Sunday, Mijangos said: "We are calling on all Guatemalans, especially the youth making up the majority of the electorate, to participate, to go to polling stations to put in their vote on this very important issue which has taken so many years to find a solution to." Story continues Morales said as he voted that the two countries had "very good bilateral relations" and he hoped the dispute could be resolved. Guatemala has made claims over more than half of Belize's territory, dating back to when its English-speaking neighbor was a British colony known as British Honduras. The border issue goes back to 1783 when Spain -- the former colonial power over what is now Guatemala -- gave Britain the right to occupy the territory that became Belize and exploit its timber in exchange for combating piracy. A century later, it became a British colony. In 1964 British Honduras won the right to self-government and in 1973 renamed itself Belize. Independence came in 1981, though a British military presence remained until the mid-1990s because Guatemala refused for a decade to recognize it as a new country. Tokyo (Japan) (AFP) - Japan's premier was facing fresh pressure Monday as new polls showed a second cronyism scandal has sent his approval ratings nosediving, and thousands of protesters rallied for his resignation. Shinzo Abe looked to have weathered the storm over a first scandal on the cut-price sale of government land, with his approval ratings starting to creep back up after dropping to record lows. But a second favouritism row has now erupted into the headlines, reigniting the debate on whether Abe has the backing to win a third term as party chief in September and become the country's longest-serving premier. On Monday, a poll by the Asahi Shimbun daily showed Abe's disapproval rating at 52 percent, up from 48 percent a month earlier, with his approval rating at just 31 percent. And a weekend poll by Kyodo News showed public support down by 5.4 percentage points to 37 percent, his second worst showing in the outlet's polling since he took office in 2012. On Saturday, thousands turned out to an unusually large demonstration in front of the national parliament, calling on Abe to resign over the twin scandals. The latest furore involves allegations that Abe wielded his influence to help a friend open a veterinary school, claims that the premier has fiercely rejected. But last week an official document emerged describing the school as "an issue that involves the prime minister," reheating allegations that Abe used his influence to secure the permit for the school. The scandal follows on the heels of weeks of uproar over Abe's alleged ties to the cut-price sale of government land to a school operator. The operator planned to name Abe's wife the honorary principal of the school, and the opposition alleges Abe's influence cleared the way for the bargain sale. The scandal deepened with the revelation that the finance ministry had scrubbed documents related to the sale to remove references to Abe and his wife. Story continues The rows come as Abe prepares to stand later this year for reelection as party leader, a vote he was once expected to win handily. Flamboyant former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters this weekend that he now believed it would be "difficult" for Abe to win, though analysts say there are still few viable alternative candidates. With the domestic political landscape in turmoil, Abe heads to the United States this week to meet President Donald Trump for talks on North Korea in a bid to keep Tokyo in the loop on fast-moving diplomacy. she really did THAT huh! Reply Parent Thread Link i will never not believe that she was in there Reply Parent Thread Link Whats going on here? Did Taylor contort herself into the box to escape paps? WHATS IN THE BOX?????? Reply Parent Thread Link supposedly she hid in the box to hide from the paps but there's no proof. i believe!! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link "Jamie Lynn Spears: Well then move the fuck out! love it Reply Thread Link wasn't she pregnant then? Reply Parent Thread Link nah. shortly before she got knocked up Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ian went about it the wrong way but he had a right to not be followed by crazy fans all day. Might as well tell them immediately than to yell at them later. I ran into Richard Kind one day. He was at California Adventure filming something. They were on a break so he was walking around. I was standing near him and somebody politely approached him to ask for his autograph. He said 'NO!' in a really angry tone and stomped off. Haven't liked him since Reply Thread Link that was not kind of him Reply Parent Thread Link I miss Boiling Points - it was so funny. And it's nice to see that pranks could actually be harmeless without being borderline sociopathic like some "pranks" by YouTubers. Reply Thread Link I don't like any of these people, but I gotta say I'm largely on their side(s), especially that Shawn youth. I think we all knows stans can be incredibly pushy and OTT, and eBay seller people are the absolute WORST; they're incredibly rude to everyone, including the celebs in question (though it's pretty funny when they fight amongst themselves). I love it when celebs call them out tbh, even if they're kinda melodramatic about it. Reply Thread Link I remember a few years back (when she was relevant), people would post a video of Avril signing pictures and announcing "F you, F you, F you" as she did so as proof that she was rude to fans, but they weren't fans - they were collectors (older male paparazzi types) she had run into multiple times before, and she was clearly fed up. I thought it was really disingenuous that people didn't seem to get why she was mad. Reply Parent Thread Link *not collectors, eBay sellers Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO I knew Halsey was going to be one of these.. Reply Thread Link lol but it is? towards the end of the video after her speech. Reply Parent Thread Link lol shes so embarassingggg Reply Parent Thread Link she is literally the definition of being EXTRA Reply Parent Thread Link Cringe Reply Parent Thread Link what is going on here omg Reply Parent Thread Link i prefer this version Reply Parent Thread Expand Link A bunch of people who should be happy they have fans don't like being bothered on their days off. I don't mean that derisively but I had to take a jab at 'em. Reply Thread Link I hatewhen people say not for nothing. Reply Thread Link I've never understood why people think this is ~badass or whatever. Reply Parent Thread Link If I'm remembering correctly, the lady was following her around for days or something and Bjork finally got fed-up. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link at the end of the video it says that the reporter has stalked her for days Reply Parent Thread Link welcome to bangkok! Reply Parent Thread Link honestly it's amazing that more celebrities don't freak out at paparazzi, I would fucking lose my shit. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Edited at 2018-04-16 06:09 am (UTC) Bjork needs to follow KStew's lead and just flip the bird with both hands from every angle. I'm really surprised none of her meltdowns are included here. The one where she screamed that the pap "wasn't fit to breathe the same air" as her was stunning, and caught on video. So was the one in Paris where she told the pap she hoped he'd freeze to death (it was in the middle of a cold snap that killed over 100 people on the day she said that). She certainly has a knack. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'm on every celeb's side but Biebs Reply Thread Link op made me think of this lmao Reply Thread Link LMAO, I fucking love this short. My fave part is when they're naming her famous movies and the girl says 'Lost in Translation!' and the friend's like 'uhhhh,' lol. Reply Parent Thread Link That's just sad Reply Parent Thread Link Haha wow Reply Parent Thread Link lol I saw this before Gemini, appropriately enough; I totally believe that people would be that obnoxious. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmfao I love this omg. Kirsten is so devastatingly beautiful aww. Reply Parent Thread Link classic Reply Parent Thread Link I remember stalker sarah literally following her around at a party for a picture before kirsten finally told her no. Reply Parent Thread Link omg, I had completely forgotten about Stalker Sarah lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao, this combo of sad and hilarious. I died at the "Lost in Translation" bit. Reply Parent Thread Link Ian Somerhalder is a huge creep and douche to me, but i dont think theres anything wrong with not wanting to be bothered while trying to live your private life Reply Thread Link Wow I cant believe so many of you are defending stressed out rich people lollll Reply Thread Link Yes. They shouldnt be allowed to poop or sleep either. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Celebs don't owe fans any of their time while they're just out and about living their lives. Some of these people could have handled it more gracefully, but idk, if you NEED that selfie with them then pay for the meet-and-greet or camp out on the red carpet or w/e. Reply Thread Link Yeah people give artists shit for being "greedy" with meet and greets but if it gets the crazy out of the extreme fans' systems then good for them. Reply Parent Thread Link I actually really enjoyed the first season of The Wrong Mans. I'll probably watch it I guess. Reply Thread Link Oh, good! I have never seen it, but was worried bc of Corden's involvement. Reply Parent Thread Link I couldnt get into the original but Ill watch anything Ben is in. Does Matthew Bayton get good roles in the U.K. I loved him in the movie Tonight Youre Mine which was called something else in the U.K. but idk what. Hopefully he gets a good costar. I assume he is playing Matthews role since they look similar? I have no idea who is a similar type to Corden...can Josh Lawson stop working out and give us a House of Pies reunion??? Edited at 2018-04-16 07:59 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link So excited to be working with Bad Robot on this and delighted to have @rejectedjokes as the new me https://t.co/5tZiSVfKxf Mathew Baynton (@realmatbaynton) April 16, 2018 You were right! Reply Parent Thread Link what, i have to get showtime now?? Reply Thread Link I wish Mat Baynton was in everything, he's so great. And the best part of The Wrong Mans. I'm still pressed about You, Me, and the Apocalypse being canceled. Reply Thread Link Ugh, me too - I really liked YMA and they ended on such a massive cliffhanger. :-( Reply Parent Thread Link mat is sooooooo cute to me and he has great comedic timing Reply Parent Thread Link I recently saw Middleditch & Schwartz and it was pretty funny so yay Ben Schwartz! I thought The Wrong Mans was a pretty delightful show despite James Corden so I guess I'm here for this. Reply Thread Link I love Ben but I wish he would pick projects with more diverse casts. It would make me more interested. And aww at House of Pies haha. Reply Thread Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link i love him so much + happy anniversary was underwhelming but sweet enough Reply Thread Link Besides disco, I really dislike the 70s. The fashion, slang, over all sleazy of everyone. Domhball for the sake of my fantasies stop talking about joining this. Reply Thread Link Haha domhball haha stiil don't do it man. Reply Parent Thread Link Sounds like McQueen's Widows movie Reply Thread Link tiffany haddish is definitely black. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I like the plot but don't care much for the cast... Oh well. Reply Thread Link I can't believe the guy who had like two lines as Bill Weasley gets this much work. Reply Thread Link He's charming and actually really good. Haha but yeah he does have nepotism in his court. Reply Parent Thread Link I was thinking more like: if you asked me, after seeing Deathly Hallows, to pick a Weasley we'd be seeing the most of, I would have never picked Bill. I do like Domhnall as an actor. About Time is a fave. Reply Parent Thread Link He's a fairly decent actor and he seems like he'd be good energy as a co-worker, I'm not surprised. (But yeah, I'm sure nepotism helps too lol) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link most people aren't even aware of who is father is, I'm not sure why people scream nepotism over him so often. he gets a lot of work but its often smaller character roles that more famous actors probably wouldnt want and he's talented. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lol i understand what you mean, but i really like domhnall on and off screen so i dont mind. it is weird that hes one of the most successful of the younger members of the hp cast though like i would have never picked him to make it big Reply Parent Thread Link There's always room in Hollywood for average looking guys, tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link Dude, at this point I'm just happy to see him pick up a project that doesn't sound like it'll make me want to gouge my eyes out (like ilu Domhnall but there's no way I can make myself watch Peter Rabbit or that Christopher Robin movie) lol Reply Thread Link I enjoyed the shit out of Peter Rabbit and he was hilarious but it's definitely not for everyone. Reply Parent Thread Link I also loved peter rabbit! Though yeah I can see why people would find it annoying. Reply Parent Thread Link I have suffered a lot for him. So much suffering. The worst part is I can usually get why he picks certain projects but it's just like ..... ugh Reply Parent Thread Link He has a new movie with Lenny Abrahamson coming out and Im putting all my faith in it. Reply Parent Thread Link I am so into this weird looking ginger Reply Thread Link This cast is confusing me. The plot sounds like a drama but everybody apart from Moss has a comedy background. Im gonna hope for a dark comedy / crime dark Edit: ok, I read the article and is based on comic book. Has anyone read this? Edited at 2018-04-16 09:01 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link sounds cute? idk Reply Thread Link king <3 Reply Thread Link is this from his Black Mirror episode? that fucked me up more than I was expecting because all the sites that ranked the episodes were like "this one's kind of snoozy" and "it doesn't stay with you like the other ones do" but the end got too real way too fast. Reply Parent Thread Link they're entitled to their wrong opinions this is the only black mirror episode that stayed with me Reply Parent Thread Expand Link When I rewatched, it definitely struck me a lot more. The plot's really laid out for the viewer in the beginning imo, but still it manages to captivate the audience because it's easily one of the more relatable ones. Reply Parent Thread Link Me too! Reply Parent Thread Link I've loved him since before his "I don't care about personal hygiene" days so I'm really happy for him to pick up (semi) decent movies! I still can't get over how obsessed people became over his Star Wars character getting together with the emo boy lol He's a really good comedy actor, you should watch his Immaturity for Charity sketches on youtube, he's hilarious! Reply Thread Link Summary: In 2015, the news about the high lead levels in Flint, Michigans drinking water caused the nation to focus its attention on lead. The EPA has a strong regulatory structure for lead in drinking water, yet in 2015, Flint found that lead from its aging pipes was exposing the community to hazardous levels of lead. The circumstances surrounding Flints water problem were unique, but other communities across the country are discovering that they too have problems with lead. This has prompted state regulators to lower acceptable drinking water levels and require statewide water testing in schools and day care centers. History of Lead Use and Exposure From Rome to Flint Lead is a naturally occurring, inert metal that was one of the earliest metals used by the human race. There is ancient evidence of lead use by humans as early as 3000 B.C. It was the metal used in ancient Roman piping to distribute water from its celebrated aqueduct system. The word plumber comes from the Latin word plumbum, meaning lead. In the modern age, lead has been widely used in paints, pipes, solder, gasoline, batteries, glass, and pottery. And even with regulations limiting its use, lead-based or lead-containing products are still found in construction, military, and marine applications, and even recently in toys, jewelry, furniture, imported food, and other products. Lead exposure litigation was front-page news throughout the 1970s and into the 1990s, with class action suits brought in Baltimore, New York, and other large cities, as a result of child lead poisonings from the paint in residential complexes. This prompted a myriad of actions by various governmental agencies, including the Center for Disease Control (CDC); Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They conducted public health population studies, lowered the acceptable blood-level limits in children and adults, and enacted local and Federal regulations to ban uses of lead and clean up environmental hazards created by its use. These regulations resulted in a significant reduction of lead exposure hazards associated with gasoline, paints, and solder. But despite significant reductions, lead hazards were not eliminated. The figure below illustrates the impact of these regulations on the mean childhood blood lead levels between 1971 and 2012.1 Flint and Beyond In 2015 the lead contaminated water in Flint, Michigan made front page news. Flints water problems stem from an ill-fated attempt to save money by disconnecting from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which had provided the city with safe water from Lake Huron for decades and start using the water from the Flint River. In subsequent State legislative hearings on the crisis, it emerged that the Flint River water needed inexpensive chemicals that would have helped prevent the pipe corrosion that caused the lead to leach into the water. But before the anti-corrosion chemicals could be added, the City needed to upgrade its equipment, which would have cost millions of dollars. About half of the piping to the homes in Flint contained lead that began leaching into the water being used by thousands of residents. Virginia Tech researchers identified the problem and sounded the alarm. A local public health crisis erupted, which prompted concern by other cities health authorities. Despite New York City proudly proclaiming that its highly-protected water supply from Upstate New York water supply is clean, the City found lead in school water. New York is not alone; lead contamination in school water is being reported all over the country. There have also been recent media reports of elevated lead levels in school water in Richmond, VA; Phoenix, AZ; New Brunswick, NJ; Mountain View, CA; and Berkeley, CA. As much of the nations water distribution system is aging, there will likely be more troubling news. Sources of Contamination and Health Effects Ingestion and Inhalation Lead poisoning can occur in children and adults. In children, poisoning typically occurs by ingesting (swallowing) soil contaminated by lead, lead-containing paint, foods and water, cookware, and toys. In adults, the pathway is mostly occupational (inhalation or ingestion). In the United States, 1420% of total lead exposure is attributed to drinking water. Blood Lead Levels The CDC has defined the blood-lead level (BLL) to determine whether an individual has been poisoned. As new information has emerged about the toxic effects of lead exposure and as more sensitive detection methods are developed, the CDC has progressively lowered the BLLs for lead exposure (see the figure below illustrating BLLs between 1960-2011).2 In 2012, the CDC adopted an advisory level for environmental and educational intervention of five micrograms per deciliter (5 g/dL) as the upper reference range value for BLLs in children.3 Today, the CDC estimates that there are 4 million households in the US with children living with high lead levels and that there are still 24 million homes with lead-based paint contamination. The CDC defines no safe blood lead level and has recognized that exposure risks can often be influenced by social and economic factors. In 2016, the EPA updated its programs to require lead-based paint training for individuals involved in certain building trades, as well as certain types of contractors, real estate professionals, day care centers, schools, and contractors involved in removing lead materials. According to the Poisoning Prevention Program, it is the combined goal of HUD, EPA, and the CDC to eliminate childhood lead poisoning as a public health problem by the year 2020. The number of homes, buildings, and schools serviced by lead-containing water piping is unknown. However, the water distribution systems in urban settings and in homes constructed prior to 1970 may contain lead-containing components. The EPA diagram below illustrates multiple potential sources of lead in home drinking water distribution systems.4 Lead Poisoning in Children and Adults Lead is a neurotoxin, meaning that it effects the nervous system. The symptoms that children experience, depending on exposure levels and the duration of exposure, may include death, coma, seizures, encephalopathy, brain damage, and kidney dysfunction. However, the more common effects on children include decreased IQ scores, attention and behavioral problems, speech and language disorders, learning disabilities, and problems with motor and sensory skills. Poisoning usually occurs between the ages of 1 to 6, but the effects can be long lasting. Adults symptoms of lead poisoning may include abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches, irritability, memory loss, weakness, depression, distraction, and high blood pressure. There is also a risk of fetal exposure and infertility. Common at-risk occupations include construction trades in older buildings, artists, auto mechanics, bridge reconstruction, glass manufacturing, miners, smelting, electrical workers, and plumbers/pipe fitters. Do I Have a Problem: Testing Several states have recently implemented extensive testing requirements in schools and day care centers. The California Department of Education has recently required that all public K-12 schools built before 2010 must test their water for lead by mid-2019. This was after lead issues were discovered in San Diego and Sacramento public schools. Michigan has recently proposed requiring communities to test annually and has lowered its action level for lead in drinking water to a level that is below the current federal action level. Illinois has recently required lead testing in all commercial and residential day care centers. Testing drinking water systems to determine its lead concentration is relatively easy and inexpensive. Because of the increased media attention on the lead problem, many health agencies are overwhelmed and cannot sample every potential water source. Often, the quickest way to determine if your water is free of lead contamination is to contact a local industrial hygiene or environmental services company. They typically have the required knowledge and experience required to collect a sample of your water, have it analyzed by an accredited lab, and tell you whether you have a problem. About RHP Risk Management RHP Risk Management is a leader in the field of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety. We specialize in the evaluation of exposure to chemicals, noise, vapors, hazardous materials, and biological contaminants, in your workplace and in our state-of-the-art Exposure Simulation Laboratory. 1https://ptfceh.niehs.nih.gov/features/assets/files/key_federal_programs_to_reduce_childhood_lead_exposures_and_eliminate_associated_health_impactspresidents_508.pdf, CDC, Key Federal Programs to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Eliminate Associated Health Impacts, Presidents Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children, November 2016, Accessed 3-28-2018 2 https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=7&po=8#tocbookmark2, ATSDR- CDC, Lead Toxicity What Are the U.S. Standards for Lead Levels?, Accessed 12-16-2016 3 https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=7&po=8#tocbookmark2, ATSDR- CDC, Lead Toxicity What Are the U.S. Standards for Lead Levels?, Accessed 12-16-2016 4 https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2017-08/documents/epa_lead_in_drinking_water_final_8.21.17.pdf, US EPA Sources of Lead In Drinking Water 2017, Accessed 3-28-2018 A Turkish court ruled Monday to keep an American Christian pastor in custody, deeming him to be a flight risk, after his trial opened in a case that has raised tensions with Washington. Andrew Brunson, who ran a Protestant church in the western city of Izmir, has been detained by Turkish authorities since October 2016. If convicted, he risks up to 35 years in jail. Brunson -- wearing a black suit, speaking fluent Turkish and sometimes bursting into tears -- emphatically rejected all the charges against him at the first court hearing in the town of Aliaga north of Izmir. He is accused of engaging in activities on behalf of the group led by exiled Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen -- who Ankara says is behind a failed 2016 coup -- and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Both the Gulen movement and the PKK are banned by Turkey as terror groups. Brunson is also accused of espionage for political or military purposes. The judge ordered Brunson to stay in jail, setting the next hearing for May 7. The ruling was based on evidence given by witnesses in the case and the risk that Brunson might flee. The United States expressed concern. "We have seen no credible evidence that Mr Brunson is guilty of a crime and are convinced that he is innocent," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. "We hope that the judicial system in Turkey will resolve his case in a timely, fair and transparent manner." In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, the hearing was attended by Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedom, and Senator Thom Tillis from Brunson's home state of North Carolina. "We are very disappointed. If anything, I think the information that has been presented today creates a more compelling reason why he is innocent," Tillis told reporters after the ruling. Brunson reacted with emotion, telling his wife Norine in English: "I am going crazy. I love you." He had earlier told the judge tearfully: "I want to return my home. For 16 months, I have been separated from my wife." - 'Reject all accusations' - "I want the whole truth to be revealed. I reject all the accusations in the indictment. I haven't been involved in any illegal activity," Brunson told the court. "I haven't done anything against Turkey. On the contrary, I love Turkey. I have been praying for Turkey for 25 years." He moved to the country in 1993 and opened his Izmir church in 2010. The Brunson case has further hiked tensions between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, with US President Donald Trump raising the issue in talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Relations are already strained over American backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria despised by Ankara and the jailing of two employees at American missions in Turkey. "That relationship is going to have difficulty in moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated," Brownback told reporters at the courthouse. In September, Erdogan suggested that Turkey could free Brunson if Washington handed over Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. Washington brushed off the offer but has been working intensely to secure the release of Brunson, one of several American nationals caught up in the crackdown after the failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016. In February, NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual national, was jailed for 7.5 years for being a member of Gulen's movement in a conviction denounced by Washington. Senator Tillis said there was "no deal," adding: "This is about what we believe is an innocent man who has been in prison for a year and a half." In his statement to the court, Brunson rejected the accusations of links to Gulen's group, saying: "That would be an insult to my religion. I am a Christian. I would not join an Islamic movement." Gulen denies any role in the failed coup and says his Hizmet (Service) movement promotes a peaceful form of Islam. Numbering just several thousand, the Protestant community in overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Turkey largely comprises converts from Islam, expatriates and refugees. The Turkish Association of Protestant Churches said in a report that 2017 was marked by continued hate crimes and physical attacks. Brownback described the trial as a "religious freedom case." "Turkey, in its history, has been very open, so that's one of the things that's really troubling about this," he said. Outgoing Police Chief Director General Ronald Bato Dela Rosa MANILA, Philippines Outgoing Police Chief Director General Ronald Bato Dela Rosa turned emotional as attended his final flag ceremony as the countrys top enforcer. Bato couldnt contain his emotions as he described how much he loves his work which has been his life for the past 32 years. He thanked his men, especially those who are dedicated to their job, sacrificing their lives and personal conveniences in order to perform well in their duties. Also, Bato apologized for not accomplishing all expectations given his capacity as the chief of police. Dela Rosa, likewise, expressed his full support to his mistah and his successor, PDir Oscar Albayalde. General Dela Rosa is a member of PMA Sinagtala Class of 1986. He was supposed to retire on January 21, on the day of his 56th birthday but President Duterte extended his term to April 21. At 3:00 pm today, a testimonial parade in his honor will be held at the Philippine Military Academy at Camp Gregorio del Pilar in Baguio City. After retirement, Bato will soon head the Bureau of Corrections. UNTV News & Rescue The post Emotional Bato begins farewell week as PNP Chief appeared first on UNTV News. Nitrate from farmland is washed into rivers and streams, where it flows into the Baltic Sea. It is food for algae, which can consume vast amounts of oxygen, leaving the water depleted in this vital gas. Credit: Shutterstock Nitrate pollution poses a big threat to the Baltic Sea. And since farming is the biggest source of nitrate, much more needs to be done to reduce this source of pollution. This is the message from scientists at the BONUS 2018 conference in Poland, where scientists from around Europe gathered to discuss the future of the Baltic Sea. Farming releases large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous. These nutrients come from fertilisers and are carried into the sea via streams and waterways. In the Baltic, they are a source of food for algae, which can grow and bloom to such an extent that they deplete the water of oxygen. And no oxygen quite simply means no life, says Professor Jens Christian Refsgaard from the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). He is the leader of the SOILS2SEA research project, which is investigating how changes in climate and agricultural practices affect the transfer of such nutrients into the Baltic Sea. Emissions from farming are invisible Reducing nitrate emissions from farming is however, easier said than done. Regulating emissions from farming is much trickier than other sources of nitrate, such as from industry or individual cities. "Industrial and municipal waste comes out of a pipe. You can see it. And you know that you can put technology on that pipe to treat it," says James Shortle, professor in agricultural and environmental economics at the Pennsylvania State University, USA. Shortle was one of the keynote speakers at the conference. But unfortunately, finding the source of agricultural pollution is not so simple. "Some people would call the agricultural problem 'hidden'," says Shortle. "It seeps into the ground water, then it moves in ground water and flows into streams. You'll never see it, it's just percolating into the water. So there's no pipe, it's just coming out of the base flow into a stream," he says. This makes it extremely difficult to identify the polluter, he says. Adapt farming to nature According to Refsgaard, there is a way around this. It's called spatial differentiation of agriculture. This means that you organise production on the farm according to nature, such as choosing the right type of crops and fertilization for the individual fields. In some places, nitrate is removed naturally. For example, if water flows through a part of the soil called the "reduced zone" (located some meters below ground surface) nitrate will be transformed to atmospheric nitrogen, and removed from the water. So on these fields, restricting farmers' choice of crops and fertilisation has no effect. Agriculture is not the only source of nitrogen in the Baltic. Other sources are cities and industry, which were previously the biggest contributors, but have been successfully regulated and reduced. Credit: Shutterstock But such mitigation measures could be implemented on other fields, where nature removes less nitrate, says Refsgaard. "It will hit agriculture" Refsgaard recognises that bringing the Baltic Sea back to good health will be difficult. "It requires a severe intervention. It will hit farming hard," says Refsgaard. "In Denmark, we have already halved nitrate emissions since 1980. But that initiative was easier and cheaperlow hanging fruit. The last step is much more difficult." Spatial differentiation is one possible solution, which offers a more cost effective solution by exploiting nature's own capacity to remove nutrients before they reach the sea, he says. But unless new governance systems are adopted, it risks taking the decision making power over which crops are grown where away from farmers. "But one of the key conclusions from Soils2Sea is that a new governance system is required to achieve the benefits from spatial differentiation. This new co-governance based system will do the opposite, namely give more power or influence to the farmers," says Refsgaard. And while a number of scientific issues remain, the main barrier now is whether there is political will to solve the problem, he says. We need an involved process It's a complicated situation, which requires involvement from all parties in an open process, says Flemming Gertz, geologist and farming consultant for SEGES, an agricultural consultancy firm based in Denmark, who also attended the conference. SEGES is part of the Danish Agriculture and Food Council, which represents the farming and food industry in Denmark. According to Gertz, farmers have tended to be excluded from the decision-making, and greater involvement could make the necessary steps more digestible for the agricultural sector. "It's a significant culture change that is needed: From a general regulation and top-down decision-making process, which has been a tradition in Denmark, to a more inclusive process," says Gertz. Farmers need incentives Professor Jrgen Olesen from the Department of AgroecologyClimate and Water, at Aarhus University, Denmark, also wants to see greater inclusion of farmers, along with financial incentives for them to get involved. "I think we lack incentives, which foster innovation among farmers to find solutions," says Olesen, who is also involved in the SOILS2SEA project. "Most farmers want to help to solve these problems. But they also want to be recognised for it," he says. "And the best incentive is of course, when it comes with a monetary return." Explore further Nitrate in drinking water increases the risk of colorectal cancer This story is republished courtesy of ScienceNordic, the trusted source for English-language science news from the Nordic countries. Read the original story here. Schematic illustration of the Kramers Henneberger potential formed by a mixture of the atomic potential and a strong laser field. Credit: UNIGE - Xavier Ravinet Atoms are composed of electrons moving around a central nucleus to which they are bound. The electrons can also be torn away via the powerful electric field of a laser, overcoming the confining force of their nucleus. A half-century ago, the theorist Walter Henneberger wondered if it were possible to use a laser field to free an electron from its atom without removing it from the nucleus. Many scientists considered it to be impossible. However, it has now been successfully confirmed by physicists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, and the Max Born Institute (MBI) in Berlin, Germany. For the first time, researchers controlled the shape of the laser pulse to keep an electron both free and bound to its nucleus, and were at the same time able to regulate the electronic structure of the atom. What's more, they also made these unusual states amplify laser light and identified a no-go area. In this area, nicknamed "Death Valley," the physicists lost all their power over the electron. These results shatter the usual concepts related to the ionisation of matter. The results have been published in the journal Nature Physics. Henneberger's hypothesis proposed that if an electron were trapped in the laser, it would be forced to pass back and forth in front of its nucleus, and would thus be exposed to the electric field of both the laser and the nucleus. This dual state would make it possible to control the motion of electrons exposed to both electric fields, and would let the physicists create atoms with a new electronic structure tunable with light. Leveraging the natural oscillations of the electron The more intense a laser is, the easier should it be to ionise the atomin other words, to tear the electrons away from the attracting electric field of their nucleus and free them into space. "But once the atom is ionised, the electrons don't just leave their atom like a train leaves a stationthey still feel the electric field of the laser," explains Jean-Pierre Wolf, a professor at the applied physics department of the UNIGE Faculty of Sciences. "We thus wanted to know if, after the electrons are freed from their atoms, it is still possible to trap them in the laser and force them to stay near the nucleus, as the hypothesis of Walter Henneberger suggests," he adds. The only way to do this is to find the right shape for the laser pulse in order to impose oscillations on the electron that are exactly identical, so that its energy and state remain stable. "The electron does naturally oscillate in the field of the laser, but if the laser intensity changes, these oscillations also change, and this forces the electron to change its energy level and thus its state, even leaving the atom. This is what makes seeing such unusual states so difficult," adds Misha Ivanov, a professor at the theoretical department of MBI in Berlin. The physicists tested different laser intensities so that the electron freed from the atom would have steady oscillations. They made a surprising discovery. "Contrary to natural expectations that suggest that the more intense a laser is, the easier it frees the electron, we discovered that there is a limit to the intensity, at which we can no longer ionise the atom," observes Misha Ivanov. "Beyond this threshold, we can control the electron again." The researchers dubbed this limit "Death Valley," following the suggestion of Professor Joe Eberly from the University of Rochester. Confirming an old hypothesis to revolutionise physics theory By placing the electron in a dual state that is neither free nor bound, the researchers found a way to manipulate these oscillations as they like. This enables them to work directly on the electronic structure of the atom. After several adjustments, the physicists were able to free the electron from its nucleus and then trap it in the electric field of the laser, as Walter Henneberger suggested. "By applying an intensity of 100 trillion watts per cm2, we were able to go beyond the Death Valley threshold and trap the electron near its parent atom in a cycle of regular oscillations within the electric field of the laser," Jean-Pierre Wolf says. As a comparison, the intensity of the sun on the Earth is approximately 100 watts per m2. "This gives us the option of creating new atoms dressed by the field of the laser, with new electron energy levels," explains Jean-Pierre Wolf. "We previously thought that this dual state was impossible to create, and we've just proved the contrary. Moreover, we discovered that electrons placed in such states can amplify light. This will play a fundamental role in the theories and predictions on the propagation of intense lasers in gases, such as air," he concludes. Explore further Researchers report the creation of Rydberg polarons in a Bose gas More information: Mary Matthews et al, Amplification of intense light fields by nearly free electrons, Nature Physics (2018). Journal information: Nature Physics Mary Matthews et al, Amplification of intense light fields by nearly free electrons,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-018-0105-0 "My mission is to make people understand that extreme weather and climate change arent just about polar bears; its about the cost of breakfast cereal, a childs vulnerability to new diseases and the economic vitality of the state." Marshall Shepherd, director, Atmospheric Sciences Program. Credit: University of Georgia Rainstorms in 1960 look different from those in 2017, both in terms of intensity and rainfall. It's a simple observation, but one with long-term effects on how cities are equipped to handle weather systems. For Marshall Shepherd, director of the University of Georgia's Atmospheric Sciences program, this is one of many pieces of critical information city leaders need as they examine how their communities and living spaces interact with their region's unique climates. We're all aware of the impact of intense weather systems that make headlines, like 2017's hurricanes Harvey and Irma. But even slight adjustments to weather patternslike historic changes in precipitation levels and the increasing frequency of heat wavescan drastically change living conditions. Shepherd's research into urban flooding, for example, shows how outdated assumptions can have detrimental consequences, and his work on a National Science Foundation-funded project to bridge the gap between city planning and weather-climate communities was an important step in the right direction. In conjunction with the Georgia Water Resources Institute, Shepherd and his team are looking at weather pattern trends to determine how vulnerable to flooding people are in certain cities. And as more people flock to urban centers, these research findings are informing the important decisions made by city planners and policymakers. Before Tropical Storm Bill made landfall over Texas, eastern Texas experienced several days of rain that began flooding areas to the southeast and northern parts of the state. As Tropical Storm Bill moved northward through Texas in 2015, it is hypothesized that it fed off the highly saturated ground (as if it were still over the ocean) and can be seen slightly intensifying (via winds) as it moved into Oklahoma and progressed to the northeast. Credit: University of Georgia "Our work has a direct impact in understanding how we need to think about planning to cope with increasing amounts of rain," he says. "Our storm management systems are currently designed for last century's rainstorms, under the stationary assumption that rainstorms look the same now as they did a few decades ago. We help city planners and policymakers understand how they can be updated." Shepherd and his team are also taking a look at how cities can prepare for climate conditions beyond flooding and other extreme weather events. Published in 2015, Georgia's climate vulnerability index is a collection of data from every county in the state that examines the frequency of floods and heat waves, the percentage of impervious surfaces, and the number of vulnerable populations. Taken together, this information provides a detailed picture of which counties are most at risk from climate change and why. Shepherd credits the state's unique climate for the wide range of data points he and his team are able to collect. "The Southeast, particularly Georgia, experiences the full range of weather events, from heat waves, to droughts, to hurricanes, to tornadoes, to flooding," he says. "Having expertise here, at the university, gives us the opportunity to study extreme weather, its causes and its implications on society." Credit: University of Georgia This is particularly relevant for Shepherd's critical research on the Brown Ocean Effect, a term coined at Georgia. In a series of papers, the Georgia team described how tropical cyclones can intensify or maintain strength as they move inland as a result of wet soils, irrigation or wetland interactions. Partnering with NASA to use satellites and climate models, he and his team are gaining further insights into this phenomenon and how it might influence future hurricane systems. And as with flooding research and the climate index project, this research puts critical information into the hands of key decision-makers who are orchestrating the future of city planning. "Droughts, hurricanes and ice storms are natural processes that are likely being altered by human processes like carbon emissions or urbanization, and we need to understand them," Shepherd says. "My mission is to make people understand that extreme weather and climate change aren't just about polar bears; it's about the cost of breakfast cereal, a child's vulnerability to new diseases and the economic vitality of the state." Credit: University of Georgia Explore further Study assesses climate change vulnerability in Georgia Credit: CC0 Public Domain People considering quitting their jobs stop supporting current colleagues because they no longer feel they need to do favours for them, research shows. Instead of feeling obligated to current co-workers who have provided guidance, those on the hunt for a new post start to focus on other people who can help them in another job or company. However individuals who are considering quitting their jobs do make more of an effort to maintain contact with people at work they consider to be friends because they worry they will be without close colleagues when they are employed elsewhere. Academics surveyed people in work to see how their relationships with colleagues changed when they were considering quitting. They found workers form relationships with some colleagues who are advisors, who help them perform well and make them feel they can achieve their goals. Other colleagues are friends, and provide social and emotional support, and help them feel like they "belong" at work. Those who worked longer hours and those with higher tenure were more often sought out for advice, while those who were older were less frequently asked to provide guidance. People usually became friends with people in the same level of job or length of service, or those who were a similar age and had similar views on their job satisfaction. Dr Andrew Parker, from the University of Exeter Business School, who carried out the study, said: "We found people who are considering quitting their jobs don't then feel the need to help or do favours for those who have given them advice over the years. They feel less obligated towards their old colleagues and begin to focus on the benefits of creating new ties." "However they maintain existing relationships with colleagues who are friends, because they don't want to lose this relationship when they leave their job. They worry they might have less time available to create new friends." Academics questioned 121 employees from eight healthcare organisations in the Netherlands. They were surveyed three times, through questionnaires sent four months apart, and asked to respond to how much they agreed with the comments: "I frequently think about quitting this job" and "I will probably look for a new job soon" using a five point scale. They were also asked to identify colleagues who they viewed as friends, or turned to for advice or help. They were asked: "Do you usually go to this person for help or advice on work-related matters?" The Coevolution of Social Networks and Thoughts of Quitting, by Christian Troster from Kuhne Logistics University, Andrew Parker, from the University of Exeter Business School, Daan van Knippenberg from Drexel University, and Ben Sahlmuller from the University of Rotterdam, is published in the Academy of Management Journal. Explore further Premature babies make fewer friendsbut not for long An Italian minister called Lufthansa's bid for Alitalia the "most promising" of the three on the table Lufthansa emerged as the number one candidate to take over Alitalia on Monday after an Italian government minister called the German airline's bid the "most promising". The Italian government has been looking for new investors in its struggling flagship airline since it entered insolvency proceedings last year, hit by competition from low-cost operators. The situation is further complicated by March's inconclusive general election, from which no new government has yet been found. "Alitalia is still fragile and needs a partner. There's a chance to work on these offers and arrive at a structural solution that doesn't cost taxpayers anything more," Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda told the La Repubblica daily. "Objectively speaking, however, Lufthansa's offer is the most promising." It was put under special administration in May after staff rejected plans to cut 1,700 jobs and salaries, and last week was the subject of three expressions of interest, with Britain's budget airline EasyJet one of the other companies keen. EasyJet presented a "revised expression of interest for a restructured Alitalia, as part of a consortium," without providing further details. Italian media claimed that private equity firm Cerberus and the American airline Delta were EasyJet's partners and that the third expression of interest was submitted by Hungarian carrier Wizz Air, who declined to comment when asked about the matter by AFP. However Calenda said that any sale was contingent on a new government somehow emerging from the political deadlock. Two rounds of consultations held by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella came to nothing, as anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and a right-wing coalition led by the far-right League bicker over who should lead a new government and on what terms. "Italianness" The deadline for sale of Alitalia was originally the end of this month, but the government will issue a decree in the coming weeks pushing back that deadline by around six months while Mattarella searches for a solution to the stalemate. "We need a new government, otherwise the investors will not buy," Calenda said to La Repubblica. However, both the League and the M5S have want to retain the "Italianness" of Alitalia, which employees around 11,000 people. Last week a Lufthansa spokesman told AFP that they had "submitted a document describing ideas for a restructured 'NewAlitalia'", while stating that Alitalia as it is today "is not interesting". The spokesman said that if the document was well received enough "we can imagine further discussions". The Lufthansa groupwhich includes Lufthansa, Eurowings, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlinesreported record profits for 2017 last month, celebrating a year in which it ended a dispute with pilots and acquired parts of defunct rival Air Berlin. Net profits rose 33.1 percent to hit 2.36 billion euros ($2.92 billion), higher than the 2.28 billion predicted by analysts and hailed by chief executive Carsten Spohr as the "best result in the history of our company". However Lufthansa asks that the commissioners responsible for managing Alitalia carry out a profound restructuring before any possible acquisition. Last week Calenda welcomed an improved proposal from Lufthansa, "both in terms of maintaining intercontinental links and staff". Italian media claim that Lufthansa has lowered the number of aviation jobs it wants removed to 4,000 of the current 8,400. Previously it had reportedly planned on 6,000 redundancies. 2018 AFP A new algorithm developed by the University of Surrey could help structural engineers better monitor the health of bridges and alert them to when they need repair faster. Many authorities and organisations use structural health monitoring systems to keep track of the health of bridges, along with the weight of the traffic that it withstands on a day-to-day basis. This leads to a very high sampling rate of data, with some reaching at least 10 Hz and databases that have gigabytes worth of information on a singular structure - which is expensive to house. In a paper published by the journal Measurement, scientists detail how they created an algorithm that compresses large data from bridge monitoring systems into more manageable sizes. The Surrey scientists used a dictionary learning method called K-means Singular Value Decomposition (K-SVD) to compress data from the system that monitors the Leziria bridge in Portugal. The team applied its algorithm to 45,000 data per channel per hour received by the Bridge Weight-in-Motion system - one of the most widely used monitoring applications - and managed to achieve a nearly lossless reconstruction from the information of less than 0.1 per cent. Other methods have shown that they need 50 per cent of the data to achieve similar reconstruction accuracy. Dr Ying Wang, lead author of the paper from the University of Surrey, said: "Many authorities find it difficult to house the data they have for their bridges and other infrastructure - with hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of cars using some bridges every day. "We believe that this approach shows that you can dramatically reduce the large data into a much manageable size without losing information - which is critical to structural engineers." Explore further Picking up bad vibes to gauge bridge health More information: Helder Sousa et al, Sparse representation approach to data compression for strain-based traffic load monitoring: A comparative study, Measurement (2017). Helder Sousa et al, Sparse representation approach to data compression for strain-based traffic load monitoring: A comparative study,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.measurement.2017.10.042 A scene from 232 million years ago, during the Carnian Pluvial Episode after which dinosaurs took over. A large rauisuchian lurks in the background, while two species of dinosaurs stand in the foreground. Based on data from the Ischigualasto Formation in Argentina. Credit: Davide Bonadonna. It is commonly understood that the dinosaurs disappeared with a bang wiped out by a great meteorite impact on the Earth 66 million years ago. But their origins have been less understood. In a new study, scientists from MUSEMuseum of Science, Trento, Italy, Universities of Ferrara and Padova, Italy and the University of Bristol show that the key expansion of dinosaurs was also triggered by a crisis a mass extinction that happened 232 million years ago. In the new paper, published today in Nature Communications, evidence is provided to match the two events the mass extinction, called the Carnian Pluvial Episode, and the initial diversification of dinosaurs. Dinosaurs had originated much earlier, at the beginning of the Triassic Period, some 245 million years ago, but they remained very rare until the shock events in the Carnian 13 million years later. The new study shows just when dinosaurs took over by using detailed evidence from rock sequences in the Dolomites, in north Italy here the dinosaurs are detected from their footprints. First there were no dinosaur tracks, and then there were many. This marks the moment of their explosion, and the rock successions in the Dolomites are well dated. Comparison with rock successions in Argentina and Brazil, here the first extensive skeletons of dinosaurs occur, show the explosion happened at the same time there as well. Lead author Dr. Massimo Bernardi, Curator at MUSE and Research associate at Bristol's School of Earth Sciences, said: "We were excited to see that the footprints and skeletons told the same story. We had been studying the footprints in the Dolomites for some time, and it's amazing how clear cut the change from 'no dinosaurs' to 'all dinosaurs' was." The point of explosion of dinosaurs matches the end of the Carnian Pluvial Episode, a time when climates shuttled from dry to humid and back to dry again. It was long suspected that this event had caused upheavals among life on land and in the sea, but the details were not clear. Then, in 2015, dating of rock sections and measurement of oxygen and carbon values showed just what had happened. There were massive eruptions in western Canada, represented today by the great Wrangellia basaltsthese drove bursts of global warming, acid rain, and killing on land and in the oceans. Co-author Piero Gianolla, from the University of Ferrara, added: "We had detected evidence for the climate change in the Dolomites. There were four pulses of warming and climate perturbation, all within a million years or so. This must have led to repeated extinctions." Professor Mike Benton, also a co-author, from the University of Bristol, said: "The discovery of the existence of a link between the first diversification of dinosaurs and a global mass extinction is important. "The extinction didn't just clear the way for the age of the dinosaurs, but also for the origins of many modern groups, including lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and mammals key land animals today." Explore further Genetic study shows explosion of diversity in fish after end-Cretaceous mass extinction More information: Massimo Bernardi et al. Dinosaur diversification linked with the Carnian Pluvial Episode, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Massimo Bernardi et al. Dinosaur diversification linked with the Carnian Pluvial Episode,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03996-1 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A pair of researchers, one with The Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines in India, the other with the University of Illinois in the U.S., has built a model to explain a paradox of plankton. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, Akshit Goyal and Sergei Maslov describe their model and how well they believe it portrays actual bacterial communities. As the researchers note, for many years, biologists have wondered how it is that communities of bacteria can be so diverse and yet so stable. In most such communities, many of the populations should grow exponentially, which would throw a bacterial community off-balancebut this does not happen. Instead, the community remains stable. This phenomenon has come to be known as the paradox of plankton. One of the leading theories to explain the paradox is based on two main ideasone is that some of the bacteria consume the waste matter of another species. The other is that potential new members of a community can only survive by filling a niche unoccupied by others, or by better at filling that niche. In this new effort, the researchers created a mathematical model to simulate this theory. To create the model, the researchers started with some basic "rules" for their theoretical community. Each member only ever consumes one type of resource, and consuming it causes the production of exactly two new resources. The pair also assumed that any new members could only survive if there was an open niche, or if they were better at exploiting a resource than a current member. In using the model to create a computer simulation, the researchers found that their simple rules led to a virtual community that, like real-world bacterial communities, was both diverse and stable, and in fact became increasingly stable as the organisms became more diverse. They noted that in the early stages of community development, sometimes avalanches of die-offs occurred, during which a new, more efficient species got a foothold, causing existing members of a species to die off, which resulted in a die-off of those species that fed on its waste, and so on. But as time passed and a community grew more stable, avalanches became less common. The researchers also noted that their model explains why two communities under ideal conditions can develop so differently from one anotherit all depends on the history of new membership. Explore further Camponotini ant species have their own distinct microbiomes More information: Akshit Goyal et al. Diversity, Stability, and Reproducibility in Stochastically Assembled Microbial Ecosystems, Physical Review Letters (2018). Arxiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.00755 Akshit Goyal et al. Diversity, Stability, and Reproducibility in Stochastically Assembled Microbial Ecosystems,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.158102 , On ABSTRACT Microbial ecosystems are remarkably diverse, stable, and usually consist of a mixture of core and peripheral species. Here we propose a conceptual model exhibiting all these emergent properties in quantitative agreement with real ecosystem data, specifically species abundance and prevalence distributions. Resource competition and metabolic commensalism drive the stochastic ecosystem assembly in our model. We demonstrate that even when supplied with just one resource, ecosystems can exhibit high diversity, increasing stability, and partial reproducibility between samples. Journal information: Physical Review Letters , arXiv 2018 Phys.org The news media are often accused by adopting a "doom and gloom" tone, especially when it comes to coverage of the environment. However, a new study on how journalists report on the state of our oceans shows that view may be misguided. The research, conducted by researchers at New York University and the University of Miami (Fla.), shows that "doom and gloom" language was present in only 10 percent of the analyzed U.S. newspaper articles; by contrast, optimistic languagesuch as, "the oceans are mostly intact, still wild enough to bounce back to ecological health" (New York Times, January 15, 2015)was present in more than a quarter of these stories. In addition, nearly half of the examined stories on ocean health issues cited potential solutions to problems described in the sample's articles. "Journalists use more than twice as much optimistic language as 'doom and gloom' language when they write about the state of the oceans," says Lisa Johns, a graduate student at the University of Miami's Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and co-author on the study, which appears in the journal Global Environmental Change. "And journalists are doing a good job of covering solutions to the problems in the ocean they describe." "There are some who accuse the news media of being 'doom and gloom' when it comes to the oceans, so we set out to test whether this was empirically true," adds Jennifer Jacquet, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at NYU and co-author on the study. "The news is simply not all 'doom and gloom' when it comes to ocean reporting, and our study should put that argument to rest." The study examined 169 articles appearing in four U.S. newspapers (the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal) between July 2001 and February 2015 that addressed the state of the world's oceans. The articles included 80 on climate change (47 percent); 66 on the status of a species or population (39 percent); 52 on pollution (31 percent); 23 on offshore drilling (14 percent); and five on aquaculture, which is a method for farming ocean species (3 percent). The vast majority of articles cited peer-reviewed research (64 percent) or another form of governmental or scientific report (30 percent), with 6 percent of the total not explicitly mentioning a source or study. Interestingly, while doom and gloom language was present in 10 percent of all articles in this study, only 4 percent contained only this type of language (e.g., "At this point, without human intervention, the species could go extinct within our lifetimes," Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2012); the remaining articles expressed both doom and gloom and optimistic language. In addition, the study found that headlines used more alarmist terminology (e.g. "ravaged," "collapse," "doom," "smoking gun," "decimated," "perils," "menace," "lethal," "crisis," "catastrophe," "disaster," "dire," "point of no return," etc.) than did the articles' body (21 percent, or 35 headlines, vs. 10 percent, or 17 articles). More information: Lisa N. Johns et al, Doom and gloom versus optimism: An assessment of ocean-related U.S. science journalism (2001-2015), Global Environmental Change (2018). Lisa N. Johns et al, Doom and gloom versus optimism: An assessment of ocean-related U.S. science journalism (2001-2015),(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2018.04.002 Louca and colleagues in Canada, the United States and Europe are advocating a new approach to studying the most abundant form of life on Earth. Credit: University of British Columbia Scientists in Canada, the United States and Europe are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology, advocating a new approach to studying the most abundant form of life on Earth. When it comes to microbe species, they argue, niche is much more important than names. "Traditional ecology tells us species derive energy one way within an ecosystemplant species convert light into chemical energy through photosynthesis, and animals burn organic carbon using oxygen to extract energy," explains University of British Columbia (UBC) scientist Stilianos Louca, who led the synthesis published in Nature Ecology and Evolution. "But microbial systems have many more ways to get energy, and are highly redundant. Hundreds of species can co-exist and perform the same biochemical functions in one setting, and switch functions in a different setting." The finding has major implications for interpreting changes in microbial communities or predicting their healthwhether in the human gut, in engineered bio-refining processes, or during environmental perturbation or loss of diversity in the ocean. "As researchers we need to decouple biochemical processes from taxonomic labels. And we need to refine, and update, our terminology to represent this decoupling, and we need new paradigms to interpret changes in microbial communities." Scientists in Canada, the United States and Europe are looking to rewrite the textbook on microbial ecology, advocating a new approach to studying the most abundant form of life on Earth. Credit: Stilianos Louca, University of British Columbia How do microbes come about this jack-of-all-trades redundancy? Based on an analysis of more than 59,000 sequenced microbial genomes, Louca and colleagues argue it's baked into the systemgenes responsible for specific biochemical functions are widely and irregularly distributed across the microbial tree of life. The researchers also ruled out another prevailing paradigmthat frequent and unpredictable fluctuations in microbial species composition are due to random birth and death events in small populations. What some researchers call 'ecological drift'. "Our synthesis, and new computer simulations, show that view is likely wrong," says Louca. "We should be focusing on the largely unexplored biological interactions between organismssuch as predation by viruses or antibiotic warfare, that don't necessarily affect the major biogeochemical fluxes in the system." The synthesis is based on microbial community research from the last two years, and involved researchers from UBC, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Simon Fraser University, the University of California, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts, and the Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule, Switzerland. "Microbial ecosystems outside the lab can typically sustain a large number of taxa with the potential to perform the same metabolic functions, begging the question of how such apparently redundant species coexist," says Otto Cordero, an assistant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who was not involved in the study. "One possibility is that coexistence is maintained by neutral processes, such as demographic fluctuations. Another is that seemingly redundant taxa are differentiated in their 'micro-niches' based on fine-scale trait differences, such as attachment, motility, enzyme affinities. This research builds a strong case for the latter and presents a thoughtful discussion of its implications for the study of microbial ecosystems. An important corollary of this paper is the need to group taxa into functional units, similar to how trait-based ecology groups plants in guilds." More information: Stilianos Louca et al, Function and functional redundancy in microbial systems, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2018). Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Stilianos Louca et al, Function and functional redundancy in microbial systems,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0519-1 The robot of Jordan Bos with a phantom piece of skull base. The rest of the skull is added virtually to show where the piece is located in the body. Credit: Bart van Overbeeke Drilling out a hole in the skull base has to be done with great precision and often takes many hours. It is an intervention that requires the maximum from a surgeon. Researchers from TU/e have therefore developed a surgery robot to take over this task. With sub-millimeter precision, the robot can automatically and safely mill a cavity of the desired shape and dimensions. Jordan Bos will receive his Ph.D. on 16 April for the robot he designed and built. The robot is expected to perform its first surgery within five years. Each year surgeons make a hole in the base of the skull for more than 100,000 people worldwide, for example to treat an infection or cancer, or to place a cochlear implant, a hearing implant. This is a delicate task, because they come across quite a few structures that they certainly must not touch, such as the facial and the taste nerve, the inner ear and the balance organ. In addition, bone filings and blood impedes vision through the microscope during the procedure. The surgeon must therefore work with extreme concentration, often for hours together, in an uncomfortable posture. At the request of ENT doctor and skull base surgeon Dirk Kunst of the Radboud UMC in Nijmegen, Jordan Bos developed a robot to take over at least part of these kinds of operations. He first visited about twenty skull base operations to study these interventions, and then devised about twenty concepts. He created a detailed design of the best concept and built a prototype, which is now ready and with which the first technical tests have already been performed. Advanced arm The robot, called RoBoSculpt, works on the basis of precise instructions from the surgeon who accurately indicates which piece of bone the robot has to remove on CT images of the patient's skull. The robot is in fact a very advanced arm, which holds an existing surgical drilling tool. Before the operation, the head is accurately fixed in position and then the robot mills the desired cavity. Because the robot works faster in principle, the duration of an operation can be shorter. It is expected that the robot will make more accurate procedures possible, with shorter recovery times, and will result in fewer complications and recovery operations. That would make these kinds of operations less stressful for the patient and potentially less expensive. Surgeons benefit as they are relieved from a burdensome task, which also enables them to keep doing their job when they are older. The robot is actually an advanced computer-controlled milling machine, or a CNC milling machine, with seven axes of motion to enable all possible angles. Despite the high number of axes, the device is very accurate, thanks to the compactness, the high level of stiffness, the low weight and the minimal backlash on the axes. The robot can also be covered with a sterile cover, which is important in the operating room. Skull base surgeon Dirk Kunst, who acted as co-supervisor for Bos, is enthusiastic about the robot. "This is an important step towards the operating room of the future. RoBoSculpt is an optimal collaboration between the surgeon and the machine; they really complement each other to achieve the best results for the patient." To gain experience The first pre-clinical tests with the robot will therefore also start this year, at the Radboud UMC. The first operation on people could take place in two to three years. A possible first step in the introduction is that the robot does the preparatory work, and the surgeon himself the crucial final part, in order to gain experience safely with the robot. The company Eindhoven Medical Robotics plans to commercialize the technology, in a partnership with TU/e. A robot that is pre-programmed to perform a surgical procedure is a new development. Nevertheless, Bos does not think that robots will be able to carry out all sorts of other operations in the short term. "The design of this robot is only applicable to precision applications for hard structures in the human body, specifically bones. Soft tissue cannot be fixed with enough precision." Explore further Robotic surgerywhat you need to know MIT biologists have discovered the first cellular response targeted at helping mitochondria when their protein import goes wrong. Credit: Ella Maru Studio If there's one fact that most people retain from elementary biology, it's that mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell. As such, they break down molecules and manufacture new ones to generate the fuel necessary for life. But mitochondria rely on a stream of proteins to sustain this energy production. Nearly all their proteins are manufactured in the surrounding gel-like cytoplasm, and must be imported into the mitochondria to keep the powerhouse running. A duo of MIT biologists has revealed what happens when a traffic jam of proteins at the surface of the mitochondria prevents proper import. They describe how the mitochondria communicate with the rest of the cell to signal a problem, and how the cell responds to protect the mitochondria. This newly-discovered molecular pathway, called mitoCPR, detects import mishaps and preserves mitochondrial function in the midst of such stress. "This is the first mechanism identified that surveils mitochondrial protein import, and helps mitochondria when they can't get the proteins they need," says Angelika Amon, the Kathleen and Curtis Marble Professor of Cancer Research in the MIT Department of Biology, who is also a member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and senior author of the study. "Responses to mitochondrial stress have been established before, but this one specifically targets the surface of the mitochondria, clearing out the misfolded proteins that are stuck in the pores." Hilla Weidberg, a postdoc in Amon's lab, is the lead author of the study, which appears in Science on April 13. Fueling the powerhouse Mitochondria likely began as independent entities long ago, before being engulfed by host cells. They eventually gave up control and moved most of their important genes to a different organelle, the nucleus, where the rest of the cell's genetic blueprint is stored. The protein products from these genes are ultimately made in the cytoplasm outside the nucleus, and then guided to the mitochondria. These "precursor" proteins contain a special molecular zip code that guides them through the channels at the surface of the mitochondria to their respective homes. The proteins must be unfolded and delicately threaded through the narrow channels in order to enter the mitochondria. This creates a precarious situation; if the demand is too high, or the proteins are folded when they shouldn't be, a bottleneck forms that none shall pass. This can simply occur when the mitochondria expand to make more of themselves, or in diseases like deafness-dystonia syndrome and Huntington's. "The machinery that we've identified seems to evict proteins that are sitting on the surface of the mitochondria and sends them for degradation," Amon says. "Another possibility is that this mitoCPR pathway might actually unfold these proteins, and in doing so give them a second chance to be pushed through the membrane." Two other pathways were recently identified in yeast that also respond to accumulated mitochondrial proteins. However, both simply clear protein refuse from the cytoplasm around the mitochondria, rather than removing the proteins collecting on the mitochondria themselves. "We knew about various responses to mitochondrial stress, but no one had described a response to protein import defects that specifically protected the mitochondria, and that's exactly what mitoCPR does," Weidberg says. "We wanted to know how the cell reacts to these problems, so we set out to overload the import machinery, causing many proteins to rush into the mitochondrion at the same time and clog the pores, triggering a cellular response." "What makes our cells absolutely dependent on mitochondria is one of those million-dollar questions in cell biology," says Vlad Denic, professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University. "This study reveals an interesting flip-side to that question: When you make mitochondrial life artificially tough, are they programmed to say 'help us' so the host cell comes to their rescue? The possible ramifications of such work in terms of human development and disease could be very impressive." A pathway to understanding Roughly two decades ago, researchers began to notice that the genes required to defend cells against drugs and other foreign substancestogether, called the multidrug resistance (MDR) responsewere also expressed in yeast mitochondrial mutants for some unknown reason. This suggested that the protein in charge of binding to the DNA and initiating the MDR response must have a dual purpose, sometimes triggering a second, separate pathway as well. But precisely how this second pathway related to mitochondria remained a mystery. "Twenty years ago, scientists recognized mitoCPR as some kind of mechanism against mitochondrial dysfunction," Weidberg says. "Today we've finally characterized it, given it a name, and identified its precise function: to help mitochondrial protein import." As the import process slows, Amon and Weidberg determined that the protein that initiates mitoCPRthe transcription factor Pdr3binds to DNA within the nucleus, inducing the expression of a gene known as CIS1. The resultant Cis1 protein binds to the channel at the surface of the mitochondrion, and recruits yet another protein, the AAA+ adenosine triphosphatase Msp1, to help clear unimported proteins from the mitochondrial surface and mediate their degradation. Although the MDR response pathway differs from that of mitoCPR, both rely on Pdr3 activation. In fact, mitoCPR requires it. "Whether the two pathways interact with one another is a very interesting question," Amon says. "The mitochondria make a lot of biosynthetic molecules, and blocking that function by messing with protein import could lead to the accumulation of intermediate metabolites. These can be toxic to the cell, so you could imagine that activating the MDR response might pump out harmful intermediates." The question of what activates Pdr3 to initiate mitoCPR is still unclear, but Weidberg has some ideas related to signals stemming from the build-up of toxic metabolite intermediates. It's also yet to be determined whether an analogous pathway exists in more complex organisms, although there is some evidence that the mitochondria do communicate with the nucleus in other eukaryotes besides yeast. "This was just such a classic study," Amon says. "There were no sophisticated high-throughput methodologies, just traditional, simple molecular biology and cell biology assays with a few microscopes. It's almost like something you'd see out of the 1980s. But that just goes to showto this daythat's how many discoveries are made." Explore further Researchers discover mitochondria-to-nucleus messenger protein More information: Hilla Weidberg et al. MitoCPRA surveillance pathway that protects mitochondria in response to protein import stress, Science (2018). Journal information: Science Hilla Weidberg et al. MitoCPRA surveillance pathway that protects mitochondria in response to protein import stress,(2018). DOI: 10.1126/science.aan4146 This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. ASIM on Columbus. Credit: ESAD. Ducros The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor, also known as the Space Storm Hunter, was installed today outside the European space laboratory Columbus. Operators in Canada commanded the International Space Station's 16-m long robotic arm to move the 314-kg facility from a Dragon spacecraft's cargo hold to its place of operation on Columbus. Pointing straight down at Earth, the storm hunter will observe lightning and powerful electrical bursts in the atmosphere that occur above thunderstorms, the so-called transient luminous events. The inner workings of these magnificent forces of nature are still unknown. The International Space Station offers a great vantage point to gather information about such events it circles 400 km above Earth and covers the areas where most thunderstorms appear. Setting up The first part to getting data is checking the communication channels. The storm hunter will send data over the International Space Station network beamed via communication satellites to a ground station in White Sands, USA, then on to the Space Station mission control in Houston, under the Atlantic ocean to the Columbus Control Centre near Munich, Germany, and finally to the Belgian user operations and support centre in Brussels. The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) is a collection of optical cameras, photometers and an X- and gamma-ray detector designed to look for electrical discharges born in stormy weather conditions that extend above thunderstorms into the upper atmosphere. Credit: ESA The observatory has two suites of instruments to capture optical images in infrared and ultraviolet, and x-ray and gamma-ray detectors. Sensors will measure light levels to determine if an image should be taken and the data sent back to Earth. Setting the levels will be a matter of trial and error setting the trigger too low will flood the network with images that are of no use, too high and some thunderstorms will not be recorded. The operators will collaborate with scientists at the Technical Institute of Denmark who are eagerly awaiting readings from the observatory, in order to find the best solution. Visual cameras will pinpoint areas of interest while photomultiplier tubes record the details of the lightning and transient luminous events. Other sensors are included to learn more about terrestrial gamma-ray flashes, for high and low energy x-ray and gamma-ray bursts. Flying from North Africa over Turkey towards Russia in this timelapse. Credit: ESA/NASA Each element of the storm hunter will be activated in turn and tested to ensure they are working as expected. This is expected to take up to six weeks, during which the user control centre will be run continuously. Anuschka Helderweirt, operations engineer at the Belgian operations centre, says: "We are thrilled to start operating these instruments in space, this is what the hours spent training, developing procedures and preparing for anomalies was for. We are ready to deliver some fascinating new scientific data." Explore further Image: Dragon lifts off Credit: Leiden University Nico Staring, researcher in Egyptian art, culture and history is taking part in an excavation mission in Saqqara. During the New Kingdom, the tombs of Horemheb and Maya were built. But also long before and after, over a period of 3.000 years, the location was used a cemetery . People in the past often structured, used and experienced the desert landscape differently from the people that lived (long) before and after them. At the same time, however, material traces from the past, such as tombs, influenced the actions of people in the future. The area that we are excavating in this season presents a very nice opportunity to study the activities of people over a long period of time: from the New Kingdom to the Coptic period, and beyond. It is an area possibly located in between two truly monumental tombs, bordered by Maya in the south and an unknown neighbour in the north. One generation later, in the so-called Ramesside period, the cemetery had become much overcrowded. Therefore, tomb chapels of modest dimensions were constructed in the limited spaces available in between and around the larger tombs. Two such chapels were already uncovered during last season, and the traces of a third were and still are just visible from the sand. It is very tempting to clear the sand and reveal the identity of the tomb owner. However, we also want to know what happened to the chapel long after the last visitor had placed an offering there. The archaeological examination takes time, but this will eventually yield interesting new insights. We now know that the area above the chapel was used in the Coptic period in the first centuries A.D., and that much later, robbers searching for valuables dug holes all around in order to locate the tomb shaft. More than 3.000 years of human activity in an excavation pit of only 5 square metres. The Leiden-Turin archaeological mission keeps a digging diary available on the website of the Rijks Museum voor Oudheden. This week the contribution is from Nico Staring. Explore further Archaeologists find ancient necropolis in Egypt 3 hours ago The Top 3 Stocks to Buy in October Periods of market volatility are never easy for investors to navigate, especially when market participants have been conditioned to buy the dip for the better part of the last year. Weve witnessed a few selloffs since the markets massive move off of the pandemic lows, but each bout of volatility never lasted more than a few days or weeks at most. Read Article [ABUJA, NIGERIA] The future of research in Africa is in jeopardy unless adequate management of national scientific research systems is done, a meeting has heard. Experts at the meeting said that inadequate management of national scientific research systems is frustrating researchers in Africa and other developing countries. Top researchers from developed and developing countries at a meeting held by the International Council for Science held in Nigeria last month (7-8 March) noted that the limited availability of research positions, the lack of adequate research laboratories and high-performance technical platforms are other factors stifling the future of researchers. There is also a complete absence of stimulus no academic awards, recognitions or appreciation [for scholars]. Nazar Hassan, UNESCO Cairo Office The meeting which attracted about 30 scientists from countries such as Burkina Faso, Mozambique, South Africa and Norway called for a general overhaul of the educational system in developing countries to focus more on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and creation of specific organisations responsible for research management to ensure that researches are tailored towards national goals and aspirations. Nazar Hassan, a senior regional science, technology and innovation specialist with the UNESCO Cairo Office, said that shaping the future of researchers would entail developing countries going to the drawing board and implementing the recommendations of the first conference of ministers responsible for the application of science and technology to development in Africa that was held in Dakar, Senegal, in 1974. Hassan added that the recommendations included the need for African nations to devote one per cent of their gross national product (GDP) to research and development (R&D) by 1980. This target has proved difficult to achieve, said Hassan, noting that by 1980 most countries allocated only 0.36 per cent of their GDP to R&D. Hassan added that lack of funding is a problem but there are others such as the low value accorded to researchers, with politicians priorities in many African countries having greater considerations than those of scholars. Most countries in the developing world lack strategic plans, said Hassan. There is also a complete absence of stimulus no academic awards, recognitions or appreciation [for scholars]. Ibidapo Obe, former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos in Nigeria , said that changing the narrative means that research in developing countries must provide better welfare including human security, and lead to participation in new and emerging research frontiers such as drone technology and nanotechnology. Researchers in developing countries must focus primarily on aspects of knowledge expansion that relate to human welfare since development is an aggregate value of comfort to life, he said. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. As more and more entrepreneurs are constantly innovating, fresh new apps are sporadically being introduced to the public, it is no surprise that the number of crowdfunding platforms in Singapore are gradually increasing as well. The ideal scenario that every investor would want to be in, is to be able to fund or provide financial support to the next Facebook, Uber, or Airbnb, and have the opportunity to support growing SMEs, which are the backbone of the economy (SMEs make up 99% of companies in Singapore). Here in Singapore, the government would typically intervene as long as there is money involved. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) would be the official body to implement new policies and regulate these companies so as to ensure that money is being managed appropriately by these crowdfunding companies. There are a couple of ways to invest in these crowdfunding platforms, but investors have to know what they are in for before making any monetary commitments. Donation-based Crowdfunding where investors and contributors will support an idea or product financially, and the returns could be intangible. Reward-based Crowdfunding where investors who contributed financially will receive a reward in a form of a tangible object or something that is of non-monetary benefit. Debt-based Crowdfunding this arrangement is quite similar to that of a loan. Where one or more investor will loan funds out and in return earn from the interest of the loan amount taken up. Equity-based Crowdfunding this arrangement is where investors who contributed financially would be regarded as a shareholder and be part of the company, owning shares. They will be receiving profits if the company appreciates or makes money. What are some of the well-known crowdfunding websites? 1. FundingSocieties.com Source: Funding Societies Funding Societies is Southeast Asias leading peer-to-peer financing platform, and the first to crowdfund more than SGD 130 million, the largest crowdfunded SME loan amount in the region that too in about 2.5 years. Besides having a solid track record of credit underwriting which is reflective in the low default rate, Funding Societies also has one of the strongest financial backing amongst peer-to-peer financing platforms in Southeast Asia. Story continues They are also the first debt crowdfunding platform in Singapore to introduce e-signing of contracts. For the busy and passive investor, a simple way to diversify ones portfolio within Funding Societies is to set up Auto-Invest. Whenever an investment opportunity comes along and falls within the Auto-Invest parameters set by the investor, the algorithm will allocate the desired amount to be invested on the loan without having to manually queue and invest. Majority of our investors have activated their Auto-Invest function. A Funding Societies mobile app is available too for anytime and anyday use. As an investor, you can do most things on the app review your portfolio, invest, manage Auto-Invest settings, and even speak to someone on live chat. Behind the live chat is Miyu, a friendly chatbot, and Funding Societies CX heroes (the humans backing up. Fret not if you are in a different time zone or are too busy during business hours, Miyu can get your queries promptly answered 24/7. 2. Kickstarter.Com Source: Kickstarter Kickstarter would be one of the more reputable crowdfunding sites if you are looking for a platform which has lots of ongoing campaigns and projects for an investor who is looking to fund and be part of a project they see a potential in. Above would be a sample campaign where investors are able to back this project which simply equates to funding the project financially. Upon clicking on the page, potential investors would be redirected to the funding page where they would be able to know what type of crowdfunding or returns they will be able to get. Source: Kickstarter After clicking the back this project button, investors will be taken to this page where they would be able to find out the type of crowdfunding they are in for. For most of the product projects, it would be a reward-based crowdfunding where users would be able to receive a reward or a product of the funded project based on the amount that they are financially supporting. If there are still questions that are unanswered, there would be an FAQ at the right corner of the screen with a series of commonly asked question where you may find an answer there. Source: Kickstarter Source: Kickstarter Till date, kickstarter has successfully funded some 138k projects with close to 3.5 million dollars worth of funding. It is no wonder that kickstarter is one of the more globally recognised crowdfunding platforms today. Below are some local crowdfunding sites where you can simply access via a simple Google search Crowdfunding platforms Singapore Source: Google 3. FundedHere.Com Source: FundedHere Fundedhere is another local crowdfunding platform where local investors are able to dive deeper to take a look into their current campaigns. Above would be a good example of an equity crowdfunding website. In order to view the amount they are asking for, in return of an Z% equity of the company, investors will also have to be qualified through a series of questions and will be curated by the platform before releasing the necessary information from the fundraisers. What You Should Know Before Putting Money Into A Crowdfunding Platform Like any investment, potential investors should research on crowdfunding and understand how it works. Funding Societies believes that a good way to start is to speak directly with the platform and the team. SME loan investment is only as good as the platform you invest on. Learn the basics of 5Cs of credit underwriting (Google it!), pierce through the glitters of X years of banking experience and ask tough questions, said Kelvin Teo, CEO and co-founder of Funding Societies, the only platform with a FinTech Award from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to its name. How can you mitigate risk? Funding Societies has four tips for managing risk when investing in a crowdfunding platform. Firstly, choose a platform that has good credit management reflected through their track record. While a track record does not forecast future performance, it gives clarity on the prudent due-diligence practices a platform has to actively filter out potentially bad quality loans. In terms of managing repayments and defaults, the platform should be able to articulate the reasons for late repayments and interventions taken against the companies and guarantors when a loan becomes delinquent or defaults. Secondly, to minimize ones exposure to a specific investment, a good way is to diversify extensively in terms of the number of loans, loan amount, industry and loan products. In this way, a single/or a few defaults will not impact the overall portfolio performance excessively. Thirdly, investors should invest with stable platforms so that they can focus on their investments and not worry about the financial stability of the platform. Lastly, know your risk appetite before investing. Ensure that the platform is pricing the risk properly and your returns are commensurate with the risk that you are taking. Check the credibility of the crowdfunding platform It is always useful to browse through the crowdfunding site and keep a look out for a CMS (Capital Markets Service) license number that you can cross reference with MASs platform. Source: MAS All of us would want to know that our money is being used for the right intended purpose. Companies that are found under the MAS list are regulated and would comply to the Monetary Authority of Singapore when it comes to compliance and regulations. It is important to note, however, that the CMS license requirement currently only applies to platforms dealing with debt and equity, but not for platforms operating with other business models. At the same time, licensing mainly provides guidelines for the conduct of platforms, and such licensed platforms can still have bad credit underwriting and eventually have bad loans listed on their platforms. So always do your due diligence. Source: MoneySense It is also wise to read up the common FAQs of Crowdfunding which can be found from MoneySense, a government website to understand more about Crowdfunding. An investor should also practice their due diligence if they are likely to make investments in these crowdfunding platforms. Local crowdfunding platforms are growing by the numbers, do take note of what type of crowdfunding the fundraisers are asking for, and know where your money is being funded to. It may be for a cause, to fund a prototype product and see it completed, or to fund an idea. Whichever it may be, an investor should take some time out to read through the terms and conditions before committing an amount. This article first appeared on ZUU online. ZUU online is an Asia-based financial education online portal. Founded in Japan by Kazumasa Tomita, a former private banker at Nomura Securities, the portal seeks to fill the information gap between institutional research houses and the private investor. (By Lionel Lau) Related Articles - Funding Societies Surpasses SGD 100 Million in SME Crowdfunding - A Comparison of Singapores Peer to Peer (P2P) Lending Platforms: Capital Match, Funding Societies and MoolahSense - Beginners Guide: Crowdfunding In Singapore Seven inmates were killed and 17 injured in clashes between rival gangs over "contraband and territory" at a maximum security prison in South Carolina, in the deadliest outbreak of prison violence in the United States in a quarter century. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster described the overnight bloodshed at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, South Carolina, as "unfortunate" but said "these are dangerous people." "We cannot expect them to give up their violent ways just because they're in prison," McMaster told a press conference on Monday. Bryan Stirling, head of the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), said fighting broke out shortly after 7:00 pm on Sunday in a prison dormitory and spread to two others before it was put down nearly eight hours later. Stirling said a preliminary investigation had found that it was "gangs fighting over territory." "This was all about territory," he said. "This was about contraband. This was about cellphones. "These folks are fighting about real money and real territory while they're incarcerated." Stirling and the governor both appealed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow them to block cellphone signals to prisons to prevent inmates from communicating with people on the outside world. "Jamming those cellphone signals will do a lot," McMaster said. "It's not just a South Carolina problem. It's a national problem." - No resistance - Stirling said 44 guards were on duty at the prison which houses some 1,600 inmates when the violence erupted. He said a response team entered the first dormitory at 11:30 pm, the second one at 12:30 am and the third one at 2:00 am. "There was no resistance when we went in to take the dorms back," Stirling said. Prison officials said order was restored by 3:00 am and inmates locked down in their cells. They said the clashes left seven prisoners dead and 17 "requiring medical attention." All prison guards and law enforcement authorities who responded were "safe and accounted for." Lee Correctional Institution is a "Level III" maximum security facility built in 1993 to house violent offenders and prisoners with behavioral problems. Deadly prison riots have been relatively rare in the United States, despite some notable exceptions. South Carolina's prisons are notoriously violent, however, and suffer from chronic understaffing. According to The State newspaper, the number of inmates killed in South Carolina's prisons more than doubled in 2017 from the previous year. It said 12 inmates were killed by other prisoners last year, up from five in 2016. The deaths included four inmates who were strangled to death by two fellow prisoners in April 2017 at Kirkland Correctional Institution, another maximum security prison. - 'Unacceptable' - Representative Todd Rutherford, the leader of the Democratic minority in the state House of Representatives, condemned the violence. "A mass casualty incident inside a correctional facility is simply unacceptable," Rutherford tweeted. "Safety -- for inmates, SCDC employees, and the public -- must be a priority. "Rioting like this is a symptom our criminal justice system is broken and needs reform now," he said. The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the world with around 450 prisoners per 100,000 residents, according to Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). There were 1.5 million inmates in state and federal prisons in the United States at the end of 2016, according to the BJS. The overnight violence at Lee Correctional Institution was one of the deadliest at a US prison in decades. In 1993, nine inmates and a corrections officer were killed at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Lucasville, Ohio. A two-day riot and hostage-taking at the New Mexico State Prison in 1980 left 33 inmates dead and 200 injured, one of the worst in modern US history. Probably the most famous was the 1971 rebellion at New York's Attica prison. After a four day standoff with inmates holding 42 hostages, New York state police moved in to retake the prison on orders of governor Nelson Rockefeller. By the time it was over 43 people were dead, including 10 guards and prison employees and 33 inmates. In case you missed it, the hunger of the internet lynch mob has now been directed at a man who insisted he pay only the $10 for a full tank of fuel worth $135 at Caltex Tampinessince the pump attendant allegedly made a mistake. In a Facebook post by concerned netizen Kelly Yeo, the story of the elderly pump attendant was laid before the internet. On the Caltex along Tampines on pump number 7, a man and his BMW were getting a refuel. What happened? According to the post, the man allegedly went to the counter to pay for only $10 of fuel even if the amount of fuel put into his car was worth $135. He said that he only asked for $10 of fuel. The elderly fuel attendant who is allegedly around his 60s said that he had heard the customer say that they wanted a full tank of gas. The customer denied that that is what he asked and said he only wanted $10 worth of fuel. When the mistake was revealed, the man insisted he only pay what he asked for. The fuel attendant allegedly said it was all right and that he would just cover the cost of his mistake, much to the astonishment of the person who first posted about the incident. This isnt right What pushed the original post to be published is also the same feeling that netizens are riding on now, since they are very sure of the injustice made against this old fuel attendant. According to the original Facebook post, it was a bad move to insist on only paying for $10 when the man would eventually use all the fuel transferred to his car anyway. Caltex is currently investigating Due to the viral nature of post with thousands upon thousands of shares spread out over several posts, Caltex has finally issued a statement on the matter here: The full text of Caltexs statement is as follows: Good afternoon Singapore, we are heartened by the solidarity and care shown towards our team at Caltex Tampines. Thank you for the kindness and concern. We want to assure the community that our Caltex attendant did not bear any financial obligation from the events that occurred on April 14. Do be assured that our station manager, together with the management team are looking into this issue now and an investigation is ongoing. For any enquiries on this issue, do get in touch with us via PM and well get back to you. Story continues We do encourage everyone to refrain from any personal or group responses towards the driver or those involved as our team is already looking into resolving this. Thank you for your support. The elderly pump attendant was not asked to pay for the fuel, and the company is investigating the matter. The hunt is on Meanwhile, indignation and the thirst for justice has spread across Singaporean internet space, with people searching for the man who would do this to an elderly attendant. While a picture has been circulating online, there is no confirmation that this is the man involved in the incident. What do you think of what happened? Let us know in the comments! The post Caltex investigating man who paid $10 for a full tank because elderly gas attendant allegedly didnt hear him correctly appeared first on Alvinology. The motorised sampan used by boatman Tan Poh Teck in Chew Eng Hans escape bid. (File photo: Wong Casandra/Yahoo News Singapore) A third man suspected of abetting former City Harvest Church (CHC) leader Chew Eng Hans failed bid to escape Singapore was charged in the State Courts on Monday (16 April). Malaysian Tan Kim Ho, 42, was arrested in Malaysia by the Royal Malaysia Police after a warrant of arrest was issued by the State Courts. He was handed over to the Singapore Police Force on Saturday. He has been charged with abetting Chew to leave Singapore from Pulau Ubin Jetty, which is an unauthorised place of embarkation, in contravention of the Immigration Act, on the morning of 21 February. Tan is the third man to have been charged for abetting the 57-year-old Chews attempt to escape Singapore in a motorised sampan that departed from Pulau Ubin. Chew, one of the six CHC leaders convicted of misusing $50 million in church funds, had been due to begin serving a jail term of three years and four months for his role the following day. He was out on bail at the time of the offence. Tan is represented by lawyer K R Manicka. He will be remanded for a week and return to court on 23 April. Another accomplice, Malaysian Khoo Kea Leng, 45, was jailed last Thursday for conspiring with Chew. Chews boatman, 53-year-old Singaporean Tan Poh Teck, was charged alongside Chew on 22 February. Both Tan Poh Teck and Chew have yet to be dealt with by the court. The former CHC fund manager had earlier approached Khoo for help in fleeing Singapore and had agreed to pay $12,000 to Khoo, Tan Poh Teck and another Malaysian man. Chew paid Khoo $8,000 near Block 75 Marine Drive a day before his escape attempt. Related stories: Man who helped ex-City Harvest Church leader in escape bid jailed six months Boatman in Chew Eng Han case faces new charge for helping another flee Singapore Malaysian suspect allegedly met Chew Eng Han at Marine Drive carpark to discuss escape plan BARCELONA (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Catalan independence supporters flooded the streets of Barcelona on Sunday calling for the release of jailed separatist leaders after a supreme court ruling frustrated their latest attempt to elect a regional leader. Around 350,000 demonstrators clogged several main city arteries waving flags and wearing yellow in support of separatist leaders jailed for their role in the wealthy region's banned drive to split from Spain last year. Among the politicians facing charges of rebellion is Jordi Sanchez, the latest candidate put forward by Catalan lawmakers to become leader of the region. Catalonia's struggle to find a leader began after it declared independence in October. Spanish courts ruled the declaration was illegal, took direct control of the region and called for new elections. Supreme court judge Pablo Llarena refused last week to release him from jail and he faces up to 25 years on charges of rebellion, marking the latest of four unsuccessful attempts to elect a new leader. If a new leader is not named before the end of May, Catalonia will be forced to call another election. In his first interview since a German court ruled that he would not be extradited to Spain to face charges of rebellion, former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont said that the region should avoid returning to the polls. "It's our obligation to look for a way to avoid further elections," Puigdemont said in an interview with Catalan television TV3 recorded in Berlin and broadcast late on Sunday. "But there is not a zero risk of this happening because there is another party involved, and that's the Spanish government." (Reporting by Sam Edwards; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Sandra Maler) (PHOTO: Reuters) A former Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) executive who appealed against his jail term for corruption had his sentence reduced by two weeks in the High Court on Monday (16 April). Following a seven-day trial last June, 45-year-old Alex Ong Boon Chuan was convicted in the State Courts and sentenced to 22 weeks jail and also ordered to pay a $39,000 penalty. This was reduced to 20 weeks jail and a $22,800 penalty following his successful appeal. Ong had been found guilty on five charges of corruptly obtaining loans of between $1,000 and $16,000 from Kenneth Ng Soon Yong, the director of Mecflou. Ong was responsible for the construction and installation of the Transformers theme ride at Universal Studios Singapore (USS), and Mecflou was a subcontractor which did mechanical works for the project. Ong had asked for five loans from Ng even though this was against RWS code of conduct and also reflected a conflict of interest. There were two loans of $1,000, one loan of $5,000 and two loans of $16,000. Ng gave the loans to Ong so that Ong would not delay progress payments for the USS project. Ng then concealed these loans by falsifying documents to make false expense claims. In October 2015, Ng was jailed 18 weeks after he pleaded guilty to charges that included cheating, falsifying documents and corruption. During Mondays hearing, Ongs lawyer Melanie Ho produced a personal bank account statement showing that one of the loans amounting to $15,800 had been repaid. Ho said one of the loan amounts was $15,800 and not $16,000. She also produced an image of a cheque for $15,800 issued by Ng from his personal bank account. Ho argued that Ong was not aware that Ng had falsified documents to claim the cheque amount as a business expense. Last June, the district judges findings based on evidence had shown that no repayment of the loans had been made. Ho said that, as a layperson, Ong did not understand the significance of not producing this cheque image in court during the State Courts trial. Story continues Justice Chua Lee Ming allowed the cheque image to be admitted as evidence and said he was disturbed that the cheque had not been produced during Ongs trial. Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Jiang Ke-Yue maintained the prosecutions position that the amounts given by Ng were intended as gifts and that there was no evidence of the loans being repaid. Jiang also sought for Ongs 22-week jail term to be upheld, saying that Ong was the initiator of the bribes, had abused his position and that 22 weeks was not manifestly excessive. In response, Ho said that the prosecution had not raised specific reasons why the evidence presented by the bank statements did not hold. Ho also said there was no other evidence that the prosecution could rely on to assert that there was no repayment of one of the loans. Ho sought a reduction in sentence for one of the charges, saying that Ng had committed more offences and was jailed 18 weeks. In light of this, Ong should be jailed only 14 weeks or less, said Ho. Justice Chua said he was satisfied with the district judges conclusion that the loans obtained were corruptly intended. He also gave Ong the benefit of the doubt about the repayment of one of the $15,800 loans. More Singapore stories: Malaysian police hunting 4 dangerous Islamic State-linked terror suspects Man fined $4,000 for punching cabby after refusing to pay fare Chew Eng Han escape bid: Third suspected accomplice charged Foreign interference in Singapores state of affairs isnt necessarily limited to subversive activities like funding political groups here, spreading influence through think tanks, or inciting hate at mass speaking events. Covert attacks can simply launch from online platforms. Already, there is at least one Facebook page which, at worst, threatens the fabric of our society. At best, its a half-assed troll job. Boycott HALAL in Singapore, which was set up in 2012, has been urging Singaporeans and residents in the country to boycott halal-certified food products and F&B establishments. It claims that the term halal is a construct of the Muslim population which discriminates against the majority who are non-Muslim. Furthermore, it raises more than a few red flags by alleging that the fees paid by entities for halal certification are directed towards funding terrorism. The Facebook pages description lists a website which has shared extensively misleading and grossly inaccurate articles about halal certification that border on Islamophobia. Like on the Facebook page, comments that disprove or disagree with the websites content are met with sharp rebukes and further falsehoods. In a reply to a comment that the website was inciting hate, the admin replied: We are not promoting hate at all. We are saying that we want a reasoned choice of what we buy and eat In fact many people are following different religions which FORBID the consumption of halal meat and its bi-products which have been dedicated to a foreign idol Allah. Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs are forbidden by their religions to eat halal and are extremely offended by the fact that it is being sold to them by trickery, as it is not clearly labelled. We are not Followers of Islam, so we do not require halal certification and we certainly do not want to find out that we have been unwittingly paying for it. This is not hatred in fact I suggest that the imposition of halal by stealth is an act of hatred and utter disrespect towards others that clearly do not require it. Story continues The website lists Boycott HALAL as its official Facebook page, which according to its description is based in the UK, and frequently cross-posts from the boycott pages in Singapore and Australia. It is likely that all three pages are run by the same person, considering the similar style of content and voice in the comments section. The pages did not respond to our queries. Comments that disprove or disagree with the websites content are met with sharp rebukes and further falsehoods. Boycott HALAL demonstrates how easy and dangerous it is for a foreigner to spread radical influence online without even having to step foot on our soil, and by hiding behind a veil of anonymity. This is why the Singaporean government has been so uncompromising in its take on Facebook and deliberate online falsehoods. Worse still, the name of the Boycott HALAL Singapore page implies that its Islamophobic views stem from the community here, when in fact it is merely a rebranded offshoot of a foreign-based zealot. The Singaporean page periodically shares articles on how korban is a form of animal cruelty, as well as announcements of new F&B outlets in Singapore who have recently been halal-certified and thus should be boycotted. Although the frequency of its posts has died down over the years, it recently rose to prominence again after it attacked Subway Singapore for applying for halal certification for all of its stores here. These posts seek to capitalise on a slightly controversial business decision to instigate religious tensions here. But, much to the admins disappointment perhaps, Singaporeans love for bacon and salami does not overshadow their patriotism and respect for religious harmony. While the posts on the UK and Australian pages have garnered significant support from readers there, fortunately the Singaporean page has not gotten little traction. It has only around 1,300 likes, and most of the users who approve of the pages content are Caucasians who may not even live here. In fact, much of the attention that Boycott HALAL Singapore receives is ironic. Posts condemning F&B establishments which have received halal certification are received with sarcastic thanks from the community for yet another halal eatery recommendation. In a statement emailed to Rice, a spokesman for the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) says, Muis is aware of this page. Despite its low traction, Muis is monitoring the page because its postings appear designed to fuel anti-Muslim sentiments and Islamophobia. Should such postings persist, Muis will report the matter to the authorities. Have you come across other websites and Facebook pages that threaten the fabric of Singapores society? Email us at community@ricemedia.co. The post Facebook Page Calls for Boycott of Halal Food in Singapore appeared first on RICE. Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah gestures as he addresses his supporters from a screen during a rally, in Mashghara village in the Bekaa Valley Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah gestures as he addresses his supporters from a screen during a rally, in Mashghara village in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon April 15, 2018. REUTERS/Aziz Taher BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Sunday that Western strikes on Syria had failed to terrorize the army, help insurgents or even serve Israel's interests. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the U.S. military had kept its strikes limited because it knew a wider attack would spark retaliation from Damascus and its allies. "The American (military) knows well that going towards a wide confrontation and a big operation against the regime and the army and the allied forces in Syria could not end," Nasrallah said at a rally in Lebanon's Bekaa. "Any such confrontation would inflame the entire region." Iran-backed Shi'ite Hezbollah has been a vital ally of Damascus in Syria's seven-year war, helping it regain territory from rebels and Islamic State militants. The Hezbollah military and political movement, which has lawmakers in the Lebanese parliament, fights alongside the Syrian army. (Reporting by Ellen Francis; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) Three injured motorists who were told they might face prosecution after allegedly helping Hong Kong police stop a car chase by acting as a human shield spoke out for the first time on Sunday, with one saying he felt wronged. The incident in February ended with two people dead and the force accused of compromising public safety by forcing civilians to assist their crime-fighting operations. Democratic Party lawmaker James To Kun-sun revealed on Friday that officers had issued formal intended prosecution notices to the injured motorists, which he condemned as brainless. One of them, identified only as Wong, claimed police had not even discussed compensation with him, according to a press release circulated by To on Sunday. I feel wronged, Wong said. Its quite laughable. The police are prosecuting randomly without any investigation. He said officers had taken a statement from him immediately after the accident and had confirmed receipt of his claims for repairs and other costs incurred, but had since fallen silent on the matter. A claims handler had estimated the damage to his car to be worth HK$200,000 and said he might have trouble securing insurance for future vehicles. Wong urged police to take responsibility for the episode and compensate those affected. But a police source said the force had explained to Wong on February 15 the purpose of the notice, at his office at the University of Science and Technology. The source said Wong understood the document did not necessarily mean prosecution was forthcoming and did not question it. Officers have been in close contact with Wong, the source said. We used to call him about three times a week after the accident in February. Now we still call him about once a week. So it is not true to say we have left the matter behind. We hold records of all our correspondence. Story continues The source added that the force had passed all Wongs requests and claims on to the Department of Justice on April 6, which had been processing them. Police are not in a position to approve claims, the source said. A second motorist, identified as Lee in the Sunday release, said he did not understand how he could be prosecuted after cooperating with police. Im really very worried, he said. My head and bones are still painful today. The third motorist, identified by the name Cheng, said he and his wife had both suffered light injuries and accused police of not apologising. His financial loss was about HK$30,000 to HK$40,000, he said. Police chief Stephen Lo Wai-chung on Saturday said officers had followed due procedure in issuing the notices. The case might eventually be heard by the Coroners Court, Lo said, which could offer guidelines for police on how to handle future cases. The force issued a statement to rebut the accusations and said officers had been actively keeping close contact with the drivers or their lawyers. We have been actively following up their requests and have submitted claim forms to related departments. We have all along updated them on the progress, the statement read. The force previously said it was its legal responsibility to issue such notices at the early stages of a traffic accident investigation. They had been served to all drivers involved, including the police officers, the force said. This article Hong Kong motorist in police human shield accident says he feels wronged by prosecution notice first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Japan's premier was facing fresh pressure Monday as new polls showed a second cronyism scandal has sent his approval ratings nosediving, and thousands of protesters rallied for his resignation. Shinzo Abe looked to have weathered the storm over a first scandal on the cut-price sale of government land, with his approval ratings starting to creep back up after dropping to record lows. But a second favouritism row has now erupted into the headlines, reigniting the debate on whether Abe has the backing to win a third term as party chief in September and become the country's longest-serving premier. On Monday, a poll by the Asahi Shimbun daily showed Abe's disapproval rating at 52 percent, up from 48 percent a month earlier, with his approval rating at just 31 percent. And a weekend poll by Kyodo News showed public support down by 5.4 percentage points to 37 percent, his second worst showing in the outlet's polling since he took office in 2012. On Saturday, thousands turned out to an unusually large demonstration in front of the national parliament, calling on Abe to resign over the twin scandals. The latest furore involves allegations that Abe wielded his influence to help a friend open a veterinary school, claims that the premier has fiercely rejected. But last week an official document emerged describing the school as "an issue that involves the prime minister," reheating allegations that Abe used his influence to secure the permit for the school. The scandal follows on the heels of weeks of uproar over Abe's alleged ties to the cut-price sale of government land to a school operator. The operator planned to name Abe's wife the honorary principal of the school, and the opposition alleges Abe's influence cleared the way for the bargain sale. The scandal deepened with the revelation that the finance ministry had scrubbed documents related to the sale to remove references to Abe and his wife. The rows come as Abe prepares to stand later this year for reelection as party leader, a vote he was once expected to win handily. Flamboyant former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters this weekend that he now believed it would be "difficult" for Abe to win, though analysts say there are still few viable alternative candidates. With the domestic political landscape in turmoil, Abe heads to the United States this week to meet President Donald Trump for talks on North Korea in a bid to keep Tokyo in the loop on fast-moving diplomacy. Travellers flying to China and Hong Kong from the US face delays of up to eight hours this week as American Airlines, the worlds biggest airline, diverted some flights to avoid Russian airspace and urged passengers to reconsider travel plans. Describing the move as a re-routing for selected flights to Beijing and Hong Kong, American Airlines posted a travel alert on its website on Saturday. The change is set to affect several hundred passengers each day on three flights. American Airlines said it was facing restricted airspace on some routes forcing it to divert, refuel and replenish crew on three US-Asia flights. A source at the airline said the airspace problems it was facing were not unique to them, but affected all US carriers. American said it was working with government bodies in Washington, though it remains to be seen if the restrictions could extend to more Asia-bound flights for US carriers. Hong Kong carriers are not affected. The United States and China are the first and second biggest air travel markets in the world. Passengers due to fly between April 14 and April 21 could move flights up to May 5 at no charge, American Airlines said on its website, indicating it would face prolonged flight disruption for up to a week or more. Dallas-Hong Kong, Dallas-Beijing and Chicago-Beijing flights since Saturday have stopped for fuel in Los Angeles, as the company opted to route planes over the Pacific Ocean, avoiding a route that skirted US and Russian airspace, passing Alaska and into Siberia. American Air Flight 125 from Dallas left the Texan city on Saturday morning, diverted to Los Angeles for fuel and took to the skies again. Originally scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong at 4.10pm on Sunday, the flight was set to land at 9.50pm instead. Meanwhile, Flight 187 from Chicago left at 6pm on Saturday and though originally due to arrive in Beijing at 8.20pm on Sunday, was instead scheduled to land at 4.20am. Story continues In a statement, American Airlines said: American continues to coordinate with Airlines for America (a US carrier lobby group), the US Department of State, Department for Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration. At this time, in order to avoid the potential of restricted airspace, three flights to Asia from the US may require a technical stop to refuel and crew. While this is not a sustainable long-term solution, we are doing everything possible to minimise the disruption for our customers and team members including coordinating with our code-share and Oneworld partners. CNBC reported that an internal memo from American Airlines to its pilots stated: The team at American regularly monitors global geopolitical issues and makes changes to aircraft routings when warranted. Meanwhile, US airlines could lose the right to fly in Russian airspace, trade publication The Loadstar reported last week. Permission was said to expire on April 17, Tuesday, and talks between Russian and US aviation officials would begin only on the following day. The airline memo said it was also working on our contingency plans in case certain areas are restricted. Delta Air Lines and United said they were not aware of any travel disruption affecting flights from the US to Asia, however. United Flight 179 from New York Newark and UA869 from San Francisco both flying to Hong Kong on Saturday and due to arrive on Sunday appeared to fly their normal route, which passes through Russian airspace. This article Lengthy delays for Hong Kong, Beijing-bound American Airlines passengers as carrier avoids Russian airspace first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Campaigners in Malta and London on Monday marked the six-month anniversary of the murder of anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, as her sons accused the Maltese government of allowing "impunity" over the killing. The Mediterranean island awoke to protest posters and banners, while supporters, including her two sons, held a vigil outside the Maltese High Commission in the British capital to demand accountability. Caruana Galizia, 53, was assassinated by a car bomb on October 16 just down the road from her residence on the island. The blogger had made repeated and detailed corruption allegations against Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and members of his inner circle, as well as the opposition. "What we're calling for is not just justice for the murder, but also justice for the crimes our mother was writing about," Matthew Caruana Galizia, 32, told AFP on the sidelines of the protest. "At the moment in Malta, we have double impunity -- both for my mother's murder and for all the corruption she was reporting on. "We just cannot allow this to continue." Several dozen supporters, holding placards picturing Caruana Galizia alongside the hashtag #JusticeForDaphne, attended the vigil in central London. They also held bay leaf branches -- symbols of strength and courage on the island -- and chanted "justice for Daphne, no impunity!" - 'Culture of impunity' - In Malta, spoof-film posters displayed outside parliament in the capital Valletta featured Muscat under titles such as "Crookfellas," a play on the gangster flick "Goodfellas", and "Lord of the Lies," from the book "Lord of the Flies." "Daphne Caruana Galizia was assassinated while uncovering shocking corruption stories. Six months on, we still have no clue as to who commissioned the killing and not one single person has assumed political responsibility for her assassination," said #OccupyJustice, the activist group behind the posters, in a statement. "We are utterly disgusted at the way the government actively promotes a culture of impunity instead of aspiring to block it," it added. A separate activist group lined Valletta's main roads with posters stating, "Il silenzio e Mafia" (Silence is Mafia). On Monday evening, the Archbishop of Malta Charles Scicluna will lead a mass in Valletta which will be followed by a vigil in honour of the slain blogger. The investigation into the murder is ongoing. Three men charged with the killing have pleaded not guilty. Matthew Caruana Galizia, flanked by his brother Paul in London, described the anniversary as like "a second funeral" and hit out at the Maltese government's handling of the case "as a public relations campaign". "That's all they're concerned about -- how this looks to the rest of the world, spinning their way out of it." Singapores State Courts. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore) After vomiting in the back seat of the taxi, the man promised to pay the driver for the mess. Instead of keeping to his word, however, he tried to run away while the taxi was being cleaned. Singapore permanent resident Gareth William David John, 43, did not pay his taxi fare either and even threw a punch at 49-year-old taxi driver Ng Kiam Leongs chest when the cabby tried to prevent him from leaving. On Monday (16 April), John, who is from the United Kingdom, was fined $4,000 on one count of voluntarily causing hurt to Ng. According to court documents, John boarded Ngs Mercedes taxi at Boat Quay at round 9.30pm on 19 August 2016. John had earlier been out drinking with his friends. During the ride, John threw up in the back seat of the taxi, prompting Ng to ask if he was all right. John apologised and Ng suggested driving to the nearest petrol kiosk to have the taxi cleaned up. While Ng did not ask for compensation, he suggested that John pay for the cleaning fees and John agreed. Ng stopped at a petrol kiosk along Macpherson Road where he was informed of the cleaning price, which John agreed to pay. John then alighted from the taxi and sat by the side of the kiosk while Ng drove the vehicle into the washing bay. While Ng was in the washing bay, he saw John walking away from the petrol kiosk. He alighted from the taxi and chased after John, who ignored him and crossed Macpherson Road. When Ng caught up with John, he confronted the latter about the non-payment but John simply asked for the cleaning bill and walked away without waiting for Ng to retrieve it. Ng called the police and prevented John from leaving. After a short verbal exchange, Ng called the police a second time to tell them that John was trying to escape. This was when John went up to Ng and punched him once in his chest. John then retrieved $100 from his wallet to settle the matter but Ng declined the money. After the police arrived, John paid the taxi fare of $39.20 and the cleaning fee before he left. Story continues Ng later visited Tan Tock Seng Hospital and was found to have bruises on his chest. He was discharged and given oral painkillers, along with two days medical leave. For voluntarily causing hurt, John could have been jailed up to two years, fined $5,000, or both. More Singapore stories: Chew Eng Han escape bid: Third suspected accomplice charged Oxford clarifies Thums role as that of research associate with school of anthropology: report Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio wants President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider the Chief Executives decision to reopen the peace process with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. In her statement, the presidential daughter expressed her appreciation for the efforts and gesture offered by the government to the rebel group in order to attain peace in the country. However, true and lasting peace will remain elusive if such efforts will not be reciprocated as the lady mayor noted saying there are no indications at all that they are willing to negotiate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, referring to the NDFP and the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New Peoples Army. Mayor Sara added that as the communist movement continuous to sow hate, violence and extremism, destruction, and senseless killings, it only shows that they cannot be trusted as they are groups motivated by the desire to overthrow the government and rule the nation. To them, peace is not an option, the lady mayor said. While she fully trusts the decision of President Duterte, Mayor Sara believes the resumption of the peace negotiations with the communist group will only be counterproductive and useless. She calls on the President to deal with the terrorists tough, strong, high intensity and as one that gathers all sectors to completely crush their influence in communities and to totally eliminate them. The lady mayor ended her statement saying No to peace talks. Marje Navarro-Pelayo | UNTV News & Rescue READ THE FULL STATEMENT BY MAYOR SARA DUTERTE ON THE RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS WITH NDFP: Respectfully, I am asking President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his decision to reopen the negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. I believe the insurgency problem can only be ended peacefully if the NDFP and the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New Peoples Army, are sincere, honest, and committed to working toward the direction of peace and reciprocate the gesture offered by the government. Story continues But there are no indications at all that they are willing to negotiate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. History will also tell us that the communist movement is not to be trusted as they have consistently shown us their deep-seated proclivity to sow hate, violence and extremism, destruction, and senseless killings. These are groups motivated by the desire to overthrow the government and rule the nation. For them, peace is not an option. And thats because they are terrorists. We maintain our position that we are not supposed to negotiate with terrorists, but deal with them the way we should tough, strong, high intensity, and one that gathers all sectors to completely crush their influence in communities where they are present. Let us not forget Larry Buenafe, the fish vendor who died because the NPA detonated a landmine in Mandug last year. Let us not forget Larrys two very young children now growing without a father and the many other orphaned children of other hapless, mostly poor civilians. Let us not forget the orphaned children of our brave soldiers and police officers killed by the NPAs in the name of a rusty ideology and deranged revolution. And how could we possibly forget Malysha Machorao who died after an NPA ambush in Bukidnon last year. She was only 4-months-old. Very recently, the NPAs burned down almost a dozen heavy equipment in Davao City, delaying the construction of roads and holding up the development of the communities in the affected areas. We should put a stop into the insanity of these terrorists or more children will be orphaned, more civilians will be killed, more soldiers will die, and many more facilities and equipment will be burned, setting back development by a hundred years. If talks are revived, we are almost certain that the NPAs will continue to terrorize government forces and civilians. They will discharge offensives and unabated destruction, while recruitment of minors, farmers, Lumads, workers, and students would continue courtesy of its legal fronts. We should stop rewarding these terrorists with our attention, resources, and time. Suspending the peace talks would not only mean ending the delusion of these terrorists, but would also allow the realization of long-delayed growth and the development of our countryside villages. It also means giving justice to the victims of these terrorists. While I trust the wisdom of the President and his intention to end the insurgency problem peacefully, I believe pursuing peace talks with the NDFP-CPP-NPA is counterproductive and plainly useless. Mr. President, the country will move forward if the government is able to eliminate the rebels and end this senseless rebellion. Just like a battered lover, there is a time to finally say no to pain and suffering. No to peace talks. The post Sara Duterte asks dad to drop resumption of peace talks with Reds appeared first on UNTV News. Silot plans to use the new funding to support its expansion in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other markets in the region Singapore-based fintech startup Silot today announced that it has raised a multi-million US Dollar pre-Series A funding round by Arbor Ventures and Eight Roads Ventures. The funding round followed an undisclosed seed funding round the startup raised from Zhen Fund last year. Silot plans to use the funding mainly to support its expansion in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and other markets in the region. In a press statement, Silot CEO and Founder Andy Li said that the wealth of network and industry know-how of its new investors will give the startups growth and tech development a cutting edge. Also Read: Nets could become Singapores national e-payments service operator Silot provides a one-stop banking platform that connects the silos of payments, on-boarding, operations, and anti-fraud/anti-money-laundering (AF/AML) process. Less than a year since its launch, Silot has expanded its services to Thailand and Malaysia, naming Krungsri Bank and Visa as partners. The startup was also one of the 30 startups participating in the Unilever Foundry programme in October 2017. Prior to founding Silot, Li headed global expansion for companies such as Baidu, Sohu, SEA Group and Kingsoft. Investors Arbor Ventures is a fintech-focussed venture fund focussing in Asia, while Eight Roads Ventures is the proprietary investment arm of Fidelity International Limited. Image Credit: rawpixel.com on Unsplash The post Singapores Silot raises pre-Series A funding round by Arbor Ventures, Eight Roads Ventures appeared first on e27. A South Korean businessman accused of murdering his wife and six-year-old son at a luxury Hong Kong hotel in January committed suicide in prison on Monday. A prison guard found Kim Min-ho unconscious at about 7.25am on Monday, inside his single-person cell at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre in Cheung Sha Wan. A bed sheet was found around his neck, a government source said. He said Kim, who was still awaiting trial, had strangled himself with the knotted sheet using his hands. Beside Kim was a note thanking and saying goodbye to his friends, the source added. Kim, 43, was sent to nearby Caritas Medical Centre, where he was declared dead about an hour later. The Correctional Services Department (CSD) confirmed an inmate had committed suicide in his cell. It did not reveal the name of the deceased. According to the department, the man was found unconscious in bed in his cell and officers immediately called an ambulance and tried to resuscitate him. The case has been reported to police. An inquest will be held by the Coroners Court, the department said. Kim, CEO of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in South Korea, was accused of murdering his wife, Song Wha-jeong, 42, and son, Kim Tae-yun, on January 14 at the The Ritz-Carlton hotel inside the tallest building in Hong Kong, the International Commerce Centre. Song and her son were found dead in bed inside a luxury suite, and Kim was arrested. The killing came to light after Kim called a friend in South Korea saying he had failed in business and was about to commit suicide with his family. The friend then alerted South Korean police, who notified the countrys consulate in Hong Kong. When he made his first court appearance on January 16, Kim confirmed he understood two charges of murder against him. He was remanded at Lai Chi Kok pending his next court date on May 23. Story continues CSD statistics showed the number of self-harm cases, including suicides, among prisoners was 99 in 2017, the highest since 2013. Over the past decade, sources said, the department has introduced measures against inmate suicides, such as increasing the number of cell checks and bringing in sheets made of hard-to-tear material. The Society for Community Organisation a human rights advocacy group said the Security Bureau should initiate an independent review into suicides and self-harm in all prisons and similar facilities. The group also called on the bureau to set up an independent advisory panel to shape government policy. A checklist of questions screening with a high suicide risk should be developed Society for Community Organisation A checklist of questions screening people with a high suicide risk should be developed. The department should also indicate factors to be considered when singling out this high-risk group, the organisation said. It added that risk and vulnerability assessments should be a continuous process, as the situation could change. Officers should be properly trained to assess risk and vulnerability and to monitor people at risk, it said. Lawmaker James To Kun-sun, vice-chairman of the Legislative Councils security panel, said the department previously spent considerable effort studying how to prevent inmate suicides. That included exploring the use of tougher bed sheets and quilt material, and removing any elevated points that people could hang themselves from. A CSD spokesman said the department put great emphasis on, and took all practical measures to prevent, self-harm by inmates, including evaluating each inmates self-harm risk early and monitoring it. Additional reporting by Danny Mok This article South Korean businessman accused of murdering wife and son dies in suspected Hong Kong jail suicide first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Beyond Taiwan, Pinkoi has opened a shop in Thailand and Malaysia. It has its eyes set on China. Ecommerce platform Pinkoi is expanding around Asia as cross-border orders grow and it sees an opening to enter China, the Taiwan-based firm says. Pinkois volume of cross-border orders have grown 200 per cent over the past two years, making up over 30 percent of total transactions and up from not quite 10 per cent at the outset. The company says its gains in business abroad stem from changes in products and approaches to each market. To get a grip overseas, Pinkoi acquired Japanese designer ecommerce platform iichi in 2016, giving it access to the Japanese sides design talent pool. A year earlier Pinkoi had opened shop in Thailand to expand there. It gradually developed a cohort of local designers and now arranges sales of more than 500 Thai brands. Cofounder and Chief Executive Peter Yen said in an interview that growth accelerated solidly after about 100 Thai brands had signed on. That momentum enabled Pinkoi to start increasing cross-border operations in 2016, leading to steep growth last year. The company has also entered Malaysia and now has its sights on China. Also Read: A valuable product strategy you might not have considered Pinkoi has no plans to open a China office, but Yen said the firm will hold a Pinkoi Market fair, an event which showcases the platforms products, in May in Guangzhou. Pinkoi has worked with DHL, FedEx and local delivery companies over the past two years to raise the transparency of logistics operations, Yen said. Customers care less about delivery speed than knowing which phase of delivery an item is in, so Pinkoi tries to offer them a sense of security. Buyer-seller interface Pinkoi and its sellers have cut the time needed from receiving an order to shipping it by 30 per cent. Customers are happier and sellers more efficient, Yen said. Mobile transactions already take up 77 per cent of Pinkois total in China and Japan, and over 60 per cent in both Taiwan and Thailand. Pinkoi has accordingly adjusted the backend management of vendors as well as consumer interface procedures to suit mobile phone users. Story continues Also Read: [Exclusive] Singapore blockchain firm ELECTRIFY takes major step to bring its P2P electricity marketplace to Japan The ecommerce platform will also bolster direct contact between buyers and sellers, extending an evaluation system thats in place already. Pinkois reach of 88 countries raises the need for communication channels that build understanding between sellers and consumers from different countries to make purchase decisions easier, Yen said. Increasing cross-border transactions is paramount, the chief officer said. Those are the toughest to build, he said, so getting them right will raise Pinkois competitive edge. The goal: making 60 per cent of all business cross-border. The article Taiwan e-commerce firm Pinkoi expands into new Asian markets first appeared on Business Next. The post Taiwan e-commerce firm Pinkoi expands into new Asian markets appeared first on e27. Also, Thailand mobile operator gets hit with data leak and Philippines bank inks interesting deal with blockchains startup Singapore seeking public input on future of Airbnb-type rentals [ChannelNewsAsia] The Singapore government is considering loosening its strict rules against Airbnb-type of short-term stay arrangements, according to ChannelNewsAsia. If it goes through, the proposal would allow apartment owners to rent out their rooms for up to 90-days if they register their guests information and the apartment complex receives an 80 per cent approval vote from the neighbors. Earlier this month, two hosts were fined S$60,000 (US$46,000), for pleading guilty to illegally hosting people via AirBnB. The ban was instituted in February of 2017 and the government cited, nuisance and safety concerns for their justification. A similar rhetoric was used today. Despite the potential of relaxing the rules, the Urban Redevelopment Authority hinted at similar concerns today. In our compact, high-rise living environment, we always have to be careful about creating any potential disamenities or impacting the residential nature of our neighbourhoods, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong was quoted. The deadline for public feedback submissions is May 31. UnionBank ties up with Philippines blockchain startup Traxion.Tech to build payment infrastructure [Press Release] Traxion.Tech, a blockchain startup that has built a permission-based distributed ledger for enterprises, has inked a deal with Union Bank of the Philippines and DigiVation Digital Solutions to build a payment-management system for SMEs. The system is designed to facilitate online and offline transactions by creating an inventory management system, data analytics tools and avenues to make financial reporting more efficient. Called GlobalLinker, the product will not require companies to apply for UnionBank accounts and it is used by large multinationals like Mastercard. Story continues The companies are hoping this can become core infrastructure and the Philippines transitions towards an e-commerce retail economy. Data Leak ruins Songkran for Thailands telco Truemove H [e27] Niall Merrigan, an Irish security analyst based in Norway, discovered a data leak from Thailands second largest telco, Truemove H (True) that made the personal information of about 46,000 people available to the public. The leaked data included national ID cards and passport information. It was considered to be so serious that True was called in by Thailands regulatory body on Saturday to answer questions. The information was put on an Amazon Web Services S3 Bucket that could be freely accessed by anyone who knew where to look. Singapores Silot raises pre-Series A funding [e27} Singapore-based fintech startup Silot today announced that it has raised a multi-million US Dollar pre-Series A funding round by Arbor Ventures and Eight Roads Ventures. The funding round followed an undisclosed seed funding round the startup raised from Zhen Fund last year. Silot plans to use the funding mainly to support its expansion in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong and other markets in the region. Silot provides a one-stop banking platform that connects the silos of payments, on-boarding, operations, and anti-fraud/anti-money-laundering (AF/AML) process. JD.com makes push into insurance [South China Morning Post] The Chinese e-commerce powerhouse, JD.com, is planning to buy one-third of Allianzs China operations for US$85.4 million, according to the South China Morning Post. The company is called Allianz China General Insurance and the purchase will make JD the largest shareholder besides the parent company Allianz. The move follows a similar history of Alibaba because its affiliate company Ant Financial has jumped into the insurance market and in doing so became the most valuable fintech startup in the world. The post Todays top tech news, April 16: Singapore may loosen strict rules on AirBnB-esque rentals appeared first on e27. A huge cache of stone inscriptions from one of Africa's oldest written languages have been unearthed in a vast "city of the dead" in Sudan. The inscriptions are written in the obscure 'Meroitic' language, the oldest known written language south of the Sahara, which has been only partly deciphered. The discovery includes temple art of Maat, the Egyptian goddess of order, equity and peace, that was, for the first time, depicted with African features. [In Photos: Beautiful Pyramids of Sudan] Ancient civilization of Meroe Scientists investigated the archaeological site of Sedeinga, located on the western shore of the Nile River in Sudan, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of the river's third "cataract," or set of shallows. The Meroitic inscriptions were found during excavations in late 2017 in what is today Sudan. An aerial photo of the dig site is shown here. Vincent Francigny/Sedeinga archaeological mission Archaeologists first heard of the site from the tales of 19th-century travelers, who described the remains of the Egyptian temple of Queen Tiye, the chief wife of Amenhotep III and one of the most illustrious queens of ancient Egypt, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Amenhotep III's reign from about 1390 B.C. to 1353 B.C. marked the zenith of ancient Egyptian civilization in both political power and cultural achievement, according to the BBC. The sandy area was once part of ancient Nubia, known for rich deposits of gold. Nubia hosted some of Africa's earliest kingdoms, and a few even ruled Egypt as pharaohs, according to the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. The site of Sedeinga is home to a large necropolis, known as the "city of the dead," stretching more than 60 acres (25 hectares). It holds the vestiges of at least 80 brick pyramids and more than 100 tombs from the kingdoms of Napata and Meroe, which lasted from the seventh century B.C. to the fourth century A.D. These kingdoms mixed the cultures of Egypt and the rest of Africa in ways still seen in Sudan today, researchers said. Napata and Meroe formed a civilization known as the kingdom of Kush by their ancient Egyptian neighbors. Meroitic, the language of Meroe, borrowed written characters from ancient Egyptian. [Photos: Royal Nubian Statue With Egyptian Hieroglyphics] Story continues "The Meroitic writing system, the oldest of the sub-Saharan region, still mostly resists our understanding," Vincent Francigny, an archaeologist at the French Archaeological Unit Sudan Antiquities Service, and co-director of the Sedeinga excavation, told Live Science. "While funerary texts, with very few variations, are quite well-known and can be almost completely translated, other categories of texts often remain obscure. In this context, every new text matters, as they can shed light on something new." Huge cache of inscriptions Now, the scientists revealed they have unearthed the largest collection of Meroitic texts yet. The inscriptions are funerary in nature. "Every text tells a story the name of the deceased and both parents, with their occupations sometime; their career in the administration of the kingdom, including place names; their relation to extended family with prestigious titles," Francigny said. From these inscriptions, "we can, for example, locate new places, or guess their possible locations, or learn about the structure of the religious and royal administration in the provinces of the kingdom," Francigny said. The texts "also tell us what kind of town or settlement was connected to the cemetery we are excavating," he said. Based on evidence from texts, the site's context, and numerous imported goods found in the graves there, the researchers think Sedeinga was a key place for commercial roads that avoided the meandering and the cataracts of the Nile to the north "to go straight to Egypt through desert roads," Francigny said. "The town would have developed and become wealthy around this activity." The researchers also discovered numerous samples of decorated sandstone, including chapel art depicting the Egyptian goddess Maat with Nubian features. "Meroe was a kingdom where, among others, some Egyptian cultural and religious concepts were borrowed and adapted to local traditions," Francigny said. "We should not see Meroe as a passive recipient for foreign influences instead, Meroites were very selective about what they could borrow to serve the purpose of the royal family and the development of their pharaonic, but non-Egyptian, society." High-ranking women The scientists noted that a number of artifacts at Sedeinga were dedicated to high-ranking women. For instance, one stele an upright decorated slab of stone in the name of a Lady Maliwarase described her as the sister of two grand priests of Amon, and as having a son who held the position of governor of Faras, a large city bordering the second cataract of the Nile. In addition, a tomb inscription described a Lady Adatalabe, who hailed from an illustrious lineage that included a royal prince. In Nubia, a matrilineal society, the tracing of one's descent through the female line was "an important aspect in royal family lineages," Francigny said. For instance, "at Meroe, with the figure of the 'candace,' a sort a queen mother, women could, in the royal context, play an important role and be associated with the exercise of power. It is unclear if, at a lower level, women could also play key roles in the administration of the kingdom and the religious sphere." Intriguingly, on several occasions at archaeological sites related to the kingdom of Meroe, the scientists noted that Meroites were sometimes fascinated with random items with unusual shapes. "For example, near temples where only priests could enter, it is not unusual to find places made for popular offerings; these offerings were sometime made of oddly shaped natural stones that seemed supernatural because their shapes look like religious symbols or anatomical parts of the human body," Francigny said. "We even found some inside of the most sacred room, the 'naos,' of some Meroitic temples, near the statues of the gods." In the future, the researchers hope to locate graves dating back to the earliest stages of the site, "during Egyptian colonization," Francigny said. "Unfortunately, in this region the Nile moves toward the east," and so slowly eats away at the excavation site, "which means that there is likely a chance that the settlement that was close to the river was completely destroyed," he said. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations AP Montenegro.- Montenegros ruling party declared leader Milo Djukanovic the winner of Sundays presidential election after preliminary projections showed he swept the vote and avoided a runoff. Milo Djukanovic is the new president of Montenegro, said Milos Nikolic, from the Democratic Party of Socialists. This is a great victory, a historic victory. The Center for Monitoring and Research said after counting more than 90 percent of the votes that Djukanovic won nearly 54 percent while his main opponent, Mladen Bojanic, won 33 percent. This is a great victory, a historic victory. If confirmed in the official vote count, the result will present a major boost for Djukanovic, who defied Russia to take his country into NATO last year. The vote, the first since Montenegro joined the Western military alliance in December, was seen as a test for Djukanovic, who favors European integration over closer ties to traditional ally Moscow. Djukanovic, the countrys dominant politician, and his Democratic Party of Socialists have ruled Montenegro for nearly 30 years. President Filip Vujanovic of that party was not running due to term limits. About 530,000 voters were choosing among several candidates in the Adriatic Sea nation that used to be part of Yugoslavia. Djukanovic was prime minister during a tense October 2016 parliamentary election when authorities said they thwarted a pro-Russian coup attempt designed to prevent the country from joining NATO. He led Montenegro to independence from much-larger Serbia in 2006 and was behind the NATO bid. He hopes next to steer the country into the European Union. Bojanic, an economic expert and former lawmaker, has accused the ruling party of corruption and links to organized crime following a spike in crime-related violence. The Associated Press Washignton, US.- Organizers are encouraging gun rights supporters to bring unloaded rifles to rallies at state capitols across the U.S. this weekend, pushing back against a wave of student-led gun violence protests that some see as a threat to the Second Amendment. A group called the National Constitutional Coalition of Patriotic Americans spread word of the gatherings on social media. Organizers have permits for rallies Saturday outside 45 statehouses, said David Clayton, of West Virginia, one of the coalitions founders. The rallies come less than three weeks after hundreds of thousands marched in Washington, New York and other U.S. cities to demand tougher gun laws after the February school shooting that killed 17 in Parkland, Florida. Its unclear how many will show up turnout predictions of national organizers are vastly higher than those of local planners. Clayton said a new gun law in Florida and similar measures being considered in other states threaten the rights of law-abiding gun owners. He said those attending rallies are encouraged to carry rifles unloaded, with no magazines inserted in states where its legal. This is a very peaceful approach to a show of force, Clayton said. What that means is were not going to go there looking for a fight. Were saying, Look at all the people gathered here. We have a voice too. Most U.S. states allow long guns to be carried openly in public spaces, though other legal restrictions may apply. In Maine, for example, the statehouse grounds are a gun-free zone. This is a very peaceful approach to a show of force, Clayton said. Assembling near the state Capitol on Saturday could prove expensive, at least for organizers in Georgia. Theyre being asked to pay about $6,700 to cover overtime for state troopers to provide security. Capt. Mark Perry of the Georgia Department of Public Safety said thats because the rally is on a weekend permitted assemblies are free on weekdays when statehouse security is fully staffed. Its an insult, said Atlanta rally organizer Chris Hill, who said he has no intention of paying. Other groups have been charged similar fees. Tim Franzen, who helped organize the March For Our Lives rally against gun violence in Atlanta on March 24, said organizers paid for statehouse security but he didnt recall how much. The coalition behind the gun rights rallies describes itself as a collection of patriotic-based groups that come from all walks of life, including Three Percent groups and local militias. The Three Percent movement vows to resist any government that infringes on the U.S. Constitution. Its name refers to the belief that just 3 percent of colonists rose up to fight the British. Clayton leads a group called the Three Percent Republic. Such groups lack the following of more mainstream Second Amendment advocates such as the National Rifle Association. BASSEM MROUE | SARAH EL DEEB Damascus, Syria.- The leaders of Russia, Iran and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon said Sunday that Western airstrikes on their ally, Syria, have complicated prospects for a political settlement to the countrys seven-year conflict. A day after the U.S., Britain and France bombarded sites they said were linked to a chemical weapons program, Syrian President Bashar al Assad appeared briefly on state TV, seemingly unfazed by the military action and even reportedly in high spirits. He told a group of visiting Russian lawmakers that the strikes were accompanied by a campaign of lies and misinformation against Syria and Russia in the U.N. Security Council. Moscow and Damascus are waging the same battles against terrorism and to protect international law based on respect of the sovereignty of countries and the wills of people, Assad said in comments carried by state media, an apparent jab at the three Western allies. Russian lawmaker Dmitry Sablin, who met with Assad, said he appeared upbeat and believed the airstrikes would unify the country. Russia and Iran have called the action a military crime and act of aggression. The U.N. Security Council rejected a Russian resolution calling for condemnation of the aggression by the U.S., France and Britain. Russia and Iran have called the action a military crime and act of aggression. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and they agreed the Western airstrikes were an illegal action ... adversely impacting prospects for political settlement in Syria, a Kremlin statement said. Putin said the actions violated the U.N. Charter and if they continue, it will inevitably entail chaos in international relations, the statement said. The official IRNA news agency quoted Rouhani as saying The U.S. and some Western countries do not want Syria to reach permanent stability. Iran and Russia should not allow the fire of a new tension to flare up in the region, Rouhani said, adding that the airstrikes were an invasion aimed at emboldening defeated terrorists, IRNA reported. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanons Hezbollah group that has hundreds of fighters backing Assads forces, said the airstrikes failed to terrorize or break the spirits of Syria and its allies. Instead, he said, the attack bolstered the confidence of the Syrian army and its allies, as well as probably sinking the already-faltering U.N.-backed peace process on Syria in Geneva. If the goal was to pressure Syria to expedite a political solution, I think what happened will complicate the political solution and will strain international relations and the Geneva track, if not torpedo Geneva altogether, Nasrallah told an election rally in Lebanon. Nasrallah said there is no chemical program in Syria, and he likened the attacks in Syria to the Wests concern over Irans nuclear program. U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, said the allied airstrikes took out the heart of Assads chemical weapons arsenal. When pressed, however, he acknowledged that some unspecified portion of Assads chemical arms infrastructure was not targeted. Staff/SIPSE WASHINGTON, US.- US President Donald Trump said that the attack on Syria was carried out so perfectly, so precisely, that the only way the false media could degrade it was through my use of the term Mission fulfilled . The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term Mission Accomplished. I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use often!. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, defended on Sunday to have referred to the military operation together with his allies in Syria with the controversial phrase of Mission accomplished. The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media". The Syrian incursion was carried out so perfectly, so precisely, that the only way that the false media could degrade it was through my use of the term Mission accomplished, Trump said on the Twitter network. The phrase immediately evoked the premature speech of victory in the war of Iraq of the then President George W. Bush aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003. A banner proclaiming Mission Accomplished looked behind Bush as he declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq, a claim later denied by the facts with the years of hard struggle that followed the announcement. Trump resurrected the phrase in a tweet on Saturday after operations launched by US, British and French military forces in response to a suspected chemical attack by the Syrian regime that on April 7 killed more than 40 people in Duma, a city controlled by rebels near Damascus. SNL cant always fit everything into a planned broadcast, and thus exists their treasure trove of cut-for-time sketches. The illustrious sketch comedy show has been uploading unaired skits to their YouTube channel since 2014, and sometimes the stifled geniusfrom Aidy Bryants Workplace Warriors to an apocalyptic French fry rapis just too great to ignore. Case in point: Saturdays trippy The Shape of Water short Fish Dreams. Fish Dreams follows Fish Man, the literal fish-man humanoid from Guillermo del Toros Oscars darling The Shape of Water, as he tries to shake off that fickle beast called fame. (For the record, The Assets scripted name was actually Amphibian Man, or, to hear star Doug Jones tell it, Charlie.) Despite offers from his agent to play the lead role in upcoming Scorsese project Fishfellas, Mr. Man, played by Kyle Mooney, is no longer feeling the movie magic. He goes full-throttle with his photography, which looks like bad Flickr art circa 2005, and ends up in dire financial straits. Meanwhile, his best friend Rogeralso a fish man, apparently with less literal-minded parentsis living it up as Americas new amphibian celebrity. He takes the role in the blockbusting Fishfellas, gets to host a meta-SNL, and, oh yeah, gay-interspecies-marries Adam Driver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a story that delights in its own triteness. Roger, played by guest star John Mulaney, is every bit the typical, rudely too-famous friend who eventually has a crisis of conscience, while Mooneys tortured-artist Fish Man is hilariously overwrought. The sketch works so well because its a story we all knowexcept its absolutely fucking insane. Adam Driver makes an actual appearance, for instance, along with his biologically impossible fish-son. We still havent figured out why certain SNL sketches dont make to air, or why most of them are Kyle Mooneys. In the case of Fish Dreams, one thing is for certain: the hair and makeup team must be losing sleep over all that unused prosthetics work. The first time Ma Anand Sheela came up in a conversation, a friend sheepishly confessed to nursing a crush on the cult leader. Sheela, as shes mostly called in the Netflix doc series Wild Wild Country, though she goes by Sheela Birnstiel today, has no trouble attracting adorers. A recent Breitbart article risibly headlined Leftists Are Celebrating the Perpetrator of the Largest Bioterror Attack in American History Because Shes a Woman misunderstands (or deliberately misrepresents) the clearly tongue-in-cheek social media adulation of the now 68-year-old elder care manager. A more accurate headline would read, Leftists Are Celebrating a Trump-like, Sociopathic Con Woman Because Shes a Womanand that celebration is completely understandable. Advertisement Wild Wild Country tells a shocking, and shockingly forgotten, tale: the six-year rise and fall of a town of 7,000 in the Oregonian near-wild. Incorporated in 1982 and intended as a city upon a hill heralding the teachings of the Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the village of Rajneeshpuram seems to have been largely controlled by Sheela, the COO to the ailing and voluntarily silent Bhagwans CEO. Theres a lot to complain about in the six-part series, particularly its wooly (if immersive) storytelling and its elision of race and gender in a recounting of events that most certainly could not have taken place without Orientalist fetishization and a tolerance, if not respect, for female leadership. (After watching the series twice, I still have no idea what the sannyasins, or Rajneeshs followers, believed.) But Wild Wild Countrys directors, brothers Maclain and Chapman Way, present Sheela in the most intriguing manner possible: between antihero and villain, and surprisingly likable in spite ofor perhaps because ofher obnoxious, inflammatory, and ultimately horrifying belligerence. As shes presented in Wild Wild Country, Sheela is a fascinating, larger-than-life figure, but shes probably garnering as much devotion as she is because pop culture is largely devoid of female characters as complicated as she is, especially women of color. Rooting for her is not unlike rooting for Walter White in Breaking Bad: You know youre not supposed to, but shes just so defiant and competent, dammit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wild Wild Country is told in chronological order, ping-ponging between stunning archival footage and contemporary talking-head interviews. But its narrative propulsion stems from the escalation in violence and rhetoric that Sheela uses to fight for Rajneeshpurams existence. When the people of nearby Antelope, Oregon (pop.: 40), band together with local, state, and eventually federal officials to inhibit the sannyasins power and influence, Sheela completes her transformation into a lioness. One part of the Breitbart headline, at least, seems to be true: According to a cooperating witness, Sheela allegedly orchestrated the poisonings of salad bars in 10 restaurants in 1984, affecting more than 700 people, either as a threat against a hostile homegrown community or a dry run for a more serious contagion on Election Day. Later, she pleaded guilty to setting a county office ablaze, assaulting a judge, and the attempted murder of another acolyte whom Bhagwan seemed to prefer to her. To maintain political power over the county, she bussed in 6,000 homeless people from across the countryand when they got too rowdy, she sedated them by tainting their beer with Haldol. It was rumored that she had her loyalists contaminate Antelopes water supply (the Rajneeshi commune had its own) by liquidating bacteria-ridden beaver corpses and pouring the juices into the reservoir. When Sheela finally fled Rajneeshpuram, Bhagwan accused her of absconding with tens of millions of dollarsand of being a perfect bitch. One official went further, calling her pure evil. Advertisement Advertisement Sheela hardly kept her aggression hidden. Some of the series most guiltily thrilling scenes are the irresistible sound bites with which she gifts the media. Dubbing her enemies in the Oregon governmentmany of whom blanch at the newcomers free love and their naked rejection of Christianitybigots and fascists, she likens them to Hitlers troops waiting to massacre the Allies. (In return, a townsperson says of her, That woman is the closest thing to Hitler that Ive ever seen in my life. The only thing she dont have yet is the ovens.) They touch any of our people, she threatens in the 80s, [and] I will have 15 of their heads. Her slightly stilted English has made her tough titties response to the angry Antelopers a meme. Sheela also boasts that the sannyasins are the only people who enjoy sex fully, a reflection of the hyperbolic and embarrassingly myopic way that most of the (white, boomer) sannyasins talk about their time in Rajneeshpuram. I did a Sheela, regrets a former disciple, meaning she went in front of the news cameras and said something completely and unnecessarily incendiary. Advertisement Advertisement Its a painful portrait of America, and a painfully recognizable one. How much of what Sheela said in the media did she actually mean? Wild Wild Country is full of unreliable and highly skewed narrators, and one of its most suggestive (if frustrating) aspects is that we never know whos telling the truth. Sheela doing a Sheela for the audience at home is certainly at least part performance: Her appearances on TV made Rajneeshi book sales soar, and her spikinessyou are full of shit, she tells an opponent on Nightlineprobably got her invited back. The sannyasins knew she was putting on a show, at least in part, but her outraged adversaries (and the people she actually hurt) never knew how seriously to take her threats. After all, shed tried to have more than a few of them killed. Advertisement Advertisement Wild Wild Country is a revealing snapshot of a post-Jonestown era, when alternative beliefs were immediately deemed suspicious and possibly fatal. Other facets are eye-openingly timely. In many ways, its second and third chapters feel like a mirror image of todays ideological battles. On the left are highly educated, well-traveled, sexually experimental, probably wealthy young people who embrace an Indian guru as their spiritual leader. On the right are rural, xenophobic, communism-fearing, less affluent older people whose Christian values are offended by the orgies and public nudity that the sannyasins practiced openly. Both lay claim to the territory: The Antelopers call it their hometown; the Rajneeshis bought and developed the land. Part of what makes the doc so effective is that, more than three decades later, hardly anybody on either flank will give their opponents an inch or admit the validity of the other sides feelings. Its a painful portrait of America, and a painfully recognizable one. Advertisement Its more than likely that Sheela has become a social media star among leftists not just because she speaks with the pithy, unswerving certainty of a meme, but because she represents the change that was happening to America, and is happening still. Though shes technically second in command, she proves her boss bitch status by running a huge organization and building a city out of nothing. (In her typically bombastic tone, Sheela says of Rajneeshpuram, They should have offered us a Nobel Prize.) Later, she plans her escape from Bhagwan, an older man she met at age 16 who later sexually shames her by attributing her crimes to erotic jealousy, as the guru never slept with her. Sheelas also not entirely wrong when she calls out anti-Rajneeshi prejudice and the Antelopers Mayflower mentality, as if white Oregonians hadnt taken their land from someone else. Details that would mitigate the framing of Sheela as a progressive rebel are omitted from the film. Theres no mention of her second marriage (to a fellow sannyasin), which could have deflated the sexual tension between Sheela and Bhagwan. Similarly omitted is Sheelas enormous privilege in being paroled just 29 months after being handed three 20-year sentences (to be served simultaneously)then having the gall to complain that the American legal system is unfair. Her self-pitying statement captures in a nutshell the sannyasins callous self-absorption and seeming disregard for larger injustices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So why cant I look away from Sheela? Watching her gave me new insight into Trumps attraction to his base: The over-the-top offensiveness is part of the charm. The actual Sheela lives in Switzerland today and quite plausibly gives not one whit about where she falls in the identitarian camps of America in 2018. But her social mediaanointed drafting into the #Resistance makes sense, since her anger at bigots and fascists coincides with the lefts contemporary language. Her certitude and zeal also parallel the crudity of political discourse on both sides in the Trump era. After seeing that we go high when they go low doesnt work, many liberals have been craving a honey badger of their own. That shes seen in the current day in a neat gray bob, gold-rimmed glasses, and a grandmotherly shawl adds to her political appeal: Were reasonable, everyday people until given a reason to Hulk out. Advertisement Better still, Sheela, like Trump, knows how to harness deception and exaggeration as weapons of destabilization. An extravagant threat is a win-win proposition. If your opponents take you at your word, theyre chumps. And if they think youre a clown, they wont be prepared for what comes next. The result is an ontological crisis, in which your enemies start questioning what America might look like, what reality can contain. After experiencing the terror of that crisis, its natural to want the other side to feel it too. But the only solace to be taken from the tale of Rajneeshpuram is the same reason we can celebrate Sheela today: She didnt succeed. This post is part of Nosh, a special pop-up blog about snacks. Read more here. Everyone knows the sting of the indignity. You sit down with a bag of chips, eager to devour some salty potato product. Perhaps you like the sweet tang of barbecue, or the tongue-curdling bite of vinegar, or cheese lobster, or no flavor at alljust the old classic, no fiddling necessary. Then you open the package and discover a heart-dropping secret: This tantalizing bag, whose swollen dimensions all but promised to sate your appetite with the goodies inside, contains a pathetically minuscule number of chips. You were misled! Worse, you were made a fool of, hoodwinked in the depths of your hungercheated, swindled, defrauded, and deceived. Advertisement Or were you? In April 2017, two chip aficionados decided to find out. They filed a class-action lawsuit against Wise Foods alleging that its chipssubpar in my opinion, but sold in much of the United States nonethelessviolate state and federal consumer protection laws. Their complaint argued that Wise had tricked customers into paying for air, illegally giving them less product than they bargained for. It exhaustively demonstrated that competing potato chip brands have significantly less slack fill (the extra air in the bag) than Wises. On behalf of everyone in New York and D.C. injured as a result of Wises deceptive conduct, the litigants demanded monetary damages and attorneys fees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are Wise chips genuinely deceptive? The Food and Drug Administration merely requires that slack fill be functional in packagingthat is, necessary to protect the product from damage during shipping and handling. Its quite difficult to prove that a company is adding nonfunctional slack fill when the measurement boils down to a judgment call about the best proportion of chips to air. (More air means fewer chips but also helps keep them intact; less air means more chips but risks shattering them into unsatisfying fragments.) Many states build upon that federal standard through their own consumer protection laws, asking whether reasonable consumers would expect more product than they get due to misleading packaging. Advertisement The Wise lawsuit made headlines in major outlets last year, presumably because so many Americans have suffered the injustice of underfilled potato chip bags. But slack fill lawsuits are actually quite common. These suits have exploded in frequency over the past few years, with more than 65 filed in 2015 and 2016. While most of them fail, the rare victory can be extremely lucrative: In 2016, StarKist settled a class action for $12 million after consumers alleged that it was underfilling its tuna cans. More commonly, however, slack fill suits get tossed out at an early stage in litigation. Federal courts have dismissed lawsuits alleging that Pfizer put too few pills in its Advil containers and that Mondelez International put too few candies in its Sour Patch Kids Watermelon packages. Suits attacking Swedish Fish for underfilling its boxes and Pret a Manger for putting too much space between sandwich halves appear destined for the same fate. Dismissing the Advil lawsuit, a federal judge wrote that the consumers complaint did not pass the proverbial laugh test. The chief impediment for the plaintiffs is the fact that each of these companies does list the weight of the product on the packaging. A casual consumer might size up her purchase by eyeing the size of the bag, but she cannot plausibly claim that the company lied to her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats exactly what tripped up the Wise chips lawsuit. In March, U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald dismissed the suit, ruling, as a matter of law, that the slack-fill enclosed in the Products would not mislead a reasonable consumer. In a caustic opinion, Buchwald pointed out that the weight of the chips enclosed is prominently displayed on the front of each Product, in large sized font, in a color differentiated from the package background, and there is no allegation that the full weight represented is not actually in the bag. This fact, combined with consumers well-documented expectation of significant slack fill in potato chips, sufficed to doom the suit. Dont pity the two chip lovers whose names are on the suit, though. This class action was filed by the same firm that targeted Advil, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, and Pret a Manger. Called the Lee Litigation Group, the firm files arguably frivolous lawsuits against a variety of companies in the hopes of landing a blow that sticks. C.K. Lee, who heads the firm, has unsuccessfully sued Kushyfoot for overstating the euphoric effect of its pantyhose, as well as an air freshener manufacturer for claiming that its products eliminate odor when in fact they only mask it. Lee has also filed a reported 140 suits against businesses whose websites are not fully accessible to blind people; these lawsuits have been called a shakedown, as the named plaintiffs typically collect much less than their lawyers. The next time you recoil at an underfilled bag of chips, then, resist the urge to call a lawyer or run to the nearest courthouse. Americans litigiousness has undoubtedly helped to make our society safer, but you cant sue your way to a fuller bag of chips. Wise will stop underfilling its bags when we all stop buying its underfilled bags. Until then, well have to live with the affront of slack filla frustrating reminder that, in a free market, sometimes youll wind up paying for air. Read more from Nosh here. In whats becoming an annual tradition, the Syrian regime launched new airstrikes against rebel targets just a day after being struck by U.S. missiles as punishment for the use of chemical weapons. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing the White Helmets rescue group, regime planes conducted 28 strikes in the countryside around Homs and Hama on Sunday, including on civilian areas, followed by an artillery barrage. The attacks ended a few days of rare respite from airstrikes on rebels and civilians, because the Syrian regime had moved its assets to safer locations last week in anticipation of the U.S.-led strikes. Coming just after Trump declared mission accomplished, Assads unchallenged resumption of bombing underlines one of the implicit messages of the U.S. strikes: that the Trump administration and its allies are fine with letting animal Assad conduct his war as he sees fit, so long as he stops short of using chemical weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Syrian regime was certainly working to give the impression that it hadnt been set back by the allied strikes on three chemical weaponsrelated targets. The Syrian presidencys official Twitter account posted video of Assad arriving for work the morning after. On Monday, state TV broadcast a rally of hundreds of Syrians demonstrating in support of Assads forces. The diplomatic dispute also continued over the weekend, with the U.N. Security Council rejecting a Russian resolution condemning the strikes by three members of that council as an act of aggression. A team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is in Syria to investigate the incident in Douma last weekend that prompted the U.S. strikes, with Assads regime continuing to deny that chemical weapons were used. The U.S. envoy to the OPCW has accused Russia of tampering with the site. The regime took full control of the former rebel bastion, just hours after the alleged chemical attack. Advertisement In one possible shift in the conflict, deterring chemical weapons use appears to have been added to the already murky mission of U.S. ground forces in Syria. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, told Fox News on Sunday that Trump has three goals in Syria: to deter chemical weapons use, defeat ISIS completely, and watch what Iran was doing. She said, it is all of our goal to see American troops come home. But were not going to leave until we know weve accomplished those things. Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron also took credit for convincing Trump to keep U.S. troops in Syria as punishment for Assads chemical weapons use. This doesnt quite add up. Trump had agreed to keep U.S. troops in Syria for the time being, despite his earlier reluctance, several days before the chemical weapons attack, but its possible that hes now less inclined to remove them. Either way, its not really clear what these troops have to do with Assads chemical weapons. Theyre based in the Kurdish-controlled territory in Northern Syria, fighting ISIS alongside allies who are themselves, to some extent, cooperating with Assad. Advertisement Advertisement For the most part, the conflict in Syria seems to be settling back into its destructive normal state. The attention of both the regime and its enemies is now likely to shift to the Northwestern Idlib province, still under the control of both jihadists and the Free Syrian Army, where rebels and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been relocating from other areas of the country recaptured by the regime. Frances foreign minister warned over the weekend that there could be a new humanitarian disaster if the regime now moves to retake the region. From an international perspective, the question now is whether the U.S. and its allies will launch follow-up airstrikes if Assad tries using chemical weapons again. History suggests that sooner or later, he will, but even if he doesnt, the killing is set to continue. The government spending watchdog agency has found that the Environmental Protection Agency violated federal spending laws with the installation of a $43,000 phone booth in Scott Pruitts office, the Washington Post reports. According to the Government Accountability Office, which released a letter to lawmakers Monday, the agency should have notified congressional appropriations committees that it planned to exceed a $5,000 cap for the heads of agencies to decorate and furnish their offices. Because the EPA did not comply with the notification requirement, the funds were not legally available at the time, GAO general counsel Thomas H. Armstrong wrote in the letter, emphasizing that it was not the purchase itself, which could have been justified legally, but the failure to notify lawmakers that violated federal laws. Advertisement We draw no conclusions regarding whether the installation of the privacy booth was the only, or the best, way for the EPA to provide a secure telephone line for the Administrator, he also wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency has argued that the soundproof booth, which was so expensive in part because it was modified to be more secure and because Pruitts office had to be modified around it, should not have been considered a part of office decoration but essentially as equipment necessary for work. A secure phone booth in Pruitts office was required for communication with White House officials, they said. The GAO disagreed, ruling that the rules applied to any improvement to an office, even if practical in nature. Advertisement No previous EPA administrators have had private phone booths in their offices, and the EPA offices have other locations to make secure phone calls. Pruitt has run into trouble in the past over his spending. He has a preference for first-class travel and private planes, on the taxpayers dime. In March, the EPA signed off on a Canadian companys pipeline plan while Pruitt (a nightmare tenant, it turned out, despite the sweetheart deal) was renting a D.C. condo for only $50 a night from a powerful lobbyist working for the company. In April, it was revealed Pruitt personally signed off on some questionable raises for his staffers and then lied about it. His large, 24-hour security detail, which the EPA has said was necessary because of unprecedented numbers of death threats against him, has cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The list goes on. A version of this piece first appeared on the blog Impeachable Offenses. In the hours following Donald Trumps infuriated reaction to the FBIs search of his lawyers office, the media crackled with speculation that the president would fire special counsel Robert Mueller, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, FBI Director Christopher Wray, or perhaps all four together. It hasnt happened yet. And while nothing is certain with our increasingly erratic chief executive, if he retains both a shred of rationality and advisers with some knowledge of the federal criminal system and the capacity to make their boss face reality, there will be no firings. And if there are, they wont stop the hounds baying at the presidents heels. Advertisement Trump presumably wants to fire those he perceives to be his tormenters in order to make the tormentthe investigations they supervisestop. But the simple truth is that Justice Department investigations involving Trump, his campaign, his family, and his businesses have now proceeded so far that, while they could be hindered or delayed, they cannot be stopped. That Trump might still think that a few firings would achieve that end would only show once again how little he understands about the federal criminal justice system and the professionals who serve it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps most well-known problem, of course, is that despite his press secretarys confident assertions to the contrary, he cannot fire Mueller directly. Under Justice Department regulations, a special counsel can be removed from office only by the personal action of the Attorney General, or in this case, the acting attorney general, Rod Rosenstein. So to get to Mueller, Trump would have to fire Rosenstein and then put someone in his place willing to axe Mueller. Advertisement But the Senate would not confirm an obvious hatchet person as a permanent replacement for Rosenstein. So Trump would have to begin working his way down the DOJ line of succession, ordering Muellers removal and then firing anyone who refused until he found someone willing to be this generations Robert Bork (who, as solicitor general, complied with President Richard Nixons order to fire Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox). And it is still, admittedly, possible that he could find someone pliable enough to at least consider firing Mueller. A DOJ firing spree might provide Trump a moment of satisfying catharsis. It will not resolve his legal problems. But Trumps other problem is that firing Mueller cannot, by itself, stop the investigations run by Muellers office. Mueller has already filed multiple cases. Some of them, like Paul Manaforts, remain to be tried. Muellers office also employs or supervises dozens of prosecutors and investigators who are actively investigating other crimes and defendants. He has collected thousands of documents and hundreds of witness interviews and presented reams of grand-jury testimony. To stop all thatand to bury the results so they no longer threaten Trumpwould require Trumps chosen executioner not merely to fire Mueller but to order the immediate cessation of all the investigative activity being carried on by Muellers office and the immediate destruction or sealing of all the information they had gathered. Advertisement Advertisement That wont happen. For two reasons. Advertisement First, it is extremely doubtful that Muellers prosecutors and agents would obey an order shutting and sealing their investigations, particularly if given for no better reason than that the president (who is a subject of their inquiry) said so. There is no legal basis for such an order. More to the point, an order to both close and suppress the results of Muellers investigations would itself be a plain case of obstruction of justice under either Title 18 U.S.C. 1503 or 1512. Second, no rational Rosenstein replacement, no matter how deeply in thrall to Trump, would order Muellers work both stopped and sealed. Any person who gave such an order would, at one stroke, commit career suicide and become a criminal target himself. Advertisement From Trumps perspective, the rosiest scenario after Muellers firing would be: (a) appointment of a replacement for Mueller somewhat more tractable to the presidents wishes, or (b) a dispersal of Muellers staff and a transfer of their cases and investigations to regular U.S. attorneys offices that would carry on the work. Either might slow things down, but the investigations would still be run by career prosecutors and agents who would not simply walk away. Advertisement Moreover, the part of the investigation that Trump now apparently most fearsthe result of the search through his lawyers officeis already outside the special counsels bailiwick and is being pursued by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. Neither the New York prosecutors nor the FBI itself, which has a large measure of independent investigative authority, will stop so long as there are grounds to believe federal crimes may have been committed. Advertisement Trumps decision to hire a new law firm to intervene in the process of reviewing the material seized from Cohens law office strongly suggests that, at least for the moment, hes been talked out of a new Saturday Night Massacre. If he was about to try to force a shutdown of all federal investigations into his affairs, it seems unlikely that hed be messing around with a procedural move that, even if successful, will only slow down the New York investigation. Advertisement In short, while a DOJ firing spree might provide Trump a moment of satisfying catharsis, it will not resolve his legal problems. And that hard reality may slowly be seeping into the presidents agitated consciousness. Advertisement Advertisement At this critical juncture in his life, Donald Trump confronts a phenomenon with which he has never before had to reckonthe principled dedication of the men and women of the Department of Justice. The deep state, if you like. Though individually subject to all the flaws of any professional assemblage, their institutional allegiance is to no man and no party, but to the vigorous and impartial enforcement of the law. If Trump has, as he says, done nothing wrong, he has nothing to fear. But its now too late to prevent the Justice Department from following the evidence wherever it may lead. The White House has walked back a plan to impose new sanctions on Russia over its support for the Bashar al-Assad regime following the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had announced over the weekend that the penalties would be unveiled today. According to the Washington Post, there had been internal confusion in the White House over the plan, and after Haley spoke, Trump conferred with his national security advisers and told them he was upset the sanctions were being officially rolled out because he was not yet comfortable executing them. Advertisement This fits into whats become a well-established pattern of the president resisting his own administrations moves to take a hard line on Russia. Just this weekend, the Post reported that the president had been furious last month about the United States expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats over the poisoning of an ex-spy in England. Trump had signed off on the plan but apparently hadnt realized the U.S. would be expelling far more than other countries did. There were curse words, one official said, a lot of curse words. Given the ongoing investigation into Russias role in his election, all this has raised questions about the presidents real motives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, sometimes it doesnt work that way at all. On Friday, the U.S. launched airstrikes targeting the regime of Russias ally, Bashar al-Assad. Contra Alex Jones, it does not appear that Trump was dragged into doing this by Secretary of Defense James Mattis and his other military advisers. Trump spent all last week launching a barrage of threatening tweets at Russia, over Assads action, and reportedly asked his advisers for military options that would punish not only the Syrian regime but also two of its sponsorsRussia and Iran. Mattis favored a more limited, tailored response that would avoid Russian casualties and the potential for dangerous escalationand eventually prevailed. In other words, the president who is now reluctant to put new sanctions on Russia spent last week pushing for military actions that could very well have started a shooting war with Russia. Advertisement Trumps reluctance to confront Russia sometimes seems to disappear at the moments when the stakes are highest. On the same phone call where he aggravated his advisers by congratulating Putin on his election victory and suggested they meet at the White House, Trump also warned the Russian leader about his recent invincible missile boast, saying, If you want to have an arms race we can do that, but Ill win. (The official U.S. response was to shrug at Putins cheesy display as empty bluster.) Trump has displayed enthusiasm for an arms race with Russia before and signed off, with no apparent reluctance this time, on an aggressive new nuclear posture to counter moves by Russia to modernize its forces. In other words, Trump seems more uncomfortable about sanctioning Russia than he does about going to war with Russia. Perhaps this makes sense: If the U.S. and Russia ever got into a real war, there might not be anyone left afterward to ask questions about it. Michael Cohens attorneys seem to have modified their request of the court that was set to decide on Monday how an examination of documents seized in a comprehensive raid last week would proceed. They originally offered an outrageous and almost certainly doomed proposal that Cohenthe target of a criminal probebe able to decide which of his documents are protected by attorney-client privilege and which ones might be responsive to the governments investigation (again, of him). Advertisement Now, they appear to be narrowing their request to ask a special master to review the documents, rather than a prosecutorial filter team or Cohen himself. This is a far more reasonable request, and the arguments for it are surprisingly strong. Specifically, Cohens attorneys argue in a letter to the court on Monday that this case is so high-profile, and has such potentially consequential ramifications for our entire political system, that a special master is needed so that even the appearance of impropriety is avoided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, this argument is smart and Cohens attorneys point to relevant case law to support it. Hysterically, though, they partially ground this argument in one of the greatest pieces of legal and political chutzpah this case has yet seen. Advertisement Near the end of the letters, the attorneys argue this (italics mine): [T]he appointment of a Special Master will protect the integrity of the Governments investigation from the toxic partisan politics of the day and attacks on the impartiality of the Justice Department and the USAO. Michael Cohens client, the president of the United States, has inarguably spent the past year firing off near-weekly attacks on the impartiality of the Justice Department in order to degrade the integrity of government investigations. Even many of his Republican allies have suggested that he has contributed to the toxic partisan politics of the day. Now Trumps lawyer is using the grotesque national political and legal circumstances that his client, also the subject of a federal inquiry by criminal investigators, has created and fostered (and, it is implied, will continue to promote) in order to argue that the only way to safeguard the integrity of the Justice Department (from, presumably, Trump) is to do the thing that the president and his attorney want. Its quite a neat trick if you can pull it off! Russian President Vladimir Putin Warned Sunday that any further airstrikes by Western countries on Syria would lead to chaos in international relations, according to a statement from the Kremlin. Putin reportedly uttered those words during a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani. During the call, both leaders agreed that this illegitimate action has seriously damaged the prospects for a political settlement in Syria. Putin issued his stark warning as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said that new economic sanctions on Russia would be unveiled on Monday. Russian sanctions will be coming down, Secretary Mnuchin will be announcing those Monday if he hasnt already and they will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use. And so I think everyone is going to feel it at this point. I think everyone knows that we sent a strong message and our hope is that they listen to it, Haley said on CBS Face the Nation referring to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Haley said Moscow is responsible for allowing the government of Bashar al-Assad to use chemical weapons without having to worry about any consequences at the United Nations. Assad knew that Russia had its back, Assad knew that Russia would cover for them at the United Nations, and Assad got reckless, and he used it in a way that was far more aggressive, she said. We have to be conscious of the fact that we cant allow even the smallest use of chemical weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Assuming it all goes down like Haley said it would, the sanctions set to be unveiled Monday would mark the third round against Russia imposed by President Donald Trumps administration over the past four weeks. The New York Times breaks it down: Last month the administration targeted Russian companies and individuals for intervening in the 2016 election and mounting cyberattacks against Western facilities. It followed that this month with penalties against Mr. Putins inner circle, singling out some of Russias richest men and top government officials. The administration also expelled 60 Russian diplomats and intelligence officers and closed the Russian Consulate in Seattle in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy living in Britain. Haley had warned Saturday that the U.S. remains locked and loaded to respond to any further use of chemical weapons in Syria, but U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson seemed to throw cold water on the idea that any further strikes were imminent. The overwhelming purpose, the mission, was to send a message, Johnson said. Finally the world has said enough is enough. Johnson emphasized that there was no proposal on the table for more airstrikes. For those of us who think of Sean Hannity as a friendly, neighborhood demagogue, its been a sad and confusing day. Lawyers for Donald Trumps personal attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, were forced to reveal the name of Cohens third, previously unknown client on Monday, and it turned out to be none other than the Fox News host. What this saysand what it will ultimately revealabout Hannitys personal life remains to be seenand mocked. But in the meantime, its worth examining Hannitys fall from gracelessness. Advertisement Longtime Fox watchers (at least those of us who watch ironically), as well as those who enjoy engaging in Kremlinology around the network, are no doubt giddy today, but this wasnt exactly predictable. For many years, Hannity was known as the nice alternative to Bill OReilly. Sure, Hannity was a cheap bigot who made millions by exploiting the racial resentment and stupidity of his audience; but he was also, by all accounts, a decent(ish) guy. While sex scandals brought down Roger Ailes and Bill OReilly, and while both men were known for treating people around them like dirt, Hannity had a certain folksy charm that was known to arise whenever the camera turned off. Guests were apparently treated well; shouting was kept to a minimum. If you stopped him on the street, I was once told, he didnt care if you were a radical anarchist, and was always happy to take a photo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the last couple of years have been gruesome. There was a sexual harassment allegation. And his Twitter persona has gone from silly to borderline unbalanced, much like the persona of his political hero. We dont know exactly what Cohen did for Hannity, but given that his other two clients are the president and the disgraced Republican bigwig Elliott Broidy, its unlikely to have been offering advice on anniversary gifts for the missus. (Hannity noted on his radio show that his ties to Cohen had become known, but did not directly address the matter; he told the Wall Street Journal, We have been friends a long time. I have sought legal advice from Michael.) Meanwhile, of course, Hannity has not only become increasingly fanatical in his defense of Trump, but also particularly deranged in his coverage of the FBIs investigations of various aspects of Trump world. And yet since last weeks raid on Cohens office, Hannity has used his public platform to attack the investigation of a man who was his own attorney, and tried to keep the relationship a secret. I had always assumed that the reasons for Hannitys behavior concerned the fact that he was merely a soulless hack bereft of dignity and integrity, but perhaps his motivations were more earthy. Advertisement Update, April 17: Sean Hannity released the following statement: Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said on ABCs Good Morning America on Monday that store managers will have to take unconscious bias training in the future. His interview followed an incident at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia last Thursday, when two black men were arrested for trespassing after quietly waiting to meet someone for a business meeting. They allegedly refused to leave when employees at the store told them to purchase something or leave, and the store employees called the police. Advertisement "It was completely inappropriate to engage the police." Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson one-on-one with @RobinRoberts after the handcuffing of 2 black men in Starbucks in Philadelphia sparks controversy: https://t.co/4CL5j2lPL7 pic.twitter.com/1zrZgYN7dc Good Morning America (@GMA) April 16, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson released a statement apologizing to the men and admitting our practices and training led to a bad outcome. Advertisement Protesters gathered on Sunday to demand Starbucks fire the manager of the store. Starbucks has responded by saying it will investigate the incident, but Johnson did not say on Monday whether the manager would be disciplined. Johnson invited the two men to meet with him so he could apologize in person. According to CNN, the two men have agreed to meet with Johnson. Ill say the circumstances surrounding the incident and the outcome at our store on Thursday were reprehensible, Johnson said Monday. They were wrong, and for that, I personally apologize to the gentlemen that visited our store. Philadelphias mayor has similarly expressed dismay at how the two men were treated. The Philadelphia police commissioner, however, defended the actions of the police and said they did nothing wrong. Fearing another Alabama-like disaster, Republicans are upping their efforts to prevent an ex-con coal baron from becoming their Senate nominee in West Virginia next monthgoing from silence and snubs to barely concealed subterfuge. A newly formed super PAC with ties to the GOP establishment is spending nearly $700,000 on attack ads against Don Blankenship, the former Massey Energy CEO who spent a year in prison in connection with an explosion that killed 29 men at one of his West Virginia mines in 2010. Republicans are afraid that conviction will be enough to tank Blankenship in a general election, spoiling the partys chances of defeating Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin this fall in a state Trump won by more than 40 percentage points in 2016. Advertisement The 30-second spots, which began airing in the state late last week, accuse Massey Energy of contaminating local drinking water with toxic coal slurry, all while Blankenship pumped clean water into his own mansion. Isnt there enough toxic sludge in Washington? the narrator says. (The company reached a settlement with hundreds of West Virginia residents in 2011, but it did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Notably, the GOP tried to put some distance between itself and the attack. The group behind it, Mountain Families PAC, was created late last month as a standalone entity. But it didnt take reporters long to connect the dots. The Charleston Gazette-Mail noticed almost immediately that the address the group gave to the FEC was a P.O. Box in Arlington, Virginia, and that its treasurer previously worked for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Politico then reported additional ties to Senate Republicans over the weekend. The covert attack comes as Republicans have spent months trying to figure out how to derail Blankenships campaign. They fear that if they attack him directly, theyll only boost his anti-establishment bona fides in a possible repeat of what happened in Alabama last year, when Donald Trump and national Republicans tried and failed to stop Roy Moore from getting the nomination. Moore won anyway, and then promptly lost the general election after damning allegations about his conduct with teenage girls. Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, the White House attempted to thread the needle in West Virginia by having the president snub Blankenship during an official visit to the state. Flanked by Blankenships two rivalsstate Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and U.S. Rep. Evan JenkinsTrump praised both men but made sure to not to mention Blankenship. Passive-aggressive attacks might not be enough to derail Blankenship, who is spending big on campaign ads that pledge allegiance to Trump and also offering a similar conspiracy- and persecution-themed pitch to voters. Advertisement Blankenship maintains that he was merely a political prisoner in the Obama administrations war on coal and an innocent victim of a Benghazi-style cover-up. When he first jumped into the race last fall, many wondered whether his motivation was less about the Senate and more about rehabbing his image after getting out of prison. But with only three weeks to go until the primary, Blankenship has emerged as a top contender in a race that could help decide control of the Senate. Hes also proven willing to take covert action of his own. He recently launched a campaign website masquerading as an independent fact-checking organization, one that claims Blankenship was unfair[ly] convicted for his role in the mine explosion while simultaneously claiming he was never even charged for anything related to it. Neil Gorsuch has made a decision that deserves unqualified praise across the ideological spectrum: The justice hired Tobi Merritt Edwards Young, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, as a law clerk, starting in July. Young is believed to be the first enrolled citizen of a Native American tribe to clerk for a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. SCOTUS clerks are a notoriously homogeneous bunch. In December, National Law Journals Tony Mauro published a startling study of clerks from 200517. He found that clerkships remain dominated by white men. Eighty-five percent of all clerks were white; only 20 of the 487 hired were black, and nine were Hispanic. Asian Americans are the best-represented racial minority on the court; 9 percent of clerks hired since 2005 are of Asian descent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gender diversity is lacking too: Mauro noted that twice as many men as women gain entry into this elite club. These numbers mark a bare improvement over the last study, conducted by Mauro and USA Today in 1998, which found that less than 1.8 percent of clerks hired by the justices then serving were black (its now 4 percent) and just 1 percent were Hispanic. (Its now 1.5 percent.) Back then, women comprised just one-fourth of all clerks. The 2017 numbers are especially concerning given the extraordinary prestige and power that comes with a SCOTUS clerkship. Former clerks receive up to a $350,000 hiring bonus at big firmsa number that grows every yearand obtain plum positions at renowned schools. They often go on to serve as judges or politicians: Four sitting justices clerked at SCOTUS, as did three current U.S. senators. While on the court, clerks help their justices choose which cases to hear and draft opinions. They leave their fingerprints on constitutional law. And yet they remain substantially less diverse than the student bodies of top law schools. Advertisement The more that justices look for clerks outside the Harvard-Yale duopoly, the more likely they are to have diverse chambers. Thats a shame. The court rules on civil rights every term. And though justices personal policy preferences shouldnt guide their decision-making, clerks can help their bosses understand how the law may unjustly degrade women and minorities. Clerks bring their life experiences to the table as they aid their justices in preparing for oral arguments and writing opinions. Those experiences should not be limited to affluent straight white guys. Advertisement Some justices are better about clerk diversity than others, of course. Gorsuch has already indicated that he wont follow the lead of his predecessor, Justice Antonin Scalia, whose clerks were mostly white men. Of the seven clerks Gorsuch has hired over his first two terms, three are nonwhite. Sadly, only one is female. But with his selection of Young, that number is already on the rise. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer have hired roughly equal numbers of men and women since joining the court. By contrast, Justice Anthony Kennedy has hired six times as many male as female law clerks since 2005. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, Mauro did not get data on LGBTQ clerks, but the overwhelming majority of clerks are heterosexual. No justice has yet hired an openly transgender or gender nonconforming clerk. Multiple justices have, however, hired at least one openly gay clerk. Of the justices who have served for more than two terms, Justice Sonia Sotomayor demonstrates the strongest commitment to diversity: More than 30 percent of her clerks have been nonwhite. (In 2016, she hired the first person of Native Hawaiian ancestry, Kamaile Turcan, to serve as a SCOTUS clerk.) Just 12 percent of clerks whove served for Ginsburg and Justice Clarence Thomas since 2005 are racial minorities. Only one black person has clerked for Ginsburg (who joined the court in 1993) and the same is true of Justice Samuel Alito (who joined in 2006). A mere 8 percent of clerks hired by Chief Justice John Roberts (who joined in 2005) are racial or ethnic minorities. Advertisement Advertisement Mauro also looked at a different kind of diversitythe number of clerks who did not graduate from the highest-ranked law schools. The progress here is a mixed bag. Graduates of Harvard and Yale law schools constitute half of clerks hired since 2005, a jump from 40 percent in 1998. On the other hand, justices do appear to be reaching beyond the upper echelon more frequently. Thomas and Sotomayor consistently hire clerks from schools outside the top tier. Alito recently hired a graduate of Louisiana State University law center, Ben Aguinaga. Meanwhile, Tobi Merritt Edwards Young graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law. The more that justices look for clerks outside the Harvard-Yale duopoly, the more likely they are to have diverse chambers. While both schools have strived to diversify their student bodies, students who wish to clerk must make connections among a select group of faculty who can recommend them to a lower court judge, preferably one who serves on a federal district or appeals court. A handful of feeder judges, who are mostly white men, then send their favorite clerks on to SCOTUS. (Judge Alex Kozinski, who resigned in December following accusations of sexual harassment, was a particularly prolific feeder judge, particularly to Kennedy; its no wonder Kennedys chambers are so men-dominated.) Supreme Court justices would almost certainly diversify their clerk pools if they looked past feeder judges and extremely exclusive law schools to make their selections. Mauros numbers are distressing, but they are moving (slowly) in the right direction, and Gorsuch is already helping to increase the pace of progress. Straight white dudes with choice connections and elite degrees should not retain their stranglehold on SCOTUS clerkships. As Gorsuch appears to recognize, both the court and the country deserve better. Last week, lawyer Paul Rosenzweig wrote a piece for the Atlantic titled Firing Rosenstein Wont Save Trump. Trump hasnt yet fired Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who is also functioning as acting attorney general for the Russia investigation (after Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused), but last weekend was full of reports about the presidents rage at Rosenstein and others in the Department of Justice, and it feels like its only a matter of time. However, as the New York Times reported on Friday, Trumps allies believe the biggest threat to his presidency may arise from matters seemingly unconnected to Russia: specifically, the DOJ examination (via the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York) of his lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, whose office and residence were raided last week and who is expected to appear in court Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I recently spoke by phone with Rosenzweig, a former senior counsel in the Starr investigation of President Clinton and a senior fellow at center-right think tank the R Street Institute, to try and decipher what moves Trump might contemplate as his legal situations worsens. Isaac Chotiner: Your piece essentially said that firing Rosenstein would not solve Trumps Russia-related problems because a new deputy attorney general would not oversee the Russia probe. As you write, even if Trump were to appoint a loyalist to replace Rosenstein as acting deputy attorney general, until that person were confirmed by the Senate, he or she would not actually be the deputy. As a result, he or she could not be the acting attorney general for purposes of supervising the Mueller investigation. Instead, it would be the next-in-line person for the role of acting attorney general, Noel Francisco. But now that Trump and his allies are saying that potentially his biggest legal issue is the Southern District of New York raid on Michael Cohens office, and given that Rosenstein in his deputy role oversaw those raids, are you worried about Rosenstein being fired? Advertisement Paul Rosenzweig: You are correct to say that the deputys oversight of criminal investigations generally is stronger and that any acting deputy attorney general [Trump installed] would have some role. On the other hand, U.S. attorneys offices traditionally have a fair amount of independence. The U.S. attorney himself is also a Senate-confirmed individual, and the Southern District of New York is unique in the degree to which it both asserts and exercises that independence. Its nickname is the sovereign district of New York because it is well-known for ignoring the Department of Justice whenever it wants to. Advertisement In general, the deputy would have to affirmatively reach out to disrupt the U.S. attorneys office investigation in ways that are not normal and would be called into question if he did. Advertisement Advertisement Was the reason that Rosenstein oversaw the Cohen warrant because Sessions had recused himself from all campaign-related activity and not just all Russia-related activity, or was it because thats just a job that the deputy attorney general usually takes? My understanding is its the latter. The deputy attorney general has a role in FISA warrants and in warrants that search attorneys [offices]. He would have a similar role if the investigation were ever to ask about issuing a subpoena or conducting a warrant to the media, for example. Those types of actions require high-level departmental approval, and Rosenstein does that not in his capacity of acting attorney general but in his capacity of the deputy who has the final say in most of the day-to-day operations of the department. Advertisement Lets say Rosenstein is replaced. Youre saying it would be difficult for a new deputy to meddle in the SDNY investigation of Michael Cohenbut if someone wanted to do that, what forms could that take? Advertisement Well any number of forms ranging from the simple forms of refusing approvals when requested to the more-intrusive forms like moving around resources, telling the FBI that it should reassignof the 30 investigating agents, [sending] 20 of them to go do bank fraud in South Dakota tomorrow. Things of that nature. He could certainly play some games in that regard. At his strongest, he could direct the U.S. attorneys office to close the investigation, but that would be one of these really strong acts that would certainly generate a lot of notice and would be highly unlikely, even for a Trump loyalist. Advertisement Youve laid out a pretty convincing case for why firing Rosenstein would not make Trumps troubles go away. The other possibility weve read about is that Trump could fire Jeff Sessions and install someone whos already been confirmed by the Senate for another position, and who could take over the attorney general job without another confirmation battle that Trump would have trouble winning, especially for a crony. Trump would then have an attorney general who had not recused himself from anything and would be able to meddle at will with both the Mueller investigation and other investigations. Is that something that youre concerned about? Advertisement Advertisement Well, its certainly feasible and an avenue that one could take. Im less worried about it now than I was a month ago, because a month ago, the leading candidate for that appointment to replace Sessions was Scott Pruitt, and Pruitt is now damaged goods for independent reasons unrelated to Mueller or Sessions or anything like that. If you look around, amongst the senatorial confirmed people who are also lawyers capable of taking the job, you have to think to yourself, who amongst them is such a loyalist, such a sycophant that Trump would trust him with this job? Advertisement And correct me if Im wrong, but wouldnt that person be at risk of being charged with obstructing justice? Thats one of the reasons why they would be unlikely to take it. If they were to fire Mueller, they could be impeached, they could be investigated for obstruction by somebody else. Theres lots of ways this could go wrong. I could have imagined Mr. Pruitt doing this, doing the presidents bidding. If you look around the Cabinet, most of the rest of them arent lawyers, so that kind of is the first essential qualification. Advertisement Advertisement You have to be a lawyer? Trump couldnt just say who cares if the person is not a lawyer? Advertisement Thats a great question. The statute says that the attorney general is the chief legal officer of the United States. I have always assumed that that means that you have to be a lawyer. I dont know. When you were working with Ken Starr, were there times when you came across things or people in your office came across things that were then referred to other parts of the Justice Department, as appears to have happened here with Cohen? Advertisement Yes, but it was less frequent because we were independent. But we did run across some information that related to the then-ongoing investigation of foreign contributions to the [Bill] Clinton campaign, mainly the Clinton finance investigation, which was run by the Department of Justice, not by an independent counsel. My recollection is that we, or the FBI more accurately, shared that information when they found it as part of our investigation with the relevant parts of the FBI that were conducting the John Huang investigationJohn Huang being the name of the Chinese person who was making the contributions. Advertisement Advertisement So despite what Trump allies are saying, Mueller referring it is the normal course of events for something like this? I think it is absolutely the normal course of events. Far from being abnormal. I mean the abnormal was that perhaps this is a deeper dive than you care for, but the abnormality was the constant expansion of Ken Starrs jurisdiction. It started with Whitewater, and then it became Travelgate and then it became, there was another gate there. He had four separate investigations before he got to Lewinsky. Oh, the Vince Foster suicide, right? Essentially Janet Reno kind of treated him as the ombudsman for all things Clinton, which in my personal opinion, now reflecting on 20 years, was a mistake on Renos part to ask him and a mistake on Ken Starrs part to accept. Advertisement You mention in the piece that you know Noel Francisco, who would be next in line to oversee the Russia investigation if Rosenstein is fired. Whats your sense of him and do you have any larger concerns? I dont know him well enough to be very sure of this, but my general sense of him is that he will be like Rosenstein, which is to say that if he actually takes the reins, he wont be doing anything different from what Rosenstein has been doing, which has been essentially letting Mueller go appropriately where he should. Thats my guess. My larger fear is simply that whenever these events happen, instead of reacting appropriately and negatively, Congress yawns, and thus implicitly validates the presidents misconduct and emboldens him to the long-term detriment of accountability in the executive branch. Protest filled squares in Bratislava and Humenne Thousands of people gathered again at the For a Decent Slovakia rallies, demanding the deposition of Police President Tibor Gaspar. The new Prime Minister defends him. More than 30,000 people gathered in SNP Square in Bratislava on the afternoon of April 15 for the latest For a Decent Slovakia protest, calling for the dismissal of Police Corps President Tibor Gaspar and Special Prosecutor Dusan Kovacik. This demand was repeated several times by the rally speakers who stated that this is the first and essential change required to restore the publics trust in the state and its institutions, as reported by the TASR newswire. They lambasted Gaspar and Kovacik, claiming that the police and Special Prosecutors Office, under their leadership, have been ignoring corruption scandals for a long time. They also criticised Gaspar for the course of the investigation into the murders of journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova and for the escape of convicted eastern-Slovak underworld boss Robert Okolicany. Additional demands concerned the independence of police inspection, as well as changes in the way in which the Police Corps senior officials and the special prosecutor are selected. Who were the speakers and what did they demand? At the Bratislava rally Judicial Council member Pavol Zilincik listed the necessary changes in the police, prosecutorial and court authorities. University professor Vladimir Krcmery in his speech praised the fact that those who have joined the For a Decent Slovakia initiative have managed to achieve considerable changes in a calm and non-violent manner and within a short time. Journalist Marian Lesko also addressed the rally, as did farmer Frantisek Oravec from the village of Gynov in eastern Slovakia who repeated what he said at the protest rally in Kosice on April 5. He talked about the intimidation of farmers in eastern Slovakia and fraud in farm subsidies. Actors from the Slovak National Theater, Tana Pauhofova and Richard Stanke, gave speeches as well. (The Slovak National Theater manager postponed the start of evening performances so that the actors including Lukas Latinak could partiicpate.) Journalist Eugen Korda called for the dismissal of Gaspar. The two-hour event took place in a peaceful atmosphere, with no incidents reported. As well as in Bratislava, another For a Decent Slovakia rally took place in the town of Humenne (in Presov Region) in eastern Slovakia. The organisers wanted to express unity across all Slovak regions from the west to the east of the country in this way. An estimated 1,000 people arrived for the April 15 afternoon protest. There, apart from the musical programme, a letter from activist-filmmaker and revolutionary from the 1989 Velvet Revolution, Fedor Gal, was read, as well as that of musician/composer Peter Breiner who lives in the USA and the speakers included Betka Bojkova, organiser of the Kosice protest, famer Marian Micko complaining about the hardships of doing business in agriculture Patrik Magdosko of the Obcianska Iniciativa Zemplina (Civic Initiative of the Zemplin region), actor Daniel Zulcak. The protest in Humenne was attended also by Zlatica Kusnirova, the mother of murdered Martina Kusnirova. Politicians reactions Meanwhile, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini criticised the protests organizers for refusing to meet with Drucker. The organisers argue, as quoted by Sme, that refusing Drucker is not an impolite ultimatum but rather a clear stance stemming from the new interior minister promising to revive the peoples trust in state power and the police. Pellegrini also defended Gaspar and added he considers him a top professional. 16. Apr 2018 at 13:30 | Compiled by Spectator staff I have not found reasons to dismiss the police corps president, Tomas Drucker said before leaving the ministerial post. Tomas Drucker will not dismiss Police Corps President Tibor Gaspar. Instead, he will step down as minister. Drucker was expected to announce his decision about the dismissal of Gaspar today, on April 16, after a series of delays, the most recent one due to his health condition. Drucker had been hospitalised over the past few days. During the three weeks he served as interior minister, Drucker faced pressure from protesters in the streets who consistently call for the dismissal of Gaspar. He has also faced allegations over his wife's suspicious purchase of land near Trnava. He now says he is leaving because he has not been able to calm the situation, and the polarisation in society persists. Read also: Read also: Drucker understands public's "emotions" but is taking his time to act Read more Drucker did not consult his decision with the coalition leaders or the president, he only announced it to PM Peter Pellegrini, who, as he said, acknowledged it but was not very happy about it. "What matters to me is my personal integrity and if I am expected to make a decision that polarises society, I must take this decision," Drucker explained his resignation. Drucker claims he opted not to dismiss the police corps president because he has not found any evidence that would speak against Gaspar. He was aware it was possible that Gaspar would not step down despite public pressure. "I counted on that during my debates with President Kiska," Drucker said, adding that he made it clear that he was not going to take the post of the interior minister in the Pellegrini government if he was expected to immediately dismiss Gaspar. "I believe my departure is equally significant pressure to lead a debate on these issues," Drucker told journalists. The exchange of the police corps president would not allow what the new legislation will: a more transparent system of top police officers, not just the president but also his subordinates. When asked whether Gaspar should leave due to the fact that he polarises society, Drucker admitted that everyone needs to act freely. "If he has not been able to take that responsibility, I am doing that," Drucker said. He admitted he would have liked to continue as health minister and finish some of the projects he started there. Drucker is leaving politics altogether, he confirmed. Gaspar will comment soon The decision of the interior minister not to recall me from the post of the Police Corps President and, at the same time, resign from his post, is surprising and unexpected for me, Gaspar responded, as quoted by the Dennik N daily. He intends to comment on the situation soon. The Presidents Office will not respond to interior ministers resignation for now, said President Andrej Kiskas spokesperson Roman Krpelan, as quoted by the SITA newswire. The president said two weeks ago that the only thing he cares about in connection with Gaspar is when the interior minister will recall him. Read also: Read also: Protest filled squares in Bratislava and Humenne Read more Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party) has taken the decision into account. Since it is an internal matter for Smer, he did not want to comment, the TASR newswire wrote. The coalition party, Most-Hid, have also taken the decision into account. The party said it considers the proposed changes to the selection and appointment of the police management an important step to restore the trust of people, the Sme daily wrote. For Veronika Remisova of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO), Druckers resignation means that Gaspar and the interest groups standing behind him are stronger than the interior minister. This poses a danger for our country and the enforcement of justice, she told SITA. Drucker is leaving but the Police Corps president, who has a conflict of interests in the investigation of the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, is staying in his post, she said, as quoted by SITA, referring to the fact that Kuciak was writing about Gaspar and his family and Nitra-based oligarch Norbert Bodor. She considers Druckers explanation extremely untrustworthy. Remisova does not think that his resignation will calm down the situation. Instead, the polarisation and distrust in state institutions and the police management will increase, she added for SITA. Drucker sacrificed the trust in the police Despite Druckers resignation, the organisers of the For a Decent Slovakia rallies insist that Gaspar be recalled, saying that he is a symbol of failures, the distrust of people in police and scandal. After the resignation of Tomas Drucker, the question of dismissing Gaspar, the systemic changes in police and police inspection is an absolute responsibility of Mr Pellegrini and the ruling coalition, they wrote on their Facebook page. The trust in the police depends on the Police Corps president, stressed the Stop Corruption Foundation. We consider it regrettable that by his inactivity Drucker sacrificed the trust in Slovakias police, and instead of carrying out inevitable systemic changes he prematurely left the fight, the foundation said. 16. Apr 2018 at 14:48 | Compiled by Spectator staff Education Ministry has made little progress Since the last election, nothing has changed in the Slovak education sector. The Comenius choir was ready to sing in the governmental Borik hotel for the start of the festive ceremony. At the end of March, the Education Ministry celebrated Teachers Day (March 28). On this occasion, more than 60 teachers and lecturers were awarded for their work. The planned start of 11:00 had been postponed, however, as everyone was waiting for the Education Minister, Martina Lubyova (SNS). She arrived 20 minutes late, apologising and explaining that due to the turbulent March events, she had to address urgent issues. The ceremony that followed was somehow reminiscent and symbolic of the state of the Slovak education sector. The laboured presentation of the host, the ostentatious style, the use of formal phrases between the ministry representatives and the teachers. Shortly after the scientist Lubyova was nominated by the Slovak National party (SNS) for the position to replace the office worker, Peter Plavcan, the new minister said one of the reasons she accepted the offer was because nationalistic feelings connect her with SNS. In this tone, the choir sang the hymnal song Aka Si Mi Krasna, hailing the beauties of Slovakia, at the end of the programme meant for teachers. At times, the atmosphere in the hall was reminiscent of the communist-time celebrations of 30 years ago. Vain hopes When Martina Lubyova, long-time academic from the Slovak Academy of Sciences and daughter of its former chairman Stefan Luby, came to work at the ministry, the expert public had hope that things would improve. 18 months later, most people have abandoned the initial enthusiasm. Education Minister Martina Lubyova (Source: TASR) It was expected that as a scientist, Lubyova would think conceptually, which is a very rare and missing thing at the ministry, Juraj Hips of the non-governmental Komensky Institute says. It turns out that there's no guarantee that a scientist will manage the ministry well. This lack of conceptual thinking was obvious a year ago when the ministry reacted to growing extremism by simply adding one extra lesson of history a week at schools. Hips claims that Slovak education is in coma. He sees the biggest problems in primary and secondary schools which Lubyova does not understand at all, according to him. No one of sound mind can expect anything from the ministry now, Hips says. The platform To Da Rozum (Learning Makes Sense) cannot evaluate the performance of the new minister, wrote Renata Hall, who focuses mostly on university education. In the past two years, the ministry has only prepared changes, and so virtually nothing good or bad happened. The Education Ministry is more demoralised than it was when ex-minister Plavcan was recalled, Vladimir Crmoman of the Slovak Teachers Chamber claims. Changes that cannot be done The Education Ministry is demoralised in part by a delay in the biggest school system reform of the past 25 years. A year ago, six experts finished the Learning Slovakia document, comprised of more than 200 pages, which should have fundamentally changed the method of teaching in the country. In mid-October 2017, Lubyova deemed the document unfeasible. Now, ministerial expert teams are rewriting the theses into another document the National programme of Pedagogy and Education Development. The minister diverts attention from addressing real needs of students and teachers by inventing pseudo-problems, Crmoman opines. He claims that Lubyova has postponed the solution of all other essential problems indefinitely. The Education Ministry should draw 1.46 billion from EU-funds by 2020. She fails to meet the deadlines she set herself, doesnt act transparently, and doesnt publish work groups, which allegedly participate in the programme, he says. If the fundamental reform took place as soon as tomorrow, its first results can be expected only by 2027, Crmoman sums up. At the end of March, the ministry announced the programme of education development was prepared for comments but will be tabled until the political situation has been stabilised. The programme is still missing among the materials published and the ministry has not revealed details of its contents so far. The minister only said that the reform could cost about 1.2 billion. The scandal surrounding EU funds Apart from the yet-to-be-launched education reform, Lubyova also inherited from her predecessor, Peter Plavcan, the scandal involving EU-funds. Plavcan had to leave by the end of summer 2017 due to the outrageous allocation of hundreds of millions of euros from European Union finances for research and development. The companies who benefited the most had nothing to do with research when they received subsidies amounting to millions for various scientific projects. The issue was mainly the criteria for evaluation. The Supreme Audit Office (NKU) wrote that the internal control system at the ministry failed. It is insufficient and processes are not in compliance with principles of effectiveness, usefulness, and the ban on conflict of interests. NKU sent its findings to investigators, who have been checking on the allocation since last summer. The National Anti-corruption Unit has been involved, but police spokesman Martin Waldl refused to elaborate more in detail. Due to the botched allocation of hundreds of millions of euros, all calls and projects of the past nine months have been stalled. Currently, they are gradually moving on, and before the end of the programme period, by 2020, 1.46 billion should be drawn. As for now, only contracts worth 50 million have been signed. 16. Apr 2018 at 20:28 | By Peter Kapitan 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 contact@marketbeat.com | (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. Surge Energy Inc. explores for, develops, and produces oil and gas in western Canada. The company holds interest in the Greater Sawn Lake assets located in Northern Alberta; Valhalla/Wembley property located in northwestern Alberta; Sparky assets located between Provost and Wainwright in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan; and Shaunavon properties located to the southwest of Swift Current, Saskatchewan. It holds an average working interest of approximately 83% in approximately 109,941 net developed acres and approximately 92% in approximately 152,344 net undeveloped acres in Greater Sawn area; approximately 70% in approximately 16,032 net developed acres and approximately 74% in approximately 8,208 net undeveloped acres in Valhalla area; and approximately 76% in approximately 80,213 net developed acres and 96% in approximately 58,598 net undeveloped acres in Sparky area; and approximately 61% in approximately 88,178 net developed acres and approximately 39% in approximately 10,483 net undeveloped acres in Edmonton and other minor areas. As of December 31, 2020, it held interests in 316 net oil and 13 net gas wells in Greater Sawn area; 56 net oil and 4 net gas wells in Valhalla area; 466 net oil and 10 net gas wells in Sparky area; 176 net oil wells, as well as an average working interest of approximately 100% in approximately 23,409 net developed acres and 13,698 net undeveloped acres in the Shaunavon properties; and 28 net oil wells and 7 net gas wells in Edmonton and other minor areas. The company was formerly known as Zapata Energy Corporation and changed its name to Surge Energy Inc. in June 2010. Surge Energy Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More The quarterfinal performances at The Voice of Ukraine were held on Sunday, and during which Srbuhi Sargsyan from Armenia also took to the stage. She sang the hit song New Rules, and the judges lauded her performance. And Sargsyan advanced to the semifinals as a result of the audience voting. Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Introduction: Non-resident Indians are a section of people whose roots belong to India and who have migrated from India. The Indian Government is aware of the importance of Indian Diaspora in the form of NRIs/POIs which is spread all across the world and which despite being away from India is making significant contribution to the Indian economy on a global platform and to the economic, financial and social benefits to them to attract their investments. Definition of Non-Resident Indian Under FEMA, there are different definitions of NRI in different regulations depending on the requirement of the subject for which the regulation is formulated. As per Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations: Non-resident Indian (NRI) means a person resident outside India who is a citizen of India or is a person of India origin. Keeping in mind the importance of Indian Diaspora abroad and the money they get in the country, NRIs/POIs have been given many facilities in India like opening of bank accounts,investments in real estate etc. They are permitted to open bank accounts in India out of funds remitted from abroad, foreign exchange brought in from abroad or out of the funds legitimately due to them in India, with Authorised Dealer. Such accounts can be opened with banks specially authorised by the Reserve Bank in this behalf. NRI and their Bank Accounts Governing Legislation: There are three types of non-resident accounts that can be opened by NRIs in India as per Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016: 1. Non-resident (External) Rupee Accounts (NRE Accounts) opened under the Non-Resident (External) Account Scheme, specified in Schedule 1 of the Regulation. 2. Non-resident (Ordinary) Rupee Accounts (NRO Accounts) opened under the Non-Resident (Ordinary) Account Scheme, specified in Schedule 3 of the Regulation. 3. Foreign Currency Non-residents (Banks) Accounts (FCNR(B) Accounts) opened under the Foreign Currency (Non-resident) Account Banks Scheme (FCNR-B account) specified in Schedule 2 of the Regulation. Non Resident (External) Rupee Accounts (NRE Accounts) NRIs and POIs can open NRE accounts with foreign remittance. These are rupee denominated accounts. Accounts can be in the form of davings, current, recurring or fixed deposit accounts. Accounts can be opened by remittance of funds in foreign exchange. Foreign Exchange brought in legally, repatriable incomes of the account holder etc., can be credited to the account. Joint operation with other NRIs/POIs is also permitted. The balance in the account is freely repatriable. Interest lying to the credit of NRE accounts is exempted from tax in the hands of the NRI. Permissible Credits to NRE account are inward remittance to India in permitted currency, proceeds of account payee cheques, demnad drafts/bankers cheques, issued against encashment of foreign currency where the instruments issued to the NRE account holder are supported by encashment certificate issued by AD Category-I/Category-II, transfer from other NRE/FCNR accounts, sale proceeds of FDI Investments, interest accruing on the funds in such accounts, interest on Government securities/dividends on mutual funds purchased etc. to NRE account are inward remittance to India in permitted currency, proceeds of account payee cheques, demnad drafts/bankers cheques, issued against encashment of foreign currency where the instruments issued to the NRE account holder are supported by encashment certificate issued by AD Category-I/Category-II, transfer from other NRE/FCNR accounts, sale proceeds of FDI Investments, interest accruing on the funds in such accounts, interest on Government securities/dividends on mutual funds purchased etc. Eligible Debits are local disbursements, transfer to other NRE/FCNR accounts, investment in shares, securities, etc. Change of Residential status of the account holder: NRE accounts should be re-designated as resident accounts or the funds held in these accounts may be transferred to the RFC accounts (if eligible) at the option of the account holder immediately. Where the NRI is only on a short visit to India, the account may continue to be treated as NRE account even during his stay in India. Non Resident (Ordinary) Rupee Accounts (NRO Accounts) These are rupee denominated non-repatriable accounts and can be in the form of savings, current, recurring or fixed-deposits. These accounts can be opened jointly with residents in India. When an Indian national/PIO resident in India leaves for taking up employment, etc. outside the country other than Nepal or Bhutan, his bank account in India gets designated as an NRO account. Permissible Credits (i) Proceeds of remittances received in any permitted currency from outside India through banking channels or any permitted currency tendered by the account-holder during his temporary visit to India or transfers from rupee accounts of non-resident banks. (ii) Legitimate dues in India of the account holder. (iii) Transfers from other NRO accounts. (iv) Any amount received by the account holder in accordance with the rules or regulations made under the Act Permissible Debits (i) All local payments in rupees including payments for investments subject to compliance with the relevant regulations made by the Reserve Bank. (ii) Remittance outside India of current income in India of the account holder net of applicable taxes. (iii) Transfers to other NRO accounts. (iv) Settlement of charges on International Credit Cards issued by authorised dealer banks in India to NRIs or PIOs, subject to the limits for repatriation of balances held in NRO accounts specified in regulation 4(2) of Foreign Exchange Management (Remittance of Assets) Regulations, 2016. Change of Residential status of Account holder: From Resident to Non-resident: When a person resident in India leaves India for a country (other than Nepal or Bhutan) for taking up employment, or for carrying on business or vocation outside India or for any other purpose indicating his intention to stay outside India for an uncertain period, his existing account should be designated as a Non-Resident (Ordinary) account. From Non-resident to Resident: NRO accounts may be designated as resident rupee accounts on the return of the account holder to India for taking up employment, or for carrying on business or vocation or for any other purpose indicating his intention to stay in India for an uncertain period. Where the account holder is only on a temporary visit to India, the account should continue to be treated as non-resident during such visit. Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banks) Accounts (FCNR (B) Accounts) NRIs/POIs can open the FCNR(B) account. It can be opened only in the form of term deposits from 1 to 5 years. All debits and credits permissible in NRE accounts are permissible in FCNR (B) accounts also. The account can be in any freely convertible currency. Permissible Debits/ Credits: All debits/ credits permissible in respect of NRE accounts as specified in Schedule 1 shall be permissible in respect of these accounts also. Rate for Conversion of Rupees into Designated Currencies and vice versa: Remittances received in Indian rupees for opening these accounts shall be converted by the authorised dealer into the designated foreign currency at the clean T.T. selling rate for that currency ruling on the date of conversion. For the purpose of payment in rupees, funds held in these accounts shall be converted into rupees at the authorised dealers clean T.T. buying rate for the concerned currency ruling on the date of withdrawal. Manner of Payment of Interest: Interest on balances held in these accounts may be paid half-yearly or on an annual basis as desired by the depositor. Interest may be credited to a new FCNR (B) account or an existing/ new NRE/ NRO account in the name of the account holder, at his option. Change of residential status of the account holder: When an account holder becomes a person resident in India, deposits may be allowed to continue till maturity at the contracted rate of interest, if so desired by him. However, except the provisions relating to rate of interest and reserve requirements as applicable to FCNR (B) deposits, for all other purposes such deposits shall be treated as resident deposits from the date of return of the accountholder to India. Authorised dealers should convert the FCNR(B) deposits on maturity into resident rupee deposit accounts or RFC account (if the depositor is eligible to open RFC account), at the option of the accountholder and interest on the new deposit (rupee account or RFC account) shall be payable at the relevant rates applicable for such deposits. Pharmaceutical firm Mylan has denied reports that suggested it was interested in acquiring the consumer health care unit of Merck KGaA. According to a spokesperson for Mylan, the reports which were attributed to Reuters were false. In the report it had been suggested that Merck KGaA would dispose of its consumer health care division for a price ranging between $4.3 billion and $4.9 billion. Last year Merck disclosed that it intended to sell the consumer health care unit with a view to using the funds to invest in prescription drug research. Annual sales at the unit are around $1 billion. Reckitt Benckiser and Nestle had also shown interest in the business but have since dropped out of bidding. In the past Mylan has acquired assets from Merck KGaA. For instance in 2007 Mylan purchased the genetics business of Merck at a price of five billion euros. Get alerts: Global consumer health market Demand in the consumer health business has been driven by health-conscious consumers and aging populations. However there has been a slowdown globally with the sales growth falling from between 4% and 6% to between 0% and 3% according to a report released by analysts at Morgan Stanley last year. This comes in the wake of Mylan disclosing that EpiPen, its emergency allergy antidote, is experiencing short supply in Britain and Canada. According to a spokesperson for Pfizer, which manufactures EpiPen at a plant located close to St. Louis in the state of Missouri, the United States is however not experiencing a shortage. Manufacturing hitches The Pfizer unit that is responsible for manufacturing EpiPens, Meridian Medical Technologies, has suffered from various manufacturing hitches in the past. Last year in March for instance Myland had to recall numerous devices following complaints which indicated that some were not activating. Also in September last year the Food and Drug Administration warned Meridian Medical Technologies over findings that product failures had not been thoroughly investigated and corrective actions taken. Then Myland indicated that it did not expect the warning letter from the FDA to have any impact on the supply of the EpiPen devices. When Pfizer Canada revealed the supply constraints it blamed delays being experienced at the manufacturing plant besides supplier hitches. In Canada there doesnt exist any alternatives for EpiPen and caregivers and patients have been advised to use EpiPens which have expired in the event of an emergency if nothing else is available. Pfizer understands and regrets the challenges that these ongoing supply constraints pose to patients and the healthcare community, Pfizer wrote on its website. PetroVietnam (PVN), the countrys state-run oil and gas giant, is preparing for an unprecedented reform of its organization and investments, in the wake of many prosecutions involving its top executives. The reform plan, recently submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, would include a gradual streamlining of PVNs apparatus and the groups divestment from a number of subsidiaries from now to 2025. In its report, PVN also asked to be granted special mechanisms that would allow the group to regain financial footing after recent major losses caused by mismanagement. According to the plan, the number of departments within PVNs organizational structure will be reduced from 23 to 13 by merging departments with overlapping or closely related duties. The petroleum behemoth will close one of its three representative offices nationwide as a cost-saving measure. By 2019 PVN will have completely divested from its subsidiaries including PetroVietnam Maintenance and Repair Corporation (PVMR), PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), and PetroVietnam Insurance Company (PVI). Other PVN-owned businesses including PetroVietnam Gas Corporation (PVGas), PetroVietnam Fertilizer and Chemicals Corporation (PVFCCo), and PetroVietnam Ca Mau Fertilizer Company (PVCFC) will be subject to partial divestiture from now to 2020. Meanwhile, PetroVietnam Exploration and Production Corporation (PVEP) is scheduled for privatization in 2025, when it is expected to have reported three straight years of profitable operations. The number of businesses where PVN holds a 100 percent stake will be reduced from five to two. The reform is also set to lower the number of businesses where PVN owns more than 50 percent of the shares from 11 to eight, and businesses where it holds less than 50 percent from 12 to eight. PetroVietnam employees take part in a fire drill at the Dung Quat Refinery in Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre While promising radical changes to ensure its efficient running, PVN also asks for government approval to enjoy special mechanisms. These include keeping 32 percent of Vietnams share of profits earned by foreign companies or joint ventures that extract from oilfields located in Vietnamese waters. The share in 2018 is 28 percent. PVN also seeks permission to keep half the money it gets from privatization or divestment deals for reinvestment into other businesses, and to spend 17 percent of its revenue on further oilfield surveying. The oil and gas group looks to issue US$500 million worth of bonds in 2020 and put one coal-fired power plant up for sale until then to balance its cash flow. Prosecution of former executives A Hanoi court last month handed 18 years of imprisonment to PVNs ex-chairman Dinh La Thang for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar loss at the oil and gas group where he was the top leader between 2008 and 2011. Former PVN deputy general director Nguyen Xuan Son, chief financial officer Ninh Van Quynh and four former members of its board of members were also sentenced to between 15 months in non-custody and 23 years behind bars in the same case. The defendants were found guilty of economic mismanagement in the loss of VND800 billion ($35.2 million) worth of PVN investment in local lender OceanBank. Dinh La Thang, former chairman of PVN, stands trial at a Hanoi court in January 2018 for violating state regulations on economic management. Photo: Tuoi Tre In January, Thang was condemned to 13 years in prison in another case involving his wrongdoings as chief of PVN that resulted in losses of VND119 billion ($5.24 million). Thang, along with PVC former chairman Trinh Xuan Thanh, PVC former general director Vu Duc Thuan and 20 other defendants had stood trial for violating state regulations on economic management and embezzlement of property. Thanh was penalized with lifetime imprisonment, while Thuan was sentenced to 22 years in prison for serious violations. The other defendants received jail terms ranging from 17 months to 16 years, some being given non-custodial sentences. Dinh La Thang was previously a member of the Politburo, the all-powerful body of the Communist Party of Vietnam, from January 27, 2016 to May 7, 2017. He was also secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee from February 5, 2016 to May 10, 2017. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The British International School (BIS) Hanoi has raised more than US$1,300 to support local disabled children through their outstanding musical performance in two nights in February. The chosen musical, Beauty and the Beast, is a stage adaptation based on the 1991 animated Disney film, which was itself adapted from the French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. The play received many awards and nominations for its wonderful musical score and songs. Many schools and arts centers around the world perform the show each year. The performance was held as part of the annual school production, an important event in the calendar of the British International School Hanoi. A scene from the performance. Photo: BIS Hanoi Whilst the schools motto is Be Ambitious, giving the students the opportunity to pull off such an iconic Disney musical as Beauty and the Beast is another example of the constant challenge BIS Hanoi presents to their students, thanks to the works demanding standards in terms of acting, singing, stage set-up, music, lighting and costumes. It has taken a lot of work and a close collaboration between BIS Hanoi students and teachers to put on such a high quality performance as Beauty and the Beasts. The casting for the production took place at the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year, with extremely high requirements in terms of acting and singing abilities for each role. The orchestra started rehearsing early on, while the stage set-up design involved a lot of painting and construction from the BIS Hanoi Art Department. What made Beauty and the Beast at BIS Hanoi special was the international mix of players: Ana (British) as Belle, Nhat Hung (Vietnamese) as the Beast, Jess (British) as Gaston, Susan (Korean) as Mrs. Potts, and Ana Luisa (Mexican) as Babette. The whole cast made great efforts in practice and rehearsals over three months which boosted their standard of acting and amazed the audience in bringing the classical fairy-tale to life. During the performance nights, the schools orchestra also sounded like a professional orchestra that had been rehearsing together for years. A scene from the performance. Photo: BIS Hanoi Ms Laura Rea, Performing Arts Leader at BIS Hanoi, shares: An unimaginable amount of hours of rehearsals went into this show, rehearsing the same scene over and over again until it was perfect, re-doing dances tirelessly to ensure all students were not only in the correct place but also facing the correct way and doing the correct moves as well as continuously developing our singing and acting skills put a lot of pressure on our students. Not once did any student complain, they came to every rehearsal with a smile and left every rehearsal tired but ready for the next day, she added. With audiences averaging around 700 people for two nights, the production achieved its ambitious fund raising goal for children with disability at the local Nguyen Dinh Chieu school. In addition, BIS Hanoi students delighted their parents and teachers with their talents and professional working attitude which confirms the excellent teaching and learning quality of the schools Performing Arts Department. State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled to pay an official visit to Vietnam this week, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Suu Kyi, who is also Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of the Presidents Office, will visit Vietnam on April 19 and 20 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The Myanmarese leader previously made a business trip to the central city of Da Nang in early November 2017 to attend an informal dialogue between leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Myanmar was one of the first Southeast Asian countries to set up diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1975 and supported Vietnam during the struggle for national independence and reunification. The two countries elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive cooperative partnership during a state visit to Myanmar by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong in August 2017. Bilateral trade reached US$828.3 million last year, up 51 percent compared to 2016. Vietnam is the 7th biggest investor in Myanmar with 70 projects worth nearly $2 billion. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the news you should not miss today, April 16 Politics -- Vietnam is concerned about the current situation in Syria and protests the use of force which threatens the normal life of innocent civilians and peace and stability in the region, the foreign ministrys spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said on Sunday. -- Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar State Counselor, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of the Presidents Office, will pay an official visit to Vietnam from April 19-20 at the invitation of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Sunday. -- The Vietnam France Culture and Friendship Week, held in celebration of 45 years of the countries diplomatic ties and fifth anniversary of strategic partnership, kicked off at the Youth Cultural House in Ho Chi Minh City on Sunday. Society -- A heavy cargo ship was docked at a local port for unloading when it lost its anchor and was swept by strong currents to crash into the Dong Nai Bridge in the namesake province in southern Vietnam on Sunday. -- A pile-up involving more than ten cars occurred on the National Highway No.6 section that passes through the northern province of Hoa Binh, some 90km southwest of Hanoi, as thick fog reduced visibility on Sunday. -- Police in the northern province of Vinh Phuc said on Sunday they are investigating the murder of an eight-year-old boy, who was playing with his younger brother at home when an unidentified man entered the house and slashed him to death on Saturday night. Business -- Vietnamese Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung will chair a three-day investment promotion conference in Seoul from today, April 16, to seek new investment flow from South Korea into Vietnam, the State Securities Commission announced on Sunday. -- The 2018 Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival wrapped up its four days of activities on Sunday, having attracted more than 320,000 visitors and generated revenue of around VND83 billion ($3.66 billion), up 38 percent from last year. Lifestyle -- Authorities in the central city of Da Nang are investigating the organizers behind a proposed fundraising concert to be held in the name of the Vietnamese Association of Victims of Agent Orange, while the association has no idea about it. -- Ho Chi Minh City will hold fireworks shows at the Thu Thiem Tunnel, which crosses the Saigon River, in District 2 and Dam Sen Park in District 11 in commemoration of the 43th anniversary of Reunification Day on April 30. A large cargo ship lost its anchor and crashed into a bridge in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai on Sunday afternoon. The Royal 09 vessel was stranded under the Dong Nai Bridge for more than an hour after having its stern stuck into the structure following the anchor loss, according to eyewitnesses. The bridge, crossing the namesake river, connects Bien Hoa, the provincial capital of Dong Nai, with Di An Town in Binh Duong Province. The vessel had its stern stuck into the bridge following the accident. Photo: Tuoi Tre The Royal 09 was docking at the Dong Nai Port at around 4:20 pm when it lost its anchor, according to a representative of the local port authority. The vessel drifted about 100 meters along the river due to strong currents, before hitting the bridge with its rear and getting stuck there. Officers from the Dong Nai waterway police unit were quick to appear at the scene to coordinate with competent authorities in Binh Duong to rescue the ship. Competent authorities arrive at the scene to rescue the ship. Photo: Tuoi Tre Three boats mobilized for the rescue efforts were able to free the vessel at around 5:30 pm the same day. About ten crew members were on the cargo ship at the time, but no one was harmed, while the vessel and the bridge only suffered minor damage. A small crowd of locals gathered along the Dong Nai Bridge to watch the rescue efforts of the rare incident out of curiosity. Smaller boats are mobilized to rescue the ship. Photo: Tuoi Tre Local residents gather along the Dong Nai Bridge. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Three men have been arrested for assaulting traffic police officers after being pulled over for a breathalyzer test in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai. Nguyen Trong Duc, 26, Nguyen Trung Luc, 25, and Nguyen Trung Tri, 19, have been taken into custody for obstruction, the provincial police department confirmed on Sunday. The three men were pulled over when they were traveling on two motorbikes in Thong Nhat District by a group of five police officers, who believed they were driving under the influence of alcohol, at around 9:20 pm on Saturday. As they were asked to take a breath test, the men did not cooperate and began to push and provoke the law enforcement officers. During the row, Luc ran into a nearby house and returned with two knives. He gave one to Duc and the two began attacking the policemen. Tri also took part in the assault by using his helmet. One of the police officers, Tran Long, eventually had one of his fingers nearly cut off, while his fellow officer, Tran Trieu Pha, suffered some injuries on his face. The three suspects were apprehended even though they had tried to hide themselves inside local houses. Pha and Long were admitted to the Thong Nhat District medical center for emergency treatment, before the latter officer was transferred to a local general hospital to have his finger reattached. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Eurovision Song Contest is just around the corner, taking place in Lisbon from May 9 13. Jessica Mauboy represents Australia in the Second Semi Final, with Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst returning as presenters for SBS. TV Tonight is again offering a special Eurovision section with news and videos until the big night. This year SBS will no longer hold primetime shows until the Friday night, with Semi Finals screening on Wednesday, Friday and (Final) on Sunday. Live voting one again only takes place in the Live morning screenings. There will also be 2 new specials, Eurovision Top 40 Controversies & Destination Flavour Eurovision. The 63rd Eurovision Song Contest is about to begin in Lisbon, Portugal, as Australias most recognisable, multi-platinum all round entertainer Jessica Mauboy takes the stage in front of an estimated 200 million people for the worlds biggest song competition. The contest will be broadcast live and in primetime exclusively on SBS from 9 to 13 May. In 2014, Jessica made history when she was invited to perform as an interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen, Denmark, being the first non-European solo artist to do so. This time, shes competing for Australia and a shot at Eurovision glory. Hosting duo Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey return after their debut as hosts and commentators at the 2017 contest. They will be at the helm of SBSs Eurovision coverage, on the ground from the Altice Arena in Lisbon, to bring Australians every angle of the contest as they explore the razzmatazz, kitsch, political voting, showbiz, cultural displays and heart of Eurovision the artists and songs. The Feeds Jan Fran will bring audiences the colour and culture of Lisbon outside the arena. With early morning Live broadcasts of Semi Final 1, Semi Final 2 and the Grand Final for immediate results and voting along with Europe, and same day primetime broadcasts for fabulous Euro-themed parties around the country, there are plenty of opportunities to get behind Jessica and join in the fun of picking favourites from the 43 competing nations, each bringing a taste of their own musical culture to the contest. Some of this years standout acts include bookies pick Israel, a Swedish reality TV star, a former Eurovision winner from Norway and a previously banned contestant from Russia. As well as full coverage of the song contest across TV, radio and online, this year SBS introduces two new programs to round out a week of Eurovision content, kicking off on Saturday 5 May with an encore of Eurovision Top 40 Songs before Semi Final 1 on Wednesday 9 May. Hosted by SBSs favourite foodie and mega-Eurovision fan Adam Liaw, Destination Flavour Eurovision premieres on Thursday 10 May and is sure to leave audiences salivating for Semi Final 2 featuring Australias Jessica Mauboy on Friday 11 May. On Saturday 12 May, Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey present a brand new hilarious two hour TV special counting down Eurovisions wildest controversies in Eurovision Top 40 Controversies. Eurovision Top 40 Songs Saturday 5 May, 8.30pm on SBS (rpt) Its the worlds ultimate song competition and Australia has been watching for 35 years. There are so many musical highlights in the contests history, now its time to feature our top 40 favourite songs. Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey present the Top 40 songs from Eurovisions history. Eurovision Song Contest on SBS Semi Final 1 Wednesday 9 May, Live 5am (AEST) / 7:30pm rpt Semi Final 2 Friday 11 May, Live 5am (AEST) Featuring Jessica Mauboy 7:30pm rpt Grand Final Sunday 13 May, Live 5am (AEST) / 7:30pm rpt Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey will be in the commentary booth to guide viewers through all the acts in the Eurovision Semi Finals and Grand Final, and will also report backstage with exclusive interviews and gossip with contestants and a behind the scenes look at the contest. Jessica is sure to make waves on the Eurovision stage in Semi Final 2 on Friday 11 May with her emotive, uplifting and powerful anthem We Got Love and must be voted through to compete in the Grand Final. Australians will be able to vote again this year during the early morning broadcasts and then join in the conversation using the hashtag #Eurovision during the interactive evening primetime broadcasts, with tweets and party pictures on screen. As per the official Eurovision rules, viewers can vote in the Semi Final in which their country is participating, as well as the Grand Final. The viewers votes make up 50% of the final result. The other 50% of the vote is decided by a National Jury in each participating country. Australias jury will be announced soon. The jury and Australian public can vote for any country except Australia. For Australian viewers, this means they will need to tune into the Live broadcast of Semi Final 2 on Friday 11 May at 5am (AEST) and the Grand Final Sunday 13 May, 5am (AEST) and text or call the numbers that appear on screen during these live broadcasts. Destination Flavour Eurovision Thursday 10 May, 7.30pm on SBS If you cant be at the Eurovision Song Contest in person, Adam Liaw will show you the best of Europe without using his passport its all here in Australia! Our anointed Eurovision Foodie will show how the people of the European diasporas celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest in Australia the music, the festivities, the favourite performers, and of course the food and drink. Destination Flavour Eurovision is the ultimate how-to guide for hosting your own Eurovision party. Eurovision Top 40 Controversies Saturday 12 May, 7.30pm on SBS Eurovision is the wildest show on earth. Each year it creates more drama and shock than any other singing competition. Join Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey as they count down the Top 40 outrageous Eurovision Controversies. With International comedians, celebrities and Eurovision dancers, this hilarious two hour special features live performances from singing sensations Isaiah, Casey Donovan and Australias 2018 Eurovision artist Jessica Mauboy. The Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision Top 40 Controversies, Destination Flavour Eurovision and Eurovision Top 40 Songs are produced by SBSs Eurovision production partner Blink TV. ONLINE sbs.com.au/Eurovision The SBS Eurovision website is the hub for all the latest news from Lisbon, and articles delving into Eurovision culture, politics and the artists. Check in with Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasey; catch up on all of Jessicas preparations for the big event, and get all the latest gossip, exclusive videos, pictures and behind-the-scenes video interviews with artists. The Eurovision website is the number one destination for the complete interactive experience for Australians. Viewers can rate their favourite performance and join the social chatter and post party pics on Twitter and Instagram using #Eurovision and the best shots will end up on screen during SBSs broadcast! Mark Bouris-hosted series The Mentor will premiere next Monday night on Seven at 9pm. The Yellow Brick Road founder and former Apprentice boss assists struggling small businesses. Programmer Angus Ross recently told TV Tonight, Mark Bouris is going to try and turn around small businesses on the brink of collapse. Ive seen the casting and its a great range of stories. Mark and his team came in with a sizzle reel that was absolutely outstanding. Hes fantastic in that role and I think it will make for entertaining and, at times, confronting television. Australian entrepreneur, Mark Bouris, is taking his knowledge to the streets in The Mentor, turning around small businesses on the brink of collapse. Small businesses are the heart and soul of the country employing sixty percent of the Australian population. Mark will be delving deep into the backbone of the nation as he takes apart these businesses and digs deep into the lives of the owners helping them have a real shot at financial and personal success. Growing up in Punchbowl in Sydneys western suburbs, Mark knows how hard work and commitment can be life changing. The Mentor is all about making success happen. Meanwhile The Resident also returns following its enforced hiatus, with a 10pm timeslot. Questions raised about when Seven was aware athletes would not be shown entering Closing Ceremony Seven attended briefing meeting prior to ceremony Was My Kitchen Rules screened in place of pre-show with athletes? screened in place of pre-show with athletes? No TV rehearsal of Closing Ceremony Host broadcaster not involved in creative elements GOLDOC apologises and accepts full responsibility for artistic decisions The fallout of the Closing Ceremony continues with Seven presenter Johanna Griggs hitting back against suggestions Seven knew athletes would not be featured in vision supplied by host broadcaster, NEP Australia. Gold Coast Commonwealth Games organisers have accepted responsibility for the creative undertaken by US-based Jack Morton Worldwide Public Events and UK-born Artistic Director David Zolkwer. Yesterday GOLDOC Chairman Peter Beattie spent the day apologising to media. But questions are emerging about when Seven was aware of plans to have athletes enter the stadium in the pre-show and whether a My Kitchen Rules prevented the pre-show from airing. In Perth & Adelaide, the ceremony was not Live to air, to allow MKR to screen. Yesterday an article by Tracey Holmes at ABC Online claimed Griggs and Seven reps attended a minute-by minute briefing on Saturday morning at which they received a 34 page media guide. Ric Birch, who was head of ceremonies for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games, said: Im certainly surprised that Seven did not raise the issue of the athletes entrance prior to the closing ceremony. But Griggs has hit back stating it was never made clear that footage would not include shots of athletes celebrating. Seven only had 1 news camera in the stadium to gather extra footage. A spokesperson for NEP Australia told TV Tonight, GOLDOC, the Organising Committee, made the decision that the athletes would enter the arena during the pre-show, which is not broadcast. Pre-show means the show that only goes to the big screen at the stadium, to entertain the crowds attending the Closing Ceremony. The Host Broadcaster played no part in the pre-show. It is understood that having extra cameras on the ground entails further fees, which Seven appeared to organise for the Opening Ceremony to capture additional shots of the Australian team entering. If wed left that briefing room with any indication given to us that no athletes would feature, then of course we would have made other arrangements to capture those moments. But instead we thought we were going to broadcast an innovative and exciting show, says Griggs. Statement by NEP Australia, host broadcaster: We understand that there were some early, incorrect, media reports and social media comments about the role of the host broadcaster NEP Australia in the closing ceremonies. NEP is not involved in the creative elements of the closing ceremony, rather we broadcast them. GC2018 explains the creation and production of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in detail here. Statement from Johanna Griggs: Following an article by Tracey Holmes on ABC online and an interview she gave this afternoon on ABC702 Sydney, as the co-host of the Closing Ceremony and former athlete, Id like to clarify and correct a few of her claims. Tracey said that Channel 7 was briefed 24 hours before the opening ceremony and would have received a minute by minute breakdown of exactly what happened. I was one of three people representing Channel 7 in that briefing. I still have the guide (something that is given out to all rights holders in TV and radio). The briefings are to give you an overview of the creative vision of the producers, and find out where they think things need to be explained in commentary. At no point in the guide does it mention that there wouldnt be one single shot shown of athletes watching the performances. We assumed, like every other Closing Ceremony ever shown, that the hosts vision would feature athletes non-stop, celebrating, letting their hair down like we all expect at a Closing Ceremony. If wed left that briefing room with any indication given to us that no athletes would feature, then of course we would have made other arrangements to capture those moments. But instead we thought we were going to broadcast an innovative and exciting show. There was a representative from ABC radio in that room too, although it wasnt Tracey. We knew at that meeting that the organisers were going to try something different, by not having the athletes enter the stadium in the main show which started at 8.30pm, and that they would already be there. We mentioned this at the top of our program just before the countdown to the main show. There was no TV rehearsal of the Closing Ceremony as there is for the Opening Ceremony. That isnt necessarily unique, but clearly a rehearsal would have rung alarm bells. What happens in the pre-show is embargoed until the main show begins so Traceys suggestion of starting 15 minutes earlier is just not right. We wouldnt have been able to show the vision anyway. Tracey said Channel 7 cued in the Australian team to film vision. Whoever gave that cue wasnt us. Im guessing it was the stadium control room. As rights holders, we were allowed one camera in the stadium, a news camera, on the condition we wouldnt show the vision for 24 hours. We made the decision to show it anyway at the back of the ceremony when we realised what a farce the Closing Ceremony was turning out to be. I stand by the fact that we could only show the vision supplied to us on the night, and that whoever made the decision to not cut away to the athletes made a bad call. And the athletes left because they didnt feel at all included in the show which is such a shame as they were the real stars who should have been celebrated. Tracey was quoting Ric Birch in relation to some of her information. I have had the privilege of working alongside Ric on previous occasions. I can assure you that the conditions applied to Channel 7 for these ceremonies was very different to anything weve ever experienced before. Finally, Id like to thank Channel 7 and my co-host Basil Zempilas for their complete and unconditional support to let me say what I really thought during last nights broadcast. Statement from GOLDOC: The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) acknowledges the concerns raised around tonights broadcast of the GC2018 Closing Ceremony. We agree that the ceremony should be a celebration of the athletes and a chance for them to celebrate the end of 11 days of tremendous sport. It was the intention of the Closing Ceremony creative to have the athletes involved from the very start of the show, enabling them all to be part of the celebrations. This resulted in the athletes entering the stadium during the pre-show, rather than during the live broadcast. GOLDOC appreciates that this decision therefore did not provide the opportunity for the television audiences to share this moment. With over half the athletes scheduled to depart the Gold Coast tomorrow, it is understandable that large numbers of athletes chose to depart the ceremony early, to prepare for their journey or attend their own team celebrations. It was the intention of GOLDOC to celebrate the accomplishments of the athletes and provide them with a great experience. We are naturally disappointed that the good intentions of the creative did not necessarily work for some of the athletes involved and the broadcast audience. TVs year of abuse continues with the Daily Mail apologising for language it published in referring to a participant on Bachelor in Paradise, Florence. The article published yesterday referred to her as a vapid c*** before editing the Live copy two hours later. Daily Mail Australia would like to apologise for inappropriate language that appeared on an article published by this site on Sunday morning, a spokesman said. The story about Bachelor in Paradise star Florence Alexandra contained offensive wording that should not have been included. As soon as we became aware of the mistake, the wording was removed. The Daily Mail Australia will properly investigate how the offending words were published. Florence Alexandra is reportedly consulting lawyers. Updated: After an internal investigation, Daily Mail Australia has now terminated the employment of the journalist responsible for the offending words, says spokesperson. Source: AdNews UKTV will screen Live uninterrupted coverage of the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday May 19. Tim Christlieb, Director of Branded Services, BBC Studios, Australia and New Zealand: No-one does a Royal wedding quite like the Brits. People will be lining the streets and tuning in all around the world to celebrate and as the Australian home of great British events, UKTV will be right there with the very best, uninterrupted, extended coverage direct from the BBC. This is an iconic, global event and we intend to enjoy every moment of it. The couple will exchange vows at 9pm (AEST) Saturday May 19 at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle with The Archbishop of Canterbury to officiate as the couple make their marriage vows. Following the service, a Carriage Procession will commence at 10pm (AEST) from St Georges Chapel through Windsor Town returning to Windsor Castle via the Long Walk. UKTV will show the BBCs main Royal wedding programme of the marriage itself and the Carriage Procession, with live coverage before and after. Exact timings TBC. In the run up to the Royal Wedding, UKTV will also be showing a collection of royal documentaries including: Britains Royal Weddings (Wednesday 16th May & Thursday 17th May at 8.30pm) The intimate story of Britains royal weddings, from the Queen Mother through to Princess Margaret, told from the point of view of the people who were there. Sophie Raworth discovers how traditions began, how weddings adapted to reflect the changing times, and what it is like to be part of staging an event that is watched by millions. It also charts how changing social attitudes and national circumstances have influenced what the public has come to expect from Britains royal weddings. Our Queen (Wednesday 16th May & Thursday 17th May at 9.45pm) An in-depth portrait of the worlds most famous woman by award winning producer/director Michael Waldman and bestselling royal writer Robert Hardman. Our Queen charts an extraordinary year in the life of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, with unique access to her family, to her staff, to her prime ministers and to her palaces. A world leader since the age of 25, how does she retain her hold on the nations affections when political and social currents have transformed so much around her? How does she stay true to the past, yet adapt to the present? This fascinating, observational documentary series is a study of leadership, judgement and character, of spectacular pageantry but also of great warmth and poignancy as it shows what this truly modern monarch means to Britain and the world. Prince Harry in Africa (Friday 18th May at 8.30pm) Follows HRH Prince Harry on his return to Lesotho, in Africa, to continue the work of the charity he set up in the country a decade ago. Featuring footage of Prince Harry getting his hands dirty and interacting with the local children, the film will discover how the Prince has come to have such an understanding of their problems and how this led him to set up his own initiative, with the aim of supporting orphans and vulnerable children and helping them through education. The documentary will also capture the moment that Prince Harry is reunited with Mutsu, a local teenager who the Prince met on his first visit to Lesotho, and who have kept in regular contact, both knowing first-hand what is was like growing up without a parent. Born to Royalty (Friday 18th May at 9.30pm) A feature-length celebration charting the history of the royal babies born in recent times. In this insightful documentary, we celebrate the birth of William and Kates first child, the great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, with a fascinating portrait of the life that lies ahead for the child who is born to reign. TEN corporate spokesperson Neil Shoebridge will depart TEN next month after six years. He will set up his own communications consultancy firm, but remain a consultant to the network. Shoebridge was previously a journalist, as marketing and media editor for the Australian Financial Review, before CEO James Warburton brought him across to oversee corporate and publicity for TEN. It became the most turbulent time in the networks history with four CEOs (incl. acting CEOs): Warburton, Lachlan Murdoch, Hamish McLennan, Paul Anderson, plus receivership and a takeover by CBS. We wish him all the best with his new venture and we are delighted that he will continue to work with us in his new capacity, Anderson said. Shoebridge, who exits on May 25, said, I will always appreciate the opportunities TEN has afforded me and the many talented people who I have worked with here. Im pleased that I will remain connected to TEN in a consulting role. His departure follows the exit of Seven corporate spokesperson Simon Francis in December, replaced by Stephen Browning, previously of News Corp. TEN is yet to announce its new corporate spokesperson. Source: Mumbrella, The Australian The other day, US President Donald Trump cancelled his first official trip to Latin America, which was supposed to be a very important summit that would serve to improve the tensions between North and Central America in order to focus on the crisis in Syria, speaks to his brain trust and figures out the action that the US government would be taking in response to the chemical attack launched by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his own people. Lo and behold, after much deliberation, Trump has decided to launch a series of air strikes against the Assad regime in Syria in the hopes that it will sort everything out and there will be peace in the volatile nation now. Many detractors have called Trumps actions hypocritical because he is bombing a country for treating its own citizens unfairly when the citizens of Flint (Michigan) have had their supply of drinking water poisoned by the US government and the Native American protestors at Standing Rock were gassed by US law enforcement. A lot of critics have sarcastically noted that they hope the Assad regime wont bomb America back in retaliation. Trump stands by his decision Despite all the controversy and criticism surrounding Trumps decision to send a bunch of missiles to Syria in order to solve his problems, the President is standing by his decision. He said, Mission accomplished, in regards to the air strikes. Trump has blamed the fake news media for misconstruing the effects that his strikes have had and convincing the wider US population (and the world) that they were a bad or misguided idea. Both Russia and Syria deny that there was ever a chemical attack in the town of Douma on the 7th of April. They claim that the attack was staged and never actually took place. Now, if you want to hear some fake news, thats fake news for you. People from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have actually gone down there to take a look around. Theyve also got people in Damascus. Theyve met with actual Syrian officials. They can confirm that a chemical attack has taken place in the area. But still, the Assad regime denies it. Trump gleefully tweeted about his perfectly executed strike and sang praises for his allies in the governments of the UK and France for their involvement in the strikes and the decision to make them. He praises the two countries for their wisdom and for the strength of their military forces. The President added that his air strikes on Syria could not have had a better result. Thats when he concluded the tweet with Mission accomplished! Even the term Mission accomplished has been criticised Some critics have even come out to attack Trumps use of the phrase Mission accomplished! at the end of his tweet. Ari Fleischer, who used to work as the Press Secretary under the administration of former President George W. Bush, has said that he would have recommended against the use of that phrase, which was made popular by old episodes of the spy series Mission: Impossible. Still, the President has defended his use of the term (so the air strikes werent the only decision that hes had to publicly defend over the past couple of days), saying that it is a great military term. On the topic of the term Mission accomplished, Trump added, It should be brought back. Use often! Lord knows where hes gotten this idea that the outdated term is really cool and should be brought back into common usage. It probably has more to do with the defence of his own language than his vision for the future of the American vocabulary. Either way, hes been saying that the criticism of his use of the term is the only negative thing the press has to say about his air strikes, although this is apparently not true. Conservative MEP David Campbell Bannerman (Getty) A Conservative politician has been banned from acting as an EU election observer after praising a vote declared undemocratic by official monitors. David Campbell Bannerman is one of three MEPs who have been sanctioned after flouting warnings to stay away from the presidential poll that took place in Azerbaijan last week. The European Parliament decided not to send an official delegation to observe the early election because of what they described as the worsening democratic environment in the country. They subsequently warned MEPs not to take part in fake delegations which could be intentionally misrepresented as official delegations by local media. However, Mr Campbell Bannerman and two Polish MEPs from the European Conservative and Reformists (ECR) group travelled to Azerbaijan as privately invited international observers. Mr Campbell Bannerman told the EU Reporter website that his group didnt see anything that concerned us and said he was impressed with the security measures employed. He also tweeted positively about the process and a photo of him was published on the website of Azerbaijans election authorities in an article about election observers. On international observer mission for Azerbaijan Presidential elections, checking fair. Struck how many security checks UK doesnt have: 1.) ID 2.) ultraviolet check on left thumb; sprayed once voted 3.) signature to say voted. No postal/proxy votes @ElectoralCommUK take note? pic.twitter.com/ZbdiCAoOll David C Bannerman (@DCBMEP) April 11, 2018 Labour MEP Linda McAvan and German CDU MEP David McAllister the co-chairs of the European Parliament body which organises election observers have now written to the ECR group about the visit by Mr Campbell Bannerman and the two Polish MEPs. Story continues The letter says: Their presence in Azerbaijan during this electoral process and subsequent public comments have, to put it mildly, come as a great surprise to us. And it adds: We consider the act of sending observers to countries in which the EP explicitly stated it would not observe, is extremely detrimental to the image of the European Parliament. It goes without saying that the effusive remarks by the aforementioned Members of your Group on the management and running of these elections are blatantly contradicted by the preliminary findings of the OSCE-ODIHR mission. The official election observers from the OSCE concluded the election took place within a restrictive political environment and under laws that curtail fundamental rights and freedoms, which are prerequisites for genuine democratic elections. It was called a farce in the respected Foreign Policy magazine. Azerbaijans incumbent president Ilham Aliyev secured a fourth term after winning 86% of votes in an election boycotted by many opposition parties who accused him of authoritarianism. There were seven other candidates on the ballot paper but OSCE monitors said they refrained from criticising Mr Aliyev and also highlighted an absence of pluralism in the media. Ballot box stuffing was among numerous serious irregularities that took place on polling day, the OSCE report noted. A press conference at which the monitors announced their conclusions was interrupted by supporters of the president, who banged on tables and shouted accusations of bias. On the day after the election, Mr Campbell Bannerman posted a photo on Twitter of him shaking hands with the newly re-elected president of Azerbaijan. Great to meet Azerbaijan President Aliyev on first day of new 7yr term. Azerbaijan cut number of those below poverty line from 50% to 5% in 30yrs. Plans to continue this, for more diverse economy, better paid civil servants & continued foreign policy & modern Islamic nation role pic.twitter.com/jZhkQEjhzo David C Bannerman (@DCBMEP) April 12, 2018 The president was first elected in October 2003, taking over from his father who had ruled the country for the ten previous years. All three of the elections won by the current president have fallen short of democratic standards, according to official observers. Mr Aliyev has also fastened his grip on power with two referendums, one in 2009 that scrapped a two-term presidential limit and another in 2016 that extended the presidential term to seven years from five. The letter from Ms McAvan and Mr McAllister informed the ECR that Mr Campbell Bannerman and the two Polish MEPs will not be able to represent the European Parliament as election observers for the remainder of this term. The headquarters of the European Central Bank and the Frankfurt skyline with its financial district are photographed on early evening in Frankfurt FILE PHOTO: The headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Frankfurt skyline with its financial district are photographed on early evening in Frankfurt, Germany, March 25, 2018. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has asked Deutsche Bank to estimate the costs of winding down the trading operations of its investment bank, the first such simulation by one of Europe's biggest banks, Deutsche's finance chief said on Monday. But Chief Financial Officer James von Moltke said the ECB's request was not an unusual exercise and that it was totally unrelated to Deutsche's internal review of its global investment bank. "We think we are first in the queue here because we are the largest capital markets bank in the ECB's supervision," von Moltke said in an interview with Reuters. The timing of the simulation is sensitive because Deutsche Bank's investment banking division has been losing market share and key staff, contributing to three consecutive years of losses at Germany's largest lender. Last week, Deutsche ousted its chief executive John Cryan and Marcus Schenck, one of the heads of the investment bank, also left. The management upheaval has added to speculation that Deutsche Bank might slim down its sprawling investment banking operation. An ECB spokeswoman declined to comment on individual banks. "There are in general various exercises such as recovery plans which the supervisor asks banks to provide," she said. "In any case, the ECB does not intervene in any business model decision of banks." Deutsche Bank, by talking publicly about normally private supervisory exercises, wants to avoid the impression that regulators are worried about the investment bank. The bank has stabilised since late 2016, when speculation mounted that it would need a government bailout in the wake of huge fines from U.S. authorities. Global regulators are working on unified procedures for such exercises like the one that Deutsche is conducting. Regulators are primarily focused on big global banks that trade risky securities like derivatives. The regulators have categorised some banks as "sytemically important" because of their size. They have identified Deutsche Bank as the most systematically important bank in the euro zone. Story continues Regulators in Britain have already conducted a similar simulation with Deutsche's London-based arm. The exercise can shed light on whether a sudden halt of trading activities would require government guarantees or support from taxpayers, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung said in its Monday edition. The German paper was the first to report the news of the simulation. "This (the exercise) doesn't have any connection to any sort of state aid," von Moltke said. Deutsche Bank began the task in late January and expects to conclude it in the third quarter. (Reporting by Tom Sims and Andreas Framke; Additional reporting by Frank Siebelt; Editing by Arno Schuetze and Jane Merriman) Romanian President Klaus Werner Iohannis arrives at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2018. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir Thomson Reuters BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romania's President Klaus Iohannis rejected on Monday a call by the justice minister to dismiss chief anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi, saying the minister's arguments for doing so were unconvincing. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader called for Kovesi's sacking in February, accusing her of exceeding her authority and damaging the country's image abroad. [nL8N1QD3V4] "(The minister's) arguments for a revocation did not convince me," Iohannis, whose presidential advisers have carried out an assessment of the request, told reporters. (Reporting by Radu Marinas; Editing by Hugh Lawson) See Also: Family members of assassinated anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia take part in a vigil and demonstration marking six months since her murder in a car bomb, at her makeshift memorial in Valletta, Malta April 16, 2018. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi Thomson Reuters By Christopher Scicluna VALLETTA (Reuters) - Hundreds of people in Malta held a silent vigil on Monday to remember anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia six months after she was killed by a car bomb. Three men have pleaded not guilty to using a mobile phone to detonate the bomb outside her home on Oct. 16. Authorities say they do not know the motive for the crime and the accused are not believed to have been the masterminds since they had no previous connection to Galizia. A 1 million euro reward offered by the government for information remains unclaimed. Archbishop Charles Scicluna led a mass and said justice must be done because it was fundamental to democracy. Afterwards, people carrying candles and flowers walked down Republic Street the main street in the capital, and placed flowers in Great Siege Square opposite the law courts where a makeshift memorial for Galizia has been set up. Vigils were also held outside the European Union's offices in Brussels and in London, Edinburgh, Washington, Berlin, Dresden and Amsterdam. (Reporting by Christopher Scicluna; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) See Also: The Hague (Reuters) - Britain's ambassador to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said on Monday that Russian assertions about why a team of inspectors had so far been unable to reach Douma, Syria were incorrect. Russian officials have said that the inspectors were unable to reach Douma because they had not been cleared by the United Nations and because of U.S.-led strikes carried out on targets in Syria on Saturday prevented them. But Ambassador Peter Wilson said at a news conference in The Hague that the United Nations had cleared the inspectors to go, and they had been unable to reach Douma because Syria and Russia had been unable to guarantee their safety. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Alison Williams) BISSAU (Reuters) - Guinea-Bissau's President Jose Mario Vaz appointed veteran politician Aristides Gomes as prime minister on Monday, according to a decree read on state-owned media, in an attempt to end a prolonged political crisis. The nomination followed a weekend summit of ECOWAS leaders during which Vaz agreed to honour a 2016 deal brokered by the West African bloc that sought to end more than two years of political turmoil in the tiny, former Portuguese colony. Vaz has been embroiled in a bitter dispute within his own ruling African Party of the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) that has hobbled the government. Gomes - a member of the PAIGC's central committee who served as prime minister from 2005 to 2007 - was chosen by representatives of the party during the summit in Togo, the president said on Saturday. ECOWAS hit Vaz's political and business allies with sanctions in February, including travel bans and asset freezes, for undermining the deal which requires the president to name a concensus prime minister. (Reporting by Alberto Dabo, Writing by Joe Bavier, Editing by Alison Williams and William Maclean) Indonesia's conservation agency on Sunday trapped a critically endangered Sumatran tiger which had strayed too close to the local population. With a live goat as bait, the trap was installed on April 12 in a secret location in the Palpupuh Forest in West Sumatra. On Sunday, the two-year-old female was found inside the trap, snarling fiercely at all those who approached. The tiger was accused of attacking dogs and local citrus farmers were concerned they could be next. The big cat will be released into a nature reserve. There are only around 400 Sumatran tigers left in the world, meaning it is on the brink of extinction, according to the World Wildlife Fund. In March a tiger was found killed in North Sumatra. It too had roamed close to a village and injured one person. An investigation showed it had several parts missing, including its canine teeth, claws, and skin off its face and tail. These body parts can be used in traditional medicines or sold as artefacts. Other threats to these big cats include habitat loss due to plantations and the depletion of their natural prey. Shutterstock Water stains are the bane of every proud car owner or dinner party host, left behind by raindrops drying on a vehicles surface or rinse water on a wine glass. But we have discovered a new way of controlling the evaporation of liquid droplets that causes water marks using a technology inspired by nature. Our research could not only produce new treatments for minimising water stains on cars but also find other applications such as improving cooling devices used to prevent smartphones overheating. The droplet evaporation process that forms water marks seems simple but involves a complex interplay between heat transfer, fluid flow and surface friction. Water evaporates when the molecules at its surface have enough energy to break free from the liquid and become water vapour. To gain this energy, the water absorbs heat from its surroundings, which is why sweat cools you down. Author provided As a water droplet evaporates, any non-water particles in the liquid are drawn to its outer edge and are left behind as a ring of residue, a water mark. This happens because even seemingly smooth surfaces are actually quite rough on a microscopic scale. The bottom layer of a droplets edge will cling to the jagged surface while the molecules above it evaporate. Water from the middle of the droplet then flows outward to replace the evaporated molecules, carrying with it solid particles and depositing them on the surface as the liquid finally dries up. This means the key to preventing water marks is creating surfaces that stop the edge of the droplet from clinging to the surface by controlling its shape and position during evaporation. To tackle this issue, as with other projects in our lab, we drew inspiration from biological systems to create a material that mimicked useful properties found in nature. In this case, we used surfaces inspired by the pitcher plant, a carnivorous plant that grows in tropical rainforests. Jeremiah, Wikmedia Commons The pitcher plant has a micro-structure on its surface that traps a thin layer of lubricating liquid, making it super slippery. As a result, insects that land on the plants surface slip and fall into a pitcher-shaped cavity, where they are digested by the plant. Story continues In the lab, we created slippery surfaces that also trap a thin lubricant layer. On these surfaces, the evaporation of droplets becomes very uniform and the non-water particles gather in a speck rather than a ring-shaped water mark. Next we looked for a way to control the location of the droplets as they evaporated, which can be used to minimise the visibility of these specks. To do this, we built a slippery surface shaped in a repeating wavy pattern of peaks and valleys. As the droplets evaporate and shrink, they snap into a new shape and location whenever their edge passes one of the peaks. We were then able to work out how the shape and position of each droplet would change with each snap. This meant we could design a surface that would guide the droplets into the right place through a series of coordinated snaps. To understand what causes the snaps, we looked into a branch of mathematics called bifurcation theory. This involves studying how a system responds when a parameter changes. In this case, we looked at how the droplet responds when its mass shrinks as the water evaporates. Our idea is that, as the mass reduces, the droplet eventually reaches a certain point (a bifurcation) where it can no longer maintain its current shape or position and must change into another configuration. The wavy surface acts as a steering wheel, guiding the droplet through a sequence of stable configurations. Our research could have an impact on many everyday applications, and we are currently working with industrial partners that can benefit from our research. For example, we are working with car manufacturers to develop ways to provide vehicle surfaces with a pattern that minimises water marks. We are also working with engineers that build heat-removal systems based on evaporation, such as those used to cool the microchips in smartphones, to improve their efficiency. But for now youll still have to dry your wine glasses with a tea towel if you want to make a spotless impression. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The Conversation Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar receives funding from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. He works for Northumbria University. The Russian government is attacking critical national infrastructure in the UK and the US, security agencies have warned. In a joint technical alert issued by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the FBI and the US Department for Homeland Security (DHS), the Kremlin is accused of being behind an on-going hacking campaign. The primary targets of the campaign are government and private-sector organisations, as well as critical infrastructure businesses and the internet service providers supporting those sectors. According to the alert the attackers are attempting to secure access to computer networks for espionage purposes and to "potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations". In a media briefing at the time of the statement, Ciaran Martin, the head of NCSC, confirmed that Russian hackers had successfully penetrated the computer networks of the UK's energy grids, but did not manage to disrupt them. Millions of machines have been targeted globally, but security agencies in the US and UK do not have "full insight into the levels of compromise" that occurred. In a statement, Mr Martin described Russia as the UK's "most capable hostile adversary in cyberspace" and said "dealing with their attacks is a major priority" for the UK and its US allies "This is the first time that in attributing a cyberattack to Russia, the US and the UK have, at the same time, issued joint advice to industry about how to manage the risks from attacks. "It marks an important step in our fightback against state-sponsored aggression in cyberspace," Mr Martin added. :: What can the UK actually expect in a cyberwar He said that "many of the techniques used by Russia exploit basic weaknesses in network systems" and said that the NCSC is "leading the way globally to issue advice and automate defences at scale to remove those basic attacks, thereby allowing us to focus on the most potent threats." Story continues The alert follows an advisory notice released by the NCSC earlier this month which warned that companies connected to British critical national infrastructure were being targeted by attackers, citing cybersecurity reports which suggested the hackers were based in eastern Europe. Speaking at the CyberUK event in Manchester last week, Jeremy Fleming, the head of GCHQ, warned that the nerve agent attack in Salisbury "demonstrates how reckless Russia is prepared to be". "Reckless" was also the word chosen in February, when Western nations publicly and collectively attributed the NotPetya cyberattack against Ukraine to hackers working for the Russian military. It was the first time that government agencies had stated that the Kremlin was responsible for a cyberattack, and a NATO-affiliated cybersecurity researcher compared the landmark attribution to the #MeToo movement to Sky News, noting that speaking up and naming the perpetrator is the first step towards responding to their crimes. The UK's Foreign Office - under which sit both GCHQ and the NCSC - responded to the NotPetya attack by threatening that it would be "imposing costs on those who would seek to do us harm". As tensions rose following the Salisbury attack, Robert Hannigan, the former head of GCHQ, told Sky News that the UK's offensive cyber capabilities were "the best in the world, I think" - but launching a cyber-conflict is not a trivial thing. "It's a bit like launching a military conflict and I don't think anybody would benefit from that... it would be stepping into a different dimension and really playing the Russians at their own game - they don't care how they behave." Mr Martin told journalists on Monday that the purpose of the alert was to inform potential victims about the need for security and not to comment on possible UK government responses. By Tatiana Jancarikova BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovak Interior Minister Tomas Drucker resigned on Monday after just three weeks in office, saying he could not square public demands for the sacking of the country's top policeman with what he said was a lack of evidence against him. Tens of thousands of Slovaks have joined the country's biggest demonstrations in decades after February's killing of journalist Jan Kuciak, who had focussed on corruption in business and politics. The rallies forced the resignation of long-serving prime minister Robert Fico last month, along with the entire cabinet including his long-term ally Robert Kalinak as interior minister. The three-party coalition led by Fico's Smer party formed a new cabinet in which Drucker, a political independent, took the Interior Ministry but quickly became the second chief of the department to fall over the scandal. Fico remains the leader of Smer, maintaining strong political influence from outside the cabinet. Protesters say the changes have not been deep enough and police chief Tibor Gaspar should also quit. Speakers at rallies across the EU country in recent weeks have criticised him for ineffectiveness in prosecuting corruption. Drucker said he had found no grounds to fire the police chief and had not asked him to resign. "I don't think it would be right for me to directly fire Gaspar (despite) the polarisation he's causing. If I should increase the polarisation instead of neutralising it, I have no right to remain as minister," Drucker told reporters. The former health minister said he would leave politics altogether. PRESSURE FROM BOTH SIDES President Andrej Kiska, a long-time adversary of Fico, said when appointing the new cabinet last month that he had agreed with Drucker that a change in the police leadership was needed. Gaspar has won the backing of new Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini who said on the weekend he was a top professional. Story continues "It's the minister who appoints and removes the police chief but it's not entirely up to him, the decision is usually a result of political negotiations," political analyst Martin Slosiarik said. "Robert Fico, whose Smer party has been losing voter support in past weeks, is gesturing towards his core voters who want to see him as a strong leader not bowing to pressure." Gaspar said he was surprised by Drucker's resignation and would evaluate the situation. People on the streets have demanded the police chief's removal as an assurance that Kuciak's murder will be investigated thoroughly. They see Gaspar as too close to Smer and Kalinak. Some of Kuciak's reporting dealt with deals between the government and Slovakia's biggest privately-owned security firm, whose owner is related to Gaspar. The police chief has denied any wrongdoing. No senior Slovakian politician has gone to prison for corruption in the past decade, according to Transparency International. The special prosecutor in charge of cases of alleged abuse of power among public servants and politicians personally oversaw 61 cases from 2009 to 2017 but did not press criminal charges in any. But in a case handled by another prosecutor last year, two ex-ministers were sentenced to nine and 12 years for rigging a public tender in 2007. Both remain free pending appeal. (Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Writing by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Andrew Roche) The human eye can physically perceive millions of colours. But we dont all recognise these colours in the same way. Some people cant see differences in colours so called colour blindness due to a defect or absence of the cells in the retina that are sensitive to high levels of light: the cones. But the distribution and density of these cells also varies across people with normal vision causing us all to experience the same colour in slightly different ways. Besides our individual biological make up, colour perception is less about seeing what is actually out there and more about how our brain interprets colours to create something meaningful. The perception of colour mainly occurs inside our heads and so is subjective and prone to personal experience. Take for instance people with synaesthesia, who are able to experience the perception of colour with letters and numbers. Synaesthesia is often described as a joining of the senses where a person can see sounds or hear colours. But the colours they hear also differ from case to case. Another example is the classic Aldersons checker-shadow illusion. Here, although two marked squares are exactly the same colour, our brains dont perceive them this way. The culture of colour Since the day we were born we have learnt to categorise objects, colours, emotions, and pretty much everything meaningful using language. And although our eyes can perceive thousands of colours, the way we communicate about colour and the way we use colour in our everyday lives means we have to carve this huge variety up into identifiable, meaningful categories. Painters and fashion experts, for example, use colour terminology to refer to and discriminate hues and shades that to all intents and purposes may all be described with one term by a non expert. Different languages and cultural groups also carve up the colour spectrum differently. Some languages like Dani, spoken in Papua New Guinea, and Bassa, spoken in Liberia and Sierra Leone, only have two terms, dark and light. Dark roughly translates as cool in those languages, and light as warm. So colours like black, blue, and green are glossed as cool colours, while lighter colours like white, red, orange and yellow are glossed as warm colours. Story continues The Warlpiri people living in Australias Northern Territory dont even have a term for the word colour. For these and other such cultural groups, what we would call colour is described by a rich vocabulary referring to texture, physical sensation and functional purpose. Five key colours Remarkably, most of the worlds languages have five basic colour terms. Cultures as diverse as the Himba in the Namibian plains and the Berinmo in the lush rainforests of Papua New Guinea employ such five term systems. As well as dark, light, and red, these languages typically have a term for yellow, and a term that denotes both blue and green. That is, these languages do not have separate terms for green and blue but use one term to describe both colours, a sort of grue. Historically, Welsh had a grue term, namely glas, as did Japanese and Chinese. Nowadays, in all these languages, the original grue term has been restricted to blue, and a separate green term is used. This is either developed from within the language as is the case for Japanese or through lexical borrowing, as is the case for Welsh. Russian, Greek, Turkish and many other languages also have two separate terms for blue one referring exclusively to darker shades, and one referring to lighter shades. Language and colour The way we perceive colours can also change during our lifetime. Greek speakers who have two fundamental colour terms to describe light and dark blue ghalazio and ble are more prone to see these two colours as more similar after living for long periods of time in the UK where these two colours are described in English by the same fundamental colour term: blue. This is because after long term everyday exposure to an English speaking environment, the brain of native Greek speakers starts interpreting the colours ghalazio and ble as part of the same colour category. But this isnt just something that happens with colour, in fact different languages can influence our perceptions in all areas of life. And in our lab at Lancaster University we are investigating how the use of and exposure to different languages changes the way we perceive everyday objects. Ultimately, this happens because learning a new language is like giving our brain the ability to interpret the world differently including the way we see and process colours. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. The Conversation Aina Casaponsa receives funding from British Academy/Leverhulme Trust small research grant. Panos Athanasopoulos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. GettyImages-906068214 A prominent New York lawyer has died after setting himself on fire in Brooklyn's Prospect Park to protest against the use of fossil fuels. David Buckel, 60, had been well-known for his work on behalf of the LGBT community, as well as with environmental groups. Trending: Sarah Huckabee Sanders 'Not Aware' of Any Plan to Fire Mueller or Rosenstein A suicide note near the lawyer's remains said he had immolated himself using fossil fuel to symbolize the damage humans are doing to the Earth. buckel Lambda Legal Buckel had also reportedly sent the note to multiple news outlets, including The New York Times, warning that people were dying early deaths as a result of breathing in bad air. Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather, Buckel wrote in his email to the Times. Don't miss: How Did This Law Make Facebook What It Is Today? | Opinion Most humans on the planet now breathe air made unhealthy by fossil fuels, and many die early deaths as a resultmy early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves. A life of privilege requires actions to balance the harm caused, and the greater the privilege, the greater the responsibility," Buckel added. "For if one does not leave behind a world better for having lived in it, all that remains are selfish ends, sometimes wrapped in family or nation. Read more: Senate confirms EPA nominee with fossil fuel interests Buckel had been the lead lawyer in the case of Brandon Teena, a transgender teen who police were found to have failed to protect after he was brutally raped and later, murdered in Nebraska. Most popular: James Comey 'A Higher Loyalty' Book Release Date: When, Where Can You Get a Copy The 1999 film Boys Don't Cry, starring Hilary Swank, who won an Oscar for the role, was based on Teena's story. The prominent lawyer also worked as a Marriage Project Director and Senior Counsel at Lambda Legal, which has long fought for LGBT rights. Story continues Tributes have begun to pour in for Buckel, with Lambda Legal calling his death a loss for the "entire movement for social justice." "The news of David's death is heartbreaking. This is a tremendous loss for our Lambda Legal family, but also for the entire movement for social justice," the firm wrote in a statement published online. Calling him a "beautiful human," the firm said "David was an indefatigable attorney and advocate, and also a dedicated and loving friend to so many. He will be remembered for his kindness, devotion, and vision for justice." "We have lost a movement leader, a colleague, and a friend," Lambda Legal added. "We will honor his life by continuing his fight for a better world." This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Oil and gas producer Columbus Energy provided investors with a confident update on Monday regarding its potential acquisition of the Icacos field on the south-west peninsula of Trinidad. AIM-quoted Columbus has agreed, in principle, to acquire a 50% interest in the field from the project's operator Primera Oil, a subsidiary of Touchstone Exploration, via its own local subsidiary, Leni Trinidad Limited. Leni Trinidad Limited, which currently holds a 50% non-operated interest in the Icacos Field, would become the 100% owner and operator of the asset as a result of the transaction. While noting that the transaction was still subject to a definitive sale and purchase agreement and certain regulatory approvals, Columbus was confident that it could work with Touchstone to complete the relevant paperwork and take over operatorship during the second quarter of 2018. Columbus will pay $500,000 for Primera's current net 11 barrels of oil per day, however, its subsidiary would not pay any upfront consideration for the purchase and will instead, pay the consideration over time until 1 January 2021 by allowing Primera to receive the net revenue it would have received had it retained its interest. Primera will also receive, in the event of increased production, 25% of any net revenue above the current baseline. Leo Koot, executive chairman of Columbus, said, "In line with our ongoing focus on capital discipline, we are not expecting to pay any upfront payments for the Icacos purchase. The consideration will be deferred and mirror the actual production levels from the Icacos field. All operational activities on Icacos will be funded from existing cash resources." As of 0945 BST, shares had dipped 1.98% to 4.95p. Marble quarrying and finishing company Fox Marble announced on Monday that it has installed a new state-of-the-art computer numerical control (CNC) machine and a block vacuum pump machine in its processing factory in Pristine, Kosovo. The AIM-traded firm said the additions to the new marble processing factory would provide additional capacity to meet increased order flow and improve margins. It said the brand new CNC machine was capable of automatically processing varied shapes of material from slabs and small blocks, including 1,500 square metres of marble tiles per day. The machine was fully operational, and just manufactured the company's first order in which the whole process was completed in house for cut-to-size tiles. Currently the only one of its kind in the Balkans and Greece, the CNC machine was supplied by Gravellona Macchine Marmo, which Fox described as one of the leading manufacturers of cutting and polishing machinery based in northern Italy. In addition, Fox Marble said it completed the installation of a block vacuum pump machine, which was a more cost-effective way of adding to the inventory of marble blocks eligible for sale. This machine allowed resin to be absorbed by blocks that had micro-cracks or fractures in them. As a result, the machine would improve the yield achievable from the quarries, and increase the pricing of blocks which would otherwise have been considered lower quality. Our fully operational factory now has the additional capability to process material-to-order at speed, said Fox Marble CEO Chris Gilbert. We are confident that the cost effectiveness, flexibility and improved sophistication in our processing, delivered by this machinery, will impact positively on margins in the current year. The installation of this new machinery also allows us to more effectively access the local market for tiles and cut-to-size orders, as well as servicing our international customers. Independent oil and gas exploration and production firm Frontera Resources has become embroiled in a legal dispute concerning a production sharing contract (PSC) at its block 12 licence in Georgia, the company said on Monday. Shares fell almost 10% after disclosing it has received a request for arbitration from the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation and the Georgian State Agency of Oil and Gas - although the company denied any wrongdoing. The legal proceedings, for which a full statement and hearing date are as yet unkown, could potentially see Frontera forced to relinquish its block 12 licence. A statement from Frontera Resources said: "The company considers the request to be without merit and has engaged legal counsel to protect its rights. The company intends, if the administrative formalities are followed through and the statement is submitted by the authors of the request, to respond to each point and ensure that the company's rights are protected. The company is confident of its standing and complete compliance with the PSC." In November, Frontera announced that it was studying the sustainability of commercial production at block 12, where the company states that no relinquishment is due for the duration of the study. The company cited a segment of the PSC that stated that in the event of such a programme the firm "shall not be obligated to relinquish the relevant Study Area pending the completion of the further work." As of 1017 BST, Frontera Resources shares were down 9.65% at 0.52p. Gold producer Orosur Mining recorded an operating profit of $1.68m from the third quarter of its current trading year thanks to continued mining at its San Gregorio gold project in Uruguay, but staff retrenchments and exploration programmes dragged the group to a loss. AIM-quoted Orosur, which posted a loss after tax of $1.97m for the twelve week period, reversing the profit of $363,000 returned a year prior, as a result of allowing for higher depreciation and a provision for staff retrenchments, poured $1.75m in capital expenditure and $1.23m into exploration programmes throughout the quarter. The dual-listed firm's significant increase in exploration costs was a result of its current Colombian drilling campaign, where high grade drilling at its APTA project has returned results of 4.89 grams per tonne gold at 13.9 metres, 4.86 grams over 25 metres, 9.42 grams over seven metres and 9.62 grams over six meters. At its San Gregorio asset, the mine plan and sequencing were redesigned in order to "optimise economics" following the definition of a weaker mineralised structure, leading Orosur to cancel the development of deeper stopes from its previous mine plan and incorporate marginal stopes from current levels into its third quarter production. As a result, grades in the third quarter were lower, and production dropped to 6,859 ounces of gold versus the 7,820 ounces mined one year earlier. Average cash operating costs for the quarter increased 24% to $1,065 per ounce, leaving Orosur with a 58% lower cash balance of $1.39m as of 28 February after the company drew down on its Santander line of credit to the tune of $1.5m. Ignacio Salazar, Orosur's chief executive, said, "As of today, SG Central is now in production, and we are quickly advancing a new higher-grade underground mine at Veta A. The company is currently contemplating several strategic alternatives to advance its projects and unlock the value of our assets for the benefit of our shareholders." Discussing the group's Colombian operations, Salazar added, "Anza is located in the most prospective district in Colombia. Our strategy for this drilling campaign is to demonstrate the potential scale of the project and the results to date from APTA together with the quality of the other untested targets in our 200km property support this approach." As of 0840 BST, shares had lost 1.96% to 6.25p. AIM-traded mining firm Papua Mining on Monday announced that it has defined two intrusions with multiple veins at its Marengo gold project in Queensland through field mapping and rock sampling. The veins host anomalous gold, copper and silver mineralisation up to 50g/t Au, 4.58% Cu and 297g/t Ag at surface, while geomorphology, geology and mineralogy at Marengo has identified a number of similarities to the Didipo gold mine in the Philippines which yielded 2Moz gold and 260,000t copper. David Price, chief executive of Papua Mining, said: "Our recent work at Marengo has identified two previously-unidentified intrusion-related gold/copper circular features characterised by porphyritic rocks, high-grade copper/gold mineralisation at surface, strong alteration and geologically-important ring fractures, faults and vein-swarms." The company intends to utilise gradient array induced polarisation to assist detailed drill targeting at the Marengo project. Meanwhile, a new copper and silver target has been discovered at the Bee Creek area with high grade copper, silver and gold up to 17.7% Cu, 342g/t Ag and 2.9g/t Au. "The discovery of high grade copper and silver at Bee Creek is an exciting development which supports our belief that Marengo is showing potential for the discovery of a significant gold/copper/silver mineralising system. Papua now has a second project which provides a pathway for strong, organic-growth for the company," said Price. As of 1127 BST, Papua Minings shares were up 10.91% at 0.92p. Credit Suisse has raised its 2018 oil price forecasts, predicting that those higher prices would hold during the following year even as OPEC barrels returned to the market. According the investment bank's global oil macro team's latest predictions, Brent and West Texas Intermediate were now seen finishing the year at $71 and $66, respectively, which was up from their prior view for prices to reach $60 and $56 barrel. Global inventory draws would resume in the second quarter of 2018, resulting in a drop in OECD commercial oil stockpiles back to "normal" levels, in-line with their five and seven-year averages, it said. "We forecast Brent/WTI prices will remain strong in 2019, though roughly level with 4Q18 as we assume bullish sentiment moderates with OPEC barrels returning to the market," the investment bank predicted. Its previous 2019 forecasts for Brent and WTI had been $60.75 and $58.0. At the company level, all of the above would suffice to stoke investment in increasing supplies from outside of OPEC and in North America, Credit Suisse added in a research report published on Monday but dated 13 April. Year-to-date, investment awards in the sector were tracking at $13bn, it estimated, for growth of 50% year-on-year. "We expect that positive momentum to continue, with Technip FMC, Subsea 7 and Saipem amongst those set to benefit from the order inflection," Credit Suisse said. To back up their arguments, its analysts pointed out how over the prior week Saudi Aramco had inked between eight and $10bn-worth of memorandum's of understandings with Technip FMC and Honeywell to analyse production technology for use at a chemical plant at its Port Arthur refinery. 1700:Close UK stocks slipped even as the American S&P 500 moved back into the black for the year, as pound strength acted as a drag ahead of the start of talks this week on the UK's post-Brexit trade relationship. The pound also got a boost from remarks on Monday afternoon by US President Donald Trump lambasting China and Russia for manipulating their currencies, which some market participants reportedly interpreted as a message from the White House in favour of a weaker Greenback. Oil companies' shares were the main drag on the FTSE 350, with crude futures falling back as concerns around the Middle East ebbed even in the wake of the US, UK and French missile strike against facilities linked to Syria's chemical weapons programme at the weekend. Rather conspicuous on the second tier index was the fall in Polymetal shares, despite gold futures edging higher, possibly on talk of further US sanctions on Russia. The drop in Evraz's shares was a similar case in point. Topping the leaderboard for the top flight index, Whitbread and Smurfit Kappa were both heading higher on the back of M&A-related news-flow. To take note of in the background, strategists at JP Morgan were in a fairly 'bullish' mood at the start of the week, telling clients that it was "way too early" to position for a 'policy mistake' by the US central bank. "Finally, many worry that S&P500 has recently fallen below the 200-day moving average. Our work shows that the forward 6- and 12-month equity returns didnt tend to be worse than normal after this, and in fact posted better than normalized returns over the next 1 and 3 months. We reiterate our call from earlier this month to add to stocks," they said. Related to the subject of recent pound strength and ahead of Tuesday's employment data in the UK, pointing to the split vote at the last MPC meeting and the not "excessively" hawkish-sounding language of the minutes, on Monday Barclays reiterated their call for another hike in Bank Rate come May, followed by a further move in February 2019. "This assessment confirms that the Bank is happy with interest rate expectations following last months press conference." FTSE 100 down 66.36 points at 7,198.20. 1330: US retail sales picked up significantly last month, growing by 0.6% month-on-month pace (consensus: 0.4%) in March to reach $509.4bn, boosted by a large increase in automobile purchases, according to the Department of Commerce. 1210: Credit Suisse's global oil macro team has raised its 2018 price forecasts for Brent and West Texas Intermediate from $60 and $56 barrel before to $71 and $66, respectively. They see global inventory draws resuming in the second quarter of the year, resulting in "normal" levels of OECD commercial oil stockpiles this year. "We forecast Brent/WTI prices will remain strong in 2019, though roughly level with 4Q18 as we assume bullish sentiment moderates with OPEC barrels returning to the market," the investment bank predicts. "We've already tracked USD13bn of offshore awards ytd - tracking some 50% higher y/y. We expect that positive momentum to continue, with TechnipFMC, Subsea 7 and Saipem amongst those set to benefit from the order inflection." 1154: Bank of America shares are changing hands at $29.90, and trading 0.34% higher ahead of the opening bell after posting better-than-expected first quarter sales and earnings. Earnings per share up by 38% at $0.62, sales ahead by 4% to $23.1bn. 1057: Syria missile strikes have brought fresh safe-haven gold buying over recent days but prices have eased on hopes that there will be no further escalation, say analysts at SP Angel. Bullion for immediate delivery was up 0.3% as investors weigh the impact of US-led military strikes on Syria over the weekend, with a scope for further moves from Washington including the possibility of more sanctions against Russia, Angel; said. The metal remains range bound, with gold so far unable to hold above $1,360, which is proving an important level of resistance. Hopes are that there will be no further escalation in Syria are helping to calm markets, with gold easing. According to US Ambassador to the United Nations, fresh sanctions are to be imposed on Russia related to Syrias reported use of chemical weapons. Angel analysts noted that speculators raised their net long positions in COMEX gold contracts, as gold prices are biased upwards in the short-term as gold is still seen as a safe haven amid tensions over Syria, US-Russia sanctions and trade war. ETFs added 49,699 troy ounces of gold to holdings, bringing this years net purchases to 2.55 million ounces, according to Bloomberg data. 1053: It seems someone's been standing on the newsflow pipe at the London Stock Exchange again. After last Monday's glitch, which saw barely a dribble emitted from the Regulatory News Service until after the market had opened, there was a similar hitch this morning. A LSEG spokesperson said: "Publication of regulatory news announcements were temporarily delayed this morning due to a technical issue. All systems are now operating normally and all scheduled RNS announcements were published prior to market open." 1051: Copper prices were up to $6,834 per tonne vs $6,831/t last week. Broker SP Angel noted that Vedantas Sterlite division, which operates a large copper smelter in India declared force majeure last week, as its plans to restart were rejected by Tamil Nadu environmental officials. "The move may allow Copper Tc/Rcs to rise as the concentrates look for new homes amid Chinese anti-pollution restrictions. The smelter suspension could also help raise copper prices as Indian consumers look for alternative metal sources," Angel said. 0948: Analysts at Stifel commenting on Whitbread. "This will inevitably lead to much speculation this morning on the numerous corporate changes that could occur at Whitbread," they say. Stifel adds that many US investors view Whitbread in a different light from mainstream UK investors, more as an investment in hotels, property and Costa together with a lightly geared financial structure. With the current subdued outlook for UK consumer stocks and the difficult recent trading at Costa, Stifel is "not convinced that a demerged Costa would attain a higher rating than Whitbread currently does". Canaccord analysts point out that the position of the Whitbread pension trustees "potentially adds a complication to any break-up" as the FY17 deficit was circa 400m with Whitbread paying 95m a year in contributions. 0943: Smurfit Kappa is up on the back of reports that some of its largest investors have been pressuring the corrugated packaging company to enter into negotiations with International Paper if it comes back with another takeover offer. 0940: Vedanta Resources investors do not seem impressed with their new CEO. Founder and chairman Anil Agarwal has poached AngloGold Ashanti boss Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan to be the new chief of the FTSE 250 miner. 0937: Polymetal International shares are down after a deal with the Russian Copper Company. Polymetal has agreed an all-share exchange of its Tarutin property in Russia, for 85% of RCC's East Tarutin property in Kazakhstan. 0908: WPP is one of the bigger fallers after boss Sir Martin Sorrell stepped down with immediate effect. The FTSE 100 company said chairman Roberto Quarta would becomes executive chairman until the appointment of a new CEO. 0910: Shares in Whitbread are frothing up to the top of the leaderboard on the expectation that two activist investors could force management to spin off its Costa Coffee chain from its Premier Inn business. Shares in the company are up more than 6% to 4,194p, adding to a 3.3% rise on Friday. Stocks have started the week higher for the most part, albeit in a slightly uneven fashion following the missile strikes that were conducted over the weekend by the US, Britain and France against Syrian installations linked to the country's chemical weapons programme. Significantly, although the US and the main European capitals left the door open to further actions against the government in Damascus should it use chemical weapons again, by and large comments from top officials stressed the limited nature of Friday night's missile attack and how the end of goal was neither regime change nor to influence the military situation on the ground. Against that backdrop, as of 1037 BST, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was drifting lower by 0.06% or 0.21 points to 379.04, although the Dax 30 was recovering after an early morning dip and rising 0.18% or 22.21 points to 12,464.40, while the FTSE Mibtel was up by 0.18% 41.97 points at 23,369.82. Commenting on the implications for markets of those strikes, Michael Hewson at CMC Markets UK said: "One of the main concerns last week was around the extent of the response by the US backed coalition on President Assad of Syria's forces and any Russian reaction to it. "The firing of over 100 cruise missiles over the weekend on various targets, with little in the way of casualties, appears to be tempered with relief that while it may reduce the risk of an escalation in the short term, it in no way means that we might not get a counter response further down the line. As such markets here in Europe look set to open cautiously higher this morning after shares traded slightly firmer in Asia." The price action in other asset classes was mixed, with government bond yields rising as they lost some of their safe haven allure. Dollar/yen on the other hand was holding lower by 0.11% at 107.229. Further afield, the Russian rouble was recovering from weakness overnight triggered by reports that Washington was set to impose further sanctions in response to Moscow's activities in Syria. Helping the Russian currency which had turned higher and was up by 0.25% at 0.0162, Reuters was reporting that foreign affairs minister from the European Union were unlikely to join in fresh American sanctions. In corporate news, it was all about merger and acquistions activity in the UK, amid news that Shire had sold its oncology unit top France's Servier for $2.4bn. Another UK outfit, Whitbread, figured prominently in Monday's news, with its stock jumping almost 9% - its largest one day gain since September 2009 - after US hedge fund Elliot Advisers disclosed it had amasses a stake in the owner of Costa Coffee and Premier Inn. No economic data was set for release at the start of the week, although traders were keeping an eye out for any headlines from the start of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank's Spring meetings in Washington. Investors were also waiting on the latest quarterly update from US financial heavyweight Bank of America. London stocks were set for a marginally firmer open on Monday, with traders likely to be on edge as they await Russia's response to the US-led intervention in Syria. The FTSE 10 was called to open just 10 points higher at 7,274. CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said: "One of the main concerns last week was around the extent of the response by the US backed coalition on President Assad of Syrias forces and any Russian reaction to it. The firing of over 100 cruise missiles over the weekend on various targets, with little in the way of casualties, appears to be tempered with relief that while it may reduce the risk of an escalation in the short term, it in no way means that we might not get a counter response further down the line. As such markets here in Europe look set to open cautiously higher this morning after shares traded slightly firmer in Asia. "The US also appears to be complementing its military approach by focusing on the additional sanctions route, after UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced that further sanctions were being discussed on Russian companies who have dealings with Assad and the use of chemical weapons, with details likely to be announced by US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin later today." UK Prime Minister Theresa May was expected to tell MPs on Monday that the airstrikes over the weekend were aimed at preventing human suffering and were in the Britain's national interest. She is expected to say: "Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. "We have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do. And we are not alone. There is broad-based international support for the action we have taken." On the corporate front, following another glitch with the Regulatory News Service early on Monday, news only flooded in at around 0725 BST. Sir Martin Sorrell stepped down as chief executive officer of WPP with immediate effect, the advertising behemoth announced on Monday. Chairman Roberto Quarta would become executive chairman until the appointment of a new CEO. The FTSE 100 company said the previously-announced investigation into an allegation of misconduct against Sorrell had concluded, with the allegation not involving amounts that it called material. Elsewhere, specialty chemicals group Johnson Matthey announced the appointment of Patrick Thomas as chairman, succeeding Tim Stevenson. Thomas, who has been CEO and chairman of the board at polymers business Covestro since 2015, will be appointed as chairman with effect from the end of annual general meeting on 26 July, which is when Stevenson retires after seven years. Listed infrastructure investment company HICL Infrastructure Company announced an investment in the biology, pharmacy and chemistry department of the Paris-Sud University PPP Project on Monday, taking an 85% ownership interest in the project alongside Bouygues Energies & Services and Bouygues Batiment Grand Ouest. The project would involve the design, construction, financing and maintenance With the formal presentation of the EUs current stance on the UKs post Brexit trade relationship set for later this week, it appears Britain will be limited by its wish to leave the single market and customs union. According to Dutch broker Rabobank, the EU's proposed terms, in particular the clauses relating to financial services, will fall "far short of the aims of the UK government" as the country will not be afforded any special treatment. The goal under the current time-frame was for the skeleton of a trade deal to be in place by October, giving national parliaments sufficient time to ratify the agreement before the UK officially leaves the EU next March. Negotiations between the UK and EU were expected to be held every two weeks, ahead of a meeting of EU leaders in June. Writing in The Guardian, CommonGround co-founder Hugo Dixon said: "Brexiters also promised that we would stride the world like latter-day Walter Raleighs, opening foreign markets to our trade. This is baloney. Were scrambling to copy deals the EU already has with over 60 other countries. Not only are we going to lose access to the EU market, which accounts for half our trade, but when the US and China see our desperation, theyll bully us." Despite this particularly grim outlook, and the increasing uncertainty surrounding the future of UK trade relations, Sterling was the strongest performing G10 currency year-to-date. Jane Foley, senior strategist at Rabobank, said: "The agreement on the Brexit transition deal combined with expectations that the BoE is set to hike rates again in May have both been supportive for the currency in recent months. There are clear caveats to this optimistic outlook. There are signs that the UK economy lost momentum in Q1, which could throw up hurdles for BoE hawks, also the Brexit trade talks could be tough." On Sunday, anti-Brexit campaigners had met to launch a new campaign, called 'The Peoples Vote', demanding a second vote on the referendum, with organisers including celebrities, business leaders and MPs from all leading parties taking part. Actor Sir Patrick Stewart said: "Unity, common cause, well-being of society and debate were paramount to the belief of this fictional character. Our country's future is at stake and we will not stand idly by. That is why I support a people's vote on the final deal." The latest YouGov opinion poll suggested that if there was a fresh referendum concerning the UKs EU membership, 44% would opt to remain, while just 41% would vote to leave. Thomas, who has been CEO and chairman of the board at polymers business Covestro since 2015, will be appointed as chairman with effect from the end of the annual general meeting on 26 July, when Stevenson retires after seven years. Between 2007 and 2015, Thomas was also CEO of Covestro's predecessor, Bayer MaterialScience, prior to its demerger from Bayer. He will step down from his role at Covestro at the end of May 2018. Before joining Bayer, Thomas spent five years with the global chemical company, Huntsman Corporation, including as president of its polyurethanes, performance and advanced materials divisions. Prior to this, he was chief executive of ICIs polyurethanes business and led its integration into Huntsman. Stevenson said: "I am thrilled that the board has chosen Patrick to succeed me as chairman. Patrick brings a valuable combination of extensive board experience and recent executive leadership of major global organisations. I am confident that he will successfully steer Johnson Matthey to deliver continued value for our shareholders as we pursue our vision to make the world a cleaner and healthier place." Meanwhile, chief executive Robert MacLeod said: "I am delighted to welcome Patrick as the future chairman of Johnson Matthey and look forward to working with him as we deliver our growth strategy." Shares in Whitbread have climbed on the expectation that two activist investors could force management to spin off its Costa Coffee chain from its Premier Inn business. Elliott Advisors has built up a 5.3% stake in the FTSE 100-listed company, a regulatory filing confirmed on Monday, though the total stake is reported to be nearer 6%. The US hedge fund, which reportedly bought into Whitbread a year ago, is to press for a demerger of Costa, the Sunday Times reported. Elliott, with $34bn of assets under management and a long history of activist campaigns to improve shareholder value, is reported to believe that splitting Costa from Premier Inn would take Whitbread four to five months and cost less than 20m, in order to release around 3bn of additional value. Elliott is the second US activist investor on the register, with Sachem Head having bought a 3.4% stake in in December., meaning that close to 10% of the company is now held by activist investors. Sachem, headed up by Scott Ferguson, a protege of notorious Pershing Square Capital activist shareholder Bill Ackman, has been pushing for the separation of the property from the hotel assets, a re-leveraging of the balance sheet, and the separation or sale of Costa. Whitbread chief executive Alison Brittain, speaking at the release of a weak set of third-quarter numbers at the start of the year, said it was not the right time to consider a break-up as she was about halfway through a "significant transformation plan". But the ex-banking boss said that the board was very open-minded about options to increase shareholder value. Whitbread, where Adam Crozier replaced Richard Baker as chairman last month, is due report its full year figures next week on Wednesday, 25 April. Shares in Whitbread were up more than 6% to 4,194p on Monday morning, adding to a 3.3% rise on Friday. "This will inevitably lead to much speculation this morning on the numerous corporate changes that could occur at Whitbread," said analysts at Stifel, adding that many US investors view Whitbread in a different light from mainstream UK investors, more as an investment in hotels, property and Costa together with a lightly geared financial structure. "We consider it is very unlikely that the current management would separate the freehold assets from the hotel business, or move to a more leveraged financial structure. However, it is possible that Costa could be separated from the rest of the group, particularly if an attractive offer arose for that business. "With the current subdued outlook for UK consumer stocks and the difficult recent trading at Costa, we are not convinced that a demerged Costa would attain a higher rating than Whitbread currently does. Such a step may, however, be a move towards exploiting value from both parts of the group and would certainly encourage corporate activity. Our sum-of-the-parts valuation is 48.50 per share." Broker Canaccord Genuity said: "For Whitbread the opportunity is to turn interesting international bridgeheads into material growth opportunities for both Premier Inn and Costa Coffee. For Premier Inn the focus is on Germany and for Costa Coffee the focus is China." Its analysts said Whitbread is "under-leveraged" with net debt/EBITDA of just 1.1x for FY18E and circa 4bn of freehold assets on the balance sheet. "The position of the Whitbread pension trustees potentially adds a complication to any break-up as the FY17 deficit was circa 400m with Whitbread paying 95m per annum in contributions." Numis, noted that a 3bn of extra value would be equivalent to 1650p per share or a 3.5x EBITDA turn on the whole group, said: "In our view it is entirely logical that the two businesses be split at some point, as the natural end game to the unpicking of the conglomerate. "A demerger would be easiest to execute although trade sale would clearly crystallise a control premium. An IPO is unlikely, unless WTB wishes to generate cash for reinvestment such as in Germany. The most likely trade buyer in our view would be JAB (bought Peet's for 22x EBITDA in 2012) but global consumer companies may also show interest." Prime Minister Theresa May will have to face criticism from parliament on Monday after deciding on Friday evening to intervene in Syria by launching coordinated airstrikes with the US and France without having Commons approval. May will reportedly say that she was confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible and there was need to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks. The prime minister is expected to say that the airstrikes were in the UKs best interest: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. Even so, May faced a grilling over why she did not seek parliament approval before going through with the mission. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn said that the Prime Minister could have delayed the airstrikes until parliament was on board. "I think what we need in this country is something more robust, like a war powers act, so governments do get held to account by parliament for what they do in our name, he told the BBC. On Monday morning, Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, said the intelligence on Syria was too sensitive to be seen by MPs. "Outsourcing that decision to people who do not have the full picture is, I think, quite wrong," she said on BBC radio. The latest Facebook scandal has come to a climax this week as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced Congress on Tuesday, April 10. This comes after reports surfaced that a Russian agency had been giving out information gathered from users' information. It appears that Zuckerberg is taking this matter extremely seriously which is almost uncharacteristic for the billionaire. CNBC reported that, prior to the official congressional hearing, Zuckerberg had a private meeting with Senator Bill Nelson of Florida and according to him was forthright and honest to the degree he could be. Security breach The St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency has been accused of cyber meddling in the 2016 presidential election and numbers have surfaced that supposed as many as 146 million Facebook users have received information from them. Zuckerberg stated that they had found roughly 470 accounts and pages linked the Russian agency. Also, it is predicted that they had produced around 80,000 Facebook posts over the course of two years according to CNBC. This is not the first time that Facebook has had a breach in their security as seen in the previous scandal with Cambridge Analytica. This breach possibly affected 87 million users who had their data unknowingly shared. Those who were affected were supposed to receive detailed messages Facebook starting on Monday; however, it is unknown whether or not this has actually happened yet. Zuckerberg appears to be taking full responsibility for the actions of the Russian agency. He believes his company was too slow to stop the interference with the 2016 presidential campaign and also is apologizing for the Security Breach of his company. This privacy scandal allowed third-party applications to gather Facebook users personal data without their knowledge or consent. Fox Business reported that the CEO wants to reassure its users that Facebook is an idealistic and optimistic company. Post breach As details of the impact of the Internet Research Agencys meddling are surfaced throughout the trial, Zuckerberg is making a point of claiming that the company has a responsibility to stop this from happening again to its users. In his opening testimony, he stated that he and the company are making sure to take steps in creating more security and reevaluating restrictions to outsiders access to individuals personal information. These remarks were officially released by The House Energy and Commerce Committy on Monday. In addition, supposedly the company is investigating any application that had access to peoples information before they prevented such access in 2014 which was something that had not happened prior to the Cambridge Analytica case. As this case continues to develop, we will see what new privacy options are implemented to Facebook and how exactly Zuckerberg continues to handle this situation. The Climate in Central America has suddenly gone for a toss, and affected flights with many of them canceled at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. All flights had to be grounded on Saturday afternoon because of snow piling up on the runways. Simultaneously, blizzard conditions prevailed in the region of Sioux Falls which led to the closure of the airport in South Dakota for the second day. Chicago Tribune reports that lives have been thrown into disarray with roads blocked and travel advisories issued. Authorities have closed a number of highways in southwestern Minnesota. To make matters worse, the National Weather Service has predicted continuous and heavy snowfall in certain places. Effects of climatic disturbance This situation is an indication of the future conditions. Last year, the country had faced the fury of three hurricanes in quick succession that threw life out of gear and damaged the infrastructure. The climate disorder that has developed now in Central America is expected to persist for some more time in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan before it changes direction and moves towards New York state and New England. Heavy snowfall has been recorded in parts of northern Wisconsin, and this could keep increasing by Sunday evening. The National Weather Service has issued warnings of possible coastal flooding along Lake Michigan in Wisconsin and Illinois. Residents of Chicago have been cautioned about high waves. The storm accompanied by powerful winds have affected the infrastructure. Thousands of customers in Michigan have been left without power, and the area could face more severe conditions during the weekend. In Texas, there were hailstorms while lightning struck and damaged a couple of houses in Austin. Erratic climate spells disaster No one can predict how the climate will behave and meteorologists try to make some forecast based on past records supplemented by data retrieved from satellites. However, sudden snowstorms, hurricanes, and floods cause havoc and damage the infrastructure like electric grids and roads. These can and do make life difficult, and the current spate of snowfall in Central America is an example. Such vagaries of nature are the results of global warming. Unless this is checked, there will be droughts, wildfires and sudden floods that will be accompanied by mudslides and miseries. In order to reduce the effect of global warming, the world must turn away fossil fuels and encourage alternative sources of energy like solar power or electricity. The St. Louis news station, Fox 2, reported this week that the Illinois Senate has voted to advance a bill that would require public schools to teach a unit on LGBT history. This bill would not take effect until the 2019-2020 school year, to give schools adequate time to develop the curriculum. The Illinois General Assembly website states that SB3249 was introduced by Senator Heather A. Steans. Steans, a Democratic representative for Illinois's 7th district, introduced the bill to the 100th general assembly on February 15th of this year. The bill passed the Senate education committee with a vote of 8-2. According to the Illinois General Assembly website, the bill would require all public elementary and high schools to teach a unit on the contributions of LGBT persons in the history of the country and the state. What does SB3249 say? The first part of the bill states that all purchased textbooks must portray the diversity of our society accurately. This document also sets parameters for what a textbook is in the full text of the document. The bill does not limit the term textbook to books that are printed; it has language to include electronic sources that might be used in a class among other materials. SB3249 also states that this measure will apply to all public elementary and high schools in the state of Illinois. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Senator Steans stated that the bill is trying to be implemented in a way that will give flexibility to the school districts. In the same article, it was stated that supporters had met with Governor Rauner of Illinois about the bill. One of Rauner's spokeswomen stated that if the bill landed on his desk he would seriously consider it. One organization that opposes the bill is the Illinois Family Institute. Ralph Rivera, a lobbyist for the Illinois Family Institute, gave a statement to the Chicago Tribune on the subject. He stated that adding LGBT history to a school's curriculum will counter the value system that students already have. In that same article, Brian Johnson, the CEO of Equality Illinois, said that by not having a section on LGBT history students are deprived of good role models, and are also presented with a lopsided view of history. What is happening now? This bill is still in the early stages of the process of becoming a law. The bill was introduced in February and has several co-sponsors added since it was proposed. On Sunday night, former FBI Director James Comey gave his first interview since being fired by Donald Trump last year. In response, the president decided to rip into Comey during his most recent rant on Twitter. Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G), then based his decisions on her poll numbers. Disgruntled, he, McCabe, and the others, committed many crimes! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 16, 2018 Trump on Comey When Donald Trump fired James Comey as head of the FBI back in May 2017, the news quickly dominated the headlines. At the time, Comey was leading the investigation into Russian election meddling and whether or not the Trump campaign had been in cahoots with the Kremlin. Comey's firing led to Robert Mueller being added as the investigation's special counsel, which has only resulted in an even bigger headache for the president and his administration. Comey addressed these issues during an interview an interview on ABC's "20/20" on Sunday night, going as far as labeling Trump "morally unfit to be president." While many of President Trumps critics believe that the remedy for his perceived transgressions is impeachment, James Comey insisted that would just "let the American people off the hook." He said the public was "duty bound" to vote Trump out of office https://t.co/XvnTc91D1K The New York Times (@nytimes) April 16, 2018 After James Comey's interview on "20/20," the former FBI director faced criticism from both the political left and right. Many liberals blame Comey for Hillary Clinton's lose during the 2016 election due to him reopening the email investigation just two weeks before Election Day. Conservatives, on the other hand, lashed out over his interaction with Trump, with the president tweeting out on April 16. "Comey drafted the Crooked Hillary exoneration long before he talked to her (lied in Congress to Senator G), then based his decisions on her poll numbers," Trump tweeted. "Disgruntled, he, McCabe, and the others, committed many crimes!" the president added. Twitter reacts Following Donald Trump's tweet about James Comey, critics of the president took time to chime in. "It's a joy every morning to know how miserable and unhappy you are with your life," one tweet read. A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States... TheRoseLady (@The_Rose_Lady) April 16, 2018 Doesnt change the fact that your campaign team conspired with Wikileaks, Cambridge Analytica, and Russia to rig (your word) out election. Bonnie #VoteBlue (@BonniBK) April 16, 2018 "A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that person's not fit to be president of the United States," a Twitter user wrote. "Doesnt change the fact that your campaign team conspired with Wikileaks, Cambridge Analytica, and Russia to rig (your word) out election," another tweet added. No Donald, YOU committed the crimes. And you will pay. Nobody gets away with treason against The United States of America. Rogue Candygirl (@Candie415M) April 16, 2018 Hmm, I am going with projection here. You are a consummate liar and you have committed many, many crimes...step down. Elizabeth Cassar (@gosforthgal) April 16, 2018 The orange shitgibbon talking about people committing crimes is comical since he clearly has unclean hands. Fess up about your own crimes loser. David Carbone (@deecee3737) April 16, 2018 "The orange sh*tgibbon talking about people committing crimes is comical since he clearly has unclean hands. Fess up about your own crimes loser," a social media user wrote. "No Donald, YOU committed the crimes. And you will pay. Nobody gets away with treason against The United States of America," a follow-up tweet read. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's highly-anticipated royal wedding is just around the corner but not everyone seems to be looking forward to it. While most people are excited about the couple's forthcoming nuptials, feminist icon Germaine Greer did not hold back in sharing her bleak prediction of their future. Speaking with 60 Minutes, the outspoken author seemingly criticized the former Suits star and her decision to marry the red-haired royal. Will Meghan get bored with being a royal? Apparently, Greer believes that Markle's marriage to Harry is likely to end sooner than anyone expected. Pointing out the fact that the 36-year-old Los Angeles-born actress is a divorcee, the Australian writer claims that there is a possibility that she'll have yet another failed relationship. Germaine predicts that Meghan will "bolt" from her marriage to Prince Harry all because of boredom. The famous feminist noted that the monotony of royal life might take its toll on the future Duchess along with the rigid and demanding nature of her new life. "She will see vistas of boredom that are unbelievable," she said. "I think the pressure to escape from the firm is crushing." The author also cautioned that the "novelty of life" of being a royal fades easily, describing the family as "ludicrous, fearfully controlling, and frightfully boring." Greer is convinced that these factors will force Meghan to run away. Marrying for money and status Germaine Greer also claimed that Meghan Markle is only marrying Prince Harry for money and royal status. The outspoken feminist pointed out the fact that the actress has already given up too much just to make things work with the Royals. It can be recalled that Markle had to give up her acting career in Hollywood and relinquish her U.S. citizenship for her to become a British citizen. She even seemingly cut ties with her old friends and distant relatives as well. Greer claimed that Meghan did all of that because she knows she'll be gaining something in return. "Why would a girl born in poverty marry a man with 53 million quid? I cant think of a single reason, she said. "Well because she expects to have a good time." In the end, Germain Greer admitted that she is not in favor of the couple's wedding at all. She even described it as a "hopeless system," adding that it will only raise the actress' status "for all the wrong reasons." Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to tie the knot on May 19 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Khloe Kardashian is breaking her silence for the first time since boyfriend Tristan Thompson's cheating scandal to reveal the name she has chosen for her daughter. The "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star took to her Instagram account on Monday (April 16) to officially announce the name of her first child is True Thompson. Welcome to the world little True Thompson As many fans know, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson welcomed their little bundle of joy last week, just days after photos and video of Tristan allegedly cheating on Khloe with multiple women were leaked online. In addition to the shocking evidence against Tristan, there were also photos of the Cleveland Cavaliers player accompanying one of the women he reportedly cheated on Khloe with back to his hotel just three days before the birth of little True Thompson. Khloe breaks her silence to announce her daughter to the world Khloe Kardashian made the announcement on her social media account after staying radio silent following Tristan Thompson's shocking cheating scandal. The reality star couldn't hold her joy back over her baby girl any longer, however, and broke that silence to gush over her newborn daughter. Khloe revealed that little True Thompson had "completely stolen" her heart, and was a "blessing" to the entire family. She ended the post by revealing that both "Mommy and Daddy" loved their newborn baby girl. Meanwhile, sources are revealing that despite the devastating news of Tristan's cheating, the new mom is "so happy" to have her little girl in the world with her. Kardashian has some very big decisions to make about her future with Tristan Thompson Meanwhile, Khloe is going through a very tough time in her life. Since Tristan Thompson was busted cheating, she has some big decisions to make. Kardashian has to decide whether to remain in Cleveland, Ohio, with Tristan, or to head back to L.A. with little True Thompson to reconnect with her family, Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Kendall, Kylie, and Rob. She also needs to figure out whether or not she and Thompson have a future together after he betrayed her trust so badly. One insider revealed that Khloe's famous family is helping her "stay positive" during the tough time and that they all are focused on keeping her happy and as stress-free as possible. They are all staying focused on the baby girl and "crying a lot of happy tears" about the new addition to their family. Fans will likely get to see more of Khloe Kardashian's birth, True Thompson's first days, and the Tristan Thompson cheating scandal during the next season of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians." Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Lavrov: Swiss lab says BZ toxin used in Salisbury, not produced in Russia Adios lop guest User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 01:10 AM Post: #1 Lavrov: Swiss lab says BZ toxin used in Salisbury, not produced in Russia Advertisement Quote: The substance used on Sergei Skripal was an agent called BZ, according to Swiss state Spiez lab, the Russian foreign minister said. The toxin was never produced in Russia, but was in service in the US, UK, and other NATO states. Sergei Skripal, a former Russian double agent, and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with an incapacitating toxin known as 3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate or BZ, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, citing the results of the examination conducted by a Swiss chemical lab that worked with the samples that London handed over to the Organisation for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Read more ReutersUK appears to be destroying evidence in Skripal case Russian envoy The Swiss center sent the results to the OPCW. However, the UN chemical watchdog limited itself only to confirming the formula of the substance used to poison the Skripals in its final report without mentioning anything about the other facts presented in the Swiss document, the Russian foreign minister added. He went on to say that Moscow would ask the OPCW about its decision to not include any other information provided by the Swiss in its report. Lavrov said that the Swiss center that assessed the samples is actually the Spiez Laboratory. This facility is a Swiss state research center controlled by the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection and, ultimately, by the countrys defense minister. The lab is also an internationally recognized center of excellence in the field of the nuclear, biological, and chemical protection and is one of the five centers permanently authorized by the OPCW. The Russian foreign minister said that London refused to answer dozens of very specific questions asked by Moscow about the Salisbury case, as well as to provide any substantial evidence that could shed light on the incident. Instead, the UK accused Russia of failing to answer its own questions, he said, adding that, in fact, London did not ask any questions but wanted Moscow to admit that it was responsible for the delivery of the chemical agent to the UK. The Spiez Laboratory reflected on Lavrovs words, tweeting late Saturday that only the OPCW can comment [on] this assertion. The scandal erupted in early March, when former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found in critical condition in the town of Salisbury. Top UK officials almost immediately pinned the blame on Russia. Moscow believes that the entire Skripal case lacks transparency and that the UK is in fact not interested in an independent inquiry. "We get the impression that the British government is deliberately pursuing the policy of destroying all possible evidence, classifying all remaining materials and making a transparent investigation impossible," the Russian ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, said during a press conference on Friday. Linky cause am no stinky! Oh dear! Oh dear! FreeFlow lop guest User ID: 5 04-16-2018 01:12 AM Post: #2 RE: Lavrov: Swiss lab says BZ toxin used in Salisbury, not produced in Russia ----> Pinned thread ... Adios lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 01:17 AM Post: #3 RE: Lavrov: Swiss lab says BZ toxin used in Salisbury, not produced in Russia Yeah sorry I noticed after I posted. Feel free to close or delete. Nearly two dozen House Republicans in recent weeks have announced they intend to leave office a rate much faster than usual with at least 43 representatives announcing theyre retiring, resigning, or running for another office. Jason Kelly, an assistant professor of political science at Virginia Tech, notes that this wave, coupled with a number of other factors, has seriously endangered the Republicans majority in the House. Quoting Kelly With President Trumps poor polling numbers, few legislative accomplishments to campaign on, and early electoral indicators pointing to a Democratic wave in November, the unprecedented number of GOP incumbents choosing not to run for re-election and the timing of the Speaker of the Houses retirement announcement has seriously endangered the Republicans majority in the House. Incumbency generally insulates a party from massive losses in an unfavorable electoral environment. Seated members of congress have name recognition, a large staff, and massive fundraising advantages that help them stave off high quality challengers. For these and other reasons, the average incumbent does about ten points better than we would expect them to do if they were not incumbents. So, the fact that 19 of 43 announced Republican retirements are in districts already expected to be competitive imperils their majority. And the fact that Democrats have demonstrated an ability to beat less-than-stellar candidates in conservative districts where they wouldnt normally be expected to beat a potted plant imperils it even further. To make matters worse, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan announced his retirement plans in April, rather than waiting until after the midterm elections. While his retirement was widely anticipated, the timing of the announcement caught most off-guard and further jeopardizes the Republicans House majority. Not only will the announcement almost certainly sap the prolific fundraisers ability to raise millions of dollars a month, it sends a signal that the Speaker himself does not expect Republicans to maintain their majority. The Speaker has explained that the timing of his retirement is so that the voters of his district can select his replacement in November. That may very well be the case, in a world where he already expects the GOP to lose the House. But I cant imagine that Paul Ryan would announce his retirement before November if he thought there was a reasonable chance Republicans would maintain their majority. About Kelly Jason Kelly is an expert in American and judicial politics, the U.S. Congress, and political parties. View his bio. Expertise featured on WVTF (NPR affiliate). Schedule an interview To secure an interview, email Jordan Fifer in the Media Relations office at jordanfifer@vt.edu or call 540-231-6997. Our studio Virginia Tech's television and radio studio can broadcast live HD audio and video to networks, news agencies, and affiliates interviewing Virginia Tech faculty, students, and staff. The university does not charge for use of its studios. Video is transmitted by LTN Global Communications and fees may apply. Broadcast quality audio for radio is transmitted via ISDN. Marion Ehrich, professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emerita by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. The emeritus title may be conferred on retired professors, associate professors, and administrative officers who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive an emeritus certificate from the university. A member of the university community since 1976, Ehrich made significant contributions to the professions of veterinary and human medicine through her work in pharmacology and toxicology. Ehrich, who served as co-director of the veterinary colleges Laboratory for Neurotoxicity Studies, was a pioneer in the use of in vitro systems for mechanistic studies and safety assessment in neurotoxicology. In addition, she was a well-respected leader in the mechanisms of organophosphorus ester-induced delayed neuropathy. Ehrich is a member of the Society of Toxicology, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Academy of Toxicological Scientists, and the American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology, and Therapeutics and is certified by the American Board of Toxicology. In addition, she was active in several federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Academy of Sciences. In the classroom, Ehrich taught a wide variety of undergraduate, graduate, and professional courses ranging across various health sciences curricula. She advised numerous students with their masters degree and doctoral degree dissertations and helped them to develop successful careers in the private sector, academia, government, and industry. Ehrich holds a master's degree from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. Related stories Professor receives Society of Toxicology distinguished merit award Toxicology expert at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine receives prestigious research award Veterinary college researchers work to protect people from deadly effects of nerve gases Let's face it ever since Alexander Hamilton had the Lin-Manuel treatment, every historical figure under the sun is now a possibility for a stage adaptation. The likes of Tina, Sylvia and Six are already ahead of the trend, but we thought we'd round up some of the most iconic figures who would make for great musicals. Amelia Earhart Harris & Ewing 1. Amelia Earhart The record-breaking pilot, the first female aviator to fly across the Atlantic, had something of a dramatic life her family trekking across the US and Canada, surviving the Spanish flu epidemic and her rise to celebrity status as "Queen of the Air". And she was also a talented musician, known for her banjo playing and poetry writing. The show would also have a tragic ending the pilot disappeared in 1937 near Papua New Guinea. NB it was brought to our attention that Take Flight does exist already then it's definitely due for a revival! Frida Kahlo Sotheby's 2. Frida Kahlo Artist, revolutionary and all-round feminist wonder, Frida Kahlo also had a dramatic life, tackling polio at a young age, having a caustic relationship with muralist Diego Rivera and slowly but surely emerging out of her husband's shadow to be recognised as an artistic icon. But more than that, the magical realism of Kahlo's work will make for a visual delight on the stage an all out celebration of Mexican identity with a political twist. There may already be one on the horizon a piece called Blue House has been in the works since 2016. Other suggested show titles (based on famous Kahlo paintings): The Two Fridas or Diego and I Sappho WolfgangRieger 3. Sappho The classics and musical theatre both know how to draw big audiences, so why not combine them into a new musical? And Sappho is a bit of a legend a writer of lyric poetry and one of the earliest known female poets. She was also a symbol of love and desire between women (academics have called her the patron saint of lesbians), so an LGBTQ icon in the making. Suggested show title: Lovers on Lesbos or Ode to Aphrodite Maya Angelou in 2013 York College ISLGP 4. Maya Angelou Writer, poet, musician, philanthropist and political activist, Missouri-born Angelou's campaigning changed thousands of lives, especially through her involvement with the Civil Rights Movement. Angelou passed away in 2014, so a musical reflecting on her life would be a timely one. As a musician she recorded her first album, Miss Calypso, which went on to inspire the 1957 film Calypso Heat Wave. So why not put that same story on the stage? It almost seems too feasible not to happen. Suggested show title: Caged Bird or Calypso Anna Ivanovna (right) at the ice palace Painting by Valery Jacobi 5. Anna Ivanovna Elsa wasn't the first one to have a frozen palace 18th century Russian Empress Anna Ivanovna built one way before they were cool. The Russian leader, who had an eccentric sense of humour, built the ice palace as a wedding venue for a member of her court she'd taken a particular dislike to. The prince in question then had to stay alive overnight in the sub-zero conditions with his new bride, sleeping on an ice bed with logs of ice in a fireplace of ice. Definitely not a Disney tale. The Empress was also a keen hunter she kept a rifle by her window so she could shoot down birds whenever she felt like it. Suggested show title: Love Is An Open Door (but not in an ice palace when your Empress doesn't like you) Malala Yousafzai DFID / Malala Yousafzai 6. Malala Yousafzai The youngest Novel Prize laureate is already an incredible figure on the world stage surviving an attack by Taliban gunman in Pakistan in 2012 in retaliation for her activism, before going on to recover, speak in front of the UN and confronting Barack Obama about his use of drones in Pakistan. She's currently studying at Oxford University, but who knows where she'll go from there. Maybe a trilogy of musicals would be more suitable? Suggested show title: same as the documentary about her life He Named Me Malala Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. 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Theres no heavy lifting, no charging up sharp inclines at breakneck speed. But dont be deceived: The practice a combination of slow, graceful, choreographed movements and meditation that came to our shores from China around the 1940s has been scientifically linked to a list of live-longer, live-better health and fitness benefits, many of which have particular relevance as we age. Chief among the benefits is tai chis ability to improve balance and prevent falls. When youre practicing the movements, youre shifting your weight from one foot to the other to maintain balance, says Michael Irwin, a professor of behavioral sciences and director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at University of California Los Angeles. By doing (tai chi), you become more aware of the position of your body in space which is something we become less aware of as we age. Tai chi practitioners also learn to "sink into the earth and feel the connection with their feet, which can help them negotiate uneven surfaces, explains international tai chi fitness expert Scott Cole. A 2015 study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism found the exercise can also help with osteoarthritis, the most common joint disease in midlife, by improving mobility, reducing stiffness, and helping ease pain. But tai chi, believed to be a centuries-old adaptation of martial arts moves according to the precepts of Chinese medicine, does more than just loosen up your limbs. When people practice tai chi, theres a decrease of stress hormones produced by the sympathetic nervous system, which can help lower heart rate and blood pressure, says Irwin. Thats similar to the kinds of gains that happen immediately after engaging in more strenuous exercise. Whats more, by going through the motions with knees slightly bent, youre working the largest muscle groups in the body the glutes and quadriceps which are the first to atrophy as we age. Tai chis soothing effects on the sympathetic nervous system also offer health advantages. A study in the Journal of American Geriatrics found evidence that the ancient art also seems to boost the immune systems of older adults, helping them fend off the viruses that lead to shingles. (In fact, the levels of immunity were comparable to that of people 30 years younger.) And research from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that older people had an improved response to the flu vaccine after practicing tai chi. Where to Go for the Flow Interested in learning to practice? Taking a class is a good way to begin. An instructor can monitor you and make sure youre doing the moves correctly, says Ruth Taylor-Piliae, associate professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing. Whats more, practicing in a studio with like-minded people will provide motivation and eliminate distractions. Inquire about classes at a local YMCA, adult community center, community college, or hospital. The Arthritis Foundation or the Tai Chi for Health Institute can help find instructors in specific communities. Another way to unearth an expert: Ask an acupuncturist. Tai Chi has a holistic element, says Cole, so they may know of instructors in your area or may teach tai chi themselves. Because its low impact, tai chi can be adapted to any fitness level. Some classes may focus more on the martial arts aspect; others, stress management. For those with limited mobility, sitting tai chi yes, there is such a thing may be an option. Be a shopper, says Bill Douglas, author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Tai Chi and Qigong. Interview several teachers and tell them where youre coming from physically and what your goals are. And ask permission to observe a class before committing. Another way to get a sampling: Check out World Tai Chi Day, held the last Saturday in April each year in cities across the U.S. Youll find exhibitions and teach-ins all free. Its a good way to connect with local teachers, says Douglas, founder of the event. (Go to WorldTaiChiDay.org, click on Events, then type in your state to find a gathering near you.) Another way to begin practice in the privacy of your home is with a DVD. Some beginner-friendly bestsellers: The Anthology of Tai Chi and Qigong: The Prescription for the Future; Discover Tai Chi for Balance and Mobility; and Tai Chi for Older Adults. Regardless of the venue for practice, tuning in is definitely worth a try, assures Cole, who has turned his students into believers: Your body will wake up like never before. For Subscribers Drought emphasizes Missouri river divide for South Dakota ranchers Ranchers will have to make some tough decisions in the coming weeks, which could include stockpiling hay for the winter or selling calves early. BULLETIN BOARD The American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico April Luncheon will be held from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday at The Grill, 3300 San Mateo NE, #B2. The featured speaker is Ira Wilson, executive director of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA). Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for others: space is limited. To register or for additional information, call 505-766-9545. The New Mexico chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) April Luncheon will be held from 11:15 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday at Embassy Suites by Hilton, 1000 Woodward NE. The featured presentation is How To Claim Your Value and Earn What Youre Worth, by Tania Vasallo. WESST presents the free workshop Credit and Debt Management from 10 a.m.-noon or from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the WESST Enterprise Center, 609 Broadway NE. Topics include what is credit and debt; understanding credit reports and scores; managing debts and collections; and credit opportunities. Admission is free: advance registration is recommended. To register, visit www.wesst.org or call Lorena Schott at 505-246-6939. The ABQ Congress on Real Estate (ACRE) is sponsoring the workshop Nuts & Bolts and a Few Loose Screws of Real Estate Investing by real estate investor/developer Lee Moberly, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday at the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, 7521 Carmel NE. During the workshop, Moberly will review the skills and traits required for success including: developing a business plan; how to evaluate properties; the mast of real profits good design, finding good contractors and partnering for profits and much more including a question-and-answer session immediately following the workshop. The workshop fee is $99; space is limited. To register or for additional information, visit www.acrenm.com. APPLAUSE The New Mexico chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. has presented 2017 New Mexico Excellence in Construction Awards to four Albuquerque Public Schools major new construction projects. The largest winning projects include the rebuild of the Aztec Special Education and Intensive Support Center, a 62,428 square-foot, two-floor facility opened for the fall 2017 semester, and West Mesa High Schools new 70,000 square-foot Classroom Building, renovated courtyard, and new outdoor amphitheater, completed in July of 2017. The Aztec Special Education facility achieved LEED Platinum certification and the West Mesa project was built to LEED Gold specifications. The two smaller projects include Jefferson Middle Schools new 9,766-square-foot Music Building and renovation of the original facility for art and adaptive physical education classes; and Atrisco Elementary Schools new Classroom Building and kitchen/cafeteria restoration. Danelle Tanner, a physicist at Sandia National Laboratories, has been named the 2018 Scientist of the Year by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP). Tanner is the first employee of Sandia National Laboratories, to receive the honor since the NOGLSTP created the award in 2004. The annual awards were established as a means of identifying, honoring and documenting the contributions of outstanding LGBTQ+ science, engineering and technology professionals, as well as the corporations, academic institutions and businesses that support them. WELCOME Christina Horton has joined VHGArchitects. Horton has a diverse background in architecture, design, and construction with hands-on experience in many aspects of the profession from design to teaching to carpentry. She has an associate degree in construction management and an associates degree in construction technology, both from Central New Mexico Community College; a bachelors degree in architecture and a masters degree in architecture, both from the University of New Mexico. Horton is also certified in historic preservation, framing, carpentry, cost estimating, and scheduling. Attorney Nicholas J. Trost has joined Parnall Law. Trost previously worked as an associate in an Albuquerque area insurance defense firm. He has a bachelors degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Washington; and a law degree, cum laude, from UNM. Noel Cothren has joined Ingenuity Software Labs, Inc., as the labs first employee serving as the technical program manager overseeing technical projects, communications and coordination with employees, contractors and clients. Cothren is a graduate of the CNM Ingenuity Deep Dive Coding Bootcamp and is skilled in both software development and project management. PROMOTIONS Jennifer Bishop, M.D., CWS, FACS, a breast surgical oncologist with Presbyterian Healthcare Services, has received a three-year appointment as Cancer Liaison Physician for Presbyterian Cancer Care. Cancer Liaison Physicians are an integral part of cancer programs accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Bishop joined Presbyterian Cancer Care in 2016 and works primarily as a breast surgical oncologist. She has a bachelors degree in biological chemistry from Wellesley College; a medical degree from McGill University; and completed an internship and residency in general surgery at Stamford Hospital; and completed a fellowship in interdisciplinary breast surgery at Yale University. Bishop is board certified in general surgery and is a member of the Presbyterian Medical Group Executive Council. She also serves on the American Society of Breast Surgeons Education Committee and the American College of Surgeons Young Fellows Association Governing Council. ETC. John Jack P. Burton has been appointed by the Uniform Law Commission to the Drafting Committee on the Relocation of Non-Utility Easements Act. Burton, a director in the Santa Fe office of Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin & Robb, P.A., has a statewide, multi-disciplined, commercial practice involving transactions, alternative dispute resolution and litigation in federal and state courts, and legislative representation. Once a business gets its foot inside the door with an economic development organization such as the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership, its opportunities for growth expand dramatically. Jack Kloepfer discovered this while navigating his Aztec, N.M., business beyond the line of outdoor recreation products he built from thermoplastic-coated fabrics and into products for energy and aerospace industries. The companys relationship with NMMEP has led to others, including the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program, the Small Business Development Center at San Juan College in Farmington, and the New Mexico Economic Development Department, where Jacks Plastic Welding CEO Errol Baade hopes to find capital to expand production space. Entrepreneurs can explore this resource universe at the New Mexico Innovation Expo on Thursday in Albuquerque. Hosted by the NMSBA program and NMMEP, the event introduces inventors and innovators to New Mexico resources, including the NMSBA program and how it has helped businesses like Jacks Plastic Welding succeed. Created by the state Legislature in 2000, NMSBA underwrites up to $20,000 in technical assistance at no cost to small businesses outside Bernalillo County (and up to $10,000 if they are in Bernalillo County). NMSBA partners with educational and government entities, including the University of New Mexicos engineering program and School of Management and New Mexico State Universitys Arrowhead Center business accelerator. It connects business owners with national laboratory scientists who can help them overcome technical obstacles, and it collaborates with New Mexico MEP to provide quality and lean manufacturing training. Expanding horizons In 1980, Jacks Plastic started fabricating whitewater rafts, dry bags, and waterproof mattresses. It grew from that niche by using its rugged fabrics to build emergency spill containers and pipe plugs for the oil and gas industry. Recent aerospace contracts have resulted in the company supplying collars for the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket that launched in February. Kloepfer and Baade worked with NMMEP through the NMSBA program to improve the companys training and administrative processes and broaden its product base, according to Denise Williams Monaghan, MEPs Northwest region innovation director. These services helped the company increase sales by $70,000, retain a valuable customer base, create or retain 11 jobs, and save more than $183,000, Monaghan said. Having MEP working with the crew to implement ideas that they already have, or just to get those ideas on the conscious level, is like bringing more brainpower into the system, Kloepfer said of the working relationship. When we all think about how to make it better and we have the license to do that, things get better for everyone and it becomes a happier and more productive workplace. Resource fair The Innovation Expo features a resource fair where business owners can engage with resource providers and network with other small business; a Eureka Effect session where entrepreneurs can meet one-on-one (pre-arranged through event registration) with a Sandia or LANL scientist; a reception for networking; and a celebration of the 2017 NMSBA success story participants. The event is 2 to 6 p.m. April 19, at Lobo Rainforest, 101 Broadway NE, Albuquerque. Register at: https://nminnovationexpo.splashthat.com/. For more information about NMSBA, visit http://www.nmsbaprogram.org/. To learn about New Mexico MEP, visit http://newmexicomep.org/. Finance New Mexico connects individuals and businesses with skills and funding resources for their business or idea. To learn more, go to www.FinanceNewMexico.org. MEXICO CITY In the past few opiate-soaked years, U.S. officials say, nearly all the heroin coursing through American cities has come from one place: Mexico. U.S. authorities have expressed alarm at what they call an explosion of opium poppy in their southern neighbor. Echoing a federal drug agency assessment, President Donald Trump has declared that an astonishing 90% of the heroin in America comes from south of the border and cited that as one reason to build a giant border wall. Yet Mexican and U.S. officials have struggled in recent years to answer some basic questions about Mexicos illegal poppy crop: How much is actually being grown? How much of it is the Mexican government destroying? And how much is being turned into heroin? Now the Trump administration is intensifying its efforts to help Mexico get a more detailed picture of its poppy problem. It has begun to supply Mexican authorities with drones and geolocation technology and is funding studies to pinpoint how much poppy is being planted and how much heroin is produced from it. The new initiatives emerged from several high-level meetings between Mexican and U.S. officials last year, as well as a trip in July by then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, who flew to see poppy fields in Guerrero state with Mexican military leaders, according to Mexican and U.S. officials. Trumps harsh rhetoric about Mexico on illegal immigration, trade and the wall could jeopardize that kind of security cooperation. On Monday, President Enrique Pena Nietos office said he has instructed cabinet secretaries to review their bilateral programs with the United States, following a tense week in which Trump criticized Mexico about a caravan of migrants heading toward the U.S. border. But on certain issues, such as poppy, the two sides have already quietly made progress. With Trump as president, we thought that there would have been a chilling of relations, said Juan Carlos Silva, chief of the anti-drug division of Mexicos federal police. On the contrary, we have grown closer. The Drug Enforcement Administration said in a report last year that Mexico supplies 93 percent of all heroin consumed in the United States, up from half of it in 2012 even though it lags far behind Afghanistan and Burma as an opium poppy producer, according to U.N. figures. The DEA also reported that production more than tripled in Mexico between 2013 and 2016, to 79,000 acres, in part because of reduced poppy eradication. But there is no consensus on those estimates, particularly the production numbers. Mexican military officials deny that poppy production has tripled and say they have increased eradication efforts, deploying more than 20,000 soldiers on ground or aerial missions. The troops destroyed about 71,000 acres last year and are on pace this year to surpass that, the officials said. A decade ago, Mexico eradicated 27,000 acres, according to the United Nations. There are several reasons for the disparate assessments. Poppy, which is often cultivated in remote mountain areas, is harder to identify from aerial imagery than coca, the base ingredient of cocaine. In Colombia, once a major source of U.S. heroin, it is often grown in forests under cloud cover. In Mexico, where it is mainly grown in the western states of Guerrero, Sinaloa and Durango, it can also be interspersed with other crops, such as peach trees, making it difficult to detect. And since poppy has such a short growing cycle from seed to harvest in just four months intermittent photography might miss certain fields, experts say. There are still a lot of question marks around the figures, said Martin Jelsma, director of the drug program at the Transnational Institute, a research organization based in Amsterdam, and the co-author of a forthcoming study on Mexican and Colombian poppy production. Equally challenging, Jelsma said, is identifying the source country of a heroin sample. He doubts that the DEA can always tell whether heroin is made from Mexican or Colombian poppy, given that Mexican drug traffickers in some cases have hired Colombians to teach heroin-production techniques, so the product is similar. There is a gross underestimate of the poppy cultivation in Colombia, he said. Lawrence Payne, a DEA spokesman, acknowledged that it was hard for the agencys scientists to distinguish between heroin varieties when Mexico first adopted Colombian recipes but said laboratory methods have been modified to address the problem. DEA scientists can now determine a samples variety and origin at the 95% confidence level, Payne wrote. For the past year, U.S. officials have focused on trying to help Mexican authorities establish an accurate picture of how much poppy is being grown and a system for verifying the amount Mexican security forces have destroyed. Theyve not had that in the past, one U.S. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of a lack of authorization to comment publicly. Until 2016, Mexico did not provide verifiable statistics on the size of its poppy crop. That year, working with the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, it produced its first such report, relying on aerial and satellite imagery that found that about 61,000 acres of poppy was being grown. This summer, Mexico and the U.N. agency are expected to publish updated information and the first estimates of yield, or how much poppy paste and heroin result from the crop. The U.S. government has helped fund that study, known as MEXK-54. In addition, U.S. authorities have given the Mexican military several drones to help identify fields, according to a senior Mexican military official. They have also provided handheld equipment that uses GPS coordinates to locate poppy fields that have been destroyed, then sends the data via satellite to the Mexican attorney generals office, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. The Mexican army has the primary responsibility for eradication. Mexican military officials describe these as test projects that have not been formally adopted but say more information about the new gadgets may be public soon. Mexico has long been wary of allowing U.S. security agencies too much access. That has made it hard for the United States to evaluate the scope of poppy production or verify Mexican eradication efforts, said David Murray, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and a former chief scientist with the Office of National Drug Control Policy during the George W. Bush administration. Its just been a very difficult thing to get full Mexican cooperation because of their concerns about their own sovereignty, he said. Military-to-military relations have improved in recent years, with Mexico taking a more active role in hemispheric defense forums. Even amid the tensions with the Trump administration, top Mexican military leaders have met regularly with their U.S. counterparts. In July, during Kellys visit to the Guerrero opium fields, he watched Mexican soldiers uproot and burn crops. The Mexican government eradicates a tremendous amount of opium, Kelly said in an interview at the time. In fact, I believe something on the order of about 90 percent of the poppies that are under cultivation they eradicate. By contrast, I think, Afghanistan eradicates about 2 percent. The problem, of course, is theres five crops a year, he added. After that visit, the two countries began developing new ways to work together on the issue, including boosting the use of technology. As a result of that trip and those conversations, these projects came about, a Mexican official said. The DEA has added staff in Mexico to work on the opioid problem. U.S. law enforcement officials also said Mexican authorities appear to be stepping up efforts to combat it. I have seen, definitely, an increase in poppy field seizures, one official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to share candid views. Others, however, remain skeptical that Mexican authorities will do much more to curb opium poppy production. No matter how much money we pump into that, theyre still going to do what they want to do, a second U.S. official said. They might take all that equipment we throw at them and use it for something else. Security experts in both countries question whether the Trump administrations drive against poppy will fare any better than previous attempts. Even though the U.S. government spent decades discouraging the flow of cocaine from Colombia, coca is again being cultivated there at record levels. Its undeniable theres a stepped-up attempt to refocus efforts on this particular problem, said Eric Olson, a Latin American security expert at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. I just dont have a sense that there are any new ideas. In Mexico, some analysts played down the Pena Nieto governments contributions to the anti-heroin fight during its five years in power, arguing that little effort has been made to develop programs for alternative crops or maintain security there as the cartels wage war, driving violence to record levels last year. Eradicating poppy, said Alejandro Hope, a security expert and former intelligence official, has not been a priority for this government. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 6 Vote(s) - 3.67 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 4 Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 08:28 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #1 Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection Advertisement In an historic agreement signed today (7 November) between Russia and Israel, one of the most important private collections of Hebrew manuscripts and books in the world is being digitised and shared with the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. The Gunzburg Collection, consisting of more than 14,000 books and 2,000 manuscripts, has been housed at the Russian State Library in Moscow since around 1920, but Israel has long contested Russias ownership. Even before the State of Israel, there were many attempts to persuade the Soviets to bring [the collection] to Ottoman Palestine. Albert Einstein spent a lot of time trying to persuade them, says Aviad Stollman, the head of collections at the National Library of Israel. The current deal, which will allow the public to access online biblical texts, prayer books, mystical works of Kabbalah and books of Jewish and Aristotelian philosophy, is the result of negotiations between the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Russian president Vladimir Putin. The project is supported by the Moscow-based Peri Foundation and the British investment banker Jacob Rothschild. Putin and Netanyahu have been speaking about this issue in the general bilateral talks over the past few years, Stollman says. Around five years ago, when Netanyahu went to Russia, he wrote to us saying that he had raised the issue and asked the Russians to digitise the collection as the first step. The collection was amassed by three generations of the Gunzburg family in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Begun by Joseph Gunzburg (1812-1878), the family acquired manuscripts from various sources, including the estates of deceased scholars such as Seligmann Baer, Eliakim Carmoly and Nathan Coronel. In 1910, after the death of Joseph Gunzburg's grandson Baron David Gunzburg, the Zionist movement expressed an interest in buying the collection, Stollman says. But the purchase wasn't made until 1917, between the two revolutions in Russia. They were unable to transfer it to Ottoman Palestine because of the First World War, Stollman says. By the time they got their acts together the Soviets got hold of the collection, moving it from St Petersburg to Moscow. The addition of the digitised Gunzburg Collection marks a significant milestone in the renewal process of the National Library of Israel, which is moving in 2021 to a new Herzog & de Meuron-designed building located steps from the Knesset in the heart of Jerusalem. Stollman says the question over ownership of the Gunzburg Collection still lingers, but that todays deal is an important first step. I hope eventually [the collection] will come to the National Library of Israel, but in the meanwhile the most important thing is to digitise it and make it accessible. In an historic agreement signed today (7 November) between Russia and Israel, one of the most important private collections of Hebrew manuscripts and books in the world is being digitised and shared with the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.The Gunzburg Collection, consisting of more than 14,000 books and 2,000 manuscripts, has been housed at the Russian State Library in Moscow since around 1920, but Israel has long contested Russias ownership.Even before the State of Israel, there were many attempts to persuade the Soviets to bring [the collection] to Ottoman Palestine. Albert Einstein spent a lot of time trying to persuade them, says Aviad Stollman, the head of collections at the National Library of Israel.The current deal, which will allow the public to access online biblical texts, prayer books, mystical works of Kabbalah and books of Jewish and Aristotelian philosophy, is the result of negotiations between the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Russian president Vladimir Putin.Putin and Netanyahu have been speaking about this issue in the general bilateral talks over the past few years, Stollman says. Around five years ago, when Netanyahu went to Russia, he wrote to us saying that he had raised the issue and asked the Russians to digitise the collection as the first step.The collection was amassed by three generations of the Gunzburg family in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Begun by Joseph Gunzburg (1812-1878), the family acquired manuscripts from various sources, including the estates of deceased scholars such as Seligmann Baer, Eliakim Carmoly and Nathan Coronel.In 1910, after the death of Joseph Gunzburg's grandson Baron David Gunzburg, the Zionist movement expressed an interest in buying the collection, Stollman says. But the purchase wasn't made until 1917, between the two revolutions in Russia. They were unable to transfer it to Ottoman Palestine because of the First World War, Stollman says. By the time they got their acts together the Soviets got hold of the collection, moving it from St Petersburg to Moscow.The addition of the digitised Gunzburg Collection marks a significant milestone in the renewal process of the National Library of Israel, which is moving in 2021 to a new Herzog & de Meuron-designed building located steps from the Knesset in the heart of Jerusalem.Stollman says the question over ownership of the Gunzburg Collection still lingers, but that todays deal is an important first step. I hope eventually [the collection] will come to the National Library of Israel, but in the meanwhile the most important thing is to digitise it and make it accessible. AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:28 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #2 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection Time to smell the flowers, people. DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:41 AM Posts: 3,902 Post: #3 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection f*cking russian scum, they have no claim to these documents. Dreamily Resonant VIP AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:43 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #4 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection https://fitzinfo.wordpress.com/2018/03/1...n-dossier/ Whole whack of Jewish-Russia-Israel collusion here: AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:47 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #5 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection http://peri-foundation.com/en/ Peri Foundation = OPERATION TALPIOT! AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:48 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #6 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection but, but, but I thought Putin kicked the Rothschilds out of Russia??? DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:48 AM Posts: 3,902 Post: #7 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:47 AM) Peri Foundation = OPERATION TALPIOT! http://peri-foundation.com/en/ whats operation talpiot? whats operation talpiot? Dreamily Resonant VIP DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:49 AM Posts: 3,902 Post: #8 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:48 AM) but, but, but I thought Putin kicked the Rothschilds out of Russia??? Jew haters are mentally retarded. putin will save us from greater Israel putin is Jew working for greater Israel hahaha Jew haters are mentally retarded.putin will save us from greater Israelputin is Jew working for greater Israelhahaha Dreamily Resonant VIP AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:50 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #9 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection DrVIP Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:48 AM) MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:47 AM) Peri Foundation = OPERATION TALPIOT! http://peri-foundation.com/en/ whats operation talpiot? Israel's high tech, technocracy dominance of the globe. It's basically the smart grid on steroids. Israel's high tech, technocracy dominance of the globe.It's basically the smart grid on steroids. AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:51 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #10 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection DrVIP Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:49 AM) MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:48 AM) but, but, but I thought Putin kicked the Rothschilds out of Russia??? Jew haters are mentally retarded. putin will save us from greater Israel putin is Jew working for greater Israel hahaha There are claims that Putin's mother was Jewish. There are claims that Putin's mother was Jewish. DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:51 AM Posts: 3,902 Post: #11 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:50 AM) DrVIP Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:48 AM) whats operation talpiot? Israel's high tech, technocracy dominance of the globe. It's basically the smart grid on steroids. aah that could have been super awesome so we could gather data on Jew haters and people who spread false Biblical knowledge and pay them a visit... but sadly the world grid belongs to the intellegince agencies who belong to the jesuits aah that could have been super awesome so we could gather data on Jew haters and people who spread false Biblical knowledge and pay them a visit...but sadly the world grid belongs to the intellegince agencies who belong to the jesuits Dreamily Resonant VIP DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:52 AM Posts: 3,902 Post: #12 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:51 AM) DrVIP Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:49 AM) Jew haters are mentally retarded. putin will save us from greater Israel putin is Jew working for greater Israel hahaha There are claims that Putin's mother was Jewish. there are claims putin is the christian knight who will save the world from the Jewish antichrist. thats exactly my point, Jew haters make up claims based on whatever serves their rhetoric at any given time. there are claims putin is the christian knight who will save the world from the Jewish antichrist.thats exactly my point, Jew haters make up claims based on whatever serves their rhetoric at any given time. Dreamily Resonant VIP AnatoliyGolitsyn Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:52 AM Posts: 3,299 Post: #13 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection DrVIP Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:51 AM) MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:50 AM) Israel's high tech, technocracy dominance of the globe. It's basically the smart grid on steroids. aah that could have been super awesome so we could gather data on Jew haters and people who spread false Biblical knowledge and pay them a visit... but sadly the world grid belongs to the intellegince agencies who belong to the jesuits Not this crap again. Take this back to your many threads on the Jesuits, please. Go bump those threads instead of annoying me here. Not this crap again. Take this back to your many threads on the Jesuits, please. Go bump those threads instead of annoying me here. DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:53 AM Posts: 3,902 Post: #14 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection MainStreetFatCat Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:52 AM) DrVIP Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:51 AM) aah that could have been super awesome so we could gather data on Jew haters and people who spread false Biblical knowledge and pay them a visit... but sadly the world grid belongs to the intellegince agencies who belong to the jesuits Not this crap again. Take this back to your many threads on the Jesuits, please. Go bump those threads instead of annoying me here. you expect to make claims about some JUU stuff without me reacting? thats a public forum, deal with it. you expect to make claims about some JUU stuff without me reacting?thats a public forum, deal with it. Dreamily Resonant VIP racer ac lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:54 AM Post: #15 RE: Rothschild, Russia, & Israel sign historic deal to share Gunzburg Collection MainStreetFatCat all your threads are full of sh*t. Advertisement Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal The timing was unfortunate for Janet Olivas. Last week on Tuesday, the 29-year-old caregiver was a passenger in her own car unable to drive because of a leg injury she suffered during a workout when she became one of the last vehicle owners to have her car seized by the city using a policy that the mayor has said is changing. Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, also last week, announced that the city will change the way police take vehicles driven by anyone who is arrested on suspicion of drunken driving a second or subsequent time, or someone who is stopped while driving with a license that is suspended because of a DWI. Sarita Nair, the chief administrative officer for the city, said the policy change will give people like Olivas those who were not driving when their vehicle was seized more protections after their car is seized. But she said the city plans to continue taking cars from repeat drunken drivers. The city has temporarily suspended vehicle seizure proceedings while it crafts a new policy for dealing with people who have had their cars seized. Under the policy that is now under review, it was up to owners of seized vehicles to prove they didnt know someone was going to drive their cars illegally. The new policy, Nair said, will shift that burden of proof and the city will have to prove an owner knew the driver was going to a break the law while driving the vehicle. Unless the actual owner is sitting in the front seat and also drunk, you are probably not going to be forfeiting a car that is owned by someone other than the drunk driver, she said. But for repeat drunken drivers arrested in their own cars, the city will continue to take their cars on the spot, as they do now. What is changing, Nair said, is that the city wont officially take ownership of the vehicle and sell it at auction unless the suspect is convicted. If somebody is found not guilty they should be able to get their vehicles back pretty quickly, she said. But by the same token, if they are convicted, we should be able to complete the forfeiture pretty quickly. The citys legal department is working out all the details about the citys new vehicle seizure protocols and how to reshape the citys ordinance, which will have to be voted on by the City Council. In the meantime, the city has rescheduled seizure hearings and meetings with vehicle owners to review cases and figure out what to do with people like Olivas, who have pending cases. Her case was also an example of people who have never had a drunken driving arrest and were affected by the citys DWI seizure ordinance. Olivas boyfriend, Isaac Hernandez, was driving her to a pharmacy on April 3 so she could pick up prescriptions for her elderly clients when a police officer stopped them. Olivas car had a cracked windshield and a check of her license plate came back with a suspended registration, though Olivas said her registration was up to date. Hernandez had a suspended license, and although Olivas told the officer that she thought he had fixed it, the police seized the vehicle, according to a criminal complaint. The next day, April 4, prosecutors dropped the charges against Hernandez in exchange for a guilty plea in a different pending case, and Olivas tried to schedule a hearing to find out how she could get the vehicle back from the city. The city has for years charged people hundreds to a few thousand dollars to get their vehicles back and makes the owner agree to boot the vehicle for a period of time. That has happened in cases in which the vehicle owner wasnt driving when the car was taken. Originally, the city gave Olivas an April 18 hearing date, but that has since been rescheduled for May 2. Ive been trying to call (the city) and all I get is a voicemail. I havent been able to talk to anybody over the phone, and its kind of hard to get around without a vehicle, Olivas told the Journal this week. I need my vehicle, because Im a caregiver for my clients, and I need to take them to their appointments and what they need to do. The city has 354 vehicles in its seizure lot, and 72 vehicle owners have pending seizure cases. Albuquerque in 1992 became the first city in the state to pass a DWI seizure ordinance, which has been amended and adjusted several times over the years. The effort to change the way the city seizes vehicles was spurred by a recent ruling in a federal lawsuit, which is seeking to end the program, brought by Arlene Harjo against the city. Harjos car was seized after her son was arrested on suspicion of driving it while intoxicated, his third such arrest in New Mexico. As part of the case, U.S. District Judge James Browning issued an order last month that says, in part, the citys seizure ordinance appears to be at odds with a state law banning forfeiture without first convicting someone of a crime. The order also questioned why innocent owners have to prove their innocence at seizure hearings and it raised concerns about how the city budgets for the number of cars they will seize and sell from owners every year. The writing was sort of on the wall with which direction the courts were going to take with the citys seizure ordinance, Nair said of Brownings ruling. Our city ordinance isnt going to stand up in court and we dont want to spend any money defending that ordinance and we dont want to create claims under an ordinance that may be unconstitutional. Nair said the mayor plans to change the citys vehicle seizure practices by using directives to city departments and by working with city councilors to amend the citys ordinance. We want to be really careful with the implementation so we do it correctly and fairly and in accordance with state law, she said. The mayors directive to APD was point forward, but we are aware that we also have to look back and make sure were treating anyone who is in the process fairly. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal The girl is about 10 now. She doesnt remember her parents, but they have not forgotten her. In the past eight years, theyve spent tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers and therapists and hundreds of hours in court and counseling trying to get her back from state custody. The girl was taken from her parents after officials learned their teen son had sexually assaulted their 6-year-old son, and they hadnt done enough to stop it or remedy the trauma. The teen was convicted, and the younger son is now in treatment for his own sexual deviancy. The remaining battle now revolves around the girl, who has a foster family that wants to adopt her, therapists say in court records. But her parents want her, too. Last summer, the Court of Appeals ruled she shouldnt have been permanently taken away from her parents at least not in the way the Lea County courts and state Children, Youth and Families Department did it. A Lea County district judge is now tasked with figuring out which family arrangement is least harmful for the girl: return to the parents she doesnt remember or stay with the adoptive family. In the wings is a child protective system several judges and social workers that the Court of Appeals says mismanaged the case so badly that no truly acceptable choice is left for the Lea County judge to make. Meanwhile, the parents attorneys have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against CYFD and Hobbs police, saying the agencies destroyed their family and should be held accountable. CYFD Secretary Monique Jacobson said it is crucial that anyone looking at this case keep a focus on what was uncovered in 2010 when a Hobbs-area elementary school principal picked up a phone and called CYFD. The start Jacobson, like all CYFD employees, is prohibited from discussing case specifics, but in a recent interview she referred to details available in the Court of Appeals opinion. Additional details are included in the federal lawsuit filed by the mother and fathers attorneys, Max Proctor and Jon Fredlund, both of Hobbs. And Hobbs police reports and court documents in the custody case provide even more details. Put together, they tell the story, very simplified here: In April 2010, the 6-year-old boy was acting out sexually at school. He told his principal that his teen brother had several times sexually assaulted him. Hed also watched porn with his brother. Later, he told authorities hed also watched porn with his parents. Social workers and police over the next week verified that the older brother had indeed raped his brother, the boy told his parents about it and they handled the situation within the family, moving the boys to different sleeping spaces in the house. The teen told police his mom freaked out on him and his dad whacked him a few times. He described home as hectic with him as caretaker while his parents worked long hours. During the course of a medical examination, the younger boy began to masturbate and police reports say the mother at one point commented on the size of her sons genitals. The nurse told police the mom was smiling at the boy, which a judge later interpreted as her encouraging his inappropriate behavior a detail the judge later used to justify terminating her rights. The parents lawyers in documents and interviews say the mother made no such comments or encouraging glances and any odd behavior was out of nervousness or awkwardness in a stressful situation she wasnt socially able to handle. During this examination, the boy also said we had printed off pictures of his genitals on the home computer launching an investigation into computers and printers at the home. Officials ordered the parents to keep the teenager away from the children, but when authorities arrived at the home soon after to confiscate computers, the teen was there. Police say the house was filthy and the girl was found sleeping on a pile of laundry. Family attorneys say the house wasnt pristine, but it wasnt dangerously dirty, either, and having a messy or dirty house isnt illegal. The two young children, and the family dog, were removed. The kids were put in foster care. And the court ordeal began. In court Initially, the CYFDs plan was for the parents to get some counseling, remove dangers and get their younger children back. By all therapist accounts, the parents were diligent, though maybe a little slow to progress, with counseling and therapy. The teen was charged and convicted of raping his brother. He stayed in state juvenile incarceration until he turned 21, so he was no longer in the home. And the kids were set to be reunited with the parents after the investigation, launched by the boys statement about printing pictures, into the seized computers was completed. Hobbs police sent the confiscated computers off to the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory in Albuquerque. There, the case agent was busy with several terrorism investigations and did not copy the contents of the Hobbs computers until a year after receiving them, according to police reports. So in July 2011, about a year after the kids were first placed in foster care, Hobbs detectives finally received about 1,000 pornographic images taken off the familys computer. Some of them, maybe about five, contained participants that police could not say certainly were over age 18. Lawyers in the case who have since seen the photos described them to the Journal as homemade images of either teens or young women made to look like high-schoolers. But the images are referred to in court as child pornography. Though the official investigation into the age of the participants was inconclusive, the allegation of child pornography was enough for CYFD to reverse course on the family plan and change from reunification to termination. CYFD then blocked all visits with the parents. And that was the last time they saw their daughter. The fight But they are still fighting to see her and to be in her life. And at times since then, CYFD has given them hope that they would. Nearly two years after changing the plan to parental termination, CYFD reversed course about the same time that the daughters first foster family decided it didnt want to adopt her swapping back to reunification and determining the parents had done everything asked of them. Also about this time, fall 2013, the parents learned that their youngest son, still in residential treatment in New Mexico, had been involved in a sex club, according to the federal lawsuit. At this time, CYFD moved him to a treatment center in Texas. Meanwhile, the parents continued with near-weekly counseling. And the court appointed a family reunification mediator to help them get visitation up and running with their daughter. Complete negligence This mediator, though, barely communicated with the parents, their therapists, CYFD social workers and the foster family, according to court records. District Judge Raymond Romero, in his August 2015 ruling terminating parental rights, writes that the mediator did nothing of any substance and CYFD did nothing to ensure that (the mediator) was complying with the reunification plan, resulting in prolonged delays that contributed to the deterioration of the parent-child relationship. CYFD spokesman Henry Varela says the mediator is not a CYFD employee or contractor and that courts, not CYFD, appoint monitors. Nearly a year passed with no visitation, despite court filings from the parents lawyers seeking clear instructions on exactly what CYFD wanted from them in order to get their children back. In the meantime, CYFD found another foster family to take the girl. And in December 2013, the department reversed course again, arguing the parental rights should be terminated. A CYFD social worker testified that although the parents completed their treatment program and had done anything and everything asked of them by the department for reunification, it was in the childs best interest to terminate their parental rights because the relationship had disintegrated over the years of separation. CYFD officially argued that the parents sexual issues have never been addressed and they have basically abandoned their children because they havent seen them for years. In August 2015, Judge Romero agreed with CYFD, saying the parents were sexual predators and abused and neglected the kids and abandoned them. He focused on the reports from social workers treating the younger son in which the boy discussed its being acceptable for children to have sex with adults and implicated his parents in teaching him that. No charges have ever been filed against the parents. And according to court records, the two complied with CYFDs plan, asking several times for clear instruction on what they needed to accomplish to get their children back. Romero said CYFD used complete negligence in crafting that treatment plan, noting the department did not disclose the details of the sons statements to the court. CYFD utterly failed to properly assess the causes and conditions that led to (parents) abuse of Son. Despite his focus on the familys behavior, Romeros ultimate ruling regarded the status of the parent-child relationship, which CYFD argued had disintegrated. The ruling says the parents basically abandoned their daughter and their rights to her were terminated. He allowed them legal rights to their son but ordered the son to stay in state custody and treatment. Not so fast The Court of Appeals, however, took issue with Romeros ruling. The court said in a June 2017 opinion that it was CYFD not the parents that drove the disintegration of the relationship through mismanagement of the case. We are deeply troubled by the fact that all visitation, including supervised visitation, with Daughter was revoked based on an allegation and withheld for years while CYFD attempted to substantiate that allegation, Judge Jonathan Sutin wrote in the panels opinion, referencing the child pornography allegation. What is even more troubling is the fact that this separation allowed Daughter to lose all memory of Respondents after years of no contact. CYFD then used the same lack of contact as the primary basis for asserting a disintegration of the parent-child relationship in order to terminate Respondents parent rights. The court restored the parents rights to their daughter. This is where CYFD Secretary Jacobson says it is important to remember the initial circumstances of the case and to separate it from how the case unfolded and how CYFD argued for termination of rights. She also says it is crucial to remember that CYFD doesnt act in a vacuum and a judge must approve termination and reunification. This case went through several judges and at least two CYFD attorneys. As we read the Court of Appeals ruling, we believe that the court did not necessarily rule against what we did but how it was done, she said in a recent interview. CYFD could have sought to terminate rights on the basis that the parents were still a threat to their kids, she said. That argument is one of three the department can use to justify terminating a parents rights. But what would have happened had CYFD pursued that argument isnt clear, and Jacobson said she couldnt comment further. There were significant concerns regarding the situation in this home, the decision (to terminate) was not based on any one thing. The bulk of what you will find here (in the court opinion) is you find significant concerns about the home, she said. What next? And there are concerns for the future. Although we reverse termination, we recognize that in termination proceedings there is often a tension between the physical, mental and emotional welfare and needs of the child and the understanding that parental rights are amongst the most basic rights of our society and go to the very heart of our social structure,' Sutin wrote. We are faced with the prospect of completely disrupting the life of a young child who has lived with a family with whom she has bonded and by whom she wishes to be adopted. However we are also sympathetic to the fact that, but for the erroneous termination of (parents) parental rights, they might not be in the position that they are now. Parties to the case hope to suggest hybrid approaches to custody, such as visitation for parents or shared custody, to keep from retraumatizing the girl, who will soon turn 11 and hasnt seen her biological parents since she was 4. The youngest son remains in the treatment facility in Texas, where he is not allowed visits by his family. The oldest son is now living in Ohio, where he has married and started his own family. He did not return inquiries for comment. The parents federal lawsuit is scheduled for hearing this month. Hobbs police said through their lawyer, Luis Robles in Albuquerque, that the department did not violate the parents civil rights and was following protocol and the needs of protecting their children. Hearings on custody are being held, but they are not public. That leaves the Lea County judge to figure out how to solve what the fathers attorney, Fredlund, said is the ultimate test of the notion that you have a fundamental constitutional right to familial integrity versus the governments interest in trying to protect children. Eight years June 2010 Children, Youth and Families Department files petition against parents for failing to protect their youngest son, age 6, from their oldest sons sexual assaults. CYFD takes 2-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son into temporary custody. Oldest son, 18, is charged with rape. CYFD creates plan for REUNIFICATION of family. May 2011 CYFD says parents have remedied issues and it is safe for daughter to return home within three months. Parents are granted unsupervised overnight visits with girl. July 2011 Visitation terminated after Hobbs police officers say they might have found child pornography on computer. CYFD changes plan to TERMINATION pending investigation. June 2012 Parents ask for case to be dismissed after child porn investigation comes back inconclusive. Parents still blocked from visits. February 2013 Girls adoptive parents back out, and she is sent to new home. CYFD changes back to REUNIFICATION plan. Still no visits with parents. CYFD appoints a mediator to coordinate reunification. June 2013 Parents ask CYFD for clear instructions for reunification. December 2013 Court and CYFD reverse course, change plan to TERMINATION despite parents cooperating fully with treatment plan. Court says underlying issues have not been remedied and children had been away for too long from parents. August 2014 CYFD finds new adoptive home for girl despite court-ordered psych evaluation showing no remaining issues for parents. Therapist recommends reunification of daughter and family. Still no visits. January 2015 CYFD makes final petition for TERMINATION. August 2015 Court TERMINATES parental rights June/July 2017 Court of Appeals OVERTURNS TERMINATION of parental rights and mandates hearing on the best option for the daughter: adoption or reunification with birth parents. 2018 Lea County judge holding custody hearings to determine best placement for daughter. SOURCES: Lea County District Court records, Hobbs police reports, Court of Appeals opinion, federal lawsuit filed by family. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal I want to take a moment to respond to Fridays editorial. I feel that it is extremely important that voters get the benefit of the whole story rather than just chapters the liberal media want them to know. I hold an ownership stake in a family limited liability company in which my father gifted partial ownership to my siblings and me in 2000. It is operated and managed by my father, and I have absolutely no say in the day-to-day operations of the company or any contractual agreements. Since this company was formed, I have always disclosed my interest in it through proper documentation with the Secretary of States Office. There has not been a single disclosure where this company was omitted. The issue is the interpretation of extremely vague questions written on government forms. The item on the financial disclosure asks that the reporting individual disclose any goods or services provided to state agencies by the reporting individual or their spouse in excess of $5,000. In 2013, I asked the Secretary of States office if I needed to change or amend my disclosure because of the two properties Herrell Properties had purchased in 2013 that had existing state leases. The response from the Secretary of States office was no because I do not receive any direct lease payments, the leases are not between me personally and the state of New Mexico and I do not receive a 1099 from the state. I filed my financial disclosure forms with that understanding and guidance and have continued to file the same way. When this issue surfaced, I immediately contacted the Secretary of States Office and discussed this issue with them. As a result of those discussions, I learned that their interpretation of this question was now different, and I immediately filed amended documents reflecting my interest in Herrell Properties as lessor under that section. As of this week, the Secretary of States office has assured me no further action is needed to clarify this issue. Ultimately, this entire series of events is nothing more than an attempt by (Republican political consultant) Jay McCleskey and Monty Newman (one of my opponents in the Republican congressional primary) to call into question my moral character, and they are doing so by pointing at fog and calling it smoke. There was never, is never, and will never be a time or situation where I will hide anything from my constituents or the people of New Mexico. Currently in New Mexico, the highest individual tax rates can occur on income supposedly exempt from state and local taxes. Sounds ridiculous, but this is true and has been for decades: The problem involves several sources of income taxed at the federal level but exempt or partially exempt from New Mexico taxes. One of these involves interest on federal bonds/Treasury bills, which according to the IRS is federally taxable but exempt from all state and local income taxes. This exemption is because federal activities are immune from powers of the states due to federalism, a principal set forth in the Constitution that creates separate government powers and immunities between the federal and state governments. At first glance, it appears N.M. takes care of this by deducting the interest from a taxpayers total state income. But the NM income is derived from the taxpayers Federal Adjusted Gross Income (FAGI), a number that contains the exempt N.M. interest. Although this sounds reasonable include the interest in the federal, then later subtract it to get N.M. taxable income several problems occur. First, the FAGI is used by New Mexico to determine two N.M. exemptions, a low- and middle-income tax exemption and an exemption for persons over 64 or blind, so both of these exemptions may be lowered before the N.M. tax-exempt interest is later subtracted. In addition, for seniors on Social Security, the inclusion of the federally taxable interest in the FAGI will often lead to additional increases in FAGI beyond the N.M. non-taxable inclusion. A simple example of a retired, married filing jointly (MFJ), medium-income senior couple over age 64 with and without $1,000 in Treasury interest can be used to show the issues involved. Suppose their total income without the Treasury interest involved $22,500 of Social Security and $34,400 of fully taxable pension. This gives a FAGI of $41,803 since only $7,403 of the Social Security income is taxable. With $5,000 in medical expenses, a standard deduction of $15,200 and the two above N.M. exemptions, their N.M. taxable income becomes $7,113, resulting in a N.M. tax of $122. With the exact same situation except that the taxpayers received $1,000 in Treasury interest, the FAGI will go up by $1,000 due to the Treasury interest but, in addition, the $1,000 will cause the taxable portion of the Social Security benefits to be increased by 85 percent of $1,000 to $8,253, giving a FAGI of $43,653. The change in FAGI will lower the two N.M. exemptions by $2,370, resulting in N.M. taxable income of $10,333, which is $3,220 more than the N.M. taxable income without the $1,000 in Treasury interest! N.M. taxes would increase $89 or an 8.9 percent tax rate on the $1,000 interest almost two times the N.M. maximum tax rate of 4.9 percent when the tax rate by law should be 0 percent! A simple way to fix this problem would be to take the federal 1040 Tax Form and modify it by subtracting out the $1,000 not taxable in N.M., leading to a N.M. modified AGI (NMmAGI) to replace the FAGI as the starting point in deriving N.M.s taxable income and exemptions. This, with the accompanying $850 reduction in the taxable Social Security income, would give the exact same results for the N.M. modified federal as calculated above before the $1,000 Treasury interest was added e.g., a NMmAGI of $41,803. This modification would result in no change in the N.M. taxable income, the desired result. Similar problems occur for several other sources, but the same corrective approach deriving the NMmAGI would also resolve this issue. The issues described are most relevant for low- to medium-income taxpayers, single as well as married, and they completely disappear for higher-income taxpayers, certainly inconsistent with fairness. It should also be noted that most other states handle such tax-exempt interest properly but several Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont and West Virginia appear to have the same issues facing New Mexico based on using the FAGI without proper corrections. The for-profit social media giant Facebook harvests vast amounts of data from each of its 2 billion users across the globe. This data trove gives Facebook unparalleled commercial power and, as is becoming increasingly clear, the ability to influence significant events, including national elections. Revelations about Facebooks role in the exploitation of user data by a company called Cambridge Analytica to support the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, as well as the outcome of the Brexit vote the referendum leading the United Kingdom to leave the European Union have provoked widespread calls for tough, new data privacy laws. For the first time ever, Facebooks founder and CEO, billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, appeared before Congress for two days of hearings. On Tuesday, among those who questioned him was Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin: SEN. DURBIN: Would you be comfortable sharing with us the name of the hotel you stayed in last night? MARK ZUCKERBERG: Umm, uh, no. SEN. DURBIN: If youve messaged anybody this week, would you share with us the names of the people youve messaged? MARK ZUCKERBERG: Senator, no, I would probably not choose to do that publicly here. SEN. DURBIN: I think that may be what this is all about: your right to privacy, the limits of your right to privacy, and how much you give away in modern America in the name of, quote, connecting people around the world. The hearings generated much heat but little light, as was predicted by Zeynep Tufekci, a professor at the University of North Carolina and one of the keenest observers of Facebook and our evolving digital landscape. Appearing on the Democracy Now! news hour, Tufekci said: We dont really need Mark Zuckerberg to explain the very basics of Facebook to a bunch of senators who dont seem to even understand that. We need to sit down and say, How do we deal with the new information commons? How do we deal with the new public sphere as it operates? She added: People mistakenly think that Facebook sells your data. Facebook doesnt sell your data. Facebook sells you. Cambridge Analytica, co-founded by former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon and billionaire Trump supporter and extreme right-wing ideologue Robert Mercer, claimed it could create psycho-graphic profiles of people based on their Facebook data. A company whistleblower revealed that they advised the Trump campaign on how to target ads, both to boost Trump and suppress Democratic voter turnout. The wholesale, planet-wide exploitation of personal data has dark implications, Tufekci said: We could enter into a phase of surveillance authoritarianism, where we dont face (George Orwells) 1984 model, where theres open totalitarianism, where were dragged off in the middle of the night. But were silently and quietly, person by person, screen by screen, nudged and manipulated according to our individual vulnerabilities. Tufekci says the targeting specificity that Facebook user data allows is chilling, giving as an example the ability to determine if a person is bipolar: You can predict peoples likelihood of entering a depressive state or a manic state in the next few months you can imagine the kind of manipulation that its open to. Cheap flights to Las Vegas, she gave as an example, could be offered to people when their Facebook activity indicated they were entering a manic phase and might be more easily induced to make a rash purchase. And then there are young children. That is a population recently targeted by Facebook with the development of its application Facebook Messenger Kids. This would allow Facebook to recruit new users younger than the current minimum age of 13, even as young as 6. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is pushing to end the app. There is a wealth of research that shows that social media is harmful to adolescents, that excessive time on social media is linked to things like depression, unhappiness. Girls who are on social media are more likely to feel dissatisfied about their bodies, Josh Golin, executive director of the advocacy group, said on Democracy Now! Here is Facebook knowing this research and deliberately trying to get even younger kids to use their platform the last thing that kids need is to normalize this idea that relationships should take place online, that relationships should take place through a commercial product. Facebook, Google, Twitter and other social media platforms have become central to our modern, digitally connected lives. But evidence is mounting that who we friend, what we like and share, can be used by malevolent groups to target entire swaths of the population with a few keystrokes. If democracy is to survive in this brave new world, mass movements of people will need to organize together to restrain these corporate behemoths and protect our digital commons. Amy Goodman is the host of Democracy Now!, a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 1,400 stations. She is the co-author, with Denis Moynihan and David Goodman, of Democracy Now!: 20 Years Covering the Movements Changing America. Distributed by King Features Syndicate. Theres no question the city of Albuquerques 25-year-old vehicle-seizure program needed to be revamped, and the fleshed-out policy changes announced by Mayor Tim Kellers administration make a lot of sense. As it currently stands, the city ordinance allows police to confiscate vehicles driven by people arrested on suspicion of a second or subsequent DWI or by anyone caught driving with a suspended or revoked license due to a DWI. Keller issued a statement last Monday that originally suggested the city would no longer seize vehicles except in cases in which there has been a conviction. The announcement came in the wake of a recent determination by U.S. District Judge James Browning that a plaintiff suing the city over the seizure program had plausibly alleged an unlawful profit incentive and making vehicle owners prove their innocence violates due process. He said the city seizure ordinance also appears to be at odds with a 2015 state law banning forfeiture without first convicting someone of a crime. The Keller administration then rolled out a policy proposal Thursday that appears to strike a good balance between protecting the public and respecting property rights. Under it, the city will continue to seize cars from suspected drunken drivers picked up for a repeat DWI arrest. But the city wont take ownership of the car and sell it unless the driver is convicted. Any changes to the ordinance, however, will have to be voted on by the City Council. The administration is also giving more protections to vehicle owners who were not the ones driving by shifting the burden of proof from the owner to the city before imposing fines and fees. The changes should prevent another case like that of Tanya McWilliams, who signed her car over to the city because she couldnt afford to pay $3,000 and keep it booted for nine months. It was seized after her boyfriend took her keys without permission and was arrested on suspicion of felony drunken driving. Under the policy changes, the city will have to prove the owner knowingly loaned his/her vehicle to a repeat drunken driver or someone whose license has been revoked for driving drunk before it can penalize that owner. Even with the changes, critics will argue the program still goes too far, because vehicles will still be confiscated before a conviction. To that, we say that waiting for a conviction before taking away a vehicle would create loopholes big enough to drive an oversized SUV full of empty beer cans through. After all, if youve been arrested for driving drunk and you know theres a good chance youll be convicted in six months, why not transfer the title over to a relative or a friend? Sorry, city, I dont own that vehicle anymore. Cities have the authority to act to address a nuisance, and vehicles being used by drunken drivers certainly fall into that category given the death and destruction that result from drunken driving. In 2017 alone, there were 146 alcohol-related crash fatalities in New Mexico 37 of those in Bernalillo County. In 2016, there were 171 fatalities in this state due to crashes involving alcohol 51 of those in Bernalillo County, which averages to around a person a week. What makes DWI vehicle-seizure programs so effective is they put drunken drivers on notice that, if caught, they risk losing something tangible the vehicle theyre driving. And that loss and severity of their deed is felt immediately. The proposed policy changes maintain that deterrent. Keller has struck the right balance here, and the City Council should follow the mayors lead and revamp the ordinance so it doesnt get struck down by the courts. Lives depend on it. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. The University of New Mexico will once again serve as a training ground for the next generation of dermatologists. The university learned last week that its dermatology department had regained accreditation, meaning it can once again run a residency training program. The department lost its accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in 2016 due in part to a faculty shortage that limited its ability to supervise residents. But a rebuilding effort led by department chair Dr. Aimee Smidt who was at one point the departments lone full-time faculty member has included enough hiring that the department is growing to seven faculty members this summer. Weve really created an entirely new program and new department, Smidt said, noting that the faculty has representation from a range of subspecialties, including pediatrics, melanoma care, dermatopathology and a Mohs surgeon to treat skin cancer. UNM can now accept two residents each year into what is a three-year training program. Dr. Martha Cole McGrew, executive vice dean for the UNM School of Medicine, said she cannot recall any other medical department losing its accreditation in her 28 years at UNM. She blamed it on a confluence of events, including a few physician retirements and departures. Cole McGrew lauded Smidts progress rejuvenating what she called a much-needed program. This is a big win for New Mexico, Cole McGrew said. Smidt said she briefly considered leaving UNM amid the loss of accreditation but felt an obligation to reinvigorate the department. It really was unimaginable to me that in a state like ours we would not have a department or a training program for future dermatology physicians, said Smidt, who hails from New England but married a man from Albuquerque. That is what kept me going. New Mexico has a skin cancer incidence rate of 14.6 per 100,000 people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. (Nationally, the skin cancer incidence rate is 21.4 per 100,000 people.) But there is small pool of physicians available to treat those in New Mexico. Smidt said New Mexico had fewer than 50 board-certified dermatologists at last count, many nearing retirement. That lent even more urgency to her quest to re-establish UNMs dermatology residency program. Whereas dermatologists in some communities have to fight for patients, her recruiting efforts stressed the need in New Mexico. Some of the new faculty she hired are mid-career professionals who she said want to teach a younger generation, while others are straight out of training. That was part of what I was conveying: that when people join here, they would immediately be needed and have such opportunities to help both from a patient care standpoint, but also from an education and research mission, she said. Smidt said the School of Medicine provided support to make incoming faculty salaries more competitive but that provider pay in New Mexico, especially in academia, remains a challenge. A $500,000 gift made by Jim and Ellen King last year also helped fund one of the incoming physicians research, Smidt said. The mechanical engineer crowned Miss New Mexico USA in a statewide pageant earlier this year hopes to use the role to inspire children, especially girls, to become engineers and scientists. New Mexico native Kristen Leyva, 23, attended Desert Hills Elementary, Camino Real Middle School and Onate High, all in Las Cruce. Her mother was a single parent who became a mechanical engineer, and, in doing so, inspired her daughter to pursue the same career. Leyva recalls having a persistent curiosity as a child that got her into trouble once when she dismantled the family computer in hopes of finding out how it worked. Her mother worked as an engineer for NASA on White Sands Missile Range. And, recognizing her daughters interest in science, opted to take her to work on an important day: the launch of a crew vehicle for the International Space Station. Leyva said she saw her mom as a rock star that day and wanted to be like her. After graduating from high school in 2012, she opted to attend New Mexico State University, where her mother had attended, because she thought it was a high-quality program. And, having a close bond with her mother and older sister, she wanted to stay close to home. Leyvas mother, Jo Leyva, had sometimes taken her daughters to the NMSU campus when she didnt have a babysitter. Theyd stay in a nearby classroom while their moms class took place. Kristen Leyva said it was strange returning to the same buildings years later, this time as the student. Kristen Leyva said the mechanical engineering program was challenging. But another challenge arose along the way: Her mother, Jo Leyva, began a battle with colon cancer. In her junior and senior years, Kristen Leyva helped to care for her mom, in addition to juggling school and work. Unfortunately, Jo Leyva died two months shy of her daughters graduation from NMSU in December 2016. It was a difficult loss, and for months after, Kristen Leyva said she avoided reading her moms obituary. When she finally did read it, she noticed that one of the highlights was her mothers interest in promoting the field of engineering among young students. In honor of her mom, Kristen Leyva decided to take on the same mantle. I wanted to be the same kind of role model she was for me, Kristen Leyva said. Leyva becomes the second reigning state pageant holder to hail from Las Cruces. Inspiring girls Soon, Kristen Leyva had developed the #JustOne program, a reference to the idea that it takes just one role model or mentor to inspire a student to pursue a career in science, technology, engineering or math STEM. Though the project took a while to get off the ground, Kristen Leyva began visiting New Mexico classrooms to talk about STEM. She works with each teacher to develop the presentation and tie it into what students are learning. She doesnt charge schools for the presentations or any materials she uses. Sometimes she has carried out science experiments. She hopes girls in particular will take notice. She said she wants to send the message: Theres no such thing as a barrier to pursuing a degree in engineering or a degree in science. Kristen Levya said when she started her degree program at NMSU, there were about 30 women alongside her. But by the time she graduated, she was one of two. She thinks more women would pursue the field and stick with it if there were more female mentors to encourage them along the way. Kristen Leyva works for Raytheon, a contractor for WSMR. And she said there are a lot of STEM jobs in New Mexico, something students might not realize. If we promote STEM in the schools, were also gearing up our next generation to take over in New Mexico, she said. Winning the pageant Leyva said she entered her first pageant at the age of 19. She thought it would be a good way to brush up on her interview skills, knowing thats something needed in the workforce. After that, she didnt compete for a few years because she was busy helping her mother. More recently, Leyva began to see the Miss New Mexico USA contest as a way to boost the momentum for her efforts to promote STEM. Last weekends event was the first pageant Leyva competed in since her moms death in 2016. When the announcement was made that shed won, she said she experienced a flood of emotions, driven in part by her mothers absence and her own hope of continuing her moms legacy. Its occurred to me: I have become my mothers daughter, she said. I think I would have had that moment whether I had won or whether I hadnt. Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said Leyva, as an engineer and graduate of NMSU, will be a fantastic role model for our youth and young adults. Were especially proud shes from Las Cruces, he said. Im also happy to hear shes going to talk about STEM because I believe thats the future and direction of where the country is going, the economy is going. The national competition The date and location for the Miss USA competition havent been set. But Leyva will be the states representative. She wants to shine a spotlight on the state and also break stereotypes about female roles. Its OK to be both Its OK to be Miss NM USA, and its OK to be an engineer, she said. Leyva is pursuing a masters degree in industrial engineering at NMSU. Shed like to earn a doctorate and become a professor wholl focus on mentoring women in the engineering profession. I love being in the classroom, she said. I think that kind of role is more successful than any material success Ill ever achieve. Leyva said she calls New Mexico home, and though she eventually might move to another place temporarily, shell wind up back in the state in the long-run. So, whats Leyvas answer to the official state question? Christmas, she said. Second title holder Leyva becomes the second reigning state pageant holder to hail from Las Cruces. In June 2017, Las Crucen Taylor Rey was crowned Miss New Mexico as part of a different pageant organization. Its a year-long role. Rey reached the top 15 round of the 2018 Miss America pageant in September 2017. WASHINGTON The White House scrambled Monday to walk back U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haleys weekend announcement that new economic sanctions against Russia are imminent, but stressed the penalties are still being considered. Haley created a firestorm Sunday when she said the new sanctions would be imposed by the Treasury Department on Monday, when, in fact, no such announcement was planned, according to two officials familiar with the matter. In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tried to clarify the situation, but her explanation created more confusion and led to suggestions that President Donald Trump had personally intervened to halt the sanctions from taking effect Monday. We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future, Sanders said in a statement. The two officials, who were not authorized to discuss private administration deliberations publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Haley had misspoken when she said on CBS Face the Nation that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would announce the sanctions Monday if he hasnt already. Haley said the sanctions would target those who are enabling Syrian leader Bashar Assads government to continue using chemical weapons. The two officials said the administration had no plans to announce Syria-related sanctions on Russia this week, although they noted that two entities were hit with such penalties last month in a largely overlooked portion of a sanctions package that dealt mainly with Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and hacking. After Haleys comments, some in the administration suggested the sanctions now being considered could be rolled out Monday. But others said it would be wiser and more effective to wait for a period longer than three days after the U.S., British and French infuriated Russia with their missile strikes on Syria on Friday. The officials could not say when the new sanctions would be announced. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continued to hail the missile attack as perfectly carried out. Trump tweeted Mission Accomplished on Saturday after U.S., French and British warplanes and ships launched more than 100 missiles nearly unopposed by Syrian air defenses. While he declared success, the Pentagon said the pummeling of three chemical-related facilities left enough others intact to enable the Assad government to use banned weapons against civilians if it chooses. Trumps choice of words recalled a similar claim associated with President George W. Bush following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Bush addressed sailors aboard a Navy ship in May 2003 alongside a Mission Accomplished banner, just weeks before it became apparent that Iraqis had organized an insurgency that would tie down U.S. forces for years. Later Sunday, Trump sent a letter to congressional leaders informing them in writing of his decision to order the strike. Under the War Powers Resolution, the president must keep Congress informed of such actions. The nighttime assault on Syria was carefully limited to minimize civilian casualties and avoid direct conflict with Russia, but confusion arose over the extent to which Washington warned Moscow it was coming. The Pentagon said it gave no explicit warning. The U.S. ambassador in Moscow, Jon Huntsman, said in a video, Before we took action, the United States communicated with Russia to reduce the danger of any Russian or civilian casualties. TUCSON, Ariz. A U.S. Border Patrol agent was fed up with rock throwers when he fired across the border and killed a teenager who had been lobbing stones from Mexico, prosecutors told jurors Monday during closing arguments in the agents murder trial. Defense attorneys countered that agent Lonnie Swartz was justified to use lethal force and fired to protect himself, other border agents and police officers on the U.S. side in Nogales, Arizona. Swartz had pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the 2012 killing of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez. During the monthlong trial, prosecutors have acknowledged that the teen was throwing rocks from Nogales, in the Mexican state of Sonora, across the border during a drug smuggling attempt. But they have said Swartz used an unreasonable amount of force. Swartz was fed up with being rocked, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst, who noted the agent had been targeted in at least six or seven other rock-throwing attacks. He was angry with those people who had been throwing rocks against the fence, he said. Defense attorney Sean Chapman argued there was not a scintilla of evidence that he was angry, that he was fed up. He said that Swartz shot because he was trying to protect himself and his fellow agents during the course of a drug operation. Jurors were set to begin deliberations Tuesday after receiving instructions late Monday from District Judge Raner Collins. An autopsy showed the unarmed teen was shot 10 times, eight times in the back part of his body and twice in the head. The trial in U.S. District Court in Tucson comes as President Donald Trump wants National Guard troops sent to the Mexican border to free up Border Patrol agents to concentrate on stopping drugs and people from illegally entering the United States. The killing was felt deeply in the twin communities of Nogales, where about 20,000 people live on the Arizona side and about 300,000 in Mexico. The communities are linked by family members, trade and culture and have long been referred to locally as Ambos Nogales Both Nogales in Spanish. Swartz fired 16 shots late on Oct. 10, 2012, through a 20-foot (6-meter) fence that sits on an embankment above Mexicos Calle Internacional, a street lined with homes and small businesses. During the trial, jurors visited the border area at night to get a better idea of what Swartz was facing. The agent, who is on administrative leave pending the trials outcome, testified that he remembered little of what happened. Swartz pleaded not guilty after being indicted by a federal grand jury in 2015 and is free on his own recognizance. The Border Patrol has not said if he is receiving his salary. Lee Gelernt, a New York-based lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said he believes Swartz is the first border agent prosecuted by the Justice Department in a fatal shooting across the border. Gelernt is handling a parallel civil case, now before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which the teens mother filed against Swartz seeking monetary damages. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 3 Vote(s) - 2.33 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? JohnPrewett Registered User User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 03:53 PM Posts: 2,279 Post: #1 So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? Advertisement so is Trump going to punish Saudi Arabia for bombing Yemen for past 3 years ? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:03 PM Post: #2 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? The Saudis are the Good Guys! RUSSIANS!!! Don't be silly, you silly Russian!The Saudis are the Good Guys! Mr Burns15 lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:22 PM Post: #3 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? We could only wish Monk-1 Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:24 PM Posts: 5,687 Post: #4 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? JohnPrewett Wrote: (04-16-2018 03:53 PM) so is Trump going to punish Saudi Arabia for bombing Yemen for past 3 years ? Yes... We are going to rebuild Yemen. Yes... We are going to rebuild Yemen. Spiddy Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:28 PM Posts: 18,026 Post: #5 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? If he bombs them they'll probably cancel the $300 billion arms deal he signed them up to... You really wanna lose that many jobs just to make a point? As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. Monk-1 Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:29 PM Posts: 5,687 Post: #6 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? Because you know.. We don`t like Dubai Or Israel blowing up our vacation spots. (This post was last modified: 04-16-2018 04:30 PM by Monk-1 .) Monk-1 Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:30 PM Posts: 5,687 Post: #7 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? >:( Monk-1 Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:31 PM Posts: 5,687 Post: #8 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? Spiddy Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:28 PM) If he bombs them they'll probably cancel the $300 billion arms deal he signed them up to... You really wanna lose that many jobs just to make a point? 300 klonkers? piss off. 300 klonkers? piss off. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:31 PM Post: #9 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? The focus is on Syria, not Yemen. See how that works? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:34 PM Post: #10 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? Big arms buyers, the Saudis. The more they bomb, the richer we get. Win-win. Make Arabia Great Again! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:35 PM Post: #11 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? Spiddy Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:28 PM) If he bombs them they'll probably cancel the $300 billion arms deal he signed them up to... You really wanna lose that many jobs just to make a point? So it's okay to bomb the crap out of innocent people because money. That's what you're saying. So it's okay to bomb the crap out of innocent people because money.That's what you're saying. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:38 PM Post: #12 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:35 PM) Spiddy Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:28 PM) If he bombs them they'll probably cancel the $300 billion arms deal he signed them up to... You really wanna lose that many jobs just to make a point? So it's okay to bomb the crap out of innocent people because money. That's what you're saying. No, he's trying to make Trump look bad by pointing out the fact Trump made a weapons deal with Saudi Arabia and supports them militarily. He uses death and destruction and tragedy of other people to try and score politically ideological points instead of analyzing things rationally and logically. No, he's trying to make Trump look bad by pointing out the fact Trump made a weapons deal with Saudi Arabia and supports them militarily.He uses death and destruction and tragedy of other people to try and score politically ideological points instead of analyzing things rationally and logically. Archangel Michael User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:44 PM Posts: 14,103 Post: #13 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? Meanwhile, The US helps bomb Yemen, just as they supply ISIS with weapons in Syria. The US creates Hell on Earth, and pretends to be innocent.Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is just another Jewish ruled state. Monk-1 Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 04:54 PM Posts: 5,687 Post: #14 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:34 PM) Big arms buyers, the Saudis. The more they bomb, the richer we get. Win-win. Make Arabia Great Again! F*ck off or we will get rid off all your rat holes placed in Europe. F*ck off or we will get rid off all your rat holes placed in Europe. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 05:03 PM Post: #15 RE: So is Trump going to bomb Saudi Arabia ? LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:38 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 04:35 PM) So it's okay to bomb the crap out of innocent people because money. That's what you're saying. No, he's trying to make Trump look bad by pointing out the fact Trump made a weapons deal with Saudi Arabia and supports them militarily. He uses death and destruction and tragedy of other people to try and score politically ideological points instead of analyzing things rationally and logically. So here's where you analyze things rationally and logically and tell us why it's a good thing to arm a bunch of crazy billionaire Saudi princes who go around bombing the crap out of innocent people. So here's where you analyze things rationally and logically and tell us why it's a good thing to arm a bunch of crazy billionaire Saudi princes who go around bombing the crap out of innocent people. Advertisement LONDON Britains Court of Appeal ruled Monday against the parents of a terminally ill toddler who sought permission to take him to Italy for medical treatment that lower U.K. courts blocked in favor of suspending life support. The parents of 23-month-old Alfie Evans have been engaged in a protracted legal fight with Alder Hey Childrens Hospital over his care. They asked the Court of Appeal to overturn earlier rulings that blocked further medical treatment for their son. Instead, justices upheld a lower courts conclusion that flying Alfie to a hospital in Rome would be wrong and pointless. Some protesters gathered outside the hospital in Liverpool wept at the news of the appeals courts decision. Some chanted Save Alfie Evans! Alfie is in a semi-vegetative state as the result of a degenerative neurological condition that doctors have been unable to definitively identify. Lower courts have ordered the boys life support to be withdrawn. Pope Francis prayed Sunday for Alfie and others who are suffering from serious infirmities. The popes comments marked the second case in less than a year in which he expressed his views on the treatment of a terminally ill British child. Last July, Francis spoke out on behalf of Charlie Gard, who died from a rare genetic disease after his parents waged a protracted court fight to obtain treatment for him outside of Britain. In appealing the lower court rulings, Alfies parents, Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, argued their son had shown improvement in recent weeks. But doctors said his brain was eroded and his condition was irreversible. SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. An 8-year-old student took a kitchen knife to a central Minnesota elementary school and randomly attacked three other children Monday, authorities said. Police Chief Perry Beise said the victims aged 8, 9 and 13 suffered superficial wounds requiring stitches in the attack at Pleasantview Elementary in Sauk Rapids. No one else was hurt. Beise told The Associated Press he didnt know why the boy did it. If I could answer that question I would, the police chief said. He randomly cut three students then walked into the office and set the knife down. School Superintendent Bruce Watkins said the boy lashed out at the other students until an adult intervened. The incident lasted about 5 minutes and took place in a school hallway. The incident happened about 7:15 a.m. as students were arriving for class, Watkins told the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. After putting his backpack away, the second-grade student took out a knife and slashed three students with it, the superintendent said. School officials immediately called police and an ambulance. By the time officers arrived, Beise said, the boy was in an office with a counselor and the three injured students were being treated by the school nurse. He said the boy was cooperative with investigators. He said he didnt know if the boy had been bullied, or if he had mental health issues. Beise said the boy was released to his parents. The police report will be forwarded to the Benton County Attorneys Office. They dont charge children this young with crimes, the chief said You try to get them treatment and help them be successful. Its also possible that human services will become involved in some way. In an email to parents, school officials said that the parents of the three injured students chose to take their children home or to get additional medical attention on their own. One of the injured children is a seventh-grader who was waiting to catch a transfer bus. The other two are Pleasantview Elementary students. Watkins said the school made mental health counselors available to students and staff. Classes went on as scheduled. The attacker will not be allowed back in school, the superintendent said. Sauk Rapids is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of Minneapolis. Pleasantview has 720 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, according to the school districts website. Weapons in schools and school security have been ongoing issues in the U.S. A 19-year-old former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, is accused of bringing an assault rifle to the school in February and killing 17 students and staff members. In December 2012, Adam Lanza, 20, shot his mother to death at their Newtown, Connecticut, home before killing 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanza killed himself as police arrived at the school. SANTA FE A record number of students will start elementary school five weeks early this summer as part of a program that helps children in New Mexico improve their math and reading skills. Its a reversal from last summer when districts across the state endured cuts as New Mexico struggled with a financial crisis. In a written statement Monday, Gov. Susana Martinez said a record $28.8 million has been awarded to schools this summer for the K-3 Plus program. Thats an enormous increase over last summers funding levels, when just $18 million was allocated. Its also 12 percent higher than 2016, when $25 million was awarded. New Mexico continues to improve because we continue to raise the bar, fund what works, and improve teaching and learning, Martinez said. The K-3 Plus program adds 25 days to the school year for students at low-performing or low-income schools. Its for students in kindergarten through third grade, though at least nine districts will operate a pilot program for fourth- and fifth-graders this summer. Nonpartisan analysts working for the Legislative Finance Committee say K-3 Plus shows strong results when its carried out effectively. But that isnt always the case, they said. The program works best when theres a seamless transition between the extended and regular school year, with no switch in teachers, LFC analysts said. Its also important to add the full 25 days, not a smaller amount, they said. Districts that fail to come into full compliance will risk their future funding, a spokeswoman for the state Public Education Department said. State Sen. Mimi Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat and chairwoman of the Legislative Education Study Committee, said she was pleased to hear about this years K-3 Plus awards. The Legislature, she said, has repeatedly increased funding for the program. But she said she still wants to review the awards to ensure the Public Education Department is using the money to help the neediest students. She questioned whether last years cuts were necessary. For me, the jury is still out as to whether they are appropriately administering the program according to the statute and the intent of the Legislature, Stewart said in an interview. Altogether, the Martinez administration said nearly 23,000 students will have a chance to participate in K-3 Plus. Albuquerque Public Schools is getting about $6.8 million. The district encourages families to check in with their schools and register quickly because seats are filling up. This is great news, said Madelyn Serna Marmol, assistant superintendent of equity, instruction and support. The funding will allow us to provide summer reading and/or math intervention to about 5,000 students across Albuquerque Public Schools. With her platinum blonde hair and a cherubic smile, Lois Riess looks in photos like what she is a 56-year-old grandmother from small-town America. And that, authorities say, makes her even more dangerous. For the past three weeks, police say, Riess has led them on a nationwide pursuit from the Minnesota worm farm where they found her husband shot to death last month; to Florida, where they suspect Riess befriended and killed a woman who looks like her to steal her identity; and finally to Texas, where police fear she may find her next target. She smiles and looks like anyones mother or grandmother, but shes calculating, shes targeting and shes an absolute cold-blood killer, Carmine Marceno, a deputy sheriff Lee County, Florida, told NBC News on Florida, after authorities lost Riess trail. Riess and her husband, David, were well known and well liked by the 2,000 or so other residents of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. They were both regulars for lunch at the local Servicemens Club, nearly 100 miles south of Minneapolis. David owned and operated a farm for fishing bait Prairie Wax Worms. Concerned that David Riess had not been seen in more than a week, the Star Tribune reported, one of his business partners asked police to look for him. Officers did, and found him dead of gunshot wounds at the worm farm on March 23, the sheriff of Dodge County told the newspaper. It was unclear how long hed been dead. Lois Riess had left town by then. According to the Star Tribune, police suspect she forged her dead husbands signature before his body was found, transferred nearly $10,000 into her account, and headed to a casino across the Iowa border. NBC News reported Riess had a gambling addiction. She had left Iowa by the time police tracked her there in late March, the Star Tribune wrote. State officials began to paste her photos on Facebook, urging anyone who saw her to call 911 and not go near her, as she was believed to be armed and dangerous. From Iowa, police believe, Riess drove to Lee County, Florida. There, they said, she met a woman named Pamela Hutchinson, 59, with a similar shade of light-blonde hair. She befriended this woman. The woman probably gave her some sob story, Hutchinsons cousin Daniele Jeffreys later told WTVR. My cousin went out helping the world . . . Shes just giving to a fault. To her death. On April 5, the two women were recorded on surveillance camera at the Smokin Oyster Brewery in Fort Myers, sharing a laugh. According to the Star Tribune, another surveillance camera photographed Riess at Hutchinsons condo in the same city. On April 9, police found Hutchinson shot to death at her condo in the same city. Another surveillance camera photographed Riess at the building. Hutchinsons uncle told WTVR shed been shot through the heart. The dead womans purse had been emptied out, sheriffs investigators said. Her identification, credit cards and car keys were gone. So was her car. The search for Lois Riess was now a multistate and federal matter. More public advisories went out, with more photos of the grandmotherly woman and the car she was believed to be traveling in, which was now the car of the woman police think she killed. The vehicle was spotted near Corpus Christi, Texas, this month, Florida authorities announced at a news conference last Friday. Her current whereabouts are unknown. The obituary for David Riess published last week, and mentioned his children and grandchildren, but not wife. Pure evil, Hutchinsons cousin told WTVR. Thats really the only thing that could resonate with my system . . . its just evil that flowed through. In Florida, the deputy sheriff told NBC he had never seen a killing like it. This is the first time in my career Ive seen someone steal someones identity and target them for the way they look in order to murder them, Marceno said. And he worries it wont be the last. I suspect Riess as some point in time with have no resources and she will become more desperate, Marceno said, and may kill again. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday LoP Guest lop guest User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 06:23 PM Post: #1 Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Advertisement Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday [written by An American pastor imprisoned in Turkey will be at the mercy of that country's courts Monday. Pastor Andrew Brunson, 50, will stand before a court after being locked away and charged with espionage and "membership in an armed terroristic organization" among other things. Supporters say his actual crime is being a Christian. Let me be crystal clear. He is on trial because he is a Christian. His faith is the crime. He is a hostage of the Turkish regime, wrote Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice. Read More [written by Amber C. Strong http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2018/a...key-monday 4/15/2018An American pastor imprisoned in Turkey will be at the mercy of that country's courts Monday.Pastor Andrew Brunson, 50, will stand before a court after being locked away and charged with espionage and "membership in an armed terroristic organization" among other things.Supporters say his actual crime is being a Christian.Let me be crystal clear. He is on trial because he is a Christian. His faith is the crime. He is a hostage of the Turkish regime, wrote Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 06:23 PM Post: #2 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Spiddy Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 06:38 PM Posts: 18,026 Post: #3 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday So what did he do? Don't give me that sh*t about him being a Christian BTW 'cos that ain't gonna fly. As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. Dick Hugeman lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 07:22 PM Post: #4 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday we should actually be bombing the f*#k out of turkey not syria LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 07:25 PM Post: #5 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Guess he should've stayed home instead of trying to push his deluded religious beliefs on people.. Guess he should've stayed home instead of trying to push his deluded religious beliefs on people.. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 10:24 PM Post: #6 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RbUdJcxhhg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncbaQiK_NGw Turkish prisons aren't exactly fun. The entire movie is well worth watching. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 10:32 PM Post: #7 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 06:23 PM) Christian 'Missionaries' are often sent into a foreign region to help prepare the way for a takeover by big business... Christian 'Missionaries' are often sent into a foreign region to help prepare the way for a takeover by big business... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 10:34 PM Post: #8 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Turks want to exchange him for the Turk guy who started the uprising against Erdogon , both are here in the usa ? I know this pastor is living in Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania Lots of arm citizens there , prolly outgun the Turks LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 10:35 PM Post: #9 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Spiddy Wrote: (04-16-2018 06:38 PM) So what did he do? Don't give me that sh*t about him being a Christian BTW 'cos that ain't gonna fly. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 10:41 PM Post: #10 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Christian 'Missionaries' are often sent into a foreign region to help prepare the way for a takeover by big business... Interesting read to show this statement is true , https://petermerlincane.wordpress.com/20...-a-zombie/ and then there's these guys , ever here about this , predates Hollywood and Shakespeare : http://www.google.com/search?q=jesuits+t...zT19WL76yo Interesting read to show this statement is true ,and then there's these guys ,ever here about this , predates Hollywood and Shakespeare : LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 10:52 PM Post: #11 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday A Christian who's Christian values are troubled by Erdogan's government which he opposes and preaches about? But who's Christian values are silent on European and American decisions and actions in the region? Or what? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 04:39 AM Post: #12 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday don't worry god will save him. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-20-2018 04:02 PM Post: #13 RE: Jailed for His Faith, American Pastor to Stand Trial in Turkey Monday Quote: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/senat...se-n867721 4/20/2018 A bipartisan group of 66 senators is threatening Turkey with measures after an American pastor was put on trial accused of terrorism links and espionage. [...] In a letter to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seen by NBC News, the senators describe the indictment detailing the allegations against the evangelical pastor as "an absurd collection of anonymous accusations, flights of fantasy, and random character assassination." It suggested that Brunson was being used as a political pawn by elements of the Turkish government bent on destroying the longstanding partnership between two great nations." The letter added that U.S. government had been "patient in the hope that justice would be done" and Brunson would be freed. However, the 66 senators say they now have concluded that other measures will be necessary to ensure that the government of Turkey respects the right of law-abiding citizens and employees of the United States to travel to, reside in, and work in Turkey without fear of persecution. [...] On Thursday, Republican Sen. James Lankford and Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who also signed the letter, said they would renew their push for sanctions targeting Turkish officials. They called the charges against Brunson "fabricated" and likened his imprisonment to "hostage-taking." President Donald Trump earlier this week tweeted his support for Brunson, alleging that the pastor was being persecuted in Turkey for no reason. ixigo, Indias leading travel marketplace, has announced the launch of an all new hotel booking platform in a revamped avtaar. With its renewed interface, the platform makes hotel search and booking a seamless process and offers a more personalised experience for people across various travel genres. ixigo has used artificial intelligence to device an algorithm that personalises hotel search on the basis of ones travel style. Owing to this game-changing feature, people can now choose who they are travelling with: friends, family, couple or solo, for personalized recommendations. From scanning amenities and facilities to even going through thousands of photographs, ixigo will intelligently personalise ones stay options. For instance, by scanning a photograph that indicates a hotel houses a childrens park, ixigo will tag the hotel child friendly for travellers. This one-of-its kind feature that works without any manual intervention, has taken the personalisation proposition to the next level. ixigo users can also customize their hotel search with ease as the booking platform has introduced many new filters. Select filters such as Wi-fi, gym, swimming pool, pay at the hotel and even free cancellation. The new feature also allows travellers to book hotels by presenting all essential information such as details of hotel amenities, location-based search, high-quality hotel pictures and hotel reviews, among others. Commenting on the launch, ixigo CTO & Co-Founder, Rajnish Kumar said - ixigos aim has always been to solve traveller pain points. We realised, that just providing travellers with the right amount of information isnt enough. Personalisation and customization have become very essential, a thought that became the framework for our new and improved hotels product. Weve made the process really easy, ensuring hotel booking becomes a seamless process, which is achievable with just a few clicks. We are certain, our users will really enjoy using the new product, which makes hotel booking absolutely hassle free. To Read More Visit Here. Global sportswear brand PUMA is all set to launch its latest campaign celebrating fearless women and their pursuit of personal achievement. PUMA Indias women ambassador Disha Patani teams up with fitness expert and actor Bani J to celebrate and unveil their journey to perfection. With the campaign, PUMA introduces its SS18 womens collection En Pointe - a range of fitness, training and athleisure apparel, footwear and accessories. Launched internationally by PUMAs global brand ambassador Selena Gomez, the #EnPointe campaign is scripted for bold and fearless women who never give up. Every woman envisions her own version of perfect that she pursues. The En Pointe campaign highlights this continuous chase for achieving excellence at every step. To Read More Visit Here. In India, PUMA today launched the campaign by releasing a powerful short film featuring Disha Patani and Bani J. The video depicts women determined to achieve their point of perfection - highlighting the hours of practice, the effort and perseverance that goes into charting this journey. There is always a desire to push themselves harder to the next level. PUMA celebrates this constant chase where the journey to be #EnPointe never ends. Sharing her thoughts on the video, Debosmita Majumder, Head of Marketing, PUMA India commented, We have built a strong momentum since we broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest number of women holding the abdominal plank for 60 seconds in 2016, with the launch of the Do You campaign. This year under the Do You umbrella we have launched the En Pointe campaign which celebrates each womans pursuit of perfection. The En Pointe collection has a wide range of womens apparel, footwear and accessories which enables our women consumer in their unrelenting chase for individual excellence. The campaign has been created in association with DDB Mudra. Pritika Gupta, Group Director Brand Communications DDB MUDRA said, The DO YOU philosophy encourages women to celebrate themselves the way they are. The En Pointe Collection, which considers the female form in its most commanding and dynamic state, encourages you to do you and live your journey on point. And this is exactly what we wanted to capture in our campaign. The collection is now available in all PUMA stores and on in.puma.com Follow #DOYOU on Instagram to see women post their EnPointe stories To Read More Visit Here. Indian IT and FMCG behemoth, Wipro, has shifted/awarded major part of its Consumer Care media business to Lodestar UM. The decision comes on the heels of an extensive and exhaustive multi-agency pitch. Under the new arrangement, in addition to Santoor that consists over 70% of Wipros media spends, Lodestar UM will also handle Chandrika and Enchanteur range of products. Over the years, Santoor the flagship brand of Wipro Consumer Care grew and diversified to more innovative sub-brands such as Santoor Moisturised Soft Skin, Santoor PureGlo, Santoor Baby, Santoor Hand and Body Lotion and much more. Therefore, the mandate for Lodestar UM is to further consolidate Santoors market share across India. For more than 75 years, Chandrika has been one of the most trusted brands in South India. Chandrika is the worlds first Ayurvedic soap and was launched in 1940 by C R Kesavan Vaidyar, an Ayurvedic practitioner from Irinjalakuda, Kerala. Based on Chandrikas equity and potential to grow, Wipro acquired marketing rights for Chandrika in 2004. Enchanteur, the female body brand with products including perfumes, deodorants, bar soap, lotion, shower gel and others is looking to enter new markets. Hence Lodestar UMs mandate is to help the brand grow further. Talking about the business win, Nandini Dias, CEO, Lodestar UM said, Wipro is one of our oldest clients and we have been handling the business for the last 25 years. Over the years LUM has become integral part of overall Wipro marketing team and the collaboration extends beyond media responsibilities. We are truly delighted that in this next phase of growth Wipro has chosen us to be its media partner. Sir Martin Sorrell, who has been under investigation for personal misconduct has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of WPP with immediate effect. Roberto Quarta, Chairman of WPP, becomes Executive Chairman until the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer. Quarta was appointed as a Director with effect from January 1, 2015 and became Chairman of WPP in June 2015. He is Chairman of Smith & Nephew Plc, a FTSE 100 listed global medical devices company and Partner of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and Chairman of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Europe, a private equity firm. Previously, he was Chief Executive and then Chairman of BBA Group Plc, Chairman of Rexel SA and a Non-Executive Director at BAE Systems Plc, Equant NV, Foster Wheeler AG and PowerGen Plc. Mark Read, Chief Executive Officer of Wunderman and WPP Digital, and Andrew Scott, WPP Corporate Development Director and Chief Operating Officer, Europe, have been appointed as joint Chief Operating Officers of WPP. Sir Martin will be available to assist with the transition. As per a release issued by WPP, the previously announced investigation into an allegation of misconduct against Sir Martin has concluded. The allegation did not involve amounts that are material. Also read: WPP investigates allegations of misconduct against CEO Martin Sorrell In accordance with his at-will employment agreement, Sir Martin will be treated as having retired on leaving WPP, as detailed in the Directors Compensation Policy. His share awards will be pro-rated in line with the plan rules and will vest over the next five years, to the extent Group performance targets are achieved. Roberto Quarta said, Sir Martin has been the driving force behind the expansion of WPP to create the global leader in marketing services. During this time, the Company has been successful because it has valued and nurtured outstanding talent at every level within and well beyond our leadership teams. On behalf of the Board I would like to recognise these achievements and thank Sir Martin for his commitment to the business over more than three decades. Sir Martin Sorrell said, Obviously I am sad to leave WPP after 33 years. It has been a passion, focus and source of energy for so long. However, I believe it is in the best interests of the business if I step down now. I leave the Company in very good hands, as the Board knows. Mark and Andrew and the management team at all levels have the knowledge and abilities to take WPP to even greater heights and capitalise on the geographic and functional opportunities. I will particularly miss the daily interactions with everyone across the world and want to thank them and their families for all they have done, and will do, for WPP. To Read More Visit Here. Customer Logins Obtain the data you need to make the most informed decisions by accessing our extensive portfolio of information, analytics, and expertise. Sign in to the product or service center of your choice. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 3 Vote(s) - 3.67 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran LoP Guest lop guest User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 08:05 PM Post: #1 The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran Advertisement https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafe...ainst+Iran Take your pick, lots of confirmation ranging from RT to WaPo. According to wiki the US and the Brits provided SH with anthrax cultures and factories to produce chlorine gas and mustard gas. Ronald Reagan is credited with approving the sale of chemical weapons to Iraq to be used against Iranians in the Iran-Iraq war. Quote: The Washington Post reported that in 1984 the CIA secretly started providing intelligence to the Iraqi army during the Iran-Iraq War. This included information to target chemical weapons strikes. The same year it was confirmed beyond doubt by European doctors and UN expert missions that Iraq was employing chemical weapons against the Iranians.[36] Most of these occurred during the IranIraq War, but chemical weapons were used at least once against the Shia popular uprising in southern Iraq in 1991.[18] Chemical weapons were used extensively, with post-war Iranian estimates stating that more than 100,000 Iranians were affected Saddam Hussein's chemical weapons during the eight-year war with Iraq,[37] Iran today is the world's second-most afflicted country by weapons of mass destruction, only after Japan .[citation needed] The official estimate does not include the civilian population contaminated in bordering towns or the children and relatives of veterans, many of whom have developed blood, lung and skin complications, according to the Organization for Veterans. Nerve gas agents killed about 20,000 Iranian soldiers immediately, according to official reports. Of the 90,000 survivors, some 5,000 seek medical treatment regularly and about 1,000 are still hospitalized with severe, chronic conditions.[citation needed] Many others were hit by mustard gas. Despite the removal of Saddam Hussein and his administration by American forces, there is deep resentment and anger in Iran that it was Western nations that helped Iraq develop and direct its chemical weapons arsenal in the first place and that the world did nothing to punish Iraq for its use of chemical weapons throughout the war.[citation needed] For example, the United States and the UK blocked condemnation of Iraq's known chemical weapons attacks at the UN Security Council. No resolution was passed during the war that specifically criticized Iraq's use of chemical weapons, despite the wishes of the majority to condemn this use. On March 21, 1986 the United Nation Security Council recognized that "chemical weapons on many occasions have been used by Iraqi forces against Iranian forces"; this statement was opposed by the United States, the sole country to vote against it in the Security Council (the UK abstained).[38] Quote: Two weeks later, the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center reported that eight of 69 Iraqi prisoners of war whose blood was tested showed an immunity to smallpox, which had not occurred naturally in Iraq since 1971; the same prisoners had also been inoculated for anthrax. The assumption being that Iraq used both smallpox and anthrax during this war.[35] The US military doesn't give a sh1t about killing civilians with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, they have been implicated in doing all three. The US military only cares if OTHER nations use them and about manufacturing pretexts for moar woars! I can't believe the lies this nation tolerates from it's "free" press, it's military and political leaders. Take your pick, lots of confirmation ranging from RT to WaPo.According to wiki the US and the Brits provided SH with anthrax cultures and factories to produce chlorine gas and mustard gas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_and_w...MD_program Ronald Reagan is credited with approving the sale of chemical weapons to Iraq to be used against Iranians in the Iran-Iraq war.The US military doesn't give a sh1t about killing civilians with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, they have been implicated in doing all three.The US military only cares if OTHER nations use them and about manufacturing pretexts for moar woars!I can't believe the lies this nation tolerates from it's "free" press, it's military and political leaders. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:06 PM Post: #2 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran You're not allowed to point out that FACT LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:26 PM Post: #3 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran Using the the aid for weapons purposes wasn't part of the deal ya dummies. Israel then Iran then the US made that explosively apparent. Read the links you post. Tell the whole story. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:42 PM Post: #4 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran Some of them were documentally proven to have come thru Hillary's hands. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:44 PM Post: #5 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran We're a Nation of real turds. Thanks to our leaders. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 08:58 PM Post: #6 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:00 PM Post: #7 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran That's how we know he had WMD, we sold him stuff. But, he used it on his own people, if that wasn't staged... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:12 PM Post: #8 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran actually the chemical weapons came from germany but lets not cloud the propaganda with the truth. Eustace Muffins Banned User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:12 PM Posts: 11,088 Post: #9 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:05 PM) https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafe...ainst+Iran Take your pick, lots of confirmation ranging from RT to WaPo. According to wiki the US and the Brits provided SH with anthrax cultures and factories to produce chlorine gas and mustard gas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_and_w...MD_program Ronald Reagan is credited with approving the sale of chemical weapons to Iraq to be used against Iranians in the Iran-Iraq war. Quote: The Washington Post reported that in 1984 the CIA secretly started providing intelligence to the Iraqi army during the Iran-Iraq War. This included information to target chemical weapons strikes. The same year it was confirmed beyond doubt by European doctors and UN expert missions that Iraq was employing chemical weapons against the Iranians.[36] Most of these occurred during the IranIraq War, but chemical weapons were used at least once against the Shia popular uprising in southern Iraq in 1991.[18] Chemical weapons were used extensively, with post-war Iranian estimates stating that more than 100,000 Iranians were affected Saddam Hussein's chemical weapons during the eight-year war with Iraq,[37] Iran today is the world's second-most afflicted country by weapons of mass destruction, only after Japan .[citation needed] The official estimate does not include the civilian population contaminated in bordering towns or the children and relatives of veterans, many of whom have developed blood, lung and skin complications, according to the Organization for Veterans. Nerve gas agents killed about 20,000 Iranian soldiers immediately, according to official reports. Of the 90,000 survivors, some 5,000 seek medical treatment regularly and about 1,000 are still hospitalized with severe, chronic conditions.[citation needed] Many others were hit by mustard gas. Despite the removal of Saddam Hussein and his administration by American forces, there is deep resentment and anger in Iran that it was Western nations that helped Iraq develop and direct its chemical weapons arsenal in the first place and that the world did nothing to punish Iraq for its use of chemical weapons throughout the war.[citation needed] For example, the United States and the UK blocked condemnation of Iraq's known chemical weapons attacks at the UN Security Council. No resolution was passed during the war that specifically criticized Iraq's use of chemical weapons, despite the wishes of the majority to condemn this use. On March 21, 1986 the United Nation Security Council recognized that "chemical weapons on many occasions have been used by Iraqi forces against Iranian forces"; this statement was opposed by the United States, the sole country to vote against it in the Security Council (the UK abstained).[38] Quote: Two weeks later, the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center reported that eight of 69 Iraqi prisoners of war whose blood was tested showed an immunity to smallpox, which had not occurred naturally in Iraq since 1971; the same prisoners had also been inoculated for anthrax. The assumption being that Iraq used both smallpox and anthrax during this war.[35] The US military doesn't give a sh1t about killing civilians with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, they have been implicated in doing all three. The US military only cares if OTHER nations use them and about manufacturing pretexts for moar woars! I can't believe the lies this nation tolerates from it's "free" press, it's military and political leaders. Yes , the US gives the weapons to any country and then lies that such country used it or harbors it etc... Great excuse to topple any country really. Its happening right now in Syria . The US/UK wants Iran real bad. They created a series of false flags to topple Mohammad Mosaddegh , and they haven't stopped since. Yes , the US gives the weapons to any country and then lies that such country used it or harbors it etc... Great excuse to topple any country really. Its happening right now in Syria .The US/UK wants Iran real bad. They created a series of false flags to topple Mohammad Mosaddegh , and they haven't stopped since. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:23 PM Post: #10 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:00 PM) That's how we know he had WMD, we sold him stuff. But, he used it on his own people, if that wasn't staged... I've read there were wind problems in an area close to where they wanted to gas Iranian troops. That the wind may have shifted and blown back on them in karmic victory. If Saddam did gas some of his own people, it may have been inadvertently. I've read there were wind problems in an area close to where they wanted to gas Iranian troops. That the wind may have shifted and blown back on them in karmic victory.If Saddam did gas some of his own people, it may have been inadvertently. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:26 PM Post: #11 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran Eustace Muffins Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:12 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 08:05 PM) https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafe...ainst+Iran Take your pick, lots of confirmation ranging from RT to WaPo. According to wiki the US and the Brits provided SH with anthrax cultures and factories to produce chlorine gas and mustard gas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_and_w...MD_program Ronald Reagan is credited with approving the sale of chemical weapons to Iraq to be used against Iranians in the Iran-Iraq war. The US military doesn't give a sh1t about killing civilians with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, they have been implicated in doing all three. The US military only cares if OTHER nations use them and about manufacturing pretexts for moar woars! I can't believe the lies this nation tolerates from it's "free" press, it's military and political leaders. Yes , the US gives the weapons to any country and then lies that such country used it or harbors it etc... Great excuse to topple any country really. Its happening right now in Syria . The US/UK wants Iran real bad. They created a series of false flags to topple Mohammad Mosaddegh , and they haven't stopped since. Israel wants Iran real bad. The US/UK are their puppets and mercenary military for the lieces of paper Israel allows them to print, buying ip millions of souls Israel wants Iran real bad. The US/UK are their puppets and mercenary military for the lieces of paper Israel allows them to print, buying ip millions of souls Eustace Muffins Banned User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:30 PM Posts: 11,088 Post: #12 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:26 PM) Eustace Muffins Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:12 PM) Yes , the US gives the weapons to any country and then lies that such country used it or harbors it etc... Great excuse to topple any country really. Its happening right now in Syria . The US/UK wants Iran real bad. They created a series of false flags to topple Mohammad Mosaddegh , and they haven't stopped since. Israel wants Iran real bad. The US/UK are their puppets and mercenary military for the lieces of paper Israel allows them to print, buying ip millions of souls Same sh*t really, In the 1950s before Israel was anything, British Petroleum was reeking havoc in Persia. 3 headed monter Same sh*t really, In the 1950s before Israel was anything, British Petroleum was reeking havoc in Persia. 3 headed monter conspiracyparty Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:33 PM Posts: 1,025 Post: #13 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran Quote: The US military doesn't give a sh1t about killing civilians with chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, they have been implicated in doing all three. The US military only cares if OTHER nations use them and about manufacturing pretexts for moar woars! I can't believe the lies this nation tolerates from it's "free" press, it's military and political leaders. thank you for actual truth. the amount of dictators supported by the US larger than anyone else. and since the end of WW2, US has been the largest aggressor. why cant people wake up to this stuff. the information is everywhere. but some people refuse to see it. thank you for actual truth.the amount of dictators supported by the US larger than anyone else.and since the end of WW2, US has been the largest aggressor.why cant people wake up to this stuff.the information is everywhere. but some people refuse to see it. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:35 PM Post: #14 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:12 PM) actually the chemical weapons came from germany but lets not cloud the propaganda with the truth. Even more came from Nez Ziona in Israel. Where Israel does some of it's chemical and biological experimentation and production. Even more came from Nez Ziona in Israel. Where Israel does some of it's chemical and biological experimentation and production. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 09:51 PM Post: #15 RE: The US gave Saddam Hussein Chemical Weapons to Use against Iran Eustace Muffins Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:30 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 09:26 PM) Israel wants Iran real bad. The US/UK are their puppets and mercenary military for the lieces of paper Israel allows them to print, buying ip millions of souls Same sh*t really, In the 1950s before Israel was anything, British Petroleum was reeking havoc in Persia. 3 headed monter Naam!! Al DJaal !! Naam!! Al DJaal !! Advertisement 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. HAWIJA, Iraq The area southwest of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk has seen several attacks and anti-Islamic State (IS) operations this month. Five foreign IS members, including two leaders, were reportedly killed in the Rashad subdistrict April 9, while "tunnels and guesthouses'' used by IS were destroyed April 10. Two days later, IS injured four federal police officers in an attack in the same subdistrict and killed a "man in front of his family for cooperating with security forces," while destroying and burning down several homes for the same reason. Weapons, supplies and fighters continue to be found in the nearby Hamreen Mountains. Officials estimate the number of fighters hiding in them anywhere from less than a hundred to several hundred. Security officers in the area give similarly wide variations on the number of civilian returnees to Hawija and the surrounding area, which was liberated from IS in early October 2017. Several of them claimed that family members of IS in some of the villages are helping IS fighters with logistics and basic needs. The Hamreen Mountains are part of what Hisham al-Hashimi calls Iraqs "triangle of death," where IS has in recent months conducted insurgent attacks. Hashimi, an expert on terrorist groups who works as an adviser to several security departments in the country, told Al-Monitor in an interview in late March that it was important to focus more on intelligence in areas around liberated cities to prevent sleeper cells from operating in rural areas and to concentrate on reducing the authority of local tribes and armed groups while increasing a sense of Iraqi national identity. The Fatha road toward Hawija was cut for over two weeks in late March and early April by a local Popular Mobilization Unit (PMU) manning it under a local sheikh, officially due to the need to clear bombs. Locals claimed it was instead because the PMU had been accused of taking bribes and the sheikh had responded by calling for the police to take it over. Days of negotiation were required to reopen it, said Mullah Majeed, a well-known local figure who left preaching years ago to take up arms against IS. Many of the villages along the road toward Hawija have been at least partially repopulated, and women in bright dresses and headscarves were seen by Al-Monitor working in roadside fields there April 6. At one home Al-Monitor stopped by along the way, a family that had returned from Kirkuk shortly after the area was liberated spoke about the hope that their girls would be able to continue their education after high school and noted that schools are open in the area and that security is good near the Fatha crossing. Hawija instead remains a veritable ghost town months after it was retaken in a battle spearheaded by the PMU that saw many IS fighters seemingly "vanish." At the headquarters of the local PMU, Brigade 56 Commander Hussein Ali Najm al-Jabouri was attended by boys in military gear serving traditional Arabic coffee to a few dozen men in camouflage and white dishdashas the morning of Al-Monitors visit April 6. The gaunt, mustachioed man with a heavily lined face deflected questions about his job prior to fighting IS but said that he had lost several family members at IS' hands and that he is now a "Muslim in name only." He repeatedly warned that any journalists were likely to be killed by "IS-supporting villagers" around Riyadh and Rashad, nearby towns along a key road linking Kirkuk and Tikrit. He also claimed that all non-local PMU in the area had "gone home." In the weeks it took Al-Monitor to gain permission to access the area, this correspondent had been repeatedly told that the towns of Riyadh and Rashad were too dangerous to access. Mullah Majeed claimed he would be killed if he entered the area, and a local journalist said he had received death threats on his phone from IS members in the area, warning that they knew of his whereabouts. Al-Monitor had previously visited Riyadh immediately after its liberation from IS in early October. By April 6, the town had been cleared of IS signature black flags and graffiti, but no civilians were in the streets. Farther down the main road toward Kirkuk, Rashad is reached by passing blown-up villas and bridges. An officer from the local PMU, traveling with this correspondent, repeatedly pointed at collapsed concrete structures along the road between the two towns, saying these were IS houses that Kurds destroyed." Al-Monitor was allowed to visit the town only briefly with members from the local PMU who were visibly nervous about moving through territory clearly held by non-local PMU from the south, despite earlier denials of their presence there from several security officials. The walls around the squat mud homes were scrawled with "Badr" and the names of other Shiite-led PMU. Some buildings had colorful "Ya Hussein" flags, invoking the historical figure revered by the Shiite community, and young men yelled out jokes as the local PMU vehicle Al-Monitor passed while others looked on suspiciously. Farm animals were seen, but no civilians were spotted. At a nearby local PMU base, an officer who had worked as a border guard under Saddam Hussein was in charge. The PMU answers to an al-Obeidi tribal sheikh from the area. The officer told Al-Monitor that many of the families of IS members remained in villages around Rashad, where a high percentage of the population had supported IS. He added that the forces were arresting those found to be helping fighters still in hiding, but that it was a gradual process. An officer from Riyadh said the families of those fighting against IS were instead too frightened to come back. The situation is sharply at odds with that seen in most of the rest of the country, where family members of IS fighters have typically been forced out of their homes or fled, often to camps for internally displaced persons from which there is no real plan to move them. "Hawija was the capital of al-Qaeda" in previous years, retired military officer Gen. Majid Jassim al-Quysi told Al-Monitor in an interview in Baghdad. Having overseen intelligence operations in Salahuddin province between late 2008-2011, Quysi said, it was clear to him that it would be difficult to eradicate IS there entirely until "you build trust and rebuild the local economy." Iranian officials have condemned the latest strikes on Syria by Western powers, saying that Iran will continue to support the Syrian government and that the United States will not achieve its objectives, whatever they may be. During a speech to Iranian officials, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the strikes by the United States, Britain and France a crime and said, Just as before, the Islamic Republic of Iran will stand next to resistance groups, and America will also certainly fail in its goals in the region. I directly say that the president of the United States, the president of France and the prime minister of Britain are criminals. Khamenei defended his countrys support of the Syrian government in the civil war, saying that Iran came to help brave Syrian forces against terrorists who were supported by the United States and Westerners as well as the Saudis. He added that the United States would continue to fail to meet objectives, saying, Some time ago the president of the United States said that they had spent $7 trillion in Western Asia and have received nothing in return. This statement is correct and from this point on, no matter how much the United States tries and spends it will not receive anything in the region. According to a readout of a phone call between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rouhani called the strike a violation of international law that would lead to instability in the region. Rouhani said the strikes show that the United States has a direct relationship with terrorists in the region. When the Americans felt that the terrorists were losing in the important region of eastern Ghouta, they decided to act, Rouhani said. Rouhani also told Putin, America and its allies strikes on Syria show that we are facing new problems and issues in fighting against terrorism, and we must have more cooperation and consultations. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in regard to the strikes on Syria. Zarif said, No country has permission to take rogue action for punitive regulations against another country outside of international laws. Zarif also reportedly told Johnson that Iranan officials have previously said that Syrian opposition forces were in possession of chemical weapons. Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani also condemned the latest strikes on Syria, saying that the latest round of victories of the Syrian government forced countries such as Saudi Arabia that support the Syrian opposition forces to encourage the United States to bomb government facilities. Larijani also accused the United States of trying to create a shelter for terrorist groups in the region. One development to come out of the anticipation of whether or not the United States would bomb Syria is the reported agreement between Iran and Russia that would allow Russian heavy bombers deployment at Hamedan air base, likely to be used in operations inside Syria. The agreement, which was reported by Iranian journalists, is believed to have been a result of the negotiations between a representative of Putin and Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council. DIYARBAKIR, Turkey At an award ceremony in Iran two decades ago, Iranian Kurdish sculptor Seywan Saeedian had the audacity to criticize the regime, setting in motion the events that would force him into a nomadic life in a turbulent region, where arts often go hand in hand with war, politics and dissent. For the past four years, the 47-year-old has lived in Diyarbakir, the largest city of Turkeys mainly Kurdish southeast, where his hallmark sculptures of scrap metal adorn several public spaces. Born in Mahabad, which was the seat of a short-lived Kurdish republic in 1946, Saeedian grew up in a large family with nine siblings. In an interview with Al-Monitor, he described himself as a child of war and migration, recounting how tribal rifts and economic woes displaced the family twice in his childhood. The events that left the deepest marks on him, however, were the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the Kurdish peshmerga battles with the Iranian regime. Saeedians attraction to arts began through calligraphy, which his elder brother practiced. As he became aware of his own talent, he went to Sanandaj, the capital of Irans Kurdistan province, to take classes with prominent artists, while working a manual job at a brick factory to make ends meet. From there, Saeedian went to Tehran, determined to establish himself on the artistic scene. Soon he began to exhibit his works, but still struggled with poverty, including a period in which he was so broke he had to sleep in a city park. For the sculptor, artistic acclaim came with scrutiny from the regime because of his political dissidence. Still, in 1999, he became one of the recipients of awards the government gave to the most outstanding artists of the year. The award ceremony became a turning point in Saeedians life. He told Al-Monitor, "In Iran, the ministry in charge of culture and arts is called the Ministry of [Culture and] Islamic Guidance. A mullah [official] from Tehran spoke at the award ceremony. I took the floor and said, 'Your [ministrys] name is an insult to artists. How can you possibly [guide] artists? Artists are the ones who guide and enlighten society.' I did not wait for his answer, which would have made no sense anyway. I knew what he would say. I took the award and left the hall. This was something that required courage. The following day, the sculptor was summoned to the ministry for a talk. The message, he said, was, You are young and talented but we can swallow you up in a gulp. Threats from Iranian intelligence followed, coupled with admonitions from the sculptors own kith and kin. In 2001, he fled Iran. Because of security concerns, he still refuses to disclose where he went. In 2004, Saeedian resurfaced in Sulaimaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan. A group of local artists lobbied to stop his extradition after the authorities detained him for entering the region illegally. With only $10 in his pocket, he started building a new life. While attending the academy of fine arts in the city, he reunited with his girlfriend, Ronak Rasulpur, who joined him in Sulaimaniyah as a student of graphic arts. The couple married in 2007 and moved to Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, where Rasulpur worked as a graphic designer while Saeedian continued to sculpt, in addition to ventures in interior design and filmmaking. The couple prospered, but life in Iraq was not to their taste. In 2014, they were ready to move, yet Saeedian did not have a passport. He braved a clandestine trip to Iran and managed to obtain a passport, again through clandestine ways. Back in Iraq, he took his wife and newborn son to their new destination neighboring Turkey. I couldnt go to Europe with an Iranian passport; there was the problem of visas. Turkey did not require visas and also, I did not want to be far away from the Kurdish people, Saeedian said. In Diyarbakir, the couple teamed up with a group of young enthusiasts to launch a studio that creates sculptures from metal and wood. Since then, Saeedian has also launched sculpture courses for aspirants in Diyarbakir and held close to 20 exhibitions in various Turkish cities, including Istanbul. The couples artistic work has included also numerous book illustrations and Kurdish-language puppet shows and animations for children. Though he is not remorseful about having left Iran, Saeedian does not mince his words for his new home either. He is fond of the locals but critical of Turkeys political system, which, he believes, has little respect for the arts. His fellow artists in Turkey have disappointed him, too, for what he sees as meekness in the face of authoritarian rulers. The Iranian regime is 10 times more dictatorial, 10 times tougher, but culture and arts are very active, he said. Many Iranian artists, he said, are actually risking their lives to defend what they believe in. They are really brave. There are hundreds of artists who are actually spooking the state. Saeedians dream is a cultural revolution in the Middle East. Ignoramuses are running the region and world powers are unscrupulously selling [them] weapons, he said. A cultural and arts revolution is my biggest wish. Political revolutions even if they happen in the hundreds do not change mentalities. Without divulging details, Saeedian spoke of discord with the Kurdish political movement in Diyarbakir and said he wanted to leave the city. He has not yet decided what his next destination will be. His wife, who continued working on her computer during the interview, chimed in to express dismay that many Kurds in Diyarbakir would not speak Kurdish. Echoing her husbands criticism of the local arts scene, she said, Arts and culture are not good in Turkey, but things are even worse in Diyarbakir. In Iran, people who want to learn arts go to Tehran, but here nobody thinks of going to Ankara. Rasulpur sometimes travels to Iran, braving hours of questioning at border crossings because of her husbands reputation as a dissident. In another sign of enduring bonds with her homeland, she donated the proceeds of a recent painting exhibition to earthquake victims in Iran. Nowadays, Saeedian is working on the illustrations of a book about Diyarbakirs ancient district of Sur by writer and activist Nurcan Baysal, a native of the city. Asked why she chose to work with Saeedian, Baysal praised him as a multifaceted artist whose talents go beyond sculpture. He is a fine photographer and painter as well, she told Al-Monitor. In his works, one can clearly see a resistance to oppression. The history of the Kurdistan Region and what the Kurds have been through you can see this in his photographs and sculptures alike. Seywan, I believe, has a prominent place among the living Kurdish artists. The United States has a rich history of aggression and bullying in the region under the pretext of [reported] weapons of mass destruction, which turned out to be false. This was the reaction of the radical left-wing Hadash Party, denouncing the US, British and French strikes in response to the reported use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in the town of Douma. In a statement issued by the party several hours after the April 14 attack, the party urged its supporters to protest at the US consulate in the city of Haifa and call for an end to US aggression in Syria. Some 100 protesters heeded the call and marched along the city streets, carrying Syrian flags and signs calling for an end to American military actions in Syria. Not a word was spoken not in the partys announcement nor during the protest march about the reasons for the combined strikes. There was no mention of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assads use of chemical weapons to murder his own people or of the mass killings of more than 500,000 Syrians over more than seven years and the displacement of 5 million others from their homes. This is not the first such response by Hadash. In April 2017, after some 100 Syrians were killed in a chemical weapons attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in the province of Idlib, the party leadership thwarted a planned denunciation of the Syrian government. The heads of the Arab Joint List (grouping Hadash and three other factions) sought to condemn Assad. But Hadash, the dominant member of this alliance, torpedoed the move. The decision angered some Joint List Knesset members, who said they were ashamed of their colleagues automatic backing of Assad and forgiveness of his sins. This time, the Joint List did not even consider issuing a condemnation of the Douma atrocity. Having learned from experience, the three other alliance members the Balad, Raam and Taal parties did not take a public stand on the events of recent days in Syria. The Soviet regime was a bitter disappointment to Israels Communist Party, as it was to other Communist movements worldwide. The first cracks emerged back in the days of Josef Stalin, when the murderous acts against his opponents were gradually revealed, and during the era of Nikita Khrushchev who succeeded him. Hadash receives no support from Russia, and any contact it might have with the Russian Communist Party is purely ideological; Russian President Vladimir Putin isnt considered a friend of Hadash either. Nonetheless, almost three decades after the Soviet Unions fall, most of the partys veteran activists still espouse the guiding principle of the Cold War, which saw the United States as the root of all evil in the world and its involvement in various global hotspots as motivated by imperialistic aspirations. These sentiments have only increased since President Donald Trump took office due to his bias toward Israel and a general sense of acting irrationally. Hadash adopted an anti-American line last year, too, following the chemical weapons massacre in Idlib. In an unambiguous statement, the Israel Communist Party that founded Hadash, known by its Hebrew acronym, Maki, said: There is no justification for the US, which has already used weapons of mass destruction with destructive and murderous results against many countries, and which supports the criminal Israeli occupation, to appoint itself as judge in instances of crimes against humanity. Once again, the United States was depicted as the root of all evil in the Middle East. Maki Secretary-General Adal Amar told Al-Monitor that his party takes a principled, moral stand against the use of chemical weapons, but in Syrias case, it cannot be determined beyond a doubt which side was responsible. Amar is a graduate of the Moscow University Communications Department, and at one time he headed the Maki branch in the Soviet capital. He argued that the partys position of questioning the reports from Douma is a legitimate one, especially given that UN inspectors were about to arrive in the area just as the US-France-UK strike was launched. We have learned from the grandiose presentation by [US Secretary of State during the George W. Bush administration] Colin Powell, who claimed Saddam Hussein was developing weapons of mass destruction in order to provide the US with an excuse to destroy Iraq. When asked how his movement could support a ruler who massacres his people, Amar said, I am not an Assad admirer, but theres a principled position involved; this is the figure chosen by the Syrian people, and he is conducting a difficult campaign to save his homeland. The aim of this war is to bring about Syrias collapse as a geopolitical entity with a role to play in the region, to divide it into ethnically based cantons as planned in Iraq, too, and then to empty it of all influence. In this, he saved his homeland. The plot was foiled. The controversial stance by Hadash has generated angry reactions in the political arena and among the Israeli public. Irans entrenchment in Syria and open Russian involvement there, in addition to the sickening images from Douma aired on Israeli television stations in the days preceding the countrys annual Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 12, increased concern about the events across the border in Syria and fueled the fury at Hadash for its understanding acceptance of Assads actions. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan posted a photo of Hadash Chair and head of the Joint List, Knesset member Ayman Odeh, captioned, Supporter of Assad, the murderer of children. Odeh did not respond, but Al-Monitor has learned that Odeh actually wants to condemn Assad but is outnumbered by the veteran forces in his party. The same was true after last years gas attack in Idlib. A Hadash activist tells Al-Monitor that Odeh has to toe the line of the old guard. Many Hadash activists consider Assad to be a mass murderer but fear that the alternative would be abandoning Syria to the Muslim Brotherhood or the Islamic State and turning it into a religious state a fate that runs counter to the secular ideology espoused by Hadash. And yet the condemnation by Amar and other Hadash members on the use of chemical weapons without attributing it to the Syrian president sounds like nothing more than lip service. In March 2015, at the start of Benjamin Netanyahus fourth term as prime minister, people around him began comparing him to David Ben-Gurion, Israels first prime minister who is considered the greatest Israeli leader of modern times. At first, this comparison sounded like little more than an anecdote about how Netanyahu might eventually be in office as prime minister for a longer consecutive period than the countrys founding father. Upon his return to office after Moshe Sharett's two-year term as prime minister in 1954-55 Ben-Gurion held the position of prime minister for 2,790 consecutive days. Netanyahu was approaching this record, and surpassed it in November 2016. Then, just a few days ago, the very specific comparison evolved into a dense and detailed text, written by Netanyahu himself, in which he uses Ben-Gurion to highlight his own (alleged) greatness. He wrote the text a letter to Israels founding father to mark the 70th anniversary of the countrys independence. It was published by Makor Rishon newspaper as part of a project called Letters to the Founders Generation, with Netanyahu reposting it on various social networks. To be fair, the project began as a nice marketing gimmick by the flagship newspaper of the right. What Netanyahu did was turn it into a cynical propaganda tool to glorify himself as Israels greatest leader. The letter, which includes a portrait of Ben-Gurion as the background for an image of Netanyahu, is a fascinating text. It is important, too, since it reveals Netanyahus plans for the future as the battle over his legacy looms. Netanyahu acts in a sophisticated manner; not only does he try to step in Ben-Gurions enormous shoes, he even attempts to overshadow Ben-Gurions iconic image in the history of the Zionist enterprise. At the very beginning of his letter, Netanyahu notes that he represents the camp that opposed you for years. The subtext is clear: The right won in the end. It is now the camp in power, while the left has lost its way. Netanyahu does use his letter to thank Ben-Gurion for his leadership in declaring Israels independence. Still, Ben-Gurion must be turning over in his grave to hear Netanyahu continue by describing the enormous achievements made by the state under his own leadership, particularly in terms of the economy and military strength. Even though Ben-Gurion died in 1973, Netanyahu managed to sneak in a barb, as if the late prime minister was a real, living, breathing political rival. "Israels economy has undergone a remarkable transformation since your day as leader of the nation, he wrote. For the past 20 years, I have been spearheading an economic revolution, replacing the centralized economy with a free market system." Netanyahu, in his late 60s, realizes that an uncertain future lies ahead of him. He could well be convicted of bribery and forced out of office. As the son of a historian, he understands that this is now the time to influence the way his legacy is handled by future generations. As a talented marketer in constant campaign mode, and as someone who may yet be involved in another election, he is determined to compare himself to a great historical figure, who lies well within the consensus. The subtext is this: I'm in the same league as Ben-Gurion, if not greater. The problem with this text is its complete lack of credibility. Ben-Gurion was a leader of remarkable stature, particularly when it came to making difficult decisions. In fact, he made many of those decisions in the first few months of Israeli statehood. In contrast, Netanyahu cannot boast of a single major decision that he made as a leader. He actually has difficulty making decisions and will sometimes change his mind right after he has decided on something. Just two weeks ago, he broke a personal record, when he scrapped an agreement with the United Nations to assist in the resettlement of labor migrants and asylum-seekers in the West just hours after he announced the plan at a press conference, simply because he was worried that furious voters from the right would abandon him in droves. Netanyahu may have been prime minister for more years than anyone, but it is still impossible to point to a single, formative moment in the countrys history under his leadership. Menachem Begin had the peace treaty with Egypt and the bombing of Iraqs nuclear reactor; Yitzhak Rabin had the Oslo Accord; and Ariel Sharon had the disengagement from the Gaza Strip. Ehud Olmert may have ended up in prison, but he can still take credit for destroying Syrias nuclear reactor. Ben-Gurions biographer, professor Michael Bar-Zohar, likes to talk about how Ben-Gurion confronted the unbearable decision of whether to declare Israels independence. He does this to underscore the enormous burden that Ben-Gurion alone was forced to deal with as a leader. The prime minister took a huge risk, especially given the opposition he faced, not only from the international community but even from within his own party, not to mention the chilling scenarios presented by military seniors who warned that all the Arab armies would destroy the state before it was even created. Ben-Gurion could have lost everything and gone down in history as a leader who gambled foolishly with the fate of his people. The world inhabited by Netanyahu is nothing like that. He did not attack Irans nuclear reactor, even though he described it as an existential threat to Israel. He never signed a peace treaty, preferring instead to spend his years in office strengthening Israel militarily and focusing on the economy, foreign relations and the media. Without diminishing the importance of any of that, the one thing that history will judge Netanyahu for is failing to take the necessary steps to ensure Israels continued existence as a Jewish and democratic state. When faced with the possibility of arriving at a resolution to the conflict with the Palestinians, he preferred to hide his head in the sand, even when various regional opportunities emerged over the past few years. Netanyahu decided to abandon the historic diplomatic process, even though he is well aware that Israel cannot continue ruling over millions of Palestinians under occupation for long. He said as much to quite a few people after delivering his Bar Ilan speech in 2009. Yet resolving the conflict is the most critical task facing the leader of the State of Israel in this generation, along with the need to maintain the countrys military superiority. Legacy is an elusive concept. Ones legacy can change overnight because of certain unexpected events. Netanyahu can continue to feed his ego by writing texts describing a veritable utopia under his leadership. He can even minimize Ben-Gurions legacy. But what he cant do is control events or determine how history will judge him. The American-British-French assault April 14 on the Bashar al-Assad regimes chemical weapons infrastructure concluded a long and painful process of awakening among Israels political and military leadership. Its certainly not a pleasant experience to be hit with over 100 Tomahawk cruise missiles fired by a superpower like the United States, a senior Cabinet member told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, in what sounded more like bitter consolation. Still, it is obvious to us that this attack does not increase Americas deterrent capacity in the region in any significant way, nor does it indicate whether President Donald Trump is planning what we would like to see happen in the future. Once the dust settles, it will become clear that President Trump did the minimum he could, which is far from what really needs to happen in order to rein in [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan] Nasrallah. The last time Trump launched strikes on Syria, in April 2017, the mood in Israel was very different. It could almost have been called euphoric. Jerusalem was convinced that a new sheriff had come to town, and that what happened in the past would not be happening anymore. The existing order was dead, and the bastards were planning to change all the rules. What we need to remember, a senior Israeli defense official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, is that the last time the Americans launched an attack in Syria was shortly after Trump entered office, when the whole world was worried about the compulsive new president, and even the Russians were preparing to take a blow. Putin, he continued, had not yet been declared the all-powerful sheriff in Syria. The Syrian civil war had not yet been decided, and the vacuum was significantly larger than it is today. After the Trump administrations previous attack on Syria, optimists in Jerusalem were convinced that Trump was signaling that he had no plans to concede the arena to Putin. Unlike President Barack Obama, so the thinking went, Trump was really intent on restoring order there. He would not allow the Shiite alliance to seize control and establish an axis running from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. As it was later learned, the reality is that Trump is no different than Obama, at least in this particular area. The Shiite alliance was formed, Iran is now laying a land bridge stretching from Tehran to Tartus (a major Syrian port), and the Americans will not be in Syria to deal with any of that. Given this background, the first comment from the Israeli minister quoted above about the damage that 100 Tomahawk missiles can do was made mainly for reasons of morale. He was trying to convince himself that the US operation this weekend was bolder and more significant than it appears from the outside. To show up today with 105 missiles, with Putin sitting in Syria itself, laying down the law can really be seen as a statement of intent, said the Israeli minister. In that sense, we hope that the message got through. These remarks, too, were a kind of self-consolation. Jerusalem is well aware that Trump is determined to leave Syria sooner rather than later. All attempts to convince him to stay have failed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu poured his considerable talents into that, while French President Emmanuel Macron even announced April 15 that he was able to convince Trump to stay. Still, the overall impression is that Trump was never fully convinced. An Israeli defense source said on condition of anonymity that Trumps professional sources in the field explained to him that it is impossible to leave right away. First, he has to complete his operations against the Islamic State. What this means is that everything can be postponed for a few months. On the other hand, it is obvious that the Americans wont be here in the end, because the president believes that America needs to be in America. Anyone who wants American involvement in the region will have to pay for it. First and foremost, Israel needed American involvement to help it in its dealings with Moscow. While Jerusalem realizes that the American operation had nothing to do with Israeli interests in Syria, which focus on preventing Iran from establishing a strategic presence there, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman are still clutching at the idea that the cruise missiles, which spread terror across the Damascus skyline this weekend, are a signal to Putin that this front has not been abandoned entirely. According to this theory, Trump is preserving the right to get involved, even with force, if and when American interests suffer. What Jerusalem now hopes to do is convince Trump that it is in Americas interest to keep Iran away from the border fence with Israel, from the Mediterranean and from Syrias air bases. The minimal, surgical American assault keeps some ember of hope alive. Israel can continue believing that there is someone it can rely on, despite the expected rapid withdrawal of American troops from the arena. The bottom line is that when it comes to the northern front, the rosy dreams of the Israeli right, which moved to the forefront once Trump was elected, are rapidly being shelved. Trump is seen as providing the goods when it comes to Jerusalem (moving the embassy) and perhaps in having the United States pull out of the nuclear agreement with Iran (Jerusalem is convinced that Trump will announce this in May). On the other hand, when it comes to Syria, Israel is having a rude awakening. Trumps aggressive tweets about Syria ended with little more than a whimper. It is now the assessment of Israeli intelligence that this weekends attack caused no significant harm to the Assad regime. It did not threaten its stability, nor did it cause any long-term damage to Syrias chemical weapons infrastructure, which was brought back to life after being declared dead after the last round and the agreement reached with the Obama administration. The overall impression is that Israels earlier euphoria was premature. Despite earlier Western intelligence assessments, Assad kept much of his chemical weapons capacity and recently revived the manufacturing infrastructure for chemical weapons. Meanwhile, Israel stopped manufacturing gas masks two years ago, and collected all the protective gear that had been handed out to the population. Now it is faced with a broken civil defense system and difficult decisions to make. Assad still has chemical weapons, Iran is gaining a foothold in the heart of Syria and Nasrallah announced that Israel has launched a full-fledged war against Iran. How does Israel protect its population? Is it responsible to act as if the Syrian threat had been lifted? As of now, Israel has no plans to change its strategic assessment. This relies mainly on the Israel Defense Forces' ability to act as a deterrent and the fact that the Assad regime is not yet on stable footing. Israels stratagem is to throw a monkey wrench into Putins plans, to pose a challenge to Assads stability and to prevent Iran from establishing itself in Syria until the superpowers reach the conclusion that it is up to them to establish order by keeping Iran away from Israels border fences. Israel is hoping to do all that without seeing the situation deteriorate into all-out war in the region. WASHINGTON With the United States joined by the United Kingdom and France in strikes targeting Syrian chemical weapons-related facilities last weekend, trust and coordination have been growing between US President Donald Trumps national security team and those of once-wary European allies, according to US and European officials. One thing that has been quietly happening is a very close relationship amongst the different national security teams so that everyone knows everyone else, everyone understands everyone elses intent and the places in which we can pursue opportunities to accomplish shared goals, a senior Trump administration official, speaking not for attribution, said on a White House call April 14 after the joint US-UK-French strikes on Syrian chemical weapons-related facilities. While the relationship between Trump and key European leaders has been bumpy, growing experience working closely together on critical Middle East and international counterproliferation issues may be good news for prospects for striking an eventual accord on preserving the Iran nuclear deal. Trump is due to host French President Emmanuel Macron for his first state visit on April 24. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to meet with Trump at the White House on April 27. Trump has said he wont renew Iran sanctions waivers at the next deadline of May 12 if the United States and three European powers (E3) Britain, France and Germany cant strike an accord on toughening their joint stance on Iran. But a European official said there has been considerable progress at talks between the United States and the E3 on drafting a text to address Trumps Iran concerns. We came out feeling like we are making good progress toward addressing the presidents concerns, the European official, speaking not for attribution, said after the latest round of US-E3 working group talks on Iran, which were held in Washington on April 11. The European official expressed confidence that the United States and E3 political directors would be able to reach agreement on a set of documents that credibly responds to Trumps Iran concerns. But the official acknowledged that even if they are able to finalize such a draft political understanding, as expected, it was entirely unclear if Trump will be willing to accept it. A second European diplomat involved in the US-E3 talks also expressed uncertainty that technical progress on a joint text would matter if Trump has made a political decision to withdraw from the deal. I would say that the technical discussions are making progress, but I am afraid it will not be the only/main decision benchmark inside the beltway, the second European diplomat told Al-Monitor. He hoped that working together against Syria chemical weapons would bolster transatlantic efforts on the Iran deal, but was uncertain it would. Nobody knows, he said. It would make sense: Fighting together WMD [weapons of mass destruction] makes a lot of sense instead of breaking apart. Trump, who often complains that other nations are taking advantage of the United States, notably thanked France and the United Kingdom in announcing that a joint military operation was underway against Syrian chemical weapons-related facilities on April 13. Trumps advisers later said that close coordination over the past week between the three nations leadership and national security teams reflected growing confidence and familiarity with each other. A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway, Trump said in a televised statement from the White House when announcing the Syria strikes. We thank them both. Today, the nations of Britain, France and the United States of America have marshaled their righteous power against barbarism and brutality, Trump said. Trumps national security aides said Trump had had almost daily calls with Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May in the week between a suspected chlorine-sarin attack on Douma, eastern Ghouta, on April 7 and the announcement of the joint strikes. Over time, among President Trump, President Macron and Prime Minister May in particular, theyve developed a very close strategic coordination relationship, and also one in which theres an increasing level of trust over time, the senior Trump administration official said on the White House call Saturday. But so have their teams, the national security teams below them, the senior administration official continued. This was three permanent members of the United Nations Security Council banding together to take a very resolute action in a pretty much seamless joint exercise, a second senior administration official said. Its a real tribute to [the presidents] ability to form this coalition, have the firm support of both France and Great Britain for this action. Whether the joint US-UK-French military operation in Syria to try to re-establish deterrence against the use of chemical weapons would carry over into Trumps Iran deliberations was unclear. Several former US officials who worked on the Iran nuclear issue said there was a deal to be had if Trump would be willing to take it. But they noted that recent personnel additions of hawkish Iran deal skeptics in Trumps national security team, including the arrival of John Bolton as national security adviser and the nomination of CIA director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state, would seem ominous for those who believe it is in the United States interest to preserve and build on the 2015 Iran nuclear accord. There is definitely a compromise to be struck, Ilan Goldenberg, a former Pentagon and State Department official who worked on Middle East issues, told Al-Monitor. But I have been hearing from some administration officials that the chances of a deal have gone down, Goldenberg, now with the Center for a New American Security, said. My sense is they were doing [the US-E3] negotiations and things were going pretty well, and then they got more guidance from the president that they were supposed to take a harder line, and that made the negotiations more difficult. On top of that, [the arrival of] Pompeo and Bolton also lends additional concern and skepticism about what may be possible. Whether working together to counter Syrias use of chemical weapons builds goodwill among the allies to reach a compromise on Iran, Goldenberg said it was hard to say because it was so dependent on Trumps moods. It cant hurt, but I have no idea if it will be determinative, Goldenberg said. [Trump] is so fickle, you just dont know. Goldenberg speculated that the Trump administration may punt a decision on the Iran sanctions waivers on May 12 to try to increase leverage over the Europeans then aim to reach a toughened accord at a later point. Former US Iran nuclear deal negotiator and sanctions expert Richard Nephew said he was also pessimistic that any Trump warming to European allies over joint Syria strikes would make him more amenable to them on his other agenda items, such as trade and Iran. On Syria cooperation, we are over-reading this, Nephew, now with Columbia University, told Al-Monitor. The United States and the E3 have made real progress, and there are words that will satisfy a softer Trump view and a more hard-line European view, Nephew said. But it requires some movement on both sides. I am skeptical. We have seen this play before. France, Germany and UK have made substantial proposals that respond to our shared concerns about Iranian activities while preserving the #irandeal, French Ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud wrote on Twitter April 12. Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, said Trump needed to learn to take yes for an answer from European allies who have invested considerable efforts to try to address his concerns on the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The recent US-UK-French cooperation in responding to the Syrian use of [chemical weapons] should help bolster the Trump administrations confidence in the commitment of our European allies to deal with other security challenges in the Middle East, Kimball said. That requires that Washington work with our European allies to uphold the JCPOA. Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud used the 29th Arab Summit last weekend to reaffirm long-standing political positions, amounting to some distancing of the kingdom from its close association with the Trump administration. The subtle change in tone publicly reflects growing private doubts about the US administrations commitment to rolling back Iranian influence in the region. Instead of hosting the Arab heads of state in the capital city, Riyadh, the Saudis selected the venue to be in Dammam in Eastern Province, the home of the kingdoms oil wealth and its Shiite minority. So Dammam and nearby towns such as Khobar and Dhahran were decked out with the flags of the Arab states, including Qatar (but not Syria) to welcome the states that attended the summit. Of course, Eastern Province is also the part of Saudi Arabia that is the farthest away from Yemen. It is apparently outside the range of the Houthis Iranian-designed ballistic missiles. Last week, the Houthis announced that 2018 is the year of the ballistic missile. By the Saudis count, 117 missiles have targeted Saudi cities in the last three years. Salman opened the summit by renaming it the Jerusalem Summit. In his remarks, he said the top priority of the Arab leaders is and should be Palestine. He strongly condemned the Trump administrations Jerusalem policy. He said the Saudis saw Palestine and Jerusalem as their first issue. This rhetoric is not new, of course, and it is standard Saudi policy. The king also reaffirmed the Saudi commitment to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative developed by his predecessors. The stridency of the kings remarks, however, reflects growing unease in the royal palace that events in Gaza and Jerusalem are moving toward even more explosive unrest next month when the US Embassy opens in Jerusalem. The Saudis are uncomfortable that they have been widely perceived in the Arab world as colluding with Trumps son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, to undermine the Palestinians claim to the holy city, a perception that damages the Saudi mantle as the defender of the holy mosques, which is crucial to the royal familys legitimacy. Pictures on TV of protesting Gazans burning Saudi flags and pictures of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have been blocked in the kingdom. Iran is actively labeling the Saudis as conspiring with Israel. To counter charges that he is soft on Jerusalem, Salman pledged at the summit $200 million in aid. He is donating $150 million to preserve Islamic sites in Jerusalem and another $50 million to Gaza for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. He pledged to support Jordans King Abdullah after months of snubbing him. The Saudis publicly endorsed the American, British and French attack on the Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure. The summit was divided on the issue, with Iraq and Lebanon calling the attacks dangerous. The leaders called for an investigation of the charges that chemical munitions are being used in Syria. Riyadh was upset before the tripartite attacks by Trumps promises to pull all American troops out of Syria soon. They have not been reassured by his remarks since about the reasoning behind the airstrikes in which he has promised not to try to fix the troubled regions problems. To the Saudis, Trump increasingly sounds like Barack Obama in advocating a strategy that leaves the Arabs to take care of themselves. Riyadh was mystified when Trump claimed Salman was ready to pay for America to stay in Syria. In fact, the Saudis long ago gave up on trying to topple Bashar al-Assad. They want Washington to do the heavy lifting. They arent going to pay for it. Salman also said that the Arab leaders must unite against Iran and its surrogates, such as the Houthis. The summit was divided on this, just as on Syria. The Saudis also are frustrated that Trump talks tough on Iran but has avoided confrontation with Tehran in Syria and elsewhere. After the summit, the king inspected military maneuvers in Eastern Province, which includes troops from 22 Saudi allies simulating defending the kingdom from an Iranian invasion. The Islamic military alliance against terrorism is not formally an anti-Iran pact, but that is the Saudi intention. The Saudis are not giving up on Trump. They have put their prestige behind the Trump administration by hosting him in Riyadh a year ago and with the crown princes extensive visit to the United States. They are encouraged by the dismissal of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the promotion of Iran hawk John Bolton as national security adviser. But their expectations about the administration have been downsized. The adjustment is tactical and careful, led by Salmons Jerusalem Summit. Udhampur, Indian-administered Kashmir The time was ripe to kill the girl, Sanji Ram told his juvenile nephew on a cold January evening, according to a police report. The ritual had been performed and the victim, an eight-year-old Muslim nomad girl, was taken to a culvert in front of a temple where she had been kept in captivity, and sedated, for four days in Rasana village of Kathua district in Indian-administered Kashmir. But, before she was strangulated and her head hit twice with a stone to make sure she was dead, Deepak Khajuria, a special police officer, made a demand. He wanted to rape the girl before she was killed. As such, the police investigation noted, once again the little girl was gang-raped by the accused police officer and then by the juvenile. For the next three months, the rape and murder of the eight-year-old seemed to be just another case of sexual violence that is rampant in India but rare in Indian-administered Kashmir, until the barbarity and the plot came to fore in a 16-page charge sheet presented by the crime branch a local investigating agency. The investigation revealed that the rape and murder were systematic, preplanned and rooted in religious hatred harboured by Sanji Ram, a Hindu, against the Muslim nomadic community of Bakarwals. The nomad girl The nomad girl loved to take horses for grazing to the forest near her home in Rasana, a quiet village in Kathua district of Indian-administered Kashmir. The reason the victim was picked as a target by Sanji Ram, who knew she often comes to the forest, was simple; they wanted to drive the Muslim community out, according to the investigation. In captivity inside a temple, the girl was drugged and raped, according to the police investigation. The police report described the victim as an innocent budding flower, a child of only eight years of age, who being a small kid became a soft target. The crime, however, was rooted in a sinister conspiracy and the girls rape and killing were the means to an end create fear among the Muslim nomadic Bakarwal community and force them to leave. Rafeeza Bano, the victimss 55-year-old mother, recalls the horror she saw on her dead daughters body. There were scars on her cheeks, she told Al Jazeera at their camp in Udhampur. Her lips had turned black and her eyes had bulged out. It was a scary scene for a mother to see, she said. She was my youngest child. It was horrific. She had faced a lot of barbarity. The mother now fears for her two surviving daughters, one of them aged 13. They did this with an eight-year-old girl, imagine what they can do with a 13-year-old, she said. Victims mother Rafeeza Bano, 55, at their nomadic camp in the meadows of Udhampur [Rifat Fareed/Al Jazeera] The Family The tough life of a nomad had cast its shadow on Mohammad Akhtar and he looks older than his 45 years. He now lives with a more damning burden the elusive justice for his daughter. On a hill in Udhampur district, nearly 150km north of Rasana, the family camps under the open sky with their herd of goats and horses. The journey is part of the annual migration of this nomadic community in search of grazing pastures. Her face was full of scratches and bites, Akhtar told Al Jazeera, describing the marks of torment on the victim. I never knew they would do this to a child, her milk teeth were yet to fall out, he said. The victims father Muhammad Akhtar with his daughter Manega sitting at the camp in Udhampur [Rifat Fareed/Al Jazeera] Akhtar is victims biological father as the girl was raised by her maternal uncle, Mohammad Yusuf, who adopted her when she was a toddler after he lost his three children in an accident. After she was killed it created more fear than before. We now take our daughters along all the time, all in our community became protective towards our daughters, he said. Akhtar said the family also faced threats in the aftermath of the incident. {articleGUID} They said if our men are given the death sentence, we will kill you one by one. After the girls body was found, Hindu people came to us and threatened us, he said. Gazala, the victims aunt who lived in nearby Samba district, says she now fears for her two daughters, age nine and four. I fear for them. They would run after the horses, they were free to play but now we are very worried. We had not seen anything as gruesome, she said. The eight-year-olds rape and killing have forced an early migration of Bakarwals, a nomadic tribe with a rudimentary lifestyle that earns a living out of herding goats, sheep and horses to mountainous pastures. The incident instilled fear in their community, which is unprotected during its lengthy migratory journeys. Manega, the victims elder sister, was still in shock when she talked to Al Jazeera in Udhampur about her sisters death. I saw her dead body, she said. I now fear a lot. We dont play, we dont go out alone. Her killing has shattered us, Manega, 13, said. The victims elder sister, Manega: We used to play together. We would run and play in the meadows [Rifat Fareed/Al Jazeera] The accused A retired government official, his son who came from another city to satisfy his lust, the juvenile nephew and his close friend, and the special police officer were all part of the conspiracy and crime to kidnap, rape and killing of the eight-year-old girl, according to the police report. Three police officers were involved in destroying the evidence. The incident, which initially appeared to draw a reluctant outrage, however, snowballed into a major crisis for Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the horrifying details and motives of the rape and killing came into public domain. Human rights groups have repeatedly claimed that religious minority groups, particularly Muslims, face increasing demonisation by hardline Hindu groups, pro-government media and some state officials in India, and the frequency of such incidents appears to be increasing. {articleGUID} In a recent Amnesty International report, the London-based human rights group noted that dozens of hate crimes against Muslims took place across the country. At least 10 Muslim men were lynched and many injured by vigilante cow protection groups, many of which seemed to operate with the support of members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, it said. While the outrage over the Jammu girls rape and murder was muted even missing during the initial weeks, the eight accused men found a crusading force of lawyers and ministers from BJP in their support, some of whom insisted the police investigators were Muslims and had a bias towards the accused all of whom Hindus. In the second week of April, nearly three months since the victims body was found in the forested foothill, a group of Hindu lawyers attempted to block police investigators from entering a court premise where they had gone to file the charges against the accused. It is shocking that the lawyers in Kathua so blatantly tried to obstruct justice in this case, Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said in her report last week. For the local lawyers and other BJP supporters, the Hindu suspects and the Muslim victim were grounds for blocking prosecution of the case, Ganguly said. As the pressure mounted on BJP, which governs Indian-administered Kashmir in an alliance based government, its two ministers who had attended a rally in favour of the accused resigned. The investigation was completed within 90 days which makes it clear that there was no intervention or attempt to block the investigation, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav told reporters in the city of Jammu, 60km from here. The Fear The fact that it took three months and the exposure of horrific details for the outrage to build against the rape and killing of the girl, who was just eight-years-old, has already instilled fear among the Muslim nomads. Bakarwals, a poor tribe of nomads, tread across mountains during their biannual migrations from the meadows of Kashmir valley to the hilly forests of Jammu, where some pockets are dominated by ultra-nationalist Hindu groups. Bakarwals conduct a biannual migration from the meadows of Kashmir valley to the hilly forests of Jammu [Rifaat Fareed/Al Jazeera] Muhammad Yusuf, 45, the victims uncle who had adopted her when she was a toddler, abandoned Rasana village with his herd of sheep, goats and horses soon after the girls body was found. The routine migration was still weeks away, but the new-found fear forced it earlier. We left home earlier than usual due to fear. There is a fear among all the Muslim families in Rasana and most of them have left now, Yusuf said. We are afraid to go back, he said. In the village, where the girl was raped and killed and, later, not allowed to be buried, Yusuf said Hindus were always hostile towards Muslims. Sometimes, they would object to our grazing of horses, sometimes they would block the water supply, he said. Zafar Chowdhary, author and political analyst based in Jammu, told Al Jazeera that there is a feeling among the Hindus in the states Jammu region that Muslims are involved in making demographic changes. There is unrest and distrust among the communities in the region particularly on the question of identity in the state, he said. The family members of accused in the village have launched a hunger strike demanding that the investigations be done by the federal investigative agency. Analysts say deep structural change at local and national levels needed to resolve shocking levels of inequality. Tunisians will head to the polls on May 6 to vote in the countrys first free municipal elections since the removal of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his government in 2011. Having been postponed four times, the elections come as a relief to many Tunisians who, at times, have seen some of the most basic services disrupted as a result of the political uncertainty that followed the revolution. The countrys municipalities have historically been overshadowed by the central authorities in Tunis, which left little to no room for deliberation and progress to take effect in the rest of the country, especially in the rural and less industrialised interior regions. Ben Alis final budget prior to his overthrow allocated a mere 18 percent of state funds to the inner regions while 82 percent went to the coastal towns. Long touted as the Arab Springs lone success story, Tunisians increasingly sense that the revolution has failed to deliver on its promises and fix this imbalance. Between juggling the needs of Tunisias international lenders and allaying local grievances, authorities have managed to present a semblance of stability in the Arab worlds only democracy. With campaigning already under way, Tunisians hope that the upcoming elections, seen as a step towards decentralisation and local empowerment, will help reverse the imbalance. Decentralising decision-making Following the revolution, existing elected councils if only in name were dismantled and replaced with special delegations appointed by the transitional authorities. Accountability proved to be a real challenge as members of these councils were not chosen by the people and therefore could not be held in check. Moreover, infighting within these communal bodies interrupted the course of life for many ordinary people. From building permit acquisition to waste management, delays played a big role in peoples disenchantment with the new democratic mode of governance. To be sure, the economys sluggish recovery in conjunction with the governments unpopular austerity measures an effort to placate international donors have also contributed to popular discontent. Citing recurring absenteeism and negligence of duties, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development announced in November 2016 the replacement of 13 special delegations throughout the country. A 2015 report by the World Bank found that only four percent of households claimed to have received any information from their local representatives, while 64 percent thought their delegates did not work to advance their interests. The report notes that the countrys pre-revolution, highly centralised form of government had further complicated the task of building trust between the government and its citizens. Tunisian politics, in the years leading up to the revolution, had been characterised by a rigid centrist structure where decisions pertaining to issues of local governance fell under Tuniss purview. The central authorities distance both real and imagined meant that many of the peripherys struggles went unanswered. Tunisias 2014 constitution sought to remedy those ills by making the states commitment to decentralisation an explicit and pivotal instrument for change (Article 14). Even by regional standards, the countrys budget allocation to municipalities is an anomaly. While Morocco devotes 11 percent of its budget to local bodies, the number drops to four in the case of Tunisia, a far cry from Denmarks record 62 percent. According to analysts, the new constitution could be seen as a catalyst for grassroots democracy and equitable development of the countrys diverse regions. They warn, however, that this depends largely on the powers these emerging players are entrusted with. Perhaps most important is what the powers of new local elected officials will be; if they will even have access to funds to make decisions autonomous from central state institutions, Fadil Aliriza, an independent journalist and researcher based in Tunis, told Al Jazeera. If they dont have any real power, it may be that they will serve as a buffer between an angry population and a government that continues to disappoint the hopes of many citizens. If the law governing municipal councils is not passed before the elections are held, then what they're effectively going to have are elections that kind of gin up the idea that these municipal councils are going to be a panacea. Monica Marks, political analyst and expert on Tunisia A new municipalities law, currently being debated in parliament, is expected to be enacted by May 6, the day of the elections. If passed, the law would significantly expand municipalities scope of work, their autonomy and funding. Monica Marks, a political analyst and expert on Tunisia, echoes Alirizas sentiment, saying that, if the elections are to achieve anything, a legal framework governing these bodies and setting the boundaries is indispensable. If the law governing municipal councils is not passed before the elections are held, then what theyre effectively going to have are elections that kind of gin up the idea that these municipal councils are going to be a panacea, she says. The current law which dates back to 1973 recognises neither their administrative nor financial independence. Progressive electoral law Not all is doom and gloom in the North African state. A law on local elections adopted in early 2017 a long and tedious process first announced in 2014 provides for unprecedented levels of participation for youth, women and disabled people. The laws prescription of vertical and horizontal parity will arguably enhance womens already well-established role in Tunisian society. In addition to alternating between men and women within party lists, the new regulations require that both genders be equally represented at the top of these lists. This is in response to flaws in previous parity systems where political parties ended up presenting male candidates at the top of their lists followed by female candidates satisfying only basic tenets of parity out of fear that female candidates were not popular enough to propel their parties to power. Still, Aliriza thinks parity systems are not bulletproof, and there are still ways for politicians to hack the system. In practice, gender parity does not mean literally what it suggests. For example, many parties may run women as heads of lists in areas they believe they will likely lose anyway, so female representation may end up being higher than it would have been without the gender parity laws but still not actual parity. The election authority did not hesitate to take action where the new gender criteria had not been met and proceeded to issue stern warnings to Ennahda and Nidaa Tounes when they committed one and 14 irregularities respectively. Earlier in March, the election monitors chief, Mohamed Tlili Mansri, announced that seven lists had been rejected for failing to respect the gender parity principle. One of the laws other key features is the requirement that at least three candidates under the age of 35 and one disabled person be included in each electoral list. Here again, the elections monitors numbers show significant interest on the part of societys younger segments. Over 50 percent of candidates are under the age of 35. While the number of young candidates is commendable, it remains to be seen the youth will actually get out and vote, Aliriza said. Its not impossible, but I would be surprised to see high youth turnout. Political challenges ahead Analysts unanimously agree that Tunisia faces a plethora of domestic, regional and international challenges. These are amplified by porous borders in the Sahel sub-region and a fragile security climate in the immediate vicinity with, most markedly, a civil war raging in neighbouring Libya. Tunisia's ability to get itself out of economic crisis has been severely hampered by its increasing dependence on foreign loans and the conditions that come with these loans that in many ways exacerbate this very dependence. Fadil Aliriza, independent journalist and researcher based in Tunis Tunisia has a very tough neighbourhood. Its not like Eastern European countries that went through democratic transitions in the 1990s and had the European Union acting as an economically stable carrot to draw them in, Marks said. The country has made strides towards facilitating foreign investment and becoming more business-friendly most recently by enacting a new start-up law but these reforms pale in comparison to what international financial institutions (IFIs) are demanding. Tunisias ability to get itself out of economic crisis has been severely hampered by its increasing dependence on foreign loans and the conditions that come with these loans that in many ways exacerbate this very dependence, Aliriza remarked. The local dinar lost about 20 percent of its value against the euro in 2017 alone and is expected to depreciate some more this year, making Tunisian exports more competitive. While there is a conversation inside IFIs about the importance of adjusting governance and combating corruption, Marks believes that these asks have not been as well absorbed by Tunisias political elite as subsidy cuts, which affect the poor the most. Earlier in March, legislators voted to end the mandate of a human rights commission charged with investigating rights abuses and corruption under Ben Ali and his predecessor, Tunisias founding father, Habib Bourguiba. Legislators from the presidents Nidaa Tounes party who voted to end the Truth and Dignity Commissions work allege that the tribunals President Sihem Ben Sedrine, had ample time to fulfil the work but failed in her duties. The government enacted a controversial reconciliation law in September 2017 granting amnesty to Ben Ali-era officials. Critics say Nidaa Tounes is worried about corruption charges being levelled by the tribunal against some of these officials, who now hold key cabinet positions. Ultimately, elections are not in and of themselves expected to resolve the problems that afflict the country, analysts say. It is rather hoped that the new mechanism will offer an avenue for peoples frustrations to be addressed. Aliriza thinks that Tunisian legislators still have time to forge sound economic policy but that their priorities so far have not been helping the poor and middle classes. [A task] that would demand far greater attention to redistribution and reducing shocking levels of inequality. Where do the world powers stand on the US-led attacks in Syria? On April 14, the US led attacks on several locations in Syria after a suspected chemical weapons attack in the former rebel stronghold of Douma. The US was joined in these attacks by two allies, the UK and France, but they are not the only countries on the US side. There have been clear, constant alliances at play since the beginning of the Syrian war. NATO NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Saturday that all NATO allies back Syria air attacks carried out by the US, UK and France on chemical weapons targets in Syria. He went on to say that the attacks were intended to degrade the Syrian regimes chemical weapons capability and deter further chemical attacks on civilians such as the one in Douma. UK Theresa May came under fire in the UK parliament for bypassing parliament in her decision to order UK involvement, but in a televised press conference she said there was no alternative. We have sought to use every possible diplomatic channel to achieve this, but our efforts have been repeatedly thwarted, she added. France According to French defence ministry officials, its military fired 12 missiles during Saturdays attack on Syria, and there was no indication the missiles had been intercepted. China Chinas foreign ministry announced that the US-led attacks violated international law and that a political settlement was the only way to resolve the Syrian crisis. Russia Shortly after the attack, Russia released the locations that were struck, information that had been widely reported globally. Vladimir Putin, speaking to state media in Russia, warned that the attacks could lead to a new wave of asylum seekers from Syria and the whole region. Russian media outlets reported Russian military officials as saying that Syrian air defence had shot down at least 71 of the cruise missiles fired by the US, UK and France. At a news conference in Moscow on Saturday, Lieutenant-General Sergey Rudskoy said at least 103 cruise missiles, including Tomahawks, were fired into a number of targets in Syria. Iran Iran has been supporting the Syrian government since the beginning of the war. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had denounced the US-led attacks as a crime. Syria Syrias state news agency led with a condemnation of the air attacks and the claim that most of the missiles fired by the Western states had been intercepted. SANA also published a story claiming the Syrian army had discovered a laboratory used by rebels for making toxic materials. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 1 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse The Ghost Of LOP Registered User User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 11:08 PM Posts: 41,574 Post: #1 The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse Advertisement When President Donald Trump threatened to strike Syria, the US Navy only had one destroyer in the region leading people to assume that it take part in the strike. But when the attack occurred, that ship didn't fire anything which may have been a distraction ploy. Instead, ships in the Red Sea fired a large portion of the missiles, while Syria and its Russian ally apparently failed entirely to defend it. Russian threats to counter-attack also ultimately came to nothing. read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/7d77582e-b6...-have.html I am so confused !!! The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse before the strikeWhen President Donald Trump threatened to strike Syria, the US Navy only had one destroyer in the region leading people to assume that it take part in the strike.But when the attack occurred, that ship didn't fire anything which may have been a distraction ploy.Instead, ships in the Red Sea fired a large portion of the missiles, while Syria and its Russian ally apparently failed entirely to defend it.Russian threats to counter-attack also ultimately came to nothing.read more:I am so confused !!! daersoulkeeper Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:49 PM Posts: 2,962 Post: #2 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse So glad i dont live in russia the food stinks and is nasty Pasta Lover Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:57 PM Posts: 9,463 Post: #3 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse You would think there would be video on this. They had tons of advanced notice. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 12:00 AM Post: #4 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse Some ruse that was! MAGA And they still shot down almost 75% of them.. with shitty, old and outdated missile defenses.Some ruse that was!MAGA LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 12:01 AM Post: #5 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse Mustn't have been too fooled, 71 of the missiles were shot down ! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 12:06 AM Post: #6 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:08 PM) The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse before the strike When President Donald Trump threatened to strike Syria, the US Navy only had one destroyer in the region leading people to assume that it take part in the strike. But when the attack occurred, that ship didn't fire anything which may have been a distraction ploy. Instead, ships in the Red Sea fired a large portion of the missiles, while Syria and its Russian ally apparently failed entirely to defend it. Russian threats to counter-attack also ultimately came to nothing. read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/m/7d77582e-b6...-have.html Like Jesus said when you do not return the agression first time you put fire on his head.now somebody will have his head burned or it is burning right now. Like Jesus said when you do not return the agression first time you put fire on his head.now somebody will have his head burned or it is burning right now. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 12:08 AM Post: #7 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse daersoulkeeper Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:49 PM) So glad i dont live in russia the food stinks and is nasty So, the retarded flat eathernow praises the MIC, but despises NASA so hard. It only goes to show how this flat earth movement is a psy ops by the PTB. So, the retarded flat eathernow praises the MIC, but despises NASA so hard.It only goes to show how this flat earth movement is a psy ops by the PTB. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 12:15 AM Post: #8 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse LoP Guest Wrote: (04-17-2018 12:01 AM) Mustn't have been too fooled, 71 of the missiles were shot down ! Russian propaganda tastes better than American Russian propaganda tastes better than American Looky lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 12:36 AM Post: #9 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse LoP Guest Wrote: (04-17-2018 12:00 AM) And they still shot down almost 75% of them.. with shitty, old and outdated missile defenses. Some ruse that was! MAGA LoP Guest Wrote: (04-17-2018 12:01 AM) Mustn't have been too fooled, 71 of the missiles were shot down ! How many were shot? How many were shot? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 01:36 AM Post: #10 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse The Russians did not shoot anything down and USS Donald Cook was bait. If it would have got attack, subs would have responded with nukes. putin and russia can suck a$$. fnord lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 03:17 AM Post: #11 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse for everything, spin, spin, spin there is a season, spin, spin, spin, and a time, for every tall tale under heaven. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 03:58 AM Post: #12 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse and they all lighted up pretty easy.... abit, LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 03:58 AM Post: #13 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse im not like jules so... LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 04:00 AM Post: #14 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse no only thing is that light hatch above light so thats redicoulus like cgi sometimes LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-17-2018 04:01 AM Post: #15 RE: The US Navy appears to have fooled Russia and Syria with a warship ruse no and that other ones a holiday ride but about what anyway Advertisement Outrage over two child rape cases have rocked India and exposed the duplicity of the ruling BJP party. For days public discontent in India was simmering over the mishandling of two child rape cases. Over the weekend, anger boiled over and thousands took to the streets in several cities across the country to protest perceived inaction by the Indian authorities. Celebrities, writers, academicians, rights activists, lawyers and other professionals rubbed shoulders with the hoi-polloi. People were angry but only a few shouted slogans. Most walked silently holding placards which did the talking. Time has come now to make India rape free was scrawled across one. Not proud to be an Indian today was written on another. The outrage over the two rapes reached as far as the UN. On Friday, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described it as a horrific case and called on the Indian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. The statement probably did not please the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has sought endorsement from the international community to shed his image of a Hindu fundamentalist and to campaign for enhancing Indias image globally. The two rapes were perpetrated in two different states the Indian-administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh (UP) but the outrage over them converged, to Modis disadvantage. Eight-year-old girl went missing in the new year in Kathua district in Jammu region after her family of Muslim nomadic shepherds moved to the lowlands to tide over winter months. Her brutalised corpse was found a week later near a Hindu temple and investigators later named several Hindus, including a local police officer, as accused of raping and killing the girl. Investigators claimed the abduction, rape and killing of the girl was part of a plan to evict the Muslim minority nomadic community. Initially, local lawyers blocked the legal process, while local BJP leaders including two state ministers joined protests in support of the accused. {articleGUID} They did so because the party draws strength in Jammu and Kashmir from Hindu prejudice towards Muslims. In 2015, for the first time, BJP became a partner of the coalition government after sweeping the states Hindu majority seats. The other incident involves a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly raped last year by a BJP legislator of Uttar Pradesh, Indias most populous state where the party is currently in power. Little was known about the case till April 8 when the victim attempted to immolate herself near the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths residence to protest inaction by the police. The following day, her father, allegedly beaten at the legislators behest, died in a government hospital. Police finally registered her case on April 12. Adityanath displayed little urgency in having the legislator and his accomplices arrested. At the same time, several party colleagues, active campaigners on womens issues when the Congress Party was in power, made no comment. Modi, who is usually proactive on social media intervening on various issues and deliver speeches almost every other day, was silent on these two cases until Friday, when he declared that there will be justice for the two rape victims. In the past, he has been accused of choosing silence whenever there was need to criticise violence against members of religious minorities or other underprivileged groups and when his party functionaries have been involved in crimes. With general elections due in thirteen months, it is evident that BJPs response to the two child rape incidents reflects its political considerations. Hindu support is essential for BJP in the Jammu region and the alleged rapist in UP belongs to a powerful caste which backs the party. These are worrying signs that the party is increasingly relying on majoritarianism and hyper-nationalism to get re-elected. After Modis statement promising justice on the two cases, the two ministers in Jammu and Kashmir resigned but only after declaring they acted at the behest of party leaders. In UP, although the legislator has been arrested, he remains a member of the party. Meanwhile, BJP functionaries have claimed that criticism over the two incidents is part of a pattern of opposition efforts to undermine the government. Sundays protests show that Modis promises of bringing change, new thinking, new hope and better protection to women and girls are coming under increasing public scrutiny. Safety and security for women came to the fore as a political issue especially after the rape and death of a young woman in New Delhi in December 2012 which triggered widespread protests and changes in criminal law. In 2015, Modi launched the governments flagship programme Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the daughter, educate the daughter). {articleGUID} But following the two child rape cases and the initial reactions of BJP members, some in India called into question the governments true commitment to protecting girls. After all, this was also not the first time BJP members mismanage sexual violence cases. In August 2017, several BJP leaders backed the son of Subhash Barala, BJP president in Haryana state, after he stalked and attempted to kidnap a radio DJ. After the victim alleged that she had been pressured against filing a case, a local BJP functionary stood by Barala and one even declared that she should not have gone out at 12 in the night. Ironically, during his first Independence Day speech as a prime minister delivered in 2014, Modi pointedly emphasised that parents should ask their son where he is going, why he is going out, who his friends are. After all, a rapist is also somebodys son. Modi recently reminded people of this speech to stress he remains committed to preventing violence against women. But it seems he still has not applied this idea of control on the sons of his own party. Duplicity of this nature is ingrained in BJPs political philosophy which espouses Hindu nationalism. More disturbingly, one of the Hindutva ideologues, Indian nationalist activist Veer Savarkar, who inspired the formation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), BJPs parent organisation, has written about rape as a tool for asserting political hegemony. In his book Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History, he suggested that had Hindu men raped and forced Muslim women to convert, the Muslim population of India would have dwindled. Modi, who every year pays tribute to Savarkar on the anniversary of his birthday, might have a hard time now convincing the liberal middle class that he is indeed a reformer and a womens and girls rights proponent. And that might hurt his electoral success in the future. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. In 2015, a new statutory duty was placed upon universities across the UK: to remain vigilant to signs of extremism. A set of guidelines, dubbed Prevent, were introduced to oblige universities to carry out risk assessments on the chances of students being drawn into extremism, as well as to train staff on how to challenge extremist ideas. These punitive and excessive policy measures, imposed by the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act of 2015, are aiming to transform academics into counterterrorism practitioners. But, unsurprisingly, Prevent is failing. A recent study I was involved in showed that academic faculty are not comfortable with fulfilling such duties. Academics are not specialised police officers that can assess and respond to extremist threats. And, on top of not helping to curb extremism in universities across the UK in any substantial way, these measures are also endangering basic academic freedoms. Identifying indicators of extremism When I took part in the Home Offices counterterrorism e-learning training package, I was first presented with questions and explanations of the meaning of terrorism. Then, possible indicators that I should look out for as part of my role in helping to combat extremism were introduced. For example, absenteeism, crying and unhealthy use of the Internet were listed as some of the behaviours that may be a cause for concern. The suggestion was simple: If individuals display these behaviours, then they may be in danger of extremism, and you should report them. {articleGUID} These so-called indicators for extremism are further detailed in the Channel Duty Guidance (the governments guidelines on how to report suspicious behaviours). In the guidance, 22 broad-ranging criteria that may indicate a students likelihood to be drawn into terrorism are identified. Among others, academic staff are expected to report on: A desire for excitement and adventure A desire for political or moral change Family or friends involvement in extremism Being at a transitional time of life. Such broad guidance is less than useful for those tasked with performing this new-found role. The indicators, as outlined above, lack precision, and secondary information is often required. For instance, the guidance suggests that academic staff must be able to identify the wider causes of radicalisation. Also, and perhaps more importantly, these guidelines seek a questionable evidence base which could be dangerous as well as counterproductive. The ambiguous nature of these guidelines already led to several cases of false accusation. For example, in September 2015, Mohammed Farooq, a postgraduate student of counterterrorism in Staffordshire University, was profiled and questioned for simply reading an academic textbook called, Terrorism Studies, in the college library. The academic community is nervous After reading the governments Prevent guidelines, I was perplexed as to how the government can expect an academic to identify a terrorist. I wondered: Do other academics express similar reservations towards their new-found counterterrorism duty and how does this new role affect their university responsibilities? To find an answer to these critical questions, with my colleagues Dr Keith Spiller and Dr Andrew Whiting, I conducted a study entitled: What does terrorism look like?: University lecturers interpretations of their Prevent duties and tackling extremism in UK universities. {articleGUID} As part of the study, we interviewed 20 university lecturers from institutions across the UK, and examined their reactions to their new counterterrorism duties. What we found was that the academic community is nervous and indeed sceptical about the duties imposed upon them by the government. Lecturers told us that the counterterrorism measures have been preventing them from building trust with their students, and that they feel they lack the knowledge to identify radical behaviours in their students. One interviewee said: Staff are just simply not qualified to do this, academic staff are not psychologists or psychiatrists, theyre not counterterrorist practitioners. Our study also demonstrated that authorities are not giving adequate support, training and guidance to the academic staff about the counterterrorism duties imposed upon them. We submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Home Office in relation to referrals made from the education sector seeking support and advice on the Prevent guidelines. The response we received was ambiguous and certainly did not answer all our questions, but it demonstrated that 29,238 Higher Education/Further Education (HE/FE) staff (this includes any post-secondary school study towards a degree or a vocational qualification) have received training on their counterterrorism duties. As there are roughly 201,380 academic staff and 208,750 non-academic staff working in UK Universities alone, the numbers provided by the Home Office confirmed our fears that the training efforts are inconsistent at best, and academic staff are completely left to their own devices to identify and report radical behaviours in most cases. A threat to academic freedoms Today, thanks to the governments policies that aim to transform academic staff into counterterrorism police, openness, tolerance and freedom of expression in UK universities are under threat. Academic staff are being encouraged to report their students for reasons like discussing certain sensitive topics, asking certain questions or even reading suspicious textbooks. Also, universities are being told not to give platform to certain speakers because they have been classified mostly without any substantial evidence as extremists or radicals. All this is stifling academic debate, making university lecturers feel under pressure and forcing them to avoid risky subjects and ideas rather than challenging, questioning and confronting them. The University and College Union attested that the Prevent duty seriously threatens academic freedom and freedom of speech. With the Prevent guidelines, the government is trying to incorporate academic staff into a state surveillance programme. Lecturers are being forced to monitor and judge their students against an ambiguous, all-inclusive framework that few found helpful. These types of measures can never counter terror threats, and can only lead to an Orwellian society in which the police and the state have broad and intrusive powers and academic debate is silenced. The best way to challenge the hateful rhetoric espoused by extremists is to make sure we continue to celebrate democracy, free speech and freedom of expression the very things extremists would like to curb. The Prevent strategy, however, is a threat to all these principles. We urgently need an independent review of anti-extremism policies. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Two black men arrested while waiting at Starbucks The two were waiting for a friend at a Philadelphia franchise of the coffee company, when a store employee said they were trespassing and called the local police. Montenegros pro-Western ruling party leader Milo Djukanovic has won an outright victory in the countrys presidential vote, avoiding a runoff, according to official results released Monday. A near-complete vote count showed that Djukanovic won 54 percent of the ballots while his main opponent, Mladen Bojanic, had 33.3 percent, Montenegros state election authorities said. Legislator Draginja Vuksanovic, the first-ever female presidential candidate in the Balkan nation on the Adriatic Sea, came in third with 8.2 percent. I am convinced Montenegro will confirm its determination to continue on the path of European development, Djukanovic said after casting his ballot on Sunday. Sundays vote, the first since Montenegro joined the NATO Western military alliance in December, was seen as a test for Djukanovic, who favours European integration over closer ties to traditional ally Moscow. The presidential role in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, but when Djukanovic wins and replaces his ally, Filip Vujanovic, it is expected that he will wield considerable power and will be able to influence policy through the ranks of his Democratic Party of Socialists. Djukanovic led Montenegro to independence from much-larger Serbia in 2006 and was behind last years accession to NATO. He said Sunday that his victory means Montenegro will stick to its plan to join the European Union next. The opposition has accused Djukanovic of corruption and blamed the government led by his ruling Democratic Party of Socialists for a spike in crime-related violence. In his victory speech late Sunday, Djukanovic promised to work to overcome divisions within Montenegro, where many still cherish close ties with Moscow. Djukanovic was prime minister during a tense October 2016 parliamentary election when authorities said they thwarted a pro-Russian coup attempt designed to prevent the country from joining NATO. British delegation calls on Russia and Syria to allow access as Russian deputy FM says delay is due to US-led attacks. Chemical weapons inspectors have not yet been allowed access to Syrias Douma, UK officials said as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) met to discuss the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. Russia and Syria have not yet allowed access to Douma, the British delegation tweeted on Sunday, adding that unfettered access [is] essential and Russia and Syria must cooperate. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov immediately denied the allegations that inspectors were not being allowed access, according to Russian news agency RIA. He said the arrival of the inspectors were delayed as a result of the US-led air raids on Saturday. Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Mokdad confirmed that government officials had met OPCW inspectors, according to Syrian state news agency SANA. The experts have been in Syria for the past three days upon the request of the Syrian government and several meetings were held during which the cooperation between the two sides was discussed, SANA quoted al-Mokdad as saying. The OPCW, an intergovenmental organisation that oversees the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, met delegates in The Hague on Monday to discuss events surrounding the April 7 attack in Douma. Syrian government forces retook Douma last week, gaining full control over the former rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, Russian military officials announced at the time. The announcement came just days after dozens people were killed by alleged chemical weapons attack in the town, sparking international outcry and prompting the US, UK and France to launch missile attacks on facilities believed to be used to research, develop and store chemical weapons inside Syria. The Chemical Weapons Convention outlaws the production or stockpiling of chemical weapons. Syria is a signatory of the treaty. Egypt, Israel, North Korea and South Sudan are the only nonsignatory nations. Barbaric use of chemical weapons Peter Wilson, the UKs OPCW envoy, told the watchdog body that failure to act in Syria will cause further barbaric use of chemical weapons. Syria has lived through a seven-year civil war that has killed at least half a million people and created an international refugee crisis. The Syrian Regime has an abhorrent record of using chemical weapons against its own people. Chemical weapons use has become an all too regular weapon of war in the Syrian conflict, Wilson said, going on to cite 390 allegations of chemical weapons attacks since 2014. Russia has impeded international bodies from investigating these attacks, Wilson added. Russia told the UN last Friday that its experts found no trace of toxic substance use during their investigation in Douma. Vassily Nebenzia, Russias UN ambassador, said Russia has clear evidence that the chemical attack was staged. For its part, France has said it has evidence Russia was responsible. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has said her country will announce new sanctions on the Russian government in response to its support for Syrias Bashar al-Assad. Rejecting accusations of US pressure, UK PM says involvement in Saturdays coordinated attack was in national interest. Britains prime minister has defended the UKs decision to launch coordinated strikes with American and French forces, in an attempt to further prevent the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Speaking at the House of Commons on Monday, Theresa May said the UKs involvement in Saturdays attacks on Syrias alleged chemical weapons sites was in the national interest. We have not done this because [US] President [Donald] Trump asked us to do so, she told parliament. We have done it because we believe it was the right thing to do, and we are not alone. Many opposition MPs have questioned Mays decision to join the attack without seeking parliamentary approval. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, reiterated his stance that May is accountable to the parliament not to the whims of the US president. He also questioned the legal justification for the attack, saying it was not in line with the UN Security Councils charter. There is no more serious issue than the life and death matters of military action, he said on Monday. It is right that parliament has the power to support or stop the government from taking planned military action. Vote on the attacks For its part, the Scottish National Party says it will force a vote on the issue. Since the Iraq war in 2003, under Britains constitutional convention parliament expects an opportunity to debate the matter if British troops are to be involved in military combat. Saturdays strikes, which came in response to a suspected chemical attack on the former rebel stronghold of Douma on April 7, targeted sites near Damascus as well as in the province of Homs. Confirming UK involvement in the attack in her speech, May said: We would have preferred an alternative path. But on this occasion there is none. She said the attacks were not about regime change or intervening in a civil war, but were to deter the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government. After her statement, May was expected to ask the speaker of parliament to grant an emergency debate, followed possibly by a non-binding vote. Al Jazeeras Jonah Hill, reporting from London, said: I dont think Mondays session will satisfy the opposition parties, who are determined that they should have had, and could still retrospectively have, a definitive vote on the issue of the strikes themselves. Cohen in court to ask judge to limit the ability of federal prosecutors to review the documents seized from him. US President Donald Trumps longtime personal lawyer has arrived at a Manhattan court for a hearing over documents seized as part of a federal investigation that could cast a harsh light on Trumps business and personal relationships. Adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who is entangled in a legal fight with Michael Cohen, the presidents lawyer, arrived later on Monday to attend the hearing. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in 2016 as part of an agreement for her to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump a decade prior. I think Michael Cohen is in a lot of trouble, Daniels lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told reporters outside the court. Avenatti and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, are not parties in the court case. Cohen was in court to ask a judge to limit the ability of federal prosecutors to review the documents seized from him last week. He asked the court to give his lawyers first look at the seized materials so they could identify documents that were protected by attorney-client privilege. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump [Reuters] Failing that, they wanted the court to appoint an independent official known as a special master, a role typically filled by a lawyer, to go through the documents and electronic data seized under a warrant and decide what prosecutors can see. Prosecutors have asked that the seized documents be reviewed to identify those covered by attorney-client privilege by a filter team of lawyers within their office, who would be walled off from the main prosecution team. A lawyer for Trump, Joanna Hendon, asked in a filing on Sunday to be allowed to review documents that in any way relate to the president, which she described as being seized amid a highly politicised, even fevered, atmosphere. Lawyers for Cohen appeared without their client at a hearing Friday before US District Judge Kimba Wood in Manhattan federal court. The judge ordered that Cohen himself be present on Monday so that he could answer questions about his clients. Traditional legal tasks Cohens lawyers say that Cohen should not be required to turn over the names. They disclosed in a court filing on Monday that Cohen had at least 10 clients in 2017 and 2018, and that he did traditional legal tasks for three of them, including Trump, Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy and a third who asked not to be named. Cohen arranged a $1.6m payment to secure the silence of a former Playboy model who said she became pregnant by Broidy, a person familiar with the matter said Friday. Later on Monday, the judge ordered Cohens lawyers to disclose name of his third legal client. He was revealed to be Fox News commentator Sean Hannity. Last weeks raids came after a months-long investigation of possible crimes related largely to Cohens business dealings, rather than his work as a lawyer, prosecutors have said. A person familiar with the raids said last week that the information FBI agents were seeking included information about payments to Daniels. The raids were based partly on a referral by the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, according to court filings. Trump has called Muellers probe a witch-hunt and denied any collusion. Todd Harrison, a lawyer for Cohen, said at Fridays hearing there were thousands of documents seized that were likely privileged, and that many related to clients other than Trump. Opposition holds sit-in protests across the country as the government prepares to extend the state of emergency. Supporters of Turkeys main opposition party have staged sit-in demonstrations across the country to protest against the state of emergency, a move criticised by the government. The demonstrations held on Monday, reportedly in all of Turkeys 81 provinces, were organised as the government prepares this week to extend the state of emergency for the seventh time. Turkey declared the state of emergency on July 20, 2016, and has extended it regularly after a coup attempt in July 2016. Bekir Bozdag, the government spokesperson, criticised the protests, blaming the Republican Peoples Party (CHP) of using the methods of terrorists and not doing any work. Bozdag said that for the CHP to be more successful than the ruling Justice and Development Party, it should start working, or running, instead of sitting down. They cannot stop the Justice and Development Party by sitting in. We will move on. My advice to them: Now is not the time to sit, now is time to rise, he said. {articleGUID} For a long time, the CHP is using the methods of terrorist groups instead of a political partys methods, he added on Monday, speaking to reporters during a visit to Qatar. In Istanbul, hundreds of CHP supporters staged a protest on a street near the citys main Taksim Square after police blocked their access to the square. The opposition, Turkeys Western allies and local and international rights groups accuse the government of using the coup attempt as a pretext to bypass parliament and silence opposition in the country. The government says the purges and detentions aim to remove from state institutions and other parts of society the supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based, self-exiled religious leader blamed by Turkey for the attempted coup. The Turkish government has carried out detentions and purges of tens of thousands of people after the failed coup. It says the arrests are necessary to combat threats to national security. Were US-led strikes on Syria aimed at destroying chemical weapons, or an attempt to maintain geopolitical status quo? More than half a million Syrians have been killed over the course of Syrias ongoing war, according to the United Nations, but only a fraction of those deaths happened as a result of 34 confirmed chemical attacks allegedly launched by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his war against armed opposition groups in the country. With the disparity in the number of deaths attributed to the use of conventional weapons and chemical ones, civilians, who have lived through assaults of both kinds, wonder why chemical attacks constitute a red line to the United States and its western allies, while barrel bombs and live artillery do not. The latest alleged chemical attack that hit Douma, a town in the former rebel-held city of Eastern Ghouta, was met with triple assaults by the US, France and the UK, through coordinated strikes on three presumed chemical facilities. Shortly after, the US warned it is locked and loaded to strike Syria again if more chemical attacks occur. But Syrians doubt the motives behind the response, despite the military action and threats imposed by the US. Strikes should have happened long ago Activist Hazem al-Shamy, who now resides in the town of Qalaat al-Madiq in Hama province, said the strikes were met with a negative reaction from locals. These strikes were ineffective and did not destroy any of the army bases from where fighter jets took off to launch barrel bombs on civilians in Eastern Ghouta, he told Al Jazeera. There were several chemical attacks on various rebel-held towns since the war began, but we havent once seen a reaction from the international community that really harmed the Assad regime, he said. The western response came days after a bloody two-month offensive ended in Eastern Ghouta, launched by Assad and his main military ally Russia, resulting in the destruction of yet another city that was once controlled by opposition groups. With Russian military assistance, the relentless offensive killed at least 1,600 civilians and displaced more than 130,000 people from the Damascus suburb that had been under rebel control since mid-2013. Nour Adam, who left for Syrias north with his family as part of a series of evacuation deals made by Russia and opposition groups in Eastern Ghouta, believes that the US-led strikes did not affect the Syrian government. The strikes should have happened a long time ago. We were hoping they would hurt several regime bases as well as Iranian and Russian targets, he told Al Jazeera from the outskirts of Hama. Ordered by US President Donald Trump, the attacks targeted a research facility in Damascus, a weapons storage centre, a storage facility and a Command post in Homs. They waited for the regime to take GhoutaIt was all planned the timing of the attack coincided with the retaking of the city by Russia and Assad regime, Adam added. Syrias war, now in its eighth year, has seen the opposition make gains up until Russia entered the war in support of Assad in 2015. Since, Russia and Irans support helped tilt the balance of power in favour of Assads government. In less than three years, the Syrian government has regained control of the majority of Syria, with opposition groups now restricted to the northern part of the country. In the past, analysts have noted that the use of chemical weapons were aimed to pressure opposition groups into ceding large swaths of land. Firas al-Abdullah, a local journalist who is now in Aleppo, believes the US would have stopped Assad years ago, if it were in their interest. If they cared about the Syrian regimes violations, they [the west] would have responded a long time ago, they would have had Assad removed in a matter of five minutes, he told Al Jazeera. Though some were declared as thwarted by the Syrian forces, missile attacks were not about regime change, UK Prime Minister Theresa May noted. They were to deter the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government, as also noted by French President Emmanuel Macron. They dont want to see the conflict come to an end, al-Abdullah said. Any number of strikes that does not do away with the criminal regime is not enough, which is why these strikes have made no gains for the Syrian people, they were launched so that these nations can simply save face. Purely political move Regardless of the large-scale response, which for the first time drew several countries to coordinate a wave of attacks, experts note that the action may have been purely political and had a lot to do with the policy that was set during the Obama administration. Samer Abboud, an associate professor of international studies at Arcadia University, perceives the attacks to have been about containing the military and political discussion about the conflict. The attacks represent nothing new in American policy and it is apparent in how limited the strikes were, he told Al Jazeera. The end game was to define the borders of the conflict and that border was the use of chemical weapons. Chemical assaults continued even after a Russian-brokered agreement to force Syria to give up its chemical weapons arsenal came into force in 2013, under former US President Barack Obamas reign. It is why Abboud believes the stepped up response will not deter the Syrian government from using chemical weapons as part of its conduct of war. Obamas red lines didnt scare them, the signing up to the agreement with Russia and the US in 2013 didnt stop them, Abboud noted. Meanwhile, others believe the attack has little to do with Syria, and more to do with years of diplomatic efforts. According to Aron Lund, a Syria expert and Century Foundation fellow, the US has never committed itself to policing the Syrian conflict. Obama didnt do that, Trump hasnt done it either, Lund told Al Jazeera. Chemical weapons is a different kettle of fish. These weapons are internationally proscribed, he said, noting that the US is in the process of destroying its own gas stockpile after acceding to the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997. If gas warfare begins creeping back into conflicts across the globe, it would be destabilising in many ways and would undo decades of diplomatic labour on banning chemical weapons, he said. Economic sanctions imposed on Syria in 2015 highlight that there is a red line, and it is being enforced in different ways. While some experts noted that the attacks were in fact launched to destroy stockpiles of chemical weapons, others believe they were an attempt to maintain the geopolitical status quo amid Syrias proxy war. Behind every military attack there is a political motive, Omar Kouch, a Syrian political analyst based in Turkey, told Al Jazeera. No matter how aggressive a military response is, it wont lead to the fall of the Assad regime, Kouch said. Any military action, especially with the absence of a US strategy on Syria, is only meant to force the government back into the Geneva political track, he explained. They also do not want to see Putins government use chemical weapons whenever they please in Syria, and in the UK, he said, referencing the Sergei Skripal case. Collectively, analysts Al Jazeera spoke to do not believe that this, and any other potential future attack launched against Syria by the west, would alter the Assad governments methods in combat. And if the government does end its use of chemical weapons, they will continue to use more barrel bombs. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 Support for Israel. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: kaput 04-16-2018 11:31 PM Post: #1 Support for Israel. Advertisement Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:40 PM Post: #2 RE: Support for Israel. because 1)Jews control much of the money/banking/etc 2)blackmailing/threats 3)Freemasons love Israel 4)"Goys" watched too many Holocaust Industry movies, and all the media is supporting Israel, and rarely exposes the daily crap the apartheid state does. 5)Moron JudeoEvangelicalizers who think Israel is special. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:43 PM Post: #3 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:31 PM) Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. Because Khazar's have USURPED nearly every government in the world . Because Khazar's have USURPED nearly every government in the world . LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:49 PM Post: #4 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:40 PM) because 1)Jews control much of the money/banking/etc 2)blackmailing/threats 3)Freemasons love Israel 4)"Goys" watched too many Holocaust Industry movies, and all the media is supporting Israel, and rarely exposes the daily crap the apartheid state does. 5)Moron JudeoEvangelicalizers who think Israel is special. Thank you for clarifying. Thank you for clarifying. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:49 PM Post: #5 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:43 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:31 PM) Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. Because Khazar's have USURPED nearly every government in the world . Thank you for clarifying. Thank you for clarifying. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:50 PM Post: #6 RE: Support for Israel. orions belt contains outer rim which is ... And there nature and bears Spiddy Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:50 PM Posts: 18,026 Post: #7 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:31 PM) Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. Because America tells them to on pain of excommunication from the club of rich influential nations. Because America tells them to on pain of excommunication from the club of rich influential nations. As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:50 PM Post: #8 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:43 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:31 PM) Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. Because Khazar's have USURPED nearly every government in the world . So in this era. Let's threaten them with a flood of nuke strikes . So in this era. Let's threaten them with a flood of nuke strikes . LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:50 PM Post: #9 RE: Support for Israel. Little ones . Tommy Pastrami Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:50 PM Posts: 3,346 Post: #10 RE: Support for Israel. Spiddy Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:50 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:31 PM) Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. Because America tells them to on pain of excommunication from the club of rich influential nations. America is told what to do by Israel. America is told what to do by Israel. "The man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them, inasmuch as he who knows nothing is nearer to truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors. He who reads nothing will still learn the great facts, and the details are all false." ~Thomas Jefferson Spiddy Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:52 PM Posts: 18,026 Post: #11 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:43 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:31 PM) Why do western governments unconditionally supporting Israel, no matter what? No matter what war crimes they commit, no matter who they bomb, no matter who they kill? WHY THIS UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT? PLEASE ANSWER. Because Khazar's have USURPED nearly every government in the world . Nope. They only needed to usurp yours. After that the rest just fall in line. Thanks for not putting up more of a fight BTW /sarc Nope.They only needed to usurp yours. After that the rest just fall in line.Thanks for not putting up more of a fight BTW /sarc As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:52 PM Post: #12 RE: Support for Israel. ...make a few jokes about mind ways and centre p eyes , and wham there i go in the air , with mandela as walls LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:52 PM Post: #13 RE: Support for Israel. that one stays also LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:53 PM Post: #14 RE: Support for Israel. Bw ? Spiddy Registered User User ID: 1337 04-16-2018 11:53 PM Posts: 18,026 Post: #15 RE: Support for Israel. LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:50 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-16-2018 11:43 PM) Because Khazar's have USURPED nearly every government in the world . So in this era. Let's threaten them with a flood of nuke strikes . You're a conspiracy theorist. You can't threaten your way out of a damp paper bag. Kindly know your place. You're a conspiracy theorist. You can't threaten your way out of a damp paper bag.Kindly know your place. As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. Advertisement At least 20 inmates have been killed by fellow prisoners in South Carolina prisons since the start of 2017. Seven inmates have been killed and 17 more injured at a maximum security prison in the US state of South Carolina after infighting broke out on Sunday evening. The fighting went on for eight hours before the authorities quelled the riots. Lee County Coroner Larry Logan told the Associated Press news agency that he arrived to a chaotic scene of fights at Lee Correctional Institution in Bishopville, which houses about 1,500 inmates some of South Carolinas most violent and longest-serving prisoners. Logan said some of the seven killed died of slashing or stab wounds made from homemade knives while others were likely beaten to death. An inmate who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, said that bodies were literally stacked on top of each other. {articleGUID} He explained that many cell door locks were already broken before the riot and that prisoners roamed around freely. Hours after violence broke out, no correctional officers or medical personnel attended to the dead or dying. Its been over two hours, but no COs (corrections officers) have responded to this unit, and no medical personnel have attempted to render any kind of aid, the inmate wrote to AP. The COs never even attempted to render aid, nor quell the disturbance. They just sat in the control bubble, called the issue in, then sat on their collective a**es. Following the riot, South Carolina Governor Henry McMasters spokesperson Brian Symmes told AP that the governor has complete confidence in Bryan Stirling, who has served as the head of the states prison system since 2013. State officials have promised to make the prison safer after deadly fights broke out in the past few years, but have failed to do so. Last month, several inmates took an officer hostage and took control of a dormitory for more than an hour. In July, an inmate was killed during a fight, another was stabbed to death in November and last February, a third prisoner was killed. In 2015 two officers were stabbed in a fight. The year 2017 may have been the deadliest year in the history of South Carolinas prison system, according to journalist Steve Bailey. In the last two years, there has been a surge in inmate-on-inmate assaults. Put simply, anyone who can has a knife. There were 250 assaults that required taking inmates to outside hospitals in 2016 and 2017. That was more than double the previous two years, Bailey wrote in an article for South Carolinas Post and Courier daily newspaper. Last year 18 people died in state prisons 12 of them murdered by their fellow inmates, six others by suicide, according to a Freedom of Information Act request retrieved by Bailey. The body count has risen four years in a row, Bailey noted. The record in 2017 surpassed 2016s when five inmates were murdered and six committed suicide. In 2009 there were two deaths in total. Keep in mind the prison population has fallen every year since 2010 as the state has diverted low-level offenders from the system, a good thing, Bailey wrote. This year so far has been even worse, with a jump in suicides. @BryanStirling if you cant properly handle the job that Nikki gave you, then lets get someone in who can. These inmates still have rights and shouldnt be dying regularly under your supervision. Just Devin (@Devin_gain) April 16, 2018 According to Andrew Cohen, senior editor at the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organisation covering the US criminal justice system, there are numerous factors that add to the anger and frustration boiling over in prisons the overcrowding of inmates in deplorable conditions, understaffing of guards and poor or non-existent medical and mental healthcare. {articleGUID} South Carolina officials have been aware that serious problems exist here, Cohen said. Theyve seen other spasms of violence in the past few years and theyve read the court rulings calling out the abuse and neglect and lawlessness in the prisons and they know from experts what it would take to begin to fix it, but legislators have not been willing to spend the money it would take to do the job. This is true even where the corrections union is pressing for more money for more and better-trained guards and staff. One question now is why it took prison officials so long to quell this fight and whether guards in some way just let the inmates go after one another instead of interceding. Its odd, I think, that so many inmates would be dead and injured and not a single guard would be injured. Cohen said he hopes to see a legitimate and independent inquiry take place. After an 11-year class-action lawsuit, a 2016 ruling demanded the state to upgrade its mental health treatment. South Carolina Judge Michael Baxley wrote that the states care of mentally ill inmates amounted to cruel punishment. Evidence, in this case, has proved that inmates have died in the SC Department of Corrections for lack of basic mental health care, Baxley wrote in his 45-page order in 2014. The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with around 2.15 million people imprisoned. About the show A weekly programme that examines and dissects the worlds media, how they operate and the stories they cover. Watch The Listening Post every Saturday at 0830GMT The railroads have been facing a number of headwinds in recent months, all of which could put pressure on their Sane people have to wonder at the doped up left on the campuses, which keeps trying to turn reality upside-down. Today we hear that the AP has a new "history textbook" with the premise that "white people have a hard time adjusting to becoming a minority." This is another Marxist lie, of course, and it is also racist and malicious. I think we can guess who paid for this piece of toxic trash. This could be called the new Obama School of Racism, since Obama kept dropping hints that Caucasian Americans didn't build this country. It is statistically false and misleading, and it accuses American whites of racism more than half a century after the Civil Right Revolution. This is utter and complete trash, and by implication, it is racist, of course. Hillary proclaimed that normal people who voted for Trump are "deplorables." But of course it's Hillary and Obama who are the extreme demagogues, outliers in the long course of human civilization on the great Eurasian continent, in the Americas, in Africa, and in the Indo-Pacific region. Polynesians are not black. Chinese are not black. Malay peoples are not black. The Irish are not black, except for the ones born to Spanish sailors. Africans in the Maghreb are not black. The famous San click-speaking peoples of Africa are not black. But equatorial peoples need a darker skin to avoid skin cancer. Big deal. Meso-Americans (who are Mongolians genetically) have a beautiful bronze color. So do some Eurasian peoples. The Andaman Islanders of Australia are black. Michelle Obama is a genuine African-American and therefore has a great mahogany color. Obama is half-white and half-Luo, and his skin is kind of yellowish. Go figure. This whole AP "history text" is part of the old Marxist divide-and-conquer strategy that has taken over our precious universities, largely by fear and mob intimidation, and certainly not by rational persuasion. Rational persuasion is dead. The left has killed it, the way it always does. But our tradition the tradition of civilized peoples around the world is not the Nazi-like Farrakhan race-hate that too many young people are being taught. This is a huge, mendacious scandal, and it's about time to call them on it. The U.S. Constitution is not white. It is a product of the greatest and most successful political tradition in human history, and its basic insights are the most anti-racist in history. Since the AP has been peddling "racist anti-racism" it's about time for parents and teachers to speak up against this trash, and to tell kids never to buy it. Or, as Churchill had it, never, never, never, never! It is high time to take our education system back from the new fascists, whatever color they claim to be. It is their minds that are poisoned. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. probably had both African and Caucasian ancestors. Who cares? These people are so deluded that truth may not make much of a dent in their skulls, but we must try. Where to start? The New Racism is just like the "Kill Whitey" theme peddled by Obama's portrait ah-tist, Kehinde Wiley. "Kill Whitey" is Wiley's own interpretation of his White House masterpiece for Obama, and if that's the case, it should be withdrawn by Obama today. It is beyond scandalous. We want no symbols of race-hatred in our White House. Take it away and burn it. The whole bizarre notion of everlasting hatred between different races is stupid, ignorant, and malicious beyond belief. Why? Because it fits none of the facts, and it suits all of the divide-and-conquer demagoguery of the left. Biology is more complicated than the newest racist fascist fashion. Live with it, dummies. Now, about the claim of whites becoming a minority in the United States, always the hate target it is false and bizarre beyond belief. First of all, so-called "white" industrial and computer technology, even the plumbing used by AP fake history writers all that stuff comes from Europe or North America. It turns out that the Chinese had all those inventions around the same time, but the Mandarin class in China prohibited the spread of that beneficial science and technology. What is cool and distinctive about European culture is that nobody could slam the lid on benevolent inventions (although they tried). So the lesson of "white" culture is freedom, free speech, free thought, and especially freedom from the ignorant power-mongers of the world. The new racism is putrid, just like the old racism. If the AP goes through with this racist fake history, every decent person in the world should boycott the AP. Conservatives don't use boycotts often enough, and the left therefore wins by intimidation. This is stupid, conservatives. Stop being stupid. Marxism-Leninism is a so-called "white" phenomenon, but revolutions and genocide are unfortunately a shared human misery. In Obama's childhood home of Jakarta, the Overseas Chinese were scapegoated. In Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta killed white British farm families by cutting off heads, but when Obama Sr. arrived on the scene (after the revolutionary war), Mr. Kenyatta took a dislike to him, and Mr. O Sr. had two consecutive drunk driving accidents. The second one killed him. The ancestors of most current African-Americans were Bantu-speaking people, who were raided, raped, and kidnapped by other African tribes, who brought those painful caravans of human beings in chains to Arab Muslim slave-traders, where they were sold to mostly Caucasian slave ships for the horrible trans-Atlantic voyages. Arabs are a kind of tanned Caucasian people, and the Maghreb (North African) population, and the Egyptians, are not black. They look quite different. African tribes colluded in the kidnapping and sale of other Africans, because human tribes have always traded in human slaves. I'm sorry it's very a bad thing, but it's true. The Vikings took white slaves in Europe; Muslims raided the south of England until well into the 19th century; and yes, African tribes routinely raided and enslaved other African tribes. The Atlantic slave trade was finally abolished after a long campaign by white Christian abolitionists in Britain and America, a campaign that also ultimately gave us the Civil War. Close to a million Americans died to make men free. Almost all of them were white. Glory, glory, Hallejujah! The truth is marching on! This hymn is definitely not in the new race-baiting AP "textbook" of mendacious fake history. Make sure your children are never indoctrinated in that pack of malignant lies. You can take kids smart enough to go to Harvard, and by simple indoctrination you can make them dumb as a brick wall. That is what we are dealing with here, paid for by the usual billionaires. This is a time to speak out, please. Theoretically speaking, one of the FBIs core responsibilities is counterintelligence. The FBI lists eight priorities on their website and counterintelligence is second: Protect the United States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage. Robert Mueller, when he was the FBI Director, had the responsibility of stopping Russian intelligence operations against America. He reigned a full twelve years, from 2001 to 2013, marking the longest tenure of any director apart from Hoover. He had ample opportunity to run American counterintelligence as he saw fit, and even to put in place a foundation, set a culture, and hire the right people, to protect America going forward. However, Mueller was unable to bring victory to the intelligence department of the FBI. Indeed, Russias intelligence services clowned America numerous times. Muellers mindset can clearly be seen in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on June 13th, 2013. In his opening statement, he listed the FBIs top priorities: terrorists, homegrown violent extremists, and cybercrime. Counterintelligence didnt make the top of his list, the bottom of the list, or even get a passing moment during the three hours of testimony. In fact, when Mueller brought up cybercrime, he even listed off what entities may commit cybercrime, but left out state actors and certainly didnt name Russia. Given Muellers biography, none of this should be surprising. He was in law school around 1970 and worked as a lawyer up through 2001. He has good training to prosecute criminals. But it is another matter entirely to recognize, understand, prevent, and stop the activities of a foreign intelligence service. Back in 2005, Judge Richard Posner anticipated precisely these problems with FBI counterintelligence in his book Remaking Domestic Intelligence. He argued that the FBI was incompetent insofar as counterintelligence went. The FBI was primarily concerned with finding crimes, gathering evidence, and prosecuting criminals. Such a mindset would be counterproductive as far as anticipating and preventing threats from foreign actors. One only has to look at the absolute mayhem engulfing America, due to an intersection of the FBI and the Russian intelligence community, to see Posner has been vindicated. As most people understand, Russia -- successor to the USSR, child of the KGB, plaything of Vladimir Putin -- has continued to execute covert operations against America. Muellers inability to understand this threat perhaps exacerbated the problem. One example of successful Russian intelligence operations against America, which were carried out while Mueller was director, was their funding of American environmentalist groups. Their goal has been to stymie the American energy industry, drive up world prices, and profit from export of their own oil and gas. Specifically, in 2010 and 2011, Russia laundered $23 million to the Bermudan cutout Klein Ltd., who then funneled it to the California based Sea Change Foundation, who distributed that money to more well-known American environmental groups. This particular Russia plot hasnt gotten much attention. There hasnt been around-the-clock coverage from CNN with breaking stories like: Senior FBI official claims Obamas anti-fracking push got Russian help. Klein and Sea Change were only uncovered as nefarious groups in 2014 by a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee report. In 2015, Lachlan Markay at the Free Beacon made the connection between the shadowy Klein group and Russia. Muellers FBI didnt address this matter (nor did Comeys). In 2017, two Republican Congressman had to write a letter requesting the Executive Branch finally take action to investigate and stop this corruption of American politics. Another unhandled foreign operation was Russias support for Occupy Wall Street, the 2011 movement which pushed the political debate left, caused immense property damage, strife, and even despair for traditional Americans opposed to communist ideology. The Occupy movement was American, but Russia worked to promote and infiltrate it. This fact was recently confirmed by none other than a founder of the Occupy movement, Micah White, in a fascinating article he penned for the Guardian. White explained, although it is rarely discussed, the Occupy movement received substantial support from Russia. That is an important fact to know if one is to understand the leftist movement and Russian policy. If only someone in the government had let people know. White also wrote, Russias efforts are part of a larger shift in the nature of war in which activists are becoming pawns of the superpowers. He has this partly right, I would just add that this isnt so much a shift, but a continuation of earlier tactics. For example, Colonel Stanislav Lunev, a high-level GRU defector from Russia, stated that Russia had spent more on anti-war movements in the U.S. than they had on arming the Vietcong. The proper response to Russian infiltration of Americas domestic political movements is not clear. It merits a serious debate, which is impossible as long as Americans dont know this is going on. What is clear, however, is that the FBI should not act thunderstruck by Russian operations to, in Muellers words, sow discord in American politics. Its not new. Here is one more example that shows the abject failure of FBI counterintelligence: the Snowden case. Mueller left the FBI in September of 2013. In July of 2012, Eric Snowden began taking advantage of a flaw in the intelligence communitys security to steal massive amounts of top secret data even though he was a just a low-level information technology worker. Snowden took those American secrets to Hong Kong in May of 2013 and reached Moscow by June. In testimony to Congress in June of 2013, Mueller explained to Congress that he had initiated a criminal investigation into Snowdens actions. Did you catch that? Criminal, not counterintelligence. America had just suffered its most catastrophic loss of secrets in history, the culprit went to China and Russia, but Mueller still refused to even acknowledge a counterintelligence issue. Even the most fervent supporter of Snowden must admit that the FBI had a responsibility to at least investigate Snowden, if only to definitively clear him of nefarious foreign connections, and to address the security gap which Snowden had exploited. Years later, in 2016, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released a report slamming the FBI: the IC assessment on Snowden does not contain an assessment of Snowdens background and motive, an assessment of whether he was the agent of a foreign intelligence service, or recommendations for how to improve security in the IC. There is one final Russian operation that we need to talk about: their campaign to meddle in Americas 2016 election. You see, according to Muellers own indictment, Russia began taking concrete actions to implement their plan in July of 2013. That, of course, was when Mueller was in charge of anticipating and stopping these threats. Properly understood, the Mueller Special Counsel is a Mueller investigation into Muellers failure as the FBI director. Nations prefer the temperature low, but we're having a heat wave because of Russian defiance of international norms. As patrons of fashionable steak restaurants know, for over a year sophisticated chefs, for economic and other reasons, have created a standard of undercooking, serving steaks on the rare side. The trendiest steak is served "medium rare plus," just enough to bring out the flavor and retain moisture with juice kept in the meat. If customers complain about overcooked meat, it has to be thrown out. If customers complain about undercooking the steak will simply be cooked a little longer. Overcooking is a sin in the fashionable contemporary culinary world. Recent events and the memory of various anniversaries evoke a parallel in the political world as political activity is being or has been overcooked. One overcooking event sparked the racial problem. It is exactly 50 years ago that the passionate British Conservative politician Enoch Powell delivered his "Rivers of Blood" speech to Conservative party members in Birmingham. On the anniversary of the speech, the BBC broadcast the reading by an actor of the text of what many people considered an incitement to racial hatred. Discussing the contemplated government bill on immigration, the Race Relations Bill, which made it illegal to refuse housing or employment to anyone because of ethnic background, he declared, "I am filled with foreboding: like the Roman I see the River Tiber foaming with much blood." He insisted that immigrants be returned to their country of origin. More blood flowed on banks of U.S. rivers than on the Thames, but Powell's premonition, that the "black man would have the whip hand over the white man," was unfulfilled with the weakening of the system of racial segregation in Western countries. Nevertheless, the continuing existence of discrimination, the increase in anti-Semitism, and the fact that mass immigration is a key issue in Western countries show the need for undercooking of existing prejudice. A second anniversary is that of the Hadassah convoy massacre on April 13, 1948. A convoy, escorted by Haganah militia, bringing medical and military supplies to Hadassah hospital on Mount Scopus, outside Jerusalem, was ambushed by Arab troops that had blocked Jewish access to Hadassah hospital and the Hebrew University campus nearby. Seventy-eight Jewish doctors, nurses, students, patients, faculty members, and Haganah fighters were murdered. The tragedy is the continued overcooking of Palestinian violence, by wars, rocket and mortar attacks, underground tunnels, indiscriminate assaults against the State of Israel and its citizens. Golda Meir once gave the recipe for undercooking, "When will the Palestinians love their children more than they hate their neighbors?" Connected with overcooking is the fact that memory, especially of details, of the Holocaust is fading. A recent study by Schoen Consulting shows that in the U.S. detailed knowledge of the Holocaust was very low, especially among millennials, 22% of whom are ignorant of the Holocaust. In general, 41% of Americans, 66% of millennials could not name a single concentration camp or ghetto. Similarly, though the number six million has been endlessly restated, 31% and 41% of millennials believe that fewer than two million Jews were killed. The result of this ignorance or disinterest about the reality of the Holocaust, or eradication of its memory, was displayed in an overcooked demonstration on April 11, 2018 at Columbia University in NYC. While preparations were being made at the university for a memorial to the six million Jews murdered, a group of students tore down all material supporting Israel and called for a Palestine "from the river to the sea... Palestine will be free." But clearly, the most egregious contemporary political overcooking is the behavior of Russia in disregard of international norms, and penchant for lying and spread of misinformation. Since the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, international treaties, customs, and general principles of law have contributed to international rules accepted as binding, even if not precise legal texts, on relations between states as well on issues such as slavery, women's suffrage. apartheid, and civil rights. For centuries there has been an ongoing debate over the justification of military action. Is a "just war," whether the decision to conduct hostilities or the precise conduct of those hostilities, morally justifiable? If there are differences about this on some issues and events, there are none on the use by a state of some form of poison gas or nerve agent. As a result of revulsion towards the use of poison gas by Germany on April 22, 1915 against French troops at Ypres, Belgium, the Geneva Protocol treaty was signed on June 17, 1925 prohibiting the use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts. It is true that the agreement has been violated by a number of countries: Japan, Italy, Spain, and by Saddam Hussein in Iraq. But it is the use of chemical weapons in recent days by Syria and Russia that has caused international overheating. The overcooking of chemical weapons and poison gas, along with denials of responsibility by Russia has led to a situation which, if not as dramatically menacing as the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 or the Berlin crisis of 1961, is serious, and calls for political chefs to lower the temperature. This is unmistakable now that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack by military grade nerve agent, Novichoks, developed by Russia, used in Salisbury on March 4, 2018. The reckless and indiscriminate attack threatened the lives of innocent people as well as the intended targets, former Russian spy Sergei Skirpal and his daughter Yulia. What is important is not simply the immoral nature of the nerve agent and gas attacks, but the denial and counterattack by the responsible party. Russian spokespersons provided alternative explanations of the real actors. One emphasis was that British MI6 was directly involved in the Salisbury attack; the Russians claimed "irrefutable evidence" that the attacks were staged with help of a foreign secret service. As usual, British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said that there was no evidence that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was responsible, and more time was needed to find "incontrovertible" evidence that Assad was behind the use of chemical weapons in the attack on Douma on April 7, 2018 that killed at least 40 people. However, he did know that the airstrikes on selected Syrian targets by four British Tornado jets were "legally questionable" actions. The 19th-century French diplomat Talleyrand might have had Corbyn in mind when he wrote of the Bourbons, "They had learned nothing and forgotten nothing." One imagines Corbyn in 1939 calling on the League of Nations to take time to verify the "alleged" Nazi aggression in Poland, and meanwhile for all parties to cease violence. In similar vein, Corbyn's colleague Diane Abbott was uncertain who was the greatest danger to world peace, the U.S. or Russia. He did not need help from Corbyn when Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov declared that Russia had "irrefutable" evidence that the attack on Douma on April 7 was staged with the help of a foreign secret service. According to British newspaper reports, Russia may have been helped by some senior British academics, at Edinburgh, Leicester, and Sheffield Universities, who have formed a group called SPM, Syria, Propaganda, and Media, that spreads disinformation that benefits Syria, and conspiracy theories propounded by Russia. SPM had published a statement that questioned whether Russia had a secret nerve agent program. It then spread the allegation, repeated by the Russian ambassador, that a rebel-associated organization, the White Helmets (Syrian Civil Defense) staged the Douma attack. The White Helmets consists of 3,000 volunteers who engage in search and rescue after bombings in Syria. It is disquieting that some countries, groups, and individuals persist in defending or not criticizing the actions of Assad. His forces had used sarin gas in an attack on August 21, 2013 on Ghouta, Damascus where hundreds were killed. After that, Russia promised to ensure that Syria would abandon all its chemical weapons. But Syria on April 4, 2017 used sarin gas in an attack on Khan Sheikhoun, killing 90 people. In response to this atrocity Trump on April 6, 2017 ordered U.S. forces to fire 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian air base. Despite Russian denials, the use by Russians of chemical weapons in Salisbury and by the Syrian regime in Douma is clear, as are the responses that have taken place. French President Emmanuel Macron called the use of such weapons a "red line." Trump threatened on April 11 that there would be a "big price to pay" for the mindless chemical attack, and that Russia and Iran were responsible for backing Assad. The rhetoric was followed by action by a U.S., French, and British coalition that French UN ambassador Francois Delattre called "proportionate and targeted." At the emergency UN Security Council meeting on April 14, 2018, the Russian resolution to condemn the U.S. was rejected by eight to three (Russia, China, Bolivia) and four abstentions. It is welcome that in this case international norms have been upheld. It is now up Russia to find its moral compass, to stop its contentious actions and destructive effect on the system of international relations, and to consult its political cookbook to concentrate on undercooking its actions. Shed always felt safe in her neighborhood, said an unnamed young woman in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. That is, until around midnight of October 25, 2008, when she heard a crash in her basement. A 47-year-old registered sex offender named Ronnie W. Preyer had broken into her home. She made a beeline to the back door, but Preyer was waiting for her, writes Bridget DiCosmo of the Southeast Missourian. She fought back, but was punched, twice, she thinks. Before leaving, her rapist told her, Dont tell anybody, I know where you live. I wasnt going to tell, but the more I thought about it, the worse I felt, she recalls. The landlord fixed her window and installed security devices to the doors, and, in a gesture that may have saved her life, purchased a shotgun for her before teaching her how to load it. At 2 A.M. on October 31st, the lights went out. She knew shed paid the electric bill, according to DiCosmo. And she knew something wasnt right. DiCosmo continues, She got her gun. Growing nervous, she opened the blinds, sat down in a chair, and waited. When Preyer came crashing through the door, she fired, striking her assailant in the chest and killing him. Police had been making rounds to her home after the first encounter with her rapist. But they werent there in that fateful moment when she had to defend herself with a gun that had been purchased for her by her landlord. The gun was the difference between her being raped again and/or killed and surviving unmolested. The gun preserved her life and liberty in spite of another person who looked to rob her of one or both of those things. Not the cops, and not the good intentions of lawmakers who wish violent sexual predators like Preyer did not exist. What if she did not have a Second Amendment right to have such a weapon for self-defense, as former Justice John Paul Stevens recently argued in the New York Times should be repealed? Well, okay, some gun control advocates may argue. A shotgun is alright. Take sensible Joe Bidens advice to other women like her. If you live in an area thats wooded or somewhat secluded, Joe says, just walk out on the balcony and fire two shots with a double-barreled shotgun to scare attackers away. The only problem is that the woman in the aforementioned story from Missouri didnt live in a wooded or secluded area with a balcony as Bidens wife Jill apparently does. She was several feet away in her tiny kitchen as she frightenedly awaited her assailant, as the report makes clear. Several aspects of the story suggest that she a) likely lives alone, b) is not financially well-off (she remembered she paid the electric bill), and c) doesnt have the logistical advantages Jill Biden might enjoy when invaders arrive, with a balcony to signal her deadliness while keeping a safe distance from invading attackers. But an AR-15 is another story altogether, Biden says. No one needs that for self-defense, he argues. Unless you happened to be in Sutherland Springs, Texas on November 17, 2017. The fifth-deadliest mass shooting in United States history occurred less than half a year ago, and for some reason, the very reason that it was assuredly not deadlier has been all but forgotten in the public discussion. After a murderous madman had killed 26 people in a nearby church, NRA instructor Stephen Willeford retrieved his AR-15 from his gun safe, ran barefoot across the street, and opened fire on the murderer, striking him with a precisely aimed bullet in a small gap in the perpetrators body armor. He proceeded to jump into another mans truck and the two pursued the gunman down the road to make sure he hurt no one else. Im no hero, Willeford said afterward. I mean, Im not. I just thank my God, my Lord protected me and gave me the skills to do what needed to be done. Hes most certainly a hero, though. Contrast his actions to those of the Broward County Sherriffs Department who, armed with firearms, refused to do their job and engage the shooter during the recent Parkland massacre. Why did they not engage, similarly placing themselves at risk as Willeford did? In an interesting turn of the narrative, it was because those representing the security offered by the State lacked not only the courage that Willeford possessed, but the firepower that he legally owned, thanks to our Second Amendment protections. A bullet fired from an AR-15 travels 3x faster than one from a handgun, Lawrence ODonnell tweeted. Therefore, according to ODonnell, its understandable that Broward officers did not engage the shooter. The point, however, is missed by ODonnell. As writer Streiff elaborates at RedState: If a teacher emerges from a bypassed room (remember, [mass shooters] dont waste time forcing doors open because most of them know they only have a short time before the cops arrive) and engages the shooter, win or lose, that means the shooter stops killing, he has to take cover and defend himself, and more people survive. This logic is impenetrable. Had the Broward County employees engaged the shooter, as is their job, fewer students would have died. Brave school employees, unarmed, shielded other students from the attacker, saving the lives of students with names you will have never heard. There is no leap of faith required to imagine that if those employees faced less daunting odds by having a handgun in their possession at the time of the attack, they would have chosen to do what the Broward County employees were too cowardly to do. The police will not always be there in time, and even if they are, they may not protect Americans. That is the primary lesson. Now, take this final example, because the lefts narrative around gun control logically leads here. Curiously, handguns are less vilified in the gun control debate than the AR-15, despite the fact that the vast majority of gun murders are committed with handguns. In 2015, for example, there were 252 murders committed with rifles, including those by the dreaded AR-15, versus 6,447 murders committed with handguns. But, perhaps even more so, inconspicuously-carried handguns are the greater deterrent to violent crime. Heres an example. In 2015, 22-year-old Evarardo Custodio began firing into the crowd at the 2900 block of North Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. A nearby Uber driver, equipped with a legally carried concealed handgun, fired six shots at Custodio, hitting him several times. No other injuries, beyond the would-be murderers, were reported that night. Heres the kicker. This outcome was only achieved because Chicagos previously Draconian laws had been erased by a 2010 ruling in McDonald v. Chicago. Under the previous regime in Chicago, writes Adam Bates at Cato, the driver would have had to choose between saving lives and avoiding a lengthy, potentially life-ruining prison sentence. You never hear these stories. But how many lives were saved that night because our Second Amendment rights were firmly in place? How many lives were saved in Sutherland Springs because a good American owned his AR-15? The unnamed woman in Missouri; would she still be among the living, and would she have avoided being raped a second time if not for her Second Amendment right to self-defense, as the left now openly proclaims a desire to repeal? These are questions which are never pondered by those whove resorted to trotting out children to present their case for gun control. There is little political value in doing so, because you cannot specifically point to the names of the lives saved and build a concrete narrative around it, as can easily be done to fabricate a crisis meant to drive an impetus for gun control. However, the state of facts remains unchanged. A modern CDC study has concluded that guns are used in cases of individual self-defense anywhere between 500,000 and 3,000,000 times annually. How many unidentified lives are saved in those instances? Is the preservation of our Second Amendment rights a less worthy cause than the specific and horrific examples cited by the media to rob us of those very same rights? As gun sales and concealed and open carry laws have expanded, violent crime rates have declined in America, including mass shootings. This is an undeniable fact. Yet in the U.K., to which leftists routinely point as an example for gun control, violent crime has been relentlessly climbing. In the end, our Second Amendment right is about more than just data. It is about the preservation of individual liberty, to which countless unnamed Americans saved by it might attest. The data, however, prove that the media prefer to construct narratives which make good stories rather than preserve life and liberty for the larger number of Americans. William Sullivan blogs at Political Palaver and can be followed on Twitter. A recent NY Times essay. How Genetics Is Changing Our Understanding of Race by Harvard genetics professor David Reich directly confronted the Mother of All Taboos: racial differences in intelligence. Despite his references to Nazis and condemning as racists past researchers who have intimated this race-IQ link, Reich concludes that the onward march of genetic research might uncover the race/intelligence link though he prudently admits that smoking gun proof is not yet in hand. The overwhelming reaction to Reichs ever-so-tentative conclusion has, predictably, been condemnation. Nevertheless, qualifiers aside, there is no doubt that, at least in his expert opinion, thanks to multiplying breakthroughs in DNA research, the days of no racial differences in cognitive ability as settled science may well be numbered. Reich is explicit: I have deep sympathy for the concern that genetic discoveries could be misused to justify racism. But as a geneticist I also know that it is simply no longer possible to ignore average genetic differences among races. (snip) Is performance on an intelligence test or the number of years of school a person attends shaped by the way a person is brought up? Of course. But does it measure something having to do with some aspect of behavior or cognition? Almost certainly. And since all traits influenced by genetics are expected to differ across populations (because the frequencies of genetic variations are rarely exactly the same across populations), the genetic influences on behavior and cognition will differ across populations, too. Now for the $64 political questions: what might happen if a group of eminent scientists present a report (well call it The Report) demonstrating that after multiple careful studies, the overwhelming preponderance of scientific evidence confirms that (1) racial categories, understood as Caucasian, blacks, Asian and American Indian, are biological realities not social constructs and (2) Caucasians on average are more intelligent than blacks with East Asians (i.e., Chinese, Japanese and Korean) being smarter than whites and American Indians a bit smarter than blacks. To be sure, evidence for this race-related hierarchy of cognitive ability already abounds (see here and here, among many summaries of findings depicting this link) but what makes The Report significant is that these group differences and now scientifically proven to be substantially biologically based, not largely environmentally determined. For those anxious that this potential forthcoming explosive scientific truth will upend todays racial accommodations, let me predict that barely anything would change. All the talk of white racism, racial discrimination and other evils will not recede, while the flow of billions to close racial gaps and all the rest will scarcely be touched. On the other side, however, disappointment will await those who had hoped that biological science will, at long last, bring a color-blind, merit-based America. The Great Taboo will survive. Let me suggest why near-zero change if The Report finally arrives, if ever, of course. First, genetics is exceedingly complicated and abounds with myriad technical terms whose understanding require a decent knowledge of statistics. and leaving aside a provocative headline like Scientists prove whites smarter than blacks, The Report would draw scant popular attention. The New York Times, the Washington Post and the like will surely cover it, but beyond that, its hard to see ordinary folk paying serious attention. The left-leaning media might acknowledge it but only to condemn it as crackpot pseudo-science. At most, a few race realist websites would celebrate the findings, but this audience is tiny and even here, coverage will fade. This reaction would be totally unlike research about sex, for example, the Kinsey Report and the findings of Masters and Johnson, that became talked about best sellers with millions pouring over turgid analyses to extract hot nuggets about homosexuality or female orgasm. The Reports authors will also encourage public indifference by making it a formidable read, a tactic comparable to Victorians writing about sex by favoring Latin and impenetrable prose (try navigating Kraft-Ebbings Psychopathia Sexualis). It is also quite unlikely that fair-minded, more accessible versions will appear in magazines such as The Atlantic so non-specialists can see the evidence themselves. Such liberal-leaning magazines might well risk outraged subscribers canceling. Such obtuseness and reluctance to go public has a practical justification. Report authors would know full well the costs of racial heresy -- ad hominem denunciations, classroom disruptions, demands that this Nazi research be defunded and, no doubt, death threats. Recall how Harvards Edwin O. Wilson, the founder of sociobiology, was physically attacked at an academic conference, and he was only one of many who suffered this fate. Most likely, more than a few of The Report researchers would request anonymity. How many would defend their work on TV or pen an op-ed column? Not many, if any. Immense and very vocal opposition might kill The Report altogether. Guaranteed, there would be an avalanche of open letters, signed declarations and other hostile public outcries. Distinguished geneticists worried over their funding might join this vitriolic chorus and pick apart The Report for its premature conclusions. Add the usual collection of left-wing social justice academics who know little about genetics, calling themselves something like Professors Against Racism. And woe to anybody on campus who oppose their goodthink views. Given the risks of being associated with challenging Mother of All Taboo beliefs, opponents would out-number Report defenders at least 10 to 1. Forget about a marketplace of idea where scientific truth wins out by defeating falsehoods; a better parallel is a Tower of Babel, often filled with preposterous lies, that leaves the public confused -- a he say that, she say version of scientific debate. Within a few weeks the public will tire of the uncivil squabbling and news of The Report will fade. Recall the trajectory of The Bell Curve -- an uproar, endless unscientific name-calling followed by decades of amnesia. But most of all, The Report will not reverse race-related public policy for the simple reason that race relations in the US exists independently of scientific facts. Everything, top to bottom, is politically driven. Demands for well-paying set-aside jobs are impervious to IQ statistics, nor do college instructors stop hectoring whites for their unearned white privilege. Indeed, The Report might only exacerbated cries of institutional racism as opponents denounce it as typical white science that justifies white hegemony. To be blunt, The Report would not be exactly shockingly new news. Admissions officers at elite colleges have known for decades that blacks score well below whites and Asians on standardized tests, and this holds even for blacks from well-off families, and this enduring gap strongly hints of genetic differences, yet racial preferences continue. Moreover, the diversity defense has zero to do with genetics, so why drop racial preferences? Ditto for all the corporations, including the US military, that hire diversity specialists to attract more black and Hispanic workers. Has any diversity advocate ever talked about genetics? If one needs an historical parallel, consider those centuries back when many people believed that fact-based science would demolish religions with their alleged superstitions and fantasies. In sum, opponents of the racial preferences, affirmative action and all the rest are wasting their time by awaiting the Messiah of genetic research. Yes, scientifically verified truth is important, but in this instance, millions simply dont care, refuse to believe it or will vigorously defend falsehoods. Change is most likely to occur -- sad to say -- when bridges collapse, or airplanes fall from the sky, but until such catastrophes, the racial spoils system marches on. by Melanie Schefft 513-556-5213 Photos by: Andrew Higley/UC Creative Services April 16, 2018 What does it take to stand out in a graduating class of thousands? A lot when the competition is so stiff. The University of Cincinnati selected seven of the institutions graduating students who exemplify the ideals of the university for scholarship, leadership, character and service ideals upheld in UC's new Strategic Direction. President Neville Pinto honored five undergraduates with Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence awards and two graduate Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence winners at UCs All University Recognition Ceremony in TUCs Great Hall on Sunday, April 15. Each awardee received a special bronze medal featuring the university's crest on the front and the honored graduate's name on the back. The winners will also receive special acknowlegement at the spring commencement ceremonies on April 28. Since 2002, UCs president has bestowed the Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence award (PLME) to exceptional graduating students earning a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. For those who most highly exemplify scholarship, leadership, character and service, the 2018 awardees are Alesha Hamilton, Madelyn Leembruggen, Mitchell Phelps, Laura Mendez Ortiz and Liberty Shockley. For the second year, the Presidential Medal of Graduate Student Excellence (PMGSE) award has been conferred by the university president to extraordinary graduate students who have completed their masters or doctoral program. The winners for 2018 who best demonstrate the "ideals of the University of Cincinnati"are Ryan Makinson and Sheva Guy. UC undergraduate PLME awardees are: China's long-term program to leverage itself into a dominant position in the global high tech economy took a huge blow last week. Worst of all, the blow came at the hands of Japan, which remains the most hated foreign rival, thanks to its gruesome military and colonial history. Jeremy Burke of Business Insider reports: Researchers have found a deposit of rare-earth minerals off the coast of Japan that could supply the world for centuries, according to a new study. The study, published in the journal Nature on Tuesday, says the deposit contains 16 million tons of the valuable metals. Rare-earth minerals are used in everything from smartphone batteries to electric vehicles. By definition, these minerals contain one or more of 17 metallic rare-earth elements (for those familiar with the periodic table, those are on the second row from the bottom). These elements are actually plentiful in layers of the Earth's crust, but are typically widely dispersed. Because of that, it is rare to find any substantial amount of the elements clumped together as extractable minerals, according to the USGS. Currently, there are only a few economically viable areas where they can be mined and they're generally expensive to extract. China dominates the rare earth business and has been unafraid to exploit the leverage that this supplies. The sole U.S. rare earth mine, the Mountain Pass Mine, was driven into bankruptcy in 2015 by low prices and sold to a Chinese-led consortium, Shenghe Resources, in June 2017. This despite the fact that then-CIA director Mike Pompeo commented the month before that U.S. dependence on foreign sources of rare earths raises "real concerns." Mountain Pass Mine (photo credit: AlanM1). The acquisition must be approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), now notorious for approving Russia's acquisition of Uranium One, but there is no record of its decision discoverable by Google searches or contained in CFIUS's latest report to Congress. This budding Chinese monopoly now faces disruption by Japan, but exploitation of these deposits will not be quick or cheap: The deposits were found in the Pacific Ocean seabed near remote Minamitori Island, about 1,150 miles southeast of Tokyo. Extracting them would likely be costly, but resource-poor Japan is pushing ahead with research in hopes of getting more control over next-generation technologies and weapon systems. A roughly 965-square-mile seabed near the island contains more than 16 million tons of rare-earth oxides, estimated to hold 780 years' worth of the global supply of yttrium, 620 years' worth of europium, 420 years' worth of terbium and 730 years' worth of dysprosium, according to a study published this week in Nature Publishing Group's Scientific Reports. ... [I]solating rare-earth minerals from mud hundreds of meters underwater is expensive. More research needs to be done on methods of extracting the rare earths continuously, Prof. Takaya said. A Japanese consortium of government-backed entities, corporations including Toyota Motor Corp. and research institutions hopes to conduct a feasibility test within the next five years, the researchers said. Decades ago, I interviewed many Japanese business leaders in the world metals business responsible for developing reliable supplies of ferrous and non-ferrous ores, and I was deeply impressed by their commitment to ensuring strategic supplies, even though they were profit-driven businesses. They had a very long-term perspective, sinking huge sums into overseas projects to ensure predictable supplies. I have little doubt that the technological obstacles will be addressed with great vigor. Meanwhile, China must realize that the leverage available to it through domination of rare earths will diminish in the future. Will this tempt its leaders to act while that leverage remains strong? Hat tip: Karin McQuillan As unpopular as Donald Trump is, as much as he's hated by Democrats, and as much as he is a target of the media, the president may well win a second term in 2020. Why? Polls show that the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020 is former vice president Joe Biden. Biden has been running for president since at least 1988. He will be a few days short of 78 years old on election day in 2020. That he is the frontrunner says a lot about the Democratic Party, even in the age of Trump. Politico: What Biden should be asking is whether the party wants him, and not just whether he should seize his last chance. His advanced age Biden would be 78 years old at the time of his swearing-in isn't the main obstacle. While Biden's age would be a nonstarter in most presidential elections, if he continues to appear hale and hearty it would not be an insurmountable problem against Donald Trump, who would be 74 himself in 2020. Trump would also provide cover for another often-discussed Biden drawback: the overly familiar mannerisms that seem terribly out of place in the #MeToo era. Next to Trump's "Access Hollywood" tapes and the litany of sexual misconduct charges levied against the president, Biden's hands-iness barely registers. The bigger issue is whether there's a place for him atop the Democratic Party that's taking shape after the ruinous 2016 election cycle. This new iteration is unsentimental and unforgiving, and Biden has more than a few conspicuous Senate votes that demand a reckoning in the Trump-era Democratic Party. The growing strength of the Sanders-Warren wing of the party may be an illusion, or it may be real. As the primary season for Democrats moves on, we will get a much better picture of the influence of the radicals on the party, as there are several dozen Bernie Sanders acolytes running in open districts and in districts where GOP incumbents are vulnerable. It is entirely possible that the influence of the radicals will be much greater when 2020 rolls around, making a Biden run seem quaint. But, as the article mentions, he has several big advantages that cannot be dismissed, especially if, as expected, the primary field is crowded with a dozen or more candidates. Having former president Obama in your corner would also be a big plus, although Obama has made no comments about whether he would support his former vice president. A party that touts its appeal to youth may end up running at least three septuagenarians for president. Back in 2009, only months into the presidency, President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The committee was apparently impressed with his passion for speech. Why didn't they give it to Joan Baez? She's had a passion for peace for a long time. Eventually, the Nobel Committee regretted the decision. Wonder why... I just learned that President Obama has made his debut in the presidential rankings. He came in at #12, or a position closer to Lincoln and Washington than Buchanan. This is how they explained it: Presidential historians rated him highly for pursuing equal justice and for his skills at public persuasion. His signature domestic policy accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was unpopular with Republicans but extended health insurance coverage to 20 million more Americans. His administration helped guide the country through the great recession and rescued the U.S. auto industry. Historians in the C-SPAN survey gave him weaker marks for his dealings with Congress and international relations. This is a joke, and here is why: First, it is insane to even look a presidency 15 months after the president left office. Historians should give a president at least 25 years before they review anybody. Second, what public persuasion are they talking about? Didn't he have to use executive orders because he couldn't persuade anyone? Yes, he spoke well, but so do lots of other people. Third, the Affordable Care Act is not affordable, and it did not even accomplish its objectives of insuring people. Don't we hear from Democrats that there are lots of Americans without health insurance? How did that happen? Fourth, President Obama left the world in much worse shape than he inherited it from President Bush. Red line in Syria? Pulling troops out of Iraq? The expansion of ISIS? Obama was not the worst president in U.S. history. However, it's hard to see him as anything more than mediocre. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. One of Iran's most important enablers, according to internationally acclaimed columnist Caroline Glick, is Germany and its president, Angela Merkel. As the U.S. is looking to tighten up the Iranian nuclear deal, Germany is running interference for Iran with our European allies, who are currently engaged in intense negotiations with the U.S. to rein in Iran's missile program and prevent it from restarting its drive for a nuclear weapon. This may still not be enough to save the deal, as Donald Trump has made it clear that the agreement must be dramatically improved before he will agree to continue it. But Glick says Germany has refused to agree to reintroduce sanctions against Iran. Breitbart: For the past several weeks, administration officials have told reporters that Germany is selling Iran technology that Iran is using to help the Assad regime replenish its chemical weapons stocks. Last week, the Jerusalem Post reported that the Germany's Krempel Group provided components found on the Iranian rockets used by the Syrian regime in its chemical attack in Douma. The German government refused to comment on Krempel's apparent contribution to Assad's deployment of chemical weapons against civilians. As for the nuclear deal with Iran, according to administration officials involved in negotiations with the Europeans to amend the deal, Germany is the principle obstacle to substantive changes to the agreement. According a report in the Washington Free Beacon, a U.S. official said that Germany refuses to agree to apply sanctions against Iran for its development of ballistic weapons. Rather than sanctioning Iran for its ballistic missile development, which the administration has determined violates the spirit of the agreement as well as binding UN Security Council resolutions, according to the administration official, "the Germans say the West should simply keep waiving sanctions and offer to negotiate with Iran on its missile program by offering the regime more economic incentives in exchange for JCPOA-like concessions on the missiles." As for Hezbollah, Germany has stopped Europe from taking more decisive action. As Benjamin Weinthal from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies has noted, Germany for years blocked efforts by European Union members, particularly the Netherlands, to label Hezbollah a terror group. Underpinning Germany's behavior was an unspoken agreement with the terror group that Hezbollah can operate in Europe on condition that it doesn't attack European targets. Since the sanctions were eased, Germany has benefited from trade with Iran more than any other European country. You hate to think it's all a matter of dollars and cents, but there really is no other explanation. And that friendliness extends to the Lebanese terrorist group Hezb'allah. It bears noting that Germany's central role in empowering Iran and Hezb'allah undermines the central rationale of Germany's postwar governance. For 70 years, the Federal Republic of Germany has insisted that it learned the lessons of its past aggression and crimes against humanity. After fomenting two world wars and carrying out the most egregious genocide in human history, the Germans insist they abjure aggression and take seriously their "special responsibility" to protect the Jewish state. But Germany's treatment of Iran and Hezbollah on the one hand, and its treatment of Israel on the other hand, indicate that whatever lessons the Germans may have learned, they missed the two most important ones. First: If you wish to prevent a world war, you shouldn't empower forces that seek to initiate one. And second: If you are committed to preventing evildoers from enacting another Holocaust, you shouldn't enable evildoers committed to annihilating the Jewish state from acquiring the means to do so. Glick is not some wild-eyed Zionist nutcase. Her perspective is always valuable because of her excellent sources and keen mind in analyzing the Iranian threat. The points she makes about Germans enabling Tehran not only to carry out violence in Syria, but also to threaten the Jewish state should be heeded as Trump looks to force Iran to accept changes to the nuclear deal or, failing that, to scrap the deal altogether. I restrained myself from commenting on the suicide to protest global warming of "famed gay rights lawyer" David Buckel for the last two days because, quite frankly, my first reactions were inappropriate laughter at what must be regarded as a human tragedy. "What was the carbon footprint of dousing himself in flammables and releasing into the atmosphere all the carbon in a carbon-based life form?" was the first thought I had. But after all, this is a human being, so I hesitated to mock. After some reflection, I see that this is a tragedy in the Greek sense of the word, being based on a fatal human flaw. The New York Daily News reported: The charred remains of David Buckel, 60, were discovered shortly after sunrise when firefighters responded to a 6:40 a.m. blaze in the southwest corner of the sprawling Brooklyn park. "I am David Buckel and I just killed myself by fire as a protest suicide," read a hand-written suicide note left near the blackened circle of burned grass. "I apologize to you for the mess." A second, longer note left with the first inside an envelope marked "For the police" said Buckel doused himself in "fossil fuel" before starting the fatal fire as a metaphor for the destruction of the planet. "My early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves," he wrote. "A lifetime of service may best be preserved by giving a life . . . Honorable purpose in life invites honorable purchase in death. "I hope it is an honorable death that might serve others." In an email sent to the New York Times literally minutes before his suicide, he elaborated: "Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather," he wrote in the email sent to The Times. "Most humans on the planet now breathe air made unhealthy by fossil fuels, and many die early deaths as a result my early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves." In his note, which was received by The Times at 5:55 a.m., Mr. Buckel discussed the difficulty of improving the world even for those who make vigorous efforts to do so. Privilege, he said, was derived from the suffering of others. "Many who drive their own lives to help others often realize that they do not change what causes the need for their help," Mr. Buckel wrote, adding that donating to organizations was not enough. Noting that he was privileged with "good health to the final moment," Mr. Buckel said he wanted his death to lead to increased action. "Honorable purpose in life invites honorable purpose in death," he wrote. The police said Mr. Buckel was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. in what they said was a suicide. Buckel was no loser with no prospects. He is someone who had a big hand in changing the way American law and public opinion regard marriage: Mr. Buckel was the lead attorney in Brandon v. County of Richardson, in which a Nebraska county sheriff was found liable for failing to protect Brandon Teena, a transgender man who was murdered in Falls City, Neb. Hilary Swank won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Mr. Teena in the 1999 movie "Boys Don't Cry." While serving as marriage project director and senior counsel at Lambda Legal, a national organization that fights for the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Mr. Buckel was the strategist behind important same-sex marriage [sic] cases in New Jersey and Iowa. Lambda Legal credited Mr. Buckel for focusing the organization on the rights of lesbian, gay and transgender youth. One of the cases Mr. Buckel spearheaded, Nabozny v. Podlesny, was the first time a federal court ruled that schools have an obligation to prevent the bullying of gay students, said Camilla Taylor, acting legal director at Lambda Legal. Mr. Buckel also guided Lambda Legal's national work to allow gay people to marry [sic]. In another case he led, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples and their children were harmed because they were excluded from the rights granted via marriage. When Mr. Buckel suggested filing a lawsuit for gay marriage [sic] in Iowa in 2005, it was legal only in Massachusetts. Reportedly, Buckel recently "turned his attention" to apocalyptic predictions of climate disaster, which he fully bought into, presumably based on the phony scientific consensus propagated by the fraudsters who have to "adjust" real data in order to make their hypothesis slightly plausible. The fraudsters know well that the human mind is vulnerable to predictions of apocalypse, and that encouraging panic is a great way to generate money. Buckel was taken in by the panic, and, having vanquished his opponents in the marriage and transgenderism arenas, was convinced that he had a mission to save humanity that could be advanced by a dramatic self-immolation. The Daily News account states that he likened himself to the Tibetan monks who self-immolated to protest China's occupation of their country. Perhaps, at age 60, he was too young to remember a much more heavily publicized series of self-immolations carried out by Buddhist monks in South Vietnam in the 1960s, to protest U.S. backing of the Diem regime, which was headed by Catholics. Journalist Malcolm Browne's photograph of Quang uc during his self-immolation; a similar photograph won the 1963 World Press Photo of the Year. Via Wikipedia. Journalist Malcolm Browne's photograph of Quang uc during his self- immolation; a similar photograph won the 1963 World Press Photo of the Year. via Wikipedia But Buckel forgot to wait for the cameras to record his suicide. His previous tools had been words, and they worked brilliantly in the legal arena. But in swaying public opinion, images are everything. The widely photographed and publicized monk suicides helped end the Diem regime through forcing withdrawal of U.S. support, which led to a coup. I am actually very sad for Buckel, and for his friends and family. He is a victim of hucksters who scared him and countless schoolchildren into panic. The fraudsters continue to fly on private jets and occupy multiple lavish residences, which people genuinely convinced that the end is near would shun. His death is tragic, but it is also really, really stupid, once again proving that smart people, when beyond their sphere of expertise, can be deeply dumb, because they have no humility. The Greeks called it "hubris." The transcript is out of James Comey's vaunted interview with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos. It's a long one, and it's not a pretty picture. What stands out about it is Comey's nauseating claims to a sort of theologically influenced self-examination, always coming to the conclusion that he acted in good conscience and now he's got lots to teach young people about all of his wonderful leadership decisions. No matter how bad these decisions have been, how obviously politically skewed, how career ladder-oriented, or how unethical, Comey always comes out on top, his integrity ever fattened by the experience. Here's a gag-inducing sample from this political lizard, and don't think there aren't more peppering the entire interview: JAMES COMEY: First and foremost, it's someone who realizes that lasting values have to be at the center of their leadership. Whether they're in government or in the private sector or leading a university, they have to focus on things like fairness and integrity and, most of all, the truth. That the truth matters. Give us a break. Comey justifies early bad decisions in his career, such as the prosecution of Martha Stewart, a bum rap prosecution if there ever was one, with dog whistles to the left about racism, claiming he had prosecuted a black reverend in Virginia for lying to the FBI, so he had to prosecute Martha Stewart, too. The fact that he wouldn't name the reverend pretty well tells us he didn't want us to look at that case too closely for what he claims are parallels. Then he let Bill Clinton off the hook in his last-hour pardoning of monster felon fugitive Marc Rich, whose wife was a close Hillary Clinton ally, babbling on about how the pardon was unprecedented and then casually saying he found nothing actionable. George Stephanopoulos let him walk with that one, and they moved on. JAMES COMEY: That's right. When I became U.S. attorney in Manhattan after 9/11, I inherited from my predecessor, Mary Jo White, an investigation into whether there was any corruption associated with a pardon that President Clinton had given to a fugitive named Marc Rich and his codefendant, Pincus Green. These were guys who had been charged with a massive tax fraud case and and trading with the enemy and had fled to Switzerland and had been there for many years. And President Clinton, on his way out the door, pardoned them, which was extraordinary. Actually, I've never heard of another case where a fugitive from justice was pardoned. And so the F.B.I. and the U.S. attorney's office were investigating were there promised contributions made to the Clinton Library or something else to secure that pardon. And so as the new boss in Manhattan, I oversaw that. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And what you found? JAMES COMEY: Concluded there was not sufficient evidence to bring any charges in that case. And so we closed it. So much for leadership or integrity in that one. We all know that Comey knew which way the wind was blowing. Not long after that little favor to the Clintons, Comey got the job he was angling for: to lead the FBI. One hand washes the other, right, Jim? And sure enough, he kept delivering the favors for Hillary when the matter of her email mishandling came up, something he continues to insist was just "extremely careless" quite unlike his harsh prosecution of General Petraeus, who let classified information lie around in a backpack and let his mistress who also had a security clearance look at it. Somehow, the mistress was worse than Anthony Weiner? Steph never got around to that comparison. This is just a flavor of the interview, a whiff of Comey attempting to extol his own "character" and brand himself as man of integrity. The other element that comes out (badly for Comey) is his stated aim at revenge against President Trump for throwing him out. Look at this gag-inducing exchange: GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Are we losing it? JAMES COMEY: I think we are in part. But I think the strength of this country is that we're going to outlast it. That there will be damage to that norm. But I liken President Trump in the book to a forest fire. Going to do tremendous damage. Going to damage those important norms. But a forest fire gives healthy things a chance to grow that had no chance before that fire. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: How do we put it out? JAMES COMEY: We put it out in two ways. We put it out first by not becoming numb to the fact that the truth is being assailed every day. By not deciding that it's just too much to pay attention to because that's the path to losing truth as the central value in this country. So all of us have to constantly be involved and call it out when we see the truth endangered, when we see lying. And then next, we need to get involved. The American people need to stand up in the public square and in the voting booth and say, "Look, we disagree about an awful lot. But we have in common something that matters enormously to this country. And our leaders must reflect those values." Farther down in the interview, he also reiterates his desire to Get Trump. A CBS columnist from the right calls the Comey book junk and says it's not going to move the needle against Trump as Comey hopes. Thomas Lifson's must-read item from Sunday exposes the fraudery quite impressively here, too. The problem with this whole thing is that it centers on Comey's effort to portray himself as a man of integrity and light. This, despite having to repeatedly explain all the bad decisions he made that reflect just the opposite the acts of a partisan hack and these charges against him have been going on for years. Everything seems to be an exception. Here's a piece of news for Comey: if you have to keep claiming you have integrity, saying it loud, saying it proud, it's pretty obvious to the rest of us that you don't have any. James Comey's bid to throw former attorney general Loretta Lynch under the bus isn't going over well, at least with Lynch. According to a report in Axios, which includes a long, blathering statement from Lynch: Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch released a statement on Sunday, saying that she and former FBI Director James Comey have known each other almost 30 years, and "he had ample opportunities to raise" any concerns he had over the Department of Justice's investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails, but "[h]e never did." The backdrop: Per CNN, Comey says in his forthcoming book that he found evidence that "would undoubtedly have been used by political opponents to cast serious doubt on the attorney general's independence in connection with the Clinton investigation." Her objection stems from this report that ran on Fox News a couple days ago: James Comey's cryptic reference in his new book to "a development still unknown to the American public" involving then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Hillary Clinton email probe is sparking furious speculation inside and outside the Beltway. According to ABC News, Comey writes in "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership," that he became the public face of the investigation partly because of the mysterious development which he felt could cast "serious doubt" on Lynch's independence. "Had it become public, the unverified material would undoubtedly have been used by political opponents to cast serious doubt on the attorney general's independence in connection with the Clinton investigation," Comey writes, according to ABC. He calls the material a "development still unknown to the American public to this day." My reaction at the time to this was: "Oh, what a carnival barker. Anything to sell a book." It is a funny fight to pick, given that both Comey and Lynch are leftists as well as swamp things, and both have vested interests in protecting Hillary Clinton. Now we've got Lynch mad at Comey and Comey throwing another one under the bus to make himself appear virtuous in comparison (and richer as he sells books). Sundance, over at The Last Refuge, has some interesting theories about why this is happening. Could it have been related to the Eric Garner case, where a man who sold "loosey" single cigarettes on the street in Staten Island found himself in a chokehold by the NYPD and died from it, yet the officers involved got no charges? That seemed like a bad case where the cops got off, given that they were using illegal arrest techniques over a very stupid crime that at best deserved a ticket and a fine, or better still, no action at all, given the punitive leftist taxes on cigarettes that created the "loosey" market in the first place. The cops protect their own, and so the question is raised, given that Lynch was a district attorney in New York in 2014, when it happened: was there some kind of leverage when the Huma Abedin emails of Hillary Clinton's mishandling of classified information turned up on child-molester Anthony Weiner's computer and the cops wanted an arrest? The Weiner emails would have been bad for Hillary Clinton's presidential prospects, while the cop union might have wanted its own members to walk in this case, so one wonders if there was a tradeoff and Lynch was involved. It's tangled stuff and highly speculative, so see what Sundance has here. Sundance also points to a prediction made by Blackwater founder Eric Prince: Prince claimed he had insider knowledge of the investigation that could help explain why FBI Director James Comey had to announce he was reopening the investigation into Clinton's email server last week. "Because of Weinergate and the sexting scandal, the NYPD started investigating it. Through a subpoena, through a warrant, they searched his laptop, and sure enough, found those 650,000 emails. They found way more stuff than just more information pertaining to the inappropriate sexting the guy was doing," Prince claimed. "They found State Department emails. They found a lot of other really damning criminal information, including money laundering, including the fact that Hillary went to this sex island with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Bill Clinton went there more than 20 times. Hillary Clinton went there at least six times," he said. "The amount of garbage that they found in these emails, of criminal activity by Hillary, by her immediate circle, and even by other Democratic members of Congress was so disgusting they gave it to the FBI, and they said, 'We're going to go public with this if you don't reopen the investigation and you don't do the right thing with timely indictments,'" Prince explained. "I believe I know, and this is from a very well-placed source of mine at 1PP, One Police Plaza in New York the NYPD wanted to do a press conference announcing the warrants and the additional arrests they were making in this investigation, and they've gotten huge pushback, to the point of coercion, from the Justice Department, with the Justice Department threatening to charge someone that had been unrelated in the accidental heart attack death of Eric Garner almost two years ago. So maybe this is what Comey had in mind as he and Lynch now mix it up. It sounds like a rat-king dynamic: rats with their tails tied together. We should do all we can to egg this feud on so that the truth about what was going on among the Obama leftists can finally become known. President Obama was always big on forcing bad things down the throat of the American voter and consumer. "Time to eat your peas!" he told Congress in 2011, foisting a massive hike in government spending on a Republican Congress in 2011. Obama was "the good parent" (to all us unruly, uppity young 'uns in the lowly electorate), and President Trump is all about eating candy, as Michelle Obama put it this year, in another example. And of course, there was Obamacare. One of the worst things Obama tried to foist on us was in his executive orders to raise fuel standards on automakers in the name of going green, as if such technology could be commanded into existence, and more importantly, as if consumers would be happy buying ugly, European-style blatt-blatt cars they didn't like. Even Axios, a left-leaning news site, finds that one a no-go, arguing that such standards should be at least reformed, even as the rest of us think they should be scrapped. An Axios columnist, Any Harder, writes: Of all the environmental regulations President Trump is rolling back, the one that makes the most sense to rewrite but not repeal are the fuel-efficiency standards former President Obama issued in 2012. The bottom line: That's the conclusion of independent experts, and it's driven by two significant changes we've seen since 2012: lower gasoline prices and the politics of a rushed Obama administration regulatory review. Gasoline prices have dropped and revived Americans' longstanding preference for pickup trucks and SUVs over smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. The Obama administration also cut short a technical review of the standard in November 2016 after Trump's surprise election victory. "If we force manufacturers to develop vehicles that consumers don't want to buy, they may end up keeping their existing cars longer and delay the greening of the fleet." Rebecca Lindland, analyst with Kelley Blue Book, an automotive research company OK, she makes excuses for Obama, as if he were the kind of guy who actually wanted to do good, and hastens to say vaguely that the Environmental Protection Agency should only "rewrite" rather than dump the whole setup, but still. It goes to show that the problem with central planning is that consumers change their behavior in response to fiats from above. Obama always believed that economies as well as technologies could be commanded, and consumers would just take it, particularly if government could take away all their other choices. It's a typical Democrat attitude remember how Bernie Sanders, during his days of praising Chavista Venezuela, objected to Americans having too many choices of deodorant on store shelves? Obama is not at all different, and in his rulemaking, he never understood that command decisions from central planners would always lead to changes in...consumer behavior, unintended consequences. In this case, if Obama commanded that only repellent cars be allowed on the market in the name of going green, consumers didn't just take it they responded by delaying their purchases of new cars so they could keep the cars they liked longer. Nobody could make them buy a car they didn't like. Markets run on willing buyers and willing sellers, not just sellers following the Obama green fantasy. Obamatons never calculated that one happening. So Obama never got the brave new world of green he had always dreamed of by taking away consumer choices. The only thing that can be added about this is that if Axios thinks it's bad, it must be really bad. One more reason to scrap the thing entirely and let the markets decide just how green America wants to be. Graphic by James Adcock, Wikimedia. This past Friday, April 13, I attended a small gathering at the University of Toledo campus entitled "Israel: Democracy or Apartheid State?," sponsored by the local chapter of the notorious Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The guest speaker was Josh Ruebner, policy director for the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights. It proved to be an educational experience. The audience of around 30 people included primarily SJP members, with a few other curious, if sympathetic, students and non-students. Also present was Mike Galbraith, who is running as a Democrat for the 5th Congressional District (my district). When I arrived before the meeting began, Mr. Galbraith was engaged in a friendly and animated discussion with Mr. Ruebner. The talk initially centered on recent events in Gaza. Mr. Ruebner went on in great detail about gross violations of human rights allegedly carried out by Israeli forces in response to the "march of return" currently being organized by Hamas and Israeli oppression and discrimination against Palestinians in general. I have only once before experienced such an unending stream of undiluted vitriol directed at Israel, and that was during the U.T. student government BDS vote meeting I attended there two years ago. One striking aspect of Mr. Ruebner's diatribe was that he never made a single reference to any Palestinian leadership organization. The Palestinians were simply referred to as just that, a seemingly hapless collection of victims being targeted by Israel, with no leadership or representation of any kind simply persecuted and deprived of their rights. There was no reference made to the P.A. or the PLO, and certainly not to Hamas (I could not even get him to say the word more on this in a moment). Of course, he also did not make any reference to the severe denial of Palestinian rights in other neighboring countries, at least until I forced him to address this during the Q&A portion, which brings us to the most revealing part of the event. Most of the questions were sympathetic, as one would expect, given the composition of the audience. One woman, for example, asked how one could deal with the common perception that being critical of Israel is synonymous with being anti-Semitic. Here I saw a major opening when it was my turn to participate. I pointed out that Gaza is bordered not simply by Israel, but also by Egypt in the west. I described how Egypt had tightly sealed the border there and that even if Ruebner's claims of Israel's oppression of the Palestinians were true and I disputed these how is it that only Israel is held responsible? I asked why he wants to boycott only Israel. He replied that he would also like to boycott Egypt, so I laid out his real agenda, telling him and those gathered that he hadn't even mentioned Egypt until I had brought it up, that his focus on only the Jewish state of two states "oppressing" the Palestinians in Gaza is a perfect example of how people like him are in fact promoting Jew-hatred with their activities. I also pointed out that 95% of the Palestinian Arabs in the disputed territories are in fact under Palestinian administration; courts, schools, police, etc. Consequently, isn't it the Palestinian leaders who are denying the human rights of their subjects? He replied to the effect that while he condemns the treatment of Palestinians by the P.A., he accused them of simply "doing Israel's dirty work." Then I brought up Gaza. I asked him point blank: who is ruling Gaza? He did not answer me directly; instead, he went into a treatise on how even though Israeli forces are no longer physically in Gaza, it is "occupied" nonetheless because of Israeli control of their airspace, access by sea, and so on. So I insisted: "Who is governing them? What is Hamas? A bunch of potted plants?" He did not reply except with the snide, condescending remark, "Some people simply refuse to be educated," to which I shot back, "I could easily accuse you of the same thing!" However, the best was yet to come. Another gentleman a Kuwaiti student on the other side of the room also made some comments. He related how Kuwait, before the first Gulf War, had given "everything" to the Palestinians. The Kuwaitis had invited hundreds of thousands of them into the country, giving them jobs, medical care, and money for their cause against Israel. Palestinians made up a large portion of their immediate pre-war population. Then came the invasion by Saddam, and the Palestinians sold out their hosts to the invading forces. He said that in Kuwait today, there is not a single family that did not lose two, three, four people due to the treachery of the Palestinians. He described how even now, in Palestinian-controlled areas, there are statues honoring Saddam Hussein. He concluded by comparing the Palestinians to the Israelis, saying, in effect, that "even if Israel has done some bad things, whatever they have done, the Palestinians are ten times worse"! This truly got the audience squirming and clearly had the speaker uncomfortable. The latter tried to fob off the Kuwaiti's comments by admitting that the Palestinians had done some "stupid things," that he condemned the killing of innocents anywhere, and that he "disputed" some of what the Kuwaiti had claimed (without being specific). After the event, I spoke with the Kuwaiti student. Some of his observations and revelations were eye-opening. First, he said he agreed with everything I had said, except for one thing. He was "heart broke," he said, any time I used the phrase "Palestinian Arab." He was insistent that they are not "Arabs." He gave the example of the United States: "Just because you all speak English here, does that make you English people?" He described the real Arabs as those being from the Gulf States and declared that the other peoples of the region, while they may speak Arabic, are from other tribes representing other peoples and cultures. He also was encouraged and enthusiastic about the growing cooperation between the Gulf Arabs and Israel against Iran. Finally, and most fascinating, was his discussion of the Muslim Brotherhood, who he claimed (accurately) is the primary source of material support for the Palestinian movement as represented by groups such as SJP. He stated that the Muslim Brotherhood had largely been kicked out of the Arab Middle East; that most of the countries there are no longer providing them money and are in fact closely monitoring cash transactions to ensure that they don't get any; and that the Muslim Brotherhood's main source of financial support is now the United States and the United Kingdom, along with other European countries. I pulled up an email from a friend on SJP. It contained a direct quote from the founder and president of SJP at Wayne State University, Summer Baraka, that said, "We want a revolution that protects our nation and erases Israel." I confronted a member of the audience, a college professor, with this, as to whether or not she also thought Israel should be "erased." At first she was evasive, but ultimately, she declared that Israel is a "racist, supremacist" state that, as such, really ought not exist. When I told her that with such attitudes, peace is not possible at all, this did not faze her a bit. I also made sure that the visiting congressional candidate saw that quote, just so he would be aware of precisely what he is supporting with his presence and his amity toward the speaker. The unspoken subtext of this entire program was that Israel is simply beyond redemption and does not deserve to exist at all. On the one hand, the event reassured me that in the main, Israel is "winning" her war of the Palestinian movement against her. The crowd was small and not particularly diverse, except for my two friends, myself, and the Kuwaiti fellow. The visiting speaker was preaching to the hardcore choir and not exactly making new "converts." Despite the likes of Josh Ruebner crowing about BDS, Israel's economy is stronger than ever. Outside the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, no one else is in a position to seriously challenge Israel on the battlefield. And while the polarization of American attitudes toward Israel is a matter of real concern, broadly speaking, American public support of Israel is as great as or greater than it has ever been. Israel's erstwhile local mortal adversaries apart from Iran, Syria, and the P.A.-PLO-Hamas-Hezb'allah nexus are now becoming de facto partners against common enemies and have largely abandoned the Palestinian insurgent movement. I am unsettled by this sobering fact: it is undeniable that a significant portion of what now passes for our mainstream political cultural landscape is aligning with constituencies who are perfectly fine with the dismantling or destruction of the world's one and only Jewish state by any means possible. Tim Draper is a rich man, but he understands he doesn't know it all. His first attempt to divide California into six states made little sense. So he went out and got some people who are experts on the subject. The result, Cal 3, is a political masterpiece. This could work. When California was admitted to the Union in 1850, it had only 92,000 people, most of them scrambling for gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. That's why California's county lines are so screwy. Los Angeles County now has 10,000,000 people. Alpine County has 1,000. Cal 3 divides the state along lines that make geographic, cultural, and political sense. The population is divided roughly into thirds. North and South are still very large states, and what's left of California would be a medium-size state. In order for this to work, it will need to get a majority not just of the total vote. Majorities will be needed in all three prospective states. Looking at this map makes me think that could happen, for one important reason: partisan politics. The Democrats in Washington, D.C. are going to love this idea. Now California has two Democratic senators. Under Cal 3, it will have four Democratic senators from ultra-blue North California and California. The two senators from South California will be up for grabs. Democrats could pick off one of them or even two. The Democrats will not lose Senate seats, but they might gain one or two. For a D, what's not to like? Plus somebody gets to fill these new Senate seats. People's eyes will light up. If the Democrats win control of both House and Senate this year, they would have an incentive to support Cal 3. The backing of President Trump can be negotiated. He's always open to a deal, as long as there's something in it for him. The congressional grant of statehood has always been a purely political question. Everything depends on which party is in power in Washington, and whose ox is being gored. West Virginia's separation from Virginia in 1863 was political, because of the Civil War. Nevada was admitted on October 31, 1864, a week before the presidential election. The Republicans wanted to give Lincoln a three-electoral vote cushion. Nevada filled the bill, even though it had less than 7,000 people in the 1860 census. Alaska and Hawaii came into the Union in 1959 as a result of a political deal between Republicans and Democrats. Solidly Democratic Alaska was offset by reliably Republican Hawaii. How times change. Every congressional candidate in California will be asked if he'll support Cal 3 in Congress, if the voters want it. How can they say no? Likewise with candidates for the state legislature and governor. Everyone will want to abide by the wishes of a majority of new California, North California, and South California. Though I am a spiritual Alaskan, I was born, raised, educated, married, and retired in northern California. Since I was a kid in the 1950s, everybody has been complaining about L.A. In the Bay Area, people look down on Angelenos, and they steal our water. I'm sure the Bay Area isn't all that popular down south, either. When differences are irreconcilable, it's time to break up. Fritz Pettyjohn is retired from the Alaska state Senate. He was appointed by Alaska Senate president Pete Kelly to represent the Senate at the 2017 Phoenix Convention of States. He blogs at ReaganProject.com. B&H Photo has taken $5 off of the price of the Google Chromecast (second generation), bringing the price down to $30. This brings it back down to its all-time lowest price. So while not a huge price cut, it is the cheapest it has ever been, and makes it easy to stock up on some to hand out for gifts in the coming weeks and months. The Google Chromecast is a dongle that is plugged into your TV and allows you to essentially stream content from your smartphone onto your TV. Chromecast support is built into a number of apps, in fact most apps have it now. Allowing you to send that content to your TV with a single press of a button. And now you dont need to be on the same WiFi network to Cast it. Its a very simple HDMI dongle for your TV, but it can really work some wonders, for those that have cut the cord, but dont necessarily want to spend $200 on a NVIDIA SHIELD TV or even $70 on a higher-end Roku set-top box. The Chromecast works with both iOS and Android smartphones, it also works on anything that runs Chrome. As you can stream things from your browser right onto your TV. For $30, this is an absolute steal, even at $35 its a steal. So go ahead and pick yours up from B&H Photo before stock runs out. At B&H Photo, you do get free expedited shipping, and if you purchase before 4PM EST today, it will ship from its New York City warehouse today. Those that live closer to the State of New York will get it sooner, but it should arrive within two business days. Theres no taxes being collected unless you reside in the state of New York or New Jersey. Google Arts & Culture is teaming up with digital preservation firm CyArk to digitize the worlds endangered heritage sites and cultural touchstones. Every day, natural disasters, normal processes like wind erosion, and human meddling all chip away at and destroy a large number of precious heritage sites and cultural works around the world. CyArk wants to help with that by capturing and preserving these sites in digital form, and now Google is on board to help by giving CyArks vast collection a place for the public to easily access it in a variety of forms. Users can enjoy 3D and VR tours of 25 locations across 18 countries, with both computer-based and smartphone-based VR solutions on board. CyArk was founded by Ben Kacyra, the inventor of the worlds first 3D laser scanner, after seeing ancient monuments destroyed by war and terrorism. He brought his intention to bear for the sake of preserving world heritage. The company has gone on to preserve a large number of iconic sites the world over, including some that have since been damaged or destroyed. One example of this is Bagan, Myanmar. Here, an earthquake in 2016 damaged many of the citys heritage sites, but not before CyArk came along to 3D scan one of the larger temples and even map out a photo-generated texture for the entire model. This means that anybody with a VR headset can walk around the temple, take in its design, and drink in its vast scale. Google Arts & Culture has gained a reputation as one of the worlds premier sources for digital representations of famous artworks and landmarks. The venture has even created new and derivative works that allow people to experience some pieces to a deeper degree, such as a 3D exhibit based on famous paintings by Bruegel the Elder. This partnership sees Google Arts & Culture poised to become the definitive source of archaeological and cultural history site tours for the everyman. In a global economy that makes travel forbidding while the technology needed to immerse oneself in a virtual world gets ever cheaper, such easy availability of digital tours is arguably one of the best possible ways to preserve history, culture, and ancient architecture. It seems like OnePlus really is preparing to announce a special edition variant of the OnePlus 6, which will probably be announced soon after an official launch of the device. We are talking about an Avengers version of the phone here (which will presumably be called the OnePlus 6: Infinity War Edition), as the company has just released some new info via Weibo (Chinese social network). OnePlus did not mention a special edition OnePlus 6, nor did the company mention the OnePlus 6 at all at this point, but it did mention an upcoming Avengers movie, the Avengers: Infinity War. In its post, OnePlus asked its fans to pay close attention to its Weibo account over the next couple of days, and name their favorite Marvel superheroes, their favorite OnePlus handset, and upload some cosplay images. Fans who upload the best cosplay images will be able to win tickets for the Avengers: Infinity War movie. OnePlus would not advertise this movie just for the sake of it, theres more brewing under the surface here, almost certainly. This is not the first instance OnePlus mentioned Avengers, however, the company slipped up and shared an official video teaser, which hinted that a special edition OnePlus 6 is coming. That teaser was deleted soon after publishing, but various users managed to download it beforehand, and its still live on YouTube. That teaser, in combination with OnePlus Weibo post definitely point to the direction of a special edition OnePlus 6 handset, and that should not surprise anyone, as the company already collaborated with Disney, a special Star Wars edition of the OnePlus 5T was announced a while back. The OnePlus 6 will be announced in the near future, but we still do not know when exactly. The company had released a number of teasers thus far, but a release date was not announced, though it probably will be soon, as the device is expected to arrive in later April or early May. The OnePlus 6 will be fueled by the Snapdragon 845 64-bit octa-core SoC, while its top variant will include 8GB of RAM and 256GB of native storage. The phone will sport a frame made out of metal, wood-like back, and a display notch, while OnePlus is expected to release both 6GB and 8GB RAM variants of the device, with different storage setups. Chinas regulatory process is reportedly causing a delay to Qualcomms bid to purchase NXP Semiconductors for a potential amount of $44 billion as well as Toshibas proposal to sell its chip business to a Bain Capital-led consortium for $19 billion, recent reports suggest. It is understood that the turbulent trade relationship between the United States and China have been prolonging the Chinese regulatory reviews over the two negotiations. This is despite the assurance made last month by Wang Qishan, the Vice President of the Peoples Republic of China, that Qualcomms acquisition bid will be spared from political issues. This is not the first time, though, that Qualcomms NXP acquisition proposal has been stalled by Chinas regulatory reviews. Last February, Qualcomm extended its offer to purchase the Dutch chip maker as the American semiconductor manufacturer awaited final approval of the deal from China. A month later, the same fate befell the merger offer amid Broadcoms growing ambition to buy Qualcomm. Also earlier this month, Qualcomm announced yet another extension to the deadline for its bid to acquire NXP. The delays are understood to be due to Beijings increasing effort to pressure Qualcomm to agree to more economic protections for Chinese companies. China has jurisdiction over the deal because both Qualcomm and NXP conduct business in the country on a significant scale. For the same reason, the bid also underwent review by authorities in South Korea, European Union, and other locations where both companies operate. Nonetheless, the merger proposal already received a go signal from regulators in the other countries. In April last year, the antitrust regulators in the United States approved Qualcomms acquisition of NXP, allowing the company to move forward with the deal without any regulatory restraints in the future. Last January, the European Commission and Korea Fair Trade Commission approved Qualcomms proposed purchase of NXP, leaving China as the only remaining country that has yet to greenlight the transaction. However, Qualcomm Chief Executive Officer Steve Mollenkopf said at the time that he was optimistic about the prospect that Beijing will someday clear the deal, though the firm has yet to provide a new timeframe for the completion of one of the biggest acquisitions in the tech industry. The British government is now warning wireless carriers in the country against using networking equipment from Chinese tech giant ZTE, Financial Times reports, citing a letter sent to domestic telecoms by Ian Levy, the National Cyber Security Centres Technical Director. The communication that was also addressed to the United Kingdoms telecom authority Ofcom and ZTE itself claims the Chinese firms hardware is a risk to UK national security and shouldnt be utilized in the context of any infrastructural deployments. While the move is similar to the one Washington recently made as part of its efforts to put a stop to ZTEs stateside ambitions in the wireless segment, it comes shortly after another Chinese company and ZTEs rival Huawei pledged to invest over $4 billion in the UK after already pumping nearly $3 billion in the country. Huawei and ZTE have largely received the same treatment from Washington in regards to their ambitions to do large-scale business in the U.S., yet the British government appears to only be concerned with the smaller company and one thats directly owned by Beijing, partially because Huawei is already entrenched in its infrastructure. ZTE has a relatively minor presence in the British wireless industry, with its only major project in the segment being a broad R&D collaboration with telecom giant BT. Mr. Levy attributed the new warning against ZTE to a number of recently introduced Chinese laws that provide Beijing with wide-ranging powers of compulsion when it comes to forcing companies to do its bidding such as spying on users. The letter acknowledges the UKs current reliance on Huawei-made wireless technologies but reveals that the government already has policies and solutions in place meant to mitigate the risk of foreign interference with its critical networks. The Government Communications Headquarters presently has a special unit solely dedicated to monitoring Huaweis hardware used by the European country. Huawei has been saying its widely reported ties to Beijing have been partially fabricated and largely overblown for over a decade now. ZTE still hasnt commented on the new development in any capacity, with the company also receiving another major blow to its business earlier today after the U.S. Commerce Department forbade American companies from supplying it with any kind of components due to the firms failure to comply with a 2017 settlement over its violations of U.S. trade sanctions imposed on Iran which also included an $890 million fine. The United States Department of Commerce is once again sanctioning Chinese smartphone and telecom equipment maker ZTE over the companys imports to Iran that broke certain trade embargoes imposed on the Asian country, Reuters reports. While ZTE was already handed an $890 million fine due to its transgressions to which it pleaded guilty last year, U.S. suppliers have now been forbidden from selling any components to the firm as part of a new penalty meant to sanction the company over not adhering to the terms of its 2017 settlement. ZTE originally agreed to dismiss four senior officials and discipline 35 others with either reprimands or smaller bonuses but admitted to not doing the latter when the Commerce Department inquired about the matter last month. The new sanction applies over a period of seven years and may be revisited once ZTE disciplines the employees in question, all of whom are assumed to have been involved in the companys Iran operations which placed it on the Commerce Departments radar in the first place. ZTE is allowed to appeal the decision and ask for a reprieve, with both options being likely courses of action for the company. The firm is presently also being targeted by two bills H.R.4747 and S.2391 seeking to prevent the federal government from purchasing its equipment, with the same legislation seeking to put a stop to any major stateside ambitions of Huawei and other China-based firms. ZTE is a publicly traded company whose majority stake is owned by Beijing itself, though the OEM has still been able to sell its smartphones through national wireless carriers in the United States in recent times, unlike Huawei. Last years penalty issued by the U.S. government saw ZTEs annual performance stumble, with the company now hoping to bounce back over the course of 2018, largely due to its ongoing 5G projects that its pursuing across the globe. Washington remains unwilling to allow ZTE, Huawei, or other entities with any direct ties to Beijing contribute to stateside 5G deployment, citing national security concerns. The new sanction will also prevent ZTE from purchasing Snapdragon chips from Qualcomm, thus significantly inhibiting its smartphone operations. DLA Pipers corporate and finance and projects lawyers have lined up three major deals for the global giant. The firm is advising Alliance Mineral Assets, Atlas Iron, and Pacific Energy on multi-million-dollar deals across Australia. SGX-listed Alliance Mineral Assets is merging with ASX-listed Tawana Resources NL via a scheme of arrangement to create a combined firm with about $446m in pro-forma market capitalisation. Tawana will become a wholly-owned Alliance subsidiary and the merged company will seek to be dual-listed on the ASX and the SGX. The merger is expected to create a sizeable producer of lithium concentrate, which is highly sought after because of demand for the production of batteries in smartphones and electric cars. We have been seeing a steady increase in dispute and restructuring work emanating from the Southeast Asia market in recent years and are at the stage now where we strongly believe our clients stand to benefit from having a dedicated litigation and restructuring team permanently based here, explained Noble. Our existing Singapore team already has a strong client base and I look forward to forging closer relationships with both new and potential clients through our newfound on-the-ground presence. Fair Work Act doesnt work for employers says HSF survey A survey of Australian businesses by Herbert Smith Freehills shows that the Fair Work Act is costly, too complex, and inefficient for employers. The law firm has published the latest edition of its "Bargaining under the Fair Work Act Legal Guide" which brings together and expands on previous editions published since the legislation was introduced in 2009. The firms second survey of businesses has found that many want to unwind agreement conditions which are unsustainable. Nine years on, the Fair Work Act bargaining framework is proving to be a costly burden for business, with employers increasingly struggling to find the leverage needed to secure productive bargaining outcomes, said Rohan Doyle, a partner in HSFs industrial relations and safety team. As a result, businesses are facing drawn-out and complex bargaining negotiations which tie up management resources and ultimately do not result in any productivity gains. He added that many businesses are asking whats in the act for them. Among the findings of the survey: The 2019 model year L200 features Dynamic Shield design elements from the Pajero Sport, with influences from newer products such as the Xpander people carrier and Eclipse Cross compact utility vehicle. A closer look at the grille reveals a thin strip of chrome that connects the two headlight clusters.Moving on to the rear-end design, you wont find too many differences around here. New graphics for the taillights and a resculpted bumper is all there is to talk about, with the tailgate and rear three-quarter panels looking unchanged from the pre-facelift L200 . If it ain't broke, why fix it?Although it resembles the Mitsubishi GR-HEV Concept from 2013, the new-look L200 wont be too different under the skin. Heavy-duty leaf springs at the rear at a multi-link setup up front, ladder frame chassis, and a one-tonne payload is how this workhorse ikes to roll. The interior wont get your heart racing either, with Mitsubishi trailing behind Nissans Navara NP300.Theres also a Fiat-branded version of the L200 called Fullback , which started production in 2016 at the Laem Chabang plant in Thailand. For the time being, its not known if the Italians will introduce a mid-cycle facelift too.Also known as the Triton and Strada, the L200 is at its fifth generation since 2014 . Adding confusion to the mix, the truck is called Ram 1200 in the Middle East thanks to the partnership with Fiat Chrysler that gave birth to the Fullback mentioned beforehand. The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which is in its third generation since 2015, bears the name Montero Sport in places such as the Philippines. In the UK, however, it's called Shogun Sport. Then again, such a drag race is the kind that any enthusiasts would like to see. And we've brought along a piece of footage that brings just such a sprinting fight.The two beasts duked it out over the weekend, since they met over in Germany, during the Spring Event held on an airfield in Weeze.The Lambo comes with all-paw hardware, while the GT3 RS is the kind of Neunelfer derivative that only bets on the rear axle. As such, a rolling start would've been the fair choice. Nevertheless, the two engaged in a rolling start battle - we have to mention that the Rennsport Neunelfer did get off the line slightly before its mid-engined rival.Based on the independent test performed so far, the Porsche 911 GT3 RS , with its 500 hp motor, needs at least 11.1 seconds to complete the quarter-mile game. As for the 740 hp Lamborghini Aventador S , this can shave a full second off that time.Then again, those numbers were achieved in ideal conditions, from the track prepping to the drivers' reaction time, so we can't fully rely on them.As you can imagine, the atmospheric nature of this drag race, means that its aural side is just as impressive as its visual treats. And while the 4.0-liter boxer of the 991.1-generation GT3 RS and the 6.5-liter V12 of the Aventador S are impressive on their own, their duet is the kind that can easily make one weak in the knees.P.S.: The Aventador S also battles two other Volkswagen Group jewels, namely an Audi RS3 8V and a second-generation Audi R8 V10 Plus. And the latter drag race makes us wonder whether the Ingolstadt machine came in stock form or not.We've brought along a second piece of footage (the clip on the right) from the said event, one that includes spicy moments such as car spotters asking the driver of the Aventador S to pull some Launch Control moves on the road. The reason behind this is simple: not many of them are even close to creating a fully-autonomous system. The cars currently on the market are Level 3 at most, and only a handful of manufacturers have begun testing Level 4 technologies.Waymo, formerly the Google self-driving car project, is however some years ahead and, according to various reports which surfaced this weekend, has already applied to get a permit to test fully autonomous cars in the Sunny State.This would be, says The San Francisco Chronicle , the second company to have taken this course of action, with the first ones identity still not being disclosed.The publication says Waymo would be testing Level 5 cars near its Mountain View headquarters, but as the research progresses, it would expand its reach.In light of the Uber fatal crash in Arizona, the state of California says that for such cars to get approval to drive on public roads, the companies operating them would have to prove the systems have been tested under controlled conditions that simulate the environment they are designed for.Communities where they plan to operate would also have to be notified that such vehicles would be in the area. Any crash, no matter how serious, would have to be reported, as do any malfunctions of the autonomous system.Waymo plans to be one of the biggest suppliers of autonomous vehicle services in the world. The scope of its planning was revealed in March, when the Tech company inked a deal with British manufacturer Jaguar for the delivery of 20,000 I-Pace vehicles over the coming years. Suzuki Philippines (SPH) continues to expand their operations in the country after recently opening their latest dealership in Northern Luzon. Located along the National Highway at Barangay Batal in Santiago City, Isabela, Suzuki's all-new dealership serves as the brand's 67th showroom in the country. We have high hopes and expectations for Suzuki Auto Isabela. The location Santiago City is the commercial and trading center of the north, which makes it very strategic with strong growth potential. The area is a hotspot for investors and is home to numerous businesses. With the robust growth of Isabelas economy, the new dealership is undoubtedly in the perfect location to reach more Filipinos, with whom we can share the Suzuki Way of Life, said Shuzo Hoshikura, vice president and General Manager of SPH. Like the Ozamiz dealership that opened last December 2017, Suzuki Auto Isabela also comes with the company's 3S theme. With it, the new Suzuki outlet will serve as a one-stop shop that offers sales, spare parts and servicing for the people of Isabela. The 67th Suzuki dealership is owned and operated by Elite North Autocars Inc., which took over the dealership in November last year. It has truly been an honor for us to be given the opportunity to partner with Suzuki Philippines. We are very thankful that SPH addresses all of our concerns and extends their support to our dealership outlet, said Alejandrino Alexis P. San Juan, president of Elite North Autocars Inc. For Hoshikura, this recent accomplishment reaffirms the company's promise of delivering quality products and services for the Filipino people. We are very grateful for the continued patronage and support of the Filipinos to Suzuki Philippines. They have been our motivation in improving our products and services and achieving more milestones. We will continue to widen our reach all over the country to serve more Filipinos, added Hoshikura. Suzuki's full line up of automobiles will be available in Isabela and will include such models like the humble Celerio and Swift, the spacious Ciaz, the practical Ertiga MPV and the recently-launched Vitara. Last month we began our occasional series on personal flight simulators with an introduction to the world of flight simulators and, more specifically, the ones that a pilot might reasonably have at home that are capable of doing a good job of simulating the airplane the sim owner usually flieswhich means matching the cockpit, including switches, avionics, autopilot, systems and performance. Further, with an instructor present, we think the sim should be the sort that can be used for credit for time toward a rating or keeping an instrument rating current. These are Aviation Training Devices (ATD), a group of sims broken into two further categories of Basic Aviation Training Device (BATD) and Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD). From a cost standpoint, we think that a desktop (not floor mount or motion based) BATD is more likely to be used as a personal flight simulator than an AATD, while both can be used for credit toward flying time requirements (with an instructor present) and both do an excellent job of reproducing the flight characteristics, panel and controls of a wide variety of selected airplanes. Cost to Fly We think its a reasonable rule of thumb that minimum operating costs for an IFR-capable airplane start at $150 an hour and escalate from there. We also think that a reasonable target number of hours an instrument pilot should fly annually to maintain a healthy level of proficiencyVFR and IFRis on the order of 150 (yes, we know people will disagree, but we reached that opinion after extensive conversations with aviation professionals and accident research). That works out to an annual flying budget of $22,500. We also think thatwhether simulator hours can be logged or notan hour in an ATD-level simulator giving oneself an IFR workout is more valuable from a safety of flight standpoint than an hour in the airplane under the hood with a safety pilot. If a pilot can knock 20 in-airplane hours off of her annual flying budgetat least $3,000a home, personal flight simulator makes a lot of sense in terms of keeping ones skills honed. After all, a simulator is an environment that is more conducive to learning than an airplane cockpit in flight. We admit there is a downside to owning a BATD home simulatorcurrently the FAA requires that a flight instructor be present for a pilot to get credit for time in a BATD toward IFR recency of experience. Thats an inconvenience for a pilot who has an airplane and a BATD unless he or she is lucky enough to be married to a CFII or have one who is a neighbor. Frankly, we think that the rule is stupid, arbitrary and contrary to any goal of enhancing safety of flight. After all, an instrument pilot with a safety pilot who is a private pilot who is clueless about instrument flight operations can log time under the hood in flight that counts toward recent instrument flight time required by the regulations. The FAA lets that pilot choreograph his own recurrent training program when in an airplaneit makes no sense that the same pilot cannot do so in a BATD that allows her to reposition to shoot multiple approaches in a short time and simulate emergencies that it would be foolish to do in the airplane. Were hoping the reg is changed. Nevertheless, even if the regs remain as they are, we think a desktop personal flight simulator of BATD capabilities makes sense economically and practically for a pilot who wants to maintain a high level of instrument competency. FlyThisSim As we said when we started this series, well be looking at individual makers of ATDs. In this installment, were reporting on FlyThisSim line of TouchTrainer simulators. (www.flythissim.com). FlyThisSim was formed in 2006 with the intention of providing reasonably priced software simulations of Avidyne, Garmin and other avionics for inclusion into flight simulators targeted at general aviation pilots. We spoke with co-founder Carl Suttle, who came from the military flight simulator world, and first focused on designing simulators for general aviation after buying a Cirrus and being concerned about the lines early accident rate. He designed and developed SimAVIO software, an instrumentation modeling system and interface to flight simulators. Suttle told us that he then reverse-engineered Garmin and Avidyne avionics and MFD and PFD displays as well as autopilot functions to create the companys first TouchTrainer (the name is derived from its use of touchscreens) simulator for Cirrus aircraft. Once the underlying software was developed it allowed expanding the simulator line to replicate other aircraft modelscurrently it does so for some 147 different cockpits. Motion In pursuing its goal of creating inexpensive simulators for general aviation, FlyThisSim concentrated on creating powerful, accurate visuals even though it anticipated that most of its users would be concentrating on instrument flight operations. Suttle said that creating a decent motion base for a simulator costs $1 million while current technology allows creating compelling visual displays for a few thousand dollars, and that 80 percent of the cues that humans rely upon for motion sensing come from the eyes. Accordingly, the TouchTrainer line is designed to create the effect and sensation of motion from its visual displays. As users of various flight simulators over the years we have found that when it came to value for the money, we have ranked motion fairly low in our scale of priorities. We place accurate instrument displays, accurate control response and good visuals above motion. We dont think motion is necessary for a personal flight simulatorboth from a quality of training/recurrent training perspective as well as that of cost. TouchTrainer VX All FlyThisSim models are currently approved as BATDs, although they are sophisticated enough that we would not be the least bit surprised to see at least the top-end ones achieve AATD certification. In speaking with Suttle we found that the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) is using FlyThisSim simulators for its proficiency training programs. We think that COPAs recurrent training efforts, and those of the manufacturer, Cirrus, were responsible for the dramatic improvement in the accident record of the Cirrus line after its initial problemsand it appears that Suttle and TouchTrainer simulators played a role in the success story. In looking at the FlyThisSim product line we observed that each TouchTrainer is designed in a fashion that it can be upgraded to the any of the more capable products in the line. They are also set up to allow rapid switching of power controls and yokes/sticks to match other cockpits. Suttle pointed out that a person who buys a TouchTrainer unit that duplicates the airplane he or she has, owns a simulator for life. When he or she buys a different airplane, its a simple matter to reconfigure the sim to match the new cockpit and avionicshelping speed the transition into the new airplane. All TouchTrainer models connect with Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) on iPads. They will feed real-time data, including weather, from ForeFlight to make simulation time more realistic. TouchTrainers run on SimAVIO simulator framework software and utilize X-Planess simulation engine for the visual system, flight and engine model. X-Plane allows upgradeable features and add-onswhich FlyThisSim will assist its customers in finding and installing on their TouchTrainers. TouchTrainer SD At $5400, the TouchTrainer SD is an entry-level BATD that is reconfigurable and upgradeable. It has two touchscreens and aircraft specific instrumentation for 45 different aircraft packages and a 45-degree-wide out of the window view that can be used for taxi, takeoff and landing. It has two 24-inch by 10-inch touchscreens. The autopilot allows the same button selection as on the replicated aircraft. This is the model used in the Cirrus Pilot Performance Program. As with other simulators in the TouchTrainer line, the SD is a turnkey system with avionics, autopilot and systems replication to allow the owner to use the same button selections and sequences in his or her airplane. TouchTrainer VX The next step up in the TouchTrainer line, the VX, is also a desktop BATD but includes a 100-degree-wide visual system. It consists of five screensthree 24-inch, high-definition monitors for visual and two for instrumentation. According to personnel at FlyThisSim, a continuous horizon is created in the visual display by accounting for the thickness of the monitor bezels, so that they come across as window posts in the aircraft rather than blocking a substantial portion of the out of the window view. Priced at $8100, the VX can simulate more than 125 individual aircraft, avionics, autopilot and systems combinations. TouchTrainer VM TouchTrainer VM FlyThisSims top of the line desktop BATD is the TouchTrainer VM. Priced at $12,500, the VM can host all of the more than 400 aircraft FlyThisSim simulates. It has two touchscreens devoted to aircraft-specific instrumentation and a 100-degree-wide by 70-degree-deep visual system on three 55-inch HD monitors, giving 32 square feet of visual display. Conclusion With the quality of the simulation and visuals and the ability to duplicate a large number of specific airplane cockpits, we think the FlyThisSim line of TouchTrainers can help that pilot who wants to stay instrument proficient and/or train for an additional rating do so at a price that is attractive. Rick Durden is a CFII, holds and ATP with type ratings in the Douglas DC-3 and Cessna Citation and is the author of The Thinking Pilots Flight Manual or, How to Survive Flying Little Airplanes and Have a Ball Doing It, Vols. 1 & 2. "The American family [Charlotte, N.C.] of a prominent Chinese Christian pastor is asking for leniency after he was sentenced to prison for missionary work as the atheist ruling Communist Party exerts greater control of believers," AP's Yanan Wang reports from Beijing. Why it matters: "Analysts say the government increasingly views Christianitys rise in China as a threat to its rule, and may be using prominent figures such as Cao as an example to intimidate nascent movements." There's a race to 5G and the U.S. is not winning China and South Korea are, according to a report conducted by research firm Analysys Mason and released today by CTIA, the wireless industry association. Why it matters: The first country to deploy and commercialize the ultra-fast 5G mobile networks will have an enormous economic advantage $500 billion in GDP and 3 million U.S. jobs, per a 2017 Accenture study. How it works: 5G networks require a combination of low-, mid- and high-frequency airwaves to provide faster data speeds with lower lag time. A big infrastructure upgrade is needed: Networks will need a lot of new radio frequencies (allocated by governments) that will be transmitted by hundreds of thousands of new small antennas. How the countries stack up: China is in the lead, followed by South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. Germany, the U.K. and France are in the second tier of countries in terms of readiness. China: Its 5-year plan aims for broad commercial 5G launch by 2020, and all the major wireless providers (like Huawei and ZTE) have conducted extensive 5G trials. The government has aggressively opened up significant amounts of mid- and high-band spectrum. Data from CCS Insight suggests the large Chinese market is expected to be the biggest for 5G by 2022, CNBC reported. Its 5-year plan aims for broad commercial 5G launch by 2020, and all the major wireless providers (like Huawei and ZTE) have conducted extensive 5G trials. The government has aggressively opened up significant amounts of mid- and high-band spectrum. Data from CCS Insight suggests the large Chinese market is expected to be the biggest for 5G by 2022, CNBC reported. South Korea: This year's Winter Olympics provided a focal point for early investment and trials by the wireless companies. The government has freed up large swaths of airwaves. This year's Winter Olympics provided a focal point for early investment and trials by the wireless companies. The government has freed up large swaths of airwaves. U.S.: All major wireless companies have started trials of 5G technologies and equipment, with many commercial launches planned by the end of this year. The FCC is holding a high-band spectrum auction in November, but there's not a clear pipeline for mid-band spectrum. 16 states have enacted small cell legislation. All major wireless companies have started trials of 5G technologies and equipment, with many commercial launches planned by the end of this year. The FCC is holding a high-band spectrum auction in November, but there's not a clear pipeline for mid-band spectrum. 16 states have enacted small cell legislation. Japan: Wireless companies are focused on widespread deployment ahead of the 2020 Olympics. The government adopted a 5G roadmap in 2016 and committed to releasing more spectrum by early next year. Moving fast: The global competition is propelling 5G development much faster than was originally expected, with carriers and some cities moving quickly to install infrastructure, said CTIA president and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker, a former FCC commissioner. Winners: Europe won the 2G race and Japan led the 3G race. The U.S. led in 4G, resulting in $100 billion in GDP by 2016, CTIA said. "We won the race to 4G and that meant that the semiconductor, operating systems and app industries were all here," she said. "All those benefits to the economy are going to be even greater in 5G but we have to make sure we dont export it. China threat: The Trump administration is well aware of the threat of China. The world is reeling as China which once imported 9 million metric tons of foreign plastic waste per year implements new regulations that ban 24 different types of garbage from its shores, reports CNBC. Why it matters: The measure, implemented in January, is forcing the United States, the U.K., Japan and the EU to find a new destination for their trash. Chinese customs data for the first quarter of 2018 showed that the country's solid waste imports dropped 54%. French President Emmanuel Macron claimed in a television interview that France has convinced President Trump that it is "necessary" to remain in Syria "long-term," according to the AFP. Why this matters: If Trump follows through on this alleged commitment to Macron, it would be one of the biggest and most abrupt foreign policy reversals in his presidency. Trump has demanded for months over the objections of his national security team that his administration withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. "Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria," said Macron, according to Agence France-Presse White House correspondent Jerome Cartillier. "We convinced him it was necessary to stay. I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long-term." Trump thinks Syria is a "dump" that probably can't be fixed though he'd be happy to let Russia try. He thinks it's a waste of lives and money and that the U.S. gets "nothing" for its involvement in Syria, according to multiple sources familiar with his thinking. However, when Trump sees the images of gassed children, he flips in the other direction and issues missiles to Syria as he did on Friday and last year when news reports and allied intelligence indicated Assad had used chemical weapons to murder Syrian civilians. But, but, but: Trump's apparent reversal on Syria wouldn't be the first time he's backflipped on the foreign policy instincts he trumpeted during the campaign. Last year, Trump told his aides over and over that he wanted to get out of Afghanistan citing the same arguments he used for Syria and previously to argue that the Iraq War was a waste of lives and money. But his national security team, led by Defense Secretary James Mattis, ultimately persuaded Trump to keep America in Afghanistan. WH response: I've asked the White House whether it's true that Macron persuaded Trump to stay the course in Syria. We will update you when we hear back. (Though we suspect Trump may tweet before that happens!) An Ebola vaccine made by Merck has protected a group of volunteers for two years the longest it has been shown to protect against the disease, according to a study published in Lancet Infectious Diseases. The context: "A fast-acting, long-lasting vaccine given in a single dose would be an effective tool for controlling dangerous Ebola outbreaks," STAT's Helen Branswell reports. Yes, but: The vaccine targets only one strain of Ebola, known as Zaire, and samples from additional trials will be needed to support these findings. What's next: Merck is looking to apply for FDA approval of the candidate vaccine this year. Stay tuned for: The lead author of the paper and an infectious disease specialist, Angela Huttner and her team have collected blood samples from volunteers in Geneva, Switzerland to see how the vaccine performs after three years, but they haven't analyzed them yet. Huttner told STAT: Our hypothesis is that the values were seeing at two years shouldnt change too much at three, four, and five years. Take note: Some experts in the industry believe a two-dose vaccine, like the ones being developed by Janssen Vaccines and Prevention BV, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, may be better equipped at offering long-term protection. Now that Facebook survived its congressional onslaught, it's focusing its attention towards a much more powerful threat: the EU. Why it matters: The risk to Facebooks business coming out of last weeks Mark Zuckerberg hearings is minimal. The threat to its business in the EU, where aggressive regulation has already passed, is massive. The latest: The European Parliament has issued a second invitation to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to appear at a joint committee heating. EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova had a phone exchange with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg urging Zuckerberg to pay the Parliament a visit, according to the Associated Press. "I expect that Mr Zuckerberg will take this invitation because I believe that face-to-face communication and being available for such communication will be a good sign that Mr. Zuckerberg understands the European market," Jourova told CNBC Friday. "Facebook has more active users in Europe than in the US," tweeted parliament member Guy Verhofstadt. "We expect Mark Zuckerberg to come to the European Parliament and explain how he will make sure Facebook respects [the forthcoming General Data Protection Regulation]." Facebook spent more than $2.5 million on its in-house lobbying in Europe last year, according to disclosure records. The company says that a total of 15 staff are involved in its EU lobbying efforts. European regulation was a prime topic of discussion even during Zuckerbergs congressional hearings last week. Sandberg visited Brussels in January to discuss Facebooks commitment to privacy and compliance with Europes new sweeping privacy rules. Threat level: Facebook faces several very real threats to its business model in Europe this spring. Russia has taken a slower tack on legislation that would ban imports of a list of U.S. products in retaliation for U.S. sanctions on Russian oligarchs revealed ten days ago, per Bloomberg. The vote on the plan, which was introduced Friday, is now delayed until May 15. Why it matters: It might just be a signal for the U.S. the Kremlin has not announced whether it backs the legislation, and per Reuters, the Russian parliament is often used to send assertive messages to foreign states, but these do not always translate into concrete measures. This comes the same day President Trump walked back threats of imposing more sanctions on Russia. Details: The economic measures in the Russian legislation would ban imports of American farm, pharmaceutical, and technology products, restrict Russian cooperation with the U.S. on aviation, space, and nuclear energy, and introduce travel restrictions. Vice President Mike Pence's pick for his national security advisor, Jon Lerner, has decided against joining Pence's team. Lerner's decision comes after Axios reported earlier tonight that President Trump had attempted to block Lerner's appointment over his anti-Trump work for the Club for Growth during the 2016 campaign. The reasoning: According to a source familiar with the deliberations, Lerner, who currently serves as UN Secretary Nikki Haley's deputy, sought to avoid drama: "Jon does not want to be a distraction. Hes done incredible work with Nikki Haley and its important to our country that this work continues." More from the source about the decision: Jon has been and will remain a trusted advisor to our team but will not formally join the VP as his NSA." "The Vice Presidents team has always conducted business without drama and agreed with Jon that we can continue to look upon Jon for advice without causing any distractions." "This is the smartest and best path forward without inviting any unnecessary distraction." The official word, from Pence's press secretary Alyssa Farah: Tonight Jon informed the Vice President that he was withdrawing from coming on board as national security advisor. Vice President Pence holds Jon Lerner in the highest regard and expressed his deep gratitude for Jons willingness to consider joining our team. Last weeks strikes against Syria wont change the arc of the conflict, nor will they alleviate the suffering of the civilian population: chemical weapons are responsible for but a tiny fraction of that suffering, and their absence will not stop the Assad regime from pressing its military advantage. Whats next: Diplomats and donors must take steps to address looming humanitarian crises in two conflict-ravaged regions in northern Syria. The worst trouble spots: Idlib: Millions of Syrians have been displaced to this northwestern governorate, including many of the 130,000 civilians forced from the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta over the past month. Having secured Ghouta, the regime may now move against Idlib. The governorate is largely under the control of extremist factions, and humanitarian access is limited. Worst of all, civilians will have nowhere to run, since Turkey has closed its border in the area. If Ankara does not reverse this policy, millions of Syrians could find themselves trapped in a kill box. The northeast: Much of northeast Syria has been liberated from the Islamic State, but the fighting has taken a horrible toll: tens of thousands of people are living in camps; the city of Raqqa has been largely destroyed and is teeming with IEDs; and local authorities, with just a handful of aid workers, are struggling to cope. Most Syrians thought U.S. troops would remain for several years, but President Trumps recent comments have left them worried that a hasty American withdrawal will plunge the northeast into chaos: Relief groups would be forced to withdraw as the Syrian Defense Force, Turkey and the Assad regime battle for control. Hundreds of thousands of people would be displaced in the process. The bottom line: Missile strikes alone will not be enough to protect the progress that's been made in northeast Syria, nor to prevent Idlib from descending further into crisis. To do so, the U.S. must not abruptly disengage. Rather, it must maintain a troop presence in northeast Syria and unfreeze $200 million in U.S. stabilization assistance, channeling more aid to the displaced. Hardin Lang is vice president for programs and policy at Refugees International. 1 big thing: Trump's French Flip Globally consequential news, breaking moments ago: French President Emmanuel Macron claimed in a television interview that France has convinced President Trump that it is "necessary" to remain in Syria "long-term," according to the AFP. "Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria," said Macron, according to Agence France-Presse White House correspondent Jerome Cartillier. "We convinced him it was necessary to stay. I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long-term." Why this matters: If Trump follows through on this alleged commitment to Macron, it would be one of the biggest and most abrupt foreign policy reversals in his presidency. Trump has demanded for months over the objections of his national security team that his administration withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. Trump thinks Syria is a "dump" that probably can't be fixed though he'd be happy to let Russia try. He thinks it's a waste of lives and money and that the U.S. gets "nothing" for its involvement in Syria, according to multiple sources familiar with his thinking. However, when Trump sees the images of gassed children, he flips in the other direction and issues missiles to Syria as he did on Friday and last year when news reports and allied intelligence indicated Assad had used chemical weapons to murder Syrian civilians. But, but, but: Trump's apparent reversal on Syria wouldn't be the first time he's backflipped on the foreign policy instincts he trumpeted during the campaign. Last year, Trump told his aides over and over that he wanted to get out of Afghanistan citing the same arguments he used for Syria and previously to argue that the Iraq War was a waste of lives and money. But his national security team, led by Defense Secretary James Mattis, ultimately persuaded Trump to keep America in Afghanistan. WH response: I've asked the White House whether it's true that Macron persuaded Trump to stay the course in Syria. We will update you when we hear back. (Though we suspect Trump may tweet before that happens!) Michele Flournoy former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy under President Obama, co-founder and managing director of WestExec Advisors, and former CEO of the Center for a New American Security provides Axios with her analysis of the Syria strikes. "What Trump got right: upheld the international norm against [chemical weapon] use, built international support for and participation in the strikes, sought to minimize collateral damage Syrian, Russian, Iranian." "What Trump got wrong: continuing to use taunting, name-calling tweets as his primary form of (un)presidential communication; failing to seriously consult Congress before deciding to launch the strikes; after more than a year in office, still no coherent Syria strategy." In a protest led by the Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement, thousands gathered in Peshawar, Pakistan, last Sunday to demand the release of missing persons and basic human rights for Pakistans Pashtun ethnic minority. The protest is part of the Pashtun Long March, a domestic non-violent movement, which began in January 2018 after the extrajudicial killing of a Pashtun falsely accused of terrorism. Why it matters: Pakistan's partnership with the U.S. in fighting terrorism has incurred severe domestic costs, especially for Pakistani Pashtuns, straining its already-fraught relationships with both Pashtun-majority Afghanistan and the U.S. The background: Since 2008, Pakistan has been waging two wars simultaneously: a war in Afghanistan with U.S. and allied forces, and a domestic counterinsurgency campaign. Pakistan has launched counterinsurgency operations in every agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, including strikes that have killed 3500 militants. These campaigns have led to an exponential growth of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and ethnic profiling of Pashtuns. In the wake of those atrocities, the Long March has become a culmination of the Pashtun community's grievances against the Pakistani state. The March, however, is Pakistans chance to right its domestic wrongs and improve political stability. The bottom line: If the Pakistani government fails to address Pashtun concerns, it spells trouble for the U.S. and any political agreement to end the war in Afghanistan. Pakistani inaction will not only risk further weakening of its relationship with Afghanistan, but will also further reduce its already waning leverage on the Taliban to accept President Ashraf Ghanis peace deal. Sahar Khan is a visiting research fellow in the Cato Institute's Defense and Foreign Policy Department. A top official in Obama's Interior Department has an interesting new essay arguing that last month's Gulf of Mexico lease sale wasn't really the flop that it seemed, despite the low bidding totals. "The extent to which the lease sale was portrayed as a disappointment appears more a factor of the Administrations amped-up rhetoric as opposed to anything surprising or negative about the actual results." Tommy Beaudreau for Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy One level deeper: Lots of coverage (including pieces by Axios) focused on the small percentage of tracts receiving bids and the bidding totals that were vastly lower than many prior sales. Yes, but: Beaudreau makes several points about the sale... Money, weapons and geopolitics are colliding all over the world as Russia the world's second-biggest arms exporter seeks to narrow the gap with the U.S. Expand chart Note: The Trend Indicator Value unit is based on known costs of some weapons systems and represents the transfer of military resources rather than financial value; Data: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute; Chart: Chris Canipe/Axios Snapshot: Standing beside Vladimir Putin earlier this month in Ankara, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the purchase of an advanced Russian S-400 air defense system was a done deal, despite protests from Turkeys NATO allies. Putin said delivery of the system would actually be accelerated. The big picture: As in the Cold War, choosing to buy arms from Russia or the U.S. is "absolutely a political statement," says Rachel Stohl of the Stimson Center. For Turkey and Erdogan, this is an opportunity "to leverage intimate ties with Russia to gain more from the U.S., particularly in Syria," according to Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. this is an opportunity "to leverage intimate ties with Russia to gain more from the U.S., particularly in Syria," according to Soner Cagaptay of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Meanwhile, Russia exported $1.1 billion in arms last year to Egypt, historically a top U.S. customer, per SIPRI. Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is hedging his bets between Moscow and Washington, and he's not the only leader in the region doing so. Russia exported $1.1 billion in arms last year to Egypt, historically a top U.S. customer, per SIPRI. Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is hedging his bets between Moscow and Washington, and he's not the only leader in the region doing so. Russia is making some inroads across the Middle East, but competition in the region is much more intense than in Asia, by far "the most important export market for Russian arms, according to a Chatham House report. 56% of Russias arms exports since 2000 went to India or China. across the Middle East, but competition in the region is much more intense than in Asia, by far "the most important export market for Russian arms, according to a Chatham House report. 56% of Russias arms exports since 2000 went to India or China. Stronger U.S.-India ties pose a threat to Russias dominance in that market, but those ties have also pushed Pakistan and Russia closer together. The last two years were the first in more than a decade that Pakistan imported more Russian than American weapons. The bottom line: Weapons exports are one of the few areas of manufacturing in which Russia can be considered a world leader, and Moscows efforts to cultivate new relationships across the world... have proven successful, per Chatham House. of manufacturing in which Russia can be considered a world leader, and Moscows efforts to cultivate new relationships across the world... have proven successful, per Chatham House. The U.S., which exported to twice as many countries as Russia last year, has some advantages, according to Stohl: Russia doesnt have all of the systems wealthy countries like Saudi Arabia (the top U.S. customer) want, and many countries are afraid to jeopardize their relationships with Washington. as Russia last year, has some advantages, according to Stohl: Russia doesnt have all of the systems wealthy countries like Saudi Arabia (the top U.S. customer) want, and many countries are afraid to jeopardize their relationships with Washington. Russian arms, however, come with fewer strings attached. Go deeper: Cold War 2.0. To get more stories like this, sign up for the Axios World newsletter. President Trump is holding off on rolling out sanctions announced yesterday by UN ambassador Nikki Haley that would punish Russian companies that manufactured equipment used by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in its alleged chemical weapons attack, per The Washington Post. Why it matters: The decision is sure to add to the perception that Trump is often unwilling to harshly punish Russia, especially after WashPost's report yesterday that detailed his anger over the scope of the expulsions of Russian diplomats from the United States in response to the Skripal nerve agent attack in England. The White House kept it quiet until now, but on Friday the President nearly blocked the Vice President from getting his chosen national security adviser. Why this matters: It's a highly unusual event, as Trump typically gives Pence a long leash on personnel appointments. This is the first time the President has tried to block Pence from filling a senior staff position. The scene also highlights once again the extraordinary importance Trump places on personal loyalty. Inside the West Wing: Trump was furious when he learned Pence was bringing on Nikki Haley's deputy Jon Lerner, according to three sources familiar with the events. The President believed Lerner was a card-carrying member of the "Never Trump" movement because Lerner crafted brutal attack ads for Club for Growth's multimillion-dollar anti-Trump blitz during the Republican primaries. "Why would Mike do that?" Trump wondered aloud about Pence's decision, according to two sources briefed on the President's private conversations. Behind the scenes: Trump told Kelly to get rid of Lerner. On Friday, as turmoil unfolded, Pence's team was on the plane to Peru for the Summit of the Americas. Pence's team got wind of what was happening, and when Pence landed he called the President and talked him around on Lerner, according to administration officials familiar with the situation. Trump was in the Oval when Pence called. Senior officials, including White House Counsel Don McGahn, were concerned about the logistics of Lerner dividing his time between Haley and Pence. The story in the Washington Post that broke the news of Lerner's appointment took White House officials by surprise. Other officials question Lerners qualifications, describing him to Axios as a politico and a pollster, with little foreign policy experience. Pence's team argued internally that he'd done a great job for the past year working for Haley, has previously advised members of Congress on foreign policy and would be well-supported in Pence's office by subject matter experts. The sources said Kelly told colleagues that Pence's chief of staff Nick Ayers, who orchestrated the appointment, had not "fully informed" him of Lerner's anti-Trump history. Ayers and Lerner have worked together in the past for Haley, among other campaigns. The pushback: Ayers has told associates, however, that he briefed Kelly on Lerner and also looped in other senior officials including Haley, John Bolton and Mike Pompeo. Lerner's been serving as Haley's deputy and was in the room for a sensitive Syria briefing in the Situation Room on Thursday. What's next: Pence and his team appear to have averted what would've been the VP's first personnel crisis. In the Pence team's eyes, it was a "minor confusion" that never should've escalated to the President and could've been resolved almost instantly had the Pence team not been on a plane when the drama was unfolding. Get more stories like this by signing up for Jonathan Swan's weekly political lookahead newsletter, Axios Sneak Peek. Despite French President Emmanuel Macron's claim that France convinced President Trump to stay in Syria "long-term," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders pushed back on that assertion tonight, saying that Trump "has been clear that he wants U.S. forces to come home as quickly as possible." The big picture: As Axios' Jonathan Swan put it, a reversal from Trump on his original thought process with a long-term commitment in Syria "would be one of the biggest and most abrupt foreign policy reversals in his presidency." The full White House statement: The U.S. mission has not changed the President has been clear that he wants U.S. forces to come home as quickly as possible. We are determined to completely crush ISIS and create the conditions that will prevent its return. In addition, we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region. Sarah Sanders "In battle over Russia policy, Trumps aides are winning" ... The WashPost reports on "a tension at the core of the Trump administrations increasingly hard-nosed stance on Russia." The bottom line: Trump, a "reluctant hawk," "instinctually opposes many of the punitive measures pushed by his Cabinet that have crippled his ability to forge a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin." The reporters Greg Jaffe, John Hudson and Phil Rucker uncork this illustration: President Trump launched strikes on Syria this evening, in a combined effort with France and the U.K. "My fellow Americans, a short time ago, I ordered the United States Armed Forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad," Trump said. Flashback: Just a little over a week ago, Trump was urging a total withdrawal from Syria, and his administration was anticipating a rapid end to military operations there. Below, how we got from there to here... Setting the stage April 7, 2017: Trump orders missile strikes in Syria three days after a Sarin gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun. The strikes were limited in scope, targeted at the base from which the regime's chemical attack was launched. Trump orders missile strikes in Syria three days after a Sarin gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun. The strikes were limited in scope, targeted at the base from which the regime's chemical attack was launched. March 11, 2018: Claiming the U.S. planned to bomb Syria under false pretenses, Valery Gerasimov, the head of Russias General Staff, said: Russias armed forces will take retaliatory measures against the missiles and launchers used in attacks that pose a threat to the lives of our servicemen. Last week's plan: Get out March 29, 2018: Trump tells advisors he wants to leave Syria "very soon," then makes that statement publicly the following day at a rally, adding: "Let the other people take care of it now." His rationale: The U.S is in Syria to fight ISIS, and the group is nearly defeated. Trump tells advisors he wants to leave Syria "very soon," then makes that statement publicly the following day at a rally, adding: "Let the other people take care of it now." His rationale: The U.S is in Syria to fight ISIS, and the group is nearly defeated. April 4, 2018: Sarah Sanders says the U.S. military mission in Syria is coming to a "rapid end," but says the U.S. won't pull out until ISIS is completely defeated. The White House declines to lay out a wider plan for Syria. The latest chemical weapons attack April 7, 2018, (Saturday): Reports emerge of a massive chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria, the last town under opposition control in the besieged enclave of eastern Ghouta, per the Guardian. Reports emerge of a massive chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria, the last town under opposition control in the besieged enclave of eastern Ghouta, per the Guardian. The World Health Organization reports hundreds have been injured, and as the death toll climbs into the dozens gruesome pictures surface of the victims. This week: Looming strikes and launch What to watch now: Russia. Although the strikes were targeted, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the commander of the joint chiefs of staff, said the Russians were not told in advance what the targets were (although the airspace was normally de-conflicted). If Russian armed services are hit, and it follows through on its threat to strike missiles down that affect its armed services, things could heat up quickly. Earlier Friday Russia's UN envoy did not rule out war between Russia and U.S. if strikes take place. There is no evidence of a Russian response yet, per Gen. Dunford yet, per Gen. Dunford The overlapping alliances and rivalries in the region (Turkey, Iran, Russia, U.S., Assad, rebels, ISIS...) also create a hotbed for clashes. in the region (Turkey, Iran, Russia, U.S., Assad, rebels, ISIS...) also create a hotbed for clashes. Mattis said of course he cannot guarantee there won't be a leak in the air of the chemicals. Go deeper: Trump's 3 options for striking in Syria ... Mapped: The groups who control Syria Sign up for the Axios World newsletter to get more stories like this. The British and French governments both took domestic political heat for joining the U.S. strikes in Syria last week. But U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron found a defender in President Trump, who praised their involvement. Between the lines: The strikes happened to occur one month before Trump must decide whether to renew the sanction waivers of the Iran deal, which he has long disdained, or let it collapse. Britain's and France's decision to participate in the strikes may have been influenced by the need to curry his favor ahead of the deadline. Britain, France, Germany and the European Union which all played important roles in negotiating the deal have been trying to persuade the U.S. to stay, discussing additional non-nuclear sanctions and supplemental understandings to correct what the Trump administration perceives as the deal's flaws. The impending deadline might be one reason May and Macron were willing to risk domestic blowback: British Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, for example, excoriated Prime Minister Theresa May, calling the strikes wrong and misconceived either symbolic ... [or] the precursor to wider military action. Trump, however, extolled the combined American, British and French response to these atrocities." On April 24, Macron will visit Washington, followed three days later by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A key reason for the timing of both visits: to persuade the U.S. to continue to comply with the deal. The bottom line: With the Syria strikes, Britain and France sent the U.S. a message about the value of sharing the burden of diplomatic decisions. Both countries hope to impress upon the U.S that if it leaves the Iran deal, it will do so alone and will have great difficulty maintaining its leverage against Iran. Barbara Slavin directs the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council. By Sara Israfilbayova Legal entities and individuals of Azerbaijan in January-February carried out trade operations with partners in 140 countries, products exported to 86 countries and imported from 131 countries. The State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan reported that the foreign trade turnover in January-February 2018 amounted to $4.4 billion, including the export value of $2.99 billion, the import value-$ 1.4 billion, resulting in a positive trade surplus of $1.5 billion. Foreign trade turnover increased by 31.3 percent, exports by 5.5 percent and imports by 6.6 percent, as compared to January-February of the previous year. About 26.5 percent of exports were to Italy and 2.3 percent - to Ukraine. At the same time, 16.8 percent of the total value of imported products fell to Russia and 2.2 percent to Kazakhstan. Earlier, the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan reported that for 2017 Azerbaijan's foreign trade turnover amounted to $22.59 billion. At the same time, exports for the year totaled $13.81 billion, import -$ 8.78 billion. For the year of 2017 the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan grew by 27.8 percent, export - by 51.1 percent, import - by 2.9 percent. Azerbaijan carried out import operations mainly with Russia (17.7 percent), Turkey (14.5 percent), China (9.73 percent), the U.S. (8.21 percent), Ukraine (5.24 percent), and Germany (5.05 percent). The main export operations were carried out with Italy (31.9 percent of total exports), Turkey (9.89 percent), Israel (4.63 percent), Russia (4.25 percent), Czech Republic (4.03 percent), Canada (3.87 percent), Georgia (3.41percent). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov The rapid development or information technologies in recent years has created more opportunities for people in their everyday life. One of them is the mobile payment service that allows paying for goods and services through mobile devices. Apple Pay and Google Pay are the most popular of such payment services, but not active in Azerbaijan so far. Head of Azexport portal Zaur Gardashev says that both of them will be deployed in the country through the Visa International payment system. In an interview with Trend on April 16, he noted that this issue is still at the stage of negotiations, and Azerbaijans banking structures will join the process. It is important that the banks' infrastructure is ready for accepting such payments. However, issues related to legal regulation, as well as the existence of gaps in the sectoral legislation in a certain sense hinders the deployment of these payment services in the country, Gardashev said. He added that the complexity lies mainly in conservatism of banks and regulators. But we hope that we will be able to reach a common agreement so that appropriate rules are developed. Head of Azexport noted that despite the fact that many financial market participants say there are no obstacles to the deployment of international payment services to Azerbaijan, these companies are more inclined to act within the local legislation in order to insure themselves. Gardashev has earlier said that Azerbaijans current sectoral legislation is built on the basis of classical card systems, while special digital codes tokens are used when making payments through Apple Pay and Google Pay. In this connection, there is a need for the concept of tokens to be identified in Azerbaijani legislation. Apple Pay is a mobile payment and digital wallet service that lets users make payments using an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad or Mac. It takes credit cards, debit cards, and other sensitive payment data from the wallet app, which allows the use of the above devices as a form of payment in stores. Currently, the service is available in more than 20 countries. Google Pay is a similar service, enabling users to make payments with Android phones, tablets or watches. It is in use in almost 20 countries around the world, such as the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Russia, Brazil, Spain, etc. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova An exhibition Flying Carpet opened in Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Vienna on April 12, bringing together Azerbaijani and Austrian art students. The exhibition to run until May 10 is organized by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, the Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Vienna and the Vienna University of Applied Arts. The exhibition is held as part of the project "Crossing", where art students from Azerbaijan and Austria worked for seven months. The event was attended by representatives of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Austria, the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, the Vienna University of Applied Arts, the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts, diplomatic missions, cultural and scientific figures. Addressing the event, the head of Azerbaijan Cultural Center in Vienna Leyla Gasimova, highly appreciated the fruitful cooperation, exchange of students, joint projects and exhibitions between higher educational institutions of the two countries. The center's activities are not limited only to the promotion of Azerbaijani culture and art in Austria. It also aims to strengthen cooperation between cultural and art workers of two countries, especially young artists and students. Director of the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum, Chairman of the National Committee of ICOM Azerbaijan, Ph.D. in Art Criticism Shirin Melikova, said that the 5th International Symposium on Azerbaijani carpet on the theme "Traditions and Innovations" was held in Baku last October. This event went down in history as a significant event in the cultural life of our country with the participation of experts on carpets and textiles, artists, collectors from different countries. The symposium was held in accordance with President Ilham Aliyev's order of November 14, 2016. The symposium became one of the most important events, occurred after the inclusion of Azerbaijani carpet art in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which was the result of great efforts of the Azerbaijan's First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva. To this international event, the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum has timed a number of projects on the theme "Traditions and Innovations", including "Flying Carpet" exhibition, she said. The museum director also said that the project aroused great interest. The most important aspect of the project is the experience accumulated by students in the process of teamwork and familiarization with traditions. They got acquainted with the history of ornament, studied carpets in the museum exposition, read books and discussed them, searched for intersection points and found absolutely unexpected solutions. The experiment is the basis of development, and we can say with all responsibility that we have achieved the goal. The result of this experiment - the exhibition "Flying Carpet" - was successfully held in the Azerbaijan Carpet Museum until January 2018. Over three months, the exhibition was visited by more than 20,000 guests, she added. Vice-rector of the Vienna University of Applied Arts, Dean of the Faculty of Textiles: Free Applied and Experimental Art Design, Barbara Putz-Plesko stressed that the institution she represents is interested in working with international partners and implementing joint projects. She expressed her confidence that the "Flying Carpet" exhibition, which reflects the revolution of intercultural dialogue in the arts and prepared by students for five months, would be met with equally great interest by art lovers in Vienna, as it was in Baku. She also said other joint projects of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts and the Vienna University of Applied Artswill be held in future. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The information spread by Armenian media that allegedly, Azerbaijani Armed Forces shelled the Baganis-Voskepar road is another fiction, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry told Trend on April 15. "This is another provocative lie of the Armenian side," the ministry said. Armenian media reported earlier on April 15 that allegedly the Azerbaijani side has opened fire from small arms in the direction of the village of Baganis and Baganis-Voskepar road section was closed for security reasons. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijans Ambassador to Egypt Tural Rzayev met with Secretary General of Egyptian parliament Sayeed Ahmed, the Azerbaijani embassy in Egypt said in a message April 16. During the meeting, the parties discussed political, cultural issues, including inter-parliamentary relations between the two countries. The meeting of the intergovernmental commission held in Egypt in February, the visit of the Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev to Cairo and his meaningful and fruitful meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Prime Minister Sherif Ismail were highly appreciated. Sayeed Ahmed proposed to the Azerbaijani ambassador the decision to create an Egypt-Azerbaijan interparliamentary friendship group, signed by Parliament Chairman Ali Abdel Aal. Muhammad Hasan Al-Abd has been elected as chairman of the friendship group. The commission includes 10 MPs the adviser to the head of state on religious issues, the former minister of culture, the first woman MP from Coptic Christians, prominent public and political figures of the country. For the first time in the Egyptian parliament, a friendship group has been created with a post-Soviet country Azerbaijan. In general, the Egyptian parliament has friendship groups with about 15 countries. Moreover, a special diploma of the Egyptian parliament was presented to the Azerbaijani ambassador during the meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Sara Israfilbayova Oil prices decline on April 16 during Asian trading, investors are rushing to record profits after the oil market has risen to its maximum since late 2014. Brent crude oil futures were at $71.78 per barrel, down 1.10 percent, from their last close, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 1.01 percent, at $66.71 a barrel, according to Reuters. Missile strikes against Syria, inflicted on April 14 by the U.S., France and Britain, did not impress the market, although hypothetically this factor should contribute to the revival of the demand for black gold, since conflicts in the Middle East usually have an impressive influence on the mood in the raw material segment due to the volumes produced and exported in this region of oil. More serious concerns in the market are likely to trigger new sanctions against Russia, which could affect the oil and gas sector. Washington promised to announce new restrictions. Meanwhile, drilling activity in the U.S. has grown again. According to Baker Hughes, last week the number of drilling rigs in the country increased by 7 units to 815 and thus reached a new high since March 2015. Further increase in drilling activity implies new records of production in the near future. OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached an agreement in December 2016 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices. OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day from January 1. Non-OPEC oil producers such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan agreed to reduce output by 558,000 barrels per day starting from January 1, 2017. OPEC and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till the end of 2018 in Vienna on November 30, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Hassan Rouhani of Iran exchanged views on the current situation in Syria following a missile strike delivered by the United States and its allies, the Kremlin press service said on Sunday after their telephone conversation TASS reported "The leaders exchanged view on the situation following the missile strike on Syria delivered by the United States and its allies. They agreed that this illegal action is adversely impacting prospects for political settlement in Syria. Vladimir Putin stressed that if such actions done in violation of the United Nations Charter are continued, it will inevitable entail chaos in international relations," the Kremlin said. The US, UK and France struck multiple government targets in Syria in an early morning operation targeting alleged chemical weapons sites. The strikes, which hit the capital Damascus as well as two locations near the city of Homs, came following a suspected chemical attack on the Syrian town of Douma last week. In a briefing at the Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford, along with British and French counterparts, announced that three targets in Syria were "struck and destroyed". Reportedly, the first target was a scientific research center in the greater Damascus area. The military facility was a center for research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological agents, the general said. The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of Homs. We assess this was the primary location of Syrian sarin and precursor production equipment, Dunford said. The third target contained both a chemical weapons storage facility and an important command post. ---- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Uzbekistans GDP in January-March 2018 amounted to about 64.96 trillion soums in current prices, which is 5.1 percent higher compared to the same period in 2017. According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, the index - the GDP deflator relative to the prices in January-March 2017 - amounted to 137.4 percent. GDP per capita amounted to 1.98 million soums, which is 3.3 percent more than in the corresponding period of last year. The rate of economic growth is conditioned by the positive growth rates in the main sectors of the national economy. The gross value added (GVA), created by all sectors of the economy, accounted for 83.8 percent of the total GDP and grew by 5 percent (contribution to GDP growth - 4.4 percentage points). Net taxes on products accounted for 16.2 percent of the GDP structure and showed an increase of 5.3 percent (contribution to GDP growth - 0.7 percentage points). The largest contribution to GDP growth was made by the services sector (2.2 percentage points), which increased by 4.4 percent compared to January-March of the previous year. Of this, trade, accommodation and food services, grew by 1.1 percent, transportation and storage, information and communication - by 7.1 percent and other services - by 4.6 percent. The added value of the industry showed an increase of 5 percent. A positive contribution to GDP growth from industrial production is estimated at 1.3 percentage points. Growth in the industry is due to the growth in value added of the mining industry and the development of quarries by 20.7 percent, manufacturing - by 1.8 percent and other industries - by 5.8 percent. As a result of ongoing large-scale construction of multi-apartment residential buildings, as well as the implementation of investment projects for the construction and modernization of enterprises in the basic industries, the increase in the volume of construction work amounted to 12.2 percent. A positive contribution to GDP growth from the construction industry sector is estimated at 0.8 percentage points. In January-March 2018, a positive growth rate was observed in agriculture, forestry and fisheries at 1.8 percent. Due to the growth of this sector, the GDP growth of 0.1 percentage points was achieved. The share of agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the sectoral structure of GDP declined from 6.5 percent in January-March 2017 to 6.3 percent in January-March 2018. The share of industry increased from 29.1 percent to 34.8 percent, construction - from 7.4 percent to 7.6 percent. The share of services in the sectoral structure of GDP in January-March 2018 was 51.3 percent, which is 5.7 percent less than in the first quarter of 2017 (57.0 percent). In January-March 2018, in the structure of GDP by forms of ownership, 78.8 percent of the total volume falls to the non-state sector of the economy, while 21.2 percent - to the state sector. Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that during 2018-2019, Uzbekistans GDP will continue to expand steadily at about 5 percent, supported by favorable external demand and commodity prices, a pickup in agriculture due to reform measures and the expected normalization of harvests, and a humming construction sector building houses and public infrastructure. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Uzbekistan intends to produce 8.235 million tons of fruit and vegetable products in 2018. This follows from a resolution On Measures to Improve the Efficiency of the Use of Land Plots of Farms in the Area of Vegetable Growing, Melon Crops, Horticulture and Viticulture issued by the government on April 3. The document said that more than 99,270 hectares of land have been freed from sowing cotton and grain. Most of these lands fell on the Syrdarya (20,143 ha), Surkhandarya (16,222 ha), Namangan (11,294 ha) and Kashkadarya (10,000 ha) regions. About 1.32 million hectares of land will be used to grow 8.235 million tons of fruit and vegetable products. In particular, Uzbekistan plans to grow 2.478 million tons of vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, cabbage, beets, garlic, bell peppers, capsicum, eggplants, greens, broccoli, etc.). Also, in 2018 it is planned to produce about 808,000 tons of potatoes, 1.01 million tons of melons (melon, watermelon, pumpkin), 108.16 tons of legumes (mung beans, peas, peanuts) and 465,790 tons of rice. In 2018, the country plans to produce 49,540 tons of oilseeds (soybean, sesame). Earlier, Uzbekistan announced its plans to increase exports of fruits and vegetables by 30 percent up to 1.2 million tons this year. Uzbekistan is a major exporter in the international fruit and vegetable market. The country ranks the second in the world for the export of apricots, persimmon - the third place and cherries - the fifth place. The volume of exports of fruits and vegetables in 2017 from Uzbekistan amounted to $708.8 million, which is almost 15 percent more than in 2016. Agreements on the supply of fruit and vegetable products for 2018 and 2019 were previously signed with South Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., Indonesia, Germany and other countries. Uzbekzokovaktholding earlier announced its plans to expand the geography of exports to the countries of Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North and Latin America. The plans for 2018 also include creation of a network of logistics centers for further export, where the preparation, labeling and packaging of products will be carried out, introduction of advanced technologies in production and processing, and creation of a unified system for exporters of agricultural products. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Over 782,400 tons of cement was produced in Tajikistan in the first quarter of this year. The volume of cement production increased by 356,000 tons compared to January-March of the previous year, according to the profile departments of the country's economic bloc. Taking into account the implementation of new infrastructure projects, construction of residential houses, as well as an increase in the volume of imports to neighboring countries, it is planned to increase production of this product compared to last year's figures. The main importers of Tajik cement are Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. As many as 172,000 tons of cement was delivered to Uzbekistan. The volume of exports to Afghanistan amounted to more than 131,000, while 19,000 tons of cement was exported to Kyrgyzstan. In 2017, 3.1 million tons of cement was produced in the country, more than 1 million of which was exported to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The bulk of exports falls on Afghanistan. At the same time, most of this product is being realized inside the republic and used for the construction of hydraulic structures, roads and bridges, houses and other infrastructure. At present there are about thirteen cement production enterprises in the country whose capacity allows producing over 4 million tons of cement per year. However, only five cement enterprises are engaged in export. Currently, cement of brands 400, 500 and 600 is produced in Tajikistan. Earlier, it was reported that the internal needs of the republic in cement are estimated at 3-3.5 million tons per year. The cement deficit in the country is covered by imports from Pakistan and Iran. Tajikistan started deliveries of cement to neighboring countries in 2015. Then, only 500 tons of this construction material was exported. In the current year, the republic not only increased exports, but for the first time completely abandoned the import of cement. Over the past eight years, China has helped Tajikistan to increase cement production by almost ten times through investing in the introduction of new facilities. At the same time, these achievements are of concern to Tajik environmentalists, who believe that an increase in the number of cement plants causes irreparable harm to the environment and the health of the countrys inhabitants. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend NATO realizes Turkeys importance as an ally state, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Ankara at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish media reported April 16. Stoltenberg said that NATO and Turkey have always provided mutual support, and the relations between Ankara and NATO are at the highest level. Stoltenberg also thanked Turkey for the support in the air operations in Syria. On April 14, Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that the US and its allies fired more than 100 missiles at Syria and three main chemical weapons facilities were targeted by missiles from both the sea and aircraft, which triggered Syrian air defenses. Dunford acknowledged the strike was designed to degrade Syrias chemical weapons capability without killing civilians or the many foreign fighters in Syrias multi-sided civil war. The Pentagon said one of the targets was a scientific research center located in the greater Damascus area, which it described as a Syrian center for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weaponry. The second target was a chemical weapons storage facility west of the city of Homs. The third target, which was also near Homs, contained both a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and a command post. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The Iranian army aviation corps on Monday unveiled the latest military achievements ahead of the army day in the country. Brigadier-General Ali Jahanshahi, the deputy commander of the ground forces of the Iranian army, attended the ceremony. During the ceremony, an airborne missile dubbed Shafaq with a range of 12 kilometers was unveiled. Also, the aviation corps showcased night vision cameras installed on the helicopters. The Iranian sources suggest that the country has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems in recent years. Since 1992, Iran has manufactured its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles, radars, boats and submarines. Iran in 1970 purchased more than 200 AH-1J Sea Cobra gunships and created the largest fleet of military helicopters in the Middle East, including Huey-class 205 and 214s. As a result of the Western-imposed sanctions following the Iranian Revolution, the country sought independently manufacturing in order to meet domestic needs. The country reverse-engineered parts, assemblies and, in some cases, whole aircraft, including the Bell 205, 206 and 214, since the 1990s. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Donors and victims of the November mass shooting at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs have begun to question the distribution of funds from the church leadership. The questions, sparked by the release of design plans for the new $3 million church, came to a head when Lisa McNulty and her granddaughter, Hailey McNulty, expressed to residents and on a local Facebook page that they were not getting church funds. Haileys mother, Tara McNulty, was killed in the massacre. Hailey and her brother James now live with Lisa. RELATED: Sutherland Springs family sues outdoors store where church shooter purchased gun Others piled on, asking for transparency regarding how much money the church raised, how funds were being distributed, and whether survivors and family members of victims were getting their requests denied. We just want to know how much, give us the amount, and then we want to know how much is left. Its simple, simple, math. And all you get is a runaround, McNulty said. Pat Dziuk, who is head of the churchs Sutherland Springs Restoration Committee in charge of distributing funding, said they had not tallied the total count of donations made to the church just yet, and wants to announce that number to the congregation before he relays it to the media. Gunman Devin Kelley killed 26 people and wounded 20 others when he opened fire on the congregation with an assault rifle on Nov. 5. Kelley was shot and then killed himself as he was chased from the church. RELATED: Sutherland Springs killer accused of waterboarding then-wife McNulty and others had wondered why the church cant just pool all its money and divide it up equally among the survivors and victims family. But Dziuk said the Internal Revenue Services requires the church use a needs-based system. How do you put a value on someone whose been killed versus someone whose wounded? How do you do that? Dziuk said. You may have some victims who have very protracted needs, like Kris (Workman) or Zach (Poston), theyll have medical expenses for years. Then you have some folks like us, who lost Annabelle, said First Church Pastor Frank Pomeroy, referring to his 14-year-old daughter, who was killed. And how incredibly sad that is, but we have no needs like they do. Its not fair for us to take the same amount of money. RELATED: Sutherland Springs conspiracy theorists charged, released Of the approximately 50 need-based requests from survivors and family members of victims, the committee has only denied one of them, Dziuk said. To get approval, the requests require committee member signatures and reasonable evidence of need. The review takes a maximum of two weeks, though it may have taken longer for some people if they applied and were rejected for funding from an H-E-B account or the Attorney Generals Crime Victims Compensation office first before coming to the church. The needs-based application was only recently formalized, as Dziuk called it. Before that, people were sending in requests without an official form. Pomeroy acknowledged that it might seem like filling out the forms and making requests with differing entities is a lot of bureaucracy, but its required by tax law. RELATED: Air Force admits it failed to send Sutherland Springs gunman's records to feds The attorney general can provide medical expenses, and sometimes funerals or lost wages, Dziuk said, and the churchs insurance company, Church Mutual, can also help compensate for lost wages. But Lisa McNulty isnt worried about lost wages or immediate expenses like paying rent which is what the church forms indicate. She is worried about James needing braces next year. Shes concerned about Hailey going off to college in two years. How is she going to afford these future, long-term expenses? Will the church be chipping in? Dziuck said they havent gotten to figuring out these long-term needs for people. McNulty provided the Express-News with evidence of a check that was sent to the church for her, but has not been transferred to her yet. Dzuick acknowledged there was a check waiting for her, but that the committee had only just finished sorting through the donations and putting them in their designated funding accounts. (There are about three categories, which include an undesignated, general fund; and funds for victims funerals, building of the new church, and miscellaneous). The church has been using Amegy Banks lockbox to sort through all of the mail and checks, and then its up to the church committee to ensure they get routed into the proper funding pots. I know were not doing anything illegal or immoral, were doing our best to meet needs, Dziuk said. We owe that to the donors to be good stewards of the money they sent. So were doing our best to do that. Funding for the new church and adjoining education center was to come from two sources: the North American Mission Board and a GoFundMe account established by Bradford Beldon, of the roofing company Beldon Enterprises Inc. Beldon has been a key player in Sutherland Springs recovery after he transformed the sanctuary, which had been the scene of the mass murder, into a serene memorial. The $1.1 million he raised consisted mostly of in-kind donations of services and materials his friends and colleagues had said they were willing to donate. His GoFundMe account raised $219,474 in cash. When Beldon was informed that his money would be going to phase II of the project the construction of a multipurpose facility, two years from now and not phase I, the building of the church, he shut down the GoFundMe page. He said he couldnt guarantee that the services people offered would be available two years from now. There were a lot of people who wanted to help. its a shame that they didnt choose to capitalize on using that help, Beldon said. Scott Gurosky, president of an Alabama firm managing the project, said they chose to separate their work with phases so there wouldnt be confusion between the two funding streams. We thought it was cleaner and easier to separate the giving sources. One is NAMB, and the other is GoFundMe Sutherland springs. So theres no overlap. And thats what we did, he said. But Beldon said there was a lot of secrecy surrounding those decisions, because he was told his fundraising wouldnt be used for the church construction until just before the Alabama firm announced its design plans, he said. As for what came of that almost $220,000 in cash, he said some of the victims families were upset they didnt have access to the funds. But there were other fundraisers for the victims. Ours was solely for the purpose of building a new church, he said. He used $99,643 to pay off the debt on two acres of property where the new church and center will be built. He then sent the remaining $119,000 to the church under restrictive covenants so the funds would only be used for construction. Beldon said its a shame that they couldnt work on those projects in tandem, but said thats not stopping his company, Beldon Enterprises, from donating the roofing of the new church. We very much wanted to help from the bottom of our hearts, but I completely understand them wanting to do something different. Theres no hard feelings, all we asked was for the opportunity to help them with the project, because we care. Motus GI added Seth Gross, MD, to its medical advisory board. Here are five things to know about him. 1. Dr. Gross will serve as the primary investigator on the company's Reduce study. The study will examine the effectiveness of its Pure-Vu System for inpatient colonoscopies. The Pure-Vu System is an alternative method of colonoscopy preparation. 2. Dr. Gross has 17-plus years of gastroenterology experience. 3. He currently serves as an associate professor of medicine at New York City-based NYU School of Medicine. 4. Dr Gross earned his medical degree at Tel Aviv, Israel-based Tel Aviv University. He completed a residency at Evanston, Ill.-based Northshore University Hospital and a fellowship at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic. 5. He said, "I believe the Pure-Vu System offers a powerful new tool to address [colonoscopy prep] challenges and potentially provides a more consistent, effective procedure. I look forward to working with the Motus GI medical advisory board as we look to advance the Pure-Vu System." Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health is preparing for a major consolidation project, which is expected to cost $1 billion, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. The project will include a major overhaul and expansion at IU Health's 589-bed Methodist Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children, both located in Indianapolis. In addition, the project calls for closing University Hospital, which is located about 2 miles from Methodist, and consolidating clinical operations into the two expanded facilities. Currently, health system officials are looking at which buildings on the Methodist campus should be renovated and which should be demolished. According to the report, the Methodist campus consists of a hodgepodge of buildings that were constructed decades apart. Some of these facilities even have mismatched plates and uneven ceilings. While hospital officials have yet to publicize which buildings will be saved, the ages of the various buildings provide some clues. For example, the newest buildings, including a 10-story patient tower constructed in the 1990s, are likely to remain because they are in good shape mechanically and architecturally. "It's very complicated to renovate an old hospital, and often not worth the effort," Timothy Frank, a partner at Artekna, an Indianapolis-based design and architecture firm specializing in healthcare, told the Indianapolis Business Journal. "Just fighting with the infrastructure is always a challenge. Trying to accommodate new technology, new equipment, new code requirements into a building of any significant age is tough. You're trying to shoehorn operations and utilities. It becomes a spaghetti bowl." IU officials expect to fully unveil its plan for the transformation project by the end of 2018. Leaders at Sonoma West Medical Center in Sebastopol, Calif., are exploring ways to increase revenue after the hospital shut down its lucrative toxicology program in late February, according to The Press Democrat. SWMC suspended the program after Anthem sent hospital leadership a letter claiming the hospital was involved in a lab testing scheme. In its letter to the hospital, Anthem claimed the scheme resulted in the insurer making $13.5 million in payments to the hospital. "Sonoma West appears to have conspired with several third parties to fabricate or misrepresent claims for toxicology testing services that were improperly billed to Anthem," the letter stated. Anthem threatened to take legal action against SWMC and its owner, Sebastopol-based Palm Drive Health Care District, if the funds were not returned immediately. The insurer also said it would deny all claims for urine testing the hospital submitted as of Jan. 22. The alleged lab testing scheme gained national attention in late March when CBS aired a special investigative report. In June 2017, the governing board of SWMC and the Palm Drive Health Care District approved a lab management agreement with Durall Capital Holdings, a Florida-based company owned by Aaron Durall. The agreement reportedly generated more than $31 million over an eight-month period, according to CBS. Now that the agreement with Durrall Capital has been terminated, SWMC is exploring ways to generate new revenue. Dennis Colthurst, president of the board of directors of the Palm Drive Health Care District, told The Press Democrat he remains optimistic about the hospital's future. "We're treating patients, our emergency room, our surgery department are open," he said. "We're looking at the next steps to increase revenue through extra lines of work." More articles on healthcare finance: Henry Ford Health System's income dragged down by Epic implementation, labor costs Georgia hospital closure will result in 200 layoffs 5 latest hospital bankruptcies, closures As the clinician shortage becomes more widespread, hospital leaders are scrambling to find innovative strategies to retain and recruit staff to protect their organization's reputation, clinical outcomes and bottom line. At Becker's Hospital Review's 9th Annual Meeting in Chicago April 11, a panel of hospital leaders including Robert Dahl, president and CEO of Chicago-based Presence Health's Northwest Region and Nicole Thorell, CNO of Lexington (Ky.) Regional Health Center discussed various workforce strategies that can drive staff engagement and retention to improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes. Ms. Thorell and Mr. Dahl weighed in on a few methods and strategies their respective organizations deployed to deliver better care outcomes and boost tenured employee morale. A few years ago, several tenured nurses at Lexington Regional Health Center said they felt it was unfair the organization gave new nurses $15,000 dollars for loan repayment when they were hired. Shortly after that discussion, leaders at the hospital "completely switched our focus from recruitment to retention," explained Ms. Thorell. "[We wanted] to recognize what a long term commitment means to our facility When you have happy staff, they really are your recruitment tool When the tenured nurses are happy and feel valued, they are out recruiting those new nurses." Since switching the focus to retaining nurses instead of recruiting nurses, Lexington Regional Health Center achieved an 82 percent reduction in readmissions, added Ms. Thorell. In addition, she mentioned the hospital has no nursing jobs open. Both Mr. Dahl and Ms. Thorell emphasized the importance of the recruitment process, because finding the right people for the organization is vital to keep tenured staff happy, maintain the organization's reputation and derive brand differentiation in the marketplace. "In terms of what creates differentiation in the marketplace It's really the people that make the difference," Mr. Dahl said. "What we've found to be successful [while recruiting] is looking at behavioral-based interviews, engaging peer-to-peer conversations so they hear what the units are like to make sure its the right fit culturally. We also engage physicians in the process to make sure everyone is bought into this new individual to set the bar high for success." Ms. Thorell agreed with Mr. Dahl that an individual should have missions and goals that align well with the organization. "Sometimes it's really hard to not just fill the position, but if you dont have the right person to fill the position, it can wreak havoc on an organization and create more work in the long run." In addition, Mr. Dahl said tapping interim leadership can help provide stability for an organization in high need, low supply positions. The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque named three finalists for the CEO role at University of New Mexico Hospital, also in Albuquerque, according to an Albuquerque Journal report. The university is searching for a permanent successor to Steve McKernan, who retired in October 2017. Michael Chicarelli, DNP, RN, is currently serving as interim CEO. The three finalists are: Herbert C. Buchanan, who previously served as president of Indiana University Health's Methodist and University hospitals, both in Indianapolis. Kate Becker, the current president of SSM Health's St. Louis University Hospital. Deborah McGrew, who is currently vice president and COO at University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The three finalists will visit the campus in April for town hall meetings. From Phoenix-based Banner Health settling a False Claims Act lawsuit to Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare defeating a class-action lawsuit alleging overpayments, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines. 1. West Virginia hospital sues for $169k in care provided to inmate Cabell Huntington (W.Va.) Hospital sued a West Virginia jail and county commission over $168,985.65 in unpaid medical bills for an inmate. 2. Banner Health will pay $18M to settle false claims allegations Banner Health, a 28-hospital system based in Phoenix, agreed to pay the federal government more than $18 million to resolve allegations that 12 of its hospitals in Arizona and Colorado submitted false claims to Medicare. 3. Tenet defeats class-action lawsuit alleging overpayments: 8 things to know A Florida federal judge dismissed a putative class-action lawsuit against Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare's Florida Region and one of its hospitals filed by a Medicare Advantage assignee trying to recoup insurance payments under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act. 4. Former surgeon accused of raking in $860k by illegally reviewing patient files Spyros Panos, MD, a former orthopedic surgeon who was previously convicted of healthcare fraud, is accused of assuming the identity of a licensed orthopedic surgeon to review patient files in workers' compensation cases. 5. Mississippi Supreme Court orders Medicaid to pay $2M to hospitals after skimping reimbursements The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled the state's Medicaid program must pay back $2 million to 12 state hospitals after illegally changing its payment formula for radiology and laboratory services. 6. Former Georgia hospital CEO, physicians indicted in pain med scheme The former CEO of Blairsville, Ga.-based Union General Hospital, along with two physicians, was indicted for illegally prescribing and obtaining thousands of doses of prescription pain medications. 7. Aetna whistle-blower accuses CVS of 'spread pricing' in federal lawsuit CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit management division of Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS Health, stands accused of improperly reporting Medicare generic drug prices to CMS. 8. Former medical assistant at Children's Pediatric Clinic + 7 others arrested for prescription fraud St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office arrested eight individuals including a former medical assistant at LaPlace, La.-based Children's Pediatric Clinic in connection with a fraudulent prescription drug ring for opiate-based medication. 9. Former Texas hospital nurse charged with murder of patient A former nurse at Tyler, Texas-based Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital and Christus Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler was charged with murder in a patient's death and is a suspect in at least two other care interventions that left patients in vegetative states. 10. New Jersey joins Democratic states in legal fight against anti-ACA lawsuit New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal joined leaders in other Democratic states in fighting a lawsuit filed by Texas and other Republican states that looks to overturn the ACA. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Feds, 30 states claim McKesson illegally repackaged cancer drugs to maximize profits: 5 things to know Teen sues Michigan hospital after vicious attack in ER California files antitrust suit against Sutter Health: 5 things to know Lawyers plan to file a lawsuit against Tyler, Texas-based Christus Mother Frances Health System following the arrest of a former nurse charged with the murder of a patient last week, reports Tyler Morning Telegraph. Here are three things to know. 1. The nurse, 34-year-old William George Davis, worked at Tyler-based Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital before his Feb. 15 termination. The Texas Nursing Board, which suspended Mr. Davis' license March 16, is investigating claims he is responsible for inappropriate care interventions involving up to seven patients. The interventions caused one patient to die and left two others in vegetative states. 2. Lawyers filed a medical negligence claim on behalf of one of Davis' victims, 58-year-old Joseph Kalina, whom clinicians were treating for a heart attack at Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital. While Mr. Kalina was conscious and speaking after heart surgery, his condition suddenly deteriorated, leaving him paralyzed and unable to speak. The lawsuit will seek damages against the hospital to fund the lifelong care Mr. Kalina will need. "We want to know what the hospital knew and when they knew it," said Tom Crosley, lead attorney and partner at the Crosley Law Firm, in a press conference cited by Tyler Morning Telegraph. "Our client was the seventh patient listed on the arrest warrant and this went on for seven months. Hospitals should not employ nurses that harm patients; we will hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions." 3. Christus Mother Frances Hospital said it could not comment on pending litigation in an April 13 statement cited by Tyler Morning Telegraph. However, the hospital did comment on Mr. Davis' employment. "Because this is an ongoing criminal investigation, and because federal privacy regulations prevent us from sharing details about specific patients' conditions or care, the hospital is limited in what it can discuss," the hospital said in the statement. "Mr. Davis was a credentialed nurse who passed all background checks when he was hired. There was nothing about Davis' employment history that would have indicated he was likely to commit a crime." Cabell Huntington (W.Va.) Hospital sued a West Virginia jail and county commission over $168,985.65 in unpaid medical bills for an inmate, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. Cabell Huntington Hospital named the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Authority, the executive director of the jail authority, and the Kanawha County Commission as defendants. The lawsuit claims an inmate from South Central Regional Jail received uncompensated treatment at Cabell Huntington Hospital for 19 days in January and February 2016. The lawsuit, filed April 9 in Kanawha County Circuit Court, said the inmate "sustained serious injuries" at the jail requiring "significant medical care." The inmate, who was transported to Cabell Huntington Hospital's emergency room Jan. 28, 2016, remained a patient at the hospital until Feb. 15, 2016. No other details were provided about the inmate's injuries or treatment. Kent Carper, Kanawha County Commission president, told Charleston Gazette-Mail the jail, rather than the county, is responsible for paying the bill. Cabell Huntington Hospital seeks the total cost of the inmate's bill, as well as attorneys' fees, interest and other court costs. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Banner Health will pay $18M to settle false claims allegations Tenet defeats class-action lawsuit alleging overpayments: 8 things to know Texas hospital on former nurse charged with patient's murder: Nurse 'acted of his own accord' A clinical trial at New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System is testing whether brighter lights in cancer patients' rooms during the morning can boost their mood and help them sleep through the night, The Wall Street Journal reports. The researchers are working with the hypothesis that strong light affects patients' circadian rhythms, which can improve sleep quality. "We believe that light will affect circadian rhythms, which in turn will affect sleep, depression and fatigue," Heiddis Valdimarsdottir, PhD, a researcher in the Sinai study and assistant professor at Sinai's Tisch Cancer Institute, told the WSJ. Sinai worked with the Lighting Research Center at Troy, N.Y.-based Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where its director, Mariana Figueiro, PhD, an architect with a background in biology, worked to design light fixtures for the randomized trial. The fixtures provide dim light or circadian-stimulating high-intensity light. All types of light can affect circadian rhythms, Dr. Figueiro said, "as long as you develop the right spectrum [or color] and the right intensity." Although strong fluorescent lights could work, patients tend to prefer light-emitting diodes or LEDs, Dr. Figueiro added. Approximately 44 patients have taken part in the trial so far, with half being exposed to intense light in the morning. The other half remained in the "placebo" or dim light, according to Dr. Valdimarsdottir. Although the findings on sleep and fatigue still need to be examined, the early results related to depression are promising, Dr. Valdimarsdottir said. Around 40 percent of participants were clinically depressed after the first week in the hospital. That percentage remained constant for those who underwent light therapy, but increased to 70 percent among patients in the dimmer "placebo" light. "What I find amazing is that having more intense light, changing the light in the room will prevent depression" from getting worse, Dr. Valdimarsdottir said. "Usually when you are sick, you want dark around you. You want the curtains closed and the lights off. But...for a few hours, we are stimulating the circadian rhythms." Researcher William Redd, PhD, a professor at Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, said dim light in hospital rooms does not cause patients' depression, fatigue and sleep issues. Rather, their cancer and intense treatments trigger these problems. Despite this, Dr. Redd added, "it is quite possible the hospital lighting makes it worse." The researchers plan to present their findings this November at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine's annual meeting in Santiago, Chile. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court reversed an earlier decision that denied UnitedHealthcare from protesting a lost bid to partially manage the state's Medicaid program. Here are three things to know about the decision. 1. In an April 10 court ruling, Judge Michael Wojcik named several reasons why the state erred in denying UnitedHealthcare its protest bid. Specifically, Mr. Wojcik determined a Dec. 19, 2016 meeting Medicaid officials held with Centene CEO Michael Neidorff whose Centene subsidiary was also vying for the contract was unauthorized. 2. In December 2016, UnitedHealthcare filed protests over its loss to help manage Pennsylvania Medicaid benefits that cover 2.2 million beneficiaries. The largest winners of the bids included Gateway Health Plan and UPMC for You, with Gateway covering all of the state's five Medicaid zones and UPMC covering four. 3. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services denied UnitedHealthcare's protest bid June 5, 2017, arguing UnitedHealthcare failed to show it had been aggrieved by the Dec. 19 meeting. However, Mr. Wojcik's decision overturned that decision possibly opening the door to a new Medicaid bid selection in Pennsylvania. More articles on payer issues: BCBS of Kansas taps new CEO, CIO, VPs: 4 takeaways Georgia governor to Piedmont, BCBS CEOs: We're meeting, and 'I expect an update' on negotiations BCBS-Piedmont dispute: Negotiations progress, but physician payment a sticking point Amazon Business, the e-commerce giant's separate business-to-business marketplace, shelved its push to become a major pharmaceutical supplier to large U.S. hospitals and outpatient clinics, reports CNBC. Here are seven things to know. 1. Amazon Business already sells a limited selection of medical supplies on its platform ranging from sutures to band aids to hip implants as well as industrial supplies and office supplies. However, Amazon was hoping to expand this marketplace into a one-stop shop where large hospitals could stock up on pharmaceutical products as well as medical supplies for emergency rooms, operating suites and outpatient facilities. 2. While Amazon has abandoned its plan to sell and distribute pharmaceutical products for now, the e-commerce giant hasn't completely ruled out entering the pharmaceutical distribution space. Some reports have speculated that the company will aim to become a direct-to-consumer prescription drug business in the future. 3. The change in plans is partially because Amazon has been unable to convince larger hospitals and health systems to adhere to a different purchasing process. The traditional provider-supplier relationship typically consists of loyal relationships and a few middlemen. 4. In addition, Amazon would need to build a more sophisticated logistics network to handle pharmaceutical products, according to sources familiar with the matter. Amazon's warehouse and shipping infrastructure is not equipped with cold chain technology, meaning it is not set up to store and deliver temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products. This would be an expensive project to undertake. 5. Instead of working to become a major pharmaceutical distributor to major hospitals, the e-commerce giant will focus on beefing up its less sensitive medical supply offerings to smaller hospitals and clinics, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC. 6. With the proper licensing in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Amazon has been selling medical products like gloves, stethoscopes and sutures to medical clinics for several years. However, the e-commerce giant has struggled to sign contracts with large hospital networks, despite talking with and inviting hospital executives to its headquarters in Seattle on numerous occasions. These larger hospital networks have contracts and relationships with large distributors such as Cardinal Health and McKesson. 7. "The hospital and healthcare systems have entangling alliances with their existing purchasing and supply chain partners," Tom Cassels, head of strategy and business development at Leidos Health, a healthcare consulting firm, told CNBC. "It's very difficult to replicate the Amazon buying experience in healthcare." The Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Best Companies Group honored OrthoPediatrics as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana. Here are four takeaways. 1. This is the second year OrthoPediatrics has received the award. 2. The award is designed to identify, recognize and honor the top employers benefiting the state's economy, workforce and business. 3. To earn the award, companies submit a two-part survey. The first part is an evaluation of the company's policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The second part is an employee survey on experience. 4. OrthoPediatrics President and CEO Mark Throdahl stated, We are honored to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana for a second time. One of our greatest competitive advantages is our unique culture, which balances a focus on people with achieving results." "Its extremely gratifying to know that our associates value our efforts to make OrthoPediatrics a desirable and engaging place to work. We look forward to the continued success of our organization as we advance our cause of helping children around the world. Tens of thousands of diesel cars and vans are still clogging up Belfast's roads, despite drivers being encouraged to move away from them in favour of cleaner fuels. Figures from the Department for Transport and the DVLA show that 49,812 new and existing diesel cars were registered in 2017 in the area - 44% of all cars. There were also 8,725 registered diesel vans. Despite the questions asked of diesel technology following 2015's Volkswagen scandal, in which the German manufacturer was found to be cheating emissions tests, 1,223 more diesel-powered cars were registered in Belfast last year than in 2016. The UK government has since announced proposals to ban sales of new diesel cars from 2040, as well as exclusively petrol-powered vehicles. Around 40,000 premature deaths every year are linked to the country's poor air quality. It signals a remarkable turnaround in the popularity of diesel, with Gordon Brown introducing tax breaks on new diesel-powered vehicles as recently as 2001. RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: "The number of registered petrol cars reached a peak in 2004 and then began to fall as more people opted for diesel, to the point where we now have 12.3 million on Britain's roads. "The tide has now begun to turn as motorists go back to petrol, or choose an alternatively fuelled vehicle, as a result of emissions from diesel vehicles being found to be harmful to health. "We are unlikely to see the number of registered diesel cars peak for a few years as, while sales of new diesels have declined, they are still contributing to their overall numbers rising as they far outweigh those being scrapped." In total, 128,732 vehicles were registered in Belfast last year, 1,817 more than in 2016. There were 643,550 diesel cars and vans registered across Northern Ireland in 2017, and 16.8 million across the UK - an increase of 3% on 2016. Channel 4 plans to move 300 of its 800 staff out of London (Philip Toscano/PA) Channel 4 has laid out guidelines for cities hoping to host the broadcasters new national headquarters or one of two new creative hubs. The channel plans to move 300 of its 800 staff out of the capital and will open three new sites in the nations and regions. It will also increase spending on productions in the nations and regions from 35% to 50% of main channel commissions by 2023, boosting spending outside of London by more than 250 million. The broadcaster, which is publicly owned but commercially funded, will not sell its London headquarters but will locate decision-makers and commissioners at a new base. Great news for the UK's #creativeindustries as @Channel4 reveal exciting plans for new National HQ outside London. https://t.co/ASj9RDve6U pic.twitter.com/w8LhYmDZoV DCMS (@DCMS) March 8, 2018 Jonathan Allan, commercial chief of the channel, told a briefing that the host city for the national HQ should have a working population of 200,000 and a travel time of up to three hours from London, adding the winning city should also have a high level of physical and digital creativity. The two cities that will serve as creative hubs should have a working population of 75,000 and a travel time to London of up to four hours, he added. The city should also have proximity to a well-developed independent television or digital production community. Areas looking to apply must submit paperwork by May 11 before Channel 4 draws up a shortlist by the end of May. The decisions on the three locations will be announced in October. Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4, said it is a quite fundamental part of our role to offer apprenticeships and opportunities to those who might not otherwise get them. She added: Anywhere that we go, or part of us go, would accelerate that. Ms Mahon said: I hope that by having us there we provide a bit of inspiration, that you dont always have to be in London to have these opportunities. She said that as space is made available at the current London headquarters in Horseferry Road, it will be made available as a drop-in for independent production companies from the nations and regions. Van Morrison will perform on the same bill as former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant at BluesFest 2018 in Dublin. The legendary performers will take to the stage at the 3Arena on Sunday, October 28. They will also be joined by special guest Colin Macleod. Tickets are on sale from Friday, April 20 at 10am Plant, who appeared at BluesFest London as a special guest for Bill Wymans 80th birthday show in 2016, will bring his Sensational Space Shifters to Dublin to perform classic Led Zeppelin material alongside tracks from his acclaimed solo projects including Carry Fire, his eleventh solo album. Van Morrison comes to the festival for a career-spanning set that will include music from his new studio album Youre Driving Me Crazy. Plant said: Its been way over 50 years since I first shared the stage with Van Morrison; and his band were positioned no.2 on the charts with Here Comes the Night. "His style then and now remains unique and loaded with deep soul. I'm looking forward to an exciting and dynamic night. Already confirmed for BluesFest 2018 are John Fogerty who will perform a Credence Clearwater Revival greatest hits set with special guests Steve Miller Band at 3Arena, Dublin on Friday, October 26. Located along the world famous Causeway Coast, the Giant's Causeway is a must-see stop on many tourists' agendas when they visit Northern Ireland. But us local folk can often overlook the beauty on our own doorstep. I confess I lived a short drive from the Giant's Causeway while studying at university and never quite managed to make the trip to see what all the fuss was about. Thankfully I recently rectified this as I once again put on my tourist hat and headed to the site. My verdict? It's definitely worth a visit and here's seven reasons why: 1. The North Coast views There's no place like it on the whole island of Ireland. The Giant's Causeway and its surrounding areas boasts the most amazing scenery that is truly an Instagrammer's heaven. A day at the Giant's Causeway - especially if the weather is playing ball - can provide endless #blessed content along some of the best walking routes in Northern Ireland. A great excuse to feel fit and healthy, with the added perk of providing a stunning backdrop when you post your (humble) brag on social media. Expand Close (Courtesy of the National Trust) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Courtesy of the National Trust) 2. The local influence Taking a visit to the Giant's Causeway Visitors Centre one of the most unexpected aspects for me was the multitude of local produce, arts and crafts on sale at the gift shop. Everything from art, fudge, shortbread, jams, and nik naks made exclusively by local producers really allows for Northern Ireland to shine, and I have to say I felt an odd sense of pride in the wide range and amazing products on offer. The tourists come for the stones, but they are impressed by the local delicacies, much like I was, all of which adds to the truly Northern Ireland experience to be sampled and enjoyed. 3. The myths and legends Northern Ireland folk know how to spin a good yarn and the Giant's Causeway is filled with its own myths and legends that make for a great tale. Finn McCool is the star of the show around these parts and it makes for an interesting trip to the Causeway to hear all the stories on offer. I was lucky enough to enjoy the tales as told by our National Trust tour guide Keith, who showed great passion and humour when relaying the 'facts' and made the trip even more enjoyable. For anyone contemplating a tour with Keith in the future, I advise you get him to tell you the story of the naming of 'the windy gap' - it's a corker. 4. It's actually super scientific So it turns out there is actually a scientific explanation for it all - some might say it's not as exciting as Finn McCool's involvement, but it's definitely worth taking in the facts during your visit. The Giant's Causeway Visitors Centre provides all the education you need to ingest before or after your trip to the stones and the surrounding areas and as someone who didn't exactly excel in their science GCSE I admit I not only found it extremely interesting, but also understandable. Again, it may have been Keith's doing in making my brain wrap itself around what is probably really basic science, but he obviously has a passion for his job in educating visitors. Expand Close (Courtesy of the National Trust) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Courtesy of the National Trust) 5. The local hospitality During my visit to the area I stayed at the Causeway Hotel, which is also run by the National Trust. Before arriving at a new hotel I usually do my research but decided on this occasion to refrain from googling what to expect - and I was pleasantly surprised. The room was larger than most and provided all manner of hotel luxuries that have become the norm, i.e. bathroom essentials, TV, iron, wardrobe, tea/coffee making facilities etc. I also enjoyed the use of a small patio with great views of the area and quite possibly one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept on. The hotel bar had the decor of a stately home with the relaxed atmosphere of any country pub, while the restaurant was a masterclass in exceptional dining. The staff manage to expertly walk the fine line of being attentive but not overly encroaching on your meal experience, while the menu offered north coast takes on classic meals - I highly recommend the north Atlantic cod. Having locally sourced ingredients are a must for many tourist hot spots these days and the Causeway Hotel delivers on all fronts. 6. You are a stone's throw away from more great experiences The beauty of a visit to the Giant's Causeway is that you are never more than a short drive away from more great locations. Bushmills, Portrush, Portstewart, Ballycastle, Rathlin Island ... the list could go on. The Giant's Causeway can be a great starting point to a jam packed North Coast adventure. 7. The international appeal It's quite a sight to visit the Giant's Causeway to see and hear the different nationalities taking an interest in this little corner of Northern Ireland. China, the US, Canada, India, Australia, and New Zealand are just some of the countries represented in the crowds everyday, with numbers only getting bigger and bigger. People here are known for their friendliness and hospitality and it was nice to see that in action in both the National Trust staff and members of the public who, as we tend to do, have struck up a conversation with the person beside them who are also grabbing a selfie . With the North Coast becoming more and more prominent on traveller's radar, the area will only attract more nationalities and it's great to see them welcomed so warmly. For more information on a trip to the Giant's Causeway, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway. The stepdaughter of the late Mo Mowlam has launched a scathing attack on Tony Blair for helping to airbrush the former Secretary of State from history. Writing in The Guardian, Henrietta Norton described how she was forced to avoid media coverage of the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement which left her wanting to shout "where the f*** is she?" at her television last Tuesday. "My frustration and anger began to boil over," she wrote. "I missed Mo more this week than I do on the anniversary of her death, or her birthday. "Her absence was everywhere in the British media's coverage of the anniversary of the Agreement." The documentary filmmaker reserved most of her scorn for former Prime Minister Blair, who she said didn't even mention her stepmum's name in a speech delivered in Belfast. "He made no acknowledgment of her role in the negotiations at all," she added. "Perhaps he was afraid that he might get another standing ovation about someone else in the middle of one of his speeches?" The omission stood in stark contrast to the moving tribute Mr Blair made following Mowlam's death in August 2005 when he said "it is no exaggeration" to say that her "determination, charm and sheer life force" transformed the political landscape here and changed the relationship between the Republic and the UK. Former Labour Party deputy leader Harriet Harman has also been critical of the lack of recognition afforded to her late colleague who worked tirelessly to secure peace despite being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 1997. As key architects of the Agreement - including President Bill Clinton and former US special envoy George Mitchell - gathered in the city, Ms Harman tweeted the front cover of a news publication which had one noticeable omission from its all-male line-up. "They should've put Mo Mowlam in this pic - so we could remember what she did and all the other women who played their part in the peace process!" she tweeted. Mowlam has been widely praised for bringing her distinctive personality to the talks which kept loyalists and republicans at the negotiating table. Ms Norton said her stepmum always understood that the inclusion of women was imperative to persuading men to join the conversation. But the shrewd operator also knew the importance of keeping victims and paramilitary leaders on board, which required her to walk a tightrope. Ms Norton, who directed Born And Reared - which tells the stories of four contemporary men here living in the aftermath of the Troubles - now fears that her step-mother will be written out of history. "I've been pitching a film to commissioners at various broadcasters: an authored, personal story in Mo's memory that would celebrate and explore her legacy for contemporary women," she wrote. "I've been told 'no one would be interested'. That they 'couldn't see who would watch it'." SOS volunteers Lorraine Saunders (right) and Shelagh help a woman from a bar in Belfast city centre A "life-saving" nighttime service which has helped around 300,000 people in Belfast over the past decade could shut this summer due to lack of funding, organisers have warned. The well-known 'SOS Bus' provides medical attention, emotional support, refreshments and clothing on Friday and Saturday nights in Belfast city centre. Read More The volunteer-run SOS NI service also operates response minibuses, offering transport to hospital, home or a safe place. The group works closely with nightclubs, and volunteers carry out foot patrols, checking the streets for people in distress. However, the organisation, which last year provided medical treatment and emotional support to over 1,400 people and handed out 33,680 cups of hot drinks, is now at risk of closure. SOS NI's Interim Chief Executive Karen Gallagher warned that the consequences could be "catastrophic", placing extra stress on the emergency services. "Things are very tough, and there might not be an SOS Bus in a couple of months," she said. "It costs 250,000 per year to run the service, and only the generosity of volunteers has kept it going for so long. "The Public Health Agency (PHA) provides 35,000 per annum, but only until 2019/20. We also received 54,000 from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which finished last year. "Belfast City Council funded our attendance at St Patrick's Day this year, but they don't fund our weekend nighttime service. "We are in talks with the council, and are hopeful they will provide funding. "We need organisations to step up to the plate and provide financial support." SOS NI relies on 140 regular volunteers, who give up one Friday or Saturday night per month. In addition to offering a safe environment, each of the 60ft "big buses" has a medical bay where a first responder can treat minor injuries and assess whether to send a casualty to hospital. "A lot of people fall and cut themselves, are involved in fights, or hit their heads," said team leader Gill Purdy. "If it's serious we can take them to A&E in our minibuses, allowing the Ambulance Service to respond to emergencies." Last year, nearly 950 clients who were treated were under the influence of drink or drugs, 110 were homeless and 118 were injured. Over 350 were taken home or to a safe place by minibus, while 87 were taken to A&E. Team leader Ian Purdy, Gill's husband, believes that "a lot of people will slip through the net" if the service goes. "I do think that lives could be lost, and it makes me frustrated." A PHA spokesperson said it "appreciates the value and commitment of the SOS Bus team and volunteers". She added that the PHA have a five-year grant award agreement with SOS NI to provide 35,000 per year until 2019/20, when "future plans for funding allocations will be considered". A Belfast City Council spokeswoman said members would consider the group's new funding request "in due course". No response was received from the DOJ. To donate, visit www.sosbusni.com or the SOS Bus NI Facebook page. Or text SOSB28, plus donation amount, to 70070 DUP MLA Jim Wells has continued his public spat with the DUP over claims the leadership pledged to reinstate him as health minister, saying the party would be "delighted" to replace him and he is aware a candidate has been lined up for his seat. And the veteran politician said there could be more revelations coming from him. After three years of trying to resolve the issue internally with the party he was "at the end of his tether" explaining his decision to speak out. Speaking to BBC TalkBack he said there was a "clear indication" from the party leadership at the time in 2015 that he was to return to the Executive table. He said the matter had been discussed internally for the past two years and Peter Robinson had at least one window of opportunity to do so. "But nowhere did the party say there was no promise, that was the crucial issue," he claimed. Peter Robinson, in an interview last week denied there was ever a specific promise made while he was leader to Mr Wells. The MLA said he felt compelled to release emails to the media on Monday. He denied there was "copious ambiguity" from the party on his return to frontline government. "They know what I am saying is true... they have had a golden opportunity to refute what I said and they have not done so." Read More The row erupted after the South Down MLA, in a no-holds-barred interview with the Belfast Telegraph last week, said he had reached an agreement with Mr Robinson to step down from his ministerial role in April 2015, claiming the former party leader agreed he would return after the dust settled. The row has rumbled on since, drawing Peter Robinson into commenting on his first major interview after he retired from politics. Mr Wells said it was not now a "healthy relationship" he had with the DUP but he said there had been plenty of messages of support and well-wishers from within the party. "My difficulty is with nine people in the DUP, not the party." He also described as "condescending" the party stating it had a "duty of care" to Mr Wells during the time his wife was ill in one of the emails. "My wife's condition stabilised, I was in a position to return, I asked to return and was totally ignored," he said. "I have not lost the plot, I am perfectly sane, I am very, very aggrieved that this plus the fact they refused to put out a press release welcoming the court case and so many other issues indicate I am no longer welcome as what so would call a dinosaur in the DUP." He added: "If they could replace me in South Down I believe they would be delighted". He said he was "aware" there was a replacement lined up for his seat, but he did not want to discuss that further. "I have tried for three years to sort this out behind the scenes quietly and in private and on each occasion I have been rebuffed. "People have been asking why I went from minister to nothing and after being vindicated by the courts why did I never return... is there a skeleton in the cupboard, have I done something wrong. The answer is I haven't I have just been totally ignored." He rejected he was out to "humiliate" the DUP leadership and he still supported the party and its policy. Mr Wells said he had no intention of stepping down or quitting the party. Asked if he would consider joining Jim Allister's TUV, he said: "I don't think so... I have no contact with Jim." He told broadcaster William Crawley there could be a further "episode three" on its way over the revelations. The DUP has been asked for a comment. Disciplinary proceedings have begun and it said it would not provide a running commentary on what were "internal matters". DUP MLA Jim Wells claims an email from his former party leader Peter Robinson demonstrates there was a commitment for him to return to the Executive as health minister. Mr Wells resigned as health minister after he was falsely accused of linking child abuse to same sex marriage. In a no-holds-barred interview with the Belfast Telegraph last week, Mr Wells said he had reached an agreement with Mr Robinson to step down from his ministerial role in April 2015, claiming the former party leader agreed he would return after the dust settled. Read More Peter Robinson denied there was a specific promise saying his words were "much more careful". The BBC, on Monday, reports of an email from April 2015 which quotes the then DUP leader as saying he "would be happy to see him back in government" and that "no impediment was placed in his being able to return to office". Mr Wells himself offered to return to the health ministry on a temporary basis. The South Down representative, who has been a DUP member for 43 years, an MLA for 24 years and was a councillor for 11 years, is among the longest serving public representatives at Stormont. He suspects he has been sidelined by the party because of his "old-fashioned and traditional" views. He told the BBC: "I had fallen on my sword to protect the party from a very difficult situation. "I had the reassurance I was coming back and I felt very offended that, for two years, nobody would respond to me when I asked for that promise to be redeemed." The DUP is conducting a review of Mr Wells' comments and said it would not be providing a running commentary. The veteran politician has said he expects to be disciplined. A DUP spokeswoman said: "The party is aware of the comments. This is an internal matter. The party will not be giving a running commentary." Doctors will withdraw a young mother's life support in a Belfast hospital today after a court ruled that she could no longer be kept alive due to the extreme pain caused by her injuries. West Belfast woman Joleen Corr (27), a beautician, sustained horrific brain injuries and was left in a coma after being savagely attacked in Downpatrick. The mother-of-one was assaulted in a house in Thomas Russell Park in the Co Down town in 2016. She was beaten so badly she was barely recognisable. Joleen spent six months receiving specialist treatment in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital following the attack and was later transferred to Musgrave Park Hospital. Last week's court ruling means that medical staff will withdraw all food and fluids from the woman, who has been in a vegetative state since the brutal attack. Ms Corr will spend her final days in the surroundings of the Northern Ireland Hospice. She is likely to die within a fortnight. Carol Corr - who is also mum to Cherie (23), Jim (20), Chloe (12), and nine-year-old Christine - has been at her daughter's side every day since the devastating 2016 attack. Speaking at the weekend, Joleen's heartbroken mother said: "I feel like when she was beaten up, we lost her, but now we've lost her all over again and this time it's forever. My heart has been ripped out and shattered into a million pieces. "The staff at Northern Ireland Hospice are going to keep her as comfortable as they can, but we know within the next few days we'll be saying our goodbyes. "It's not fair on her to make her have to cope with this pain any longer. "The injuries she sustained when she was beaten up have finally got too much for her. "Joleen was the happiest, bubbliest, most loving and beautiful girl in the world. "She was a great mum too. Everything she did was for her son, and I'm going to miss her so much," Joleen's mother told the BBC. One man, Michael O'Connor, has been charged in connection with the attack on Joleen. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and grievous bodily harm and is currently remanded in custody. O'Connor, originally from Westrock Grove in west Belfast, is understood to be Ms Corr's ex-partner. No date has yet been set for his trial. The air strikes on Syrian military facilities carried out in a joint operation by the US, UK and France have polarised Northern Ireland's parties. The DUP has backed Prime Minister Theresa's May's decision to use force - although not without internal dissent. The party's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said: "Given the context of the recent international response to the use of a nerve agent in the UK, the clear targeted purpose of the strikes, and the repeated blocking by Russia of diplomatic solutions through the UN, we believe the Prime Minister was justified in standing with our American and French allies in this concerted action." The DUP's support for Mrs May comes just days after one senior party MP said he thought the UK should not intervene in Syria. On Friday East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson told the Daily Mail: "Personally, I would vote not to take action. But I suspect that the party might take a different view. If this happens, I would listen to the arguments, but I don't think we should intervene." Sinn Fein's foreign affairs spokesman Sean Crowe TD said his party was "saddened and appalled" by the attacks. "There is nothing smart about this technology, it is designed to kill people on a massive scale and there is no justification for these attacks," he said. "The US, Britain and France are not neutral, having armed and supported various protagonists. "They have no credibility when it comes to peaceful settlements to conflicts in this region. "They need to desist from their military interventionism." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the alleged chemical attacks by President Assad were appalling but that air strikes without a peace strategy would make the situation worse. "The violence and bloodshed that is happening in Syria is horrific. Any military intervention threatens to escalate the conflict even further," he said. Mr Eastwood said that the Prime Minister should have recalled Parliament to discuss the Syrian situation before military intervention was launched. That is a view shared by the Ulster Unionist Party. UUP MLA Steve Aiken MLA said that while the air strikes were the right thing to do, Parliament should have been recalled before action was taken. "This isn't just about Syria. This has the potential to escalate into a wider conflict and we should be debating all those scenarios," he said. Alliance leader Naomi Long said she was concerned air strikes took place without a clear strategy. "I would also suggest there is an amount of hypocrisy around this decision, allegedly taken for humanitarian reasons, and question how it fits with then restricting access to the UK and US for Syrian refugees," she added. Belfast Feminist Network activists hold a protest outside the Kingspan Stadium in east Belfast ahead of Ulster's Pro14 match against the Ospreys The feminist group which led the 'Stamp Out Misogyny' protest outside the Kingspan stadium last Friday has said it is "delighted" that Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding have been sacked from the Ulster and Ireland teams. On Saturday, the IRFU and Ulster Rugby confirmed they had revoked the contracts of the two players following an internal review into their conduct which launched after the men were acquitted of rape last month. Read More Belfast Feminist Network, which demonstrated outside the home of Ulster Rugby last week, said they viewed the decision to dismiss the pair as "a victory for all the people who joined with us to say that they could not accept anything less than full accountability". However, the group said that Ulster Rugby "has work to do if it wants to convince us that they will take action against sexism and ensure things like this do not happen again". It stated: "We are pleased to hear that those players who have exposed themselves as misogynistic will no longer be representing Ulster Rugby. "We see this as a victory for all the people who joined with us to say that they could not accept anything less than full accountability. "However, as we made clear at our rally Ulster Rugby has work to do if it wants to convince us that they will take action against sexism and ensure things like this do not happen again. "We look forward to hearing how they intend to do this." The feminist group also revealed that its social media page had experienced a "huge spike" in engagements following the protest, but said that they had been forced to ban some commentators from the page for "victim-blaming", "misogynist language" and "anti-feminist slurs". They also warned users that comments posted on its social media page regarding the Belfast rape trial could be "targeted for legal action" if they were deemed libellous. The feminist organisation had previously said that the recent rallies were "the start of a movement to change how our criminal justice system deals with sexual assault crimes". Despite Mr Jackson and Mr Olding being cleared of all charges, they said that "the fight continues". The group is calling for reforms to the criminal justice system in cases of alleged sexual assaults, including changes to media reporting, and wants an education programme on "consent and toxic masculinity" to be taught in schools. It also wants "adequately resourced support services for victims and survivors of rape and sexual abuse". DUP leader Arlene Foster and her party colleague Carla Lockhart have been targeted by online trolls in a series of vicious attacks over their appearance. Alliance leader Naomi Long and Sinn Fein councillor Niamh Doris came to the defence of their rivals, hitting out at those behind the campaign of abuse against the female politicians on social media. The attacks started after Mrs Foster posted a selfie of herself with the Upper Bann MLA at the Erne West DUP dinner on Friday. While some Twitter users posted references to Mrs Foster's evidence to the RHI Inquiry last week, a number of other cruel comments were posted about the appearance of the pair. One of the first people to respond to the criticism was Mrs Long, who branded the posts "disgusting". She said: "Seriously? That's a pretty low blow attacking a woman for how they look?" In a subsequent post on Twitter, she said: "Totally out of order. No place for misogynistic abuse." Mid Ulster councillor Ms Doris responded: "I completely agree Naomi. "And people wonder why there is a shortage of women in politics." There were also claims by a number of Twitter users that no one would have made such disparaging comments about the appearance of male politicians. Mrs Long has been vocal about the misuse of Twitter by some people. In February she hit out at "misogynistic bullying" of female politicians on Twitter. The East Belfast MLA said she had experienced numerous remarks and accused the social media platform of failing to act. She tweeted: "The abuse I have witnessed here of women in politics, from every party, over their appearance is misogynistic bullying designed to silence women's voices. It will not work. We are stronger. "Twitter has policies on targeted harassment on protected grounds but will not act. Why?" Asked online what prompted her Twitter post, she wrote: "A string of them over the last while and my own experience in the last week." It is not the first time Mrs Foster has been targeted. Last year she described how her children were left upset by the "revolting personal abuse" she received on social media. The heartbroken sister of a man knocked down and killed in Co Tyrone has urged the driver responsible to come forward. Edmundas Cizauskas (46), who was originally from Lithuania, died after the hit-and-run on Killyman Road in Dungannon on January 30. The car fled the scene and police have yet to find the driver - more than two months after the tragedy. Ligita Lukosiene described her brother as a "people person". She appealed for the driver and any witnesses to come forward. "As far as I know no one has been arrested or found regarding my brother's death," she said. "Any time I've phoned the police station, there's been no news." A production operative who worked at the Dunbia meat factory, Mr Cizauskas had been living in Dungannon for several years after moving from Siauliai in northern Lithuania. "Edmundas would always help friends and family," Ms Lukosiene added. "Everyone knew him around the area because he was always in the mood for a chat. You could never wipe the smile off his face." A GoFundMe page was set up shortly after his death to help raise enough money to bring his body home to his grieving family in Lithuania. The amount raised exceeded the family's target of 500, totalling 740. His sister said that the local community had been a great help following the tragedy. She added that she was still struggling to come to terms with what had happened and appealed for answers. "I would like that person (the driver) to come forward and admit what he or she has done, because they will have to live with that for the rest of their lives," she said. "I would like anyone who has seen the accident to come forward and help find who did this horrible thing." Police confirmed that there had been no arrests to date. The officer leading the investigation, Inspector John McKenna, said: "We are still working hard to try to locate the vehicle involved and to identify the driver." Police in Dungannon can be contacted by calling the 101 number, quoting reference 1263 of 30/01/18. The popular production journalist had been being cared for in the Northern Ireland Hospice after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer BBC Northern Ireland staff paid tribute yesterday to colleague Amy-May Robinson, who has died aged 50. The popular production journalist had been cared for in the Northern Ireland Hospice after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Amy-May had worked in journalism here for 30 years, earning her National Council for the Training of Journalists stripes in 1986. She began her career at the Newtownards Chronicle, later moving to UTV and most recently to the BBC, where she was a highly respected and much-loved member of the news team. Devoted to her family and to her dogs, Tia and Lola, Amy-May also worked for a period of the 1990s in the Herald and Post newspaper, owned by the Belfast Telegraph. Kathleen Carragher, Head of BBC News NI, said last night: "Amy-May Robinson was an accomplished and hardworking journalist. "She worked for BBC Northern Ireland for many years and will be deeply missed by all her colleagues." Former colleagues last night spoke movingly of the friend they had lost. Broadcaster Yvette Shapiro, who knew Amy-May for almost 30 years, said: "It's dreadfully sad news. "Amy May was a highly skilled and professional journalist - and great fun. She was a joy to work with. "I worked with her in 1987, when I worked at the Co Down Spectator, and Amy-May was at the Newtownards Chronicle, the sister paper. "Amy-May was bubbly, beautiful, witty and warm - and very kind to a new reporter in her first job. "I worked with her again some years later at the BBC, and she was just the same. She was always very calm, good natured - but very serious about her work. "Everyone was very, very fond of her. She will be very much missed." Newsreader Anne-Marie Foster, a close friend of Amy-May, said: "No-one wore a hat like Amy-May ... her collection was legendary. "Just like her tenaciousness in chasing a story, her humanity when dealing with the people in the story and her ability to provoke a howl of laughter when she pronounced on anything that caught her fancy." BBC News presenter Tara Mills posted a tribute to Amy-May on social media. "Such sad news Amy-May Robinson has passed away. "From first meeting her in BCR to the BBC she was funny, tenacious and very kind," Former Stormont Minister Mark H Durkan also shared his sadness at the respected journalist's passing. "Awful sad news," the Foyle SDLP MLA tweeted. "Thinking of her family, friends and the team." Three women have been arrested on suspicion of a number of assault and public order offences after an incident outside Kelly's Cellars in Belfast city centre. Officers were called to the Bank Square bar at around 9.50pm on Saturday evening after reports of three women being involved in an altercation with bouncers outside the establishment. The women, aged 47, 37 and 28, remained in custody on Sunday evening helping police with their enquiries. A video of the incident has been published on Facebook. A member of staff at Kelly's Cellar told the Belfast Telegraph management were unavailable for comment until Monday morning. Kelly's Cellars has been contacted for a response. Businessman Denis O'Brien has accused Ireland's director of corporate enforcement of leaking details of his application to have inspectors appointed to Independent News and Media. The High Court in Dublin has been asked to decide whether to probe governance arrangements at the media group, which owns the Irish Independent and Belfast Telegraph, but has delayed making a decision while further legal issues are discussed. Major INM shareholder Mr O'Brien wrote to director Ian Drennan saying the alleged leaks had damaged his reputation. His letter, read out in court, said: "I hold you fully and personally responsible for all such failures and breaches." A lawyer for the director, Neil Steen SC, said: "We are reasonably satisfied that those allegations are unfounded." There is a compelling public interest in appointing inspectors to investigate Independent News and Media data use, he told the court. Mr Steen said there were significant concerns about use of the material by people outside the Republic's largest media group. "The purpose of the investigation is to establish the full facts. There is compelling public interest in the matters in question being fully investigated by the court." He said they surrounded the removal of data from INM to a third company outside the jurisdiction "resulting in INM data being interrogated". Mr Steen added: "There remains significant concerns as to the purpose of the data interrogation, accessible by a range of individuals." He said some of those individuals were found to have links to Mr O'Brien, the successful businessman and largest shareholder at INM. "There is evidence to suggest that INM data may have been searched against several individuals including journalists." It follows a data breach within the firm in 2014 involving several people including some of its own journalists. Mr O'Brien wrote to the director of enforcement about confidential information emerging into the public domain which he said was damaging his reputation. The decision of the director to bring the legal proceedings is due to go to judicial review next month and that will determine whether to proceed on the substantive case, judge Mr Justice Peter Kelly said. Men load a carpet and mattress on to a bicycle in front of damaged buildings in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus (Hassan Ammar/AP) Diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia deepened amid claims that Moscow was blocking investigators from reaching the site of a chemical weapons attack in Syria. The UK said it was essential that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was granted unfettered access to Douma. Russia strongly denied interfering with the work of inspectors attempting to reach the site of the atrocity which the UK and Western allies have said was perpetrated by the regime of Moscows ally Bashar Assad. UK considers unfettered access essential. Russia and Syria must cooperate. https://t.co/OB5hp6qboS UK Delegation OPCW (@UK_OPCW) April 16, 2018 The latest row between the UK and Russia came as Theresa May prepared to face MPs over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria as Labour questioned the legality of the bombing raid. The UKs representative at the OPCW, Peter Wilson, said: It is imperative that the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation offer the OPCW fact finding mission team their full co-operation and assistance to carry out their difficult task. He dismissed as ludicrous a Russian claim that the UK had helped stage the attack in Douma, which killed up to 75 people, including a number of children. He said: Russia has argued that the attack on Douma was somehow staged, or faked. They have even suggested that the UK was behind the attack. That is ludicrous. He said Moscow was spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation to undermine the integrity of the OPCWs fact-finding mission to Syria. Relations between Russia and the UK have been plunged into the deep freeze following the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. The UKs claims about interference with the OPCWs work in Syria were dismissed by Moscow. Russia confirms its adherence to the provision of security for the mission and does not plan to interfere with its work, the countrys representative at the OPCW said according to Russian news agency Tass. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is expected to face anger in the Commons after launching military action without securing the support of Parliament. As well as facing MPs questions, she will also take the unusual step of calling an urgent debate although this is expected to fall far short of an explicit vote on the military action demanded by some in the Commons. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted the strikes co-ordinated with action by the United States and France were right for the UK and right for the world. Mr Johnson, speaking at a summit of European Union foreign ministers, stressed it was not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change and the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way. But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad, he said. But shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Governments justification for the airstrikes, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: You cant use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you. The government did not meet its own tests for launching an airstrike in Syria over the weekend, says Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti #r4today pic.twitter.com/154qZ9gewe BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) April 16, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, writing in The Guardian, said: The military action at the weekend was legally questionable. The Governments own justification, which relies heavily on the strongly contested doctrine of humanitarian intervention, does not even meet its own tests. Without UN authority it was again a matter of the US and British governments arrogating to themselves an authority to act unilaterally which they do not possess. Mrs May will ask for the emergency debate to allow more time for discussion in a nod to the fury among MPs at not being consulted. Expand Close This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) The Prime Minister will tell MPs that the strikes were in the national interest because the use of chemical weapons cannot be normalised, including in the UK. She will say: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. The governments position on the legality of UK military action on 14 April: https://t.co/Z0ASLDlvdc pic.twitter.com/iDMnv8ID6T UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 14, 2018 Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. A Syrian soldier films the damage at the Syrian Scientific Research Centre in Barzeh, near Damascus (Hassan Ammar/AP) Theresa May will face MPs over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria as Labour questioned the legality of the bombing raid. The Prime Minister is expected to face anger in the Commons after launching military action without securing the support of Parliament. As well as facing MPs questions, she will also take the unusual step of calling an urgent debate although this is expected to fall far short of an explicit vote on the military action demanded by some in the Commons. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted the strikes co-ordinated with action by the United States and France were right for the UK and right for the world. The Prime Minister will say the UK joined the United States and France in co-ordinated strikes following the chemical weapons attack in Douma to alleviate further humanitarian suffering. Mr Johnson, speaking at a summit of European Union foreign ministers, stressed it was not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change and the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way. But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad, he said. But shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Governments justification for the air strikes, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: You cant use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you. She added: I think that Parliament should have been recalled before the strike. Some people will suspect that that didnt happen because of governmental concerns that they couldnt get the vote in Parliament. And that to me is not a good enough reason. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, writing in The Guardian, said: The military action at the weekend was legally questionable. The Governments own justification, which relies heavily on the strongly contested doctrine of humanitarian intervention, does not even meet its own tests. Without UN authority it was again a matter of the US and British governments arrogating to themselves an authority to act unilaterally which they do not possess. International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt opposed calls from MPs including Mr Corbyn who has called for a War Powers Act to give Parliament greater powers over military interventions. Ms Mordaunt told Today: To take a decision on whether something is legally justified, and whether what we are actually intending on doing in terms of targets is appropriate, you would need to know information that could not be shared with every MP. She added that it would be a crazy thing to do to share information on targets with MPs. Mrs May will ask for the emergency debate to allow more time for discussion in a nod to the fury among MPs at not being consulted. Expand Close This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) There is broad-based international support for the action we have taken, she will say. It comes amid reports that Russia has launched a dirty tricks campaign in response to the strikes. Whitehall sources have confirmed a 20-fold increase in disinformation spread by Kremlin-linked social media bot accounts since the strikes, according to The Daily Telegraph. Mr Johnson said the UK has to take every possible precaution to prepare for possible revenge cyber attacks on targets such as the NHS and electrical facilities. When the global rules and standards that keep us safe come under threat we must take a stand and defend them pic.twitter.com/ToOnKsiHrd Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 14, 2018 The Prime Minister will tell MPs on Monday that the strikes were in the national interest because the use of chemical weapons cannot be normalised, including in the UK. She will say: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. The governments position on the legality of UK military action on 14 April: https://t.co/Z0ASLDlvdc pic.twitter.com/iDMnv8ID6T UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 14, 2018 The Prime Minister spent Saturday evening speaking to world leaders to explain why Britain had joined forces with France and the US and will insist the three nations are not alone in believing it was the right thing to do. Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia and European Council president Donald Tusk have all expressed their support for the actions that Britain, France and America have taken, the PM will add. United Nations Security Council-mandated inspectors have probed previous attacks and decided Assads regime was responsible four times, MPs will be told. We are confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible for this attack and that its persistent pattern of behaviour meant that it was highly likely to continue using chemical weapons, Mrs May will add. Furthermore, there were clearly attempts to block any proper investigation, as we saw with the Russian veto at the UN earlier in the week. And we cannot wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks. Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. The United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Russia for covering up the actions of the Assad regime. Sergey Lavrov said the UK, Nato and European Union had closed the normal channels of communication with Russia (Jonathan Brady/PA) Theresa May accused Russia of preventing international inspectors from reaching the site of the Syrian chemical weapons attack as relations with Moscow deteriorated further. A diplomatic storm erupted as the Office for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Syrian and Russian officials had claimed there were security issues which prevented a fact-finding mission from reaching Douma, where around 75 people are thought to have died in the attack. Russia suggested the missile strikes launched by the UK, US and France were part of the reason why the chemical weapons watchdog could not travel to the scene of the attack. "It is vital" that inspectors "are allowed to do their job." Ambassador @PeterWilson responds to @OPCW Director-General's update that chemical weapons inspectors have so far been unable to get to Douma. pic.twitter.com/QfYwid6C7J Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 16, 2018 It strongly denied interfering with the work of inspectors attempting to reach the site of the atrocity which the UK and Western allies have concluded was perpetrated by the regime of Moscows ally Bashar Assad. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said relations between Moscow and the West were worse than at the time of the Cold War. He said the UK, Nato and European Union had closed the normal channels of communication with Russia which provided safeguards against confrontation. I think it is worse, because during the Cold War there were channels of communication and there was no obsession with Russophobia, which looks like genocide by sanctions, he told the BBC. If you go to a site which was just bombed I imagine you might have certain logistic problems. And there are no Western guarantees of no more strikes, only words. That is why Russia was pushing for UNSC resolution to support OPCW mission on the eve of US-UK-FR attack Dmitry Polyanskiy (@Dpol_un) April 16, 2018 Russian officials at the OPCW said later that arrangements were being made for inspectors to visit Douma on Wednesday. However, updating MPs on the military action, the Prime Minister said it would not have been worth waiting for their findings because Russian vetoes at the United Nations meant no blame could be apportioned for the attack. Even if the OPCW team is able to visit Douma to gather information to make that assessment and they are currently being prevented from doing so by the regime and the Russians it cannot attribute responsibility, she said. Mrs May accused Russia and Syria of attempting to cover up the attack. The Syrian regime has reportedly been attempting to conceal the evidence by searching evacuees from Douma to ensure samples are not being smuggled from this area and a wider operation to conceal the facts of the attack is under way, supported by the Russians, she told MPs. Expand Close Men load a carpet and mattress on to a bicycle in front of damaged buildings in the town of Douma (Hassan Ammar/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Men load a carpet and mattress on to a bicycle in front of damaged buildings in the town of Douma (Hassan Ammar/AP) At a meeting of the OPCW in The Hague, director-general Ahmet Uzumcu said the organisations team had arrived in Damascus on Saturday but has not yet deployed to Douma. The Syrian and the Russian officials who participated in the preparatory meetings in Damascus have informed the FFM (fact-finding mission) team that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place. The UKs representative Peter Wilson said: It is imperative that the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation offer the OPCW fact finding mission team their full co-operation and assistance to carry out their difficult task. Russian diplomat Dmitry Polyanskiy said all the obstacles for the OPCW mission were the result of the US, UK and French aggression and the possibility of further strikes. Mr Polyanskiy, Russias first deputy permanent representative at the UN, said: If you go to a site which was just bombed I imagine you might have certain logistic problems. And there are no Western guarantees of no more strikes, only words. Relations between Russia and the UK have been plunged into the deep freeze following the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. Mr Lavrov denied Russia had tampered with the site of the Syrian attack and insisted there was no proof that chemical weapons had been used. The Russian foreign minister told the BBC: There is no proof that on April 7 chemical weapons were used in Douma. I cannot be impolite to the heads of other states but frankly speaking, all the evidence they quoted was based on media reports and social networks. Expand Close This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp This combination of satellite images provided by DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company, shows the Barzah Research and Development Centre in Syria before and after the military action (Satellite Image 2018 DigitalGlobe, a Maxar company via AP) Mrs Mays decision to launch air strikes without parliamentary approval has led to criticism from MPs. But she defended her decision not to recall Parliament, suggesting the security of the operation could have been compromised. The speed with which we acted was essential in co-operating with our partners to alleviate further humanitarian suffering and to maintain the vital security of our operations, she said. The decision required the evaluation of intelligence much of which was of a nature that could not be shared with Parliament. The government did not meet its own tests for launching an airstrike in Syria over the weekend, says Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti #r4today pic.twitter.com/154qZ9gewe BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) April 16, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn repeated his assertion that the military action was legally questionable. There were cries of shame from the Tory benches as he told Mrs May she is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the US President. And shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Governments justification for the airstrikes, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: You cant use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. Commonwealth countries will be given help by the UK to meet international standards as Theresa May set out plans to boost trade within the organisation. Brexiteers have championed the idea of boosting trade links with the Commonwealth after leaving the European Union and the Prime Ministers move sought to make it easier for businesses to operate more freely within the 53-nation group. Expand Close Commonwealth countries (PA Graphics). Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Commonwealth countries (PA Graphics). But as leaders gathered in London for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), Mrs May did not address a mounting controversy over the status of Windrush generation immigrants in the UK. Expand Close Prince Harry and Theresa May at the Commonwealth Youth Forum (Simon Dawson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prince Harry and Theresa May at the Commonwealth Youth Forum (Simon Dawson/PA) In a speech at the Guildhall in the City of London, the Prime Minister called for the Commonwealth to become a beacon of free trade at a time of fragile international growth and continued protectionism. Trade within the Commonwealth is valued at 393 billion and estimated to rise to 492 billion by 2020, according to the Government. Mrs May promised British help for developing countries to meet existing standards for their products. Shared standards have huge potential to stimulate trade, she said. Expand Close Commonwealth countries where homosexuality is illegal (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Commonwealth countries where homosexuality is illegal (PA Graphics) They create a common language for trading partners across the globe, enhance trust in supply chains and stimulate innovation. Greater use of these international standards across the Commonwealth will reduce the costs of trade between members, as well as with partners beyond the Commonwealth, for greater global benefit. That is why the UK will be funding an all-new Commonwealth Standards Network, which will support developing countries in particular to better meet existing international standards. At the Commonwealth Youth Forum, Prince Harry said: Her Majesty's commitment has meant that The Commonwealth is a thriving family of nations, a common link between nearly two and a half billion people, and a defender of democracy, justice, and peace. pic.twitter.com/xHwcZzbFIn The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 16, 2018 The Prime Minister also announced that the UK will support a programme of technical assistance to Commonwealth countries to implement the terms of the World Trade Organisation agreement on trade facilitation. Full implementation is estimated to reduce trade costs by as much as 16% for less-developed countries, while cutting the average time needed for goods imports by 47% and exports by up to 91%, she said. But she warned: No amount of action on these fronts will truly be successful if half the Commonwealth citizens continue to face significant barriers to participation in the economy. If our family of nations is to realise its full potential, then we must take action to boost womens access to economic opportunity and empower them to create and to build their own businesses. I was pleased to meet members of the Commonwealth Youth Forum with Prince Harry. They have worked hard to uphold the values of the Commonwealth. #CHOGM2018 pic.twitter.com/nMMC37CPE9 Theresa May (@theresa_may) April 16, 2018 Announcing plans for the UK to work with the International Trade Centre on a new She Trades Commonwealth initiative to break down gender barriers, Mrs May said: Boosting womens participation is the right thing to do, but business equality is not just about doing what is right, there are real economic benefits. She cited estimates that global GDP could be increased by up to 28 trillion US dollars (20 trillion) if women played the same role as men in the labour market. Ahead of her speech, Mrs May attended a Commonwealth Youth Forum event with Prince Harry. Chogm gathers every two years to discuss shared interests and challenges. As this years summit began, the PM was under pressure to address the concerns of long-term British residents from the so-called Windrush generation over their immigration status. The move follows concern that people are facing deportation and being denied access to healthcare due to UK paperwork issues and anomalies affecting some immigrants who arrived from Commonwealth countries between the late 1940s and early 1970s. Meanwhile, Labour called for Mrs May to use the summit to apologise for past failures by the British Government. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said Margaret Thatcher had ignored efforts by every other Commonwealth member to bring apartheid to an end in South Africa in the 1980s. She also urged Mrs May to support other Commonwealth members in their efforts to right the historic wrong of the Chagos Islands. The Indian Ocean territory has been a contentious issue for years, with most of the islands 1,500 inhabitants deported so that the largest island, Diego Garcia, could be leased to the US for a strategic air base in 1971. A lawyer representing the parents of a 23-month-old boy who has been at the centre of a life-support treatment battle has told Court of Appeal judges that members of the public are nonplussed by the case. Barrister Paul Diamond said on Monday that there was a passion out there about Alfie Evans case. Mr Diamond, who represents Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, had asked Court of Appeal judges in London to reconsider the little boys case. The couple, who are from Liverpool, have already lost fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. Expand Close Tom Evans and Kate James, the parents of seriously ill Alfie (Philip Toscano/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tom Evans and Kate James, the parents of seriously ill Alfie (Philip Toscano/PA) Alfies parents have complained that the state is wrongly interfering with their parental choice. They want to move Alfie to a hospital in Rome and say doctors there are willing to treat the little boy. In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool. Specialists at Alder Hey said life-support treatment should stop and Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile. He said flying Alfie to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless. Court of Appeal judges upheld his ruling. Supreme Court justices and European Court of Human Rights judges have refused to intervene. Expand Close A general view of Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A general view of Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA) Last week, Mr Justice Hayden endorsed a detailed plan put forward by Alder Hey doctors for withdrawing life-support treatment after considering a number of issues at a follow-up High Court hearing. Mr Diamond is asking appeal court judges to overturn decisions made by Mr Justice Hayden last week. There is a passion out there, Mr Diamond told appeal judge Lord Justice Davis, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Moylan. The public is nonplussed by this. He said doctors abroad were willing to treat Alfie and an air ambulance was available. Alfies parents say their son has improved in recent weeks and had asked Mr Justice Hayden to allow a new assessment. Expand Close Supporters of the family have protested outside Alder Hey hospital (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Supporters of the family have protested outside Alder Hey hospital (PA) Mr Hayden refused that request. He said medical experts unanimous view was that Alfies brain had been eroded by disease and further assessment was pointless. It has also been suggested that Alfie was being unlawfully detained or deprived of his liberty at Alder Hey. The judge also dismissed that suggestion. Appeal court officials say an appeal court judge had decided that Alfie should continue to receive treatment pending the outcome of Mondays Court of Appeal hearing. Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a semi-vegetative state and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed. A police officer has been commended by his team, and the internet, for rescuing two black bear cubs after their mother was killed. Senior trooper DH Cepelnik found the orphan pair when attending a road accident in Franklin County, Virginia. The cubs mother had died after being struck by a car. A glimmer of hope for these sweet, little guys who were rescued by Sr. Trooper D.H. Cepelnik after their mother was... Posted by Virginia State Police on Friday, April 13, 2018 After posing for a beautiful picture, which the force shared on social media, the bears were taken to the Wildlife Centre of Virginia in Waynesboro. Luckily for this pair, it shouldnt be long until they are back in the wild. The wildlife centre looks after baby bears in their care for a year and releases them the following spring the time when they would naturally separate from their mothers. Before release, the bears will be given green ear tags so they can be tracked and identified by staff from the centre. You can watch some of the bears and other wildlife the centre takes care of on its Critter Cam, here. I always thought that one of the regrettable aspects of Grace of Monaco's life was that she quit her profession after marriage. Admittedly, women did, usually, resign their jobs on marrying (or were obliged to do so) in those days, but it didn't always apply to women in the arts, and certainly not in the performing arts - some famous actresses even styled themselves "Mrs" for added distinction. Grace Kelly, before marrying Rainier, was one of the most renowned and striking screen actresses in the world, yet she agreed, on wedlock, that it would not be seemly, or fit in with her regal duties, to be seen continuing her career. That was then: this is now. And what's changed? Well, Meghan Markle, who marries Prince Harry next month, has also cut her links with the performing arts, and will do no more drama performances in the future. Meghan says she wants to be a shining example of feminism, yet her first lifestyle change after marriage is to quit her job, reverting to the antediluvian "marriage bar" which was practised in Britain right up to the 1960s (and even longer in Ireland). If Meghan wants to be an exemplar for feminism, then surely she should put a call through to her agent and tell him that she's available for work when she returns from her honeymoon. But will she? I don't believe so. Her future now stretches before her, probably focusing on the Commonwealth and touring the world receiving pretty bouquets of flowers from curtsying children in India, Canada, Australia, Africa and the Caribbean, and the rest. I daresay she will do plenty of good for the British brand in a post-Brexit world, where the strategy is to look for trade markets outside and beyond the EU. All nations have to sell their "brands" these days and Meghan's diplomatic role will be an asset. Maybe she feels it's a real job, too. Judging by her role in Suits, I thought she was a very engaging actress (some women in the performing arts still want to be called actresses, although some choose 'female actor'). The camera likes her face, which is emotionally expressive, as well as very pretty. Suits is not a dramatically taxing series - a bunch of slick lawyers quarrelling about office space isn't exactly on a par with Macbeth, or even The Crown, but Meghan made her mark as the most attractive character amongst a group of, admittedly, shysters. In one episode she was described as being "the intellectual and ethical superior" to an adversary, and she carried that off very well. I would have thought that she could surely have gone on to more parts, more acting challenges, and an expansion of her career, even as a princess. As a princess, the casting opportunities must be all the greater - we all have to make the best of our profiles, don't we? So why is she buckling under the royal system and agreeing to bring an end to her chosen vocation? Isn't the very definition of an actor or actress one who is "burning to act"? Should royal wedlock put an end to this? I think not. Of course, it's possible that Meghan has come to a point in her life which strikes many gals of thirtysomething: you've finally met The One, want to make a formal commitment, and start a family. She'll be 37 in August, and if she wants to "get breedin'" (as the actress Jane Horrocks put it, explaining a pause in her career), it would be sensible to start thinking about babies right now. Marrying Harry must be great fun, and taking time out from the studios and the auditioning and working on your character's motivation could be restful. Some commentators have even asked if Meghan had gone as far as she was likely to go in TV, and becoming a princess is a shrewd career change. Modern royal women are quite well educated these days, and to have had their own professional lives. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is a qualified lawyer; the Queen of Spain, Letizia, is a television journalist: the Queen of the Belgians, Mathilde, holds several degrees in speech therapy. But they do tend to resign from their own professions on marriage, citing protocol and the range of other duties subsequently expected of them. Maybe it's a voluntary choice. Maybe in some cases regal duties are a relief from the daily slog of a regular job: perhaps some women always felt they'd rather not have to graft away at the workplace if there was enough money and comfort to live otherwise. But I do hark back to Grace of Monaco, who I believe became bored and depressed without an outlet for her gifts - and the camaraderie of her profession. She spent an inordinate amount of time pressing dead flowers and sticking them into copious albums, and the lifeless flowers' symbolism wasn't lost on some of her biographers. Grace seemed like the bird in a gilded cage. In later life, she did a couple of decorous readings, but in a limited and controlled context. Meghan Markle's biographer, Andrew Morton, describes her as an ambitious and determined young woman who generally gets what she wants. Maybe being a princess (and a self-styled "humanitarian") is what she does want. We shall see, however, if it fulfils her. I'm writing at the close of a conference in Dublin hosted by the American Liberty Fund, where a small group intensively discussed 'Liberty, Nationalism and Revolution in Ireland'. I've been to all too many gatherings discussing our troubled history, but what made this one different was that the Liberty Fund takes a subject with far-reaching implications, invites people from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines who may know nothing about it to read a few hundred pages of extracts from books, articles and speeches, and then holds sessions which everyone attends, in which there is animated discussion in an environment in which there is free speech but not a free-for-all. If you have something to say, you join the queue, but no one will say: "You can't say that." So, instead of listening to politicians rehashing speeches or historians quibbling about who was to blame for this or that, you have to go back to first principles and try to understand what global issues were driving events in a small place. The parochial mindset doesn't long survive when you're hearing how a local issue looks from the perspective of a Lithuanian rejoicing in freedom from Soviet tyranny or an exiled Iranian who is trying to make sense of why people in a democracy started killing each other over, what seem from the outside, to be derisory problems. Liberty, nationalism and revolution are universal issues that all too often we get out of perspective on our little island. I was humbled at the insights of people whose first language is not English, or philosophers who had never studied history, as they talked intelligently about, for instance, a 19th century speech by the land reformer Michael Davitt. So as I try to address the issue of whether the Irish Government, as the Brexit minister David Davis and others think, is being driven by Sinn Fein, I'm trying look at the broader landscape. I haven't given much headroom - just for now at least - to whatever game Gerry Adams has been playing by talking in interviews with the foreign Press about the justification for political violence. Nor have I been fretting over the likelihood that Leo Varadkar - who seems these days to be getting on rather well with Mary Lou McDonald - encouraged Fine Gael TD Jim Daly to float the view that there are no ideological reasons preventing a coalition between his party and Sinn Fein. The Taoiseach, in a follow-up interview, cited irreconcilable differences such as VAT policies. That's rather troubling, as surely the big issue is the moral one of its eulogising of terrorists. But Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has been drawing serious red lines on this. And Brian Hayes, a well-respected Fine Gael MEP with a keen interest in Northern Ireland, wrote yesterday that a party that "still believes in paying homage to the IRA is always going to be suspect by the great majority of Irish people". And here's another cheering straw in the wind. Edna O'Brien, the novelist who shocked a generation with her sexually frank accounts of what young Irish women got up to and who in 1994 wrote a starry-eyed profile of Adams for the New York Times, last week became a Dame of the British Empire. The gong was awarded for "services to literature", which, her agent said, she believes "transcends politics and borders". And so, as Secretary of State Davis keep pointing out, should mutually rewarding free trade deals. The Irish Government has been obediently toeing the EU line in the border negotiations, encouraged by Sinn Fein, which thrives on hysteria, division and mistrust. Yet in the great scheme of things, this nasty little party is just a pimple on history's bottom, and common sense will triumph over Brexit. As a philosopher reminded us this weekend, we all die and everything changes. Mr Adams may still be pulling the bloodstained strings of the republican movement with the help of a few IRA army council veterans, but he and they are getting old and power is slipping away. Their revolution failed. Their old-fashioned nationalism has failed to secure a united Ireland. And even their own footsoldiers are becoming restive at the party's authoritarianism. In the end, people get the liberty they crave. A well-known bar owner is facing the threat of jail next month over a 1million tax cheating racket. Burly publican Bartley Murphy stood in the dock of Downpatrick Crown Court where he finally admitted a single charge of failing to declare all his earnings. The 53-year-old previously denied the charge when he appeared for arraignment in the same court last November. The charge stated that he intended to defraud by concealing or failing to declare all his income to HMRC on dates between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2015. He was accused of cheating the public revenue of income tax and national insurance contributions. The trial had been scheduled to start in December but the case was adjourned as the defence team awaited a report from a forensic accountant. 'outspoken' But Sunday Life has now learned that within the past few weeks, Murphy appeared back at Downpatrick Crown Court where he was re-arraigned and pleaded guilty to "cheating the public revenue". Sentencing was adjourned until May 4 for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. Bartley Murphy is a well-known figure in the town of Downpatrick, where he runs a number of businesses. He also has 46 previous criminal convictions. As well as a building services firm, he also owns the popular Murphy's bar and restaurant in Downpatrick's Market Street. One local source told Sunday Life: "Bartley was going around the town last year saying that the taxman was chasing him for 1.4m. "It appears someone tipped off the Revenue that he wasn't paying his full amount in income taxes. The VAT man is also interested in his financial affairs.'' Described as an "outspoken character'', helicopter-loving Murphy became the voice of local business owners whose premises were damaged in floods over a number of years leading up to 2016. The publican said that his premises had been flooded repeatedly, costing him around 200,000 in clean-up bills over 10 years. In July 2014, at the local magistrates court, Murphy was fined a total of 750 for assault and criminal damage and ordered to pay his victim 750 compensation, after he assaulted the man serving legal papers on him and damaged his camera. Updated at 11:11 a.m. ET on 2018-04-18 A Thai national is among four suspected Islamic State (IS) cell members being pursued by authorities in Malaysia for alleged terrorist activities, including a bomb plot targeting non-Muslim worship sites, the nations police chief said Monday. The four suspects managed to escape a police raid while six others were arrested during law-enforcement operations between Feb. 27 and March 1 in the southern state of Johor, Police Inspector-General Mohamad Fuzi Harun said in a statement. We believe the four individuals are remnants of the [IS] cell and are still at large and dangerous, Fuzi said. Police identified the suspects as Muhamad Faizal Muhamad Hanafi, 28; and his father, Muhamad Hanafi, 51, who were from the northern state of Kelantan; Nor Farkhan Mohd Isaa of Johor; and Thai national Awae Wae-Eya, 37, who is believed to be from Narathiwat, a province in Thailands insurgency-wracked Deep South. The four men are believed to be hiding in southern Thailand, an intelligence source told BenarNews on condition of anonymity. Fuzi issued the statement three weeks after Malaysia filed charges against two suspected IS members in the alleged plot to bomb non-Muslim sites in southern Johor state. Another suspected militant also was charged in Johor for keeping pro-IS videos on his mobile phone and tablet, officials said. The three were believed to be part of a terrorist cell and were arrested by Malaysian counter-terror officials in separate raids since the end of February in the state, Fuzi said in a statement on March 26. Authorities did not name the places of worship in the charge sheet. An investigation revealed that Awae had been to the Malaysian state of Pahang in 2016, but it was not clear why he visited the area, officials said. Fuzi warned that those withholding information or harboring the suspected terrorists could also face charges under Malaysias Penal Code. Awae Wae-Eya [Courtesy of Royal Malaysia Police] Expert: IS sympathizers live in Thai Deep South In February, Malaysian police expressed suspicion that some of the pro-IS militants detained in Kelantan state had received bomb-making training in several countries, including next-door in Thailand. The Thai government has long denied the existence of IS militants on its soil or the smuggling of firearms across its southern border into Malaysia to support terror activities. But Ahmad El-Muhammady, a counter-terrorism analyst from the International Islamic University of Malaysia, said he did not find it surprising that an IS militant would come from Thailands predominantly Muslim far south, where a separatist insurgency has lasted decades. I can confirm that such groups of sympathizers exist in the Deep South, based on my conversations with people there and field visits to the southern Thai region, as well as from research on social media, El-Muhammady told BenarNews. They themselves told me that while their struggle in southern Thailand was a domestic issue that does not warrant a foreign militant groups involvement, they do sympathize with the IS groups struggle, he said. They told me that their and IS struggles were based on the same thing; that is to create a Daulah Islamiyah or Islamic state. El-Muhammady, who serves as a counter-violent extremism adviser to the Malaysian police and prison authorities, said he had not seen evidence of a network of IS operatives among the Thais so far. But as the Malaysian police is looking for a named Thai operative, then I dare say the sympathy in Thailand has translated into dangerous operations by an operative or operatives, he added. The Thai government can no longer deny the existence of IS operatives on their soil. They have to start curbing this problem, he said, before it blows from just several individual IS operatives into a full-fledged network that threatens national and regional security. Meanwhile on Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told a defense forum that 389 people had been arrested in Malaysia since 2013 on suspicion of IS-linked activities. He said 34 of the 95 Malaysians known to have joined IS groups in Syria and Iraq had been killed in conflict zones. Nine of those were suicide bombers, he said. Updated to add location of law-enforcement raids. Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters members are seen in their camp in the mountains of Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao province, southern Philippines, March 2011. A father and his infant daughter were killed and three others, including two children, were wounded during a weekend attack in the southern Philippines that police and military officials on Monday blamed on militants linked to the Islamic State (IS). Superintendent Gilbert Tuzon, the local police chief, alleged that Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) fighters opened fire on a cluster of wooden homes in the southern town of Midsayap on Sunday, killing Musa Sayang and his 7-month-old daughter Malaiha. The attackers left the scene minutes before responding police commandos arrived, Tuzon said. He said three relatives of the victims, Jehan Buacan, 18, Melanie Buacan, 13, and Princess Kusa, 10, were wounded in the attack. Police on Monday said their injuries were not life-threatening. The victims were having their dinner inside their house when gunmen arrived and fired their weapons toward them, Tuzon said. Regional police spokesman Chief Inspector Aldrin Gonzales told BenarNews officials believe the attack could be in retaliation for police foiling a BIFF bomb attack on a bridge linking the provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato. He said he is not sure why civilians were targeted. On-going investigation Aside from militants as suspects, we are also checking the possibility of clan war or local elections as the motive, he said. Clan wars or blood feuds, commonly called rido are common in the south, especially among village officials. Hostilities could last for decades until a peace pact is reached between the protagonists, usually through mediation by religious leaders and the payment of blood money. Lt. Col. Angelo Lutera, commander of 34th Infantry Battalion, said his group received information from civilians that members of BIFF, a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), planted a homemade bomb at the bridge in the village of Olandag in Midsayap town on Friday. Soldiers defused the bomb fashioned from artillery ammunition. Earlier that day, soldiers captured five BIFF fighters during a raid on their hideout. In addition, air, ground and artillery assaults last week left at least 13 guerrillas dead in the province of Maguindanao. BIFF, with hundreds of fighters, split from the 10,000-member MILF in 2008, after the larger group dropped its bid for full independence and began peace talks with Manila to settle for an expanded autonomy. The government and MILF signed a peace deal in 2014. Since then, the separatist group has been helping the military go after IS-linked groups, including BIFF, in the south. While BIFF has pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State, it did not send fighters to the southern city of Marawi last year, where the military was engaged in five months of fighting with IS-linked groups, leaving 1,200, mostly militants, dead. Investigators inspect the ambush scene in Thailands Khok Pho district in Pattani province where two people were killed by suspected insurgents, April 16, 2018. Suspected insurgents shot and killed two men during a roadside ambush Monday in the Thai Deep South province of Pattani, but a defense volunteer survived after he fired back at the attackers, police said. The ambush occurred at 2 a.m. in Khok Pho district after defense volunteer Ahmad Rori Jehdeng left his security post at a fair at the Ban Klong Chang School, police Capt. Sukwat Chaimanee said During the ambush, Ahmad Roris car collided with a pickup truck that was on its way to the school and its driver was also gunned down, investigators said. A male passenger in Ahmad Roris car was also killed. Ahmad Rori told BenarNews that he returned fire at his assailants, emptying his semi-automatic pistol by unloading 10 shots. He suffered minor injuries, police said, and it was not clear if Ahmad Rori hit any of his assailants. Before the ambush, Ahmad Rohi said his car was parked outside the school when he noticed a note written in Malay, the language commonly spoken in the Deep South. The note, according to Ahmad Rohi, said The pain is from performing your duty. I was not aware that it was a warning, he told BenarNews as he recalled how he crawled out of his car during the early morning ambush and hid in a dark plantation after firing back at his attackers. He said he yelled at nearby villagers to seek help and police came after 30 minutes. I was so sad seeing my dead friend when I returned to the car, he said. I know who the assailants are; they are insurgents in the area. Hours later, investigators recovered spent shotgun shells and rifle casings from the scene. Pattani Police bureau chief Maj. Gen. Piyawat Chalermsri said suspected insurgents were behind the ambush. The village headman also blamed insurgents. Im confident that there were at least six insurgents; some from the area, some from other areas who ambushed the defense volunteer. Some stalked him, Tambon Chief Gunheng Sa-I, told BenarNews. 52 killed, 116 injured this year Mondays roadside ambush in Pattani province brought to 52 the number of people killed in at least 98 shootings and bomb attacks in the Deep South since January this year, according to figures compiled by BenarNews from police and military reports. At least 116 people have been injured in those incidents, which were not categorized to specify insurgent-related attacks. Last week, police killed two suspected insurgents in a shootout that also wounded three officers in Mayo district, Pattani province, according to a village leader and the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, which oversees the Deep South. The shootout occurred after three motorcycle-riding suspects opened fire at members of a police patrol, authorities said. A day earlier, 14 people were injured after small bombs exploded in four locations in Narathiwat province and Pattani, police said. Close to 7,000 people have died in violence in Thailands predominantly Muslim southern border region since an insurgency waged by Malay separatists reignited 14 years ago. For the past three years, Thailands military government has been in Malaysia-brokered peace talks with MARA Patani, an umbrella group that represents various southern rebel groups, but the negotiations have not yet yielded a long-awaited limited ceasefire. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 83F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. By Bob Cunningham Taylor Houpt has lived in Wood County almost her entire life, but she didnt really begin to know the ins and outs of it until recently. The Perrysburg, Ohio, native is working with the Wood County Historical Center and Museum in Bowling Green to document the countys past, present and future as well as the culture. Since May 2017, she has visited towns, historical landmarks and events, taking photographs to help celebrate Wood Countys 200th anniversary. The museum will host an exhibit featuring Houpts photography as well as archived media starting in February 2020. The point of the exhibit is to tell the history and culture of Wood County, so my job is to go around and try to hit every city in the county and take pictures of their landscapes and architectures as well as the people and their events and the traditions of the area, Houpt said. The exhibit will be curated to what Im shooting, along with antique photos. Were going to connect the dots after everything is shot. I was born and raised here, so everything is kind of in my backyard. I think it has helped because I have always loved the area. Im going to towns Ive never been to before and I didnt realize the variety the county had to offer its not just corn and farm fields. Houpt, who already holds an Associate of Art from BGSU, is a senior at Bowling Green State University, majoring in Visual Communications Technology (VCT) with a specialization in photography and video. The VCT program is wonderful, she said. Ive learned a ton being in it. I feel like its fast-paced and its challenging, which is really good for me. I also shoot a lot on my own time. I always have my camera with me because you never know when youre going to be in the right place at the right time or when the lighting is going to be perfect. Her work with the museum ended up being an independent study for one semester so she could get class credit for her work. Because its such a long project, I couldnt have it for like four semesters, so we really focused on one semester, said Houpt, who was mentored by VCT Senior Lecturer Jeff Hall. He and I worked together that semester, but its still an ongoing project. She will work with Holly Hartlerode, the curator at the museum, until the exhibit is ready in 2020. Holly was looking for a student who would want to document the county using photographs and Jeff knew Id be interested as well as a good fit, Houpt said. Holly and I met the following day and I showed her my portfolio and we decided we would be a good match and something were both passionate about. Passion was a driving force for Houpt, who originally BGSU because of the reputation of the VCT program, and it was close to her hometown. I am really close to my family and I wanted to stay close to home, she said. BGSU is the perfect fit for me. The co-op opportunities they have in the VCT program made it very attractive as well. For her first co-op, Houpt worked for Vitakraft Sun Seed in Weston, Ohio. She was a photographer and videographer for two semesters and ended up staying on an additional semester because she liked working there so much. This summer, Houpt will be a video intern with Swatch Studios in Toledo. Her responsibilities will include shooting wedding films and editing. She also will work as part of the production team at Arc Storytellers, a company that produces commercial video content and owned and operated by Falcon Flames and alumni of the VCT program at BGSU Brooks Clayton and Diana Clayton. Experiential learning opportunities has helped Houpt hone what she eventually wants to do for a career. Im really passionate about visual communication so I want to work in the industry, she said. Ultimately, I want to work somewhere where I can utilize my skills as well as develop them. I think its really important for me to be able to tell stories through my photographs, whether thats a brands story or someones personal story. [ Editor's note : Beyond Sunday is a Monday refresher to carry you through the week.] Focus Verse of the Week And David said to all the assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you and from the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our brothers who remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul." (1 Chronicles 13:2-3, ESV) Classic Commentary Gratitude for the high and splendid dignity to which he had been elevated would naturally, at this period, impart a fresh animation and impulse to the habitually fervent piety of David. But, at the same time, he acted because of other motives. He fully understood his position as ruler under the theocracy, and, entering on his duties, he was resolved to fulfil his mission as a constitutional king of Israel. Accordingly, his first act as a sovereign related to the interests of religion. The ark being then the grand instrument and ornament of it, he takes the opportunity of the official representatives of the nation being with him to consult them about the propriety of establishing it in a more public and accessible locality. This assembly consisted of the Sheloshim, princes of thousands (2 Samuel 6:1). During the reign of Saul, the ark had been shamefully neglected. Consequently, the people had, to a great extent, been careless about the ordinances of divine worship, or had contented themselves with offering sacrifices at Gibeon, without any thought of the ark, though it was the chief and most vital part of the tabernacle. The duty and advantages of this religious movement suggested by the king were apparent, and the proposal met with universal approval. (Adapted from Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown's Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, 1 Chronicles 13.) A Thought to Keep When we examine our lives, do we see a rich interest in or a neglect of the principle parts of worship? There's no better time to bring them back. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, is Joe Biden lying to us? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The Bio Technology Research Center will serve as a collaborative space where professors and students will develop biologic drugs including epidermal growth factor and growth hormones In a bid to further expand its global research network, South Koreas Daewoong Pharmaceutical recently inaugurated a new biotech research centre at Universitas Indonesia (UI), a state university in Depok, Indonesia. Located in the University of Indonesia, the Bio Technology Research Centre will serve as a collaborative space where professors and students will develop biologic drugs including epidermal growth factor and growth hormones. More than 150 executives and government officials celebrated the opening of the UI-Daewoong BioTechnology Research Centre. The participants included Jeon Seung-ho, CEO of Daewoong Pharm, Maura Linda Sitanggang, director general of Health Ministry of Indonesia, Kim Chang-beom, Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, and Muhammad Anies, Rector of UI. Deawoong Pharma said in a statement that the centre aims to support the local industry and collaborate with Indonesian professors for studies and research. The centre will also team up with UIs College of Pharmacy to offer scholarships and training programs for biopharmaceutical expertise. Daewoong said it would provide well-performing students with a training opportunity at the companys main research institute in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, to deepen their knowledge. Indonesia has significant growth potential. The country is tightening regulations on import drugs to foster its own pharmaceutical industry. Daewoong Pharma will develop its own biotechnology products by local conditions, build success, and further strengthen its Reverse Innovation strategy to advance into developed countries including Korea, said Daewoong Pharm CEO Jeon, as quoted by a leading Korean daily. Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has made a proposal to establish an advanced Health Service System. Sri Lanka plans to strengthen primary healthcare services to relieve the congestion at hospitals providing treatments at tertiary level as the general public prefer to receive treatment from the tertiary level hospitals. Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has made a proposal to establish an advanced Health Service System, to enable the general public to have access to those facilities easily by linking the closest hospitals providing specialized treatment services, as forums. The proposal focuses on providing the Medical Practitioners with the initial training required for carrying out the functions in the field of Family Medicine and for strengthening the first contact care services; ensuring that all patients are provided with treatments at the Primary Healthcare Institutions and to encourage to refer those patients to secondary and tertiary hospitals with Specialist Doctors appropriately, in a timely manner; and identifying one family doctor each to cover per 5,000 of the population and to further strengthen the institutions providing Primary Healthcare services to facilitate the prevention of illnesses. The Centre was inaugurated at Jangla Development Hub, in the aspirational district of Bijapur in Chhattisgarh On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti recently, Prime Minister inaugurated a Health and Wellness Centre, to mark the launch of the Union Governments ambitious Health Assurance Programme Ayushman Bharat. The Centre was inaugurated at Jangla Development Hub, in the aspirational district of Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. In the course of over one hour, the Prime Minister interacted with a number of people, and was briefed on several development initiatives at the development hub. At the inauguration of the Health and Wellness Centre, he interacted with ASHA workers. He visited a model Anganwadi Centre, and interacted with Anganwadi workers and beneficiary children of Poshan Abhiyan. He visited a Haat Bazaar Health Kiosk and interacted with health workers. He inaugurated a bank branch at Jangla and distributed loan sanction letters under the Mudra Scheme to select beneficiaries. He also interacted with Rural BPO employees. The Prime Minister then arrived at the venue of the public meeting. He launched the Van Dhan Yojana, which aims at empowering tribal communities. It envisages a mechanism for marketing of Minor Forest Produce through Minimum Support Price and development of value chain for MFP. Via video conference, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, the Bhanupratappur-Gudum Railway Line. He flagged off a train between Dalli Rajhara and Bhanupratappur. He also inaugurated a dialysis centre at Bijapur Hospital. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for construction of 1988 km of PMGSY roads in LWE areas; other road connectivity projects in LWE areas; water supply scheme of Bijapur; and two bridges. Addressing an enthusiastic gathering, the Prime Minister paid homage to the martyrs from the region who had fought against British Imperialism. He also paid homage to the security personnel who laid down their lives in Naxal-Maoist attacks, in the region. The Prime Minister noted that the Union Government had earlier launched two significant development initiatives, the Syama Prasad Mukherjee Rurban Mission, and the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana, from Chhattisgarh. Ayushman Bharat and Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, are being launched from the State. The Gram Swaraj Abhiyan would ensure that all development initiatives launched by the Union Government in the last four years, reach the poor and disadvantaged sections of society. The Gram Swaraj Abhiyan would extend from today till the 5th of May. The Prime Minister said Babasaheb Ambedkar had a key role to play in the establishment of "aspiration" in the hearts and minds of crores of people. Explaining the significance of holding this event in Bijapur, the Prime Minister said that Bijapur is one of the over 100 aspirational districts in the country, which have got left behind in the development journey. He said he wants to convert these districts, hitherto labelled as "backward" into aspirational and ambitious districts. These districts will no longer remain dependent and backward, he asserted. He said that if the district administration, the public representatives and the people all join hands in a mass movement, then, unprecedented results can be achieved. He said the Government is working with a different approach on these 115 districts. The Ayushman Bharat scheme will go a long way in ending social imbalance, and ensuring social justice in the country. In the first phase of this scheme, an effort would be made to bring about a sea change in primary healthcare. He said sub centres and primary health centres at 1.5 lakh places in the country would now be developed as Health and Wellness Centres. He said the aim is to complete this task by 2022. Health and Wellness Centres would function like a family doctor for the poor, PM added. He said the next target of Ayushman Bharat would be to provide financial assistance of upto Rs. 5 lakh to the poor, for medical treatment. The Prime Minister appreciated the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh, for the development work done in the State over the last fourteen years. In particular, he appreciated the development initiatives carried out in the southern districts of Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur. He said Bastar would soon be recognised as an economic hub. He emphasized the importance of connectivity for ending regional imbalances. The Prime Minister asserted that the initiatives and decisions taken by the Union Government indicate its commitment to the welfare of the poor and weaker sections of society. In this context, he mentioned the Van Dhan Yojana, and other decisions taken for the benefit of the tribal communities. He mentioned schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Ujjwala Yojana, which have benefited women. The Prime Minister asserted that people's participation is the strength of the Government, which will help in the creation of New India by 2022. The Malaysian firm said the Fortis board sent it a response letter indicating it was unable to engage with IHH due to binding agreements with Manipal Health Malaysia's IHH Healthcare said that Indias Fortis Healthcare Ltd declined to engage with the company regarding a takeover offer, citing binding agreements with other parties. IHH, one of Asia's largest healthcare operators, offered to buy Fortis last week at a price that values the hospitals chain at about $1.3 billion. Some of Fortis's minority shareholders are dissatisfied with the Manipal offer, and it is unclear if the IHH price appeals to them. A merger with a hospitals chain such as Manipal might make more sense, said an analyst with a brokerage in Mumbai, adding that more details of the IHH offer were needed. Fortis, which is under investigation over financial fraud, has seen interest from multiple parties since Manipal offered to buy it last month. Two Indian investors Sunil Munjal's Hero Enterprise and the Burman Family Office offered last week to make an investment worth 12.5 billion rupees ($191.5 million). On Monday the Malaysian firm said the Fortis board sent it a response letter indicating it was unable to engage with IHH due to binding agreements with Manipal Health Enterprises Private Limited, Manipal Global Health Services and TPG Asia. "Given the everchanging competitive dynamics, IHH reserves the right to pursue all necessary steps to ensure that the shareholders of Fortis are provided with the opportunity to realise the value inherent in our proposal," IHH had said in the letter. The recent ouster of Vitaliano Aguirre II as Justice secretary confirms that President Rodrigo Duterte will not tolerate misfits in his cabinet. Aguirres dismissal, however, is not enough. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III should be fired next. Public interest demands it. Bello has been the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment for the past two years. His performance has been lackluster and utterly disappointing. It was during Bellos watch as labor secretary when a Filipina housemaid working in Kuwait was reportedly raped there. Last month, likewise during Bellos watch, Joanna Demafelis, another Filipina working also as a housemaid in Kuwait, was murdered by her two employers. Her body was left in a freezer. More revolting is the fact that it took Bello and his DoLE simpletons in Kuwait a whole year before learning about the death of Demafelis. That is a glaring indication that Bellos DoLE personnel in Kuwait do not even bother to constantly monitor the safety and whereabouts of Filipino domestic workers in that awful country in the Middle East. Yes, that awful country is Kuwait. It is notorious for its rich but uncivilized and perverted employers who abuse, rape and even kill Filipino domestic helpers. Those domestic helpers are recruited by uncaring employment agencies in the Philippines, and are left by those agencies and those lazy DoLE officials in Kuwait to fend for themselves in that awful desert. During Bellos watch as DoLE Secretary, more than a hundred Filipino domestic workers died or were killed in Kuwait. Fortunately, when President Duterte learned about the murder of Demafelis in Kuwait last month, he immediately ordered a total ban against the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait. After making known to the public his disapproval of the way Filipino workers have been systematically maltreated in Kuwait, Duterte announced that the deployment ban will be lifted only if Kuwait agrees to sign a bilateral agreement which will guaranty the safety and the proper treatment of Filipino workers there. Among the specific demands of President Duterte is that Kuwaiti employers should abandon their practice of taking away the passport of Filipino workers. He also demanded that Filipino workers be given sufficient time for rest. Surprisingly, Bello tried to dilute the impact of the Presidents statement by allowing an attempt to negotiate a deal with the Kuwaitis, with a view towards having the deployment ban lifted, and lifted quickly. Someone in the corridors of power asked Bello to explain his unusual interest in getting the Kuwaiti deal signed. Whats your hurry? Bello was reportedly asked. Indeed, whats your hurry, Mr. Secretary? Last month, a Kuwaiti trial court tried the two employers of Demafelis in absentia, found them guilty, and sentenced them to deathall in a span of just several days. The extraordinarily unusual haste in the disposition of the case surprised many veterans in the diplomatic community because past court cases involving abused foreign domestic workers in Kuwait always took several years to resolve. Observers attribute the haste of the Kuwait trial court to the desperate need of those abusive Kuwaitis for domestic helpers. It was obviously an attempt by the Kuwaiti government to pacify an angry President Duterte, and to get him to reconsider his total ban against the deployment of domestic workers to that awful country.Actually, the Kuwaiti court judgment is a hollow victory because the death sentence cannot be enforced outside Kuwait, and the convicted employers are no longer in Kuwaitone is now in Lebanon and the other one is in Syria. There are no indications if the convicted felons will be extradited to Kuwait anytime soon. Bello, however, praised the court decision the very day it came out. For him, the court decision is the Kuwaiti governments resolve to improve the treatment of Filipino workers in that awful country. Thats not all. Just last week, Bellos minions at the DoLE predicted that the bilateral agreement demanded by President Duterte from Kuwait will be signed by May 2018. Thereafter, Bellos camp happily announced that the deployment ban against Kuwait will be lifted very soon. Be that as it may, Bello must answer several questions. Republic Act No. 8042 (the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995), as amended by Republic Act No. 9422 and Republic Act No. 10022, prohibits, among others, the deployment of Filipino workers to a country which has no law or a bilateral agreement with the Philippines which assures the safety and security of the Filipino domestic helpers working in that awful country. As the labor secretary, ex-secretary of justice, and a lawyer, Bello is supposed to be aware of Philippine laws. Why then did he allow the mass deployment of Filipino domestic helpers to Kuwait when that awful country has no bilateral agreement with the Philippines (regarding the safety and security of Filipino domestic helpers working there) in the first place? From all indications, Bello has demonstrated unusual interest in getting the deployment ban against Kuwait lifted quickly, even if it means pre-empting President Duterte. Why? A recruitment agency in the Philippines that deploys Filipino housemaids to Kuwait usually earns about US$1500 for each housemaid it deploys. On the average, a recruitment agency gets to deploy around 200 housemaids to Kuwait every three months. That translates to a yearly net profit of around P50-million. Multiply that by the number of recruitment agencies deploying housemaids to Kuwait. To entrepreneurs interested only in profit, P50 million is enough reason to ignore the countless harm and indignities Kuwaiti employers inflict on their Filipino housemaids. Obviously, a total ban against the deployment of Filipino housemaids to Kuwait is bad news for any recruitment agency that makes an annual net profit of P50 million just by sending housemaids to that awful country. That recruitment agency, and others similarly situated, will have millions of reasons to have that total ban lifted, and lifted quickly. More details will be discussed next week. Akshay Tritiya 2021: Significance Of This Festival In Jainism Festivals oi-Staff Akshay Tritiya falls on the third day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Vaishakh. This festival is important not only for the Hindus but Jains as well. This year, the day falls on 14 May. Jains worship it as the day when the first Tirthankara - Rishabhnath had broken his yearlong fast. This fast actually lasted for thirteen months and thirteen days. Jainism is one of the ancient religions of India. It was started by Lord Rishabhnath and the other Tirthankaras, who are believed to be 23 in number and helped in the propagation of the religion. Rishabhnath lived millions of years ago. The last Tirthankara was Mahavir, the history says that he lived in 500 BC. Jains consider it an eternal religion and believe that the Tirthankaras guard the Jain cosmology. Its Significance In Jainism Rishabhnath was the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras of Jainism. Jain religious texts say that he was the son of King Nabhi and queen Marudevi, and belonged to the North Indian region of Ayodhya. Once in the court of Lord Indra, while the celestial dancers were dancing, Nilanjana, one of them died because of some difficult dance movements. This made Rishabhdev realize how impermanent the world is, and he decided to abandon the materialistic life. He renounced the world and his family and became a sage from then on. The Jain Tirthankaras are known for performing very difficult sacrifices and observing highly strict rules. Jain texts further say that he wandered as a sage and without food for a continuous period of one year in the world. He became the first sage of the present half-cycle of time. First, he meditated for six months and then went in search of food. In Jainism, the Tirthankras are not supposed to ask for food, they only take it wherever it is offered. This too has not to be done more than once in a day. People till then had no knowledge about how to offer food to sages. At that time, there was a king named Shreyansh of Hastinapur. He offered sugarcane juice to Lord Rishabhnath, and this is how he broke the fast and performed Parana. This fast lasted for 13 months and 13 days. Since the day was the third day of Shukla Paksh in Vaisakh month, it is now till today celebrated as Akshay Tritiya and known as Varshitapa Parana. "Parana" means breaking of a fast. Sugarcane is known as Ikshu in the Sanskrit language. Therefore, His dynasty also came to be known as the Ikhshvaku dynasty. Celebrations Jains celebrate the day by observing 'varshi tapa'. Varshi tapa is the yearlong alternative day fasting. They also perform parana and break their fast by drinking sugarcane juice. At Hastinapur, a fair is also organized in celebration of the Akshay Tritiya. Many sages and devotees even break their fast by drinking sugarcane juice. Lord Rishabhnath is also known as Adinatha. "Adi" means first and "Nath" means God. He is therefore believed to be the first God. Adishvara is the other name that he is known with. Yet other names that he is denoted with are Yugadidev meaning dev of the yuga, Nebheya, son of Nabhi and Prathamraja, which means the first king. Posted Monday, April 16, 2018 6:30 am Aprils meeting was held on Tuesday, April 3, at Sheilas Place. Several of the regulars were working as election judges that day and attendance was down slightly. However, there was still a good and participative crowd. Ray Lambert, candidate for the 137th District in the Missouri House of Representatives, joined us. He spoke about the issues he plans to tackle in Jefferson City when elected. He also asked for the assistance and support from residents of the 137th in the run up to the election. A number of good and creative ideas were discussed that will help Ray in his effort to win the seat. Hallie Thompson, Democratic candidate for the 4th District U.S. House seat, visited. She spoke about her platform and vision for the district, with heavy emphasis on healthcare, farming and education, among other issues. The crowd peppered Hallie with a wide range of questions concerning her views. The dialogue was quite engaged, informative and productive. It was good to see such active participation in the discussions by so many. Hallie will face off against Renee Hoagenson in the August primary. The chair briefed the audience on some of the partys plans that will be implemented in the election year. He made the point that if Democrats have any chance of winning, they have to get out the vote for the maximum number of people. He reminded those present that to win, Democrats must be committed to working extremely hard, as we dont have the luxury of numbers that the other side enjoys. Time to rev it up. Next meeting is Tuesday, May 1 at Sheilas. Come at 5:45 p.m. for the eat, meet and greet, with the program beginning at 6:30 p.m. Posted Monday, April 16, 2018 7:45 am University of Missouri Extension kicks off its second year of hops field days Wednesday, April 18, at Bradford Research Center, Columbia. MU Extension horticulturist Jim Quinn invites the public to attend the free field day and view the MU quarter-acre hop yard and cultivar trial. The event begins at 3 p.m. Quinn and horticulturist Patrick Byers will present on Hops in the Midwest. Quinn invites home and craft brewers to bring their products for tasting at the hoppy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. A specialty grant through the Missouri Department of Agriculture funds the hops trial. MU horticulturists harvested their first hops from Bradford last fall. While it takes about three years to create a good hop yard, the plants can produce for up to 40 years. Varieties at the research farm climb up to 15 feet on string trellises. Other varieties grow even taller. For more information, contact Quinn at quinnja@missouri.edu or 573-634-2824; or Byers at byerspl@missouri.edu or 417-859-2044. MU Bradford Research Center is at 4968 Rangeline Road, about 8 miles east of Columbia and 2 miles south of Highway WW. For more information, go to bradford.missouri.edu. A Grade 8 students devotion to the safety and care of animals has earned him a humanitarian award from the Manitoba Teachers Society. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/4/2018 (1264 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us A Grade 8 students devotion to the safety and care of animals has earned him a humanitarian award from the Manitoba Teachers Society. Mackenzie Clark, a 13-year-old student from Ecole Harrison, was one of four recipients of this years Manitoba Teachers Society Young Humanitarian Award for his ongoing work with the Brandon Humane Society, having raised more than $16,000 for the organization. SUBMITTED/TIFFANY GREEN Six-year-old Mackenzie Clark pictured in September 2010 with Kallie, a three-legged dog from the Brandon Humane Society, who would serve as the inspiration behind his years-long work with animals. Clark was recognized at an awards ceremony on Thursday at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People in Winnipeg. "I was pretty honoured to get that good news," Clark said. Inspired at the age of six, Clark, known by most as simply Mac, felt motivated to act after taking part in the Humane Societys Wag-a-Tail Walk-a-Thon event. While there, he met a dog named Kallie, who lost a leg after being abused by a previous owner. Since then, Clark has helped raise money for the Humane Society, gaining the support of a number of community partners, including Precision Toyota. He set up his own Facebook page called Scales and Tails, which aims to raise awareness of animal rights, and over the years his family has adopted four dogs Rocky, Java, Shaggy and Henry. Kallie, who Clark first met seven years ago, passed away last year, but he said it reaffirmed his own reasons for doing what he does. Last spring, he organized a fundraiser of his own called Pedal for Paws, where he and others took part in a 10-kilometre bike ride. Clark himself pledged to cycle 150 kilometres over a few months and by the end, he managed to raise just over $3,500. Pedal for Paws will make a return this year on May 6 at Kin Park and Clark said he hopes to raise $4,000 this time around. "It kind of feels good to be able to help out with something that I care about," he said. Clarks mother, Robyn Paulishyn, said as her son has grown older, part of what she has tried to do as a parent is support him in his efforts, but also give him the ability to make his own decisions and allow him to learn and grow. "Its inspiring myself to watch him," Paulishyn said. Tracy Munn, shelter manager for the Brandon Human Society, credited Paulishyn for raising her son well and called what Clark has done over the past few years "phenomenal," adding he has set the bar pretty high. "He cared, he wanted to make a difference," Munn said. "I mean, its enough just for people to care. He cared, and then some, and we have to remember his age." Munn often jokes about Clark becoming Canadas next prime minister, but Clark says he hasnt thought about pursuing a future career in politics just yet. Clark will be attending Ecole secondaire Neelin High School next school year and hopes to keep his Pedal for Paws fundraiser going through until he reaches Grade 12. As for the advice he would give to someone wanting to act on something he or she cares about, Clark said to be confident in yourself. "Sometimes when youre young, it doesnt feel like you have much power to do things like that, because youre just a kid ... but you can do a lot," he said. "You can make big changes, you dont need to wait for that." mlee@brandonsun.com Twitter: @mtaylorlee Posted Monday, April 16, 2018 3:30 am Fourteen students from Fordland Middle School attended the Seventh Graders Go to Work event on Feb. 23, at Ozarks Technical Community College. This event was designed to promote interest in careers in technology, engineering and industrial trade to the young women of southwest Missouri. It was an enjoyable day and students enjoyed the hands-on opportunities. The event was followed by a box lunch with dessert at McDonalds. By Niamh Brennan Amid allegations of serious corporate governance issues and data hacks at Independent News and Media (INM), it is an opportune time to look at Irish legislation that dictates governance of companies. Today, the Director of Corporate Enforcement will apply to the High Court for the appointment of an inspector to the publicly listed company INM. While the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) already has significant powers of inspection, High Court inspectors have much wider powers and can require individuals to co-operate with their inquiries even if that involves self-recrimination. The background to todays High Court application is the proposed sale of the radio station, Newstalk to INM. Newstalk is owned by businessman Denis OBrien who is the largest shareholder in INM, holding just less than 30% of the shares. The former chief executive of INM, Robert Pitt obtained a separate valuation of Newstalk. This report allegedly valued Newstalk at a much lower valuation than the price originally proposed. Mr Pitts stance over the possible acquisition of Newstalk contributed to his falling out with the former chairman of the board of directors Leslie Buckley, Mr OBriens nominee on the INM board. In November 2016, Mr Pitt made a protected disclosure to the Director of Corporate Enforcement which has culminated in todays High Court application. Company directors are required by law to act in the best interests of the company. Many would argue Mr Pitt executed his duties in a textbook fashion by questioning the purchase by INM of a company arguably at what appeared to him to be an inflated valuation and by requiring that a separate issue be disclosed in the financial statements in compliance with accounting rules. In a further serious twist in the INM saga, it has been alleged that the data of 19 people who worked or were in the past connected with INM was breached. These 19 people allegedly include lawyers acting for the Moriarty Tribunal, senior INM executives and senior INM journalists. Boards of directors have ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the affairs of their companies. Non-executive directors carry the risk that information is withheld from them. It is impossible for non-executive directors to responsibly execute their duties when the board does not possess complete information. This may be a problem for the INM board. For example, the INM board was not aware of the data security breach until it received correspondence from the ODCE. Appointment of High Court inspectors is a rare event. There were only 22 such appointments before the ODCE was established in 2001. Since then, the ODCE has used this mechanism only once in respect of DCCs sale of a shareholding in Fyffes. The High Court inspector found that no further action should be taken in respect of allegations in that case. Todays application is therefore only the second application for the appointment of a High Court inspector by the ODCE since its establishment. The inspection might take a long time. For example, the DCC High Court inspection took two-and-a-half years, from July 2008 to January 2010. The potential consequences for INM and its shareholders are serious. The share price has slid with the drip feed of revelations. The reputational fallout from these issues may reverberate for a long time. Niamh Brennan is the Michael MacCormac professor of management, University College Dublin and academic director, UCD Centre for Corporate Governance King Salman Ibn Abdelaziz Al-Saud announced at the 29th Arab League summit, convened Sunday in Dhahran, that his country will donate $150 million to the benefit of the Islamic Waqfs (endowments) in Al Quds. Saudi Arabia Announces a $150 Million donation to support Al Quds Islamic Waqfs, Said the Saudi Sovereign at the opening of the Summit dubbed Al Quds Summit. King Salman, who announced another $50 million donation to the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA), denounced in his speech the decision of US President Donald Trump to transfer the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. We reiterate our rejection of the American decision regarding Al Quds, said the Saudi Sovereign, noting that Al Quds is an integral part of the Palestinian territories. He also said that the Palestinian issue will remain the primary cause of Arab countries until the Palestinian people regain all their rights, including the establishment of their independent state with Al Quds Acharif as its capital. The Final Declaration adopted by the Summit renewed Arab countries rejection of the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel that they described as illegal, and reaffirmed that they categorically refuse to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, where East Al-Quds will remain the capital of the State of Palestine. They called on world countries not to transfer their embassies to Jerusalem or to recognize it as the capital of Israel and urged the international community to bear its responsibilities regarding the Israeli violations and the arbitrary measures that affect Al-Aqsa Mosque and its worshipers They warned against taking any action that would change the current legal and political status of Al-Quds, while reaffirming their continued efforts to re-launch serious and effective Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations that will end the political stalemate resulting from the intransigence of Israeli positions. By Brian Keegan Ever since the crash in 2008, income tax has been the dominant contributor to the countrys tax take, followed at some distance by Vat. Tax from capital gains and stamp duties became virtually non-existent because of tumbling asset values. Our falling consumption of everything from cars to clothes resulted in reduced yields in Vat and excise. Most taxes, except capital gains tax and stamp duties, have by now recovered to pre-crash levels and the overall figure for tax receipts in 2017 was higher than the amount collected a decade earlier. The nation isnt as wealthy as it was because were paying 6bn or so a year in interest on the national debt, which was a bill we didnt have before the recession. But during the first quarter of 2018, Vat receipts outstripped income tax receipts. From the Governments point of view, Vat is a tax that comes in lumps. Even though we as consumers pay Vat on a continuing basis, most businesses tend to account for Vat every two months. The Vat paid by consumers during January and February goes to the exchequer in March. More particularly, the Vat collected in November and December is accounted for in January of the following year, so the exchequer returns for the first quarter of 2018 show the buoyancy in consumer spending around last Christmas. Vat is predominantly paid by individual consumers, as most businesses can claim credit for the Vat they pay on purchases against the Vat they recover on their sales. In contrast, most income tax is paid over to Revenue through the PAYE system on a monthly basis. Over the course of the year, the cumulative income tax receipts will outstrip Vat receipts. Its projected that in 2018, there will be 3 in income tax for every 2 in Vat. Nevertheless, the parity between income tax and Vat in the first quarter of this year suggests an underlying position of strong consumer demand. Consumer sentiment surveys have their value, but nothing quite trumps the truth serum of actual cash flowing into the Collector Generals office. The question now is whether this buoyancy in consumer spending, and hence a buoyancy in Vat receipts, is sustainable. Last weeks Quarterly Bulletin from the Central Bank of Ireland suggests that it is. The bulletin notes that the pattern of consumer spending of late has been on goods rather than on services. However, they are saying that continued strength in income and employment should support a pick-up in consumer spending but also on consumer behaviour, not just in 2018 but also during 2019. Thats just as well, because not all the exchequer returns are as positive as Vat. The single biggest tax change in last years budget was the hike in the rate of stamp duty on commercial properties from 2% to 6%. Stamp duty is charged as a percentage of the purchase price of a property. This was the measure being depended upon to balance the budgetary arithmetic, and projected to bring in a further 376m in the course of the year. There was some scepticism that commercial real estate transactions during 2018 would be sufficient to generate this amount sales of commercial property during 2018 would need to total 10bn in value. So far this year, the stamp duty receipts are not on track. A balanced budget has always depended on what individuals earn and the income tax that flows from those earnings. In future years it will depend equally on the Vat on the spending power of individuals. By Ann O'Loughlin An environmentalist has mounted a legal challenge to the granting of planning permission for a huge 100m data storage facility in North West Dublin linked to internet giant Amazon. Mr Justice Brian McGovern today admitted the challenge to An Bord Pleanala's grant of permission to Amazon Data Services Ireland Ltd for the 20,739 square metres facility to the list of the big business division of the High Court. The legal challenge bought by environmentalist Peter Sweetman of Ballina, Co Mayo will be heard in July. Amazon Data Services Ireland Ltd (ADSIL) is a notice party in the case against An Bord Pleanala and the State. Last January An Bord Pleanala granted permission for the construction of a data storage facility building on lands at Cruiserath, Blachardstown, Dublin. The facility expected to cost in the region of 100m will have 12 data server halls. Mr Sweetman has claimed an appropriate assessment of the project allegedly failed to consider adequately or at all the impacts of grid connection for the development. He is seeking various orders including an order quashing the planning permission grant and a declaration An Bord Pleanala erred in national and EU law in failing to assess the enviromental impacts of the proposal as a whole project. He has also contended the development as applied for represents the first phase of a master plan which provides for future expansion to include up to seven additional data storage facilities. In an affidavit to the court Martin Rice, director of ADSIL said the data storage facility building will service the growing demand for cloud computing services provided by Amazon Web services, which is a company within the Amazon group of companies. The storage facility will involve about 20,739 square meters and be about 13 metres in height. Amazon Web Services is a cloud services offering that provides computer power, database storage, content delivery and other functionality to organisations. Mr Rice said with cloud computing Amazon Web Services manages and maintains the technology infrastructure in a secure environment and organisations access these resources via the internet. He said a key benefit of cloud computing is that organisations no longer need to invest upfront capital expenses to build and operate their own premises' data centres. Any delay in the construction and delivery of the data storage base will be extremely costly to Amazon and could be detrimental to Amazon's business more broadly, he said. To date he said ADSIL has invested significant time and incurred substantial costs to develop the project and it has spent in excess of 2m preparing for the development of the data storage facility building. If built, he said the total cost of the data storage facility building and its operation will be well in excess of 100m. Irish beef is being allowed back into China. Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed says after years of hard work, the Chinese authorities this morning confirmed access for Irish Beef exports. They banned beef from the EU and US during the BSE crisis in 2000. That ban was officially lifted three years ago but trade still has not resumed. China is Ireland's third largest market, last year Ireland's agri-food exports there were worth nearly a billion euro. So far three factories have been fully approved and can begin exporting. These include the ABP plant in Clones in Co Monaghan, Donegal Meat Processors and Slaney Foods in Co Wexford. Bord Bia has welcomed the announcement saying Ireland is the first European beef exporter to secure access to China. According to Bord Bia, China officially imported more than 700,000 tonnes of beef in 2017 a figure expected to double by 2020. In China, annual per capita beef consumption is low at 4-6kg, compared to 19kg in Ireland. They said an average annual increase of just 1kg per capita equates to an additional 1.38 million tonnes of beef per annum, and by 2020, it is estimated Chinese consumers will eat close to 9 million tonnes of beef. Bord Bia CEO, Tara McCarthy, said: Bord Bia, and in particular, our Shanghai office, has been actively planning and preparing for todays breakthrough, and we are now well-positioned and ready to maximize this significant opportunity for Irish beef exporters. "Todays timely announcement follows just days after we hosted the China Meat Association and 17 senior representatives from leading Chinese meat importers as part of our Marketplace International event. All of the visiting Chinese delegates had the opportunity to visit Irish beef farms and processers, giving them a first-hand experience and insight into Irish food production. Irelands agri-food industry already enjoys a strong trade relationship with China. Exports were valued at almost 1 billion last year, while China is our second largest export market for dairy and pork, behind the UK." - Digital Desk Corks MicroSynbiotiX is swimming against the tide by vaccinating fish through feed, says Trish Dromey With the development of a novel delivery platform for the oral immunisation of fish and shrimp stocks, Cork startup MicroSynbiotiX is aiming to help the aquaculture industry achieve a major breakthrough in the war against fish disease. Using transgenic microalgae to deliver vaccines in fish feed, the platform has been designed to enable fish farms to reduce the use of antibiotics. CEO and co-founder Simon Porphy says that overuse of antibiotics has been identified as a major threat to global health and points out that resistance to antibiotics has now been linked to 700,000 deaths a year. Set up in 2016, MicroSynbiotiX is a synthetic biology company with patent pending technology which has been designed to provide an alternative to existing vaccination technology which involves the use of handheld injections of individual fish. This is labour intensive and expensive. The unique competitive advantage of MicroSynbiotiXs technology is that the vaccines can be delivered through feed. As a result, this reduces the cost and improves compliance, said Mr Porphy. Currently working on a delivery platform for aquaculture, the company has future plans to develop the technology for use with livestock including pigs and poultry. Our initial proof of concept is promising and encouraging. We plan to work with large animal health companies to commercialise this technology, he said. But for now the focus is on aquaculture. This is the fastest growing food sector, worth over $200bn (162bn) and growing annually at 6.85%. There is a demand for novel cost-effective oral delivery technology to replace handheld injections, said Mr Porphy. MicroSynbiotiX, which has to date raised over 1m in funding, is currently carrying out trials of its delivery system and expects to be ready to begin licensing its technology to aquaculture companies by early 2019. An Indian biochemical engineer who had come to Ireland in 2015 to work for a biotech startup, Mr Porphy was joined in setting up the company by Swedish molecular biologist Antonio Lamb. Sharing ideas about genetically modifying microalgae to produce vaccines, they identified the market in Asia and the Indian Ocean, which have 80% of global farmed seafood, as being the most in need of this type of solution. Signing up to participate in the RebelBio accelerator programme in Cork, they got the company off the ground using Local Enterprise Office feasibility funding, raising some angel investment and also winning A$200,000 Australian dollars in the Blue Economy challenge competition. In 2017 the company also won 50,000 in the Nutrico Feed Tech Challenge. In late 2017 MicroSynbiotiX raised 850,000, which included High Potential Start Up funding from Enterprise Ireland as well as investment from SOSV in Cork, Alimentos, The Yield Lab and the Centre for Aquaculture Technologies. This allowed the company to recruit additional staff and it now has a total of seven , two of them, including Mr Porphy and Mr Lamb who operate from lab space at the UCC Food Science Microbiology Department, and five based at a lab facility in San Diego in the US. The funding has allowed them to complete the development of the prototype which is now being used in trials in both Norway and Canada. We are now gathering the data we need to interest companies in our technology, said Mr Porphy. In 2019 MicroSynbiotiX expects to take on a business development manager and to recruit a total of eight additional staff, mostly scientists who will be based in Cork. Long-term plans include the development of vaccines for use in animals such as poultry and pigs. We will also look at developing functional food additives for aquaculture and agriculture industries, he said. In early 2019 the company is planning to raise a Series-A investment round in excess of 2m and to use the funds to conduct large-scale field trials and secure joint development agreements with larger animal health companies. Mr Porphy says the goal over the next five years is to create a company with a value of 100m. Within five years we expect to have at least 25 employees who will mostly be located in Ireland and to have a turnover of 4m. By Natasha Reid A Kilkenny father of five has told his murder trial that he accidentally stabbed a visitor to his home while taking a knife from his nephew to prevent him self-harming. Tadhg Butler, previously known as Thomas OGrady, was giving evidence in his defence today on the fifth day of his trial at the Central Criminal Court. The 37-year-old, with an address at Seafield in Tramore, Co Waterford, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Michael ODwyer on 10 January 2014. The 25-year-old died in hospital, hours after receiving a stab wound at a party in Mr Butlers house in Seafield. The court has heard that Mr Butlers nephew, Anthony (Tony) OGrady, told gardai that Mr Butler had walked over and stabbed his friend as they sat and chatted. However, Mr Butler entered the witness box yesterday and gave a different account. He told Michael Bowman SC, defending, that Mr OGrady and the deceased had visited him in Tramore with another friend that night. He said that they had been drinking and that the mood had been good until Mr OGrady became upset about his brothers death a few years earlier. Mr Butler told the court that he had tried to talk to his nephew about it. Then, Tony said to me: F*ck up, its nothing to do with you. He went out to kitchen, grabbed the knife, he said. He held up his hand and said: Im sick of this f*cking life. Thats when me and him got into it. Mr Butler said that he obviously didnt want to see his nephew cutting himself up, but knew that he was capable of it from previous experience. I tried to get the knife out of his hand, he continued. I pinned the knife around his back and pinned him up against the wall and tried to get the knife off him. Mr Butler demonstrated his movements in the witness box. I didn't know that Michael was on the left-hand side of me, he said. When I pulled away with the knife, I didn't even realise the knife was in Michaels chest. I still had the knife in my hand. He said that he didnt realise that he had struck Mr ODwyer until he collapsed. Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, cross examined him about what he had told gardai in interviews. The jury earlier heard that he told his interviewers that he had strong religious beliefs and attended prayer meetings. Garda Jennifer Ryan testified that he told her and a colleague that the incident had nothing to do with him. She told Tony McGillicuddy SC, prosecuting, that they asked him if he was sorry about Mr ODwyers death. Im saddened by his death and saddened for his family members for the way they feel, like everyone else, he replied. Do you respect life? he was asked. Yeah, of course I do, he replied. They asked how he felt about being arrested. Well you know, these things happen, he said. He was asked how religious he was. I go to Mass every Sunday, say the rosary, he replied. What else? asked the gardai. Prayer meetings, he added, agreeing that he had strong religious beliefs. Thou shalt not kill. What do you think of that? he was asked. Yeah, its in the commandments, he agreed. Its a big one, it was suggested. Yeah, if someone knowingly did it, he replied. Mr Vaughan Buckley will continue his cross-examination tomorrow morning before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of six men and six women. By Ann O'Loughlin A Cork solicitor who was convicted of soliciting a person to murder three people has been struck off by order of the High Court. The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, made the order against Gary OFlynn (pictured below), with an address at Hayfield Drive, Whitechurch, Co Cork. There was no appearance by or on behalf of Mr OFlynn when the strike-off order was sought today by the Law Society. Frank Crean BL, for the Society, said the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal had recommended a strike-off order because it could not conceive of a situation where the misconduct could be worse. It was quite clear Mr O'Flynn has brought the profession into disrepute and has done serious damage, he said. Mr Justice Kelly said misconduct by solicitors happens on a regular basis but this was of "a different order and magnitude" as Mr O'Flynn had been convicted of charges including disohonesty offences and soliciting a person to murder a Garda, a revenue official and a former business partner. There is no place in the solicitors' profession for a person found guilty of such offences, the judge said. He agreed with a judge of the English courts who had said it was beyond argument a solicitor sentenced to a substantial term of imprisonment should remain on the roll. Mr O'Flynn, a former Fianna Fail member of Cork City Council, was previously sentenced at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to prison for five years, with the final two years suspended, after pleading guilty to soliciting someone to kill a garda, a Revenue official and an accountant. His defence counsel described his actions as a fantasy which he allowed to get out of control but from which he eventually pulled back. O'Flynn had pleaded guilty to three counts of soliciting a man to murder accountant Patrick Sweeney, Revenue official George Ross, and Det Sgt Mary Skehan of the Garda Fraud Squad at Anglesea Street in Cork, on dates between October 2012 and February 2013. Cork Circuit Criminal Court was told that a friend of O'Flynn's first alerted gardai in January 2013 to the solicitor's intention to hire a hit man to murder three people. He believed O'Flynn was capable of carrying out the threat and feared for their lives and gave gardai a tape on which he could be heard saying he had 10,000 to spend. At this time, O'Flynn was under investigation for fraud in relation to the issuing of mortgages and all three were known to him as part of this investigation. Gardai took the threat seriously, warned the intended targets and put a surveillance operation in place in which O'Flynn's friend introduced him in a city hotel to an undercover garda posing as a hit man and gave him a deposit of 1,000. During a later telephone conversation, O'Flynn told his friend he no longer wanted to go ahead. When his home and offices were searched, his computers revealed searches for "lists of dead gardai", "murder of gardai", and for the home address of the two state officials. He was arrested shortly afterwards. The court was told he had suicidal tendencies after his arrest, has a narcissistic personality and suffers from possible Tourette's syndrome. His depression is under control but he remains a very vulnerable person. Describing O'Flynn as a very complex person, Judge Sean O'Donnabhain sentenced him to five years in prison and suspended the final two years on condition that O'Flynn keep the peace and good behaviour on his release. He sentenced him to two and three years respectively on separate charges relating to fraudulently claiming commissions for mortgages and using false accounts. All sentences were to run concurrently. By Sarah-Jane Murphy The chief dealer at Irish Life and Permanent said it was made clear there was to be no idle chit-chat about the bank's transaction with Anglo Irish Bank in September 2008. David Gantly said rumours were rife in the market about banks going bust and therefore confidence was key. Today Mr Gantly gave evidence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on day 55 of David Drumm's conspiracy to defraud trial. Mr Drumm (51), former CEO of Anglo, accepts that multi-million euro transactions took place between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) in 2008 but disputes they were fraudulent or dishonest. Mr Gantly told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting, there was a huge fire-fighting exercise going on every day to cope with the level of outflows at the bank. The witness said the Financial Regulator was not happy that ILP had received funding from the European Central Bank during the cataclysmic crisis in 2008. He said the regulator was uncomfortable with use of this safety net. It was a one in a hundred years event. There was a sense the cavalry were going to come over the hill at any time, but we just didnt see it, he told Ms Gearty. Mr Gantly said he met officials from the Financial Regulator and the Central Bank in March 2008. He got the impression the regulator was not happy with ILP's reliance on ECB money and didn't want the bank openly telling the market about its borrowings, the jury heard. Mr Gantly said Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick, who were number one and number two at ILP had additional meetings with the Central Bank in the following days. He told Ms Gearty that it was at this time he first heard about the green jersey agenda. The jury have previously heard this refers to the practice of Irish banks helping each other during the crisis. Mr Gantly said Mr Casey told him to make contact with his counterpart in Anglo and in the other Irish banks. Anglo were losing some corporate deposits which came as no shock and they were targeting a certain number, he said. He said that during discussions at ILP he said it was not a normal type transaction. He told Ms Gearty that Mr Fitzpatrick told him the bank had been encouraged by the Regulator to do this. Mr Drumm, of Skerries, 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 Irish Bank by dishonestly creating the impression that deposits in 2008 were 7.2 billion larger than they were. The bank's former CEO 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, is now in its eleventh week, and continues before Judge Karen O'Connor and a jury of ten men and four women. Businessman Denis O'Brien has accused Ireland's director of corporate enforcement of leaking details of his application to have inspectors appointed to Independent News and Media. The High Court has been asked to decide whether to probe governance arrangements at the media group, which owns the Irish Independent and Belfast Telegraph, but has delayed making a decision while further legal issues are discussed. Major INM shareholder Mr O'Brien wrote to director Ian Drennan saying the alleged leaks had damaged his reputation. His letter, read out in court, said: "I hold you fully and personally responsible for all such failures and breaches." A lawyer for the director, Neil Steen SC, said: "We are reasonably satisfied that those allegations are unfounded." There is a compelling public interest in appointing inspectors to investigate Independent News and Media data use, he told the court. Mr Steen said there were significant concerns about use of the material by people outside the Republic's largest media group. "The purpose of the investigation is to establish the full facts. There is compelling public interest in the matters in question being fully investigated by the court." He said they surrounded the removal of data from INM to a third company outside the jurisdiction "resulting in INM data being interrogated". Mr Steen added: "There remains significant concerns as to the purpose of the data interrogation, accessible by a range of individuals." He said some of those individuals were found to have links to Mr O'Brien, the successful businessman and largest shareholder at INM. "There is evidence to suggest that INM data may have been searched against several individuals including journalists." It follows a data breach within the firm in 2014 involving several people including some of its own journalists. Mr O'Brien wrote to the director of enforcement about confidential information emerging into the public domain which he said was damaging his reputation. The decision of the director to bring the legal proceedings is due to go to judicial review next month and that will determine whether to proceed on the substantive case, judge Mr Justice Peter Kelly said. - Press Association Arab Leaders meeting Sunday in Saudi Arabia overlooked the airstrikes launched by the USA, France, and the United Kingdom against the Syrian regimes military installations following charges President Bashar al-Assad military used chemical weapons that killed dozens of people in rebel-held enclave of Douma early this month. The USA, France, and the UK launched strikes on the regimes alleged military installations linked to the countrys chemical weapons program. The three UN Security Council permanent members hit the regime for its alleged killing of several people in Douma with chemical bomb. Damascus and its strategic ally, Moscow, refute the accusation. The air strikes according to the opposition hit Iran and Lebanon-controlled military bases. Iran and its Lebanon Shia allies have been propping up the Syrian regime, helping it to emerge gradually from the seven-year old conflict. Arab countries have been divided over the strikes. While Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman have welcomed the military aerial operations, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco and Tunisia have opposed the western moves. King Salman of Saudi Arabia made no mention of the strikes in his opening address before the Arab Summit and Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, last week during a visit to France, reportedly endorsed western responses to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. Yet, in the final declaration issued by the Summit, Arab countries said they had followed the actions of the Western forces in Syria. Stressing the need to join efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, they underlined their absolute condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the brotherly Syrian people and called for an independent international investigation that includes the implementation of international law. They however emphasized the need to find a political solution to end the crisis, in order to fulfil the aspirations of the Syrian people who is under the aggression, preserve the unity of Syria, protect its sovereignty and independence, and end the presence of all external forces and sectarian terrorist groups. There is no way to stop bloodshed except by reaching a peaceful settlement that achieves a real transition to a political reality shaped and agreed upon by all the components of the Syrian people through the Geneva track, which is the only framework for the peaceful solution, and we are committed to the international communitys efforts to alleviate human suffering in Syria to avoid new humanitarian crises,. Gardai in Dublin are looking for help in finding a missing 15-year-old boy. Christopher Mongan was last seen on March 24 on Eden Quay. The Green Party says current cannabis legislation makes criminals out of ordinary people. The party has launched a campaign calling for the decriminalisation of the drug. The party is proposing that people should be allowed possess a small amount of the drug, as well as the introduction of Amsterdam-style coffee shops. According to the Green's proposals, a Government licence would be required to commercially cultivate cannabis plants - while personal cultivation would be restricted to "two plants per private residence". Party spokesman Oliver Moran explained: "Ordinary people would be allowed to have up to five grams of cannabis in their possession or to use. People who would want to use cannabis for medical purposes would have access to it through their doctors. "We're also calling for the introduction of coffee shops in Ireland, for Irish residents over the age of 18." He added: Our policy comes from an aspiration for harm reduction. The Dutch model, with regulated cultivation, is safer than what we have now. "Many of the potential objections - such as addiction, teenage access, clarity on its medical impact and so on - are not addressed at all by the current system." Last year, the Oireachtas Health Committee threw out a bill proposing to legalise cannabis for medicinal use. Health Minister Simon Harris has announced plans to establishes a "compassionate access programme" for cannabis, where the drug would be made available to patients with specific conditions such as multiple sclerosis or severe epilepsy. However, Deputy Gino Kenny has labelled the proposed scheme hugely restrictive and totally unworkable. By Isabel Hayes A retired senior civil servant in the Department of Health and Children, who was caught in possession of nearly 60,000 child pornography images and videos, has avoided jail. Brendan Phelan (66) was given a suspended three-year sentence in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today after he pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography at his home on March 26, 2013. Phelan, with an address in Merrion Grove, Stillorgan Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin, admitted to gardai that he had a fair bit of child pornography relating to young boys when his home was raided five years ago. He is a retired principal officer with the Department of Health and Children, the court heard. Most of the images and clips were naturist, the court heard, but others showed pre-pubescent boys engaged in sexual behaviour. Sentencing Phelan, Judge Martin Nolan noted that there was an unfortunate delay in bringing the case to court due to a lack of resources within the garda unit. As a result, Phelan was only charged last year. Since his home was raided in 2013, he has attended counselling and rehabilitated himself, with a report handed into court showing he is at a low risk of re-offending. Handing down the suspended sentence, Judge Nolan said the conviction would bring shame on Phelan and his family. He noted he would be on the sex offenders register. The judge took into account a number of mitigating factors, including the nature of the images - the majority of which were placed in the lowest category of seriousness by gardai - his cooperation and the fact that Phelan did not produce or distribute the material elsewhere. Garda Peter Woods told Eoin Lawlor BL, prosecuting, that gardai received a tip-off from Canadian officials in relation to clients who had bought child porn from a website under their investigation. As a result, gardai raided Phelan's home in March 2013, where they seized his computer, a laptop and five external hard drives, among other equipment. A suitcase of DVDs found in Phelan's bedroom was also seized. When the material was eventually examined four years later, gardai discovered 58,585 child pornography images and 1,046 movies. The majority of these files were naturist and concentrated on young boys' genitalia, Garda Woods said. Others were of a more serious nature. Phelan readily admitted to gardai that he had started looking at child pornography a long time ago. He has no previous convictions. Defence counsel, Philipp Rahn BL, said his client referred himself to psychological services in the aftermath of the garda raid. He has now rehabilitated. Mr Rahn said his client, who is originally from a large family in Waterford, went to university and had a good career. He said Phelan does not appear to have had any romantic or sexual relationships throughout his life. Phelan is extremely remorseful for his behaviour. He used the images only for himself and did not produce any or send them on to anyone else, defence counsel added. Revenue officers have seized more than 6,000 worth of smuggled alcohol in three searches at Dublin Port. Officers discovered more than 540 litres of wine, beer and spirits in the routine operations in Dublin Port over the weekend and this morning. An audit of nursing staff will be carried out at every hospital ward around the country, in a new plan announced by the Health Minister. It will evaluate the number and type of nurses needed in each ward. Simon Harris says it will change the way wards are staffed, improve patient outcomes, reduce agency spend and increase job satisfaction. Speaking at the launch in Dublin Castle today, Minister Harris said: This Framework sets out, for the first time in Ireland, the staffing requirements and skill mix needed in our hospital wards to achieve the best outcomes for patients. "It will allow us to determine the appropriate number of nurses and healthcare assistants required for each ward, based on the number of patients and their particular needs, rather than solely on the ward size. Piloting of this Framework has demonstrated significant benefits for both patients and staff. The Framework led to increased quality of care, decreased length of stay in hospital and increased satisfaction with the care received, while staff reported an increase in job satisfaction. "There has also been a sustained decrease, up to 95%, in the use of agency staff. Im pleased to say that a promising trend in relation to reduced mortality rates has also begun to emerge. This Framework clearly works so the next step now is for the HSE to develop a national implementation plan, beginning with incremental implementation across our hospitals. I look forward to the outcome of this process. The framework was developed based on international research and was piloted in three hospital sites; Beaumont Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and St Colmcilles Hospital, Loughlinstown. INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has welcomed the launch. Speaking at the launch also, INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: These findings provide a positive and promising approach to determining the nursing workforce requirements. Using this evidence-based approach to determine nursing staff requirements will be a first for Ireland and will challenge those who believe that there are adequate nurse staffing levels currently. The implementation of the Framework would lead to dramatic improvements in patient outcomes and it would revitalise and re-energise nursing staff. "It is very clear to patients, visitors and staff that nursing and midwifery numbers are grossly inadequate in the context of the safe delivery of current demands on the overcrowded public health service. Ms Ni Sheaghdha concluded: The provision of optimal care and hope to patients and the nurses who care for them is now a real possibility. This requires real investment in attracting nurses to work in Ireland and retaining those that are leaving, pay remains the single area not addressed, and the framework requires full roll out without delay. - Digital Desk The Tanaiste Simon Coveney says the EU will examine what it can do to bring a peaceful end to the conflict in Syria. Speaking ahead of a meeting in Luxembourg, Mr Coveney says the Council of Ministers will also take stock of relations with Russia. Over the weekend senior European figures backed the military action taken by the US, UK and France, who launched missile strikes in response to an alleged gas attack in the town of Douma. The Tanaiste says he felt "sick to his stomach" watching the aftermath of the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria. Mr Coveney will meet fellow European Foreign Affairs Ministers in Luxembourg later to discuss the ongoing conflict. He said: " I think anybody else who was watching the imagery of the results of that chemical attack would feel sick to their stomach. "I think the international community has to be strong on this issues, I would have much preferred that it was the UN that was taking robust action in terms of accountability, independent inspection and taking a legal prosecution after an investigation on the basis of international war crimes. "But that clearly hasn't been possible." Security Analyst Declan Power believes the Irish Government will adopt the EU's approach to the issue. Mr Power said: "From an Irish point of view, the EU has given a response and the Irish Government are acquiescing with that, they are part of the EU and they've said what they've said and indeed I think other EU partners have spoken. "Overall, the general consensus in the Western world is something of this nature, once it was limited in its concept an execution, was welcome." - Digital Desk Alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur is now facing an eighth murder charge in Canada. Toronto police said the 66-year-old landscaper has been charged with first-degree murder over the death of Kirushna Kumar Kanagaratnam. Detective Sgt Hank Idsinga said Mr Kanagaratnam's remains were found at a home McArthur used as storage for his landscaping business. He said Mr Kanagaratnam arrived from Sri Lanka in 2010 and was not on file as having gone missing in Canada. Investigators say the body was identified after they released photographs of the man and appealed to the public for help. Police added there are no links between Mr Kanagaratnam and the "Gay Village" of Toronto. The other alleged victims have been linked. The alleged victims fit a pattern: Most were of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent and lived on the margins of Canadian society, with their disappearances attracting little attention. One alleged victim hid the fact that he was gay from his Muslim family. Another was a recent immigrant with a drug problem. Another alleged victim was homeless, smoked crack cocaine and was a sex worker. Police allege McArthur targeted men he encountered through dating apps that cater to gay men, meeting them at bars in Toronto's "Gay Village". Police believe 37-year-old Mr Kanagaratnam was killed between September 3 and December 14 2015. Det Sgt Idsinga said he had some cousins who lived in the greater Toronto area. The officer said more remains might be found in the planters at the home McArthur used as storage and that 75 properties linked to the landscaper are also under investigation. Police plan to search them once the weather warms up in early May. Det Sgt Idsinga said investigators are looking into 15 other cold cases dating back to the 1975, but have not found a connection as yet. McArthur made a brief video court appearance on Monday to hear the new murder charge. He has not entered a plea. - PA A teenage boy has appeared in a UK court charged with the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl who was found dead in a park. Viktorija Sokolova was discovered by a member of the public in West Park, Wolverhampton, at about 7am on Thursday last week. The Lithuanian-born youngster was reported missing on Wednesday but was pronounced dead the following day, after suffering a blunt force trauma to the head. A 16-year-old boy spoke only to confirm his name, age and address at a five-minute hearing at Dudley Magistrates' Court on Monday. A second teenage boy, aged 17, who was arrested on suspicion of murder, has been bailed pending further investigation. Viktorija's family paid tribute to her, saying she was "like a little angel" and "she made our lives so colourful and full of meaning". They added: "You will be living in our hearts, soul and mind forever. Goodbye our little angel." The teenager was remanded into secure youth detention accommodation until a further hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Tuesday. West Park remained closed while a comprehensive forensic examination continued. Jamie Morgan, acting principal of SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary Academy and Nursery, the primary school Viktorija used to attend, said: "We were all deeply shocked and saddened to hear the terrible news about Viktorija Sokolova, who was a pupil at SS Peter and Paul until 2015. She was a joy to teach; a hard-working, well-liked, lovely girl whose positive and fun personality was infectious. "We recall her having a passion for dancing - she was an active member of the school dance club and positively contributed to a number of school performances. Her comment in her primary leavers' book was that she aspired to become a dancer." He added: "We offer our thoughts and prayers to all of her family at this tragic time." - Press Association Latest: Investigators barred from alleged attack site in Syria, OPCW official says Independent investigators have been prevented by Syrian and Russian officials from reaching the scene of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital, an official said. The barrier for the inspectors comes days after the US, UK and France bombarded sites they said were linked to Syria's chemical weapons programme. The lack of access to the town of Douma by investigators from the watchdog group, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), leaves questions about the April 7 attack unanswered. OPCW director-general Ahmet Uzumcu said Syrian and Russian officials cited "pending security issues" in keeping its inspectors from reaching Douma. "The team has not yet deployed to Douma," two days after arriving in Syria, Uzumcu told an executive council of the OPCW in The Hague. Syrian authorities are offering 22 people to interview as witnesses instead, he said, adding that he hoped "all necessary arrangements will be made ... to allow the team to deploy to Douma as soon as possible". 2pm: UN permit holding up chemical weapons probe in Syria, Russia says; Macron clarifies claims that 'France persuaded Trump to strike' A senior Russian diplomat has said inspectors from the international chemical weapons watchdog cannot access the site of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital without an appropriate UN permit. Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov's remarks could indicate a possible attempt to bog down the team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), though both Russia and the Syrian government have welcomed the visit in the wake of the West's air strikes in Syria over the weekend. Mr Ryabkov told reporters in Moscow that what is hampering a swift resolution of the mission's visit to the Syrian town of Douma, near Damascus, the site of the alleged chemical attack, is "the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action", a reference to Saturday's punitive air strikes. A team from the OPCW arrived in Syria shortly before the air strikes. It has met with Syrian officials but has not visited the town at the centre of the controversy. Government forces and Russian troops have deployed in Douma, which has now fallen under the control of the Syrian government. "It is the lack of approval by the UN Department for Safety and Security for OPCW experts to visit the site in Douma that is the problem," Mr Ryabkov told reporters, adding that he checked just a short while ago on was delaying their visit. Russia said it is not curtailing the mission's visit, and appears instead to be blaming the international organisation for the delay. Syrian opposition and activists have criticised the Russian deployment in the town, saying that evidence of chemical weapons' use might no longer be found. Russia and Syria deny the attack took place. The Kremlin quickly denied reports that Russia was not allowing the OPCW mission in, without elaborating. Mr Ryabkov said: "As far as I understand what is hampering a speedy resolution of this problem is the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action that Great Britain and other countries conducted on Saturday." The OPCW is holding an emergency meeting in The Hague to discuss the suspected chemical attack in Douma. Inspectors from the OPCW chemical watchdog will begin their investigation at the site of an alleged chemical attack near Syris's Damascus pic.twitter.com/OXeGFVOKQm TRT World (@trtworld) April 15, 2018 12.50pm: Macron clarifies claims that 'France persuaded Trump to strike'; UK dismisses Russian suggestion that it was behind Syria chemical attack as 'ludicrous' French president Emmanuel Macron has clarified comments that he "convinced" his US counterpart Donald Trump to maintain a US military presence in Syria - a remark which prompted a rebuttal from the White House. Mr Macron maintained that he "never said" either the United States or France would stay engaged long-term in Syria in a military sense - hours after saying in a live Sunday interview that he had managed to change Mr Trump's mind on withdrawing troops. Mr Macron said both French and US positions were in line, and the main aim in Syria was the "war against ISIS (Islamic State)". However, Mr Macron said that by joining forces with France and the UK for last Saturday's air strikes, the US "fully realised that our responsibility went above and beyond the war against IS, and that it was a humanitarian responsibility as well on the ground." 11.30am: UK dismisses Russian suggestion that it was behind Syria chemical attack as 'ludicrous'; France persuaded Trump to strike in Syria, says Macron The UK dismissed as "ludicrous" a suggestion from Russia that it was behind the Douma chemical weapons attack. At a meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), UK representative Peter Wilson said: "Russia has argued that the attack on Douma was somehow staged, or faked. "They have even suggested that the UK was behind the attack. That is ludicrous. "The attack on Douma was not reported by just a sole source in opposition to the regime. There are multiple eye witness accounts, substantial video footage, accounts from first responders and medical evidence." He said Moscow was "spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation" to undermine the integrity of the OPCW's fact-finding mission to Syria. Earlier, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, arriving for a summit of European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg, said: "The action that was taken by France, by the UK, by the United States in launching calibrated and proportionate strikes against Assad's chemical weapons capabilities, was entirely right, entirely the right thing to do - right for the UK and right for the world. He stressed it was "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change" and "the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way". "But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad," he said. 6.40am: France persuaded Trump to strike in Syria, says Macron France persuaded US president Donald Trump to stay in Syria and launch air strikes as punishment for an alleged chemical weapons attack, French president Emmanuel Macron has said. Appearing live on French television BFM and online investigative site Mediapart, the 40-year-old leader said the US, Britain and France had "full international legitimacy to intervene" with the strikes, to enforce international humanitarian law. The allies fired missiles early on Saturday at three chemical weapons facilities in Syria to punish the regime for the alleged attack on the town of Douma. "It was retaliation, not an act of war," Macron said in justifying the operation a day before the French parliament was set to debate it. "Ten days ago president Trump wanted the United States of America to withdraw from Syria. We convinced him to remain," he said. He said France now wanted to involve Western powers, Russia and Turkey in a new diplomatic initiative to find a sustainable political solution in Syria. Macron also offered to play the role of intermediary between the United States and Russia, whose relationship has been on edge over the chemical weapons attack and amid allegations that Russia tried to interfere in the US 2016 presidential election. The French leader will make a state visit to the US next week and is scheduled to travel to Russia next month. - PA Qatars ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani did not turn up at the one-day Arab League Summit in Saudi Arabia Sunday, an absence signaling continuity of the diplomatic crisis opposing Qatar to its neighbors led by Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Tamim returned from the US on Saturday after meeting with President Donald Trump at the White for the first time in the 10-month old Gulf crisis, which erupted after the visit of US President in Riyadh during his first maiden international tour last year. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt in June severed ties with the tiny Gulf gas-rich country over its alleged support for terrorism. Doha has strongly dismissed the charge. Qatar, which took part in the preparatory ministerial meeting in Egypt, the seat of the Pan-Arab organization, was extended an invitation to attend the summit. The Emirates state-run news agency, QNA, later said the Qatari delegation would be headed by Dohas permanent representative to the Arab League, Saif bin Muqaddam al-Buainain. Late last week, Saudi top diplomat Adel al-Jubeir stressed that the gathering will not address the Gulf crisis adding the solution to the diplomatic spat would be found in the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. Actually, the summit final declaration did not allude to the Gulf crisis. Russian officials say a purported chemical attack in Syria was a fabrication staged by British intelligence agencies to pave the way for allied strikes. Alexander Shulgin, Russia's envoy at the Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, did not provide any evidence of the alleged British involvement, saying only that "there is no other plausible explanation" of the April 7 attack in Douma. A surfer mauled by a shark off south-western Australia managed to swim to shore despite serious injuries to both of his legs, an official and a witness said. Alejandro Travaglini, 37, was surfing at Gracetown at about 8am on Monday when he was attacked, St John Ambulance spokesman Dennis Bertoldo said. The Argentinian was treated on the beach by paramedics before he was flown by helicopter 160 miles to a hospital in Perth, Bertoldo said. The hospital described his condition as stable. The attack prompted the World Surf League to postpone the nearby Margaret River Pro international surfing contest for about an hour. Organisers said they had deployed additional shark-spotting drones and jet skis when the competition resumed to ensure competitors' safety. Surf photographer Peter Jovic watched the attack from the beach and likened it to the live broadcast of a shark attack in South Africa in 2015. Former champion surfer Mick Fanning escaped unscathed when a great white attacked his board as he waited to catch a wave. "If anyone is familiar with the Mick Fanning moment ... it was very similar to that, where a shark pretty much popped up and ended up knocking a surfer off his board," Jovic told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio. "The surfer who was being attacked ended up miraculously body surfing into a little wave and getting pushed in by a local at the same time, who was out there with him, and making it to shore before everyone came to his aid," Jovic said. Lifeguards said a 13ft shark was spotted off a nearby beach two hours after the attack. Nine Network television news reported a 41-year-old surfer sustained a large gash to his right thigh from a shark later on Monday at a beach near where the attack happened. "Happy to be alive," the unnamed man told bystanders, who asked if he was OK. The man insisted he could drive himself to a hospital. A surfer was killed by a shark at Gracetown in 2013. A legal fight over records the FBI seized from Donald Trump's lawyer took a surprise twist when Michael Cohen was forced to reveal in court that he had also secretly worked for Fox News host Sean Hannity. The disclosure came as Mr Cohen's lawyers tried to persuade a federal judge in New York to delay prosecutors from examining records and electronic devices seized in the raids on the grounds that many of them are protected by attorney-client privilege. US District Judge Kimba Wood said in hearings on Friday and again on Monday that if Mr Cohen wanted the court to declare that the some of his files were protected because of attorney confidentiality rules, he would have to divulge the names of his clients. In a court filing on Monday, Mr Cohen's attorneys said three people received legal help from Mr Cohen in 2017 and 2018, after Mr Trump became president. One was Mr Trump himself. Another was Elliot Broidy, a Trump fundraiser who resigned from the Republican National Committee on Friday after it was revealed that he paid a Playboy Playmate with whom he had an extramarital affair. The Playmate became pregnant and elected to have an abortion. But they initially declined to reveal the name of the third client. The third legal client directed Mr Cohen not to reveal the identity publicly, Mr Cohen's lawyers, Todd Harrison and Stephen Ryan, wrote. "It almost goes without saying, unfortunately, that none of Mr Cohen's clients want to be associated with the government raid on his home and law office, or want to be affiliated in any way with the proceedings here and the attendant media coverage." Judge Wood, though, demanded the name. "I understand he doesn't want his name out there, but that's not enough under the law," she said. Retweeted Aaron Rupar (@atrupar): Here's Fox News reporting during Shep Smith's program that Michael Cohen's 3rd client was their own Sean Hannity. #delicious pic.twitter.com/UMVeIUHHLu timothy stevens (@evensteven2009) April 16, 2018 An email sent to Fox News seeking comment from Mr Hannity was not immediately returned. The hearing was ongoing on Monday afternoon. It began with an appearance by porn actress Stormy Daniels, who was swarmed by photographers and nearly fell as she was hustled into the courthouse, a scene that captured the sensational atmosphere around a legal fight involving the president and an FBI investigation into his personal lawyer. The April 9 raid on Mr Cohen sought information on a variety of matters, including a payment made to Ms Daniels, who alleges she had sex with the president in 2006. - Press Association & Digital Desk Update: May accuses Russia and Syria of blocking inspectors from reaching Douma Theresa May accused Russia of preventing international inspectors from reaching the site of the Syrian chemical weapons attack as relations with Moscow deteriorated further. British PM May: "It is perfectly clear that Russia is preventing, is stopping, is blocking opportunities to ensure that we can properly hold to account those responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria." pic.twitter.com/4mY8IB1QTX NBC News (@NBCNews) April 16, 2018 A diplomatic storm erupted as the Office for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Syrian and Russian officials had claimed there were "security issues" which prevented a fact-finding mission from reaching Douma, where around 75 people are thought to have died in the attack. Russia suggested the missile strikes launched by the UK, US and France were part of the reason why the chemical weapons watchdog could not travel to the scene of the attack. It strongly denied interfering with the work of inspectors attempting to reach the site of the atrocity which the UK and Western allies have concluded was perpetrated by the regime of Moscow's ally Bashar Assad. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said relations between Moscow and the West were worse than at the time of the Cold War. He said the UK, Nato and European Union had closed the normal channels of communication with Russia which provided safeguards against confrontation. "I think it is worse, because during the Cold War there were channels of communication and there was no obsession with Russophobia, which looks like genocide by sanctions," he told the BBC. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reacts to US-led strikes on Syria in exclusive interview with @BBCHARDtalk https://t.co/BwJ15Tb71H pic.twitter.com/B2j8Yvbdcs BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) April 16, 2018 Updating MPs on the military action, the Prime Minister said it would not have been worth waiting for the OPCW's findings in Douma because Russian vetoes at the United Nations meant no blame could be apportioned for the attack. "Even if the OPCW team is able to visit Douma to gather information to make that assessment - and they are currently being prevented from doing so by the regime and the Russians - it cannot attribute responsibility," she said. Mrs May accused Russia and Syria of attempting to cover up the attack. "The Syrian regime has reportedly been attempting to conceal the evidence by searching evacuees from Douma to ensure samples are not being smuggled from this area and a wider operation to conceal the facts of the attack is under way, supported by the Russians," she told MPs. At a meeting of the OPCW in The Hague, director-general Ahmet Uzumcu said the organisation's team had arrived in Damascus on Saturday but "has not yet deployed to Douma". "The Syrian and the Russian officials who participated in the preparatory meetings in Damascus have informed the FFM (fact-finding mission) team that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place." The UK's representative Peter Wilson said: "It is imperative that the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation offer the OPCW fact finding mission team their full co-operation and assistance to carry out their difficult task." Russian diplomat Dmitry Polyanskiy said "all the obstacles" for the OPCW mission were the result of the US, UK and French "aggression" and the possibility of further strikes. Mr Polyanskiy, Russia's first deputy permanent representative at the UN, said: "If you go to a site which was just bombed I imagine you might have certain logistic problems. And there are no Western guarantees of no more strikes, only words." Relations between Russia and the UK have been plunged into the deep freeze following the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. Mr Lavrov denied Russia had "tampered" with the site of the Syrian attack and insisted there was no proof that chemical weapons had been used. The Russian foreign minister told the BBC: "There is no proof that on April 7 chemical weapons were used in Douma. "I cannot be impolite to the heads of other states ... but frankly speaking, all the evidence they quoted was based on media reports and social networks." "We had no choice but to conclude diplomatic action on its own is not going to work"- @theresa_may on Britain's decision to join air strikes in Syriahttps://t.co/8SmopYrXwg pic.twitter.com/y9pUQrf77g BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 16, 2018 Mrs May's decision to launch air strikes without parliamentary approval has led to criticism from MPs. But she defended her decision not to recall Parliament, suggesting the "security" of the operation could have been compromised. "The speed with which we acted was essential in co-operating with our partners to alleviate further humanitarian suffering and to maintain the vital security of our operations," she said. The decision required the evaluation of intelligence "much of which was of a nature that could not be shared with Parliament". Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn repeated his assertion that the military action was "legally questionable". There were cries of "shame" from the Tory benches as he told Mrs May she "is accountable to this Parliament, not to the whims of the US President". Jeremy Corbyn tells Theresa May that she is "accountable to this parliament, not the whims of the US president" and is met with an eyeroll from the PMhttps://t.co/8SmopYJyUQ pic.twitter.com/hufXjKkPKx BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 16, 2018 Earlier: Fresh row between UK and Russia over Syrian chemical attack Diplomatic tensions between the UK and Russia deepened amid claims that Moscow was blocking investigators from reaching the site of a chemical weapons attack in Syria. The UK said it was "essential" that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was granted "unfettered access" to Douma. Russia strongly denied interfering with the work of inspectors attempting to reach the site of the atrocity which the UK and Western allies have said was perpetrated by the regime of Moscow's ally Bashar Assad. The latest row between the UK and Russia came as Theresa May prepared to face MPs over her decision to launch air strikes against Syria as Labour questioned the legality of the bombing raid. The UK's representative at the OPCW, Peter Wilson, said: "It is imperative that the Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation offer the OPCW fact finding mission team their full co-operation and assistance to carry out their difficult task." He dismissed as "ludicrous" a Russian claim that the UK had helped stage the attack in Douma, which killed up to 75 people, including a number of children. He said: "Russia has argued that the attack on Douma was somehow staged, or faked. "They have even suggested that the UK was behind the attack. That is ludicrous." He said Moscow was "spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation" to undermine the integrity of the OPCW's fact-finding mission to Syria. Relations between Russia and the UK have been plunged into the deep freeze following the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury. The UK's claims about interference with the OPCW's work in Syria were dismissed by Moscow. "Russia confirms its adherence to the provision of security for the mission and does not plan to interfere with its work", the country's representative at the OPCW said according to Russian news agency Tass. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to face anger in the Commons after launching military action without securing the support of Parliament. As well as facing MPs' questions, she will also take the unusual step of calling an urgent debate - although this is expected to fall far short of an explicit vote on the military action demanded by some in the Commons. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson insisted the strikes - co-ordinated with action by the United States and France - were "right for the UK and right for the world". Mr Johnson, speaking at a summit of European Union foreign ministers, stressed it was "not an attempt to change the tide of the war in Syria or to have regime change" and "the Syrian war in many ways will go on in its horrible, miserable way". "But it was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under Bashar Assad," he said. But shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the Government's justification for the airstrikes, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "You can't use force under international law just to punish Syria for bad behaviour. "You have to actually be using urgent, necessary and proportionate force. And you have to do it with the will of the world behind you." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, writing in The Guardian, said: "The military action at the weekend was legally questionable. "The Government's own justification, which relies heavily on the strongly contested doctrine of humanitarian intervention, does not even meet its own tests. "Without UN authority it was again a matter of the US and British governments arrogating to themselves an authority to act unilaterally which they do not possess." Mrs May will ask for the emergency debate to allow more time for discussion in a nod to the fury among MPs at not being consulted. The Prime Minister will tell MPs that the strikes were in the national interest because the use of chemical weapons cannot be normalised, including in the UK. She will say: "Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. "It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria - and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. "For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised - either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere." Four Royal Air Force Tornado GR4s joined the co-ordinated missile strikes at 2am on Saturday, launching Storm Shadow missiles at a base 15 miles west of Homs. - Digital Desk and Press Association Update: Seven inmates killed in South Carolina prison violence Seven inmates have died and 17 others required outside medical attention after hours of fighting inside a maximum security prison in South Carolina. Prisons spokesman Jeff Taillon announced the deaths after state police helped secure Lee Correctional Institution in the early hours of this morning. Mr Taillon said multiple fights broke out between inmates at 7.15pm on Sunday. He said no officers were wounded. Earlier, state police were called to attend an "ongoing situation" at the the prison. 10.30am: State police called to 'ongoing situation' at South Carolina jail South Carolina state police have been called to an "ongoing situation" at one of the state's most dangerous prisons. The South Carolina Corrections Department said on Twitter that State Law Enforcement Division agents responded just before midnight on Sunday to the situation at Lee Correctional Institution. @SCDCNews and SLED are responding to an ongoing situation at Lee Correctional Institution. SC Dept. Corrections (@SCDCNews) April 16, 2018 Some local media outlets reported the local coroner had been called to the scene. The maximum-security facility houses about 1,500 inmates in Bishopville, about 55 miles from Columbia, and is home to some of South Carolina's most violent, longest-serving offenders. In recent years, there have been several large-scale insurrections, including one in which an inmate overpowered a guard and used his keys to free others from their cells. Two officers were stabbed in a 2015 fight. One inmate killed another during a fight in February. - Digital Desk and Press Association AMP has stumbled its way through a shambolic first examination at the banking royal commission after the wealth manager admitted senior staff ignored legal advice that the charging of customers for services they did not receive was unlawful. The royal commission also heard on Monday that AMPs financial planning arm was riddled with misconduct and that the groups financial planning arm had identified more than 500 planners who had committed fraud, were dishonest or incompetent. AMP's head of advice Jack Regan leaving the Federal Court on Monday. Credit:Eddie Jim AMP also admitted it made 10 false statements to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and that its scheme to provide a retirement plan for external advisers was designed to incentivise the sale of AMPs products over those of other banks. His piercing raps have earned him 'voice of a generation' accolades, and helped him ascend as the leader in hip-hop and cross over to audiences outside of rap. He's also been a dominator on the charts, having achieved two dozen Top 40 hits, including a No. 1 success with Humble, which also topped this year's Triple J Hottest 100, and collaborations with the likes of U2, Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Beyonce. His music, with songs like Alright and The Blacker the Berry, have become anthems in the wake of high-profile police shootings of minorities as the conversation about race relations dominates news headlines. He brought of dose of seriousness to the 2015 BET Awards, rapping on top of a police car with a large American flag waving behind him. At the 2016 Grammys, during a show-stopping performance, he appeared beaten, in handcuffs, with chains around his hands and bruises on his eyes. Lamar's musical success helped him win 12 Grammy Awards, though all three of his major-label albums have lost in the top category - album of the year. Each loss has been criticised by the music community, launching conversations about how the Recording Academy might be out of touch. DAMN. lost album of the year to Bruno Mars' 24K Magic in January. The family of a man who went missing from Calvary Hospital and was not found for months were still coming to terms with how sick and vulnerable he had been, an inquest into the man's death heard on Monday. Tad Kahsai, 61, was being treated for alcohol withdrawal when he walked out of Calvary Hospital on December 30, 2015, and went missing. It took 29 days for police to begin their search and rescue effort, but it was not until three months after he went missing that students found Mr Kahsai's body in bushland not far from the hospital doors, in a place not checked in the police search. Tahadesse Kahsai. Hearings at an inquest into Mr Kahsai's death last week scrutinised the decisions made by hospital staff and police after Mr Kahsai was admitted to and then left the hospital. Monjes team identified a sugar molecule, GD2, which is abundant on the surface of DIPG tumors in 80 percent of cases. Excess expression of the sugar is caused by the same mutation, known as the H3K27M mutation, that drives the growth of most DIPG tumors, the team found. Scientists have known for decades that GD2 levels on some other forms of cancer are very high, but its discovery on this tumor came as a surprise, Mackall said, adding, It was hiding in plain sight, and we didnt know. Mackalls team had already designed a way to make CAR-T cells that attack the GD2 sugar; similar anti-GD2 CAR-T cells are now being tested in clinical trials in a few other cancers. In a dish, Mackalls CAR-T cells killed cultured DIPG cells that carry the H3K27M mutation. If the cultured cells were genetically modified to stop expressing the target sugar, the CAR-T cells no longer worked. Other CAR-T cells that were tuned to different molecular targets also did not kill the DIPG cancer cells. Next, the team tested the GD2 CAR-T cells in mice whose brainstem was implanted with human DIPG tumors, an experimental system that Monjes lab pioneered. Seven to eight weeks after the tumor was established, each mouse received one intravenous injection of GD2 CAR-T cells or, as a control treatment, an injection of CAR-T cells that react to a different target. The cells are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. In the mice that received GD2 CAR-T cells, the DIPG tumors were undetectable after 14 days, while mice receiving the control treatment had no tumor regression. After 50 days, the animals were euthanized and their brains examined. Using immunostaining, the researchers counted the remaining tumor cells; the mice treated with GD2 CAR-T cells had a few dozen remaining cancer cells per animal, while each control mouse had tens of thousands of cancer cells. In the GD2 CAR-T treated animals, the residual cancer cells did not express GD2, suggesting that these remaining cells were not vulnerable to the immune therapy and might be able to cause the cancer to recur. Risky to use near thalamus Gliomas occurring in the spinal cord and thalamus of children also exhibit the H3K27M mutation and were found to similarly express very high levels of GD2. The research team also tried the GD2 CAR-T therapy in mice with human spinal cord and thalamic tumors implanted in their respective anatomical locations. Spinal cord tumors were effectively cleared by the GD2 CAR-T cells. However, some animals with thalamic tumors died from the CAR-T treatment. The inflammatory response generated by the immune cells caused brain swelling, which is particularly risky near the thalamus, a structure buried deep inside the brain, the researchers reported. While this strategy is very promising for a disease with few therapeutic options, its crucially important to keep in mind that these tumors are located in precarious neuroanatomical sites that just do not tolerate much swelling and those regions are already expanded by tumors, Monje said. With any effective clearing of a tumor by the immune system, by definition there is inflammation, which means there will be some degree of swelling. Its a dangerous situation. I dont think one strategy is going to cure this extremely aggressive and deadly cancer. The team plans to move the CAR-T treatment into human clinical trials, but will build as many safeguards as possible into the trial to minimize risks to people who participate, Monje said. I think this is something we can bring to the clinic soon, but it needs to be done very carefully, she said. These CAR-T cells are extremely potent, Mackall said, noting that a therapy that uses CAR-T cells to treat pediatric leukemia was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017. In leukemia, that potency is the reason this has been a transformative therapy, but it is also the major cause for toxicity. Its very difficult to find a cancer medicine that works but doesnt have a down side. Because the CAR-T cells do not eradicate all cancer cells, the researchers think the immune therapy will need to be combined with other treatments. Monjes team is also studying chemotherapy drugs to treat DIPG. I dont think one strategy is going to cure this extremely aggressive and deadly cancer, Monje said. However, I think CAR-T immunotherapy is part of the puzzle of DIPG treatment in a way that Im quite hopeful about. The teams work is an example of Stanford Medicines 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. Other Stanford co-authors are MD-PhD student Christopher Mount; Robbie Majzner, MD, instructor in pediatrics; Shree Sundaresh, an affiliate in neurology; undergraduate student Evan Arnold; Meena Kadapakkam, MD, fellow in pediatrics; Samuel Haile, affiliate at the Stanford Cancer Institute; graduate student Louai Labanieh; life science research professionals Pamelyn Woo and Skyler Rietberg; and Hannes Vogel, MD, professor of pathology and of pediatrics. A scientist from Free University Amsterdam Medical Center also contributed to the research. Monje, Mackall and Vogel are members of the Stanford Cancer Institute. Monje and Mackall are both members of Stanfords Child Health Research Institute and investigators at the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine at Stanford. Monje is also a member of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute and of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Mackall leads the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Stanford, which supports the Stanford University Cancer Immunotherapy Program. The research was supported by a Stand Up To Cancer-St Baldricks-National Cancer Institute grant. The research was also supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (grants F31NS098554 and R01NS092597); Abbies Army Foundation; Unravel Pediatric Cancer; Maiys Miracle Foundation; the McKenna Claire Foundation; Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation; the Reller Family Research Fund; Izzys Infantry Foundation; The Cure Starts Now Foundation and DIPG Collaborative; the Lyla Nsouli Foundation; Declan Gloster Memorial Funds; the N8 Foundation; Fly a Kite Foundation; the Liwei Wang Research Fund; the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research; the Sam Jeffers Foundation; the Stanford Child Health Research Institute; the Stanford SPARK program; and the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Endowed Faculty Scholarship in Pediatric Cancer and Blood Diseases. Stanfords departments of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, of Pediatrics and of Medicine also supported the work. Police have released CCTV footage of a woman who police believe may be able to assist with their inquiries into the shooting death of Bankstown lawyer Ho Ledinh. Mr Ledinh, 65, was sitting at Bankstowns Happy Cup cafe with a friend about 3.35pm on January 23, when he was shot three times at close range. Despite immediate help from witnesses, police and paramedics, Mr Ledinh died at the scene. On February 13, Arthur Kelekolio - the man accused of pulling the trigger - was arrested and charged with murder. Police and forensic teams were expected to remain at the crime scene for a number of days. From her home across the street, Rowena Ostrofski heard what sounded like something heavy being dropped on the ground, large enough to vibrate the floor, and a woman shouting help. Inspector Daniel Bragg said the fire was being treated as suspicious. "It was a loud explosion, quite significant, and the neighbour that heard that explosion contacted the police," he told reporters near the Pavonia Street home. Firefighters had to cut their way into the garage. Credit:Jorge Branco/Fairfax Media. "I'm told that the fire could be seen from a fair distance away and it was the flames and the smoke that actually led people to the address." He said one neighbour had told police that there was "some yelling beforehand" and confirmed police were looking into multiple reports that one or more vehicles were heard driving away from the home but said no evidence had been found to back that up. "At this stage, we do not know what happened here. A very thorough investigation will be conducted into this." Emergency services respond to a fire that killed three people at the Everton Hills home. Credit:Jorge Branco Inspector Bragg said all options were being explored in relation to the cause of the blaze. The fact that weve got three deceased persons inside a house with a house fire, particularly adults, would obviously lend a lot of weight that wed treat it as deliberately lit, he said. Were not saying it is, we dont know, but we will treat it as deliberately lit until otherwise. Ms Ostrofskis husband, Lindsay, said there were vicious flames underneath the house and the whole thing went up within a matter of seconds. Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Inspector Bevan Moore addresses the media. Credit:Jorge Branco I hear glass breaking so I went to the kitchen and check it, Ms Ostrofski said. Then I hear a womans voice saying help, help' and then I look at the bigger window and I saw the smoke on the roof. Luke Demnar said he was one of the first on the scene after seeing flames from the top of the nearby hill as he arrived home from dropping his wife in the city. (Ive) run up through the house to see if we can find anyone, he said. Police Inspector Daniel Bragg (second from right) speaks with fellow officers at the scene. Credit:Jorge Branco We couldnt get in because the flames were too big. (We) pretty much looked in through the doors. The whole house was just engulfed, there was no way we could get in, at all. The only place that wasnt engulfed in flames was the garage and we had a look through there and everything looked normal. We couldnt see anyone or anything like that. Mark Dumont, whose neighbouring house was damaged slightly in the fire, said he thought the explosions were caused by the fire, rather than the other way around. Huge numbers of police were on the scene on Tuesday. Credit:Jorge Branco/Fairfax Media. "It was huge. All the upper level was engulfed. The explosions, all the glass was going everywhere," he said. After six crews battled the blaze for about 40 minutes in the morning, fire investigators spent the rest of the day determining what happened. Superintendent Bevan Moore said firefighters had to force their way into the building, which was made more difficult because the fire was burning through the roof. Reports from neighbours have indicated that there were unusual noises associated with the fire and so there has been reports that we need to do further investigations to determine the cause, he said. There were explosions reported by neighbours, the smell of fuel, things like that. Another man, Nathan Wynne, heard the explosion from his home on neighbouring Lily Street and rushed down to help. He said he heard a road bike "just roar away" after the "boom" of the explosions. Carol Maior said her husband, Doug, heard two cars driving away at speed, after two explosions, a small one followed by a bigger one. "When you see something like that you hope everyone got out but its sad to hear there was people passing away," she said. Neither Inspector Moore nor Inspector Bragg would comment on where the deceased were found or where the fire appeared to have started. One of Queensland's most notorious child rapists has made another bid for freedom, but the judge tasked with deciding his fate has heard he remains a ticking "time bomb". Douglas Brian Jackway is serving an indefinite sentence for the rape of a young girl and sexual assault of a boy in the 1990s. He was also the prime suspect in the murder of schoolboy Daniel Morcombe before police shifted their focus to killer Brett Peter Cowan. The 41-year-old has made repeated attempts to be released but has been refused because he is considered a risk to the community. Jackway made his latest application in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday. More trains are taking to the air in Melbourne's south-east after the latest stretch of the state government's controversial sky rail was opened to the public and nearby residents are mostly happy about it. The newly rebuilt Clayton station which looms high above the ground like the new Noble Park facility welcomed its first passengers on Monday, as another level crossing was removed on the busy Cranbourne-Pakenham line. As Metro and V/Line trains whizzed past overhead, road traffic on the ground was also moving smoothly through the former Clayton Road level crossing. Until the project, boom gates had kept cars stationary for 82 minutes of the 120-minute morning peak. A similarly congested level crossing at Centre Road has also been removed. Forget quokkas, and give the new stadium a miss. Perths latest tourist attraction owes more to gangland murders and underworld drug dens than cuddly animals and sporting events. Starting this month, award-winning journo Sean Cowan will take to the streets of Northbridge to uncover the crimes that rocked mid-century Perth. The tour will include a number of notorious crime sites. From the exact site of a 1950s mafia murder, to the brothels and gambling dens of the 70s, the Northbridge Crime Walk will expose the seedy side of our well-trodden streets, and will introduce notorious crime figures to a whole new audience. Most people are unaware of things that went on, Cowan told Simon Beaumont on 6PR late last week. What well be talking about is the systemic crime that pervaded Perth. Tour sites will include the scene an underworld stabbing at what is now a popular restaurant on James Street, illegal gambling halls, opium dens and Roe Street brothels. Its a far cry from the Northbridge we know today, but its those people featured on the tour that have shaped the inner-city suburb known for its nightlife and cafes. Currently the general managing editor for Fairfax Medias regional arm, Cowan spent 14 years reporting for The West Australian. WA Police will get a new state-of-the-art "eye in the sky", with the state government poised to announce funding for a new $26.9 million helicopter. Police and Road Safety Minister Michelle Roberts will officially announce the funding package for a new police helicopter on Tuesday. Part of the $26.9 million commitment will be provided via the Road Trauma Trust Account, which collects fines from speeding and traffic offences. It may take 2-3 years for the new chopper to be operational, but Tuesday's announcement will allow WA Police bosses to begin the search for a new one. The funding announcement means the WA Police Force can begin the procurement process," Ms Roberts told WAtoday. Occasionally, a personality already known to the wider Australian public is appointed to the lofty position of Chief of the Defence Force. Peter Cosgrove, having established his reputation as a military leader during the fraught days of East Timors battle for survival, was one. Angus Houston, whod had the courage to blow the whistle on the Howard governments claims that asylum seekers had thrown their children overboard, was another. Now there is another commander from East Timor days, who is also a new Angus, who was familiar to many Australians long before Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull named him on Monday as the latest Chief of the Defence Force. Lieutenant General Angus Campbell is announced as Australia's next Chief of the Defence Force during a press conference at Parliament on Monday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Lieutenant-General Angus Campbells profile became fixed in the public mind when prime minister Tony Abbott, in the job only days after winning the September 2013 election, made him the head of Operation Sovereign Borders, charged with stopping and turning around asylum seekers boats. The Greens will become the first party with seats in Parliament to call for full cannabis legalisation in Australia, despite criticism from the country's top medical bodies. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the "war on drugs has failed" and called for the establishment of an Australian Cannabis Agency that would be given a monopoly over the wholesale supply of the drug to shops, while collecting millions of dollars in a tobacco-style tax from consumers. "Governments around the world are realising that prohibition of cannabis causes more harm than it prevents," the former GP who worked in drug and alcohol addiction said. "Its time Australia joined them and legalised cannabis for adult use." Allegations about assaults and excessive use of force against prisoners in Queensland's jails have increased over the past three years, the state's crime watchdog has revealed. The Crime and Corruption Commission has launched Taskforce Flaxton to investigate corruption and corruption risks in Queensland's 14 prisons and work camps. Taskforce Flaxton will hold public hearings in its examination of corruption and corruption risks in Queensland corrective services facilities next month. Among the allegations against staff were assaults on prisoners, use of excessive force, misuse of power including making threats, failing to provide access to services such as medical treatment, legal advice or food, facilitating the introduction of contraband into a facility and misusing information. Allegations received by the CCC about corrective services facilities have increased over the past three years, an issues paper released by the watchdog states. Dhaka: Bangladesh has rejected a Myanmar claim that the Buddhist-majority nation had repatriated the first five among some 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled to escape military-led violence. A Myanmar government statement said on Saturday that five members of a family had returned to western Rakhine state from the border area. It said the family was staying temporarily with relatives in Maungdaw town, the administrative centre close to the border. Rohingya supporters hold placards during a protest against Aung San Suu Kyi as she visits Australia in March. Credit:AAP The statement said authorities determined whether they had lived in Myanmar and provided them with a national verification card. The card is a form of ID, but does not mean citizenship - something Rohingya have been denied in Myanmar, where they've faced persecution for decades. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has decided to halt a military training program in Somalia following the seizure of millions of dollars by Somali security forces in a UAE plane. Relations between Mogadishu and Abu Dhabiboth Arab League membershave been frosty since June last year after Mogadishu resisted UAE and Saudi pressure to cut ties with Qatar in the Gulf diplomatic rift. Last month, Somalias government seized several bags of money carrying almost $10m from a plane that arrived at Mogadishu airport from Abu Dhabi. The UAE denounced the seizure of the money, which it said was destined to pay the soldiers. For Abu Dhabi, the seizure incident contravened agreements signed by the two countries. According to Reuters, the UAE has trained hundreds of troops in the war-stricken nation since 2014. The UAE statement on Sunday announcing the halt of the military training program followed a similar announcement by Somalia on April 11, in which Mogadishu said it will take over paying and training the soldiers in the program. In March, UAE agreed to train security forces in the semi-autonomous region Somaliland. The UAE has also signed with Somaliland a 30-year concession to manage Berbera Port where it is building a military base. Mogadishu dismissed the agreements as non-existent, null and void. Somalia called on the United Nations Security Council to take the necessary steps to put an end to these actions. Latest News Average mortgage records $80,000 increase over the year The highest average mortgages can be found in NSW and Victoria NAB announces major change to broker strategy Big Four bank to streamline broker distribution model, creates new head of broker experience role The online small business lending market in Australia is growing at a faster rate than the US market did at a similar stage of development, the CEO of OnDeck Global has said. Speaking at the AltFi Australasian Summit in Sydney, CEO Noah Breslow said it could reach more than $2billion in annual originations by 2020. He said that despite over 6,000 banks offering small business lending options in the US, online lending to small businesses has flourished. He added: When you compare that to Australia with a more concentrated banking system, there is even more opportunity for online lenders to provide innovative lending solutions to SMEs. Research presented to the summit shows Australia has overtaken Japan to become the second largest alternative finance player in the Asia Pacific region, second only to China. Breslow continued: In addition, increased access to data, supportive government initiatives and favourable small business sentiment are all likely to lead to further growth for the industry. Furthermore, the Governments Review into Open Banking and the introduction of mandatory comprehensive credit reporting (CCR) will likely promote greater competition in the Australian market. Yet despite the Australian markets growth potential, awareness of alternative finance sources still remains an issue, according to OnDecks latest Small Business Owners Survey, commissioned by research firm YouGov Galaxy. Only 30% of small business owners thought the number of lending options had increased over the past five years, compared to 70% in the US. Sixty-three percent of small businesses have been heavily reliant on traditional banks, followed by 29% on specialist financiers, 27% on credit unions and 27% on family and friends, to source finance. The research also found signs of unmet demand, with 55% of business owners having been rejected for financing they requested. When it comes to future borrowing plans, 33% of Australian small business owners planning to seek additional finance for their business indicated that they would consider an online lender. Breslow said: There is a real opportunity for the online SME lending industry to increase awareness of the innovative products and services that are now available, as an alternative to the traditional loans offered by banks. After pioneering online small business lending more than ten years ago in the US, it is encouraging to see many markets globally adopting similar alternative financing solutions. For OnDeck, Australia is an exciting market to be operating in and were thrilled with the results so far. OnDeck entered the Australian market in 2015 via a partnership with MYOB, a leading accountancy software provider, to help close the funding gap between small business financing needs and the availability of capital from traditional sources. The business is also working with brokers and aggregators, including Connective Asset Finance and College Capital. The AltFi Australasian Summit was held in Sydney on April 16, with speakers and panel members from across the globe discussing trends in SME lending, fintech and how the finance sector is changing. Related stories: Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Dont count them out! Immigration experts, activists, and local pols are condemning the Trump administrations push to include a question about citizenship on the 2020 Census, noting that the inquiry could have an outsize effect on Southern Brooklyn, which is home to a high number of immigrants and people of color. One expert said the question could make many residents reluctant to participate in the census, leading to a lower overall head count and subsequent cuts in federal funding and political representation for the area. If youre interested in preserving the funding that New York State receives, communities like Southern Brooklyn are ones that everyone needs to care most about, because these are the communities that are the most vulnerable and most prone to non-participation, said Thomas Wolf, an expert on redistricting with the Democracy Project at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. And the moment people stop responding to the census, they basically disappear in terms of our political life because theyre no longer counted when it comes time to draw a map. If you want communities to have full voices we need to know that theyre there. The federal Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, said in a statement last month that adding the question which has not been included on a census since 1950 is necessary to determine the portion of the eligible voting population. But critics say the citizenship question could intimidate immigrants and people of color especially those who have undocumented family members living with them who are already under-counted because of language barriers and suspicion of the government, among other factors, according to Wolf. Theres always been an issue of under-reporting with certain communities particularly immigrant groups, racial and ethnic minorities, language minorities, and particularly young children, he said. Adding a citizenship question is likely to only exacerbate those already existing problems. The most recent census data shows that Asians make up 2030 percent of the population in the three Council districts spanning Sunset Park, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Gravesend, and Coney Island, and that Hispanics make up about 44 percent of the population of Sunset Park and 14 percent of the other neighborhoods. A map by the Center for Urban Research at the City University of New York Graduate Center shows that parts of those neighborhoods including parts of Coney Island, Dyker Heights, and Sunset Park are already some of the most underrepresented and uncounted communities in the country. Many city and borough politicians agree. Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Public Advocate Letitia James, Borough President Adams, Rep. Nydia Velazquez (DSunset Park), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (DBorough Park), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (DConey Island), Councilman Carlos Menchaca (DSunset Park), Councilman Justin Brannan (DBay Ridge), and Councilman Mark Treyger (DConey Island) have all condemned the plan, saying it would discourage participation and act as a form of voter suppression. Rep. Dan Donovan (RBay Ridge) who has characterized President Trump as a personal friend is the only local pol who has publicly supported including the citizenship question, calling it a minor issue and a common sense policy, and alleging that activists were using their concerns as an excuse to drum up accusations of some vast conspiracy against immigrants. But many immigrants, religious minorities, and people of color do feel the question is targeted at them, according to the executive director of the Bay Ridge-based Arab American Association of New York, who added that the local Arab and Muslim populations also worry that the government could use citizenship information for nefarious aims. I think a big part for the Arab and Muslim communities in general is that theres a mistrust of government institutions that dates back to 9-11 and the surveillance programs, said Rama Issa-Ibrahim. This is a community thats constantly being attacked, and by having this question, youre just discouraging immigrants from actually filling out the census, because theres a fear that the government can use that information. Its just putting a vulnerable community into a state of heightened anxiety. Federal law is clear that the Census Bureau can neither share personal information with other agencies, nor use that information to harm respondents or for any non-statistical purposes, according to Wolf, but including the citizenship question is problematic because it undermines the whole point of the census, he said. The basic purpose of the census is to count everyone and on the basis of those headcounts, the government will divide federal funds, and the state will then take that census info to redraw census districts and legislative districts, he said. It all pivots off counting everyone. Indeed, lawsuits by several state attorneys general including New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman allege that because of its chilling effect, including the citizenship question would also undermine the Constitution, which requires that the decennial census count the whole number of free persons not just citizens in each state. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Talk about cradle to grave! Bigwigs at a local cemetery offer parents-only stroller tours of the burial ground that are tailored to new moms and dads dying for an excuse to leave the nursery, according to one mama who has walked among the tombstones. Theyre looking for something to do outside, said Park Sloper Susan Fox. You can go to a park and sit there, or go to the cemetery which is like going to an outdoor museum. Fox, the manager of the Park Slope Parents Association online-networking group, worked with leaders at Green-Wood Cemetery to develop the 45-minute walking excursions through its sculpture- and headstone-dotted campus so that parents who want to stroll its bucolic grounds with their bundles of joy can do so without using the graveyards shuttle buses which are not stroller-friendly, she said. Interested wanderers must first register with Foxs networking group before venturing out on any tour, the next of which is on April 24. And all of the treks unfold at a steady clip in order to keep their youngest participants happy, according to a guide. One thing I did learn was to keep it moving, said James Henry, who works for Green-Wood. Its better to do a little hike first, which gives the kids a chance to sleep. The itinerary includes several animal attractions, including visits to the cemeterys koi pond, the famed flock of Monk parrots that nest in the arches at its 25th Street entrance, a massive turtle named Godzilla who swims in another pond on site, and the grave of a permanent canine resident, Fanie, who was buried with full funerary rights back in the 1800s, Henry said. And the tour showcases the final resting places of some notable human occupants of the graveyard, too, including the man who invented the soda fountain, John Matthews, and suffragette sisters Alice and Phoebe Cary, who hosted Sunday receptions for such famed feminist icons as Susan B. Anthony in their New York City home two centuries ago, according to the guide. Fox pitched the tours to Green-Wood chiefs after developing her own love for the 19th-century necropolis a place shes adored for some time, but learned isnt every parents go-to destination when some moms and dads cried foul after she suggested her now-teenage daughters first-grade class take its field trip there. I got a bunch of push back from people saying, Oh I dont think my kids would like that, thats not a good idea, she said. But the excursions already changed some parents feelings toward the graveyard, according to another Park Slope mom who took one and said the burial ground is now one of her favorite spots in the borough. I was one of those people who thought cemeteries arent places you can walk around in unless youre visiting somebody, and through Susan I discovered you can go and visit history at Green-Wood, said Carla Weiss. And you can see some of the most beautiful views in all of Brooklyn. Foxs parent group is working with Green-Wood officials to arrange other family-oriented events, too, including scavenger hunts for kids, and lectures on death for adults where moms and dads can learn tips on how to help their youngsters further embrace the concept of mortality, she said. Its not about shielding kids and saying, Grandpa has gone to sleep now, Fox said. Then theyre afraid of going to sleep. Parents interested in joining a future stroller tour of Green-Wood Cemetery must first register with the Park Slope Parents Association at www.parkslopeparents.clubexpress.com. The 270-day deadline for the resolution process set under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has ended for Alok Industries. In fact, it ended on Saturday. But yesterday evening, in a regulatory filing, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) said that its joint bid with JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd did not meet with the approval of the Committee of Creditors (CoC) to Alok Industries. Two senior officials in the know told The Economic Times, only 70 per cent of the lenders endorsed the revised all-cash offer of Rs 5,050 crore, which was not much higher than their previous offer. To remind you, the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had admitted insolvency proceedings against Alok Industries in July 2017. It was among the 12 companies on RBI's first list. The consortium of lenders, led by SBI, is claiming dues of over Rs 23,000 crore from the beleaguered textile company. RIL-JM Financial ARC was the sole bidder and its initial offer of Rs 4,950 crore on April 12 had reportedly been rejected by 30 per cent of the CoC on the grounds that it was too low. Under the IBC, a resolution plan needs approval from at least 75 per cent of the lenders to be eligible for the next stage, which is the NCLT's approval. The daily added that within 24 hours, Reliance-JM Financial ARC then made a revised offer. "In the second round, again 30% rejected it, implying that those who had rejected it earlier were not happy with the revised offer that increased the bid by just about Rs 100 crore," said a source. A major strike against the bid was the fact that it was marginally above the liquidation value, set at Rs 4,200 crore, so even the revised offer may have reportedly spelt a haircut of 83 per cent for the lenders. So what's going to happen to Alok Industries now? According to the bankruptcy law, if cases aren't resolved within 270 days, a company's assets will be liquidated, and as per the report, that's exactly what the resolution professional is likely to now propose. What happens next will also set the benchmark for the fledgling IBC. If the NCLT goes soft and allows a further extension, other pending and future cases will also expect similar leniency, which does not bode well for its whole speedy redressal promise. According to BloombergQuint, Alok Industries is not the only one to have run out of time; the 270-day deadline is also over for Monnet Ispat & Energy Ltd. and Jyoti Structures Ltd. The CoC for Monnet Ispat has approved a joint resolution plan submitted by JSW Group and AION Capital. In case of Jyoti Structures, lenders approved a plan submitted by a consortium of 50 investors after the deadline ended. Resolution professional for Jyoti Structures, Vandana Garg, has approached the NCLT for the extension to be approved. The report adds that five of the first 12 companies dragged to NCLT are in the last lap of insolvency proceedings, as lenders have approved resolution plans, but the Tribunal has yet to put its seal of approval on them. The recovery statistics under the IBC also leave much to be desired. Earlier this month, Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas revealed that less than half of the staggering Rs 9 lakh crore worth of non-performing assets (NPAs) accumulated by banks have returned due to the new framework set in place in 2016. Meanwhile, the bad loan problem continues to snowball in the sector. In a written answer to the Rajya Sabha in end-March, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla had admitted that the 21 public sector banks (PSBs) had collectively written-off over Rs 1,154 crore in NPAs in the last fiscal till December 31. As per the PSB data that he submitted, that's a 103 per cent jump from the amount written off in 2016-17 and a scary 519 per cent higher than 2015-16. With agency inputs Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on April 30, the White House announced on Sunday. According to Washington, the two leaders will discuss among other issues promoting economic growth, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security. Buhari, who has traveled to the United Kingdom last week ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London, is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May. The African most populous nation is battling an array of security threats across its territory, from Boko Haram jihadists in the northeast to oil militants in the south. Last year, Washington has formally agreed a $593 million foreign military sale to Nigeria, including 12 A-29 Super Tucano light-attack aircraft, in order to further the nations campaign against Boko Haram and the ISIS West Africa branch. The deal was earlier halted by the Obama administration over human rights concerns. Besides the propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance, surveillance and attack capabilities, the weapons package also includes training, munitions, related equipment and maintenance support. Earlier in April, the Nigerian Presidency said that Buhari, 75, will seek re-election in 2019 as the candidate for his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party. Days after Supreme Court refused to allow out-of-court deal for debt-laden Binani Industries, Aditya Birla Group's UltraTech Cement has sweetened its offer by another Rs 700 crore to Rs 7,990 crore. The difference in offer between the Dalmia Bharat-led consortium and UltraTech has now widened to Rs 1,290 crore. According to a report in The Economic Times, UltraTech pitched the offer to the resolution professional on Saturday evening and contended that the new offer will cover the interest that lenders had to forgo from the day Binani Cement was admitted to bankruptcy court. Earlier, Dalmia Bharat Cement had written to the Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) asking for a probe in the matter. Dalmia Bharat had said that the bidding process did not allow submission of revised bids. The move had infuriated some of the lenders which have large exposure to Binani Cement. The letter added that apart from 'violating CVC guidelines' and 'shaking public confidence' in the bankruptcy code, the settlement between Binani and the lenders will also "send a wrong message to the international investing community, whose participation in resolving mounting NPAs of the banking sector is vitally important and in public interest". Last week, Binani Industries (BIL) had moved the apex court with an appeal to redeem the pledge of its assets Binani Cement from its lenders. It had also deposited a sum of Rs 750 crore to show its commitment, along with a bank guarantee for the remaining amount of the total offer of Rs 7,266 crore. UltraTech's board had agreed to issue a 'comfort letter' to provide the above-mentioned amount in return for 98.43 per cent stake in Binani Cement provided the company came out of insolvency proceedings. Interestingly, this offer came after the latter's Committee of Creditors (CoC) had voted in favour of the resolution plan submitted by the Dalmia Bharat-Bain Piramal Resurgence Fund consortium. The offer from the Aditya Birla Group company was certainly fatter than Dalmia Bharat's winning bid of around Rs 6,500 crore. So, Binani Cement's CoC had decided to conditionally back the deal between BIL and UltraTech, subject to the Supreme Court's nod. A section of beleaguered Binani Cement's Operational Creditors (OCs) may plead before the Kolkata chapter of the adjudicating authority for rebidding, reported PTI. Creditors may also press for a forensic audit of resolution process and the removal of resolution professional. The Kolkata bench of the Nattional Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) hearing is scheduled today after Binani withdrew their plea in Supreme Court for an out-of-court settlement. "Now, the only hope for the OCs is for the NCLT to declare a fresh bidding so that the interests of all stakeholders are protected. We will plead for it," spokesperson of OCs forum Hitesh Bindal told PTI. "The OCs will lose about Rs 400 crore worth of claims from Binani Cements if Dalmia Bharat offer is approved. In turn, several banks will lose money who had lend us in case our claims are not recovered, dragging many us to bankruptcy," Bindal claimed. OCs are supporting the revised UltraTech bid which is not considered for resolution so far. The Rs 7,618 crore Binani-UltarTech offer promises to repay the claims without any haircut to all secured and unsecured claims. This in turn will protect the amount (Rs 400 crore) adding to NPA lists of the banks, Bindal said. The introduction of the GST has been the source of confusion over taxes in many different sectors, but salaried employees have largely remained unaffected. However, a tax authority's judgment in Kerala has triggered a speculation on how employer-to-employee services at workplace need to be taxed. The Authority of Advance Ruling in Kerala has given a ruling to levy GST on the amount charged by employers for canteen food given to employees. On a plea made by Caltech Polymers Pvt. Ltd, the Authority was asked to clarify whether recovery of food expenses from employees for the canteen provided by company comes under the definition of outward supplies and if it would be taxable under the GST Act. The Authority ruled that it came under outward supplies and should be brought under the ambit of GST. This was despite the fact that the employer was carrying out this activity without any profit, and providing canteen food to employees was not a business activity. The ruling said: "Even though there is no profit as claimed by the applicant on the supply of food to its employees, there is 'supply' as provided in Section 7(1 )(a) of the GST Act, 2017. The applicant would definitely come under the definition of 'Supplier' as provided in sub-section (105) of Section 2 of the GST Act, 2017." The order is likely to give rise to some difficulties in its implementations. "This will not only increase the compliance burden, but may lead to reduction in earnings or facilities to the employees or increase in cost to employers. Employer-Employee are considered to be related parties and deciding value of transactions between them will be a task. Further, the rate of GST on this kind of supply is under consideration" says Archit Gupta, Founder & CEO ClearTax. In many cases employers give some subsidy on the food items. This subsidy is further likely to complicate issues related to valuation of the supply. The logic behind the order related to GST on canteen food can also be applied to many other reimbursements. It can, in fact, be taken as a precedent to bring many reimbursements under the GST following the same logic. Many reimbursements such as home rentals, telephone charges, medical expenses, transportation, uniform charges which are likely to be affected by this decision. "Given that this pertains to supplies from Employers to Employees, it may have wider ramification for all supplies. It depends on the interpretation taken by the department of this Ruling," Bipin Sapra, Tax Partner, EY India, said. "All other reimbursements will need to be looked at to see if they constitute supplies. Employers are likely to analyse all their transactions with their employees and see if there is a GST liability on them. They may choose to discontinue services, not charge for certain services or allow the employees to bear the extra GST cost." As a consequence of the new rule to save taxes, employers may stop charging employees and look for alternatives to save taxes. "To avoid this levy the companies may stop charging for the supplies and this may affect the salary structure of the employees," says Gupta. Will the employees eventually bear the burden of this tax? Gupta says "Employees could talk to their HR and restructure their package in such a way that none of the expenses are reimbursements. When these services are provided free of charge as part of a contractual agreement between employee and employer it won't attract GST. However, this will only work when the employer has paid the applicable GST on these supplies." Ultimately the issue has to be decided by the GST Council whether they will consider expanding the scope of items. "Just like in the pre-GST era, an exemption notification can reduce the impact to a large extent." adds Gupta. The next meeting of GST council will be crucial to see if the council decides to exempt such reimbursement from the ambit of GST to bring relief to salaried class. Google is not Facebook. We know that. Nevertheless, two if its executives repeatedly reiterated this fact when pressed with the most important question today: How safe is the user's data with the company? The executives said that the company has strong policies which are constantly reviewed. However, they shied away from pointing to any specific policy that has been, or is in the process of being reviewed in light of the Facebook slip. Users, the executives, underlined, have access to how their data is being used. They also have opt-out choices. On the sidelines of 'Grow with Google', an event in Singapore last week, Business Today's Goutam Das spoke to Karim Temsamani, President, Asia-Pacific Operations, Google, and Arjun Narayan, the company's Head of Trust & Safety, based in the company's Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore. Here's what they had to say: On the humongous amount of user information Google has and if this data is secure: Karim Temsamani: We take the information of our users incredibly seriously and we do a lot of work around it. We have an incredible safety record in terms of protecting the information of our users. From an user's perspective, you want transparency, control, and choice. We provide all of this through My Accounts, where one can see all of the information Google has about him or her. You can make choices as regards to that information and can control it - you can decide not to share some of the information; you can download all of your data if you want to have access to it; you can decide not to provide your location. There is a reason why we may want to have that at an aggregate level to be able to provide better services. For example, your location on Google Maps. The location is extremely useful if through the Assistant (the company's virtual personal assistant) we were to tell you that there is heavy traffic today and you should leave 15 minutes earlier or you will miss your meeting. Should you as an user not want that information? Most of the anonymous data that we keep on our systems is to ensure that the results we serve users are more relevant and useful for them. On third party developers on Google Play (the company's app store) accessing user information: Karim Temsamani: There is a tremendous amount of activity on Google Play with developers asking permission with regards to user data they can access. We have very strong policies with regard to the data of users. We don't accept developers wanting to access data if it doesn't make sense in the context of their app. On the Facebook development, and if there were policies Google is reviewing: Arjun Narayan: I am not going to speculate about other companies. I will talk about what we do. At Google, we have maintained very high standards. We have adequate safeguards and we constantly re-evaluate our safeguards. From a philosophical standpoint, we value user trust and we do not take that lightly because we know that is extremely important for our ecosystem to thrive. We have the policies, safeguards, and enforcement in place. Then, from an user choice perspective, we provide choice. Users have access to how their data is being used, they also have opt-outs available. On whether all users know about these choices: Arjun Narayan: There is never enough when it comes to educating our users. There is always more we can do in this space. We want to make sure our community is aware of these options. The Infosys stock felt the heat of a lower margin guidance for FY19, and plan to sell Panaya and Skava in trade today, post its Q4 earnings announcement on Friday. Market capitalisation of the stock fell nearly Rs 15,000 crore within minutes of the opening trade. The stock fell up to 6% in morning trade. At 2:55 pm, the stock was trading 3.39% lower at 1129 level on BSE. On NSE, the stock was down 3.60% to 1,129 level. Investors lost Rs 7,864 crore in market capitalisation on BSE. Infosys announced a conservative EBITA margin guidance of 22-24 percent for FY 19 (versus 24.3 percent in FY18), which analysts said spooked the market. The stock fell despite the expectations of lower guidance under the leadership of Salil Parekh who took over as the CEO of the $10 billion company on January 2 this year. The market seems to have ignored Parekh's reputation of lowering expectations but delivering higher results. The second reason seen for the fall in stock was Infosys' plan to sell Panaya and Skava, firms that were acquired under former CEO Vishal Sikka's tenure to enhance the company's digital capabilities. The stock became the top loser on the Sensex and Nifty after it cut its FY19 earnings before interest and tax margin guidance to 22-24% compared with the FY18 band of 23-25%. "This will largely factor in investments in localized talent, revitalizing sales, Digital capabilities and delivery staff. The 1% revision amounts to $120m, and considering that these are investments in people, which will only come gradually, we see the lower end of the margin band as conservative, and expect it to be raised during the course of the year," Motilal Oswal said in a report. Motilal Oswal has a buy rating on the stock. Credit Suisse said EBITA margin guidance of 22-24 percent (versus 24.3 percent in FY18) was 100 bps below expectations and is disappointing given that the currency is slightly supportive for now. "A cut in margin guidance was the key disappointment in Infosys' 4Q results even as 4Q performance and FY19E revenue growth guidance of 6-8% were in line with expectations," said Jefferies India in a note to its investors. Commenting on the earnings, Nomura said growth in developed markets was weak and among key verticals (Banking, Financial services and Insurance/Retail) growth was flat to negative. The firm maintained 'reduce' rating on stock with a target price of Rs 990. Bengaluru-based IT firm reported a 2.4 per cent rise in its fourth-quarter net profit to Rs 3,960 crore. However, the company's net profit on a quarterly basis fell 28.1 per cent. The IT services behemoth had reported a net profit of Rs 5,129 crore in the December quarter and Rs 3,603 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. The revenue of India's second-largest software services firm increased 5.6 per cent to Rs 18,083 crore. The company said its revenues from digital offerings stood at $2.79 billion (25.5 per cent of total revenues) for FY18. The IT services firm has guided for 6-8 per cent constant currency revenue growth for FY19. The 14 Pratt & Whitney engines-powered Airbus A320neo planes operated by IndiGo and GoAir, which were pulled out due to technical snags, have been reinducted into operations. IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) had 11 P&W-powered planes, while Wadia group-promoted GoAir had three. Confirming the report, a P&W India spokesperson told Mint that the engines were grounded due to "knife-edge seal" defects, which meant that the oil seal and combustor in the engines were wearing out faster than expected. The company said it has restarted its global deliveries from April. The deliveries to IndiGo and Go Air - around four a month - is expected to restart by April end. The reports of faulty take-offs and in-flight shut down on A320neo fleet were highlighted worldwide, following which the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had issued an emergency "airworthiness" directive on February 9. In the same month, IndiGO, which has been using A320neo jets since 2015, had to cancel three aircrafts with faulty engines. On March 12, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered grounding of 11 A320neo planes fitted with P&W 1100 engines citing safety concerns after a Lucknow-bound IndiGo flight was sent back to Ahmedabad within 40 minutes of getting a mid-air technical snag. The country's largest domestic airline had to cancel around 406 flights between March 16 and March 31. The Airbus engines are world famous for its fuel efficiency. According to the French aircraft company, the A320neo family offers up to 20 per cent savings in terms of fuel efficiency per seat, along with a nearly 50 per cent reduction in engine noise and NOx emissions as per the industry standard. Concern about Facebook Inc's (FB.O) respect for data privacy is widening to include the information it collects about non-users, after Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said the world's largest social network tracks people whether they have accounts or not. Privacy concerns have swamped Facebook since it acknowledged last month that information about millions of users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, a firm that has counted US President Donald Trump's 2016 electoral campaign among its clients. Zuckerberg said on Wednesday under questioning by US Representative Ben Lujan that, for security reasons, Facebook also collects "data of people who have not signed up for Facebook." Lawmakers and privacy advocates immediately protested the practice, with many saying Facebook needed to develop a way for non-users to find out what the company knows about them. "We've got to fix that," Representative Lujan, a Democrat, told Zuckerberg, calling for such disclosure, a move that would have unclear effects on the company's ability to target ads. Zuckerberg did not respond. On Friday Facebook said it had no plans to build such a tool. Critics said that Zuckerberg has not said enough about the extent and use of the data. "It's not clear what Facebook is doing with that information," said Chris Calabrese, vice president for policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology, a Washington advocacy group. Facebook gets some data on non-users from people on its network, such as when a user uploads email addresses of friends. Other information comes from "cookies," small files stored via a browser and used by Facebook and others to track people on the internet, sometimes to target them with ads. "This kind of data collection is fundamental to how the internet works," Facebook said in a statement to Reuters. Asked if people could opt out, Facebook added, "There are basic things you can do to limit the use of this information for advertising, like using browser or device settings to delete cookies. This would apply to other services beyond Facebook because, as mentioned, it is standard to how the internet works." Facebook often installs cookies on non-users' browsers if they visit sites with Facebook "like" and "share" buttons, whether or not a person pushes a button. Facebook said it uses browsing data to create analytics reports, including about traffic to a site. The company said it does not use the data to target ads, except those inviting people to join Facebook. Advocates and lawmakers say they are singling out Facebook because of its size, rivaled outside China only by Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google, and because they allege Zuckerberg was not forthcoming about the extent and reasons for the tracking. "He's either deliberately misunderstanding some of the questions, or he's not clear about what's actually happening inside Facebook's operation," said Daniel Kahn Gillmor, a senior staff technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union. Zuckerberg, for instance, said the collection was done for security purposes, without explaining further or saying whether it was also used for measurement or analytics, Gillmor said, adding that Facebook had a business incentive to use the non-user data to target ads. Facebook declined to comment on why Zuckerberg referred to security only. Gillmor said Facebook could build databases on non-users by combining web browsing history with uploaded contacts. Facebook said on Friday that it does not do so. The ACLU is pushing US lawmakers to enact broad privacy legislation including a requirement for consent prior to data collection. The first regulatory challenge to Facebook's practices for non-users may come next month when a new European Union law, known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), takes effect and requires notice and consent prior to data collection. At a minimum, "Facebook is going to have to think about ways to structure their technology to give that proper notice," said Woodrow Hartzog, a Northeastern University professor of law and computer science. Facebook said in its statement on Friday, "Our products and services comply with applicable law and will comply with GDPR." The social network would be wise to recognize at least a right to know, said Michael Froomkin, a University of Miami law professor. "If I'm not a Facebook user, I ought to have a right to know what data Facebook has about me," Froomkin said. When Reliance Jio was launched in 2016, it started a tariff war in the telecom industry and led to the winding up of many telecom companies. Now, Mukesh Ambani-led company is working on changing the dynamics of the television industry. According to reports, Reliance Jio is simultaneously working on three different services - DTH (Direct to Home set-top-baox, IPTV (Internet Protocol television) service, and JioHomeTV. There's little clarity as to whether JioHomeTV, which Reliance Jio is planning to launch soon, is the much-anticipated Jio DTH service or a unique service for its data plan customers. However, reports suggest JioHomeTV is being tested by Reliance Jio for the past couple of years on the Enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS). The eMBMS is a hybrid technology that works on one-to-one system of architecture used by telcos instead of the one-to-many system that's used by TV and radio channels. The new system helps companies boost scalability. The technology also allows users to watch content without an active internet connection as it is saved in the application in the HD broadcast mode. The company had announced a few months ago that it had tested the technology across the country. So, before Reliance Jio officially launches Reliance Jio DTH, it may first launch JioHomeTV, standard definition and high definition television services at just Rs 400. The company's official MyJio app also states the company plan to launch JioHomeTV. According to Telecomtalk, Reliance Jio is planning to make the JioBroadcast application - an app that used to offer HD streaming service for Jio customers - live for all LTE devices again. Earlier, the app was removed from Google Play Store by the company, said the report. The report says customers having Reliance Jio's data connection would be able to use the JioHomeTV service, wherein they would be able watch all SD channels for Rs 200 while all SD as well as HD channels for Rs 400. While Reliance Jio has not announced its strategy for providing the much-hyped DTH services, Reliance Digital TV is already offering free access to an extensive range of HD channels for one year and up to 500 free-to-air channels for five years. Experts suggest the latest gamble by the Veecon Media and Television-owned company could pay up and help it capture the market having over 65.31 million DTH subscribers across India. Also read: Reliance Big TV offers free HD channels for 1 year, 500 free-to-air channels for 5 years Amid all the crisis of data protection across the globe, WhatsApp has launched another feature that increases the brand's liability to store personal user data more securely. However, WhatsApp seems to be banking on their end-to-end encryption for this particular job. WhatsApp assures that with end-to-end encryption in place the data transferred between two users, who are on the latest versions of WhatsApp, are secured by unique secure code that only the two users can access. This security code is different for different chats. They claim that not even WhatsApp can see these messages. This new feature will let users retrieve data that has been deleted months before re-downloading it. This feature can also come handy to clear storage without risking complete deletion of media files. Also Read: WhatsApp plans to hire India head, eligibility criteria focuses on product experience According to a report by WAbetainfo, a new minor WhatsApp feature has been silently added to updates between 2.18.106 and 2.18.110. What this feature does is that it allows the WhatsApp user to download old media files in a chat even if they delete it from their local storage. WhatsApp will be saving these media files in their servers for a much longer time. Earlier, the company would let the recipient of the media file to download it within a period of 30 days, after which it was deleted from the company's server and hence couldn't be recovered unless the sender releases it again. The new update will let the user download the image or video even after it has been downloaded earlier. According to the report, the recipient was able to download media from a text sent 2 months ago but there for the messages dating back to almost a year, the application asks to request the sender to send the file again. The company has rolled out this new upgrade for Android so far but it is expected to be launched for iOS soon. The company also released a fix for the timestamp issue with the beta users. The update 2.18.109 brings a fix to a 'day' bug. This bug was altering the time stamp on WhatsApp messages by replacing the first two alphabets with the ASCI codes. For instance, Yesterday became "89ESTERDAY" and Today became "84ODAY". The company has released a fix for the beta users. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has announced that Ireland has been granted access to export Irish beef to China. Ireland is the first European beef exporter to secure access to China, where consumers' appetite for the meat is growing steadily. According to Bord Bia, China officially imported more than 700,000 tonnes of beef in 2017 a figure expected to double by 2020. In China, annual per capita beef consumption is low at 4-6kg, compared to 19kg in Ireland. However, consumption is on the rise. An average annual increase of just 1kg per capita equates to an additional 1.38 million tonnes of beef per annum, and by 2020, it is estimated Chinese consumers will eat close to 9 million tonnes of beef. Speaking this week, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed said, "Our agri-food exports to China have increased roughly five-fold from around 200 million in 2010 to nearly 1 billion last year. This has been a remarkable achievement and underlines the importance of the Chinese market. For beef, the door has now been opened and there is a real opportunity for the industry to build on this. I will lead a trade mission to China next month to further build on our trade relationships and continue our dialogue with the Chinese Government." Source: www.businessworld.ie The Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys has today announced that she would be making a further 30 million available through a Second Call for Proposals under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund (REDF). As announced at the recent launch of Project Ireland 2040, the Fund will now operate on a rolling basis through the National Development Plan. It is administered for Minister Humphreys Department by the State Agency, Enterprise Ireland. The announcement was made by Minister Humphreys at Farmleigh House, Dublin where she met with the Chairpersons and representatives from the Regional Action Plan for Jobs Implementation Committees to discuss new priority initiatives for the Regional Action Plans over the period to 2020. Announcing the opening of the Second Call under the 60 million Regional Enterprise Development Fund, the Minister said, "In December, I was delighted to announce the award of 30.5m to 21 collaborative projects right across the country. Now that the Second Call is open, I look forward to seeing many more exciting, innovative initiatives to drive employment creation in our regions. Under this Fund, each region will secure a minimum of 2 million once projects meet the required standard." She added, "There is an opportunity here for regional stakeholders, both public and private sector, to work together and bring forward initiatives that build on each regions unique strengths. This is all with a view to enhancing the enterprise and job creation potential in their region." Source: www.businessworld.ie @alextdaugherty Florida governor hopeful and former Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine joined the Democratic pile-on of Donald Trump on Monday, calling for the president's impeachment if he fires special counsel Robert Mueller. "As Donald Trump heads to Miami today, we need to send a clear message that his efforts to obstruct the Mueller investigation from continuing will be met with full force from Floridians," Levine advisor Christian Ulvert said in a fundraising email. "The GOP-controlled Congress likely won't do it and we need Democratic Governors in states like Florida to stand up to the D.C. insiders." Levine's stance on potential impeachment for Trump puts him between the two other Democrats running in the primary. Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum called for Trump's immediate impeachment last year while former Rep. Gwen Graham called Trump a bully in a digital ad released earlier this month, though she stopped short of calling for impeachment at the time. Calling for Trump's impeachment could energize the base in contested Democratic primaries around the country, though an attempt to impeach Trump late last year garnered just 58 votes in the 435 member House of Representatives. UPDATE 4:50pm: Graham also said Trump should be impeached if he fires Mueller. "The House should start impeachment proceedings within 60 seconds of Trump firing Mueller," Graham said in an email. Visas Irish Consumer Spending Index, which measures expenditure across all payment types (cash, cheques and electronic payments), signalled a slowdown in the pace of growth in March amid severe weather disruption at the start of the month. That said, spending continued to rise on an annual basis, extending the current sequence of expansion to 13 months. Overall spending was up +1.4% year-on-year in March, the slowest increase since last October. The rate of growth was much weaker than the +4.3% rise seen in February as Storm Emma led to a nationwide red weather alert. Looking across the first quarter of 2018 as a whole, consumer spending continued to rise at a solid pace. At +3.7% year-on-year, the expansion was unchanged from that seen at the end of 2017. The index shows that overall spending was up +1.4% year-on-year in March, the slowest increase since last October. The rate of growth was much weaker than the +4.3% rise seen in February as Storm Emma led to a nationwide red weather alert. Looking across the first quarter of 2018 as a whole, consumer spending continued to rise at a solid pace. At +3.7% year-on-year, the expansion was unchanged from that seen at the end of 2017. The strongest performing sector was Food & Drink (with an increase of +8.5%), which was boosted by a relatively early Easter and a spike in sales the week after Storm Emma, representing the fastest rise since February 2016. Kantar Worldpanel Ireland data showed that sales of Easter eggs and seasonal chocolate confectionery spiked by 75.2% in March, with consumers also spending 20.33 more than usual the week after the snow as households restocked supplies. A sharp expansion was also recorded in the Hotels, Restaurants & Bars category (+7.3%) during the month. The Household Goods (+2.5%), Recreation & Culture (+1.7%) and Clothing & Footwear (+1.0%) categories all saw spending increase on an annual basis at the end of the first quarter. That said, in each case the rate of expansion eased from February. Three monitored sectors saw falling expenditure, led by Health & Education where spending was down -7.8% year-on-year. Both Transport & Communication (-0.6%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (-0.2%) posted marginal reductions in expenditure. Commenting on the figures, Country Manager at Visa Ireland, Philip Konopik said, "Marchs figures highlight the impact of Storm Emma, with the bad weather preventing some Face-to-Face spending on the high street and influencing the general slowdown of expenditure growth for the month. However, while the poor weather had a negative impact on some sectors, the Irish grocery market experienced strong sales growth during the month, no doubt aided by this years early Easter." Source: www.businessworld.ie Common Admission Test (CAT) Image Courtesy This is the most popular management entrance exam conducted in India for admission to various courses in the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) spread across the country. Over two lakh candidates take this exam. CAT format consists of three sections, namely quantitative aptitude, data interpretation & logical reasoning and verbal & reading comprehension. The notification for the CAT 2018 will be released in July. And the exam is all set to be conducted on Nov 25, 2018. Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) Image Courtesy On an average, over 1.5 lakh candidates take CMAT conducted by All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). CMAT gained popularity in the recent times and over 500 management institutes spread across the country accept the score. It is a computer-based exam and consists of four sections namely, quantitative technique, logical reasoning, language comprehension and general awareness. The registration for the CMAT 2019 will be open in October and exam will take place in the month of January. Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT) Image Courtesy This is also one amongst the popular management entrance exams conducted by Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur. On an average, over one lakh candidates take this exam. And the exam consists of four sections, namely quantitative ability, English language & logical reasoning, decision making and GK & essay. The XAT notification will be released in the month of August. However, the exam will be held on Jan 6, 2019. Symbiosis National Aptitude (SNAP) Image Courtesy This national-level management examination is conducted by Symbiosis International University for admission to its institutes spread across the country. Along with Symbiosis, many institutes accept SNAP scores for an admission to the MBA program. The SNAP exam consists of general English quantitative, data interpretation & data sufficiency, general awareness and analytical & logical reasoning sections. The notification for the SNAP 2019 is expected in October; however, the exam will be conducted in December. NMAT by GMAC Image Courtesy NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT) has been acquired by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which is the testing body for the world's most popular management entrance exam, GMAT. The NMAT scores are valid in many popular institutes in India including, NMIMS, VIT and ICFAI B-schools. This is a computer-based exam and consists of three sections, namely quantitative, logical reasoning and language. The registration for the online applications will be accepted till October. And candidates can take the NMAT exam between October and December. Management Aptitude Test (MAT) Image Courtesy Management Aptitude Test (MAT), conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA), is accepted by more than 600 institutes. This prestigious entrance exam is conducted online and offline. MAT will be conducted four times a year in the months of February, May, September and December. The exam pattern of the MAT consists of five sections, namely Indian and global environment, language comprehension, data analysis and sufficiency, intelligence and critical reasoning and mathematical skills. The MAT exam for the May month will be held on the 20th. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) Exam Image Courtesy This pen and paper mode exam is conducted for an admission to a specific institute, IIFT and its campuses. The exam consists of four sections, namely English comprehension, general knowledge & awareness, logical reasoning and quantitative analysis. The notification for the IIFT exam will be released in July and will be held in December. AIMS Test for Management Admissions (ATMA) Image Courtesy ATMA is conducted both online and offline. This is also held four times a year in the months of February, May, July and August. This three-hour entrance exam tests candidates on analytical reasoning skills, quantitative skills and verbal skills. The ATMA 2018 will be held on May 27, July 1 and August 5, 2018. ICFAI Business School Aptitude Test (IBSAT) Image Courtesy The IBSAT is a national-level entrance test conducted by ICFAI for admissions to MBA and PhD programmes at campuses of ICFAI. It tests the candidates' skills on verbal, reading comprehension, quantitative aptitude and data adequacy & data interpretation. IBSAT exam is expected to be held in the month of December. Tata Institute of Social Sciences National Entrance Test (TISSNET) Image Courtesy This is an institute-based entrance exam conducted by Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). This online exam will provide an opportunity to pursue courses at TISS institutes spread across the country. The TISSNET tests candidates on logical reasoning, analytical ability, social sensitivity and contemporary issues. The TISSNET is expected to be held in January. Are MBA Entrance Examinations Puzzling You? Opt For The Wise One With These Tips Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the post of Office Assistant. 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 industry standards. The last date to apply for the government job is Apr 23, 2018. Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Post Office Assistant Organisation Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Educational Qualification Any graduate Maximum Age Limit 30 years Skills Required Clerical skills Salary Scale Industry standards Job Responsibilities Carry out clerical tasks Job Location Gujarat Industry Banking Experience Freshers can apply Application Start Date Apr 14, 2018 Application End Date Apr 23, 2018 How To Apply For Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1 Log on to the UPSC official website. Step 2 Click on the link that reads, ONLINE RECRUITMENT APPLICATION (ORA) FOR VARIOUS RECRUITMENT POSTS. Step 3 Click New Registration. Step 4 The registration form will be displayed on the screen. Enter your details in the space provided. Step 5 Enter the captcha code. Step 6 Click Save & Continue and follow the subsequent pages. Step 7 Go back to the main page and click Apply Now against the post for which you want to apply. Step 8 Enter your credentials in the login form and submit it to complete the application process. Photo: CTV An ambulance carrying a patient to hospital crashed in Maple Ridge Sunday afternoon. The multi-vehicle crash happened at Lougheed Highway and Laity Street, near Ridge Meadows Hospital. Another ambulance was sent to get the patient, who wasn't hurt in the crash, to the hospital. Four others were treated for minor injuries, including two paramedics. with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: The Canadian Press Surrounded by old-growth rainforest against the rocky shoreline on the southwest edge of Vancouver Island lies a centuries-old Indigenous village where traditional longhouses accessible only by foot remain undisturbed. The Huu-ay-aht First Nation began offering tours of the ancient capital Kiixin pronounced kee-hin last year in an effort to share their cultural heritage with the world and revitalize the quiet coastal town of Bamfield. Trevor Cootes, a member of the Huu-ay-aht's executive council, says opening up the rare archeological site to the world has been years in the making. "For guests coming into our territory ... they're almost witnessing what we're doing in regards to truth and reconciliation. Truth and reconciliation has to do more with ourselves and how we put our own culture back into our day-to-day lives." The Huu-ay-aht is among several Vancouver Island First Nations to sign a treaty in 2011 and is self-governing. The ancient site near Bamfield is located between the popular tourist destinations of Ucluelet and the West Coast Trail, and is accessible by either logging road, plane or ferry from Port Alberni. The Canadian government declared the village and fortress, which dates back to the 19th century, a National Historic Site in 1999. The roughly three-hour tour offers more than a history lesson about the site. Guides tell stories reflecting the beliefs and traditions of the Huu-ay-aht people, including a tale of how their warriors reclaimed the land from a neighbouring nation and spiritual beliefs rooted in the land, water and stars. "In our culture when you come to our territory and we share something to you, a part of that responsibility is that you now are a witness to who we are as Huu-ay-aht people," Cootes says. "Instead of just paying for a tour, you're being part of something and there is almost this life-long connection to Huu-ay-aht." Visitors also learn about significant plant life in the area used for cultural and medicinal purposes. "The idea is that we paint a picture of what is in the land," Cootes says. While the Kiixin tour is one of a kind, the number of Indigenous cultural activities across B.C. has grown significantly with more than 400 new tourism businesses taking off between 2012 and 2017. Photo: TRACS The first batch of vaccine to protect domestic and feral rabbits from a disease that has devastated some communities in B.C. is now available for owners and veterinarians. The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture announced Monday the vaccine for rabbit hemorrhagic disease has arrived from Europe and will be handed out to the 50 veterinary clinics that requested the medicine. The disease was first noticed on Vancouver Island when rabbits started dying in early March, but it has since spread to Richmond and Delta in Metro Vancouver. The vaccine is produced in France, and the first batch shipped to Canada contains all of the vaccine currently available, including 1,090 individual doses and a second batch is due in the province in May. The Ministry confirmed in a statement that the French vaccine offers the best protection from the disease and is only made by one manufacturer. Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, which affects European rabbits, causes internal bleeding, organ damage and is extremely infectious. The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders. The purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, to build up the body of Christ, and finally, to give worship to God; but being signs, they also have a teaching function. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and object, they also nourish, strengthen, and express it; that is why they are called "sacraments of faith." The sacraments impart grace, but, in addition, the very act of celebrating them disposes the faithful most effectively to receive this grace in a fruitful manner, to worship God rightly, and to practice charity. Worship is integral to our lives as Christians. When we engage in the prayer and ritual of the Church, we are formed as Church. Our sacramental rites are of primary importance while we are gathered. The history of human salvation is the history of the way God came to men. The first step on this way was the bridging of the gulf separating God and man in the person of the one Mediator Jesus Christ and by his work of redemption. By means of his Church Christ makes his grace available to all. Only in this application of redemption to mankind is the redemptive action of Christ completed. The doctrine of the sacraments is the doctrine of the second part of God's way of salvation to us. It deals with the holy signs which Christ instituted as the vehicles of his grace. The great mystery of the union in Christ of a human nature with the second Person of the Godhead is that the human actions and sufferings of Christ are divine actions and sufferings. The sacraments are a living continuation of this mystery. There are earthly, external signs here which, of themselves, could never acquire any supernatural significance, but the signs of the sacraments have been made by Christ into vehicles of his grace. They effect in men the grace for which Christ made them the sign. So there are two fundamental ideas which constantly recur in the Church's teaching, on the sacraments. First there is the Church's concern for these instituted by Christ, their number, and their proper preservation and administration; then the grace which Christ has for all time linked with these signs and which is communicated by them. The second is the effect of the sacraments. They are the signs of Christ's work; the effectiveness of Christ's continuing work in his Church cannot be dependent on man's inadequacy. A sacrament, administered properly in the way established by Christ and with the proper intention, gives the grace it signifies. It is effective not by reason of the power of intercession of priestly prayer nor on account of the worthiness of the recipient, but solely by the power of Christ. The power of Christ lives in the sacraments. The effect of the sacrament is independent of the sinfulness or unworthiness of the minister. The Church has never tolerated any subjective qualification of the objective effectiveness of the sacraments ex opere operato. This would ultimately be to conceive the way of salvation as being man's way to God and not God's way to man. The Church Thus Teaches: There are seven sacraments. They were instituted by Christ and given to the Church to administer. They are necessary for salvation. The sacraments are the vehicles of grace which they convey. They are validly administered by the carrying out of the sign with the proper intention. Not all are equally qualified to administer all the sacraments. The validity of the sacrament is independent of the worthiness of the minister. Three sacraments imprint an indelible character. Sacramentals are instituted by the Church and are effective by virtue of the Church's intercession. Institution and alteration of them is reserved to the Holy See. Although it is not a sacrament, Christian Burial will be addressed in this section. We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now > Baptism Baptism, the first and fundamental sacrament and the gate to the other sacraments, is the purifying and sanctifying sacrament of rebirth. It is the means by which its recipients are incorporated into the church in a sacramental bond of unity. Confirmation By a signing with the gift of the Spirit, confirmation enriches the baptized with the Holy Spirit, binding them more perfectly to the Church, and strengthening them in their witness to Christ by word and deed and in their work to bring to its fullness the Body of Christ. Confirmation is conferred through anointing with chrism and the laying on of hands. Eucharist The Eucharist is the most august sacrament, in which Christ himself is contained, offered and received, and by which the Church constantly lives and grows. The Eucharistic Sacrifice, the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated over the centuries, is the summit and source of all Christian life and worship; it signifies and effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the Body of Christ. As children reach the age of reason, generally around age seven, the Church extends to them an invitation to celebrate the sacrament of Eucharist. The initiation into the Christian community that took place at baptism is further extended by inviting children to enter fully into the heart of Christian faith through participation in the Eucharist. Penance Through penance, the faithful receive pardon through God's mercy for the sins they have committed. At the same time, they are reconciled with the Church community. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Anointing of the Sick Through the sacrament of anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. Jesus showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity for the deepening of the faith of the community who are able to witness the faith and devotion of those being anointed. Marriage The Church has a rich tradition in its teaching on sacramental marriage and covenantal union. The Old Testament authors write of God making a covenant with the chosen people and promising them that they will never be forsaken. The New Testament authors write of Jesus as the new covenant and compare the relationship of Jesus with the Church to the relationship of a husband and wife. The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring. Holy Orders Holy Orders is the sacrament by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained and receive the power and grace to perform their sacred duties. The sacred rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood. Christian Burial The Church asks spiritual assistance for the departed, honors their bodies, and at the same time brings solace of hope to the living. The celebration of the Christian funeral brings hope and consolation to the living. While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to the Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God's mercy and judgement and meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults includes the celebration of the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist, but also all of the rites of the catechumenate. The initiation of adults is a gradual process that takes place within the community of the faithful. Together with the catechumens, the faithful reflect upon the value of the paschal mystery, renew their own conversion, and by their example lead the catechumens to obey the Holy Spirit more generously. If in recent months real Madrid He saved his money to be able to weather the serious financial crisis caused... Press Release Embargoed Until: Monday, April 16, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET Contact: Media Relations (404) 639-3286 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will hold its 67th Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Conference April 16-19, 2018 in Atlanta. The annual gathering of disease detectives showcases cutting-edge investigations and often life-saving outbreak responses by EIS officers and their laboratory counterparts, the Laboratory Leadership Service (LLS) fellows. CDCs EIS officers are our front line of defense for health threats both domestically and abroad, said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D. These dedicated professionals deploy more than 200 times in any given year to help investigate outbreaks and respond to other public health crises, and the knowledge we gain during EIS investigations helps inform future prevention efforts that save lives and protect peoples health. CDC Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat, M.D. (RADM U.S. Public Health Service) will open the conference with remarks on Monday morning, April 16. This year, the conference incorporates four special sessions that will explore critical public health topics, including the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, the need for innovative use of big data in public health, the 1918 influenza centenary, and the U.S. opioid overdose epidemic. Another new feature: on April 17, four EIS officers will give a behind-the-scenes look at their investigations in a TED-style talk. The TED-style talks will cover: On April 18, the 20th Surgeon General of the United States, Vice Admiral Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H., will give this years Alexander D. Langmuir Lecture on Better Health through Better Partnerships. Dr. Adams is committed to maintaining strong relationships with the public health community and forging new partnerships with non-traditional partners, including business and law enforcement. He oversees the operations of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which has approximately 6,500 uniformed health officers who serve in nearly 600 locations around the world to promote, protect and advance the health and safety of our nation and our world. Disease detectives at work During the past year, EIS and LLS officers have conducted responses to numerous public health threats. Noteworthy presentations at this years conference include: Occupational patterns in drug and opioid overdose deaths Drug overdose mortality in the United States has increased by 137 percent between 2000 and 2014, largely driven by opioid-related overdoses. Opioids are often prescribed for work-related injuries, which can vary by occupation. Six occupational groups had significantly higher mortality from drug overdose, including: construction, extraction (e.g., mining), food preparation/serving, healthcare practitioners, healthcare support, and personal care. Drug overdose mortality in the United States has increased by 137 percent between 2000 and 2014, largely driven by opioid-related overdoses. Opioids are often prescribed for work-related injuries, which can vary by occupation. Six occupational groups had significantly higher mortality from drug overdose, including: construction, extraction (e.g., mining), food preparation/serving, healthcare practitioners, healthcare support, and personal care. Post-traumatic stress symptoms among international humanitarian aid workers International relief projects commonly take place in the context of political upheaval, putting aid workers at high risk for violence and exposure to human suffering that can lead to negative mental health outcomes. This investigation identified five potential risk factors for post-traumatic stress in aid workers: previous treatment for mental illness, being female, older age, having children, and fewer organizational support services. International relief projects commonly take place in the context of political upheaval, putting aid workers at high risk for violence and exposure to human suffering that can lead to negative mental health outcomes. This investigation identified five potential risk factors for post-traumatic stress in aid workers: previous treatment for mental illness, being female, older age, having children, and fewer organizational support services. Initial public health laboratory response after Hurricane Maria Within 27 days of Hurricane Maria, CDCs lab team identified 16 CDC and state health laboratories to perform specimen testing on five high-priority infectious diseases (rabies, influenza, leptospirosis, salmonella, and tuberculosis). The response resulted in a sustainable specimen transport system that reestablished clinical testing and surveillance of priority infectious diseases in Puerto Rico, and informed public health interventions. Within 27 days of Hurricane Maria, CDCs lab team identified 16 CDC and state health laboratories to perform specimen testing on five high-priority infectious diseases (rabies, influenza, leptospirosis, salmonella, and tuberculosis). The response resulted in a sustainable specimen transport system that reestablished clinical testing and surveillance of priority infectious diseases in Puerto Rico, and informed public health interventions. Arsenic toxicity associated with dietary mineral supplements Ingredients in dietary supplements are not independently verified. This investigation identified dietary supplements with arsenic concentrations that may increase risk for cancer and other illnesses. Ingredients in dietary supplements are not independently verified. This investigation identified dietary supplements with arsenic concentrations that may increase risk for cancer and other illnesses. Hepatitis A outbreak among homeless people Hepatitis A virus outbreaks can occur in settings with poor sanitation and crowding. This investigation identified that a Hepatitis A outbreak in Arizona among homeless people was molecularly identical to an outbreak in San Diego. Hepatitis A virus outbreaks can occur in settings with poor sanitation and crowding. This investigation identified that a Hepatitis A outbreak in Arizona among homeless people was molecularly identical to an outbreak in San Diego. Mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders among children living in poverty An estimated 17.4 percent of U.S. children aged 2 to 8 years old had at least one diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder. Children living in poverty were more likely to have a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder (22.1 percent) compared to children who were not living in poverty (13.9 percent). An estimated 17.4 percent of U.S. children aged 2 to 8 years old had at least one diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder. Children living in poverty were more likely to have a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder (22.1 percent) compared to children who were not living in poverty (13.9 percent). Salmonellosis outbreak at a chili and chowder cook-off After a chili and chowder cook-off featuring 11 local vendors, which was attended by about 2,500 chili and chowder aficionados, the Accomack County Health Department received reports of gastrointestinal illness among event attendees. Epidemiologic and laboratory analyses provided evidence that a specific chowder was the most likely outbreak source; however, the original source of Salmonella is unknown. After a chili and chowder cook-off featuring 11 local vendors, which was attended by about 2,500 chili and chowder aficionados, the Accomack County Health Department received reports of gastrointestinal illness among event attendees. Epidemiologic and laboratory analyses provided evidence that a specific chowder was the most likely outbreak source; however, the original source of Salmonella is unknown. Monkeypox re-emerging in NigeriaNigeria had no reported cases of monkeypox between 1978 and September 2017, when the disease came roaring back. This ongoing outbreak is the largest of the West African clade of monkeypox ever recorded (216 suspected cases, 80 confirmed cases, and five deaths were recorded from 14 out of 36 states as of January 31, 2018). A digital press kit with full abstracts and downloadable photos of these and other investigations will be posted on the conference website on Monday morning. Members of the media interested in attending the conference should contact the CDC Media Office at 404-639-3286 or media@cdc.gov, or visit https://www.cdc.gov/eis/conference/index.html for more information. ### U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES external icon CDC works 24/7 protecting Americas health, safety and security. Whether disease start at home or abroad, are curable or preventable, chronic or acute, or from human activity or deliberate attack, CDC responds to Americas most pressing health threats. CDC is headquartered in Atlanta and has experts located throughout the United States and the world. CANACEM to ask presidential candidates for continuity 16 April 2018 Mexicos National Chamber of Cement (CANACEM) will ask presidential candidates for continuity in the economic model and investments projects, reports Noticias Financieras. Mauricio Doehner, president of the organisation, has said that its members will seek dialogue with the candidates to present its needs. "[] [W]e believe that we should continue with an economic model such as the one of expansion, inclusion, housing, infrastructure, so we are doing work groups, so we will be able to present it to each one of the candidates, it is to which we aspire, our recommendations to follow in industrial policy of the cement sector," said Mauricio Doehner. The countrys cement production is expected to grow between 2.5-3 per cent to reach 40Mt in 2018. Published under East Africa Portland Cement Co suffers operational issues 16 April 2018 East African Portland Cement Company (EAPCC) has experienced operational challenges over the last two months, according to The East African. Amongst the issues faced by the company was a production halt, salary delay and a low supply of cement stock. This follows its net loss widening by almost four times to US$9.6m in the 2H17, as a result of low revenues. The results for the full-year period ending June 2017 saw a loss of US$14.71m, compared to a US$41.45m profit in the year-ago period. In March 2018 the company stopped production because it did not receive the raw material required. "In the stores, we have less than 2000t of cement and this is now pointing to a serious problem in the company," a source disclosed to The East African. The companys CEO, Simon Ole Nkeri, has attributed the fall in production to the lack of accessibility of some of its quarries. "It is true that we didnt have production running in some days in March because the accessibility to the limestone quarries were severely affected by the rains. This saw our production threshold drop significantly. This affected us on the cement stock end too but I am certain that our seven depots around the country had enough stocks," said Mr Nkeri. However, the manufacturer has also said that this issue has now been resolved. "We do not have the financial muscle to stock up these raw materials and mitigate against production hitches. However, as we speak, we have managed to sort out the challenges in accessing limestone. We have enough stock to help us run to the next two weeks," said Mr Nkeri. Published under Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment "It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herselfthanks to her abiding faithbut for others. She is surrounded by a family she adores, and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving." With these words, a family spokesman announced yesterday that Mrs. Bush has decided to end medical treatment and will focus on comfort care. Tributes to the former first lady have already begun. UN Ambassador Nikki Haley called her "a woman of great faith, great strength, and an unwavering love of country." On the other side of the political spectrum, Chelsea Clinton tweeted, "I will never forget how kind she was to me on every occasion we met, and how fondly the White House staff always spoke of her." I know of no more universally admired person in American politics than Barbara Bush. Conversely, I know of no more polarizing person than the other political figure making headlines today. James Comey was interviewed last night by ABC's George Stephanopoulos. The former FBI director is promoting his new book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership. I watched the interview and am not surprised that reaction fell on partisan lines. Whatever your thoughts on Mr. Comey, it's clear that our nation's politics are deeply divisive. In the decades after George H. W. Bush served as president, political animosity in America has increased exponentially. In times like these, we need the example of Barbara Bush. A tragedy that changed her life Janet and I were deeply honored to meet Mrs. Bush when she spoke at Dallas Baptist University's Russell Perry Award dinner in 2001. She was as gracious in private as she was in public. As the wife of one president and mother of another, she is famous the world over for her courage, compassion, and humor. The Washington Post has an insightful story about Barbara Bush and her family that helps explain her remarkable character. The daughter of a New York publishing executive, she met her future husband in 1941 at a country club dance in Greenwich, Connecticut. She was sixteen years old. They became engaged in the summer of 1943 and were married in 1945. Their first son, George Walker Bush, was born on July 6, 1946, as his father was completing his studies at Yale. Two years later, they moved to Odessa, a town in West Texas. They were transferred briefly to California before moving to Midland, where their family settled into the oil business. In 1953, their three-year-old daughter, Robin, fell ill with leukemia. Eight months later, she died. Barbara Bush was twenty-eight. The tragedy turned her hair white and has marked her family for the rest of their lives. Faith, family, and service She later explained what sustained her through the worst pain a mother can know: "We believed in God and that made an enormous difference in our lives then and now." She also said, "Because of Robin, George and I love every living human more." Her life prioritiesfaith, family, servicehave inspired millions since. Given her lifelong love for America, it is not surprising that Barbara Bush was a direct descendant of a Mayflower immigrant. After her husband's highly decorated military service and successful business career, the couple entered a life of public service that led to his nomination in 1988 for president. Mrs. Bush became the first candidate's spouse to address the convention that nominated her husband. After his election, they hosted the first open house inaugural reception since President Taft in 1909. Her love of reading was encouraged early by her father. Childhood evenings were spent with family members reading together. In 1989, she formed the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, noting that "the home is the child's first school, the parent is the child's first teacher, and reading is the child's first subject." She has been especially noted for her sense of humor. Speaking to Wellesley College graduates in 1990, she stated, "Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse. I wish him well!" When she and her husband returned to private life in 1992, she said, "It's been different. I started driving again. I started cooking again. My driving's better than my cooking." "Let your light shine" This morning's national coverage of Barbara Bush's failing health reveals something about us: despite today's political divisiveness, we respond intuitively to character, courage, and humor. When we see a person living out her faith under decades of public scrutiny, we are drawn to her example and to her Lord. Jesus taught us to "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Faith, family, and service have been Barbara Bush's lifelong priorities. What "good works" will you do to glorify God today? Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As many now know, worldwide, Pastor Andrew Brunson is the American pastor who has faithfully been a pastor in Izmir Turkey for 23 years. Over 18 months ago, he and his wife were summoned to the local police station, thinking that their application for permanent Turkish residency would be granted. Instead, both were imprisoned by Turkish authorities. Held now for over 18 months, while his wife Norine was released, Pastor Brunson remains imprisoned for "crimes against the State." He is totally innocent; yet Turkish authorities have held him without charges all these 182 days without a trial. His trial is Monday, April 16, 2018. In cases like this, some concerned people ask: "What can we do?" In my case. I ask the question, "What can I (not we) do?" The "we" seldom responds-to challenge all in the area of justice is to challenge none. The "we" has to become personal..Bang! Over the years, I have heard the stories of Father Maximillian Kolbe who exchanged himself for a fellow inmate in a Nazi concentration camp-Kolbe perished; the story of The Four Army Chaplains who gave up their lives during the sinking of the ship, 'The Dorchester', on February 3, 1943 in order to save civilian and military lives; the recent story of Lt. Colonel Arnaud Beltrame, a French Special Forces officer who, on March 24, 2018, during a terrorist incursion in Trebes, France, exchanged himself for one of the hostages-Lt. Beltrame perished. These stories should serve as reminders to "What shall I do?" For me, when I heard the case of Pastor Andrew Brunson and his long imprisonment and his suffering; the heartache of his daughter, recently married, who could not have her Dad walk her down the aisle. I am now writing this from Izmir Turkey, the city where Pastor Brunson lives and serves-it is the city where he will go on trial April 16 and is facing 35 years in prison. For nothing. He is innocent. What shall I do? I made reservations on a plane to come to Izmir; to be present at this trial and to offer myself in exchange for the release of Pastor Brunson. Will the judge and the authorities trying the case agree to my request that they let Pastor Brunson go free and imprison me in place of him? Isn't this what Jesus Christ did for us? John 15:13 speaks to me even as I write: "Greater love hate no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." This is what I shall do. Pastor William Devlin is the Missions Pastor of Infinity Bible Church and travels the globe bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to hard and dangerous places like Gaza, Iraq, Sudan, Syria and Cuba. The rest of his time is spent in Philadelphia with his wife of 35 years, Nancy. They have five children and five grandchildren. He is president of REDEEM and co-chair of Right to Worship NYC. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Wednesday that he would not run for reelection this fall and would retire in January. He has three teenage children; the oldest just turned sixteen, the age Ryan was when his father died. "My kids aren't getting any younger," Ryan said, "and if I stay, they'll only know me as a weekend dad. That's it right there." It didn't take long for critics to respond. One of the Democrats running for Ryan's House seat immediately posted a fundraising message: "We repealed Paul Ryannow it's time to replace him with Randy Bryce." Another Democrat called him "the first casualty of the 2018 midterm election." While a Democrat who disagreed with Ryan on policy issues "found him to be a good man with a kind heart," a scathing article called him "the biggest fraud in American politics." For what will you be criticized? Aristotle was right: "Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." For the rest of us, criticism is a fact of life. The question is not whether you will be criticized, but for what. If you're pro-life, you'll be denigrated by pro-choice advocates. If you're for biblical marriage, you'll be branded as homophobic by those who are not. If you believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), you'll be labeled intolerant by pluralists. We can refuse to engage the culture, but that keeps our salt in the saltshaker and light under a basket (Matthew 5:13-16). We can fight slander with slander, but that violates the biblical command to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and brings disrepute on our Lord. Or we can stand publicly and humbly for Jesus, knowing that the darker the room, the more necessary the light. Consider an example. "Religion and morality are indispensable supports" A workshop last week at George Washington University was designed to examine the "unmerited perks" Christians receive in our culture. Titled "Christian privilege," the course claimed that American Christians "live life in an easier way" than non-Christians. While that may be true for some, the seminar apparently gave no voice to ways the culture makes life more difficult for many Christians. Believers who attended the event said many Christians on their campus feel persecuted. Their beliefs are often treated as mythology at best, they say. They attended the seminar in part to defend their faith from those who would demonize them. It's ironic that a university where many believers feel persecuted is named for a president whose "Farewell Address" stated, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports." He added, "Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle." In response to President Washington's desire that a university be established in the capital of the United States, Baptist missionary and minister Luther Rice raised funds to purchase a site for the college. Now that university is making headlines for marginalizing Christian students. The good news is that those students are taking Christ to their campus. They are engaging in dialogue with those who deride their faith, standing boldly but graciously for their Lord. You and I are called to do the same. But there's a catch. "Be holy, for I am holy" I cannot give what I do not have or ask people to go where I will not lead. Nor can I expect the Holy Spirit to use me as his conduit of grace if I am an unholy vessel. That's why God requires his people to "be holy, for I am holy" (Leviticus 11:44). He calls us to present our entire lives to him as a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). We are not truly holy unless we are wholly his. If you're tolerating sin in some dimension of your life today, know that you're tolerating spiritual cancer. And know that your decision is preventing the Lord from using you fully as his witness. Conversely, your decision to be holy opens the door to the abundant, triumphant life Jesus died to give you (John 10:10). In today's My Utmost for His Highest reading, Oswald Chambers notes: "Eternal life is the life which Jesus Christ exhibited on the human level. And it is this same life, not simply a copy of it, which is made evident in our mortal flesh when we are born again. . . . "If it is difficult to get right with God, it is because we refuse to make [the] moral decision about sin. But once we do decide, the full life of God comes in immediately. . . . Eternal life has nothing to do with time. It is the life which Jesus lived when He was down here." Our highest calling Whatever our vocation, our highest calling is to be holy as our Lord is holy. Such a commitment will not exempt us from criticism. To the contrary, it will likely evoke spiritual attacks from the enemy and secular attacks from our fallen culture. But the rewards of holiness far exceed their price. Charles Spurgeon predicted, "In proportion as a church is holy, in that proportion will its testimony for Christ be powerful." Will your testimony for Christ be powerful today? Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Things sure are getting better now that science has all the answers. At least that's what one Harvard professor thinks. On their classic Sgt. Pepper album, the Beatles sang "I've got to admit it's getting better . . . A little better all the time." This ode to optimism was interspersed with lines like "it can't get no worse." Obviously, the lads from Liverpool weren't entirely convinced. But a prominent scientist has written a best-selling book arguing that things are getting better and will continue to do so. But his argument is far from convincing. The book is "Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress" by Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker. In Pinker's estimation, "None of us are as happy as we ought to be, given how amazing our world has become." He is annoyed that people are moaning, whining, carping, and, to use a delightful Yiddish word, kvetching "as much as ever" despite how awesome the world has become. In some respects, he's correct: on average, people in the industrialized world enjoy a standard of living their not-too-distant ancestors couldn't have dreamed of. Widespread famine, which killed millions of Europeans less than two hundred years ago, and killed millions of Indians less than seventy-five years ago, is all but extinct. And Pinker is correct that science deserves much of the credit. The "Green Revolution" of the 1960s and 70s turned Paul Ehrlich's book "The Population Bomb" into science fiction. But, while we do have a lot to be grateful for, the world is nowhere near as paradisaical as he makes it sound. Take war and violence. In his previous book, "The Better Angels of Our Nature," Pinker argues that the world is getting more peaceful and more just. He continues that argument here. But "what about World Wars I and II? Or, the civil wars that left tens of millions dead since the end of World War II?" you ask. His answer, in effect, is, one, we haven't had a World War since 1945, and, two, the only such war going on now is the one in Syria. Ergo, such wars must be a thing of the past. Seriously? No wonder that the New York Times called Pinker's "chipper triumphalism" a "version of magical thinking." But Pinker would no doubt insist that it isn't magic but, instead, science. In his review of "Enlightenment Now," philosopher John Gray called Pinker "an evangelist for science or, to be more exact, an ideology of scientism." Scientism, according to historian T.J. Jackson Lears, is the "faith" that "science has discovered (or is about to discover) all the important truths about human life." Or, as one leading proponent of scientismthe late Stephen Hawkingput it: "The scientific account is complete. Theology is unnecessary." The problem is that, as Gray writes, "science cannot dictate human values." He points out what Pinker obscures, ignores, and tries to explain away: a great deal of evil has been committed by those claiming to act in accordance with the dictates of science. Scientism has given us "Marxism-Leninism, Nazism," and what historian Thomas Leonard called the "illiberal reformers" of early 20th century America most responsible for eugenics. "Science" wasn't enough to prevent one of the darkest moments in American history: the Tuskegee Experiment, in which 400 Black men with syphilis were purposely left untreated to study the effects of the disease. Gray calls "Enlightenment Now" "a rationalist sermon delivered to a congregation of wavering souls." In other words, Pinker is preaching to the choir. Now, if you're ready to take what John Stonestreet calls "a deep dive" into learning Christian worldview, now's the time to check out our outstanding Colson Fellows Program. We're accepting applications now. Come to ColsonFellows.org for more information. Originally posted at Breakpoint. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Nazi slaughter of 6 million Jews is one of the greatest atrocities in world history. The number represents two-thirds of Europe's Jews and includes one-and-a-half million children and babies. And it occurred in the midst of "civilized" (and "Christian"!) nations. Yet it is not only out of respect for the victims that we commemorate the Holocaust every year with Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is because the Jewish people continue to be the object of murderous hostility and because the nation of Israel faces an ongoing existential threat. There are numerous maps depicting Israel's precarious situation, despite its formidable military arsenal and defense forces. The Jewish state looks like a tiny sliver in the midst of the surrounding Islamic nations, quite a few of which still want to see Israel wiped off the map. And Israel's enemies are quick to predict the utter destruction of the nation. In the words of an Iranian army chief last year, "We will destroy the Zionist entity at lightning speed, and thus shorten the 25 years it still has left." All threats aside, at any given moment, there are tens of thousands of rockets pointed at Israel. (In 2015, Israel estimated that Hezbollah alone had 150,000 rockets.) Israel's enemies are also quick to use Holocaust language when threatening the Jewish people, to the point that, in 2009, pro-Hamas demonstrators in Fort Lauderdale, Florida called for "bigger ovens" for the Jews. On a regular basis, our pro-Israel YouTube videos are greeted with the most profane, hateful, even murderous comments imaginable. (We delete or report them, but not until we take screen shots.) These comments share common themes, including: the Holocaust never happened; or, on the opposite side of the spectrum, we need to finish what Hitler started; or, today's Jews are not really Jews, but they are responsible for all the world's problems. The most recent post I spotted referred to the Jews as "disgusting evil lying people"; claimed the Holocaust was a Jewish myth, branding it the "holohoax" and "the lie of the century"; suggested that Jews today need to repay Germany for Holocaust reparations; and ended with this incoherent line: "if you scream Hamas in a Tel Aviv street they start hiding under tables but they wouldn't hide from the Nazis." As for Hamas, despite its relative weakness when compared to the IDF, it is noteworthy that protesters in the recent Gaza uprising displayed a swastika sandwiched between two Palestinian flags. As for life under the more moderate Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, three children's schools are named after Nazi collaborators. This is along with more than two dozen schools that are named after contemporary Palestinian terrorists. In that sense, the memory of the Holocaust is hardly distant. On a more personal level, last month, Jews around the world were shocked to learn of the brutal slaying of an 85-year-old, female Holocaust survivor in France. And her murder comes just "a year after an Orthodox Jewish woman in her sixties was beaten and thrown out of the window of her Paris flat by a neighbor shouting 'Allahu Akhbar' (God is greatest)." I'm aware, of course, that some of our people overuse the Holocaust, depicting us as little better than helpless and hapless victims. To the contrary, we are hardly defenseless today. And, to the Palestinians, the Israelis are perceived as the powerful occupying presence. But the reality is that the modern state of Israel was born out of the ashes of the Holocaust. And it was born with the mantra of, "Never again." And if you've ever studied the Torah, or if you're familiar with Judaism, you know there's a strong emphasis on "remembering," both the good and the bad. So, we do well to continue to remember the Holocaust, especially as it is rapidly fading from the memory of others. In the words of Abraham Joshua Heschel, "Much of what the Bible demands can be comprised in one imperative: Remember!" 3 things Christians married to non-believers should always remember Marriage is a God-ordained union of two different people that they may become as one. This has been from the beginning when God created marriage, and will always be so. Genesis 2:24 tells us, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." This is a truth that no man or woman can avoid. No matter who you marry, you will be joined to your spouse and you shall become one with your spouse. For this reason, the Bible sternly warns every Christian believing in the Lord not to marry an unbeliever. 2 Corinthians 6:14 warns all believers, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?" This is not just for marriage. This warning is given to all Christians who are thinking of partnering with others in any pursuit, but it should be applied all the more to marriage, which is a lifelong pursuit and union from which no separation can ever be acceptable to the Lord: "For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one's garment with violence..." (Malachi 2:16) Are you a Christian married to an unbeliever? Worry not, this article is not written to condemn you. Rather, it was written to help you see the goodness and the grace of God for you. Keep reading. For believers who married non-believers There are some Christians who married non-believers, ignoring 2 Corinthians 6:14 and the many warnings God gave in the Bible about marrying with people of different faiths, especially in the Old Testament. The reason why God gave such warnings and commands is not because He's a killjoy, or not because He hates non-believers. Both are contrary to His nature: He wants us all to be full of His joy, and He loves non-believers too. There is, however, a great danger when a believer marries an unbeliever: faith will be tested and challenged, even to the point where the believer might compromise. Deuteronomy 7:3-4 says of intermarriage: "Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly." (emphasis mine) Knowing this, here are a few things Christians married to non-Christians should always remember to think and do: 1) Repent of this disobedience If you became Christian after marrying a non-Christian, then it's not wrong to have married that person. You can simply proceed to points 2 and 3. If you were already Christian before marrying an unbeliever, and have been forewarned about such a marriage, you need to repent of it. Of course you don't seek to divorce or separate yourself from your spouse, but you must repent of such disobedience to God's Word. 2) Realize that your faith in God will be challenged Having an unbelieving spouse will be challenging. 1 Corinthians 7:33 tells us that married people think about how to please their spouse. The issue of having different faiths adds more trouble to the already heavy burden of marriage. Your spouse will compete with your devotion to God. While some unbelieving spouses will simply allow their believing spouses to go on and worship God, some won't. And this is where it gets difficult. Be prepared to face discouragement. 3) Realize that God wants you and your spouse, as well as your family, saved Though it may be challenging to have an unbelieving spouse, it will be very encouraging to know that God loves your spouse and family too. In fact, He wants them saved (see 1 Timothy 2:4). Be encouraged by this wonderful promise in the book of Acts: "And [the keeper of the prison] brought [Paul and Silas] out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."" (Acts 16:30-31, emphasis mine) God wants your family saved, including all unbelievers especially your spouse. Pray for your spouse. Pray for God's salvation to come into your home. Share the Gospel with them, and live a life that shows God's goodness to them. 3 things the Resurrection of Christ does for us Christ's resurrection is so powerful and it does so many things for us who believe. Sadly, many Christians fail to see the power that the resurrection brings and thus live a defeated Christian life. We have to live in the power of the risen Christ! The Bible tells us that our relationship with Christ has power, but many don't experience it. 2 Timothy 3:5 tells us that some have "a form of godliness but denying its power." Such people deceive themselves, thinking that they're in Christ, but in fact they're not. 1 John 3:8-9 tells us that "He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." Simply put, if we are in Christ, we will truly see the power of Christ working in us: a power to say "no" to sin and "yes" to godliness (see Titus 2:11-12). This is His resurrection power at work. So what does the resurrection of Christ do for us and to us? Here are but a few. 1) It gives us proof that we have a living hope Our faith hangs on the resurrection of Christ. We can't be Christian unless we believe in the risen Lord Jesus. He is the God who died and rose from the grave, the God who did not struggle with living again. While other religions have so-called "gods" that appear wise, mighty and strong, only Christ is the one who defeated sin and death. The Bible tells us that death can only come to those under the effects of sin. Christ lived a sinless life, and so the grave could not hold Him down. He simply went out of the grave, just like that. 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 tells us, "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable." 2) It assures us of freedom from sin The same passage above tells us that if Christ is not risen, then those who believe in Him are freed from sin. But since He is alive, we are forgiven and freed from it. 3) It assures us of a victorious life Christ's resurrection assures us of a victorious, abundant life. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 tells us, "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive." What kind of life is that? It's a life that's far better than the life we used to live: Christian man who doesn't pay taxes because he opposes abortion wins in court A Christian man from Oregon who hasn't paid his taxes because he's opposed to abortion has won his case in court. A district judge ruled in his favor after prosecutors filed a case against him for tax evasion dating back to 1999. Michael Bowman, who works as a contract engineer, has received notices from the IRS for his tax dues spanning several years when he failed to file properly. The agency penalized him for as much as $356,857 for the payments missed. He confirmed in a Youtube video posted last December 2017 that his refusal to pay his taxes was not a protest against tax as such but that he didn't want to help fund agencies that perform abortion because it goes against his religious beliefs. In his court documents filed in February, Bowman alleged that the government must also respect his Christian convictions as much as it respects or supports women's rights, LGBT and transgender rights, and the rights of illegal immigrants. The state's Department of Revenue, however, reportedly garnished his bank account in January 2012 to pressure him to file and pay taxes, but Bowman took action and changed how he managed his finances. Bowman cashed out his checks as soon as he got them and left just a minimum balance on his bank account. The court declared that his behavior could not be considered as tax evasion as he never hid his income from the government. "Cashing a check at your own bank, made out to you, representing income contemporaneously disclosed by employers through 1099 and W-2 forms to the IRS is not 'handling one's affairs to avoid making records,'" the defense's lawyer Matthew Schindler argued. Judge Michael W. Mosman agreed with Schindler's argument and ruled last Wednesday that "not everything that makes collection efforts more difficult qualifies as evasion." Bowman, however, still needs to face the court for other tax charges as his conscious intention to not file for tax returns is still being considered a misdemeanor by the IRS. Ecclesiastes 7: Are men wiser than women? Solomon, who had 300 wives and 600 concubines contrary to the command of God and despite his wisdom and good start as king might have been expected to know something about women. In this week's Ecclesiastes passage (7:23-29) he gives us the benefit of his knowledge. At first it appears to be the kind of misogynistic ranting that one would expect from a powerful man who is used to getting his way with women. But it's a good principle in interpreting the Bible not just to go with first impressions. If we examine this in a little more detail we find once again that there is much wisdom for us in today's 'MeToo' culture. 1. We need the humility to recognise that wisdom is hard to find As I am writing this I am sitting on a train in Sydney listening to the kind of tourist that gives Americans a bad name, filling the whole carriage with his wisdom about everything under the sun brash, arrogant, annoying (thank the Lord for earphones!), loud and proud doesn't even begin to cover it. This is the opposite of the person who really knows. Solomon, the wisest man in the world of his day, has the humility to tell us that no one, including him, can find it. The wise know what they don't know. 'Then I said to myself, "The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise? I said to myself, this too is meaningless' (Ecclesiastes 2:15). 2. We need the wisdom to grasp the enigma of humanity Men and women are capable of so much good and so much stupidity. Solomon mentions in these few verses alone: knowing, searching, feeling, seeking, wisdom, reason, wickedness, folly, foolishness and madness. Then having done that he reflects upon women. There is the huntress, the woman who is more bitter than death and has a heart dominated by the instincts of the hunter. She is determined and her hands are like chains: 'All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life' (Proverbs 7:22-23). Only the one who follows God can escape the predator! Then he says wisdom is rare in men but rarer in women. Is this a universal truth or just a reflection of his own experience? The trouble is that the word 'upright' is not in the Hebrew, which simply says 'I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman among them all.' He is making his own observation about some women this is not a divine description of humanity. 'He finds men only one tenth of one per cent better than women in this matter' (Gordis). The early Christian preacher Chrysostom went to town on this verse: 'What is woman, but a punishment that cannot be driven away, a necessary evil, a natural temptation, a desirable calamity, a domestic danger, one beloved for the colour of good?' Most of us I think would prefer the way that Christ treated and spoke of women than either Solomon or Chrysostom! But it is a mistake to read this through the 21st century filter of misogyny. That may well have been reflected in Solomon's experience and in the patriarchal culture of the time but the purpose here is not to teach that. This is after all the Preacher who teaches that enjoying life with your wife is one of the few meaningful pleasures in this meaningless life (Ecclesiastes 9:9). Solomon is simply stating that all of humanity, men as well as women, are not wise. Verse 29 is his summary for the whole human race. Man was created upright we were not created sinful nor neutral but upright our natural disposition was towards faithfulness and obedience. But now sin has entered in and our disposition is towards unfaithfulness and disobedience. Man's sin is deep rooted, deliberate and universal. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23, NIV) it is also varied there are many different ways that humans sin. The bottom line is that when it comes to sin all of us have to say 'Me too'. Right relationships between men and women will not be established by campaigns, laws or social pressure, because these cannot deal with our sin. We need a wisdom from God that both deals with our sin and guides us into all righteousness that only comes with Christ. TV Moore again paraphrases this passage beautifully: 'I added woman after woman, since I thought that this was living (how I wince to even mention it). But it was all in vain. Deep down inside I hungered for much more than merely sex or power, much more than all the foolish things I'd known. What I was seeking was to know before I die what life was all about. And this is it: God made all people so that they would fit into his wise and righteous plan. But we, supposing we knew better than he, set out on our own way in life. Instead of finding what we sought, we end up dead and wonder what went wrong. But who can tell us, as we pass beyond the grave to hell?' David Robertson is associate director of Solas CPC in Dundee and minister at St Peter's Free Church. Follow him on Twitter @TheWeeFlea Google Pixel latest news: Phone app update automatically sends spam calls to voicemail without getting notifications Google has now made its move to protect Pixel and Pixel 2 users from spam calls. People tend to receive numerous spam calls everyday from agencies that only want to promote their products. No other tech firms have taken a step to stop these spam calls, given that there is no written rule that actually forbids them. Fortunately, Google will drop a software update soon that will send spam calls straight to voicemail. As reported by 9to5Google, Google Pixel and Pixel 2 smartphones are about to receive an update for the Phone app that will automatically direct the spam calls to voicemail without triggering a missed call notification. The Google Phone app has an existing anti-spam call feature introduced in 2016, which flashes a bright red color on the screen for a suspected spam caller. This feature is further improved by disabling the notification due to a potential spam call. There will be no notification either when the spam call is sent to voicemail, although filtered calls and voicemails can still be viewed in the phone's call history. In spite of this new Phone app update in Google Pixel devices, another one might still be needed to correctly identify the source of spam calls. This way, the users may just opt to block the number, and the spam call will never be made in the first place. To do this, however, there should be a proper settlement between the software company that screens phone calls and the agencies that send spam calls. Nonetheless, the latest Google Pixel update is a huge improvement as users will no longer be distracted from time to time due to spam notifications. Per Tech Radar, the latest Google Pixel update is the most aggressive anti-spam call measure yet by any tech firms. There is no exact date of release yet of the official update in Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, and other Nexus handsets. Although, the current beta version of the Phone app update reportedly has other anti-spam call features such as silencing marketing calls. Muslim, who grew up hating Christians, converts to follow Jesus; Sets up 1st church in 700 years in Islamic-majority town A man who was raised in a family that hated Christians is now sharing the Gospel with residents of a Muslim majority town where there has been no church for about seven centuries. Urim Bogaj had grown up thinking Christians were evil, but he was forced to reexamine his feelings when his aunt converted to Christianity in 1999 and shared the Gospel with him. Bogaj said that he found it difficult to accept the Gospel when her aunt shared it with him when he was just 15. "It was hard to listen to her. To receive what she had to say. We always knew that Christians were serpents. Serpents were evil. I did not want to become a Christian," Bogaj said, according to Global News Alliance. However, as he continued studying the Bible, he eventually became convinced by Christ's message and he converted. Bogaj's entire family was initially stunned by his conversion but they too have now left Islam after he shared the Gospel with them. In an attempt to spread the Gospel further, Bogaj has now planted a church in the town of Malisheve in Kosovo. The church is reportedly the first in the town for about 700 years. "There were challenges. There were different problems. Persecution of every kind," Bogaj said, according to CBN News. "As the first generation of Christians, we need your prayers to pray for us to be standing strong for Christ...to finish the race and go to the end," he added. Kosovo, which is mainly populated by ethnic Albanians, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but many Serbians opposed the declaration as they consider the former province to be the cradle of Orthodox Christianity. The former Serbian province is predominantly Muslim, but many Orthodox monasteries remain in the country. Last month, The Serbian Orthodox Church expressed plans to change its name to the Serbian Orthodox Church-Pec Patriarchate in an effort to strengthen its link with Kosovo. According to Reuters, the name was derived from the Serbian Patriarchate of Pec which existed from 1346 to 1766 in a Kosovo town of the same name before it was abolished by the Ottoman Turks. The Serbian Orthodox Church continued its relationship with the Pec Patriarchate after Serbia regained its independence in 1879. "Pec remains ... (a testimony) to our past, of patriarchs and archbishops, and no matter what happened, Pec remains the historical center of our church," Church Patriarch Irinej said. At Easter, Irinej called on political leaders to reject Kosovo's independence, even if it meant discarding Serbia's efforts in joining the European Union. Neville Lawrence takes 'hardest' decision to forgive son Stephen's racist murderers, credits Christian faith The father of Stephen Lawrence has forgiven his son's racist murderers thanks to his Christian faith in what he said was the hardest decision of his lifetime ahead of the 25th anniversary of the killing. The decision by Neville Lawrence, 76, came as it emerged yesterday that four retired Scotland Yard detectives who worked on the disastrous inquiry into Stephen's death could face criminal charges. Stephen, 18, was stabbed by a gang of white racists in Eltham, south-east London, on April 22, 1993. Neville Lawrence said: 'To be a Christian you have to forgive people for what they have done... So in order to be a Christian, I decided I am going to forgive all those people who were involved in my son's murder. [It] is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, and I think it will be the hardest I will ever make in my lifetime.' He continued: 'The fact that I had to lose my first child has been devastating. I can't begin to explain the pain and the anguish me and my family have suffered over the past 25 years.' Two of the group of thugs who attacked the teenager and his friend, Duwayne Brooks, were convicted of murder in 2012. But while David Norris and Gary Dobson are both serving life sentences, the rest have evaded justice. Lawrence named the five men suspected by many, saying: 'The people who were said to be involved in the murder of my son were Neil Acourt, Luke Knight, Gary Dobson, David Norris and Jamie Acourt. The anniversary comes as London has seen a surge in violent crime in recent months, with nearly 60 murders in the capital so far this year. Lawrence, who speaks to young people about the consequences of carrying a weapon, said: 'Right now with the violence, and the knife crime violence, it is urgent that I talk to these youngsters and explain to them the pain and suffering they inflict on families. It is a life sentence and something that will never be served. I've been serving a life sentence for the last 25 years and I will go on serving that until the day I die.' He said that, in death, his aspiring architect son has become a 'legend', saying: 'When these boys killed my son, Stephen, they created a legend. In his death, Stephen is a legend. There is debate about racism, there are organisations set up to help to make people understand about racism. The police have been put under the spotlight because of Stephen's death.' After a four-year investigation by the National Crime Agency, four former officers were found to have acted so negligently that they could face charges for 'misconduct in public office', an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Stephen's family has long suspected that corrupt officers working for the gangster Clifford Norris, the father of one of the men convicted of the murder, allowed the A-level student's killers to evade justice. Dozens of individuals are known to have approached Scotland Yard to name the culprits within days of the killing, but it was several weeks before officers arrested anyone, allowing crucial evidence to be lost. Lawrence and his former wife, who is now Baroness (Doreen) Lawrence, have campaigned for more than two decades to get justice for their son. Baroness Lawrence has said she cannot forgive Stephen's killers, saying: 'You can only forgive somebody when they have shown remorse and accepted what they have done and they haven't.' Pastor Andrew Brunson trial begins with US religious freedom envoy Sam Brownback in court US pastor Andrew Brunson goes on trial in Turkey today facing up to 35 years in jail after being accused of aiding a terrorist group held responsible for the failed 2016 coup against President Tayyip Erdogan. Brunson's lawyer said the charges are 'totally unfounded' and the preacher was really being held because of his Christian faith. Ismail Cem Halavurt said Brunson, originally from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for 21 years and been detained for 18 months, should be freed at Monday's hearing in the Mediterranean city of Izmir. 'There is evidence that shows Brunson was arrested due to his faith,' Halavurt told Reuters on the eve of the trial, saying Brunson's religious role had been 'classified as aiding terror organizations'. America's religious freedom envoy Sam Brownback is in Turkey and will attend the trial alongside North Carolina senator Thom Tillus. It is one of several legal cases that have strained relations between Turkey and the United States, who are also at odds over US support for a Kurdish militia in northern Syria which Turkey considers a terrorist organisation. Washington has called for Brunson's release and President Donald Trump has personally appealed to Erdogan on Brunson's behalf. However the requests have been ignored and Erdogan suggested last year his fate could be linked to that of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose extradition Ankara has repeatedly sought to face charges over the coup attempt in July 2016. 'The (pastor) we have is on trial. Yours is not he is living in Pennsylvania... You can give him right away,' Erdogan said in September. Gulen has denied any link to the coup attempt in which more than 240 people were killed. A copy of Brunson's indictment seen by Reuters accuses him of working both with Gulen's network and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey and is designated a terrorist group by the United States and European Union. Prosecutors are demanding a 20-year prison term for espionage and another 15 years for committing crimes on behalf of terror organisations. Halavurt said he believed Brunson would ultimately be acquitted and there was no reason for his continued detention during trial. 'Our prior expectation from the hearing is ending the arrest,' he said. 'We want Brunson to be freed immediately.' Additional reporting by Reuters Protests after two Christians are shot dead outside church in Quetta, Pakistan A Christian protest is under way in Quetta after the terrorist killing of two Christians yesterday near a church by four unidentified gunmen in the city in Pakistan's Balochistan province. Local police said that a group of Christians had come out of the church when the four gunmen appeared on two motorcycles from a nearby lane and opened fire on them. 'Two people were killed on the spot while six others were injured and rushed to a hospital,' an official said. The killings have been claimed by Islamic State. The victims have been identified as Azhar Masih and Rohail Masih, who were residents of Essa Nagri which houses a large proportion of the Christian community. Provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari said that it appeared that the purpose of the attack was to spread panic and fear in the province. 'These terrorists are targeting security forces and now minorities to spread fear and panic because of the ongoing operation against them in the province,' he said. The Christian community was protesting against the provincial government and calling for the immediate arrest of the attackers as well as protection for Christians, according to the Times of India. Pakistan has long been battling armed groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Attacks often target Pakistan's minorities, including Shia Muslims as well as Christians, Hindus and members of the Ahmadiyya sect. Earlier this month, four members of a Christian family travelling in a rickshaw were killed in a shooting incident on Quetta's Shah Zaman road. The Christian family came from the Punjab Province and had come to Quetta to visit relatives. In December last year, nine people were killed and 30 injured in a suicide attack on the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church where some 400 worshippers had gathered on Quetta's Zarghoon Road. Richard Chartres: How the Commonwealth can tackle the scourge of trachoma Imagine being in excruciating pain every time you blink. Imagine this pain lasting several years until eventually you lose your eyesight. This is the reality for millions of people in the Commonwealth who are affected by trachoma a completely preventable and treatable condition. No one should suffer from blindness or poor eyesight when it can be prevented or corrected, yet too often they still do. Earlier this month I had the honour of visiting Uganda in my capacity as one of the founding Trustees of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. The Trust is working with many partners, under the shared mission of the International Coalition for Trachoma Control, to eliminate the world's leading infectious cause of blindness across the country. Uganda is one of 12 Commonwealth countries where the Trust is tackling the disease. We travelled for many hours on unpaved roads to the village of Kiringa in the Iganga district in south-eastern Uganda. The village is one of thousands that in 2014, before the work of the Trust's Trachoma Initiative began, was burdened with endemic levels of trachoma. Around the world, 200 million people are at risk of trachoma. It is a painful, debilitating disease of the rural poor, who have limited access to clean water, basic sanitation and healthcare. Trachoma is an ancient scourge. It is mentioned as early as 1550BC in the ancient Egyptian Ebers Papyrus. In the 5th century BC the blinding stage of trachoma is included in The Hippocratic Corpus, the collection of work from the Hippocrates school of medicine. Appropriately, the word trachoma comes from the Greek word for rough. And rough it is. Repeated infection causes scarring under the eyelids, which turns them inwards. With every excruciating blink, the eyelashes scrape the surface of the eye. Without treatment, it can lead to irreversible blindness. In fact, there are 1.9 million people in the world who have lost their sight to the condition. Yet when caught early enough, trachoma can easily be treated with antibiotics. Even in more severe cases, surgery can stop the eyelashes rubbing against the eyeball, and halt the cycle of repeated infection, saving that person's sight. The spread of infection can also be stopped by good hygienic practices and improving people's access to water and sanitation, so they can wash their hands and clothes regularly As we entered the village in Uganda we were given the warmest welcome by local school children who sang and danced. I noticed an elderly woman among them, dancing with the same energy and delight as the children. Her joy was infectious and undeniable. I was later introduced to her. Zabina is an 80-year-old woman from Kiringa. She lived with her daughter and six grandchildren and had recently recovered from successful eye surgery. Zabina was first affected by trachoma during her teenage years. She ceased going to school because of the pain and effect on her eyesight. In later years she could not cook, or farm, her only source of income. Under the committed leadership of the Ministry of Health, the Trust's Trachoma Initiative has been able to provide sight-saving and pain-relieving surgery to over 27,000 people across Uganda. Zabina was one very grateful recipient. As she shook my hand heartily, her face lit up with joy. She said 'I'm so happy I can see again. My life was in darkness before and now after the surgery I can dance and live.' The progress in the Trust's Trachoma Initiative in just four years to rid the country of the blight of trachoma is quite remarkable. In 2014, before the Trust's Trachoma Initiative began work in Uganda, 10 million people were at risk of the disease. Now just 300,000 people require attention before the country can declare itself free from trachoma as a public health problem. I was struck by the dedication and determination of the individuals and communities I met. They show what can be achieved when people come together to fight this disease. Witnessing Zabina's joy made it all too clear how deeply precious sight is. The delight in her face will stay with me. Good vision releases the potential of individuals to learn, to work and to lead fulfilled and productive lives. We can end trachoma and prevent or treat other forms of blindness and poor eyesight. Yet more than 85 million people in the Commonwealth are affected by poor eye health, and without urgent action these numbers are set to triple by 2050. This week, as leaders come together for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the United Kingdom, the Trust, Sightsavers, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Peek, Clearly and the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC), are uniting under the Vision for the Commonwealth banner to call on each country to take one significant action towards bringing vision to everyone in the Commonwealth by 2020. Now, the Commonwealth has the opportunity to show the world, as we have done in Uganda, that by stepping up efforts to bring eye health to all, the potential of millions of people is unlocked, for the benefit of themselves, their communities and their countries now, and into the future. Lord Chartres is a former bishop of London and a trustee of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. Samsung Galaxy X 2018 release date, specs rumors: To feature in-display, rear-positioned fingerprint scanners? Samsung revealed its plans to launch its very first foldable handset, which is targeted to be released sometime in 2018. However, the South Korean tech giant has yet to confirm that the device, dubbed as the Galaxy X, is among its lineup of hardware to be unveiled this year. It's a good thing that the internet has been providing a bunch of concept renders that gives an idea on what the Galaxy X could look like, with the latest one showing the handset with two fingerprint readers. As reported by Android Headlines, the latest Samsung Galaxy X 2018 concept render shows a premium smartphone that resemble the recently-launched Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. The phone is said to sport a 6-inch display with 19:9 screen-to-body ratio. If this turns out to be correct, the Galaxy X would be the first device from Samsung to use such aspect ratio, as the previous Galaxy handsets have not exceeded 18:5:9 ratio. The most interesting part of this Samsung Galaxy X concept render is that the handset has an in-display fingerprint reader. The Science and Knowledge YouTube channel, which provided the latest Galaxy X concept, states that the device's entire screen panel will act as a fingerprint scanner. To note, an optical fingerprint reader embedded right under the display has long been rumored to be in the future Samsung Galaxy device. If this fingerprint reader is still not enough, the concept phone also has a rear-positioned scanner just below the camera module. It should be noted that the latest Galaxy X concept render may have nothing to do with Samsung's actual plans for the device, as everything on it is just based on how the artist visualizes the upcoming tech. Meanwhile, there are reports suggesting that the Samsung Galaxy X will take more time to see the light of day. Contrary to earlier expectations that the handset will make it to the 2018 target release date, Samsung is reportedly still on its way to develop a truly bendable OLED display for the Galaxy X. Per the latest rumors, Samsung has yet to come up with the right components to devise a new display architecture that are flexible enough. If not this year, the public may have to wait until 2019 to see the Galaxy X. Struggle with cynicism? Here's how you might just beat it It was the same story every night. At the end of another long day at the Christian conference that I was helping to organise, I'd gather with the rest of the team in the bar of our block-booked hotel, where we'd share an orange juice and a few highs and lows from the past 12 hours. For the most part the conversation focused on positive news; things God had done in the lives of our delegates, seminars that had gone particularly well. Most of us were caught up in the excitement of leading something that genuinely seemed to be helping people. But then there was Dave. He was a bit of an outsider, and he loved to play that part with a bit of self-proclaimed 'edginess'. Dave wasn't interested in talking about transcendent moments in worship, or sharing the joy of first-time speakers who'd overcome their nerves and seen people respond to the talk they'd prepared. Dave always steered the conversation to more negative subjects: judging the motivations of other members of the team, pointing out the moments where our attempts at authenticity had slid into the realm of Christian Cheese. He was the organising team's official cynic, and he worked tirelessly to live up to that billing. We were all a bit surprised by Dave's behaviour, but in honesty, we didn't challenge it nearly enough. We mistook his rather dim view of our conference and delegates for helpful challenge; a bit of balance in the midst of all our overwhelming positivity. His critical comments were often legitimised by a few nervous laughs because let's be honest hearing other people being put down can naturally make us feel better about ourselves. But this whole setup was dysfunctional: I and the rest of the leadership team should have had the maturity to call this behaviour for what it was unhelpful cynicism and tried the biblical approach of gentle restoration, rather that quiet complicity. Dave wasn't a happy man. He put other people down because of his own insecurities; he criticised organisations and initiatives because his sense of being an outsider wasn't entirely self-imposed. Really, that's what lies behind almost every instance of cynicism isn't it? Dogged by our own sense of inferiority, we're negative about others to make ourselves feel positive... but of course, it doesn't really work. Ultimately the words of a cynic leave a bitter taste in his or her own mouth. Having worked in the Christian media for over 15 years, cynicism is a challenge I struggle with on a daily basis. Knowing the subculture from the inside allows the bittersweet privilege of seeing that leaders and organisations are by no means perfect, and often behave exactly like the worst aspects of the world that we want to be set apart from. The truth is that if you want to look for it, there's plenty wrong with every church, every charity, and every Christian, and when we choose to adopt a cynical position it becomes easy to self-righteously feel like we're the only people who've got it together. Jesus has some wise words on this though: acknowledge the plank in your own eye before going after other people's sawdust and all that. Surprise: Jesus is right. Cynicism is all about deflection; it's a character dysfunction that allows us not to focus on our own dysfunctional characters. Making other people and the things they do the problem stops us from having to deal with our own weaknesses and failings. We judge others so that we don't have to judge ourselves. The answer then is a simple choice, every time the urge to feel or express cynicism arises. We have to choose in the full knowledge that no-one is perfect and that many people have mixed motivations or poor judgment not to automatically see the bad in others. Instead, we must choose to recognise our own frailty, and the insecurities that drive us to pull down and judge others. And at that moment, we turn to Jesus in our weakness and ask him for help. A decade or so on from our first meeting, I met Dave again. His cynicism had shown no sign of abating, but now it had taken its toll. His gifting had exceeded his character, and happiness and contentment had at that point still eluded him. Ultimately a commitment to cynicism brings some long-term punishments: a bitterness about the successes of others, and a deep sense of disappointment about ourselves. That's why Jesus warns us so seriously to avoid it; if you can't choose not to be cynical, you might never truly be happy. Martin Saunders is a contributing editor for Christian Today and the deputy CEO of Youthscape. Follow him on Twitter @martinsaunders. Sudanese Christians head to court over attempt to defend confiscation of church property Four Sudanese Christians were tried in court last Wednesday for their attempts to stop the confiscation of church property in Khartoum. Morning Star News reported that the Christians have been charged with causing physical harm to police officers and supporters of a Muslim businessman who wanted to takeover a school belonging to the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church (SPEC). Azhari Tumbara, Muna Matta, George Adam and Kudi Abderhman are facing fines and prison term of up to six months if found guilty. Attorney Adam Abu Anja, who is representing the Christians in court, said he is confident the court will not hand down the maximum sentences against his clients. "I am confident the charges are not that serious. We have enough witnesses that, if they are convicted, they might be fined, that is all," Anja told Morning Star News. During the hearing, Judge Adam Babiker acquitted five church leaders also accused in the case due to lack of evidence. According to Morning Star News, the acquitted leaders were the Rev. Yahia Abdelrahim Nalu, the Rev. Idriss Kartina, the Rev. Zachariah Ismael, elder Bolus Tutu and Salim Hassan. The Sudanese government has been pressuring church leaders to relinquish control of church property to state-sanctioned committees. In April last year, church elder Younan Abdullah died from stab wounds after he tried to prevent the confiscation of an evangelical school in Omdurman. In February this year, a court handed down fines ranging from 2,500 Sudanese pounds (US$137) to 5,000 Sudanese Pounds (US$275) to seven church leaders for opposing the takeover of their school in Ombdurman. At least 26 church leaders have reportedly been charged in the case. In addition to the confiscation of church property, the Sudanese government has also demolishing churches belonging to SPEC. In February, a SPEC church was demolished by the authorities, even though there was still a pending appeal in court. Government officials argued that the church did not have a proper permit, but SPEC leaders maintained that they had the proper legal documents. The demolition of churches in Sudan comes after the Minister of Guidance and Endowments announced in 2013 that the government would no longer issue licenses for new churches due to the decrease in the South Sudanese population. At least 27 churches were designated for destruction in 2017. Last November, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan called on the Sudanese government to "immediately suspend" the demolition of churches. The EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Jan Figel, also called attention to the demolitions when he visited the country in March last year. During Figel's visit, he was told that some of the demolitions had been halted. The cost of war versus the cost of inaction: Why Christians are divided on Syria The meditative silence was broken around half an hour into the meeting yesterday. As guidance stipulates for those attending their first Quaker meeting: 'Anyone is free to speak, pray or read aloud, as long as it is done in response to a prompting of the spirit which comes in the course of a meeting.' And though it was highly topical, this lady's intervention added to rather than subtracted from the contemplative atmosphere among the 25 worshippers who had gathered in the shadow of airstrikes on Syria carried out by the US, UK and France over the weekend. Chapters 31 and 32 of the Quaker guide, Advices and queries was quoted: 'We are called to live "in the virtue of that life and power that takes away the occasion of all wars". Do you faithfully maintain our testimony that war and the preparation for war are inconsistent with the spirit of Christ? Search out whatever in your own way of life may contain the seeds of war. Stand firm in our testimony, even when others commit or prepare to commit acts of violence, yet always remember that they too are children of God. 'Bring into God's light those emotions, attitudes and prejudices in yourself which lie at the root of destructive conflict, acknowledging your need for forgiveness and grace. In what ways are you involved in the work of reconciliation between individuals, groups and nations?' The woman's anxiety over the strikes put her among a considerable majority of the public: polls show support for military action in Syria at around a quarter to a third. The sceptical majority is backed by not only most though not all Quakers, who are traditionally pacifist, but also the Methodists, the Church in Wales, Syrian church leaders and, according to some reports, Pope Francis. While Christian groups appear to be hardening against action, middle-of-the-road politicians who opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq, such as (the Catholic) Lord (Chris) Patten, are now in favour of strikes on Syria. This is based on the admirable position that any breach of Barack Obama's 'red line' the use of chemical weapons must not go unpunished. In a major report last year, Tom Tugendhat (Conservative) and the late Jo Cox (Labour) outlined the humanitarian cost of inaction. There are of course different strands and currents at play here. Not all Christians who oppose military action can be accused of being 'pro-Assad', though the group of UK church leaders who met with Syrian officials hours after the airstrikes, including Giles Fraser, are surely risking just that. But then it is important to remember that, although the highly limited nature of these strikes appears to have softened opposition to intervention over the weekend, the selective, by the way toppling of monstrous regimes in the Middle East, as with Iraq and Libya, has brought about a resurgence of Islamist extremists who were otherwise kept at bay filling the void. Indeed, in the case of Iraq, Britain became a target of such terrorists only after the invasion, not before, and the country had not been overrun by Islamic State until after 2003. Saddam was (very) bad, but he was not mad, and his relatively secular regime included his Christian deputy Tariq Aziz. Similarly, there is a view, evidenced by the fact that there are Christian leaders who are free to speak out against this weekend's action, that Christians in the region seek nothing more from their governments than protection and the right to worship. The leaders of Syria's three major churches have voiced their support of Assad, denying he held chemical weapons and condemning the airstrikes as 'unjustified aggression' and a 'clear violation of the international laws'. And as a recent visit to Egypt impressed on me, stability is valued more than democracy by many in the region, including some Christians. So there is the pacifist approach of the Quakers, and then the practical opposition of other Christian leaders, articulated in a lonely column yesterday by the Christian conservative Peter Hitchens, columnist for the Mail on Sunday, who has been pointing out the terrible alliances involved in opposing Assad and asked in a piece widely shared on the left of politics: 'How would killing more people rescue Syria?' Which bring us finally to Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr yesterday that 'you can never say never' when it comes to future military interventions. But his instincts are with the first group, the pacifists. As are those of Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary who failed to come up with a single conflict she supported other than World War Two. Whether that means they are qualified for governing Britain is another question. But as the House of Commons gathers to debate the difficult issue today, it is good to know that there are those such as Tugendhat who are mindful of the cost of inaction, just as there are those, such as that Quaker, who remain ever-anxious about the price of war. Theresa May told to resolve Windrush crisis as MPs and bishops step up pressure Ministers are facing heavy criticism from church leaders and MPs today over their handling of thousands of long-term immigrants who are told they face deportation after decades in the UK. More than 140 MPs from all parties have signed a letter to Theresa May expressing concern over the so-called Windrush generation. Thousands of Commonwealth-born immigrants, who came to the UK up to 70 years ago as children, are now being denied access to healthcare and told they may be deported because they do not have proper paperwork. Led by Labour's David Lammy, a committed Christian, they called on May to find a 'swift resolution of this growing crisis'. Sarah Mullally, the bishop of London, backed a petition calling for amnesty which now has the 100,000 signatures required to be considered for parliamentary debate. Petition: Amnesty for anyone who was a minor that arrived In Britain between 1948 to 1971 https://t.co/XazasK6j5S BishopSarah (@bishopSarahM) 14 April 2018 Pete Broadbent, the bishop of Willesden and until recently acting bishop of London, described the Home Office's handling of the controversy as 'out of control' and inept. The Home Office are out of control. Their ineptitude in record keeping jeopardises hundreds of our people here in London. Please sign the petition. https://t.co/R5dLuIxvRj Pete Broadbent (@petespurs) 13 April 2018 Four other bishops, Michael Ipgrave of Lichfield, Mark Rylands of Shrewsbury, Clive Gregory of Wolverhampton and Geoff Annas of Stafford, also urged their dioceses to sign the petition late last week. Amber Rudd, the home secretary, will face MPs for Home Office questions at 2.30pm in the House of Commons and is expected to receive heavy criticism. The 1971 Immigration Act gave all Commonwealth citizens living in the UK the right to remain but free movement between Commonwealth nations was ended from that time onwards. However the Home Office did not keep a record of those given leave to remain meaning they now find themselves having to prove they are legally. Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, said there was no 'absolutely no question of their right to remain' but admitted the Home Office's handling needed to be better. 'What clearly needs to happen is we need to do a better job with the process that these individuals are having to go through,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'People who are in that situation, there is absolutely no question of their right to remain and their right to gain access to services such as healthcare. 'My advice to anyone who finds themselves in these circumstances is to contact your local MP...that is what we are there for. People should not be concerned about this. They have the right to stay and we should be reassuring them of that.' What life is really like for Christians in a North Korean prison Hea Woo (not her real name) sits across the table in the basement restaurant of a Premier Inn hotel in central London. It seems a strangely ordinary place to hear a remarkable life story. A North Korean escapee, Woo was one of as many as 200,000 people held in labour camps across the secretive state. Unlike many others, she survived her sentence and later escaped into South Korea. After trying to flee North Korea into China an act Pyongyang considers illegal Woo was moved between 10 different prisons. She describes the conditions as a 'living hell'. Many others are too traumatised to speak about it at all. 'When people died the guards just broke the dead bodies in to two pieces, put them in a cart and took them outside,' she tells Christian Today in an interview. 'Once in a while we had to take the bodies outside of the camps to cremate the bodies. But the crematorium was so small and there were so many dead bodies that we had to cut the dead bodies into small pieces with an axe,' she adds. 'After the cremation the ashes were scattered in the fields but often they were blown away in the wind. So the inmates had to walk over the ash. I thought; "One day the prisoners will walk over me".' Already suffering from malnutrition when she arrived, Woo describes how she shared a cell designed for 50 with 200 other inmates. 'We were so cramped if you got up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet you couldn't find any space to squeeze back in to sleep. There wasn't even space to stand properly,' she says. 'In one corner of the cell there was a toilet but to prevent the prisoners from escaping there were no windows in the toilet only a hole in the floor,' she adds. 'So it was really disgusting and the smell was so horrible. The people suffered headaches because of the smell and often we would get sick. Also there were lots of rats in the toilets.' Woo's husband died in a similar labour camp after being arrested for his Christian faith. Open Doors, a Christian persecution charity, ranks North Korea as the worst country in the world to be a Christian. 'Persecution is led by the state which sees Christians as hostile elements that have to be eradicated,' the charity says. After converting to Christianity herself before being imprisoned, Woo says: 'In that horrid situation God was there too. 'I started to pray for the lost souls there who are dying without knowing Jesus Christ. I prayed to the Lord saying: "I want to be a salt and light in this place for these poor souls".' She was caught speaking about her faith on four separate occasions and tortured each time. On one particularly brutal occasion she says she was tortured for three days in a row. 'I wasn't scared of the torture but I was scared that I might lose consciousness and in my unconsciousness I might deny Jesus' name. That was what I was scared of. 'But on the fourth day I just collapsed and felt I couldn't stand any more. So again I cried out to the Lord and I was reminded of the verse from Jeremiah 33.3: "Call to me I will answer you and I will show you unimaginable things..." 'So I was able to bear all the sufferings at the time. I was taken back to my cell and heard the really loud, audible voice of the Lord. It said: "My beloved daughter, you walked on water today." 'It was a really loud strong audible voice but no one else heard. 'I realised that the Lord was there when I was tortured. I had to really thank him that he was there with me. After that day I didn't get tortured. The Lord protected me.' Speaking through a translator, Woo is understated. She describes her treatment at length but without emotion. Until, that is, she comes to her escape, when the tears begin to flow. After being released from prison she returned again to the Yalu River which separates North Korea from its only ally, China. 'When I stepped into the river the rain changed into snow which veiled the guards,' she says. 'But because it was rainy season there was a very strong current. One moment I just was swept away in that current and lost my consciousness. 'But when I opened my eyes I was on the other side of the river, in China! 'On the bank there was a very high electric fence. So I prayed at that time that "Lord, you have led me this far. If it is time for me to go to you, then just take my life." Then I put my hand into the fence. 'But after a while I thought I was dead but I was able to open my eyes...I realised there was no electricity.' Starting to cry she goes on: 'The journey from that point up to the border between China and Myanmar was not easy either. We were stopped several times and each time we were taken to the police station. But strangely, amazingly, I wasn't searched or asked to show my ID. 'So all those times I was able to go through the border from China to Myanmar. From Myanmar to Thailand we had to get a boat for about six hours. 'On that boat I suddenly realised nobody would arrest me even if I sang out loud praising the Lord. So for all that six hours I praised the Lord with a strong voice! 'So I really thank the Lord he answered all my prayers, whether it was a prayer in a whisper, or a prayer in a shout. All my prayers have been answered! My confession of faith is in Psalm 119.71 which says: "It is for my good that I have been afflicted so that I can follow his law." 'Now I am the happiest person in the whole world! I have nothing but because of Jesus Christ in me I am so happy!' To find out more about Open Doors' work in North Korea click here. Flinck and Bol Rembrandts star pupils During his lifetime Rembrandt employed more than 50 pupils in his Amsterdam studio. Christies Old Masters specialist John Hawley explains why The Standard Bearer, offered in April, was probably by one of two of his most accomplished alumni Govert Flinck (1615-1660) and Ferdinand Bol (1616-1680) were two of Rembrandt van Rijns (1606-1669) most successful students. After establishing their own studios in the 1640s, both achieved acclaim equal to their teacher. The British painter Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) once remarked that he thought Rembrandts masterpiece The Night Watch was more likely to be by Bol. Today, as Christies Old Masters specialist John Hawley explains, both artists remain in Rembrandts considerable shadow. A recent exhibition at the Rembrandthuis Museum in Amsterdam re-examined the output of Flinck and Bol, and included The Standard Bearer (below), which is an unsigned reproduction of Rembrandts original that now hangs in a private collection in Paris. The shows catalogue attributed the circa 1630s work, which is the only painted studio reproduction of the image, to possibly Govert Flinck or Ferdinand Bol. According to Hawley, These are the only two painters working in Rembrandts studio in the 1630s who were advanced enough in their studies to create such a masterful variant. By 1631 Rembrandt had become the head of an Amsterdam workshop where pupils could learn the painting trade under his tutelage. To provide additional cash flow, he charged them 100 guilders a year (roughly $6,000 in todays money), which covered tuition fees and materials, but not board. Over his 40-year career, he took on no fewer than 50 students (at least 20 are named in documents, and another 30 are identifiable on stylistic grounds), and in one year alone earned 2,500 guilders from running one of the busiest art enterprises of the 17th century. Entry to the studio was usually dependent on talent. Fortunately, both Flinck and Bol had previously trained in other workshops and came to Rembrandt to polish their skills. They were probably therefore able to skip the lessons on mixing pigments and stretching canvases, and begin instead with reproducing Rembrandts drawings and paintings, commencing with studies in perspective and texture before advancing on to the flesh of figures and faces. During training, which typically lasted between one and four years, Rembrandt contractually retained the right to sell their works and retain all the proceeds, so long as he supplied their materials. While at least five later painted variants of The Standard Bearer are known, the evidence suggests this painting could have only been made by Flinck or Bol As reproductive exercises, these pictures by Rembrandts students suppressed individual creativity and were rarely signed by the artists responsible. In addition, works by Rembrandts pupils were frequently mixed with his own when entering the market, and various names would be posited to anonymous pictures when they changed hands. It is testament to the quality of The Standard Bearer that when it was bought in the late 19th century by the American businessman and collector P.A.B. Widener, it was widely considered to be by Rembrandt himself, rather than by Bol, Flinck, or any other of his students. The original Standard Bearer quickly became one of Rembrandts most iconic images and was subsequently reproduced in drawings and paintings well into the 18th century, explains Hawley. And while at least five later painted variants are known, the evidence suggests this painting could have only been made by Flinck or Bol. The way the light delicately catches the figures billowing sleeves and the mans nuanced facial features, complete with wispy hair and fleshy, pinkish jowls, are the tells of a particularly skilled painter, adds the specialist. The only two artists working with Rembrandt in the mid-1630s who were this advanced were Flinck and Bol. Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (1606-1669), Self-Portrait in a Velvet Cap with Plume. Plate 136 x 105 mm. Sheet 143 x 111 mm. Sold for 10,000 on 14 December 2017 at Christies in London The Harvard Business School Alumni Angels on Monday evening will launch its first Houston chapter at an event at Station Houston, an effort to bring together Harvard-affiliated angel investors and local startup companies. The group, called the HBS Houston Alumni Angels, says its goal is to provide a forum for investors to mentor early stage businesses in Houston, where venture capital projects outside of the oil and gas industry have been sparse. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to start talks with Kinder Morgan Inc. to backstop the Trans Mountain pipeline after failing to end a spat between Canadian provinces that put the vital project at risk. "We are going to get the pipeline built. It is a project in the national interest," Trudeau told reporters Sunday after meeting with premiers of British Columbia and Alberta. He asked Finance Minister Bill Morneau to launch a "formal financial discussion" with the company to hedge risk over the project and said he was preparing legislation to underscore federal jurisdiction over the line. "We will not have the discussions in public but this project will go ahead." The prime minister, after flying back to Canada from Peru to seek to end the impasse, wasn't able to dissuade British Columbia Premier John Horgan from his fight against the C$7.4 billion ($5.9 billion) expansion of the Trans Mountain line linking Alberta's oil sands to the neighboring province's Pacific Coast. Horgan said they continue to disagree and will proceed with a court battle against the project. "My obligation is to the people of B.C., and I will defend that until I am no longer premier," Horgan said Sunday after meeting in Ottawa with Trudeau and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. The dispute has become one of Trudeau's biggest challenges since winning a 2015 election promising to advance major energy projects while also protecting the environment. Canada could lose billions of dollars a year if new routes to overseas markets aren't developed to shrink a discount on crude from landlocked Alberta. "In the absence of a swift resolution to this issue, foreign and domestic investors will be left to question whether Canada is a suitable place to invest, create jobs and grow their businesses," John Manley, president and chief executive officer of the Business Council of Canada, said in a statement Thursday. Halted Work Kinder Morgan halted work on Trans Mountain a week ago and set a May 31 deadline for a resolution, after Horgan's government said it was considering a fresh legal challenge. Shares of Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd. fell 13 percent on April 9, the biggest decline since its initial public offering last May. "Our objectives are to obtain certainty with respect to the ability to construct through B.C. and for the protection of our shareholders," Kinder's Canadian unit said. "We do not intend to issue updates or further disclosures on the status of consultations until we've reached a sufficiently definitive agreement on or before May 31." Notley also said financial incentives will help meet the deadline, and the Alberta government will introduce legislation this week that could give powers to curb energy shipments to British Columbia. "I don't believe that it is in the best interests of the country to engage in esoteric jurisdictional debates for the purposes of harassing a project to death," Notley said. Horgan, who argues the risk of a spill in waters off Vancouver is too great, has rejected evidence he has little legal power to block a federally approved project. Environmental opponents said they will continue with protests. Environmental Opposition "We won't stop until this pipeline is dead," said Will George, who works with the Protect the Inlet campaign. Trudeau should see that it's bad for the environment, too, George said. "It's not going to help with climate change that years ago he agreed to help us with." Supporters of Trans Mountain said Trudeau's moves don't answer all questions about how to complete the project and end British Columbia's strategy of delay, said Bob Blakely, an executive at the Canadian Building Trades Unions. His group has called for an agreement to move the project forward. "This was the opening of the dance, there are still a couple more numbers to be played," he said of the political talks. "If they miss a construction season it might make the project too expensive for them to continue. That's what delay is all about." Pipeline Bottleneck Canada's oil production growth could surpass pipeline capacity by the mid-2020s, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. An outage on TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone system last year sent Western Canada Select crude's discount to West Texas Intermediate to the widest in four years. Expanding Trans Mountain -- in operation since 1953 -- would move an additional 590,000 barrels a day from Alberta's oil sands to a terminal near Vancouver. If maintained at current levels, discounts to Canadian crude caused largely by pipeline bottlenecks could cost producers roughly C$15.6 billion a year, Scotiabank said in a report in February. Read more about Canada's alternatives to Trans Mountain Politically, the dispute pits New Democratic Party governments in Alberta and British Columbia against each other. Horgan campaigned against Trans Mountain and, to pass major legislation, his government relies on three Green Party lawmakers who have taken an even harder line against Kinder Morgan. At the federal level, Trudeau's Liberals hold 18 of 42 districts in B.C., followed by 14 for the NDP. The saga has had some passionate moments, with Alberta temporarily banning wine from B.C. earlier this year. Trudeau, who speaks glowingly of his family's ties to Canada's west coast, in February was repeatedly shouted down at a town hall there by pipeline opponents and asked police to remove hecklers. Elizabeth May, a federal Green Party lawmaker, is among people who have been arrested for demonstrating around pipeline work sites. Trudeau said strong action is needed because of less certain trade ties with the U.S., which buys almost all of Canada's crude oil, and to show global investors his country is a good place to do business. "We need to be able to demonstrate we can get it done" he said. Legendary actor and funnyman Bill Murray is in Houston tonight to play Jones Hall and the city is abuzz with hopes that he will be seen about town. On tour with German cellist Jan Vogler and two other musicians promoting an album they released last year, this event is an American and European stew featuring ingredients from Mark Twain, J.S. Bach, Franz Schubert, Ernest Hemingway, Walt Whitman, Leonard Bernstein, Ira Gershwin and Stephen Foster. BILL'S WORLD: Bill Murray talks about the Astros, filming in Houston, and his new musical career When Chron.com spoke with Murray and Vogler just a few weeks back Murray was piloting an RV through Amish country. Of course Murray would be driving, forgoing the trappings of a private plane and bus for something more unique and fitting with the stage show. But if you were Murray and had a few hours to kill in Houston, where would you go? According to the Chron.com conversation, he might be in search of Ouisie's in River Oaks and their storied chicken fried steak with the works. Of course, he might be curious to see what this crawfish business is about (Chron.com put the bug in his ear, so to speak) so maybe he will treat his international crew of musicians to a few pounds of crawdads at BB's Cafe or somewhere similar. If he needs pointers on how to eat crawfish, Houston band manager Mark C. Austin has volunteered his services as a son of Louisiana and an avowed crawfish expert. DRINK UP: These are Houston's coolest new bars of the year, so far With Jones Hall's proximity to downtown Houston's thriving bar scene, it wouldn't seem out of the question to find him at unique haunts like La Carafe, Warren's Inn or Sunny's Bar. Who knows? Maybe he will be behind the bar at one of those places slinging drinks for thirsty patrons. Houstonians, if you happen to see him out and about, treat him with the upmost kindness and care. He just might come back later this year if the Astros and Cubs meet up in the postseason. Take it easy, Mr. Murray. You have to drive to Milwaukee after Monday night's show. Whataburger is recommended for any and all hangovers. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. A 14-year-old girl was shot in the leg Saturday as she rode in a car on the North Freeway, according to Houston police. The girl was a front-seat passenger in a northbound Cadillac Fleetwood when the vehicle was shot by gunfire about 5 p.m. in the 1900 block of Interstate 45. A bullet struck her in the leg; police said her injury is not life-threatening. April 1972 Apollo 16 was the 10th manned mission in the United States Apollo space program, the fifth and penultimate to land on the Moon and the first to land in the lunar highlands. It was crewed by Commander John Young, Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke and Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly. The Courier commemorated the event with a special photo page in April 1972. April 21, 1911 The Courier reported that the new State Bank building had been completed and was one of the prettiest and most convenient buildings ever in Conroe. It was to be open for business the first of May. April 21, 1911 American orator and politician William Jennings Bryan was to speak in Conroe during San Jacinto Day festivities. The Courier adjusted its printing that week to be able to cover the lecture. April 19, 1912 The first death in Conroe from meningitis occurred when Mrs. J.M. Thomas passed away after an illness of only two days. She was the wife of J.M. Thomas who had a shoe shop in the block west of the court house. April 20, 1916 Reports were coming in from the tomato-growing area of Willis, that the outlook for an early crop of tomatoes was very encouraging. The cucumbers in the Willis area were said to be growing nicely as well. April 19, 1917 Louie Cable and Maurice Alley went to Houston to enlist in the U.S. Navy. After being fitted, they were to report to Grand Lakes, Ill. April 16, 1920 According to Pastor R. E. Day, a new Baptist church building was to be started at once. The cost was to be $35,000 and it was to be patterned after the Baptist church in Jacksonville. April 20, 1923 Dr. H.H. McCain presided over the April 17 wedding of Thomas Earle Gentry and Miss Iola Boynton Everett. The Courier reported that the bride never looked more happy or more beautiful. Everett was the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H.B. Everett with Mr. Everett being a prominent merchant of early Conroe. April 15, 1932 Thousands of persons were on hand to witness the bringing in of the "heep" well but were disappointed as it was Monday morning before it was completed. Since that time, the roads were crowded with cars bringing the people from miles about to see with their own eyes. April 21, 1938 Mr. King Lung Chen, secretary to the vice consul of China, was the guest speaker at evening services at First Methodist Church in Conroe. He spoke on the affairs of the East, especially regarding young people. April 20, 1939 Charles "Pete" Harritt was selected as the District Governor of the 130th District of Rotary International at the Houston Convention. Harritt was the first president of the Conroe Rotary Club. April 18, 1940 Mr. and Mrs. Hulon N. Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. David Hailey went to Georgetown to be a part of the centennial celebration at Southwestern University. April 19, 1945 Six million board feet of timber from Sam Houston National Forest was sold to Frank H. Elmore of Willis. April 18, 1946 Texas Gov. Coke Stevenson spoke at the Conroe airport to the Lions Club. April 16, 1959 W.C. McClain was elected a member of the board of directors of the Conroe Federal Saving and Loan Company. McClain filled the unexpired term of the late J.I. Heard who had recently passed away. April 16, 1969 Mrs. Lois Lentz, acting librarian at the Montgomery County Library, received 400 new books for the county library. April 16, 1972 John Wiesner Buick-Pontiac was to have its grand opening at 815 W. Davis in Conroe April 17-22. A group of San Jacinto County residents created medical procedure dolls delivered to the Texas Childrens Hospital in the Woodlands on April 11. The group came together earlier this month in what is called the Kensley Project, which is named after a local girl known as Kensley Schrader who was diagnosed with leukemia. I have known her parents for most of their lives and wanted to do something, said Verna Bunny Irwin. Irwin and a small group of other local citizens decided to create dolls for local hospitals, which often use the dolls as tools when interacting with children. I had read about hospitals using medical help dolls to explain medical procedures to children, said Irwin. I contacted Christina [Schrader] and she talked to Texas Childrens Hospital and found there was a need. Then I enlisted my sewing friends to help. Other friends of Irwin also donated money to help purchase supplies for the dolls. The Kensley Project has existed for approximately two years. The group involved in the project previously donated dolls to Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston. Last week, the hospital in the Woodlands requested some, said Irwin. We sent 17 today. We have more dolls ready. We just need to finish clothes. The Woodlands branch of Texas Childrens Hospital opened last year in May. According to Irwin, she posts on Facebook to let her friends know when they are planning to work on dolls and whoever can help shows up at her house. I have a sewing room behind my house here in Shepherd and we meet there, she said. Sometimes its just me and one other person and sometimes five or six ladies. The Kensley Project has made 63 medical help dolls so far for local hospitals. jmcadams@hcnonline.com Today would have been Texas legend Selena's 47th birthday and in remembrance we're looking back at her performances at the Astrodome. The performer played RodeoHouston and the Eighth Wonder of the World a total of three times before her untimely shooting death in March 1995. DOME DAYS: 23 years ago, Selena became a RodeoHouston legend Her final stand inside the Dome, on Feb. 26, 1995, is still seen as one of the best of her career and one of the best in the history of Houston's annual rodeo. Music critic Rick Mitchell, who reviewed the 1995 show, said "Selena is Tejano's answer to Madonna, Janet Jackson and Gloria Estefan." Many reviewers though, like the Houston Chronicle's Joey Guerra, are of the mind that she was much more than an answer to other stars. She was her own creation and not just an imitation. Selena played the Dome three years straight in 1993, 1994 and 1995. VIDEODRONE: Drone provides never-before-seen view inside the Astrodome She was on the cusp of mainstream stardom and seemed to been reaching a turning point in her career at the time of her death and people still talk about that 1995 show like it was yesterday. Selena Quintanilla-Perez was shot and killed by fan club president Yolanda Saldivar in Corpus Christi a month after her 1995 RodeoHouston performance. It's likely that she would have had a long career playing RodeoHouston and her own solo shows inside the rodeo's future home NRG Stadium, which opened eight years later. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. THE CONCEPT A beloved 37-year-old Italian restaurant in west Houston gets a new owner and chef with impressive resumes. B&B Butchers Benjamin Berg bought the place from now-retired Carmelo Mauro, and Bergs brother, Daniel, who trained in Italy and has worked at high-profile New York restaurants, has devised a refreshed menu. THE SPACE Berg has made a few cosmetic touches and white-washed the main dining-room walls, but most of the Carmelos furnishings and fixtures will remain until he can begin a full renovation. Expect a more modern look and improved layout of the multiple dining spaces, as well as a new wine room and expanded bar area. THE FOOD The menu is a long document of Italian-American classics, touting top-shelf cheeses imported from Italy; vegetables and herbs from local purveyors; Prime beef from the B&B butcher shop; and a new made-in-house pasta program thanks to Daniel Berg. The chefs experience at two- and three-Michelin-star restaurants in Milan and Sicily, along with stints at spots such as Locanda Verde in Manhattan, come to bear across the board from starters (burrata or whipped ricotta with grilled bread, fried zucchini, various carpaccios) to larger plates think linguine with clams, papparadelle bolognese, osso buco with saffron risotto, bone-in veal parmigiana and the showstopping Bistecca Fiorentina, a 40-ounce grilled Prime dry-aged porterhouse for two. THE DRINKS Carmelos wine inventory is heavy on Italian reds, including Barberas, Barolos, Barbarescos and big Tuscans. The house Bellini combines prosecco, peach vodka and Cipriani peach puree. THE WORD Mauro had a proviso when he struck the deal with Berg late last year: that he could come in and eat pasta on the house twice a week for the rest of his life. The men agreed to the terms. He said, Im Italian! I need to eat pasta! Berg recalled with a laugh. ONE MORE THING The Bergs are opening another restaurant, called Benjamin, in the new Star apartment high-rise downtown this fall. THE DETAILS 14795 Memorial, 281-531-0696; carmelosrestaurant.com. Open for lunch and dinner Mondays through Fridays for dinner Saturdays and Sundays. greg.morago@chron.com Clara Harris, the Friendswood dentist who made national headlines more than a decade ago after she ran over and killed her cheating husband was released from prison at 8:20 a.m. May 11, according to Harris' former attorney and now close friend, Emily DeToto. "Clara served more time than most similarly situated people," DeToto said. "A jury spoke and she's done her time. I look forward to catching up with her soon." Her parole conditions include no contact with the victim's family. She must also reside in Galveston county, find gainful employment and abstain from drugs and alcohol. Clara Suarez Harris, who has served 15 years of her 20-year sentence for the July 24, 2002, manslaughter of 44-year-old dentist David Harris, was set to be released from the Crain unit in Gatesville, a womans prison complex near Waco. READ ALSO: Houston arrest warrant issued for World Series streaker The gruesome killing became a sensational case, with the Houston trial generating international media coverage and the crime spawning true-crime books and a made-for-television movie. In 2002, Clara Harris, who is originally from Colombia, and her orthodontist husband were a successful couple with a string of dental offices and lived in an upscale home in Friendswood. She became suspicious of her husband's philandering and hired a private investigator to keep an eye on him. When Harris was notified that her husband and his former receptionist Gail Bridges were at the Hilton in Nassau Bay, she confronted the woman in the hotel lobby, pulling her hair and biting her. The couple left the hotel and went to Bridges car, while the private investigator was in the hotel parking lot with a camera and videotaped the crime. Clara Harris hit Bridges with her car before she ran over her husband, and then wheeled her silver Mercedes-Benz sedan around and ran the car over him repeatedly. READ ALSO: Trials delayed in murder case of deputy and husband accused of choking man at Denny's David Harris then-17-year-old daughter from another marriage was a passenger in the car with Clara Harris when her father was run over and killed. At the trial, the teen testified her stepmother had driven the car over her father three times. When Harris parole was announced in November, it was condemned by victims advocates who wanted her to serve at least 17 years. Her supporters argued the 60-year-old has been rehabilitated. Its about time, Detoto said in November when the parole was announced. Its been long enough. brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjrogers High school proms are meant to commemorate the completion of a high school career and anticipate the start of the next chapter in a students life. Its typically one of the most anticipated school events of the year. But a snazzy tuxedo or glamorous ball gown wont prevent some party-goers from making bad decisions that could follow them for years. On April 11, Crime Stoppers of Houston held a Prep for Prom briefing at Mayde Creek High School, 19202 Groeschke Road. Representatives from Crime Stoppers, the Harris County District Attorneys Office and the Katy ISD Police Department were on hand to answer questions and provide information about keeping safe and out of jail on prom night. There are things that will cause destruction and disturbance in your lives, especially for a high schooler who has potentially accepted admission to a college and possibly has a scholarship, said Harris County prosecutor Sherin Daniel. She said their purpose for coming was to simply inform high school students about the real-life ramifications of what could happen because of a bad decision made on a single night. You think youre invincible. You think bad things are not going to happen to you, Daniel said. While some students often plan to drink on prom night, Daniel said the law takes a dim view of attempting to purchase alcohol if youre under the legal drinking age of 21 in Texas. You could be made to do eight to 40 hours of community service depending on the facts of the case, Daniel said. Depending on the details of the case, getting caught with alcohol could be anywhere from a Class A to Class C misdemeanor. While the blood alcohol level for drivers in Texas is .08, its a moot point for minors who arent allowed to drink at all, Daniel said. Youre not allowed to drive with any detectable amount of alcohol, she said. While some states have legalized or at least decriminalized marijuana - either for recreational or medicinal use or both - Texas is not one of the them, said Christine Lu, another Harris County assistant district attorney at the meeting. Lu also warned against sharing even legally-obtained prescription medicine with other students. Even if you may have a prescription for something, you cant go ahead and pass that drug on to someone else, Lu said. That is illegal. Be sure to carry that prescription with you at all times. In todays world, social media abuse misuse also can cause problems for prom goers. Once you put something on line, you cant take it back. It lives on the internet forever, said Jenna McGaw with Crime Stoppers. She said social media history could also be tracked by future employers. Be in the moment, McGaw said. Have fun at the prom. You dont have to document every moment. Katy ISD parent Denita Holmes has a son preparing for his senior prom and thought the information was very helpful. She wasnt aware that charges could be increased for criminal activity that takes place in a school environment - including a prom. If you get caught with a beer at a school event, its a heavier charge. That was a surprise to me, Holmes said. Holmes has an older son who went to the prom several years ago. She attended because she wanted to learn if anything had changed. The people who come to this stuff usually have the kids who dont get into trouble, Holmes said. But you can never be too careful. mike.glenn@chron.com Sola Gratia, a womens choir of Kingwood United Methodist church will present their I Will Riseconcert at 3 p.m. on April 22 to help raise funds for the Oaks of Righteousness program. Oaks of Righteousness is a nonprofit organization in downtown Humble that helps women live a normal and stable life after incarceration. Less than half of Houston ISD seniors started classes in a community college, vocational school or four-year university the fall after they were expected to graduate, a new study from Rice University's higher education research consortium found. The study, by postdoctoral fellow Brian Holzman, found that starting college immediately after high school was associated with higher rates of certificate, diploma and degree completion. Less than a third of HISD students earned any kind of degree or certificate within six years of high school, the report found. Holzman tracked HISD high school students who started their senior years in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He examined disparities in college enrollment and completion trends for the report. He notes that after his last cohort left high school, HISD hired college success advisers to help high school seniors with college applications and financial aid forms. Among his findings: For every 100 HISD high-school seniors, the report found, 19 completed a bachelor's degree six years after high school. Hispanic students disproportionately attended community colleges or technical and vocational schools. About two-thirds of Hispanic students did not enroll in college in the fall after expected high-school graduation. That figure was 26 percent for white students. About 85 percent of students who made it to college stayed enrolled one year after they matriculated. He spoke to the Houston Chronicle about gaps between Hispanic and white students, the ability to transfer from a community college and his recommendations going forward for the nation's seventh-largest school district. Excerpts of his interview with Chronicle higher education reporter Lindsay Ellis follow: Q: What was the most surprising finding, in your mind? A: The large Hispanic-white gap, even when you account for other background characteristics. In other data sets Ive used, that are nationally representative, oftentimes those relationships, those racial gaps, disappear when you account for socioeconomic status and measures of academic performance. Here in Houston, they did not for Hispanics (who enrolled in college anytime in the first six years after high school). They did for blacks, for the most part, and for Asians. They werent significant white-Asian gaps. For Hispanics, it was large and persistent. That doesnt mean that Hispanics dont want to go to college. It just means that theres something to that gap that were not explaining with our data. We need to figure that out. Maybe were not capturing immigration as well. Students who have immigrant parents may have less of an understanding of the U.S. higher education system. Q: What about for the students who enrolled right after high school? A: If you only look at the kids that did enroll right after high school and then look at completion six years after high school just those immediate college enrollees, there wasnt really much of a white-Hispanic gap in completion. That says to me that immediate college enrollment might be one strategy that the district could pursue -- to enter college right after high school, when theyre in that academic mindset, before other stuff in life happens. When youre out of school, you start working maybe you like your job, you have a family. Its harder to go back when youre out of the educational pipeline. Q: You found that if students started at a four-year institution versus a two-year institution, the ones who started at a four-year institution had higher completion rates than those who started at a vocational school or community college. Can those differences be attributed to a students socioeconomic status? A: I didnt control for stuff with that statistic. But I know in other research, other research does look at (that question). Community college is often thought of as a pathway to a four-year college. Kids may choose it because its cheaper, maybe they want to live closer to home. But theres pretty significant research that shows that starting at a community college has negative affects on earning a four-year degree. Some of it is attributable to students background characteristics. They have socioeconomic challenges. They want to live at home. They want to work part time. But at the same time, I think a lot of it is on the institutional side. Four-year colleges, especially private colleges, have a lot more resources. They have writing centers. Living on campus is a good thing for academic engagement. Theres not as much of a support network for kids in community colleges. Q: The study you did came before HISD put in place the advising program you mention specifically. Whats happened since then? A: Another researcher is working on an evaluation of the College Success Advising program. Its still early to tell the results. Theyve only got one year of data of the initiative. There will be a brief coming up in the next few months about that. They didnt see a whole lot of gains in overall enrollment rates, but they did see kids shift from two- to four-year degrees. Q: What else do you recommend? A: Starting earlier, getting students to think about college earlier, and then helping them take the coursework to get there, it would be helpful. Trying to identify ways to reduce the racial ethnic gap particularly for Hispanics. Figuring out ways to address that communitys concerns, doing more outreach to the Hispanic community. There may be immigrants. They may not have the information or may require additional personal assistance in the application process. Finding better ways to reach out to racial and ethnic groups and adjust to their unique needs. Read the full study here. Lindsay Ellis writes about higher education for the Chronicle. You can follow her on Twitter and send her tips at lindsay.ellis@chron.com. On April 16, 1947, one of the largest industrial explosions ever killed an estimated 576 people in Texas City, about 40 miles south of Houston. Recently uncovered video from the incident shows that smoke and flames that raged in Texas City after the deadly blasts. A cargo ship called the Grandcamp, which had previously been docked in Houston, was docked in Texas City. While there, it was being loaded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer, an extremely flammable substance. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Plans for Texas City ammonia plant spark environmental, health concerns A fire broke out in the ship's cargo hold and despite efforts to extinguish the flames, the fire spread. At 9:12 a.m., the ship exploded. The blast was so massive that it leveled or damaged more than 1,000 surrounding buildings, shattered windows in Houston 40 miles away, and in Denver, over 900 miles away, a seismograph registered the explosion as if it were an earthquake. See rare video from the aftermath of the deadly blasts collected from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Historical Museum and Research Center... There is another, more graphic video on YouTube of the grim task that officials had to undertake in the wake of the disaster. Charred bodies and various body parts can be seen in the clip as medical staff worked to identify the corpses using dental records and other means. That footage can be seen on LiveLeak. The fire from the devastating explosion continued to grow throughout the day. The bright orange smoke, caused by burning nitrate, attracted crowds that included schoolchildren. As the flames grew, they spread to another ship, the SS High Flyer, and fifteen hours later a second blast occurred. Along with the 576 people killed by the blasts, more than three thousand people were injured. Neighboring emergency staff, including police, fire and medical personnel from Houston, raced to the Bay Area community to help. RELATED: The 20 worst days in Houston's history Over 1,000 people attended the memorial service at the Central High School gymnasium and celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Jack Benny also participated in fundraising events to bring thousands of dollars for the recovery effort. In June 1947, the 63 bodies that remained unidentified were buried in a city park during a mass funeral service. Following the explosion, more than 3,000 lawsuits against the federal government were filed because the ammonium nitrate came from U.S. ordnance plants. By 1955, Congress resolved the lawsuits by settling the claims for $16.5 million. Furthermore, the accident resulted in new regulations for the manufacturing and shipping of chemicals. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. He's an intolerable native Texan with too much ink in his skin and too much brisket stuck in his teeth. A former Houston police officer accused of sharing nude photos of his ex-girlfriend on Facebook is facing new felony charges. On Saturday, 44-year-old Stephen McGee of Clear Lake was charged with possession or promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child. MORE DETAILS: Ex-HPD officer charged in stalking, 'revenge porn' case in Webster Last month, McGee was arrested after violating a protective order that barred him from being near his ex-girlfriend, whom he is accused of stalking and harassing. Harris County court records show that McGee allegedly made a fake Facebook account in early March to post nude photos of his ex-girlfriend on the public page of Studio 80, an '80s-themed nightclub in Webster. The ex-HPD cop went as far as tagging her in the nude photos so that friends and family could see them, court records show. He was arrested in late March after allegedly visiting his ex-girlfriend's house and damaging her vehicle. On Saturday, prosecutors filed five new felony charges against McGee, accusing him of possessing multiple image files depicting underage nude children. See other Houston area cops who've been accused of law-breaking above. Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93. NASA wants Americans to be able to travel faster, possibly faster than the speed of sound. Imagine if you could fly from New York to Los Angeles in two hours. While NASA says this is possible with supersonic flight, it's currently too loud. With supersonic flight, an airplane causes the air around it to react with a shock wave, which is perceptible on the ground as a very loud sonic boom. Because these noises can be disturbing to communities down below, NASA's Commercial Supersonic Technology Project is working on a new test plane, the Low Boom Flight Demonstration X-plane, which will allow quieter supersonic flight. NASA researchers hope their test flights and resulting community response can help lawmakers determine whether commercial passenger and cargo flights can reach supersonic speeds over land in the future. In November 2018, NASA will run a series of test flights with a different plane, creating the quieter sonic boom sound in the Galveston area with flights of the NASA F/A-18 aircraft. The flights will take off from Ellington Airport in the Clear Lake area, and will feature a series of supersonic dive maneuvers off the coast, NASA said in a press release. The test flights will help researchers determine how best to collect community response data from future supersonic flights of the piloted Low Boom Flight Demonstration X-plane, which is under construction now. The X-plane is slated to begin testing of its supersonic technology in 2022. Community response test flights are planned for 2023 - 2025. More information about November's research flights with the F/A-18 aircraft will be released during a Tuesday press conference. April 6 An officer was dispatched to the 11600 block of the Southwest Freeway to meet with a City of Stafford Police Department officers who had a subject in custody for en warrants with the City of West University Place Police Department. The suspect was transported to the West University Jail and booked on the warrants without incident. April 8 An officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to a Forgery that already occurred. At 10:07 am, an officer observed a vehicle in operation with an expired registration sticker in the 6600 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was conducted and while speaking with the driver it was discovered that there was no insurance for the vehicle, and that the driver was operating the vehicle with a suspended drivers license. The driver was subsequently arrested for driving while license invalid. April 9 At 2:48 pm, an officer was dispatched to the 2700 block of Werlein in regards to a minor accident- FSGI that already occurred. An officer was dispatched to a parking lot located in the 1600 Block of S Loop W in order to obtain custody of a subject who had a West University Place warrant. Upon arrival, the subject was taken into custody and transported to West University Place without incident. At 10:05am an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to speak with a victim of lost property. April 10 An officer was dispatched to the West U PD lobby to meet with a resident concerning identity theft. April 11 At 8:31 am, an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regard to a walk-in report of an accident. Upon arrival, information was gathered, and a report for a minor accident/ failure to stop and give information (FSGI) was generated. Officers observed a vehicle parked curbside on the 6400 block of Wakeforest St, with its parking lights illuminated. Officers approached the vehicle and saw a subject asleep in the driver seat with the keys in the ignition and the vehicle turned off. Upon contact the vehicles occupant was observed to be intoxicated and taken into custody for Public Intoxication. April 12 At 9:06 PM, an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regards to an identity theft that already occurred. After a lopsided vote against the measure by the city council, Katy will not become a sister city to a municipality located in a former Soviet republic. In a 4-to-1 vote, the council turned down an economic development offer with Bobruisk, a large industrial city in the eastern section of Belarus. How is this beneficial for the taxpayers of Katy? council member J. Gary Jones asked. This is a ploy for publicity for the Republic of Belarus. Katy Mayor Chuck Brawner said officials from Bobruisk, also spelled Babruysk or Babrujsk - came to Texas about three weeks ago to visit Houston, Austin and San Antonio. They said theyd like to stop by the city of Katy, Brawner said. Katys on the map, I guess. Katy officials gave the visitors a tour of the area, including the city hall that had been refurbished after sustaining extensive damage from Hurricane Harvey. They couldnt believe how nice this was here, Brawner said. We talked and they bought a couple of boxes of chocolates. The officials from Belarus were so impressed with Katy that they pulled out an already prepared Memorandum of Understanding - or MoU - laying out the provisions of the sister city agreement. They wanted me to sign it but I told them I couldnt, Brawner said. I told them I had to put it before the council. Belarus is a landlocked country, bordered by Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and Latvia - along with Russia. Although technically a republic, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice labeled it, Europes last dictatorship. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Belarus has had only one president - Alexander Lukashenko, its current leader. The only Katy council member to vote for the measure was Jimmy Mendez. They came all the way down here to see how great Katy is. I love it, Mendez said. Mendez said hes used to being on the other side of the issue than some of his fellow council members. Its not going to cost us anything and it doesnt hurt to have somebody talking about the Katy Tigers in Belarus, he said after the vote failed. Jones said there are more pressing issues for Katys elected leaders to address than a sister city agreement. Ive got citizens out here looking on our website to find out information regarding our upcoming bond election. Im opposed to it, he said to scattered applause from people in the audience. Brawner said he was ambivalent about Katy developing an official relationship with Bobruisk. But, he said there wouldnt have been any junkets to Belarus for Katys leaders had the measure passed. Im not going over there. They told me how cold it was, Brawner said. mike.glenn@chron.com More than a dozen prisoners at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville are on hunger strike in response to a lockdown amid a rash of feces-throwing incidents, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Seventeen of the 156 inmates on lockdown started refusing food on Friday, and are being regularly checked by medical staff. News of the hunger strike comes less than a day after a seven-hour jailhouse brawl in South Carolina that killed seven and became the worst prison riot in a quarter century, according to the Associated Press. In Texas, the latest disciplinary lockdown began March 23 in response to an uptick in infractions, including verbal abusiveness toward officers and "chunking," or throwing bodily fluids. READ MORE: 10-day hunger strike ends at North Texas prison One inmate tossed feces at a guard after the lockdown, and a number of prisoners tossed feces wrapped in newspaper out into common areas while the unit was on medical restriction and there were no janitors. The alleged bad behavior comes less than a week after an Telford Unit inmate was hit with a life sentence in response to a chunking incident. "The offenders say they are protesting a lockdown of their housing area for disciplinary reasons," said spokesman Jeremy Desel. The prisoners locked down at the 2,625-inmate Wynne Unit are all G4 classification, which can often mean they've had a history of disciplinary violations. In late December, a group of about 45 inmates at the Allred Unit in north Texas went on hunger strike, citing complaints over recreational time and food portions and temperature. The action ended in early January, though it wasn't clear if anything was done to address the complaints. The stepfather of three Houston children who presumably plunged off a California cliff to their deaths last month joined with black community members on Monday in anguish over the childrens out-of-state adoption by a mother who was behind the wheel when the family perished. "Im going to be honest, why did they let her take these kids out of the state of Texas?" stepfather Nathaniel Davis said before a prayer vigil held for the children. "It wasn't right. They shouldnt have taken the kids away from us like they did. Authorities in California are still investigating the March 26 incident which has gripped and horrified people across the nation. A car carrying a family of eight ran off a 100-foot cliff that day, and the bodies of Sarah and Jennifer Hart, both 39, and three of the couple's adopted children were recovered soon after. Their other three children were also believed to be in the car but have not been found. Three of the six children in the Harts care who were thought to be in the car that day were Sierra, Jeremiah and Devonte, a group of siblings who were adopted from Harris County in 2009. The discovery that the adoptive children were from Texas has prompted a renewed call for reform of the states foster system, which was ruled broken in 2015 by a U.S. district judge who demanded the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services overhaul how it oversees foster services for thousands of children in long-term care. A total of 21 bills aimed at addressing issues with the foster system passed through the Texas Legislature in 2017. But Monday outside the Harris County Family Law Center, the Coalition for the Preservation of the Black Family and about a dozen supporters argued that more needs to be done, and that the state unnecessarily and unfairly separates black families in the foster system. We need to spend more time and more money strengthening the family not on the court system that keeps them [apart] from those families, said Deloyd Parker, executive director of the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, which serves the Houston African-American community. Right now we have misplaced priorities. Spokesmen with the state agency declined to comment on specifics of the case because of confidentiality reasons and re-issued a statement sent when news organizations first reported that the Hart children were adopted out of Texas. "In any adoption, we try to look at absolutely everything to ensure that it is a good match that the child or children are getting a permanent and loving home," the statement reads. "A typical adoption includes trial visits, and at least a six-month placement with the adoptive parents. During that time, for out-of-state adoptions, the child welfare agency in that state would be monitoring the family and reporting back to us, and we in turn report it to the judge overseeing the case. The judge reviews all the information on the adoptive parents and decides to approve, or deny, or ask for more information." READ ALSO: Woman who drove SUV with family off cliff was drunk, police say The process to remove the Houston children from the custody of their biological mother began in 2006. Court records show that the mother had a history of drug abuse and that one of the children had suffered multiple bone fractures in her care. Her parental rights were terminated, according to the records. An aunt, Houston resident Priscilla Celestine, sought custody of the children -- Sierra, Devonte and Jeremiah and one other sibling, records show. A Houston-based appeals court denied her request in 2010 because she had let the boy's biological mother see the children, in violation of a judicial order barring visitation. According to the court records, the children lived with Celestine for about five months before they were placed in foster care. The Harts then adopted the three siblings in 2009, while they were living in Minnesota. The Harts had previously adopted Abigail, Hannah and Markis - all siblings from Colorado County in 2006. The Harts did not adopt the fourth Houston sibling removed from Celestines care. That fourth sibling is currently incarcerated and doesn't know his siblings are possibly dead, Davis said. The stepfather said he and his wife the Houston childrens biological mother looked after the three siblings until they were put into the foster system. While his wife struggled with drug abuse, she was a loving and good parent, Davis said. My wife, she always had been nice to our kids, Davis said. Wed never turn our back on those kids. Since the crash, a slew of allegations has surfaced about the Hart womens treatment of their adopted wards in Minnesota, Washington and Oregon. Sarah Hart pleaded guilty in 2011 to domestic assault in Minnesota. An Alexandria police report obtained last week shows that one of the daughters told authorities in 2008 one of her mothers bruised her with a belt, months before one of the adoptions was finalized. And in March, neighbors in Woodland, Wash., contacted child welfare workers with concerns about the children not having enough food to eat. Washington authorities had visited the Harts home days before the crash. California law enforcement officials are investigating whether the crash was intentional. Sondera Malry, a member at large of the Association of Black Social Workers, said too many families have been wrongly separated through the foster system, and that the Hart children are the latest to be placed in a worse situation than the one they left. "This story is an age-old story," Malry said. "We have been struggling with trying to keep our children with our families for many, many years. This is not new. But this is so tragic that these particular children were taken even out of the Harris County area, out of a system right here in Texas all the way into another state and then were brutally disregarded in terms of their life needs. This should never have been, she said. While interstate adoptions are still uncommon, roughly 300 to 400 foster children living in Texas are adopted each year from across state lines, the San Antonio Express-News reported. This is genocide, said Pamela Muhammad, attorney for the Coalition for the Preservation of the Black Family. The Houston family was shattered by callous and wanton disregard, under the pretext of using the law as a tool to separate us from our loved ones. Muhammad said the coalition is committed to providing the black community tools to prevent the separation of families through the foster system. Weve got to give them a fight because our children are worth it, Muhammad said. We are here in prayer, were praying for strength that we can fight this battle, and were praying for this family that has suffered this loss. St. John Barned-Smith contributed to this report. Growth, traffic and infrastructure are topics in an Alvin City Council race between Mayor Pro Tem Brad Richards and Bunky Jordan. In seeking another term to At Large Position 1 in the May 5 election, Richards, 70, says he wants to continue leading current projects. I have served on the council for six years now and I would like to see some of the projects we are working on, like streets and infrastructure, completed to make Alvin a great place to live, work and play, said Richards, who owns Brads Mufflers in Alvin and has lived in the city for more than 40 years. I love my job and the city of Alvin. I have been talking to as many people as I can and letting them know what I stand for and that there are no challenges at this point that we as a council cannot handle, Richards said. Jordan, 50, said he emphasizes accountability and transparency of government, lower taxes and controlled growth. By controlled growth I mean that I believe all things should be considered equally police, fire/(emergency medical services) and infrastructure for example, Jordan said. If growth occurs in Alvin, then when all three of those items are being reviewed, they should all be considered at the same time, not one growing above the other. Jordan has been campaigning through newspaper ads, road signs and talking with residents. By serving on the City Council, this is one more way to give back to the local community that supports us in so many ways, Jordan said. Those that know me, know that I am easily approachable, a good listener, can think for myself and most importantly will research the solutions brought before council for the citizens of Alvin. Jordan owns a construction company in Alvin and believes his experience contributes to the knowledge of the city. Thirty years of experience in varying residential, commercial, municipal and some industrial construction will be beneficial with the planning and prioritizing the growth of Alvin, Jordan said. Candidates are running uncontested races for district positions B and C on the council, which has seven seats two at large and five by districts. all seats for three year terms. Adam Arendell, 50, who has served on the council for six years and is running unopposed for District B, said he plans to address traffic and infrastructure in his next term. We have an overwhelming amount of traffic that filters through our town now, and our bypass around town as well as other infrastructures are in need of updating, he said. These issues are being addressed by our staff as well as my peers on council, and they have been and will continue to work with county and state officials to ensure we are being represented and the needs of our community are received and noted. Attempts to reach Keith Thompson, who is running unopposed for the councils District C position, were unsuccessful. 3 1 of 3 Google Earth Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Google Earth Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Three Pasadena ISD schools were on lockdown Monday morning as police pursued a man who exchanged gunfire with an officer. The gunman was apprehended shortly before 7:40 a.m., Pasadena police tweeted. A northeast Texas man convicted of strangling his girlfriend moved one step closer to a possible execution date after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned down his appeal despite what his lawyer described as a "compelling case of actual innocence." Daniel Acker was sent to death row in 2001 for the slaying of Marquetta George. The two were sharing a rented trailer in Hopkins County in March 2000 when they got in a fight after a night at the Bustin' Loose nightclub. Afterward, they parted ways and later Acker went searching for the 32-year-old Sulphur Springs woman, according to court filings. Her body was eventually found bloodied and beaten on the side of a road, and investigators fingered Acker for the killing. At trial, the defense argued that George jumped out of the couple's truck and was hit. Prosecutors said her boyfriend strangled her, then dumped her body. Acker was sentenced to death and has spent the past 18 years fighting his case, at times filing appeals on his own. The latest appeal, filed by attorney A. Richard Ellis, argued that prosecutors used false testimony from experts and repeatedly changed their theory of the crime. The case at trial was predicated on the theory that George was strangled - and the defense argued that she wasn't, and that an expert for the state later admitted it. Ellis also contended that the trial court of wrongly refused to allow evidence that could have shown Acker's innocence. But this week the nation's highest court without comment turned down the case. "I am of course very disappointed that the Supreme Court declined to review Mr. Acker's compelling case of actual innocence," Ellis said. "This was a tragic accident, where the victim jumped from Mr. Acker's truck -- an accident for which he has taken full responsibility from the time he turned himself in to the authorities -- but not a murder," he continued. "Going forward, we will be assessing our options to prevent a terrible miscarriage of justice." Acker does not yet have an execution date set. An off-duty police sergeant shot a man who was attempting to break in to his south Houston home Monday morning, Police Chief Art Acevedo said. The Houston Police Department officer, his elderly parents and aunt were awakened around 12:20 a.m. to the sound of banging on the door of their home, near Wentworth and Sauer, Acevedo said. The officer armed himself and went to the door, telling the would-be robber to leave. 3 1 of 3 Google Maps Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Google Maps Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A pedestrian on train tracks north of downtown Houston was struck and killed by a train Monday afternoon, authorities said. Houston police were called out to the Amtrak station in the 900 block of Washington Avenue shortly before 3:30 p.m. They discovered a pedestrian on the tracks had been struck and killed. AUSTIN Fox Business veteran Neil Cavuto was serious and intent in a recent televised interview as Gov. Greg Abbott ran down the list of issues on which he agrees with President Donald Trump. New tariffs on Chinese goods: China has been a trade abuser for a long time, Abbott told a national audience on the Tuesday afternoon show. Deployment of the National Guard to the U.S. border with Mexico: This is a gap filler until Trump builds his wall. Trumps disputed proposals to change the North American Free Trade Agreement: An even better NAFTA will result. Then, Cavuto asked: Quite often, the talk is youre the presidents favorite governor? Abbott just beamed, declining to give a direct answer. Hes doing great, the 60-year-old Republican said of Trump, hinting at how close he and the president are. Just talked to him yesterday. Giving such an embrace of Trump would be dangerous words in many parts of the country at a time when the president is a lightning rod for voter anger. Top Republican officials in many states are openly distancing themselves from any connections with their commander-in-chief and his myriad legal and political problems as they try to survive a predicted blue wave of Democratic turnout in the November elections. Not so much in Texas. This is a Red State where Trump remains popular among most Republicans and even some Democrats, a state that he won in 2016 by a slimmer margin that Republican Mitt Romney had four years before. And while political consultants for both parties agree he will be a drag on Texas Republicans in November, the growing question is just how much. Fact: For the first time in a decade, Texas Republicans are having to worry about the vote drag their president could have on elections, much as Democrats suffered through eight years of Barack Obama, whom Texas Republicans loved to hate. Trump wont be as much of an effect as he is in some northern states, but he will have impact here, said Mark Jones, a Rice University political science professor who has been monitoring the Trump effect in Texas races for months. In some of the down ballot races in Texas, the strategy youre seeing is a modest embrace of Trump. ... Republicans with strong brands like Abbott are not going to tarnish themselves by agreeing with him. Even so, Abbott confidantes privately acknowledge he likely will be re-elected by a slimmer margin than four years ago, when he beat Democratic rising star Wendy Davis by 20 points. They blame Trump. Its not a question about whether there will be a Trump drag in Texas, the only question right now is how big it will be and how many Republican incumbents will be in trouble, said Harold Cook, a political consultant who is a former executive director of the state Democratic party. If youre a member of Congress or state Senate or House incumbent who has a credible Democratic opponent, and youre in districts that went for Trump less than 7 or 8 points, you better be out working your ass off to get re-elected. The Trump Dance, as some GOP political consultants call it, has several different steps this year in Texas. Sticking with Trump Abbott has continued to remain aligned with Trump on a variety of political issues, most of which poll high in the issues Texans care about: border security, immigration reforms and economic growth. So have Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and most other statewide elected Republicans, with some like Land Commissioner George P. Bush and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller touting their Trump support to fend off Republican primary challengers. Not so much for congressional and legislative candidates, especially those in areas like Houstons 7th Congressional District and in Dallas, where Democrats have been on the rise. Recently touring his West Houston district to detail how he was pressing hard to get additional federal recovery funding for victims of Hurricane Harvey, longtime Republican U.S. Rep. John Culberson was accompanied by Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Green, who earlier this year was pushing to impeach Trump. Trumps name seldom came up, if at all, as Culberson talked with constituents at some stops, though he noted that the administration was supporting expedited resources to the Bayou City. Better to leave that one alone, leave Trump out of it in this district at this time, said Monica Dubermaier, a Houston Republican and small-businesswoman who said she refused to vote for Trump in 2016 but supports Culberson for re-election. Mr. Trump is a lightning rod. In fact, Trumps scheduled May 14 appearance at a Houston fundraiser for the National Republican Senatorial Committee which is trying to get Republicans elected in the fall is oddly being seen as a gift by Democrats. Were hoping Ted Cruz goes and takes a picture with Trump. That would motivate Democrats to turn out and vote, said Manny Garcia, deputy executive director of the Texas Democratic Party. Trump is ruining the Republicans brand. Hell be a massive drag in November. In the 23rd Congressional District in West Texas, a vast political area thats bigger than 23 states, incumbent Republican Will Hurd has made no bones about his disagreements with Trump on a variety of issues, especially building a wall along the Mexican border. Hurds is one three Texas congressional districts that consultants and political scientists are watching closely to see how the Trump effect will play out for incumbent Republicans. Culberson and U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas, are the other two. He is smart to be doing that, focusing on his district, said Ramon Salinas, a 53-year-old San Antonio contractor who voted for Hurd two years ago but not for Trump. People dont like Trump, especially Texicans like me. My advice to Mr. Hurd, who I think has done a good job, is to stay as far away from Donald Trump as possible. An Abbott supporter, he says he is unconcerned by the governors closeness with the president. As long as he doesnt start acting like him, as long as he thinks for himself, Im still with him, he said. Greg Abbott is not a Donald Trump, sir. My kids future Half a state away, in the Dallas suburb of Plano, long branded a staunchly conservative GOP zone that Attorney General Ken Paxton calls home, Neesha Norris, a politically active single mom who operates her own software startup, predicts that a number of Republican incumbents in state legislative seats could face defeat this fall because of Trump. His bad behavior has people paying attention to politics. And now that we are, were questioning a lot of the things that have been going on in Austin, said Norris, who said she sits up late at night at her dining room table, after her kids are put to bed and business details for the next day are organized, updating herself on the latest political news. Im concerned about my kids future. For the first time, Im paying attention to what our politicians are doing. And I dont like a lot of it, especially Trump. In the past, she voted Republican. This year is different. Im not so sure, she said. From the time Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Devon Mathis watched as conservative Republicans came together to block his proposals they considered too liberal, then mobilized two years later to gain control of both the U.S. Senate and House and 29 of the nations 50 governorships. It was a rout, said the retired Houston sales executive, who labels himself a conservative blue dog Democrat with a red stripe who has voted for conservative Republicans in statewide races for years because he thinks his own party has become too liberal. This year, he thinks the same thing may happen to Republicans in Texas. The reason is Trump. He is a polarizing character whos gonna get the Democrats out in force, Mathis said. Republicans who dont like Trump may stay home, especially the women who think hes a sexist pig, as people used to say. The same thing will happen that got the Republicans out against Obama. Just wait and see. Democratic candidates up and down the ticket agree, invoking Trumps name any time they can, to make a point that Trump is the CEO of the Republican Party. If you dont like him, then you also should vote against the Texas Republican incumbents who support him, they argue. Democrats Lupe Valdez and Andrew White, in a May 22 runoff contest for the chance to challenge Abbott, have invoked Trumps name to highlight GOP policies in Texas they say are wrong-headed. Democrat Mike Collier punches away at Patrick for much the same thing. So far, Abbott and other statewide Republican incumbents dont seem to care. But GOP party officials from Houston to Dallas to Austin and San Antonio openly acknowledge they could have a problem if their partys faithful stay at home in November. Its quite clear there are a number of Democrats motivated by their hatred of the president, said James Dickey, the state Republican Party chair. Its absolutely critical that everyone on our side turns out and votes ... because the risk is that this could be the inverse of 2010, when Republicans were very concerned about things President Obama was doing and turned out. Despite that, he quickly notes that Texas Republicans posted a record primary turnout in March, a good sign for November. But we are not taking anything for granted, he quickly adds. Trump an issue Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston, said that even though Republicans outnumber Democrats in a state where legislative seats are gerrymandered to protect Republican incumbents, the GOP still has reason for concern. And should Trump continue generating controversy in coming months, I expect the Trump Dance will get more intense, even in Texas, he said. If theres a meltdown in Washington and Republicans start pulling away from Trump in large numbers, then that could become a problem here. Until then, Trump will be an issue in a few races. And thats where Abbott could come in, some political observers predict, to help carry some fellow Republicans to victory with his statewide, door-knocking, grass-roots campaign network. After all, he is a popular governor with a strong political brand whose internal polls show that about 59 percent of Texas voters currently want to see him re-elected, the ninth-most popular CEO in the state. For their part, Abbott insiders say Trump is not the problem, but rather its a lack of enthusiasm by the Texans who voted for him when it comes to turning out in November. But as Abbott himself explained to Cavuto, he expects that most Texans at least most Texas Republicans will focus on the improving economy under Trump, rather than his pyrotechnic governing style. As we get closer to November, in Texas certainly, people will begin to see more money in the pocketbooks. ... More people have jobs. Unemployment will remain low. The types of things that lead people to favor a particular party, or going to line up with the Republican Party, because you will see policies passed that make life better for people because of the leadership in place. mike.ward@chron.com twitter.com/chroniclemike AUSTIN Gov. Greg Abbott is sending his top aide to reform operations at the Health and Human Services Commission after state auditors discovered a new set of contracting errors at the agency responsible for vetting contracts on services affecting the states most vulnerable Texans. Abbotts office said Monday that former Houston-area state Sen. Tommy Williams will head efforts to fix the problems at the agency, which has been riddled with major procurement issues and contracting problems some that came to light as recently as last week. History has shown the governor has no patience for mistakes like this. The governor believes the current situation at HHSC is unacceptable, and as hes done in the past, hes going to take action to make sure changes happen quickly, Abbott spokesman Matt Hirsch said via text message. Williams job is to reinforce a sense of urgency to fix the problems and get the agency back on track to focusing on serving the needs of Texans. The Texas State Auditors Offices reported Monday that it found weaknesses in procurement at HHSC and the Department of State Health Service, finding HHSC inaccurately calculated final evaluation scores for five vendors and failed to verify vendors reported qualifications in bidding for a more than $10 million project for collecting vital statistics. $30 billion in spending The errors involve a contract for the development and maintenance of the Texas Electronic Vital Events Registrar, awarded to Genesis Systems Inc. on June 1, 2016. The registrar system, which is expected to include online reporting a collection of vital statistics like births and deaths, is expected to go live in January 2019. HHSC oversees some of the biggest state contracts that affect critical services for low-income families and severely disabled Texans. The agency itself spends more money than any other agency, totaling more than $30 billion in spending for the 2018 fiscal year, according to the state comptroller. Texas HHSC alone spends more money than some 45 entire state governments spend in a year. Its the second time in two weeks officials have found errors in how the commission awarded multimillion-dollar contracts. Last week, HHSC canceled five contracts to administer the Childrens Health Insurance Program for low-income youth in South Texas and rural counties after discovering errors in the bid scoring process. Three HHSC officials associated with the botched procurement were fired, though the agency declined to identify them. Abbott said the mistakes were unacceptable and he called on the commissions inspector general and the state auditors office to investigate. ALSO: Gov. Abbott answers Speaker Straus concerns over enterprise fund Williams began work at the agency Monday morning, said Hirsch, and will continue as long as it takes to get this right. Williams, who once represented The Woodlands in the Texas Senate, served as chairman of the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee and was a member of the Finance Committee. Williams will not replace Charles Smith, executive director of Texas Health and Human Services, Hirsch said. Despite calls for increased oversight of the commissions contracting practices, a job posting this month seeking a new deputy associate commissioner for procurement says the work will be performed under minimal supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Hearing scheduled Over the weekend, House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, sent an email blast to supporters doubling down on his criticism of the commissions contracting issues. I am especially troubled by problems at the states Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), he wrote. The Commission oversees billions of dollars worth of contracts with private companies that help deliver critical health care services, such as the Medicaid program for children from low-income families. But the Commissions process for awarding contracts, also known as procurement, is broken. He noted the House Appropriations Committee is set to have a review of HHSC contracting practices at a hearing Wednesday. This is deeply concerning to us. Our integrity and credibility is central to our agency mission and cannot be compromised, said Carrie Williams, a commission spokeswoman. We are working in lockstep with auditors and procurement experts and welcome every ounce of scrutiny. We absolutely have to get this right. RELATED: Fired managers claim Health and Human Services leadership 'lashed out' at them While the commission admitted fault, it called the audit misleading to suggest that errors resulted in increased state costs. Although the agency did increase the value of the contract by about $2 million, according to the agencys response, the term of the contract was amended, milestones were changes, and data sets and maintenance requirements were added. Therefore, a comparison of costs of the original contract to the amended contract is not an apples-to-apples comparison, read the report. The commission has been plagued by several recent contracting issues. A state audit earlier this year revealed the commission inappropriately allowed a health benefits contractor to pay millions of dollars in bonuses and incentives. The commission last year quit contracting with a Medicaid transportation company accused of owing the state more than $5 million in profit-sharing payments, known as experience rebates. Allie Morris contributed to this report. andrea.zelinski@chron.com twitter.com/andreazelinski John Macdougall/AFP/Getty Images The Federal Communications Commission announced a $40 million settlement with T-Mobile US Inc. over accusations the carrier made it seem that outgoing calls were ringing at their destination when they werent. T-Mobile admitted that it violated a prohibition against inserting false ringing sounds, and that it didnt correct problems, the FCC said Monday in an emailed news release. T-Mobile reported that it had injected the false ringing sounds on hundreds of millions of calls, the FCC said. Canada revises controversial medical inadmissibility rules for immigrants Cost threshold for 'excessive demand' cases tripled and definition of social services amended Stephen Smith Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A The Government of Canada has announced major changes to its controversial medical inadmissibility rules for immigration candidates that are expected to reduce the number of refusals significantly. The changes stop short of a recommendation by Parliaments Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration to abolish Section 38-1(C) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which bars anyone who might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services. While agreeing with the call to repeal the policy and saying it will take steps to do so at a later date, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has for now tripled the threshold for whats considered an excessive demand. In 2017, the cost threshold for a demand to be considered excessive was $6,655 per year, or $33,275 over five years. Based on those figures, the cost threshold would now be $19,965 per year. IRCC said the change, which takes effect June 1, will effectively dispense with the majority of medical inadmissibility cases seen in Canada today. Furthermore, IRCC says it is amending the definition of social services by removing references to special education, social and vocational rehabilitation services and personal support services. These amendments would benefit applicants with visual and hearing impairments, among others. According to IRCC, approximately 1,000 applicants for permanent or temporary residence are ruled inadmissible for medical reasons each year, or 0.2 per cent of all applicants who undergo medical screening. The savings from this ruling amounted to 0.1 per cent of all publicly funded health spending in Canada. Old rules out of step with Canadian values In a news release, IRCC said the old criteria were out of step with a 21st century approach to persons with disabilities. Most of those affected are individuals who would otherwise be approved in the economic immigration class, and selected for the benefit their skills will bring to the Canadian economy, the news release said. Amending the definition of social services will bring the policy in line with Canadian values on supporting the participation of persons with disabilities in society, while continuing to protect publicly funded health and social services. Critics of the old policy had said it was at odds with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Canada ratified in 2010. Canadas Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said the revisions bring the policy more in line with that pledge. The changes we are announcing today are a major step toward ensuring our immigration system is more inclusive of persons with disabilities, and reflects the values of Canadians, Hussen said in a statement. Find out if you are eligible for Canadian Immigration by completing our free online assessment. 2018 CICNews All Rights Reserved In our new approach to thought leadership, Cisco Security is publishing a series of research-based, data-driven studies. We've expanded the number of titles to include different reports for security professionals with different interests. Calling on the depth and breadth of expertise from threat researchers and innovators in the security industry, the reports in each year's series include the Security Outcomes Study, Threat Report and Blogs, and Data Privacy Benchmark Study, with others published throughout each year. Saul Alinsky taught that ethical standards must be elastic to stretch with the times. Fifty years after launching the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley in the 1960s, the Left seeks to disguise its stunning reversal of positionnow opposing free speech on college campusesthrough Orwellian semantics. In higher education, progressives currently assert, students must be shielded from exposure to certain ideas in order to promote inclusion and diversity and to protect the vulnerable psyches of marginalized or oppressed students from hate speech. The switch from advocating robust discourse to banning it altogether conveniently follows a shift of power in academia. Once leftists achieved hegemony in academiaamong students, faculty, and administratorsthey exerted their power to ban speech (and speakers) deemed offensive. Their real goal is to promote identity politics, and they have discovered that banishing dissenting opinions requires less effort than winning arguments. Higher education is now woke. Campus leftists justify speech codes, prohibitively high security fees for controversial outside speakers, and policies prohibiting harassment of students by cloaking censorship in the mantle of benevolent paternalism. Censorship also prevails when campus administrators allow agitators to disrupt speakers and effectively silence them using the hecklers veto. The First Amendment protects most forms of non-defamatory speech, regardless of content or the identity of the speaker, but the Lefts true objectives are sometimes obscured when the speaker in question is an outrageous ideologue (such as white supremacist Richard Spencer), flamboyant controversialist (Ann Coulter), or self-promoting provocateur (Milo Yiannopoulos)all of whom have been muzzled by disruptive and sometimes violent campus protests. Observers have been less sympathetic when such tactics are employed against serious scholars, such as social scientist Charles Murray and Manhattan Institute fellow Heather Mac Donaldyet the noisy protests persist. And recently, would-be brown-shirts let the mask slip when they disrupted and attempted to shout down a speaker at the City University of New York School of Law. At the invitation of CUNY Laws Federalist Society chapter, South Texas College of Law professor Josh Blackman arrived on campus to discuss not transgender rights, same-sex marriage, affirmative action, immigration reform, police misconduct, or any other hot-button issue, but to give a presentation on The Importance of Free Speech on Campus, as he had done without incident at many other law schools. Incredibly, though, Blackman was effectively prevented from delivering his talk on March 29 at the school. The tech-savvy professor managed to capture most of the protest on video and with photos. The incident was widely reported on the blogosphere, and the protesters have generally been ridiculed for their puerile and intolerant behavior. The episode is deeply disturbing for several reasons. First, the audience was not made up of undergraduates. This was a lecture at a law school, to college-graduate adults who had gone to the trouble and expense of seeking a legal educationthe goal of which, in the words of the fictional Professor Kingsfield (from the 1973 movie The Paper Chase), is to transform incoming students skulls full of mush into disciplined minds thinking like a lawyer. Yet the numerous signs waved by the protesters contained such slogans as Rule of Law = White Supremacy and The First Amendment is Not a Licence [sic] to Dehumanize Marginalized People. Students shouted Legal objectivity is a myth and F*ck the law. CUNY Laws National Lawyers Guild chapter tweeted that free speech activists are not welcome at our PUBLIC INTEREST school. Is this the face of social justice? Second, Blackman is the antithesis of a lightning rod or demagogue. He is a prolific legal scholar, writing mainly in the area of constitutional law. Though politically right of center, he is more libertarian than conservative. He signed the Originalists Against Trump statement prior to the 2016 election, is an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, and has coauthored books and articles with Georgetown law professor Randy Barnett, a noted libertarian. Unlike, say, Ben Shapiro, he is not deliberately confrontational but mild-mannered, soft-spoken, and unfailingly polite. This year, the Federalist Society gave him the Joseph Story Award, an honor bestowed on a law professor under 40 who has made a significant public impact in a manner that advances the rule of law in a free society. Finally, the Left reveals its intellectual bankruptcy when the First Amendment is itself deemed to be hate speech, racist, threatening, and evidence of oppression. These absurd statements, and many others, were on display at Blackmans presentation. The CUNY Law students mob behavior represents a betrayal of the Free Speech Movement, and their plotting to block a law professor from discussing the First Amendmentto law students, at a law schoolsmacks of tyranny. A depressingly small number of liberals, such as Berkeley law school Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, continue to defend free speech on campus, abhor the hecklers veto, and correctly insist that the First Amendment offers no hate speech exception. CUNY Law administrators shamefully took no action to prevent the disruptive protest, claiming later that a mob shouting down an invited speaker did not violate any university policy. CUNY Law Dean Mary Lu Bilek risibly stated that CUNY Law students are encouraged to develop their own perspectives on the law in order to be prepared to confront our most difficult legal and social issues as lawyers promoting the values of fairness, justice, and equality. In other words, the school sanctions the suppression of disfavored opinions. CUNY Law should provide a copy of Chemerinskys recent book, Free Speech on Campus, to the clueless social-justice activists who embarrassed themselves and their school by exhibiting such thuggish intolerance toward Professor Blackman. And Dean Bilek ought to read it herself. Photo: Josh Blackman The chief executive of NCVO has warned that charities which pay low salaries must take care that their employees are not exploited, in a speech at his organisations annual conference. Sir Stuart Etherington used his annual state of the sector address to highlight the value charities have to the country, but also to warn about challenges they face. One of those challenges was the level of low pay in charities, which are less likely than either the public or private sectors to pay the living wage. He said the problem was largest among those charities delivering government contracts. Our fantastic social care charities are struggling to pay the real living wage under the current contracting regime, he said. Even the likes of Serco are losing millions of pounds. So we should also be asking questions about low pay and how we ensure that employees are not exploited in the name of charity. Volunteering Etherington also talked about the need to grow a culture of volunteering in the UK. We can do more to champion volunteering and charities. We can do more to help people understand how we work. And we can do more to make the case that a vibrant and engaged sector is the best way to strengthen modern Britain. I am especially keen that we clearly articulate the benefits of people getting involved as active citizens and volunteers. I think that we are pushing at an open door here: people want to get involved. We are increasingly aware that it benefits our wellbeing, both as individuals and collectively as a society. Etherington also said that he had been disappointed to see the government drop a proposal to give employees time off to volunteer. He said the "business lobby" had played a role in blocking the scheme and he would like to see it back on the agenda. The scheme would have moved charity volunteering towards the position of school governors and magistrates. People in these roles have a statutory right to time off to fulfill these duties. Safeguarding issues Etherington also said that the sector has faced a difficult and intense period of questioning over its values. Our moral legitimacy and leadership as charities has been questioned, he said. Does the way that we conduct ourselves while at work fit with the values that we share with our supporters? Have we put reputation and branding above serving our beneficiaries? Are we more interested in winning contracts than reducing dependence on our services? To add to the challenge of whether we are trustworthy, our basic competency in matters of safeguarding has also been brought into question. These questions go to the very heart of our existence. But we have not shied away from difficult questions in the past, and we will not do so now. Etherington said that as part of a drive to tackle issues with safeguarding, he has asked Dame Mary Marsh, former chief executive of NSPCC, to lead the development of a new code of conduct for the voluntary sector, which every charity could follow. We want this to work for every organisation whether you are in social care, arts and heritage, international development or conservation, he said. We want to make it clear to everyone that we take these issues seriously and that we aim for the highest possible standards. The cost of failure is simply too high. Civil Society Media is hosting its Charity People & Culture conference on 18 September 2018. For more information and to book, click here. Our weekly summary of the latest movers in the charity sector. Chief executive Carla Owen has been appointed as the new chief executive of Animal Free Research UK and will take up her role there later this month. Owen joins the charity from Cruelty Free International where she worked for a decade. She was previously director of development, marketing and communications at the charity. She is the first chief executive at the charity which previously operated with a non-hierarchical senior management team. Simon Hopkins, chief executive of national poverty charity Turn2us has today announced that he will be stepping down in the summer to take up a senior position in the education sector. Hopkins joined Turn2us in 2013 as deputy chief executive and became chief executive a year later. He led the charity through a comprehensive transformation programme which included a complete rebrand of the charity. Turn2us trustee board has begun the process of looking for his successor immediately. Children and young peoples charity Buttle UK has announced that its chief executive Gerri McAndrew will be stepping down in the autumn after 15 years at the helm of the organisation. The recruitment process for a new chief executive is already underway and the charity said that McAndrew will stay on at the charity until her replacement is found. McAndrew has overseen a complete overhaul of the way the charity makes grants and helped lead on its Chances for Children fundraising campaign which raised over 2m. Matthew Bolton has been announced as the new executive director of community organising charity Citizens UK, replacing current director and founder Neil Jameson. Jameson is stepping down from the organisation after 30 years at the helm of the charity he founded. Bolton is currently the deputy director of the charity. Bolton has been with the charity for 14 years. In that time he helped set up the Living Wage Foundation and led the London Citizens campaign for an Ethical Olympics. He was also responsible for organising the largest ever Citizens Assembly to date ahead of the 2016 London Mayoral Assembly. Non executive Jewish charity Norwood has appointed two new trustees to its board, under the direction of new chair Neville Khan. Glynnis Joffe and Tamara Finkelstein have been announced as the new trustees by Norwood. Joffe has over 30 years experience of working in adult social services, while Finkelstein is a senior civil servant currently leading on EU Exit Delivery at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The two appointments were made by the charity following Khans skills audit of the charity board. Khan, a partner at Deloitte, was appointed chair of the charitys board in February this year. The Duke of York has been announced as a new patron of Malaria No More UK. He joins other high-profile supporters of the charity, including Andy Murray and David Beckham. The charity made the announcement ahead of the Malaria Summit London 2018, which is set to take place during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London this week. Justine Fran, chair of Malaria No More, said Over the years The Duke of York has shown his commitment to the fight against malaria, supporting innovation and research to fight the disease. Every year for the last 12 years, some of the top thinkers in journalism, as well as many CEOs of media companies, publishers and startups, have gathered in the Italian city of Perugia for a one-of-a-kind conference called the International Journalism Festival. The summit offered an eyeopening, global perspective on topics that continually confound US journalists. The word festival might seem like an odd term to describe a journalism conference, but when you are surrounded by buildings that date back to the 13th century and some of the best food in Europe, it somehow seems appropriate. Its difficult to sum up the main theme of a conference that runs for five days, with more than 700 speakers over a dozen different venues and at least two languages (English and Italian). There were panels on how to build trust and community and connections with readersincluding a discussion I had with NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen on how to optimize journalism for trustas well as tips on how to handle the EUs General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, a debate on the value of algorithms, panels on the decline of local journalism, and a keynote by Omar Mohammed, the man behind a previously anonymous Iraqi blog called Mosul Eye. But every year, there are key topics, questions, or fears that pop up in the titles of panels or the conversations in the hotels (and bars) after the official events. In previous years Ive gone, these conversations were around blogging, and then Twitter, and then Facebook and other startups. At this years conference, which ended this past weekend, one of the words that kept coming upnot surprisinglywas misinformation, and occasionally fake newsa term many journalists stopped using after it was co-opted by Trump. American conference-goers might have been shocked not to see more appearances of the presidents name. And while he was a shadow that hung over the discussions (especially after he tweeted about a Syrian missile strike), he was not the only one, and not even close to being the most dangerous. As talking to journalists from other countries continually reminds me, the US may be a giant on the political stage, but when it comes to electing a demagogue who threatens journalists, Trump is still a piker compared to someone like Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte. Conference attendees got that message directly from Maria Ressa, a journalist in the Philippines who runs a site called Rappler, which has been targeted by Duterte for its reporting. At another event, a former Turkish journalist who is now in exile talked about how dozens of his former colleagues are currently in prison. Sign up for CJR 's daily email When it comes to vehicles for misinformation, the name that kept cropping up was Facebook, which also sponsored the conference (along with Google). Campbell Brown, head of news for the social network, was scheduled to do a keynote but cancelled at the last minute, likely in part because of the PR firestorm the company is currently caught in. Instead, the keynote turned into a panel talking about what Facebook could do to help journalism, a list that included handing over large bags of cash. The social network was a looming presence in more than one panel, even if it wasnt referred to directly. But one of the more optimistic attendees told me this years conference reinforced the idea that the Facebook era is over, and media startups and entrepreneurs and thinkers of all kinds are working on ways to do an end run around the giant platform and connect directly with users. Though existing media companies whose businesses still rely on it may not have that luxury. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg. A New Jersey chiropractor whose license was revoked more than 15 years ago is now headed to prison for his role in a medical fraud ring that stole nearly $4 million from insurance companies. Authorities say Philip Potacco used a medical consulting group to recruit accident victims and people who staged car crashes so he could submit bogus insurance claims. He also allegedly hired a licensed chiropractor to serve as a front man of a practice Potacco himself ran for five years. Over a five-year period, Potacco funneled approximately $3,991,812 in claim money into the medical groups account. He then laundered the lions share of that money through a shell company called Medical Consulting Group LLC. Once he transferred the money into the MCG account, Potacco used the account for personal use, withdrew thousands of dollars in cash, and wrote checks to deposit in his own name and his wifes name. The investigation further revealed that Potacco collected money for referring patients to a South Orange personal injury attorney who filed insurance claims on their behalf, the investigation revealed. Potacco, under the licensed chiropractor owners name, provided falsified medical reports to support those claims. The chiropractor who acted as the front man, John Langeraap, has pleaded guilty to second degree conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and is awaiting sentencing. The attorney who paid for the referrals, Mark Gertner, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal running. Other defendants in the case who pleaded guilty to third-degree running are Anulet Josaphat, who was sentenced to probation; and Wilguere Rezan, who is awaiting sentencing. Andre J. Richemond pleaded guilty to obstructing the administration of law, a disorderly persons offense, for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. In 2006 Potacco was sentenced to serve three years probation and to pay more than $48,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to theft by deception. In pleading guilty, Potacco admitted he continued to see patients after the state Board of Chiropractic Examiners revoked his license for misconduct in 2002. He also admitted he submitted nearly $100,000 in billings to insurance companies for medical services and treatments provided to patients while his license was revoked. Despite being stripped of his chiropractic license, Philip Potacco ran a medical practice that served as a front to steal millions of dollars from numerous insurance companies, said Attorney General Porrino. The lengthy prison sentence he is now facing will serve as just punishment for his brazen disregard for the law in masterminding this elaborate criminal enterprise. Philip Potacco received a seven-year sentence Friday and also must pay $3.5 million in restitution. He had pleaded guilty last November to money laundering, official misconduct and practicing chiropractic without a license. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Every once in a while, a court teaches us by judicial decision an entire chapter of insurance law lessons we can carry with us, secure in the knowledge that we can reason our way to the right result in insurance coverage disputes. Such a court opinion was filed March 30, 2018 by the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, applying Pennsylvania law. The case is State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. DTL Mechanical. It is reported at 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54953. It reminds us that commercial liability insurance is typically limited to defending against, or paying, damages from lawsuits against policyholders for property damage, bodily injury or personal and advertising injury, caused by an occurrence an accident. The facts of this State Farm case were certainly not unusual which makes its teachings so useful, especially in resolving insurance coverage issues typically encountered in construction projects. Scott and Maria Evans engaged Bianco Contractors, Inc. (Bianco) to build an addition to their residence. Bianco, in turn, subcontracted with DTL Mechanical, LLC (DTL) to install a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the home addition. Numerous problems plagued the project, including the HVAC system, forcing the Evanses to replace what they alleged was a defectively designed and installed HVAC system. The property owners brought suit against Bianco in Pennsylvania state court, and Bianco sued DTL, alleging that the HVAC subcontractor was at fault in installing an improperly designed, sized and vented new HVAC system. Bianco contended in the owners lawsuit that under the subcontract, DTL had assumed responsibility for installing a new HVAC system in the Evanses addition. The Evanses alleged that DTLs work had failed to comply with pertinent building codes and DTL had breached implied warranties that the new HVAC system would comply with industry standards and be fit for ordinary usage. Bianco contended that the damages sustained by the Evanses were caused by DTLs negligent performance of its installation work. During the construction work, DTL was insured by a State Farm Business Owners liability insurance policy providing that State Farm would pay those sums Bianco became legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury, property damage or personal and advertising injury caused by an occurrence, which the policy defined as an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions. (Emphasis added.) The policy defined property damage as meaning [p]hysical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of that property, or [l]oss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured or destroyed, provided such loss of use is caused by physical injury to or destruction of other tangible property. State Farm refused to defend or indemnify DTL in the state court lawsuit, because, the insurer said, the HVAC installation work, alleged by the Evanses and Bianco to have been negligently performed by DTL, did not constitute an occurrence, as defined by the policy. Eventually, the Evanses, Bianco and DTL settled the state court litigation, with DTL assigning to the Evanses all of DTLs rights of action under the State Farm liability policy based on the subcontractors right to a defense and/or indemnification, and any bad faith claims arising from State Farms refusal to indemnify and/or defend DTL in that lawsuit. Still later State Farm brought suit in federal court against DTL and the Evanses for declaratory relief (the basis of federal court jurisdiction is unclear) and then moved for a summary judgment declaring that it did not owe DTL a defense or indemnification in the homeowners litigation against Bianco and DTL. Procedurally, the court said, a summary judgment should be granted to State Farm if there is no genuine issue of material fact separating the parties, and, viewing the facts most favorably to the other parties, State Farm is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. A genuine issue of material fact exists if a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving parties. The homeowners asked the court to determine that they were entitled to recover as damages the cost of defending and indemnifying DTL for damages based on State Farms legal duties as a liability insurer for DTL in the litigation commenced by the Evanses. The court recited the general rule that the duty of a liability policy insurer to defend its policyholder is broader than the duty to indemnify it (see, e.g., California Practice Guide: Insurance Litigation (2016 Update), 7:501), so it necessarily follows that the insurer will not have a duty to indemnify its insured for a judgment in an action for which it was not required to provide it with a defense. Accordingly, a typical first step in analyzing coverage is to assess whether the insurer has a duty to defend its policyholder. This is done by comparing the charging allegations of the complaint against the insured to the terms of the grant of coverage found in the policy of insurance. In this process, factual allegations of the complaint are taken as true and liberally construed in favor of the insured. The duty to defend is present if the allegations of the complaint could potentially fall within the coverage wording of the policy. In evaluating the policy duty to defend, the court must focus on factual allegations in the complaint, not the causes of action against the policyholder. In order to determine whether the duty to defend is triggered, the court held, a court must first examine the language of the insurance policy to determine the scope of coverage. Next, the court must analyze the complaint against the policyholder to determine if the claims asserted by the plaintiff potentially fall within the scope of the policys coverage. The court concerned itself with a discussion of whether property damage caused by faulty workmanship qualifies as an occurrence, defined as an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions. The court, citing a decision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, agreed that property damage caused by faulty workmanship is not an occurrence, because an accident requires a degree of fortuity not covered by faulty workmanship. Relying on the same case, the court in the new decision said that this type of policy does not cover contractual liability of the insured because the product or completed work is not that for which the damaged person bargained. Accordingly, an insurer has no duty to defend an insured against a lawsuit alleging only property damage resulting from poor workmanship. And this is true, moreover, even when faulty workmanship is cast as a negligence claim, is based upon a failure to follow industry standards or is couched as a breach of warranty. Another coverage touchstone regarding liability insurance coverage analysis is that damages that are a reasonably foreseeable result of faulty workmanship are not covered. Put another way in the new case, there is no coverage under a liability insurance policy covering property damage where the only allegation of property damage involved damage to the completed construction work (here the HVAC system) itself, requiring its removal and replacement. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision the court relied on clarified that the risk intended to be insured against is the possibility of damage to property other than to the completed work itself yet another touchstone in coverage analysis. The court distinguished a decision where the court found coverage for a claim arising from an occurrence because, among other reasons, the plaintiffs asserted faulty workmanship claims for bodily injury. In the newly reported decision, on the other hand, the claims arose from DTLs alleged faulty workmanship and the foreseeable consequences of that workmanship replacing the HVAC system. Another decision distinguished in the current case completes the picture of coverage by involving claims against an industrial fan designer and manufacturer, where a fan failed due to design defects. The court concluded that the claims were an occurrence within the meaning of the policy, because they involved a product that actively malfunctioned, which could give rise to an accident. Cleaning up the campsite, State Farm also moved for summary judgment on 13 counterclaims asserted against the insurer by the Evanses after they settled with the contractor and HVAC subcontractor and received an assignment from DTL of its claims against State Farm. The court held that, because all of the counterclaims other than one alleging insurer bad faith against State Farm fell outside the scope of the assignment of DTLs rights of action against State Farm. Finally, since the only counterclaim the Evanses owned and have standing to pursue as the real party in interest, is the one for bad faith, and the court already found that State Farm had no duty to defend or indemnify DTL for its faulty workmanship. It follows that DTL had no viable claim for bad faith in its hands or in those of the Evanses. Texas Landscape Company Convicted of Workers Comp Fraud A Pflugerville, Texas, landscape company pleaded guilty March 21 to misrepresenting its payroll so it could pay less for workers compensation coverage. Jammers Groundscapes entered the plea in a Travis County District Court and was ordered to pay $400,000 to Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the workers compensation carrier. The conviction resulted from a Texas Mutual investigation. The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers Compensations (DWC) prosecution unit obtained the conviction. The DWC prosecution unit is embedded in the Travis County District Attorneys Office and was created during the 85th Texas Legislature. Workers compensation premiums are based on an employers payroll, job classification codes, and the employers past losses which are used to estimate future losses. Manipulating or misrepresenting one or more of these factors to get lower rates is premium fraud. From 2009 to 2015, Jammers Groundscapes defrauded Texas Mutual by concealing payroll associated with a related company that didnt carry workers compensation insurance. This misrepresentation of payroll resulted in a lower workers compensation policy premium. Washington Dental Hygienist Pleads Guilty in Workers Comp Case A Lynnwood, Wash., woman has been sentenced to community service after admitting she lied when she claimed she wasnt working while receiving workers comp benefits. Shari Lee Kristiansen pleaded guilty earlier this month to making a false or misleading statement to the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). King County Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Ken Comstock sentenced Kristiansen to serve 180 hours of community service. Under terms of the deferred sentence, the gross misdemeanor charge will be dismissed after two years if she makes no further false statements to L&I, does not break the law, and complies with other requirements. In pleading guilty, Kristiansen stated she made a false or misleading statement when she signed an L&I form verifying that she wasnt employed when she was actually working part-time. The Washington Attorney Generals Office prosecuted the case based on an L&I investigation. Kristiansen filed a claim with L&I in March 2013, saying she injured her thumbs and hands while working as a dental hygienist for several dentists in King and Snohomish counties. L&I provided medical and wage-replacement benefits to Kristiansen based on her physicians assessments and her signed declarations. An L&I investigation later found she worked for various dentists for much of the time she was receiving workers comp benefits. L&I started the investigation after a routine comparison of L&I and state Employment Security Department records. N.J. Woman Fraudulently Collected Dead Mothers Workers Comp Benefits A Hudson County, N.J., woman has been charged with stealing more than $46,000 by fraudulently collecting her mothers workers compensation dependency benefits for nearly three years after she died, according to an announcement by Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Wanda Berry was indicted on charges of second-degree insurance fraud and third-degree theft by deception in an indictment handed up by a state grand jury in Trenton on Thursday. Berry, whose mother died in November 2014, fraudulently claimed to New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group that her mother was alive in order to continue collecting the $1,400 monthly insurance benefit her mother had been receiving. According to the indictment, in 2015 Berry falsely represented to NJM representatives that her mother was alive and living in a nursing home under a doctors care. In 2016 she falsely represented that her mother was alive in hospice care, and provided a fraudulent doctors note to support that false claim, according to the indictment. The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $15,000. Deputy Attorney General Crystal Callahan presented the case to the grand jury. Detective Amy Carson coordinated the investigation. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Thompson thanked NJM for referring the matter to OIFP. Lee Joins Integrated Financial Settlements as Chief Executive Officer Robert Lee has been selected as the new chief executive officer at Denver-based IFS, a holding company with several industry subsidiaries in the structured settlements and MSP compliance marketplaces. For the past two years he has served as CFO, working out of both the Atlanta and Denver Corporate offices. Lee has assisted each of the management teams at Arcadia, SFA, JMW, Millennium, Structures and Providio to guide their strategic and financial direction. In his new role, Lee will be primarily based out of the Denver office but will continue to work closely with the team in Atlanta as well as with other IFS personnel around the country. For most of his career, Lee served as managing director at Dean Witter and Morgan Stanley where he provided strategic advice to the senior management groups of many companies regarding their financial futures. AIG Names Vidovich Chief Claims Officer, General Insurance American International Group, Inc. announced that Anthony Vidovich will join the company as chief claims officer, General Insurance, effective May 14, 2018. In this role, Vidovich will be responsible for the strategic direction of General Insurance Claims, encompassing governance and policy, settlement authorities, claims handling and global best practices. He will report to Peter Zaffino, chief executive officer, General Insurance, and will serve as a member of the General Insurance Executive Leadership Team. Vidovich joins AIG from XL Catlin, where he served as global head of Claims, Insurance & Reinsurance since 2015. Previously, he was XLs general counsel for Insurance Claims. Prior to XL, he was associate general counsel for Commercial Markets at The Hartford after serving as assistant general counsel for Reinsurance. Earlier in his career, Vidovich was an attorney at Blank Rome LLP in Philadelphia, where he practiced corporate litigation with a primary focus on property/casualty and life and health insurers. CNA Appoints James Senior Vice President, Global Reinsurance CNA announced that James will join the company as SVP, Global Reinsurance, on April 23, 2018. He will report to Doug Worman, executive vice president and chief underwriting officer, and be responsible for CNAs reinsurance strategies and purchasing around the globe. James has more than 15 years of experience in the reinsurance space. He most recently served as deputy chief ceded reinsurance officer for AIG, where he was responsible for providing strategic guidance to the global reinsurance department for Property & Casualty treaties. Prior to that role, he was SVP, Worldwide Reinsurance and risk manager for Chubb where he spent 14 years, most recently responsible for global reinsurance placements, cat bond issuance, collateralized reinsurance, and risk management. Texas home developers practice of using dirt to raise homes above a flood plain is drawing increased scrutiny as experts question flood resilience measures after Hurricane Harvey. Some experts argued using dirt, or fill, reduces storage for stormwater and worsens flooding, the Houston Chronicle reported. The practice creates a perception of safety from flooding that might not be justified, said Houston attorney Jim Blackburn. Using fill to lift property out of flood plains is legal, but arguably unethical, Blackburn said. It sends the wrong message. Harris County requires developers to offset fill by creating an equivalent amount of water storage. The countys rules reduce adverse impacts but dont eliminate them, according to Larry Larson, director emeritus of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. The big problem in the Houston area is, you start using fill, you can fill so much that theres no storage left, Larson said. Bank executive Don Hickeys home flooded after Harvey despite being raised 5 feet (1.5 meters) above the 100-year flood plain, which refers to land perceived to have 1 percent chance of flooding in a given year. A post-Harvey analysis by Hickey and other residents found most of the flooded homes from Harvey were built on land raised using fill. Since 2015, the Houston area has experienced three 500-year floods, events with a 0.2 percent chance of occurring any given year. Nearly three-quarters of the 204,000 Harris County homes and apartments damaged during Harvey were outside the 100-year flood plain, according to an analysis by the newspaper. The 100-year flood plain is obsolete, Blackburn said. The issue is part of a broader debate about responsible development after Harvey. Last week, the Houston City Council narrowly approved stricter development rules proposed by Mayor Sylvester Turner. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday recommended that railroad companies install video and audio recording devices in their locomotive cabs to monitor the activities of crew members and ensure safe operations. The board during a meeting in Washington, D.C., also recommended that federal railroad regulators find ways to prevent collisions like one in eastern New Mexico in 2015 in which an engineer was killed and a crew member was seriously injured. Investigators say the two crew members had only seconds to apply their emergency brakes and decide whether to ride out the crash or jump as their Southwestern Railroad train headed toward a parked train on a siding near Roswell. They jumped and the trains collided, causing about $2 million in property damage. The wreck reignited concerns about manual switches, which federal safety officials described as a known high-risk hazard for the railroad industry. Investigators and members of the board all pointed to previous crashes that stemmed from similar problems, including a 2005 derailment in South Carolina that killed nine people and displaced thousands of residents due to the release of chlorine from a ruptured tanker car. Board chairman Robert Sumwalt said the recommendations are aimed at developing devices or techniques to eliminate the possibility of railroad employees failing to perform critical tasks such as aligning switches or ensuring train cars are in the clear. He also said installing recording devices might deter the violation of safety rules by crew members as theyre headed down the tracks. A train is not an employees private retreat. Its an enormous machine that can injure or kill. It can damage property and it can damage the environment, he said. And given the stakes, image and audio recorders belong in this setting. In transportation, compliance with the rules is a matter of public safety and not public choice, he said before adjourning the meeting. This is not the first time the board has recommended recording devices or the use of technology to address the problem of misaligned track. According to the Association of American Railroads, a policy and research organization that works with the industry, U.S. railroads are already independently installing inward- and outward-facing cameras. The federal safety board also raised concerns Tuesday about drug use among railroad employees as a toxicology test determined the engineer of the moving train tested positive for marijuana and the conductor tested positive for oxycodone. While it was unclear whether the conductor had a prescription for the medication, investigators say the engineer had likely smoked marijuana between 30 minutes and five hours before the crash. Rolling papers and pipes were found in the locomotive cab. Investigators did say there was no sign of impairment by the crew given their behavior and response before the collision. They indicated the crew acted appropriately and likely didnt have much time to react to the parked train as they had been told the switch was in the proper position. Aside from the lack of an adequate warning system, investigators determined human error contributed to the cause of the collision since the crew member of the parked train failed to reset the switch. They cited fatigue in a summary of their report. Bob Beaton with the safety boards railroad investigation office described the process of manually aligning a switch as a routine task thats often done without supervision. The problem of missing a step in any well-practiced process isnt specific to the railroad industry but rather human nature, he said. We are not machines. We do not operate error free 100 percent of the time despite our best intensions, Beaton said. Data presented at the meeting showed human-caused accidents have accounted for 37 percent of the events reported to the Federal Railroad Administration between 2008 and 2017. Switch alignments accounted for 13 percent of those. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The tricks behind a disappearing act that magician David Copperfield performed for years in Las Vegas were revealed in court Friday, the first day of trial in a civil case brought by a British tourist who claims he slipped, fell and was injured after he was randomly selected from the audience to participate in the show. Attorneys for tourist Gavin Cox, Copperfield, the MGM Grand casino-resort, which hosts the show, and others detailed the route that randomly selected audience members follow during the trick in which Copperfield supposedly makes them disappear from a platform on stage and gets them to reappear in the back of the theater. Cox was injured along the route in a 2013 show. Attorney Benedict Morelli, who represents Cox and his wife, told the jury during opening statements that the illusion known as the Thirteen was an accident waiting to happen and obviously dangerous. He added that his client was never warned about a possible injury if he participated in the illusion. Quite the contrary, he and possibly all of the other participants had an expectation of safety, Morelli said. So, Mr. Cox (said) OK. I guess Im going to be OK. Why would David Copperfield, who is so famous, select me and not protect me? Cox filed the lawsuit in 2014 months after he was randomly selected to participate in the final trick of Copperfields show on Nov. 12, 2013. Attorneys on Friday described how Cox sat on a platform on stage and later followed a route that took him through hallways and an outdoor area near a door that would have led him back inside. But it was at that point when he hit the floor. Morelli argued that the audience doesnt get to see the chaos going on behind the scenes, where people are hurried. He said a confluence of events caused his client to fall and be injured running in a dark area, following an unknown route, encountering an unknown incline, and dust and debris due to construction in the area. MGM Grands attorney Jerry Popovich told the jury that Cox simply missed a step when he fell and did not slip. He explained that the site where the accident happened, about 22 feet before reaching the door to re-enter the casino, is essentially level with only a 1-degree drop. Popovich said that 10 minutes before Cox went down, Copperfield had walked through that same area as part of another illusion that did not involve audience participation. He said Copperfield would have notified staff if he had noticed any problem in the route. Mr. Cox did not slip, he tripped, Popovich said. Cox in his lawsuit argues he has spent more than $400,000 on medical care and treatment. He, his wife and sons were in the courtroom. So was Copperfield. The attorneys for Copperfield and MGM Grand sought to keep opening statements, closing arguments and other portions of the trial in which the details of the magicians illusions were discussed closed to the public and the media. They argued that those are considered trade secrets, but Coxs attorney argued people other than Copperfield, including former audience participants, know what is involved in carrying out the trick. The judge sided with the plaintiffs. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE... Queens, NY - Authorities say a Queens man has been charged with depraved murder in the death of a 3-year-old girl. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the man is 32-year-old Marc Jenkins, of Seaside, who lived with the child's mother If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison. Bella Edwards was found unconscious in an apartment building. Brown said that according to the charges, Jenkins was the sole adult in the apartment with Bella and her 3-month-old sibling for about eight hours Monday. At approximately 6 p.m., the defendant called 911. When emergency responders arrived, the little girl was unconscious and unresponsive. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The medical examiner has determined that Bella died as a result of blunt force trauma to her abdomen. Investigators are trying to determine whether she was also a victim of sexual abuse. Jenkins was being questioned Monday at the 100th Precinct on Beach 94th Street, along with the girl's mother, Shamikaa Gonzalez. He was arrested and is expected to be arraigned Wednesday. Marc Jenkins, of Rockaway Park, is charged with depraved murder in the death of a 3-year-old girl. "I cant believe it," neighbor Michelle Mevorach said. "I cant believe that because she, you wouldn't be able to see that because she was so sweet. They took very good care of her. She was never in a bad mood, Bella. Always sweet, always happy." Police got the call around 6 p.m. Monday from a sixth-floor apartment on Beach 105th Street. They found Bella unresponsive, and Gonzalez's boyfriend was performing CPR. Investigators believe Bella's mother was out all day on Monday. When she returned, detectives say her boyfriend told her the toddler was already sleeping. She says when she went to check on Bella later, her daughter was not breathing. "Bella, I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you," Gonzalez wrote on Facebook. "This feels like a bad dream I can't wake up from. You was loved by everyone and shared so many funny memories. I'm going to miss all the times you kissed and hugged me every day." The mother is asking friends to bring balloons and candles for Bella's vigil Wednesday night. Investigators say Bella's injuries are consistent with that of physical abuse. One neighbor who works as a teacher and is trained to spot child abuse said she never saw anything amiss. "I'm a mandated reporter, so I would be able to, I would think I would be able to notice these things," Laura Cabrera said. "But very well groomed, very beautiful family." The 3-month-old sibling was taken to the hospital for evaluation. ACS Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs Eric Ferrero released a statement: "Our top priority is protecting the safety and well-being of all children in New York City. As soon as this family came to our attention last night, we immediately launched an investigation with the NYPD, and we secured the safety of the other child in this home." Authorities say Jenkins served eight years in prison for attempted murder and was released in 2011. A shipping container is moved with a crane before being loaded onto a ship docked at the Port of Oakland Rising protectionism in the West has become a threat to Asia's prosperity, Tommy Koh, ambassador-at-large for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Thursday. "I worry about the rise of protectionism and economic nationalism in the U.S. and in Europe. I see this as a direct threat to the prosperity and prospects of Asia," Koh said at the Credit Suisse conference on megatrends, held in Singapore. "Asia has been able to make enormous progress because of the liberal economic order that the U.S., U.K. and other countries created at the end of the Second World War. And this liberal world order seems to be in jeopardy." Protectionist rhetoric ramped up during the U.S. presidential election last year. Then-candidate Donald Trump ran on a platform promoting "fair trade" practices that would prove better for the U.S., with much of the rhetoric aimed at China and Mexico. Although Trump has since walked back some of the rhetoric earlier this month he said he wouldn't label China a currency manipulator he has continued to target U.S. trade partners, calling Canada's actions on dairy a "disgrace" on Thursday and launching a probe of cheap steel exporters, including China. David Mulford, a former U.S. ambassador to India during the George W. Bush administration and a Treasury Department official during the Ronald Reagan administration, shared the conference stage with Singapore's Koh and defended the shift on trade. "The U.S. position over all these years we've been talking about has been to promote and assist the rise of other nations. It is an extraordinary historic performance by a strong country," Mulford said. "In doing so, we have created all kinds of rivals and this has caused hitches and glitches and problems in the system, which now have to be addressed and it's appropriate that we address them." Mulford, who is currently a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, which bills itself as non-partisan but is often viewed as conservative, did not specify what systemic problems he believed needed to be addressed. Mulford also went on the attack against claims the U.S. had grown overly protectionist: "There is no shortage of protectionism in Asia. Let's be frank about that. It is a major part of the Asian economic approach." But Singapore's Koh was unconvinced. "It is not fair for you to say there is protectionism everywhere, including Asia, so what's the big deal about the U.S. turning protectionist. The trend in Asia is in the other direction. We are opening up the economies, liberalizing, integrating with one another," he said. "The trend in America and Europe is a worry, because you are going in the other way. There is a significant difference between the dominant trend in Asia which is towards opening up the economy, liberalizing, integrating and the trend in the West." Singapore and the U.S. signed a free trade agreement in 2003. But more recently, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, a broad 12-nation trade deal, which the U.S. president claimed was a "disaster" that would hurt U.S. manufacturing. Mulford defended the Trump administration's stated preference for bilateral trade deals. "Are there benefits to be derived by bilateral trade agreements versus ambitious global trade agreements," he asked. "I think smaller countries that are competitive, aggressive confident could do very well in bilateral trade negotiations and don't always have to be involved in a large package that makes it harder to negotiate a variety of different things rather than a one-on-one situation." To be sure, some analysts believe the multi-lateral approach is more efficient, as trade deals generally take many years to complete and small nations often can't field large teams to negotiate many bilateral deals simultaneously. But Mulford claimed "world elite" and "negative" media have been preventing discussion of ways to "address the legitimate concerns of the groups that have been disadvantaged in leading countries like the U.S. by the rise of other nations and the growth of globalization." Singapore's Koh, however, remained steadfast in criticism of the U.S.'s new trade tact, noting that America had gone down that road before, with ill effects. Koh pointed to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which increased U.S. tariffs on a range of imports, setting off a trade war and deepening the Great Depression as by some estimates it halved American imports and exports. "You've been there before and I'm surprised that memories are so short in America and Americans are flirting with protectionism a second time," Koh said. By CNBC.Com's Leslie Shaffer; Follow her on Twitter @LeslieShaffer1 Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. "The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president," Comey said, noting that Trump talks about women "like pieces of meat." In an exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, Comey said, "Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country." Former FBI Director called President "morally unfit to be president" in a new interview with ABC News' "20/20" Sunday night and said it is "possible" that Russia has something it can blackmail Trump with. President Donald Trump, shakes hands with James Comey, then-director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, during an Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 22, 2017. Asked if he thinks Russians "have something on Donald Trump," Comey said, "I think it's possible." "It is stunning and I wish I wasn't saying it, but it's just ... it's the truth. I cannot say that [Trump is not subject to Russian blackmail]. It always struck me and still strikes me as unlikely, and I woulda been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I can't. It's possible." The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment about the Comey interview. Comey also told ABC there is "certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice" when Trump asked him last year at the White House to if he could see his way to "letting Flynn go," referring to a criminal probe of fired National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. "If he didn't know he was doing something improper, why did he kick out the attorney general and the vice president of the United States and the leaders of the intelligence community?" Comey asked, referring to Trump's actions before he asked about Flynn's case. "I mean, why am I alone if he's doesn't know the nature of the request?" Comey's interview comes in advance of publication of his new book, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership" on Tuesday. Comey's own firing last May by Trump set in motion the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller by the Justice Department. Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by Trump campaign officials in that meddling. Earlier this year, Mueller secured a guilty plea from Flynn for lying to the FBI, and got Flynn to cooperate with his ongoing probe of collusion and other matters. Trump has repeatedly and angrily denied any such collusion. He also fumed about Mueller, and considered firing the special counsel, along with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whose recusal from the Russia investigation let to Mueller's appointment by Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein. Comey said he does not know "what's behind" Trump's reluctance to criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin in public. "That mystified me even after President Trump became president, 'cause I discovered that he wouldn't criticize him even in private," Comey said. "I can understand a president making a geopolitical decision that, 'I ought not to criticize an adversary country's leader for some reason publicly,' Comey said. "But I discovered President Trump wouldn't even do it privately, and I don't know why that is.' After Comey said Trump was unfit to be president, he was asked if Trump should be impeached. "I'll give you a strange answer," Comey said. "I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they're duty bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values," Comey said. "We'll fight about guns. We'll fight about taxes. We'll fight about all those other things down the road. But you cannot have, as president of the United States, someone who does not reflect the values that I believe Republicans treasure and Democrats treasure and Independents treasure," he said. "That is the core of this country. That's our foundation. And so impeachment, in a way, would short-circuit that." Comey's interview with ABC News and his new book have enraged Trump in recent days. On Sunday morning, the president unloaded a series of nasty tweets about Comey. In those tweets, Trump called Comey "slippery," a "slime ball" and predicted that he would be remembered "as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Tweet FBI Director James Comey testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, United States on May 3, 2017. Samuel Corum | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Former FBI Director , who was fired by President Donald Trump, gave his first media interview since the dismissal in an ABC "20/20" interview that aired Sunday night. The interview came shortly before Comey's book, "A Higher Loyalty," was set to be released on Tuesday. The memoir details the fired FBI chief's personal experiences with Trump, and spends ample time criticizing Trump's behavior in the White House and his relationship to the truth. In an exclusive interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, Comey gave his first on-camera remarks since being fired by Trump in May 2017. Here are the most revealing things he said: Comey said Trump's alleged request about former national security advisor Michael Flynn was 'certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice' In the interview, Comey recounted his February 2017 conversation with Trump in the Oval Office regarding ex-top advisor Michael Flynn. Comey said that Trump's words, and the circumstances surround the meeting, provided "evidence of obstruction of justice" by the president. The White House said Flynn was fired for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his communications with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. When Trump brought up Flynn in the one-on-one conversation, Comey said the president told him, "I hope you can let it go," referring to an investigation into Flynn by the FBI at the time. Asked in the ABC interview whether he believed Trump was obstructing justice in making the request, Comey said: "Possibly. I mean, it's certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice." "It would depend and and I'm just a witness in this case, not the investigator or prosecutor, it would depend upon other things that reflected on his intent," he added. Comey also rhetorically asked why Trump asked other top advisors to leave the room if he "didn't know he was doing something improper." "Why did he kick out the attorney general and the vice president of the United States and the leaders of the intelligence community? I mean, why am I alone if he's doesn't know the nature of the request?" Comey said he thinks Trump is 'a person of above average intelligence,' but 'morally unfit to be president' Pundits have often discussed the president's intelligence throughout his time in politics. Trump himself has weighed in, at one point describing himself as a "very stable genius." "I often hear people talk about it. I don't buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia," Comey said in the Sunday interview. "He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence who's tracking conversations and knows what's going on. I don't think he's medically unfit to be president." Comey added: "I think he's morally unfit to be president." Comey disputes criticism of his handling of Hillary Clinton's email scandal from all ends of the political spectrum In "What Happened" a post-mortem on her failed presidential candidacy in 2016, Hillary Clinton said she felt "shivved" by Comey for the way he handled her email scandal. Many Republicans have also been quick to criticize Comey especially Trump, who accused Comey of "making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win" as a quid pro quo for a position in her administration. Comey pushed back against all sides in the ABC interview. "It's illustration of our polarization here that you've got the Trump camp, which I guess thinks I was trying to save Hillary Clinton. They don't quite explain what I was doing in October," he said. "And then Clinton camp thinks I was trying to shiv Hillary Clinton. Both can't be true, but in our polarized world, people live in separate bubbles," Comey argued. "I would hope both camps will read this and, I hope, see a deeply flawed human surrounded by other flawed humans trying to make decisions with an eye, not on politics, but on those higher values." Comey said 'it's possible' that salacious allegations from the controversial Fusion GPS dossier could be true In his book, Comey recounts Trump's many vociferous denials of a scandalous rumor from a largely unverified dossier that surfaced after the 2016 election. In multiple interactions, according to the former FBI director, Trump told Comey that there was "no way" he would let prostitutes perform sex acts involving urine, as he was alleged to have done in Moscow in 2013, according to the now-infamous dossier. The claim in the dossier has not been verified. Comey said in his memoir that Trump denied the story to him on at least three separate occasions. "I honestly never thought this words would come out of my mouth, but I don't know whether the the current president of the United States was with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow in 2013. It's possible, but I don't know," Comey said in the television interview. Comey said he regrets not pushing back harder against former Attorney General Loretta Lynch on the Clinton email scandal Electric vehicle maker Tesla has mislabeled and under-counted workers' injuries to make its safety record look better than it was, according to a new investigative report by RevealNews.org. "Company officials labeled toxic exposures, muscle strains and repetitive stress injuries as personal medical issues or minor accidents requiring only first aid, lowering its official injury count," said the report. Sources told Reveal that safety compromises were made at Tesla's Fremont factory to appease CEO Elon Musk's aesthetic preferences. According to them, because Musk didn't like the color yellow, the factory floor did not have clearly marked pedestrian lanes, and instead had lanes painted different shades of gray. Tesla employs thousands of workers in Fremont where it makes its Model S, Model X and Model 3 vehicles. Tesla, which has been under pressure to ramp up the production and delivery of its Model 3 electric sedan, disputed each of Reveal's findings in the report, including with a company blog post on Monday. Tesla Chief People Officer Gaby Toledano, and its Vice President for Environment, Health and Safety, Laurie Shelby, gave interviews to Reveal suggesting that any past safety problems at the company have been resolved through a mix of employee training programs and process improvements. Shelby said she was confident the company was accurate in its reporting of worker injuries. As part of this investigation, reporters Will Evans and Alyssa Jeong Perry spent months collecting and evaluating Occupational Safety and Health Administration injury and illness records, as well as workers' compensation, fire and 911 call records. Dozens of current and former Fremont factory workers, including safety experts, were interviewed, and internal Tesla records obtained from sources. Musk tweeted on Friday, "Excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake. To be precise, my mistake. Humans are underrated." Read the full Reveal report here. Roberto Azevedo warned, however, that the continent must remain outward looking. Recent progress made by African nations towards establishing the world's largest free trade area was backed Monday by the director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo delivers a speech at the World Trade Symposium conference in the Royal Garden Hotel in London on June 7, 2016. "The notion of a continental (free trade) area, I think, is something that should be supported by everyone," he said, speaking at the Commonwealth Business Forum in London. "Certainly at the WTO, we see African integration as a stepping stone towards further integration between Africa and the global economy." But, Azevedo warned that countries should avoid taking the "wrong road." He said that discussion needed to include "how to make sure that the integrated processes do not become a fortress," and instead be used as a "step to open up" rather than shutting off other forms of global trade. "The integration of Africa is an important point of integration into the world," he said. African leaders met in Kigali, Rwanda, last month to sign a declaration of the establishment of a free trade area on the continent. This, if fully put into practice, would be the largest bloc of its kind in terms of member states since the formation of the World Trade Organization. The agreement is proposed by the African Union, a collective of 55 countries on the continent. It is touted as encompassing a market of 1.2 billion people with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $2.5 trillion and intended to encourage Africa's trade to diversify away from its traditional commodity exports outside of the continent, the volatile prices of which have hurt the economies of many countries. Forty-four African countries signed the pact in March, although sub-Saharan Africa's two biggest economies hesitated. In Syria, after seven years of civil war, the rise of ISIS and its not-quite defeat, minimalistic U.S. actions, multiple efforts by neighboring powers and Russia to finish the fight militarily, the war there is finally winding down. The costs have been horrendous - perhaps three-quarters of a million killed, more than five million refugees, and a country of more than 23 million people devastated. Syria is more distant than Yugoslavia, and Europe has been slower to react. But the challenge to its interests is even greater. The humanitarian tragedy and the political impact of millions trying to reach the security of Europe have been deeply unsettling. The efficacy of the EU has been roundly challenged, destructive nativist and nationalist sentiments have taken root, Turkey has become not a buffer for Europe but a problematic partner, and Russia has been given new opportunities to make mischief. But British and French military action indicates political movement toward a solution is possible. It is probably too late for the West to pull off another Bosnia-like rescue with peacekeepers and NATO. And after failures in Iraq and prolonged efforts on Afghanistan, there is little will to do so. But Syria must, ultimately be reconstructed, and there is the opportunity for Europe and perhaps the U.S. to redress the tragedy: reconstruction requires money, and this is Europe's great asset and leverage. A worker loads a liquid electrolyte into the electrolysis bath at the Krasnoyarsk aluminum smelter, operated by United Co. Rusal, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. Aluminum prices surged to their highest level in six years on Monday, extending a recent rally that follows the U.S. sanctioning of Russian aluminum giant Rusal. The metal traded as high as $2,403 per ton on the London Metal Exchange, before holding more than 4 percent higher at 2,379. On April 6, the U.S. slapped sanctions on several Russian oligarchs, officials, businesses and agencies, including Rusal. The sanctions freeze all of Rusal's assets that are under U.S. jurisdiction. Rusal which saw its stock hit a record low on Monday is one of the largest aluminum producers in the world. The company's collapse has the potential to take a large chunk of aluminum supply from the market. In fact, Rio Tinto one of the largest mining companies in the world said Friday it would declare force majeure on some of its contracts with Rusal. "The main thing that has been a catalyst behind aluminium has been the issues around the sanctions against Rusal which will make the market tighter," ETF Securities analyst Nitesh Shah told Reuters. "In addition to that is the weaker dollar and the general upside for industrial metals in recent days that is working in aluminium's favor." Aluminum's surge comes more than a month after President Donald Trump slapped a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports to the U.S. Trump bragged the tariffs were not having a negative effect on the U.S. economy. He said in an April 6 tweet: "Despite the Aluminum Tariffs, Aluminum prices are DOWN 4%. People are surprised, I'm not! Lots of money coming into U.S. coffers and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!" Tweet Aluminum prices were down for the year when Trump sent his tweet. However, prices have skyrocketed more than 20 percent since the U.S. unveiled sanctions against Russia. The Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Trump walked back a comment made by U.S. ambassador Nikki Haley about additional sanctions being implemented, noting he was not yet comfortable taking that course of action. Haley said Sunday new sanctions on Russian entities would be announced Monday. Amazon Business, which sells bulk items to business customers, has shelved its plan to sell and distribute pharmaceutical products after considering it last year, according to people familiar with the matter. Instead, the company is focused on selling less sensitive medical supplies to hospitals and smaller clinics through Amazon Business and it has found that business to be more challenging than expected. The setback illustrates the challenges of getting into the medical supply and pharmaceutical space, even for a company as big as Amazon. Several health-care and pharmaceutical distribution companies saw their stock take a nosedive following recent reports of Amazon potentially getting into the space, but it will likely take some time before those concerns turn into real threats. The change in plan comes partly because Amazon has not been able to convince big hospitals to change their traditional purchasing process, which typically involves a number of middlemen and loyal relationships. Moreover, Amazon would also need to build a more sophisticated logistics network that can handle temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, according to these people. Still, Amazon hasn't completely ruled out getting into the pharma distribution space eventually. Multiple reports have speculated that the company will someday add a direct-to-consumer prescription drug business. Amazon Business could also reconsider getting into the pharma space once it gains more scale, multiple people said. Meanwhile, the company continues to explore other health-care projects through different teams across the company, including Alexa and the secretive Grand Challenge team, sometimes referred to as "1492." Shares of pharmacies and drug distributors, including Cardinal Health, CVS, McKesson and Walgreens, spiked on the news. Harder than expected Amazon has been selling medical products like glucometers, gloves and stethoscopes to medical clinics for several years. It now has the necessary licensing in 47 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to its website. But Amazon has struggled to land contracts with large hospital networks, despite convening an advisory board that includes major hospital executives, according to two people familiar. These groups of hospitals have long-standing contracts with distributors, like Cardinal Health and McKesson. Many hospitals also own a stake in entities called group purchasing organizations that negotiate on their behalf, leveraging their collective negotiating power. In addition, Amazon isn't yet selling products considered high risk, known as "Class III" devices. For instance, it's not selling anything that needs to be implanted into the human body and sustains life, like a pacemaker. Some large hospitals have been reluctant to move over to Amazon in part because it lacks these products. An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC: "As we've developed Amazon Business, we've used our working-backwards methodology for consumers and applied it to the needs of business customers and sellers. One of the ways we do this is convening advisory boards from across the industry to give us feedback so we can continue innovating on behalf of customers." The health-care supply chain is well-entrenched and will be hard to break into, according to one expert. "The hospital and health-care systems have entangling alliances with their existing purchasing and supply chain partners," said Tom Cassels, head of strategy and business development at Leidos Health. "It's very difficult to replicate the Amazon buying experience in health care," he said. For now, the sweet spot for Amazon Business in health care is smaller practices, such as dental offices, free-standing ambulatory surgery centers and small physician practices, where the licensed providers appreciate the convenience and affordability. Even then, several of the physicians interviewed by CNBC said they were sticking with their existing distributor for most supplies, but relying on Amazon for some items, or in emergencies. Amazon told CNBC that it serves health practices of all sizes: "Amazon Business serves healthcare customers of all sizes, from large IDNs [integrated delivery networks, meaning systems that provide both medical services and a health insurance plan to patients] to small- and medium-sized community hospitals. We also serve customers from physician and dental offices to senior living and long-term care facilities." No 'Cold Chain' New regulations introduced under the U.K. Equality Act have forced thousands of the biggest companies in the world to reveal significant gender pay gaps and some of the biggest offenders are companies you know and love. Under the act, companies with 250 or more employees in the U.K. were required to report statistics on how women and men are compensated earlier this month, revealing staggering disparities at companies like Apple, Conde Nast and Ryanair, as well as thousands of other companies. The results are jarring but unsurprising. Though pay structures vary across industries and can be deeply affected by a business' culture, the gender pay gap impacts almost every industry and at some companies, men are paid more than 50 percent more than women. According to the Office of National Statistics, the gap for median earnings in Britain overall is 18.4 percent. Here are 10 companies with lots of room for improvement: Delaware County, OK - An Oklahoma father is accused of murder in the fatal shooting of his teenage son last weekend, PEOPLE confirms. Authorities and the mans family said he mistook the boy for someone who was stealing the familys truck. On Saturday, Delaware County deputies responded to the shooting about 1:45 a.m. Upon arrival at the scene, they discovered 13-year-old Kyle Rutherford dead from a gunshot wound outside a grey pickup truck with his mother and father attempting to perform CPR on him, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE. Kyles mom, who called 911, told police her husband, 47-year-old Tony Rutherford, thought he was shooting a thief at the time their son was killed, the affidavit states. Rutherford had allegedly pursued the truck while firing on it, not knowing his son was driving, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said, according to the Tulsa World. A subsequent investigation by the OSBI led to Rutherfords arrest for first-degree murder. Neighbors told authorities that before the shooting, Rutherford came to check on a vacant home owned by another of his sons after multiple vehicles were seen outside the residence, which raised Rutherfords suspicions, according to the World. When Rutherford arrived, he saw someone driving his sons pickup, the World reports. The affidavit states he did not know his 13-year-old son was behind the wheel. 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. After the shooting, Rutherford declined to speak with investigators and requested a lawyer. According to the World, defense attorney Winston Connor II, said: Tony and his family are very sorry by the loss of their child and time will reveal the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident which does not constitute a crime. Prosecutor Kenny Wright disagreed, according to the Grove Sun, arguing that Rutherford intended to kill whoever was driving the truck. That it turned out to be his son, is just tragic, Wright said. But it doesnt make it any less of a crime. It is unclear if Rutherford has entered a plea. His attorney has been unavailable to comment to PEOPLE. An obituary for Kyle described him as a chatty, outgoing teen who dearly loved his family, the farm, and the freedom of the outdoors. But most of all, Kyle loved to talk, tease, joke, prank, and share stories with the ones he loved, the obituary continued. Heaven will definitely need to pass out earplugs now, because his contagious laughter will be heard throughout. AT&T CEO could be feeling a little like Casey at the Bat as he awaits a verdict on whether his company can buy Time Warner. He's down two strikes, and if he fails this time, his legacy may be sealed. A blocked Time Warner acquisition would be the third misstep for Stephenson on transformational deals for AT&T. Regardless of the deal's merits, if Judge Richard Leon decides AT&T can't buy Time Warner, Stephenson's attempt to transform the nation's second-largest wireless provider will have proven unsuccessful yet again. If Time Warner fails, Stephenson would go down in history as the only CEO in modern history who twice had deals of more than $35 billion blocked by government resistance. The one deal he did get through a $67 billion purchase of DirecTV has not been a financial success since its 2015 announcement. Combined, the failures would leave Stephenson with a checkered legacy at best. "It's a reasonable question to ask, 'will this be a failed legacy?' if the deal doesn't go through," said Craig Moffett, an analyst at MoffettNathanson. "At the least, it would be a rather uncertain legacy." AT&T shares haven't moved much from five years ago, when they were trading around $35. The stock is down about 13 percent in the last 52 weeks. The AT&T-Time Warner trial is entering its fifth week, and Stephenson is set to testify this week, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Department of Justice's primary argument is AT&T could threaten to withhold Time Warner's programming from other distributors to force higher prices. AT&T's DirecTV is a pay-TV provider that reaches more than 20 million customers. If Leon believes AT&T will threaten to withhold Time Warner programming from other video distributors, knowing customers could switch to DirecTV as an alternative, he may decide a deal wouldn't be in the best interest of consumers. AT&T counters that the logic doesn't hold up, as the point of owning content is to get widespread distribution, which brings in affiliate fees and advertising revenue. Time Warner also has contracts with existing TV operators, locking the company into distribution deals for years to come. The yield on the two-year Treasury note hit its highest level in nine years on Monday as investors grew confident that sustained military action in Syria would not materialize and retail sales data proved stronger than expected. Earlier, the two-year yield hit 2.394 percent, its highest level since Sept. 8, 2008, when the two-year yielded as high as 2.542 percent. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.83 percent at 3:24 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond rose to 3.027 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices. The Commerce Department said Monday that retail sales in March bounced back 0.6 percent, its largest increase since November. The swell in retail sales was largely thanks to consumer purchases of automobiles, furniture and appliances after three months of declining retail sales, the department added. Sales rose at grocery stores, restaurants and bars as well as drug stores. They fell at home and garden shops as well as clothing and sporting goods stores. "The overall [retail sales] number was a little bit stronger than expected and excluding auto sales it was as expected. It's enough to support the story that the economy is kind of moving along," said Arthur Bass, managing director of fixed income financing, futures, and rates at Wedbush Securities. "The key to the markets is still the risk-on, risk-off trading, and fixed incoming traders are keeping an eye on the equity market." Investors also grew more confident in the economy as fears of sustained military involvement in Syria eased. The U.S., France and Britain launched more than 100 missiles Saturday that targeted facilities in Syria in what leaders have described as an isolated, precise attack. Secretary of Defense James Mattis called the strikes a "one time shot" and said that they were aimed at Syrian government's chemical weapons infrastructure. "Right now we have no additional attacks planned," Mattis said from the Pentagon. The strikes came on the heels of an alleged chemical weapons attack believed to be carried out by forces aligned with the Assad regime in Douma, a town that was held by Syrian rebels. Amazon has shelved a plan to sell drugs to hospitals, and insiders say there are two reasons why Amazon has shelved plans to sell and distribute pharmaceutical products through Amazon Business, its marketplace for business customers. The biggest challenges include complexities around selling in bulk to large hospitals and building a logistics network to handle pharma delivery. Amazon could still get into the pharma space in another way, as it still has multiple teams working on health care, including Alexa and the secretive Grand Challenge team, sometimes referred to as "1492." Eugene Kim | Christina Farr Amazon Business, which sells bulk items to business customers, has shelved its plan to sell and distribute pharmaceutical products after considering it last year, according to people familiar with the matter. Instead, the company is focused on selling less sensitive medical supplies to hospitals and smaller clinics through Amazon Business and it has found that business to be more challenging than expected. The setback illustrates the challenges of getting into the medical supply and pharmaceutical space, even for a company as big as Amazon. Several healthcare and pharmaceutical distribution companies saw their stock take a nose dive following recent reports of Amazon potentially getting into the space, but it will likely take some time before those concerns turn into real threats. The change in plan comes partly because Amazon has not been able to convince big hospitals to change their traditional purchasing process, which typically involves a number of middlemen and loyal relationships. Moreover, Amazon would also need to build a more sophisticated logistics network that can handle temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products, according to these people. Still, Amazon hasn't completely ruled out getting into the pharma distribution space eventually. Multiple reports have speculated that the company will someday add a direct-to-consumer prescription drug business. Amazon Business could also re-consider getting into the pharma space once it gains more scale, multiple people said. Meanwhile, the company continues to explore other healthcare projectsthrough different teams across the company, including Alexa and the secretive Grand Challenge team, sometimes referred to as "1492." Shares of pharmacies and drug distributors, including Cardinal Health, CVS, McKesson, and Walgreens, spiked on the news. Harder than expected Amazon has been selling medical products like glucometers, gloves and stethoscopes into medical clinics for several years. It now has the necessary licensing in 47 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to its website. But Amazon has struggled to land contracts with large hospital networks, despite convening an advisory board that includes major hospital executives, according to two people familiar. These groups of hospitals have longstanding contracts with distributors, like Cardinal Health and McKesson. Many hospitals also own a stake in entities called group purchasing organizations that negotiate on their behalf, leveraging their collective negotiating power. In addition, Amazon isn't yet selling products considered high-risk, known as "Class III" devices. For instance, it's not selling anything that needs to be implanted into the human body and sustains life, like a pacemaker. Some large hospitals have been reluctant to move over to Amazon in part because it lacks these products. An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC, "As we've developed Amazon Business, we've used our working-backwards methodology for consumers and applied it to the needs of business customers and sellers. One of the ways we do this is convening advisory boards from across the industry to give us feedback so we can continue innovating on behalf of customers." The health care supply chain is well-entrenched and will be hard to break into, according to one expert. "The hospital and health care systems have entangling alliances with their existing purchasing and supply chain partners," said Tom Cassels, head of strategy and business development at Leidos Health. "It's very difficult to replicate the Amazon buying experience in healthcare," he said. For now, the sweet spot for Amazon Business in health care is smaller practices, such as dental offices, freestanding ambulatory surgery centers and small physician practices, where the licensed providersappreciate the convenience and affordability. Even then, several of the physicians interviewed by CNBC said they were sticking with their existing distributor for most supplies, but relying on Amazon for some items, or in emergencies. Amazon told CNBC that it serves health practices of all sizes: "Amazon Business serves healthcare customers of all sizes, from large IDNs [integrated delivery networks, meaning systems that provide both medical services and a health insurance plan to patients] to small- and medium-sized community hospitals. We also serve customers from physician and dental offices to senior living and long-term care facilities." No 'Cold Chain' Another major barrier to entry has been Amazon's warehouse and logistics infrastructure, which is not set up to store and deliver temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products. Many biopharma companies require their products to be stored and shipped in a tightly controlled supply chain system. For example, some products have insulation and need to be stored in a warehouse that can provide an ice-cold environment. Amazon's current logistics network doesn't offer this type of sophistication. Today, some Amazon sellers that sell temperature-sensitive products use a customized delivery process, according to several people familiar with the company. This part of the supply chain, called "Cold Chain," would be costly to build out for Amazon. Pharma products that require refrigerated storage and transport were worth around $283 billion as of 2017, and the segment is expected to grow 70 percent by 2021, according to Pharmaceutical Commerce. "You can't use FedEx or UPS trucks for delivery of these products," said a seller of a health care product on Amazon, who declined to be identified out of concerns it would jeopardize his relationship with Amazon. "It would be a massive undertaking [to build the infrastructure]." About CNBC: With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CNBC World, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 409 million homes worldwide, including more than 91 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries. CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms including: CNBC.com; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides live access to CNBC programming, exclusive video content and global market data and analysis; a suite of CNBC mobile products including the CNBC Apps for iOS, Android and Windows devices; and additional products such as the CNBC App for the Apple Watch and Apple TV. Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc. For more information about NBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com. Bright Health, a start-up backed by $240 million in venture financing, thinks it has figured out how to make money in the complex world of health insurance. Little has been shared about Bright's strategy, as it's still early days for the start-up. But a newly released state regulatory filing shows that the company grew to about 12,000 members in Colorado in its first year. The real surprise: Its medical loss ratio for 2017 was 87 percent, meaning that the insurer paid out 13 percent less on medical claims than it collected in premiums. That is an achievement, and not just in comparison to other start-up plans. Investor Steve Kraus of Bessemer Venture Partners, who sits on the company's board, says the performance also stands out among plans from big traditional health insurers. Bright's overall losses amounted to about $18 million, with revenues from premiums totaling $36 million. Bright CEO Bob Sheehy, the former CEO of health system giant UnitedHealthcare, chalks up its losses to typical start-up costs, like engineering and marketing, which he claims will come down as the company scales to "multiple markets and products." Kraus said revenues are projected to end the year at between $140 and $150 million, representing a 300 percent jump. Neither is the China's monumental, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) much to German taste. That is a modern replica of ancient overland and maritime routes connecting East Asia with Europe and Africa. China, Germany claims, has too much control over the whole project. The German ambassador to Beijing says that his country's companies should be able to participate as equal partners. Interestingly, German companies don't seem to have the same reservations. A BRI study published last February by two German business associations Germany Trade & Invest and Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce highlights "cooperation opportunities between German and Chinese businesses in sectors of infrastructure, energy and consulting." More seriously perhaps, German complaints about Chinese control have much broader implications. Media reports, for example, quote German authorities' statements that the BRI serves as an instrument to establish a Chinese world order ("pax sinica"), where even the terms "free trade" and "the rule of law" have meanings different from what's commonly understood. China is strongly denying any such intentions. At the Boao Forum for Asia last week, China's President Xi Jinping said that the BRI was "neither the Marshall Plan after World War II nor an intrigue of China." Beijing, he said, seeks "shared growth through discussion and collaboration," advocating "inclusiveness" and opposing a "zero-sum game mentality." More to the point, Xi pledged that "China will not threaten anyone else, attempt to overturn the existing international system, or seek spheres of influence." It would not be surprising if Germany begged to differ. At any rate, Germany correctly wants to see real and meaningful measures of China's opening up to world commerce and finance. Like some other Europeans, Germans are talking of China's "promise fatigue," arguing that Beijing has to reciprocate after having greatly benefited from a fairly liberal access to German and other EU markets. Here are the numbers. The China's share of EU trade has almost tripled so far this decade to 15.3 percent, slightly below America's steadily declining share of 16.9 percent. Last year, China ran a whopping 176 billion euro trade surplus with the EU, while the U.S. took a 120.8 billion euro deficit. In the first two months of this year, China's EU trade surplus was running at an alarming annual rate of 213.6 billion euro, a 21.4 percent increase over last year. Germany, by comparison, has much less to complain about: Its goods trade deficit with China remains on a steeply declining trend, falling last year to 14.2 billion euro, a 21.5 percent drop from 2016. Still, Germany, a powerhouse of world exports, does not seem to like that. Berlin is also very worried about China's buying spree in the heartland of its top technologies a recent allegedly stealthy purchase of a 9.7 percent stake in Daimler (which owns the Mercedes Benz brand of cars), an 8.8 percent ownership of the Deutsche Bank, the purchase of the robotics firm KUKA and the energy management company Ista. Germans are now tightening the rules and reviews of incoming direct investments, prompting the adoption of the same procedures at the EU level. Following is the transcript of an exclusive CNBC interview with Peter Baumgartner, CEO of Etihad Airways, and CNBC's Hadley Gamble live on CNBC's Capital Connection. HG: I'm joined now on set by the CEO of Etihad Airways, Peter Baumgartner, thanks so much for joining us. PB: Hadley, great to be here. HG: Now, talk to me a little bit about what's happening over at Etihad. You've had a massive restructuring programme. How soon are we going to see Etihad return to profitability? PB: Well, first of all, Hadley, you know, we are not even 15 years old, so I am with the airline since the very beginning, and I haven't seen, you know, a year, or a period, which was not constantly driven by change. So, change is probably the only constant in our-, in our life, and it has to be. It's made us a very agile business, that is able to adapt, you know, to an ever-changing environment, in a very, very agile way. And I think, in that context, it's important to understand that, you know, we are at a gateway, you know, of-, of not being a startup business anymore, an established company. Many of the input parameters, at the time, the fleet, and network plans, have the last time been cut, you know, have changed, and it is an appropriate point in time to-, to look in to the future, make sure we keep having a solid baseline for future growth. HG: And speaking of the future, right now we're talking about these geopolitical tensions, these Syria strikes over the weekend, a lot of questions about whether airlines should reroute. American Airlines, as you saw, did a bit of rerouting, itself. What is Etihad's take on this? Are you rerouting flights, given what we've seen? PB: Well, first of all, you know, safety and security of our-, of our guests, and our operation, is number one priority, as it should be for any airline, as it is in aviation. So, that means, you know, yes, these are times, you know, of heightened surveillance. We are extremely well connected with-, you know, internal and external intelligence, which gives us a very, very accurate picture of what's going on, so we would never risk, you know, any operation over-, over unsafe territory. So, yes, we have, in the past, you know, rerouted flights, to adapt to a security situation. At the moment, you know, our flights continue to operate as per our normal schedule, but, you know, this is a-, a daily assessment of the situation, an hourly assessment of the situation. HG: Now, of course, you have cut some of your routes, Edinburgh, as well as Perth, as well. Is this the end of Etihad's global ambitions? PB: [Laughter] no. I mean, you know, an airline is constantly, you know, looking at it-, it-, its competitive position in the-, in the market. What we are doing here is to make sure that we continue to be that integral part of an Abu Dhabi masterplan, to be the flag-carrier that the-, the strategy of economic diversification requires, what the capital of Abu Dhabi requires, in terms of air link to important and emerging economies, capital to capital connections, and so on. So, we do that in a way that it is very, very strategic, and, you know, on a sound commercial basis. So, this is a constant, you know, evaluation, that is not, you know, a one-time cut, and then you are done for the next ten years. So, this is-, this is a very agile business, in a very agile environment, and so that's kind of business as usual. HG: Speaking of constant re-, constantly reevaluating the situation, when you look at the Etihad versus Emirates narrative, Emirates, of course, available in Dubai, about an hour up the road from Abu Dhabi. Is there a situation where you might consider cutting prices at Etihad, to be competitive, when it comes to keeping people from taking that drive, and taking an Emirates flight? PB: Well, it is a good question. I think it has to be seen in the context of what's currently happening, in terms of airline product development and distribution. I mean, the airline industry, for too long, had a very limited amount of product on the shelf, which is first, business, and economy. Maybe something in between, you know, "economy plus", whatever you want to call it, but digital transformation has also reached our industry, which allows us, you know, to get less dependent on legacy distribution technology, and allows us, you know, to have those dozens, hundreds, millions of products out there, bundled up, customized, to exactly what-, what-, what Hadley wants, and needs, and make sure that it is at the price, you know, that you think is good value. And that's the transformation that we go very strongly through at Etihad. Yes, you know, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has reached us. We're already, you know, a first mover in many of those areas, rather than a follower. That means, you know, we will be able, in the future, you know, to be highly competitive against, you know, very price-sensitive leisure audiences, at the same time deliver on the very same aircraft, the ultra-luxury experience for those people where this matters. HG: Talk to me a little bit more about that restructuring, because back in 2015, 2016, you issued bonds, many of them taken by residents here in the UAE, and those have since lost about a quarter of their value. Is there a plan to make those investors hold? PB: Well, you know, these are public securities where I can't, you know, possibly talk about, you know, in-, in-, in public. But, important to understand, and maybe that allows me to make a point, is that, you know, I'm sitting here, representing Etihad Airways, and the way we are structured allows me, and my team, to focus on the airline, and-, and ensure that the operation is-, you know, continues to be on a solid footing, and continues to be a successful growth story. That's what we are focused on. The rest are-, are-, are challenges, which are-, which are, you know, managed in the group. HG: What's the timeline, then, to getting Etihad back on track, in terms of profitability? PB: You know, the core airline has always been operating very-, in a very, very solid way. I mean, even in most challenging times, 2016, the oil price collapsed, local regional markets contracted, which accelerated the overcapacity situation on competitive overlapping traffic flows, which brought, you know, the yields down, that was kind of a perfect storm. Even then, you know, we operated with very solid load factors. Now that the quality of revenue they've been used to has accelerated, also, our, you know, of course, review of our network and fleet requirements for-, for the next five, and even ten years, because many of these-, of these effects are not just one-time, are just a cycle, and do not go away that quickly. Yes, it was-, it was maybe an accelerated reality check, but-, but, you know, what you would expect, you know, a business, after ten years, to do. HG: Peter, we're going to have to leave it there. Peter Baumgartner, the CEO of Etihad Airways, thanks so much for joining us. Nancy, I'm going to hand it back to you. ENDS For more information contact Jonathan Millman, EMEA Communications Executive: Jonathan.Millman@cnbc.com About CNBC: CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.com. Following is the transcript of an exclusive CNBC interview with Luka Mucic, CFO of SAP and CNBC's Hadley Gamble live on CNBC's Capital Connection. HG: I'm pleased to say we are joined now by Luka Mucic, who is CFO of SAP, and he joins us life from Walldorf, Germany. Luka, thank you for joining us, and taking the time to speak to us on Capital Connection today. Let's talk about that Saudi investment plan. So many firms, such as yourself, are stepping up your investments in the region. Do you expect to get new business as a direct result of the Saudi 2030 vision here? LM: Yeah, absolutely, that's our plan, and intention. We have been committed to Saudi Arabia as a market for many years, actually, more than a decade, and we had a great run. We have more than tenfold increased our revenues between 2007 and 2017, and definitely now there is a big move towards the cloud. In the Kingdom, companies both in the private sector, as well as in the public sector, are really looking for the agility that you can gain in the cloud, to quickly adopt new business processes, new applications, and therefore, our investment in to a local datacentre right in the Kingdom absolutely was strategic, and we have a great growth plan behind this, that we also foster with dedicated localization efforts, to deliver regulatory capabilities that you need in that market, as well as an ecosystem where many partners and small companies will be able to use our cloud platform to innovate. So, we have strong hopes for our business in Saudi Arabia according to this investment. HG: And Luka, I know SAP has done a great deal of work looking at smart cities, the interconnected of things. How does that play in to the Saudi investment picture, as well? We think of plans for the city such as NEOM. LM: Absolutely, and you see this all over the place. Smart capabilities, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, are really top of mind, not only in Saudi Arabia, but, I would argue, in the broader Middle East region. We have similar initiatives, obviously, also in the UAE, and so therefore it is so critical that we will bring, together with our datacentre capabilities, all of our innovative platform solutions, on which broader ecosystems and our customers can co-innovate with us around our building blocks that we offer for IoT, as well as for artificial intelligence and machine learning, together with us. That's why we bring these capabilities as one of the first application areas to our datacentres in the country. HG: Luka, there's a lot of excitement, obviously, about what you're doing in Saudi Arabia, and certainly the broader Middle East region, but let's talk a little bit about what's happening in Asia for SAP. What does the broader China market look like for your company today? LM: It actually was also an equally excellent experience for us. Over the course of the past few years, we have really been reaping the fruits of a strategic investment plan that we had for the country. We have been investing billions of euros over the course of the past five, six years, in building up not only our distribution capacity, but also R&D capacity, in order to be able to really innovate out of China, for China, and we have seen tremendous high double-digit growth in China as a result of that. China, now, has made it, more or less, in to the number three spot of our global markets worldwide, actually similar to the Middle East, which is now also a top five, top six market for us. So, clearly, customers both in China, as well as in the Middle East, expect from a vendor not only to use the country as a distribution market, but to come in with own capabilities, work with local communities, foster local talent, and that's what we are doing in both markets, and it clearly pays off. HG: For SAP, Luka, when you look at these broader regions, Middle East, China, Asia, where are the opportunities for SAP to really help connect these regions together? Because we've seen so much excitement, particularly with Saudi Arabia, about the One Belt One Road strategy, how they can get involved in China, much more beyond where they are already, with energy. What's the opportunity there? LM: Yes, you make a great point here. I think-, you know, the world will only thrive if we really connect economies, if we stand in for liberal trade practices, and between Asia and the Middle East, there is obviously both a strong historic connection, think about the fact, how many Indian companies, for example, are strongly connected with firms in the Middle East, to jointly develop next practices, and innovate together, so there is definitely a great upside, that we can deliver against, and we have innovation capabilities across all of the key economies and countries on that way, from China to the Middle East. We have strong labs capabilities in India, in Bangalore, for example, same in China, we are now building up a tremendous practice in the Middle East, where we have already crossed the 700-employee threshold, and we are co-innovating with great initiatives like Expo 2020 in Dubai, for example, and many others. So, I think we have a great opportunity, and a responsibility, as a global firm, to cross-pollinate, and cross-fertilize, different innovation efforts that are going on. And indeed, as a German company, we are in an interesting spot, as some of these markets have developed over the course of the last quarters and years, let's say, a more delicate relationship, with the US in particular, we, I believe, can differentiate with coming across with our capabilities that we have developed in Europe, around data privacy, also around the Industry 4.0 movement, that is very strong in Germany, and help those countries and economies to connect better with each other. HG: Luka, there is a concern out there that European firms could be caught in between the US/China trade tit for tat we're currently watching. If the trade tensions escalate, are you concerned that it could become more difficult for SAP to do business in China? LM: Well, as I said, I mean, I'm always gonna be in favour of free trade practices and the reconciliation of differences in trade policies-, HG: Okay. LM: So, there is no doubt that I would not welcome growing tensions between the US and China. But, let's be clear, as well. SAP is a global firm. So, I believe one of our core strengths is that we are active, and we have a leading position in virtually all mature, but also emerging markets, so we are able to balance out against, let's say, short-term implications, and difficulties that individual local economies might face, as a result, also, of, you know, intra-country difficulties and disputes. So, I'm not really concerned about SAP's business as a whole, but I am, of course, very much interested in making sure that SAP can support policymakers, on basically a global basis, to understand that collaboration and exploration of joint business opportunities, including digitization opportunities, are probably the best recipe for continued global economic success. HG: Well, Luka, I'm afraid we're going to have to leave it there. Luka Mucic, the CFO of SAP, thanks so much for joining us. ENDS For more information contact Jonathan Millman, EMEA Communications Executive: Jonathan.Millman@cnbc.com About CNBC: CNBC is the leading global broadcaster of live business and financial news and information, reporting directly from the major financial markets around the globe with regional headquarters Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London and New York. The TV channel is available in more than 410 million homes worldwide. CNBC.com is the preeminent financial news source on the web, featuring an unprecedented amount of video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.com. House Armed Services Committee member John Garamendi said Monday that a U.S. response in was needed, but the way President carried it out had "no legality." "We cannot let chemical attacks go without an answer, and certainly this was an answer," the California Democrat told CNBC's "Squawk Box," referring to the weekend U.S., British and French airstrikes on Syria. Garamendi said he's introducing legislation that would block any U.S. military actions in Syria without congressional approval. "It's an answer for which there is no legality. This is an attack on a foreign country, an act of war, and therefore Congress has to declare war or authorization to use military force," he said. Trump ordered targeted military action in Syria late Friday, following an alleged chemical weapons attack by Syrian President that killed at least 60 people. In a later briefing from the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis said the president ordered the strikes to destroy Syria's chemical weapons development infrastructure, and the U.S. response was a legitimate and proportionate response to Assad's continued use of unconventional warfare. Garamendi, who was briefed on the apparent chemical attack in Syria by Mattis, said the administration needs to form a strategy to ensure something like the chemical weapons attack doesn't happen again. "What we have to have here is a coherent strategy based upon a set of objects, hopefully dealing with a reduction in the violence, dealing with the refugees and dealing with the fact that Assad is likely to be there for some time to come," he said. Ryan Crocker, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria, told CNBC a military response was the right signalm but now, the question for Trump is to figure out how he's going to make a difference. "This is an inflection point in which we did respond to a chemical attack. So, it's a moment to assess how we move forward," said Crocker, who served as Syria ambassador in Bill Clinton's administration. He also served in roles for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Crocker said the U.S. needs to realize Assad will likely not be leaving anytime soon. "It's good to reflect. We're about 100 years into the new Middle East," he said. The U.S. is expected to announce Monday more sanctions on Russia because of its support for Assad. Trump tempered his preference for a more robust attack on Syria after getting a caution from his Pentagon chief, The Wall Street Journal reported. One military option reportedly involved three times the size of the one carried out by forces. Every year, more than 1 million people come to the United States in hopes of living the American dream. With so many people striving to live in the U.S., you might think it's the happiest country on earth. Not so. The U.S. is the No. 18 happiest country in the world while Finland is No. 1, according to the 2018 World Happiness Report. So, what do these countries offer that the U.S. doesn't when it comes to happiness? More from GOBankingRates: 50 cheapest countries to live in Here's how much it costs to live in these luxurious beach towns 15 insider secrets to know before your Hawaiian vacation To find out if perhaps positive economic factors play a role, GOBankingRates crunched numbers on wages, unemployment rates and housing for the 15 happiest countries. United States Happiness rank: No. 18 Average annual wage: $46,467 Unemployment rate: 4.1 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,199 The U.S. might be one of the countries with the wealthiest people, but it barely scrapes into the top 20 when it comes to happiness. Gun violence and a changing political climate might have left some people unsettled, but the U.S. isn't even in the top 30 for gun violence, according to NPR, and isn't in the top 100 worldwide in homicide rates. The 2017 Fragile States Index published by the Fund For Peace cites the U.S. as one of the 21 most stable countries in the world, and the World Happiness Report shows that U.S. citizens have a lower perception of their own country being corrupt than citizens in other, happier countries do. The U.S. fell to No. 18 from No. 14 last year in the World Happiness Report, in part due to untreated depression, obesity and substance abuse, according to one of the report's editors, Jeffrey D. Sachs. Kranhauser' seen from the banks of the Rhine in Deutz, Rheinauhafen, Cologne Joker | Walter G. Allgower | ullstein bild | Getty Images Germany Happiness rank: No. 15 Average annual wage: $55,824 Unemployment rate: 3.6 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $824 Germany is one of the least tax-friendly countries in the world. However, it has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, perhaps attributing to its overall happiness. Housing costs are on the lower end of the spectrum. The German Glucksatlas survey reported that Germans score their happiness at 7.07 out of 10, based on the country's healthy economic climate. The country has experienced an overall growth in wealth unsurpassed since the 1960s. Ireland Happiness rank: No. 14 Average annual wage: $48,638 Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,472 Although Ireland is one of the most expensive countries to live in, and the unemployment rate and cost of housing are higher, the Irish are significantly happier. Perhaps their sense of community is the leading force toward their happiness. According to the OECD Better Life Index, 96 percent of people in Ireland think there is someone they can count on in an emergency or time of need. The average in the OECD is 89 percent. Costa Rica Happiness rank: No. 13 Average annual wage: $13,512 Unemployment rate: 9.3 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $513 Costa Rica has the lowest average annual wage of any of the happiest countries in the world, with its citizens making about $33,000 less per year than in the U.S. and about $22,000 less than in the next-lowest-paid happy country, Israel. Costa Rica has the second-highest unemployment rate of any of the 15 happiest countries but the lowest rent. Citizens also pay less for healthcare, which costs up to a third less than in the U.S., according to a separate GOBankingRates study. Austria Happiness rank: No. 12 Average annual wage: $39,090 Unemployment rate: 9.5 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $833 Austrians average nearly $10,000 less annually in salary than U.S. citizens and experience some the highest unemployment rates to go with a 31.9 percent personal income tax. However, they enjoy greater life happiness overall, with high satisfaction levels for safety, health and overall life satisfaction. Austrians also enjoy a strong sense of community and a stable economy. Israel Happiness rank: No. 11 Average annual wage: $35,052 Unemployment rate: 4 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $979 Strong social support is a major factor for Israeli happiness, according to the World Happiness Report. Among the happiest people in the country are Russia-born immigrants who evaluate their life in Israel as much more positive than in their homeland, despite simultaneously experiencing setbacks or adverse outcomes. Perth, Australia Brendon Thorne | Bloomberg | Getty Images Australia Happiness rank: No. 10 Average annual wage: $48,638 Unemployment rate: 5.5 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,343 Australia dropped from its No. 9 ranking a year before but still stands eight spots higher than the U.S. Nonetheless, 71 percent of Australians feel optimistic about the future, with women and people between the ages of 35 and 49 feeling the most optimistic, according to the Medibank Better Health Index. Sweden Happiness rank: No. 9 Average annual wage: $43,181 Unemployment rate:7 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $892 People living and working in Sweden have a lower annual wage and higher unemployment rate than U.S. citizens, but they dwell in one of the five most economically stable countries in the world, according to the Fund for Peace Fragile States Index. They also prioritize time enjoying life. U.S. workers get an average of 16 days of paid leave and often don't take it but Swedes get 25. New Zealand Happiness rank: No. 8 Average annual wage: $46,758 Unemployment rate: 4.5 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,065 Although New Zealanders average a few hundred dollars more per year than U.S. citizens, New Zealand has a higher unemployment rate and a higher cost of living for everything except rent. Residents of this country also pay higher taxes, with a 33 percent rate for top earners and a 15 percent tax on goods and services. The money benefits the country's citizens, improving quality of life for Kiwis through old-age pensions, parental leave, healthcare subsidies and other financial benefits. Canada Happiness rank: No. 7 Average annual wage: $40,602 Unemployment rate: 5.9 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $920 On average, Canadians make nearly $6,000 less than Americans, but citizens of the Great White North pay a lower income tax rate than U.S. citizens do, which is sure to bring a smile to their faces. Getty Images Netherlands Happiness rank: No. 6 Average annual wage: $44,942 Unemployment rate: 4.2 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,141 Although the Netherlands is one of the least tax-friendly countries in the world, citizens of this country experience higher life satisfaction than people in the U.S. They also enjoy 6 percent lower rent as well as significant savings on groceries. The World Happiness Report lists the country as one of the most welcoming and tolerant in the world, leading to significant satisfaction among immigrants. Switzerland Happiness rank: No. 5 Average annual wage: $80,068 Unemployment rate: 3.3 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,504 With the highest annual average income of any country in the World Happiness Report combined with the lowest unemployment rate, Swiss citizens have a lot to be happy about. They also enjoy the third most stable economic and political climate in the world, according to the Fund For Peace Fragile States index. Iceland Happiness rank: No. 4 Average annual wage: $73,431 Unemployment rate: 3.9 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,778 Just looking at Iceland's stunning scenery could make a person happy, but factor in daily life in one of the most economically stable countries in the world and there is a lot to smile about. The average income is 58 percent higher than that of the U.S., but citizens pay an income tax of only 3 percentage points higher. Denmark Happiness rank: No. 3 Average annual wage:$79,570 Unemployment rate: 4.2 Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,080 Even though its personal income tax is one of the highest in the world at 36.2 percent, Denmark ranks as the third-happiest country on the planet. Like other countries at the top of the list, Denmark has a stable economy and political climate to go with above-average social benefits for its citizens. Bergen, Norway KDG | Getty Images Norway Happiness rank:No. 2 Average annual wage: $67,964 Unemployment rate: 4.1 percent Monthly rent for one-bedroom apartment: $1,312 An income tax rate of 27.9 percent might not make the average American citizen happy, but Norway provides some of the best social and work benefits in the world for its citizens, greatly improving quality of life. Parents with children younger than 18 enjoy cash benefits for raising and caring for their children, building a strong family dynamic and combating poverty. Citizens enjoy basic healthcare throughout their lives, and elders draw a pension as early as age 62. Finland Between Barack Obama and Donald Trump, it's "definitely President Trump" who got U.S. foreign policy right in the Middle East, according to Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris. "I think what we're seeing today is the product of Obama's rule," Sawiris told CNBC's Hadley Gamble in Abu Dhabi on Monday. He claimed that Russia gained ground in Syria as a result of inaction by the Obama administration, which also allowed extremists in the Middle East to thrive. "I'm not saying you should police the world, but you can't let evil strive and say, 'It's none of my business.' So I believe President Trump is on the right track," he said. The Obama administration in 2012 threatened to retaliate if Syria's Bashar Assad used chemical weapons in that country's civil war. The following year, Assad's government killed hundreds of civilians in the town of Ghouta with chemical weapons, but the United States did not respond with military force. Trump likes to blame the Obama administration for the rise of ISIS and take credit for that group's decline, though ISIS began its rise during the administration of George W. Bush and started to lose ground militarily thanks largely to the Obama administration's support of Kurds fighting the terror group. Etihad Airways may have faced turbulence in the last financial year, posting a $1.87 billion annual loss in 2016, but its chief executive said it was still business as usual at the Abu Dhabi airline. "The core airline has always been operating in a very, very solid way even in the most challenging times," Peter Baumgartner, chief executive officer of Etihad Airways told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Monday. The collapse in oil prices in 2016 hit Middle Eastern airlines, including Etihad, which had been on an upward trajectory. According to Baumgartner, the period saw local and regional markets contract, accelerating overcapacity in the region and bringing yields lower. But even though the airline faced a "perfect storm," it continued to operated with "very solid" load factors, he added. The airline will be cutting some of its routes in the year ahead as it continues with a review to turn its business around. Etihad will suspend flights to Edinburgh, Scotland and Perth, Australia, as part of that review, but Baumgartner said that did not affect the airline's global ambition. "This is a constant evaluation that is not a one-time cut and then you are done for the next 10 years. This is a very agile business in a very agile environment, so it's kind of business as usual," he said. Speaking to Germany's Die Welt newspaper on Monday, Europe Minister Michael Roth called for the EU to come together to de-escalate tensions with Russia. German senior minister Michael Roth warned "anti-Russian reflexes" could harm EU nations as much as Russia's "nationalist-tinged policies." "Sanctions aren't a goal in themselves," he said. "They should encourage people back to the negotiating table to work on reasonable solutions." The Social Democrat who is part of Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition said that a "new, stable world order is not in sight" and that only a Europe speaking with "one voice" could deal with the EU's growing concerns on Russia and Syria. Meanwhile, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urged countries with an influence in the Syrian conflict to be part of a solution. "There will be a solution involving everyone who has influence on the region," he told reporters in Brussels, according to Reuters. Maas said Syrian President Bashar Assad could not be part of a solution in Syria. "Nobody can imagine someone who uses chemical weapons against his own people to be part of this solution." Both Assad and Russia deny reports that 500 people were affected by a chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma earlier this month. The World Health Organization reports that 70 people had been killed in the attack. On Saturday, Merkel ruled out military involvement alongside the U.S., the U.K. and France, but did call the joint rocket strike an "appropriate" response. "The military mission was necessary and appropriate to preserve the effectiveness of the international ban on the use of chemical weapons and to warn the Syrian regime of further violations," said Merkel. Germany's restrained policy on Syria has come under heavy criticism from both current and former politicians. A 2015 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, meanwhile, found that 30 percent of households headed by someone 55 or older don't have any retirement savings or a pension, reports the Washington Post , which adds that the Economic Policy Institute found that the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans older than 65 own just about all of the $25 trillion total in U.S. retirement savings. For most of America, by contrast, pension plans are only a memory: In total, only 23 percent of workers have one now, according to the most recent analysis from the Pension Rights Center, while in 2016 "pension benefits provided income to nearly one third of older adults." When he turns 50, he's likely entitled to a pension plan that Vanity Fair describes as "a golden parachute." If he is enrolled in the program offered to Congress members, the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), he could receive $84,930 a year, assuming he sticks it out through January. House Speaker Paul Ryan announced that he will retire at the end of his term in January, giving up his prominent position and salary of $223,500 a year . But that doesn't mean the 48-year-old will have to start pinching pennies. Among workers who do receive pensions, their allotment varies based on who they worked for and how long they worked. In 2016, the median pension for adults over 65 who worked in the private sector was worth $9,262 a year. The median federal government pension, meanwhile, was $22,172, and for state and local government pensions, it was $17,576, according to the Pension Rights Center. Averages can run higher: For those who spent their career working at the state government level, for example, the average pension benefit is $36,131 a year, according to a 2014 report from the American Enterprise Institute. Ryan's pension is considerably more, in part thanks to his decision to leave office in January: "The annual payment to a retired member is determined in part by calculating the three highest-paying consecutive years of their career," Business Insider reports. At the end of 2018, Ryan will complete his third year as Speaker, his highest-earning role since he became a congressman in 1999. In addition, "of course, Ryan could also have other retirement savings from his time in the private sector or from the congressional Thrift Savings Plan, which functions like a 401(k)." TWEET Some have pointed out that Ryan will potentially benefit from the kind of taxpayer-funded programs he has made efforts to do away with. "Paul Ryan now enjoys the peace of mind that when he turns 50 in less than two years he will enjoy a defined-benefits pension of about $79K annually for the rest of his life, funded by the same taxpayers whose Social Security he's been trying to cut or privatize his entire career," writes Politico reporter Joshua Zeitz in a Tweet that has since gone viral. "Addendum: Apparently he spent 4 yrs as a staff member before being elected to Congress, so the pension is closer to $85K," Zeitz followed up, citing Business Insider's report. In 2005, Ryan co-sponsored a bill to privatize Social Security, around the time that George W. Bush announced that Social Security was "headed for bankruptcy," though the bill went nowhere. His legislation, "Road Map for America's Future," a few years later also contained privatization proposals. Social Security allotments only come out to an average of under $16,000 a year. A report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that most elderly people in America rely on Social Security for the majority of their income and two out of five would be broke without it. Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook! Don't miss: Here's how much members of Congress pay for their health insurance People watch a television news screen showing pictures of US President Donald Trump (C) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) at a railway station in Seoul on November 29, 2017. U.S.-led airstrikes in over the weekend could benefit President Donald Trump during nuclear negotiations with North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un. Saturday's missile attacks on Syrian chemical weapons facilities shows the world's largest economy possesses the military and the political will to back up warnings it makes, strategists told CNBC. That sends a message of resolve to Pyongyang, which was likely closely monitoring developments in the Arab nation, they argued. The coordinated bombings by the United States, France and Britain were in response to Syrian President alleged use of chemical weapons toxic agents, including chlorine gas, are said to have killed at least 70 people on April 7 in a city near Damascus. Assad's government denied any responsibility in the incident, but French intelligence indicated Syrian government forces executed the chemical attack. The airstrikes are proof that the White House will back up talk with action, said Dakota Wood, a senior research fellow specializing in defense at conservative research group The Heritage Foundation. Western powers drew a red line on the use of chemical weapons in Syria and they acted on that, so "if the U.S. now says that it will not tolerate North Korea's offensive nuclear capabilities, Kim's government will have to take that statement seriously and consider potential military consequences," Wood added. In the male-dominated world of cryptocurrency, IBM is going against the grain. The company's 1,500 member blockchain team is led by Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president of global industries, platforms and blockchain. Meanwhile, the actual blockchain development was led by IBM Fellow Donna Dillenberger. With the tremendous surge in bitcoin's popularity over the last year, blockchain, which is the platform behind bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, has received renewed interest among large corporations and smaller entrepreneurs looking to cash in on the digital gold rush. IBM is one of a long list of companies that have now built their own blockchain platform. However, the company's predominantly female leadership lies in stark contrast to other blockchain start-ups, which are overwhelmingly run by men. It also makes the company an anomaly within a fintech industry that remains heavily male-dominated. However, van Kralingen, who joined the company in 2004, notes that promoting women to leadership positions isn't a new trend at IBM. The company's CEO, Ginni Rometty, is the most visible example. President and CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty Joshua Roberts | Reuters Dillenberger agrees. "I've worked with extremely, and many, gifted technical and creative women," she tells CNBC Make It. "We were just having a design meeting this morning with our female lead for security in blockchain and she is brilliant." Dillenberger was tapped as the company's lead blockchain engineer when she became an IBM Fellow in 2015, which is the highest technical honor at the company. Out of 370,000 IBM employees, she is currently one of just 99 Fellows. In IBM's nearly 107-year history, there have only been 289 Fellows, five of whom are Nobel Prize winners. How IBM hires Van Kralingen says IBM was "intentional" in choosing who would spearhead the blockchain platform development. The company focused on skills-based hiring because leaders realized early on that it would take a diverse group of talent to make IBM an undisputed leader in blockchain technology. "[By focusing on skills] we've been able to get a really extremely high-caliber, smart, capable, energized team," van Kralingen tells CNBC Make It. The company's blockchain platform has received various accolades and was ranked as the No. 1 blockchain industry leader. Dillenberger notes that blockchain has many uses outside of cryptocurrency and she highlights food safety as an example. Using a cellphone, a farmer can scan the exact moment a food is planted, harvested, packaged and distributed, onto the blockchain platform. This comes in handy when there's a food recall because a company can quickly pinpoint where things went wrong. This leads to greater transparency and trust among businesses and consumers, explains Dillenberger. In fact, it's this social justice aspect that makes blockchain development so appealing to her. Dillenberger points to the 2008 Chinese milk scandal, in which six infants died because plastic was added to baby formulas and milk. She says that tracking food production through blockchain would help companies and the public avoid these types of scenarios. "I'm an IBM Fellow," she adds. "I'm expected to push the boundaries of the frontiers of science and math and technology." Lack of women in blockchain However, most women are not given this opportunity. An analysis of the top 50 blockchain companies found that just 16 percent are founded by and/or led by women. The reasons behind the gender disparity are varied, but women overwhelmingly point to a "blockchain bro" culture that caters exclusively to men. In January, the North American Bitcoin Conference featured 84 male speakers and three women, while the post-conference networking party was held at a Miami strip club. And this isn't a one-off, according to Tavonia Evans, creator of a token coin built on ethereum blockchain technology called $Guap. Evans tells CNBC Make It that this blockchain bro culture further alienates women in tech and admits that she's skipped blockchain conferences due to a lack of female representation "There's a level of intimidation in getting into this space," says Evans. "Women like myself have to work harder to create an entryway to get in." Why diverse leadership is so crucial Since blockchain is still a relatively new technology, it gives businesses the opportunity to diversify their rankings from the beginning. Frans Johansson, diversity expert and author of the "Medici Effect," notes that this is a crucial step if a company wants to be innovative. "You're at a competitive disadvantage if you're not diverse," he tells CNBC Make It. "So those that push for it early on will succeed much more quickly." IBM has had a long history of innovation, he says, due to its longstanding diversity efforts that stem back to the '90s. "Diverse teams can make things happen faster and with less resources," adds Johansson. The 'bro' culture is changing A methanol plant and oil wells on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, off the coast of Iran "I think the market will be quite relaxed about the strikes, which were more limited than they might have been, and have found little response from the Assad regime or Russia," said Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar Energy, and a former Shell executive. "It's already been pretty clearly telegraphed that the U.S. will withdraw from the Iran deal, but the big question is what it then tries to do. I do think it's worth watching further sanctions on Russia. The tighter market now is certainly more vulnerable to geopolitical concerns or real disruptions." Syria produces only negligible volumes of oil, but benchmark oil prices rose to their highest since 2014 in the build-up to military action reflecting fears of broader regional instability. Though it's unclear if the strategic aim of the airstrikes to degrade Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles has been achieved, the action is perceived as a single strike and unlikely at this stage to provoke an outright confrontation between Assad allies and with the West in Syria. Instead, it will be how Syrian President Iranian and Russian allies react, and whether the White House pulls out of the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposes sanctions on the OPEC producer that will determine any move toward $80. Saturday's U.S.-led airstrikes on are likely to draw only a muted response in oil markets. Energy strategists told CNBC over the weekend they expected oil to see little upside momentum from the strikes. "I would not be surprised to see the oil price sliding given the fact that it has been priced in already," said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodity research at Commerzbank, told CNBC on Sunday. As predicted, Brent crude and U.S. oil futures traded at $72.32 a barrel and $67.17 at around 7.50 a.m. Singapore time, down by 0.36 percent and 0.33 percent. "Crude has outperformed most expectations for this time of year and may have rallied too far too fast ... there is no doubt that geopolitics has factored prominently in the rally of the last week," said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects. "But we are likely to get a sell-off this week as the extent of the Syrian strikes have been muted and, in general, calmer nerves prevail in Washington." That said, strategists didn't rule out a move toward $80 per barrel in the near term. U.S.-led airstrikes will likely worsen already tense relations between Washington and Tehran ahead of President May 12 deadline to renew or suspend sanctions waivers under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The majority of the 10 strategists contacted by CNBC assigned a high-probability to Trump re-imposing sanctions on Iran. The likelihood of the Trump administration withdrawing from the nuclear deal "is 90 percent," said Fereidun Fesharaki, chairman of energy consultancy Facts Global Energy and a former energy adviser to the prime minister of Iran in the 1970s. That in turn would risk "triggering sanctions within 180 days, but markets have not priced it in." Even in the absence of such supply-related geopolitical tensions, "$80 oil is coming ... within the next couple of months," added Fesharaki. "Saudis are aiming for it. Iran and Venezuela sanctions add to the pressure. This may mean OPEC had to moderate the production cuts." Commerzbank's Weinberg added: "I do expect the U.S. sanctions against Iran being re-established. It's widely expected but probably not to 100 percent. The reaction to such news would depend on the conditions and whether the other countries would join them (in sanctions) and the response of the OPEC. We may expect Saudi Arabia compensating for the eventual shortfalls." The Syrian action "signals the arrival of the new hardliners in the Trump administration and their willingness to actively engage Russia, Iran and the Assad regime," said John Driscoll, director at JTD Energy Services. He said there's a "good chance we will breach $75 Brent shortly and hit new multi-year highs." President Donald Trump appears to have his sights trained on Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the ongoing Russia probe. If Trump fires Rosenstein as he has reportedly considered doing multiple times in recent months the position would normally be filled by the Department of Justice's No. 3 official, the associate attorney general. But the last person to hold the job, Rachel Brand, resigned in February, and a permanent replacement has yet to be appointed. If Rosenstein was fired under such circumstances, Solicitor General Noel Francisco would take his place. Francisco could then be thrust into the national spotlight and tasked with one of the most politically charged responsibilities in modern history: firing the special counsel at the president's request. Despite his high standing, Francisco has kept a low profile at the department. Some experts have suggested that Francisco could be more amenable to Trump's whims than Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller in the first place in May 2017. Trump has recently accused both Mueller and Rosenstein of having conflicts of interest that preclude them from fairly completing the investigation. Trump tweet conflicts Francisco, on the other hand, recently intervened in a Securities and Exchange Commission case and reasserted Trump's constitutional ability to hire and fire basically all federal authorities, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. "The Constitution gives the president what the framers saw as the traditional means of ensuring accountability: the power to oversee executive officers through removal," Francisco said in the case, the newspaper reported. However, Francisco also joined Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions for a dinner in February that was widely viewed as a symbol of defiance against Trump. A decision by Sessions, a favorite target of Trump's anger, had been called "disgraceful" by the president in a tweet earlier that day. Trump tweet disgraceful If Francisco is for any reason unable to helm the role of deputy attorney general, the line of succession will proceed as follows: Claiming he has created 3 million jobs since his election, President Donald Trump touted his record of job growth to a cheering crowd Monday at a Florida rally. By itself, the number sounds impressive. But a closer look at the data shows that on Trump's watch the pace of U.S. job growth slowed since he was elected in November 2016. Trump praised the strength of the economy Monday in a predominantly Latino Miami suburb, telling the audience the country is "starting to really rock" with businesses coming back to the country and corporations facing fewer regulations. The president was joined by local business owners in the Miami area and members of his Cabinet, underscoring the importance of the tax law and the business climate to Republicans' midterm election hopes. Florida has long been one of the nation's campaign battlegrounds and will be among several states contested by both parties in the fight to control Congress. Uptake, a CNBC Disruptor , launched its service with construction giant Caterpillar and has since serviced other companies like the energy unit of Berkshire Hathaway . It deploys self-learning technology to help companies make sense of a dizzying amount of data gathered from sensors embedded on industrial equipment around the world. Both companies focus on serving a few sectors that operate expensive assets like factories, construction equipment and power plants. The deal illustrates how some firms like Uptake aim to set themselves apart in a crowded field of big data crunchers by narrowing their focus. Uptake, a Chicago firm started by two Groupon co-founders that boasts a $2.3 billion valuation , has agreed to buy Albuquerque-based Asset Performance Technologies, or APT, for an undisclosed amount. The deal will marry Uptake's predictive analytics software and machine learning capability with the world's largest database on why industrial equipment fails. Predictive analytics startup Uptake is acquiring a company that controls a huge trove of industrial data, a move that positions the tech unicorn to better compete in the race to digitize power plants, oil wells and factory floors. The APT database, Asset Strategy Library, was developed over 20 years and helps clients prevent costly downtime and repairs by identifying when equipment is about to fail. Uptake's machine learning technology essentially gets smarter as it consumes more data, and APT's library amounts to tens of thousands of history lessons on why equipment fails. By pairing the two, Uptake believes it will be able to spot potential problems sooner and with greater confidence, Uptake President Ganesh Bell said. "The data is the real asset here, as well as the people that have built this curated database," he told CNBC. Uptake will retain APT's staff in Albuquerque and plans to build out the team to expand the database. Founded to help nuclear power plants run better, APT has culled information on nearly 800 pieces of equipment across power generation, mining, steel-making and other industries. It has catalogued some 55,000 conditions that can identify when equipment is about to fail. "That's 55,000 ways the world will stop working," said Bell. Some big data companies that work across many sectors struggle to deal with the size and complexity of information collected from these industrial customers, said Mike Guilfoyle, director of research at ARC Advisory Group. "It's pretty simple conceptually. Without error codes, which is a lot of what APT can supply, you can't really do the predictive maintenance that people want to do," he told CNBC. Acquiring APT potentially makes Uptake more trustworthy among plant managers who want partners with deep knowledge about their operations, according to Guilfoyle. "That's big. That to me is an absolute step in the right direction if you're getting into industrial operations," he said. "That is an indication that they are very serious about getting trust from industrial operators." APT's library is currently used by the likes of General Electric, which sells predictive analytics services to buyers of its equipment. Uptake and APT will continue offering their own predictive analytics platforms to their respective clients but intend to integrate the two. Nike's head of diversity and inclusion has left the company, the sportswear retailer told CNBC on Monday, marking the latest executive departure at the company. Antoine Andrews joined Nike in 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was previously the global diversity and inclusion director at Symantec. His departure comes after recent turnover in Nike's ranks. Last month, Nike CEO Mark Parker sent a memo to employees regarding inappropriate workplace allegations and a subsequent shakeup in Nike's executive ranks. The memo said that Nike brand president Trevor Edwards, long viewed as Parker's successor, would be resigning after 25 years with the company. A day later, Jayme Martin, vice president and general manager of global categories, was ousted from the company. Andrews' exit comes as the company is trying to change its workplace culture. Earlier this month, Nike's human resources chief Monique Matheson sent a memo to employees about how the sportswear giant "has failed to gain traction" in hiring and promoting more women and minorities to senior-level positions. When President Donald Trump went to West Virginia this month to tout the Republican tax plan, his main political target in the state prodded the president on two major issues. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat running for re-election in a state Trump won easily in 2016, asked what would happen to West Virginia residents who choose not to get health care because of a provision in the GOP tax overhaul. He also questioned whether Republicans would cut funds from Social Security and Medicare to help offset projected budget deficits generated by tax cuts. "I won't stop fighting to protect Medicare and Social Security for our seniors, the 200,000 West Virginians at risk of losing coverage, and to secure coal miner pensions," Manchin said in a statement earlier this month. Health care and Social Security are always important issues for voters, and Democrats have often made them keystones of political campaigns. But with midterm congressional elections approaching, the issues have taken on more political importance for the party following Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and GOP musings about shrinking social programs. While Republican moves to overhaul Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid appear unlikely at least for this year Democrats are increasingly warning about the prospect because of the deficit concerns created by the tax plan. The GOP argues Democrats want to distract from the fact that they did not support the tax overhaul, the signature Republican achievement of Trump's first year in office. Democrats' ability to sell voters on their vision for health care and warn about the possibility of cuts to Social Security and Medicare could prove crucial for candidates, such as Manchin, who are trying to win in red areas. Democrats already heavily argued for protecting social programs in one key House election. Rep. Conor Lamb, D-Pa., won a March special election in a district Trump carried by 20 points. Former Vice President Joe Biden made campaign stops for Lamb and repeatedly argued the region's voters needed to elect Lamb to protect Social Security and Medicare. "If we do nothing in terms of cutting programs, if we just keep things as they are, America's gonna go flat bankrupt over the next 10 years. Not a joke," Biden said at the time. "It's because this tax cut is not paid for. But they have a way to pay for it. And [Lamb is] gonna get in their way, they're afraid." Biden, who has not ruled out running for president in 2020, is expected to campaign for House Democrats throughout the year and will likely make similar arguments. Russia must take responsibility for the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria, the U.S. ambassador to NATO told CNBC Monday, calling on the country to stop what she called "mad behavior." On Saturday, the U.S., France and the U.K. conducted 105 airstrikes on government targets in Syria following a suspected chemical weapons attack in the town of Douma, believed to have killed at least 70 people. Russia is an ally of the Syrian regime and had promised, in 2013, to rid Syria of chemical weapons. The U.S. Ambassador to NATO said that Russia had not fulfilled its promises and needed to change its behavior. "Stop the mad behavior, the malign influence that you're sewing all over the world, it's time to come into the community of nations and if you do so we will welcome you," Kay Bailey Hutchison told Willem Marx on CNBC's "Street Signs" Monday. "I hope that Russia will take the responsibility for this," she added. "Russia was the guarantor (that Syria would not use chemical weapons), Russia is the supporter of Syria, Russia has the bases there. They need to take responsibility for the commitments they have made internationally to stop the use of chemical weapons," she said. German software maker SAP expects to generate new business in the Middle East as a result of "Vision 2030" plan, a senior executive at the company told CNBC. There is a big push toward cloud computing in Saudi Arabia, according to Luka Mucic, chief financial officer at SAP. "Companies both in the private sector as well as in the public sector are really looking for the agility that you can gain in the cloud, to quickly adopt new business processes, new applications," he told CNBC's "Capital Connection" on Monday. "Therefore, our investment into a local data center right in the Kingdom absolutely was strategic, and we have a great growth plan behind this," he added. "We have strong hopes for our business in Saudi Arabia." Last year, SAP said it was launching a cloud hub in the country by partnering with the Saudi Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. The goal of that project is to help with Kingdom's digital goals, the company said. The project will unfold over a period of four years and include the establishment of a public cloud data center in the country, an open platform for local developers, and a center to support Saudi start-ups and other companies. Vision 2030 was formulated by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to overhaul the country's economy and make it less dependent on oil. The plan includes a greater focus on technology, including a network of data centers. Last month, Saudi Arabia signed memorandums of understanding with U.S. companies including Google, Raytheon and J.P. Morgan Chase. Social media platform Snap is also reportedly in talks to set up shop in the Kingdom. SpaceX is getting set to launch a satellite for NASA that aims to discover thousands of planets over two years. NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is slated to head into orbit on Monday night aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Nicknamed "the planet hunter," the $337 million TESS is a follow-up to NASA's Kepler spacecraft, which spent the last eight years searching the skies for as many planets outside our solar system as possible. Kepler discovered over 2,600 planets but is estimated to be only months away from running out of fuel and ending its mission. TESS will use its four wide-angle cameras to scan 400 times as much sky as Kepler, focusing on a range closer to Earth. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson told ABC News on Monday that it was "completely inappropriate" for Philadelphia Starbucks employees to have called the police on two black men who asked to use the restroom. Johnson was asked by "Good Morning America" if he thought Thursday's incident which resulted in the men's arrest was a case of "racial profiling." He did not directly answer that question, but he did say: "Starbucks was built as a company that creates a warm, welcoming environment for all customers. That didn't happen here in this case." A statement signed by Johnson on Saturday night read, in part: "First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two men who were arrested with a goal of doing whatever we can to make things right. Second, to let you know of our plans to investigate the pertinent facts and make any necessary changes to our practices that would help prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. And third, to reassure you that Starbucks stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling." The woman who posted the video of the arrests that went viral said staff at the Starbucks called police because the two men had not ordered anything while waiting for a friend. @Starbucks The police were called because these men hadn't ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why it's never happened to us when we do the same thing. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross on Saturday defended the actions of his officers, saying they had no choice but to act after Starbucks employees told them the pair were trespassing. Johnson on Monday refused to say what, if any, repercussions the Starbucks employees who called 911 might face. "Clearly, there's an opportunity for us to provide clarity and in addition to that I'd say there's training, more training that we're going to do with our store managers, not only around the guidelines but training around unconscious bias," he said. Johnson said he's made contact with representatives of the two men, who were later released with no charges, asking for a face-to-face meeting, so he can "apologize in person" and enlist them to talk about a "constructive solution." About two dozen protesters on Monday morning took over the Philadelphia Starbucks where Thursday's arrests took place. Johnson has been in the CEO role for little more than one year, getting the promotion after the company's longtime chief executive, Howard Schultz, stepped down to focus his efforts on trying to turn the Starbucks high-end Reserve Roastery-branded coffee bars into destination restaurants. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. A Philadelphia Starbucks manager has left the company after protests erupted stemming from the arrests of two black men who had asked to use the restroom. A company spokeswoman told CNBC on Monday that "she is no longer at that store," confirming a report by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Starbucks has been under fire since a video of the two men being arrested Thursday at a Starbucks in Center City went viral over the weekend. The woman who posted the video said that staff at the coffee shop had called police because the two men had not ordered anything while they waited for a friend to arrive. Police Commissioner Richard Ross on Saturday defended the actions of his officers, saying they had no choice but to act after employees told them that the two men were trespassing. Starbucks' CEO Kevin Johnson apologized and told ABC News on Monday that it was "completely inappropriate" for the Starbucks employees to call police. "Clearly, there's an opportunity for us to provide clarity and in addition to that I'd say there's training, more training that we're going to do with our store managers, not only around the guidelines but training around unconscious bias," he said. the president should be the first to review the materials. Porn star Stormy Daniels tore into President Donald Trump's lawyer at a federal court hearing Monday, saying he has long played by a "different set of rules, or should we say no rules at all." "For years, Mr. Cohen has acted like he is above the law," Daniels, wearing a lilac suit and jet black tights, said outside a lower Manhattan U.S. District courthouse. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is suing Cohen and Trump to void a nondisclosure agreement barring her from discussing an alleged tryst with Trump from more than a decade earlier. Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said he and his client attended the hearing out of concern that none of the documents seized in raids on Cohen's property last week be tampered with or destroyed. Avenatti also had choice words for Cohen, who negotiated the $130,000 hush payment to Daniels a few weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen is "radioactive," and "anybody associated with him in the last 20 to 30 years should be very, very concerned," Avenatti said. Adult film actress Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford) and Michael Avenatti, attorney for Stormy Daniels, speak to the media after a hearing related to Michael Cohen. Drew Angerer | Getty Images Avenatti's attack followed a blow from Judge Kimba Wood, who rejected an attempt by lawyers for Cohen and Trump to get first crack at reviewing materials seized in a series of FBI raids on Cohen's property last week. The so-called temporary restraining order would have allowed lawyers for Cohen to decide which of the documents and communications were inadmissible in court before the prosecuting attorneys could review them. Both Cohen and Trump argue that swaths of the materials seized from Cohen's residence, hotel room, office, safety deposit box and electronic devices on Monday are protected by attorney-client privilege. But the prosecuting attorneys suggested in an earlier filing that Cohen's proposal for the appointment of a separate judge called a special master to review the material was tantamount to a slow-walk in the case. "My interest is in getting this moving speedily and efficiently," Wood said at the hearing. Still, she said a special master "might have a role here," though she did not decide on whether or not to appoint one at the Monday hearing. Wood also held off on appointing a so-called taint team a separate team of federal lawyers who would review the materials in the case, though she appeared more amenable to the option. "I have faith in the Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's Office. Their integrity is unimpeachable," she said. "I think that a taint team is a viable option." A big reveal In a stunning revelation, Cohen's lawyer was forced to reveal in court that an unnamed recent client of Cohen's was none other than Fox News talk show host, Sean Hannity. In a court filing that morning, Cohen's lawyers said that Cohen had three clients between 2017 and 2018, but only named two: Trump, and former Republican National Committee official Elliott Broidy. Broidy recently resigned from the GOP organization after news outlets revealed that Cohen negotiated a hush deal worth $1.6 million with an ex-Playboy model who said she was impregnated by Broidy. The third client was anonymous. Lawyers for Cohen refused to identify Hannity, saying in the document that it was "likely to be embarrassing or detrimental to the client." But although Stephen Ryan, an attorney for Cohen, argued at length to keep Hannity's name hidden, Judge Wood would not relent. "The client is a publicly prominent individual," Ryan said, before offering to give Hannity's name to Wood in a sealed envelope. The suggestion drew an objection from another party in the courtroom, who said that except in limited cases, attorney-client privilege did not relate to the identities of clients. Wood agreed, and said the client's name "must be disclosed now." After some more argument, Ryan said, "The client's name involved is Sean Hannity." The admission drew audible gasps from the audience. Questions of privilege The U.S. strike on Syrian chemical weapons facilities over the weekend cost taxpayers a lot of money, although the total bill isn't clear. To start, U.S. forces fired 66 Tomahawk cruise missiles on three Syrian targets early morning local time, making for a price tag of $92.4 million for those missiles alone. With an estimated cost of $1.4 million each, Raytheon's Tomahawk missile has an intermediate range of 800 to 1,553 miles and can be deployed from more than 140 U.S. Navy ships and submarines. What also makes the Tomahawk exceptionally lethal is its capability to carry a 1,000-pound conventional warhead which can be reprogrammed midflight. Friday night Eastern time, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to conduct missile strikes, along with French and U.K. forces, against the Syrian government. The use of Tomahawk missiles came as no surprise. It's the weapon that "presidents reach for first in a crisis" according to missile defense expert Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Tomahawks have been deployed more than 2,300 times since joining the U.S. Navy's arsenal in the 1980s. French President Emmanuel Macron said he persuaded President Donald Trump to keep troops in Syria and commit to a long-term strategy. Speaking to the French channel BFMTV Sunday, Macron said that Trump was considering removing American troops from Syria, but France and other allies managed to change the mind of the U.S. president. "Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria," Macron said. "I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long term," he added. Early on Saturday, French, U.S. and U.K. armed forces carried out joint strikes in Syria. The aim was to destroy chemical weapons at a government site in Syria, after an alleged attack in Douma, near Damascus, on April 7. The Syrian regime has denied carrying out the chemical attack. Tweet 1 Following Macron's interview, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that the U.S. mission in Syria had not changed. "The president has been clear that he wants U.S. forces to come home as quickly as possible," she said. The U.S. reportedly has about 2,000 personnel on the ground in Syria. Macron also said Sunday that he told Russian President Vladimir Putin directly that Russia was "complicit" in the alleged chemical attack in Douma. Putin has denied any involvement from the Russian authorities which support the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad. Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday that Russian companies with links to the Syrian president would suffer a second wave of sanctions. These are set to be announced on Monday. Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris said he's not opposed to recent military strikes on , because "it's important to tell people that you cannot support a dictator that is gassing people and get away with it." Sawiris made the comments on Monday after President Donald Trump over the weekend ordered "precision missile strikes" against the Syrian government in retaliation for a chemical attack against its citizens. France and Great Britain took part in the attacks as well. "I'm not one of the people opposing the strike because ... if you say it's a red line and then do nothing like President Obama, then all that you do there is give people the green light to go and do stuff," Sawiris told CNBC's Hadley Gamble in Abu Dhabi. "All in all, I am for this strike," he said. In 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama chose not to use military force against Syria after the regime of Bashar Assad used chemical weapons against his own people. Obama had earlier warned that the United States would do so. T-Mobile will pay $40 million to the U.S. Treasury to settle accusations that it failed to improve call delivery for rural customers. The Federal Communications Commission announced the fine on Monday, after an investigation showed a "practice of injecting false ring tones" into hundreds of millions of calls. The FCC opened the investigation after T-Mobile callers were unable to reach consumers served by three rural carriers in Wisconsin, even though T-Mobile said it had "resolved" the issue. The FCC has been trying to improve rural connectivity for years, encouraging users to report periods of "dead air" after dialing, choppy or echoing voice quality, or hearing "10-20 rings even though you are reasonably sure someone should be there to answer." In 2015, Verizon paid $5 million to address similar issues. The FCC said T-Mobile's latest fine is the sixth settlement related to rural connectivity. "T-Mobile is committed to all of our customers across the country," the company told CNBC in a statement. "Our actions have always been focused on better serving our customers and the ringtone oversight, which was corrected in January 2017, was unintentional. We have settled this matter and will continue to focus on our mission." CNBC's Todd Haselton contributed to this report. The recent discovery of a massive trove of rare earth elements off the coast of Japan may bring relief to fears of shortages of the key elements used in an array of technological devices, including cellphones, cars and defense systems. But rare earths are just some of the elements increasingly sought after as more of the world becomes increasingly flush with technology. For example, the once little-known element cobalt is rapidly rising in price, and some warn shortages could hit the metal in the future. The proliferation of lithium-ion batteries, of which cobalt is a key ingredient, in electronics and electrified vehicles is the chief factor fueling this rise in price and concerns among companies over the security of their supplies. Prices for the metal more than doubled in 2017 over the previous year, according to the United States Geological Survey. Some companies have responded to the jump by looking for ways to secure stocks for their own supply chains. Apple is reportedly trying to procure its cobalt directly from miners. Automakers such as BMW and Volkswagen have also reportedly been taking similar steps. Demand for cobalt in vehicle battery materials is expected to grow more than 40 percent in 2018, according to U.K.-based cobalt trading firm Darton Commodities. Electric and hybrid vehicle adoption in China and Europe are projected to be significant contributors, and the production ramp of the Tesla Model 3 is expected to be the major driver of EV adoption in the U.S., Darton said in its annual Cobalt Market Review report published in February. While engineers can sometimes find ways to change designs or use substitutes for some elements, cobalt could be tough to replace. There are potential substitutes, but substitution in some uses may lead to losses in performance. "There isn't a better element than nickel to increase energy density, and there isn't a better element than cobalt to make the stuff stable," said Marc Grynberg, CEO of materials company Umicore, in an interview with Reuters. "So (while) you hear about designing out cobalt, this is not going to happen in the next three decades. It simply doesn't work." One potential snag is the fact that the majority of the world's cobalt is mined as a byproduct of some other metal mining. In 2017, about 69 percent of the world's cobalt was mined as a copper byproduct and 29 percent as a nickel byproduct. So the availability of cobalt right now is pretty heavily dependent on the health of the markets for copper and nickel. Mining companies such as ERG and Glencore are planning new cobalt operations that may balance supply and demand in the near term, but if electrified vehicles continue to gain market share, any stabilization may be short-lived. "While production increases are expected to level off by around 2022, demand is expected to accelerate further as EVs will be close to reaching cost parity with [internal combustion engine] vehicles by this time," Darton said in its report. The founders of our nation gave each branch a purpose: the legislative writes the laws; the executive carries out the laws, and the judicial system interprets the laws. But a case before the U.S. Supreme Court risks having nine unelected judges act like legislators, creating new tax burdens on online businesses. The internet has enabled the creation of countless new businesses. Some even growing to become established household names. The internet empowers entrepreneurs to expand beyond their local communities to reach customers around the world. Today, when seeking collection of sales taxes, states can demand sales tax only from those retailers that have a physical presence in their state. This physical presence standard protects businesses from foreign tax collectors, echoing the cry of our nation's founders: "No taxation without representation!" But, the future of this common-sense rule, and the future of small online businesses are now in the hands of nine U.S. Supreme Court justices, who will hear the case on Tuesday. In the case of South Dakota vs. Wayfair, the Supreme Court will determine the constitutionality of a South Dakota law imposing sales tax burdens on out-of-state businesses with no physical presence in the state. Jenna Fischer and Oliver Hudson from the show "Splitting Up Together". Source: ABC Where to live is following a divorce or separation is one of the biggest questions some couples face. A trend called bird nesting aims to simplify that problem, particularly when there are children involved. The arrangement occurs when a couple keeps one home for their children and take turns living in it. And the trend has recently gotten some mainstream attention. Actress Jenna Fischer of "The Office" is starring in a new comedy titled "Splitting Up Together," where she and her on-screen husband, played by Oliver Hudson, take turns living in their house with their children. Actor Josh Lucas discussed his real-life use of this living arrangement with his five-year-old son and his mother on "The Today Show" earlier this year. "The idea behind it is, look, your relationship didn't work out between the two of you, so it shouldn't really be his problem. It should be your problem," Lucas said, adding that his son "loves it." Experts say there are both upsides and downsides if you want to try this at home. The pros One of the big advantages of bird nesting is the ability to let time pass if you want to wait for the value of your home to go up or for a lease to expire, according to Lili Vasileff, a financial advisor and divorce expert in Greenwich, Connecticut, and author of "Money & Divorce: The Essential Roadmap to Mastering Financial Decisions." Because of that, Vasileff said she saw many couples opt for this arrangement more during the financial crisis, though she does still have some clients try this. Bird nesting is also beneficial for some couples because it allows them time to disentangle themselves from their marriage or partnership. The biggest benefit could be for the children, who do not have to suffer immediate upheaval in their lives. This situation works particularly well for younger children or children with special needs, according to Vasileff. "I've had nesting arrangements work best when they're relatively short," Vasileff said, "and when they've had transparency with their children." The situation also works more seamlessly for parents who can afford to maintain one central home, as well as two separate living quarters for when each parent is not in the home. The cons Bird nesting can be a tougher arrangement for couples who are not on the same page. Financial advisor Michelle Buonincontri, who specializes in divorce at Being Mindful in Divorce in Phoenix, personally tried this arrangement for about three months during her own divorce. At the time, Buonincontri and her husband kept their New York home. She would stay with her sister while her now ex-husband was in the home; he would stay at his parents' house when she was there. But the arrangement wasn't exactly evenly beneficial, Buonincontri said. While her ex-husband had his own living space and privacy at his parents' house, she stayed on her sister's couch. When Buonincontri returned to the central home, she would often find house work left to be done, which she said made her feel it was being treated as a hotel. The former couples' schedules also did not match up. While Buonincontri worked from home exclusively, her former husband wouldn't return home from work until seven or eight at night. Because Buonincontri was the primary caregiver and did not have a permanent living situation, the couple eventually put an end to the arrangement by having Buonincontri stay in the home full time. The short-lived situation took an emotional toll, Buonincontri said. "Divorce is the death of a relationship," Buonincontri said. "The arrangement didn't help out with separateness and healing. It was just more of the same." Tips to keep in mind Thirteen years ago as a broke college student, Trevor Chapman took a job selling pest control door-to-door to make extra money. Eventually, he launched his own sales operation a solar panel installation company that quickly expanded across three states. But two years in , something was missing and it wasn't a shortage of time spent in the office. "There came a point in time when I had to say, 'I'm in my mid-thirties, am I willing to wait until some of my kids are out of the house ... [to enjoy] my life to the extent I imagined I would?'" Chapman recalls. His answer became the impetus to spend $200 launching LDSman.com, an online store offering a strange assortment of items sourced from China (Kevlar pants, charcoal toothpaste, inflatable lounge chairs, fidget spinners and more). Within three months, Chapman went from putting in 12-hour days at his solar company to spending just an hour and a half each week on his site by the time he hit his first $1 million in sales. Then, in 2018, he sold LDSman, along with his corresponding e-commerce logistics companies, to a holding company in a deal worth over $10 million. Trevor Chapman, now 34, founded his e-commerce site LDSman.com to be able to spend more time with his family. Trevor Chapman | The experience convinced Chapman e-commerce offers the best opportunity for anyone to take control of their time and make money, even for the inexperienced just looking to start something, like he was. How it all started Unhappy running his solar panel business and seeing no path to change there, Chapman came across a quote from Warren Buffett: "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die. Warren Buffett CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Chapman figured the best way to earn passive income would be through e-commerce. It's big business: Global online retail sales grew by 20 percent from $1.9 trillion to $2.3 trillion in 2015, according to a 2016 Ecommerce Foundation report. But before he gave any real thought to leaving his day job, he wanted to see for himself if it was possible to make a living selling things online. "It requires work like everything else, but you don't have to risk your full-time job to do this," the 34-year-old says. Chapman spent a few hours a night on the project, and start-up costs were minimal, about $200 he says. He bought a domain name for $2.99 a year and set up a Shopify account via a $14 trial. The most expensive thing was when he started spending $100 a day on a Facebook advertising budget. LDSman.com went live on Nov. 11, 2016. Day One, Chapman lost money. At first, he was selling the wrong product. "My initial thing was that I was going to sell Mormon artwork online. That was probably up for 10 hours," he says. "I realized that what I was peddling online was not compelling enough to drive traffic." To refocus, Chapman used a lesson from his solar panel operation: When selling door-to-door, the product has to be intriguing enough for people to invite you into their homes, Chapman says. "Same thing online to pull someone away from their friend feed, you've got to be offering something interesting." Out went Mormon art and in came inflatable lounge chairs, a popular staple among online stores selling viral products. Sourcing from Chinese manufacturers on Alibaba and Aliexpress, Chapman found other products for $4.99 that he could resell for $59.99. To avoid the cost and risk of taking on inventory, he would set up arrangements with suppliers (over the popular Chinese messaging service WeChat) to have his orders shipped directly from their warehouses in China to the customer in the U.S. a practice known as drop shipping. "That's the best way to test a product to see whether or not it's actually going to sell," he says. And drop shipping had other benefits: Through a program called ePacket, an arrangement between the United States Postal Service and foreign postal operators designed to encourage e-commerce, it was actually cheaper for LDSman to ship from China, albeit with a slight lag time. Shipping an external iPhone zoom lens from Shanghai, for example, cost $2.29 more than $5 cheaper than the cost to ship the same package domestically. Making money while he slept As orders streamed in while Chapman slept, he realized he was on to something. "I made money my second day and every day after that," he says. Just two weeks in, he had his first $10,000 day. The revenue allowed Chapman to hire out time-consuming customer service work to a team of freelancers in the Philippines. Chapman says he pays each team member $700 a month (low by U.S. standards but notably higher than the $400 monthly average a family in the Philippines earns). He also boosted his budget for Facebook advertisements, focusing more money on the ads that attracted the most purchases. Nearly two months in, the woes of drop shipping caught up with him. The vendor in China he paid $80,000 to supply and ship inflatable lounges swapped out the approved product for a cheaper alternative. When customers started complaining, LDSman replaced about 1,500 bags. Even so, Chapman says he's bounced back from the experience to reach a 48 percent total pretax profit margin. Chapman's warehouse now not only houses his own products, but also those he's importing on behalf of others. Like any good businessperson, Chapman also turned the setback into an opportunity: He bought a 9,000-square-foot warehouse in Salt Lake City and hired a five-person fulfillment staff. It's a move that enabled LDSman to take the business to the next level but something Chapman concedes isn't for everyone, given the capital investment and commitment. Chapman quit the solar panel business, and with the warehouse and staff in place, was spending just over an hour a week working on the site and updating Facebook ads. Shortly after day 92, when the site brought in that first $1 million in sales, Utah-based VC firm Clarke Capital came calling, interested in adding Chapman's e-commerce company to its portfolio. Chapman says he turned down a buyout offer in 2017 worth around $3 million to maintain independence and to have the income and time to pursue his own projects. Chapman, who once worked with the software company behind Israel's defense system, says Facebook's advertising data is alarmingly more robust. In early 2018, however, Chapman agreed to sell LDSman and his logistics company that specializes in importing good from countries around the world in a deal worth over $10 million with outside investors. The deal also included selling Academy of Arbitrage, the educational site Chapman founded to walk others through getting started in e-commerce. While a few of the people in his online courses have come close to replicating his initial success, the most common sales total at the one-month mark in one of his early classes was under $12,000. "As with anything," Chapman says, "you get out of it what you put in." His own mother, Chapman notes, was able to build up a site of her own after she followed his lessons despite not knowing anything about e-commerce. It's a full-circle finish that Chapman sees as a sign of just how revolutionary the opportunities provided by a globalized and digital economy actually are. "The data on each individual is astounding," he says about the information he can cull from advertising on Facebook. Before, this kind of consumer targeting would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars, says Chapman. "[O]nly companies like Target could engage in this kind of marketing," he says in reference to Target's controversial marketing tactics which targeted expecting mothers with baby product ads based on their changing purchase habits, even before some were aware they were pregnant. Now, "In a month you can be more powerful than Target ... and you can do that online," says Chapman. "That's the power of e-commerce." Video by Zack Guzman. Want more side hustle inspiration? Watch all new episodes of Wednesdays at 10P ET/PT on CNBC. See also: How to start a business with less than $1,000, according to two certified hustlers Donald Trump Cheriss May | NurPhoto | Getty Images President Donald Trump's re-election campaign paid $93,000 to a law firm earlier this year to fight back against Michael Wolff's hotly debated White House tell-all book, "Fire and Fury." Harder LLP founded by Charles Harder, who represented pro wrestler Hulk Hogan in his case against Gawker received two payments for its efforts on Trump's behalf. One payment of $25,000 was made in January and another for just over $68,000 was made in February, according to the latest Federal Election Commission filings from the Trump campaign, released Sunday. The payments to Harder's firm were largely in compensation for taking on former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who was a major source for the book, and Wolff, according to sources with direct knowledge of the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Harder was hired to send cease-and-desist letters in early January to Bannon as well as to the book's publisher, Henry Holt and Co., just as the book started to make headlines ahead of its Jan. 5 publication. In the letter to Bannon, Harder claimed the former Trump advisor broke the nondisclosure agreement he signed when he left the White House. Harder also demanded Bannon save all communications he ever had with Wolff. Just days before the book's publication, Harder's firm called on Henry Holt and Co. to halt publication and issue a "full and complete retraction and apology" to Trump. Instead, the company published the book a few days earlier than the originally planned publication date. According to Wolff, Bannon used the word "treasonous" to describe a meeting the president's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., had with a Kremlin-backed lawyer at Trump Tower in 2016. Bannon also personally insulted the president's son-in-law and senior aide, Jared Kushner, the book says. A spokesman for the Trump campaign did not return requests for comment about the payments to Harder. Harder did not return repeated emails for comment. Bannon and Henry Holt and Co. also did not return requests for comment. Small donors and big legal fees But the mere fact that Harder's legal fees were paid by Trump's presidential campaign, and not by Trump himself, signals that the Trump campaign is open to spending donors' money to fight what some might see as the president's own personal legal battles. Trump is not up for re-election until November 2020, at which point nearly three years will have elapsed since "Fire and Fury" was published. Still, Trump's campaign appears poised to spend, and to raise, money as if the election were around the corner. Sunday's filing also revealed that the Trump campaign raised $10 million during the first quarter of the year and spent about $3.9 million. Approximately 20 percent of that amount was spent on legal expenses including the $93,000 to Harder's law firm. In total, the Trump re-election campaign reported paying eight separate law firms for work between January and March of this year. Harder's firm along with law firm Larocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenberg & Blaha has been part of Trump's legal battle with Daniels, but sources close to the campaign say the payments made during the first quarter were not connected to that fight. The Trump campaign paid $186,000 to Larocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenberg & Blaha in the first three months of the year. The campaign also shelled out $376,000 to the firm Jones Day, which is representing the campaign on election law and campaign finance compliance, as well as matters related to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. The latest legal expense reports come as one of the president's other lawyers, Michael Cohen, is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation after he paid a $130,000 settlement to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Following Sunday's filing, the Trump campaign touted the high percentage of small-dollar donors who contributed during the first part of the year. "With 97.7 percent of our contributions from small donors, patriotic Americans throughout America are signaling their emphatic approval of Donald Trump's performance as President and his commitment to continue to Make America Great Again despite the obstruction of the President's many opponents," Michael Glassner, chief operating officer for the Trump campaign, said in a press release. WATCH: Trump tries to block prosecutors from viewing seized files An unnamed client of Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's longtime personal attorney, has been revealed as Fox News host Sean Hannity. The revelation came after U.S. District Court judge Kimba Wood ordered Cohen's lawyer to disclose the name in a court hearing on Monday. A lawyer for Cohen at the Monday hearing said that Cohen performed secret legal work for Hannity. "We have been friends a long time. I have sought legal advice from Michael," Hannity said in response to being revealed as Cohen's third client, according to a Wall Street Journal reporter. WSJ tweet Hannity addressed the matter on his radio show Monday afternoon, and said in a statement on Twitter that Cohen has never represented him "in any matter." He also said that he had "brief discussions" with Cohen about legal matters, but said he "assumed those conversations were confidential." Hannity tweet 1 Hannity tweet 2 Less than an hour later, Hannity said in a separate statement that his legal discussions with Cohen were "almost exclusively about real estate." "In response to some wild speculation, let me make clear that I did not ask Michael Cohen to bring this proceeding on my behalf, I have no personal interest in this proceeding, and, in fact, asked that my de minimis discussions with Michael Cohen, which dealt almost exclusively about real estate, not be made a part of this proceeding." It is yet unclear what specific services Cohen provided for Hannity. In an earlier court filing Monday morning, lawyers for Cohen refused to identify the recent client one of three people Cohen represented between 2017 and 2018. The lawyers also refused to identify the names of other past clients. Lawyers for Cohen whose business records were seized by FBI agents April 9 said the then-unnamed client had told Cohen not to disclose his name and that they believed Cohen had a duty not to disclose it. They also said that if Cohen's clients, other than Trump, were publicly revealed, it is "likely to be embarrassing or detrimental to the client." The lawyers added, "As to the one unnamed legal client, we do not believe that Mr. Cohen should be asked to reveal the name or can permissibly do so." Fox News did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. Files related to the payment to Daniels were among the items seized last Monday by the FBI from Cohen's home, office and hotel room as part of a months-long criminal probe. The United States Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York is handling the investigation of Cohen, on a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion by the Trump presidential campaign with Russians. Trump's attorneys for Cohen's case say they are worried that the age-old rule that protects the confidentiality of conversations between lawyers and their client is at "grave risk" because of the seizure of Trump-related records. Trump's lawyers in their letter Sunday to Judge Kimba Wood said they object to prosecutors' plan to use a "taint team" to review the files seized from Cohen. A taint team is made up of prosecutors not connected to the case. They would be responsible for segregating privileged information, which should not be shown to prosecutors in the case, and give them the rest as potential evidence against Cohen and other people. "To our knowledge, no court in this Circuit has ever forced a privilege-holder, over his objection, to rely on government lawyers to protect his attorney-client privilege as to materials that were seized from his own lawyer's office," wrote Trump's lawyer, Joanna Hendon. She also wrote: "In the highly politicized, even fevered, atmosphere that envelops this matter, it is simply unreasonable to expect that a team of prosecutors, even if not directly involved in the investigation of Mr. Cohen, could perform a privilege review in the manner necessary to safeguard the important interests of the President, as the holder of the privilege." "For the reasons detailed below, the Court should enter an order enjoining the government from proceeding with any review of the seized materials, and directing the government to provide a copy of the seized materials to Mr. Cohen so that our firm and the President may review for privilege those seized documents that relate to him." Hendon asked Wood to enjoin prosecutors from using a taint team to conduct an initial review of the files, order prosecutors to give Cohen a copy of all the materials they seized, and then direct Cohen's legal team to identify all Trump-related files and give a copy to the president's legal team. Hendon further asked that Wood direct Trump's legal squad to identify for the taint team all material over which the president claims privilege, and allow the taint team to raise any objects to those claims with the judge. Hendon then wants the taint team to be barred from giving prosecutors in the case any material that ends up being deemed privileged. Regulators should review the "potential monopolization of data" by U.S. technology giants in the U.K. that could hamper homegrown development of artificial intelligence (AI), an influential body has recommended. A committee made up of lawmakers from the House of Lords, the upper house of Britain's parliament, released a report Monday on the need for the ethical development of AI. They took written evidence from 223 witnesses and interviewed 57 people during their investigation. One witness, Professor Richard Susskind, spoke about the "unprecedented concentration of wealth and power in a small number of corporations" such as Alibaba, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft and Tencent. The lawmakers said in their report that this was a "view widely held" among a number of witnesses. The House of Lords committee said that the dominance of large technology firms could hamper development of AI in Britain. "While we welcome the investments made by large overseas technology companies in the U.K. economy, and the benefits they bring, the increasing consolidation of power and influence by a select few risks damaging the continuation, and development, of the U.K.'s thriving home-grown AI start-up sector," the report said. "The monopolization of data demonstrates the need for strong ethical, data protection and competition frameworks in the U.K., and for continued vigilance from the regulators." The British lawmakers said that the government and the U.K.'s competition watchdog should "review proactively the use and potential monopolization of data by the big technology companies." Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, speaks during a keynote address at the Utah County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner in Provo, Utah, Feb. 16, 2018. Kim Raff | Bloomberg | Getty Images Major names on Wall Street and in the Republican establishment are buying into Mitt Romney's run for Senate, particularly as Republican lawmakers are looking to him as a future leader within a congressional caucus that is struggling to find its identity. According to first-quarter filings, Romney has been quietly receiving the financial backing of some of the most powerful names and donors in Republican circles, such as former Goldman Sachs CEO and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. The early contributions are not necessarily big, but they indicate a coordinated effort to push the former Massachusetts governor and presidential nominee into the Senate with hopes that he will quickly climb his way up the leadership ranks. GOP lawmakers who spoke to CNBC on the condition of anonymity say that Romney's name recognition and his ability to galvanize the rest of the party would make him an ideal candidate to work with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., within the upper echelon of the Senate's leadership ranks. If Romney wins Utah race, his entrance into the Senate will come at a time where new leadership could be necessary to counter emboldened Democrats. The GOP is considered likely to hold on or add to its slim majority in the Senate, but Democrats are favored to regain control of the House. Republicans may seek a household name like Romney to galvanize the party and move forward after what many experts say could be a blue wave this fall. "Every senator is important, but Mitt Romney will enter the chamber with a lot of respect from other senators, which is important if you want to get things done," said Alex Conant, former communications director for Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign. A boost from the establishment Two prominent names in traditional Republican circles, former President George W. Bush and Paulson, pop out in the list of Romney donors. Paulson and Bush both gave $8,100 to Romney, according to Federal Election Commission filings for the first quarter. Paulson, who now chairs the nonprofit think tank Paulson Institute, served as Bush's Treasury secretary during the financial crisis of 2008. He previously donated to Romney's losing presidential campaign in 2012. "Mitt is a great American and I believe that he has the kind of leadership skills and experience that we need to tackle a host of issues facing the country," Paulson told CNBC. "I'm grateful he's decided to take those skills to the Senate." On the business side, Romney also counts the support of John Willard Marriott Jr., executive chairman of hotel giant Marriott International, who also backed the would-be senator's presidential run. Marriott and his family, including his wife, Donna, and his brother, Richard, have given more than $24,000 to the Romney campaign throughout the early stages of the election. Third Point LLC founder Daniel Loeb, whose firm claims nearly $18 billion in assets under management, is also backing Romney's latest efforts to get into public service with early contributions of $8,100. Spencer Zwick, Romney's former campaign finance chairman a co-founder of Romney-run hedge fund Solamere Capital, donated the same amount. Romney has also appealed to big-name Utah donors, as well, including Harris Simmons, CEO of Zions Bancorp. Romney's business background and his links to corporate America will likely help him emerge as a strong leader on Capitol Hill in filling the void left by the retirement of longtime Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, political experts and observers say. "Everyone sees that if he's able to run the table in Utah, between his business background and his executive experience, he's going to be helpful if he gets back to Washington," Boyd Matheson, former chief of staff to Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, told CNBC. "Whether he officially becomes a leader, Mitt Romney will likely have outside influence regardless of him being a junior senator." The Utah primary is slated for June 26, when Romney faces a potentially crowded field. The Romney campaign declined to comment. Marriott, Loeb, Zwick and Bush did not return requests for comment. An investment of sorts Experts believe these big-name backers are looking at Romney as an investment and that all paths will likely lead to a crucial role for him in the Senate. "There's no question Wall Street puts its money where they can get their biggest reward. It's like a dividend," political strategist Hank Sheinkopf said. "Mitt Romney could be their dividend as a fast moving leader in the Senate that Wall Street can look for help if he pulls off a victory." Romney has long been a darling of the pro-business Republican establishment since he entered public sphere after he led the effort to bring the 2002 Winter Olympics to Utah. However, there may be even more urgency to crown a new leader of the party's congressional delegation as Romney's former vice presidential running mate, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., retires. Romney and Ryan share the same donor pool. In addition to donating to Romney, Paulson was backing Ryan's joint fundraising committee, Team Ryan, with a $44,300 contribution. Loeb, meanwhile, coughed up $50,000 for the same committee in 2017. WATCH: Trump endorses Romney for Senate Legendary investor Warren Buffett's close friendships with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman Charlie Munger have served timeless lessons on the importance of relationships. According to a new essay from Vanguard founder Jack Bogle, he and Buffett recently shared a memorable moment in their decades-long friendship. "Accolades are nice, and endorsements are, too, but human connections are what life is largely about," Bogle said in an essay published in the new book "The Warren Buffett Shareholder" by Lawrence Cunningham and Stephanie Cuba, out on April 20. Ahead of Buffett's annual meeting on May 5 this year, Bogle shared a story about attending his very first Berkshire Hathaway meeting last year in an excerpt of the book, first published by the Omaha World-Herald. Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard Group. Ken Cedeno | Bloomberg | Getty Images In December 2016, Bogle's friend Steve Galbraith, a prominent money manager and former Morgan Stanley executive, invited him to attend the Berkshire Hathaway meeting. Although he wasn't sure why he was being invited, Bogle accepted. "Warren Buffett is among the world's richest men, which allows him to support a host of worthy philanthropic causes. But his greatest gift to society may well be his ability to explain simple investment principles in a homespun manner that investors can easily understand," Bogle wrote. "He is equally generous with his praise of those individuals who share his values. I'm one of the lucky ones." On what Bogle now calls a notable "Red-Letter" day of his 67-year career, he "could hardly believe" the seemingly endless line that stretched around the CenturyLink Center, home to the Berkshire Hathaway annual meetings. At the meeting, Buffett and Munger took their places onstage and shared a summary of the company's 2016 results. Still, "as Warren gave his opening remarks," Bogle said, "I couldn't help wondering why Steve had brought us to Omaha." [The stream is slated to start at 12:40 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the Miami area on Monday to promote the Republican tax bill to small Florida business owners during a roundtable discussion. Trump's meeting with small business owners precedes the November midterm elections. Democrats hold a seven-point lead over Republicans on the generic congressional ballot, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. The passing of the tax bill was a major legislative victory for Republicans. Earlier this month, the Congressional Budget Office said that the bill would generate an average of 0.7 percent growth and create 1.1 million jobs over a decade. But the CBO also projected that the national debt would be 96 percent of the GDP by 2028 -- $1.6 trillion more than earlier projections. Trump will be joined by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon during the discussion, the Associated Press reported. [The stream is slated to start at 2:00 p.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] Vice President Mike Pence is expected to speak on space policy Monday at the 34th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While the White House declined provide advance notice about what Pence plans to address, his role as leader of the National Space Council means he is expected to make an announcement regarding the group's work on policy and regulatory reforms. At the Council's second meeting in February, Pence and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross approved a handful of recommendations, but not policies. The reforms would intend to overhaul parts of the regulatory process for the space industry, including some commercial space regulations under the purview of Ross' agency. A prominent pub chain in the U.K. shut down its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, saying that people are spending too much time on social media. Tim Martin, the chair of JD Wetherspoon, said that people could not control their urges to spend time on social networks. "It's becoming increasingly obvious that people spend too much time on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and struggle to control the compulsion," Martin said in a statement emailed to CNBC. The company has shut down its head office social accounts, as well as those for each of its 900 pubs. It says that bad publicity surrounding social media, such as the trolling of politicians and people from ethnic minorities, influenced its decision to delete its accounts. "The move also takes account of recent concerns regarding the misuse of personal data and the addictive nature of social media," the company said in an emailed statement, likely referring to Facebook's data scandal that saw information from some 87 million profiles harvested by consultancy Cambridge Analytica. JD Wetherspoon had more than 100,000 followers on Facebook and 44,000 on Twitter. Competitor Sizzling Pubs (owned by Mitchells and Butlers) has a similar number of Facebook fans but fewer outlets at around 220. This year's World Happiness Report again ranks Denmark among the top three happiest of 155 countries surveyed a distinction that the country has earned for seven consecutive years. The U.S., on the other hand, ranked 18th this year, a four-spot drop from last year's report. Denmark's place among the world's happiest countries is consistent with many other national surveys of happiness (or, as psychologists call it, "subjective well-being"). More from The Conversation: Why addressing loneliness in children can prevent a lifetime of loneliness in adults A small Norwegian city might hold the answer to beating the winter blue What might explain the unhappiness epidemic? Scientists like to study and argue about how to measure things. But when it comes to happiness, a general consensus seems to have emerged. Depending on the scope and purpose of the research, happiness is often measured using objective indicators (data on crime, income, civic engagement and health) and subjective methods, such as asking people how frequently they experience positive and negative emotions. Why might Danes evaluate their lives more positively? As a psychologist and native of Denmark, I've looked into this question. Yes, Danes have a stable government, low levels of public corruption, and access to high-quality education and health care. The country does have the the highest taxes in the world, but the vast majority of Danes happily pay: They believe higher taxes can create a better society. Perhaps most importantly, however, they value a cultural construct called "hygge" (pronounced h). The Oxford dictionary added the word in June 2017, and it refers to high-quality social interactions. Hygge can be used as a noun, adjective or verb (to hygge oneself), and events and places can also be hyggelige (hygge-like). With a net worth of $7.4 billion, 48-year-old Zhou Qunfei, the founder and CEO of Lens Technology, is once again the world's richest self-made woman, according to Forbes. Born in a village in Hunan province in East China, Zhou didn't have an easy childhood. She lost her mother when she was five and her father went blind and lost a finger in a factory accident. She had to learn how to survive on her own, she tells CNBC Make It via email: "I had to constantly think about where my next meal is and how I am going to get it." To earn tuition, Zhou dropped out of high school at age 16 and went to South China's Shenzhen city to work at a watch lens factory in 1986. She was later promoted to a managerial role. However, she had bigger dreams. Zhou Qunfei's first work badge. Source: Lens Technology In 1993, with 20,000 HK dollars savings (or about $2,547.80 U.S. dollars), Zhou and eight of her family members set up a screen printing workshop in a three-bedroom apartment in Shenzhen, which served both as their working and living space. In that apartment, she launched her first company. Fast forward 10 years, Zhou had built a factory making watch lenses and employed 1,000 people. But her fate changed in 2003 when she got a call from Motorola, asking if she wanted to be a supplier. Zhou Qunfei as the factory manager for first employer in Shenzhen, 1991-1992. Source: Lens Technology Zhou accepted the invitation, which helped launch her business internationally. Now CEO of Lens Technology, Zhou has built an empire manufacturing glass for tech giants such as Tesla, Apple, Samsung and Huawei. Zhou attributes her success to her perseverance. "My biggest challenge was when I beat other rivals and won the contract with Motorola in 2003," Zhou says. Zhou had just started out and had little flexibility in her company's finances but wanted to ensure the deal went through. As a result, Zhou said she sold her house and other valuables to meet the company's demands. However, she still lacked funding and said she became desperate. Zhou Qunfei in her office at Lens Technology. Source: Lens Technology Zhou admitted that it was the darkest moment of her entrepreneurial life. "I stood on the platform at Hung Hom Station in Hong Kong, almost jumped off, delirious," she said, "thinking that when I am gone, all the trouble will too be gone." But then a phone call from her daughter pulled her back to reality. "I realized that for my family and employees, I cannot give up. I had to carry on." With Motorola's help, she overcame the financial issues. In 2004, Zhou's Lens Technology sold over 100 million units for the Motorola V3 model alone the flat-screen mobile phone with the iconic greeting "Hello Moto." In 2007, Zhou's cover glass beat the other Chinese vendors to become a major supplier for Apple. On March 18, 2015, 22 years after she started the family workshop at that three-bedroom apartment, Zhou's Lens Technology went public. Today, the company is valued at $11.4 billion, with over 82,000 employees across China, according to Forbes. Lens Technology IPO in 2015. Source: Lens Technology In an interview with CNBC Make It via email, Zhou shared three pieces of advice for entrepreneurs: 1. Prepare well Zhou said entrepreneurs always need to be prepared for what's to come. She says there are a few aspects to master: "First, improve your overall competitiveness. Second, you must be mentally strong. Third, strengthen your understanding of the market and your competitors," Zhou tells CNBC Make It. She said her experience while working as an assembly line worker and later as the manager for her first employer helped her gain confidence, which was crucial to Lens Technology's early days. "You must gather the courage to face failures," Zhou added. She also said she would prepare several backup plans when she went to visit clients during her startup years: "I was always thinking about what I am going to say if they reject my proposals, because the rejections were constant, you need to prepare well." 2. Keep learning "The clients won't give you a better price for your products simply because you have a higher degree," Zhou said, "but your knowledge of the business will help maintain the competitiveness of your company." As for Zhou herself, she took part-time courses while working as a factory worker and obtained her certificates in accounting, computer operations and even a commercial truck driver's license. "When you have the ability to learn, you have the ability to continue to grow," she said. 3. Never give up 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. 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 Syria 1) May to ask for emergency debate. Corbyn to ask for a vote May will talk of broad-based international support Guardian She will give MPs an ultimatum The Sun Conservative ministers recalled ahead of potential vote, as three-line whip is imposed Daily Telegraph Johnson speaks of standing up for civilised values The Sun Labour backlash builds FT Umunna criticises Corbyn Daily Mail Meanwhile, Macron claims he swayed Trump to stay in Syria The Times Theresa May will argue today that she struck against the Assad regime in the national interest as she awaits the verdict of the Commons on her handling of the military action in Syria. After coming under intensifying pressure during the weekend for refusing to give parliament a vote before launching the strikes, the prime minister will ask for an emergency debate to give MPs the ability to discuss the military action at length. Labour will demand that the Commons is also given a vote at the end of the debate. The decision on whether to offer a vote will be taken by the Speaker, John Bercow. In a statement to MPs this afternoon Mrs May will explicitly tie the action the UK took in the early hours of Saturday morning to the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal with a weapons-grade nerve agent in Salisbury last month. The Times Editoral: Parliament returns, overtaken by events The Times May should have asked for its backing Guardian No, May was right Daily Express Yes, she was The Sun Corbyn is not so much delusional as mendacious Daily Telegraph >Today: ToryDiary: Syria. MPs to argue about the stable door after the horse has bolted or, rather, is back inside >Yesterday: Syria 2) May to make statement to MPs this afternoon saying strikes were in UK interest Theresa May will hit back at critics of military action in Syria by insisting the decision to launch airstrikes was aimed at preventing human suffering, and was in Britains national interest, as she is questioned by MPs about the attacks for the first time. With the government braced for highly charged exchanges in the Commons as MPs return from their Easter recess, the prime minister will emphasise the international support for the bombing raids. May will tell MPs: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. Guardian >Yesterday: Syria 3) May: I did not take the decision lightly. But I was certain it was the right and legal thing to do May did the right thing, but the Syrian situation is worsening Juliet Samuel, Daily Telegraph The strikes wont prevent future gas attacks Richard Spencer, The Times Heres what needs to happen Tom Tugendhat, Daily Telegraph May has tied us to Trumps fickle whims Polly Toynbee, Guardian Syria 4) Corbyn: Saturdays attack was wrong. It was either symbolic or the precursor to wider action In the early hours of Saturday, Britain together with our US and French allies took firm and decisive action in response to the persistent use of chemical weapons by Assad. In a coordinated and carefully targeted military response, our Armed Forces launched successful missile strikes against three chemical weapons sites in Syria seriously degrading and deterring the regimes ability to carry out further attacks with these banned and abhorrent weapons. It was the first time as Prime Minister I have sent our brave Armed Forces into combat, and I did not take the decision lightly. But I was absolutely certain that it was the right and legal thing to do and at the right time. For, by moving with speed, and in coordination with our close allies, we were able to protect the vital operational security of the mission. The Sun Saturdays attack on sites thought to be linked to Syrias chemical weapons capability was both wrong and misconceived. It was either purely symbolic a demolition of what appear to be empty buildings, already shown to be entirely ineffective as a deterrent or it was the precursor to wider military action. That would risk a reckless escalation of the war and death toll, and the danger of direct confrontation between the US and Russia. Neither possibility offers an end to the war and suffering, or any prospect of saving lives rather the opposite. The intensification of military action will simply lead to more deaths and more refugees. Guardian Here are some urgent questions Nick Ferrari, Daily Express I feel uneasy about all this Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun Syria 5) Johnson warns of Russian retaliation risk as dirty-tricks disinformation spreads online NHS on high alert, as vital networks might be hacked Daily Express There could also be retaliation in form of online release of compromising information on MPs Daily Mail Syria 6) Corbyn calls for war powers act to force prime ministers to ask parliament before authorising military action Russia has launched a dirty tricks campaign against Britain and the US in the wake of the Syria airstrikes as Boris Johnson warned of the need to be prepared for retaliatory attacks. Whitehall sources on Sunday night confirmed a Pentagon analysis that showed a 20-fold increase in Russian-sourced disinformation being spread online since the cruise missile attacks on Syria in the early hours of Saturday. There are fears that it could be a precursor to a campaign of cyber attacks by the Kremlin, and the Foreign Secretary said Britain must take every possible precaution to guard against it. Daily Telegraph Jeremy Corbyn has called for a new War Powers Act banning Theresa May from taking any military action without a vote by MPs. The Labour leader repeated his suggestion for a robust law which would bind any Prime Minister to getting Parliaments approval to get involved around the globe. It comes after he criticised Mrs May for taking part in strikes against Syria this weekend without the Commons having its say. Mr Corbyn has said her decision was legally questionable, despite Mrs May phoning him late on Friday night to give him an updated security briefing. And he wrote a letter to the PM saying: I believe that Parliament should have been consulted and voted on the matter. The UK Prime Minister is accountable to Parliament, not to the whims of a US President. The Sun He wants new legislation The Times And will try to force a vote on the topic Daily Telegraph More foreign affairs Lavrov claims Skripal poison was produced in UK and US The Times Video: WATCH: I want to see incontrovertible evidence Corbyn still wont say Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack More Corbyn He says Prince Charles shouldnt automatically replace Queen as head of Commonwealth Daily Express Brexit 1) Government expected to lodge Supreme Court challenge to try to stop Scottish and Welsh governments Brexit bills Brexit 2) May to intensify trade talks with Commonwealth countries as she opens summit UK Government lawyers are expected to lodge an unprecedented legal challenge at the UK Supreme Court in the next 48 hours to stop the Scottish and Welsh Governments own Brexit bills from becoming law. The legislation seeks to protect the devolved settlement in the event there is no agreement between London, Edinburgh and Cardiff on the UK Governments flagship EU Withdrawal Bill, which is currently going through the House of Lords. The First Minister and her Welsh counterpart, Carwyn Jones, believe this legislation is a naked power-grab by Whitehall. Herald Theresa May will pledge to put Britains fellow 52 Commonwealth nations at the heart of our post-Brexit free trade bonanza as the summit opens in London. The PM will intensify trade talks with major nations such as India, Canada and Australia when she opens the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) summit. But she will also urge her fellow Commonwealth leaders to take advantage of their common standards and common language to boost the value of intra-Commonwealth trade from 400billion to half a trillion pounds within two years. The huge block of Anglo-friendly nations account for 2.4billion of the worlds population. Mrs May is keen for this weeks CHOGM to put particular focus on boosting the role of woman and young people in trade. The Sun Editorial: The Commonwealth must reform The Times Comment: The Commonwealth will benefit from our trade Liam Fox and Penny Mordaunt, Daily Telegraph Get an electronic visa and come visit Oz Alexander Downer, Daily Express More Brexit Stewart speaks at Camden rally for Brexit-deal referendum Belfast Telegraph Hes joined by MPs from four parties, including Soubry Guardian Why we should add a do no harm health amendment to the Withdrawal Bill Lord Warner The Times Downing Street rejects diplomatic request to discuss Windrush-generation immigration troubles Anger grows over the issue Daily Express May to launch SheTrades programme with 7m fund for female Commonwealth entrepreneurs Downing Street has rejected a formal diplomatic request to discuss the immigration problems being experienced by some Windrush-generation British residents at this weeks meeting of the Commonwealth heads of government, rebuffing a request from representatives of 12 Caribbean countries for a meeting with the prime minister. We did make a request to the CHOGM summit team for a meeting to be held between the prime minister and the Commonwealth Caribbean heads of government who will be here for the CHOGM and regrettably they have advised us that that is not possible, said Guy Hewitt, the Barbados high commissioner. The refusal has given Caribbean diplomats the impression that the UK government is not taking a sufficiently serious approach to the problem that is affecting large numbers of long-term UK residents who came to Britain as children. Guardian Commonwealth countries will be given access to a 7 million fund to help female entrepreneurs overcome barriers that stop them getting businesses off the ground, Theresa May will announce today. The SheTrades programme is aimed at helping women in poorer Commonwealth countries where being female still stands in the way of accessing funds. The heads of the 53 Commonwealth countries, which together account for one fifth of global trade, will discuss the issue when they gather in London this week for the bi-annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Daily Telegraph Personal NHS budgets to be exponentially expanded More patients will get more power Daily Telegraph DAncona: Fifty years on, some more thoughts on rivers of blood Hundreds of thousands of people will receive personal allowances of NHS cash to organise their own care as ministers seek to put power back into the hands of patients. Far more people with mental health problems, dementia and physical and learning disabilities will have the right to select and pay for treatments they want. The money will be paid directly to them and can be spent on whatever that they think best helps to manage their condition, as long as a doctor agrees. At present 23,000 people have personal budgets in the NHS through a little-known initiative called NHS Continuing Healthcare, designed for those who need both social care and nursing. Now ministers want an exponential expansion of the right to have personal health budgets, taking the number up to 350,000. The Times I was the last person to interview Enoch Powell. In October 1996, only 16 months before his death, he was frail and softly spoken, though still formidably articulate. Our conversation ranged from John Majors politics, to St Johns Gospel, to the poet AE Housman. But what most exercised him was Europe. I have lived into an age in which my ideas are now part of common intuition, part of a common fashion, he said. It has been a great experience, having given up so much, to find that there is now this range of opinion in all classes, that an agreement with the EEC is totally incompatible with normal parliamentary government. Why was this so? The nation has returned to haunt us. Twenty years later, in the Brexit referendum, his mystical claim was made all too real. In a later exchange, Powell insisted that he had never delivered a speech on race, only immigration. But this was a distinction without a difference as was made admirably clear in Amol Rajans excellent Radio 4 programme on Saturday marking the 50th anniversary of Powells infamous rivers of blood speech. Guardian Some responses to the BBC programme The Times >Today: Sunder Katwala in comment: Rivers of blood and a striking reflection. Powell set the bar too low on integration More Conservatives Elphicke questioned by police, having been suspended by party in November The Times >Today: Ross Archer in Local Government: Why I am standing to be Mayor of Lewisham Other parties Yet another UKIP leader quits Daily Express AI 1) Lords report warns of risks of robots AI 2) Ridley: Consumers not producers will be key Killer robots which threaten to hurt, destroy or deceive human beings could become reality unless the Government improves regulation on artificial intelligence, a Parliamentary report has suggested. A Lords select committee has warned that while Terminator-style weapons may not yet exist, without checks and balances Britain could end up stumbling through a semantic haze into dangerous territory. In a paper published today, the peers state that Britains definition of military-grade AI differs significantly from other NATO members, with even the US taking a more cautious approach to the technology. Daily Telegraph As a member of the House of Lords select committee on artificial intelligence, whose report is released today, I was struck by two things during the course of our inquiry: how well placed Britain could be to take advantage of the new technologies that go under the name of AI, should we choose to play our cards right; and how pervasive and invisible this technology will prove to beWhat counts is how far AI seeps into everyday life and transforms the prosperity of humankind. The main gains to society from electricity, say, or the internal combustion engine, are not the profits of the electricity companies or carmakers, but the efficiencies we all experience in our normal lives as a consequence of having those technologies. It will be the same with AI: consumers, not producers, are key. So while a thriving British AI development industry would be great, its not the main prize. The Times >Today: Rebecca Lowes column: Gender pay, childcare, flexibility, robots and the future of work News in Brief I wrote recently about the battle in some parts of the country to find and nominate enough Conservative candidates ahead of the local elections. Some of those efforts have been successful (such as in Manchester, where there is a full slate of Tories up for election, to the credit of those who worked hard to make that happen), while others fell short (such as in Knowsley, where only nine of 15 wards have a Conservative candidate). The national figures, however, look healthy overall. I can reveal that the Conservative Party has nominated candidates for 4,400 of the 4,413 seats up for election this time a success rate of 99.71 per cent. By contrast, in 2014 (the equivalent last election for most of these seats) there were Conservative candidates for 97.26 per cent of the seats that were up for grabs. That figure includes a full slate in London, 1,833 in total, which is the first time that the capital has had a 100 per cent complement of Conservative candidates since its local government was rejigged in 1986. Regionally, the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East and South West, are also successfully contesting every seat. There are small gaps in the East of England (one seat not contested, 99.76 per cent contested), South East (one seat not contested, 99.8 per cent contested), Yorkshire and the Humber (two seats not contested, 99.45 per cent contested). Even in the North West, where those serious challenges were experienced, there are in the end only nine seats without a Conservative candidate and the 98.59 per cent contested rate is both up on the proportion of seats with a Conservative candidate in 2014 (93.06 per cent) and ahead of Labour (98.12 per cent). In fact, in most regions, Labour are contesting fewer seats than the Conservatives only drawing level in the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the North East. Nowhere does Jeremy Corbyn have a more complete slate of candidates than the Conservatives. Thats good news, and a reflection on the hard work of many activists and campaign staff around the country. The number of candidates does matter, even in hopeless seats voters deserve a proper choice at election time, the media of course reports national vote shares even in local elections, and wards that are not very promising at the local elections are still important come General Election time. Of course, number of candidates isnt the full picture of a campaigns health, either. We dont know how many of these candidates represent an active campaign, and how many are paper candidates or, for that matter, how many might have been last minute recruits to get the numbers up. Being able to find and nominate a candidate is a minimum requirement for a healthy local Party, not a conclusive sign of being entirely hale and hearty. Its undoubtedly good news that the challenges in nomination have been overcome so effectively the question of how to prevent such issues recurring in future, of course, still stands. Rebecca Lowe is Director of FREER a new initiative promoting economic and social liberalism. Whether its support for junior doctors, criticisms of vice-chancellors, or arguments about gender comparisons, the topic of pay resounds. This is unsurprising, in that work basically, recompensed effort is central to the life of most adults. On one understanding, weve never worked more: the ONSs latest monthly UK labour market bulletin shows, once again, that employment is at a record high and unemployment is at a record low. Yet the nature of the work in which most Britons are engaged has changed vastly over the past centuries, and technological advancement, globalisation, and new political attitudes will surely affect the future place of work in our society. Just last week, Mark Carney spoke at the Canada Growth Summit about the job losses expected to come from increased automation. Such fears have no doubt been around since the creation of the axe. The standard rebuttal, of course, is that human workers have survived increased machine competition before, and will do again. The economist Branko Milanovic has a neat three-point argument to this effect: new technologies create new jobs; new jobs satisfy new needs (though this might be better put as new desires); and our knowledge of the resources available to us is limited by our level of technology. Nonetheless, alongside concern for those lost along the way while the economy responds to change, Carneys fears about automation remain grounded in the fact that, while the past provides helpful signposts, we can never predict the future. And, robots aside, what about the way in which the social dumping of globalisation reduces lower-skilled workers opportunities in local labour markets? And the erosion of incentives to work that might come with increasingly widespread agreement about the value of replacing welfare systems with the provision of universal basic incomes? Not only do we need greater clarity regarding the world of work as it currently is whether regarding questions of pay, fair access to the labour market, or the value of certain skills over others but we also need to ask how central work should indeed be to the individual, and to society as a whole. These two needs are pressing and interrelated. The recent pay-gap discussion is an excellent example of the first need being fulfilled: a vital public service has been provided by certain commentators, not least Kate Andrews, in clarifying the significance of the results of the governments new reporting measures. Awareness of the measures failures has thankfully become widespread, as has recognition that its wrong to assume that any disparity in pay between people of different genders is necessarily a result of discrimination. Important questions about the current situation remain, however. As Fraser Nelson pointed out recently, a key problem in accessing certain labour-market opportunities remains the cost of childcare. Sure, as he emphasised, some people want to stay at home to look after their kids, but childcare costs mean that other parents have little (rational) choice to do otherwise. That returns us to questions about the role work should play in our society, and the way in which the state should intervene to determine that role. It is unsurprising that career interruption affects lifetime pay; longer tenure is associated with higher pay increases. Nelson suggests that this could be partly mitigated by the introduction of new tax breaks an attractive idea, albeit one with correlative costs for other workers (and an opportunity that would only be beneficial to parents earning over the taxable threshold). Another option is increased flexibility: it seems highly inefficient that, each working day, most people travel to and from an office (often incurring high costs in doing so) in order to sit sending emails to each other. Recent research by Timewise suggests that 54 per cent of the workforce currently works flexibly in one way or another, but that theres still a huge gap between supply and demand for flexibly advertised jobs, and that there are another 8.7 million people who [] would like to if the jobs were there. The parents I know tell me there were decent periods of time in the first few years in which they could have been getting on with work at home while looking after their children, if their employers had allowed that. Again, widespread uptake of such an approach would affect others (not only children, but also co-workers, childcare professionals, and so on). But these are the kinds of trade-offs that need to be considered in our changing world. And whether its employers and employees who lead the conversion, or the state, depends on the kind of society we want to live in. To my mind, once some kind of base fairness has been established, then its best to leave cultural transformations such as those related to the length of the working week, or whether it becomes normal to work from home or to be self-employed down to demand, as driven by the aggregation of individuals informed choices. We can argue all day about what that fairness might entail, though: is it enough to set an equal pay law, as the UK did in 1970? Is equality of opportunity ever possible? What should we do when workplaces intrude into our personal lives, by policing our social media activity, for instance? (Check out Private Government: How employers rule our lives and why we dont talk about it, by Liz Anderson, for a comprehensive take on that question.) The problem remains, however, that, while we might ascertain the truth about the present, and come to some agreement about what should be the case and begin to make it so, we cannot predict the future. Maybe robots will take our jobs, and we will be left impoverished and unfulfilled. Maybe robots will take our jobs, and we will reap the economic rewards of their progress, and reach new levels of fulfilment through our increased leisure time. One thing thats clear, however, is that all this is about much more than simply pay. Sure, works most obvious benefits are instrumental: in base terms, income is valuable because of what can be done with it, and the potential or power afforded by that. And individual progress adds to societal progress in terms of increased economic potential, and other societally beneficial outcomes. But there are other advantages related to working. Work can give the individual a place in society, equating to the gaining of dignity, respect, and a sense of community things that, on most understandings, are central in a good society as well as the sense of achievement that comes from a chance to use and improve ones skills. So, lets not waste time on virtue-signalling criticisms of the highly paid, or panicking about the coming robot takeover. Rather, lets take advantage of something our automated friends dont (yet) have, and think more deeply about the kind of society we want, and the place work should play in it. Theresa May faces some tricky questions in the Commons later today. She will say that Britain was right to take military action against the Assad regime, but will not add, at least if her previous statements are anything to go by, that it was definitely responsible for a chemical attack in Ghouta. She will add, rightly, that the Government was under no obligation to win the Commons approval before authorising the missile strikes. But MPs will know that this was not the main reason for her deciding as she did. Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron would not have been prepared to wait for them to make up their collective mind before ordering their armed forces into action. And the Prime Minister was unwilling to be left behind not when she wants, for Brexit-related and other reasons, to demonstrate that we will stand with America, maintain hard power parity with France, and remain a Global Britain. May will also say that the attack was legal. She will be pressed on the point, perhaps particularly over her reference to the attack in Salisbury, to which she alluded in her statement made in the immediate wake of the strikes. That will be hard to square with the Attorney-Generals judgement that the bombing was justified on humanitarian grounds. However, circumstances also favour the Prime Minister in a number of ways. MPs critical of her decision will in effect be arguing that the stable door should be closed after the horse has bolted or rather, strictly speaking, after it has returned to the stable, now that the military action is ended (at least for the time being). That weakens their leverage. Furthermore, the strikes will not, as their equivalent in 2013 might have done, tilt the Syrian civil war against Assad. Strange as it may seem, that will help May this afternoon: MPs will not be able to claim that the struggle has been tilted in favour of ISIS or Al Qaeda-aligned jihadis. It could be that Russia will now strike back in asymetric ways through cyber attacks, for example. A cynical take would be that neither it nor America will let Syria spark a potential third world war, and that James Mattis calibrated the Trump administrations action shrewdly avoiding any direct confrontation with Russian forces. The Prime Minister will also be aided by the unwillingess of Conservative backbenches to line up with Jeremy Corbyn. But if he succeeds in winning a vote on Commons pre-authorisation of military action, it could just be that a handful of Tory MPs are persuaded into the opposition lobby. However, the odds against such an outcome are long. This sites judgement before the strikes was that, in raw political terms, May could get away with them without a Commons vote. We will see this week whether that was right. The Prime Minister will doubtless want to move the collective conversation on, stressing a new diplomatic push to rid Syria of chemical weapons. CORNWALL, Ontario This weekend brought all the comfort of home to the Cornwall Civic Centre where exhibitors showcased products for the Spring Home and Leisure Show. The event filled the entire arena with kiosks and vendors with the sole purpose of improving the quality of living and maximizing the comfort of our homes. The Executive Manager of the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce Lezlie Strasser played a significant role in organizing the event. We are doing a Spring show, in the dead of winter! said Lezlie. The show brought 85 exhibitors and at least 4 to 6 thousand people to the Civic Centre. Many of the exhibitors represented multiple products which range from boats and cars to pools and home insurance. It has been a good show and the exhibitors have done a great job putting it all together! They are the ones who deserve all the credit for making the show what it is, explained Lezlie. This is the 27th year that the Spring Show has been running in Cornwall. One main attraction was a virtual roller coaster that can be brought to all kinds of parties. The weather has impacted us today but weve had a great weekend of visitors coming in a seeing whats new for spring, said Lezlie. The tickets for the show include a chance to win a Traeger grill and a thousand dollar gift card to Farm Boy, which is just something to get the summer going. For many, the show was a great way to see what new spring and summer projects could be added to their wish lists. As a commercial pilot in his free time, QOS Networks CEO Frank Cittadino knows well the kick you get from the rapid rise of a plane taking off into the stratosphere. It's the same kind of feeling he gets piloting the 10-year-old solution provider to off-the-charts sales growth by helping customers take advantage of ground-breaking SD-WAN technology solutions. This year, Cittadino is projecting SD-WAN sales to skyrocket a mind-boggling 700 percent at Irvine, Calif.-based QOS Networks, which is implementing 500 to 1,000 SD-WAN installations a month, up from just 100 sites a month a few years ago. That rocket-like growth is being driven by what Cittadino calls a technology that has $50 billion-plus carrier and network behemoths pivoting quickly to play in a market that is literally tearing apart the old world of monolithic MPLS networks and routers. "SD-WAN is completely changing the way businesses operate," said Cittadino. "We're automating the network function, removing the complexity of expensive engineers, connecting to anywhere in the world -- to any data center that can take a VPN tunnel with a click of a button. So flexibility is gained. Pricing goes way down. It turns from a capital expense to an operating expense and allows virtualized technologies to drive the performance." One example: a national fitness center that took advantage of the VMware VeloCloud solution from QOS Networks to avoid MPLS implementation and reconfiguration costs that would have exceeded $430,000 compared with a VeloCloud SD-WAN solution priced at just $75,000. That customer is saving $20,000 per month in networking costs alone, said Cittadino. "They needed a lower-cost, lighter-footprint solution that would be able to connect them to the cloud," said Cittadino. "They needed to drive hosted phones and cloud workloads nationally, but not have a heavy footprint because these are low-volume stores. We were able to come in with one device and deliver Wi-Fi, switching, routing capabilities, and connect them to the cloud directly." Research firm IDC estimates that worldwide SD-WAN infrastructure and services revenue will grow 70 percent annually, reaching more than $8 billion in 2021. Research firm Gartner, meanwhile, said that by the end of 2019, 30 percent of enterprises will have deployed SD-WAN technology in their branches, up from less than 1 percent in 2015. Vendors generated $444 million in revenue from SD-WAN appliances and management software sales in 2017, up nearly 400 percent compared with 2016, according to data from research firm IHS Markit. Solution providers are calling SD-WAN the biggest driver of sales since VMware took the market by storm, teaming with partners on the server virtualization boom that reshaped the technology landscape in the mid-2000s. "Regardless of the layer of the network, SD-WAN is top of mind," said Robert Auci, vice president of global channel marketing at Cradlepoint, a Boise, Idaho, routing provider that early this year pivoted to an SD-WAN-based strategy. "It's not just for the edge. It's pervasive all the way down to the other layers of the network. Layer zero, layer one. The very bones of the network are being controlled via SD-WAN." Cradlepoint is one of a pack of legacy technology providers, including Aerohive, Juniper Networks and Riverbed Technology, that are racing to provide SD-WAN offerings with partners. That's on top of the offerings from pure-play SD-WAN providers like Aryaka, Silver Peak and Talari. The most visible moves, of course, have come from Cisco Systems and VMware. Cisco made its blockbuster acquisition of SD-WAN highflier Viptela last August, representing its push into more complex enterprise environments, as the company already offered Cisco Meraki for the branch office. VMware, meanwhile, bought SD-WAN powerhouse VeloCloud last December. Also in the mix is Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, which plans to launch an SD-WAN offering later this year. Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell told CRN that the acquisition of VeloCloud was a move to make the infrastructure giant No. 1 in the fast-growing market. "If you think about all these multi-location businesses, [SD-WAN] is going to be a big growth area," Dell said. The move into the market by these legacy networking market leaders is just one more sign that it is prime time for SD-WAN. Calgary, Alberta-based Long View Systems is saving one of its national retail customers nearly $500,000 in annual costs after deploying Cisco's Meraki SD-WAN offering, cutting the customer's IT expenses by roughly 60 percent. The savings stem from less-costly MPLS network circuits and a reduction in the number of personnel required to manage the infrastructure, according to Michael Thomaschewski, chief technology officer at Long View. "Everybody is looking to drive cost out of their business. Where service providers were once their only option, now they're not," said Thomaschewski. "SD-WAN allows you to template how you push that WAN architecture out to different locations. It allowed us to not only centralize the management but standardize the configurations and deploy them remotely with zero touch... It's really going to disrupt those carrier providers that are out there today offering MPLSes and dedicated circuits." To combat that disruption, telecom carriers also are scrambling to provide SD-WAN. AT&T formed SD-WAN partnerships in 2017 with vendors including VeloCloud and now offers its SD-WAN service in over 150 countries. Verizon similarly partnered with SD-WAN vendors Versa Networks and Viptela last year as demand for managed SD-WAN services skyrockets. Clash Of The Titans Even with the market-shaking moves by telecom carriers, the biggest game-changers are the deals inked by VMware and Cisco. The moves have put the two industry titans on an SD-WAN collision course, forcing their respective partners to navigate a minefield of conflicting channel incentives and account control battles. "It's hard," said a high-level executive at a national solution provider that works with Cisco and VMware, who asked not to be named. "It takes seasoned reps, people that really understand how to navigate that. There are a lot of accounts where we sell both, and it's not easy." Cisco is by far the national solution provider's largest vendor, but VMware is its fastest-growing, and it expects to nearly double its VMware business this year, the executive said. On top of that, VMware is preparing to aggressively push partners to sell the VeloCloud solution, he said. "They're going to make a big incentive to sell VeloCloud. [VMware reps] weren't paid to do it before. Last year, they didn't have a chance to integrate it into their comp plans. It's going to be a big ramp-up on people wanting to sell it on the VMware side." Adding Viptela and VeloCloud to the mix has raised the ante, he said. "There are accounts that are VMware, and accounts that are Cisco, too -- places where they don't overlap. We'll be selling both, but not in the same account. We'll pick a strategy depending on what the customer is standardized on, what vendor relationships they have. We'll sell more Viptela because we do more with Cisco, and that's going to come along for the ride. But we hope to grow our VMware business significantly, and VeloCloud is going to come along for the ride, too." The executive said he expects to see more customer "bake-offs" between Cisco and VMware, which likely will cause issues for partners and customers. While it's relatively easy to differentiate Cisco's Application Centric Infrastructure software-defined networking offering from VMware's NSX network virtualization platform, doing the same for their respective Viptela and VeloCloud offerings is not so cut-and-dried. Already, the two vendors are moving to position themselves. Cisco will phase out the Viptela name in favor of "Cisco SD-WAN" and make the technology an integral part of its intent-based networking strategy. VeloCloud will be closely tied to VMware's NSX platform. Sanjay Uppal, vice president and general manager of VMware's VeloCloud business and former CEO of VeloCloud, said router vendors are being forced to adapt to SD-WAN because the technology threatens their legacy business. "Router vendors and anyone selling complicated custom hardware that goes on the premises of an enterprise have got to be concerned because the revenue stream they have right now is threatened," Uppal said. "Anyone doing complicated, customer hardware for wide-area network services, those are the ones that are going to be threatened. Any router vendor would be looking at this saying, 'Wait a minute, if I deploy SD-WAN, a lot of my custom hardware business is going to get threatened.' But they cannot afford to not do it, so they're caught in the usual innovator's dilemma, which is the more they push SD-WAN, the more they're going to impact their legacy business. As far as VMware is concerned, we have no such issue. There is no conflict there. I call it 'conflict-free go-to-market.'" Dave West, head of worldwide sales for Cisco's enterprise networking business, counters that it's going to be difcult for other vendors to compete with the power and comprehensiveness of Cisco's SD-WAN/intent-based networking strategy. "Cisco's Meraki is a simplified branch SD-WAN offering, while Viptela is intended for complex enterprise accounts." Several hundred customers have signed up for Cisco SD-WAN since the Viptela acquisition last August, West said. Generally, West said, the customer savings are "signicant." "As we build and deliver the next-generation software and orchestration model, we give customers choice," West said. "'I want to virtualize.' Great. 'I want to use Cisco routers.' Great. 'I want to experiment in some other areas.' Great. I think they're going to see us as the open platform for their backbone, for their orchestration and also for their edge. "Eventually you're going to move from the campus, and you're going to have workloads in the cloud and you need to connect to the cloud and branches," West said. "All of that stuff is going to happen over the WAN. We're taking all of the work we're doing around segmentation, and policy automation and bringing it together and more tightly integrated from end user all the way to wherever the apps sit." West said he's aware of competitors' arguments that SD-WAN represents a grave threat to Cisco's router business but said there's "more upside than downside. If I was on the other side, I'd be doing the same thing. When you look at what customers are going to want and you pull it from data center all the way to client and the edge, we're in a good position right now. They'll continue to take potshots at us. I love good competition and I wish them the greatest success." Great success, meanwhile, is exactly what VMware is seeing with VeloCloud. The company already has a stable of 2,000 enterprise customers using VeloCloud who are seeing on average three times the savings by using VeloCloud versus a traditional MPLS solution. One reason for the VeloCloud momentum, said Uppal, is the software company is not distracted by a legacy hardware business. Routers may not immediately fall victim to SD-WAN, Uppal said, but routers are the most prevalent piece of hardware at the network edge and will certainly be taken out once customers are comfortable with SD-WAN. "The WAN is the lifeblood, and people want to make sure everything is perfect before they take the router out," Uppal said. "We're totally fine with that. We can coexist with the router, and over a period of time as the IT department becomes more comfortable with SD-WAN and VeloCloud, then we take the router out. The Competition Heats Up Intensifying the competition between the industry giants, Dell EMC in March launched the Virtual Edge Platform -- x86-based, universal virtual networking customer premise equipment that executives say can be sold to enterprises adopting SD-WAN, and as a clear alternative to buying more expensive, proprietary Cisco routers. Robert Keblusek, CTO of Sentinel Technologies, a Downers Grove, Ill.-based solution provider, said products like VeloCloud and Viptela "really bring an enterprise-class SD-WAN product into a VMware and Cisco." "That really will help customers become more comfortable in adopting something new. The amount of R&D and the amount of support that's behind those opens a huge number of opportunities for us as an integrator and as a managed service provider," said Keblusek. The need for greater business agility, security, hybrid cloud computing and Software as a Service is killing off the old way of monolithic networks. "This is more than a disruption, it's an evolution," Keblusek said. "Everybody has to now look in this direction. It has absolutely forced Cisco and others to redefine their strategy going forward." Other vendors are also following suit. WAN optimization stalwart Riverbed has quickly doubled down on becoming an SD-WAN force by acquiring two companies, Ocedo and Xirrus, in less than 15 months. Windstream, for its part, launched its SD-WAN offering in 2017, which now boasts more than 500 customers. And sales from Citrix Systems' NetScaler SD-WAN offering is enabling the company to post healthy networking growth. Bridget Bisnette, vice president of global partner strategy and sales at Riverbed, said the company's SD-WAN evolution puts it in a position to guide customers through what is becoming a crowded market. Riverbed recently added support for AWS Direct Connect and Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute to its SteelConnect SD-WAN offering. SteelConnect also allows customers to deploy and manage SD-WAN and Wi-Fi from a single cloud-based console and can use LTE wireless uplinks to increase network reach and connectivity. "We're having a lot of discussions, and we're trying to help cut through the marketing clutter and help customers figure out what it means and take the next step," Bisnette said. "It's kind of like the early days of cloud. It's a different way of acquiring technology, and app performance, app response -- we can grow into that and tie these things together." SD-WAN specialist CloudGenix grew sales a whopping 300 percent in 2017 with even higher revenue growth expected this year. CloudGenix CEO Kumar Ramachandran said unlike the virtualization boom that transformed the data center in the mid-2000s, SD-WAN is disrupting remote and branch ofces, which are becoming more important for businesses. "If you're a bank, the bank branch is where you're meeting your customer. The retail store is where you're meeting customers. Especially as the data center transforms to the cloud, as an enterprise your whole focus is ensuring that all these places of doing business have an infrastructure model that's in line and in tune with the cloud," said Ramachandran. "I fully think this is the biggest transformation since virtualization in the data center. This is a massive transformation." Talari, for its part, was one of the first companies with an SD-WAN offering, and 10 years in, the company is booking dramatic new customer account growth of 175 percent quarter over quarter. In late 2017, the company hired a new CEO, Dell Technologies veteran Patrick Sweeney, and said that it would push all of its sales through the channel. George Just, vice president of worldwide sales for Talari, said the growing list of SD-WAN vendors could sow the seed of conflict for solution providers. "If I was competing in the SD-WAN space and was a Viptela partner, and now they've become available to every single Cisco partner, I just got a whole bunch of new competition selling the same thing I had," Just said. "If anything, it provides us an advantage because we're independent. It's still a pure SD-WAN play. It remains to be seen what VeloCloud's product is going to look like within VMware. Do I have to be a VMware customer? Do I have to change my infrastructure to a VMware infrastructure? Same with Viptela." Skyrocketing Sales Solution providers are investing heavily to capture skyrocketing SD-WAN sales growth. Sentinel Technologies has tripled investment in personnel on its advisory services team in a variety of areas including security, data center and collaboration, to help drive more SD-WAN sales in 2018. Encore Technology Group, a Greenville, S.C.-based solution provider, said it's doubling down on SD-WAN to build a tighter relationship with customers by enabling a better long-term management plan. The channel can only do some tune-ups, and basic management and maintenance with MLPS, said Michael Knight, president and CTO of Encore. "There isn't a lot of money there," said Knight. "That's not true for SD-WAN." Solution providers are generating revenue through a variety of ways from product resale and installation, to managed services and SD-WAN as-a-service. Encore is providing its own SD-WAN as-a-service that captured the attention of one of Encore's fastgrowing customers, Creggar Company. The wholesale distributor for the plumbing, HVAC and electrical industries owns dozens of sites in the U.S. and is rapidly expanding -- adding four to six new sites per year with the majority of them currently leveraging MPLS. A five-year cost analysis comparing Cisco Meraki to the standard service provider resulted in the SD-WAN solution being 33 percent less expensive. Encore sold the customer Cisco Meraki with five years of baked-in support. "The key outcomes were complete network visibility and control, central policy management, and the ability for them to quickly tune up new locations themselves without additional tune-up fees or any type of labor cost involved in that," said Knight. Security is also driving SD-WAN deals. The technology unifies secure interconnectivity around policy and orchestration with customers benefiting from encryption across their entire network and internet. Solution providers pointed at the recent worldwide Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities, which created a tremendous amount of workload and customer support from the channel. Solution providers said having to patch every single router or network solution deployed around the world was a huge and costly problem that can be prevented or quickly solved by SD-WAN. "SD-WAN can help us rapidly respond to events like Meltdown and Spectre by putting out rules or policy on the network end to end that either helps prevent an attack or allows you to simply push out an update," said Sentinel's Keblusek. "There's a real need, driven by security and network intelligence, for these technologies," he said. The key to success in the fast-growing SD-WAN market, solution providers say, is carefully evaluating customer business objectives around applications, software-dened networking and the cloud. They say every solution provider needs to be armed with an SD-WAN offering to be successful. "Every deal should have some type of SD-WAN component to it," said QOS' Cittadino. "The growth curve of SD-WAN in 2016 was an early adopter year. 2017 was the maturing year. In 2018, we're going to see the explosion." VMware's stock surged more than 6 percent on Monday following a Bloomberg report that said Dell was backing away from a potential merger with the virtualization technology leader. Round Rock, Tex.-based Dell is "leaning against" the option of pursuing a reverse merger with VMware, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. The report comes months after Dell CEO Michael Dell confirmed that Dell Technologies' board of directors was evaluating a merger with VMware. VMware stock was up more than 6 percent as of the close of Monday's trading. Dell Technologies stock was up 2 percent at $74.35 per share. [Related: 10-K Breakdown: 5 Potential Risk Factors Facing Dell Technologies] Dell channel partners said although a Dell-VMware merger could create tremendous technology synergies, backing off the deal will allow VMware to maintain strong, strategic technology partnerships with the likes of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo and many more IT companies. "Dell has to play both sides of the coin with the big boys. So keeping [VMware] separate as is, keeps the peace," said Michael Goldstein, president and CEO of LAN Infotech, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based solution provider who partners with Dell, Microsoft, Cisco and VMware. Goldstein said having complete control of both the hardware and software would give Dell "a really big leg up over the other OEM partners," but could make other vendors hesitate about creating technology integrations in the future. One executive from a solution provider who partners with VMware said the company is still the "golden standard" for on-premise virtualization. "For VMware, and VMware investors, it would be a good thing for Dell and VMware to stay in their own lane for the sake of OEMs and customers who want VMware to remain somewhat independent," said the executive, who did not want to be named. Dell owns 81 percent of VMware after acquiring EMC in 2016 for $67 billion. Partners said Dell is searching for ways to combat its more than $52 billion in debt, which mostly stems from the EMC acquisition. The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by congress in December lowers the corporate tax from 35 percent to 21 percent, but it also limits the tax deductibility of interest payments to 30 percent of a company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). Manak Ahluwalia, CEO and founder of Aqueduct Technologies, a Dell partner named to CRN's 2018 Managed Service Provider 500 list in the Elite 150 category, said the tax law changes the way organizations can write off debt. "The new tax laws that came out significantly changed the way the organizations could write off some of the interest expenses regarding that debt, which became highly disadvantageous for organizations that had to be debt-laden, that had done mergers like Dell-EMC. Because Dell and EMC still retained majority ownership and control of VMware, I viewed the [potential VMware merger] as one of the best courses of action for them to get out of that debt load and reenter the public market," said Ahluwalia. "So it's the best way to get to profitability and to reduce their debt exposure." Dell Technologies-backed Pivotal Software recently filed for an initial public offering, hoping to raise up to $592 million with a share price of between $14 and $16. Dell is currently Pivotal's majority stockholder. According to an S-1 form filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week, Pivotal stated, "Dell Technologies will own, indirectly through its subsidiaries, 175,514,272 shares of our outstanding Class B common stock, which will represent approximately 70.1 (percent) of our total outstanding shares of common stock and approximately 95.9 (percent) of our combined voting power immediately after this offering." Dell has paid down $10 billion in debt since completing the EMC deal. In Dell's recent 10-K filing with the SEC, under the 'Risk Factors' section, the company said a "substantial level of indebtedness could have important consequences," such as reducing funding for capital expenditures and acquisitions. Dell said it may be unable to comply with financial and other agreements associated with the debt, which could limit its ability to "incur additional debt, make investments, and sell assets, which could result in an event of default that, if not cured or waived, would have an adverse effect on Dell Technologies' business and prospects and could force it into bankruptcy or liquidation." Dell is expected to make a decision on potentially merging with VMware sometime this month. 'Hard To Beat' Cisco Systems Vice President of Worldwide Sales for Enterprise Networks Dave West knows what competitors are saying about the company's prospects in the red-hot market for software-defined wide-area networking, namely that SD-WAN is a grave threat to the networking giant's legacy router business. He respectfully, very respectfully, disagrees. "I know what the competitors are saying, and I appreciate them," West said. "They're all good, strong competitors. At the end of the day, this transition is happening in the market and I firmly believe we are best positioned to win this transition and I think we're going to be hard to beat." Cisco acquired SD-WAN power Viptela last year for about $610 million. Just a few months later, VMware acquired top SD-WAN player VeloCloud, instantly intensifying the software-defined battle between the two tech heavyweights. While VMware argues that the rise of SD-WAN threatens Cisco's router business, West contends that SD-WAN is an integral part of the company's vast intent-based networking play and its continued evolution toward life as an open, software-focused firm. What follows is an edited excerpt of West's conversation with CRN. The Golden Princess has embarked on Princess Cruises inaugural Singapore to Alaska cruise after a drydock in Singapore. This is the first time Princess Cruises is operating a direct cruise from Singapore to Alaska, meeting growing demand from Asian passengers who want to sail on an Alaskan cruise departing from a port close to home, the company said. The cruise sails 29 days, visiting 11 ports: Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Hong Kong, Taipei, Busan, Osaka, Shimizu, Yokohama, Sakaiminato, Hakodate and Muroran before arriving in Anchorage on May 12. Guests can then continue on the seven-day Alaska cruise visiting the Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park, Skagway, Juneau, before arriving in Vancouver in British Columbia. Guests had the opportunity to combine these two voyages into a 36-day sailing. The unique 29-day Epic Adventure and seven-day Alaskan Grand Adventure cruises were both sold out, Princess said. The 2,600-guest Golden Princess will homeport in Alaska until September after which she will re-position to Australia. Following her drydock, the Sabatinis specialty restaurant on the Golden Princess has changed its name to Sabatinis Italian Trattoria and has been transformed with a fresh new design and menu. Guests can also participate in onboard pasta-making classes. The Movies Under the Stars outdoor cinema has been fitted with a new screen that delivers twice the picture definition of the previous screen and improved sound, Princess said. Aesthetic enhancements were also made to The Shops of Princess. On January 18, 2018, at around 2:00 a.m. EST, the security operations center (SOC) at electronic health record (EHR) and practice management software provider Allscripts detected abnormal activity. Four hours later, at 6:00 a.m. EST, the SOC started their investigation and determined the abnormal activity was in fact a full-blown ransomware incident due to SamSam, a family of ransomware that is known to target healthcare organizations. A short time later, teams from Microsoft, Mandiant and Cisco were called in to help. At this point, as is the case for any organization facing a large-scale incident, Allscripts said the situation turned into a "crisis event." It was quickly determined that the Professional EHR (Pro EHR) and Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances (EPCS) services were the hardest hit. Allscripts told Salted Hash in a statement that approximately 1,500 medical practices were impacted by the incident. Incident response is something that most IT and security professionals are drilled on. It's a process that sometimes requires a specific mindset to deal with stressful situations; and a process with challenges that are unique to each business. We examine the recent SamSam ransomware attack at Allscripts, following the phases of incident response as documented by SANS. Preparation As the heading suggests, the first step in building out an incident response plan is preparation. Incident response teams have to prepare as best as they can for a number of incidents, from power outages, hardware failures and malware to tornados, floods and earthquakes and everything in between. By all accounts Allscripts did this, and in a statement the company told Salted Hash that they "prepare and drill" for various possible incidents ahead of time. In addition, the company conducts regular blue team and red team exercises. However, it isn't clear to what extent ransomware was part of their drills, as the company didn't offer any insight into its incident response program or the mindset behind its development when asked about it. Based on comments made to the public by Allscripts, posts to Allscripts ClientConnect portal by customers and company representatives, status update calls during the incident, and conversations with customers, Salted Hash is confident that Allscripts had an incident response plan in place (as they should), but there were some snags once the plans were actually put to the test during a real-world incident. The SamSam ransomware attack against Allscripts started on a Thursday, and most customers reported they were offline or continued to have access problems until Thursday the following week. For example, after Allscripts reported that systems for Allscripts Practice Management (PM) and Pro EHR "were restored in the East, Central, Mountain, and Pacific regions" on Tuesday, January 23, many clients in those areas reported zero access. "We are currently working to restore permissions for all users. Once permissions are restored, users will have access to their core applications. We are continuing to work on restoration of interfaces," an Allscripts update note explained. So, while customers could access the cloud as one customer observed most couldn't actually access the database. This was a key problem for many of the customers impacted by the attack, as they're hosted customers. All of their practice information lives in the cloud, from patient records to billing details, lab results and more. A number of customers turned to the ClientConnect forum to vent their frustrations in response to daily updates: "A lot of talking but not really saying anything," one customer wrote early on Tuesday morning. "I am not restored yet despite the promise yesterday of 18- 24-hour restoration. Who cares if you can access the cloud if that just takes you to a dead site? It has been 6 days people, I do not want to hear that you are diligently working on it around the clock. I want results not mumbo jumbo." Salted Hash asked Allscripts about the disconnect between the status update and the reality for customers, such as why customers were still having issues even after the company said systems were restored. "Allscripts serves a wide range of clients in a variety of individual circumstances. Accordingly, they experienced different effects as a result of this incident," the company said. "There were a range of circumstances involved with getting particular systems back online and we addressed each of them as quickly as possible." Identification and containment CSO Allscripts identified the problem, meeting the requirements of the identification phase, when they determined the detected issues were ransomware related and furthered this identification by confirming the ransomware was SamSam, a family of ransomware known for targeting healthcare organizations. In order to limit damage and prevent further damage, as required by the containment phase, Allscripts started severing connections with their data centers in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C. No business wants to cut its own backbone, but sometimes the hard calls have to be made. As mentioned, Allscripts detected something strange at around 2:00 a.m. EST on January 18, and by 6:00 a.m. EST had determined that it was a full-blown ransomware incident, requiring the assistance of teams from Cisco, Mandiant and Microsoft. In a statement, Allscripts said that hundreds of personnel worked on the response, calling the first 24-hours an "intense swirl of many technical, business, and other practical challenges." Allscripts stated that they drill for various security incidents, and when asked, confirmed they participate in data sharing programs with other medical organizations. In a statement, the company said they have data sharing relationships with the FBI, the North Carolina Healthcare Information & Communications Alliance, Inc. (NCHICA), and a group of healthcare industry CISOs. They also use outside advisors who "serve as additional eyes and ears." When asked how prepared they were for the eventuality of a ransomware attack, especially since SamSam had previously been used against two other healthcare organizations, Allscripts responded: "Keep in mind that there were no antivirus signatures available for this SamSam variant at the time it struck Allscripts. This was an entirely new, zero-day variant of SamSam ransomware that had never been identified previously by Cisco, Microsoft or the FBI. We were able to contain it within minutes, and then begin the intense work of restoring those client services that were affected." This is concerning. By their own account Allscripts has access to a large pool of threat intelligence and information sharing. Cisco is one of their vendors, and their threat intelligence teams have done extensive work on SamSam. Threat intelligence sources within the healthcare industry have known for some time that the group behind SamSam constantly makes modifications (variants) to the ransomware's code in order to alter how it loads on a victim's machine, thus bypassing antivirus and other endpoint defenses. Moreover, those same sources also know that the actors behind SamSam don't rely on spam-like delivery tactics to infect victims, opting instead to infect individual systems and manually deploy the ransomware. SamSam's reach extends beyond healthcare While SamSam has been disproportionately used against healthcare organizations since it arrived in the public view in 2016, not all of its victims are medical. In February (a few weeks after the Allscripts attack) the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) network was infected with a variant of SamSam, impacting about 2,000 employees and leading to a number of logistical problems. A week later, while still recovering from the first attack, CDOT was infected with a second variant of SamSam. Two attacks within two weeks. And while endpoint defenses were patched to prevent further spread (CDOT uses McAfee), the damage was already done. As such, the threat intelligence sources who spoke to Salted Hash say the key to defending against SamSam, something that would be central to any threat model and corresponding threat map, is the realization that signatures and endpoint defenses alone are not enough. Instead, the key to stopping SamSam is a mix of endpoint defenses, patch management, limiting system functionality (disable everything that isn't needed for the system to perform its core role or function), and limiting user permissions. Was Allscripts aware of this? Salted Hash asked Allscripts a number of SamSam-related questions in order to determine where the information gaps were and how up-to-date their systems were, but the company declined to answer any of them. Instead Allscripts simply stated, "this was a new ransomware variant for which no antivirus or patch was available." It's important to note, though, that each organization is different, so achieving harmony between endpoint defenses, system functionality, user permissions and patch management isn't as easy as it sounds when dealing with large enterprise operations. SamSam isn't a case of "if you only do this, you'll be fine" or "work this checkbox magic here please." Dealing with threats like SamSam requires effort and a lot of bridge building because multiple units within the organization have to come together in order to develop a workable solution. Eradication and recovery: With the threat identified and containment achieved, Allscripts had to turn its focus to eradication and recovery. This is where most of the pain lives for any organization dealing with an incident, as speed is the goal, but that isn't always possible when critical systems are involved. You have to clean and restore systems and then test them before putting them back into production. It's a daunting task at times. At this stage it's critical that Allscripts understand how the attack happened and take steps to ensure it can't happen again, such as patching vulnerable systems or resetting compromised passwords two things the actors behind SamSam often leverage in an attack. It isn't clear what happened during this phase, though, as Allscripts has declined to discuss it. Allscripts moved quickly to restore systems, reporting that more than a dozen services already were or would be up and running by January 19. Each day, sometimes more than once a day, Allscripts updated customers on the recovery efforts and added new services to the list of those restored. On January 26, in a letter to customers, Allscripts CEO Paul Black said that the company would be accelerating their plans to replicate Professional EHR across multiple data centers and a technology refresh "to shorten our recovery time in the event of any future disruption." When asked about the data replication and the use of virtualization, Allscripts told Salted Hash that they use virtualization when it's reasonable and appropriate but added that they didn't attempt to spin up any of their replication servers to help with the restoration process. While the incident response plan developed by Allscripts worked (after all they were able to recover from the SamSam attack), there was still a good deal of pain during this process for their customers. Lessons learned Often during the containment phase an organization needs to do some sort of public contact with partners and customers, perhaps even with industry peers or regulatory bodies. But for Allscripts, the communication was a pain point. Updates and answers from support representatives posted in the ClientConnect forum conflicted with reports from customers. For example, customers were told on ClientConnect that the EPCS application, called ePrescribe, was online. That same day, customers reported intermittent access or lock-ups once the output icon was clicked. When a support ticket was filed, the customer was told it was a known issue related to the ransomware and that the company was working on it. This frustrated customers, who perceived that Allscripts wasn't being truthful. But Allscripts was being truthful; the services were up, the problem was access. So, the internal definition of up or online and what the customer is expecting those terms to mean just wasn't jiving. Customers, for the most part, are forgiving if you're open and communicative. The key, though, is to communicate in a way they understand. Tech professionals could make the argument that Allscripts did restore services and the systems were online within 24 hours, but the reality is that customers were down or experienced intermittent issues for at least six days, and longer in some cases. These may be outlier cases, but as long as they exist, the incident isn't resolved. Editor's Note: This is the first story in a series on the Allscripts Ransomware attack that CSO will be launching this week. Tomorrow we look at the impact of the attack from the customer point of view what happens when your SaaS provider is hit by ransomware? Register now to download a free PDF of the complete series. A Microsoft network engineer faces federal money laundering and conspiracy charges connected to Reveton ransomware. What is Reveton ransomware? After a computer was infected with Reveton ransomware, the screen would lock and a fake message purportedly from the FBI or other law enforcement agency would claim the user had violated federal law; viewing and/or distributing porn was often cited as the law which was violated. The user was informed that a fine had to be paid to unlock their PC. The FBI regarded Reveton ransomware as new back in August 2012. The use of the FBI logo was so popular with this ransomware that some people referred to it as FBI ransomware. Uadiale charged with money laundering, conspiracy Raymond Uadiale, 41, is accused of helping to launder money paid by victims of Reveton, as well as conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty to both charges last week in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Sun Sentinel reported, The judge did a double take when he heard that Uadiale has been working for Microsoft in the Seattle area since 2014. Cybersecurity, dont tell me? U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Seltzer quipped. Are they aware of the charges? Microsoft, where Uadiale works as a network engineer, is reportedly aware of the charges, which allegedly stemmed from Uadiales actions before he worked for Microsoft. Laundering money from Reveton ransomware victims According to court documents, prosecutors claim Uadiale was involved with laundering money obtained from Reveton ransomware victims from at least October 2012 through at least March 2013. They claim Uadiale, using the online name Mike Roland, worked with a U.K. man who was using the online name of K!NG. K!NG allegedly would distribute ransomware, including Reveton, as well as collect the ransom. Victims didnt pay in bitcoins, but by entering the code found on GreenDot MoneyPak prepaid cards. Uadiale allegedly obtained prepaid debit cards and, using the online alias of Mike Roland, would use an unnamed messaging program to send K!NG the account numbers for the prepaid cards. Prosecutors claim that K!NG would transfer the victims ransomware payments from GreenDot MoneyPaks to the prepaid debit card account numbers provided by Uadiale. Then K!NG would message Uadiale the last four digits of the loaded prepaid debit cards and the amount loaded on each. Uadiale was allegedly responsible for sending a portion of the ransom back to K!NG through Liberty Reserve. Court documents claim Uadiale would then withdraw the loaded ransomware payments from the prepaid debit cards as cash at automated-teller-machine or point-of-sale locations. Uadiale would take the withdrawn money and send part of it to K!NG through the digital currency service Liberty Reserve. The service was shut down in May 2013 by the U.S. government for being used by cyber thugs to launder money. Prosecutors claim K!NG and Uadiale collected $130,000 in ransom. Uadiale allegedly got 30 percent of it, while K!NG got 70 percent. Uadiale, who was born in Nigeria but became a U.S. citizen, is free on a $100,000 bond. Uadiales attorney claimed his client never met K!NG in person. According to the Sun Sentinel, Uadiales lawyer said, These events occurred about five years ago, and it was for an extremely short period of time. Mr. Uadiale has been extremely responsible and cooperative in this case. Apr il 16, 2018The former Second Lady of the United States and the first Latina ever to serve on the Superior Court of Ventura County will receive honorary doctorates at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Commencement on May 19, 2018. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Michele Marie Castillo will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws and Former Second Lady Mary Elizabeth Tipper Gore will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for their pioneering work in their respective fields. President Erika D. Beck, Ph.D. will confer the honors on Castillo during the morning ceremony and Gore will receive her doctorate during the afternoon ceremony. Gore is most widely known for her role as Second Lady from 1993 to 2001, and Castillo is the first Latina to serve on the bench in Ventura County. It is a true honor to recognize and celebrate the achievements of both of these highly accomplished and inspirational women, Beck said. They both have led remarkable lives that serve as examples of the aspirations Cal State Channel Islands holds for our diverse student population. Gores relationship with CSUCI is a new one, but when she learned of the Universitys dedication to providing a quality education to those who may never before have considered college, she offered her wholehearted support. I really have a feeling of affinity and want to help the university. I saw the diversity of the student body and got a sense of the campus and I thought This is what education is all about, Gore said It speaks to my values and what this country represents. Born in Washington D.C., Gore grew up in Arlington, Virginia with a passion for photography and music. She worked as a freelance photographer with the Nashville-based newspaper, The Tennessean, and performed as a drummer in an all-girl band in high school called The Wildcats. Gore once sat in with The Dead during a 2009 concert for the song Sugar Magnolia, and recently played drums alongside music legends Willie Nelson and Herbie Hancock. Gore often uses her photography skills for books designed to shed light on social justice issues, with mental health front and center, serving as the Mental Health Policy Advisor to President Bill Clinton. Her goal is to remove the negative stigma surrounding mental health issues, which she hopes will encourage more people to seek help without shame. Her collaborative book, The Way Home: Ending Homelessness in America captured the plight of those living in desperation on the streets, many of them suffering from mental illness. There is a lot of misrepresentation of the homeless and its always been my desire to educate the public on how people fall into this situation, Gore said. Gore earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Boston University and later earned a Masters degree in Psychology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville. She said her grandmother taught her to take education very, very seriously because its the one thing no one can take away from you, she said. Gore now splits her time between homes in Virginia and Santa Barbara, where she is closer to friends and family in Los Angeles and the Central Coast. Castillo was raised in Ventura County in far from ideal circumstances. Her father struggled with addiction and her mother gave birth to Castillo when she was just 16. It actually forced me to grow up a little faster, she said. In addition to that, homework was my escape. It forced me to retreat to my room and concentrate on my studies. Castillo was excited to enter high school in Ventura, and talk to a guidance counselor about all the classes she wanted to take. I said I want to take honors this and honors that, and he said Why do you want to take those classes? Dont you think youd be better in home economics? Or remedial math? Castillo said. Through it all, a book on Martin Luther King, Jr., which she bought for $1.50 in second grade inspired her to succeed in school and enter a life of public service and social justice. Castillo took college classes at UC Santa Barbara and Stanford University while still in high school, then went on to earn double Bachelor of Arts degrees from UCLA and a law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. She also earned a certificate in International Human Rights Law/International Rights of Women from Oxford University in England. She served as a superior court commissioner in Ventura County and as a deputy public defender in Ventura and Fresno Counties. In 2016, she became the first Latina Superior Court Judge in Ventura County. Castillo is enthusiastic about CSUCIs mission to help all students realize their potentialregardless of circumstances or socioeconomic status. I know the University is very involved in accepting first generation students, Castillo said. These are typically kids who have not necessarily had role models or access to higher education. Castillo plans to give CSUCI graduating seniors the encouragement that was hard to come by when she was growing up. Her advice? Dream big and take steps to make those dreams come true, she said. The parent company of Bertuccis Brick Oven Pizzeria filed Sunday for bankruptcy protection from creditors, with the Italian chain having southwestern Connecticut locations in Darien, Orange and Shelton. In its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, Massachusetts-based Bertuccis indicated it will seek court permission to exit leases on half of its 60 restaurants, with the company listing other Connecticut locations in Avon, Glastonbury, Manchester, Newington and Southington. Bertuccis had closed previously a Westport location. BRIDGEPORT Mayor Joe Ganim earlier this month told the City Council he was presenting them a $561 million budget proposal that, for the second year in a row, holds the line on property taxes. But council members have since learned that a 0.3 mills increase was baked in to pay for a $1.7 million increase in public library funding that voters approved last November. Now the council is looking for places to cut. Thats my understanding, said Council President Aidee Nieves, who said the council will work with the Ganim administration to identify budget cuts to fund that $1.7 million. It is on the radar, Nieves said. The council will vote on a final city fiscal plan in May. Ganim and Nieves had opposed efforts by the library board and its supporters to force a November referendum altering an existing, voter-approved formula that guarantees Bridgeports libraries a certain amount of money annually. That formula was approved in 2009. While last years referendum effort had been discussed at library board meetings, it was not widely advertised until days before the Nov. 7 election, catching many city officials and politicians off guard. Ganim scrambled to convince residents to reject the proposal, warning it would increase their taxes in the 2018/19 budget he presented the council this month. Bridgeports tax/mill rate is already one of the highest in Connecticut 54.37 mills. Library advocates argued the mayor and council would be able to come up with the extra dollars without raising taxes. Ultimately voters decided they wanted more money for the libraries, with 2,326 in favor and 1,644 against the referendum. In presenting his proposed $561 million spending plan to the council on April 2, Ganim, in a cover letter, claimed to be holding the line on taxes. But the final paragraph of Ganims letter suggested that was not the case: This budget includes an appropriation increase of approximately $1.7 million for the library as a result of last years local referendum. While I am against supporting any increase in property taxes to fund this .3 mill increase, the council will have the opportunity as part of this budgeting process to decide how this increase ought to be funded. Nieves and other council members said Ganims budget staff told them about the library money before he presented his spending plan. So its on us as a council to figure out how to cut expenses to fund this, or it is going to be a tax increase to fund it, said Councilwoman Christina Smith, a member of the budget committee. Smith, who for two years was the citys grants director, said she is going through the budget, department by department, seeking the necessary savings. Smith is particularly focused on looking at what departments requested last year and what they actually spent. Theres a tendency to over-budget, Smith said. I know from my experience working in the city (that) this was almost part of the process. Youd put in the same (request) you put in last year, even if, year over year, your spending was less than that. Assistant City Librarian John Soltis said library staff have met with the Ganim administration about their overall budget and the city has been very helpful. But Soltis, who also lives in Bridgeport, added there is no reason to have to raise taxes to provide the libraries the additional $1.7 million. The voters spoke at the referendum, Soltis said. Our budget is such a small portion of the city $8 million. Were hardly anything. It just would seem to me that there would be fat (in Ganims $561 million proposal) that could be trimmed. The councils budget committee will hold a public hearing on the library and education budgets at 6 p.m. April 24 at City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace. HARTFORD Sexual harassment exists at the state Capitol, lawmakers made it clear Monday, and with the exception of one recent complaint, for the past decade this behavior has often gone unreported and sometimes, unchecked. Top legislators convened a hearing Monday to discuss with experts how to improve their policies to better protect lawmakers, employees and everyone who comes to the Capitol from sexual harassment. Their conversations highlighted a patchy policy that struggles provide reporting options and discipline for people with many different jobs working in an environment where power and influence often derived from relationships are king. There are people watching (this hearing) in the building right now who are scared to come forward, said Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford. Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Danielson, who served as an intern and an aide before her election to the General Assembly in 2008, said over the years, she has observed lobbyists having to endure inappropriate comments from legislators about their appearance, and legislators inappropriately touching other people, even other legislators. Sexual harassment has lessened in recent years though, she said. Specific accounts of sexual harassment at Capitol were not given during the hearing. But several members said or hinted that this behavior was not rare. More acknowledged the unique dynamics at the Capitol that can make sexual harassment possible. Legislators, aides, state employees, lobbyists, vendors and media all work in the same building, but have different employers, and policies may apply to them differently. Add what lawmakers called the unique power dynamics of elected officials, and policing workplace harassment is extra tough. Its different than what you might have in a corporate environment where you might have a single organization, said Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. This building is unlike any other. The legislatures policy now says all staff must participate in sexual harassment training. It gives victims a few reporting options, but does not say what bystanders should do. Other than one sexual harassment complaint recently filed with the Office of Legislative Management which provides human resources for the General Assembly only two other complaints have been made, and those were filed with CHRO in the early 2000s, Jim Tamburro, human resources administrator for OLM, said. These low numbers made many lawmakers question whether the policy was working. During the three hour meeting, lawmakers and experts pointed out its many holes. For example, there is little OLM can do when they find evidence of sexual harassment by a legislator, said Tamburro. Lawmakers can strip that member of their titles and reduce their salary as recently done with Rep. Angel Arce, D-Hartford, accused of sending inappropriate messages to a 16-year-old girl. But it could take the collective action of the four legislative chambers to get an elected official out of office, said Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin. In contrast, OLM does have the power to fire legislative aides and other staff after an investigation. Several legislators wanted to add a way to anonymously report sexual harassment. Illinois passed a law in November to add a hotline for reporting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. I see value there particularly if you see a kind of trend, said Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton. Others supported clarifying and strengthening policies for third parties working at the Capitol, like lobbyists, vendors and media. Many lawmakers expressed dismay that no written policy forbidding superiors and subordinates from dating exists at the Capitol. I question whether it is possible to have a consensual relationship with the power dynamics that exist (between an employee and boss) and when the performance of your job is so subjective, said Rep. Arthur ONeill, R-Southbury. Legislative leaders said they will continue to review the sexual harassment policy. An anonymous survey on sexual harassment will be sent to all legislators, staff, lobbyists and vendors at the Capitol soon. emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson EAST HAVEN As the owner of Alisas House of Salsa on Whalley Avenue in New Haven, Alisa Bowens-Mercado has rhythm. Now she has put that into making beer. Bowens-Mercado is the first African-American woman in Connecticut to brew beer and one of only a handful across the country. As the owner of Rhythm Brewing Co., she created the unfiltered lager, Rhythm, at Overshores Brewery in East Haven, celebrating her second canning day Friday. Getting into this really is a passion, Bowens-Mercado said. Shes diversifying the industry as one of the few women and few people of color brew craft beer anywhere in the U.S. Im tapping into a national thirst of what the craft beer industry is lacking. When the canning and labeling begins, Bowens-Mercado turns up Gloria Estefans Rhythm is Gonna Get You for good luck. And its working, she said. Rhythm is in its second run after selling out 100 cases in only two weeks, which marks a very well-selling beer, Overshores Brewery lead production brewer Mike Dryburgh said. Overshores is a collaborative brewery that serves up its own brand but also works with other brewers producing their recipes. Overshores works with breweries such as Hulls, Armada, Charter Oak and more. Rhythm Brewing Co. specializes in producing unfiltered beer, which means keeping the good stuff in, Bowens-Mercado said. Most mass-produced beers are filtered and pasteurized. The filtration removes the yeast, giving the beer a bright clarity, while the pasteurization cooks the beer to kill any microorganisms that mightve gotten through the filtration. But filtration can go too far by stripping away the natural goodness of beer, according to Beer Magazine, and over-filtering can take out color, hop bitterness and proteins that add body and help form the beers head. Unfiltered beers, such as Rhythm, might be seen as more natural or even healthier than filtered beer. Bowens-Mercado describes her beer as having a slight bite and it makes you want more. It has a great flavor profile, Dryburgh said. Its a really good lager. He said a lot of people who drink lagers are drinking the big industry brands such as Samuel Adams and Budweiser and To do a craft lager and stay true to the form and put your own twist is fun and its ambitious. Bowens-Mercado said her product gets back to basics. With our brand, we wanted to go back to classic, with the logo and everything and make a timeless beer people wont get sick of, she said. Bowens-Mercado got into the craft beer scene as a way to pay homage to her grandmothers, who she remembers often drinking beer as they sat together talking. More people are looking for something thats not mass produced, Dryburgh said. They want something local and people are pulling into their own community. A trend in the craft beer industry is brewing IPAs, but Bowens-Mercado was insistent that she wanted to make a lager. As she researched the industry and a way to make a lager, she looked for someone to guide her in the process, which was hard since not many women are doing it, she said. But eventually, she found Overshores, which took her vision and brewed it into a reality. Bowens-Mercado is looking to make an unfiltered light lager as her next beer and as she grows her brewing company, she hopes to open doors for other women. Being a chick, I want more women in the industry, she said. I want more women brewing, more women canning. I want them to have a significant role and not just consume it .... I want to let women out there know you can brew. We have our place in the industry. As long as youre making quality beer, the markets there, Dryburgh said. Our consumer is wide ranging. Theyre not just white men anymore. To infuse more diversity is only a good thing. Rhythm is sold at Amity Wine and Spirits in New Haven and Hamden, at all Total Wine locations, the Wine Cellar in North Haven, Temple Wine & Liquor and more liquor stores. Its also on tap at a number of bars and clubs including Diesel Lounge, Jacks Bar And Steakhouse, LTs Corner Bar and Grille and others. Bowens-Mercados lager can be recognized by the illuminated LED tap handle. Its the only one that lights up, so you will know you have found your Rhythm, she said. According to financial site 24/7 Wall St., there were 371,061 reported cases of all forms of identity theft in 2017, and nearly 63,000 of them were tax fraud. "One's likelihood of becoming a victim of identity theft appears to depend heavily on place of residence as the incidence of identity theft ranges considerably across the United States," the site writes. FAIRFIELD Police believe a Pennsylvanian man, who shot himself after a five-hour standoff with law enforcement last week, was behind threatening and sexually graphic letters sent to several local women. Fairfield Chief Gary MacNamara said there are no indications that Joseph Polin, 46, of Hazelton, PA., was working with anyone else to send letters to four town women in their early 20s. Some of the letters contained photo collages of the women that were taken from their social media accounts, police said. They were very graphic, very specific letters, Lt. Michael Gagner, the head of the detective division said. Hazelton police went to Polins home last Monday to check out a social media threat. After a five-hour standoff, Polin shot himself. Police then discovered that Polin had been sending letters and email to girls and young women in 29 states, as well as Canada, England and China. If you read the letters, they would give the appearance of being from someone they knew, MacNamara said. Gagner, who said the department began receiving complaints about the letters on April 12, said the letter mentioned names of the womens friends, but never made any reference to any specific incidents. He didnt know any of those people, Gagner said. The letters, which threatened the women with kidnapping, were all postmarked in Hazelton, he said. When detectives contacted the Hazelton police, MacNamara said they learned of the extent of the situation. It seems fairly recent, Gagner said. We think they were all mailed at the same time. I dont know what triggered it. MacNamara said that while no one appears to be in any danger, it does highlight the risks of having a public social media account. He said the department will continue to the investigate the letters. Connecticuts congressional delegation is reviewing their sexual harassment policies and some are making changes all in the wake of U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Estys bungled handling of an office romance that led to her downfall. All seven U.S. senators and representatives showed Hearst Connecticut Media their office sexual harassment policies. While the rules are largely similar, they differ in subtle and significant ways the result of not having a one-size-fits-all policy for the U.S. House and Senate. For example, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthals harassment policy prohibits dating unless workers are of equal rank, while U.S. Sen. Chris Murphys policy, along with other members of the delegation, is silent on dating. By contrast, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York and the Senate minority leader, is widely known to brag about how many of his staffers have gotten married. An effort is under way in Congress to expand employee protections, due in part to the national #MeToo movement and recent resignations of high profile lawmakers such as former U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who was forced out over inappropriate interactions with women years before he became a senator. The Member and Employee Training and Oversight On Congress Act (MeToo) is pending in the House and Senate. The bill, which seeks to overhaul 1995 sexual harassment laws and create one policy for Congress, is co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., a former Capitol Hill staffer who experienced sexual harassment first hand. "Congress has been a breeding ground for a hostile work environment for far too long," Speier recently said. Connecticuts Congressional delegation all Democrats generally support bills to codify and expand protections. But the delegations individual harassment rules tend to be generic, and apply only to each members office, the Hearst review found. Blumenthals office said it had one harassment complaint since taking office in 2011, involving inappropriate language and behavior by an employee, and discipline was handed out. None of the other delegation members except Esty said they had received a sexual harassment complaint from an employee. Esty is not seeking re-election this fall because of her handling of that harassment incident. Tim Daly, Estys chief of staff, said the 5th District congresswoman "absolutely believes" the current system of allowing each office to set its own policy does not work. "Recent events have clearly proven that," Daly said. "In her final nine months in Congress, Rep. Esty plans to use her power to fight for stronger workplace protections that are uniform for not just Congress, but all levels of government." Costly lesson Esty opted to not pursue re-election after calls for her resignation erupted over her handling of a 2016 harassment complaint stemming from a romance between her former chief of staff Tony Baker and a former aid, Anna Kain. After learning in May 2016 that Baker had threatened and intimidated Kain including leaving a profanity-laden voice mail that prompted Kain to obtain a protective order against Baker it took three months for Estys office to complete an investigation. Baker remained on the job, even attending the August 2016 Democratic National Convention with Esty. When Baker was finally terminated, Esty signed a nondisclosure agreement, gave Baker a $5,000 severance package and a reference that helped him land a job with Sandy Hook Promise in Ohio, an anti-gun group founded after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The delay disturbed and appalled staff, who witnessed yelling and other inappropriate behavior while Baker remained on the job. Esty earlier this week conceded other female staffers were victimized by what they saw and heard. Daly said after Baker was terminated Esty banned relationships between employees and updated sexual harassment rules to "make clear all forms of harassment would not be tolerated." But Daly said Congress needs a unified policy, including dating rules. "Thats yet another reason why (Esty) believes leaving all 535 individual offices to develop and implement their own polices does not work," Daly said. "The entire Congress, in fact all levels of government, need to have stronger and uniform workplace protections." Working on changes Murphy said hes a co-sponsor of the #MeToo legislation that, among many provisions, requires accused lawmakers to pay settlements with their own money, boosts transparency of sexual assault complaints, restructures the complaint process and mandates yearly sexual harassment training. The bill is considered a significant update to sexual harassment and other rules set in 1995. Prior to that date, Congress was exempt from many of the workplace laws that applied to the rest of the federal government and the private sector. "Nobody working in a congressional office or any other setting should feel afraid to come to work," Murphy said. Still, Dana Honor, a spokeswoman for Murphy, acknowledged the office does not specifically ban dating. "In light of recent events, we are reviewing that," she said. The staff of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, is updating their office sexual harassment policy, according to Will Serio, a spokesman for DeLauro. DeLauro supports a uniformed policy for Congress, he said. She also recently voted for the Congressional Accountability Act that passed the House. The bill includes provisions for a new dispute resolution process and stronger employee protections. In a recent bipartisan letter to the Senate leadership, all 22 female senators demanded action and an end to a 30 day "cooling off" period before a harassment complaint can be filed. Office dating Mary Yatrousis, a spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1, said that while the office has a strict sexual harassment policy, the rules do not specifically address dating among staffers. "However, we are always looking upon ways to improve our policy, Yatrousis said. This is something that we will be taking into consideration." The office harassment policy of U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, also does not specifically address dating, said Patrick Malone, the congressmans spokesman. "The House Administration Committee is busy finalizing the procedure for new sexual harassment and diversity training," Malone said. Blumenthals office has had a detailed sexual harassment policy since the senator took office in 2011, said Maria McElwain, his spokeswoman. The non-fraternization policy prohibits dating between supervisors and underlings and prohibits dating between all staff and interns. "The office has also had an anti-harassment training requirement for all staff and interns that predates the recent training mandate for Congressional offices," McElwain said. Tim Brown, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2, said the office has a strict sexual harassment policy. But Brown said Courtney is looking to improve that policy. "We strive to provide a working environment that is safe, responsive, and protective of our employees," he said. Parents across the country are breaking open the bubbly: their Millennial children are finally moving out. Thats right, according a National Association of Realtors survey, Millennials make up 65% of all first-time home buyers. Why now? While there are many factors, a Bank of America survey suggests a major driver has been keeping up with their friends. Upon seeing friends posts of their new homes on Instagram and Facebook, a third of Millennials reported thinking, If they can buy, why cant I? Some 23% said they felt jealous and 25% expressed a fear of missing out (Yes, the FOMO struggle is real). The survey also found that Millennials are more willing to share their home purchase on social media than when they get a new job or buy a car. So where will Millennials get the most for their money? WalletHub compared data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia and ranked each by categories ranging from affordability, education & health, and quality of life, to economic health and civic engagement. Apparently home affordability was not a deal breaker, as the District of Columbia, with median home prices of $549,000, topped WalletHubs list of Best States for Millennials. According to WalletHub, the high cost of living is balanced out by being tops for education, health, quality of life and civic engagement. Rounding out the top five states in order were North Dakota, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Iowa. Millennials who rank affordable housing and high earnings above all other factors may want to give the states below another look, according to WalletHub. Best states for millennials Lowest housing costs Iowa West Virginia Kentucky Arkansas North Dakota Highest homeownership rate Minnesota West Virginia Indiana Utah Delaware Highest average earnings District of Columbia New York Massachusetts Washington California Lowest unemployment rate North Dakota Nebraska South Dakota Iowa Utah Worst states for millennials Lowest homeownership rate New York Oregon California Hawaii District of Columbia Highest housing costs Massachusetts New Jersey Maryland California Hawaii Lowest average earnings New Mexico Montana Maine Idaho Mississippi Highest unemployment rate Alabama Georgia New Mexico North Carolina South Carolina Mississippi An eight-year-old girl's gang rape and murder brought into limelight two communities of Jammu region - the Gujjar-Bakarwals and Dogra Hindus. Despite a seething conflict in Jammu and Kashmir which has brought the world's attention to the region, these communities traditionally managed to live a life away from media glare. Tension in Jammu has prevailed for over a year now with residents agitating against what they allege are illegal settlements and encroachments. A fear has been lurking that land is gradually being usurped by non-Jammu residents, with an intention to change the religious demography - a fear reminiscent of the turmoil that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed since long. The signs of a communal rift that were so apparent should have compelled any government to take immediate note and explore all possible options to resolve differences. Despite the sensitivity of the issue, especially in a polarised conflict zone, government's outreach remained non-existent. This allowed space for a dangerous fringe to take over. A fringe that asserted its presence within days of the revelation of a horrific crime, only to be backed by political parties. If the Kathua child rape and murder was a hate crime intended to force out a community - a claim made in the chargesheet - why did the local elected representatives ignore the crisis while it was in the making? Politicians knew about the fault lines between the two communities and yet allowed it to fester till it manifested itself in the form of a brutal and horrific crime, whose magnitude is dangerously chilling. Worse, instead of healing the wounds and calming nerves, leaders across political ideologies took sides blatantly and brazenly, even inciting intimidating agitations. After the chargesheet details emerged, the media, people on social media and public at large were infuriated and rightly so. Visuals of rallies with people carrying the tricolour and raising "Jai Shri Ram" slogans "in support of the accused" were splashed across all television channels and social media platform. People are baying for the blood of the culprits reigniting the death penalty debate. Meanwhile, protests have continued in Kathua by locals alleging that the accused - Sanji Ram, the alleged mastermind, Ram's nephew, a juvenile, his son Vishal Jangotra, special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar - have been wrongly framed. The chargesheet appears tight, precise and gruesome in its details, which have shaken the nation drawing people to the streets, a reminder of the 2012 Nirbhaya protests. While the trial in the case began on Monday (April 16) against the six, for direct complicity in the crime, two police officials - head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Anand Dutta - are accused of taking Rs 4 lakh from Ram to destroy crucial evidence in the case. The situation in Jammu, however, is far from calm with residents feeling deserted and isolated. The Dogras are taken aback by the turn of the events and say while their rallies were only an expression of distrust in the police probe, they have been made to appear pro-rapists. The politicians, they say, manipulated their anger, lawyers used the volatile situation to exhort pressure, a development that has caught them unaware. While the Bakarwals said they faced humiliation and understandable hurt over the brutal incident, the Dogras claimed a cover-up conspiracy. As Bakarwals of Kathua walk uphill having forever left behind a young member of the community, who became a victim of the worst form of human brutality, buried in a grave, another section is battling the accusations of "glorifying rapists". Amid all this, a deep fear is taking shape - permanent damage to peace in the Jammu region. Attempting to score points ahead of an election year, rallies were organised by local political leaders. When protesters blocked roads and the situation grew tense, leaders from all affiliations joined them in support. The Congress, National Conference and the BJP found representation in agitations organised by Hindu Ekta Manch. In the garb of "defusing tensions", the leaders made an abhorrent bid to use their power to pit communities against each other. Demanding a CBI probe, even provoking to intensify agitations, BJP minister Lal Singh's intimidating speech was a clear sign that his intention was more than just to "pacify the mob". Even as tensions were simmering, what fuelled tempers was the February 27 order by Tribal Affairs department. In the backdrop of ongoing anti-encroachment drives in Jammu region, a directive was released by the government stating, "Till a formal tribal policy is formulated and issued: tribal population shall not be removed/dislocated. In case absolutely necessary... same should be done in prior consultation with Tribal Affairs department". Also, the police department was asked not to provide protection to any eviction drive, which was not in consultation with the department. The directive also referred to renovation of hostels and setting up of schools for the nomadic tribes, including finalising areas for pasture during seasonal migration. While the stated objective of the order was to protect and preserve the rights and culture of tribal populations, it was badly ill-timed given the tensions on the ground. A sentiment started to gain ground in the region that the directive was aimed at changing the region's demography. February 27 order by Tribal Affairs department further aggravated the existing anger of local residents. While women in Kathua sat on an indefinite fast demanding the release of the accused, the Crime Branch concluded its investigation and headed to court to submit the chargesheet. This led to an ugly showdown with Bar Association members trying to stop the police from presenting the chargesheet before the court, a move that earned countrywide condemnation for the lawyers. As the issue gathered heat, the J&K High Court Bar Association gave a call for Jammu bandh on April 11, raising four demands. The demands included removal of illegal Rohingya immigrants settled in Jammu, revocation of the Tribal Affairs Department directive which was seen as encouraging the settlements, decision on district status for Nowshera and transfer of the Kathua case to CBI. Four unlinked, disconnected issues clubbed into one protest. People took to roads with the tricolour in hands, demanding that the government take notice of its failed promises. Men stood next to burning tyres, holding posters demanding removal of "Bangladeshi, Rohingyas". At a time the lawyers were intensifying their protests, the nation had begun taking note of the gory details laid out in the chargesheet. Protests against the rapists and those shielding them started to gather steam. But the international media took note only of the "resurgent Hindu nationalist". As voices against the rape and communalising of the incident grew, leaders deserted the people they were backing till just a couple of months ago. People in power played politics of the worst kind encouraging locals - a powerful vote bank - to intimidate a nomadic community that was in mourning over a raped and murdered child. Jammu has always represented the secular fabric of a sensitive territory. For the last 30 years, since militancy erupted in Kashmir, Jammu has been providing refuge to people from all communities, who had to flee from other disturbed areas of the state. But such is the state of mutual suspicion in the region now that the victim's family has demanded that the trial be shifted out of the region. The question that deserves to be pondered over is in which civilised, democratic society do politicians use a child rape and murder to set off a ticking time bomb? Also read: Why 49 ex-bureaucrats have written a stinging letter to PM Modi A special NIA court on April 16 acquitted five accused, including Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Hyderabad Mecca Masjid blast case for lack of evidence. Nine people had died and 58 others were injured when a pipe bomb went off at the historic mosque during Friday prayers. Five more people were killed in police firing to control the agitated crowd after the blast. It was Aseemanands confessional statement that turned the course of the investigation. However, he later said the confession had been "coerced out" of him. Swami Aseemanand had 'confessed' to the role of Hindu extremists, but later retracted. Photo: India Today All five accused are members of Abhinav Bharat, a Hindutva organisation also linked to the Malegaon bombings of 2006 and 2008, the 2007 Samjhauta Express blasts, and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast that took place in the same year. The Mecca Masjid blasts have often been called the first instance of the much debated "Hindu terror" in India. The acquittal has set off a fresh political tug of war, with leaders like Congresss Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPMs Brinda Karat and AIMIMs Asaduddin Owaisi accusing the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of failing to get victims justice. NIA is a deaf & blind TOTA they didnt appeal against bail given to accused ,witness turned hostile after June 2014 IO couldnt give proper statement so everything was done to fail the victims upshot is our fight against terrorism is weakened after Todays acquittals https://t.co/fHnEMisqkE Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 16, 2018 #MMasjid Blast case verdict - Justice has not been done ,NIA & Modi govt didnt even Appeal against Bail that was given to Accused within 90 days this was a complete biased investigation which will weaken our resolve to Fight Terrorism ,MMasjid 9 people died many injured Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 16, 2018 # MMasjid Blast case verdict majority of witness turned hostile after June 2014 ,NIA didnt pursue the case as expected from it /was not allowed by "Political Masters"Qs is what will be left of Criminal Justice system if such biased prosecutions continue Justice has nt been DONE Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 16, 2018 BJPs Subramanian Swamy, meanwhile, read a larger design. He said the prime minister should now institute cases against Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former finance minister P Chidambaram for defaming the Hindu community with the "saffron terror bogey" and trying to engineer a "Christian rule with help from Muslim nations" in India. I had expected it. All the pieces of evidence were engineered, otherwise, there was no Hindu terror angle: RVS Mani, former Under Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs on all accused in Mecca Masjid blast case acquitted pic.twitter.com/d8lDnqE5cG ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018 LIVE: Dr. @sambitswaraj making a statement to press at BJP Central Office, New Delhi. https://t.co/lyGxo8nJxg BJP (@BJP4India) April 16, 2018 The case Mondays verdict acquitted five accused RSS pracharak Devendra Gupta of Rajasthan, RSS activist Lokesh Sharma of MP, godman Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand of Gujarat, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar of Gujarat and farmer Rajender Chowdary of MP of the 10 charge-sheeted. One of the accused, Sunil Joshi of Madhya Pradesh, a former RSS pracharak, was murdered while the case was under investigation. Two others, Sandeep Dange, former RSS pracharak and Ramchandra Kalsangra, an RSS activist from Madhya Pradesh, are yet to be arrested. Investigation against another two, Tejram Parmar and Amit Chowhan, is still on. Gupta, acquitted in this case, was sentenced to life in jail last year for the Ajmer Sharif dargah blast. Swami Aseemanand was acquitted in that case. The blast ripped through the mosque during Friday prayers. Photo: Wikimedia Commons In the immediate aftermath of the Mecca Masjid blast on May 18, 2007, the Hyderabad police picked up more than 30 Muslim men on suspicion. Some of them later alleged torture in custody. Amid uproar that the police was trying to frame innocent men, the probe was handed over to the CBI in June 2007. The CBI came upon the role of Hindu right wing organisations from one unexploded Improvised Explosive Device found inside the mosque, and arrested Gupta and Lokesh Sharma. In 2011, the NIA took over the case. Assemanands confession However, the major twist in the case came in 2010, when Aseemanand, apparently moved by the plight of framed, innocent Muslim men, decided to come clean about the role of Hindu extremists in the blast. His statement, recorded in front of a judicial magistrate at Delhi's Tis Hazari court, accused not fringe organisations, but RSS national executive member Indresh Kumar, for handpicking and financing pracharaks to carry out terror attacks. Tehelka, which had accessed this statement, quoted Aseemanand as saying: "Sir, when I was lodged in Chanchalguda district jail in Hyderabad, one of my co-inmates was Kaleem. During my interaction with Kaleem I learnt that he was previously arrested in the Mecca Masjid bomb blast case and he had to spend about oneand- a-half years in prison. During my stay in jail, Kaleem helped me a lot and used to serve me by bringing water, food, etc for me. I was very moved by Kaleems good conduct and my conscience asked me to do prayschit (penance) by making a confessional statement so that real culprits can be punished and no innocent has to suffer." "Indreshji met me at Shabri Dham (Aseemanands ashram in the Dangs district of Gujarat) sometime in 2005... He said he had deputed Sunil Joshi for this job (terror attacks) and he would extend Joshi whatever help was required." Joshi was shot dead in 2007. Sadhvi Pragya, one of the accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, was tried for his murder, but acquitted in February 2017. Witnesses turn hostile In March 2011, Aseemanand said his confession was forced out of him by the investigative agencies, that it was "involuntary" and made "under duress". In November 2016, four important NIA witnesses turned hostile. The investigation agency had said Gupta and Joshi had used the mobile phones of these four Madhya Pradesh residents to contact each other, but the men denied this in court. Owaisi has accused the NIA of shoddy probe, and said the agency did not "even challenge" bail given to some of the key accused during the trial. While the verdict will renew the "saffron terror" debate ahead of Assembly elections in several states, for now, no one is responsible for the blasts that led to the death of 14 people. Also read: How I discovered Karnatik music is caged by caste Harris Corporation provides technology-based solutions that solve government and commercial customers' mission-critical challenges in the United States and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Communication Systems, Electronic Systems, and Space and Intelligence Systems. It designs, develops, and manufactures radio communications products and systems, including single channel ground and airborne radio systems, multiband manpack and handheld radios, multi-channel manpack and airborne radios, and single-channel airborne radios, as well as wideband rifleman team, ground, and high frequency manpack radios. The company also offers vision-enhancing products; wireless communications systems; and Internet protocol based voice and data communications systems, as well as single-band land mobile radio terminals and multiband radios comprising a handheld radio and a full-spectrum mobile radio for vehicles. 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Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations and Other. The U.S. Operations segment represents certain of the company's marketing and producing organizations located in the United States. The Swiss Operations segment includes marketing and producing organizations located in Switzerland, as well as extensive R&D operations that are responsible for the development, production, and marketing of precision instruments, including weighing, analytical, and measurement technologies for use in a variety of industrial and laboratory applications. Th Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Occidental Petroleum: 1PointFive Inc., 1PointFive P1 LLC, APC Aviation Inc., APC International Holdings LLC, APC Midstream Holdings LLC, APC Venezuela Srl, ARCO Long Beach, Altura Energy, Amarok Gathering LLC, Anadarko 20-25 Company, Anadarko 20-36 Company, Anadarko 20-47 Company, Anadarko 20-48 Company, Anadarko 20-49 Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 403 c/e Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 406B Company, Anadarko Algeria Company LLC, Anadarko Algeria Oil & Gas Company, Anadarko Brazil Investment I LLC, Anadarko Brazil Investment II LLC, Anadarko Canada E&P Limited, Anadarko China Holdings 2 Company, Anadarko Colombia Company, Anadarko Consolidated Holdings LLC, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Block 103 Company, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Company, Anadarko DBMOS Operator LLC, Anadarko Development Company, Anadarko Development Holding Limited, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC, Anadarko Egypt Holdings Company, Anadarko Energy Holding Limited, Anadarko Energy Services Company, Anadarko Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo e Gas Natural Ltda., Anadarko Finance Company, Anadarko Gabon Company, Anadarko Ghana Mahogany-1 Company, Anadarko Global Energy S.a.r.l, Anadarko Global Funding 1 Company, Anadarko Global Funding II Ltd., Anadarko Guyana Company, Anadarko Holding Company, Anadarko International Development S.a.r.l, Anadarko International Energy Company, Anadarko International O&G Company, Anadarko International Trading Corporation, Anadarko Jordan Company, Anadarko Kenya Company, Anadarko LMM S.a.r.l, Anadarko Land Corp., Anadarko Mexico B.V., Anadarko Mexico S.a.r.l, Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell BR Corp., Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell LLC, Anadarko Natural Gas Company LLC, Anadarko New Zealand Company, Anadarko OGC Company, Anadarko Offshore Holding Company LLC, Anadarko Offshore Well Containment Company LLC, Anadarko Oil & Gas 5 LLC, Anadarko Peru B.V., Anadarko Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Anadarko Realty LLC, Anadarko Rockies LLC, Anadarko Royalty Holdings Company, Anadarko UK Corporate Limited, Anadarko US Offshore LLC, Anadarko USH1 Corporation, Anadarko Venezuela Company, Anadarko Venezuela LLC, Anadarko Venezuela Srl, Anadarko WCTP Company, Anadarko West Texas BR Corp., Anadarko West Texas LLC, Anadarko Worldwide Holdings C.V., Atlantic Rim Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aventine LLC, Baseball Merger Sub 2 Inc., Bear Branch Exploration LLC, Big Island Trona Company, Bitter Creek Coal Company, Bravo Pipeline Company, Cain Chemical, Cain Chemical Inc., Carbon Finance Labs LLC, Concord Petroleum Corporation, Conn Creek Shale Company, D.S. Ventures LLC, DMM Financial LLC, Deerwood Exploration LLC, Downtown Plaza II, Elk Hills Field, FLAG Development LLC, FP Westport Commodities Limited, FP Westport GmbH, FP Westport LLC, FP Westport Limited, FP Westport Services LLC, FP Westport Trading LLC, Fosters Mill Exploration LLC, Glenn Springs Holdings Inc., Globrep Representaciones S.A., Grand Bassa Tankers Inc., Grupo OxyChem de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Headwater II LLC, Houndstooth Resources LLC, INDSPEC Chemical B.V., INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Export Sales LLC, INDSPEC Holding Corporation, Ingleside Cogeneration GP LLC, Ingleside Cogeneration Limited Partnership, Interore Trading Ltd., Joslyn Partnership, KERR-McGEE TT E&P LTD., KM BM-C-Seven Ltd., KM International Insurance Ltd., Kerr-McGee Corporation, Kerr-McGee Natural Gas Company Inc., Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore LP, Kerr-McGee Shared Services Company LLC, Kerr-McGee Stored Power Corporation, Kerr-McGee U.K. Energy Corporation, Kerr-McGee Worldwide Corporation, Kerr-McGee do Brasil Ltda., Kerr-McGee of Canada Northwest Ltd., Laguna Petroleum Corp., Laguna Petroleum LLC, Liwa Oil & Gas Ltd., MC2 Technologies LLC, Mariana Properties Inc., Marico Exploration Inc., Miller Springs Remediation Management Inc., Moncrief Minerals Partnership L.P., NGL Ventures LLC, Natural Gas Odorizing Inc., New OPL LLC, OEVC Energy LLC, OEVC Midstream Projects LLC, OIH LLC, OLCV CE Holdings ULC, OLCV CE US Holdings Inc., OLCV Net Power LLC, OLCV Services LLC, OOG Partner LLC, OOOI Chem Holdings LLC, OOOI Chem Sub LLC, OOOI Chemical International LLC, OOOI Chile Holder LLC, OOOI Ecuador Management LLC, OOOI Oil and Gas Sub LLC, OOOI South America Management LLC, OPM GP Inc., OPM Holdco LLC, OTCF LLC, OTH LLC, OXY CV Pipeline LLC, OXY Campus LLC, OXY Inc., OXY LPG LLC, OXY Libya E&P Area 103 BR4 B.V., OXY Libya E&P Area 35 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P Concession 103 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 102 B.V., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1981 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1985 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P NC 143 144 145 150 B.V., OXY Libya Exploration SPC, OXY Libya LLC, OXY Little Knife LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings I LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings II LLC, OXY Middle East Holdings Ltd., OXY Oil Partners Inc., OXY PBLP Manager LLC, OXY Support Services LLC, OXY Tulsa Inc., OXY USA Inc., OXY USA WTP LP, OXY VPP Investments LLC, OXY West LLC, OXY of Saudi Arabia Ltd., OXYCHEM (CANADA) INC., OXYMAR, Oakwood Exploration LLC, Occidental (Bermuda) Ltd., Occidental (East Shabwa) LLC, Occidental Advance Sale Finance Inc., Occidental Al Hosn LLC, Occidental Angola Holdings Ltd., Occidental CIS Services Inc., Occidental Canada Holdings Ltd., Occidental Chemical Asia Limited, Occidental Chemical Belgium B.V.B.A., Occidental Chemical Chile Limitada, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Occidental Chemical Export Sales LLC, Occidental Chemical Far East Limited, Occidental Chemical Holding Corporation, Occidental Chemical International LLC, Occidental Chemical Investment (Canada) 1 Inc., Occidental Chemical Receivables LLC, Occidental Chemical de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Occidental Chile Investments LLC, Occidental Chile Minority Holder LLC, Occidental Colombia (Series G) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series J) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series K) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series L) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series M) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series N) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series O) Ltd., Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (Canada), Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (International), Occidental Dolphin Holdings Ltd., Occidental Energy Marketing Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures LLC, Occidental Exploradora del Peru Ltd., Occidental Exploration and Production Company, Occidental Hafar LLC, Occidental International (Libya) Inc., Occidental International Corporation, Occidental International Exploration and Production Company, Occidental International Holdings Ltd., Occidental International Oil and Gas Ltd., Occidental International Services Inc., Occidental Joslyn GP 2 Co., Occidental LNG (Malaysia) Ltd., Occidental Latin America Holdings LLC, Occidental Libya Oil & Gas B.V., Occidental MENA Manager Ltd., Occidental Middle East Development Company, Occidental Midland Basin LLC, Occidental Mukhaizna LLC, Occidental Oil Asia Pte. Ltd., Occidental Oil Shale Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas (Oman) Ltd., Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, Occidental Oil and Gas International Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas International LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas Pakistan LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas of Peru LLC, Occidental Oman (Block 27) Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 65 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 65 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 72 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 72 LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Company LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman North Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oriente Exploration and Production Ltd., Occidental Overseas Holdings B.V., Occidental PVC LLC, Occidental Peninsula II Inc., Occidental Peninsula LLC, Occidental Permian Ltd., Occidental Permian Manager LLC, Occidental Permian Services Inc., Occidental Peruana Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 101) Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 103) Inc., Occidental Petroleum (Pakistan) Inc., Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation Political Action Committee, Occidental Petroleum de Venezuela S.A., Occidental Petroleum of Nigeria, Occidental Petroleum of Oman Ltd., Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd., Occidental Power Marketing L.P., Occidental Power Services Inc., Occidental Qatar Energy Company LLC, Occidental Red Sea Development LLC, Occidental Research Corporation, Occidental Resource Recovery Systems Inc., Occidental Resources Company, Occidental Shah Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental South America Finance LLC, Occidental Specialty Marketing Inc., Occidental Tower Corporation, Occidental Transportation Holding Corporation, Occidental West Texas Overthrust Inc., Occidental Yemen Ltd., Occidental Yemen Sabatain Inc., Occidental del Ecuador Inc., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Bab) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Shah) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi LLC, Occidental of Abu Dhabi Ltd., Occidental of Bahrain Ltd., Occidental of Bangladesh Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Chipiron) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Cosecha) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Medina) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Putumayo) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia (Teca) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia PUT-36 LLC, Occidental of Dubai Inc., Occidental of Iraq Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Iraq LLC, Occidental of Oman Inc., Occidental of Russia Ltd., Occidental of South Africa (Offshore) Inc., Occidental of Yemen (Block 75) LLC, Oceanic Marine Transport Ltd., Opcal Insurance Inc., Oryx Crude Trading & Transportation Inc., Oxy BridgeTex Limited Partnership, Oxy C & I Bulk Sales LLC, Oxy Canada Sales Inc., Oxy Carbon Solutions LLC, Oxy Carbon Storage LLC, Oxy Climate Ventures Inc., Oxy Cogeneration Holding Company LLC, Oxy Colombia Holdings LLC, Oxy Colombia TopCo Ltd., Oxy Delaware Basin LLC, Oxy Delaware Basin Plant LLC, Oxy Dolphin E&P LLC, Oxy Dolphin Pipeline LLC, Oxy Energy Canada Inc., Oxy Energy Services LLC, Oxy Expatriate Services Inc., Oxy FFT Holdings Inc., Oxy Holding Company (Pipeline) Inc., Oxy International Ventures Ltd., Oxy LPG Terminal LLC, Oxy Levelland Pipeline Company LLC, Oxy Levelland Terminal Company LLC, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, Oxy Midstream Strategic Development LLC, Oxy Oleoducto SOP LLC, Oxy Overseas Services Ltd., Oxy Permian Gathering LLC, Oxy Permian Plaza LLC, Oxy Petroleum de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Oxy Renewable Energy LLC, Oxy Salt Creek Pipeline LLC, Oxy TL LLC, Oxy Taft Hub LLC, Oxy Technology Ventures Inc., Oxy Transport I Company LLC, Oxy Vinyls Canada Co., Oxy Vinyls Export Sales LLC, Oxy Vinyls LP, Oxy Westwood Corporation, Oxy Y-1 Company, OxyChem Ingleside Ethylene Holdings Inc., OxyChem do Brasil Ltda., OxyChile Investments LLC, Oxychem Shipping Ltd., Permian Basin JV Tax Matters Member LLC, Permian Basin Limited Partnership, Permian VPP Holder LP, Permian VPP Manager LLC, Phibro, Placid Oil LLC, Ramlat Oxy Ltd., Rio de Viento Inc., Rodeo Midland Basin LLC, San Patricio Pipeline LLC, Scanports Shipping LLC, SequestCo LLC, Stetson Exploration LLC, Sun Offshore Gathering Company, Swiflite Aircraft Corporation, Transok Properties LLC, Troy Potter Inc., Turavent Oil GmbH [in liquidation], Tuscaloosa Holdings Inc., UP Petroleo III Ltd., Upland Industries Corporation, Venezuela US SRL, Vintage Gas Inc., Vintage Petroleum, Vintage Petroleum Argentina Ltd., Vintage Petroleum Boliviana Ltd., Vintage Petroleum International Finance B.V., Vintage Petroleum International Holdings LLC, Vintage Petroleum International LLC, Vintage Petroleum International Ventures Inc., Vintage Petroleum Italy Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America Holdings Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America LLC, Vintage Petroleum Turkey Inc., WGR Asset Holding Company LLC, WGR Canada Inc., Wardner Ranch Inc., Western Gas Resources Inc., Western Gas Resources-Westana Inc., Western Midstream Holdings LLC, Woodlands International Insurance Ltd., and YT Ranch LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of AMETEK: AEM Limited, AIP/MPM Funding Inc., AIP/MPM Holdings Inc., AMETEK (Barbados) SRL, AMETEK (Bermuda) Ltd., AMETEK (GB) Limited, AMETEK Aerospace & Defense Grp UK Ltd, AMETEK Aerospace & Power Holdings Inc., AMETEK Aircraft Parts & Accessories Inc., AMETEK Airtechnology Group Ltd., AMETEK Ameron LLC, AMETEK B.V., AMETEK CTS Germany GmbH, AMETEK CTS US Inc., AMETEK Canada 1 ULC, AMETEK Canada 2 ULC., AMETEK Canada 3 ULC, AMETEK Canada LLC, AMETEK Canada Limited Partnership, AMETEK Ceramics Inc., AMETEK Commercial Enterprise Shanghai, AMETEK Creaform Financing L.P., AMETEK Creaform Inc., AMETEK Denmark A/S, AMETEK Do Brasil Ltda., AMETEK EMG Holdings Inc., AMETEK Elektromotory s.r.o, AMETEK Engineered Materials Sdn. Bhd., AMETEK Europe L.L.C., AMETEK European Holdings GmbH, AMETEK European Holdings Limited, AMETEK Financing Canada Limited Partnership, AMETEK Germany GmbH, AMETEK Global Tubes LLC, AMETEK GmbH, AMETEK Grundbesitz GmbH, AMETEK HSA Inc., AMETEK Haydon Kerk Inc., AMETEK Holdings B.V., AMETEK Holdings SARL, AMETEK Holdings de Mexico S. de R.L., AMETEK Industrial Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., AMETEK Instruments Group UK Limited, AMETEK Instruments India Private Ltd., AMETEK International C.V., AMETEK Italia S.r.l., AMETEK Kabushiki Kaisha, AMETEK Korea Co. Ltd., AMETEK Lamb Motores de Mexico S.deR.L. de C.V., AMETEK Land Inc., AMETEK Latin America Holding Company S.a r.l., AMETEK MRO Florida Inc., AMETEK Material Analysis Holdings GmbH, AMETEK Mexico Holding Company LLC, AMETEK Motors Asia Pte. Ltd., AMETEK Nordic AB, AMETEK PIP Holdings Inc., AMETEK Precision Instruments (UK) Ltd., AMETEK Precitech Inc., AMETEK Programmable Power Inc., AMETEK Receivables Corp., AMETEK Russia (UK) Ltd., AMETEK S.A.S., AMETEK S.r.l., AMETEK SCP, AMETEK SCP (Barrow) Limited, AMETEK Singapore Private Ltd., AMETEK Taiwan Co. Ltd., AMETEK Technical & Industrial Products Inc., AMETEK Thermal Systems Inc., AMETEK UK Limited Partnership, AMETEK VIS-K Inc., Advanced Measurement Technology Inc., Aero Components International Corp., Airtechnology Pension Trustees Ltd., Akron Standard Bestry (Guangzhou) Measurement Equipment Co. Ltd., Amekai (BVI) Ltd., Amekai Meter (Xiamen) Co. Ltd., Amekai Singapore Private Ltd., Amekai Taiwan Co. Ltd., Ametek Advanced Industries Inc., Ametek-Reading Alloys Inc., Amptek Inc., Antavia SAS, Atlas Material Holdings Corporation, Atlas Material Testing Technology (India) Private Limited, Atlas Material Testing Technology BV, Atlas Material Testing Technology GmbH, Atlas Material Testing Technology L.L.C., Atlas Material Testing Technology LLC, Atlas Material Testing Technology Ltd., Atlas Netherlands AcquisitionCo Cooperatief U.A., Avicenna Technology Inc., Avtech Avionics & Instruments LLC, B&S Aircraft, Barben Analyzer Technology LLC, Brookfield Engineering, CAMECA Instruments Inc., CAMECA SAS, CARDINALUHP LLC, CS Holdings Co. Inc., CS Intermediate Holdings Co. Inc., Cameca, Chandler Instruments Company LLC, Cognex - Surface Inspection Systems Division, Coining Holding Company, Coining Inc., Controls Southeast Inc., Creaform, Creaform France S.A.S., Creaform Inc., Creaform Japan K.K., Creaform Shanghai Ltd., Creaform USA Inc., Crystal Engineering Corp, Crystal Engineering Corporation, Direl GmbH, Direl Holding GmbH, Drake Air, Drake Air Inc., Drexelbrook Engineering Company, Dunkermotoren GmbH, Dunkermotoren Linear Systems Ltd., Dunkermotoren Subotica d.o.o., Dunkermotoren Taicang Co. Ltd., Dunkermotoren USA Inc., EDAX Inc., EM Test (Switzerland) GmbH, EMA Corp., EMA Finance 1 LLC, EMA Finance 2 LLC, EMA Holdings Inc., EMA Holdings UK Limited, EMA MX LLC, EMtest, ESP Holdco Inc., ESP/SurgeX, Electronic Systems Protection Inc., Elgar Holdings Inc., Fine Tubes Limited, Frameflair Limited, GS Electric, Glasseal Products Inc., Global Tubes, Grabner Instruments Messtechnik GmbH, HCC Aegis Inc., HCC Industries Inc., HCC Industries International, HCC Machining Company Inc., HDR Power Systems LLC, HS Foils Oy, Hamilton Precision Metals Inc., Hamilton Precision Metals of Delaware Inc., Haydon Kerk Motion Solutions Inc., Haydon Linear Motors (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Hermetic Seal Corporation, High Standard Aviation, Imago Scientific Instruments, KBA Enterprises Inc., Land Instruments International Ltd., Laserage Technology Corp, Luphos GmbH, MCG Acquisition Corporation, Micro-Poise Industrial Equipment (Beijing) Ltd., Micro-Poise Measurement Systems Europe GmbH, Micro-Poise Measurement Systems LLC, Milmega Limited, Mocon, Motec GmbH, Motion Control Group, Muirhead Aerospace Limited, Muirhead Aerospace Ltd., NewAge Testing Instruments Inc., Newage Testing Instruments Inc., Nu Instruments (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Nu Instruments Asia Ltd., Nu Instruments Japan KK, Nu Instruments Limited, Nu Instruments Ltd, O'Brien Corp, OBCORP International LLC, OBCORP LLC, OOO AMETEK, OBrien BVBA, OBrien Holding Co. Inc., OBrien Superior Holding Co. Inc., Patriot Sensors & Controls Corporation, PennEngineering Motion Technologies, Petrolab L.L.C., Powervar, Powervar Canada Inc., Powervar Deutschland GmbH, Powervar Inc, Powervar Limited, Powervar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Precitech, QM China Holding Inc., Quizix Inc., RAI Enterprises Inc., RETE Holding GmbH, Rauland-Borg, Reading Alloys Inc., Reichert Inc, Reichert Technologies, Rotron Inc., Rotron Incorporated, SCPH Holdings Inc., SPECTRO Analytical Instruments (Asia-Pacific) Ltd., SPECTRO Analytical Instruments (Pty). Ltd., SPECTRO Analytical Instruments GmbH, SPECTRO Analytical Instruments Inc., SPECTRO Analytical UK Limited, SSH Non-Destructive Testing Inc., Sealtron Inc., Seiko EG&G Co. Ltd., Six Brookside Drive Corporation., Solartron Group Ltd., Solartron Metrology Ltd., Solidstate Controls Inc. de Argentina S.R.L., Solidstate Controls LLC, Solidstate Controls LLC, Solidstate Controls Mexico S.A. de C.V., Southern Aero Partners Inc., Southern Aeroparts Inc, Spectro Analytical Instruments Inc., Spectro Scientific, Sterling Ultra Precision Inc., SunPower Inc., Sunpower Inc., Superior Tube Company Inc., TPM Russia Inc., Taylor Hobson Holdings Limited, Taylor Hobson Inc., Taylor Hobson Ltd., Taylor Hobson Trustees Limited, Technical Manufacturing Corp, Technical Manufacturing Corporation, Technical Services for Electronics Inc., Telular Corporation, Teseq AG, Teseq Company Ltd., Teseq GmbH, Teseq Holding AG, Teseq Limited, Thelsha Technical Services, Tritex Corporation, Tubes Holdco Limited, Unispec Marketing Pvt. Ltd., Universal Analyzers Inc., VTI Holdings Inc., VTI Instruments Corporation, VTI Instruments Private Limited, VTI Integrated Systems Private Limited, VXI Acquisition Inc., Vision Research Europe B.V., Vision Research Inc., Vision Research Limited, Vision Research srl, Zemetrics Inc., Zygo, Zygo Canada ULC., Zygo Germany GmbH, Zygo Pte Ltd., Zygo Richmond Corporation, and ZygoLamda Metrology Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.. The following companies are subsidiares of Amphenol: ARCAS Automotive Group (Luxco 1) S.a.r.l., AUXEL FTG, AUXEL FTG India Pvt Ltd., AUXEL FTG Shanghai Co., AUXEL S.A.S., Air LB International Development S.A., All Systems Broadband, Amphenol (Changzhou) Advanced Connector Co., Amphenol (Changzhou) Connector Systems Co., Amphenol (Changzhou) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Maryland), Amphenol (Ningde) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Qujing) Technology Co., Amphenol (Tianjin) Electronics Co., Amphenol (Xiamen) High Speed Cable Co., Amphenol Adronics, Amphenol Advanced Sensors Germany GmbH, Amphenol Advanced Sensors Puerto Rico, Amphenol Air LB GmbH, Amphenol Air LB North America Inc., Amphenol Air LB SAS, Amphenol Alden Products Company, Amphenol Alden Products Mexico, Amphenol Antenna Solutions, Amphenol Assemble Tech (Xiamen) Co., Amphenol Australia Pty Ltd, Amphenol Automotive Connection Systems (Changzhou) Co., Amphenol Bar-Tec, Amphenol Benelux B.V., Amphenol Borisch Technologies, Amphenol CNT (Xian) Technology Co. Ltd., Amphenol Cables On Demand Corp., Amphenol Canada Acquisition Corporation, Amphenol Canada Corp., Amphenol Comercial, Amphenol Commercial Interconnect Korea Co., Amphenol Commercial Products (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Commercial and Industrial UK, Amphenol ConneXus AB, Amphenol ConneXus Ou, Amphenol Custom Cable, Amphenol DC Electronics, Amphenol Daeshin Electronics and Precision Co., Amphenol EEC, Amphenol East Asia Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Amphenol East Asia Limited, Amphenol FCI, Amphenol FCI Asia Pte. Ltd., Amphenol FCI Connectors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Amphenol Fiber Optic Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Finland Oy, Amphenol France Acquisition SAS, Amphenol France SAS, Amphenol Germany GmbH, Amphenol Gesellschaft m.b.H., Amphenol Goldstar Electronic Systems (Baicheng) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Goldstar Electronic Systems (Yulin) Co. Ltd., Amphenol Holding UK, Amphenol Intercon Systems, Amphenol Interconnect India Private Limited, Amphenol Interconnect Products Corporation, Amphenol Interconnect South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Amphenol International Ltd., Amphenol Invotec Limited, Amphenol Italia S.r.l., Amphenol JET (Haiyan) Interconnect Technology Co., Amphenol Japan Ltd., Amphenol Kai-Jack (Shenzhen) Inc., Amphenol LTW Technology Co., Amphenol Limited, Amphenol MCP Korea Limited, Amphenol Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Amphenol Middle East Enterprises FZE, Amphenol Nelson Dunn Technologies, Amphenol Netherlands Holdings 1 B.V., Amphenol Netherlands Holdings 2 B.V., Amphenol Omniconnect India Private Limited, Amphenol Optimize Manufacturing Co., Amphenol Optimize Mexico S.A. de C.V., Amphenol PCD, Amphenol PCD (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Phitek Limited, Amphenol Printed Circuits, Amphenol Provens SAS, Amphenol RF Asia Limited, Amphenol Sensing Korea Company Limited, Amphenol Shouh Min Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Singapore Pte. Ltd., Amphenol Socapex SAS, Amphenol Sunpool (Liaoning) Automotive Electronics Co., Amphenol T&M Antennas, Amphenol TCS (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Amphenol TCS Ireland Limited, Amphenol TCS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Amphenol TFC Fios E Cabos do Brasil Ltda., Amphenol TFC MDE Participacoes Ltda., Amphenol TFC do Brasil Ltda., Amphenol Taiwan Corporation, Amphenol Technical Products International Co., Amphenol Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Amphenol Technology (Zhuhai) Co., Amphenol Technology Macedonia Dooel Kocani, Amphenol Tecvox LLC, Amphenol Tel-Ad Ltd., Amphenol Thermometrics, Amphenol Thermometrics (UK) Limited, Amphenol Times Microwave Electronics (Shanghai) Limited, Amphenol Tuchel Electronics GmbH, Amphenol Tuchel Industrial GmbH, Amphenol Tunisia LLC, Amphenol USHoldco Inc., Amphenol-Borg Limited, Amphenol-Borg Pension Trustees Limited, Amphenol-TFC (Changzhou) Communication Equipment Co., Anytek Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, Anytek International (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Anytek International Co. Ltd., Anytek Technology Corporation Ltd, Asia Connector Services, Berg UK Ltd., Blueline Product Limited, C&S Antennas, C&S Antennas Limited, CSA Limited, Casco Automotive (Suzhou) Co., Casco Automotive Group, Casco Automotive Singapore Pte., Casco Automotive Tunisia S.a.r.l., Casco Holdings Co. Limited, Casco Holdings GmbH, Casco Imos Italia S.r.l., Casco Logistics GmbH, Casco Products Corporation, Casco Schoeller GmbH, Casco do Brasil Ltda., Cemm Thome Corporation, Cemm Thome SK, Cemm-Mex, Changzhou Amphenol Fuyang Communication Equipment Co., ContactServe (Proprietary) Limited, East Asia Connector Services, Edwin Deutgen Kunstofftechnik GmbH, Ehrlich Werkzeug & Geratebau GmbH, FCI Besancon SA, FCI Connectors (Shanghai) Ltd., FCI Connectors Canada, FCI Connectors Dongguan Ltd, FCI Connectors Hong Kong Limited, FCI Connectors Italia S.r.l., FCI Connectors Korea Ltd., FCI Connectors Malaysia Sdn Bhd, FCI Connectors Sweden A.B., FCI Connectors UK Ltd., FCI Deutschland GmbH, FCI Electronics Hungary Kft, FCI GBS India Private Limited, FCI Japan K.K., FCI Nantong Ltd, FCI OEN Connectors Limited, FCI PRC Limited, FCI Taiwan Limited, FCI USA LLC, FCIs-Hertogenbosch B.V., FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna, FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna GmbH & Co. KG, FEP Fahrzeugelektrik Pirna Verwaltungs GmbH, Fiber Systems International, Filec Production SAS, Filec SAS, Friedrich Gohringer Elektrotechnik GmbH, GE - Advanced Sensors Business, Guangzhou Amphenol Electronics Co., Guangzhou Amphenol Sincere Flex Circuits Co., Guangzhou FEP Automotive Electric Co., Hangzhou Amphenol JET Interconnect Technology Co., Hangzhou Amphenol Phoenix Telecom Parts Co., Holland Electronics, Intelligente Sensorsysteme Dresden GmbH, Invotec Circuits Holdings Limited, Invotec Circuits Limited, Invotec Group Limited, Invotec Holdings Limited, Ionix Aerospace Limited, Ionix Holdings Limited, Ionix Systems Limited, Ionix Systems Ou, Jaybeam Limited, Jaybeam Wireless SAS, KE Elektronik GmbH, KE Ostrov Elektrik, KE Presov Elektrik, Konnektech, Kunshan Amphenol Zhengri Electronics Co., LPL Technologies Holding GmbH, LTW Technology (Samoa) Co., LTW Top Tech (Samoa) Co., Lectric SARL, Martec Limited, Mocorp Holding A/S, Nantong Docharm Amphenol Electronics Co., PROCOM, PT Casco SEA, PerLoga Personal und Logistik GmbH, Piezotech, Piher Sensors & Controls S.A., Piher Sensors And Controls, Precision Cable Manufacturing Corp. de Mexico, Procom A/S, Procom Antennas AB, Procom France SARL, Pyle-National Ltd., RSI International Limited, S.C.I. Palin, SEFEE SA, SGX Europe SP. z.o.o., SGX Sensortech (IS) Limited, SGX Sensortech China Holdco Limited, SGX Sensortech China Limited, SGX Sensortech GmbH, SGX Sensortech SA, SSI Control Technologies, STEMFI SA, SV Microwave, Shanghai Amphenol Airwave Communication Electronics Co., Shanghai Amphenol Electronics Technology Co., Shanghai Tecvox Trading Co., Shenyang Amphenol Sunpool Automotive Electronics Co., Sine Systems Corporation, Skymasts Antennas Ltd., Societe dEtudes et de Fabrications Electroniques et Electriques, Spectra Strip Limited, TCS Japan K.K., TFC South America S.A., Tecvox Europe S.r.l., Telect, Telect Mfg., Telect de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Teradyne Connection Systems, Thermometrics Mexico, Tianjin Amphenol KAE Co., Times Fiber Canada Limited, Times Fiber Communications, Times Microwave Systems, Times Wire and Cable Company, U-Jin Cable Industrial Co., Zhongshan Feisaide Electromechanical Co., and i2s-sensors. Wall Street analysts have given CBL & Associates Properties 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 CBL & Associates Properties wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Cogeco Communications Inc. operates as a communications corporation in North America. It operates in two segments, Canadian Broadband Services and American Broadband Services. The company offers Internet, video, and telephony services to residential and business customers through its two-way broadband fiber networks. It provides Internet services using modems, Wi-Fi gateways, and extenders either on a rental basis or as part of the Internet service package; video services on a subscription basis; home phone services using Internet protocol (IP); local and long-distance calling services; broadband Internet services; and IP based telephony services and other network connectivity services delivered over fiber optic connection to larger businesses. The company serves the primary service units, Internet, video, and telephony service customers. It offers cable operator services under the Cogeco Connexion name in QuAbec and Ontario, and in the United States under the Atlantic Broadband brand. The company was formerly known as Cogeco Cable Inc. and changed its name to Cogeco Communications Inc. in January 2016. Cogeco Communications Inc. was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Cogeco Communications Inc. is a subsidiary of Cogeco Inc. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Korn Ferry: AchieveForum, AchieveForum (AUS) Pty Ltd., AchieveForum (Canada) Inc., AchieveForum (UK) Limited, AchieveForum Inc., Agensi Pekerjaan Futurestep Worldwide (M) Sdn. Bhd., Agensi Pekerjaan Korn Ferry Sdn. Bhd., Avature - Avature Argentina Recruiting Business, Avature - Avature USA Recruiting Business, Boca Enterprise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Boca Performance Improvement Asia Pte. Ltd, Boca Performance Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd, Boca U.K. Holding Limited, Boca U.K. Intermediate Holdings Ltd., ESI Performance Improvement Private Limited, Futurestep (Australia) Pty Ltd, Futurestep (Danmark) ApS, Futurestep (Espana) S.L., Futurestep (Norge) AS, Futurestep (Shanghai) Talent Consulting Company Limited, Futurestep (UK) Limited, Futurestep Recruitment Services Private Limited., Global Novations, Guangzhou Korn/Ferry Human Capital Company Ltd., HG (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Hay Argentina S.A., Hay Consultants India Private Ltd., Hay Group, Hay Group AB, Hay Group AS, Hay Group Co. Ltd., Hay Group Consulting Limited Liability, Hay Group Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Hay Group Intermediary Limited, Hay Group LLC, Hay Group Limited, Hay Group Ltd., Hay Group Ltda, Hay Group Ltda., Hay Group Management Consultants Ltd., Hay Group Partners Holding B.V., Hay Group S.A., Hay Group S.C., Hay Group Saudi Arabia Limited, Hay Group Sdn. Bhd., Hay Group UAB, Hay Group UK Holdings Limited, Hay Group Venezuela S.A., Hay Management Consultants Ireland Ltd., Inversiones Korn/Ferry International C.A., JobDirect, KF France SARL, KFI (UK) Limited, KFUK Ltd., Korn Ferry (AT) GmbH, Korn Ferry (BE) BVBA, Korn Ferry (BR) Consultores Ltda., Korn Ferry (CA) Ltd., Korn Ferry (DE) GmbH, Korn Ferry (DK) A/S, Korn Ferry (FI) Oy, Korn Ferry (FR) SARL, Korn Ferry (H.K.) Limited, Korn Ferry (IE) Limited, Korn Ferry (IT) S.R.L., Korn Ferry (Japan) Ltd., Korn Ferry (Luxembourg) S.A.R.L., Korn Ferry (NL) BV, Korn Ferry (NZ), Korn Ferry (PL) Sp.z.o.o., Korn Ferry (Pty) Ltd., Korn Ferry (SG) Pte. Ltd., Korn Ferry (SK) s.r.o., Korn Ferry (Schweiz) GmbH, Korn Ferry (UK) Limited, Korn Ferry (US), Korn Ferry A/S, Korn Ferry Advisory (NL) B.V., Korn Ferry Bulgaria EOOD, Korn Ferry CR S.R.L., Korn Ferry Futurestep (The Philippines) Inc., Korn Ferry Futurestep Argentina S.R.L., Korn Ferry GH1 Limited, Korn Ferry GP Ventures 2 LLC, Korn Ferry GP Ventures LLC, Korn Ferry Global Holdings (UK) Limited, Korn Ferry Global Holdings Inc., Korn Ferry Global Ventures 2 LP, Korn Ferry Global Ventures LP, Korn Ferry Hay Group Pty. Limited, Korn Ferry International S.A., Korn Ferry Investments B.V., Korn Ferry Management B.V., Korn Ferry Mexico S.C., Korn Ferry NL91 B.V., Korn Ferry RPOPS (Hong Kong) Ltd., Korn Ferry RPOPS (SG) Pte. Ltd., Korn Ferry S.A., Korn Ferry SG91 Pte. Ltd., Korn Ferry SRL, Korn Ferry WHM LLP, Korn Ferry s.r.o., Korn/Ferry (AU) Pty Ltd, Korn/Ferry (Shanghai) Human Capital Consulting Co. Ltd., Korn/Ferry (Shanghai) Human Capital Consulting Company Limited, Korn/Ferry (Thailand) Limited, Korn/Ferry International (Korea) Limited, Korn/Ferry International (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Korn/Ferry International AB, Korn/Ferry International Budapest Individual Consulting and Service Ltd., Korn/Ferry International Consultores Asociados C.A., Korn/Ferry International Executive Recruitment (Thailand) Ltd., Korn/Ferry International Limited, Korn/Ferry International Musavirlik Limited Sirketi, Korn/Ferry International Oy, Korn/Ferry International Private Limited, Korn/Ferry International S.A., Korn/Ferry International Colombia, Korn/Ferry International-Peru SociedadAnonima, Korn/Ferry Investment India Limited (Mauritius OCB), LeaderSource, Lominger, Lore International, Miller Heiman Europe Gmbh, Miller Heiman Group, Miller Heiman Group (ANZ) Pty Ltd., Miller Heiman Group (Asia) Pte. Ltd, Miller Heiman Group (France) SAS, Miller Heiman Group (UK) Limited, Miller Heiman Group Inc., Ninth House, OOO Hay Group, PDI Hungary Kft., PT Hay Group, PT. Korn/Ferry International, Personnel Decisions International, Personnel Decisions International Europe Limited, Personnel Decisions International India Corporation, Personnel Decisions International India Pvt. Limited, Personnel Decisions International Italia SRL, Personnel Decisions International Scandinavia A.B., Personnel Decisions International UK Ltd, Pivot Leadership, PuDe Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., SENSA Solutions, Sensa Solutions Inc., Strategy Execution, Talent Q Distribution Limited, Talent Q India Private Ltd., Talent Q International Limited, TwentyEighty Strategy Execution (Germany) GmbH, TwentyEighty Strategy Execution (UK) Ltd., TwentyEighty Strategy Execution Inc., WOFE Korn/Ferry International Human Capital Consulting (Beijing) Limited, Westgate Group, and Whitehead Mann. United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut. Read More Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire [] Wall Street analysts have given Hertz Global 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 Hertz Global wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere Read More Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. engages in the management of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It operates through the following segments: Asset Management, Real Estate, Renewable Power, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Residential Development, and Corporate Activities. The Asset Management segment includes the management of its listed partnerships, private funds and public securities. The Real Estate segment is comprised of the ownership, operation and development of core office, core retail, LP investments and other properties. The Renewable Power segment encompasses the ownership, operation and development of hydroelectric, wind, solar, storage and other power generating facilities. The Infrastructure segment consists of the ownership, operation and development of utilities, transport, energy, data infrastructure and sustainable resource assets. The Private Equity segment refers to the broad range of industries, and is mostly focused on business services, infrastructure services and industrials. The Residential Development segment represents homebuilding, condominium development and land development. The Corporate Activiti Read More Schlumberger NV engages in the provision of technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production and processing to the oil and gas industry. It operates through the following business segments: Digital and Integration; Reservoir Performance; Well Construction; and Production Systems. The Digital and Integration segment combines the company's software and seismic businesses with its integrated offering of asset performance solutions. The Reservoir Performance segment consists of reservoir-centric technologies and services that are critical to optimizing reservoir productivity and performance. The Well Construction segment includes the full portfolio of products and services to optimize well placement and performance, maximize drilling efficiency, and improve wellbore assurance. The Production Systems segment develops technologies and provides expertise that enhances production and recovery from subsurface reservoirs to the surface, into pipelines, and to refineries. The company was founded by Conrad Schlumberger and Marcel Schlumberger in 1926 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More Software Aktiengesellschaft provides software development, licensing, and maintenance; and information technology (IT) services worldwide. It operates through three segments: Digital Business Platform, Adabas & Natural, and Professional Services. The company offers Adabas & Natural, a transaction processing platform; Alfabet for use in IT planning and portfolio management, as well as enterprise architecture management; Apama, a platform for streaming analytics and automated actions on big data; and Architecture for Integrated Information Systems, a platform that makes processes transparent, controlled, manageable, and agile. It also provides cloud-based Platform-as-a-Service suite, such as CONNX that offers real-time read/write SQL data access and integration; Cumulocity, which provides Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for networked digital devices and sensors through a cloud-hosted IoT device management and application enablement platform; Terracotta, a platform that enables digital enterprises to access and store data in-memory; TRENDMINER, an industrial analytics for time-series data for plant managers and process engineers to analyze, monitor, and predict process and asset performance; webMethods, which enables customers to integrate systems, partners, data, devices, and Software as a Service applications; and Zementis that enables predictive analytics with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. Further, the company provides digital transformation and platform consulting, performance ready content, platform rapid innovation methodology, training, and support services. It offers its products and services for customers in banking, energy and natural resources, government, insurance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, and utilities, as well as communication, media, and services industries. Software AG has a partnership with Tech Mahindra. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany. Read More Knoll, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and sells commercial and residential furniture, accessories, and coverings for the workplace and residential markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Office and Lifestyle segments. It provides systems furniture, including integrated panels or table desks, work surfaces and storage units, power and data systems, and lighting products; office seating products comprising various work chairs; and files and storage products, such as lateral files, mobile pedestals and other storage units, bookcases, and overhead cabinets. The company also offers adjustable tables, as well as meeting, conference, training, dining, and stand-alone and table desks; conference furniture product platforms; height desks, tables, and ergonomic seating and accessories principally for individual home offices and small businesses; technology support accessories, desktop organizational tools, and lighting and storage products; seating and lounge furniture, as well as side, cafA, and dining chairs; conference, training, dining, and occasional tables; and lighting, rugs, textiles, fabrics, felt, leather, upholstery, drapery, and related architectural products. It serves Fortune 1000 companies, governmental agencies, and other medium-to-large sized organizations in various industries, including financial, legal, technology, entertainment, accounting, education, healthcare, and hospitality through its direct sales force and showrooms, distribution partners, and independent dealers and retailers, as well as online. The company was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in East Greenville, Pennsylvania. Read More ICICI Prudential Life was the first insurance firm to go public. New Delhi: ICICI Prudential Life, a leading private sector life insurer, is open to inorganic growth provided any good opportunity comes up, a top official said. "If it makes financial sense, we would go for acquisition. If something comes up the table and makes financial sense we may look at it," ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Executive Director Sandeep Batra told PTI. Not at the moment, he said, when asked if the company is talking to any potential suitors for the acquisition. Currently, there are 24 life insurance players, including Life Insurance Corporation. ICICI Prudential Life was the first insurance firm to go public. It was listed on stock exchanges in September 2016. Incorporated in July 2000, ICICI Prudential Life is a joint venture between India's largest private sector lender ICICI Bank and Prudential Corporation Holdings, a part of the UK-based Prudential Group. After the issue, ICICI Bank's stake reduced to around 55 per cent from 67.52 per cent earlier. Prudential Corporation Holdings held 25.83 per cent in the company. Hasham Traders, owned by Azim Premji, held 4 per cent stake in the insurance company and Compassvale Investments, an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek, has 2 per cent shareholding. For the quarter ended December 2017, the firm reported a profit of Rs 452.10 crore. Its gross premium grew by 19.31 per cent to Rs 6,855.63 crore during the third quarter of FY18, compared to Rs 5,746 crore in the same period last year. New business premium of the company grew to Rs 1,933.94 crore during the quarter ending December 31, as against Rs 1,780.88 crore in the same quarter of 2016-17. Batra said the company witnessed new business growth of about 17 per cent in the year ago period, and expects slightly higher growth in the current fiscal. The exact number for the 2017-18 would be known when the company will announce numbers later this month, he clarified. Defending withdrawal of schemes like SDRs, CDRs, JLFs and S4A, which gave banks a window in postponing their acknowledgment of defaults that later turned loans into NPAs. New Delhi: The finance ministry is said to have suggested the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to scrap the one-day delay norms in its stressed asset resolution framework. Under the present norm, failure in loan repayment by even for a day beyond the 90-day period makes the loan an NPA. The lenders want the central government to make the banking regulator remove it. Banks also want several other relaxations like continuation of some of the earlier scheme S4A, JLF and SDR. According to officials, the government as well as banks feel the one-day delay norm could harm businesses and lead to making loans below Rs 2,000 crore straightaway NPAs and in turn force banks to raise provisioning. The finance ministry has informed RBI that banks are apprehensive of serious liquidity and NPA issues if the norm is implemented. But RBI is likely to stick to its NPA resolution and related mechanism and the finance ministry may not like to meddle with the regulator beyond making suggestions. Senior bankers feel if the ministry fails to go beyond the brief then it could be status quo for lenders. Banks chiefs recently met a parliamentary panel to seek easing of the new NPA framework. According to RBI norms, if the principal or interest is overdue for one day beyond 30 days, the account is identified as special mention account-0 (SMA-0). If it is overdue for 30-60 days, it comes under the SMA-1 category. If it gets overdue for more than 60 days, till 90 days, it falls under the SMA-2 category. If a loan is not repaid for more than 90 days, it is classified as non-performing asset (NPA). RBI has also stressed that if the resolution plan was not implemented within 180 days, bankruptcy process should be initiated. Banks have to make 50 per cent provision for accounts that are referred to the NCLT for insolvency proceedings. And if an account of (to start with) Rs 2,000 crore and above, fails to service its loans within 91 days, it would be considered a default and a resolution plan will have to be readied. Lenders, said a senior bank official, are going through a tough time. While banks need to be earnest and tough on NPA detection and resolution, the stringent one-day delay norm would be difficult to maintain as it would lead to formation of NPAs each day, the banker felt. Banks are already under pressure to meet social objectives like financial inclusion, farm loans at lower rates, maintaining scores of zero balance deposits which also only add to costs without any remuneration, the official said. If due to the new norm banks come under strain to raise provisioning for potential NPAs, then the capital-starved lenders would be left with almost nothing to lend and invest, which would severely affect growth, and more banks would come under the Preventive Corrective Action (PCA) of RBI leading to further restrictions. The central bank sources said the default norms are well defined. So how one-day norm after 90 days would result in more NPAs, he asked and added it would rather lower NPAs by identifying them early. Defending withdrawal of schemes like SDRs, CDRs, JLFs and S4A, which gave banks a window in postponing their acknowledgment of defaults that later turned loans into NPAs, they said it was a right step in right direction. Going by the new framework for resolution of stressed accounts, the fate of a defaulting entity will be sealed within 465 days. If lenders are not able to work out a solution to revive a company within 180 days, the account must be referred to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and the case would be decided under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Banks have sought change in the norm about requisite majority required to approve any resolution plan to 75 per cent from 100 per cent and once there is a change in the promoter of the firm, banks should be able to reverse the excess provisions. Suresh Prabhu on Monday discussed the progress on the proposal to expand facilities at the Dabolim airport in Goa with the state government and AAI officials. Panaji: Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday discussed the progress on the proposal to expand facilities at the Dabolim airport in Goa with the state government and AAI officials. The plan envisages extension of the terminal building and creation of parking bays. Prabhu met members of the Cabinet Advisory Committee (which is in charge in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is undergoing treatment in the US) here, and also spoke to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials. "We had a meeting with all senior ministers of Goa. We had a detailed discussion about how we should promote Goa as a tourism destination using airport as a medium," Prabhu told reporters at the Dabolim airport later. "As you are aware, there is a new airport coming up at Mopa. That airport will come up in addition to the present airport (at Dabolim) which is being redeveloped, and a lot of infrastructure work is going on," the Union minister said. The existing terminal building at Dabolim would be extended and three parking bays would be built with an expenditure of Rs 256 crore, he said. A parallel taxiway would be constructed at a cost of Rs 187 crore, he added. The airport is being renovated and modernised to ensure that it remains functional for a long time, he said. "This airport will continue servicing the growing demand for tourism as well as for other purposes. There is a great possibility of using the airports in Goa for transportation of cargo which can create huge job opportunities. Farmers who grow vegetables and fruits will get international markets and better prices," he said. Both the airports (Mopa and Dabolim) will, in addition to serving passengers, cater to the growing need of cargo movement to and from the coastal state, he said. The construction of a greenfield airport at Mopa in North Goa district is expected to be completed in 2020. "We have also decided that the Goa government will be allotted a counter at the new airport so local products can be sold there, whether it be souvenirs produced by local self-help groups or local produce grown by farmers," Prabhu said. After eight years since its launch, internet telephony may finally arrive in India with legal clarity next month. New Delhi: After eight years since its launch, internet telephony may finally arrive in India with legal clarity next month. The Department of Telecom (DoT) is likely to give a go-ahead for unrestricted voice service through this platform, according to sources. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)) last year had come out with a consultation paper on this and in its recommendations, Trai clarified that internet telephony service be untethered from access network, which means the service can be provided by an operator to subscribers who may be using internet services of another operator. The Telecom Commission the policy making body of DoT is meeting on May 1 and is likely to approve Trai recommendations on internet telephony, sources said, adding that the government is keen to push digital inclusion in a big scale. The unrestricted services, however, could be limited to only telecom service providers who can provide internet telephony from the underlying access network. It will not allow over the top (OTT) players like Skype and Whatsapp to offer such services. Virtual network operators could also get the approval to offer internet telephony as proposed by Trai. Though call rates are already low at present and Reliance Jio already gives voice calls free, there are still voice tariffs in India across all telcos. Internet telephony will bring it further down. Internet telephony was allowed way back in 2010. But it failed to take off as a maze of laws and misinterpretation of rules and the obsession of the operators to earn revenue through mobile voice telephony hampered its take-off. Internet telephony has been another key discontent between Reliance Jio and other incumbent operators. Jio has been supporting unrestricted internet telephony whereas incumbents were of the view it should be allowed only by them on their networks. When contacted Cellular Operators Association of India said any such attempt to provide connectivity through other service providers internet connection is equal to any OTT Communication Service and not Internet Telephony Service as envisaged under the current licensing regime. Mumbai: The BSE benchmark Sensex trimmed some early losses tracking caution in other Asian markets after a US-led strike on Syrian targets fuelled fresh geopolitical concerns. The 30-share index was trading lower by 77.41 points, or 0.23 per cent, at 34,115.24 at 1200 hrs, led by selling on IT, energy, consumer durables, telecom, auto, banking, oil and gas counters. IT heavyweight Infosys fell over 3 per cent on lower-than-expected margin guidance for fiscal year 2018-19. The IT major, however, met market expectations on financial numbers for the January-March quarter (Q4) results on Friday. Healthcare, FMCG and capital goods stocks saw buying interest. The broader Nifty was trading above 10,400-level at 10,467.90, down 12.70 points, or 0.12 per cent. Major losers were Tata Motors DVR, Tata Motors, Infosys, Axis Bank, Tata Steel, ONGC and SBI. Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 399.59 crore on net basis, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold equities to the tune of Rs 306.05 crore last Friday, provisional data showed. Most Asian markets were trading lower. US stocks fell last Friday as weakness in shares of banks and finance firms added to the political and trade tensions weighing on the market. Mumbai: Charlie Chaplin is celebrated the world over for his excellent comic timing and adorable expressions that brought a grin to peoples faces. An English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film, Chaplin became a worldwide icon through his screen persona "the Tramp" and is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry. And while fans all over the globe celebrate his 129th birth anniversary, Bollywood, too, has time and again paid tribute to the talented icon over the ages. Late Bollywood superstar Sridevi, delivered the most jovial and energetic performance as Chaplin in Shekhar Kapoor's Sci-Fi drama 'Mr India' (1987). She along with a child actor gave us one of the most memorable scenes that showcase her impeccable comic timing. The very entertaining scene is Bollywood's wonderful tribute to the legendary comedian. After the untimely demise of the legendary actress, 'Mr India' director Shekhar Kapur took to Twitter and shared the comic scene from the film. He said, "Comic timing in a blink of an eyelid. Even As I grieve for #Sridevi I couldnt help admiring her amazing comic timing. Dont know a single actor in the world that could have pulled this scene off like she did - Sridevi Charlie Chaplin sequence." Comic timing in a blink of an eyelid. Even As I grieve for #Sridevi I couldnt help admiring her amazing comic timing. Dont know a single actor in the world that could have pulled this scene off like she did - Sridevi Charlie Chaplin sequence https://t.co/ZKSKvQdm0D via @YouTube Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) February 26, 2018 Kapur had even gone on to say that no other Indian actor could ever portray Chaplin as great as Sridevi did. She did a perfect replication of Chaplin. I challenge any actress to do that sequence the way Sri did, the filmmaker had said in one of his earlier interviews. Mumbai: Swara Bhasker today defended her "Veere Di Wedding" co-star, Kareena Kapoor Khan, from a troll who shamed the actor for marrying Saif Ali Khan. The 30-year-old actor recently shared Kareena's photo, where she could be seen holding a placard demanding justice for the minor girl, whose gangrape-murder in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district shocked the entire country. A user criticised Kareena for marrying into a Muslim family and naming her son, Taimur. "She should be ashamed of the fact that despite being a Hindu (she) is married to a Muslim. Has a child with him and named him Taimur, after a brutal Islamic barbarian (sic)" the person wrote in reply to the actor's tweet. Swara slammed the Twitter user for spreading hate. "You should be ashamed you exist. That God gave you a brain which you chose to fill with hate and a mouth you chose to spew filth from. "You are a shame on India and Hindus. That s**ts like you feel emboldened to talk this crap publicly is this government's legacy," she wrote back. You should be ashamed you exist. That God gave you a brain which you chose to fill with hate and a mouth you chose to spew filth from. You are a shame on India and Hindus. That shits like you feel emboldened to talk this crap publicly is this govt.s legacy https://t.co/nmR5WIngBd Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) April 14, 2018 Kareena and Saif were relentlessly trolled on social media shortly after the birth of their firstborn in December 2016 when they named the baby boy, 'Taimur'. When you hear the words pole dance, for many a seductive dance performed by exotic dancers with lithe limbs in a dimly lit bar comes to mind. And it doesnt help that special dance numbers in Bollywood have played to this image. However, pole dancing is gaining prominence in India, with a bit of a twist. Besides being used to perform complex dance routines, a lot of Bollywood beauties are now swearing by pole exercises for a fitter body. And one of these beauties is Jacqueline Fernandez. The actress was shooting for A Gentlemans song Chandralekha in Miami, when she hit upon the idea of incorporating pole dancing in it. And the rest, as they say, is history. Not only was her performance appreciated, shes found the benefits to the art as well. Ive made it a part of my regime as it helps my fitness, as well as upper body strength, she said in an interview earlier. Jacqueline isnt alone. Yami Gautam too got applauded when she posted a few pictures and videos on her social media account, charting out fitness through pole dancing. Pole dancing is a great way to work on your fitness abilities and your dance, Yami said. It challenges your fitness level a lot more. Perhaps one of the biggest proponents of this art form in Mumbai has been Kalyug actress Smilly Suri, who turned to pole dancing as a form of physical and mental exercise after a personal crisis. I was battling depression when I lost my parents, she opens up. Back then, I was advised to do something that made me happy. Having had learnt so many dance forms before, I wasnt satisfied. Out of sheer coincidence, I landed up in a pole dance class instead of an aerial one in Dubai, and it changed my life. Having had struggles with various health issues in the past, Smilly says shes now fit, thanks to her routine. I found the purpose of my life. I feel both feminine and masculine at once, and I have learnt to be in the present moment, she smiles. Fitness expert Shilpa Rane, a pioneer in bringing pole dancing to India, says she did so after discovering its fitness aspects. I have over 20 years of experience of teaching pole dance, and students mainly take this as a fitness form since it helps in strengthening the muscles and staying fit. However, I notice that its only the educated professionals and not other people who take this up, because the awareness aspect is missing. But those who do, tell me that they feel like theyve attended an exercise class and not a dance class, she grins. Shilpa also has a few words of caution to give for anyone attempting to take up pole dancing for its fitness values. Its a very risky form, so please ensure your trainer is qualified. Itll have you quite literally falling to the floor, and the pole can be very slippery, she says, explaining that a custom plan for each candidate is the need of the hour. Beginners cant be taught the same steps as experienced ones, you know, Shilpa explains. Smilly adds that its a proper work out routine that makes it feel like a sport to her. The dance form also helps one be fit and focused. One even learns crisis management and how to live in the now, explains the actress and dancer, who is also hosting a pole fitness camp in Mumbai next month. But as far as equating the dance form to vulgarity goes, both Shilpa and Smilly shrug, saying that its in the eye of the beholder. Men need to understand that the idea of pole dance needs changing, and women have to see the other aspects of the dance form this isnt just restricted to strip clubs, she signs off. Salman Khan, who was keen on joining brother-in-law Aayush Sharma on the London schedule of the latters debut film, Loveratri, had to change plans, thanks to the developments in the black buck case. Loveratri, which is being bankrolled by Salman and directed by Abhiraj Minawala, created a buzz online when it was launched on social media. While two schedules of the film have been wrapped up, the third schedule has just begun in London. Salman wanted to be a part of the London schedule to try and put Aayush at ease while shooting for romantic song sequences. He is, however, in touch with Aayush on the phone, telling him to take it easy and trust the directors vision, says a source. Written by Naren Bhatt, Loveratri is the story of how Aayush and Warina Hussain meet during Navratri celebrations in Gujarat and how they fall in love during the nine-night festivities. The second schedule was shot in Gujarat. The film will release in October this year. Chiranjeevi spent a lot of time and enjoyed the song and dance moves of Allu Arjun. Allu Arjun, who is shooting for his upcoming film Naa Peru Surya in Hyderabad, got a surprise visitor on his sets when Megastar Chiranjeevi dropped in for a song shoot of the young actor at Annapurna Studios. Chiranjeevi spent a lot of time and enjoyed the song and dance moves of Allu Arjun. He enquired about the song details and also about the film, says a source. The movie is being jointly produced by Lagadapati Sridhar and Bunny Vasu. Allu Arjuns father, Allu Aravind also attended the shoot. Chiranjeevi was all praise for Allu Arjuns dance and wished the team much success, adds the source. Anu Emanuel plays the female lead while top writer Vakkantham Vamsi is making his debut as a director with this film. Thiruvananthapuram: A hartal call made by some unidentified groups on social media like Facebook and Whatsapp has led to widespread violence across the state, especially in northern districts. The protests over the brutal rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Kashmir are a suspected proxy operation by SDPI to cash in on communal sentiments. The misuse of the social media by the unidentified group also posed a fresh challenge to the police as other fringe groups too could adopt the modus operandi. The state police is exploring the scope of curbing such misuse of social media by registering cases against them across the state for inciting violence. The police may seek the help of the administrators of the social media to trace the source of the messages and implicate them, said sources. State police chief Loknath Behera said in a statement that the shutdown call by unidentified groups could be misused by anti-social elements and hence stern legal actions would be taken to prevent such acts. About 50 cases were registered, and over 250 people held in connection with stoning vehicles, including KSRTC buses and police jeeps, and forcibly shutting shops. Several cops and KSRTC workers suffered minor injuries. While disowning the hartal call, SDPI admitted that their cadres were among those who made the hartal call as they supported the cause. SDPI had not called a hartal on Monday. But many of our cadres are among the social media gatherings that called for the hartal. We also plan agitations in coming days to protest the Kathua incident, said SDPI state general secretary M. K. Manojkumar. Top police sources said they came to know of the massive spread of hartal message through social media on Sunday evening. All district police units were immediately alerted to take adequate security measures, especially in communally sensitive pockets. The police, however, refrained from issuing a public clarification or alert fearing boomerang. Had we issued any public alerts to the public or a warning against violence, it could have given more publicity to the hartal, a senior police official said. Sources said the proxy hartal call could be a test dose for communal polarisation. While life went as usual in almost all parts of the state initially, only in communally sensitive pockets shops remained closed right from the morning. The hartal supporters later unleashed violence all over the state to shut shops and block vehicles. Majority of the incidents were in northern districts. The hartal call was made on a Facebook page titled United Social Media Users Kerala and was shared to various pages and groups. Hartal messages also spread through on WhatsApp groups. Dutch Bros annual Drink One for Dane Day is Friday, May 11. On this day, all Dutch Bros locations will donate proceeds from the days sales to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects the parts of the nervous system that control muscle movement. There is no cure for ALS, and the disease is fatal. The company lost one of its co-founders, Dane Boersma, to ALS. Each year I am overwhelmed by the amazing support of our customers, baristas and operators, said Dutch Bros co-founder Travis Boersma. Dutch Bros locations in multiple states will donate proceeds from May 11 to support those affected by this disease. The incident comes at a time when BJP MP Saskhi Maharaj's constituency Unnao has been rocked by a case of rape in which a party MLA has been arrested. (Photo: File/PTI) Unnao: BJP parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj, who is known for his controversial remarks that have time and again embarrassed his party, has stoked a fresh controversy by inaugurating a nightclub in Lucknow. As the pictures of the saffron-robed Hindutva leader at the venue in the posh Aliganj locality of the state capital drew criticism, the MP claimed that he was "tricked" into attending the event which had harmed his image. He further demanded that police take action against the "culprit". The incident comes at a time when his constituency Unnao has been rocked by a case of rape in which a party MLA has been arrested. However, the owner of the establishment claimed that it was not a nightclub but a restaurant where no liquor would be served. He claimed that there was "typographical error" in the invitation card. Photographs showing the 62-year-old Unnao MP accepting an idol of Lord Ganesh were put on the social media while TV channels too aired visuals of the event. The MP's representative Ashok Katiyar claimed that a senior BJP leader "tricked" the MP into attending the function. "The MP was to leave for Delhi but a senior office bearer of the party took him to the function saying that it was organised by his close relative," Katiyar said. Even after reaching there, he was not told that he has to inaugurate anything and was made to do it all of a sudden, Katiyar claimed, adding that it could also be part of "some conspiracy". "Since the 2019 elections are just round the corner, MPs do attend various events and making inquiries about all the things does not always look nice," Katiyar said. He also said that the BJP MP has written a letter to the SSP, Lucknow, alleging that he was tricked into inaugurating the "nightclub". "I came to know later from the media that the restaurant which I inaugurated is a nightclub...this incident has harmed my image," he said in the letter. The MP also demanded an inquiry and action against the guilty. Samajwadi Party lost no time in taking a jibe at the ruling party with its spokesperson Ghanshyam Tiwari saying, "It is very clear that the BJP government and BJP leaders have no idea as to what they were doing." Unnao district has of late been in news for wrong reasons after allegations of rape were levelled against BJP's Bangarmau MLA Kuldip Singh Sengar. The MLA was arrested by the CBI after the case was handed over to the central probe agency last week. The state government has been under fire for not taking appropriate action against Sengar. (With PTI inputs) The letter requests Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators of the gangrapes and set-up a court directed Special Investigation team (SIT) in the Unnao case. (Photo: File) Mumbai: Holding him responsible for the terrifying state of affairs, 49 retired civil servants, in a strong worded open letter, asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reach out to the families of the Kathua and Unnao rape victims to seek their forgiveness. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh parivar, they added. The letter requests Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators of the gangrapes and set-up a court directed Special Investigation team (SIT) in the Unnao case. Heres the full text of the open letter: We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution. We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed. Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings. The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty. Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao. In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide. In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent. In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it. And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar. Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function. And to this end we call upon you to do the following: Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority Take steps to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches Call for an all party meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope. Signed: 1. SP Ambrose, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport, GoI 2. Vappala Balachandran, IPS (Retd). Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 3. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 4. Pradip Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Development & Planning and Administrative Training Institute, Govt. of West Bengal 5. Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (Retd). Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 6. Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 7. Javid Chowdhury, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 8. Anna Dani, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 9. Surjit K. Das. IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 10. Vibha Puri Das. IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 11. Nareshwar Dayal. IFS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 12. Keshav Desiraju, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 13. M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 14. Sushil Dubey, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Sweden 15. K.P. Fabian, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Italy 16. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 17. Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 18. Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 19. Sajjad Hassan, IAS (Retd). Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 20. M.A. Ibrahimi, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary (rank) Bihar 21. Ajai Kumar, Indian Forest Service (Retd). Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 22. Arun Kumar, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 23. Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd). Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 24. Aditi Mehta, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 25. Sunil Mitra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 26. Sobha Nambisan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Secretary (Planning), Govt. of Karnataka 27. Amitabha Pande, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 28. Niranjan Pant,IA&AS (Retd). Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 29. P. R. Parthasarathy, IPS (Retd). Former Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govt. of Maharashtra 30. Alok Perti, IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 31. N.K. Raghupathy, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 32. M.Y. Rao, IAS (Retd). 33. Sujatha Rao, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Health, GoI 34. Julio Ribeiro, IPS (Retd). Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & Ambassador to Romania 35. Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned) 36. Manabendra N. Roy, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 37. Umrao Salodia, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation, Govt. of Rajasthan 38. Deepak Sanan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 39. E. A.S. Sarma, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI 40. N.C. Saxena, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 41. Ardhendu Sen, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 42. Abhijit Sengupta, IAS (Retd). Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 43. Aftab Seth, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Japan 44. Navrekha Sharma, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Indonesia 45. Har Mander Singh, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, ESI Corporation, GoI 46. Jawhar Sircar, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & CEO, Prasar Bharati 47. K.S. Subramanian, IPS (Retd). Former Director General, State Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development, Govt. of Tripura 48. Geetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd). Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata 49. Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (Retd).Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. Of Maharashtra The proposal was made for increasing the speed of the Bengaluru-Chennai corridor to 150 kmph. (Representational Image) New Delhi/Beijing: India has sought China's assistance to speed up Bengaluru-Chennai railway corridor besides redevelopment of Agra and Jhansi railway stations, a senior Indian official said. The proposal was made at the Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) held in Beijing between the two countries. "We offered them speeding up of Bengaluru-Chennai railway corridor," NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar said on Sunday. The SED was held between delegations headed by Kumar and He Lifeng, the chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). The proposal was made for increasing the speed of the corridor to 150 kmph. India previously made a proposal to China for the redevelopment of Agra and Jhansi railway station. It has been re-emphasised at Sundays talks, officials said. The Chinese side will respond after considering the proposals, they said. Kumar said it was pointed out to the Chinese side that the railway station development plan is a big one involving about 600 of them. They can bid for any of them, he said. However, there was no discussion in the just concluded SED about the collaboration to build high speed trains by China in India, he said. China has been expressing interest to take up high speed train corridors in India and began conducting a feasibility study for New Delhi and Chennai high speed train corridor. The first high-speed train corridor in India between Mumbai and Ahmedabad has been bagged by Japan. China has the world's longest high-speed rail network, with 22,000 km within the country linking various top cities. The accused in the Kathua rape and murder case have been produced at District Court. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) New Delhi: The father of the eight-year-old girl who was gangraped and murdered in Kathua requested the Supreme Court to transfer the trial outside Jammu and Kashmir, citing lack of safety and security for his family. According to reports, the father of the minor rape victim has sought the case to be shifted to Chandigarh. The rape and murder of the girl, who belonged to a nomadic Muslim community, outraged the country after details were exposed in a police chargesheet last week. It became heavily politicised and two BJP ministers from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's cabinet, who had defended the accused, were forced to resign. Meanwhile, a second petition has been filed by the lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the family of the Kathua rape victim, where she alleges threat to her life in pursuing case in Kathua court. "We are apprehensive that the trial will not happen peacefully, seeing the condition in Jammu... Seeing that lawyers opposed it in Kathua and did not let the chargesheet proceed," a lawyer of the family said. "We request the Supreme Court to transfer this case to some other state," the lawyer added. The Supreme Court will hear the petition at 2 pm. Meanwhile, members of the Jammu Bar Association have been holding rallies in support of the accused, saying they are not satisfied with the police investigation. The lawyers have been on strike for 12 days demanding a CBI probe. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the lawyers' associations in the state. Manan Kumar Mishra, chairman of the Bar Council of India, said, "If any lawyer is found guilty, we have the rights to cancel their licence for a lifetime". The letter suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches out to the families affected by the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, seek their 'forgiveness' and ensure speedy justice through an SIT probe and a fast-track court. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: As thousands of people from across the country take to street to express outrage over the rape incidents in Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua and Uttar Pradeshs Unnao, a group of 49 retired civil servants wrote a strong-worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, holding him responsible for what they called a terrifying state of affairs. The letter criticised in strongest terms what they dubbed the governments failure in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. Expressing concern over the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution, the letter said, The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-Independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our Government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. The letter did not spare the serving bureaucrats either, saying they seem to have failed in their duty. Read: Here's what ex-bureaucrats wrote in an open letter to PM Modi The gangrape and murder of the 8-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua shocked the country after a police chargesheet exposed the horrifying details of the case. Also Read: Kathua case: Meerut student travelled to J&K to rape 8-yr-old, says chargesheet The country saw huge uproars across various states on Sunday when citizens came out on the streets with candles and placards holding vigils for the victims of brutality. Marches and sit in protests were held in various partys of the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa, Thiruvananthapuram, Ajmer, Bhopal and Chandigarh. The girl, belonging to a nomadic community, was kidnapped on January 10 and over the next one week was drugged, starved, repeatedly gangraped before being strangled and her head bashed in. It has been alleged that the crime was committed to warn off the Muslim nomadic community away from the areas belonging to Hindus. Last Sunday, a 17-year-old girl from Uttar Pradeshs Unnao, tried to commit suicide outside Chief Minster Yogi Adityanath's house. She claimed she had been raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his brother and tried to end her life only after she failed to get justice. On Monday, her father, who had been mercilessly thrashed - allegedly by MLA Sengar' brother -- for his refusal to withdraw the case, died in police custody. Calling the two points a moment of existential crisis, a turning point, the letter suggested that the government's response will determine if the nation will overcome the crisis. The Prime Minister, the retired bureaucrats said, should take five measures, which focus on capping hate crimes, offering special protection to Muslims, Dalits, minorities, women and children. It also suggested that the Prime Minister reaches out to the families affected by the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, seek their "forgiveness" and ensure speedy justice through an Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and a fast-track court. Delhi saw several protests being carried out by various groups across the city. (Photo: Facebook | Kawalpreet Kaur) Mumbai: Thousands of people from all across the country took to the streets on April 15 to protest against the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Over the last few weeks, India has been constantly witnessing brutality across all quarters, in a nation which is perhaps still healing from the wounds of 2012 Delhi gangrape case, where a medical student was brutally raped and killed in a moving bus. Protests are being held in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Goa, and Bhopal and among other cities. The outrage has been palpable from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh as well as Nagaland. The spine-chilling murder-rape case in Jammu and Kashmir once again united the nation to fight crimes being committed against women. On January 10 of this year, an 8-yr-old girl, who hailed from a Muslim Nomadic tribe who were residing in Kathua, had taken her horses to graze in the forests around her home, but did not return. Later, her father filed an FIR for the missing girl. The girl's body was found on January 17 and was sent for post-mortem. Later, the case was transferred to Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir police. A chargesheet was filed against eight people for the rape and murder of the minor which included a police officer. The nation fumed after the brutality of the crime described in the chargesheet was made public. The details included her drugging, starvation and repeated gangrape at the hands of a group of men who finally bashed her head with a stone, murdering her. The chargesheet also revealed that one of the accused - a police officer- had asked the killer to wait so he could rape the child one last time. The other case refers to the rape of 17-yr-old girl in Uttar Pradeshs Unnao, in which the main accused is the BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar. The case came to light when the victim tried to commit suicide outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths residence. Delhi saw several protests being carried out by various groups across the city. Protest at Parliament Street in Delhi on April 15. (Photo: Facebook | Kawalpreet Kaur) A protester in Delhi's Parliament Street, Amrit Khatri however felt that the outcry lacked impact. He said, "The protest wasnt that successful or impactful because different groups were agitating at different places. Though the people were united for the same cause but werent protesting together due to which the intensity to take on the government wasn't accomplished." Khatri added that sacking ministers isnt a solution. Though it isnt the first case of rape, but blaming government is also not a solution. Like for instance, Nirbhaya case or Mumbai terror attack, the culprits got punished according to the Indian law but this doesnt mean that rape or terror is dead from the roots. We need to unite together to find a solution to end such brutal crimes against women and children. In Unnao rape case, it was evident that the government was reluctant as it was trying to shield the accused as he belonged to the party which is ruling the state. Government needs to look beyond their political agenda and work for the welfare of the society. In Kathua rape case, instead of making a Hindu-Muslim agenda, political parties need to come together, ensure that nothing like this will ever happen and set an example for the society. Protest at Parliament Street in Delhi on April 15. (Photo: Facebook | Kawalpreet Kaur) Kawalpreet Kaur, DU AISA President, who was one of the leading protestors at Parliament Street, said, The major anguish in people is about the government inaction on Kathua rape case. The ministers, administration of the country are very well aware about the situation but still they are not taking any action on it. Kaur also questioned the government's silence in the Kathua rape case and said that the abduction, rape and murder happened in January but there was no action by the administration till April. She said the matter further got delayed with the Jammu and Kashmir Bar Council staging protests over the filing of the chargesheet in the case. Kaur questioned that though the two BJP ministers from Jammu and Kashmir, accused of supporting the incident have resigned, but even now they are the members of the party. "They should be removed from the party as well," Kaur said. For Unnao rape case, the investigation and filing of paper work started when Allahabad High Court intervened. The question still remains why there is a delay? Why wait for the court to intervene? What was the police doing? Just because it involves members of the ruling party doesnt mean, they have special privileges. Protestors have been demanding that FIR should be filed immediately no matter who is accused or who is the victim and should ensure 100 per cent conviction of the guilty. Secondly, there should be no shielding of the convicts irrespective of the status in the society. Another protestor, Aditi Yajnik, said, Protest that are being held isnt seen as an option for various solutions that is now provided, which includes death penalties, and castration, what a lot of people say. She added, Protest was just people coming out in large and umber to show the outrage and the anger that there was after the crime. When people come out on streets, in order to resist and fight and show their anger, it is for those in power to realise that the majority that they claim have voted them to power; the same majority can anytime bring them down. Protesters holding placards in Delhi. (Photo: Aditi Yajnik) Protesters holding placards in Delhi. (Photo: Aditi Yajnik) Aditi also stated that the amount of police force that was deployed there was extreme, which clearly shows how scared the government is of losing the power and how people can bring them down. Yajnik also said, People are making a lot of hue and cry over the apparent "maun vrat" (hunger strike), and token statements of "we will bring justice for our daughters". I mean why? When the Prime Minister of this country has a pending case of mass murder and rapes in 2002, and the UP CM can go on record saying that if they pick up one Hindu girl, we will pick up 100 muslim women (and the video is there on youtube), inaction and maun vrat is a very small thing." She added, "And what resignation, those who came out in support of the rapists, they were not supposed to resign, but were to be kicked out. The government has to be accountable. Protesters holding placards in Delhi. (Photo: Aditi Yajnik) The success of the protest cannot be determined just like that. The success of any movement can be seen when we as a society witness a change in the judicial and administrative system. Protestors will be assembling again at Vishvidyalaya in New Delhi at 6 pm today. On Monday morning, the father of the 8-year-old rape victim moved the Supreme Court, requesting to transfer the trial outside Jammu and Kashmir, citing lack of safety and security for his family. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the 8-year-old Kathua gangrape victim and their lawyer as well as family friends assisting them in the case. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeking a reply on the Kathua rape and murder case plea that was file by the victim's father. The next hearing on the plea to transfer case will be on April 27. On Monday morning, the father of the eight-year-old rape victim moved the apex court, requesting to transfer the trial outside Jammu and Kashmir, citing lack of safety and security for his family. Read: Kathua rape victim's father wants trial shifted, SC to hear plea today According to reports, the father of the minor rape victim has sought the case to be shifted to Chandigarh. On Sunday, lawyer of the victim's family, Deepika Singh Rajawat, said that she fears she can be "raped or killed". I don't know how long I will be alive. I can be raped...My modesty can be outraged. I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday (Monday) that 'we will not forgive you'." Rajawat said. Also Read: I can be raped, killed: Lawyer for Kathua rape victim's family gets threat The lawyer further said, "We don't think there is conducive atmosphere in Kathua for the trial." The rape and murder of the minor girl in Kathua outraged the country after details were exposed in a police chargesheet last week. It became heavily politicised and two BJP ministers from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's cabinet, who had defended the accused, were forced to resign. Also Read: Kathua rape and murder: J&K CM accepts BJP ministers' resignations Meanwhile, a second petition has been filed by the lawyer Deepika S Rajawat, who is representing the family of the Kathua rape victim, where she alleges threat to her life in pursuing case in Kathua court. "We are apprehensive that the trial will not happen peacefully, seeing the condition in Jammu... Seeing that lawyers opposed it in Kathua and did not let the chargesheet proceed," a lawyer of the family said. The young girl, who belonged to a nomadic Muslim community, was gangraped and murdered in January and her body was recovered from the forest a week after she went missing. New Delhi: A man, who was recently released from the jail, was arrested again on Saturday for flashing and masturbating in front of two women in a span of half an hour. The man, a serial offender, says he has a habit of flashing at women after getting drunk. The incident took place on Thursday in the Vasant Kunj area of southwest Delhi. Sandeep Chauhan, a taekwondo instructor, was arrested on Sunday after one of the two women filed a police complaint against him. Chauhan flashed at the woman while she was standing at her balcony. He later followed her towards her building after she got down from her office cab. Taken aback and scared, the woman ran towards her home when the accused made lewd comments, flashed and masturbated in front of her, police told news agency PTI. A repeat offender, about 20 cases of snatching, robbery and molestation has been filed against him. Chauhan came out of jail nearly a month ago after serving 14 months for a similar crime. In 2016, a woman had jumped off the third floor of her building after a similar obscene act by Chauhan. He was released from jail a month ago after 14 months for this crime. Married with two daughters, he was employed as a taekwondo teacher with several schools in South Delhi. Police is investigating how he managed to get jobs despite having a criminal record. The incident comes months after a man was caught masturbating on camera in a crowded Delhi bus. The student, who filmed the obscenity, approached people for help, but did not get any co-operation. Also Read: Man masturbates in Delhi bus, co-passengers unmoved as student films act (With inputs from PTI) BENGALURU: Forest brigand Veerappans aide Simon Anthoniyappa died at the prison ward of Victoria hospital on Sunday morning. The 55-year-old Simon was a death row convict and was suffering from multiple ailments and was undergoing treatment at the hospital over the last few days. Simon was awarded death sentence by the Supreme Court in January 2004 for his role in carrying out a bomb blast in Palar forest area in Tamil Nadu in 1993 at the behest of Veerappan, killing 22 police personnel belonging to the Special Task Force (STF). In 2013, the then President of India Pranab Mukherjee had rejected the mercy petition filed by Simon seeking exemption from capital punishment. The prison officials have informed his family members to conduct a post-mortem and other legal procedures. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was speaking at Rajghat where DCW chief Swati Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike since Friday. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: Amid the outcry over Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said his government would amend the law to secure death penalty for the rapists of minor girls. While vowing to take the legislative measure during the next assembly session, Kejriwal also said he would also set up fast-track courts to complete the trial of the cases of crime against women in six months. The chief minister, however, lamented that like Delhi government, its Vidhan Sabha too was "just a quarter of an assembly" as all bills passed by it, required the Centre's approval. Kejriwal also launched a sharp attack on the BJP over the Unnao and Kathua rape cases, saying a dangerous message was being relayed that if the accused belonged to the party ruling at the Centre, the entire machinery would step in to shield him. "In the last three years, the legislations which were passed and forwarded to the Centre, none of them have been approved. We will forward even these amendments to the Centre and I appeal to the Union government to pass them so that they can be implemented for safety and speedy justice to women," he said. Kejriwal was speaking at Rajghat where DCW chief Swati Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike since Friday, demanding provisions for swift capital punishment to those found guilty of raping minors. Kejriwal also appealed to the Delhi High Court to provide him the number of fast-track courts and judges needed for the completion of trial of all cases of crime against women within six months and promised to provide the requisite fund for the purpose. "We want women safe," he said, adding he had also written to the high court in this regard in the past. We will bring amendments in the IPC and CrPC during the next assembly session to ensure death penalty for those found guilty of raping minors and (set up) fast track courts so that trials get over in six months," he said. "As CM, I am worried about the safety of women in Delhi. As an Indian, I am worried about the safety of women in my country. I am participating in this protest today to demand a system, which ensures their safety," he said. Referring to the Unnao rape case involving a BJP MLA as the key accused, Kejriwal said no FIR was registered for several months in the case and "leave aside arresting the culprits, the victim's father was arrested and murdered in custody." Attacking the BJP, he said it gives "a very dangerous message" the way the entire UP government, the chief minister, the Centre and the police tried to shield the accused MLA. "It gives a very dangerous message that if a BJP MLA rapes someone, nothing will happen to him," he said. Referring to the Kathua episode to further attack the BJP, he said a holy place of worship has been "defiled" and "what a shame" it was that they call themselves "Hindus." He said two BJP ministers of the state even participated in demonstrations and protests held in support of the culprits. "We and the entire country are ashamed.... This political patronage is dangerous." The chief minister also urged citizens to take a day off and support the DCW chief in her indefinite hunger strike at Rajghat. "It is not her cause. She is fighting for the safety of women in my family and your family. I am going there to participate, not to offer support for her cause. You should also take a day off from your work and participate. Everyone should participate," he tweeted. Maliwal again attacked the Prime Minister, saying she did not expect only speeches on social values from the prime ministers but what she wanted was the real action, concrete steps to ensure women's safety. "I have great respect for the prime minister. And if Prime Minister can implement demonetisation within single night then, of course, he can give system to the country to ensure women's safety," she said. DCW chief Swati Maliwal again reiterated her statement that she would not break her fast until PM gave a proper system to country to prevent rapes. CPI national Secretary Atul Anjan also reached at the hunger-strike venue to extend his support to Maliwal. People from transgender community too reached there to express solidarity with Maliwal. Breakfast, served 7-11 a.m. includes Farro Breakfast Bowl, Greek yogurt and Avocado Toast. Lunch and dinner is served Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight, and Friday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. The menu includes Deviled Eggs with tasso, pimento cheese; Chilled Castroville Artichoke Salad with spring vegetables, watercress, quinoa puffs, fines herbes; Lobster Corn Dogs with pickled ramp remoulade; Mufaletta Panini with Calabrese salami, black forest ham, mortadella, spicy olive relish, smoked gouda sourdough, crisp fries; Crispy Chicken Sandwich on a focaccia roll, spicy avocado aioli, heirloom tomato, wild arugula, crisp fries; and Charlies Chipwiches with house churned vanilla bean ice cream, and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. Every Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sky & Vine hosts a bottomless brunch for $38, which includes a doughnut wheel or charcuterie board for the table, unlimited bloody marys and mimosas (for two hours), and a choice of a brunch main. Sky & Vine also serves a reverse happy hour nightly from 9 p.m. to close with $5 beers, $9 cocktails and wines by the glass, and snacks ranging from $4 to $10. Muslims offer Taraweeh prayers at the Macca Masjid in Hyderabad on Monday after the crescent moon was sighted, marking the commencement of the holy month of Ramzan. (Photo: File/P. Surendra) Hyderabad: As many as 100 Muslim youth were lodged in prison for months together soon after Macca Masjid bomb blast in May 2007 by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the then city police commissioner Balwinder Singh to probe into the case. The SIT headed by H. K. Gupta, the then joint commissioner of police (administration) of the city, picked up scores of Muslim youth based on suspicion and booked cases against nearly 100 youngsters, including a medico, and remanded them to judicial custody by booking a case against them under various Sections of the IPC and the Arms and Explosives Act. As the probe of the CBI exposed the involvement of Hindu militants in the Macca Masjid and the Ajmer Dargah blasts, the local youth were let off from the case. The then erstwhile AP government had decided to pay a compensation to them as their involvement in the case was not proved and recommendations were made by the national commission of minorities to the state government to undo the injustice. The government paid Rs 3 lakh each to 20 persons and Rs 20,000 each to 70 youths who were taken in to custody by the Hyderabad police. Old city stays calm as verdict is delivered Despite anger writhing largely over the acquittal of five persons, who were accused in the Macca Masjid blast case, the Old City reacted soberly with no incidence of violence reported from any place. Life moved normally across the Old City though armed policemen stood guard at all sensitive places. Since morning, a contingent of armed policemen were stationed near the Macca Masjid and towards afternoon the security was scaled up. Syed Imtiyaz, a fruit vendor who conducts business at Charminar bus stand said, There was a time when people reacted violently to show their anger. There were days when we did not put up our push carts for weeks at a stretch near the Charminar. Now things are different. Around 2,000 policemen, including the Rapid Action Force were deployed across the Old City. Police took security measures based on past experiences. But now, people are more sober and instead of protests and stone pelting, candle light vigils are done, S. Q Masood, a social activist from the Old City, said. Markets bustled with people till late in the evening as usual. After the court verdict was announced, the shop keepers exercised caution, anticipating violence. Nothing happened and it turned out be a regular day for us, Inayath, a shop keeper at Gulzar Houz, said. Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission has directed five police personnel in Tirunelveli district to pay a compensation of Rs 4.5 lakh to a person for torturing him in their custody and for registering a false case against him 10 years ago. In the petition, S. Abdul Karim and his son M. Syed Mohamed Ali submitted they were running Rabia Medicals and Yasmin Medicals at Palayamkottai. On July 5, 2008, Nagarajan, Inspector, Vijayakumar, SI, Palayamkottai PS, Tirunelveli. Gurupatham, head constable, Thirugnanam and Arockiasamy, constables, Tirunelveli city crime branch took Abdul Karim in tempo van to armed reserve line ground at Palayamkottai and lodged him in a room. He was beaten severely and also sprinkled chilly powder on his eyes. He suffered a fracture on his left hand. They, then, took him to some other place and foisted a false cellphone theft case with the help of the SI, Melapalayam, on July 11, 2008. He was remanded to judicial custody and released on bail on July 19, 2008. In their reply, the cops stated that he took Rs 55,000 from Dr Naresh and Ravichandran regarding leasing of a shop and had not repaid the amount. In order to escape from the crime, S. Abdul Karim filed this false complaint against them. The cops also denied that they tortured him. He was arrested by Melapalayam police regarding with a theft of cell phone and remanded to judicial custody. They performed their official duty and they had not violated his human rights. The petition was liable to be dismissed, they said. On perusing oral and documentary evidences, judge D. Jayachandran said the police had not given any valid reasons for the arrest of the complainant and they had violated the norms laid down NHRC and verdict of Supreme Court. The judge directed the cops to pay Rs 4.5 lakh to Abdul Karim. The commission also recommended the government to initiate disciplinary action against the police and to initiate criminal prosecution against them for filing a false theft case against him. Hundreds of student leaders of the ABVP joined the protest at the Administrative block with students of the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management Gachibowli who were protesting for the last five days against the sudden change in the pattern of internal examinations. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: Hundreds of student leaders of the ABVP joined the protest at the Administrative block with students of the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM) Gachibowli who were protesting for the last five days against the sudden change in the pattern of internal examinations and against the institute director for not fulfilling the demands of the students. After two hours of shouting slogans, the protestors, along with the ABVP students demanded to meet the director of the institute, who later met students. About 200 students plan to take their TCs if the director of the institute didnt resign or was removed from his position, the students told this newspaper. One of the foreign students, on condition of anonymity told this newspaper, The facilities displayed on the website are nowhere close to what is being offered to us. Our main problem is the spicy food being served in the college mess. Usually international students have their own kitchen where they can cook their own food. But, this is not provided and the fridge given is not working. Mr Chinnam Reddy, Director-National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM) said, I disagree with the statement of the students regarding internal examination and hostel facilities. In the month of January when the third semester started, the faculty had clearly explained to the students about the components of the examination as per JNTUH. Hyderabad: The administration of the pentavalent vaccine has led to a sudden spike in the number of deaths according to a study published in the peer-reviewed Wolters Kluwer Healths Journal, a publication of the Dr DY Patil University. However, paediatricians in the city say that a single study is not conclusive; more evidence is needed to prove that the deaths are related to vaccination. The pentavalent vaccine (PV) was included in the immunization schedule for children in December 2011. It has been introduced by states in a phased manner. Formerly, a trivalent vaccine for Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DPT) used to be administered. The PV provides immunization against Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) and Hepatitis B as well. In the study, deaths caused by the DPT vaccine and the PV vaccine were compared, and it was found that the PV vaccine had a higher death rate associated with it. Dr Sharmila Kaza, a consultant paediatrician at Apollo Hospital, said, The study does not reflect reality. The findings need to be validated through further studies. The increase in deaths associated with the PV vaccine may be due to improved surveillance systems. This study has not examined the long-term reduction in mortality, which is important. Surveillance systems are used to record the number of deaths that occur after vaccination. They are used to better understand the efficacy and side-effects of vaccines. Senior Paediatrician Dr Raghavendra Reddy, says, The PV vaccine has proven effective. The increase in mortality within the first 72 hours of administration needs to be studied further. There could be underlying conditions that have not been evaluated. The PV vaccine helps fight diseases that strike children below the age of five. There is a reduction in mortality of children under-five, which is one of its major goals. The study was conducted by Dr Jacob Puliyel, the Head of Paediatrics at St Stephens Hospital, and Dr V. Sreenivas, a Professor of Biostatistics at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Hyderabad: The Telangana state government on Monday informed the Hyderabad High Court that it would allow a public meeting to be conducted by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) at Saroornagar Stadium for the launch of the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) on April 29. Justice M. Seetharama Murti dealt with a petition filed by Professor Kodandaram, the chairman of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), challenging the LB Nagar DCPs action of refusing to permit the meeting at Saroornagar Stadium. S. Sharath Kumar, special counsel appearing for the state government, told the court that permission would be granted to the petitioner if a fresh application was made. He added that the stadium could accommodate only 5,000 people, and organisers of the meeting would have to allow participants to be frisked as the Intelligence department had provided inputs that activists from some banned organisations were likely to be present. B. Rachna Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that when the TJAC had previously conducted a meet at Saroor-nagar Stadium for the Koluvulakai Kotlata campaign, 50,000 people had attended, and the venue had been able to accommodate all of them. The judge said that the district collector would make a decision regarding the capacity of the stadium. Disposing of the plea, the judge directed the petitioner to make an application to the DCP of LB Nagar with details of the organisers, participants and speakers. He directed the DCP to grant permission within three days of receiving the application. Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Monday refused to grant bail to M. Gandhi, a former judge of Labour Court 1 in Nampally, in connection with a disproportionate assets case. While dismissing Mr Gandhis bail application, Justice U. Durga Prasad Rao directed the Special ACB Court to consider the petitioners request to be allowed to attend the wedding of one of his relatives from May 4 to May 9. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Telangana filed the disproportionate assets case against Mr Gandhi on March 16, with the permission of the Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court, and arrested him on March 17. Mr Gandhi filed a petition requesting bail on the grounds that the investigation had been completed, he was suffering from health problems, and he had to attend a family wedding. Ravi Kiran Rao, senior counsel appearing for the ACB, submitted that the case was still under investigation. He said that the ACB had written letters to various institutions seeking details regarding the financial transactions of the accused, and they were yet to receive those details. Hyderabad: Thirteen-year-old Kulsum Fatima of Yakutpura died while on a pilgrimage to Iran when the bus carrying 18 pilgrims from the city met with an accident on Sunday. One other person was reported to be critically injured. The bus carrying 18 persons from Yakutpura had left for Iran on April 10. Syed Hussain Jaffery, a relative of the child, said, The bus, which was on its way from Masaq to Tehran, hit a divider and veered off the main road into a ditch. Kulsum was travelling with her grandmother. Among the injured was one Abdul Ali, 35, who was leading the pilgrim group. Kulsums last rites will be performed in Iran, Mr Jaffery said. The group has submitted a no-objection certificate to the consulate in Iran for the purpose. Aruppukottai/Chennai: Nirmala Devi, a woman lecturer of a private college in the state, was on Monday arrested in connection with her alleged advice to students to adjust with some officials in return for higher marks and money, in what is seen as a suggestion for sexual favours. Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University to which the college is affiliated, set up a high powered inquiry committee to look into certain immoral happenings surrounding the lecturer. The assistant professor of Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district had allegedly made the overtures a month ago. But, the issue came to light only on Sunday after an audio of purported conversation between her and some students went viral on the social media. In the audio, she is heard suggesting that the girls adjust with some (education) officials, for getting 85 per cent mark and money. Hours after a complaint was lodged by the college and a local womens association, police on Monday evening arrested the lecturer at her residence in Aruppukottai. She has been booked under IPC sections 370 (Buying or disposing of any person as a slave) and 511 (Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with life or other imprisonment) and under the Information Technology Act, police said. High drama preceded the arrest as the assistant professor allegedly locked herself in her house and a 50-strong police team broke open the backdoor and detained her. The Governor in a statement in Chennai said the probe will be conducted by retired IAS officer R. Santhanam and the decision was taken based on a report from the university. There have been widespread reports in the press and social media about certain immoral happenings in a college in Aruppukottai, in which references to Madurai Kamaraj University have also been made, he said. It is important to enquire into such matters immediately and without prejudice so that the guilty do not escape without punishment, the Governor said. The decision was taken in his capacity as Chancellor of the university, Purohit added. Earlier, as the issue led to an outrage with the lecturers remarks being perceived as suggestion of sexual favour, the state government and opposition parties lashed out at her. The lecturer has already been suspended by the college management last month pending investigation after some students complained about her. She, however, has denied sexual angle to her advice and claimed she had made it in the right spirit and not with any hidden motive or agenda. College secretary Ramasamy said a first round of inquiry had been completed by three professors of the college and they had submitted their report, based on which she had been suspended. She had been asked to given an explanation regarding her advice to the students, he added. Hyderabad: Family members of the victims, who died in the Macca Masjid blast in 2007, are feeling dejected with the court verdict. Fayaz Khan, a zari worker who lost his uncle Yousuf Khan and brother-in-law Shafi Rahman in the blast, laments, We are really upset with the verdict. It is not that we want someone to be made a scapegoat. But after 11 long years, we failed to get justice. Three agencies carried out the investigation over a long span of time, he said. The duo had gone to the historic Macca Masjid in 2007 to attend the funeral prayers of their relatives when the blast rocked the mosque resulting in his uncles death. A little away from their house stays Shaik Jahangir who was severely injured in the blast. My father is now bedridden. He sustained a head injury at the time of the blast and was admitted in a hospital for a month. Since then, he is bedridden and confined to the house, Shaik Ateeq, his son, said. He added that after the Ajmer blast verdict, they lost hope in getting justice. In a city like Hyderabad, I believe Muslims will not carry out blast in a mosque, Ateeq said. A kilometre away from Charminar, Mohd Saleem is another disappointed man. His relative Shaik Nayeem died in the Masjid blast. We waited for 11 long years and this is what we got. The government should either reinvestigate the case or appeal against the acquittal in a higher court. Only then, we will regain our confidence in the Judiciary and investigation authorities, he said. 2 cases registered by the Hussainialam police after the blast and recovery of unexploded bombs. Hyderabad: Several Muslim organisations and various political parties expressed dismay over the acquittal of five persons who were accused in the Macca Masjid blast case here. Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT) described it as a major blow to the fight against terrorism. MBT spokesperson Amjadullah Khan said that the acquittal in Macca Masjid blast case clearly proves the lenient attitude of the BJP government at the Centre and the TRS government in Telangana in pursuing the cases of Saffron Terrorism. He said that the court acquitted the accused as it could not find any direct evidence against them. Mr Khan alleged that the NIA had diluted its investigations at the instance of the BJP government. After these acquittals, who should we hold responsible for the blasts that killed nine people and injured 58 others persons? Victims of Macca Masjid blast have been denied justice. The accused persons have been acquitted and the culprits are moving freely. It is highly shameful that the perpetrators of a terror act remains non-punished even after 11 years, Mr Khan said. Tehreek Muslim Shabban president Mohd Mustaq Malik said that from the beginning, the case was not investigated thoroughly. The judge pointed out lack of clinching evidence in the case. When those guilty in Dilsukhnagar blast case can be brought from Nepal and produced before the court, what prevents the investigation agencies from nabbing two absconding accused in the case for 11 long years ? he asked. Jamaat e- Islami, Telangana and Odisha president Hamed Mohd Khan said that the investigation officials, who had shown leniency in carrying out the probe, should be made accountable for not delivering justice. Now the question arises as to who had carried out the blast when two sets of people were acquitted by the court? he asked. Activists stage protest at Moghalpura The Darsgah Jihad O Shadat activists staged a protest at Moghalpura against the acquittal of Macca Masjid blast accused. The activists alleged that the investigation agencies had played unprofessional role in the last stage of investigation and allegedly helped them in acquitted in the case. The activists burnt an effigy of the Hindutva forces. The Moghalpura police took them into custody. Other thoughts he shared included his assessment of Hells Kitchen chef Gordon Ramsey: The worst thing that has happened to the culinary world. Hospitality is not about making people cry. Its about training and building up new chefs until they are good enough to start their own restaurant. (Later in the weekend, Tower prepared a grand dinner with two chefs who had worked with him at Stars.) What does he think of gluten-free: At first I thought, Oh, come on, but Ive been learning that wheat has changed and our bodies dont want it. Monsanto, please leave the room. Asked what qualities he looks for in young chefs, he said, Work ethic and a good attitude. You cant teach that. Adding that he has little interest in chefs who say, look at me, look at me, he recounted the story of an inexperienced but aspiring cook who peeled four crates of tomatoes and got a job at Stars. Its that willingness to listen and work, he said. To stand there and do it. Champagne helps, though. Hyderabad: In an unprecedented move, after acquitting all the accused in the Macca Masjid bomb blast case, Judge of the NIA Court K. Ravinder Reddy submitted his resignation. Fourth Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge and Judge of the NIA Court at Nampally Court Complex Ravinder Reddy, who acquitted five accused in the case, sent a letter to the Metropolitan Sessions judge and Chief Justice of the High Court stating that he was resigning on personal grounds. The resignation of Reddy, who is also the president of TS Judicial Officers Association, has shocked the Judiciary though he had cited personal grounds for his resignation. Following Reddys resignation, several netizens, including journalists, reacted on social media that the judge might have delivered the verdict under pressure. Justice B. Chandra Kumar, former judge of the Hyderabad High Court, said that it is the first case in the history of the High Court where a Judge resigned soon after delivering the verdict in a sensational case. He said, If a judge delivers a verdict consciously, he would not be shaken by any pressure. He would not quit from post unless and until he feels guilty about his verdict. Explaining the normal circumstances wherein a judge resigns from the post, Justice Chandra Kumar said that generally, the subordinate judges, who are at the verge of retirement, resigns from the post when they get assurance that inquiry will not be conducted against them for the charges of corruption against them if they resign from the post. Ravinder Reddy is said to be having two more months of service to retire. He was suspended in June 2016, along with 10 other judicial officers, for their silent rally on June 26, 2016 against the provisional allocation of Subordinate Judicial Officers between states of AP and TS. The suspension had triggered the strike of judicial officers and staff of TS. Later in July 2016, the Chief Justice had revoked their suspension. Sources revealed that Reddy had faced pressure from the members of the association, after the HC permitted TS ACB to book disproportionate cases against three judges in TS. When Deccan Chronicle tried to get the response of some sitting judges of the HC and the SC, they refrained from reacting on the judges resignation. N. Ramachandra Rao, member of the Bar Council of India said, Reddys resignation is unfortunate. As far as the judgment is concerned, he delivers it very judiciously. AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi called the resignation intriguing and said:The Judge who gave acquittal to all the accused in Mecca Masjid Blast resigns. Very intriguing and I am surprised with the Lordships decision. Senior lawyers demand retrial Senior High Court advocate Shafeeq Rehman Mahajeer said that the credibility of investigation agencies is at stake when such judgments, like that of the Macca Masjid blast verdict, come out. People have faith in the investigation agencies. After 11 long years, when the accused are acquitted citing lack of clinching evidence, it shows the poor homework or ground work of the agencies, he said. He said that the courts depend on material evidence and when the agencies are not able to provide them or satisfy the courts, then they are bound to release the people. Without concrete evidence, no one can be sentenced or pronounced guilty. There are certain procedures and the NIA failed to provide clinching evidence before the court, Mr Mahajeer said. Another senior advocate Khalid Saifullah said that from the beginning, prosecution in the case was unfair. About 50 witnesses in the case turned hostile. The trial was proceeding in the pace of minor cases. While senior officials monitored such sensitive cases usually, no such initiative was taken here, he said. An inquiry should be done. In several such sensitive cases, retrial was conducted. A retrial should be done in the case, Saifullah said. However, defense advocate J .P. Sharma termed that the names of the five accused, who were acquitted in the Macca Masjid blast case, came up as the result of a political conspiracy of the then UPA government. It was a bogus story of the previous UPA government, which was created by some of the political leaders, to create sensation and to divide the people of the country. We hope no political leader says such things in the future, he said. Sharma said that after the verdict, Swami Aseemanand said that he has full faith in the judiciary of the country. The court held that the confessional statement of Aseemanand was not voluntary. The CBI had got the statement of Aseemanand recorded in Delhi while he was in police custody during December 2010, Sharma said. He said the investigation officer who extracted the confession statement of Aseemanand cited two different dates in two different cases. During Ajmer bomb blast trial, the official said that Aseemanand expressed his intention to confess in December 10 while the same official said in another instance that Aseemanad desired to confess on December 16, Sharma added. Activists from various parties stage a protest at Lenin centre in Vijayawada on Monday, as part of state-wide bandh, demanding Special Category Status to AP. (Photo: DC) Vijayawada/ Nellore/ Tirupati/Anantapur: The bandh that was called demanding Special Category Status by Sadhana Samiti and supported by all Opposition parties evoked mixed response across the state on Monday. While the bandh was successful in places like Vijayawada and Guntur, other places saw a partial response. In Vijayawada and Guntur, RTC buses were limited to depots and morning shows were cancelled by Cine Exhibitors. Lorry Owners Association has participated in the bandh and had stopped running the trucks. Shops and business outlets were closed voluntarily. Educational Institutions and banks were closed. Early morning at 5 am, Chalasani Srinivas of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti, P. Madhu, CPM state secretary, Ramakrishna, CPI state secretary, Malladi Vishnu of YSRC, Potina Mahesh of Jana Sena and others had staged dharna before APSRTC Vijayawada depot. Mr Chalasani Srinivas has warned the Central government that they would intensify the struggle for Special Category Status. Mr Vishnu has asked the Chief Minister to get resignations of TD MPs so that the pressure increases on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even though the Chief Minister has announced that they are against the bandh, he expressed solidarity with the demands of the same as no preventive arrests or obstructions were made by police in Vijayawada and Guntur. In Guntur, TD has conducted protests with flowers in ears and also distributed it to the people at NTR Stadium. Medical services were not disturbed in Vijayawada and Guntur, as they are exempted by the organisers. In Nellore, the response of the bandh was partial and peaceful. Most of the shops and establishments downed the shutters voluntarily. While government offices operated as usual, the bandh organisers forced the banks to close their operations in most of the places. All the private schools remained closed following a decision taken by the respective managements. Except for two hours in the morning, RTC services operated as usual but the passenger traffic was very thin. In Tirupati the Bandh has shown its effect, the protestors have lit fire to their own bike demanding SCS at around 8 am near the RTC Bus Stand on Monday. Earlier YSRC general secretary Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has staged a protest along with other parties by blocking the in and out ways of the bus stand. About 1500 services were stopped and no bus had rolled out. The communist leaders have denied the bus services to Tirumala but later allowed the buses to pass as police interfered. Devotees, who waited at the bus stand to reach their destinations faced troubles till afternoon. In Vizag, except few main areas, the rest of the city has witnessed no major impact of the all-party bandh. As most of the educational institutions were already closed for summer holidays, the bandh call has received mixed reactions in the city. Almost all the government offices were functioning while the private organizations and commercial establishments were open for the whole day. Autos and cabs were moving as usual at normal fare. RTC buses started from the depots by 12 noon. In Anantapur, CPI activists set a big effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as demon Ravan as he showed lack of interest towards AP's demand for special category status and other assured packages to the state. Bandh was successful in various parts of Rayalaseema region on Monday. The APSRTC buses were confined to depots following protests by the activists at the RTC depots in Anantapur and Kadapa districts. The big effigy was set on fire at clock tower circle by CPI district secretary Mr.Jagadish and other leaders. Bengaluru: Away from the bustling city centre, constituencies like Padmanabhanagar in South Bengaluru should have been a much sought after residential hub by Bengalureans. That has however not happened and irregular garbage clearance, parking woes and water shortage are primarily to blame for this. Padmanabhanagar is where the doyen of Vokkaliga politics and former PM Deve Gowda resides but his party has not had much of luck here in the past two decades with the BJPs R. Ashok sweeping the polls. Many state and national leaders keep visiting the constituency to meet Mr Deve Gowda-a rare honour other city constituencies do not enjoy. For more than two decades, Padmanabhanagar is being represented by former deputy chief minister Mr Ashok- even after it was carved out of Uttarahalli, with the fervent attempts by the Congress and JD(S) to break the BJPs stranglehold failing till now. Mr Ashok, who began his political career during the Emergency, won the Uttarahalli by election in 1997 followed by victories in the general elections in 1999 and 2004. In 2008, Padmanabhanagar and 7 other constituencies were carved out of Uttarahalli and since then, Mr Ashok has won the seat twice in 2008 and 2013 and is now gearing up for a hat-trick victory. The constituency has eight BBMP wards and not all wards wear a developed look. Yediyur ward represented by BJP corporator Ms Poornima Ramesh no doubt has won accolades and has been voted as the best ward in the city as per media ratings but the area also has slums like Ilyas Nagar, Kaveri Nagar and parts of Itmadu which have been neglected and lack basic amenities. There are areas here which literally act as dumping yards for bulk garbage generators. The stretch from Banashankari ring road junction towards Kadirenahalli is dotted with food carts which predominantly sell non-vegetarian food. These vendors do not care for cleanliness and dump their waste right next to the ring road after Tipu Sultan Circle, said Mr Chandrappa a resident and added that the stretch is also used by commuters to relieve themselves causing an unbearable stink all around. Repeated complaints to the civic authorities have fallen on deaf ears, he claims. Also, meat vendors and others use the deserted dark stretch to dump their waste during odd hours. According to Mr Chandrappa, this is one of the major breeding grounds for street dogs and also a safe haven for mosquito breeding. In wards like Ganesh Mandir and Karisandra, parking has become a major problem for residents. With many small commercial establishments mushrooming in the localities, footpath parking has taken away the entire footpath and part of the road too, affecting the movement of pedestrians and the free flow of vehicles. The constituency has abundant green cover but the frequent uprooting of trees during heavy rain and strong winds is a cause of concern. Residents complain that civic bodies do not carry out regular tree trimming nor do they care to root out very old trees. Pourakarmikas who are supposed to sweep away the leaves and twigs, just make a mound of it and light a fire creating a lot of smoke and the risk of respiratory disorders, say some residents of Yediyur, Karisandra and Padmanabhanagar. Not only burning of leaves, garbage burning too is a major issue here. Near slum pockets in Ilyas Nagar and the area behind Banashankari Bus Station and Kadirenahalli underpass, we can find garbage being burnt regularly, says a resident. Residents of the constituency are also demanding that police patrolling be beefed up as many chain snatching incidents go unreported. As for the acute shortage of water, particularly in the searing summer months, residents have to rely on water tankers and this is one of the major issues faced by people of the constituency. Sitting MLA R Ashok was not available for comment on the issues raised by residents. With no perceptible wave visible against him in Padmanabhanagar till now, it looks like the BJPs city strongman will have a smooth ride again-unless of course the Congress or JD(S) can pull off a major upset. Bengaluru: A day after using derogatory words against Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, which snowballed into a controversy, KPCC Working President Mr Dinesh Gundurao reluctantly regretted the words he used against Mr Adithyanath. The issue took a different turn with the BJP charging that Mr Rao had insulted Nath cult followers, who are present in large numbers in Karnataka, including Vokkaligas. Expressing his regret, Mr Gundurao still questioned the Adithyanath governments performance and said The father of the Unnao victim has died, the girl is threatening to immolate herself. What kind of governance is this? I, however, regret the kind of words I used against him (Adithyanath). This is an emotional and sensitive issue for me.' Describing Rao's statement as 'appalling', BJP State President Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa gave the row a new twist saying the Congress will have to face the consequences for disrespecting a 'saint'. "Dinesh Gundurao's choice of words to address Yogi Adityanath ji has appalled me. Utter disrespect for a CM and a revered Natha family saint. The millions of Natha Panth followers in Karnataka will never forgive him, he said. In an action filled day, the BJP staged a protest near Maurya Hotel and later the youth wing of the BJP sent a parcel of toiletries like toothpaste and brush to Mr Gundurao. BJP MP Mr P.C. Mohan sought the resignation of Mr Gundurao from his party position for insulting saints in the country. Reminding him that he was son of a former CM, Udupi MP Shobha Karandlaje said Mr Gundurao should be sacked just like former Union minister Manishankar Iyer was, for making derogatory remarks against PM Narendra Modi. Hyderabad: IT and Industries minister K.T. Rama Rao has sought investments from Australia in the fields of infrastructure, information technology and sports. Mr Rama Rao conveyed this to Australia Consul-General in Chennai Susan Grace, who called on him at the Camp Office, Begumpet, on Monday. The minister explained to her about the TS-iPASS, the single window policy of the state government and initiatives to attract investments into the new state. Ms Grace lauded the government for launching WE Hub, an incubator for helping aspiring women entreprenuers and start-ups. The principal secretary to CM, Mr Narsing Rao, senior IAS officers Jayesh Ranjan, Arvind Kumar among others were also present. Hyderabad: All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday lashed out at the National Investigation Agency (NIA) stating that the Macca Masjid blast case, in which all the five accused were acquitted, was not pursued diligently by the anti-terror agency. The Hyderabad MP took a strong dig at the NIA and said, The NIA is a deaf and blind tota (parrot). They did not appeal against the bail given to the accused. Witnesses turned hostile after June 2014 and the investigating officer couldnt give a proper statement. So everything was done to fail the victims. The upshot of the acquittal is that our fight against terrorism has weakened. Most of the witnesses had turned hostile after June 2014 and the NIA either did not pursue the case as was expected from it or was not allowed by its political masters to do so. Justice has not been done in the case. Questions would be raised over the criminal justice system (of the country) if such biased prosecutions continue, he said. Mr Owaisi added that the Modi government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused earlier. Justice has not been done, the NIA and the Modi government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused within 90 days. This was a totally biased investigation which will weaken our resolve to fight terrorism, he said. The and Hyderabad MP took a strong dig at the NIA and said: The NIA is a deaf and blind tota (parrot). They did not appeal against the bail given to the accused. Witnesses turned hostile after June 2014 and the investigating officer couldnt give a proper statement. So everything was done to fail the victims. The upshot of todays acquittal is that our fight against terrorism has weakened. After the NIA Special Court judge K. Ravinder Reddy resigned after delivering the verdict, Mr Owaisi tweeted, Judge who gave acquittal to all accused in Macca Masjid Blast Resigns very intriguing and I am surprised with the Lordship decision. The true power of Google Home is unleashed when it syncs to your Google account and pulls out your appointments for the day, flight bookings if any, meetings, calls etc. Remember Mona Darling, Bollywood's most popular, if IQ-challenged secretary? Or the more contemporary variant, Cherry from Race 2, served Anil Kapoor's unorthodox requests for exotic fruits? Secretaries have been stereotyped by Bollywood as glam dolls or arm candy. But things are less sexist in real life. Voice-assisted speakers are your virtual secretaries today and though they come with a female voice, they are assertive, sometimes borderline rude, but super helpful and resourceful. Often, they rub in the universal truth that no man can function in the world unless he has a strong and sensible woman directing the course of his life! Virtual meets real The recently launched Google Home duo of products is a perfect example to understand how virtual assistants and devices that use virtual assistants are slowly, but surely, taking over our lives, bedrooms, even kitchens. Google Assistant has been the company's biggest artificial intelligence project and with Google Home products, the virtual assistant finally finds a face (or at least a voice). Google Home seamlessly blends into your home interior with its subtle and minimalist design. The top white panel has LEDs that light up every time you say "OK Google". The device comes with two microphones with a technology called neural beamforming that helps recognise human voices from across the room. The output sound comes from just one speaker, a carefully designed one that spits out 360 degrees ambient sound. Ask me anything Prior to its launch in India, Google has personalised the device to decipher Indian accents, sync ups with music streaming providers like Saavn and Gaana, and India-based news sources such as Aaj Tak, Dainik Bhaskar, NDTV, among others. Google promises to bring in end-to-end support for Hindi soon. Of course, you can also ask random questions like "What's the height of Mount Everest", "Why did Chennai Super Kings shift their matches out of the city", "Will it rain tomorrow"... the possibilities are endless. On a more serious note, the true power of Google Home is unleashed when it syncs to your Google account and pulls out your appointments for the day, flight bookings if any, meetings, calls etc. It also reminds you of important dates such as your birthday, wedding anniversary, work anniversary, etc. Then there are the bells and whistles like telling the device to dim or semi-dim a smart lamp or turn it on again. Other connected smart devices can be activated and controlled, which essentially means you can be sitting on your couch watching Hotstar and turn on your bedroom AC. You can also listen to recipes in real-time and order for any veggies you may have run out of. Taking over your lives While all of these intelligent features truly leverage the power of AI and Internet of Things, should we stop for a minute to ask: Are we losing ourselves to technology? Now, you can ask your virtual assistant to regulate your day, get reminders on when you are meeting whom. Soon enough, your brain will minimise the ability to remember things. It is now the job of a Google, a Siri or an Alexa. Amazon launched this trend with the Echo smart speaker. How about burning a few more calories while you walk up to the next room and switch on the AC manually?? Perhaps we are becoming dumber because there is now a machine that is seemingly smarter than you! But for now, let's stick to exploiting all of the AI that is now packed into Google Home and the Google Home Mini. Available in chalk and charcoal colours, the devices are priced at Rs 9,999 and Rs 4,499 respectively. While both devices essentially do the same thing, the mini comes in the shape of a slightly bloated doughnut and has a smaller speaker, ideal if you want to use it more as an assistant and less as a speaker. Go for the bigger Google Home if you need both. (IndiaTechOnline) 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. Add to this, a good rear camera combo with dual 12MP lenses that bulge out from the aluminium back, one optimised for colour, the other for monochrome. Since the Moto Z2 Force smartphone was launched in the West a few months ago, I had read about its shatter-proof display. But my heart still missed a beat when, without warning, the Motorola executive at the India launch, threw the phone down on the hard floor without warning. Yes, it is indeed, a screen that did not crack or shatter a quality that I, with my increasingly arthritic fingers, can appreciate. Add to this, a good rear camera combo with dual 12MP lenses that bulge out from the aluminium back, one optimised for colour, the other for monochrome. You can shoot first, focus later and render the background hazy by stages to achieve the so-called bokeh effect. The selfie camera is a fairly standard 5MP, but the onboard RAM stands at a hefty 6GB. The built-in storage of 64GB can be expanded with a microSD card to a whopping 2TB not that I know of a 2TB card, that I can buy in India or even afford. The Active Matrix Organic LED (AMOLED) display comes with a quad HD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and while its size is just 5.5-inches, it ensures stunning quality even when viewing a 4K video. The sound through the JBL speakers is rather better than I have heard for many months now. Moving with the times, the makers have provided a Type-C USB port and killed the audio socket. The built-in battery of 2730mAh is just OK, but the limited edition of Moto Z2 Force selling in India for Rs 34,999 comes bundled with one of Motorola's plug in-Mods the TurboPower pack which doubles the battery power and would ordinarily cost an extra Rs 4000 or so. Twin SIM slots, 4G LTE network compatibility and the latest Android 8.0 Oreo OS round off the specs of this sturdy handset, whose 143-gram weight belies the power it packs. (IndiaTechOnline) 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. The peaceful resolution of India-Pakistan disputes, including the core issue of Kashmir, can be found through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue, Pakistan's Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has said. Bajwa's remarks came during his speech at the passing-out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul on Saturday, according to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the country's armed forces. "It is our sincere belief that the route to peaceful resolution of Pak-India disputes - including the core issue of Kashmir - runs through comprehensive and meaningful dialogue. "While such dialogue is no favour to any party, it remains the inevitable precursor to peace across the region. Pakistan remains committed to such a dialogue, but only on the basis of sovereign equality, dignity and honour," he said. Addressing the cadets, Bajwa, 57, said Pakistan is a peace-loving country and seeks harmonious and peaceful co-existence with all countries, especially its neighbours, according to the statement. "However, this desire for peace must not, in any sense, be construed as a sign of weakness. Our armed forces are fully prepared to respond across the full spectrum of threat in a befitting manner," he said. The K-issue The army chief also reaffirmed his country's "political and moral support" to the "basic right of self-determination" for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said Pakistan has done its part to cleanse itself of the scourge of terrorism and extremism without any distinction and the efforts have started to bear results. "We are committed to continuing these efforts, not out of any compulsion, but to make Pakistan a safe, prosperous and progressive country," he said. Hybrid war Bajwa also said that a "hybrid war" had been imposed on Pakistan to internally weaken it. "Our enemies know that they cannot beat us fair and square and have thus subjected us to a cruel, evil and protracted hybrid war," he said, without taking any names. A woman was found dead Sunday afternoon on a school playground in Napa, police reported. The incident followed police radio traffic of a person on fire on the grounds of Snow Elementary School on 1130 Foster Road. Officers were called at 2:47 p.m. to a suspicious circumstance on the campus and found a woman dead on a playground near the school courtyard, Napa Police announced in a news release. Radio transmissions indicated witnesses reported to police that a person but no structures was on fire, and that the person was confirmed dead at 2:55 p.m. Police investigators were working to confirm the womans identity as of 6:15 p.m. Sunday, according to Capt. Jennifer Gonzales. There were no public functions at the Snow school during or immediately before the incident, and no threat to the public, said Gonzales, adding that school staff was expected to make an announcement to parents about the case. Any witnesses or others with information on the case are asked to contact police Detective Garrett Wade at 707-257-9509 or gwade@cityofnapa.org. After six days of talks, the Congress on Sunday announced candidates for 218 Assembly segments for the May 12 state polls, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and PCC president G Parameshwara contesting from Chamundeshwari and Koratagere respectively. The Congress list also put to rest speculation over Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara contesting the elections from two seats each. The Congress has kept candidates on five seats pending and declared support for Darshan Puttanaiah, the son of farmers leader late K S Puttanaiah, who will be in the fray from Melukote Assembly seat. Puttanaiah is a leader of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha. Bengaluru Mayor R Sampathraj has been fielded from C V Raman Nagar seat, while ex-mayors G Padmavathi and R Narayanaswamy will be in the fray from Rajaji Nagar and Nelamangala seats. The party has fielded 42 Lingayats, 39 Vokkaligas,52 OBCs, 36 SC, 17 ST,15 Muslim, 7 Brahmins, 6 Reddy Lingayat and two each from Jain and Christian communities. With Congress president Rahul Gandhis insistence on giving more representation to women and youth, the party has fielded 15 women candidates against 10 in 2013 while those with Youth Congress and NSUI background have also been selected. Of the total candidates declared, 24 are in the age group of 25-40, 49 are between 41-50 years and 72 are in the 51-60 age group, 66 candidates in the 61-70 age group and 7 candidates are aged over 70. Following bitter fight among some of the senior state leaders on giving tickets to their followers, Congress President Rahul Gandhi headed Central Election Committee cleared the names by making winnability as the sole criteria as the party makes a determined bid to retain power in the state. The party has decided to drop 12 sitting MLAs. Of the five seats pending, three were Congress MLAs and it is yet to known whether the party will renominate them or field new faces. The party was supposed to have released the list of candidates on Friday itself but had to defer it following differences among senior leaders. The controversial businessman turned politician Ashok Kheny also got the seat from Bidar (South) despite opposition from many leaders of that region. Among tainted candidates, former minister H Y Meti from Bagalkot, who landed in a row after sex CD got the ticket. The candidate for Shantinagar, whose sitting MLA N A Haris son was involved in a brawl, was kept pending. Many Congress leaders sought tickets for their children, a few including Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs son Yatindra (Varuna), Law Minister T B Jayachandras son Santosh (Chikkanayakanahhli), Home Minister Ramalinga Reddys daughter Sowmya R ( Jayanagar) got party tickets. The credibility of Pak's anti-terror moves growing, says Russian ambassador to India, Nikolay Kudashev, on Monday said that Pakistan's credibility was growing and its wish to join the regional and global fight against terror must be recognised. The credibility of this country (Pakistan) is growing after it joined the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) and started to take serious measures (against) financing of terror, Kudashev said in response to a question at an event in New Delhi. "There is no reason, no sense to deny its wish to be part of the regional and global effort to fight terror, to search for stability and enhanced economic integration, he said. His comment came at a time when Moscow's growing ties with Islamabad, particularly in the defence sector, caused unease in New Delhi. Citing decades-old and time-tested strategic relations between India and Russia, New Delhi has been nudging Moscow not to scale up its ties with Islamabad. Moscow, however, continued to add momentum to its ties with Islamabad and purportedly started supplying Russian MI-35 attack helicopters to Pakistan of late. Kudashev described Pakistan as a historic and important regional partner of Russia. He, however, stressed that Russia's relations with India was unique. He said that Russia was not seeking to step up its ties with Pakistan at the cost of its decades-old relations with India. These ties (between Russia and Pakistan) are not emanating from the regional balance of power equations, but growing on their own merits, he said. They got new impetus since Islamabad has become SCO member-state, and it is in the interest of regional stability to help Pakistanis as well as Indians to effectively adjust themselves to the new forms of cooperation offered by the SCO and to enhance their anti-terrorism capacity. India and Pakistan in June 2017 formally joined the SCO, which China and Russia have been projecting as a counterweight to US-led North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Asia. Contradicts India The comment by the Russian ambassador contradicted New Delhi's view on counter-terrorism operations by Pakistan. New Delhi has been alleging that Islamabad was selectively acting against only a few terrorist organisations while using outfits like Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed to export terror to India. India, of late, joined the United States, France and the United Kingdom to highlight Pakistan's failure to stop the flow of funds to terror organisations. The Financial Action Task Force an inter-governmental organisation recently asked Pakistan Government to draw up a plan by June to tighten its measures to stop the flow of funds to terrorists. Kudashev also said that Russia would support a dialogue between India and Pakistan if requested by both the countries. No doubt, that existing disagreements between India and Pakistan should be resolved politically and diplomatically, according to the provisions of the 1972 Shimla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration. We believe in dialogue, and stand ready to support it, if requested by both sides, Moscow's envoy said. Eight men accused of involvement in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir appeared in court on Monday for the first hearing in a case that sparked nationwide outrage and criticism of the ruling party. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear a plea at 2 pm made by the victim's father to shift the trial to Chandigarh, in view of threat to their lawyer. Disgust over the horrific crime led to protests in cities across the country over the past few days, with anger fuelled by support for the accused initially shown by ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP. The protests have also focused on another rape incident involving a BJP lawmaker in Uttar Pradesh. More rallies demanding action against rapists and violence against women were expected on Monday in the capital and Ahmedabad. The girl from a nomadic community was drugged, held captive in a temple and sexually assaulted for a week before being strangled and battered with a stone in January, the police said. According to the charge sheet, the kidnapping, rape and killing of the girl was part of a plan to drive the nomads out of Kathua district in Jammu, the mostly Hindu portion of the country's only Muslim majority state. The ringleader, retired bureaucrat Sanji Ram, looked after a small Hindu temple where the girl had been held captive and assaulted. Two of the eight on trial were police officers who are accused of being bribed to stifle the investigation. After the initial hearing on Monday, the judge adjourned the case until April 28. Ahead of the trial, the lawyer representing the family of the victim said she had been threatened with rape and death for taking up her case, and requested for the trial to be held outside Jammu and Kashmir. "I was threatened yesterday (Sunday) that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell Supreme Court that I am in danger," said lawyer Deepika Singh Rawat, who has fought for a proper investigation since the girl's body was found in January. Two ministers from the BJP were forced to resign after being pilloried for joining a rally in support of the accused men. The national outrage over the Kathua case has drawn parallels with the massive protests that followed the gang-rape and murder of a girl on a Delhi bus in 2012, which forced the then Congress-led government to enact tough new rape laws including the death penalty. But activists say crimes of violence against women are often inadequately investigated, and in some cases accused with political connections have been protected. More incidents of child rape, including one in Surat in Gujurat, were reported over the weekend. On Friday, Modi assured the country that the guilty would not be shielded, but he has been criticised for failing to speak out sooner. Before leaving for an official visit to Europe this week, Modi received a letter from 50 former civil servants upbraiding the country's political leadership over its weak response. "The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into," the letter said. "In post-Independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble." An armyman from south Kashmir, who had been missing for the last few days, has joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the police said on Monday. Idrees Mir, who was posted in the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) unit, joined Hizb-ul on Sunday, police confirmed. Mir, who was stationed in Bihar, is a resident of Safnag in south Kashmir's Shopian district. His picture, brandishing an AK-47 rifle, surfaced on social media and has gone viral. For the last few years, this has been a signature style of youth announcing that they have joined the militancy. Last year in July, another armyman from Kashmir had deserted his unit along with an AK-47 rifle to join Hizb-ul. While several policemen in the last three years have joined militancy after fleeing with their service weapons, the trend of army men joining militant ranks is a dangerous one. In May last year, a policeman decamped with four assault rifles from a post in central Kashmir's Budgam district and later joined Hizb-ul outfit. In 2015, a cop-turned-militant, Naseer Ahmad Pandit, of the 11 battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police, who was posted at the guard-room of PDP minister Altaf Bukharis residence in Srinagar, decamped with two AK-47 rifles. Pandit was later killed in an encounter with the security forces in 2016. A policeman and a civilian were injured on Monday when militants opened fire at them in Shopian on Monday. Reports said that the policeman, Bilal Ahmad, and the civilian, Rafiq Ahmad Lone, were riding a motorcycle when the shots were fired at the Main Chowk Shopian. India on Monday lodged a protest with Pakistan against attempts to incite Sikh pilgrims visiting that country to revive the demand for 'Khalistan'. Syed Haider Shah, Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs, where senior diplomats lodged a strong protest against attempts to use the ongoing visit of 1,800 Sikh pilgrims from India as an opportunity to raise the issue of Khalistan. New Delhi noted that inflammatory statements had been made and posters supporting the demand for carving out Khalistan from India had been displayed at various places during the Sikh pilgrims' visit to Pakistan. Pakistan was called upon to immediately stop all such activities that were aimed at undermining Indias sovereignty, territorial integrity and incitement of disharmony in India, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release. Amounts to interference New Delhi conveyed to Islamabad that such repeated attempts by authorities and entities in Pakistan to extend support to secessionist movements in India amount to interference in the internal affairs of India. Moreover, the senior diplomats conveyed to the deputy envoy, such incidents during the visit of the Indian pilgrims (to Pakistan) went against the spirit of the bilateral Protocol of 1974 governing the exchange of visits of pilgrims between the two countries. New Delhi earlier alleged that the diplomats and others officials of High Commission of India in Islamabad had not been allowed to meet the Sikh pilgrims. Facebook users and politicians are absolutely justified in their anger about abuses of personal data and Russian operatives exploiting shill accounts, and Mark Zuckerbergs testimony in Congressillustrated just how immature or worse, purposefully tone deaf, its senior management chooses to be. He acknowledged mistakes and outlined steps to better ensure that third-party app developers and malefactors dont obtain unauthorized access to personal data or spread fake news. Yet, he continued the droll that Facebook is motivated by all the good that connecting people can bring and hardly acknowledged the opportunity to make himself and others fabulously rich by aggressively marketing ads targeted at specific users. Such cynicism deserves to be regulated and perhaps harshly disciplined but Congress should be cautious not to destroy the industry. These platforms are handy for communicating with friends and family, expressing views on social and political issues and sharing Thanksgiving recipes, but in contrast to their web cousins Amazon and Google they have more fragile financial foundations. Amazon can generate revenue directly from users it charges merchants as they make sales and shoppers for its Prime service. Facebook, Twitter and other social media would not have billions of users if they imposed fees. Like early telephone systems, their value to each user is enhanced as the total number of members increases. However, these services have not become a necessity akin to telephones, and charging subscription fees would greatly limit the number of users and their viability. And from the very beginning, the creators of Facebook and Twitter struggled to find revenue streams to finance their expensive-to-maintain platforms. Like Google which provides all of us with remarkable search, email and other services free Facebook turned toselling targeted adsto businesses who a decade ago mostly hawked their wares through broadcast and print media. To make inexpensive targeted ads effective, Facebook collects troves of personal information about where we go on the web and our personal preferences and views. Google and Amazon have branched into other activities for example hardware such as tablets, personal assistants and cloud services that truly make the U.S. economy more competitive, efficient and grow more quickly, but Facebook and other social media mostly have not. Social media is not like internet tools for collaboration or online shopping like Amazon, which drive down costs and prices and inspire innovation. Rather, Facebook and other social media mostly shifted more eyeballs and advertising revenue from electronic and print media to their platforms. Whatever ad dollars social media losesas result of the Facebook scandal will move to other web platforms or back to traditional media, including radio and newspapers. The current imbroglio has to do with Facebook becoming too aggressive in the personal data it collects for example, through some apps it logs users text and cellphone histories. It shared users personal data with app developers and academics in hopes of building an app retailer similar to iPhones app store. Then revelations emerged that a professor violated Facebooks rules by providing a huge data trove to Cambridge Analytica, which sells services to political campaigns. Social media has become an easy target because Russia infiltrated their networks with disinformation to undermine the presidential campaignsof Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. And Facebook and many other purveyors of advertising on the web have perfected strategies to keep us logged on longer and come back more often. Academic researchers and media analysts now charge the purposeful cultivation ofaddiction contributes to depressionand polarization on social and political issues. The Federal Trade Commission and British regulators are justifiably investigating Facebooks data gathering and sharing activities, but 37 states' attorneys general, who no doubt are prowling for votes and prospecting for another big tort settlement, have jumped into what should be a federal and international regulatory issue. Social media data collection will likely face stricter regulation,but if the information these services collect is severely curtailed, targeted advertising will become ineffective and Facebook and others could disappear. Its the ancient problem of the free lunch. If users want Facebook, Twitter and other social media, they have to pay with something in this case, a reasonable amount of personal information to drive advertising. FARMINGTON The muddy marshes and tall grasses stretch on nearly as far as the eye can see, with the wind-swept terrain, bugs and birds occupying thousands of acres. Paul Etcheverry shakes his head. "To get out there, it's wicked. You don't know what's out there. It's like Vietnam." Well, not quite but there's no doubt it is an unforgiving landscape that can suddenly turn dangerous, and dirty. Etcheverry's war is against the invasive phragmites, and his battlefield is the wetlands at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area where his heavy equipment is trampling the noxious plant. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources contracted with Etecheverry, his son Nate and colleagues to tamp down hundreds of acres of the plant, which is difficult to kill and takes over native vegetation. In 2016, Etcheverry took care of some of the plants at the Howard Slough Waterfowl Management Area in Hooper, Weber County. The terrain there, however, was much different. "When I first saw this," Etcheverry said, gesturing across the expanse of Davis County wetlands, "I thought, 'What am I doing out here?'" His specially retrofitted snowcat soon confirmed the man's worst fears when it was swamped in the muddy, wet terrain. "That was a bad day." The machine is ruined, now the subject of an insurance claim, and affectionately called the "monument." On Wednesday, another day spent trampling weeds, the other snowcat got stuck, but not swamped. It was pushed clear by a Marsh Master, amphibious machines that look much like a tank and are equipped with pontoons. Since the state first launched its phragmites eradication program in 2006, it has treated about 12,000 acres of the nonnative plant to reduce its stranglehold on the wetlands surrounding Utah Lake and Great Salt Lake. A Utah State University study found that about 26,000 acres adjacent to the lake are infested, said Chad Cranney, the division's assistant wildlife manager over the northern region. Cranney said the division spends about $250,000 a year to combat phragmites, which if left untouched would rid the landscape of native vegetation and ruin prime waterfowl habitat. "We are never going to get rid of them completely, but we're doing what we can," he said. The "rolling and mowing," is part of a three-year process to defeat the plant. First, the vegetation is killed with a chemical treatment. Because it doesn't break down and decompose easily, the state hires crews with heavy machinery to come in and smash the plants. After that, the division will flood the area to prevent any return of the phragmites. Cranney, who did his thesis on control of phragmites while a student at Utah State University, said USU is experimenting with reseeding projects for native vegetation at Farmington Bay's management area. Etcheverry expects to be on the job in Utah for another week. He'll take his surviving heavy machinery and return to Wyoming, where he mows mountains at his family's ski resort, The state will continue in its quest to win the war against phragmites, one muddy acre at a time. "It can be real challenging," Cranney said. CEDAR CITY A man police believe may be connected to a burglary and house fire at two locations outside Cedar City on Saturday is now in custody after residents in one of the homes performed a citizen's arrest. The Iron County Sheriff's Office reports the residents, who have not been identified, say they saw 49-year-old Michael Cross removing things from a shed behind their home near Tipple Road in Shurtz Canyon late Saturday morning. The residents "took Cross into custody without incident," called police and detained the man until deputies arrived. Shortly after Cross was taken into custody by law enforcement, a structure fire was reported at a house across the street from the home where the citizen's arrest took place. Deputies found the house engulfed in flames when they arrived, but reported the home was unoccupied at the time. In a statement, the Iron County Sheriff's Office said "it is believed at this time that these two events are related." Cross was booked into the Iron County Jail on suspicion of burglary and theft. NAIROBI, Kenya Warning: Everything in the next paragraph is phony. For baptism, Mormons immerse people in blood. They sacrifice children to the devil. They conduct church services naked. Kenyan journalists have begun to debunk those fabrications over the past year, including one story published Sunday. But an end to what one bishop characterized as persecution can't come soon enough for the 13,600 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who live here. They are jubilant that President Russell M. Nelson will visit them today. After all, he is only the second LDS Church president to visit their country. "For the last few weeks, we have been elated about the news," Athi River Ward Bishop Stephen Kasue said during the church's sacrament meeting on Sunday. "It doesnt happen always that we have the prophet visit our country. He has a busy schedule." He stood before 72 members of the faith, holding a microphone in his hand in a chapel with a corrugated tin roof, maroon cement floor and yellow, heavy, plastic tent fabric for walls. A cooling breeze, aided by six cooling fans hanging from the ceiling, blew through netted windows. Kasue, 36, from one of Kenya's pioneering Mormon families, encouraged his congregation never to forget what they hear on Monday. We have a prophet who receives revelation for our time," he said. "In real time, we are able to learn about these revelations and let them be a guide in our lives." Afterward, he told the Deseret News the Mormons here also hope that President Nelson's stop expected to draw more than a dozen journalists from Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda will help them puncture hurtful myths. Global Missionary Tour Follow the Deseret News as we chronicle President Russel M. Nelson's travels through seven countries around the world.Inflection point Kasue and others believe that would help their numbers grow faster here, maybe something just a little bit more like the staggering LDS growth in Nigeria. "We have more than 500,000 members" in Africa, President Nelson said in London on Thursday during the first leg of his initial international tour as church leader. The 93-year-old said that fact led him to do some research. "I looked up how many members of the church we had in the world when I was born a little less than 600,000," he said. "In one mans lifetime, the church has grown from less than 600,000 to more than 16 million." Africa now has 152 stakes, he said, nearly 60 more than existed in the world at his birth. Kenya has two stakes, which are geography-based groupings of congregations. One formed in Nairobi in 2001 and split in 2016 into the Nairobi East and West stakes. Growth could require the creation of a third stake in the next couple of years, said Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, the church's Africa Southeast Area president. "This has been a long process, but I think we've reached an inflection point," Elder Hamilton said. Kasue, who has been a bishop for six months and said he is still learning, does see a time when Kenyans will say fewer "nasty, crazy" things about his church. "When the missionaries teach a family," he said, "the neighbors say, 'Don't let them come to your place. Your kids will die. Your kids will be sacrificed." When the youngest daughter of Consolat Ochieng, 48, missed her mother's baptism in 2008 because she was away at boarding school, it led to a problem the following year that the family laughed about over dinner near the rough slums of Kayole in eastern Nairobi on Sunday. When 13-year-old Rebecca Ofwete decided to be baptized in 2009, having never seen the ceremony, her boarding schoolmates told her she was joining a devil-worshipping church, she would be immersed in blood and that there was a hole in the bottom of the baptismal font. Rebecca's anxiety grew so much she hid briefly on her baptism day. Eventually she agreed to bring two friends from another church, which made her feel safe enough she wouldn't be baptized in blood. Checking growth There are other challenges for Mormons in this country of 47 million. Language can be one for some. Kenyans belong to one of 47 tribes, each with its own language. While most also go on to learn English and Swahili, the official languages, in school, some are more comfortable with Swahili. The church operates in English, widely used in education, government and business. Kasue and his wife, Mercy Kaleso, and everyone else who participated in church services on Sunday, spoke British-accented English. Still, Swahili often filled the stone hallways of the classroom building adjacent to the tent chapel. Especially among the young children who haven't started school or still are in the early grades and lack confidence. That's why Elder Austin Latta is learning Swahili during his morning study time. "We're an English-speaking mission," said Latta of Calgary, Canada, "but we have the option to do language training in Swahili. Even if we don't learn a ton of Swahili, it gains the trust of people." The bespectacled 21-year-old stood in the doorway at 9:45 a.m. Sunday with three other missionaries, two native Africans, and welcomed people in easy, conversational Swahili ("karibu" means welcome) and with the culture's common, three-part handshake. English acts as a unifier, Elder Hamilton said, and it benefits church members in multiple ways. "When I joined the church I hardly talked," said Ongata Rongai Ward Bishop Peter Ondigo, 33, a local entrepreneur who served an English-speaking mission in Zimbabwe. "The church taught me English." One other restraint on growth is an effort by church leaders to grow the church responsibly. "Under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles," Elder Hamilton said, "we have focused on centers of strength like Nairobi" a city of 3 million "rather than expanding to rural areas." "That has limited growth," said Matt Martinich, who monitors LDS expansion globally, "but they are making good progress." One example is the Athi River Ward. It began in the late 1980s in the living room of the home of Kasue's late grandfather, Gideon. Missionaries began to arrive not long after. Kenya granted the church legal recognition in February 1992. The Athi River Branch was organized in 1997. It became a ward in 2013. Its continued growth has spawned two other wards. Bishop Stephen Kasue said one thing the church can do in the future to improve its standing is to build relationships with other churches and their leaders, who often see the Mormons as competition. Changes afoot Kasue has not been to an LDS temple for eight years, unusual for a Mormon bishop. But in Nairobi, where some members cannot afford transportation to church for Sunday services, traveling 2,500 miles to a temple is a monumental feat. Kasue said several members of the Athi River Ward have qualified for and received the recommends required to enter an LDS temple, but they have never been. For 30 years, the Africa Southeast Area which stretches from Sudan to South Africa, includes 34 countries and is larger than the entire United States has had a single temple on one end in Johannesburg. However, a temple will be completed this year in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. That will be revolutionary for church members in the region, Elder Hamilton said. More is to come. Temples for Harare, Zimbabwe, and Nairobi were announced in 2016 and 2017. No temple site or groundbreaking for the Nairobi Temple has been announced. In an area that has seen the number of stakes jump from 14 in 2007 to 56 today, the new temples may accelerate the growth, Elder Hamilton said. "The two stakes in Nairobi will never be the same with the new temple in DR Congo and then Nairobi," Elder Hamilton said. "The members will see the church differently and they will see the temple differently." The temple in Nairobi, he said, will change everything in Kenya. In fact, a press conference about the temple announcement seems to have sparked some of the recent publicity about the church. Thoughtful girl That publicity is revolutionary, and it has helped, Kasue said. "People here are very superstitious. They hear it and believe it," he said. "But people my generation are more open-minded and question statements like those: 'No, that's not true.' Some members have been ashamed, but they are gaining courage and we are progressing from what I've seen. I'm very positive with what is happening. This publicity is new." One reporter visited a congregation on a Sunday about a month ago, then lampooned Kenyans who "crucify" Mormons for being devil worshippers. "That particular article helped a lot of people learn about the church," Nairobi 1st Ward Bishop Alex Omole said. President Nelson's visit may be another boon. The late President Gordon B. Hinckley is the only church president to visit Kenya previously, in 1998 and 2005. However, this will not be the first time Kenya has seen President Nelson. He visited as an apostle in 1992 and 2011. This isn't the first visit either for Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who is on the trip along with Sister Wendy Nelson and Sister Patricia Holland. Elder Holland visited Kenya in 1996. Kasue laughed at himself in front of his congregation as he spoke on Sunday. As he told a story, he stood under a long flourescent bulb while a small round clock hung on hanger wire from the tent's steel frame to his left. Two small pieces of paper skittered across the floor. He said his 9-year-old daughter, Abigail, had asked him what the initial in President Nelson's name signified. He told her he didn't remember. "You are the bishop, you should know," she said. He googled it (answer: Marion), but said the girl's earnestness was warranted. "She wanted to know the full name of the living prophet we have," he said, before sounding a theme President Nelson and Elder Holland have repeated on their tour so far in both London and Jerusalem. "Russell M. Nelson is not only a prophet of the church but is a prophet of the whole world," Kasue said. "You know, God has called him at this time to serve the whole world. When he comes tomorrow, hes not coming to address us as members but the address he is giving will be to the whole world." SALT LAKE CITY Two people were arrested Sunday after police say a man who thought he was meeting a female acquaintance for "intimate relations" in an isolated area outside St. George late Saturday night was tied up, beaten with a hammer, strangled, tased and robbed before the two alleged attackers fled the scene. St. George Police Lt. David Crouse said officers were dispatched to Dixie Regional Medical Center Saturday night on a report that an assault victim was being treated there. A 40-year-old St. George man, who has not been identified, told police he and another friend drove to the area. Crouse said the victim told police that when he arrived, he was "strangled, beaten with a hammer and tied up with rope," as well as attacked with a stun gun by 20-year-old Sasha Michelle Davis, of St. George, and 21-year-old Kade Robert Shearer. Police said the incident took place in an unincorporated area of Washington County known as Turkey Farm Road. According to the police, the attack appears to have been premeditated, as they believe Shearer hid in the trunk of a car until Davis was alone with the victim in his car, before initiating the attack. According to police, the victim told them Davis used a stun gun on him and attempted to tie him up with rope while Shearer assaulted him with a hammer. Police said the Davis and Shearer then fled the scene in a vehicle belonging to the victim's friend. The friend then drove the victim to the hospital in the victim's vehicle. An attempt to locate call for the two and the black Honda they were last seen driving Saturday night was put out by police. About 8 a.m. Sunday, police say the vehicle was located in a field off Bench Road in Iron County. Just after noon, officers with the Cedar City Police Department and deputies from the Iron County Sheriff's Office located Davis and Shearer at a residence in Cedar City where they were taken into custody with the use of a police K-9. Both were taken for medical treatment prior to being transferred to the custody of Washington County deputies. Police say they believe the two took the victim's cellphone and wallet in order to destroy evidence and prevent him from notifying police. Police said they are working with Iron County investigators regarding reports that Davis and Shearer used stolen credit cards at a Walmart in Cedar City. Shearer and Davis are being held, in lieu of $50,000 cash-only bonds, at the Purgatory Correctional Facility on investigation of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, threats against a life and tampering with evidence. I often skipped "Behind the Headlines." When I did run the segments, I would add disclaimers saying something like "Sinclair Broadcast Group Commentary" to set them apart from local news. I labeled one as a "must-run segment." Sometimes I labeled them "required segment." Sinclair's "must runs" were something I was willing to get fired over. A few months ago, Sinclair asked my boss how many of them I had run, and it turned out I ran only 60 percent of them. I didn't get in trouble, but my boss was chastised. The promo Sinclair sent around last month for us to air was even more egregious. Viewers called and emailed before it had aired saying they were concerned about it and complained about other corporate segments like "Bottom Line With Boris." I didn't even know about the promo until CNN reported on it at the beginning of March. Later we received an email saying it would first air March 23. I was concerned because Sinclair's support for the Trump administration made the claims about "irresponsible, one-sided news" look like projection. It also appeared to echo President Donald Trump's rhetoric on "fake news." Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can significantly enrich the lives of people with type 1 diabetes, US researchers state. A six-month trial monitoring people who used CGMs showed the devices improved blood sugar control, reduced hypoglycemia and improved overall quality of life. Senior study author Dr Elbert Huang, associate director of the Chicago Center for Diabetes Translation Research, said: If you map out the lifetime of a patient, its impressive. The CGM adds years of life and years of quality life. The study involved 158 patients who managed their type 1 diabetes using multiple insulin injections, rather than an insulin pump. Two-thirds of the participants were randomly chosen to use CGMs, with the remaining people using the more traditional finger-prick method with test strips. At the end of the study, the researchers found the health costs throughout the course of the six months of using a CGM totalled 7,740 compared to 4,920 in the manual testing group. However, the health benefits of the CGM group were significant and it was estimated the better HbA1c levels and fewer hypos meant that healthy life years could be expected to extend by six months on average. While it does cost additional money, the costs saved by lower risk of complications offsets the upfront costs, said Dr Huang. It hints at a future of chronic disease management thats more cost effective and gives patients more control. The CGM looks like a very valuable technology, one that doesnt cause harm and makes peoples lives better. Hopefully, this will become an important part of the decision-making process to make the CGM available to more people. Dr Huang said he believes future technology advances might mean devices could become cheaper as they are incorporated with smartphones which most people already own. He added: Basically, all the CGM does is provide information, but that allows patients to change the way they eat or time their medications. It empowers patients to manage their own health. The findings have been published online in Diabetes Care. A top nurse consultant is urging nurses to specialise in diabetes to help people with diabetes get the appropriate care they need. Co-founder of the leading nursing organisation TREND-UK (Training, Research and Education for Nurses in Diabetes-UK), Debbie Hicks, is now trying to make diabetes specialist nursing (DSN) more appealing in a bid to fill more positions across the country. She said: Things will only change when we can raise the profile of diabetes specialist nursing. We also want to develop a specific diabetes specialist nursing course and qualification that equips a nurse to become a skilled and competent diabetes specialist nurse. Until weve done that, we are going to have such a variation in knowledge and skills because the role of the DSN has become somewhat blurred over the years. There are lots of different titles diabetes nurses, diabetes specialist nurses, practice nurses with a special interest. So how do we ensure everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet and, more importantly, people with diabetes are receiving the right care? Debbie has been in diabetes nursing since 1990 and over the years has seen the level of care being provided to people with the condition change considerably. Recently she has become concerned at the 2017 National Diabetes Inpatient Audit (NaDIA) results which showed there are no dedicated diabetes nurses at more than a quarter of hospital sites. She said: I think this is extremely worrying because we know from the report that the amount of people with diabetes who are sat on the wards is rising year on year and, if nurses dont have the right skills, then people with diabetes are not going to get the appropriate care they need. With the number of people with diabetes rising and the number of diabetes specialist nurses getting lower, we could be looking at a ticking time bomb of poor health. Debbie will discuss her concerns about the state of diabetes nursing at the UKs largest diabetes conference in November, Diabetes Professional Care 2018 (DPC2018). She said: There are more people needing help in primary care, but when theyre referred on to see a diabetes specialist nurse, there may not be one. These people with diabetes are becoming more complex and we just dont have the specialist nurses to support them. The other issue is that, as a population of diabetes nurses, theres a huge number of them who are due to retire in the next few years, so what happens then? I dont know why nurses dont want to get into diabetes as a speciality, but weve got to do something before we completely run out. A device that uses artificial intelligence to detect diabetic retinopathy in its early stages has been given the go ahead for use in America. The innovative software programme called IDx-DR works with a specialised retina camera analysing images taken of the back of the eye. The technology is able to provide the healthcare team with results which either suggests the person has mild retinopathy starting to develop or that their eyes are clear and no problem has been found. Diagnosing diabetic retinopathy early means the person can be referred to a specialist straightaway, meaning treatment can be sought fast, preventing the condition from getting worse. The device is thought to be a game changer for the medical profession as it alleviates the need to have an expert evaluate the image results. This means the technology could be used by healthcare teams who do not normally work within eye care. The decision to make the device available to people in America was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The IDx-DR was subject to a clinical study where researchers used 900 retinal images from across 10 different sites. The programme was correct in identifying mild diabetic retinopathy 87.4 per cent of the time and was 89.5 per cent accurate in identifying those who did not have the condition. Malvina Eydelma, director of the Division of Ophthalmic, and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices at the FDAs Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said: Early detection of retinopathy is an important part of managing care for the millions of people with diabetes, yet many patients with diabetes are not adequately screened for diabetic retinopathy since about 50 percent of them do not see their eye doctor on a yearly basis. Todays decision permits the marketing of a novel artificial intelligence technology that can be used in a primary care doctors office. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that develops when a person experiences high blood sugar levels frequently and the retinas blood vessels become damaged as a result. The condition is the leading cause of blindness or visual impairment among adults in both the UK and the US but can be prevented through keeping sugar levels in a healthy range. Many people have found Diabetes.co.uks Low Carb Program helps them to get blood sugar levels down to healthy levels. Following the program has also helped a significant proportion of people to reduce the amount of diabetes medication they take. After a gap of almost two years, Google finally introduced the Home series of smart speakers in India last week. The Google Home and Home Mini are direct competitors to Amazons Echo and Echo Dot smart speakers which were brought to India in November last year. The smart speakers from the two competing tech giants are also priced similarly in the country - The Google Home competes with the Amazon Echo at Rs 9,999, while the Home Mini and Echo Dot rival each other at a price of Rs 5,499 and Rs 4,499 respectively. If you are looking to pick up any one of the smart speakers in India, it is imperative you know what exactly you are getting for your monies. Helping you make your decision, here are 5 things that the Amazon Echo can currently do in India that the Google Home cannot. Skills Vs Actions Amazon clearly has the first movers advantage when it comes to fulfilling your daily needs. Having launched in India first and after going through a significant pre-launch period of forging local partnerships, the Amazon Echo range of devices offer over 12,000 skills which stitch third-party service providers to its smart assistant Alexa. Skills allow users to interact with third-party services such as Uber, Ola, Jet Airways, Zomato, Urbanclap, etc to complete actions such as calling cabs, ordering food, booking air tickets, and more using voice commands. While you can also talk to the Google Home to bring up information from the web, play music or read out reminders, the Google Assistant currently does not bring support for any third-party Actions, expect for streaming music through Gaana and Saavn. Google had announced Actions for the Google Assistant last year, but is yet to introduce them India. Once introduced, Assistants Actions will work the same as Alexas Skills by letting users interact with third-party service providers. Shopping One of the most advertised feature of the Amazon Echo smart speaker and its range of devices is that users can shop on Amazon using simple voice commands. Echo owners can just command Alexa to order items from Amazon. Alexa even keeps track of the packages and the delivery status. The Google Home, on the other hand, does not allow users in India to shop for products online. Not yet at least. Its not like the Google Home does not support the shopping feature, it just isnt available in the country for now. Google Home can be used to purchase products from Googles extensive list of approved Google Express retailers in the US. For the same, users need to setup a payments account for the Google Assistant on the Google Home, however, the option is unavailable in India as of now. Smart Home Hub Unlike Amazon's larger Echo Plus smart speaker, the Google Home and Home Mini are not smart home hubs that come with Zigbee or Z-Wave connectivity. Instead, the Google Home speakers link to various smart home hubs and devices using the accompanying Google Home smartphone app. Overall, the Google Home is compatible with more than 1,500 smart devices from over 225 brands. These include smart Android TVs from LG, Sony and other manufacturers. The Home also brings integrations with Nest, SmartThings, Philips Hue, and IFTTT. Routines Alexa on the Amazon Echo supports a nifty feature called Routines, which lets users automate certain tasks such as switching on/off lights, playing music, etc using a single phrase. For instance, if you say Alexa, Good Morning, you can set the intelligent assistant to report the weather, play news from flash briefings and switch on lights, all at the same time. In contrast, the Google Assistant on the Google Home cannot be used to set routines in India. Google recently added Routines to Home and updated the support page explaining the feature, however, it is only available to some users in the US for now. Aux Out Another cool feature of the Echo range of smart speakers is that all of them sport an Aux Out port so you can easily plug in your external speakers to the devices. Unfortunately, the Google Home and Home Mini do not feature an Aux Out port, but can be used to connect to other speakers using Bluetooth or Chromecast Audio. So those were five services and features that the Amazon Echo range of smart speakers offer, in comparison to the Google Home and Home Mini. While this might tilt your decision in favour of the Amazon Echo, the Google Home also brings with it a lot of unique features which the Echo does not include. For starters, you can use the Google Home to stream anything on your Chromecast using voice commands. So if you already have a Chromecast, the Home or Home Mini might prove to be useful purchases. Google is also at the top of its game when it comes to natural language processing and context awareness, so the experience of interacting with a Home speaker is drastically different than the Amazon Echo. But more on that soon. Stay tuned for our in-depth comparison between the Google Home and Amazon Echo smart speakers. Until then, let us know what you think of the Amazon Echo and the Google Home. Will smart speakers gain mainstream traction in India? Share your thoughts in the comments section below. The Nokia 7 Plus upholds the iconic brands promise of reliability, ease of use and design innovation. The phone delivers on all three fronts with a premium metal unibody design, high-end performance and clean, stock Android. It also has a good camera marred only by slow processing speeds which could be fixed via a software update. All good things come at a price and so does the Nokia 7 Plus at Rs 25,999 but unlike last time when all the Nokia phones felt overpriced, this one manages to justify the higher asking rate. Nokia 7 Plus detailed review For smartphones, the Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 range is significantly under-served and untapped. Most mid-range aim for the sweet spot of Rs 15,000 but with distinct compromises, while the high-end offerings breach the 30k barrier by a significant margin. In between are the premium mid-range smartphones which while sporting a mid-tier processor up the ante by offering a more enticing set of features. A mid-range phone buyer is mostly maxing out his value for money, but ones who have an eye for aesthetics wouldnt mind paying a bit more. Thats the audience HMD Global is playing at. Being a relatively small force that rose from the ashes of Nokia last year, the Finland-based company is hard at work trying to restore the iconic brand to its earlier glory. The Nokia 7 Plus, which released in India last month is the companys latest offering. The shiny copper-lined exterior is tough, housing the in-vogue 18:9 display, while the phone itself is fast and nimble with a powerful mid-range processor. The phone joins last years Xiaomi Mi A1 under the Android One Program which promises regular updates and clean, stock UI. Nokia also renewed its partnership with Carl-Zeiss with the 7 Plus and the dual cameras at the back of the phone is born out of that. All that make the Nokia 7 Plus the flag-bearer of HMD Globals mission to gain back the market for Nokia phones. The set of features surely seems to make the Nokia 7 Plus a phone to rely on, but are they enough to justify a Rs 25,999 price tag? We find out. Design The Nokia 7 Plus stands out both from the crop of Android smartphones that launched this year and from HMD Globals own lineup of phones, primarily for the 18:9 display and the premium build-quality it touts. While the display is now quite common across all segments, the attention HMD has paid in making the body sets itself apart from the competition. The phone is carved out of single block of aluminium with rounded corners and HMD has given the back a ceramic-like finish that is smooth, but at the same time, not slippery. It also feels quite premium. All along the edge runs a shiny, thick copper band. The copper accents are present around the fingerprint sensor and the dual cameras, both of which are placed centrally at the back. The copper accents may not be everyones cup of tea, but I quite liked it. Nokia was known for its pioneering design back in its hay day and its good to see the company sticking to the old values. I particularly liked the way Nokia has handled the camera bump on the phone. The camera doesnt jut out of the body like every other phone. Instead, its gently sloped with an uninterrupted flow that simply looks great. The Nokia 7 Plus is quite bulky as well thanks to a 3,800mAh battery. But the added heft helps with the grip. While it is by no means slim, the rounded edges makes the phone rest snugly in the palms, although the copper edges are somewhat sharp and tend to dig into the hand a bit. The highlight of the phone is, of course, the display. The 7 Plus does sport the taller univisium display but its not a bezel-less phone. Theres some space at the top and the bottom while the sides have a thin border around it. The top houses the Nokia moniker at the right corner and the front camera beside it. The copper band around the edges is interrupted first by the 3.5mm headphone jack at the top and then by the USB-Type C port, the mono speaker and the microphone at the bottom. The volume rockers and the power button are nicely flushed in with the copper banding, which improves the overall aesthetics of the phone. Display As I stated before, the charm of the Nokia 7 Plus rides on the 18:9 display. Its the first Nokia phone to adopt the new display format, but theres already a horde of phones rocking the same form factor. The 6-inch IPS LCD panel on this phone is one of the better ones at the price range though. Its bright enough to be legible under direct sunlight and the colours are vibrant and pop out when watching a high-definition video. Theres Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top for protection, which is strange for a phone at this price when Gorilla Glass 5 is already being used in phones. The viewing angles of the display are wide and while not scientifically measured, this looks like one of the more colour accurate displays at this price range. Whats missing is an ambient always-on display option that has become the standard in high-end mid-range phones. Theres also no way to tweak the colour temperature and hues. The phone does offer a night-mode that puts an orange tint to keep the eyes safe from screen glare at night. Performance and UI Last years lineup of Nokia devices received a lot of criticism for being underpowered for the price they were offered at. HMD seems to have listened to the feedback and packed its latest devices with hardware that is at par with the competition. In fact, the hardware in the Nokia 7 Plus pushes the boundaries of a mid-range phone even further. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset, the first of its kind in India. Overseas, the same SoC powers the Vivo X21 UD and the Oppo R15, both flagship-grade phones that have recently launched in China. The choice of chipset itself puts the Nokia 7 Plus right back into the competition and somewhat justifies the higher asking price. The chipset is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage which can be upgradable via a microSD card. The 7 Plus comes with a hybrid SIM slot with the option of either expanding the storage or use a second SIM card. The Snapdragon 660 falls under the mid-range category of Qualcomm chipset but it rocks the same custom Kryo cores found in the flagship 8-series chipsets. Apart from the custom cores, there are other flagship features as well, making the SD660 the most powerful 6-series chipset by Qualcomm so far. It is based on the 14nm FinFET architecture with four efficiency cores clocked at 1.8GHz and four performance cores clocked at 2.2GHz. The processor is backed by an Adreno 512 GPU. The Snapdragon 660 is the successor to the Snapdragon 653 that powered phones like the Oppo F3 and the Samsung C9 Pro last year. Qualcomm promises a performance boost of 20 percent which is pretty much what we saw in our benchmark results as well. In AnTuTu 7.0, the phone scored a high 136351 which is double than what the Oppo F3 got which is in line with what Qualcomm claimed. On 3D Mark, the phone scored a 2040 which is higher than any other mid-range phone right now. Raw performance aside, what really sets things blazing in the Nokia 7 Plus is the choice of pure, vanilla Android. The phone is under the Android One Program which Google uses to showcase the best of Android. Android One also means that the Nokia 7 Plus will receive monthly security updates regularly as well as the next two OS version upgrades. The Nokia 7 Plus launched with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box with the option to update to Android 8.1 right after turning it on. Theres absolutely no bloatware in the phone and most of the storage is left unused. The same cannot be said for the RAM usage though. Using the phone as a daily driver, I often found the phone having just around 1GB of free RAM. It is just about enough to prevent to phone from slowing down, but a little stress and it will expectedly start to stutter a bit. The choice of clean, stock UI also means the learning curve is not that steep. Regular Android users will feel right at home. Ease of use has always been a highlight of Nokia phones and its good to see HMD maintaining the legacy. Camera The Nokia 7 Plus is not just the first HMD device to sport the 18:9 display, it is also the first to rock Carl-Zeiss dual cameras at the back. First, the basics. The Nokia 7 Plus features twin wide angle + telephoto 12-megapixel sensors at the back. The primary 12MP sensor has an f/1.75 aperture and 1.4um large pixels while the secondary sensor has f/2.2 aperture and 1.0um pixel size. Incidentally, the Nokia 7 Plus has the IMX 362 sensor inside which is also used for the camera of the Google Pixel 2 and the HTC U11+. Furthermore, the camera has dual-pixel phase-detection autofocus like the flagship Samsung Galaxy phones, EIS and 2X optical zoom. The camera also supports Nokias OZO audio which is the companys spatial audio technology that promises better sound recording while taking videos. Theres no OIS though which could have made the low-light photos easier to capture. After all, it was Nokia who first introduced OIS in phones. All this converts into a camera performance that is quite commendable, considering this is only the second phase of HMDs offering. While taking photos, I found that the camera can lock focus quickly. Nokia has also brought back its famous Pro Camera App that used to be there in the Lumia phones. The app is quite intuitive with every feature easily accessible. Daylight Daytime shots with the Nokia 7 Plus are decent to say the least. They are well exposed with good details. The dynamic range isnt adequate though and some details are lost in the shadows. The camera is also quite responsive and theres not much lag in processing. The same cannot be said for low-light shots though. Low light The 7 Plus does take commendable low-light photos provided you have the patience and a steady hand. The phone drops the shutter speed to capture more light which means a little movement leads to blurry shots. If you manage to take a steady shot though, the details are surprisingly good. Theres also relatively lesser noise in the low-light photos, but the dynamic range again left me asking for more. Having said that, the Nokia 7 Plus has surprisingly good low-light capabilities despite being a mid-range device. Macro Closeup shots are detail-rich and sharp. The camera can focus on an object quite fast and the resulting shots have commendable background separation. Theres also a cool tint to the photos which may not ring well with enthusiasts. Front Camera The Nokia 7 Plus doesnt skip on being a selfie-centric phone. On the front is a 16-megapixel Carl-Zeiss lens that takes some sharp selfies. Whats impressive is that the phone can preserve the background exposure without compromising on the highlights of the face. The Nokia 7 Plus can also take bothies which is Nokias marketing speak for firing all the three cameras simultaneously to show both sides of the frame. Apart from this, you can livestream on Facebook and YouTube directly from the camera app which is going to be helpful for vloggers. For the most part, the camera at the back is surprisingly good. Just that its quite slow to process the photos. Battery Thanks to a power-efficient chipset and stock Android, the Nokia 7 Plus can easily last over a day and then some. With a 3,800mAh battery, the phone has enough juice to power you through the day, no matter how intensively you use the device. I played PlayersUnknown Battlegrounds on the phone for an hour and the battery drop was an acceptable 40 percent. This can double up as a power users phone with ample amount of social media browsing, taking photos, listening to music and watching videos. On PCMarks Work 2.0 battery test, the phone lasted 11 hours 33 minutes which should convert to one and a half days of battery life. Thats almost as same as the Redmi Note 5 Pro which has the best battery life in the mid-range segment so far. The Nokia 7 Plus also comes with Quick Charge 4.0 which can charge the device to its full capacity in around 90 minutes. Bottomline Summing it all up, the Nokia 7 Plus is definitely a winner in its segment. It may be an expensive mid-ranger, but it is a good one. The phone scores well all round, in design, performance and battery life. The camera would have been perfect if not for the slow processing speed, but thats an acceptable trade-off considering how well the phone performs otherwise. HMD might just fix it with a software update. The phone will be available exclusively on Amazon India, which means availability might be an issue. Nevertheless, the Nokia 7 Plus is the true comeback phone for Nokia and is at par with the competition, sometimes even giving the established players a run for their money. LG Electronics Inc said on Sunday that it will start global sales of the 2018 editions of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs, which are equipped with its Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform DeepThinQ this week. The South Korean tech giant said the new OLED TVs would hit the US market on Monday and gradually expand to countries in Europe, South America and Asia down the road, Yonhap news agency reported. LG Electronics said it would display the OLED TVs at some 500 branches of US retailer Best Buy, showcasing the company's latest Alpha 9 processor that delivers improved resolutions by optimising colour through AI technology. The company said the global market for OLED TVs is expected to reach 2.5 million units this year, rising sharply from 1.6 million units in 2017. In response to the rising demand, LG said it plans to expand the portion of OLED TVs in its portfolio to 20 per cent in 2018, up from last year's 15 per cent. LG Electronics said the OLED TVs are capable of delivering enhanced colour as each pixel emits light without having to use backlights. The plan comes as Samsung Electronics Co, LG's bigger South Korean rival, employs LCD technology that uses backlights for its premium QLED TVs. Australia may be a nation of sporting champions but when it comes to entrepreneurship weve dropped the ball. A recent U.S News and World report ranked Australia 13th (four places down from last year) on its list of Best Countries For Entrepreneurs, citing technological expertise, innovation, culture and easy access to capital as barriers to Australias start-up scene. We spoke to some well-known Australian entrepreneurs to see if they thought this was really a problem. Technological Expertise & Innovation When Sam Salter, co-founder of Marketplacer (a platform that enables businesses to create online marketplaces), started building his business 10 years ago, It felt like the online industry was still immature and even a bit rogue here in Australia. There would be great discrepancy between service offerings, value for money and expertise in the industry. That has now changed though, he argues, citing an extensive set of resources available for entrepreneurs. From Braintrees payment gateway, to Sendgrids email services and Marketplacers own marketplace technology, which weve developed over the last decade to help anyone create their own online marketplace, entrepreneurs no longer need to build a custom platform from scratch anymore. As for Australias supposed lack of technological expertise, Sam said that although there is always competition for talent, There is no shortage of tech expertise here in Melbourne and we seek to hire the best and brightest. On the other hand, Patrick Kidd, the owner of PATRICKS, a luxury hair salon, said that when his business was getting started they had to manufacture in the US to get the quality they were chasing, because, Australia doesnt have the world leading formulations companies that we needed to get our product to be the best in the world in terms of performance, quality of ingredients and labs that are always pushing the limits of what is possible in the personal care space. Innovation, especially in my industry, is hard in Australia as there is simply not the market size to work with when compared to the US, UK, Asia or Europe, so the money isnt there to create competitive companies, he added. Government & Tax Rates According to Matt Jensen, founder of M.J Bale, a bespoke, premium menswear brand, we need to get far more competitive on company tax ratesparticularly in the developmental stage of a business. When it comes to start-ups, whats really key is getting your staff in the early stage of the business to do a lot of heavy lifting, and one of the things I believe Australia is really deficient in compared to the rest of the world is capital gains tax. Basically, people are having to pay tax upfront on options that are deemed to have value when really, The value is going to come much later down the line. So this is certainly an area that if improved, could see Australias ranking for entrepreneurship rise. Secondly, he said, Australia is a really expensive place to do business, whether its staff, wages, rent, utilities or cost of living pressure and its very hard to sustain that heavy cost base. Youve got many other countries around the world with lower tax rates, so if youre spending more on wages and rent and trying to get a business going, and then paying more tax than your global competitors its a significant drain on your cash flowand cash flow is vital. Culture On investment culture, Matt said, Raising early rounds of capital here is challenging, and I think theres a risk perception with many investors here that doesnt exist in other countries. America is much more prone to taking early stage risk. Maybe because the size of the prize is bigger. Culturally investors may be getting a bit better, but theres opportunity there to improve. Patrick expressed a similar opinion, arguing that Australia still has the tall poppy syndrome, which doesnt really promote or reward entrepreneurs for success. If you drive a Lamborghini or something like that down the street in Sydney people think you are a wanker, whereas in the US people clap and cheer and seem to be pleased for people that have achieved success. I think this definitely has an effect on people pursuing entrepreneurialism. Sam looks at it a slightly different way, saying that although it is challenging, The strength of building a company here in Australia is that our governance structures mean that only those with strong processes and systems that stand up to scrutiny can prosper and this means if they work in Australia, they are likely to hold up globally. Access To Capital Matt says that, If we dont see important structural change in terms of the government legislation, tax laws and incentives bringing capital to this country, we will likely slip further down the rankings (of the list of best countries for entrepreneurs). If you dont get that right then other countries will overtake. Patrick agreed, suggesting the implementation of greater tax breaks for companies that earn under $1M in revenue per annum, which he says would inspire more start ups and entrepreneurs to take the jump and start a company. I think the government could put some pressure on the banks to allow more business funding without the need for bricks and mortar assets prior to lending money. The main problem for small business or concept companies is usually funding or a lack of it. ANZ for example says they have $1B to lend to start upsbut they dont mention it has to be guaranteed by property or other assets, most young people dont have these kind of assets! The takeaway points are: although we do have a healthy start-up culture, if we want to see it rival that of America or Germany (ranked as number one), we should push for tax schemes that give Australian entrepreneurs easier access to capital. We should also lower tax rates in order to attract investors, because the lower the tax ratesthe higher the rewards. RELATED: Australians To Be Slugged With A New Online Shopping Tax Government may get IFC to underwrite AI debt for buyer: report The government is likely to rope in World Banks investment arm International Finance Corporation (IFC) in the divestment process of debt-laden national carrier Air India by underwriting its huge debt.IFC is reported to have been in talks with sources close to the transaction and may underwrite the entire debt for the successful bidder. The agency, however, said much will depend on the agencys assessment of the successful bidder. Besides, four major airlines, including Etihad, Lufthansa, British Airways owner IAG and Singapore Airlines (SIA), some financial institutions and sovereign funds are reported to have shown interest in acquiring Air India. Last month, a consortium of Jet Airways, Air France-KLM and Delta Airlines was understood to have expressed interest in the disinvestment of Air India, according to reports. However, two potential bidders IndiGo and Jet Airways who had earlier shown interest in the ambitious stake sale of Air India have decided to keep away, citing issues with its two subsidiaries. Early this month, IndiGo president and whole time director Aditya Ghosh had said the airline had expressed interest in the acquisition of Air Indias international operations and Air India Express.However, under the governments current divestiture plans for Air India thtat option is not available. Also, as we have communicated before, we do not believe that we have the capability to take on the task of acquiring and successfully turning around all of Air Indias airline operations, he had said in a statement. IndiGo was the first to evince interest in Air India disinvestment when the government had mooted the plan last year. As of now, there is no official word about any particular entity participating in the bidding process. Except SIA (which has a JV with Tatas that is tipped to bid for AI), the other three carriers are reportedly in talks with Indian business houses. While the agency is not participating in AIs bidding process, it is watching the process closely and may get involved at a later stage. IFCs involvement will be a major boost to the divestment of Air India in which the government has invested heavily. The government has extended a Rs33,392-crore debt-cum-working capital loan to the AI-AI Express and AI SATS combine. The government proposes to offload up to 76-per cent stake in Air India and transfer management control to private players as per the detailed preliminary information memorandum. According to the preliminary information memorandum, issued on 28 March, the government will retain 24 per cent stake in Air India, while the winning bidder will be required to stay invested in the airline for at least three years. JSW Steel offers to invest in Numetal arm for Essar Steel stake JSW Steel Ltd, which is bidding for debt-ridden Essar Steel Ltd in alliance with Numetal Mauritius, said it would invest in the step down subsidiary of Numetal Mauritius and sell some of the stake to a private equity partner if it wins the auction. Seshagiri Rao, joint MD and group CFO of JSW Steel, said if its resolution plan for Essar Steel is approved by the committee of creditors, JSW Steel will invest in the step-down subsidiary of Numetal Mauritius. Seshagiri Rao, joint MD and group CFO of JSW Steel, said if its resolution plan for Essar Steel is approved by the committee of creditors, JSW Steel will invest in the step-down subsidiary of Numetal Mauritius. If the court decides lenders can go on with the second round of bidding (in Essar Steel) and Numetal becomes a successful bidder, well see what can be done in the later stage, whether we bring in another investor, Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director and group chief financial officer, JSW Steel, said in an interview. JSW Steel could not enter the bidding process as a standalone bidder because it did not originally offer an expression of interest (EoI). The announcement comes ahead of a possible order by the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on the eligibility of ArcelorMittal and Numetal, after both bids were rejected in the first round of bidding for the debt-laden Essar Steel. The bench will announce its order on pleas from ArcelorMittal and Numetal, both of whom had requested that their bids for Essar Steel be reconsidered. The resolution professions overseeing the auction had termed both companies ineligible for bidding in the auction since both companies were connected to bankrupt entities as promoters. The two sides have submitted bids in the second round of bidding. However, the opening of bids has been deferred till the NCLT bench decides on their plea. But proceedings have been almost overshadowed in the last few days by the public spat between ArcelorMIttal and JSW Steel, which is an investor in Numetal's Indian arm. ArcelorMittals bid for Essar Steel was rejected because of its status as promoter of bankrupt Uttam Galva Steel. The steel major, however, argued that the circumstances around its bid for Essar Steel is similar to that of JSW Steel in the its Monnet Ispat bid. But while its bid has been turned down (because of its investment in Uttam Galva, a defaulter), JSW Steel has bagged Monnet Ispat, which was referred to the NCLT last year. ArcelorMittal sources also alleged that Sajjan Jindal's sister Seema Jajodia was a promoter in Monnet Ispat, which made Jindal a connected person. Seema was married to Sandeep Jajodia, promoter of Monnet Ispat. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) prevents promoters of defaulting companies from bidding for stressed assets. It also debars connected persons. Seema later transferred her shares in the company as a gift, and made an announcement through a BSE filing that she be excluded as promoter of Monnet Ispat. ArcelorMittal, however, argues that since she was a signatory to the memorandum while setting up of the company, the announcement is irrelevant. Officials at JSW Steel said that the two cases are different as the company hadn't invested in Monnet Ispat. "On the other hand, ArcelorMittal had invested in Uttam Galva. Also, it didn't get permission from the lenders - as was agreed to when a loan was granted - to exit Uttam Galva," sources close to JSW Steel stated. A spokesperson from ArcelorMittal refuted the allegation, stating: "The Non-Disposal Undertaking was a tool to ensure that the 51% block would be maintained between the Miglanis and ArcelorMittal. That was clearly maintained when we sold our shareholding to the Miglanis." All eyes are now set on the NCLT, although its order may not be the final word in this matter. At DSA 2018, the tri-service defence exhibition currently held in Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia, local company Boustead Naval Shipyard unveiled an New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) Batch II design proposal. At DSA 2018, the tri-service defence exhibition currently held in Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia, local company Boustead Naval Shipyard unveiled an New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) Batch II design proposal. Boustead Naval Shipyard unveiled an New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) Batch II design proposal. Boustead is proposing this new design to the Royal Malaysian Navy as a more affordable variant of the existing patrol vessels (Kedah-lass) but "featuring a more stealthy design" according to a company representative. The design features the same hull form as the MEKO 100 but with a new structure entirely made by Boustead. The Batch II is set to feature a scaled down combat management system (CMS) with just 2 to 3 consoles. Boustead Naval Shipyard unveiled an New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) Batch II design proposal. Boustead Naval Shipyard is proposing to build six of these new patrol vessels in its Lumut shipyard. "Our goal is to propose as much local content as possible" a Boustead representative explained. A Boustead brochure shows the NGPV Batch II fitted with a 76mm main gun by Leonardo and a Thales NS100 radar while the scale model on display at DSA 2018 shows a BAE Systems Bofors 57mm main gun and a TRS-3D radar. Again, the Batch II shares the hull form with the Kedah-class: length overall of 91.10 meters, beam of 12.85 meters, draught of 3.40 meters for a displacement of about 1850 tons. Kathua rape trial begins: father seeks venue shift, lawyer fears for life The trials in the horrifying Kathua rape and murder case began today against the eight accused, including a juvenile against whom a separate charge sheet was filed. As mandated under law, Kathua's chief judicial magistrate committed one of the charge sheets, which names seven people, to the Sessions Court for trial. However, the chief judicial magistrate will hold the juvenile's trial as it is the designated court under the juvenile act. The trial, which began in Jammu and Kashmir today, will see its next hearing on 28 April. The case involves eight people holding an eight-year-old girl captive in a small village temple in the state's Kathua district for a week in January this year, sexually assaulting her, and then murdering her. The accused were ready to undergo narco tests, said their counsel. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will this afternoon hear the plea of the father of the rape victim to transfer the trial to Chandigarh. This morning, the girl's father requested the Supreme Court to shift the trial to Chandigarh, citing a backlash and security fears for his family. The trials began a day after protests were staged in various parts of the country by citizens outraged by the heinous crime. The accused include four police officers and a retired government official. The lawyer representing the family of the eight-year-old raped and killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua has said she will go to the Supreme Court to request protection as there is a threat to her life. Deepika S Rajawat says she fears she can be "raped or killed". "I don't know how long I will be alive. I can be raped ... I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell the Supreme Court tomorrow that I am in danger," Rajawat said on Sunday. "We don't think there is conducive atmosphere in Kathua for the trial," said Rajawat. The Jammu Bar association and the Kathua Bar received a rap on the knuckles from the Supreme Court on 13 April, as the apex court took a strong note of certain lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. The Kathua trial is now expected to be conducted smoothly. The charge sheets filed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police's crime branch state that the abduction, rape, and killing of the minor Bakerwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy aimed at forcing the minority nomadic community out of the area. The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs. The case has deeply polarised the region as the accused men are all Hindu and the child was Muslim. Meanwhile, as the Kathua trial is set to begin, a group of former civil servants on Sunday issued a strongly worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, holding him responsible "more than anyone else" for the "terrifying state of affairs" in the country. The letter asked Modi to check India's "free fall into anarchy" by taking tough action against the alleged perpetrators of the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and the perpetrators of other hate crimes across the country. Two Bharatiya Janata Party ministers in the state government Chandra Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh 0151 have resigned following accusations of attending a rally in support of the alleged culprits of the crime. The girl's body was found on 17 January. After the accused were arrested, a group called the Hindu Ekta Manch took out protests in which two BJP ministers and a lawyers' body linked to the Congress participated. The case gained national attention after a police chargesheet revealed that the girl was kept in a local temple, gang-raped repeatedly, and kept sedated and without food before being strangled. Her head was also bashed in with a large rock. Just before she was killed, one of the accused, a police officer, insisted on raping her one last time. A group of lawyers had tried to prevent the police from submitting the charge-sheet. Omega-3s from fish oil supplements no better than placebo for dry eye Omega-3 fatty acid supplements taken orally proved no better than placebo at relieving symptoms or signs of dry eye, according to the findings of a well-controlled trial funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Dry eye disease occurs when the film that coats the eye no longer maintains a healthy ocular surface, which can lead to discomfort and visual impairment. The condition affects an estimated 14 per cent of adults in the United States. The paper was published online 13 April 13 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Annual sales of fish- and animal-derived supplements amount to more than a $1-billion market in the United States, according to the Nutrition Business Journal. Many formulations are sold over-the-counter, while others require a prescription or are available for purchase from a health care provider. "The trial provides the most reliable and generalisable evidence thus far on omega-3 supplementation for dry eye disease," says Maryann Redford, DDS, MPH, programme officer for clinical research at NEI. Despite insufficient evidence establishing the effectiveness of omega-3s, clinicians and their patients have been inclined to try the supplements for a variety of conditions with inflammatory components, including dry eye. "This well-controlled investigation conducted by the independently-led Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) Research Group shows that omega-3 supplements are no better than placebo for typical patients who suffer from dry eye." The 27-centre trial enrolled 535 participants with at least a six-month history of moderate to severe dry eye. Among them, 349 people were randomly assigned to receive 3 grams daily of fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids in five capsules. Each daily dose contained 2,000 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1,000 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This dose of omega-3 is the highest ever tested for treating dry eye disease. The 186 people randomly assigned to the placebo group received 5 grams daily of olive oil (about 1 teaspoon) in identical capsules. Study participants and the researchers did not know their group assignment. Blood tests at 12 months confirmed that 85 per cent of people in the omega-3 group were still compliant with the therapy. In the omega-3 group, mean EPA levels quadrupled versus no change in the placebo group. Mean levels of oleic acid, the constituent of olive oil, remained stable in both treatment groups. Importantly, unlike in most industry-sponsored trials, all participants were free to continue taking their previous medications for dry eye, such as artificial tears and prescription anti-inflammatory eye drops. "Omega-3s are generally used as an add-on therapy. The study results are in the context of this real-world experience of treating symptomatic dry eye patients who request additional treatment," said study chair for the trial, Penny A. Asbell, M.D., of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Patient-reported symptoms were measured as change from baseline in the Ocular Surface Disease Index, a 100-point scale for assessing dry eye symptoms, with higher values representing greater severity. After 12 months, mean symptoms scores for people in both groups had improved substantially, but there was no significant difference in the degree of symptom improvement between the groups. Symptom scores improved by a mean of 13.9 points in the omega-3 group and 12.5 points in the placebo group. A reduction of at least 10 points on the index is considered significant enough for a person to notice improvement. Overall, 61 percent of people in the omega-3 group and 54 percent of those in the control group achieved at least a 10-point improvement in their symptom score, but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Likewise, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of improvement in signs of dry eye. Signs of dry eye were evaluated by the clinician using standardized tests that measure the amount and quality of tears and the integrity of the cornea and the conjunctiva, the surface tissue that covers the front of the eye. "The findings also emphasise the difficulty in judging whether a treatment really helps a particular dry eye patient," said the leader of the coordinating center for the study, Maureen G. Maguire, PhD, of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. ' "More than half the people taking placebo reported substantial symptom improvement during the year-long study." "The results of the DREAM study do not support use of omega-3 supplements for patients with moderate to severe dry eye disease," Dr. Asbell concluded. The trio pursues here a decade-long research on the spaces and aesthetics of suburban living. In spite of the collective configuration of the senior housing, each room is staggered and transformed into an autonomous volume, a home, as a tribute to the typically Belgian obsession for the single-family-house at any cost. Moreover, by the same setback of each unit, corridors turn into interior streets, seamlessly leading to the collective meeting rooms. The latter stand out as rare sharing spaces nestled within a territory which dramatically lacks them. Angular windows are carefully laid-out and screened to adjust the mutual vis-a-vis between the rooms; ADVVT is here questioning the threshold between the interiors and the outside of the building, which in Belgium is more commonly a neighborhood relation than an actual view on the landscape. Letterkenny Music & Drama Group are delighted to be returning to An Grianan Theatre with their multi award winning festival production of Beneath an Irish Sky for one night only on Saturday, 21st April prior to competing in the All Ireland Finals in Athlone. Inspired by archive reports and eyewitness testimonies, Beneath An Irish Sky is written by local historian and actor Kieran Kelly and looks at the events of the decade of change from a Donegal perspective. Set in Letterkenny between the years 1914-1924, it tells the fictionalised account of one mans journey through those turbulent times, questioning what made him pick up a gun to fight for his country. The play depicts how the central character of Brendan McDevitt (Eoin Callaghan) was affected by the seismic events unfolding around him from World War 1, through the War of Independence and up to the Civil War - and shows how these events convinced him to gradually move from the peaceful Nationalism of the Ancient Order of Hibernians into the more militant Republicanism of Sinn Fein. This life altering decision will have far reaching implications for both himself and his family. The various decisions he makes throughout his journey are all influenced by those around him, from the attitude of his parents Barney (Kieran Kelly) and Cassie (Elaine Gillespie), the actions of his brother Michael (Loic Cech), his neighbour Mary (Laura Doherty) and the political allegiances of both the local priest Father Crawford (Michael Leddy) and the persuasive Doctor McBride (Martin Hasson). The play returns to An Grianan Theatre on Saturday 21st April at 8pm and will have one further performance in the Balor Theatre in Ballybofey on Monday 7th May prior to its performance in the All Ireland Final three days later. Liberal Democrats Senator, David Leyonhjelm, has added his voice to the growing number calling to abolish a range of new car taxes. Senator Leyonhjelm has said that excessive state and federal taxes has led to Australia fielding one of the oldest car fleets in the world, with the average age of a motor vehicle of 10 years. There are currently a number of taxes applied to cars that are putting the brakes on new car purchases, with a large number of new cars incurring a five per cent tariff when there is no Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in place with the country of origin. Cars made in any country with which Australia does not have a free trade deal attract a 5 per cent import tariff, so more than $1,500 is imposed on entry-level Holden Commodores that are now made in Germany, Senator Leyonhjelm said. In contrast, after Australia signed an FTA with Japan in 2014, it lowered the price of a base Japanese built Toyota Corolla Ascent hatch to below the 2007 list price for the same vehicle. There is also the Luxury Car tax (LCT) which is applied to all vehicles - as of 2018 - priced above $65,094. This tax is applied regardless of country of origin and is often applied to vehicles not associated with luxury status: a range-topping Toyota Kluger and all Toyota LandCruisers are subject to the tax, however, the upcoming $74,990 Ford Ranger Raptor ute - like all utes - is exempt from LCT as it is classed as a commerical vehicle. Dundalk man Mark Duffy, who was one of the crew members to lose their lives with the loss of Rescue 116 off the Mayo coast in March last year, has been recognised at the People of the Year Awards. The Irish Coast Guard and the community of Erris were jointly honoured with special recognition for the crew of Rescue 116. The honour at the 43rd People of the Year Awards, organised by Rehab, was presented by broadcaster Bryan Dobson in recognition of the heroic work of the men and women of the Irish Coast Guard in risking life to assist maritime and coastal communities, while the people of Erris were recognised for their contribution to the search for the missing crew. The Awards were broadcast live on RTE One from Dublins Mansion House on Sunday evening. Volunteer member Caitriona Lucas, who lost her life off the Clare coast during a separate operation, was also honoured. It was early on the morning of March 14, 2017, that Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 disappeared off the north coast of Mayo. The aircraft had been providing communications support for an offshore medical assistance operation. On board were Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, Capt Mark Duffy, from Dundalk, and winch team Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith. Hundreds of volunteers, fishermen, and colleagues supported the emergency services in combing the area for the missing crew, going above and beyond in a bid to recover the lost heroes. The bodies of Dara Fitzpatrick and Mark Duffy were recovered in the subsequent searches. However, tragically and despite intensive efforts, the bodies of Ciaran Smith and Paul Ormsby have yet to be recovered. This Tuesday, April 17th, the Dundalk Democrat hits newsstands across Louth with a brand new look - refreshed and redesigned as a newspaper for a modern Dundalk. Keep an eye out for the brand new Dundalk Democrat - Dundalk and Proud 24/7. There will be an energy awareness meeting in Kilcurry Resource Centre on Tuesday April 17th at 7:30pm. The Energy Ambassadors Programme will teach participants how to conserve and control energy use, how to use technology to manage energy needs, and how to apply for grants. The session lasts for an hour and is highly interactive. Kevin McBride of Kilcurry Resource Centre says that conserving energy is very important to learn about. By 2020 if we dont reduce our energy consumption we will be facing massive fines. This is a government strategy aimed at reducing energy use and teaching communities how to conserve energy. The session is aimed at individuals and homeowners, as well as businesses. We want to teach people how to save money and keep their homes warmer. The team delivering this programme comes from the Dunleer Community Development Board, and the Dunleer Sustainable Energy Community. This initiative is run by Louths Energy Team, which consists of a group of specialists with a combined skill base and experience in teaching, training and renewable energy. The Energy Team are supported by Glen Dimplex Ireland, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Louth County Council and SE Systems. This Tuesday, April 17th, the Dundalk Democrat hits newsstands across Louth with a brand new look - refreshed and redesigned as a newspaper for a modern Dundalk. Keep an eye out for the brand new Dundalk Democrat - Dundalk and Proud 24/7. Instantly delete email threats with 365 Threat Monitor With 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts, real-time security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click - for free! Learn More. Gesture control and a curved body may be in the iPhone's future. Apple has been experimenting with those features for the iPhone, and they could be ready for prime time in two to three years, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing "people with knowledge in the matter." Gesture control would allow a user to execute tasks without touching the screen. The technology could be used for more than just answering phone calls and opening apps, noted Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen. "It could be used to enlarge the user experience," he told TechNewsWorld. "It could be folded into an umbrella of multi-modal user experiences -- understanding what you want through a gesture, a touch, voice or a biometric," Nguyen suggested. "Gesture will be a bigger play than just ignoring a phone call with a wave of your hand." Invigorating Interfaces The mobile industry is looking at innovative user interfaces to breathe new life into the market, and gesture control can be a part of that, said David McQueen, a research director at ABI Research. "Many new interfaces will develop where voice, artificial intelligence, mixed reality, augmented reality and gesture experiences will all come to the fore," he told TechNewsWorld. Gesture control can have more prosaic applications, too. "It's good when you're wearing gloves or your hands are dirty," said Kevin Krewell, a principal analyst with Tirias Research. "I expect this to be a cool demo feature, but not something people will use all the time," he told TechNewsWorld. Gesture controls don't make anything necessarily easier, maintained Ramon Llamas, a senior research analyst for IDC. "The easiest and most natural user interface is the one where you don't have to use touch or gestures at all. That's using your voice," he told TechNewsWorld. "I just haven't seen anything from the gesture side of things that says users want to do this." Risky Curves Curved displays aren't new. Samsung's latest Galaxy models, the S9 and S9+, have them. Even the iPhone X has a slight curve at its bottom. However, it appears that Apple has been experimenting with curving the display gradually from top to bottom. Samsung curves its displays at the edges. The use of OLED displays gives phone makers the ability to bend the screens in their devices. "The ability to bend the display allows for a more flexible design for the phone," explained Tirias' Krewell. "I expect this will allow for a more comfortable and organic shape in the hand." That said, the merits of curved screens don't seem to have captured a lot of interest. "Curved screens have been tried before in smartphones and TVs, and they don't seem to have had much resonance with consumers," noted ABI's McQueen. "I think it would be risky to adopt curved screens into Apple's portfolio unless it is implemented in a way that hasn't been seen before and is more subtle than previous attempts, which is what Apple does best," he added. Form for Form's Sake When Samsung began curving displays, it did so with an eye to altering the interface of its devices, said Gerrit Schneemann, a senior analyst with IHS Markit Technology. "At this point, the curve is just a design aesthetic," he told TechNewsWorld. "There's nothing enabled by it." If Apple were to add curves to the iPhone's figure, it would be tardy to the party, but that's never been a problem for the company in the past. "Apple will surprise you," Gartner's Nguyen said. "Maybe they'll bring it in late, but they will likely bring in something new, interesting and valuable to the consumer. I look forward to being surprised." In a smartphone market where differentiation among flagship phones has become increasingly difficult, incremental technologies like gesture control and curved displays could help separate iPhone from the pack, observed Andreas Scherer, managing partner at Salto Partners. "However, the big question is, how much is the market actually willing to pay for incremental improvements that may or may not significantly impact the overall user experience?" he wondered. "Apple has adopted a high price strategy from the very inception of the iPhone," Scherer told TechNewsWorld. "It's unclear if these capabilities will help justify Apple's premium in the future." 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. Photo: James Bombales Last week, a new report from Realosophy found that some GTA home sellers lost $140,200 in property value when home prices took a 18 per cent dive last spring. But according to one economist, the situation is more complicated than it first appears. An item on Toronto housing generated some small buzz this week, as it suggested that the pullback in GTA home prices has outpaced the speed of decline in any US city during the 2006-2009 meltdown, writes BMO chief economist Douglas Porter, in recent note, mentioning the Realosophy report. Housing Market News Alerts Sign up for news alerts on the Toronto housing market The facts here alone are debatable, but can we also have maybe an ounce of perspective? he asks. Porter writes that, over the course of 2017, the Toronto market went from lofty expensive to out-of-the-universe-crazy back down to just lofty expensive. That means that while things have cooled considerably from March 2017s record breaking numbers, the market is still arguably hotter than it should be. The gaudy headlines on [the recent] Canadian home sales report for March sales volumes down 22.7 per cent year-over-year nationally, average prices down 10.4 per cent are comparing conditions to the insanity in the spring of 2017, writes Porter. From two years ago, the MLS price index for Torontois still up more than 20 per cent. SEE ALSO: See how much new mortgage regulations slowed Canadian home price growth in Q1 Porter writes that while it is true that some sellers lost money when prices dropped in April, after the introduction of the provinces Fair Housing Plan, the bigger picture is that the market still has a long way to go before it is affordable for the average buyer. The froth was rapidly blown off the top, and some were badly caught offside, but the bigger picture is that the housing market is arguably still too lofty for comfort, he writes. At least for policymaker and potential buyer comfort. Instantly delete email threats for Office 365 With the free app, 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts + security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click. Download now! British lawmakers have demanded that Alexander Nix, the suspended chief executive of Cambridge Analytica, return to Parliament for additional questioning in its fake news inquiry. The Parliament's probe led to disclosures that Facebook had allowed Cambridge Analytica unauthorized access to up to 50 million user records, igniting a firestorm over user data privacy and possible U.S. voter manipulation. MP Damian Collins, chair of the UK Parliament Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, on Thursday sent a letter asking Nix to provide additional testimony, after media reports in The Guardian, The New York Times, and Channel 4 in the UK raised questions about Cambridge Analystica's use of private data in its research. Nix on Feb. 27 had denied to the committee that Cambridge Analytica had received data from Global Science Research, Collins wrote in his letter. GSR is the company that employed former Cambridge University researcher Aleksandr Kogan when he developed "thisisyourdigitallife," an app that garnered direct responses from more than 270,000 Facebook users -- and lifted data from tens of millions of others without authorization. Muddy Waters Collins told Nix in the letter that members of Parliament wanted to ask him about his earlier claims that "we do not work with Facebook data" or "have Facebook data." Collins warned Nix that "giving false statements to a Select Committee" was a very serious matter. He asked for a response by March 27. Collins also has written to Facebook, urging CEO Mark Zuckerberg to appear before the committee in connection with the Cambridge Analytica disclosures. Christopher Wylie, the whistleblower who went public with revelations that Cambridge Analytica had gained unauthorized access to data belonging to 50 million Facebook users, tweeted that he had accepted requests to testify before the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, and the UK Parliament Digital Committee. Wylie will appear on March 27, Lucy Dargahi, a spokesperson for the committee, confirmed to the E-Commerce Times. Cambridge Analytica on Thursday tweeted that it would cooperate with the various inquiries. We're committed to being responsible, fair and secure with data. We'll be working with everyone -- Facebook, independent auditors and the ICO -- as their investigations continue. Cambridge Analytica (@CamAnalytica) March 22, 2018 Playing Fast and Loose In the meantime, Sandy Parakilas, who was employed as operations manager at Facebook in 2011-12, on Wednesday testified before the Digital Committee in a hearing on fake news. During his 16 months at Facebook, Parakilas did not know of a single audit of a developer's storage, he said, noting that Facebook typically found out about violations from press reports, or when competitors contacted the company regarding allegations that a rival might have accessed data. "I would argue that the real challenge here is that Facebook was allowing developers access the data to people that had not explicitly authorized that," he testified. Whether developers could gain access to unauthorized user data was a known issue that he and others questioned, Parakilas said. Although the creator of the "thisisyourdigitallife" app was allowed direct access only to the 270,000 Facebook users who downloaded his quiz, he was able to access 30-50 million additional records by using friend permissions, according to Parakilas, who noted that the average Facebook user has about 200 friends. Woke Nation "This is a moment of awakening for many people," said Wayne Kurtzman, research director for social and experiential solutions at IDC. They have come to "the realization that every social post, comment or 'like' is a viable data point that can be used to market ideas and products to them," he told the E-Commerce Times. When you get something for free (like a social networking service), you are not the customer -- you are what is being sold, Kurtzman emphasized. That concept is familiar to those who understand the business side of social media, but to some it has come as a shock. Zuckerberg: 'Really Sorry' CEO Mark Zuckerberg has apologized for Facebook's shortcomings in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal and promised that the company would do better. "Mark and [COO Sheryl Sandberg] know how serious this situation is and are working with the rest of Facebook leadership to build stronger user protections," said Sue Desmond-Hellman, lead director of the company's board. "They have built the company and our business and are instrumental to its future." In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Zuckerberg appeared hesitant about personally appearing before Congress, but said if he were the right guy for the job, he would do it. Zuckerberg generally prefers to work behind the scenes, but he and other top Facebook executives apparently have begun to appreciate the gravity of the moment. I am sure that Mark Z would prefer not to appear at a hearing -- given how witnesses get lectured for hours at a time," remarked Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter. " However, "the scope of these problems is bad enough that he will probably grit his teeth and do it," he told the E-Commerce Times. Zuckerberg's remarks were a "step in the right direction," IDC's Kurtzman said. The reality of the Cambridge Analytica data scandal is encapsulated in a recent book, Technically Wrong, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Facebook treats its social media members like low-quality products -- almost like slaves, he told the E-Commerce Times. They have no rights, and Facebook's only concern is satisfying the advertiser that pays the bills. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," Enderle said. "Facebook is the canary in the coal mine, and an early indicator of what may happen to other companies next." The view that users don't really count eventually may lead to the government getting directly involved, he warned, to police how data is managed. David Jones has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2015. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, e-commerce, open source, gaming, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. He has written for numerous media outlets, including Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain's New York Business and The New York Times. Email David. Instantly delete email threats with 365 Threat Monitor With 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts, real-time security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click - for free! Learn More. The scene in A Few Good Men with Jack Nicholson going off on handling the truth has been coming to mind way too often of late. Sadly, this is the world we are living in right now, and social media is at the heart of it. I recently noticed a headline that implied a lot of people had taken exception to something Gal Gadot, the woman who impressively portrayed Wonder Woman in the movie of the same name, tweeted about Stephen Hawking. I fell for it -- only to discover that the clear majority of folks actually supported what Gadot had tweeted. I can't speak for you, but I am so tired of being lied to. So, this week, I'm going to cherry pick some of the things that just annoyed the hell out of me last week and debunk them. You see, I think you can handle the truth. I also think that if just a few of us constantly work to debunk fake news, then maybe -- just maybe -- the truth really will set us free. I'll close with my product of the week: Snopes, one of the few websites you can visit to find out if that email or social media post is real before you assist the liars by spreading it to your friends. No Bigotry in Gal Gadot's Tweet Gal Gadot is the woman who played Wonder Woman in one of the most powerful movies ever created with a female lead, and one of the most successful movies ever released. Stephen Hawking was a real-life superhero who did not let his extreme disabilities stop him and accomplished more in his lifetime than 99.9 percent of able-bodied humans manage to do. Upon Stephen's death, Gadot posted what appeared to be a respectful, heartfelt tweet: Rest in peace Dr. Hawking. Now you're free of any physical constraints.. Your brilliance and wisdom will be cherished forever pic.twitter.com/EQzSxqNTuN Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) March 14, 2018 So far, around 53K people have liked the tweet -- yet the media reports have focused on the small fraction of people, counted in the hundreds, who took exception to it. Some claimed it was bigoted against disabled people, while others attacked Hawking's views on religion or his positions on Israel. The problem for me is that the headline that drew me to the tweetstorm was "People aren't thrilled with Gal Gadot's tribute to Stephen Hawking." Yet the statistics indicate that around tens of thousands were thrilled with the tribute and a very vocal few hundred weren't -- some who drifted substantially afield of the tweet to take exception to it. So, while the headline is accurate in a sense -- because some people weren't thrilled -- the fact is that a massively larger number of people supported it than took exception to it. Further, it obfuscated the fact that a significant number of those who took exception to it had invented reasons that had nothing to do with the tweet. Saying "Most Everyone Liked Gadot's Tribute Of Hawking" just wouldn't pull enough clicks, I guess. Perhaps the more accurate "A Handful of Assholes Accuse Gadot of Being a Bigot" was too long? Fishy Findings on AMD Security Problems The media reported that CTS Labs had found a series of serious security problems with AMD's processors. This report was dumped on the market and on AMD at the same time, before being vetted. It moved AMD's stock down -- and yet just taking a few minutes to look into CTS Labs should have raised red flags. CTS Labs is staffed with ex-spies and one ex-spy hedge fund manager. The firm doesn't even appear to have the skills needed (microprocessor engineering) to locate the questionable security exposures that were reported. Apparently, while the security problems were real, their significance was not. The problems paled against the issues reported by more credible firms on Intel's parts back in January. (Intel even faces a class action lawsuit tied to this mess.) While I think it is likely Intel is behind the misinformation (AMD is believed to be taking significant share at the moment), equally credible is Linus Torvalds' opinion that the CTS Labs report was an illegal attempt to manipulate AMD's stock price. Nothing says we can't both be right. In the end, while the security problems are real, they are obvious and easily preventable. An analogy would be saying your car has a security flaw because if you leave it unlocked with the keys in it in a bad part of town, it will be stolen. In the case of the CTS Labs claims, according to Torvalds, a systems administrator would have to be criminally negligent to allow these flaws to become a threat. Whether Intel is behind the questionable report or it was an attempt to manipulate AMD's stock price, the problem is that it was taken at face value by a bunch of news services that spread it without vetting it -- doing significant damage to AMD investors and AMD itself just for clicks. That's crap. The right headline, "Unknown Security Firm Tries to Smear AMD," would have been even more interesting and likely not caused harm to the market. Scott Pruitt Unlikely to Be Named Attorney General Granted, this is on the political side, but the amount of fake news coming out of the current administration is so overwhelming that some, like Bill O'Reilly, have coined the term "Trump fatigue." The latest rumor driving a lot of folks nuts is that President Trump is going to replace embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions with embattled Scott Pruitt. The only problem with this "rumor" was that its origin apparently is none other than Scott Pruitt. That alone should ensure that Scott Pruitt isn't going to become attorney general. Before media sources gleefully spread this crap around, they at least should seek out the source. I recall a few years back when there was a rumor surrounding the guy who was to be the next HP CEO, which was being spread by the rumored HP exec. He was not made CEO, and he eventually was fired -- perhaps at least in part for spreading the false rumor (he never was a contender). Perhaps the right headline here is "Scott Pruitt Commits Career Suicide." Facebook's Fake News Caused Genocide I think is it important to point out that false news has consequences. In a United Nations report by Investigator Yanghee Lee, Facebook activity was cited as one of the causes of genocide in Myanmar. Increasingly, governments have been finding that Facebook can be a useful tool to further their agendas -- and if that agenda is killing people, so be it. You might recall that Hillary Clinton recently called out Facebook as one of the key causes of her loss, charging that it basically had worked as an agent for Russia during the 2016 campaign. I am still amazed that the government can say both that Russia interfered with the presidential election and that it did not change the outcome, without a full audit. The irony is that an audit would have shown Clinton won, but the Republicans tried to do an audit and the Democrats blocked them. Granted, Facebook clearly says that Russia didn't impact the election -- and of course, Facebook, which would be culpable if this were not true, isn't exactly the most trusted source for this conclusion. In short, the massive amount of fake news already has had a material impact on many people's lives and, as the United Nations has pointed out, may be responsible for ending a substantial number of them. Wrapping Up It isn't just Trump fatigue but fake news fatigue that concerns me. There is so much false information floating around that it is having a material impact on the quality of our lives -- and for some of us, how long those lives will be (I did warn you). Our inability to separate what is real from what is false quickly has become an existential risk. Faked news promotes anger, pointless fights and stock market swings. If we don't get our arms around this soon, both individually and collectively, I'm worried about our survival. I'll leave you with another powerful movie clip, this one from A Time to Kill, which focuses on the value of truth. We have lost that value and desperately need to recapture it, because the lies have become an existential threat. Interestingly, or ironically, they actually may kill Facebook first. I'm slowly coming around to the view that the only way to save ourselves is if social media networks die first. I am hardly alone, which doesn't speak well to Facebook's long-term survival. Now excuse me as I review the latest UFO sightings. Oh crap Snopes is our greatest defense against a lot of the fake news that is out there, and it is neither staffed nor funded to take this kind of critical load. Still, I've made it a habit to always check Snopes before passing on a juicy tidbit. The latest was a friend sending me an email that showed one of the Columbine parents stunned Congress with a plea against gun control. Interestingly, what was false wasn't the content but the context. Some of this stuff is getting really hard to fact check. However, Snopes called out the false conclusion very nicely, and I wasn't fooled (and didn't pass on the largely false story). Currently some of the "stories" that Snopes is refuting include: You know it is actually almost starting off the day going over the top 50 Urban legends on the site just, so you are ahead of the fake news. By the way, one of the most interesting this week was that a GOP candidate did call one of the Florida massacre survivors a skinhead and a lesbian (and apologized). Sadly, still, the truth can be even more surprising than the fiction. Because it helps me avoid becoming part of the fake news problem, Snopes is my product of the week. Rob Enderle has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2003. His areas of interest include AI, autonomous driving, drones, personal technology, emerging technology, regulation, litigation, M&E, and technology in politics. He has an MBA in human resources, marketing and computer science. He is also a certified management accountant. Enderle currently is president and principal analyst of the Enderle Group, a consultancy that serves the technology industry. He formerly served as a senior research fellow at Giga Information Group and Forrester. Email Rob. Instantly delete email threats with 365 Threat Monitor With 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts, real-time security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click - for free! Learn More. CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday broke Facebook's mysterious silence following news of several investigations into Cambridge Analytica's access to personal data belonging to 50 million Facebook users. Facing the wrath of everyone from U.S. and European regulators to shareholders, customers and employees, Zuckerberg conceded that Facebook must make several changes in how it protects data if it expects to be taken seriously in the future, and it pledged to take those necessary steps. "We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can't we don't deserve to serve you," he wrote in a post on his own Facebook page. "I've been working to understand exactly what happened and how to make sure this doesn't happen again." Facebook earlier this week announced the suspension of Strategic Communication Laboratories and its Cambridge Analytica political data firm for harvesting the personal information of those 50 million Facebook users without their permission. The data gathering was accomplished by leveraging research that a former Cambridge professor, Aleksandr Kogan, had performed with Facebook's approval. Using his "thisisyourdigitallife" app, Kogan sent quizzes to more than 270,000 Facebook members. He then harvested personal data from millions of their friends as well. Kogan passed that information to Cambridge Analytica, which then used it to target voters during the U.S. 2016 presidential election campaign, on behalf of Donald Trump. Zuckerberg acknowledged that Kogan was given permission to conduct the quiz, but added that he had violated Facebook policy by passing on the data to a third party. Zuckerberg also said that after Facebook deleted the app, Kogan, Cambridge Analytica and Christopher Wylie -- the former Cambridge Analytica employee who blew the whistle on the incident -- had reneged on a certification they gave to Facebook that they would delete the millions of data records. New Protocols In a related post on Wednesday, Facebook promised to take steps to prevent any recurrence of this type of activity. The company said it would investigate all apps that have had large amounts of access to customer data, conduct full audits, and ban them if it should find violations. It also plans to implement the following changes: Facebook will disclose to members if their data has been misused by an app. Facebook will turn off an app's access to users who haven't used it in more than three months. Facebook will restrict Facebook login data to the user's name, profile photo and email address. Facebook will encourage members to manage the apps they use. In addition, Facebook will expand its bug bounty program, which rewards people who report security vulnerabilities or misuse of data. Several leading House and Senate committee leaders have fired off letters to Facebook seeking answers on its data policies. Zuckerberg, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and other executives have been urged to appear on Capitol Hill. Arrangements for a staff briefing are under way, according to Frederick Hill, spokesperson for Sen. John Thune, who chairs the Commerce Committee. Heavy Fallout Several customer and investor lawsuits related to the data controversy already have been filed against Facebook. Maryland customer Lauren Price filed a potential class action suit against Facebook and Cambridge Analytica in U.S. District Court in Northern California, which alleges that the failure to safeguard her private data and failure to disclose constitute negligence and violation of California's unfair competition law. Facebook, Zuckerberg and CFO David Wehner are named in Yuan v. Facebook, an investors lawsuit alleging failure to disclose. "We are committed to vigorously enforcing our policies to protect people's information," said Paul Grewal, Facebook's deputy general counsel. "We will take whatever steps are required to see that this happens." The UK's Information Commissioner's Office has been seeking a warrant to enter the offices of Cambridge Analytica, which failed to respond to an earlier request to hand over documents to that office, confirmed spokesperson Helen Booth. Cambridge Analytica on Tuesday announced that it suspended CEO Alexander Nix, naming Alexander Tayler as interim CEO. Nix was suspended after the airing of an undercover report by Channel 4 in the UK, which included hidden camera footage of Nix making statements regarding the firm's use of sex workers to ensnare politicians. The company's board ordered an independent investigation into the comments. Mozilla has launched a petition to get Facebook to change its app permissions. "Individuals' security and privacy on the Internet are fundamental and must not be treated as optional," Mozilla said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by spokesperson Jenifer Boscacci. "With our petition to Facebook we're sending a clear message to the company, take users' privacy more seriously." The Electronic Privacy Information Center has filed a Freedom of Information Request with the Federal Trade Commission, which has launched an investigation into the data disclosures to Cambridge Analytica, to find out if Facebook complied with a 2012 consent order that required it to report to the commission on whether it was maintaining proper privacy controls over data. EPIC and other privacy groups had filed a complaint with the FTC over a previous data leak, which led to an agreement that compelled Facebook to maintain tight controls over third-party data disclosures. Following Zuckerberg's public comments, EPIC Executive Director Marc Rotenberg told the E-Commerce Times that "it's no longer for Facebook to decide what happens next." David Jones has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2015. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, e-commerce, open source, gaming, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. He has written for numerous media outlets, including Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain's New York Business and The New York Times. Email David. Instantly delete email threats for Office 365 With the free app, 365 Threat Monitor, scan all emails as they reach your users' mailboxes to detect ransomware, phishing and spam. Get real-time phone alerts + security breach updates and delete threats instantly with just one click. Download now! The European Union, the UK Information Commissioner, and United States lawmakers have ratcheted up the pressure on Facebook over a user data scandal that threatens to engulf the company. The president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, summed up the stakes in a tweet on Tuesday: We've invited Mark Zuckerberg to the European Parliament. Facebook needs to clarify before the representatives of 500 million Europeans that personal data is not being used to manipulate democracy. Antonio Tajani (@EP_President) March 20, 2018 The EU and the UK on Monday announced separate investigations into reports that Cambridge Analytica harvested the information of 50 million Facebook users without their consent, as part of a data analytics project for the 2016 Trump campaign. A number of U.S. lawmakers also have begun demanding answers from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other prominent Silicon Valley executives, amid a growing uproar over the reports, which surfaced last week. Allegations of misuse of Facebook user data is an unacceptable violation of our citizens' privacy rights. The European Parliament will investigate fully, calling digital platforms to account. #CambridgeAnalytics #CambridgeAnalyticaFiles Antonio Tajani (@EP_President) March 19, 2018 In the UK, where Cambridge Analytica is based, an investigation is also under way. "A full understanding of the facts, data flows and data uses is imperative for my ongoing investigation," said UK Informational Commissioner Elizabeth Denham. "This includes any new information, statements or evidence that may have come to light in recent days." Ahead of the Story Facebook late last week suspended Cambridge Analytica and its parent company, Strategic Communication Laboratories Group, following disclosures that they had obtained personal information of more than 50 million Facebook users in violation of the company's terms of service. "Protecting people's information is at the heart of everything we do, and we require the same from people who operate apps on Facebook," said Paul Grewal, deputy general counsel at Facebook. "If these reports are true, it's a serious abuse of our rules." Aleksandr Kogan, a University of Cambridge professor, in 2015 violated Facebook's platform policy and lied to the company after passing data along to SCL/Cambridge Analytica with a personality prediction app he created called "thisisyourdigitallife," Facebook asserted in a post explaining its position. The app, which was downloaded by about 270,000 Facebook users, basically harvested information not only from those users, but also from friends of those users, in order to create sophisticated profiles based on their likes, preferences, and other information gleaned from their online activity, according to Facebook. After the 2015 violation, Facebook removed the app from the site and got certification from Kogan and SCL/Cambridge Analytica -- and also from Christopher Wylie of Eunoia Technologies, another third-party firm that got the data -- that they had destroyed all the information obtained through the app, according to Facebook. Following its suspension, Cambridge Analytica maintained that it had contracted with Global Science Research to obtain the data in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act, and that it had deleted any data obtained through GSR after learning of the violation of Facebook's terms of service. Cambridge Analytica issued a statement claiming that it had worked with Facebook to ensure its satisfaction with the measures taken, and that it not breached any terms of service knowingly. It also provided a signed statement confirming deletion of all the improperly harvested data. The company added that no data obtained from GSR was used as part of the services it provided the 2016 Trump campaign. The company later denied a report on Channel 4 in the UK that it had offered to set up "honeypots" to entrap politicians in scandals. Christopher Wylie, a whistleblower and former Cambridge Analytica employee, said in multiple media interviews and on Twitter that Facebook had suspended his account for blowing the whistle on its involvement in this activity. Suspended by @facebook. For blowing the whistle. On something they have known privately for 2 years. pic.twitter.com/iSu6VwqUdG Christopher Wylie (@chrisinsilico) March 18, 2018 Hearings Demanded Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and John Kennedy, R-La., have asked Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to hold hearings with testimony from major technology executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google. Sens. John Thune, R-La., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., fired off a letter to Zuckerberg and SCL Group CEO Nigel Oaks asking for a briefing and additional information regarding how user data was shared. Thune chairs the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Wicker and Moran chair two of its prominent subcommittees, with oversight of consumer data issues. Facebook has been under fire since the 2016 general election for spreading fake news that was designed to influence voter behavior, particularly in certain key states. President Trump won the Electoral College with narrow victories in three states, despite having lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton. "This has particular resonance for politicians and regulators, both in the U.S. and Britain, who think Facebook has been lackadaisical in policing misuse of the platform," Rick Edmonds, media business analyst at Poynter, told the E-Commerce Times. The Federal Trade Commission has failed to enforce a consent order from 2011 in which Facebook pledged to protect the privacy of user data, said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Facebook should never have disclosed this data to a third party," he told the E-Commerce Times, "but the FTC dropped the ball. It simply failed to enforce its own legal judgment." David Jones has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2015. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, e-commerce, open source, gaming, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles. He has written for numerous media outlets, including Reuters, Bloomberg, Crain's New York Business and The New York Times. Email David. A nationally known civil rights lawyer and environmental advocate died after setting himself on fire in Brooklyn's Prospect Park on Saturday to protest environmental destruction. David Buckel, 60, doused himself with an accelerant before starting a fire that ultimately killed him. "I apologize to you for the mess," he wrote in a suicide note he left in a shopping cart near his body, the Daily News reported. In an emailed copy of the note the New York Times received, he said: "Pollution ravages our planet, oozing inhabitability via air, soil, water and weather. Most humans on the planet now breathe air made unhealthy by fossil fuels, and many die early deaths as a resultmy early death by fossil fuel reflects what we are doing to ourselves." The Times further reported: In his note, which was received by the Times at 5:55 a.m., Mr. Buckel discussed the difficulty of improving the world even for those who make vigorous efforts to do so. Privilege, he said, was derived from the suffering of others. "Many who drive their own lives to help others often realize that they do not change what causes the need for their help," Mr. Buckel wrote, adding that donating to organizations was not enough. Noting that he was privileged with "good health to the final moment," Mr. Buckel said he wanted his death to lead to increased action. "Honorable purpose in life invites honorable purpose in death," he wrote. Buckel was the lead attorney in Brandon v. County of Richardson, a lawsuit regarding Brandon Teena, a transgender man who was murdered in Nebraska. Teena's tragic story was the subject of the Oscar-winning 1999 film Boys Don't Cry, starring Hilary Swank. The environmental activist was the senior organics recovery coordinator with the NYC Compost Project and worked as an Added Value member at the Red Hook Community Farm. In the video below, Buckel explains how to build a windrow to make rich compost for the local community. Family and friends told the New York Times they were shocked by Buckel's death. They acknowledged he had become distraught over the national politics of climate change"all that's going on with the Trump administration and the rollback by [Scott] Pruitt at the Environmental Protection Agency," his partner of nearly 34 years, Terry Kaelber told the newspaper. Experts caution that the cause of suicide is unknown, but can include psychiatric illness, in particular, mood disorders. A growing body of research shows that climate change is taking a significant toll on mental health, according to 2017 report from the American Psychological Association. The report finds that "ecoanxiety"the feeling of impending environmental doomis happening on a global scale. Buckel also served as marriage project director at Lambda Legal, a national organization that fights for the civil rights of LGBT people. He was the strategist behind same-sex marriage cases in New Jersey and Iowa. He "was all about justice, but he was also all about what it means to be human," Susan Sommer, a former Lambda Legal lawyer who is now the general counsel for the mayor's office of criminal justice in New York, told the Times. "He was a very smart and methodical lawyer. He knew his craft and his trade and was strategic in how to build the blocks toward a sweeping victory," Sommer said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday he is ready to offer financial aid and new legislation to push forward the contentious Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion that will triple production of tar sands going from Alberta to British Columbia. Houston-based developer Kinder Morgan has threatened to scrap the $7.4 billion (USD $5.9 billion) project unless political and legal opposition is resolved by May 31. The energy giant's move came after fierce opposition from environmental activists and Indigenous groups, as well as escalating tension between the Albertan and British Columbian governments. But after a meeting with the premiers of Alberta and British Columbia on Sunday, Trudeau insisted the project will go ahead. "The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is of vital strategic interest to Canada," he said. "It will be built." "I have instructed the minister of finance to initiate formal financial discussions with Kinder Morgan, the result of which will be to remove the uncertainty overhanging the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project," Trudeau noted. Trudeau added that he is seeking federal jurisdiction over the pipeline "We are actively pursuing legislative options that will assert and reinforce the government of Canada's jurisdiction in this matter," he said. But British Columbia's Horgan said after the meeting he will continue to fight the pipeline expansion due to the threat of oil spills in the province. "My obligation is to the people of B.C., and I will defend that until I am no longer premier," Horgan said Sunday. However, he said he will back down if the court rules against his government, the Globe and Mail reported. In a statement from the Protect the Inlet initiative, the Indigenous-led group reminds the federal government that Kinder Morgan's project does not have their consent. "The Prime Minister is saying they are in negotiations with Kinder Morgan to ensure an end to uncertainty. What he is ignoring is that we are the uncertainty. We will not be bought and we will block this pipeline," Will George, Watch House guardian and project leader, said. Greenpeace Canada's climate and energy campaigner Mike Hudema also commented, "If Trudeau believes he can ram this pipeline through, he is misreading both the constitution and the electorate, while underestimating the opposition on the ground." "Bailing out failing projects, strong-arming Indigenous communities by ignoring their right to consent, and bypassing calls for science-based decision making are ways to create a crisis, not solve one," he said. Kinder Morgan told Reuters it would not comment on Trudeau's remarks "until we've reached a sufficiently definitive agreement on or before May 31 that satisfies our objectives." A study has found that living in cities with high air pollution puts children and young adults at risk for Alzheimer's and suicide, The University of Montana reported Friday. University of Montana researcher Dr. Lilian Calderon-Garciduenas was part of a team that looked at the autopsies of 203 residents of Mexico City, which has daily ozone and particulate matter levels above U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. The subjects they studied ranged in age from 11 months to 40 years, and the researchers found signs of Alzheimer's in 99.5 percent of them, including in less-than-a-year-old babies. "Alzheimer's disease starting in the brainstem of young children and affecting 99.5% of young urbanites is a serious health crisis," the abstract of the study, published in Environmental Research on March 23, warned. The researchers, who also included participants from the Universidad del Valle de Mexico, the Instituto Nacional de Pediatria, Boise State University, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Medica Sur and the Universidad Autonoma de Piedras Negras, looked for two abnormal proteins linked to the development of Alzheimer's: hyperphosphorylated tau and beta amyloid. They found increased levels of both in the study's subjects. "Alzheimer's disease hallmarks start in childhood in polluted environments, and we must implement effective preventative measures early," Calderon-Garciduenas said in the University of Montana press release. "It is useless to take reactive actions decades later." Researchers theorized that particulate matter increased Alzheimer's risk as it enters the brain through the gastrointestinal tract, nose and lungs. The circulatory system carries particulate matter throughout the body and damages barriers. The study is not the first to suggest that air pollution is a risk for the brain, especially in children. A study published in March found brain abnormalities in school-aged children in the Netherlands whose mothers were exposed to particulate matter when they were pregnant, U.S. News and World Report reported. The abnormalities were linked to behavioral problems and impulse control and, crucially, occurred even when the pollution the mothers were exposed to was beneath levels determined safe by EU law. "To me, air pollution is kind of the next lead, in a way," University of Rochester environmental medicine professor Deborah Cory-Slechta told Popular Science in early April. Cory-Slechta was alerted to the brain problems caused by air pollution when colleagues using mice to study the impact of air pollution on lung development invited her to look at the mice's brains. She found damage in almost every part of the brains two months after pollution exposure had ended. According to the Popular Science article, living in highly air polluted areas has been linked to poor memory, lower intelligence-test performance and behavioral problems. As the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health points out , Mexico City has made important strides in reducing air pollution since the World Health Organization found it the most polluted city in the world in 1992. However, the University of Montana study warns that it, and, indeed, every polluted city, still has more work to do to protect its children's brains. There is urgent need to protect the safety of all children in school. There have been more than 60 school shootings since the Sandy Hook attack in 2012, according to an analysis by TIME. Since the Feb. 14 Parkland, Fla., shooting, the Educators School Safety Network has recorded an increase in school-based violent threats across the nation: 50 threats per day on average. In the 2017-18 school year, there have been violent incidents or threats in 48 states to date. Often, school shooters direct their rage at the schools they attend or attended. This does not suggest that our schools are to blame, but it can serve as a sign that a shooters experiences at school, clouded by difficult home experiences, mental-health issues, or other problems, provided an easy-to-access arena to take out their frustrations. Up until now, many schools have treated students with mental-health issues reactively, rather than proactively. Too frequently, students behaviors may not be sufficiently chronic to warrant an out-of-district educational setting or even identification as a student who needs extra attention and services. These students walk school halls, often growing more isolated and angry from lack of acceptance by their peers. In our experiences as a school leader and a licensed mental-health professional, we know that many students who receive treatment for mental-health issues outside of school are not able to get the same kinds of resources that they need in school. Because schools have no legal mandate to treat mental disorders, school providers of support-based mental-health services are not required to have a specific license for such treatment. Coordination with licensed community mental-health providers is often difficult to establish and maintain. Thats why, in the wake of the Parkland shooting, we wanted to come up with a model for schools to identify and treat students with homicidal thinking early, thereby reducing the likelihood of harm to the school community. While Response to Intervention, or RTI, is a widely used process for intervening when students experience academic difficulties, schools can also utilize it to service students who need urgent attention and might not have a special education or other high-need status to alert educators. RTI encourages early identification of students who are at risk for behavioral or academic problems. Many students who receive treatment for mental-health issues outside of school are not able to get the same kinds of resources that they need in school." In terms of identification, the students most at risk for causing harm are those who present some combination of signals , including drawing pictures or writing about harm to others, making verbal statements about hurting others (online or in person), assaulting other students for minimal slights, and disrupting the classroom process with outbursts. Some students may not be participating in school activities, not joining others at lunch, or walking alone between classes. So what happens if a schools RTI team decides that a students behavior warrants a threat assessment and uncovers potential danger to the school community? At this point, mental-health treatment is critical. We propose a mental-health safety program with evidence-based components as a viable option. We created one such program using our combined experience with program development in the school setting and the treatment of homicidal patients in the clinical setting. The program is a sustained clinical treatment processthat is, a coordinated mental-health approach between an out-of-school clinician who is treating the student and the clinician within the school program. Clinicians, teachers, and police officers who are assigned to the program, as well students parents, would meet together at regular intervals to review what students need most. Psychiatric consultation would be available as needed. School staff, community providers, and local law enforcement could refer their concerns to a mental health safety board for evaluation and disposition. While our program is not yet in use anywhere, we would provide guidance for implementation for school leaders and staff. This would include strategies for communicating and interacting effectively with students in all areas of the program from entry to exit each day; teaching ways to help students with brain-based differences that affect their communication and learning develop social skills; setting meaningful agendas for the programs daily schedule; and providing training manuals for specific areas of the program. We believe this model will help students who demonstrate signs of homicidal thinking in the following ways: Offer a welcoming and focused learning environment for students who need to be removed from the social stress of the mainstream environment. Involve community mental-health and law-enforcement personnel, as well as psychiatric consultation, in an integrated and shared approach to in-school treatment. All schools face the challenge of educating students on top of keeping them safe. School districts need cost-effective solutions to do so amidst this growing national problem. There is no time to wait. While big, rampage-style school shootings get most of the attention in school safety debates, smaller incidents of gun violence in school can also traumatize students and staff and upend their sense of safety. Los Angeles teacher Sherry Zelsdorf learned that firsthand. In February, a 12-year-old girl fired a handgun in her science class at Salvador Castro Middle School, the bullet striking two students. It happened quickly, so quickly that Zelsdorf wasnt sure what she was feeling when a piece of shrapnel struck her in the forehead. The incident briefly dominated cable news coverage as helicopters filmed students evacuating the school in single-file lines with their hands held over their heads, unsure of how many were wounded inside. But after Los Angeles police said they suspected the student fired the gun unintentionally, much of that attention faded away. Zelsdorf took some time off work to recover. When she returned to her classroom on Feb. 14, she made Valentines with her students to ease back into the routine. Later that day across the country, a former student shot and killed 17 people in a Parkland, Fla., high school, setting off school safety debates that have already sparked policy changes at the state and federal level. It was barely in the news, Zelsdorf said of the incident in her classroom. I had never feared for my safety at school, and I didnt think that kids did either. Its supposed to be like their safe space. While much of the focus since the Parkland shooting has been on divisive issues like gun laws, she believes there are smaller, easier changes schools can make right away to ensure safety, like evaluating practices such as random searches to make sure they are effective. Educators can also work to change the culture of schools so that students feel comfortable reporting safety concerns about their peers, Zelsdorf said. No one has to vote on those things, she said. Salvador Castro Middle School enrolls 345 students, nearly all of them Hispanic and nearly all of them with family incomes low enough to qualify them for free and reduced-priced lunches. Many of those students carry pain with them from traumatic experiences before they immigrated to the United States, Zelsdorf said. And many of them face difficult circumstances, like exposure to gang violence, outside of school. And now the trauma was in their classroom. Gun incidents in schools are painful, overwhelming experiences for students, even if no one dies, Zelsdorf said. And regardless of the students intention, she still had access to a loaded gun, she still decided to bring it to school, and she still made it into a classroom with the firearm undetected. What Happened That Day On Feb. 1, students were working independently in Zelsdorfs first period, 7th grade science class, when a student sitting right in front of where the teacher stood asked her for a worksheet. Its really quiet, a girl said as students continued to work. Right at that moment, there was an explosion, Zelsdorf said. It was the gunshot. She felt something smack her forehead. In that instant, I was thinking, what was that? she said. It was the loudest thing I had ever heard. She sized up the situation in a matter of seconds, but explaining what she saw could take an hour to unpack: The boy who had taken the worksheet was bleeding from the forehead. About four desks away, a girl was bleeding from the wrist. Students started to scream as they saw the blood. A teacher ran in from next door, putting pressure on the girls wrist to stop the bleeding as Zelsdorf rushed her students into his classroom, she said. As he helped her, the girl said she believed a classmate sitting right next to her had a gun. That classmate had evacuated into the other classroom with her peers, apparently bringing the gun with her. She stood silently in the back of the room as a school police officer from Belmont High School, which shares a campus with the middle school, came to take her into custody. Police said the gun fired one bullet from inside a backpack that traveled through the girls wrist before striking her classmate in the head. Two other students and Zelsdorf had more minor injuries, like abrasion wounds. The school went on lockdown as a precautionary measure as officers ensured that no other students had guns. See Also: School Shootings This Year: How Many and Where It wasnt until Zelsdorf later returned to her room that she really grasped the extent of what had happened. The worksheet she had give the boy, the one who had been injured, still sat where he left it. He had circled maybe one word, Zelsdorf said. There was a pool of blood on the desk, there was blood on the walls, there was blood everywhere. Close to her family, Zelsdorf trades text messages with her mother regularly. The day the gun went off in her classroom, she was so shaken up that she couldnt figure out how to word the message she kept trying to type into her phone letting her know what had happened. You go to the airport and you know that no one is bringing a gun on the airplane, she said. You cant even bring a water bottle through. Prosecutors later charged the girl who brought the gun with two felonies: being a minor in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm on school grounds. Its unclear exactly how the gun went off, where the student got it, and why she brought it to school. Some students, talking with local news reporters that day, speculated she was preparing to show it off to her peers. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Unified School District would not answer questions about the students disciplinary status last week, citing federal privacy laws. Safety Concerns The incident sparked some immediate conversations about school safety in Los Angeles, conversations that later intensified in that district and in districts around the country after the Florida shooting. Within hours of the Salvador Castro Middle School incident, the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times called for the district to examine whether its policy of random searches for weapons is effective at detecting weapons in students bags and deterring them from bringing them to school in the first place. Among the papers concerns: Are the searches being performed consistently? And are any students being unfairly singled out? Was the incident proof that the district needed to do more searches? Or that the searches arent effective in the first place? National civil rights groups have said equipment like metal detectors and practices like random searches can build a sense of distrust between students, particularly students of color, and school staff. But parents and schools often believe such measures are necessary to keep weapons out of schools. The shame of the matter is that no one really knows because, despite years of challenges to the random searches (known as wanding), the district still hasnt taken a comprehensive look at whether its policy is effective, the Los Angeles Times editorial said. Nor has it examined whether other forms of violence protection might be just as effective without the intrusiveness that fosters a culture of mistrust between students and school staff. Such searches have fallen out of favor in many schools, the most recent federal data show. In 2015-16, 4.5 percent of U.S. public schools reported random metal detector checks, compared to 7.2 percent of schools in 1999-2000. And that decline happened as the use of other security measures, like controlled entrances and security cameras, increased. Overall, crime and school safety issues have decreased in recent years, the data show. But still, 6 percent of public high schools and 2.6 percent of public middle schools reported taking a serious disciplinary action against a student for use or possession of a firearm or explosive device in 2015-16, according to the federal data. In 2015, about 4 percent of students in grades 9-12 responding to a federal survey reported carrying a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property in the previous 30 days, and 4.2 percent of students ages 12-18 reported having access to a loaded gun, without adult permission. Say Something Beyond physical safety measures, Zelsdorf wants schools to encourage students to tell adults if they think their peers may have a weapon or may be intent on harming others. And she wants them to make that process easy, accessible, and as routine and well known as what they practice in routine safety drills. Los Angeles Unified has a safety tip hotline, but Zelsdorf said she wasnt aware of it. Shes heard rumors some students may have known their classmate had a gun at school that day, but middle students can be intimidated about reporting their peers, she said. The culture at the school is that kids are very afraid to tell on each other, Zelsdorf said. None of them wanted to say that there was a gun. Her concerns fit within a larger school safety conversation that has unfolded since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Some family members of that shootings victims started Sandy Hook Promise, an advocacy organization that pushes for gun violence prevention. Its Say Something program brings training and workshops to schools to teach students the importance of reporting safety concernsthe group cites a federal report that shows mass shooters often leak their intentions by telling friends and family members of their plans in advance. The organization recently launched a free threat-reporting system it is rolling out in partnership with school districts. And the Stop School Violence Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law as part of a spending bill after the Parkland shootings, includes funds for reporting systems, threat assessment, and training students about the importance of violence prevention. Los Angeles Unified announced plans March 1 to form a school safety task force that includes parents, teachers, and support staff. And Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said he plans to form a blue ribbon panel that will hold a series of public hearings before releasing a report over the summer, the district said in a letter to parents. LAUSD also reminded parents of existing safety procedures and called on them to ensure their firearms are securely stored away from children. Teaching Through Trauma After the incident at Salvador Castro Middle School, LAUSD held an emergency meeting with the schools staff. The district brought in an emergency response team including counselors, who met with students whod been affected, said Pia Escudero, the districts director of mental health. LAUSD has a network of 50 student-wellness centers located throughout the district that provide health care and mental health care to students, she said. The wellness center at Belmont High School, which shares a campus with Salvador Castro, has seen a surge of referrals from students whod been in the school that day and from students in other schools in the area, Escudero said. For some, the school safety concerns triggered memories of previous incidents in their own lives. Mostly, our children are exposed to community violence, she said. If they have experience with violence, it happens in the neighborhood. Mental-health experts say exposure to traumatic experiences can affect childrens brain development and life trajectories, but the influence of concerned and supportive adults can help counteract those effects. Zelsdorf wants all teachers to have more training in how to support students whove experienced trauma, including the more normalized trauma many of her students have experienced outside of school. It should be as regular as training for CPR, she said. When she returned to school, her classes had been moved to a new room, but the desks were arranged the same as they had been. As he found a new seat, one of her students said he wanted to sit in the back of the room, so he wouldnt get shot. It was a reminder of how the experience had affected him. Returning to the classroom was difficultboth for the students and for their teacher, Zelsdorf said. And healing from such an experience is not something she knows how to model for the children she teaches. It was definitely scary to be back in the classroom, she said. You want to be able to keep them safe, but I couldnt have done anything to make the gun not go off in the classroom. Related Video In the wake of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting, districts are grappling with how to keep students safe. Education Week looks at how a Texas district hopes to balance security and making sure students feel comfortable: Author of New York Times best-seller "An American Marriage," Tayari Jones will join Emory University's renowned Creative Writing Program this fall. Photo credit: Nina Subin New York Times bestselling author and critically acclaimed writer Tayari Jones will join Emory University's renowned Creative Writing Program this fall as a member of the English faculty in Emory College of Arts and Sciences. A native of Atlanta whose hometown features prominently in her writing, Jones is the author of four novels, most recently "An American Marriage" (Algonquin Books, 2018), an Oprahs Book Club Selection this year. "It is a deep pleasure to welcome to our faculty an artist with the talent and reach of Tayari Jones. Her appointment extends Emory's remarkable record as a home to important voices in contemporary literature, says Michael A. Elliott, Dean of Emory College of Arts and Sciences. Her other books include: "Leaving Atlanta," based on her experiences growing up during the Atlanta Child Murders; "The Untelling," also set in Atlanta and the recipient of the Lillian Smith Book Award; and "Silver Sparrow," selected by the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read Library of Contemporary Classics. "This appointment at Emory is truly a homecoming for me as a Southern writer. I'm thrilled to return home and teach creative writing at one of the best universities in the nation and the flagship for higher education in the South," Jones says. Jones is a graduate of Spelman College, where a class with Atlanta playwright and author Pearl Cleage her sophomore year fostered a passion for creative writing that set the course for her career. "A major draw for coming to Emory was the opportunity to teach and mentor undergraduates, and to foster the next generation by helping young writers find their voice and their path," Jones says. Jones also is a graduate of the University of Iowa and Arizona State University. She joins Emory from Rutgers University-Newark where she was a founding member of the university's MFA program in creative writing. A member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers, Jones is a recipient of the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Fine Arts from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, United States Artist Fellowship, NEA Fellowship and Radcliffe Institute Bunting Fellowship. She has spent the 2017-18 academic year as the Shearing Fellow for Distinguished Writers at the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 2018-04-16 Maeci The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, is in Luxembourg to attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council. The points on the agenda include the situation in Syria and EU relations with Iran and the Russian Federation. The meeting will be followed by a working lunch on the Western Balkans. Minister Alfano will also take part in a working breakfast with the foreign ministers of the EPP. DARIEN, IL - April 16, 2018 - A position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) concludes that fatigue and sleepiness are inherent safety risks in the ridesharing industry. Both sleep deprivation and circadian influences leave ridesharing drivers at risk for drowsy driving. The typical schedule for workers in the ridesharing industry may lead to driving after extended periods of wakefulness or during nights. These drivers also are often independent contractors who are not screened for medical problems that can reduce alertness, such as obstructive sleep apnea. "We are dealing with a public safety issue, where low fares and salary incentives compel drivers to continue driving past their safety limits. They may be unaware of the huge risks they are taking or have the false belief that sleep is overrated. Their customers, meanwhile, usually aren't asking themselves, 'How alert is my driver right now?' They aren't even thinking about drowsy driving. This is a formula for disaster," said senior author Dr. Indira Gurubhagavatula, an associate professor of medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. "We need to raise awareness and gather information. Without accurate estimates of how common this is, or regulation, it's the wild west of transportation out there." The position statement is published in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that an average of 328,000 annual crashes in the U.S. involve a drowsy driver, including 109,000 that result in injuries and 6,400 that involve a fatality. The National Transportation Safety Board also included "reduce fatigue-related accidents" on its 2017-2018 Most Wanted List of the 10 most critical changes needed to reduce transportation accidents and save lives. In February, ridesharing company Uber announced that it is requiring drivers to go offline for six straight hours after a total of 12 hours of driving time. Similarly, Lyft requires its drivers to take a six-hour break for every 14 hours of driving. However, the AASM considers these limits to be insufficient since many ridesharing drivers work multiple jobs or drive for more than one ridesharing company, and they often drive late at night and early in the morning when sleepiness may peak. "The American Academy of Sleep Medicine calls on ridesharing companies, government officials, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers to work together to address fatigue and sleepiness in the ridesharing industry," said AASM President Dr. Ilene Rosen. "A collaborative effort is necessary to reduce this public safety risk." Visit the Awake at the Wheel campaign page for tips from the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project to help you recognize the warning signs of drowsy driving. ### To request a copy of the statement, "The Risk of Fatigue and Sleepiness in the Ridesharing Industry: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Position Statement," or to arrange an interview with the senior author or an AASM spokesperson, please contact Communications Coordinator Corinne Lederhouse at 630-737-9700, ext. 9366, or clederhouse@aasm.org. The monthly, peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine is the official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, a professional membership society that improves sleep health and promotes high quality, patient-centered care through advocacy, education, strategic research, and practice standards (aasm.org). The AASM encourages patients to talk to their doctor about sleep problems and visit SleepEducation.org for more information about sleep, including a searchable directory of AASM-accredited sleep centers. Dr. Christian Marin-Muller's grandmother died of cancer before he was born. It saddens him that he never had the chance to meet her, but thanks to her he knew from an early age what he wanted to be when he grew up. He would become a scientist and find a way to fight cancer so nobody else would have to lose a grandma. Fast forward almost 40 years. Marin-Muller has achieved major milestones along his journey to provide cancer patients with better treatments. He has a Master of Science degree in molecular biology from the Florida Institute of Technology and an M.S. in biotechnology entrepreneurship from Case Western Reserve University. For this master's thesis, he developed a business plan for launching a biotechnology startup company. He raised several rounds of seed investment funding, obtained exclusive licensing agreements for proprietary technologies from several institutions and developed distribution agreements with suppliers and manufacturers in half a dozen countries. Within three years, the company had more than 600 customers and distributed 750,000 products, including its own product line of laboratory supplies. Marin-Muller was selected one of the "Top 10 entrepreneurs under age 30 in Ohio" by Inside Business Magazine. Then, he returned to science. He enrolled in Baylor College of Medicine's doctorate program in molecular virology and microbiology and joined the lab of Dr. Qizhi Cathy Yao, professor of surgery, molecular virology and microbiology and pathology and immunology. Marin-Muller wanted to work on one of Yao's lines of research developing effective therapeutics for pancreatic cancer. "Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The disease affects around 300,000 people every year around the world. Eighty percent of them dies that same year," Marin-Muller said. During his doctorate studies, he worked with microRNA-198 (miR-198). He found that this molecule naturally present in the body is abundant in normal cells, but is dramatically reduced in cancer cells. When he analyzed samples of human pancreatic cancer, he found that patients with the lowest levels had a shorter life expectancy than those with higher levels. The molecule is a tumor suppressor, but when its levels are reduced, it helps tumors grow. "We showed that if we reintroduced miR-198 into cancer cells grown in the laboratory and in animal models of the disease, we were able to control tumor growth and metastasis," Marin-Muller said. "The promising preclinical in vivo treatment data we have generated strongly suggest that miR-198 has significant potential to become a novel effective therapy for pancreatic cancer," said Yao, who also is a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. From lab bench to bedside The question then was, Can miR-198 become a drug to treat pancreatic cancer? After graduation, Marin-Muller founded Speratum CR, S.A., a fast-growing biotechnology startup company, based in San Jose, Costa Rica. Its primary mission is to develop a microRNA-directed treatment for pancreatic cancer as well as other relevant human malignancies. In April 2015, Baylor College of Medicine and Speratum executed an exclusive worldwide license agreement to enable commercial development of miR-198 technology for pancreatic cancer treatment with an exclusive option to expand the development to treat other types of cancer. Two U.S. patents were granted to Baylor on the miR-198 technology, and there is one additional U.S. patent application pending. During the past two years, the Speratum team has successfully completed a variety of preclinical studies of miR-198, and the results further validate the efficacy and safety of miR-198 in treating cancer. Speratum has been successful in its fundraising efforts and has thus far raised $1.4 million in private equity investment and another $200,000 in non-refundable grants, which will enable them to move into the next phase of development. And Speratum is already expanding. Since early February 2018, the company has had a laboratory at the Rotterdam Science Tower in the Netherlands, and it recently won first place as the most innovative company in the Netherlands, the Axon Innovation for Health Award. Speratum expects to initiate its first trial in human subjects in the next 12 months. Another key issue to this novel treatment approach was how to deliver miR-198. RNA has proven to be difficult to deliver to cells by itself, prompting a number of labs to develop different types of delivery systems. "For example, liposomes can be used clinically and have been tested to deliver RNA, but they are not very efficient," said Dr. Changyi Johnny Chen, professor of surgery and molecular and cellular biology at Baylor College of Medicine. "For almost 10 years, my laboratory has been developing DNA/RNA delivery systems. Finally, we designed, synthesized and characterized a new LGA-modified PEI polymer. This delivery system can self-assemble into nanoparticles and deliver nucleic acids both to cell cultures in the lab and to animal models, including difficult to transfect cells and organs, or tumors in animal models." The Chen lab is aiming to develop the LGA-PEI nanoparticle delivery technology for human use. It has increased delivery efficiency and lower toxicity than other delivery technologies. "Since we moved to Baylor 16 years ago, Dr. Yao's lab and mine have been studying a lot of genes. Our findings encouraged us to investigate the possibility that the RNAs we were studying had clinical applications," said Chen, who also is a member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center. "If they did, we were going to need an effective and safe delivery system. They were not available at the time, so my lab focused on developing one." Baylor and Speratum entered into an exclusive option agreement in April 2016 to the LGA-PEI nanoparticle delivery technology developed by Chen's research team. This LGA-PEI polymer delivery system also may carry reagents other than nucleic acids and can be customized for targeted delivery, thus having broad research and clinical applications. Upon conducting comparative studies with other delivery vehicle candidates, Speratum elected to exercise its option and executed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Baylor in December 2017 for the LGA-PEI nanoparticle technology. The licensed patent portfolio from Baylor includes patent applications in the U.S., Europe and other foreign jurisdictions, which would further strengthen Speratum's global presence. Speratum plans to use the LGA-PEI nanoparticle as the delivery vehicle for miR-198 in its clinical trials, and is optimizing necessary protocols and apparatus. It also will develop the LGA-PEI nanoparticle to target the research reagent market. "We are incredibly excited by the opportunity to co-develop these two complementary technologies," said Marin-Muller. "The synergy between this uniquely powerful delivery technology and our potent tumor suppressor means we have unlimited potential to treat the most devastating forms of cancer. In addition, we can now fully exploit the potential for drug delivery for an unprecedented and virtually unlimited number of applications. All this has been possible thanks to the support provided by a team of dedicated scientists who work closely with Dr. Chen and Dr. Yao to move our science forward." "It has been gratifying for us to see Speratum take off and achieve success with the preclinical development of the miR-198 therapeutic candidate. I am very pleased that the company and Baylor College of Medicine have expanded the scope of their relationship to incorporate Chen's nanoparticle delivery technology. With Christian Marin-Muller's dedicated leadership, I look forward to hearing more about Speratum's future successes," said Michael Dilling, director of the Baylor Licensing Group. ### Using two complementary approaches to reduce the deposits of amyloid-beta in the brain rather than either approach alone improved spatial navigation and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. These findings suggest that similar combination treatments also might help patients with Alzheimer's disease in the future. The study appears in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. "Many of the therapies that are currently being developed to treat Alzheimer's disease focus on reducing the levels of amyloid-beta," said corresponding author Dr. Joanna Jankowsky, associate professor of neuroscience, molecular and cellular biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Baylor College of Medicine. "Amyloid-beta is a small protein that is abundant in the amyloid plaques that characterize Alzheimer's disease." All previous clinical trials designed to reduce the levels of amyloid-beta using one therapy at a time have had limited success. Jankowsky and her colleagues have previously shown that combining two complementary treatments to reduce amyloid-beta not only curbs further plaque growth, but also helps to clear plaques that have already formed. With a combination approach, animals finished the study with less amyloid than they had at the start of treatment. In this study, Jankowsky and colleagues determined for the first time the benefits of dual amyloid-beta treatment on brain functions, such as spatial navigation and memory, in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Two is better than one To reduce the levels of amyloid-beta the researchers attacked the problem from two fronts. On one front, they worked with a mouse model genetically engineered to stop the production of amyloid-beta. On the other front, they promoted the elimination of amyloid-beta with antibodies that bind to this protein and promote its elimination. "Using this combined approach, we were able to reduce the levels of amyloid-beta, but, importantly, restored spatial learning and memory to the level observed in healthy mice," Jankowsky said. The other contribution of this study was the identification of potential alternative therapeutic targets. "Dr. Angie Chiang, a recent Ph.D. graduate from my lab and the first author of this work, was interested in identifying a molecular mechanism supporting our observations and decided to look at the mTOR pathway," Jankowsky said. The mTOR protein is part of a complex that carries out a multitude of functions within cells, including the formation of synapses -- the connections between neurons-- their maintenance and plasticity. This pathway also regulates autophagy, one of the cellular processes that eliminates amyloid-beta. The mTOR pathway sits at the intersection of these processes that Jankowsky and her colleagues found changed as a result of treatment. "The neurons had roadblocks that were causing them to swell and malfunction; the double treatment helped clear that roadblock," Jankowsky said. "Also, synapses lost as a result of the amyloid deposits were rebuilt, and the animals improved learning and memory." The researchers showed that the mTOR pathway correlates with brain improvements observed in their mice and suggest that future studies might test whether the pathway is necessary to mediate such improvements. "If mTOR signaling is necessary for the improvements, it might become an alternative target for combination therapy," Jankowsky said. "We hope that our findings will be valuable in discussions about future human clinical trials." ### Other contributors to this work include Stephanie W. Fowler, Ricky R. Savjani, Susan G. Hilsenbeck, Clare E. Wallace, John R. Cirrito and Pritam Das. The authors are associated with one of the following institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Washington University and Mayo Clinic Florida. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant R01 NS092515, a gift from the Robert A. and Rene E. Belfer Family Foundation, NIH Biology of Aging training grant T32 AG000183 and by a Gates Millennium Scholarship. The Monoclonal Antibody/Recombinant Protein Expression Shared Resource at Baylor College of Medicine was funded by NIH Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA125123. DURHAM, N.C. -- Adrian Bejan, Duke's J.A. Jones Professor of Mechanical Engineering and father of the constructal theory of thermodynamics, will receive the 2018 Benjamin Franklin Medal on April 19. The Franklin Institute Awards have publicly recognized and encouraged outstanding accomplishments in science and technology since the Institute was founded in 1824. Bejan was cited for "his pioneering interdisciplinary contributions in thermodynamics and convection heat transfer that have improved the performance of engineering systems, and for constructal theory, which predicts natural design and its evolution in engineering, scientific, and social systems." "Duke University finally has its first homegrown Franklin Medal laureate," said Ken Gall, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke. "The Franklin Medal is one of the biggest, oldest and most coveted honors in science in the United States, and is among the highest prizes to which all scientists can aspire, including those from mathematics and engineering. Take, for example, Mandelbrot, Tesla and Edison, who did not receive the Nobel Prize, but were honored with Franklin Medals." Taking place over four days at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the awards celebration includes two separate events dedicated to constructal theory, including a workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation titled "Constructal Theory: After 20 Years of Exploration and What the Future Holds," and a symposium titled "Constructal Theory: What the Future Holds," both hosted by Villanova University. The events will explore Bejan's constructal theory, which he penned in 1996 and states that for a system to survive, it must evolve to increase its access to flow. For example, the human vascular system has evolved to provide blood flow through a network of a few large arteries and many small capillaries. River systems, tree branches and modern highway and road networks show the same forces at work. Bejan has used these insights to explain the natural evolution and design of socioeconomic systems, the vast array of object sizes found throughout the universe, and the modern airplane, among many others. Bejan is one of seven recipients of the prestigious Franklin Institute Awards this year who join a long list of great men and women whose revolutionary discoveries and innovations have significantly transformed our world. These scientists have made enormous strides in their fields, improving the lives of billions of people across the world, and paving the way for a better future. The 2018 recipients join in the Institute's unparalleled history of honoring the greatest minds of the last 194 years, including Nikola Tesla, Marie and Pierre Curie, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Jane Goodall and Bill Gates. To date, 118 Franklin Institute Awards laureates have also been honored with the Nobel Prize, including one in 2017. "The Franklin Institute Awards Program brings to light some of the greatest minds of our time, and they are proudly recognized right here in the birthplace of science and innovation for accomplishments that will transform our world," said Larry Dubinski, President and CEO of The Franklin Institute. ### The Franklin Institute Awards Ceremony and Dinner on April 19 is the culmination of a week-long sequence of events and programs designed to shine an important spotlight on advancements in science and technology, as well as extraordinary business leadership. In addition to an array of events and symposia throughout the week, public and educational programs are designed to provide direct and unprecedented access to the laureates. 13 April 2018, Paris - Access to hepatitis C curative therapy is increasing, with simplified and more affordable treatments becoming more readily available to save lives and accelerate global scale-up. According to a WHO progress report, an estimated 1.5 million people started direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment in 2016, compared to around 1 million in 2015.1 Behind the impressive scale-up seen in 2016, a diverse set of countries have been leading the action. Egypt and Pakistan, two countries with the heaviest burdens of hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) in the world, accounted for half the number of people receiving HCV cure. Other countries to report progress included Australia, Brazil, China, France, Georgia, Mongolia, Morocco, Rwanda and Spain. Despite significant progress, the overall number of people receiving HCV cure is still only around 3 million - out of a total 71 million people who require it. "We appeal to global and national leaders to seize the incredible opportunities now available to cure all people of chronic hepatitis C and save lives," said Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of the WHO Department of HIV and Global Hepatitis Programme. "Champion countries are rapidly scaling up, showing that the elimination of hepatitis C is not a pipe dream - it can and has to be done." Major simplification of HCV treatment and its delivery to support global scale-up is now possible, according to new evidence gathered for WHO's updated treatment guidelines in development. New, highly effective treatments, which can cure all 6 major subtypes of HCV with a success rate of over 90%, are now available. Treatment delivery can now be simplified with the use of one-pill-a-day, fixed-dose combination drugs, which remove the need for genotyping. Previously, patients needed an expensive genotyping test before treatment, to determine which of the several different regimens could cure them. Use of such pan-genotypic regimens can also make it easier for countries to manage procurement and supply of DAAs to accelerate scale-up efforts. 1 Progress report on access to hepatitis C treatment. WHO: March 2018 New evidence suggests that all people aged 12 or above diagnosed with chronic HCV (with the exception of pregnant women) should be offered treatment. "Starting curative treatment earlier in all people with hepatitis C, regardless of their disease stage, can be highly beneficial," said Dr Marc Bulterys, Team Lead for the Global Hepatitis Programme. "This means they will be cured swiftly, significantly reducing the risk of liver cancer and other diseases." Globally, around 400 000 people die of cirrhosis and liver cancer caused by untreated HCV infections every year. Cure leads to reductions of at least 87% in liver-related deaths and 80% in the risk of liver cancer due to HCV. Cure can also reduce common comorbidities among people with HCV, such as depression, diabetes and chronic renal disease. A vast majority--an estimated 62%--of people in need of HCV curative therapy live in lowand middle-income countries that have voluntary licenses for DAAs and therefore could procure low-cost generic medicines. WHO is reviewing this body of evidence for simplified treatment for all people living with HCV for inclusion in its upcoming HCV treatment guidelines, to be released soon. ### Editor's note: WHO is organizing a symposium, "Meeting the 2030 elimination goals of the WHO viral hepatitis strategy", on 14 April 2018 at 14:00 at the International Liver Congress. The symposium will cover progress, challenges in access to HCV treatment, and new directions for the upcoming guidelines. For more information: Tunga Namjilsuren WHO Information Manager Mobile: +41 79 203 3176 Email: namjilsurent@who.int DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - When tested on their knowledge of 23 types of weather information, from icing forecasts and turbulence reports to radar, 204 general aviation (GA) pilots surveyed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University researchers were stumped by about 42% of the questions. The findings, published in the April 2018 edition of the International Journal of Aerospace Psychology, are worrisome because GA pilots flying smaller planes at lower altitudes, usually with minimal ground-based support, have higher weather-related accident and fatality rates, said Embry-Riddle's Elizabeth Blickensderfer, a professor in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology. Four categories of GA pilots who completed the 95-question exam scored as follows: instrument-rated commercial pilots achieved the highest scores, with a 65% accuracy level; instrument-rated private pilots ranked second, with 62% correct responses; private pilots flying without an instrument rating scored 57% and students correctly answered only 48% of the questions. Overall, the mean score across all 204 pilots was 57.89%, based on assessments conducted on the university's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus and at an air show in the midwestern United States. Improved testing of GA pilots is needed, Blickensderfer said, noting that in 2014, the National Transportation Safety Board named "identifying and communicating hazardous weather" a top priority for improving safety. Currently, however, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's Knowledge Exam allows pilots to pass even if they fail the weather portion of the test. Weather Displays are Part of the Problem She emphasized, however, that her research should not be interpreted solely as a symptom of faulty pilot training. "I don't want to blame the pilots for deficiencies in understanding weather information," she said. "We have got to improve how weather information is displayed so that pilots can easily and quickly interpret it. At the same time, of course, we can fine-tune pilot assessments to promote learning and inform training." What kinds of questions were asked on the survey? As an example, respondents might be prompted to interpret cryptic METAR (Meteorological Terminal Aviation Routine Weather Report) information, which helps pilots prepare for safe flights: "You notice the comment, `CB DSNT N MOV N.' Based on this information, which of the following is true?" Pilots should understand the METAR comment to mean, "Cumulonimbus clouds are more than 10 statute [land-measured] miles north of the airport and moving away from the airport." As another example, pilots might be asked to interpret a ground-based radar cockpit display, which would only show recent thunderstorm activity - not current conditions. Or, the survey might ask pilots to look at an infrared (color) satellite image and determine where the clouds with the highest-altitude clouds would most likely be found. Thomas A. Guinn, an associate professor of meteorology at Embry-Riddle and a co-author on the study, noted that it's critical for pilots to assess big-picture weather issues before takeoff. In addition, they need to understand, for instance, that radar displayed inside a cockpit shows what happened up to 15 minutes earlier. "If you're flying 120 miles per hour and you don't understand that there's a lag time in ground-based radar data reaching your cockpit," Guinn noted, "that can be deadly." All test questions were designed to push pilots beyond whatever facts they had memorized, so that "they had to think about it and answer the question using the same thought processes as if they were performing a pre-flight check," said Robert Thomas, another co-author of the study who is a Gold Seal Certified Flight Instructor and an assistant professor of aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle. The research, supported by $491,000 in funding from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, could help guide pilot training and assessments. That's important because pilots can actually pass the FAA's existing Knowledge Exam even if they fail the weather portion of the test. ### Blickensderfer, who is president-elect for Division 21 of the American Psychological Association and leader of the education division of the Human Factors and Ergonomic Society, co-authored her paper with Guinn, Thomas, students Jayde King and Yolanda Ortiz, and former Embry-Riddle faculty member John Lanicci, who is now at the University of South Alabama. Also on the research team were Nick Defilippis and Quirijn Berendschot A follow-up study, involving about 1,000 GA pilots across the United States, is now underway. Media Contact: Ginger Pinholster, Assistant Vice President, News and Research Communications, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; (386) 226-4811 - office / (571) 382-0537 - mobile; pinholsv@erau.edu ABOUT EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is the world's largest, oldest and most comprehensive institution specializing in aviation, aerospace, engineering and related degree programs. A fully accredited university, Embry-Riddle is also a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. A nonprofit, independent institution, Embry-Riddle offers more than 80 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts & Sciences, Aviation, Business, Engineering and Security & Intelligence. The university educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., through its Worldwide Campus with more than 125 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and through online programs. For more information, visit http://www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv. Washington, DC (April 16, 2018) As Instagram is viewed as a place for building the ideal self, some users have created fake Instagram (Finsta) accounts to buck this trend. But are these "fake" accounts really there to express the real, sometimes ugly self, or is there a deeper motivation? A recent study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, found that users align their real Instagram accounts (Rinsta) with their actual self and to escape from reality, whereas Finsta to foster social bonding. Jin Kang (Pennsylvania State University), and Lewen Wei (Pennsylvania State University) will present their findings at the 68th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association in Prague, Czech Republic. The researchers conducted an online survey with a total of 106 undergraduate students who had both fake Instagram (Finsta) and real Instagram (Rinsta) accounts. In the survey, the students were asked how Finsta was different from Rinsta in two different ways. One, was administered in an existing valid measure that taps onto four different user motivations, archiving, self-presentation, escapism and social interaction. In the Second, students elaborated their answers in an open-ended format. The data analyzed revealed Rinsta was rated higher for escapism and archiving. One might expect for the Finsta to be rated higher on these two motivations; higher on escapism as there are more pictures being updated from other users to distract their attention and higher on archiving as users can post pictures anytime. One potential explanation is that Finsta is just "too real." As users post pictures that closely reflect the reality, Finsta may constantly remind users of their actual reality, rather than allowing them to immerse themselves in an illusion that "life is perfect," as portrayed by other users. Research on self-presentation on social media is ever expanding. Finsta is another venue for individuals to express different aspects of the self to the public. This study shows that there are two things that make Finsta unique: 1. It is an agreed-upon place for everyone to be inappropriate and silly and 2. Most users are doing the opposite of the normally seen positive self-presentation on other platforms. If individuals display their best self (e.g., ideal-self) on places like Facebook, individuals are displaying their worse self on Finsta. "We showed exactly how Rinsta and Finsta are different in terms of user motivation. Contrary to popular belief, individuals used Rinsta to express one's actual-self and used Rinsta to escape from reality. On Finsta, users posted inappropriate and silly pictures not just for self-expression, but also posted these pictures as a way to bond with their friends, that is, to make their friends laugh and to archive the crazy moments they shared together, said Kang. "Also, at least in our study, we found that creating Finsta mainly happened among female students which also raises an interesting future question of if female users have stronger need to express an inappropriate side of themselves than male users." "Let Me Be at My Ugliest: Instagram Users' Motivations for Using Finsta (Fake Instagram)," by Jin Kang and Lewen Wei; to be presented at the 68th Annual International Communication Association Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, 24-28 May 2018. ### Contact: To schedule an interview with the author or request a copy of the research, please contact John Paul Gutierrez, jpgutierrez@icahdq.org. About ICA The International Communication Association is an academic association for scholars interested in the study, teaching, and application of all aspects of human and mediated communication. With more than 4,300 members in 80 countries, ICA includes 32 Divisions and Interest Groups and publishes six major, peer-reviewed journals: Annals of the International Communication Association, Journal of Communication, Communication Theory, Human Communication Research, Communication, Culture & Critique, and the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. For more information, visit http://www.icahdq.org. A team of scientists, led by academics from King's College London and Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, have discovered 124 genes that play a major role in determining human hair colour variation. The discovery sheds new light on our understanding of the genetic complexity underpinning variations in human pigmentation, and could advance our knowledge of conditions linked to pigmentation, such as skin, testicular, prostate and ovarian cancers. The new findings are also relevant for forensic sciences. Although previous studies have found that a large percentage of hair colour variation is explained by heritable factors, previous genetic studies only identified a dozen or so hair colour genes. The new study, published today in Nature Genetics, largely explains the genetic knowledge gap. In order to identify the previously unknown hair colour genes, researchers analysed DNA data from almost 300,000 people of European descent, together with their self-reported hair colour information. The data was supplied by UK Biobank, 23andMe Inc., the International Visible Trait Genetics Consortium and their study partners. By comparing the hair colour of the group with their genetic information, stored at several million locations across the human genome, the team identified 124 genes involved in the development of hair colour, of which more than 100 were not previously known to influence pigmentation. The scientists also demonstrated that predicting hair colour with this new genetic information is more accurate than with previously known genes. Joint lead author Professor Tim Spector from King's College London said: "This work will impact several fields of biology and medicine. As the largest ever genetic study on pigmentation, it will improve our understanding of diseases like melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer. The genes that affect hair colour also affect other cancer types, while other pigment genes affect the chances of having Crohn's and other forms of bowel disease. "Our work helps us to understand what causes human diversity in appearance by showing how genes involved in pigmentation subtly adapted to external environments and even social interactions during our evolution. We found that women have significantly fairer hair than men, which reflects how important cultural practices and sexual preferences are in shaping our genes and biology." Joint lead author Professor Manfred Kayser from Erasmus MC said: "Besides substantially increasing our understanding of human pigmentation genetics in general, finding these new hair colour genes is also important for further increasing the accuracy of hair colour prediction from DNA traces in future forensic applications, which can help to find unknown perpetrators of crime." Co-author Dr. David Hinds from 23andMe said: "While the genetics of hair colour is an interesting problem in itself, we hope that better understanding of the biology of melanin pigmentation will be applicable to studies of diseases that interact with pigmentation, such as skin cancer or vitiligo." ### Notes to editors: For further information please contact Garfield Myrie at King's College London on 0207 848 4334 or garfield.myrie@kcl.ac.uk The paper: Genome-wide association meta-analysis of individuals of European ancestry identifies new loci explaining a substantial fraction of hair color variation and heritability is published in Nature Genetics The 300,000 participants were drawn from UK Biobank, 23and Me and the International Visible Trait Genetics (VisiGen) Consortium together with their study partners: The VisiGen consortium is made up of: King's College London Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands The Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Australia The University of Trieste, Italy Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands Academic partners who supported this study were: University of Bristol, UK Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands University of Western Australia, Australia King's College London King's College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (2017/18 QS World University Rankings), among the oldest in England and has an outstanding reputation for world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. Since our foundation, King's students and staff have dedicated themselves in the service of society. King's will continue to focus on world-leading education, research and service, and will have an increasingly proactive role to play in a more interconnected, complex world. World-changing ideas. Life-changing impact: https://spotlight.kcl.ac.uk/ Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam Erasmus MC is the largest University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Our primary goal is a healthy population. Nearly 13,000 employees devote themselves every day to providing outstanding care, facilitating world-class education and conducting pioneering research. These professionals are instrumental in developing expertise on health and illness. They link the latest scientific insights to practical treatments and prevention measures to provide maximum benefit to patients and to enable healthy people to stay healthy longer. Being visibly better and leading the way in the areas of complex, innovative and acute care by collaborating with others: these are key ambitions at Erasmus MC. https://www.erasmusmc.nl/ 23andMe, Inc. 23andMe is a privately held personal genomics and biotechnology company based in Mountain View, California. https://www.23andme.com/ Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania has become the first university in Lithuania to win ERA Chairs competition for attracting top academics. The EUR 2.4 million funding, will enable KTU to attract top academics. Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania has become the first university in Lithuania to win ERA Chairs competition for attracting top academics. The EUR 2.4 million funding, coming from the EU's research and innovation funding programme, Horizon 2020 will enable KTU to attract top academics to strengthen its competitiveness among centres of excellence elsewhere in the European Research Area (ERA). The institutions who are selected through the competition have to award ERA Chairs to outstanding academics who have the capacity to raise standards of research, to contribute to the global knowledge, and to boost innovation economy. ERA Chairs is an important part of the EU's effort to unlock Europe's potential in research and innovation. KTU's project in the competition is titled "Industry 4.0 Impact on Management Practices and Economics". According to the University's Vice-Rector for Research and Innovations Professor Asta Pundziene, the project focuses on the changes in industry and business influenced by the 4th industrial revolution. "Digitalisation and automatisation of business processes allows us to reassess companies' efficiency both in operational and financial terms. For example, FinTech companies have proved that financial services are not related solely to cash and geographic location, also, now we can see that massive production can be carried out by robots controlled by one person. This means that management of human resources, finance and processes of these businesses is changing, so there's need to assess and check how the theories and laws of economy are functioning in virtual world", says Pundziene. The winning project is a great achievement not only for the University, but also for the State - KTU finally managed to break the vicious circle of unsuccessful Lithuanian participation in ERA Chairs competition. In total, 100 applications from 20 countries were submitted; 7 of them - from Lithuanian institutions, and 4 - from KTU. The aim of the winning project is to strengthen the international research and innovation competitiveness of the KTU Business School by attracting high level researchers. Outstanding academics from Delft University (Netherlands), St Gallen University (Switzerland) and from other top universities and research institutions around the world will be collaborating with KTU. 2.4 million euros funding has been allocated for the period of 5 years. According to the Dean of KTU School of Economics and Business, Professor Edita Gimzauskien? the main objectives of the project are related to designing of strategy for investigation of Industry's 4.0 impact on business development and economy, to attracting top level researchers, to research management and development of International PhD School. "Our winning of the project signifies that European Union experts are identifying our areas of research as important both for development of global knowledge and for businesses and industry. I believe that the interdisciplinary approach was main advantage of our project: it combines technologies, management practices and economic modelling. Industry 4.0 and its global impact on companies and economy is currently among the most researched topics, thus we've been granted the opportunity to work with the best of the best", says Gimzauskien?. KTU will announce the international competition for the outstanding academic to fill in the ERA Chair position shortly; it is planned that the he or she will take up the Principal Investigator's position and will start forming of the research group in the beginning of 2019. "We will be looking for somebody globally recognized in interdisciplinary research, conducting research both in the areas of Industry 4.0, business digitalization and automatization, and having extensive knowledge of management research", says Professor Pundziene. KTU Vice-Rector for Research and Innovations is emphasizing the close links with industry that KTU School of Economics and Business possesses. Therefore, all the competences and new knowledge created during the project will be transferred to Lithuanian and international business. It is expected that the management technologies, adapted to flexible smart businesses will contribute to their sustainable success. ### Most adults in national poll agree that their states should provide health-related support for pregnant teens but with limitations ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The majority of U.S. adults who have children 18 or under agree that state support for pregnant teens is a good investment for the baby's health, a new national poll suggests. But most want to see teens meet certain criteria -- including taking parenting classes and graduating high school -- in order to receive assistance. Nine in 10 adults also say that states should do more to require financial support from the baby's father, but only half support their state providing paternity testing or legal help to get child support, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan. The report is based on 2,005 responses from a nationally representative sample of adults with children 0 to 18. "Teen pregnancy can lead to unexpected challenges that many families may not be able to meet on their own." Clark says. "The adults we polled are parents themselves; they prioritize the health of the pregnant teen and the baby and recognize that the cost of raising a child is substantial. The majority agree that the state has a role in supporting pregnant teens but are hesitant about assigning broad responsibility to the state." Most adults expressed a strong belief in health-related support for pregnant teens and their babies. But adults were less certain on whether their state should provide formula (52 percent) or car seats and other baby supplies (42 percent). Women were more likely than men to believe the state should provide medical care, formula and baby supplies for pregnant teens. Fifty-six percent of adults agreed that when a teen gets pregnant, her parents should be financially responsible. Thirty percent of adults said community and religious groups, not the state, should take care of pregnant teens. Although 90 percent of adults agreed that states should do more to require financial support from the baby's father, fewer felt their state definitely should provide legal help to get child support (53 percent) or paternity testing (44 percent.) Women and men expressed comparable support for state assistance with paternity testing. But women were more likely than men to believe their state should provide legal help for pregnant teens to get child support. "We saw a strong endorsement among respondents that states should do more to require financial support from the baby's father. At the same time, there was lukewarm support for states assisting with paternity testing and establishing child support," Clark says. Overall, women were more likely to support strategies to support pregnant teens than fathers. Clark notes that this may reflect their recognition that in many cases, it is the teen mother -- not the father -- who pays the financial, emotional and social cost of having a baby. Assistance around paternity testing and child support may be particularly critical for teens, who likely are unfamiliar with the terminology, testing processes and legal requirements, Clark adds. Twice as many adults felt their state definitely should provide adoption services (61 percent) compared with abortion services (26 percent). The vast majority of adults also believed that pregnant teens should meet certain requirements in order to receive state support, including attending prenatal visits (90 percent), parenting classes (88 percent), drug testing (85 percent) and finishing high school (78 percent). Seventy percent of adults felt that pregnant teens should meet all four requirements in order to receive state support. Clark says that while such requirements may be well-intentioned to help make teens more responsible, they could become problematic when teens fail to meet them. Teens may face logistical barriers, such as not having transportation to prenatal visits, or a lack of affordable daycare while a teen mother tries to finish high school. "A thoughtful approach to implementing requirements for pregnant teens would be essential so that the consequences for failure to meet the requirements do not undercut their intended health and educational benefits," Clark says. ### The rock n' roll lore says that once a bandmate gets married, the party's over for the group. But recently published Michigan State University research says that the blended mix of married and unmarried bandmates improves creativity, innovation and collaborative thinking (and, that the same goes for working professionals). For decades, research proved that diversity - in terms of age, race and gender - brought new talents and perspectives to a group. Yet, "lifestyle diversity," such as living situations or marital status, has not been closely studied; that is, until now. "To address this research gap and bring awareness of lifestyle differences to the diversity conversation, we examine an important and relevant type of lifestyle diversity, marriage diversity, which is timely given the increasing number of single people in the global workforce," said Don Conlon, Gambrel Family Endowed professor of management and chairperson for the Eli Broad College of Business' department of management. To dig into marital diversity and its influence on a group's success, Conlon and Karen Etty Jehn of the University of Melbourne looked at two very different types of groups: punk/new wave rock bands and MBA students. "Because they represent an unusual context and differ in so many ways from groups based within organizations, musical groups may provide insights missed in traditional organizational studies," Conlon said. "By looking at vastly different groups - one driven by creativity and musical talent and the other by more traditional business measures of success - we hope to see that this form of diversity benefits all groups." For rock bands, Conlon measured both the creative success and popular success of 84 bands. The rock spectrum included bands that successfully released albums between 1967 and 1992, including the Ramones, the Pretenders and U2. Conlon noted the marital status of each member, and whether it changed over time. The bands' creative successes were measured through analysis of album reviews in Rolling Stone magazine and British equivalent Trouser Press, and popular successes were measured by each album's highest position on the Billboard 200 chart. "What we found was that marital diversity facilitated both critical and popular success for bands that were later in their careers. So, the more time they spent working together, the more having a blended mix of people helped their musical success," Conlon said. Using more traditional group modeling, Conlon performed a similar analysis on MBA students at an Australian University. Here, he looked at 73 MBA student teams performing a semester-long consulting project in a class. Marital diversity was more impactful on the groups' performances toward the end of the semester, after they'd spent a considerable amount of time working together, which mirrored the findings on bands. Conlon's research suggests that marital differences can provide creativity, complementary resources, support and information for group members from which to share and benefit. Because marital differences are unlikely to provoke conflict in a group, what it brings to the group will be productively shared and applied to the task - whether that is creating music or consulting on a project. Lifestyle diversity, or at least when classified as marital diversity, is generally positive for a breadth of groups, research says. This is impressive considering the substantial differences across the two groups. The rock bands were together for years, if not decades, whereas the MBA teams existed only for 12 weeks, Conlon explained. "Different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives associated with different life situations and choices may help the members engage in deeper information processing and more divergent thinking, allowing for more creative and exciting end products and popular success with the public," he said. ### BOZEMAN -- A Montana State University researcher has received the highest honor given by the American Avalanche Association. Ed Adams, professor in the Department of Civil Engineering in MSU's Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, has won the American Avalanche Association's Honorary Membership Award, which recognizes special achievement in research and other work related to snow avalanches. The award has been given to only 24 others since it was established in 1987, and the number of honorary members is capped at 20 living individuals at any one time. "This is a very prestigious award, arguably the premier avalanche science and practice award in the U.S.," said Dan Miller, head of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. Miller has long collaborated with Adams on snow research that spans multiple departments at MSU. "Past recipients of this award are the giants in the field, and Ed is clearly recognized as one of them," Miller said. "It means I've spent a lot of time playing in the snow," said Adams with typical modesty, downplaying the fact that he has published more than 85 articles and made nearly 100 presentations related to snow and ice mechanics since joining the MSU faculty in 1992. His avalanche research has been featured in The New York Times, the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Adventure Magazine and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, among others. Adams' research has taken him to Antarctica, Russia and other locations throughout the world. Kevin Hammonds, assistant professor of civil engineering, recently spent two weeks visiting cold science laboratories in Japan, where he said he was greeted with open arms because of research partnerships that Adams developed over decades. "The snow science community is international, and everyone knows about MSU, in large part because of Ed," said Hammonds, who will soon become director of MSU's Subzero Science and Engineering Research Facility. Adams, the current director, is planning his retirement. "What sets Ed apart is that he (has) had a vision for the long-term," said Karl Birkeland, director of the National Avalanche Center and adjunct assistant professor of geography in the Department of Earth Sciences in MSU's College of Letters and Science. "He has worked really hard not just on his own research, but also in getting the (Subzero Facility) set up and ensuring that the snow science program will continue." Adams came to MSU to study snow science in the mid-1970s, when the unique program was already gaining national recognition. His adviser while earning his bachelor's in earth science at MSU was the legendary John Montagne, one of the early pioneers of applying snow science to the practice of avalanche safety. Adams went on to earn his master's and doctorate under now-retired professor Bob Brown in MSU's engineering college, as snow science at the university became more technical and interdisciplinary. Montagne was a founding member of the American Avalanche Association, and both Montagne and Brown also received the organization's Honorary Membership Award, meaning that three of the 24 award winners have been from MSU. "It's an honor to be a part of that group," Adams said. ### The immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, when combined with chemotherapy, doubles survival in patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSNSCLC) lacking genetic changes in the EGFR or ALK genes, when compared to chemotherapy alone, according to an international, Phase III clinical trial. Principal investigator Leena Gandhi, MD, PhD, director of the thoracic medical oncology program at Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health and associate professor of Medicine in the division of Medical Oncology at NYU School of Medicine, presented these findings April 16 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2018 in Chicago. The data from this study were simultaneously published online April 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine. A total of 616 patients with untreated, metastatic NSNSCLC without EGFR or ALK alterations, from 118 international sites, were randomly allocated for the trial--405 patients were treated with both pembrolizumab and platinum + pemetrexed, and 202 received platinum + pemetrexed with a saline placebo. Response rates, overall survival and progression-free survival rates were superior in the pembrolizumab and chemotherapy combination-treatment group. Of those treated with pembrolizumab and platinum + pemetrexed, the risk of death was reduced by 51%, compared to those treated with platinum + pemetrexed alone. Among patients treated with the combination therapy, the chance of progression or death was reduced by 48%. In other words, chance of overall and progression free survival doubled. "The data show that treatment with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy together is more effective than chemotherapy alone," says Gandhi. "Using this combination therapy to treat patients with such an aggressive disease could be an important advance in keeping patients alive and well for longer." The risk of severe side effects was similar in both groups (67.2% in the combination group and 65.8% in the standard treatment group), although there was an increased risk of acute kidney injury with the combination treatment (5.2% vs. 0.5%). The most common side effects experienced by both groups were nausea, anemia and fatigue. Non-small cell lung cancer is the leading cause of all cancer death, in part because in the majority of cases, the cancer has already spread at the time of diagnosis. Pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy is FDA-approved to treat these patients, based on a previous phase II trial on which Dr. Gandhi was one of the lead investigators. "Although some non-small cell lung cancer patients have increased benefit of targeted therapy or immunotherapy instead of chemotherapy, for some groups of patients with NSNSCLC, chemotherapy has been the standard treatment for more than 30 years," Gandhi notes. "But for patients with NSNSLC without EGFR or ALK alterations, this study may suggest a new standard of care." ### Merck & Co. Inc., the manufacturer of pembrolizumab, funded this clinical trial and provided Gandhi and her colleagues with research support. Eli Lilly & Co. provided the pemetrexed chemotherapy for the trial. Note: This abstract, CT075, titled "Randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study of pembrolizumab (pembro) or placebo plus pemetrexed (pem) and platinum as first-line therapy for metastatic NSCLC" will be presented in a press conference at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting at 8:30 AM CDT, Monday, April 16, in Room W-194b at McCormick Place in Chicago. Media may register to attend the press conference in person or remotely by contacting julia.gunther@aacr.org. Dr. Gandhi will present this abstract later that morning in a scientific session at 10:30 AM CDT, Monday, April 16, in N Hall B (Plenary Hall) at McCormick Place. The news media are often accused by adopting a "doom and gloom" tone, especially when it comes to coverage of the environment. However, a new study on how journalists report on the state of our oceans shows that view may be misguided. The research, conducted by researchers at New York University and the University of Miami (Fla.), shows that "doom and gloom" language was present in only 10 percent of the analyzed U.S. newspaper articles; by contrast, optimistic language--such as, "the oceans are mostly intact, still wild enough to bounce back to ecological health" (New York Times, January 15, 2015)--was present in more than a quarter of these stories. In addition, nearly half of the examined stories on ocean health issues cited potential solutions to problems described in the sample's articles. "Journalists use more than twice as much optimistic language as 'doom and gloom' language when they write about the state of the oceans," says Lisa Johns, a graduate student at the University of Miami's Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy and co-author on the study, which appears in the journal Global Environmental Change. "And journalists are doing a good job of covering solutions to the problems in the ocean they describe." "There are some who accuse the news media of being 'doom and gloom' when it comes to the oceans, so we set out to test whether this was empirically true," adds Jennifer Jacquet, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at NYU and co-author on the study. "The news is simply not all 'doom and gloom' when it comes to ocean reporting, and our study should put that argument to rest." The paper may be downloaded here: https://bit.ly/2viTw8r. The study examined 169 articles appearing in four U.S. newspapers (the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal) between July 2001 and February 2015 that addressed the state of the world's oceans. The articles included 80 on climate change (47 percent); 66 on the status of a species or population (39 percent); 52 on pollution (31 percent); 23 on offshore drilling (14 percent); and five on aquaculture, which is a method for farming ocean species (3 percent). The vast majority of articles cited peer-reviewed research (64 percent) or another form of governmental or scientific report (30 percent), with 6 percent of the total not explicitly mentioning a source or study. Interestingly, while doom and gloom language was present in 10 percent of all articles in this study, only 4 percent contained only this type of language (e.g., "At this point, without human intervention, the species could go extinct within our lifetimes," Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2012); the remaining articles expressed both doom and gloom and optimistic language. In addition, the study found that headlines used more alarmist terminology (e.g. "ravaged," "collapse," "doom," "smoking gun," "decimated," "perils," "menace," "lethal," "crisis," "catastrophe," "disaster," "dire," "point of no return," etc.) than did the articles' body (21 percent, or 35 headlines, vs. 10 percent, or 17 articles). ### A team led by Rice University scientists used a unique combination of techniques to observe, for the first time, a condensed matter phenomenon about which others have only speculated. The research could aid in the development of quantum computers. The researchers, led by Rice physicist Junichiro Kono and graduate student Xinwei Li, observed and measured what's known as a Bloch-Siegert shift in strongly coupled light and matter. Results of the complicated combination of modeling and experimentation are the subject of a paper in Nature Photonics. The technique could lead to a greater understanding of theoretical predictions in quantum phase transitions because the experimental parameters used in the Rice experiments are highly adjustable, according to Kono. Ultimately, he said, it may help in the development of robust quantum bits for advanced computing. The Bloch-Siegert shift, a theory born in the 1940s, is a quantum interaction in which counter-rotating fields are able to interact. But such interactions have been difficult to detect. The theory suggested to Kono and Li that it might be possible to detect such a shift when a light field rotating in one direction strongly couples with a matter-bound electron field rotating in the opposite direction. These interactions have proven difficult to create without the unique tools assembled by the Rice-led team. "Light and matter should not resonate with each other when they are rotating in opposite directions," Kono said. "However, in our case, we proved they can still strongly couple, or interact, even though they are not resonating with each other." Kono and his colleagues created the resonance frequency shift in a two-level electron system induced by coupling with an electromagnetic field inside a cavity even when the electrons and field are rotating in opposite directions - a truly surprising effect that occurs only in a regime where light and matter are mixed together to an extreme degree. In this case, the levels are those of two-dimensional electrons in solid gallium arsenide in a strong perpendicular magnetic field. They hybridize with the "vacuum" electromagnetic field in the cavity to form quasiparticles known as polaritons. This vacuum-matter hybridization had been expected to lead to a finite frequency shift, a vacuum Bloch-Siegert shift, in optical spectra for circularly polarized light counter-rotating with the electrons. The Rice team can now measure it. "In condensed matter physics, we often look for new ground states (lowest-energy states). For that purpose, light-matter coupling is usually considered an enemy because light drives matter to an excited (higher-energy) state," Kono said. "Here we have a unique system that is predicted to go into a new ground state because of strong light-matter coupling. Our technique will help us know when the strength of light-matter coupling exceeds a certain threshold." The research builds upon a strong vacuum field-matter coupling in a high-quality-factor cavity the lab first created and reported in 2016. The results at the time only hinted at the presence of a Bloch-Siegert shift. "Experimentally, we just demonstrated the new regime," Li said. "But here, we have a very deep understanding of the physics involved." Kono and Li credited physicist Motoaki Bamba of Osaka University for providing a theoretical basis for the discovery and Katsumasa Yoshioka of Yokohama National University and a former visiting scholar at Rice for providing a device to produce circularly polarized light in the terahertz range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The lab used the light to probe the shift in an ultra-high quality, two-dimensional electron gas supplied by Purdue University physicist Michael Manfra and set in a gallium arsenide quantum well (to contain the particles) under the influence of a strong magnetic field and low temperature. A terahertz spectroscope measured activity in the system. "Linearly polarized light means an alternating current electric field that is always oscillating in one direction," Kono said. "In circularly polarized light, the electric field is rotating." That allowed the researchers to distinguish between left- and right-rotating electrons in their vacuum-bound condensed matter in a magnetic field, and from that, measure the shift. "In this work, both theoretically and experimentally, we demonstrated that even though the electron is rotating this way and the light is rotating (the other) way, they still strongly interact with each other, which leads to a finite frequency shift known as the Bloch-Siegert shift," Kono said. Observing the shift is a direct indication that ultra-strong light-matter coupling invalidated the rotating wave approximation, he said. "That approximation is behind almost all light-matter interaction phenomenon, including lasers, nuclear magnetic resonance and quantum computing," Kono said. "In any resonant light-matter interaction, people are satisfied with this approximation, because the coupling is usually weak. But if the coupling between light and matter is strong, it doesn't work. That's clear evidence that we are in the ultra-strong coupling regime." ### Co-authors of the paper are Rice postdoctoral researcher Weilu Gao and graduate student Minhan Lou of Rice, Rice alumnus Qi Zhang of Argonne National Laboratory and graduate student Saeed Fallahi and visiting scholar Geoff Gardner of Purdue. Kono is a professor of electrical and computer engineering, of physics and astronomy, and of materials science and nanoengineering. Manfra is the Bill and Dee O'Brian Chair Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Purdue. Bamba is an associate professor at Osaka. Yoshioka is a teaching assistant at Yokohama. The National Science Foundation, the Army Research Office, the Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences, the PRESTO program of the Japan Science and Technology Agency and the ImPACT program of the Government of Japan's Council for Science, Technology and Innovation supported the research. Read the open-access paper at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41566-018-0153-0 This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2018/04/16/quantum-shift-shows-itself-in-coupled-light-and-matter/ Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews Related materials: Kono Laboratory: http://kono.rice.edu Motoaki Bamba: http://empty.matrix.jp Manfra Group: http://manfragroup.org Katsumasa Yoshioka: http://katsu-yoshioka.main.jp Rice Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: https://eceweb.rice.edu Rice Department of Physics and Astronomy: http://www.physics.rice.edu Rice Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering: https://msne.rice.edu Video: 0416_POLARITONS%20video https://youtu.be/OQAuwCEgjis CAPTION: An electron (blue sphere) travels in a circular orbit in a DC magnetic field (B_dc). When an incoming light wave (E_ac) interacts with it, there is a component in the light wave whose electric field rotates in the same direction with the electron motion (red arrow on the left-hand side) and thus resonantly interacts with it - that is, the electron rapidly gains energy. The other component of the electric field rotates in the opposite direction with the electron (red arrow on the right-hand side), whose effect is typically negligible. However, when the electron and light wave mix to an extreme degree, the interaction effect can manifest as a Bloch-Siegert shift. (Credit: Xinwei Li/Kono Lab at Rice University) 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. In recent history, a very important achievement was the discovery, in 1995, of 51 Pegasi b, the first extrasolar planet ever found around a normal star other than the Sun. In a paper published in EPJ H, Davide Cenadelli from the Aosta Valley Astronomical Observatory (Italy) interviews Michel Mayor from Geneva Observatory (Switzerland) about his personal recollections of discovering this exoplanet. They discuss how the development of better telescopes made the discovery possible. They also delve into how this discovery contributed to shaping a new community of scholars pursuing this new field of research. In closing, they reflect upon the cultural importance that the 51 Pegasi b discovery had in terms of changing our view of the cosmos. Michel Mayor was born in Lausanne in 1942. He turned to astronomy when he did his PhD at the Geneva Observatory, where he focused on elucidating the theoretical nature of the spiral arms of galaxies, which make it possible for stars and nebulae to pass through without permanently remaining inside the arms. Later on his interest shifted to solar-type stars, and in 1991 he published the result of 15 years of work on the statistics of such solar-type stars. In hindsight, this paper played a significant role in boosting, at a later time, his interest in brown dwarfs and planets. He feels that the search for exoplanets was a direct continuation of that work. He then relates what drove the development of a spectrograph called ELODIE, designed to offer very high sensitivity in measuring the radial velocities of stars. ELODIE commenced operation in April 1994, and Mayor and his colleague Queloz discovered 51 Peg b in July 1995. As the first planet ever discovered around a normal star other than the Sun, it was a ground-breaking achievement. A few years later, Mayor contributed to designing and building another state-of-the-art spectrograph, called HARPS, that is now allowing astronomers to probe the universe further. Altogether about 300 new exoplanets have been discovered by Mayor and his co-workers since 51 Peg b. ### References: Michel Mayor and Davide Cenadelli (2018), Exoplanets: the beginning of a new era in astrophysics, Eur. Phys. Jour. H, DOI 10.1140/epjh/e2018-80063-1 Engineered human immune cells can vanquish a deadly pediatric brain tumor in a mouse model, a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine has demonstrated. The study, published online April 16 in Nature Medicine, represents the first time a severe brainstem cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, has been eradicated in mice with the tumor. DIPG affects a few hundred school-age children across the country each year and has a median survival time of only 10 months; there is no cure. In mice whose brainstems were implanted with human DIPG, engineered immune cells known as chimeric antigen receptor T cells -- or CAR-T cells -- were able to eliminate tumors, leaving very few residual cancer cells. "I was pleasantly surprised with how well this worked," said Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, assistant professor of neurology and a senior author of the study. "We gave CAR-T cells intravenously, and they tracked to the brain and cleared the tumor. It was a dramatically more marked response than I would have anticipated." When the brains of the mice were examined via immunostaining after treatment, the animals had, on average, a few dozen cancer cells left, compared with tens of thousands of cancer cells in animals that received a control treatment. "As a cancer immunotherapist, what gets me really excited is when you take an established tumor and you make it disappear," said Crystal Mackall, MD, professor of pediatrics and of medicine and the study's other senior author. "In animal studies, we can often slow the growth of a tumor, shrink a tumor or prevent tumors from forming. But it isn't so often that we take a tumor that's established and eradicate it -- and that's what you want in the clinic." However, some mice experienced dangerous levels of brain swelling, a side effect of the immune response triggered by the engineered cells, the researchers said, adding that extreme caution will be needed to introduce the approach in human clinical trials. 'Hiding in plain sight' To begin the research, the scientists screened human DIPG tumor cultures for surface molecules that could act as targets for CAR-T cells. In CAR-T therapies now used in humans, some of the patient's own immune cells are removed, engineered to attack a surface antigen on the cancer cells, and returned to the patient's body, where they target the cancer cells for destruction. Cell surface antigens are large molecules sticking out from a cell that help the immune system determine whether the cell is harmless or harmful. Monje's team identified a sugar molecule, GD2, which is abundant on the surface of DIPG tumors in 80 percent of cases. Excess expression of the sugar is caused by the same mutation that drives the growth of most DIPG tumors, known as the H3K27M mutation, the team found. Scientists have known for decades that GD2 levels on some other forms of cancer are very high, but its discovery on this tumor came as a surprise, Mackall said, adding, "It was hiding in plain sight, and we didn't know." Mackall's team had already designed a way to make CAR-T cells that attack the GD2 sugar; similar anti-GD2 CAR-T cells are now being tested in clinical trials in a few other cancers. In a dish, Mackall's CAR-T cells killed cultured DIPG cells that carry the H3K27M mutation. If the cultured cells were genetically modified to stop expressing the target sugar, the CAR-T cells no longer worked. Other CAR-T cells that were tuned to different molecular targets also did not kill the DIPG cancer cells. Next, the team tested the GD2 CAR-T cells in mice whose brainstem was implanted with human DIPG tumors, an experimental system that Monje's lab pioneered. Seven to eight weeks after the tumor was established, each mouse received one intravenous injection of GD2 CAR-T cells or, as a control treatment, an injection of CAR-T cells that react to a different target. The cells are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. In the mice that received GD2 CAR-T cells, the DIPG tumors were undetectable after 14 days, while mice receiving the control treatment had no tumor regression. After 50 days, the animals were euthanized and their brains examined. Using immunostaining, the researchers counted the remaining tumor cells; the mice treated with GD2 CAR-T cells had a few dozen remaining cancer cells per animal, while each control mouse had tens of thousands of cancer cells. In the GD2 CAR-T treated animals, the residual cancer cells did not express GD2, suggesting that these remaining cells were not vulnerable to the immune therapy and might be able to cause the cancer to recur. Risky to use near thalamus Gliomas occurring in the spinal cord and thalamus of children also exhibit the H3K27M mutation and were found to similarly express very high levels of GD2. The research team also tried the GD2 CAR-T therapy in mice with human spinal cord and thalamic tumors implanted in their respective anatomical locations. Spinal cord tumors were effectively cleared by the GD2 CAR-T cells. However, some animals with thalamic tumors died from the CAR-T treatment. The inflammatory response generated by the immune cells caused brain swelling, which is particularly risky near the thalamus, a structure buried deep inside the brain, the researchers reported. "While this strategy is very promising for a disease with few therapeutic options, it's crucially important to keep in mind that these tumors are located in precarious neuroanatomical sites that just do not tolerate much swelling -- and those regions are already expanded by tumors," Monje said. "With any effective clearing of a tumor by the immune system, by definition there is inflammation, which means there will be some degree of swelling. It's a dangerous situation." The team plans to move the CAR-T treatment into human clinical trials, but will build as many safeguards as possible into the trial to minimize risks to people who participate, Monje said. "I think this is something we can bring to the clinic soon, but it needs to be done very carefully," she said. "These CAR-T cells are extremely potent," Mackall said, noting that a therapy that uses CAR-T cells to treat pediatric leukemia was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017. "In leukemia, that potency is the reason this has been a transformative therapy, but it is also the major cause for toxicity. It's very difficult to find a cancer medicine that works but doesn't have a down side." Because the CAR-T cells do not eradicate all cancer cells, the researchers think the immune therapy will need to be combined with other treatments. Monje's team is also studying chemotherapy drugs to treat DIPG. "I don't think one strategy is going to cure this extremely aggressive and deadly cancer," Monje said. "However, I think CAR-T immunotherapy is part of the puzzle of DIPG treatment in a way that I'm quite hopeful about." 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. ### Other Stanford co-authors are MD-PhD student Christopher Mount; Robbie Majzner, MD, instructor in pediatrics; Shree Sundaresh, an affiliate in neurology; undergraduate student Evan Arnold; Meena Kadapakkam, MD, fellow in pediatrics; Samuel Haile, affiliate at the Stanford Cancer Institute; graduate student Louai Labanieh; life science research professionals Pamelyn Woo and Skyler Rietberg; and Hannes Vogel, MD, professor of pathology and of pediatrics. A scientist from Free University Amsterdam Medical Center also contributed to the research. Monje, Mackall and Vogel are members of the Stanford Cancer Institute. Monje and Mackall are both members of Stanford's Child Health Research Institute, and Monje is also a member of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute. Mackall leads the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Stanford, which supports the Stanford University Cancer Immunotherapy Program. The research was supported by a Stand Up To Cancer-St Baldrick's-National Cancer Institute grant. The research was also supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (grants F31NS098554 and R01NS092597); Abbie's Army Foundation; Unravel Pediatric Cancer; Maiy's Miracle Foundation; the McKenna Claire Foundation; Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation; the Reller Family Research Fund; Izzy's Infantry Foundation; The Cure Starts Now Foundation and DIPG Collaborative; the Lyla Nsouli Foundation; Declan Gloster Memorial Funds; the N8 Foundation; Fly a Kite Foundation; the Liwei Wang Research Fund; the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research; the Sam Jeffers Foundation; the Stanford Child Health Research Institute; the Stanford SPARK program; and the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Endowed Faculty Scholarship in Pediatric Cancer and Blood Diseases. Stanford's departments of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, of Pediatrics and of Medicine also supported the work. The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu. A moss capable of removing arsenic from contaminated water has been discovered by researchers from Stockholm University. And it happens quickly - in just one hour, the arsenic level is so low that the water is no longer harmful for people to drink. The study has been published in the journal Environmental Pollution. The aquatic moss Warnstofia fluitans, which grows in northern Sweden, has the ability to quickly absorb and adsorb arsenic from water. The discovery allows for an environmentally friendly way to purify water of arsenic. One possible scenario is to grow the moss in streams and other watercourses with high levels of arsenic. Water in mining areas often contaminated In the northern part of Sweden, water from mining areas is often contaminated by arsenic. "We hope that the plant-based wetland system that we are developing will solve the arsenic problem in Sweden's northern mining areas," says Maria Greger, associate professor at the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences at Stockholm University and leader of the research group. High capacity for quick uptake of arsenic "Our experiments show that the moss has a very high capacity to remove arsenic. It takes no more than an hour to remove 80 per cent of the arsenic from a container of water. By then, the water has reached such a low level of arsenic that it is no longer harmful to people," says research assistant Arifin Sandhi, who has conducted the experiments. In 2004, the use of arsenic compounds in wood products was banned, but arsenic still reaches ground and water systems due to mining. This happens because the ground and bedrock in certain parts of Sweden naturally contain arsenic. As a result, the drinking water and water used for the irrigation of crops also contains elevated levels of arsenic. The plants absorb the arsenic from the soil, and it eventually ends up in the food that we eat. In Sweden, this applies to wheat, root vegetables, leafy greens, etc. In other countries, there are high levels in rice, for example. "How much arsenic we consume ultimately depends on how much of these foods we eat, as well as how and where they were grown. Our aim is that the plant-based wetland system we are developing will filter out the arsenic before the water becomes drinking water and irrigation water. That way, the arsenic will not make it into our food," says Maria Greger. ### The article, Phytofiltration of arsenic by aquatic moss (Warnstorfia fluitans), is available to read here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S026974911731206X For further information, please contact Maria Greger, Associate Professor in Plant Physiology, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Head of the research group, e-mail maria.greger@su.se, cell phone 0708-161211 Arifin Sandhi, PhD student, Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, KTH, e-mail asandhi@kth.se, cell phone 073-592-89 96. A KAIST research team developed a technology to increase the stability of amine-containing adsorbents by fifty times, moving one step further toward commercializing stable adsorbents that last longer. Professor Minkee Choi from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and his team succeeded in developing amine-containing adsorbents that show high oxidative stability. The capture of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is an active ongoing research field, and some of the latest advancements point to amine-containing adsorbents as an efficient and environment-friendly way to capture carbon dioxide. However, existing amine-containing adsorbents are known to be unstable under oxidation, which chemically breaks down the adsorbent, thereby making it difficult to rely on amine-containing adsorbents for repeated and continued use. The researchers have discovered that the miniscule amount of iron and copper present in the amine accelerate the oxidative breakdown of the amine-containing adsorbent. Upon this discovery, they proposed the use of a chelator substance, which essentially suppresses the activation of the impurities. The team demonstrates that the proposed method renders the adsorbent up to 50 times slower in its deactivation rate due to oxidation, compared to conventional polyethyleneimine (PEI) / silica adsorbents. Figure 1 illustrates the superior performance of this oxidation-stable amine-containing adsorbent (shown in black squares), whose carbon dioxide-capturing capacity deteriorates by only a small amount (~8%). Meanwhile, the carbon dioxide-capturing capacity of the PEI/silica adsorbent (shown in red diamonds) degrades dramatically after being exposed to oxidative aging for 30 days. This stability under oxidation is expected to have brought amine-containing adsorbents one step closer to commercialization. As such, first author Woosung Choi describes the significance of this study as "having brought solid carbon dioxide adsorbents to commercializable standards". In fact, Professor Choi explains that commercialization steps for his team's carbon dioxide adsorbents are already underway. He further set forth his aim to "develop the world's best carbon dioxide capture adsorbent". ### This research, led by the PhD candidate Woosung Choi, was published online in Nature Communications on February 20. UCLA-led research finds that internet search terms and tweets related to sexual risk behaviors can predict when and where syphilis trends will occur. Two studies from the UCLA-based University of California Institute for Prediction Technology, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, found an association between certain risk-related terms that Google and Twitter users researched or tweeted about and subsequent syphilis trends that were reported to the CDC. The researchers were able to pinpoint these cases at state or county levels, depending on the platform used. "Many of the most significant public health problems in our society today -- HIV and sexually transmitted infections, opioid abuse and cancer -- could be prevented if we had better data on when and where these issues were occurring," said Sean Young, founder and director of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior and the UC Institute for Prediction Technology. "These two studies suggest that social media and internet search data might help to fix this problem by predicting when and where future syphilis cases may occur. This could be a tool that government agencies such as the CDC might use," added Young, who is also an associate professor of family medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. One study, to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Epidemiology, investigated the association between state-level search queries on Google with primary and secondary syphilis cases -- the earliest and most transmissible stages in the sexually transmitted infection -- that were subsequently reported in these states. For this study, the researchers compiled data for 25 keywords and phrases (such as "find sex" and "STD") collected on Google Trends from Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2014. They also obtained weekly county-level syphilis data from the CDC covering the same time period for all 50 states, merged that data by state and collated them with the weekly Google Trends data they had collected. The research incorporated a type of statistical computer science model called machine learning, which can look through large amounts of data to find patterns and predict those patterns. This artificial intelligence-based machine looked at the relationship between people's syphilis-related searches on Google and actual rates of syphilis over a period of time. After learning that pattern, it tested whether it could accurately predict future syphilis cases by using just the syphilis-related Google search terms. Researchers found that the model predicted 144 weeks of syphilis counts for each state with 90 percent accuracy, allowing them to predict state-level trends in syphilis before they would have occurred. Researchers from the institute found the same held true with Twitter. In a study published in Preventive Medicine, they took county-level Twitter data from May 26 to Dec. 9, 2012, amounting to 8,538 geo-located tweets. As with the Google Trends analysis, the researchers compiled a list of words associated with sexual risk behaviors. They reviewed weekly county-level cases of primary and secondary syphilis and early latent syphilis (infection within the previous 12 months, with no symptoms evident) that likely occurred over the previous 12 months. The cases were from the 50 states and Washington, D.C., and were reported to the CDC from 2012 to 2013. The 2012 data were included because a county's previous syphilis rates are likely to predict future rates, and they wanted to determine how the Twitter-based method would perform matched with the previous year's data. They found that counties having higher risk-related tweets in 2012 were associated with a 2.7 percent jump in primary and secondary and a 3.6 percent boost in early latent syphilis cases in 2013. By comparison, counties that reported higher numbers of syphilis cases in 2012 were associated with increases of 0.6 percent and 0.4 percent of primary/secondary and early latent syphilis cases, respectively, in 2013, suggesting that the Twitter-based model performed as well as simply using previous year's syphilis data. This is important because Twitter data are extremely inexpensive and suggest that social media data are low-cost alternatives for predicting syphilis. Both studies have certain limitations. For the Google paper, they include the likelihood that many primary and secondary syphilis cases are not reported; the findings were biased toward Google users, who account for about 64 percent of search engine users; and the Google Trends data are a random sampling of all data and not the full dataset, which might have affected how the model worked. In the Twitter study's case, data were based on Twitter users, which is a select sample of people; the researchers reviewed data only for 2012 and 2013, when data from a longer time span would be needed to develop appropriate public health responses; and some areas with high numbers of syphilis cases may have had public health messaging via social media that contained relevant keywords that were captured in the data the researchers examined. ### The National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases funded the Google paper. The National Institute of Mental Health; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; the Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment; and the UCLA Center for AIDS Research funded the Twitter research. A new study suggests that the way our brains process everyday information helps to shape our ideological beliefs and political decision-making -- including attitudes towards the UK's 2016 EU Referendum. Scientists from the University of Cambridge combined objective cognitive tests with questionnaires designed to gauge social and political attitudes in a sample of over 300 UK citizens, to investigate the psychological underpinnings of nationalistic attitudes. The study examined differences in "cold cognition": emotionally-neutral decision making based on attention and recall (as opposed to "hot cognition", which is influenced by emotion). Researchers measured the extent to which an individual displays a more "flexible" or more "persistent" cognitive style. Cognitive flexibility is characterised by adapting with greater ease to change, while cognitive persistence reflects a preference for stability through adherence to more defined information categories. The findings demonstrate that those who displayed higher cognitive flexibility were less likely to support authoritarian and nationalistic ideological stances. They were also more likely to support remaining in the EU as well as immigration and free movement of labour. Cognitive persistence was associated with more conservative and nationalistic attitudes, which in turn predicted support for leaving the EU. The research was conducted by scientists from the University's Department of Psychology and is published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "Voting is often thought to be an emotional decision. People describe 'voting with their heart' or having a gut reaction to particular politicians," said Leor Zmigrod, lead researcher and Gates Cambridge Scholar. "While emotion is clearly integral to political decision-making, our research suggests that non-emotional cognitive information processing styles, such as adaptability to change, also play a key role in shaping ideological behavior and identity." "By connecting the realm of cognition with that of ideology, we find that flexibility of thought may have far-reaching consequences for social and political attitudes," she said. All the study's 332 participants were cognitively healthy adults who completed two classic evaluations of cognitive flexibility: a card-sorting task involving shifting categorisation by shape and colour, and a neutral word association task. Participants also consented to providing responses to standardized questions on topics such as attitudes towards immigration and citizenship, and personal attachment to the UK. All data were anonymised and controlled for a number of factors including age and education. With her Cambridge colleagues Dr Jason Rentfrow and Prof Trevor Robbins, Zmigrod constructed rigorous statistical models that revealed a tendency towards cognitive flexibility in the tests predicted ideological orientations that were less authoritarian, nationalistic, and conservative. This in turn predicted reduced support for Brexit. "Our findings suggest that persistent adherence to a set of rules in a basic card-sorting game is associated with support for traditional social values and conservative political attitudes," said Rentfrow. The researchers also found that participants who reported greater reliance on routines and traditions in their daily lives, and who strongly favored certainty over uncertainty, were more likely to prefer the traditionalism and perceived stability offered by nationalistic, authoritarian, and conservative ideologies. Increased dependence on daily routines was also related to greater support for Brexit and immigration control. Participants were asked about their agreement with post-Referendum political attitudes. Those who supported the statement "a citizen of the world is a citizen of nowhere" and opposed the statement "the Government has a right to remain in the EU if the costs are too high" exhibited a tendency towards cognitive persistence. "The results suggest that psychological preferences for stability and consistency may translate into attitudes that favour uniformity and a more defined national identity," said Zmigrod. The researchers point out that the sample size is limited, and the correlations - while strong - are on general trends in the data. "Ideologies such as nationalism are highly complex constructs, and there are many reasons people believe what they do and vote the way they do," added Zmigrod. "In today's politically-polarised climate, it is important to understand more about the psychological processes behind nationalistic and social attitudes if we are to build bridges between communities." ### College Park, Md. -- Again establishing the University of Maryland (UMD) as a leader in the development of groundbreaking battery technology, a team led by researchers at UMD's A. James Clark School of Engineering has created a water-based zinc battery that is simultaneously powerful, rechargeable, and intrinsically safe. A peer-reviewed paper based on the research was published April 16 in the high-impact journal Nature Materials. Together with colleagues at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the UMD engineers combined old battery technology (metallic zinc) with new (water-in-salt electrolytes). Building on prior UMD advances to create safer batteries using a novel aqueous electrolyte instead of the flammable organic electrolyte used in conventional lithium-ion batteries, the researchers cranked up the energy of the aqueous battery by adding metallic zinc - used as the anode of the very first battery - and its salt to the electrolyte as well. "Water-based batteries could be crucial to preventing fires in electronics, but their energy storage and capacity have been limited - until now. For the first time, we have a battery that could compete with the lithium-ion batteries in energy density, but without the risk of explosion or fire," says Fei Wang, a jointly appointed postdoctoral associate at UMD's Clark School and ARL, and first author of the paper. The researchers say the new aqueous zinc battery could eventually be used not just in consumer electronics, but also in extreme conditions to improve the performance of safety-critical vehicles such as those used in aerospace, military, and deep-ocean environments. As an example of the aqueous zinc battery's power and safety, Fei Wang cites the numerous battery fire incidents in cell phones, laptops, and electric cars highlighted in recent media coverage. The new aqueous zinc battery presented in this work could be the answer to the call for safe battery chemistry while still maintaining the comparable or even higher energy densities of conventional lithium-ion batteries. This highly concentrated aqueous zinc battery also overcomes other disadvantages of conventional zinc batteries, such as the capacity to endure only limited recharging cycles, dendrite (tree-like structures of crystals) growth during usage and recharging, and sustained water consumption, resulting in the need to regularly replenishing the batteries' electrolyte with water. "Existing zinc batteries are safe and relatively inexpensive to produce, but they aren't perfect due to poor cycle life and low energy density. We overcome these challenges by using a water-in-salt electrolyte," says Chunsheng Wang, UMD professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and corresponding author of the paper. Further, in this collaborative effort, the researchers identified the fundamental reason causing irreversibility in zinc batteries - a phenomenon observed in rechargeable battery usage where the amount of charge a battery can deliver at the rated voltage decreases with use - and found a novel solution to it. The secret was to alter the solvation sphere structure of zinc cation (positively charged ions). "Because most water molecules in the new electrolyte are strongly bonded by the highly concentrated salt, the water in the aqueous zinc battery's electrolyte will not evaporate in an open cell. This advance revolutionizes zinc-air batteries, which are powered by oxidizing zinc with oxygen from the air, such as those used in energy grid storage," adds Chunsheng Wang. The research team says this battery technology advance lays the groundwork for further research, and they are hopeful for possible future commercialization. "Zinc batteries would provide a powerful and inexpensive means of energy storage if they could be rechargeable. This research uncovered ways to control which molecules in the electrolyte surround the ions that move back and forth in a battery when storing and releasing energy. Here, the co-authors applied this knowledge to make a highly rechargeable zinc battery which could offer a low-cost, safe alternative for consumer electronics, cars, and electrical grid storage," says Joseph Dura, a physicist at NIST and co-author of the paper. "The significant discovery made in this work has touched the core problem of aqueous zinc batteries, and could impact other aqueous or non-aqueous multivalence cation chemistries that face similar challenges, such as magnesium and aluminum batteries," says Kang Xu, ARL fellow and co-corresponding author of this paper. ### The research received funding support from the Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) and the University of Maryland Center for Research in Extreme Batteries. The authors acknowledge additional support from the University of Maryland NanoCenter. The paper, "Highly reversible zinc metal anode for aqueous batteries," Wang, F., Borodin, O., Gao, T., Fan, X., Sun, W., Han, F. ... Wang, C., published online April 16 in the journal Nature Materials. DOI: 10.1038/s41563-018-0063-z The A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland serves as the catalyst for high-quality research, innovation, and learning, delivering on a promise that all graduates will leave ready to impact the Grand Challenges (energy, environment, security, and human health) of the 21st century. The Clark School is dedicated to leading and transforming the engineering discipline and profession, to accelerating entrepreneurship, and to transforming research and learning activities into new innovations that benefit millions. Visit us online at http://www.eng.umd.edu and follow us on Twitter @ClarkSchool. Trade and social networking helped our Homo sapiens ancestors survive a climate-changing volcanic eruption 40,000 years ago, giving hope that we will be able to ride out global warming by staying interconnected, a new study suggests. Analyzing ancient tools, ornaments and human remains from a prehistoric rock shelter called Riparo Bombrini, in Liguria on the Italian Riviera, archeologists at Universite de Montreal and the University of Genoa conclude that the key to survival is cooperation. Their study was published in early April in the Journal of Quaternary Science. "Liguria is where some of the first Homo sapiens, more or less our direct ancestors, lived in Europe," said Julien Riel-Salvatore, a professor of archeology at UdeM who co-authored the study with his Italian colleague Fabio Negrino. "They came after the Neanderthals, and unlike them, when they were faced with sudden changes in their climate they didn't go locally extinct or abandon the region - they adapted." Home sapiens had been living in the region for about 1,000 years when a "super-eruption" in the Phlegraean Fields in southern Italy, west of present-day Naples, devastated much of Europe. "It used to be thought that this wiped out most of the early Homo sapiens in Europe, but we've been able to show that some were able to deal with the situation just fine. They survived by dealing with the uncertainty of sudden change." In their work, the archeologists gathered tool fragments such as bladelets - small flakes knocked off large stones to use as barbs and slicing components of weapons for hunting - that showed the ingenuity of our early ancestors. Some of the flint they used was brought in from hundreds of kilometres away, indicating a very extensive social and trading network that helped them survive for the next 4,000 years. "They had a link to people living far away, so that if things went haywire in the territory where they lived, they had the social option of depending on people they'd built relationships with - the broader the network, the easier it was to survive," said Riel-Salvatore, whose evidence also includes rare skeletal remains and a child's tooth, as well as shell and stone ornaments, that show Homo sapiens were there. His study mirrors others on an even older archeological site, Mount Toba on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where a super-eruption 75,000 years ago was once thought to have come close to wiping out humanity entirely, a theory since disproven. In both cases, archeology has shown that evolution isn't always as dramatic as we think. "This seems to be part of a pattern where humans are more adaptable and more resilient in the face of these enormously disruptive events," said Riel-Salvatore. "These events can be really terrible, but only in a limited way, not across continents or globally." It's a bit of a leap to say that what happened tens of thousands of years ago can help predict how humans today will cope with climate change, but learning from the past does help situate us for the future - and even rebut climate-change deniers, he added. "It underscores the importance of archeology in being able to inform the more immediate issues we face. Cooperation and resilient social networks were really key in helping people ride out dramatic climate change in the past. And considering some of the challenges we're facing nowadays, and some of the entrenched positions we have to deal with, maybe this notion that cooperation is fundamental is something we can communicate as a take-home lesson." The bulk of the data the researchers gathered for their study was excavated between 2002 and 2005 from Riparo Bombrini, a part of the Balzi Rossi site complex from the Middle-Upper Paleolithic period that was first probed in 1938 and excavated in 1976. Over the next three years, Riel-Salvatore and Negrino intend to delve further into why the Neanderthal population there disappeared and was replaced by the better-equipped - and better-connected - Homo sapiens. ### About this study "Human adaptations to climatic change in Liguria across the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition," by Julien Riel?Salvatore and Fabio Negrino, was published April 3, 2018 in the Journal of Quaternary Science. UNC School of Medicine scientists add to evidence that small aggregates of SOD1 protein are the brain-cell killing culprits in ALS, but the formation of larger, more visible, and fibril-like aggregates of the same protein may protect brain cells CHAPEL HILL, NC - Scientists at the UNC School of Medicine have made a significant advance in the understanding of the complex and fatal neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Autopsy studies of ALS patients often reveal the accumulation of large, fibrous aggregates of a protein called SOD1 in disease-affected motor neurons. Researchers have hypothesized that these fibrils are what kill neurons and cause ALS in some people. But in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found evidence that these large SOD1 fibrils protect rather than harm neurons. "This is potentially an important finding not only for ALS research but for neurodegenerative disease research in general, because the formation of fibril aggregates is so common in these diseases," said senior author Nikolay Dokholyan, PhD, the Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UNC-Chapel Hill. Large, often fibril-type protein aggregates are in fact the most obvious pathological features of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, ALS, and other major neurodegenerative diseases. Many of the candidate drugs developed in recent years were designed to clear these protein aggregates. But none of these fibril-targeting strategies have proven effective in large clinical trials. Laboratory studies also have largely failed to prove that large SOD1 fibrils are harmful to neurons. At the same time, researchers have found that much smaller protein clusters called oligomers - made of only a few copies of these proteins - can be highly toxic to motor neuron-like cells grown in the lab and thus are more likely to be the chief causes of brain-cell death in these diseases. In a 2016 study, for example, Dokholyan's lab found evidence that "trimer" structures made of just three copies of the SOD1 protein are toxic to the type of neuron affected in ALS. For the new study, Dokholyan's team, including lead author Cheng Zhu, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in his lab, conducted complicated experiments to compare how trimers affect neurons to how larger fibrils affect neurons. "One challenge is that the smaller structures such as trimers tend to exist only transiently on the way to forming larger structures," Zhu said. "But we were able to find an SOD1 mutation that stabilizes the trimer structure and another mutation that promotes the creation of the larger fibrils at the expense of smaller structures. So, we were able to separate the effects of these two species of the protein." The researchers expressed the mutant SOD1 proteins in test cells that closely resemble the muscle-controlling neurons killed in ALS. They found - as they did in the 2016 study - that when these cells expressed SOD1 mutants that predominantly form trimers, the cells died much more quickly than control cells containing normal SOD1. The trimer-expressing cells even died more quickly than cells expressing mutant forms of SOD1 that are found in severe hereditary ALS cases. "Looking at various SOD1 mutants, we observed that the degree of toxicity correlated with the extent of trimer formation," Zhu said. On the other hand, the viability of cells containing mutant SOD1 that strongly forms fibrils but suppresses trimers tended to be similar as wild-type SOD1, suggesting that the fibrils are protective, not merely less toxic. This suggests SOD1 fibrils aren't the problem in SOD1-linked ALS; they might be a solution. "Taking a drug to promote fibril formation could be one way to reduce toxicity in SOD1-ALS," Dokholyan said. An alternative strategy, he noted, would be to limit the formation of trimers or other small, toxic SOD1 oligomers. SOD1 normally works in cells as a two-copy structure, a dimer. Trimers and other abnormal structures appear to originate when the dimers fall apart. So Dokholyan and colleagues are looking for potential drug molecules that can stabilize the dimers. SOD1 is linked to a significant proportion of ALS cases. Mutations in the SOD1 gene account for about 12 percent of ALS cases that run in families. All of these mutations destabilize the protein's normal structure and promote abnormal SOD1 structures. SOD1 mutations also appear to account for about 1.5 percent of cases that do not obviously run in families. "Although SOD1-associated ALS represents a small fraction of all ALS cases, uncovering the origins of neurotoxicity in SOD1 aggregation may shed light on the underlying causes of an entire class of neurodegenerative diseases," Dokholyan said. The next steps for Dokholyan's lab is to pinpoint downstream cellular mechanisms of toxicity of pathological trimeric SOD1 and find drugs that mitigate the formation of trimers. ### Other authors include Mohanish Deshmuhk, PhD, professor of cell biology and physiology and member of the UNC Neuroscience Center; research technician Matthew Beck of the Deshmukh lab; and Jack Griffith, PhD, Kenan Distinguished Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Biochemistry. Dokholyan, Deshmuhk, and Griffith are members of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. The National Institutes of Health funded this work. Computer modeling shows the presence of a thick crustal transition zone that may control the movement of magma emerging from the Earth's mantle EUGENE, Ore. - April 16, 2018 - Using supercomputer modeling, University of Oregon scientists have unveiled a new explanation for the geology underlying recent seismic imaging of magma bodies below Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone, a supervolcano famous for explosive eruptions, large calderas and extensive lava flows, has for years attracted the attention of scientists trying to understand the location and size of magma chambers below it. The last caldera forming eruption occurred 630,000 years ago; the last large volume of lava surfaced 70,000 years ago. Crust below the park is heated and softened by continuous infusions of magma that rise from an anomaly called a mantle plume, similar to the source of the magma at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano. Huge amounts of water that fuel the dramatic geysers and hot springs at Yellowstone cool the crust and prevent it from becoming too hot. With computer modeling, a team led by UO doctoral student Dylan P. Colon has shed light on what's going on below. At depths of 5-10 kilometers (3-6 miles) opposing forces counter each other, forming a transition zone where cold and rigid rocks of the upper crust give way to hot, ductile and even partially molten rock below, the team reports in a paper in Geophysical Research Letters. This transition traps rising magmas and causes them to accumulate and solidify in a large horizontal body called a sill, which can be up to 15 kilometers (9 miles) thick, according to the team's computer modeling. "The results of the modeling matches observations done by sending seismic waves through the area," said co-author Ilya Bindeman, a professor in the UO's Department of Earth Sciences. "This work appears to validate initial assumptions and gives us more information about Yellowstone's magma locations." This mid-crustal sill is comprised of mostly solidified gabbro, a rock formed from cooled magma. Above and below lay separate magma bodies. The upper one contains the sticky and gas-rich rhyolitic magma that occasionally erupts in explosions that dwarf the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state. Similar structures may exist under super volcanoes around the world, Colon said. The geometry of the sill also may explain differing chemical signatures in eruptive materials, he said. Colon's project to model what's below the nation's first national park, which was sculpted 2 million years ago by volcanic activity, began soon after a 2014 paper in Geophysical Research Letters by a University of Utah-led team revealed evidence from seismic waves of a large magma body in the upper crust. Scientists had suspected, however, that huge amounts of carbon dioxide and helium escaping from the ground indicated that more magma is located farther down. That mystery was solved in May 2015, when a second University of Utah-led study, published in the journal Science, identified by way of seismic waves a second, larger body of magma at depths of 20 to 45 kilometers (12-27 miles). However, Colon said, the seismic-imaging studies could not identify the composition, state and amount of magma in these magma bodies, or how and why they formed there. To understand the two structures, UO researchers wrote new codes for supercomputer modeling to understand where magma is likely to accumulate in the crust. The work was done in collaboration with researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, also known as ETH Zurich. The researchers repeatedly got results indicating a large layer of cooled magma with a high melting point forms at the mid-crustal sill, separating two magma bodies with magma at a lower melting point, much of which is derived from melting of the crust. "We think that this structure is what causes the rhyolite-basalt volcanism throughout the Yellowstone hotspot, including supervolcanic eruptions," Bindeman said. "This is the nursery, a geological and petrological match with eruptive products. Our modeling helps to identify the geologic structure of where the rhyolitic material is located." The new research, for now, does not help to predict the timing of future eruptions. Instead, it provides a never-before-seen look that helps explain the structure of the magmatic plumbing system that fuels these eruptions, Colon said. It shows where the eruptible magma originates and accumulates, which could help with prediction efforts further down the line. "This research also helps to explain some of the chemical signatures that are seen in eruptive materials," Colon said. "We can also use it to explore how hot the mantle plume is by comparing models of different plumes to the actual situation at Yellowstone that we understand from the geologic record." Colon is now exploring what influences the chemical composition of magmas that erupt at volcanoes like Yellowstone. Studying the interaction of rising magmas with the crustal transition zone, and how this influences the properties of the magma bodies that form both above and below it, the scientists wrote, should boost scientific understanding of how mantle plumes influence the evolution and structure of continental crust. ### A third co-author on the paper was Taras V. Gerya, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at ETH Zurich. The National Science Foundation funded the work through a grant to Bindeman. Colon also received support from the Jay M. McMurray Fund, which provides summer research and travel funding, in the UO Department of Earth Sciences. Sources: Dylan Colon, doctoral student, Department of Earth Sciences, dcolon@uoregon.edu, and Ilya Bindeman, professor, Department of Earth Sciences, 541-346-3817, bindeman@uoregon.edu Note: The UO is equipped with an on-campus television studio with a point-of-origin Vyvx connection, which provides broadcast-quality video to networks worldwide via fiber optic network. There also is video access to satellite uplink and audio access to an ISDN codec for broadcast-quality radio interviews. Links: 2014 Geophysical Letters Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL059588 2015 Science Paper: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/348/6236/773 About Dylan Colon: https://earthsciences.uoregon.edu/profile/dColon/ About Ilya Bindeman: https://blogs.uoregon.edu/bindeman/ UO Department of Earth Sciences: https://earthsciences.uoregon.edu About Taras V. Gerya: https://www.erdw.ethz.ch/en/people/profile.html?persid=117792 CHICAGO - Checkpoint inhibitors that block the protein PD-1 are used in melanoma patients after they've had surgery to remove their cancer, but not all patients benefit from the immunotherapy. Now a new study from the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that shifting use of anti-PD-1 drugs to before surgery may provide clues about which patients will benefit and which may be at increased risk for recurrence. Researchers will present their data in a symposium at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Chicago on Tuesday (Presentation #CT181). "Building on our previous research that shows the effect of anti-PD-1 therapy can be seen in patients' blood as early as three weeks after treatment, we gave patients a single dose before surgery, and then looked for anti-tumor activity in the resected tumor three weeks later," said the study's lead author Alexander C. Huang, MD, an instructor of Hematology-Oncology in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine. Tara C. Mitchell, MD, an assistant professor of Hematology-Oncology at Penn, is the study's senior author. Melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer, but it accounts for a large number of skin cancer deaths. The American Cancer Society estimates more than 91,000 new melanomas will be diagnosed in the United States in 2018, while about 9,300 people are expected to die from the disease this year. Currently, the standard of care in resectable melanoma includes surgery followed by a year of drug treatment in select high risk patients, which can include immunotherapy like anti-PD-1 drugs. In Penn's trial, doctors gave 27 patients with stage 3 or 4 resectable melanoma a dose of anti-PD-1 therapy before surgery. Eight of the 27 (30 percent) patients had a complete or near-complete response after the single dose that was detected at the time of surgery; all of these patients with an early response remain cancer free. For patients who did not achieve that response, more than 50 percent who were evaluated at one year had recurrence of their disease. In addition, the study also revealed a high degree of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes among patients with longer recurrence-free survival. When researchers analyzed tumor tissue from pre-treatment biopsies and compared it to tissue removed during surgery three weeks later, they found an increase in CD8 T cells and PD-L1 expression - meaning the immune system had already become active against the cancer. "Our data suggest that giving patients this therapy before surgery may give us a sense of whether or not the therapy will be effective after surgery," Huang said. Huang says more analysis of this trial may lead to clues that can take the concept a step further, from identifying patients at risk of recurrence, to understanding the mechanisms of the cancer's resistance. ### The study was supported by the Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Skin Cancer (P50-CA17452, P01-CA11404, T32-2T32CA009615), the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute's Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA016520), the Tara Miller Foundation, The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Bridge Scholar Award, and Merck. Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $7.8 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $405 million awarded in the 2017 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, a leading provider of highly skilled and compassionate behavioral healthcare. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2017, Penn Medicine provided more than $500 million to benefit our community. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Open Cloud Institute (OCI) is awarding nearly $200,000 in funding through its Cloud Computing Endowment Grant program to kick start UTSA research projects in cloud computing and to provide scholarships to 40 UTSA graduate students in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, and Information Systems and Cyber Security (ISCS) departments, working toward cloud computing-related degrees. "As we shape UTSA into an exemplary urban serving discovery enterprise, it's vital that we support the development of new technologies," said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. "The UTSA Open Cloud Institute is supporting collaborative R&D partnerships around innovative, cutting-edge research. It is also creating educational opportunities that will make a meaningful and lasting impact in a world that is increasing reliant on cloud computing." This year, the Open Cloud Institute awarded $121,900 to support five projects led by UTSA business, science and engineering faculty. Cloud computing allows computer processing resources and data to be shared on-demand on Internet-ready devices using privately-owned cloud or public cloud providers. By investing in a diverse set of interdisciplinary research projects, the OCI is aiming to facilitate impactful applications in several different realms of technology. "The institute is using the endowment funds to expand faculty research in cloud computing and support our students financially to be engaged and work on these research projects," explained Bernard Arulanandam, Jane and Roland Blumberg Professor in Biosciences and UTSA interim vice president for research, economic development and knowledge enterprise. "This practical investment will not only advance scholarly discovery but also workforce development." Harry Millwater, professor of mechanical engineering, will bring analytics and high-performance computing to the cloud. Millwater will work with digital twin (DT) modeling, which involves creating a living digital copy of a high-value asset such as an aircraft or a satellite that can then be updated in real time. The DT can then be used to predict reliability, remaining useful life, maintenance and repairs of the real asset. DT modeling is also used in simulations for surgeries, medical devices, ship-building and power plant construction. The overall goal of the project will be implementing this technique with high performance cloud computing and providing a more thorough understanding of DT modeling, which could lead to a new generation of cutting edge, effective technology in countless industries. Hatim Sharif, professor of civil and environmental engineering, will conduct smart transportation research using cloud computing. By utilizing computational algorithms in the cloud to estimate crash probabilities based on a set of humans, environmental and roadway factors, Sharif will develop a predictor of crash severity to help Texas improve its infrastructure and more precisely prevent crashes. Jeff Prevost, co-founder and co-director of the Open Cloud Institute and assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, will create a comprehensive cloud framework to test the cooperation of robots that are working together to accomplish one common mission. The work is a precursor to increased coordination of Internet-of-Things devices that operate on the cloud. Prevost and his students are using swarms of robots to stand in for what could one day be smart devices in the home or at an office. Paul Rad, co-founder and co-director of the Open Cloud Institute and associate professor of information systems and cybersecurity, will use cloud computing as a tool in cyber autonomy and threat analytics. Rad will utilize the cloud to collect data from social media and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices to employ machine learning algorithms that detects the possibility of malicious behavior. His goal is to stop cyber-physical threats before they happen. Krystel Castillo, GreenStar Endowed Associate Professor in Energy and director of the UTSA Texas Sustainable Energy Research Institute, will incorporate cloud computing into efforts to create a science as a service resource for the clean energy community. Castillo will utilize a cloud-based decision system to help the emerging clean energy industry optimize system performance and market potential while considering the environmental, social and economic implications of that system. As a result, this resource will provide clean energy research and practitioners the opportunity to use optimization model to devise robust designs in a techno-economic sustainable way. Through the Open Cloud Institute, UTSA also offers a graduate-level certificate program in cloud computing so that students in engineering, computer science, and cybersecurity can incorporate cloud expertise into their degrees. Additionally, the Open Cloud Institute awarded $75,000 in scholarship funds to UTSA graduate students studying cloud computing. "The work that The Open Cloud Institute is doing to support innovative research and the cloud computing professionals of tomorrow is very inspiring. The institute continues to be a hub for exciting, creative research in a world that is increasingly dominated by cloud technology," said Lorenzo Gomez III, executive director of the 80/20 Foundation. ### The graduate certificate program, available to UTSA students in the College of Sciences, the College of Business and the College of Engineering, has three tracks. The applications track teaches students how to deploy data and big data analytics within the cloud. The infrastructure track focuses on how to build cloud software. The security track teaches students to create a secure, encrypted cloud protected from hacking or cyber terror. UTSA's cloud computing certificate program currently serves 22 graduate students. In 2015, UTSA founded the Open Cloud Institute to support cloud computing and big data research and development. The 80/20 Foundation supported the launch of the institute with $4.8 million to support endowed professorships, faculty research positions, graduate student endowments and research funding. The institute's researchers are helping the international business community improve its computing platforms through open-source cloud and big data technologies such as OpenStack, Software Defined Networks, and OpenAI. It currently includes 15 faculty members and supports 150 students across three colleges: Business, Sciences and Engineering. Just like people, some T cells have excellent memories. These subtypes known as memory T cells may explain why some immunotherapies are more effective than others and potentially lead to researchers designing more effective studies using combination checkpoint blockade treatments, according to experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study demonstrated that anti-CTLA-4 and anti- PD-1 immunotherapies together appear to enhance response rates and generate formation of memory T cells in mice vaccinated with melanoma cells. The combination could explain why relapse occurs in some patients with therapies targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1 checkpoints, which evade the body's immune system. Findings from the study conducted in the lab of checkpoint blockade pioneer, James Allison, Ph.D., chair of Immunology, were presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018 in Chicago. "We are learning more about the differences between anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 therapies," said Stephen Mok, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow of Immunology, who presented findings. "We know that while anti-PD-1 therapy has a greater response rate than anti-CTLA-4, one issue is the durability of the responses." Patients who receive anti-PD-1 have an average response rate of 30 percent but approximately 25 percent of the patients experience tumor relapse within two years after treatment has stopped. Patients treated with anti-CTLA-4 have a response rate of 11 percent with 22 percent of patients surviving at least 10 years. The team took a closer look at memory T cells, which in previous bacteria and virus studies have suggested anti-CTLA-4 increases memory T cell levels. Conversely, anti-PD-1 tends to reduce their formation. Memory T cells are immune cells that previously have encountered cancer and gained the ability to recognize cancer antigens and reproduce more quickly, resulting in a faster and stronger defense. The investigators vaccinated mice with irradiated melanoma cells and treated them with either anti-CTLA-4 or anti-PD-1 to see if there were differences in memory T cell formation. "Although both anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 improved tumor rejection, mice treated with anti-CTLA-4 exhibited superior tumor control, suggesting the memory T-cell response by this agent is more durable," said Allison. "In order to augment the durability of anti-PD-1 treatment, it was combined with anti-CTLA-4. What we found was that the combined treatment group had a better memory anti-tumor response compared with anti-PD-1 alone." The team reported that collectively their findings facilitate the design of combination immunotherapy treatments that enhance both response rates and generation of memory T cells to prevent relapse. "Understanding how checkpoint blockade therapies affect memory T-cell development opens up the possibilities for refining current combination immunotherapy treatments and improving patient outcomes," said Mok. Colm Duffy, a graduate research assistant in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Immunology, also participated in the study. Mok is funded by the Cancer Research Institute Irvington Postdoctoral Fellowship (16073450). ### HOUSTON - Colon polyps from patients with Lynch syndrome, a hereditary condition that raises colorectal cancer risk, display immune system activation well before cancer development, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The preclinical research challenges traditional models of cancer immune activation and suggests immunotherapy may be useful for colorectal cancer prevention in certain high-risk groups. The findings, published in JAMA Oncology, will be presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018 in Chicago by Kyle Chang, graduate research assistant. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1, such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, have been successful in treating colorectal cancers with deficiencies in DNA mismatch repair (MMR). These tumors accumulate large numbers of genetic mutations and mutant proteins, or neoantigens, which are thought to stimulate an immune response, making them more susceptible to checkpoint blockade therapy. "Our question was how this worked in premalignancy," said senior author Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention and Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology. "Can we apply checkpoint inhibitors or checkpoint inhibitor strategies to prevent MMR-deficient colorectal cancer?" Lynch syndrome (LS), which is caused by inherited mutations in MMR, provides the perfect context in which to study early immune activation and explore the potential use of checkpoint inhibitors in a prevention setting, explained Vilar-Sanchez. Over 1 million people in the U.S. are affected by LS, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome. In the study, the researchers analyzed gene expression to characterize the immune profile in 11 polyps and three early-stage tumors from 14 patients with LS. As a control, the researchers also analyzed 17 polyps from patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome which does not exhibit MMR deficiencies. The resulting profiles revealed increased expression of several markers of immune activation, including CD4 T-cells, proinflammatory molecules and checkpoint molecules, such as PD-L1 and LAG-3, in LS polyps compared to FAP polyps. However, contrary to traditional models of immune activation, the observed immune profiles were independent of the rate of mutations or neoantigens present in the sample. "To our surprise, our findings don't follow the standard model. The majority of premalignant lesions do not have an excessive increase in mutations or neoantigens," said Vilar-Sanchez. "However, we observed there is already immune activation, meaning the activation precedes the development of the mutations." The findings suggest a baseline level of immune activation exists in precancerous polyps, which may prime them for susceptibility to checkpoint blockade, explained Vilar-Sanchez. Future work will be necessary to clarify the mechanism by which this immune activation occurs, as the current study was observational in nature. The researchers hope to initiate clinical studies to investigate the use of checkpoint blockade strategies for preventing colorectal cancer in high-risk groups, such as those with LS. "Lynch syndrome patients have a strong immune activation in the colon, and that immune activation can be exploited for preventive purposes," said Vilar-Sanchez. "I think our data provide the information needed to launch studies to use checkpoint inhibition in the setting of prevention." ### This study was supported, in part, by the Colorectal Cancer Moon Shot, part of MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program, a collaborative effort to accelerate the development of scientific discoveries into clinical advances that save patients' lives. The Moon Shot provides valuable funding support for high-risk, high-reward projects, such as this, and propels research toward delivering clinical impact, said Vilar-Sanchez. This work also was supported by the National Cancer Institute (R21 CA208461, R01 CA219463, R25T CA057730, P30 CA016672, K12 CA088084), a gift from the Feinberg Foundation, and The V Foundation For Cancer Research Scholar Grant. In addition to Vilar-Sanchez, MD Anderson authors include: Kyle Chang, Laura Reyes-Uribe, M.D., Ester Borras, Ph.D., Erick Riquelme, Ph.D., Reagan Barnett, Ph.D., and Ernest Hawk, M.D., all of Clinical Cancer Prevention; Melissa Taggart, M.D., Pathology; F. Anthony San Lucas, Ph.D., Epidemiology; Nancy You, M.D., Surgical Oncology; Jason Roszik, Ph.D., Melanoma Medical Oncology and Genomic Medicine; Paul Scheet, Ph.D., Epidemiology; Scott Kopetz, M.D., Ph.D., GI Medical Oncology; Patrick Lynch, M.D., J.D, Gastroenterology; and Florencia McAllister, M.D., Clinical Cancer Prevention and GI Medical Oncology. Additional authors include: Guido Leoni, Ph.D., and Maria Catanese, Ph.D., Nouscom SRL, Rome; Federica Mori, ReiThera SRL, Rome; Maria G. Diodoro, M.D., Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome; and Alfred Nicosia, Ph.D., of Nouscom SRL, Rome, CEINGE and University of Naple Federico II, Naples, Italy. this news is not available 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. Fifteen Swiss organisations have called on the Federal Council to suspend negotiations on expanding its free trade agreements with Turkey until the country releases all its political prisoners. Turkey must ensure that the media and non-governmental organisations can operate freely in the country once again, demanded the Society for Threatened Peoples and other organisations including the leftwing Green Party and Social Democratic Party in a statement. The Turkish opposition and Kurdish minority groups were affected by reprisals in the transcontinental country, they wrote on Monday. The group denounced the Turkish intervention in Syria as an aggression contrary to international law and called on Turkey to put an end to any politically motivated criminal proceedings. The free trade agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Turkey has existed since 1992. It is currently undergoing a process of modernisation and expansion. In addition to Switzerland, EFTAs other member states are Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The board of specialist steel manufacturer Schmolz + Bickenbach has distanced itself from major shareholder Viktor Vekselberg and his investment group Renova in the wake of United States sanctions against Russian economic interests. Chairman Edwin Eichler will stand for re-election at next weeks annual general meeting, but no longer as a representative of Renova, the Swiss firm announced on Monday. Vladimir Polienko will stand down, leaving Marco Musetti as the only Renova-appointed representative on the board if elected. The move to reduce the Schmolz + Bickenbach board from seven members to six was approved by all major shareholders, the company said. Vekselberg and Renova were targeted by US sanction afterbeing named as specially designated nationals (SDN). Sanctions were imposed in retaliation for Russian actions in Syria, Ukraine, Crimea and Europe. Any other company at least 50% owned by SDNs could also be hit with sanctions. Vekselberg owns around 42% of Schmolz + Bickenbach through investment groups, but the Swiss company still saw share prices hit by its association with the Russian. Paralyzing sanctions Another Swiss industrial concern, Sulzer, was forced to buy shares back from Vekselberg last week to reduce the Russians holding from over 60% to under 50%.US banks had frozen Sulzer bank accounts to comply with the sanctions. Dollars account for half of all cash flows at Sulzer. We could no longer pay some employees, we could not accept any new orders, we were paralyzed, Sulzer CEO Greg Poux-Guillaume said in an interview with Swiss public television on Monday. We may have lost some orders in the short term, but I am convinced that there will be no long-term damage. We will continue to do business in Russia, but carefully and probably without Renova. swissinfo.ch/mga Lufthansa emerged as the number one candidate to take over Alitalia on Monday after an Italian government minister called the German airline's bid the "most promising". The Italian government has been looking for new investors in its struggling flagship airline since it entered insolvency proceedings last year, hit by competition from low-cost operators. The situation is further complicated by Marchs inconclusive general election, from which no new government has yet been found. Alitalia is still fragile and needs a partner. Theres a chance to work on these offers and arrive at a structural solution that doesnt cost taxpayers anything more, Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda told the La Repubblica daily. Objectively speaking, however, Lufthansas offer is the most promising. It was put under special administration in May after staff rejected plans to cut 1,700 jobs and salaries, and last week was the subject of three expressions of interest, with Britains budget airline EasyJet one of the other companies keen. EasyJet presented a revised expression of interest for a restructured Alitalia, as part of a consortium, without providing further details. Italian media claimed that private equity firm Cerberus and the American airline Delta were EasyJets partners and that the third expression of interest was submitted by Hungarian carrier Wizz Air, who declined to comment when asked about the matter by AFP. However Calenda said that any sale was contingent on a new government somehow emerging from the political deadlock. Two rounds of consultations held by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella came to nothing, as anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and a right-wing coalition led by the far-right League bicker over who should lead a new government and on what terms. Italianness The deadline for sale of Alitalia was originally the end of this month, but the government will issue a decree in the coming weeks pushing back that deadline by around six months while Mattarella searches for a solution to the stalemate. We need a new government, otherwise the investors will not buy, Calenda said to La Repubblica. However, both the League and the M5S have want to retain the Italianness of Alitalia, which employees around 11,000 people. Last week a Lufthansa spokesman told AFP that they had submitted a document describing ideas for a restructured NewAlitalia, while stating that Alitalia as it is today is not interesting. The spokesman said that if the document was well received enough we can imagine further discussions. The Lufthansa group which includes Lufthansa, Eurowings, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and Austrian Airlines reported record profits for 2017 last month, celebrating a year in which it ended a dispute with pilots and acquired parts of defunct rival Air Berlin. Net profits rose 33.1 percent to hit 2.36 billion euros ($2.92 billion), higher than the 2.28 billion predicted by analysts and hailed by chief executive Carsten Spohr as the best result in the history of our company. However Lufthansa asks that the commissioners responsible for managing Alitalia carry out a profound restructuring before any possible acquisition. Last week Calenda welcomed an improved proposal from Lufthansa, both in terms of maintaining intercontinental links and staff. Italian media claim that Lufthansa has lowered the number of aviation jobs it wants removed to 4,000 of the current 8,400. Previously it had reportedly planned on 6,000 redundancies. cco/td/jh An Italian judge ordered the release Monday of a migrant rescue ship, impounded since last month as part of an investigation in which three NGO officials are accused of aiding illegal immigration. The ship, belonging to Spanish aid group Proactiva Open Arms, was seized in mid-March after NGO workers refused to hand over migrants saved during a rescue mission off the Libyan coast to the Libyan coastguard, instead delivering them to the Italian island of Sicily. On Monday a judge in the Sicilian city of Ragusa said that Libya was not yet in a position to take in rescued migrants while ensuring their fundamental rights were respected and considered that the NGO had acted out of necessity. Proactiva Open Arms founder Oscar Camps tweeted that although the decision was good news, it was just the first step as the probe into promoting illegal immigration continued. The controversial rescue mission took place on 15 March after the Italian coastguard flagged up two vessels in distress 73 nautical miles off Libya to the NGO, before later clarifying that Tripoli would be coordinating the rescue operations. The NGO began to rescue the migrants and then refused to transfer them to a Libyan speedboat which arrived later. Public prosecutors in the Sicilian cities of Catania and Ragusa say that the migrants should have been taken to Malta, the nearest safe port, and accuse the NGO of deliberately taking them to Italy. In response, Open Arms has said that Malta only deals with medical emergencies. In Spain, the ships seizure has sparked a support movement under the slogan, saving lives is not a crime, with protests and an online petition which has garnered over 300,000 signatures, including those of actors Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem. The Open Arms ship is the second to be seized by Italian authorities after the Iuventa, chartered by German NGO Jugend Rettet, was held last summer. A year ago, a dozen NGO rescue ships patrolled the Libyan coast, but now only two remain: the Aquarius operated by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the German-owned Sea-Watch. Other NGOs have suspended their operations due to increased threats from the Libyan navy and a decline in departures which have dropped 60 percent since the summer of 2017 following controversial agreements made by Rome with Libyan authorities and militias. French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed their common vision and the strength of their personal friendship as they met in Paris on Monday. The two young leaders, both progressives in their 40s, exchanged a hug on the steps of the Elysee Palace and spoke warmly of their ties afterwards at a press conference that ended with them leaving the room with their arms across each others backs. Macron and Trudeau see each other as natural allies in a world increasingly shaped by right-wing nationalism which has gathered strength in Europe and the United States, as well as in Russia, Turkey and China. We have an extremely close convergence of views, Macron said during the press conference, which came after a working lunch and talks with Trudeau. Trudeau, speaking mostly in French, ended his remarks lauding the friendship between the two leaders a contrast with the often difficult relationship he has with his North American neighbour, US President Donald Trump. Canada, France and Europe are extremely aligned, he said. Talks included trade, the war in Syria and an upcoming summit of G7 countries which will be hosted by Canada in June. Trudeau and Macrons first meeting as leaders came in May last year when they were photographed together at a meeting of G7 countries in the dreamy setting of Taormina, a hillside town in Sicily. It led to widespread commentary about the bromance between the two married liberals as well as jokes online that they looked like they had gone to Sicily for their wedding photographs. Posted by Mark Williams | April 16, 2018 By Jerrod Jones For the last 52 years, the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah, has brought 4x4 enthusiasts of all kinds together for a weeklong gathering. Though it's been deemed the "Jeep Safari" since its start in 1967, the term "Jeep" or "Jeeper" was universalized to encompass any off-roader who liked to hit the trails. "Jeepers" drove Toyotas, International Harvester Scouts, Ford Broncos, Chevrolet Blazers or any number of single-cab pickup trucks alongside Jeeps. Moab was a place where any 4x4 enthusiast could find a fun trail, no matter how stock or how customized their rig was. Not only that, the event brought together a bunch of like-minded individuals in a small town where they could have fun, talk shop, sell and purchase products, and admire the work of others. The uniqueness and diversity of the 4WD vehicles that passed through Moab became more amazing every year, but then something happened around 2007. A certain manufacturer released a 4x4 that was so capable, so easy to build and so usable as a daily driver that it swept across the 4x4 world. It didn't take long for droves of enthusiasts to trade in their custom creations for the latest Jeep (first the CJ, then Wranglers) they could drive to work Monday through Friday and wheel on the weekends. It seemed like over the course of a year, the safari went from being an ultra-diverse crowd to one filled with cookie-cutter Jeeps. And for good reason those Jeeps worked great. Unfortunately, uniqueness and diversity suffered greatly. Where had the four-banger Toyotas, the old Ford Ranger F-100s and the crazy home-built creations gone? Two magazine editors saw the change and quickly grew tired of seeing six of the same 4x4s in a row on a trail, so they came up with an idea: Create some trail rides, write some articles and put the call out to bring full-size 4x4s to Moab during the safari. The first "official" Fullsize Invasion run was in 2012; from the get-go it was obvious it was going to be a hit. But it wasn't just full-size owners coming to run. The open call attracted all types of 4x4s. Toyotas, classic Broncos and even old Jeep CJs and many unibody Jeeps started running with the fuel-injection pack. And that was the whole point to bring some 4WD diversity back to the trails of Moab. It didn't matter if you had a $100,000 or $1,000 truck, anyone was welcome to run with the full-size crew. What started as one day of full-size fun six years ago quickly turned into two separate and dedicated trail days during the annual Jeep Safari. And then more came. The Fullsize Invasion got so big that county permits had to be pulled to cover the event. The group did its best to stay out of the way of other permitted trail rides, but the sheer size of the event required a check-in with the Bureau of Land Management. To cover permit and insurance costs, the group found sponsors who wanted to support their customers for a week of fun in the rocks. This year BulletProofDiesel, Daystar Products, G2 Axle & Gear, Lost River Off-Road, MSD Performance, Offroad Design, Pure Performance, Smittybilt and Voodoo Offroad all helped make sure that their patrons had a great week of running together in the rocks. And with a free week of trail rides, T-shirts, stickers and raffle prizes that benefited a Moab school, who wouldn't want to hang out with the Fullsize Invasion crew? A total of five trail days, including one Diesel Invasion day went down in Moab this year, not to mention a late-night party that was one to tell friends about. We're looking forward to next year's Fullsize Invasion plans, as we're told it's only going to get better. Cars.com photos by Jerrod Jones Matt Johnson and Patricia Sorrentino brought out their big silver Chevrolet Suburban to hit the rocks of the Steel Bender 4x4 Trail with the Fullsize Invasion crew. How could you not love Fab Fours' new Ford Super Duty build? It has some parts on it that may be a bit too radical for some, but no one can deny the coolness of 44-inch Super Swamper Boggers on a new single-cab diesel truck. The Fullsize Invasion crew started off its week of trail rides on the Moab Rim Trail. It is short, but it can be daunting and there are a few great obstacles. And the view at the top is worth conquering the fear factor. James Watson of Offroad Design came down to run Steel Bender for a day from Carbondale, Colo. Daystar Products wasn't just one of the sponsors of this year's run. CEO Mark Turner brought out the copper-clad Bootlegger project to show off what it could do on Moab Rim Trail. Go ahead and tell us you've seen a cooler Power Wagon somewhere (you'll be wrong, but you can tell us that if you like). Quite a few K5s lifted a tire right here. There were no less than four Chevrolet Blazers running with the Fullsize Invasion pack and it was obvious where wheelbase played a role. On some obstacles the Blazers would skirt up better than anything else. And on certain obstacles, a front tire couldn't wait to reach for the sky. If you thought "trars" half truck/half car were a thing of the past, think again. Josh Gordon may have reignited an old flame in lots of enthusiasts with his Plymouth build. And since the Fullsize Invasion is all about promoting 4x4 diversity, we can't imagine a better pack for Gordon to run with. BulletProofDiesel has been part of the Fullsize Invasion for a couple years now, but this year it led an extra fifth trail day that was tailored for its customers big diesel trucks. This diesel invasion brought more tow rigs through Fins & Things 4x4 Trail than you've ever seen. 10. In case you thought this was a locals-only or southwestern event, think again. Ben Russell came all the way from Rhode Island again this year and plans to return next year in his square-body Chevy trail rig. Mike Delfraisse lifts a tire in his prerunner Ford Bronco. He made it the whole way thanks to some good driving, but his TTB Bronco is set up primarily for desert use and the differences between twin-traction beam versus solid axle when climbing became apparent. Blake Anderson shows up every year to show the FI guys how a local from the Utah 4x4 Club does things. In some way, diversity is more important than size with this group. Even the most shunned of Jeeps the unibodies find friends among these guys. In any other 4x4 this is a harrowing ledge on the Steel Bender Trail. Not so much in a crew-cab long-bed Ford F-350. Off-road journalist and all-around good guy John Cappa joined diesel day with his little Jeep Flattie which was awesome. The event's first-ever raffle took place at the home of Dave Hellman and Steph Berg. The raffle raised $1,327 to help build a new playground at the local preschool in Moab. Offroad Design's Stephen Watson makes it to Moab every year and runs with the Fullsize Invasion crew. His super-cool Chevy K30 is always a favorite to watch on the trails, and his ability to traverse the terrain makes the guys following him feel more comfortable. John Mears of Lost River Off-Road brought his new, almost-stock Ford Super Duty to play on Steel Bender. Just in case you didn't think the sponsors were willing to thrash their stuff, here's proof. Countries must help boost the work of the world's chemical arms watchdog so it can definitively dismantle Syria's "secret" toxic weapons programme, the French ambassador urged at talks Monday. The priority today is to give the technical secretariat the means to complete the dismantling of the Syrian programme, Phillipe Lalliot told the closed-door meeting of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Following recent alleged attacks we all know, Syria has maintained a secret chemical programme since 2013, the ambassador added. That was a reference to the year when under international pressure Syria finally joined the OPCW and admitted to stockpiling toxic arms. The facts are there, and they defy the most obscene lies and the most absurd denials, Lalliot said in his speech at emergency OPCW talks, seen by AFP. The name of Douma, where 40 people died in a suspected poison gas attack on April 7, now joined others like Ypres, Halabja, Ghouta and Khan Sheikhun in the terrifying litany of chemical massacres, he said. OPCW experts said in 2016 that all of Syrias declared stockpile of chemical weapons had been destroyed. But the organisations head Ahmet Uzumcu has repeatedly warned of gaps and inconsistencies in Damascuss declaration. Lalliot also voiced Frances support for the work of the OPCW which has come under attack in recent days, notably over its findings relating to the poisoning of a former Russian double agent and his daughter in Britain. We have every confidence in the independent, impartial and professional work of its teams, even as they work in difficult and dangerous circumstances, he told the OPCWs governing executive council. Our priorities are clear. To guarantee the definitive destruction of all of Syrias secret chemical weapons arsenal; to fight against impunity and punish those responsible for the chemical attacks; and to put in place an impartial and independent mechanism to find out who is behind the attacks, Lalliot added. Hours after striking Syria, the United States, France and Britain on Saturday launched a new bid at the United Nations to investigate chemical weapons attacks in Syria. The three allies circulated a joint draft resolution at the Security Council that also calls for unimpeded deliveries of humanitarian aid, enforcing a ceasefire and demands that Syria engage in UN-led peace talks, according to the text obtained by AFP. The move signaled the Wests resolve to return to diplomacy after a one-night military operation that hit sites Western officials said were linked to Syrias chemical weapons program. Among the contentious proposals, the draft resolution would establish an independent investigation of allegations of toxic gas attacks in Syria with the aim of identifying the perpetrators. Russia in November used its veto three times to bury a previous UN-led inquiry which found that Syrian forces had dropped sarin on the town of Khan Sheikhun in April last year. The measure would instruct the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to report within 30 days on whether Syria has fully disclosed its chemical weapons stockpile. The West has accused Syria of failing to live up to its commitment to scrap its chemical weapons program, under a 2013 deal reached between the United States and Russia. On the humanitarian side, the measure demands medical evacuations and safe passage for aid convoys to be allowed to all areas. The text calls for a ceasefire resolution adopted in February but which never materialized to finally take hold and demands that President Bashar al-Assads government engage in peace talks in good faith, constructively and without preconditions. Several rounds of peace talks held under UN auspices in Geneva have failed to yield progress, deadlocked over demands that Assad make way for a political transition. Getting Russia aboard Negotiations on the draft resolution are set to begin on Monday, but diplomats said it remained unclear when the council would vote on the proposal. Western diplomats said they were ready to allow time for negotiations to make every effort to bring Russia aboard. Russia has used its veto 12 times at the Security Council to block action targeting its Syrian ally. The new diplomatic push came after a stormy Security Council meeting called by Russia, which branded the military action an aggression against Syria and sought condemnation. That bid however failed, with only China and Bolivia voting alongside Russia to condemn the air strikes. Eight countries opposed condemnation while four abstained. Addressing the council, US Ambassador Nikki Haley said the United States was confident that the military strikes had crippled Syrias chemical weapons program. Haley warned that the United States was locked and loaded, ready to strike again if any new chemical attack was carried out in Syria. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the West of hooliganism and demanded that it immediately end its actions against Syria and refrain from them in the future. You are not only placing yourselves above international law, but you are trying to re-write international law, Nebenzia said. The United States, Britain and France launched air strikes in response to a suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Douma a week ago that killed at least 40 people. The council has met five times this week on Syria amid repeated pleas from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to end divisions over Syria. Russia may have visited the site of an alleged poison gas attack in the Syrian town of Douma and "tampered with" evidence, the US ambassador to the global chemical arms watchdog said Monday. It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site, US ambassador Ken Ward told emergency talks of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. We are concerned they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW fact-finding mission to conduct an effective investigation, he added in his speech, a copy of which was sent to AFP. If proven this would raise serious questions about the ability of the fact-finding mission to do its job, he added. The OPCWs executive council was meeting behind closed doors Monday to discuss the April 7 attack on Douma in which 40 people were said to have been killed by suspected chlorine gas. Ward called on the 41-member governing body of the OPCW to condemn the Syrian government for its reign of chemical terror and demand international accountability for those responsible for these heinous attacks. He also urged Syria to end this charade, immediately cease all such attacks and immediately declare and dismantle all aspects of its chemical weapons program. The Russian and French ambassadors to the Netherlands were among those who arrived Monday for emergency talks on Syria called by the global chemical watchdog, an AFP correspondent saw. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was due to open a meeting at 0800 GMT at its headquarters in The Hague following the April 7 suspected poison gas attack on civilians in the Syrian town of Douma. The British ambassador, Peter Wilson, was also seen arriving at the OPCWS distinctive round-shaped headquarters, for a meeting of the bodys 41-member executive council. The OPCW has 192 members, and Mondays governing executive council meeting was called by its chairman, Bangladeshi ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal to discuss the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. An OPCW fact-finding team is in Syria to probe the alleged attack on Douma in which 40 people died. Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven industrialized nations on Monday called on Russia to come clean about a nerve agent attack on a former spy in Britain, calling it "a threat to us all." We call on Russia to urgently address all questions related to the incident in Salisbury, they said in a joint statement. The G7 nations urged Russia to provide a full and complete disclosure of its previously undeclared Novichok program to the OPCW in line with its international obligations. Novichok is a group of deadly chemical compounds reportedly developed by the Soviet government in the 1970s and 80s. The G7 statement comes after Western nations expelled more than 150 Russian diplomats in a coordinated action against Moscow in support of Britain, and Russia retaliated with similar moves. Britain has blamed Moscow for the assassination attempt on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English town of Salisbury in March. After conducting its own tests, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Thursday confirmed Britains findings about the substance used in the attack. The foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, as well as the European Union, said they are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms the attack in Salisbury. They also said they agree with Britains assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation was responsible for the attack and that there is no plausible alternative explanation. Any use of chemical weapons by a state party, under any circumstances, is a clear breach of international law and a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, they said. It is a threat to us all. Their use is abhorrent, completely unacceptable and must be systematically and rigorously condemned. British pub chain JD Wetherspoon has closed all of its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts with immediate effect following "bad publicity" over the social media platforms, the company announced Monday. The firm, which has almost 900 pubs across the UK and Ireland, linked the move to bad publicity surrounding social media including the trolling of politicians and others, especially those from religious or ethnic minorities. Its becoming increasingly obvious that people spend too much time on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and struggle to control the compulsion, Wetherspoon chairman and founder Tim Martin said in a statement. We will still be as vocal as ever through our Wetherspoon News magazine, as well as keeping the press updated at all times. We will also be maintaining our website and the Wetherspoon app and encourage customers to get in touch with us via our website or by speaking with the manager at their local pub, Martin added. Martin is a vocal supporter of Brexit and was a Leave campaign donor in the run-up to Britains shock referendum result in favour of leaving the European Union. The pub chain has even printed special anti-EU beer mats for punters. Martin said: We are going against conventional wisdom that these platforms are a vital component of a successful business. I dont believe that closing these accounts will affect our business whatsoever, and this is the overwhelming view of our pub managers. Zimbabwe's foreign minister will attend the Commonwealth summit this week in London, an official in Harare said Monday, underlining the country's international re-engagement since president Robert Mugabe's fall. Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth bloc in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year. Zimbabwe had fractured relations with the West and became increasingly isolated under Mugabe, who held power since independence from Britain in 1980 until his shock ousting last year. Foreign affairs secretary Joey Bimha told AFP that Zimbabwe would be represented by Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo on the sidelines of the two-day heads of state meeting in London starting on Thursday. The minister has been invited by his counterpart in Britain but he will not take part in the deliberations, Bimha told AFP. Bimha said Zimbabwes attendance reflected President Emmerson Mnangagwas determination to improve international relations and boost foreign investment in the post-Mugabe era. The president has said he will do everything necessary to re-engage with everyone, he said. Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth a bloc of former British colonies at the height of land seizures, when white farmers were evicted in favour of landless black people in a policy that wrecked the agriculture sector and triggered national economic collapse. It has not yet made a formal move to re-join, but Mnangagwa has signalled his wish for the country to return. We do have a formal process for people to start if they want to come back, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland told AFP in London. What we have had is an approach from Zimbabwe indicating they have an interest. Scotland declined to confirm that Moyo would attend the summit meeting or give further details. While in power, Mugabe regularly said to hell with the Commonwealth and launched bitter verbal assaults against Britain, Zimbabwes former colonial ruler. Mnangagwa, who was Mugabes former deputy and a hardline loyalist in the ruling ZANU-PF party, came to power in November after a brief military intervention. The Gambia re-joined the Commonwealth in 2018, the fourth country to do so after South Africa, Pakistan and Fiji. Commonwealth leaders agreed Friday that Prince Charles should follow his mother Queen Elizabeth II as the next head of the group at the close of a summit overshadowed by a row over Britain's treatment of Caribbean immigrants. The next Head of the Commonwealth shall be His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the 53 member countries said in a statement. Queen Elizabeth had told leaders on the first day of the summit on Thursday that she wanted her eldest son to succeed her in the symbolic figurehead role, which is non-hereditary. Queen Elizabeth, who turns 92 on Saturday, spoke of her own extraordinary journey since pledging to serve the Commonwealth for life when aged 21. It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day, the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work, she said, referring to Charles. Queen Elizabeth has been the Commonwealths head since her father king George VIs death in 1952. Some republican voices had been angling for change in future but Prime Minister Theresa May gave her backing to 69-year-old Charles, who is heir to the throne of 16 Commonwealth nations, saying it was fitting that he should have the role. Other Commonwealth leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also publicly endorsed Charles. The summit also agreed a series of commitments on marine protection, combating malaria and guaranteeing 12 years of education for children in all member states by 2030. Not welcome This weeks gathering of Commonwealth leaders was, however, marred by a row over Britains threat to deport some of the immigrants who came to Britain from the Caribbean in the 1950s and 1960s because they did not have residency papers. May was forced to apologise to Caribbean leaders on Tuesday and has faced questions over her own time as interior minister between 2010 and 2016 when she initiated policies aimed at creating a hostile environment for illegal immigrants. Large-scale Caribbean immigration to Britain began in 1948 when the ship Empire Windrush brought over the first group of West Indian immigrants and finished in the early 1970s. They and their parents were invited to help rebuild Britain after World War II and with many of them legally British they were born while their home countries were still colonies they were given indefinite leave to remain. Some have not been able to prove their status, however, and have faced deportation threats and expensive legal cases. The government has now set up a helpline which as of Friday was helping 286 cases. The interior ministry said it had granted permanent status to eight people so far this week. But the government has faced outrage over its approach. Around 500 people gathered in Windrush Square in Brixton, a part of south London where many Caribbean immigrants settled, for a demonstration later on Friday. We have what people thought was their own government telling them theyre not welcome in their own country, Gary McFarlane from Stand Up To Racism, a campaign group, told the crowd. Unless you actually stand up and fight back, things can go backwards, he said. 09:02 Like demonetisation, abolishing the Planning Commission was a 'Tughluqian' move, which has yielded in its place a forum of "intellectually mediocre drum-beaters," said former Union minister Jairam Ramesh. A sitting Rajya Sabha MP and former member of the erstwhile plan panel, Ramesh said the commission did not keep India poor as it was often alleged but actually kept India together. The Planning Commission was an institution in the Government of India, which formulated India's Five-Year Plans, besides performing other functions and was set up by a Resolution of the Government of India in March 1950. It was dissolved by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government in 2014 and replaced with NITI Aayog. "It was only in August 2014 that the prime minister announced that the Planning Commission would be abolished and in its place a Niti Aayog would be set up. This was in keeping with the new prime minister's mindset: everything must bear my imprint, no matter what's the history and what's the legacy," Ramesh said while delivering the seventh Sharada Prasad memorial lecture on the topic, 'Wise Counsel: Reflections on the Planning Era'. The lecture was organised in memory of late H Y Sharada Prasad, a civil servant and journalist, best known as the media adviser to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Continuing his denunciation of the government's decision to abolish the commission, Ramesh said the body, which was a counter-weight to the finance ministry, a powerful voice for the states, a source of in-house criticism and a forum to bring different viewpoints to the table, stood abolished "at one stroke". "Planning was associated with Nehru. Vajpayee was a product of the Nehruvian era and his obituary speech on Nehru's demise is a masterpiece. But the present prime minister is obsessed with the obliteration of Nehru in every aspect. In my view, the decision to abolish the Planning Commission was as much a Tughluqian move as was demonetisation," Ramesh said. He further said the commission performed valuable functions "at an arm's-length relationship" with the government in power and which even stood up to the government in power on numerous occasions while being part of the system. "After over six decades, it certainly needed a large dose of adrenalin. But what was administered to it in 2014 was a poison pill. What we now have in its place is an intellectually mediocre drum-beater for the powers that be. "I don't mind admitting that something in me died when the last rites of the Planning Commission were performed four years ago and it faded into history unmourned and unappreciated," Ramesh said. -- PTI Nearly three months after a detective was fired in the botching of more than 130 sexual assault and family violence cases, Police Chief William McManus unveiled a handful of changes throughout the department to improve the investigative process and prevent similar wrongdoing. The new procedures, which still are being finalized, ensure only supervisors have the authority to close a case in the departments case management system and aim to improve communication with victims about the investigative process. These revisions make them some of the strongest (standard operating procedures) Ive ever seen, Bob Stewart, a law enforcement expert hired by the city to review the recommendations, told the City Councils public safety subcommittee Tuesday. The revised procedures come after Kenneth Valdez, a detective within the Special Victims Unit, received an indefinite suspension Nov. 2 for insubordination, failing to act on DNA evidence, not properly handling evidence and closing cases without supervisor approval. Earlier this month, Valdez received a second indefinite suspension, which is tantamount to firing, for a separate offense. A police spokeswoman couldnt provide additional details, as the citys collective bargaining agreement with the police union limits what city employees can say about disciplinary actions. Valdez has appealed the suspensions. After Valdez was fired, the department announced it would conduct an internal review of the Special Victims Unit to find out what went wrong. The city attorneys office also has has started an external audit of the Special Victims Unit that is being led by Lisa Tatum, former president of the State Bar of Texas. It should be completed mid- to late February. McManus said the procedures already were solid. But there were a couple of loopholes that allowed investigators to close cases without the approval of a supervisor, which the department alleges Valdez took advantage of. The department decided to review additional procedures within all seven investigative units including the homicide, narcotics and property crimes units to make sure there werent any additional loopholes. At the suggestion of City Councils public safety subcommittee, the review process included input from Stewart, several police officers with varying ranks, two UTSA professors and six community members. No victims were included, but representatives from organizations that work closely with victims, such as the Battered Women and Childrens Shelter, were part of the process. McManus said hes very confident in the new procedures and their ability to prevent similar wrongdoing. A draft of the procedures was not yet available for City Council members, as its still being finalized, but McManus outlined some of the changes and said he would provide the finalized policy once its complete, likely in February. Some of the recommendations have already been put to action; the rest will be fully implemented within 60 days. They include: Only supervisors have the authority to close a case in the departments case management system. A monthly report, which will be sent to lieutenants in addition to supervising sergeants, will review each investigators caseload. An additional monthly audit will track all cases within a unit. In the property crimes unit, investigators will provide victims an informational card written in English and Spanish that briefly outlines the investigative process and provides contact information for each investigative unit within the department. In the Repeat Offenders Program and Narcotics Unit, investigators must submit evidence in felony arrest cases to the crime lab for testing within 15 days. The results must be available within 10 working days. In the Robbery and Vehicle Crimes units, a regular review will be conducted to ensure the proper disposition of evidence to prevent a backlog. City Council members thanked the chief for the recommendations and his willingness to receive feedback from the community. I know your jobs are difficult; but your (standard operating procedures) are very fluid, and we know that, District 2 Councilman Cruz Shaw, chairman of the public safety subcommittee, told McManus. Like I said before, and I say it on the street all the time, it's never going to be a perfect document or a perfect procedure. Thats OK, Shaw said, as long as the department moves forward, making the document as perfect as possible so that victims are protected and the district attorneys office can prosecute cases. District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry said accountability is important, as long as officers still have time to get out in the field and do their jobs. I'm not really seeing that happen on my ride-alongs, Perry said. I'm seeing more and more administrative processes that are happening now because of the accountability. Stewart, the city-hired expert and a former deputy chief in Florida, said police departments nationwide have dealt with issues that stem from a lack of oversight. Some agencies dont have enough supervisors on staff to provide proper oversight, while others dont place an emphasis on accountability because detectives in investigative units are handpicked for their ability to work without supervision. Supervisors at other departments, meanwhile, are increasingly being assigned administrative tasks that take away time from supervising their subordinates. It's moving us toward a real hard look at the front end of policing, said Stewart, who currently serves on a team monitoring a federal consent decree in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We are going back and taking a look at the front end about how we bring people on, how we train them, how we then let them operate on their own, and then what's the proper amount of oversight management that needs to be in place so that these officers have an opportunity for success." Stewart reviewed SAPDs procedures after the department had updated them. He said he didnt see the need to make any additional changes to the investigative process. Instead, he recommended streamlining the documents and cutting out redundancy. For example, some of the documents are more than100 pages long, Stewart said. They also include information detailing administrative issues such as the seniority of detectives that can be found in the departments general manual. Instead of having standard operating procedures for each unit, Stewart suggested a streamlined document with an appendix at the end detailing individual unit activities. I cant imagine that the same kind of thing could happen now, Stewart said. Theyve basically made it impossible for a case to be closed without some supervisory oversight. eeaton@express-news.net In August, while his conduct as a Special Victims Unit detective was being probed and he was relegated to administrative duty, Kenneth Valdez ignored orders to cease contact with a woman and to refrain from working off-duty. Valdez was fired from the San Antonio Police Department in November, after officials said he mishandled more than 130 sex and family crime cases. He received a second indefinite suspension in January and this week the department released details on that termination. READ MORE: Records: Fired SAPD detective failed to disclose DNA evidence in sex crimes According to the police department's rules and regulations, officers are prohibited from outside employment without the police chief's approval. Valdez, however worked on July 14, July 28 and August 8, doing off-duty security for the Pearl Brewery, according to the documents. In August, he was relegated to administrative duty and "specifically prohibited from engaging in any off-duty or outside employment" according to the document. Despite the order, Valdez continued working for the Ventana Apartment Homes. On Aug. 21, 2017, Valdez was issued a direct order of no contact with a woman whose name is redacted from the suspension record. Valdez also ignored that order and admitted to continuing contact with her, sharing an apartment with her and talking to her on the phone for several days, according to the documents. RELATED: SAPD: Multiple injured after River Walk bar fight spills into street The detective is appealing both suspensions, including the one handed down in 2017 in connection to the SVU audit. Valdez was issued his first indefinite suspension after San Antonio Police Chief William McManus discovered said he regularly mishandled evidence by not submitting it for forensic testing or leaving unlabeled evidence all over his desk. The mishandled cases date back to 2013. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com AUSTIN Teens in Texas foster care are nearly five times as likely to get pregnant than other youth their age, according to a study released Monday that calculates the rate for the first time. The statistic is troubling because pregnant and parenting foster teens are more likely to drop out of school and have their children taken into state care, according to the study by Texans Care for Children. Bexar County led the state last fiscal year for highest number of pregnancies among foster children, accounting for 59 out of the 332 cases reported. Twenty-seven foster children in Bexar County were already parents that year, according to state data. We know Texas has a high pregnancy rate in general, what we didnt know is the rate in foster care is much, much higher, said Kate Murphy with Texans Care for Children. The overarching thing were hoping to see come of this is that policymakers will do more to prevent pregnancy among youth in foster care and to support pregnant teens. The Department for Family and Protective Services received the report Friday and is reviewing it, said spokeswoman Lisa Block. RELATED: Audit finds state lacks documented oversight of new foster care model The study comes at a time of turmoil for the foster care system. Texas lawmakers passed reforms last session after the system came under fire for separating siblings, moving kids far from their home communities and running out of placements, forcing children at times to spend the night in state offices. The state Attorney Generals office is fighting a years-old class-action lawsuit that alleges there are too few caseworkers and mistreatment of foster youth. Little attention so far has focused on pregnancy in foster care. Just a few years ago, the Legislature began requiring the Department for Family and Protective Services to track the number of pregnant or parenting foster youth. The new study found that more than half the girls who age out of Texas foster care become pregnant by their 20th birthdays. The teens are less likely to get early prenatal care and are at higher risk of giving birth to underweight babies. Last year, at least 48 infants born to foster children were taken into state custody within the same year, according to DFPS data. Effectively addressing teen pregnancy and supporting young parents will have a profoundly positive effect on the lives of two generations of Texans the young parents in foster care and the children they are trying to raise, the study said. The study found gaps in the states approach to preventing teen pregnancy. Though foster youth can get birth control through Medicaid, only half of those surveyed for the study knew who could authorize a prescription. Unisha Curry, who aged out of state care in the Houston-area eight years ago, remembers one of her foster moms passing out condoms and requiring all the girls in the house get on birth control. In her next foster home, however, the mother pressured Curry to get off the pill, she said. I didnt really have a choice in those matters, she said. Like other foster youth surveyed in the study, Curry doesnt remember any of her 10 foster parents talking to her about reproductive health, nor did she feel comfortable bringing it up. I didnt have those types of relationships with my caregivers where I could even talk about stuff like that, she said. MORE: After 21 placements, Dallas woman now challenging Texas foster care system The study suggests improving training for foster parents and case workers who feel ill-equipped to discuss reproductive health. Less than 40 percent of child welfare agencies surveyed for the study reported having a specific plan to help teens prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, even though the state requires one. The Department of Family and Protective Services, caregivers, medical providers and Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) providers work together to ensure that children in our care are educated and have access to the healthcare they need, Block said in a statement. We are continually evaluating and working to improve the programs provided to youth in our care. Teen birth rates have been on the decline nationwide and in Texas, though its hard to tell whether that trend extends to foster care. Data collected and reported by the state is a start, but important pieces of information are missing, the study said. While the Department of Family and Protective Services has begun reporting the number of pregnancies and births in foster care each year, it doesnt break it down by age, gender or whether the girl was pregnant before coming into care. Using data from 2015, the study found 5.7 percent of foster girls between ages 13 and 17 were pregnant, compared to 1.2 percent of other teens. From the bench, however, Travis County Judge Darlene Byrne has seen pregnant foster children as young as 11 and 12. OPINION: Foster care reform is critical Sometimes the state takes custody of the infants, but most remain with their mothers in a foster home willing to take both children, DFPS said. Its not clear how many placements are available statewide for parenting foster children. Recently, the Legislature boosted funding for a voluntary program that helps parenting foster youth. Within the last two years, the number of families getting assistance nearly tripled, the report said. It comes at a time, however, when federal funding for teen pregnancy prevention programs based in San Antonio and around the nation is set to dry up in June, following a decision by President Trumps administration to end funding early. Though the Legislature is facing a tight budget outlook next session, Murphy said improvements are possible. We could take some fairly simple, inexpensive steps and make a big difference, she said. If you look at the raw number of kids were talking about, Texas has the resources to support 218 kids who are parenting. amorris@express-news.net If you are in a hurry and want a really short review of this place here it is: The Merritt Canteen has the best chili dogs anywhere. Thats that. For those of you who want more details, please let me continue If the Merritt Canteen looks vintage to you, it is. It started as a humble roadside shack in 1942. Situated close to the Merritt Parkway (hence the name), it was a destination to grab a good hot dog or a hamburger. Even the word Canteen seems odd in the modern parlance of our time. Yes, a canteen means a flask to hold water while hiking, but around World War II it often referred to a restaurant frequented by soldiers, college students or factory workers. It was a reliable and quick place to eat, nothing fancy or expensive. Although the Merritt Canteen has changed hands over the years, the spirit has remained the same. Being neither a diner nor a drive-in, it is a nostalgic hangout like the local malt shop once was a G-rated, clean, well-lit place. If the Merritt Canteen is legendary (which it is) and has an army of fans, its celebrity rests on its chili dogs. More specifically on the chili that tops the dog. Exactly why this chili is so much better then any other chili is a mystery. I have eaten chili all over the place and even wrote a best-selling cookbook, Chili Nation. I am familiar with pretty much every style of chili, from beanless Texas Red to the Macedonian-spiced Cincinnati chili. I am pretty good at deconstructing a chili and figuring out what went into it. But the chili at the Merritt remains a tantalizing mystery. The chili at the Merritt Canteen is hot, soupy, red and has meat in it. Beyond that I have no idea why it tastes so singular. The hot dog and the bun under it also look rather plebeian, but one bite is enough to convince diners there is something different and very special here. The chili works on everything; ask for it on your hamburger, french fries or even just get a bowl of it plain by itself. The only thing I like to add is some chopped onion, which brings it up a notch. Like an opioid, the chili has a strange effect on me. I think I have been satiated, but after a day or two I begin to crave it again; a week later it becomes an obsession. I need an intervention. This time when I visited, I tried to broaden my menu selection. I ordered fried shrimp (OK), a chocolate shake (also OK), a lamb burger with feta cheese and tatziki sauce (very good) and a heap of french fries (fine). I tried the fried clams (meh), an Angus burger (delicious) and unearthed the hidden gem of the menu: fried onion rings, which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. I would go out of my way to eat these. Onion rings with chili? Why not? Good onion rings are not easy to find in Fairfield County; many are pre-fab, breaded and dumped out of a freezer bag. Not here. The other hidden gem perfect alongside the chili dog is Dels frozen cherry lemonade: refreshing and unique. For dessert, I ordered deep-fried Oreos because they sounded strange. They looked like doughnut holes with a melted chocolate center. I saw no resemblance to an Oreo at all and was not impressed. Maybe if they had chili on them? One of the delightful things about the Merritt Canteen is the staff. As you can see, I ordered quite a bit of food. I am used to being stared at in restaurants when my table looks like it feeds eight and it is just me sitting there. I have been asked a few times if I have an eating disorder. More Information Merritt Canteen 4355 Main St., Bridgeport 203-372-1416 See More Collapse At the Canteen, you step up to the order window and tell the person there what you want to eat. I reeled off my whole order, then I added a few other things, then I canceled something. The young woman behind the counter wrote nothing down nor pushed a computer button. She kept it all in her memory and repeated it verbatim to the cook. I am at the stage of life where I walk into a room and forget what I went in there for. If there was still a Ripleys Believe It or Not! newspaper column (same vintage as the Merritt Canteen), the order-window lady deserves an inclusion. The other great thing about the Merritt Canteen is that it stays open until 1a.m. As great as it is to eat here in broad daylight with your little kids, there is something extra cool about being there at 1a.m. Think about who needs a chili dog at 1a.m. and you can see why this place has its own cool cult following. With other old-fashioned hot dog and hamburger places dropping off the map (I am still in mourning for Swanky Franks), it is a pleasure to see what brisk business the Canteen is doing. It is an old reliable and never fails to deliver on its promise. Keep up the good work. Barbara Pierce Bush, 92, is in failing health, according to a statement released Sunday afternoon by her family. The former first lady met her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, in Greenwich. The couple was living in New Haven when their son George W. Bush was born while George H.W. Bush was attending Yale University. George H.W. Bush lived in Greenwich before going away to school. His father was Connecticut Sen. Prescott Bush. Following a recent series of hospitalizations, and after consulting her family and doctors, Bush, now age 92, has decided not to seek additional medical treatment and will instead focus on comfort care, the statement by family spokesman Jim McGrath said. It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself thanks to her abiding faith but for others. She is surrounded by a family she adores, and appreciates the many kind messages and especially the prayers she is receiving, it continued. The Texas matriarch was born June 8, 1925, in New York City. She married George H.W. Bush on Jan. 6, 1945, and the couple had six children together. McGrath did not elaborate as to the nature of Bushs health problems. She has been treated for decades for Graves disease, which is a thyroid condition, had heart surgery in 2009 for a severe narrowing of her main heart valve and was hospitalized a year before that for surgery on a perforated ulcer. Bush was in the hospital in 2017, along with her husband, for bronchitis. Bush, who is at home in Houston, is one of only two first ladies who was also the mother of a president. The other was Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, the nations second president, and mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president. Bush married George H.W. Bush on Jan. 6, 1945. They had six children and have been married longer than any presidential couple in American history. Eight years after she and her husband left the White House, Bush stood with her husband as their son George W. was sworn in as the 43rd president. She is known for her white hair and her triple-strand fake pearl necklace. Her brown hair began to gray in the 1950s, while her 3-year-old daughter Pauline, known to her family as Robin, underwent treatment for leukemia and eventually died in October 1953. She later said dyed hair didnt look good on her and credited the color to the publics perception of her as everybodys grandmother. Her pearls sparked a national fashion trend when she wore them to her husbands inauguration in 1989. The pearls became synonymous with Bush, who later said she selected them to hide the wrinkles in her neck. The candid admission only bolstered her common sense and down-to-earth public image. Her 93-year-old husband, the nations 41st president who served from 1989 to 1993, also has had health issues in recent years. In April 2017, he was hospitalized in Houston for two weeks for a mild case of pneumonia and chronic bronchitis. He was hospitalized months earlier, also for pneumonia. He has a form of Parkinsons disease and uses a motorized scooter or a wheelchair for mobility. Before being president, he served as a congressman, CIA director and Ronald Reagans vice president. Barbara Pierce Bush was born June 8, 1925, in Rye, N.Y. Her father was the publisher of McCalls and Redbook magazines. She and George H.W. Bush married when she was 19 and while he was a young naval aviator. After World War II, the Bushes moved to Texas where he went into the oil business. Along with her memoirs, she is the author of C. Freds Story and Millies Book, based on the lives of her dogs. Proceeds from the books benefited adult and family literacy programs. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy began during her White House years with the goal of improving the lives of disadvantaged Americans by boosting literacy among parents and their children. The foundation partners with local programs and has awarded more than $40 million to create or expand more than 1,500 literacy programs nationwide. Barbara Bush has a character that is as big, inspiring and iconic as Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. Cecilia and I ask all Texans to join us in praying for Barbara and the entire Bush family during this time. The Houston Chronicle and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Theres finally some good news on transportation: A new commuter rail line The Hartford Line is set to open soon. Decades in the dreaming and years in the planning, the state-owned commuter line will run 17 trains each weekday between New Haven and Hartford, stopping at State Street in New Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin and Union Station in downtown Hartford. Twelve trains on weekdays will continue north, stopping at Windsor and Windsor Locks before ending in Springfield, Mass. Parking will be free at least until the fall at Berlin, Wallingford and Meriden. When service expands, there will be a train every 30 minutes in peak hours and every 60 minutes off-peak. In parts of the 62-mile run, the trains will hit speeds of 110 mph, compared to the 79-mph max that Amtrak reaches. Some of the runs will use Amtrak equipment, but all trains will honor new, lower Connecticut rail fares. While Amtrak charges as much as $47 one way from New Haven to Springfield, all trains on The Hartford Line will sell tickets for just $12.75 for the same trip. New Haven to Hartford will be just $8. There will be the usual discounts for seniors, 10-trip and monthly commuters. Those fares, coupled with free parking and a massive marketing campaign, should lure road-weary commuters off Interstate-91 and onto the rails. At least thats the hope, and theres a lot of money riding on this plan. Connecticut got lucky in 2011 when Florida Gov. Rick Scott turned down federal money for mass transit in his state and we quickly grabbed the funding. Millions were spent double-tracking the line and building beautiful new stations, which are hoped to be the catalyst for transit-oriented development nearby. Also new is the railroads operating agency. The state Department of Transportation bypassed Amtrak, which operates Shore Line East and still owns the tracks for The Hartford Line, and went with TransItAmerica Services and Alternate Concepts, a joint venture that won the five-year, $45 million operations contract. More Information Join the conversation Use #GettingThereCT to chime in on Facebook and Twitter. See More Collapse Insiders say theyve got a waiting list of job applicants for conductors and engineers, most of them Amtrak and Metro-North veterans fed-up with their experiences with those companies. The new operators promise great customer service. Compared to Amtrak and Metro-North, theres nowhere to go but up. One big disappointment is that the train service will start, not with shiny new rail cars, but hand-me-downs from MBTA in Massachusetts. The original plan was that Metro-Norths electric-powered M8 cars would be running on Shore Line East by now, freeing up that lines diesel push-pulled equipment to run on The Hartford Line. But that hasnt happened, so the state DOT went scrambling looking for rail cars, which are in short supply nationally. What they got were 16 cars, each 30 years old, which have been rehabilitated and deep cleaned inside and out and given the Federal Railroad Associations stamp of approval to run. Theyll be fine for now and eventually The Hartford Line will get its own new railcars. Start date should be late May, but Id prefer they wait until everything is perfect rather than rush to open on time and disappoint riders in any way. 19:04 Opposition parties today slammed the government over cash crunch in ATMs and banks in several parts of the country, saying the 'terror of note ban' has returned to haunt the people and dubbed the situation as a 'financial emergency'. On the back foot, the government attributed the cash shortage to an unusual spurt in demand in last three months, and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the 'temporary shortage' in certain states is being 'tackled quickly' and that there is 'more than adequate' currency in circulation. Currency shortage was reported from several parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and poll-bound Karnataka, among other states. Several ATMs in the national capital also saw long queues and soon ran out of cash. In his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the 'terror of note-ban' has again gripped the country and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destroying the banking system with his demonetisation decision. The Congress chief also took to Twitter to attack Modi, alleging he 'snatched' the Rs 500/1000 currency notes from the pocket of every Indian and 'gave' it to Nirav Modi, but was neither speaking a word about it nor facing Parliament. Nirav Modi, an accused in the alleged Rs 12,700-crore scam at state-run Punjab National Bank, has been absconding. In Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the cash crunch was a reminder of the demonetisation days. 'Seeing reports of ATMs running out of cash in several states. Big notes missing. Reminder of Demonetisation days. Is there a Financial Emergency going on in the country?' she said in a tweet. Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury said, 'ATMs were empty in November 2016. ATMs are empty now. And the only party flush with cash is the BJP: People suffer.' Referring to the government's demonetisation decision in November 2016, when the government had announced withdrawal of the then Rs 500/1000 notes and subsequently introduced new Rs 2,000 notes, Yechury said the country is still paying the price of 'a sudden midnight Firman (order) of demonetisation'. In a series of tweets, he said the demonetisation did not kill terrorism and it did not kill corruption or fake currency either. 'But it has certainly killed the Indian economy. The cash crisis tells us how Modi's demonetisation disaster is still wreaking havoc,' he added. In a statement, the Finance Ministry acknowledged there has been an unusual spurt in currency demand in the country in last three months, but did not give specific reasons. It has also decided to ramp up the supply of new Rs 500 notes, even as reports suggested that Rs 2,000 notes, which was easier to hoard, were particularly impacted by the shortage. While currency supply increased by Rs 45,000 crore in the first 13 days of April, 'unusual spurt in demand' was seen more in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, the ministry said. Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla said the government has formed state-wise committees and the issue would be resolved in next 2-3 days. Besides, the RBI has also formed a committee to transfer currency from cash-surplus states to the others, he said. Countering the government's stand, Yechury said, 'This government which still has not been able to count the demonetised currency is asking us to trust its Jumla that there is no cash crunch.' 'After the demonetisation disaster where goalposts were repeatedly shifted and deadlines changed, no one trusts the Modi government anymore,' the Left leader tweeted. -- PTI by Geordi Gustafson | Knicks Correspondent | Mon, Apr 16th 12:14am EDT Derrick Rose finished with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting and put up four assists and two steals in 24 minutes versus Houston on Sunday night. Fantasy Impact: Rose provided some much-needed scoring for Minnesota, as Jeff Teague struggled early, and Tyus Jones was limited to just seven minutes of playing time. Although Rose is capable of putting up big numbers, his fantasy ceiling is still limited as he will continue to battle Teague and Jones for minutes at guard. FREDONIA, Pa. The farmers are going faster than the research, I have to admit, said Sjoerd Duiker, professor of soil management and applied soil physics at Penn State. You keep challenging us. At their core, farmers are researchers and record keepers who continually make discoveries that should be shared. Around 40 farmers met at Pilgram Farms in Fredonia, April 11, to share their own trial-and-error research and discuss best practices at the Mercer County Extension and Natural Resources Conservation Service cover crop field day. There isnt a tried-and-true answer to any of this, we have to think outside the box, said Bill Cannon, Mercer County farmer who has been experimenting with cover crops for 20 years. If we didnt do this, wed still be following horses around the field. Chris and Sandy Pilgram hosted the event in the middle of their 2,000 acres, most of which was converted to no-till in the 90s. Im not the expert in this game just yet, said Chris, who started planting cover crops on a large scale in 2017 as part of the NRCS Conservation Security Program. Cover crops can impact physical, chemical and biological properties, said Claire Coombs, agronomist with PSU Extension. In Pennsylvania, 65-70 percent of acres are no-till, said Duiker. But, he added, it is a systems approach. If you just stop tilling and do everything the same, you will not have a sustainable system, he said. The goal is diversity and to have living roots all year-round. There are many options with the timing of cover crop planting, terminating or harvesting. Really, the options and seed combinations are endless. You have to figure out what works for your farm, Coombs said. Start simple Geri Montgomery, district conservationist with NRCS encouraged farmers to start simple. You can always do more next year, she said. She suggested farmers ask themselves these questions: What is the main reason for trying cover crops? In other words, identify your top goal. What is your current crop? Next cash crop? What will benefit the soil in between? What do you have the ability to plant? You dont want to start cover cropping with interseeding if you dont have a planter able to do that, Montgomery said. What is my progress? Keeping track of progress is a must, she said. It might take more than one year to see benefits or bottom line movement. Finally she told farmers not to get discouraged. Ryan Graham, Butler County farmer agrees. We need to be prepared for a challenge and I think as farmers we always are. Graham worked for Evergreen Farms, in Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania, for three years. They milked 1,800 cows and have 70 employees, he said. This is where he first experienced no-till and it opened his eyes to the whole system. He came back to his home farm of about 700 acres and started applying what hed learned. Trying something is better than nothing, he said. Hed discourage first-time cover croppers from starting with rye. Im not a rye person. It gets too big and out of control, Graham said. Starting with rye can be too difficult and may turn people away. Planting green debate Planting other crops into green cover crops or terminating them before planting is a debate, and each farmer has to experiment for themselves, he said. I find the most success if I plant in green and terminate two days later, he said. When I plant green, I didnt have a slug problem if I plant on a bare field, I have a big problem with slugs. Im afraid of killing good bugs too, but once you reach a threshold, you have to address it, Graham says about putting bait out for slugs. Bob Buhl, a farmer from Erie County, also weighed in, saying he has mixed feelings about planting into cover crops. If you are planting corn for grain go for it. But, for chopping silage, I say dont do it. Ive planted in green and it never catches up. When its killed, I have a bigger stalk and better yields, Buhl said. He was planting green for several years and then one year he had a big weed problem, so he sprayed herbicide on his cover crop before planting corn for silage and had a much better year, so he quit planting green for anything hes chopping. Buhl uses an interseeder with 7 inch rows. Essentially, it is a no-till drill with depth control and a press wheel. Buhl says he doesnt have time to plant cover crops after the harvest, thats why he uses the interseeding method. Advice 1. Try it, try something. 2. Be prepared for a challenge. 3. Keep seeing rates low. You can always increase, but start out with a single type of seed at a low rate then bloom into multiple species. The farmers said the biggest challenge in cover crops is planting them too thick. 5. Focus on the benefits. Benefits keep adding in a continuous loop. With no-till and cover crops, you just keep going around the circle and adding up more benefits beneficial bugs, additional biomass, clear run off and the list goes on, Graham said. 5. Equipment maintenance doesnt change. If you are poorly maintaining your equipment now, when you start into cover crops you will see it fail sooner. 6. Maintain pH. This is one of the most important things before you start to no-till. If you dont have the money for anything else, get your pH in order, said Cannon, a founding member of the Pa. No-Till Alliance. 5. Talk to someone. Talk to the no-till alliance and all these people here today. Thats what it is all about farmers helping farmers. New research The latest research in cover crops includes using cover crops to graze. Duiker has been working with farmers to integrate grazing with no-till systems. They have found that a field of corn silage which is then planted in oats and radishes is great for fall grazing, or rye and wheat for spring grazing. Leading no-till farmers are starting to graze. You will see in the next several years a shift getting animals back on our land, he said. Whether it is grazing cover crops or adding diversity to the rotation, there is one goal. To reduce costs and maintain yields thats why we are all here, Pilgram said. COLUMBUS The Ohio Poultry Association recently announced its 2018 award recipients during the organizations annual meeting and banquet in Columbus. This year, there were three awards which honored individuals who have made a significant contribution to Ohios egg, chicken and turkey communities. Golden feather The Golden Feather Award went to Kevin Elder, of Fairfield County. The award is given annually to an individual who has distinguished himself as a champion of livestock, agriculture or poultry issues. Elder has dedicated his life to advancing the agriculture industry through improved practices and land conservation and preservation. He played a fundamental role in introducing farmers to no-till practices in the late 1970s and early 1980s and was involved in rewriting Ohios agricultural pollution abatement law and developing the states manure management program. Elder recently retired as the chief and executive director for the Division of Livestock Environmental Permitting for the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Elder has been a tireless advocate for the poultry industry and Ohio agriculture, and has been instrumental on numerous boards and task forces. Family Legacy Award The Family Legacy Award went to G.A. Wintzer & Son Co., for their efforts to advance the mission and values of the states egg, chicken and turkey farmers. This years award was presented to the G.A. Wintzer & Son Co. of Wapakoneta. The company started in the 1840s as a hide and skin purchasing and tanning company used for the sale of strap and harness leather goods. Nearly 100 years after its founding, the G.A. Wintzer & Son Co. has evolved into a company that manufactures high-quality protein meals used as an ingredient in livestock feed and pet food. The G.A. Wintzer & Sons Co. is now a sixth-generation family operation with 120 local employees, and a fleet of 200 trucks and trailers which travel more than 2 million miles per year, servicing a large number of poultry farms and feed mills throughout Ohio and Indiana. Golden egg The Golden Egg Award went to Terry Wehrkamp, of Paulding County. This award recognizes an individual who is committed to advancing the mission and values of the states egg, chicken and turkey farmers. Wehrkamp has served as the director of live production at Cooper Farms for 30 years, where he has excelled in every role hes held and has supported the company as it has grown. Wehrkamp has been an integral leader on a local, state and national level, serving on numerous boards for industry and community organizations, including two terms as Ohio Poultry Association president. He has been a long-time supporter of Ohio State Universitys College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, and has been awarded their Distinguished Alumni Award, in addition to earning a spot in the Animal Science Departments Hall of Fame. Ohio is one of the leading states in egg production and produces more than 9.5 billion eggs each year with an estimated retail value of $411.9 billion. Ohio is also a leader in chicken and turkey production with more than 475 million pounds of chicken and 236 million pounds of turkey produced annually. Place Your Advert Thousands of Active jobseekers are looking for new agricultural positions in 2020. Call us now to discuss the options for advertising your vacancy in our job section. Bridging payments worth more than 117 million have now reached the bank accounts of over 3,200 farms, the Rural Payments Agency has announced. More than 96% of farmers in England signed up to the 2017 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) have now received their full payments. The RPA is working to make the remaining 4% of payments. The agency says the remaining payments requires "more complex processing", and therefore take longer to complete. It follows news of thousands of farmers still in the dark over their 2017 BPS payments, which in turn is causing ongoing cash flow pressures. It has led the NFU to call for improved communications and efficiency from the RPA. The NFU has said the lack of payment and communication to these farmers is causing ongoing cash flow pressures and leaves them unable to plan properly. RPA Chief Executive Paul Caldwell admitted there is still more work to do. We have made solid progress in delivering payments to farmers this year, with more than 96% now paid, and I am pleased so many of this final 4% have now received their bridging payments, Mr Caldwell said. As always, there is more to do, and the RPA will continue working to make the final remaining payments. But now is also the time to get online to make sure your application for 2018 is in before the deadline closes in May. Farming Minister George Eustice announced in January the commitment to provide a bridging payment to any farmer not paid by the end of March and highlighted how the burden of EU rules continues to be a barrier to processing some of the remaining claims. These bridging payments are worth 75% of their full allocated amounts. A farming union has called plans to close more than a dozen rural schools in Northern Ireland as a potential "major negative impact" on rural dynamics. The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) says it is concerned that 27 schools, approximately 50% of them in rural areas, have been identified for closure or merger in the Education Authoritys 2018/19 action plan. This is on top of about 40 schools considered to be in a similar position from their first action plan in 2017/18 released last year. UFU rural affairs chairperson, Joy Rollston said rural schools should be treated as a special case. The Department of Education uses pupil enrolment numbers to allocate budget funds, and while there is a differentiation in these numbers currently under their sustainable schools policy, the UFU feel rural schools should be treated as a special case. Particularly from an accessibility and community perspective, with the Department of Education working with these communities to help sustain and promote the benefits and wider use of rural schools, he added. 'Extra pressure' Mr Rollston said the closure of rural schools comes the need to allocate those children who previously attended a rural school with a place in an urban based school. He continued: This undoubtedly puts extra pressure on urban schools in trying to accommodate and manage the needs of those pupils from rural areas. On the back of this, we must not forget the extra pressure put on our transport providers such as Translink who earlier this year shared the need to reduce bus services in rural areas. I would also ask the Education Authority are they willing to cover the transport costs of rural pupils? Ms Rollston said rural school closures put a "major negative impact" on the dynamics of that community, as schools are the "hub of many rural communities". It is imperative to keep rural schools open, he said. Landowners and contractors are being urged to ensure they have suitable agreements in place before work commences on farm, to avoid insurance shortfalls and disputes in the future. The plea follows an increasing numbers of landowners contracting their farm-operations, and more farmers taking on contract work to maximise investment in technology. Agriculture insurance broker Farmers & Mercantile said it is essential to understand the point where the insurance liability passes from landowner to contract farmer. In simple terms, there is no real defined boundary between the responsibility of the landowner and contract farmer, explains Nigel Wellings, director of agriculture insurance broker at F&M. Potentially a landowner may be able to lose or at least reduce machinery cover, but having a contract farm is not a recipe for reducing your insurance bill. Key to any successful relationship is a clear and transparent Contract Farming Agreement (CFA). Mr Wellings said it is essential that both parties agree everything in writing, from who is responsible for HSE requirements, to ensuring adequate public and employers liability cover, through to agreeing responsibility for crop and input insurance. Even when a good, transparent CFA is agreed, this does not absolve landowners from their responsibilities, Mr Wellings said. The contract farmer is effectively a tenant on the landowners property, and accordingly the landowner must ensure all health and safety policies are agreed and adhered to, and that both the contractor and landowner have adequate cover for all on-farm activities. Grey areas do exist, Mr Wellings said. Consider, for example, who is responsible for the maintenance of fuel or liquid fertiliser tanks, and who should cover the environmental liability? Principally this should be the responsibility of the contractor, but this really needs to be detailed in the CFA. Likewise, there may be equipment supplied by the landowner yet only ever used by the contractor, such as grain-drying equipment. Who takes responsibility for the maintenance of the equipment, and the health and safety procedures when in use? It may well be that the Health and Safety Executive will hold both parties responsible in the case of an incident, and this is why a clear CFA, combined with tailored insurance products is so important. Too often this is overlooked, or not given enough attention to detail, added Mr Wellings. Police are warning dog owners to keep their pets on leads after two lambs were killed and 10 seriously injured in an attack in County Durham. The advice comes following an incident at Woodland House Farm, Bishop Auckland, last Tuesday (April 10) where two lambs were killed by a brown speckled lurcher. David Holliday, who has lived on the farm all of his life, said it is "very distressing" for him. We have tended to the injured lambs and given them penicillin. They sustained puncture wounds from teeth marks. We are not sure if one of the injured is going to survive, Mr Holliday said. This is not the first time that an attack has happened on the farm. Last year, seven lambs were killed. Speaking of the incident, Mr Holliday said: It was like nothing Id ever seen before. They were ripped to shreds. You spend your time looking after them, up all night, and then this happens. Livestock worrying is a criminal offence under the Protection of Livestock Act 1953 and does not require an animal to be injured. The penalty for livestock worrying can be six months' imprisonment and/or a fine of up to 1,000. 'Chase instinct' PC Sarah Thompson, of Durham Constabulary, said dog owners must keep pets on leads when they are near any livestock, "no matter how much you trust them". Dogs who may ordinarily be calm can become distracted and behave differently when in a rural environment where their sense of smell and chase instinct are stimulated, PC Thompson said. We want everyone to enjoy the great outdoors but farmers should not suffer the consequences of irresponsible dog owners. Please remember that the countryside is a farmers workplace which requires respect. It is an offence to allow your dog to worry livestock and landowners have legal rights, under certain conditions, to shoot the dog if they feel their livestock is in danger. Anyone identified letting their dog off the lead resulting in an attack or worrying incident will be dealt with by police. Farmers are encouraged to report every incident via 101 or call 999 if a crime is in progress. Frothy like champagne, fizzier than the tangiest soda, as natural as sunshine streaming through orchards... Neetu Singh was all about joie de vivre. From the classroom to the camera, hers was a career jumpstart. But she was no precocious adolescent trying to pose as a heroine. Rather, her onscreen effervescence was an extension of her off-screen innocence. If heroes felt protective towards her, heroines wanted to befriend her. So earnest and easygoing was her vibe. Her chemistry with Rishi Kapoor is the stuff of campus dreams... years before Kuch Kuch Hota Hai happened. Trademark flicks, silky straight tresses, kohl eyes... the audience lapped up everything about her, even her plumpness. Her impromptu jigs were in sync with her inner rhythm and enthused a whole generation to the dance floor. Unrehearsed, unaffected, unpretentious... Neetu Singh was the unobtrusive scene stealer. In a decade that breezed through with 50 films and millions of fans... Neetu Singh is one child actor who graduated to be the most loved child woman...CHILD SuperstarFew know that Harneet Kaur is Neetu Singhis original name. The doe-eyed Harneet was born on July 8, 1958, in a Jatt Sikh family in Delhi. She was the only daughter of Rajee Kaur and Darshan Singh. The family later moved to Peddar Road in Mumbai where she attended the Hill Grange High School. Neetu lost her father early. Soon she was inducted into the industry as child artiste, Baby Sonia, in T Prakash Raois princely romance Suraj (1966) starring Rajendra Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. Story goes that the cherubic girl was spotted by Vyjayanthimala who suggested her name to the director. Baby Sonia later played Roopa in Devendra Goelis comedy Dus Lakh (1966). Her claim to fame as a child actor was the Mala Sinha-Biswajeet starrer Do Kaliyaan (1968), where she played the double role of twins, who reunite the estranged parents. Directed by R Krishnan and S Panju, it was the remake of the Tamil movie Kuzhandaiyum Deivamum and inspired by The Parent Trap (1961). Composer Ravi and Sahir Ludhianviis ode to children, Bachche mann ke sachche, is still a hit on airwaves on Childrenis Day. Apparently, young Chintu Kapoor bunked school to watch the matinee of Do Kaliyaan. Neetuis other films as child actor were Waris (1969) and Pavitra Paapi (1970).CONGENIAL CO-STARA cusp between a girl and a teenager, 15-year-old Neetu debuted as the female lead in Rickshawala (1973) opposite Randhir Kapoor. The K Shankar film flopped but soon enough her cameo in Nasir Hussainis Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973), courtesy the RD Burman dance number Lekar hum deewana dil with Tariq Hussain, made her hot property.Destiny pushed her towards Rishi Kapoor, who then found himself in a professional and personal vacuum after alleged ladylove Dimple Kapadia, quit films and his life to marry superstar Rajesh Khanna. And in walked NeetuO as a replacement in those films and to be a permanent fixture in his life later.Given her no-fuss nature, she was the favourite of filmmakers and co-stars. The male actors, who were friends with Rishi, felt protective about his 'girlfriendi. Also, the non-combative and non-competitive Neetu was never viewed her as a threat by her female peers. In fact, she went on to share a close rapport with Rekha who even shared her exotic make-up secrets with her.Through the i70s, she teamed up with her future brother-in-law Randhir Kapoor in films like Heeralal Pannalal, Bhala Manus, Kasme Vaade and Dhongee. She paired opposite her future uncle-in-law Shashi Kapoor in Deewaar, Shankar Dada, Ek Aur Ek Gyarah and Kala Pani. With Rajesh Khanna, she was seen in the action-comedy film Maha Chor, the thriller Chakravyuha and the Punjabi film Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun. Her ease with Jeetendra, Rishiis close friend, was evident in films like Dharam Veer, Priyatama and Chorni (played an author-backed role of an avenger in the 1982 release). With Vinod Khanna she was seen in films The Burning Train and Raj Mahal. She made an amiable pair with Amitabh Bachchan in the musical Yaarana, the drama Adalat and the thriller The Great Gambler n with Bachchan even reportedly pulling the young actressi leg once saying, iYou sayeI love youi on screen so often. Do you even understand its meaning?iEK MAIN AUR EK TUThink Neetu Singh. Think Rishi Kapoor. The duo paired in around 12 films including Zehreela Insaan, Khel Khel Mein, Rafoo Chakkar, Kabhie Kabhie, Doosra Aadmi, Amar Akbar Anthony, Jhoota Kahin Ka and Dhan Daulat. Youthful and bubbly... it was difficult to distance their reel chemistry from their off screen shenanigans.The genesis of the Rishi-Neetu relationship can be traced to the 1974 film Zehreela Insaan. The caring Neetu was initially a confidante to Rishi. Supposedly, a eheartbrokeni Rishi often took Neetuis help to pen woe-filled letters to his then sweetheart on the set of the film. But sometime later, when he went to Paris for the shooting of Pramod Chakravortyis Barood (1976), he began missing his girl Friday. Reportedly, he sent Neetu a telegram saying,iYe Sikhni badi yaad aati hai.i Legend goes that an elated Neetu, unprepared for this flood of affection, ran to show the message to Pam and Yash Chopra whose Kabhi Kabhie (1976) she was shootingfor in Kashmir.Rishi, always known to be ea bullyi, albeit an endearing one, had categorically kept the8 pm pack-up deadline for his girlfriend. Apparently, once Neetu was shooting the song Dhoom mache dhoom with Yash Chopra for Kaala Patthar (1979) late evening. From Yash Chopra to Bachchan everyone ensured that Neetu left the set at the appointed hour. A frantic Neetu didnit even stop to change and met her econtrol freaki boyfriend in costume!A ecommitment phobici Rishi, eventually proposed to Neetu in 1979, after dating her for five years. They got married in a hi-profile celebration in 1980. Apparently, part of the wedding mandap was used in Raj Kapooris Prem Rog (1982). The home-loving Neetu, who had been working since childhood, was only too happy to exchange the pancake for the pans. She retired at 21.MARRIAGE AND MORE...For a few years, Rishi and Neetu, stayed with Raj Kapoor and Krishna in Chembur. Neetu recounts those years as the most beautiful, where she not only grew close to her mother-in-law but also imbibed her legendary art of hospitality. Few years after daughter Riddhima and son Ranbir were born, the couple moved to their bungalow Krishna at upscale Pali Hill in Bandra.Reality and romance have never been great friends. The Rishi-Neetu marriage reportedly went through its fair share of turmoil in the i90s. But despite Rishiis penchant for alcohol and his mercurial temper (not to mention his Kapooresque overkill for food), the marriage sailed through. Neetu was once quoted saying that Rishi was ea good husband and fatheri and hence everything else lost its edge eventually.Neetu Kapoor made a comeback to films after 26 years opposite her husband in Love Aaj Kal (2009), Do Dooni Chaar (2010), Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012) and Besharam (2013). For her fans it was a throwback treat, for her a validation of her talent. One passion apart from family that has consumed Neetu, has been her resolve to keep off weight. Close to 60, her agility has inspired women to get off the couch and get onto the treadmill. She has been a consummate mother to Riddhima, now married to Delhi-based industrialist Bharat Sahni and enjoys playing grandmom to lili Samara. Her bond with son Ranbir Kapoor has been enduring. The two have self-confessedly enjoyed an emotional symbiosis, through the highs and lows of life. Today, as Ranbir is hailed as a true-blue actor and much of it is credited to his eloquent Kapoor genes, it would be unfair to ignore that no one could play enaturali as Neetu... So next time Ranbir walks away with awards and applause... remember itis also the moment to recognise his motheris hue in those bouquets.Unforgettable Neetu Singh has delivered many performces that one remembers her by. The bubbly girl next door, expressive eyes and the long mane, all are things we will remember this gorgeous women by as an actor. She took up each role with an unparelled stride and played then to perfection. Be it the young actor, the strong independent women, the wife, the mother and now a grandmother, Neetu Singh is someone we still look upto. Her grace has exponentially grown ever since, she's aging like fine wine and is definitely an actress we love to see more of.Khel Khel Main (1975)The Ravi Tandon thriller with Rishi-Neetu gave the young #campus goals. RD Burman-Kishore Kumar-Asha Bhosle created iconic music with Ek main aur ek tu and Khullam khulla pyaar karenge as did Shailendra Singhis Humne tumko dekha. Neetuis wardrobe of maxis, leather skirts and boots unfurled a fashion riot.Deewaar (1975)Bell-bottoms and blouses and dollops of chirpiness... Neetu provided the light-hearted relief to Yash Choprais tense drama. Panchamis Maine tujhe maanga tujhe paaya hai had her wooing a distraught Shashi Kapoor (the key locket she wore was a rage), while Keh du tumhe had her in the driveris seat.Kabhi Kabhie (1976)Neetuis story was about seeking her identity in Yash Choprais complex tale of relationships... where she finds her own love being threatened. Pyaar kar liya toh kya, Tere chehre se nazar nahin hatti and Tera phoolon jaisa rang... explored the colours of romance against the poetry of Kashmir.Doosra Aadmi (1977)One aspect of Ramesh Talwaris film dealt with the blow-hot-blow cold relationship between wife Neetu and husband Rishi. Her white salwar kameez, green bangles coyness in Chalo dil mein bithake tumhe and the abandon of a newlywed in Nazron se kehdo pyar karne ka mausam made lyrical memories.Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)Playing the Muslim Salma to Rishiis Akbar, the Manmohan Desai film had the pair celebrating the gharara and the skull cap with ethnic gusto. Rishiis qawwali Parda hai with Neetu finally lifting the veil and Humko tumse ho gaya hai pyar with Rishi wooing her in a toy train... was a delight.Priyatama (1977)Basu Chatterjeeis film about romance succumbing to reality in a marriage gave Neetu (with Jeetendra) a chance to display her histrionics... Rajesh Roshanis dreamy number Cham cham barase ghata shot against Mumbaiis rain-soaked skyline and the aching Tere bin kaise beete sajna completed her graph.Kaala Patthar (1979)In this Yash Chopra multi-starrer she was paired with Shatrughan Sinha. As thespirited bangle seller who sells colours and love, she finds herself tragically left with broken dreams. The role performed with shades of both gaiety and grief won Neetu a Filmfare nomination.Yaarana (1981)In the Rakesh Kumar film, Neetu plays a mentor who falls in love with student Amitabh. Rajesh Roshanis Choo kar mere manko... with some shots in slow motion had a dream like quality. Filmed at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, the composition was inspired from Robindro Sangeet n Tumar holo shuru aamaar...She may have willingly left the mainstream cinema after her marriage to Rishi Kapoor, but she did not leave the limelight. Making special cameos that people still remember in films like Love Aaj Kal and Jab Jak Hai Jaan opposite Rishi Kapoor, Neetu has kept giving us glimpses of the actor in her every now and then. We also got to see her to suffice our hearts in Do Dooni Char and boy, did it leave us asking for more and more of the lovelt lady. She was a teen icon, the most loved star in the 70s and the echo of her career is still heard today and cherished. We have hanced with her, romanced with her and laughed our hearts out whenever she was on the big screen. Ajay Told Kajol To Stop Working With Shahrukh? ''He allegedly couldn't handle the pressure of everyone talking about the chemistry his competitor shared with the woman he was dating. He allegedly told her that she would have to stop working with Shahrukh." When Shahrukh Khan Was Asked About The Same "I wouldn't really know if Ajay has put any condition. If Kajol doesn't work with me because Ajay does not want her to, I will respect it.'' I Would Never Tell My Wife What To Do ''But I don't really think this has happened. It's quite strange. If Gauri was an actress, I wouldn't tell her whom to work with and who not to." Did Kajol Reject A Film With Shahrukh Cos Of Ajay? SRK had told the media, "There's this film by Abbas-Mustan in which I'd want Kajol to star opposite me. But she says she has no dates till September. If that doesn't happen, we won't be able to work with each other at least for the entire year. We vibe very well. She's what my kid sister would be like. I feel very comfortable with her." A Few Years Back When Kajol was asked about the cold vibes between her husband and her best friend, she had said, "If two people are not friends, that doesn't mean they are enemies. I have said this earlier also. Just because they don't party together and you don't see them clicking selfies, that doesn't mean that they hate each other or bad-mouth each other." SRK Is My Friend "Yes, Shahrukh is my friend and I have been very clear that my friends are mine and I have never imposed my friendships on Ajay and he has never done it either. We are both very clear about it. You need to give people that space.'' That Does Not Make Them Enemies ''There are people who you are close to, that I may not be close to and that does not make them enemies. Recently, they met each other in Bulgaria and they have met before also at our home.'' There Is No Discomfort But ''I don't think there is a discomfort, but I also don't think there is any friendship either. But there is nothing wrong with that." I Will Not Support Injustice Against Women, Says Bhumi Pednekar Bhumi Pednekar opened up by saying to HT, "As a woman, my stance is that I'm a fighter, and in no way will I support any kind of injustice against women in our society. It can be with me or with anybody else - I encourage that we have a voice." The Fear Of Embarrassment Is Dangerous "Women face so much at various levels - it can be as simple as the common belief that a woman is incapable of doing certain things, or the fact that even if you do something wrong to her, she won't speak up for fear of embarrassment... The time is here that we all should fight against such wrongs." Raise Your Voice & Be Heard! "Jahan pe aap pe atyachar hota hain, awaaz uthao, uska samna karo (Whenever you're wronged, raise your voice, confront the wrong-doer)... And you will see how your behaviour shocks the offenders. What will also surprise you is how much support you will get from everyone," Bhumi Pednekar summed it up to HT. On The Work Front Bhumi Pednekar is currently gearing up to be a part of Zoya Akhtar's upcoming movie Bombay Talkies 2 and the film might go on floors by the end of 2018. Wedding Of Sunjay Kapur & Priya Sachdev Sunjay Kapur and Priya Sachdev tied the knot on April 13, 2017 in New Delhi and the couple then flew to New York City for a reception with family and friends. The whole wedding ceremony was grand and the pictures looked amazing. It's been a year already and time just flies, folks! Dating Since 2013 Priya Sachdev and Sunjay Kapur had been dating since 2013 and they had first rubbished their relationship as pure rumours. However, they were madly in love with each other and couldn't hide it for long. They tied the knot after dating for four years. On The Professional Front Sunjay Gupta is a Delhi-based industrialist and travels the world for business and his wife Priya Sachdev is a model and also runs her own clothing label 'Rock n Shop'. She is the founder and CEO of the same and has been an entrepreneur since many years. Happy Wedding Anniversary Sunjay & Priya! Here's wishing the lovely couple Sunjay Kapur and Priya Sachdev a happy first wedding anniversary. We hope they stay together happy and filled with joy until the end. Majid On Casting Malavika Mohanan Majidi wanted an Indian face for his film and found Mohanan perfect for Tara's role. "Malavika's face was very important for me because I wanted an Indian face, especially for international audiences to have this immediate impression that she is from India. "First, we shot the scenes out of the jail, and then after one month, I told her she has to lose weight. She had to be thin for the portion inside the jail and she worked hard to do that." Majid On His First Meeting With Ishaan When Majidi first saw the audition footage of Ishaan for "Beyond the Clouds", he liked it and thought of meeting him in person. In the first meeting, the director, however, was not very impressed with the aspiring actor. "The first time I met Ishaan, (he) was (wearing) a sporty T-shirt, (had) muscles and was trying to sit in a very macho way. I looked at him and said, 'Your face is working, but I have a big problem with your body. Tone down your body, reduce the muscles. "Next time, he wore a large T-shirt and sat with a hunch." Struggling People Are My Heroes The Iranian director has always been fascinated with Ray's cinematic outlook and how his heroes come from everyday life, something that he feels is missing in Indian cinema today. "Satyajit Ray's films had an effect on me. (They inspired me) to follow a certain interpretation of life. And (I would like) to influence younger generation. In 'Pather Panchali', there is a respect that he has for his hero, even in the poverty. His heroes come from this class of society and they are trying for life," Majidi told PTI in an interview. "Struggling people are my heroes. I am not glorifying poverty, it is bad. (But) I believe that a person has a lot of interior values that we do not see," he adds. Majid Feels India Is Close To Iran The director says it was a dream come true to set one of his films in India, which he believes, is culturally very close to Iran. "I always wanted to make a film in India as it is a dramatic country with dramatic locations. The streets and the alleys of Bombay are full of stories, something that you can't find anywhere else. I always wondered why we do not see such kind of stories in Indian cinema.Apart from Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal and Mira Nair, you rarely find these stories in the cinema here." Mammootty Mammootty, the Megastar of Mollywood is busy with the shoot of his upcoming film Oru Kuttanadan Blog. The actor celebrated Vishu on the sets of the movie and reportedly, a special sadya was organised by the team. Mammootty also took to Facebook to send out the special wishes on the special day. Mohanlal Mohanlal, the much loved star of Malayalam cinema, made it a point to wish the Keralites, a Happy Vishu, on the special occasion. Dileep Dileep, whose most recent film Kammara Sambhavam has opened to good reports in the theatres, did send out a video through his Facebook page in which he has wished all a very Happy Vishu. He also had a few words to say about Kammara Sambhavam. Dulquer Salmaan Dulquer Salmaan had a short yet sweet message for all of his fans and followers on Vishu. He wished everyone a very Happy Vishu. A day ago, he offered a big gift to the audiences in the form of the teaser of his upcoming film Mahanati. Manju Warrier Manju Warrier wished the audiences a Vishu filled with goodness. Reportedly, the fans of Manju Warrier did supply food packets to the needy on the special day. The actress also shared a few pictures of the same. Anupama Parameswaran Anupama Parameswaran, who made her entry to the Malayalam film industry with Premam is now one among the busiest actresses in Tollywood. The actress took to Facebook to share a few pictures that she had taken with her family during the special occasion. Nivin Pauly Nivin Pauly, who will next be seen in the magnum opus Kayamkulam Kochunni had a special message to all of his fans and followers, on the beginning of yet another year. Neeraj Madhav Neeraj Madhav celebrated Vishu with his family in usual style. Meanwhile, the actor did send out a video through Facebook to convey an important message on the necessity of keeping your premises clean after bursting crackers and other celebrations in connection with Vishu. If the 18,049 Air India employees are allowed to hold the country to ransom, then so will the employees of other loss-making government-owned firms. News reports suggest that 11 Air India unions representing over 10,000 employees have started a social media campaign with the Save Air India slogan. The Indian government plans to sell 76% of the Maharaja. Under the current terms, a buyer needs to provide a guarantee that permanent employees of the airline will not be fired for at least one year. After that, the buyer is allowed to offer a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to employees. This condition along with the fact that any prospective buyer has to take over two-thirds of the Rs 48,447 crore debt (as on March 31, 2017) of the airline, has led to a situation where none of the Indian carriers are interested in buying Air India. We dont know about the foreign ones as yet. News reports also suggest that the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private investment arm of the World Bank (WB), is likely to underwrite the debt amount of Air India for the successful buyer. It is highly unlikely that any prospective buyer will buy Air India without any arrangement to handle the $7.5 billion debt of the airline (Rs 48,447 crore at $1=Rs 65). Given how risky and difficult the airline business is, such a huge debt amount can pull down even a currently profitable airline. Also, it is worth remembering here that two out of three mergers that happen, fail. While, the debt part of the airline can be handled, how the government handles the ailing carrier's employees is more important. As on 1 January, 2017, the airline had 18,049 employees. In comparison, IndiGo had 14,576 employees as on 31 March, 2017. IndiGo also employed 8,225 employees on a temporary/contractual/casual basis. Air India has a 12 percent share of Indias domestic market and has a 17 percent share in flights in and out of India, and it loses money. Indigo has a 40 percent share in Indias domestic airline business and is a profitable airline. How do things look at the employee cost level? Air Indias employee benefit expenses during fiscal 2016-2017 stood at Rs 2,558 crore. This worked out to around 11.5 percent of the total revenue earned during the course of the year. By comparison, Indigo spent Rs 2,048 crore and this worked out to around 10.6 percent of the total revenue earned by the airline during the course of the year. Clearly, the employee cost is much more in the case of Air India. Having said that, the difference is not much but can nevertheless be important in a low margin business like airlines are. For any prospective buyer of Air India, one of the easiest ways to control costs, is to get rid of the non-productive part of the employee base. And any prospective buyer having paid good money to the government would want to employ this strategy. This is a low-hanging fruit, but the current terms of sale dont allow a prospective buyer to do that. A British Airways bid But such a situation is likely to arise only if the government is able to sell Air India. Before that, the employee unions are likely to show their nuisance value by making it as difficult as possible for the government to sell the airline. The social media campaign is just the starting point. The opposition parties are likely to join in as well. Congress party member Manish Tewari recently tweeted about what he things would happen if British Airways bought Air India. He went on to ask, 'wont souls of millions of Freedom Fighters who sacrificed everything turn in their graves?' This is terribly bad rhetoric, given that British Airways was privatised way back in 1987, but then the Congress party has always liked the idea of the government owning public sector enterprises. This is not to say that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) doesn't. British Airways is just another private airline now and one of the most successful privatisations ever carried out in Britain. So, if British Airways buys Air India, it will be a great thing because the airline has some experience in turning around a government-owned airline, and running it profitably over the years. As far as employees are concerned, their protests are hardly surprising given that most of them have spent their lifetimes working for a government owned company. The future is unlikely to be as cozy as it is under the current owner and they will make every effort possible to ensure that continues. But the current owner has spent a lot of taxpayer money to keep this airline going. Between April 2010 and December 2017, the accumulated losses of the airline were Rs 46,256 crore. To keep the airline going, the government invested Rs 26,545 crore into the airline since April 2011. Over and above this, the airline has taken on working capital loans from banks, which as on 31 March, 2017, stood at Rs 31,088 crore. This basically means that the airline keeps running because of the loans it keeps taking on. The banks are lending to the airline primarily because it is owned by the government, leading to the actual debt of the government going up. They would have long-stopped lending to a privately owned airline in a similar situation. The larger point being that every extra rupee that the government spends on this airline, is a rupee taken away from something else. Lets take the case of the defence sector. In fact, the vice chief of the Army Lt. General Sarath Chand told a Parliamentary panel sometime back that 68 percent of the Indian Army's equipment is in the 'vintage category'. 'Funds allocated are insufficient and the Army is finding it difficult to even stock arms, ammunition, spares for a 10-day intensive war. The three services are expected to be prepared for at least 10 days of intense battle,' Lt. General Chand said. This is clearly not a good trend. There are more important things that India needs to spend money on than Air India. Also, if the government is serious about genuine privatisation (and not the kind where the Life Insurance Corporation buys the governments stake in public sector enterprises) of loss making as well as profitable government companies, it is important that the sale of Air India goes through. If the 18,049 Air India employees are allowed to hold the country to ransom, then so will the employees of other loss-making government-owned companies like MTNL, BSNL and a whole host of other companies, in the days to come. If the government doesnt handle the employees seriously, then the entire idea of selling Air India will end up being yet another jumla coming out of the government. (Vivek Kaul is the author of the Easy Money trilogy). A day after Infosys decided to sell its subsidiaries Skava and Panaya, a whistleblower sent a letter to SEBI demanding a probe into these transactions Just a day after Infosys said it will sell subsidiaries Skava and Panaya, the Israeli firm whose purchase became a contentious issue between the founders and the erstwhile management, led by former CEO Vishal Sikka, a whistleblower has reportedly shot off a letter to market regulator SEBI demanding a probe into the acquisitions. According to The Times of India, the whistleblower's letter also questioned board members Ravi Venkatesan, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Punita Sinha and Roopa Kudva, who were all part of the board that approved the Skava and Panaya acquisitions. However, Infosys lead independent director, and the chairperson of Biocon, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, has termed the unknown whistleblower's allegations as unfounded. The whistleblower is confusing governance issues related to business evolution, Shaw was quoted as saying by The Economic Times. The whistleblower's identity hasn't been established as yet. Infosys expects to offload both Skava and Panaya by March 2019. "In the quarter ended 31 March, 2018, on conclusion of a strategic review of its portfolio of businesses, the company initiated identification and evaluation of potential buyers for its subsidiaries, Kallidus and Skava (together referred to as 'Skava') and Panaya (collectively referred to as 'disposal group')," Infosys said in a regulatory filing on Friday. Infosys said that upon reclassification, an impairment loss of Rs 118 crore ( $18 million) in respect of Panaya has been recognised in the consolidated profit and loss for the quarter and year ended 31 March, 2018. The corresponding write-down in the investment value of Panaya in the standalone financial statements of Infosys is Rs 589 crore ( $90 million), it added. A year ago, two anonymous letters alleged wrongdoing and kickbacks in the Panaya deal, executed in 2015 under Sikka. Subsequently, internal and external reviews of the deal found no evidence supporting the whistleblower's allegations. Nonetheless, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy demanded that the full report by US law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher be made public. Later, the Infosys board -- under its new chairman Nandan Nilekani - gave a clean chit to the controversial Panaya acquisition, saying there was no merit in the allegations. With inputs from PTI Fortis Healthcare has expressed inability to engage with IHH Healthcare over its acquisition offer due to binding agreements with Manipal Health Enterprises New Delhi: Fortis Healthcare has expressed 'inability to engage' with IHH Healthcare over its acquisition offer of up to Rs 160 per share due to binding agreements with Manipal Health Enterprises and party, the Malaysian firm said on Monday. IHH had joined the race last week to acquire India's troubled Fortis, offering higher price than Manipal's Rs 155 a unit, which valued the company at Rs 6,061 crore. In a letter to the Fortis board, IHH Healthcare Berhard Managing Director and Group CEO Tan See Leng expressed his company's "strong interest in Fortis Healthcare Ltd and its affiliates in a suitable manner". The Malaysian firm's offer came a day after Sunil Kant Munjal-led Hero Enterprise Investment Office and Burman Family Office offered to invest Rs 1,250 crore in the healthcare chain at up to Rs 156 per share. Manipal had raised its offer for Fortis to Rs 155 per share by valuing the hospital business higher at Rs 6,061 crore, from Rs 5,003 crore initially. In a filing on Malaysian stock exchange today IHH Healthcare said: "In response to the letter, the board of Fortis has indicated its inability to engage with IHH as Fortis has entered into binding agreements with Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Manipal Global Health Services and TPG Asia." The company further said: "At this juncture, IHH has not entered into any discussions, negotiations or transactions." In the letter last week, Leng said: "As on date, based on publicly-available information and our preliminary analysis, we believe a price of up to Rs 160 per Fortis share to be appropriate, subject to satisfactory completion of a due diligence." Leng also hinted at the possibility of IHH making revised counter offer if the other suitors were to revise their bids. "Notwithstanding anything in this letter, given the ever changing competitive dynamics, IHH reserves the right to pursue all necessary steps to ensure that the shareholders of Fortis are provided with the opportunity to realise the value inherent in our proposal including the right to revise the indicative offer price in any manner, IHH deems fit," he said in the letter. In March, the Fortis board had approved demerger of its hospitals business, which was to be acquired by Manipal Hospitals and TPG Capital, along with the sale of 20 percent stake in diagnostics chain SRL Ltd, in a Rs 3,900-crore deal. IDBI, which is one of the richest in terms of real estate assets, recently got them valued at market rate and made it part of core capital, sources said, adding that this has strengthened the balance sheet of the lender. State-owned IDBI Bank has prepared a comprehensive plan for improving its financial health and reducing stressed assets in light of RBI's recent communication pointing out various weaknesses in the lender. The bank has also identified various non-core assets and real estate properties for sale to shore up its capital, sources said. The bank, which is one of the richest in terms of real estate assets, recently got them valued at market rate and made it part of core capital, sources said, adding that this has strengthened the balance sheet of the lender. Last month, the bank concluded a deal to sell one of its buildings located in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the city to the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for about Rs 1,000 crore. This was in addition to a strong dose of capital infusion to the tune of Rs 7,881 crore on March 27. This was the remaining portion of capital infusion of Rs 10,610 crore planned by the Government of India for IDBI Bank for 2017-18, aimed at meeting the minimum Tier 1 capital requirements of IDBI Bank. A sum of Rs 2,729 crore was infused last year. Prior the recent series of capital infusion, the government had 77.8 per cent stake in the bank. RBI, in its communication to the Finance Ministry, had also raised the need for more robust risk assessment and improvement in credit underwriting standard. The bank is in the process of addressing these two concerns, sources said. It is to be noted that IDBI Bank is under RBI's prompt corrective action (PCA) framework. Gross non-performing loans were pegged at Rs 50,622 crore at the end of December 2017, 24.72 per cent of advances. It reported a net loss of Rs 1,542 crore in the December 2017 quarter. Strategies have been drawn to ensure that the NPAs are reduced in a structured manner by taking help of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and other means, sources said. Further, RBI's recent guidelines have also set strict timeline for recovery of various stressed assets under the IBC. The central bank has withdrawn the mechanism which included Corporate Debt Restructuring Scheme, Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme (SDR) and Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A). The Joint Lenders' Forum (JLF) as an institutional mechanism for resolution of stressed accounts was also discontinued. With summer vacations fast approaching, most Indians are planning to head to long-haul international destinations with booking going up by 25 percent Mumbai: With summer vacations fast approaching, most Indians are planning to head to long-haul international destinations with booking going up by 25 percent compared to last year, said a report. About 50 percent of the bookings are made by travellers in the 25-35 age group, according to the report by online travel company MakeMyTrip. "Long-haul destinations have registered higher growth this year compared to short-haul ones, with a significant 25 percent growth in the number of trips year-on-year," said Mohit Gupta, chief operating officer, MakeMyTrip. Gupta said there has also been a significant increase in the number of people travelling this summer with 24 percent more Indians travelling this season. The findings of the report are based on the bookings seen on MakeMyTrip platform for travel during the coming summer season (April-June), which coincides with the summer holidays in schools across India. London and Paris are the top destinations for long-haul trips, while Rome, Toronto, Amsterdam and Istanbul are the top growing international destinations this summer witnessing five-times growth, the report said. Among the short-haul destinations, Dubai followed by Singapore and Thailand continued to be the most popular summer travel destinations. Astana, Almaty, Lombok, Mykonos Vietnam, Jordan, Israel, Cambodia are among the most searched off-beat international summer destinations, according to the report. "With mobiles, becoming the heart of communication, there also has been a remarkable year-on-year increase in bookings coming from smart phones," said Gupta. The transactions made from mobile apps have increased by 64 percent since last summer, he added. Among domestic destinations, Goa continued to top the chart despite the heat as the most preferred holiday location this summer. Cooler places such as Manali, Ooty and Shimla are the other top summer travel destinations. Interestingly, this summer Indians have shown great interest in travelling to some off-beat destinations as well, according to the report. Other than places such as Thekkady, Wayanad, Guwahati and Shillong, locations like Spiti, Hampi and Namchi are being picked as the new go-to places by young Indians. During the day, Infosys shares fell to an intra-day low of Rs 1,099, down 5.98 percent over its previous closing price New Delhi: Shares of Infosys ended 3 percent lower on bourses on Monday, following which the market capitalisation of the company fell by nearly Rs 8,000 crore The stock fell after the company reported less-than-expected margin guidance for fiscal year 2018-19. During the day, the stock of the company fell to an intra-day low of Rs 1,099, down 5.98 percent over its previous closing price. At the end of Monday's trading session the stock was quoted at Rs 1,132.80, down 3.10 percent. On NSE, the stock fell to an intra-day low of Rs 1,102 and finally settled for the day at Rs 1,134.50, down 3.15 percent over its last close. Following the decline in the counter, the market capitalisation of the company declined by Rs 7,887.28 crore to Rs 2,47,416.46 crore. The stock was the second largest loser in the 30-share index. Global brokerage Nomura in a research note said, "growth weakness in developed markets, BFSI and retail is a negative. We expect the stock to react negative to the margin guidance cut". The report further noted that "guidance for FY19 growth is in line with consensus, though a cut in EBI margin guidance to 22-24 percent (as against 23-25 percent earlier) was a disappointment". Infosys, on April 13, reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 3,690 crore, or Rs 16.98 per share, in January-March 2018 quarter as compared to Rs 3,603 crore, or Rs 15.77 a share in the same period a year back. For 2018-19, Infosys expects its revenue to grow in the range of 6-8 percent in constant currency terms and 7-9 percent in the US dollar terms. For financial year 2018-19 Infosys expects operating margin range at 22 percent to 24 percent. The problem is that there arent enough buyers for stressed assets in India, at prices the banks expect, needed to compensate for their losses. Over a roughly three-and-a-half year period, from when Narendra Modi took charge as Prime Minister in mid-2014, to the end of December 2017, Indias public sector banks (PSBs) have written-off loans worth Rs 2,72,558 crore. Of the amount, a meagre Rs 29,343 crore has been recovered, according to data available with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Of the write-offs, the biggest in a year happened at the Mumbai-traded State Bank of India (SBI), which wrote off Rs 31,096 crore in the nine months to 31 December, 2017. PSBs recovered a total of Rs 15,786 crore over a twenty-one month period ended 31 December 2017 (the first nine months of FY18 and all of FY17 put together). This data was submitted by the Minister of State, Finance, Shiv Pratap Shukla, on 27 March, 2018, in Parliament. There have been tall claims by the ruling BJP, possibly by mistake, about the recovery of a much larger amount. Just last week, the BJPs official twitter handle pushed out a tweet saying that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016, has resulted in recovery of Rs. 4 lakh crore out of staggering Rs. 9 lakh crore of NPAs or bad loans given to the corporates under UPA government. The BJPs official twitter handle deleted that tweet subsequently but the partys Odisha unit still carries the tweet attributing the same to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 has resulted in recovery of Rs. 4 lakh crore out of staggering Rs. 9 lakh crore of NPAs or bad loans given to the corporates under UPA government. pic.twitter.com/bt2dZsZ9VY BJP Odisha (@BJP4Odisha) April 14, 2018 A BJP spokesperson, Ashok Goel, too has tweeted the same. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 has resulted in recovery of Rs. 4 lakh crore out of staggering Rs. 9 lakh crore of NPAs or bad loans given to the corporates under UPA government. pic.twitter.com/UZXcyD5ysk Ashok Goel (@AshokGoelBJP) April 14, 2018 There is no public data available on the total value of cases referred to the IBC. But, on 4 April, the IANS quoted Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas as saying that Rs 4 lakh crore NPAs have been recovered due to the insolvency system. This is probably the total value of cases referred to the IBC so far and that could have confused the BJPs IT cell and some leaders, who tweeted the figure as the total value of loans recovered. According to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of Indias (IBBI) website, a total of 669 cases have been referred to the IBC thus far. The amount involved is not given. The value of all cases is estimated at around Rs 4 lakh crore, according to banking industry sources. At present, Indian banks total gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stand at Rs 9 lakh crore. Of this, over 90 percent is with state-run banks. According to a PTI report, bank NPAs will swell by another 8,000 crore as advances to the scam-hit Gitanjali Gems Group have turned bad during the quarter ended 31 March. Banking scams involving fraudsters like Nirav Modi have wrecked havoc. But the bad loans pile was built over a period of years with banks competing to lend to firms riding the economic boom. Very little was done to monitor the quality of lending. The corporate political nexus too took the banking system for a ride. Case in point being the Rs 9,000 crore Kingfisher loan. In the first round, in June last year, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) referred 12 cases to the IBC totaling about 25 percent of the gross NPAs in the banking system. According to banking industry sources, 28 more accounts were referred to IBC. In most of these cases, the process is underway. The RBIs all-out war against NPAs began in January 2015 when the central bank put out rules for the early recognition of stressed assets in the banking system and their punitive provisioning. Till then, PSBs, which account for 70 percent of the banking system and almost 90 percent of bank NPAs, were happily ever-greening bad loans of influential, politically connected promoters via technical adjustments. The infamous corporate-political nexus worked in full swing. Banks recovery record from NPAs has been extremely poor. To understand the gravity of the matter, just look at SBIs track record. In fiscal year 2015 alone, SBI wrote-off loans worth Rs 23,973 crore while it recovered just Rs 317 crore. In the next fiscal year fiscal year, it wrote off Rs 19,944 crore, whereas it recovered Rs 3093 crore from loans that were written off. In FY17, SBI wrote off loans worth Rs 27,574 crore, it recovered Rs 3,765 crore. In the subsequent fiscal year till December 2017, it wrote off Rs 31, 096 crore, recovered mere Rs 3,221 crore. Indias state-run banks have been one of the biggest recipients of taxpayers money. Just recently, the government announced a Rs 2.11 lakh crore capital infusion in state-run banks. Now, will the transfer of assets worth Rs 4 lakh crore offer hope to Indias baking system? It is naive to expect a significant outcome since admitting to bankruptcy proceedings only ensures speedy resolution of the case. If a bankrupt company fails to turn around, lenders will have to sell its assets to recover money. The problem is that there arent enough buyers for such stressed assets in India at prices the banks want, to compensate for their losses. (With data inputs from Kishor Kadam) Reliance Industries (RIL) had bid jointly with JM Financial to acquire the debt ridden textile manufacturer Alok Industries Ltd New Delhi: Reliance Industries (RIL) on Sunday said that its resolution plan for acquiring Alok Industries, in conjunction with JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Company, has been rejected by the Committee of Creditors. Mumbai-traded RIL had jointly bid with JM Financial to acquire debt-ridden textile manufacturer Alok Industries Ltd. "As intimated earlier, Reliance Industries Limited in conjunction with JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Company Limited submitted a resolution plan for Alok Industries Limited. We have been informed that our plan did not meet with the approval of the Committee of Creditors of Alok Industries as required under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code," RIL said in a regulatory filing to the exchanges. In July 2017, the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had admitted insolvency proceedings against the textile company under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The consortium of lenders, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), is claiming dues of over Rs 23,000 crore from Alok Industries. (Disclosure - Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd) UltraTech Cement tabled a fresh offer, for Binani, to the resolution professional on 14 April. But, a new problem seems to have surfaced. Aditya Birla group firm UltraTech Cement has reportedly improved its offer for Binani Cement Ltd (BCL), at Rs 7,990 crore, up from Rs 7,266 crore earlier. According to The Economic Times, the company made the offer to the resolution professional on 14 April. But, a new problem seems to have surfaced. Its a very attractive offer. But the biggest block is that the UltraTech offer was made after bidding closed, a bank official was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The Supreme Court on 13 April refused to allow an out-of-bankruptcy court deal between UltraTech and Binani Industries (BIL) for the latter's beleaguered subsidiary. UltraTech Cement on 28 March said it had obtained the Competition Commission of India's (CCI) approval for its bid for BCL while rival bidder Dalmia Bharat said the reasons cited by the former for its bid were "misleading". "A lot of apprehensions were raised by the Resolution Professional about UltraTech obtaining the CCI clearance on its bid for Binani Cement. CCI has on Wednesday cleared it. The company was rated the H2 bidder instead of H1 (highest bidder), for this reason," the Aditya Birla group company said in a regulatory filing. On 19 March, UltraTech Cement said it had concluded a commercial understanding with Binani Industries to buy over a 98 percent stake in BCL. UltraTech, which was one of the resolution-plan applicants in the insolvency proceedings of BCL, agreed to issue a "comfort letter" to the debt-ridden cement manufacturer, confirming that it will provide funds amounting to Rs 7,266 crore to acquire the firm. "The company has in-principle concluded commercial understanding with BIL (Binani Industries Ltd) for purchase of 98.43 percent of the shareholding of BCL subject to termination of IBC proceedings, entering into definitive agreement and other customary and regulatory approvals," the company had said in a regulatory filing. UltraTech said that the Binani Industries, which is independently seeking termination of the insolvency proceedings relating to its subsidiary BCL, approached the company for arranging funds to pay-off the lenders debts and other liabilities as admitted in the insolvency proceedings against an offer of sale or transfer of its entire BCL equity shareholding. Earlier on 28 February, a Dalmia Bharat-led consortium had tabled a Rs 6,700 crore bid for Binani Cement. Dalmia had made a joint offer with the India Resurgence Fund, which is backed by Bain Capital Credit and Piramal Enterprises. With inputs from IANS A large chunk of buyers credit was raised by PNB's Mumbai branch to various government-owned banks in Hong Kong to facilitate companies owned by the diamantaires. New Delhi: Days after the mammoth Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud involving diamond merchants Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi surfaced, two officials of an Indian public sector bank (PSB) made a secret trip to Hong Kong. Their travel was planned during the Chinese New Year (16-19 February) and the primary objective was to utilise the auspicious time to cover-up and prepare documentation with backdates. The surreptitious rendezvous has come under the scanner of Indian investigative agencies because a large chunk of buyers credit was raised by PNB's Mumbai branch to various government-owned banks in Hong Kong to facilitate companies owned by the diamantaires. The bank officials are suspected to have been amending documents to justify decisions and allegedly erased paper-trails that may cause trouble in future. It has come to our notice that some overseas branches of the Indian banks are not providing information on transactions liked to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi citing Hong Kong law, which prohibits them from sharing information under the Hong Kong Personal Data Privacy Ordinance (PDPO). However, the argument is contradictory as they can share details by categorising the case as fraudulent, sources in the investigative agencies told Firstpost. They also pointed out that a huge cover-up is taking place and that the senior management of banks, including PNB, are trying to push things under the carpet. There is a huge failure on part of the internal and external auditors and bank officials in Hong Kong, who should have been able to spot a problem in at least one transaction in one bank, they said. Most LoUs were discounted without any counter verification by the issuing branch and with disregard to other Reserve Bank of India (RBI) policies and normal banking guidelines and procedures. So it is suspected that they had to fix those decisions. The bank officials will soon be called for questioning, investigators claimed. Indian banks at Hong Kong having an exposure in the Nirav Modi-Mehul Choksi fraud are not financially affected because PNB had no other option but to honour all the credits. But the incident has brought Indian banks operating in the Chinese administrative region under the scanner because not a single query was put forth to the issuing bank over fraudulent letters of undertaking (LoUs) and letters of credit (LCs) carrying huge sums. A senior officer of the PNB at Hong Kong, requesting anonymity, said he was surprised after the scam broke out because his bank has its branch in Hong Kong but not a single LoU or LC was raised to the branch. Generally, a bank passes the buyer's credit or LoUs business to its own branch. So, why did the PNB bank branch in Hong Kong not question why other banks were getting this business and why it wasn't. He told the Firstpost over the phone from Hong Kong that his staff was not aware about LoUs and LCs going to other Indian PSBs. Otherwise, we would have asked the Head Office to pass on this business to us, he revealed. To a question whether PNB Hong Kong has suffered any exposure in the Nirav Modi-Choksi scam, the officer confirmed that only one account was impaired, causing a roughly $5 million loss to the bank. It was a loan issued to Firestar Diamond owned by Nirav Modi. Since it was just one bad account in our books, the team did not raise any alarm, he further added. The burning question While investigative agencies -- the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax Department (IT-D) -- are gearing up to grill Hong Kong-based current and former executives of Union Bank of India, PNB, Allahabad Bank and UCO Bank in Nirav Modi-Choksi case, they are perplexed by the fact that buyers' credit was discounted by bankers without any counter verification by the issuing branch. It is learnt that the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) had subjected PNB at Hong Kong to a review in 2017 since it was allegedly found to be tampering with NPAs and write-offs in 2016. But as far as a review of other banks were concerned, the HKMA played a passive role. Questions sent to the Union Bank of India, UCO bank, Allahabad Bank, PNB and the State Bank of India (SB), remained unanswered till the time of publishing this story. A source said the HKMA cares least as Indian Banks' failures are guaranteed by the Government of India. This is precisely the reason, he claimed, that the Punjab National Bank has been asked by the government to honour all fraudulent LoUs to ensure there is no impact on overseas centers of Indian Banks. A total 146 LCs were raised to UCO Bank, Hong Kong for Mehul Choksi-owned Nakshatra, Gili India and Gitanjali Gems to the tune of $247 million which PNB needs to pay to UCO Bank. A mail was sent to UCO Banks Managing Director R K Takkar and PNB seeking their official comment, but no reply was received. On a question of supervision and action on default and irregularities, an official spokesperson of the HKMA told Firstpost that they expect banks in Hong Kong to carry out their business in a prudent and professional manner. Banks should also put in place proper systems of control to ensure that their risk exposure is effectively managed, the spokesperson said. In respect of management of non-performing loans, our supervisory guidelines require banks to have effective systems to identify such loans, set aside sufficient provisions and write-off such loans when it becomes clear that the loans are not recoverable. Where we are of the view that a bank does not have effective systems for its lending business, we will follow up with the bank management and where appropriate the head office and home supervisor of the bank. We will also consider taking suitable supervisory actions, the HKMA official said. To a question whether Indian banks operating in Hong Kong are running in losses and accumulating bad debts and whether HKMA had ordered a review of those accounts, the HKMA official refused to divulge any details. According to sources, most banks have suffered losses in Hong Kong and there are as many as four big defaulters, besides Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, but no action has been initiated by the HKMA. Investigators said they have received complaints that an Indian PSB had also cleared huge sums to two large firms in Hong Kong that turned NPAs. The officer in charge of the bank is now back in India and is likely to be questioned soon. A source closely monitoring Indian PSBs operations in Hong Kong said the NPAs of these groups together runs into thousands of crores. The accounts of some banks submitted to the HKMA in September are cleverly camouflaged, but a closer look indicates that half of all trade finance loans in Hong Kong are impaired. A majority of loans are LoUs and LC-related that banks dont categorise as NPAs. Actually, the reporting is done in a manner that doesnt look alarming in the documents. Their total losses (all banks combined) in Hong Kong in bad loans could easily exceed $1 billion, he said. Bankers slept over manipulation Investigators are surprised that while the Indian government is trying to nab Nirav Modi in Hong Kong, lenders are not acting against him -- if they file a complaint to the Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), it would be easy to get him behind bars. Some of the Indian banks in Hong Kong, which have financed Nirav Modi, are qualified to use the provisions but have not done so yet. It appears, investigators claimed, LC frauds started after a successful run of LoUs for a number of years. As per the law, if there is a defaulter in Hong Kong, he or she can be put under prohibition orders. Most fraudulent LCs were small amounts ($5,00,000 to $20,00,000) but were inflated to around $1,00,00,000 by amendments. These amendments were done by SWIFT messages and were not updated in the CBS. These LCs were issued for different suppliers, all of which were Nirav Modi's firms in Hong Kong, Antwerp, New York, Mauritius and eslewhere. So, the money was not only siphoned off, but also inflated. How it all began The bank was issuing LCs to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi's firms. There were genuine LCs issued at first, for example $500,0000. Subsequently, each LCs were amended on SWIFT and inflated by almost 20 times. Investigators grilling some bank officials posted in Antwerp, Bahrain and Mauritius are posing two basic questions: Why did the Indian banks discount those LCs and not see anything wrong in so many amendments to each of these LCs for almost eight years? And why did the bank never raise a question as to why all amendments were communicated only by SWIFT and there were no other communication between the banks? Investigative agencies are yet to accept the theory floated by the top management of PNB that the fraud happened in just one branch and others including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) were not aware about it. Sources said that LoUs and LCs are 95 percent of Indian banks' trade finance business and it is impossible to buy the argument that both LoUs and LCs were missed out by the PNB treasury department's daily reconciliation process of their Nostro accounts, daily monitoring process, management monitoring, credit monitoring, internal audit, special audits, statutory audits and by RBI audits. There are so many layers of inspection but Punjab National Bank, and discounting public sector banks abroad quietly accepted the irregularities including fake amendments. This fraud is not only large in size but also large in terms of number of banks and people involved and is suspected to be getting large in the cover-up exercise, sources added. You can read the first part of the investigative report here. All five people accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case have been acquitted by the NIA Special Court in Hyderabad. All five people accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case have been acquitted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Hyderabad. The court acquitted all accused due to lack of direct evidence. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial, and last week posted the case for judgment on 16 April. Meanwhile, NIA has said that it will examine the court judgment after it gets a copy of the same and decide further course of action. Former MHA Under Secretary (Internal Security) RVS Mani said that NIA earlier ran the narrative of the government. The initial evidence in the case had come against one Bilal and a Bangladeshi national but it was not pursued. "I had expected it. All the pieces of evidence were engineered, otherwise, there was no Hindu terror angle", ANI quoted Mani as saying. "People who perpetrated attack were protected through misuse of the agency, this is what is alarming. How do you compensate those who suffered and were maligned? Will Congress or anyone else who propagated this theory compensate them?" ANI tweeted his remarks. However, according to India Today, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi has hit-out against the verdict saying that the case was not pursued as expected as the witnesses turned hostile after 2104 and thus justice has not been done. As per ANI, Congress's Ashok Gahlot has said "It is now up to the Govt to examine order and decide if a further appeal is required. As it is a judicial matter I would not like to comment on it." Nine persons were killed and 58 were injured in the blast during Friday prayers at the historic mosque in Hyderabad on 18 May, 2007. Five persons were killed in subsequent police firing near the mosque as protests broke out after the blast. The case, that has been linked with the 2007 Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast, 2008 Malegaon blasts, and the Samjhauta Express attack, has seen many twists and turns in the course of investigation in the last 10 years from witnesses turning hostile to the lack of evidence. After an initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI), which filed a chargesheet. Subsequently, the NIA took over the case from the CBI in 2011. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial and last week posted the case for judgment on 16 April. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. Eventually, 10 persons allegedly belonging to right-wing organisations were named as accused in the case. During examination 64 of them, including Lt Col Shrikant Purohit, turned hostile on 14 February 2018. Purohit claimed that his statement was never recorded, either by the CBI or NIA. However, only five of them Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested and faced trial in the case. Ten persons allegedly belonging to right-wing organisations were named as accused in the case. However, only five of them Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested and faced trial in the case. Two other accused Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are absconding, while another accused Sunil Joshi died. Investigations were on against two other accused. Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar are out on bail, while three others are lodged in the central prison in Hyderabad under judicial remand. In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. With inputs from agencies A special NIA court in Hyderabad on Monday acquitted five accused, including Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad on Monday acquitted five accused, including Swami Aseemanand, in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. While NIA has said that it will examine the court judgment after it gets a copy of the same and decide further course of action. According to News18, in its chargesheet, the NIA had said that the accused were angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples and conspired to avenge such acts with attacks on Muslim places of worship and places densely populated by Muslims. The blasts were allegedly carried out with a bomb ka jawab bomb (bomb for a bomb) mindset. The chargesheet also mentions that Aseemanand reportedly made a confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate of Tis Hazari Court in Delhi. He had allegedly disclosed the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in different places, including Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. Aseemanand allegedly retracted the statement later. Aseemanand was first arrested by CBI in 2010 but was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the case. He was earlier acquitted in Ajmer Dargah blast case and has also got bail in Samjhauta Express blast case of 2014. Reactions have started pouring in from all political quarters post the big verdict. BJP leaders have demand an apology from the Congress for coining the term 'Hindu Terror'. Speaking to CNN-News18, former home minister, Shivraj Patil refused to apologise. He further said that he never used the word Hindu terror. "I never used the word Hindu terror," Patil said. Former MHA Under Secretary (Internal Security) RVS Mani said that NIA earlier ran the narrative of the government. The initial evidence in the case had come against one Bilal and a Bangladeshi national but it was not pursued. "I had expected it. All the pieces of evidence were engineered, otherwise, there was no Hindu terror angle", ANI quoted Mani as saying. "People who perpetrated attack were protected through misuse of the agency, this is what is alarming. How do you compensate those who suffered and were maligned? Will Congress or anyone else who propagated this theory compensate them?" ANI tweeted his remarks. Meanwhile, ANI quoted Congress's Ashok Gahlot as saying that "It is now up to the Govt to examine order and decide if a further appeal is required. As it is a judicial matter I would not like to comment on it." However, according to India Today, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi has hit-out against the verdict saying that the case was not pursued as expected as the witnesses turned hostile after 2104 and thus justice has not been done. While leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad attacked the Centre and said "turning the truth down is the new law of this government. People are losing faith in investigating agencies now." CPM leader Brinda Karat too reacted on the verdict and said that all witnesses were placed before the court and now, suddenly NIA is unable to prove the case. "NIA is answerable. It is shocking to see how all the accused in the Mecca Masjid Blast case have been acquitted. It is very demeaning for the struggle against terrorism", Karat told CNN-News18. Nine people were killed and 58 injured in the Mecca Masjid Blast in 2007. Five persons were killed in subsequent police firing near the mosque as protests broke out after the blast. The case, that has been linked with the 2007 Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast, 2008 Malegaon blasts, and the Samjhauta Express attack, has seen many twists and turns in the course of investigation in the last 10 years from witnesses turning hostile to the lack of evidence. After an initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI), which filed a chargesheet. Subsequently, the NIA took over the case from the CBI in 2011. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial and last week posted the case for judgment on 16 April. "Our fight against terrorism is weakened after todays acquittal", Owaisi said. Ten people were named as accused in the case. However, only five of them Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary who were arrested had faced trial in the case. Two other accused Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are absconding while another accused Sunil Joshi had been murdered. Investigations were continuing against two other accused. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents exhibited. However, during examination 64 of them, including Lt Col Shrikant Purohit, turned hostile on 14 February 2018. Purohit claimed that his statement was never recorded, either by the CBI or NIA. Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar were on bail while three others have been lodged in the Central prison here under judicial remand. In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and others to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. With inputs from Agencies A 24-year-old woman, who hails from Meerut and works with a chartered accountant in Greater Noida, was allegedly gangraped by two men on the Yamuna Expressway on Saturday evening while she was returning home Two men were arrested for allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman on the Yamuna Expressway last week while she was returning home from work. The survivor hails from Meerut and works with a chartered accountant in Greater Noida. According to the woman, the incident occurred when one of the accused, Salman Malik (28), offered to give her a lift in his car. Malik was known to the woman. Reports suggest that Malik had dropped the woman home in the past as well and hence she did not hesitate to take a lift from him. Later, on the way, Malik picked up the second accused, Sajid (26), and they drove towards the expressway where they proceeded to rape her. The accused took turns to rape the woman and then dumped her in Mathura before speeding away. The woman immediately reached out to the police, following which the accused were arrested. The woman alleged that the men had covered the windowpanes with black cloth and played the music on high volume to ensure her screams went unheard. The woman's medical reports have confirmed rape. There were injury marks on the womans body and her face was swollen, sub-inspector Shiv Pratap Singh was quoted as saying by News18.com. The two accused, however, denied the allegations, according to The Times of India. According to police, Malik is a scrap dealer and a resident of Dadri in Greater Noida. He told the police during interrogation that the woman had accompanied them to Agra for a wedding. Superintendent of police (SP), city, Mathura, Shrawan Kumar Singh was quoted as saying that a case has been registered in the matter under Section 376 (D) (gangrape) of the IPC against the two accused and investigations are underway. DMK-led Opposition parties will hold human chain demonstrations in all the 32 districts of Tamil Nadu on 23 April urging the Centre to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board. Chennai: DMK-led Opposition parties will hold human chain demonstrations in all the 32 districts of Tamil Nadu on 23 April urging the Centre to immediately set up the Cauvery Management Board. The decision to stage the protest was taken today at a meeting of Opposition parties chaired by DMK working president and Leader of the opposition in the state assembly M K Stalin. The human chain protest to be held between 4 pm and 5 pm is both to urge the Centre to immediately set up the CMB and to condemn the AIADMK regime for "not taking" action on the matter, Stalin said. A resolution adopted at the meeting urged Governor Banwarilal Purohit to take steps for the immediate constitution of the Cauvery Management Board, he told reporters. Monday's announcement comes days after Stalin had led leaders of opposition parties on a "Cauvery Rights Retrieval Yatra" between 7 April and 12 April covering the Cauvery basin region in the state. The political parties and pro-Tamil oufits have been staging protests demanding setting up of CMB. Since the AIADMK regime "did not come forward to exert pressure on the Centre to set up the CMB," the Governor was urged to take action as a follow up to a memorandum submitted to him by the Opposition on 13 April in this regard, he said. It has also been decided to seek the appointment of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him on the travails of the farmers over the Cauvery issue on behalf of the opposition parties in the state, he said. Stalin said the AIADMK regime did not implement a resolution passed at a recent all-party meeting to meet the prime minister on the Cauvery issue and hence it has now been decided by the opposition to seek appointment by themselves. Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPM, CPI, IUML and MMK were among the parties which attended the meeting on Monday. The CBI on Monday filed a charge sheet against former minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and others in connection with alleged corruption in handing out a management contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private company. New Delhi: The CBI on Monday filed a chargesheet against former minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and others in connection with alleged corruption in handing out a management contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private company, officials said. Former Bihar chief minister and Lalu Prasad's wife Rabri Devi, and their son Tejashwi were also among the 14 people named by the CBI in the chargesheet filed in a court. The agency had recently questioned Rabri Devi in connection with the case, they said. The case pertains to allegations that Lalu Prasad, as railway minister, handed over the maintenance of two hotels run by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotels, a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar, in return for a prime plot of three acres in Patna through a benami company. The FIR alleged that the RJD leader abused his official position for extending undue favours to the Kochhars and acquired a piece of "high-value premium land" through the benami firm, Delight Marketing Company. As a quid pro quo, he "dishonestly and fraudulently" awarded the contract to them for the two hotels, the FIR had alleged. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotels, the ownership of Delight Marketing Company also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time, Lalu Prasad had resigned as railway minister. Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the proposed single national tribunal for settling inter-state water disputes would expedite resolutions and facilitate irrigation facilities across the country Kolkata: Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday said the proposed single national tribunal for settling inter-state water disputes would expedite resolutions and facilitate irrigation facilities across the country. The minister of state for water resources convened a meeting with the ministers and high-level officials of five eastern states West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. At present, there are separate tribunals for the Cauvery, the Narmada, the Krishna and other rivers existing in the country and the formation of the Mahanadi tribunal is in the process, he said. "Instead of having so many tribunals, a single national tribunal has been proposed in the Interstate River Disputes Act Amendment Bill 2017 which has already been placed in the Lok Sabha," he said. A single tribunal would also help the states get proper irrigation facilities, Meghwal said adding the decision of the tribunal will be mandatory. Not just of the states, but the nation's interest is also involved in it as water is a national asset, the minister said. He discussed pending issues relating to water disputes among the eastern states including the release of funds by the Centre. Regarding the proposed Teesta Water Sharing Treaty between India and Bangladesh, he said it was in an advanced stage and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had already made a statement in the Parliament. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been opposing the treaty on grounds that it would affect the interest of the state as water levels would reduce. State irrigation minister Rajib Banerjee said water level of the Teesta was already low due to the construction of dams in Sikkim for hydel power projects. He also flagged the issue of non-release of Central funds to the state for water management. Banerjee also demanded unified control of Tenughat Dam of the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in Jharkhand for the restrained release of water during the flood season. Scores of people took to streets on Sunday protesting over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district and the rape of a 16-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar Scores of people took to streets on Sunday protesting over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Condemning the government response in the two cases, protesters demanded swift trial and strict punishment for the culprits. In Mumbai, protests were held in Bandra's Carter Road, Juhu as well as Mira Road suburb with a large number of children, well as adults, thronging the streets. Protesters carried placards and raised slogans demanding justice for the eight-year-old girl in Kathua who was raped and murder in a temple. They also condemned groups trying to communalise the case. Various civil society groups sent invites on social media asking people to unite and demand justice for the two girls. Protests were held at Parliament Street in New Delhi where people gathered under the banner of NotInMyName against increasing incidents of rape and atrocities on Dalits and minorities. Though several of these protests were launched by civil society groups, political parties like Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress were also present. ANI reported that people had organised similar protest marches in Moradabad. Protests were held in Gujarat too, amid reports that another minor was raped and murdered in Surat. According to The Times of India, hundreds thronged the streets in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Junagadh and demanded swift action by the government. Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, which is led by Hardik Patel, held a candlelight march in Nikol area of Ahmedabad. "Residents of Dhabgarvad locality in Ahmedabad held a protest march at which children displayed placards, expressing outrage over the Kathua incident. A group of young girls sought justice for the Unnao rape survivor as well," the report said. Several similar protests have been organised over the past week to demand justice to the victims of the two cases. The protestors demanded immediate dismissal of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly shielding his party legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of raping a 17-year-old girl who had gone to his residence seeking a job. After the matter came to light when the victim tried to immolate herself outside Adityanath's residence in Lucknow on 8 April alleging police inaction for nearly a year, criticism against the state government has mounted. On 9 April, her father died in judicial custody, with the autopsy report suggesting serious injuries on his body. The case has been handed over to the CBI and Sengar was on Saturday sent into a seven-day custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation. With inputs from PTI Follow LIVE inputs on the Kathua rape and murder case here Maliwal, 33, launched the protest at Rajghat on Friday in the wake of the rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua districts. New Delhi: Demanding stringent laws and the death penalty for rapists, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal continued her indefinite hunger strike for the fourth day on Monday. Maliwal, 33, launched the protest at Rajghat on Friday in the wake of the rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua districts. Slamming the Delhi Police for trying to end her strike, Maliwal said private doctors on Monday examined her and the reports suggest that she can continue the hunger strike. Maliwal, who is having only water during her fast, has lost two kilos in three days, according to a DCW member. "Instead of taking some action and responding to our demands, the Centre is trying to end our hunger strike. If the government can ban currency notes overnight why can't the Prime Minister take some strict measures ensuring safety for women," the DCW chief said. Earlier in the day, Maliwal said the Delhi Police tried to evacuate the venue and she sought help from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who joined her on Sunday. "Arvind Kejriwal sir, the DCP, the ACP and the doctor are harassing me. My ketone level is 2. As you may appreciate, this is nothing. Even yesterday, they fabricated reports. I am at Rajghat and the entire police force is forcibly trying to take me away. Sir, I request you to ensure my protection from them," she tweeted. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, the DCW chief said: "I will not break my anshan (fast) until the Prime Minister promises the country a better system for the safety of our daughters." The Delhi High Court on Monday asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal why he cannot apologise to a constable for allegedly using the slang 'thulla' for policemen. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal why he cannot apologise to a constable for allegedly using the slang 'thulla' for policemen, when he has been seeking pardon from others like Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Justice Anu Malhotra said, "If Kejriwal is apologising to others for his remarks, why can't he do the same to the police officials and settle the matter?" His counsel said he would seek instructions from the chief minister on this, following which the court listed the matter for further hearing on 29 May. The court was hearing a plea by Kejriwal seeking quashing of a trial court order summoning him in a criminal defamation complaint filed by a constable. During the past few weeks, Kejriwal has tendered apology to Jaitley, Bikram Majithia and others for his comments against them. The court had earlier stayed the trial court order summoning Kejriwal in the defamation complaint filed by Delhi police constable Anil Kumar Taneja, who had sought dismissal of his petition seeking stay and quashing of the trial court order summoning him. Opposing the Chief Minister's plea, the constable in his reply, filed through advocate L N Rao, had alleged that Kejriwal had "crossed all limits of decency" by using the insulting word 'thulla' for a policemen in an interview to a news channel. Taneja, who had filed the criminal defamation complaint on 23 July, 2015, had claimed that by using the slang, Kejriwal "has intentionally insulted entire Delhi Police force and caused unnecessary provocation to the police personnel in Delhi". The high court in July last had asked Kejriwal to explain the meaning of word 'thulla' he had allegedly used against the policemen while staying the trial court's order. The word used by Kejriwal is a Hindi word and the high court wanted to know its meaning as it does not exist in the dictionary. Earlier, Kejriwal's counsel had told the court that the word 'thulla' was not used against all policemen but against those indulging in wrong practices. Delhi High Court dismissed a plea seeking rescheduling of the re-examination of the class XII economics paper, which the CBSE has decided to conduct on 25 April following an alleged leak New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking rescheduling of the re-examination of the class XII economics paper, which the CBSE has decided to conduct on 25 April following an alleged leak. The court also asked the CBSE to place before it the records relating to the board's decision not to conduct the re-examination of class X mathematics examination, which also was allegedly leaked, after a plea seeking a re-test came up. The bench asked the CBSE advocate to find out the reasons for the decision for not reconducting the examination and listed the plea filed by a student for 20 April. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar rejected the plea filed by an NGO, Suniye, seeking to either change the date of re-examination of class XII exam or make it optional on the ground that the decided date was close to some entrance examinations, including National Defence Academy (NDA) and engineering. The court said it was the CBSE's decision to reconduct the exam and was outside its purview. The bench said a judicial notice has been taken of the fact that there can be no date fixed to the satisfaction of all and rescheduling of the re-test was beyond the jurisdiction of the court. "Whether to hold an exam or not, it is up to the CBSE. It is not up to the court to decide. It is outside our purview. As you are saying NDA exam is clashing. If they again change the date, somebody else will come. On what basis a court can say hold the exam on this day and not on that day. It will be anarchy," the court said. During the hearing, the court was informed by CBSE advocate Amit Bansal that it has issued a notification that class 10th maths examination will not be reconducted as they cannot afford to hold it again and make over 16 lakh students appear in it. The board also opposed the intervention application of the NGO saying it has considered all the aspects before scheduling the class XII economics exam on 25 April and due care was taken while selecting the date. The court was hearing a PIL, in which NGO Social Jurist had sought that CBSE be directed to hold the class X exam in April, if required, and not in July as it had proposed earlier. It disposed of the PIL after NGO's counsel Ashok Agarwal said he was satisfied with the board's decision of not holding the re-examination for the class 10th paper. The CBSE, in its affidavit, had earlier said it had decided not to hold re-examination of class X maths test as a scientific evaluation of random answer sheets did not indicate any unusual pattern to believe that there was widespread benefit of the alleged paper leak. It had said it was not conducting the re-test for another reason that class X was a gateway to class XII and therefore "remains largely an internal segment of school education system". The NGO had also sought a court-monitored probe into the recent leak of the maths and economics question papers of class X and XII respectively. The Delhi HC on Monday upheld the sentence of life imprisonment till death given to five convicts for gangraping a 52-year-old Danish woman in Delhi in 2014 New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday upheld the sentence of life imprisonment till death given to five convicts for gangraping a 52-year-old Danish woman in Delhi in 2014. The high court dismissed the appeal of the convicts challenging their conviction and jail term awarded by a trial court in 2016. A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta said the testimony of the victim and the DNA report, which was a clinching piece of evidence, have nailed the guilt of the convicts. The bench, however, pulled up the investigating officer of the case for not conducting a proper investigation. The high court, meanwhile, rejected the testimony of an eyewitness given in the trial court, claiming to have seen the accused persons committing the crime with the victim, saying he could not be accepted as a natural witness. "In view of the victim's evidence, corroborated by the DNA report, this court his satisfied that the conclusion of the trial court on the guilt of the accused is correct. Accordingly, the appeals are dismissed," the bench said. The trial court had on 10 June 2016 awarded life imprisonment till death to the five rapists, saying their "inhuman" and "brutal" acts of abduction and gangrape in 2014 had put a stigma on the reputation of the nation. The court had held the five men guilty for the offences under IPC sections 376 (D) (gang rape), 395 (dacoity), 366 (kidnapping), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention). According to the police, the nine accused, all vagabonds, had robbed and gangraped the Danish tourist at knife-point on the night of 14 January 2014, after leading her to a secluded spot close to the Divisional Railway Officers' Club near the railway station. The victim had come here on 1 January 2014 and stayed for a couple of days before leaving for Agra. After visiting several places, she returned to Delhi on 13 January 2014, and stayed in a hotel in Paharganj near the station. The next day when she was returning to her hotel, she lost her way and had asked one of the accused for directions when the men waylaid and gangraped her. Parents of Jyoti Singh Pandey, the paramedic student who was raped and murdered in 2012, on Saturday, advocated death penalty for rapists and said that though society had progressed, 'our daughters are not safe' New Delhi: Parents of Jyoti Singh Pandey, the paramedic student who was raped and murdered in 2012, on Saturday advocated death penalty for rapists and said that though society had progressed, "our daughters are not safe". The 23-year-old student was brutally gangraped in a moving bus in the national capital on 16 December, 2012, and a fortnight later, on 29 December, she succumbed in a Singapore hospital. "I feel very sad that we have progressed as a society a lot, but still our daughters are not safe today. I demand rapists should be hanged," Jyoti's mother said at the venue of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal's indefinite hunger strike, which entered its second day on Saturday. The strike by Maliwal comes in wake of the recent incidents of rape in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh. The DCW chief continued her strike at Samta Sthal (Rajghat) demanding the government take concrete actions to curb sexual crimes against women. "I am working with Swatiji for a long time and I support her 'anshan' (hunger strike) and all demands," Jyoti's mother said. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, Maliwal had said, "Prime minister did fast for one day. We were hoping that he will speak something on the issue and will give assurance to the countrymen to ensure safety of our daughters. But, the silence of the PM and the entire government is very heart-breaking." The DCW chief had said this before beginning the strike. In his first comments on the gruesome incidents in Unnao and Kathua, Modi had on Friday called them a "shame" for the country and asserted that the guilty will not be spared and our daughters will get justice. MLAs Vandana Kumari and Alka Lamba also reached the venue and expressed their support for the strike. They advocated strong anti-rape laws. HN Sharma, political adviser to former prime minister Chandra Shekhar, also attended the strike. Maliwal reiterated that she will not break her indefinite fast until the prime minister assures the nation of a better system to ensure security of women. She said these incidents were not happening only from the past two days. "Daily thousands of girls become 'Nirbhaya' in our country," Maliwal said. The prime minister should tell the nation when he will provide a system in which the police's accountability is fixed and enough fast-track courts are available to ensure punishment to accused within six months, she said. In Kathua, an eight-year-old girl from the nomadic Bakerwal community had gone missing from near her house on 10 January and a week later, her body was found in the same area. In the Unnao case, a 17-year-old girl has alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on 4 June, 2017. Click here for LIVE updates on the Kathua rape and murder case While the Kathua rape and murder case has led to much rage and impassioned debate, it has also led to a lot of fake news being circulated on social media and WhatsApp. Some of the 'news' forwards suggested the incident was a fallout of opposition to Rohingya migrants, while some have outright lied about the Narendra Modi government passing a law which grants victims who kill their assailants immunity. For instance, a post by right-wing portal Shankh Naad claimed the 'first post-mortem report only mentions murder and not rape.' It further claimed the Mehbooba Mufti government got 'rattled' as villagers protested the settlement of Rohingya migrants. According to the post, due to this, the government later introduced the allegation of rape, and a 'new report was created.' However, the chargesheet in the case makes no mention of a second post-mortem and thus, it is clear that the offence of rape was alleged from the outset. Another post, shared by prominent people such as Mohandas Pai and Madhu Kishwar, shows a little girl lying in an open field and bleeding below her waist. One of the persons who shared the picture commented that while two similar rape cases occurred, one (the Kathua rape case) was highlighted, while the other was not. The post mentions a Muslim name as being the perpetrator of the crime. Fact-checking website BoomLive quoted a senior police official as saying that while the man was indeed arrested in a rape case, the photo in the post mentioned above was not of the same girl. "Section 233 of IPC" returns Social media forwards are claiming that the Narendra Modi government passed a new law: Section 233 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under which, if a girl is "suspected to be raped" or "getting raped," then she can kill the man without being accused of murder, as per a DNA report. In fact, Section 233 of the IPC deals with a completely different crime. It reads as follows. Making or selling instrument for counterfeiting coin.Whoever makes or mends, or performs any part of the process of making or mending, or buys, sells or disposes of, any die or instrument, for the purpose of being used, or knowing or having reason to believe that it is intended to be used, for the purpose of counterfeiting coin, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine. Interestingly, while the forwards claim the Modi government passed the law, similar posts circulated when protests were being held across the country after the 16 December, 2012, Delhi gangrape. At that time, the UPA government was in power. The post makes a reference, albeit a misleading one, to the right of private defence which exists in Indian law. Sections 96 to 100 of the IPC deal with this. Section 100 of the IPC states that the right to private defence extends to causing the death of an assailant if the assault with the intention of committing rape. This laws covers people of all genders, and not just women. Further Section 99 of the IPC mentions conditions under which a person will not be protected by the right to private defence. According to it, this right only allows a person to inflict as much harm as is necessary to defend herself. Also, it does not apply if the person has enough time to approach authorities in the matter. Strongly pitching for India's inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany said the global export control system will benefit a lot from New Delhi's participation in all its four regimes New Delhi: Strongly pitching for India's inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany on Monday said the global export control system will benefit a lot from New Delhi's participation in all its four regimes. Out of the four export control regimes that work to keep proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in check, India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. India's membership to the 48-member NSG is being primarily opposed by China on the pretext that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "Germany has strongly supported India in its efforts to become a member of the export control regimes just as we continue to strongly support India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Jasper Wieck, the Deputy Head of the German mission in New Delhi, said. "We are convinced that the global export control system will benefit a lot from India's participation in all four regimes," he said while speaking at the inaugural session of India-Wiessbaden Conference 2018, organised jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs in cooperation with Germany and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Representatives from the government and industry of 39 countries, as well as experts from the UNSC 1540 Committee and UN Office for Disarmament Affairs in New York, are participating at the two-day conference titled Securing Global Supply Chains through Government-Industry Partnerships towards Effective Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1540'. The UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) establishes legally binding obligations on all states to adopt and enforce appropriate and effective measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and their delivery systems to non-state actors. It requires, therefore that countries implement appropriate and effective measures to prevent non-state actors such as terrorists, from obtaining access to WMDs. "We consider this initiative (the conference) as yet another example of India's engagement with regards to international cooperation in the areas of export controls," Wieck said. Fifty-five Rohingya refugee families have been rendered homeless after a massive fire broke out in a settlement colony on Sunday at Kalindi Kunj in Delhi. Fifty-five Rohingya refugee families have been rendered homeless after a massive fire broke out in a settlement colony on Sunday at Kalindi Kunj in Delhi. The fire, the source of which is presently unknown, charred fifty-five houses along with all the families' belongings. The fire broke out around 3 am. No casualties have been reported yet. Mohammed Johar, who is a resident of the colony, said, "I was asleep in my tenement when the fire broke out. It did not begin from any home but from a corner of the colony where there were common bathrooms. Within minutes, the fire engulfed the entire colony, turning everything to ash. None of our belongings could be saved. Recalling how people were saved from the fire, Mohammad Ashrafullah, another resident of the colony, said that the residents were fortunate to spot the fire in its early stage. He has said that if that had not been the case, it would have been impossible to save the children and women sleeping in the tents. It was a very small fire in the beginning. So, we tried to douse it with water. We also informed the fire brigade. But within seconds, the fire took gigantic shape. So, we helped people out of their homes through doors and windows, he said. More than 200 people reside in the colony. The colony also had a mosque and a madrasa, both of which were completely burned. Most of the tenements in the colony were made of wood. The refugee colony was built and looked after by Zakat Foundation led by social worker Zafar Mahmud. He told Firstpost that the NGO jumped into action soon after it came to know about the fire. Since all their belongings have been destroyed, we have taken measures to rehabilitate them. We have arranged for a tent, water and food for them for the time being. We are also planning to provide permanent shelter homes for them, he said. The civil defence department of the Delhi government has also provided the victims with food and other necessities. We are also carrying out a survey to assess the losses incurred by the residents in the colony. After the assessment, they will be provided with compensation, said an official in the civil defence department. Amanatullah Khan, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Member of Legislative Assembly from Okhla, has already declared a compensation of Rs 25,000 for every family affected by the incident. Minnatullah Khan, AAP leader, said, The MLA is presently on a tour of Rajasthan. He will soon visit the spot and hand out the compensation. This was not the first incident of fire that the refugee colony has faced in the six years of its existence. The refugee colony has been repeatedly facing such incidents. Similar fire incidents happened earlier too. In those incidents as well, the fire did not begin from any tenement, but from the bathrooms. So we kept a vigil at night. For the last one month, there had been no vigil, and this incident occured, said Mohammad Johar. Residents of the colony suspect that the fire was caused not by accident, but by miscreants. Dhal Singh, Assistant Commissioner in the Delhi Police said, "We have registered a case regarding it. A team of forensic experts will soon visit the site to inquire into the cause of the fire. Zafar Mahmud of Zakat Foundation too rules out the possibility of miscreants having lit the fire. However, many residents in the colony suspect that that the fire might have been caused by miscreants as an attempt to make them vacate the land on which the colony is situated, and then grab it. The patch of land belongs to Zakat Foundation. A 23-year-old man, who was honey-trapped by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was arrested from Rohtak for allegedly passing information to the Pakistani spy agency about Indian Army camps he visited for recruitment tests, police said. Chandigarh: A 23-year-old man, who was honey-trapped by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was arrested from Rohtak for allegedly passing information to the Pakistani spy agency about Indian Army camps he visited for recruitment tests, police said. Gaurav Kumar was arrested from Rohtak's Model Town area Sunday based on information received by state and central intelligence agencies, Superintendent of Police Pankaj Nain said. Kumar has been booked under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act and under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. A resident of Ganaur city in Sonepat district, Kumar had befriended two women, who worked for Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence, more than a year ago on Facebook, Nain told reporters. "Preliminary investigations revealed that Gaurav was trying to get recruited in the army for a long time and had been preparing for examinations conducted by the army", he said. Nain said the two women befriended Kumar after he told them he was working with the Indian Army. After gaining his trust, the women started communicating with him regularly. "They later asked him to work for ISI and provide information about army camps, while promising to pay him hefty sum for this. He even shared his bank account details with them. He was asked to share photo, video and other details of the military areas", Nain said. "Whenever he went to an army recruitment camp for a test, he would share with them photos and videos of the camp through social media", he said, adding, Kumar had taken part or visited at least 18 army recruitment drives. Last month, a man who allegedly worked as a spy for the Pakistani intelligence agency was arrested in Amritsar district by the State Special Operations Cell of the Punjab Police. Pakistan-based agencies operate a large number of fake Facebook accounts in the name of young girls who actively try to befriend unemployed young people and retired or serving officials in the armed force and subsequently try to allure them into espionage activities. Investigations were being conducted to identify and track such fake accounts, the SSOC had said earlier. An ominous marker in the progression of militancy and counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir passed unnoticed on April Fools Day. Last week brought confirmation that it may not have been a one-off aberration. An ominous marker in the progression of militancy and counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir passed unnoticed on April Fools Day. Last week brought confirmation that it may not have been a one-off aberration. In fact, the marker was more obvious during this second operation: At Khudwani in the heart of the highly radicalised Kulgam district. All the militants (perhaps five) for whom the Indian Army laid a cordon managed to escape amid heavy stone-pelting as large crowds interfered with the operation. According to one report, the army fired bullets at the ground a few feet in front of the leading protesters, as a warning to prevent them from moving even closer. According to one report, the District Senior Superintendent of Police estimated that the crowd was only 300 meters from the encounter site. The real success of these escapes pertains to the kind of militant involved. Seven of the boys killed on 1 April went underground recently. They had barely any public profile. On the other hand, those who escaped included some of the most popular leaders of militancy. The armys chief spokesperson confirmed that, on 1 April, two of the most prominent Kashmiri militants, Saddam Paddar and Zeenat-ul Islam, were among five militants who escaped from the back of a house in Shopian district which the army approached from the front. It seems that they were warned by a man whom the army had sent to ask the non-combatant residents of the house to leave before the gunfight. According to one version, the army shot the man who gave the warning. This escape was generally ignored, as the focus remained on the fact that 13 militants were among the 20 who died during three operations that day. The trend The trend of people emerging from neighbouring houses and villages during an operation against militants is not new. It has been happening since the beginning of 2015. Surging crowds engage the armed forces with stones, slogans, and mob pressure, to relieve pressure on the militants, and perhaps allow them to escape. Crowds pelting stones dominated the landscape for about four months after militant commander Burhan Wani was killed on 8 July, 2016. Militants remained quiet in the background for most of that time. Decision-makers fooled themselves during the winter of 2016 that they had regained the upper hand. But after the violence during polling for the Srinagar by-election in April 2017, the trend of 2015 returned. Stone-pelting again became a diversionary tactic during armed operations. Until the first quarter of this year, however, the forces generally managed to kill at least some of their quarry during operations. The mob rarely succeeded in allowing militants to escape: Although it happened on some occasions. A finely-honed tactic What is new about the escapes this month is that there is no mistaking or underestimating the role of the stone-pelting mobs to allow the escapes. Clearly, the tactic has been honed, no doubt through careful study of videos of earlier encounters. It is possible that professionals have participated in honing the tactics. It is important for policymakers to understand that the current militancy is a far cry from the militancy of the 90s. These are not amateur boys engaged in hit-and-run tactics. Stone-pelters too are often highly motivated. The forces tend to focus on the latest successes or failures to set objectives and targets. They do not seem to extrapolate likely scenarios from battle trends. Indeed, they do not even seem to focus on where and how todays local militants get trained, leave alone how those who help them to escape learn the ropes. It seems likely that the internet is being used for remote training, and perhaps for debriefings, discussions and briefings on how to improve tactics. Man-to-man battles One must hope that these recent successes do not push the army to re-orient its tactics in response, taking operations to a higher level. While it is probably true that Kashmir is the most overtly militarised place on the planet, the armys argument that it employs minimal force also holds water. The vast numbers of troops deployed in Kashmir generally engage in direct man-to-man battles. Helicopter gunships and even machine guns have rarely been used, except in remote areas, often mountainous or jungle. Mortars and tanks have never been used. Veteran journalist S Nihal Singh passed away in New Delhi on Monday following illness, his family members said. He was suffering from kidney-related ailments. He would have been 89 later this month. New Delhi: Veteran journalist S Nihal Singh passed away in New Delhi on Monday following illness, his family members said. Singh breathed his last at the National Heart Institute. He was suffering from kidney-related ailments. He would have been 89 later this month. "He was ill for quite some time. But he turned critically ill for the past one week," Indu Nihal Singh, his sister-in-law said. He will be cremated in New Delhi on Tuesday, she added. The journalist is survived by four sisters. S Nihal Singh had worked with several leading newspapers including The Indian Express as its editor-in-chief, The Statesman as chief editor and Khaleej Times as editor. He was the founding editor of The Indian Post in 1987. He was awarded the prestigious International Editor of the Year Award in New York for opposing the Emergency imposed by former prime minister Indira Gandhi. He worked as foreign correspondent in Moscow, London, the United States and Indonesia. Singh was the first correspondent allowed to represent an Indian newspaper in Pakistan after the 1965 war, the veteran editor recalled in an interview in 2013. He met Indira Gandhi before leaving for Pakistan and felt she was "rather pessimistic about the likelihood of better relations" between the two countries. "I brought up Kashmir for instance and she said, "What solution can there be on Kashmir considering the Pakistani attitudes?" Singh wrote extensively on both domestic and foreign affairs in his columns after his last stint as an editor with Khaleej Times. His books include "The Rocky Road to Indian Democracy: Nehru to Narasimha Rao", "The Yogi and the Bear: Story of Indo-Soviet Relations" and "The Gang and 900 million: A China Diary". He cast a critical eye on his own profession in "Your Slip is Showing: Indian Press Today" and recalled his life in journalism in "Ink in My Veins". Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala recalled the title of this autobiographical work in his tribute. The Ink shall never dry My deepest condolences on the passing away of veteran journalist & editor,Shri S Nihal Singh In a career spanning several decades,his impeccable integrity & journalistic ethics is a benchmark in todays times. My prayers are with his family & friends. pic.twitter.com/UtlXR4qVO2 Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 16, 2018 "In a career spanning several decades, his impeccable integrity and journalistic ethics is a benchmark in today's times. My prayers are with his family & friends," he tweeted. The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case begins on Monday against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year Auto refresh feeds "The SIT has done a very professional job and filed chargesheet, now we hope justice will be done," Vaid told ANI. Reacting to the Kathua rape case and the shoddy investigation that has led to the massive outrage against the crime, Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid said that it couldn't get worse than this. Breaking her silence for the first time since the Kathua rape case, Information and Broadcast Minister Smriti Irani said, "Law agencies and government are taking necessary action. As a woman, I believe and request there should be no victim shaming." Hearing the issue, the CJI asks the group to bring "some material before" the court to proceed. A PIL is likely to be filed during the course of the day. A group of Supreme Court lawyers has requested the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu cognisance against lawyers' conduct in Kathua rape case. Advocate P V Dinesh mentioned the case before CJI Dipak Misra and asked for action against Jammu lawyers for impeding justice. Coming from the Muslim nomadic shepherd Bakarwal community, eight-year-old *****'s sister says that they have spent their lives roaming in the jungles with their cattle, but never have they felt such kind of fear that they are facing now. The chargesheet filed by the CBI stated the plot was carried to dislodge the Bakarwal community in Rassana, the village in Kathua district where the minor lived. Lawyer PV Dinesh told the Supreme Court about Jammu lawyers preventing the course of law in Kathua rape case and requested CJI Dipak Misra to take suo moto cognisance of it. Maneka said her Women and Child Development Ministry would move a cabinet note on Monday to amend POCSO, the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act. "I have been deeply, deeply disturbed by the rape case in Kathua and all the recent rape cases that have happened on children. I and the ministry intend to bring an amendment to the POCSO Act asking for the death penalty for rape on children below 12 years," said Maneka Gandhi in a video posted on YouTube. Amid nationwide grief and anger over the gang-rape and murder of eight-year-old *****, there is a move to change the law for sexual crimes against children to bring in the death penalty for child rape. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi declared it in a video message in which she said she was "deeply, deeply" disturbed by the Kathua rape case. "We were not even allowed to bury her in our area. We were forced to consign the body to a grave far away. We want her tormentors to be hanged. We are satisfied with the investigation till now, but justice will only be delivered after those people are hanged," her sister says, adding that the family has also received threats. Speaking to News18 , *****'s sister said that the aggrieved family saw the victim's hand, leg and jaw broken. Hundreds of Congress workers assembled at the India Gate on the call of their party chief to protest against the "silence" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over rape incidents in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, and seek justice for the victims. Several senior Congress leaders, including Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni, joined the Thursday midnight candle-light protest. People also gathered at the place in sizeable numbers to express their support. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted a note of thanks for all those who participated in Thursday's midnight candlelight vigil. "Thousands of men and women stood up to be counted in the battle for justice and to protest the rising acts of violence against girls and women. I thank each and every one of you for your support. It shall not be in vain." The law of the land states that the identity of a rape victim cannot be disclosed and those guilty of doing so face be punished under Section 228-A of the Indian Penal Code. However, Jammu and Kashmir is ruled by State Ranbir Penal Code or RPC. Indian Penal Code is not applicable in the Valley under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notices to several media houses who disclosed identity of Kathua victim, asking them why action should not be taken against the organisations. The high court took up the issue on its own after coming across print and electronic media reports revealing victim's name. Why should action be not taken against you? Delhi HC issues notices to media houses who disclosed identity of 8-year-old victim Sanji Ram's son Vishal Jangotra was arrested on the basis of forensic tests. Vishal, studying in Meerut, travelled to Kathua after a phone-call from the teen who said he could "satisfy his lust", the police chargesheet said. The fourth accused is another Special Police Officer, Surinder Kumar . Witnesses saw him at the crime scene. Call data records also prove his presence. The teen named his friend Parvesh Kumar , who is the fifth accused. He was one of the men who repeatedly raped the child. The man who allegedly wanted to rape ***** one more time before she was killed is Special Police Officer Deepak Khajuria , police chargesheet said. He was named in the teen's statement to the police. Call data records also established his presence at the place where ***** was kept locked in for days. Medical tests confirmed that the teen, who had first claimed to be 15, was not underage. He confessed, NDTV quoted the police as saying. Accused no.2 is Sanji Ram a former government official reportedly planned the crime and even kept side a huge amount of money for bribes. He was arrested after the teen's confession, forensic tests and based on the interrogation of various suspects. The Kathua rape victim's body was found on 17 January after days of brutality. Investigations led the police to the 19-year-old school dropout who had often seen the victim grazing horses, and to his uncle Sanji Ram, who was in charge of the temple where police found forensic evidence. The Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ), had alleged that its agitation for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the Kathua rape and murder was wrongly being portrayed as "communal". The Jammu city has been tense since the brutal rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl belonging to the nomadic Muslim Bakharwal community. The police have arrested eight people in the case, but the Bar Association has opposed the action alleging "targeting of minority Dogras". Alleging that the Congress is playing "dirty" politics in the country and playing with the future of children and women, BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said that a fair investigation was conducted in the Kathua murder and rape case. "SIT was formed and six-seven people were arrested. Also, I would like to say it on record that the Jammu Bar Association president BS Slathia was the polling agent of Ghulam Nabi Azad ji," Lekhi said. Lekhi was speaking on behalf of the ruling government and alleged that Congress is playing dirty political games involving women and children. The BJP spokesperson also alleged misreporting by the media. "Apart from Kathua and Unnao cases, there was another case in Assam's Naigon where a Class XII student was raped first and then burnt to death. Why no candle march for her," Lekhi asked mediapersons. Lekhi further alleged that this was Congress' plan all along: "...first shout 'minority minority', then 'Dalit Dalit', and now 'women women' and then try to somehow fix blame of state issues on the Centre. All this while ignoring the strict action being taken by state governments. Party (BJP) has already condemned this act, two individuals (BJP Jammu and Kashmir ministers) were mislead and misguided by people. Lesson to them is not to believe one side or the other and let the law take its course." "Aap log (media) chaahte hain ki 2 minute mein karyavahi ho jaye (You guys want investigations to conclude in two minutes ). Action is being taken by state governments. Also, we are contemplating an amendment in law which awards death penalty to rapists of minors below 12 years of age," Maneka was quoted as saying by ANI. Confirming her earlier statement on amending the POCSO Act, Maneka Gandhi slammed media by saying that important decisions aren't taken in two minutes. Addressing BJP's claim on Congress' links with the Jammu Bar Association(JBA), senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "Yes he(JBA chief BS Slathia) was my polling agent, and also Lal Singh(BJP Jammu and Kashmir minister) was in Congress.They were secular then, but BJP has vitiated the atmosphere so badly in Jammu and Kashmir that these individuals have now turned communal." National Conference leader Omar Abdullah demanded that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti show her "braveness" by sacking the two BJP ministers who reportedly attended a rally in support of the accused in the Kathua rape and murder case. "The prime minister job is not the decide on Jammu and Kashmir; that is the chief minister's job. Mehbooba Mufti has to decide if she wants such ministers in her Cabinet who are set to save eight-year-old's murderers," Abdullah told reporters. 'Mehbooba Mufti must decide if she wants supporters of eight-year-old's murderers in her Cabinet' "It's not when you wish your friends and others in the US or Europe happy birthday, but when you join the suffering and pain of your own people that you become a leader with a big heart," said Chandy. "The news of this incident surfaced when you were on fast and by now several hours have passed and you continue to be silent. This is the biggest challenge to our country. In his Facebook post, Chandy said this was one of the worst incidents that the country had witnessed. "Instead of writing slogans of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padao', "you should first correct your supporters who have done this ghastly crime to turn into a human being. Former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the rape and murder of a minor in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. Supreme Court issues notice to Bar Council of India, Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association, Jammu High Court Bar Association and Kathua Bar Association on a plea against lawyers allegedly blocking filing of chargesheet, reports ANI . Quoting sources, CNN-News18 reported that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti wants the Centre to take a call on the action to be taken against BJP ministers for showing support to culprits in the Kathua rape and murder case. The apex court has issued notices to four lawyers' bodies for obstructing the victim's counsel appearing in the Kathua gangrape and murder case. It has also sought their responses by 19 April. Congress to hold candlelight march at capitals of all the states against Kathua and Unnao rape cases, reports ANI . The victim's family told News18 that they are in a lot of pain and live in constant fear after the incident. "The accused should be hanged," they added. Union minister Rajnath Singh said that the victim's family should get justice. Singh told reporters that he is in favour of ensuring proper justice to the family of the 8-year-old girl. - PTI The apex court agreed to take suo motu cognisance of the case after several lawyers who had mentioned the matter before it came out with materials about the incident. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud sought responses from the Bar Council of India, state bar council, Jammu High Court Bar Association and Kathua district bar association by 19 April. The Supreme Court directed members of the bar not to obstruct judicial proceedings in the case in Jammu and Kashmir as it took note of lawyers obstructing the victim's counsel from appearing in court. News18 reported that hundreds of people have gathered at Mumbai's Azad Maidan to demand justice for the Kathua rape victim. They also want amendments in the POCSO act. Rai said the party would also launch a country-wide campaign after Sunday on rising attacks against women. He also said the prime minister became silent whenever the country faced trouble. "Why is he silent? What is the reason? Even Manmohan Singh used to speak at times." - IANS The Aam Aadmi Party will 'gherao' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Sunday over what it said was his silence on the rapes in Unnao and Kathua.Addressing the media, senior party leader Gopal "We will do whatever is required and take care of it. Nothing to worry about," Vaid said when asked about alleged threats to the witnesses, including the family members of the victim. - PTI Jammu and Kashmir Police chief SP Vaid asserted that all necessary steps will be taken to provide protection to the family members of the eight-year-old girl, and the witnesses in the case. Sources said Congress president Rahul Gandhi has asked party cadres to organise similar protests on Friday in support of protection of women. - PTI The Congress is seeking to take forward the protest against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and has asked its cadres at state and district headquarters to stage similar demonstrations across the country, demanding justice for the victims. Expressing solidarity with the victim's family, the NC said that it will not cooperate with the state government "until and unless the two erring cabinet ministers are sacked for their unacceptable, abhorrent and criminal behaviour in the light of this tragedy and its politicisation". - IANS A party statement said that a day long meeting of the party's core group at its headquarters on Thursday, chaired by party president Farooq Abdullah and attended by working president Omar Abdullah, discussed "in detail the insensitive handling of the horrific Kathua rape and murder case by the state government". National Conference on Friday demanded sacking of two BJP ministers for defending the accused in the Kathua rape case. The two ministers had attended a meeting in the girl's village in support of the accused in the case and demanded a CBI probe in the matter last month. - PTI According to PDP sources, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who will chair the meeting, is likely to tell the BJP, a coalition partner in the ruling coalition in the state, to ask its ministers - Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga - to resign. The PDP leadership will meet on Saturday in Srinagar to discuss the situation emerging following the brutal gangrape and killing of the eight-year-old girl in Kathua, a party spokesman said. Two BJP Ministers Chaudhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga who backed Kathua rape accused have submitted their resignation to Jammu and Kashmir state BJP president Sat Sharma for further action. The prime minister was speaking at an event to mark the inauguration of Ambedkar memorial in New Delhi. "Incidents being discussed since past two days cannot be part of a civilised society. As a country, as a society we all are ashamed of it. I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice," he said. BJP's national general secretary Ram Madhav will leave for Jammu shortly as the news of two ministers resigning from the Mehbooba Mufti cabinet came, India Today report. The two BJP ministers who supported the rape accused in the Kathua rape case have handed over their resignations, reportedly after Mehbooba Mufti expressed her displeasure to BJP's central leadership. "When we met people they put forward a demand of CBI inquiry, we had simply put it across being people's representatives. Now, such a perception is being created that I deemed it fit to tender my resignation (as Jammu and Kashmir minister)," Chaudhary Lal Singh told ANI . There was indiscretion on part of our two ministers (Lal Singh & PC Ganga), coming under pressure of local public they spoke at a gathering. I immediately flew to Jammu as soon as I got to know and told the party that we should fully support the investigation," Ram Madhav said. "We actually acted very fast, state govt & Police acted swiftly. Congress is trying to politicize the issue, I am accusing Congress of being behind the agitations in Jammu," Ram Madhav told ANI . A meeting of senior leaders of the ruling PDP has been called on Saturday to decide the party's course of action amid demands to remove two ministers of its ally BJP from the Jammu and Kashmir government for participating in a rally supporting those accused in the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. Speaking to ANI , BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav in Jammu said: "A meeting will be held. We will take stock of the current situation. The resignation of two ministers will be discussed as well." "We've been thinking of amendments to POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) to bring death penalty for rape or provision that instills fear in people so that they refrain from doing anything wrong with children," Maneka Gandhi , Women and Child Development Minister told reporters Following the rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, the victim's mother told The Economic Times that the perpetrators of the crime must be hanged. I am sure she is waiting for justice. I will see her in dream again when she gets answers, when the perpetrators of the crime are hanged, when she gets justice, she said. "I think we've seen the media reports of this horrific case, of the abuse and the murder of a young girl. We very much hope that the authorities will bring the perpetrators to justice so they can be held accountable for the murder of this young girl," Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujjaric told reporters at his daily press briefing on Friday. Terming as "horrific" the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, UN chief Antonio Guterres has expressed hope that the authorities will bring perpetrators of the brutal crime to justice. "We had gone to defuse the situation created due to migration one and half months back. We told them they should go back. Abdul Gani Kohli (minister) was sent to the house of the victim, so that an ugly situation was not created," Lal told reporters. Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, BJP ministers in the Jammu and Kashmir coalition government, on Friday tendered their resignations after facing criticism for their participation in the event. BJP leader Chaudhary Lal Singh on Saturday defended his participation in a rally supporting the accused in the Kathua rape and killing case, saying that it was meant to defuse the situation and restore normalcy. "I commend the manner in which the people of Jammu dismissed communal forces and were unwavering in their support for a little girl. It has strengthened my belief that Jammu serves as a model of inclusiveness and together the people of J-K inspire secular unity and righteousness," Mufti said in a tweet. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday lauded the people of Jammu for dismissing communal forces and their unwavering support for justice to an eight-year-old girl who was raped and killed in Kathua. The 15-year-old boy accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua is reportedly a "problem child" who often got into fights, reported Hindustan Times .His relatives described him as a "lean and thin boy afraid of the dark. However, officials investigating the case said that the boy had developed a hatred for nomadic Muslims and got into fights with Gujjars, for which the police lodged a police complaint against him, three months before the Kathua rape took place. According to ANI , Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti will request the state high court Chief Justice to establish a special fast-track court for the Kathua rape case. It will be the first in the state where the trial will be expected to be completed within 90 days. According to CNN-News18, the key PDP legislative meet will take place at 2 pm on Saturday. The Kathua rape case is likely to on the top agenda during the meet. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had raised the issue of two BJP ministers obstructing the process of justice, in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, last week with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who assured her that heads will roll. The BJP's architect of alliance with the PDP, Ram Madhav, has arrived in the state on Saturday to follow up on the prime ministers commitment even as the two tainted ministers have resigned. "A misunderstanding took place, they should have been more alert. Their intention was not to hamper the investigation. Allegations on them being pro-rapists aren't true," Madhav added. He said that the ministers decided that they will resign from their post. "We held discussions on it and their resignation will be sent to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister today," he said to the press in Kathua. "On 1 March, a huge crowd gathered in Kathua and our ministers went there to pacify them," Ram Madhav said about the two BJP ministers who had attended a rally in support of the accused in Kathua rape and murder case on Friday. BJP leaders who attended rally should have been more alert, did not intend to hamper investigation BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav meets two BJP ministers, Choudhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga in Kathua, reports India Today. The leaders had tender their resignations after facing criticism for their participation in an event related to the Kathua rape case. India Today also reported that BJP has accepted the resignation of two Jammu and Kashmir ministers and will send the letters to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. "There was no pressure on me to resign, I have done it by myself. If my resignation can save the image of my party, I will give this sacrifice," BJP leader Chander Prakash Ganga said about his resignation to ANI. He added that he has demanded a CBI enquiry into the case and asserted that he has never practised "politics for power." Akhtar also said that the Jammu and Kashmir high court is now monitoring the case and that the government is considering formulating a law for awarding death penalty to rapists who abuse minors. Akhtar also thanked BJP leaders for their support in the case. "We appreciate BJP leaders for their support in the case. It's a confidence-building measure. If BJP-PDP continues to resolve their differences, there will be no alternative to this alliance," he added. He indicated that the PDP-BJP alliance was safe through this statement. "If the people of the country are united and think that Kashmir also has people just like the rest of India, it will help bridge the differences," he said. The Kathua case has united people of Jammu and Kashmir with rest of India, senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said on Saturday. Speaking with reporters after the PDP meeting in Srinagar, Akhtar said that the way people of India have reacted to the incident and shown empathy will work towards unifying the people of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. According to ANI , the family members of the eight-year-old Kathua rape victim, said that an FIR should be lodged against the two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, Chandra Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, who had resigned after drawing criticism for attending a rally in support of the accused in the case. Hussain also opposed vehemently the demand of Jammu lawyers for transfer of the investigations in this case to the CBI. Police said they have taken cognizance of Hussain's complaint and started investigations. IANS Talib Hussain, a local lawyer has been in the forefront of seeking justice for the Kathua rape and murder victim during the last two months. A lawyer fighting for justice for Kathua rape and murder victim on Saturday alleged he had been attacked by goons in Udhampur town. We were sent by the party. Our party president Sat Sharma sent us. We went there on the partys instruction, he said, speaking with Times Now on Saturday. "If my resignation can save the image of my party, I will give this sacrifice," he added. BJP leader Chander Prakash Ganga, who drew criticism for attending a rally in support of the accused in Kathua rape case, alleged that BJP's state party leadership had sent the leaders to attend the meeting of the Hindu Ekta Manch. "If any lawyer is found guilty in the case, we have the rights to cancel their license for life," Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said to ANI Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti accepts resignations of state ministers Chandra Prakash Ganga and Chaudhary Lal Singh, reports ANI. Mufti has forwarded the resignations to Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra, the report adds. While visiting the Rajghat where Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal's fast on the same issue entered the third day, Kejriwal said his government was ready to make amendments to the existing law to ensure death penalty to rapists of minors. IANS Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday demanded death penalty for those raping minors and also blasted the BJP for defending its MLA accused of raping a teenager in Uttar Pradesh. The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case begins on Monday against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. "Today we mourn the rape and murder of a little girl in Kathua. Her crime was that she belonged to the Bakarwal Muslim community that the Hindutva forces want out of the area. Her rape and murder are part of a larger narrative of communal violence with women's bodies being used as a battlefield," said Saba. Gurugram-based filmmaker Saba Dewan led the protest. The protest included artistes and students, who vented their anger over the incidents and claimed that Muslims in the country were living in fear. They said the rights of Dalits and Adivasis were being questioned. Hundreds of people on Sunday participated in a protest march called "Not In My Name" at Parliament Street in the national capital against increasing incidents of rape and atrocities on Dalits and minorities. Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Kathua victim's family's counsel Deepika Rajawat said that she was threatened on Saturday and does not know till when she will be alive. "I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC tomorrow that I am in danger," ANI quoted Rajawat as saying. The charge sheet also names investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. The chargesheet lists the caretaker of 'Devisthan', a small temple, in a village in Kathua, about 90 kilometres from Jammu, as the main conspirator behind the crime. Sanji Ram was allegedly joined by special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Ram's nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias "Shamma". "If the state would have booked the perpetrators (armed forces) who unleashed terror in the village and raped our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives; a minor girl would not have been raped. Kunan-Poshpara could have acted as a deterrent, so that no girl in Jammu and Kashmir would ever be raped, she further said. While expressing happiness that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is seeking to expedite the process by asking for a fast track court, a victim who had come along with other people from the village, said: "If this one rape has shaken her conscience, why is she unfazed by the mass rape of women by armed forces in Kunan-Poshpora? Doesnt she have a responsibility towards us also?" For the survivors of the horrific 1991 Kunan-Poshpora mass rapes, the murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua has reopened old wounds, reported Greater Kashmir . The survivors came from their hamlet to show solidarity for the minor victim in Kathua. "Media should have heard us, our side and our fears on the probe by the Crime Branch. Wanting a CBI probe to give justice to 8-year girl, meant to media that we were shielding culprits or creating hurdle in the probe. It was wrong. We always batted for justice for the girl," she said. - PTI "My father (Sanji Ram) and brother (Vishal) should be hanged to death if they are found guilty, provided the investigation is conducted by a credible agency. We want justice for the girl by a probe through credible agency and only such probe can ensure our father's and brother's innocence," one of Ram's daughters said. The family members of Sanji Ram, the alleged conspirator of the Kathua rape and murder case, have said that he should be hanged publicly but only if a CBI probe into the case finds him guilty. According to media reports, the eight-year-old girl's father will approach the Supreme Court today to seek to move the trial of the rape and murder of his daughter to Chandigarh from Kathua. Various civil society groups sent invites on social media asking people to unite and demand justice for the two girls. Protests were held at Parliament Street in New Delhi where people gathered under the banner of NotInMyName against increasing incidents of rape and atrocities on Dalits and minorities. Scores of people took to streets on Sunday protesting over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Condemning the government response in the two cases, protesters demanded swift trial and strict punishment for the culprits. The lawyers will march to the Bar Council of India and present a memorandum demanding action against the Jammu lawyers. Lawyers in New Delhi will be holding a march in protest at 3 pm on Monday against the "conduct" of lawyers of the Bar Association Jammu, who earlier had come out in support of those accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. Speaking to ANI, the counsel for accused constable Tilak Raj, in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, said that he has not been provided with the copy of the full chargesheet. "Full chargesheet copy has not been provided to us. We are depending on information from social media. We are handicapped," counsel Aseem Sahni said. Eight-year-old victim's father approached the Supreme Court seeking safety, security and transfer of the case outside Jammu and Kashmir. The family will ask the apex court to let the case be heard in Chandigarh instead. The Supreme Court wil hear the matter at 2 pm, reports said. According to the main accused in the Kathua rape case, Sanji Ram said that everything will be clear after Narco test. "After the case was called and all accused appeared, I filed my Wakalatnama. I asked for a copy of chargesheet. There is 490-page copy and I did not receive any copy. Is this a hallmark of a fair trial?" asked one of the accused's lawyers. The juvenile accused arrested in the Kathua rape and murder case has moved a bail application before the judicial magistrate. The matter will be heard later on Monday. A plea filed by Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur, seeks transfer of the sensational gangrape case from Kathua trial court to a local court in the National Capital. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud considered the submission advanced by senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing Deepika Rajawat and Anuja Kapur, for urgent hearing of the two petitions on Monday itself. According to the copy of the PIL with Bar and Bench , the appellants have requested for the following: Relatives of the victim present outside the Kathua court on Monday accused the media of ignoring extensive reportage of this heinous crime for nearly three months. - IANS Lawyer Deepika Rajawat, who is representing the victim's family in the Kathua rape and murder case, said that she was being called "anti-Hindu" and facing social boycott for taking up the case, as per The Indian Express ."Today, I dont know, I am not in my senses. I can be raped, I can be killed and may be they wont allow me to practice in court. They (have) isolated me, I dont know how I can survive," the report quoted Rajawat as saying. "We are not favouring rapists, we demand justice for the victims. The dispensation of justice should not become a political football," said Kaur, adding, "There was a writ petition filed by the victim's family that said that the police had not launched a proper inquiry into the case. After lawyer Deepika Singh Rajwat who is fighting the case of an eight-year-old girl from Kathua who was raped and murdered accused the Jammu High Court Bar Association president of threatening her, the Jammu Bar on Sunday sent a team of women lawyers to defend its president Bopinder Singh Salathia. The Bar had come under criticism for calling a strike against the Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and demanding a CBI probe into the incident. According to the chargesheets filed by the Crime Branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the nomadic community from the area. A separate chargesheet was filed for the juvenile. The counsel for the accused demanded a copy of the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch on April 9 before the chief judicial magistrate.- PTI The victim from a minority nomadic community was allegedly held in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. According to NDTV, chargesheet will be provided to the accused on Tuesday while the plea to move the case out of Jammu and Kashmir will be heard on Monday. A shutdown called by a section of social media users against the rape and murder of a girl in Jammu and Kashmir derailed normal life in parts of Kerala. Police took several protesters into custody. The worst affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvananthapuram. What began as a campaign in the social media on Sunday against the brutality heaped on an eight-year-old in Kathua region led to a shutdown on Monday. Angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocked traffic and forced shops to shut. - Read more here As Kerala shuts down to protest incident, normal life gets derailed; several protesters taken into custody The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeing a reply on the Kathua rape and murder case plea that was file by the victim's father. The apex court has also ordered security to victim's family and lawyer. The next hearing on the plea to transfer case will be on 27 April. ( Read more here. ) Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising told the apex court, said, "State police had done a good job and it not only arrested all the accused persons on evidence but also on a scientific basis." Appearing for the victim's father, she told the Supreme Court, "The atmosphere is not conducive to a fair trial. The atmosphere is highly polarised."- ANI The lawyers demand that the lawyers who stood for accused should be punished by cancellation of licenses. Shalu Nigam says lawyers who stood for the accused should be punished by the cancellation of licenses Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ravinder Raina said, "We will ensure that justice is given. We have full faith in the judicial system. It's the most autonomous body and doesn't work under anyone's pressure."- CNN-News 18 Lawyers protesting near the Supreme Court say that those who try to interfere with the rule of law after raising saffron flags, must be punished. One of the protesting lawyers, Som Dutt, said that a section of lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir is not allowing legal course to be taken smoothly in the case and it is unfair. One of the protesting lawyers Advocate ND Pachauli asked how can lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir not allow chargesheet to be filed when such a heinous crime has been committed. Advocate ND Pachauli asks 'how can lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir not allow chargesheet to be filed?' The general house decided to temporarily suspend the agitation, responding to the appeal of Bar Council of India (BCI), and the Supreme Court taking cognizance of the issue (Kathua rape and murder case), Slathia said. - PTI ( Read more here The Jammu High Court Bar Association (JHCBA) on Monday resumed work after staying away from courts for 12 days in support of their various demands including handing over the Kathua rape and murder case to CBI and deportation of illegally settled Rohingyas. The decision to resume work was taken at a general house meeting of the JHCBA held under the chairmanship of its president B S Slathia. #Delhi : Lawyers protest outside Supreme Court over the conduct of lawyers in Jammu in connection with #KathuaRapeCase . pic.twitter.com/qoD6uVlxSX Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising told the apex court, said, "State police had done a good job and it not only arrested all the accused persons on evidence but also on a scientific basis." Appearing for the victim's father, she told the Supreme Court, "The atmosphere is not conducive to a fair trial. The atmosphere is highly polarised."- ANI The lawyers demand that the lawyers who stood for accused should be punished by cancellation of licenses. Shalu Nigam says lawyers who stood for the accused should be punished by the cancellation of licenses Meanwhile, BJP MLA Ravinder Raina said, "We will ensure that justice is given. We have full faith in the judicial system. It's the most autonomous body and doesn't work under anyone's pressure."- CNN-News 18 The Supreme Court has issued directions to the authorities to provide protection to us (victim family and their counsel): Deepika S Rajawat, Counsel, #Kathua victim's family pic.twitter.com/HP4pV3uB5u Lawyers protesting near the Supreme Court say that those who try to interfere with the rule of law after raising saffron flags, must be punished. One of the protesting lawyers, Som Dutt, said that a section of lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir is not allowing legal course to be taken smoothly in the case and it is unfair. One of the protesting lawyers Advocate ND Pachauli asked how can lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir not allow chargesheet to be filed when such a heinous crime has been committed. Advocate ND Pachauli asks 'how can lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir not allow chargesheet to be filed?' The general house decided to temporarily suspend the agitation, responding to the appeal of Bar Council of India (BCI), and the Supreme Court taking cognizance of the issue (Kathua rape and murder case), Slathia said. - PTI ( Read more here The Jammu High Court Bar Association (JHCBA) on Monday resumed work after staying away from courts for 12 days in support of their various demands including handing over the Kathua rape and murder case to CBI and deportation of illegally settled Rohingyas. The decision to resume work was taken at a general house meeting of the JHCBA held under the chairmanship of its president B S Slathia. Kathua rape case latest updates: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir state government seeing a reply on the Kathua rape and murder case plea that was filed by the victim's father. The apex court has also ordered security to victim's family and lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. Meanwhile, Delhi lawyers take out silent march against those lawyers who are disrupting law in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to reporters, the key accused Sanji Ram's daughter alleged there was a conspiracy and demanded a CBI probe into the case. The Sessions Court on Monday set 28 April as the next date of hearing. The eight-year-old victim's father approached the Supreme Court seeking safety, security and transfer of the case outside Jammu and Kashmir. The family will ask the apex court to let the case be heard in Chandigarh instead. The Supreme Court will hear the matter at 2 pm, reports said. The juvenile accused arrested in the Kathua rape and murder case has moved a bail application before the judicial magistrate. The matter will be heard later on Monday. The Supreme Court will hear the victim's father's plea to move the Kathua rape case to Chandigarh from Jammu. Senior Counsel Indira Jaising will appear on behalf of the victim's family, reported Live Law. Eight-year-old victim's father approached the Supreme Court seeking safety, security and transfer of the case outside Jammu and Kashmir. The family will ask the apex court to let the case be heard in Chandigarh instead. The Supreme Court wil hear the matter at 2 pm, reports said. The court, meanwhile, postponed the hearing and set 28 April as the next date. Appearing for the accused the lawyer said that the court directed that copies of the chargesheet should be provided to all accused. The lawyer alleged that after the case was called and all accused appeared, he filed his Wakalatnama. "I asked for a copy of chargesheet, there is 490-page copy and I did not receive any copy. Is this a hallmark of a fair trial," the lawyer was quoted as saying by reports. Meanwhile, accused Sanji Ram said that a narco test would reveal the truth. Reports said that a narco test might be likely in the Kathua rape and murder case. Lawyers in New Delhi will be holding a march in protest at 3 pm on Monday against the "conduct" of lawyers of the Bar Association Jammu, who earlier had come out in support of those accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. For the survivors of the horrific 1991 Kunan-Poshpora mass rapes, the murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua has reopened old wounds, reported Greater Kashmir. The survivors came from their hamlet to show solidarity for the minor victim in Kathua. "If the state would have booked the perpetrators (armed forces) who unleashed terror in the village and raped our mothers, sisters, daughters and wives; a minor girl would not have been raped. Kunan-Poshpara could have acted as a deterrent, so that no girl in Jammu and Kashmir would ever be raped, a victim said. The trial in the Kathua rape case is set to begin on Monday amid nationwide protests against the rape incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh. Scores of people took to streets on Sunday protesting over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. According to media reports, the eight-year-old girl's father will approach the Supreme Court today to seek to move the trial of the rape and murder of his daughter to Chandigarh from Kathua. The family members of Sanji Ram, the alleged conspirator of the Kathua rape and murder case, have said that he should be hanged publicly but only if a CBI probe into the case finds him guilty. The family members also criticised the national media for portraying their agitation for a CBI probe into the case as "pro-rapists" and "pro-culprits", and said the scribes were "delivering judgments without investigation". Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Kathua victim's family's counsel Deepika Rajawat said that she was threatened on Saturday and does not know till when she will be alive. "I don't know till when I will be alive. I can be raped, my modesty can be outraged, I can be killed, I can be damaged. I was threatened yesterday that 'we will not forgive you'. I am going to tell SC tomorrow that I am in danger," ANI quoted Rajawat as saying. The Kathua chief judicial magistrate will be committing one of the charge sheets, in which seven people have been named, to the sessions court for trial whereas for the accused juvenile, trial will be held under the CJM as it is the designated court under the Juvenile Justice Act, according to officials. The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case begins on Monday against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. The accused include a juvenile against whom a separate charge sheet was filed. The chief judicial magistrate of Kathua will be committing one of the charge sheets, in which seven people have been named, to the sessions court for trial as mandated under the law. The chief judicial magistrate will, however, hold the trial for the juvenile as it is the designated court under the juvenile act, according to officials. The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case, a move being seen as made to ensure "neutrality" in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case. The trial is expected to go smoothly after the Jammu Bar association as well as the Kathua Bar received a rap on the kuckles by the Supreme Court on 13 April as the apex court took a strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. The Supreme Court initiated a case on its own record saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice". A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud was also critical of the Jammu High Court Bar Association, which had passed a resolution not to attend the courts saying "it is the duty of the bar association as a collective body and they cannot obstruct the process of law". According to the charge sheets filed by the crime branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the Bakerwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area. It lists the caretaker of 'Devisthan', a small temple, in a village in Kathua, about 90 kilometres from Jammu, as the main conspirator behind the crime. Sanji Ram was allegedly joined by special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Ram's nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias "Shamma". The charge sheet also names investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. All eight are under arrest. The crime branch will also be handing over the notices issued to the Jammu Bar Council as well as Kathua Bar Council for appearing before the Supreme Court on 19 April. The Bar Association of Kathua has already retracted from its earlier statement of providing legal assistance free of cost to the accused and said after going through the charge sheet presented by the crime branch (against the accused in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate on 9 April) it is revealed that the allegations against the accused persons are very grave and as such this case is to be dealt with in a professional way. "As such, we have withdrawn our offer to contest the case free of cost. Accused are free to engage any individual advocate and exercise their respective rights of defence in the court. It is for any individual advocate to accept the brief and the bar association will not come in the way of defence nor the bar association will hamper the prosecution," President of BAK Kirty Bhushan Mahajan had said in a seven page statement on Saturday. Members of the same association had blocked the way of crime branch personnel from submitting the charge sheet before the chief judicial magistrate for six hours forcing the police to present it at the house of the magistrate. Police have already registered a case against lawyers for obstructing public servants from performing their duty. The Jammu Bar association, which was left red-faced after the Supreme Court's observation, attempted to put a brave face saying they had full faith in the apex court and said their main demand was for shifting of illegally settled Rohingyas. It denounced the attempts made by certain quarters for making wrongful attempts to project the association as "pro-rapist" or "anti-national". The association today fielded a senior woman advocate Surinder Kour who said "we are now satisfied that the case has reached the Supreme Court and we are satisfied that justice will be delivered to the minor girl." JHCBA is on strike since 4 April and sponsored a general strike on 11 April in Jammu to press for its demands including for according district status to Nowshera sub division in Rajouri district. "We included the demand for CBI probe into the Kathua rape and murder at the request of civil society," Kour said and accused the state government of forcing them into agitation by "giving no response to our concerns despite repeated memorandums and statements." With inputs from PTI The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the eight-year-old Kathua gangrape and murder victim, their lawyer and a family friend assisting them in prosecuting the case. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the eight-year-old Kathua gangrape and murder victim, their lawyer and a family friend assisting them in prosecuting the case. The apex court also took note of a plea of the victim's father seeking transfer of the trial of the case from Kathua, preferably to Chandigarh and sought response of the state government. During the hearing, the victim's father expressed satisfaction with the probe so far, conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Police and opposed the plea for CBI investigation demanded by others. "Be that as it may, we do not intend to enter into this sphere (transfer of case to CBI) at this stage," a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said, while taking note of the submission that the victim's father was satisfied with the police probe so far. The bench also took note of the apprehension with regard to the security and asked the state to provide adequate security personnel, in plain clothes to the victim's family, their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat and family friend Talid Hussain. "As an interim measure, it is directed that the Jammu and Kashmir Police to beef up the security and provide adequate security personnel to the family, Deepika Singh Rajawat and family friend Talid Hussain," the bench said. It also sought response of the state government by 27 April, the next date of hearing, to the specific prayer that the trial in the case be transferred out of Kathua court to Chandigarh in view of the communally surcharged atmosphere prevailing in Jammu town. The bench also directed the state police to provide adequate security to the juvenile delinquent, who has been picked up in relation to the case at the observation home under the law. It said that it will only hear the persons related to the case. During the hearing, it was clarified that the petition was filed by the victim's father and Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur. Earlier in the day, the bench agreed to give an urgent hearing to the petitions which were mentioned by senior advocate Indira Jaising. It was reported that Rajawat, who is the lawyer for the victim's family in trial court, has filed a petition on her own name seeking protection as she was receiving threats for representing the affected family. However, later, it was clarified that the father of the victim filed the petition and another petition was filed by the Delhi-based advocate seeking a CBI probe into the case. The top court had on 13 April taken strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the gangrape and murder case and initiated a case on its own record, saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice". It had said that it is a settled law that a lawyer who appears for a victim or accused cannot be prevented by any bar association or group of lawyers, for it is his duty to appear in support of his client. The minor girl had disappeared from near her home in the forests in Kathua, on 10 January. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The Crime Branch of police which probed the case filed the main charge sheet against seven persons and a separate charge sheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district. Jammu has been on tenterhooks since the brutal incident. The bar associations have been opposing the action against the accused, alleging that the minority Dogras were being targeted. Lawyers took to the streets shouting slogans and trying to block the road outside the court where the charge sheets have been filed. Eleven years after a blast at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court is expected to pronounce its judgment in the 2007 case on Monday Eleven years after a blast at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court is expected to pronounce its judgment in the 2007 case on Monday. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial, and last week posted the case for judgment on 16 April. Nine persons were killed and 58 were injured in the blast during Friday prayers at the historic mosque in Hyderabad on 18 May, 2007. Five persons were killed in subsequent police firing near the mosque as protests broke out after the blast. The case, that has been linked with the 2007 Ajmer Sharif Dargah blast, 2008 Malegaon blasts, and the Samjhauta Express attack, has seen many twists and turns in the course of investigation in the last 10 years from witnesses turning hostile to the lack of evidence. After initial investigation by local police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI), which then filed a chargesheet. Subsequently, the NIA took over the case from the CBI in 2011. Between 2011 and 2013, NIA filed three supplementary chargesheets. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. Eventually, 10 persons allegedly belonging to right-wing organisations were named as accused in the case. However, only five of them Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested and faced trial in the case. In 2013, the high court in Hyderabad cancelled the bail granted by a lower court to Gupta and Sharma former members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Two other accused Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are still absconding, while another accused Sunil Joshi has passed away. Investigations were underway against two other accused. In March 2017, Aseemanand, who is also known as Jatin Chatterjee, was granted bail in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case. Earlier associated with the RSS, the Right wing leader is considered an ideologue of the Abhinav Bharat a fringe-group linked to other similar attacks targeting minority groups. Aseemanand was an accused even in the 2007 Samjhauta Express attack and the Ajmer the same year cases that also included other senior right-wing leaders as suspects. However, he was acquitted in the Ajmer Shareef Dargah blast case, having been given the "benefit of doubt" after several witnesses turned hostile. As a report in The Times of India points out, key witnesses have retracted their statements against the RSS functionaries in the Mecca Masjid blast case. The witnesses had earlier said that the accused had used their mobile phones to contact each other before and after the blasts to avoid the phone calls being traced back to them. In September 2013, Hyderabad High Court set aside the compensation paid to Muslim youths wrongly arrested in the Mecca Masjid blast case, an order that the state government protested against. On a public interest litigation, a division bench of the high court headed by Chief Justice Kalyan Jyothi Sengupta struck down a government order and directed it to recover the money already paid. It ruled that mere acquittal or discharge from a criminal case can't be basis for payment of such compensation. The state government in January 2013 had paid Rs three lakh each to 20 people and Rs 20,000 each to 50 people. This was the first time in the country that the government paid compensation to people wrongly arrested and tortured on charges of terrorism. A fact-finding panel of the state minority commission found that police kept the youth in illegal confinement and tortured them. Security has been heightened in Hyderabad in anticipation of the court verdict on Monday. Top officials of the city's police held a meeting and asked all zonal officials to make adequate security arrangements at all sensitive places to prevent any trouble, Deccan Chronicle reported. Swami Aseemanand, acquitted on Monday in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, is a man of several names but committed to one shade of saffron New Delhi: Naba Kumar Sarkar, Jatin Chatterjee, Omkarnath. What's in a name? Swami Aseemanand, acquitted on Monday in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, is a man of several names but committed to one shade of saffron. Born Naba Kumar Sarkar in Kamaarpukar village in West Bengal's Hooghly district, Swami Aseemanand, as he came to be popularly known, stepped into the national spotlight in 2010 when he was arrested by the CBI for his alleged role in the blast in Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007. Nine people were killed and 58 wounded when a powerful explosion ripped through the mosque complex during Friday prayers. The 66-year-old saffron-clad self confessed monk was subsequently named as an accused in two other terror incidents the same year the 11 October, 2007 blast in Ajmer's famed Khwaja Chishti shrine in which three people were killed and the bombing of the Samjhauta Express on the intervening night of 17-18 February, 2007, in which 68 people lost their lives. Today's acquittal, on grounds of lack of evidence, is his second. In March last year, he was absolved by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in the Ajmer blast case. As the bespectacled, grey-haired Aseemanand walked free on Monday, the only cloud in his horizon is the pending Samjhauta trial, which shows little sign of resuming with witnesses from Pakistan refusing to come to India to testify, an official said. The story of the man who grew out of his humble beginnings began somewhere in the 1970s. He had completed his graduation in science in 1971, but his interests lay elsewhere as well and he became involved with rightwing groups from school, going on to work full time with the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Purulia and Bankura districts in the state. It was at the Ashram that Naba Kumar Sarkar was christened Swami Aseemanand in 1981, investigators said. The fiery speaker soon became known for his anti-minority speeches and his relentless campaign against Christian missionaries, getting invited to speak in various places across the country. In the late 1990s, he settled down in Gujarat's Dangs district where he started a tribal welfare organisation called Shabri Dham, a Hindu right-wing organisation. According to a confessional statement given to a judge in 2010, Aseemanand said he was famous for his anti-minority statements. In 2002, things changed after the killing of 30 devotees at the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar by terrorist suicide bombers and he wanted to avenge the deaths, he said. He spoke of his association with others accused in terror-related cases but retracted the statement later. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) did not press perjury charges against him. The right-wing preacher, investigating officials said, had also given a graphic account of his involvement in two other cases of terrorism in Maharashtra's Malegaon town on 8 September, 2006, when 37 people were killed and on 29 September, 2008, when six people were killed. "However, he was not named as an accused because the investigation is still going on," an official said. Three years after his alleged involvement in the series of three explosions, the CBI arrested Aseemanand on 20 November, 2010 from an ashram in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. He had been staying there for weeks with forged identification papers, using the assumed names of Jatin Chatterjee and Omkarnath. Sleuths who arrested him found a passport issued by the RPO Kolkata, a ration card and an election card issued by the Haridwar authorities. He was put behind bars for his alleged role in the three cases. In 2014, he was granted bail in the Samjhauta case but continued to be in Ambala prison. In March 2017, the month he was acquitted in the Ajmer bombing case, he also got bail for the Mecca Masjid case. He has also spoken of his association with other accused in terror-related cases but retracted the statement later. The NIA did not press perjury charges against him. Under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a statement is given by the accused before a magistrate and it is valid in the court of law. However, in case the accused retracts from the statement later, the investigating agency is free to press perjury charges against the accused. In its chargesheet in 2010, the CBI had alleged that the accused, including Aseemanand, were "angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples" and wanted to "avenge" them by attacking Muslim areas and places of worship. The explosion on the Samjhuta Express, the only rail link between India and Pakistan, was initially blamed on SIMI activists. However, it turned out to be a handiwork of a group having right-wing leanings. The NIA investigation over a period of almost one year established that the entire conspiracy was hatched between 2005 and 2007 by Aseemanand and his associates, including the late Sunil Joshi and their associates at different places including Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. A cursory look at bilateral relations between India and Sweden reflects total trade of only around $1.9 billion in 2016-17 Narendra Modi took office in May 2014, and with the exception of the solitary page of the BJP manifesto devoted to foreign relations, there was little by which to gauge how the NDA government would tackle international relations. "... (A) resurgent India must get its rightful place in the comity of nations and international institutions. The vision is to fundamentally reboot and reorient the foreign policy goals, content and process, in a manner that locates India's global strategic engagement in a new paradigm and on a wider canvass, that is not just limited to political diplomacy, but also includes our economic, scientific, cultural, political and security interests, both regional and global, on the principles of equality and mutuality, so that it leads to an economically stronger India, and its voice is heard in the international fora," read the section titled 'Foreign Relations - Nation First, Universal Brotherhood' in the party's manifesto. Now, a little over four years since the document was released and as Modi prepares for the fifth phase according to this writer of his foreign policy agenda, we have a good idea of just what the document meant when it referred to "proactive diplomacy". Before looking at what the prime minister's visit to Sweden and the UK this week holds in store, let's quickly run through the first four phases. Phase I: The neighbourhood One of the few foreign policy areas that was named explicitly in the manifesto was the neighbourhood. To that effect, the document claimed that the previous dispensation "failed to establish enduring friendly and cooperative relations with India's neighbours... India and its neighbours have drifted apart". And so it was that Modi's swearing-in ceremony on 26 May, 2014, saw invitations sent to Heads of State/government of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. India's 'neighbourhood first' policy became more evident in State visits across the region and interactions with national leaders, culminating in Modi's December 2015 'surprise' visit to Lahore. Phase II: The UNSC permanent members Once the right noises had been made in the neighbourhood, the government shifted focus to the US, Russia, China, Great Britain and France: The UN Security Council's P5. Deals, agreements and understandings of all sorts were drawn up and signed as New Delhi maintained a precarious balance between the US and Russia on one hand, and the US and China on the other. While permanent member of the UNSC is a long way from being secured, it's logical to assume that closer ties with some if not all P5 members helped India secure membership to three of four technology-denial regimes: Missile Technology Control Regime (June 2016), Wassenaar Arrangement (December 2017) and the Australia Group (January 2018). Phase III: The middle powers It's all well and good making friends with your neighbours and the most powerful countries in the world, but the exercise of diplomacy is rendered meaningless if partnerships are not struck up with countries that aren't directly involved in regional issues or the global tug-of-war between the great powers. It is with that in mind that India deepened and broadened ties with such middle powers as Japan, Australia, Germany, South Korea and a handful of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, most notably Vietnam. It is these relations that New Delhi will be banking on when it comes to building consensus in international fora. Phase IV: West Asia Whether viewed through the prism of strategy, energy or economics, India has significant interests in the Gulf region. It was therefore fitting that Modi apportioned a significant chunk of his energetic international outreach over the past two years to countries in the region ranging from Saudi Arabia, Iran and the UAE to Israel and Palestine. Qatar, Jordan and Oman also featured on the prime minister's travel itinerary. This brings us neatly to the era we find ourselves presently entering: Phase V: Unconventional partners. And we can classify Sweden, Modi's latest foreign destination, high atop that list. Where Sweden factors in A cursory look at bilateral relations between the two countries reflects total trade of around $1.9 billion in 2016-17. The Indian diaspora in Sweden stands at 25,720 persons (15,250 Indian passport holders and about 10,370 PIOs). Politically, the two countries have greater convergence than they do economically, with Stockholm having backed New Delhi's efforts to secure membership of the aforementioned technology-denial regimes. Sweden also supports India's longstanding claim to membership of the expanded UNSC. Since the NDA government came to power, there have been just two State visits between the two countries, with then president Pranab Mukherjee visiting Sweden in 2015 and Prime Minister Stefan Lofven visiting India in February 2016 for Make in India Week. There have, however, been a clutch of ministerial visits since then, with a likely view to setting the stage for the Modi visit. The joint statement issued by Modi and Lofven at the culmination of the Swedish prime minister's 2016 visit highlighted four areas: A growing economic partnership, defence ties, people-to-people relations and deepened dialogue on global affairs. While defence ties and people-to-people relations are far too nascent to be even considered work-in-progress, there is a lot of scope for improvement in terms of economic relations and geopolitical convergence. Vis-a-vis economic relations, the 13-point agenda on the 2016 joint statement encompassing topics as diverse as clean energy, smart cities, innovation, transport, infrastructure and bilateral trade sets the scene for an equally ambitious 2018 statement between the two countries, as well as providing a useful opportunity to track the areas in which there has been progress. When it comes to dialogue on global affairs, the list of topics covered was far more all-encompassing, covering areas such as disarmament, climate change, terrorism, cyber security, sustainability, democracy, human rights, disaster management and so on. Once again, the 2018 iteration of the joint statement will give us a chance to gauge progress as well as to see what issues will form the focus of the two parties in the immediate future. As we noticed most recently with Canada : That represents the bridge between Phase III (middle powers) and Phase V (unconventional partners), a vast and all-encompassing Modi-Stephen Harper joint statement of 2015 was followed by a lean and focussed Modi-Justin Trudeau joint statement (shorn of a lot of bells and whistles) a few months ago. The Modi-Lofven statement of 2018 is likely to follow a similar path. What else is on the cards? That this is a flagship visit to kickstart Phase V becomes clearer in light of Tuesday's first-ever India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm where Modi will also meet Prime Ministers Lars Lkke Rasmussen, Juha Sipila, Katrin Jakobsdottir and Erna Solberg of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway respectively. Relations between India and the Scandinavian bloc have been largely warm and cordial, but there's been little substance to those ties so far: A joint working group here, a couple of agreements there, a smattering of Indians living or studying there and very little else. While Joint Secretary (Central Europe) Subrata Bhattacharjee has heavily hinted that clean technology is likely to hold a place of prominence in the discussions at the summit, the meetings on the sidelines present Modi a golden opportunity to bring the Nordic countries on board with a variety of other issues. While it is likely for now that "motherhood and apple pie" issues like terrorism, people-to-people links and a need to expand bilateral trade will form the basis of most of the agreements, it must be recalled that this set of meetings is about setting the foundation for new partnerships. And agreeing on truisms is the first step in that direction. Elsewhere, it is expected that the visit will be high on optics with lots of cheery handshakes, photo opportunities and broad grins all around. Modi, it is expected, will issue yet another ICYMI about India being the home of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Buddha, even as Opposition parties in India bay for his blood. None of this should overshadow the fact that Scandinavia presents Modi a great opportunity to take India's international relations in a brand new direction, and as something of a trailblazer with his proactive and energetic foreign policy, he would be remiss to overlook that. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a packed schedule when he visits Sweden and Britain from 16 to 21 April during which he will attend the first India-Nordic Summit and this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), officials said on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Sweden and Britain from 16 to 21 April, during which he will attend the first India-Nordic Summit and this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), officials said. After reaching Stockholm on the evening of 16 April, Modi will first hold a bilateral summit with his Swedish counterpart Stefan Lofven the next day, following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed. Addressing the media in New Delhi, Subrata Bhattacharjee, Joint Secretary (Central Europe) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said Modi will also have an audience with Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf. This apart, Modi and Lofven will attend a round table of Swedish CEOs. "Around $1.4 billion have been invested in India by over 170 Swedish companies since 2000," Bhattacharjee said. With Sweden home to a 20,000-strong Indian diaspora, Modi will also interact with members of the Indian community. Also on 17 April, India and Sweden will co-host the first-ever India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm which will be attended by the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. Modi will also hold bilateral meetings with the prime ministers of the other four Nordic countries. "Nordic countries are a good source of clean technologies," Bhattacharjee said. The Indian leader will leave Stockholm for London on 17 April. On 18 April Modi will hold a bilateral summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May after which several agreements are expected to be signed. "We are looking at 10 to 12 deliverables and a joint statement," said K Nagaraj Naidu, Joint Secretary (Europe West) in the Ministry of External Affairs. In what has been categorised as an "unprecedented" welcome, Modi will hold not just one but two meetings with his British counterpart Theresa May on Wednesday before they begin formal deliberations as part of the multilateral Commonwealth summit on Thursday. Stating that the theme of the visit to Britain was "Living bridge and tech partnership", Naidu said that an India-UK Tech Alliance was likely to be announced. Modi is also among only three senior world leaders attending CHOGM to be invited for an audience with Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday evening, officials said. The prime minister's royal welcome will include a special event hosted by Prince Charles, during which the heir to the British throne will drive up in a Tata Motors' first-ever electric Jaguar to symbolise the India-UK technical collaboration. A visit to the Francis Crick Institute was on the schedule, where the prime minister is expected to meet Indian scientists among others. The launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, marked by an MoU between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and College of Medicine in the UK is also expected. The centre is aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind global network involving Indian and British academics and medical professionals to coordinate on evidence-based research on yoga and Ayurveda. During a packed day of activities on Wednesday, Modi is also expected to pay tribute at the Basaveshwara statue on the banks of the river Thames, which he had inaugurated during his last visit to the UK in 2015. With economic ties being an important pillar of the India-Britain bilateral relationship, Modi and May will attend a CEOs Forum. "We are the fourth largest investor and the second largest job creator in the UK," Naidu said. Modi will also address the world in a globally broadcast live event from the historic Central Hall Westminster in London, following in the footsteps of speakers such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. According to the Europe India Forum, the organisers of Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath on Wednesday evening, the Indian prime minister will address people of all nationalities and backgrounds as questions pour in on social media from far and widefrom the North Pole to New Zealand and Saudi Arabia to San Francisco After ending the bilateral leg of his visit, Modi will attend this year's CHOGM on 19-20 April. While 19 April is the day of the main session of the 53-nation event, the prime minister will participate in a leaders' retreat on 20 April, which will be an informal affair, according to Rudendra Tandon, Joint Secretary (United Nations Political) in the External Affairs Ministry. "Over the years, the Commonwealth has occupied a niche position in the development space in the world," Tandon said. The Prime Minister will return to India on 21 April. On the sidelines of the "unprecedented" welcome, Modi will also be greeted with some protests at Parliament Square on Wednesday afternoon, being spearheaded by Pakistani-origin peer, Lord Ahmed, and bringing together UK-based Kashmiri and Sikh groups. A counter-demonstration titled British Indians Welcome Prime Minister Modi is also planned at the same time at Parliament Square. With inputs from agencies Telangana Judges Association. Meanwhile, Reddy's decision to resign from his post hours after pronouncing the judgement, which immediately triggered political reactions, was termed 'intriguing' by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi. Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court judge Ravinder Reddy, who delivered the Mecca Masjid blast case verdict on Monday, resigned from his position citing personal reasons, according to several media reports. India Today reported that Reddy sent his resignation hours after acquitting all five accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case and has gone on leave. However, it was not immediately known whether Reddy's resignation was in any way linked with Monday's verdict. Reddy was in news in June 2016 when he was suspended by Hyderabad High Court on disciplinary grounds for leading an agitation against provisional allocation of judicial officers between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, The Hindu reported. Reddy was the president of the Telangana Judges Association. Meanwhile, Reddy's decision to resign from his post hours after pronouncing the judgment was termed 'intriguing' by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi. Judge who gave acquittal to all accused in Mecca Masjid Blast RESIGNS very intriguing and I am surprised with the Lordship decision Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 16, 2018 Owaisi earlier slammed the NIA for not conducting the probe properly and letting the accused go scot-free. He said justice had not been done and that the ruling will weaken the fight against terrorism. He said it was a biased investigation and NIA was not allowed to pursue the case by its political masters. In a series of tweets, Owaisi said the NIA and Modi-led government did not even appeal against the bail given to the accused within 90 days. "Witnesses turned hostile after June 2014. They could not give proper statements, so everything was done to fail the victims," he said. Nine persons were killed and 58 injured in the blast during the Friday prayers at the 17th Century mosque near the iconic Charminar on 18 May, 2007. Ten persons were named as accused in the case but only five of them were arrested and tried. The five who faced trial included Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohan Lal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Choudhary. Two other accused in the case, Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are still absconding, while another accused Sunil Joshi died. The NIA is still probing the case against the two absconding accused. With inputs from agencies Pakistan has rejected as 'baseless' the allegations that it blocked access of visiting Indian Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats and even 'compelled' the Indian High Commissioner to return while on way to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province Islamabad: Pakistan has rejected as "baseless" the allegations that it blocked access of visiting Indian Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats and even "compelled" the Indian High Commissioner to return while on way to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal also said that it was "deeply regrettable that facts in this matter had been completely distorted and misrepresented." India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over blocking of access of visiting Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats. The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement in New Delhi on Sunday said that the Indian High Commissioner, who was to greet Indian Sikh pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi, was compelled to return when he was en route to Gurdwara Panja Sahib on Saturday. The MEA called it an "inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy" by Pakistan, holding that these incidents constitute a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Commenting on the MEA statement, the Foreign Office spokesman on Sunday termed the "allegations as baseless." Faisal said the Secretary of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had extended an invitation to the High Commissioner of India to attend the main function of Baisakhi at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib on 14 April and the foreign ministry granted the travel permission to him. "However, in the run-up to the main function, the ETPB authorities noticed strong resentment among segments of Sikh yatrees, gathered there from different parts of the world, protesting the release in India of some film on Baba Guru Nanak Devji. "Considering an emotionally charged environment and the possibility of any untoward situation, the ETPB authorities contacted the Indian High Commission officials and suggested cancellation of the visit," Faisal claimed. He said the Indian High Commission officials, after due deliberation, conveyed back to ETPB their agreement to call off the visit in view of such a situation. "The cancellation took place with mutual understanding," he claimed. Faisal claimed that the facts regarding visits of Consular/Protocol teams on 12 and 14 April have also been twisted. "The matter relating to the protocol team's access on the arrival of the Jatha at Wagha was expeditiously resolved through the intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the concerned officials of the Indian High Commission chose not to return, even though they were duly notified that the requisite clearance has been granted," he said. Faisal said that there was no scheduled meeting with pilgrims on Saturday. On Sunday, the officials of Indian High Commission visited Gurdwara Punja Sahib, he claimed. "We deeply regret this Indian attempt to generate controversy around the visits of Sikh pilgrims and to vitiate the environment of bilateral relations," Faisal said. "It is ironic for the Government of India to accuse Pakistan of violating the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, whereas it is the Indian Government that has, in clear violation of the Protocol, twice within this year denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims on occasions of Urs of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri and scuttled at least three visits of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims to Religious Shrines in Pakistan since June 2017," Faisal claimed. It appears the Parliament is in crisis. We need to have a broad debate reforming its working, the anti-defection law, office of profit, among other areas. This series on the Parliament was published following the stasis in functioning of the two Houses the last time they were in session. We've reproduced it ahead of the Monsoon sitting, which begins on 18 July. Editor's note: The recently concluded Budget Session of Parliament was, by all accounts, the least productive in at least a decade, marked by protest, adjournment, and very little constructive debate, let alone passage of bills. Firstpost will examine, by way of a multi-part series spread across a six-week span, the reasons why the Parliamentary process in particular, and the democratic apparatus in general, has failed India's citizens. The clutch of essays, written by experts in the Constitution and constitutional law, will investigate the defects, introduced by design, that have enabled the degeneration of legislative functioning. Series curated by Bangalore-based lawyer and tutor of democracy and active citizenship, Malavika Prasad. *** We have just seen another Parliament session wiped out with little work done. A no-confidence motion which is the test of the government's legitimacy was not taken up in Lok Sabha as the Speaker said that she was unable to verify whether fifty members supported its introduction. The Finance Bill and all government expenditure for the year were sanctioned without discussion. Several important legislative bills remain to be debated. And many national issues were not discussed as the two Houses were repeatedly adjourned on grounds of some Members of Parliament (MPs) disrupting the proceedings. It appears that our Parliament is in crisis. We need to have a broad public debate on its working. In this article, I outline some of the areas where we need reforms: the anti-defection law, office of profit, recorded voting, privileges of Parliament, determining the timing and agenda of Parliament, and the legislative process. Anti-defection law: The Tenth Schedule (better known as the anti-defection law) inserted into the Constitution in 1985 requires every MP to adhere to the party line on every vote, failing which they would get disqualified from Parliament. The stated reason was to address defections that led to instability of governments. However, the instrument used was so blunt that the effect has been to convert Parliament from a group of thinking legislators to a set of people who have to perforce follow the diktat of the party leadership. Instead of 545 MPs in Lok Sabha considering the aspects of a Bill and voting upon it, we are left with the decisions being made by a handful of party leaders. The anti-defection law applies to every vote, so MPs representing divergent interests will have to vote the same way (think of MPs from the same party from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on a discussion on sharing of Cauvery waters). Ironically, this law does not seem to work well when it comes to the stability of the government. The last confidence motion in Lok Sabha was in 2008 (when the Left parties withdrew their support to the UPA government following the nuclear deal with the United States). Twenty-one MPs voted against the directions given by their parties. Strangely, the provisions of anti-defection apply to Rajya Sabha as well, though that House has no role in determining the stability of the government. An important and urgent reform needed to restore the role of MPs as thinking legislators is to repeal the Tenth Schedule. At the very least, its application must be restricted to confidence and no-confidence motions. Office of Profit: The Constitution states that MPs would be disqualified if they hold an office of profit under the government (other than that of a minister). The principle is that legislators should be free from any obligations to the government so that they can perform their work in an independent manner. The Constitution allows Parliament to exempt any office from this provision by enacting a law. The current exemption list is large (for example, the amendment made in 2006 includes the chairperson or trustee of any trust or society, as well as that of 55 government bodies such as the Indian Statistical Institute and IFFCO). Indeed, many states have created the position of "parliamentary secretary" and exempted them from the list to get around the constitutional limit on the number of ministers (15 percent of the Assembly strength). The exemption list for the office of profit needs to be pruned down to bring it in line with the principle of separation of roles of the legislature and the executive. Privileges: The Constitution specifies that the privileges of Parliament would be that of the House of Commons until Parliament makes a law to codify them. The rationale for the privilege is that MPs should be free to make any parliamentary intervention, and no one should be allowed to interfere with this freedom. However, the absence of codified privileges has led to ambiguity, and arguably, excessive use of this power. There have been several instances (though mostly by state assemblies) where criticisms of legislative functioning have led to privilege motions (instead of a defamation suit) and convictions. This long-pending issue needs to be examined and privileges codified with a narrow remit. Recorded voting: Our Parliament has adopted the British system of having a voice vote on every motion, and a recorded vote (division) only if some MP demands so. The convention in Britain has evolved to ensure that all key votes, including the vote at the end of each of the three readings of a Bill, have a division. We rarely do. In the full five years of the last Lok Sabha, just 11 percent of Bills had recorded voting, and the figure for the previous Lok Sabha was a paltry three percent. This means that there is no record of how an MP voted on any issue or even whether they were present in the House. This reduces the accountability of the MP to their electorate, as in the absence of any record, they cannot be asked to justify their voting behaviour. We need to adopt the convention that the vote at the end of every Bill or major issue should be recorded. Agenda of Parliament: The work of Parliament is largely set around the priorities of the government. Indeed, there is no annual calendar of sittings. The Constitution only requires that there must be a sitting at least once every six months. The President, on the advice of the council of ministers, summons the Parliament. Thus, when the government wishes to avoid parliamentary debates on contentious issues, it can postpone parliamentary sessions or curtail them. We have seen the number of annual sittings reducing from 125-140 days in the 1950s and 1960s to about 65-70 days in the past two decades. There are two possible ways to address this: specify an annual calendar of sittings, and require a session if there is a demand by a significant minority (say 25 percent) of members. The daily agenda, too, is decided by a consensus of all parties, including the ruling party. Opposition members have often complained that their issues are not listed and they are forced to disrupt proceedings to bring attention to such issues. There are several ways to tackle these: increase the number of sittings to enable discussions on more topics; discuss an issue if there is a minimum number of MPs asking for it; have Opposition days, when the leader of the Opposition decides the agenda for discussion (the British Parliament has 20 such days per year). Three aspects of the legislative process need to be revisited: scrutiny by committees, issuance of Ordinances, and Money Bills Committees: Similar to the British parliament, our Constitution specifies that all Bills have to go through three readings: for introduction, consideration and passing. In the United Kingdom, all Bills are also examined by Committees of each House. Since 1993, the Indian Parliament has constituted departmentally related standing committees, which are joint committees of the two Houses, which examine those Bills that are referred to them. However, the Speaker (or chairman of Rajya Sabha) decides to refer Bills, in consultation with the relevant minister. While 71 percent of all Bills were referred to Committees in the last Parliament, the figure has dropped to 27 percent in this Parliament. Making the committee process mandatory would lead to deeper scrutiny of Bills, including inputs from expert witnesses, before they are passed. Ordinances: In most democracies, legislatures have the exclusive power to enact laws. In case of an urgent requirement, an emergency session of the legislature is convened. Our Constitution allows the government to enact laws through an Ordinance when the legislature is not in session and if "circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action". Whereas this was conceived as a measure to be used rarely, over 10 Ordinances have been issued annually on average. There have even been instances when the Parliament was adjourned and prorogued to enable issuance of an Ordinance. Perhaps, it is time to repeal this facility and to summon the Parliament for a session in case of an urgency. Money Bill: The Council of Ministers requires the confidence of Lok Sabha; Rajya Sabha has no say in the matter. The government requires funds to implement its priorities and can come to a halt if funds are blocked. Hence, the Constitution says that any Bill that contains matters dealing only with taxation and government expenditure (and matters incidental to these) would be termed as a Money Bill and will require the sanction of Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha has only a recommendatory role. The Speaker has the power to certify whether a Bill is a Money Bill. In recent years, several Bills such as the Aadhaar Bill and the Finance Bills of the last three years, which contain provisions without any relationship to taxation or government expenditure, have been marked as Money Bills. One way to reduce the discretionary power of the Speaker would be to Constitute a committee (including members of the Opposition) which will determine whether a Bill is a Money Bill. A well-functioning national legislature is a necessary condition for a vibrant republic. Our Parliament has to occupy its rightful place as a forum for effective scrutiny of proposed laws and as an institution of accountability over the government. I hope this note provides the background to some possible ways to strengthen the working of Parliament. The author is co-founder and president of PRS Legislative Research. Read Part 1: Obsolete system of voice votes needs to be replaced with electronic voting Read Part 2: Examining legislative avenues available to keep govt accountable, exercise necessary oversight Read Part 3: Core problem cannot be fixed till we introduce checks on Speaker's discretionary powers Read Part 4: Strengthening committee system can improve quality of drafted laws, fast-track implementation Read Part 5: 'Bye-Partisanship'; What Indian legislature needs to break deadlocks, improve discourse Read Part 6: Waning legislative influence, lack of clear mission flags need to redefine Rajya Sabha's functioning Read Part 7: Political parties must be tamed, their incomes regulated to revive Indian democracy Read Part 8: Anti-Defection Law must be curbed to empower legislature, promote deliberative democracy Read Part 9: Corporate funding of elections continues to bankrupt legislative morality, weaken electoral integrity Read Part 10: Enabling stakeholder consultations in policy-making can deepen democracy, improve transparency Read Part 11: Time, the unseen yet powerful factor of politics, holds key to controlling legislative discourse Read Part 12: Understanding 'political value' of time and how it is weaponised in democracy Amarinder Singh announced a 50 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions in Punjab. But the two-child norm may offset gains from this policy. When the chief minister of Punjab Capt. Amarinder Singh announced a 50 percent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI), as against 33 percent in many other states, it was seen as a bold step towards empowering women in a state that has featured poorly in terms of child sex ratio for long. Punjab happens to be the state with the highest Scheduled Caste population (31 percent). Seen in this light, the marginalised sections were expected to reap huge benefits by participating in greater numbers in the decision-making processes of the local self-governance bodies. However, all the anticipated gains of this policy decision will come to a naught if the two-child-norm for the PRIs is implemented, as proposed by the Rural Development and Panchayat Minister of Punjab, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, who was also instrumental in bringing 50 percent reservation for women. Bajwa said recently, We are planning to bring the agenda (of implementing the two-child norm in PRIs) before the Cabinet soon. It will go a long way towards encouraging people to keep a check on the increasing population and stop putting a burden on our limited resources. The state government plans to go through the provisions of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act to amend the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act. According to the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, No person shall be a sarpanch or a panch of a gram panchayat or a member of a panchayat samiti or zila parishad or continue as such whohas more than two living children. Bajwa added that he would suggest that the Aashirwad scheme, known as the Shagun scheme earlier, which provides assistance of Rs 21,000 for the marriage of a girl child, be extended only to families with just two living children. Election to the PRIs are due in July in Punjab. The two child norm is outdated for Punjab The two-child norm came as policy solution in India after the census of 1991 showed a high population growth rate for the period 1981-91. The K Karunakaran Committee suggested the adoption of two-child norm for states with a high population growth rate in 1992. A few states like Rajasthan, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh etc. adopted the policy. The population growth rate has come down substantially since 1991. The annual growth rate between 2001- 2011 in Punjab, stood at 1.29 compared to 1.89, in 1991. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) another figure of importance that indicates the number of children a woman will have in her lifetime, also shows positive trends. The overall objective in India was to obtain a TFR of 2.1, which meant that each couple (2 persons) would be replaced by their 2 children. The TFR of Punjab is 1.62 ( Rural 1.63, Urban 1.59) presently, which shows that couples in Punjab have less than replacement fertility. Despite lower TFR, the population grows, because the percentage of fertile couples is greater. Children from the high TFR era are now fertile adults. Couples have fewer children today, but there are many more fertile couples per thousand population. Earlier, the proportion of children in the population was higher, now it is the youth. The intent behind the two child norm was to bring down the number of births which come after two births 3rd, 4th or above. In Punjab, more than 82 percent of all births are 1st and 2nd order births, and would not be affected by the two-child norm. Also, while the TFR in Punjab is 1.62, the desired TFR is 1.37. This means that one in four couples has a child that they did not want but was born because contraceptives were not made available. The communities which have more children include Dalits (21.6 percent) and Muslims (45 percent), or those couples where the woman has no schooling (41.1 percent). These categories have higher numbers of 3rd order births and above. Dr Abhijit Das, Director, Centre for Health and Social Justice, New Delhi, expresses concern over the proposed two-child norm in a state like Punjab. The population trend in the state shows a steadily declining trend, so a two- child norm, if actually introduced, may cause much more harm and yield little in terms of population growth rate reduction. He suggests that a much sounder policy measure to reduce the population growth rate would be to encourage spacing methods among young couples before they have their second child. Centre for Health and Social Justice, in 2009, conducted a study Responding to the Two- Child Norm: Barriers and Opportunities in the Campaign to Combat Target Oriented Population Policies in the post ICPD India, in collaboration with The Community Oriented Public Health Practice Programme at The University of Washington School of Public Health, USA. Why did neighbouring states discard two-child-norm? Interestingly, both Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, the neighbouring states of Punjab, eliminated the two-child norm from PRIs after facing opposition from womens groups. In Himachal Pradesh, we found that older women benefitted because they had their childrensometimes more than three or four before the cut off date. The policy went against young women, defeating the very purpose of empowering women, observes Subhash Mendhapurkar, founder, Sutra, a Himachal Pradesh-based NGO working for women empowerment. In Haryana, close to 200 petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the provisions of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, were filed in the Supreme Court, but they were dismissed. The apex court said that the two-child norm is in national interest to check the growth of population by casting disincentives even through legislation. India is a signatory to the Cairo Programme of Action which states that all couples and individuals have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children and to have the information, education and means to do so. The apex courts decision went against the spirit of Cairo Programme of Action, 1994. Caught between contradictory stands and lack of support, a Madhya Pradesh-based NGO Mahila Chetna Manch took up a study in 2001-02 in five states of Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, selecting a total of 113 disqualified persons due to the two-child norm from 21 districts. Out of these, 40 respondents were chosen for in-depth study to examine the consequences of the imposition of the two-child norm. The respondents selected were those who (or whose wives) underwent abortion or sex selection tests, and whose wives were deserted. The limited analysis of the data collected suggests that a majority of the disqualified were young, poor, from backward communities and illiterate. The study raised concerns about human and democratic rights, equity, social justice and gender. (EPW, 6 January, 2006 , Two-Child Norm Victimising the Vulnerable?) Sukhwinder Singh, Associate Professor, CRRID, Chandigarh, who conducted studies on PRIs in close to 15 states, says, The two-child norm led to a lot of proxy representatives in PRIs. A number of cases came to light where the office-bearer disowned his own third child, raised questions about his wifes character, or gave the child for adoption. The son fixation Das reiterates that the two-child norm will have an adverse impact on the sex ratio in a state like Punjab. Both Haryana and Himachal Pradesh removed the norm after discovering its ill-effects on the declining sex ratio. Natural processes would mean every third couple with two children would have two daughters, but this seems difficult in Punjab, where there are many districts where the child sex ratio is lower than 850. Very few couples would opt to have two girls. In other states where the two-child norm is enforced, the third child often faces neglect, deprived from immunisation and other benefits. As such, women are not decision-makers in matters of fertility, especially in rural areas. If the current leadership in Punjab wishes not to discriminate against its younger Dalits and other marginalised communities and cares about the empowerment of women from marginalised communities, it would not consider a two-child norm, adds Das. Pushpinder Grewal, deputy director, Rural Development and Panchayat, who is to oversee free and fair conduct of panchayat elections in July, says that only 50 percent reservation of the women candidates and the proportionate reservation of the SC candidates (that comes to 31 percent at the state level) is applicable in this election. So far, there is no amendment in the Act to implement the two-child norm on the ground. Amid public outrage over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fast track cases of rapes of minors. New Delhi: Amid public outrage over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fast track cases of rapes of minors and punish the guilty if he was serious about providing justice to the country's daughters. Gandhi pointed out that there were as many as 19,675 cases of rapes of minor children in 2016, terming them as "shameful". "There were 19,675 rapes of minor children reported in 2016. This is shameful. The prime minister should fast track these cases and punish the guilty if he is serious about providing justice for our daughters," Gandhi said on Twitter, using the hashtag 'SpeakUp'. His remarks come days after the prime minister said that the guilty in the Kathua and Unnao incidents would not be spared and the country's daughters will get justice. Expressing anguish over the two incidents which have triggered widespread outrage, the prime minister had said such crimes challenge the very concept of social justice "and as a society and a country we all are ashamed of it." "I want to assure the nation that no criminal will be spared. Justice will be done. Our daughters will get justice. We all will have to work together to end this internal evil," he had said at an event last week. In Kathua, an eight-year-old girl was gangraped and murdered while in Unnao, a 17-year-old has accused a BJP MLA of raping her. For more than a year, the residents of Kapadvanj town in Gujarat have been sending home-cooked tiffins to expecting and new mothers as well as their attendants at the Tribhuvandas Foundation (TF) Hospital run by Amul. Binita Parikh Kapadvanj: For more than a year, the residents of Kapadvanj town in Gujarat have been sending home-cooked tiffins to expecting and new mothers as well as their attendants at the Tribhuvandas Foundation (TF) Hospital run by Amul. What started as an assistance for those travelling all the way to Kapadvanj for treatment, blossomed into a full-fledged programme where volunteers contribute to the mega task of delivering 300 hot tiffins a month every afternoon. The 18-bed hospital in Kapadvanj town also caters to patients from nearby villages like Navagam, Sorna, Vadali and as far as Balasinor and Mehmedabad, which is 35 kilometres away. While the charity hospital isn't big enough to have a canteen, the food available at local eateries is considered unhygienic for pregnant women and new mothers. The practice of delivering home-cooked food started when residents noticed how patients had nowhere to go for a healthy meal, says Jawaharlal Chandani, superintendent of the hospital. Sometimes we had seen women or family members accompanying patients skipping the food. Getting food to them on time was a challenge for their families, he says. The volunteers of Bharat Vikas Parishad (BVP) approached Harish Kundaliya, a consultant surgeon who is also on the board of directors of Tribhuvandas Foundation, to anchor the scheme. Along with Chandani, they assessed the scale of patients and the demand, and decided on getting 10 tiffins delivered a day. The work for the project began with volunteers of BVP going to various areas in the town to explain the scheme to residents. The request was very simple. Prepare one extra tiffin once a month. Our target was to get 300 volunteers from across the town, so one family would have to prepare just one tiffin a month, says Vipul Patel, president of the outfit. Vipul Patel says they sat with Kundaliya and decided to keep the food simple. Roti-sabzi is not a drain on any volunteers pocket, he added. The mission is accomplished with almost zero cash outflow and work is divided such that it does not put a lot of burden on anyone volunteer. The only cost is the rickshaw fare and a salary to the person collecting the tiffins. Residents pack a portion from their regular home-cooked foodroti and sabziin the tiffin and send it over to the hospital. They don't know who gets to have it, nor do patients know who the contributors are. This ensures the act remains a kind of gupt daan (secret help) and the dignity of persons receiving it is fully maintained. The main challenge was delivering the food on time. The Jivan Shilp Foundation, which bought 20 tiffin boxes and two racks for smooth logistics, also took care of the delivery. The tiffins are kept in a rack and collected the next day. KK Patel, a school principal and a member of BVP, was made the project coordinator. For around three months in the initial stages, Patel would call up volunteers to remind them that their tiffins were due. He would also ring them up to thank them after the tiffins were delivered. Slowly, over a period of three months, a structure emerged and the town was divided into 30 clusters of 10 volunteering families each. A cluster leader was appointed to look after who would make the tiffin in case of non-availability of a volunteer. Each cluster now has a WhatsApp group. Volunteers are sent a reminder and empty tiffin boxes a day before for delivery. The clusters are divided in a way that all tiffins can be collected in around 15 to 20 minutes. Farhin Shaikh, a recent mother, says, I have been getting the tiffin for the last two days. Usually, there are ten rotis in it, so I can share my food with someone. Harish Kundaliya, who was at the fulcrum of getting this project going, says, The success of such schemes is in the last mile delivery. We ensured that the community takes ownership, and after the initial hand-holding, the program is now on auto mode and ready to be expanded to cover other hospitals and more patients. The gynaecology hospital is a boon as it offers quality services at nominal prices. Comparatively speaking, a normal delivery costs Rs 600 at Tribhuvandas Foundation while private doctors may charge anywhere from Rs 5,000 onwards. With an OPD that receives around 100 patients every day, this hospital has slowly emerged as a destination for many, Chandani said. With the inauguration of a 40-bed hospital happening soon, the tiffin team is ready to take on the challenge of increased patients, and a list of donors who wish to be a part of the effort is being compiled. (Binita Parikh is an Ahmedabad-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters) The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to consider a representation seeking modification in the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines to enable an elector to cancel his vote if it has wrongly been cast in favour of a candidate. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to consider a representation seeking modification in the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines to enable an elector to cancel his vote if it has wrongly been cast in favour of a candidate. The VVPAT system was introduced in eight out of the 543 parliamentary constituencies as a pilot project during the Lok Sabha polls in 2014. A plea by an engineer on Monday came up for hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra alleging that the machines were not "error free" and there should be a system to stop casting of votes if they went in favour of candidates to whom the electors did not intend to vote. The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, refused to entertain the plea and directed the petitioner to make a representation before the ECI with his petition that alleged that the VVPAT machines were not error proof. "Having heard the petitioner appearing in person, we are only inclined to grant liberty to him to submit a representation to the Election Commission of Indiathe sole respondentin respect of prayer (on VVPAT malfunctioning) only. With the aforesaid liberty, the writ petition stands disposed of," the bench said while dealing with the plea filed by Arun Kumar, an engineer by profession. The petition had sought a direction to the ECI to "modify the VVPAT machines so that there is an adequate facility available to stop wrong voting, if the same is detected by the voter in the VVPAT machines." Besides, the petition also sought a direction to the poll panel "to provide for Aadhaar-based entry into the polling stations so as to match the entry of voters in each polling station and the number of votes cast in the said polling station". Normal life was affected in Andhra Pradesh with people's group Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti launching a statewide band on Monday to press for special status for the state Normal life was affected in Andhra Pradesh with people's group Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti launching a statewide shutdown on Monday to press for special status for the state. The strike has received support from YSR Congress Party, Congress and CPM, however, the ruling TDP has opposed it. #Visuals from Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti called for a statewide bandh today over #SpecialStatus for the state. Opposition parties such as YSR Congress Party, Congress and Left parties have extended support to the bandh. #AndhraPradesh pic.twitter.com/xIlleUeWWM ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018 According to a report in The Times of India, state-run bus services (Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Services) were disrupted after "activists of Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samithi along with Left parties blocked bus stations across the state" on Monday morning. The report also said transport services between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are also likely to be affected as well with the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation announcing that it will operate its buses only till the Andhra Pradesh state border. While members of Left parties reportedly blocked the National Highway 16 which connects Kolkata and Chennai, ANI shared visuals where members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) could be seen staging rasta roko. The ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, as well as various political parties in the state, have been protesting against the Centre for a while for not fulfilling its promise to accord a special status for the state after the state of Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated into Telangana and the residuary Andhra Pradesh state in 2014. The second half of the Budget Session was washed out due to protest by various parties including the TDP, which sought to move a no-confidence motion against the government after pulling out of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, however, condemned the bandh, saying bandhs were not welcome because they stall development. Speaking with The Indian Express, YSCRCP political affairs committee member Ambati Rambabu accused the chief minister of 'double standards'. "When Naidu was the opposition leader, he had called for bandhs on many occasions, but as a Chief Minister he is now opposing them (bandhs), saying they hinder development, he said, adding that "bandh was a form of a democratic protest and he had no right to oppose it". Rambabu also alleged that the Naidu government has been issuing notices to those supporting the bandh, saying cases would be booked against them. Why this intimidation? As long as they are peaceful, we will continue all forms of democratic protests, Rambabu was quoted as saying in the report. With inputs from PTI The Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed a PIL questioning life-long pension to MPs, saying it cannot interfere with the pension and perks to sitting and former MPs, according to CNN-News18 The Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed a PIL questioning life-long pension to MPs, saying it cannot interfere with the pension and perks to sitting and former MPs, according to CNN-News18. #BREAKING Supreme Court won't interfere with the life-long pension for MPs. SC dismissed PIL and says can't interfere with the pension, perks to sitting and former MPs. The PIL had questioned the life-long pension to MPs pic.twitter.com/OqubuYWOG3 News18 (@CNNnews18) April 16, 2018 The Lok Prahari, a Lucknow-based NGO, had appealed against a Allahabad High Court decision, where the high court had also steered clear of the policy matter asserting that it lies within the domain of the executive. Subsequently, the Supreme court had asked Attorney-General KK Venugopal to appear before it and explain why MPs should be provided with life-long pension. Justifying the life-long pension to MPs, the AG had said that MPs lead a public life even after they retire from their post as they are required to visit their constituencies and travel to other constituencies due to their political life. Defending other perks to the MPs, the Centre said that only the Parliament and executive could take a decision on the matter. It added that there was no unnecessary burden on the public exchequer owing to the pension to MPs and if the Supreme Court chose to in the matter, it would open a pandora's box where salaries to all MLAs and perks to other legislators could also be questioned. Noting these submissions, the apex court dismissed the PIL. In March, the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on the plea seeking to scrap the life-long pension to former members of Parliament. The petition by the NGO Lok Prahari had said 82 percent of the lawmakers were "crorepatis" and "the poor tax payers should not be made to bear the burden of their pension, including their family pension". With inputs from IANS New Delhi's difficulty lies in managing its trade differences with the US while developing the strategic partnership with China. It is said that a week is long time in politics. It could well be applied to foreign policy. Even as Doka La marked the lowest point in China-India ties, Washington and New Delhi have been growing rapidly closer. India found itself at the front and centre of Donald Trump's Afghanistan policy; its role as an 'Indo-Pacific power' and 'anchor of stability' was reinforced and the quadrilateral was brought out of cold storage and applied a fresh coat of paint. That was till yesterday. On 9 March, the Trump administration slapped a 25 percent duty on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imported from all countries except Canada and Mexico. Little less than a month later, Trump levied 25 percent tariff on 1300 Chinese imports amounting to $50 billion to address the wide trade imbalance with China. Sparks flew. Beijing followed suit. Not to be outdone, Trump threatened an additional tariff worth $100 billion. As the world braces for impact fearing a trade war between top two trading nations (in terms of export) India is presented with a set of hard choices, try as it might to refrain from taking sides in the dispute. Caught in a crossfire, New Delhi has since been trying desperately to maintain its strategic balance as the global trade framework undergoes massive revulsion. Trump's moves set in motion a chain of events that may have intended and unintended consequences, including affecting India's burgeoning strategic relationship with the US. These are difficult times for New Delhi. It must strike a balance between normalising ties with China, pivot towards the US to hedge against Beijing's aggression and hold its own against the wave of protectionism blowing across US and Europe. A transactionalist Oval Office determined to erect trade barriers presents a set of challenges and opportunities. It requires India to do the trapeze act. New Delhi's difficulty lies in managing its trade differences with the US while developing the strategic partnership. When it comes to China, the situation is reversed. It must manage the strategic threats posed by China's assertiveness while focusing on bilateral trade (though here, too, Beijing enjoys a decisive advantage). These contradictory currents forced from New Delhi a series of manouvers that started with the resumption of India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) this year. During the high-level bilateral dialogue mechanism that was suspended during the Doka La standoff both countries pledged to expand their economic ties with India offering to step in to meet China's domestic demand for soybean and sugar after Beijing threatened a hefty retaliatory tariff on American soybean imports. China is the world's largest importer of soybean. "You import a lot of agricultural products, up to $20 billion or more," NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar said during the fifth edition of SED on Saturday. "I was noticing that there are some tariffs you imposed on farmers' from Iowa and Ohio. Maybe India can substitute for soybean and sugar, if we could access those exports with all the due quality considerations to our farmers. That is very useful," he told He Lifeng, chief of China's top planning body National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), according to a PTI report. Kumar's pitch was in conjunction with other proposals that were aimed at aligning 'Make in India' initiative with 'Made in China 2025'. He invited greater Chinese participation in the low-cost housing sector a pet initiative of prime minister Narendra Modi to provide a house for all Indians by 2022 and urged China to invest in "special clusters" such as textiles, leather, food processing, electronic components and pharmaceuticals, according to the report. The NITI Ayog chief also called for increasing the number of working groups within the dialogue mechanism from the current five (infrastructure, hi-tech, energy, resource conservation and policy coordination) to seven (pharmaceuticals and culture) so that India may better access the Chinese market where Indian movies and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are in great demand. Kumar also called for a more liberal visa regime and invited Chinese collaboration on "advanced R&D in renewable and solar energy in alternate materials for improving the lives of batteries," according to the report. For his part, He Lifeng stressed on India and China sharing more areas of common interest than frictions and indicated that Beijing wants to carry on our traditional friendly relations with India (and) create a new future. Coming close on the heels of NSA Ajit Doval's "unscheduled" meeting with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, the thrust of the engagements is clear. Both countries are keen on normalising their ties by using trade and commerce as the fulcrum to manage their strategic differences. Kumar's pitch for a greater India-China economic cooperation, however, was accompanied by a thinly veiled criticism of the US. The NITI Ayog chief said the "synchronised recovery" in world economy "is marred and disrupted by unseemingly protectionist noises that are coming out from the Atlantic basin from North America and Europe." With India poised to grow just below 10 per cent for the next five years, "this will imply that India will join China, and work with China as an important anchor and driver of the global growth in the future." Despite Kumar's claim that India will "not take sides in the global trade war", his words seemed to echo Chinese position against Trump's tariff war. It is no secret that this Oval Office considers India as much of a "trade cheat" as China is. Trump has frequently railed against the US being taken for a ride by countries such as India who enjoy a trade surplus vis-a-vis the US. During a meeting of governors in February at the White House, Trump had said: "When they (Harley Davidson) send a motorcycle to India, as an example, they have to pay 100 percent tax 100 per cent." In contrast, he said, the US gets "zero". "So when they have a motorbike a big number, by the way they have a company that does a lot of business. They have a motorcycle or a motorbike that comes into our country the number is zero. We get zero." The USTR (United States Trade Representative) has announced that it is reviewing the eligibility of India, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan in the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) through which exporters get preferential market access to the US, leading to fears that Indian exports to the US might be adversely affected. In this context, Kumar's stance at the SED might be construed as a pushback. China was quick to capitalise on India's position. Its state-controlled media called for the "developing world to unite against protectionism". Quoting "experts", Global Times in an article called for "big developing countries like China and India" to "unite to face rising global protectionism and promote world trade" and added that India's offer of exporting soybean and sugar to China can be considered. "India's offer can be added to our list as an important alternative to expand the soybean market's diversification," the newspaper quoted Bai Ming, deputy director of the International Market Research Institute under the Ministry of Commerce, as saying. The article also carried favourable noises about aligning Make in India with Made in China. The signaling is loud and clear. China wants India on its side in the 'trade war' against the US, as much as the US wants India to avoid aligning with Beijing. The US review of GSP programme that allows duty-free entry for 3,500 products from India may hit Indian exporters, but some say that at this stage it is more of a posturing from Washington. Ajay Sahai, director general and CEO of the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, told Livemint that India "should not be too jittery about the announcement of a GSP review because it seems to be a posturing from the US, signalling India that it should not join China in its disputes against the US on steel and aluminium as it wants to bargain hard with China. Amid the signaling and counter-signaling, lest India's position on trade undermines its strategic partnership with the US, BJP national secretary Ram Madhav in a blog underlined the "mutual indispensability" that binds India and the US. In his column for The Times of India, Madhav, whose importance in the Narendra Modi government far exceeds his designation, writes that the partnership between India and the US cannot be defined by trade alone. "India is an indispensable partner for the US primarily because of its geo-strategic significance India has the world's third largest army, fourth largest air force and fifth largest navy. All three arms are being modernised fast. With its frontier technological superiority, the US becomes indispensable for India too. That is why this relationship is described as 'natural alliance' Many have called it the 'defining relationship of the 21st century'." It verily seems as if the column was intended to smoothen the rough edges that might develop due to India's compulsions to protect its "sovereign interests". While it pursues its strategic autonomy, India must mitigate more such geopolitical challenges in a global order that continues to stay in a state of flux. BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj has reportedly inaugurated a 'nightclub' in Aliganj area of Lucknow on Sunday and courted controversy because he represents Unnao in Lok Sabha. BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj inaugurated a 'nightclub' in the Aliganj area of Lucknow on Sunday, according to reports. He has reportedly courted controversy because he represents Unnao in the Lok Sabha and the development comes as the country is outraging over the alleged rape of a woman by BJP's Kuldeep Singh Sengar in that very constituency. The nightclub, called Let's Meet, is located on the second floor of Jeet Plaza near Ram Ram Bank crossing in Aliganj area of the Uttar Pradesh capital, according to a Zee News report. However, The Times of India reported that Maharaj has lodged a complaint with BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey and sought action against a party functionary who urged him to inaugurate the club. "I was told by former Uttar Pradesh state president Rajjan Singh that it was a restaurant owned by his son-in-law. I agreed," Maharaj was quoted as saying in the report. In the past, Maharaj had said that couples displaying their affection in public should be put behind bars. "Be it a motorcycle, car or park, couples can be seen behaving in a vulgar fashion. They hug each other as if the girl will eat the boy or the boy will eat the girl," he had said. The Unnao rape survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC) before the special CBI court, ANI reported. The Unnao rape survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CRPC) before the special CBI court on Monday, ANI reported. On Saturday, the CBI made a second arrest in the case as it took into custody Shashi Singh, the woman who allegedly took the survivor to BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on the day of the crime, officials said. A special court in Lucknow sent Sengar, the prime accused in the case, to seven-day CBI custody, they said. In her complaint to Uttar Pradesh Police, now part of the CBI FIR, the survivor's mother alleged that Singh lured her daughter and took her to Sengar's residence where he raped her. She has also alleged that while the MLA was raping her daughter, Singh stood guard outside the room. The agency arrested Sengar, the BJP MLA from Bangarmau after 16 hours of questioning at its office in Lucknow. After a massive public outrage over the inaction of the Uttar Pradesh police, the case was handed over to the CBI on 12 April. The agency took over the investigation in three cases related to the alleged rape of the 17-year-old girl by the BJP MLA. Within hours of taking over the investigation, the CBI brought Sengar, who had remained untouched by the state police, to its office in Lucknow, where he was questioned for nearly 16 hours before being taken into custody. With inputs from PTI A woman professor who allegedly tried to lure her students to extend sexual favours to top officials of a leading university in Tamil Nadu was arrested after the issue triggered a furore in the state Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu): A woman professor who allegedly tried to lure her students to extend sexual favours to top officials of a leading university in Tamil Nadu was on Monday arrested after the issue triggered a furore in the state. Nirmala Devi, who was suspended after the episode came to light recently, was arrested by a police team which broke open into her house. She was taken into custody after a five-hour operation. Police summoned her relatives and a woman revenue official before the arrest. The woman professor, who taught at a college in nearby Aruppukottai, was at the centre of a storm after audio clips of her talk with some students suggesting that they yield themselves to keep the 'higher-ups' in the Madurai Kamaraj University happy so that the college gets facilities went viral on the social media. While Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Anbazhagan promised stringent action in the matter, Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the chancellor of the university, ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter by a retired IAS officer, R Santhanam. Nobody involved in the crime would be spared, a Raj Bhavan release quoting the Governor as saying. Meanwhile, the vice-chancellor of the University PP Chellathurai told reporters in New Delhi that a five-member committee, including three women, had been constituted to go into the issue. He said the university came to know about the whole episode, not from the college. "Nobody who is involved in the matter will be spared and all of them will be brought before the law." The issue caused a political storm with leaders of various parties calling for stringent action against the woman professor and others involved in it. DMK leader MK Stalin demanded a High Court-monitored CBI probe. "There seems to be some nexus with the higher-ups," he told reporters. PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss also demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the episode. The former Union Health Minister Ramadoss said a shocking audio clip of a professor in Virudhunagar district trying to lure her students as a "sexual feed" for some higher officials in the university had come out. Ramadoss said that in the audio clip the professor was allegedly heard saying that those who can provide facilities for the university have to be kept happy and they are expecting favours from the college students. In the audio clip, the professor does not explicitly say the students have to extend sexual favours but leaves enough hints as to what she was trying to convey. "The shocked poor students were heard saying in a broken voice that they are not interested in the proposal. Undeterred the professor tells the students that if they agree to the proposal then the students can achieve anything relating to their course," Ramadoss said. Earlier, the college authorities had suspended the professor for 15 days which he insisted was not sufficient. 'In search of love, I want to travel across the country. Somewhere it will find me,' writes Manish Gaekwad in Lean Days Editor's note: Fed up with his tedious desk job, a young man decides to quit on an impulse. He wants to write a novel, but doesnt think he has a story to tell. So the would-be writer, who was raised in a kotha, sets out to travel, hoping to arrive somewhere: at a destination, at a story. Manish Gaekwad's 'Lean Days' is the story of an artists voyage through the country, mixing history with imagination, and finding people and places whose stories he can tell along with his own. It is a book of journeys without an end in sight, about the yearning for romance and succumbing to the temptations of the flesh. The following excerpt is reproduced here with permission from HarperCollins India. *** The thick drawl of Madras is so attractive, I am almost tempted to approach the loud-speaking, bespectacled boy at the coffee shop: Please lower your tone, you are exciting my loins. He is in conversation with a man. The two of them are discussing the intricate details of a computer program, injecting just the right amount of geek in the room to send the gaydar of the desperate into a tizzy. Young women at another table look on indifferently, even past his good looks. I find him looking in my direction as he keeps talking, without pausing to breathe during his monologue. He raises an eyebrow over the thick rims of his glasses in the smooth arc of a Magritte pipe, making him look like a piece of art I am presently doodling hastily in my head. His concentration does not threaten my imagination. Excuse me, you remind me of the bland wit of a surrealistic painting. If I said that to him, he would scan me for a fool. Because it is quite a corny thing to say, as one fumbles in front of the admired. The circumference of his open mouth is exactly the size of his wide eyes. I imagine his response before I walk over to say hello. In search of love, I want to travel across the country. I am starting this expedition by going down south first. Dive deep. Somewhere it will find me. The two men slurp their cold coffees, making primordial sounds to win the attention of the three women who have sauntered in to occupy the table next to theirs. The teaspoon I am twirling in my cup, to curl out a tendril of chamomile scent, rattles. Ceci nest pas une cuillere (This is not a spoon). The dishy geek boy approaches the table of persnickety girls reading their menus aloud indecisively. He shakes hands with one of them and she stands to introduce her friends. Who knew? They are friends! Is this how it is done around here? In tag teams? He looks at me, asserting himself, seeming pleased to show off. He walks out of the door with his colleague, turning one last time to see if my eyes are following him. I duck. The boy-meets-girl scenario in Madras takes place under the smug smile of a benevolent Amma or another unsightly politician watching their every move through giant cut-outs, posters, and hoardings put up around the city. Ammas looming presence is a protective layer against the brazenness that Mumbais public display of affection allows. Whats a good cruising spot for a writer in a city he knows nothing about? A public library is a safe location to tarry. I am soon looking for a man at the Anna Library, where I guess there will be plenty of single lads willing to be my muse. Poorly managed, the library also has a warning sign at the entrance, Bring your own book to read, to which I am delighted to make a mental note: plus booze. Every seat in the house is taken, the place looks like a sitting terracotta army of readers with not a single soul to fix my eyes on. A library without the distraction of a few handsome men and women is a library to avoid. If there is no respite from reading, to vacuously rest ones tired eyes on them what else is a library for, then? I visit libraries for distractions, way past the history section, and into the poetry corner, where the gentle souls gather. The library scoured, I move on to the Chennai museum where the muses might be free and available. Artist KK Hebbars Construction catches my eye. I want to take a picture of it on my phone. Where is the docent to seek permission? I walk towards three guards lounging on a bench, and what I can deduce from their savoir faire to the museum problem is that they will reproach me for asking. I ask, nevertheless. May I take a picture? I use my softest timbre. An old woman, preparing for lunch by unscrewing the lids on steel boxes, garrulous in her operation, looks up at me and states bluntly, No. Around us, people are flouting rules, left, right and centre. No one has sought her approval, but she cannot be bothered to chase the unlawful. Not at her age, as she immediately begins to complain. What we care? Little money we get, working hour long time, no bonus. I can hear a long list of troubles coming my way. Okay, I bow and walk away from tiffin-time gossip. The intermingling scents of spicy rasam and steamed rice are thickening the air. The Kangra paintings of Krishna take some getting used to the foliage, for one, my god! Each leaf tickles my senses. The Raja Ravi Varma painting The Lady with a Mirror radiates under the arc lights. As I bend over it, about to click my faux-French tongue in praise, an old fauji guard standing behind me, his arms akimbo, booms, Take it, as if I can unhook the tall frame and walk out of the museum as the coolest art thief ever. So, when you take a picture of a painting, are you not stealing from it? Its right of ownership, to belong to its gilded frame? A fuzzy camera image on a mobile phone is a smear campaign to deface the beauty of the painting. My emotions echo in a wistful look Shakuntala gives me from a frame in one corner. I defer to a Van Gogh print of Gypsy Caravan. His name is misspelt. Van Gough. An earful. Past the library, past the museum, the beach must be a cruising spot? I head towards Kottivakkam Beach, where I spend the evening as a flaneur. The beach feels like an extension of the shores I have left behind in Juhu and Versova. The Kottivakkam sand is much cleaner, though, or the lack of litter-friendly people does it. Walking barefoot, the beach puts me in the shoes of The Monk by the Sea. German author Clemens Brentano had said of the Caspar David Friedrich painting: How wonderful it is to sit completely alone by the sea under an overcast sky, gazing out over the endless expanse of water. It is essential that one has come there just for this reason, and that one must return. That one would like to go over the sea but cannot; that one misses any sign of life, and yet one senses the voice of life in the rush of the water, in the blowing of the wind, in the drifting of the clouds, in the lonely cry of the birds. No situation in the world could be more sad and eerie than this as the only spark of life in the wide realm of death, a lonely centre in a lonely circle. Goethe had called it an upside down painting. Kottivakkam offers me that solace this evening, where I could be floating in the sky if I decide to drown myself. Manish Gaekwad is a Mumbai-based journalist. Lean Days is his first novel Thirteen years since she created a storm with her autobiography, sex worker Nalini Jameela is back again as a storyteller I should warn you that I might write again in the future My Autobiography, Part II!...I will keep on telling you the story of my life. The afterword of Nalini Jameela's autobiography Oru Laingikatozhilaliyute Atmakatha (2005) ended with these lines. Thirteen years since she created a storm with her book, sex worker Nalini Jameela is back again as a storyteller. Translated from the Malayalam by Reshma Bharadwaj, her new book Romantic Encounters of a Sex Worker (Om Books International) is slated to release this year, and brings to life eight stories from Nalini's past. The stories comprise a 30-year recap spanning the period between the 1970s-2000s presenting Nalini's Autobiography, part II, to the world. Nalini and her translator Reshma go back a long way, to the early 2000s when the former was the president of Sex Workers Forum of Kerala (SWFK). The SWFK held protest marches to draw attention to the atrocities faced by street-based sex workers, and Nalini was among the most vibrant leaders of the movement. Sex workers' issues were not the only politics she engaged with, however. From the protests against the Kerala government's decision to avail of the Asian Development Bank loan to the 'Occupying Night' initiative Nalini was at the forefront of several social movements. In fact, it was at the anti-ADB loan agitation that Nalini and Reshma became friends, as also Dileep Raj (who later became Nalini's editor). When Nalini's first book was published, she was unhappy with the outcome, and got it revoked with the help of Reshma and Dileep. They then began reworking the draft (along with another writer, Baiju Natarajan). It was during those discussions that the seeds of Romantic Encounters of a Sex Worker were sown. "(The idea that came up was of) a book which would talk about clients, lovers, friends, etc; a book which looked beyond the regular stereotypes of a sex worker as a friendless, lonely person haunting the streets at night. By the time we had reworked the first book, all four of us Dileep, Baiju, Nalini and I had formed such a comfortable and challenging working relationship that we decided to do this (second) work jointly, says Reshma. After several rounds of interviews and discussions, the content for the second book was conceived in Malayalam. Nalini went through the transcribed and edited material and after her approval of the Malayalam original, I did the translation, explains Reshma. As the book reveals, Nalini perceives sex work as a language without a script. Rules cannot define the business, according to her. Interestingly, there is no hierarchy playing out in her mind while she discusses her clientele. Whether its a forest officer, policeman, rowdy petty local thug, or a sewage cleaner, Nalini chooses money over station in life. She is not and cannot be cowed down by somebody elses dictates, however influential the person might me. In her translator's note, Reshma recounts a time when she pleaded with Nalini to be her guru and guide her into sex work. Ultimately, Reshma couldn't go through with it (middle class morality, perhaps?). Nalini, on the other hand, makes the transition from being a teen labourer in a mud quarry to full-fledged sex work. As a beginner, she is discomfited at soliciting clients on the street, unsure if she is even standing in 'the right spot'. But, with maturity and experience, she begins asserting herself. Can Nalini's decision to enter sex work be seen as one born of compulsion or as a class-determined choice? This is a very difficult question. There is no doubt that choices and compulsions differ according to our social station. Most sex workers in Kerala are from Dalit, Adivasi, OBC and Muslim communities. Sex work was a comparatively better option than alternatives like labouring in a quarry, or being a petty vendor, domestic worker, etc. With all the moral dictates that give sex work its abject status, getting labelled as a sex worker also closes this already limited array of choices," says Reshma. There is a definite narrative structure connecting choices, compulsions, and social stations. That each of us is already well versed in this narrative and most often tend to stick with it also shows the normative power of this narrative. Being on the margins of the social structure makes the glaring gaps of this narrative more evident." Through her stark recollections of her past, the reader reconstructs the arc of Nalinis evolution not only as a sex worker, but also as a woman and a human being. And from this powerful storytelling is born the desire to read more, to wish that Nalini would consider writing her 'Autobiography, part III'. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday has announced its second list of candidates for the Karnartaka Assembly elections scheduled for 12 May 2018. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday has announced its second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled for 12 May 2018. Here is the second list of 82 BJP candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. We wish candidates the very best! ! pic.twitter.com/rg7pToNuLL BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 16, 2018 According to CNN-News18, no Muslim or Christian candidate has been given a ticket by the BJP. The BJP on Sunday had announced the first list of 72 candidates who will contest the high-stakes Karnataka assembly polls. While the BJPs first list of candidates included seasoned politicians like five-time MLA S Angara, an MLA from Sullia, it has fielded new faces from other constituencies in the state. The party's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa is slated to contest from Shikaripura. The BJP's second list has come a day after the Congress come out with its first list of 218 candidates on Sunday. However, Congress party workers in the state didn't seem too convinced with the choice of candidates and took to streets on Monday to express their anger. According to Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik, who released the list in the national capital, the candidates were selected by the party's Central Election Committee from the names its screening committee recommended after a two-day meeting in New Delhi on 9 and 10 April. BJP district president Sanjeeva Matandur said it was natural for new people to seek tickets as the party did not have MLAs in many Assembly segments. There was a vacuum in seven constituencies where the party had lost in 2013. With a strong BJP wave in the district, the list of aspirants is long, he said. The BJP has also given a ticket to former Union minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, re-inducted into the party just a few days ago. He will contest from Vijayapura. Meanwhile, Janata Dal (Secular) has already announced candidates for 126 constituencies. The party is in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party for Karnataka polls. Krishnaiah Setty, an old associate of Yeddyurappa, has been fielded from from Malur. Among the seats for which the party is yet to announce candidates is Varuna, for which Yeddyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra is seen as a strong contender. With inputs from PTI The BJP's second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections on 12 May contains at least five names with a tainted past. Bengaluru: The BJP's second list of candidates for the Karnataka Assembly elections on 12 May contains at least five names with a tainted past. The list, comprising 82 names, has candidates, who were acquitted in corruption, forgery, cheating and rape cases. At least two of them had spent quite some time in jail on charges of cheating and forgery. The names that have raised eyebrows are Katta Subramanya Naidu and Krishnaiah Setty who were jailed in land scams but acquitted later. Setty, who will contest from Malur, was BJP's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa's companion in jail as he was a co-accused in a multi-crore land scam in 2011. On the other hand, Katta Subramanya Naidu, who has been given ticket from Shivajinagar constituency, was jailed on charges of a land scam involving his firm Itasca in 2011. The charges against Naidu were that as a minister, he knew about an industrial project of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Authority near Kempegowda International Airport and tried to make a windfall gain by entering into an agreement with the land losers. Though the BJP national president Amit Shah denied any relationship with mining baron G Janardhana Reddy, the party gave ticket to his brother G Somashekhara Reddy to fight from Ballari city. He was an accused in the cash for bail scam to get his jailed brother mining baron Janardhana Reddy released on bail. Somashekhara Reddy was accused of trying to bribe a judge. The party gave ticket to Haratalu Halappa to contest from Sagar constituency. He has been acquitted in a rape case. He was accused of raping his friend's wife in Shivamogga in 2009. The court dismissed the case for want of evidence. MP Renukacharya, who will fight the electoral battle from Honnalli, was accused of sexually harassing a nurse when he was a minister in Yeddyurappa's ministry. The minister later said the nurse withdrew cases against him. The BJP has also given ticket to party-hopper NL Narendra Babu, who was with the Congress. Babu had been hinting at his entry for the past six months. He had even attended the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Dharma Sansad at Udupi last year. In power from 2008 to 2013, BJP is hoping to unseat the Congress government and stage a comeback. Click here to follow detailed coverage of the Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 The BJP is yet to unleash the Narendra Modi factor in Karnataka as it had done in Gujarat, however, there are indications that it may not happen. "Rahul Gandhi is campaigning for the BJP", said a Bangalore-based BJP activist gleefully. The remark came in the wake of the author's comment to him that Rahul was spending more time in Karnataka, ahead of the assembly election, than the BJP bigwigs. But it was a poor attempt at putting on a brave face amidst indications that the party is not gaining the electoral traction it hopes for. Amit Shah no doubt has been spending a lot of time in Karnataka, with emphasis on strengthening the grassroots party machinery while pushing the party's Hindu unity agenda in his meetings, both public and private. Both Rahul and Shah have called on a host of major and minor spiritual personalities belonging to different caste groups. But as each day of campaigning comes to an end the battle lines are being being even more clearly drawn: Religion and caste pitted against each other. There is no other issue being talked about by anyone. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is fanning out with a small army of swayamsevaks in the coastal districts, which has shown strong support for the BJP for some time now and will probably remain so come 12 May. Bangalore, with over two dozen seats, looks to be mainly BJP-oriented. But everywhere else, it is purely a caste-based campaign, where caste equations and caste expectations will decide the result. Once again, as happened in Gujarat, the Muslims seem to have been sidelined by all the major contestants. The BJP is yet to unleash the Narendra Modi factor in Karnataka as it had done in Gujarat, however, there are indications that it may not happen. With just 25 days of campaigning left, the chances are that Modi's campaign visits to the state will be much, much fewer in number as compared to Gujarat. His major campaign rallies in Karnataka will begin after his return from abroad on 21 May. Karnataka BJP had apparently asked for 23 visits by Modi, and 18 were agreed to initially by the PMO. But now, it seems the number of visits will be much fewer than that. Unlike Gujarat, which for lack of local leaders was essentially a Modi-Rahul fight, in Karnataka BJP leaders don't want it to be a Modi-Siddaramiah fight. The Congress campaign is being led and orchestrated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, with Rahul providing moral support. Congress has other leaders of stature like Mallikargun Kharge in Karnataka which has led the BJP's Delhi think tank to keep it a Siddaramiah-Yedyurappa fight, with Modi only providing the occassional moral support. Modi's campaign will largely focus on key vote banks like Dalits and backward castes and, of course, on keeping the Hindu unity agenda alive in the areas that the party considers its strongholds. It is not that the BJP isn't aware on how to big win in Karnataka but it wants to keep the Modi factor fresh for the more difficult battles ahead in in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. Especially, as it is fairly clear by now that the party is unlikely to pull off any major upsets in Karnataka. When asked what the BJP's own internal poll indicates, party leaders claim that they are likely to be about 15 seats short of a majority. But their optimism is not borne out by ground realities. There is no doubt at the local levels that the BJP party machinery is strong and active, something the Congress immensely lacks. Amit Shah's presence is forcing local level party workers to put in the 12-14 hours a day of hard work even though Shah's equation with Karnataka party leaders is far from congenial with some of them saying that Shah does not understand the state. There is also talk of differences between Shah and Yedyurappa, especially in candidate selection where some of Yeddyurappa's proteges may not be given a ticket and Shah's brusque style of functioning is hardly helping matters. However, the key question is which way the Lingayat community will swing? Congress is banking on Siddaramiah's decision to recommend separate religious status for this community, though the community is divided on this issue. BJP is committed to its stand of not dividing the Hindu community and the Centre is likely to sit on Siddaramaiah's recommendation. There is bound to be some split in the Lingayat vote. But Congress will not gain as much as it had hoped to with this move. Common verdict as of now is that Siddaramaiah will probably lead the Congress to being the single largest party in Karnataka. As it stands, the BJP knows it can make little inroads in Deve Gowda and his Vokkaliga community strongholds. The impression one gets is that the BJP is not expending much effort in these constituencies, even though Gowda has lamented his shortage of funds and is likely to base his candidate selection on the basis of those who can fund their campaigns largely on their own. But the Congress does have a presence in these areas and much will depend on their candidate selection and what they are able to offer the JD(S) in terms of political and patronage power in return for its support. Deve Gowda and the JD(S) have no real problems with the BJP. But for them to come together, BJP will have to emerge as the single largest party. A long shot at best. Not surprisingly then, the BJP strategy seems to ensure that they do better than the last time in their strongholds. Upper caste vote seems more or less committed to the BJP. Other religious minorities are nowhere on their radar. That leaves BJP with Dalits and other backward castes to woo. A fact that the Congress too realises and hopes their chief minister will be able to pull in these votes given the slew of welfare measures Siddaramaiah has showered on them. The author is the former editor-in-charge of The Week Disgruntled with the first list of candidates in the upcoming Assembly Elections in Karnataka, Congress party workers took to streets on Monday chanting anti-Siddaramaiah slogans, burning tyres and effigies Disgruntled with the party high command's first list of candidates in the upcoming Assembly Elections in Karnataka, Congress party workers took to streets on Monday to express their anger. Media visuals showed party workers chanting anti-Siddaramaiah slogans, burning tyres, effigies etc on the streets. Things turned little uglier in Mandya where angry Congress workers vandalised the party's district offices. CNN-News18 tweeted videos showing party workers breaking office furniture, tearing papers and shouting slogans inside party office. Similar protests were held in Chikmagulur were party workers broke chairs. #BREAKING -- Angry Congress workers vandalise district office in Mandya, Karnataka. The Congress workers have gone on a rampage over ticket distribution in #BattleForKarnataka | @deepab18 with more details pic.twitter.com/7NzQMHxXRu News18 (@CNNnews18) April 16, 2018 The chikmagulur seat was given to Vokkaliga leader BL Shankar. Congress leader KS Shanthe Gowda had lost the seat durig the 2013 Assembly polls against BJP's CT Ravi. Reports claimed that partyworkers were not happy with the change in candidate. According to News18, in Mandya, party workers are reportedly uhappy with the Congress leadership deciding to nominate incumbent Congress leader Ambareesh. The actor-turned-politician had reportedly not shown much interest in the welfare and development of the constituency. In Nelmnagala, supporters of ticket aspirant Anajana Murthy reportedly staged a protest after he was denied ticket from the constituency. The protesters burnt tyres on the highway and shouted slogans. Bengaluru Rural: Supporters of Congress leader Anjana Murthy protest after he was denied a ticket from Nelamangala constituency.R Narayanaswamy is the candidate from Nelamangala. #KarnatakaElections2018 pic.twitter.com/XuDUod1aaF ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2018 In Mangaluru, Congress workers marched to the party's office against the first list of candidates. Voices of dissent were also heard from heard from Hangal, Mayakonda, Jagalur, Tiptur, Kunigal, Kolar, Kollegal, Belur, Badami, Kittur and many other constituencies, Times of India reported. While in Hangal, supporters of sitting MLA Manohar Tahsildhar staged a protest over denial of the party ticket to their leader, in Kittur, supporters of five-time MLA DB Inamdar were up in arms, the report said. The party high command is reportedly planning to field Inamdar's relative Babasaheb Patil from the seat. Jagalur incumbent MLA HP Rajesh reportedly rushed to Bengaluru late Sunday night to meet chief minister Siddaramaiah after his name failed to figure on the list. The current rebellion within Congress' Karnataka unit is being linked to growing differences between senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun M Kharge and D Shivakumar. However, the party state leadership has underplayed the angst, stating the response was expected. "These will settle down. These things do happen. Within the next few days, you will see the issues settling down. Congress is a huge family, and we can always accommodate them (those who have not been named in the current list) in other positions. The party will look after you, take care of you," Karnataka Prades Congress Committee working president D Gundu Rao told CNN-News18. Karnataka Congress' new media coordinator Brijesh Kalapa was also among those who voiced their dissent over the first list. Speaking about Kalapa, Rao said that the Karnataka Congress media coordinator came very late to aspire for the seat. The party has been accused of nepotism in the list with Siddaramaih's son Yathindra contesting from the Varuna constituency, a seat traditionally held by the chief minister. Rao also defended the party's decision to field Yathidra and the allegations of nepotism. "If someone's son and daughter are going to be good candidates for a constituency, why shouldn't they be fielded? Yathindra has been managing Congress' social media, and has also been involved in the party functioning," Rao said. Siddaramaiah, 69, will contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru, where he had contested seven times since 1983 and won five times. BJP also reacted to the ongoing rebelliion among Congress workers, with party leader DV Sadananda Gowda accusing the party of giving preference to family members. Congress on Sunday declared 218 candidates for the 12 May Assembly elections, withholding names for remaining six seats of the 224-member House. According to Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik, who released the list in the national capital, the candidates were selected by the party's Central Election Committee from the names its screening committee recommended after a two-day meeting in New Delhi on 9 and 10 April. The party has given tickets to 15 women candidates, including Women and Child Welfare Minister Umashree from Tardal, Lakshmi Ravindra Hebbalkar from Belgaum Rural, Anjali Nimbalkar from Khanapur, Soumya R from Jayanagar and Sushma Rajgopal Reddy from Bommanahalli. The party is yet to name candidates for Shantinagar segment in Bengaluru Central, Kittar, Nagthan, Sindgi, Raichur and Melukote. The Congress returned to power after a decade in 2013, winning 122 seats and Siddaramaiah breaking a 40-year-old record to complete the five-year term as Chief Minister. The Opposition BJP released its first list of 72 candidates on April 8, while Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) named 126 nominees on March 27. The BJP's second list of BJP is expected to be released on Monday afternoon. With inputs from IANS The party men want Modi to do in Karnataka what he did in the final phase of the Gujarat election in December: Turn the tide just enough in the nick of time to save the party from defeat. The BJP has two problems in Karnataka which goes to polls on 12 May, but has hit upon solutions to both. Problem 1: Neither BJPs Karnataka president BS Yeddyurappa nor its national president Amit Shah can win the upcoming state Assembly election. Solution: When the going gets tough for the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets going. So get Modi to do the job of winning Karnataka. Probem 2: Yeddyurappa was jailed for corruption for 21 days in 2011. Though he got a clean chit from courts later, few take him seriously when he makes corruption in the Congress government of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah an issue. Solution: If you cant change Yeddyurappa, let him change the issue. Billed by the party as a raithara bandhu (a farmers friend), Yeddyurappa now waxes eloquent more about farmers than corruption. This is where the BJP stands a month before the Karnataka Assembly election. A year ago, the BJP hoped Yeddyurappa could make the Karnataka election a cakewalk for the party. When there were doubts, the party hoped Shah could do the job. Now that there are doubts whether Shah too can pull it off, there is a new hope in Modi. The party men want Modi to do in Karnataka what he did in the final phase of the Gujarat election in December: Turn the tide just enough in the nick of time to save the party from defeat. In the final leg of the Karnataka election campaign, beginning last week of April, Modi is scheduled to address 10 to 15 rallies in Karnataka. The partys election managers are trying to double that number and swing a victory. Modi has visited Karnataka five times in the run-up to the election and hasnt addressed a rally for a month and a half. This led to claims by the Congress that he has given up on the state and pressure on him from his own party to launch what some call a final blitzkrieg. But whats wrong with Yeddyurappa and Shah? And why does BJP once again fall back on Modi to win an election? First, Yeddyurappa. He is the Vasundhara Raje of Karnataka: Thats whats wrong with him. But there is a difference, of course. Raje is BJPs incumbent chief minister in Rajasthan and Yeddyurappa is the partys chief-minister-in-waiting in Karnataka. This difference apart, the two are throwing up the same Catch-22 situation for the BJP in having them as local mascots to win elections in their respective states. Yeddyurappa: A liability and an asset Like Raje, who is plagued by administrative and communal blunders, Yeddyurappa is both a liability and an asset for the BJP. This situation isnt a happy one for the BJP, which wants to regain the power it lost in the state in 2013 under unceremonious circumstances. The very reason why the BJP lost Karnataka was Yeddyurappa. He had to quit as chief minister in 2011 because of a mining scam of mind-boggling proportions. Leading the party to victory again is not an easy thing for him, especially if he makes corruption a major election issue. Its a hard pill for voters to swallow as well. But he is an asset on account of his Lingayat community (between 10 and 17 percent of the population). Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs blatantly communal and opportunistic move to offer Lingayats a separate religion status and the accompanying sops of a minority community may somewhat diminish the BJPs share of the Lingayat vote. But Yeddyurappa can still be expected to attract a significant section of the communitys vote, even if it will be less than what the party got in the 2008 Assembly poll. But that alone, of course, wont ensure a BJP win. If Yeddyurappa is both a liability and an asset, will the two cancel each other and make him a zero? But politics is seldom that simple. For one thing, political liabilities and assets arent written on the wall in exact sums. Like 1 + 1 isnt 2 in politics, the BJP hopes that 1-1 wont be zero either. In other words, the party hopes that the advantages of having Yeddyurappa as a Lingayat showpiece will outweigh the disadvantages. But thats just a hope. Shah knew all this as early as August 2017 when he apparently estimated that the party, as things stood, could win no more than 80 of the 224 seats in the Karnataka Assembly. It was from then that he took direct control of the affairs of the BJP in Karnataka. Shahs apparent calculation was that while he took care of the nuts and bolts, Yeddyurappa could lead the partys campaign at the local level by making the corruption of the Siddaramaiah government the main issue, while getting the Lingayat vote in the process. Yeddyurappas anti-corruption crusade was, however, a non-starter. The perception of the Siddaramaiah government being corrupt is widespread and deep, but neither Yeddyurappa nor any local BJP leader could rig up any major scam to nail the chief minister with convincing proof. Besides, the perception of Yeddyurappa himself being corrupt persists despite his acquittal in cases. Even Modis famous taunt that Siddaramaiah was heading a 10 percent government impressed few. The BJP is also aware that Hindutva has fewer takers than corruption in this election, even in the states communally sensitive coastal districts. If Yeddyurappa has proved to be unequal to the task of leading the campaign, Shah is only an ideator and an executioner in elections, but not a crowd-puller or a vote-getter like Modi. So once again, the job of winning an election has fallen into Modis lap. But can Modi swing it? Modis personal popularity is high among vast sections of people in Karnataka though his governments performance has fallen short of expectations, but its a tough question to answer a month before polling. CPI strongly criticised the anti-terror probe agency NIA for not being able to provide 'credible evidence' in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, which resulted in the acquittal of all five accused in the case New Delhi: The CPI on Monday strongly criticised the anti-terror probe agency NIA for not being able to provide "credible evidence" in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, which resulted in the acquittal of all five accused in the case. Lashing out at the NIA probe into the Mecca Masjid blast which had left nine persons dead and 58 others injured, the Left party questioned the agency for its "failure" to establish the truth behind the blast. "The NIA court has acquitted all the accused for lack of credible evidence. But who are the people who did it? Who are the forces behind the blast? That should be found out," CPI leader D Raja told PTI. "The fact remains that there was an attack. People should know who was behind such attacks. Let's see what the government does or the investigating agency does...NIA completely failed to establish the truth behind the blast," Raja said. A special anti-terror court in Hyderabad acquitted right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand and four others today in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, ruling that the prosecution has failed to prove charges against them. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on 8 May, 2007 during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. Aseemanand's counsel, JP Sharma, told reporters after the verdict by a special NIA court that "the prosecution failed to prove allegations against the five accused who faced trial in the case and, hence, the court acquitted them." Ten persons were named as accused in the case but only five of them were arrested and sent up for trial. The five who faced trial and were acquitted today are Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohan Lal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Choudhary. Two other accused in the case, Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are still absconding, while another accused Sunil Joshi had died. The NIA is still probing the case against the two absconding accused. After the verdict in the Mecca Masjid case, the BJP will try and build momentum against the Congress on the issue of saffron terrorism. Addressing the Congress partys chintan shivir in Jaipur on 20 January, 2013, the then home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said, "Reports have come during an investigation that the BJP and RSS conduct terror training camps... Bombs were planted in the Samjhauta Express and the Mecca Masjid, and a blast was also carried out in Malegaon.we will have to think about it seriously and remain alert." Later that day, he clarified that he had not said anything new and said, "This is saffron terrorism that I have talked about. Shinde's charges, which were nationally televised, were made in front of the Congress' top leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi (who had been anointed party vice-president only a day earlier in the same meet), then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, all top central ministers and chief ministers of party-ruled states. Clearly, Shinde, as the home minister and a senior leader, couldnt have made a charge as serious as this without thorough background work and due clearance from the leadership. His predecessor P Chidambaram had been speaking of saffron terrorism for quite time on various forums. The only difference between the allegations made by Shinde and Chidambaram is that the latter did not link Hindu or saffron terror with the BJP. The investigations in numerous cases, including the Samjhauta Express, Malegaon and the Mecca Masjid blasts were focused on establishing a 'Hindu terror' link. The Congress also sought to shape the public discourse on this issue. In the Batla House incident, although the Delhi police claimed that the encounter was a genuine one, leaders like Digvijay Singh and Salman Khurshid built a hypothesis that the encounter was fake. Several Congress leader were talking about the emerging threat of saffron terror. They all appeared to have taken a cue from the statement of Rahul Gandhi to the US Ambassador in 2009 that Hindu extremist groups could pose a greater threat to the country than Muslim militants. In December 2010, Wikileaks had revealed that in July 2009, Rahul Gandhi was at a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. There, he warned Ambassador Timothy Roemer, saying, "Although there was evidence of some support for Islamic terrorist group Laskar-e-Taiba among certain elements in India's Muslim community, the bigger threat may be the growth of radicalised Hindu groups, which create religious tensions and political confrontations with the Muslim community." Rahul spoke of "the risk of a "homegrown" extremist front to the US Ambassador while reacting to terror attacks in which Pakistan was involved, or attacks perpetrated by Islamist groups. He said that homegrown extremism was a growing concern and one that demanded constant attention. Allegations of 'Hindu terror' came to haunt the Congress on Monday after an NIA court in Hyderabad acquitted five accused, including Swami Aseemanand, in the Mecca Masjid blast case. A piped bomb had rocked Friday prayers on 18 May 2007, killing eight persons and injuring 58 others. During initial investigations by the Hyderabad police, some Muslim youth were detained for allegedly planning and executing the blast. However, the case took a different turn after it was transferred to the CBI in July 2007, and later to the NIA in April 2011. It was during investigations by the central agencies that members of Abhinav Bharat were named in the blast. Now, successive cases built up by the NIA, lending credence to the saffron terror charge, have fallen flat in court including the Malegaon blast and Mecca Masjid blast. Revelations have been made by former union home ministry official RVS Mani that he was coerced during the reign of P Chidambaram as home minister to file a modified second affidavit in the Ishrat Jahan case. These revelations have put the Congress party on the defensive. A court has dropped charges under the MCOCA against Colonel SK Purohit and Sadhvi Pragya Thakur in the 2008 Malegaon blast case and both are out on the bail. The BJP has launched a blistering counter-offensive against the Congress leadership, accusing it of inventing 'saffron terrorism' to shift attention from Islamic terror. The timing of the NIA court ruling, the acquittal of Swami Aseemanand and others and the re-ignition of the saffron terrorism debate, may have major political implications. The verdict came at a time when the heat was on the BJP for its mishandling of the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. A shift in the media headlines will give a breather to the BJP. The shrillness with which the BJP has lashed out at the Congress indicates that that the ruling party at the Centre wants to make this an electoral issue in Karnataka. In this state, Rahul Gandhi is making hurried visits to temples and mutts to reclaim the credentials of himself and the Congress so that they are seen as supportive of the Hindu community. At a recent conclave organised by India Today, Sonia Gandhi had suggested that Rahuls temple visits were part of the party strategy to counter the BJPs portrayal of the Congress as a Muslim party. The decision of the Congress government in Karnataka to recommend minority status to the Lingayats, and take them away from the Hindu fold, is also a hotly debated issue in the state. Under these circumstances, the BJP will try and build momentum against the Congress on the issue of saffron terrorism. A beginning was made by a party spokesperson about an hour after the NIA court in Hyderabad announced its verdict. Former VHP leader Pravin Togadia, who is going to sit on an indefinite fast in Ahmedabad from Tuesday, kept up his attack on Narendra Modi on Monday saying the prime minister is going abroad when 'daughters are not safe' Ahmedabad: Former VHP leader Pravin Togadia, who is going to sit on an indefinite fast in Ahmedabad from Tuesday, kept up his attack on Narendra Modi on Monday saying the prime minister is going abroad when "daughters are not safe". The state spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, meanwhile, came out in Togadia's support, claiming that the entire Gujarat unit was behind the firebrand leader. "Today our soldiers are not safe on borders, farmers are committing suicide and our daughters are not safe in their homes. And yet, our prime minister has embarked on a foreign tour," Togadia told reporters. Modi today embarked on a five-day visit to Sweden and the UK. Togadia quit the VHP after former Himachal Pradesh governor VS Kokje was elected as VHP's international president, defeating Togadia's nominee Raghava Reddy, two days ago. In an apparent show of strength, Togadia, a former international working president of the VHP, would sit on indefinite fast. As many as 5,000 district-level VHP workers who support Togadia have quit the right-wing outfit, Gujarat VHP spokesperson Jay Shah claimed. "The entire Gujarat unit of the VHP is behind Togadia. That is why around 5,000 VHP workers and local leaders have already tendered their resignations. To remind the BJP of its own promises, Togadia will begin his indefinite fast from tomorrow," Shah said. "Through this fast, Togadia just wants to remind the BJP that building Ram Temple or abolition of Article 370 was in the party's manifesto. VHP or Togadia are not demanding anything new," he added. The fast would be held at the GMDC ground in Ahmedabad, said Rajubhai Patel, another VHP spokesperson. While speculation is rife that the firebrand Hindutva leader would launch a new outfit, Togadia remained tight-lipped on his plans, only saying that the picture will be clear after Tuesday. Modi and Togadia, both of whom hail from Gujarat and started out as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteers, drifted apart in the last decade with Modi's rise. On Sunday Togadia had said that in 2014 elections, VHP offered full support to Modi, but after becoming prime minister, Modi termed gau-rakshaks as 'gundas' (goons). "Eleven cow-protectors in Jharkhand were given life imprisonment (by a court) after his statement. This hadn't even happened under the Congress government," Togadia had said. "This government has taken back cases against Pakistan-supporters and stone-pelters in Kashmir," he had claimed. During an interaction with Firstpost, Raman Singh talked about his govt's plans for the development of Naxal areas, United Opposition and BJP's 2019 push Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said that there is no real challenge before Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. While questioning the Opposition's attempt to lay siege to Modi's seat, he said that the prime minister's magic will only be further enhanced ahead of the next election. Referring to the efforts of the Centre and the state government for the development of Naxal-affected areas, Singh said that 'we are ready for talks with the top leadership of Naxalites'. During an interaction with Firstpost, he talked about his government's plans for the development of Naxal-affected areas and the challenges that lay ahead. He said, "There is no challenge in Modi's path anymore. The Opposition is so divided that there is no real challenge in today's date." Singh questioned Congress president Rahul Gandhi's attempts to unite the Opposition parties against Modi. Similar efforts are being made by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. "If you think that the Congress can put up a challenge, (then I can say) it will place fourth in Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, it will place third or fifth. And, it won't have an existence in West Bengal," Singh said. Singh, while taunting the unity of Opposition parties, said that many in their ranks were already 'suited up' to be in power even before winning anything. "On one hand, there is Modi as prime minister, on the other, there are six contenders. The people don't know who is up against Modi... whether it is Mulayam Singh, Mayawati, Mamata or Rahul," he said. However, when asked about BJP's defeats in the recent Lok Sabha bypolls in many states across the country, he said that those contests are completely different from the General election. This year, Assembly elections will be held in Chhattisgarh in October-November. Singh, on the face of it, appears confident. He has faith in his government's development work. But, he is also wary of former state chief minister Ajit Yogi. During the conversation, Singh accepted that if the third force (Ajit) falls in the field during the Assembly elections, then its direct benefactor would be him. He said: "Our direct fight is with the Congress. There is no other fight here. But, Ajit will remain." In the last Assembly elections, the Congress won eight out of 12 seats in the Naxal-affected Bastar region, but the chief minister is confident that this figure will change this time. "This time, there will be a very good result (for us). They are scared to speak on the figures before the election," he said. His claim to regain seats in Bastar is also based on his government's development agenda in the region. At a recent rally in Jangla of Bijapur, in the Naxalite stronghold, Modi had launched the Ayushman scheme in Bijapur division of Bijar, raising hopes of development. Although this is just the beginning, he said. "Six lakh forty thousand people still have no electricity in their homes. But, we will complete this goal by June." In areas where providing a direct electricity connection is not possible, due to the influence of Naxalites, solar power units are being given out. Due to the fear of the Maoists, solar units are being handed out to schoolchildren as their parents shy away from collecting them directly. "The battle over electricity and roads is currently underway. Roads worth Rs 800 crore are being built currently. This also means that we are faced with a double challenge... making the road and protecting the road workers. This is what we have done in 14 years," Singh said. Talking about his government's plans to walk on the path of development, he said that the PDS scheme has been their biggest achievement, under which grains are provided to all the poor families, including tribals. "This has made the difference in the state's nutrition levels and hunger (elimination). At first, people had to go to Andhra Pradesh to earn money. But, now they are guaranteed food to eat here," he said. After the electricity and road construction, the government now plans to give smartphones to all college students, he said. "Under the Sky scheme, every college student will be given a smartphone. All college students will come to Chhattisgarh to study. In addition to post-graduate courses, all medical and engineering colleges will also have smartphones in their hands." The government's plan is to initiate the Sky Scheme by the end of May this year. Right before the Assembly elections, the government is trying to appease the youth by targeting students. The government has had to face a great deal of difficulty in building roads in Naxal-dominated areas. About 150 kilometres of national highway in the state are still gravel roads. Explaining the reason behind the delay, Singh said: "It took time to construct a national highway in this area. We brought in BRO (Border Road Organisation) but the BRO ran away after eight years," "In pursuing the BRO, our time was wasted. It builds in the North East but here it gave up," Singh said, "... working here is a tough fight." He added: "Fighting face-to-face at the border is easy... you are looking at their post. Your uniform is different, the enemy's uniform is different. The range is different. You can fire indiscriminately. But here it is different. Even when we know that Maoists are in a particular area, you cannot blow all of them up as there could be civilians with them. There is no way to distinguish. Naxalites can be sitting in the middle of a village. They are known to keep women and children all around them. This is the biggest challenge." The geographical conditions of the Maoist-affected areas are also such that by carrying out operations is not easy. Although, Singh expressed confidence that the Naxalite's edge can be dulled under the path of development. Nevertheless, he did not deny the possibility of holding talks with Naxalites. "There are talks at the administration level. But talking to people at the district level will not make any difference. It can only work if the top leaders from both sides sit down. Because this is not a problem of a particular district. They have spread to many states. Their leaders are in Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, etc," Singh said. In fact, Modi had also accused the Naxal top brass of misleading tribal youth. Which could be why Singh is advocating negotiations with top Naxalite leaders. There is no point in talking at the lower level, he reiterated. 4 political turncoats, who had resigned from their membership in the UP Legislative Council in 2017 were named by the BJP as its candidates for the upcoming polls Lucknow: Four political turncoats, who had resigned from their membership in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council in 2017 to facilitate Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his two deputies and two other cabinet colleagues to get the membership of the Upper House of the state Legislature, were on Sunday named by the BJP as its candidates for the upcoming Legislative Council polls. In a statement issued in Lucknow, the party announced the names of 10 candidates for the 26 April polls. The BJP candidates are state ministers Mahendra Singh and Mohsin Raza, Sarojini Agarwal, Bukkal Nawab, Yashwant Singh, Jaiveer Singh, Vidhyasagar Sonkar, Vijay Bahadur Pathak, Ashok Kataria and Ashok Dhawan. Kataria, Sonkar and Pathak are general secretaries of the state BJP unit, while Dhawan, a former MLC, hails from Varanasi. Meanwhile, Apna Dal (Sonelal) spokesperson Arvind Sharma, in an official statement, said, "The president of Apna Dal (Sonelal), Ashish Singh Patel, will be the candidate for the 11th seat left by the BJP for the party." In September last year, Adityanath, his two deputies and two ministers were declared elected unopposed to the state Legislative Council. No other candidate was in the fray for the bypolls to the five seats in the Upper House. The chief minister had filed his nomination for the seat vacated by Samajwadi Party (SP) member Yashwant, while Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had filed his papers for the seat held by SP member Bukkal Nawab. Their term was to expire in July, 2022. Adityanath had taken over as the chief minister on 19 March 2017. He had to become a legislator within the stipulated six months since assuming office. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma had filed his nomination for the seat vacated by Ashok Bajpai and Swatantra Dev Singh for the seat vacated by SP member Sarojni Agarwal. Their terms were to expire in January, 2021. Raza, the only Muslim minister in the Adityanath cabinet, had filed his nomination for the seat vacated by BSP member Thakur Jaiveer Singh. Bajpai was recently elected as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, the leaders of the ruling BJP sounded confident of bagging 11 of the 13 seats going to the polls on 26 April. The BJP and its allies enjoy a brute majority of 324 in the 403-member state Assembly. Arithmetically, they are likely to win 11 of the 13 seats comfortably and still be left with some additional votes. State BJP vice-president JPS Rathore said to ensure victory, a candidate needed 29 first-preference votes. The notification for the Legislative Council polls was issued on April 9. The last date for filing of nominations is 16 April. The scrutiny of nominations will be done on 17 April, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 19 April. "We are sure of winning 11 of the 13 Legislative Council seats going to the polls," state BJP spokesperson Navin Srivastava told PTI. Of the remaining two seats, the SP has given up one to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The SP, headed by Akhilesh Yadav, had fielded two candidates, but withdrew one of them, paving the way for Mayawati's party to contest one seat as a quid pro quo (a favour or advantage granted in return for something) for her support to the SP in the bypolls to the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats, which halted the saffron party's victory march in the bastion of Adityanath (in Gorakhpur). In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won the Phulpur seat for the first time. In the recently-concluded Rajya Sabha polls, it was a sweet revenge for the BJP as it ensured the victory of all its nine candidates, days after it lost the two crucial Lok Sabha seats to the SP. Besides Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the others who had made it to the Upper House of Parliament from the party were Ashok Bajpai, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, Sakal Deep Rajbhar, Kanta Kardam, Anil Jain, Harnath Singh Yadav, GVL Narasimha Rao and Anil Kumar Agarwal, who pulled off a surprise win with the help of second-preference votes. The other candidates, including the SP's Jaya Bachchan, had won on the basis of first-preference votes. In the 100-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, the BJP has only 13 representatives, the SP 61, the BSP nine, the Congress two, the RLD one and others 12. Two seats are vacant. SP spokesperson and MLC Sunil Singh Sajan said the SP-BSP combine would comfortably win the two Legislative Council seats. "The SP is contesting from one seat in the Legislative Council polls. Initially, we had decided to contest from two seats, but later we decided to give one seat to the BSP to strengthen our electoral understanding," he added. According to the Election Commission (EC), the tenure of 13 MLCs, including SP national president Akhilesh Yadav and two ministers in the Adityanath government -- Mahendra Kumar Singh and Mohsin Raza will end on 5 May. Of the 13 seats falling vacant, seven were held by the SP, two each by the BJP and the BSP and one by the RLD. The 13th seat, which was held by former SP minister Ambika Chaudhary, fell vacant when he switched over to the BSP. Apart from the SP chief, six other MLCs from the party, whose terms are coming to an end are its state unit chief Naresh Chandra Uttam, senior spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary, Umar Ali Khan, Madhu Gupta, Ramsakal Gurjar and Vijay Yadav. The MLCs of other parties, whose terms end on 5 May, are Vijay Pratap and Sunil Kumar Chittor (both from the BSP) and Chaudhary Mushtaq, the lone RLD member. Though the ruling NDA has 324 MLAs in the 403-member state Assembly, it may not get the required strength in the Upper House to get the bills passed, even after winning 11 of the 13 seats. During the winter session of the state legislature last year, the Adityanath government had suffered an embarrassment when it failed to ensure the passage of the Uttar Pradesh Control of Organised Crime (UPCOC) Bill in the Upper House. tech2 News Staff NASA is all set to launch its next hunt for planets outside our solar system as preparations get underway for the launch of the TESS satellite, which will be carried into space in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday morning. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is expected to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 6:32 pm Eastern Time which is 4:02 am (Tuesday) in India. The launch will be broadcast on NASA website or on its live YouTube stream which you will find below. According to a report by Space.com, NASA's current exoplanet hunting observatory named Kepler, has almost exhausted its fuel supply, requiring NASA to put TESS into orbit to continue research. As SpaceX attempts to do with most of its Falcon 9 rockets, eight minutes after the launch, it will attempt to land the rockets first stage on a ship offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. The booster from the rocket can then be reused in a future mission. Expecting the mission to span a minimum of two years, NASA expects TESS to survey 2,00,000 of the brightest stars outside our solar system to search for transiting exoplanets. Once these exoplanets are detected, using the known planet size, orbit and mass, TESS and ground-based follow-up team will be able to determine the planets compositions. This will further reveal whether the planets are rocky (like Earth), gas giants (like Jupiter) or something out of the ordinary. According to NASA, the mission will produce a large catalogue of exoplanets and continue looking for signs of life in them. "TESS will find the most promising exoplanets orbiting relatively nearby stars, giving future researchers a rich set of new targets for more comprehensive follow-up studies, including the potential to assess their capacity to harbour life," states NASA describing its main objective. Reuters The Philippines government criticized on Monday Facebooks choice of two independent online news platforms to help fight the spread of fake news, saying they are biased against President Rodrigo Duterte. Facebook said last week it would partner with VERA Files and Rappler IQ to launch a third-party, fact-checking program aimed at preventing the spread of false news on the social media platform in the Philippines. But Duterte has accused Rappler, which has a reputation for its investigative reporting and its tough questioning, of trying to undermine his government, perhaps with the help of US spies, and the Securities and Exchange Commission has rescinded its operating license for violating foreign ownership rules. Rappler continues to operate pending an appeal. We would also like to register our protest at the choice of fact-checkers by Facebook and this will be on the agenda when we finally get to sit with them soon, Loraine Badoy, assistant secretary at the Presidential Communications Operations Office, said in a statement. Research has shown Filipinos to be among the most active social media users in the world, spending on average more than four hours a day on platforms like Facebook. Duterte, a former mayor from outside of the sphere of national politics, tapped into social media to help him win a 2016 election by a huge margin. Last year, lawmakers began an inquiry into the proliferation of what they saw as fake news on the internet. Duterte spokesman Harry Roque welcomed Facebooks desire to counter fake news, but he noted some people had complained that the chosen police of the truth are sometimes partisan themselves. A Facebook spokeswoman did not comment on the governments protest and referred Reuters to a statement last week announcing the partnership with Rappler and VERA Files. Partnering with third-party fact-checking organizations, is one of the ways we hope to better identify and reduce the reach of false news that people share on our platform, Clair Deevy, Facebooks director for community affairs for Asia Pacific, said last week. There was no immediate comment from Rappler. Ellen Tordesillas, president of VERA Files, said non-partisanship and fairness are among the requirements for an international fact-checking network accreditation. VERA Files and Rappler IQ are the only two Philippine-based members of an international fact-checking network at the Poynter Institute, a journalism school in the United States. Privacy concerns have swamped Facebook since it acknowledged last month that information about millions of users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, a firm that has counted US President Donald Trumps 2016 electoral campaign among its clients. tech2 News Staff After the launch of its Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact smartphones at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, Sony has finally announced its much-awaited successor to the XZ Premium, called the Xperia XZ2 Premium. In recent years, Sonys Premium-branded offerings are known for their 4K displays, but Sony has taken things a notch up by including 4K HDR Triluminos display unit this year. This also makes the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, Sonys first end to end 4K HDR product offering that enables customers to not just shoot 4K HDR video but view it on a 4K HDR display as well. While the design is fresh and in line with Sonys recently launched Xperia XZ2 models, the display similar to its siblings remains a standard 16:9 unit and does not follow the current 18:9 trend followed by most manufacturers. And that shorter (read standard) display also comes thick bezels at the top and the bottom. The design however remains fresh and new with a 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 5 screen and an arc-shaped back that is also made of glass. The new Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium will be available in Chrome Black and Chrome Silver finishes. The device is also certified IP65/IP68. Inside, you get specifications that are almost similar to those on the XZ2 smartphone. Theres a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC paired with 6 GB RAM (instead of 4 GB on the standard model) and 64 GB of storage (expandable up to 400 GB). The camera department is another area where the Premium shines. Theres Sonys first dual camera setup on a smartphone ever with a 19 MP camera (1/2.3-inch Exmor RS sensor), with f/1.8 aperture. The second camera on the back is a 12 MP black and white unit with an f/1.6 aperture. Both rear cameras are powered by Sonys Bionz mobile image-processing engine and the AUBE fusion ISP that can deliver 960 fps super slow motion video recording, Bokeh effects, monochrome imaging and predictive hybrid autofocus. Theres also 5-axis image stabilization. The front camera is a 13 MP unit with a 22 mm wide-angle lens, f.2.0 aperture. Interestingly, Sony also offers 5-axis image stabilization on the front-facing camera. Connectivity options include, support for 4G LTE (Cat 18) with download speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, DLNA and a USB 3.1 Gen1 port at the bottom end. The fingerprint reader sits at the back as opposed to the traditional side layout on the power/unlock button. The smartphone runs Android O and is powered by a 3,540 mAh battery that comes with Quick Charge 3.0 support. This is also Sonys heaviest smartphone ever that measures 158x80x11.9 mm and weighs in at 236 grams, which close to quarter of a kilogram. Hopefully, all of that new hardware and design delivers when it comes to pushing out better imaging and staying cool when pulling off the same, which is something that was missing in its previous Xperia XZ1. There are no details about the smartphone's availability in India. Sony has yet to introduce its XZ2 model in in the country. Reuters Britain would consider launching a cyber attack against Russia in retaliation if Russia targeted British national infrastructure, the Sunday Times reported, citing unnamed security sources. Britains relations with Russia are at a historic low, after it blamed Russia for a nerve agent attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England, prompting mass expulsions of diplomats. Russia has denied involvement, and on Saturday also condemned strikes against Syria by Western powers, which Britain took part in. Cyber security has become a focal point of the strained relations. On Thursday, a British spy chief said that his GCHQ agency would continue to expose Russias unacceptable cyber behaviour, adding there would be increasing demand for its cyber expertise. The Sunday Times also said that British spy officials had been preparing for Russia-backed hackers to release embarrassing information on politicians and other high-profile people since the attack on the Skripals. Reuters The US Department of Commerce is banning American companies from selling components to leading Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp for seven years for violating the terms of a sanctions violation case, US officials said on Monday. The Chinese company, a top smartphone seller in the United States, pleaded guilty last year in federal court in Texas for conspiring to violate US sanctions by illegally shipping US goods and technology to Iran. It paid $890 million in fines and penalties, with an additional penalty of $300 million that could be imposed. As part of the agreement, Shenzhen-based ZTE Corp promised to dismiss four senior employees and discipline 35 others by either reducing their bonuses or reprimanding them, senior Commerce Department officials told Reuters. But the Chinese company admitted in March that while it had fired the four senior employees, it had not disciplined or reduced bonuses to the 35 others. ZTE provided information back to us basically admitting that they had made these false statements, said a senior department official. That was in response to the US asking for the information. We cant trust what they are telling us is truthful, the official said. And in international commerce, truth is pretty important. ZTE officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Douglas Jacobson, an exports control lawyer who represents suppliers to ZTE, called the ban highly unusual and said it would severely affect the company. This will be devastating to the company, given their reliance on US products and software, said Jacobson. Its certainly going to make it very difficult for them to produce and will have a potentially significant short and long-term negative impact on the company. This is going to tank their stock, Jacobson added. ZTE has sold handset devices to US mobile carriers AT&T Inc, T-Mobile US Inc and Sprint Corp. It has relied on US companies including Qualcomm Inc, Microsoft Corp and Intel Corp for components. The US action against ZTE is likely to further exacerbate current tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade. After the US placed export restrictions on ZTE in 2016 for Iran sanctions violations, the Chinas Ministry of Commerce and Foreign Ministry criticized the decision. A five-year federal investigation found last year that ZTE had conspired to evade US embargoes by buying US components, incorporating them into ZTE equipment and illegally shipping them to Iran. ZTE, which devised elaborate schemes to hide the illegal activity, agreed to plead guilty after the Commerce Department took actions that threatened to cut off its global supply chain. The US government had allowed the company continued access to the US market under the 2017 agreement. American companies are estimated to provide 25 percent to 30 percent of the components used in ZTEs equipment, which includes networking gear and smartphones. The US governments investigation into sanctions violations by ZTE followed reports by Reuters in 2012 that the company had signed contracts to ship millions of dollars worth of hardware and software from some of the best known US technology companies to Irans largest telecoms carrier. tech2 News Staff The Xiaomi Mi A1 was the first Xiaomi device that participated in Google's Android One program. The phone was running stock Android instead of Xiaomi's usual, skinned MIUI. However, reports are coming in that the Mi A1 seems to be out of stock and has been discontinued by the company. As per 91mobiles, who first learned of the discontinuation, there has been no confirmation as to why this step was taken by Xiaomi. However, if we go by the recent rumours and leaks, it could be due to the imminent launch of the Mi A2 smartphone. As per the report, though Xiaomi has still listed the phone on its website, the chances of you getting your hands on one is actually slim since Xiaomi says that the "last billing for the handset was done a couple of months back". Last year, we noted that the Mi 5X in China was rebranded as the Mi A1 in India. We are expecting the same to happen with the Mi 6X this year as well. As per the leaks, the Mi 6X is to come with a 5.99-inch full-screen display and is to be powered by a 2,910 mAh battery. Leaked image of the device on Chinese certification website TENNA show a strong resemblance between the Mi 6X and the Redmi Note 5 Pro. As far as internals go, the Mi 6X will come with 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage and will run on Android 8.1 Oreo. The dual-camera system on the back will have a 20 MP and 8 MP sensor and the front camera will come with a 20 MP sensor. No launch dates have been announced as of yet, but we shall keep you updated as the story develops. As far as the Mi A2 is concerned, we are expecting the phone to come with Google's Android One OS, like its predecessor. As a matter of fact Xiaomi, not so long ago, conducted a poll on Twitter to find out whether users preferred stock Android over the MIUI skin. After seeing a higher response in favour of stock Android, Xiaomi took down the poll. However, the users have made it clear what they prefer and let's hope that if Xiaomi launches the Mi A2 with stock Android, more devices will follow suit. Local rescuers searching for a Indian family whose SUV plunged into a rain-swollen Northern California river have found the vehicle and the body of a man and a girl inside it. Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, vice president of the Union Bank on Santa Clarita, and his wife Soumya Thottapilly, 38, were on a road trip along with their two children Siddhanth, 12 and Saachi, 9 in a maroon Honda Pilot from Portland, Oregon to San Jose in Southern California, during which they went missing on 5 April. Local rescuers searching for a Indian family whose SUV plunged into a rain-swollen Northern California river have found the vehicle and the body of a man and a girl inside it. Sandeep Thottapilly, 41, vice president of the Union Bank on Santa Clarita, and his wife Soumya Thottapilly, 38, were on a road trip along with their two children Siddhanth, 12 and Saachi, 9 in a maroon Honda Pilot from Portland, Oregon to San Jose in Southern California, during which they went missing on 5 April. They were reported missing April 8 after failing to show up for family visit in San Jose. The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said Monday that searchers located the car Sunday and recovered the bodies of 41-year-old Sandeep Thottapilly and 9-year-old Saachi Thottapilly. Searchers have recovered the bodies of Sandeep Thottapilly and Saachi Thottapilly from inside the vehicle. The search continues for Siddhant Thottapilly who remains missing. #EelRiverRecovery https://t.co/TUkBHPeFc8 Mendocino Sheriff (@MendoSheriff) April 16, 2018 The office also said the body of an adult female found in the Eel River on Friday has been identified as 38-year-old Soumya Thottapilly. The couple's 12-year-old son, Sidhhant Thottapilly remains missing. An inter-agency search and rescue team in California also recovered personal belongings of the four members of the family from Santa Clarita in California, who were believed to be travelling through Humboldt and Mendocino County on US-101 while on a vacation, early last week. Local news agencies are reporting that at least 70 searchers were involved in the rescue effort on the Eel River in Leggett, California. After several hours of searching near the reported crash site, search teams found the Thottapilly vehicle submerged about 4-6 feet beneath the water. Asian rivals China and Japan on Monday pledged a 'new starting point' for bilateral ties, vowing close cooperation amid a flurry of diplomacy on the North Korean missile threat and global trade tensions. Japan: Asian rivals China and Japan on Monday pledged a "new starting point" for bilateral ties, vowing close cooperation amid a flurry of diplomacy on the North Korean missile threat and global trade tensions. Welcoming Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi for a rare three-day visit, Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe called for warmer relations between the two countries and said they should work together on North Korea. Abe said he would be visiting the United States for talks with President Donald Trump to seek the "complete and irreversible denuclearisation" of North Korea and added that "we want to cooperate with China." "We hope to develop a strategic, mutually beneficial Japan-China relationship in various fields," said Abe. After meeting Abe, Wang told reporters that Beijing wanted to place "China-Japan cooperation at a new starting point" and cooperate on energy, financial and environmental issues. Tokyo is battling to stay relevant amid a string of summits on North Korea's nuclear programme in which Beijing is likely to be a major player. With this in mind, Japan is pushing to host a trilateral meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and South Korean president Moon Jae-in. Abe said this would be held "after Golden Week", a series of national holidays that ends on 6 May. Bilateral visits by Abe and Chinese president Xi Jinping are also being planned. China demonstrated its significant influence over its reclusive ally when Xi hosted the North's leader Kim Jong-un and his wife in Beijing last month. With Moon and Trump also preparing to meet Kim, reported efforts by Japan to reach out to Pyongyang have gone ignored. Wang said he and Abe spoke about North Korea. "At present, the nuclear issue on the peninsula has clearly eased from a situation of a crippling crisis and has returned to the direction of denuclearisation," Wang said, reiterating Beijing's call for a political and peaceful settlement. Meanwhile, Japan and China are targets of Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs, with Beijing also targeted with a further heavy levy. Japan's foreign minister Taro Kono and Wang did not specifically mention the proposed US trade policies, as its implementation and consequences were still unclear. But they noted the global economy has dramatically changed during the eight years the bilateral dialogue has stalled. "We must have fresh perspectives and think about ways of cooperation and coordination," said Kono. "We share the common understanding that starting of a trade war would have a significant impact on the prosperity of the global economy." Following his meeting with Abe, Wang said Japan understands the importance of safeguarding the rules of the World Trade Organisation. "The consensus reached by both parties is that facing the rise of protectionism, we have all promised to use our actions to safeguard the global free trade system with the WTO as its core and jointly build a more open world economy," Wang said. China on Monday launched a unique website inviting the public to report people, including spies harming national security, and attempts to 'overthrow the socialist system', offering rewards on information. Beijing: China on Monday launched a unique website inviting the public to report people, including spies harming national security, and attempts to "overthrow the socialist system", offering rewards on information. The website, launched by the Ministry of National Security on Sunday, also encourages people to report attempts to incite ethnic separatism and bribing military officials to defect. People can report about foreigners meeting "any person within China who has conducted activities endangering state security," the website -- www.12339.gov.cn -- said. The website, in Mandarin and English, is open to organisations and individuals who have information about activities harming national security, including espionage, the ministry said in a statement. They can also use the phone number of "12339" to report, the ministry said, pledging to protect the privacy of the informants. People will be rewarded if the information is true or held accountable for intentionally providing false information, it said. Complaints can include collusion with foreign countries or institutions, organisations, and individuals harms the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and safety of the People's Republic of China, a guide to report on the website said. People can report attempts to organise, plan and implement the splitting of the country, organise, plan, implement armed rebellion or armed riots, instigate, coerce, seduce, and buy out staff of state organs, armed forces personnel, people's police, and militiamen to carry out armed rebellions or armed riots. The website also invited the public to report attempts to organise, plan, and implement subversion of state power and overthrow the socialist system and attempt to induce personnel of the security forces to defect to the enemy. China wants to stick to the 'right path' of bilateral ties with India, explore new areas for cooperation and ensure sound and steady development of the relationship, the Chinese foreign ministry. Beijing: China wants to stick to the "right path" of bilateral ties with India, explore new areas for cooperation and ensure sound and steady development of the relationship, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday. Foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying's remarks came during a media briefing as she replied to a question on a series of high-level meetings between the two countries. After last year's standoff in Doka La, India and China have stepped up dialogue at various levels to reset the ties. Hua said China's ties with India have seen new progress and all-round cooperation this year. "This year under the guidance of the two leaders (Chinese president Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi), China and India relations have been developing with a sound momentum," Hua said. "China attaches great importance to developing relations with India and we would like to work together to implement the consensus reached by leaders, stick to the right path of the bilateral ties, accumulate more positive energy, explore new areas for cooperation and ensure sound and steady development of bilateral ties," she said. "We have seen close exchanges at all levels and new progress in all-round cooperation," Hua said without elaborating. On 13 April, a meeting was held between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Yang Jiechi, Director of China's Foreign Affairs Commission and member of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in Shanghai. Besides the meeting between Yang and Doval, the two countries "successfully" held 11th Joint Economic Group meeting and the fifth Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), she said. Hua said officials from the two foreign ministers also met. The two sides also held working mechanism meeting on border affairs and crossborder rivers, she said. "These interactions show that China and India share a wide range of common interests and our bilateral cooperation holds great potential," she said. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman are also due to visit China on 24 April to take part in the meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Prime Minister Modi himself is scheduled to visit China in June to take part in the SCO summit in the Chinese city of Qingdao. Concerns among immigrants have risen as President Donald Trump's administration has cracked down on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, increased arrests by federal immigration officers, called the National Guard to the border with Mexico and sought to limit travel to the U.S. from certain predominantly Muslim countries. A Trump administration plan to ask people if they are U.S. citizens during the 2020 census has prompted a legal uproar from Democratic state attorneys general, who argue it could drive down participation and lead to an inaccurate count. Concerns among immigrants have risen as President Donald Trump's administration has cracked down on so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, increased arrests by federal immigration officers, called the National Guard to the border with Mexico and sought to limit travel to the U.S. from certain predominantly Muslim countries. Yet not a single Republican attorney general has sued not even from states with large immigrant populations that stand to lose if a census undercount of immigrants affects the allotment of U.S. House seats and federal funding for states. In fact, many GOP attorneys general had urged Trump's census team to add a citizenship question. "We always are better off having a more accurate count of citizens versus non-citizens. I see no downside in this," said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, vice chairman of the Republican Attorneys General Association. The diverging views of top Republican and Democratic state attorneys highlight how even the most basic data collection decisions can quickly split along partisan lines amid the intense debate about immigration policies. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced last month that the 2020 census distributed to every U.S. household will include a citizenship question for the first time since 1950. He said the question was needed in part to help the government enforce the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 law that was intended to protect the political representation of minority groups. He said it will provide a more accurate tally of voting-eligible residents than is currently available from a smaller sampling survey that includes the citizenship question. In a letter explaining his decision, Ross said the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that as many as 630,000 additional households might not respond if a citizenship question is included. Yet he acknowledged the administration did not know what the actual consequences might be because it hasn't tested the change. The nation's only dress rehearsal for the 2020 census, currently taking place in Providence, Rhode Island, does not include the citizenship question on the survey forwarded to residents. Nevertheless, Ross determined the benefits of including the question outweigh any concerns. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, filed a federal lawsuit immediately after Ross announced the question would be added. The nation's most populous state also has the highest number of foreign-born residents, most of whom are naturalized U.S. citizens or hold some other legal status. Last week, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman led a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general, the District of Columbia, six cities and the bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors in filing a second federal lawsuit. They contend the citizenship question will deter participation and illegally inhibit the Constitution's requirement for an "actual enumeration" of residents. A third lawsuit was filed this past week by a group of seven Maryland and Arizona residents who say adding the question could lead to an undercount that could diminish federal funding and congressional representation for their states. The Constitution requires representation in the U.S. House to be based on a count of the total residents in each state, not just citizens. The census, undertaken every 10 years, also is used to determine how much money to distribute to local communities through various federal programs. "If we don't count all the people who live in our city all the residents we have it could mean that our community doesn't get our fair share of moneys or aid," said Steve Adler, mayor of Austin, Texas, and a Democrat who is on the board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. "It could also mean that we don't get the representation in government at all levels. The impacts could be huge." The George Washington University Institute of Public Policy recently analyzed how a hypothetical 1 percent undercount beyond the figures reported in the 2010 census would have affected 2015 federal funding for Medicaid and several other social programs in each state, assuming the undercount occurred only in that state. The largest financial hits would have been to the Republican-led states of Texas, Florida and Ohio, the swing state of Pennsylvania and the traditionally Democratic state of Illinois, the report found. Democratic-led California and New York would not have been affected because their Medicaid reimbursement rates already are at minimum levels. Estimates of those living in the U.S. illegally range from 11 million to a little over 12 million people. Census data is not shared with immigration enforcement authorities. Yet immigrant advocates believe a citizenship question could discourage even some who are lawfully present from responding, partly because of fears the government could track down relatives living in the U.S. illegally. The U.S. has about 44 million residents who were not citizens at birth, comprising 13.5 percent of the total population, according to the most recent Census Bureau information. More than half of all immigrants live in California, Texas, New York or Florida. Last week, a Democratic state senator in Florida formally asked the state's attorney general, Republican Pam Bondi, to join the New York lawsuit challenging the citizenship question. That's unlikely because Bondi was among 11 Republican state attorneys general and two governors who signed a March 13 letter urging the Commerce Department to include a citizenship question. Minority Democrats in the Arizona Legislature also urged GOP Attorney General Mark Brnovich to join the lawsuit. But his spokesman said that won't happen, just as he refused to sign onto the Republican letter urging the question be included. "We have concerns this issue has been overly politicized," Brnovich spokesman Ryan Anderson said in a statement. The letter from Republican state officials said a census citizenship question could help minority communities by allowing those drawing legislative districts to ensure there are enough voting-eligible citizens in a particular district for minorities to be able to elect a candidate of their choice under the federal Voting Rights Act. Citizenship data from the Census Bureau's annual American Community Survey has been sufficient in past court cases to meet the standards of the Voting Rights Act, said Vanita Gupta, who oversaw the Justice Department's civil rights division during the final years of President Barack Obama's administration. That survey is sent to fewer than 3 percent of U.S. households. If a citizenship question is asked of every U.S. household, "you would basically end up with a completely inaccurate census because of the concerns around depressed participation," said Gupta, who now is president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Asked whether he believed Trump ought to be impeached, Comey replied, 'I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook' Washington: Former FBI Director James Comey says he thinks it's possible the Russians have compromising information on President Donald Trump, that there is "some evidence of obstruction of justice" in the president's actions and that Trump is "morally unfit" for office. Comey's comments in an ABC News interview that aired Sunday were almost certain to escalate his war of words with the president and further erode a relationship marked by open hostility and name-calling. Hours before the interview aired, the president, who fired Comey last year, unleashed a Twitter outburst that labeled Comey "slippery," suggested he should be put in jail and branded him "the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" Comey's televised remarks, coupled with the release of his forthcoming book, offer his version of events surrounding his firing and the investigations into Russian election meddling and Hillary Clinton's email practices. Several of the episodes he describes in detail, including a private conversation about former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn, are central to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and his recollections are presumably valuable for prosecutors examining whether the president's actions constitute obstruction of justice. The FBI director, who until his firing last May led an investigation into possible ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, acknowledged that it was "stunning" to think that Russia could have damaging information about an American president. But he said that in Trump's case, he could not discount the possibility that the president had been compromised. "These are more words I never thought I'd utter about a president of the United States, but it's possible," Comey told ABC News' chief anchor George Stephanopoulos. He also answered "possibly" when asked if the president was attempting to obstruct justice when he cleared the Oval Office of other officials last February before encouraging him to close the investigation into Flynn, who by that point was suspected of lying to the FBI about his Russian contacts. The retired general pleaded guilty last December and is now cooperating with Mueller's investigation. Comey also said he believed that Trump was "morally unfit" to be president and that he treated women like "pieces of meat." "A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it that person's not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds," Comey said. Trump on Sunday rejected Comey's assertion that Trump had sought his loyalty at a January 2017 dinner, saying "I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies." He also suggested Comey should be imprisoned, saying, "how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail)." There is no indication Comey is under investigation for doing either. Asked if the president wanted the Justice Department to investigate Comey, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Sunday on ABC News' This Week that she was not aware of a specific request. But, she said, "if they feel there was any wrongdoing, they should certainly look into that just as they do on a number of other topics." But the president's attacks on Comey began even before the interview aired. He seized on an excerpt shown Saturday in which Comey said his belief that Clinton would beat Trump in the 2016 presidential election was probably a factor in his decision to disclose the investigation into her emails. Comey, Trump tweeted, "was making decisions based on the fact that he thought she was going to win, and he wanted a job. Slimeball!" That argument was startling given that Comey's handling of the email investigation, including his disclosure shortly before the election that the FBI had reopened its probe, enraged Democrats. After Clinton's loss, many Democrats blamed Comey, and Clinton herself has said it hurt her election prospects. Comey again defended his actions, telling ABC that he made what he thought was the best decision at the time. Comey said he did not remember "consciously thinking" about the election results as he decided to disclose that the FBI had reopened its investigation into candidate Clinton's email use. But, he acknowledged, "I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump, and so I'm sure that it was a factor." "I don't remember spelling it out," he added, "but it had to have been that she's going to be elected president and if I hide this from the American people, she'll be illegitimate the moment she's elected, the moment this comes out." Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch pushed back against Comey's criticism in the book that, early in the Clinton email inquiry, she had instructed him to refer to it as a "matter" rather than an "investigation." In a statement Sunday, Lynch said she was simply following longstanding Justice Department protocol against confirming or denying the existence of an investigation. Trump fired Comey in May 2017, setting off a scramble at the Justice Department that led to the appointment of Mueller as special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation. Mueller's probe has expanded to include whether Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey. So far, 19 people including Flynn and Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort have been charged in the investigation. Flynn and two of the president's campaign aides, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos, have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with Mueller. Asked whether he believed Trump ought to be impeached, Comey replied, "I hope not because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe they're duty bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values." He added: "But you cannot have, as president of the United States, someone who does not reflect the values that I believe Republicans treasure and Democrats treasure and Independents treasure. That is the core of this country. That's our foundation. And so impeachment, in a way, would short circuit that. Husain Haqqani spoke about why Pakistan needs to maintain good relations with India, end terrorism and focus on its own human development | #FirstCulture In January, Husain Haqqani, former Pakistan envoy to the United States, was booked for writing articles and books defaming the Pakistan government and its military. Two sections of the Pakistan Penal Code were applied by the police in the FIRs 120B (hatching a criminal conspiracy) and 121A (waging a war against Pakistan). The Supreme Court has also issued an arrest warrant for me out of nowhere. Since when does the supreme court of a country issue warrants? Haqqani asked, while launching his new book Reimagining Pakistan Transforming a Dysfunctional Nuclear State in Mumbai last week. We dont like what he says, treasonous conduct, new book coming, horrible, warrant issued! he said, mocking the court's reaction. The Pakistani judiciary has never been independent since the late 1950s, and has chosen to be an adjunct to the Pakistani State, Haqqani quips. But through the course of a conversation with columnist Anil Dharker, Haqqani showed how the judiciary is only one of many complex socio-political problems Pakistan faces today. To put things into perspective, Haqqani describes the situation that the nation currently finds itself in as follows: Pakistan has gone through four wars, four military coups, one genocide, and the loss of half the country as a result of politically-driven assassinations, terrorism, sectarian discord, multiple constitutions, economic failures and chronic social underdevelopment. On Pakistan's military and religious ideology We are the sixth largest country in the world in terms of population, have the sixth largest army in the world, own the sixth largest nuclear arsenal, and yet Pakistan ranks 42nd in terms of GDP growth. A new UNICEF study showed that Pakistan has the third-highest infant malnourishment rate this is after another story revealed that Pakistan has the worlds highest infant mortality rate, he said. The army has always been a vital part of Pakistans politics, and the reason, Haqqani said, can be traced back to the time of Partition. "After Partition, Pakistan got 19 percent of British Indias population, 17 percent of its economic resources, but 33 percent of its army. So the one thing which was bigand was functionalwas the army. Unlike other countries which raised an army to meet a threat, Pakistan had to create a threat to meet the size of its army, he said. Propelled by significant financial aid to feed this growing army (Pakistans first budget in 1948 dedicated 83 percent of its revenue to defence) and radical ideologies propagated by its rulers over the decades, Pakistan kept inching ever closer to becoming an Islamic and national security state. The last political party that claimed to be a secular party in its manifesto was the Awami League, which went off with Bangladesh in 1971. Now, every political party has to declare that it is committed to the idea of an Islamic state. These are the circumstances in which the population of Pakistan exists circumstances born primarily out of propaganda and ideology, Haqqani said. When asked what it might have been like if Partition were to not happen, Haqqani said it is akin to wondering at the 70th birthday of a friend if lives would have been different had their parents decided to not have children. Theres no turning back. 95 percent of Pakistans 210 million citizens were born after Partition, as Pakistanis, and cannot give up on their home. Re-imagining the country and its ties to India As he illustrated how much of Pakistans dysfunction can be attributed to an ideology tied to religion, and to hostility with the country out of which it was carved outIndiaHaqqani insisted on the need to re-imagine the idea of the nation. What I propose is, instead of undoing Pakistan or militarily defeating it, why not persuade Pakistanis and Pakistans international backers to see that the nation needs to be completely re-conceptualised? Given the warrants waiting for him back home, how many other Pakistanis think like him? We dont know because these are not things that are openly talked about. Haqqani, who is also known as a leading expert on South Asia, a political activist, former journalist, and the former Pakistani ambassador to Sri Lanka, calls himself Indian by civilisation, but Pakistani by citizenship. "The truth is, we have 5,000 years of shared history with India and only 70 years of separation as Pakistan. We need to have good relations with India, and we need to be a country that focuses on people and our own human development rather than having grandiose ideas about attempts to transform the whole region and make it into some kind of a revived Islamic empire. Haqqani believes there is tremendous potential for India-Pakistan relations. If ASEAN countries can have 25 percent of their trade with one another, NAFTA countries can have 50 percent of their trade with each other, and European countries can build such healthy economic relations too, he says India and Pakistan are too close to each other to not have healthy trade relations. Once the trade begins, the notion of the enemy disappears as you get to know more people from the other side. Im a big advocate of solving this first, because once we do this, the armys propaganda machine will cease to work for the radical Islamist idea that is eating at the roots of Pakistan. On solving the issue of terrorism, and ties with China But for trade to flourish with neighbours, terrorism has to be checked first. Once Pakistan actually makes a serious decision to shut down all terror groups, we will have a process where we understand that making friends first and solving disputes later is always the better strategy than insisting on solving disputes first and making friends later, he said. As is often pointed out, at the heart of India-Pakistan ties, however, lies the Kashmir conflict. But Haqqani disagrees. At the risk of annoying a lot of people who say Kashmir is unfinished business, there are other countries with disputes too, but they dont make themselves hostages of those disputes. We have to be pragmatic and think about the people of Kashmir, who I dont think are getting what they deserve, neither through Indian policy nor through Pakistani policy. Pakistan doesnt have to say it accepts Indias position on Kashmir Pakistan can instead turn to trade, travel, opening up tourism, cross-country educational admissions, among other things. As far as other countries in the region go, Pakistan has always remained closest to China, with whom the nation has embarked on multiple infrastructure projects under the banner of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Replacing the United States as Pakistans best friend internationally, China invested $46 billion in Pakistans infrastructure development projects in 2015, but Haqqani warns the friendship may not last very long. Although Haqqani says investment in infrastructure is a good idea as long as something moves along the roads and the ports, he fears CPEC may be a death trap. Evidences of such a possibility were seen in December last year, when the Chinese government stopped funding three infrastructure projects in Pakistan under CPEC. We will end up owing China a lot of money. One good thing about the Americans was at least they gave away grants at times, and they were quite happy to forgive debt sometimes. The Chinese dont do that they are very particular about loans. This equation could get sour very quickly. Of all approaches to reimagine the idea of Pakistan, Haqqani insisted the effort has to begin by changing the nations image as a dangerous, unstable land, a terrorist incubator or the land of the intolerant. And that will be easier if it prioritised redefining relationships with its neighbours, he said. Turkey said Emmanuel Macron will be unable to 'break' its partnership with Russia, after he argued air strikes against the Syrian regime had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. Ankara: Turkey on Monday said French President Emmanuel Macron will be unable to "break" its partnership with Russia, after he argued the weekend's air strikes against the Syrian regime had driven a wedge between Ankara and Moscow. NATO allies, including France, have become wary of the flourishing friendship between Ankara and Moscow based on joint efforts to end the seven-year Syrian civil war. "We can think differently but they (our relations with Russia) are not so weak that the French president can break them," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. "We have strong relations with Russia," Cavusoglu added. "But our relations with Russia are not an alternative to NATO relations or our allies." Stoltenberg hailed Turkey's position in NATO, which Ankara joined in 1952 with strong American support to anchor Turkey firmly in the West amid the Cold War. "Turkey really does a lot for our alliance, despite facing serious security challenges... Turkey is important for NATO and NATO is important for Turkey," he said. "That is the strength of this alliance: 29 allies, standing together, protecting each other," Stoltenberg added. 'Befitting of a president' In an interview with French television, Macron suggested that the weekend air strikes against Syrian government targets had succeeded in engineering a split in the Russia-Turkey alliance. "With these strikes and this intervention, we separated the Russians and the Turks on this issue... the Turks condemned the chemical strike and supported the operation that we conducted," the French president told BFM TV in an interview. Russia and Iran are the key allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and their military intervention in Syria is widely seen as helping him stay in power. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday had welcomed the strikes, which he described as "appropriate" and strongly condemned the alleged chemical attack. But Cavusoglu said Macron was mistaken in his assessment and said that Ankara "expected statements befitting of a president" and should express himself "more seriously". Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag also hit back at Macron, saying our "Syria policy is not a policy of being on the same side or being opposed to another country." The dispute marked the latest outbreak of tension between Ankara and Paris after Macron offered to mediate between Turkey and outlawed Kurdish militants, an offer furiously rejected by Erdogan. Erdogan said Monday he had told Macron on the phone that France should first take responsibility for massacres in colonial Algeria and also its failures over the Rwanda genocide before lecturing Turkey on Syria. "You (France) killed people there. Are you going to account for that?" he said in a speech in Istanbul. 'Differ on several issues' Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov denied that the air strikes prompted a split between Moscow and Ankara, who reconciled in 2016 after Turkey shot down a Russian plane over Syria. "It's not a secret that Ankara and Moscow's positions differ on a number of issues," he said. But he emphasised that such differences would have "no impact on the prospects of our cooperation in a number of areas," Peskov. On a visit to Ankara earlier this month, Putin launched the construction of Turkey's first nuclear power station which is being built by Russia. Meanwhile, Turkey's Western allies are closely watching its deal to buy S-400 air defence systems from Russia which some officials have warned may not be compatible with Western technology. Also earlier this month, Erdogan hosted a summit on Syria with Iran and Russia in Ankara, the second such meeting after trilateral talks in November in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. Cavusoglu said that Macron had expressed interest in attending the Ankara summit and Erdogan then sounded out Moscow and Tehran over the idea. But while Putin did not oppose him coming, Iran preferred to meet with just the three presidents and leave a broader summit for later, he said. Nasheed, who was the President of the Maldives between 2008 and 2012, was charged with crimes related to terrorism after his term ended Geneva: The UN Human Rights Committee on Monday urged the Maldivian government to allow former President Mohamed Nasheed to stand for office, including the upcoming presidential election. Nasheed, who was the President of the Maldives between 2008 and 2012, was charged with crimes related to terrorism after his term ended and sentenced to 13 years in jail in 2015 as well as barred from running in a presidential election for 16 years, reports Efe news. "The UN human rights experts found that the judicial proceedings in which Nasheed was convicted were based on vague legislation, contained serious flaws and violated his right to a fair trial under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)," the Committee said in a statement. It also observed that restrictions on Nasheed's right to stand for office violated his right to political participation under article 25 of the ICCPR. "Political rights can be suspended or restricted only in exceptional circumstances and under certain conditions. And judicial proceedings that violate the right to fair trial can render the resulting restriction of political rights arbitrary," said Sarah Cleveland, a member of the committee. The committee's decision, taken on April 4 and made public on Monday, urged the Maldives to quash Nasheed's conviction and if necessary conduct a new trial to ensures fair trial guarantees. "As a party to the ICCPR, Maldives is obliged to make full reparation to individuals whose rights have been violated. We have asked Maldives to inform us within 180 days about the measures they have taken to implement our decision," said Yuval Shany, vice-chair of the Human Rights Committee. The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia over an alleged chemical attack by the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, Nikki Haley said Washington: The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia over an alleged chemical attack by the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Monday. Haley said the sanctions, to be announced Monday by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, would target companies that supplied Damascus with equipment and other material related to chemical weapons. "You will see that Russian sanctions will be coming down. Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin will be announcing those on Monday, if he hasn't already," Haley said in an interview with CBS's "Face the Nation." "They will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," she said. The move follows air strikes by US, French and British forces in retaliation for an alleged Syrian chemical weapons attack on 7 April in Douma, a rebel-held town near Damascus where more than 40 people were killed. US military officials said the air strikes early Saturday in Syria took out "the heart" of Syria's residual chemical weapons capability. The strikes sought to avoid contact with Russian forces in the country to support Assad's regime. But US officials have blamed Russia for failing to rein in its Syrian ally, as the guarantor of a 2013 agreement to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons. That agreement was brokered by Moscow to avert retaliatory US strikes in the wake of a sarin attack in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus on 21 August, 2013 that reportedly killed more than 1,400 civilians. "I think everyone knows that we sent a strong message and our hope is that they listen to it," Haley said of this week's air strikes. "With the political and diplomatic actions that we're taking now, we wanted their friends Iran and Russia to know that we meant business and that they were going to be feeling the pain from this as well," she said. During the weekend, SEGA has provided a couple unexpected announcements about its hardware and software lineup. The most interesting, yet long anticipated, was a PC, PS4 and Xbox One Shenmue remaster. The developer has provided very slight details about the Shenmue I & II package but has indeed hosted a small event for few Internet personalities and selected members of the press, who had a chance to be given some additional particulars. According to Youtuber Adam Koralik, who was among them, SEGA revealed that the collection is being released at the price of 29,99 dollars, which should not be very surprising if you consider that, in terms of the technology put into place, its just an upscale of the original games. So it isnt a remake and it would be hard to define them even remasters, which indeed is not the terms used by the publisher, and HD its not even mentioned nor on the box art neither in the press releases delivered thus far. On top of this, therell be an element of novelty in the likes of the achievements included on all the platforms (PC via Steam, PS4s Trophies, and Xbox One), and there will be the opportunity to choose among Japanese and English dubs. The release date has yet to be revealed, but were told Shenmue I & II is coming in 2018. It would make sense to see it drop at least a few months before the third chapter, which is also slated by the end of the year. European Council approves 45 million in financial assistance for Georgia - GeorgianJournal PC market exceeds expectations with flat shipment Growth: IDC News oi-Priyanka The year kicked off with optimism returning to the US PC market, especially on the notebook side," said Neha Mahajan, senior research analyst, Devices & Displays. According to a report by research firm IDC, worldwide shipments of traditional PCs (desktop, notebook, and workstation) totaled 60.4 million units and recorded flat (0.0 percent) year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2018 (1Q18). The report said that "The results exceeded the earlier forecast of a 1.5 percent decline and mark the third consecutive quarter where traditional PC shipment volume has hovered around flat growth year on year." The component shortage that initially impacted portions of 2017 led some vendors to stock up inventory to avoid expected component price hikes, and that led to some concerns of excess stock that would be hard to digest in subsequent quarters," said Jay Chou, research manager with IDC's Personal computing Device Tracker. "However, the market is continuing on a resilient path that should see modest commercial momentum through 2020." The year kicked off with optimism returning to the US PC market, especially on the notebook side," said Neha Mahajan, senior research analyst, Devices & Displays. "A likely rise in commercial activity amidst a positive economic environment is expected to further strengthen demand. The retail platform to shows signs of stability especially with a fast-growing gaming community adding to the confidence," she said. While giving regional highlights research firm pointed out that, "The USA market saw a promising opening quarter for the year with almost all major vendors reporting increases in notebook sales. Overall, total PC shipments for 1Q18 stood at 13.5 million units, while In Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the traditional PC market showed stable growth for the quarter, benefiting from a positive performance across both product categories. Thomson re-enters Indian market with smart LED TVs, invested Rs 150 cr in manufacturing Furthermore, report pointed out that HP Inc. maintained a comfortable lead over all others in the market, Lenovo saw a flat quarter in 1Q18, the third consecutive quarter in which the company saw year-on-year volume stabilize with flat global growth and a slower pace of decline in the US, Dell Inc. posted the strongest year-on-year growth out of all the major companies and Acer held onto the fourth position, and Apple finished the quarter in the fifth position with a year-on-year decline in shipments of 4.8 percent. Best Mobiles in India EMI offer on smartphones on Amazon: Honor 7X, Galaxy on7 Prime, LG Q6, Vivo V7, Oppo A83 and more Features oi-Harish Kumar Amazon India has announced the EMI Fest for smartphones where the e-commerce platform will provide EMI offers on smartphones such as Honor 7X, Galaxy On7 Prime, LG Q6, Vivo V7, Oppo A83 and more. The EMI Fest will run from April 14th to April 20th. To avail these offers, users will have to place a minimum order of Rs 7,000. Amazon will be offering a maximum cashback of 10 percent up to Rs 1,500. The website also mentions the latest cashback date as June 20th. The offer includes latest smartphones launched in the market Vivo V7 that comes with an attractive design, offering an iPhone X-like display notch. It features a full-view display with 18:9 aspect ratio. Upto 30% Discounts on Gaming Laptops to Buy in India Other smartphones include Honor 7X that was launched last year. The device comes with all the essential features with fast processing. We have boiled down a list of smartphones you can buy through Amazon's EMI Fest to make your purchase decision even simpler. 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 Huawei might launch a foldable smartphone in November News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Huawei might bring the first foldable smartphone to the market. Huawei, as we know has joined the bandwagon of building a foldable smartphone, but now it seems it will be the first launch one. According to a new report from ET Times, the company is aiming to unveil the new device in November. The report also adds that Huawei has opted for an "inward" folding mechanism, unlike Samsung who is said to be working on a "fold back" design. The report further states that LG Display will be supplying the display panels to Huawei, instead of the biggest OLED player Samsung Display. It is still unclear whether the device will be available in big quantity, as Huawei might take cues from initial user feedback to shape up the production of the device. This isn't the first time a company has been ambitious about a foldable smartphone design. Earlier ZTE unveiled its Axon M which comprised of two screens. Besides, other major OEMs such as Samsung, OPPO, and others have been working on the new form factor. LG also recently won a new patent for a foldable smartphone that has two batteries. What's more surprising, in a time where major OEMs are cutting ties with the 3.5mm audio jack and turning to Lightning and Type-C ports for audio, LG's new patent has room for two audio jacks. The patent was published by the World Intellectual Property Organization. The new patent has an uncanny resemblance with the ZTE Axon M going by the fact that the design revolves around two display panels connected through a hinge. The new patent also envisions what is essentially a combination of two standalone displays that have their own battery reservoir and separate 3.5mm audio ports for audio accessories. One of the two screens appears to feature an optical fingerprint sensor placed underneath the display, with the same side also housing a dual camera setup. It's unclear whether both the batteries will be used simultaneously, well that could be the case to balance the battery life of both the cells. Well, this goes without saying that not all patents make it to the production stage, and get scrapped due to the technical constraints. But it will be interesting to see how companies develop these smartphones that offer functionality and looks at the same time. 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 X could be unveiled by HMD Global on April 27 News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia X could make a comeback after four years as HMD Global seems to be in plans to give it another life. HMD Global is expected to host an event on April 27 in China to unveil a new smartphone. And, the speculations suggest that this device could be the Nokia X. It was back in 2014 that the Nokia X was launched when the company was owned by Microsoft. It carried the credits of being the first Nokia-branded Android smartphone amidst the devices running Windows Phone. Now GizmoChina reveals that HMD Global, which owns the license to launch Nokia smartphones is all set to unveil the Nokia X later this month. The report reveals the digital signposts with silhouettes of two smartphones crossed to form an X. And, it tips at the April 27 launch date. The image reveals a few other details as well. Information regarding the upcoming Nokia X comes in as a huge surprise. It remains to be known if this will be a mid-range device or a flagship smartphone. The leaked image has revealed that the smartphone might arrive with a 2.5D curved display and flaunt a metal back, which appears to be curved at the corners. Nokia X concept video While nothing else regarding the Nokia X is known for now, we came across a concept video of the smartphone earlier this month. The concept tipped that the smartphone will have a durable and trendy build as the other smartphones from HMD Global. The concept video showed a futuristic design with a metal and glass build. The smartphone appears to embrace the full-screen design and feature a notch as in the iPhone X. However, the notch has been visualized to be positioned at the top left corner instead of being at the center of the screen. It also seems to flaunt stereo speakers, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and dual cameras at the rear from Zeiss. These two sensors are seen to be positioned horizontally with an LED flash at the middle. The other aspects shown by the concept include a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack. Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 6 First Impressions Leaving the concept video aside, there is no clue if the upcoming smartphone will be called Nokia X (ex) or Nokia X (10). If it happens to be the latter, then it could be the flagship device allegedly dubbed Nokia 10, which surfaced in rumors and speculations earlier. We are quite interested to know what HMD Global has to roll out its sleeve on April 27. But we do not expect a flagship smartphone as there has been no hype surrounding the announcement of such a device lately. Best Mobiles in India Announcement and release If the Cupertino-based company sticks to its basics, the iOS 12 will be announced at World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2018 which will run from June 4 to June 8 this year. As for the official release, Apple for the past four years has rolled out the software update in the second week of September. So we can expect the iOS 12 to land on our devices before September 20th. Before we start, it's imperative to know that nothing about iOS 12 is known as of now and everything that follows is something the users want to see on the upcoming version of the operating system. Bug-free experience It's nothing new if someone says that iOS 11 had a fair amount of bugs and performance issues. So the first most change any Apple user would expect is an issue-free experience. We hope that the company prioritizes cleaning up bugs and optimizing the battery life, interface issues, and performance hurdles. There have been many reports that the company will not be making huge overhauls to the iOS in terms of features, but will be more focused on offering a smooth and seamless functionality. It is also been speculated that the company might take a new approach manifest with the launch of iOS 12. Display enhancements If we consider the features an OLED display offers, an always-on display makes the most sense. This would not only offer an equal functionality like its Android equivalents but also bring something new to the table for an iPhone user. Although the iPhone does have the "raise to wake" ability, a feature that notifies the user of messages and other alerts without having to touch the device will a welcomed change. Widgets While the Control Center does all the work that the widgets on Android do such as controlling music directly from home screen, but you'll only understand the difference if you've used an Android phone. If Apple manages to balance the feature with battery life, home screen widgets would definitely come in handy. Control Center and Parental control After trying out different versions of the Control Center, Apple seems to have nailed it with the iOS 11, at least for the iPhone. Everything can be found on the front page, with 3D touch offering a meaningful effect which can also be customized. Besides, there were reports that Apple is working on a tool that will help prevent iPhone addiction in kids. This will be company's first step towards fighting public-health crisis that concerns young kids. The iOS 12 might as well be the first operating system to feature any such feature. iPads Apple, with the release of iOS 11 enhanced the iPad UI to support the use cases for the device. With the new OS, it could only go forward. The new multi-tasking UI and drag and drop are one of the very good additions which users would want to see joined across other apps when working on multiple documents. Smarter Siri Apple, though was one of the first companies to pave way for voice-based digital assistants with Siri, it really never had the research data nor the resources to approach AI development as its rivals. With the company hiring John Giannandrea, Google's former head of search and artificial intelligence, we can expect a smarter version of Siri which will be more relevant and useful to the users. Apple fanatics won't have to wait any longer since it's only two months until Apple unveils the next iOS. We just have wait and watch what's in store. Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News. GREENWICH Its down to four choices for the next book in the Greenwich Reads Together project, and this year readers will have a say in the selection. For the first time in the programs eight-year history, public input will determine which will be the book selected for the community-wide reading event. A final four has been settled upon and an online poll has been set up at www.greenwichreadstogether.org for people to vote until April 27. We wanted to do something different that would engage the community and give them some real ownership of the outcome, Kate Petrov, Greenwich Librarys public relations officer, said on Monday. The library staff reviewed many other community reads programs across the country and found that some let their community chose the final book, including the One Book, One New York program in New York City, so we thought it would be a new and exciting way to engage Greenwich in this program. The survey officially opened on Monday. The four titles under consideration are, Exit West by Mosin Hamid, a novel about love in a city on the brink of civil war; Janesville by Amy Goldstein, a non-fiction selection about General Motors oldest plant shutting down after the 2008 recession; Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Imbue, a novel about an immigrant couple making a life in New York City at the time of the recession; and Code Girls by Liza Mundy, which is a history of 10,000 female code breakers working during World War II to help the Allied cause. More information about the titles is available online along with the survey. The committee felt it would be important to provide a balance of fiction and nonfiction titles, Petrov said. Each title is well-reviewed, and the Selection Committee felt that each would be well-received by the community. Greenwich Reads Together has featured fiction and non-fiction in the past. The four titles had to meet several requirements of the Greenwich Reads Together Selection Committee. The books had to be of literary quality, reflective of universal issues and capable of generating thought-provoking discussions while also lending themselves to engaging public programs and appeal to a diverse population. For a book to be chosen, the author has to be available to come to Greenwich for an appearance. Choosing among the four will be difficult, but theres no wrong way to decide, library officials said in a statement. A choice could be made based on how well the book meets the official selection criteria or on how much community discussion the book might generate. Some people may simply choose the book they most want to read. The winning title will be announced in May. Were looking for wide community engagement in the vote, Petrov said. We hope there will be a clear winner, but if there is a tie or other issue, it will be resolved by our Selection Committee. In 2017, the community read News of the World, an acclaimed historical novel by Paulette Jiles about a former soldier in the aftermath of the Civil War traveling around Texas and bringing newspapers from all over the globe. During Greenwich Reads Together, more than 40 events were held, including Jiles coming for an authors talk, concerts, a panel discussion and film screenings. The voting definitely adds some extra fun and excitement to the process, Petrov said. Our committee was very energized by the prospect of the community ultimately deciding the book. I cant wait to see how it turns out. An imminent implosion is threatening Algerias stability as several regions of its south are boiling in protest over decades of economic marginalization, said Algerian opposition leader Said Saadi. Saadi, who was speaking to Algerian diaspora in Quebec, said the Amazigh speaking Kabylie region has always been portrayed as a region of dissent, but today the South is boiling. The Mzab region in Ghardaia and the Touareg territory of Tamenraset bear the seeds of an imminent instability, he said. Saadi, who has left the opposition RCD party which he founeded, warned that the Algerian state is heading towards a chaotic implosion, noting that the regimes attempt to impose a fifth term for President Bouteflika will put the country on brink of disintegration. The longer Algeria waits to settle its silently brewing crisis the more complicated the solution, he said. He said that the debate over the fifth term is distracting attention from the structural defects facing Algeria, adding that Algerias crisis is to be understood within the prism of nation building. Despite his health condition, which has confined him to a wheelchair since 2013, his inability to speak intelligibly in public or even meet visiting counterparts, Bouteflika is poised to run for a fifth term, the ruling party FLN leaders announced. FLN wants the president to continue his mission he started in 1999, as head of the state, said FLN Secretary General Djamel Ould Abbes, at a meeting with officials of his party in Algiers earlier this month. The President is seriously ill and his voice is barely intelligible. Due to his failing health, Bouteflika last year canceled meetings with a number of foreign heads of state who were visiting Algeria or planning to visit the country, including Venezuelan President Maduro, German Chancellor Angela Merkel who had to call off her visit to Algeria and Iranian President Hassan Rohani who also postponed a visit sine die. Analysts deem that maintaining a sick President whose physical and mental capacities are shrouded in uncertainty is indicative of a power struggle within the countrys regime. The contending clans within the regime seem not in agreement over Bouteflikas successor. Therefore, they maintain the ailing 80-year old President as a time buying measure in a sign that bodes ill for the countrys future. Meanwhile, the country needs a strong leadership to help it stoke the effects of the long-term fall in oil prices, which propelled Algeria to adopt austerity measures further igniting tensions and undermining Algerias social peace. Algerias south is plagued by instability. Most western countries advice their citizens against travel to the Algerian Sahara, the region being fraught with risks of kidnapping by terrorist groups. The population of oil and gas rich south have also protested at the governments plundering of their resources. Ain Salah and Ouargla have been the theatre of violent clashes with security forces. The region of Ghardaia was rocked by violent sectarian fights between Amazigh Ibadites and Arab Malikites. Regime opacity and the secrecy shrouding the successor to Bouteflika have also been hampering Algeria from carrying out economic reforms to wean their economy from dependence on hydrocarbons. Uncertainty over Bouteflikas succession adds to Algerias explosive mix: ailing economy, dwindling oil revenues, widespread corruption, fragile social cohesion and lingering terrorist threat, which make the country a powder keg waiting to explode. These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. It is still Monday but Sony already delivered what will likely be the biggest announcement of the week. The Japanese company just introduced its first phone with dual cameras - Xperia XZ2 Premium. The phone has a 4K HDR screen, Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6 GB RAM and the ability to capture photos and videos in extremely low-lit environments. The TRILUMINOS display is 5.8 with a resolution of 2160 x 3840 pixels in the standard 16:9 ratio. Wrapped between a 2.5D Gorilla Glass 5 and a glass back, the phone follows the Ambient Flow design that was introduced with the Xperia XZ2 and Xperia XZ2 Compact at MWC 2018. The fingerprint is in the center of the back panel, positioned right under the biggest talking point - the dual camera. The main camera has a large 19 MP 1/2.3 Exmor RS sensor, f/1.8 lens, and 1.22m pixel size. The secondary snapper is a 12 MP 1/2.3 monochrome unit to boost low-light performance. The lens is f/1.6, while the pixel size is 1.55m. The secondary camera works together with the main camera to improve image quality. Sony will release an update in Q3 2018 that will allow you to shoot exclusively in monochrome using the secondary camera and also use it to take pictures with background blur. The camera module and Fusion ISP that were proudly showcased at MWC found their way in the XZ2 Premium to capture images with ISO 51,200 and videos with ISO 12,800. The selfie snapper also boasts some impressive specs - 13 MP with 1/3.06 Exmor RS sensor that can boost its sensitivity all the way up to ISO 3200. The Xperia XZ2 Premium comes with Quick Charge 3.0 support for its 3,540 mAh power cell. It also has with Smart Stamina and STAMINA modes for those moments when you want to squeeze every last minute out of your remaining charge. There is also Qi wireless charging on board. What the Xperia XZ2 Premium does not have is a 3.5 mm audio jack, since the Japanese company decided to follow the trend of Apple, Google, and HTC devices. Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium in Chrome Black and Chrome Silver The new Sony flagship stands at 158 x 80 x 11.9 mm, although its curved back means it's just 6.4 mm at the edges. It's weight is massive though - 236 grams. The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium will arrive in the upcoming summer. It will run Android Oreo and will be available in either Chrome Black or Chrome Silver colors. Pricing will be detailed closer to the launch. Source Xiaomi confirms Mi 6X will be the star of April 25 event, 20MP cameras on board Xiaomi had already sent out invites to an April 25 event but it wasn't crystal clear what it will unveil nor where it will hold the event. Well, the next teaser clears both of those - Xiaomi will unveil the Mi 6X (and Mi A2) in Wuhan - the province capital of Hubei. The place is dear to Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun who obtained his Computer Science degree in Wuhan back in 1991. The official teaser confirms the Xiaomi Mi 6X's dual 20MP cameras while the recent rumors add that it will have a 5.99-inch 2160x1080px tall-aspect display, a Snapdragon 626 chipset and 4GB of RAM with 64GB of storage. There will be a relatively modest 2,910mAh battery. The Xiaomi Mi A2 will be a mirror image, except that it will be an Android One device and will run stock Android, rather than MIUI. Source Forum set for local Democrats next Tuesday With the June 5 primary elections less than two months away, candidates from across Montana will be coming to the area in the coming weeks to introduce themselves to voters. People will have a chance to hear from and question several Hill County Democratic candidates at a candidate forum next week, and a congressional and a Public Service Commission candidate will be in Havre later this week. Andrew Markoff, campaign manager for Democratic U.S. House candidate Kathleen Williams, said Friday that Williams will be in Havre for a public meet and greet Thursday at Triple Dog Brewing Co. from 5 to 7 p.m. Williams, a former state representative from Bozeman is running against John Heenan, Grant Kier, Jared Pettinato, John Meyer, and former state Sen. Lynda Moss, D-Billings, in the June 5 Democratic primary to be the partys candidate. The winner of the primary will face incumbent Greg Gianforte, a Republican, as well as Libertarian Elinor Swanson and Green Party candidate Doug Campbell in November. Hill County Republican Central Committee Chair Andrew Brekke said Montana Public Service Commission District 1 Republican candidate Randy Pinocci, a former state representative, will be the featured speaker at Fridays meeting of the North Central Pachyderm Club. The meeting will be at noon in the Vineyard Room of the Duck Inn in Havre Hill County Democratic Central Committee Chair and state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre, said the Hill County Candidate Forum will be Tuesday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. in Hensler Auditorium in the Applied Technology Center on the Montana State University-Northern campus. The Hill County Democratic Central Committee will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. in Hensler immediately before the forum. Each candidate at the forum will have the chance to speak and then answer questions from members of the audience, Bachmeier said. Campaign literature and signs will also be available at the forum, he said. The forum will be hosted by the Young Democrats of MSU-Northern, a campus chapter of the Democratic Party that was started last fall, he said. Local attorney Randy Randolph and Deputy County Attorney Karen Alley, both Democrats running to be the partys candidate for Hill County Attorney, will take part in the forum, Bachmeier said. No other candidates have filed in that race. Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson and his Democratic primary challenger Dana Kjersem will take part in the forum, Bachmeier said. The winner of the that primary will face Independent Dale Hansonl in the general election. Candidates unopposed in the primaries will also be at the event. Bear Paw Development Corp. Executive Director Paul Tuss, the Democrat in the race for state Senate District 14, will speak at the forum, as will Montana Public Service Commission District 1 candidate Doug Kaercher, Bachmeier said. Senate District 14 extends from the Canadian border north of Chester down to Great Falls to just past the eastern border of Havre. Incumbent Russ Tempel, R-Chester, and Havre business owner and Hill County Republican Central Committee Finance Director Brad Lotton are running in the primary to take on Tuss in the general election. Bachmeier said Doug Kaercher, the Democrat running in Montana Public Service Commission District 1 will speak at the forum. Kaercher, a former Hill County Commissioner and the Havre Clerk/Finance Director, is the Democratic candidate in the race for District 1. The district spans from the North Dakota border west to Toole County and south to Cascade County. Along with Pinocci, state Rep. Randy Cook, R-Shelby; Mark Wicks of Inverness and Cory McKinney of Great Falls are running in the Republican primary. Bachmeier, who is also up for re-election in House District 28, will be master of ceremonies at the forum, Bachmeier said he will also likely speak about his time in office and his campaign going forward. He added that people who want to ask questions do not have to submit them ahead of time, but if they want to make sure their questions are asked they can email them to [email protected] The forum is free and open to the public, and attendees do not have to be Democrats, Bachmeier said. Its for everyone, he said. The most convienent place for people to park is in the south parking lot off 13th Street, Bachmeier said. The Applied Technology Center is located east of the parking lot of College Road next to the Farm Mechanics Building. Havre Police Department Friday at 8:14 a.m. officers investigated a gunshot wound that was called in from Northern Montana Hospital. Officers determined it to be an accidental gunshot and no crime was committed. An auto crash was investigated Friday at 1:06 p.m. on First Street and Fifth Avenue after several 911 calls were made. Kyle J. Rummel of Havre, 29, was issued a summons on charges of criminal contempt and revocation of suspended or deferred sentence at the Havre Police Department Friday at 2:11 p.m. Nicholas Lee Peet of Kremlin, 30, was issued a summons on a charge of endangering the welfare of children at a First Street establishment Friday at 2:37 p.m. Larae Ann Sunchild of Havre, 36, was arrested on a Justice or City Court Warrant Friday at 9:31 p.m. at a Ninth Avenue business. Greg Aaron Boucher of Havre, 53, was arrested on charges of aggravated DUI and careless driving after a vehicle stop Friday at 9:40 p.m. on the 600 Block between Second and Third Avenue. Josiah S. Dust of Havre, 25, was arrested on charges of partner or family member assault after a vehicle stop Friday at 11:53 p.m. on Second Street. A 14-year-old was issued a summons on a charge of minor in possession on First Street Northeast after a caller reported a confused, intoxicated minor Saturday at 12:03 a.m. Officers investigated Saturday at 11:06 a.m. after a caller reported the drivers window busted out of a vehicle on 14th Avenue. Shane OFlynn of Normandy Park, Washington, 27, was arrested on a charge of tresspass to vehicles at Havre Police Department Saturday at 5:13 p.m. after the complaint and said his son would not get out of the car. Officers investigated a theft at a First Street business Saturday at 7:18 p.m. after a caller noticed the license plate was removed from their vehicle but it unsure of where is happened. Claudia Pandora Bell of Havre, 19, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant after she turned herself in Saturday at 8:17 p.m. at the Havre Police Department. A 15-year-old and a 16-year-old were each issued a summons on a charge of juvenile curfew violations Sunday at 1:39 a.m. on Fifth Avenue. Kaylin Maye Doney of Havre, 20, was issued a summons on a charge of disorderly conduct Sunday at 1:51 a.m. at a First Street business after a caller reported that a woman was hit in the head by a glass bottle. Sunday at 12:13 a.m. at a First Street business, officers made two arrests after the caller reported a violent shoplifter. No further details were provided on the charges. Ladawna Rose Chiefgoesout of Box Elder, 46, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant Sunday at 4:27 p.m. on Third Street. Hill County Sheriff's Office Desarae Rose Matte of Harlem, 27, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and a charge of probation violation Friday at 4:14 p.m. at a U.S. Highway 2 West business after a caller reported a female who has a warrant was blocking her in. Larae Ann Sunchild of Havre, 36, was arrested on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of dangerous drugs Friday at 10:49 p.m. at Hill County Detention Center. Deputies investigated an assault reported at the detention center Saturday at 8:39 a.m. Nico V. Tepezano of Fort Worth, Texas, 26, was arrested on a charge of trespass Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at the east end of the rail yard. Officers investigated a call about two men fighting Saturday at 7:14 p.m. at a Box Elder establishment. Officers investigated a Sunday 11:56 a.m. theft call from U.S. Highway 2 West, after a caller stated that she was at her friends house and a female stole her tablet. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to three calls Saturday and four calls Sunday. Fire crews responded to a carbon monoxide alarm Friday at 11:36 a.m. on the 300 Block of Ninth Street. The crews were on stand-by until NorthWestern Energy arrived. NWE detected a small amount of carbon monoxide coming from the furnace, so they called a furnace company to come fix the problem. Fire crews responded to a public assist Saturday at 1 p.m. on the 900 Block of Montana Avenue after a caller reported diesel leaking out of the back of a truck. Fire crews responded to a fire call Sunday at 6:04 a.m. on the 2600 Block of Highway 2 West. The crews saw no fire but detected a little smoke from the furnace. They determined it was caused by a mechanical error. Fire crews responded to a fire alarm Sunday at 7:57 a.m. on the 800 Block of Fourth Street, which was determined to be a false alarm. Havre Animal Shelter This morning the shelter held four medium-hair cats whose sex is listed as unknown, three medium-hair male cats, one medium-hair female cat, and one female short-hair cat. The shelter held this morning an 11-month-old male Australian shepherd, a 4-year-old female German shepherd-Labrador retriever cross, a 1-year-old Affenpincher whose sex is listed as unknown, a 1-year-2-month-old male Labrador retriever-Boston terrier cross, a 5-year-1-month-old female Australian shepherd and 5-year-old male husky. Arab leaders have renewed their rejection of the American Administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, describing the decision as illegal. We affirm the illegality of the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as we categorically refuse to recognize Jerusalem (Al-Quds) as the capital of Israel, where East Al-Quds will remain the capital of the State of Palestine, stated the Arab leaders in the final declaration issued at the end of the 29th Arab League Summit convened Sunday in the Saudi eastern city of Dhahran. Arab leaders warned against taking any action that would change the current legal and political status of Al-Quds and called on world countries not to transfer their embassies to Jerusalem or to recognize it as the capital of Israel. They also called on the international community to bear its responsibilities regarding the Israeli violations and the arbitrary measures that affect Al-Aqsa Mosque and its worshipers. Arab leaders reaffirmed that the cause of Palestine is a priority cause for the entire Arab nation and stressed the Arab identity of occupied East Al-Quds as the capital of the State of Palestine. They stressed the importance of a comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East as a strategic Arab option. They pointed out in this connection that the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted by all Arab countries at Beirut Summit in 2002, is still the most comprehensive plan to address all final status issues, provides security, acceptance and peace to Israel with all Arab countries. They likewise reaffirmed their continued efforts to re-launch serious and effective Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations that will end the political stalemate resulting from the intransigence of Israeli positions. The conflict could be ended through a two-state solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of 4 July 1967 with East Al-Quds as its capital. This is the way to achieve security and stability in the region, the declaration said, affirming Arab countries rejection to all unilateral Israeli steps aimed at changing the facts on the ground and undermining the two-state solution. High School students statewide will have the opportunity to experience first-hand what life is like in the police academy this summer in Helena. The Montana Association of Chiefs of Police will be sponsoring the Montana Junior Police Academy on the campus of the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena. The academy will last for one week, July 8-14. Havre Police Department Chief Gabe Matosich said that the academy gives students a good chance to learn about public service and about being in law enforcement. According to the Havre Police Department press release, The JPLA is designed for high school students who want to work on leadership skills being taught through a law enforcement perspective. The JPLA will include instruction in the classroom as well as scenario based training. The press release also said that the academy will include physical activity and some of the classes include driving skills, firearm skills, physical fitness and crime scene investigation. Matosich said it will be a good experience because the students will get to experience life like it is in the actual academy. The association covers all the costs associated with the academy. This includes a dress down uniform; Matosich said, anything they would need for academy will be provided. All high school-aged students in Montana are able to apply. Matosich said he would encourage any student to apply who is interested in what law enforcement does or (students who) want to be in law enforcement. Matosich said that applications are available on the associations website at http://macop.com under current events. After filling out the application, Matosich said, students can send the application to the police chief in their community and the police department will submit it to the academy. Matosich added that about 30 kids are admitted to the JPLA and most kids who apply will be accepted. Applications are due April 26 and Matosich said interested students can contact Havre High School Resource Officer Josh Holt or Matosich at 265-4361 if they have any questions. Hingst claimed that Short started farting the day he returned to the head office and took a desk in the communal office space, and this escalated to occuring every day. Phillip Hamilton, a former employee, told the court he recalled times Hingst got quite offended by some of the stuff that went on. Obviously there were incidences where [Mr Short] had a propensity to walk over to the printer, which was next to me and I think [Mr Hingst] sat behind where the printer was and [Mr Short] would flatulate [sic], he would fart you know and that would happen quite frequently, he said. I mean I would laugh it off or you know walk out or whatever. But I knew that [Mr Hingst] took quite offence to it and I to be honest at the time I didnt understand. In the end, the court ruled that the issues stemmed from redundancies rather than passing wind. Justice Zammit added: Indeed, on (his) own evidence, had he not lost his job and been abused over the telephone, the flatulence would 'never have been a big issue. Ward blasts board over county manager bonuses Related Stories Henderson County Commission candidate Don Ward is questioning the action by the Board of Commissioners granting large bonuses to the county manager, saying the amounts appear to be excessive and should have been approved in an open session. A campaign supporter made a public record request and received a spreadsheet showing County Manager Steve Wyatts salary, cost of living increases and bonuses dating back to March 2012. The records show that Wyatt has received $226,700 in bonuses since March of 2016, including a $75,000 lump sum bonus and $14,342 retention bonus effective April 6. His regular salary is $191,227. Ward is running in the May 8 Republican primary against Rebecca McCall for the District 4 seat held by two-term incumbent Tommy Thompson, who is retiring. At a Republican Party-sponsored debate with McCall last week, Ward and his supporters submitted a question about Wyatts salary and bonuses, using an old trick he learned from Ab Jackson, the Henderson County sheriff in the 1980s and 90s. Were going to tear the top left corner off each one of the questions, he told a supporter, so they could see which ones made it to the moderator. Only one did, he said. Wyatts pay is a legitimate issue, Ward said, because of the amount but also because of what he describes as a lack of openness. Theyve been doing this in closed session. In my opinion this should be open session, he said. Thats the way we always did. To me this is hidden dollars. Theyve taken the liberty in closed session doing things I think should be in public session. If you look realistically at $75,000 and $90,000, that would pay for almost two school resource officers in our school system. What is he doing that deserves a $75,000 bonus? A lot, two county commissioners said when asked to respond to Wards criticism. Board chair Michael Edney and Commissioner Tommy Thompson strongly defended the pay increases and bonuses. In that bonus I would say we did our research for all the counties in North Carolina and found that the amount we were paying Steve via retention or straight-out bonuses or standard salary was in line with the rest of them. Should we have come out in an open session? I dont know. I dont know what the appropriate protocol would be. I have no problems with what I voted on. Id back it up 100 percent. Steve has done an absolutely wonderful job for us and deserves the bonus. Between him and the finance office, they have saved in past 7 years since Ive been there millions and millions and millions of dollars selling stuff at a premium and buying stuff where we could do it (at lower prices). I got no problem saying I voted for that. The Board of Commissioners sets the salary for the county manager, county attorney, sheriff and register of deeds. (The salary of a third constitutional officer, the clerk of court, is set by the state.) It was an enthusiastic unanimous endorsement of the fact that he has earned that, Thompson said of the board's discussion and vote in closed session. This county has no idea the job that he has. If you look at the hospital, corporations, the head of other institutions around here hes not making any more money than any of them are. His overall salary is nowhere near what a lot of these CEOs and what of a lot of these corporate heads make. Were still conservative for the amount (of pay) for what he produces. Retention bonuses are part of the countys pay policy and apply to all employees, Thompson said. Each individual who works in the county has the opportunity to receive a retention bonus depending on what theyre supervisor feels is appropriate for them, Thompson said. Ive always said since I came into the county commission I was never going to balance the budget on the backs of the employees. Edney said that he had absolutely voted for the bonuses. He ticked off numerous reasons why. Hes the best manager in state, or one of the best, he said. Thirty years of service, not all of them here but a number of years here. He has saved the county 10-fold every penny he makes. Good management, leadership. Getting the most out of employees. Hes been a godsend to Henderson County. Both Thompson and Edney said its Wyatts fiscal management that has helped the county pile up a fund balance approaching $50 million, a hefty reserve account that keeps taxes low. He deserves a great deal of credit for that, Edney said. Hes doing the day in day out stuff, from the lowest employee all the way to the top. Its a culture that he creates. He could be in Wake, Mecklenburg, any of those places if he wanted to making three times the money. As for approving the bonuses in closed session, Edney said theres no motive for secrecy. We release those minutes, he said. They do become open. They are open, maybe not immediately. He declined to offer an opinion on whether the county managers pay ought to be a issue in the District 4 campaign. I made it policy not to get involved in Republican primaries, he said. Thompson was not so reticent. If Ward is wanting to make an issue on this thing, those votes were unanimous, Thompson said. That was not a 3-2 or 4-1. That was unanimous as to (Wyatts) productivity, his ability and his success in doing his job. He can take whatever issue he wants but its got nothing to do with running against her. Thats just trying to get his name in front of the people in some form for free advertising. Gardai probing the murder of a father in his 40s in Tallaght last week are trying to establish why the man was in the area at the time. Ioan Arten Bob (49) died from head and chest injuries after what gardai believe was an assault. No motive has been established for the attack and it is unclear if any weapons were used. The victim was found with serious injuries in Sean Walsh Park at 8.30am on Friday. Mr Bob had been working in Ireland in the construction sector and is understood to have been working on a site in Carrickmines recently. He is understood to have an eight-year-old child who lives in Romania. Gardai don't know where the man was living in Ireland and are appealing to the Romanian community for information. Information Door-to-door enquiries were being conducted in the Springfield area of Tallaght over the weekend in a bid to establish more information on the victim. A garda spokesman said: "The last confirmed sighting of Ioan was at 8.30pm on Thursday, April 12, 2018, in the Moore Street area. "He was discovered injured in Sean Walsh Park in Tallaght at 8.30am on Friday, April 13, and he died later at Tallaght Hospital," he added. Local councillor for the Tallaght area, Charlie O'Connor, said the community was in shock at the discovery of the body in a park which is one of the main amenities in the area. "Murder is a dreadful thing and [especially] to happen in a park, a key amenity in Tallaght," he said. Mr O'Connor said his sympathies were with the man's family, and called for anyone with information to come forward. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has called for a new national drugs strategy as the current system is not working Dublin could see Dutch-style coffee shops that allow the sale and use of cannabis under plans for decriminalisation of the drug launched by the Green Party. It comes amid an international trend towards decriminalising cannabis, which has become legal in a number of states in the US in recent years, including California and Oregon. The Green Party said the current law has "made criminals out of decent people" and needs to change. Criminal Its proposal is for criminal offences to be removed for people over the age of 18 possessing less than five grammes of the drug. The party has also called for access to cannabis-based medicines under a supervised system, similar to that which operates in Germany. Individuals would be allowed to grow up to two cannabis plants in their own home for personal use under the proposals. The party, which laid out its plan over the weekend, had in 2016 made recommendations to the Government's National Drugs Strategy. At the time, party leader Eamon Ryan said it was supporting implementing a regime of decriminalising drug use in Ireland, along the lines of Portuguese reforms in 2001. "The Portuguese model reduces the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system, facilitates better research on the health impact of drugs and undermines the profit-making abilities of criminal gangs," he said. "The current system is not working, so we'd like to see the new National Drugs Strategy address the inherent shortcomings." Yesterday, the party reiterated its position and said under its proposal gardai would be instructed to tolerate Dutch-style coffee shops allowing the consumption and sale of cannabis for over-18s under certain conditions. Speaking on Saturday at the Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) national conference in the Cork Institute of Technology, Oliver Moran, the party's representative in Cork North Central, said the policy comes from an aspiration for harm reduction. "The Dutch model, with regulated cultivation, is safer than what we have now," he said. "Many of the potential objections such as addiction, teenage access, clarity on its medical impact and so on are not addressed at all by the current system." Mr Moran praised the work done by SSDP and other organisations in raising the level of discussion on cannabis-related issues. "It's no longer all that unusual or out there to support the legalisation of cannabis, but we still need vocal support for drug-law reform to build political will," he said. "That's what you and this conference is an example of. "Referendums on same-sex marriage and abortion would have been unthinkable only a few years ago. Landmark "It took ordinary people who weren't afraid to tell their stories to normalise the everyday and break those taboos." In a landmark case for this country, in 2017 mother Vera Twomey won approval after a long campaign to secure medical cannabis for her daughter Ava (8). Ava suffers from a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome, which at one point caused her to suffer 16 seizures in just 36 hours. Vera and her daughter travelled to the Netherlands last summer so Ava could receive cannabidiol oil and tetrahydrocannabinol oil to help alleviate the symptoms and aid her treatment. Last Christmas, Ava was granted a special licence which allows her to receive cannabis treatments at home in Aghabullogue, Co Cork. Michael Douglas has led tributes to Milos Forman, the Oscar-winning director of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, following his death at the age of 86. Actors and Hollywood stars have been remembering the Czech-born film-maker, also known for Amadeus (1984), The People vs Larry Flynt (1996) and Man On The Moon (1999). Edward Norton, Jim Carrey and Mia Farrow are also among those who have paid tribute to the acclaimed film-maker. Douglas, who was a producer on Cuckoo's Nest, said in a statement: "Sadly, we lost one of the greatest directors in the history of film. Exuberant "I had the honour of working with Milos on One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and cherish what he taught me." Norton, who starred in The People vs Larry Flynt, called the director "one of my true artistic heroes, not just because he was a great film director but because of his capacity to sustain an exuberant belief that individual human spirit can triumph over institutions of oppression and his conviction that art can and must play a role in that fight for the health of a society". Man On The Moon star Carrey tweeted: "Another great one passes through the doorway... What a force. A lovely man. "I'm glad we got to play together. It was a monumental experience." Actress Farrow wrote: "Proof that the most brilliant of film-makers could also be unfailingly kind, generous, humble and loyal." Actor Danny DeVito tweeted: "Milos the magnificent! cest k jeho pamatce (honour to his memory) light a good cigar, raise a drink, and shout HOVNO HOVNO HOVNO!" Actor Antonio Banderas wrote: "Milos Forman has left us. Genius of cinematography and master in the portrayal of the human condition. RIP." One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus both triumphed at the Oscars. Tassel Airlines of Algeria ranked the worst airline in the world in terms of on-time performance, said the UK-based OAG in its recent survey. The company scored an on-time performance rate of 29.2% over its 425 flights making it the worst airline in the world in terms of punctuality, the report said. The airlines on-time performance rate dropped from 48.7% in January to 46.4% in February before hitting a low 29.2% in March. Tassel airlines was first launched by Algerias oil and gas operator Sonatrach with a view to airlifting employees to oil and gas fields in Algerias south, before it started operating international flights. The Council of the European Union has given its green light to the European Commission to open negotiations with Morocco on new fisheries agreement, which includes the Moroccan Sahara. The current 4-year accord sealed with the North African Kingdom will expire on 14 July 2018. The EU decision to open talks for the renewal for the fisheries accord deals a hard blow to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity. The Moroccan government welcomed the decision of the Council of Europe to greenlight negotiations with Morocco on a new fisheries agreement including the Moroccan Sahara, noting with satisfaction the EUs coherent approach, in accordance with its internal rules and international legality. The adoption of this decision, with the general support of the EU and its member states, unequivocally confirms the legality of the inclusion of the Moroccan Sahara in international agreements concluded, particularly with the EU, a governmental source told the news portal le360. The decision also strengthens the Kingdom as a unique and legitimate interlocutor able to conclude international agreements covering the southern provinces, the source said. About 120 vessels from 11 EU countries (Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, The Netherlands, Ireland, Poland and United Kingdom) are operating in Moroccos waters. Both the EU and Morocco benefit from the fisheries agreement. According to an independent study, the deal not only promotes sustainable development of the fisheries sector through Halieutis strategy projects but also facilitates jobs for Moroccan sailors and fishermen via 1000 boarding contracts per year. Moreover, over 75 pc of the socio-economic benefits of the agreement, such as creation of hundreds of new jobs and improvement of working conditions of tens of thousands of people, are enjoyed by people living in the Southern provinces. Similarly, the gains of the 11 EU countries operating in Moroccan waters largely exceed the 30m EU investment for the support of Moroccan sectoral fisheries policy. In effect, every Euro invested created 2.78 value added for the EU. Moroccos enemies and their lobbyists tried in vain to block the renewal of the Morocco-EU fisheries agreement through the European Court of Justice, claiming it violates the rights of people from Western Sahara. But the plotters failed in their desperate attempts to undermine the strategic partnership and strong alliance existing between Rabat and Brussels in all sectors. The EU has extensive ties with Morocco in trade, political and security matters. Morocco plays a key role in the fight against terrorism and has helped France, Spain, Belgium, Italy and other European countries in the fight against terror cells and extremist groups threatening European security. I-81 project on 'extra' list for loans; MD says it doesn't help A high-level delegation from the Royal Armed Forces and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is taking part in the sixth Africa Land Forces Summit meeting in Abuja devoted to discussing the fight against terrorism. The sixth Africa Land Forces Summit meeting, co-organized by the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigeria, started proceedings Monday with the participation of fifty countries from Africa, Europe and the Americas. The Moroccan delegation is scheduled to make a presentation on the protection of civilian populations in the context of peacekeeping operations. The FAR have acquired a great experience in this area because of their participation in peacekeeping forces under the auspices of the United Nations. Boko Haram in Nigeria and Cameroon, the Islamic State group in the Sahel region and al-Shabaab in Somalia are all on the agenda of this Summit in Nigerias capital, Abuja, to run until April 19. Military leaders from almost all African nations are participating, including top brass from Angola, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya and Rwanda. The initiative, intended to support African defense forces in their fight against Islamist insurgency, began under former US president Barack Obama in 2010. Since then the US has continued to increase its military presence on the African continent. Meanwhile, Exercise Flintlock 2018 is held in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal April 11 to 20 with the participation of approximately 1,900 service members from more than 20 African and Western partner nations. Flintlock, an annual exercise since 2005, is also part of international efforts to combat violent extremist groups roaming in the region. Morocco extradited to the USA Renwick Haddow, a British citizen accused of fraud related to Bitcoin, the US department of Justice (DOJ) said. The British citizen is accused of defrauding investors of More than $36 Million, the DOJ said in a statement. The DoJ complaint alleges Haddow, 49, misappropriated investor funds and made false and misleading representations to investors in Bitcoin Store, Bar Works, and related schemes, from Nov. 2014 through June 2017. He has been charged with two counts of wire fraud for Bitcoin Store and Bar Works respectively with each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Haddow was taken into police custody in Tangiers last July after Interpol issued a warrant for his arrest. Animosity and bitterness of attack on AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh (71) by trolls the moment he got back to Twitter after a gap of six months appeared as contemptuous as it used to be before, while regretting his absence on the micro-blogging site for such a long time. Digvijaya Singhs last tweet after he had started his Narmada Parikrama (Narmada circumambulation) on September 30 last year, was on October 6 when he retweeted a story on Gauri Lankesh, the journalist-activist who was murdered at her residence in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. Since then, he didnt post a single tweet till Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar birth anniversary on Saturday. He took the opportunity to tell how tribals, dalits and backward class people had benefitted from the Constitution during the past more than six decades and also from his Bhopal declaration in 2002 when he was the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and that why they should enjoy equality and liberty in society. However, Digvijaya Singh avoided bashing RSS or the BJP what he usually does on Twitter. He didnt mention the two organisations or their leaders. The moment Digvijaya Singh in his first tweet of the year thanked Shankracharya Swami Swaroopanand and others for his successful Narmada Parikrama the trolls started attacking him. Ab galiyan khaane ke liye taiyar ho ja commented one Shivam Kamboj who also linked him with Rohingya Muslims while addressing him as chacha. One Ajay Bansal told him how his followers had transferred to follow AAP leader Ashutosh at @ashutosh838 (in the past six months). Bahut achchha ab Congress ko haani pahunchaane waale statements chalu karo (Pls start issuing statements which harm the Congress), said a Twitterati. Aap Hinduon ko kab se ahmiyat dene lege? (Since when you started attaching importance to Hindus?), asked one Ankit Gupta. 6 mahine se bhare huye baithe logon ko halka karne ke liye Twitter par aapka phir se swagat hai, commented a troll to show his intention as to what he was up to. However, its not only abuses and criticism there has been support too to him in comments on his post. One man army against BJP and RSS was the comment from one H Mafatlal Rajguru. Many congratulated him on his Narmada Parikrama and expected his role in strengthening of the Congress in coming time. State Congress chief spokesperson KK Mishra said, Irrespective of the attacks on him Digvijaya Singh ji uses social media effectively to convey his views and messages. The saffron brigade fears his presence on social media as they get exposed for their act of omission and commission. His being active again on Twitter will certainly help the Congress. State BJP chief spokesperson Deepak Vijayavargiya said, Whether social media or no social media Digvijaya Singh had lost his touch with people of Madhya Pradesh who have not forgotten his misrule for 10 years from 1993 to 2003. Actor Hrishitaa Bhatts marriage last month came as a surprise to everyone, and the actor who debuted opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Asoka (2001) is presently shuffling between her maika (parents home) in Mumbai and sasural (in-laws house) in Delhi. Bhatt married United Nations diplomat Anand Tiwari in a private ceremony in the Capital. In Delhi, recently, to promote her upcoming film, she said: Every time I came to Delhi,it was only for work. But now, Im getting used to Delhis weather and people. Its a different city. People in Delhi and Mumbai always have this conflict its like two schools fighting each other. All Mumbaikars say we dont like Delhi, and Delhiites say we dont like Bombay. Im neutral at the moment, and am getting used to the city. The actor, who was part of films such as Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) and Miss Tanakpur Haazir Ho (2015), shares an amusing incident when she was out enjoying a walk in the city. One day I was walking near my house, and somebody saw me and started speculating. I heard them say, I have seen her somewhere. By the time they followed me, I was out. It was a nice, sweet moment. I liked it very much, says Bhatt, adding she hasnt been to many places in Delhi, and wants to explore the city. Every time I feel bored, the first thing I always call for is the chaat from Bengali Market. When it comes to food Delhi rules over Mumbai. And I think so even though Im a typical Mumbaikar. Hrishitaa Bhatt, actor I love all the cuisines [available] here. I would like to go out and explore a little, especially Delhis food. Every time I feel bored, the first thing I always call for is the chaat from Bengali Market. Even though Im a typical Mumbaikar, when it comes to food, I think Delhi rules over Mumbai. Reflecting further on how the two cities differ, she says, In Mumbai, we have a very casual approach to everything. No matter who you are, what you do, you will be simple, like walking out in slippers. This doesnt happen in Delhi. People love to dress up here. I think its in the culture. To each his own, I guess. The actor, whose last Bollywood film was Junooniyat (2016), has received training in classical dance. I have been learning Kathak since I was seven. Im looking forward to good scripts but also want to keep up with my dance, she says. I have done a couple of shows in Mumbai and other cities, and would also love to perform in Delhi, which is the hub of culture. So, the minute I feel its the right time, I would love to get on the stage, she adds. Interact with the author at Twitter/@HennaRakheja A 14-year-old girl from Surat has been rescued from outside Bollywood actor Varun Dhawans house in Khar, Mumbai. The girl stayed outside the actors house for hours waiting to catch a glimpse of her favourite actor. The actor finally met the girl on being informed of the incident. As per a report in Mumbai Mirror, a police official said, The girl insisted on meeting the actor even though security personnel at the building in Khar told her that Varun Dhawan was not at home. She started shouting from outside the building and created a ruckus when she got to know the security guards were not conveying her messages to his residence. A building resident, who heard the girl shouting, then informed us. Read: October movie review: Varun Dhawan powers Shoojit Sircars soulful film The girl is said to be the daughter of a textile manufacturer. Once the police arrived, the girl agreed to leave with them but only after meeting the actor who returned home around the same time. On the work front, Varun Dhawan is basking in the success of his new film October. The film, directed by Shoojit Sircar, presents Varun in a tonally different role than the characters he usually plays. October has been praised by the critics and the audience alike. The film is on course to be a commercially successful venture, and that would mean a hat-trick of hits for Varun. Earlier, his Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Judwaa 2 have been declared hits. The Union government has shelved a plan to expand the social security net for nearly six million organized sector employees in a bid to ease the burden on the government exchequer. The labour ministry has decided not to act on a proposal approved by the central board of Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) to increase the salary threshold from up to Rs15,000 to Rs21,000 per month to bring more workers under mandatory EPF coverage and give them PF and pension benefits. The government decided to shelve the plan because it will lead to additional expense. However, not increasing the salary threshold may not go down well with workers unions at a time of rising anti-government protests across the country. It has not movedright now there is no proposal from our-side, said Santosh Gangwar, Union labour and employment minister. I cannot comment anything more on this. Interestingly, the central board of EPFO, headed by the labour minister and represented by top labour ministry bureaucrats besides employers and employees representatives, had approved last year a proposal to enhance the salary cap from Rs15,000 to Rs21,000. Right now, organized sector employees earning a monthly salary of up to Rs15,000 are mandatorily covered under EPFO and enjoy both PF and pension benefits. Enhancing that to Rs21,000 per month would have added some six million more workers under the social security net at a time when the Union government is talking about expanding social security net to a larger pool of people and even for unorganized sector employees. Yes, the central board had recommended hiking the salary threshold, said V.P. Joy, the central PF commissioner without elaborating on why the plan has been shelved. A labour ministry official requesting anonymity said enhancing the salary cap may cost the government up to Rs3,000 crore per year. And thats not a great proposition right now. The Union government pays 1.16% of the basic wages to each EPFO subscriber earning less than Rs15,000 a month towards employees pensions. An organized sector worker contributes 12% of the basic pay to EPF, and the employer contributes a matching 12%. Of the employers contribution 8.33% goes to pension and 3.67% to the PF corpus. The finance ministry had asked the labour ministry to weigh the financial implication of such a move and the financial outgo is the reason for it being put in the cold storage, said the labour ministry official cited above. The cost consideration is so much that Gangwar said that he is also not pushing for enhancing the minimum pension from the current Rs1,000 to Rs3,000 per month. All central trade unions are pushing to enhance the minimum pension. We have been demanding more minimum pension for workers and government should accede to it as it will benefit the working community, said Virjesh Upadhyay, general secretary of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh thats also the ideological fountainhead of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. India is walking a tight rope to control expenditure and the latest economic survey released on 29 January had said that although investment in human capital is a pre-requisite for a healthy and productive population for nation building, being a developing economy, there is not enough fiscal space to increase expenditure on critical social infrastructure like education and health in India. However, Indias fiscal deficit will be narrower than the revised budget estimate of 3.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017-18, Mint reported on 2 April quoting finance ministry officials, amid concerns that the government may overshoot the target. Infosys shares ended 3% lower on the bourses on Monday, resulting in the companys market capitalisation eroding by nearly Rs 8,000 crore. The stock fell after the company reported less-than-expected margin guidance for fiscal year 2018-19. During the day, the stock of the company fell to an intra-day low of Rs 1,099, down 5.98% over its previous closing price. At the end of todays trading session the stock was quoted at Rs 1,132.80, down 3.10%. On the NSE, the stock fell to an intra-day low of Rs 1,102 and finally settled for the day at Rs 1,134.50, down 3.15% over its last close. Following the decline in the counter, the market capitalisation of the company declined by Rs 7,887.28 crore to Rs 2,47,416.46 crore. The stock was the second largest loser in the 30-share index. Global brokerage Nomura in a research note said, growth weakness in developed markets, BFSI and retail is a negative. We expect the stock to react negative to the margin guidance cut. The report further noted that guidance for FY19 growth is in line with consensus, though a cut in EBI margin guidance to 22-24% (as against 23-25% earlier) was a disappointment. Infosys, on April 13, reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 3,690 crore, or Rs 16.98 per share, in January-March 2018 quarter as compared to Rs 3,603 crore, or Rs 15.77 a share in the same period a year back. For 2018-19, Infosys expects its revenue to grow in the range of 6-8% in constant currency terms and 7-9% in the US dollar terms. For financial year 2018-19 Infosys expects operating margin range at 22% to 24%. Prime Minister Narendra Modi can expect an earful on the benefits of free trade when he visits Stockholm for a summit with Nordic peers already rattled by the sound of Donald Trumps protectionist war-drums. The first ever joint meeting between the prime ministers of India, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden comes at a critical juncture for the global economy, with the European Union still trying to figure out if it will obtain a permanent exemption from US tariffs on foreign steel and aluminium. Modi for his part, has been sending conflicting messages about his free trade credentials: Having declared at the World Economic Forum in January that India was open for business, the premier made a U-turn less than a month later by raising import duties to their highest level in three decades. The last thing that the export-oriented Nordics need from the worlds biggest economies is more protectionism. We want to move in the opposite direction to the US and create more positive examples of what free trade can do, Danish foreign minister Anders Samuelsen said in an interview ahead of Tuesdays summit. Wooing India Given Indias preference for dealing with individual countries rather than the EU as a whole, the summit is a golden opportunity for the Nordics -- a region of 27 million people with an economy roughly the size of Canadas -- to do business with the worlds biggest democracy. A free trade agreement with the EU has been years in the making, with slim results. Theres a realization among Nordic governments of the potential importance that India can play in the coming years, said Henrik Aspengren, a researcher at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. Compared to China, it has the potential to grow. Indias $2.3 trillion economy has obvious attractions for Nordic businesses. Sweden, for instance, is sensing an opportunity to showcase its Saab AB Gripen fighter jets ahead of a July deadline for bids in Indias procurement process of 110 locally-manufactured aircraft. Saab, which has been supplying Indias armed forces for decades, argues that the Gripen is ideally suited for the countrys purposes and has proposed setting up an aerospace ecosystem to manufacture the jets under Modis Make in India plan. However, India is a tough negotiating partner. Leaders in New Delhi crave foreign investment that can create much-needed jobs. But Modis government has been resistant to signing trade deals that could flood India with foreign goods. At the same time, defense firms bidding on contracts have to contend with a slow and dysfunctional military procurement process. Swedish premier Stefan Lofven isnt discouraged. That deal would be fantastic, of course, he told Bloomberg, adding that he expects to discuss it with Modi. If Sweden can facilitate that such a deal can happen, we will. It would be strange if it didnt also come up here. Denmark, for its part, is keen to sell its wind mills and food-processing machinery, according to Kunal Singla, who heads the Danish industry lobbys office in India. Countries like Sweden or Denmark are looking to boost trade with India, Aspengren said by phone.Theyre hoping that Indias interests in this region will grow. The one-day summit sees Swedens Lofven host Modi during the morning, while the other heads of government will each be granted 30-minute bilaterals in the afternoon. A working dinner will then bring them all together in the evening. Xiaomi Corp. has picked Chinas Citic Securities to handle its issuance of Chinese depositary receipts as the smartphone maker prepares to file for an initial public offering in Hong Kong, people familiar with the matter said. The Beijing-based company may file for a public listing as soon as next month and is targeting a valuation of about $100 billion, said one of the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. The Chinese depositary receipt (CDR) is most likely to come after the IPO in Hong Kong and its size is yet to be decided, said the person. Xiaomi could be the biggest IPO since Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.s $25 billion debut in 2014. The smartphone maker, which once fetched a valuation of $45 billion, suffered through a challenging 2016 and then bounced back by revamping its sales model and expanding in India, where it rivals Samsung Electronics Co. as the biggest vendor. Xiaomi has chosen Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Credit Suisse Group AG and Deutsche Bank AG for its IPO, people familiar with the matter have said. Xiaomi declined to comment on its listing plans. A representative for Citic didnt respond to a request for comment. Chinas government has encouraged its technology companies to issue CDRs so that citizens will be able to invest in the countrys fastest-growing companies. Its brightest stars, including Alibaba and search giant Baidu Inc., have chosen to debut in New York because of the more flexible regulations and abundant capital abroad. Final rules for CDRs have yet to be worked out, which may delay Xiaomi from issuing shares in mainland China at the same time as Hong Kong. With CDRs, companies that already trade on overseas exchanges, including Alibaba and Tencent Holdings Ltd., would issue securities that could be purchased in mainland China. The country unveiled a pilot program earlier this month, aiming to bring back the most valuable overseas-listed giants. Xiaomis co-founder and chief executive officer Lei Jun hailed CDRs as an excellent idea in a recent interview with Bloomberg News, calling it a great policy innovation. The four-day festive bath period, which saw turnout of more than two million pilgrims in Haridwar, once again exposed the traffic problems of the city. Baisakhi on April 13, Sakranti on April 14 and Somwati Amawasya on April 15-16 brought the city almost to a standstill, as visitors thronged the city in large numbers to take the holy bath. The road widening work on the National Highwat-58, which passes through Haridwar, worsened the traffic situation. Looking into the traffic congestion, entry of heavy vehicles was prohibited in the city during daytime. With the Chard Dham pilgrimage scheduled to commence from April 28, the traffic situation in Haridwar, which is known as the entry gate to Garhwal, sends alarming signals, both for the pilgrims as well as for the authorities. The road widening work on NH-58 (Haridwar-Dehradun stretch), initiated in 2010 on public-private-partnership mode, was expected to complete in February 2013. But five years after passing of the project deadline, there is no sign of its completion by the year-end. Early this month, the National Green Tribunal had ordered the sealing of the hot mix plant of Era company engaged in the road widening work for not having a no-objection certificate, which further hampered the road construction work. The Era company officials had claimed to complete the work on important stretches of NH-58 prior to the Char Dham pilgrimage season. But with just less than two weeks left, it is unlikely that they will be able to meet their promise. District magistrate Deepak Rawat, who has been monitoring the highway work closely, recently inspected three flyovers on the highway at Patanjali, Jwalapur and Singh Dwar and directed the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and nodal agency officials to ensure that the work gets completed prior to the Char Dham pilgrimage and Kanwar fair. He also asked the company officials to complete work on two-dozen black death spots from Narsain to Doodhadhari square, which are highly accident prone. NHAI project manager PK Gusain said that they are committed for the safety of motorists and commuters. Adequate measures are being taken to ensure hassle-free movement of pilgrims during Char Dham pilgrimage on this stretch, he added. Last month, the high court at Nainital had directed the state government to ensure completion of the Haridwar-Dehradun highway broadening work in a year, so as to ease traffic congestion on the stretch. Saint community residing at Har-Ki-Pauri, Bhoopatwala, Khadkhadi, Neeldhara, Saptsarovar, adjacent to highway, are also perturbed over the delayed work. Jai Ram Ashrams spiritual head Brahamswarup Brahamchari said that saints and pilgrims are facing major inconvenience due to the slow pace of highway work. An official of the Era Company, on the condition of anonymity, said that they are trying hard to meet the deadline. Last months strike by 150 employees associated with the NH work, 80 of the Era Company and 70 contractual employees, had also hindered the work, the official added. An intensive care unit (ICU) at the Pithoragarh district hospital in Uttarakhand is not operational after its inauguration by chief minister TS Rawat on April 14 in the absence of the required staff. A drinking water supply scheme, inaugurated by the CM on the same day, has also run into problems. Though the unit (ICU) is greatly needed in the district, yet without staff, the facility is defunct, said Dr HS Kharayat, the chief medical superintendent at the hospital. At least five general medical officers (GMOs), an anaesthetic, an ECG X-ray technician, four staff nurses and a ward boy are needed to run the unit, Kharayat said. We have sent a proposal in advance seeking the required staff, so that after inauguration, the unit could benefit people. But I dont think the government has processed the proposal for staff deployment, he added Bhangwan Singh, a Jan Manch leader in Pithoragarh, said, Only to get publicity, the state government showed hurry in inaugurating the unit without deputing the required staff in the hospital. The chief minister came to Pithoragarh for two hours to inaugurate the well-equipped ICU. The Hans Foundation donated machines to ICU, so that patients needing critical care could be treated at the hospital. The machines have been kept at a room, hospital officials said. The CM also inaugurated a scheme for drinking water supply to Paithoragrh from Awalaghat. The supply was discontinued after dirty water was received because of corrosion in pipelines. An Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan engineer, who was honoured by the chief minister for his role in the execution of the scheme, said water became dirty as a tank at the Chandak hilltop was not cleaned. We have started cleaning the junk from the pipelines; we hope water supply could be started from the newly commissioned scheme in next two days, said RS Dhramashaktu, the engineer. The scheme, a dream project of local MLA and drinking water minster Prakash Pant, was executed at a cost of Rs 79 crore. The 12 MLD (million litres per day) project, which replaced the 40-year-old scheme for water supply from Saryu at Ghat, was to meet the drinking water needs of over 80,000 people of Pithoragarh town and nearby villages. If the electricity supply does not remain regular round the year, we will face the same problem from the Awalaghat scheme as we have been facing from the Ghat scheme, a Pithoragarh resident said. For the past two years, Khurshid Alam, 30, was saving money to buy a new auto-rickshaw to replace the rented auto that he drove around. Till Saturday evening, the Rs 90,000 kept in his house at a make-shift camp near Kalindi Kunj in south Delhi assured Alam that he was very close in meeting his goal. On Sunday morning, within a matter of minutes, all of Alams savings had turned to ashes after a massive fire burnt down all the camps where around 250 Rohingya refugees lived. Alam, like Burmese neighbours in the Rohingya camp in Kanchan Kunj, lost everything he owned. Alam, who has a family of eight, that includes six children, said they now have to start life from scratch, just like they did when they had first come to Delhi. Most men from the Rohingya camp work as daily wage labourers or run small shops and keep their savings in cash. Sunday mornings fire wiped out all their savings, apart from other belongings such as jewellery and mobile phones. Locals said while some families lost all their savings, others had lost their source of livelihood, as the small shops that they ran selling stocks of food and other articles, mostly to fellow refugees, had been now reduced in ash. My husband does not get work every day and I contributed to the family income by sewing. But the sewing machine that we had bought from our hard-earned money is gone now, said Kulsum, who goes by one name, one of the local residents. The second hand desert coolers or refrigerators, that some of the relatively well-off refugees had managed to buy this season, were also gone and the scorching heat of the Sunday afternoon painted a picture of the days to come. I had purchased a cooler but the relief was short lived, said Abdullah, who works as an Imam in a nearby mosque. Locals said that another challenge for the Rohingyas would be to re-obtain their United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards issued to them at the point of settling in India, the only valid identity card they have in the Capital and the country. Mohammad Sadiq, an administrative officer from the Zakat Foundation, a social organisation, said that a record is maintained at the UNHCR local office in Delhi, from where they can get the cards re-issued. Zakat foundation, which has been helping the Rohingyas in resettling, said they had also offered to rebuild the houses and set up tents. Several government departments, and even the Delhi Police and students from Jamia Hamdard University have also come forward to help the displaced men. Locals said police arranged breakfast for all the displaced men in the morning , with a group of students from Jamia Hamdard University bringing clothes for them later in the day. With temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius, not many in Delhi are complaining about lack of sunlight in their homes. But living in what is pretty much a two-season city, they will, in a few months, be craving for the warmth and light. Sunlight and fresh air long taken for granted in India are becoming the biggest casualties as our cities grow taller and denser. If you thought it was only in New York that skyscrapers cast their long, dark shadows on the shorter buildings in and around Manhattan, take another look at Mumbai. Recently, Environment Policy and Research India studied the impact a proposed 301-metre high-rise in central Mumbai would have on the duration of light falling on chawls, buildings, construction site, ground and the green cover in the vicinity. In a report released last month, it said that the duration ranged from zero minutes on the ground to 170 minutes on a chawl, 140 minutes on the construction site and five hours on the green cover. Developing a solar rating for Mumbai, the study, reported in HT Mumbai last week, said that a building receiving less than 30 minutes of sunlight in a day would be placed in the undesirable category. Anything between 30 and 90 minutes was very poor, between 90 and 180 minutes was poor, while the average ranged between three to four hours and good between four to six hours. It also recommended at least two hours of uninterrupted sunlight for a building every day. There is no such shadow analysis for Delhi and many may even discount the need for one because the national capital is not a high-rise city the way Mumbai is. In the financial capital, the high-rise category starts from 24 metres or eight floors and, with special permissions, buildings can rise even beyond the municipal limit of 70 metres or 21 floors. Essentially a horizontal city, Delhi has built a few high-rise buildings mainly in the business districts and residential towers in Mayur Vihar, Patparganj and Dwarka. But a relaxation in height restrictions under the current Master Plan allows even residential buildings in plotted colonies to rise up to 17.5 metres. Unlike many other cities in India, Delhi does not require residential buildings other than those rare ones with a plot size of 500 square metres or more to leave open space on four sides. As a result, most homes in Delhi anyway receive sunlight and air only from the front and the back. Since the 1990s, mushrooming of multi-floored builder apartments in these flat but dense neighbourhoods overshadowed the original single- or double-storey buildings. In unauthorised colonies, home to about a third of citys population, illegal buildings rise as high as five to six storeys. With no one looking, these are some of the densest urban sprawls with structures facing one another only a few feet apart. Not surprisingly, many Delhi homes are dank and cold in winters and feel furnace-like in summers. Indoor lights are switched on even during the day. Prolonged use of heaters and air-conditioners shoots up power consumption by 7-8% annually. As more and more people gravitate towards increasingly non-elastic megacities, vertical growth is perhaps inevitable. But that does not have to necessarily overshadow the quality of life. That is why many countries legally protect their citizens right to natural light. In England, the Law of Ancient Lights enables householders to stop their neighbours building a wall or a tall building that would block their sunlight. Japan has a law called Nisshoken that guarantees that all residents in surrounding buildings receive a specific amount of sunshine in their existing houses or condos after a new development on an adjacent plot is completed. In 1984, San Francisco passed the Proposition K the Sunlight Ordinance which restricts construction of any building over 40 feet that casts an adverse shadow on recreation and park department property unless the planning commission decides that the shadow is insignificant. In Cairo, scientists have developed sheets of corrugated plastic that harvest the sunlight and redirect it into narrow streets and dark alleyways. Fortunately, the sun shines on Delhi on more than 350 days every year. All we need is to make way for it. But for the authorities to care, we the residents have to exert our right to sunlight first. The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking to change the date of the re-examination of the Class 12 economics paper, which the CBSE has decided to conduct on April 25 after the paper was leaked. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar rejected the plea by NGO Suniye, which sought the date change or making it optional on the grounds that the decided date was close to some entrance examinations including the National Defence Academy and engineering. Apart from this, the court was hearing two different pleas related to the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 mathematics paper. While hearing one of the pleas by a group of students seeking re-test of Class 10 mathematics paper, the court asked the CBSE to submit the records relating to the boards decision not to conduct re-examination and listed the matter for April 20. The order came after the court was apprised by the CBSEs counsel that it has issued a notification that the Class 10 maths examination will not be re-conducted as it cannot afford to hold it again and make over 16 lakh students appear in it. The court disposed off a plea by NGO Social Jurist after the counsel Ashok Agarwal said he was satisfied with the boards decision of not holding the re-examination for the Class 10 paper. Social Jurist had sought that the CBSE be directed to hold the Class 10 exam in April, if required, and not in July as it had proposed earlier. The CBSE told the court that it had decided not to hold the re-examination of the Class 10 maths paper as a scientific evaluation of random answer sheets did not indicate any unusual pattern to believe that there was widespread benefit of the alleged paper leak. The CBSE also said that another reason was that Class 10 was a gateway to Class 11 and therefore remains largely an internal segment of school education system. The leak of the Class 10 maths and Class 12 economics question papers has affected lakhs of students across India. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will add 779 more seats exclusively for women applicants in the new academic session this year. Sayantani Saha, a student from IIT Kharagpur said this decision will help in improving the problem of gender imbalance in the IITs. It will help girl students to get the privilege of higher studies in premier technological institutes, she said. Hoping that the initiative will help in increasing the number of women in the IITs, IIT Kharagpur faculty member Sudeshna Sarkar said, Over the next few years, the percentage of girls will be hiked to 20%. Additional supernumerary seats created over and above girls who were already coming in. Seats to be decided based on the number of girls already in the system. In the coming year, the target is to go up to 14% girls, Sarkar added. Currently, 9% women are admitted to IIT Kharagpur and this year the seats increased to 14%. The decision was taken after sub-committee of the Joint Admission Board (JAB) in 2017 observed that every year enough number of women clear JEE (Advanced) but the enrollment rate of women candidates was much lower. Of the 779 seats, 113 seats are given to IIT Kharagpur, followed by 95 seats to IIT-Dhanbad, 79 to IIT-Kanpur, 76 to IIT-BHU, 68 to IIT-Roorkee, 59 to IIT-Delhi, 58 to IIT-Bombay and 57 to IIT-Guwahati. The decision was taken last year by the IIT Council, but a final number of supernumerary seats have been announced now. Under heavy police cover, officials of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Monday carried out a sealing and demolition drive within a 300 metre radius of the ammunition depot of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The drive was centered around Sukhrali Enclave in Sector 17 where seven structures were demolished and one commercial structure was sealed. Four residential areas and three commercial spaces were demolished during the drive. Joint Commissioner Vivek Kalia had been appointed the duty magistrate for the drive for which 350 police personnel were requisitioned. MCG officials said although there was brief resistance from residents at one of the four residential buildings within the restricted area, the matter was quickly resolved without violence due to the heavy police deployment. The drive was carried out to demolish and seal structures raised illegally after the Punjab and Haryana high court issued an order in 2015, enforcing a ban on construction activities within the 300 metre radius of sensitive defence installation in Sector 14. The MCG was scheduled to carry out the demolition drive last week, but cancelled it as they could not get enough police cover. Since additional police personnel were deployed for the chief ministers two-day visit to the city, the demolition drive had to be pushed back. Read I HUDA demolition at Kherki Daula paves way for connecting Dwarka Expressway with NH-8 Hindustan Times had published a report earlier that the MCG was to carry out a demolition drive in the Sector 14 area on Monday and even the officials concerned had confirmed writing to the Gurugram police seeking additional police cover for demolishing 35 banquet halls operating illegally within the restricted area. We had carried out an on-the-spot survey inside the restricted radius of the IAF depot and found several banquet halls operating without any authorisation. Hence, we asked Gurugram police to provide assistance in carrying out a demolition drive against these structures sometime next week, Mohan Singh, DTP (enforcement), MCG, said. Prior to Mondays drive, MCG had demolished 66 properties and sealed 18 illegal structures cumulatively in two drives carried out last month. As per MCG records, there are 4,156 properties raised illegally within the restricted area which include 854 commercial buildings, 3,016 residential buildings and 241 mixed-use buildings. Michael Cohen, Esq. Photo: Yana Paskova/Getty Images The most shocking-but-not-surprising aspect of James Comeys account of meeting Donald Trump is the ease with which he drew upon his experience prosecuting organized crime. Meeting Trump, he told George Stephanopoulos, I had a flashback to my days investigating the Mafia, La Cosa Nostra. Trumps leadership style eerily tracked that of the mob bosses he had studied. Theres an expression in the Mafia theres a distinction between a friend of yours and a friend of ours. A friend of yours is someone on the outside of the family, a friend of ours, an amica nostra is the way they talked about it in Sicilian, is part of the Family, capital F. It is a pure coincidence, but a revealing one, that Comeys story has come out at the exact same time that Michael Cohen has emerged as a first-tier, and perhaps pivotal, figure in the prosecution of Trumpworld. Cohen has called himself Trumps consigliere and is the most palpably moblike character in Trumps orbit. The severe legal risks he poses to Trump help recenter the story as a mafialike drama that owes as much to The Sopranos as The Americans. Organized crime is somewhere between a metaphor for the ethos that Trump has imposed upon his world and a literal description of the way his business operates. The investigation of Cohen, in particular, will reveal just where along that continuum the truth lies. One of the ways in which Trumps business closely resembles organized crime is that, because it relies so heavily on morally and legally dubious business ventures, its human-resource strategy deemphasizes qualifications and relies heavily on loyalty. Or, to put it differently, a persons willingness to engage in, and keep ones mouth shut about, Trumps dubious activities is the most important qualification. This explains why Trump is not known for hiring bright young minds from leading business schools and relies so heavily on his children, as a mafia boss would. It also explains why he retained the legal (or quasi-legal) services of Michael Cohen, a graduate of the worst law school in the United States. It was immediately evident that the FBI raid on Cohens home and office posed a major and novel threat to Trump. Unlike a lot of hyperventilated insta-reactions to breaking news, in this case the instant reaction may have understated things. Cohen has involved himself in a wide array of shady activities, ranging from business deals involving Russia and/or underworld financing sources to paying off women Trump had sex with or sexually harassed. Cohen has compared himself to Tom Hagen, but lacks Hagens subtlety. (Hagen would not utter a threat such as, Im warning you, tread very fucking lightly, because what Im going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting.) There is no question that Trump would pardon Cohen of any federal charge. But that still leaves many open channels through which Cohens troubles could implicate Trump. One is that physical evidence seized from Cohen could implicate his boss. Reportedly, Cohen kept recordings of his conversations, and legal mistakes like this are the sort of risk you run when you scour Americas worst law schools for talent. A second risk is that Cohen might be vulnerable to prosecution for state crimes and remember, a president can only issue pardons for federal crimes. Numerous media reports have mentioned Cohens involvement in the taxi business, and while none of these reports have alleged a crime, the implication is that it is a rough business. Any crime he may have committed in that line of work could be prosecuted by state authorities, and Trump could not pardon him. The same would hold true if it could be established that he had some involvement in, say, threatening harm to Stormy Daniels. Trump has run his business like a mafia operation because maintaining secrecy is the paramount value. Despite the vast trove of public access to Trumps endless public statements and colorful marital life, a huge amount of his work remains shrouded in secrecy, from his ties to La Cosa Nostra in the New York real-estate world to his casino business in Atlantic City, to his overseas business dealings and the tax returns he refuses to disclose. Muellers investigation probably will not result in the literal end of Trumps presidency. (That would require 67 Senate votes to impeach, a highly improbable outcome.) But it will probably reveal whether he has run his business merely like a crime family or literally as one. A Gurugram-based chartered accountant and an employee of excise and taxation department have been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Gurugram police for fraudulently trying to claim input tax credit on transactions worth 50 crore. The investigation in this case was initiated after a complaint was lodged against a fictitious firm opened by the duo in Sector 40 at the Sadar police station on February 17. The accused, identified as Rakesh Arora, a chartered accountant, was arrested on April 12 and taken on five days remand and he would be produced in court on Tuesday. The co-accused Gourav Behl is an assistant in the excise and taxation department and was responsible for registration and movement of files. He has been sent to judicial custody. Sandeep Malik, ACP, Gurugram police, who headed the SIT, said that the accused were arrested on the basis of paper and electronic trail which they left while creating the fake firm and carrying out transactions. The accused had used email addresses, phone numbers and other documents to acquire the GST number and complete other formalities. The team worked on a number of leads and finally apprehended them, Malik said. Malik also said that Arora has been involved in another case of financial fraud in which he had submitted a fake no-objection certificate after which a case was registered against him. The accused wanted to make illegal gains by claiming input tax credit on the basis of fake transactions, Malik said. A case against the two accused was registered on February 17 on the complaint of excise and taxation department. The enormity of the fraud can be gauged by the fact that no less than the state finance minister said that the government had assigned a special investigation team to probe the fraud and nab the culprits. Read I Gurgaon: Rs19 crore goes missing from mobile wallet MobiKwiks account Malik said the duo had set up a bogus registered dealer M/s Vipin Enterprises with an office at Shop No. 16, Lal Kothi, Sector-40, Gurugram. A barber shop was found to operating at this address. Malik said the dealer had also submitted a number, which, though answered by a different person, was shown as belonging to Arora by the Trucaller application. The accused had allegedly used input tax credit of 50,34,04,831 under GST through fraudulent entries, the complaint made by excise and taxation department stated. The firm had also made bogus VAT transactions by making fake claims of input tax credit on interstate purchases by showing multiple transactions. The duo also obtained C forms worth 27.16 crore by showing bogus purchases. If you are pregnant, take painkillers such as paracetamol and others with extreme caution. And avoid ibuprofen, totally. Adding to the vast body of evidence on paracetamol - also known as acetaminophen -- a new study, conducted by the University of Edinburgh, now suggests that taking painkillers during pregnancy could affect the fertility of the unborn child in later life. What is even more alarming, the study concluded, is that such drugs if taken during pregnancy could have a devastating effect on the fertility of future generations as well, by leaving their mark on the DNA. Many studies in the past have concluded that painkillers like Ibuprofen, acetaminophen can influence your emotions. Also read: Stop popping painkillers. They can cause obesity and affect sleep In 2010, Danish researchers had suggested that prolonged use of painkillers could pose a health risk for baby boys in the future. The team, which included experts from Denmark, Finland and France, studied more than 2,000 pregnant women and their babies, and had concluded that women who used more than one painkiller simultaneously, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, had a 7-fold increased risk of giving birth to sons with some form of undescended testes, or cryptorchidism, compared to women who took nothing. The second trimester -- 14 to 27 weeks of pregnancy -- appeared to be a particularly sensitive time. The scientists found that exposure to paracetamol or ibuprofen triggers mechanisms in the cell that make changes in the structure of DNA, called epigenetic marks. (Shutterstock) In the latest research, the team looked at the effects of paracetamol and ibuprofen on samples of human fetal testes and ovaries. They found similar effects using several different experimental approaches, including lab tests on human tissue samples and animal studies. Human tissues exposed to either drug for one week in a dish had reduced numbers of cells that give rise to sperm and eggs, called germ cells, the study found. Also read: Painkillers work differently in men and women due to hormones and genes Human ovarian explants exposed to 10 and 100 M ibuprofen showed reduced cell number, less proliferating cells, increased apoptosis and a dramatic loss of germ cell number, regardless of the gestational age of the fetus. Significant effects were observed after 7 days of exposure to 10 M ibuprofen. At this concentration, apoptosis was observed as early as 2 days of treatment, along with a decrease in M2A-positive germ cell number. These deleterious effects of ibuprofen were not fully rescued after 5 days of drug withdrawal, wrote Rod Mitchell, who led the research, in his submission. Ovaries exposed to paracetamol for one week had more than 40% fewer egg-producing cells. After ibuprofen exposure, the number of cells was almost halved. Experts say this is important because girls produce all of their eggs in the womb, so if they are born with a reduced number it could lead to an early menopause. Painkiller exposure during development could have effects on unborn boys too, the study found. Testicular tissue exposed to painkillers in a culture dish had around a quarter fewer sperm-producing cells after exposure to paracetamol or ibuprofen. The scientists found that exposure to paracetamol or ibuprofen triggers mechanisms in the cell that make changes in the structure of DNA, called epigenetic marks. These marks can be inherited, helping to explain how the effects of painkillers on fertility may be passed on to future generations. Painkillers effects on germ cells are likely caused by their actions on molecules called prostaglandins, which have key functions in the ovaries and testes, the researchers found. The study appears in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Orson Welles daughter has appealed Netflix to reconsider its decision of pulling out of the Cannes Film Festival as it will result in her fathers last film The Other Side of the Wind missing its much-anticipated screening at the French festival. Netflix decided to pull out of the festival as new rules require that all films vying for the top spot need a theatrical release in France, something that affects its business model of releasing films on its streaming platform first. Welles daughter has appealed Netflixs chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, to reconsider their decision. Netflix financed the completion of the film. I was very upset and troubled to read in the trade papers about the conflict with the Cannes Film Festival. I have to speak out for my father, Beatrice said in an e-mail sent to Sarandos, portions of which were published by Vanity Fair. I saw how the big production companies destroyed his life, his work, and in so doing a little bit of the man I loved so much. I would so hate to see Netflix be yet another one of these companies, she added. Welles shot the film, about a director (John Huston) who returns to Hollywood with a comeback film after spending years in Europe, between 1970 and 1976 but it faced a lot of difficulties with production and financing. It was eventually left unfinished for over 40 years. Read: Avengers Infinity War directors give carefully worded update about Robert Downey Jrs fate In October 2014, efforts were made to complete the film but it again hit a roadblock even though the producers tried to raise money via crowdfunding. Netflix backed its completion. The films producer Filip Jan Rymsza also expressed disappointment over the film being pulled out of the festival. Our film was selected to screen Out of Competition, as an Official Selection in the Grand Theatre Lumiere, so it was not directly effected by the ban. Whats sad and most difficult to come to terms with is that everyone loses in this decision Cannes, Netflix, film lovers and all of us who worked so hard on this historic endeavour, he said in a statement. Granted, Im conflicted in my emotions. There would be no The Other Side of the Wind without Netflix, but that doesnt lessen my disappointment and heartbreak, he said. The impasse between Netflix and Cannes has affected the works of some major directors such as Alfonso Cuarons Roma, which was also scheduled to be screened out of competition. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) A 14-year-old Indian girl was killed and 19 Indians were injured when their bus met with an accident in Iran, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday. Twenty Indian pilgrims were heading to the city of Qom, considered holy in Shia Islam, last night when the accident. I have got the report from Indian Embassy in Tehran. A bus carrying 20 Indian pilgrims on way to Qom met with an accident last night. Unfortunately, we lost Ms.Kulsum Fatima aged 14 years because of head injuries. /1 https://t.co/gWlsOUEQE7 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 16, 2018 Another national named Mohammad Ali is in the ICU, while 18 Indians were discharged after first aid, she said. Our mission staff is in the hospital to provide any assistance, Swaraj said. Qom is the site of the shrine of sister of Imam Ali ibn Musa Rida, the eighth Shia Imam. The city is a significant destination of pilgrimage. (This story has not been modified from its original version) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday accused the Congress of defaming the Hindu religion by coining the term saffron terror and demanded apologies from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra made the demand after a Special NIA court acquitted all five accused in the Mecca Masjid Bomb blast case earlier in the day. Today after the verdict, the Congress face has been exposed as never before, Patra told the media. Slamming the Congress, the BJP leader said: A former official RVS Mani told the media today that home minister (P Chidambaram) was involved in changing the files. To hide the truth, to change the truth and to change whatever was already submitted in the court through affidavit, this is what Chidambaram and others in the Congress dispensation were doing just in order to prove saffron terror. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi must apologise to the nation, he added. The BJP leader said those who follow Indian politics are remembering the 2013 Congresss Jaipur convention where then party president Sonia Gandhi, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi were sitting on the dias. Then home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in his address to the party workers read out the term saffron terror. By doing this he defamed the centuries-old Hindu religion, he alleged, adding that all the senior party leaders remained silent. Patra said Hindu terror was first used by Chidambaram in 2010. He slammed the Congress for indulging in appeasement politics for years. He also attacked the Congress leaders for maintaining double standards on the court verdict. Trading insults at the Congress president, Patra asked: Rahulji, isnt it correct that you met US ambassador and told him that We dont fear the SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) but we do fear the Hindus? Didnt you tell him that the SIMI was not involved in terror activities but the Hindus were? He also said all the Congress leaders took lessons from Rahul Gandhi. Or had these leaders made statements without consulting you? he asked. Hitting out at Shinde, Patra said, At the height of the appeasement politics, in 2013, Shinde sent notices to all the chief ministers saying not to arrest any innocent Muslim youth. Due to its appeasement politics, the Congress was deserted in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Patra added. A special court of National Investigation Agency in Hyderabad on Monday acquitted all the five accused charge-sheeted in the sensational Mecca Masjid bomb blast case of 2007, for want of concrete evidence after some of the witnesses turned hostile. The bomb blast, which took place during Friday prayers in the mosque adjacent to the historic Charminar in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007 claimed nine lives and left 58 injured. Five others were killed in police firing in the violence that followed immediately after the blast. Dismissing the case stating that there was no evidence to prove the NIA charges, the fourth additional metropolitan sessions court judge Justice Ravinder Reddy acquitted godman Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemananda of Gujarat, RSS pracharak Devendra Guptha of Rajasthan, property dealer-cum-RSS activist Lokesh Sharma of MP, private employee Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai of Gujarat and a farmer Rajender Chowdary of MP. In a very interesting development though Justice Reddy, within hours of delivering the judgement resigned from his job and went incommunicado. Justice Reddy, who is heading the Telangana Judicial Officers Association, sent his resignation letter to Hyderabad high court chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan in the evening. Reasons for his resignation are not exactly known. Earlier, defence lawyer B Rajvardhan Reddy told media after the judgement at the Nampally criminal courts complex,The judge observed that the prosecution could prove not a single allegation leveled by the agency, and hence he declared all the accused acquitted. However, the cases against three other accused, Ramachandra Kalasangara, Sandeep V Dange and Amith Chouhan, who are absconding, as well as another accused Tejaram Parmar, who was facing trial in another case, are still pending, as the NIA had not included their names in the original charge-sheet. Another accused Sunil Joshi was murdered at Dewas in Madhya Pradesh on December 9, 2007 and hence the case against him was dropped, the lawyer added. The state government in June 2007 had transferred the case to Central Bureau of Investigation who later handed over the case to NIA in 2011. In all, the CBI and the NIA had named 10 persons as the accused: Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Sandeep Dange, Ramachandra Kalsangra, Sunil Joshi, Swamy Aseemananda, Bharat Mohan Lal, Rajender Chowdary, Tejram Parmar and Amit Chouhan. The accused were found to be related to Abhinav Bharat and had close links with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The accused were charged under sections 302, 307, 326 and 324 read with 120 (B) IPC, Sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, and Sections of Explosive Substances Act, 1908. During the trial, the NIA court examined 226 witnesses of whom 66 witnesses turned hostile. The NIA exhibited as many as 411 documents during the trial. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi accused the National Investigation Agency of deliberately failing to produce evidences against the accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case. Owaisi said it was a malicious and biased prosecution done by the NIA and that was why the accused could not be convicted. He pointed out that many witnesses had turned hostile after 2014 (when the BJP came to power at the Centre). Reacting to Justice Ravinder Reddys resignation Owaisi tweeted judge who gave acquittal to all accused in the Mecca Masjid blast resigns, very intriguing and I am surprised with the lordships (s) decision Initially, the Hyderabad police who investigated the case suspected it to be the handiwork of Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI), a fundamentalist group supported by Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The police picked up more than 90 youth unofficial figures put it at more than 200 for interrogation and finally, 21 youth were charge-sheeted. The police blamed Bilal, linked to HuJI, as the mastermind behind the terror attack. He was later killed in a shoot-out. After a prolonged trial, the Nampally criminal courts acquitted all the accused on January 1, 2009 for lack of evidence. Given the sensitive nature of the case, police had tightened security around the Nampally courts and also around Mecca Masjid. More than 2,000 police personnel were deployed including Rapid Action Force and Telangana special force to provide security. Srinivasa Rao Apparasu Andhra Pradesh shut down on Monday in response to a call by an opposition-backed peoples forum to demand special category status to the state which turned violent with protesters setting vehicles on fire in Tirupati. The day-long bandh called by Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samithi (Committee to achieve special category status), a joint action committee of all the Opposition parties and peoples organisations in Andhra Pradesh in protest against the indifferent attitude of the Centre towards their demand evoked huge response in the state. Additional forces have been deployed to ensure the bandh is peaceful, director general of police (DGP) M Malakondaiah said. While the Bharatiya Janata Party expectedly opposed the bandh, the ruling Telugu Desam Party stayed away from the agitation with chief minister Chandrababu Naidu saying he did not favour bandhs because they hamper development and cause a lot of inconvenience to the people. Naidu came under fire from the main opposition party, the YSR Congress which accused him of adopting double standards. When Naidu was the opposition leader, he had called for bandhs on many occasions, but as a chief minister he is now opposing them, saying they hinder development, YSRC political affairs committee member Ambati Rambabu said. Activists of various Opposition parties, including YSR Congress party, CPI, CPI (M), Jana Sena Party and various other organisations hit the streets early in the morning and staged protest demonstrations in front of the bus depots. They stopped the attempts of the state-run road transport corporation to run buses to different parts of the state. Only emergency and essential services were spared from the bandh call. In Tirupati, the protestors spared buses carrying pilgrims to Tirumala temple. Reports of activists belonging to the Left parties, the YSR Congress party, the Congress and Jana Sena Party taking out rallies, blocking the roads and staging dharnas were reported Vijayawada, Guntur, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Nellore, Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor and Kadapa towns. YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy took a days break from his padayatra to participate in protest demonstrations in Krishna district. Shops, business establishments, private educational institutions, hotels and restaurants voluntarily were closed in support of the bandh. While private educational institutions shut down in support of the bandh, government educational institutions were kept open but the attendance was skeletal due to lack of transportation. All colleges and universities in different parts of the state postponed their examination schedule by a day. On March 23, the Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti had organized a national highway blockade in support of its demand for a special status for the state. Naidu, who faces election in 2019, pulled the TDP out of the quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in March in protest against the Centres failure to accord special status to Andhra, a promise that was made when Telangana state was carved out of its northern areas in 2014. Special status demand The Centre which ruled out special status that would have allowed Andhra a greater share of aid from the Union government, says the state has been compensated adequately. The special category status was first introduced in 1969 by the 5th Finance Commission (FC). Under a constitutional mandate, the mechanism for sharing of financial resources between the Centre and states is fixed by the FCs every five years. The 5th FC made a case for preferential treatment of disadvantaged states. The 14th FC in 2015 increased the states share of net Union tax revenues to 42% from 32%. According to Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, following this, the case for special status doesnt exist anymore. A central government circular was issued in 2016. (With PTI input) Home minister Rajnath Singh is the senior-most minister in the Narendra Modi government. A former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he spoke to Azaan Javaid and Prashant Jha on internal security, Kashmir, Nagaland, and the current political situation. Edited excerpts: The government is completing four years. How do you assess the internal security situation? The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government under (Narendra) Modi-ji has performed extremely well. Our economy has strengthened. In the international community, Indias weight has increased. To transform India into a developed country, it is important that all sections of society develop. People should be confident about their future. For this, the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Suraksha Yojana and Jeevan Jyoti Yojana were introduced. For the poor, for the women, who would previously cook food by burning wood, Ujjwala was introduced. We have provided electricity under Saubhagya. Ten crore people being given health cover of Rs 5 lakh is the worlds largest scheme. The government has made structural and procedural changes to bring transparency in the system. India has jumped up in the ease-of-doing-business rankings. Crores of people have received loans from Mudra bank and become employment providers. Start-up schemes for women and economically backward were started and, for the first time, giving loans to women and Dalits has been made mandatory. We have given a sense of confidence to the people, especially the deprived class. The security situation has improved. On the Naxal front, everyone has acknowledged that it has shrunk to a specific region. There used to be 135 districts (affected by Maoists) and if you see now it affects only five-six districts. In Jharkhand, people can move fearlessly. The number of incidents has decreased, and there is desperation among Naxals. In the north-east, when it comes to insurgency, we have achieved more than 75% success. In the hinterland, there has been no terrorist strike. If you leave aside Pathankot and Gurdaspur, there hasnt been a major incident in the country and in the two attacks that did take place, security forces and Punjab police did a good job. How do you see the Kathua incident? It is deeply sad, unfortunate and shameful. Irrespective of which community or religion people belong to, everyone will condemn this incident. There should be justice for the family of the victim. The perception is that the BJP is defending the accused. I have spoken to Mehbooba Mufti. I have also spoken to some other people from there and asked them to try to normalise the situation. Such matters should not be politicised. The victims family should get justice. But will you condemn attempts to protect the accused? No one, no one, can defend this. I have told the party members to see what the situation is like and I have asked them they should try to normalise the situation in Jammu. The situation in Kashmir has deteriorated. There has been a spike in violence and local recruitment in militant groups. I believe there is some local recruitment but the number is very insignificant. Its nominal. Some forces have misled the youth of Kashmir. People who instigate children for stone pelting are to blame. But has alienation among local Kashmiris increased? I dont believe in this. Among the majority in Kashmir, there is no sense of alienation towards India. People from the Muslim community are living in peace in India. It is rare and unparalleled. The Muslims themselves feel this. Where can one find a more tolerant country than India? The followers of all major religions live in India nowhere else can you find this. There has been no discrimination in India on the basis of religion. This is the biggest feature of Indias culture. Your ally Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to emphasise the need for a political process. We have appointed an interlocutor and I have previously said that we are ready to talk to every stakeholder who wants to talk. I have been repeating this. Mehbooba Mufti says India should talk to Pakistan. What can we do? Our Prime Minister broke all protocol and reached Pakistan. Wasnt that an occasion for Pakistan to talk? I had gone to Pakistan. Wasnt that an occasion for Pakistan to talk? There has been no gap in our efforts. So the onus is on Pakistan? Yes, Pakistan has to understand terrorism and dialogue cannot go together. Some people suggest the surgical strikes actually led to a spike in tensions and cross-border violence. Was the situation stable between the two countries before that (surgical strikes)? India has really tried. I believe Atal-jis government, Manmohan Singh-jis government or Modi-jis government all have tried to keep good relations with neighbouring countries. Atal-ji went with a bus. Pakistan has never taken initiatives like the ones taken by India. Dalit groups called a major Bharat Bandh recently. Do you see Dalit dissatisfaction with the government increasing? Not at all. Since elections are approaching, some powers are trying to instil misunderstanding among the people to get political benefits. The Dalits understand if any government is their well-wisher, it is this one. We have launched the biggest schemes for deprived sections and the Dalit community. Ram Vilas Paswan told us recently there is a perception among younger Dalits that the government is insensitive. Some people are trying to create the perception, but I am confident that Dalit community has become very aware socially and politically. No one can mislead them. Can this lead to a fracture in the social coalition of the BJP in the next elections? We dont want to do politics by breaking society but by bringing it together. This is the intrinsic value of our ideology. But a section of society that appears torn from you is the Muslim community. There are some people who are tying to create misunderstandings but Muslims who are here (India), they belong to India. India has not been accepted by Muslims by chance but by choice at the time of division (Partition). We cannot think of them differently. We want to bring together everyone in the society and move forward. Whether or not we get political success, but we will not allow society to break. Just in terms of political representation, Muslims dont seem to find space. We have given space at many places. There is a minister in UP government, a Union minister. There are many ministers in state governments. Four southern finance ministers recently termed the Centres actions anti-federal. Not all went Tamil Nadu and Telangana didnt go. But four went. Do you think regionalism in the south is increasing? Not at all. The people of the south will never accept this. They will never endorse such actions of any political party. Many states accuse you of not listening and of meting out unfair treatment. We listen abundantly. We cant and dont discriminate. Our aim is to strengthen Indias federal structure. Will you be taking any initiatives to reach out to the South? Our support in the south has increased. In the Kerala elections too, the percentage of our vote increase substantially. But there appears to be a sense of alienation. There is no sense of alienation in the south at all. Some people are trying to fan this to benefit politically. The people of the south will never accept this. In fact they will reject such powers. Should the Lingayat community be given the status of a religious minority? We wont do politics of breaking the society. The Congress government rejected this proposal in 2013. So will you reject it too? The Congress rejected it in 2013 and we agree with this. Whenever Congress does anything good, we acknowledge it. (Laughs) Whats happening with the Naga Framework agreement? The talks are ongoing. It will mature. Kiren Rijiju said that NSCN-IM gave up their demand for sovereignty and greater Nagaland. The group rejected it. I just want to say that whatever the agreement was (between the Centre and NSCN-IM), it will mature. Our attempts are to make it mature talks are ongoing. Will a deal happen before 2019? Yes, our effort is to conclude it as soon as possible. We dont want to drag it. The Opposition is trying to a forge a common front for 2019. Is this a challenge? This means that all parties have acknowledged that they cant defeat the BJP on their own. They have wholeheartedly accepted the BJPs power. Can they defeat it by coming together? Whatever they are doing is their desperation. But they wont be successful because peoples faith in this government has increased. We have been successful in one state poll after another. An alliance worked in Gorakhpur and Phulpur. We dont want to be successful by breaking the society but by bringing it together. We have analysed if there were shortcomings (in Gorakhpur and Phulpur) and precautions will be taken. You are not worried about the BSP-SP alliance? Not at all. They are worried and are forging an unnatural alliance. So we are not getting worried because of their worries. The alliance is not limited to UP. Sharad Pawar and Congress are talking in Maharashtra. This is happening in all states. I would just like to say that politics should have principles. No political party should do opportunist politics. On the other hand, your alliance partners are unhappy. The TDP has left; the Shiv Sena is angry. In a home, a family, there can be some issues but no one is separated; everyone is together. Some say that when you were the party president, you maintained relations. But todays BJP is an authoritarian BJP and thats why allies are unhappy. No, our president is in touch with everyone. He has maintained live contact. Even though I am not the president, it is also my responsibility to maintain relations with everyone. The PM, despite being busy, has maintained close ties with the alliance partners. In 2019, even if the BJP forms the government, will Narendra Modi become the Prime Minister? Most definitely. There should be no doubt on this at all. A division bench of Calcutta high court on Monday ruled that the single bench of justice Subrata Talukdar will hear the petition regarding the panchayat elections. The bench of Biswanath Somadder and Arindam Mukherjee said the hearing has to take place expeditiously. If necessary, hearing might take place every day, it said. Justice Talukdar, who ordered a stay on the elections after the state election commissions flip flop on the last date of nominations, will hear the matter at 2 pm on Tuesday. Petitions on the rural polls came up for hearing both in the single bench and the division bench after ruling Trinamool Congress moved the division bench against the single benchs stay. Welcoming the order, BJPs Bengal unit general secretary Pratap Banerjee said, The division bench threw out the ruling partys appeal to vacate the single bench order. We will argue our matter in Calcutta high court only and would not go to the Supreme Court, said Kalyan Banerjee, advocate for Trinamool Congress. On April 9, the state election commission had extended by a day the last day for filing nominations after the BJP and opposition parties alleged that the ruling Trinamool was using strong-arm tactics and violence to prevent its candidates from filing nominations. The next morning, it withdrew the order citing legalities. As per the original schedule, the nomination process ended on April 9. The polls are to be held on May 1, 3 and 5. Counting was supposed to be held on May 8. When asked when the current panchayat term would end, the bench was told mid-August. We dont want the elections to get delayed, but we knew the elections could have been held in June and July, said Rabin Deb, state secretariat member of the CPI(M). Left, Congress hit the streets in Kolkata Leaders of 17 Left parties and Congress hit the streets of Kolkata on Monday. While leaders and workers of the Left parties held a rally, Congress leaders held a hunger strike at Rani Rashmoni Road in central Kolkata. State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury, who participated in the protest, said the votes will be a farce without central forces. Left Front chairman Biman Bose and CPI(M) state secretary Suryakanta Mishra participated in the procession. Incidentally, in 2013, central forces were deployed for the first time in Bengals rural forces. Despite stiff opposition by the Mamata Banerjee government, the use of these forces was ordered by the Supreme Court after the state election commissioner said she did not have faith in the state police. Allegations against ruling party supporters trying to coerce opposition candidates to withdraw nomination continued in the state with CPI(M) and BJP candidates allegedly being pressured by Trinamool supporters to step aside from the contest. Both the incidents took place in the north Bengal district of Jalpaiguri. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed a charge sheet against former railway minister and RJD strongman Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav, close aide and MP Prem Chand Gupta, and 10 others (which includes two companies) in connection with handing out a maintenance contract for two IRCTC hotels to a private firm. According to the agencys FIR, filed last year, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation a subsidiary of the Indian Railways awarded the maintenance contract for two of its hotels in Ranchi and Puri to Sujata Hotel (a company owned by Vinay and Vijay Kochhar) in 2006 allegedly in return for a prime three-acre plot in Patna through a benami company. Lalu Prasad was the railway minister at the time (2004-2009). The FIR alleged that Lalu abused his official position to extend undue favours to the Kochhars. The benami firm, Delight Marketing Company, was allegedly owned by Sarla Gupta, the wife of RJD MP Prem Chand Gupta. She, too, has been named in the charge sheet. The agency alleged that after the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotel, the ownership of Delight also changed hands from Sarla to Rabri Devi and Tejashwi Yadav. The change of ownership happened between 2010 and 2014. During the investigation, the CBI questioned Lalu and Rabri, and also conducted searches at 12 locations, including at the family members premises in Patna, Delhi, Gurgaon, Puri and Ranchi on July 7, 2017. Among the others names in the charge sheet include then group general manager of IRCTC, BK Agarwal; former group general manager of IRCTC, VK Asthana; and a few other railway officials. Lalu has also been convicted in four fodder scam cases so far and is serving his sentences. Responding to the development, RJD spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav said, The charge sheet against the RJDs top leaders has exposed the CBI. The charge sheet has been filed despite the CBI legal cell accepting that there was no merit in the case. The CBI has become a Conspiracy Bureau of India. Lordy. Photo: ABC News In his first interview since being fired by President Trump, James Comey offered his account of how we went from the FBI investigating Hillary Clintons private email server to the Bureaus former director declaring the current president morally unfit for the office on national TV. Tidbits from Comeys forthcoming book A Higher Loyalty have been trickling out for days, but there were still plenty of wild revelations in Sunday nights 20/20, from Comey comparing Trump to a Mob boss to saying its possible that the Russians have compromising information on him. As the one-hour interview aired on TV, ABC News released a transcript of Comeys full five-hour sit-down with George Stephanopoulos. Pour yourself a tall James Comey (red wine served in paper coffee cup), and take a look all the moments Trump will be fuming about in tomorrows tweets. Comey Thinks Trump Is Morally Unfit for the Presidency Comey doesnt subscribe to arguments that Trump is mentally or medically unfit to be president. He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence whos tracking conversations and knows whats going on, he said. However, that doesnt mean he thinks hes fit to hold the office. JAMES COMEY: I think hes morally unfit to be president. A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like theyre pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it, that persons not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds. And thats not a policy statement. Again, I dont care what your views are on guns or immigration or taxes. Theres something more important than that that should unite all of us, and that is our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president. Values matter. This president does not reflect the values of this country. Comey calls Trump unfit for office. #ComeyInterview pic.twitter.com/DdWI1Ktb0g Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) April 16, 2018 Comey Is Against Impeachment He said that while he wants to see Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation continue and whatever flows from that, hed prefer that Americans remove their unfit president at the voting booth. As a citizen, I think we owe it to each other to get off the couch and think about what unites us, he said. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: If you are right, what is the remedy? Should Donald Trump be impeached? JAMES COMEY: Ill give you a strange answer. I hope not, because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe theyre duty bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values. Well fight about guns. Well fight about taxes. Well fight about all those other things down the road. But you cannot have, as president of the United States, someone who does not reflect the values that I believe Republicans treasure and Democrats treasure and Independents treasure. That is the core of this country. Thats our foundation. And so impeachment, in a way, would short circuit that. Comey Didnt Vote in 2016, But His Family Was Pro-Clinton In a clip thats certain to get significant play on the right (which is already racing to discredit him), Comey revealed that his family members strongly opposed Trump during the 2016 election. Comey said he opted not to vote because, Im the director of the FBI. Im trying to be outside of politics so intentionally tried not to follow it a lot. JAMES COMEY: Oh yeah. And and the the I didnt take a poll among all the kids, but Im pretty sure that at least my four daughters, probably all five of my kids, wanted Hillary Clinton to be the first woman president. I know my amazing spouse did. My my wife and girls marched in the womens march the day after President Trumps inauguration. There was a lotta passion in this house for Hillary Clinton. And I I get that. But again, I hope it illustrates to people that I really wasnt making decisions based on political fortunes. Comey Has Regrets About His Clinton Press Conference He said he felt investigating Clinton was a no-win situation for the FBI, so he accepted that at least one side of the partisan divide would be angry at the Bureau. During the interview Comey repeatedly defended his decision to hold a press conference in July 2016 announcing that the FBI would not recommend charges related to her private email server. However, he said he regrets phrasing his statement in a way that made it sound like he was accusing her of a crime, while letting her off the hook. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And you also would not use the words, extreme carelessness today? JAMES COMEY: No. Id find some I dont know what it would be, sitting here. Find some other way to convey, cause I wanted to be honest and transparent. This wasnt your ordinary bureaucrat who just mishandles one document. This was something more than that. But not something that anybody would prosecute. And and thats one of the things about the criticism that drives me crazy. Nobody who has done counterespionage work would think this is a case thats been prosecute would be prosecuted, ever. And so I needed to find a way to both convey that and to capture that it was more than just ordinary carelessness. Comey Doesnt Regret Announcing the Reopening of the Clinton Probe He said that even if he knew announcing the reopening of the Clinton investigation would hand Trump the election, he would still do it. Comey reasoned that the news would eventually get out, and the suggestion that he concealed information for political purposes would mean the death of the FBI as an independent force in American life. He conceded that the widespread assumption that Clinton was going to win played a role: JAMES COMEY: It must have been. I dont remember consciously thinking about that, but it must have been. Cause I was operating in a world where Hillary Clinton was going to beat Donald Trump. And so Im sure that it that it was a factor. Like I said, I dont remember spelling it out, but it had to have been. That that shes going to be elected president, and if I hide this from the American people, shell be illegitimate the moment shes elected, the moment this comes out. Comey Felt He Couldnt Disclose the Russia Probe During the Campaign Comey denied that there was a double standard in the decision to update voters on every step of the Clinton probe, but conceal the beginnings of the Trump-Russia investigation. He said the Clinton probe was already public knowledge, but revealing the Russia investigation which at that point was about a handful of Trump associates, not the candidate himself would have compromised it. JAMES COMEY: actually [it] was not a hard question about whether to talk publicly about the fact that wed opened in counterintelligence investigations on a small number of Americans because it was far too early. We didnt know what we had, and we didnt want to tip them off that we were looking at them. So consistent with our policy again, very different than the Hillary Clinton case, which began with a public referral. Everybody knew we were looking at her emails. So when we confirmed it three months later, theres no jeopardy at all to the investigation. This was very different. We did not want these Americans to know that we had reason to believe they might be working with the Russians cause we gotta run this down and investigate it. So actually what was debated was a different and harder question which is what should we tell the American people about the fact that the Russians are messing with our election? Comey Sized Up Trumps Hand Size and Tanning Habits Comey described Trump as shorter than expected, with average-sized hands, and odd coloring, presumably from tanning. JAMES COMEY: He had impressively coifed hair, it looks to be all his. I confess, I stared at it pretty closely and my reaction was, It most take a heck of a lot of time in the morning, but its impressively coifed. He looked his tie was too long, as it always is. He looked slightly orange up close with small whitehalf moons under his eyes, which I assume are from tanning googles. And otherwise looked as I had expected him to look from tele as I thought he looked on television. Team Trump Didnt Seem Concerned About Russias Election Meddling Comey said he when he and other members of the intelligence community went to Trump Tower in January 2017 to brief the transition team about Russias activities during the election, they instantly focused on damage control. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You also said you were struck by what they didnt ask? JAMES COMEY: Very much. No one, to my recollection, asked, So what whats coming next from the Russians? Youre about to lead a country that has an adversary attacking it and I dont remember any questions about, So what are they going to do next, how might we stop it? Whats the future look like? Because well be custodians of the security of this country. There was none of that. It was all, What can we say about what they did and how it affects the election that we just had. Trump Was Defensive About the Russian Hooker Story From the Start Comey said he was left alone to brief President-elect Trump about the allegations in the Steele dossier, and when they got to his alleged activities with prostitutes in a hotel in Moscow in 2013, Trump interrupted to say, Do I look like a guy who needs hookers? JAMES COMEY: He was very defensive and started to launch into . for reasons that I dont understand, started going into the list of people who had accused him of touching them improperly, sexual assault and how he hadnt done this, he hadnt done that, he hadnt done that. Comey said he didnt get into the details about people peeing on each other, and assured Trump, Were not investigating you, sir. This is not something that were we care about, except that you know that this is out there. Now he doesnt know if he believes Trumps denial. I honestly never thought this words would come out of my mouth, but I dont know whether the the current president of the United States was with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow in 2013. Its possible, but I dont know. Trump Didnt Actually Kiss Comey Comey said that when Trump moved toward him during a White House reception he thought, How could he think this is a good idea? That hes going to try to hug me, the guy that a whole lot of people think, although thats not true, but think I tried to get him elected president and did. Isnt he master of television, this is disastrous. He said he was determined not to let Trump hug him, but that backfired. JAMES COMEY: Our arms are tense and he gets just far enough that I get something worse than a hug. Because hes just able to lean up to put his face by my right ear unfortunately, the cameras were on the left side of my face. And so the whole world saw him kiss me. And he didnt kiss me, he said, I really look forward to working with you. But the whole world, including my beloved family, saw the president of the United States kiss the man who helped get him elected. Trump Delivered Long, Lie-Filled Monologues Comey noted that in private, as in public, Trump is prone to delivering monologues that include obviously false statements. This is how he described the conversation during the infamous loyalty dinner in January 2017: JAMES COMEY: It was him talking almost the entire time, which Ive discovered is something he frequently does. And so it would be monologue in this direction, monologue in that direction, monologue in a different direction. And a constant series of assertions that about the inauguration crowd, about how great my inauguration speech was, about all the free media earned media, I think was his term, that I got during the campaign. On and on and on and on. Everyone agrees, everyone agrees, I did this, the I never assaulted these women, I never made fun of a reporter. And Im sure youre wondering what question did I ask that would prompt those? None, zero. I didnt ask any questions that I recall. Trump Brought Up the Pee Tape Unprompted Comey said that during the same dinner, Trump brought up the alleged golden shower tape. JAMES COMEY: He brings it up and says he may want me to investigate it to prove that it didnt happen. And then he says something that distracted me. Cause he said, you know, If theres even a 1 percent chance my wife thinks thats true, thats terrible. And I and I remember thinking, How could your wife think theres a 1 percent chance you were with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow? Im a flawed human being, but there is literally zero chance that my wife would think that was true. So what kind of marriage to what kind of man does your wife think theres only a 99 percent chance you didnt do that? And the reason Im recounting this is I remember I wasnt listening to him, cause Im running this through my head, like, how could that possibly be true? And I said to him, Sir when he started talking about it, I may order you to investigate that, I said, Sir, thats up to you. But youd want to be careful about that, because it might create a narrative that were investigating you personally. And second, its very difficult to prove something didnt happen. Ex-FBI Director James Comey: I honestly never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but I dont know whether the current President of the United States was with prostitutes peeing on each other in Moscow in 2013. Its possible, but I dont know https://t.co/x2m2Uar0yR pic.twitter.com/RzbnP17dSG CNN (@CNN) April 13, 2018 Comey Isnt Sure If Trump Obstructed Justice Comey has claimed that Trump suggested he drop the investigation of Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, by saying, Hes a good guy, I hope you can let it go. In the interview, Comey conceded that rather than answering I agree hes a good guy, he should have told Trump his request was improper though hes still not sure if it constitutes obstruction of justice. JAMES COMEY: Possibly. I mean, its certainly some evidence of obstruction of justice. It would depend and and Im just a witness in this case, not the investigator or prosecutor, it would depend upon other things that reflected on his intent. Comey Repeatedly Compared Trump to a Mob Boss He said several interactions with Trump and his staffers brought him back to his days investigating the Mafia. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: How strange is it for you to sit here and compare the president to a mob boss? JAMES COMEY: Very strange. And I dont do it lightly. I and Im not trying to that, by the way, suggest that President Trump is out breaking legs and you know, shaking down shopkeepers. But instead, what Im talking about is that leadership culture constantly comes back to me when I think about my experience with the Trump administration. The the loyalty oaths, the boss as the dominant center of everything, its all about how do you serve the boss, whats in the boss interests. Its the family, the family, the family, the family. Thats why it reminds me so much and not, So whats the right thing for the country and what are the values of the institutions that were dealing with? Comey Had a Drink After Trump Fired Him After learning he was fired from TV reports while speaking at the FBI field office in Los Angeles, Comey had to find his way back to D.C. He briefly considered an option that would have made the story even crazier: renting a convertible and driving across the country. Eventually he wound up taking one last ride on the FBIs private jet, and drinking solo. JAMES COMEY: I broke F.B.I. rules. I was no longer an employee so I wasnt breaking the rules. So I took a bottle of red wine out of my suitcase that I was bringing back from California, a California pinot noir, and I drank red wine from a paper coffee cup and just looked out at the lights of the country I love so much as we flew home. And then I as we got close to the airport in Washington, I asked the pilots could I sit up with them, cause Id never done it. Been all over the world with these pilots and sat in the passengers seat. Hundreds of flights, Id never sat up there and watched them do their work. So they put the headphones on me and I sat on a jump seat between the two pilots and watched them land along the Potomac. And and then we shook hands with tears in our eyes and then I left and get driven home. Comey Doesnt Rule Out the Russians Having Something on Trump Comey said he initially though Trump was crazy to fire him while he was leading the Russia probe. Then Trump told Russian diplomats that Comey was a nut job and admitted he was thinking of the investigation when he made the call. Comey said that made him think, the pretense is melting away, though hes still not sure what to make of Trumps relationship with Russia. The DMK, along with other opposition parties, staged a protest in Chennai on Monday against the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Addressing the gathering, DMK leader MK Stalin said the Supreme Court order to dilute the Act was unacceptable. Stalin demanded that the central government file an appeal in the Supreme Court and also include the Act under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. The political parties that participated in the protest were DMK, Congress, IUML, MDMK, VCK and MMK. The apex court in its March 20 order said an accused cannot be mandatorily arrested under the Act without an initial probe. The Dalit organisations and various civil society groups see it as dilution and accuse the Narendra Modi government of conniving in the case. It is a language problem of giant proportions. Local mahouts assigned to three elephants brought to Jharkhands Palamu tiger reserve from Karnataka are struggling with their new charges. They cant get across to the animals who only respond to commands in Kannada, their mother tongue. The elephants were in Karnatakas Bandipur National Park before they were moved to the reserve last month. To overcome the language barrier, the elephants will be taught Hindi and their new mahouts Kannada so that nothing gets lost in translation. Elephants only understand phonetics and body language. The difference in phonetic patterns of Kannda and Hindi is impeding their understanding, causing poor responses to commands in Hindi, reserves field director MP Singh said. Two mahouts and a kawadi, one who arranges food and washes elephants, from Karnataka are helping Kaal Bhairav, Sita and her calf, Murgesan, settle in. The elephants, who will patrol the jungles and also be part of safari expeditions, arrived in the reserve on March 27. They were working to ensure a smooth transition from Kannada to Hindi with the help of mahouts from Karnataka, who were assisting local mahouts, Singh said. Earlier, we expected this to happen in a months time, but it is now expected to take longer. An expert in elephant behaviour and a member of the Jharkhand wild life board, Dr DS Srivastava said it was natural for elephants to have problems in obeying commands in a different language used by a different person. Elephants usually develop a very close bond with their handlers. Communication between both of them is very complex. It will take time before animals start trusting new handlers, he said. Not just elephants but their local mahouts, too, have some learning to do. Lal Bihari and Yogendra will learn commands in Kannada from Manjul, Kaal Bhairavs mahout, and then train the animal to respond to the same messages in Hindi. Sita and Murgesan will be tutored by Ramprasad and Birendra, who in turn will take Kannada lesson from their mahout Mari. Manjul and Mari will head home once the animals break the language barrier. Four elephants, including a tusker and a calf, were killed early Monday morning in an elephant corridor Jharsuguda district of Odisha when they were knocked down by a speeding train in the worst such tragedy in the state since 2012. The 12810 Howrah-Mumbai Mail passing through Bagdihi forest range rammed into the pachyderms as they were trying to negotiate their way across track near an unmanned level crossing near Teladihi early this morning. All the animals were killed in the impact of collision, said Jharsuguda Divisional Forest Officer Sushant Kumar. Forest officials said the herd probably was coming from the Bamra wildlife division, a part of the Sambalpur elephant reserve, around 20 km away. Assistant conservator of forest (ACF), Jharsuguda division, Pradeep Kumar Dhal said, a case has been lodged against South Eastern Railways. We have also written to the SE Railway asking it to reduce the train speed to 30 km per hour on the route, particularly on the stretch between Jharsuguda division and Bamra wildlife division, henceforth, Dhal said. Sanjay Ghosh, chief public relation officer (CPRO), SE Railway, told the HT over phone from Kolkata that the forest officials did not inform railway authorities about the movement of the elephants in the area beforehand. As per rule, it is for forest officials to intimate railway about elephants presence, movements, possible routes and timing beforehand. In the present case, they didnt inform us, said Ghosh. Also read: Elephants from Karnataka to be taught Hindi in Jharkhand Three earth moving machines were deployed to clear the carcasses from the tracks . Several trains including Bokaro-Alleppey Express and Tapaswini Express were stopped at Jharsuguda station. Wildlife activists said the mishap exacerbates concerns about the states record on such incidents. In December 2012, the Coromandel Express knocked down six elephants at Rambha area of Ganjam district. In the last 8 years, 22 elephants in the state have been killed on rail tracks. The place where Mondays mishap took place is known to be a vulnerable spot for elephants. Last September, a four-month-old calf that had sneaked into Teladihi village in search of food died after falling into a railway trench. A month later, a 15-year-old female elephant was electrocuted by a stray live wire while trying to rescue her calf that had fallen into another trench. The calf died too. In the aftermath of the December 2012 incident in Ganjam district, a committee set up by the Union ministry of environment and forests had recommended that the Railways should restrict the speed of trains passing through identified vulnerable areas in forests to a maximum 40 km per hour to prevent elephant deaths. The committee had advised speed restrictions through identified vulnerable tracks in Odisha as is done in Rajaji National Park in Uttarakhand. Ever since these recommendations were implemented, the number of train kills had came down in the following three years. Also read: Railways to build 500km wall along Delhi-Mumbai route to quicken pace of trains But Mondays incident sparked outrage rage among wildlife activists who said it was apparent that despite the forest department and the railway authorities being aware about the spot being an elephant corridor, they did nothing to prevent more deaths. Todays incident is nothing less than massacre of elephants by Railways. The forest department had issued a specific advisory to the Railways to slow down trains at Teladihi section as it was a regular elephant crossing zone. Why did not the Railways take the necessary steps? The casual approach towards safety of wildlife would not be tolerated. An immediate enquiry needs to be done to fix responsibility after identifying the lapses and failure on part of the railways, said Dr Biswajit Mohanty, former member of National Board of Wildlife. Mohanty said in Odisha the frequency and number of trains, specially goods trains in mining and industrial areas have gone up sharply. Activists claim that despite rising elephant casualties in Odisha over last decade, officials havent taken enough measures to prevent such incidents. In last nine years, 589 elephants have died, of which 205 deaths were unnatural. While poaching (95) and electrocution (87) were main reasons of these unnatural deaths, death on train tracks was the third biggest cause. Gujarat police have reached out to Odisha counterparts to establish the identity of a minor girl who was raped and murdered in Surat. The body of the girl, believed to be between nine and 11 years old, was found in a field at Pandesara in Surat city limits on April 6. Gujarat minister of state for home Pradeepsinh Jadeja on Monday confirmed reports that her body had 86 injury marks, including on her private parts. She was strangled to death. The post-mortem indicated that the girl was tortured and raped for at least eight days, Jadeja told reporters in Gandhinagar. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the minor might be from Gujarat. Surat police commissioner Satish Sharma said, The area where the body was recovered is an industrial belt and has many migrants from Odisha. That is the reason we contacted Odisha police. We are also contacting other states. Minister Jadeja said Odisha police were contacted to go though the complaints related to missing children reported before April 6. He added that Gujarat police had so far gone through 8,000 complaints related to missing children from Gujarat and other states. The Surat crime branch has taken over investigation of the case from Pandesara police station. On Sunday night, Surat residents took out candle march demanding justice for the girl. Tushar Ghelani, a Surat-based businessman, announced a cash reward to the tune of Rs 5 lakh for providing information related to her identity. Police too announced a reward of Rs 20,000 for information that would help identify her. Meanwhile, Surats Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) president Bhusan Wankhede lodged a complaint with the city police against a social media post that claimed Haresh Thakur, a member of the student organisation, raped and murdered the girl. There is nobody named Haresh Thakur in the ABVP. The social media post was created to defame the ABVP and misguide people, said Wankhede. Man rapes minor girl in Rajkot Gujarat police arrested one Kamlesh Bharwad, a resident of Rajkot city, on Monday for allegedly raping a nine-year-old girl thrice. The girls mother had lodged a complaint with the police on Sunday. She alleged that Bharwad made her daughter watch porn clips on his mobile phone before raping her. The accused knew the victim and her widowed mother, said police. A National Investigation Agency (NIA) court on Monday acquitted all five accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. The case has brought the focus back on the so called Hindu right-wing terror cases. The NIA was asked to probe seven such cases blasts in Maharashtras Malegaon in 2006, the attack on Samjhauta Express in 2006, explosions at Hyderabads Mecca Masjid and Ajmer Sharif in 2007, blasts at Malegaon and Modasa in 2008 and the murder of former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak Sunil Joshi. Three cases the Joshi murder, Modasa blast and Ajmer Sharif blast have already been concluded. The Mecca Masjid blast case is the fourth among the Hindu terror cases where the trial has concluded. Here is their status as of now: Malegaon blasts in 2006 Four blasts outside a mosque in Malegaon, a town in Maharashtras Nashik district, killed 38 people on September 8, 2006. The Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) charge-sheeted nine Muslims. The NIA took over the case in 2011 and filed a charge sheet against alleged Hindu extremists in the case paving the way for the release of the Muslims accused on bail. The trial is yet to begin. Read | 10 things to know about the case Samjahuta Express blasts in 2007 Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) kept in the moving Samjhauta Express exploded near Dewana railway station in Haryanas Panipat district on February 18, 2007. The explosion killed 68 people, most of whom were Pakistanis going back home on the train going to Lahore from Delhi. The NIA has filed charges against Hindu extremists in the case. The trial is on. Blast at Hyderabads Mecca Masjid in 2007 A powerful IED blast at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad killed nine people and injured 58 others during Friday prayers on May 18, 2007. Five others were killed in police firing in the violence that followed immediately after the blast. The Hyderabad Police rounded up dozens of Muslims but could not get any breakthrough. The case was then handed over to CBI, which arrested Swami Aseemanand, the alleged patron of the Sunil Joshi-led group. The first charge sheet was filed by CBI and the case then handed over to NIA for further probe. Trial concluded. Case slated for judgement on Monday. Ajmer Dargah blast in 2007 A blast on October 11, 2007, during Ramzan at the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah in Rajasthans Ajmer, killed three people and left around a dozen injured.Three more bombs were later recovered from the premises. Of the 13 accused, three are absconding and another Sunil Joshi is dead. The trial against nine accused ended up in the conviction of only three Sunil Joshi, Devendra Gupta and Bhavesh Patel. Seven accused, including Aseemanand, who was once termed as an alleged Hindu terror ideologue, have been acquitted. Gupta and Patel were sentenced to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. Sunil Joshi murder case Joshi was shot dead on December 29, 2007, while walking back to his hideout at Chuna Khadan locality in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. He was the leader of an alleged Hindu extremist group consisting of Pragya Singh Thakur, Lokesh Sharma, Sandeep Dange, Ramji Kalsangra, Rajendra Pehelwan, Dhan Singh, Amit Chauhan and Aseemanand. Besides Aseemanand, many others helped Joshi fund his group. According to the NIA probe, the group was behind most of the right-wing terror cases. After completing the investigation in the Joshi murder case, the NIA handed over the case to the Madhya Pradesh police saying it had not found any evidence to suggest that his murder was linked to the larger Hindu terror conspiracy. The agency alleged that Joshi was killed by his own men as they were unhappy over his alleged misbehaviour with another accused Pragya Singh Thakur. The trial ended on February 1, 2017, and all the eight accused, including Pragya Singh Thakur, were acquitted. Malegaon and Modasa blasts Twin blasts in Maharashtras Malegaon and Modasa in Gujarat took place on September 29, 2008, during Ramzan and a day ahead of Hindu festival of Shivratri. Improvised Explosive Devices mounted on motorcycles were planted at both locations killing eight people. The Maharashtra Polices Anti-Terrorism Squad said it had cracked the Malegaon case and Pragya Singh Thakur and a serving Indian Army official Prasad Srikant Purohit were arrested and charge-sheeted in the case. The NIA later dropped charges against Pragya Singh Thakur and the special court is yet to take a call on it. The Modasa blast case was closed by NIA citing lack of evidence. India on Monday lodged a fresh protest with Pakistan over its diplomats not being allowed to meet Sikh pilgrims at Nankana Sahib gurudwara, two persons familiar with the development said. In its protest to the Pakistan foreign ministry, India reiterated that the code of conduct (for the treatment of diplomatic and consular personnel in India and Pakistan) of 1992, recently reaffirmed by both countries, was not being followed. Not letting the consular officials meet the pilgrims is against the agreed understanding between the two countries. Our team of officials was given not permission to meet the pilgrims and they were given no explanation, said an official in Delhi. Nankana Sahib is a holy city of the Sikhs and is the capital of the Nankana Sahib district in Pakistans Punjab province. The city named after the first Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Nanak, who was born in the city and began preaching here. This is the second diplomatic protest on the matter in as many days. There was no immediate reaction from the Pakistan High Commission on the development. India lodged a protest with Pakistan on Sunday for not allowing its high commissioner and diplomats meet Sikh pilgrims visiting the neighbouring country, the external affairs ministry had said, even as the two nations recently agreed to mend frosty relations. Islamabad countered the charge, accusing New Delhi of trying to vitiate environment of bilateral relations, even as the two nations sparred over the alleged snub to the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad, Ajay Bisaria. New Delhi on Sunday had called the Pakistani action a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. Barely two weeks ago, India and Pakistan had agreed to resolve a discord over alleged harassment of each others diplomats and their families. Around 1,800 Indian Sikhs are in Pakistan since April 12 their visit facilitated by a 1974 bilateral agreement that allows citizens of the two nations to make pilgrimages in each others territories. Giving permission to pilgrims to meet Indian diplomats is a standard practice that helps consular teams to reach out to its visiting citizens in case of medical or family emergencies. The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court judge of Hyderabad K Ravinder Reddy resigned on Monday, barely hours after acquitting the five accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case, a senior judicial officer said. Reddy handed over his resignation to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge. Reddy cited personal reasons for his resignation, and said it had nothing to do with todays judgement. He said, he was considering resigning for quite some time, the senior official told PTI. Earlier in the day, the special anti-terrorism court acquitted five men accused of being involved in the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad that killed nine people on May 18, 2007. The NIA court cited lack of evidence against Swami Aseemanand, former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker from Rajasthan Devendra Gupta, two other former RSS workers --Lokesh Sharma and Rajender Chowdhary --from Madhya Pradesh and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar, who was allegedly a close associate of Aseemanand. NIA said all the accused belonged to a group of Hindu extremists led by another RSS worker Sunil Joshi who was shot dead on December 29, 2007, in Madhya Pradeshs Dewas town. Since Joshi died before the chargesheet was filed, his name was not sent up for trial. Three others: former RSS worker Sandeep Dange and RSS activist Ramachandra Kalsangra, an electrician, and Amit Chouhan are absconding. The blast, during Friday prayers, injured 58 people. Five more were killed in police firing in violence that followed the blast. The Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the case from local police, and the NIA later interrogated 226 witnesses. All eight accused in the rape and murder case of a minor nomadic girl pleaded not guilty on the opening day of the trial in the principal district and sessions court in Kathua on Monday which posted the next hearing in the case for April 28. On the first day of the hearing day, the counsels of the eight accused advocates Ankur Sharma and Aseem Sawhney told judge Sanjeev Gupta that they were not provided with the detailed charge sheet which runs into 490 pages. Is that the hallmark of a fair trial? Sawhney asked. The judge asked state Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir police to give copies of charge sheet to accused while announcing the next date of hearing. All the eight accused plead not guilty and demanded narco tests. Main accused Sanji Ram told reporters that a narco test should be conducted to bring out the truth. Sanjis juvenile nephews bail application will be heard later during the day. Other than Sanji Ram, his nephew and son Vishal Jangotra, the five other accused include special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surrender Kumar, sub inspector Anand Dutta and head constable Tilak Raj. The little girl went missing on January 10 after she had gone out to look for the familys horses. She was allegedly kidnapped, kept sedated and repeatedly gang raped before being killed on January 13. According to the charge sheet, her body was dumped in the jungle on January 15. Her body was found on January 17 in Rassana area of Hiranagar in Kathua district. The crime evoked shock and outrage across the country and claimed the scalps of two BJP ministers in the Jammu and Kashmir government who addressed a rally in support of the accused. A shutdown was called by a section of social media users against the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in parts of Kerala on Monday. Police took several protesters into custody. The worst affected districts included Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and parts of Thiruvanathapuram. What began as a campaign in the social media on Sunday against the brutality heaped on an eight-year-old in Kathua region led to a shutdown on Monday. Angry demonstrators, some shouting anti-RSS slogans, blocked traffic and force shops to shut. Buses and other vehicles were stopped from plying on Monday morning. However, traffic resumed after the police chased away the protesters. In Kozhikode, Kannur and Palakkad, police chase away the strikers and took some into custody. In Kannur district, the protesters and some shop keepers were engaged in a war of words. The youths have been identified as members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the Popular Front of India. The areas affected by the shutdown are known strongholds of the SDPI, including the suburbs of the capital district. Government offices and banks in the affected areas opened later in the day. The Madras high court on Monday granted permission for the mercy killing of an ailing elephant in Salem temple, provided the veterinarians certify that the animal could not be cured and that letting her live would only add to the suffering. Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose accepted the plea of S Muralidharan, an animal lover and founder of Indian Centre for Animal Rights and Education. The petitioner had moved the high court for its direction to the veterinarians treating upon Rajeswari, the elephant belonging to the Arulmigu Suguvaneswarar temple, to euthanise her. The petitioner submitted that Rajeswari has developed bed sores due to constant lying down for over a month due to serious complications in of one of her feet. Muralidharan informed the court that the pachyderm was suffering for a long time due to serious painful disease condition of her left foreleg, which cannot be medically or surgically treated or cured. He also alleged that the doctors who treated upon her only made her condition worse. Muralidharan contended that the elephant suffered from stiffness and had great difficulty in moving, and keeping her alive in such circumstances would be a violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The court gave the direction after going through the circular of the Animal Welfare Board chairman, Major General (Retd) Dr RM Kharb, on euthanasia of animals and standards formulated by the Animal Welfare Board of India in this regard. It seems euthanasia should be performed so that the elephant is relieved from prolonged agony and suffering, it said. The decision to perform euthanasia is ultimately to be taken by the veterinary officer in charge of the area based on the guidelines, it said. Mitt Romney with Donald Trump, November 2016. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images David Brooks, the New York Times op-ed pages long-standing ambassador from the center-right, recently wrote a self-flagellatory column about the failure of anti-Trump Republicans to influence their own tribe. It was remarkable not for what it said but for what it didnt. After lingering over the grim evidence President Trumps approval rating still hovers in the low 40s, and, more important, he commands the near unanimous support of the Republican base Brooks concluded, A lot of us never-Trumpers assumed momentum would be on our side as his scandals and incompetences mounted. It hasnt turned out that way. What implications might be drawn from the implacable support of the party base for the manifestly incompetent, scandal-ridden party leader? One might entertain the conclusion that no combination of facts and logic can dislodge the Republican base from its tribal loyalties. This interpretation could be supported by such evidence as the fondness of Republicans for birtherism, their distrust of climate science, and so on. Perhaps the Republican base as currently constituted is hopelessly immune to reason and a reasonable person such as Brooks should instead refocus his political energies on curtailing its political power. But Brookss column did not come to that conclusion. Indeed, amazingly enough, he did not even consider the option. Instead, he suggested that critics of Trump must try harder and somehow do a better job of persuading Republicans to stop loving Trump so much. The idea of abandoning the Republican Party because it is authoritarian and toxically anti-intellectual was apparently as unfathomable to him as a fish in a polluted river deciding to live on land. If you want to understand why an event as large and potentially cataclysmic as the election of Donald Trump has not (yet) scrambled the long trench-warfare stalemate between red and blue America, this dynamic is a good place to start. We have in our heads a basic model of how the parties and voters are supposed to operate: If a party swings too far to one side or otherwise forfeits its claim to responsible governance, it will suffer some political consequences from voters, who will ultimately force it back. That intuition has a sound historical and theoretical basis. As Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt show in their recent book How Democracies Die, the first and strongest defense against the election of an extreme or unfit leader is for his more mainstream partners to defect en masse. In Finland in 1930, and in Belgium later that decade, conservative politicians closed ranks with their socialist adversaries in order to block the ultranationalist right. In France last year, Francois Fillon called for his center-right party, the Republicans, to support Emmanuel Macron in the runoff rather than Marine Le Pen. Almost nothing of the sort has happened in the United States. The nomination of a candidate who refused in advance to accept defeat, who encouraged violence at his rallies and called for the imprisonment of his opponent, did lead some prominent Republicans Mitt Romney, John McCain, several Bushes to withhold endorsements of their partys nominee. But none of them later supported the only candidate who could have defeated Trump. The only sitting Republican officeholder willing to go so far as to endorse Hillary Clinton in 2016 was a single retiring member of Congress, Richard Hanna of New York. The Republicans who refused to actively support Trump mainly removed themselves from the discussion. Imagine being one of those moderate Republicans of some political consequence. Looking around at what 16 months of President Trump has wrought, watching Fox & Friends, refreshing the news sites for the latest national-security debacle, would you decide, each morning, to remain in the Republican Party? And yet in varying ways, anti-Trump conservatives have all taken the impossibility of trans-partisan cooperation as a given. The boldest of them have formed Republican-branded dissident groups like Stand Up Republic and Republicans for the Rule of Law. One might defend this as necessary to garner the approval of the party faithful, who theoretically recoil at criticism of Trump that comes from sources whose loyalty is suspect. But Trump has had no compunction about labeling anybody who gets in his way as an agent of Hillary Clinton. That the FBI is filled to the brim with Republicans has not stopped Fox News from painting the agency as part of a left-wing conspiracy. If Trump is going to call anyone who criticizes him a Democrat and if his base is going to believe him, why not go along with it? Certainly, the half-measures adopted to date by Republican dissidents have failed completely. The GOP is systematically purging dissent and has made anti-Trumpism impossible for anyone who sees a future in Republican politics. In places where Republicans have had contested primaries, the central issue has been which candidate can demonstrate the purest loyalty to the president. Recently, National Review editor Rich Lowry, whose magazine published an Against Trump special issue during the primaries, conceded that, while most of the fears of how Trump would conduct himself in office have been realized, Trumps conservative critics sound like they are in denial. Republicans in Congress who have criticized Trumps unfitness for office, like Senators Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, have noncoincidentally announced their retirement from office. (And even now, as lame ducks, they serve Mitch McConnell.) Historically, politicians switched parties all the time. Dixiecrats like Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond, who couldnt abide their partys embrace of civil rights, became Republicans. Northeastern Republicans like Vermont senator Jim Jeffords and Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter switched the other way when they saw their party veering too far right. A sequence of events like the transformation of a party into a cult of personality dedicated to the most unfit personality ever to occupy the Oval Office should have had a disruptive effect on the alignments of national politicians. One can make sense of the choices made by those Republicans, like Paul Ryan, most committed to the conservative movements ideological goals. They fervently support ideas, like reducing taxes for the rich and allowing industry to pollute the atmosphere for free, that lack popular support. They have no choice but to harness their program to the ethnonationalist base that Trump commands. But there are also Republicans who have shown a desire to move their party to the center. During the Bush administrations dying years, Romney supported universal health insurance and McCain and Newt Gingrich advocated a cap-and-trade program to mitigate climate change. The absence of Republican moderates, among both elected officials and intellectuals associated with the party, willing to openly join or work with the Democratic Party suggests that the power of partisanship remains overwhelming, even among those Republicans who profess the strongest aversion to partisanship. Over the long run, the country needs two small-d-democratic parties that are tethered to empirical reality. The GOP has no ability to be a party like that and no short-term prospects of becoming one. Even restoring the party to its relative sanity of a decade ago a time when many Republicans agreed that the GOP was in dire need of reform seems unimaginably ambitious from the standpoint of today. There comes a time when trying to patch things up and hoping for better days ceases to be a responsible choice, and one must conclude that the Republican Partys straightest path to salvation runs through a cleansing fire of electoral destruction. *This article appears in the April 16, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! Odisha police on Monday arrested a 24-year-old man who allegedly sexually assaulted a four-year-old girl after luring her with chocolates in coastal Balasore district. On April 13, the accused, Nityachandan Jena, allegedly inserted his fingers into the private parts of the child and caused injuries, said Balasore superintendent of police Jugal Kishor Kumar Banoth. The accused was arrested from Baant Chhak in (neighbouring) Bhadrak town this evening, Banoth added. Police slapped rape charges on the accused under the Indian Penal Code and also booked him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. A magistrate recorded the childs statement. The Balasore district child protection committee took the child to hospital for examination. In a separate case, a man in Soro block of Balasore was beaten up by locals on Sunday for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a 10-year-old girl after luring her with sweets. Both cases triggered a political storm in the assembly. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Gobinda Das alleged that man arrested on charges of raping the four-year-old child was a nephew of ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislator Sukanta Nayak. The BJD legislator, who represents Nilagiri constituency, rubbished the allegation. The assembly witnessed adjournments over the two cases amid Congress protests, demanding a statement from chief minister Naveen Patnaik. A 14-year-old girl was allegedly abducted, gang-raped, tortured and strangled to death over a land dispute by a rival family in Bihars East Champaran district, police said on Monday, amid shock and outrage over the brutal gangrape and murder of a minor girl in Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua across the country. Officials said the accused, residents of the same village as that of the girl, abducted her on Saturday when she went with her sister-in-law to relieve herself in the field near her village and dumped her body, which bore 52 injuries, near her house before fleeing. The girls sister-in-law managed to escape and reported the incident to the police, they added. However, by the time police swung into action, the accused had fled. Sadar deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pankaj Rawat said prima facie it seems to be an act of revenge. The two families from a village in Sugauli police station area had been fighting over a disputed plot of land for the last several years. In 2015, the deceased girls father and brother were arrested in connection with a murder in the accused family. The duo is still in jail, Rawat said. The girls sister-in-law, the lone witness of the case, has named 11 persons in the FIR. Most of the accused are from their rival family, he said. The official added that the police were raiding several places in search of the accused. No one has been arrested so far. Girls and women often end up paying for disputes between their families in Bihar. They have often been abducted, raped and killed in the countryside by rivals to settle scores. In East Champaran alone, 54 cases of rape have been reported in 2017 and many of them involved minors. The incident comes as the body of an identified minor girl was found in Gujarats Surat 11 days ago and police said on Sunday it had 86 injury marks and that she may have been tortured and raped prior to her murder. The girl believed to be between nine and 11 years old was strangled, they said. Protests have also erupted across the country over the gang-rape and murder of the eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua district and the alleged rape of a teen by Uttar Pradeshs Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar. I met renowned journalist and columnist S Nihal Singh, 88, who died of kidney-related ailments in New Delhi, on Monday, in person for the first time in August last year. At that meeting, perhaps sensing that he was near the end of this earthly journey, he had told me, Everybody has to go one day, but my only wish is that whenever my time comes, I shouldnt bother anybody and hope I go swiftly. He had promised to make another visit in 2018, but, it is not to be. During this visit, I was privileged to be with him most of the time during his two-day stay in Chandigarh. So, one can say that the City Beautiful saw the last healthy, living energetic bite of the International Editor of the Year awardee through my eyes. The award had been bestowed in him in New York for his role in opposing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhis emergency. Addressed questions with boundless energy He was in Chandigarh to talk about the role of media in the 70 years of independence India at the invitation of the Chandigarh Press Club. Even at 88, he was full of spark and had endless energy to inspire generations of the journalists. The octogenarian preferred not to be dependent on anybody and managed to be on his own even while traveling. After spending nearly four hours at the club, interacting with the journalists of all age and even during the lunch he was constantly volleyed with the questions. He made a special effort that none of the question remained unanswered. I thought he must be tired, so offered him to drop at UT Guest House, so could have a nap. But he insisted on visiting the Panjab Universitys mass communication department School of Communication Studies, where he had earlier donated his entire collection of books. The faculty was surprised to see him and the broadcast class of the freshers was going on. The students got the life time opportunity to capture the legendary journalists in their inaugural session with video camera. Nihal Singh gave time to each student and obliged them with patiently giving answers to similar questions again and again. He used to take pride that in his almost seven-decade long career, he had never taken a favour from the government and his advice to the youngsters was that if they want to rise in the profession than they should learn to say NO. Sent a Thank You note A gracious and down-to-earth person, on the next day of his return he wrote an email, thanking everyone in the Press Club for what all we could do during his stay in Chandigarh. A 27-year-old gangster was gunned down by a rival gang, allegedly to avenge the murder of their member, at Barwala in Panchkula on Monday morning. The victim, Bhupesh Rana, alias Bhupi, was a member of Monu Rana gang and was allegedly involved in the murder of his namesake Bhupi Ranas gang member in 2014. Lodged in the Ambala jail, he got bail a year ago. The assailants have been identified as his Mohalis Bhupinder Rana, alias Bhupi, and his aides Gaurav Rana, alias Roda, of Barwala, and Sahil Rana, Ashok, alias Shoky, and Rinku of Ambala. Both gangs are active in Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar area, said police. Meanwhile, Panchkula police commissioner AS Chawla has sent Barwala police post in-charge sub-inspector (SI) Ram Mehar to the police lines after Bhupeshs family claimed the SI didnt give heed to his complaint that his life was in danger because of the presence of rival gang members in the area. How it happened The incident took place around 8am when Bhupesh was on his way to a barber shop near the Shiv temple in Barwala in his Alto car. Police said the assailants were following him in another car, and as soon as he stepped out, they fired at him. The bullets hit Bhupesh on his back, chest and leg. Four bullet shells were recovered from the spot. Police teams have been formed to nab the accused, said Chawla. The postmortem will be conducted on Tuesday morning. Police have registered a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Arms Act at the Chandimandir police station. Earlier in the day, Bhupeshs kin did not allow the police to take the body and blocked the Barwala bypass on the NH-73, demanding immediate arrest of the accused. The blockade was lifted around 4pm and the body taken to the Panchkula civil hospital. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday left for Sweden on the first leg of his three-nation tour of Europe that will also see him going to Britain and Germany. This is the first prime ministerial visit from India to Sweden in 30 years after the visit of Rajiv Gandhi in 1988. On Tuesday, Modi will hold a bilateral summit with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed. This apart, Modi and Lofven will attend a round-table of Swedish CEOs. India and Sweden will on Tuesday co-host the first ever India-Nordic Summit, where, apart from Modi and Lofven, the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway will also be present. Modi will hold separate bilateral meetings with the leaders of the other four Nordic countries on the sidelines of the summit. From Sweden, Modi will leave for Britain where he will hold a bilateral summit with British Prime Minister Theresa May on April 18. On April 19-20, he will attend this years Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. While returning from Britain on April 20, he will stop over in Germany where he will meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (This story has not been modified from its original version) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a five-day official visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK) starting Monday. The visit aims at enhancing bilateral cooperation in key areas such as trade, investments and science and technology. Apart from bilateral visits to the two countries, Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit and Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sweden and the United Kingdom respectively. At the invitation of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, Modi will undertake his first visit to Sweden from April 16-17. He is scheduled to arrive in Stockholm on April 16 evening and will have a number of meetings on April 17, including an audience with the King of Sweden, King Carl XVI Gustaf, and consultations with Lofven, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement. Modi will address a gathering of select Swedish business leaders and also meet Indian community in Sweden. On the sidelines of the India-Nordic Summit, Modi will have separate bilateral meetings with Prime Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. The PM will visit the UK from April 17-20 for a bilateral visit and to attend the CHOGM. The visit will focus on enhancing India-UK tech partnership. The visit is expected to see a number of deliverables in skill development, healthcare, cyber security, innovation, traditional medicine and education. The India-UK CEOs Forum will also take place during this visit. Also, the UK is expected to formally convey its readiness to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Modi will attend the CHOGM in London from April 19-20. The meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government usually take place every two years and serve to shape the organisations agenda for the next two years. Majority of students from Jammu and Kashmir, who avail a special scholarship by the Centre to pursue higher education across India, have said living outside their state has changed their knowledge and attitude towards people from other parts of the country, according to a survey. The survey was conducted by Mumbais Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS), which was tasked by the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to assess the Prime Ministers Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) for students from Jammu and Kashmir. The institute was asked to evaluate the scheme, find out problems faced by the students and reasons behind dropouts among others. More than 2,670 students participated in the survey. Most of the students, according to the survey, said they would leave the restive state to pursue further education and look for jobs outside. Students were able to explore new lifestyles and new situations. They also said that the scheme helped in improvement in self-knowledge, attitude and behaviour, confidence level, developing taste for different food, learning different languages and culture, among others, the draft report submitted to the council, which is the regulatory body for higher education, says. A final report will be submitted soon by the institute. Some students complained that the places they were studying were not safe for them and they find it difficult to adjust to the new environment because of the difference in language and culture. They also complained about the delay in disbursement of scholarship money. A majority of the students or 66.5% stated they faced financial difficulties when the money given under the scholarship is delayed and 31.8% said they did not face any problem during the scholarship process. The students stated various reasons or impact of the financial difficulties when they get the money late. Half of the students or 50.6% mentioned they faced difficulties due to delay in disbursement of scholarship. One-fourth of the students or 24.4% said they faced difficulties in terms of two things: first, they have to pay fees and then claim for reimbursement. Further, 22.6% students said the amount given under the scholarship was not sufficient. Students were asked to share their plans after the completion of their course. More than half or 60.5% of the students said they would go outside their state for further education and 32.7% of the students stated they would look for jobs elsewhere. And, 17.3% mentioned they would go back to Jammu and Kashmir and look for jobs. They also suggested that maintenance and library charges should be paid for, the processing time for funds should be short and quick, web portal should be updated and a quick response for the application among others. The survey found that the special scholarship scheme had inherent problems such as students taking admission on their own in any college or institution. The scheme got hijacked by vested parties and from 2014-15, the HRD ministry introduced a transparent system to streamline the process of scholarship and students were required to apply online, said a senior HRD official. In 2016-17, 2,130 students were admitted and their scholarships released, and in 2017-18, the number has gone up to 2,933. The special scholarship scheme was launched in 2011 to provide opportunities to students for pursuing higher education outside the state. Each scholarship entails annual monetary support of up to Rs 90,000 for hostel fees, Rs 10,000 for incidentals and stationery, and anywhere between Rs 30,000 and Rs 3 lakh for the tuition fee. Officials say 5,000 new scholarships for general, engineering and medical studies are awarded every year by the government. The council has been given the task of implementing the award of scholarships to candidates from the strife-torn state. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh once said Indias biggest internal security challenge was Maoist violence a decade-long armed rebellion waged by several ideologically aligned outfits who draw strength from tribal and marginalised communities in some of the most backward regions of the country. In an acceptance of the problem, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the Maoists to give up arms, at a rally in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur, on April 14. Left Wing Extremism (LWE) the term officially used to describe Maoist insurgency was a challenge the Modi government decided to take head-on after assuming office in 2014. And the results started to show when incidents of violence came down to a three-figure number in 2017 something that happened for the first time in a decade. The Maoist movement started about 50 years ago as a peasant uprising in the village of Naxalbari in West Bengal, which gave the rebels their more recognisable name, Naxals. The movement grew over the years and spread to several states of the country but splintered into several groups over ideological differences and it is now confined to small pockets of central India. On March 13, an explosion ripped through a mine protected vehicle (MPV) in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, killing nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers. It served as yet another reminder that the fight against Maoist rebels was far from over. The Maoists threw the first challenge at the Modi government in December 2014 when they killed 14 CRPF personnel, including two officers, in Sukma. In 2016, 10 CRPF commandos belonging to its elite anti-Maoist force, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off in the forests of Bihars Aurangabad district. Last year, 12 more CRPF personnel were killed when they walked into an ambush laid by Maoists in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, while seven personnel of the Odisha police were killed when their vehicle was blown up in a landmine blast near Sunki in Koraput district. The deadliest Maoist attack till date came on April 24 last year, when armed rebels killed 25 CRPF personnel and injured seven in Sukma district. The government says it has upped its ante against the guerrillas, with home minister Rajnath Singh making a statement recently that Maoist insurgency in the country had entered its last leg. The numbers might be on side of the governments narrative. Home ministry data puts the number of Maoist-affected districts at 106 in 10 states, out of which 35 are categorised as worst LWE affected districts. A study of the numbers between 2009 and 2017 presents a clear picture (see graphic). In 2009, the total number of LWE incidents reported across the country was 2,258, the number of civilians killed 591 and security forces killed 317. The same year, 220 Maoists were also killed. In comparison, 908 LWE incidents were reported across the country last year. While 75 security personnel and 188 civilians were killed, at least 136 Maoists were gunned down. Senior security advisor in the home ministry, K Vijay Kumar, says, Maoists are certainly rattled (after the casualties in recent years). Their capability to strike at anytime has been seriously damaged and our forces have moved to areas considered Maoist strongholds. The Maoist attack in Sukma shows that it was a reaction to our success. Official data, however, shows that LWE started to dwindle even before the present government took charge, mainly due to sustained counter-insurgency operations launched by various paramilitary forces in 10 states that include worst-hit Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Internal security expert, Ajai Sahni, says a change in strategy in 2010-11 is giving dividends. Maoist movement witnessed a rapid rise from 2004-2009, but a change in government strategy altered the dynamics. The operations became more and more intelligence-based, and instead of carrying out area domination exercises where we lost a lot of personnel, we replicated the Andhra Pradesh model. Our strikes were based on hard intelligence, Ajai Sahni says . The operations had to be coupled with an effective development agenda for people vulnerable to join Maoist ranks and the current numbers from LWE areas are proof that the strategy is working, Sahni further adds. A senior home ministry official says the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government sought to stem insurgency by earmarking development funds for revolt-hit areas and improving policing. One of the major initiatives of the government was clearing implementation of a Rs 25,060 crore umbrella scheme to modernise central and state police forces over the next three years, a senior home ministry official said. Private helicopter services have also been utilised for counter-insurgency operations, to ensure that there is a speedy movement of troops and evacuation of injured troopers. Out of Rs 6,000 crore earmarked for tackling left-wing insurgency, roughly Rs 5,196 crore would be spent on developing police, security and public infrastructure. Completing a macademised road to one of the remotest areas in Chhattisgarh work on which is ongoing is one of the governments top priorities. Besides improving physical infrastructure, the scheme also takes into consideration the psychological aspect of the warfare. In a bid to counter Maoist ideology, the Centre is keen on civic action programmes which entails giving each company of security forces Rs 3 lakh to be spent on welfare of locals. The home ministry also decided to grant each district affected by left-wing insurgency a sum of Rs 7 lakh thats to be used for publicising government schemes, benefits of peace and misdeeds of the Maoists, the official adds. Other decisions, taken by the ministry, include increasing financial perks for guerrillas who intend to surrender, doubling the amount received by high-ranking rebels. RR Bhatnagar, the CRPF director general, says the government moves are showing results. According to latest government data, there has been a 60% decline in LWE activities. But few challenges remain. We are certain that we will defeat them (Maoists), he adds. The Supreme Court on Monday fixed an urgent hearing on the petition of the father of the eight-year-old girl, who was gang-raped and murdered in Jammu district, requesting the transfer of the trial in the case from Kathua to Chandigarh. The top court will hear the petition of the girls father at 2pm. The father moved the Supreme Court on Monday alleging the circumstance in Kathua are not conducive to a free and fair trial and that it needs to be shifted. Even at the time of filing of the charge sheet in the instant case, the crime branch of the Jammu and Kashmir police faced severe resistance from local lawyers who prevented them from filing the documents before the court on April 10, thereby not only hindering the police officials from carrying on their duties but also rendering the entire judicial machinery nugatory, the petition said. The petition filed by advocate Sunil Fernandes also seeks protection for local lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the girls family. It also appeals for the strengthening of the security cover at the juvenile home that houses the minor accused and to prevent unauthorised individuals from meeting them. Kathua Bar Association and Jammu Bar Association have been repeatedly holding agitations and rallies against the crime branch and the lawyers representing the petitioner herein by taking rounds on the back of trucks, carrying the Tricolour and bamboo sticks, and shouting slogans in favour of the accused persons, the petition said apprising the court of the situation in Kathua. Eight, including a juvenile, have been accused of holding the girl in captivity for a week inside Devisthan, a small temple in Rasana village about 90km from Kathua, sedating her and sexually assaulting her repeatedly before killing her in January. According to the charge sheets filed by the crime branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the Bakarwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area. It lists Sanji Ram, the caretaker of the Devisthan, as the main conspirator behind the crime. Sanji Ram was allegedly joined by special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Rams nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias Shamma. The charge sheet also names investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. All of the eight accused are under arrest. A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Hyderabad acquitted all the accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, in which nine people were killed. The blast at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007, also injured 58 others. Five people were killed in police firing in violence that followed the blast. Here are 10 things you should know about the case: 1) The Hyderabad Police handled the probe initially and suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI), a Pakistan-based terrorist group, to be behind the bombing. More than 90 men unofficial figures put it at more than 200 were picked up for interrogation and 21 of them were charge-sheeted. 2) The police blamed Bilal, linked to HuJI, as the mastermind behind the terror attack. He was later killed in a shoot-out. After a prolonged trial, the Nampally criminal court acquitted all the accused on January 1, 2009, for lack of evidence. 3) The case was then transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It filed a charge sheet against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak Devender Gupta and property dealer and RSS activist Lokesh Sharma, who were part of the group led by former RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi. 4) The NIA took over the case from the CBI in 2011. All the cases involving alleged right-wing workers were handed over to the NIA, which filed a supplementary charge sheet against former RSS activist Swami Aseemanand in the case. 5) Ten accused in the case: Devender Gupta Lokesh Sharma Sandeep Dange, a former RSS pracharak Ramachandra Kalsangra, an electrician and RSS activist Sunil Joshi, former RSS pracharak Swami Aseemanand, former RSS activist Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai, private firm employee Rajender Chowdhary, farmer Tejram Parmar Amit Chouhan 6) Only five of them Gupta, Sharma, Aseemanand, Rateshwar and Chowdhary were arrested and faced trial in the case. A court in Rajasthan sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in March 2017 in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. 7) Two other accused Dange and Kalsangra are absconding and Joshi was shot dead by three unidentified gunmen on December 29, 2007, near his house in Madhya Pradeshs Dewas in during the course of the investigation. 8) The investigation against Parmar and Chouhan is still continuing. 9) Aseemanand and Rateshwar are out on bail and three other accused are in Hyderabads central prison under judicial remand. 10) More than 220 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. Protesters demonstrate outside the Center City Starbucks where two black men were arrested on Thursday. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images Over the weekend, a viral video showing the unwarranted arrests of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks led to protests and calls for a nationwide boycott of Starbucks. The outrage earned nationwide media coverage, Twitter hashtags, and responses from Starbucks CEO and both Philadelphias mayor and police commissioner. Investigations into the incident are underway, as are the promises of policy reviews and policy changes that inevitably accompany such scandals. As always, there are different versions of what happened, but for once, at least for now, many if not most observers seem to agree that the arrests had to have been the end result of racial discrimination. The men appear to have been singled out for not buying anything, even though they said they were waiting for a friend, and were then reported to the police by a Starbucks employee who has since left the company. But while most news coverage has focused on the specifics of this one incident, the response from people of color has revealed yet another angle on the pervasive, routine bias that black Americans must contend with in public, and how discrimination is ultimately understood, or imperceptible, by others. Below is what we know so far about what happened and the subsequent response, followed by some stories shared by people who have lived through similar experiences. The Videos The first video of the two mens arrests, which happened at a Starbucks in Phillys Center City late Thursday afternoon, was posted on Twitter by one of the witnesses of the event, author Melissa DePino. That short video shows police leading the two men out of the Starbucks in handcuffs while appalled onlookers complain and press the officers for an explanation: @Starbucks The police were called because these men hadnt ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why its never happened to us when we do the same thing. pic.twitter.com/0U4Pzs55Ci Melissa DePino (@missydepino) April 12, 2018 Another longer cell-phone video from a different angle, which seems to start just after the police arrive, was later uploaded on YouTube. Because of background noise, it is difficult to make out all of what the officers and two men are saying to each other in the video, but the men clearly remain calm throughout the encounter, and at least one of them can be seen and heard expressing disbelief as to why they are being asked to leave. The video also shows more of the confrontation between patrons of the Starbucks and the officers over the incident: So What Happened? In her tweets highlighting the episode, Melissa DePino, who is white, said that the police had been called since the men hadnt ordered anything, but they hadnt ordered anything because they were still waiting to meet a friend. That friend, a white real-estate developer named Andrew Yaffe, arrived after the police and can be seen confronting the officers in both videos, asking them why they were called, and wondering aloud if it was cause there are two black guys sitting here meeting me? Other people in the Starbucks can also be heard saying that the men did nothing wrong. In the longer video, before the men are handcuffed, Yaffe tells the police that he and his friends will just leave and go somewhere else, but one of the officers dismisses the idea. Theyre not free to leave, the officer replies. Were done with that. The officers then handcuff the men, who do not resist, and take them outside. So far, the two mens identities have been withheld, but some local reports indicate that they work as realtors. The lawyer for the two men, Lauren A. Wimmer, told BuzzFeed News that the men were waiting to meet Yaffe to discuss some business opportunities. Before Yaffe arrived, according to Wimmer, a white female manager had asked the men, who had not ordered anything yet, to leave the Starbucks. She then called 911 after the men said that they were waiting for their friend. After Yaffe arrived to find his friends being arrested, he called Wimmer for help. The Philadelphia police later said that the men were arrested for defiant trespassing, but were released about nine hours later, at 2 a.m. Friday, after the Starbucks employees and the district attorneys office declined to press charges. On Saturday, Wimmer insisted that her clients were blatantly discriminated against based on their race, though its not yet clear if the men intend to file any lawsuits over the incident. Also on Saturday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross made a statement defending the arrests, mainly along the line that the officers had followed procedure. He said that the department had received a 911 call about a disturbance and trespassing at the Starbucks location, and when the responding officers arrived, Starbucks employees told them that the two men had come into the establishment, sat down without buying anything, and then asked to use the restroom. The employees said they rejected the request, since it is Starbucks company policy to deny bathroom access to nonpaying customers, and then asked the men to leave. Ross said that according to the employees, the men refused to leave, even after being warned that the police would be called. Ross claimed the two officers who responded to the call politely asked the men to leave three times, but they refused, forcing the officers to arrest them. The officers, who were eventually joined at the scene by a police supervisor, followed department policy and did absolutely nothing wrong, Ross explained, since they were responding to a private businesss trespassing complaint and had a legal obligation to remove the men. Ross, who is black, also emphasized that the department conducts implicit bias training for its officers to prepare them for scenarios like the one on Thursday. Implicit bias is when a persons attitudes and stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, appearance, or sexual orientation have an involuntary, unconscious effect on their judgment and actions. Ross said that he did not believe that such bias had affected the officers conduct during the incident. No one else has reported the Starbucks employees perspective yet, but witnesses seem to contest the version Ross passed along. One patron who spoke with WPTI-TV confirmed that the incident began after the men were refused access to the restroom, but she claimed that the Starbucks manager did not ask the men to buy something or leave, and just called the police instead. She also said that she had seen a white woman obtain the code for the bathroom without buying something right before the men were arrested, and that during the incident, another person in the Starbucks announced that she had been sitting in the location for hours without purchasing anything. The witness told WPTI-TV that the two men were just chatting quietly while they waited in the Starbucks, and that they remained calm during the entire ordeal. These men were discriminated against and unjustly detained, she asserted. Melissa DePino, who tweeted the original video, also told Philadelphia Magazine that she was sitting very close to the men, and didnt even notice them until the police arrived and confronted them. They never did anything remotely aggressive, DePino added. No witnesses have described anything the men did that could qualify as causing a disturbance. On Saturday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney put out a statement saying that he was heartbroken over an incident that at least based on what we know at this point appears to exemplify what racial discrimination looks like in 2018. Kenney also promised that the city would work to review Starbucks policies. Not surprisingly, the story quickly led to online protests, including a lot attention from Black Lives Matter activists, as well as calls for a boycott of Starbucks, complete with recommendations for alternative black-owned coffee shops in the Philadelphia area. One popular response was to characterize the two mens only crime as waiting while black, a reference to how black Americans are often racially profiled and violently confronted for nothing more than walking while black. Overall, equal levels of criticism appear to have been directed at the police officers, Starbucks, and the Starbucks employees responsible for the 911 call. In Philadelphia itself, small protests were also organized over the weekend at the Starbucks where the incident occurred. On Monday morning, protesters occupied the store completely. Camille Hymes, center, regional vice president of Mid-Atlantic operations at Starbucks, speaks with Asa Khalif, of Black Lives Matter, right, after protesters entered a Philadelphia Starbucks to demand the firing of the manager who called the police on two black men on Thursday. Photo: Michael Bryant/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP How Starbucks Responded, Then Re-Responded After first promising to investigate what happened on Friday, Starbucks initial statement, issued a day later, didnt go over very well. The company vaguely apologized to the two individuals and our customers over the incident and said it was disappointed this led to an arrest and would review its policies: We apologize to the two individuals and our customers for what took place at our Philadelphia store on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/suUsytXHks Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) April 14, 2018 Related Stories How Starbucks Is Trying to Fix Its Philly Arrest Disaster Then, after half a day of worsening backlash, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson offered a much stronger and more specific response. Johnson re-apologized to the two men, insisted that the company stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling, and promised to conduct an investigation into the incident, make any necessary changes to the companys policies, and share what they learned in a company-wide meeting. Johnson said the video of the arrests was hard to watch and he admitted that the companys practices and training led to a bad outcome and that the basis for the call to the Philadelphia police department was wrong. He also said that he would travel to Philadelphia to speak with partners, customers and community leaders as well as law enforcement, and hoped to be able to meet with the two arrested men so that he could apologize to them in person. Its not yet clear if or when that will happen. According to Johnson, the store manager never intended for these men to be arrested and this should never have escalated as it did. That may be true, but if so, its not clear how the manager or anyone even faintly aware of the numerous high-profile news stories about racial injustice, particularly at the hands of police, over the past several years could have not anticipated that outcome. On Monday morning, Starbucks announced that the manager who called the police about the men had left the company, in what was described as a mutual decision. Regardless, its likely that Starbucks will now try to respond to this incident forcefully, especially since the company has worked so hard to build a reputation as one of the more progressive corporations in America, including high-profile efforts to address racism, albeit with mixed results. The company also heavily promotes how important diversity and inclusion is to its company culture, meaning it needs to protect its employer brand (how current and prospective employees view the company), in addition to protecting its consumer brand. Yes, This Kind of Thing Happens All the Time But it might happen less if more people pay attention to how black men and women have responded on social media, sharing their own similar experiences and related anxieties, and explaining how they feel forced to act in most places of business. ESPNs Joel D. Anderson got one thread started on Twitter, explaining that he was struck by the resignation the two men in the Starbucks video seemed to show about their ordeal: It got me thinking about the roots of my reluctance at going into any store/shop/bar/etc if I'm not planning on buying anything. I know it's annoyed people in the past. But I don't feel comfortable just hanging out because most places get immediately suspicious of black men Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) April 14, 2018 Others nodded in agreement (and these are just some of the many like-minded responses that showed up on social media over the weekend): My partner is the same way. No browsing or recreational shopping. It used to drive me nuts until our boys were racially profiled for looking at sunglasses at a grocery store when they were 7 and three respectively, and I was only a few steps away from them. Ms. Carrie (@CtheInquisitive) April 14, 2018 I literally always buy something before asking to use the restroom in any establishment. Its baked in to my mentality. Lydia Polgreen (@lpolgreen) April 15, 2018 I once got thrown out of a Toys R Us when I was looking around at toys. I was about 7-8 at the time. We Will Not Have It O (@adamsonofdavid) April 15, 2018 Comedian W. Kamau Bell, who shared his own story about getting kicked out of a coffee shop on This American Life a few years ago, revisited that experience and pointed out that, despite the subsequent outrage, nothing changed at that establishment afterward. He said he hopes that wont be the case this time around: So when I read about these 2 Black men who were kicked out of Starbucks for being Black, I 100% believe them & stand w/ them. I remember how The owner of The Elmwood told me that he didn't train his employees to be racist. But he didn't have to. You have to un-train people. W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) April 15, 2018 I'm sure Starbucks manual says, "DON'T BE RACIST!" all over it. It has to. It's a major corporation. But I'm guessing it doesn't tell its employees HOW NOT TO BE RACIST. & I'm betting that they don't have regular "Don't be racist/sexist/homophobic/ableist/transphobic" workshops. W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) April 15, 2018 But Starbucks can change things. They're 1 of the biggest & most popular companies worldwide. They may not wanna change things but that's where we all come in. The Elmwood Cafe may be lost. But Starbucks has too much on the line to let this go. #AndThisTimeDontJustWriteOnTheCups W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) April 15, 2018 Another journalist added that one of the reasons he likes to write in libraries instead of coffee shops is so he can avoid suspicious looks. A television producer, meanwhile, responded by sharing a story about having the cops called on her while trying to cash her paycheck at a bank: This Philly Starbucks story reminds me of when the police were called me in Denver at a bank for trying to cash my paycheck. I was a producer on a TV show at the time, the manager said I was lying. Shakara (@NewsladyKara) April 15, 2018 He questioned my status as a human, as a black woman, as a journalist. I provided my ID, check stub...had to call another manager to vouch for me because mine had left for the day. The police told the manager that my employer said the check is real, he STILL refused to cash it. Shakara (@NewsladyKara) April 15, 2018 I worked for a major media company at the time. Said bank was quickly made aware they had chosen the wrong person to profile. Bank admitted in a letter that there was no reason for my check not to be cashed and the fraud detection system worked as it should. Shakara (@NewsladyKara) April 15, 2018 She also pointed out that it could have gotten much, much worse if she hadnt kept her cool: Had I gotten loud or angry in that bank in any way, I wouldve been hit with a DC charge....even though I was the victim. In that moment of being stereotyped, I had to try and NOT fit another stereotype ANGRY BLACK WOMAN. The officer even commented on how calm I was. Shakara (@NewsladyKara) April 15, 2018 In another thread, writer Elon James White detailed the mental toll such experiences have had on him throughout his life: Any predominantly white space, be it store, restaurant, bar, neighborhood, I carry a level of anxiety that I didn't even realize. I just assumed it was normal. The constant checking to see who's staring at you, what space you're occupying and can it be challenged in anyway. Elon James White (@elonjames) April 13, 2018 I have terrible anxiety. And it's really hard to explain to folks, even friends and loved ones, the feeling you get in your chest. How everything becomes heightened. Now imagine that kicking in just because you happen to walk into a white space and you know they don't see "YOU." Elon James White (@elonjames) April 13, 2018 White went on to explain that he doesnt feel that anxiety in a predominantly black space, and the tension is not just psychological, but something he can feel in his body. He also emphasized, as many have, the importance of just believing someone when they share stories of discrimination, particularly since most times we know what the fuck we just experienced: And well-meaning white folks who try to offer other non-racialized/racist reasons for our experiences? You are never helping. Theres never been a white person who said Well it may not have been racist. Maybe it was... that was helpful. Elon James White (@elonjames) April 14, 2018 When any marginalized group says I deal with this all the time & you go Really? You cant say that... youre making it so much worst. Now we feel like you think were liars and/or too stupid to verbalize our own traumatic experiences. Its insulting and enraging. Elon James White (@elonjames) April 14, 2018 That, of course, echoes one of the central points of the #MeToo movement when it comes to reports of sexual harassment and assault: the importance, first and foremost, of believing victims, instead of trying to rationalize, recontextualize, or in any other way dismiss their accounts. As writer and activist Andray Domise pointed out in an exasperated Twitter thread over the weekend, too often, people of color pay a steep price from criminalization to violence to losing their very lives because white people cannot police their imagination during their encounters with people of color. Its also a point that Melissa DePino has been trying to make since her tweet went viral, in that she is trying to raise white awareness about white cluelessness when it comes to understanding racial discrimination and bias. Ever since I posted [the video], she tweeted on Friday, Ive had white strangers AND friends say there must be something more to this story. That assumption is a big part of the problem. She later elaborated in an interview with The Roots Monique Judge: DePino said she was asked by more than one person if it was possible the men had done something she hadnt seen; if maybe they had been recognized because they had been to the same Starbucks on a different day and caused trouble; if it was possible she hadnt seen the entire incident. So many people saw what happened, DePino said. We all spoke up. We followed the police out of the store. It was crazy. Judge goes on to emphasize how essential it is for people, and especially white people, to recognize and account for their own biases. Believing the victims of discrimination is essential, but so is trying to prevent discrimination, either through intervention, or by recognizing how bias influences thoughts and actions and results in situations like what happened in Philadelphia. In the case of testing for and counteracting implicit bias, there is also still much left to be learned. In the case of the Starbucks incident, bystanders recognized what was happening and tried to intervene, as well as capture and publicize what they saw. It made a difference, since this story has now become national news. It also came with little risk in this case. Whether they realized it or not at the time, DePino and Andrew Yaffe, the two mens late-arriving friend, can challenge police officers to their faces and get angry in public places and loiter in the comfiest Starbucks chairs for hours without fearing any of the same consequences that people of color must. But for Ernest Owens, an editor at Philadelphia Magazine, the weekend-long attention on the Starbucks arrests also demonstrated some infuriating realities about how stories of discrimination are processed by the media and wider public. In particular, he argued that the only reason the arrests went viral was because there was a video of it, and that video was filmed by a white woman. It takes other white people to say something is racist before the mob of them believe it, he explained on Twitter. If those two Black men didnt have other white people validating them this wouldnt have gone viral. As Owens and many others have tried to explain this weekend, some variation of what happened in that one Starbucks happens every day all over the country to a lot more people than most of us realize. Addressing it will demand attention and empathy, from outside communities of color, at times when there is no spectacle or novelty to focus on, or corporations app to delete, or white womans cell-phone video to share. This post has been updated to reflect the news that the Starbucks manager who called the police has left the company. The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir government on a petition to shift the trial of the eight accused in the Kathua gang rape and murder case out of the state and ordered protection for the victims family and their lawyer. Even as the trial got underway on Monday in a Kathua court, the father of the 8-year-old victim had moved the apex court seeking to shift the trial to Chandigarh, saying he would not get a fair hearing in Jammu. The crime has evoked shock and outrage across the country and has resulted in resignation of two BJP ministers who addressed a rally in support of the accused from the Jammu and Kashmir government. Hundreds of lawyers have also marched in support of the accused. Ahead of the trial, the lawyer said she had been threatened with rape and death for taking up the case. I was threatened yesterday that we will not forgive you. I am going to tell Supreme Court that I am in danger, said lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. Read | What the charge sheet says Earlier on Monday, all eight accused pleaded not guilty in the principal district and sessions court in Kathua, which posted the next hearing in the case for April 28. In January, the girl, who belonged to the nomadic Muslim Bakarwal community, was held captive in a temple and sexually assaulted for a week before being strangled and battered with a stone, the police charge sheet said. According to the charge sheet, the kidnapping, rape and killing of the girl was part of a plan to drive the Bakarwals out of Kathua district. A woman professor who allegedly tried to lure her students into extending sexual favours to top officials of a leading university in Tamil Nadu was on Monday arrested after the issue triggered widespread outrage in the state. Nirmala Devi was arrested by a police team from her house after a five-hour operation. We will produce her before a magistrate after preliminary inquiry, said additional superintendent of police V Madi, adding that her relatives and a woman revenue official were summoned before the arrest. A professor of Mathematics at Devanga Arts College (autonomous) in Aruppukottai , which is affiliated to the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) , Nirmala Devi was suspended last month after girls complained to college authorities. But the government stepped in after audio clips of her talking with some students suggesting that they keep higher-ups happy so that the college gets facilities went viral on social media on Sunday. In the audio clip, the professor purpotedly asked the students to grab the opportunity to do certain things secretly for a top official. The professor he is heard suggesting that the girls adjust with some (education) officials, for getting 85 per cent mark and money. While Tamil Nadu higher education minister Anbazhagan promised stringent action in the matter, Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the chancellor of the university, ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter by a retired IAS officer, R. Santhanam. The Madurai Kamaraj University also set up a five-member probe committee to probe the allegations made by girl students that their professor was asking them to give sexual favours to officials. The Tamil Nadu government too has sought a detailed report from the university. MKU vice chancellor PP Chellathurai told media persons that he had set up a committee to probe the matter. (With agency inputs) The acquittal of five main accused in the sensational case of Mecca Masjid bomb explosion of May 18, 2017, by an NIA special court in Hyderabad on Monday has brought the case back to square one and raised the question: who planted the bomb in the mosque then? In fact, soon after the NIA court pronounced the judgement, this question was raised on the premises of court premises itself. If they are not guilty, who killed our brothers and sisters? a distraught 70-year old Rahamat Ali asked waiting media persons outside the court hall. When will the truth come out? A few Muslims supposedly related to the victims of the gruesome blast and the subsequent police firing gathered on the court premises, but left quietly without commenting after the judgement was announced. We expected this judgement, as the NIA authorities had never shown any interest in producing proper evidences before the court. Right from the day one, the authorities had been diluting the case, claimed Mohammad Lateef Khan, president of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee, who has been fighting for justice to the families of the Mecca Masjid blast victims. Efforts to trace the whereabouts of victims families did not yield any results. Even I could not reach out to them. I have lost touch with the families long ago and they are said to have shifted their residences, Khan added. Read: 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case: A timeline of events Within hours of the bomb blast, the Hyderabad police registered a case and picked up around 90 Muslim youth from different parts of the old city of Hyderabad, suspecting their involvement in the incident. While the Hyderabad police began investigating the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation did a parallel probe into the role of the suspected Muslim youth. The police filed charge-sheet against 21 Muslim youth, but failed to produce any evidence about their involvement. As a result, all of them got acquitted in January 2009. One of those acquitted, Dr Ibrahim Junaid, a medical practitioner, who was jailed for six months and says he was tortured by the Hyderabad police said We were proved innocent. Now, the NIA court acquits the people belonging to Hindu extremist group saying there was no proof of their involvement. Who else is then responsible for the Mecca Masjid blast? What is interesting is that Swamy Aseemanand, one of the accused in the case, had confessed before the Tis Hazari court in New Delhi in 2010, stating that he was involved in the execution of bombing at Mecca Masjid. Read: Judge who delivered verdict in Mecca Masjid blast case resigns, cites personal reasons In his confessional statement, Aseemanand had even named one Muslim youth Abdul Kaleem as the reason for his atonement. During his stay in Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad in connection with the case, he got in touch with Kaleem, who had been jailed and tortured in the past in the same case. His innocence changed my mind and prompted me to confess my crime, he reportedly said in the statement. Kaleem said Swamy Aseemanand was feeling guilty of being involved in the blast and he told me that he would dedicate his life for promoting harmony in the society. Swamy even told me that he would sell his organs and distribute the money among the families of those Muslims who were killed in the blast and also to those who were falsely implicated in the case, he said. But Aseemanand subsequently retracted the statement saying that he was under duress to confess. On March 23, 2017, Aseemanand was granted bail and finally, he has been acquitted in the case. The Supreme Court has said those who dealt with the release of nearly 400-acre land in Rohtak and grant of colonisation licences on 280 acres to real estate developer Uddar Gagan Properties during the Congress rule in Haryana will not participate in the decision to be taken up in compliance with the its May 13, 2016 judgement. The case Nearly 850 acres of land was proposed to be acquired in 2002 for residential and commercial sectors in Rohtak by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda). However, the award was passed for around 422 acres in April 2005. Realtor Uddar Gagan Properties Ltd in March 2005 entered into a collaboration agreement with some farmers whose land was being acquired for the development of a colony. The builder applied for a licence to develop a colony on 280 acres. The licences were granted by the town and country planning director in June 2006 and the corresponding land was released from acquisition. The licences were addressed to the owners but remitted to the builder. Upholding the land acquisition process, an SC bench in May 2006 ordered that the land will vest in Huda free from all encumbrances. The SC said all land-release orders in favour of the builder in respect of land covered were quashed. The apex court bench of Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Rohinton F Nariman was on April 10 apprised that the Haryana government was getting an inquiry conducted by a retired high court judge, Justice RS Madan, into the legality of the actions of those responsible for illegally entertaining the applications of Uddar Gagan Properties, and release of the acquired land to it during the Congress rule. The SC made the observations after amicus curiae Jaideep Gupta raised issues pertaining to the likelihood of Justice Madan being at the helm as legal remembrancer (LR) of the state government when the land release process was initiated. Justice Madan remained LR from June 3, 2002 to March 3, 2006. The state governments counsel, however, refuted this by stating that Justice Madan had demitted office when the LR office tendered an advice on the matter. The apex court observed: It is made clear that persons who dealt with the matter leading to judgment of this court earlier may not participate in the decision to be taken up in compliance of judgment of this court. When asked for a comment, state town and country planning department officials said they were sure that at no point of time did Justice Madan deal with the Rohtak land release matter in the capacity of legal remembrancer. However, since the apex court has made this observation, we will try to understand as to whom they are referring to and ensure compliance, said a department official. An earlier inquiry conducted by Haryana IAS officer Rajan Gupta into the matter had blamed the state government for assuming discretionary powers and its legal institutions like the office of the legal remembrancer (LR) supporting it by incorrectly interpreting the law. Guptas inquiry report, which did not fix the responsibility of any individual, has not been accepted by the state government. The opinions of the state governments legal advisers were not accordance with the statute and the law pronounced by the high court which eventually led to a judicial review of the governments decision., Guptas inquiry report read. The move to have an inquiry by retired judge RS Madan in the matter, instead of a CBI probe announced by the chief minister in the assembly, a major volte-face by the BJP government, has been criticised by the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). The Unnao rape victim recorded her statement in a CBI court in Lucknow on Monday and said she had complete faith in the investigating agency, which registered a fourth FIR in the case to include charges of gang rape and kidnapping. The Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the probe from police, brought the woman from Unnao to present her in front of special judicial magistrate (CBI) Sapna Tripathi. The statement was recorded under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code. Made under oath, such a statement cant be retracted and if it is, then perjury charge can be brought. In rape cases, victims are often pressured into withdrawing the charge. The main accused in the Unnao case is BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who represents Unnaos Bangarmau in the assembly. The statement was recorded for five hours behind closed doors and no one was allowed in the magistrates chamber as the womans mother, younger brother and CBI officials waited outside. While leaving the court, the woman yelled out, I have full faith in CBI and I will get justice. According to CBI sources, she narrated her ordeal and sequence of events that unfolded since June 4 last year when she was allegedly raped by Sengar. The CBI team later left for Unnao with the woman. The team was likely to recreate the crime scene and also bring the victim and Sengar face-to-face. The investigators were likely to take Shashi Singh, the woman accused by the victims mother of taking her daughter to Sengars residence, to Makhi, the victims village. During the day, CBI also registered a case of gang rape and kidnapping, the fourth FIR in the case. The first FIR, of rape, names Sengar and Sashi Singh. The second FIR accused the MLAs brother and others of murdering the victims father when he was in judicial custody. The third FIR is against the victims father, who was arrested under the arms act and put behind bars by police in Unnao. The woman was allegedly kidnapped from Makhi on June 11 and was found nine days later in Auraiya. (With agency inputs) A special NIA court in Hyderabad is expected to pronounce on Monday the judgment in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case in which nine people were killed. The fourth additional metropolitan sessions and special court for NIA cases had concluded the trial and last week posted the case for judgment on April 16. The blast at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007 during Friday prayers had also left 58 others injured. After initial investigation by the local police, the case was transferred to the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI), which filed a charge sheet. Subsequently, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case from the CBI in 2011. Ten people allegedly belonging to right-wing organisations were named as accused in the case. However, only five of them Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary were arrested and faced trial in the case. Two other accused Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are absconding while another accused Sunil Joshi died. Investigations were continuing against two other accused. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar are out on bail while three others are lodged in the central prison in Hyderabad under judicial remand. In March 2017, a court in Rajasthan had sentenced Gupta and another convict to life in jail in the Ajmer Dargah blast case. The Congress has started identifying candidates for the Rajasthan assembly polls due by the year-end, apart from strengthening its base at the booth level through a mass contact programme, party leaders said. The party will hold a meeting under the Mera Booth Mera Gaurav (MBMG) programme in Kota on April 28 to gear up its organisational machinery by connecting with people at the last mile. The state leadership and the team of the state party in-charge have started the process of identifying and filtering probable candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. Around 50% of the task has been completed, said a senior Congress leader who is part of the identification process. Buoyed by victory in three by-elections held this year, the Congress is vying to return to power in assembly elections. The party had also performed better than the BJP in local body elections last year, winning 19 out of 37 seats against the BJPs 10. The Congress also snatched all four zila parishad seats from the BJP. Probable candidates are being selected on various parameters, such as social engineering; a panel of 3-4 names is being prepared from every assembly constituency, the leader said on the condition of anonymity. Working at the micro level, the state leadership has also directed data about workers at the booth level be prepared and their registration ensured. In addition, database prepared earlier will be updated. After addressing a meeting of the state party executive, MLAs and district presidents, Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot said on Monday, In view of the current political situation and environment of distrust in the country, the Congress is organising a protest rally on April 29, to be led by party chief Rahul Gandhi. Lakhs of people from across the country will participate in the historic rally. Pilot said party workers from each assembly constituency would attend the rally. The Mera Booth Mera Gaurav programme will be launched again with a meeting at Kota, where Gandhis message and vision will be shared with workers and people. Hitting out at the state BJP government, Pilot alleged, The BJP failed to deliver on the promises made in elections. Now they are holding public dialogues; for the first time a chief minister had been so distant from the people. The BJP will face assembly poll results, which they would not have imagined. AICC general secretary and state party in-charge Avinash Pande said, In the MGMB meetings, participation of all leaders and workers will be ensured. After Kota, a meeting will be held in Udaipur. After holding meetings at all seven divisional headquarters, the programme will be organised at the district level in phase II. The last divisional level meeting for connecting with booths will be held in Jaipur. The state leadership has asked Congress workers to expose failures of the BJP and raise public issues, said a party leader who attended the meeting addressed by Pilot. State cabinet minister Rajendra Rathore on Monday said that the Congress was behind Gujarat MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevanis Nagaur public meeting and wanted to destroy communal harmony in Rajasthan. Addressing a press conference, Rathore said the organiser of the April 15 rally was Jassaram Meghwal, whose wife Nathu Devi was a panchayat samiti member from the Congress party. The Congress stands exposed. This episode proves that it wants to destroy communal harmony in the state, said Rathore. Rathore said Mevani wanted to give inflammatory speeches. Mevani has a history of inflammatory speeches and using controversial language and there are cases against him in Gujarat and Maharashtra where he has held public meetings, he said. On April 2 (during the Bharat Bandh) there were 14 cases of violence in Nagaur and section 144 is in force in the district but Mevani wanted to go there and it could lead to tension, he said. Mevani was detained in Jaipur on Sunday and was stopped from going to Merta Road in Nagaur where he was supposed to attend a programme on Ambedkar Jayanti. Rathore said Mevani has announced a Rozgar Yatra in May-June. Mevani is perhaps not aware that the Rajasthan government has given employment to 13 lakh people. Around 1,79,000 people have been recruited in government jobs while recruitment of another 1,08,000 is underway. Advertisements have been taken out for another 75,000 government jobs, said Rathore. Condemning the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Rathore said the two BJP MLAs who had taken part in the rally in support of the Kathua gangrape accused have resigned. But the Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir has not resigned, which exposes the hypocrisy of the Congress. He took a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhis candle march and said it would have been appreciable if he had also spoken out at the time of the Nirbhaya gangrape and the 1984 Sikh riots. He said Rajasthan has brought in a strict law on rape, especially of minors. The new law proposes the death penalty for rape of minors below the age of 12. The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill 2018 has been passed in the assembly. After Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan is the only other state which has brought in a strict law proposing the death penalty for the rape of minors below the age of 12 years. He said since this was an issue on the concurrent list, the state has written to the President of India for his assent to the bill. Referring to MNREGA payment, Rathore who is Panchayati Raj minister, said the state government has received Rs1303 crore from the Centre. We have made payments of Rs651 crore and we have Rs652 crore as advance payment, he said. He said Rs925 crore payment that was due for the material component had also been received and the payment would be made by April 18. Rathore said under the Pradhan Mantri Away Yojana (PMAY), 4,71,000 lakh houses had been sanctioned of which over 3 lakh had been completed. The remaining would be completed in the next three months. He said under PMAY, Rajasthan has received Rs4518 crore and spent Rs4552 crore. The state would get another Rs805 crore in the second instalment. Two buses on trial run from Dhaka to Kathmandu under the Bangladesh Bhutan India and Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement (MVA) will enter India on April 24. The agreement was signed on June 15, 2015 at the BBIN transport ministers meeting in Thimpu, Bhutan. It makes way for seamless flow of passenger and cargo traffic in the region. Read: India starts on implementation of motor pact with Bangladesh, Nepal The agreement has been ratified by Indian, Nepal and Bangladesh. The three countries are set to start regular bus services after signing a passenger protocol likely to be signed in Kathmandu after the trial run. The Bengal government is gearing up to accord ceremonial reception and hospitality as two buses on the trial run would cross over to Indian border on April 24. Bengal tourism minister Goutam Deb who is also a senior Trinamool Congress leader said The development would further strengthen the ties between India and the three nations, said Goutam Deb, the state tourism minister and a senior Trinamool Congress leader who lives in Siliguri. Read: Why regional connectivity in South Asia should be a strategic priority for India The new route would help to boost tourism industry in Darjeeling hills as they have always been an attraction for people of Bangladesh. It would also make travelling between the nations involved economical, said Kamal Kumar Mittal, the founding chairman of CII North Bengal chapter and the chairman of Siliguri-based PCM Group of Industries. The distance between Dhaka and Kathmandu is about 960 km by road. When regular trips begin, the distance will be covered in approximately 48 hours. For the trial run, the buses would leave Dhaka on April 23 and halt for the night in Rangpur of Bangladesh. The vehicles will cross Fulbari border and reach Siliguri in Darjeeling district in the evening of April 24. On April 25, the buses would start from Siliguri at 8 am, cross Panitanki/Kakarvitta at India-Nepal border and proceed towards Damak in Nepal and reach Kathmandu the next day. Read: Myanmar seeks time to sign vehicle pact as India speed up highway to Thailand The buses will carry 23 Bangladeshi passengers, 11 Nepali passengers and eight Indians including officials, of whom two will be from West Bengal. Members of Asian Development Bank (ADB) will also join the journey. The Kathmandu meeting after the trial run is expected to finalise the protocol based on the trial run, which will ascertain road conditions and other facilities that passengers will need. The passenger protocol will allow the three countries to operate passenger bus service using Rangpur-Banglabandha-Fulbari-Siliguri-Panitanki-Kakarvitta route. At present, passengers use Lalmonirhat-Burimari-Changrabandha-Siliguri route to go to Kathmandu. The new route will save more than 100 km of journey. Passengers will be able to enjoy some of the lush green hills through which the vehicles will pass in this route. A 14-year-old boy was burnt to death in Mirzapur village of West Bengals West Midnapore district because he allegedly saw a woman in a compromising position with a man. The boy, Sabir Ali died on Sunday after was set on fire allegedly by the duo at the womans shop on Friday night. Police arrested Rinku Mukhi, in her thirties, from her house on a complaint by Alis father Sheikh Manu, a farmer. A hunt has been launched for the man she was having an affair with, as he is on the run. On Friday, Ali had gone to the shop run by Rinku to buy some items, but he did not find her there and found her in an adjacent room in a compromising position with the man. Fearing that he might have taken a photo on his cellphone, they called him back, the woman told the police. They then allegedly tied the boy to a chair, grabbed his cellphone and searched it for their picture. They could not find any photo on the phone, but panicked that he might tell others in the village about their illicit relationship. The boys father alleged that the man poured kerosene on his son and set him on fire. According to police, they also gagged him. My son had gone to the shop to buy some items. When he did not return, we started looking for him. On Saturday morning, we found my son badly burnt from the house of Rinku Mukhi, Manu said. Ali was rushed to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition, and later shifted to Cuttack where he died on Sunday. Before dying, he muttered Rinkus name, police said. Rinku was married to a man who left her, and she lives alone in a house at the end of the village. She runs a small shop, selling groceries and other items. The man, from a neighbouring village, runs a small business, according to police. Who do you trust, the feds or this guy? Photo: Yana Paskova/Getty Images President Trumps attorneys sided with his longtime lawyer/fixer Michael Cohen against federal prosecutors in a filing on Sunday night, arguing that they should be allowed to review materials seized from Cohens home, office, and hotel room before government investigators. Though President Trump declared after last weeks raids that attorney-client privilege is dead, theres actually a higher bar for obtaining a search warrant that might scoop up privileged materials. After the search, a separate group of prosecutors, known as a taint team, is brought to review the collected materials and make sure the primary investigators never see information that falls under attorney-client privilege. The filing asks a Manhattan federal judge to block the taint teams review until Trump, Cohen, and their attorneys can go over the documents to remove materials over which the president asserts privilege. Trump has regularly accused top Justice Department officials of working to undermine him, and his lawyers essentially argue that the governments taint team cant be trusted. The filing says that federal prosecutors previous statements specifically that Cohen is performing little actual legal work and thus has few protected communications indicate a disinclination to find privilege, a bias that virtually guarantees that there will not be a fair privilege review of the seized materials. The presidents team suggests that any disputes over what material is covered by privilege be decided by a judge. Cohen has been ordered to appear at a hearing on Monday afternoon, in which he is expected to disclose how many clients he has and how many seized documents he believes may be privileged. Stormy Daniels, who says she received $130,000 from Cohen to keep quiet about an affair with Trump, is also expected to be in attendance. While Trump has dismissed the Cohen raid as part of a witch hunt perpetrated by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, court filings last week revealed that U.S. attorneys in Manhattan have been investigating him for months, and a grand jury has been hearing evidence in the case. Hes reportedly under investigation for potential bank and wire fraud, and other crimes that may have been committed as part of his alleged pattern of paying off people making damaging claims against Trump. You love Burgundy, but oh, those prices. You cant drink Champagne all the time, and Bordeaux is just not what youre craving. So? Theres plenty of other French wine you shouldnt miss out on. Id argue the country is still the worlds No. 1 spot for the combination of wine quality, variety, and value, though Italy comes close. Sadly, until the beginning of this decade, US imports of French wine had long been in decline. But I was surprised to learn that in 2017, French wine shipments to the US rose by double digits in percentage terms, according to recently released figures from Business France, a government agency. Part of the big jump is rose from Provence, up 46% in 2017. Its become Americas summer water, and apparently theres no end to our clamour for this pink stuff. Its also because the younger generation of vignerons is energising regions all over France, from Beaujolais to Muscadet to Macon, where top Burgundy producers have been investing in vineyards. All was looking rosy (forgive me), and then came the 2017 harvest, which brought frost in Bordeaux, hail in Beaujolais, and drought in the Rhone Valley, Provence, and the Languedoc. Wine production was down almost 20% from 2016, when already it had reached a 30-year historical low. Luckily, the 2014s and 2015s are still on retail shelves. Hint: Before prices tick up, stock up! And check out the latest under-the-radar regions getting buzz. Saumur Enthusiastic sommeliers and hip wine bars are behind the new popularity of selections from this area of the Loire Valley, which spreads out from the fairy-tale-perfect town of Saumur. Both see them as food-friendly choices and the prices are right. The cabernet-franc-based reds, with pure fruit and savory flavors, have long been the pour in Parisian bistros, and top whites made from chenin blanc are serious alternatives to Burgundy. While many wine lovers know Chinon and Vouvray, less-familiar Saumur is a hotbed of names to know now. Wines to try: 2015 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc:The reds and whites from this estate are found on cutting-edge New York wine lists and are also a French favourite of Napa winemakers. The entry-level chenin blanc has dazzling purity and lightness, with savoury and mineral flavours and a deep, mouthwatering character that makes it a go-to with seafood. 2012 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny: Every three-star restaurant in Europe hustles to get a tiny allocation from this legendary estate that makes several cabernet franc cuvees. This one is subtle, spicy, silky, and utterly elegant. Last June the property was snapped up by billionaire brothers Martin and Olivier Bouygues, who own Bordeaux star Chateau Montrose. Roussillon Exciting changes are happening in the south of France, where this small region hugs the border with Spain. Until 2016, Languedoc-Roussillon was one administrative region, but the two areas are historically, culturally, and topographically distinct. Roussillon, once part of Catalonia, has its own appellations and is now thought of a separate region. It originally became famous for its sweet reds and whites, but in the 1980s, winemakers began creating stunning dry wines from rare local varieties. Wine to try: 2014 Domaine Gauby Vieilles Vignes Blan:Gerard Gauby was the pioneer who restored decades-old vines on his family property and planted trees to shelter them from the hot afternoon sun and powerful winds. This brilliant rich white, with honeysuckle aromas and citrusy flavours, is made from macabeo, grenache blanc, and grenache gris. Canon A post shared by Marion (@_titel_) on Mar 8, 2018 at 11:46am PST Saint-Joseph For great syrah, people turn to the northern Rhone Valleys fashionable appellations Cote-Rotie, Hermitage, and Cornas. These wildly expensive wines need decades of aging before theyre ready to drink, though. The Rhones new secret spot is sprawling Saint-Joseph, whose hillside vineyards have attracted ambitious winemakers. Wines to try: 2014 Domaine Alain Graillot Saint-Joseph Rouge:This producer in Crozes-Hermitage expanded into Saint-Joseph and makes a red there thats delicious right on release. It has rich, smoky, black olive, and licorice aromas, with juicy dark fruit and peppery flavours. 2015 Domaine Faury Saint-Joseph Blanc:This luscious, succulent white blend made from marsanne and roussanne grapes is from a top vintage in the Rhone. It has wonderfully layered aromas of smoke and white flowers, with exuberant ripe peach and spice flavours. Bandol This region in Provence, nestled around the fishing village of the same name east of Marseille, is a magnet for rose lovers. But Bandols less well-known reds, which are powerful and sophisticated, are the real treat. The hilly terroir and hot Mediterranean climate are ideal for the key grape, mourvedre. Wines to try: 2013 Chateau de Pibarnon Bandol:The chateau has one of Bandols most beautiful vineyards, in an amphitheatre of rustic stone terraces overlooking the Mediterranean. This bold red has tons of depth and spice, with wonderful flavours of leather, earth, and herbs such as thyme and rosemary. What to serve it with? Think red meat on the grill. 2012 Chateau Pradeaux Bandol:The Portalis family has owned this estate since before the French Revolution. This lush, round red from old vines of mourvedre has subtle, wild complexity with notes of licorice, leather, olives, flowers, and tobacco. Languedoc Frances biggest wine region hosts a wide variety of grapes and smaller appellations, like Pic Saint-Loup and Faugeres, which are attracting attention. Since 2009, imports from Languedoc to the US have grown more than 300% by volume, 26% in 2017 alone. Maybe thats partly because 30% of all Frances organic viticulture is here, but its also the land of serious values. Red and rose wines have the leading edge. Wines to try: 2014 Chateau Puech-Haut La Closerie du Pic Rouge Pic St. Loup: Pic Saint-Loup is one of the coolest parts of the Languedoc, and this perfumed red, a blend of grenache and syrah, has mouth-filling richness, a voluptuous texture, and aromas of violets and licorice. 2013 Domaine Leon Barral Faugeres: One of the champions of the biodynamic movement in France, Didier Barral makes powerful, rich, complex wines. This entry-level red is a blend of carignan, grenache, and cinsault from very old vines. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more The Bombay high court on Monday refused to allow two students from a Kandivli college to appear for semester examinations after they were barred from the tests for their low attendance. The bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) students had filed a writ petition against Kandivli Education Societys (KES) Shroff College, which had prevented 105 bachelor of Commerce (BCom) and BMS students from taking the tests, which began on Thursday, as they didnt maintain the 60% classroom attendance rate mandated by the college. The HC bench of justices RS Gavai and Bharti Dangre rejected the petition. The verdict comes close on the heels of another judgement in which the court had allowed three students of Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Vile Parle, to appear for their BCom examinations despite low attendance. One of them, a first year BCom girl, suffers from blood cancer, while two boys from second year BCom could not attend college as they were seriously injured in road accidents. Barring the above students case, the high court has consistently ruled in favour of colleges which sought to punish students with low attendance. Last year, KES Shroff College had prohibited over 100 FYBCom students from taking tests for the same reason. When the students grievance redressal committee at the University of Mumbai (MU) directed the college to allow these students to take the examination, the college moved the HC, which, in February, upheld the colleges decision. Mithibai College, Vile Parle, was also allowed to prevent 97 third year BCom and 20 third year BA students from appearing for their final exams by the HC. A refinery project in Nanar area of Ratnagiri district of coastal Konkan region is likely to become the latest political controversy in the state. Except the ruling BJP, all political parties are opposing the project. That includes BJPs ally Shiv Sena. Indias three public sector oil companies Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum in June 2017 signed an agreement to build one of the worlds largest integrated refinery-cum-petrochemicals complexes in Ratnagiri district. Last week, a consortium of the three oil companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco) for setting up the project. When completed by 2022, the Rs3-trillion complex at Nanar - West Coast Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited - will be the worlds biggest single-location oil refinery project with a capacity to process 60 million tonnes annually. The signing of the MoU has now led to fresh round of protests against the project. In past few days, Shiv Sena as well as opposition parties such as Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena have announced their opposition to the project. Always trying to corner its ruling partner BJP, the Sena is particularly aggressive over the issue. It even went to the extent of accusing Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of betraying the people by not keeping his word that the project wont be imposed on the people if they dont want it. Fadnavis has now warned that the project could get shifted out of Maharashtra if the opposition continues. Next few days will see more high-pitched battles over the Nanar project as Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and some Congress leader are scheduled to visit the Nanar area to interact with the villagers who are opposing the project. This is not the first project in Konkan that is strongly opposed by the local people. Significantly, all three are in the picturesque Ratnagiri district of Konkan. In the early nineties, it was the Dabhol Power Company, then set up by now defunct US energy major Enron. The energy plant became a major political issue with several villagers opposing acquisition of land by then Congress government for the same. It saw the then opposition parties BJP and Shiv Sena opposing the plant bitterly, only to revive it after they won power in 1995. Later the Congress-NCP alliance government rescinded the project and it was taken over by the Central government. The project has run into major losses and its future is now uncertain. The Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project, an Indo-French joint initiative, is also delayed due to the opposition by the local people. It was planned during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2010. The project with a capacity to generate 9900 MW electricity was vehemently opposed by the Shiv Sena and some other outfits. However, now the opposition to the project is on the wane and it is slowly making progress. So, why do projects in Konkan always run into trouble? In the Konkan, land has always been a sensitive issue. Maybe because of the low amount of land holding per family, people are often reluctant to part with land for any government project. The long-pending work of expansion of Mumbai-Goa highway is a classic example. Besides, the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg belt has a significant number of people relying on horticulture. Pollution caused by such projects will destroy the same, they fear. Significantly, the refinery is proposed close to Devgad area, which is famous alphonso (hapus) mango and one can see acres and acres of mango orchards in this area. In addition, several people in the area allege that politicians, bureaucrats and well-connected investors from Mumbai-Pune bought land at cheap rates from the local farmers before the project was declared and will now reap profits as the rates shoot up. Similar allegations were made by farmers in case of Chief Minister Fadnavis ambitious Mumbai-Nagpur expressway and Navi Mumbai international airport. Within the government, there is the feeling that the Nanar project will eventually be accepted by the people. Maybe is it time the government and politicians pay attention to the reasons why people have no faith in them and are reluctant to part with their land for public projects. Else, it will become more and more difficult to build any projects in the future. A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray expressed his opposition to the Nanar refinery project in Konkan, his workers ransacked the project office at Tardeo on Monday. Police said five people have been detained in connection with the incident. Four MNS workers at 3.15pm barged into the Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited office located on the second floor of the commercial centre at AC Market and ransacked it. It was a signal that we will not allow this project to take place. This was just a trailer and the government should understand it, said former MNS corporator Santosh Dhuri. The workers barged into the office with stones in their hands and caught the security guard off guard. They then picked up the chairs inside the project office and started smashing the glasses around them. They also threw the furniture around before running away. Virendra Mishra, deputy commissioner of police, zone 3, said, We have detained five people who were involved in the vandalising and procedure to register a case is going on. A case for rioting and different sections of the Indian Penal Code will be registered by late night and further action will be taken accordingly. At a public meeting on Sunday, Raj Thackeray had opposed the proposed refinery project. We will not allow the Nanar project to take place in Konkan. If the government wants, they can shift the project to the moon but not in Konkan, said Raj. The controversial project has been virtually opposed by every party Shiv Sena, Congress, MNS and the MNS except the BJP. Here the worlds biggest oil producer, Saudi Aramco, will partner with a consortium of Indian state-run companies like Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum to set up the largest global refinery and petrochemical complex at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. However, the local residents have opposed this project saying it will destroy the ecosystem of the Konkan region and rob their livelihood. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has been a vocal advocate of the project, and has said it will usher prosperity in the region. The citys firemen will soon be training in a state-of-the-art drill centre at Wadala. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set aside a budget of Rs16 crore for construction of the three-storey drill tower at Wadala Fire Brigade. According to official data, in 2017, the city reported 4,790 fires, which wrecked cinema studios, dilapidated buildings, plush restaurants and illegal structures. More than 32 people have died in the blaze in the past four months. Currently, the fire brigades only drill tower, also at Wadala, has an exercise room, smoke simulators and an elevated tower. The civic body now plans to build a multi-activity simulator for training. The tower will have dummy residential and commercial structures populated with dummy citizens. At the new centre, trenches and tunnels under the tower will have simulated environments for horizontal rescue operations, while rope rescue will train firemen for vertical rescue operations. Fire and smoke simulators will recreate fire conditions inside structures. Moreover, there will be a fire control room model. Also, firemen will be trained to check what led to the fire in real time. According to a senior fire official, the cost includes maintenance and operations for five years. Such training centres are being used in countries namely Sweden and Singapore. Firemen need to be trained in real-time situations. A multi-activity simulator will help build capacity and increase the firemans role during disasters, said the official. Chief fire officer PS Rahangdale told HT that plans for the training centre have been finalised and the tendering process will start soon. It will take about a year for the training centre to be set-up. The training will be a continuous process, said Rahangdale. Environmentalists will be submitting to the Bombay High Court (HC) and to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), a copy of a 14-year-old letter from the then Maharashtra governor, Mohammad Fazal, addressed to the state government, asking for Aarey Milk Colony to be included in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The letter was accessed through an application under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. Dated June 8, 2004, with the subject line, Creation of a new biological park in Goregaon, the letter from governor Fazal to the then chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde highlighted the importance of Aarey Colony. It read that on June 4, Fazal had visited Aarey Milk Colony and SGNP, considering its tourism potential to set up a new biological park with world class facilities. Aarey Milk Colony consists of 3,162 acres of land out of which 955 acres have already been allotted to 27 institutions. Many of these institutions, I am given to understand, are not using the land for the purposes of which they have been given. The government may, therefore, consider resuming these lands, read the letter, adding that illegal encroachments pose a threat to the green lung, and unless more protection is provided encroachments will only increase. The letter further legitimises their claim to give Aarey a forest status, the environmentalists have said. Over the past three years, environmentalists have been at loggerheads with the state government and the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC), regarding the construction of the Metro car shed at Aarey. The environmentalists are not opposing the Metro rail project; however, they do not want the no-development zone tag to be removed from Aarey and nor do they want it to be opened for construction. The MMRC insists that the car shed has to be located at Aarey, and for the last three months has been carrying out construction at the site. The letter further suggested that the entire relevance of Aarey Milk Colony, since its inception in 1949, needs to be examined with regard to its milk production as it did not contribute any milk to the Government Milk Scheme back then. Another issue that needs to be addressed is the increasing number panther (leopard) attacks on nearby populated areas. One way to prevent this is to give them a larger area where they can live undisturbed. For this, Aarey Milk Colony could be merged with the Borivli National Park (today SGNP). The proposal needs to be examined seriously, read the letter. Aarey, one of the last remaining green lungs in the city, has been a bone of contention ever since a proposal to build a car-shed for the Metro 3 line (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) over 30 hectare of Aarey. In June 2015, NGO Vanashakti and another NGO Aarey Conservation Group filed a petition with the NGT, seeking long-term protection of Aarey and asking that it be considered a forest. The document, in possession of HT, and acquired by NGO Vanashakti through RTI will be submitted by the NGO at the Bombay HC during the next hearing on Tuesday and at NGT during subsequent hearings scheduled in May. The petitioners claim that the document was ignored by the state, which allowed the green lung to be opened up for development. It is a sad reflection of the reality of the situation in the state. Even the orders of the governor have been ignored and this only helps the developers lobby which continues to call the shots. Because of this non-compliance, today citizens are fighting various battles to save the forests of Mumbai, said Stalin D, petitioner in the matter and director, NGO Vanashakti. AUTHORITIES SPEAK A senior official from the state environment department who wished to remain anonymous said, All alignments and plans for Metro 3, with Aarey Colony area allocated for the car shed, are ready and construction is underway. There is no point raising these issues now as there is no going back. The car shed area is a meagre fraction of the green lung, and the state is committed to ensure the biodiversity is not affected. Aarey Milk Colonys biodiversity 77 different avifauna (birdlife) species 90 different types of spiders, five species of Tarantula Six species of scorpions 86 species of butterflies plain tiger, striped tiger, common crow, chocolate pansy, common mormon to name a few Six species of venomous snakes Caeciliaus, a rare amphibian discovered at the interiors of Aarey colony 10 rarest species of birds found in Aarey Hoopoe Indian roller Indian Blackbird Indian Grey Hornbill Chestnut-tailed Starling Rosy Starlings Glossy Ibis Lotens Sunbird Spotted Owlets Orange- headed Thrush Mammals at Aarey The green lung boasts of leopard, spotted deer, rusty-spotted cat, jungle cat, palm civet, small Indian civet and Indian mongoose. Rediscovery of rare species Jumping spider (Piranthus decorus): Rediscovered after 122 years Tarantula (Haploclastus validus): Rediscovered after 110 years Trapdoor spider (Idiops bombayensis): Rediscovered after 110 years Tarantula (Pleasiophrictus millardi): Rediscovery of female after almost 100 years (Source: Rajesh Sanap, Zeeshan Mirza and John Caleb, research associate with National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore) In one of the biggest drug hauls in recent times, the Amboli police raided a chemical factory in Badlapur (East) and seized 75 litres of liquid mephedrone (MD) valued at Rs7.5 crore on Saturday night. They have arrested two people, including an undertrial who is said to be the kingpin. This is the first time that the Mumbai police have seized liquid MD since the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) did so in August last year, said a police officer. The arrested accused are Naryanbhai Mangaldas Patel, 74, and Shahid Hussain Sher Mohammad Shah, 27. Patel, a chemistry graduate, was earlier arrested by DRI. After getting bail in the case, he had allegedly started manufacturing MD, said the officer. Patel is a resident of New Vikas CHS on Manpada Road in Dombivli (East). Acting on a tip-off received by investigating officer Daya Nayak, Shah was arrested from Shyamnagar slum on Veera Desai Road in Andheri (West) early on Saturday. He was caught with 300gram of MD (powder) valued at Rs6 lakh. During questioning, he gave Patel away. Paramjit Singh Dahiya, DCP of Zone 9, formed a special team that raided Sharda Chemicals at MIDC area in Badlapur (East) on Saturday night. The police are unsure as for how long he has been running the factory. Senior inspector Bharat Gaikwad of Amboli police station said, We have seized three blue plastic cans filled with 75 litres of liquid MD valued at Rs7.50 crore in the market. The factory was being run by Patel, who was arrested a few years ago in a drug smuggling case. He had spent 14 months in jail and was recently granted bail. The two accused were produced before a magistrates court on Sunday and were sent to police custody till April 17. The police have sealed the factory unit so evidence cannot be tempered with. They said they will check bank accounts of Shah and Patel for the money trail. The drugs were meant to be sold in Mumbai and its suburbs. Shift towards liquid MD MD has of late been consumed in liquid form rather than in powder form. This is because liquid MD is more potent. Addicts consume the drug either by mixing it in drinks or injecting it into their veins. Liquid MD sells at Rs10 lakh a litre, said the officer. The police said liquid MD has been in demand in Gujarat for a few years. However, this trend is shifting to Mumbai. Peddlers adulterate MD by mixing it with monosodium glutamate ( a powder used in food products) to increase its weight. MD in liquid form is purest because it cant be adulterated with anything else. Even one or two drops of liquid are enough to intoxicate a person, said an officer. The police said that MD is consumed by college students and struggling actors and models. The police suspect that there more people are involved in the case. In 2015, MD was added to the list of banned drugs under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. In a snub to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday did not give an appointment to state finance minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar for a meeting. The BJP leader had sought time to meet Thackeray at his residence in Bandra (East) on Monday evening. The BJP is making overtures after its oldest ally announced that it will contest all elections sans alliance with the BJP. A senior Sena leader said, He (Mungantiwar) had sought a meeting with Uddhav ji, but he did not give him an appointment today. The leader added that the Sena is expecting the BJP to ask Thackeray to reconsider the partys stand on the alliance through Mungantiwar. Last week, BJP president Amit Shah reached out to Shiv Sena in his speech in Mumbai. He had said that he sincerely wishes that the Shiv Sena stays with the BJP for the next elections. Meanwhile, continuing its attack on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Shiv Sena on Monday slammed the Maharashtra CM over the proposed mega-refinery at Ratnagiris Nanar. The Sena, in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana, said that if the CM fears that the project would go to neighbouring state of Gujarat, they should build the refinery in Vidarbha instead . The CM said that if the opposition to the [refinery] project continues, it would go to Gujarat. Does the CM think that the Nanar project is Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train? the Marathi daily said. It added, Dont threaten that the project would go to Gujarat. Instead, take the project elsewhere in the state. We say set up the refinery in Vidarbha or Marathwada; it would create 1 lakh jobs in the region and bring prosperity there. The CMs dream of Magnetic Maharashtra would also inch forward. Last week, Thackeray said that Fadnavis had betrayed the people of Konkan for thrusting the project on them. The proposed oil refinery at Nanar in the ecologically-sensitive Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra has emerged as the latest flashpoint between the Sena and the BJP in the state. The editorial added that the party is not against development. However, it should not be done at the cost of the livelihood and environmental degradation of the region. Shiv Sena has never opposed development and will never do so. The Sena has not opposed projects like the Left parties and later like (West Bengal chief minister) Mamata (Banerjee) did to drive Tatas Nano project out of Singur. Sena doesnt oppose to gain political mileage...agriculture, tourism, fishing and mango farming have been source of livelihood for the people of Konkan for generations. A project that would hamper and destroy that should not be thrust on the people of the region, the editorial added. The Nanar project is a joint-venture between the consortium of three Indian oil companies comprising IOC, BPCL and HPCL, and oil giant Saudi Aramco. It is likely to bring investment of up to Rs1 lakh crore and create one lakh jobs. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Aramco and Indian consortium on April 13. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state governments move to allow tracts of land held by religious places to be given away for public and private use in Marathwada could face strong opposition from the trustees. The lands granted to religious places, including temples, mosques, dargahs and gurudwara, were so far protected under the Hyderabad Atiya Inquiries Act, 1952. The state has proposed to amend the Act through ordinance, after its attempt to pass the bill in the budget session failed last month. Marathwada was part of the princely state of Hyderabad ruled by Nizam of Hyderabad and its former rulers have granted large tracts of lands to devasthans across communities, so they could take care of their daily expenses by using the plots. The plots that were given to mosques are called Khidmatmash Inami lands in the government records. The amendment will allow all Khidmatmash Inami plots to be used for public projects, as well as medical and educational purposes. According to Congress legislator and former minority affairs minister Arif Naseem Khan, such plots are treated as properties protected under the Wakf Act, 1995, which cannot be overruled by any other legislation. The bill was held back, stating that it will be changed taking our objections into account. Despite that, the government has decided to promulgate the ordinance. We will not allow the government to open Wakf properties for private use, Khan said. Officials from the state revenue department, which has proposed the amendment, said the Khidmatmash Inami lands dont come under the purview of the Wakf Act. The act is not applicable to any of the properties. We have no intention to allow transfer of Wakf land through this bill, said a senior official requesting anonymity. A senior official from the state minority affairs department said sub-section II of the section 3 (R) clearly indicates all Khidmatmash Inami lands are Wakf properties. Confirming that the revenue department has not sought their opinion, Shyam Tagade, principal secretary, state minority affairs department, said he cant comment on it. Marathwada has total 57,802 acres in Wakf properties, which comes to around 60% of the total 93,418 acres of Wakf land across the state. Even if 5% of the total Wakf properties are Khidmatmash lands, the land parcels to be opened with the move goes in thousands of acres, said a religious leader. In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the state government on Monday transferred 28 administrative officers, including Mumbai city and suburban collectors. But, it is the transfer of Panvel civic chief Sudhakar Shinde that has raised eyebrows in political circles. Shindes transfer indicated yet again that the ruling dispensation is bowing down to political pressure when it comes to transferring senior officials. Barely days after the urban development department led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis rejected a no-confidence motion against Shinde by the BJP-led corporations general body, he was transferred to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana as the CEO. Shinde, who was popular for his people-friendly schemes including plastic ban, was at loggerheads with the local political leaders. In November 2016, Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe was transferred barely four months after he faced a similar no-confidence motion by the general body. E Ravindran, former commissioner of Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, was transferred within 20 months of his appointment, after he started taking action against illegal constructions. Though the minimum tenure as per the service rules is two years for IAS officers, it is the clear prerogative of the chief minister to decide on the transfers. So, there is no impropriety in the move, said an official from the general administration department (GAD. Some of the other significant transfers include appointment of state elections commissioner Shekhar Channe as State Transport commissioner; Jalna collector SR Jondhale as Mumbai collector and Nagpur collector Sachin Kurve as city suburban collector. The post of State Transport commissioner was vacant after the former commissioner Praveen Gedam was appointed as private secretary to railway minister Piyush Goyal five months ago. The incumbent Mumbai city collector Sampada Mehta has been transferred as marketing commissioner and city suburban collector, Dipendra Singh Kushwah as joint commissioner in sales tax. Pune collector Saurav Rao has been transferred as Pune Municipal Corporation chief. The BJP government is using transfers as a tool to ensure bureaucrats do their bidding. Even though there are clear rules that IAS officers should get a secure tenure of two years, this has been flouted continuously by the government. Todays transfers of 25 bureaucrats include several who have not even completed a year in their jobs, said Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson. Sharad Kumar, trustee of NGO AGNI, said, It is unfortunate that officers with integrity are shunted out under pressure from the ruling party leaders while officials with dubious track records get plum posting. Its the administrative culture that gets affected. The upright officers get demoralised. Shinde refused to comment on the transfer order saying, It is the government decision and as an officer I have to follow it. Mukesh Khullar, additional chief secretary, GAD, said, The orders were signed late evening on April 13, but issued today morning. Shinde has not been shunted out but given a position in which we wanted an officer with medical background. The motion by PCMC general body was probably suspended as the officer was not given proper opportunity to put up his side. Panvel residents shocked by governments U-turn Three days after the state government suspended the no-confidence motion passed by Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) against its commissioner Sudhakar Shinde and praised his work, it ordered his transfer. Known to be popular among residents, Shinde was brought back as the civic chief last year after people rallied in support of him. Arun Bhise, president of Citizens Unity Forum, said, Last week, the government suspended the no-confidence motion proposal of PCMC. Now, Shinde is being transferred. There seems to be no room for upright officers in the system it seems. Last time, we had campaigned to get Shinde back. This time, too, we organised campaigns in support of him, but nothing seems to have had any effect on the government. There are talks of some citizens planning protests and online petitions to seek Shindes reinstatement. Shinde said, I will work as per the order of the government, wherever they send me. The BJP, which rules the PCMC, was unhappy with all decisions taken by Shinde. The party leaders had been complaining that the civic chief was not working for the citys development and had approached chief minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding his transfer. Paresh Thakur, house leader of PCMC, said, Shinde initiated an anti-encroachment drive but the action was taken only at some places. There was no solution to the garbage issue and the water shortage crisis is looming. Paresh Thakurs brother, MLA Prashant Thakur, and his father, former MP, Ramseth Thakur, have been vocal about pushing for Shindes transfer. Last month, the BJP corporators had announced boycotting the PCMC till the chief minister transfers the municipal commissioner. They changed their mind after being flooded with criticism from other corporators. Panvel mayor Kavita Chautmal said, A huge region like Panvel needs a capable officer but Panvel has been developing at a snails pace. The opposition is shocked at the decision. A good, hardworking man has become a victim of a political conspiracy. The ruling party has once again proved that those in power can do anything, said Pritam Mhatre from Peasants and Workers Party. Republicans want to keep the House Speakers gavel, but far more important is the power to confirm conservative successors to judges like Anthony Kennedy. Photo: Eric Thayer/Getty Images The battle for control of the U.S. House has been the focal point of political chatter heading toward the November midterm elections, and for good reason. For one thing, its a truly national election, with all 435 seats theoretically up for grabs. For another, House elections are generally referendums on the sitting president, and everyone is curious to see whether he will be administered an undeniable rebuke by the public for his many outrages. But at this particular point in history, what Republicans want most is to maintain or even expand their margin of control in the Senate. Thats partially because its a much better investment of time and money. Whether or not they lose control of the House, they are almost certainly going to lose enough seats to make passage of major legislation in that chamber regularly problematic. With the one legislative accomplishment they just had to have a tax-reform bill already in the bag, being able to do more before an apocalyptic 2020 election might be desirable, but not absolutely mandatory. And the Senates where they failed legislatively in any event. But the main reason for a Republican focus on the Senate this year is that its, relatively speaking, a downhill ride as opposed to an uphill battle. David Wasserman explains the wildly different House and Senate landscapes in a simple statistic: Fact: if all '18 election results were an 8% pro-Dem uniform swing vs. '16 prez results, Dems would gain 44 House seats & lose 4 Senate seats. Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) April 13, 2018 Thats right: Even a Democratic wave election could produce Republican gains in the Senate if the partisan polarization of recent years intensifies and Democratic senators succumb to the partisan composition of their electorates. Thats how skewed the Senate landscape is this year. All things being equal, thats fine with serious conservatives. The Senates the ball game, thanks to its role in confirming Trumps lifetime judicial appointments. To an extent that is only intermittently understood by liberals, Donald Trumps fidelity to his promise to appoint federal judges and particularly Supreme Court judges that meet the most exacting standards of conservative orthodoxy has been the most important source of conservative support for this president, rivaled only by his willingness to sign the 2017 tax-cut bill. And that was true even before the 2016 election, when believing in Trumps trustworthiness on judges was a real gamble, as Russell Berman noted at the time: [A]s they face an uncertain future in which demographic trends will make the nation younger, more diverse, and thus more favorable to Democrats, conservatives view the Supreme Court as a final bulwark they must defend at almost any cost. We are only one justice away from losing our most basic rights, and the next president will appoint as many as four new justices, Cruz wrote in the Facebook postannouncing his belated endorsement of Trump. The basic rights he was referencing include the right to bear arms, religious liberty, and free speechas conservatives see them. And of course, the conservative dream of overturning Roe v. Wade would die for another decade or more if the court shifts left. With Trump in the White House, Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court, and a vetting process for judicial nominees firmly in place that gives the Federalist Society a whip hand that conservatives under Reagan or either Bush could have only dreamed of, yesterdays shield has become a sword, and one more SCOTUS nomination could produce a revolution in constitutional law, beginning with a Roe v. Wade reversal that has been the most important goal for the Christian right foot soldiers of the Republican Party for decades. Whether or not Anthony Kennedy retires from the Court this year (as is persistently rumored, without much real evidence), the odds of Kennedy (81 years old) and Ruth Ginsburg (85) and Stephen Breyer (79) all holding on until 2021 are mixed at best. And so controlling the Senate, and if at all possible obtaining a majority that doesnt rely on pro-choice Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, is the prime objective for many conservatives. More generally, the point Berman made in 2016 becomes truer each day: Stacking the judiciary is the best imaginable firewall conservatives can build against adverse demographic and public-opinion trends. Yes, the constitutional arrangements that give small states and rural areas disproportionate power in our system will always help the conservative faction in American politics punch above its weight. But that power can be enormously enhanced by judges who oppose campaign-finance restrictions, voting rights for poor people and minorities, and democratically devised regulations on the corporate sector. So for both short-term and long-range reasons, Republicans have more to gain and lose in the Senate than House elections this year and a far easier path to success. At present, the main reason control of the House matters much at all (assuming, as I do, that control by Republicans would mean a tiny margin giving the House Freedom Caucus a total veto on any legislation whatsoever) is that a Democratic House would add to the investigatory firepower already aimed at the president and his public and private-sector associates. In the end, though, it may matter as much that staunch Trump supporters have an absolute veto power over any impeachment trial in the Senate. In high-stakes politics you hate to concede any important turf, and Republicans will fight like cornered badgers to keep the Speakers gavel in their hands. But when push comes to shove, the Senate is their citadel, offering a high protective wall against even a high wave. Borivli police have booked a man for allegedly duping an employee of a private firm of Rs23.05 lakh by promising to get him a 2BHK Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) flat in Dahisar. Probe is on to find the accused. According to the Borivli police the complainant Anand Ghadigavkar, 33, is a Gorai resident and works in a private firm. He came in touch with the wanted accused Rakesh Shinde, also a Gorai resident, through mutual friends. In 2014, Shinde promised to get the complainant a 2BHK flat in Dahisar area. He said he has clout in Mhada and could get him the apartment for Rs36 lakh within six months. As the value was lesser than the market price, the complainant agreed to buy the flat. Police said that Ghadigavkar paid Shinde around Rs23.05 lakh in advance for the apartment. The accused to win the confidence of the complainant made false property related documents and also gave him a forged receipt, said a police official from Borivli police station privy to the investigation. However, Shinde kept asking Ghadigavkar for more time to sell the flat, citing some reason or the other. As years passed by, Ghadigavkar realised he had been duped and the accused had no intention of selling him the flat. This month, the family approached the police and on April 15 a first information report (FIR) was registered. Senior police inspector of Borivli police station Gunaji Sawant confirmed that an FIR has been lodged and investigation is on to trace the accused. The FIR has been filed under sections 420 (cheating), 406(criminal breach of trust), 465(forgery), 467(forgery of valuable security), 471(using genuine as forged), 482 (using false property mark) of the Indian Penal Code. Forty years after he went missing from his home in Imphal, a former member of paramilitary Manipur Rifles has finally been traced to the streets of Mumbai thanks to the police and a YouTube video. Manipur Police got in touch with Khomdram Gambhir (66) on Sunday, and his family in Khumbong Mamang Leikai locality in Imphal West is excited to have him back. Two police officers from local Patsoi police station will leave for Mumbai on Tuesday while Gambhirs younger brother Kullachandra, 57, and another family member will travel a day after. Twitter user and political activist Angellica Aribam shared a picture of Gambhir with the Mumbai Police while another user, Atom Samarendra, helped identify the man, who was his neighbour in Khumbong. Samarendra also tweeted his phone number for the police to get in touch. .@AngellicAribam tweeted video of a stranded man in Bandra to @MumbaiPolice While we secured him, @SamarendraAtom tweeted & identified him as Khomdram Singh from Manipur,missing since 40 yrs! Our Twitter team coordinated b/w Bandra & Patsoi Pstn to reunite Mr Singh with family pic.twitter.com/9zZhOmZF3p Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) April 16, 2018 The third among six siblings three sisters and three brothers Gambhir, a former rifleman, went missing in 1978. Separated from his wife three months after his marriage, Gambhir left home two months later without informing anyone. The family tried tracing him, but failed in its efforts. His brother Kullachandras wife Memcha and son Romen said that they heard about Gambhir recently from one of the villagers, Leichonbam Romen, who shared a video of the missing man in a local WhatsApp group. HT Photo (Locals at Khomdram Gambhirs home at Khumbong Mamang Leikai in Imphal West district after hearing the news from Mumbai.) On April 15, Kulachandra wrote in to Patsoi Police, requesting the cops for help, after he saw a video plea to trace his brother on YouTube. I could not believe when a nephew of mine came running to me with a video footage of my brother. When I saw the video, I could not stop crying. I could neither sleep nor eat thereafter. I was very happy to know that he is alive. This is like waking up from a nightmare, says Kulachandra. Mr. Komdram Gamphir Singh, Age. 65yrs. Re-United by Active participation of @SamarendraAtom and @AngellicAribam and with the Path of wellknkwn @MumbaiPolice with the Guardian Angels like @DevenBhartiIPS and @PoliceWaliPblic and other delegates of Mumbai Police have achived This. pic.twitter.com/KIww97mWQ9 SOHAM PUSALKAR (@sohambikersboy) April 16, 2018 The video, posted on October 17, 2017, was shot by Twitter user Firoze Shakir who describes himself as a storyteller, who videotaped Gambhir more like a case study. Children teased him on the streets calling him Nepali and he would abuse them and shout out that he was a Manipuri - an Indian, not a Nepali, reads the description of the video. Shakir got to know Gambhir better with each passing day. He would come to Bandra Bazar where I stay. He would visit the hooch joint there he would regale the public with old Hindi songs. Shakir, a street photographer, says he would provide Gambhir with either money or snacks. He took a liking to me as I shot his pictures. Gambhir was in the Army, but left and came back to his hometown after his fathers death to till the farms. Shortly after, a misunderstanding among the brothers led him to leave Manipur for Mumbai. All that led Gambhir to become a hardcore alcoholic, according to Shakir. Aribam, who has deleted her original tweet, signed off with another one thanking the Mumbai Police for safeguarding the man. Thanks @MumbaiPolice for locating the man and safeguarding him in your custody. His family will bring him back to Imphal after 40 years. Thanks everyone for your help. I'm now deleting the original tweet. https://t.co/pEhDFHc7Jm Angellica Aribam (@AngellicAribam) April 15, 2018 Twitter was full of praise for speedy action by Mumbai Police and Aribam: A words of appreciation to Angellica is also due. Good work. Good Governance (@sri9011) April 16, 2018 Awesome effort by Mumbai Police Majid Kazi (@majidkazi40) April 16, 2018 Accolades to Mumbai police anjali nikam (@anju7n) April 16, 2018 Bhawani Mandi, a village in Jhalawar district in Rajasthan that borders Madhya Pradesh, has become the focal point for the Mumbai anti-narcotic cell which made two big seizures of heroin from there in the past few months. Kailash Jain, a resident of the village, has emerged as the kingpin who supplies the drug to different parts of India, especially to Mumbai and Delhi. Jain was arrested by ANC in 1999 but managed to get bail. A team of ANC officials raided Bhawani Mandi, stayed there for eight days, but failed to arrest Jain. ANC received Jains location on two occasions at different places but drew a naught after they found the places shut. The local police were not too co-operative. Jain is well entrenched in the village and nobody was willing to share his details because of his influence., said an ANC official, requesting anonymity. Sunil Kumar, senior inspector, Bhawani Mandi police station in Jhalawar district said, We are not aware about Kailash Jain. But Sunil Kumar went on to say that heroin peddling is high as the area cultivates opium. Last year, we registered 15 different cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Also, adjoining our jurisdiction is the Madhya Pradesh border, where the cultivation and supply of opium is high. Jains name came up after the recent arrest of 40-year-old Mangilal Kajodmal Meghwal who was arrested with 4.1kg of heroin worth Rs6.15 crore on Saturday. Jain was also named by Gautam Singh Omkar Singh, 55, and Bunty Ali 23 natives of Pachpahar town in Jhalawar district who were arrested in October 2017 in Mumbai with 1.4kg of heroin worth Rs2.8 crore. After Meghwals arrest, ANC is trying to find the links to Jain in Jhalawar. After the main accuseds arrest, we will get a clue on where the drug comes from. We are also looking out for a Mumbai-based woman to whom Meghwal was going to deliver the consignment, said Shivdeep Lande, deputy commissioner of police, ANC. The woman who has two residences at Santacruz and Grant Road, mixes chemicals into pure heroin to double the quantity for a profit, said ANC officials. Police suspect that the drug is either brought from Pakistan or from Madhya Pradesh. The cultivation of opium is permitted there.But, locals keep some of the opium with them and make heroin, said a senior ANC officer. A day after HT reported that citizens had filed complaints regarding illegal debris dumping and tree felling along the periphery of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), park authorities issued notices to construction sites on the Borivli side to not dump debris in the forest. Anwar Ahmed, director and chief conservator of forest of the national park, said he visited the site where the debris was being dumped on Sunday. After HT informed me about the issue, along with forest staff, I surveyed the peripheral areas towards Borivli, and found that debris was being dumped over the boundary wall. I was told that the forest staff has been clearing the debris regularly but the national park is no place to dump this waste, he said. All new constructions and chawls along the periphery towards Borivli have been issued notices to avoid dumping debris within the park premises. Ahmed said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also been informed about such violations. If this illegal dumping continues, then we will have to take action against such constructions with BMCs help, said Ahmed. HT had reported on Monday that residents submitted videos of debris dumping and tree felling that they recorded from their homes. They complained that the activities violated the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Indian Forest Act, 1927. Park authorities had confirmed debris dumping had taken place but denied any tree felling activity. They said only branches of a few trees within the reserved area were trimmed by the forest department close to the tiger and leopard enclosures. The 104-sqkm SGNP is a part of Mumbais green lungs and home to diverse flora and fauna. Growing urbanisation, rise in encroachments and human pressures around the forest is a threat to wildlife, said forest officers. Residents welcomed the speedy action taken by SGNP. The debris issue needs to be addressed at the earliest by new constructions. It will help protect the parks wildlife. However, we had witnessed several trees being uprooted and only then did we file complaints. SGNP officers need to investigate the tree felling issue properly, said a resident who had video recorded the debris dumping from the construction site at the forest, on the condition of anonymity. He had also informed forest officers about the alleged tree felling incident. The Amboli police on Monday sent a team to Pune to further investigate into the Rs7.5-crore drug haul from a factory in Badlapur. They are also questioning the son of the 74-year-old mastermind of the case. On Sunday, police had registered a case against Naryanbhai Mangaldas Patel for production of liquid Mephedron(MD) in his factory. A source in Mumbai police said police interrogated the mans son. The son is also a chemist. He has been interrogated as a part of the on-going investigation. Police is trying to ascertain whether he had any role in the crime, said an officer. The Amboli police are now trying to get hold of the buyers of liquid MD. We are tracking the buyers now. The trail of the supply is important to find out who all bought the drug and benefitted from it, he said. The police are also trying to find out the supplier of the materials required to produce liquid MD. Acting on a tip off on Saturday, the Amboli police, led by investigating officer Daya Nayak arrested Shahid Hussain Sher Mohammad Shah, 27 near Shyamnagar slum, Veera Desai road, Andheri (West) at 1.35am. Shah was in possession of 300 gram MD powder valued at Rs6 Lakh. During questioning, he spilled the beans on the mastermind Patel, a resident of New Vikas CHS, Manpada Road, Dombivali (East). Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) zone IX, Paramjit Singh Dahiya then formed a special team that raided Sharda Chemicals, a factory unit in MIDC area in Badlapur (East). A trustee of a school in Andheri, accused of molesting a three-year-old student, surrendered before the Dindoshi sessions court on Monday, three days after the Supreme Court rejected his petition seeking a stay on a Bombay high court (HC) order that cancelled his bail. According to the complaint filed by the girls parents on May 18, 2017, the assault took place in late 2016. They alleged the girls teacher took her to the directors room. While the 57-year-old trustee, a French national, was arrested on November 7 last year, he was released on bail by a special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court on November 27. The trustee resumed work at the school in December. The girls mother moved the HC, where justice Revati Mohite-Dere cancelled his bail. The HC also ordered Milind Khetle, assistant commissioner of police, Meghwadi division, to probe the case. But the trustee moved the apex court to seek a stay on the HC order. The trustees lawyer, Suren Shetty, and teachers lawyer Ashok Gupte were present before the additional sessions judge AD Deo when the trustee surrendered. He has been remanded in judicial custody at Arthur Road jail for two weeks. The teacher is currently out on bail. After the charges were filed, defence lawyers told the court they have not received the transcript of the CD in which the statement of the complainant was recorded. The court will hear the matter on April 21. We only wanted the school to ensure the trustee didnt enter the premises till a verdict, but they ignored our demand. We are relieved that the HC cancelled his bail and the SC upheld it, said a parent on condition of anonymity. Parents supporting the trustee and school management are upset by the development. Hes an honorable man and doesnt deserve this. We are a strong parent community and more than 350 of us had signed the intervention application in the Supreme Court. We will stand by the school. Inputs from Shreya Soni SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told the Bombay high court on Monday that IndiGo and GoAir have replaced the faulty Pratt & Whitney engines in 14 grounded Airbus A320neo with engines of a different series, making them safe for operations. The countrys aviation regulator was replying to queries raised by a petitioner about the safety of aircraft fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines. DGCA said it has checked the pre-450 series engines that have replaced the post-450 series made by Pratt & Whitney aircraft. Additional solicitor general Anil Singh representing DGCA they are satisfied with the engines and that all aircraft with the engines are fit to fly. However, the HC scheduled the hearing to June 11 after the petitioner raised questions about the affidavits and proofs of airworthiness submitted by DGCA. A bench of Justices Naresh Patil and GS Kulkarni asked DGCA to make sure that it was taking the steps needed to ensure that the modified engines in the affected aircraft that are now operational are thoroughly checked for safety. After DCGAs reply, however, the bench told the regulator to check the engines themselves instead of blindly following international guidelines. IndiGos counsel, senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas said all aircraft were back in operation except those with engines having series number between 450 and 614. The lawyer representing the petitioner said the government had written a letter to DGCA in February 17 last year stating that the issues related to A320neo were probably owing to local weather conditions. He stated, DGCA has not followed the Indian aircraft rule. The aircraft were allowed to fly when the particular series engines were failing. The issue was highlighted in February this year when European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) had issued emergency airworthiness directive for A320neo planes fitted with PW1100 engines beyond 450 series. Days after the state medical education department exempted Palghar-based Vedantaa Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), a college registered under the Companies Act, from following rules set by the Fee Regulating Authority (FRA), parents of students studying at the institute are planning to challenge this decision in court. On Monday, the state medical education department received a representation of parents whose children are currently studying at the institute. We are examining this request and it looks like we will need to consider opinions of other departments before taking a call on this, said Sanjay Deshmukh, state medical education secretary. He added the Maharashtra government is yet to take a final call on the parents request. In 2017, VIMS became the first institute in Maharashtra to be registered under the Companies Act, meaning a for-profit education institute. Last year, the institute had sent a proposal to FRA seeking permission to charge Rs14 lakh per annum to students, however, the FRA recommended that they cap their fees at Rs6 lakh per annum. With the recent decision of the state government to exempt the institute from FRA rules now leaves it along with deemed institutes, who can decide their own fee structure and not wait for the approval of state. We are already paying a lot and if the state allows a free hand to the management of Vedantaa Institute, we might end up paying more fees than what we are already paying. We request the government to exempt us from any more fee hikes, said a parent of a student studying at the institute. Close to 120 students were given admission to the institute in the first batch in 2017. The institutes dean, Dr Ganesh Kesari refused to comment on this issue, despite repeated attempts. The anti-narcotic cell of the Mumbai crime branch has arrested a 40-year-old man with 4.1kg of heroin worth Rs6.15 crore. This is one of the biggest heroin seizures in Mumbai. Mangilal Kajodmal Meghwal was caught while transporting six consignments. The ANC is trying to find out the source of the drug. The ANC got a tip-off about heroin smuggling in Mumbai after they arrested two people in Worli in October last year. The smugglers allegedly procured the drug from a flea market, called Bhawani Mandi in Pachpahar town of Jhalawar district in Rajasthan. Meghwal is a resident of Ramganj Mandi taluka of Kota district in Rajasthan. According to ANCs Bandra unit, they caught Meghwal near Bahu Uddeshiy Chikitsalay at Matunga (West) on Saturday. They said he was going to deliver the consignment to a peddler from south Mumbai. The accused is in police custody till April 18. We are now interrogating him to find out about the peddler from south Mumbai and the source of the consignment in Rajasthan, said Shivdeep Lande, deputy commissioner of police (ANC). Meghwal told the officers that he was just a carrier and had delivered similar consignments around five times via train and bus routes in Mumbai. Meghwal said he resides with his father and gets around Rs25,000 per delivery once a month. He is well-versed with Mumbais geography. This indicates that he had been a carrier for several years, said an ANC official. We got the name and details of the main accused after arresting two people in October. However, the kingpin is yet to be traced. We suspect that the drug is being supplied from Pakistan, said the official. Days a college in Kandivli barred 105 FYBCom students from appearing for the semester examinations of the University of Mumbai for low attendance, it has come to the fore that three more city colleges have taken similar action against students whose attendance is less than mandatory. Mithibai College, Narsee Monjee (NM) College of Commerce and Economics, both in Vile Parle, and PD Dalmia College, Malad, have barred 218, 115 and 79 students, respectively, from appearing for semester exams that started last Thursday. Some of the students sought varistys help to overturn the decision, but to no avail. Over the years, these colleges have earned themselves a reputation for stringent implementation on the varsitys attendance norms. Last year, Kandivli Education Societys (KES) Shroff College had barred more than 100 FYBCom students from taking tests for similar reason. When the students grievance redressal committee at the University of Mumbai (MU) directed the college to allow these students to take the examination, the college moved Bombay high court (HC), which in February upheld the institutes decision. Last year, Mithibai College, Vile Parle, too was allowed to bar 97 TYBCom and 20 TYBA students from appearing for their final examinations by the HC. As per MUs ordinance 6086, which lays down rules for attendance, a student can only be allowed to keep terms if he maintains at least 75% average attendance in lectures, practicals and tutorials. It also requires to have to be a minimum of 50% attendance for each subject. However, the principals and heads of the institutes and departments can allow an additional 25% absence. Justifying the colleges adherence to attendance rules, Nupur Mehrotra, vice-principal, Mithibai College, said, We need to inculcate values so that our students succeed in their career. Other principals made similar arguments. Discipline is absolutely essential, as talent can only take you up to a point. When we provide best of the infrastructure and teachers, we expect students to be present in their classrooms. said Parag Ajgaonkar, principal, NM College. Gopal Kalkoti, principal, MVM College in Andheri, said, There are students who want to be absent for no reason. Such students need to be dealt with strictly so that a message is sent. However, some principals believe that there is a flip side to enforcing mandatory attendance norm. Many of our students take internships to have better job opportunities. How can we force them to sit for lectures? Some skip lectures, as they either have day jobs or prepare for competitive exams, said principal of a law college. Madhavi Pethe, former principal at Dahanukar College, Vile Parle, said in the context of Mumbai, the issue of mandatory attendance is more complicated and is influenced by many factors. I am not in favour of compulsory attendance. Students at this age are supposed to take care of their responsibilities. But there exists a tremendous peer pressure on the students here, which pulls them down and weans them away from their career. In such a scenario, if the students are forced to spend time in an academic environment, they might learn something. Its an administrative dilemma, she added. BOX The reprieve Last Tuesday, the HC allowed three students from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Vile Parle, to appear for their respective BCom examinations despite low attendance, as one of them, an FYBCom girl, suffers from blood cancer and two boys, studying in SYBCom, could not attend college as they were seriously injured in road accidents. In a move meant to enhance the use of funds, the third Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (Nusaf III) has set out to train about 40,000 beneficiaries in enterprise management over the next five years. Nusaf was created to facilitate the reconstruction of northern and eastern Uganda after years of war ravaged the areas and led to the breakdown of several infrastructures and livelihoods. Whereas the first two phases of the project focused on revamping of schools, roads and health facilities, Nusaf III, a five-year project worth $130m (Shs 460m), targets to impart skills in a bid to transform the financial livelihoods of beneficiaries in line with governments efforts to have a middle-class economy by 2020. So, the first round of the training ended on April 6 at Gulu High School in which more than 1,300 participants gained skills in accounting, bookkeeping and business management. Enterprise Uganda conducted the training for the beneficiaries from Acholi sub-region. Charles Ocici, the Enterprise Uganda executive director, noted that Nusaf III has started with the transformation of peoples mindset and attitude. Success or failure in entrepreneurship depends on attitude; government has given the locals resources but in most cases they have abused it. Many didnt know the purposes to which the money was sent, we are here to give them an insight and change their attitudes that from the small amount of money, they can make great investments, he said. Meanwhile, Alfred Odera Obol, the Nusaf III operation specialist, expressed satisfaction that beneficiaries will be able to sustain themselves in life after attaining business and accounting skills. This project will improve access to income-earning opportunities for the poor households by boosting household income generation, building resilience and fostering long-term sustainability of the projects output, he said. Under Nusaf III, beneficiaries will be placed in groups, which in turn will access funding for affordable capital to fuel business expansion. Meanwhile, members will have to save at least 30 per cent of their income in the group to create a revolving fund. justuslyatuu08@gmail.com The state recently stayed the continuous nursing education (CNE) training programme on the grounds that a nexus between organisers and Maharashtra Nursing Council (MNC) was forcing nurses to pay Rs5,000-Rs15,000 for it. The training helped 2.19 lakh nurses from the state get updates on modern medical advancements. The state started the programme in 2016, in the backdrop of the age-old continuous medical education (CME) for doctors. Under the programme, nurses had to attend more than 150 hours of training over a period of five years to get their licences renewed. Over 25 health care providers including a leading Australian firm Health Careers with one in every district, had to ensure that one participant attended at least 2 to 3 CNEs a year. However, state officials claimed there were major discrepancies in the functioning of the programme. I had attended a CNE inauguration in Nashik, where more than 700 nurses were invited. In a CME, we never allow more than 50 doctors to give personalised training. I had brought this to the notice of the organisers, said Dr Pravin Shingare, director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), who recommended the stay. Dr Shingare said several nurses complained to him about being asked to pay money for registration renewal. The money was credited to the personal accounts of the trainers, he said. Officials from the council said they never took more than Rs300 from a nurse. From that amount, the organisers had to credit Rs20 to the account of the council as processing fee, and the rest were spent on training and snacks. If there were irregularities, an inquiry should have been initiated, said MNC president Ramling Mali. Nurses have no other avenues to get training. We will ask the state to reconsider the decision. State officials said the stay will be lifted after framing guidelines for the programme. We have over 100 deans of nursing colleges in the state and other experts who should ideally be invited for the training, but the council always gets some self-proclaimed experts. The CNEs will start again, but only after necessary changes, said a top medical education official. Two people were killed in two separate accidents in the city over the weekend. In the first incident, Manik Pawar, 24, was crushed by a road roller at the construction site of a new flyover in Chunabhatti on Saturday. Pawar, a resident of Jalna, had come to Mumbai with his brother in search of work. The driver was reversing the road roller and didnt see Manik. We have arrested the driver, said a police officer from Chunabhatti police station. The second mishap took place in Vikhroli, in which a bike skidded, resulting in the death of Ashok Vishwakarma, 40, who suffered serious head injuries. Pillion rider Mahesh Asudkar, 42, has been arrested for rash and negligent driving. The men were heading to Raigad from Malad. The accident took place at the Gandhinagar flyover in Vikhroli, said Vilas Jadhav, senior inspector, Parksite police station. A special investigation team (SIT) is expected to probe into an alleged leaseback scam that took place in Greater Noida in 2009-10, officials said. The issue pertains to the leaseback of residential land to non-farmers in an alleged violation of norms. Leaseback refers to the authority (state government) giving notified land back to farmers. The authority had mistakenly acquired parts of residential land owned by farmers for development and other infrastructure projects in 2009-10. However, faced with strong objection and farmers protests, the authority officials had decided that the residential land would be leased back to them. In the guise of leasing back land to local farmers, the Greater Noida authority officials had, in 2010, leased back the residential land to non-farmers, who did not even belong to the area. This was termed as violation of norms. Following complaints, divisonal commissioner (Meerut) Dr Prabhat Kumar had, in June 2017, appointed Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer (CEO), Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority (YEIDA), to conduct a probe into this alleged scam. Singh has now completed his probe and found gross violations in the leaseback case. I have completed my investigation and found out that around 50 hectares of land has been leased back to non-farmers, who belong to Maharashtra. This leaseback scheme was only meant for local farmers. Many officials such as tehsildars, the lekhpal and other staff members were involved in and aware of the violations. Ten people were shown as local farmers in land records while their passports, which were attached to the applications, had shown them as residents of Maharashtra, said Singh. Now that the CEO of the YEIDA has completed his probe, Kumar will take the case to the next stage. Since there is strong evidence to prove charges of corruption against certain officials, the commissioner has decided to recommend an SIT probe in this case. As many top officials are involved in this scam, an SIT will be able to do justice in this case, said Singh. Officials said that the 50 hectares in question is estimated to be worth 1000 crore. Many officials are likely to face legal action because they have overlooked the papers attached with the applications. And they deliberately favoured non-farmers and gave them benefits meant for local farmers, said Singh. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Sweden for the first India-Nordic Summit, one question to ask is why such a meeting took so long to materialise. Modi has already visited several European countries as prime minister, many on stopovers to North America or for multilateral summits, including France, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. But as India engages advanced economies in Europe and elsewhere in a bid to derive investment, technology, commercial contacts, immigration and education privileges, and other benefits, the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland) arguably have something more important to offer. For both political and economic reasons, the Nordic Model provides India a worthy object of study. In his two-volume work, The Origins of Political Order, political theorist Francis Fukuyama writes about countries trying to get to Denmark. It is a catchy way of using Denmark as a stand-in for an ideal, well-governed, democratic, peaceful, and prosperous state. Indeed, Denmark and its fellow Nordic countries can be found at or near the top of almost every ranking of good governance. They all rate between 95 and 100 out of 100 for the quality of their democracy according to Freedom House (with Norway, Sweden, and Finland getting perfect scores). Four of them are among the six least corrupt countries, according to Transparency International. They are all among the eight least fragile states according to the Fund for Peace. And Denmark, Norway, and Finland rank among the top eight in government effectiveness according to the World Bank. What sets the Nordic Model further apart is a strong social welfare state within a free-market framework, a balance that has helped propel their economies forward. Collectively, the five Nordics have a gross domestic product of $1.5 trillion, larger than that of Russia. They are home to enterprising companies engaged in both old (Statoil, Ikea, Maersk, Lego, Volvo) and new (Nokia, Telenor, Spotify) industries. They are sizeable trading nations on a per capita basis, and readily export their culture: consider Abba, Moomins, Lars von Trier, Jo Nesbo, or Bjork. Their socio-economic performances are no less impressive. All five countries have life expectancies of over 80 and feature among the top advanced economies in educational outcomes. Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland rank in the top four of the World Happiness Report (Sweden is 9th). And yet for all their commonalities, the Nordics have espoused rather different approaches to international relations. Only three of the five Sweden, Denmark, and Finland are members of the European Union, and only the last one uses the euro as its currency. Just three Iceland, Norway, and Denmark are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), as Sweden and Finland opted for neutrality during the Cold War. Of course, there are some disconcerting signs beneath the surface even in these paragons of good governance. There have been economic setbacks, including a banking crisis in Iceland after 2008 and a recession in Finland more recently, in part due to an over-dependence on one company: Nokia. The Nordic countries have also not been immune to the European phenomenon of identity politics and flawed multiculturalism contributing to social and political tensions. The recent influx of refugees has sometimes tested the inclusiveness of the otherwise rather homogeneous Nordic societies. In 2015 and 2016, some travel links between Denmark and Sweden were briefly suspended and border controls were re-established due to concerns about illegal migration. Immigrant-heavy Stockholm suburbs have witnessed occasional rioting in recent years. These disruptions have been mirrored in the rise of far Right, anti-immigration political parties. In 2014, the far-Right Sweden Democrats finished a strong third place in general elections, more than doubling their vote share from the previous poll. A year later, the Danish Peoples Party became the second largest group in parliament, and supports the government. In India, bilateral ties with the Nordics have often been in the news for the wrong reasons. For a certain generation, Swedish business became associated with Bofors, the arms manufacturer embroiled in a major corruption scandal that contributed to the fall of the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1989. A citizen of Denmark involved in an arms drop in West Bengal in 1995 became the subject of an extradition dispute that coloured Indias relations with that country. More recently, India and Norway expressed differences over a child welfare spat involving an Indian couple. What should have been relatively minor irritants instead created a widespread perception in India of typically European double-standards concerning corruption, terrorism, and human rights. But despite the evident downsides and irritants, perhaps its time to rethink the priority India accords the Nordic countries. If one were genuinely interested in finding ways to balance social welfare with market reforms, improve governance at the local level, and increase entrepreneurship, it could do no harm to pay a little more attention to a few seemingly small northern European countries. Dhruva Jaishankar is fellow, Foreign Policy, Brookings India, New Delhi The views expressed are personal A perusal of the number of Unfair Mean Cases (UMCs) registered in Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) exams of Classes 10 and 12 for four years from 2014-17 shows that there has been a clear and drastic trend towards fairer exams. For Class 10, the number of UMCs dropped from 278 in 2014 to 28 cases in 2017. This is a dip of around 90%. This year too, the board continued with its policy of Zero tolerance to cheating and issued a revised date sheet on Saturday for its centres in Tarn Taran, Gurdapur and Khemkaran. For Class 12, the number of cases dropped from 274 in 2014 to 34 last year, a dip of around 88%. Caught using Unfair Means, what next? An official said when a student is caught copying or using unfair means or indulging in disorderly conduct at or in connection with examinations, his/her answer sheet is confiscated and the flying squad staff or the supervisor writes his/her comments on the sheet. The student gets a new answer sheet if there is still enough time left. The confiscated copy is dispatched separately to the UMC branch. A committee headed by the chairman questions the supervisor, the student and staff who brought the case to light Punishment can range from disqualification for three years for the student. The reason that the authorities cite for the drastic dip is the Zero tolerance policy. PSEB chairman Manohar Kant Kalohia, who has tightened the noose around those involved in cheating, said, Apart from taking students to task, even the supervisory staff is not being exonerated of the blame. Detailed inquiries have been conducted this year in areas and centres known for mass copying for decades. Open School centres are under the lens. We are also working on a process for cancellation of affiliation of tainted centres and government staff found guilty of helping students copy. He added that exams had been rescheduled at some centres this year due to widespread cheating. At some centres, students made supervisory vigilance staff hostage, after they did not allow cheating, he added. Donald Trump is morally unfit to be president of the United States and should be voted out, former FBI director James Comey has said, escalating the war of words with the man who fired him. Impeaching Trump was not the right remedy, he told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday, while speaking at length about his book that releases on Tuesday. A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Deception is an account, among other things, of his brief stint as Trumps FBI director, before being fired last May just four months after the president took office. Reports based on advance copies of the book indicate there are no major revelations in it but just more granular descriptions of episodes, events and conversations that were already known. And the president, who considers himself an aggressive counterpuncher, has already responded, with predictable vehemence, calling the former FBI director a liar and slime ball in a string of tweets just hours before the interview aired. Trump watched bits of the interview, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Monday, and added, We didnt learn anything new. Pretty much the same feelings. The president has been pretty clear what those are, as has the rest of the administration. Comey is a self-admitted leaker. Been proven to be dishonest. And I think that his credibility is really at hand, and its quite interesting that he would question someone elses when he has such a lack of credibility himself. But Comey has seemed not only undeterred by the presidents attacks, but more determined. Asked during the interview if he thought Trump was unfit to be president, Comey rode right in: Yes. But, he added, I dont buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia. He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence whos tracking conversations and knows whats going on. I dont think hes medically unfit to be president. I think hes morally unfit to be president. Comey proceeded to list out reasons: the presidents moral equivalence on Charlottesville race clashes when Trump spoke of good people on both sides; his treatment of women like pieces of meat; and who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it. But impeaching him was not the right remedy, Comey said, when asked directly. And, realising that his reason for disagreeing would appear unusual, he prefaced his reply thus: Ill give you a strange answer. I hope not (that Trump is impeached) because I think impeaching and removing Donald Trump from office would let the American people off the hook and have something happen indirectly that I believe theyre duty bound to do directly. People in this country need to stand up and go to the voting booth and vote their values. Comey conceded that Trump may have to be removed if he was found to have obstructed justice by Special Counsel Robert Muellers team, which is investigating Russian collusion in the 2016 election and possible collusion by Trump campaign. He added, But in a way, as a citizen, I think we owe it to each other to get off the couch and think about what unites us. I think about the people who supported Trump, and continue to support Trump. Our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that, he said. Trump had fired Comey citing the FBIs behaviour in investigating Democrat Hillary Clinton and the Russia probe. Just 11 days before the 2016 election, Comey announced that the FBI would reopen an investigation into Clintons possible misuse of a private email server while she was secretary of state -- a move she has said played a part in her loss to Trump. Comey also said in the interview he thinks its possible the Russians have compromising information on Trump and that there is some evidence of obstruction of justice in the Presidents actions. That included Trumps request to end an FBI investigation into former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn. Comey acknowledged that it was stunning to think that Russia could have damaging information on a president but said he could not discount the possibility. It is stunning and I wish I wasnt saying it, but its just its the truth. I cannot say that. It always struck me and still strikes me as unlikely, and I would have been able to say with high confidence about any other president I dealt with, but I cant. Its possible, Comey said. (With agency inputs) Economic affairs secretary Subhash Garg is leading the Indian delegation to the World Bank-International Monetary Fund spring meetings beginning here on Monday amid fears of a trade war between the United States and China, the worlds two largest economies. Garg, as economic affairs secretary, is the alternate governor for India on the IMFs board of governors, and heads the team in the absence of the designated governor, finance minister Arun Jaitley, who is undergoing treatment for a kidney ailment. Every IMF member country has a governor and alternate governor on the IMFs board of governors, which is its highest decision-making body. IMF managing director Christine Lagarde set up these spring meetings in a speech in Hong Kong last week in which she warned that though the state of the current global economy was bright, we can see dark clouds looming and that the world is in danger of being torn apart. Her remarks came after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on goods worth $150 billion from China, which has threatened to retaliate with higher duties on American imports. The two sides have only announced their intention to impose higher tariffs, and not done so yet. The IMF will on Tuesday release its report on the state of the worlds economy, called the World Economic Outlook, which will include an update and projections on Indias economy. The World Bank has weighed in, saying in a report released on Sunday that India had overcome the adverse impact of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax both disruptive but necessary measures and was bouncing back. It has projected India will grow by 7.3% in 2018 and 7.5% in 2019, up from 6.7% in 2017. The bank also said the Indian recovery will make South Asia the worlds fastest growing region. There might be more good news in store for India this week. The Indian delegation, which will include RBI governor Urjit Patel and Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, will attend meetings of the board and the usual side meetings, and events that take place around the spring meetings, such as the G-20. But because of Jaitleys absence, a lot of political level meetings, such as those with counterparts from other countries such as the US, will not take place. IMF sources have said they had planned speaking events for Jaitley, which they dropped because of his plans not to visit. Police say a brawl at a Sikh temple in suburban Indianapolis has left four people with minor injuries. Greenwood assistant police chief Matthew Fillenwarth says police and medics responded on Monday to a verbal and physical fight involving nearly 150 people at the Gurdwara Sikh temple in the city just south of Indianapolis. He tells WISH-TV the altercation began as there was a change of leadership within the temple that he says happens every two years. Fillenwarth says its believed that there was a worship service going on when the fight broke out. Fillenwarth says four people suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital, where they will be questioned by police. Police are reviewing surveillance video from the temple and interviewing other participants in the fight. Jaspal Atwal, the man at the centre of a controversy that led to a chill in India-Canada ties, has accused the Justin Trudeau government of lying in framing him as an agent planted by rogue elements within the Indian establishment to embarrass the Canadian prime minister during his visit to India in February. The result will be that there will be a reckoning between the falsehoods and the truth and the reality will emerge. And Prime Minister Trudeau and his people will have to apologise to the Indian government and to Jaspal Atwal, he said during a nearly hour-long telephone interview, conducted mainly in Hindi. The Trudeau government had been left red-faced after a photograph emerged showing Atwal with the prime ministers wife Sophie Gregoire at an official reception during the trip. Atwal, who had been convicted in 1987 on charges related to the attempted assassination of a visiting minister from Punjab state, was also invited to an official reception for Trudeau in New Delhi but the invitation was later rescinded. A senior Canadian official, later revealed to be National Security Advisor Daniel Jean, had briefed Canadian reporters and floated the rogue elements theory, which was supported by Trudeau on multiple occasions, including in the House of Commons. They thought they would lie and escape but they are now trapped. End of the day, the result will be seen, whether it takes a month or two months or year: They are lying, Atwal said in an interview that was combative and contrary to the contrite statement he issued earlier, during which he had apologised for causing embarrassment to Trudeau. They are caught in their own lie and they will have to apologise and that person (who made the allegation) will lose his job. Atwal alleged Jeans accusation was based on misleading information provided by a member of the Punjabi media in Vancouver area, who was an agent of Canadian intelligence. He also said he was photographed at the Mumbai reception with Trudeau, who had hugged him and greeted him warmly: When I went on the stage, he knew me, He said, Hey Jas, howre you doing? While photographs of Atwal with the prime ministers wife and federal minister Amarjeet Sohi have appeared in the media, he provided similar smiling pictures with two other ministers, Navdeep Bains and Harjit Sajjan. Atwal said he originally never planned on attending the Mumbai event but did so at the request of a friend. The invitation to the Delhi event was rescinded by the Canadian government after the furore over Atwals presence at the Mumbai reception cast a shadow on Trudeaus trip. Jaspal Atwal with federal minister Navdeep Bains at the Mumbai reception in honour of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his trip to India in February. (Courtesy: Jaspal Atwal) Atwal said his visit to India was planned earlier, and the reason was for consultations and medical tests related to a neurological problem. He said he consulted a doctor in Delhi and was admitted in a hospital in Jalandhar for this purpose. The invitation to attend the official events in Mumbai and New Delhi came at the initiative of Canadian MP Randeep Sarai. He said, I will forward your name and if security approves, then you come, otherwise, thats it, Atwal said. He asserted his name had been cleared by Canadian intelligence and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and he was emailed the invitations from the office of Nadir Patel, Canadas high commissioner in New Delhi. Atwal also said an Indian visa had been issued to him after he was removed from a blacklist, and that there were others on the trip who had benefited similarly from New Delhis outreach, including minister Sajjans father. Where did the Indian government come in the middle? They have nothing to do with this, he said. Referring to the snub that Trudeau experienced in India, starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi not receiving him at the airport on his arrival in New Delhi, Atwal alleged that travelling on that same flight were proponents of Khalistan. The prime minister (Trudeau) should have this much knowledge that if Khalistanis are part of the entourage, why should the other government welcome him? he said. Jean is scheduled to testify before the House Public Safety and National Security Committee even as the National Security and Intelligence Committee of parliamentarians is conducting a special review connected to the affair. Atwal said he would gladly testify if asked to do so: I have no problem, they can call me any time they want. Im ready to be there. I want to tell the truth. For now, Atwal is consulting a lawyer in Toronto on whether there are grounds for pursuing legal action against the Canadian government because they threw me under the bus, he said. Asked over email to clarify why he was contemplating such a measure, he responded, (The) government of Canada including PM, they put my life in jeopardy. The Theresa May government on Monday reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modis promise that justice will be done in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl at Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, when the matter was raised by a Pakistani-origin member of the House of Lords. The issue was raised by Nazir Ahmed a day before Modi is due to arrive here for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Ahmed, who was at the forefront of an anti-India demonstration on January 26 outside the Indian mission here, will reportedly lead another protest on April 18. Ahmed, a non-affiliated member who wanted the UK government to take up the issue of self-determination in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and the northeast, mentioned the Kathua rape case while asking how Britain could help bring her assailants and those in other cases to justice. Deborah Stedman-Scott, the government whip, said Modi had promised justice in the Kathua case. She also reiterated the stand that it is not for the United Kingdom to prescribe a solution or act as a mediatorit is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting and peaceful resolution, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Navnit Dholakia (Liberal Democrats) said Ahmed's suggestion about self-determination in India was most unhelpful, and asked how it would help Pakistan if the idea was taken to its logical conclusion in Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh. It will make this country most ungovernable, he added. Referring to concerns expressed about human rights in India, Stedman-Scott noted: India has a strong democratic framework which guarantees human rights, but we do acknowledge that it faces numerous challenges relating to its size and development when it comes to enforcing fundamental rights enshrined within its Constitution and wider law. Dr Peter Ngategize, a senior official at the ministry of Finance, has said investment clubs have potential to mobilise critical savings that might help fund important projects in the country. Ngategize, who is also the patron of Investment Clubs Association in Uganda (ICAU), said recently that the country could not entirely rely on foreign capital to develop itself. Dr Peter Ngategize Whatever money we are using is someone elses savings, said Ngategize, also the coordinator of competitiveness investment climate strategy at ministry of finance. He was speaking last week at an event organised by ICAU to celebrate outstanding investment clubs in the country. Ngategize said Kenya has been a model in this area and Ugandans needed to leverage on social capital and be able to live with integrity in our country. The association organised awards for the best investment clubs. This year, the winner was Amigos Investment club based in Ntinda. It was given Shs 1m as a prize. According to Bank of Uganda financial inclusion strategy, 72 per cent Ugandans are currently saving but 60 per cent of them keep their money in secret places. Some forget where they put it; for others, it is stolen. The most common reason for saving is to meet basic household needs and emergencies. Investment clubs act as avenues or collateral that can help their members access to affordable loans from banks. At least 35 per cent Ugandans aged 16 and above have never borrowed while 33 per cent borrow from friends or family, according to BOU. Only seven per cent borrow from commercial banks. amwesigwa@observer.ug Speculation is mounting on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make a quick visit to China in the coming weeks for a bilateral summit with President Xi Jinping weeks before his June trip for the multilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. Indian diplomats have neither denied nor confirmed the first visit, but Modi is scheduled to attend the SCO Summit during June 8-9 in the coastal city of Qingdao and meet Xi then. During that (SCO Summit), we will definitely have a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping. And before that happens, we want to have a lot of other meetings, Indias envoy to China, Gautam Bambawale, told Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post in an interview in March. National Security Advisor Ajit Dovals unannounced visit to China last week fuelled speculation that it was in connection with Modis bilateral visit before the SCO meet. Doval met Communist Party of China politburo member Yang Jiechi formerly his counterpart for the border talks between the two countries in Shanghai, and not in Beijing, away from the focus of media. An official statement from India said the visit was part of high-level engagements between the two countries. Dovals visit wasnt likely connected with the SCO Summit in June he will be in Beijing in the middle of May for a meeting of NSAs from the SCO member states. It will be unprecedented if Modi comes to China twice in a few weeks, and will be possibly an indication that both countries are serious about repairing ties plagued by multiple festering issues such as the border dispute damaged further during and in the aftermath of last years Doklam military standoff. One reason for Modi and Xi to have a bilateral summit before the SCO meet is that the two leaders will have tight schedules during the multilateral meeting in Qingdao. The SCO, an inter-governmental organisation founded in 2001, comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China, India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan were admitted as full members of the organisation at last years Astana summit. South Asia watchers here are worried that bilateral differences between the two countries could dampen the Shanghai spirit of cooperation that is said to drive the organisation. A prior meeting between Modi and Xi could ensure that issues such as Kashmir dont hijack the SCO Summit. It will also be a sign of how the heads of countries those perceived as strong leaders are trying to break from the diplomacy templates and strike a new type of relationship with counterparts to ease differences. For example, a brief meeting between Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg in Germany last July is said to have set the stage for resolving the Doklam standoff. An increase in one-on-one engagements between Modi and Xi over and above the existing dialogue mechanisms could help guide the complex and layered India-China relationship toward a more mutually acceptable status. Whether the two leaders decide to engage in more focused talks before they meet in Qingdao remains to be seen. Indias famed jugaad approach to innovation marked the first day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Monday, as Prince Harry announced he has been named the Commonwealth youth ambassador. A series of sessions focussed on women, business, youth and people across the Commonwealth. Harry drew much applause when he announced that Queen Elizabeth had appointed him to his new position. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Britain on Tuesday evening to attend the event on April 19 and 20 at venues in London and Windsor. He will have a day of bilateral engagements with the Theresa May government on April 18. Prince Harry, who will marry actress Meghan Markle in Windsor on May 19, said: In my new role, I will work to support the Queen, my father the Prince of Wales, and my brother William, all of whom know that young people are the answer to the challenges of today. I am also incredibly grateful that the woman I am about to marry, Meghan, will be joining me in this work, of which she too is hugely excited to take part in. Harry also announced 150 new scholarships, named Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars, for studies at leading universities in low and middle income countries. The first cohort will begin studies in 2019. Award-winning Nigerian writer Ben Okri, who delivered the keynote speech at the peoples forum, said the world is crying out for big leadership. He called on people in the Commonwealth to wake up, unveil your eyes, ask questions, use your power, and said citizens are living units of democracy, a living force for all the possibilities of this world. The jugaad or frugal approach to innovation was highlighted as secretary-general Patricia Scotland launched the Commonwealth Innovation Hub and the Commonwealth Innovation Fund, which will deploy grant, equity, and debt investments to support innovators across the 53 member-states in the group. Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland launching the Commonwealth Innovation Hub on the opening day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London on Monday. (HT Photo) The idea is not only to put the wealth back into the common, but also common into wealth. There is already a 20% Commonwealth advantage for trade between member-states, she said. When so many areas in the world are turning protectionist, we are open to trade with each other. The Commonwealth has never been more important and relevant. We are here to stay, she added. Opening the business forum, Prime Minister Theresa May unveiled new programmes to free up trade, boost womens participation in business and to upskill young people who make up two-thirds of the Commonwealths 2.4 billion citizens. She said the new SheTrades programme will offer 7 million in Commonwealth-wide support to increase the presence of women-owned businesses to operate internationally from countries where being female is a professional barrier. May said: If Commonwealth members are not giving women an equal opportunity to succeed in business and in trade, they are trying to take on some of the biggest economies in the world with one hand tied behind their backs. That will not change overnight. But SheTrades represents an important step in the right direction one that, like the other initiatives I have talked about today, will deliver benefits across the Commonwealth and beyond. Pakistani academics have started an online signature campaign to protest alleged attempts by the countrys intelligence agencies to stifle critical thinking and academic freedom. An event on new political movements in Pakistan at the private Habib University was forcibly cancelled just an hour before it was to start, following a visit from intelligence officials. The focus of discussion was the Pashtun movement, said staff involved with the programme. Academics are seeing a closure of intellectual space within the country. Between April 12 and 13, four separate but related instances of repression took place on university campuses in different parts of the country, they said in a statement. In the case of Habib University, one of the guest speakers was also forced off campus. An event planned at the Lahore University of Management Sciences on April 13 to mark the brutal murder of student Mashal Khan by a mob at Abdul Wali Khan University last year was also forcibly cancelled. It is a shame how we are being pushed into a corner, said Noman Naqvi, a senior academic. In another instance, an assistant professor at Punjab Universitys department of sociology, Dr Ammar Ali Jan, was suddenly fired with no official reason. Jan, a PhD from Cambridge University, had been working tirelessly alongside students since July 2017 to promote the idea of non-violence and critical thinking. In the fourth instance, intelligence officials visited the Gomal University in DI Khan and grilled its faculty and administration about the content of their courses. They were warned not to teach subjects that would encourage critical thinking amongst the students. Academics claimed that over the past couple of months, intelligence officials have become active in monitoring and controlling academic activities on campuses. In 2017, under the pretext of security, law enforcement agencies collected personal details of staff and students from universities all over Karachi. Last year, an event at IBA, the country's premier business school, was cancelled by intelligence agencies because it hosted a social media activist, Jibran Nasir. We were told by the ISI to stop the event at the last minute, said Jami Moid, registrar of IBA, adding that universities cannot refuse instructions from intelligence agencies. The Lahore high court ordered on Monday a temporary ban on the airing of contemptuous speeches about the countrys judiciary by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other PML-N leaders. Giving the decision on over two dozen petitions filed against anti-judiciary speeches by Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other party leaders, the court ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to decide on the petitions in 15 days. Until then, the court asked PEMRA to refrain from airing any such remarks, Geo News reported. Justice Mazahir Ali Naqvi, who headed a three-member full bench, also ruled that the court will personally monitor PEMRAs conduct in the next two weeks to see how it implements the courts order. The petitions filed in the Lahore High Court contended that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership had been making derogatory speeches against Supreme Court judges since Sharifs disqualification in the Panama Papers case in 2017. Naqvi said that while Article 19 of the Constitution allowed fair criticism of judiciary, not every person should be allowed to criticize it just for the sake of exercising their right to criticize. The petitions, which seek a ban on the anti-judiciary speeches, will now be decided by PEMRA. Sharif and his supporters have gone aggressive since the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding any public office in future. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said on Monday that more Pakistanis had died in incidents described as encounters than in terror attacks last year. The independent NGOs annual report for 2017 said: More Pakistanis died in incidents described by law enforcement agencies as encounters than in gun violence or in suicide attacks in 2017, according to the findings of research conducted by the Centre for Research and Security Studies. The study shows that 495 people were reported killed in what the law enforcement agencies said were shootouts. The number of those killed in gun violence was 399, those in suicide attacks 298, and in bomb explosions 144. HRCP noted that last year, Pakistan was elected to the UN Human Rights Council and called it a diplomatic success, but questioned whether the countrys commitment to rights can be fulfilled. The report further raised concerns about the growing number of blasphemy cases. The report said: In an environment where innocent until proven guilty carries no weight, an accusation of blasphemy leads to a lynching by a zealous mob. Journalists and bloggers continue to sustain threats, attacks and abductions, and the blasphemy law serves to coerce people into silence. The peoples right to socio-cultural activities is curtailed by intolerance and extremism, and authorities are lenient for fear of a political backlash. The report added that there was no abatement in violence against religious minorities, noting the Christian, Ahmadi, Hazara, Hindu and Sikh communities had all been targeted. HRCP raised concerns over the number of murders, rapes, acid attacks, kidnappings, incidents of domestic violence, and honour killings, adding that most such crimes in the main, go unreported. It said more than 5,660 crimes against women were reported in Pakistans four provinces in the first 10 months of 2017. The NGO also said passing legislation had done little to stop crime against the vulnerable it pointed out that several laws passed to protect children and the transgender community had done little to end the violence against them. Weddings are usually a lavish affair but this groom in Pakistan took it up several notches by turning up at his reception in an outfit that cost 25 lakh Pakistani rupees. As per local media reports, Hafiz Salman Shahid came to his Walima wearing a Rs 63,000 jewel embellished suit with shoes made of 32 tola gold, priced at Rs 17 lakh. He also sported a 10 tola gold tie worth Rs 5 lakh to match his shoes. Shahid, who was provided with security guards, told the media, I always had this in me to wear different kind of outfits and wanted to wear something unique on my big day which was the reason why I opted for the gold shoes and tie. This groom in Lahore wore an outfit on his valima which is worth Rs. 25 lakhs. His suit alone cost, Rs. 63,000, his shoes were made with 32 tolas of gold and they cost Rs. 17 lakhs and that tie is made with 10 tolas gold which cost Rs. 5 lakhs. pic.twitter.com/vaGJUeHJ0b Zaydan Khan (@Zaydan_Khan) April 13, 2018 The only brother of seven sisters, Shahids parents wanted to fulfil all their wishes for their son. Needless to say, it was not long before pictures from Shahids wedding were widely shared on social media, much to everyones disbelief. "The Golden Groom" This groom in Lahore wore an outfit on his valima which consisted GOLD and was worth around Rs. 25 lakhs! Imagine if he got kidnapped#GoldRush pic.twitter.com/aNXyL9ZXgH Rayan Ibrahim (@Rayanibrahim77) April 11, 2018 A person on Instagram said, One can pay for a surgery by selling one shoe. Another wrote, I would like to see what the bride wore if the groom had such tantrums! I always wanted to wear gold shoes. People wear it around their neck or as a crown. I wanted to tell people that wealth is like the dirt on your feet, it should stay there...and I always wanted to wear gold shoes, said Shahid, who is reportedly a businessman from Valancia Town in Lahore. Russias envoy to India on Monday defended his countrys burgeoning relationship with Pakistan, calling for a realistic approach to regional security and stability and saying Islamabads credibility in the war on terror had increased. Ambassador Nikolay Kudashevs remarks at an event organised by the think tank Ananta Aspen Centre, come against the backdrop of growing pressure from the West, especially the US, on Pakistan to crack down on terrorists operating from its soil and to curb widespread terror financing. In my takeafter this country joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, after this country started to take serious measures to curb the financing of terror, the credibility of Pakistan is growing and there is no reason, no sense to deny its wish, its will to be a part of regional and global efforts to fight terror, to search for stability and to enhance economic integration, he said during the question and answer session. Earlier in his speech, Kudashev said Russia is open for contacts with every country to ensure regional stability. Without naming Pakistan or the US, he also said excessive pressure on any of Afghanistans neighbours would just antagonise them and make numerous problems even more complicated. The problems of Afghanistan are impossible to resolve without taking on board every neighbouring country, he said. There should be a realistic and comprehensive approach to the issues of common interest rather than a geopolitical one. We are open to contacts with every country, especially if it would help to ensure the regional stability, which, on the other hand, also remains largely dependent on constructive relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad, he added. However, Kudashev said several times that Russias ties with Pakistan could not be compared to the strategic partnership with India, which is one of the leading players in the Asia Pacific and Eurasia. Problems between India and Pakistan should be resolved diplomatically in line with the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, and Russia would support such a dialogue if requested by both sides, Kudashev said. The envoy also stated Russias support for a dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban, describing it as the only way forward for the sake of lasting national reconciliation. The need for a unified approach towards the Taliban was guiding Russias developing relations with Pakistan, he said. Though Russia remains the largest supplier of hardware to Indias military, accounting for some 60% of the armament of the three services, New Delhi has kept a wary eye on the growing defence relations between Moscow and Islamabad. Pakistan recently received four Mi-35 gunship helicopters ordered from Russia under a $153 million deal and the two countries have conducted joint military drills in the past two years. Kudashev also spoke of the extensive cooperation between Russia and India, including defence cooperation that would last for many decades, the development of the hypersonic Brahmos Mark II cruise missile and collaboration on the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, for which Moscow has offered its latest reactors. The White House on Monday said it was considering additional sanctions on Russia following a suspected poison gas attack in Syria, but has not made a decision yet. We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. She did not say why sanctions would be imposed but the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Sunday that the United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. If the US sanctions are enacted, they will be the second such batch in just over a year against Syrias weapons of mass destruction program. Assad is a close ally of Moscow. The United States also imposed sanctions on 24 Russians earlier this month over what US intelligence agencies have said was interference in the US presidential election. Moscow has denied any wrongdoing. Washington has said it had proof that Syrian forces conducted a deadly chemical weapons attack on April 7, although a visit by chemical weapons inspectors to the suspected attack site was delayed on Monday. I f you want to know what really goes on behind the scenes of top interior shoots while getting top tips on how to make your home utterly instagrammable, here's your chance. Professional stylists Maxine Brady (@welovehomeblog) and Laurie Davidson (@lifeofaninteriorstylist) of The Secret Styling Club bring years of experience from professional interiors and magazine shoots to host a series of interactive workshops across London and beyond. Both stylists specialise in producing large and small scale shoots, prop sourcing, set design and makeovers, and launched the Secret Styling Club to make interior styling accessible for people wanting to achieve a magazine-ready look in their own homes. Join a group of fellow interior enthusiasts to learn the tricks of the trade at these three-hour workshops packed full of top tips. You'll discover the hottest design trends for 2018 and learn how to incorporate them in to your home. There's also an opportunity to ask for expert advice on how to solve decorating dilemmas. During the most recent workshop at Farrow & Ball in Hove, hands-on challenges included creating a mood board to take you out of your interior design comfort zone with fresh new looks. Scissors and glue sticks were at the ready to source inspiration from magazines, fabric swathes, wallpaper and all the must have F&B paint colour charts. I managed to banish my safe love of grey-and-white interior schemes and instead surprised myself with a plan for an inky blue room accented with giddy golds and mustards - and now want to revamp my entire living room. Another task was to win a style prize for the best shelfie of the night, after taking our pick from a varied selection of home accessories and props. We gathered brightly coloured books, fresh flowers, a candle, a Pop Art framed postcard, and a bust which we wrapped in fairy lights and stood back to admire the eclectic look. While we enjoyed glasses of fizz, generous helpings of cake and took home a fabulous goodie bag, we also gained a ton of inspiration and top styling tips. So book a space, take a friend, and discover the tricks of the trade when the Secret Styling Club hold their next workshop at Cult Furniture in London on April 25. EROSTUS NJUKI NSUBUGA is the chairman of the Uganda biotechnology consortium but is best known as the brains behind the groundbreaking of tissue culture of breeding bananas. Baker Batte Lule visited his model farm in Buloba, Wakiso district to learn more about this unconventional technology that has taken banana farming by storm. Erostus Njuki Nsubuga with former Agriculture minister Trace Bucyanayandi Nsubuga holds a masters degree in agriculture but it means little other than being just part of his long curriculum vitae detailing. He always had a hobby for agriculture, particularly plant breeding, but his work in the telecom and marketing world always found a way of obstructing his passion. In 2001 he thought to himself; why had I even done the masters in agriculture if I was never going to try out anything I learnt? I didnt set out to go in agriculture; it just started as a hobby to try out something I had studied, Nsubuga says in an interview at his office located at Buloba off Mityana road. Nsubuga started his tissue culture laboratory which he was to later name, Agro-Genetic Technologies [AGT] in a kitchen at his Muyenga-based home. Before he knew it, other rooms in his house had been taken over. He says while he crisscrossed the world working for telecom companies, he was impressed with what he saw in countries like India and Pakistan, where biotechnology was being used to get planting material. He stormed Katwe, a Kampala suburb known for its manufacture of all sorts of electric appliances, especially those locally made, to get the first machines he used on the onset on top of his kitchen microwave to sterilize his tissues. I didnt realize that the demand for pre-planting materials was huge, not only in Uganda, but in the region, he says. Nsubuga was lucky because at the time of his innovations, there were a lot of banana and coffee diseases to the extent that the two plants were under a serious threat of the wilt. Nsubuga says his bananas are not disease-resistant but they are disease-free. If everybody starts planting with a disease-free planting material, then we will drastically reduce the spread of diseases. But if everybody goes to the neighbour to pick planting material, they come with diseases, some of them viruses which they cant see with their eyes; so, they continue to spread, Nsubuga says. As AGT sells its products, it also trains farmers in modern agronomic practices so that they can enhance their resistance to diseases. Currently, AGT has capacity to produce up to 10 million plants depending on the type of crop. However, their main focus now is on bananas and Irish potatoes and the former constitutes almost 70 per cent of their capacity. Through tissue culture, Nsubuga says they produce three million banana plants a year. We are the largest producer of banana planting material in the region. But the market is still huge; the three million cant satisfy it, Nsubuga says. Inside the tissue culture lab On how much it costs to buy a banana tissue, Nsubuga says he would rather not say. I dont want to tell you how much a tissue buys because most of you dont understand when we talk about the money. Im the first in the country to do this; nobody knows the cost I go through. You wont believe the electricity bill I pay every month. I dont want to give you figures because there is no comparison. Im almost the only one in this business commercially, Nsubuga says. AGT currently employs 70 workers on a permanent basis but during rainy seasons like it is now, the figure shoots to 500 workers as there is need for more casual labourers. On top of doing tissue culture, AGT is also into packaging of peeled matoke which they sell outside Uganda. Thirty per cent of matoke are peels but our people continue to export it without adding any value to it. Surely why would you export peels to add weight to your exports and then pay more in transportation yet you can peel them and give peelings to our animals and in turn get manure, Nsubuga wonders. Rewarding Nsubuga says he is very distraught about the rate at which Chinese, Indians, South Africans and Arabs, among other foreign nationals, are buying land in Uganda. He says when you go in villages across the country, hundreds of hectares of land have been taken over. If we are not careful, we are again going to become slaves of foreigners; for them, they have seen the advantages we are having; the good climate and the soils, Nsubuga says. He adds that although a few Ugandan elites are beginning to wake up, the numbers are still small compared to the influx of foreigners. In his assessment, using biotechnology and products such as pesticides and tissue culture for maximum agricultural production will be the next minefield in the coming years. There isnt any business I know of that has been as successful as the telecom business but believe me or not, in the near future, if not already, its going to be biotechnology and agriculture. Ugandans need to jump on it before foreigners takeover, Nsubuga says. To do this, Nsubuga wants government to change land laws such that foreigners dont just come to Uganda and buy land as much as they want. He says when you go to other countries even those in the region like Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan; you cant just buy land anyhow. By the time we realize agriculture is important, there will no land and we shall become workers on farms of foreigners, GMO debate After a protracted struggle, parliament finally passed the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill 2012, commonly known as the GMO bill, only for the president to decline to sign it into law, citing lack of clarity on patent rights of indigenous farmers and sanctions for scientists who mix GMOs with indigenous crops and animals. However, Nsubuga, who is the chairman of the Uganda biotechnology consortium, says those arguing against the bill dont know what they are talking about. This debate should be left to professionals to tell us what to do but what has happened with GMOs is that everybody wants to say something even those who know nothing. They have taken this debate even to villagers who dont know anything about science. In my view, there is nothing wrong with GMOs if we have a legal framework for checks and balances. Every good technology has a controversial side; say guns, they kill people but dont we buy them? Look at the budget of Uganda for guns. The government has to stop this nonsense of asking grandmothers and fathers what GMOs are, Nsubuga says. He called on government to allow its own institutions to do the work for which they were formed. You ask them why they set up Naro [National Agricultural Research Organization] if they dont want to listen to it. They are instead listening to individuals and foreign NGOs other than their own institutions. If I was to give my president advice, I would just tell him to shut off these people bringing this nonsense, Nsubuga says. Increase agriculture funding Nsubuga says its foolhardy for the government to continue singing the song of agriculture being the backbone of Ugandas economy yet year in, year out it receives less than five per cent of budgetary allocations. Its ridiculous people are still using hoes; there is no irrigation in this country, no extension workers. Every day we are coming up with new programs but nothing has worked. They have to put more money in agriculture; we need subsidies, working systems, control over seeds and other inputs. A lot of fake products are on the market, there are seeds that dont germinate, we are now distributing coffee seedlings which we know are susceptible to wilt yet there are new lines resistant to coffee wilt but nobody is caring to see that we multiply those ones. You mean UCDA [Uganda Coffee Development Authority] doesnt know that these lines exists; somebody must do something, Nsubuga says. Future plan Nsubuga says for the more than 15 years of AGT, he has never borrowed any money to run it. Instead, he depends on his savings. I dont owe anybody anything; this is a small company that does big things, Nsubuga says. The success behind his business has been the ability to use the little resources he had and literally producing everything his company needs. He has been recognized by all and sundry in this country and outside. President Museveni has visited his laboratory before and was wowed by what he saw. He pledged to extend three-phase electricity to the area and also promised him five acres of land in the Namanve industrial park; the two pledges the president has met. However, Nsubuga believes more should be done to help companies like his. He says other than Naads and Operation Wealth Creation [OWC] occasionally buying his products, especially bananas, he has not received any form of assistance in form of publicprivate partnership. I have set up the largest tissue-culture-derived Irish potatoes lab at Namawojjolo on Jinja road but nobody has come to say what we can do to improve capacity. The other day I had to bring an Indian consultant and paid her $30,000 to help me optimize Irish potato protocol but these are at Kawanda seated on the shelves. So, if I go out to source people to do the work, the price of my products is going to be high yet we could have partnerships with government because some of these things we need are already there, Nsubuga says. Who is Nsubuga? Nsubuga was born in Uganda but in the seventies, he relocated to Sweden, where he obtained citizenship and lived up to 1995. The father of four was one of the founders of Celtel Uganda [now Airtel] the first telecom company in Uganda. He says if it was not to start Celtel, he wouldnt have come back to Uganda. Before choosing to come back, Nsubuga worked with Ericsson in Sweden. Looking back 25 years later, Nsubuga says the telecom industry has grown in leaps and bounds. From only about 30,000 landlines to more than 10 million mobile users, the industry is one of the fastest and most profitable sectors. When Celtel had just come, the Simcard was sold at $40 (Shs 140,000 at present-day rate) but now you are getting them almost for free. You had to pay security deposits of $700 because initially we didnt have scratch cards, we had prepaid airtime, Nsubuga reminisces. Other positions Nsubuga is the founder of Agro-Genetic Technologies Limited (AGT) which is into laboratories, foods and real estate of which he is the chairman and chief executive. He says he has vast experience in international marketing in Africa, Asia and Europe. He worked for 10 years for Ericsson as the sales and marketing manager for Africa and Asia. He was the pioneer managing director of Mobile World International BV, a Dutch company dealing in distribution of mobile cellular telecom products for different network operators in different African countries, where he worked for three years. He was the chairman of National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) from 2006 to 2009. Between 2007 and 2010, he was chairman of the Presidential Investors Round-Table (PIRT) agribusiness in Uganda, which advises the president on agricultural business investment. He is also the chairman of Tissue Culture Business Network (TCBN) in East and Central Africa, chairman of Uganda Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium (UBBC), chairman of Buganda Cultural and Development Foundation (BUCADEF) and chairman of Swedish-Ugandan Business Association, He sits on the Presidential Technical Advisory Committee on Business Competitiveness in Uganda under the Presidential Investors Round Table (PIRT) 2015-2018. He is also a board member of the European Business Forum (EBF) in Uganda. bakerbatte@observer.ug A 21-year-old woman is under police custody for allegedly staging her own kidnap so as to extort money from her new boyfriend. Mariam Uwase, is being held being held at Old Kampala police station, after she was tracked down by police and found to be living freely and comfortably in a mansion despite making distress calls to her boyfriend that she had been kidnapped. Mariam Uwase allegedly kidnapped herself to extort money from her boyfriend According to police, Uwase manipulated her voice using a smart phone mobile app, Magic Voice to make teary calls to her three months old boyfriend using different phone numbers claiming she had been kidnapped. She said her alleged captors were ready to kill her if the boyfriend didn't send Shs 25 million. The concerned boyfriend, innocently first sent a 'deposit' of Shs 700,000 as a commitment that he would send the rest of the money later. He then reported a case of kidnap at Lugala police station SD REF. 10/09/04/2018. After a few days of negotiations with the alleged abductors, police launched a secret rescue mission only to find Uwase living large. Upon questioning, according to police, Uwase confessed to staging the false kidnap, claiming her boyfriend is a "stingy fellow" who doesn't giver her money yet she lacks upkeep money for her siblings. She's now being held on charges of giving false information. Kidnaps for ransom have been common in Kampala sometimes resulting into death. In February, a 28-year-old Susan Magara was kidnapped and later murdered after her abductors reportedly demanded for $1m (about Shs 3.5 billion). At the time of her death, her family had managed to send about Shs 700 million. Makerere University vice chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe has warned that the institution is considering punitive sanctions against staff who give "false information" to the media. Prof Nawangwe says the misinformation has resulted in bad publicity which is hurting Makerere's international image. He says media claims misinformation is fed to them by "insiders." The stern warning comes on the heel of critical reporting on numerous reforms that he has initiated at the university since taking over as vice chancellor in September 2017. Makerere University vice chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe "We have expressed concern about the numerous misrepresentations by the media about Makerere in the recent times, which are hurting the university's international image," Prof Nawangwe said in a note to staff on Sunday. "The media have claimed that the false information is provided to them by 'insiders'. While we do not wish to stifle freedom of expression, we are seriously considering sanctions against Makerere staff that deliberately provide false information to the media with the aim of damaging the university's image," he warned. Prof Nawangwe appealed to staff to exercise maximum restraint and responsibility when representing the university, and especially during interaction with the media. The radical reforms Prof Nawangwe has introduced or intend to initiate include; stopping the provision of meals to government-sponsored students and instead give them Shs 4000 per day, scaling down evening programmes, increasing tuition for both undergraduate and postgraduate students and abolishing staff incentives, among others. The controversy over the reforms stems from arguments that they were introduced without consultations. Whereas students and lecturers have been saying that they were not consulted, university management claims the two groups were consulted and accepted the reforms. Nawangwe's discontent mainly stems from the way the media has contextualised his reforms. For instance, the Sunday Monitor of March 18, carried a front-page headline; "Nawangwe turning Makerere upside down." The story was an analysis of the university monthly media briefing held on Friday, March 16, 2018, where Nawangwe announced radical reforms referred to earlier. The university management was also irked by a story published on Daily Monitor website on Friday, April 13, 2018, headlined; "Makerere to scrap end of semester exams." The story says the university is piloting a new curriculum aimed at abolishing end of semester examinations and assessing students more broadly based on competence. The university public relations officer, Rita Namisango described the story headline as "misleading and out of context." She appealed to media to "always crosscheck with management before publishing information of policy nature that has the potential to put the university in disrepute. No evidence Makerere University Academic Staff (MUASA) vice chairman Prof Edward Nector Mwavu says Nawangwe is not giving concrete information on how staff have been misinforming the media. He says Nawangwe does not quote any story where staff gave information that is hurting the university image. "He (Nawangwe) does not quote people giving false information. He does not give examples," Prof Mwavu told URN. Prof Mwavu further says staff will always comment about top-down policies that don't go through consultations. "Policies that come from the top are bound to be challenged. Some policies never go through the consultative process," he says. Appointment 16 April 2018 Viceroy Los Cabos, the forthcoming Icon Collection resort located in the heart of San Jose Del Cabo on the coast of Baja California, is pleased to announce the appointments of Martin Kipping as General Manager and Cataline Lloyd as Director of Sales and Marketing. Under the leadership of Kipping and Lloyd, Viceroy Los Cabos, formally known as Mar Adentro, will debut May 2018 with striking new additions and enchancements to the architecturally stunning property. Bringing exceptional leadership and management skills to his new role at Viceroy Los Cabos, Kipping will be at the helm of the soon-to-be 194-room beachfront property on the Sea of Cortes. Kipping first joined the Viceroy family in 2010 as the Director of Food and Beverage for Viceroy Anguilla before being promoted to General Manager of Viceroy Zihuatanejo in 2013, where he situated the property as one of Mexico's top luxury resorts. With more than 20 years of luxury hospitaliy experience, Kipping is dedicated to the growth and success of the latest addition to Viceroy Hotel Group's leading luxury portfolio. As Director of Sales and Marketing for the vibrant new property, Lloyd will lead all sales, marketing, and revenue efforts for Viceroy Los Cabos, including creating and overseeing sales initiatives and infiltrating key markets. With more than 15 years of international hospitality experience, Lloyd began her prestigious career in the United Kingdom where she held positions with Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, The Mandeville Hotel, Hotel Missoni, and Blakes Hotel. Now residing in sunny Los Angeles since 2013, she served as Director of Sales & Marketing for The Standard, Downtown L.A. and The Resort at Pedregal in Cabo San Lucus, and was most recently Director of Industry Relations at leading global hospitality consulting firm, JG Black Book before joining the Viceroy Los Cabos team. Press Release 16 April 2018 AccorHotels recently announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Mantis Group, a privately-owned company that is based in South Africa. Advertisements As part of this agreement, Accor acquires a 50 percent stake in Mantis. Mantis, for those who are unfamiliar with the name, brings to the table a collection of award-winning managed and branded five-star properties and lodges. These venues are located across the world on every major continent, and they range from boutique hotels to eco lodges. Mantis possesses a unique and eclectic group of properties that also include game reserves, luxury houseboats, and venues that lend themselves to adventure tourism, which has become increasingly popular among a budding group of millennial travellers in recent years. DOWNLOAD ACCOR HOTELS PROJECT PIPELINE FREE REPORT Experts say that this new agreement stands to reinforce Accor Hotels as one of the world leaders in unique and curated travel experiences. Community Conservation Fund Africa (CCFA) This strategic partnership will also coincide with the launch of a non-profit organization called Community Conservation Fund Africa, or CCFA. What CCFA aims to do is amplify the commitments of both AccorHotels and Mantis toward diminishing the ongoing decline of wildlife populations in Africa. CCFA will work to help bring together three conservation groups of international renown, with those groups being Tusk Trust, African Parks, and the Wilderness Foundation. More About the Mantis Group For those who are unfamiliar with Mantis Group, it is important to note that it is a world-class network of hospitality venues that features 28 managed properties as well as many branded hotels and residences scattered throughout the globe. The Mantis Group's holdings are diverse, to be certain, and they include properties that range from boutique villas to flagship offerings such as the Founders Lodgewhich is a South African game reserve that is located in the Eastern Cape areaas well as Mantis St. Helena, a boutique hotel on a remote and isolated island in the Atlantic. Rounding out the list of Mantis Group's most noteworthy properties is the Draycott Hotel in London, which is synonymous with British luxury and Old World elegance that is becoming increasingly harder to find these days. Simply put, Mantis Group gives Accor access to a number of properties that cater to travellers in search of adventure. This deal also strengthens AccorHotels' leadership position on the African continent while simultaneously combining its vision of conservation and education with its ongoing hotel operations. Of all the major names in the African hospitality market, Mantis is one that is closely associated with environmental responsibility. In fact, highlights of Mantis' success in conservation include the company's support and sponsorship of initiatives for the Wilderness Foundation Africa, Tusk Trust and various other aforementioned groups above. Let's take a look at a few other projects currently underway by Accor Hotels: Mercure Hanoi Hado This 280 room business traveler hotel is located in Ha Noi, Viet Nam [READ MORE] World Trade Center of the Americas A glassy 77-story tower. With a height of 953-feet this will be one of the tallest buildings in Miami [READ MORE] Fairmont Century Plaza, Los Angeles The mixed-use redevelopment project includes guestrooms and branded residences within the original iconic building [READ MORE] More information on Accor Hotels can be found in the TOPHOTELPROJECTS database. TOPHOTELPROJECTS is the specialized service provider of cutting-edge information of the hospitality industry. Opinion Article 16 April 2018 Almost every other day, I see a headline about the latest trend that is going to have a massive impact on hotels and travel. Some might even be worth exploring. However, the fact remains that if your hotel booking engine is hard to use, none of the trends will have any impact on your net operating income and profits. Advertisements Having worked in hotels most of my adult life, and having traveled extensively, I have vast experience booking rooms every way possible: using phones, travel agents (yes, I am that old), OTAs, and directly from apps. The one consistent problem I find on hotel websites is a disregard for the basic usability principles that form the foundation of an online shopping experience. Let's review the Top Ten hits when it comes to bad booking experiences. 1. The One-Hit (One-Screen) Wonder Let me take you all the way back to 2004. Booking engines were still in their infancy. That was the year the one-screen wonder was born. It was introduced to independent hotels as the greatest thing since the Beatles arrived in America. The catch? It was a usability disaster. In this type of booking engine, guests were expected to review room photos and descriptions, and select dates, room types, and rates, ALL on one screen! I tirelessly campaigned against this technology back then, but the public relations machine worked harder and had a much broader reach. Their message - "Did you know our one-screen technology allows consumers to make a hotel reservation in one click?" - proved irresistible to many hoteliers. They installed this software on hundreds of independent hotel websites worldwide; each install was followed by a press release full of praise. In 2010, I came face to face with this monster. While stuck at Chicago's ORD airport, I tried booking a last-minute room. But the one-screen booking process took so long, I did not have time to complete my reservation before boarding the flight. The hotel got my booking from my Expedia account. They paid a commission because they had invested in the wrong technology. You can imagine how many other bookings were abandoned on their website and booked through online travel agent (OTA) websites. Of course, the one-screen booking engine was eventually discontinued. But not soon enough. The real economic impact can never be accurately measured. Don't forget: while bad tech was being sold to hotels using gimmicks and press releases, Booking.com and Expedia were making it easier and easier for guests to book a room at your hotel via their own websites. 2. Way Too Many Questions When a guest finally decides to book a room at your hotel, why delay the purchase by asking so many questions? I am on your booking engine, with my credit card/online wallet readyso why not take the booking as quickly and easily as possible? Rememberthere's a good chance I'm at an airport, in the back seat of a taxi, on my limited lunch hour, etc. This is one of the core issues I have with almost all of the mainstream independent hotel booking engines. The number of required fields makes the experience a little too much like an interrogation by a government agency. As recently as 2014, I encountered one of the biggest hotel booking engine horrors of my life. I analyzed an asset and discovered that their booking engine had 43 questions before checkout! Later the same year, I saw this booking engine provider at a hotel tech conference and found out that 1500+ hotels and inns were using that system! I had to leave the exhibition hall and sit outside for a while to recover from the shock. Generally speaking, you need to severely limit the required fields on your booking checkout page. Require only what you absolutely MUST HAVE from your guest before giving them a reservation confirmation. "Way too many questions, you must think I trust you." Future (Jumpman) Next: why use a teeny tiny asterisk for a required field, which then turns into a big red warning when it's not filled out? Clearly indicate required items at checkout; don't make guests go back and repeat steps. Finally: in 2018, do we need a mandatory title field? Do you really need to know if I am a Mr, Mrs, Miss, Dr, HRH, Lord, Earl, Duke, Baron, or Knight? It's awkward and even offensive. People of every gender, class, and profession pay with the same kind of money. Wait, one last thing.. I present you with an asterisk to nowhere that cracks me up every time. 3. Land of Confusion The optimal layout for the checkout process has been mastered by all the major OTAs, like Booking, Expedia and Airbnb. All the hotel technology providers need to do is follow the blueprint. The multi-million dollar investment in UX (user experience design) and usability testing has already been done for us! But instead of following these best practices, many booking engines continue to confuse the guests resulting in a direct hit to your revenue and profits. Some of these checkout screens remind me of the 1986 What is happening here: Useless hotel rate code jargon is likely to confuse your guests. Default setting shows more than one room, even when one room is selected in the date/rate calendar. Odd placement of the "Continue" button in the middle of the layout makes your guest think too hard. Listing amenities during the checkout process is distracting and gets in the way. This info belongs on the rooms page. Four-step checkout? No, thank you. 4. Failure to Launch According to research from Guess what? This group filed for bankruptcy in 2009 due to massive losses in revenue. I am not a detective, but it's elementary that a non-functioning booking engine might have hastened their demise. Here is another example from a luxury hotel brand based in Asia, which has some of the highest ADR rooms in Hong Kong. Every non-responsive session is probably costing them a ton. Luckily for them, they are publicly listed and backed by heavy institutional investors. It's easy to be lazy with other people's money. What happens when your booking engine does not load quickly enough? Here are some possible outcomes: a) The same booking comes in via OTA minus a 15-20% commission. b) The guest books another hotel. c) The guest decides to give up on their trip and stay at home (voted least likely outcome by revenue and digital experts worldwide). A and B negatively impact your revenue, and option C is highly unlikely. One other possible outcome is that the guest calls your hotel reservations linebut kids these days don't talk much on phones. So that outcome becomes less likely all the time. 5. Just Plain Broken Every now and then I see a hotel asset that is completely failing online. In a time when the majority of bookings are happening online, you have to have a booking engine that works! Here is one that actually showed a System Error right on the checkout screen: This booking engine worked great in some Western US states, but not so much on the East coast or London. It worked in Barcelona, but not Dubai. You get my drift? A shopping cart working part-time is just plain broken. It's crucial to test, test, test, and repeat when it comes to your booking engine. An error message that literally spells out "system error" in red will decimate your brand, guest loyalty, direct revenue, and online marketing efforts. 6. Back in Black Black is my favorite color. It's good for a lot of things, but not as a background for a hotel booking engine. The top retailers of room nights around the globe (Expedia, Booking, and Airbnb) all use a white background for their ecommerce transactions. When it comes to website conversions, usability is the only thing that matters. In a desire to match the "look and feel" of their website, some hotels are using a dark background for their booking engine, making it really hard for everyone to use. In the example below, selecting dates on a black calendar is really difficultdifficult enough for your guests to give up without completing the transaction. When you highlight dates, nothing happens to show you have done it. There is also a LOT of wasted space, where the booking engine could have displayed useful information. Is this blank space, or is something not showing up against the background? Either way, I'm inclined to run over to Expedia.com and take care of this booking quickly, in a more familiar layout. Solution: 8. Blast From the Past In 2018, there are hotels that still have not integrated a booking engine into their website. If a date search on your website's home page calendar triggers a pop -up window please stop doing everything else and get it fixed. 9. Too Much Information Nobody likes folks who overshare. Why would you share your entire year's business with me when I am just trying to book a room? Are you saving me more searches? Do you want me to change my vacation plan based on your availability? You don't think I can find another place to stay in your town? Are you starting to see my point? Thank you and stop this. 10. Do You Even Mobile? Everything I have listed above gets compounded 100X when things move to a small screen. I could load up one hundred screenshots here, but the example below truly captures the struggle hotels have when it comes to mobile revenue and conversions. This hotel has done the unimaginableserved me THREE popups (including one survey and one special offer) when ALL I ever wanted to do was give them my money! This, folks, is the bad mobile booking experience to rule them all. In mobile, you have to do testing. You cannot entirely outsource the responsibility to make sure your booking engine works properly on all the major screens your guests are using. You have to dive into your analytics and then follow up in the real world. One way is to go to your local phone store; time yourself and a bunch of your closest friends to see how long it takes to book a room at your hotel for some random dates. Brace yourself for the outcome! The hotel brand in the example above has over 300 hotels in 40 countries worldwide. You'd think they would have friends to alert thembut guests never do. If you cannot sell them rooms on a mobile device, there are some spectacular mobile booking options available on the Expedia/Booking network that they will end up using. Bonus Tip: The single most amazing mobile experience offered in the travel business is the functionality of the HotelTonight app. If you have not tested it yet, please download the app to see mobile ecommerce done right. Anyone who can take the app experience to the mobile web will be the world's top hotel mobile booking engine. Oh, and my 2014 article still standsdo not sell $7 rooms on HotelTonight. Conclusion Offer protection, kill doubt. In a world of online scams and identity theft, you must make sure that you present guests with a secure and reassuring booking engine. A shady looking booking engine is certain to fail. Make it easy. Most guests will abandon a booking engine that is hard to use while asking for too much personal information. Please note that booking engines and surveys are two very different things. Nobody should ever feel interrogated on your hotel booking engine. There are many places where things can go wrong on your website. But none is more important than your booking engine. It is the core of your direct revenue strategy and deserves your undivided attention. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser This time last week, the Internet was in a frenzy over Killer Mikes missteps when he attempted to call out journalist and MSNBC host Joy Ann Reid over a perceived support of retailer H&M when Reid was only shouting out her hair and makeup team abbreviated as h&m. Reid politely read Killer Mike via social media, schooling the Run The Jewels emcee on the a little Beauty 101 and now, the two have been able to move past the brief misunderstanding to have a much more significant conversation. It was on Sundays broadcast of the AM Joy show that Killer Mike stopped by to discuss police brutality and his controversial stance on gun control and alignment with the NRA in light of the recent arrests of two Black men that took place at a Philadelphia Starbucks, prompting a boycott of the chain coffeehouse. My thinking is that if either of those two men had been concealed carry holders, and any of those police officers had seen a gun, even though they were being a peaceful as they were, there is a great probability that they would be dead, Reid reasoned. Do you worry that encouraging black people to carry endangers black peoples lives? Killer Mike responded by first reminding Reid and viewers that Michael Brown was unarmed, like many other unarmed black men who have lost their lives to law enforcement in the United States. [They] showed themselves dignified, and regal in that arrest, Mike explained. They actually kept the situation calm by not raising voice, by not hiding their hands. He went on to reference Philando Castile, who was armed and informed police of his legal conceal carry permit before being shot a point-blank range during a traffic stop. In matters of Philando Castile, I would rather start to congratulate the man he was, he was a working man, he was a legal firearms earner. In the end though, many viewers felt as though Killer Mike dodged Joy Ann Reids on whether black gun ownership actually endangers black lives rather protect them given the vast amount of racial profiling and the common assumption to regard Black-Americans as threats when encountering law enforcement. Catch the full clip down below and sound off with your thoughts on the recent appearance. While Lil Wayne is still languishing under his contract with Cash Money records, he wont be needing funding from his label anytime in the near future. According to HipHopNMore, Wayne has partnered with musician-focused finance firm, Sound Royalties, in order to secure funding for potential upcoming projects. Sound Royalties focuses on providing artists with the funding to release projects, while keeping the copyrights and masters in the hands of the artists that create them. They also find unpaid royalties, and let artists take a higher percentage of those royalties. Judging by Wayne's label struggles, this seems like a perfect fit for him. In a statement, Lil Wayne said, "Nothing is going to hold back my creativity this year. I am very excited to be teaming up with Sound Royalties to help bring my plans for 2018 to life. Sound Royalties understands the music world and is helping me utilize my past successes to fund and propel new projects and to continue creatively evolving." Sound Royalties' founder and CEO Alex Heiche also stated that, "Our team provides artists, songwriters and producers with what they need to focus on the music and keep creating the songs that lift us all up and make our lives better. We are thrilled to be working with Lil Wayne and look forward to witnessing the continued musical excellence he will deliver in 2018." While Wayne doesn't specify exactly what those projects are, they will presumably be music-focused. While fans haven't been lacking for Lil Wayne projects, this new funding can only help to appease those who are still waiting for the release of Tha Carter V, which has been stuck in industry limbo for years. Meghan Markle hasnt spoken to Tyler Dooley in three years, but that isnt stopping the 25-year old Dooley from creating a strain of weed and naming it after his aunt. Based in Grants Pass, Oregon, Dooley is a cannabis grower currently crafting a hybrid strain of weed called Markles Sparkle to celebrate her forthcoming wedding in which she will tie the knot with Prince Harry. Despite the gap in their relationship, Dooley is assured that Markle, who used to babysit him as a child, would be more than accepting of the gesture. "Meghan grew up in California and I am sure has an American view on pot," he said. He continued: "I know in England that marijuana is still a taboo subject but its more normal to us here because we grew up around it in high school. Everybody experiments with it here." Dooley, who is the son of Meghans estranged older half-brother Thomas, is not currently invited to the Royal Weddingmuch like a good chunk of Markles extended family. Nonetheless, Tyler isnt holding any hard feelings against the bride-to-be and her future husband. Id be happy to show them around if they ever come out here and educate them on the medicinal benefits of marijuana which helps everything from post-traumatic stress syndrome to insomnia to pain in cancer patients, he said. New Orleans-bred emcee Don Flamingo is getting ready to let loose with the fourth installment of his "Neva Say Die" series with the forthcoming God Body full-length outing. Until then though, hes been treating fans and new listeners to his latest Super Sunday series of loose tracks. Previously, he dropped off original cuts in the forms of Give Me Both, Made N-ggas, and Music In Motion. This weekend, however, he returns with his own flip of a popular song, taking on Migos Stir Fry joint. Here, Don Flamingo hops over the Pharrell Williams-produced backdrop, kicking things off with a flow similar to the song's original hook before falling into his natural cadence to properly deliver an original iteration. These few drops follow behind a successful supporting tour run alongside The Lox that came to a close last year, and if theyre any indication, its no doubt that the southern spitter has something special in store when his project arrives. Quotable Lyrics: Got me on the stove tryna mix it with a blurred eye Fiend say the work make him feel like a bird fly Said he been smoking in twenty years since the first try Twenty years later he still chasin his first high Every oil executive owes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and OPEC, a thank-you note, if not a steak dinner. The historic production agreement between OPEC, Russia and a handful of other national oil companies has sopped up the crude oil glut. The International Energy Agency reports that storage levels are returning to five-year averages. Crude prices have risen to roughly the cost of producing the last barrel needed to meet global demand. Thats about $65 a barrel on the international market and $60 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. RELATED: A prince has come for Saudi women and Big Oil Saudi Arabia, OPECs de facto leader, has bailed out U.S. oil companies for their overly exuberant behavior. Americans love to disparage OPEC and the Saudis for manipulating prices, Jim Krane, a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute, said. But the truth is that Houston is much better off because of it. Industry watchers will remember when soothsayers predicted oil production was about to peak, and prices routinely closed above $100 a barrel. That inspired Houston oilman George Mitchell to experiment with new well completion techniques, including hydraulic fracturing shale rock and drilling horizontal wells. Mitchells discoveries unleashed a torrent of oil, and soon every company wanted a piece of high crude prices. U.S. oil flooded the market, global supply exceeded global demand, and prices dropped precipitously in late 2014. The Saudi oil minister at the time, Ali al-Naimi, convinced his king and OPEC counterparts to let the price drop. He believed that OPECs low production costs would allow national oil companies to weather a bust better than private, for-profit producers pumping oil from expensive shale and deepwater wells. "The challenge is to restore the supply-demand balance and reach price stability," Naimi said on April 7, 2015. Naimis free-market plan, though, didnt work. RELATED: Power grab in Saudi Arabia threatens oil market stability Oil prices dropped below $30 a barrel in January 2016, and when Naimi tried to strike a deal with Russia, Iran and other countries to freeze production in April, the kings 30-year old son, Mohammad bin Salman, called it off and named a new oil minister. After months of new negotiations, the prince signed off on a deal in November 2016 to work with Iran, Russia and other oil producers to cut crude supply. Their goal: return inventory levels to five-year norms and stabilize crude price in the $60 range. This is no small achievement. OPEC members have routinely cheated on quotas in the past, and this time they didnt. The prince also convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin to deny his nations oil companies significant revenues. After this success, the king named Mohammad bin Salman crown prince in June 2017, placing him in day-to-day control of the country. After spending six months consolidating his power among Saudi elites, in some cases jailing them until they conformed, Mohammad bin Salman toured the United States this month to promote himself as a reformer and U.S. ally. His last stop was a low-key visit to Houston, where our oil executives should have welcomed him as a hero. Because without the crown princes deft diplomacy, a lot of their companies would be in bankruptcy. The OPEC-Russia agreement established a baseline of oil production and a minimum price. This left mostly private companies to compete for the remainder of global demand. The lowest cost producers win the remaining market share. The 2014-2016 oil bust sent more than 140 U.S. companies into bankruptcy, usually due to excessive debt. But those that cut costs and survived have learned to thrive at prices above $55 a barrel. Since prices broke that threshold, U.S. oil production, led by the Permian Basin, has risen to 11 million barrels a day, the highest level in 50 years. That is more than Saudi Arabias and Russias quotas. MbS shouldnt slink into town for a quiet visit, he should be celebrated, Krane said. RELATED: Coal is out and oil is fading, making natural gas the fossil fuel of choice How much longer this will last, though, remains unclear. The prince said he wants to extend OPECs cooperation with Russia for at least another decade, but he also told Time magazine that the existing quotas will not last. There is new growing demand, he said. We are not only keeping the 10 million barrels were producing. It seems that we will produce much, much, much a lot of barrels in the future. All the more reason why oil executives should send thank-you notes because they dont want to be on the wrong side of the crown prince. Oil prices rise and fall on much more than how many barrels of oil OPEC and Russia produce. But Mohammad bin Salman holds most of the cards when it comes to production quotas and geopolitics, making him the most important oilman of all. How food got prepared and made it into the hands of the countless hungry Houstonians after Hurricane Harvey continues to be analyzed eight months after the storm tore through the coastal bend of Texas. That upending of our food system will be studied for years to come, too, according to industry professionals and academics who discussed such matters in panels at the recent Foodways Texas Symposium in Houston, this year themed Shrimp and Grit: Food and Community Along the Texas Gulf Coast. Which is why the volunteers who created and staffed the Midtown Kitchen Collective a three-week effort that resulted in providing 250,000 meals after the hurricane have put their lessons into a grassroots document that they hope other disaster-struck communities can learn from. A detailed how-to for getting food from those who have it to those who need it, it was first shared with the community of Yountville, Calif., after wildfires tore through Napa and Sonoma valleys in October. The document will soon be made public because, as collective co-founder and chef Richard Knight said, hurricanes are an inevitability. Its going to happen again, he said. This is where we live. Knight was joined on the Feeding in a Disaster panel by local sommelier and fellow collective volunteer Cat Nguyen; Southern Goods chef Lyle Bento, who with other restaurant-industry volunteers helped thousands of meals find their way to Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange; and Sam McCrary, owner of Mermaids Kitchen in Rockport. McCary and other volunteers prepared 1,400 meals a day for four months, and created their own local commissary and supply hub for basic necessities addressing needs when FEMA or the municipal government couldnt or wouldnt, she said. You see a lot of the beautiful side of people you didnt know existed, McCrary said. And some of the ugly. Historical documentation after the hurricane cropped up elsewhere at the symposium. Monica Perales and Todd Romero, both associate professors in the history department at the University of Houston, outlined their multi-year project, Resilient Houston, whose aim is to collect 300 oral histories of people affected by Harvey to create a record of what it meant to be resilient after the hurricane. A key component of the project will be to document how a flooded city was fed and how the food system was affected. The histories, the scholars said, will be a vital tool for future policymakers. greg.morago@chron.com twitter.com/gregmorago The Holocaust Museum Houston's expansion will soon double its space to 57,000 square feet. But to get there, the museum will have to displace two of its most iconic World War II-era artifacts: a railcar like the ones that carried Jews to their deaths in Germany and a boat like the ones the Danish used in 1943 to smuggle Jews to safety in Sweden. With the museum's expansion, the railcar and the boat will both be moved inside the museum for temperature-controlled preservation. Though the weather outside was frightful, surprises inside were delightful during Thursday's "A Celebration of Reading Author Reveal and Holiday Soiree" at Sue and Lester Smith's home. In anticipation of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation's 24th annual fundraising event -- confirmed for April 19 at the Hobby Center -- the couple hosted more than 100 festive-partygoers. Traffic-induced headaches aside, the evening's wintry precipitation mix only added to the magic. Freezing rain fell as guests coat-checked their furs and outerwear. A Moodafaruka quartet performed while the Smiths posed for photos with each attendee. Patrons sampled Culinaire's majestic cheese, charcuterie, cocktail shrimp and mini-roast beef sandwich spread; others topped off their mugs of hot apple cider with generous helpings of rum. Then it was up the stairs (or elevator), and into the Smith's ballroom (yes, ballroom) for the big announcements. Due to health complications, former first lady Barbara Bush was unable to attend the shindig as planned. In her stead, Maria Bush, who co-chairs BBHLF with husband Neil Bush, handed Sue Smith the key to a mysterious box placed beside the podium. A three-strand pearl necklace from Barbara's personal collection lay inside. Next, Neil Bush presented Lester Smith with two pairs of socks, a tongue-in-cheek gift from former President George H.W. Bush. Neil let the audience in on the joke, "apparently, the price of oil is so low that Lester can't afford socks." Though from the looks of the host's sleek Gucci boots, he's not suffering on the shopping front. BBHLF president Dr. Julie Baker Finck then joined Maria and Neil onstage to unveil next year's author lineup: Jim Gaffigan, Candice Millard, Christina "CK" Kerley, Clive Cussler and a fifth -- and totally unexpected -- name, John Kasich, will headline the spring event. Not to be outdone, Lester also announced that he and Sue are penning their first book together, "Hope is the Best Medicine," which will chronicle Lester's recovery process following his 2016 double-lung transplant. The tell-all is slated to hit bookshelves in late 2020 or early 2021. Lineup for the 24th annual Celebration of Reading April 19 at the Hobby Center UNKNOWN Clive Cussler's action-adventure novels have appeared on the "New York Times" fiction best-seller list more than 20 times. Paramount Pictures' 2005 adaptation of "Sahara" - starring Matthew McConaughey, William H. Macy and Penelope Cruz - grossed $122 million. Cussler is also the founder and chairman of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, a non-profit named after the fictional federal agency featured in his novels that discovers and preserves shipwreck sites. Jim Gaffigan was forced to bow out of his 2016 "A Celebration of Reading" appearance due to a last-minute emergency. His debut book, "Dad is Fat," had a spot in the "New York Times" best-sellers list of top 20 titles for 17 weeks; his follow-up, "Foodie: A Love Story," was released in 2014. Earlier this year, the Grammy-nominated comedian starred in his fifth, hour-long comedy special, "Cinco," on Netflix. Photo by Paul Versluis Candice Millard is a former "National Geographic" writer and editor whose third book, "Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill," was named Amazon's No. 1 history book of 2016. In 2012, Millard won the Edgar Award, "Best Fact Crime Book," for "Destination of the Republic." She also won the 2017 Biographers International Organization Award for her biographies of Churchill, Garfield and Roosevelt. The Internet of Things Christina "CK" Kerley is a self-described strategist, speaker and executive trainer whose work primarily targets business leaders. Her eBooks include "The 'Smart' Revolution," "Innovation Through Mobile," "The Mobile Revolution of B2B" and "Future Proof." Jay LaPrete/FRE Ohio Gov. John Kasich formerly hosted "Heartland with John Kasich" and was a fill-in host for "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination in both 2000 and 2016. His memoir, "Two Paths: America Divided or United," explores his presidential bid and views on the nation post-election. Thursday, Rice University and the City of Houston along with a whole host of community partners ranging from Station Houston to University of Houston announced that the old Sears building in Midtown will be transformed into the anchor of Houston's new innovation district. The Sears building owned by Rice is a 75-year-old Art Deco masterpiece buried under the rubble of several lousy renovations, some of which were designed to barricade the building from the urban neighborhood around it. It's a great start: Stripping the building to its core will provide a rich and exciting location for innovation economy startups and activity surrounding those companies. And given that, should jump-start the innovation stuff, which (as Houston's recent experience with Amazon HQ2 revealed) needs a rocket boost to make the city more competitive. START-UP SITE: Rice, partners envision innovative future for retired Sears building in Midtown Even though the Sears is an architectural gem and a potentially magnificent space for startups, one building does not an innovation district make. A successful innovation district is built off of efforts like the Sears building, but it requires lots of moves and lots of components to really fly. Recently, my longtime collaborator Mary Jo Waits, one of the nation's leading economic development experts, identified eight characteristics of a successful innovation district. She did this work as part of a project for the Phoenix Innovation District Steering Committee, but the lessons are universal and Houston's leaders would do well to bear them in mind as our innovation district moves forward. Courtesy of Rice University Although I helped Mary Jo with the Phoenix project and I agree that the eight characteristics are important these ideas are all hers. The underlying idea is that even if a big city like Houston or Phoenix has all the components required to build an innovation economy, the effort isn't likely to be successful unless they're all in close proximity to each other and engage in a kind of ongoing mash-up. The eight characteristics are as follows: 1) An innovation district is a platform for all kinds of activity An innovation district doesn't serve as host of only one type of activity research, for example, or business startup efforts. Rather, a strong innovation district serves as a platform for all kinds of activity research, investment discussions, education and training, arts and culture and a wide range of other things that brings a wide variety of people in a variety of settings to stimulate innovation. This type of district implies a certain physical setting, specifically, an urban setting that offers a wide diversity of uses and activities. 2) It's got a critical mass At the core of any successful innovation district are the innovators, creatives and entrepreneurs themselves, and so a high concentration of these folks is key. They might be scientists and engineers at research institutions, or researchers and students at universities, or entrepreneurs and artists at collaborative spaces or employees and executives in established firms. They are inevitably women and men, immigrants and veterans, 20-something techies and retirees. They are found across all sectors health care, clean energy, information technology, food service, digital and fashion. But the point is: you need a lot of these folks a critical mass. Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle 3) It's an ecosystem as much as a place It's easy to think of an innovation district primarily as a place. But that's only part of the story. More importantly, it's an ecosystem a special environment finely tuned to help innovators, creatives, and entrepreneurs present and future connect with the resources and people they need to move quickly to take advantage of opportunities to generate new ideas, create or grow new businesses and compete globally. But it's a wide-ranging place where all the different types of people and professionals are located and can come together on a daily basis. 4) It's got a long-term agenda If you look at the most successful innovation districts around the country whether it's SoMa in San Francisco or Chelsea or Brooklyn in New York it's important to understand that they weren't successful overnight. In most cases, it took 20 to 25 years for the innovation district to blossom fully. And the job is never done. Once it's well developed, an innovation district will stay successful only by evolving with technology, global and economic trends and building on its strengths over time to nurture new generations of researchers, entrepreneurs and companies. CRITICAL MASS?: Rice says Houston universities to join in 'innovation' hub project at defunct Sears 5) It's got civic visionaries as well as business entrepreneurs Most of the people involved in an innovation district will be entrepreneurs seeking to build their own businesses. But it's important to understand that business entrepreneurs alone will not guarantee the success of an innovation district. That's because the innovation district itself is an entrepreneurial venture. Civic visionaries politicians, civic leaders and, yes, some business owners must be committed to nurturing not just the startup businesses being created but the innovation district itself. 6) It's a combination of "big moves" and "small wonders" The Sears renovation is a "big move" a major step by a major institution to create an anchor that will transform the district. And that's really important. But innovation districts also require "small wonders" to succeed. These are the small-scale restaurants, public gathering spaces and the like that make a vibrant urban center. They are the small-scale "maker" spaces, street food incubators, angel investor clubs, neighborhood entrepreneurship clubs and so on that provide a broad innovation ecosystem in which all forms of creativity can take root and thrive. Together, big moves and small wonders give an innovation district both the scale and the texture required to succeed. Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle 7) It's geographically bounded There's a great temptation to make sure the innovation district encompasses everything and everybody downtown, Rice, UH, the Med Center, Uptown. But an innovation district won't work unless it is bounded in a small geographical space such as Midtown. Boundaries spur collective action and nurture economic growth in an intense way. Districts tend to mobilize diverse stakeholders to develop a vision and form a community. They encourage city departments, real estate developers, business leaders, universities and foundations to coordinate policies and investments. At the same time, an innovation district that is geographically bounded can't be a closed campus. It must also be open to encourage random interaction. 8) It's an anchor for the regional and state economy An innovation district can sometimes create concern that economic development opportunities will become too concentrated in urban locations, meaning that outlying areas and the people who live there will not benefit. But a concentration of assets and activity in an innovation district is often the best way to ensure that a region has a competitive advantage in an increasingly fast-moving, innovation-driven economy. The spinoff economic benefit can drive economic growth in an entire region or state. And it can plug into the rest of the region's economic infrastructure. In Houston, for example, new products might be able to take advantage of the city's robust manufacturing infrastructure, thus providing middle-income jobs all over the region. The renovation of the Sears building is only the beginning of Houston's innovation district. All by itself, it will surely hatch exciting new businesses and help revitalize Midtown. But if Houston aims for the eight characteristics above, the Sears building can serve as the anchor of an innovation district that can transform and diversify the region's economy. William Fulton is the director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University. This article originally appeared on The Urban Edge, the Kinder Institute's blog. Sign up for the Gray Matters newsletter. It's a small wonder. NEW YORK - A federal judge signaled Monday that she is unlikely to grant President Donald Trump's request to let him unilaterally determine what material seized last week from his personal lawyer is privileged, but she indicated that she may appoint an outside attorney to assess the records in an effort to carefully navigate the high-stakes case. The investigation of Cohen - which has pitted the president against his own Justice Department - took another unexpected turn Monday with the courtroom revelation that one of Cohen's legal clients was Fox News commentator Sean Hannity. Hannity played down the relationship, saying he occasionally asked Cohen legal questions but never paid him. On his show Monday night, he described it as a "minor relationship" that had to do with real estate. But the connection between the two men inserted another high-profile, polarizing Trump ally into the drama surrounding the criminal investigation of the president's longtime lawyer. The legal showdown began last week when FBI agents searched Cohen's office, home, hotel room and safe-deposit box, seizing records and documents as part of a probe by federal prosecutors in New York into possible bank fraud and wire fraud. Now Playing: A New York judge revealed that the Fox News prime time host was one of three clients that President Trump's personal lawyer represented in the past year. The other two clients are the president and GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy. It is still unclear what kind of legal services Cohen provided Hannity. Video: Cheddar TV Attorneys for Cohen and Trump have argued that the seizure could lead to violations of attorney-client privilege. At a hearing Monday before U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood, federal prosecutors sparred with lawyers for Cohen and a lawyer for Trump, who Sunday night asked the judge to let the president review the seized material before investigators go through it. Last week, Cohen's attorneys asked to review the documents, or have a court-appointed special master do so, to determine what material is protected by attorney-client privilege. Wood did not dismiss Cohen's motion, dealing the government team a setback by keeping open the possibility of having a third party evaluate the seized documents. The judge did not make a decision but said she was considering appointing a special master - not because of legal precedent but in the interest of avoiding the appearance of bias in the politically charged case. Wood said she wanted more information before ruling. "I have faith in the Southern District U.S. Attorney's Office that their integrity is unimpeachable," she said. But she added that to address concerns about "fairness" raised by Trump and Cohen's attorneys, "a special master might have a role here. Maybe not the complete role, but some role." Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas McKay urged the judge to reject the requests from the president and Cohen. "Just because he has a powerful client doesn't mean he should get special treatment," said McKay, who warned that if the judge gives them an inch, "they're going to take a mile." Trump attorney Joanna Hendon told the judge that the president "is objecting to anyone other than himself making the initial determination of privilege," urging caution over haste. "This is an extraordinary case," she said. "There's tremendous risk that privileged material could not be recognized as such." It is unusual but not unprecedented for criminal investigators to seize documents from a lawyer, and there is a policy in place designed to shield information covered by attorney-client privilege. That procedure involves having a "taint team" - also called a "filter team" - of prosecutors outside the investigation review all the material and separate what is covered by the privilege. A lawyer's communications with a client are not covered by the privilege if they did not involve legal advice or were used to further a crime or fraud. Under the procedure, the taint team would turn over to the case investigators all the material that is relevant and not covered by attorney-client privilege. Wood said Monday that "a taint team is a viable option," but it was unclear how she would ultimately decide to assess the possibly privileged material. The judge asked the government to make digital copies of all the material it had seized and share those files with Cohen's lawyers, who would in turn share relevant information with lawyers for Trump and the Trump Organization. The goal, Wood said, would be to have a sense of how much work would be required of a special master and, therefore, how long that process might take. Over the Trump and Cohen teams' objections, Wood allowed the government's filter team to run mechanical searches on the material collected to determine an estimate of how many documents it thought might be privileged. The masses of reporters outside and inside the courthouse in Lower Manhattan underscored the importance of the case - and the strange circumstance of a Justice Department lawyer squaring off in court against a lawyer for the president to argue about potential evidence in a criminal probe of the president's private attorney. In the course of those arguments, Cohen's lawyers acknowledged that he has had only about three legal clients in the past year and a half - Trump, former Republican National Committee deputy finance chairman Elliot Broidy and a mystery third client whom Cohen initially didn't want to name. Under pressure from the judge, Cohen's legal team eventually revealed that Hannity was the third client - drawing gasps and some chuckles in the courtroom. The firebrand commentator is a close informal adviser to Trump, who has urged the public to watch Hannity's show, during which he regularly attacks the special counsel investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign. Last week, Hannity criticized the raids on Cohen's office and residences as "an unprecedented abuse of power," never mentioning his relationship with the Trump lawyer. Hannity said Monday that he occasionally turned to Cohen when he had legal questions but that he never paid him to be his attorney. "Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter," the conservative commentator wrote on Twitter. "I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective." "I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party," Hannity added. McKay's arguments for having a government filter team evaluate the seized material focused on the incentives that each side might have in its analysis of the documents. He noted that the U.S. Attorney's Office would face legal repercussions if it was overly narrow in its determination of privilege. He also argued that the effort to keep Hannity's name from being made public was "a perfect illustration of what will happen if Cohen's proposal carries the day." "If they are going to continue to hide behind overbroad claims of privilege, the process isn't going to work," he said. As he had on Friday, McKay said that the Cohen team's inability to demonstrate its claim "thousands, if not millions" of documents were likely subject to privilege mean that the court should dismiss Cohen's request out-of-hand. Cohen, who is under criminal investigation in possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations, has come under scrutiny by federal prosecutors for his efforts to tamp down negative stories about Trump. In late 2016, he paid adult-film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her agreement not to discuss an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Last week, it was revealed that Cohen had helped Broidy negotiate a $1.6 million settlement with a former Playboy model who got pregnant after they had an affair. Daniels attended Monday's hearing, telling reporters afterward that "for years, Mr. Cohen has acted like he is above the law." "He has never thought that the little man - or especially, women, and even more, women like me - matter," she said. "That ends now. My attorney and I are committed to making sure that everyone finds out the truth." A letter from Cohen lawyer Todd Harrison filed Monday said that during last week's raids, agents seized "more than a dozen electronic devices and other items that include documents and data regarding topics and issues that have nothing to do with" the material sought in the search warrant. The letter says that from 1996 to 2006, Cohen had hundreds of clients, adding that he did not know if any material from those clients was in the seized files. From 2007 to 2017, Cohen worked as a lawyer for Trump and the Trump Organization. The letter said that in 2017 and 2018, Cohen had "at least ten clients," but seven of those were business consulting clients whose work did not involve legal advice. A federal judge signaled Monday that she is unlikely to grant President Donald Trump's request to let him unilaterally determine what material seized last week from his personal lawyer is privileged, but she indicated that she may appoint an outside attorney to assess the records in an effort to carefully navigate the high-stakes case. The investigation of Cohen - which has pitted the president against his own Justice Department - took another unexpected turn Monday with the courtroom revelation that one of Cohen's legal clients was Fox News commentator Sean Hannity. Hannity played down the relationship, saying he occasionally asked Cohen legal questions but never paid him. But the connection between the two men inserted another high-profile, polarizing Trump ally into the drama surrounding the criminal investigation of the president's longtime lawyer. The legal showdown began last week when FBI agents searched Cohen's office, home, hotel room and safe-deposit box, seizing records and documents as part of a probe by federal prosecutors in New York into possible bank fraud and wire fraud. Lawyers for Cohen and Trump have argued that the seizure could lead to violations of attorney-client privilege. At a hearing Monday before U.S. District Court Judge Kimba Wood, federal prosecutors sparred with lawyers for Cohen and a lawyer for Trump, who Sunday night asked the judge to let the president review the seized material before investigators go through it. Last week, Cohen's attorneys asked to review the documents, or have a court-appointed special master do so, to determine what material is protected by attorney-client privilege. The judge did not make a decision but said she was considering appointing a special master - not because of legal precedent but in the interest of avoiding the appearance of bias in the politically charged case. Wood said she wanted more information before ruling. "I have faith in the Southern District U.S. Attorney's Office that their integrity is unimpeachable," she said. But she added that to address concerns about "fairness" raised by Trump and Cohen's attorneys, "a special master might have a role here. Maybe not the complete role, but some role." Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas McKay urged the judge to reject the requests from the president and Cohen. "Just because he has a powerful client doesn't mean he should get special treatment," said McKay, who warned that if the judge gives them an inch, "they're going to take a mile." Trump attorney Joanna Hendon told the judge that the president "is objecting to anyone other than himself making the initial determination of privilege," urging caution over haste. "This is an extraordinary case," she said. "There's tremendous risk that privileged material could not be recognized as such." It is unusual but not unprecedented for criminal investigators to seize documents from a lawyer, and there is a policy in place designed to shield information covered by attorney-client privilege. That procedure involves having a "taint team" - also called a "filter team" - of prosecutors outside the investigation review all the material and separate what is covered by the privilege. A lawyer's communications with a client are not covered by the privilege if they did not involve legal advice or were used to further a crime or fraud. Under the procedure, the taint team would turn over to the case investigators all the material that is relevant and not covered by attorney-client privilege. Wood said Monday that "a taint team is a viable option," but it was unclear how she would ultimately decide to assess the possibly privileged material. The judge asked the government to make digital copies of all the material it had seized and share those files with Cohen's lawyers, who would in turn share relevant information with lawyers for Trump and the Trump Organization. The goal, Wood said, would be to have a sense of how much work would be required of a special master and, therefore, how long that process might take. Over the Trump and Cohen teams' objections, Wood allowed the government's filter team to run mechanical searches on the material collected to determine an estimate of how many documents it thought might be privileged. The masses of reporters outside and inside the courthouse in Lower Manhattan underscored the importance of the case - and the strange circumstance of a Justice Department lawyer squaring off in court against a lawyer for the president to argue about potential evidence in a criminal probe of the president's private attorney. In the course of those arguments, Cohen's lawyers acknowledged that he has had only about three legal clients in the past year and a half - Trump, former Republican National Committee deputy finance chairman Elliot Broidy and a mystery third client whom Cohen initially didn't want to name. Under pressure from the judge, Cohen's legal team eventually revealed that Hannity was the third client - drawing gasps and some chuckles in the courtroom. The firebrand commentator is a close informal adviser to Trump, who has urged the public to watch Hannity's show, during which he regularly attacks the special counsel investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 campaign. Last week, Hannity criticized the raids on Cohen's office and residences as "an unprecedented abuse of power," never mentioning his relationship with the Trump lawyer. Hannity said Monday that he occasionally turned to Cohen when he had legal questions but that he never paid him to be his attorney. "Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter," the conservative commentator wrote on Twitter. "I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective." "I assumed those conversations were confidential, but to be absolutely clear they never involved any matter between me and a third-party," Hannity added. Cohen, who is under criminal investigation for possible bank fraud and campaign finance violations, has come under scrutiny by federal prosecutors for his efforts to tamp down negative stories about Trump. In late 2016, he paid adult-film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her agreement not to discuss an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. Last week, it was revealed that Cohen had helped Broidy negotiate a $1.6 million settlement with a former Playboy model who got pregnant after they had an affair. Daniels attended Monday's hearing, telling reporters afterward that "for years, Mr. Cohen has acted like he is above the law." "He has never thought that the little man - or especially, women, and even more, women like me - matter," she said. "That ends now. My attorney and I are committed to making sure that everyone finds out the truth." A letter from Cohen lawyer Todd Harrison filed Monday said that during last week's raids, agents seized "more than a dozen electronic devices and other items that include documents and data regarding topics and issues that have nothing to do with" the material sought in the search warrant. The letter says that from 1996 to 2006, Cohen had hundreds of clients, adding that he did not know if any material from those clients was in the seized files. From 2007 to 2017, Cohen worked as a lawyer for Trump and the Trump Organization. The letter said that in 2017 and 2018, Cohen had "at least ten clients," but seven of those were business consulting clients whose work did not involve legal advice. DUBLIN - U.S. lawmakers demonstrated an increased appetite for regulating technology giants when they grilled Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg about privacy this past week. But the future of Facebook's relationship with its 2 billion users is less likely to be determined from the halls of Congress than it is from an unassuming 18th-century townhouse in Ireland's capital packed with lawyers, technology experts and gumshoe investigators. Europe has been moving aggressively to impose order on the tech space. Already, it has inflicted painful penalties on Apple and Google for their business practices. Now, technology companies are readying themselves for sweeping new privacy rules that go into effect next month across the European Union. They could face billion-dollar fines if they fail to give European users far more control over their personal information. Whether the U.S. Congress follows the European model, as some lawmakers floated this past week, or whether big tech companies determine it's too cumbersome to treat the 500 million people of the E.U. differently from the rest of the world, Europe is likely to keep setting the global pace for aggressive regulation. "As a first mover, that has now become a baseline," said Dean Garfield, the president of the Information Technology Industry Council, a Washington-based trade group for tech giants such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google. Europe "is increasingly setting the norm." And Europeans have embraced the role. "The E.U. is a real regulatory superpower, and it exports its values and its standards," said Christopher Kuner, a director of the Brussels Privacy Hub at the Free University of Brussels. At the center of the action is Helen Dixon, Ireland's data protection commissioner. Because the European operations for many big technology companies are headquartered in low-tax Ireland, Dixon is set to become the top cop for U.S. tech giants including Facebook, Google, Apple, LinkedIn and Airbnb when the new privacy regime comes into force on May 25. She will have the power to slap companies with fines of up to 4 percent of global revenue - which for Facebook could mean penalties of up to $1.6 billion. "Their business model is around monetizing personal data, and this creates very significant challenges in terms of fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals," Dixon said in an interview in her Dublin townhouse office. "It creates a type of surveillance and tracking of individuals across the internet that undoubtedly needs regulation." Facebook's latest scandal has been perfectly timed to draw attention to Europe's long-planned privacy rules. On April 4, the company said "malicious actors" had used its search tools to match previously hacked email addresses and phone numbers to Facebook profiles. That follows the company's report that Cambridge Analytica, a data analysis firm hired by President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign, improperly accessed 87 million Facebook users' names, "likes" and other personal information - in many cases without their knowledge or consent. The matter has spawned investigations on both sides of the Atlantic. In Europe, Dixon joins an elite rank of enforcers, many of who happen to be women, holding power over the U.S. tech industry. Her partners include Andrea Jelinek, an Austrian data protection regulator expected to lead a new board of E.U. consumer-privacy cops. In the E.U. capital of Brussels, top justice official Vera Jourova has challenged Facebook in recent weeks over the Cambridge Analytica mishap. And then there's Margrethe Vestager, the bloc's competition chief. She thwacked Google with a nearly $3 billion fine and is forcing it to overhaul how it presents sponsored shopping results. She is making Apple pay $16 billion in back taxes to Ireland. Vestager, who was in Washington, D.C., on Friday, has said she is increasingly turning her attention to issues around user data - a development that has cheered privacy advocates and chilled technology companies that complain they are being singled out for their success. "It has become almost a habit of looking into data issues when we do a merger procedure, antitrust procedures," Vestager told reporters. "Data is an asset," she said in a follow-up interview. "You can mine it; you can work it; you can do completely different things." She said that regulators were treating data as a "completely different creature" than they did five years ago. U.S. state officials have taken cues from her antitrust enforcement strategy. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley mimicked her investigation into Google, for instance, and has demanded the company give him the same evidence. "People like Josh Hawley don't want European consumers enjoying better protections than Missourians, so when you have this disparity in how the law is being enforced, it puts pressure on every other jurisdiction to say, 'What did we miss?' " said Luther Lowe, the vice president for government relations at Yelp, the reviews website. Yelp has been Google's chief antagonist in the E.U. The United States was caught somewhat flat-footed by the Facebook privacy scandal. Lawmakers have debated whether to enhance the government's ability to investigate and penalize tech giants that misuse consumers' most sensitive information. But Congress has so far failed to pass a single comprehensive privacy law for the digital age, stumbling in no small part because of partisan warfare and the intense, well-funded lobbying efforts from Silicon Valley. Still, lawmakers are clearly intrigued by what Europe is doing. "Would you support legislation to back that general principle: that opt-in, that getting permission, is the standard?" Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., asked Zuckerberg during the first of two days of hearings. "Europeans have passed that as a law. Facebook's going to live with that law beginning on May 25. Would you support that as the law in the United States?" Zuckerberg sought to reassure users in the United States that they will get the same privacy controls as Europeans after the new laws come into effect, although he allowed himself some wiggle room on the specifics. "I think everyone in the world deserves good privacy protection," Zuckerberg said. "Regardless of whether we implement the exact same regulation, I would guess that it would be somewhat different, because we have somewhat different sensibilities in the U.S. as to other countries." For their part, European policymakers have relished their trendsetting status. "The U.S. public right now is realizing that maybe the Europeans have done something that is in their own interest," said Jan Philipp Albrecht, a German member of European Parliament who played a leading role in drafting the privacy regulation. Now technology companies are bracing for the privacy rules to kick in. In Ireland, the new powers will be a big change for a regulator who until recently was dinged for a lax approach to big technology companies. Some critics say Irish officials were holding their punches because of the country's tech-dependent economic growth. "I'm not sure how much there's influence in it, how much there's politics in it and how much general consensus there is in Ireland in not regulating the big U.S. giants," said Max Schrems, an Austrian privacy advocate who scored repeated legal victories against Dixon's predecessor. People who have watched Dixon work say her style can be conciliatory rather than confrontational. Critics say her office has not always been aggressive about defending citizens' rights. "You have a culture within the institution which relies on a limited use of statutory enforcement mechanisms and more on persuasion," said T.J. McIntyre, a law professor who is the chairman of Digital Rights Ireland, a group that has challenged how the Irish government retains information about its citizens. But observers say Dixon's beefed-up resources and enforcement powers are likely to give her new ammunition as she pushes companies to fall in line. Just four years ago, Ireland's data protection office was a backwater, with 25 employees housed above a convenience store outside Dublin. When Dixon took the reins in late 2014, she fought for more funding, quadrupled her staff and moved into the capital. The Georgian townhouse is a brisk walk away from the glassy new tech district that has sprung up around a once-scruffy dock area. Dixon plans to hire another 40 staffers this year. "I don't think the data protection authority was sufficiently staffed at the point where I came on board," Dixon said. "I think it has been rectified." Still, enforcement may require a fight: Both Google and Apple have appealed Vestager's judgments against them. The new E.U. rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, will give individuals far more control over their personal data. Companies will have to spell out what they will use data for and give users clear choices about whether to agree. Individuals would be able to force companies to return data to them if they wanted to leave a service. Vestager, the competition chief, said the aim is to ensure web users "feel they are somewhat in control" of their data. She mentioned Facebook's recent troubles with Cambridge Analytica. "I think the situation is quite good, because very often when something happens that sort of turns people's attention to an issue, you say, 'Oh. It's brand new. We have to regulate,'" she said. In this case, she said, Europe already has a legal framework that "actually, for real, allows the individual to enforce their rights." --- Romm reported from Washington. Quentin Aries in Brussels contributed to this report. HPD Police are on the hunt for a 22-year-old accused of gunning down a man Saturday outside a southeast Harris County movie theater. Adrian Mondragon is charged with murder following the slaying outside the AMC Gulf Pointe 30 at 11801 South Sam Houston Parkway. Houston police are searching for burglars who attempted to break into a Memorial firearms store Monday morning. The burglars crashed a U-Haul into the store in the 11900 block of Katy Freeway, west of Kirkwood, but were unable to get inside, police said. They ran and haven't been caught. Tracy Angeli was at work when she found out. At first, she thought the officers who showed up at her job were customers. Then she thought it was some sort of cruel joke. Her husband couldnt be dead, she thought. Then I saw the tears, she said. I saw their eyes getting watery and red and I realized they were being honest. When Officer Jason Angeli shot himself in May 2015, it was one of three suicides in three months among active-duty or retired Houston police. Nationally, the number of police suicides seems to be rising. Badge of Life, a small nonprofit that unofficially tracks police suicides, reports that 140 officers died at their own hands in 2017, compared to 108 in 2016. But theres no federal database on police suicides, and many departments across the country dont officially track those deaths, according to a Chronicle review. Of 31 agencies surveyed by the Chronicle, fewer than a dozen initially provided official numbers; others tracked suicides only informally, providing some details when asked. Some didnt respond at all. Locally, at least 20 Houston Police Department officers have killed themselves since 2007 and at least four since 2014 from the Harris County Sheriffs Office. More police officers died by suicide across the nation than in the line of duty last year, according to a recent study by the Ruderman Family Foundation, based in Boston. If you dont know your problem, if you don't know what size it is, how are you going deal with it? asked Ron Clark, a retired Connecticut trooper who heads up Badge of Life, which focuses its efforts on police suicide prevention. When you say is anybody tracking the United States its basically us, he said. And thats the real problem - does anybody take this serious? Being a super-person Theres growing recognition about the need for mental health support and awareness in law enforcement professions. Because of the constant exposure to death and destruction, police officers can face job-related stress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, according to the Ruderman study. They often are unwilling to tell their co-workers that they are struggling, seeing it as a sign of weakness. You have to be this super-person, Tracy Angeli, 37, said of her husband, who was 38 years old when he died. The Houston Police Department has seven full-time psychologists and offers free mental health services for officers during employment and for the rest of their lives. The Harris County Sheriffs Office offers peer support and boasts a Critical Incident Stress Management team. Just having a program isnt good enough, said James Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police. The problem, as best as we can tell, has gotten worse and not better. Still, only about 3 to 5 percent of law enforcement agencies across the country have suicide prevention training programs, according to the Ruderman study. Last year, Congress passed a Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act to help create new grants for peer support programs, fund studies examining the efficacy of crisis hotlines and develop resources to help departments address mental health challenges. But it didnt do anything to help track the size of the problem. Most of what we know about police suicides is anecdotal rather than scientific in terms of data collection, Pasco said. Proactive programs In surveying law enforcement practices around suicide tracking, the Chronicle sent records requests to 31 agencies, including 13 in Texas. In addition to Houston, police in Austin, Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Boston and Baltimore responded with suicide figures, as did New York State Police. Combined, the departments that tracked them reported 135 officer suicides since 2007, although some agencies didnt have numbers going that far back. The El Paso Police Department initially said it didnt have data but, without further prompting, provided it anyway a few weeks later. Washington D.C. police track suicides only if an authorized off-duty or service weapon is used, officials said in response to a records request. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office said it tracks suicides, but only since 2013. The Houston Police Department offered one of the most thorough responses, including ages, locations, job titles and method of suicide. The data included five suicides in the past 16 months, four of whom were retirees. The Harris County Sheriffs Office said it did not officially track the information but was able to provide a list. Our focus has been more about being proactive about police suicide than just tracking our numbers, said Don Savell, a former HCSO lieutenant and chaplaincy manager. We know the individuals who have committed suicide but theres not an official report. A number of departments in large cities said they didnt formally track either suicides. San Francisco, Miami, and Phoenix were among the major cities that said they did not keep data. In Texas, police in Fort Worth, Dallas, Lubbock, Amarillo, and Laredo were among those could not provide the requested data. This is not something that we track because this is not something that occurs on our department with any regularity to warrant tracking, said Fort Worth police spokesman Sgt. Chris Britt. The Beaumont Police Department did not respond to repeated requests for information. The San Antonio Police Department initially said they didnt track suicides, but started doing so as a result of the Chronicles request, according to spokesman Jesse Salame. We recognize that thats probably something that we should be keeping an eye on, he said. Data kind of drives everything that we do. We really dont know Despite the lack of comprehensive government data, there are some tracking efforts in place. The Centers for Disease Controls National Occupational Mortality Surveillance tallies law enforcement suicides in select years, though that only includes data from about half the country. But Badge of Life does its best to fill the gap. The nonprofit is currently in the midst of its sixth study cataloging officer suicides. But with no official database to work from, it uses a haphazard data collection process. Each study takes about a year, Clark said. We get it through the internet, newspapers, snitches out in the field. But Robert Douglas, executive director of the National Police Suicide Foundation, suspects it may be even higher than the 140 suicides tracked by the nonprofit. We could be losing 300 to 400 officers a year to suicide but that is only my professional opinion because we dont really know, he said. None of us truly know how serious the issue is. There are a number of barriers to tracking, experts said. Among the 18,000 agencies in the U.S., we have not culturally accepted the fact that officers will take their own lives and that it could possibly be related to the job, through PTSD or cumulative stress, Douglas said. That is probably the blanket reason why we dont collect. In some cases, the decision not to track could be tied to the small size of the department or the agencys priorities. Agencies are probably less likely to track suicide if they do not have a means to deal with suicide in their department, said Dr. Stephen Tate, head of HPDs Psychological Services. If they dont have a mental health program in place yet theyre tracking suicides, what is the purpose of tracking suicides? Even those who do track suicides may be underestimating the numbers, according to University of Buffalo researcher John Violanti, who found that about 17 percent of suicides in the Buffalo Police Department were misclassified as undetermined deaths. If we just find out a way to classify the numbers, Douglas said, I think that that will open the doors to more federal funding and education, bring about a better understanding of why officers commit suicide. To Tracy Angeli, the lack of solid data is not a surprise. I believe it, she said. Why? Maybe because they dont believe it to be an issue and they dont want to glorify what they see as weaknesses when police are believed to be strong. They just keep it hush-hush. keri.blakinger@chron.com twitter.com/keribla WASHINGTON For writer-activist Laura Moser, battling for the Democratic nomination in the May 22 congressional primary runoff against Houston attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, the race has become something of a family affair. Out of some $436,358 in campaign expenses since January 1, about $229,400 more than half has gone to or through Revolution Messaging, a political firm that includes her husband, former Obama White House videographer Arun Chaudhary. Revolution Messaging, a Washington-based agency founded by alumni of former President Barack Obama's political organization, appears to be handling the Moser campaign's online and television advertising, meaning that much of the money is being used to pay for media buys, including a $50,000 television Super Bowl ad in February. An unspecified amount also is dedicated to "online consulting," which is often in addition to agency fees and direct advertising costs. A campaign spokeswoman said that 70 percent of all Revolution Messaging expenditures went to ad buys, a figure that went up to 84 percent during the first three months of the year. Chaudhary's involvement as a consultant in his wife's campaign to oust nine-term GOP incumbent John Culberson in Houston's Seventh Congressional District has been questioned by some party activists who see Fletcher as a stronger general election candidate. It is not unusual for congressional candidates to employ family members in their campaigns. But Chaudhary's role was cited in February by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in an opposition research "dump" attacking Moser's candidacy in the Seventh Congressional District, which national Democrats consider a top pick-up opportunity. Chaudhary's firm also was a driving media force behind Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 Democratic presidential primary battle against Hillary Clinton, and helped Moser launch Daily Action, a digital organizing tool that became popular on the political left after the election of President Donald Trump. Moser's expenditures, laid out in a quarterly report filed Sunday, show her struggling to keep up with Fletcher and Culberson in the money chase. She raised a little over $302,000 in the first three months of the year, compared to $500,000 for Fletcher and more than $549,000 for Culberson. Her total fundraising in the race as of March 31 surpassed $1 million, somewhat shy of Fletcher's $1.2 million and Culberson's nearly $1.5 million. But Culberson also retains a substantial cash advantage going forward, with $920,000 in the bank, compared to $409,000 for Fletcher and $92,000 for Moser. Fletcher and Moser are vying for the chance to challenge Culberson in the November general election in a district which Hillary Clinton narrowly won in the 2016 presidential election. The Seventh Congressional District race is considered one of the pivotal contests in the 2018 battle for control of Congress. Culberson had been under pressure from Republicans in Washington to prepared for a strong challenge in what could be a "surge" year for Democrats angry about the election of President Donald Trump. Related content: Democratic runoff foes differ on best way to oust Republican incumbent Culberson Tax Day, on Tuesday, offers a reminder that President Donald Trump continues to refuse to release his tax returns. In doing so, he is ignoring a tradition in transparency followed by every president since Richard Nixon. For the past several decades, most presidential candidates have released their tax returns, including Trumps 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton. But not Trump. This should concern all Americans. EDITORIAL: From Teapot Dome to Sharpstown, there's a reason why voters demand transparency Tax returns show how much a person earned, where the money came from and how much they paid in taxes. For Trump, it could help reveal whether hes had financial ties to foreign interests. Without a doubt, politicians give up some of their privacy by releasing details about their income but voters have a right to expect their leaders to show where they derive their income, and what potential financial conflicts of interests they may have. Trumps claim during the campaign that he could not release his tax returns because he was being audited by the IRS was bogus. The tax agency itself said Trump was free to release them. Throughout our history, the conduct of presidents has often been guided by norms rather than formal rules and laws. Trumps refusal to follow many of these norms may mean such rules are needed. The Maryland Legislature took the unprecedented step this year of passing a bill that would require presidential and vice-presidential candidates to release their tax returns in order to get on the states ballot. It is unclear if such a law would be constitutional, as judges have never tackled the issue. EDITORIAL: Tax cuts for rich people not what tax reform should be As president, Trump wields great influence over policy and can even induce swings in the stock market. We deserve to know where his financial interests lie, and, for example, how he was personally affected by the tax reform bill he signed into law in December. The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said her boss would likely take a big hit by the tax changes. On that count, we ask the president to prove it. Trump has gambled that Americans would stop caring about his tax returns. He may be right with repeated firings and resignations in his White House, the Mueller probe, salacious allegations about extramarital affairs and tensions with Russia, Americans can be forgiven for focusing on more pressing issues. Trump has long boasted about being a savvy dealmaker and businessman, a real estate scion and television star who has earned billions. If there is any argument that may appeal to him, its this one: Release your tax returns, Mr. President, and think how impressed well be to count all of those zeros. Shaun King is a controversial guy. As an activist and journalist, hes been prominent in the Black Lives Matter movement, defended the Palestinians and attacked the Republican Party. On Monday, apparently as a result of his politics, King was briefly detained at JFK Airport by an agent of U.S. Customs and Border Protection while returning home from Egypt. In a series of tweets and a telephone interview, King described a frustrating and weird episode like something out of The Twilight Zone. He said he was approached by a customs official who pulled him out of line and took him down a white hall to a nondescript office. His wife, unwilling to be separated, came along, as did their children. King said the agent first attempted to ply the children with small talk but that he, King, told his wife and kids to not say a damn word. According to King, the agent asked why they had visited Egypt traditional family vacation was the reply then inquired about Kings work with Black Lives Matter. He spoke in such a way, said King, that it became obvious he had been reading my tweets and knew all about me. PIMENTEL: Institutional racism has an answer -- the wrong one And King said the agent made reference to his case, indicating that whatever this was it was ongoing and longstanding. Again, King might be controversial, but hes no terrorist. Granted, some conservatives, citing uprisings in Baltimore and Ferguson and random cop shootings in Baton Rouge, New York City and Dallas, are ever eager to conflate Black Lives Matter with violence. But thats specious reasoning like conflating the mainstream pro-life movement with violence because of deadly shootings and bombings by anti-abortion fanatics in Birmingham, Wichita, Colorado Springs, Brookline and Pensacola. And anyway, CBP never accused King of terrorism. So, one is hard-pressed to explain what happened Monday as anything other than a clumsy attempt at political intimidation, the governments unsubtle way of letting a critic know that Big Brother is watching. I asked a CPB spokesperson if the government is monitoring Black Lives Matter as a terrorist organization and how that squares with the First Amendment. In response, I received a written statement which said in part: Each traveler must present themselves to CBP for inspection in order to be admitted to the United States of America. This was a routine inspection typical of daily operations at our ports of entry across the nation. CBP treats all international travelers with integrity, respect and professionalism while keeping the highest standards of security. MOORE: Texas judge should take back his Black Lives Matter comments Bad enough the statement did not address the questions I posed. But routine?! Is this kind of thing really routine? All I can say is that Ive traveled to 13 countries and its never happened to me. A friend whos journeyed to 25 countries said shes never experienced anything like it. Another, whos been to over a hundred countries, thought it outrageous. And King himself told me that he understands random and routine screenings, but This was not that. It certainly doesnt sound like it. Indeed, one feels the ragged breath of authoritarianism moving the hairs at the nape of the neck. One hears George Orwell whispering, I told you so. Some people will think Kings politics justify what happened. But short of calling for or engaging in violence, nobodys politics justify it. Sure, hes a controversial guy, but guess what? In America, you have that right. What happened Monday should induce us to remember just how important our rights are. And how fragile they can be. Pitts is a columnist for the Miami Herald. Readers may contact him at lpitts@miamiherald.com. Underneath the latest headlines about DACA and sanctuary cities, the Trump administration is quietly implementing major changes throughout the legal system, making it much harder to obtain visas to live and work in the United States. Yet immigrants as a whole from housekeepers to biochemists are net job creators, grow the economy and pay into the public treasury far more than they take out. To make the average American richer, we should encourage immigration across the board. Some background is in order. President Trump said in his first address to Congress, According to the National Academy of Sciences, our current immigration system costs American taxpayers many billions of dollars a year. Thats true, in the sense that our current education system costs American taxpayers many billions of dollars a year, too. Are all those schoolkids also moochers? As every small business owner in America knows, you dont measure failure just by how much money is going out the door, any more than you measure success just by how much money is coming in. Its the net amount that tells you if youre succeeding. And when it comes to immigration, the net benefits are extraordinary. OPINION: Everything is bigger in Texas, except the immigrant crime rate There are a few more conclusions from that National Academy study that the President didnt mention: On average, during our working years, everyone pays more in taxes than they receive in public resources. Immigrants dont replenish the national treasury quite as much as the native-born do until retirement age, when the native-born consume far more public benefits than do immigrants. Then the children of immigrants pay in much more than they take out, compared with their parents and their native-born peers, largely because of their greater educational attainment and earnings. Bottom line: Todays immigrant families are projected to deliver as much as $259 billion in net present value as taxpayers, including federal, state and local taxes combined. That works out to $800 in avoided taxes (or deficits) for every man, woman and child in the United States. Texas is no exception. Immigrants in the state employ over 420,000 people, pay nearly $10 billion in taxes to Texas state and local government coffers, and pay another $22.5 billion in federal taxes. Yet the Trump administration is reportedly considering a policy that would punish immigrants for taking advantage of public benefits that they and their U.S.-citizen children are legally entitled to, such as food stamps and earned income tax credits. Such a policy doesnt account for the taxes that immigrants pay into the system. EDITORIAL: We're a "nation of immigrants" whether the Trump administration likes it or not Consider Abosede Akingbade Thomas, a Nigerian immigrant who took advantage of government nutrition programs for a few months while she was pregnant with her first child. Over the course of her career in the United States as a tax-paying nurse, she did her part to improve the nations fiscal health and thats before factoring in the career of her child, Omolara, who is now a pediatrician after earning her medical degree at age 22. Or consider Ukrainian immigrant Jan Koum, who received food stamps and housing support as a teenager before going on to create WhatsApp, which now employs 100 people and enables 1.2 billion people to communicate with their friends and loved ones for free. Given immigrants return on investment for the average American, we shouldnt just be pocketing the economic benefits of our current immigration system we should be doubling down. Just five years ago, it looked like comprehensive immigration reform was finally coming to fruition (even Sean Hannity endorsed the idea). The Senate passed a bipartisan overhaul that would have increased legal immigration across the board, including a path to citizenship for Dreamers. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that it would reduce the federal budget deficit by nearly $850 billion over 20 years. Thats another $2,600 of avoided fiscal burden for every American. The House of Representatives failed to even debate this bill, effectively turning its back on a gigantic windfall. (Did I mention that these reforms would have also increased GDP by $1.4 trillion over the same period? Thats dramatically more economic growth than even the rosiest estimates of what the recent tax bill will deliver.) EDITORIAL: Trump's war against undocumented immigrants is unnecessary Perhaps there is one glimmer of hope: The Trump administration recently announced (via tweet) that immigrants can now apply for U.S. citizenship online, skipping the mass of paper documents that was previously required. This isnt just good news for individual immigrants, who tend to increase their earning power after becoming Americans. Its good news for the average current American. More citizenship means more tax revenue for the U.S. Treasury, more funds to prop up Social Security and more economic growth. If half of the nearly nine million eligible immigrants in the United States became citizens, their increased earnings and demand could boost GDP by up to $52 billion per year. As any business owner will tell you, growth is hard. It requires smart investments and a clear-eyed understanding of what will ultimately boost the bottom line. When the best evidence indicates that taking a certain action will generate revenue far in excess of costs, you do it. For the benefit of all Americans, we must encourage immigrants continued contributions to our nations fiscal health and economic growth. Rand is co-founder and President of Boundless, a technology company that helps families affordably navigate the immigration system. He is a former assistant director for entrepreneurship at the White House Office of Science and Technology. Christophers comments come following the findings of The Executive Connections report which details all of the disruptive forces currently impacting Australian businesses. The report brings together comments and insights from C-suite officers from companies such as Coca-Cola, Optus and Kennards Hire, as well as external research from some of the worlds biggest organisations to create a holistic view of the disruptive forces driving change in the business world. Identified in the report, the three key drivers influencing the Future of Work are: o The (r)evolution of business Disruptive forces are challenging traditional business models, as the lines between physical, digital and biological spheres blur o Technology as a liberator New and emerging technology will, and already is, changing the way people work. It is automating the repetitive, as well as unlocking and evolving the skills of the human workforce o The future worker is already here The rise of the gig economy, part time and flexible work, alongside industry and business demand for more transferrable skills, means the future worker has already arrived; and they are driving productivity and business results Christopher added that a major challenge for employers is delivering growth. Moreover, its particularly challenging to find the right talent to deliver that growth. So 38% of CEOs surveyed have said that they have experienced hiring challenges - finding qualified candidates - and it is actually more difficult than it was a year ago. HRD contacted Optus for comment and Optus vice president human resources, Vaughan Paul, said the company proudly supports diversity and employs staff representing more than 70 nationalities. This error is completely unacceptable and a clear breach of our advertising standards and commitment to equal opportunity employment, said Paul in a statement. This incident is unacceptable and does not reflect Optus values of diversity and inclusion. We have removed the advert, and will be investigating how this occurred with a view to taking disciplinary action against those involve, and offer an unreserved apology. According to the Fair Work Act 2009, it is unlawful for employers to discriminate against an employee or prospective employee on the basis of a range of specific protected attributes, including race. Moreover, CEPU Communications Division National Secretary Greg Rayner said that the racist job ad was published is an affront. "Optus leadership should provide a full explanation and cooperate with an independent investigation," he added. Sojern teamed up with Google to look at inbound travel trends to Australia and New Zealand. Our latest report showcases mobile and cross-device trends, last-minute planning patterns, and market growth trends as well as takeaways so you can plan more strategic marketing campaigns. Sojern teamed up with Google to look at inbound travel trends to Australia and New Zealand. Our latest report showcases mobile and cross-device trends, last-minute planning patterns, and market growth trends as well as takeaways so you can plan more strategic marketing campaigns. Australia and New Zealand were once considered bucket list destinations. Expensive flights and long travel times meant they were out of reach for many. However, the advent of several regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) means that these two countries are more accessible than ever. And it shows. Both Australia and New Zealand have lofty tourism goals into 2020 and beyond, and the data shows that interest to these countries is only growing. To that end, Sojern and Google take a look at travel trends for Australia and New Zealand in our new report. Here, we share a few of the highlights along with some marketing takeaways: Interest in travel to Australia and New Zealand is truly global The top origins looking to travel to Australia and New Zealand are diverse. There is intra-regional interest from Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and so on. But, the United Kingdom, United States, and Germany comprise three of the top five searching origins. Knowing where interest is rising is crucialespecially if your established markets, like Vietnam, continue to grow. Consider engaging these markets with innovative rich media formats to raise awareness. Formats like video or YouTube capture early planners and inspire them to action. Mobile-first Searches Indicate Need for More Mobile Marketing Over half, 56% of in-region Google travel queries for Australia and New Zealand came from mobile phones indicating mobile-first behaviour when searching for travel. Sojern saw the mobile-first trend continue with international travellers planning trips to this region: 43% of travellers from outside the APAC region searched for trips on mobile. The impact of mobile isnt a trend that the travel industry can ignore. Frictionless, fast-loading, mobile-friendly websites reduce complications during the booking experience, and decrease your chances of losing an online, direct booking. Mobile-first, but Travellers Moving Cross Device to Book Tourists travelling to Australia and New Zealand engage heavily in mobile while planning their trip, but many move cross-device when booking. APAC travellers, those closest in distance to these markets, are more likely to book on their mobile phones. This is consistent with what weve seen in the past. It indicates that when consumers book within the region or book last minute, they use mobile to do so. However, when booking a trip that is further away in distance or time, they switch to a desktop. With mobile searches on the risedespite increased complexityimplementing a multichannel strategy that engages travellers on all devices at every stage of the path to purchase is key for travel marketers. Want even more about Australia and New Zealand travel trends? Download our entire report now. About LLuvia LLuvia Rodriguez is Sojern's Senior Data Insights Analyst. Born and raised in San Francisco's Mission District, LLuvia studied Physics and Electrical Engineering at UCSD and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Previous to Sojern, LLuvia researched stellar intensity interferometry. Nowadays, she's busy advocating for beautiful data viz at Sojern, playing Zelda, and hanging with her cat, Tesla. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest all industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hospitality Trends Sardar Udham to Little Things Season 4: Films and Web Shows to Watch Out for in October 2021 An average person spends one-third of their life at work. Work-life balance isn't just a buzz-word anymore, it's practically a KPI for your company's success. In the age of Google offering fully immersive campuses for their workforce, cubicles and bad fluorescent lighting are the stone-age. Having engaging workspaces for your employee isn't just a matter of Keeping Up with Jones, human and environmental health are intrinsically linked. There are multiple factors that lead to employee success due to their surroundings. Small yet meaningful modifications can be made to achieve an optimal workspace, even without the Google budget. It Can Affect Your Well-Being It's not enough to offer a fair salary and 2 weeks of vacation to keep an employee fulfilled. The current workforce, specifically millennials, admit that they would happily accept a lower salary if it meant working for a company with a strong corporate culture and focus on work-life balance. Culture and balance begins with the values you foster in your workplace. It is important for an individual to feel their company cares about their mental and physical health. This means everything from food to encouraging movement. If a company provides a stocked kitchen, the healthier and more nutritious the snacks, the better fuel it offers. While being hangry makes for terrible morale, junk food leads to junk productivity. Small changes like offering sit/stand desks, or encouraging small exercise breaks, have amazing impacts to the energy of employees. Workspace factors that affect the well-being of an employee also equates to the bottom line. Lack of wellness drives up costs of health care, leads to more sick-days, and loss of productivity. This means unhealthy employees ultimately cost the company more money. Connections & Collaborative Current design trends seem to lean towards open spaces for collaboration. They call for areas where management can mix with employees to foster synthesis and innovation. However, not all companies have the budget or time, to renovate their current offices, let alone build behemoths like Apple Park. Simple measures can be taken to provide a more collaborative environment. If you have removable walls between desks, taking them down can create connections among employees. Think about location of desks in relation to employee organization (for example, team structure or departments). How can you create a democratic workplace? Are managers readily available for an employee to approach them? Even an open-door policy can change the feng-shui of this relationship. Detox space: Quiet and Relaxation On the other side of the coin, while collaboration and inclusivity is important, there still needs to be quiet areas available for independent thinking and private meetings. Some employees might not do well with constant interruptions. If you offer a variety of spaces for your employees to choose from, they can have a tailor-maid environment to match their needs. When creating or repurposing quiet spaces, they can also serve as a relaxation area. Small breaks to decompress can boost productivity and prevent employees from burning out. California Pizza Kitchen kept this in mind when building an innovative new LA Headquarters. They have multi-faceted areas that serve dual purposes such as; a serenity room, which not only offers peace and quiet, but an area for nursing mothers (required by California law), and a multi-purpose room that can facilitate large meetings or a group yoga session. Individualized Workspace Opportunities If you can't make significant infrastructure changes to your office you can consider implementing new policies. Dog Friendly- Could you allow employees to bring their dogs to work? Dogs aren't just members of the family, studies have shown that dogs lower stress and anxiety. Bob Vetere, president and CEO of the American Pet Products Association has said; "employers are starting to realize that [when you allow] a millennial to bring a pet to work, you wind up getting a more focused employee...someone more comfortable at the office and a person willing to work longer hours." Companies that aren't ready to go full pet-friendly offer certain days or times that pets are allowed, 'Bring your Pet to Work Day' or 'Yappy Hours.' Logistically- if you don't own the building, the lease will need to be consulted. You also should chat with HR to avoid any issues with other employees such as pet allergies. Plants- Plants are a very simple yet significant addition to a work space. You can either invest in plants for the office as whole or allow/encourage employees to bring in their own plants (or both!) Plants provide greenery that is not only appealing to the eye, but naturally calming. On top of this, they can make you healthier. A Norwegian Study monitored the effects of indoor plants over several years in offices and found that they can significantly lower issues such as headaches, scratchy throats, or skin irritations. Increased Overall Productivity Happy employees are productive employees. An experiment with 700 employees confirmed that happiness can increase productivity as much as 12%. Therefor designing workspaces and environmental factors of an office with your team's happiness in mind will directly increase overall productivity. If you encourage individual expression, and tailor your office to your culture, you can keep the team's happiness as a main goal. Workspaces are Just as Important to Future Employees It isn't enough to have an engaged workforce, looking towards the future, companies also need to keep a healthy influx of new talent. As the natural progression of employees move on to elevated career paths or retire, Generation Z is knocking at the door. These new recruits only know innovative workplaces, with posh Silicon Valley headquarters as the measuring stick. When these applicants come to your workspace, you need to attract them. Ryan Jenkins, a millennial speaker and generations expert, advises that for your company to attract Gen Z it must be collaborative, offer flexibility, and promote both well-being and value infusion. Hi, I'm Kevin Johnson, CEO of Starbucks. I want to follow up on the letter I published yesterday to all Starbucks customers and my Starbucks partners regarding the incident that occurred in a Philadelphia area store last Thursday. I want to begin by offering a personal apology to the two gentlemen who were arrested in our store. What happened in the way that incident escalated, and the outcome, was nothing but reprehensible--and I'm sorry. I want to apologize to the community in Philadelphia, and to all my Starbucks partners. This is not who we are, and it's not who we're going to be. We are going to learn from this and we will be better for it. Now certainly, as I've been reviewing the situation, understanding that with 28,000 stores around the world, that in certain circumstances, local practices are implemented. In this particular case, the local practice of asking someone who is not a customer to leave the store--and unfortunately, then followed by a call to the police. Now certainly there are some situations where the call to police is justified. Situations where there is violence or threats or a disruption. In this case, none of that existed. These two gentlemen did not deserve what happened, and we are accountable. I am accountable. Now, going through this, I am going to do everything I can to ensure it is fixed and never happens again. Whether that is changes to the policy, in the practice, additional store manager training, including training around unconscious bias, and we will address this. Now there's been some calls for us to take action on the store manager. I believe that blame is misplaced. In fact, I think the focus of fixing this: I own it. This is a management issue, and I am accountable to ensure we address the policy and the practice and the training that led to this outcome. Now, today I've been on the phone--with the mayor, with the police commissioner, and other leaders in the community. I'm looking forward to spending the next two days meeting and visiting with them personally. And you have my commitment: We will address this. And we will be a better company for it. Thank you. For decades Silicon Valley has dominated the world's venture capital scene. But on April 12, the Wall Street Journal reported that China's is ascending in the global VC game. Is this a threat or an opportunity for entrepreneurs? The answer is both. Before getting into why I reached that conclusion, let's look at the evidence. According to the Journal, in 2007 America was the world's undisputed leader -- its VCs accounted for 75% of the startup investing which went mostly to U.S.-based firms. China is coming up fast -- thanks to a surge in capital. In 2017, a record $154 billion worth of VC was invested -- a much smaller 44% came from U.S. firms while a whopping 40% came from Asian VCs -- up from 5% in 2007, according to the Journal. As I have seen from my own startup investing experience, Asian venture capital can enable a select few startups to get much more capital at higher valuations. SoFi, the San Francisco-based fintech company in which I am a shareholder, raised $1 billion in 2015, according to Bloomberg. Tokyo-based Softbank -- which owns 39% of Renren, China's version of Facebook, led the round. And Renren invested $240 million in SoFi, noted Forbes. By March 2017, when it raised another $500 million, led by Menlo Park, Calif.-based private equity firm, Silver Lake Partners, SoFi was valued at $4.3 billion. Capital from Asia was a blessing and curse -- it gave SoFi far more money but it also raised the bar for the amount of revenue growth that would be needed to get a higher valuation the next time it seeks to raise capital. This brings up three important trends from Asia's rise in VC, the opportunities and threats that arise from each, and what entrepreneurs should do about them. 1. VC Is Cyclical -- And A Quick Rise Can Presage A Sudden Collapse Venture investing is cyclical. I remember clearly the rapid rise of Japan as a global competitor in the 1980s -- striking fear into the hearts of the American media as the Japanese stock and real estate markets soared and Manhattan's Rockefeller Center was purchased by a Japanese firm. Not too long thereafter, the Japanese stock and real estate markets collapsed thanks to too much unpaid debt. It is possible that China -- which as the Journal points out -- has built up huge piles of capital looking for a place to invest -- could face a similar problem. Indeed China has recently bailed out -- to the tune of $9.7 billion in April 2018 -- Anbang Insurance -- which went bankrupt after a global real estate buying spree which according to the Wall Street Journal, included acquiring another Manhattan trophy -- the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Opportunity: While China is investing more in VC, there is an opportunity for companies around the world that receive their funding. Founders seeking this capital must be leaders in big industries that are growing fast. While the potential to raise more capital from Chinese VCs can help them grow, it will also put more pressure on founders to earn a higher valuation in the next round of funding -- or risk being replaced as CEO. Threat: Entrepreneurs who have attracted investment from Chinese VCs could be in trouble if those VCs suddenly decide that they are no longer in a position to invest. Such founders should keep a close eye on factors that might reduce Chinese VCs' willingness to keep investing and have in mind other investors who could make up the difference should the worst happen. 2. Chinese and American VCs Have Different Goals The second point is that Chinese VCs may have different goals than U.S. ones. Consider the fate of Singapore-based grocery delivery service, RedMart. As I wrote in my recently-published book, Startup Cities, RedMart (which I visited several times) was losing money in January 2016 and could not convince investors to put more money in. Ultimately, the company was acquired by a subsidiary of Alibaba and when I visited in January 2018, RedMart was using unlimited capital from Alibaba to dominate the Southeast Asian market for groceries by slashing prices and trying to create an excellent delivery service in the region -- making a profit is not the point. U.S.-based VCs take a different approach. To be sure, they are at times willing to fund rapid growth for startups that seek to gain market share by cutting price and operating at a loss. But U.S.-based VCs are far more responsive to changes in the market for initial public offerings (IPOs).For example, in the summer of 2015, VCs began to realize that the IPO market was drying up and that they would not finance another round of price-cutting to gain share. The VCs told their portfolio companies to cut costs or raise price so they would be cash flow positive to survive the coming capital freeze. Opportunity: Entrepreneurs who aspire to dominate Asian markets for popular services and emerging technologies should seek out Chinese investors who aspire to achieve market dominance. Threat: Entrepreneurs competing against startups backed by Chinese capital may find themselves losing market share as these rivals cut price to win customers fast. Founders competing with such rivals should seek to raise more capital or focus on customers who are less price-sensitive. . 3. China Copies Successful U.S. Business Model Innovations And Protects Its Local Copiers The final point is that the U.S. has been the undisputed leader in inventing ground-breaking business models -- such as social media, e-tailing, search-engine marketing, and cloud services. Asian companies have gotten very large by copying these innovations -- and many Asian governments have protected the local copiers from the incursion of the U.S. inventors of those businesses. But as I pointed out in Startup Cities, Chinese companies are offering the world's largest compensation packages for artificial intelligence (AI) specialists. To wit, Beijing-based news aggregator, ByteDance, offered experienced AI developers up to $3 million in salary and bonus -- far lower than the $200,000 to $500,000 range offered by Silicon Valley giants -- but it remains to be seen whether these developers will produce the next big business model innovation. Moreover, as the Journal reported U.S. investors pumped $4 billion into AI startups in 2017 -- while Chinese investors spent $2.5 billion last year -- still a big increase from the $100 million they invested a few years ago. Opportunity: Asian entrepreneurs should seek to adapt the fastest-growing U.S. business ideas to the Chinese market. Founders who have already built successful companies will be in the best position to raise funding from Chinese VCs. Threat: Should these Asian entrepreneurs attract such funding, the U.S. entrepreneurs who have developed these innovative business models may need to consider whether to hold off on trying to enter the Chinese market and stay attuned to threats to their leadership outside of China. Blaise Pascal, the 17th century French mathematician and philosopher, said: "All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone." Sitting quietly in a room alone is not what entrepreneurs do. I wonder if we entrepreneurs are not becoming poster children for a speed addled society It's like entrepreneurs are adopting an increasing societal go-go-go, move-move-move trope and taking it to the tenth power. Like we are on a wildly careening roller-coaster chasing the killer app and the great disruption, yet never contemplating the why of our activity. I particularly feel this when I am in a massed group of entrepreneurs. For example, I attended an Inc. Magazine GrowCo convention three years ago in Nashville. It was full of an exhausting array of brilliant, passionate entrepreneurs, chief of whom was Mark Cuban, who gave the keynote address in which he mentioned that he never read a single book not specifically related to his business in his first eight years of enterprise. Surely that must be a loss and a sadness to Mr. Cuban's soul. (Am I the last businessman extant who still talks about "souls"?) Such passion and focus may be necessary for success, but it's not a price that is spiritually healthy to pay. There is an addictive frenzy to our technology enhanced, evolving business process that is leaving little room for context, personal centering, or contemplation of the meaning of our activity. As entrepreneurs we can easily succumb to the escapist frisson and excitement of our own high-risk balancing act and the adrenaline rush of our often fearsome process. James Gleich put out a book in 2013 called Faster: The Acceleration of Just about Everything. He states, "Our computers, our movies, our sex lives, our prayers--they all run faster now than ever before. And the more we fill our lives with time-saving strategies, the more rushed we feel." Gleick calls this "hurry sickness." I prefer "hurry addiction." T.S. Elliot presciently nails our current conundrum in his poem The Endless Cycle. ""The endless cycle of idea and action, Endless invention, endless experiment, Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness, Knowledge of speech, but not of silence, Knowledge of word, and ignorance of the Word... Where is the life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" Dr. Edward Hallowell refers to our current parlous societal speed madness, in his book Crazybusy, as "culturally induced ADHD." He says, "When you're 'crazy busy" your life is out of balance and you enter what I call the "F-State"--frenzied,, fearful, forgetful and frantic." It is almost like this induced ADHD state is a point of pride to many entrepreneurs. (Note my column, The Brag of Busyness and the Entrepreneur.) When Steve Conine and Niraj Shah met at Cornell University in 1991, neither anticipated that they would build a nearly $5 billion e-commerce business selling, of all things, shag rugs and grandfather clocks. Today, their most successful company--Wayfair--does exactly that. The Boston-based company is now the largest online-only retailer of home goods, pulling in $4.7 billion in 2017 alone. Since launching in 2002, Wayfair has grown to more than 10,500 employees, hawking more than 10 million items across categories including home furnishing, decor, and home improvement. On Tuesday, the e-commerce giant will appear before the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to maintain a 1992 ruling that allows e-commerce retailers to not collect local sales tax unless they have a physical presence in the state. Wayfair argues that a change would impose an unnecessary burden on small retailers, which could end up owing state and local taxes, in addition to back taxes for previous years of service. Meanwhile, brick-and-mortar retailers--including those represented by the state of South Dakota--argue that a reversal of the decision would provide a fairer environment for doing business. "The current tax system favors online retailers over brick-and-mortar business, and undermines fair and open competition in the marketplace," the National Retail Federation noted in an official brief. Wayfair's impressive growth is hardly the result of tax avoidance. Indeed, the company, formerly known as CSN Stores, launched as a collective of niche merchants, peddling things like television stands and shag rugs. Shah and Conine--who remain CEO and CTO of Wayfair, respectively--operated the nascent e-commerce service from the latter's Boston townhouse, taking a cut of the revenue from companies with names like HotPlates.com. The secret sauce, investors say, has been the founders' data-analytic know-how: By extracting information from online search, they were able to learn what customers were searching for, and build out a presence in those new categories. By 2010, the company worked with around 200 third-party websites, serving 4.8 million customers and notching $380 million in revenue. The real turning point, however, was in a massive rebrand that transformed those 4.8 million customers from niche shoppers into a community of home goods enthusiasts. In the fall of 2010, Shah and Conine recognized that by converting their sites into a single platform--dubbed Wayfair--they could persuade browsers of, say, diaper bags to scroll through and purchase cribs, dressers, and mobiles, too, all in one fell click. That year, they raised their first round of capital--a total of $165 million--from investors such as Spark Capital, Battery Ventures, Great Hill Partners, and Harbour Ventures. In many ways, that was the change that brought Wayfair from online merchant to billion-dollar business venture. And by 2014, the company went public on the NYSE, raising $319 million at a $3 billion valuation. To be sure, the company faces steep competition from the likes of Amazon and Walmart, which are similarly hoping that the Supreme Court elects not to overturn its sales tax ruling. Wayfair has argued that more than 16,000 different taxing units could demand sales tax collections from e-commerce companies, a cost that could certainly set its revenues back. The Trump administration, which has argued that Amazon does not sufficiently collect local sales taxes, will join the oral argument in favor of such online retailers being required to collect them everywhere. As an impulsive US president and ruthless Russian one taunt each other while missiles fly, and sedate Salisbury resembles a John Le Carre book, the Cold Wars chill is back. For director Sergei Loznitsa, though, the roots of Russias actions go back further than that. His new film, A Gentle Creature, is set in a Russian prison town where a nameless woman (played with grim fortitude by Vasilina Makovsteva) tries to locate her falsely imprisoned husband. Grotesque gangsters, guards, bureaucrats and pimps accost and abuse her, as a nightmare logic takes hold. Loosely based on a Dostoevsky short story but set in the present, the director presents this struggle against impenetrable authority as eternally Russian. Loznitsa, 53, was raised in the USSR and studied film in St Petersburg. The Soviet Unions collapse, though, left him identifying as an independent Ukrainian a freedom tested in the 2013 Kiev protests, which he filmed in his documentary Maidan (2014). Though hes lived in Berlin since 2001, Loznitsa is, with Leviathan and Loveless director Andrey Zvyagintsev, at the forefront of filmmakers fighting Putins brutal, reductive idea of Russianness. Vasikina Makovtseva in A Gentle Creature (Arrow Films) Yes, I know Andrey very well, Loznitsa tells me. We grew up at the same time, in the same city, and saw films at the same cinema museum. And we work in parallel now, on more or less close topics. Were in contact, and maybe for me its much easier than for him. Because hes inside Russia, and Im outside. Reached by Skype in Berlin, Loznitsa laughs with a readiness which suggests droll ironies are ever-present, and favours sentences with Mobius strip double meanings. A Gentle Creature is similar. Theres a rich fatalism to its humour, much like that of the Jews so often persecuted on Russian soil. A chainsaw victims bones are dug up on the corner of Marx and Engels streets, inmates burn down their asylum, the young shove past the old, and bus passengers trade dry barbs. My man never went to prison, a neighbour enviously sighs as the gentle woman begins her futile odyssey. So I never got to see the world. In our literature, we have a big tradition of humour as a reaction to the circumstances of our life, Loznitsa explains. And there are lots of connections between the sentences in the film and Gogol or Dostoevskys sense of humour. I didnt do this deliberately. But it is inside the culture and language. Because more and more, you look at Russian reality and it seems like it was written for the stage. You cant even imagine that it can happen in real life. But it does. Its Russia. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up A still from Sergei Loznitsas film A Gentle Creature (Arrow Films) The Dostoevsky short story A Gentle Creature is about a symbiotic, abusive relationship, Loznitsa explains, one with strong parallels to Putins Russia. Its an allegory about a girl and a man who becomes her husband, and tortures her. She accepts this till the moment when she commits suicide by jumping through the window. But we never know who is the torturer and who the tortured. This connects to the idea of my film: that people who live in a country and the people in power are one unit, he adds. Nations create the leader whose face they would like to see. Its not like somebody took power, then oppressed and humiliated people. Stalin already did his bloody job and now its enough just to hint that Stalins time can come back, and people are ready to follow orders. This fear is inside society, which has been destroyed. And you can do what you want with a people without rules. Dont fall asleep, or youll be carried off, A Gentle Creatures woman is warned in a railway waiting room, as she finally tries to leave town. She drifts off, of course, at which point an ogre-like woman creeps in and spirits her away, past a bust of Lenin into moonlit woods, where an ominous red house waits. Just a nightmare, maybe. But in this last act of his film, Loznitsa dives into Russias subconscious. Again, it could be yesterday, or Dostoevskys day. Nothing, he suggests, has changed. The womans nightmare resigns her to making the journey for real, especially after a patriotic ceremony in the dream ends with permission for her to finally see her jailed husband. In fact, something vicious awaits her behind the red house. Its a Russian tradition, Loznitsa says drily. You receive something good and after that, what happened in real life, nobody knows... Aleksey Serebryakov in Andrey Zvyagintsevs Leviathan These last scenes are even more ferociously direct in their satire than his friend Zvyagintsevs internationally acclaimed masterpiece Leviathan (2014). That tale of a stubborn mans downfall at the hands of a tinpot tyrant mayor, Russias corrupt law and church and his own human flaws was made with Ministry of Culture money. It still managed to suggest wider battles with glimpses of Pussy Riot on TV, and framed photos of former presidents being used for target practice. Got anyone more current? someone asks. Zvyagintsev presents himself as apolitical, and innocently declared surprise at Russian audiences howls of laughter and hearty cheers at the scene. He doubtless got away with it because of his patriotic status as the pride of Russian cinema, as local trailers for his 2008 film The Return declared. Based and financed abroad, Loznitsa can go for the throat of Putins system. Still, this hasnt wholly exiled him. He filmed A Gentle Creature in Latvia because its EU status made life easier, he says. Otherwise, I can shoot this film in Russia with no problem. Probably no problem I didnt try. Whether such a critical film is seen in Russia is also an ambiguous business. A Gentle Creature was more or less in Russian distribution. They didnt forbid it. But it was a very small distributor, and 30 cinemas, not 500 as Andreys Loveless was. Its a kind of self-censorship. But those who wanted to see it, could. And maybe its not good enough for Russia, he says ironically. I dont know. Speaking to Italian directors a decade ago, when Berlusconi controlled most film funding, they told me they felt stifled in the work they could make. That must be vastly more true under Putin. I know from those who watch hundreds of Russian films that distribution of money has changed, Loznitsa says, with more control and censorship. But the quality and level of radical films is the same. At least on an amateur level, lots of interesting documentaries exist, and pirate internet platforms mean its difficult to control who sees them. You know, censorship is one side. On the other exists your artistic idea, which always fights any moral or limitation society creates for you. The artists jump for this artistic idea, and they dont even think about these other miserable things! Loznitsas reputation was made inside Russia, as a leading light of the St Petersburg Documentary Film Studio. Blockade (2006) uses Soviet footage of the city (then Leningrad) before and during its terrible siege by the Nazis to viscerally reconstruct those desperate years. The Event (2015) also uses immersive footage of 1991s failed communist coup against Gorbachev, exactly as Maidan does for the protests which ousted Ukraines pro-Russian president Yanukovych. Vladislav Abashin, right, and Vladimir Svirskiy, centre, in In the Fog His Cannes prize-winning fiction film In the Fog opens with documentary immediacy in a Belorussian village where Nazis march partisans past snorting pigs to be hanged. What follows is, like A Gentle Creature, a morally complex parable of fated lives. Far from being Russia-bashing, this is cinema, like Zvyagintsevs richly if bitterly humanist work, which brings us sympathetically closer to its people. Still, filming in Kievs Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) as civil protests turned into a revolution against pro-Russian rule seemed a turning point for Loznitsa. Though narrator-free, its footage is intensely patriotic. Oh, in that moment, I was completely with that revolution, he agrees. But I cant say that Ukraine is seriously different from Russia. Because many people still have a Soviet mentality. I dont think 40 years is enough, according to the Bible, to clean people from those roots. The disease is deep inside. After making Maidan, Loznitsa talked about the importance of having something that youre willing to die for. Did he find his cause then? Ah! he laughs. Cinema! Art! Without that, you cant do anything. I trust, believe and want it. Im ready to fight for what I want to show and say with cinema. Its not my weapon its my disease! Because I prefer to put the question in another way. For what are you willing to live? Im ready to live for cinema. A Gentle Creature is in cinemas now Incarcerated rapper Meek Mill will now get a new trial after the request for his immediate release was denied. According to the Associated Press, Philadelphias district attorney declared that Mills convictions should be vacated and he should have a new trial. Ben Waxman a spokesman for the prosecutors office said a new trial would be given to Mill due to questions of credibility of the arresting officer. However Judge Genece Brinkley made the decision not to let the rapper out of prison on bail during his status hearing on Monday. The 30-year-old rappers lawyers said they planned to reach out to a higher court to have Mill released. Mills sentence has been appealed several times, but hasnt successfully been overturned. 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 Mills defence team has even asked Brinkley to recuse herself from the case Since Brinkelys ruling on Monday, Mills advocates have been protesting his imprisonment at the Criminal Justice Centre. A dance party outside of the courthouse supporting Mill erupted outside the courthouse after ruling. Mills grandmother, mother and son were also there to support the rapper. Recommended Fan threatened for holding up Drake sign during Meek Mill set In November 2017, Mill was sentenced by Brinkley to two to four years in state prison due to violating his probation on a decade-old gun charge. The rapper has received support from fans and high-profile figures since his imprisonment last year including Rick Ross, Mayor Jim Kenney, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin. Remains from a 40,000-year-old site have given archaeologists insight into how our ancestors dealt with prehistoric climate change. On a number of occasions throughout humanitys history, volcanic super eruptions have caused catastrophic changes to weather and climate with the potential to wipe humans from entire regions. However, new analysis of a site in Liguria, north west Italy, suggests our ancestors were able to flourish despite just such a crisis unfolding nearby. Recommended Finger found in Saudi Arabia reveals secrets of human migration According to the archaeologists working at the site, humans today can take lessons from our distant ancestors in contemporary approaches to tackling climate change. Liguria is where some of the first Homo sapiens, more or less our direct ancestors, lived in Europe, said Professor Julien Riel-Salvatore, an archaeologist at the University of Montreal who co-authored the study with his Italian colleague, Dr Fabio Negrino. They came after the Neanderthals, and unlike them, when they were faced with sudden changes in their climate they didnt go locally extinct or abandon the region they adapted. After around 1,000 years of human settlement, the European region was thrown into disarray by a super-eruption in the volcanic Phlegraean Fields, located down the coast from Liguria in southern Italy. Volcanic eruptions can have significant effects on climate as the ash and gases they emit into the atmosphere can cause havoc with regional temperatures and weather patterns. Researchers at Tel Aviv University shed new light on early modern human evolution Such was the scale of the Phlegraean Fields eruption that archaeologists have suggested it played a significant role in the replacement of Neanderthals with modern humans in Europe. As for why our ancestors were able to adapt while their Neanderthal cousins could not, Professor Riel-Salvatore said his excavations of the Liguria site offered some clues. It used to be thought that this wiped out most of the early Homo sapiens in Europe, but weve been able to show that some were able to deal with the situation just fine, he said. They survived by dealing with the uncertainty of sudden change. Analysis of ancient tools, ornaments and human remains from an ancient rock shelter revealed the regions ancient settlers were interacting and trading with other groups in far-flung places. Specifically, the researchers noted that some of the flint being used by the prehistoric Ligurians had its origins hundreds of kilometres away. They had a link to people living far away, so that if things went haywire in the territory where they lived, they had the social option of depending on people theyd built relationships with the broader the network, the easier it was to survive, said Professor Riel-Salvatore. The study by Professor Riel-Salvatore and Dr Negrino was published in the Journal of Quaternary Science. Their discovery adds to a broader body of work including analysis of human settlements near the site of another super-eruption in Indonesia that suggests prehistoric humans had an immense capacity to deal with potentially catastrophic events. 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 This seems to be part of a pattern where humans are more adaptable and more resilient in the face of these enormously disruptive events, said Professor Riel-Salvatore. These events can be really terrible, but only in a limited way, not across continents or globally. Professor Riel-Salvatore said the works show that archaeology is able to inform the more immediate issues we face when it comes to climate change today. As world powers realise the global challenge presented by climate change, more focus has been placed on collaborative efforts such as the Paris climate agreement to address the challenges we face. Cooperation and resilient social networks were really key in helping people ride out dramatic climate change in the past, he said. Considering some of the challenges were facing nowadays, and some of the entrenched positions we have to deal with, maybe this notion that cooperation is fundamental is something we can communicate as a take-home lesson. Wetherspoons arch Brexiteer boss Tim Martin has created quite the social media storm with the news that he is pulling the company and its 900 pubs off social media. Before you start cheering, its worth taking a moment to appreciate the irony that positively drips from the companys statement explaining the rationale for the decision. Its becoming increasingly obvious that people spend too much time on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and struggle to control the compulsion, Mr Martin opined, stating that he doesnt believe abandoning a promotional tool most businesses have leapt upon will affect his trade. The statement also cited recent concerns regarding the misuse of personal data and the bad publicity surrounding social media, including the trolling of MPs and others, especially those from religious or ethnic minorities. There are many who would raise a glass to such a sentiment, myself included. But with the way Mr Martin expresses his views he could easily be said to encourage the very sort of troll he takes aim at. Consider the tasteless proselytising beer mats cheering Brexit being put out on tables by Polish bar staff, or the results statements that force investors to wade through his rants before getting to the relevant information about their companys performance, or his Tims Viewpoint blog on the company website. Mr Martin just cant seem to resist shooting his mouth off. And hes often quite nasty about it. The latest blogpost penned by the mullet sporting multi-millionaire, who once described a rival as a Vichy style collaborator, personally attacks a number of remainers accusing them of fibbing and misinformation while lambasting the fact that they went to either Oxford or Cambridge University. While the stranglehold Oxbridge has in public life can be irksome to those of us who went elsewhere (Mr Martin went to Nottingham, for the record I went to Manchester) it is frankly risible to claim that the campaign against Brexit is solely the province of its graduates. And, to my mind, it is ridiculous for a former public schoolboy whose father was a Guinness executive to be moaning about elites. More to the point, Mr Martins statements risk a certain kind of Brexiteer trolling social media accounts he no longer has but his targets probably do. There is, it is true, a certain logic to a business that relies on people being social abandoning platforms that could be said to be profoundly anti social, and are certainly deeply uncivil. But Mr Martin isnt always very civil himself and arguably does far more to put people off Wetherspoons than their social media habits do, starting with those beermats. Its fair to wonder whether this is really a part of the techlash, as it has been characterised in some places, or if theres a another reason for Mr Martins decision. Through the course of researching this piece I naturally put JD Wetherspoon into Facebooks search box. It led me to a page badged JD Wetherspoon Head Office. 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. I dont know whether it is official or not but I do know that it is full of mostly unflattering reviews. Social media is sometimes unpleasant. People often spit out things they wouldnt dream of saying were they face to face with someone in a pub. But it also provides companies critics with a chance to answer back and call them to account when they perform badly. Is that what Mr Martin doesnt like about it? I think we should be told. Civil-military relations in historical perspective 16 April, 2018 By Asif Haroon Raja Related News Govt finalises draft of national security policy: Nisar Govt okays targeted action in Karachi Related Articles Horde of Enemies surrounding Pakistan By By Asif Haroon Raja Dirty role of International NGOs in Pakistan By By Asif Haroon Raja Related Speakout More on this View All Govt determined to transform Pakistan into truly democratic society: Rasheed Govt finalises draft of national security policy: Nisar Govt okays targeted action in Karachi Karachi violence: 10 more killed Int'l aid can help Pakistan be anchor of stability: FoDP Pakistan's existence not jeopardised at all: FM Qureshi Pakistani state is not going to collapse, says Zardari Related News Poll Are you in support of amending the law to raise the strength of the Supreme Court to 27 from 17? In his ten year rule, Field Marshal Ayub Khan achieved phenomenal all round results mainly because he had kept the politicians out till 1964 under EBDO. He debarred the politicians from politics for ten years on account of their dismal performance after the murder of Liaqat Ali Khan in October 1951. Their incompetence and their indifference to the rule of law and constitution making as well as their craze for corruption had strengthened bureaucracy-military oligarchy and had shifted the pendulum of power to the seat of governor general. C-in-C Gen Ayub Khan was given additional portfolio of Defence Minister by Ghulam Muhammad (GM) to fortify bureaucratic rule. The judiciary committed the original sin of weakening growth of democracy by overturning the decision of the Sindh High Court and validating the dissolution of Constituent Assembly headed by Khawaja Nazimuddin by GM in 1954. PML lost its sway after it suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Jugto Front in East Pakistan in 1954. While no general elections could be held, it took nine years to formulate the 1956 constitution. Palace intrigues masterminded by GM and Iskandar Mirza resulted in changeover of six PMs in seven years. The reasons why Ayub Khan opted for controlled democracy (Basic Democrats) were the ineptness of politicians and huge illiteracy rate. In his and Iskandar Mirzas view, the majority didnt even know the meaning of democracy and their basic rights and hence needed to be educated and trained for democracy at least for next ten years. EBDO was annulled in 1964 on account of lobbying by Ayub Khans blue-eyed Foreign Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) whom he used to call son and Bhutto addressed Ayub as daddy. Driven by his own political ambitions, ZAB lobbied for recommencement of politics. Revival of political parties by the same lot of corrupt and disgruntled politicians was a mistake which proved costly for Ayub Khan as well as for Pakistan. They ganged up to oust Ayub Khan by propping up aging Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah to compete in next presidential election in April 1965, which she lost. Failing to oust him, ambitious ZAB in league with Maj Gen Akhtar Ali Khan prevailed upon Ayub Khan and reluctant Gen Musa to launch Operation Gibraltar in August 1965. He had assured his mentor that India will not wage an open war against Pakistan and the fomented insurgency will remain confined to occupied Kashmir only. This clever move aimed at discrediting Ayub, who by then had earned world fame, was similar to the one made by Gen Musharraf in summer of 1999 to get rid of Nawaz Sharif (NS). ZAB exploited the Tashkent Declaration which he himself had drafted and after parting ways with Ayub, he established PPP in 1967. ZAB-Sheikh Mujib coordinated agitations in the two wings against Ayubs policies and celebration of Decade of Development forced Ayub to resign and hand over power to C-in-C Gen Yahya Khan, who had agreed to impose martial law only if Ayub abdicated power. But for the negative role of the politicians who were instrumental in freeing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman involved in Agartala conspiracy case in 1968, and the rigidity of ZAB after the 1970 general elections, Yahya had to preside over the division of Pakistan into two halves in December 1971. After Yahyas 2 years misrule, and ZAB rule during which he adorned the hats of president, civilian martial law administrator and later the PM, he gifted 1973 constitution to the nation but became autocratic and not only created FSF but also authorised ISI to meddle in politics. After him, Gen Ziaul Haq ruled the country for 11 years and Gen Musharraf for nine years. All told, out of 70 years of Pakistans history, the military reigned supreme for 34 years. For unexplained reasons, it couldnt doctor the chronic diseases which afflicted Pakistan. In their urge to gain legitimacy, each military ruler shared power with the same set of tainted politicians to put up a facade of sham democracy. While Gen Zia experimented Islamization and party-less system, Gen Musharraf experimented enlightened moderation and devolution of power at grassroots levels to establish true democracy. Each military takeover started its journey efficiently but began to wobble soon after it accommodated disgraced politicians. The mix of military and politicians made the pudding unpalatable and led to the disgraceful ouster of military rulers without achieving tangible lasting results. Frequent military takeovers and unnatural marriage of convenience bred civil-military tensions that were duly accentuated by hostile foreign powers. Governed by security paradigm owing to unabated hostility of India, the military establishment drew red lines and made sure that the parameters of foreign and defence policies take due cognizance of these lines. Another consideration was that the ruling party should be pro-establishment and should have a clear understanding of threat perception. As such, when not in power, while monitoring the borders and internal security threats, the establishment has also kept a watch on the civil government to see whether it is abiding by the security constraints. Sheikh Mujib was put on trial by Ayub Khan on charges of linkage with India and conspiracy to create Bangladesh, but was bailed out by politicians. He should have been tried by a military court. ZAB was not spared by Gen Zia because after his deposition, he had pledged to teach the generals a lesson. PPP was hounded by Gen Zia because of its anti-Army posture. To counter the threat posed by MRD movement in interior Sindh, MQM was created in 1984. Security concerns impelled the establishment to create IJI in 1988 to prevent PPP from winning two-thirds majority. Benazir Bhutto (BB) was viewed as a security risk. PPP was twice ousted from power prematurely in 1990 and in 1996 on account of corruption, weak governance and alleged connection with anti-Pakistan foreign powers to roll back nuclear program. NS led regime was sacked in 1993 and in 1999 by President Ghulam Ishaq since he had developed the habit of locking horns with him and with Army chiefs. This trend has continued till this date. PPP was brought to power in 2008 at the behest of USA an UK. Memogate scandal in 2011 spoilt civil-military relations. Superior performance of PML-N under Shahbaz Sharif (SS) enabled PML-N to return to power in 2013 but it was never at ease with the establishment. Some quarters suspect that the establishment is backing PTI, PPP and the judiciary to prevent PML-N from gaining power in 2018 elections. In other words, democracy has been kept controlled, as was done by Ayub Khan. Gen Zia came out with Article 58 2(B) to balance up power between the executive head and president but in reality it was a sword of Damocles hung over the head of the former. He used it to axe the government of Junejo in May 1988 since he had started showing eyes to the military. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan used it twice and President Laghari once. This draconian Article was annulled after the passage of 18th amendment in 2014. Civilian president couldnt have achieved his objective without the blessing of Army. The military with the support of judiciary and other organs like NAB, Rangers, ANF, ISI and MI, has kept successive civil governments under its invisible leash. Politicians in the opposition are an added source of anxiety to the ruling government because of their tendency to entice or provoke the army chiefs to seize power. Opposition parties are also exploited by invisible hands to exert pressure on the sitting government. What is indisputable is that out of all the State institutions, the military is by far the best and has delivered. After the death of Gen Zia, the military had to contend with PPP and PML-N throughout the 1990s. Gen Musharrafs witch hunting couldnt demolish the populous leaders of two mainstream parties. It was owing to his selective accountability through NAB which impelled BB and Nawaz Sharif (NS) in exile to sign Charter of Democracy (CoD) in May 2006. Both agreed to let each other rule for full 5-year term, and to clip the powers of the establishment as well as of judiciary. BB dishonored it by secretly meeting with Musharraf at Dubai in January and July 2007 to share power. In deference to the framework of CoD, the then PM Yusaf Raza Gilani made an effort to civilianize ISI by placing it under Ministry of interior in August 2008, but Gen Ashfaq Kayani foiled it. Memogate scandal which surfaced in October 2011 was designed to undercut the military and ISI and to tilt the balance of power completely in favor of civil supremacy. This move was again nipped in the bud by Gen Kayani and Lt Gen Shuja Pasha. Secretary Defence Lt Gen retired Naeem Khan Lodhi had to lose his seat in the civil-military tussle. Notion of two-party system (PPP and PML-N taking turns from 1988 onward) was broken by PTI in 2013 elections, but it further polarized politics and reinvigorated the political antagonism of 1990s. Some say that PTI under Imran Khan (IK) was backed by the establishment to not only challenge the monopoly of the two mainstream parties, but to also come forward as a third political force as an alternative to dynastic and feudalistic political models. This was necessitated in the wake of black rule of PPP under Zardari. Egged on by certain powers, IK led PTI in collusion with Tahirul Qadri led PAT and Sheikh Rashid launched their first abortive assault to gain power in July 2014. The next attempt to forcibly lock down Islamabad and grab power was made in October 2015, but it also backfired. Panamagate scandal in April 2016 gave a chance to the detractors of the ruling regime to take the judicial route in June that year. There on the judiciary took up the battle and achieved first success on July 28, 2017. The five-member bench of the Supreme Court under Justice Asif Saeed Khosa invoked corruption charges to remove NS from office and disqualified him from politics for life. The second battle was initiated by the apex court in the form of filing of three references of corruption against NS, his three children, son-in-law and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Accountability court duly monitored by Supreme Court judge was mandated to wind up the cases by March 13, 2018. The references were based on nine-volume JIT report supposedly containing loads of incriminating material to convict and punish the accused. The opponents of NS hailed the verdict and joyously declared that the chapter of NS was closed and sooner than later the PML-N would fall like house of cards. This phase also saw the counter offensive launched by NS. Both sides propagated their respective narratives for the consumption of the public. PTI, later on joined by the PPP became the mouthpiece of judiciary and drummed up tales of alleged corruption of NS and held him responsible for the malaise in the society. Assisted by his daughter Maryam Nawaz, NS played the victim card. His narrative appealed to the senses of his voters in Punjab and his fans and has generated a sympathy wave. He laments that all decisions of the Supreme Court are NS-specific and that he was unjustly wronged under a pre-disposed conspiracy. He rants that the court as well as JIT were prejudiced, vindictive toward him and his family and soft toward the petitioners. He points out the glaring loopholes in the judicial verdict which was based on Iqama and not on Panama. He has successfully sold his narrative that the judiciary backed by the establishment had hatched a conspiracy to unseat him, dismantle PML-N and pave the way for IK led PTI. His counter offensive which he began with his GT road move from Islamabad to Lahore in early August 2017, followed by successive public meetings, statements and tweets has put the super active judiciary on the back foot. His narrative has helped PML-N in scoring successive victories in all the by-elections including the stronghold of PTI at Lodhran. Increasing size of public gatherings and their vociferous support encouraged NS, Maryum and few other PML-N leaders to attack the judiciary more offensively. Two have been served contempt of court notices. NS tirade against the judiciary is well received by his followers particularly when he presents the long list of his accomplishments and the poor performance of his political opponents. They feel that rather than finding corruption in Panama case or in his 4 years tenure, digging out past history of NS and his family dating back to 1960s was ill intentioned. And when nothing came out in the big hunt, disqualifying him for life on Iqama was unfair. Not mentioning salary from his son in his 2013 income tax return which he never received was a slip and not a motivated crime to prescribe such a heavy punishment. After losing two seats of power, NS became rebellious and contemplated on implementing the clauses of CoD so as to remove the perpetual threat posed by the military-judiciary combine to the civil rule. He intended to do so in case the PML-N returns to power with two-thirds majority in both the Houses, or possibly after winning Senate elections. His dangerous intent caused anxiety to the judiciary, opposition parties and the establishment and made them ponder how to avert it. NS was already seen as a security risk because of his unusual softness for India and business connection with Jindal. The establishments manipulative role behind the curtains, judicial activeness and assertiveness, PTIs politics of agitation and abuses, and PPPs machinations has made the overall political environment tension ridden. When efforts by opposition parties to scuttle Senate elections failed, intrigues and horse trading scaled new heights to manipulate Senate elections results. The first brick of scheming was laid by Zardari in Baluchistan in January 2018 where he succeeded in replacing PML-Ns CM Sanaullah Zehri with PML-Q legislator Abdul Qudus Bizenjo, The political coup deprived PML-N of six sure Senate seats. PML-N was once again attacked by the judiciary in the last week of February 2018. A panel headed by chief justice Nisar Saqib disqualified NS from heading the PML-N. It also invalidated his selection of candidates to run on the partys ticket in Senate elections scheduled for March 3. Ironically, Nisar has not prevented absconder Gen Musharraf from heading a political party as he has done in case of NS. Perforce, NS nominees took part in election as independents. They stuck to the mother party once they got elected and PML-N bagged 33 seats, 19 short of the figure to be able to elect chairman and deputy of Senate of its choice. Zardari broke all records of horse trading to win the loyalties of legislators from other parties and managed to win 10 seats from Sindh and 2 in KP, taking the total to 20 seats. PTI secured 12 seats including one surprise seat from Punjab. On the election day of chairman/deputy, PPP-PTI alliance claimed 51 seats, and the PML-N 52 seats. While the opposition fielded Sadiq Sanjrani, PML-N nominated -Raja Zafarul Haq for the seat of chairman. In the final counting, Sanjrani won the contest bagging 57 votes and Zafarul Haq 46 seats. Win was made possible by purchasing loyalties of 14 independents from Baluchistan-FATA and of defectors. It is clear that magic of Zardaris wealth worked once again and about six PML-N voters sold their votes. The hall echoed with slogans of Jeeay Bhutto and Ek Zardari Sub Pe Bhari-. For the deputy chairman contest between the PML-N led coalition nominated candidate Usman Kakar and opposition fielded Saleem Mandiwala, the latter won securing 54 votes as against 44 votes polled for Kakar. Speculations are that the secret hands not only brought PPP-PTI together but also helped in horse trading to deny PML-N the pivotal seat. Outcome of the senate elections is a big setback for the PML-N since it has thwarted its plan to clip the wings of judiciary. Indecisiveness of NS in selecting the nominee till the 11th hour proved costly for the party. By virtue of its majority in both houses, PML-N can still pass a bill by calling a joint session. Fouled elections have lowered the esteem and moral position of IK and his PTI, and also exposed the faces of vote buyers and sellers. Everyone is wondering as to why the super active apex court meddling into others domain remained inactive and allowed biggest horse trading to take place right under its nose. After the intense battle of Senate which has further vitiated the atmosphere, the next battle will be fought for the interim caretaker government and PM for 3 months. Having witnessed the hype and furor created in Senate elections and election of chairman, it can be assumed that similar rumpus will flare up again next month. Having helped PPP in winning both seats in Senate elections, PTI must have already brokered a deal with PPP for a sizeable share in interim setup. It will vie for choice PM and CM Punjab. Taking into account the heightened hostility among the major political parties, resurgent Far Right, and the hard reality that in a fair and free electoral contest, PML-N victory is a foregone conclusion, possibility of the caretakers getting converted into a much talked of technocrat government for a period of one year or so to carry out essential electoral, bureaucratic and judicial reforms, restore the health of economy, and to step up accountability to cleanse the Aegean stables cannot be ruled out. In the cleanup drive, the three references against NS will be taken to their logical end if not done earlier, while cases against Punjab bureaucracy and Shahbaz will be speedily disposed of. Some PPP and PTI leaders and bureaucrats from other provinces will also be hauled up to allay the impression that accountability is selective. The next election may pave the way for a PPP-PTI-MQM (P)-ANP-JI ruling coalition. PPP and PTI may work out a compromise formula of power sharing by letting IK and Bilawal to sit in PMs chair for 2 years each, while Zardari may once again sit in the chair of president. We must not lose sight of another option which PM Abbasi has up his sleeve. The constitution authorizes him to extend his rule by one year under exceptional circumstances. If he opts for this option, it will trigger nationwide protests and strikes and will impede development works, CPEC and further weaken the economy. It will however disrupt the technocrats plan and cause a split in opposition ranks. In case Abbasi in collusion with the President Mamnoon declare emergency, it may bring the situation close to civil war. To me, all this political engineering does not sound well and may not fetch expected results. There is little to celebrate the victory of a man from Baluchistan since the victory is symbolic and will not help in removing the age-old socio-politico-economic grievances of the Baloch. A segment has been thoroughly brainwashed by outside powers, and to wash away this poison from their minds and hearts, a methodical psycho-economic treatment is required. A PM from Baluchistan (Zafarullah Jamali), or federal education minister Zubaida Jalal hailing from Kharan district brought no improvement. Gen Musharrafs development agenda was resisted by the Sardars who have all along been anti-development. Baloch insurgency flared up in 2004 to prevent mega projects including Gwadar port. In my view, it was apt handling of NS who empowered Baloch and Pashtun nationalists and that of dedicated work of Army which brought a healthy change and broke the back of separatist movement. Senate chairman can do little for the development of his province. However, I wish him all the best and also wish that sanity prevails and we move forward for a smooth political transition free of intrigue and deception. The writer is a retired Brig, war veteran, defence, security and political analyst, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre, Editor-in-Chief Better Morrow magazine. asifharoonraja@gmail.com The European Central Bank has asked Deutsche Bank to work out how much it would cost to wind down its investment banking operations. Germanys largest lender has been looking into the potential impact of an exit from investment banking for some time. Now officials from the ECBs supervisory division have said they must be presented with forecasts of how the plan would affect other parts of Deutsche Bank, Reuters reported on Sunday. Deutsche is understood to be the first bank to be asked by the ECB to undertake the task, which is expected to take months to complete. The ECB is likely to ask other European lenders to make similar calculations in the coming months. A spokesperson for Deutsche said: We regularly estimate for regulators the capital, liquidity and cost consequences of an orderly wind down of the positions of trading books. This is common industry practice. Recommended Deutsche Bank sacks chief executive John Cryan after years of losses The news comes after Deutsche Bank signalled a change in direction by naming Christian Sewing, previously head of the retail banking division, as the replacement for John Cryan as chief executive. Mr Cryan was sacked after three years of losses at the lender, with 2017 marked by a series of sharp drops in the companys share price as it reported falling revenues and plans to restructure. Garth Ritchie was named as the head of Deutsches corporate & investment bank, with the task of turning it around. The ECB does not comment on individual banks, a spokesperson for the ECB told the Financial Times. There are, in general, various exercises such as recovery plans which the supervisor asks banks to provide. In any case, the ECB does not intervene in any business model decision of banks. In a letter to staff at the time of his appointment earlier this month, Mr Sewing said the bank would consider further restructuring as it seeks to make improvements to its business. The challenge ahead is a big one for all of us, he said. We all know and sense how fast our industry is changing. The time pressure is on and the expectations are high from all sides - our clients, our investors, the regulators, politicians and the media." People with serious mental illness could one day be offered a nasal spray of ketamine after a clinical trial showed the drug can rapidly tackle bouts of severe depression and suicidal thoughts. In just a matter of hours, doctors, and the patients themselves, measured a significant improvement in symptoms of patients classed as being at high risk of suicide. The trial of antidepressant esketamine by Yale University researchers and the manufacturer, Janssen, suggests it could be effective in bridging the gap where conventional antidepressants take weeks to be fully effective. 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 Esketamine, a part of the mind-altering ketamine molecule, has been designated a breakthrough therapy by the US Food and Drug Administration after early trials showed it could help patients at imminent risk of suicide. This status allows the drugs development process to be sped up to so it can become available in the clinic, and the results from phase two trials reported in the American Journal of Psychology (AJP) today still appear promising. Previous trials with intravenously injected ketamine have already found benefits, but a nasal spray is much easier to administer in a controlled dose. How to spot signs of depression For the study, 68 patients at imminent suicide risk, who were also receiving treatment with conventional antidepressants, were randomly assigned to receive either esketamine or a placebo nasal spray twice a week for four weeks. The trial was double blind, so neither patients nor doctors knew which treatment was being given, and found significant improvements in the ketamine groups symptoms four hours after the dose and 24 hours after when compared to the placebo. At the third measurement, at 25 days, the ketamine-based treatment with antidepressants was no more effective than the placebo with antidepressants. Current antidepressant treatments take four to six weeks to be fully effective. The Royal College of Psychiatrists said it was a "significant" study, and suggested it raised the prospect of such a ketamine treatment being available on the NHS. The drug still needs to complete a phase three trial with a much larger group of patients before it could be licensed. But its major hurdle will be in minimising the risks of harm and abuse, either from esketamine itself or from patients seeking conventional forms of the recreational drug to address cravings. In a comment on the study the AJPs editors note tighter controls are needed to ensure the drug is available to those who need it but does not lead to an epidemic of misuse. The US is already in the midst of one drug misuse epidemic with opioids, marketed in the 1990s as a non-addictive treatment for chronic pain, fuelling 64,000 deaths in 2016 and costing more than a trillion dollars this century. Ketamine has been known about since the 1960s and was first used as an anaesthetic before becoming popular recreationally because of its psychotropic effects, which change users self-perception. It has both physical and mental health risks, and can induce a form of psychosis, trials with orally administered ketamine have also proved too slow to enter the system A paper earlier this year also identified the elusive mechanism that allows it to tackle depression, by preventing an erratic burst firing of signals in the brain that drown out the reward centres. AJP editor Dr Robert Freedman said doctors have a duty to provide the best possible treatment to their patients, but added: Protection of the publics health is part of our responsibility as well, and, as physicians, we are responsible for preventing new drug epidemics. Phase three trials should consult widely with public health officials and experts on drug misuse to develop the safest way for the drug to be used. This would allow the treatment to continue to be available to those with need, while the population that is at-risk for abuse is protected from an epidemic of misuse, Freedman added. Tens of thousands of NHS workers faced physical violence from patients and the public last year as a new analysis shows pressure from funding cuts and staff shortages has created a hostile atmosphere for staff. An investigation commissioned by trade union Unison found assaults were up 10 per cent across all hospitals, ambulance services and mental health providers. In community hospitals and hospitals with A&E departments, which have not hit national four hour waiting time targets since 2015, violence against staff was up 21 per cent. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 However the biggest surge in violence, was at trusts facing the most serious budget deficits and those with worst performance against national 18-week treatment targets, where assaults increased more than a third. Across the entire NHS, staff shortages are harming patient care and helping to create a hostile environment where health workers are increasingly at risk of being assaulted, said Unison head of health Sara Gorton. Earlier this year, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens told ambulance service leaders it is completely unacceptable that a third of staff report they had been on the receiving end of violence by patients and the public. Mr Stevens said he encourages health service employers, the police and relevant authorities to pursue prosecutions to stamp out this behaviour. But MPs have criticised the government for allowing a dangerous blind spot by failing to measure and act on attacks against staff. The latest findings were compiled from Freedom of Information requests by the Health Service Journal after the NHS scrapped the collection of national figures on assaults. In its report for Unison, the analysis found there were 56,435 attacks against staff reported by NHS trusts in 2016/17, compared to 51,447 in the previous year. However the investigation only received responses from 181 of the 244 organisations in England so the true scale could well be higher. Recommended Police squad deployed in hospitals to protect NHS staff from assault While mental health units accounted for the majority of incidents, with 33,280 physical assaults reported across 39 organisations the rate of increase has been slower than in the wider NHS, growing by just five per cent. But the report notes that two trends stand out strongly when looking at the surge in attacks. Among the 35 trusts which treated fewer than 90 per cent of patients within the national target of 18 weeks after being referred by the GP there was a 36.2 per cent increase in the total number of attacks. While the 26 trusts that reported a financial deficit of more than 20m at the end of the 2016/17 financial year the total number of attacks rose 23.1 per cent. Thousands protest in London over NHS crisis The authors of the investigation note that this trend cannot prove organisation pressures caused the increase, but it adds In the 37 trusts reporting financial surpluses over 5m surplus at year end, attacks increased by just 1.5 per cent. Its no accident that trusts where the pressures seem the most extreme where there are huge financial deficits or where its a struggle to meet growing demands on services have seen the steepest rise in the number of attacks, Ms Gorton added. This desperate situation is only set to worsen as the squeeze on resources gets tighter. An NHS England spokesperson said: It is completely unacceptable that a nurse, paramedic, porter or any member of NHS staff should be assaulted physically or verbally as they care for patients. NHS England continues to work with trusts and any of our staff affected, to help the police and other authorities do everything needed when an assault takes place. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: NHS staff work incredibly hard in a high-pressure environment and it is completely unacceptable for them to be subject to aggression or violence. "We are making crucial legal changes to ensure those who are violent face the full force of the law and NHS employers should have no hesitation in involving the police if their staff are subject to aggression or violence. Two people have been stabbed to death within just 40 minutes in London and a teenager is fighting for his life in hospital after a night of bloodshed. The first two attacks are believed to be domestic incidents but a third incident hours later left at least two young men injured after a fight being investigated by Scotland Yards gang crime command. The first death came shortly before 6pm on Sunday in Colindale, north London, where police were called to reports of a stabbing. A 26-year-old man, named locally as Raul Nicolaie, was taken to hospital by ambulance but died of knife wounds later in the evening. The victim and the suspect are known to each other, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said. Enquiries are ongoing. Mr Nicolaie's Facebook page said he was from Brasov in Romania. A 34-year-old woman was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. Less than 40 minutes later, police were called to reports of another attack at a home in Brixton, south London. Paramedics found a woman in her 30s suffering from stab wounds and pronounced her dead at the scene. A man aged in his 20s has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. It is believed the victim and the man arrested were known to each other, police said. A crime scene remains in place, and enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Then at 9.20pm, an 18-year-old man was stabbed after a fight broke out near Alexandra Palace in Haringey. Police found the injured teenager in Alexandra Palace Way and he remains in a critical condition in hospital. A 19-year-old suspect was arrested near the scene of the attack, while a second man suffering stab injuries was later identified in connection with the incident around three miles away in Southgate. He was taken to hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. The Metropolitan Polices Trident gang crime command is investigating the incident alongside local detectives, and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. The stabbings came amid a spate of knife and gun violence in London, which has seen more than 50 murders so far this year. A nationwide increase in violent crime has sparked calls for increased funding for prevention work and police forces, after officer numbers reached a record low. The governments first ever Serious Violence Strategy said the recording of crime had improved and blamed factors including drug supply and social media for driving tit-for-tat attacks between rival gangs engaged in so-called postcode wars. But it was heavily criticised after a Home Office document suggesting government cuts had likely contributed to the surge emerged. Police have increased the use of blanket stop and search powers to seize weapons and some justice powers have been devolved to mayor Sadiq Khan so a bespoke response can be formed in London. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Six people have been seriously injured after a car was reportedly driven into pedestrians at a supermarket in north Manchester, an ambulance service has said. An 80-year-old man was arrested for dangerous driving following the collision in Harperhey, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said. It added the incident, which involved three vehicles, was not being treated as terrorism-related. The 80-year-old suspect was among those injured in the crash, according to the Manchester Evening News. A North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) spokesman said four of those injured were walking wounded, while two suffered leg injuries, the local newspaper reported. The service said in a Twitter post: Our crews were called to a large scale incident in Harpurhey, Manchester at 15.25. Weve had six ambulances at the scene along with the air ambulance and three senior clinicians. Six patients are being treated for serious injuries after a collision with a vehicle. GMP said officers were called to reports a Kia Venga had been involved in a collision with two cars and a number of pedestrians at the car park shortly before 3.30 on Monday. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Witness Taz McCullough told the Manchester Evening News: There were people laid on the floor, shopping trolleys, shopping everywhere. There were a few people who couldnt move. Stephen Lawrences father has said he has forgiven his sons killers almost 25 years after the racist murder that shook Britain. Neville Lawrence, 76, called the decision the hardest I will ever make in my lifetime as the anniversary of his sons death approaches. The fact that I had to lose my first child has been devastating, he said. I can't begin to explain the pain and the anguish me and my family have suffered over the past 25 years. Only two people out of the six-strong gang that attacked 18-year-old Stephen as he waited for a bus in London on 22 April 1993 have been convicted and the police investigation cannot progress without new evidence. David Norris and Gary Dobson are both serving life sentences, while three other men who have been accused of involvement but never convicted are Jamie Acourt, 41, from Bexley, his brother Neil Acourt, 42, who uses his mother's maiden name Stuart, and Luke Knight, 41, both from Eltham. Mr Lawrence plans to spend the upcoming anniversary of his son's death in church, amid heightened scrutiny of the botched probe into the murder. I will never be the person I was before Stephen's death, the father-of-three told the Press Association. You can never brush this aside, this is going to live with you for the rest of your life. Murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence (PA) This is a life sentence that you can't finish. The only time my life sentence will be finished is when I'm in the ground. Mr Lawrence and his former wife, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, met Nelson Mandela two weeks after the murder, with the anti-apartheid revolutionary telling the couple that never in his wildest dreams did he think that something like that would happen in a place like Britain. Mr Lawrence said: Meeting him gave me the courage to do some of the things I have done over the years. Recommended Police release new CCTV images in Stephen Lawrence investigation Other families came to my rescue as wellI decided, after a certain amount of time, on my journey, that if anybody who had the same kind of experience wanted me to come and talk to them then I would do that. I also decided that I would go into schools and universities and talk to the younger generation. Mr Lawrences campaigning against knife crime has taken on fresh urgency amid a spate of fatal stabbings in London, which has seen more than 50 murders this year, including two within 40 minutes on Sunday.. Right now with the violence, and the knife crime violence, it is even more urgent now that I talk to these youngsters and explain to them the pain and the suffering they inflict on families, he said. It is a life sentence and something that will never be served. Amid concerns about cuts to youth services, he warned that young people left with nothing to do will get involved in devastating criminality linked to gangs in their communities. Gary Dobson was given a life sentence at the Old Bailey after being tried for murdering Stephen Lawrence a second time (PA) Stephen had spent a normal evening playing video games at his uncles house with friend Duwayne Brooks OBE on the night he was killed. The pair left at around 10pm to catch a bus in Well Hall Road, Eltham, where Mr Brooks saw a group of six young white men moving towards them as Stephen went to check for the bus. He heard one of the youths saying what, what n***er? before the group surrounded Stephen and stabbed him twice before fleeing. Stephen collapsed and bled to death after attempting to run away with a collapsed lung, dying just nine months after an Asian boy, Rohit Duggal, was stabbed to death outside a nearby kebab shop in Eltham. The original investigation into Stephens death was dogged by racism, incompetence and suspected corruption, seeing the Lawrence family themselves allegedly subjected to a smear campaign and surveillance. Their campaign for justice has resulted in a damning review of the original investigation that found serious flaws with troublesome and sinister causes. The 1998 Macpherson Report concluded that the Metropolitan Police was institutionally racist and recommended that a law meaning someone cannot be tried for the same crime twice should be lifted in murder cases, allowing Dobson to be convicted. A second inquiry in 2014 found that a flawed internal review piled more grief upon Stephens family and misled the public by denying wrongdoing. Scotland Yard detectives failed to arrest suspects when they were named or search their addresses in the days following the murder, causing vital evidence and interviews to be lost, while wrongly characterising the Lawrence family as difficult and denying them information. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 A separate investigation into alleged police corruption is underway, with 50 National Crime Agency investigators working under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Millions of documents have been collected from the Metropolitan Police and Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, alongside information from officers, lawyers, judges and members of the public. Investigators have been interviewing people involved in the original murder inquiry, witnesses and journalists, and said the inquiry was reaching a new phase earlier this year. A separate inquiry into undercover policing is also examining claims that police moles infiltrated campaign groups supporting the Lawrence family. Scotland Yard said it was keeping his parents updated on the investigation but that without new information it is unlikely to progress further. Chris Le Pere, the senior investigator, said: We understand that 25 years is a poignant anniversary of the tragedy of the murder of Stephen, and our thoughts remain very much with those who loved him, and feel his loss. There is still the opportunity for someone who knows what happened that night, to have a conscience and come forward. I would say to you, it is never too late to do the right thing. Mr Lawrence said he believed that in death his son, who aspired to become an architect, had become a legend. When these boys killed my son Stephen, they created a legend, he said. There is debate about racism, there are organisations set up to help to make people understand about racism, the police have been put under the spotlight because of Stephen's death. Companies House has been lambasted for trumpeting the prosecution of a whistleblower who used Vince Cable's name to expose a gaping loophole exploited by fraudsters. The government agency hailed the conviction of 65-year-old businessman Kevin Brewer last month as the first ever secured under a law passed in 2006. It issued an official statement from business minister Andrew Griffiths claiming it showed their determination to "come down hard on people who knowingly break the law". However, as he made abundantly clear, Brewer submitted the name of the Liberal Democrat leader in a pointed protest at how easy it is to register false details with the authority. He documented his actions in the pages of a national newspaper. He was fined 1,602 and ordered to pay more than 10,400 in costs after pleading guilty to providing false information on the company register. He could have faced up to two years in jail if he had fought the case in the Crown Court. The case was described as "absolutely insane", "shocking" and a "farce", with one commenter on social media calling for funds to be raised to cover Mr Brewer's loss. Many pointed out that far from being a triumph for Companies House, the lone prosecution throws into stark relief the lack of action it has taken against others responsible for setting up false companies often with rather less laudable aims. The Italian Mafia reportedly managed to set up one UK firm with a director named as Ottavio Il Ladro di Galline ("The Chicken Thief"), whose occupation is listed as Truffatore ("fraudster"). Another company had an address which translated as "Street of the 40 Thieves" in "Ali Babba", according to the London Evening Standard. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy confirmed in October 2017 it had taken no action against those responsible. Italian journalists also set out to reveal weaknesses in the Companies House system by trying to set up a company based at 10 Downing Street using the name of a notorious mafia boss. They chose to stop the process before paying the 12 registration fee to avoid breaking the law. Companies House does not carry out background checks on who sets up firms and has just six people policing the system, according to a report by Transparency International. Hundreds of UK companies are alleged to have been involved in high-end money laundering and Companies House has been branded a "soft target for real criminals". Brewer first attempted to expose the potential for fraud in 2013 by registering John Vincent Cable Services Ltd on the Companies House website with Vince Cable listed as a director. He then wrote to Mr Cable, then Business Secretary, to tell him what he had done. Mr Brewer repeated the stunt in 2016 using the names of James Cleverly MP and Baroness Neville-Rolfe, who was at that time the minister responsible for the agency. Companies House finally took action - by getting the Insolvency Service to charge Brewer with a criminal offence. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Mr Brewer told The Daily Mirror he was gobsmacked by the prosecution and said: I highlighted an issue and then wrote to those concerned and told them what I have done and asked to meet to discuss the problems but was ignored. "Then out of the blue they decided to prosecute me for being a whistleblower. Companies House said that the case was referred for prosecution after Mr Brewer ignored a warning about the seriousness of the offence to set up the second fake company in 2016. A spokesman said: "Companies House will consider all complaints and prioritise allegations of offending where it is persistent, repeated or wilful. Companies House refers such cases to prosecuting authorities." Russian hackers are targeting millions of devices around the world to spy, steal information and build networks for potentially devastating future cyberattacks, the US and UK have revealed. The first ever joint technical alert from the two countries urged members of the public and businesses to help combat vulnerabilities with basic security precautions. Ciaran Martin, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) an arm of British intelligence agency GCHQ said Russia was its most capable hostile adversary in cyberspace. In a call with The Independent and other outlets, he said all attacks uncovered by American security services had directly affected the UK, including intrusion into the energy sector. This is sustained targeting of multiple entities over months that we believe the Russian state to be behind, Mr Martin added. The purpose of these attacks could be espionage, the theft of intellectual property and they could be positioned for use in times of tension. There are millions of machines being globally targeted, trying to seize control over connectivity. The total is believed to include tens of thousands of home devices in the UK alone, which could be used at scale for wider operations. US to impose new sanctions on Russia in wake of Syria chemical attack, says UN ambassador Nikki Haley Security services admitted they do not know the full scale of attacks by state-sponsored Russian hackers, who are using routers connecting peoples homes and offices to the internet to spy on the information going through them, harvesting passwords, data and other information that could later be used in an attack. Mr Martin said some efforts are directly targeting the British government and critical national services, such as the NHS, where the crippling impact of North Koreas WannaCry attack showed the devastating potential of cyber warfare last year. Other targets include internet service providers and the private sector, providing a basic infrastructure to launch future operations. GCHQ has been tracking Russian actors for more than 20 years but the threat has come to renewed global attention following global ransomware incidents, power outages in Ukraine and alleged interference in foreign elections. American officials denied that Mondays pre-planned warning was linked to any increase in malicious activity following air strikes against the Kremlins Syrian allies on Saturday. Bombing targeting chemical weapons stores by the US, UK and France worsened tensions with Vladimir Putins government further following the Salisbury nerve agent attack, diplomatic expulsions and ongoing sanctions over the Ukrainian war. Rob Joyce, special assistant to Donald Trump and the US National Security Councils cyber security coordinator, said Russia was amassing a tremendous weapon but there was no specific intelligence on the targeting of elections. When we see malicious cyber activity, whether it be from the Kremlin or other malicious nation-state actors, we are going to push back and push back hard, he added, detailing cyber defence, sanctions and prosecutions. Mr Joyce said all elements of national power were being mounted against the threat, including counter-attacks and asymmetric warfare. Security services warned that global connectivity provided by the internet of things relied upon in modern life was being exploited and issued advice on how civilians and businesses can protect their devices, as well as national defences. Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Show all 24 1 /24 Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning United States Donald Trump has expelled 60 Russian diplomats from the US and closed the consulate in response to the Sergei Skripal spy poisoning. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Great Britain Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed Britain would be expelling 23 Russian diplomats. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Ukraine Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has expelled 13 Russian diplomats. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Germany Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel has expelled 4 Russian diplomats. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning France France's President Emmanuel Macron has also expelled 4 Russian diplomats. Reuters Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Poland Poland's President Andrzej Duda has expelled 4 Russian diplomats. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Lithuania President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite has expelled 3 Russian diplomats. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Czech Republic Czech Republic President Milos Zeman has also expelled 3 Russian diplomats. AFP Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Netherlands Netherlands Prime minister Mark Rutte has expelled 2 Russian diplomats. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Latvia Prime Minister of Latvia Maris Kucinskis has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Estonia Estonia's Prime Minister Juri Ratas has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Croatia Croatia President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Italy Italian President Sergio Mattarella has expelled 2 Russian diplomats. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Canada Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expelled 4 Russian diplomats. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Finland Finland's President Sauli Niinisto has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. Reuters Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Denmark Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has expelled 2 Russian diplomats. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Romania Romania's President Klaus Werner Iohannis has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Norway Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. REUTERS Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Spain Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has expelled 2 Russian diplomats. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Sweden Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Albania Albanian President Ilir Meta has expelled 2 Russian diplomats. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Australia Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has expelled 2 Russian diplomats. Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Macedonia Macedonia President Gjorge Ivanov has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. AFP/Getty Countries join UK expelling Russian diplomats over spy poisoning Hungary President of Hungary Janos Ader has expelled 1 Russian diplomat. AFP/Getty They stressed that threats came from countries other than Russia, as well as criminals seeking to profit. Switches, firewalls and Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) are also being exploited in what are known as man-in-the-middle attacks. Security weaknesses combined with a Russian government campaign to exploit these devices threatens the UK and USs safety, security, and economic well-being, the NCSC said. The Kremlin has denied persistent accusations of malicious cyber activity but last year Mr Putin conceded that patriotic Russian hackers may be acting in the fight against those who speak badly about Russia. Keir Giles, an expert in Russian information warfare at Chatham House, said the line between government, business and the criminal world was blurred. The bottom line is these attacks would not be coming from Russia without Russian state collusion if they wanted to stop it they could, he told The Independent. Mr Giles said Russias attacks had become more blatant due to a lack of deterrents during Barack Obamas administration. They have not cared for some time about being identified as the source of hostile activity, he added. Russia is far less concerned about being a rogue state because they have no reputation to maintain, they are behaving more like North Korea than the European nation they once pretended or aspired to be. This is just another symptom of Russia believing it is in an advanced state of conflict in the West in every domain apart from overt military clashes. Ewan Lawson, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI), said actors could be viewing browsing history, emails, messages or sending information elsewhere. The concern with the presence of someone on your network is are they simply there looking or as a preparatory measure for something more nefarious? the former RAF officer added. Either is bad. We havent seen a lot of damaging attacks yet but I believe were going to. If they were on a transport network, for example, the potential is there to disrupt train services. You could get into the signalling network. Read the full alert and advice here. A previous version of this article stated that billions of machines had been targeted, but the figure was changed to millions following clarification from the NCSC. For a murder that changed a nation, it received precious little attention when it first happened. On the evening of April 22 1993, 18-year-old aspiring architect Stephen Lawrence was set upon by a pack of white, racist youths as he waited at a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London. At first it seemed the young black man might survive. He managed to break free from his attackers and run a distance of some 222 metres. But then he collapsed bleeding from two fatal stab wounds. The racism was or should have been obvious from the start. Before they charged at their prey, the killers had shouted: what, what n****r? Recommended A mob steeped in violence with extensive links to underworld Among their number was David Norris, later caught by a police surveillance camera fantasising about being able to skin a black c*** alive. And Gary Dobson, seen by the same camera strutting about with a huge knife while boasting of confronting another n****r. Yet the first national journalist to reach the grieving Lawrence family was not a specialist in crime or race relations. It was The Independents then environment correspondent Nick Schoon, summoned by Stephens father Neville, who had done some plastering work on the journalists home (a coincidence that was to recur.) Perhaps significantly, Mr Lawrence had felt the need to explain that his son was serious about his A-Level studies, that he wasnt into fighting one bit. The resulting story was tucked away on page four, edited, as Schoon recalled it, Into a middling-length, inside-page piece about the latest run of racist murders in Greenwich. Twenty-five years ago, it seems, racist murders were not front page news. Neville Lawrence (PA) In 1993, to get the attention of the press and the public, the Lawrence family and their supporters repeatedly had to show that Stephen was a clean-living, honest young man with ambitions, and not a gangster. It seems that on the night of the murder, one Metropolitan police officer formed the view that this was a drug-related killing. The day after the murder, a letter giving the names of Norris, Dobson and two other suspects was left in a phone box. Within days of the stabbing, dozens of people had given the names of the suspected killers to police. But in July 1993 charges against five arrested suspects were dropped. There were suspicions that the investigation had been hampered by a possibly corrupt relationship between one detective and Norris gangster father. But more fundamentally there was the problem later defined by the inquiry judge Sir William Macpherson as institutional racism: the "collective failure of an organisation to provide a professional service through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people". It took six years and a public inquiry before Sir William published that conclusion in February 1999. To get there took a visit from Nelson Mandela, who met Neville and Doreen Lawrence and publicly stated that their sons murder showed It seems black lives are cheap. It took the failure of Neville and Doreens private murder prosecution, and an inquest which reached the verdict that Stephen had died in a completely unprovoked racist attack, despite the swaggering suspects refusal to answer questions. The Daily Mail took the unprecedented step of accusing the suspects and challenging them to sue the paper Most striking of all, though, it took the Daily Mails front page of February 14 1997, the day after the inquest. MURDERERS, it shouted, above the pictures of the mute inquest attendees. The Mail accuses these men of killing. If we are wrong, let them sue us. Neville Lawrence had also done plastering work on editor Paul Dacres house. Initially some rivals suspected a cynical stunt. Now it can be seen that whatever else the Mail got wrong, that front page was an act of astonishing moral and journalistic courage, with profound consequences. Seven months later, in July 1997, Labour home secretary Jack Straw announced that Macpherson, a retired High Court judge, would chair a public inquiry into the Lawrence murder. It was held, not in some hallowed legal chamber, but in Hannibal House, above south Londons Elephant and Castle shopping centre. At times, the drama surrounding the inquiry was extraordinary. When the five murder suspects left after giving evidence, they were pelted with eggs, hot coffee and bottles. David Norris responded by trading punches with some of the 200 demonstrators. But nothing compared with the drama of Sir Williams report, with its conclusion of institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police. Endorsing the report in the Commons in February 1999, Mr Straw looked directly at Doreen and Neville Lawrence, sitting in the public gallery, and praised their dignity, courage and determination. He told them that he wanted the Macpherson report to be a watershed in attitudes towards racism, a catalyst for permanent and irrevocable change, not just across our public services, but across the whole of society. Upon this report, said Mr Straw, We must build a lasting testament to Stephen. As the 25th anniversary approaches, Stephens death is being marked by interviews, analysis, a BBC documentary series. And yet it still might be possible to overlook just what a watershed it became. The Macpherson report didnt just coin the new phrase "institutional racism". It made 70 recommendations, and 67 of them had produced specific changes in practice or law within two years of the reports publication. So many of these are now so taken for granted or so bemoaned as political correctness that it may come as a surprise to learn that they have not been around forever. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Before the Stephen Lawrence murder and Macpherson report, the police, immigration service and many other public bodies were exempt from race relations legislation. A year after Macpherson, the Race Relations (Amendment) Act placed a legal obligation on public bodies including the police to promote good relations, while protecting any victims they might discriminate against. The Macpherson report defined a racist incident as any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person. In so doing, it imposed a far stronger obligation on the police to investigate hate crime. The creation of the Independent Police Complaints Commission in 2004 was a response to the Lawrence familys deep frustration with the existing system and Macphersons recommendation that allegations against the police be investigated by a body that was truly separate from it. Other recommendations led to the introduction of detailed recruitment and retention targets for black and Asian police officers. And beyond the police, beyond its specific recommendations, the Macpherson report prompted wider soul-searching. Across the country, individuals, institutions, and private companies came to ask themselves whether they too might be institutionally racist. The report may not have introduced the concept of diversity, but it did help make it a buzzword. There was a deep-seated cultural change, Straw claimed in 2013. The pervasive, open racism of the fifties and sixties, the pernicious, sniggering racism of the seventies, eighties and nineties is gone. If that suggests something of a Hollywood ending, it should be said that in 2018, there remain more than a few voices suggesting that the Stephen Lawrence story shouldnt be quite be so neatly packaged. Speaking to The Independent on Monday, Tola Munro, president of the National Black Police Association (NBPA), revealed: I was having a private conversation with a chief constable. He said of his own force that it was institutionally racist. That was last month. Mr Munro said this, not to deny that progress has been made, but to show that it has been patchy. And so he praised the good work done by the police forces of Bedfordshire, West Midlands, and Avon and Somerset. But he also pointed out that the Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently investigating claims of discrimination at Cleveland Police - allegations that the NBPA suspects might amount to institutional racism - 25 years after the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Other relatively recent employment tribunal cases, said Mr Munro, suggested that ethnic minority police officers were still being discriminated against because of the colour of their skin. Among them were cases involving London police officers. The black, gay police officer Kevin Maxwell complained of being hounded out of the Metropolitan Police in 2012 after raising concerns about racist and homophobic behaviour by some counter-terrorism officers Carol Howard, poster girl for Scotland Yards Olympics security operation in 2012, was ruled by a tribunal in 2014 to have been victimised because of her race. Being used as a token, Ms Howard told the tribunal hearing, even stretched to the irony of having to drive Doreen Lawrence from Brixton to Kensington to demonstrate to [her] that the organisation had come a long way as here I stood as a successful black female officer." Tola Munro (NBPA) Such cases, Mr Munro said, point to a wider problem of police forces failing to retain and progress BAME officers. Only about two per cent of officers of assistant chief constable rank or above are BAME, he said, and the UK has only ever had one black chief constable. You have got to look at those figures, says Mr Munro, And ask the reason for them, and consider the possibility that your processes and behaviour might be institutionally racist. It is a controversial view. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has told the BBC: The Met is a completely different organisation to the one it was when Stephen was killed. We're much more diverse. We are so much more open. The Stephen Lawrence inquiry and the endless campaigning [of the Stephen Lawrence family] has helped change the face, professionalism and attitude of the Metropolitan police service. A Scotland Yard spokesman told The Independent: Our officers' response, when a small minority of their colleagues are found to be guilty of racist behaviour, can leave others in no doubt that there is no place for racism within the Metropolitan Police. In September 2016 the Equality and Human Rights Commission published the findings of their investigation into how the Met managed internal complaints of discrimination. The Met has delivered a significant number of improvements. Mr Munro further suggested that nationwide, progress has also been patchy when it comes to operational policing: while the police are now much stronger at dealing with hate crime, the statistics are far less encouraging when it comes to stop and search. In February 1999 Jack Straw had told the Commons he hoped such powers would be used more effectively and fairly. But in October 2017 new figures revealed that black people were eight times more likely to be stopped and searched than whites. That was actually worse than the disparity in the year Stephen Lawrence was killed: in 1993 a black person was five times more likely to be stopped and searched. For Mr Munro, there was a clear conclusion: those forces which have been willing to confront the implications of being called institutionally racist, have been able to progress. But, he said, Those forces which have avoided it or refused to speak about it are, sadly, still in denial. That, he added, Is the lived experience of my members. When there is an operational necessity, with an issue like knife crime, a chief officer might say We want our BAME officers out there speaking to people. But then we go back to being invisible, apart from dismissals. I find myself having to say the same thing over and over again. It makes me quite frustrated and very disappointed. And it does indeed seem that major anniversaries of the Stephen Lawrence murder have developed an unfortunate tendency to bring forth what could be seen as glaring examples of just how far from perfect the situation remains. In 2013, 20 years after the murder, Surrey had a new Police and Crime Commissioner, Kevin Hurley. Three months after being elected on a zero tolerance ticket and two years after leaving the Metropolitan Police, the ex-Detective Chief Superintendent told a local newspaper the Macpherson report was the result of post-colonial guilt. In 2003, 10 years after the murder, BBC Panorama reported on the experiences of a reporter who had gone undercover as a police trainee. Mark Daly found himself being told by a fellow recruit that Stephen Lawrence had deserved to die. He f***ing derserved it and his mum and dad are a f***ing pair of spongers, the trainee constable said. The Macpherson report a kick in the bollocks for any white man. Mr Daly has now revealed how he showed the footage to Doreen Lawrence in a BBC editing suite. Stephen Lawrences mother, he said, had not seemed surprised. She had simply said: Its just like we thought. Doreen Lawrence (GETTY) Doreen Lawrence, made Baroness Lawrence in 2013, may never have accepted the injustice meted out to her son, but she has developed a steely realism about it. In 2012 she had the satisfaction of seeing Dobson and David Norris convicted of murder, after changes to the double jeopardy rules made partly because of Stephens case - allowed them to be tried on new evidence. That, though, left the widespread impression that three other suspected racist killers had evaded proper justice. And this month, in an interview to mark the 25th anniversary, Lady Lawrence suggested the continuing investigation into her sons murder should now be closed if it really had no more worthwhile leads to investigate. I don't think they have any more lines of inquiry, Lady Lawrence said. If they've come to the end, they should be honest, say they've come to an end and stop. It seemed, perhaps, to suggest that a nation could change, and that some progress, however faltering or limited, could be made - but that after the racist murder of a teenager at a south London bus stop, there were some things that could never be put right. In-depth knowledge of Rotterdam in Britain tends to extend little further than the lyrics of the eponymous Beautiful South song, but with Brexit looming on the horizon, what happens here will be crucial to the daily lives of people across the UK. The port of Rotterdam is huge. By far the largest and busiest in Europe, it has been expanded every decade since the Second World War and now juts so far out into sea on reclaimed land that it takes less time to drive to neighbouring The Hague from the centre of town than it does to the tip of the citys own harbour. Its cranes and docks stretch out further than the eye can see even on a clear day which today, it isnt flanked by motorways and freight railways, and criss-crossed with ever-present Dutch bike paths. From a perspective of rationality its always hard for us to understand Brexit, says Mark Dijk, the Rotterdam port authoritys external affairs manager. In some ways, the port is already at the heart of the British economy: its size and depth means that the very biggest ships coming to Europe from East Asia can unload their wares here its the only place they fit. We are also a hub for the UK. All the deep-sea ships from China are coming into Rotterdam, and their goods are then going into shallow water ships to the UK, says Dijk. A high-tech roll-off-roll-on (RoRo) system means that products ranging from electronics to fruit enter the European single market and customs union in the Netherlands, then hours later are moved back onto smaller ships for their final voyage across the channel to Britain. Currently, British supermarkets have a 2pm cut-off time to order something from the port to arrive on their lorries at warehouses by 5am the next day. This is possible because Britains EU membership means that these goods only face one bit of bureaucracy on their way but that looks about to change. As port of Rotterdam we realised somewhere in September, October last year that something is really going to happen, Dijk says. We decided we have to do something about it. There are around 3,000 companies here, theyre not all doing business with the UK, but most of them are. The EU says Theresa Mays decision to leave the customs union and single market a decision taken under her now sacked chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill will inevitably produce frictions to trade and necessitate customs checks. But delays could have a serious effect on the supply chain of British businesses. This is especially the market that is focusing on high speed supply chains. Sometimes with containers, if youre a day late youre fine. But if you have fresh flowers going to the UK, every day youre late you lose 30 per cent of your profit, says Renske Schoenmaker, a business manager at the port dealing in containers and logistics. Another possible effect of Britains exit from the customs union and single market, she says, is that extra delays at the port will dramatically increase the number of trucks needed. Thats a big worry with the trailer companies at the moment. Because of the supply chains, theyre able to do a round trip in 24 hours now. So as soon as you have an obstruction somewhere you need two trailers to do the same work. Speaking to the port officials, their main concern is the uncertainty that is still hanging over the Brexit process. The final customs deal struck between Britain and the EU will be crucial, says Schoenmaker particularly how long shipping companies will need to give advance notice to customs authorities of their load. If thats not early enough, that will mean they need to wait, she adds a state of affairs that would inevitably raise costs and add delays to the system. From a perspective of rationality its always hard for us to understand Brexit, says Dijk (Getty) (Getty Images) Whispered reports of a possible U-turn by the British government on leaving the customs union have raised hopes here, but Rotterdams port authorities are not taking any chances. Theyre preparing for a hard Brexit: if Britain goes out and defaults to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules without a deal, they expect thing to get very messy. If there will be full physical checks by the customs, a WTO scenario, that could come up to 8 or 9km or traffic jams, says Dijk. The port authorities show The Independent a report by the Dutch ministry of infrastructure titled Gaan we het schip in? (a maritime-themed idiom that roughly translates as are we going to be screwed?) that anticipates an eventual cumulative 50 per cent reduction in trade growth with Britain as a result of Britains departure. We want to be ready in March 2019, says Dijk, who is concerned that the UK Parliament could reject a deal and potentially see Britain crash out. (British MEPs present in the room at the time insist that the government is bluffing; that rejection of a deal would simply see Brexit paused and the UK return to the negotiating table, but the port manager is not convinced.) If we want to broaden a road or expand a terminal, its almost impossible to do it from March 2019. We see the whole of Brexit as a lose-lose scenario, he says. A thick fog carpets the entire port as we drive half an hour from its offices to the middle of the refinery section, which deals with oil and liquid gas. Despite the massive land reclamation, space here is limited and there simply would not be the room for huge numbers of extra places for queueing lorries. What is still needed to complete a deal with the EU? Still, the port is trying to prepare. Nationally, Dutch customs is hiring 730 customs officers thanks to Brexit, but that number could grow up to 950 between Schipol airport and the port. Theyve already had 3,000 applications, with a curiously disproportionate number of CVs from people with a military background. Dutch people like to work in customs, one official quips. The port authority, which is jointly owned by the municipality of Rotterdam and the Dutch government, is also worried for itself about the political implications of Britain leaving. Britain and the Netherlands have long been political allies on free trade issues, and supported each others common approach to business in the European institutions. Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters We dont get state subsidies, like the UK ports, but all the other 26 member states ports do get state subsidies, Dijk says. Within the European Sea Ports Organisation we always had a good alliance with the UK ports. But if theyre not in it anymore, that will also harm us. Catherine Bearder, a Liberal Democrat MEP who is visiting the port as part of a fact-finding delegation of British politicians in the European Parliament, warns that Rotterdams preparations are putting the British government to shame. The UK government is not nearly as prepared for Brexit as the Dutch are. Frankly, its embarrassing, she told The Independent. British supermarkets rely on zero delays at the border. Brexit seriously threatens shoppers from getting their food on time at a good price. In Rotterdam, theyre getting on with preparing for the lose-lose situation. Gathering dark clouds 16 April, 2018 By Asif Haroon Raja Muslims of East Bengal were the worst affected region during the British rule and had ardently yearned for Pakistan to free themselves from the cruel crutches of Hindu-British combine that had turned them into serfs. Birth of Pakistan was seen as a miracle of 20th century. Its survival under extreme odds was indeed a bigger miracle. Pundit Nehru had eyes on East Pakistan (EP) soon after the birth of Pakistan. Links were established with Bengali political leaders to sow seeds of misgivings in their minds. India had a hand in the 1953 language issue which created bad blood between the people of East and West Pakistan. Influential Hindu minority in East Pakistan particularly Hindu intelligentsia, businessmen, teachers and professors were to play a key role in poisoning the minds of Bengalis. It took India 24 years to subvert the minds of Bengalis, who were in the vanguard of Pakistan movement, influence them to hate West Pakistan and to consider India as their friends. Illegal occupation of two-thirds Kashmir by Indian military became a bone of contention between the two arch rivals. After India failed to defeat and destroy Pakistan armed forces in the 1965 Indo-Pak war and all its ground and air attacks were grounded, it decided to breakup Pakistan using indirect strategy of initially weakening it from within through subversion and political destabilization and then using the military instrument. East Pakistan located 1000 miles away from West Pakistan with no ground linkage and surrounded by India from three directions was chosen as a target and for the achievement of its objective, Awami League leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was taken on board in 1963. His six -point plan was a route to secession. The conspiracy to create Bangladesh was stepped up by newly created RAW in 1968. It helped Mujib and his team of conspirators to create Mukti Bahini, intensify Bengali nationalism and sweep the 1970 elections. A plane hijacking drama was engineered in January 1971 and the incident was used as an excuse to sever east-west air flights to isolate EP. Pakistan had to use long circuitous air route via Colombo to reach Dacca. After postponement of Constituent Assembly inaugural session at Dacca on 01 March 1971, Mujib adopted an uncompromising defiant posture. He let the Mukti Bahini carry out systematic slaughter and rape of West Pakistanis and pro-Pakistan Bengalis and created a state within state. To stop his madness, Gen Yahya was impelled to launch a military operation, which led to province wide civil war. Isolated and outnumbered Pak forces recaptured all the lost towns and restored order in record time of less than two months. Indira Gandhi had however made up her mind to dismember Pakistan and she not only thwarted all reconciliatory attempts made by Pakistan, but tasked Gen Manekshaw to organize guerrilla war in EP and then wage a war. 59 training camps were established for 2, 80,000 rebels. Indian soldiers dressed in civil clothes assisted them. It took India nine months to create desired conditions to launch its military in November 1971. Former Soviet Union that had signed Treaty of Friendship with India in August 1971 extended full support to India in this venture. USA, Israel, Afghanistan and some Arab countries supported India, while China was contained by Soviet forces. Since separation of EP was a pre-planned international conspiracy, none came to the rescue of Pakistan when it was being brutally vivisected. On December 16, 1971 the eastern limb was severed and Bangladesh created. RAW started making inroads in Sindh and in Baluchistan from 1973 onward by supporting Sindhu Desh movement and Baloch insurgency. It also maintained contacts with ANP in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Saraikis in Multan-Bahawalpur regions and Balwaristan movement in Gilgit-Baltistan. 5th columnists, nationalist politicians and disgruntled elements were also kept in the loop. Purpose was to stoke provincialism and induce the people of smaller province to rebel against Punjab. Baloch insurgency in 1970s was fully supported by RAW. Likewise, Al-Zulfiqar was also extended full support from 1980 till 1994. After 9/11, India got a real chance to carry out yet another 1971 like surgical operation. This time a new band of conspirators ganged up with India to weaken Pakistan internally through sabotage, subversion and propaganda, discredit, isolate and denuclearize it and then further fragment it into four parts. Operation Blue Tulsi launched by the adversaries in 1994 to disable Pakistans nuclear program was given a fillip through war on terror to bleed Pakistan. This was reinforced with fifth generation war to demonize Pakistan and its premier institutions. The conspirators used Afghanistan as the base of operation and started weaving a web around Pakistan in 2002 to destabilize it and economically weaken it through covert operations. In the last 15 years, their proxies have inflicted 75,000 human casualties and caused an economic loss of $123 billion. The sold out media has helped in polarizing the political parties, dividing the society, demonising the incumbent government and creating uncertainty. Their exterior manoeuvre has isolated Pakistan and spoilt its image despite Pak militarys outstanding performance in the war on terror. Get Pakistan operation assumed urgency after the inauguration of CPEC in 2015 which has all the ingredients to make Pakistan socially integrated, politically stable, economically and militarily strong and self-reliant. The conspirators have now become desperate to either scuttle CPEC or else dismember Pakistan. The conspirators have thus far not been able to achieve their sinister objectives despite inflicting thousands of cuts on the body of Pakistan and its people. The bloody operation has not reached its logical end due to nuclear deterrence and Herculean resistance put up by Pakistan armed forces, ISI, and the people. India-US defence relations in recent years have moved along an upward trajectory. After the US signed the civil nuclear deal signed in 2008 and gave India access to Nuclear Suppliers Group, the two countries signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum, Maritime agreement and Strategic Communications agreement in 2015, which were China and Pakistan specific. On December 8, 2016, USA designated India as its major defence partner with a view to expand bilateral defense cooperation between both nations. This was announced by visiting US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter in Delhi. The designation has placed India among the closest allies and partners of US. Encouraged by USA, India has subjected Pakistan to multi-dimensional overt and covert wars as under: 1. Indias RAW in collusion with NDS and CIA is involved in biggest ever proxy war against Pakistan from the soil of Afghanistan. 2. Indias 7,50,000 security forces having converted Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) into an open prison are breaking all records of human rights violations and barbarities against the Muslim Kashmiris. 3. Operation All Out has been launched in IOK to systematically eliminate Kashmiri youth. Hindu Pundits and retired armed forces persons are being settled in IOK to change the demography of Kashmir. 4. India with the help of USA after tying the hands of Pakistan and restraining it to provide arms to the freedom fighters, has been exerting pressure on Pakistan to stop extending political and moral support to Kashmiris and forget Kashmir. 5. To hide its massive human rights violations in Kashmir, India constantly accuses Pakistan of abetting terrorism in IOK. 6. Indian military has under a calculated design kept the Line of Control and Working Boundary in Kashmir hot through almost daily ceasefire violations inflicting casualties on soldiers and civilians. Over 400 firing incidents have taken place in last 3 months killing 18 civilians. Indian Army Chief Gen Bipen has admitted that its being done to maximize pressure on Pakistan. Another purpose behind constant firing across de-facto border is to hide its massive human rights violations in IOK and to distract attention away from its illegal and brutal occupation of Kashmir. 7. Water terrorism unleashed by India to make Pakistan dry is part of the overall scheme to force Pakistan to bend to its dictates. Rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi have been dried up, while water flow in Rivers Jhelum, Chenab and Indus reduced. 8. India has now started persistently harassing Pakistan diplomatic staff and their families in New Delhi. 9. India is an important player in the hybrid war launched against Pakistan to destabilise it politically, weaken its economy, foment discontentment, and create cleavages in the society, unrest, uncertainty and chaos. 10. In collaboration with USA, India is making all out efforts to internationally isolate Pakistan, blacklist it and put it under sanctions. 11. India is also systematically encircling Pakistan by placing its military in IOK and Siachin, establishing itself in Afghanistan, gaining operational control of Chabahar port in Iran, gaining access to Duqm port in Gulf of Oman and forging close ties with Arab Gulf States. 12. India has hung the sword of Cold Start doctrine over the head of Pakistan and is hurling threats of surgical strikes and limited war. 13. India is goading and inciting USA to carry out drone attacks in FATA, Baluchistan and also in urban centres against suspected hideouts of terrorists. Since August 2017, Pakistan has been in the eye of storm in the US. President Trump and his administration have been on a rampage to punish Pakistan for the US own failures in Afghanistan, constantly portraying it as a security state harbouring extremists and terrorists. The US is hurling warnings and threats to Pakistan to dismantle alleged safe havens of Haqqani network and Afghan Taliban on its soil and to help the US in winning war in Afghanistan. No amount of explanations has mellowed the anger of Trump administration and it is hell-bent to penalise Pakistan for its uncommitted sins. The allegations made on the country are baseless and mischievous and at best, questionable. The US has failed to provide proofs to substantiate their accusations. After putting Pakistan on notice and suspending $ 900 million close support fund, the US then decided to put Pakistan in the grey list of countries financing terrorist groups and then pave the way to blacklist it. Pakistan was accused by the US of non-compliance of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) rules and regulations on terrorism financing. The joint motion moved by USA and UK in the FATF meeting last March was thwarted by China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Russia. Pakistan has gained a temporary reprieve for next three months because of several steps it had taken to control money laundering in the last few months and its impressive results achieved in controlling terrorism. Even Pakistans closest friends like China and Gulf States were finding it difficult to defend Pakistan on the issue of terrorism as was evident in last FATF meeting where great majority of 37 members had voted against Pakistan. Suspension of military aid by the US surprisingly did not come as a shock to Pakistans civil and military leadership. On the contrary, US got a kick in the teeth when Pakistan reacted calmly, calling US a friend who always betrays. The US was told that Pakistan doesnt need US aid but wants its sacrifices and achievements in war on terror to be acknowledged. Pakistan has made it clear that it hasnt spared any terror group and all terror groups are now based in Afghanistan. While Pakistan has flushed out all the terrorist groups in FATA and settled areas of KP, in Afghanistan there are 21 terrorist groups and the latest addition is Daesh (Khurasan chapter). Sanctuaries of Pakistan focussed TTP, Jamaat-e-Ahrar, Lashkar-e-Islam are well-known and communicated to Afghan government and Resolute Support Group Commander. The US has not eliminated any, or has helped Pakistan in fencing the western border, or in extraditing the Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan since 1979 that have now become a security hazard. Resolution of these three aspects will greatly resolve the issue of illegal cross border movement and terrorism and will restore peace in Af-Pak region. Sadly! Peace in Afghanistan go against the imperialist interests of USA or India. They say every dark cloud has a silver lining. In its 70-year turbulent history, Pakistan has been continuously subjected to conspiracies. Ongoing conspiracy woven in 2001 is much more dangerous than the 1971 international conspiracy. There is reason to believe that the political imbroglio which is enfeebling the economy is foreign abetted. Although this country is engulfed by a few hydra-headed problems and has been labeled as a failing state, its resilience has been a prominent feature of these seven decades of existence. Prophets of doom had predicted that Pakistan will not exist beyond 2017. Therefore its survival amidst all the speculations is by far its biggest success. Undoubtedly, Pakistan will weather the storm and will come out stronger than before. The writer is a retired Brig, war veteran, defence, security and political analyst, columnist, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre. asifharoonraja@gmail.com The number of beds in homeless shelters has plummeted since the Conservatives came to power, despite homelessness having soared in the same period, The Independent has learnt. Bed space for single homeless people in England has dropped by almost a fifth since 2010 amid government funding cuts and local council belt-tightening. There are now significantly fewer places for single homeless people to go, despite the number needing somewhere to spend the night having rocketed. Since 2010, homelessness and rough sleeping have risen in every year. The number of people sleeping rough has risen by 169 per cent, while the figure for people being declared homeless by local councils is up 48 per cent. Despite the worsening problem, research by the charity Homeless Link, which represents providers of homelessness services, found there were more than 8,000 fewer bed spaces for single homeless people in England than there were in 2010. The fall, from 42,655 to 34,497, equates to a 19 per cent reduction, and a 3 per cent drop in the last year alone. With around 77,000 single people estimated to be homeless on any given night, it means there are now only enough beds for less than half the people who need them. Homelessness charities said the decrease in bed capacity was a direct result of government cuts, while Labour called the finding shameful. The governments Supporting People programme, which is a major source of funding for homeless shelters, has been cut by 59 per cent since 2010, Homeless Link said. At the same time, local councils have seen their budgets slashed by an average of 40 per cent. In the last year alone, 39 per cent of homelessness providers said their funding had decreased, while 38 per cent reported no change in funding over the past 12 months. Despite the escalating homelessness problem, only 15 per cent of providers reported an increase in funding. The causes of homelessness Show all 7 1 /7 The causes of homelessness The causes of homelessness Family Breakdown Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted The causes of homelessness Complex needs Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless Getty/iStock The causes of homelessness Deprivation Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Gang Crime Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Exclusion From School Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Leaving Care Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Refugees Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless Getty Images/iStockphoto Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, said: A 59 per cent decrease in Supporting People funding since 2010 and a removal of its ring fence, along with other local authority funding cuts, have resulted in a fall in bed spaces in services for single homeless people, as councils have been forced to make tough budgetary decisions. This decline is very concerning given that levels of single homelessness and rough sleeping have risen every year over the same period. People who become homeless are extremely vulnerable, and continued investment in homelessness services is vital to ensure individuals receive swift and effective support to help end their homelessness for good. A further challenge comes from a lack of low cost and appropriate housing, which is preventing people from moving on from homelessness supported housing once they are ready, causing a silt-up effect that denies others a much-needed bed space. There is an urgent need to address the housing crisis so that provision is better targeted to those who need it the most. 'I'd have starved without this place': Homeless shelter in office block faces eviction by court order Some regions have been hit particularly hard. In the last year alone, London has lost almost one in 10 of its homeless shelter beds, while the East Midlands recorded an 11 per cent fall between 2016 and 2017. Every region except Yorkshire and the Humber saw the number of beds for homeless people either fall or remain the same last year. John Healey, Labours shadow housing secretary, said: These shameful figures show the consequences of crude government cuts to homelessness services. Even as homelessness is rising, the number of hostel bed spaces is falling. Homelessness fell under Labour but has risen relentlessly since 2010. A Labour government will end rough sleeping within our first term in office, and tackle the root causes of rising homelessness. Local government budget cuts hit areas with highest homelessness hardest, Labour says By Ashley Cowburn, Political Correspondent Austerity cuts to local government are hitting areas with the highest amounts of homelessness the hardest, according to analysis by Labour. And according to the party, of the 10 council areas with the highest levels of homelessness in the country, nine are controlled by Labour and one by the Conservatives. It says that on average these local authorities will see budgets cut by 799 per household by the end of the decade. The analysis claims that Newham, which has the third highest level of homelessness in the country with 1,206 accepted as homeless and in priority need, will experience the second largest cut in council spending of any area by 2019-20. It comes as the party launches its social housing review on Monday with insiders promising plans for a house building revolution forming part of Labours local election offering. Amid mounting criticism of their response to rising homelessness, government ministers set up a cross-departmental taskforce to try to get a grip on the issue. However, ministers faced criticism when it emerged it had taken almost four months for the group to hold its first meeting. The government says it is tackling homelessness through the recently-introduced Homelessness Reduction Act, which forces local councils to prevent people becoming homeless, but town halls say this must be accompanied by a significant increase in funding. Mr Henderson said the new law would help ease the burden on homeless shelters. Under the Homelessness Reduction Act, local authorities must now intervene earlier to stop people from becoming homeless in the first place, and we are confident that this will help ease the pressure on existing services, he said. Homeless families, particularly those with children, are often classed as being in priority need, meaning councils have a legal duty to find them a home, but single people are usually deemed not to be a priority, leaving many relying on homeless shelters. Almost one in five people accepted as homeless are not considered to be in priority need, and therefore receive little support from local councils. A government spokesman said: Everyone deserves a safe place to live and we have already implemented a range of measures to tackle homelessness that have been welcomed by charities. We have introduced the Homelessness Reduction Act, made housing benefit available for 18-21 year olds on Universal Credit and brought in extra rent support for people moving from housing benefit to UC. The Government is providing over 1.2 billion up to 2020 to reduce all forms of homelessness and we are investing in a Fair Chance Programme to support 18 to 25-year-olds with specific needs to help them find suitable accommodation and support. The Prince of Wales should not automatically take over from the Queen as the head of the Commonwealth, Jeremy Corbyn has said. The Labour leader said the 53 countries of the association should choose who succeeds the Queen, suggesting the holder of the post could be decided on a rotational basis. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson, pressed on BBC1s The Andrew Marr Show as to whether he would like to see Charles take on the role, replied: That is a matter for the 53. Mr Corbyn earlier told the same programme: I think the Commonwealth ought to really get a chance to decide who its own head is in the future. Prince Charles spoke at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games earlier this month (Reuters) The Queen clearly is personally very committed to the Commonwealth but after her I think maybe its a time to say well actually the Commonwealth should decide who its own president is on a rotational basis. Commonwealth secretary-general Baroness Scotland of Asthal, asked about Mr Corbyns comments, told ITVs Peston on Sunday said: Fifty-three heads of government are the heads and they will make a decision in whatever way they determine. Lady Scotland sidestepped questions over her personal preference, reiterating it was for the member countries to decide. The trios remarks came before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), which starts on Tuesday in London. Mr Johnson also dismissed suggestions the government should apologise for wrongs carried out by the British state to other Commonwealth countries. He said: That hasnt been suggested to me by any Commonwealth leader, foreign minister or sherpa of the summit that Ive met so far. Mr Johnson added: Its not a proposal that, as I understand, carries much support amongst the 53. Mr Corbyn had said it is very important that Britain recognises its historical role in many of these issues, including the treatment of people in Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising. He said: Theres been a sort of apology given on that. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 On the Chagos Islands, its an issue Ive been very closely involved with for a very long time, that is going to come up at Chogm, no question about that, and I think its important the British government just recognises what Britain did with the Chagos islanders was immoral, was wrong and brutal. Put it right and give them their right of return. Chagossians were forced to leave the central Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for a major United States military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands. This agreement with the US secured a discount on the Polaris nuclear weapons system for the UK. The expulsions are regarded by some as one of the most shameful parts of Britains modern colonial history. Press Association Theresa May has faced MPs to defend her decision to launch air strikes against the Syrian government, but ducked calls to give parliament a retrospective vote on the matter. Speaking in the House of Commons, the prime minister dismissed suggestions the government had followed the whims of Donald Trump and insisted she had taken the decision to launch strikes because it was in the UKs national interest. But she faced criticism from MPs, including some on her own benches, for not seeking a vote of parliament before launching the strikes. Instead, the Commons is likely to vote on the issue on Tuesday after Jeremy Corbyn was granted permission for a debate on intervention in Syria. MPs also discussed the matter during another debate, called by Labour backbencher Alison McGovern, on Monday night. There had earlier been suggestions the government could give MPs a retrospective vote on military action, but ministers refused to do so. During a Commons statement and more than three hours answering questions from MPs, Ms May defended her decision to order the RAF to join the US and France in launching strikes designed to cripple Bashar al-Assads regimes chemical weapons capabilities. Air strikes were launched against three Syrian military facilities on Saturday morning after reports that Syrian forces had used chemical weapons against civilians in the town of Douma. Defending her decision not to first consult parliament, Ms May told MPs: The speed with which we acted was essential in co-operating with our partners to alleviate further humanitarian suffering and to maintain the vital security of our operations. Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Show all 13 1 /13 Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, which was targeted by the US, UK and France air strikes. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center surrounded by papers and rubble. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Firefighrers extinguish smoke that rises from the damage. The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound . AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Part of a building collapsing, surrounded by the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damaged to the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier sprays water on the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syrian state news agency SANA reported several missiles hit a research centre in Barzeh, north of Damascus, "destroying a building that included scientific labs and a training centre". AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Damage to the Scientific Research Center building that was hit by the strikes. EPA Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The Scientific Studies and Research Centre was one of the targeted buildings by the US, UK and France. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damage to the centre. EPA She added: This was a limited, targeted strike on a legal basis that has been used before. And it was a decision which required the evaluation of intelligence and information much of which was of a nature that could not be shared with parliament. Ms May also dismissed claims she had acted only because Donald Trump asked her to. She said: Let me be absolutely clear: we have acted because it is in our national interest to do so. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. Theresa May on Douma chemical weapon attack: 'Such an atrocity... is a stain on our humanity' She added: So we have not done this because President Trump asked us to do so. We have done it because we believed it was the right thing to do. And we are not alone: there is broad based international support for the action we have taken. However, Mr Corbyn suggested the UK had blindly followed Mr Trump into legally questionable strikes and reiterated calls for a new War Powers Act to enshrine parliaments right to be given a vote before the UK engages in military action. The Labour leader said: This statement serves as a reminder that the prime minister is accountable to this parliament, not to the whims of the US president. We clearly need a War Powers Act in this country to transform a now broken convention into a legal obligation. He said of Ms May: Her predecessor came to this House to seek authority for military action in Libya and in Syria in 2015, and the House had a vote over Iraq in 2003. There is no more serious issue than the life and death matters of military action. It is right that parliament has the power to support or stop the government from taking planned military action. Mr Corbyns response was met with cries of shame from Conservative MPs and criticism from a number of his own backbenchers. Tory MP Dominic Grieve, a former attorney general, said the Labour leaders position meant any tyrant, megalomaniac, person intent on carrying out genocide, if they have the support of an amoral state within the [United Nations] Security Council, would be able to conduct that genocide with total impunity even if it was within our power to act to prevent it. Ms May replied: I absolutely agree with him, he is absolutely right. Kenneth Clarke criticises Theresa May for failure to consult parliament over Syria bombing Labour critics of Mr Corbyn also condemned his response. In a thinly-veiled attack on his party leader, Chris Leslie said: A policy of inaction also would have severe consequences and those who would turn a blind eye, who would do nothing in pursuit of some moral high ground, should also be held accountable today for once as well. John Woodcock said the UK had a proud history of advancing the principle of intervention to prevent humanitarian catastrophe, adding it would be shameful if that were abandoned now by people who in fact would not countenance intervention under any circumstances. A third Labour MP, Mike Gapes, added: Can I remind the prime minister and also the right honourable member for Islington North [Mr Corbyn] that it was a Labour government with Robin Cook as foreign secretary that carried out air strikes in Iraq under Operation Desert Fox in 1998 without a UN resolution, that it was a Labour government that restored President Kabbah in Sierra Leone without a UN resolution, that it was a Labour government that stopped the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo without a UN resolution and that there is a longstanding and noble tradition on these benches of supporting humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect. However, Mr Corbyns calls for parliament to be given a vote before troops are deployed were backed by several Conservatives, including veteran MP Ken Clarke. Once President Trump had announced to the world what he was proposing, a widespread debate was taking place everywhere, including many MPs in the media, but no debate in parliament, Mr Clarke said. He suggested the prime minister should establish a cross-party commission of some kind to set out precisely what the role of parliament is in modern times in the use of military power against another state. Mr Clarke also asked Ms May to clarify what exceptions, if any, there can be to the usual rule that the Government needs parliamentary approval for taking grave actions of this kind. Voicing similar concerns, Tory backbencher John Barron said: Such decisions are always difficult and prime ministers must retain the leeway to commit armed forces in extremis, but I hope that she will also understand that many are concerned, given our previous track record of errors in previous interventions and in Syria, that government should be properly scrutinised before committing troops. The government was criticised for refusing to give MPs a retrospective vote on military action. Ministers had tried to call an emergency debate on the matter but this was rejected by Commons speaker John Bercow, who instead granted a debate proposed by Labour backbencher Alison McGovern. Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Show all 21 1 /21 Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A picture released by the French Defence audiovisual communication and production unit (ECPAD) shows the launching of a cruise missile from a French military vessel in the Mediterranean sea towards targets in Syria overnight. The United States, France and Britain carried out a wave of punitive strikes against Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime in the early hours of April 14 in response to alleged chemical weapons attacks. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Rafale warplanes being prepared for take off at the Saint-Dizier aerial military base, eastern France. Media reports state that the United States, France and Britain launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for an apparent chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again. EPA Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Damascus skies erupt with missile fire as the US launches an attack on Syria targeting different parts of the capital. President Donald Trump announced airstrikes in retaliation for the country's alleged use of chemical weapons. AP Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A map show the location of the air strikes carried out by the US-led coalition in Syria overnight. US Department of Defense Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Royal Air Force tornado jets take off in the early hours from RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus to conduct air strikes in Syria. Four Tornado jets fired Storm Shadow missiles "at a military facility -- a former missile base -- some 15 miles (24 kilometres) west of Homs, where the regime is assessed to keep chemical weapon precursors," the defence ministry said in a statement. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Map of where the air strikes hit in Syria released by the Pentagon. A Syrian military statement says the US, Britain and France fired 110 missiles during a joint attack on targets in Damascus and outside. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A photo released on the Twitter page of Hezbollah's "Central War Media" account shows night footage of flares above Damascus seen through a night-vision device as Western strikes reportedly hit Syrian military bases and chemical research centres in and around Syria's capital. US, France, and Britain announced the joint operation. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Barzah research and development centre before and after the air strikes, released by the Pentagon. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker before the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker after the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site before and after the air strikes, released by the Pentagon. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site before the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site after the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A British military Typhoon aircraft lands at the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) of Akrotiri, a British overseas territory located ten kilometres west of the southern Cypriot port city of Limassol, following US, British and French strikes on Syria. Syrian state media slammed Western strikes on Saturday as illegal and "doomed to fail," after the US, Britain and France launched a joint operation against the Damascus.government. Huge blasts were reported around the Syrian capital, moments after the three Western governments announced they were striking Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. AFP/Getty Images Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker before and after the air strikes, released by the Pentagon. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker before the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker after the air strikes. Pentagon Mr Bercow said he would be willing to consider a full government motion on Syria, but minsters refused to put one forward, prompting fury from MPs who accused the government of sidelining parliament. Mr Bercow said: I am not an obstacle to an amendable government motion. If the government wanted to table such a motion, they could have done. If they told me they were going to do so, that would have been fine. The Government did no such thing. Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House, said Ms Mays three-and-a-half hours answering MPs questions meant parliament had been given sufficient opportunity to scrutinise the government on the decision to launch air strikes. But Mr Bercows decision to grant Mr Corbyn a debate gives Labour the opportunity to force a vote on a motion of its choosing prompting whips from both main parties to leap into action to ensure rebellious MPs toe the line. The European Union has said it understands the need for the US, French and British air strikes in Syria over the weekend, but called for the urgent resumption of peace talks to end the civil war and stop it spiralling out of control into a global conflict. The strikes followed a suspected chemical weapons attack in Douma, a town just outside Damascus, on 7 April, which has been blamed on Syrian government forces pending an international investigation to confirm the facts on the ground. In a joint statement after a Foreign Affairs council meeting of ministers in Luxembourg, 28 EU foreign ministers of the council said the strike was executed with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people. Recommended Corbyn calls for War Powers Act to force Government to consult MPs Federica Mogherini, the European Commissions foreign affairs chief, said member states had shown full unity and called for a summit in Brussels scheduled for next week to be used as a stepping stone to more peace talks. There was an unequivocal and strong wish from all member states to use the Brussels conference next week as the opportunity to relaunch together with the United Nations the political process to solve the Syria crisis, Ms Mogherini told reporters at a press conference in Luxembourg after the meeting. She said a worsening of the violence in the country made a political solution more urgent and said groundwork for further talks in Geneva could be laid at the Brussels meeting next week, which representatives of different sides in the war are expected to attend. Conditions today are not better than last year. Actually, they are deteriorating, and we are seeing more violence, more destruction, we are seeing more people dying, and it is true that the solution to the conflict seems to be more far away than ever in the last seven years of conflict, she said. Conditions today are not better than last year. Actually, they are deteriorating Federica Mogherini, EU foreign affairs chief I believe it is evident to all that the only way to put an end to the suffering and the dying of so many Syrian and, by the way, the only way to avoid that the Syria crisis further spirals into a wider regional or global confrontation, is to put all the pressure on the parties and namely on the Syrian regime to come to Geneva with meaningful intentions for negotiations. Pressure needs to be exercised otherwise the pattern of destruction will continue. We will try to use the Brussels conference to push in this direction. She added that this was not a matter of good will from the Assad regime, which she said had proven absent, but simply based on the fact that there was no other route to end the conflict. Addressing the broader issue of Europes relationship with Russia, the EUs high representative for foreign affairs identified an overall pattern of challenging Russian behaviour, citing Ukraine and malicious cyber activities in addition to the countrys support for the Assad regime. Ms Mogherini said the EUs policy with Russia would continue to be one of selective engagement where it was in the EUs interest. She added that the Salisbury attack had made it painfully evident that the EU needed to strengthen its resilience to chemical and biological weapons. The Syrian regime bears the overwhelming responsibility for the catastrophic humanitarian situation and the suffering of the Syrian people, the council said in its joint statement on its conclusions on Syria. Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Show all 13 1 /13 Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, which was targeted by the US, UK and France air strikes. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center surrounded by papers and rubble. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Firefighrers extinguish smoke that rises from the damage. The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound . AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Part of a building collapsing, surrounded by the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damaged to the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier sprays water on the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syrian state news agency SANA reported several missiles hit a research centre in Barzeh, north of Damascus, "destroying a building that included scientific labs and a training centre". AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Damage to the Scientific Research Center building that was hit by the strikes. EPA Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The Scientific Studies and Research Centre was one of the targeted buildings by the US, UK and France. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damage to the centre. EPA We strongly condemn the continued and repeated use of chemical weapons by the regime in Syria, including the latest attack on Douma, which is a grave breach of international law and an affront to human decency. In this context, the council understands that the targeted US, French and UK air strikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria were specific measures having been taken with the sole objective to prevent further use of chemical weapons and chemical substances as weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people. The council is supportive of all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons. This is the position expressed on behalf of the EU at the OPCW. On chemical weapons, the council said that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, constitutes a breach of international law and may amount to a war crime or a crime against humanity. It added that there could be no impunity and those responsible for such acts must be held accountable. Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, has opposed demands to give Parliament greater powers over future military interventions. The Cabinet ministers remarks follow the joint British, French and US operation that saw more than a 100 missiles fired at the Syrian regime in the early hours of Saturday morning in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack. In response to the attack - authorised by the Prime Minister on Friday - Jeremy Corbyn called for a War Powers Act that would enshrine into law a commitment for the executive to gain parliamentary approval prior to any military action and deploying British troops in conflict. But speaking on the BBCs Radio 4 Today programme, Ms Mordaunt warned against such a move, claiming that MPs would not have the required intelligence information. She added it would be crazy to hand MPs intelligence such as missile targets ahead a vote on military action. To take a decision on whether something is legally justified, and wether what we are actually intending on doing in terms of targets is appropriate, you would need to know information that could not be shared with every MP, she said. Recommended May to be grilled by MPs two days after Syria air strikes And so, outsourcing that decision to people who do not have the full picture is, I think, quite wrong. And, the convention that was established, I think is very wrong. I support governments being able to take those decisions, Parliament should hold government to account for that decision. When it was put to her that the former Conservative foreign secretary William Hague had backed giving MPs a vote on any military action, she replied: I think that is wrong. Asked if then Prime Minister David Cameron was wrong to recall parliament to vote on proposed intervention in Syria in 2013, Ms Mordaunt said: I would disagree with anyone that thinks we got 2013 right. You cannot ask Parliament to make decisions without the information necessary to make those decisions. She continued: You cant, for example, share targets with members of Parliament. It would be a crazy thing to do. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Ms Mordaunt was also unable to confirm whether MPs would get a substantial vote for or against the latest military action in Syria but said the Prime Minister had applied for an emergency debate in the Commons later on Monday to debate the assault on Bashar al-Assads regime. Ms May is expected to say: We are confident in our own assessment that the Syrian regime was highly likely responsible for this attack and that its persistent pattern of behaviour meant that it was highly likely to continue using chemical weapons. Linking the attack to the UKs broader stand-off with Russia over the Salisbury nerve agent poisoning, she will add: It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used. For we cannot allow the use of chemical weapons to become normalised either within Syria, on the streets of the UK or elsewhere. The treatment of the Windrush generation by the British governments immigration authorities is deeply worry for EU citizens who face disruption to their lives from Brexit, the European Parliaments Brexit chief has warned. Speaking as ministers admitted that people who had lived in Britain for decades had potentially been deported in error despite the right to remain, Guy Verhofstadt said millions of EU citizens would fear similar treatment from the UK government. An unknown number of people who arrived in Britain as children from the Caribbean but never formally naturalised or applied for a British passports are facing obstacles to rent homes, get NHS treatment and work after the Government imposed new rules requiring proof of residence. EU citizens living in the UK are already concerned about the registration process floated by the British government because of previous errors by the Home Office. Theresa May last year described incidents in which up to 100 EU citizens were wrongly sent deportation as an unfortunate error, stating that the Home Office had moved quickly after the mistake became known. Commenting on the latest Windrush revelations, Mr Verhofstadt said on Monday: This will be deeply worrying for millions of EU citizens in the UK who will now fear similar treatment after Brexit. The Home Office has agreed to come to the European Parliament to explain their proposed registration system for EU nationals and I expect MEPs will rightly want safeguards. Anti-Brexit campaigners in the UK echoed Mr Verhofstadts sentiments. Labour MP Daniel Zeichner, a supporter of the Best For Britain campaign, said: The first of the Windrush Generation arrived in Britain on board the ex-troopship Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948. Many of the 482 Jamaican passengers were former servicemen. (Keystone/Getty Images) (Getty) EU nationals all over the country will have already drawn the comparisons for themselves. The Home Office cannot make our current immigration system work, so there is no prospect of creating a massively more complicated system for many, many more people, and to have it in place and working anytime soon. The treatment of the Windrush generation by Theresa Mays Government has been despicable. The only good that can come is if they now acknowledge the harm they have done, fix it, and back off doing the same to yet more people. Downing Street refused to even discuss the issue at a Commonwealth heads of government summit this week, according to the Barbados government. On Monday, after extensive public outcry, No.10 U-turned and said it would in fact discuss the situation, and would try and resolve it, but has not proposed a specific solution. The British Government wants EU migrants to have to apply for settled status after Brexit, and has said they would have to pay a fee around the cost of a British passport. In recent years the Government introduced new requirements that landlords and NHS staff must ask for proof of residence often a passport before they were allowed to rent a home or receive free NHS care. However, Britain has no national identity card scheme and many people, for instance those who arrived on their parents passports as children and have never had reason to travel abroad, have been left unable to prove their residence. Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: We send the EU 350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead. Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading Im not leaving protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. May became Prime Minister two days later and although she voted to remain in the referendum was keen to lead Britains Brexit talks after her only rival in the race to succeed David Cameron pulled out unexpectedly. May was left as the only contender standing after the withdrawal from the leadership race of Andrea Leadsom, who faced criticism for suggesting she was more qualified to be prime minister because she had children AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Lancaster House keynote speech on Brexit British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers her keynote speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London on 17 January 2017. Where she spoke about her offer to introduce a transition period after the UK formally leaves the European Union in March 2019. Despite repeating the pro-Brexit mantra of no deal is better than a bad deal, the Prime Minister claimed she wanted a tone of trust between the negotiators and said Britain was leaving the EU but not Europe. She said there should be a clear double lock needed for the transitional period to make sure businesses had time to prepare for changes to their trading relationships with the EU Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Triggering of Article 50 British Prime Minister Theresa May in the cabinet, sitting below a painting of Britain's first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk invoking Article 50 and the United Kingdom's intention to leave the EU on 29 March 2017 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Gibraltar nonsense Tensions have risen over Brexit negotiations for the Rock of Gibraltar. The European Council has said Gibraltar would be included in a trade deal between London and Brussels only with the agreement of Spain. While former Conservative leader Michael Howard claimed that Theresa May would be prepared to go to war to protect the territory. Spain's foreign minister stepped in only to assert that there was no need for the dispute Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Shock snap election Soon after triggering Article 50, Theresa May called on 18 April 2017 for a snap general election. The election would be on 8 June and it came as a shock move to many, with her reasoning to try to bolster her position before tough talks on leaving the EU AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Dissolution of Parliament for General Election Campaign Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement in Downing Street after returning from Buckingham Palace on 3 May 2017. The Prime Minister visited the Queen to ask for the dissolution of Parliament signalling the official start to the general election campaign Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Conservatives lose parliamentary majority An arrangement of British daily newspapers showing front page stories about the exit poll results of the snap general election. British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britains opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. May sought to unlock Brexit talks after Brussels demanded more clarity on the crunch issues of budget payments and EU citizens' rights AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit insufficient progress German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins other EU leaders for a breakfast meeting during an EU summit in Brussels on 20 October 2017. The EU spoke about Brexit and announced that insufficient progress had been made AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures DUP derails settlement on the withdrawal part of Brexit DUP Deputy Leader Nigel Dodds walks off after speaking to members of the media as a protester holding flags shouts after him outside the Houses of Parliament on 5 December 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May was forced to pull out of a deal with Brussels after the DUP said it would not accept terms which see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May suffers defeat over EU (Withdrawal) Bill Theresa May suffers defeat in parliament over EU (Withdrawal) Bill on 13 December 2017. The Government was defeated by Conservative rebels and Labour MPs in a vote on its key piece of Brexit legislation. MPs amended the EU (Withdrawal) Bill against Theresa May's will, guaranteeing Parliament a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal she agrees with Brussels. Ms May's whips applied pressure on Conservative rebels who remained defiant in the Commons throughout the day and in the end the Government was defeated by 309 votes to 305 Brexit so far: in pictures EU council summit sufficient progress Britain's Prime minister Theresa May arrives to attend the first day of a European union summit in Brussels on 14 December 2017. European leaders discussed Brexit and announced there was finally sufficient progress at the end of the two days AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures The game moves to transition Brexit Secretary David Davis gives evidence on developments in European Union divorce talks to the Commons Exiting the EU Committee in Portcullis House, London, on 24 January 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures Trade deal is what May wants French President Emmanuel Macron gestures to Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May after they hold a press conference at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, on 18 January 2018. May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks Mays fantasy strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. One senior EU official tears into Britains fantasy negotiating strategy and accuses Theresa May of not even having a position on a variety of important issue Getty Brexit so far: in pictures UK releases Ireland plan Britain releases a new customs plan to solve the Northern Ireland border but Michel Barnier says it leaves unanswered questions and would not prevent a hard border EbS Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan agreed The cabinet agrees on a plan known as the "Chequers deal" on July 6 2018. The plan seeks regulatory alignment on goods and food, divergence on services, freedom from the European Courts of Justice and an end to free movement. Many were surprised that the hard Brexiteers of the cabinet would agree to this plan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Chequers plan sparks resignations Brexit Secretary David Davis and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and numerous ministers resign in the days following the Chequers agreement Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Davis out, Raab in On 9 July, Dominic Raab replaces David Davis as Brexit Secretary. Raab is a keen Brexiteer and was a housing minister before taking over from Davis Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Barnier's "deal like no other" EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier claims on August 29 2018 that they are prepared to offer Britain a trade deal like no other, though he stressed that they will not divide or change the single market to accommodate Britain AP Brexit so far: in pictures "My deal or no deal" In an interview on Panorama on September 17, the Prime Minister insists that any Brexit deal will be offered to the EU on her terms. She asserts this amongst continued attacks on her approach to Brexit by Boris Johnson and the European Research Group, headed by Jacob Rees Mogg BBC/Jeff Overs Brexit so far: in pictures EU leaders reject Chequers Quite the blow was dealt to the Prime Minister at a EU leaders summit in Salzburg on September 20. European Council President Donald Tusk stated that the Chequers deal "will not work" Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures May demands respect Following the rejection of her Chequers plan the day before, the Prime Minister voiced her anger that the EU had dismissed it without offering an alternative. She stated that throughout this process, I have treated the EU with nothing but respect. The UK expects the same. A good relationship at the end of this process depends on it." Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: Special place in hell There is a special place in hell for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack as he accused anti-EU campaigners of pushing for Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. Mr Tusk also dismissed suggestions that the EU could reopen negotiations over the controversial Northern Ireland backstop, dealing a blow to Theresa Mays hopes of securing fresh concessions as she tries to get her exit deal through parliament. Speaking in Brussels alongside Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Mr Tusk said: Ive been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for people who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan how to carry it out safely. He also tweeted the accusation moments later Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU and UK announce talks to restart after Theresa May visits Brussels Both have agreed to restart Brexit talks to find a way through the deadlock in Westminster, following a visit by Theresa May to Brussels. In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a robust but constructive meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime ministers efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further meaningful vote would be ruled out of order if the motion was the same or substantially the same under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa Mays request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is increasingly likely the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said preparedness and contingency work, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UKs Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns Reuters The Government was repeatedly warned about the policies at the time of their introduction. The Residential Landlords Association in December said Right To Rent checks should be suspended, after new research showed that 40 per cent of landlords were less likely to rent to people without British passports. Doctors threatened to boycott the checks in the NHS and they were condemned in a motion by the British Medical Association. Speaking to broadcasters on Monday immigration minister Caroline Nokes admitted terrible mistakes had been made, suggested that some people could potentially have been wrongly been deported. In a statement to the Commons later in the day Home Secretary Amber Rudd said she could not confirm whether anyone had been wrongly deported or not and that she was "not aware of any specific cases of a person being removed in these circumstances". She said a dedicated team would be set up to deal with the issue. The plight of members of the Windrush generation wrongly threatened with deportation was branded a day of national shame, after the home secretary apologised for their treatment. Amber Rudd admitted to appalling cases of people denied health treatment, stripped of their jobs and faced with being sent to countries they left as children, decades ago, and have never returned to. Amid growing cross-party condemnation, she astonished MPs by saying the Home Office did not know if any Windrush immigrants had been wrongly deported under the crackdown. A limited U-turn will now see people offered help to prove their immigration status within two weeks with their fees waived. Ms Rudd also made extraordinary criticism of Theresa Mays running of the Home Office, warning it became too concerned with policy and strategy and sometimes loses sight of the individual. It was Ms May who, as home secretary, launched the self-described hostile environment for possible illegal immigrants which targeted the Windrush generation. A key protection was removed in the 2014 Immigration Act, requiring the NHS and employers to take action in the absence of documents proving a right to live in the UK. In the Commons, a furious David Lammy led fierce criticism, asking Ms Rudd: Can she tell the house how many have been detained as prisoners in their own country, how many have been denied access to health services, how many denied pensions and lost their jobs? This is a day of national shame and it has come about because of a hostile environment policy that was begun under her prime minister. Let us tell it like it is. If you lay down with dogs, you get fleas, and that is what has happened with this far-right rhetoric in this country. Answering an urgent question, Ms Rudd said she would meet High Commissioners from Caribbean countries urgently to find out if there are any such people who have been removed. It is her department that has deported them she should know the number, Mr Lammy told her. Earlier, Caroline Nokes, the immigration minister, appeared to concede that deportations had taken place, telling ITV News: I don't know the numbers, but what I am determined to do going forward is to say we will have no more of this. Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said the Government must consider the question of compensation, adding: What a disgrace it is that this government has treated Commonwealth migrants in this way. Ms Rudd said there should be no doubt that people who had arrived in Britain decades ago often as children have the right to reside here lawfully. Some of the way they have been treated has been wrong, has been appalling, and I am sorry, she told MPs. And she added: In accordance with my wishes today, there will be no removals or detention as part of any assistance to help former Commonwealth citizens get their proper documentation in place. Ms Rudd announced a taskforce of about 20 people, with the aim of ensuring everyone receives the paperwork they need to confirm their immigration status within two weeks. The fees involved in going through the process which is 229 for each application would be scrapped. Growing numbers of people have been affected by the new rules, losing access to healthcare, their jobs, or made homeless because they lack sufficient paperwork to prove they have the right to be in the UK. When it was revealed that Albert Thompson, a London cancer patient had been asked to pay 54,000 for treatment despite having lived in the UK for 44 years the prime minister refused to intervene. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Although anyone living in the UK continuously since before January 1 1973 is legally entitled to live in the UK, but proving it has been difficult for people who have not applied for passports. Some people moved before the countries they were born in became independent, and assumed they were British. The Migration Observatory at Oxford University estimates some 50,000 Commonwealth-born people in the UK, who arrived before 1971, may not yet have regularised their residency status. Before the announcement, Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, tweeted: Im deeply concerned to hear about difficulties some of the Windrush generation are facing with their immigration status. This should not happen to people who have been longstanding pillars of our community. The government is looking into this urgently. Dozens of people have been forced to seek emergency shelter after storms triggered mudslides and flooding on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Hawaii Governor David Ige issued an emergency proclamation for the island where heavy rainfall damaged or flooded dozens of homes in the communities of Hanalei, Wainiha, Haena and Anahola. Dozens of people were stranded at several Red Cross shelters after the storm dropped over two feet of rain, causing massive flooding and grounding rescue helicopters. About 40 people, mostly tourists, spent much of Sunday stranded at Hanalei Elementary School, where the American Red Cross had opened an evacuation shelter. They briefly ran out of food and water, according to the Associated Press. Coralie Chun Matayoshi, chief executive officer of the Red Cross in Hawaii, said the countys Department of Parks and Recreation offered to deliver food to the evacuees by personal watercraft. But a nearby business was also dealing with flooding and unable to provide the supplies to be delivered. The Hawaii Guard offered to deliver food by air, but the weather kept the helicopters grounded. JFK airport evacuated after a water pipe bursts and floods the terminal Officials were subsequently able to reach the shelter. They also opened another two facilities. Its a pretty scary situation, said Ms Matayoshi. Theyre completely surrounded by water. The original plan was to have them airlifted to the Church of the Pacific shelter, where food and water are waiting. 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 Kauai Fire Department was coordinating with the Coast Guard and the Honolulu Fire Department to provide air and search and rescue operations on the North Shore. The National Weather Service recorded almost 27 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period in Hanalei. At least two homes were torn from their foundations. Resident Shauna Tuohy told HawaiiNewsNow that she was watching television with her mother when brown water suddenly began to pour through a wall in her home in Aina Haina. The water came through my moms bedroom and down the hallway. There was just a raging river through the house, she said. Kauai County spokeswoman Sarah Blane said county officials had to call in off-duty firefighters, police officers and lifeguards on Saturday night to rescue about a half-dozen people who were trapped by rising floodwaters in Hanalei. There were no immediate of injuries. James Comey's explosive book is not even available to the public yet. But the president is already raging about its contents. The Independent, which live blogged the experience of reading the book, got early access to it ahead of its release this week. And it is precisely as strange, as shocking and as significant as the news about it shows as you can see from the extracts collected below. It is a wide-ranging book that concentrates on everything from Mr Comey's childhood to his spectacular firing and, potentially, beyond. But much of the focus has been on what he says about Donald Trump, and the insights he gives into the man at his most tense and shocked. Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Show all 30 1 /30 Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Threatening to shut down Twitter after being fact-checked After the president tweeted that voting by post would be "substantially fraudulent", Twitter attached a warning label to his tweet and referred readers to a site which explained how the claim was "unsubstantiated". Trump then said Twitter was "stifling free speech" and that he may have to shut it down, something which he would not have the power to do AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Flippantly dismissing a serious allegation of sexual assault When author E Jean Carroll accused Trump of raping her, the president responded: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. It never happened, OK?" AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Insulting the Mayor of London as he landed in London Just before touching down at Stansted Airport for his state visit, Trump took time out to @ the London mayor Sadiq Khan on twitter. He said that Khan has done a "terrible job"as mayor and that he is a "stone cold loser" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Taking plenty of "Executive Time" The president's official schedule sets aside the hours from 8 to 11am daily for "Executive Time". Further intermittent periods of "Executive Time" are scheduled throughout any given day, ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours. His duties in these hours have not been officially disclosed, though Axios reports that he spends them watching TV, reading the newspapers and tweeting Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Shutdown the government for over a month in an effort to secure funding for his wall With Mexico declining to pay for the wall, the president has faced difficulty in raising the required $5bn at home. Due to his demand that the money for the wall be included in the budget, and Congress's refusal, the government partially shut down on 22 December 2018. It remained shut for over a month, the longest period in history Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Joking about the Nazi occupation of France to President Macron In this tweet from 13 November 2018, the president mocks Emmanuel Macron's suggestion of a "true, European army" by invoking the conflict between France and Germany in the world wars Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Railing against the Mueller investigation The president has repeatedly claimed that the Mueller investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, is a "rigged witch hunt" Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting a US intelligence report on Russian meddling in the presence of Vladimir Putin In the press conference that followed his landmark meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump stated that he saw no reason why Russia would have meddled in the 2016 US election. This contradicted a 2017 report by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that found evidence of Russian interference in favour of Trump Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Contradicting his contradiction of a US intelligence report on Russian meddling Following furious backlash in the US, the president claimed that he meant to say that he saw no reason why it would not have been Russia who meddled in the 2016 US election. As to why he would have intended to use such bizarre phrasing, he did not comment Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Colouring in the US flag wrong The president coloured in the US flag wrongly during a visit to a children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He added a blue stripe where in tradition, and statute, there have been only white and red stripes AFP/Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing a Secretary of State over Twitter The president announced on Twitter that he was appointing Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, much to the surprise of then Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Quoting a catchphrase from a reality TV show when discussing police brutality While addressing the issue of black athletes not standing for the national anthem in protest of police brutality, the president made reference to his catchphrase from reality TV show "The Apprentice": you're fired! Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Calling African nations "S***hole Countries" Ever one for diplomacy, the president reportedly referred to African nations as "s***hole countries". Asked to confirm this when meeting with Nigeria's President Buhari, Trump stated that there are "some countries that are in very bad shape". Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Defending Russian President Vladimir Putin Trump appeared to equate US foreign actions to those of Russian president Vladimir Putin, saying: There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent? Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Asking for people to 'pray' for Arnold Schwarzenegger At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump couldnt help but to ask for prayers for the ratings on Arnold Schwarzeneggers show to be good. Schwarzenegger took over as host of The Apprentice which buoyed Trumps celebrity status years ago Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Hanging up on Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull Early in his presidency, Trump reportedly hung up the phone on Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull after the foreign leader angered him over refugee plans. Mr Trump later said that it was the worst call he had had so far Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... The 'Muslim ban' Perhaps one of his most controversial policies while acting as president, Trumps travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries has bought him a lot of criticism. The bans were immediately protested, and judges initially blocked their implementation. The Supreme Court later sided with the administrations argument that the ban was developed out of concern for US security Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Praising crowd size while touring Hurricane Harvey damage After Hurricane Harvey ravaged southeastern Texas, Trump paid the area a visit. While his response to the disaster in Houston was generally applauded, the president picked up some flack when he gave a speech outside Houston (he reportedly did not visit disaster zones), and praised the size of the crowds there AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... 'Little Rocket Man' During his first-ever speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump tried out a new nickname for North Korea leader Kim Jong-un: Rocket Man. He later tweaked it to be little Rocket Man as the two feuded, and threatened each other with nuclear war. During that speech, he also threatened to totally annihilate North Korea Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Attacking Sadiq Khan following London Bridge terror attack After the attack on the London Bridge, Trump lashed out at London Mayor Sadiq Khan, criticising Khan for saying there was no reason to be alarmed after the attack. Trump was taking the comments out of context, as Khan was simply saying that the police had everything under control Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming presenter Mika Brezinkski was 'bleeding from the face' Never one not to mock his enemies, Trump mocked MSNBCs Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski, saying that she and co-host Joe Scarborough had approached him before his inauguration asking to join him. He noted that she was bleeding badly from a face-lift at the time, and that he said no MSNBC Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming the blame for Charlottesville was on 'both sides' Trump refused to condemn far-right extremists involved in violence at 'the march for the right' protests in Charlottesville, even after the murder of counter protester Heather Heyer AP Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Retweeting cartoon of CNN being hit by a 'Trump train' Trump retweeted a cartoon showing a Trump-branded train running over a person whose body and head were replaced by a CNN avatar. He later deleted the retweet Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Tweeting about 'slamming' CNN Trump caught some flack when he tweeted a video showing him wrestling down an individual whose head had been replaced by a CNN avatar. Trump has singled CNN out in particular with his chants of fake news Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Firing head of the FBI, James Comey Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey landed him with a federal investigation into Russias meddling in the 2016 election that has caused many a headache for the White House. The White House initially said that the decision was made after consultation from the Justice Department. Then Mr Trump himself said that he had decided to fire him in part because he wanted the Russia investigation Mr Comey was conducting to stop Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Not realising being president would be 'hard' Just three months into his presidency, Trump admitted that being president is harder than he thought it would be. Though Trump insisted on the 2016 campaign trail that doing the job would be easy for him, he admitted in an interview that living in the White House is harder than running a business empire Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Accusing Obama of wiretapping him Trump accused former president Barack Obama of wire tapping him on twitter. The Justice Department later clarified: Obama had not, in fact, done so Reuters Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Claiming there had been 3 million 'illegal votes' Trump was never very happy about losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by 2.8 million ballots. So, he and White House voter-fraud commissioner Kris Kobach have claimed that anywhere between three and five million people voted illegally during the 2016 election. Conveniently, he says that all of those illegal votes went to Clinton. (There is no evidence to support that level of widespread voter fraud.) Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Leaving Jews out of the Holocaust memorial statement Just days after taking office, Trumps White House issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, but didnt mention jews or even the word jewish in the written statement Getty Donald Trump's least presidential moments so far... Anger over Inauguration crowd size Trumps inauguration crowd was visibly, and noticeably, smaller than that of his predecessor, Barack Obama. But, he really wanted to have had the largest crowd on record. So, he praised it as the biggest crowd ever. Relatedly, Trump also claimed that it stopped raining in Washington at the moment he was inaugurated. It didnt, the day was very dreary Reuters He describes, for instance, the mood after Donald Trump heard about the now-famous spy dossier and its claims about a "pee tape"; he gives an insight into the strange video in which the president appears to kiss the then FBI director; he gives a peek into what it is like to go for private dinner with the president. They are, for the most part, excruciating. Here are the highlights of all those experiences, and what they told us about the two foes. 1. James Comey still thinks he was right This book is intended to be a vindication. It's obvious from the very beginning, right through to the end. Mr Comey is astute enough to know that not everyone will agree with the things he did. But what he is keen on is proving that all of his decisions were made for good reasons, even if they had bad consequences. Recommended Comey reveals Trump was obsessed with lewd claim in Russia dossier This much might be true. But it is hard to see what use that it is to anyone who is not James Comey; bad decisions made well look the same as good decisions made badly from the outside. 2. James Comey is a very awkward man Mr Comey writes at length about two hugs. And his formative moments with Donald Trump are largely spent avoiding him: he writes, for instance, of the excruciating pain that an invitation to a private dinner with the president caused him. One gets the sense that it is not just the potential conflict of interest this presents but also the fact that he will have to make small talk. In fact, he writes at length about how bad a conversationalist Mr Trump is, but fails to say exactly what he said to the president, and one gets the sense that the answer is not much. At one point, for instance, Mr Comey describes the awkward situation after the inauguration at which he was in a room with the president. He is incredibly grateful that he managed to wear a blue suit and stand next to a blue curtain: "I literally clung to the blue curtain, all in the hope that I could avoid an ill-advised and totally awkward televised hug from the new president of the United States". This is at least the second mention of being hugged. The first describes an interaction with then attorney general Loretta Lynch. "When our bodies came together, her face went into my solar plexus as she wrapped her arms around me. I reached down and press both forearms, also awkwardly, against her back." This might feel like a slightly superficial observation. But Mr Comey simply doesn't write about any interactions with anyone else that don't exhibit this awkwardness. Even when he meets with then Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper, who was his boss, he embarks on an awkward description of re-gifting a tie that had been given to him by his brother-in-law. The cumulative effect is that it feels often that Mr Comey simply struggled to speak to the Trump administration, in the most simple sense. There were principled objections between them, no doubt, and Mr Comey describes them at length. But perhaps the biggest distinction is that Mr Trump is a man who does not care even slightly about principles, only about practicalities; Mr Comey, as he appears in this book, is someone who allows his principles to ruin even the lightest small talk. 3. Things could have been very different If he was just a little less awkward, just a little more savvy, or had someone who forced him to be those things, then the course of events could be entirely different. Mr Comey appears to have written this book to vindicate the world-shaking decisions he made but it ends up making clear how easy it would have been for things to be otherwise. When he accounts for why he made the announcement of Clinton's emails, for instance, one is left yelling at him to just make a decision, and to stop the abstracted arguments about ideals. The same is true when he discusses his decision not to announce Russian interference in the election. One is left wishing he had made some kind of evil, calculated, partisan decision; instead, the whole thing was decided almost arbitrarily. At least then the bizarre world we are left in would be this way for a reason. None of this is to say that Donald Trump would not have won if any of these delicately balanced events and choices had gone the other way. But even if he still had, the Trump presidency would be a very different thing. 4. We still know very little about Donald Trump James Comey is not afraid of telling you the little details about the president. In fact, he's sometimes a little obsessed with them. He describes him in one long passage that reads something like a police report. It is worth quoting at length, even if that might make you feel "mildly nauseous", to borrow Mr Comey's own phrase. "He appeared shorter than he seemed on a debate stage with Hillary Clinton," he writes. "Otherwise, as I looked at the president-elect, I was struck that he looked exactly the same in person as on television, which surprised me because people most often look different in person. His suit jacket was open and his tie too long, as usual. His face appeared slightly orange, with bright white half-moons under his eyes where I assumed he placed small tanning goggles, and impressively coiffed, bright blond hair, which upon close inspection looked to be all his. I remember wondering how long it must take him in the morning to get that done. As he extended his hand, I made a mental note to check its size. It was smaller than mine, but did not seem unusually so." But for all this insight perhaps a little more insight into Mr Trump's body than anyone might actually like we get little understand of what is inside the president's head. Mr Comey went for a private dinner with the president, but all he recalls is that he was self-obsessed; he saw him at some of his most desperate and shocked moments, including talking about the now famous and embarrassing spy dossier, but doesn't give any detail on how that affected Mr Trump and his fragile and powerful psyche. All of that means that despite Mr Comey's discussion of his principles, and his imploring other people to act on them, it is hard to actually know anything about how the president might fall. It gives us no real insight into what he might do next. This is one of the things this book has in common with Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury the last book about Donald Trump to cause this kind of a stir. That book, too, was packed with often strange physical details about the president, but little insight into his head. 5. It is not the end of the Comey story Most of the book proceeds as you would expect it to: from youth, to a fledgling career in law enforcement, through serving under Bush and Obama, and into the Trump presidency. Mr Comey recounts all of it in often excruciating detail. But then you reach the end of the book, and something a little strange happens. It seems that Mr Comey is suggesting that something else is about to happen to him, or to Donald Trump, or both. It could be a presidential run for Mr Comey. It could be the expectation of the end of Mr Trump's time in the White House. (It could be both, with Mr Comey hoping to take up Mr Trump's vacant spot.) James Comey says Donald Trump responded to Steele dossier allegations by asking: 'Do I look like a guy who needs hookers?' The end of the book is the point at which Mr Comey lays into the president in the clearest and strongest terms. But part of it also sound like a pitch. ""I am writing in a time of great anxiety in my country," he writes, for instance. "I understand the anxiety, but also believe America is going to be fine. I choose to see opportunity as well as danger." In another he seems to be justifying the writing of the book, and the events within it. But he could also be justifying some future bid for power. "It is also wrong to stand idly by, or worse, to stay silent when you know better, while a president brazenly seeks to undermine public confidence in law enforcement institutions that were established to keep our leaders in check," he writes. And finally he concludes with a message to the next president. What if, perhaps, he means himself? "The next president, no matter the party will sure emphasise values truth, integrity, respect, and tolerance in ways an American leader hasn't needed to for more than forty years. The fire will make something good grow." But the most interesting comments come at the very, very end of the book, in its epilogue. After all the usual thanks in which he thanks "some people" who "cared enough to tell me the truth" and made him think "this book will be useful" he explicitly suggests that something else is coming. "Thank you for the joy and the journey, which isn't over yet," he concludes. It's hard to see how any bid for the presidency would happen, given that both the Republican and the Democrat establishments are firmly against him. But, then, they said the same about Donald Trump. Stormy Daniels, the porn-film actress suing Donald Trump over a hush agreement, is today to to come face-to-face in court with his personal lawyer who handed her the $130,000 (91,000) allegedly to keep quiet about a sexual encounter with the president. Ms Daniels is due to be attending the hearing in New York today thats being held as part of a criminal investigation into Michael Cohen's business practices. "I think Monday afternoon could prove to be very interesting," said her lawyer, Michael Avenatti. Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, launched her legal battle last month, saying the non-disclosure agreement about an alleged 2006 affair with Mr Trump is void because the president did not sign it. The payout was made just days before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence over the encounter. Mr Cohen has acknowledged paying the money, saying it came out of his own pocket. Mr Cohen has been ordered to appear in a Manhattan federal court as legal teams argue over raids last week on his home, office and hotel room. As the raids were carried out, officials revealed they were investigating his personal business dealings. His lawyers are now trying to hold off prosecutors from reviewing documents, mobile phones and other materials seized. Donald Trump rages over search of his lawyer Michael Cohen's office, describing it as a 'break-in' In addition, lawyers for Mr Trump last night asked to be allowed to review documents that in any way relate to the president. Mr Cohen has asked the court to give his own lawyers the first look at the seized materials so they can identify documents that are protected by attorney-client privilege. In the court filing, prosecutors have blacked out a section describing which crime or crimes they believe Mr Cohen may have committed. Prosecutors say last week's raids came after a "months-long" investigation of possible crimes related largely to Mr Cohen's business dealings, rather than his work as a lawyer. A source said last week that the information FBI agents were seeking included information about payments to Ms Clifford, and Mr Avenatti told Friday's hearing that he had "every reason to believe" that some documents seized related to her. 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 Trump has denied knowing about the hush money Mr Cohen paid her, and the White House has denied he had an affair with her. The president's lawyers are also expected to address the New York court. Joanna Hendon told Friday's hearing that Mr Trump had "an acute interest" in the handling of the materials seized from Mr Cohen. The raids on his rooms were based partly on a referral by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between Mr Trump's presidential campaign and Russia. Mr Trump has called Mr Mueller's probe a "witch hunt" and denied any collusion. A source said on Friday that Mr Cohen also arranged a $1.6m payment to secure the silence of a former Playboy model who said she became pregnant by Elliott Broidy, a top Republican fundraiser. Pashtun movement: National Security vs Personal Rights 16 April, 2018 By Farzana Shah Since 9/11, the question of national security has overshadowed every other consideration in most of the nation states especially those who have been the target of international terrorism and those who, due to their close proximity to active geostrategic hotspots, are feeling the heat of protracted war against terrorism, including Pakistan. As national security takes the most prominent consideration for every nation-state, balancing the necessities of national security and provisioning of civil rights under the respective constitution of each nation-state remains a subtle question mark? Though the phenomenon of human rights being compromised at the cost of national security is nothing new yet, it has intensified post 9/11 in many regions of the world giving rise to the resentment and sense of deprivation among the segments of populations caught in the conflict zones. Pakistan being no exception to this phenomenon is facing a massive populist Pashtun movement taking the country and international media by storm. Allegations and counter-allegations, use of social media platforms and inclusion of ethno-sub-nationalistic politics in this volatile situation has turned it into an elusive security-rights situation for the state where seeking a balance between the two to ensure the rights of the protestors without compromising the national security is a task to be reckoned with. Specially a state where there is virtually no government, courts are questioning the functionaries of the state, economic meltdown hinting towards another bailout from IMF, political polarization is on the rise and socio-economic development is sinking in the void created by class-based divisions. With such complexities, governance can be nothing short of a nightmarish challenge for any government. Such a challenge becomes more insurmountable in a country like ours where there exists practically no long-term politically stable model of governance. Political history of the country is marred by military takeovers and subsequent under-the-table deals by political elites alienating the political leadership from aspiration of the masses. Failure of political leadership stemmed from such deals in the past gives birth to Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) like phenomenon. This lot of political elite has completely failed to cope with the challenges of a state which according to many global geopolitical commentators is in the eye of the storm. The question of balancing between national security and civil rights is often left to the security establishment of the country which is a dangerous route to begin with. Pakistan has been fighting war on terror against foreign and homegrown militant wings in FATA for the past 16 years. Unfortunately, not for once, the issue of mainstreaming FATA was addressed in the context of protecting both the territory and the rights of those living there. This is the cost of the makeshift political leadership which Pakistan is now bearing in the form of anti-state agitation by those very people for whom the security forces lost thousands of their finest men. Those who are agitating against the same security forces have their own reasons and not without merit too, like the hardship of going through multiple check posts, strict and untamed behaviour of security personnel and lack of economic opportunities for these war-torn regions. This is just one half of what Pashtun movement is complaining about, the other half is related to the question of integration of FATA with mainland Pakistan, eradication of FCR, gaining financial autonomy and establishing local administration like other provinces of the country. When one looks at the other side of the situation, it is vivid that Pakistan army has done a lot more than fighting terrorism in this region. Whatever rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts have been done so far in this region, Pakistan Army has spearheaded those. Sacrifices of the troops aside, Pakistan army has built hospitals, schools and markets which were destroyed in counter terrorism operations during the previous years. Security check posts developed all over FATA to ensure the safety of the locals and mainland Pakistan and this practice has paid dividends which is evident from the sharp reduction in terrorist attacks across the country including FATA and KP. Notwithstanding all these tireless efforts by Pakistan army to re-establish war-torn regions, the fact remains that in any democratic nation, this is NOT armys job to govern, administer and police any region in post-operation phase. Civilian institutions must take over and come forward with policies and plans ensuring participation of local population which is critical for trust building. Such an approach also signals to the locals that security forces were there just to restore order and not to police them as is the Pakistan army being compelled to do in FATA despite the fact that all active military operations have been completed. Security personnel employed at these check posts were trained to fight the terrorists and not man civilialy these check posts which are under constant threat of being attacked by the suicidal bombers. This is the job for the police force but in FATA there is no police force as the region still remains constitutionally under the FCR. Recent overtures to merge the region with the KP were thwarted by the federal government to secure political mileage. Consequently the status quo prevails and Pakistan army remains perforce there to police the region and thus the PTM agitation gets a new impetus for continuing their agitation. In the last few days, however, PTMs leader Manzoor Pashteen has sent confusing signals. First, he attended a ceremony in Madrassah Haqania which is considered the ideological center of Taliban who PTM despises the most. Then from their April 8th rally in Peshawar Manzoor sounded more anti-state than being a spokeman for "Pashtun Rights". This has now begun to sow the seeds of suspicion among the genuinely concerned and affected Pushtuns who have been backing the PTM demands. A section of the PTM wants to prove their case through social media and in processing it so they are harming their own struggle. Usage of Photoshoped images to malign Pakistan army is going to create troubles for PTM if this trend continues and affected people will remain strangled in hardships. Regardless of the true nature of PTM, the only option for the state of Pakistan is to embrace these people and engage them through public dialogue both locally and on national media as well. Such engagement is only possible after and calls for implementing FATA reforms at the earliest so that Pakistan army could be disengaged from police duties. Countering a popular movement with yet another counter-movement is probably the worst way to handle this situation which is part of our overall stymied national security dilemma. Doing so, is the recipe which we cannot afford to savour. We simply cannot afford to complicate this equation any more. So engage the genuine PTM leadership and a solution will emerge through the dialogue or else the PTM shall stand exposed and whoever prompting them to instigate ethnic clashes in the country will lose all their investment and interest in them. Floridas governor, Rick Scott, has announced that he is running for US Senate, further crowding the political battlefield for control of Congress. Mr Scott is challenging Senator Bill Nelson, the incumbent Democrat, in what could be one of the most competitive races this year. A slew of Democratic wins in recent special elections indicates that it is going to be a vicious battle for control of the Senate and House of Representatives in the November midterms. To recapture a majority in the House, Democrats need to flip 24 Republican seats while keeping the 194 seats they currently hold. Meanwhile, to win a majority in the Senate, Democrats and the independents who caucus with them need to successfully defend 26 seats as well as win two additional seats currently filled by Republicans. Mr Scott, 65, who has served as Floridas governor since 2011, announced his Senate bid at a press conference and in a video posted on his social media accounts reviewing his two terms at the helm of the states government. Like many running for public office in the US, Mr Scott has cast himself as a political outsider who can challenge the status quo in the nations capital. I never planned to fit in, and I wont fit in in Washington, either, Mr Scott says in the video. Its time to shake that place up. We dont need another politician in Washington. Its full of politicians, and thats why its broken. 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 In a statement following Mr Scotts announcement, Mr Nelson said: Ive always run every race like theres no tomorrow regardless of my opponent. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has rated the race as a toss-up. In an interview with Politico, Mr Scott dodged questions about whether he was a Donald Trump Republican. Instead, he said: I consider myself Rick Scott. I dont consider myself any type of anything. Florida is a swing state that has been carried by the winning presidential candidate for more than two decades. In 2016, Mr Trump won 49 per cent of the vote in Florida while his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton won 48 per cent. This fact alone could make Mr Nelsons re-election bid his most competitive race since his first campaign for the Senate, in 2000. The race should be particularly interesting given the events that have transpired in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida. In March, Mr Scott signed gun control legislation that was condemned by the National Rifle Association (NRA), a powerful gun-rights lobbying group that noted in 2014 that Mr Scott had signed more pro-gun bills into law - in one term - than any other Governor in Florida history. The NRA gives legislators and governors a grade ranging from A to F that reflects their support for pro-gun legislation. Before Mr Scott's signing of gun control measures into law last month, he and Mr Nelson had contrasting ratings: Mr Nelson had an F while Mr Scott had an A+. It is uncertain whether Mr Scotts acceptance of stricter gun control measures will help him gain the support of more moderate voters. Close James Comey says Donald Trump responded to Steele dossier allegations by asking: 'Do I look like a guy who needs hookers?' Former FBI director James Comey has said President Donald Trump, is "morally unfit" for office as part of a publicity tour for his highly-anticipated new book A Higher Loyalty. Mr Trump fired Mr Comey in May 2017, as Mr Comey was leading an investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election of 2016, which has now expanded to include investigations into possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russia. Mr Trump has repeatedly hit out at Mr Comey, in a series of tweets since experts of the book started to appear on Thursday, the president has called him a "slimeball" and a "liar". In his first interview since being fired, Mr Comey painted a scything picture of the president. Our president must embody respect, and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president, he said. See the liveblog below to follow the interview as it happened, please give a few seconds for it to load. The wide-ranging television interview with ABC lasted for five hours, with a condensed one hour version being broadcast on Sunday night. Questions centred around the new book, which challenges the presidents character in labelling him a mafia don and raises doubts about his commitment to serving America. In the transcript of the interview Mr Comey said Mr Trump will stain everyone around him. Mr Comey is clearly trying to set up a dichotomy between himself and the president, but there were few absolutely new revelations in the interview. Still that does not diminish the powerful spectacle of the former FBI director - who was involved in a number of major events in Mr Trumps run for, and then first year in, the White House - denigrating the sitting president. Having started as the one in charge of the FBI investigation into Russian election meddling, which included investigating any possible collusion between Trump campaign personnel and Moscow, Mr Comey had plenty to say on that subject. 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 Mr Comey said he thinks it is possible that President Donald Trump might be compromised by the Russians. He said it struck him as unlikely but he could not say it with high confidence like he could with other presidents he has worked. It is stunning, and I wish I wasnt saying it, but its the truth, Mr Comey said. He also described the weird Trump Tower meeting in which after the election he briefed the president-elect on the contents of an unverified intelligence document compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele, including allegations that Mr Trump had been in a Moscow hotel room in 2013 with urinating Russian prostitutes. I did not go into the business about people peeing on each other in his briefing with Trump, Comey said. I just wanted to get it done and get out of there. Mr Trump has denied all allegations around the dossier. As Mr Comey also described the two famous episodes of being alone with Mr Trump, one a dinner where Mr Comey said that Trump I expect loyalty, I need loyalty. and the other in the Oval Office when Mr Trump asked him I hope you can let it go, which Mr Comey took as a direction to drop an FBI investigation into Mr Trumps former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. James Comey 'compares Donald Trump to mob boss' in ABC News exclusive interview promo Mr Trump and the White House have denied wither conversation taking place, while Mr Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Asked whether he believed Mr Trump had committed obstruction of justice, Mr Comey said its possible and there was certainly some evidence that it may have happened. Mr Trump has denied collusion with Russia and allegations of obstruction of justice. Mr Comey has come under attack from Mr Trump in recent days in a number of tweets that have labelled him slippery and a slimeball. It is something he has in common with the man that took over the FBI Russia investigation, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, with Mr Trump having labelled that investigation a witch hunt. The former FBI director said that if Mr Trump were to fire Mr Mueller, both Democrats and Republicans would have to recognise as Mr Trumps most serious attack yet on the rule of law. While there were a couple of lighter moments, including Mr Comey saying that when meeting Mr Trump for the first time he realised he had impressively coifed hair that looks to be all his. I stared at it pretty closely, Mr Comey said, and my reaction was, 'It must take a heck of a lot of time in the morning, but it's impressively coifed. Mr Comey said that his role in the 2016 election, in re-opening and than closing an FBI investigation into the emails of Mr Trumps rival candidate Hillary Clinton close to polling day sucked. Ms Clinton and some Democrats blame him for her loss, but Mr Comey said it was a no-win situation and that he was a flawed human trying to make decisions based on higher values. Agencies contributed to this report President Donald Trump has reportedly decided to halt the roll-out of sanctions against Russia for its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, contradicting a top diplomat's claims that the sanctions would be announced on Monday. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said this weekend that the US would roll out the new sanctions as part of its plan to send a "strong message" about the Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons. On Monday morning, however, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the administration was still considering such a move, and that the decision would be made "in the near future". Recommended US to impose new sanctions on Russia in wake of Syria chemical attack The announcement came after Mr Trump told national security advisers he was uncomfortable carrying out the planned sanctions, according to the Washington Post. Administration officials told the Post it was unlikely Mr Trump would approve the sanctions without another "triggering event" by Russia. A Russian Foreign Ministry official said the Trump administration had assured them shortly after Ms Haley's comments that the sanctions were not coming, according to the Post. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US to impose new sanctions on Russia in wake of Syria chemical attack, says UN ambassador Nikki Haley Ms Haley said on Sunday that the sanctions would be implemented shortly, in response to Russian President's continued support of Mr Assad. The US claims Mr Assad used poisonous gas in an attack on the Syrian town of Douma, which is believed to have killed dozens of civilians. The Syrian government and Russia have denied any involvement in the attack. The US, Britain, and France carried out an air strike on suspected chemical weapons facilities in Syria on Friday. Ms Haley promised a diplomatic response was coming as well. "You will see that Russian sanctions will be coming down," Ms Haley said on CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday. "[Treasury Secretary Steve] Mnuchin will be announcing those on Monday if he hasn't already, and they will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use." She added: "I think everyone is going to feel it at this point. We wanted their friends Iran and Russia to know that we meant business and that they were going to be feeling the pain from this as well." 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 comments were met by a harsh rebuke from Russia, which called the proposed sanctions "international economic raiding". The sanction campaign against Russia is truly assuming the nature of an obsessive idea, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, according to Interfax. "...We see them as going against international law. The Trump administration decided shortly thereafter to characterise Ms Haley's comments as a misstatement, according to the Post. The US is testing other diplomatic responses to the situation, including pushing a draft UN resolution that calls for an independent investigation into alleged chemical weapons attacks and identifies those responsible. The Trump administration also recently expelled 60 Russian diplomats from the US, after the poisoning of a Russian double agent in the UK was tied to Moscow. Russian has denied any involvement in the poisoning. The US Justice Department and several congressional bodies are currently investigating possible Trump campaign ties to Russia. Mr Trump has denied all allegations of collusion. Despite having the greatest oil reserves in the world, Venezuelas government is being forced to spend millions of dollars a day importing crude to prop up its ailing industry. Petrol remains the only cheap commodity left in Venezuela amid the collapse of most of its economy, but the oil industry is now also struggling to meet basic domestic demands. Experts say the industry is operating below 40 per cent of its potential output. Last month, the International Energy Agency reported that Venezuela is and will probably remain the biggest risk factor in a global supply crisis that may soon tip the market into deficit. Recommended The desperate parents leaving their children at orphanages The speed of decline in production has been vertiginous, with output falling by 100,000 barrels a day in February, according to Bloomberg. The Central University of Venezuela says production is reaching its lowest point in 70 years. Most of the enormous oil reserves Venezuela has access to almost 25 per cent of all the oil controlled by the worlds biggest producers is heavy crude, and needs to be diluted with lighter oil to become a commercially viable product. In 2016, with its own industry failing to deliver, Venezuela imported diluents for the first time in its history. In the two years since, those imports have grown to as many as 200,000 barrels a day, mostly from the US, according to Francisco Monaldi, fellow in Latin American energy policy at Rice University in Texas. The long queues for food and medicine in Venezuela are now well documented, but lines of cars waiting outside petrol stations something that would have been unthinkable a few years ago, when petrol cost $0.01 (0.7p) per litre are becoming more common. Filling your tank is still cheaper than drinking water in Venezuela, but the industry can no longer meet domestic demands and is having to put exports first. Monaldi says that if production continues to fall to below a million barrels, the consequences could be catastrophic. The domestic consumption of oil is around 450,000 barrels and Venezuela needs the exports to repay its debt with Russia and China, he says. They have to import for two reasons. One is the collapse of the refining infrastructure and the other is that its oil is naturally heavy so they need to import diluents to blend with their oil to re-export it. One of the craziest things is that a part of Venezuelas imports is for the domestic market, but given its price, they practically give gasoline away for free. They are importing barrels that cost $80 to $90 and selling them at $0. Monaldi says the only hope is for a major change in politics. He estimates it would take a decade for Venezuela to go back to what it was, and maybe much longer than that. Venezuelan polling group IVAD suggests that elections next month are not looking good for President Nicolas Maduro. Of those polled, 77 per cent believe that the country needs a change of government, the main reasons stated being lack of food and medicine, insecurity and the high cost of living. The IMF expects the Venezuelan economy to shrink by 15 per cent in 2018, and the country is facing the worst decline of GDP in recorded history in Latin America. It estimates that by the end of 2018, the accumulated decline will be almost 50 per cent from its peak in 2013. Oil makes up more than 90 per cent of the nations exports, but a combination of government corruption, lack of investment and the migration of qualified staff have left the industry in ruins. Its a crisis that has directly hit the countrys ability to import resources like food or medicine for the Venezuelan population. It is a vicious spiral. It is estimated that 10 per cent of the population has emigrated. Almost two thirds of all households have at least one family member living abroad. And among those 3 million migrants are young and competent workers who have escaped from a country that sinks deeper into crisis. An Air China flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing after a passenger held a flight attendant hostage with a fountain pen, the countrys civil aviation authority said. All passengers and crew on Beijing-bound Flight 1350 made it safely off the plane after it landed in Zhengzhou city due to what authorities had described earlier as an unspecified illegal interference. In a brief statement on its website, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said a male passenger attempted to use a pen to hold the flight attendant under duress. Chinese police said preliminary investigations found the 41-year-old passenger, identified only by his last name, Xu, had a history of mental illness. It said he suffered an unspecified sudden psychological disorder when he grabbed the flight attendant. Air China Flight 1350 took off from Changsha and was scheduled to arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport, but made an unscheduled landing at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport (Flightradar24) In a statement, the Zhengzhou airport said it immediately activated emergency measures, adding the passengers who disembarked were in a stable mood and the airport was operating normally. The Beijing News said on its Weibo microblog page a passenger described being awoken by a scream coming from the front of the plane and nobody knew what was going on. The Xiaoxiang Morning Herald quoted a passenger saying the disturbance occurred in the first or business class cabins, but the curtains separating those sections from economy class were pulled tightly shut. She looked out the window and saw many police cars, ambulances and fire engines parked outside the plane as it was landing in Zhengzhou, the newspaper said in a Weibo post. The passenger described seeing armed personnel in camouflage uniforms assembled in two or three rows. 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 Air China flight took off from Changsha, the capital of southern Hunan province, at 8:40am and was scheduled to arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport at around 11am, according to local media reports and flight tracking websites. However, it made the unscheduled landing at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, in central Henan province, at 9:58am, according to an earlier post on Air Chinas official Weibo microblog. Air China said the plane made the unscheduled stop due to public safety reasons, and police and civil aviation authorities were handling the situation. Additional reporting by agencies Eight Hindu men accused of the gang rape and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in a case that has fuelled vicious religious divisions in India have pleaded not guilty. At the mens first court appearance, the judge adjourned the case to hear a petition from the lawyer representing the victims family to have the trial held elsewhere because of fears for her safety. Before the trial, the lawyer said she herself had been threatened with rape and death for taking up the case. Recommended Uber agrees to settle US lawsuit filed by India rape victim I was threatened yesterday that we will not forgive you. I am going to tell the Supreme Court that I am in danger, said Deepika Singh Rawat. She has fought for a proper investigation since the murder in January. The Supreme Court in Srinagar also ordered security for the victims family after her father said he too feared for their safety. The childs body was found in a forest in Jammu and Kashmir state in January, a week after she went missing while taking her familys ponies to graze. Police said she had been drugged, held captive in a temple, sexually assaulted, strangled and battered to death with a stone. The case highlights increasing religious polarisation in India. The girl was from a nomadic community that roams the forests, and investigators say the accused men had plotted the abduction for more than a month to try to scare her Muslim tribe away from the area Kathua district in Jammu, the mostly Hindu portion of Indias only Muslim-majority state. The crime has prompted nationwide outrage, and criticism of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for initially showing support for the suspects. Public anger has led to protests in cities across India over several days. Demonstrators have also highlighted another rape case allegedly involving a BJP lawmaker in the crime-ridden, northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Asifa Bano: Protestors gather in New Delhi following the rape and murder of an 8-year-old Muslim girl In 2012, massive protests followed the gang rape and murder of a woman on a Delhi bus, forcing the then Congress-led government to enact tough new rape laws including the death penalty. But last week thousands of members of a radical Hindu group, Hindu Ekta Manch or the Hindu Unity Platform marched in support of the eight accused. At least two lawmakers from the BJP also spoke out in support of the suspects. Hundreds of lawyers from the local bar association also tried to prevent police from entering a court complex to place their investigation before a judge and said the men were all innocent. The accused include a retired government official, four police officers and a minor. One of the police officers involved had allegedly claimed to join in the search for her body. Two other police officers were arrested for attempts to destroy evidence or take bribes to stifle the investigation. India has long been plagued by violence against women and children reported rapes climbed 60 per cent from 2012 to 40,000 in 2016, and many more go unreported, especially in rural areas. Reports of the torture, rape and murder of another child, believed to be about 12, have emerged from Prime Minister Narendra Modis western home state of Gujarat. As the groundswell of revulsion grew, Mr Modi said on Friday that the guilty would not be shielded, but he has been criticised for failing to speak out sooner. Before leaving for an official visit to Europe this week, he received a letter from 50 former police chiefs, ambassadors and senior civil servants, upbraiding the political leadership over its weak response. The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into, the former officials said. Recommended Pakistani minister says Bollywood star was jailed because he is Muslim In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. The letter blamed the BJP and right-wing Hindu groups for promoting a culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression in Jammu, and in the Uttar Pradesh case it blasted the party for using feudal strongmen, who behave like gangsters, to shore up its rule. The former officials said they held no political affiliation other than to uphold the values of Indias secular constitution that guarantees equal rights to all citizens. Some of the signatories have spoken out in the past against Mr Modis Hindu nationalist party, accusing it of whipping up hostility towards Indias 172 million Muslims. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition Congress party, led the first major protest over the murder in New Delhi last week. Mr Gandhi tweeted today that there had been nearly 20,000 child rapes in India in 2016, and urged Mr Modi to fast-track prosecutions if he is serious about providing justice for our daughters. The alleged ringleader of the attackers, retired bureaucrat Sanji Ram, who was named in a police report, looked after the Hindu temple where the girl had been held. The case is due to resume on 28 April. Agencies contributed to this report The New South Wales (NSW) premier has said it would be absolutely unforgivable if it emerged a huge bush fire in the Australian state was started deliberately. On Monday morning the fire had burned 2,500 hectares after starting southwest of Sydney on Saturday, with strong winds driving the flames towards residential areas. Investigators are working to establish how the fire started and police have declared the area where the blaze first broke out a crime scene, although the Rural Fire Service (RFS) said it was too early to say whether an arsonist was responsible. Recommended Hundreds of Australian firefighters battling large bushfire in Sydney Residents in suburbs near the bushfire including in Bangor, Illawong, Menai Pleasure Point, Sandy Point and Voyager Point worked over the weekend to protect their homes with hoses and buckets. No one was thought to have died and no properties are believed to have been destroyed on Monday, which NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said was a miracle and a huge relief. Asked about the possibility the fire was started intentionally, she said: The community would deem it absolutely unforgivable if this fire was deliberately lit. RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons expressed disbelief that no one had lost their homes in the fire, praising firefighters and residents for following emergency instructions. It is highly suspicious in the absence of any other cause like lightning, he told Australian TV channel Network Seven. We dont tolerate this sort of thing it is irresponsible, criminal and how dare anybody if theyre involved in this put the lives of firefighters at risk and all those communities that were in the path of this fire. 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 More than 500 firefighters tackled the blaze on Sunday, but the operation was scaled back to 250 firefighters overnight, he said. The blaze was downgraded from an emergency to a watch and act level at 5.30pm on Sunday. German prosecutors have charged a 94-year-old former SS guard at the Auschwitz death camp as an accessory to murder. Prosecutors in Stuttgart said the unidentified suspect, a German national born in Serbia, was charged as a juvenile because he was 19 at the time of the alleged offences. They say he served as a guard at Auschwitz in late 1942 and early 1943, and estimate 13,335 people were sent to the gas chambers during that time. Remembering the Holocaust Show all 16 1 /16 Remembering the Holocaust Remembering the Holocaust 119165.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119169.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119229.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119167.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119162.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119166.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119163.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119224.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119168.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119228.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119152.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119226.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119150.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119151.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119147.bin Hannah Bills Remembering the Holocaust 119231.bin Hannah Bills According to prosecutors, the suspect has said via his lawyer he wasnt aware of the background and aims of what was happening, or of details of the killings. The suspect has been charged on the premise that, as a guard, he helped the camp function. Earlier this year, another former Auschwitz guard died before he could serve four years in prison for his role as an accessory to the murder of 300,000 of the death camp's roughly one million victims. Oskar Groening, known as the "bookkeeper of Auschwitz," died aged 96. While the former SS guard did not kill anyone, he did count cash and valuables from victims upon their arrival at the camp. He never began his prison sentence due to a series of appeals. Groening came to attention in 2005, after giving interviews about his work in the camp as an attempt to persuade Holocaust deniers that the genocide of around 6 million Jewish people had taken place. It comes after a study released on Holocaust Memorial Day found two-thirds of American millennials could not identify what Auschwitz is. Twenty-two per cent said they had not heard of the Holocaust or were not sure whether they had heard of it. A prominent regional journalist investigating crime, politics and the war in Syria has died following a fall from a window of his fourth-floor apartment in Yekaterinburg, Russias fourth-largest city. Maxim Borodin, 32, was found by neighbours on the ground outside his apartment on Friday. He died in hospital two days later, without ever regaining consciousness. Mr Borodin was well-known for delving into Yekaterinburgs criminal underworld. He was among those who broke the story of unreported deaths in the Kremlins shadow armies fighting in Syria. He also published investigations into Russias religious right, and the violent protests around Matilda, a supposedly blasphemous film depicting a love affair between Tsar Nicholas II and a young ballerina. Reporter who covered Malta 'Panama Papers' link killed As one of only few investigative voices in the region, Mr Borodin often felt the brunt of official and criminal displeasure. Just two weeks ago, he was in intensive care with a major head injury. And in October, he was hit over the head with a metal pipe that attack he linked to his work covering the Matilda protests. Police say there were no signs of forced entry into his apartment, and the door was locked from the inside. But friends and colleagues have said they are suspicious of the circumstances surrounding his death. 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 Vyacheslav Bashkov, a local rights activist, told The Independent that Mr Borodin had called him early in the morning on 11 April. The journalist feared a police raid, said Mr Bashkov. A group of people in masks and fatigues had taken up positions in his courtyard, and he assumed he was the target Any journalist engaged in dangerous work has a list of numbers to call should they find themselves in trouble, and Maxim had mine, said Mr Bashkov. He thought I would be able to find him a lawyer. A little over an hour later, the journalist called back to say the men had disappeared, and there was no longer need for a lawyer. Mr Bashkov thought nothing more of it, until two days later, he read about Mr Borodins condition. He immediately set off to the police station to give a statement, but there he was not met with an enthusiastic reception. I left the station with the impression they wanted me out of there as soon as possible, he said. The editor of Novy Den, the newspaper for which Mr Borodin worked, said that the journalist had no motive for suicide. It looked like a tragic accident, said Polina Rumyantseva but she would not stay quiet if there was a hint of foul play. Mr Bashkov insisted the most obvious explanation of the death was the journalists professional activity. We have a chain of events that has led to a very suspicious death, he told The Independent. The police should be doing everything in their powers to investigate but they arent. Police have said that they are not treating the death as suspicious. Montenegro has continued on course for European Union membership after the countrys voters overwhelmingly brought back a veteran pro-EU politician to be their new president. Milo Djukanovic, leader of the countrys dominant Democratic Party of Socialists, has declared victory in a presidential election held on Sunday in the Western Balkan state, which split from Serbia in 2006 following an independence referendum. The victory for pro-integration forces comes ahead of a major EU summit in Sofia on 17 May to discuss the accession of the Western Balkan countries to the union. The Bulgarian-hosted meeting with bring together the heads of EU member states as well as the leaders of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro to discuss a possible future inside the EU. The European Commission suggested earlier this year in the run-up to the summit that Montenegro, as well as its former federal partner Serbia, could be the first states amongst the prospective group to join the EU, by 2025 but only if reform conditions were met. The 56-year-old victor said he sees the election result primarily as the confirmation of Montenegros strong determination to continue on the European road. Mr Djukanovic and his party have dominated politics in the country for decades. His previous tenure in office oversaw the countrys independence. He served as prime minister from 1991 to 1998, then president from 1998 to 2002 and prime minister from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2008 to 2010 and 2012 to 2016. Kotor Bay, Montenegro. Montenegro has benefited from increased tourism in recent years (Ggia) The politician has previously been accused of having links to organised crime, including by the prosecutors office in the Italian city of Naples and the Italian anti-Mafia commission. He denies the claims. A final official ballot count shows Mr Djukanovic won 54 per cent of the vote avoiding the need for a run-off. His closest opponent, Mladen Bojanic, from the Positive Montenegro party, won just 33 per cent of the vote. In contrast to Mr Djukanovic, the opposition Mr Bojanic advocates a more pro-Russian outlook. Mr Bojanic accused his victorious opponent of holding the countrys institutions hostage and has described his rule as a dictatorship. In third place was Montenegro's first ever woman candidate, MP Draginja Vuksanovic, who took with 8.2 per cent of the vote. 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 Russian president Vladimir Putin complained on Wednesday that the state of Montenegro-Russia relations under Mr Djukanovic clearly does not correspond to the centuries-old traditions of brotherly friendship and spiritual affinity between our peoples. Montenegro joined Nato last year, angering Russia. Other than EU membership and relations with Russia, the election was dominated by the issue of organised crime violence. A local mafia turf war, which Mr Djukanovic pledged to crack down on, has reportedly killed around 30 people since 2013. Iran-Russia stand against USA Syrian attack MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, while signs emerged that Moscow and Washington wanted to pull back from the worst crisis in their relations for years. Putin made his remarks in a telephone conversation with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani after the United States, France and Britain launched missile strikes on Syria on Saturday over a suspected poison gas attack. A Kremlin statement said Putin and Rouhani agreed that the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in the multi-sided, seven-year conflict that has killed at least half a million people. Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the UN Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations, a Kremlin statement said. The attacks struck at the heart of Syrias chemical weapons programme, Washington said, in retaliation for a suspected poison gas attack a week ago. All three participants insisted the strikes were not aimed at toppling President Bashar al-Assad or intervening in the conflict. The bombings, hailed by US President Donald Trump as a success but denounced by Damascus and its allies as an act of aggression, marked the biggest intervention by Western countries against Assad and ally Russia, whose Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called them unacceptable and lawless. Putins comments were published shortly after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov struck a more conciliatory note by saying Moscow would make every effort to improve political relations with the West. When asked whether Russia was prepared to work with the proposals of Western countries at the United Nations, Ryabkov told TASS news agency: We will work calmly, methodically and professionally, using all opportunities to remove the situation from its current extremely dangerous political peak. In Damascus, Syrias deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, met inspectors from the global chemical weapons watchdog OPCW for about three hours in the presence of Russian officers and a senior Syrian security official. The inspectors were due to attempt to visit the site of the suspected gas attack in Douma on April 7, which medical relief organisations say killed dozens of people. Moscow condemned the Western states for refusing to wait for OPCWs findings before attacking. Russia denounced allegations of a gas attack in Douma and said it was staged by Britain to whip up anti-Russian hysteria. In an indication that the West, too, would prefer to lower tensions, the United States and Britain both reiterated that their military action on Saturday was not aimed at Assad, Putins ally, only at his use of chemical weapons. Speaking to the BBC, Britains Foreign Secretary (Minister) Boris Johnson said that Western powers had no plans for further missile strikes, though they would assess their options if Damascus used chemical weapons again. This is not about regime change... This is not about trying to turn the tide of the conflict in Syria, he told the BBC, adding that Russia was the only country able to pressure Assad to negotiate an end to the conflict. Asked about US-Russia relations, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said ties were very strained but that the United States still hoped for a better relationship. Haley said that the United States would not pull its troops out of Syria until its goals were accomplished. Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, Haley listed three aims for the United States: ensuring that chemical weapons are not used in any way that poses a risk to US interests, that so-called Islamic State group is defeated and that there is a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing. In Damascus, Assad told a group of visiting Russian lawmakers that the Western missile strikes were an act of aggression, Russian news agencies reported. Syria released video of the wreckage of a bombed-out research lab, but also of Assad arriving at work as usual, with the caption morning of resilience and there were no immediate reports of casualties. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he has convinced Donald Trump to keep troops in Syria, as he defended the use of air strikes in the wake of an apparent chemical attack in Syria. The US, France and Britain launched more than 100 missiles targeting a number of what they said were three facilities linked to the chemical weapons programme, with Mr Macron saying that during the discussions President Trump was persuaded to drop the idea that Washington would be pulling out of Syria soon. Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States should withdraw from Syria. We convinced him it was necessary to stay, Mr Macron said in an interview broadcast by BFM TV, RMC radio and Mediapart online news. We convinced him it was necessary to stay for the long term, he added. Recommended US to impose new sanctions on Russia in wake of Syria chemical attack Mr Trump had tweeted a number of messages laying out the fact he would strike back against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with Washington and Paris saying they prove that Assad was behind the attack on the town of Douma on 7 April, with chlorine one of the chemicals used. Mr Macron said limiting the strikes to three specific targets was not necessarily Mr Trumps initial plan, but that they were legitimate and needed. We also persuaded him that we needed to limit the strikes to chemical weapons [sites], after things got a little carried away over tweets, he said. We had reached a point where these strikes were necessary to give back the [international] community some credibility, he added. Responding to Mr Macron, Mr Trump said the US still wants its forces to return home from Syria as soon as possible. The US mission has not changed the president has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. We are determined to completely crush ISIS and create the conditions that will prevent its return. In addition we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region, she said. Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Show all 21 1 /21 Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A picture released by the French Defence audiovisual communication and production unit (ECPAD) shows the launching of a cruise missile from a French military vessel in the Mediterranean sea towards targets in Syria overnight. The United States, France and Britain carried out a wave of punitive strikes against Bashar al-Assad's Syrian regime in the early hours of April 14 in response to alleged chemical weapons attacks. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Rafale warplanes being prepared for take off at the Saint-Dizier aerial military base, eastern France. Media reports state that the United States, France and Britain launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for an apparent chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again. EPA Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Damascus skies erupt with missile fire as the US launches an attack on Syria targeting different parts of the capital. President Donald Trump announced airstrikes in retaliation for the country's alleged use of chemical weapons. AP Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A map show the location of the air strikes carried out by the US-led coalition in Syria overnight. US Department of Defense Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Royal Air Force tornado jets take off in the early hours from RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus to conduct air strikes in Syria. Four Tornado jets fired Storm Shadow missiles "at a military facility -- a former missile base -- some 15 miles (24 kilometres) west of Homs, where the regime is assessed to keep chemical weapon precursors," the defence ministry said in a statement. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action Map of where the air strikes hit in Syria released by the Pentagon. A Syrian military statement says the US, Britain and France fired 110 missiles during a joint attack on targets in Damascus and outside. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A photo released on the Twitter page of Hezbollah's "Central War Media" account shows night footage of flares above Damascus seen through a night-vision device as Western strikes reportedly hit Syrian military bases and chemical research centres in and around Syria's capital. US, France, and Britain announced the joint operation. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Barzah research and development centre before and after the air strikes, released by the Pentagon. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker before the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker after the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The wreckage of a building described as part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus. AFP/Getty Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site before and after the air strikes, released by the Pentagon. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site before the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons storage site after the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action A British military Typhoon aircraft lands at the Sovereign Base Area (SBA) of Akrotiri, a British overseas territory located ten kilometres west of the southern Cypriot port city of Limassol, following US, British and French strikes on Syria. Syrian state media slammed Western strikes on Saturday as illegal and "doomed to fail," after the US, Britain and France launched a joint operation against the Damascus.government. Huge blasts were reported around the Syrian capital, moments after the three Western governments announced they were striking Syria's chemical weapons capabilities. AFP/Getty Images Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker before and after the air strikes, released by the Pentagon. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker before the air strikes. Pentagon Syria air strikes: US, UK and France joint military action The preliminary damage assessment of Him Shinshar chemical weapons bunker after the air strikes. Pentagon France has been at the forefront of efforts to try to find a solution to the crisis in Syria. Mr Macron said he had no plans to change next month's trip to Russia, which backs the Syrian government politically and militarily, in order to find a political solution, even though Moscow had made itself complicit in Assads actions, he said. Of course they are complicit. They have not used chlorine themselves but they have methodically built the international communitys inability to act through diplomatic channels to stop the use of chemical weapons, Mr Macron said. Syria air strikes: How events unfolded Mr Macrons intervention comes as the US, UK and France push a draft resolution ahead of a meeting of the UNs Security Council on Monday, which includes a proposal for an independent investigation into alleged chemical weapons attacks that identifies those responsible. Both the Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the chemical attack. On Saturday, the UN Security Council rejected a separate resolution tabled by Russia calling for condemnation of aggression by the US and its allies. Only three countries Russia, China and Bolivia voted in favour of the resolution at the end of an emergency meeting. Eight countries voted against and three abstained. In terms of the wider Syrian civil war, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned of a humanitarian disaster in the rebel-controlled Syrian city of Idlib. There are fears that it may be the next target for the Syrian army to retake, with tens of thousands of government opposition fighters and civilians having fled to the northern Idlib region from parts of the country which the army has recaptured over the last couple of years. Those in control of Idlib include both jihadi factions and nationalist rebels. The dominant force there is Hayat Tahrir al Sham, an Islamist alliance spearheaded by the former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Mr Le Drian said in an interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche that Idlib now has some two million inhabitants, including hundreds of thousands of Syrians evacuated from rebel-held cities taken back by the Syrian regime. There is a risk of a new humanitarian disaster. Idlibs fate must be settled by a political process, which includes disarming the militias, Mr Le Drian said. Reuters contributed to this report Militants disguised as UN peacekeepers exploded two suicide car bombs and fired dozens of rockets at the French and United Nations bases in Mali's northern city of Timbuktu on Saturday, killing one and wounding many, Malian authorities said. The UN mission confirmed that the complex attack had killed a UN peacekeeper. The Malian government said in addition that ten French soldiers had been wounded, but the French mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Terrorists wearing blue helmets aboard two cars laden with explosives, including one in the colours of the Malian army and another with a 'UN' written in it, attempted to infiltrate these camps, the Malian government statement said. Recommended Single landmine kills 13 civilians in Mali The situation is now under control. UN peacekeeping and French military forces stationed in northern Mali have been under near-constant attack over the past year by determined and well-armed jihadist groups seen as the gravest threat to security across Africa's Sahel region. But even by the standards of Mali's increasingly emboldened Islamist fighters, Saturday's attempted breach of two foreign bases at once was ambitious. MINUSMA confirms a significant complex attack on its camp in Timbuktu mortars, exchange of fire, vehicle suicide bomb attack, the mission tweeted. One blue helmet was killed in the exchange of fire. 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 United Nations last month said 162 people deployed in Mali have been killed since 2013, making it the world's deadliest peacekeeping operation to date. A 2015 peace deal signed by Mali's government and separatist groups has failed to end violence in northern Mali by Islamists, who have also staged assaults on high-profile targets in the capital, Bamako, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. French forces intervened in 2013 to drive back Islamist fighters who had hijacked a Tuareg uprising a year earlier, and some 4,000 French troops remain. The UN Security Council then deployed peacekeepers to the country, but they have been targets of a concerted guerrilla campaign. Reuters Close Syria air strikes: How events unfolded Theresa May has faced MPs to defend her decision to launch air strikes against the Syrian government, but ducked calls to give parliament a retrospective vote on the matter. Speaking in the House of Commons, the prime minister dismissed suggestions the government had followed the whims of Donald Trump and insisted she had taken the decision to launch strikes because it was in the UK's national interest. But she faced criticism from MPs, including some on her own benches, for not seeking a vote of parliament before launching the strikes. Instead, the Commons is likely to vote on the issue on Tuesday after Jeremy Corbyn was granted permission for a debate on intervention in Syria. Please allow a moment for the live blog to load Emmanuel Macron has declared that he persuaded Donald Trump to limit the Syria air strikes to a few targets and avoid a conflagration. In London, the briefing from government officials was that the US president was, in fact, wobbling over military action at the end and Theresa May played a part in him holding firm. But in reality it was not Mr Macron or Ms May who effectively decided the scale and scope of the raids, but General James Mattis. The American defence secretary, by all reliable accounts, was key in formulating the parameters of the mission one already handicapped at various levels by Mr Trumps tweeted boast of the missiles are coming and also saw off the efforts of the new super-hawk national security advisor, John Bolton, to widen operations and hit locations where Iranians may be present. But Mr Trumps threat to attack was not due to Mr Bolton or anyone else. The presidents message delivered on social media, like so many of the others he produces on an industrial scale, was an instant reaction after watching images on TV news. But this one passed off as one of his fire and forget tweets. It made military action inevitable even though the commanders and the intelligence agencies were, as Gen Mattis acknowledged, still assessing what exactly happened in Douma. Recommended Donald Trump has accomplished nothing by bombing Syria As the consequences of what may unfold was laid out by Gen Mattis and other security advisors, Mr Trumps next tweet said: I didnt say when there will be an attack on Syria. It will happen very soon, maybe not so soon in any case. Then even more confusedly, he wrote: The United States during the existence of my administration did a great job of ridding the region of Isis, where is our Thank you America? According to Downing Street accounts, this was when a subdued President Trump called Ms May and the British prime ministers response put some ballast in him. There are echoes in this of Margaret Thatcher telling Ronald Reagan to stand firm on nuclear deterrence talks with Moscow, but Ms May, despite her efforts, is not commonly viewed as another Iron Lady and Mr Trump, most would say, is no Ronald Reagan. According to a number of diplomatic Sources, however, the concern of the UK at this stage was that it may be left out of a American-French enterprise. The fact is that despite the supposed American and British Special Relationship, Mr Trump appears to have built up a stronger rapport with Mr Macron than with Ms May, with the US president having a fairly successful, hassle-free visit to France while one to the UK is still to take place. Mr Trump has had two lengthy conversations with Mr Macron while Ms May waited to talk to him and, according to French and American officials, the French president urged the need for air strikes. Mr Macron also claimed to have persuaded Mr Trump not to pull out troops from Syria, but any withdrawal would have been in the months ahead rather than immediately. Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Show all 13 1 /13 Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, which was targeted by the US, UK and France air strikes. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center surrounded by papers and rubble. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Firefighrers extinguish smoke that rises from the damage. The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound . AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Part of a building collapsing, surrounded by the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damaged to the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier sprays water on the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syrian state news agency SANA reported several missiles hit a research centre in Barzeh, north of Damascus, "destroying a building that included scientific labs and a training centre". AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Damage to the Scientific Research Center building that was hit by the strikes. EPA Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The Scientific Studies and Research Centre was one of the targeted buildings by the US, UK and France. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damage to the centre. EPA Mr Macron had expressed his views that military action should follow in response to a chemical attack by the Assad regime on coming to power last year. The French had taken a tough stance on this in the past. In 2013, Francois Hollande was urging raids while David Cameron went to the Commons for authority for military action and failed to do so, and Barack Obama desisted from bombing after accepting Russian assurances that President Assad would get rid of his chemical weapons. It made more sense, logistically, for the US to liaise more with France than the UK. Mr Macron claimed early on that he had proof of a chemical attack on Douma. It was also argued that France had more military assets to contribute than the UK with its defences suffering cuts and, unlike the UK, could use warships as well as planes in the attack. At the end of the day, however, the difference in delivery was relatively slight. France fired 12 missiles to Britains eight. The heavy lifting was, as usual, being done by America with 85 missiles. Just how much damage was done, with the Syrians evacuating bases and moving equipment thanks to Mr Trumps tweeted early warning, remains a matter of dispute. On 3 April the UK announced that it would impose new and sweeping restrictions on ivory trade. The planned ban, set to be one of the worlds toughest, is reflective of a government committed to saving Africas elephants. It is a popular move - from over 70,000 public submissions made during consultations, 88 per cent were in favour of a ban. It is perhaps the clearest indication yet that the trade of ivory is falling out of favour in the UK. Although Europes conservationists have often been at the forefront of elephant conservation efforts, research from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) shows Europe has in fact been the worlds largest exporter of legal ivory, most of which ends up in Asian markets. Between 2010 and 2015, the UK. was the single-largest supplier of legal ivory, according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). But Europes position on ivory could change soon, too. In December, the EU closed a consultation period on the ivory trade and, if public sentiment in the EU is anything like the UKs, Brussels could soon implement tighter restrictions as well. This would build on guidelines issued in 2017 calling for member states to cease issuing certificates for the re-export of raw ivory, along with greater scrutiny of trade in worked ivory. The UK now joins the US, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, all of which have announced or implemented bans and tightened restrictions on the trade of ivory. Overwhelmingly welcomed by conservation organisations, many argue that legal trade - even in antiques - stimulates demand by providing the loopholes and cover that smugglers need to launder illegal ivory from recently poached elephants. The EIA estimates that more than 12 tonnes of ivory, sourced from about 1,800 elephants, were confiscated in 16 European countries between January 2000 and October 2017. These numbers are likely only a small sliver of the real illegal trade volumes, argues the EIA, and could point to the existence of criminal networks using the region as a transit point under the cover of the legal trade. The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) works in collaboration with governments and communities in Africa to stop ivory and other illegal wildlife products from leaving source markets in the first place. Our programmes tackle the problem from multiple angles, including within communities that live alongside these iconic creatures and protected wildlife habitat. Nearly 80 per cent of landscapes where we work are seeing elephant populations on the rise. Our Canines for Conservation programme is also proving to be an effective obstacle and deterrent for poachers aiming to take illegal contraband out of Africa. An AWF-led team matches sniffer dogs with handlers from wildlife authorities and trains them to detect illegal contraband at strategic airports and shipping hubs in key African countries. In January 2018 alone, the trained teams made 34 ivory busts at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, and reduced the trafficking in wildlife products to a mere trickle at Kenyas Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. AWF also trains rangers, prosecutors, and the judiciary across eastern and southern Africa in wildlife law, case preparation and presentation in court so that wildlife criminals, wherever they come from, are brought to justice. But crucially, AWF is committed to ensuring that the African voice is front and centre of international debates on the ivory trade. Our high-level advocacy work with governments in Africa and Asia argues for strong African leadership on the issue, and Africas leaders are stepping up. Whilst some are in favour of controlled sustainable trade, others support decisive trade restrictions. Most recently, in March, Botswana and Kenya became the latest of 32 African countries to sign on to a petition asking the EU to end its trade. But bans alone are not enough. Shocking reports about body parts of endangered wildlife being advertised on Facebook suggest that the war against this transnational criminal network is far from being won. AWF is proud to be a partner with the International Fund for Animal Welfare which has led on cybercrime since 2014 as part of a broader programme to combat wildlife trafficking. More approaches and alliances of this kind are urgently needed. Africa continues to lose 55 elephants per day, and stopping the sharp decline in Africas elephant populations remains hugely challenging. Reducing demand is clearly at the centre of the problem and, whilst demand in Asia appears to be declining, there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done. There are fears that Hong Kongs ban, which doesnt come into effect until 2022, increases the risk of stockpiling, fuelled in part by smugglers trying to bring as much illegal ivory into the country as possible, to be offloaded legally at inflated prices as the ban draws closer. And Chinas ban and tighter restrictions in Thailand, as argued by the conservation organisation Save the Elephants, is seeing impact in Laos where the ivory market has expanded faster than that of any other nation as it skirts Chinese restrictions to satisfy demand there. It is imperative that Asian governments work together to stay a step ahead of the demand and supply trends. These are certainly fluid, and those involved show resiliency and creativity. Regulatory harmonisation and nations working together will prove crucial going forward if the conservation effort is able to reduce the demand and close loopholes, which provide space for smugglers to continue to operate. Time is of the essence, and 2018 could shape up to be a turning point in the fight against ivory trafficking. In October, the UK government will host an international conference on the illegal wildlife trade, again bringing conservationists and governments in Africa - and across the world - together to up our game. Commitments made might just prove to be critical in the fight to secure a future for Africas elephants. Not usually one for lengthy expositions of my own views, I find that I'm increasingly frustrated with quite a lot of nonsense that quite a lot of people are bandying around about what was done in Syria earlier this week. First: the purpose of the air strikes. Nothing Theresa May has said about the decision she took has indicated, or even thinly suggested, that she or any of our allies have intervened to change the regime in Syria, or tip the balance in the long and brutal civil war there, or show Russia who's boss. It wasn't even claimed that this strike would prevent Assad from launching further chemical weapon attacks. All that the strike is intended to achieve is to ensure that if perhaps when Assad thinks about using these weapons again, he won't be under the impression that he can do so without consequence. We reserve the right to punish tyrants, dictators, criminals and madmen like Assad from behaving in this way. Full stop. Second: the legality of this action. Humanitarian intervention is an increasingly widely recognised basis for armed intervention. It was the basis for intervention in Kosovo in 1999 to stop the slaughter and ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of people there (Jeremy Corbyn opposed this action too, you shouldn't be surprised to hear). It was the basis for intervention in Sierra Leone to rescue UN peacekeepers and bolster the UN mission in that country. As for the role of parliament, it's worth adding two further points. First, as a matter of international law, it matters not a jot whether parliament is consulted. Either the use of force is a breach of Chapter VII of the UN Convention or it is not, and it isn't any more or less a breach if parliament has voted for it. And in the absence of a written constitution, it's perfectly clear that there is no custom which dictates that parliament is the body that decides on military intervention. Third: are we the ones to be doing this? A lot of people are shouting about imperialism and hypocrisy. We are, after all, still selling weapons to the Saudis which are being used to slaughter innocent people in Yemen. I happen to agree that we should stop selling these weapons. But does anyone want to say to the mother of a child whose lungs have just been melted out with chlorine gas, "I'm terribly sorry for your loss. This really is horrific. But I'm afraid we can't do anything about it because we have an interest in selling arms to Saudi Arabia"? You're not just spectators in this, folks. If you want to have a say in this then you had better be prepared to think about these things as though you are the one making that decision and give that explanation. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 Fourth: Jezza. Jeremy Corbyn has said before how his opposition to Iraq, though it achieved nothing at all, was one of his proudest moments in politics. And it may well be that many of you agree with his stance on Iraq. But do you also agree with his stance on Kosovo? On Bosnia? On Kuwait? How about the first Gulf war, when we intervened to respond to Saddam Hussein's attempt to annex a neighbouring state by force? Of course, it wasn't just us that intervened. The UN mandated that armed intervention. Did Jeremy, who now says we need to work through the UN and get UN authority before intervening, honour that resolution by the UN? Nope. In fact, not only did he not support the use of force on that occasion, he tabled motions in parliament to condemn the resolutions that had been passed by the UN! Of course, this was all a long time after Corbyn's opposition (before he was elected) to the "Tory plot" that was the mission to the Falkland Islands to prevent the British citizens there being invaded by a country run by a military junta. Look over his career and you will not find any tyrant, sadist, despot or psychopathic madman who Jeremy Corbyn has supported military action against. In that context, what does being a man of principle really mean? Not every armed intervention is Iraq, and the fact that Trump happens to be doing it as well isn't a good enough reason for not doing it. Saying we need a political solution is easy, and almost meaningless. Do I feel safer with more missiles flying in the air? No. But that's not the point. I do feel that the rules against torturing your own people are stronger now than they were last Monday. For now, I'll take that. Give young people the opportunity to shape our futures for all our futures sake. Those were the words of Amatey Doku, deputy president of the National Union of Students, at the launch of the new cross-party Peoples Vote campaign in front of a packed audience of 1,200 at the Electric Ballroom arts venue in Camden yesterday. Whatever your opinion on Brexit, we can all agree that it is a big deal which will affect generations for generations. Today, those who stand to lose the most havent even been able to have their say on whether or not we stay in the EU; over half a million young people have become eligible to vote after the referendum. Doku was speaking at the end of a weekend of campaigning events all over the country from Devon to County Durham where people from all walks of life, in all regions of the UK, took to the streets to argue that Brexit is not a done deal and is too important for politicians alone to decide. That is why they say there should be a national vote on the final Brexit deal. I agree. The exact wording of the question to be put to the people would be a matter for parliament to decide. My personal view is that it should be a choice between leaving with the deal Theresa May returns from Brussels with in the autumn and staying in the EU. But first we must persuade a majority in the House of Commons that the people deserve to be brought back into the process to determine whether we accept the deal or not that is the central goal of the Peoples Vote campaign. As Doku said yesterday: Give us the space, give us the platforms and give us that opportunity to take back control. Students are one of many civil society groups demanding they get a say on the Brexit deal. Malcolm MacLeod, who has worked in the NHS for over 30 years, first as an auxiliary nurse and now as a neurologist (and professor of neurology), explained at the launch how we rely on EU citizens to keep our NHS growing. He told the crowd how his hospital recently failed to get a single applicant for a consultant neurology post, a situation which will get even worse after we leave the EU. Because of Brexit, he said, we are becoming a less and less attractive career destination for European healthcare professionals. Richard Reed, an entrepreneur who founded Innocent Smoothies, told us of the challenges businesses are already facing as a result of Brexit. He said that in business, whenever you do a deal you have to do due diligence, you have to make sure it all checks up, that the numbers all add up this, he says, is a rallying cry, as much for Leave voters as Remainers, so we can check that the Brexit deal we end up with marries with the specifications of the Brexit people were sold by Boris Johnson and others. Reed was followed by Marianna Mazzucato, the economics professor from UCL who has served on shadow chancellor John McDonells economic advisory group. She argued that the failure of the economy to deliver for enough people in our country had very little to do with the EU and so much more to do with poor domestic decisions by policymakers in the UK. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 29 September 2021 The family of Betty Campbell unveil the bronze sculpture of her during the unveiling of the statue in Central Square, Cardiff, of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2021 A sign referring to the lack of fuel is placed at the entrance to a petrol station in London AP UK news in pictures 27 September 2021 Police officers detain a protester from Insulate Britain occupying a roundabout leading from the M25 motorway to Heathrow Airport in London PA UK news in pictures 26 September 2021 Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer watches the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur match at The Font pub in Brighton PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2021 Scottish pro-independence supporters hold a march and rally outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland Getty Images UK news in pictures 24 September 2021 Police officers remove two protesters from the top of a tanker, as Insulate Britain block the A20 in Kent, which provides access to the Port of Dover in Kent. The environmental activists have moved location after been banned from campaigning on the M25 motorway in London PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2021 Gabriella, the seven year old daughter of imprisoned British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, joins in a game on a giant snakes and ladders board in Parliament Square, to show the ups and downs of her mothers case to mark the 2,000 days she has been detained in Iran AP UK news in pictures 22 September 2021 A new sign hangs on the Millicent Fawcett statue after it was altered by CrackTheCrises coalition activists to highlight the climate crisis as a feminist struggle in Parliament Square in London EPA UK news in pictures 21 September 2021 Gabriella Diment prepares a monumental bronze patinated fibreglass wall sculpture depicting household cavalry soldiers on horseback which is expected to be sold for 12,000-18,000 when it goes up for auction at Summers Place Auctions in Billinghurst, Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2021 Florist Judith Blacklock puts the finishing touches to a floral carousel installation in Halkin Arcade, which she has designed with Neill Strain for the Belgravia in Bloom festival, running from September 20-26, in London PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2021 Bubbles surround Manchester Uniteds Cristiano Ronaldo before the match against West Ham at London Stadium Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 18 September 2021 Children take part in the Settrington Cup Pedal Car Race as motoring enthusiasts attend the Goodwood Revival, a three-day historic car racing festival in Goodwood, Chichester, Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2021 Hugo, 7, from London rides past a 4x7 metre rainbow arch, made entirely of recycled aluminium cans, which has been installed by recycling initiative 'Every Can Counts', in partnership with The City of London Corporation in front of St Paul's Cathedral in London, to encourage members of the public to recycle their drinks cans ahead of recycling week, which starts on 20 September PA UK news in pictures 16 September 2021 Sheikeh MOhammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, leader of Abu Dhabi, leaves Downing Street after meeting with Boris Johnson PA 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 So what are the steps along the road to a peoples vote? Last December, against the wishes of the government and hard Brexiters led by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the House of Commons forced Theresa May to give MPs a meaningful vote on the Brexit deal at the end of this year. Yesterday kicked off a series of rallies and events which will take place all over the country between now and when MPs make that vote. A Withdrawal Agreement, including proposals for a transition period from March 2019 to December 2020 and a framework for our future trading relationship with the EU, is due to be agreed between the EU and UK at the EU Council in October. There will be votes in the European parliament and the UK parliament approving that deal shortly after. This meaningful vote will give MPs the opportunity to provide for a national poll of the people on whether they wish to accept what is on the table. Due to the two week Easter recess which finishes today and the local elections on Thursday 3 May, things have been relatively quiet on Brexit in parliament over these last few weeks. That is about to change. The House of Lords will be voting on the EU Withdrawal Bill, the main piece of legislation implementing Brexit, from today. It is highly likely the government will be defeated on a number of aspects of their hard Brexit proposal, setting the scene for a confrontation in the House of Commons shortly after the local elections. The two houses of parliament will have to iron out these differences and come to an agreed final form of the bill that can be passed and sent to the Queen for Royal Assent this will not be straightforward. Then there are two other crucial pieces of legislation that are currently in play, which will put in place a new framework for the UKs trade if the UK leaves the EU: the Trade and Customs Bills. These bills will determine whether the UK remains in the single market and customs union if we leave the EU. The single market provides for tariff-free trade between EU countries and a common framework of rules including employment rights, competition policy, consumer and environment protections. EU countries come together through the customs union to apply the same tariffs to goods from outside the union. As the governments own economic analysis shows, we derive huge benefits from being part of both entities at present. The EU has offered the UK the opportunity to be part of both if we leave, but the PM has ruled this out. However, she lacks a majority to force this through parliament. The reality is that Theresa May has no majority to take the UK out of the customs union and, if the Labour leadership do what our members and voters want work to keep the UK in the single market she may also have no majority to take the UK out of the single market either. Realising this, ministers have pressed the pause button on the progress of both bills but will need to press play again soon, given this legislation will need to pass by the end of this year at the latest. We expect these pieces of legislation to resume by the summer another potential flashpoint if the Government does not change its negotiating position. In the last week alone, there have been two surveys showing a clear majority of the British public want a vote on the Brexit deal. The most recent poll by Opinium, commissioned by Open Britain, shows that 52 per cent support a peoples vote on the final deal, with 31 per cent opposed, and the campaign has only just started. My fellow co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on EU Relations, Conservative MP Anna Soubry, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas and Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran (who unseated a Tory MP in 2017 in Oxford) all spoke alongside me at the launch yesterday. We are all supportive of a peoples vote but we need help to get a majority of the House of Commons behind us. So please sign up to the campaign and make sure your MP hears your demand for a vote on the Brexit deal. Brixton's proud history of hard-working black immigrants People often ask how Brixton of which my constituency forms a part in South London ended up becoming a magnet for Commonwealth immigrants arriving here from the Caribbean since the late 1940s. They are often referred to as the Windrush generation, who are much in the news at present due to the uncertainties surrounding their immigration status and because of the meeting of Commonwealth heads of government taking place this week in London. The first wave of black immigrants arrived from Jamaica on a ship called the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex in 1948, 70 years ago. On arrival, many of them were taken from Essex to be first housed temporarily in the old deep bomb shelters in Clapham South which borders my patch. The nearest job centre the labour exchange in those days was located in Brixton on Coldharbour Lane. That is why so many black people made their lives in and around Brixton. Far from wanting to fleece the state, as so many on the far right would have your believe, these immigrants like my father who arrived later in the 1960s wanted to find work and make a positive contribution to our society, so they chose to live in close proximity to the job centre. If you want to learn more about the history of black people in Britain and the huge contribution they and future generations have made, do visit the Black Cultural Archives (of which I am a patron!) which is appropriately located off Windrush Square in Brixton. Chuka Umunna is the Labour MP for Streatham It happened on the afternoon of 14 September last year, 2017. I had come back to visit my family home in Biafra a few weeks earlier from Germany, where I now live. I call it Biafra because Biafra is my country, not Nigeria. My mother and father, my older brother Nnamdi Kanu and I were in the house, along with friends. It was my sons thirteenth birthday. I had just been on the phone congratulating him when the first gas canisters were thrown over the fence followed by gunfire. It was 4pm. The house was surrounded by Nigerian soldiers. Jeremy Corbyn calls for Commonwealth to decide own head after Queen dies I found it hard to breathe. Everyone was panicking. I was witnessing a full on military attack on my parents home. I saw a soldier jump over the high fence that surrounds our house and open our main gate. He started shooting at the young men inside. That was when I realised if I didnt escape now I would die. There were soldiers and guns everywhere. How I got out only heaven knows. I remember I had to jump two walls. There was sporadic firing from the soldiers and one of the people who tried to follow me, a good family friend, was killed. My youngest brother, Emmanuel, had left a few minutes before and was only a few metres away. Since that afternoon, Ive heard nothing from my mother and father and my brother Nnamdi. The only explanation for my family being targeted by the Nigerian government is that we believe in an independent Biafra. People may remember the Biafran War fifty years ago. For a few years, between 1967 and 1970 we were a free state. I was born during the war in December 1969. My family had to leave our home in Umuahia to escape the invasion by the Nigerian army then. My mother was pregnant with me and it was no longer safe. There was fighting just behind our house. Biafran people were shot and bombed and starved to death; millions of them. Our experience was genocide. My parents lost most of their relatives. So I grew up in an occupied country, an unhappy country. We were forced to be part of a state manufactured by colonial rule: Nigeria. I remember my father, like everyone else, was given the equivalent of 20 in recompense, to start again. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari says he wife 'belongs in the kitchen' But despite everything, we had a very happy childhood and a loving family life. My older brother Nnamdi and I did everything together. We were about the same height, so we even shared clothes and shoes. He took care of me as a younger brother and guided me. My father traded in farm produce. Now he is a traditional ruler. People look up to him. They trust him. When I was younger I knew I couldnt stay in Biafra. Since the mid-70s our culture, our history, our people had been all but erased. My brother and I needed to do something to help people to remember and we couldnt do it there. I moved to Germany twenty-one years ago and raised a family. He moved to London and began the online Radio Biafra, broadcasting in English and Igbo, the language of Biafra, stories about our country, music, commentary and news. The Nigerian government has wanted to shut this down since it first broadcast in 2010. Nnamdi also started our organisation, Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra, IPOB, seeking peaceful ways to bring about self-determination and independence for Biafra through democracy. We are a young organisation. Many of our members are too young to remember the war, but we are passionate that we will see an independent Biafra and a free Biafran people in our lifetimes. Many Biafrans have been killed or detained before, during and after the 14th September 2017. There have been peaceful protests to commemorate the war where the security services have just opened fire on us. As far as we are concerned, the government of Mohammadu Buhari is determined to stifle the independence movement. This week, President Buhari will meet the Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The Queen needs to know that, if my experience is anything to go by, Buharis government will resort to the most serious human rights violations in order to gag the people of Biafra. 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 I am back in Germany now. After my escape from the family home I had to stay in hotels under a false name and only managed to leave Nigeria, spending a few tense hours at the airport, because I have a German passport and was travelling under a visa. A long time ago I gave back my Nigerian passport and I suppose the authorities looked at me as a foreigner. But Nnamdi, my brother, our leader, has disappeared. The Nigerian authorities deny any involvement and have ignored our requests for information about his whereabouts and the whereabouts of my mother and father. If they are dead, we should be allowed to bury them. If they are alive, they should be freed. To add to this personal tragedy, Nnamdi has a baby son in London he has never seen and a fifteen-year-old boy who needs answers. He is a British citizen. The British authorities should be investigating his disappearance too. My family house is under police guard. The rest of my family dare not go there. People are dead or in hiding. But still Im optimistic about the future. The Biafran people know what they want. My children and my brothers children will see an independent Biafra, a Biafra based on democracy and fairness. Nothing can stop that. This is the story of a town called Douma, a ravaged, stinking place of smashed apartment blocks and of an underground clinic whose images of suffering allowed three of the Western worlds most powerful nations to bomb Syria last week. Theres even a friendly doctor in a green coat who, when I track him down in the very same clinic, cheerfully tells me that the gas videotape which horrified the world despite all the doubters is perfectly genuine. War stories, however, have a habit of growing darker. For the same 58-year old senior Syrian doctor then adds something profoundly uncomfortable: the patients, he says, were overcome not by gas but by oxygen starvation in the rubbish-filled tunnels and basements in which they lived, on a night of wind and heavy shelling that stirred up a dust storm. As Dr Assim Rahaibani announces this extraordinary conclusion, it is worth observing that he is by his own admission not an eyewitness himself and, as he speaks good English, he refers twice to the jihadi gunmen of Jaish el-Islam [the Army of Islam] in Douma as terrorists the regimes word for their enemies, and a term used by many people across Syria. Am I hearing this right? Which version of events are we to believe? By bad luck, too, the doctors who were on duty that night on 7 April were all in Damascus giving evidence to a chemical weapons enquiry, which will be attempting to provide a definitive answer to that question in the coming weeks. France, meanwhile, has said it has proof chemical weapons were used, and US media have quoted sources saying urine and blood tests showed this too. The WHO has said its partners on the ground treated 500 patients exhibiting signs and symptoms consistent with exposure to toxic chemicals. At the same time, inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are currently blocked from coming here to the site of the alleged gas attack themselves, ostensibly because they lacked the correct UN permits. Before we go any further, readers should be aware that this is not the only story in Douma. There are the many people I talked to amid the ruins of the town who said they had never believed in gas stories which were usually put about, they claimed, by the armed Islamist groups. These particular jihadis survived under a blizzard of shellfire by living in others peoples homes and in vast, wide tunnels with underground roads carved through the living rock by prisoners with pick-axes on three levels beneath the town. I walked through three of them yesterday, vast corridors of living rock which still contained Russian yes, Russian rockets and burned-out cars. Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures A child receiving oxygen through respirators following an alleged poison gas attack in the rebel-held town of Douma AP Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures A child is treated in a hospital in Douma White Helmets Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures An image grab taken from a video released by the Douma City Coordination Committee shows unidentified volunteers spraying a man with water at a make-shift hospital following an alleged chemical attack AFP/Douma City Coordination Committee Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures People cover their faces after an alleged chemical attack in Douma EPA Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures A medical worker giving a toddler oxygen through respirators following an alleged poison gas attack in the opposition-held town of Douma. Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures An image grab taken from a video released by the Douma City Coordination Committee shows unidentified volunteers spraying a girl with water at a make-shift hospital following an alleged chemical attack AFP/Douma City Coordination Committee Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures A child is treated in a hospital in Douma White Helmets/Handout via Reuters Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures Injured victims of an alleged chemical attack in Douma EPA Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures An image grab taken from a video released by the Douma City Coordination Committee shows unidentified volunteers spraying a man with water at a make-shift hospital following an alleged chemical attack AFP/Douma City Coordination Committee Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures A Syrian man mourns after an alleged chemical attack Alamy Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures People stand in front of damaged buildings, in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus, Syria AP Photo/Hassan Ammar Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures Rubble lines a street in Douma, at the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack AP Douma chemical attack: Syria war in pictures Rubble fills a street in Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus AP So the story of Douma is thus not just a story of gas or no gas, as the case may be. Its about thousands of people who did not opt for evacuation from Douma on buses that left last week, alongside the gunmen with whom they had to live like troglodytes for months in order to survive. I walked across this town quite freely yesterday without soldier, policeman or minder to haunt my footsteps, just two Syrian friends, a camera and a notebook. I sometimes had to clamber across 20-foot-high ramparts, up and down almost sheer walls of earth. Happy to see foreigners among them, happier still that the siege is finally over, they are mostly smiling; those whose faces you can see, of course, because a surprising number of Doumas women wear full-length black hijab. Rubble fills a street in Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack, near Damascus (AP) I first drove into Douma as part of an escorted convoy of journalists. But once a boring general had announced outside a wrecked council house I have no information that most helpful rubbish-dump of Arab officialdom I just walked away. Several other reporters, mostly Syrian, did the same. Even a group of Russian journalists all in military attire drifted off. It was a short walk to Dr Rahaibani. From the door of his subterranean clinic Point 200, it is called, in the weird geology of this partly-underground city is a corridor leading downhill where he showed me his lowly hospital and the few beds where a small girl was crying as nurses treated a cut above her eye. I was with my family in the basement of my home three hundred metres from here on the night but all the doctors know what happened. There was a lot of shelling [by government forces] and aircraft were always over Douma at night but on this night, there was wind and huge dust clouds began to come into the basements and cellars where people lived. People began to arrive here suffering from hypoxia, oxygen loss. Then someone at the door, a White Helmet, shouted Gas!, and a panic began. People started throwing water over each other. Yes, the video was filmed here, it is genuine, but what you see are people suffering from hypoxia not gas poisoning. Independent Middle East Correspondent Robert Fisk in one of the miles of tunnels hacked beneath Douma by prisoners of Syrian rebels (Yara Ismail) Oddly, after chatting to more than 20 people, I couldnt find one who showed the slightest interest in Doumas role in bringing about the Western air attacks. Two actually told me they didnt know about the connection. But it was a strange world I walked into. Two men, Hussam and Nazir Abu Aishe, said they were unaware how many people had been killed in Douma, although the latter admitted he had a cousin executed by Jaish el-Islam [the Army of Islam] for allegedly being close to the regime. They shrugged when I asked about the 43 people said to have died in the infamous Douma attack. The White Helmets the medical first responders already legendary in the West but with some interesting corners to their own story played a familiar role during the battles. They are partly funded by the Foreign Office and most of the local offices were staffed by Douma men. I found their wrecked offices not far from Dr Rahaibanis clinic. A gas mask had been left outside a food container with one eye-piece pierced and a pile of dirty military camouflage uniforms lay inside one room. Planted, I asked myself? I doubt it. The place was heaped with capsules, broken medical equipment and files, bedding and mattresses. Of course we must hear their side of the story, but it will not happen here: a woman told us that every member of the White Helmets in Douma abandoned their main headquarters and chose to take the government-organised and Russian-protected buses to the rebel province of Idlib with the armed groups when the final truce was agreed. Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Show all 13 1 /13 Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Barzeh district, north of Damascus, which was targeted by the US, UK and France air strikes. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center surrounded by papers and rubble. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Firefighrers extinguish smoke that rises from the damage. The Pentagon says none of the missiles filed by the U.S. and its allies was deflected by Syrian air defenses, rebutting claims by the Russian and Syrian governments. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The wreckage of part of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound . AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Part of a building collapsing, surrounded by the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damaged to the Scientific Studies and Research Centre compound. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also says there also is no indication that Russian air defense systems were employed early Saturday in Syria. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier sprays water on the wreckage. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Syrian state news agency SANA reported several missiles hit a research centre in Barzeh, north of Damascus, "destroying a building that included scientific labs and a training centre". AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage A Syrian soldier films the damage. AP Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Damage to the Scientific Research Center building that was hit by the strikes. EPA Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage The Scientific Studies and Research Centre was one of the targeted buildings by the US, UK and France. AFP/Getty Syria bombings: US, UK and French military air strikes wreckage Further damage to the centre. EPA There were food stalls open and a patrol of Russian military policemen a now optional extra for every Syrian ceasefire and no-one had even bothered to storm into the forbidding Islamist prison near Martyrs Square where victims were supposedly beheaded in the basements. The towns complement of Syrian interior ministry civilian police who eerily wear military clothes are watched over by the Russians who may or may not be watched by the civilians. Again, my earnest questions about gas were met with what seemed genuine perplexity. How could it be that Douma refugees who had reached camps in Turkey were already describing a gas attack which no-one in Douma today seemed to recall? It did occur to me, once I was walking for more than a mile through these wretched prisoner-groined tunnels, that the citizens of Douma lived so isolated from each other for so long that news in our sense of the word simply had no meaning to them. Syria doesnt cut it as Jeffersonian democracy as I cynically like to tell my Arab colleagues and it is indeed a ruthless dictatorship, but that couldnt cow these people, happy to see foreigners among them, from reacting with a few words of truth. So what were they telling me? They talked about the Islamists under whom they had lived. They talked about how the armed groups had stolen civilian homes to avoid the Syrian government and Russian bombing. The Jaish el-Islam had burned their offices before they left, but the massive buildings inside the security zones they created had almost all been sandwiched to the ground by air strikes. A Syrian colonel I came across behind one of these buildings asked if I wanted to see how deep the tunnels were. I stopped after well over a mile when he cryptically observed that this tunnel might reach as far as Britain. Ah yes, Ms May, I remembered, whose air strikes had been so intimately connected to this place of tunnels and dust. And gas? Irish butchers proved they were a cut above international competition recently when they were crowned overall winners at the World Butcher Challenge in Belfast. The team of six made history as not only was it their first win in the esteemed competition, it was their first time taking part. Team Ireland consisted of captain Garrett Landers, vice-captain Ian McKernaghan, Stephen Cooke, Colly Donnelly, Eamon Etherson, Stephen Millar and reserve Mark Williams. Team Ireland competed in an impressive cutting showdown against teams from 11 other nations - Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, France, UK, Germany, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa and USA. Each team of six had three hours and 15 minutes to turn a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb and five chickens into a themed display of value-added cuts, similar of what you would expect in a traditional butcher shop or supermarket but with plenty of innovation and skill at the heart of the displays. Captain Garrett returned home 12 years ago from Australia to open Garrett's Butchers in Dooradoyle and Castletroy in Limerick. Having worked all over the world learning his craft, he knew his side would face stiff competition from international teams but was confident in his team's ability. "I've worked in Australia and New Zealand and the US, so I knew we were up against the best butchers in the world. After Christmas we started meeting up every Sunday to train. I was confident in our ability but not cocky," says Garrett. "It's not easy when you're working with a team of butchers who've never worked together, so it takes a while to get the dynamic right, and some people don't like the pressure of performance and prefer working at their own pace. But around February I knew we had a chance." Garrett says the team are already looking toward the next World Butcher Challenge. "We were delighted with this win and would love to give it another go. We made history this time around by winning it on our first go, which is almost unheard of. We'd love to come back and see how we can improve on our performance even more," adds Garrett. While Garrett admits that owning and running butcher shops is challenging in 2018, he feels this international title will give Irish butcher shops an even better reputation. "We have the best butcher shops in the world," he says. "We make a connection with customers. We can change a product - unlike supermarkets where items are pre packed. "Butchers have pride in their products and want the best for customers. This win is great for the entire industry." Southern Punjab province not for linguistic reasons but on administrative grounds: Shah Mehmood Qureshi 16 April, 2018 Related News Imran Khan distributed loan cheques under Kamyab Jawan Programme PTI govt to face all challenges coming its way: Imran khan More on this View All Tips for Taking Incredible iPhone Travel Photos Top 2021 Accessories We Know You Will Love Types of Casino Payment Methods Are Slot Developers Important for players? Best Poker Hands ever played on a Casino Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry Woke Bingo LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has endorsed the demand for creation of southern Punjab province not for linguistic reasons but on administrative grounds to mitigate the miseries and sense of deprivation being faced by some 35 million people living in Bahawalpur, Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions. This was announced by PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi at a press conference after a meeting with the leadership of the Junoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz (JPSM) here on Sunday. JPSM president Khusro Bakhtiar also addressed the press conference. The JPSM was recently formed by some disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNAs and MPAs from southern Punjab on the sole agenda of creation of a new province. As their resignations from the ruling party are yet to be accepted, two members of the Mahaz will submit a resolution in the Punjab Assembly on Monday (today) calling on the federal government to take measures to create a new province. Criticising the PML-N and the Sharif brothers for their failure to remove the sense of deprivation among the people living in southern parts of Punjab during their rule, Mr Qureshi said that movements for the creation of the southern Punjab province had been sabotaged in the past. The PML-N would continue trying to deny a separate province to the people of southern Punjab, he added. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has sown the seeds of hatred in southern Punjab and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will fan this hatred during his visit to Bahawalpur on Monday (today), he said. Reacting to remarks recently made by Minister of State for Finance Rana Afzal that the demand for a separate province was the aspiration of a few legislators, who had parted ways with the PML-N, Mr Qureshi challenged Mr Afzal and the government to hold a referendum on the issue in southern Punjab. Replying a question, Mr Qureshi said neither the PTI nor the movers of the demand were afraid of setting up of a commission to sort out the issue. He said the PTI and the JPSB had discussed the proposed provinces economic viability and geographic compactness and found it workable. A commission on the issue will strengthen the PTI, the Mahaz and the people of southern Punjabs case for carving out a new province, he said. He agreed to a question that no political party would oppose the move for a new province at the time of general elections and added that some would openly practice hypocrisy in this case. Mr Qureshi said it had become increasingly impossible to govern a province with a population of 110 million people and the state of public schools and hospitals, provision of potable water and sanitation could serve as a litmus test. He said the three southern Punjab divisions comprised 11 districts having a population of 35m people and 46 National Assembly seats. He said Shahbaz Sharif-led Punjab government had never tried to give a sense of participation to southern Punjab and instead development funds allocated to the region had been called back during the course of every financial year. There always remains a great difference in the allocation of funds and actual spending, he observed. He said PTI chief Imran Khan also wished that a new province should be created, while he was struggling for a new Pakistan. Mr Qureshi said the chief minister had constituted a committee headed by Governor Rafique Rajwana for the creation of a secretariat in southern Punjab but the governors report did not see the light of the day. Junoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz president Khusro Bakhtiar said the creation of a new province comprising south Punjab was required for internal cohesion and strengthening of the federation. He lauded the PTIs stance on the creation of a new province. He said Mahaz members -- MPAs Sardar Nasrullah Dareshak and Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht -- would submit a resolution in the Punjab Assembly on Monday (today) calling for the creation of a new province. Since the Punjab Assembly and the National Assembly had one-and-a-half-month more to go, the political parties, including the majority party PML-N, should get peoples demand through (the parliament), he said. Stating that the movement for a separate province comprising southern Punjab was launched way back in 1970, he asserted that no move to divide the people of the region would be allowed to succeed. We will support the political party which will be serious on the southern Punjab province issue and show it through its solid actions, he said. Mr Qureshi said he had had detailed discussion with the Mahaz leaders and told them their real place was in the PTI. About the possibility of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khans joining the PTI, he said Chaudhry Nisar had direct access to Imran Khan and both could reach a decision mutually. The opening of the Chinese beef market to exports from Ireland has been confirmed. Following months of anticipation the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed said this morning that he understands that the Chinese authorities will list a number of our beef establishments within the next few days. "In addition to this first tranche of approvals, I am hopeful that a number of other Irish beef plants will not be too far behind. While, Department of Agriculture officials will complete the final technicalities to allow trade to commence in the coming weeks three meat plants are understood to have gained approval. The approval gives Ireland access to the worlds fastest growing beef market and second largest importer for the first time. The Minister said he firmly believe that our beef industry can and will compete effectively in the Chinese market and said he looked forward to the opportunities that this access will bring. Within the last 30 years Chinese demand for meat has quadrupled, and the country now consumes one quarter of the worlds meat supply. On average Chinese beef consumption per capita is 4kg, compared to average Irish consumption of 19kg of beef per capita per year. However, despite increases in domestic beef production in China, consumer demand for premium imported beef is forecast to rise significantly, driven by increasing urbanisation, higher disposable incomes and health awareness. For example, the import of frozen boneless beef, the category for which Ireland will have market access, has grown nine-fold within the last five years. Overall beef imports to China have increased from under 100,000 tonnes in 2012 to around 600,000 tonnes in 2016. Frozen boneless beef accounts for around 80pc of these imports. Expand Close Kieran Fitzgerald of Bord Bia and Derek Daly of Dawn Meats pictured at Dawn Meats, Charleville during Bord Bia's Marketplace 2018 Pic Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kieran Fitzgerald of Bord Bia and Derek Daly of Dawn Meats pictured at Dawn Meats, Charleville during Bord Bia's Marketplace 2018 Pic Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision Minister Creed said the opening of this key market presents an excellent opportunity for the Irish beef sector, from farmers through to processors, in line with the market development theme of our Food Wise strategy. This decision also represents a powerful endorsement of Irelands high standards by the Chinese Administration, for which food safety is a prerequisite for trade. Minister Creed also highlighted that Ireland's agri-food exports to China have increased roughly five-fold from around 200 million in 2010 to nearly 1 billion last year. Bord Bia CEO, Tara McCarthy, said the announcement is timely as it follows just days after her organisation hosted the China Meat Association and 17 senior representatives from leading Chinese meat importers as part of our Marketplace International event. "All of the visiting Chinese delegates had the opportunity to visit Irish beef farms and processers, giving them a first-hand experience and insight into Irish food production. Meat Industry Ireland (MII), the Ibec sector organisation which represents the meat processing and export business in Ireland has welcomed the announcement the formal approval of the first three Irish beef processing plants. Cormac Healy, MII Director, said that this is an important breakthrough for the Irish beef sector and comes after many years of extensive efforts by both the Government and the industry to secure access to the rapidly growing Chinese beef import market. We now understand that the way is clear for the first three beef processing plants to commence exports of frozen beef to China. We would expect that this first group of plants will be in a position to commence trade with China in the very near future. Mr Healy concluded this is an important first step,. MII will continue to work with the Department of Agriculture and the Chinese Authorities to quickly secure the approval to export for all Irish beef processing plants and to extend the list of eligibility products that can be traded. IFA President Joe Healy also welcomed the announcement. However, he said the key issue for Irish farmers is that it will deliver a higher margin and price back to them. The IFA President also said it is important that the terms and conditions attached to access for Irish beef are not overly stringent. Argentinas herd will shrink by up to 1 million head of cattle next year as ranchers facing scorched pastures after the worst drought in decades decide to slaughter females rather than grow their herds, analysts said. A wave of hot, dry weather since November has cut 40 percent off overall grains production in the worlds No. 3 corn and soy exporter and will knock off an estimated 0.7 percent from Argentinas gross domestic product this year. Slaughtering more female cows than expected will have long-term repercussions on the meat-loving nations herd at a time it was hoping to boost sales abroad after falling out of the top 10 beef exporting nations under the previous government. Ignacio Iriarte, a grain market analyst, said Argentinas 53.5 million-head herd would shrink by between 500,000 and 1 million head. Winter is coming without having planted the grasses normally sown between February and March, which are the ones that provide feed in the middle of the winter, he said. The next five or six months will be critical. According to the local beef industry chamber (Ciccra), 44.5 percent of cows slaughtered in March were female, a rate that was 3 percentage points higher than a year earlier. This threatens the future offer, said Miguel Schiaritti, Ciccras president. He said the herd had been growing sharply over the last two years, would likely hold steady in 2018 and would decline in 2019. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest report Argentinas herd would shrink this year due to the weather and a larger than normal slaughter. Pastures have been depleted in one of Argentinas main cattle producing areas in Chacabuco, in the north of Buenos Aires province, according to Guillermo Voisin, the president of the areas rural society. What is coming is very challenging ... but before the cows get too thin it is better to sell them, Voisin said. More than 75pc of employers in Ireland plan to give their staff pay hikes this year as the war for skilled talent intensifies. According to the latest Cpl Resources Employment Market Monitor, bosses have acknowledged the struggle to retain key employees. Those who participated in the survey said that it was important to incentivise their staff in the current employee-led landscape. Rob Daly, Senior Director, Cpl Resources said that the employment sector is currently "very vibrant", as unemployment rates dropped as low as 6.1pc last month. "Employees have many more opportunities than five years ago and employers know they have to incentivise their staff to stay with them," he said. According to the survey, therefore, employers stated that their top business costs are salaries and related employment benefits. This is closely followed by property and rental costs. The report also revealed that a record number of jobs were created in the first three months of the year. Postings in the accountancy, finance and banking were of particular note, performing very strongly at 40pc above the base year of 2016. Sales and Marketing also saw an increase which brings its index level to 25pc above 2016 levels. "Marketing and Sales jobs postings have jumped a lot since 2011, and even after recalibrating the figures, year on year, Marketing and Sales jobs are very much on the up," said Mr Daly. "Demand for these positions can often spike in the first quarter of the year, however, once a company experiences fast access to good talent, they tend to return for similar and related marketing and sales positions as a result." In response to the ongoing Brexit negotiations, 68pc of companies who took part in the survey said they have yet to experience any impact. Ronan Lyons, Assistant Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin said the latest figures show a return to year-on-year growth in the number of jobs posted. "While that growth is still modest, it is encouraging that three quarters of firms intend to increase salaries this year, while only one third is feeling the effects of Brexit at this time," he said. Existing Tesco Bank customer accounts will be migrated to the Avantcard platform Avantcard has reached an agreement with Tesco Bank to acquire its Irish credit card portfolio, subject to regulatory approval. Existing Tesco Bank customer accounts will be migrated to the Avantcard platform when the integration is complete. It is expected that the transition to the new credit card will be carried out in autumn, underpinned by a comprehensive communication plan. Based in Leitrim, Avantcard has been servicing customers in Ireland for over 20 years. Last year, the consumer finance firm re-entered the Irish market with a fresh digital and heightened service appraoch in a bid to acquire new customers. The company also has an office in Dublin and employs approximately 200 people in Ireland. Managing Director, Chris Paul, said that Avantcards strategy is to be a leading consumer finance provider in Ireland by 2020. "This will be achieved through ongoing product innovation, continuing investment and strategic partnerships," he said. Will Curley, Director of Transactional Banking, Tesco Bank said that they believe that their customers will be well served by Avantcard's strong digital servicing platform. "Our priority now is to work closely with Avantcard to ensure a seamless transition for our customers to their new credit card provider", he said. In 2017, Avantcard partnered with Chill Money, acting as issuer and servicer for its loans and credit cards. Drugmaker Shire has agreed to sell its oncology business to Servier for $2.4bn. The firm, which has its headquarters in Dublin, started looking at offloading the oncology business in December, and said the process considered "multiple potential strategic buyers" across Europe, Japan and the US Shire chief executive Flemming Ornskov said: "This transaction is a key milestone for Shire, demonstrating the clear value embedded in our portfolio. While the oncology business has delivered high growth and profitability, we have concluded that it is not core to Shire's longer-term strategy. "We will continue to evaluate our portfolio for opportunities to unlock further value and sharpen our focus on rare disease leadership with selective disposals of non-strategic assets. "The proceeds from the transaction increase optionality and Shire's Board will consider returning the proceeds of the sale to shareholders through a shareholder-approved share buyback after the current offer period regarding Takeda's possible offer for Shire concludes." The pharma company last year announced an additional 150 jobs at its Dublin office. Servier Group president Olivier Laureau said: "The acquisition of Shire's oncology franchise enables Servier to meet its strategic ambitions to become a global key player in oncology. "As an essential step in the evolution of the Group, this acquisition allows us to establish a direct commercial presence in the United States, the world's leading pharmaceuticals market, and to strengthen our portfolio of marketed products in the territories where Servier is already present. "Our goal is to bring these treatments to greater numbers of cancer patients around the world. We thoroughly look forward to welcoming Shire's oncology teams who will join Servier after the closing." Shire's board of directors started looking at offloading the oncology business in December, and said that the process considered "multiple potential strategic buyers" across Europe, Japan and the US. The deal with Servier, which is headquartered in France, is expected to close in the second or third quarter of this year. Shire's London-listed shares were up as much as 1.8pc at the start of trading. The strongest-performing sector was Food and Drink, boosted by a relatively early Easter. (Stock image) Storm Emma slowed down household spending last month, but an early Easter gave food and drink retailers a healthy boost, according to Visa's Irish Consumer Spending Index. The index, compiled by IHS Markit on behalf of Visa, revealed overall spending was up 1.4pc year-on-year in March, the slowest increase since last October. Visa says the rate of growth was much weaker than the 4.3pc rise seen in February as Storm Emma led to a nationwide red weather alert. Across the first three months, consumer spending rose at some 3.7pc year-on-year, unchanged from that seen at the end of 2017. The strongest-performing sector was Food and Drink, boosted by a relatively early Easter. March saw an 8.5pc year-on-year increase, the fastest rise since February 2016 and a two-year high for the sector. A sharp expansion was also recorded in the Hotels, Restaurants and Bars category. "March's figures highlight the impact of Storm Emma, with the bad weather preventing some face-to-face spending on the high street and influencing the general slowdown of expenditure growth for the month," said Philip Konopik, Visa Europe Ireland country manager. "However, while the poor weather had a negative impact on some sectors, the Irish grocery market experienced strong sales growth during the month, no doubt aided by this year's early Easter." Andrew Harker, associate director at IHS Markit, said the weakness seen last month was likely to prove transitory, with growth "hopefully picking up in April amid better weather conditions, improving consumer confidence and relative job stability". 'Marijuana stocks surged on the news, which removed the threat posed by Sessions's decision in January to rescind an Obama-era policy that helped states legalise recreational pot.' (stock photo) US President Donald Trump has endorsed letting states decide how to regulate marijuana, in a major boost for the legal pot industry. Colorado Republican Senator Cory Gardner said that as a result of Trump's assurances, he'll end a blockade of the administration's Justice Department nominees. Gardner held up the nominees after attorney general Jeff Sessions rescinded an earlier Justice Department memo that shielded marijuana operations in states like Colorado from enforcement of the federal ban on the drug. "Since the campaign, President Trump has consistently supported states' rights to decide for themselves how best to approach marijuana," Gardner said in a statement on Friday. "President Trump has assured me that he will support a federalism-based legislative solution to fix this states' rights issue once and for all," the senator added. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Gardner's statement was "accurate". "The president did speak with Senator Gardner yesterday and again today," Sanders told reporters on Friday at the White House, adding, "the president is a firm believer" in states' rights. Marijuana is legal for medicinal use in 29 states and for recreational use in eight. Marijuana stocks surged on the news, which removed the threat posed by Sessions's decision in January to rescind an Obama-era policy that helped states legalise recreational pot. Canada's Canopy Growth Corp, the largest cannabis producer by market value, jumped as much as 11pc in its biggest intraday advance since March 5. Medical-marijuana supplier Aphria climbed as much as 21pc in Toronto trading. Gardner said he's lifting his hold and working with colleagues on legislation that would protect marijuana operations in states that have legalised the drug. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump offered qualified support for legalisation while on the presidential campaign trail, saying that medical marijuana "should happen" and that laws regarding recreational usage should be left in the hands of individual states. Sessions, on the other hand, has been an outspoken opponent of state marijuana laws. The US Justice Department under President Barack Obama created guardrails for federal prosecution of the sale and possession of cannabis, which remains illegal under federal law, and allowed legalised marijuana to flourish. Under Sessions's approach, US attorneys in states where pot is legal were given approval to prosecute cases where they see fit. Bloomberg The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, has observed that prospects for Ghana issuing a Samurai bond in the medium term looked good, judging from the interaction and reception accorded a Ghanaian delegation on the Non-deal investor road show in Tokyo. Speaking to journalists in Tokyo at the end of the road show, Mr Ofori-Atta explained that the non-deal road show was not tied to the issuance of a Samurai bond immediately. What we sought to do was to build relationships and sensitize the market, as you know, portfolio and asset managers are conservative and may want to have all the necessary assurance in place before - and this takes time. Ghanas Parliament in March gave approval for government to issue its 5th Eurobond which issuance is planned for the second quarter of the year. Mr Ofori-Atta said going forward; government would work on sustaining and improving macroeconomic indicators to improve Ghanas credit rating, which is rated by Fitch, Moodys, and Standard and Poors at B, B3, and B- respectively. Indications are that potential Yen issuers like Ghana should have at least a double B rating by the rating agencies before they can acquire a Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) guarantee, a pre-requirement for Samurai bonds. He said it was important at this stage to sensitise the market about prospects in Ghana and look for partnership in the private sector as Ghana is determined to link any future Samurai bond proceeds to specific green projects in energy (solar) transport (Tema Metro rail) and other transformational projects in telecommunication, construction etc. The Ghanaian delegation, which was in Tokyo for a weeks visit met with several asset and portfolio managers, bankers and investors. They also met government officials to strengthen and chart a new course for bilateral economic and trade relations. These included meetings with Taro Aso, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Finance; State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Masahisa Sato and Mr. Hiroshi Kato, Senior Vice President of JICA. The weeklong visit ended with an Investment Seminar which attracted over 150 leading Japanese businesses from all over the country as well some companies from Ghana. The seminar was organised by Japan External Trade organisation (JETRO), the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, and the Ghana Embassy in Tokyo. Source: graphic.com.gh 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 Swiss lawyers have been hired to chase down missing businessman Peter Conlon, whose Ammado fundraising platform collapsed owing 3.8m to charities, the Irish Independent understands. The liquidator of the Irish online platform has taken formal steps to locate the missing businessman behind the firm who is believed to be in jail in Switzerland. One-time Entrepreneur of the Year, Mr Conlon is believed to have been in custody in Switzerland since before Christmas. He's the key player in the collapse of the Ammado platform, and of Pembroke Dynamic Internet Services Ltd, the Dublin company behind the service, which is in liquidation. But court-appointed liquidator Myles Kirby of Kirby Healy has been unable to serve papers on the businessman, or even to find out exactly where he is from Swiss authorities, due to the country's privacy laws. Impasse It is thought a local Swiss law firm has now been hired to help break the impasse. Once Mr Conlon is tracked down, he can be formally served Irish court papers by Swiss legal authorities under mutual assistance treaties. Engaging lawyers means overcoming the difficulties in contacting Mr Conlon will come at a financial cost to creditors and charities of his collapsed business. It will eat into the around 357,000 that was in the business when the Revenue Commissioners successfully petitioned to have a liquidator appointed in January. However, the aim is to serve papers formally notifying Mr Conlon of a worldwide freezing order over his assets issued by the High Court here in January, in hopes of recovering any funds he has overseas. It is understood investigators are looking into whether assets are held by Mr Conlon in Malta, Belgium and the Isle of Man. Any assets, if they do exist, might be clawed back by the liquidator for the benefit of creditors. Gardai and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) are also investigating the case. In the UK, home to many Ammado donors, the Metropolitan Police has launched its own investigation, while authorities in Switzerland appear to have been first off the mark, with a probe that led to Mr Conlon's arrest last December. Mr Conlon (63), whose most recent Irish address was at St Mary's Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, is understood to have moved to Switzerland a number of years ago. Pembroke Dynamic has since been shuttered, with all staff let go with only statutory redundancy payments. Charities have been left massively out of pocket, including the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and Save the Children UK. The company had provided an online donation and fundraising platform through which people could donate money to various charities - with the company taking 5pc of the monies raised for its running costs. Instead, it is alleged, money raised from donors was paid into the business, with only a share paid over to the partner charities. Charities Rossa Fanning, senior counsel for the liquidator, told the High Court in January that Mr Kirby had discovered there was a 3.8m deficit in funds that ought to have been remitted to the charities. In a liquidation, secured creditors have first call on any funds or assets left in a business. In this case the Revenue, owed 400,000, is the main creditor. However, before any such pay-outs are made, a determination will have to be made as to what share of the funds is actually owned by charities and incorrectly held in the business. The case is due back for hearing at the High Court on May 17. Niall Horan is recording a performance with the RTE Concert Orchestra for a programme to air in May. Niall Horan is recording a performance of some of the songs from his new album with the RTE Concert Orchestra. The 24-year-old multi-platinum selling artist is today recording the session at RTE Radio's Studio 1 and it will be broadcast on RTE One next month. Niall (24) and his band will be joined by 45 members of the orchestra as they perform a selection of songs from his debut solo album Flicker with special arrangements by conductor Gavin Murphy. "I made an album that came from the heart, my heart is in Ireland and I feel that there's no better way than to go on national television and play those songs with a 45-piece orchestra - and the RTE Concert Orchestra is one of the best in Europe, if not the world," he said. The album reached number one in the US and Ireland upon release in October, and peaked at number 3 in the UK. It also earned him Best New Artist at the American Music Awards in November last year. In March he kicked off his Flicker world tour in Killarney ahead of dates at the 3Arena and Belfast. Speaking about working with Niall, Gavin Murphy said, "All of us at the RTE Concert Orchestra are really looking forward to working with Niall and his band. Studio 1 is a very special place for music and we are very excited about playing our arrangements of his great songs. "We had a rehearsal on Friday and there was a bit of magic in the air and hopefully this will give his fans around the world a chance to hear Niall performing his big hits in a brand new way." The date of broadcast has yet to be confirmed. It's always great fun when RTE goes down the country to meet farmers. It is a tradition stretching back to the times when RTE "personalities" really were creatures of the most outrageous glamour to the people of rural Ireland, when a star of the magnitude of Bunny Carr would come to town and the people would go mad. You will note that I used the word 'town' there, an indication that a lot of people down the country are under the impression that they live in towns, and that other people live in the country, though to the Dublin sophisticate these distinctions are perhaps not so important. Anyway, when the great stars of RTE would come down from that wonderful place in which they lived - a far, far better place even today than the places in which most of the rest of us live - they too would be energised by the enthusiasm of the reception, and like JFK or Princess Grace, it would bring some extra charm out of them, to be among these good, simple people. Then, like JFK or Princess Grace, they would go away, never to return. But with the general improvement in all our lives, these encounters are taking place more often, these visitations are happening at least twice a year now, at The Ploughing and Big Week On The Farm. Aine Lawlor is usually there or thereabouts, carrying on the grand tradition, full of hearty enthusiasm for those who work the land, and their peculiar ways. Since we are used to her doing current affairs, we get a strong sense that she is on a kind of a working holiday here, that she is leaving behind the grave matters to which she is in thrall and throwing herself into some lighter material. Of course, in this as in most things the opposite is true, but that is how she is seeing it anyway as she lets herself go with that sense of elation brought on by the country people and the country air and its constant promise that at any given moment, Marty Morrissey may be about to arrive. At which you have lift-off. So you can still discern the old template for these meetings of the RTE people and the inhabitants of that other Ireland, both of them doing that ancient dance. But now the moves are changing. Perhaps it is just those inhabitants themselves who are changing because when Lawlor goes down the country these days, she meets farmers like Gillian and Neil O'Sullivan, who could easily be mistaken for well, for RTE people. Indeed, the one thing that emerged beyond dispute from this joyous week of cultural exchange is that Gillian and Neil should have their own show. They are both vets, who happen to run this big farm with spectacular views of Dungarvan Bay, but when the light catches them a certain way, they could be any young professional couple with three young children, trying to make sense of the whole damn thing. Video of the Day Gillian used the word "challenging" to describe some agricultural problem. I live in rural parts myself, and I know a few farmers. If they are describing some problem to me, they will rarely say that it is "challenging". Indeed they will say things that they couldn't say on RTE, but then maybe that's why you don't see such men on RTE much these days. Gillian's father had been a "progressive farmer", which doesn't necessarily mean that he combined a love of the land with a liberal-minded attitude to issues of social justice which he has now passed on to the next generation - but I'd like to think that it does. You used to have a lot of "intensive" farmers on RTE, but that seems to be going out too, and they were mostly called Joe - "For farmers like Joe..." the reports would usually start. There are not many farmers like Joe any more, and we hardly even notice any break with these old ways when we hear "For farmers like Gillian...". It all seems to represent some final coming together of our two peoples as one. Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Mobile phones are a problem today. Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm. Back in 1997 'The Joy', a groundbreaking documentary exposing the reality of life in Mountjoy, aired on RTE. Now, 21 years later, the director returns to the Dublin prison to see what has changed - for better or worse. The original four part series highlighted issues like the practice of 'slopping out' which saw prisoners using buckets as toilets overnight during lock up in cells and emptying them out in the morning. The practice did not end until 2014 when in-cell sanitation was provided. Taylor Black was given unprecedented access to the prison itself and sought permission to show everyone in shot rather than conceal identities as they filmed the documentary over six weeks. Expand Close Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Airing on RTE One tonight at 9.35pm, the follow-up, Back to the Joy, sees director Donald Taylor Black speaking to staff, prisoners and their families about the issues facing them today. While slopping out is a thing of the past, new problems have mushroomed in the intervening 21 years, not least of which is the emergence of Dublin's gangland feud. Expand Close Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Approximately 300 prisoners across 14 separate factions are now secluded/separated because of possible danger from gang feuding. Also, mobile phones were in their infancy when the original series was made but in 2015, 265 were confiscated at Mountjoy. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm A more positive development is the changes within the women's prison. Originally it was situated in a wing of St Patrick's Institution for young male offenders, but since 1999 it is based at the Dochas Centre where the prisoners live in seven separate houses. However, overcrowding is a big issue. Expand Close Mobile phones are a problem today. Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mobile phones are a problem today. Back to the Joy, RTE One, 9.35pm. Video of the Day At the time it aired The Joy was a ground-breaking piece of TV and earned the ratings to match. The four part series averaged a massive 796,000 viewers per episode and a 56.7 per cent audience share. The episode on the women's prison drew 877,000 viewers. Back to the Joy airs tonight, Monday April 16, on RTE One at 9.35pm. The Catholic Church has ramped up its campaign against repealing the Eighth Amendment with a series of hard-hitting pastoral letters from bishops. In the letters read out to tens of thousands of parishioners at Masses over the weekend, one bishop warned that Irish society is walking into "an era of eugenics". Bishop Denis Nulty told his flock of 200,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin that "an abortion culture fundamentally alters our attitude towards disability". "In recent years, I have the sense that we are walking with our eyes closed into an era of eugenics, unwilling to look where we are going but still continuing on," he said in the letter titled 'Supporting a Culture of Life'. Elsewhere in the diocese of Cork and Ross, Bishop John Buckley told parishioners that if the Eighth Amendment was repealed, Ireland would be the first country in the world to hold a referendum to introduce abortion by popular vote. "Never before in history have we had so much scientific proof that the unborn baby is, in fact, a living, breathing human being. "Will the people of Ireland decide that there is no safe place for the unborn?" he said. He criticised political debates for failing to mention alternatives to abortion. Dr Buckley also suggested many women who'd had abortions would have been more willing to carry their children to term if they had received support from people in their lives and from society. On the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities and rape, Dr Buckley said the child in the womb was innocent of the circumstances of its conception and its health condition. "There is no other situation in life where the ending of the life of an innocent person is the answer to a difficulty," he added. On disability, the bishop said it was rewarding to see families of babies with life-limiting conditions show such great love and he also paid tribute to those who participate in the Paralympic Games. "There is no cause more noble than to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves," he said. Dr Buckley highlighted in his pastoral letter to 280,000 Catholics in 68 parishes that under the provisions of the Eighth Amendment, no life-saving can legally be denied to an expectant mother. He said the Church had never taught that the life of the child in the womb should be preferred to that of the mother, and that a doctor can give any treatment necessary to either mother or child without deliberately intending harm to the other. "There is a danger that people may confuse abortion with necessary medical intervention," he stated. Meanwhile, Bishop Alan McGuckian of Raphoe described the removal of the right to life of the unborn as "a seriously backward step". "It effectively says that they don't exist or, if they do, they do not count. That is a manifest injustice," he said. "You and I have a right to our life. "It is not given to us by the Irish Constitution or by any law. We have it 'as of right', whether we are wealthy or poor, healthy or sick. All human beings have it. "There is no later stage in a baby's development where we can say 'up until now the foetus was not a person and now it has become a baby'. "At every point, from conception on, the baby has within him or herself the full potential to be whatever destiny might allow." Child safeguarding expert Ian Elliott has expressed his frustration that a report he prepared for Scouting Ireland over its handling of a rape allegation became public. Mr Elliott yesterday told the Irish Independent he was not sure he could work with the youth organisation again following the leak. "It's created a very difficult situation for me. I'm standing back and deciding what I'm going to do next," he said. He has also written to Scouting Ireland, setting out his disquiet at what happened. Concerns have been raised about Scouting Ireland's handling of a complaint of rape in 2016 against one of its senior officials. A female scout leader had claimed she was raped seven years previously. The alleged male offender was suspended during the investigation and was reinstated last year after the Director of Public Prosecutions decided not to proceed with the case. State funding of nearly 1m a year is to be withheld until concerns surrounding governance issues are resolved. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has backed Children's Minister Katherine Zappone's decision to withhold the funding. But Mr Elliott has told the organisation he feels he can no longer communicate openly with it due to the leak. It was his understanding that the work he was carrying out was being done in the context of strict confidentiality. Over the weekend chief scout Christy McCann was re-elected head of Scouting Ireland. The vote happened on Saturday at the annual conference of the organisation at The Helix, Dublin City University. He had run unopposed for the position. An internal group set up in response to Mr Elliott's report had suggested he step aside, but he did not do so. In Mr Elliott's report, he said Mr McCann held a meeting in January 2017 with the leader accused of rape while that person was under suspension. He said this showed a blatant disregard for safeguarding policies. More than 1.1m seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) from a fuel laundering enterprise run by associates of the former Provisional IRA leader Thomas 'Slab' Murphy is to be handed over to State coffers. Approval for the confiscation of the assets has been given by the High Court after a CAB-led investigation that began six years ago. A written judgment is due to be given this morning in the High Court in Dublin. It followed cross-Border inquiries into the activities of a now dissolved company Base Garage Supplies Ltd which had premises at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, near the Border with south Armagh, as well as others. The inquiries, which were initiated in 2012, focused on the profits being generated from the illegal fuel trade and, in particular, the suspected involvement of an organised crime group based in the Louth- Armagh region with close links to former Provisionals. This culminated in a massive multi-agency search operation led by the CAB the following March. The investigation resulted in the seizure of a huge quantity of documentation, business records and computers as well as a large quantity of cash at two locations. A fuel plant, capable of laundering hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel, was also uncovered. CAB also froze more than 25 bank accounts suspected of being linked to the laundering operation and initiated action against 21 people and companies targeted by the investigation. Murphy was not included in the group. In 2016, Murphy, whose farm straddles the Border at Ballybinaby, was sentenced to 18 months for non-filing of tax returns related to farming income. AN IRISH Life executive was uncomfortable with multi-billion euro back-to-back cash transfers with Anglo Irish Bank during the 2008 financial crisis as they were not normal, a court heard. David Gantly, Irish Life and Permanents then Group Treasurer, said the deals involved re-categorising the money when it went back to Anglo, bolstering the banks corporate deposits. Mr Gantly was giving evidence today in the trial of Anglos former CEO David Drumm. Mr Drumm (51) is pleading not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to conspiring to defraud by dishonestly creating the impression that Anglo's customer deposits were 7.2bn larger than they really were in September 2008. He is alleged to have conspired with Anglos former Finance Director Willie McAteer and head of Capital Markets John Bowe, as well as ILPs then-CEO, Denis Casey, and others. The transfers were routed through Irish Life Assurance (ILA), back to Anglo where they were then treated as customer deposits, which are a better indicator of a banks health. Mr Drumm also denies false accounting, by providing misleading information to the market. Mr Gantly told Mary Rose Gearty SC, prosecuting, that ILPs balance sheet grew substantially between 2001 and 2008, more than doubling in size to in excess of 50bn. He was a member of the Irish Life groups top team, which included Denis Casey, Finance Director Peter Fitzpatrick and Irish Life Investment Managers (ILIM) CEO Gerry Keenan. Mr Gantly had predicted in emails to colleagues in 2007 that costs would be significantly higher the following year and this would put a strain on meeting liquidity requirements as sure as night follows day. Problems in the US sub prime market were a clear signal. There was a sense that the cavalry were going to come over the hill at any time, and we just didnt see it, he said. There was an absolutely chronic liquidity crisis in 2008, when many short term funding sources stopped renewing. What happened that year was a one in a hundred year event, he said. ILP would increasingly drew down European Central Bank Funding but the Central Bank was uncomfortable at the use of that safety net, Mr Gantly said. He met officials from the Financial Regulator and Central Bank in March 2008 and the impression he got was not only were they not happy with ILP relying too much on ECB finding but also openly telling the market. Within days Mr Casey and Mr Fitzpatrick had had further discussions with the Central Bank and Mr Gantly heard about the green jersey agenda - Irish banks helping each other. Mr Gantly said he was instructed by Mr Casey to contact his counterparts in the other major banks including Anglo, where head of treasury was Matt Cullen. His conversations with other banks were about trying to divert interbank flows going abroad back into the domestic market and no other concrete proposals emerged at that time, Mr Gantly said. He was then approached by Mr Cullen about a transaction with Anglo. My memory of that is they were looking to target a specific figure for their corporate deposits at their half year end, Mr Gantly said. It would be usual for treasuries over reporting dates to target corporate deposits, Mr Gantly said, and he believed the expression was window dressing. They were losing some corporate deposits which came as no shock and they were targeting a certain number. Mr Gantly said he would have been aware that it was short term and he thought the number floated was in the region of 750m. The initial approach was that Anglo was looking to get increased deposits generally from Irish Life. The context was that ILP had been receiving a lot of additional funding from Anglo. Mr Gantly said he had no control or input into that decision but that he would reflect the request to Mr Fitzpatrick and Mr Casey. My recollection is that the concept of increasing deposits from ILIM was not entertained and the concept of doing a back-to-back arrangement was mooted. This would involve Anglo placing a deposit with ILP bank, which would place these funds with ILPs subsidiary assurance company ILA, which would then put the funds back into Anglo. From Anglos perspective this would have bolstered corporate deposits and increased interbank lending. They were looking to re-categorise them, essentially, Mr Gantly said. The ECB had put 100bn in short term funding into banks so you knew there was something cataclysmic happening. The back-to-back would involve no bonds and would be cash-collateral, he said. This was non-normal and the more standard type of arrangement would involve bonds as collateral, he said. There was an element of discomfort but that was true of the market in general at the time. When they discussed it, he made it clear that it was not a normal type transaction, albeit in abnormal market conditions. The feedback he got was they had been encouraged by the Regulator to do this, and Mr Fitzpatrick stated this in a mail. From the word go, ILP wanted to make sure they had no credit exposure from the transaction so no money would be sent out until the cash was in from Anglo first. We stipulated that was the only way we would do it, he said. Mr Gantly understood from a meeting with Mr Casey that the transaction was best kept tight on a need to know basis with senior management. Mr Gantly said he understood there was to be no idle chit chat and he did not think this request was too unusual be in the context. Rumours were rife in the market and confidence was key, he said. There was a huge fire-fighting exercise going on every day to cope with the level of outflows we were seeing, he said. A sum of 750m, which later became a billion, would be lodged by Anglo with ILP and in turn ILA would lodge 750m with Anglo. The transaction would be co-ordinated by ILP liquidity manager Paul Kane. You said you were uncomfortable with the proposed transactions as they were non-standard, Ms Gearty said. Yes, Mr Gantly replied. Its not something you had seen before, Ms Gearty said. No, Mr Gantly said. The jury was shown an e-mail from Gerry Keenan to Peter Fitzgerald on March 28, 2008. I have lined up here to do the Anglo deposit on Monday, Mr Keenan said, Clearly its size it way outside our limits with them so we need formal approval, he said. Mr Fitzpatrick mailed back his approval for the transaction. To be absolutely clear, this is something which the Central Bank is encouraging us to do, along with the other players in the banking sector and at 30 June we will be beneficiaries of this kind of support, Mr Fitzpatrick said in the mail. In the afternoon, the jury heard Anglo placed 1bn with ILP that March and ILA placed 750m back with Anglo. A 3bn repo transaction, or an agreement to repurchase bonds was carried out with Anglo in June. The deal that was undertaken in September, however, was identical to the March transactions, Mr Gantly said. The request from Anglo came through Mr Cullen. Mr Gantly said he was expecting Anglo to look for some support at their year end. The original amount that was mentioned was 4bn or 5bn. At that time Lehman Bros had collapsed in the US and that was another huge event, another bomb going off, Mr Gantly said. Not unlike in the March trade, it would have been a non-standard transaction and would have been something I was uncomfortable with given the quantum of the deal, which was considerably larger, Mr Gantly said. He understood the market had deteriorated and why they wanted to do a larger amount. Ms Gearty asked him what reassured him. Mr Gantly replied that the transactions were fully recorded on their systems, open to the Regulator and subject to audit. Because of the scale of it, it needed to be signed off CEO to CEO. The jury was shown an email sent by Denis Casey to Mr Gantly on September 5, 2008. Re liquidity breach, we need to flag this in advance to the board so they know whats happening and dont get spooked, Mr Casey said. On September 15, Mr Gantly mailed Mr Casey saying: we discussed the Anglo proposal for their year end, they want to place up to 5bn with us and we would route this back through ILIM to bolster their corp deposits. Did you discuss this with David (Drumm) today? I am suggesting to them we do 10 times 500m euro deals where they place cash with us for set term and ILIM place the amount for one day less. This removes intra day and settlement credit risk for us. Credit limits had to be changed and once the 5bn had been approved, it was operationally easier to do the transaction in smaller amounts. Mr Gantly could not recall the right of set-off being raised as a topic. The transactions happened on Thursday and Friday September 25 and 26, and again on Monday and Tuesday 29 and 30. At 3am on September 30, Mr Casey told him about the Governments guarantee scheme covering deposits in the six major financial institutions. This was an incredible initiative from the State," the bank went from a weak single-a credit rating to a triple-a and there was a significant inflow in the short term, although the impact would be short-lived as the property market collapsed and attention in the crisis went from funding to assets. During September 30, Anglo asked to increase the transactions from 5bn to 7bn. Mr Gantly said he took a more sanguine view of that in the context of the guarantee when he discussed it with Mr Casey. The jury was shown an email from Peter Fitzpatrick to ILP's Chief Risk Officer Hilary Flood on January 26, 2009. Group Treasury has confirmed that in the case of maturity of each of those six 1bn amounts, no physical payment was made or received by Treasury. Instead the payable and receivable amounts were netted to zero on the instruction of dealers and Swift payment instructions produced by system were binned - held to one side and filed separately, the mail said. Asked if ILA had 7.2bn at the time, Mr Gantly told Ms Gearty his perception was they would not have that much cash. The March and September transactions had zero commercial value to ILP, he said, but the June repo would have reduced ECB reliance, he said. The jury was then played a March 25, 2008 phone call between Mr Gantly and John Bowe. Mr Bowe said Mr Gantly had been talking to Matt and we appreciate and will do everything we can to reciprocate. In a call on March 27, 2008, Mr Gantly was heard telling Matt Cullen: just to be clear, you put the stuff into us we will just put it straight back through our other boys. The trial continues before a jury and Judge Karen OConnor. A father-of-five accused of murdering his nephews friend by stabbing him to death told gardai that he had strong religious beliefs and attended prayer meetings. Tadhg Butler was being interviewed by gardai investigating the death of 25-year-old Michael ODwyer in Co Waterford on 10th January 2014. He died in hospital, hours after receiving a stab wound at a party in Mr Butlers house. The 37-year-old, with an address at Seafield in Tramore, is on trial at the Central Criminal Court, where he has pleaded not guilty. The court has heard that his nephew told gardai that Mr Butler had walked over and stabbed his friend as they sat and chatted. Garda Jennifer Ryan testified this morning that she and a colleague then interviewed the accused, who said it had nothing to do with him. She told Tony McGillicuddy SC, prosecuting, that they asked him if he was sorry about Mr ODwyers death. Im saddened by his death and saddened for his family members for the way they feel, like everyone else, he replied. Do you respect life? he was asked. Yeah, of course I do, he replied. They asked how he felt about being arrested. Well you know, these things happen, he said. He was asked how religious he was. I go to Mass every Sunday, say the rosary, he replied. What else? asked the gardai. Prayer meetings, he added, agreeing that he had strong religious beliefs. Thou shalt not kill. What do you think of that? he was asked. Yeah, its in the commandments, he agreed. Its a big one, it was suggested. Yeah, if someone knowingly did it, he replied. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury of six men and six women. Last month, the president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, unveiled the design for a national cathedral that the government will build in Accra. This is a huge deal. It signals that the country is poised to consolidate the gains of decades of democracy. And the new interdenominational Christian cathedral will inspire ambitious civic architecture projects across the continent that harness the talents of Africas emerging artists. Not everyone is cheering, though. Some West Africans have complained that the mixing of church and state is ill advised. They argue that its a worrisome case of official partisanship in a part of the world rived by religious conflicts. Others say the money for the project should have instead been invested in schools, hospitals and infrastructure stuff that, according to them, Africa really needs. They are right to point to these endemic problems; but they are wrong to connect them with the cathedral. The cathedral is the first major project in Africa by the Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye, who was knighted last year for his services to his field. He is perhaps the most exciting architect in the world. His reputation is built on his stunning designs for Rivington Place in London, the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo, and, most spectacularly, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. This Accra commission is not just a recognition by his homeland of Mr. Adjayes acclaim. It also signifies that Africa can build a major work by a leading architect at the top of his game. This is a remarkable thing: Ghana will get to brag about a globally recognized architectural landmark. Mr. Adjaye has proposed a monumental building with delicate timber elements on the concave facade, a reminder of the curved seats of Asante royal stools. And its staggered, high-pitched roofs are a welcome nod to traditional Akan architecture. While Mr. Adjaye is known for incorporating local designs into his buildings, the poetry of the cathedrals allusions to indigenous traditions raises the bar. To embellish the buildings interior, he will collaborate with well-known Ghanaian and other African artists. Mr. Adjaye has designed a fabulous church, with chapels, a baptistery and a 5,000-seat auditorium where state religious events will take place. But Im thankful its more than that; it also includes an art gallery, a music school and a bible museum. The wide expanse of steps leading to the building makes this a veritable public space, which major African cities like Accra have lacked for too long. When its finished, it will be a place where religion, democracy and local tradition are seamlessly and symbolically intertwined, Mr. Adjayes firm said. I hope it becomes a model for how art museums in Africa can also be multifunctional public institutions. And this is why the criticisms of the cathedral are misplaced. The project should not be a symbol of what is widely perceived as the profligacy and megapastor-mania of the new-age churches in Africa and the third world. Nor should it be confused with the big white elephants of past dictators, like the humongous Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, the Basilica in the Bush built by Felix Houphouet-Boigny, then Ivory Coasts leader, in his hometown. Instead, the cathedral, as a religious and cultural institution, will be supported by diverse segments of the population, beyond just the church and the state. Also, theres something worrisome about the idea that until every home in Africa gets a mosquito net, every village a school, it should not build concrete dreams and inspiring structures. This mind-set has strange old bedfellows in the refusal of colonial governments to build universities in West Africa in the early 1900s (because what the colonized needed was basic education) and the defunding of higher-education institutions in many parts of the continent beginning in the 1980s (because poor countries could not afford them). Source: Dr. Okeke-Agulu, a professor of art history at Princeton 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 A man who harassed and terrified his former girlfriend, breaking down her apartment door and sending her hundreds of messages in the course of a few days, has been jailed for one year. Colin Brady continued to harass his victim and breached his bail conditions 46 times by getting in touch with her after he was charged, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard today. His former girlfriend felt in fear for her life, suffered from extreme anxiety and still looks over her shoulder when leaving her home. Brady (44) with an address in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, Co Louth, pleaded guilty to one count of harassing the woman at her home in Stewart Hall, Parnell St, Dublin 1, between September 21 and November 2 last year. Sentencing Brady, Judge Martin Nolan said he had obviously terrified his victim. He undermined her and caused her severe difficulties, the judge said. He must have known this and he still continued. He handed down a three-year sentence but suspended the final two years on a number of conditions, including that Brady stay away from his victim. He backdated the sentence to when Brady went into custody last November. He was also ordered him to pay the cost of the broken front door. Garda Emma Brady told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that she was called to the apartment block on September 25 last year after the victim arrived home to find her front door had been broken. She called gardai in fear that Brady was inside. He was not at the scene. However, the victim showed gardai a number of messages he had sent her in the preceding days. The court heard the pair had started a relationship a few months previously, but that Brady quickly became possessive and controlling, particularly when he was drinking. He started looking at her phone and accused her of looking at other men when they were out together. The couple travelled to Rome but got into an argument and the victim ended up changing hotels and organising a different airplane seat for the journey home. As far as the woman was concerned, the relationship was over. However, the man barraged her with messages, sending her 275 text, Whatsapp and voice messages over the course of three days. He was also seen on CCTV footage hanging around outside her apartment building a number of times in the middle of the night. Brady was arrested and charged in mid-October. He appeared in court and was ordered to have no contact with the victim and to stay out of Dublin 1. However, between October 29 and November 2 last year, Brady sent the victim a number of messages asking if they could meet. As a result, he was arrested again and taken into custody. Brady has seven previous convictions in Ireland, including larceny and criminal damage. He has one conviction for robbery in the UK, where he was jailed for eight years in 2004. In a victim impact statement handed up to court, the woman said she never experienced such fear before. At one point she felt she was in danger of losing her life. She was out of work without pay for months as a result of the stress and anxiety and she still cries constantly, she said. Defence barrister, Carol Doherty BL, said her client is extremely remorseful for his actions and apologised to gardai. She said he has an alcohol problem which exacerbated his offending behaviour. He has no wish or desire to contact this lady ever again, she said. FIANNA Fail leader Micheal Martin has said he was "taken aback" by the notorious car park meeting between one of his TDs, John McGuinness, and the then-Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. Mr Martin today appeared at the Disclosures Tribunal which is investigating an alleged smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Last week the Tribunal heard that Mr McGuinness met Mr Callinan in the car park of a Dublin hotel the day after a meeting of the Dail's Public Accounts Committee where the Commissioner had claimed that the actions of whistleblowers was "disgusting". Mr McGuinness has alleged that Mr Callinan told him during their meeting that Mr McCabe was not to be trusted and had abused a child. Mr Callinan has rejected Mr McGuinnesss account. There was no substance to sex abuse allegations against Mr McCabe. In a letter to the Tribunal Mr Martin said that Mr McGuinness later came to his office in February 2014 and told him about the car park meeting. Mr Martin said that Mr McGuinness had thanked him for raising Mr McCabes concerns about penalty points and other matters in the Dail. He said that towards the end of the conversation Mr McGuinness told him he had met Mr Callinan in the car park and the Commissioner had told the TD that Mr McCabe was not to be trusted and was a child abuser. Mr Martin later said he was "taken aback" by this, firstly as it was a meeting held in a car part and secondly "the nature of it". He said he didn't take a note of his conversation with Mr McGuinness reiterating: "I was taken aback." Mr Martin told the Tribunal there was "rumour" about Sgt McCabe but he said it wasn't for him to progress the issue as "it was hearsay at the end of the day". Mr Martin said that no Garda had ever given him a negative briefing about Mr McCabe. He said there were queries to the Fianna Fail press office asking if he was satisfied he was dealing with someone credible. Mr Martin was asked if this affected his action. He said: "I can't deal with rumour. If I had a substantial document in front of me I could deal with that." He said he met Mr McCabe adding that his concerns over alleged Garda malpractice "wasn't all bluster, it wasn't all talk. There was substantive material... he had chapter and verse." A judge has ruled that a Dublin cab driver, who was successfully prosecuted for cocaine dealing from his car, can have his taxi licence restored and carry on working. An action brought by taxi driver Barry Burns (43) of Bath Road, Balbriggan, Co Dublin, was opposed by Garda Superintendent Thomas Murphy of the Dublin region traffic department which includes the carriage office. The superintendent said tests last year showed Mr Burnss drug use was off the scale and put it to him that he was a danger to the public. However, Burns described that claim as pure vendetta and insisted he had stayed off drugs since he was prosecuted in court in 2016 for drugs offences. Burns had been stripped of his taxi licence following that prosecution but was then allowed hold on to it and work provisionally, pending the outcome of his appeal heard by Judge Deirdre Gearty at Dublin District Court. Giving her ruling today she said she was restoring his licence. Barrister Patrick Jackson (instructed by solicitor Fiona DArcy) told Judge Gearty that in February 2015, Burns was stopped in a car in possession of 70 worth of cocaine. On a date in February the following year, undercover gardai made four calls to his phone and later that day Burns provided them with seven deals of cocaine worth about 550, counsel said. In December 2016, the case came before Judge Lindsay at Swords District Court. He was prosecuted for possessing drugs for his own use as a result of the first incident but the second incident led to a more serious charge for having cocaine for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty to the charges from the outset. Mr Jackson said that at the time father-of-three Burns had been going through family difficulties and began using drugs. Those charges were struck out and he was spared a criminal conviction as a well as a sentence after he had gone to counselling, provided blood and urine samples to show he was off drugs and he also donated 1,000 to charity. Garda Superintendent Murphy told Judge Gearty that Mr Burns was using his taxi at the time and there was a tick list amounting to several thousand Euro owed to him by customers. Philip Kavanagh of the Tacsai Tiomani na hEireann union gave evidence in the appeal and told the court he had known Burns about 10 years and was comfortable with him remaining a taxi driver. He said at the time Burns had told him of his difficulties but since then he has perked up and seems be trying to get on with his life. Anthony Finlay, another taxi driver, said Burns was a close friend and deserved a second chance. He said he has a large clientele of business people and whenever he cannot collect one of them the only person he could rely on was Burns. He said his friend never let him down and passengers had nothing but compliments for him. He said Burns had gone through difficulties and psychologically he was incredibly low but he was now back to his old self and had completely changed his life around. Counsel provided the court with documents showing that tests proved his client has stopped taking drugs. Mr Burns told the court he had split with his former partner and he paid half the mortgage in the family home where he no longer resides. He also paid educational and medical expenses. He said at the time of the incidents he had a lot of pressures and owed 3,500 in legal fees and was up to my eyes. He also agreed with counsel that he was suffering from anxiety. He said that he began using cocaine and was not in a good place. He told Judge Gearty he was stupid and had let his family down. Since the prosecution he continued to go to drug testing, he said. All 106 urine samples had been negative, he said. Cross-examined by Garda Superintendent Murphy, it was put to him that hair follicle tests in 2017, which covered 12-month periods, showed he tested positive for drug use and one was off the scale. However, the taxi driver claimed that was because drugs remained in his system a long time and he denied continued drug use. He called the Garda objection to his licence a "pure vendetta" and said superintendent wanted to take away his livelihood. The court heard the latest follicle drug test in January was negative and that also covered the previous 12-month period. Burns also told the court he had not come to Garda attention since and rejected claims that it would be unsafe for members of the public to use his taxi. He also said there were other people driving taxis who had criminal convictions. A woman who was sexually abused by her teenage cousin 15 years ago has told the man that she was handing the burden of his attack on her back to him. This is your burden to carry, not mine, yours, the now 28-year-old woman stated in her victim impact statement before Mr Justice Tony Hunt at the Central Criminal Court. The 30-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted by a jury earlier this year of two counts of sexual assault against the girl when she was 13 years old and he was 15. The girl, who lived abroad with her family at the time, had been in Ireland on a visit. She made a complaint to police in her own country in 2014, the gardai were alerted and the man was brought in for questioning. He totally denied the allegations, claiming that the woman was prone to invention and making unreal statements. The detective investigating the case agreed with Conor Devally SC, prosecuting, today that seven days before the trial he was provided with a statement from the accused outlining an entirely new narrative of events. He said the accused then admitted that he had both fondled the teenager's breasts and performed oral sex on her. He claimed their relationship had developed over the course of her visit to Ireland which had led to intimacy between them. He claimed that the girl was the forward person in this relationship rather than himself. The man, a father of two, pleaded not guilty to five charges of sexual assault and one charge of attempted rape at a house in Dublin on a date in June or July of 2003. The jury later convicted him of two charges of sexual assault. Colman Cody SC, defending told Mr Justice Hunt that his client, continues to claim that the sexual contact between the two had been consensual but pointed out that as the victim was a child at the time the defence of consent is not available to my client. Mr Justice Hunt remanded the accused on continuing bail until Monday April 30, next for sentencing. He said it was not an easy case and told the woman that he was aware that she had travelled but he needed time to consider it. I cannot jump to a conclusion, Mr Justice Hunt said before he added that the accused had lost significant mitigation because he had not pleaded guilty. Earlier the woman read from her victim statement in which she said she was exhausted. This process has taken everything from me. Today I am handing it back to you, the woman said referring to the accused. I am full of anger, full of questions. I was a child and your cousin and that was not enough to make you stop. I wonder what my life as a 14 year old, a 15 year old, a 16 year old and beyond would have been like had I had not had to carry this, the woman continued. You had taken from me what you wanted and gave me shame and pain that I've had to carry with me. The impact didn't last one night or the three weeks of the trial, it lasted a life. It lasted my life, she said She said she had not been sexually provocative at the time, as she said the man's version of events had suggested. She spoke of the abuse stamping out the fire in my spirit, that she changed afterward and was later treated for post traumatic stress disorder and depression. The woman said she couldn't dare tell her family as she was afraid of not being believed. She said she worried how it would effect her mother's relationship with her own family. I wanted to die but I chose to survive. I chose to tell the truth. You chose to assault me. You chose to make no amends for it. You chose to lie about it. You chose to plead not guilty. You put everyone through this. It is all at your door. This is your burden to carry, not mine, yours, the woman continued. She said the accused had made her out to be a fantasist, an obsessive, a weirdo and a liar and suggested to the jury that she would get pleasure seeing an innocent man on trial, a suggestion which she described as ludicrous. The woman also mentioned how the man had said horrible things about her family. How her father had to hear the explicit details of what had happened to her in evidence and that her sister and her mother had tears running down their faces during the trial. She concluded her statement saying that she was deeply grateful to the jury for wading through this fog. It was worth it. You are a convicted man. My single hope is that no woman is hurt by you again, the woman said. Two women admitted suffocating a man to death by holding plastic bags over his head after one of them gave an interview to a Sunday newspaper explaining her role in the death. Anna Marie Pezzillo (35), of no fixed abode, and Rachel Comiskey (35), with an address at Dodsboro Cottages, Lucan pleaded not guilty to murder, guilty to the manslaughter of Ian Quinn (32) at Annally Grove, Ongar, Dublin 15 between May 30 and 31, 2014. Their pleas were accepted by the State on March 5 last and Justice Patrick McCarthy today heard a sentencing hearing for the two women at the Central Criminal Court. Sean Gillane SC for the prosecution read an impact statement on behalf of the Quinn family. They said that Ian was the eighth in a family of 13. He was a kind and loving person but had taken a wrong path by taking drugs. Their family has been devastated by his death and they will never recover from it. Detective Garda Paul Kirwan told Mr Gillane that Comiskey was in a relationship with Ian Quinn for 12 years and they lived together at Annally Grove. On the Wednesday before Mr Quinn was killed, Pezillo was released from Limerick prison and went to stay with Comiskey. Mr Quinn joined them the following day. All three had problems with addiction to drugs and alcohol and significant quantities of both were consumed over the following days. On the Saturday morning, May 31, at about 3am a man came upon the two women outside the apartment shouting for a mobile phone. Comiskey rang emergency services and said she and Pezillo were asleep and when they woke up Mr Quinn was dead. When emergency services arrived Mr Quinn's body, cold and showing signs of rigor mortis, was in a bedroom dressed in boxer shorts. At the scene one of the women said, "We had a bag over his head," and when they spoke to gardai at the scene they said they had been drinking vodka for two days and taking tranquillisers. Comiskey told gardai that Mr Quinn was "swinging me around the place" and that they put a bag over his head and said: "How do you like it?" Comiskey also said that she put holes in the bag to allow him to breathe and both women maintained that they hadn't intended to kill him but wanted to frighten him. The two women were arrested and questioned but subsequently released from custody. About one week later an article appeared on the front page of the Sunday World newspaper in which Pezillo admitted her role in the killing. She said all three of them had been drinking and taking tablets and fell asleep. When they woke up Mr Quinn had wet himself and Comiskey took his jeans and top off. Mr Quinn became annoyed and a fight broke out. Pezillo thought Mr Quinn was going to hit Comiskey so she intervened but was struck in the face. They put two bags over his head and said to him: "How do you like it." She said they did it for "just a few seconds" and afterwards they thought he had passed out. The two women went to bed and when they woke up they realised he was dead and called emergency services. She said they did not intend to kill him. In interviews with gardai Pezillo accepted that what was said in the article was largely true, although she felt some of it was exaggerated. Pezillo has 112 previous convictions including for theft, criminal damage, handling stolen goods and disorderly conduct. Comiskey has 18 previous for intoxication in a public place, possession of stolen property and failure to appear in court. Both women wrote letters to the court expressing their remorse for the killing. Michael Bowman SC for Pezillo said that she had drunk four bottles of vodka and taken tablets and that when they put the bags over the deceased's head their intention was to frighten, not kill. His client started taking drugs aged 13 and was living rough by the age of 18. He pointed out that State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy had said that deaths by suffocation from plastic bags leave no trace. Therefore the statements made by Pezillo were of critical importance to the prosecution. Professor Cassidy's report stated that the cause of death was "undetermined". In her letter Pezillo said she feels remorse, sorrow and shame for what she did and if she could swap places with Ian, she would. Tara Burns SC for Comiskey told the court that her client had a very good family and had opportunities but took a wrong track in her teens, began drinking and quickly moved on to tablets and then heroin. Her mother wrote to the court to describe the difficulties the family suffered because of her poor behaviour and drug taking. However, she has made improvements in prison and has undergone a dramatic improvement in her outlook on life. In her letter to the court she said she wanted to express her remorse to the Quinn family, her own family and to the gardai. She said that she met Ian at a bus stop on O'Connell Street when she was 18 and loved him ever since. They had their ups and downs with drugs and living on the streets and she would never have done anything to harm him no purpose. "We went through everything together," she wrote. Telling the court she is sorry for what happened, she added that she was in court to face the consequences of her actions. She wishes she had quit drink and drugs earlier. Justice McCarthy remanded both women in custody until May 14 when he will deliver their sentences. Over the weekend the Green Party announced a new policy position calling for the decriminalisation of cannabis in Ireland. Here is what they are proposing; Where did this come from? On Saturday, at the Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) national conference in the Cork Institute of Technology, Oliver Moran, the Green Party's representative in Cork North Central, announced the new position in which they suggest Ireland should decriminalise possessing and growing cannabis for personal use as well as the introduction of Dutch-style coffee shops. What exactly are they proposing? Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Mr Moran said that they would like to see Ireland adopt a system similar to Canada or Washington state in the United States. In Canada, legislation to legalise cannabis is set to begin on July 1 this year. The Canadian law would allow up to 30g of cannabis possession for personal use. Under the Green Party proposals, the limit in Ireland would be 5g. What about growing your own cannabis at home? When it comes to 'grow your own' the Green Party suggest people can grow up to two plants at home for personal use. What about medicinal use? The party's proposals say that those who used cannabis to relieve medical symptoms could grow their own or get access through a medical doctor. On the Green Party website, Mr Moran is quoted as saying that Ireland is overdue a change in this respect. "The lifting of a veil over taboos and criminality that covered the reality that we already knew was there and that made criminals out of decent people and sufferers out of medical patients. That made men and women feel like they had to act in secret for doing something as normal as taking medicine or having a glass of wine in the evening." They mentioned Dutch-style coffee shops too? Yes, the Green Party plan calls for gardai to 'tolerate' the coffee shops where people over 18 could consume and buy cannabis. The Green Party also suggest issuing licences to growers in Ireland so they could supply these shops and "take the trade out of the hands of criminal gangs". Where has this idea come from? The Green Party had suggested Ireland follow the Portuguese model in 2016 but this new proposal would be even more liberal as it is still illegal to produce or sell cannabis in Portugal. On their website the Green Party say that this policy comes from a bid to 'reduce harm' and to 'stop the criminalisation of ordinary people'. What happens now? Well the Green Party say that this new policy will be part of their manifesto for the next general election so the Irish electorate will get a chance to back the idea the next time we all go to the polls. Would the idea have popular backing? A 2015 poll showed 36pc of Irish people favoured legislation to legalise the drug and other surveys since have suggested that this figure has only grown. And the Green Party are confident that now is the right time for change on cannabis in Ireland. It's no longer all that unusual or 'out there' to support the legalisation of cannabis," said Mr Moran. "But we still need vocal support for drug law reform to build political will. Referendums on same sex marriage and abortion would have been unthinkable only a few years ago. It took ordinary people who weren't afraid to tell their stories to normalise the everyday and break those taboos. Historian Catherine Corless and campaigner Vera Twomey were among the big winners at last night's Rehab People of the Year Awards. Also among those honoured at Dublin's Mansion House were the Galway hurlers, Irish Coast Guard and crew of Rescue 116 who tragically died last year. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar presented the Young Person of the Year Award to Harry (13) and Molly Flynn (10) for saving their six-year-old sister Isabelle's life on many occasions. She has apnoea and can suddenly stop breathing at any time. Her older siblings have performed CPR on her while playing on a bouncy castle and in a supermarket trolley while out shopping. Ms Corless, who was praised for her research on the Tuam Mother and Baby Home which uncovered the remains of hundreds of babies, said a full exhumation of the site was now needed. "We need to remove the remains of these innocent children - it is no place for them - and give them a respectful burial," Ms Corless said. Expand Close Tuam campaigner Catherine Corless with her People of the Year award. Photo: Frank McGrath / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tuam campaigner Catherine Corless with her People of the Year award. Photo: Frank McGrath Ms Twomey was honoured for her national campaign to legalise medicinal cannabis. Her daughter Ava (8) suffers from Dravet Syndrome, which causes severe and dangerous seizures. "It is very hard to watch other parents and families suffering in similar circumstances to ours. I know there are hundreds of people suffering in Ireland who could potentially benefit from medicinal cannabis," said Ms Twomey. Naval vessel LE Samuel Beckett has departed Cork for the Mediterranean where its mission is to identify, capture and dispose of vessels used by migrant smugglers or traffickers. A total of 54 members of the Defence Forces were deployed as part of an EU-wide mission called Operation Sophia. The mission is part of an EU-wide effort to disrupt the business model of the human smuggling and trafficking industry in the southern central Mediterranean and prevent further loss of life at sea. Deployed The crew bid farewell to loved ones from the Haulbowline Naval Base in Cork at 11am yesterday. This is the second Irish naval vessel to be deployed in recent months as part of Operation Sophia. The LE Niamh was deployed late in 2017. Work as part of the mission will include boarding vessels suspected of activity such as smuggling and trafficking and then searching and potentially seizing them. In July last year, the mission was extended by the EU Security Committee until December of this year. The mission first began in 2015. WALKING AWAY: St Patricks Street in Cork is reportedly suffering from low footfall since the council restricted access for cars. Photo: Daragh Mc Sweeney/ Provision In the city of Merchant Princes, St Patrick's Street has always been Cork's undisputed 'jewel in the crown', so any threat to it and its traders is taken as a threat to the wellbeing of the city itself. Hence the fury of the reaction to the decision at Easter to ban cars from the main thoroughfare every afternoon. The knock-on effect on businesses along Cork's prime street - some traders reporting footfall down more than 50pc - is claimed to be so great as to prompt many to warn St Patrick's Street is in danger of becoming a beautifully pedestrianised ghost town. Of more immediate import for City Hall was the warning that plummeting trade and profits could be followed by a commercial rates protest. Tom Durcan, a spiced beef trader in the English Market, said the car ban has been "a total disaster for trade". "No business can sustain their retail trade being cut in half. It is simply not possible," he said. Other Cork Business Association (CBA) members warned that the afternoon car ban could spell the death knell for small and medium sized traders unable to sustain the short to medium-term losses. "If they want a street that is packed full of UK high street stores, banks and mobile phone shops, they are going the right way about it," one trader said. Fondly known to locals as 'Pana', St Patrick's Street is far more than just the living and breathing heart of Ireland's second city. The wide graceful boulevard sweeps from the River Lee, past the statue of Cork's temperance priest, Fr Mathew, underneath the famous Eason's Clock and up to the Queen's Old Castle complex before taking a sharp left turn and transforming into the Grand Parade. The story of St Patrick's Street is proudly the story of the city. It survived the rampage of the Black and Tans during the War of Independence. It bounced back despite 100m worth of damage being caused to nearby streets by the disastrous floods of 2009. It endured years of disruption from the Cork main drainage works - only to re-emerge even more graceful thanks to a tasteful 13m redesign by Catalan artist, Beth Gali. The legends of the street are many. It was just off the junction of St Patrick's Street and St Patrick's Bridge that the late Taoiseach Jack Lynch fought back tears after learning of the death of his hurling team-mate, the incomparable Christy Ring. Even the RTE hit comedy series, The Young Offenders, featured its own homage to the street and the city centre. As millions of euros were spent on suburban shopping centres in the 1980s and 1990s, St Patrick's Street fought back with the hugely successful Owen O'Callaghan-led Opera Lane redevelopment. Famous old Cork stores, such as Cash's and Roches, were given a new lease of life under new brands, Brown Thomas and Debenhams, and continued to thrive. But some traders now warn that the car ban and the relentless drive towards pedestrianisation represents the biggest challenge ever faced by the historic location. A dramatic reduction in street parking from the flood protection works in Cork is yet another headache. Stung by the avalanche of criticism over the car ban, Cork City Council has moved to compromise on the major concerns involved and has appealed for traders to give the measure a three-month "settling-in period". Chief executive Ann Doherty has confirmed there will be a special marketing campaign to support city centre trade as well as park-and-ride and multi-storey car park incentives. "I am so mindful of the challenges that businesses have," she said. "I am listening to them. What I am asking is at least to give this a reasonable period of time to work." However, city centre traders don't underestimate the scale of the threat now posed by the combination of the afternoon car ban, parking costs and the growing attraction of suburban shopping centres. Mahon Point has for years had plans in place for a second phase expansion, while Wilton Shopping Centre is the focus of a massive 100m redevelopment plan. "We should be giving people as many reasons as possible to come into the city centre and spend their hard-earned Euros, not making it harder for them," Mr Durcan said. The President, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo has left Ghana to London to attend the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place from Monday, 16th April 2018 to Friday, 20th April 2018. The theme Towards a Common Future will afford Heads of Government in the Commonwealth the opportunity to address the shared global challenges we face and agree actions on how to create a better future for all. Moreover, President Akufo-Addo is expected to hold meetings with British Foreign Secretary, Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson; leader of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn; Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan; and the Duke of Cambridge. Prince William. The President will also deliver a keynote address at the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce Investment Summit, speak at the Malaria Summit hosted by Bill Gates, attend the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council Business Forum and on Saturday, 21st April 2018, deliver the keynote speech at the London School of Economics Africa Summit on the theme Africa at Work: Educated, Employed and Empowered. He was accompanied by the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo; Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen; Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba; Business Development Minister, Awal Mohammed and some officials from the Presidency and Foreign Ministry. The Director of Communications at the Jubilee House, Eugene Arhin in a press release indicated that President Akufo-Addo and his delegation will return to Ghana on Sunday, 22nd April 2018 and in his absence, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will in accordance with Article 60(8) of the constitution act in his stead. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. Gardai probing the murder of a 49-year-old father in Tallaght last week are attempting to establish why the man was in the area at the time. Ioan Artene Bob died of head and chest injuries after what gardai believe was an assault. No motive has been established for the attack and it is unclear if any weapons were used. The victim was found with serious injuries in Sean Walsh Park at 8.30am on Friday. Mr Bob had been working in Ireland in the construction sector and is understood to have been working on a site in Carrickmines recently. He is understood to have an eight-year-old child who lives in Romania. Expand Close Fatal assault victim Ioan Artene Bob, from Romania / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fatal assault victim Ioan Artene Bob, from Romania Gardai don't know where Mr Bob was living in Ireland and are appealing to the Romanian community in the capital for information. Door-to-door enquiries were being conducted in the Springfield area of Tallaght over the weekend in an attempt to establish more information on the victim. Expand Close Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. A Garda spokesman said: "The last confirmed sighting of Ioan was at 8.30pm on Thursday, April 12, in the Moore Street area of Dublin." Local councillor Charlie O'Connor said the community was in shock at the discovery of the body in a park, which is one of the main amenities in the area. Expand Close Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gardai at the scene in Sean Walsh Park, Tallaght this evening where a critically injured man was discovered by a passer by at around 8am this morning. Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. "Murder is a dreadful thing and to happen in a park, a key amenity in Tallaght where lots of people come and go," said Mr O'Connor, adding his sympathies were with the dead man's family. It happened on the Belfast to Derry train. File photo A train conductor has been indecently assaulted during a journey. Police said the woman was grabbed and also verbally abused onboard a train between Derry and Belfast on Saturday, April 14. It happened after she had intervened with a group of rowdy male passengers. The conductor was grabbed for a second time by another member of the group as they were exiting the train at the Mossley West station. Police in Northern Ireland are appealing for witnessess. Sergeant Cullen said: The conductor was left extremely shaken and upset by the ordeal. "It is appalling that a woman was subjected to such attacks while simply doing her job. We are investigating and would like to hear from witnesses. Please call 101, quoting reference number 1384 14/04/18. Image of the scene in Swords last night (Picture via Garda Checkpoints Dublin Facebook page) An apparent arson attack on a car in Dublin has been condemned as 'shocking' by a local councillor. The incident took place in the Applewood area of Swords last night at around 10.30pm. According to local Sinn Fein councillor Philip Lynam, the fire also damaged a car nearby and was very close to a large number of family homes. "It appears to have been a targeted attack," said Cllr Lynam "but it was just 50 yards from a number of houses. "It is a quiet area, and an area with a lot of young families. "It is not an area with a lot of anti-social behaviour. It is shocking to see. It is a shocking attack." Expand Close Image of the scene in Swords last night (Picture via Garda Checkpoints Dublin Facebook page) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Image of the scene in Swords last night (Picture via Garda Checkpoints Dublin Facebook page) Gardai told Independent.ie that they are investigating the fire as an incident of criminal damage. In a statement they said: "Gardai in Swords are investigating criminal damage by fire of a car at a house in Swords on the 15th April. "The incident occurred at approximately 10pm. Gardai also confirmed no arrests have been made and that investigations are ongloing. Independent.ie understands that nobody was injured by the fire. President Michael D Higgins spent almost 50,000 on Government jet journeys in the first three months of this year. The Office of the President last week released details of Mr Higgins's use of the State-owned Learjet for the first time. The information was released after this newspaper reported the 30m cost of the Office since Mr Higgins was elected seven years ago. He has used the private jet to travel to London, Belfast, Athens and Kerry this year. The total flight time for all of these journeys is 13 hours. The hourly cost of flying the Learjet is estimated by the Department of Defence to be 3,780 per hour, meaning the total cost of the President's jet bill comes to 49,140. Since taking office, the President has made nine State visits and 40 official visits, according to his spokesperson. The Government jet was not used on all of these occasions. Independent Senator Gerard Craughwell said all Government jet journeys by the president should be declared publicly. He also called for the Office of the President to be covered by Freedom of Information legislation. "The public have a right to know how public money is being spent and I do not understand why the presidency is not subject to Freedom of Information laws," he said. Pauline Finlay (49) from Co Wexford is missing since March 1994. Photo: RTE The widower of a dog walker who went missing on an Irish beach 24 years ago died knowing her remains had finally been found, an inquest has heard. Two decades of uncertainty for Pauline Finlay's family were ended when she was identified as the woman whose body was washed up on the north Wales coast in 1994, Dublin Coroner's Court was told. The 49-year-old from Co Wexford had disappeared seven months previously while walking her two dogs on Old Bawn beach, Cahore near Ballygarrett. Her husband Joe feared his non-swimming wife had slipped while washing her dogs in the surf and been pulled out by the tides. The only trace of her was two wellington boots washed up on the sand. Her final resting place was revealed by chance 18 months ago when detectives in north Wales tested DNA from the remains found at Cable Bay near Holyhead with a sample from Mrs Finlay's brother Joseph Hanlon. During the inquest on Monday, coroner Dr Myra Cullinane asked Mr Hanlon had the identification been confirmed before his sister's widower died last year. "It was, yes," he said. The coroner said she hoped the development had brought a measure of finality to the family's many years of "unanswered questions". "Science has progressed to the point where many families who were left bereaved and not knowing are now being assisted in being reunited with loved ones," she told the court. Mr and Mrs Finlay had a mobile home at Old Bawn caravan park. She had gone to walk the dogs around 3.30pm on the day of her disappearance. They were preparing to go to a play that evening and Mr Finlay got concerned when his wife did not return for dinner. During the inquest, statements from friends of the couple who helped in the search were read into the record. One, from neighbour Gerard Byrne, described the poignant scene on an otherwise empty beach that confronted him and Mr Finlay as they arrived to look for her. "We looked down from the dunes and we could see the two dogs at the water's edge," he said in his 1994 statement to gardai. "They were barking and were very excited. And there were two wellingtons 10 feet apart." A member of the Garda who later attended the scene recounted how the dogs would not leave the water's edge. Mr Byrne told how local people continued to search for the next number of weeks, with several reported sightings of a body in the water in April 1994. He said he tried to recover the body in a boat on one occasion. "I saw very clearly a body just under the water," he stated. "As we stopped the boat and turned around it disappeared." He said the next day there was another sighting by people on shore scanning the horizon with binoculars. A lifeboat that responded to the report found no trace of Mrs Finlay. The coroner was told how a woman tending to seagulls covered in oil discovered partial human remains in the seaweed at Cable Bay on October 31 1994. Despite police inquiries at the time, the remains were not identified and were buried at Ynys Wen Cemetery, at Valley near Holyhead on January 24 1995. Two decades later a renewed bid by North Wales Police to solve a series of missing person cases finally brought the closure Mrs Finlay's family craved. After the DNA match was confirmed, her body was subsequently exhumed and returned to Ireland at the turn of the year. Dr Cullinane said it was likely Mrs Finlay had slipped and drowned but, as there were no witnesses to the incident, she could not specify the cause of death. The coroner recorded an open verdict. "Now all these years later it is possible to make a formal identification of the late Pauline Finlay," she said. Independent.ie readers have had their say on the Green Party's plan to decriminalise cannabis in Ireland. Over the weekend the Green Party announced a new policy position calling for the decriminalisation of cannabis in Ireland. Oliver Moran, the Green Party's representative in Cork North Central, announced the new position in which they suggest Ireland should decriminalise possessing and growing cannabis for personal use as well as the introduction of Dutch-style coffee shops. More than 1,300 votes were cast on the question of whether Ireland should decriminalise cannabis. Some 90 per cent of readers voted 'yes' while 10 per cent voted 'no'. Independent.ie readers may cast one vote per device. Read More Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Mr Moran said that they would like to see Ireland adopt a system similar to Canada or Washington state in the United States. In Canada, legislation to legalise cannabis is set to begin on July 1 this year. The Canadian law would allow up to 30g of cannabis possession for personal use. Under the Green Party proposals, the limit in Ireland would be 5g. A sailor had to be rescued twice on Saturday evening after running aground for a second time after earlier being towed to safety by the Irish Coast Guard. Members of the Killaloe unit of the volunteer service had towed the 30-foot yacht into the safety of Mountshannon Harbour, Co Clare, after the vessel ran aground a short distance away in Scarriff Bay. Despite being tied up safely in Mountshannon, the yacht ran aground for a second time a short distance away. It is understood the lone sailor had tried to move the yacht into deeper water to tie up at an anchor point. The first incident happened at around 6pm on Saturday. A short time later the boat was seen leaving Mountshannon again. It is believed the sailor was attempting to get out to deeper water to tie up at one of several anchor points in the bay. Within minutes, however, the yacht was stranded again. Killaloe Coast Guard was alerted at 11.15pm, arriving at the scene to find it was the same vessel they had helped earlier. Tomorrow morning, Disclosures Tribunal chairman Peter Charleton plans to visit Kildare Street. The Supreme Court judge will inspect Leinster House 2000, a new building completed in 2001. First stop will be the Coffee Dock, a popular breaktime spot in the complex. From the checkout till, it's perhaps a 30-second walk downstairs to a public waiting area and to CR1, committee room one, where the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meets. Former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan gave evidence there on January 23 2014, attracting controversy using the word "disgusting" in relation to whistleblowers. The conversations Callinan had as he travelled from the Coffee Dock to CR1 formed the core of the Charleton tribunal hearings for the last week. John Deasy (Fine Gael) was in the Coffee Dock when the then deputy commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan spotted him, and introduced him to the commissioner. Callinan says they chatted about what he would say to PAC. Deasy admitted he didn't remember much, but one thing stuck in his mind from that exchange. "Maurice McCabe was not to be believed or trusted with anything," Deasy told the tribunal. "My own grandfather was a Garda sergeant. If a serving commissioner said something about my grandfather in those terms, I would definitely think of it as being utterly derogatory." Callinan says he cautioned Deasy to "be aware of the correctness of the information being imparted" by Sgt Maurice McCabe, and to keep in mind inaccuracies highlighted in an internal Garda inquiry. Deasy rejected this, saying he would remember this kind of "legalese". Minutes later, downstairs, Callinan ran into Comptroller and Auditor General Seamus McCarthy. The public servant had prepared a penalty points report after receiving files from McCabe, the starting point for the PAC hearings. Callinan approached him and spoke about McCabe. "He was not to be trusted, he had questions to answer, and there were sexual offence allegations against him," McCarthy recalled. McCarthy's initial reaction was surprise. He had never identified the source on penalty points cancellations. Anyway, he told the commissioner, they had carried out their own independent investigation into the files. "The only thing I could think of was the instance where a whistleblower was alleged to be involved in the disappearance of a computer," McCarthy said. (An inquiry later cleared McCabe of any involvement in this case.) Callinan's barrister put it to him that it was he, not the commissioner, who mentioned sexual abuse rumours. McCarthy was clear though. The information came from the commissioner. The tribunal has previously heard the DPP directed no prosecution against McCabe following a 2006 Garda investigation, saying that there was no evidence any crime was committed. After the PAC hearing, Callinan stood among other senior officers as chairman John McGuinness approached. The Fianna Fail TD remembered Callinan describing a 1983 incident where Garda John Wilson saw a horse mistreated on Grafton Street, "pulled the knacker off the horse", and rode it to the nearest Garda station. (In a later aside, Judge Charleton noted the incident apparently led to Garda Wilson being awarded the nickname Jockey Wilson.) "And the other fella fiddles with kids. They're the kinds of f***ing headbangers I'm dealing with," Callinan continued. "It was obvious to me that it was directed at me," McGuinness told the tribunal. The committee room was noisy, so he couldn't say for certain if anyone else heard what Callinan said. Former Garda press officer Supt David Taylor has made a statement to the tribunal confirming he heard the commissioner call McCabe a "kiddie fiddler". Callinan denies making the statement. The follow day, Callinan asked McGuinness for a meeting. The two agreed to meet in the Bewley's hotel at Newland's Cross, Dublin. When McGuinness got there, Callinan got into his car. This time, Callinan went into more detail. McCabe was not to be trusted, he warned. PAC would make a grave error of judgment if they trusted him. "He suggested there was evidence he had sexually abused his family," McGuinness said. McGuinness was astonished. The day before, Callinan had given evidence for five hours without a break, a stressful experience, and he thought the off-hand comment afterwards might have been due to that. But this time, Callinan was measured. The TD was told there was a file on McCabe. He was left with the impression the sergeant might soon be charged. On the way home, McGuinness pulled over. He grabbed a notebook and jotted down a few brief notes about what Callinan had told him. Over the weekend, he decided to confront McCabe, and found the sergeant's denials credible. He believed McCabe. "I had to made a judgment call, and I'm glad I did, that I ignored the information from Commissioner Callinan," he said. McGuinness later spoke to Micheal Martin about McCabe, thanking the party leader for raising whistleblower issues on the Dail floor. Martin, Pat Rabbitte and Eoghan Murphy are scheduled to give evidence next week. Back at Garda HQ, Andrew McLindon was dealing with the fallout from the "disgusting" remark. A civilian, although he held a position equal in rank to a chief superintendent, McLindon was an experienced PR professional, but still new to the job. Garda culture meant the commissioner was more inclined to listen to uniformed officers than a civilian, McLindon said. McLindon proposed an RTE interview with Sean O'Rourke. It would give the commissioner a chance to row back what he had said. Callinan considered the proposal, but ruled it out. The tribunal also heard that before his PAC appearance Callinan had ruled out putting a section in his opening comments acknowledging whistleblowers for highlighting the issues they publicised, a proposal supported by McLindon and O'Sullivan. Eventually, a press release clarified what Callinan found disgusting was breaches of the Data Protection Act, leaking of personal information. This criticism was also raised by Gerald Kean when he appeared on the Marian Finucane programme. I've always been sceptical in court cases, of apologies or indeed showing remorse, being taken into account when it comes to sentencing. Often times you hear after a conviction, how a defendant did or didn't show remorse and how that was viewed as mitigating or exacerbating when the judge was deciding that person's fate. My logic has always been that it was very possibly insincere so why should it knock time off their sentence? I figured if you were the kind of person to bash/rape/kill someone in the first place - you probably weren't the kind of person to feel unduly sorry about it afterwards. And indeed it struck me it was an all too simple way of manipulating the court into going easy on you. Cynic that I am. But I have changed my mind. Words matter. It may be that what the person says about their actions is not sincere. And they may indeed be saying it in order to get a lighter punishment. But I now see there is still a value in them saying it. There is a value in the victim hearing it. I believe it is worse for someone who has experienced violence at the hand of someone else - in seeing them show no remorse about that event. In never hearing them apologise for what they have done. And there is some healing I suspect for victims in hearing. "I am sorry for my actions." So I now believe that those admissions or regret should indeed be incentivised. And what has made me rethink my position? The recent Belfast rape trial. Obviously in that case all four defendants were found not guilty. There was no conviction. There was no sentencing. Therefore there was no need to show any remorse. Indeed there was no obligation on them to make any statement whatsoever. But two of them chose to and their statements were wholly different in tone - which is what got me thinking. Stuart Olding made a statement that was filled with regret. He said while he acknowledged he had committed no criminal offence - "I am sorry for the hurt that was caused to the complainant." It showed a degree of compassion towards what the young woman at the centre of the trial had gone through, during the legal process and it was the right tone and a decent thing to say after a court case where there were no real winners. Paddy Jackson's statement after the trial was in complete contrast. Jackson referred to the complainant's 'inconsistency', described the verdict as 'no surprise' and focused instead on the hard time he had had, and the vile commentary he had been subjected to. It left a sour note. It could be viewed as triumphalist. It wasn't enough to be found not guilty. It was that statement, those words, that resulted in part, in an overspill of public anger directed solely at Paddy Jackson rather than both Jackson and Olding. And indeed he may not be unaware of that as he released a second unsolicited statement nine days later that mirrored Stuart Olding's almost exactly. Now Jackson too regrets the events of that evening. And he is 'ashamed' that a young woman who was a visitor to his home left in a distressed state. Now I have no idea what Jackson or Olding truly feel about the events of that night. No one does. We can only know what they say about it. But what they say matters too. Much has been made of the difference in tone of Jackson's two statements. Much has been made of the time lag between them and the fact that he has much at stake and could use a radical improvement in his PR standing. His second statement has been met with much scepticism and I understand why it's been called too little too late. But I'm still glad he's said it. I cannot know how the young woman at the centre of that trial feels but I'm sure she must be bruised from a legal process that's so hard on complainants. Statements of regret will not change the events that led to the trial nor the fall out that everyone in Belfast Crown Court will suffer. But they go some way towards acknowledging the pain that must have been felt these past two years. Expressions of humility and regret still have a value. @ciarakellydoc Ciara presents Lunchtime Live on Newstalk weekdays, 12-2. Claire Throssell, whose children were killed by her abusive ex-husband in 2014, hands in petition to Downing Street in London calling for an end to unsafe child contact with dangerous perpetrators of domestic violence. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire Claire Throssell, whose children were killed by her abusive ex-husband in 2014, lays 20 teddy bears in Westminster symbolising the children who have died as a result of unsafe child contact with a parent who is a perpetrator of domestic abuse, after she delivered a petition to Downing Street. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire It took just 15 minutes for my life to end and my existence to begin. He picked the boys up, he put a bowl of sweets up in the attic and the boys had gone straight up to the attic. And while they were up there, my ex-husband set 14 individual fires, barricaded the home, barricaded the kitchen, and made sure not only could no one get in, but the boys would never be able to get out either. And then he set the fires and went up to the attic. These are the harrowing words of Claire Throssell, who spoke to RTE Radio 1s Ryan Tubridy this morning about how her ex-husband set fire to his home and killed himself and their two children Jack (12) and Paul (9). Darren Sykes, who had emotionally abused Claire throughout their 16-year relationship, had five hours access to their children granted by the family courts, despite Claire's evidence that he had previously threatened to kill them and himself. The boys had been spending two of those hours with him on the night of the fire, October 22, 2014. That particular Wednesday I dropped them off at school in the morning. Just as normal, I would say love you, and every morning they would say back to infinity and beyond. And that particular morning when I dropped my eldest off at school, hed always take that extra look back to make sure that I was still there, and that day, he took an extra look back for some reason and walked into school. I dropped my youngest off and that was completely different, running off down into the playground, just throwing the words behind him. But they were the last words we ever spoke to each other. I was at work. [Sykes] knew it was the best time to do anything because I worked late. I was trying to better myself and do a job in teacher training so that I could give them a better future. Hed started putting a train track in the attic because Paul loved trains, and Paul was the one that really, really didnt want to go to see him. The first time I thought, maybe hes making an effort for the boys and they were quite looking forward to seeing the trains. He sent them a message that morning to say Ive got two new trains, I just need two new drivers. Claire and Sykes had been separated for some time, and they had been fighting a custody battle for their two young boys. The mum-of-two said she eventually decided to leave Sykes when hed insulted her one time too many. She brought her two boys to live with her and her mother in a nearby village in Yorkshire, in the UK. Hed done one insult too many, and the boys were distraught and I just thought Im not doing my boys any favours. I didnt want my two boys to think that that was the way you treat people in a relationship. But you are frightened for your children, and its not easy when they have financial control to just suddenly leave because you want to support your children and leave so that you can keep your children safe and financially stable and thats not always possible. I warned the courts that he was capable of harming [the boys] and even killing them. He even said before that he understood why fathers took their childrens lives. And he even tried to commit suicide in the June so I was pushing really hard for him not to have any access to the children, but the courts granted five hours access. The night a policeman knocked on her door, she knew Sykes had done something horrible, she told Tubridy. I saw the look on his face, and I said whats happened? He said theres been an incident at the home, theres been a fire, and you need to come with me right now. I was taken to Sheffield Childrens Hospital and I went to the resus room. The police officer did a handbrake turn in the carpark and said go, go, so I ran through the doors, and I could see Paul, and I could see they were doing CPR on him. The doctors turned and said are you mum?. I said yes. They said we are going to stop resuscitating now, and I held him in my arms. His hair was wet with my tears. I just held him so tight, and I made a promise to him that no other parent would have to hold their child in their arms as they died, knowing its at the hands of someone who should love him and protect him just as much as me. After Paul had died. I had to make the worst decision in my life. You never choose between your children, and they said that I had to leave Paul in Sheffield, and go with Jack to Manchester to the burns specialist unit. Jack had 56pc burns on his body, third degree burns. He needed me... I said to the police, please sit with [Paul], hes only nine, hes not old enough to be on his own. For five days, [Jack] fought so hard to stay but on the fifth day, hed been in theatre for about 16 hours that day, and hed come out of theatre and hed been battling in theatre, and unfortunately the burns had built up the potassium in his heart, and it just stopped his heart. Again, I had to hold him in my arms at just 12 years old and say that I loved him, and he was taking my heart, the rest of my soul, and I would do everything I could to keep other children safe and not waste the courage that he had for those five days, and for trying to save his brother. The fire officers who tried to save Jack and Paul that evening told Claire that Jack had tried to save his younger brother. Jack tried to get his brother out. He tried to save his brother. He could have run away but he didnt. He stayed, and it cuts me in two to know that Paul felt Jacks hands, not mine, and it was Jacks strength that pulled him to the end of the hatch where the attic opened, not me, and he unfortunately fell through into the flames. And as he lay there on the floor, the fireman cradled him so gently. Jack used his courage and he said to the fireman, my Dad did this and he did it on purpose, and they took those words as my sons dying testimony. He also told the fireman and the doctor in the hospital before they sedated him and he fell asleep. He never knew that Paul fell asleep first he never knew that Paul didnt make it. Ever since that horrific night, Claire has been campaigning for the process in the UK family courts to change and for abusers to be denied automatic access to their children. I want to raise awareness of emotional control and coercive control. I want people to talk about it and not just brush it under the carpet. It happens everywhere and if people talk about it, and admit that there are problems, then maybe just maybe, no child will have to go through what Jack went through and no child will have to say to an emergency service person, that my mum or my dad did this, and they did it on purpose. When they first met, Sykes had been romantic, but later he turned into a monster, Claire told Tubridy. He sent a rose every day to work until I agreed to go out with him. Claire finally agreed, and the pair were married a year later. Then after that he turned into a complete monster, she told It starts very slowly; it kind of drips into the relationship. I think it was after Jack was born. I used to get about 40 phone calls a day from him, asking where I was, what I was doing. I was stalked within a marriage basically. He was jealous of the boys, put me down that really was the turning point of the relationship about how you look, how you parent the children, little things that you cant quite put your finger on but they start adding up. You look in the mirror and you dont recognise the person thats looking back at you. He used to do it in front of the boys, and the boys used to say, why are you saying that to mum? and hed say cos its true. So hed use them as weapons as well, to try and turn them against me too but that would never happen, because the boys just loved me and couldnt accept what their dad was saying about me. The main thing is isolation. They isolate you from your family, from your friends. Your marriage becomes a lonely, most scary, place to be. Hed say it was all me (Claire), it was all my fault. Never anything was his fault. It gets to a point where you believe that, and you think well if I hadnt have said that, then he wouldnt have reacted that way, and they have a way of turning every conversation around so that its never their fault. In January, Claire handed in a petition to Downing Street calling for children's safety to be put first by the family courts. If youve been affected by this story, you can call Womens Aid Irelands 24hr National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900 Jersey is close enough, British enough and continental enough to make a unique family break, says Pol O Conghaile. Think of a holiday island within easy reach of Ireland, and places like Majorca, Ibiza and Sardinia spring to mind. But there's an intriguing prospect a lot closer to home - one that seduces with quiet charm and idiosyncrasies rather than UV rays, aquaparks and apartment blocks. That island is, of course, Jersey. A quiet little skipping stone set between England and France, Jersey measures just nine miles from end to end. It is at once quintessentially English (red telephone boxes, 30mph speed limits) and charmingly continental (French street names). This is a place in which you "potter" and "tootle". Undulating countryside and ravishing coastal views cast a gentle spell, lulling you into the trim and tidy atmosphere. It's Dorset via the Dordogne, and a week is just enough for our family to explore. COAST and CASTLES We rented a car at the airport, drove almost every inch of the island, and returned it less than a week later with barely half a tank of petrol consumed. Jersey is that small. Stashed-away spots like St Ouen's Bay (crawling with surfers), Bouley Bay (home to the island's dive school) and Piemont Bay (where a lovely little cafe overlooks a cove cut into the cliffs) make it feel like a much bigger and more diverse proposition, however - and that's a large part of its charm. Then there are the castles. Several scenic piles cling to coastal outcrops around Jersey, harking back to the island's Anglo Norman heritage. Mount Orgeuil (www.jerseyheritage.org; 11.50/14.60) was our favourite, spending its retirement after 600 years fending off French invasion by welcoming ooh and aahing tourists. Views rock and staircases spiral, but our little ones were happiest dressing up in the knight and princess costumes provided for kids. Expand Close Gorey with Mont Orgueil Castle, Jersey, UK / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gorey with Mont Orgueil Castle, Jersey, UK SUN, SEA & SAND Jersey won't slap you with 30-degree sunshine. What it will do, however, is alternate cool breezes, the odd spit of rain and temperatures edging into the 20s I'd compare it to Brittany, without the 14-hour ferry ride. It also has several mouth-watering beaches - the best of which were, for us, the neighbouring coves of Portlet and Beauport near St Brelade's. Both are accessed via coastal paths long enough to deter the crowds, and both are stunners worthy of the Algarve. Portlet even boasts its own Martello-style tower on an island 100 yards or so offshore. You can swim out at high tide, or walk across a sandbar when the waters are low. Sea temperatures settle around 18 to 20 degrees in summer, so we were glad to bring our shortie wetsuits - and snorkels. UNDERGROUND ADVENTURES Jersey wasn't always an idyll. From 1940 to 1945, the island was occupied by the Nazis, and a visit to the Jersey War Tunnels (www. jerseywartunnels.com; 11.50/14.60) reminds us just how squeezed and suffocating life was during the war. There were no great traumas or battles here - instead, the exhibition unfolding in the subterranean chambers tells a story of a long, slow squeeze on hearts and minds. Rationing, uncertainty and distrust clearly took an insidious toll. The tunnels themselves were built as a barracks and ammunition store, but the most evocative rooms take the shape of an improvised hospital. The tour covers a kilometre and takes about 1.5 hours to complete, so remember to bring a fleece - the cool temperatures creep up on you. EAT and DRINK For such a small island, Jersey has certainly got its foodie act together, with a push on local produce going way further than the fudge, ice-cream and black butter (an apple, cider and spice preserve) you'd expect. There are two Michelin Star restaurants, for example - one by celeb chef Mark Jordan at the Atlantic Hotel (www.theatlantichotel.com). Elsewhere, La Cantina in St Helier (www.lacantina.co) is a Godsend for coeliacs, with gluten-free pasta and pizza made fresh every day. They do a Nutella pizza for dessert, too. The little gem we kept coming back to, however, was a plain cafe in the middle of St Helier's Victorian market. The Pure Charity Cafe (103-107 Central Market) does yummy baked potatoes stuffed with fillings like prawns, chives and mayo, or chilli con carne (3.50/4.40). But the real draw are its cupcakes - topped with what seems like a local sweet shop's entire stock. Expand Close Jersey - close enough and continental enough to make a unique visit. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jersey - close enough and continental enough to make a unique visit. ON A RAINY DAY Rain is never far from the Channel Islands, so it's worth having a day trip up your sleeve. We loved Aqua Splash (www.aquasplash.je) at St Helier's Waterfront Centre. A lazy river, wave pool, diving area and three water slides amounted to one of the best-run (and cleanest) facilities of its type that I've ever come across. We returned three times during our week-long holiday. Need to know Aer Lingus Regional (www.aerlingus.com) flies direct from Dublin to Jersey. For more ideas on what to see and do on the island, check out www.jersey.com, Discover Jersey's resource for the island. The Jersey Pass (www.jerseypass.com) is the island's discount card. It costs 42/53 for 48 hours. For self-catering stays, check Freedom Holidays (www.freedomholidays.com). This once-struggling steel city is enjoying a visitor-friendly reboot, writes Thomas Breathnach. Set the mood Forget its steely rep, Pittsburgh's had a makeover. Pennsylvania's way-out-west metropolis is today enjoying such a post-industrial reboot, its food, tech and culture booms could rival any of its Northeast neighbours'. Sure, icons like Heinz, Carnegie and Warhol remain abiding local legends, but they're now joined by a new swell of native exports, bridging every sector from apps (Duolingo) to rap (Wiz Khalifa). The result? A city noted for its older population has seen the hipsterati migrate back, and the great Rust Belt dust-off, evolving everywhere from Charleston to Detroit, is in full steam effect. Don't be mistaken - you'll still see tourists outnumbered by Steelers fans here, but that's what makes a visit to the 'Burgh simply feel so fresh. Expand Close The downtown skyline and incline in Pittsburgh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The downtown skyline and incline in Pittsburgh Cheap Kick Expand Close The downtown skyline and incline in Pittsburgh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The downtown skyline and incline in Pittsburgh Got five bucks and a head for heights? Pittsburgh's hilly topography has gifted the city a quirky history of cable railways and a trip on the Duquesne Incline (duquesneincline.org) really puts the fun into funicular. Hopping aboard chocolate box carriages straight from Toy Story, passengers ascend a route which has been cargoing commuters to the lofty 'hood of Mount Washington since 1877. Expect the best Instagram opps of the city with vistas of Pittsburgh's 'Golden Triangle' wowing with every cog turn. Guilty Pleasure From pilsners to pierogis, Pittsburgh knows how to eat and drink big. The city's heaving Strip District is the best spot to savour some Yinzer (aka local) flavour, with a trove of happening eateries, breweries and market stalls stacked along gritty warehouse facades. For breakfast, join the lines at Pamela's Diner (pamelasdiner.com; $9/7.30) for its dreamy banana walnut pancakes, while for lunch Smallman Galley (smallmangalley.org) is a neat incubator food court celebrating local concept chefs. Thirsty? The Wigle whiskey distillery (wiglewhiskey.com; $20/16.30) makes for a giddy booze-stop - try their punchy Deep Cut, known as "the Cadillac of ryes". Expand Close Awesome view: Fairmont Hotel / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Awesome view: Fairmont Hotel Top Tip A seven-story homage to Pittsburgh's most eccentric son, the Andy Warhol Museum (warhol.org) offers a psychedelic spiral through the pop artist's eclectic works (think Campbell Soup, think erotica). Admission is $20/16.30 so try visiting for the gallery's half price "Good Fridays". Hotel Intel Expand Close Awesome view: Fairmont Hotel / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Awesome view: Fairmont Hotel Pittsburgh's luxury Fairmont Hotel delivers an awesome view: its 185 glass-enclosed executive rooms (above) offer spectacular widescreen snapshots of the city's skyline. Downstairs, the hotel's massive mezzanine lobby hosts a sceney jazz bar called Andy's, while its just-opened American brasserie fl.2 is luring destination dining back downtown (fairmont.com/pittsburgh; rooms from 90pps). Glitches Downtown Pittsburgh may well be climbing the social ladder but it can still feel a little pedestrian come evening. An alternative? Head to the nearby neighbourhoods of Lawrenceville or East Liberty to enjoy the city's most vibrant social scenes. Get me there With new routes including Detroit, Cleveland & St Louis, WOW air (wowair.ie) continues to connect Ireland with previously unheralded US hubs. The airline now flies from Dublin to Pittsburgh with fares from 260 return. That doesn't include luggage (add 84 for a carry-on bag), but you can add in a free Icelandic stopover, if you fancy a twin getaway. For more info on Pittsburgh, see visitpittsburgh.com. NB: Prices/exchange rates subject to change. A faint rustling disturbs me first, then I sense the presence of something heavy; and even though the animal is outside my tent, I can tell from the sounds emanating in the dark, that this is not a small domestic pet by any stretch of the imagination. Next morning I mention my nocturnal visitor to my guide, the well named Brave, who casually replies "Oh yes, the hippos came up from the lake last night". Oh yes, I'm definitely on safari! In my travels down the years I've found it usually takes a long time to get to paradise and the voyage to Botswana has more than proved the point. As my chemist observed when I stocked up on malaria tablets and insect repellent, "You're going to one of those places where the planes get smaller and the journeys shorter". Correct. It takes four flights and a dusty drive to get me to my first stop, Qorokwe, poetically named after its location, 'where the buffalo broke through the bush into the water', and situated in the Okavango Delta in the north of the country. Botswana, until gaining its independence in 1966 a British protectorate called Bechuanaland, sits on top of South Africa and is bordered by Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Roughly the size of France, it has room for the Kalahari Desert and the Makgadikgadi Pan, the largest salt flats in the world. Small wonder it's something of a second home to nature-loving Prince Harry. Read More This brand new camp opened in December and is part of the Wilderness Safari group, one of the continent's leading operators with lodges in eight African countries; it has a distinctly modern feel and the eight tented suites (there's also a family unit) are built on wooden platforms with metal and canvas frames. The public areas - dining room, bar, library and lounge - are all fashioned from wood and appear to float above the lagoon where, particularly if you use the high-powered telescope on the main deck, you can see my friends the hippos bathing. There's also an infinity pool where I spend a pleasant hour reading and swimming. Expand Close A leopard near Mombo, Botswana / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A leopard near Mombo, Botswana Over lunch with Danny Crous, Qorokwe's genial manager, I hear how the vibe of this camp is determinedly unstuffy and laissez-faire. "Game is game at the end of the day," Danny tells me, explaining how his mission here is to create a homely feel and to do something different. With Qorokwe in its infancy, he has plans to lay on special surprises: bush dinners, runaway picnics and interactive dining where you make your own pizza, in addition to the traditional safari fare of game drives and brai (barbecue) nights. The relaxed atmosphere is evident next morning at 5am where, by the romantic light of oil lamps, guides and guests tuck into coffee and muffins before the main event - the dawn drive. Within moments of setting off, we see impala, elephants, giraffes and, delightful in the early morning light, a dazzle of zebras. The big thing about safari in Botswana is the fact that it never gets overcrowded: here on the Moremi Plains, three jeeps roam over 26,000 hectares. Later, like a scene out of Mogambo, a sextet of New Yorkers come across an extraordinary standoff - a pride of lions have spotted an unfortunate warthog and are stalking him (or her) with deadly intent. But buffalo are also in the area and are on the case trying to protect poor Pumba. However, precious little stands between a lion and his dinner. I'm more than happy not to witness the actual kill and the Americans are shaken when we happen upon them. It's strangely peaceful though as we park right beside the pride and listen to the crunch of teeth on bone while the African sun sets with its customary drama and beauty. A few days later I have a more benign encounter with these big cats when we come across a pair of lionesses nursing their four cubs. In fact we get so close we can hear the babies suckling. Pure magic. This is one of Botswana's many charms. Staying in private concessions allows us to drive off road and get really up close and personal with the wildlife. I've been lucky enough to go on safari before in South Africa and Kenya and while both were sublime experiences, this is the closest I've ever got to nature, and truly it is 'red in tooth and claw'. As well as our game drives, we enjoy a sighting on water. In a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, we glide through banks of water lilies: I feel like I'm living in a Monet painting. Our presence disturbs the water buffalo who disperse quickly but in the distance (yet more) hippos are basking. We toast them with sundowners of Hendrick's gin and tonic. An important note re these river horses (as they're also known) - never, ever get between them and the water. I love listening to the guides' lore of the wild; for example, how baboons are known as the traitors of the bush. Apparently these crazy creatures befriend the impalas, those dainty antelopes who dance about the place like a silky corps de ballet. As baboons can climb, they act as lookout for approaching predators. So far, so friendly; however when baby impala are born, they are eaten by the treacherous primates. There's plenty of monkey business in my next billet, Mombo, where the baboons take over my deck, dance on the roof, splash in the pool and generally cause gorgeous chaos. They're one of many reasons to adore Mombo, or oh Mombo as I renamed it; from anyone I told I was going there, the refrain was always the same: oh Mombo they sighed wistfully as a soft look entered their eyes. A place of legend; the top luxury lodge in Botswana; the mother of all camps - in fact I thought everyone was being a bit over the top. And then I went there. Expand Close Mombo in Botswana. Photo: Dana Allen / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mombo in Botswana. Photo: Dana Allen On arrival I'm met by a smiling quartet of staff, welcoming me like I'm the Queen of Sheba and plying me with wet flannels and a cold Martini. Both are vital: March is their summer and it's a very hot 34 degrees. Opened 30 years ago, Mombo is located on Chief's Island, (considered one of the premier game viewing areas in the world) and was given a complete rebuild last year; for its duration they quite literally set up temporary camp down the road, lest anyone be without their dose of Mombo for a nano second. A couple of wealthy German sisters who visit four times a year, have apps on their mobile phones, showing how many days will elapse until they return to these Elysian Fields. My 'tent' comprises sitting room, huge bedroom and a spacious en suite with indoor and outdoor showers. Outside the large double deck has a plunge pool and day bed and it's wonderful before afternoon tea and the evening game drive to lie there reading and gazing at the savannah where several elephants wander back and forth. The latter is another good reason to visit. My guide Yompy tells me the pachyderm is his spirit animal. Mine too; I love their intelligence, loyalty and the courage and dignity with which they go off to die alone. And, my family would add, I can relate to their elephantine memory. There are more African elephants here than anywhere else in the world. In fact one of the country's great attractions is the proliferation of game. Thanks to Botswana's first rate conservation policies, they have epic numbers of big cats as well as bountiful herds of the beleaguered black and white rhinos. Yompy and I spend hours searching and eventually a trio - Daddy, Mummy and Baby white rhino - trundle past us through the veldt. This is safari at its most luxurious, so high end I could get altitude sickness. I even have my own butler, Percy, who makes a fabulous cocktail and greets all my observations with the same word: awesome. I've always found Africa awesome. But for its exceptional game viewing, memorable people and extraordinary beauty, Mombo is indeed something else entirely. I'll leave the last word to Yompy: "When Mombo bites, she bites hard." TAKE TWO: Top attractions Delights of the delta Okavango the only island delta in the world is a rich ecosystem of wetlands, islets and palm groves, teeming with wildlife. Known as Africas last Eden, it is one of the continents seven natural wonders. Birds in paradise Ornithologists take note: Botswana is birders heaven with over 550 species recorded. A stunningly diverse avian array includes hornbills, herons, egrets, shrikes, warblers, vultures, larks, owls and eagles. Getting there Mahlatini Luxury Travel (01 906 1883; mahlatini.com) offers a four-night luxury holiday at Wilderness Safaris Qorokwe Camp and Mombo Camp (two nights at each camp) from 7,050 per person sharing on an all-inclusive basis. The price includes international flights from Dublin, light aircraft and road transfers and scheduled safari activities. See wilderness-safaris.com. Read more: Countdown: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will receive a new title after they marry next month. Photo: Dominic Lipinski A third official engagement photo released by Kensington Palace of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle taken by Alexi Lubomirski earlier this week at Frogmore House, Windsor. Meghan Markle visits staff and students of the Full Effect programme at Nottingham Academy on December 1, 2017 in Nottingham, England In this handout photo provided by Kensington Palace, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for one of two official engagement photos at Frogmore House in December, 2017 in Windsor, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alexi Lubomirski via Getty Images) Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation attend the UK Team Trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village on April 6, 2018 in Bath, England Feminist author Germaine Greer has shared her opinion on the upcoming royal wedding, predicting Meghan Markle will "bolt" from her marriage to Prince Harry due to the fact that she has been married previously. Markle was married to Hollywood producer Trevor Engelson for two years, before splitting in 2013. Greer said she has given up too much of her identity, including her citizenship, her career and moving 3,000 miles away from her home, for the couple's marriage to last forever. "I think shell bolt. She bolted before," Greer told Australia's 60 Minutes. "I hope in a way that shell bolt, but maybe shell take Harry with her." Expand Close Guests at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be caught up in a multi-million-pound secutiry operation. Photo: Niall Carson/PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guests at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be caught up in a multi-million-pound secutiry operation. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Harry previously spoke about his desire to leave his position within the British royal family, saying he was convinced to stay out of loyalty and appreciation for his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. "She will see vistas of boredom that are unbelievable. I think the pressure to escape from the firm is crushing," she added. When asked why she thinks Markle would give up her entire life as she knows it, she wryly responded: "Why would a girl born in poverty marry a man worth 53 million quid? I can't think of a single reason." In the no-holds-barred interview, Ms Greer added that she doesn't believe in the institution of marriage, saying it "doesn't deliver what is says on the tin" and despite her personal predictions, sent the engaged couple her well wishes. Expand Close Germaine Greer. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Germaine Greer. Photo: PA "I wish them all the best, I hope they have a wonderful life together," she said. "Lets hope theyre in love. If theyre not its going to be totally unbearable." Meghan and Harry will wed on May 19 in a star-studded ceremony, details of which are being kept under lock and key, including confirmation of guests, Meghan's dress designer and who exactly will be walking the bride-to-be up the aisle. Video of the Day Bearded diva Conchita Wurst has said she is HIV positive and has been living with the virus for many years. The Austrian drag queen, who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014, said on Instagram on Sunday that she had been blackmailed by a former friend who wanted to publish the information, and decided to come out herself with it before he did. Conchita wrote that she had been receiving medical treatment for many years and that she was feeling healthy and strong. Conchita, the alter ego of Thomas Neuwirth, wrote that coming out is better than being outed by a third party. She said: I hope to encourage (others) and make a step against the stigmatisation of people who through their own behaviour or through no fault of their own were infected with HIV. An illustration of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (Nasa/AP) Nasas newest planet-hunting spacecraft is poised for an evening launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Tess satellite will scan almost the entire sky, staring at the brightest, closest stars in an effort to find any planets that might be encircling them. The mysterious worlds beyond our solar system, called exoplanets, could harbour life. This evening, we will launch our latest planet hunter, @NASA_TESS, for a two-year mission to search the skies for planets outside our solar system. Starting at 1pm ET, our experts will answer your questions during a Science @reddit_AMA: https://t.co/oV4MP2kAg0 pic.twitter.com/LTcgNwTuxc NASA (@NASA) April 16, 2018 Scientists expect Tess to discover thousands of rocky and icy planets and gas giants, maybe even water worlds and places defying imagination possibly even a twin Earth. Bigger and more powerful observatories of the future will scrutinise these prime candidates for potential signs of life. A SpaceX rocket is scheduled to blast off with Tess at 6:32pm local time. The name Tess is short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. A young child holds a placard during a protest against the rape of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, near Jammu, in Kochi, south-western India. Photo: Reuters The rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl and the separate rape of a teenager have sparked mass protests across India, with levels of public outrage not seen since the death of a young woman on a bus in 2012. Yesterday, thousands of people demonstrated in New Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities, demanding that the government quickly prosecute rape suspects. The widespread demonstrations have become a comment on the state of the country and how it treats its women and children - feeding off India's perennial battles against corruption, religious tensions and gender-based violence. They have also engulfed Narendra Modi's ruling BJP party in an election year, with the party accused of trying to shield a state MP in one case and of defending the accused in the other. The body of the eight-year-old girl, Asifa Bano, was found earlier this year in Kathua, in the volatile state of Jammu and Kashmir. She was lured into the woods by her attackers, drugged, locked in a temple, gang raped for days and finally strangled. The victim came from a nomadic Muslim community of shepherds, while her alleged attackers are Hindu men, including a local political fixer. Last week, a group of Hindu lawyers surrounded a court in Kashmir, claiming the eight suspects were being discriminated against because of their faith. That sparked nationwide revulsion, and a social media campaign with members of the public holding up the words: "I am Hindustan. I am ashamed. #JusticeForOurChild #JusticeForAsifa. 8 years old. Gang-raped. Murdered", running into the tens of thousands. In Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, a 16-year-old girl accused a ruling party politician of rape, along with his brother. After weeks of inaction, the victim tried to kill herself in front of the chief state minister's house. Her father went to file a complaint and died in police custody, leading to the suspension of several officers amid investigations. Both Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the suspect, and Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister, are close associates of Mr Modi. Mr Sengar was eventually arrested after the Central Bureau of Investigation took the case out of state police hands. More than 40,000 rape cases are reported every year in India. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Police in Australia have released CCTV footage of spooky goings on in one of their station car parks which they claim 'sent shivers down their spine'. The footage, posted to the New South Wales Facebook page on Friday April 13, shows a garage door open, apparently of its own accord, before a broom appears to move in a very unusual way. In the Facebook post accompanying the video, the NSW Police say: "Wanting to know who'd left a garage in a police station car park open yesterday, police reviewed the CCTV - what it showed sent shivers down our spines.... "Just before dawn, with the car park empty and quiet, a garage, that hadn't been used in days, suddenly starts to open of its own accord. With the door half open, a broom flies out, as if propelled by a 'spirited' janitor. It stays upright, then falls to the ground and gives one final kick, looking like it's in the final throes of possession. "A technician is currently inspecting the door. The 'possessed' broom sounds like a job for the Ghostdusters!" Some have suggested that it is an elaborate Friday the 13th prank by the police but they did add a disclaimer at the end of their Facebook that says: "Note: even though it's Friday the 13th, this is actual CCTV footage." They also responded to those who claimed it was a joke on their Facebook page saying: "Not a joke and we are also creeped out". What do you think? Independent investigators have been prevented by Syrian and Russian officials from reaching the scene of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital, an official said. The barrier for the inspectors comes days after the US, UK and France bombarded sites they said were linked to Syrias chemical weapons programme. The lack of access to the town of Douma by investigators from the watchdog group, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), leaves questions about the April 7 attack unanswered. OPCW director-general Ahmet Uzumcu said Syrian and Russian officials cited pending security issues in keeping its inspectors from reaching Douma. Expand Close Protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus (AP) The team has not yet deployed to Douma, two days after arriving in Syria, Uzumcu told an executive council of the OPCW in The Hague. Syrian authorities are offering 22 people to interview as witnesses instead, he said, adding that he hoped all necessary arrangements will be made to allow the team to deploy to Douma as soon as possible. Early on Tuesday, Syrias government-run Central Military media reported a missile attack on the Shayrat air base in Homs province. It said Syrian air defences shot down most of the six missiles fired at the base. It also reported a separate air strike on the Dumayr air base near Damascus. It did not elaborate or say who carried out the air strikes. A Pentagon spokeswoman said there was no US military activity in the area. Earlier this month, four Iranian military personnel were killed in an airstrike on Syrias T4 air base in Homs. Syria and its allies blamed Israel for that attack. Israel did not confirm or deny mounting the raid. Meanwhile, the US and France say they have evidence that poison gas was used in Douma, east of Damascus, killing dozens of people, and that President Bashar Assads military was behind it, but they have made none of that evidence public. Syria and its ally Russia deny any such attack took place. Deputy Russian foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov blamed the Western air strikes carried out early on Saturday for holding up a mission by the OPCW team to Douma. He said the inspectors cannot access the site because it needs permission from UN security experts. Expand Close A Russian Navy ship crosses through the Dardanelles strait in Turkey en route to the Mediterranean Sea (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Russian Navy ship crosses through the Dardanelles strait in Turkey en route to the Mediterranean Sea (AP) Mr Ryabkovs remarks could indicate a possible attempt to bog down the team, even though both Russia and the Syrian government have welcomed the OPCW visit. He told reporters in Moscow that what is hampering a speedy resolution of the visit to Douma was the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action, a reference to the punitive airstrikes. The OPCW team arrived in Syria shortly before the air strikes and met with Syrian officials. Government forces and Russian troops have been deployed in Douma, which is now controlled by the Syrian government. Syrian opposition and activists have criticised the Russia deployment in the town, saying that evidence of chemical weapons use might no longer be found. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov denied that Russia interfered with any evidence. I can guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site, Mr Lavrov told the BBC in an interview. The Kremlin also denied that Russia was not allowing the OPCW mission in. The OPCW is holding an emergency meeting in The Hague to discuss the suspected chemical attack in Douma. At least 40 people are believed to have died in the attack on Douma, which until Saturday was the last rebel-held town near Damascus. The Russian military later said that it will help secure the visit of international chemical weapons inspectors to the site of the alleged attack. Maj Gen Yuri Yevtushenko, of the militarys Reconciliation Centre in Syria, said Russian military police were ready to help protect the experts on their visit to Douma, outside Damascus. Igor Kirillov, a top Russian chemical weapons protection expert, said experts from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are set to visit Douma on Wednesday Veteran actor Patrick Stewart has joined a campaign to demand another referendum on the final Brexit deal. Speaking at a rally in London yesterday afternoon, Stewart (78) told a crowd of more than 1,200 people that he "will not stand idly by" while Britain's "future is at stake". Opening the London launch of People's Vote - a new grassroots movement campaigning for a referendum on the final deal - Stewart said Brexit would mean he would show his new blue passport "with less pride". The actor, famous for productions including 'Star Trek', said even his fictional 'X-Men' character Charles Xavier would have supported the Remain campaign. He said: "It is not Charles Xavier standing here in front of you - although I can assure you that if he was, he would have voted Remain. And why? Because unity, common cause, well-being of society and debate were paramount to belief of this fictional character. "Since the 2016 referendum, there has been a concerted effort by many - including government - to shut down debate about Brexit and to tell us that we should simply trust ministers to get on with it because Brexit is an irreversible process. "That we shouldn't worry about the cost and complexity of it or the litany of broken promises. Today we say that's not good enough. "Our country's future is at stake and we will not stand idly by. That is why I support a people's vote on the final deal." Stewart told the crowd that the day Britain joined the EU on January 1, 1973, was one of the best days of his life. "I was working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. My wife and I owned a tiny little cottage in Warwickshire. We had a young son and a daughter on the way," he said. "But the reason for the joy on that New Year's Day was because the UK had finally become a member of the European Union," he added. Stewart went on to discuss his upbringing in working-class Yorkshire, where he witnessed the terrible aftermath of World War II. He said: "The cost of war was everywhere and many never recovered from it. "That was the Europe I grew up in and that is why when Britain joined the [European Economic Community] in 1973, that date was so special to me. "When the UK and Ireland were brought in, I felt for the first time in my life that the brutality of both world wars could never happen again." An illustration of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (Nasa/AP) Nasas newest planet-hunting spacecraft will have to wait another two days before lifting off. Two hours before Monday evenings scheduled lift-off, SpaceX announced it was delaying the launch for additional rocket analysis. The next attempt will be Wednesday. This evening, we will launch our latest planet hunter, @NASA_TESS, for a two-year mission to search the skies for planets outside our solar system. Starting at 1pm ET, our experts will answer your questions during a Science @reddit_AMA: https://t.co/oV4MP2kAg0 pic.twitter.com/LTcgNwTuxc NASA (@NASA) April 16, 2018 The satellite known as Tess will survey almost the entire sky, staring at the brightest, closest stars in an effort to find any planets that might be encircling them. These mysterious worlds beyond our solar system, called exoplanets, could harbour life. Scientists expect Tess to discover thousands of rocky and icy planets and gas giants, maybe even water worlds and places defying imagination. Bigger and more powerful observatories of the future will scrutinise these prime candidates for potential signs of life. The name Tess is short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. A soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Centre in Barzeh, near Damascus after it was attacked by US, British and French military strikes. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) France will today lead a push involving the US and UK for a peaceful path forward in the Syrian crisis, proposing a United Nations-backed ceasefire. The allies have produced a draft resolution that will be debated by the Security Council in New York. The move came as Russian President Vladimir Putin warned further Western attacks on Syria would bring "chaos" to tense world relations Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, said new sanctions would be imposed on Russian businesses that helped the Assad regime make and deploy chemical weapons. The proposed UN resolution includes a request for an independent investigation into the toxic gas attacks that killed more than 40 civilians earlier this month, and safe passage for aid convoys and medical evacuations. A fact-finding team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) arrived in Damascus to "begin work" on Saturday, according to the organisation's Twitter feed. Expand Close Russian President Vladimir Putin. AP Photo / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Russian President Vladimir Putin. AP Photo The France-led initiative also demands that the Syrian government engage in peace talks "in good faith, constructively and without preconditions" and allows weapons inspectors into the country. Read more: US says air strikes cripple Syria chemical weapons program Francois Delattre, France's ambassador to the UN, said Syria's chemical weapons programme must be dismantled in a "verifiable and irreversible way". He said: "We must spare no effort to set up an international attribution mechanism, prevent impunity, and stop any repeat attempts by the Syrian regime." Speaking to US media yesterday, Ms Haley defended the air strikes, warning that if action had not been taken, the US could also become a target of chemical attacks. She also said a new raft of Russian sanctions would be outlined today by Steve Mnuchin, the US treasury secretary. "They will be going directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to [Bashar] Assad and chemical weapons use," she told CBS News. Western diplomats are preparing for diplomatic efforts to convince Russia to vote for a ceasefire. Moscow has used its veto 12 times to block action targeting its Syrian ally. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, said renewed peace efforts should "begin with a ceasefire that is really respected this time". A ceasefire in February failed. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was expected to strike a similar tone in a TV interview planned for last night. Mr Macron is seeking to position himself as a broker between Russia and the Western powers. France has maintained regular contacts with Russia, despite heightened tensions. Hours before the strikes, the French president discussed Syria in a phone call with Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart. Mr Macron said he intended to go ahead with a planned visit to Moscow at the end of next month. Next week, he is to become the first foreign leader to be hosted by Donald Trump on a state visit. In Germany, the president warned against a "dangerous alienation" from Russia, as tensions grow between the country and the West. Mr Putin warned about potential "chaos" in a phone conversation with Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani. A Kremlin statement said Mr Putin and Mr Rouhani agreed the Western strikes had damaged the chances of achieving a political resolution in the multi-sided, seven-year conflict that has killed at least half-a-million people. "Vladimir Putin, in particular, stressed that if such actions committed in violation of the UN Charter continue, then it will inevitably lead to chaos in international relations," the Kremlin statement said. The bombings, hailed by the US president as a success but denounced by Damascus and its allies as an act of aggression, marked the biggest intervention by Western countries against Assad and ally Russia, whose foreign minister Sergei Lavrov called them "unacceptable and lawless". Donald Trump has called for James Comey, the former FBI director, to be jailed as he accused him of revealing classified information and of lying to Congress. In addition to suggesting the former intelligence chief be incarcerated, the US president called him "slippery" and a "slimeball" and said he would go down as the worst FBI director in history, during a Twitter rant that spanned two hours yesterday morning. He also challenged accusations made by the former FBI director in a tell-all book that is due for release this week. Mr Trump wrote: "The big questions in Comey's badly reviewed book aren't answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didn't they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabe's $700,000 & more?" Expand Close Former FBI director James Comey appears in interview with George Stephanopoulos on the ABC Television Network show '20/20' last night. Photo: AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Former FBI director James Comey appears in interview with George Stephanopoulos on the ABC Television Network show '20/20' last night. Photo: AP He added: "I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty. I hardly even knew this guy. Just another of his many lies. His 'memos' are self serving and FAKE!" And shortly after came: "Slippery James Comey, a man who always ends up badly and out of whack (he is not smart!), will go down as the WORST FBI Director in history, by far!" The two men have been involved in a ferocious war of words since the president fired Mr Comey last May amid the investigation into his 2016 campaign and Russian meddling in the election. It was Mr Comey's firing that prompted the appointment of Robert Mueller, the special counsel. Mr Comey later testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that Mr Trump had asked him for "loyalty" at a January dinner, and that alone in the Oval Office Mr Trump had said to him that he "hoped" he could let the investigation into former national security director Michael Flynn "go". His evidence opened up the president to accusations of obstruction of justice, which Mr Trump has repeatedly and strongly denied. Mr Comey's memoir, 'A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership', is released tomorrow, but has already become a bestseller thanks to huge pre-publication sales. Last night, ABC aired a lengthy interview to kick-off Mr Comey's book tour, which was expected to attract millions of viewers. Extracts that emerged last week showed Mr Comey likened the president to an "unethical" mob boss who is "untethered" to the truth, casts his inner circle poorly and details an obsession with a dossier written by Christopher Steele, the former British spy who wrote of rumoured engagements with prostitutes. Mr Comey writes: "What is happening now is not normal. It is not fake news. It is not OK," describing "the forest fire that is the Trump presidency". Meanwhile, Mr Trump's approval rating stands at its highest since his first 100 days in office, at 40pc. The 'Washington Post'-ABC News poll showed his popularity up 4pc from January. Among white voters, he has 53pc support, up seven points since the beginning of the year, and among white men without college degrees he is up 6pc to 70pc. Meanwhile, Mr Trump has lashed out at the FBI raid on his personal lawyer Michael Cohen, who is under criminal investigation for personal business dealings. "Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past," Mr Trump tweeted. "I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned!" The raid carried out last week at Mr Cohen's apartment, hotel room, office and safety deposit box sought bank records, his communications with the Trump campaign and information on payments he made in 2016 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and to porn actress Stormy Daniels. Mr Trump was enraged by the raid, calling it an "attack on the country". Lawyers for Mr Cohen appeared in federal court in New York on Friday asking that they, not the Department of Justice, be given a first crack at reviewing the seized evidence to see whether it was relevant to the investigation. In a court filing, prosecutors contend that Mr Cohen was "performing little to no legal work" for Mr Trump. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked yesterday whether Mr Trump was worried that Mr Cohen might agree to work with prosecutors, if charged, to reduce his own punishment. She said: "The president is very confident in the fact that he has done nothing wrong and he can't speak on behalf of anyone else, but he's very confident in what he has and hasn't done." ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] An Air China flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing after a passenger held a flight attendant hostage with a fountain pen An Air China flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing after a passenger held a flight attendant hostage with a fountain pen, the countrys civil aviation authority said. All passengers and crew on Beijing-bound Flight 1350 made it safely off the plane after it landed in Zhengzhou city due to what authorities had described earlier as an unspecified illegal interference. In a brief statement on its website, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said a male passenger attempted to use a pen to hold the flight attendant under duress. Chinese police said preliminary investigations found the 41-year-old passenger, identified only by his last name, Xu, had a history of mental illness. It said he suffered an unspecified sudden psychological disorder when he grabbed the flight attendant. In a statement, the Zhengzhou airport said it immediately activated emergency measures, adding the passengers who disembarked were in a stable mood and the airport was operating normally. The Beijing News said on its Weibo microblog page a passenger described being awoken by a scream coming from the front of the plane and nobody knew what was going on. The Xiaoxiang Morning Herald quoted a passenger saying the disturbance occurred in the first or business class cabins, but the curtains separating those sections from economy class were pulled tightly shut. She looked out the window and saw many police cars, ambulances and fire engines parked outside the plane as it was landing in Zhengzhou, the newspaper said in a Weibo post. The passenger described seeing armed personnel in camouflage uniforms assembled in two or three rows. The Air China flight took off from Changsha, the capital of southern Hunan province, at 8.40am and was scheduled to arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport at around 11am, according to local media reports and flight tracking websites. However, it made the unscheduled landing at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, in central Henan province, at 9.58am, according to an earlier post on Air Chinas official Weibo microblog. Air China said the plane made the unscheduled stop due to public safety reasons, and police and civil aviation authorities were handling the situation. Protests are planned at a Philadelphia Starbucks where two black men were arrested after store employees called 911 to say they were trespassing. Organisers have called for protests outside the city centre cafe. Over the weekend, demonstrators called for the sacking of the employee who contacted police, who subsequently arrested the men on Thursday. Police Commissioner Richard Ross said officers were told the men had asked to use the stores restroom but were denied because they had not bought anything. He said they then refused to leave. Police have not released the names of the men who were arrested. A spokesman for the district attorneys office said the two were released because of lack of evidence that a crime had been committed. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson has called the arrests a reprehensible outcome and said he wants to personally apologise to the men. People stand in front of damaged buildings, in the town of Douma, the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack (AP) A senior Russian diplomat has said inspectors from the international chemical weapons watchdog cannot access the site of an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital without an appropriate UN permit. Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkovs remarks could indicate a possible attempt to bog down the team from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), though both Russia and the Syrian government have welcomed the visit in the wake of the Wests air strikes in Syria over the weekend. Mr Ryabkov told reporters in Moscow that what is hampering a swift resolution of the missions visit to the Syrian town of Douma, near Damascus, the site of the alleged chemical attack, is the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action, a reference to Saturdays punitive air strikes. A team from the OPCW arrived in Syria shortly before the air strikes. It has met with Syrian officials but has not visited the town at the centre of the controversy. Government forces and Russian troops have deployed in Douma, which has now fallen under the control of the Syrian government. Expand Close Protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters wave flags and portraits of President Bashar Assad during a rally in Damascus (AP) It is the lack of approval by the UN Department for Safety and Security for OPCW experts to visit the site in Douma that is the problem, Mr Ryabkov told reporters, adding that he checked just a short while ago on was delaying their visit. Russia said it is not curtailing the missions visit, and appears instead to be blaming the international organisation for the delay. Syrian opposition and activists have criticised the Russian deployment in the town, saying that evidence of chemical weapons use might no longer be found. Russia and Syria deny the attack took place. The Kremlin quickly denied reports that Russia was not allowing the OPCW mission in, without elaborating. Mr Ryabkov said: As far as I understand what is hampering a speedy resolution of this problem is the consequences of the illegal, unlawful military action that Great Britain and other countries conducted on Saturday. The OPCW is holding an emergency meeting in The Hague to discuss the suspected chemical attack in Douma. Expand Close A Russian Navy ship crosses through the Dardanelles strait in Turkey en route to the Mediterranean Sea (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Russian Navy ship crosses through the Dardanelles strait in Turkey en route to the Mediterranean Sea (AP) At least 40 people are believed to have died in the attack on Douma, until the weekend the last rebel-held town outside the Syrian capital. The OPCW fact-finding team dispatched to Syria to investigate does not have a mandate to assign blame. Meanwhile, Natos secretary general said the weekends US-led strikes will reduce the Syrian governments capabilities of carrying out new chemical attacks. Jens Stoltenberg said the strikes were a clear message to Syrian president Bashar Assad, to Russia and Iran that the use of chemical weapons is not acceptable and that the allies would not stand by and watch. Mr Stoltenberg spoke in an interview with Turkeys NTV television on Monday. In Damascus, hundreds of Syrians gathered in a landmark square Damascus, rallying in support of their armed forces, which they say succeeded in confronting the unprecedented air strikes by the West. Protesters in Omayyad Square waved Syrian flags at the demonstration, dubbed a salute to the achievements of the Arab Syrian Army, set off fireworks and unleashed celebratory gunfire. Seventeen other people were hurt (Anthony Devlin/PA) Seven inmates have died and 17 others required outside medical attention after hours of fighting inside a maximum security prison in South Carolina. Prisons spokesman Jeff Taillon announced the deaths after state police helped secure Lee Correctional Institution in the early hours of Monday. Mr Taillon said multiple fights broke out between inmates at 7.15pm on Sunday. He said no officers were wounded. The maximum-security facility in Bishopville houses about 1,500 inmates, some of South Carolinas most violent and longest-serving offenders. Two officers were stabbed in a 2015 fight. One inmate killed another in February this year. Ant McPartlin was due to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (John Stillwell/PA) TV presenter Ant McPartlin has said he was "ashamed and mortified" after crashing his car while drink-driving with his mother in the passenger seat. The 42-year-old was banned from driving for 20 months and fined 86,000 after pleading guilty to driving while more than twice the legal limit. The court heard that McPartlin had been seeking help for "alcohol and emotional issues" at the time of the crash in Richmond, west London, on March 18. Prosecutor Katie Sinnett-Jones told Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Monday that the incident happened at around 3.50pm when McPartlin drove his Mini around a "sharp bend and lost control" then ended up on the wrong side of the road. Expand Close Ant and Dec (Matt Crossick/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ant and Dec (Matt Crossick/PA) He collided with another Mini Cooper before driving "straight into the front of an oncoming car". McPartlin's vehicle "came to a halt and was no longer driveable due to the damage caused", Ms Sinnett-Jones said. Members of the public called the police. The court heard that the driver of the other Mini said afterwards he thought he and his family were going to die in the collision. In a statement read by Ms Sinnett-Jones, he said: "Myself and my family were in deep shock as we believed we could have died as as a result of Mr McPartlin's reckless driving." Wearing a black three-piece suit, white shirt and black tie, McPartlin stood in the glass dock in court to confirm his name, date of birth, address and nationality before pleading guilty to driving with 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes. McPartlin's barrister Liam Walker said his client had been seeking help for "alcohol and emotional issues" at the time of the crash, adding that his mother was in the car with him. He told the district judge the incident was down to "a brief relapse unbeknownst to his passenger". "Anthony McPartlin is sorry and is doing everything he can to ensure this never happens again," Mr Walker said. "He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly." The court heard that in a statement to police McPartlin said: "I am very sorry I did this. I am ashamed and mortified that this happened. "I accept full culpability for this and wish to apologise to all those concerned." After McPartlin, of Chiswick, west London, was charged, ITV announced the Saturday Night Takeaway host would step back from his TV commitments, with co-presenter Declan Donnelly presenting the final two episodes of the show on his own. McPartlin appeared alongside Donnelly on TV screens over the weekend as Britain's Got Talent aired its pre-recorded audition shows. But ITV confirmed Donnelly will be hosting the live shows without his TV partner of almost 30 years. Kolkata, Apr 16 (IBNS): Building up the 5th anniversary celebrations in India, Datsun launched #MorePower2You- a customer-focused campaign that brings alive inspiring stories of real Datsun redi-GO owners, about realizing their dreams, their passions, and bringing car ownership to life. The campaign is a three-part series comprising short two-minute films of Datsun owners across different parts of the country that showcase the obstacles they have overcome to achieve their dreams and how their Datsun red-GO has been an integral part of this journey. One of the them is Rishav Basu from Kolkata- City of Joy. A budding actor and a theatre artist, he is a fighter who believes in moving to a better life, is ready for challenges, and is open to a world of possibilities. Jerome Saigot, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd., said, Bold and fearless, passionate and self-driven is what defines Datsun and its owners. #MorePower2You is a celebration of bold expressions, passion and the unconventional paths Datsun redi-GO owners who have embarked upon to realize their dreams and achieve success in life. We are extremely proud to have a passionate owner like Rishav as part of our Datsun family. We at Datsun truly salute his surviving spirit! Speaking about the campaign, Rishav Basu said, I am happy to be associated with MorePower2You and it gives me immense pleasure to be a part of the Datsun family. Shot around Victoria Memorial, Princep Ghat, Howrah Bridge, and Tapan Theatre amongst other iconic locations in Kolkata, the video highlights Rishavs passion and dedication towards acting. Based on a digital platform, the campaign is driven through a series of planned social activations and innovative storytelling under the campaign hashtag #MorePower2You. Kolkata, April 16 (IBNS): Filmmaker Majid Majidi was in Kolkata, a place he refers to as the city of Satyajit Ray, for the promotion of his upcoming film 'Beyond the Clouds'. At the promotional event held on Saturday, Majid Majidi was accompanied by filmmaker and actor Goutam Ghose, Malavika Mohanan (lead actor in Beyond the Clouds), Shareen Mantri Kedia from Namah Pictures and Sujoy Kutty (Business Head, Zee Studios). 'Beyond the Clouds' centers mainly on relationship between siblings, that between a 19-year old drug peddler Amir and his sister Tara. It attempts to highlight how they steer their lives through love, hate and despair. 'Beyond the Clouds' is said to be a grown up version of Majidis 1997 film Children of Heaven and also set in Mumbai. The first look of the film was released in the BFI London Film Festival in 2017 and is now all set to get released on 20th April, 2018. Speaking to IBNS, the 58-year old director explained the theme of his choice,"I have visited India several times and especially Mumbai, which led to the development of this kind of a theme which I think is very integral to the city." The film stars newcomers Malavika Mohanan and Ishaan Khattar in the lead roles while the music has been scored by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman. Through this film, Majidi upholds his version of realism and promises to show Mumbai to such depths that even a Mumbaikar would get astonished. Goutam Ghose, who has featured in a cameo role in the movie, said to IBNS,"There are certain things that local people fail to discover but people who come from outside do it successfully." (Reporting by Sourajit Choudhury; Images: IBNS) Caroline Monteiro hopes to reconnect with her biological family members through her debut book that talks of her life's journey. Congratulations on the release of 'From the Streets of Mumbai to Dubai'. Is this your debut attempt as an author? Yes. have been wanting to write this for a long time, now I wish to continue to write many more books from here on. We believe it's an autobiographical account. What made you write this? I want the whole world to know how kind God has been in protecting me from all sorts of dangers through all the stages of my life. Even in the most difficult moment, when everyone would consider it impossible for an 8-year old girl to survive. Through this book I would like to connect with all the people who have helped me in my journey, especially those with whom I have lost contact. I also hope to reconnect with my biological family members. What kind of help and support did you receive from people in the course of writing this book? I was blessed to have received a lot of emotional support and strength from my two lovely daughters, my dear husband and my two dearest friends Leena Miranda and Ratna Lama, who constantly stood by me as pillars of support and encouragement. What inspires you as a writer? It gives me immense pleasure to share my life experiences in the form of stories, with the hope that it can inspire other people who may be in similar situations. I also enjoy writing. What kind of readers are you expecting for your book? While I want the whole world to know my story, I mainly want to reach out to people who are going through difficult moments in their life. I want all of them to believe that there is still hope and a very loving God to help them out of every situation in their life. Srinagar, Apr 16 (IBNS): Trial in the Kathua rape and murder case will begin from Monday. Trial will begin against the eight accused, including a juvenile, in the case which has left the nation shocked. The alleged rape and murder of minor Asifa in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua area led to protests across the nation on Sunday. Trial for the juvenile, involved in the incident, will take place in the designated court under the Juvenile Act. Two special public prosecutors have been appointed by the state government in the incident. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday accepted the resignation of its two cabinet ministers- Lal Singh and CP Ganga- who took part in a rally supporting those accused of raping and killing a young girl in Kathua. The resignations of Forest Minister Lal Singh and Industries Minister CP Ganga were earlier handed over to Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. She has reportedly accepted their resignations. Earlier, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, who was here to attend the partys legislature meeting, said that resignation letters are now being forwarded to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Candle light marches were conducted in several Indian cities on Sunday to protest against the alleged rape incidents in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Unnao area in Uttar Pradesh. Marches took place in New Delhi and Mumbai, apart from several other Indian cities. Away from Kathua incident, BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for allegedly raping a minor girl in Unnao town of the state. Hyderabad, Apr 16 (IBNS): A special NIA court in Hyderabad is likely to give its verdict in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case on Monday. Trial in the case was concluded in the fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases recently. Last week, the court had posted Apr 16 as the date for pronouncing the judgement in the case. A blast in the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007 had killed nine people. The incident had left 58 others injured. The CBI was handed over the case after initial investigations by local police. The CBI had filed its charge sheet in the incident. The case was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. 10 people were named as accused in the case. However, only five people, who were identified as Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary, were arrested in connection with the incident. They faced trial. Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, who were also accused in the incident, are absconding. Another accused Sunil Joshi died earlier. Investigations are currently going on against two other accused. Image: Wikimedia Commons Image: PMO India Twitter page PMO India tweeted: "PM @narendramodi leaves for Sweden, where he will hold talks with @SwedishPM Mr. Stefan Lofven and take part in the India-Nordic Summit." Before leaving for Sweden and the UK, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he is hopeful that the visits to the two nation will be useful in enhancing our engagement with these countries. "I am confident that these visits to Sweden and UK will be useful in enhancing our engagement with these countries," Modi said prior to his visit to Sweden. He will be visiting Sweden and the United Kingdom for bilateral meetings and for the India-Nordic Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. He will visit the two nations between Apr 17-20. Apart from these two nations, he will also visit Germany on Apr 20 briefly. "At the suggestion of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be making a brief stopover in Berlin on 20 April after completing his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. During his visit, PM will meet Chancellor Merkel and the two leaders will exchange views on a number of bilateral, regional and global issues," read a statement issued by the MEA. "This will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Chancellor Merkel began her fourth term on 14 March 2018," it said. Hyderabad, Apr 16 (IBNS): AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said justice has not been done in the Mecca Masjid blast case whose verdict was pronounced by a court on Monday. All five accused in the Mecca Masjid blast case have been acquitted owing to lack of evidence, according to media reports on Monday. The verdict of the 11-year old Mecca Masjid blast case was pronounced on Monday afternoon. Owaisi tweeted: " #MMasjid Blast case verdict - Justice has not been done ,NIA & Modi govt didnt even Appeal against Bail that was given to Accused within 90 days this was a complete biased investigation which will weaken our resolve to Fight Terrorism ,MMasjid 9 people died many injured." Not satisfied with the verdict, he even called the NIA a 'deaf and blind parrot'. "NIA is a deaf & blind TOTA they didnt appeal against bail given to accused ,witness turned hostile after June 2014 IO couldnt give proper statement so everything was done to fail the victims upshot is our fight against terrorism is weakened after Todays acquittals Accused Swami Aseemanand was brought to court in Hyderabad earlier in the day. Trial in the case was concluded in the fourth additional metropolitan sessions-cum-special court for NIA cases recently. Last week, the court had posted Apr 16 as the date for pronouncing the judgement in the case. A blast in the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad on May 18, 2007 had killed nine people and left 58 injured. The CBI was handed over the case after initial investigations by local police. The case was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. 10 people were named as accused in the case. However, only five people, identified as Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary, were arrested in connection with the incident and made to face trial. Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, who were also accused in the incident, are absconding. Another accused Sunil Joshi died earlier. AIIMS Official website New Delhi, Apr 16 (IBNS): In a shocking case, a man has been arrested for posing as a doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the past five months, media reports said. According to reports, 19-year-old Adnan Khurram was arrested on Saturday when he was trying to enter the hospital. During interrogation, he told police that he pretended to be a doctor to ensure timely admission of his sister to AIIMS. According to reports, Khurram hails from Bihars Sitamarhi district and is Class X passed. He has been charged under IPC sections 419 and 468. Srinagar, Apr 16 (IBNS): A soldier from Kashmir has allegedly joined the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror outfit, media reports quoting army officials in Delhi claimed. This comes after a photograph of the soldier, identified as Idrees Sultan Mir, brandishing an assault rifle surfaced on social media. The 23-year-old, who joined the army three years ago, was posted in Bihars Danapur. He was on leave since April 7 and went missing on April 13-14, said reports. New York, Apr 16 (IBNS): The United Nations Secretary-General is calling on political leaders in Mali to ensure those responsible for a deadly assault on peacekeepers serving in the north are brought to justice. One blue helmet from Burkina Faso was killed in the attack, which took place on Saturday at a base in the city of Timbuktu housing camps from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and a French military operation known as Barkhane. Seven peacekeepers, seven French soldiers and two Malian civilians were injured. The attackers were disguised as UN peacekeepers, according to media reports. MINUSMA supports political processes in Mali, in addition to carrying out a number of security-related tasks, and this was the largest attack against the Mission since its deployment five years ago, and the third this month. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has conveyed his condolences to the Government of Burkina Faso and to the family of the fallen peacekeeper. He also wished a speedy recovery to the injured. The Secretary-General calls on the Malian authorities as well as the signatory armed groups to the peace agreement to spare no effort in identifying the perpetrators of this attack, so that they can be brought to justice as swiftly as possible, said a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson. The UN chief stated that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law. He said these acts will not deter the UN Missions determination to support the Malian people in their quest for peace and stability. Guterres also paid tribute to the courage of the men and women serving in MINUSMA, as well as the Malian and international forces, who are doing so at great personal risk and sacrifice. The UN Security Council has also issued a statement condemning the attack. The 15 ambassadors expressed concern about the security situation in Mali and the terrorist threat also affecting other countries in the Sahel. They said efforts by the Force Conjointe, a counter-terrorism brigade comprised of forces from five Sahelian countries, will contribute to creating a more secure environment in the region. UN Photo/Harandane Dicko Ottawa, Apr 16 (IBNS): Ending the uncertainty over the Trans Mountain Pipeline construction, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday said the federal government will undertake financial and also the legislative actions to ensure the building of the pipeline, media reports said. Trudeau met premiers of Alberta and British Columbia, Rachel Notley and John Horgan respectively, in the national capital on Sunday. Following the meeting, Trudeau said: "I have instructed the minister of finance to initiate formal financial discussions with Kinder Morgan, the result of which will be to remove the uncertainty overhanging the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project." "I have also informed premiers Notley and Horgan today that we are actively pursuing legislative options that will assert and reinforce the government of Canada's jurisdiction in this matter which we know we clearly have.." He has been quoted by CBC News. He insisted that the construction will go forward. The PM said he will release the financial details to the Canadians once he gets hold of it. Notley has been quoted by CBC News, "Today in the meeting, one of the things that we discussed was that the federal government along with the government of Alberta has commenced discussions with Kinder Morgan to establish a financial relationship that will eliminate investor risk." Horgan referred to the meeting as "cordial" though acknowledged his disagreements with Trudeau and Notley over a number of issues. The project was reportedly approved by the federal government in 2016. (Reporting by Suman Das) Islamabad, Apr 16 (IBNS): A firing incident close to a church in Quetta region of Pakistan killed at least two people belonging to the Christian community, media reports said on Monday. The incident left five others injured. DIG Quetta Abdur Razzaq Cheema told Dawn News the incident occurred when worshippers were leaving after attending the Sunday service at a church in Essa Nagri area of the provincial capital. "Unidentified attackers riding a motorbike opened fire on the members of the Christian community and managed to flee the scene soon after the incident," the DIG was quoted as saying by the Pakistan-based newspaper. The injured people were taken to Bolan Medical Complex, Quetta for treatment. Two people succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. Image: Wikimedia Commons Kabul, Apr 16 (IBNS): At least three police personnel were killed when masked gunmen opened fire on them in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, media reports said on Monday. The governors house in a statement to Afghanistan's Pajhwok Afghan News said the policemen were killed after they stopped to offer afternoons prayers in the limits of Surkhrod district at about 2pm. A student of the university and an eyewitness Shahid Ghulamullah told the news agency two motorcyclists opened fire at police guarding the universitys gate and then went on to kill other policemen eating lunch. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Afghanistan has witnessed several terrorism-related attacks this year. Armed conflict in Afghanistan killed 763 civilians and injured 1,495 in the first three months of this year, the United Nations mission there said Thursday. All parties to the conflict in Afghanistan must do everything in their power to protect civilians from harm, said Ingrid Hayden, the Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan. Afghan civilians continue to suffer, caught in the conflict, in ways that are preventable; this must stop now. The 2,258 civilian casualties, documented from 1 January to 31 March by the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA, are at the similar levels recorded in the first three months of 2017 and 2016. Anti-Government elements caused 1,500 civilian casualties, up six per cent from the same period last year. Suicide improvised explosive devices (IED) and complex attacks were the leading cause of civilian casualties a new trend. The Mission found that combats on the ground were the second leading cause, followed by targeted and deliberate killings, explosive remnants of war, and aerial operations. Toronto, Apr 16 (IBNS) The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) today announced plans to begin work on the Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace and the Reed Family Plaza, a press release stated. This initiative is part of the Museums Welcome Project, established to provide greater access to the museum and enhance the ROMs role as a vital civic hub for the city and its visitors, the release further stated. Slated for completion in early 2019, the project will create a vibrant streetscape and outdoor gathering space beside the museums Bloor Street entrance. Encompassing nearly 5,500 square feet of exterior space, the initiative was made possible by lead donors Helga Schmidt, and Nita and Don Reed. In December, the ROM completed the first stage of the project with renovations to the Queens Park facade and the re-opening of the Weston entrance doors. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are now taking another important step in our revitalization plans by animating the space around the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal on Bloor Street, said Josh Basseches, museum director & CEO. The addition of the Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace, and the Reed Family Plaza will create a seamless link between the Museum and Bloor Street and serve as a welcoming space that brings people together in the heart of the city, Basseches said. Designed by Toronto architect Siamak Hariri of Hariri Pontarini Architects, the project will be anchored by beautiful landscaping and an outdoor performance terrace. The Reed Family Plaza, which runs along the museums north-facing facade, will feature an elegant gathering space with plantings and seating that will enhance the pedestrian experience and offer visitors an inviting spot to meet, sit and relax. Our family is very pleased to support the museums next exciting chapter of community engagement with the Reed Family Plaza, said Nita Reed, ROM trustee and long-time donor and volunteer. We are looking forward to seeing it come to life as a dynamic museum space along Bloor Street. The Helga and Mike Schmidt Performance Terrace will be located on the northwest corner of the museum overlooking Philosophers Walk. The outdoor performance and event space will provide a unique open-air venue for music, theatre, discourse, and performances for all to enjoy. As a lover of operetta and live performance, its a joy to support the creation of an outdoor performance space at the Museum, says Helga Schmidt, philanthropist and ROM supporter. My late husband would have been very proud of this moment, which honours our shared love of music and the arts. This project opens the doors of the museum ever wider while providing new ways to deepen the ROMs connection with the community and participate in the urban life of the city. Both the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal entrance on Bloor Street and the Weston entrance on Queens Park will be open throughout the construction period. (Reporting by Sayantan Banerjee) How tricky was it to portray a protagonist from the Valley whos also a patriot? There is a history there and an explanation. But as far as Raazi goes, it is important to keep the time period in perspective. The story unfolds in 1971, before insurgency and fundamental forces took root in the Valley. Yes, it may be unfamiliar today to see a patriot who is a Kashmiri-Muslim but I have visited the Valley three times in the last year for recce and the shoot and then went back with my family for a vacation in December. From my interactions with the locals, I can reiterate that the ordinary Kashmiri is genuine and completely affiliated to India. They have just become helpless pawns because nobody is interested in resolving their problems. They are always defensive, constantly asking you, I hope you are okay? Aapko kuch galat to nahin lagta yahan? Its so unfair! Many filmmakers who went to the Valley to shoot have had to grapple with disruptions and some even returned without completing the schedule. One hasnt heard any complaints from the Raazi unit BCCL Thats because there were none, from us or the locals. Last February, we were shooting on a long road holding up the traffic and no one protested. Then, we took over a park stopping school kids from playing around while on a school picnic. They simply sat there quietly, watching us. When the vintage cars door wouldnt open or shut during a take, they would burst out laughing. It was like performing a play for a live audience. They dont have a film industry there, so when we needed junior artistes, the location manager would call family and friends over. They didnt need to help us but they did. Kashmiriyat is still alive in the Valley. Harvinder Sikkas book, Calling Sehmat, on which the film is based, got away from you twice before Junglee Pictures finally picked up the film rights. Tell us about your interactions with the author who had initially approached your father, Gulzar saab, to take Sehmats story to the screen? Mr Sikka revers this lady whom he calls Sehmat having met and interacted with her. He was very cautious whom he entrusted his book to. We shared our script with him and while he had a few inputs and some differences of opinion with the way we had adapted his story, he eventually told me it was my call and he trusted me with the sanctity of the contents. Youve said you wouldnt have made the film had Alia Bhatt not agreed to play the lead. Why did she feel so right? Even before Bhavani Iyer (who wrote the screenplay with Meghna) and I had put a word on paper, I knew that a performance was needed to take Sehmats journey forward on screen. Also, the way I see her, she doesnt suddenly turn into this indestructible superhero on a mission. Theres a vulnerability inherent in her character which she retains till the end and Ive noticed that no matter how hard-hitting the characters she plays, there is a certain softness to Alia, physically and emotionally, that I was looking for. Did she get stuck with any scene? None. Once she connected with the character, she was consumed by her. Alia worked really hard on her prep she took language sessions, learned the Morse code and other training. By the time we sat for the readings, she knew all her lines and was even asking what I meant by underlined script cues like gives a knowing look, wanting me to explain what I meant by the knowing look. Did Gulzar saab contribute with suggestions having lived on the other side of the border? Twitter My father was born in what is Pakistan now, but after the Partition, the family moved to Delhi and by 1971 he was living in Mumbai and making films here. I dont share my script with him till I have finished writing but I do go to my father for lyrics. For my songs, I dont need to go to anyone else. While on journeys, what has yours been like, from Filhaal to Raazi? BCCL I have become a lot more patient now. I dont know if it has to do with age, motherhood or my 18-year experience as a filmmaker, perhaps all three. Shooting is all about people management and I am getting better at that. All my five films Filhaal, Just Married, Dus Kahaniyan, Talvar and now Raazi have been very different and with Talvar, I discovered that I execute the darker side better than the soft, sensitive one. Talking about the Talwars, Rajesh and Nupurs ordeal isnt over yet. Talwars acquitted by Allahabad High Court. A post shared by Meghna Gulzar (@meghnagulzar) on Oct 12, 2017 at 5:16am PDT As the film showed, there cant be a re-investigation as there is no new evidence to introduce. There can only be fresh arguments and how the information presented is processed, will depend on the mindset of those trying the case. We have already had two different verdicts and though painful, the process of law will have to be followed right up to the highest court of the land. Your next two films are bigger challenges, a biopic on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw and the real story of Laxmi Agarwal, an acid attack survivor. (Laughs) I like making life tough for myself. Honestly, some of the current generations dont even know who Field Marshal Manekshaw was. And in her own way, Laxmi too is a role model with a story thats scary, horrifying and inspiring. I want to share these stories with the world but first I need a break after Raazis release. Ive worked non-stop for 11 months. But even on a break, I know the mind wont sleep. Politicians are always in a hurry to get popular support, particularly when it is a matter of faith. But, then, it is India, where there are many faiths that may confuse people trying to wish the followers on exact dates. And make no mistakes, Indian politicians do not even bother to cross-check the facts. In an embarrassment for the BJP government in UP, several ministers, including the deputy CM and the state spokesperson, sent out greetings on Sunday on their Twitter accounts for the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. They later realised that their greetings were seven months in advance. Guru Nanaks birth date falls on November 23 this year. Social media was quick to notice the goof-ups by deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, health minister and state government spokesperson Siddharth Nath Singh, medical education minister Ashutosh Tandon and law minister Brajesh Pathak, some of whom later deleted their tweets. A day before the tweets, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had visited Gurdwara Naka Hindola in Lucknow as part of Baisakhi celebrations. Sorry for Guru Nanak Jis birthday tweet. Confusion happened due to Wikipedia ( enclosed). Apologies to everyone. pic.twitter.com/LteqjXNifs Sidharth Nath Singh (@SidharthNSingh) April 15, 2018 Later, Sidharath Nath Singh posted an apology on Twitter. The confusion, he said, happened due to Wikipedia. He attached a screenshot of a Wikipedia page highlighting the incorrect date mentioned. Sorry for Guru Nanak Jis birthday tweet. The confusion happened due to Wikipedia (enclosed). Apologies to everyone, he tweeted. Despite several attempts to contact Maurya and Tandon, they remained unavailable for comment. On Sunday morning, a major fire broke out in Delhis only Rohingya refugee colony in Kalindi Kunj. More than 225 Rohingyas now have nowhere to go. The fire broke out at about 3.30 am allegedly due to short circuit. The eye-witnesses reported that men were running around naked as their clothes had caught fire. Within 20 minutes, residents said, all 46 houses in the camp were gutted to ground and with it, went away the hope of having a shelter. Most families lost their belongings, clothes, and even their documents including identity proofs. The Rohingya refugees told news agencies that they have lost all belongings including the little money they had as they have no bank accounts. An official of the fire department said, 11 fire engines were rushed to the camp and it took over three hours to control the fire. Around 44 shanties were completely gutted in the fire. The fire spread very fast as most of the shanties had plastic sheets over the temporary shelters. The fire department and police have not been able to establish the cause of the fire yet. The fire broke out at about 3.30 am allegedly due to short circuit./BCCL However, NGOs and activists working with the refugees and frequenting the camp claim that the fire was pre-planned as part of driving out the refugees from the capital. All occupants of the Rohingya camp have been moved safely to a temporary shelter, police said. A forensic team and officials from the electric supply board visited the camp, to find out exactly what caused the fire. This was the fourth fire the camp has experienced over the past six years. A preliminary probe revealed that the fire began in a toilet in the far-left corner of the plot, where over 47 families live. Officials suspect a short-circuit in an electrical wire may have started the fire which then spread to shanties made mostly of asbestos, tin and plastic sheets. Residents said they were woken up by the cries of people and when they emerged from their tents they saw massive flames enveloping the area. Syed Hussain, 35, said they had just enough time to wake up their children and family members. People from the adjoining areas came and tried to douse the fire with buckets of water but the tents quickly caught fire and were destroyed, Hussain, who has been living in the camp since 2012, narrated the harrowing details to The Times of India. The Rohingya refugees told news agencies that they have lost all belongings including the little money they had as they have no bank accounts./AP Locals claimed the camp, housing almost 100 women and 50 children, doesnt have sufficient firefighting equipment despite this being the fourth fire in the six years since the camp came into existence. The refugees were living in practically unliveable conditions. They have no access to clean drinking water, education, healthcare or sanitation, points an Indian Express report from four refugee camps two in Delhi, Mewat and Faridabad. The women were denied reproductive rights and children were suffering from malnutrition and diarrhoea. From their home, a tent hastily erected in a grassy field, the young Muslim Rohingya couple can see the village they left behind last year, fleeing attacks by Buddhist mobs and Myanmar security forces. They arrived in a no man's land, one of the small, ill-defined areas that exist at the cloudiest edges of the borderlands, places that seem to be neither Myanmar nor Bangladesh. While nearly every other Rohingya refugee who crossed the border has sought protection in the immense camps a few miles deeper into Bangladesh, these people say they will go no farther. Reuters ALSO READ: Holocaust Museum Revokes Human Rights Award Given To Aung San Suu Kyi Over Rohingya Atrocities "My ancestors' graves are there," said Abdul Naser, gesturing toward his village, less than 100 meters (yards) away. "Sometimes, I walk close to the barbed wire fence and touch my land, and I cry in the dark." But a few weeks ago things changed. Myanmar deployed more soldiers to the border, some of whom began coming to within 10 meters (yards) of the refugees' homes. They shout insults at the Rohingya, the refugees say, they throw empty whiskey bottles. They have set up speakers that blare announcements, insisting people go further into Bangladesh. Because to Myanmar, no man's land doesn't exist at all. "We cannot accept the term `no man's land' because that is our land," said Nyan Myint Kyaw, Myanmar's deputy commander of the border police. Shifting rivers may have washed away some border markers, he says, and fences may not have been erected everywhere. But he insists the 6,000 or so Rohingya who think they live between the two countries are actually living inside Myanmar. Reuters It is easy to get confused on the border, where many areas are not marked at all and where it's sometimes unclear if a fence marks someone's personal land, or if it demarcates the frontier. Making things more complicated, Myanmar places its border fences 150 feet from the actual boundary line. While Myanmar insists all the hazy territory is their land, its security forces as well as Bangladesh security forces are also very careful to avoid entering places seen as a no man's land, presumably fearing accidental clashes and diplomatic trouble. ALSO READ: Not From Myanmar Army, Over One Lakh Rohingyas Face Threat From Monsoon This Year Myanmar says the additional soldiers were deployed to stop possible cross-border attacks by Rohingya militants, though no such attacks are known to have occurred. When Bangladesh protested the deployments, Myanmar dismissed their complaints. "This is not like we are trying to invade Bangladesh," Myanmar spokesman Zaw Htay said in early March. "These are only actions taken against the terrorist groups.'' ALSO READ: Bangladesh Gives A New Home To Rohingya Refugees: A Muddy, Uninhabited Island In Bay Of Bengal Reuters The Rohingya have long lived at the ragged fringes of life in Myanmar, denied citizenship and many of the most basic rights. They are derided as ``Bengalis'' and many in Myanmar believe they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Muslims in an overwhelmingly Buddhist nation, most live in poverty in Myanmar's Rakhine state, next to Bangladesh. The most recent problems began in August, when Rohingya insurgents launched a series of unprecedented attacks on Myanmar security posts. Myanmar responded with overwhelming force, burning Muslim villages with the help of Buddhist mobs, raping women, looting homes and carrying out massacres. Some 700,000 Rohingya fled the attacks into Bangladesh. Aid groups say more than 6,700 people were killed. The UN refugee agency has appealed for protection for the borderland Rohingya. The agency ``is concerned about the safety of a group of vulnerable Rohingya women, men and children from Myanmar, who have been living in a so-called `no man's land,''' it said in a statement. ``People who have fled violence in their country must be granted safety and protection.'' AP But is the no man's land inside Myanmar? Even the Rohingya say some of it probably is, though there are plenty of places where even border guards aren't sure where to find the dividing line. A Rohingya community leader says most of the 6,000 in the borderlands are from nearby villages. ``They do not want to leave the place or enter Bangladesh, hoping that they will go back one day and it will be easier to move from here,'' Dil Mohammed said. The young Rohingya couple agreed with him. They want to keep their village in sight. Or at least what's left of it. ``My trees are still there,'' said Naser's wife, 20-year-old Ruksana Begum. ``It's spring now. I can see the green leaves of my mango trees. They have burned our homes but my trees are still growing.'' Myanmar is allegedly building military bases on the top of razed Rohingya villages, where the Rohingyas once lived before their persecution by the country's security forces in August last year. The development has raised questions over the safety of hundreds of thousands of persecuted Rohingyas due to be repatriated from neighbouring Bangladesh to Myanmar. AP According to detailed satellite images published by Amnesty International on Monday, it appeared to show "new security infrastructure" replacing the burnt homes of the refugees, after Myanmarese forces launched a brutal campaign against the Rohingyas, which the United Nations has described the violence as "ethnic cleansing". Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director, said, "The remaking of Rakhine State (in Myanmar) is taking place in a shroud of secrecy. The authorities cannot be allowed to continue their campaign of ethnic cleansing in the name of 'development'." Amnesty's analysis of new satellite imagery appears to prove that at least three new security bases have been built in Rakhine since January, while more were found to be under construction, The Telegraph reported. Hassan added, "What we are seeing is a land grab by the military on a dramatic scale. New bases are being erected to house the very same security forces that have committed crimes against humanity against Rohingyas." AFP The images also show new refugee reception centres surrounded by the new security fences and a heavy presence of military forces, raising concerns that Myanmar is preparing to restrict the freedom of the Rohingya refugees returning home to safety. In January, Bangladesh and Myanmar have agreed on a two-year timeframe for the repatriation of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. An estimated 7,00,000 Rohingyas have fled the country in an attempt to escape the atrocities committed by Myanmar's military forces against the minority community. The process, which was supposed to start from January 22 was delayed as some critics of the deal voiced concerns over the lack of security guarantees for those who would return. AFP Despite the ongoing preparations for repatriation, more than 2,500 Rohingyas have crossed into Bangladesh this year. According to Bangladesh government's statistics, an average of 75 Rohingya refugees fled their villages in Myanmar every day between January 1 and February 15. Rohingyas are a Muslim minority ethnic group in Myanmar. They have been regarded by many majority Buddhists as illegal migrants from Bangladesh. There are more than 3,00,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, who fled in earlier waves of violence from Myanmar since the last three decades. Hungary, Poland, and Romania coordinate their allegations with Kiev by Hainrich Wieczorek Monday Apr 16th, 2018 1:33 AM The intention of the Ukrainian authorities to become a part of Europe has always been adopting gratefully by the biggest part of healthy political powers in European countries. South Bend, Indiana Attorneys for Plaintiff, Design Basics, LLC, Inc. of Omaha, Nebraska filed suit in the Northern District of Indiana alleging that Defendant, Miller Brothers Builders, Inc., of Goshen, Indiana infringed their copyrights. Plaintiff is seeking judgment, actual damages, temporary and permanent injunctions, and attorneys fees and costs. Plaintiff is a Nebraska-based architectural firm that focuses on designing and licensing designs of residential homes. Defendant is an Indiana-based homebuilder. According to the complaint, Plaintiff owns copyrights protecting various architectural designs that it has created. One of the Plaintiffs copyrighted designs is the subject of this litigation, specifically, a design titled Waverly. Plaintiff alleges that Defendant has regularly and systematically infringed Design Basics copyrights and those of other designers and architects in original architectural works, and has induced third parties to infringe designs, to the Defendants profit. According to the complaint, Defendant has continued to infringe upon Plaintiffs copyrighted works despite being aware of the copyright protection. Plaintiff alleges that Defendants Oakview, Ridgewood Manor, Oliver, and Fieldstone plans infringe on the Waverly design. Plaintiff has formally alleged willful copyright infringement and violation of the DMCA, and has demanded a jury trial. The case was assigned to District Judge Robert Miller, Jr and Magistrate Judge Michael G. Gotsch, Sr. in the Northern District and assigned Case 3:18-cv-00063-RLM-MGG. 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Her fears came from social media, where she heard ample amounts of misinformation about what was in the vaccine and what it could... $SPX : 4,294.58 (-0.30%) $DOWI : 33,835.43 (-0.03%) $IUXX : 14,569.78 (-0.82%) So, what sets Hyperion apart from its competitors? We have employee ownership at the heart of our insurance and MGA business, and thats really the key to it, Howden says. Because were owned by the people working in the business, we have a culture thats different; were much more entrepreneurial [and] much more empowering [and] the talent we have, to be blunt, is second to none. Howden also emphasises the crucial importance of expertise. Clients want to buy expertise, so we are specialists; we are not generalists, he says. Wherever were in an area, we want to really own that area [and] understand what it is When you go around the group across the globe, we have people who are really expert in what they do. Howden points to the businesss ongoing success in fostering organic growth in 2017, its organic revenue growth was 8%. You can grow by buying businesses and we grew 25% last year because we did buy some businesses, he says, but the reality is that organic growth is the barometer of the healthy business. Part of that growth is a result of Hyperions mounting success in Asia Pacific. One of our fastest organic-growing areas is in the Asia Pacific market. Its well over 20% of growth organically and about 14% of our groups total revenue has come from Asia Pac. So, its a very important part of our business, and one were investing in heavily, both on the underwriting and the broking side." Reflecting on Hyperions 24-year history, Howden singles out the 1998 launch of DUAL now the worlds largest international underwriting agency as a highlight. Clients want to buy expertise, so we are specialists; we are not generalists. Wherever were in an area, we want to really own that area [and] understand what it is When you go around the group across the globe, we have people who are really expert in what they do We launched DUAL in Spain, he says. I think it was something that was really key to the development of the group having this ability to create an MGA where we were able to offer a really specialised service in products to brokers. I think this was a gamechanging moment for the group. Another game-changer was the 2015 acquisition of RK Harrison [RKH]. I tried to buy them for many years, Howden says. RKH were the outstanding specialty broker. An evolving industry Looking to the future, Howden shares what he calls his 3D vision factors he believes are now driving the world of insurance. Those three Ds are distribution, data and delineation, he says. I think distribution is absolutely key, and that can come about many different ways. The use of data now not just in insurance, but in all industries is going to be a driver [of ] not only what clients want, but pricing, efficiency, everything. When it comes to delineation, Howden muses: Are we going to be Uber-ised? Is it going to be the insurers? Is it going to be the brokers? I think that as an industry, we need to look at our efficiency levels. On average, something like 50% of the premium is being spent on delivery of the product There are people who will look at that and think, I can actually take something out of that. But is Howden genuinely fearful that the industry will be completely disrupted? I dont think thats going to happen, he says. There is a very real risk that some people have got very good data that some insurance businesses might not have, so I think that capturing of data and the use of it to give our clients a better service and to be more efficient is going to be what sorts winners from losers in the future Data will drive our ability to offer better products, more efficient products [and] better pricing. Pricing and efficiency, he adds, will be even more important going forward. How do you price things? Whos going to be better at pricing? he says. Youve then got the whole efficiency element in terms of policy issuance, claims [and] how much youre using robotics. I think brokers and underwriters who can embrace and invest in all those areas will succeed, and I think, as an industry, we shouldnt be looking . to fight and decide whos going to eat each others lunch. We must pull together and make sure there isnt a third party coming along and taking it all away whilst were squabbling over there. Capability and customer-centricity It will also be vital, Howden says, to maintain a focus on the client. Those brokers who put the client first will win, he says. A chairman I worked with in the past, Richard Elias, said to me, David, look after the client, and the money will look after itself You must focus on the benefit for the client, not the benefit for you as the broker. Howden also stresses the importance of adding value through expertise, which he believes has allowed MGAs and underwriting agencies to make headway in the market. MGAs are able to do a few key things, he says. Theyre able to attract real talent talent that wants to come in and be a bit more entrepreneurial. Theyre able to have a real specialty as their focus; the whole management team is focused on delivering that, [and] sometimes theyre able to deliver a better level of service to the brokers and therefore to brokers clients. I think anyone whos nimble and flexible and embraces technology will be a survivor, he adds. Its probably the slightly more lethargic, bigger businesses that are going to be more challenged in the future. Speaking of the future, now that Hyperion has surpassed the 500m revenue mark, Howden is focused on the next leg of the journey. In December, institutional investor Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec [CDPQ] agreed to invest more than US$400m in Hyperion to provide new growth equity and liquidity to existing shareholders. Now, Howden says, were looking forward to: Whens that billion [in revenue] coming up? According to Pagano, only 20% of Australian SMEs have their equipment insured for breakdown. We know this is much lower than the number of SMEs in the US and UK that have this cover, so there is a huge opportunity for Australian brokers, said Pagano. According to the firm, the new cover is based on a single broad definition of equipment incorporating a wide range of technologies. Coupled with our enhanced quote tool that generates more straight-through quotes, fewer referrals and allowing brokers to bind and print their own quote documents, Certificates of Currency and policy schedules, talking to SMEs about protecting their income against breakdowns has never been easier, said Pagano. Business owners know how debilitating the simple loss of Wi-Fi and email access can be, but sometimes its hard to appreciate the dangers that lurk in the very equipment they use to generate their income a breakdown can be catastrophic to their business, he continued. Pagano also confirmed Vero has expanded its coverage to include data restoration. As businesses embrace more complex computers and software, and even outsource the hosting of these, we have responded by expanding coverage for data restoration, he said. We now cover software and licenses made incompatible due to a breakdown, even when this occurs at a third-party data centre, anywhere in Australia. Related stories: Last November, Kane hired an attorney to file an insurance claim against the insurer of the Hooters branch Liberty Mutual. Kane claimed that his foot was struck by the o part of a Hooters sign that was blown off the restaurants wall during Hurricane Irma, demanding a reimbursement of $50,000 for treatment and another $175,000 in total to settle the injury claim. The manager of the restaurant offered a different side to the story, however. The manager explained that Kane and several of his friends entered the store with the fallen sign in hand, asking for food and drinks in exchange for the stolen o. When the restaurants employees did not give in to their demands, they left the store with the sign. Corroborating the managers statement, video surveillance footage from the restaurant showed that the sign fell on to the sidewalk without hitting anyone. The o remained in the same spot until a man picked it up and moved it to the rear entrance of the restaurant. The man walked away, and later returned to steal the part of the sign. An affidavit said that the manager identified the man in the video as the same man who tried to trade the sign for food and drinks. Detectives arrested Kane for insurance fraud of less than $20,000. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail and released on a $5,000 bond, WFLA News reported. Related stories: According to the US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Iowa, Galloway and her boyfriend, James Plower, came up with a scheme to defraud Plowers insurance company in 2013-2014. The two decided to burn Plowers home and collect the insurance payout for the fire. At first, they had trouble; prosecutors said that Galloway twice took a minor to Plowers vacant home to attempt to set fire to it, but both attempts failed. Finally, Plower set fire to the home himself and submitted an insurance claim that said the fire was accidental. As a result of the claim, Plower received a check from the insurance company for nearly $66,500. In 2014, Galloway and Plower agreed to launder the proceeds from the phony claim after learning that law enforcement was investigating the cause of the fire. They gave $10,000 of the claim money to a friend to hold for them in an effort to prevent authorities from seizing the money, the US Attorneys Office said. Plower had previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scam. He has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison. In addition to her 12-year prison sentence, Galloway was ordered to make restitution of $152,874.58. She must also serve a two-year term of supervised release after her prison term. Related stories: Prior to the proposal, state courts were divided on the statute of limitations on insurer bad faith lawsuits. Some said that there is a 10-year window, while others claimed that the limit is only for one year. Supporters of the bill said that the legislation would clear up the confusion. Those opposing the bill, however, pointed out that the proposed law would have given one company Texas Brine an unfair advantage. Texas Brine was held liable for the August 2012 Bayou Corne sinkhole in Assumption Parish, which forced the evacuation of 350 residents. Indian Harbor Insurance, the companys insurer, refused to cover the hundreds of millions the company paid out for the damage. The First Circuit Court of Appeal reversed a lower court decision when it ruled that Texas Brine should have filed a bad faith lawsuit within a year. [The case was intended to] retroactively impact one specific case that is already making its way through our courts, Melissa Landry, executive director of Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch, told Louisiana Record. Landry added that the legislation was short-sighted, as it was filed late and allowed little time for public discussion. She also explained that the bill could have far-reaching implications for both current and future cases. The proposal to extend prescription on bad faith insurance claims from one to 10 years is a dramatic step that would have made Louisiana a complete outlier when compared to states across the county at a time when we are already facing an insurance crisis, she said. Related stories: At the state level, each has a different regulatory regime for adult use and medicinal use of marijuana. In some states, you have medicinal use for any type of cannabis, but you could use the whole part of the plant and any derivative of the plant, explained Dean Rocco, employment and labor practice group, and CannaLaw practice group co-chair at Wilson Elser who will be speaking with Stewart at the Cannabis Cover masterclass. For example, a doctor in California can write a prescription for marijuana to treat a headache, while in Texas, a more conservative state, a law was just passed this year that allows for only limited CBD use. But it was Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescission of the Cole Memo in January that was felt across the industry, with US attorneys in different districts across states now having the discretion to prosecute adult use. There has yet to be noticeable action, said Stewart, and the main concern seems to be transportation of the product across state lines, but it has changed the playing field for insurers nonetheless. There were a couple of significant surplus lines players who were in the space that have exited the market. Most notably, that would be Markel and XL Catlin, he explained. There have been a couple of others that have exited as well. They havent specifically said that they did so because of the concerns over federal illegality, but Markel and XL Catlin have said that. Other carriers that were not yet in the market but had plans to enter have decided to hold off for the time being just to give some time to see if theres actually actions behind the implied threat of stepped up federal enforcement. Finally, carriers who have been insuring the marijuana market for a while see it as an opportunity to double down on their efforts and increase their market share, added Stewart. Where insurers might be concerned is that the rescission of the Cole Memo has thrown a wrench into the Financial Crimes Enforcement Networks (FinCEN) guidelines for institutions wanting to do business in the cannabis industry. Those guidelines were in part based on the Cole Memo. Heres the problem: when Attorney General Sessions rescinded the Cole Memo, its been reported he did so without communicating with Treasury, so there was a schism between the DOJ and Treasury, explained Stewart. Treasury has since come and out said, despite the fact that the DOJ rescinded the Cole Memo, our recommendations to banks and insurance companies the FINCEN guidelines remain in play. Stewarts advice to insurers is to do due diligence to understand who their insureds are, and make sure those companies are properly licensed within the state theyre operating. Other concerns should be whether insureds are not violating state laws and not shipping product over state lines. Going forward, insurers need to proceed with a robust underwriting process and regular updates on customers where they ask insureds to fill out renewals re-certifying due diligence items, according to Stewart. The bottom line is: its not a black and white issue, he told Insurance Business. Its shades of gray and insurance companies, if they want to operate in this space, they need to operate on the light side of gray. Its a business risk and its one of those things where each individual company has to decide how much risk that company is willing to take on to be working in this space. Ian Stewart and Dean Rocco will be leading a session on cannabis law with a focus on insurability and federal regulations at the Cannabis Cover event being held on May 03, 15 and 31 in Denver, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Click here for more details and to register. Related stories: Authorities said that between 2011 and 2017, the four pharmacists who were co-owners and pharmacists-in-charge of four Michigan pharmacies fraudulently billed Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield for controlled substances that were dispensed, and for high-priced medications that werent dispensed. The scam was first detected by Medicare, which noticed a deficit between each pharmacys recorded inventory and the claims that each was submitting for reimbursement. The phony billings netted the pharmacies total profits of more than $5 million, which the co-owners used for their own personal expenses. Authorities said that the defendants even billed insurance companies for providing medication to patients who were already dead. Some of the phony billings were allegedly generated in connection with a related conspiracy between Berri, Ahmed and Ramouni. Authorities said that Ramouni recruited and paid Medicare and Medicaid recipients to visit Ahmed, who without a genuine examination or showing of medical necessity prescribed opioids to those patients. He also often prescribed expensive and unnecessary medications. Ramouni and the patients would then take the opioid prescriptions to be filled at Berris pharmacy. Berri would in turn bill the patients insurance company for dispensing the controlled substance, as well as for the expensive medications. According to the indictment, the controlled substances fraudulently dispensed had a street value in excess of $1 million. Todays opioid epidemic is fueled in part by the greed of certain doctors, pharmacists who knowingly divert legitimate pain medications and narcotics to drug dealers for illegal distribution in our communities, said US Attorney Matthew Schneider. To make matters worse, these doctors and pharmacists sometimes defraud Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance in order to generate even greater profits for themselves. We will continue to use every means available to investigate and prosecute these cases. If convicted, the defendants each face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Related stories: Although it might be the last thing on your mind, a disaster could occur in any community at any time across the Northwest, said Allstate spokesperson Frank Clouser in a statement. Many people - 85%, in fact - arent prepared. Allstate is here to help Northwest communities prepare and be less vulnerable in the event of a sudden disaster. Creating an emergency kit for you and your family is step one. Three states in the Northwest region Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are on the Insurance Information Institutes top 10 Most Wildfire Prone States. The institute noted that the three states alone have almost half a million households that are at a high or extreme risk from wildfires. In 2017, nearly 5,000 fires occurred across the three states, leaving 1.8 million acres of burned land. Related stories: The insurance industry is not the only focus of the Madison, Wisconsin-based startup accelerator, gener8tor, but insurance is its oldest and largest operational sector. Founded in 2012 by attorneys Troy Vosseller and Joe Kirgues, gener8tor seeks out startups from around the world and from diverse industries to participate in its programs. Initiated in Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., the company expanded to Minneapolis, Minn., last year and in 2018 will move into Cincinnati, Ohio. On average, five startups are selected to go through each accelerator program. We make a cash investment in exchange for a small portion of equity in those startups, Vosseller said. The startups spend three months with us, working out of our offices. During that time were connecting them with mentors, potential customers, corporate partners, as well as investors. So far, gener8tor has invested in 65 companies, which combined have raised more than $150 million in follow-on funding, Vosseller said. Horizontal Insurtech The startups involved in the accelerators are largely technology-oriented, but when it comes to insurance they may not fit a conventional definition of an insurtech company that is, one that works specifically within the insurance industry, like an aggregator, Vosseller said. To Vosseller, the concept of insurtech is broad. Its any technology that can be enabling to an insurance carrier or provide insight even to an insurance carrier and their business, both their current business as well as emerging lines of business or future lines of business. When looking at insurance carrier venture capital activity Vosseller sees companies expanding their interests into what he calls a horizontal set of technology. For instance, he said, Madison-based American Family Insurance, a company that gener8tor has worked closely with, recently made investments in two startups that Vosseller describes as horizontal technology thats still relevant to insurance, very much relevant to insurance, but theyre not insurtech proper. One such investment was in Networked Insights, a startup involved in machine learning and artificial intelligence, really focusing on social media and gathering insights that could then be used for marketing purposes, he said. The investment was made by American Family Ventures and the company subsequently was acquired by American Family Insurance.While not necessarily insurance specific, the startups focus has a high degree of applicability to the insurance industry. Another example he cited was American Family Ventures investment in Ring, the video doorbell. Again, not an insurance company themselves, but they have a value proposition around home safety and preventing burglaries and things of that nature, very much relevant to insurance carriers, Vosseller said. He added that he thinks its a great time to be a startup interested in selling into the insurance industry. Theres such a confluence of factors that are putting the wind at your back. The first is that theres just been a tremendous rise in the amount of corporate venture capital activity, specifically with insurance. In addition, insurance companies are facing disruption as new technologies like autonomous vehicles mature and as interest in the industry rises with technology companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon. Insurance carriers are being proactive in terms of making sure that theyre part of that conversation when it comes to new technology, Vosseller said. Vosseller and Kirgues also operate the OnRamp Conference Series, which serves to further connect startups with investors and customers. The one-day events, staged in stadiums, grew out of gener8tor but are totally separate entities and are open to startups that have not gone through the accelerator program. The OnRamp Insurance Conference was held on April 12 this year at Soldier Field in Chicago. Topics Carriers InsurTech Tech Market Wisconsin Startups A fourth major auto insurance company in New York has reached a compliance agreement with the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) regarding DFS final regulation against discriminatory auto insurance rates. Progressive has informed Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo of its plans to comply with the regulation, joining GEICO, Liberty Mutual and Allstate. Together, the four companies provide coverage to the majority of the private passenger auto insurance market in New York, according to a DFS press release announcing the news. Under the regulation, which was finalized in December 2017 and made effective in March, private passenger auto insurers are prohibited from using drivers occupational status and/or education level as factors in initial tier placement unless the insurer demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the DFS superintendent, that its use of occupational status and/or educational level attained in initial tier placement or tier movement does not result in rates that are excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. The final regulation comes after a multi-year investigation in which DFS found that some, but not all, insurers in New York had used an individuals education level and/or educational status in establishing initial tier placement without a clear demonstration of the required relationship between these factors and driving ability. As a result, classes of insureds had their rates skewed from inception, regardless of whether the insurer could rationally predict a different risk of loss for that insured, the release stated. Progressives plans for compliance involve eliminating any continuing impact of the companys prior use of education level attained and/or occupational status in setting auto insurance rates and underwriting new business. Allstate and Liberty Mutual reached agreements with DFS in December 2017, before the effective date of the regulation. GEICO reached an agreement with DFS in March. Topics Legislation Auto New York Training Development A Virginia business owner who spent business loans on personal expenses, including his rock band, will pay more than $4 million in restitution, in addition to serving a 10-year federal prison sentence. The Virginian-Pilot cites a U.S. Department of Justice release that says 58-year-old Edward Zinner was sentenced Thursday in connection with a fraud scheme. The release says he operated Ocean Equity, a collection of businesses that engaged in credit card processing and merchant cash advances, through which he provided false representation to obtain more than $4.5 million. He also obtained six business loans worth $3 million that he spent on personal expenses, including gambling and his TGZ Band. When Zinner closed his business in 2016, he still owed $3.9 million to investors. He pleaded guilty to money laundering in October. Information from: The Virginian-Pilot Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Virginia A grand jury has indicted the Erie, Penn., city council president on allegations she stole more than $70,000 over seven years from an anti-violence nonprofit she runs. The U.S. Attorneys office for the Western District of Pennsylvania announced the 33-count indictment against Sonya Arrington on Thursday. It includes charges of wire fraud and theft of government property. The indictment alleges Arrington solicited donations for her nonprofit Mothers Against Teen Violence between 2011 and 2018 and withheld funds from deposits to the groups accounts or spent portions of the donations on personal items such as groceries, bills, clothes and car washes. Authorities also allege Arrington used the nonprofits debit card to withdraw money 113 times at an area casino. Messages left for Arrington early Thursday by phone and email were not immediately returned. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Assicurazioni Generali SpA announced the closing of the sale of its operations in Panama and Colombia. These two transactions, which were originally announced during the second half of 2017, are part of the groups overall strategy to rationalize its international footprint and to improve operating efficiency and capital allocation. Generali sold its Panama business to ASSA Compania de Seguros S.A., while its Colombian business was sold to Talanx Group. The final consideration of these two sales is approximately 170 million (US$209.6 million), Generali said. The Generali Group will still be present in both countries through its global business lines, or more specifically, Generali Employee Benefits, Generali Global Corporate & Commercial and Generali Global Health as well as through its Europ Assistance operations. Related: Topics Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. Chubb announced the appointment of Jin Lee as the head of Bancassurance for Asia Pacific. In her new role, Lees primary responsibility will be to oversee the DBS Bank-Chubb partnership which spans across Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia and China. Chubb announced in September 2017 it had entered into a 15-year distribution agreement with DBS, the largest banking group in Southeast Asia. Lee will be based in Singapore and will report to Paul McNamee, regional president for Chubb in Asia Pacific. Lee is currently Chubbs deputy general counsel for Asia Pacific. She joined the company in 2010 as accident & health legal counsel for Australia and New Zealand. She has over 10 years of experience practicing various aspects of insurance law, including the structuring of complex distribution arrangements, advising on regulatory and compliance matters, dealing with regulators, acquisitions and mergers of insurance companies and claims adjudication. Jin is an ideal leader for this important and challenging appointment as she played a key role in the DBS-Chubb bancassurance transaction, said McNamee. She is commercially savvy and has been the lead counsel for many significant business accounts especially financial institutions throughout the region in recent years. Source: Chubb Related: Topics Chubb A horrific fire that started on March 14, 2017, has made one Muskegon, Michigan, company stronger. The foundry fire at Muskegon Casting Corp. rendered the 75,000-square-foot building and all equipment inside a total loss, said John Essex, CEO of Port City Group. Total property loss building and equipment was more than $20 million, he said. Everything was covered by insurance. Fire was throughout the building. There were mass amounts of smoke, said Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis, the morning after the fire. It sounds pretty horrific. An estimated 40 employees were able to safely evacuate, Lewis said. Firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night and into the morning. The roof and walls collapsed before the firefighters were able to extinguish the flames. I will never forget that day, Essex said. Its burned into my memory. But he tends to look toward the positive: no one was injured or killed, and no one lost their job. We got through it were a stronger organization as a result, Essex said. One year after the fire, which was caused by equipment failure, all 100 employees were back to work at other Port City Group facilities the one that burned down was one of six at the time, he said. Eventually, the work that was done at the Sheridan foundry was moved to a facility on Latimer Drive in Muskegon, Essex said. Prior to the fire, that building was about 50 percent used. That was the quickest way back, he told The Muskegon Chronicle. As of March, the company had about 60 percent of capacity back, with plans for 100 percent restoration by June 1. The space at the Latimer facility means theres no need to rebuild, Essex said. However, Port City Group still owns the property, which has been cleared of all debris, and could rebuild if extra capacity is needed. Muskegon Castings Corp., owned by Port City Group, produces aluminum die castings for the automotive industry. Its customers include General Motors, Toyota, Subaru and BMW. Port City Group is a division of Pace Industries. Its five Muskegon-area facilities have about 525 employees. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Profit Loss Michigan Deadly crashes involving Tesla Inc. and Uber Technologies vehicles operating entirely or in part under automated systems have made a once-abstract problem very real for auto industry lawyers gathered at a recent conference. It is crucial that companies accurately outline limitations of automatic driving systems and the circumstances in which they can and cannot take over steering, braking and lane-keeping, attorneys for the U.S. units of carmakers including Hyundai , Toyota, Volkswagen and supplier company Continental said at a recent legal conference. The OEMs (carmakers) right now are trying really hard to accurately describe what this equipment can do and cant do, said Tom Vanderford, associate general counsel at Hyundai, at a conference last Friday in Phoenix, Arizona attended by Reuters. The American Bar Association conference took place just a few miles from the scene of a fatal accident involving an Uber test vehicle in autonomous mode. The crash cranked up pressure on the self-driving vehicle industry to prove its software and sensors are safe. On Thursday, Tesla came under more pressure from regulators and consumer groups for its response to a deadly crash in California of a Tesla vehicle operating on Autopilot, the name the company uses for an enhanced cruise control system. Fully automated vehicles are not expected to become available to consumers for several years. However, increasingly sophisticated driver assistance features are already sold under various names, carrying disclaimers warning that drivers cannot rely on the systems to safely operate the car in all circumstances. Such technologies include collision avoidance systems that steer the car away from pedestrians. There are also automatic braking systems and audio and visual alerts when cameras, radar or other sensors detect obstacles. David Cades, a human factor scientist at engineering consulting firm Exponent, said terminology matters in descriptions of these systems because people might misuse or misunderstand the technology. Cades, who has testified in automotive cases as an expert witness, said automakers should not use the term collision avoidance system. Instead, he urged manufacturers to use terms such as collision mitigation systems. Even in naming and marketing these systems care needs to be taken in how they are promoted, Cades said. John Gersch, managing counsel at Toyota and another conference participant, pointed to a promotional video shown at the conference, in which Tesla touts its Autopilot semi-automated system. The overreliance issue is probably the most serious issue with all these systems, so that goes with Tesla that was shown there, said Gersch. Even though its marketing materials feature the automatic system, Teslas owners manual tells buyers that they are required to keep their hands on the wheel at all times before activating the system. The family of a driver killed last month in a Tesla car crash has hired law firm Minami Tamaki LLP to explore legal options, the firm said on Wednesday, adding the Autopilot feature was defective and probably caused his death. Tesla in a statement said Walter Huang, the victim in the California crash, was well aware that Autopilot was not perfect. Tesla added that Huang told his family that Autopilot was not reliable in that exact location of the crash. It said he took his hands off the wheel several times before the crash. Investigating a 2016 fatal crash, the National Transportation Safety Board last year said Autopilot lacked safeguards, giving too much leeway to the driver to divert attention. The NTSB in a statement on Thursday urged Tesla to act on the safety recommendations in that report. Following the 2016 accident, Tesla introduced more frequent warnings to drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. After three warnings, the software now blocks Autopilot until the driver stops and restarts. Tesla warns, but in products liability warnings dont protect you against design defect claims, said University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith, who focuses on automated driving. Car accident litigation usually turns on a drivers alleged negligence. By contrast, a lawsuit involving automated technology could scrutinize whether the system had a design defect. Smith said plaintiffs suing Tesla could point to alternative designs, such as General Motors Cos semi-autonomous Super Cruise system which tracks eye movement to monitor whether a driver pays attention. GM says Super Cruise relies on a pre-defined map and only allows hands-off driving on designated highways and only when the driver is paying attention to the road. Any litigation arising from accidents involving fully or partially automated vehicles could also pit software suppliers against vehicle manufacturers. Industry lawyers said carmakers increasingly indemnify smaller technology companies working on self-driving features. But Tammy Fanning, deputy general counsel for parts maker Continental, which manufactures radar for blind spot detection systems, told the conference the general automotive liability chain will not change. From a product liability perspective it will all stay the same: suppliers will be paying for everything in the end, every recall, all replacements, Fanning said. (Reporting by Tina Bellon; Editing by David Gregorio) Topics Auto Autonomous Vehicles Tesla Strong winds are fueling more than two dozen wildfires burning across Oklahoma and Texas. Authorities say one blaze in western Oklahoma is estimated to be nearly 40 miles across at its widest point. Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker says 14 wildfires in the state have charred more than 572 square miles. The largest is in Dewey County, where more than 375 square miles have been charred. Hundreds of people have been evacuated. There also are at least a dozen wildfires in Texas, including a 12 square mile fire in Wheeler County in the Panhandle. Texas A&M Forest Service fire weather analyst Scott Breit says wind gusts of up to 55 mph were fueling the fires on Saturday. On sunday, residents were ordered to evacuate from a small southwestern Oklahoma town due to a wildfire threat. The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said that the wildfire is threatening Martha, a town of about 150 people thats roughly 120 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Authorities say another wildfire that began in Texas and spread to Oklahoma on Friday was still burning Sunday. Firefighters in both states are battling the blaze, which has scorched about 42 square miles of land. The Oklahoma Forestry Services says more than 500 firefighters, air tankers and helicopters are working to suppress another wildfire in northwestern Oklahoma that has burned more than 375 square miles of land. The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) has said it stands ready to assist Oklahomans impacted by the wildfires. The agency said OID field representatives and Anti-Fraud investigators are in affected areas placing yard signs listing the agencys consumer assistance phone number, 1-800-522-0071. Victims with insurance claims questions are encouraged to call. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Wildfire Oklahoma People jumped from their balconies and at least one family tossed a baby to a teen, as fire swept through an apartment complex near the South Carolina coast Thursday night. At least seven people were hurt and the homes of 16 were destroyed, said Mark Nugent with Horry County Fire Rescue. All three floors and the buildings attic were on fire when firefighters reached the Windsor Green complex northwest of Myrtle Beach. Most of the injuries involved people who jumped from their balconies, Nugent said. I ran to the back of that building and there was a family saying, `My baby, my baby, said 16-year-old Blake Cannon. I told him Id catch it and he dropped it down and I caught it. Cannon was shaken by the experience. Really, seeing them falling and jumping was the scary part, Cannon said. Nugent said firefighters rescued one person inside the building. The American Red Cross was working with the displaced families. Another fire at the same complex in 2013 destroyed 26 buildings. A sheriffs deputy got sick from smoke inhalation in that fire and later contracted the H1N1 virus. He later died at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston after a two-month battle that included the use of a medically induced coma and ventilator. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Homeowners South Carolina At least three visitors to a private zoo in North Carolina are receiving emergency treatment after a large tree toppled in windy conditions onto a passing sightseeing wagon. It happened Saturday afternoon at Zootastic Park near Troutman, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of Charlotte. Iredell County Emergency Communications Supervisor Jody Sherrill said one person was flown by helicopter and two others were taken by ambulance to hospitals. Sherrill said the area had experienced strong winds. Photos from the scene show the tree crashed down on two open-sided wagons towed by a tractor, with what appeared to be goats and turkeys nearby. A zoo employee referred questions to owner Scottie Brown, whose phone would not accept messages. The eight-year-old zoos website said its animals include llamas, kangaroos and camels. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics North Carolina Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has asked President Donald Trump to issue a disaster declaration for 35 counties affected by flooding. The Daily Independent cites a Wednesday release from Bevins office that says the late February flooding caused an estimated $24.7 million in damages statewide, with 75 percent of that damage inflicted on highways, bridges and local infrastructure. Four Kentucky residents died. The release says the requested Presidential Disaster Declaration will provide more than one-quarter of Kentuckys counties with federal assistance to recover from the widespread storms. Bevins office said Thursday that President Donald Trump has authorized assistance for 22 counties damaged in severe flooding in mid-February from a previous disaster declaration request. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Kentucky The family of a central Oregon woman killed while on her bicycle has filed a $32.5 million wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of a pickup who has also been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death. KTVZ-TV reported that the lawsuit filed against Shantel Witt of Bend contends that Witt had ingested prescription medications on the day of the crash that killed 38-year-old Marika Stone. The lawsuit states that Stone died on Dec. 30 when Witt crossed into the wrong lane and struck Stone while driving faster than 50 mph. Witt has pleaded not guilty in criminal court to manslaughter, driving under the influence and other charges. Her trial is set for January. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Oregon The investigation into the cause of a structural failure of a coal silo at a power plant in northwestern New Mexico is ongoing, but the plants operator says repairs are underway. Officials with Public Service Co. of New Mexico say insurance will pay for repairs, with the exception of a $2 million deductible the utility must cover. That will come out of the utilitys operations and maintenance budget. Utility spokesman Dan Ware says to minimize down time and costs, PNM is using the outage to perform regularly scheduled maintenance that had been planned for the fall. The unit is expected to be operational again before summer demand ramps up. Environmentalists are pressing state regulators to investigate the March incident, which resulted in a fire and some damage but no injuries. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Mexico 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 George Soros, the maverick hedge fund manager. has generated significant annual returns, after management fees. His flagship Quantum Fund is revered by investors. Despite the animosity generated by his trading tactics and the controversy surrounding his investment philosophy, Soros has pent decades at the head of the class among the world's elite investors. In 1981, Institutional Investor magazine named him "the world's greatest money manager." Soros' Philosophy George Soros is a short-term speculator. He makes massive, highly-leveraged bets on the direction of the financial markets. His famous hedge fund is known for its global macro strategy, a philosophy centered around making massive, one-way bets on the movements of currency rates, commodity prices, stocks, bonds, derivatives, and other assets based on macroeconomic analysis. Simply put, Soros bets that the value of these investments will either rise or fall. Soros studies his targets, letting the movements of the various financial markets and their participants dictate his trades. He refers to the philosophy behind his trading strategy as reflexivity. The theory eschews traditional ideas of an equilibrium-based market environment where all information is known to all market participants and thereby factored into prices. Instead, Soros believes that market participants themselves directly influence market fundamentals and that their irrational behavior leads to booms and busts that present investment opportunities. Housing prices provide an interesting example of his theory in action. When lenders make it easy to get loans, more people borrow money. With money in hand, these people buy homes, which results in a rise in demand for homes. Rising demand results in rising prices. Higher prices encourage lenders to lend more money. More money in the hands of borrowers results in rising demand for homes, and an upward spiraling cycle that results in housing prices that have been bid up way beyond where economic fundamentals would suggest is reasonable. The actions of the lenders and buyers have had a direct influence on the price of the commodity. An investment based on the idea that the housing market will crash would reflect a classic Soros bet. Short-selling the shares of luxury home builders or shorting the shares of major housing lenders would be two potential investments seeking to profit when the housing boom goes bust. Major Trades Soros will always be remembered as "the man who broke the Bank of England." A well-known currency speculator, Soros does not limit his efforts to a particular geographic area, instead, he considered the entire world when seeking opportunities. In September of 1992, he borrowed billions of dollars worth of British pounds and converted them to German marks. When the pound crashed, Soros repaid his lenders based on the new, lower value of the pound, pocketing in excess of $1 billion in the difference between the value of the pound and the value of the mark during a single day's trading. He made nearly $2 billion in total after unwinding his position. He made a similar move with Asian currencies during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, participating in a speculative frenzy that resulted in the collapse of the baht (Thailand's currency). These trades were so effective because the national currencies the speculators bet against were pegged to other currencies, meaning that agreements were in place to "prop up" the currencies in order to make sure they traded in a specific ratio against the currency to which they were pegged. When the speculators placed their bets, the currency issuers were forced to attempt to maintain the ratios by buying their currencies on the open market. When the governments ran out of money and were forced to abandon that effort, the currency values plummeted. Governments lived in fear that Soros would take an interest in their currencies. When he did, other speculators joined the fray in what's been described as a pack of wolves descending on a herd of elk. The massive amounts of money the speculators could borrow and leverage made it impossible for smaller governments to withstand the assault. Despite his masterful successes, not every bet George Soros made worked in his favor. In 1987, he predicted that the U.S. markets would continue to rise. His fund lost $300 million during the crash, although it still delivered low double-digit returns for the year. He also took a $2 billion hit during the Russian debt crisis in 1998 and lost $700 million in 1999 during the tech bubble when he bet on a decline. Stung by the loss, he bought big in anticipation of a rise. He lost nearly $3 billion when the market finally crashed. Conclusion Trading like George Soros is not for the faint of heart or the light of wallet. The downside of betting big and winning big is betting big and losing big. If you can't afford to take the loss, you can't afford to bet like Soros. While most global macro hedge fund traders are relatively quiet types, avoiding the spotlight while they earn their fortunes, Soros has taken very public stances on a host of economic and political issues. His public stance and spectacular success have put Soros largely in a class by himself. Over the course of more than three decades, he has made the right moves nearly every time, generating legions of fans among traders and investors, and legions of detractors among those on the losing end of his speculative activities. What Is the Energy Institute (EI)? The Energy Institute (EI), located in London, is a not-for-profit, membership-based professional organization dedicated to serving those working in and studying different forms of energy. Formed in 2003, it also is licensed to award certain status certifications to engineers and environmentalists. Key Takeaways The Energy Institute (EI) is a non-profit professional organization for engineers and other professionals in energy-related fields. London-based, the EI is the global professional organization for the energy industry, developing and sharing research, skills, and best practices toward safe, secure, and sustainable energy. The EI hosts regular events, conferences, and workshops through which its members can meet, network, and exchange information. The EI provides training in various energy management sectors and is also licensed to provide industry certifications for engineers and environmentalists in the U.K. Understanding the Energy Institute (EI) The Energy Institute is a resource for those working in and studying the various energy sectors. Its membership includes approximately 23,000 international professionals representing over 250 companies in 100 countries. The EI hosts regular events and workshops through which professionals can exchange information regarding different types of energy, including oil, gas, nuclear, and alternative energy. EI is registered as a charity. Its stated mission is to "provide the skills, knowledge and good practice needed to protect the environment during operations and to advance the global energy transition required by the climate emergency." As a member of the Professional Associations Research Network, the EI: keeps up-to-date with the latest sector research and best practice guidance equips members through training and events to deal with the challenges professional bodies face is part of an active network of professional bodies that learn from each other Other objectives and aims of the EI include: To conduct or promote the conduct of scientific and other research, to publish useful results of such research, and to provide facilities for study, research, and education To publish, produce and distribute or assist in the publication, production, or distribution of films, recordings, and any form of written, printed, or electronic communication and to advertise in any manner To establish and maintain libraries and collections, and provide public access to them, and to collect information whether or not on a basis restricted by agreement with the provider thereof To hold conferences, meetings and seminars, and other events and to promote the reading of learned papers To encourage the undertaking of voluntary work in the interests of the EI To develop and promulgate codes of good professional practice, to prescribe standards of education, training, and experience in professions or activities related to the objects and to hold examinations and other tests, and to award certificates and diplomas To institute, establish and promote educational and training courses, scholarships grants, awards, and prizes As a not-for-profit organization, the Energy Institute is funded through a combination of fees from individual members, company members, and from sales of publications and tickets to its conferences and training courses. Training Via the EI The EI provides training in environmental management, energy management, risk management, and oil and gas. EI is licensed by the Engineering Council of the U.K. to offer Chartered, Incorporated and Engineering Technician status to engineers, and by the Society for the Environment to award Chartered Environmentalist status. Members also benefit from many events throughout the year, including International Petroleum Weekthree days of seminars, and conferences centered around the oil and gas industry. It attracts many senior members of the industry and culminates with a dinner for over 1,300 participants. In November, the Energy Institute presents the EI Awards to individuals and companies who have contributed significantly to the energy industry. History of the EI The Energy Institute was formed by the 2003 merger between the two venerable institutions: the Institute of Petroleum (founded 1913) and the Institute of Energy (founded 1925). From its founding to 2021, Louise Kingham was its Chief Executive. She was a professional with over 24 years of experience in the energy industry. Prior to their merger, Ms. Kingham served at both the Institute of Petroleum and the Energy Institute. As of 2021, EI's current Chief Executive is Nick Wayth, a 22 year-veteran of BP plc. His most recent post was that of Chief Development Officer of Alternative Energy, where he led BPs strategy and business development in a broad range of renewable technologies. EI's Council President is Steve Holliday, the former Chief Executive of National Grid plc and the current Chairman of CityFibre and Zenobe. Special Considerations In addition to providing networking opportunities and training to those in the energy industry, the Energy Institute provides a wealth of information relating to all types of energy. Some of the information is based on research done by EI itself, while other information is from third parties. EI has an extensive library containing publications about the energy industry dating as far back as the mid-19th century. Information can also be obtained online through EI's Energy Matrix, a digital database containing over 80,000 resources. EI members can opt to receive two magazines, Petroleum Review and Energy World, and have access to The Journal of the Energy Institute. What Is a Front-End Load? A front-end load is a commission or sales charge applied at the time of the initial purchase of an investment. The term most often applies to mutual fund investments, but may also apply to insurance policies or annuities. The front-end load is deducted from the initial deposit, or purchase funds and, as a result, lowers the amount of money actually going into the investment product. Front-end loads are paid to financial intermediaries as compensation for finding and selling the investment which best matches the needs, goals, and risk tolerance of their clients. So these are one-time charges, not part of the investment's ongoing operating expenses. The opposite of a front-end load is a back-end load, which is paid by deducting it from profits or principal when the investor sells the investment. There are also other types of fund loading, including level loads, which charge an ongoing annual fee. 1:18 Front-End Load The Basics of Front-End Loads Front-end loads are assessed as a percentage of the total investment or premium paid into a mutual fund, annuity, or life insurance contract. The percentage paid for the front-end load varies among investment companies but typically falls within a range of 3.75% to 5.75%. Lower front-end loads are found in bond mutual funds, annuities, and life insurance policies. Higher sales charges are assessed for equity-based mutual funds. Mutual funds that carry front-end loads are called load funds. Whether an investor pays a front-end load depends on the type of shares in the fund that he owes. Class-A shares, also known as A-shares, typically carry a front-end load. Generally, the sales charge on a load mutual fund is waived if such a fund is included as an investment option in a retirement plan such as a 401(k). Key Takeaways A front-end load is a sales charge or commission that an investor pays "upfront"that is, upon purchase of the asset. The percentage paid for the front-end load varies among investment companies but typically falls within a range of 3.75% to 5.75%. While they leave less capital to invest, front-end-loaded funds have lower ongoing fees and expense ratios. How Front-End Load Compensation Works When mutual fund investments and annuities were first introduced to the market, investors were only able to access them through licensed brokers, investment advisors, or financial planners. The front-end load concept arose out of an effort to provide compensation for these go-betweensand of course, to encourage them to put clients into a particular product. Nowadays, individuals can often purchase products directly from the mutual fund company or insurance company. The lion's share of the contemporary front-end load goes to the investment company or insurance carrier that sponsors the product. The remaining portion is paid to the investment advisor or broker who facilitates the trade. Some financial professionals argue that a front-end load is the cost investors incur for obtaining an investment intermediary's expertise in selecting appropriate funds. It could also be considered payment in advance for the expertise of a professional financial manager to oversee the client's money. Investments that assess a front-end load do not charge an additional fee for redemption of shares previously purchased, although trading fees may apply. Similarly, the majority of front-end load investments do not charge investors an additional sales charge when shares are exchanged for a different investment, as long as the same fund family offers the new investment. Advantages of Front-End Load Funds Investors may opt to pay upfront fees for several reasons. For instance, front-end loads eliminate the need to continually pay additional fees and commissions as time progresses, allowing the capital to grow unimpeded over the long-term. Mutual fund A-sharesthe class that carries front-end loadspay lower expense ratios than other shares pay. Expense ratios are the annual management and marketing fees. Further, funds that don't carry up-front fees often charge an annual maintenance fee that increases along with the value of the client's money, meaning the investor may wind up paying more. In contrast, front-end loads are often discounted as the size of the investment grows. Pros Lower fund expense ratio Unimpeded principal growth Discounted fees for larger investments Cons Less capital invested Required longterm investment horizon Not optimal for short investment horizons Disadvantages of Front-End Load Funds On the downside, since front-end loads are taken out of your original investment, less of your money is going to work for you. Given the benefits of compounding, less money at the outset has an impact on the way your money grows. Over the long-term, it may not matter, but front-end-loaded funds are not optimal if you have a short investment horizon; you won't have a chance to recoup the sales charge through realizing earnings over time. Also, given the plethora of no-load mutual funds available currently, some financial advisors argue that no one should be paying any sales chargesfront, back, or ongoing. Real-World Example Many companies offer mutual funds with varying loads to meet the investing style of any investor. American Funds Growth Fund of America (AGTHX) is an example of a mutual fund that carries a front-end load. To illustrate how the load works let's say an investor invests $10,000 in the AGTHX fund. They will pay a front-end load of 5.75%, or $575. The remaining $9,425 is used to purchase shares of the mutual fund at the current share net asset value (NAV) price. What Is Wisconsin School of Business? Wisconsin School of Business is the business school of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Founded in 1900, the school offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. The Wisconsin School of Business is known for its emphasis on applied learning, with coursework often incorporating problems drawn directly from real business situations. Its Master of Business Administration (MBA) is regularly ranked among the top 40 in the United States. Key Takeaways Wisconsin School of Business is located at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Tuition, fees and expenses for the MBA program cost $21,166 per year for in-state residents and $42,704 annually for non-residents. There were 96 students enrolled in the full-time MBA 2022 graduating class. Eighty percent of MBA candidates scored between 610 and 700 on the GMAT. Recent graduates reported a starting salary of nearly $108,000 per year, while the average signing bonus was $24,700. How Wisconsin School of Business Works Unlike schools that rely on naming gifts from wealthy donors, the Wisconsin School of Business has taken a different path. In 2007, a group of 13 alumni donated $85 million to their alma mater in exchange for a promise that the school could not be renamed for 20 years. As such, the school remains the Wisconsin School of Business, whereas many other business schools are named after their wealthy donors. In the Fall of 2020, the Wisconsin School of Business enrolled 3,300 undergrads. Top majors included finance and investment banking; marketing; real estate and urban land economics; and management and human resources. There were 96 students enrolled in the full-time MBA 2022 graduating class. Eighty percent of MBA candidates scored between 610 and 700 on the GMAT. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked the school's undergraduate business program as No. 7 among public schools and No. 15 overall. The school also is a top producer of chief executive officers at Fortune 500 companies. The Wisconsin School of Business offers a number of MBA and postgraduate programs. The full-time MBA program (which includes a summer internship) takes 21 months to complete. The school offers virtual and weekend classes for working professionals, for an MBA that can be completed in two to five years. Its Executive MBA program is held on weekends every fortnight and includes a 10-day trip abroad. Real World Example of Wisconsin School of Business For 2019, Forbes ranked the full-time MBA program at the Wisconsin School of Business as No. 35 in the U.S. U.S. News & World Report and Businessweek ranked it No. 37, while The Economist gave it similar marks. Tuition, fees and expenses cost $21,166 per year for in-state residents and $42,704 annually for non-residents. The relatively lower tuition costs helped earn the school the No. 1 spot for MBA programs in terms of return on investment as ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2018. Recent graduates reported a starting salary of nearly $108,000 per year, while the average signing bonus was $24,700. Almost 90% of students had secured job offers within three months of graduation. Graduates have taken jobs in real estate, risk management and insurance, supply chain management, brand and product management, among other fields. Pharmaceutical giant Shire has agreed to sell its oncology business to French firm Servier for $2.4bn ahead of a potential takeover offer by Japan's Takeda. The drug-maker's board has given the green light to the deal, which does not require shareholder approval and is now expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2018. The firm, which has its headquarters in Dublin, started looking at offloading the oncology business in December, and said the process considered "multiple potential strategic buyers" across Europe, Japan and the US. Shire said it was considering returning proceeds of the sale to investors through a share buyback programme after the current offer period - during which Takeda could launch a formal bid - expires. Shire chief executive Flemming Ornskov said: "This transaction is a key milestone for Shire, demonstrating the clear value embedded in our portfolio. "While the oncology business has delivered high growth and profitability, we have concluded that it is not core to Shire's longer-term strategy. "We will continue to evaluate our portfolio for opportunities to unlock further value and sharpen our focus on rare disease leadership with selective disposals of non-strategic assets. "We are confident that Servier will continue to invest in this business and our colleagues who are expected to transfer as part of the transaction in order to meet the needs of cancer patients globally." Shire shares rose as much as 1.8% on the back of the news. The company's stock price surged last month after Osaka-based Takeda said it was considering making a takeover approach for the 32.8 billion valued firm. Some experts have questioned how any potential deal will be funded, given that Takeda is worth billions less than its takeover target. Reports over the weekend suggested that Takeda had approached lenders about providing the cash, and that its chief executive was on its way to the US to meet with top investors ahead of making a potential offer. Takeda, which was founded in 1781 and employs 30,000 people, has a strong presence in emerging markets and operates in more than 70 countries. It said last month that a potential transaction with Shire presented an opportunity to create a "truly global, value-based Japanese biopharmaceutical leader", strengthening its core oncology, gastrointestinal and neuroscience offerings. In addition, a tie-up would help realise the Japanese company's R&D strategy, drive financial value and allow it to exploit further opportunities in the US. If a deal were to be struck, it would see the hunter become the hunted after Shire itself went on the acquisition trail only two years ago when it bought Baxalta for $32bn. Last year, Shire's revenues doubled following the takeover to $3.57bn, the bulk of which came from the Baxalta business. When stripped of legacy Baxalta sales, revenues rose only 11% to $1.8bn. Commenting on its purchase of Shire's oncology business, Servier Group president Olivier Laureau said: "This acquisition allows us to establish a direct commercial presence in the United States, the world's leading pharmaceuticals market, and to strengthen our portfolio of marketed products in the territories where Servier is already present. "Our goal is to bring these treatments to greater numbers of cancer patients around the world. We thoroughly look forward to welcoming Shire's oncology teams who will join Servier after the closing." -Press Association The referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment will be won 60% to 40%, Minister Finian McGrath. Speaking at an Inclusion Ireland event this morning, the Disabilities Minister said he is now "fairly confident" the abortion referendum will pass, but said there is no room for complacency. Mr McGrath said: "I believe it will be 60 - 40. I know from my own constituency Dublin Bay North, that would be the kind of view that I am getting. "But can we be complacent? Absolutely no, we cannot be complacent it will be a tough debate, it will be a long campaign over the next couple of weeks. "But in fairness I think we have learned from the previous campaigns, it's more about facts and information now than spin." However, he criticised those who have placed referendum posters close to schools. "The one view that I am getting lately is from younger families about some of the posters up outside schools. People are very upset, particularly parents of five and six-year-olds because they are being drawn into this debate, this debate is an adult debate. Inclusion Ireland, the national association for people with an intellectual disability, this morning joined forces with the Together For Yes campaign to highlight the need for abortion care for women with disabilities. The disability rights activists say the Eighth Amendment is about more than abortion for the women they represent. They say that the Eighth amendment creates additional barriers to care, including inaccessible travel options for those who may need abortion services. Disability rights campaigner Suzy Byrne says some disabled women are told not to get pregnant. Ms Byrne said: "The 8th Amendment is about an awful lot more than terminating a pregnancy when it comes to people with disabilities. "People are told 'don't get pregnant, because there is nothing we can do to help you'. And then contraception may not work in certain circumstances depending on your condition. "You may not be able to take medication, because it may affect other medication that you have." Paddy Connolly, CEO of Inclusion Ireland, said: The 8th Amendment creates inequalities and for people with a disability it can further impede their sexual health and reproductive rights. Impediments such as inaccessible information, difficulty in travel, poverty, difficulty accessing medical treatment, including maternity services and access to contraception, place greater barriers in front of women with a disability exercising their reproductive rights. People with disabilities need access to sexual and reproductive health, just like everyone else. "The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Ireland recently ratified, affirms that right. To date, the voice of persons with disabilities has been largely absent from the public conversation on reproductive rights and people with intellectual disabilities need accessible information to engage in the debate. "Inclusion Ireland invites all those who campaigned for ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to join the campaign to repeal the 8th Amendment. Mr McGrath said: I believe in the equality of women in every area of Irish life - hence my support for the repeal campaign. "Disabled people should always be free to make decisions about their personal and private life. "This includes mobility issues in relation to travel and access to family planning services. All barriers to equality should be removed. Meanwhile, pro-life group Save the 8th has today started a new online campaign called "12 weeks". It shows social media users a video of a scan of an unborn baby at 12 weeks gestation and asks if the unborn is deserving of constitutional rights. The video will be promoted to Facebook users over the age of 18 in Ireland. The group's Niamh Ui Bhriain said: It is important that this debate is informed and that people have access to basic information. The Government is asking us to legalise abortion for any reason up to three months. In effect, the legislation proposed says that these babies are not human at all, and will have no rights. "In that context, a fully informed debate need not show graphic images, or upsetting images. But it should show, at a very basic level, what a child in the womb at that age looks like. Every mother who has had a child in the modern era has seen one of these scans but most voters have not. "The scan shows clearly a developing child, with identifiable form of a human being, moving and kicking inside the womb. "The Irish people are being asked to give their approval for a proposal that would allow such children to be legally killed. Many people believe that at 12 weeks, they are voting on 'a clump of cells'. The simplest look at a 12-week scan proves this to be untrue. Ms Ui Bhriain added: "We are calling on RTE and TV3 to include a video of such a scan in their television coverage of the referendum campaign. If they want a fully informed electorate, they will do so. - Digital Desk Update - 7.12am, April 16: Sarune Jankauskaite has been found safe and well. Update 9.20pm: Adrian Waligora has been found safe and well. Sarune Jankauskaite remains missing and Gardai are still appealing for the public's help. 15-year-old Sarune Jankauskaite was last seen when she left home for school on Friday morning. She is described as being 5'6 in height, with slim build, blonde hair and blue eyes - and was last seen wearing a light blue jumper and navy trousers. Earlier: Gardai in Cork seek public's help in finding missing teens Gardai are looking for the public's help to find two teenagers missing from Cork City across the weekend. 14-year-old Adrain Waligora and 15-year-old Sarune Jankauskaite were last seen by their parents when they left their respective homes for school on Friday morning. Gardai believe they are together and are concerned for their safety. Adrain is described as being 5'5 in height of slight build with brown hair and brown eyes - wearing a navy jumper and trousers and green Nike shoes. Sarune is 5'6 in height, with slim build, blonde hair and blue eyes - last seen wearing a light blue jumper and navy trousers. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Togher Garda Station on 021-4947120 or any Garda Station. - Digital Desk By Patrick Flynn A holiday jet was forced to divert to Cork Airport on this afternoon after a passenger suddenly fell ill. Aer Lingus flight EI-778 departed Dublin at 3.43pm destined for the Canary Island of Lanzarote. The Airbus A320-200 jet was about 20 minutes into its journey and still climbing to its cruising altitude when the crew issued a Pan radio distressed call and declared a medical emergency about 100kms south of Cork. The crew reported they had a man in his 50s on board whom it was believed had suffered a suspected heart attack. Its understood that a doctor who was travelling on the flight treated the man while the flight diverted. The pilot told controllers that they wished to divert to Cork requesting the emergency medical services be waiting for their arrival. The flight landed safely in Cork at 4.32pm and was met by airport emergency crews as well as a HSE ambulance. The patient was removed to Cork University Hospital for treatment. The flight continued its journey to Lanzarote at 5.30pm and arrived two hours later than scheduled. The return leg of the flight has been delayed as a result and is expected in Dublin at around 2.00am. Parents can help their children with Down Syndrome reach their full potential, but more help from the Government is needed, writes Aedin Collins DAWN is breaking in our home in north country Galway, and like nearly every morning for the past seven years, I awake to singing. It is coming not from the birds, but from our eldest daughter. I have never met anyone as musical as her. She manages to find the tune of every song and sings along even on the first listen. As parents, we wish to nurture that gift, yet we are unsure of how best to proceed. For Roisin is not quite like other little girls. She has Down syndrome. It means she has a mild learning disability, which in turn means it takes her longer to learn things. Roisin is also what is deemed a sensory seeker, meaning she craves stimulus. This can take the form of climbing, wrestling and other physical activities. Sitting still for longer than a few minutes is a challenge for her. In addition, she is what parents in the Down syndrome community will recognise as a bolter. She takes off without a seconds notice, paying no heed to the danger around her. She is fast, and determined to do as she pleases. Busy is the number one-word strangers have used to describe her. She enjoyed ballet lessons for years until she became too unmanageable. Her teacher was very accommodating but the bottom line was that she was unable to both teach the class and make sure Roisin didnt disrupt the other students. We modify our lives as best we can. But still, life with her is tiring and right now, there is not much help being offered. The excellent Early Intervention Programme ensured Roisins first few years of life were a whirlwind of appointments-cardiologist, optometrist, paediatrician, occupational, physiotherapy, psychology, speech and language. I brought her to baby yoga and music classes, desperate to do all I could for the child whose arrival at the hospital had been met with more condolences than congratulations. Children with Down syndrome are often treated with the minimum of expectations. There is terrific fanfare when they reach their milestones, and rightly so, yet one cannot help but feel as a parent, that the bar has been set terribly low for our children who are more than capable with the right help. Roisin exited the Early Intervention Programme when she turned 6 years old and is now in what is called the School Age programme. In the intervening 12 months, she has had just one speech and language therapy session and one physiotherapy session. My calls for more sessions go unanswered. With her sister Eloise. Roisin has many strengths and her mother wants to see her reach her full potential. Pictures: Ray Ryan Roisin attends her local mainstream primary school. The first few months for her here were stressful. We had some meetings with staff who were concerned with her climbing and bolting. Thankfully, that settled down and now Roisin is doing well, assisted by her wonderful special needs teacher and resource teacher. Homework is modified for her. While her classmates can all read and write, she has just mastered the pincer grip. Her spoken words are slowly coming on and she is finally starting to use full sentences. Her speech remains intelligible outside of family and friends, however, it would be a lot worse if it wasnt for the privately funded speech and language sessions she enjoys thanks to Voices for Down Syndrome Galway. Voices is part of the Galway branch of Down Syndrome Ireland run by parents who struggle to raise the necessary 135,000 needed annually to keep the project going. We persist as the results-our children being able to communicate with the world around them- are priceless. The sight of billboards and vans portraying children like ours to further the views of one side of a certain upcoming referendum is particularly galling. Those thousands of euro would pay for many speech and language sessions for our children. Roisin has many strengths and is a very strong visual learner. If she has been to your house once before, and you were kind enough to supply her with her favourite food (potato waffles), she will head straight for your freezer on her next visit to you. I do not possess a strong sense of direction, yet it is Roisin who often guides me should I become lost. She is charming and warm and well known in our village. At school, everyone greets her looking for high fives and hugs, which she is always delighted to dispense. As a child, I dreamed of being the most popular kid in school. For my daughter, it is a reality. In Ireland we have seen a move towards a more inclusive society, with relaxed theatre performances and cinema screenings, and quiet shopping nights at major retailers. Indeed, we are years ahead of countries like Thailand and Singapore, where children with Down syndrome are still hidden away. A neighbour of mine who originally hails from Thailand, tells me she would love to settle back there when her children are older, but that she fears her son with Down syndrome would never be accepted, even by family. While I am heartened by what we have done to make our country more inclusive for all, I feel there is still much to do. Less time wasting in filling out forms for appointments and services, less of a one size fits all approach from HSE professionals, and more government funding to ensure we have the help we need. It is always Roisin and those like her who are expected to fit into societys narrow conventions but Id like to see society bend more to meet her needs. As a fellow Down syndrome parent once remarked to me, We can always do better. Andrea Mara and Pat Fitzpatrick debate cursing in front of children. Cursing is therapeutic, satisfying, pleasing, even necessary at times, just not in front of the kids, writes Andrea Mara A few years ago, sitting down after dinner, my then five-year-old counted the number of people around the table (five) then counted the number of muffins on the plate in the centre of the table (four). Ah, fuck, she said under her breath, shaking her head miserably. My husband and I nearly fell off our chairs. Its not a word either of us had ever heard the kids say, and its not one we use in front of them. Ever. Hearing the unexpected expletive come out of her mouth, it was impossible to keep a straight face. I buried my head in my hands and faked a coughing fit to cover up, wondering if I should say something to her. Eventually, on the assumption that drawing attention to it would make swearing all the more appealing, I decided to say nothing. Though Im very fond of a good expletive, I still dont curse in front of the kids. To me, cursing is therapeutic, satisfying, pleasing, even necessary at times. Its something I do under my breath on a bad day and it makes me feel better. Its something I do out loud (but not too loud the kids are asleep upstairs) when Im ranting to my husband about something I saw on Twitter. Its something I do when I hurt myself and, in fact, research from Keele University shows that cursing can help reduce pain; though I suspect muttering quietly so the kids cant hear takes some of the good out of it. Its not just solo-swearing that appeals a well-placed fuck off can show just the right amount of surprise/awe/shock when a friend is regaling me with a story, and swearing can even be a form of bonding you know youve gelled with the mothers from the school when you can go for a drinks and curse at will, school-gate and daytime decorum left well and truly behind. However, it has never been something I do loosely; swear words are for emphasis and meaning, and they lose that emphasis and meaning when theyre overused. To me, cursing should have purpose, not pepper every conversation to the point that the curser doesnt even realise its happening any more. Thats what I want for my children: To grow into adults who can curse occasionally and purposefully, as needed. They dont need to hear me do it to get there, theyll find their own way. If I swear in front of them, I fear (perhaps unjustly, but Im not willing to risk it) that theyll swear too quickly and easily, taking all the good out of it. Maybe theyve already started, quietly out of earshot. I still remember my first foray into bad language when I was about eight or nine. I was sitting with my friend Sarah in my bedroom in Carrigaline, each of us daring the other to say it, then in unison we shouted Shit! (The resulting euphoria was short-lived as, in our excitement, the volume went up, and my mother caught us.) Of course, wanting my children to grow up with a proper appreciation of occasional swearing isnt the only reason I dont curse in front of them, theres a societal expectation that kids dont curse and, rightly or wrongly, Im not about to put my head above the parapet and send my kids into school talking about their fucking homework and their bastard lunches. (Cheese again? For fucks sake!) Also, I dont want my kids to curse in front of other parents. A word that sounds funny from the mouth of a five-year-old doesnt have the same effect when the child is eight or 10 and sitting at someone elses dinner-table. Right now, they know that cursing is exceptional, not commonplace. On the very rare occasion they hear a swear-word, its followed by pretend you didnt hear that. Of course, the underlying message is this: Its OK to curse if youre a grown-up and youve just stood on Lego again, but not if youre five and worried about the number of muffins. Not only do we curse in front of the kids, we curse at them, and regularly, just to make sure they know we are serious, says Pat Fitzpatrick Heres my question for people who dont curse in front of their kids. Why would you decide to give up one of lifes great pleasures, just when you need it the most? Heres the thing about the word fuck. Its unambiguous. It means, this is serious. It means if you do that again, Im going to go ballistic. As Billy Connolly pointed out, no one ever wrote fuck off, he hinted. Thats why I curse at my kids. Not only do we curse in front of the kids in our house, we curse AT THEM, regularly, to make sure we make ourselves clear. Ours kids are five and three. I shout ah for fucks sake at least once a day, usually around 6.30pm, when I turn my back for two minutes and they thrash the front room. Everyones a winner with ah for fucks sake. The kids get the message that room-thrashing is off the menu for another day; I get to leave off some steam, which is vital now that slapping is a no-no. Ive tried sounds like curses but they dont work at all. Saying feck instead of fuck is like pointing a water pistol at a battleship. Youre not fooling anyone, particularly the kids, who just find it funny. It reminds me of my grandmother, who used to say Jaysu Chrust when she was cross, because she was afraid of committing a venial sin. (Or was that upgraded to a mortal? It always seemed to depend on who you asked.) Anyway, if youre not going to bother with the full fuck, I wouldnt bother at all. Another important reason here is transparency. Irish people curse all the time and were really good at it. Trying to hide this from your kids is a terrible way to prepare them for adult life. Were wondering if we should tell them about oral sex at the age of 10, while still saying feck if they do something wrong. Kids pick up on these things, and guess what, this makes them curse even more. I grew up in 1970s Ireland, when cursing in front of children was as bad as joining the RUC. This didnt stop us kids from cursing in front of ourselves. One of my earliest memories is standing in front of a group of boys in Kinsale saying fuck, fuck, fuck a hundred times, until somebody wet their pants. It might have been me, come to think of it. I dont know why we think cursing is a bad thing. (Fucking is often just a word Irish people use in place of very.) There is definitely a class element in all this, a notion that middle-class people dont curse. Anyone who thinks this has obviously never been to rugby match. But mainly, I blame the puritanical Americans. Your average Yank reckons that saying dammit will put her on a highway to hell. (Mind you, theyre very comfortable talking about their fannies in public, but thats another days work.) We seem to have taken on this American mindset. Its probably got something to do with reading all their parenting books and watching too much Dr Phil. Whatever it is, its totally unsuitable for life in Ireland. As I said earlier, Irish people are incredibly good at cursing. Wed be the best in the world if it wasnt for the fucking Scots. There is an honesty in our cursing that allows people to see what were really thinking. The upshot is we think non-cursers have something to hide, that they cant be trusted. In short, people who cant curse properly are at a disadvantage in Irish life. Why would you want to impose that on your kids? HAVE YOUR SAY Molly Lambert talks to actress Vivica A Fox about her new book, Every Day Im Hustling Your new book is part memoir, part self-help book. The throughline seems to be that you are ambitious and love to multitask. How many different things are you doing at the moment? Ive got a talk show coming out, produced by Dr Phil. Im back on Empire. Im in Sharknado 6. The Vivica A. Fox Hair Collection has been picked up for another four years. I think thats all. Oh, and I do Christmas movies too. So why did you decide to write a book? My agent asked me to. I thought, If you were to do a book, what would you like to do a book about? And I said, well, you know, Im a woman now in my 50s, and Im kind of like a phoenix. Whenever they count me out, I always have a tendency to kind of rise back up from the ashes. What was the process like? I wrote it with a man named Kevin Carr OLeary. He and I would talk on the phone every weekend for a couple of months. When I was in New York doing an event, I said, I want to meet you. Lets have dinner. We met at Philippe, and my publicist said, There goes your writer. And I said, Where? It was this little white guy. I said, Oh, my God, I thought you were black all this time. I knew he was gay, but I thought he was black because he just knew the slang; he knew the whole thing. Then he goes, Well, are you disappointed? And I said, Absolutely not. You write about how youre in that weird in-between zone where you cant get cast as someones mom because youre too hot and you cant get cast as the hot girl because Im too old. But does it feel as if women are stepping up in Hollywood to take control? Its a long time coming. Usually were, like, 35 when they start asking: How old is she getting? OK, were done with her. Wheres the next thing? I have always admired grown women from Tina Turner to Angela Bassett to Pam Grier to Sophia Loren they just were like fine wine and kept getting better with time. It seems that youve worked to have this sisterhood of actresses you admire and try to support. Especially in a business thats very catty. And very prone to pitting women against one another. Exactly. For the first time since Ive been doing this, women are having opportunities that we would have never had directing, producing, starring, everything. Its a good time for us. But sometimes when I go to watch TV, it bothers me, those reality shows where the main objective is for women to just rip one another to shreds. You recently saw Black Panther with Angela Bassett, one of the movies stars. Do you think its success will dispel the notion that movies by and about black people dont do well overseas? Thats what Hollywood executives have claimed. How does music and clothing and basically everything that we do fare so well overseas but not movies? Really? Do you feel optimistic about black Hollywoods future? Im just glad that now we have an opportunity to do our own projects and not be told how we walk and talk. When I did Two Can Play That Game years ago, I had to fight for everything: the way we loved each other, the way we spoke to each other, down to the cars, down to the way we dressed. You campaigned for Hillary Clinton, but you were also on Celebrity Apprentice during the years that Donald Trump was on it. Did you have any idea at the time? No. Well, I did know that he wanted to run for president. Wwith Donald Trump during the The Celebrity Apprentice. I did know that he wanted to run for president, she says of Trump. Were you thinking, thats like my Sharknado co-star Ian Ziering wanting to be president? I thought it was like another notch on his belt. Its like building another building to him. He had no idea what it is to be president of the United States. Do you think hed be happier on reality TV? Yeah. He should go back. We should do a show, The Ex-President No One Likes. Molly Lambert is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles and a columnist for New York Times magazine Michael Clifford questions the failure of gardai to interview a whistleblower who was a witness to an assault on a prison officer, and the lack of urgency in pursuing the case THE assault occurred on a Sunday morning on E wing of the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise. It was soon after breakfast on March 8, 2015. Two inmates set upon a third. There were a number of prisoners and prison officers in the immediate vicinity. Two prison officers went to intervene. Unbeknownst to them, one of the attacking prisoners had a weapon a blade melted into the handle of a toothbrush. This became apparent to the officers once they began to intervene, but by then it was too late to pull back. Both showed bravery in tackling the armed prisoner. One of the officers got slashed just below his thigh. The wound was about a foot long and an inch deep. It required 15 stitches. The incident raised serious tensions in the prison. Violence is a part of life in prisons, but when a prisoner assaults and wounds a member of staff, the reaction among staff is of a completely different order than would pertain following prisoner-on-prisoner violence. A few hours later, the governor addressed the staff to keep everything on an even keel. There followed two separate investigations. When a prisoner transgresses, he or she is subjected to a disciplinary process within the institution. The report is known as a P19, is compiled internally, and sanction applied as deemed appropriate. This would typically involve loss of privilege or redeployment within the prison. In the case of the assault, there was a body of evidence. Apart from the testimony of the injured officer and his colleague, there was CCTV footage. This is understood not to have been conclusive, but definitely was probative in compiling evidence. There was also the evidence of other prison officers in the vicinity, particularly those who intervened to assist their colleagues. Apart from that, the prisoner actually admitted his role. He is reported to have expressed remorse in an interview, and asked that his regret be conveyed to the injured officer. The disciplinary report was effectively an open and shut case, and the prisoner was disciplined. The injured prison officer recovered from his wounds and, according to prison sources, returned to work promptly. He was brave in what he did and he came back to work before he would have been expected to or had to, one source said. The criminal investigation was the other process that was to follow the assault. Naturally, this involves the gardai. A criminal investigation was conducted and a report sent to the DPP, who directed that no prosecution was to be pursued. There was not sufficient evidence to bring charges. Within the prison, there was some bafflement at the result. How could there not be enough evidence? The Irish Examiner understands the Garda investigation did not include as an exhibit the S19 report in which the prisoner effectively admitted his role. The Garda investigation definitely did not include extensive interviews of the prison officers who were present at the incident. One among them was a man referred to here as the whistleblower. He is the prison officer who the Irish Examiner recently reported has received 30,000 from the Workplace Relations Commission over treatment he received as a result of making a protected disclosure. His disclosure concerned work practices and what he saw as ill-treatment he received as a result of raising concerns. The whistleblower was never interviewed by the gardai or the prison authorities, despite being a witness to the assault. The failure to ask him what he saw was referenced by Judge William Early, who examined his protected disclosure. The whistle-blower claimed the failure to interview him was symptomatic of the isolation to which he claimed to be subjected. Judge Early reported: The discloser was the officer in charge of the area where the incident occurred and participated in the restraint of the violent prisoners. An explanation for failing to interview the discloser is that there was excellent CCTV film of the events. However, the judge was not impressed. The incident of March 2015 suggests a serious criminal offence was committed it is quite extraordinary that a primary witness to a serious assault was not interviewed. According to sources in the prison service, the failure to interview the whistleblower for the disciplinary process was not unusual. It mightnt have been considered necessary, one source said. There was CCTV, but even more to the point the prisoner admitted his guilt. So maybe he just wasnt needed. However, the failure of the gardai to interview the whistleblower raises questions. Their case for bringing charges quite obviously was not robust, as it was rejected by the DPP. The apparent failure to seek access to and include the disciplinary case in the Garda file raises more questions. This file contained an admission from the prisoner about his guilt. Surely that was of immense importance to an investigation into an armed assault on a frontline worker, particularly as much of the other evidence must have been flimsy, as it was rejected by the DPP. The injured officer was outraged at the DPP decision. He wrote to the directors office, pointing out the failure to interview the whistleblower and other aspects of the case that he believed were not properly investigated. My colleague is anxious to furnish a statement with regards to the serious assault which was perpetrated on me, he wrote. I am also troubled by the blanket term lack of evidence. In my view, and that of legal professionals, substantial evidence was collated by the gardai and was also in possession of the Irish Prison Service. I would be most grateful if you could outline the lack of evidence given to your office and by whom, as obviously the system has failed me thus far. On October 7, 2017, the prison officer was informed that the case had been referred back to the gardai by the DPP for further investigation. The officer was re-interviewed nearly three months later on December 3. He says he was told the delay was due to the fact that the investigating garda had got married and had been on honeymoon. So far, the whistleblower has not been interviewed by the gardai about an assault that it now three years old. The Irish Examiner understands the disciplinary report has not yet been requested as part of the evidence- gathering process. Ive been left in limbo because I feel that the gardai are simply not interested in pursuing this assault on me, the prison officer said. The failure to interview the whistle-blower appears inexplicable. There is no suggestion that there is any agenda within the gardai actively disposed towards not bringing a prosecution. However, nor is there any sign that a case involving an assault on a frontline worker is being treated with the urgency it deserves. Inquiries about the case to the Garda press office were not answered at the time of going to print. In 1910, when the seeds of a movement were sown, women couldnt vote. It was a decade-long fight, writes Sandra McAvoy One night in October 1910, Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the militant Womens Social and Political Union, addressed a packed meeting in Corks City Hall. Susanne Day, soon to play a leading role in the Munster campaign for the vote, remembered it as the moment a flame was put to the unlit beacon of suffrage opinion in the South. Hanna Sheehy Skeffingtons Dublin-based Irish Womens Franchise League (IWFL) had hosted the Pankhurst meeting and a Cork branch was formed after it. In February 1911, leading members broke away, saying they needed to suit local tactics to local conditions. They renamed themselves the Munster Womens Franchise League (MWFL). Early meetings were in Mrs Connells Tea Rooms on St Patrick St but within months they had 200 members and an office at 83 Grand Parade. Over time, branches in Queenstown (Cobh), Bandon, Skibbereen, Limerick, Waterford, Nenagh, Tralee, and Valentia joined them. Writer and artist Edith Somerville was headhunted to act as president. However, they were not the only suffrage group in the city. There was also a branch of the Irish Womens Suffrage and Local Government Association, a group founded in Dublin in the 1870s. Many in the womens movement were non-Catholics. Many in the Catholic hierarchy opposed womens suffrage and it was 1915 before a specifically Catholic Womens Suffrage Association was formed in Dublin. The MWFL rules stated that it was a non-party and non-sectarian group and, in 1912, the honourable secretary and chief spokeswoman Susanne Day explained that it was formed on practical, non-political lines, and there where on the committee representatives of every shade of political opinions in the city of Cork intense Unionists and Sinn Feiners. Electoral successes MWFL members agreed to promote female candidates in those local elections in which women who met property qualifications already had a vote. These were elections of poor law guardians to the boards that ran the workhouses and elections to town councils. They believed that by taking on electoral office, women would demonstrate that they were as capable as men. Also, there was a theory that womens common sense, caring natures, and domestic skills would make them particularly effective poor law guardians. In 1911, MWFL supported four local women in the poor law elections. Three were elected, including Day and her running-mate in the North East ward, Hanna Mary Barry, who was mightily surprised to win. She was a widowed mother of eight and proprietress of a plumbing business. Day and Barry issued a statement saying they had stood solely in the interest of the poor. Day in particular tried to improve food, clothing, and conditions in the workhouse and district hospital (now St Finbarrs hospital). There was mighty opposition. Workhouses were a charge on ratepayers and some board members rejected any changes that might increase rates and lose them votes. Without electronic or social media, arguments had to be delivered face to face at regular public meetings and MWFL hosted both male and female speakers. Opponents often heckled and harassed the female speakers a gun was discharged at one event. On occasion, members tried to make common cause with working-class men who did not meet the property qualifications for male voters. They held open-air meetings for dockworkers in Passage West and at Queenstown but a Blackpool meeting ended with stones being thrown. Still, many events were highly successful and supported by men as well as women. Militancy versus non-militancy In March 1912, John Redmonds Irish Parliamentary Party voted with Britains Liberal government to defeat a conciliation bill that would have allowed some women to vote in general elections. There were hopes the Home Rule Bill, published soon after, would permit women who could vote in local elections to vote for a home rule parliament. It failed to deliver and English militants and the IWFL in Dublin increased militant pressure on the Liberal government and the Irish Party. When English suffragettes attacked prime minister HH Asquith and Redmond in Dublin and tried to burn the Theatre Royal, the MWFL issued a statement condemning them. When Hanna Sheehy Skeffington was dismissed from her teaching job after the IWFL broke windows in Dublin, however, some MWFL members did sign a petition for her reinstatement. The Corkwomen feared that militancy directed at the popular Irish Party and at a government that promised to deliver home rule for Ireland could be fatal for the womens movement, associating suffragists, as Susanne Day put it, with the worst phases of Carsonism in the North. In autumn 1913, a militant rival appeared in Cork City. An office of Pankhursts militant Womens Social and Political Union was opened at 16 Cook St by Geraldine Lennox, a Corkwoman recently released from a British prison after a hunger strike. Geraldine soon stood on the toes of the MWFL by getting in first to talk to local politicians. She brought prominent English militants and hunger strikers Dorothy Evans (arrested in Ulster with explosives months earlier) and Flora Drummond (the General) to speak at City Hall meetings. A Cork Examiner reporter observed that the students in the gallery were more respectful than was usual at suffrage meetings. By summer 1914, Geraldine Lennox was organising weekly meetings of the Womens Social and Political Union on Thursday nights in Grand Parade, near the MWFLs office. 1914: The Great War and the womens movement On the outbreak of war in 1914, pacifist Francis Sheehy Skeffington (husband of Hanna) declared that war is necessarily bound up with the destruction of feminism Feminism is necessarily bound up with the abolition of war. Varying attitudes to the war fractured a movement in which party-political differences had been set aside when the focus was the vote. The Womens Social and Political Union backed the war effort and, by November 1914, Geraldine Lennox was with a nursing unit in France. The IWFL agreed with Skeffington that women should maintain their focus on the vote. The Munster women split in several ways. The Nenagh branch organised nursing and field-cookery training actions with alternative interpretations of supporting the war effort or painfully picking up the pieces in a war of mens making. Cork members fundraised for a field ambulance, offered it first to Redmonds National Volunteers, and then gave it to the British army for local use when they rejected it. This sparked a bitter row that ended with Mary MacSwineys resignation and her accusing the majority of the committee of being Britons first, suffragists second, and Irish women perhaps a bad third. There was a group within the Cork branch that opposed war. Susanne Day was one. Their perspective appears to have prevailed in meetings that followed MacSwineys resignation. In January 1915, Geraldine Cummins, Days writing partner and fellow league member, joined pacifist-feminist Louie Bennett in signing an Appeal to Suffragists to support the Womens Movement for Constructive Peace, launched by British and US suffragists Emmeline Pethick Lawrence and Jane Adams. Votes for women The war was still being fought in 1918 when the Representation of the People Act extended the vote to all men aged over 21 and men in the armed services aged over 19. Only some women got the vote. Politicians feared the effects of womens votes on party politics. Only those aged over 30 who owned, or were married to a man who owned, property with a rateable value over 5 were permitted to vote in parliamentary elections. In 1922, Irish women at last got the vote at 21 on the same terms as men. British women had to wait until 1928. Dr Sandra McAvoy is a historian whose work has focused on Irish women and politics and on the history of contraception and abortion. She is a former co-ordinator of womens studies in UCC. Leading lights in the Munster Womens Franchise Leagues struggle Edith Somerville (1858-1949): President, Munster Womens Franchise League West Cork novelist Edith Somerville. Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Castletownshend writer Edith Somerville and her cousin Violet Martin are remembered as Somerville and Ross, co-authors of the Irish RM stories and The Real Charlotte but, as Ediths biographer Gifford Lewis says, they were women who spent so much of their lives trying to improve and alter the status of women. That is one reason why Edith, who was in her 50s in 1911, was invited to become president of the Munster Womens Franchise League. She was already an enthusiastic supporter of the suffrage movement and had attended a mass rally in Londons Hyde Park in 1908. Estimated attendance varied between a quarter and half a million. She was impressed to find all social classes represented and that decent-looking workmen cheered speakers. Edith contrasted this with the revilings and jibings of most of the people we know. Edith and Violet were on the committee that organised the 1910 Pankhurst meeting in Cork, and both were stewards that night. In her speeches, Edith included arguments that reflected beliefs within the wider movement on why women should have the vote and hold political office. They included that, because legislation applied to both women and men, both should be involved in law-making; that giving women equal status with men would have wider social and economic implications, including new job opportunities for women and, ultimately, equal pay for equal work; that introducing womens perspectives to political discussions would broaden mens understandings of political and social issues; and, simply, that it was unjust to tax women when their interests were not represented in decisions on budgets and tax rates. That some of those arguments can still be made in 2018 as reasons why we need more women in politics, is an indicator of how disappointed suffragists must have been that giving women the vote brought little change in their status or political influence. For Edith, there was a more profound sadness. Deeply affected by Violets death in 1915, she tried to contact her through seances and believed she still influenced her writing. Their literary achievements were recognised in 1932 when Trinity College awarded Edith a doctorate. She died in 1949 and was buried at Violets side in Castletownshend. Susanne Rouviere Day (1876-1964): Hon secretary, Munster Womens Franchise League Writer Susanne Day was the youngest of 11 children of prominent Cork businessman and antiquarian Robert Day and his wife, Rebecca Scott Day. Involvement in the womens movement raised her consciousness of a range of inequalities. Reports of her 1913 play Toilers suggest it highlighted how low wages pushed women into prostitution. In her pamphlet Women in the New Ireland, she hoped that, under home rule, women and men would work together to tackle slums, disease, and poor education. Susanne has the distinction of being both the first woman to stand in a Cork municipal election (in 1914, when she lost by six votes) and one of three women elected as Cork Poor Law Guardians in 1911. Her humorous and ironic 1916 novel The Amazing Philanthropists focuses on her struggle to persuade fellow guardians to agree to rebuild a childrens ward so overcrowded that it was the norm to have two to a bed. It only slightly fictionalised her experience. Theatre was Susannes great love. Her short play Out of the Deep Shadow was produced at Cork Opera House in 1912 and three plays she co-authored with friend and fellow MWFL committee member Geraldine Cummins were performed by the Abbey Theatre company. These were Broken Faith in 1913, The Way of the World in 1914, and Fox and Geese in 1917. Susanne was one of the league members who spoke against war in 1914 and 1915. In mid-1915, she joined a Quaker relief unit in France as an aid worker assisting French refugees displaced when their towns and villages became battlefields. After the war, she settled in London and played no further part in Irish politics. She edited the respected feminist journal The Englishwoman until 1921. As a journalist, she wrote for the Yorkshire Post and Daily Telegraph and she published two further books: Round About Bar-le-Duc in 1918 (an account of her war experience) and Where the Mistral Blows in 1933. Susanne died in Cromer, Norfolk, in 1964. Mary MacSwiney (18721942): Committee member, Munster Womens Franchise League Mary MacSwiney Mary was the one member of the Munster Womens Franchise League to enter national politics, though in 1910 she could not have imagined what lay ahead. She became a powerful public speaker but, writing in 1922, Susanne Day remembered her as shy and reluctant to speak in public a decade earlier. She overcame her nervousness and chaired meetings. In one 1914 speech, she was concerned that universal suffrage would extend the vote to a large number of men and women who are not fitted to exercise the responsibility. Her solution was compulsory civics classes in schools, with emphasis on the duties and responsibilities of citizenship and the value and significance of the vote, but with the possibility of those who could not understand the concepts not qualifying to vote. After co-founding Cork Cumann na mBan in May 1914, Mary clashed with Francis and Hanna Sheehy Skeffington in the pages of feminist journal the Irish Citizen when they criticised the Cumann na mBan women for not demanding equality with the men in the Irish Volunteers. Biographer Charlotte Fallon noted that, for Mary, votes for women was a matter of social justice and she remained a member of the MWFL after war broke out until, in autumn 1914, unforgiveable things were said in a row about a field ambulance the group had fundraised for, being donated to the British Army. Briefly arrested after the 1916 Rising, Mary lost her teaching job at St Angelas Urusline Convent and that year she and her sister Annie founded the fondly-remembered Scoil Ita. After the death of her brother Terence, lord mayor of Cork, on hunger strike in Brixton Prison in 1920, she undertook a months-long speaking tour across the US. As a TD from 1921, she was uncompromisingly anti-treaty and twice went on hunger strike when imprisoned during the Civil War. War in Ireland had made Mary a different woman from the one Susanne Day remembered. It is tempting to imagine what women like her might have achieved if the New Ireland they had imagined had come about in 1922 and they had shared in shaping its future. She died in Cork in 1942. Geraldine Cummins (1890-1969): Committee member, Munster Womens Franchise League Geraldine Cummins: A speech-making suffragette until her 20s. Geraldine Cummins was the fifth of the 11 children of Edward Ashley Cummins, professor of medicine at UCC, and his wife Jane. In her autobiography, Unseen Adventures, Geraldine listed her occupations over the years as librarian, secretary, novelist, playwright, short-story writer, athlete, agricultural labourer, a woodcutter who wielded an axe and pulled the double saw and in my teens a politician. The last was a reference to her days as a speech-making suffragette until my twenty-first year. In fact, she was involved until she was 23 or 24. Geraldine also recalled the time the Munster Womens Franchise League tried to highlight the exploitation of low-paid female workers, and their efforts to talk to the Sunbeam women ended with league members being stoned out of Blackpool. During a 1914 Votes for Women speaking tour of Kerry, Geraldine was with Susanne Day when young men armed with stones occupied the gallery at one event. She wrote about Susanne facing them down with a plucky, witty speech and bringing them onside with laughter. Geraldine Cummins may have been the force behind the petition from the citizens of Cork opposing the re- arrest of Geraldine Lennox. A hand-drawn postcard that Geraldine sent to a friend has survived. Although she was a member of a non-militant group, it depicts a suffragette smashing the window of the Liberty shop in London. She may have sympathised. In her final days in the suffrage movement, in early 1915, Geraldine supported the womens peace movement. Two of her brothers died in the war, one at Gallipoli and one in France. Geraldine settled in London but returned frequently to Cork. She became a successful writer. As well as having plays she co-wrote with Susanne Day performed by the Abbey Theatre company, she was a novelist and short-story writer. She is best known as a medium who produced a number of books through automatic writing. She had enduring friendships with Edith Somerville and Susanne Day and was Somervilles first biographer. She died in 1969. Geraldine Lennox (18831958): Womens Social and Political Union Cork representative Born in Bantry, Geraldine Lennox grew up in Cork. The 1901 census showed she lived with her family at Mountview Terrace and worked as a cashier. She joined the militant Womens Social and Political Union (WSPU) in London in 1909. By 1913, she was a sub-editor on the organisations newspaper, The Suffragette, at a salary of 2 per week, at a time when statements in the paper were considered incitements to violence. She appears to have been an important link between British and Irish suffragist groups and had spoken at an early Munster Womens Franchise League meeting. She was arrested when police raided the groups headquarters. She and more senior WSPU staff were charged with conspiring with the Pankhursts and analytical chemist Edwyn Godwin Clayton to cause malicious damage to property in a campaign alleged to involve fire-bombing and more serious explosives attacks. There was no evidence that Geraldine carried out violent acts but a note she had scribbled on a list of Piccadilly stores to be attacked brought laughter in court. It read: Not Jaegars, if you can avoid it. She was sentenced to six months in prison. Like other militant prisoners, Geraldine went on hunger strike, was released when her health deteriorated, and then rearrested when she recovered. Members of the Munster Womens Franchise League organised a petition from the citizens of Cork against her rearrest and opposing her being forced to wear prison clothes, to have her hair cut off, and to be subjected to every possible indignity. Later, Geraldine recalled how, while on release, she saw police at her London home and caught a train to the Cork boat. The WSPU paid her to set up an office in the city. Geraldine served as an administrator in a nursing unit in France from 1914 and lost a brother in the war. She worked in London after the war, established a successful employment agency, and continued her involvement in the womens movement. During the Second World War, she served in an Albert Hall area Civil Defence unit and, in 1942, was appointed to run the Shamrock Club, a recreational club for Irish servicemen and women. Ironically, it occupied a building lent by Dublin-born Arthur du Cros, a politician whose house was burned to the ground by suffragette militants in 1912. Geraldine died at home in Cork in 1958. Preliminary projections by independent monitors in Montenegro's presidential election show ruling-party leader Milo Djukanovic sweeping the vote, avoiding a run-off. The Centre for Monitoring and Research said after counting more than 80% of the votes that Mr Djukanovic won about 53% while his main opponent, Mladen Bojanic, won 34%. If confirmed, the result will present a major boost for Mr Djukanovic, who defied Russia to take his country into Nato last year. The vote, the first since Montenegro joined the Western military alliance in December, was seen as a test for Mr Djukanovic, who favours European integration over closer ties to traditional ally Moscow. Mr Djukanovic, the country's dominant politician, and his Democratic Party of Socialists have ruled Montenegro for nearly 30 years. President Filip Vujanovic of that party was not running due to term limits. About 530,000 voters were choosing among several candidates in the Adriatic Sea nation that used to be part of Yugoslavia. Mr Djukanovic was prime minister during a tense October 2016 parliamentary election when authorities said they thwarted a pro-Russian coup attempt designed to prevent the country from joining Nato. He led Montenegro to independence from much-larger Serbia in 2006 and was behind the Nato bid. He hopes next to steer the country into the European Union. Mr Bojanic, an economic expert and former politician, has accused the ruling party of corruption and links to organised crime following a spike in crime-related violence. - PA Update 10.25pm: The United States has outlined plans for new economic sanctions against Russia for enabling the government of Bashar Assad in the ongoing crisis in Syria. Stepping up the pressure on the Syrian president, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley indicated the sanctions to be announced on Monday would be aimed at sending a message to Russia, which she said has blocked six attempts by the UN Security Council to make it easier to investigate the use of chemical weapons. "Everyone is going to feel it at this point," Ms Haley said, warning of consequences for Assad's foreign allies. "The international community will not allow chemical weapons to come back into our everyday life," she said. "The fact he was making this more normal and that Russia was covering this up, all that has got to stop." Ms Haley also made it clear that the United States will not be pulling troops out of Syria right away, saying US involvement there "is not done". Ms Haley said the three US goals for accomplishing its mission are making sure chemical weapons are not used in a way that could harm US national interests; that the Islamic State group is defeated; and that there is a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing. "We're not going to leave until we know we've accomplished those things," she said. Ms Haley said the joint military strike "put a heavy blow into their chemical weapons programme, setting them back years" and reiterated that if Assad uses poison gas again, "the United States is locked and loaded". Syrian president Bashar Assad. Russia has military forces, including air defences, in several areas of Syria to support Assad in his long war against anti-government rebels. Russia and Iran called the use of force by the United States and its French and British allies a "military crime" and "act of aggression". The UN Security Council met to debate the strikes, but rejected a Russian resolution calling for condemnation of the "aggression" by the three Western allies. Assad denies he has used chemical weapons, and the Trump administration has yet to present hard evidence of what it says precipitated the allied missiles attack: a chlorine gas attack on civilians in Douma on April 7. The US says it suspects that sarin gas also was used. "Good souls will not be humiliated," Assad tweeted, while hundreds of Syrians gathered in Damascus, the capital, where they flashed victory signs and waved flags in scenes of defiance after the early morning barrage. Update 4.25pm: Trump defends 'mission accomplished' statement after strike on Syria Donald Trump has defended his use of the phrase "Mission Accomplished" to describe a US-led allied missile attack on Syria's chemical weapons programme. The US president said that "it is such a great military term, it should be brought back". In an early-morning tweet, President Trump said the strike was "perfectly carried out" and that "the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term "Mission Accomplished". President Donald Trump speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House on Friday, April 13, 2018, in Washington, about the United States' military response to Syria's chemical weapon attack on April 7. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) He added that he knew the media would "seize" on the phrase, but said it should be used often. He tweeted "Mission Accomplished" on Saturday after US, French and British planes and ships launched more than 100 missiles nearly unopposed by Syrian air defences. While he declared success, the Pentagon said the bombing of three chemical-related facilities left enough others intact to enable the Assad government to use banned weapons against civilians if it chooses. His choice of words recalled a similar claim associated with President George W Bush following the US-led invasion of Iraq. President Bush addressed sailors on board a Navy ship in May 2003 alongside a "Mission Accomplished" banner, just weeks before it became apparent that Iraqis had organised an insurgency that tied down US forces for years. The nighttime Syria assault was carefully limited to minimise civilian casualties and avoid direct conflict with Syria's key ally, Russia, but confusion arose over the extent to which Washington warned Moscow in advance. The Pentagon said it gave no explicit warning. The US ambassador in Moscow, John Huntsman, said in a video, "Before we took action, the United States communicated with" Russia to "reduce the danger of any Russian or civilian casualties". Former US President George Bush. Update 2.05pm: Bashar Assad claims Syria airstrikes are based on 'lies' Syria's President Bashar Assad has said the Western air strikes against his country were accompanied by a campaign of "lies" and misinformation at the UN. He spoke on Sunday to a group of visiting Russian politicians, and his comments were carried by state media. Assad and Russia deny using chemical weapons, the trigger for the strikes early on Saturday. An alleged gas attack last weekend in the town of Douma killed more than 40 people, according to opposition activists and rescuers. Assad told his visitors that the US, Britain and France, which carried out the strikes, had waged a campaign of "lies and misinformation" against Russia and Syria. The UN Security Council has been paralysed in dealing with the seven-year Syrian conflict and the use of chemical weapons. Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member, is a close ally of Assad. 10.14am: 'Where is the legal basis for this?' - Jeremy Corbyn hits out at Syria airstrikes Jeremy Corbyn has called for a war powers act to give the British parliament more scrutiny over military action following the bombing campaign in Syria. Appearing on BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show, the British Labour leader questioned the legal basis for the UK joining the US and France in airstrikes in response to the chemical weapons attack in Douma. Mr Corbyn said Parliament should have been given a vote ahead of the strikes. "I think what we need in this country is something more robust like a War Powers Act so that governments do get held to account by Parliament for what they do in our name." The Labour leader warned of an escalation in a "proxy war" between the US and Russia. He said chlorine has been used by "a number of parties in the conflict" in Syria as a weapon. Mr Corbyn said that if Britain wants to "get the moral high ground around the world" it must abide by international law for taking military action. "Where is the legal basis for this?" he said. The US has warned it is "locked and loaded" if Syria carries out fresh attacks on its people. Mr Corbyn said: "President Trump has a way with words, that's for sure. I hope it's just exaggeration on his part." Asked if he would order military action in any circumstances if he was prime minister, the Labour leader replied: "No-one would ever say never." Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said "finally the world has said enough is enough" as he defended the "proportionate" action. He told BBC One's The Andrew Marr Show: "There is no proposal on the table at the moment for further attacks because so far - thank heavens - the Assad regime has not been so foolish to launch another chemical weapons attack." Mr Johnson added: "If and when such a thing were to happen then clearly, with allies, we would study what the options were." Asked if there were any circumstances in which he would back air strikes in Syria, Mr Corbyn replied: "I can only countenance involvement in Syria if there is a UN authority behind it. "If we could get to a process in the UN where you get to a ceasefire, you get to a political solution, you then may well get to a situation where there could be a UN force established to enforce that ceasefire. "That surely would save a lot of lives." Update: TV presenter Ant McPartlin has said he was "ashamed and mortified" after crashing his car while drink-driving with his mother in the passenger seat. The 42-year-old was banned from driving for 20 months and fined 86,000 after pleading guilty to driving while more than twice the legal limit. McPartlin's barrister Liam Walker said his client had been seeking help for "alcohol and emotional issues" at the time of the crash, adding that his mother was in the car with him. He told the district judge the incident was down to "a brief relapse unbeknownst to his passenger". "Anthony McPartlin is sorry and is doing everything he can to ensure this never happens again," Mr Walker said. "He hopes that in time he can make himself better and that he might be forgiven by all of the many people he knows and he feels he has let down terribly." The court heard that in a statement to police McPartlin said: "I am very sorry I did this. I am ashamed and mortified that this happened. "I accept full culpability for this and wish to apologise to all those concerned." Ant McPartlin: Im truly sorry for what happened pic.twitter.com/3FSuVS19R1 Channel 5 News (@5_News) April 16, 2018 3pm: TV presenter Ant McPartlin has been given a 20-month driving ban and fined 86,000 after pleading guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court to drink driving. He was charged with drink-driving after allegedly being involved in a collision in Richmond, west London, on March 18th and pleaded guilty earlier today. The 42-year-old, wearing a black suit and white shirt, faced a scrum of photographers and reporters as he walked up the steps at the main entrance to the court building in south-west London, which was guarded by seven police officers. Mr McPartlin stood in the glass dock in court and spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, address and nationality before pleading guilty to a single charge of drink-driving. The charge states he had 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath. Tv presenter Ant McPartlin arrives at court for his drink driving charge... pic.twitter.com/82ACTKj45B Richard Pallot (@richpallotitv) April 16, 2018 McPartlin, who lives in Chiswick, west London, was arrested at around 4pm on March 18 after a failing a roadside breathalyser test following a collision between the Mini he was driving and two other cars. The Metropolitan Police previously confirmed that a number of individuals were treated at the scene for minor injuries, and a child passenger from one of the cars was taken to hospital to be checked as a precaution. After he was charged, ITV announced the Saturday Night Takeaway host would step back from his TV commitments, with co-presenter Declan Donnelly hosting the final two episodes of the show on his own. McPartlin appeared alongside Donnelly on TV screens over the weekend as Britain's Got Talent aired its pre-recorded audition shows. But ITV confirmed Donnelly will be hosting the live shows without his TV partner of almost 30 years. - Press Association Environment Minister Denis Naughten recently met the Defence Forces chief of staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, and they discussed how army personnel could switch to using carbon-free vehicles in future. An Post CEO David McRedmond and the minister also met last week and discussed using electric vans in the postal fleet, as well as the possibility of charge points being installed at post offices. The moves come as the first dedicated electric vehicle public information campaign is launched this week. Departments predict that, by 2020, there will be an estimated 20,000 electric vehicles on Irish roads. Currently there are fewer than 4,000 electric cars in Ireland and only a handful of the States publicly owned vehicles are electrically powered. Department of Communications and the Environment sources confirmed the Defence Forces and An Post electric car meetings. They come after gardai recently began testing the use of six BMW i3 electric vehicles. Mr Naughten is trying to encourage the Office of Government Procurement to advise State agencies about going electric to help reduce climate change, which is under his remit. The Independent Roscommon-Galway TD wants public employers, agencies, and officials targeted. These include ministers themselves (Mr Naughten is the only Cabinet member who has used an electric car for a time), departments, local authorities, local enterprise boards, and library bodies. Contracting authorities in the health sector, including the HSE, Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) and HSE-funded agencies, and services funded by more than half by the exchequer should also be targeted, he believes. Education bodies, including third-level institutions such as universities and institutes of technology, and contracting authorities including education and training boards (ETBs) and primary, post-primary, special and secondary schools should also be a focus so that vehicles used by employees are electric, the minister is pressing. Furthermore, it has been decided to speak to the Irish Prison Service about its staff and services converting to electric. Local authorities such as Dun Laoghaire, Tipperary, and Dublin City Council are currently using a number of electric vans, while An Post has arranged for a delivery of a batch of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) will launch its driving electric campaign on Wednesday in Dublin. It will highlight how transport accounts for a third of Irelands energy requirement and energy-related CO2 emissions, and electric vehicles offer a more sustainable alternative to the traditional diesel or petrol car. The SEAI will also launch a new online information hub for those thinking of making the switch to electric. In the last budget, the Government enhanced grants to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles, including for home chargers, while savings of up to 5,000 can be made on VRT. Tolls, starting on the M50, will also be discounted for electric vehicles later this year and the number of free public charging points are being increased beyond the 900 currently in place. The bishops authored pastoral messages which were delivered to congregations across their dioceses. In his message to 68 parishes, the Bishop of Cork and Ross John Buckley said where a baby is terminally ill or has been conceived through rape especially in those tragic cases both the mother and her unborn child can and must be loved and cherished. The child in the womb is innocent of the circumstances of its conception and its health condition, he said. There is no other situation in life where the ending of the life of an innocent person is the answer to a difficulty. He said the referendum could remove the only remaining effective law to protect the unborn. If the Eighth was repealed, he said, legislators would then be able to propose laws for abortion right up to birth with no restrictions and over which the people of Ireland will have no control. We can only speculate as to how many lives have been saved by the Eighth Amendment, he said. We will never again have a more important vote. There is no cause more noble than to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, said he did not agree that a pregnant woman should have an absolute right to choose the fate of her pregnancy. Once we deny the right to life of the unborn, we can no longer defend ourselves from what flows from an abortion culture, said Bishop Nulty. I have the sense that we are walking with our eyes closed into an era of eugenics, unwilling to look where we are going but still continuing on. In its first public comment on the 3pm-6.30pm car ban, which was introduced by Cork City Council on March 27 to prioritise buses but which the Cork Business Association (CBA) say has hit trade and put jobs at risk, Cork Chamber said it is too early to say whether the initiative is working or not. The agreed three month implementation period should be completed with a comprehensive review taking place prior to final decisions, while the recently announced Government investment of 200m through BusConnects is released without delay to allow rapid progress be made across Corks public transport infrastructure, said Chamber president Bill OConnell. The comments come as a petition gets underway calling for the traffic changes to be scrapped. City council chief executive Ann Doherty, who has asked for the ban to be given three months to assess, has introduced free parking and park and ride bus deals, to support traders. However, the CBA said traders can not afford to wait that long, and want the ban scrapped immediately. While some retailers reported an increase in footfall over the weekend, others said their figures were down between 25% and 40% on the same Saturday last year. However, Mr OConnell last night said the Cork City Centre Movement Strategy, of which the St Patricks St car ban is a key part, is an essential element of meeting the evolving needs of the city through the facilitation of a more effective public and private transport system. He said the citys population is set to increase, and that thousands of new jobs will be created in the city over the coming years, bringing a vibrancy and spending power which will ultimately benefit our much valued traders hugely. However, he pointed out that the Chambers 1,200 members, employing more than 100,000 people, have said public transport efficiency and upgrades is a top priority and a key element of future investment and location decision-making. Change is almost always difficult but change also needs to be given a chance, said Mr OConnell. The report for the Oireachtas Budget Oversight Committee says it could not get sufficient evidence or data to conclude that the stamp duties were sustainable over a long period. The high-profile committee, as part of its budget scrutiny role, is now to recommend that Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe provide details on the duty changes introduced last year. Commercial stamp duty was increased from 2% to 6% in the last budget, with estimates that it would provide increased revenue of 376m this year, implying total property transactions of 9.5bn. It was also tweaked by the minister to encourage development towards the residential sector. The committee notes that the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has identified a reliance on transaction-based taxes such as stamp duty as a medium budget risk which could reduce the stability of tax revenues. It also notes that the European Commission highlighted the dependence on commercial stamp duty as a budgetary risk. Its confidential report says the calculation of short-term revenue yield from commercial stamp duty budget measures is generally based on reasonable analysis. However, the committee adds that it was not provided with sufficient evidence or data to allow it to conclude that commercial stamp duties are sustainable over a longer (three- to five-year) horizon. Nonetheless, the report, which has yet to be published, notes that the Parliamentary Budget Office assessment was that revenue estimates for the increased money from the stamp duty were static and based on historic data. TDs and senators are to recommend that, in future, revenue projections for significant budget measures should provide estimates over a longer time period. The committee is also recommending that the Department of Finance takes steps to improve the quality of costing information and modelling for significant budget measures. It wants those steps taken in advance of Budget 2019, due to be delivered in October, the last budget at this stage proposed between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail in the confidence and supply agreement. The conclusions come as Mr Donohoe is this week set to brief Cabinet on Irelands macroeconomic outlook for the coming months, starting the lead into preparations and talks for Budget 2019. Mr Donohoes officials say the Stability Programme Update (SPU) for 2018 will include an update of the economic and fiscal outlook. This will incorporate the 2018 tax and voted spending projections following last years budget. It is intended to publish the draft SPU tomorrow and submit a finalised document to the European Commission and European Council on April 30. Theyre also allowed to stay in luxury hotels when it is recommended by local embassies or if the conferences that theyre attending are being held there. The new guidelines are part of a travel policy that was updated by the Oireachtas late last year, and which was released under FOI. It sets out the ground rules for overseas travel, allowing TDs, senators, and Leinster House staff to retain frequent flier miles for example. However, they are told that the availability of such offers should not be allowed to influence their choice of flight options. Chauffeur-driven cars are banned unless it can be proven they are the most economic option and only for travel involving senior officeholders including the ceann comhairle and the cathaoirleach of the Seanad. For short-hop flights, just economy class or internet fares are allowed with flexible tickets permissible only when it is very likely flight times might have to be changed. Priority boarding was available to avoid delays, but other extras like fast-pass and pre-booked seats had to be paid for by the person travelling. For long-haul flights, premium economy class travel can be booked when the additional flexibility afforded is considered necessary for the effective discharge of official business. Business class travel is only allowed where the head of the Oireachtas has sanctioned it because of the length of the flight involved or the business to be conducted. Politicians and staff were told though that time spent on business class flights had to be discounted for subsistence as accommodation and meals are considered to have been provided on board. However, conscious of past expenses controversies, the guidelines say: As a general rule, first-class travel should never be used. A stern warning on the trade down of premium tickets to bring spouses or family members was also included in the guidelines. Members and their staff were told that any saving from downgrading a ticket had to be returned. The travel policy also said they would not pay the travel costs of any person who was not working directly in Leinster House. The only exceptions to that were for staff working on contract or witnesses appearing before Oireachtas committees. The policy said: Unless specific provision is made for spouses or partners in the official programme for travel, it is the policy of the Service to only make travel arrangements for the members and staff concerned. TDs and senators were also urged to get a diplomatic passport for travelling on business. However, they were told it should not be used for their private travel. They were also reassured that they would not have to pay for travel insurance, and that they were covered for almost everything including hijack. Politicians and staff were told they could book Airbnb but that they should first discuss it with the travel unit in Leinster House. If staying in regular hotels, the accommodation bill would usually be paid directly but items like laundry and mini-bar had to be settled personally. The Foreign Affairs minister will meet Northern Secretary Karen Bradley in London and again seek an answer to Irelands request for the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIGC) to meet. Sinn Fein wants the conference convened, which would see formal talks on the North between ministers from both sides and between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and British prime minister Theresa May. The bilateral co-operation is allowed for under the Good Friday Agreement. However, the DUP and leader Arlene Foster oppose the BIGC, which last met a decade ago and is viewed by unionists as giving Dublin a more direct role in negotiations around the North. Mr Coveney last night travelled to Luxembourg and hosted a dinner with counterparts from Lithuania, Latvia, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands, They discussed Brexit negotiations and Irelands concern around the possible return of a hard border. The Tanaiste is in Luxembourg for todays foreign affairs council meeting, where Syria and missile raids on it will be discussed. Meanwhile, a Fine Gael senator has claimed British Brexit secretary David Davis has a wholly inaccurate impression of Ireland that is shared by the while House of Commons. Fine Gael senator Neale Richmond said there was ignorance of Ireland across the board. Barry Gardiner, the shadow spokesman on Brexit, recently declared that the Good Friday Agreement was a purely economic deal, he said on RTEs The Week in Politics. That is ignorant, and an insulting position to hold. Mr Davis claim last week that Sinn Fein had a strong influence on the Government was surprising. The Brexit secretary had some understanding of Ireland but knowledge of this country and its politics was absolutely absent among rank-and-file MPs, he said. They do not understand Ireland, said Mr Richmond. They do not know where the border is. They do not know who the Taoiseach is, or where Sinn Fein are at. An Irish Examiner investigation, published last month, revealed that three grave plots in St Finbarrs cemetery, in Cork City, contain the remains of at least 21 children some of whom were buried as late as 1990. Two of the graves are unmarked, while the third has just one name, despite 16 children being buried in the plot. One of the unmarked plots is owned by the now closed St Annes Adoption Society, while the largest plot was owned by the St Patricks Orphanage, run by the Mercy Sisters. It operated a nursery for St Annes Adoption Society. The final plot is a non-perpetuity plot, indicating that it is unowned. All three plots contain children who were in the care of the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home one of the institutions under the remit of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission. The remainder of the infants one of whom died as late as 1988 and is in an unmarked grave have no connection to Bessborough and are therefore outside the remit of the commission. However, they represent the same cohort of infant deaths being examined namely, the children of unmarried women who were to be adopted. The Irish Examiner asked both the commission and the DCYA if all of the burials in the plots would be investigated and if the terms of reference would be extended to include St Annes Adoption Society. The DCYA said there are no plans to further extend the commissions terms of reference, saying it had sufficient scope to examine the issues raised, in so far as they relate to the children who were resident for a time in the named institutions [listed under the terms of reference]. Asked again if all of the burials including those which are not connected to Bessborough would be examined, the DCYA said it was not in a position to address the question, as it does not hold the records of St Annes Adoption Society or those of the cemetery. When this information was then offered to the DCYA, it responded by stating that the Irish Examiner should contact the commission directly. The same question was put to the commission, which responded one week later, but declined to answer. Some of the retailers, professionals and employees working in the heart of Midleton in Co Cork are occupying Main Street car parking spaces on a daily basis. The car parks in Midleton are full. Traffic is at a standstill and people are double parking on the main street. Its chaos, warned Cllr Susan McCarthy. The town, 19km from Cork city and located just off the main route to Waterford and Rossclare, is regarded as the central hub of business in East Cork. The Midleton distillery is located in the town and the Jameson Experience is one of the countrys premier tourist attractions. Significantly, the town does not have paid-parking and does not have a traffic warden. Members of the East Cork municipal district council is considering deploying a warden from nearby Cobh amid warnings the town was now at a critical juncture with traffic congestion. Cllr Susan McCarthy said action was needed to support businesses on the main street. A private multi-storey car park near the Iceland supermarket was rarely full and provided free parking for the first hour. She said she would love to take over the car park. Council officials said they were examining ways to maximise the use of town centre parking spaces and would consider changes in tandem with new streetscape works expected to get underway this year. Discussions are continuing with the local chamber of commerce and the council was hoping workers would be encouraged to park on the outskirts of the town, officials said. They also want businesses to utilise potential parking spaces at the rear of premises. Cllr McCarthy said the two-hour limit required enforcement. Perhaps the presence of a traffic warden might help. Maybe we have to look at going down the road of pay parking but Id know there would be a lot of opposition to that, she said. Cllr Michael Hegarty said he knew there were staff and business operators parking all day long on Main Street and theyd have to get alternative parking. Cllr Mary Linehan-Foley said when pay parking was brought into Youghal, it was decided all off-street parking would be free but charges would apply for parking on the main streets. The initiative had worked, she said, and it had lead to a good turnover of spaces on the main streets which had benefitted local shops. Its something that should definitely be looked into, she told her Midleton colleagues. Municipal district officer Joe McCarthy said, some years ago, traffic wardens had been policing parking in Midleton and there had been a greater availability of spaces. A lot of this could be resolved if business owners and staff didnt park on the street, he said. The problem arises because of misuse of prime spaces. Enforcement is necessary. Cllr Susan McCarthy, meanwhile, said the presence of a traffic warden would pay for itself as fines would be issued to motorists breaching the two-hour bylaw. If you have a warden in there two or three days a month it will pay dividends, she said. Officials agreed to consider her request. Meanwhile, Cllr Danielle Twomey said she was concerned about a lack of disabled spaces in the town, apart from some at the Distillery car park. Council officials said a town-wide review on disabled parking is being conducted. Monday, April 16th, 2018 (3:09 pm) - Score 1,222 Alternative network provider Community Fibre has sign a partnership with Virtua UK, which specialises in delivering broadcast, mobile telecoms, inbuild, consultancy and network solutions. The group will help the ISP to roll-out their new full fibre (FTTP/H) broadband network in London. At present Community Fibre expects to have extended their Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH/P) broadband network to around 60,000 homes in London by the end of 2018 and their medium-term aspiration is to reach 500,000 by the end of 2022 (150,000 have already been contracted), which is looking increasingly plausible since they secured 11.3m of private equity investment from investors (here). Andy Richards, Managing Director Virtua UK, said: Community Fibre is a forward thinking and ambitious company and we are excited to help build their future proof network. Our engineering teams are committed to providing the highest quality installations, from health and safety to technical knowledge we pride ourselves on our Right First Time ethos. Richards said that Virtua UK will help to build CFs new network. Related projects range from ground crews providing civils works and extend to their rigging teams abseiling down tower blocks. The first project will see Virtua provide engineering delivery for 8 tower blocks in the city. Monday, April 16th, 2018 (10:09 am) - Score 3,090 A recent debate of the Digital Infrastructure Panel (hosted by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills), which included representatives from ISPs BT, Hyperoptic and Virgin Media, has highlighted government policy and or regulation as the key barrier to large-scale investment in full fibre (FTTH/P) broadband. Overall some 50% of attendees identified the above issue as a key barrier, while 23% said that access to funding (public and/or private) was the main barrier and another 23% pointed to the technologys challenging economics (e.g. high deployment costs and uncertain consumer demand) as the primary stumbling block. The debate took place as a backdrop to the Governments on-going Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, which is examining what changes may need to be made (e.g. planning, copper switch-off) in order to turn the United Kingdom into an attractive place for investment to support the deployment of new full fibre broadband (FTTP/H) and future 5G Mobile networks. At this point some readers may rightly point to all the recent announcements concerning major Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) style deployments of Gigabit capable broadband technology across the UK (see our summary and INCAs report), although most of those are focused upon the easiest low hanging fruit of urban areas, but the costs increase disproportionately the deeper you go (many billions of pounds). Similarly many of the schemes that the government has introduced so far, such as their 400m Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund (DIIF) and the c.200m Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme (details), will only go so far in helping to improve coverage before hitting a wall. On top of that the 5 year holiday on business rates for new fibre, while useful, has been countered by a significant rise in rates on existing fibre. Meanwhile operators are calling for further changes, many of which could be tricky to implement. For example, Openreach and KCOM are both keen to switch-off their older copper networks as fibre optic lines are rolled out to individual homes and businesses, yet they face a complicated barrier of competition and historic regulation. Not everybody wants to pay more for FTTP and so you cant simply switch off copper-based services without creating a mountain of complex problems for ISPs. The recent debate included some useful feedback from members of the panel and weve summarised some of their key points below. Dana Tobak, CEO of Hyperoptic, said: One of our biggest challenges is actually getting wayleaves in local authority buildings. Our coverage in urban areas would be significantly greater if councils signed wayleaves, but fundamentally thats something thats gone really slowly and there seems to be a disconnect in appreciating that in order to get full fibre you actually need to put fibre in there. Dan Butler, Virgin Medias Head of Public Policy, said: We hope that the DCMS Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review will be a vehicle for more policy consistency and to solve some of the genuine supply-side barriers to build, which are wayleaves and getting broadband in to new developments. And Government should implement policy which stimulates demand for ultrafast broadband through voucher models, and encouraging people for whom there might be an economic barrier to move to high speed broadband. Emily Clark, BT Chief Economist, said: I would argue that you can leave more to the market and move away from the very micro management by regulation that you see at the moment, which is not good for BT/Openreach or rivals either regulation of Openreach affects the prospects of Openreachs rivals by taking out value from the industry. When you look at what happens in other countries they have taken much bolder decisions about regulation. In countries like Spain and Portugal where there is a lot more FTTP theyve tended to step back from regulation like VULA in order to really drive incentives for rivals to invest. And in other countries theyve actually stepped back from competition and said what well do is create a very stable and predictable regulatory framework around the single national provider and that has also worked very well. In the UK we have neither of those models. Geoffrey Norris, Senior Advisor (Global Counsel), said: Across the UK political class, ambitions and expectations about broadband and 5G are high and rising, and are likely to lead to Governments of whatever political complexion to become more interventionist in the pursuit or realising them. Were already seeing this in some of the moves by Matthew Hancock in terms of him taking powers to set objectives for Ofcom and I also think that Brexit will facilitate a more interventionist UK Government. Secondly, a Jeremy Corbyn-led Labour Government would have none of the reticence about state-led solutions that has characterised UK public policy under Labour, Coalition and Conservative Governments over recent decades. A Jeremy Corbyn led Government may indeed favour the renationalisation of Openreach as a wholesale, open-access provider. As usual with industry events like this there can be a tendency for each provider to talk-up aspects of change that are in their own vested interests, which can skew some of the points of view being offered. Nevertheless it will be for the government to rummage through all these competing interests and to drive forward a policy that can hopefully resolve some of the problems. Wed also urge caution when country-to-country comparisons are used because other telecoms and infrastructure landscapes can be significantly different from the UK. For example, some countries have benefited from significantly more state aid funding and others may have a much larger proportion of people who live in easier to reach apartment blocks etc. At the same time theres also an argument for avoiding overly invasive industry changes, particularly any that could risk destabilising the currently quite healthy and growing market for alternative network providers that have sprung up to compete with Openreach (investors might take a wait and see approach that would slow progress). Suffice to say, the government have a difficult job ahead. Monday, April 16th, 2018 (8:33 am) - Score 1,001 The Scottish Governments Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, has called on the UK government to correct the grossly unfair 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband, which appears to be in conflict with Scotlands own 600m plan to deploy 30Mbps+ broadband to nearly all homes. At present a little over 93% of Scottish premises can already access a 30Mbps+ capable fixed superfast broadband network and this deployment has been largely supported by the existing 428m Digital Scotland project with BT (Openreach), which has been rolling out a mix of their 80Mbps capable FTTC and Gigabit capable FTTP technologies. Not to mention separate commercial deployments from Virgin Media etc. The existing programme is now entering its final extension phase and in response the Scottish Government has developed the R100 programme, which aspires to make 30Mbps+ capable broadband networks available to 100% of the country by the end of 2021 or March 2022 as a financial year (here and here). Several suppliers including BT, Gigaclear, Axione and SSE Enterprise Telecoms are known to be bidding. We should point out that the current R100 contract notes that there are 178,948 premises eligible for intervention across three regional lots, although its been previously predicted that around 280,000 premises could be left without access to superfast broadband once the Digital Scotland project completes. As such we wont know what kind of % coverage will actually be achieved until later this year or early 2019. Meanwhile the UK government, which currently expects 98% of the United Kingdom to be covered by superfast broadband come the end of 2020, has recently committed to proceed with the implementation of a legally-binding and industry funded Universal Service Obligation (USO) that will set a minimum broadband speed of 10Mbps (1Mbps upload) for all from 2020 (here); primarily aimed at catering for the final 2% and only on request from an eligible end-user. Scotlands Dilemma Suffice to say that the Scottish Government appears to perceive that the legally-binding 10Mbps USO is in some degree of conflict with their own non-binding R100 programme, although strictly speaking the USO is more of a legal backstop than a replacement for non-binding coverage commitments with faster speed targets. Nevertheless the SNP dominated Scottish Government does have a point and as such theyve recently written to the UK Culture Secretary, Matt Hancock MP, in order to make their grievances known and hopefully extract a more favourable balance of funding for Scotland. Fergus Ewing (SNP), Scotlands Rural Economy Secretary, said: This USO will be funded by industry, who are in turn likely to pass on the costs to consumers across the UK. If excluded from the USO, people in Scotland would get nothing back despite contributing funding. This is grossly unfair This is indicative of the UK governments approach to broadband roll-out thus far, which has been to ignore the needs of Scotland, particularly our rural areas, and instead rely on an entirely industry-led model, which would leave large parts of rural Scotland completely disconnected. The collaboration we seek would allow us to unlock significant savings to which Scottish consumers have a right. I have therefore asked the secretary of state for digital for clarity about whether the UK government intends to collaborate and avoid cutting Scottish consumers out completely. The clash over broadband between Westminster and Holyrood is of course nothing new and weve been here several times before (see here and here), although previously the Scottish Governments main gripe with the USO was focused more on the contentious prospect of a voluntary (non-binding) deal being done with BT. The argument now appears to have shifted since the UK decided against a voluntary BT agreement in order to pursue a binding USO, which has yet to choose any suppliers or set out its final technical solution and funding arrangements (Ofcoms job). Those final details of how the USO will work are of course vital for understanding the potential impact upon Scotlands R100 plan. In response the UK Government (DCMS) has merely reminded that the USO would be designed to benefit the whole of the UK and is only a minimum required performance level, which could be increased in the future. However this seems unlikely to resolve the on-going clash of coverage aspirations, funding and political ideologies that tend to fuel such debates. Legally speaking Westminster does have responsibility for improving broadband in Scotland, although as with past programmes this does not prevent the devolved government from pursuing grander non-binding improvements of its own. Sadly broadband is increasingly one area where the differing approaches could be sowing the seeds for further division. Monday, April 16th, 2018 (5:16 pm) - Score 1,861 The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned UK telecoms operators against using hardware and services provided by ZTE a Chinese state-owned enterprise because of the potential risks to the UKs national security. The letter to telecoms providers also referenced one of ZTEs Chinese rivals, Huawei, although they do not appear to have been similarly blacklisted. A number of operators use related kit, for example, BT makes extensive use of hardware and services supplied by Huawei in their broadband infrastructure and the in 2011 they also signed an R&D partnership with ZTE. The NCSC warned that adding in new equipment and services from another Chinese supplier [e.g. ZTE] would render our existing mitigations ineffective. Dr Ian Levy, Technical Director of the NCSC, said: It is entirely appropriate and part of NCSCs duty to highlight potential risks to the UKs national security and provide advice based on our technical expertise. NCSC assess that the national security risks arising from the use of ZTE equipment or services within the context of the existing UK telecommunications infrastructure cannot be mitigated. Back in 2013 a report from the governments Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) similarly warned that BTs (Openreach) deployment of broadband ISP and telecoms equipment supplied by Chinese firm Huawei could have implications for national security (here), which is despite GCHQ establishing the joint Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (The Cell) with Huawei to examine their equipment. Other operators also make use of telecoms kit from the firms. At the time GCHQ acknowledged that the risk of unauthorised access cannot be entirely eliminated, which is arguably true of any telecoms equipment no matter what its source. It is just impossible to go through that much code and be absolutely confident you have found everything, said GCHQ. Suffice to say that mitigating the concern over Huawei is one thing but the resources may not exist to do it for ZTE too. UPDATE 17th April 2018 Added a comment from BT below. Accounting software company Reckon has released a new web-based point of sale solution Reckon Cloud POS which it says is designed to allow small businesses to track sales, manage inventory, reward customer loyalty, manage employees and run reports on any device. Reckon says the release is set to further fuel its cloud-first game and follows its acquisition of the perpetual licence to the source code from Pose, a leading Israeli provider of flexible, affordable and user-friendly web-based POS systems, early last year. Sam Allert, managing director ANZ at Reckon, says the latest software development further delivers on Reckons long-term strategy and commitment to helping small business owners work better and reap better business outcomes and at its crux, demonstrates another major leap forward in the companys ongoing vision to cloudify its core accounting offering. The integration of a POS feature is a natural progression for Reckon, as we continuously look to provide our customers with a more fully integrated platform and one-stop shop with a complete suite of solutions. From local cafes and market stalls to door-to-door sales and online stores, small business retailers are rapidly migrating away from traditional standalone and physical payment terminals to new POS systems with myriad functionalities. In addition, small business owners demand mobility; they want to be able to run their operations anytime, anywhere, online or offline and that is exactly what we are facilitating. Reckon Cloud POS will allow our customers to enjoy a seamless transactional experience by streamlining reporting, automating tax obligations and ultimately, ensuring an uninterrupted flow of data between their POS and accounting system. Allert says with more than 1 in 10 trading businesses in Australia requiring mobile and over-the-counter transactions, this represents robust growth opportunities for Reckon as a business. He notes that the global POS terminal market was worth approximately $70.17 billion in 2016 and is projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 11.5% through to 2025. This is driven by the uptake of wireless and mobile POS terminals amongst small and medium-sized businesses within the retail and hospitality sectors. Reckon Cloud POS is fully integrated with Reckon One and Reckon Accounts Hosted, and the software is also available as a standalone application. Australian connected autonomous vehicle technology company Cohda Wireless has released a claimed world-first vehicle positioning system that it says eliminates GPS blackspots that exist in so-called urban canyons between high-rise buildings. Cohda says the vehicle-based V2X-Locate system uses its expertise in developing collision avoidance systems for mines, and can identify vehicle position to sub-metre accuracy in environments that degrade GPS accuracy, such as tunnels, underground carparks and between high-rise buildings. And, according to Cohda, as well as enhancing current connected vehicles, V2X-Locate delivers a critical component for connected autonomous vehicles, which will require uninterrupted positioning data to safely navigate on roads. The Adelaide-based company says that although GPS navigation systems have revolutionised transport during the past decade, they can suffer from degraded accuracy in locations with compromised sky views. Cohda says it has designed V2X-Locate to enable equipped vehicles to identify their location using existing Smart City V2X (vehicle-to-everything) roadside infrastructure from any standards-based manufacturer. Cohda Wireless chief technology officer Paul Alexander said V2X-Locate was a globally unique product. We solve the problem caused by GPS and satellite-based positioning systems not working in all use-cases. If you're in a major downtown area with tall buildings, or in a tunnel or in an underground parking lot, a GPS system can fail, preventing it from delivering accurate results. As well as being inconvenient for current drivers, this is not an option as we enter the era of driverless cars. The V2X-Locate breakthrough is to position the vehicle with sub-metre accuracy by using the existing communications signals produced by V2X Smart City infrastructure deployments. The result is that V2X-Locate can eliminate positioning blackspots in city centres where they are most likely to occur. Both Cohdas standard V2X Onboard Units and Roadside Units utilise the NXP RoadLINK chipset, which supports V2X-Locates highly accurate performance by delivering what Cohda says is best-in-class multi-path channel tracking. Alexander says that after a pre-release international roadshow in October last year, Cohda Wireless received strong interest in V2X-Locate from both Smart Cities and Tier 1 automotive manufacturers. And, Cohda Wireless says that to meet demand it has released a V2X-Locate Evaluation Kit, which contains the system and four roadside unit devices, which equips prospective customers to put V2X-Locate through its paces. More than 156,000 Cisco switches on the Internet still have the company's Smart Install Client turned on, despite warnings that the tool could be exploited to scan such switches and change software in order to stage attacks. Omar Santos, Cisco's cyber security principal engineer at the company's product security incident response team, said in a tweet that the number of hosts had dropped by about 10,000 after a week a warning was issued by Cisco's Talos Intelligence Group on 5 April. (Graphic below, right, shows the countries where the vulnerable switches are located.) We are down 10,000 hosts or so in a week. But there are still over 156K devices with Smart Install exposed to the Internet according to @shodanhq !! Please disable it or block TCP port 4786! We are still seeing abuse of the protocol. https://t.co/Ef0sXdt90X Omar Santos (@santosomar) 15 April 2018 "We are down 10,000 hosts or so in a week," Santos wrote. "But there are still over 156K devices with Smart Install exposed to the Internet according to @shodanhq !! Please disable it or block TCP port 4786! We are still seeing abuse of the protocol." He added that a scan using the Shodan search engine had shown that this number of switches had the utility still active. Recent attacks on sites belonging to Russian and Iranian interests have been put down to exploitation of the protocol in the Smart Install Client. The attackers have been leaving patriotic messages on on the Web interface of the routers they had attacked. A week back, Santos clarified in a tweet that it was the protocol that being exploited, and not another vulnerability in the Smart Install Client, which had been found recently and patched. "Folks, CVE-2018-0171 is NOT what is being exploited globally," he wrote. "It is the protocol abuse. You MUST disable Smart Install or apply an ACL! The protocol is broken!" In a blog post on 5 April, Talos wrote that the Cisco Smart Install Client was a legacy utility that could be used for no-touch installation of new Cisco switches. But, it said, the protocol used by this tool could be abused to modify the settings of the TFTP server, exfiltrate configuration files, and change settings to facilitate the execution of IOS commands. Folks, CVE-2018-0171 is NOT what is being exploited globally. It is the protocol abuse. You MUST disable Smart Install or apply an ACL! The protocol is broken! We just published this > https://t.co/HSbBXgP9Vh Omar Santos (@santosomar) April 10, 2018 IOS is a package of routing, switching, inter-networking and telecommunications functions integrated into a multi-tasking operating system. The Australian Federal Police is undertaking a roadshow of its cyber safety programme, ThinkUKnow, in NSW and Victoria aimed at educating communities about how to keep young people safe in online environments. In partnership with Commonwealth Bank, the regional forums will take place in Griffith, Wagga, Albury and Moama in NSW, and Mildura and Shepparton in Victoria. Law Enforcement and Cyber Security Minister Angus Taylor said cyber safety and security was an issue for all Australians no matter where they are, and the roadshow sought to give regional Australians access to this vital programme. The ThinkUKnow forums will address the challenges the Internet presents to the Australian community, including our law enforcement agencies, and aims to empower parents and teachers with solutions, he said. These issues range from cyber bullying and online grooming to inappropriate content to other potential illegal behaviour. Cyber safety for young people is one of the highest priorities for the Turnbull Government, and we will continue to work to stamp out cyber bullying and illegal activity to keep our children safe. AFP assistant commissioner Deb Platz said the roadshow was an example of the agency using the strength within communities to prevent crime. While law enforcement agencies are becoming more and more advanced in preventing crime online, we know that one of the most effective ways to keep young people safe is through education, Platz said. This means encouraging conversations about cyber safety over the dinner table, letting parents and teachers know the warning signs to look out for, as well as where they can go for support and to report. Yuval Illuz, chief information, security and trust officer at the Commonwealth Bank, said the banks cyber security team Digital Protection Group would deliver cyber security sessions during the forum. The best approach to cyber security is to be informed and proactive, Illuz said. That is why it is important for the Commonwealth Bank to be working with the government, AFP and businesses across the country to help mitigate potential risks online. The ThinkUKnow roadshow runs until 3 May. Australia has blamed Russian state-sponsored hackers for what it says were attacks utilising routers in 2017 as a means to gain access to websites belonging to Australian companies. A statement from the Cyber Security Minister Angus Taylor (below, right) said that this claim was based on intelligence from Australian agencies and made "in consultation with our allies". The US Computer Emergency Response Team issued a statement overnight, which it said came jointly from the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, wherein similar claims were made about attacks on sites in those countries. The US advisory said the attacks in question dated back to 2015. Taylor said: Commercially available routers were used as a point of entry, demonstrating that every connected device is vulnerable to malicious activity." Cisco switches that have the Smart Install Client active areto be vulnerable in the protocol that this utility provides. As iTWireon Monday, there are still more than 150,000 Cisco devices on the Internet which have the client active. The Australian Cyber Security Centre has also issuedabout the Cisco issue. The US advisory said, in addition, devices which had generic routing encapsulation and the simple network management protocol enabled were also among those which had been attacked. Over the last week of March and the first week of April, there have been attacks on sites belonging to Russian and Iranian interests; a theory that these were carried out by US interests has been played down by an ex-NSA man. Added Taylor: This attempt by Russia is a sharp reminder that Australian businesses and individuals are constantly targeted by malicious state and non-state actors, and we must maintain rigorous cyber security practices. The statement said there was no indication that information breaches had taken place in Australia. Taylor, who is now in the US for discussions on cyber security and law enforcement, said: A strong alliance between Australia and the United States is crucial if we are to prevent and develop strong defences to state-sponsored cyber incidents. The Turnbull Government, through its 2016 Cyber Security Strategy and the establishment of the Home Affairs portfolio, is committed to ensuring the Australian public sector, businesses and the community are safe from malicious cyber activity." The US advisory said: "(The) FBI has high confidence that Russian state-sponsored cyber actors are using compromised routers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks to support espionage, extract intellectual property, maintain persistent access to victim networks, and potentially lay a foundation for future offensive operations." Australian mobile rewards platform Unlockd has been forced to put off an impending IPO after Google threatened to remove its apps from the Google Play store and disable the advertising content it serves through the AdMob technology. In a statement, Unlockd said it had applied for an injunction in the UK High Court to prevent Google from removing its apps and disabling AdMob generated advertising content. Unlockd's business model is built around consumers agreeing to view content on their mobile screens when they unlock their phones. In exchange, the users get rewarded in different ways, such as getting discounts on their monthly mobile bills. Its apps run only on the Android operating system meaning that the threat by Google, if carried through, would more or less cuts off its blood supply. Asked why it had not created an app for iOS, an Unlockd spokesperson said: "Unlockd has always been Android only due to the closed nature of the iOS operating system not allowing third-party apps to integrate into their ecosystem." The business, which is in its fledgling stages, has about 330,000 users worldwide and has offices in India, the US, the UK and Australia. Unlockd's business model. Unlockd returns about 70% of the ad revenue it gets to its users, while Google, which dominates the mobile ad market, does not offer a cent back. Unlockd said it was striking that the warning from Google, about removing the Unlockd apps, came at a time when there had been speculation about Unlockd going in for an IPO this month. It added: "Unlockds legal counsel has confidence that the threats made by Google to withdraw access and the supply of services in respect of Google Play and AdMob represent an abuse of its dominant position and breach of competition rules. "Notwithstanding the legal action, we continue to explore all possible avenues to find a solution that works for both parties and avoids unnecessary disruption to our partners and customers. In response to a query from iTWire, a Google spokesperson said: "Our publicly available AdMob and Google Play policies clearly set out how our products may be used, and are designed to protect the interests of advertisers, publishers and phone users. "We explained our concerns to Unlockd, outlined how they could fix the problems or use alternatives, and gave them time to make changes. And despite having agreed at the outset to comply with our product policies, their app remains in infringement today." Update: iTWire sought answers from Unlockd about Google's claims. The questions and answers are reproduced in full below: Q: The complaints that Google has against Unlockd are said to concern ads that make bogus claims to encourage clicks, pages that are completely filled with ads, interstitial ads (which load as a different page is loading) and ads that interfere with other apps, ads, or the operation of the mobile device in question. How much truth is there to these claims? A: Unlockd is an attention-based mobile rewards platform where users to opt-in to view targeted ads, content and offers upon unlocking their smartphone in exchange for rewards. Our opt-in model is explicitly and clearly referred to in all of our communications, Terms of Use and at the point of download of all partner apps on the Google Play Store. Our global patent protection supports our unique and valuable ad placement on the unlock event that enables advertisers to reach opted in consumers before they go to social media, other apps or websites. We have received formal written approval from Google on two separate occasions, validating Unlockds app for use with AdMob, and Google has also acknowledged that it is consistent with their policies. Q: Google has said that it had concerns about the way Unlockd did not adhere to its AdMob and Google Play policies. Can you please elaborate on this? What was the disagreement about? A: Google alleges that Unlockd has breached a number of its policies and as result plans to shut down Unlockds access to the AdMob inventory and Google Play Store. Unlockd firmly rejects (the charge) that its app breaches Googles policies. The threats to withdraw Unlockds access are a reversal from Googles previous approach Google has previously approved Unlockds App for use with AdMob on two separate occasions during 2017 following exhaustive testing, and on both occasions acknowledged that the app is, in fact, consistent with their policies. Unlockd has not made any changes to its App that justifies a change of approach. Q: Google also says that Unlockd was told how fixes for these problems which it does not specify could be implemented and that Unlockd agreed to comply with the product policies. So how did the problem arise? A: As mentioned already, Google has previously approved Unlockds App for use with AdMob on two separate occasions during 2017 following exhaustive testing, and on both occasions acknowledged that the app is, in fact, consistent with their policies. Unlockd has not made any changes to its App that justifies a change of approach. Due to legal proceedings, were unable to provide further detail other than what has been given above. Q: There are claims by Google that the Unlockd app is in infringement of the Google Pay store and AdMob policies. In what way is the Unlockd app claimed be infringing these policies? A; Due to legal proceedings were unable to provide further detail other than what has been given above. Screenshots: courtesy Unlockd Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been accused of citing incorrect figures, about the Labor Party's expenditure on the national broadband network, during a radio interview last week. In a statement, Labor shadow communications minister Michelle Rowland (below) said Turnbull had been "falling over himself" when he was questioned on 3AW about the competition that 5G technology would pose to what Rowland characterised as "his second-rate copper network". She said when Turnbull had been asked about the value of "his NBN", he responded: "Let's just be very clear about this: I said when I became communications minister back in 2013, I said the Labor Party had wasted $20 billion on the NBN, which I don't think you can recover." To which statement, Rowland had this riposte: "Sorry Malcolm, but that is complete nonsense." When construction the NBN was begun, the Labor Party was in power and it envisaged fibre being rolled out to the premises for 93% of the populace, with the remaining 7% to be supplied with connectivity through either wireless or satellite. The rollout became a political issue when the Coalition Government that took power in 2013 decided to change the technology of the network to what it called a multi-technology mix. The MTM includes fibre-to-the-node, HFC cable, satellite, and wireless, apart from fibre-to-the-premises which is being provided only to new dwellings. As the MTM plan and the connections provided have come under increasing criticism, fibre-to-the-distribution-point which considerably reduces the copper lead-in to premises what the network builder NBN Co calls fibre-to-the-curb has been introduced as well. Rowland said Labor had spent much less by the time Turnbull took over the communications portfolio. "As of September 2013, the month you became minister, NBN had spent $5.7 billion in cumulative capital and operating expenditure," she said. And as for the source of that figure, Rowland pointed to a report put out by Turnbull. "These financials are in your own stitched-up report you signed it off," she said. "Furthermore, you promised to deliver the NBN for $29.5 billion and now its costing $49 billion. It seems the only thing we cant recover is the billions you have funnelled into uncompetitive copper technology that is leaving taxpayers exposed and consumers worse off." The TIO's latest report shows complaints relating to services delivered over the NBN have increased disproportionately. Some media outlets are likely to focus on the raw number of complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman concerning the NBN 22,827, up 203.9% from the year-ago period but it makes more sense to look at the growth in complaints relative to the growth in NBN-connected premises. The TIO is clearly aware of that, as in its previous six-monthly update it observed that "the rate of increase in these complaints is slower than the rate of new premises connected to the national broadband network". But that was not the case this time: where 4.5 complaints were received for every 1000 activated premises during 2H16, the figure rose to 6.7 for 2H17. Overall, the TIO received 84,914 complaints during the second half of 2017, up 28.7% on the year-ago period. The TIO is an industry-funded organisation that aims to help resolve disputes between consumers or small businesses and their phone and Internet providers. The telecommunications industry in Australia continues to experience significant change. An increasing range of products and services are being offered to consumers, expectations for the quality of phone and Internet services are high, and the rollout of the national broadband network is changing the way we use telecommunications services," said ombudsman Judi Jones. However, consumers still seem to be facing the same problems, particularly with their bills and the customer service they receive. Confidence in services being updated or transferred reliably, faulty equipment, and poor service quality were also recorded as key issues. Additionally, the wider issues relating to phone or internet problems such as debt management are concerning. A total of 84,914 complaints were received in the second half of 2017, a 28.7% increase on the corresponding period in 2016. Even though the numbers are still growing strongly, the rate of growth has eased slightly from the 33.8% reported for 2H16. The TIO pointed out that complaints show some seasonality, and therefore it chose not to compare the latest numbers with those for the first half of 2017. A total of 74,729 of the 2H17 complaints concerned residential services, and 9947 were from small businesses. The remaining 238 came from not-for-profit organisations. Complaints were most commonly about multiple services (eg, phone and Internet). They accounted for 30.8% of complaints. Complaints about mobile phone services (29.4%) and Internet services (28%) were close behind. Only 11.1% of complaints related to landlines, and 0.8% to property damage or access. Comparisons with the pattern of complaints in 2H16 cannot be made due to changes in the TIO's categories. Complaints in 2H17 were most commonly about charges and fees (45%), closely followed by provider response (43%). Complaints may involve more than one issue, but it does seem that providers are making a rod for their own backs by failing to deal with customers' complaints properly and promptly. Indeed, this writer's experience is that it is practically impossible to have complaints handled by someone who can actually deal with the issue - as opposed to merely reciting a script that doesn't cover the exact situation - unless you take the matter to the TIO. Other common complaint categories were poor service quality (22%), issues around connections or changing provider (16%) and "no service" (15%). Again, the TIO has changed the complaint categories, so direct comparisons cannot be made with 2H16. The TIO's July-December 2017 Six Month Update should be available for download here. Re: iTWire - Bogus investment scams cost Australians $70 million, with doubling of losses predicted by years end A hacker hacked into my crypto wallet and stole 10 bitcoins. It left me devastated. I kept looking for ways[] Re: iTWire - Research reveals cloud migration challenges and why organisations are rethinking their strategies Refreshing to see outcome-first over a cloud-first mindset; the penny seems to be dropping for some people.People who have a[] Re: iTWire - Do Not Call register subscription fees to increase The register, or should I say the regulations around it are a joke. It can safely be ignored by people[] Re: iTWire - Panel calls for giving government emergency powers during cyber attacks Thanks Sam!another very enlightening article.Aside from the implications of what corporates may deem government overreach,The Joint Parliamentary committee and agreement[] logo_ddn_tag_Site JN with Tagline logo-sns_tag_Site Our apologies, unfortunately our website is currently unavailable in most European countries due to GDPR rules. Summerville, SC (29483) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 85F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Reddit Email 37 Shares Khalil Dewan @KhalilDewan | Middle East Monitor | As Mohammed Bin Salmans global tour continues in a bid to stabilise Riyadhs economy, his foreign policy needs revising to ensure political and security risks arent deepening. After three years fighting in Yemens civil war, the Houthis have stepped-up their strategy and are going after Saudi Arabias economic enterprises. Lets make no mistake, the Houthi missile programme is proving to be a problem across the Middle East, with threats posed to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and commercial ships at Bab Al-Mandeb Yemens strategic water straight. This week, the Houthis announced that they executed strikes on Saudi Aramco in Jizan province, using a Qasef-1 unmanned drone. In the same week, three other missiles were fired towards Riyadh which were all intercepted, demonstrating the Houthi capabilities. In an interview conducted MEMO earlier this year, the Houthis claimed they possess over 300 ballistic missiles medium to long range all types. Thats concerning. Saleh Al Samad, Houthi political leader, said: If they want peace, as we have said to them before, stop your air strikes and we will stop our missiles. If you continue your air strikes we have a right to defend ourselves by all means available. The Yemeni people will neutralise the largest economic project in Saudi Arabia which is Aramco, and it will affect the Neom project, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, the head of the supreme revolutionary committee warned. With ongoing plans to create a transnational economic zone between Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, there are some heightened risks depending on how the conflict moves forward. Missile attack On 25 March, the eve of the third anniversary of when the Saudi-led coalition first entered the Yemen conflict, the Houthis launched seven ballistic missiles towards Saudi Arabia. Three travelled towards the capital Riyadh, and the others in southern cities including Najran, Jizan and Khamis Mushait. An Egyptian expat was killed in the strikes and two others were injured. This marked the first time that a fatality resulted from a Houthi rocket attack. Read: Saudi Arabia to unveil evidence Iran is arming the Houthis Despite the Saudi-led coalitions claim that all seven missiles were intercepted, its evident that some were not. Open social media networks at the time had videos uploaded showing missiles landing in residential streets. Clearly, Saudi Arabias own military equipment is unable to protect the Kingdom despite last years arms deal with the US. Joseph Votel, commander of the US militarys Central Command (CENTCOM), wasted no time in claiming that the US is working with Saudi Arabia to help them protect themselves from these threats. The Head of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee for the Houthis, Muhammad Ali Al-Houthi, didnt shy away either, and took the opportunity to reiterate that the group has upgraded Russian and Korean missiles not Iranian. If we had the alleged Iranian support, we would have been in Riyadh today. If we had the Iranian technology, we would have used it to target the enemies starting from the first day. This is true; the group could have executed missiles much earlier on in the conflict, but decided to gradually intensify their strategy. But it could equally be the case that the group improved its missile technology much later. Targeting Saudi The Houthi strategy was seen in practice again on 3 April when a Saudi oil tanker was targeted just off the west coast of Yemen near Hudaydah. A Saudi-led coalition vessel intervened and escorted the injured ship back to northern Saudi territorial waters. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, reiterated to the international community the need to retake control of Hudaydah port and monitor arms transfers. Such a terrorist attack, Al-Maliki said, poses a serious threat to freedom of shipping and international trade in the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea. It could also cause environmental and economic damage. The Houthis continue to pose a severe maritime risk in the Red Sea by the use of unmanned explosive boats and underwater drones. Houthi Telegram and other open source networks regularly boast about such attacks, which can be traced back to 2017. Read: Iranian official urges dialogue between Yemen factions A senior political officer within the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps denied Saudi Arabias allegation that Iran supplied the Houthis with ballistic missiles. The Saudi claims aim to divert public opinion from the atrocities they commit in Yemen, insisted Yadollah Javani. The Saudis have committed large-scale atrocities and attacked the oppressed nation of Yemen during the past two- three years with the help of the Americans, the Zionists and some reactionary regional states. A pro-Houthi journalist working on the ground also denied that the Iranians were providing the group with arms. No way, they do not have any influence on the battlefield. In terms of strikes or any military ideas, Iran has no influence. I know the Houthis look like for example Hezbollah, but were not. The Houthis are in full control over their areas. Hezbollah needs Iran to provide direction, but the Houthis are in control of the country no need for them to interfere in our affairs, Hussain Al Bukhaithi said. Al-Bukhaithi denied that the Houthis were using Iranian-made missiles. Iranian missiles, theyre all Russian missiles, so of course, youll find weapons in Yemen which is similar to the Russian ones and with the blockade, how is it possible to smuggle missiles inside Yemen, as all ports are closed. Links to Iran As it stands, any notion put forward alleging Iranian military support to the Houthis can only be suggestive and not conclusive. In a report by a UN panel of experts on Yemen claims were made of strong indicators that show arms have been manufactured or are emanating from Iran. The weapons in question are short-range ballistic missiles and smaller unmanned aerial vehicles drones. Adding to this, a UN panel of experts linked 2,064 small arms which were of Iranian manufacture and origin entering Yemen last year. Iran continues to categorically deny supporting the Houthis, while Saudi Arabia claims that certain weapons (Kornet anti-tank weapons) which were not available in Yemen are in Houthi hands. US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley unveiled evidence late last year which she claimed proves that Iran is supplying the Houthis with weapons. But the alleged Iranian munitions were retrieved by US partners, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, both states which are party to the conflict in Yemen battling against the Houthi group. This renders the evidence as questionable. Iran, though, is sending mixed messages by publically supporting the Houthis. Three Arab capitals have today ended up in the hands of Iran and belong to the Islamic Iranian revolution, Ali Reza Zakani, Iranian Parliamentarian said in September 2014. As UN envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths travels back and forth between Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Oman, its important to realise his vision has shed off some optimism over the prospects of peace. In Muscat, Griffith claims the parties are looking for a vision of peace. Achieving peace is unfortunately questionable in Yemen. It was only last week that the Houthis announced their plan to disrupt Saudi Arabias economic enterprises by using newly upgraded missile systems. The only reason why parties to the conflict may attend peace talks, in my view, is as a result of fatigue of conflict. Via Middle East Monitor This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. - Bonus video added by Informed Comment: AP: Saudi-led coalition targets workshop in Yemeni city of Saada Reddit 1 Email 699 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | In former FBI director James Comeys interview with ABC News, he attempted to position himself as an upholder of the rule of law, of the constitution, and even of the truth. Human beings are very good at forgetting their own misdeeds and building narratives that justify themselves, which may even be desirable evolutionarily. But the particular shape of Comeys amnesia is troubling because of what it means for American democracy. Comey has been a central figure in the gutting of the fourth amendment of the Constitution and in attempts to make sure the FBI and the rest of the US government can break your encryption and spy on you illegally. It is true that Comey did not want to go as far in that direction as former vice president Dick Cheney, but he wanted to go so far as nevertheless to make the constitution meaningless and to make Americans vulnerable to hacking. You see, the tech companies cannot create backdoors for the FBI without creating backdoors for Russian troll farms in St Petersburg. Am I saying Comey did it to himself? I am saying Comey did it to himself. And to the rest of us. Comey condemned Edward Snowden for his revelations about illegal government collection of Americans data from telephone calls. Even that was misdirection because Snowdens more important revelation was that the NSA has individual-level tools to monitor emails. But even the telephone metadata issue is grave, since it would tell you to whom Warren Buffet is speaking, potentially allowing manipulation of the stock market; it would tell you if a politician is seeing a specialist in venereal diseases, allowing you to blackmail him. And apparently Comey and others corrupted the entire US judicial system by illegally requisitioning telephone metadata to zero in on drug sellers, then notifying local police to arrest them and lie to the judge about how the police began their evidence trail. 100,000 of the inmates in our vast penitentiary gulag are guilty of no more than selling some pot, which most of us dont even think should be illegal, and many were put there by unconstitutional government surveillance which then concealed itself from the judiciary. Far from standing for the constitution or the truth, Comey dramatically undermined both. Comey has bequeathed these unconstitutional tactics to the weaselly and wholly unscrupulous Jeff Sessions, who is having his minions use them against DACA dreamers and Black Lives Matter. Comey watched James Clapper lie to Congress about mass warrantless surveillance of the American people. Comey knew Clapper was lying. He did not come after Clapper. He did not resign. His insistence on truth-telling suddenly was abandoned. He was disappointed that Gen. Petraeus was not prosecuted for lying to the FBI about his affair. Clappers assassination of the Fourth amendment and dissimulation was not an issue for him. Comey doesnt like Trumpworld. Comey helped create Trumpworld. Then there was his attempt to strongarm Apple into weakening (you might as well say deleting) encryption on its smartphones. Comey saw an opening to get rid of that pesky encryption by creating a legal precedent, and he lied about his true motives, maintaining that there was no other way for the FBI to investigate the San Bernardino shootings. (Let me help him with that; a couple of mentally unstable people were allowed to buy an arsenal and went postal). When the FBI did hack in, they found nothing useful. They did Apple the favor of demonstrating that current encryption is too weak. National Security elites like Comey are not our friends when it comes to privacy. The NSA used tradecraft and bribery to get an encryption company to adopt an NSA standard, which turned out to have backdoors for the NSA. And, of couse, for everyone else. American democracy was certainly hacked in 2016. You can argue about whether Putins patriots were decisive or not, but you cannot deny the attempt. Comey has been so eager to get the bad guys that he has robbed the rest of us of our 4th amendment rights and of our privacy, and gave Russian and UAE hackers essential tools. He still cant see it. Comey doesnt like Trumpworld. Comey helped create Trumpworld. - Bonus video: James Comey calls Trump morally unfit for office in exclusive ABC News interview | ABC7 Reddit Email 128 Shares By Martin Powers | (Informed Comment) | Frustration and bewilderment are common in media accounts of this administrations expansive chaos. Even well educated writers turn to expletives, as if proper language were inadequate to convey the shock and dismay. Still, it is not that difficult to identify the source of puzzlement: neither Trump nor his appointees follow the rules. From the beginning he has systematically pursued the substitution of a pre-modern style of arbitrary rule for a modern, rule-based government. What we call chaos is what he calls power. The bad news is that, with help from a gullible press, this administration has been surprisingly successful in confusing these two systems in the public mind. That is dangerous. The longer we fail to mark the distinction between arbitrary and rule-based government, the more successfully the president can install personal privilege as the default conception of authority in the popular imagination. The contrast Im talking about made its appearance on CNN last week when Former EPA Secretary Gina McCarthy suggested that the current EPA chief was not following professional standards. Rather than pursue his charge as head of the EPA, his actions instead put the environment at risk. The interviewing journalist countered suggesting that, in our Democracy, an election brings in a new president with different views reflecting the popular will. When that happens, the EPA Secretary is empowered to carry out the new presidents wishes. What the journalist delivered was a textbook description of how a feudal system operates. In that scenario, all political authority resides within the king. The king parcels out portions of his authority to vassals, who have broad discretion to exercise privilege within their domain. In this view, a democracy differs from an aristocracy only in that the king is elected with term limits. Gina McCarthy knew better and so responded by stressing the fact that she, like her Republican and Democrat predecessors, followed the law. I followed the process. That last sentence says it all. In a rational administration, an officers authority actually resides within the office, and so power is checked by its stated charge and routine procedures. In his discussion of aristocracy Tom Paine marked the difference between traditional kingdoms and modern states in precisely these terms. An office requires the officer to have certain knowledge or skills so as to carry out his charge, but an aristocratic title describes nothing, and means nothing, because privilege is arbitrary. Similar notions can be found in Jefferson and Rousseau but, you might say, we have long since forgotten our roots. The danger here comes from the fact that anyone who watches Hollywood films (Lion King, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings) easily grasps the notion of privilege, while the media presents elections as a kind of popularity contest with the winner being anointed king for a term. The idea that all elected or appointed officials are public servants constrained by their charge is rarely mentioned. The genius of Trump, or his handlers, lies in their deep grasp of this dynamic. Every time Trump does something outrageous, he is in fact asserting privilege as power. We are seriously mistaken to dismiss such acts as merely unprofessional. Each and every outrage only proclaims more brightly his power as understood by his base. Chaos is his secret weapon. Just think how the kings of old awed their minions with obscene expenditure even in the face of rampant poverty, and were loved for it? The United States Constitution was written to replace the ancient reign of privilege, not merely with elections (the aristocracy knew well how to manipulate those) but with offices checked by a charge and routine procedures. In defense of privilege there are those who argue that the post-Enlightenment order was but a fluke of Western history and that, now, we are merely returning to the normal state of affairs. This is no less a fantasy than Mr. Trumps highly stable genius. Even in imperial China, the legendary home of Oriental Despotism, men who overstepped the limits of office were charged with the crime of exercising public authority as private persons. We actually have records of officers prosecuted for killing innocent men, simply because their office did not give them the authority to do that. Nor is China exceptional. Calls for rule by the competent can be found in many times and places, such as when the ninth-century leader of the Zanji revolt, a black Muslim slave, declared that the most qualified man should rule, no matter what his status or rank. The fact is, privilege is not natural, it is just primitive, and no matter how specialists wish to quibble over the language of our Constitution, one thing is certain: it was intended to replace rule as privilege with rule of law. It is time the press made that distinction clear to the voters. Martin Powers is Sally Michelson Davidson Professor of Chinese Arts and Cultures at the University of Michigan, and former director of the Center for Chinese Studies. He has authored numerous works on Chinese art and culture, as well as on European representations of China. Bonus video: ABC News: Trump tweets and calls James Comey, slippery and out of whack' Reddit Email 166 Shares By Nadejda K. Marinova (Author of Ask What You Can Do For Your (New) Country: How Host States Use Diasporas (Oxford University Press, 2017).[1] Informed Comment | On the fifteenth year anniversary of the Iraq war, several things are evident. One is the carnage that the war inflicted, with over 500,000 and by some estimates 1 million Iraqis and 4,486 US service members killed. Another is the destabilization of the region, perpetuated by ISIS rise. The US, the UK and their allies went to war on the premise that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, and that he had cooperated with al-Qaeda. As the 2004 Duelfer report to Congress revealed, there were no WMDs. It had all been fabricated. Ramadan Mosque Baghdad I remember hearing former UN Weapons Inspector in Iraq Scott Ritter speaking in Atlanta in 2002 about the WMDs. Dont believe the hype- he said. It is not true. In looking back, it is worth remembering who sold the WMD lies to the American public. Armed with the support of neo-conservatives in the Bush administration White House, the exile Iraqi National Congress was a leading entity in promoting the Iraq war. Funded to the tune of over 100 million USD by the US government, the Iraqi National Congress (INC) had been created with US support in 1992, and led by Ahmed Chalabi. It reached the pinnacle of its influence when The New York Timess Judith Miller broke the news of Saddams WMD by drawing on information from a meeting with a defector, the intermediary for which had been Chalabi. The Columbia Journalism Review[2] found that between October 2001 and May 2002, there were 108 stories in major US and international outlets that referenced INC intelligence and many of those dealt with rallying support for the war. Not only did the INC broadcast such lies, but it also provided defectors with dubious credentials to supply those lies both to US media and to intelligence agencies, to which the Defense Intelligence Agency proved more receptive than the skeptical CIA. One of the leading defectors supplied by the INC, al Janabi, aka Curveball, in 2011 told The Guardian he had lied to German intelligence about bioweapons trucks and factories in Baghdad.[3] As I argue in my book, in the reverse of the traditional ethnic lobby role, a select subset of emigres may engage with policymakers to promote a mutually beneficial foreign policy towards the homeland. In addition to this Bush administration-INC case are numerous other examples: the Bush administration, the American Lebanese Coalition and the World Lebanese Cultural Union, on UN Security Council Resolution 1559 regarding Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon; the Reagan Administration and the Cuban -American National Foundation to support its policies against Castro; and the Carter Administration and the Cuban-American Committee to attempt an opening towards Cuba. However, host states utilization of diasporas is not limited to democratic regime settings or to politics. Iranian security, public relations and political objectives were promoted by the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq,[4] established at the behest of Khomeini in 1982 by the government in Tehran and exiled Shii clerics. This party (now Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq), and its security arm later turned-political party, the Badr Corps, have continued to wield influence and serve as a conduit for Tehrans influence, well after their return to Iraq following the 2003 invasion. Finally, the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, established in 1952, became prominent during the 1970s military dictatorship in Brazil when approached by the Brazilian government, and continues to be the intermediary for Brazilian exports to the resource-rich Arabian Gulf. What lessons from these mutually beneficial interactions are relevant today? A key point is that, in those interactions, a group of activists assume the role of spokespersons for the diaspora at large and/or the people, even in the absence of actual support. Although Chalabi confidently spoke on behalf of the 2-4 million strong Iraqi diaspora and 25 million Iraqis, his lack of legitimacy became evident when he failed to win a seat in the December 2005 Iraqi parliamentary elections. In 2005, before the US Helsinki Commission, invitees Joe Baini and Walid Phares spoke on behalf of the World Lebanese Cultural Union (WLCU), the sole legitimate representative of the Lebanese diaspora, endorsing full Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon. Their testimony ignored the other, pro-Syrian WLCU, based in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut, which represented diaspora members that supported Amal and Hezbollah. We should remain wary when a segment of the diaspora becomes the spokesperson for the diaspora as a whole. John Bolton, who was appointed Trumps National Security Adviser in March 2018, and supported the Iraq war, today opposes the Iran nuclear deal. He supports regime change in Tehran and the Iranian exile organization Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), an organization that was sheltered by Saddam, to promote the Iraqi dictators interests vis-a-vis Iran. Based in Paris, MEK is headed by Maryam Rajavi, who has met with various Washington policymakers. Bolton has spoken at eight MEK rallies.[5] Will we see MEK in front of the cameras, speaking on behalf of 80 million Iranians and the Iranian diaspora, telling us that they all support a bombing or invasion, and that it will remake the region for the better? When Chalabi told us lies sixteen years ago, supported by the White House, many in the public (and in Congress) believed him.[6] Lets not make the same mistake again. The consequences can wreak havoc, and inflict pain and misery on millions of people that support neither these lies, nor the greed for power and domination that gives rise to them. Dr. Nadejda K. Marinova is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wayne State University in Detroit. Her research interests include diaspora and migration, Middle East politics and foreign policy analysis. She has conducted research in Lebanon and Syria, and is currently writing about how Muslim and Arab-American communities in Metro Detroit have mobilized against Trumps Muslim ban. She is author most recently of Ask What You Can Do For Your (New) Country: How Host States Use Diasporas (Oxford University Press, 2017) [1] https://www.amazon.com/Ask-What-You-Your-Country/dp/0190623411/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523585237&sr=8-1&keywords=ask+what+you+can+do+for+your+new+country&dpID=51be58XX8QL&preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=srch [2] McCollam, Douglas. 2004. e List: How Chalabi Played the Press. Columbia Journalism Review, 43(2), 3137. [3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/15/defector-admits-wmd-lies-iraq-war [4] http://www.merip.org/mero/mero042203 [5] https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/john-bomb-iran-bolton-the-new-warmonger-in-the-white-house [6] https://www.juancole.com/2015/11/ahmad-chalabis-passing.html OAKVILLE, Ontario, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corporation (TSXV:WDG) (GR:A2DUU8) (Giyani or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the progress of Phase 1 of its 2018 operational program, announced on March 15, 2018. Geophysical Surveying Regional Interpretation Interpretation of government data was completed on April 10. The airborne magnetic data, at a 250-meter line spacing, was filtered, image processed and inverted to create a series of products designed to highlight relevant geological features of interest. This has allowed Giyani to map, with a high degree of certainty, the location of prospective geology within the larger Giyani license areas (Figure 1). Lithostructural mapping has identified several prospective areas (highlighted as hatched polygons in Figure 1) where prospective Lower Transvaal stratigraphy is likely to outcrop/subcrop. Current ongoing ground surveys will provide valuable information to identify subtle magnetic contacts in this sedimentary package which will allow for detailed mapping of the manganiferous shale. Five out of the fourteen licenses, currently held by Giyani, with a total approximate land coverage of 1,400 square kilometres, are identified to have prospective stratigraphy for manganese mineralization. This information coupled with the ongoing ground gravity and magnetics surveys will allow Giyani to: Design an effective tool to identify new manganese deposits within the Companys licence areas; and Focus and prioritise exploration activities to prospective areas (Figure 1). Ground geophysics survey progress The geophysics team is progressing well with the gravity survey, and has now completed the highest priority area at the K.Hill prospect. As of April 12, 2018, a total of 1317 Real Time Kinematic (RTK) stations and 1310 gravity stations were completed out of a total 2343 stations. Additionally, 70.26 kilometres of magnetic walk-lines were completed out of a total of 128 kilometres. Figure 2 below indicates the progress of completed stations and over the K.Hill prospect. Giyani can only report on the progress of the survey at this stage, as all data will be subject to rigorous QA/QC procedures to ensure the integrity of results. Preliminary anomaly definition will assist with the selection of the first collar positions as early as the week of April 16, 2018. Drilling Giyani is pleased to announce the appointment of Rotsdrill Exploration as the main drilling contractor for Phase 1 after a competitive bidding process, in which 4 reputable drilling companies were invited to participate. The Company provided all contractors with a specific scope of work as well as access to the drill targets in order for them to develop comparable proposals. Rotsdrill Exploration is an experienced, Botswana based, drilling company that is best known for drilling difficult rock conditions in the Debswana owned kimberlite diamond mine at Jwaneng, ~70 kilometres north of the K.Hill prospect. Debswana is a joint venture between De Beers and the Botswana Government. Mobilization of equipment is underway and the drill program is planned to commence the week of April 16, 2018. Robin Birchall, CEO of Giyani Metals Corp. commented: The results we obtained from the interpretation of the airborne magnetic data strengthen our confidence in the large potential within the rest of our licence area; well beyond the three identified prospects so far at K.Hill, Otse, and Lobatse. Furthermore, we are pleased with the progress of our ongoing ground geophysics considering the minor delay that was caused by recent unseasonal weather conditions. We also welcome Rotsdrill as our main drilling contractor. We are confident that they have the expertise, tools, and skilled workforce necessary to deliver the services we expect and keep progress on schedule. Roger Moss, Ph.D., P.Geo, is the qualified person, as that term is defined by National Instrument 43-101, on behalf of the Company and has approved the scientific and technical content contained in this press release. About Giyani Giyani Metals Corp. is a Canadian based junior exploration company focused on creating shareholder value by accelerating the development of its high-grade manganese project in the Kanye Basin, Botswana, Africa. Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedar.com and on Giyani Metals Corp. website: http://giyanimetals.com/. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp. Robin Birchall, CEO Contact: Giyani Metals Corporation Robin Birchall CEO, Director +447711313019 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 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 news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, the financial picture of the Company etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statement. GIYANI METALS CORP. 277 LAKESHORE ROAD EAST, OAKVILLE, Ontario L6J 1H9 T:289-837-0066 F: 289-837-1166 www.GIYANIMETALS.com TSX.v-WDG VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Pacific Mining Corp (CSE:USGD) (FWB:1QC) (OTC:USGDF) (APM or the Company) is pleased to announce that shares have been approved for quotation on the OTC Pink Open Market under the trading symbol USGDF. This is an initial step towards increasing visibility and liquidity of the company throughout Canada and the US. The US symbol will help us reach a broader North American investor audience as we gain a deeper understanding of the geology at Tuscarora. We are ramping up quickly towards drilling, commented Warwick Smith, CEO & Director. A number of new projects are coming to us for review right now as well. I expect a busy year ahead. About the OTC Markets Subscribing broker-dealers view and publish quotes and negotiate trades in OTCQX, OTCQB and Pink securities on the SEC-registered Alternative Trading System, OTC Link ATS, an interdealer quotation and trade messaging system. The Pink Open Market provides brokers a platform for transparent trading and best execution in any security. There are no financial standards or disclosure requirements. A wide spectrum of companies are traded on this market, including foreign companies that limit their disclosure in the US. On Behalf of the Board of American Pacific Mining Corp. "Warwick Smith" CEO & Director Corporate Office: Suite 910 510 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3A8 Canada Investor Relations: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 1-866-646-5389 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trevali Mining Corporation (Trevali or the Company) (TSX:TV) (BVL:TV) (OTCQX:TREVF) (Frankfurt:4TI) reports its mineral reserves and mineral resources statements as of December 31, 2017 and 2018 exploration plans. Consolidated mineral reserves and mineral resources are tabulated below on a contained metal basis (Tables 1 and 2). Detailed breakdowns for each of the active mines (Santander, Caribou, Perkoa and Rosh Pinah) are provided by category on a grade-tonnage-contained metal basis in Tables 3 through 10. Mineral resources in this document are reported inclusive of mineral reserves. HIGHLIGHTS Total proven and probable mineral reserves increased to 3.17 billion lbs (1.44 million tonnes) of contained zinc. Contained lead increased to 542 million lbs (0.25 million tonnes lead) and silver increased to 18.7 million ounces. Increases largely reflect the Caribou Mines maiden mineral reserve statement. Total measured and indicated mineral resources increased to 6.59 billion lbs (2.99 million tonnes) of contained zinc and inferred mineral resources comprise an additional 3.74 billion lbs (1.70 million tonnes) of contained zinc. Total measured and indicated mineral resources also included 1.53 billion lbs (0.69 million tonnes) of contained lead and 48.04 million ozs of contained silver, with total inferred mineral resources comprising an additional 0.81 billion lbs (0.37 million tonnes) of contained lead and 33.48 million contained ozs silver. Inaugural exploration at Perkoa successfully replaced 2017 mined tonnages and increased mineral reserves to approximately 5 years at current extraction rates. Geologically, all deposits remain open for expansion and the Company has commenced a sustained long-range exploration program anchored in 2018 by a minimum committed 60,000-metre drill campaign, the largest since the Companys inception. Table 1. Total Mineral Reserves (Contained Metal) as of December 31, 2017 (1, 2) 2017 2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 Change Change Change Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Project Category M lbs M lbs K oz M lbs M lbs K oz M lbs M lbs K oz Santander Magistral Proven & Probable 186 32 1,911 253 39 2,769 (66) (7) (858) Caribou Mine Proven & Probable 729 272 11,945 - - - 729 272 11,945 Perkoa Mine Proven & Probable 958 - - 830 - - 129 - - Rosh Pinah Mine Proven & Probable 1,299 237 4,876 985 162 3,389 314 75 1,487 Total Proven & Probable 3,173 542 18,732 2,067 201 6,158 1,106 341 12,574 (1) For additional detail respecting the mineral reserve contained zinc, lead and silver grades, see "Detailed Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Disclosure" and "Additional Information" within this news release. (2) The M lbs (million pounds) and K oz (thousand ounces) contained metal is the total combined proven and probable mineral reserve estimates of all the mines on a 100% basis. Trevalis proportionate ownership interest pursuant to the applicable joint venture/option agreements is: Santander (100%); Caribou (100%); Perkoa (90%); and Rosh Pinah (80%). Table 2. Total Mineral Resources (Contained Metal) as of December 31, 2017(1, 2, 3) 2017 2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 Change Change Change Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Project Category M lbs M lbs K oz M lbs M lbs K oz M lbs M lbs K oz Santander Magistral Measured & Indicated 314 54 3,297 394 60 4,342 (80) (6) (1,045) Inferred 345 35 3,135 195 15 1,752 150 19 1,383 Santander Pipe Inferred 911 40 4,871 911 40 4,871 0 0 0 Puajanca Prospect Indicated 12 9 313 12 9 313 0 0 0 Inferred 9 6 204 9 6 204 0 0 0 Caribou Mine (4) Measured & Indicated 1,198 448 19,449 1,115 467 19,625 83 (19) (176) Inferred 856 327 14,597 561 227 9,215 295 100 5,382 Halfmile Mine Measured & Indicated 1,199 407 8,980 1,122 356 6,197 77 51 2,783 Inferred 806 216 4,720 896 245 4,008 (90) (29) 712 Stratmat Indicated 550 214 7,300 550 214 7,300 0 0 0 Inferred 252 110 3,000 252 110 3,000 0 0 0 Perkoa Mine Measured & Indicated 1,468 - - 1,370 - - 97 - - Inferred 134 - - 465 - - (331) - - Rosh Pinah Mine Measured & Indicated 1,844 395 8,702 1,721 330 7,734 123 65 968 Inferred 430 75 2,951 386 68 2,829 44 7 122 Total Measured & Indicated 6,585 1,528 48,041 6,285 1,437 45,511 301 90 2,530 Inferred 3,743 808 33,478 3,676 712 25,879 68 97 7,599 (1) For additional detail respecting the mineral resources contained zinc, lead and silver grades, see "Detailed Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Disclosure" and "Additional Information." within this news release. (2) All mineral resources referred to in this news release are inclusive of stated mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. (3) The M lbs (million pounds) and K oz (thousand ounces) contained metals is the total measured + indicated and inferred mineral resource estimation of all the mines on a 100% basis. Trevalis proportionate ownership interest pursuant to the applicable joint venture/option agreements is: Santander (100%); Caribou (100%); Perkoa (90%); and Rosh Pinah (80%). (4) A mineral resource estimate was not completed for the Caribou Mine in 2016; instead the comparison change references the previous mineral resource estimate for the Caribou Mine with an effective date of May 14, 2014. Detailed Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Disclosure: Santander Mine The annual mineral reserve and mineral resource estimate at the Companys Santander mine utilized a more conservative approach compared to prior years, increasing the net smelter return cut-off-value from US$40 to $50 per tonne for reserves as a result of the increased 2017 water ingress. Table 3. Santander (Peru) Mineral Reserves as at December 31, 2017(1, 2) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Category Mt % % g/t M lbs M lbs K oz Santander Magistral (3) Proven 0.46 3.83 0.76 26.44 38.8 7.7 391 Probable 1.46 4.55 0.74 32.04 146.5 23.8 1,504 Proven & Probable 1.93 4.38 0.75 30.79 186.4 31.9 1,911 (1) All mineral reserves have been estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards adopted by CIM Council on May 10, 2014 (the CIM Definition Standards). Numbers may not add due to rounding. (2) The technical report entitled Mineral Reserve Estimation Technical Report for the Santander Zinc Mine, Province de Huaral, Peru dated March 31, 2017, is the current technical report for the Santander property. (3) The Santander Magistral Underground Mine mineral reserve estimate is reported based on optimized stopes designed on an incremental net smelter return cut-off-value of US$50/tonne with metal prices of: US$1.16/lb zinc, US$0.91/lb lead, US$18.50/oz silver. The Santander Magistral Underground Mine mineral reserve estimate has been prepared by technical consultants to the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017, under the supervision of and approved by Professional Geologist Aline Cote (OGQ), a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Ms. Cote is an employee of a related party to the Company and accordingly, is not independent. Table 4. Santander (Peru) Mineral Resources as at December 31, 2017(1, 2) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Category Mt % % g/t M lbs M lbs K oz Santander Magistral (3) Measured 1.06 4.16 0.77 27.26 97.0 18.0 927 Indicated 1.93 5.10 0.85 38.19 217.0 36.2 2,370 Measured & Indicated 2.99 4.77 0.82 34.32 314.2 54.0 3,297 Inferred 3.08 5.08 0.51 31.67 344.8 34.6 3,135 Santander Pipe (4) Inferred 10.10 4.09 0.18 15.00 910.7 40.1 4,871 Puajanca Prospect (5) Indicated 0.25 2.23 1.65 39.00 12.3 9.1 313 Inferred 0.21 1.99 1.31 30.00 9.3 6.1 204 (1) All mineral reserves have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Numbers may not add due to rounding. (2) The technical report entitled Mineral Reserve Estimation Technical Report for the Santander Zinc Mine, Province de Huaral, Peru dated March 31, 2017, is the current technical report for the Santander property. (3) The Santander Magistral Underground Mine mineral resource estimate is reported based on net smelter return cut-off-value of US$40/tonne with metal prices of: US$1.16/lb zinc, US$0.91/lb lead, US$18.50/oz silver. The Santander Magistral Underground Mine mineral resource estimate has been prepared by the mine geology department and non-independent resource geology consultants to the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017, under the supervision of and approved by Professional Geologist Aline Cote (OGQ), a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. Ms. Cote is an employee of a related party to the Company and accordingly, is not independent. (4) The Santander Pipe Underground Deposit mineral resource estimate is reported based on Gross Metal Value cut-off-value of US$40/tonne with metal prices of: US$1.13/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.00/oz silver. The Santander Pipe Underground Deposit mineral resource estimate was prepared and approved by Gilles Arseneau (P.Geo.), a consultant with Arseneau Consulting Services Inc, who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, with an effective date of November 6, 2016. (5) The Santander Puajanca Underground Deposit mineral resource estimate is reported based on Gross Metal Value cut-off-value of US$40/tonne with metal prices of: US$1.15/lb zinc, US$0.95/lb lead, US$16.50/oz silver. The Santander Puajanca Underground Deposit mineral resource estimate was prepared and approved by Gilles Arseneau (P.Geo), a consultant with Arseneau Consulting Services Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, with an effective date of November 6, 2016. Bathurst Mining Camp Operations Caribou Mine The Companys inaugural mineral reserve statement at the Caribou mine documents material increases across all mineral resource and mineral reserve categories. The 2017 program more than replaced mined inventory from 2015 onwards, particularly in the Measured, Indicated and Inferred categories. Table 5. Caribou (New Brunswick) Mineral Reserves as at December 31, 2017(1) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Pb Cu Ag Zn Pb Ag Category Mt % % % g/t M lbs M lbs K oz Caribou Mine Proven 2.88 6.24 2.32 0.37 70.50 395.6 147.0 6,516 Probable 2.34 6.46 2.43 0.39 72.10 333.6 125.6 5,429 Proven & Probable 5.22 6.34 2.37 0.38 71.20 729.3 272.5 11,945 (1) All mineral reserves have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Numbers may not add due to rounding. (2) The Caribou Underground Mine mineral reserve estimate is reported based on optimized stopes designed on an incremental net smelter return cut-off-value of US$75/tonne with metal prices of: US$1.21/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.50/oz silver, FX: US$/CAD$0.80. The Caribou Underground Mine mineral reserve has been prepared by the mine engineering department of the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017. The Caribou Underground Mine mineral reserve has been reviewed and approved by Professional Engineer Torben Jensen (P.Eng.), a consultant with Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and will be detailed in the technical report entitled Technical Report on the Caribou Mine, New Brunswick Canada to be dated April 12, 2018, which will be available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days following the date of this news release. Table 6. Bathurst Mining Camp (New Brunswick) Mineral Resources as at December 31, 2017(1) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Pb Cu Ag Au Zn Pb Cu Ag Au Category Mt % % % g/t g/t M lbs M lbs M lbs K oz K oz Caribou Mine (2) Measured 5.87 6.11 2.27 0.37 67.00 - 790.7 293.8 47.9 12,634 - Indicated 3.03 6.11 2.32 0.39 70.00 - 408.1 155.0 26.1 6,815 - Measured & Indicated 8.89 6.11 2.28 0.38 68.00 - 1,197.5 446.9 74.5 19,449 - Inferred 7.00 5.70 2.10 0.30 65.00 - 879.6 324.1 46.3 14,597 - Halfmile Mine (3) Measured 0.40 5.92 1.99 0.46 40 0.60 54.0 18.0 4.0 520 10 Indicated 7.40 7.00 2.37 0.16 35 0.29 1,146 389.0 26.0 8,450 70 Measured & Indicated 7.80 6.94 2.35 0.18 36 0.30 1,199 407.0 31.0 8,980 80 Inferred 6.50 5.62 1.51 0.15 23 0.10 806.0 216.0 21.0 4,720 20 Stratmat (4) Indicated 4.70 5.30 2.10 0.40 49 0.60 550.0 214.0 43.0 7,300 90 Inferred 2.40 4.80 2.10 0.70 39 0.40 252.0 110.0 37.0 3,000 30 (1) All mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Numbers may not add up due to rounding. (2) The Caribou Underground Mine mineral resource estimate is reported based on 5% zinc equivalent cut-off grade with metal prices of: US$1.21/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.50/oz silver, FX: US$/CAD$0.80. The Caribou Underground Mine mineral resource estimate has been prepared by the mine geology department and non-independent technical consultants to the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017. The Caribou Underground Mine mineral resource estimate has been reviewed and approved by Professional Geologist Ian Blakley (P.Geo), a consultant with Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, and will be detailed in the technical report entitled Technical Report on the Caribou Mine, New Brunswick Canada to be dated April 12, 2018, which will be available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days following the date of this news release. (3) The Halfmile Underground Project mineral resource estimate is reported based on 5% zinc equivalent cut-off grade with metal prices of: US$1.05/lb zinc, US$0.95/lb lead, US$20.00/oz silver, FX: US$/CAD$0.80. The Halfmile Underground Project mineral resource estimate was prepared and approved by Professional Geologist Gilles Arseneau (P.Geo.), a consultant with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, with an effective date of October 26, 2017. (4) The Stratmat Underground Project mineral resource estimate is reported based on 5% zinc equivalent cut-off grade with metal prices of: US$1.00/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$21.15/oz silver, FX: US$/CAD$0.85. The Stratmat Underground Project mineral resource estimate was prepared and approved by Professional Geologist Gilles Arseneau (P.Geo.), a consultant with SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101, with an effective date of October 26, 2017. Perkoa Mine Resource definition and exploration drilling successfully replaced 2017 mined inventory and halted the downward mineral reserve depletion trend. Significant gains were realized to mineral reserves and to measured and indicated mineral resource categories following the inferred mineral resource conversion program. Table 7. Perkoa (Burkina Faso) Mineral Reserves as at December 31, 2017(1, 2) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Zn Category Mt % M lbs Perkoa Mine Proven 2.29 13.93 702.6 Probable 1.04 11.14 255.7 Proven and Probable 3.33 13.06 958.3 (1) All mineral reserves have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Numbers may not add due to rounding. The mineral reserve is shown at 100% ownership; Trevali holds a 90% joint venture interest in the Perkoa mine. (2) The Perkoa Underground Mine mineral reserve estimate is reported based on planned stopes with an net smelter return cut-off-value of US$100/tonne with incremental stopes greater than US$80/tonne included based on individual financial analysis, metal prices of: US$1.20/lb zinc, FX: /US$1.08. The Perkoa Underground Mine mineral reserve has been prepared by the mine engineering department of the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017 and has been reviewed and approved by Professional Engineer Torben Jensen (P.Eng.), a consultant with Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and will be detailed in the technical report entitled Technical Report on the Perkoa Mine, Burkina Faso to be dated April 12, 2018, which will be available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days following the date of this news release. Table 8. Perkoa (Burkina Faso) Mineral Resources as at December 31, 2017(1, 2) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Zn Mt % M lbs Perkoa Mine Measured 2.63 15.65 909.0 Indicated 2.22 11.44 558.7 Measured & Indicated 4.85 13.73 1,467.6 Inferred 0.68 8.9 134.3 (1) All mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Numbers may not add up due to rounding. The mineral resource is shown at 100% ownership, Trevali holds an 90% joint venture interest in the Perkoa mine. (2) The Perkoa Underground Mine mineral resource estimate is reported based on 5% zinc cut-off grade with metal prices of: US$1.20/lb zinc, FX: /US$1.08. The Perkoa Underground Mine mineral resource estimate has been prepared by the mine geology department and non-independent technical consultants to the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017 and has been reviewed and approved by Consulting Professional Geologist Ian Blakley (P.Geo.), a consultant with Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and will be detailed in the technical report entitled Technical Report on the Perkoa Mine, Burkina Faso to be dated April 12, 2018, which will be available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days following the date of this news release. Rosh Pinah Mine Exploration and mineral resource conversion continued the deposits roughly 50-year track record of replacing mined inventory. The 2017 conversion drilling program increased mineral reserves by approximately 2.6 million tonnes, or an additional 3 years of mine life at current operating rates. Measured, indicated and inferred mineral resource categories also increased modestly. Table 9. Rosh Pinah (Namibia) Mineral Reserves as at December 31, 2017(1, 2) Grade Metal Quantity Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Category Mt % % g/t M lbs M lbs K oz Rosh Pinah Mine Proven 2.66 9.07 1.32 18.20 531.5 77.4 1,553 Probable 5.08 6.84 1.43 20.30 767.2 160.1 3,323 Proven & Probable 7.74 7.61 1.39 19.60 1,298.7 237.4 4,876 (1) All mineral reserves have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Numbers may not add due to rounding. The mineral reserve is shown at 100% ownership, Trevali holds an 80% joint venture interest in the Rosh Pinah mine. (2) The Rosh Pinah Underground Mine mineral reserve estimate is reported based on planned stopes with an net smelter return cut-off-value of US$66/tonne and incremental stopes greater than US$34/tonne, metal prices of: US$1.16/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.18/oz silver, FX: NAD/US$ 13.30. The Rosh Pinah Underground Mine mineral reserve has been prepared by the mine engineering department of the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017 and has been reviewed and approved by Professional Engineer Torben Jensen (P.Eng.), a consultant with Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and will be detailed in the technical report entitled Technical Report on the Rosh Pinah Mine, Namibia to be dated April 10, 2018, which will be available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days following the date of this news release. Table 10. Rosh Pinah (Namibia) Mineral Resource as at December 31, 2017 Grade Metal Quantity Zn Pb Ag Zn Pb Ag Category Mt % % g/t M lbs M lbs K oz Rosh Pinah Mine (1) Measured 4.37 8.49 1.85 26.60 817.3 177.9 3,738 Indicated 6.40 7.28 1.54 24.10 1,026.7 217.2 4,964 Measured & Indicated 10.76 7.78 1.67 25.20 1,843.9 395.1 8,702 Inferred 3.00 6.50 1.10 30.60 429.9 75.0 2,951 (1) All mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards. Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Numbers may not add up due to rounding. The mineral resource is shown at 100% ownership, Trevali holds an 80% joint venture interest in the Rosh Pinah mine. (2) The Rosh Pinah Underground Mine mineral resource estimate is reported based on 5% zinc equivalent cut-off grade with metal prices of: US$1.16/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.18/oz silver, FX: NAD/US$ 13.30. The Rosh Pinah Underground Mine mineral resource estimate has been prepared by the mine geology department and non-independent technical consultants to the Company with an effective date of December 31, 2017 and has been reviewed and approved by Professional Geologist Ian Blakley (P.Geo.), a consultant with Roscoe Postle Associates Inc., who is an independent Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and will be detailed in the technical report entitled Technical Report on the Rosh Pinah Mine, Namibia to be dated April 10, 2018, which will be available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com within 45 days following the date of this news release. Exploration 2018 Discovery to Delivery In 2017, the Company commenced an expanded and accelerated growth initiative at its four operating mines. The 2018 program forms part of a medium to long-range exploration strategy initially focused on brownfield and near-mine exploration targets. The primary aim is to expand and discover new mineral resources adjacent to existing mine infrastructure, to replace mined inventory, grow sustainable production, extend expected mine life and ultimately, contingent on success, provide production growth optionality to the operations. The committed 2018 exploration budget has been increased from US$10 million to US$13 million, with additional success funding contingent on results, and programs will focus on: Value Add: Approximately 60,000 metres of diamond drilling from surface and underground targeting in-to-near mine resource growth. Initial committed meterage breakdown as follows - 15,000 metres at Santander, 16,000 metres at Bathurst Mining Camp, 17,000 metres at Perkoa and 12,000 metres at Rosh Pinah. Approximately 60,000 metres of diamond drilling from surface and underground targeting in-to-near mine resource growth. Initial committed meterage breakdown as follows - 15,000 metres at Santander, 16,000 metres at Bathurst Mining Camp, 17,000 metres at Perkoa and 12,000 metres at Rosh Pinah. Value Recognition and Creation: Progressing the organic project pipeline and identifying business development opportunities. Targets will be followed up by diamond drilling or/and geophysical/geochemical surveys. Integrated exploration will advance additional target areas for future drilling, filling the exploration pipeline. Perkoa Exploration - First mover in an unexplored VMS zinc belt Value Add: Re-interpretation of the Perkoa deposit identified a strong north-east plunge to the mineralization which remains open at depth. Proof of concept drilling in 2017 resulted in significant semi-massive to massive sulphide intercepts below the modelled resources. Follow up exploration commenced during the first quarter of 2018 and 5,500 metres of diamond drilling has been completed to date. Re-interpretation of the Perkoa deposit identified a strong north-east plunge to the mineralization which remains open at depth. Proof of concept drilling in 2017 resulted in significant semi-massive to massive sulphide intercepts below the modelled resources. Follow up exploration commenced during the first quarter of 2018 and 5,500 metres of diamond drilling has been completed to date. Value Recognition and Value Creation: VMS camp-scale regional targeting from first principles and follow up reconnaissance mapping indicates that the fertile Perkoa Mine Horizon extends over a minimum 25-kilometre strike length. Clusters of geophysical airborne electromagnetic anomalies have been identified and initial prospecting supplemented by geochemistry has discovered spatially associated gossans (weathered sulphide mineralization) associated with the geophysical centres. Such spatial relationships are typically only seen in productive VMS camp settings. Target definition is ongoing and diamond drilling is planned to test the main ranked targets in the second half of 2018. Rosh Pinah - An established yet under-explored major zinc belt Value Add: Geologically, Rosh Pinah forms a Tier 1 zinc deposit from a grade-tonnage basis that has never been fully delineated. The Western Orefield remains open along strike and at depth; for example, a 400-metre extension exploration step-out drillhole (DDH MGD152) to the northwest of the deposit intersected 12.9 metres of 16.6% Zn, 3.8% Pb and 98 g/t Ag starting at 435 metres depth. In 2018 ongoing underground exploration will continue to define this emerging NW extension. Geologically, Rosh Pinah forms a Tier 1 zinc deposit from a grade-tonnage basis that has never been fully delineated. The Western Orefield remains open along strike and at depth; for example, a 400-metre extension exploration step-out drillhole (DDH MGD152) to the northwest of the deposit intersected 12.9 metres of 16.6% Zn, 3.8% Pb and 98 g/t Ag starting at 435 metres depth. In 2018 ongoing underground exploration will continue to define this emerging NW extension. Value Recognition and Value Creation: District scale targeting has commenced following the successful renewal of the regional exploration license, EPL 2616, with high priority targets to be tested during the year. Santander - An established yet under-explored polymetallic mining district Value Add: The 2018 Magistral mineral resource exploration/conversion drilling will test to the 4,000-metre mine level, or approximately 300 vertical metres below current development, in order to continue to facilitate long-range mine planning. At the high-grade Santander Pipe target, conventional and directional drilling will continue to follow-up on 2017 exploration success. Highlights from 2017 Santander Pipe drilling includes: Zone / Borehole (dip/azimuth) From - To (m) Zone / Interval (m) % Zn % Pb % Cu Ag oz/ton (g/t) SAN-0225-17 (-63/78) 606.45 - 621.55 Pipe / 15.10 11.85 0.01 0.20 0.31 (9.52) SAN-0225B-17 (-58.3/89.0) 783.00 - 789.90 Pipe / 6.90 17.47 0.01 0.18 0.23 (7.21) SAN-0225C-17 (-52.6/87.3) 559.90 - 590.55 Pipe / 30.65 7.05 0.01 0.14 0.25 (7.94) SAN-0226-17 (-53.0/161.0) 358.20 - 364.60 Pipe / 6.40 7.05 7.34 0.21 1.20 (37.26) SAN-0228B-17 (-76/18) 650.80 - 660.35 Pipe / 9.55 13.86 0.01 1.19 1.38 (42.98) 772.50 - 783.55 Pipe / 11.05 10.35 0.01 0.23 0.24 (7.50) Value Recognition and Value Creation: The approximately 45-square-kilometre Santander exploration block remains under-explored. The 2018 exploration program will drill test a number of high-priority exploration targets initially identified. Bathurst Mining Camp - A mature mining district to be explored with new tools and approaches Value Add: Building on the successful 2017 Caribou exploration results, an approximate 9,000 metre drill campaign targeting the East Limb and Hinge zone will commence in the second quarter of 2018. At the advanced Restigouche project, a 5,000-metre drill campaign has commenced in order to provide production and mine planning optionality for future Caribou Mill feed. Building on the successful 2017 Caribou exploration results, an approximate 9,000 metre drill campaign targeting the East Limb and Hinge zone will commence in the second quarter of 2018. At the advanced Restigouche project, a 5,000-metre drill campaign has commenced in order to provide production and mine planning optionality for future Caribou Mill feed. Value Recognition and Value Creation: Regionally as part of the Companys Bathurst Mining Camp strategy approximately 2,000 metres of drilling will test exploration targets on the Heath Steele option. Finally, in conjunction with partner Puma Exploration, it is anticipated that initial exploration will target the prospective Murray Brook Caribou corridor from the second quarter onwards. Additional Scientific and Technical Information In accordance with NI 43-101, technical reports for Caribou Mine, New Brunswick Canada, Perkoa Mine, Burkina Faso, and Rosh Pinah Mine, Namibia will be filed on SEDAR and the Company's website within 45-days of this news release. See Appendix I for additional disclosure regarding the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates for Caribou Mine, Perkoa Mine and Rosh Pinah Mine contained in this news release. For additional information on the Santander Mine, Peru, refer to the technical report entitled Mineral Reserve Estimation Technical Report for the Santander Zinc Mine, Province de Huaral, Peru dated March 31, 2017 which is available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Companys website. Qualified Person and Quality Control/Quality Assurance EurGeol Dr. Mark D. Cruise, Trevali's President and CEO and Daniel Marinov, P.Geo, Trevalis VP Exploration, are qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, have supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Mr. Marinov is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance programs. Dr. Cruise is not independent of the Company, as he is an officer, director and shareholder. Mr. Marinov is not independent of the Company as he is an officer and shareholder. ABOUT TREVALI MINING CORPORATION Trevali is a zinc-focused, base metals company with four mines: the wholly-owned Santander mine in Peru, the wholly-owned Caribou mine in the Bathurst Mining Camp of northern New Brunswick, its 80% owned Rosh Pinah mine in Namibia and its 90% owned Perkoa mine in Burkina Faso. The shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV), the OTCQX (symbol TREVF), the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol TV), and the Frankfurt Exchange (symbol 4TI). For further details on Trevali, readers are referred to the Companys website (www.trevali.com) and to Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of TREVALI MINING CORPORATION Mark D. Cruise (signed) Mark D. Cruise, President Contact Information: Steve Stakiw, Vice President - Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: (604) 488-1661 / Direct: (604) 638-5623 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or in releases made by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, all as may be amended from time. Statements containing forward-looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Companys plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation to, update such statements containing the forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to statements as to: the timing and amount of estimated future production, the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, costs and timing of development, potential operating efficiencies, costs and expenditures, expectations regarding milling operations and metal production shortfalls, metal output and throughput rates, anticipated results of future exploration, expected costs of exploration, expected exploration programs and value adds, and forecast future metal prices. These statements reflect the Companys current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. If any assumptions are untrue, it could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including commodity prices, anticipated costs and ability to achieve goals. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the Companys actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to joint venture operations; fluctuations in spot and forward markets for silver, zinc, base metals and certain other commodities (such as natural gas, fuel oil and electricity); fluctuations in currency markets; risks related to the technological and operational nature of the Companys business; changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and political or economic developments in Canada, the United States, Peru, Namibia, Burkina Faso, or other countries where the Company may carry on business in the future; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); risks relating to the credit worthiness or financial condition of suppliers, refiners and other parties with whom the Company does business; inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks and hazards; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral resources or mineral reserves as properties are mined; global financial conditions; business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, the Company; the Companys ability to complete and successfully integrate acquisitions and to mitigate other business combination risks; challenges to, or difficulty in maintaining, the Companys title to properties and continued ownership thereof; the actual results of current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, and changes in project parameters to deal with unanticipated economic or other factors; increased competition in the mining industry for properties, equipment, qualified personnel, and their costs, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled Risk Factors in the Companys most recently filed annual information form. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty or reliance on forward-looking statements. Although the Company 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, described or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. We advise US investors that while the terms "measured resources", "indicated resources" and "inferred resources" are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the US Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize these terms. US investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the material in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any state and may not be offered or sold within the United States, absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. Appendix: Disclosures I - Caribou Mine, New Brunswick, Canada The Caribou Mine located in New Brunswick Canada is operated by the 100% Trevali owned Trevali Mining (New Brunswick) Ltd. The mineral resource and mineral reserve will be detailed in the report entitled Technical Report on the Caribou Mine, New Brunswick Canada to be dated April 12, 2018, with an effective date of December 31, 2017 which was prepared for the Company by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. (RPA). RPA is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing, political, or other relevant factors that could materially affect the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates. Ian Ian Blakley P.Geo of RPA reviewed and verified information regarding drill sampling, data verification of all digitally-collected data, drill surveys and specific gravity determinations relating to the disclosure herein. The review encompassed quality assurance programs and quality control measures including analytical or testing practice, chain-of-custody procedures, sample storage procedures and included independent sample collection and analysis. This review found the information and procedures meet industry standards and are adequate for Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimation and mine planning purposes. There were no limitations on the data verification process. In RPAs opinion, the quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program, as designed and implemented by Trevali Mining (New Brunswick) Ltd. is adequate, and the assay results within the database are suitable for use in a mineral resource estimate. The wireframes were modeled in Leapfrog Geo/Edge software with the interpretation constrained to represent the geology where necessary. Capping was performed for each metal by domain using cumulative distribution function analysis, one metre length composites were used. The grade was estimated with ordinary kriging in three passes, by increasing size of the search ellipse in subsequent passes. Pass 1 and 2 both require a minimum of three drill holes with a maximum of four samples per drill holes, pass 3 requires a minimum of two drill holes and a maximum of four samples per drill holes. The grades were estimated in the block model in Leapfrog Geo/Edge software with 5 metre x 5 metre x 5 metre sized blocks with the row and column blocks sub blocked to 0.5 metre and a minimum height of 0.25 metres. Mineral resource classification is based on the interpolation pass estimate attribute as well as the Qualified Persons level of geological knowledge and information. Stoping voids were removed from the mineral resource estimate. Specific gravity was measured on diamond drill core samples using a standard water displacement method. Mining shapes for the mineral reserve were initially designed by slicing the mineralized shells using Mineable Stope Optimizer in Deswick software, based on a net smelter return cut-off value of $75/tonne and a minimum mining width of 3.5 metres. External dilution and mining recovery estimates were applied based on current mine performance by lens. The net smelter return values based on average consensus forecast long-term prices of US$1.21/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.50/oz silver at an exchange rate of $0.80 C$/US$. Costs related to mining, processing, and G&A Mining and milling have been extracted from the forecasted 2018 operating costs, and include administration costs. The average mining, milling, and maintenance cost over the Internal life of mine is US$59.00/t. This cost increases to US$65.42/t with the inclusion of surface sustaining capital and general and administrative costs for the underground operation. Appendix: Disclosures II - Perkoa Mine, Burkina Faso The Perkoa Mine located in Burkina Faso is operated by 90% Trevali owned Nantou Mining Burkina Faso S.A. (Nantou Mining). The mineral resource and mineral reserve will be detailed in the report entitled Technical Report on the Perkoa Mine, Burkina Faso to be dated April 12, 2018, with an effective date of December 31, 2017 which was prepared for the Company by RPA. RPA is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing, political, or other relevant factors that could materially affect the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates. Ian Blakley P.Geo of RPA reviewed and verified information regarding drill sampling, data verification of all digitally-collected data, drill surveys and specific gravity determinations relating to the disclosure herein. The review encompassed quality assurance programs and quality control measures including analytical or testing practice, chain-of-custody procedures, sample storage procedures and included independent sample collection and analysis. This review found the information and procedures meet industry standards and are adequate for Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimation and mine planning purposes. There were no limitations on the data verification process. In RPAs opinion, the QA/QC program, as designed and implemented by Nantou Mining is adequate, and the assay results within the database are suitable for use in a mineral resource estimate. The geological interpretation comprised wireframes for mineralization and lithological domains, which were developed using Surpac software. Drill hole assays are composited at a 1.5 metre length, a grade cap, which varied per domain, was applied. A 5 metre x 5 metre x 5 metre block model was constructed which was then sub-blocked down to a minimum size of 1.25 metres. Search ellipsoids were used in the Ordinary Kriging interpolation in three passes. For all passes the minimum number of assays is seven with a maximum of six from a single drill hole. Specific gravity was measured on diamond drill core samples using a standard water displacement method. Mineral resource classification is based on the interpolation pass estimate attribute as well as the Qualified Persons level of geological knowledge and information. Following estimation and classification, the block model was depleted using the actual development and stoping voids, any unrecoverable areas are completely sterilized, and extracted from the mineral resource estimate. The mineral reserve uses zinc metal price assumption of US$1.20/lb and a /US$ exchange rate of 1.08, based on average long term price for the next five years. Metallurgical recovery and concentrate grade assumptions are based on the 2017 actual results. Mining and milling costs used for the mineral reserve net smelter return calculation have been extracted directly from the actual 2017 operating costs, and include all operating costs and administration costs. The average mining, milling, and maintenance cost over the Internal life of mine is US$80.00/t. This cost increases to US$102.80/t with the inclusion of surface sustaining capital and general and administrative (G&A) costs for the underground operation. Stope shapes are designed manually using Surpac software respecting a net profit given the expected material revenue, and the cost per tonne (long term net smelter return >$100), or each stope must prove itself to be profitable to mine based on an individual financial analysis. Any internal waste is added to the resource tonnage at zero grade plus an additional 15% unplanned dilution is then added and then a 95% recovery is applied. Appendix: Disclosures III - Rosh Pinah Mine, Namibia The Rosh Pinah Mine located in Namibia is operated by the 80% Trevali owned Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation (Proprietary) Limited (RPZC). The mineral resource and mineral reserve will be detailed in the report entitled Technical Report on the Rosh Pinah Mine, Namibia to be dated April 10, 2018, with an effective date of December 31, 2017 which was prepared for the company by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. (RPA.). RPA is not aware of any environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-economic, marketing, political, or other relevant factors that could materially affect the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates. Ian Blakley P.Geo of RPA reviewed and verified information regarding drill sampling, data verification of all digitally-collected data, drill surveys and specific gravity determinations relating to the disclosure herein. The review encompassed quality assurance programs and quality control measures including analytical or testing practice, chain-of-custody procedures, sample storage procedures and included independent sample collection and analysis. This review found the information and procedures meet industry standards and are adequate for Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimation and mine planning purposes. There were no limitations on the data verification process. In RPAs opinion, the QA/QC program, as designed and implemented by RPZC is adequate and the assay results within the database are suitable for use in a mineral resource estimate. The Rosh Pinah mineral resources are presented as a series of discrete lenses that are interconnected along the mineralized horizon with four primary lenses, (EOF, SF1, SF3, and WF3). For the WF3 lens separate high and low grade domains were identified with leapfrog software and modeled separated with hard boundaries. Composites were extracted in MineSight software at 1.5 metre composite lengths, capping was applied. The block model uses blocks of size of 5 metres x 5 metres x 5 metres, which is then sub-blocked down to a minimum size of 1.25 metres at domain boundaries. All estimates are prepared using a three pass approach and estimated using ordinary kriging, the pass number aids in resource classification. An overall default bulk density factor of 3.21 t/m3 is applied for WF3 lens to calculate the overall tonnage. The mineral reserve estimate takes into consideration metallurgical recoveries, concentrate grades, transportation costs, smelter treatment charges, and royalty in determining economic viability. Datamine softwares Mineable Stope Optimizer was used to determine an array of potentially mineable stope shapes per level based on a selection of cut-off grades as determined using a Basic Mining Equation that captures the full cost of the mining operation including mining, processing, shipping, and smelting costs. The average operating cost, excluding capital, is US$48.79 per tonne. This cost increases to US$65.70 per tonne with the inclusion of sustaining capital costs for the underground operation. Revenue of any given parcel of material is calculated using a net smelter return equation. Net smelter return is the net revenue received by the mine from the sale of the zinc, lead, and silver metal less transportation and processing costs. The net smelter return calculation uses metal prices of US$1.16/lb zinc, US$1.00/lb lead, US$18.18/oz silver, FX: NAD/US$ 13.30. Past experience has been used to produce realistic dilution and mining recovery per phase of mining. TORONTO, April 16, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rupert Resources Ltd (Rupert or the Company) (TSX-V:RUP) (FSE:R05) announces a baseline resource for its Pahtavaara Project in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt of Northern Finland (the Pahtavaara Project). The Pahtavaara Project comprises a permitted 1,400tpd mill, 35km of underground infrastructure and a land package of 225km2. The new Inferred Resource of 4.6Mt grading 3.2g/t Au (474koz) is reported using a 1.5g/t cutoff and is based on an updated geological interpretation of the deposit following a review all available data that has been collected over the past 30 years (see Table 1). The new estimate represents a significant uplift in grade and tonnage from the historically disclosed Measured and Indicated Resource of 1.3Mt grading 2.1g/t in Measured and Indicated categories (85koz) and 1.5Mt grading 1.8g/t in Inferred category (84koz) calculated using a 0.5g/t cutoff prepared in 2014 (see Ruperts September 8, 2016 press release). The new resource includes over 50,000m of drilling completed by Rupert up to the end December 2017 along with drilling by the previous owners since the last resource estimate. The drilling has confirmed that the Pahtavaara deposit is demonstrably open at depth and along strike. The modelling work also estimated that 441koz has been mined from Pahtavaara historically (consistent with production data from 1996 to 2014) indicating a yield of over 2,000oz/vertical meter for the Pahtavaara Project. James Withall, Chief Executive of Rupert Resources said The resource reported today represents a significant increase from the historical resource and confirms that Pahtavaara is indeed a larger deposit than previously considered with a mineralisation style consistent with other Greenstone belts. Gold mineralisation is believed to continue both along strike and at depth in close proximity to the existing resource. Work in 2018 is focussed on increasing the confidence level of the new resource. A 5,000m underground channel sampling program is underway within the current underground infrastructure to delineate new additional mineralisation with potential to add further to the new resource. Further to this, 42% of almost 320km of diamond drilling remains unsampled at Pahtavaara and a significant amount of this drill core remains at the site. All sampling gaps in diamond drilling have been assumed to have no mineralisation for the purpose of the new resource model so an infill assay program is planned to sample these intersections within the model and additional prospective areas based on the updated geological interpretation. Table 1 - Pahtavaara Project, Inferred Mineral Resource Cutoff (g/t Au) Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Au oz Au kg 0.5 1.6 14,540,000 756,000 23,500 1.0 2.4 7,980,000 605,000 18,800 1.5 3.2 4,640,000 474,000 14,700 2.0 4.0 3,030,000 385,000 12,000 3.0 5.6 1,470,000 264,000 8,200 4.0 7.0 880,000 199,000 6,200 5.0 8.5 560,000 153,000 4,800 The Mineral Resource estimate for the Pahtavaara Project is reported in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and has been estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves best Practice Guidelines. This mineral resource estimate is classified as Inferred as defined by the CIM. Numbers affected by rounding. A cut-off of 1.5g/t Au was selected for the reported estimate based on historical breakeven operating costs, recoveries of 85% and a gold price of EUR950/oz Qualified Person and notes on the resource The Independent and Qualified Person (the QP) for the Mineral Resource Estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, is Brian Wolfe BSc Geology (Hons), MAIG and Principal Consultant, International Resource Solutions Pty Ltd. Mr Wolfe confirms that he has reviewed this press release and that the scientific and technical information is consistent with his work. The Qualified Person will prepare and deliver to Rupert a NI 43-101 technical report (the Report ) in support of this initial resource estimate for the Pahatvaara Project. Rupert will, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, file the Report on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) within 45 days of this release. The Company will provide notification once the Report has been filed. ) in support of this initial resource estimate for the Pahatvaara Project. Rupert will, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, file the Report on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) within 45 days of this release. The Company will provide notification once the Report has been filed. The effective date of the estimate for the Inferred Resources is 13 April 2018. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. The QP is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, socio-political or marketing issues, or any other relevant issue, that could materially affect the potential development of Mineral Resources. Appendix 2 to this release provides details on the resource estimation approach taken. Pahtavaara Project, Depleted Mineralisation The study also estimated resources within previously mined areas of the Pahtavaara deposit (see Table 2 and Table 3). For the purposes of the estimated resources occurring within the previously open pits a 0.7g/t cutoff was applied to calculate grade and tonnage above the topographic surface. For the underground stopes and development all blocks occurring within the digitised wireframes were reported without a lower cut off grade. The total approximates to historical production data for the mine, confirming the efficacy of the model. Table 2 - Depleted Mineralisation - Open pit Cutoff (g/t Au) Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Au oz Au kg 0.5 1.9 2,870,000 178,000 5,500 0.7 2.2 2,420,000 169,000 5,300 1.0 2.6 1,870,000 154,000 4,800 Numbers affected by rounding Table 3 - Depleted Mineralisation Underground Cutoff (g/t Au) Grade (g/t Au) Tonnage Au oz Au kg 0.0 2.4 3,600,000 272,000 8,500 Numbers affected by rounding Pahtavaara Deposit Geology Mineralisation at the Pahtavaara Project is hosted by amphibolitised komatiites. The principal geologic control in the area is considered to be a linear structural corridor that trends between east-west and northeast-southwest, with gold mineralisation identified in both the larger structures parallel to this trend. oblique fractures and steeply plunging zones that represent the intersection of these structures or possibly fold hinges. The mineralised structural corridor identified at the Pahtavaara Project is characterised by hydrothermal alteration and mineralisation within komatiiites that have been subjected to several phases of intense, pervasive alteration. The hydrothermal alteration and the Au-bearing structures and veins associated are a result of a prolonged period of ductile deformation and later brittle-ductile deformation related to a belt scale thrusting event. Mineralisation remains open at depth along the entire zone. Gold occurs mostly as free gold with a smaller proportion associated with magnetite. About Rupert Rupert is a Canadian based gold exploration and development company that is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol RUP. The Company owns the Pahtavaara gold mine, mill, and exploration permits and concessions located in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt in Northern Finland (see the Companys November 9, 2016 press release). The Company also holds a 100% interest in the Gold Centre property, which consists of mineral claims located in the Balmer Township, Red Lake Mining Division of Ontario. Two properties in Central Finland, Hirskangas and Osikonmaki are subject to a binding definitive share exchange agreement dated effective March 16, 2018 with Northern Aspect Resources Ltd. (NARL) and all the shareholders of NARL, to provide for the completion of a business combination, whereby the Company has agreed, subject to certain conditions, to acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of NARL (the Transaction). The Company has also received conditional approval from the TSX-V for the Transaction and is working to fullfill the exchanges requirements for final approval and closing of the Transaction. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute forward-looking statements, including the statements with respect to those that address potential quantity and/or grade of minerals, potential for minerals, completion of the proposed Transaction, deadlines, regulatory approvals, business activities and operating performance of the Company. The words may, would, could, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the general risks of the mining industry, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended February 28, 2017 available at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects The above mineral resource estimate used Inferred Mineral Resources, which is a category per CIM Definition Standards (2014) as required by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. This news release or other disclosure provided by the Company may use the terms measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources and inferred mineral resources. While these terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects), the SEC does not recognize them. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted to reserves. In addition, Inferred Mineral Resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and 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 securities legislation, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, although they may form, in certain circumstances, the basis of a preliminary economic assessment as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an Inferred Mineral Resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. For further information, please contact: James Withall Chief Executive Officer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Thomas Credland Head of Corporate Development & Investor Relations This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Rupert Resources Ltd 82 Richmond Street East, Suite 203, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1 Tel: +1 416-304-9004 Web: http://rupertresources.com/ APPENDIX 1 APPENDIX 1 APPENDIX 2 Resource Estimation Approach Database The grade estimation study was based on the drillhole database developed by Rupert that contains all historic sampling along with that completed by Rupert. Vulcan mine planning software package was utilised for interpretation and modelling. The database includes coding of the interpreted mineralisation and drill type. An assessment of an appropriate mineralisation extent using an indicator estimate (0.3g/t Au cutoff) was developed and subsequent grade shells generated. The mineralisation wireframes thus generated were coded to the drillhole database and 2m composites generated and used for the grade estimation. A statistical and geostatistical investigation of the data was undertaken before estimation of Au via multiple indicator kriging (MIK) into an appropriate block model. Localisation of the MIK estimate from parent cell dimension to SMU dimension blocks was then completed along with appropriate validation and checks of the block model. The database, as supplied, was used for resource estimation after a review was completed to subdivide and summarise the various phases and types of drilling. Database statistics are provided below as Table 1. The vast bulk of the data originates from diamond drilling and sludge sampling. Table 1. Summary of the Available Database DH type Holes Metres % of Total Diamond 2,607 319,666 62.9% RC 183 12,227 2.4% Sludge (UG) 9,077 175,554 34.5% Unknown 8 300 0.1% Channel 380 718 0.1% Total 12,255 508,465 100.0% For the purposes of the current resource estimate it has been assumed that the unsampled portions of the drillcore are essentially unmineralized and therefore those absent intervals in the database have been set to 0.001 ppm Au. In the case of all other unsampled data (sludge etc), the unsampled intervals have been ignored as it is less certain why the intervals remained unsampled. The drillhole database contains different data types. Raw sample type statistics are presented in Table 2 below. Table 2. Summary Database Statistics based on sample gold grades Sample type All data >0.2g/t Au Number Mean % Number Mean % Channel 321 3.95 0 141 8.94 0 Dia unknown 152,302 0.48 53 31,750 2.18 42 Dia core 24,927 0.22 9 1,764 2.71 2 RC 16,606 0.5 6 4,155 1.82 5 Sludge 95,171 0.99 33 37,681 2.43 50 Unknown 201 0.3 0 67 0.78 0 Total 289,527 0.63 100 75,738 2.31 100 The main dataset is composed of diamond and sludge drilling. Above 0.2g/t Au, 50% of the data is sludge drilling. Grades <0.2g/t Au have been filtered on the basis of the diamond core having long intercepts outside the mineralisation and sludge sampling being mostly within thte mineralisation. Inclusion of the diamond assays <0.2g/t Au therefore skews the average diamond gold grade lower. A log probability plot of the different data types is presented below. Virtually identical distributions can be observed for sludge (light blue), diamond (red and dark blue) and additionally RC samples (pink). As the above demonstrates equivalency of global data distribution only, additional tests have been carried out to determine if different sample types co-located within discrete 3D volumes demonstrate equivalency of gold grades. These tests have been undertaken in Isatis geostatistical software. The generalised approach is as follows: Create a grid of blocks with dimensions of 5mE x 5mN x 5mRL (125m 3 ) and 10mE x 10mN x 10mRL (1,000m 3 ) ) and 10mE x 10mN x 10mRL (1,000m ) Record statistics for each data type enclosed within each individual block to that block i.e. number, minimum, maximum, mean, etc. In this way the different type of samples contained within each block may be compared. Filters may be applied so that any given block enclosing too few samples of any type will be excluded from the overall comparison. Statistics for both grid dimensions have been calculated and results compared. Only blocks where both types of samples are co-located have been considered. Results are presented in Table 3 below. Results indicate equivalency of diamond and sludge sample gold grades when both occur in close proximity. It can be concluded that both types of data can be combined for the purposes of resource estimation. Table 3. Equivalency of diamond and sludge samples Sample type 5mE x 5mN x 5mRL (125m3) 10mE x 10mN x 10mRL (1,000m3) Number blocks Average grade Total samples Number blocks Average grade Total samples Diamond 804 2.9 1,327 949 2.08 4,043 Sludge 804 3.1 1,769 949 2.20 8,987 QA/QC Rupert has followed an extensive and robust suite of protocols to manage and document data acquisition and quality control (QAQC). Rupert have utilised two separate laboratories for gold analysis. The first, CRS laboratories of Kempele, Finland used the PAL 1000 assay method (crush, cyanide leach and AA finish). After 5 months, primary lab was changed to ALS Chemex with a prep lab in Sodankyla and Au assays completed via Leachwell process in Pitea, Sweden. In summary, Rupert have routinely completed the following: Routine production of field duplicates by producing two quarter core samples from a standard half core sample interval. Routine submission of crush duplicates taken after crushing and splitting. Pulverised duplicates taken after the pulverisation stage taken from the same bowl. Routine submission of blanks (commercial available quartz crush from Nilsian kvartsi). Routine insertion of independently prepared and verified certified reference material (CRM) or standards. Approximately five percent (5%) of the pulps and rejects are sent for check assaying at a second lab with the results averaged and intersections updated when received. Core recovery in the mineralized zones has averaged 99%. While the CRMs initially submitted to the laboratories generally underperformed, this has been attributed to the small size (100g) of the individual CRMs submitted in comparison to the drill samples submitted (1kg to 2kg). Larger, 500g CRMs more in line with the general sample size were then sourced and these CRMs have since performed satisfactorily. Duplicate sample submission (pulps) indicates satisfactory laboratory precision and approximate equivalency of the duplicate samples. Precision and equivalency for the core (field) and crush duplicates is less well established, however this is down to the variability of the mineralisation and the relatively small size of the dataset once lower grade filters are applied and is an expected result. Umpire laboratory check sampling (coarse rejects from initial laboratory) demonstrates moderate levels of accuracy and precision between the sample pairs. Mineralisation Constraints To establish appropriate grade continuity, the mineralisation envelope was based upon a nominal 0.3ppm Au indicator mineralisation shell estimated using 3m unconstrained downhole composites. This interpretation is designed to capture the broad mineralisation halo that encompasses the geological vein system and is not intended to constrain individual veins or vein clusters. As the main grade estimation technique is MIK with change of support technique, this type of mineralisation constraint is deemed appropriate. The mineralisation grade shell was generated by grade shell via indicator kriging at a single cut-off, 0.3 g/t Au. Grade estimation was undertaken into a block model with cell dimensions of 5m E 5 N 5 m RL. Grade shell triangulations were then generated by constraining the block model at 20% and 35% probability cut-offs to approximate the mineralisation continuity and also to capture some low to medium grade material as a dilution skin to the higher grade mineralisation. The selected probability shells are considered optimal to capture the observed continuity and tenor of mineralisation while excluding obvious low grade material. Mineralisation estimation domains were thus defined with further sub-division being differentiated on the basis of orientation, flexures in the structures and tenor of gold grade. A total of fourteen estimation domains have been defined with three relating to flat-lying zones located in the central part of the deposit. The constraining wireframe models were then coded to the drillhole database and also used in the construction of the estimation block model. The mineralisation grade shell wireframes have been flagged to the drillhole database and 2m run length composites generated. Statistical and geostatistical investigations were then undertaken on the coded composite database. Flagging was based on the sample interval centroid either being inside or outside of the wireframe and compositing was terminated at the wireframe boundary. The domain grade shell has been divided into fourteen separate sub-domains with similar grade characteristics and orientations. The higher grade core to the mineralisation has been given a separate coding system (with 35 as prefix) compared to the lower grade halo (which has a prefix of 20). Based on a statistical review, high-grade cuts were determined for the high grade domains (35 prefix). Top-cut composite statistics are detailed in Table 4. In all instances where top-cutting was applied, the cuts are light to moderate, however domains with extreme high-grade data are typically much more strongly affected. Table 4. Summary Statistics Top-cut (Maximum) 2m Run Length Composites Domain Count Minimum Maximum Cut Mean Std. Dev. Variance cv 3510 34,479 0.001 30 1.42 3.21 10.302 2.26 3520 2,686 0.001 30 1.74 3.796 14.408 2.18 3530 460 0.005 30 1.82 4.046 16.373 2.22 3540 3,584 0.001 35 2.26 5.215 27.198 2.31 3550 3,800 0.001 55 2.10 5.282 27.895 2.52 3560 2,209 0.001 55 2.20 4.871 23.724 2.21 3570 428 0.001 55 3.20 9.308 86.632 2.91 3580 1,624 0.001 35 1.43 3.095 9.577 2.16 3590 1,227 0.01 30 0.79 1.788 3.197 2.25 35100 3,447 0.001 30 1.61 3.577 12.792 2.22 35110 4,764 0.001 30 2.26 4.578 20.954 2.02 35120 6,175 0.001 55 2.42 5.648 31.899 2.33 35130 238 0.005 35 2.09 5.004 25.043 2.40 35140 340 0.001 30 1.91 4.344 18.871 2.26 Based on the uncut descriptive statistics and overall domain locations and geometry, the fourteen estimation sub-domains have been grouped into four. Indicator Kriging cutoffs or indicator bins were selected for each of the estimation groups for estimation by MIK. Cutoffs were based upon population distributions and metal proportions above and below the mean composite value of the proposed cutoff bins. Full details of the variography used will be disclosed in the NI 43-101 release. Variography A variographic analysis was completed on the coded composite data for the resource estimate study. Composite data from the combined domains has been utilised for variographic analysis. The variograms are presented in the direction of optimal continuity, as determined from fan variography calculated in the cartesian planes. Gaussian semi-variograms were calculated and modelled to determine the appropriate directions of spatial continuity. In general, one representative domain within each group was selected and experimental variography calculated and modelled. Appropriate directional orientations were then applied to the other domains in the group. The gaussian semi-variograms were then back transformed into raw space and the back-transformed variograms were used as input to the support correction calculations. Full details of the variography used will be disclosed in the NI 43-101 release. Block Model The grade estimation was completed into a sub-blocked block model with a 20mE x 10mN x 10mRL parent cell size, sub-blocked to 5mE x 2.5mN x 2.5mRL. No rotation has been applied. Block model variables were added to enable MIK estimates of all variables of interest including auxiliary variables and density. Service variables were also added to record various estimation parameters to review the quality of the estimates. Mining has been undertaken both from open pit operations and underground. Underground workings and open pits have been coded to the block model and the model has been depleted using these via insertion of a block model flag. Grade Estimation Multiple Indicator Kriging (MIK) was applied to grade estimation at Pahtavaara within the defined 0.3g/t Au 35% probability indicator mineralisation shells. The lower grade halo to this, as defined by the 20% probability indicator shells, was estimated via ordinary kriging (OK). A kriging plan was devised which utilised hard boundaries throughout. A series of tests were undertaken in Isatis geostatistical software to optimise the kriging neighbourhood parameters to ensure the best quality of estimate. Three estimation passes were made for each domain where necessary, with the sample search criteria relaxed for each successive pass not estimated by the previous estimates and reducing the minimum number of input composites. The OK estimate was undertaken on the basis of one estimation pass. The estimation parameters are summarised in Table 5 and 6. Search ellipsoid orientations were determined for each of the 14 sub-domains. Note that search radii have been locally varied dependent on Domain and the information summarized in Tables 5 and 6 are typical parameters. Note also that the MIK grade estimates were generally more than 90% completed in the first two estimation passes and the third pass represents a negligible volume compared to the total. Table 5. Estimation Parameters MIK Estimation Pass Sample Search Disc (X x Y x Z) Orientation (X Y Z) Search Radii (X Y Z) Min Max Max Data per Hole 1 Variable per domain 40m x 40m x 20 24 72 16 3 x 3 x 2 2 80m x 80m x 40 18 72 - 3 x 3 x 2 3 240m x 240m x 120m 12 72 - 3 x 3 x 2 Table 6. Estimation Parameters OK Estimation Pass Sample Search Disc (X x Y x Z) Orientation (X Y Z) Search Radii (X Y Z) Min Max Max Data per Hole 1 Variable per domain 80m x 80m x 40 4 6 - 2 x 1 x 1 Model Validation MIK grade estimate validation was undertaken via visual review on a sectional and plan basis. Validation of the CCDF of the estimated blocks versus the input composites indicates a good correlation between the two with an example of the Medium Grade Group displayed below. Change of Support Applying the modelled variography, variance adjustment factors were calculated to emulate a 5mE x 2.5mN x 2.5mRL selective mining unit (SMU) via the indirect lognormal change of support. The intra-class composite mean grades were used in calculating the whole block and SMU grades. The change of support study also included the calculation of the theoretical global change of support via the discrete Gaussian change of support model. Information effect factors were modelled and a variance adjustment ratio of 0.1 was applied. Grade Localisation MIK grade estimates are generated in large blocks or panels and are inherently not intuitive to review. Post processing of these MIK estimates aims to simplify the presentation by producing a single SMU dimension block grade where the distribution of the grades in the panel matches that of the distribution in the SMUs. The MIK panel grades have been localised to SMU dimension blocks in Isatis geostatistical software. Validation of the results indicates a near identical distribution and the resultant model has been accepted. A typical section is presented below. Validation of Localised Au Grades Validation of localised block Au grades has been undertaken on a per domain basis by comparing the block mean grades with the relevant composite mean grades Validation of the localised au grades has shown that a reasonable correlation between both declustered and non declustered composites and block model grades. Resource Reporting The grade estimate was classified in accordance with the current CIM guidelines as an Inferred Mineral Resource. The Inferred Mineral Resource reported is summarised below as Table 7. Table 7. Pahtavaara Gold Deposit Inferred Mineral Resource Cutoff (Au g/t) Au (g/t) Tonnage (kt) Au Ounces Au Kg 0.5 1.6 14,540,000 756,000 23,500 1.0 2.4 7,980,000 605,000 18,800 1.5 3.2 4,640,000 474,000 14,700 2.0 4.0 3,030,000 385,000 12,000 3.0 5.6 1,470,000 264,000 8,200 4.0 7.0 880,000 199,000 6,200 5.0 8.5 560,000 153,000 4,800 The Mineral Resource estimate for the Pahtavaara Project is reported in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and has been estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves best Practice Guidelines. This mineral resource estimate is classified as Inferred as defined by the CIM. Numbers affected by rounding. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a military tribunal has been sitting since Friday April 13, in Kalehe, South Kivu province, for the trial of a former militia leader accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes. Maro Ntumwa, known as the Moroccan, is charged with rape, sexual slavery, looting, attacks against a civilian population and on religious buildings committed between 2005 and 2007. At the time, the accused was the right-hand man of Bedi Mobuli Engengela, dubbed Colonel 106, a former leader of the Mai-Mai militia who has already been convicted by a military court. After a first day confirming the identity of the accused, the South Kivu military tribunal on April 14 heard objections raised by the defence. Maro Ntumwas lawyers argued that a military court did not have jurisdiction because their client was still a civilian at the time of the events in question. They also called for all reports of his questioning to be annulled because, they said, he was at that stage being interrogated without the assistance of a lawyer. Lawyers for the victims rejected these arguments. They argued with evidence that the accused had said in his hearing that he was a soldier at the time of the events and had later joined the Mai-Mai, one of the militia groups that has been terrorizing people in the eastern DRC for years. They also showed that two lawyers had assisted the accused during initial questioning and that one had unsuccessfully requested his provisional release. The public prosecutor also argued the same way. The military court consequently declared itself competent to try the case and decided to proceed. A strong signal Just the fact that the trial has opened is a victory for the victims, says Trial International, whose expertise helped the investigations. This trial is also a chance for the authorities to show their commitment to fighting mass crimes, even when the facts are old and the accused are powerful. Their credibility will depend on the hearings taking place in good conditions, respecting the rights and dignity of all parties. For Sylvestre Bisimwa, spokesman for the victims lawyers collective, the start of trial is a strong signal from the Congolese judicial authorities to perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes in eastern DRC. It has certainly taken time, but we are pleased that the trial has started, because the victims that we represent are waiting for justice, he told JusticeInfo. This is a sign of the judicial authorities commitment to fighting impunity. It is a strong signal addressed to perpetrators and potential perpetrators of crimes. More trust in military courts This is not the first time the South Kivu military court has held a trial linked to serious crimes in this part of the DRC. In December 2014 it handed down a life sentence on Colonel Bedi Mobuli Engengela (Colonel 106), Maro Ntumwas former boss in the Mai-Mai militia. Last year it handed down the same sentence to local parliamentarian Frederic Batumike for crimes against humanity (systematic and widespread rape) committed by members of his Jeshi la Yesu (army of Jesus) militia against young girls in Kavumu, another locality in South Kivu. Lawyer Bisimwa thinks military courts therefore inspire more trust than civil courts which are riddled with corruption. But he says victims, of whom some 100 are represented in this case, want more than the conviction of their torturer. They are living in a precarious situation of clear poverty, combined with the effects of trauma, because some of them were taken into the forest more than once as sex slaves. They need reparations, he argues. British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday faced anger from lawmakers for conducting air strikes with the United States in Syria in their first major military action since coming to power. May was due to address MPs after proceeding with the joint strikes without prior parliamentary approval a sensitive subject in Britain where memories of participation in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 are still raw. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, has said the strikes were legally questionable and called for new legislation to stop governments launching military action without lawmakers backing in most circumstances. I believe that parliament should have been consulted and voted on the matter. The UK prime minister is accountable to parliament, not to the whims of a US president, he wrote in a weekend letter to May. Stop the War, a coalition once chaired by Corbyn, is holding a demonstration outside parliament later on Monday. The group said the strikes will have done nothing to end the war and risked dramatically widening the conflict. The leaders of the opposition Scottish National Party and Liberal Democrats have also criticised May and there is the possibility of a vote in parliament later Monday that could embarrass the prime minister if she loses. International legitimacy In France, Macron has faced similar criticism for attacking Syria without consulting the legislature but defended the move as well as his constitutional powers in a TV interview on Sunday. This mandate is given democratically to the president by the people in the presidential election, he said. Macron also said he had convinced US President Donald Trump to stay engaged in Syria for the long-term. Macron has been criticised from both right and left. National Front leader Marine Le Pen has accused Macron of failing to show any evidence on the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime to justify the strikes. Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the hard-left France Unbowed party, has also condemned the strikes, while the leader of the centre-right Republicans party, Laurent Wauquiez, said he did not believe in punitive strikes. But at a press conference in Paris on Monday, Macron said that France had acted with international legitimacy. He argued the operation was legitimate despite not being sanctioned by the UN since under a 2013 UN resolution Syria was supposed to destroy its chemical weapons arsenal. Humanitarian intervention Ahead of Mays speech in parliament, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Monday said the strikes were right for the UK and right for the world ahead of talks with EU foreign ministers. It was the world saying that we have had enough of the use of chemical weapons, the erosion of that taboo that has been in place for 100 years has gone too far under (Syrian President) Bashar al-Assad, he said. But a poll showed scant public support for the move. The poll by Survation for the Mail on Sunday showed 36 percent in favour of Britains participation in the air strikes, 40 percent against and the remainder undecided. Out of the 2,060 respondents in the survey, 54 percent also agreed with the statement that May should have held a parliamentary debate and vote before intervening militarily in Syria. In her speech in parliament, May will stress that Britain acted for humanitarian reasons and with wide international backing. We cannot wait to alleviate further humanitarian suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks, she will say, according to extracts from the speech released by her office. It is in our national interest to prevent the further use of chemical weapons in Syria and to uphold and defend the global consensus that these weapons should not be used, she is expected to say. dt/jj/bp An American Christian pastor who has spent the last one and a half years in jail in Turkey strongly rejected terror-related charges on Monday as his trial got underway, in a case that has raised tensions with Washington. Andrew Brunson, who ran a protestant church in the western city of Izmir, was detained by Turkish authorities in October 2016. If convicted, he risks up to 35 years in jail. Brunson wearing a black suit, speaking in fluent Turkish and at one point bursting into tears was present in court in the town of Aliaga north of Izmir for the hearing, an AFP correspondent said. In an indication of the importance of the case for Washington, also in court were Sam Brownback, the US ambassador at large for religious freedoms, and Senator Thom Tillis. I want the whole truth to be revealed. I reject all the accusations in the indictment. I havent been involved in any illegal activity, Brunson told the court. I havent done anything against Turkey. On the contrary, I love Turkey. I have been praying for Turkey for 25 years, added Brunson, who moved to the country in 1993 and opened his Izmir church in 2010. Turkish prosecutors have charged Brunson with engaging in activities on behalf of the group led by Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara says is behind a failed 2016 coup and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Both are banned by Turkey as terror groups. Brunson is also accused of espionage for political or military purposes. Want him released The Brunson case has further hiked tensions between NATO allies Turkey and the United States, with US President Donald Trump raising the issue in talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Relations are already strained over American backing for a Kurdish militia in Syria despised by Ankara and the jailing of two employees at American missions in Turkey. That relationship is going to have difficulty in moving forward as long as Andrew Brunson is incarcerated, Brownback told reporters at the courthouse. He said the whole US administration, from President Donald Trump down, was engaged in the case. We want to see it resolved and we want to see him released, Brownback added. In September last year, Erdogan suggested that Turkey could free Brunson if Washington handed over Gulen. Washington brushed off the offer but has been working intensely to secure the release of Brunson, one of several American nationals caught up in the crackdown after the failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016. In February, NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual national, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for being a member of Gulens movement in a conviction denounced by Washington. Senator Tillis said Monday there was no deal, adding: This is about what we believe is an innocent man who has been in prison for a year and a half. Insult to my religion If convicted, he faces two separate terms of 15 years and 20 years in prison, Brunsons lawyer Cem Halavurt told AFP. In his statement to the court, Brunson rejected the accusations of links to Gulens group, saying: That would be an insult to my religion. I am a Christian. I would not join an Islamic movement. Gulen, who lives in the US state of Pennsylvania, denies any role in the failed coup and says his Hizmet (Service) movement promotes a peaceful form of Islam. Brunson also denied aiding any PKK suspects and dismissed as a lie suggestions he had preached in favour of Kurdish independence. His wife Norine, who was detained with him and then released in December 2016, was also present in court for the hearing. In scenes of heavy emotion, Brunson at one point broke down in tears after greeting his wife and complaining of being tired out by the constant prison transfers. Numbering just several thousand, the protestant community in overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Turkey is extremely small, largely comprising converts from Islam, expatriates and refugees. The Turkish Association of Protestant Churches said in a report that 2017 was marked by continued hate crimes and physical attacks. Brownback described the trial as a religious freedom case. Turkey, in its history, has been very open so thats one of the things thats really troubling about this, said Brownback. fo-sjw/pg Kansas State Polytechnic partners with Republic Airline for pilot pipeline program Monday, April 16, 2018 The Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus signs an agreement with Republic Airline to become a university partner in its Aviation Career Pipeline Interview Program. Front row, from left: Ian Barnhart, Republic Airline first officer and Kansas State Polytechnic alumnus; Lauren Isaacs, college relations consultant for Republic Airline; Verna Fitzsimmons, CEO and dean of Kansas State Polytechnic; and Ben Jaffee, senior assistant chief flight instructor at Kansas State Polytechnic. Back row, from left: Matt Woolwine, Republic Airline captain; Jacob Mitchell, senior in professional pilot at Kansas State Polytechnic and Republic Airline ambassador; and Matthew Katzke, senior in professional pilot at Kansas State Polytechnic and Republic Airline ambassador. | Download this photo. SALINA Professional pilot students on the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus have a new opportunity to directly connect with their industry and secure employment before graduation through a recently signed agreement with Republic Airline. Kansas State Polytechnic is now a partner in Republic Airline's Aviation Career Pipeline Interview Program, which is designed to give future pilots a defined path from college to career. The program provides flight students an opportunity to interview for a first officer position with the Midwest-based regional carrier after earning their instrument certificate. Upon a successful interview, students receive a conditional job offer that is preserved as they continue to build the required flight hours and complete their degree. "Our mission at Kansas State Polytechnic is to provide our students with the best educational experience possible and that includes professional connections and employment opportunities," said Verna Fitzsimmons, CEO and dean of the campus. "Republic Airline is a respected regional carrier that cultivates a supportive and success-driven atmosphere and we're proud to partner with them to continue offering our professional pilot students valuable career options." Students working on their instrument certificate typically achieve it as a freshman or sophomore, meaning, through Republic Airline's Aviation Career Pipeline Interview Program, they could have a job lined up more than two years before graduating. Students hired for provisional employment with Republic Airline are called RJet Cadets and receive mentorship while they are still in school. In addition, when reaching flight training milestones, pilot students are given special apparel and gear and are invited to attend exclusive company events. After earning their degree and reaching the airline transport pilot minimums of 1,000 hours of flight time, cadets can officially commit to the regional carrier and begin employment as a first officer. Jacob Mitchell, a senior in the professional pilot program at Kansas State Polytechnic, has been both hired for a first officer position and selected as an ambassador for Republic Airline. While he says the company offers a variety of advantages, what has impressed him the most is its similarity to his school. "I picked Republic Airline for much the same reason I picked K-State: the people," said Mitchell, from Foxfield, Colorado. "When I first toured the campus, what stood out to me the most was how nice and personable everyone is. You could tell K-State is a family and I feel like Republic provides that environment as well. It has been important to me to continue in a place with an equivalent mentality." As a Republic ambassador, Mitchell helps answer questions other students at Kansas State Polytechnic may have about the airline and works with those interested in employment by supporting their interview process and transition into the cadet program. "Our college partnerships enable us to have a unique presence on the campuses where we recruit," said Tonya Gilbert, managing director of talent acquisition for Republic Airline. "Students and faculty know that we have a vested interest not only in hiring alumni but also in supporting their program and connecting them to resources within the industry." Kansas State Polytechnic and Republic Airline participated in the Aviation Career Pipeline Interview Program signing April 7 at the school's annual open house. To learn more about the professional pilot bachelor's degree option at Kansas State Polytechnic, contact admissions at 785-826-2640 or polytechnic@k-state.edu. A man who used a stolen car to pick up a hitchhiker, then on the early stages of a world tour before driving off with his property, and the hitchhiker clinging to the car, has lost an appeal against his sentence. Jake Breen (20), with an address at Beech Park, Tramore, Co Waterford, had pleaded guilty at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court to ten offences arising out of events that occurred in Carlow and Kilkenny on November 7, 2016. Judge Brian OCallaghan sentenced Breen to five years imprisonment with the final year suspended on February 15, 2017 and banned him from driving for ten years. The sentence was made consecutive to another sentence which expired in January 2018. The three-judge Court of Appeal said it had no hesitation in dismissing his appeal today. (Monday). Giving background, Mr Justice George Birmingham said Breen had been using a Toyota Land Cruiser on the day in question which had been taken some days earlier and fitted with false registration plates. The vehicle picked up a hitchhiker, who was at the very early stages of a world tour and was anxious to go to Bennettsbridge to say goodbye to a friend. Quite soon into the journey, the vehicle was brought to a stop. The driver told the hitchhiker that his destination had been reached and the hitchhiker got out. At that stage, the vehicle drove off with the hitchhikers property still inside. The hitchhiker was holding onto the side of the vehicle and was thrown to the ground. His injuries were, thankfully, minor, the judge said. Gardai were called and the vehicle was encountered at a roundabout in Thomastown. At that stage there was an element of uncertainty as to whether the vehicle might have driven off accidentally. However, in response to the request to stop, the vehicle drove off at speed. At Borris, in Co Carlow, gardai spotted the vehicle at the end of a laneway. It was driven directly at an unmarked Garda car in an aggressive fashion. It collided with the front of the car. The driver attempted to get past the Garda car but was unsuccessful. It impacted the car again and reversed once more. At that stage, one of the detectives got out of the vehicle and drew his official firearm. The two occupants of the Land Cruiser fled the scene and one of them, not Breen, was apprehended nearby. This lead the sentencing judge to comment on the value of Breens guilty plea because, as he had put it, once his co-accused had been apprehended, Breens goose was cooked. Later that night, Breen knocked on the door of an elderly couple living in the area. He gave them a story of having been put out of his vehicle by his girlfriend. However, the couple were wary because a community text alert was circulating. They allowed Breen to ring his father, who in turn, advised Breen to hand himself in to gardai. Mr Justice Birmingham said the incident posed a threat, firstly to the hitchhiker, and then to gardai who pursued the Land Cruiser. He said members of the gardai who put themselves in harms way in service of the community are entitled to expect support from the courts. Likewise, offenders who injure or endanger gardai going about their duty must expect to be dealt with severely. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the court had no hesitation in dismissing the appeal. The sentence was an entirely appropriate one given the seriousness of the incident, Mr Justice Birmingham said. Baghdad, Apr 15 (AFP) A car bomb attack targeted an election candidate in Iraq's contested Kirkuk city today, killing one person and wounding 11, a security official said. The blast in the multi-ethnic city, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Baghdad, came as war-torn Iraq gears up for legislative elections on May 12. "A civilian was killed and 11 people were injured, including three bodyguards, in the convoy of Ammar Hadaya Kahya, a candidate for the Turkmen Front in Kirkuk," the security source said on condition of anonymity. There were no immediate claims of responsbility for the attack. Iraqi troops last year seized the vital oil-rich Kirkuk region from Kurdish forces after a controversial vote for independence in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish zone. Turkmens largely welcomed the return of government control forces, years after the Kurds took over the area amid the chaos of the Islamic State group's march across Iraq in 2014. Since the return of Baghdad's forces, the region has seen clashes between Kurdish fighters and Turkmen units of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary forces, officially controlled by the government. Candidate Kahya is an advisor to Falah al-Fayadh, who official heads the Hashed. Elections in Iraq have typically been accompanied by violence since the ouster of dictator Saddam Hussein by the US-led invasion in 2003. Bloodshed has subsided in recent months, but several deadly attacks have taken place. Four people were killed and several wounded last Sunday in an IS suicide attack on the headquarters of a political party in Anbar. The Iraqi government declared victory over IS in December after pushing the jihadists out of their final holdouts along the border with Syria. But the group retains the capacity to strike despite losing control of vast swathes of Iraqi territory it seized in 2014. (AFP) CPS (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, April 16: As the entire nation is seething with anger, with regards to the Unnao rape case and the recent developments around it, BJP Parliamentarian from Unnao, Sakshi Maharaj is busy inaugurating a nightclub in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh called 'Let's Meet'. The nightclub is located on the second floor of Jeet Plaza near Ram Ram Bank crossing in Aliganj area of the Uttar Pradesh capital. As per reports, the BJP MP has been accused of at least two rapes and two murders. The self-proclaimed godman is infamous for the numerous controversial statements which he makes. Below are few controversial statements by Sakshi Maharaj: "Hindu Women must produce atleast 4 Children to 'protect' the religion: On January 7, 2015, Sakshi Mahraj urged Hindu women to produce at least four children to protect the Hindu religion. He even took a dig at the Muslim community and blamed them for the population boom in India. He was quoted as saying "The concept of four wives and forty children just won't work in India,". "When Muslim dies, they give Rs 20 lakh, but Hindu doesn't even get Rs 20,000" With reference to the Dadri mob lynching incident and the ex-gratia that was raised from 10 lakh rupees to 20 lakh rupees, Sakshi Maharaj had said "This is done on the basis of appeasement. When a Muslim dies they will give 20 lakhs and when a Hindu dies he won't even get 20,000," 'Couples Hug each in Public, as if they will eat each other! Last year, he had sparked controversy, when he said that couples hugging each other in public should be put behind in the bars. He was quoted as saying, "Be it a motorcycle, car or park, couples can be seen behaving in a vulgar fashion. They hug each other as if the girl will eat the boy or the boy will eat the girl." Defends Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh as a 'Simple Person' He came out in defence of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, describing him as a 'simple person' and further went on to say that the rape allegation against him had been made by "one person" while he had the following of crores of people. He wondered whether crores of his followers could be wrong. Ram Rahim was convicted of rape by a court in Punchkula, triggering widespread violence and arson in Haryana where 30 people were killed and over 250 injured. Madrasas Give education on Terrorism and Love Jihad BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj had alleged that madrasa gives education on terrorism and love jihad. He alleged that students were not being taught about nationalism in the religious schools. He was further quoted as saying, "Tell me about one madrasa where tricolour is hoisted even on 15 August and 26 January." According to recent reports, Sakshi Maharaj will lodge a complaint with BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey seeking action against a party functionary who tricked him to inaugurate the club. He was quoted in the Times of India report saying, "I am not just an MP but also a Sadhu who is supposed to stay away from all such things." (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 16, 2018 02:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Just when we thought we couldnt go any lower, with three rape cases involving minors each more depraved than the other, another horrific incidence has come to the fore. The Outlook reported that the name of the eight-year-old rape victim from Kathua has become a popular search term on pornographic websites. Her name has been trending on these websites and have even surpassed those of popular actresses. Tags and clickbaitey titles with the childs name are being created on these websites to lure depraved perverts who have been searching for the videos. Wed like to think that rapists, paedophiles and perverts dont walk among us. But the search volumes on her name indicate otherwise. While many of us couldnt even get through the day without grieving for the young girl, there are many among us who are deriving sick pleasure from the childs brutal death. Part of the problem is that India unintentionally promotes voyeurism by forcing sexual suppression and upholding celibacy among the unmarried folks. The objectification of women and normalisation of rape culture and sexual violence have left us with a calloused attitude towards such brutal incidences. Such ideas are further reinforced by peer pressure and toxic masculinity promoted among men, according to Dr. Era Dutta, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist and Therapist Mind Wellness & Fortis Healthcare. Casual talks about rape and sexual violence form a large part of male conversations, normalising them to a great extent. This is probably why perverts can look beyond the brutality of the act and still find something salacious about the crime. Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr. Sanghanayak Meshram says that people who have paraphilic tendencies towards BDSM, pedophilia and sexual violence may also seek out such violent content. But apart from sexual depravity and inclination for pedophilia, curiosity about the case could have also led people to search for the child's name. "On the social media, there are nut-jobs who are justifying the crime in the name of religion. For them, the crime may serve as a reminder of their victory over the minority religion to which the victim belonged to," he adds. A lack of empathy towards the victim and her pain could also be a reason. India is also a fertile market for selling sexually violent content. Not too long ago, in the months of December 2017 and February 2018, two Whatsapp groups sharing child pornography was busted in the country. These groups not only shared nude pictures and rape videos of children, but also discussed ways to groom a child for sex. Voyeuristic videos featuring women who are filmed without their consent is dime a dozen. And you think those were one-off cases, India tops the charts for searching for rape pornography in the world. And we are guessing, there are not all for "research" purposes. India ranks #1 for searches on rape. (Photo credits: Google Trends) The phrase Every day, we stray further from Gods light is a popular meme, which is used as a commentary for something on the internet that is monumentally disappointing. And we, as a nation, are soon on our way to become a living embodiment of that phrase. If this doesnt make you worry for the fate of the country, what will? (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 16, 2018 04:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Daimler steps up its defense of diesel Apr 16, 2018, 1:19am ET \"We reject driving bans, which are a forced restriction on mobility,\" Daimler writes. Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler has issued a lengthy statement to defend the diesel engine. The company claims improving the diesel engine is a smarter idea than banning it, like some politicians (notably in Germany) recently suggested. "To do away with the diesel at this point in time would be a big mistake, for both environmental and economic reasons," the statement summed up. Daimler pointed out modern diesel engines like the ones fitted to the latest A-Class (pictured) and CLS emit less CO2 than comparable gasoline engines. Recently, technology like particulate filters and urea injection systems made diesel engines much cleaner than they used to be. "The debate surrounding diesel is being staged at a time when the NOx problem can be said to be technically solved." And, Daimler adds its engines will continue to become cleaner in the coming years. The company improved the NOx emissions of older engines by up to 30 percent in everyday driving conditions through software updates. It ruled out making hardware updates, which it calls impractical. Daimler is working with Stuttgart, its home town, to reduce air pollution. It's one of the most polluted cities in Germany, and one of the places seeking to ban diesel-powered cars sooner rather than later. When government officials issue a pollution alert, Daimler encourages its employees to take public transportation by paying for their bus or train trip to and from work. It also stops conducting test drives in the Stuttgart area when the level of particulate matter detected in the air exceeds a specific threshold. "As a company that, for more than 130 years now, has demonstrated its total commitment to helping people be mobile we reject driving bans, which are a forced restriction on mobility," Daimler concluded. The statement won't have much of an effect in the lives of American motorists. Mercedes gave up on a market it once dominated when it decided to no longer sell diesel-powered cars in the United States. The number of turbodiesel models on sale here is growing thanks to new entrants like Hyundai, but BMW is the only German brand with an oil-burner in its catalog. Photography by Ronan Glon. The M7 motorway through Laois is acting as the perfect escape route for criminals according to a Laois councillor. Cllr Tom Mulhall told the Joint Policing Committee meeting that criminals are taking advantage of the motorway running through the county when they are leaving the scene of a crime according to Cllr Tom Mulhall. Cllr Mulhall said that sophisticated criminals are targeting rural Laois towns that they know they can quickly escape. Criminals come down from Dublin have very easy access. They are out in a country area like Emo, Ballybrittas or Stradbally and within three or four minutes they are back on the motorway again and they see themselves in a safe situation back on the motorway to get back to the city, he said. There has been a six percent decrease in property crime in Laois from the first three months in 2017 when 316 incidents were reported compared to the first three months in 2018 where 212 incidents of property crime took place. According to the quarterly garda report the number of crimes against the person has increased by almost 40 percent in Laois while traffic offences have seen a 35 percent increase. Mountmellick Yarn Bombers beat off stiff competition to win UK and Ireland Epic Award. Portlaoise Old Fort Quarter Festival calls for sponsorship to support growing festival. Gardai sitting in a Garda Station for longer hours is not a good use of resources according to the Laois/Offaly Garda Chief Superintendent. Chef Supt John Scanlon told the recent Joint Policing Committee that longer opening hours is a waste and having gardai on the beat in a town is more useful. Having a garda station open in places where nobody and I mean nobody comes to the station during the period it is open seems a bit of a waste of having a member in a station with a station open for nobody to come and see them. The best use of that resource is to put that resource outside the station, have it open at time when people need to transact business with the guards, he said. Supt Scanlon said that people mainly use garda stations to get forms signed. If there is a disturbance, everyone has a mobile phone to call the gardai now and rarely call to the door of a garda station if there is a disturbance. Criminals using motorway for quick escape back to bigger cities like Dublin says councillor. A creative Laois yarnbombing group is putting Mountmellick on the map for all of the right reasons. The Mountmellick Yarnbombing group has been announced as the People's Choice winner of an Epic Award 2018 after the town got behind them to vote in the online poll over a number of weeks. The local group came out on top of 32 different creative projects from all over Ireland and the UK. Run by a group of local volunteers, Yarnbombing Mountmellick transforms the Laois town with colourful yarn creations for two weeks every year. Houses, street lights, cars, bicycles, trees, businesses have all been hit by the yarn bombers in an overnight face lift which brightens the town in a unique way. Yarnbombing Mountmellick have transformed normal everyday objects into works of art and people come from far and wide to see them. WATCH - Mountmellick Yarn Bombers launch early attack to wow Tidy Towns judges. Delighted to announce that the winner of the #EpicAwards2018 People's Choice Award is #YarnbombingMountmellick! See their project here: https://t.co/UhVR3Efi9S pic.twitter.com/5REQ2SwbAM Voluntary Arts (@voluntaryarts) April 16, 2018 Mountmellick is steeped in an industrial past. Known as The Manchester of Ireland it was founded by Quakers who brought industries such as spinning, leather works, weaving and embroidery. Yarnbombing Mountmellick believe that this heritage, rich in textiles, has manifested itself in a love for all things textiles. The Epic Awards were set up in 2010 by Voluntary Arts, an organisation that works across the UK and Republic of Ireland to promote participation in creative cultural activities. England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales Epic Award Winners receive a framed winners' certificate, 250 and a tailored package of training, mentoring and promotion to help bring the group to the next level from Voluntary Arts and Epic Award partners. The Epic Awards celebrate the achievement of voluntary arts groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland, by recognising the skill, innovation and hard work that goes into their activities. The voluntary cultural sector is huge, incorporating drama groups, choirs, knitting circles, orchestras, dance troupes, painters, photographers, community arts and much, much more. Over 60,000 voluntary arts groups operate across the UK and Republic of Ireland, and their contribution to lives in their local community cannot be underestimated. The Epic Awards are here to shine a spotlight on their work, and to inspire others to get involved. Brave Laois woman scoops Everyday Hero Award at People of the Year Awards. Laois woman, Colette Byrne, has been honoured with a top accolade People of the Year Awards 2018. The Ballinakill native, was presented with the Everyday Hero Award by RTE Radio One broadcasters Sean ORourke and Evelyn ORourke for selflessly founding an online community widow.ie following the tragic death of her husband. The website has supported hundreds of people in similar circumstances through their most difficult and darkest time. The Awards were broadcast live on RTE One from Dublins Mansion House on Sunday. Colettes husband Peter was tragically killed in a traffic accident in August 2008, leaving her to rear three-year-old Kate (now 12). Colettes first Christmas was spent both grieving for Peter and learning how to set up a website. Adjusting to life without a partner is a slow and difficult process, and most people do not really understand what a bereaved person is feeling, unless they have experienced a similar loss. After joining www.widow.ie, people soon discover they are not alone. They learn of others who are going through a similar loss and can share experiences and offer, or receive, mutual support. For Colette Byrne, the driving force behind the website was the need to have specific support addressing the needs of people in Ireland. From the start I realised how horrible widowhood is. Before Peters death, I was ignorant to the many difficulties faced by being widowed. It was only when, in the depths of grief and after discovering an American widow support website, did I realise the benefit of an online support forum. The American forum I had joined, although great support, was missing something for me personally. I soon realised it was the fact that even though grief is a universal language, many aspects are local. "For example, an inquest I wished to hear from others who had been to one here in Ireland. But I was on an American support forum and the members there wouldnt know much about the Irish system. The seed was planted. Even when I look back now, it is amazing how everything just came together. Dont get me wrong, it was difficult with many a sleepless night trying to better understand how to code and build a website from scratch. Yes, there were tears, and with grief I found it difficult to concentrate for long periods, but persistence won and Widow.ie soon opened," she said. Irelands longest-running and most prestigious awards event, the People of the Year Awards are widely recognised as one of Irelands highest accolades. Nominated by members of the public, and finalised by a panel of adjudicators, a total of ten awards were presented at the ceremony which was hosted by Grainne Seoige and Aidan Power. Mo Flynn is the Rehab Group Chief Executive. We have services throughout Ireland that support thousands of people with disabilities. Every day our teams in communities across the country meet people who are also doing great work, but they do not seek the limelight or get the recognition they deserve. "The Awards serve to highlight all that is good about Ireland and honours those whose courage, resolve and bravery is boundless," she said. LAOIS WEATHER - Stormy weather set to hit ahead of big improvement in weather forecasts Met Eireann. Kildare Chilling has been listed as a potential beef exporter to China as part of this mornings agreement that the Chinese market has been opened to Irish beef. Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed has announced that the Chinese market has been opened to Irish beef, with three factories fully approved by the Chinese authorities and there are hopes that five more, including Kildare Chilling, will follow. There will be the first European beef processors to gain access to China. Last week the meat processors Kildare Chilling hosted 21 buyers from China, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, South East Asia, Germany and North America as part of Bord Bias Marketplace International, which saw over 50 international food buyers visit Kildare to meet with leading businesses in the county. In Naas, 24 Chinese dairy buyers visited the Kerry PLC Innovation Centre while Lily OBriens in Newbridge hosted 13 grocery buyers from the Middle East. According to a media statement it has taken years of diplomacy and trade negotiations by Government departments and agencies, the food industry, and farmers. China is now fully open and operational for Irish beef, and the export of frozen boneless beef to the largest single food market in the world can begin. The factories that have been fully approved, and can actively export to China include the Larry Goodman-owned ABP plant in Clones in Co Monaghan, Slaney Meats based in Co Wexford, and Donegal Meat Processors. Kildare Chilling has been contacted for a comment. READ MORE: International food buyers visit Kildare The principal of St Pauls school in Monasterevin will address the Committee on Education and Skills in the Dail tomorrow over delays in the construction of the new school. The lapse in time between the announcement of the construction of new schools and the time at which their construction is completed will be on the agenda of the Committee on Education and Skills on Tuesday, 17 April 2018. Also appearing before the Committee are: officials from Department of Education and Skills and Representatives from Ballinteer Educate Together National School; Whitecross National School, Julianstown; as well as St. Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin. St Pauls Principal, Brian Bergin, described the delays in the building process as demoralising and debilitating to date. They have been waiting for over 16 years for a new school and their current school is at breaking point in terms of facilities and class room sizes. These 25 new schools that have been announced last week is the start of a process that can be debilitating and demoralising, he said. Being on a building list is not the magic wand- the magic wand is having the site and people to drive it forward. I just hope the 25 schools on the list dont have to wait as long as we do. Committee Chair Fiona OLoughlin, TD said as part of its Work Programme 2018, the Committee on Education and Skills will undertake an examination into the delivery of schools and, in particular, the lapse in time between the announcement of the construction of new schools and their completion. "The Committee wishes to establish the impact that any potential delays could have on the students, their families and the wider community and therefore we have invited a number of schools, and the Department of Education and Skills to appear before the Committee to discuss the impact of such delays and to get their perspectives on the cause of these delays, she said. This meeting will start at 3.30pm on Tuesday, 17 April 2018 in Committee Room 2, Leinster House. You can watch proceedings here: https://beta.oireachtas.ie/en/oireachtas-tv/cr2-live/. Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices. An information meeting is planned as Celbridge gets set for twinning with Versailles in France. Kildare town, Frank ORourke has stated that the process of twinning Celbridge with Versailles has commenced and is encouraging Celbridge residents to attend an information meeting on the twinning project on April 25 at 8pm in the Kildrought Lounge. Celbridge and Versailles have commenced the twinning process.This is a very exciting project which continues to build on the links that have already been established between both towns in the area of education, sports, business, tourism and the equine industry," he said. The modern concept of town twinning is that it is intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures and in some cases between former foes. Twining also encourages trade and tourism. "On Wednesday April 25, an information meeting on the twinning will be held. It will outline what is involved in the process and summarise the opportunities for Celbridge. All Celbridge residents, including business people, voluntary and community groups, sporting organisations etc are all invited. I have worked hard with my colleagues Amanda Bane, Cllr Michael Coleman and Jarlath Daly with the support of Kildare County Council and the Celbridge/Leixlip MD to assist this project to this stage and now we need to move it forward and plan comprehensively for this Twinning. He said Twinning can derive much benefit for Celbridge, and the more inclusive the process is, the better. A man who will go on trial this week at Naas Circuit Court faces charges of 29 counts of sexual assault against his daughter. The charges allegedly relate to a period of almost two years which was more than a decade ago although one of the charges alleges that a sexual assault occurred more recently, in 2013. The man appeared at Naas Circuit Court last Friday morning, April 13, and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. It is alleged that the man, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of his daughter, the alleged victim, was in a relationship with her mother for some time, but that has now ended. It was tempestuous, Paul Murray, counsel for the prosecution told a jury of nine women and three men last Friday morning. The couple had bought a house in County Kildare prior to the period that the alleged assaults began. It is alleged that all but one of the alleged assaults occurred there. Counsel said the alleged assaults ended when the defendants former partner moved out of the house with her children. He told the jury that it will be alleged by the prosecution that the assaults involved touching, fondling and licking the alleged victims genital area and her breasts without her consent. The defendant is a successful professional now living and working in Dublin. He has denied all 29 charges. 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. Nathan Rowley and Marcel Skwierz, Drumshanbo Vocational School achieved third place in the national finals of the European Money Quiz 2018, a European-wide financial education competition. The Drumshanbo students beat off competition from almost 300 students from across Ireland to take third spot in the Irish heat of the competition organised by Banking & Payments Federation Ireland. The European Money Quiz is a European-wide competition which aims to promote financial literacy among students aged between 13-15 year olds. In March, BPFI hosted the Irish heats of the quiz when hundreds of students in classrooms across Ireland played the quiz simultaneously in an innovative real time Kahoot! Webcast on YouTube. Students, in teams of two, had to answer a range of financial education related questions with the winner being the team to answer the most correct questions in the fastest time. To mark the achievement Nathan Rowley was presented with a 100 voucher by BPFI President, Jonathon Lowey at a ceremony to mark his success at national level. The winners of the competition will now travel to Brussels to represent Ireland in the competitions European final on May 8. Speaking at the presentation, BPFI President, Jonathon Lowey said, BPFI is delighted to mark the great success of Ciarmhac and Michael in winning the Irish final of the European Money Quiz and beating off some very stiff competition from right across Ireland in the process. This innovative quiz is a great initiative to boost financial literacy amongst students in Ireland. It is vital that we help young people prepare for their future and this quiz is a fun way to learn about money, personal finance and financial terminology. We wish both students every success as they go on to represent Ireland in the European final in Brussels in May and in hoping that, whatever the result, they will learn even more from their experience. The European Money Quiz was launched this year as part of European Money Week (EMW), a joint initiative between the European Banking Federation and 30 banking associations across Europe - including BPFI. BPFIs participation in EMW is part of its on-going work in the area of financial education which also includes the development of BusinessEducation.ie, an online resource for teachers and students of business subjects at second level developed jointly with the Business Studies Teachers Association of Ireland (BSTAI) and member banks. Sinn Fein spokesperson for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Kenny TD has welcomed the news today that the Chinese market has been opened to Irish beef from three factories, with five more to follow. Deputy Kenny said, "The opening of the Chinese market is a positive move for Irish beef farmers and I congratulate those involved in negotiating it. "The Chinese market will be a key factor in our response to Brexit. The importance of the beef sector to the Irish Agri-food economy cannot be underestimated and it is a sector which must be supported develop its benefit to the primary producer. "The Department of Agriculture and the Minister must ensure that emergencies like the fodder crisis do not affect Irelands ability to supply new markets and I urge the Department to implement an adequate monitoring of conditions affecting the sector and not risk a disruption of supply due to weather or feed crises. "I look forward to seeing another five factories being approved by the Chinese authorities and I wish those involved in that process every success. A key element of the opening of new markets must be the delivery of a better margin to the primary producer, whose hard work, diligence and skill have made Irish beef the quality product that it is." The Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell OConnor T.D, today announced the launch of a new Access to Post-Primary Teaching initiative by St. Angelas College. This initiative will see the development of a new entry route from Further Education into post-primary teacher education programmes in St. Angelas. Over the course of the project St. Angelas will be partnering with up to nine further education colleges from the Border Midlands West region. The Access to Post-Primary Teaching (APT) Project is being supported by the Departments Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH 1) funding. This funding was awarded last year to the NUIG and St. Angelas Centre for Teaching Excellence. PATH 1 Funding has also been awarded to five other Centres nationally to promote access to teacher training by target groups in the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2019. The groups targeted include people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, students with a disability, and members of the Traveller community. Minister Mitchell OConnor, said, The initiative that is being launched here today will develop, for the first time, a new pathway from further education to teacher training. This will support more people from under-represented groups to become teachers. The development of closer links between NUIG, St. Angelas and the nine further education colleges will also help support the achievement of national policy objectives to broaden opportunities for graduates from further education to progress on to higher education. Teachers play a critical role in shaping student expectations and by having more teachers in the community who come from that community is essential in terms of having more role models with whom young people can identify. We are lucky in Ireland to have such a dedicated and committed teaching profession. Teacher training centres, teachers and school leaders will continue to play a pivotal role in helping children to achieve their potential. @mitchelloconnor pays tribute to staff and management of @StAngelasSligo for the quality of initial teacher education graduates at launch of @hea_irl Funded APT project today #home-economics #education pic.twitter.com/qKhQ9vnTc0 Helen Maguire (@H_M_Maguire) April 16, 2018 Minister @mitchelloconnor attending the launch of the direct route for further education students into initial teacher education in @StAngelasSligo, fantastic work within St. Angela's College in creating an inclusive access to teacher education @STACSSU pic.twitter.com/JfXvQTiezD Marie Lyons (@MsLyonshomeec) April 16, 2018 Read Also: Leitrim and Roscommon councillors to hold joint meeting on local issues The Matchmaker based on the novella Letters of a County Matchmaker by John B. Keane, one of Irelands most celebrated writers, will play in The Rainbow, Ballroom of Romance, Glenfarne on Saturday, April 28. The production directed by Michael Scott stars television favorite Mary McEvoy known for her role as Biddie in the long running RTE series Glenroe and actor and comedian Jon Kenny who was part of the Irish comic duo dUnbelievables with Pat Shortt. Kenny is also best known outside Ireland for appearing in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. Keep an eye out for our signs popping up close to you! What a night to look forward to as old friends Mary McEvoy & Jon Kenny return to the Ballroom in John B Keanes epic show "The Matchmaker" Sat April 28th. Book your tickets fast! #Leitrim #ireland #arts pic.twitter.com/H0j0vivUB8 Rainbow Ballroom of (@BallroomRainbow) April 4, 2018 Together they play a myriad of characters in this hilarious and earthy dramatic comedy. But for Mary Mc Evoy going back to the Ballroom of Romance will be a trip down memory lane as she and director Michael Scott return to a place that touched their hearts 10 years ago. In 2008 Mary starred under the mirror ball of the famous Ballroom in another of Michael Scotts productions, called Dancing at the Ballroom. It brought together professional actors with local people taking part in the performance under the creative guidance of Scott. It was here that the local community made a lasting impression on Mc Evoy. She happily looks back at it in glowing terms describing it as My favourite gig of all time, no mean compliment considering Mc Envoys acting caliber and career to date, The locals were amazing she says recalling how they enthusiastically partook in Scotts project to create what she describes as lovely community theatre. People came from far and wide to be part of it. She explains, the whole community supported it In fact McEvoy laughs as she warmly adds, Most of them were in it! She is looking forward to returning to the ballroom and hopefully catching up with some of those familiar faces when she stars in The Matchmaker alongside Jon Kenny. The play follows the efforts of Dicky Mick Dicky O Connor to make matches for the lonely and lovelorn. Keane, an avid observer of people and the cultures that bind and create their view of the world uses The Matchmaker as an exploration of rural loneliness. He was also aware that generations of people became masters of their own destinies late in life, and only then began to look for companionship and love, once their duties as minder of aging parents were concluded or they had finally inherited, or were the left over brother or sister. Many of the themes are still very relevant. When a common sight is heads looking down at screens while engrossed in social media People dont talk to each other very much anymore Mc Evoy observes although shes more hopeful that our love affair with our phones might be turning sour and people are becoming more aware of the negative aspects to them. She acknowledges still the many positives that the internet has given in reducing social isolation by helping people keep in touch and share common interests. Shed be a firm believer of the importance of becoming computer literate later in life for those kinds of reasons. Other issues are very close to her heart. Shes very passionate about what she sees as the lack of a voice for rural issues, and how she sees contemporary Ireland as very urban centered with rural Ireland as being very neglected. Theres often ignorance from city dwellers about the day-to-day reality of living in rurally. Theres a thriving culture of people being ignored, she says. But even though the play deals with such earthy themes of isolation she says that audiences can look forward to a very very funny play! With a focus on loneliness, its not just emotional loneliness, its physical too. The characters arent backward coming forward as they are frank about those needs. As Mc Evoy says when looking for a match they dont want to be hard done by, and make sure using Keanes dialogue that the natural faculties are in fair working order! Through his inimitable way with words and his sense of devilment and wit, Keane delves into the longings, hungers, fears and foibles of this collection of lonely county people and creates a marvelously colourful world, taking us back to a simpler time, when phones were few and far between and the only web was one left behind by spiders. The Matchmaker will no doubt receive a warm welcome returning to old friends and new friends at the Ballroom, April 28. 8pm. Tickets available to buy at the Ballroom of Romance -071 985 6831 and also at local shops/establishments Clancys Glenfarne: (071) 98 53116; McManus Pharmacy Manorhamilton: (071) 9820902; Mc Griskins Kiltyclogher: (071) 98 54023; Markethouse Tourist Office, Blacklion, Cavan: (071) 98 53941. Read Also: Excitement is building in Glenfarne's Rainbow Ballroom of Romance ahead of upcoming events We're sorry that the ministry you were looking for is no longer available on LightSource.com. However, below are some great ministries that offer related content. Enjoy the inspiration, encouragement, and Biblical challenge from these LightSource.com ministry partners! FINE Gael councillor Elenora Hogan wants the council to restart a programme it had for redecorating grey, dull utility boxes. Cllr Hogan, a businesswoman in William Street, is calling on the local authority to provide funding for the painting of these boxes city-wide in line with past funding for artistic enhancement of the electricity boxes in Upper William Street and other areas around the city. She will raise the motion at this Mondays metropolitan district meeting. They have been doing this in Dubllin for a couple of years and it seems very successful. I have a feeling it would enhance the appearance of the streets of our city, and create interest in the various designs, Cllr Hogan added. These are nice colourful images, and they will cheer people. They make people interested more in seeing what is around them in terms of decorations, she added. The councilor thinks the authority could link up with the Limerick School of Art and Design to engage artists there. The metropolitan meeting kicks off at 9.45am. THREE members of the notorious Dundon criminal gang have been charged with obstructing prison officers during a search in which a massive haul of contraband was discovered at Portlaoise Prison. John Dundon, aged 35; Wayne Dundon, aged 40 and Desmond Dundon, aged 33 are each facing an offence under section 19 of the Public Order Act relating to an incident at Portlaoise Prison on May 19, 2017. The three brothers who are all serving lenghthy prison sentences are originally from the Prospect area of Limerick city. At a sitting of Portlaoise District Court, Sgt JJ Kirby told Judge Catherine Staines the DPP had directed summary disposal in the case of John Dundon but that directions from the DPP were awaited in the cases of Wayne Dundon and Desmond Dundon. All cases were adjourned to May 10 next when its expected they will be progressed. While Sgt Kirby requested that the defendants appear via video link on the next occasion, lawyers representing the three accused said they wished to be present in court. Judge Staines asked was the accuseds consent necessary (for a video link appearance), pointing out that a lot of manpower is needed to bring people in custody to court. She was informed by a barrister present in court, not connected to this case, that the accuseds consent was required. Expressing her criticism of the current legislation, Judge Staines said she could not order the video link. Desmond Dundon has been serving a life sentence since December 2003 for the murder of Limerick crime boss Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of his nephew Owen Treacy in Limerick earlier in the same year. Wayne Dundon was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of innocent businessman Roy Collins in Limerick in 2009 while John Dundon is serving a sentence for his part in the mistaken identity murder of another innocent man rugby player Shane Geoghegan in 2008. JOHNSON & Johnson (J&J) has withdrawn its plans to build a 100-metre high wind turbine in the city following a public outcry. The company had sought permission from Limerick City and County Council to construct a second structure near to its factory in Plassey, where it produces disposable contact lenses. But following two meetings, where in excess of 100 residents turned up to each, bosses at the firm have agreed to go back to the drawing board. In a statement to the Leader, the firm said: As a good neighbour, and as a major contributor to the local economy J&J Vision Care (Ireland) is happy to take more time to do further work to better understand the concerns raised. Plant manager Barry OSullivan said a new application is likely by mid-June but pledged to have local residents see the proposals before they go to council planners. We have contact details for people with specific concerns in relation to the project, and we will be following up with these individuals to help resolve these, he said. Residents have a number of concerns over the project, including the noise which is allegedly already emanating from J&Js first turbine, shadow flicker, and damage to the local scenery. Questions have also been raised about the location of the new mast and why it is planned to be 20 metres higher than the existing one in Plassey. Fine Gael councillor Michael Sheahan said: Im not in favour of another mast there. Im not sure its the correct area to be putting it in. But for the moment, I am happy the application has been shelved, pending the resolution of the issues other residents have. J&J says the new turbine is crucial to copperfasten employment at the plant, and to ensure its growth. Its also key, they say, to ensuring the company meets its environmental targets by 2020. Mr OSullivan said if Irish energy regulations change, the company could look at installing a wind turbine further away from the Plassey site, potentially easing the concerns of residents. But at the moment, the firm, which has 1,500 workers on site each week, says this is not a possibility. Cllr Sheahan, who met with council planning officials Friday, added: It shows good community engagement from J&J. Senator Kieran ODonnell, who was present at a meeting of residents in Monaleen GAA club last week, added: These meetings have been very positive. They have agreed to work on this, and theyre going to look at this matter again, carry out technical work and consult with residents. We are all looking for ways to tackle climate change, but it must be done in the context of consultation with residents. Councillor Joe Pond, who organised last weeks meeting, said: Even though they are a multi-national company, J&J has listened to the concerns of local residents. Following last Tuesday nights meeting, there is now a dialogue between J&J and residents. I hope the issues residents raised can be addressed. It shows the commitment J&J has to Limerick and Annacotty. THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick has appointed two new members to its Governing Authority, writes Jess Casey. Grainne Barron, chief executive of Viddyad, a video technology platform, and Dr Garret FitzGerald, McNeil Professor in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, have been appointed to the authority by the Minister for Education Richard Bruton. ULs new Governing Authority is made up of 29 members, two of whom are nominated by the Minister. The term of the current UL Governing Authority will continue until November 30, 2022. UL is a young and dynamic university with the potential to become a stronger driver of regional development and a truly international university with significant research impact, Chancellor of UL and former Tanaiste Mary Harney. Grainne and Garret will be excellent additions to the university's board of management and will bring with them a global perspective, which will assist in achieving these objectives. Both of the Ministerial appointments bring extensive international leadership experience that will complement the skills and expertise of the Governing Authority members already elected and appointed. Grainne Barron is recognised expert in video advertising technology and has been featured on WSJ, Bloomberg TV, TechCrunch, USA Today and other leading news outlets. She has been listed as one of the most influential business leaders in technology in Ireland, and has won the PWC Most Innovative Startup award. Dr Garret FitzGerald MD chairs the Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and directs the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics. His laboratory was the first to discover a molecular clock in the cardiovascular system and has studied the importance of peripheral clocks in the regulation of cardiovascular and metabolic function. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and an honorary member of the Royal Irish Academy. I read an excellent book recently called Angel, written by Jason Calacanis - one of the most successful investors in start-ups of all time. He was an early investor in Uber and Thumbtack and made millions from investments which often began in the thousands. Anyway, in Angel, Calacanis has many different criteria when deciding whether to invest in companies or not, and one of them is finding out what the companys burn rate is - a key measure of sustainability and how long a company can stay in business. A burn rate is the rate at which a company loses money. Its simply the amount they are spending each month over the amount they are in taking in. Another term associated with it is, what a companys runway is. This is the length of time their business can operate assuming its current burn rate. If, for example, a company raises 100,000 and has a net outgoing (burn rate) of 10,000 each month, if that doesnt change they will run out of money in 10 months (runway). Some 90% of start-ups fail, and there could be any number of reasons why, but, ultimately, the reason they have, to close is because they run out of money. Founders are keenly aware of this phenomenon, as is any business owner. They must constantly review and measure income and outgoings, and endeavour to keep expenses as low as they can for as long as possible, because cash flow is the difference between being in or out of business. If only we treated our own finances like we would if we ran our own business we would spend more time looking after our finances and look for ways of increasing our income and reducing our outgoings. From a personal perspective, knowing what your burn rate is very important because it reminds you that at some stage in the future you could run out of money, if you dont start making adjustments i.e. increasing your income and/or decreasing your outgoings. There may come a time, like a start-up, when you are in danger of running out of money especially if you arent earning an income because of redundancy, illness etc. Unlike a company, though, you won't have an opportunity to pitch to investors looking for more money because they don't want any equity in your personal finances. Would you invest in someone whose burn rate meant they would run out of money in, say, less than three months? Of course you wouldnt which is why having sufficient emergency funds in place, and more importantly having your spending under control is so vital. There are two ways you can decrease your burn rate; earning more or spending less, or a combination of both. Earning more and spending less are not the same though. If you earn an extra 100, you have to pay taxes, USC, PRSI etc. You will probably have about 65 left over. But if you spent 100 less, you are getting the full value of that 100. So, finding that 100 from spending less gives you more bang for your buck. I carried out such an exercise for a couple recently where we analysed their daily burn rate. We began by looking at how much they earn per day and what they spend per day. Between them they earned 209 per day but they spent 224 so we werent off to a great start. But, it was that reality check they needed which would help get their heads out of the sand and take some notice and responsibility about how they managed their money. We looked at every possible area, from pet food, to clothes, to insurance to meals at work, and to calculate what they spend each day, we averaged it out over 365 days. Some of what we uncovered revealed they spent 7.52 on meals at work each day; 11.23 on health, beauty and fitness; 15.07 on clothes; 41.65 on household food shopping; 0 on personal development and 6.19 on transportation costs. So, why do we need this information? For me, its clear that every euro matters and every one we spend is one we have to earn. We all know this, but we would rather not take that deep dive to find how and what we spend our money on. Small amounts might seem insignificantly low when spent on a daily basis, but they arent so small when you add them up over 12 months. So, 7.52 per day on sandwiches might seem very small but its 2,745 a year. Im not suggesting you shouldnt continue to buy sandwiches or coffee or whatever it is you spend small amounts on each day. What I am saying is that you should be aware of what the amounts are relative to your daily spending rate. We all have a bit of leakage in our monthly spend but taking time out to evaluate and analyse your daily burn rate has many advantages from redirecting some of what you spend to other areas of your finances, to earning less, to retiring earlier. Liam Croke is MD of Harmonics Financial Ltd, based in Plassey. He can be contacted at liam@harmonics.ie or www.harmonics.ie I THINK this relationship with EVA is very interesting, Inti Guerrero says. The curator of the 38th EVA International, Irelands Biennial of Contemporary Art, is speaking to the Limerick Leader in the Limerick City Gallery of Art. To think that in the scale of the population and in the urban tissue; thats there is always this commitment and support towards a major international event that is known worldwide and that has been picking up more even recently. Since EVA has been rebranded as a biennial, it has taken on a new face. EVA International opened to the public at the weekend with a mix of historical, contemporary and newly commissioned artwork created by 56 Irish and international artists displayed across Limerick City. Since its inception in the 1970s, the 12 week long programme of events has become a major kingpin in the culture calendar, both in Ireland and abroad, and a fantastic achievement in Limerick as well as for the wider artistic community involved in its ambitious production. The 38th EVA International includes works by artists working across different continents, generations and media. Some of the venues in the city this year include the Limerick City Gallery of Art, Pery Square, the Cleeves Condensed Milk Factory on OCallaghan Strand and the Hunt Museum. A new commission by Belfast artist John Rainey will be unveiled at the Hunt and clusters of different works will also appear in exhibition spaces in the basement of No 6, Perry Square as well as in the former Limerick Clothing Factory on Lord Edward Street. The Clothing Factory is still in a relatively raw state but it's a beautiful building; double height ceilings and exposed beams, director and chief executive of EVA International Matt Packer says. From the beginning of EVAs history its always been about trying to connect the presentations to the city, in all of its sort of different textures and all of its different contexts. When were thinking about the biennial as a whole, were thinking about the different kind of places, the different encounters that make it interesting. It gives local visitors the chance to see their city a bit differently through their encounter with different artistic presentations and for international visitors, its a way of connecting to the histories of the city. Its open for everyone. The biennial is free and even the approach we take in way we use venues, it's deliberately an attempt to bring the work to different local contexts within the city. I think developing an audience is something we dont take for granted. Each edition were trying to improve on that, the numbers who come through the door but also the breath of people who are interested. What makes EVA different as a project is both its longevity and its commitment to showcasing different viewpoints from around the world, Guerrero believes. It's been for a longtime and I think that always gives weight to a project. Since the 70s, it has always insisted on thinking about culture production as an international endeavour and not a nationalistic, insular, self-consuming production of culture. There has always been this need of dialogue, of trans-nationally, which is even more and more important nowadays because of how, in general, there is a rise of nationalisms in Europe. A lot of the cosmopolitan relationships are being seen as the antithesis of local identifies. This is not the case with EVA, he adds. We have artists here from Madagascar, from Egypt, from Ireland, from Panama. It's important to have that diversity. It's almost like a right for the audience, as civilians to be able to have access to that multiplicity of aesthetics, which exist simultaneously around the world. This years edition takes its starting point from Nights Candles are Burnt Out by Sean Keating, with EVA exploring some of the same narratives of modernisation and metaphors of power the Limerick artist explored in his 1927 painting. During my first visits to Limerick as part of the research towards the biennial, one of the visits was to the Hunt Museum which is where I encountered this amazing painting, Guerrero says. The painting depicts an allegory of Irish psyche at the time of the construction of the hydroelectric dam at Ardnacrusha on the border of County Limerick during the 1920s. he project radically shifted the society of the newly formed Irish Free State. With the advent of electricity comes all the real exhilaration of economy and industry, Guerrero explains. The show has different ramifications that come from here. On one hand, theres works that looks at electrification and dams. Theres others that have to do with a similar perspective, like how to define this new landscape. Modernity is something that we are constantly reinventing. Visit Eva.ie for more information. COLUMBUS, Ohio Outer space glows with a bright fog of X-ray light, coming from everywhere at once. But peer carefully into that fog, and faint, regular blips become visible. These are millisecond pulsars, city-sized neutron stars rotating incredibly quickly, and firing X-rays into the universe with more regularity than even the most precise atomic clocks. And NASA wants to use them to navigate probes and crewed ships through deep space. A telescope mounted on the International Space Station (ISS), the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), has been used to develop a brand new technology with near-term, practical applications: a galactic positioning system, NASA scientist Zaven Arzoumanian told physicists Sunday (April 15) at the April meeting of the American Physical Society.[10 Futuristic Technologies 'Star Trek' Fans Would Love] With this technology, "You could thread a needle to get into orbit around the moon of a disant planet instead of doing a flyby," Arzoumian told Live Science. A galactic positioning system could also provide "a fallback, so that if a crewed mission loses contact with the Earth, they'd still have navigation systems on board that are autonomous." Right now, the kind of maneuvers that navigators would need to put a probe in orbit around distant moons are borderline impossible. In the vastness of outer space, it's just not possible to figure out a ship's location precisely enough to engine-firing just right. That's a big part of why so many of the most famous planetary missions NASA has managed Voyager 1, Juno, and New Horizons among them have been flybys, where spacecraft have flown close to, but just past, major planetary objects. [How the Voyager Space Probes Work (Infographic)] Relying on Earth for navigation is also a problem for crewed missions, Arzoumian said. If that signal, connecting Earth and a distant spacecraft like a long and tenuous thread, gets somehow lost, astronauts would be hard-pressed to find their way home from Mars. Here's how the galactic positioning system would work A galactic positioning system would go a long way toward solving that problem, Arzoumian said, though he cautioned he's more a pulsar expert than a navigator. And it would work a great deal like the Global Positioning System (GPS) on your smartphone. When your phone tries to determine its position in space, as Live Science has previously reported, it listens with its radio to the precise ticking of clock signals coming from a fleet of GPS satellites in Earth orbit. The phone's GPS then uses the differences between those ticks to figure out its distance from each satellite, and uses that information to triangulate its own location in space. Your phone's GPS works fast, but Arzoumian said the galactic positioning system would work slower taking the time needed to traverse long stretches of deep space. It would be a small, swivel-mounted X-ray telescope, which would look a lot like the big, bulky NICER stripped down to its barest minimum components. One after another, it would point at at least four millisecond pulsars, timing their X-ray "ticks" like a GPS times the ticks of satellites. Three of those pulsars would tell the spacecraft its position in space, while the fourth would calibrate its internal clock to make sure it was measuring the others properly. Arzoumian noted that the underlying concept behind the galactic positioning system isn't new. The famous Golden Record mounted on both Voyager spacecraft contained a pulsar map that points any aliens who one day encounter it back to planet Earth. But this would be the first time humans have actually used pulsars to navigate. Already, Arzoumian said, his team has managed to user NICER to track the ISS through space. NASA's Station Explorer for X-Ray Timing and Navigation (SEXTANT) program, the team behind the Galactic Positioning System, had the goal of tracking the ISS to within 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) over the course of two weeks, Arzoumian said. "What the demonstration back in November achieved was more like 7 kilometers [4.3 miles] in two days," he said. The next goal for the program is to track the station to within 1.9 miles (3 km) he said. He said that eventually the team hopes to get under 0.6 miles [1 kilometer] of precision. "I think we can get beyond that, but I don't know how far," he said. And that's all in low-Earth orbit, he said, with the station wheeling in wild, unpredictable circles and half the sky blocked out by a giant planet, covering different pulsars every 45 minutes. In deep space, with a functionally unlimited field of view and where things mostly move in predictable, straight lines, he said, the task will be much easier. Already, Arzoumian said, other teams within NASA have expressed interest in building the galactic positioning system into their projects. He declined to say which, not wanting to speak for them. But it seems likely that we might see such a futuristic device in action in the very near future. Originally published on Live Science. The same medication used to save lives by reversing opioid overdoses may also benefit nonopioid users. In a new study done in rats, the medicine, called naloxone, was shown to help the brain to recover from a stroke. Researchers found that when male rats were treated for one week with naloxone after having an ischemic stroke, they had an improved recovery, compared with rats who did not receive naloxone. (An ischemic stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, usually because of a blood clot, which deprives the brain of oxygen and damages nerve cells in the area.) [Strange Stroke Stories: Ebola, Hickeys and Other Weird Causes] Because the study was done in rats, more research is needed to confirm the findings in people. However, naloxone might play a role in stroke recovery because the drug has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the activity of the microglia, which are the primary immune cells of the brain, according to the study findings, published today (April 16) in the journal eNeuro. Previous research has shown that naloxone affects the microglia, which are very active contributors to the inflammation that occurs in the brain following a stroke, said study co-author Brandon Harvey, a researcher at the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Baltimore. So, in this study, the researchers wanted to see whether giving naloxone after a stroke could decrease the activity of the brain's immune cells and reduce the associated inflammation, leading to improved recovery from the stroke, he said. Improved stroke recovery In the new study, the researchers gave 65 male rats naloxone twice a day through the nose at a dose considered to be safe in humans. (Naloxone is often given as a nasal spray to reverse an overdose, according to the study.) The study showed that the drug was most effective when treatment was started within 16 to 36 hours after a stroke and lasted for seven days. The findings showed that when naloxone was given after a stroke, during a period when immune-cell activity in the brain was peaking, it had beneficial effects on recovery, said study co-author Mikko Airavaara, principal investigator at the Institute of Biotechnology at the University of Helsinki in Finland. (Immune cells in the rats' brains were active as early as two days after a stroke and reached their peak activity seven days after a stroke, according to the findings.) Airavaara said that naloxone works reducing inflammation in the brain and reducing the loss of nerve cells, which can improve the brain's ability to recover after a stroke. These findings are important because there is no drug treatment now that helps the brain recover after a stroke, Airavaara told Live Science. So, developing a drug therapy that could promote recovery for the 10 million people worldwide who have strokes each year would be groundbreaking, he said. Indeed, because naloxone has been used to treat opioid overdoses for nearly 50 years, the idea of repurposing the drug for stroke is intriguing, Harvey said. What about people? Still, more research is needed in animals before naloxone is studied in people who have had a stroke. [7 Things That May Raise Your Risk of Stroke] It would be important to establish that the drug's beneficial effects would work not only in male rats but in female rats as well, Harvey told Live Science. The current study was able to establish an effective delivery method for the drug through the nose, which is one of the methods already used to reverse opioid overdose and a suggested dosing pattern (when to give the drug) to possibly translate these findings into clinical practice in the future, Harvey said. Daniel Lackland, a professor of epidemiology in the neurology department at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, who was not involved in the new research, said that there is a need to identify other treatments for stroke recovery. Currently, rehabilitation includes physical-, occupational- and speech-therapy programs; however, treatments that target physiological changes in the brain are lacking, he said. In addition, recovering from a stroke has not had the same success rates as recovering from heart disease, said Lackland, who is a spokesperson for the American Stroke Association. This study explored the possibility that a new drug may contribute to stroke recovery, and this drug appears to have some benefits in animals, Lackland told Live Science. Though the findings need to be replicated in additional animal studies, these results give hope for the future of possible trials in humans, he said. Originally published on Live Science. More than 200 million eggs are being recalled because they could be contaminated with Salmonella, but how do the bacteria get into eggs in the first place? On Friday (April 13), egg producer Rose Acre Farms announced that it was recalling about 207 million eggs that came from its North Carolina farm. The eggs were distributed to nine states, and were sold under multiple brand names, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So far, the outbreak has sickened 22 people. With eggs, Salmonella contamination often happens inside the chicken itself, said Benjamin Chapman, an associate professor and food safety specialist at North Carolina State University. That's because Salmonella bacteria can colonize the ovaries of the chicken and get inserted into the egg during egg formation, he said. That means that even eggs that appear normal could have Salmonella lurking inside. Contamination could also occur after the eggs are laid. This happens because chickens can carry Salmonella in their intestines and shed the bacteria in their poop, which could get on the outside of the eggs during nesting, Chapman said. As such, to reduce the risk that Salmonella will be present on the outside of the egg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that eggs be washed before they are sold. [Top 7 Germs in Food That Make You Sick] Even with safety steps in place, it's estimated that about 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 10,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella, Chapman said. That's why health officials recommend cooking eggs until both the yolks and whites are firm, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For egg dishes, such as casseroles, the food should be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius). So, if you happen to have bought the recalled eggs, can you just cook them to prevent Salmonella infection? Chapman said he would still advise consumers to return the recalled eggs. "Having that [contaminated] product means I have to make no mistakes" when preparing the food, he told Live Science. In addition to undercooking, there's a risk that consumers could cross-contaminate parts of their kitchen with Salmonella if they aren't careful. "I would rather just not have that product knowing its a risk of contamination," Chapman said. People who bought the recalled eggs should immediately stop using them and return them to the place they bought the eggs to get a full refund, according to Rose Acre Farms. Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps that occur between 12 and 72 hours after infection, according to the CDC. Symptoms of the infection usually last four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment. But in some cases, the diarrhea can be so severe that a person needs to be hospitalized. Severe Salmonella infections are most likely to occur in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. You can find more information about which eggs have been recalled here. Original article on Live Science. Algae sprouts from the Mary River turtle's head like a gnarly mohawk. The turtle has no close living relatives and has been designated an Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species. The Mary River turtle doesn't take its name from '80s alt-rock icons The Jesus and Mary Chain, though we wouldn't fault you for the guess. With whisker-like growths forking out of its chin and shocks of algae bursting off of its head like a punky green mohawk, the freshwater swimmer looks as much like an aging rocker as it does an endangered species. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is actually named for the Mary River in Queensland, Australia, which is the only place on Earth where it lives. The rare turtle ranks 29th on a new list of the world's 100 most endangered reptiles, released last week (April 10) by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The new list is part of the ZSL's EDGE of Existence program (EDGE is an acronym for "Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered" species), which casts a spotlight on some of the world's most unique and extinction-prone species that live far out on their own branches of the tree of life. Species like the Mary River turtle have few close relatives on Earth; according to the EDGE website, these turtles diverged from all other living species around 40 million years ago. As such, they "represent a unique and irreplaceable part of the world's natural heritage" that is at risk of being lost forever; one 2017 study estimated there may be as few as 136 of them left in the wild. The aim of EDGE is to increase awareness and protection of these far-out creatures before it's too late. The Mary River turtle has emerged as an unofficial poster child for the list of rare reptiles, thanks mainly to its irresistibly odd appearance. In addition to its algae-engulfed body, the turtle has some biological bona fides. For one, it can breathe out of gill-like glands in its cloaca the multipurpose orifice many reptiles use for both excretion and mating and can thus stay underwater for up to three days, according to EDGE. Turtles and tortoises account for "29 of the top 100 EDGE reptiles, despite representing only 3.3 percent of reptilian species richness," the researchers wrote in a new study, published online April 11 in the journal PLOS ONE, that accompanies the list. The top spot on the reptile list goes to the Madagascar big-headed turtle, a prehistoric-looking, sometimes rainbow-tinted reptile whose lineage stretches back 80 million years. The species is critically endangered, but conservation efforts are underway, EDGE reported. Originally published on Live Science. Birthday boy! Tajiri, who became internet-famous last year when his mother April gave birth live on the internet, turned one year old yesterday (April 15). Around this time last year, millions of internet viewers were glued to their screens, captivated by the steady pacing of an unlikely celebrity a heavily pregnant giraffe named April as the expectant mother plodded around her enclosure, anticipating the imminent birth of her baby. The infant a male arrived on the morning of April 15, more than two months after April's YouTube debut on Feb. 11. Born at 9:53 a.m. local time, his birth was raptly monitored online by more than 2 million people, according to representatives of Animal Adventure Park (AAP) in Harpursville, New York, where April, the youngster and his father Oliver all live. Now known as Tajiri (Swahili for "hope" or "confidence," his keepers reported), the baby giraffe has just celebrated his first birthday. AAP marked the occasion yesterday (April 15) with a party, sharing the event with his fans around the world by streaming the festivities live on the park's Giraffe Cam. [It's a Boy! See First Photos of Newborn Giraffe] AAP kicked off the celebration at 10 a.m. local time, near the enclosure that Tajiri shares with April. Oliver is kept in a separate enclosure, and though he plays no part in raising the youngster, he and Tajiri still share time together in the yard, an AAP representative told Live Science in an email. For the party, humans enjoyed snacks provided by a local bakery, while Tajiri and April feasted on a spread of giraffe food lettuce and carrots according to an AAP statement. The name of the young giraffe, Tajiri, means "hope" or "confidence" in Swahili. (Image credit: Animal Adventure Park) Tajiri is now nearly 10 feet (3 meters) tall, and though eating solid food, he is also still nursing, the AAP representative reported. But he is expected to be fully weaned from his mother soon, and once that happens, mother and baby will be separated. And Tajiri may be bound for a new home. For now, at least, mother and baby celebrated the one-year milestone together. And yes, there was cake, prepared especially for the baby giraffe. While a human 1-year-old would likely prefer digging into sugary cake and icing, Tajiri's birthday treat was much healthier, with cauliflower and carrot "frosting" and decorations made from giraffe chow pellets, carrots and shredded romaine lettuce, an AAP representative told Live Science in an email. Original article on Live Science. This years Fiesta festivities are shaping up be more spectacular than ever in celebration of San Antonios 300th birthday, and KSAT, the official TV station of the citys biggest party, aims to bring viewers every glittery moment possible. Highlights include the three ramped-up parades and an opening-day musical tribute to South Texas beloved Queen of Tejano, Selena. According to KSAT, the Hemisfair-set Fiesta Fiesta, which will kick off the 11-day event Thursday, will feature a special guest, Selenas widower, Chris Perez. (Hell be) performing with the Emotions and they will be performing Selena songs! David Cuccio, KSAT spokesman and creative services director, revealed in an email. RELATED: 6 new events and festivals for Fiesta 2018 We will broadcast it live. Theyre hitting the stage at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. KSAT anchors Ursula Pari and Steve Spriester initially will bring TV viewers portions of the kickoff celebration during the stations 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts. Their coverage will culminate in a prime-time Fiesta Fiesta special from 7 to 9 p.m. More Information Fiesta parades on KSAT Texas Cavaliers River Parade: When: 7 p.m. April 23. Who: Myra Arthur, David Sears, hosts. Battle of Flowers: When: 9 a.m. April 27. Who: Leslie Mouton, Mark Austin. Fiesta Flambeau: When: 6:45 p.m. April 28. Who: Ursula Pari, Steve Spriester. See More Collapse Two other KSAT personalities, Fiona Gorostiza and Mike Osterhage of the lifestyle show SA Live, will be on site MCing the event. In an emailed comment, Spriester said its glorious being amongst the throngs of people who love to stop by and say Hi at one of San Antonios biggest parties of the year. RELATED: 11 tips for surviving Fiesta Added Pari: It wouldnt be Fiesta if we werent right in the middle of it all, celebrating right along with our viewers who are really in store for the biggest Fiesta Fiesta yet. Earlier Battle of Flowers The jewel in KSATs coverage crown, as always, will be the stations telecasts of the three dazzling parades. Morning anchorwoman Leslie Mouton, an old hand at hosting, said she and a.m. news partner Mark Austin are particularly stoked to be helming the Battle of Flowers Parade again this year, particularly since the earlier start time will cool things off considerably. We are pumped and excited about the time change! Mouton said via a Facebook message. It is traditionally so hot during the parade. I think it makes it tough on parade-goers and those in it! Hopefully the earlier time will keep everyone a bit more comfortable, she added. According to a previous report on mysanantonio.com, the procession, starting with the Vanguard, will begin at 9 a.m. April 27 on Grayson Street and Broadway. The parade officially will kick off with a new section Simplemente San Antonio, starting at 9:30 a.m. to honor first responders, city officials and a few hero surprises, a release stated. KSATs Good Morning San Antonio @ 9 will originate from the parade site, with Mouton and Austin hosting and Mike Osterhage mixing it up with the colorful crowds. They will start with coverage of the Vanguard, then cut back to the studio for any news/traffic/weather updates, then return to the parade coverage. Sustaining coverage begins at 10 a.m., Cuccio said. We expect it to be a bit longer (being the citys 300th) with the most entrants ever, Mouton said. We cant stress enough the need for residents to get downtown early on the Friday of Battle of Flowers Were stressing they should be in their seats by 9 a.m., Cuccio added. He said this particular parade will by nationally syndicated with stations throughout the country picking it up. Some will carry portions live, others will broadcast a recorded version. The Texas Cavaliers River Parade, starting at 7 p.m. April 23, will be broadcast live, with hosts Myra Arthur and David Sears delivering the float details and meteorologist Adam Caskey capturing spectators reactions. The climactic Fiesta Flambeau Parade, starting at 6:45 p.m. April 28 and billed as the countrys largest illuminated night parade, will be brought to viewers live with hosts Pari and Spriester. Theyll be assisted by Caskey, who will be working the crowds. This years theme also honors the citys milestone birthday: Three Centuries One City. As for other events getting the star treatment on KSAT, Cuccio emailed these TV details: The Battle of Flowers Band Festival from Alamo Stadium will be carried live from 7 to 9:30 p.m. April 26 on MeTV, KSATs secondary digital channel (12.2). Hosts will be Gorostiza and Osterhage. Students from more than 30 high school bands from San Antonio and surrounding areas will present the musical evening under this years banner, 300 Timeless Treasure. The broadcast will re-air from 3 to 6 p.m. April 28 on KSAT. Jeanne Jakle's column appears Thursdays and Sundays in mySA. Read more of her columns here. | jjakle@express-news.net | @JakleJ A local family said they escaped unharmed from a fire that destroyed their home thanks to their cat. The blaze occurred at about 4 p.m. March 24 at a location off Texas 359. The pet, Corella, reacted to the air conditioning unit making a sound of an explosion, relatives said. Corella spooked and woke up Sabrina Alvarez, 28. Alvarez and Ignacio "Nacho" Valles, 85, were the only ones home. READ ALSO: Sentimental ring lost in Texas river returned to Laredo native after 45 years When she woke up, Alvarez noticed the area around the unit damaged by an explosion. She and Valles were able to push the unit outside the home. However, the fire quickly spread throughout the home as they made their way out. Regardless of the total loss, relatives said they saw a blessing in the destruction. The initial blessing that we are most grateful and thankful for is that my sister's very beloved little cat, Corella, with her little bell around her neck saved their lives, said Samantha Alvarez, Valles granddaughter and Alvarezs sister. Miraculously, our entire family was so, abundantly, blessed by the saving grace of God in the sweet, beautiful and merciful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior on the eve of Palm Sunday, preceding the beginning of Holy Week leading to Easter Sunday. READ ALSO: Mexitrend apparel evokes online outrage with #WhiteGirlsWearMexican marketing campaign She added, Fortunately, for our entire family, my grandfather and sister were both very blessed that Corella woke up my sister; otherwise, they might not have been here with us today. Corella turned out to be our family's little heroic and miracle gift from God as a little personal angel in disguise! God is very good and great. Left with nothing, the family is asking the community for help to rebuild their home. We thank everyone in advance for their respective generous time and kind consideration in helping my family during their time of great need, Samantha Alvarez said. People who want to donate can do so at the GoFundMe account https://www.gofundme.com/lost-home-but-not-hope or call 956-612-4938. Members of the community can also donate at Wells Fargo under account No. 9820792753. Immigration agents knocking at the door? Now, theres an app for that, too. United We Dream, the largest national immigrant youth-led organization, has officially launched a smartphone application that added yet another tool to protect immigrants living in the U.S. illegally by utilizing high tech and online social communications. The app, called Notifica, allows immigrants here illegally to activate a plan if they come in contact with immigration law enforcement authorities or find themselves at risk of being detained. Users can prepare a set of automatic messages to alert with one click family members, lawyers and others if they, or someone they care about, encounter immigration enforcement authorities. The tool was developed last year and distributed on a small scale and is now available for the public on Google and Apple apps stores. READ ALSO: 'Dreamers' march down the streets of Laredo in support of DACA Smartphone applications to deal with arrests by immigration agents are evolving in an era of increased enforcement on the southern border, as well as inside the country. The current sociopolitical context of enforcement has increased fear and anxiety in the immigrant community, regardless of citizenship status, said Jodi Berger Cardoso, a professor at the University of Houstons Graduate College of Social Work who specializes in exposure to trauma and psychosocial stress related to migrations. We have witnessed in Texas and across the United States the increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in local communities, including schools, she said. Adrian Reyna, director of Membership and Technology Strategies for United We Dream, said that when something actually happens, most people dont know what to do at that moment. Being prepared The app was designed precisely to have a plan of action at your fingertips, Reyna said. Once Notifica is downloaded to a phone, the user can create personalized messages for predetermined family members and others they would want to inform in the event of an encounter with law enforcement. For example, one message could be forwarded to a lawyer warning about an arrest in progress or to a family member with instructions to call an advocate from a legal defense group. Damaris Gonzalez, a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program along with her two sisters, said she and her family are installing the app on their phones. My mom doesnt have documents, so I want to make sure that we are prepared and know what to do if something happens, said Gonzalez, an organizer with United We Dream. Gonzalez, who was brought to the U.S. illegally in 1985 when she was 9 years old, said Notifica will make it easier for my family to contact me in the case, God forbid, something may happen. In demand Supporters of strong anti-illegal immigration policies, however, see initiatives like Notifica as tools to evade the law. I am not surprised by the app, said Marri Velasquez, a Republican activist from Houston who co-founded the Hispanics for Trump group. Its like fugitives, always running around trying to find the new thing. They use Nextdoor.com and other network groups to alert each other. There is always going to be another protection, another cover-up, Velasquez added. But this is not going to change anything. Contemporary tools like Notifica, however, are in demand among immigrant communities and not only for undocumented residents. United We Dream said that Notifica and the Texas hotline are designed to help immigrant families under an increasing threat of criminalization as (President Donald Trumps administration) carries out its mass detention and deportation agenda. Arrests in the interior of the country by ICE, the arm of the Department of Homeland Security in charge of deportations, increased 42 percent since Trumps inauguration Jan. 20, 2017, until the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30, compared to the same period in 2016, according to Pew Research Center using ICE data. Houston, with 13,565 arrests, was the city with the second largest number of ICE arrests nationwide following Dallas with 16,520 during the 2017 fiscal year. The rate of the annual increase, however, was much lower in Houston, with only 5 percent compared to 71 percent in Dallas. Immigrant populations often experience a sense of powerlessness to protect themselves, and in particular, their children from immigration enforcement tactics, as well as racial and ethnic profiling, Berger Cardoso said. Policies such as Texas Senate Bill 4 raised concerns among human rights advocates for the potential of racial profiling;it allows police officers to request immigration status documents when they stop people. Notifica includes information and guidance about the rights of immigrants and tips on what to do in different scenarios. It is an initiative of UWDs National Defense Network Program, which has also developed other projects such as the Texas Immigrants Rights Hotline, 888-507-2970, which provides information and referrals to legal services in Texas. Reyna said that UWD is already working on a second version of Notifica, which will include the ability to use more languages. Currently it employs Spanish and English but will be upgraded later this summer with language features in Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese. Another feature that will be included is the ability to determine the location of where a person is being held in detention. Ways to survive A feature in development that Reyna said could be helpful to immigrants is a tool like a heat map that would allow people to monitor the level of risk in a specific location at any given time. In general terms, we all try to find ways to survive in our life, and this is not different, said Luis Zayas, dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. Under the current aggressive immigration enforcement its natural for these communities under such scrutiny to use the technology for communication that we have today, said Zayas, also the author of the book Forgotten Citizens: Deportation, Children, and the Making of American Exiles and Orphans. A similar app in development is RedadAlertas, which seeks to quickly spread immigration-raid alerts that would be verified and distributed using raid rapid response networks. It is planned for mid-2018, according to the apps website. But already in use among immigrant communities are applications like Arrived and Immigo that provide information and services targeted to immigrants. Perhaps the most notable potential technological breakthrough would be one called Bienvenidos, which could be available this year. Its website says it will provide real-time information about the best immigration routes to cross the U.S.-Mexico Border. The trial date has been set for a man indicted on murder and aggravated assault charges. Guillermo Capetillo, 29, recently pleaded not guilty to both counts listed on his grand jury indictment. His case is set for jury selection on Aug. 6. 49th District Court Judge Joe Lopez said this would be Capetillos last court appearance before his trial begins, unless his attorneys or the state prosecutors file any additional motions. Capetillo is accused of killing Sergio Ramirez Jr., 27, and causing serious bodily injury with a firearm to Leonel Maldonado Jr., 22. READ MORE: Man accused of murder denied reduction on $250,000 bond George Altgelt, attorney for Capetillo, told LMT that the defense team is confident that their client will be exonerated. He said the prosecution has some contradictory evidence that helps his clients case. Were looking forward to the state dismissing this case in advance of trial in order to save the taxpayers of Webb County the unnecessary expense and time of trying a a frivolous case, Altgelt said. Were hopeful that reasonable minds will agree. The Webb County District Attorneys Office declined to comment as to whether a plea deal or a dismissal of the charges had been discussed, citing the ongoing investigation. Capetillo had been denied a bond reduction twice in the past year before bonding out of jail on March 6. The homicide case arose at about 5 a.m. Jan. 15, 2017 when police and the Laredo Fire Department responded to a shooting reported by the intersection of North Arkansas and Price Street. There, EMS encountered Ramirez and Maldonado. READ ALSO: Laredo murder suspect faces additional charges for trying to influence a juror Ramirez had at least one gunshot wound to his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to reports. Initial reports indicated paramedics treated Maldonado for multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and right bicep area. He was alert and oriented, according to the Fire Department. He was rushed in critical condition to Laredo Medical Center, authorities said. Police said they learned that an altercation had occurred inside a home on Arkansas and it escalated into a shooting outside on the street. Authorities said they seized several .40-caliber casings from the crime scene. Capetillo used or exhibited a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun during his assault against Maldonado, court documents state. Milos Forman, the Oscar-winning director who died at 86 on April 13, made only a dozen feature films, but they include the undying classics One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (1975) and Amadeus (1984), as well as a string of major and sometimes under-appreciated titles such as Hair (1979), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) and Goyas Ghosts (2006). Formans legacy is diverse, with films in a variety of styles and genres. Yet his work has two qualities in common, one visual, one thematic. In terms of visuals, Formans films are full of color and beauty. Forman wasnt like most directors, who would do just as well in black and white (and some would be better off). Forman understood color. He wasnt seduced by it. He wasnt overwhelmed by it. He just knew how to use it to express a place in time. Because the times and places of his films varied from film to film, he never used color twice in the same way. In Amadeus, the court in 1780s Vienna looks like a painting come to life. Its deliriously beautiful, but a little forbidding. The turn of the 20th century New York of Ragtime was slightly muted, with the suggestion of a recollection. In contrast, the 1970s colors of The People vs. Larry Flynt were electric, like some Rod Stewart video come to life. Forman was attracted to period pieces his last seven films were set in an earlier time and he made it his task to capture the dream and promise of the past in visual terms. Warner Bros. 1984 That past, imposing and sometimes complacent in its perfect beauty, was the monolith against which Formans protagonists often railed and struggled. Which brings us to the thematic characteristic of Formans films his affinity for gifted loners in conflict with hostile, indifferent or misguided authority. That was, in a sense, Formans own story. Forman was born in Czechoslovakia in 1932 to a Protestant mother who, following the Nazi invasion of that country in 1939, was so politically active that she died in Auschwitz. The man Forman assumed to be his father was also killed by the Nazis. (Forman later found out that his real father was a Jewish architect, who survived the Holocaust.) Forman came of age in a Czechoslovakia that was dominated by the Soviet Union, and despite the oppression, he thrived. His second film, The Loves of a Blonde (1965) was a hit on the international festival circuit, and so was his follow-up, The Firemens Ball (1967), a comedy that was recognized in its time as a satire of the Communist government and thus banned by the authorities. Forman had the good fortune to be fundraising in Paris at the time of the Soviet invasion of Prague in 1968, which ended the ephemeral period of liberalization known as the Prague Spring. Eventually, Forman made his way to the United States. His first significant work was his contribution to Visions of Eight (1973), an Olympics film featuring shorts from eight filmmakers. Then two years later, he entered history as an American director with One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, an adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel, which won five Oscars, including best picture and best director. Republic Pictures / Getty Images 1975 It was the ideal meeting of a director and a subject. Who better than the son of anti-Nazi dissidents and who better than an artist whose work had to get past Communist functionaries to tell a story in which sane people are imprisoned and the twisted and the vicious are in authority? Formans next film, Hair, seems quintessentially American, and in that Forman joins Frank Capra and Billy Wilder in the class of foreign directors with an affinity for American themes. Like Capra and Wilder, Formans films celebrated the American passion for the individual versus the mob, whether that individual was Mozart or Andy Kaufman (Man on the Moon) or Goya or Larry Flynt or the young iconoclasts of Hair. Notorious, in real life, for a personality that was rough-edged and unsentimental, he was passionate in his art about art itself and the preciousness of individual expression. Most people havent seen Goyas Ghosts. See it, if you want to understand and better appreciate Forman and his films. The movie contrasts two personalities Goya (Stellan Skarsgard), a humane man at peace with himself and possessed of a clear understanding of the world; and an Inquisition priest (Javier Bardem), who is running from himself, who is dangerous and in power. In Formans view, the people in power are always ridiculous, or clueless, or deluded, or dangerous, and sometimes all of those awful things. Its the artists that know the truth. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle Movie newsletter Get the latest movie reviews, Mick LaSalles views, critics picks and more film news each week in the San Francisco Chronicles revamped movie newsletter! Sign up here for Popcorn Picks and other Chronicle and SFGATE newsletters like the Taploid, Chronicle Commuter, and breaking news alerts. Little Pink House deals with a legal case that has implications for everyone who owns their own home, or hopes to, or just aspires to having a precious, inviolate space where the world cant get at them. It tells the true story of Susette Kelo, a paramedic who decided she wanted to live in a quiet place, so she bought a house in New London, Conn., completely renovated it and painted it pink, as in the John Mellencamp song. In 1997, New London was a working-class city with a depressed economy, but Kelo had a beautiful view, the kind usually reserved for people with money. Much of the success of Little Pink House comes from the casting and the performance of Catherine Keener, an actress who has, simultaneously, an aura of glumness and an atmosphere of fun about her. That is, she seems like she has been sad for a long time, but now shes OK. She has her house, and shes at peace. But then Pfizer pharmaceuticals wants to move in, and the city strikes a deal for the company to build its facility right where Kelos house is standing. Suddenly legal notices are arriving by mail, and smiling young women are showing up with clipboards and offering money from the city to buy her out. Eminent domain gives the government the right to take your property (after properly compensating you) in cases when it needs to build something in the public interest say, a tunnel or a highway. But where do you draw the line in terms of defining the public interest? Does it extend to inviting a major company to build a plant, if that will increase the tax base? By that token, should every corner drug store disappear and be replaced by a Walgreens or a CVS, assuming the chain stores can pay more in taxes and employ more people? Little Pink House addresses these issues just as a matter of course as it tells the specific story of Kelo, who gradually and reluctantly becomes her neighborhoods spokeswoman. At the heart of this movie is how every person, not only on screen but in the audience watching, feels about the concept of home. It is, as it turns out, an intensely visceral thing. And if you put an actress of Keeners emotional focus and innate homespun appeal in the middle of a street, blocking her house from being crushed by bulldozers, you have drama. Add into the mix two villains, the governor and the head of the towns development corporation, played by Aaron Douglas and Jeanne Tripplehorn, respectively. These are characters that are at least semi-fictionalized. The governor has presidential aspirations and wants to show that hes brought jobs to Connecticut. The development corporation head is even worse. As played by Tripplehorn, she is someone capable of genuinely convincing herself that any side is right that happens to be paying her salary. Little Pink House tells a story with lots of bends and turns and if you can resist looking up Kelo on the Internet surprises. Its an entertaining movie, but to an extent its also a public service, in that it persuades the audience to think about an issue it might never have previously considered. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle Little Pink House Drama. Starring Catherine Keener and Jeanne Tripplehorn. Directed by Courtney Balaker. (Unrated. 98 minutes.) Movie newsletter Get the latest movie reviews, Mick LaSalles views, critics picks and more film news each week in the San Francisco Chronicles revamped movie newsletter! Sign up here for Popcorn Picks and other Chronicle and SFGATE newsletters like the Taploid, Chronicle Commuter, and breaking news alerts. Is your new home budget $2.5 million or $250,000? Either way, you're likely to find a beautiful piece of Houston history in your price range in the Riverside Terrace neighborhood. Once the home of Houston's famous Weingarten family, Riverside Terrace is located near the University of Houston in Third Ward, east of Highway 288 from the Texas Medical Center. The neighborhood became known in the 1920s and 1930s as Houston's "Jewish River Oaks," with many prominent Jewish families banned from living in River Oaks, as the Houston Chronicle's Katherine Feser reported in 2002. Later, controversy brewed as black families began moving into the neighborhood and many white homeowners moved out and others resisted the transition. This era of integration was documented in the 1987 Jon Schwartz film "This Is Our Home, It Is Not For Sale." HIGH CLASS: Mid-century home for sale is reminiscent of an art gallery Riverside Terrace became a mostly black community, home to doctors, lawyers and other professionals, plus celebrities such as actress Phylicia Rashad and Beyonce. Today, many older homes in the area have been updated, and real estate agents tout Riverside Terrace for its prime location, with some homes a walk or bike ride away from some of the city's best features, such as Hermann Park or MacGregor Park. Most of the oldest homes listed currently were built in the 1940s. While several homes in the photos above have modern updates, some have also retained their original flooring and wood paneling, while one is in the renovation process. See 1940s homes for sale in Riverside Terrace in the photos above. Dana Burke is a digital reporter at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on Twitter at @danapburke. EAST ALTON United Way of Greater St. Louis and several local companies and schools are partnering for the third annual Food for Families drive this week. Aimed at helping meet the growing need of local food pantries to keep their shelves stocked, the drive will culminate with a public donation event on Saturday, April 21. There are more than 25 local schools competing in the drive this year, all the way from preschools to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Students are encouraged to bring in nonperishable canned goods throughout the week to contribute to their schools total, which could win the school one of three cash prizes donated by local companies. OLIVER TOWNSHIP Residents of Oliver Township will have a say May 8 about whether changes to the township zoning ordinance passed last year will go into effect. Residents who oppose the revisions say the changes address some aspects of wind development insufficiently, and fail to address others. "They didn't change (regulations) enough to really help the people who live here," said township resident Richard Krohn, who sought signatures to get the measure on the ballot. "Because there's nothing really stopping (developers) to come back and stick turbines in between the ones we've already got." There were 75 residents who signed the petition calling for the ballot language, which states: "Shall the amendments to the Oliver Township Zoning Ordinance adopted by the Township Board on June 6, 2017, be approved?" Krohn said those who vote "no" would be supporting the notion that the township needs to revisit its ordinance. A "yes" vote would put the changes into effect. "They've got to make changes in the ordinance to make it safer for the people. That's the nuts and bolts of it," he said. In the 2017 ordinance, wind turbine tower-to-home setbacks were increased from 1,320 feet to 1,500 feet. But that's not enough, according to Krohn. He noted that the World Health Organization and American Health Organization recommend a 2,500-foot setback. "The county even went to 1,640," he said, referring to changes Huron County made in 2015. Those against the township's ordinance changes also say sound limits should be decreased. The township board did not change the ordinance's noise limits, which remain 55 db(A). "It's way too high," Krohn said, adding the American and world health organizations recommend 35 db (A). Another problem Krohn has with the ordinance is that there is no size limit for turbines. He also objects to ordinance changes removing the "good neighbor rule." That required a lease-holding landowner to notify another lease-holding landowner to if, for example, the landowner wants to place a turbine on a neighbor's fencerow. Lawrence C. Krohn is the township supervisor, and a distant cousin of Richard Krohn. Lawrence C. Krohn said several residents who are now against removal of the good neighbor rule had problems with it before it was removed. If both property owners have wind contracts, he said, there is no need to notify each other that they are placing turbines near fencerows or property lines. Lawrence C. Krohn said he would approve revisiting the ordinance changes "if there's an overwhelming vote" against them. But he added he could not speak for the members of the Oliver Township Planning Commission or the remaining members of the Oliver Township Board of Trustees. He noted that if the changes are rejected at the polls, the setback for wind turbines would remain at 1,320 feet. The 2009 ordinance, which call for the 1,320 setback, remains in effect until the vote is decided. Lawrence C. Krohn said the township does not want to open itself up to lawsuits by commercial wind developers by allowing exclusionary zoning. "Nobody wants to be sued," he said. Other changes in the 2009 ordinance included allowing solar energy systems, and updates to the Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPS). Both the 2009 and 2017 ordinances can be found online at www.olivertwp.net/zoning. Seven railroad cars derailed in Vidor Monday morning, spilling corn, tearing up rail track and temporarily closing Main Street for about two hours, according to Police Chief Rod Carroll. The cars, which were carrying corn, "became dislodged" on Old U.S. 90 around 6:30 a.m., Carroll said. Moments after the Republican tax overhaul passed in the Senate in mid-December, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that if he and his party members couldn't sell the cuts to the American people, they should find "another line of work." Four months later, some GOP lawmakers who hoped the law would save them from defeat may have to start dusting off their resumes. Some recent polls show that the majority of Americans still don't support the tax law, despite an uptick in sentiment since the end of 2017. And a special House election in a conservative district of Pennsylvania in March delivered an upset victory to the Democratic candidate, who'd framed the tax cuts as a giveaway to the wealthy. "If they can't run on tax cuts in a district Trump won by 20 [points] and win, where can they run on tax cuts and win?" said David Wasserman, House editor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. After most individual taxpayers finish up their returns this week, all eyes will turn to what the tax code revamp means for next year's filings and beyond. Part of the Republican Party's problem in selling the tax cuts is that the answer is murky for many. Variables like dependents and itemized deductions can complicate the picture, even though most -- 65 percent -- will see a tax cut in 2018. And even for voters who do see a cut, whether it's enough to sway their decisions at the ballot box is far from clear. "Most middle-class Americans got a little extra money, but it wasn't life changing," said Western Pennsylvania-based Democratic strategist Mike Mikus. "They'd prefer Social Security and Medicare is protected." Every House seat and one-third of those in the Senate are up for grabs in November. For Republicans, promoting the tax overhaul -- which is likely to be their only major legislative accomplishment under President Donald Trump by then -- is considered crucial to keeping control of Congress. NBC News/Wall Street Journal, Gallup and Quinnipiac University surveys show that the law started polling better earlier this year, but approval as of March was still below 50 percent. Sentiment was boosted when some companies announced bonus payouts to workers, as well as by bumps in take-home pay after new withholding tables were issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Still, only about a third of respondents have said they noticed an increase in their paychecks, according to surveys by Gallup and CNBC last month. "It will only play well if we continue to remind folks what the benefits are. People started getting more money in their paychecks in February -- by November they may not remember that," said Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas. "We're going to have to continue to brag on it all year." Most voters say taxes aren't a top concern. Among the issues they selected as most important to them going into the midterm elections, taxes ranked last, with just 8 percent of respondents choosing it, the Quinnipiac survey showed. Republican leaders are aggressively touting positive stories of middle-class Americans who have benefited from the tax cuts, and are considering a second phase to make individual changes permanent, as corporate tax cuts are. The aim is to produce camera-ready material for television ads, attacking Democrats for opposing middle-class tax relief. For their part, Democrats are trying to emphasize that middle-class Americans aren't the biggest beneficiaries of the tax cuts. "The benefits flow to the wealthiest and to corporations that are already sitting on record piles of cash," said Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Texas Democrat challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in November in a race the incumbent is favored to win. "I think Texans know that we can do a lot better." O'Rourke said the law's repeal of the individual mandate tax penalty that started under the Affordable Care Act will lead to higher health-care premiums. That will offset the lower tax rates and almost doubling of the standard deduction for the middle class, he said. Democrats in high-income, high-tax states such as New York, New Jersey, California and Illinois are also highlighting how some of the Republican incumbents voted to limit the state and local tax deduction. Winning in suburban districts is critical for Republicans to hold onto the House. Republicans in big-ticket races see the tax cuts as a benefit that will help them secure victory, but they're careful not to frame them as a slam dunk. "I wouldn't say it's 'the' issue that affects the election. It's a big issue," said Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, a Republican challenging Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in the conservative Northern Plains state. "It's getting harder and harder for Senator Heitkamp to demonize it," he said. Heitkamp has slammed the law as a deficit-raiser that'll primarily benefit the wealthy. Rep. Peter Roskam, who helped craft the legislation and faces a challenging re-election bid in the Chicago suburbs, said his constituents have "welcomed" the tax relief, and that the cuts are central to his campaign. His opponent has said he's throwing his district under the bus with the new cap on state and local tax deductions. House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, one of the architects of the tax overhaul, is trying to convince apathetic voters to care about taxes, including with warnings that Democrats will seek to reverse the tax breaks if they take control of Congress. "That'll be the defining question in November," Brady said. "Do you want to go back to the bad old days where Washington took more of what you earned?" But even the president seems to have trouble staying on topic. Trump literally threw away what he called "boring" remarks about taxes at an economic roundtable in West Virginia on April 5, riffing instead on sending U.S. troops to patrol the border, his 2015 campaign announcement speech about Mexican immigrants, and other subjects. BEIRUT - Chemical weapons inspectors in Syria said Monday that they are being denied access to the site of an alleged chemical attack that was used to justify U.S.-led airstrikes over the weekend, amid growing suspicions that evidence of the incident may have been tampered with. Pro-government media broadcast interviews with doctors from the area saying that no such attack had occurred and that the victims they treated were suffering from asthma. A team with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons arrived in Damascus on Saturday at the invitation of the government to investigate the alleged chemical attack, which prompted the strikes against three Syrian chemical weapons facilities early Saturday. Two days later, the fact-finding team said it has still not been granted permission by Syrian authorities to visit Douma, the town in the Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus where residents and monitoring groups said the attack took place. The U.S. ambassador to the OPCW, Kenneth Ward, said he suspects Russians may have tampered with the evidence. Russia, a longtime ally of the Syrian government, intervened militarily in 2015 to help turn the tide of the civil war. "It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site. We are concerned they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation," Ward said in comments at a closed-door meeting of the OPCW in The Hague that were later made public. "Unfettered access essential. Russia & Syria must cooperate," tweeted the account of the British team with the OPCW, expressing concern that access to Douma was being denied. According to OPCW Director General Ahmet Uzumcu, Syrian and Russian officials have cited "security issues" for the refusal to allow the team to visit the town. Instead, he said, the team members have been told they can interview 22 witnesses who will be brought to Damascus by the authorities. The suspicions of tampering heightened concerns that the truth about the suspected April 7 attack may never be known. The rebels who had controlled Douma for six years surrendered the day after the alleged incident, which left dozens of apparently uninjured men, women and children dead in an apartment building, with foam coming out of their mouths, according to video footage. Russian and Syrian troops have since deployed in the area, which the Syrian army declared fully under government control on Sunday. Videos broadcast by Russian and Syrian media last week showed Russian troops visiting the building where the footage was filmed, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters that they had found no evidence of a chemical attack there. Russia told the OPCW meeting in The Hague that Russia has found proof that the evidence of a chemical attack was staged by the United States and Britain. "Not a single witness or affected patient in hospital has been found. Nor any traces of chemical ammunition have been identified. Instead, we managed to find those who participated in filming the faked video, which was eventually presented as 'proof' of the chemical attack," said Alexander Shulgin, Russia's representative to the OPCW, according to the Tass news agency. Witnesses, survivors and medical workers have told journalists that scores of people were treated for breathing difficulties that night and that the victims emitted a strong smell of chlorine, which has been widely used in the past as a weapon of war. In interviews broadcast by the pro-government al-Ekhbariya television channel, 13 medical workers, including nine doctors, said the symptoms they treated suggested that the patients were suffering from asthma, not the effects of a poison gas. A nurse told the interviewers that airstrikes on the night of the alleged chemical attack had ignited fires that triggered asthma symptoms in many people. As medical workers treated those who were suffering asthma attacks, someone shouted "chemicals, chemicals," prompting staff to hose down patients with water as a precaution, the nurse said, explaining the videoed scenes of what appeared to be the aftermath of a chemical attack. Activists from the area, some of whom have now relocated to rebel-held areas of northern Syria under the terms of the rebel surrender deal, said the medical workers had been coerced into making the statements in return for being allowed to remain in their homes. Two activists, one of whom joined the evacuation to the north and another who remained in Douma, said government officials went into the area's hospitals and clinics last week, identified workers who were present on the night of the attack, and took them to Damascus to make what they said were forced statements. They included some of the medical staff seen in the TV interview denying the attacks had taken place in the TV interview, according to two of the activists. "They had no option," said one, who is still living in Douma. An already-diminished perk of online shopping - avoiding the payment of sales tax - is in danger of extinction at the Supreme Court this week. The justices will consider deleting a 26-year-old precedent and uploading a new operating system for states and local governments, who say they have been improperly barred from requiring online retailers to send them billions of dollars in sales-tax revenue. Led by South Dakota, the states ask the court to overturn its 1992 decision in Quill v. North Dakota, which said retailers can be forced to collect taxes only in states where the company has a "physical presence." The case requires the court to consider whether a decision made in the era of mail-order catalogues still makes sense in a time of one-click shopping, when a website can be more appealing and convenient. Although Internet giant Amazon.com is not a party to the case - the company now collects sales tax in all 45 states that have one, as well as the District of Columbia - President Donald Trump's recent criticism of the company's founder, Jeff Bezos, has cast a political sheen on the issue. Bezos also owns The Washington Post. The Trump administration has sided with states that want the taxing power, saying a "virtual" presence in the state is equivalent to a physical one. Three of the five justices required to overturn Quill have indicated unhappiness with the decision. Justice Anthony Kennedy in 2015 said the "legal system should find an appropriate case" for the court to reexamine the decision, which he said is "inflicting extreme harm and unfairness on the states." A Government Accountability Office audit said states missed out on about $13.7 billion in 2017. No wonder Washington, D.C., lawyer Andrew Pincus, representing eBay, said one of the toughest preconceptions that online retailers must overcome is "that this case is sort of a done deal." In fact, he said, as the percentage of large retailers collecting sales tax continues to grow, "the numbers are only going to get better from the states' perspective," without disturbing the protections Quill provides for smaller retailers. Any change in the status quo should come not from the Supreme Court but from Congress, the retailers argue, which could implement national rules rather than open up the companies to having to deal with the specific requirements of what they say are 12,000 taxing jurisdictions nationwide. But Congress has not acted. And the e-commerce environment has continued to evolve. Although in the past Americans may have purchased online to avoid paying sales tax, they are increasingly shopping online to get items quickly and without having to leave the house, said Hayes Holderness, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law who focuses on state and local taxation. "The convenience of online shopping has come to outweigh the idea that I'm going to buy something online to get it sales-tax-free," he said. "The data we have show that most people don't actually pay attention to the amount of sales tax that is being collected. They look at the final cost, of course, but shoppers are becoming more comfortable with the idea that these taxes should be collected and paid." Technically, consumers owe the tax no matter how they make purchases. But it's practically impossible for the state to get the tax revenue unless the company collects the money at the time of sale. South Dakota, which has no income tax, is especially dependent on sales tax. And after Kennedy's request for a case - contained in a concurring opinion in a related tax case - the state "answered the call," it said. It passed a law requiring retailers with more than $100,000 in annual sales or more than 200 transactions in the state to pay a 4.5 percent tax on purchases. It sued three large online retailers - Wayfair, Overstock and Newegg - for not complying. Those three companies have long resisted opening warehouses and other facilities - physical presences - that would require them to begin collecting taxes in more states, said David Gamage, a law professor at Indiana University who specializes in tax law and policy. Courts following the dictates of Quill ruled against South Dakota, and the case quickly moved to the Supreme Court. Represented at the court by Bethesda, Maryland, lawyer Eric Citron, the state said the modern economy requires a recognition that the court's 1992 ruling is obsolete. Under Quill, the presence of a single salesperson in the state can make a company liable for collecting taxes. Why should its website - "an immersive online marketplace that seeks to replicate the experience of shopping in a store, open for business to every state resident 24 hours a day" - be insufficient, the state's brief asks. Computer software lessens the difficulty of correctly applying the right sales tax no matter where the purchase is made, the state says. More retailers are collecting, including 19 of the 20 largest, according to briefs in the case. Despite Trump's criticism that Amazon is avoiding its tax obligations, the company, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the country's online shopping, already collects sales tax on the products it sells, as do most other major retailers, including Walmart, Target and Apple. New outlets last week reported that the Trump Organization's online store, TrumpStore.com, collects sales tax in only three states. Traditional retailers say they still are at a disadvantage to their online competitors. At BookPeople, an independent bookstore in Austin, chief executive Steve Bercu says it has become increasingly difficult to compete. While Amazon collects taxes on its sales, third-party sellers on the site often do not. "There is no conceivable, believable excuse for not collecting sales tax," he said. "No [physical] retailer I know of has an exemption - if I sell one 25-cent thing out of my store, I have to collect sales tax. There's no reason we should be subsidizing any kind of retailer." BookPeople has been collecting sales tax on online orders for several years. "It used to be complicated - it isn't anymore," Bercu said. "It's just a part of doing business." The decision in Quill and an earlier case was based on the "dormant" Commerce Clause, which prevents states from enacting protectionist measures that burden interstate commerce. The logic holds even in this new economy, Wayfair and the other companies argue. "Imposing the disparate requirements of 12,000 tax jurisdictions . . . would effectively be a barricade across the Internet superhighway for thousands of companies, who would need to curtail their ambitions and limit their prospective markets," lawyer George S. Isaacson of Lewiston, Maine, wrote in the company's brief. Tony Brocato says having to collect online sales tax would put serious strains on his online appliance business, based in Sheffield, Alabama. He says it is often easier to sell higher-end products - $11,900 Viking refrigerators, say, or a $10,400 General Electric oven range - in other states because the lack of sales tax often offsets freight charges, which can add several hundred dollars to each order. "It doesn't seem fair to me to have to pay taxes in an area I've never even visited before," said Brocato, who also sells through eBay. "If we had to start charging sales tax, it would put us out of the market." The case scheduled to be heard Tuesday is South Dakota v. Wayfair. BANGKOK - After he took off his army general's uniform and put on a prime ministerial suit in 2014, Thai junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha pledged to lead the country back to democracy, although he said it would be "Thai-style democracy." Four years on, it appears that "Thai-style democracy" means holding an election that returns Prayuth as leader, whether as prime minister or behind the scenes, even as he suggests he has no such plans. "Why should I stay on in power for another 20 years?" Prayuth said in a speech at a university in Bangkok last week, referring to a 20-year strategic policymaking plan his junta has adopted. "I am 60 now, and that's already old. I need to rest." A handful of students protested against the junta leader, holding signs calling him a dictator. Prayuth has repeatedly postponed promised elections, and there is little confidence here that he will make good on his most recent pledge: elections by the end of February 2019. "Even if there are elections, I won't be jumping up and down with excitement," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai political scientist forced into exile because of his criticism of the junta. This is not least because the junta, technically known as the National Council for Peace and Order, oversaw the introduction of a new constitution that entrenches the military's power and the influence of unelected judges and other officials. And its 20-year plan would constrain governments elected in the future. "The military-drafted constitution has been written in such a way that any future government will have extreme difficulty running the country," Pavin said. "The military will still have the remote control and will be able to operate things from behind the scenes." Prayuth portrayed himself as a reluctant leader after he seized power in the wake of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's removal from office in 2014, in the most recent of more than a dozen coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. The junta was needed, he said, to quell conflict between the mostly rural "red shirt" supporters of Yingluck and her brother Thaksin Shinawatra - who was himself ousted as prime minister in a military coup in 2006 - and the "yellow shirts," largely comprising the urban middle class and royalists. Yingluck and Thaksin are both in exile. But Prayuth has clearly come to enjoy power in the past four years, taking to the regions to promote a nationalistic, populist message and whip up support for the junta, and repeatedly signaling that he would be happy to continue serving as prime minister. The military government probably fears the loss of control once elections take place, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "There's also the classic and timeless intoxication of power. For those in power without clear changeover mechanisms like term limits and elections, it is just hard to step down," he said. "And the military government will be afraid of retribution and possible revelations and prosecution of its own wrongdoings." Initially, after so much upheaval during the prime ministerial terms of Thaksin and Yingluck, many Thais - especially in the business sector - were relieved at the stability the junta brought. This stability was particularly welcome when the king died in 2016 after seven decades on the throne, a seismic event for Thailand. But the economy's growth rate has remained low compared with that of other countries in the region, leading some economists to talk about a "lost decade" for a country that was one of the "Asian tigers" in the 1990s. "There are all the same problems that existed before the junta took over which have not been solved, like a lack of regional development," said Joshua Kurlantzick, a Southeast Asia expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. And Prayuth's junta has sharply curtailed civil liberties, silencing dissidents, jailing activists and banning peaceful assembly. Prayuth has embraced Thailand's lese-majeste laws, under which anyone who defames or insults the royal family can be imprisoned for up to 15 years. Months have turned into years without elections, and the repressed demand for democracy is now palpable here. A total of 69 existing parties and 98 new parties submitted documents in the month after the junta opened the electoral commission for registrations on March 1. The junta has imposed strict rules on how parties can meet and campaign. "People want to see an alternative, people want to see the parliament working again," said Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a political newcomer who has electrified the debate here. A hugely successful 40-year-old auto parts magnate, Thanathorn launched the progressive Future Forward Party last month, casting it as an alternative to the two main current political forces: the Shinawatras' party and the military. "It is proven that military governments with unelected power cannot solve the problems. It's time for us to say, 'Enough,' " Thanathorn said recently at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand. "Once this military government goes back to their barracks, we need to make sure they will not, ever again, seize the power of the elected government in the future." Some commentators have described Thanathorn as Thailand's Emmanuel Macron because he, like the French president, is a young and energetic arrival on the national political scene. He has made enough of an impact to receive death threats. But Kurlantzick said he doubts that Thanathorn or anyone else will be able to take on the entrenched political machinery. "There is a lot of pent-up demand, but I'm not sure it's enough to energize a large portion of the electorate," he said. "I don't think a new person could emerge and build a grass-roots national movement that quickly." Former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has signaled that his Democrat Party will put forward proposals based on turning Thailand into a "liberal democracy," and his 25-year-old nephew has emerged as a fresh face in the party. "The new generation must work with the old generation, but the party must change, too," Abhisit said at a party event recently. But many of the political parties that have registered have pledged loyalty to Prayuth. One, the People's Reform party, has declared its support for the junta leader's continuation as prime minister. "In my view, General Prayuth has all the qualifications, competence and integrity. Up until now, there has been no corruption scandals involving him or his family members, so he's our best choice," said party founder Paiboon Nititawan. But it is too early to tell whether the explosion in the number of political parties in Thailand will lead to a return to democracy, said Thitinan, the Chulalongkorn University political scientist. "Only the Future Forward Party comprises new faces with clear ideas and policy positions. The rest are recycled and familiar politician types," he said. "What needs to happen for Thailand to have an electoral future is for more of these new parties with new faces and policy ideas to emerge, not just one." But few analysts have confidence that elections will actually take place by February. "I can't trust anything Prayuth says. He has already postponed this four times," said Pavin, who now teaches at Kyoto University's Center for Southeast Asian Studies. "The junta can make excuses again." A Bexar County sheriffs deputy, testifying Monday in a horrific child-abuse case, said he freed a toddler tethered like an animal to a door, then saw a boy who he thought was dead. Deputy Louis Estrada was one of three officers who provided emotional testimony on the opening day of the trial of Deandre Jerome Dorch, who was 36 when he was charged with two counts of injury to a child-serious bodily injury. The two children were found crying in the backyard of a home in the 8100 block of Chipping in the Camelot II subdivision on the Northeast Side on April 28, 2016. One had cried for at least seven hours before a neighbor called 911. Estrada choked up on the stand when he told the jury that the children were tied so tightly that they could barely move. He said deputies decided to break protocol and photograph the siblings a 4-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl so they could document what they saw. This was something I knew was not right, was not normal, Estrada said. When they arrived, deputies found the boy and girl were bound by their ankles and wrists, while surrounded by their own feces, and had numerous injuries. Authorities said at the time they believed the children had been left outside in the rain, possibly for several days. Estrada cried again as he described how he and another deputy decided to kick in the door to get to the back when Estrada saw the little girl, her wrists tied so tightly above her head that she could neither sit or stand. He told the court that when he freed the girl, she latched onto him and never let go something he said was odd, because most children are afraid of strangers. She just put her arms around me and her head on my chest, he said through tears. I could tell she was relieved and comforted. At that point, Estrada said he saw the childs brother lying on his side, motionless, chained at the ankle to a dog spike that was embedded in the ground. I thought he was dead, Estrada said. Deputy Calvin Anderson, a crime scene investigator for the Sheriffs Office, talked the court through photographs he took of the inside of the house, which was strewn with clothing and bedding and had no furniture except for a couch and a TV. Outside, where the children were tied, photographs showed the area strewn with trash, toys, a teddy bear and feces. Anderson held up for the jury pieces of the leash and part of the chain used to bind the children. When prosecutors displayed the photographs of the bound wrists of the 3-year-old girl, he apologized to the court, covered his eyes with his hand and began to cry. Did this one get to you? prosecutor Karl Alexander asked Anderson. Absolutely, Anderson said. Theres certain things in law enforcement you expect to come across. However, theres things you dont expect to see and really dont expect will happen. It takes you back a bit. Dorch and Porucha Phillips, 36, who lived at the home, told deputies they were watching the tied up children for their friend, Cheryl Reed, 32, whom they knew from California, where they all lived before coming to San Antonio. Reed told deputies that she had left her children in Phillips care. After the children were freed, deputies found six other children who were left inside the home without adult supervision. They were said to be between the ages of 10 months and 11 years. Officials later determined that at least three of the children discovered inside belonged to Dorch and Phillips. Defense attorney Edward Bravenec told the jury in his opening statement that the childrens mother and Phillips were clearly guilty of child abuse and abandonment and that Dorch worked all the time and his involvement is in question. Alexander told the jury that at a minimum, the children were tied up for days and that there was no way Dorch couldnt have known of the abuse and asked the panel to find him guilty. Dorch, now 38, is the first person to go to trial in the case. In October, Phillips pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to a child-serious bodily injury and was sentenced to 50 years in prison on each count. The sentences will run at the same time. Reed, 32, is in jail, awaiting trial. The trial, which could last through the week, is being heard in Felony Impact Court, with visiting Judge Laura Parker presiding. Dorch faces 99 years to life in prison. Elizabeth Zavala is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863 Gun access and age requirements are the latest flashpoints in debates about school safety. In this debate, lets not forget youths who used firearms not to harm others, but rather themselves. Teens and young adults use firearms much more often in suicides than in mass violence. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youths ages 10-14, and the second leading cause among those ages 15-24 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among those ages 10-24, firearms were the most frequently used suicide method among males and the second most frequently used method among females. Our analysis of Texas vital statistic data shows that between 2006 and 2015, of all suicides by youths under age 20, 44 percent were by firearms. This information is disturbing. Our findings are based on data from the 2005-2014 National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). We found that of 7,489 youths under age 21 who died by suicide, nearly 42 percent (47 percent of males and 22 percent of females) used firearms (handguns, rifles and shotguns). That is, more than 3,100 youths used firearms to end their lives. Since only 18 states had participated in the NVDRS by 2014, the actual numbers of youths who died by firearm suicides in the U.S. during the 10-year period was far more than 3,100. Gun ownership information was available for one-third of youths who used a firearm in their suicides. Of these, nearly two-thirds used firearms belonging to parents or other family members. About a quarter used their own gun. Some were given these guns by family members as a present or for target practice or protection. Others bought the gun themselves sometimes shortly before their suicide at a store or from an unknown individual. Part of the tragedy is that a significant proportion of parents or other family members left the gun used in plain sight. In other cases, parents thought their gun was securely stored. Parents may also be naive about their childrens knowledge of how to use a gun. It is ironic and tragic that youths ended their own lives with guns given to them as gifts or for self-protection. Compared with the Northeast, youth firearm suicides were higher in the Midwest, South and West, probably because of greater firearm accessibility in these areas. What may seem surprising is that, according to coroner and medical examiner reports, youths without histories of mental health problems were more likely than youths with histories of mental health problems to use a firearm. In addition, male youths who had no prior suicide attempt or had not disclosed their suicidal intent were also more likely to use a firearm. Among female youths, those reported to have relationship problems were more likely to use a firearm. These findings suggest the impulsive nature of firearm suicides among youths to address what may be a passing crisis. We can do more to prevent youth suicide through education, screening, support services and other measures. We can also make special efforts to protect children from firearm violence, including firearm suicides, by taking definite steps. Parents need better education about firearm safety practices and the risks firearms pose to children. Adults need to know how to secure firearms and ammunition and how easily children can get access to them, even when they seem to be stored safely. Firearms are not appropriate presents for children. Instead, they pose risks of intentional or unintentional harm. Protecting children from firearms should also be a community effort. Collaborative suicide education and prevention approaches among health professionals, firearm retailers, firearm instructors and gun-rights stakeholders seem promising. And states must ensure that their gun laws protect youths. We may disagree about many aspects of gun laws, but we can all agree that we need to stop youths from harming themselves or others with guns. Diana M. DiNitto is a Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Cullen Trust Centennial Professor in Alcohol Studies and Education in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. Namkee G. Choi is the Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair in Gerontology in the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. Last month, Auckland Council released its corporate property portfolio strategy, designed to deliver increased efficiency and offer more flexible services for customers across the Auckland region. So what exactly does this mean for us? The Rodney Local Board is in need of a new home. Not only does the board currently sit in a location outside our ward, the building currently used in Orewa is set to be vacated under the proposed strategy. Council activities will be relocated to one of three key growth areas or hubs. With the southern and central hubs pencilled in to be located in Manukau and the CBD, there is, of course, nowhere more suitable to establish a northern hub than within the Dairy Flat subdivision. With the anticipated level of growth and the 3500 home Milldale development already underway, the wider-Wainui area offers a future-proofed alternative to an already heavily strained Albany. Given the boards enormous geographic jurisdiction extends 86 kilometres from Te Arai Point in the northeast to almost Bethels Beach in the south west, our northern hub is going to need some localised support. Thats where the grassroots approach of spokes comes in. Utilising existing spaces already occupied by Council, such as libraries and service centres, spokes will enable the Rodney Local Board and our staff to work closer with our communities and ensure that locals have face-to-face access to council services. With our area being so far-flung, far better for the board to have multiple spokes, sitting somewhere central to the northeast, somewhere central to the southwest and perhaps even a cherry on top in Wellsford. For us in the northeast its a given: The Warkworth Town Hall. Its been recently restored and earthquake-proofed, largely at ratepayer expense, for $5.5 million, and, thus far, only lightly used. The popularity of the Warkworth Town Hall Talks, co-hosted by Mahurangi Action, One Warkworth and Auckland Council, is already demonstrating that the community sees the venue as a desirable place to discuss the future of the area. After all, it was originally built to serve as the place for the Mahurangi community to meet and decide the districts issues. So, with its new lease of life, why not put it to good use? Regardless of where we ultimately put down roots one thing is certain, the proposed model is going to put the local back in the Rodney Local Board. Tessa Berger, Rodney Local Board tessa.berger@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Who gives a toss! ACC is used to receiving bizarre claims, from the person who injured herself while trying to catch the brides bouquet to the Dad who slipped while trying to put the star on the top of the Christmas tree. Perhaps a new complaint, first identified at a local event in Warkworth, is about to join this list. After spending several hours sizzling sausages, a volunteer was innocently overheard to complain that he was suffering from sausage tossing RSI. A jumbo-sized problem Following yet another holiday weekend of traffic pain and gridlock, Matakana Community Group members again bemoaned the vexed issue of Hill Street and what could and should be done about it. After much muttering, sighing and shaking of heads by long-suffering locals, it was Murray Chapman, paying a visit from One Warkworth, who resignedly summed up the situation. The fixing of Hill Street is like the mating of elephants, he said. Theres an awful lot of noise, but not a lot happening. Mad as hatters The Rodney Local Board (read Rodney Loony Board) wants to add a targeted rate increase of $150 for Rodney residents (MM March 28). A small portion of the $41 million raised will be spent on a Park and Ride for Warkworth. The Board seem blissfully unaware that we have two huge Park and Rides in the area. The parks are on Sandspit Road and Matakana Road, and when you get your rate demand from Auckland Council they take you for a ride. There is a very good reason that Auckland Council limit how much money the well-meaning amateurs on the Local Boards have to spend because they would be off spending the money like drunken sailors. One of the loony board members said those who do not want to pay do not have to. Please put me down as a ratepayer who does not want to. Chas Benest, Snells Beach Take note RLB To the Rodney Local Board: With regard to your suggestion for a targeted rate on Rodney residents (MM March 28), I would suggest that you consider the following points: Given that our Supercity, benefiting from economies of scale, has about twice the number of wage and salary earners as a comparable Australian city; and given that the budget for salary and wages has blown-out by many tens of millions of dollars over recent years and these funds alone would have sealed most of Rodneys roads; and given that the stench of the corruption of Araparera is still fresh in the nostrils of our ratepayers, it might be timely to remind the board that their primary function is to ensure that the ratepayers they represent get value for money from their hard-earned dollars. I would put forward to the board the following scenario which should be the only generally accepted means to introduce a targeted rate: Specific defined projects; defined time-lines; defined completion dates. Rates should only be collected when the above guidelines are met. Patrick Neeley, Tapora (abridged) Admission of failure The targeted rates currently being proposed by the Rodney Local Board and The Auckland Council to accelerate delivery of transport infrastructure improvements are giving me a sense of deja vu. They are reminiscent of a similar action many years ago by the previous Rodney District Council when they implemented the user pays system for rubbish collection and disposal. The RDC proudly advertised a zero percent rates increase for the upcoming calendar year on the front page of the Rodney Times. In the same issue, two pages back, a smaller article contained a less bold announcement of the implementation of user pays for our refuse collection and disposal. When one counted the annual cost of 52 Council trash sacks, and a nominal one or two trips to the tip with a trailer, it totalled to a sum equivalent to a 4 to 5 per cent increase on an average households rates. So while our general rates remained the same, the user pays system added 4 to 5 per cent to our rates burden. After being shamed over this sleight of hand, the Council reluctantly acknowledged the de facto rates increase. Now we have targeted rates the modern nothing up my sleeve version of were keeping your rates increase low. What the Council is actually saying to us is: (1) We are going to keep all the rates we already take from you. (2) We will continue to spend it in an urban centric way. (3) We will add another 2.5 per cent to your general rates this year and slap a targeted rate on top, and (4) If you dont accept the targeted rate, you can expect your local transport infrastructure to remain in serious deficit and lag behind the development weve programmed for your area. It feels more like a threat than a proposal to me. I feel that the advent of targeted rates is an admission that the Councils financial planning has failed. To date, it has not delivered a fair return on rates to the rural areas of the supercity. And finally, if the Councils financial planners were doing their jobs properly we would not have to require a targeted rate in order to receive a guarantee that a fair portion of our rates was spent on our local infrastructure and services. Jim Fletcher, Matakana Tracey, do your job Tracey Martin has clearly spit the dummy when it comes to representing the local community on prioritising improvements to the Hill Street intersection (MM March 28). She is quoted as saying, [It is] very difficult for me to argue [Hill Street is] an urgent matter with the current government, as I am not the locally elected representative. The people of this area, through their vote, quite clearly said they were happy with the previous members representation. Ms Martin needs to recognise she has a responsibility to all voters, not just those that voted NZ First; or is she only in government to promote partisan politics? Is Ms Martin saying that the traffic chaos caused by the Hill Street intersection will only be a priority for her if we vote for her? Part of NZ First policy was to make Hill Street a priority. Why is Ms Martin now refusing to do her job? Being a list MP does not absolve her from advocating for, as a matter of urgency, Hill Street improvements. A. Sullivan, Snells Beach Traffic mismanagement On Wednesday April 4 it took my partner 50 minutes travelling from Matakana Village to Hill Street. And it took me 25 minutes, sitting behind a truck laying cones at 5kmh along Matakana Road. I am dumbfounded at the shambles and the serious inconvenience that motorists trying to get to work, get kids to school, get to doctors appointments and so forth experienced. Is it beyond the mental midgets that manage road works to engage with the community in a more proactive manner? Why not advertise what your project is on social media, or at the very least put signs at both ends of Matakana and Warkworth advising a timetable, start and finish times and duration of works to allow folk to plan around it? Maybe someone could suggest that the work is done at night as it is overseas. Silly me. What was I thinking? Seriously guys get a grip and get proactive in your function. At present whoever is scheduling this work needs a slap. We all appreciate that road works need to be done but stop compounding the issue by ignoring the needs of the community when there are a variety of media platform available to you to advise in detail what you are planning. Brian Corbett, Matakana Auckland Transport spokesperson Mark Hannan replies: We apologise for any inconvenience. The Matakana Road resealing was a one-day operation and was all over before school was out. The job was done during the day because it is easier to control the quality of the seal when it is dry and warm. There was a letter drop to local residents and an electronic message board was placed at the side of the road in the days before the work was done. Rotary correction The Riverside Dinner held last month was organised jointly by Warkworth Lions and Mahurangi Sunrise Rotary, not Warkworth Rotary as stated in last issue. Moderation The Warkworth Spatial Plan Working Group provided comprehensive comment on the draft Warkworth Structure Plan, which can be read in full with this story online. Click here for full version of the Warkworth Spatial Plan Working Group comments. Click here for One Warkworth Structure Plan Presentation Abridged versions of their answers are as follows: Are there any surprises in the plan? Why is an apple orchard proposed to be protected? This is a site-specific issue that should be tested through a resource consent or plan change process. It is not a reflective outcome for a structure, which is intended to provide for the efficient use of urban land and achieve a quality compact urban form as dictated by Council policy. There is a large emphasis on light and heavy industry zoned land, the only new business/general business land is already flagged for a supermarket. How does this drive the employment future of the town? The opportunity for a smart economy is limited without general business. There are also limited opportunities for supporting business activities, such as the establishment of visitor accommodation, conference facilities and offices. This will limit the types of jobs that will be available in Warkworth, as the capacity of the existing town centre to provide for all the office and non-industrial or manufacturing jobs of the future is limited. This will also mean that people working in non-industrial or manufacturing or retail jobs will need to travel out of town for work. There does not appear to be any specific areas for rural services, such as stock and freight truck stops, service centres and so on. Do you have any particular concerns? Light and heavy industry are placed next to residential zoned land with no (or only road) buffers to protect from noise, dust, etc. This detracts from the residential environment and affects the ability of industrial land to be properly and efficiently used. It will create issues now and into the future. There are better options to achieve greater separation of these land uses. There are pockets of inconsistently zoned land that will have major effects on the quality of streetscape simply, these streets wont be attractive and have the potential to become lesser enjoyed and valued places, i.e. residential, then a pocket of light industrial, then residential again on the same street. There is incomplete and ineffective public transport links for Warkworth north. No networks are shown along the Matakana link road or the proposed western link road, despite significant residential areas potentially accessing these roads. Again, people are being forced into cars as the only viable transport option. Heavy and light industry is placed beside the upper reaches of the Mahurangi River. Not only does this prevent access and good custodianship of the river, it degrades it as a visual amenity and presents potential pollution concerns. Lack of green open space simply because the Parks Dept does not have the budget today, should not prevent us from aspiring to have that amenity in the future. Do you have any further comments? It is good to see higher densities proposed for Warkworth, but this does not appear to achieve the balance sought by the community for higher density with a corresponding increase in public open space. Indicative reserves are not shown in areas that achieve community aspirations, such as adjacent to the river tributaries. Esplanade reserves are insufficient. The structure plan is the document to guide the future development of Warkworth and a five-fold increase in population. The draft plan is not inspirational or creative. There are significant opportunities missed to promote the river and access to it and also the potential for Warkworth to be a hub for industry and businesses related to water-based and marine activities. The draft lacks imagination and understanding of the community. There needs to be an emergency services hub nominated. The disproportional emphasis on walkways and cycleways needs a lid put on it. A comprehensive roading network is the key to servicing the rural service community. Who is going to bring their produce to town on an e-scooter, or return with their weekly supermarket shopping? Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers I am disappointed that the Hill Street improvements were excluded from the structure plan, even though I asked for it to be included, but NZTA said they didnt want it included, as they were already working on Hill Street as a separate project. People have mentioned that the draft structure plan summary brochure posted to local residents asking for feedback is difficult to fully understand without reading the associated 150 page report. Therefore, I would encourage people who are interested in what future community amenities are being planned to refer to that more detailed report, rather than just rely on the summary brochure, to give informed feedback to Auckland Councils planners. Rodney Local Board The plan was due to be discussed at the Local Boards Transport Infrastructure and Environment Committee workshop last Thursday. However, on the question of an interim park and ride at the northern motorway interchange, which will eventually be replaced by a permanent park and ride at a southern interchange, Board chair Beth Houlbrooke says this will make no difference to the Boards plan to run a park and ride of its own at the Atlas site, on SH1. The Board is building 80 to 120 carparks at the Atlas site, with construction expected to start sometime this year, funded through the transport targeted rate, she says. That will go ahead regardless of any future park and ride to be provided by Auckland Transport (nothing in the current 10 year plan), because the Atlas site has been retained for future community use. Any future community facility will require parking, so this is a long-term investment. The additional carparks will also serve as long-needed overflow parking for the showgrounds. One Warkworth We have not yet undertaken a thorough review, but can comment briefly on roading infrastructure as follows: We are pleased the southern interchange for the highway remains. This is crucial for Warkworth to cope with the planned population growth. We are concerned about the uncertainty regarding the location and timing of this work, and will be pushing hard to create greater certainty. Due to existing development, we do not see the western collector/connector serving the role Auckland Transport and Warkworth needs it to. This is a direct consequence of a failure to take timely action in the designation of the route and land. It is a failing we do not want repeated in relation to the southern interchange and the Sandspit collector. We see potential for a true free-flowing western collector commencing at the Matakana link road intersection in the north and running alongside the new motorway, to the west and south, on land that is currently designated for the motorway, so no significant land acquisition is required. This road would connect the proposed new western commercial zone and the southern interchange. We would also like to see the requests that arose out of the consultation for the locations of schools and a northern hospital reflected on the plan and in land designations. In response to this last comment, Auckland Council advises that it would also like to provide for these important services, but Ministry of Education and the Waitemata District Health Board, respectively, drive these two matters. Kaipara ratepayers hopes of securing millions of dollars in rates refunds have been dashed following a Court of Appeal decision late last month. The possibility of refunds emerged after a High Court decision ruled that that rates collected by the Kaipara District Council on behalf of Northland Regional Council (NRC) between the years 2011 and 2016 were invalid. In response, Northland Regional Council filed an urgent appeal with the Court of Appeal challenging the High Court ruling. Although the Appeal Court said there were some unlawful breaches by the NRC in setting the rates, the court said they were nonetheless valid and penalties imposed by the NRC on those who had failed to pay the contested rates were also valid. In addition, the Court awarded costs against the Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents association and its chair, Bruce Rogan, who contested the NRC case. Afterward, Mr Rogan described the Appeal Court decision as one of the most disgraceful pieces of judicial activism that NZ has ever seen. The court decision effectively meant that Councils were above the law. Ratepayers are expected to comply with the law, but councils are not expected to comply with the law. That is absolutely anti-democratic and an absolute disgrace, he said. Mr Rogan estimated it cost him and the association about $10,000 to fight the case in the Court of Appeal. The association will now have to stump up thousands of dollars more to pay NRC costs. In addition, Mr Rogan expects to personally face Council demands for unpaid bills and penalties related to the disputed rates, which he has not paid. He thought it was unlikely that he would go bankrupt, but said it was not out of the question. The Council have absolutely no limit on how much they can spend. They can go and hire the most expensive QC in the country, and its all coming out of ratepayers pockets. Whereas we, as private citizens, have to find money out of our personal savings, he said. Meanwhile, the NRC has welcomed the Court of Appeal decision. Council chairman Bill Shepherd said it provided much-needed clarity for ratepayers and councils all over New Zealand. Mr Shepherd estimated the cost of the Council appeal to be between $170,000 to $190,000. Traumatised residents at Campbells and Baddeleys Beaches on the Tawharanui Peninsula will this week urge the Rodney Local Board to impose a liquor ban, in an effort to curb abuse, vandalism and other anti-social behaviour, including death threats. Half a dozen residents spoken to by Mahurangi Matters say their lives have turned into a living hell because of the behaviour. Residents say much of the anti-social behaviour stems from excessive drinking by offenders on public land at the Baddeleys and Campbells Beach reserves at all hours of the day and night. Offenders have scared residents and visitors away with threatening behaviour, dumped picnic tables into the Campbells Beach Creek, set fire to boats and boarded, damaged and defecated on boats moored in the bay, and vandalised public toilets. Piles of litter have been left behind, including smashed bottles and drug paraphernalia on the beaches. Meanwhile, unregistered and unwarranted vehicles have sped around the foreshore and nearby roads, sometimes in reverse, and performed donuts and burn outs on the public reserves. Residents say one vehicle on Baddeleys Beach Road took a corner so badly, it teetered on two wheels before careening into a clump of pampas grass at the side of the road. The narrow streets have no footpaths and there are fears for the lives of children walking along them. Problems have continued for more than eight months with residents fearful of taking holidays in case their properties are broken into and trashed. Residents complain baches cant be let and properties have been sold far below their market value because of the troubles. All the residents spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals if they spoke out publically. Residents who have called police have been subject to further abuse and intimidation of their young children. People are afraid to speak out because of the threatening behaviour. We are talking death threats here, one resident said. Residents are pointing the finger at the inhabitants of two homes in the area. The section of one home has a number of disused vehicles and machinery, partly smothered with weeds, providing a haven for rodents and pests. Other vehicles are parked on public land in front of the property, blocking access to the reserve. A resident says the property does not appear to have an adequate sewerage system as the inhabitants use the public toilets in the reserve. The other home complained about is a rental property. One resident says numerous appeals to the landlord, Tenancy Services and Auckland Council to take action in connection with the properties have fallen on deaf ears. Police have been called out numerous times since June last year, but often the offending has ended by the time they arrive, and they are stymied by lack of evidence. Sergeant Scott Sherer, of Warkworth Police, acknowledges complaints have been made in relation to the anti-social behaviour. One 20-year-old male had his vehicle impounded following sustained loss of traction and is due to appear in court next month. Another person was issued with a verbal warning in respect to threatening language. Sgt Sherer said he was not aware of any death threats. He said police supported the proposed liquor ban as they had proved effective in other areas. It will give us another tool in the belt when dealing with the issues, Sgt Sherer said. Council compliance response team manager Max Wilde says Council is aware of the complaints in relation to the property with the cluttered section and is in the initial stages of an investigation. We will take appropriate action when the investigation is completed, he said. A woman who declined to give her name, but claimed to be the property manager for the tenanted property, called the Mahurangi Matters office saying she was currently dealing with issues at the property, but could not discuss the matter due to the Privacy Act. She added that some claims by residents were incorrect, but declined to specify. A resident of the property with the cluttered section said claims of anti-social behaviour were grossly exaggerated. He said some of his grown-up children and their partners may have rocked the boat when they were a bit younger, but he had told them to pull their heads in. He said that he ran a property maintenance business and mowed the lawns of nearby houses. This would hardly be possible if he was a bad neighbour. The application for the liquor ban is being made by the Baddeleys and Campbells Beach Ratepayers Association. The Local Board will vote on the application at its monthly meeting on April 19, to be held at the Warkworth Town Hall. Sports & Recreation, Nature & Weather, Local News By Long Island News & PR Published: April 16 2018 Events Connect Fish, Rivers and Communities World-Wide. New York, NY - April 16, 2018 - In celebration of World Fish Migration Day, a global initiative to create awareness about the importance of open rivers and migratory fish, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Hudson River Estuary Program and Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve are offering a public eel counting event at the Fall Kill Creek in Poughkeepsie on April 21 at noon. More than 300 events are scheduled world-wide. "New York is home to significant habitat that is critical to the life-cycle of many migratory fish species, and we are pleased to participate in the celebration of World Fish Migration Day," said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. "Our citizen-based research and community involvement are essential to learn about these unique animals and help guide our conservation and stewardship." In conjunction with the eel count, the Environmental Cooperative at Vassar Barns is co-sponsoring a creek clean-up at three locations along the Fall Kill in Poughkeepsie. Please register for this event by emailing volunteer@hudsonriverhousing.org or by calling 845-454-5176 x303. The Hudson River estuary is home to more than 220 species of fish, including several species such as herring, shad, sturgeon, and eels that migrate from the Atlantic Ocean up the river and its tributaries to spawn each spring. Migratory fish are important ecologically, economically, and culturally, but global populations of migratory fish are in decline. To learn more about this worldwide celebration of fish conservation here, visit the World Fish Migration Day website Eel Count: Saturday, April 21, Noon, Fall Kill Creek, Poughkeepsie DEC educators will help volunteers, count, weigh, and then release tiny glass eels upstream. The eel count will take place on the Fall Kill between the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum and Upper Landing Park, which can be accessed by taking the elevator from the Walkway over the Hudson. This eel count is part of an international count at locations in Europe and the U.S. This event highlights DEC's annual citizen scientists Hudson River juvenile American eel tracking program, now in its 11th year. From early March until May, approximately 700 students, teachers, college interns, and community volunteers check nets and mops at 10 different sites from Staten Island to New Baltimore. In addition, DEC educators' classroom visits bring the project alive to hundreds of students. Eel collection takes place at most sites daily through mid-May. School & Education, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause By Long Island News & PR Published: April 16 2018 The William Floyd High School Business Honors Society is a group of 40 highly motivated students who excel throughout the business department. Mastic Beach, NY - April 16, 2018 - In an effort to help sick children, William Floyd High School Business Honor Society students recently collected a plethora of toys and donations for the kids at In an effort to help sick children, William Floyd High School Business Honor Society students recently collected a plethora of toys and donations for the kids at Stony Brook Childrens Hospital. Items donated and collected included dolls, games, coloring and craft supplies, along with other toys and items such as iTunes gift cards, which will help bring a little happiness to the children and their families going through health challenges. The William Floyd High School Business Honors Society, led by advisor and business teacher Korin Cloghessy, is a group of 40 highly motivated students who excel throughout the business department. Participants are chosen based on their academic performance and their impact on their local community. The criteria set forth by the New York State Business and Marketing Honor Society is strict and every member is required to adhere to the criteria in order to be inducted at their annual candlelight ceremony in May. Part of the criteria includes a minimum 80% overall average, a minimum 88% average in their business courses, and students must display good character and citizenship. Additionally, they must be either an active member of Future Business Leaders of America or must be passing one of the college level business courses offered by the WFHS Business Department (Business Law, Business Ownership and Management, College Accounting, College Business Math, Virtual Enterprise or Fashion Marketing). Last month, Medgadget had the opportunity to visit the great state of Texas for the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) event. We had a chance to chat with Yoku Mendez, CEO of Jalisco, Mexico-based. Their product is an innovative wearable called ECGlove which is designed to help doctors and paramedics quickly check patients for arrhythmias. ECGlove consists of a common suede glove that a cyclist might wear, except that the fingertips of the thumb, index, and middle fingers are studded with metal electrodes. By placing the three fingers on a patients chest near the heart, ECGlove can rapidly record a 3-lead ECG through a module on the users wrist to help detect a possible arrhythmia. ECGlove even contains retractable ECG cables that can snap onto standard ECG electrode pads to record a traditional ECG. Mendez shared with us that in addition to just the high-tech glove, his company is developing the algorithms and AI that can provide a diagnosis of a patients cardiac rhythm. For victims of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF), time is of the essence, so its neat to see a device that can rapidly and efficiently assess the hearts condition. Since starting in January 2016, ECGlove has received the support of Plug and Play, TecLean, TecLaunchpad, and Angel Ventures accelerator programs in Mexico. Theyll be launching this summer in partnership with Arrow Electronics first as a non-medical wearable while seeking COFEPRIS (Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk is a regulatory body of the Mexican government approval and FDA clearance here in the U.S. Heres a video of ECGlove in action: More information: ECGlove website (en Espanol) Frida Harju-Westman, nutritionist at the global health app Lifesum (www.lifesum.com), comments on the benefits almonds can have on your sex life. Sex on Female First Supports your fertility Almonds are a great source of the important mineral selenium. Not only does selenium play a key role in maintaining a healthy metabolism, it is also believed to have a critical function in helping fertility, as it aides the development of healthy ovarian follicles, which are responsible for the production of womens eggs. Increases endurance Almonds contain protein and fibre which help to stabilise blood sugar levels and slows digestion, providing you with energy for longer. Almonds are therefore a great snack to have before having sex as they help to increase your levels of endurance. Increases sensitivity Almonds contain the amino acid arginine. One of the many positive effects of arginine is that it increases the level of nitric oxide in the blood. This helps to improve the circulation of blood throughout the body, including the penis, and reduces blood pressure, which can aid erectile processes. Arginine is also vital to the sexual function of women, as improved blood flow makes the vaginal tissue more sensitive and responsive to sexual stimulation, thus increasing the chances of reaching orgasm. Aids the production of sex hormones Vitamin E, found in almonds play an import role in the protecting your sex hormones from oxidation and degradation. Low levels of vitamin E are believed to cause a decline in the production of key sex hormones and enzymes responsible for ovarian health. Vitamin E is also believed to protect sperm membrane and help improve their mobility. Helps produce mens sex hormones Almonds are a good source of the mineral zinc, which plays an important role in supporting the production of testosterone, vital for both the male and female libido. Zinc deficiencies in men can lead to a lack of production of testosterone in the male testes and in women, a low testosterone level can weaken their sex drive. Helps the production of dopamine Almonds contain the essential amino acid phenylalanine which is required for the production of dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter emitted from the reward centre of the brain and is largely responsible for the feeling of pleasure we get from sex. Lifesum (www.lifesum.com) is a Stockholm-based digital health company with over 25 million users. Using tech and psychology, it creates a tailored plan to help people live happier, more balanced lives. Whether the goal is to lose weight, build muscle, or just live a healthier life, Lifesum shows how changing small, everyday habits can transform your life. The app is available on iOS and Android. by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, April 16, 2018 A ridiculous controversy over the portrayal of Apu on The Simpsons speaks volumes about a younger generation's overblown sensitivity to just about everything. First, a disclaimer: I am not Indian-American. As a result, I cannot fully know an Indian-American's experience of seeing Apu go about his life on this cartoon show. Having said that, it seems to me the energy some have expended lately to air their objections about the portrayal of Apu represents a great deal of energy wasted. In a recent TV Blog, I complained about today's culture of vigilantism and outrage. The context was the withdrawal of advertisers from Laura Ingraham's Fox News Channel show in response to a tweet she posted that denigrated one of the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in Florida. advertisement advertisement Today's topic is much less serious. It has to do with a caricature on a cartoon show that has been a part of our mass-cultural lives for 30 years. For most of that time, no one batted an eyelash over the way Apu, proprietor of this cartoon towns fictional Kwik-E-Mart, was depicted. He was just one of many comedic characters seen on The Simpsons, which has long been one of the finest shows in the history of television -- brilliantly rendered, written and voice-acted. Among the shows greatest episodes were some in which Apu was prominently featured, including a 1995 episode in which Paul and Linda McCartney guest-starred, and the one in 1997 in which Apu was married in a Hindu ceremony in the Simpsons backyard. There are likely many more, but The Simpsons has produced well over 600 episodes, which presents a challenge to anyone who would make sweeping generalizations about the portrayal of any one character. Nevertheless, a number of so-called critics have come out of the woodwork lately to condemn the entirety of the Simpsons canon for what they feel is a racist portrayal of Apu. They seem to focus primarily on his voice, which is provided by Hank Azaria. But they also come to far-reaching conclusions about what they see as the great harm done by Apu to the greater society. The impetus for this revived discussion about Apu was a short scene in a new Simpsons episode a week ago that many interpreted as the show's answer to the Apu criticism. Whether it was or it wasn't, the TV Blog's opinion on this kind of thing is consistent: The producers and the writers of The Simpsons are free to comment on our culture, including political correctness, in any manner they choose to, as long as the commentary is funny, which it was. Comedy is the primary mission of The Simpsons. In that context, Apu is a very funny character, as are the whole Simpson family and dozens of other characters, from Chief Wiggum to Krusty the Clown. Krusty is Jewish, which figures into a great deal of the comedy surrounding him. Occasionally, his orthodox father shows up, voiced by the great Jackie Mason in as stereotypical a fashion as Mason can muster. If any Jews have complained about this, then I have not heard about it. Maybe its because comedy is a business Jews know and understand very well. In fact, I have long generalized about Indian people that they are a joyous, humor-loving people as well. I am sorry if this compliment offends anyone. The pain elicited by the scene in The Simpsons was so sharp to some that it elicited numerous examples of breathless hyperbole. One writer of Indian descent actually wrote that Apu tragically defined both how our white peers related to people of South Asian descent and even informed how we understood our place as immigrant families in America. I am willing to bet that nearly every brown kid growing up in this country has been subjected to a white person saying, Thank you, come again! My advice to her: Don't take that bet because you will surely lose. Note the hyperbolic application of words such as tragically, as if Apu could wreak a tragedy on anyone, and the phrase every brown kid. Every one? This is the way writers and commentators of a certain younger generation express themselves these days. It is rarely measured or accurate. And one gets the feeling that at least some of the outrage they express in the media is feigned. Generally speaking, they often come across as if they don't know what they are talking about, although they have a vague sense that what they are ranting about will play well with their peers. Meanwhile, the rest of us are making sweeping generalizations of our own about the younger generation: They sure seem like a humorless bunch sometimes, don't they? The view from here is: Leave Apu alone. He is a joyous, lovable figure and a pillar of his Springfield community. Why not save all the vitriol for things that really matter? by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, April 16, 2018 A study released Monday estimates the worth of the U.S. mobile app economy at a whopping $950 billion, but could rise much higher if the 34 million Americans without broadband access had the ability to access apps. Wyoming has one of the largest population without internet access, yet the state passed legislation in March for blockchain technology. ACT | The App Association, which represents more than 5,000 mobile app makers and connected device companies, released the 2018 State of the App Economy report, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Economic Census, National Center for Education Statistics and industry sources. advertisement advertisement The app industry employees about 4.7 million developers, software engineers, system managers and teachers, with an average annual salary of $86,000. The app economy will add about 440,000 new jobs to the American workforce by 2024. About two out of three businesses use enterprise applications, from search to utilities. There are an estimated 28 billion app-enabled internet-of-things devices. Last year, 3.4 billion smartphone owners in aggregate downloaded about 175 billion apps from the Apple App Store, Google Play and other third-party sites. One major issue has become a lack of an educated workforce. For every eight available computing jobs, there is only one computer science graduate to fill it. In the United States, only 59,000 U.S. college graduates earned computer science degrees in 2017. There are 503,000 computing jobs nationwide to fill. Idaho at 53.24%, Kentucky at 46%, Maryland at 30%, Louisiana at 21%, and Utah at nearly 25% are poised to lead the future of the app economy with job growth as high as 52% during the next six years. Wyoming laid the groundwork to become a haven for blockchain and cryptocurrency. Legislation around telehealth has created new avenues for the app economy in Vermont. Louisianas supportive business environment will make it possible to grow their computing workforce by 21% in the next five years. The growth mobile applications will also benefit the advertising industry. But the growing mobile economy also brings cybercrime. In fact, cybercrime costs consumers $3 trillion worldwide annually, according to the study. A lack of end-to-end encryption and security protocols and shortage of 285,000 cybersecurity professionals nationwide threaten its potential. by Sara Guaglione , April 16, 2018 Michael Ferro, the largest shareholder of Tronc, is selling his stake, ending his involvement in the company. Ferro is selling his 26% stake in Tronc for over $208 million to McCormick Media, a new ownership group reportedly tied to the family that built the company up from The Chicago Tribune in the early 20th century, according to Robert Feder, who runs an independent column covering local media. Feder reports that at $23 per share, Ferros payout represents a premium of 34% over the current stock price. Tronc chairman and CEO Justin Dearborn said this was a private transaction between Ferro and the buyer, and does not alter our business strategy or the pending sale of the California News Group, which includes The San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. Tronc sold the papers to billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong for $500 million and the deal is expected to close soon. Soon-Shiong announced Friday he is moving LAT from its historic building in downtown Los Angeles to the suburban city of El Segundo. advertisement advertisement Ferro stepped down as Tronc chairman last month, hours before Fortune published sexual-harassment allegations by two female entrepreneurs against Ferro. Ferro took control of what was then called Tribune Publishing in February 2016, purchasing a 17% stake in the company. He was previously chairman of Wrapports, former parent company of the Chicago Sun-Times. Dearborn was appointed CEO of Tribune Publishing that same month. Ferro and Dearborn changed the name of Tribune Publishing to Tronc in June 2016, symbolizing the company's commitment to its digital transformation. Tronc president Tim Knight announced in March that the company is reorganizing its eight local newsrooms as a deeper push into its digital transition efforts. Last week, dozens of Los Angeles Times employees were laid off, due to a change in the companys business structure. Former editor-in-chief Lewis DVorkin was also let go. DVorkin was appointed editor of LAT in October of last year, before he was moved to the role of Chief Content Officer of Tribune Interactive. DVorkin was temporarily put on unpaid leave after NPR reported he had been a defendant in two sexual -harassment cases before joining Tronc. He was later cleared of wrongdoing. by Sara Guaglione , April 16, 2018 Mens Journal claims its website has experienced 166% audience growth year-over year, increasing from 3 million monthly unique visitors to 8 million, now that online content from Mens Fitness is getting rolled into Mens Journal. Last August, American Media Inc. announced it was folding print subscriptions to Men's Fitness into its other male-focused brand, Mens Journal, which it acquired in June from Wenner Media. advertisement advertisement AMI likely saw an overlap in content and audiences between Mens Journal and Men's Fitness. Mens Journal increased its frequency to 12 print issues a year and features about 50 additional pages of editorial content. We have gone through five issues now of the print merger and seen it prove out. Print is doing really well, Men's Journal Chief Revenue Officer Jay Gallagher told Publishers Daily. Now, Mens Fitness online content is being distributed throughout AMIs brands. The URLs to Mens Fitness' Style, Gear, Nutrition and Fitness verticals are now part of Mens Journals site. The rest of Men's Fitness' online content is being rolled into its sister publications. Gallagher said Mens Journal is on track to reach 10 million monthly unique visitors. Total monthly page views to the Men's Journal website have reached more than 60 million. Men's Journal is now one of the top three men's lifestyle websites by reach, according to AMI. "The past two years have been focused on building and deepening engagement that could be best leveraged for our partners," stated Gallagher. "Today, with the addition of this unduplicated audience, we are uniquely positioned to broaden that engagement story to an even larger and more powerful consumer base." AMI's titles include Us Weekly, OK!, Star, Men's Journal, Muscle & Fitness, Flex and National Enquirer, among others. by Karlene Lukovitz @KLmarketdaily, April 16, 2018 Stella Artois is following its earnest, cause-related campaign with Water.org, which included a Super Bowl ad featuring Matt Damon, with creative offering a radical change in tone. The campaign, Joie de Biere, launching in 19 markets around the world, is Stella Artois largest marketing effort to date, including its biggest TV buy thus far, according to the company. The initial 30-second TV spot, Les Pockets (below) has an amusing, European vibe reminiscent of 2017s whimsical Dancing in a Modern Forest ad for Stella Artois Cidre also from the Mother agency. advertisement advertisement The ad is set in Le Village de Stella Artois, a fictitious town where the residents dont let modern distractions get in the way of enjoying lifes simple pleasures like a foamy Stella Artois poured into one of the brands famed chalices. The 600-year-old beer is itself known as Le Village, and the fanciful town is meant to be an idyllic manifestation of its hometown of Leuven, Belgium, according to the brand. The commercial depicts a man whos frantically trying to juggle dual mobile phones being saved by an invention thats being put to good use by joyful residents kicking up their heels at the local tavern: pockets. The name Joie de Biere is of course a play on the well-known European sentiment of joie de vivre, summed up Stella Artois Vice President Harry Lewis. Le Villageis a place where people can take a mental escape to imagine what life would be like if you set aside modern distractions, and were excited to bring this concept to life as we set out on our mission to bring more joie to the world. The brand will host Le Village-inspired pop-up bars at U.S. food festivals, including ones hosted by Food & Wine and The Infatuation. Consumers will also have the chance to win a getaway trip to the San Diego Wine & Food Festival, by entering a Snapchat code on signage in the brands on- and off-premise accounts. In addition, Stella Artois will sponsor Dont Rush Hours happy hours extended by one hour at select bars around the country. On the social media front, the brand will encourage consumers to express their frustrations about daily hassles, then surprise them with complimentary Drizly codes to purchase Stella Artois and Stella Artois Cidre. It will also offer digital vignettes that remind folks to put aside the technology and enjoy real, live time with friends and family. Online pop-up ads will urge viewers, Dont click on this banner ad both to grab their attention and to nudge them to think about swapping some online time for some Joie de Biere time. Finally, custom billboards built out of real flowers will encourage consumers to stop and smell the beer. India has a rape problem and the recent string of heinous crimes in Kathua and Unnao have brought in to focus the plight of women in the country. Stringent laws and fast track courts are the need of the hour and that's exactly what the Delhi CM promised on Sunday. Kejriwal vowed to take the legislative route in the next assembly session to bring a law that'll ensure death penalty to the minors' rapists and setting up of fast track courts to ensure verdicts within six months. Twitter We will bring amendments in the IPC and CrPC during the next assembly session to ensure death penalty for those found guilty of raping minors and (set up) fast track courts so that trials get over in six months. As CM, I am worried about the safety of women in Delhi. As an Indian, I am worried about the safety of women in my country. I am participating in this protest today to demand a system, which ensures their safety," he said. Even though Kejriwal might bring a strict bill for the safety of women in the capital, it'll still need to be approved by the Centre to be enacted as a law. "In the last three years, the legislations which were passed and forwarded to the Centre, none of them have been approved. We will forward even these amendments to the Centre and I appeal to the Union government to pass them so that they can be implemented for safety and speedy justice to women," Kejriwal lamented during the protests. Twitter DCW chief Swati Maliwal also took potshots at the PM for not doing enough for women. "I have great respect for the prime minister. And if prime minister can implement Demonetisation within single night then, of course, he can give system to the country to ensure women's safety," she said. It must be noted that the Nirbhaya Fund, which was established after the horrific gang-rape of the Delhi girl, has accumulated almost Rs 3000 crores and is still kept unused. While it's not a secret that administration delays and policy implementation are issues that need urgent addressal, the central government's response to rising crimes against women in the country will be a deciding factor in what message we convey to serial offenders. Meet Aryaman Verma, he's a student of Class VIII and has been infatuated with technology since his childhood. A student of Sat Paul Mittal School, Aryaman has officially broken records to become the youngest Indian to build a drone, according to India Book of Records. Hailing from Ludhiana, Punjab, Aryaman managed to break the record by building a quadcopter that is capable of flying up to 70 feet. The 13-year-old is now hoping to enter the Guinness World Records for the same feat. Twitter/ANI Speaking to ANI, Aryaman's mother said, "We have sent the entry to the Guinness World Records. We're hopeful they'll accept it." Currently, in India, it is illegal for a citizen to fly a drone; however, we are happy to see that it did not deter Aryaman Verma from building one. A drone is essentially an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be controlled with a remote/controller using radio frequencies. Twitter/ANI It took Aryaman one month to build the drone and is currently in the process of making an air quality monitor. Aryaman told Tribune India he hopes to build a robot in the coming future that can help the country. Pexels Drones can be used for various purposes such as filming and journalism, a delivery method, disaster management, for military surveillance purposes and geographical mapping. Source: ANI, Tribune India Chinese phone maker Huawei may be gunning for the "world's first" foldable smartphone. The company reportedly plans to announce its foldable phone in November this year, according to Korean news outlet ETNews. As per the claims, Huawei recently signed an NDA with suppliers in relation to the upcoming folding phone. Development is underway, the sources say, with Huawei hoping to unveil the handset in November. This would make Huawei the creator of the first foldable smartphone available on the commercial market, beating the number one manufacturer Samsung to the punch. YouTube Needless to say, an announcement doesn't mean that the phone will be released soon after, but the same can be said for Samsung's Q1 schedule as well. Apple is also said to be playing around with foldable display prototypes. Flexible OLED technology will allow the actual screen itself to bend and fold without the use of hinges or the extra bulk associated with implementing two separate screens, meaning a foldable, thinner smartphone will be available possibly as soon as November. It's assumed that the OLED provider will be LG not Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy X is also alleged to use a folding screen, although in Samsung style this will be AMOLED, of course. At MWC 2018, Samsung Mobile head DJ Koh said the company was taking its time to polish the form factor and experience, declining to give a release date. ZTE It's not the first time we've seen foldable phones in the limelight though. ZTE previously launched its Axon M smartphone, although this doesn't have a flexible display, is made up of two screens instead. YouTube Huawei, the world's third-largest phone maker, sorely needs a win against Samsung, the largest in total sales volume. Blowback from the US government over security concerns with Huawei products, especially its networking infrastructure equipment, has caused US carriers as well as major retailer BestBuy to ditch their support. Judging from the excellent P20 series it just outed, the company might as well pull off another innovative handset out of the proverbial hat come this fall. SAN FRANCISCO: Concern about Facebook Incs respect for data privacy is widening to include the information it collects about non-users, after Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said the worlds largest social network tracks people whether they have accounts or not. Privacy concerns have swamped Facebook since it acknowledged last month that information about millions of users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, a firm that has counted U.S. President Donald Trumps 2016 electoral campaign among its clients. Zuckerberg said on Wednesday under questioning by U.S. Representative Ben Lujan that, for security reasons, Facebook also collects data of people who have not signed up for Facebook. Lawmakers and privacy advocates immediately protested the practice, with many saying Facebook needed to develop a way for non-users to find out what the company knows about them. Weve got to fix that, Representative Lujan, a Democrat, told Zuckerberg, calling for such disclosure, a move that would have unclear effects on the companys ability to target ads. Zuckerberg did not respond. On Friday Facebook said it had no plans to build such a tool. Critics said that Zuckerberg has not said enough about the extent and use of the data. Its not clear what Facebook is doing with that information, said Chris Calabrese, vice president for policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology, a Washington advocacy group. COOKIES EVERYWHERE Facebook gets some data on non-users from people on its network, such as when a user uploads email addresses of friends. Other information comes from cookies, small files stored via a browser and used by Facebook and others to track people on the internet, sometimes to target them with ads. This kind of data collection is fundamental to how the internet works, Facebook said in a statement to Reuters. Asked if people could opt out, Facebook added, There are basic things you can do to limit the use of this information for advertising, like using browser or device settings to delete cookies. This would apply to other services beyond Facebook because, as mentioned, it is standard to how the internet works. Facebook often installs cookies on non-users browsers if they visit sites with Facebook like and share buttons, whether or not a person pushes a button. Facebook said it uses browsing data to create analytics reports, including about traffic to a site. The company said it does not use the data to target ads, except those inviting people to join Facebook. TARGETING FACEBOOK Advocates and lawmakers say they are singling out Facebook because of its size, rivaled outside China only by Alphabet Incs Google, and because they allege Zuckerberg was not forthcoming about the extent and reasons for the tracking. Hes either deliberately misunderstanding some of the questions, or hes not clear about whats actually happening inside Facebooks operation, said Daniel Kahn Gillmor, a senior staff technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union. Zuckerberg, for instance, said the collection was done for security purposes, without explaining further or saying whether it was also used for measurement or analytics, Gillmor said, adding that Facebook had a business incentive to use the non-user data to target ads. Facebook declined to comment on why Zuckerberg referred to security only. Gillmor said Facebook could build databases on non-users by combining web browsing history with uploaded contacts. Facebook said on Friday that it does not do so. The ACLU is pushing U.S. lawmakers to enact broad privacy legislation including a requirement for consent prior to data collection. The first regulatory challenge to Facebooks practices for non-users may come next month when a new European Union law, known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), takes effect and requires notice and consent prior to data collection. At a minimum, Facebook is going to have to think about ways to structure their technology to give that proper notice, said Woodrow Hartzog, a Northeastern University professor of law and computer science. Facebook said in its statement on Friday, Our products and services comply with applicable law and will comply with GDPR. The social network would be wise to recognize at least a right to know, said Michael Froomkin, a University of Miami law professor. Today we had a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. We talked about the situation in Syria. From our part, we underscored that, beyond condemnation of the use of chemical weapons, which must be complete, any sort of act of war, including in Afrin, must be condemned as well. And we also need to look at how we can protect the Kurdish population. We then talked about issues concerning Iran and its nuclear programme, and subsequently we came to the main subject of interest to us, the Western Balkans. I explained where we stand in our negotiations with Albania and fYROM. I also underscored the need for the Latters leaders to understand that we cant have negotiations via interviews and constant public statements and that they need to show due seriousness and to abide by a method that will lead us to a solution. Finally, we discussed issues related to Russia and I pointed out that there needs to be democratic discussion on every issue we are considering and that, at the same time, the decisions we take have to be implemented. For example, many countries are pressing for sanctions against Russia, and at the same time these same countries are developing their trade with it. I showed that Greece is ranked only 26th in terms of volume of trade with Russia and 27th in terms of development of trade. Consequently, the majority of EU member states are developing their trade with Russia, beyond and apart from the issue of sanctions. Moreover, we have to look at how we can create a climate of trust, while of course condemning any practice, whatever its origin, that violates international law. I underscored today that chemical warfare in Syria means violation of the rules of war and of the law of war in other words, of the very last point where elements of human relations still exist and that, moreover, in attacking Afrin, Turkey violated international law and breached the Treaty of Lausanne. Harold Tananbaum sees the controversial subject of emissions and fuel economy standards as a story with two sides. The Greenwich resident and owner of Greentree Toyota in Danbury does not like the government regulating business, but he also feels strongly about the auto industrys role in helping to protect the environment. Thats why Tananbaum neither cheered nor jeered the April 2 announcement by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt that he would revise the Obama-era gas mileage standards that would have required cars and light trucks to average 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025. Pruitt said the standards did not comport with reality. He did not specify new targets. The announcement was seen as a big win for the auto industry, but Tananbaum doesnt necessarily see it that way. Less regulation can lead to more business, but at the same time, you have to be aware of the pollution issues created by the auto manufacturers, he said. Its a balancing act. The CARB effect James Fleming, president of the Connecticut Automotive Retail Association, withheld judgment on the announcement because Connecticut is a CARB, or California Air Resources Board, state and the future remains murky. Since the 1960s, California has had an exemption under the Clean Air Act to set its own vehicle emissions standards, which are typically more stringent than the federal standards. Connecticut is one of 13 other states including all New England states except New Hamphsire to follow CARB standards. A news release issued by the EPA last week said Californias wavier is being re-examined, setting the stage for legal and political battles. Consumers want cleaner and more affordable vehicles, so well see what happens, said Fleming, whose organization represents more than 270 dealerships. Fleming said Connecticut has been at the forefront of encouraging consumers to purchase electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicles by offering immediate and generous rebates. Hartford not happy Pruitts announcement, not surprisingly, was met with consternation in the states capital. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called it a failure of the Trump administration to properly lead on behalf of climate, energy and the environment. President Trump is once again putting the interests of big business ahead of the health and economic interests of the American people, he said in a statement. This shortsighted decision will lead to decreasing fuel efficiency, which means more frequent stops at the gas station and higher gas bills for Connecticut drivers. Malloy vowed to continue to work with California and other CARB states to protect the waiver provided by the Clean Air Act. State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Robert Klee said the state will continue to do our part as a national leader to reduce carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. (We) look forward to a time when our federal government again allows science and not the demands of the auto industry to drive the important goals and objectives of the advanced clean cars program, he said. On right path Tananbaum poked holes in Malloys assertion the rollback would lead to more frequent stops at the gas station. Auto manufacturers, responding to consumer demand, have significantly improved the fuel economy of vehicles over the years and will continue to do so, regardless of government mandates, he said. Thats what sells cars. If I have a car that gets another 10 miles per gallon, I have a better chance of selling that car, he said. We all want more fuel efficiency. No question. Tananbaum opened Greentree Toyota 41 years ago. He said the average sedan back then averaged about 10 to 12 miles per gallon. Now they get about 30 miles per gallon. Even SUVs and small pickup trucks the best-selling class of vehicle now are making great strides to improve efficiency, he said. Toyotas small SUV, the Rav4, averages about 25 miles per gallon. Just 10 years ago, vehicles were about 30 percent less efficient, Tananbaum said. Manufacturers on their own are creating this because customers are demanding it. The industry doesnt need government policies. Tananbaum paused as he walked by a white Prius Prime in his showroom. The plug-in electric hybrid gets 133 miles per gallon when using electric and gas, and nearly 55 miles per gallon when it switches to gas only. Tananbaum said the Prius Prime and regular Prius are perfect examples of manufacturers being concerned about fuel efficiency. Nearly every manufacturer has electric vehicle options now, with improvements being made each year. The Chevy Volt, similar to the Prius Prime, is another plug-in electric hybrid that gets more than 100 miles per gallon when using electricity and gas combined. Fleming said there are 44 different types of electric or hydrogen vehicles available to Connecticut consumers. While Tananbaum praises the auto industrys history of making improvements to fuel efficiency, he admits there is always room to get better. There have been major improvements over the years, but are we making them fast enough? he said. Its important to continue to push to get better fuel efficiency so that the planet will be safer from pollution and we arent hurting the atmosphere. cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 Contributed Photo IVORYTON Police on Monday canceled a Silver Alert for Ryan Priest, 23, who went missing Sunday from Ivoryton, a section of Essex. Authorities with Troop F in Westbrook did not provide any additional details. US Troops Go to Court Seeking Vaccine Exemption for Those Who've Had COVID-19 The service members want the Defense Department to exempt those with natural immunity from the coronavirus vaccine order. 1. MILITARY RECRUITS WAITING IN LIMBO They have skills the military wants and needs. Why can't they ship to training? Military.com reporter Richard Sisk takes a deeper look at the fate of the Military Accessions Vital To National Interest, or MAVNI program, and why an estimated more than 1,000 talented non-citizen MAVNI recruits have been stuck waiting months or years for paperwork and clearances to process before they can begin their military careers. Some fear their visas will expire while they wait. Sisk writes that the program, begun to attract non-citizen recruits with highly sought skill sets to serve in return for a track to citizenship, has effectively been suspended amid political immigration fights and concerns over security. He talks to multiple MAVNI enlistees who are stuck waiting for approval, as well as former Army lieutenant colonel Margaret Stock, an attorney who helped to create MAVNI in 2008. To meet a range of emerging threats, "we need these people," Stock said. "What we don't need is people sitting on a base for 18 months doing nothing because of background checks." 2. US STRIKES SYRIA TWICE AS HARD AS LAST TIME Ships, subs and B-1s. A three-country coalition. Three chemical weapons sites taken out. In response to a second chemical attack on civilians in Syria that appears to trace back to the regime of dictator Bashar Al-Assad, the U.S. military, in collaboration with the United Kingdom and France, sent a stern military message late Friday night. In all, 105 weapons were deployed, including Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and Joint Air to Surface Stand-Off Missiles-Extended Range. For the latter, it was the first time the upgraded weapon had been deployed in combat. Targeted were the Barzah Research and Development Center near Damascus; the Him Shinsar chemical weapons storage facility near Homs; and the Him Shinsar bunker. All the missiles hit their targets, officials said. "These strikes were a justified, legitimate and proportionate response to the Syrian regime's continued use of chemical weapons on its own people," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said. "We will not stand by passively while Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, ignores international law." The strike came roughly a year after the U.S. deployed 59 Tomahawks into a Syrian airfield in response to a previous deadly chemical attack last April. 3. AND RUSSIA RESPONDS From The Canadian Press: "Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the Friday night airstrike against Syria as aggression that will make the humanitarian crisis in that country worse, and called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations' Security Council. Putin added that the strike had a 'destructive influence on the entire system of international relations.' The United States, France and Britain launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for an apparent chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again, U.S. officials said. Pentagon officials said the attacks targeted the heart of Assad's programs to develop and produce chemical weapons. Syrian television reported that Syria's air defenses, which are substantial, responded to the attack. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said there were no reports of U.S. losses in what he described as a heavy but carefully limited assault." 4. PILOTS TO BLAME IN A-10 CRASH From Military.coms Oriana Pawlyk "Two A-10C Thunderbolt IIs collided last year over the Nevada desert due to insufficient communication over altitude, according to a newly released investigation report. During a night close air support training mission in the Nevada Test and Training Range on Sept. 6, the first mishap pilot, called 'Pilot One' in the investigation, did not hear he had climbed too high above his assigned altitude block, entering space that was designated for 'Pilot Two,' according to the Accident Investigation Board report published by Air Combat Command on Thursday. 'Pilot One climbed above the assigned altitude block during a series of commands and did not hear the audible notification signaling the altitude climb and therefore did not radio-in to deconflict established altitude blocks,' ACC said in a release. Pilot Two 'did not have line of sight on [Pilot One] when the collision occurred. The midair collision rendered both aircraft uncontrollable and both pilots ejected,' the release said. The crash occurred roughly 50 miles away from Nellis Air Force Base." Both pilots have resumed flying for the air force, officials said. 5. WWII HEROS LOVE STORY Military.com's Richard Sisk has an interview with 88-year-old Pauline Conner, widow of former Army 1st Lt. Garlin Murl Conner, who is set to posthumously receive the Medal of Honor later this year: "She would learn the things that Conner had done to earn the respect of the county, but not from him. 'It was always other people. He didn't want to say much, didn't want to seem to be bragging. He was very private with his military record,' she said. More than anything, he was proud of his brothers in World War II. He had five brothers, all came back home. I've often wondered how his mother could take that, with six boys in the war. Pauline's mother didn't take to Murl at first, but he was a persistent suitor. He came by the house every day, she said. 'Mama said "you tell him not to come back here no more,"' Pauline Conner said. Finally, Murl said to her: 'Let's go get married. I said, "I don't have any clothes." He said, "I'll buy you some clothes."' They were never parted." -- Oriana Pawlyk, Richard Sisk and The Canadian Press contributed to this report. Warrior ethos. Tomahawk. Thunderbirds. Geronimo. Many military members feel a connection between the bold warriors of Native American nations and their own commitment to their missions. They understand the defense of their lands and their honor, against all enemies. Here are some of the many connections between the US military and Native American nations, past and present. Almost every Army helo Apache, Black Hawk, Chinook, Kiowa, Lakota, Creek, Cayuse, Huron, and Ute. All Native American tribes and currently used Army aircraft. There are also several retired aircraft with tribal names. The Iroquois, Choctaw, Seminole, Shawnee, Mohawk, and Mescalero helicopters and planes have been retired between 1967 and 2011. Before the Korean War, many aircraft had plain names like Hoverfly. Doesnt exactly strike dread into the heart of the enemy, does it? Instead, Army General Hamilton Howze wanted something that showed strength and stealth and reflected a warrior ethos. Hence, the names of revered Native tribes being used for aircraft. Drop a Tomahawk Something else with a Native American name? The Tomahawk cruise missile! The Algonquian tribe, located in Virginia, used this battle ax when fighting both other Native peoples and European settlers. Colonists feared the tomahawk. It was capable of extreme damage and had many uses. Many other tribes also used similar tools in their daily life and during times of conflict. Want to strike fear in your enemys heart today? Just remind them of the range of a Tomahawk missile. Ties to a warrior culture Many Native American nations have strong roots as warriors. Throughout the modern US, there were tribal clashes, alliances, and outright wars as long as there have been people living here. Tribes fought over territory, horses, and for honor. Robert Holden, Deputy Director for the National Congress of American Indians, is a veteran and member of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. He believes that many Native people are still drawn to the warrior mentality of the US military thanks to their cultural heritage. Its the warrior cultures, Holden said. Warriors have always been in our presence and always will be. . .not only in times of conflict, but in times of peace as well. They became the leaders. The Thunderbirds When World War II broke out, the US Armys 45th Infantry had a problem: Their insignia was the swastika. And they were going to be deployed to Europe. Leaders thought that this might be in poor taste. The actual tradition of the swastika, for this unit, was tied to pride in the many Native American serving in the unit and their location in Oklahoma. However, the formerly peaceful symbol had been rebranded to mean hatred and Naziism. They made a switch to the Thunderbirds. And the rest is history. The 45th went on to become one of the most decorated units in WWII, serving from the invasion of Italy to the discovery of the concentration camps. Geronimo While there are numerous US Army units with Native American nicknames or insignia, one Marine Corps battalion has taken their unit icon to heart. First Battalion, Fifth Marines out of Camp Pendleton, CA has a Native American with a war bonnet or headdress on their unit emblem. Their call signs in Afghanistan? All Native tribes known for a warrior ethos. The whole unit is known as Geronimo, after the great Apache leader. Pre-US service Native peoples were serving the US before it was a country. From pre-Revolutionary conflicts to present day battles, many Americans of Native American heritage have proudly served under our flag. Even when Native Americans were not considered US citizens, many signed up to do their part. Two top generals with Native American heritage fought in the Civil War. Stan Watie fought with the Confederates and Ely S. Parker served for the Union. Over 12,000 served in World War I, even without citizenship. Even more famously served in World War II. Demographic swap Native Americans currently account for 1.4% of the US population. In the US military, however, Native Americans count for 1.7% of total troopsenlisted and officer. Native Americans are more represented in the military than in the general population, showing their drive to influence our country and the world. Appropriation or homage? In recent years, cultural appropriation is a buzzword that seems to be on everyones lips. There has been more aware of how institutions, people, and groups have used racial, cultural, and ethnic stereotypes as an insult or negative. So, why are some references to Native Americans considered derogatory and others, well, just fine? Its the intent behind the naming. The instances in this piece were carefully screened, using sources connected to the Native American or Indian community, to be positive connections. In the case of the aircraft, there was a genuine intent at the outset to reflect the best of the warrior mentality. There are other instances where a name or an emblem has been used distastefully. Images on a unit insignia or as a squadron nickname that reflect outdated and insulting stereotypes also is evident in the military. There are Scalp Hunters and too many patches that feature very insulting drawings. However, there is also genuine admiration and respect for the tradition of Native American warriors among the US military. We revere the Code Talkers and use the names of brave leaders and nations to denote strength of character and force. Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox. Botswana Diamonds appeared to have expended most of its energy and resources last year on the new Thorny River project in South Africa as its Sunland Minerals joint venture with Alrosa, in Botswana takes long to find diamonds despite significant effort over the past four years of exploration. Rough & Polisheds Mathew Nyaungwa asked company managing director James Campbell on progress made on the South African project after they reported early this year that sampling work had failed to produce enough diamonds for an economic modelled diamond valuation. He said that Botswana Diamonds was busy with a scoping study to determine the potential commerciality of the project with results expected mid-year. The Thorny River project was a consolidation of the Frischgewaagt, Hartbeesfontein and Doornrivier properties into a 2,771-hectare area in the Limpopo Province. It comprised the eastern extension of the kimberlite dyke/pipe systems on which the Klipspringer & Marsfontein Mines are located, both of which had been economically mined. Campbell also spoke about their exploration work with Alrosa in Botswana as well as the companys interest in the Maibwe joint venture (JV). Below are excerpts from the interview. How confident are you of making a breakthrough at Thorny River in South Africa? Following extensive exploration work last year, which included percussion and core drilling, microdiamond work, petrography and bulk sampling which culminated in publishing a Competent Persons Report (CPR) on the property, a scoping study is currently taking place... How far have you gone with the scoping study, which I understand is to determine the potential commerciality of Thorny River? The scoping study is far advanced with the results becoming available by the middle of the year. Can you provide an update on your drilling and exploration work at the project? We have completed advanced exploration work which allowed the publication of exploration results giving ranges in grade, diamond value and grade. More work is required to define an inferred resource. Botswana Diamonds said last February that it had a much better understanding of the geology and metrics of the Thorny River deposit. Is the deposit better compared to your deposits in Botswana? This would be an unfair comparison. The Thorny River project is more advanced from a resource development perspective than our Botswana projects which tend to sit a little lower in the resource development pipeline. Can you shed some light on the drilling being done on the Ontevreden kimberlite? The drilling on the Ontevreden kimberlite is far advanced and we are currently taking samples for detailed petrographic work. The results of this exploration campaign will be published by May. Sunland Minerals, a joint venture between Botswana Diamonds and Alrosa, was expected to commence exploration work in the first half of the year in Botswana. What is the current state of this programme? We have currently completed the first phase of our H1 2018 work programme where Botswana Diamonds plc was the operator. We are currently reviewing the results, which from an exploration perspective look encouraging. How optimistic are you of making a breakthrough on the follow-up that will be done on the 15 previously identified priority geophysical targets in PL232- 235 and PL001-004 in the Central Kalahari? As an explorationist, one is always optimistic, but this is tempered through years of experience. It is encouraging that we have discovered geophysical anomalies, but there is some way to go to prove whether these are kimberlitic in origin let alone whether they are commercial or not. Are you still pleased with the work done by your Russian joint venture partners to date? Alrosa are the leading producer by carats in the world and have an enviable reputation from an exploration perspective. Although the JV has yet to find a kimberlite, Botswana remains a favoured destination from a diamond perspective, though the kimberlites will be hard to find and will require tenacity and funding supplemented by game changing technology and top explorationists. We have all of this in the Sunland JV. Are you also confident of unlocking Maibwe in Botswana, a joint venture with BCL, the latter being currently in liquidation? Very much so. We are currently working with the liquidators on a prospectus which will allow the Maibwe JV to move forward in a constructive manner. What is the outlook for diamond exploration companies like yours? Botswana and South Africa remain two of the most prospective countries in the world from a diamond exploration perspective. Our shareholders remain supportive of our work and this combined with the settled political climate in Botswana and improving climate in South Africa along with a strong portfolio of projects across the resource pipeline should make the outlook positive. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Foreign exchange earnings totaled USD 24 billion in January-October 2019, with a growth (year-on-year) of two percent. AffordPlan, a healthcare focused fintech company, today said it has raised USD 10 million in funding led by Lok Capital. The series B funding round also saw participation from Omidyar Network, alongside existing investors Prime Venture Partners and Kalaari Capital. "We will use the funds to strengthen our team, expand operations to 3-4 tier I cities and introduce newer products around saving, lending and insurance," AffordPlan co-founder and CEO Tejbir Singh told PTI. AffordPlan has partnered more than 300 hospitals in the country and helped about 1 lakh patients. With its savings-led product, AffordPlan offers financial assistance for non-emergency medical and expensive procedures related to pregnancy, eye care, plastic surgeries, bariatric, among others. "The current system of healthcare financing is mostly out-of-pocket payments. The penetration of health insurance is less and Indian households often rely on their savings to finance healthcare expenses. We are working towards reducing the burden of out-of-pocket expenses for patients and are making healthcare more accessible and affordable," he said. He added that through its network of partnerships, AffordPlan helps bring down the overall treatment costs by as much as 15-20 per cent. The Delhi-based company is expanding rapidly and is looking to hire more than 200 employees across India by the end of 2018. It has about 125 people as of now. Singh said the company also plans to expand to cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune over the next few months to expand its operations. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Making its intentions clear in the Binani Cements acquisition saga, UltraTech Cement has made yet another improved offer, sources privy to the development told Moneycontrol. "Yes, the offer is at Rs 7,990 crore. Earlier it was Rs 7,266 crore and it was increased to Rs 7,610 crore to include the interest foregone by the lenders after Binani Cements was admitted under the NCLT. Now, it has been increased further to Rs 7,990 crore and includes funds for working capital," a source close to Binani Industries told Moneycontrol. UltraTech had earlier lost out to a Dalmia Bharat-led consortium in bidding for Binani. The company reportedly made the offer to the resolution professional on Saturday. UltraTechs earlier offer was of Rs 7,266 crore to top the winning Rs 6,700 crore bid by Dalmia-led group. Binani Industries then sought the Supreme Courts intervention to scrap the resolution process under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. It said the UltraTech offer would allow the promoters to repay all dues and settle with lenders outside of the bankruptcy court process. But the apex court on Friday forced it to withdraw the petition and said the matter by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. However, SC on April 19 will hear another plea by a group of operational creditors backing the highest offer. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Akash Jain Symphony has always been our top pick and we had recommended this company as our top Diwali pick. The company has rallied by more than 30 percent during last 6 months. We are structurally bullish on it. The company has a strong backing of promoters and it is promoted by Achal Anil Bakeri of Bakeri Group, which is one of the oldest realty players in Gujarat. In line with its strategy, it diversified to other countries and started exporting. In addition, it has also made a handsome acquisition of IMPCO in North America in 2009 and Munters Kerulai in China, 2015. Despite diversifying, the company remains to be a strong player in India. India accounts for 80 percent of total topline and 90 percent of total EBIT. 60 percent of its revenues from North India and West India while the balance of 40 percent is from South and East India. Ahmedabad based Symphony, today is a market leader in the air coolers segment and has a share of 42 percent in volume terms and 50 percent in value terms in Indiss organized air cooler market and overall market share is 14 percent when we include the unorganized segment. Post the implementation of GST demand is shifting from unorganized players in Tier II cities to organized segment which will augur well for Companys topline growth. Q3FY18 results were also above our expectations. To drive sales, one needs strong distribution network and Symphony boasts of 30,000 dealers which it targets to increase and touch 40,000 dealers. The Company is continuously innovating new products for different markets and has done really well in different geographies. Historically, the financial performance of Symphony has been really impressive. Mind you, the Company was in a financial distress and post 2005 the company focussed on a one product, many markets strategy which has really worked well for it. The company witnessed topline CAGR of 35 percent and PAT CAGR of 54 percent during last 10 years. With increasing financing schemes offered by NBFCs and increasing disposable income, we expect PAT CAGR to be around 30 percent albeit higher base. Moreover, the company has huge opportunity to be tapped in rest of world markets.The most wonderful thing about the company is the efficiency on the capital employed in its business. The company has a fantastic ROCE of more than 100 percent owing to the business strategy of outsourcing manufacturing and higher EBITDA margins (25 percent) due to the premium pricing on its quality innovative products. The word for this kind of performance is simply Wow. We expect the stock to double in next 4-5 years and have a target of Rs. 2300 for investors with a horizon of 9-12 months. : The author isice-president, Equity Research at Ajcon Global Services. 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. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Three months ago, a diversified financial services player was in talks with a public sector general insurance company to insure its directors. Though the deal did not materialise at that time due to high premium, the company has now come back asking the insurer for a Directors & Officers (D&O) liability, and as well as Errors and Omissions (E&O) coverage. It is now even ready to pay a higher premium. The Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Policy covers the liability incurred by acts of omission and commission by top management of companies. However, while the policy provides for coverage even in cases like sexual harassment, there are specific exclusions which companies make. E&O, on the other hand, covers any wrongful acts of any employee of a company for which they could be held liable as an institution. The turn of events in the financial sector - from the PNB scam to the ICICI Bank imbroglio - has led to companies scurrying for cover in anticipation of any legal or financial liability from stakeholders due to any any errors by the staff. "We had seen that E&O was usually taken by a certain set of firms including law firms, attorneys or organisations working in the medical field. Now even banks and broking houses are asking for these covers apart from D&O, even though past claims have led to an increase in premiums by at least 20-30 percent," said the underwriting head of a mid-size private general insurance company. "Any individual's lack of foresight or financial decisions as a member of a particular team could be liable for legal implications on their employer, client if any wrongful acts are detected. So, BFSI clients want to err on the side of caution, even though intentional frauds are an exclusion," said the chief general manager of a state-owned general insurer. Here, the premium is based on the size of the company and the number of members that they intend to cover under the policy. However, any criminal, dishonest, fraudulent, willful, intentional or malicious act is not covered. In the banking sector in particular, the Bankers Indemnity Policy has become a must-have for all the institutions, even though public sector banks are yet to warm up to the idea. Moneycontrol had reported earlier that bankers are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that liabilities arising out of their employees' misdeeds are covered by insurance. There is an increase in the demand for higher limits and specialised covers from insurers. Similarly, private sector bank ICICI Bank continued to face the heat as global rating agency Fitch said allegations over a loan to Videocon raise questions of corporate governance and pose reputational risks for the bank. On the public sector bank front, Punjab National Bank had a billion-dollar scam that involved diamond merchant Nirav Modi colluding with some employees to get loans without collateral. The size of the scam is currently believed to be around Rs 12,700 crore. Under D&O and E&O, if an executive of a company is charged for any civil or criminal proceedings, this cover will pay for the legal costs incurred. For instance, in an earlier case involving a law-suit of a sexual harassment case involving Infosys staff, including its former employee Reka Maximovitch and Phaneesh Murthy, the case was settled for $3 million. Here, the insurer for the company paid half the amount, while Infosys paid the other half. D&O and E&O come under the miscellaneous category of insurance. While this constitutes less than 10 percent of the overall portfolio of general insurers, sources said that this segment has seen the highest growth in corporate clients at about 40 per cent year-on-year and also sees the highest ticket sizes. Last week, Axis Bank said that its MD & CEO Shikha Sharma's term has been reduced to seven months from three years at her request. The decision to reduce the term came days after reports suggested the Reserve Bank of India had asked Axis' Board to reconsider Sharma's reappointment at the helm for the fourth term on the grounds of the bank's dwindling financial performance. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Uttam Galva Steel has offered to repay all its debt to State Bank of India, if its main lender agrees to keep the company away from National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for a resolution. At a hearing of the Mumbai bench of the NCLT, the company asked for four to five weeks of time, saying that it plans to get a foreign investor to shore up its funds. The company has a total debt of Rs 5,654 crore. The debt-laden steel maker, which is part of the Reserve Bank of India's second list of loan defaulters that have been referred to the bankruptcy tribunal for insolvency proceedings, had earlier offered its lenders to pay 51 percent of its outstanding loan. But SBI had turned down the offer, insisting on full repayment. A source close to the company confirmed the development, but didn't respond to query on possible investors. Lenders had also suggested that ArcelorMittal continues to have responsibility regarding a secured loan of Rs 1,400 given to Uttam Galva. As reported earlier, minority shareholders of Uttam Galva had written to the lenders asking if permission was given to ArcelorMittal to divest its stake in the company. "Arcelor was permitted to sell its shares to the other sponsors only if no event of default had occurred," the minority shareholders said in their letter. "The company agreed that it would not recognize or register any transfer of the shares held by ArcelorMittal without the approval of State Bank of India," they said. The stake sale became necessary after an amendment in the IBC barred promoters of defaulting companies from bidding for stressed assets. ArcelorMittal exited Uttam Galva and got itself declassified as its promoter, in order to bid for Essar Steel. A source close to ArcelorMittal, however, had said that the company was not obliged to seek permission from Uttam Galva's lenders to sell its stake. Gaurav Choudhury Peak summer months are just a few weeks away. Reports suggest that more than 150 or about one in every four districts in India experienced extremely dry conditions since January. The south-west monsoon, which usually arrives in the Indian mainland by early June, is critical, not just because it will bring relief from sweltering heat conditions, but also because its impact runs through the broader economy. A primer: What is monsoon? It is essentially a shift in the prevailing wind patterns. Drafts of breeze from the south Pacific travel northwards, carrying moisture along the way. It traverses nearly 8,000 km before reaching the Asian land mass, resulting in rainfall and offering respite to a sweltering summer. How does it distribute across India? Kerala is the south-west monsoons first port of landfall in mainland India. It arrives in Kerala in the first of week of June, after covering Andaman and Nicobar islands a week before. After hitting Kerala, it breaks out into two branches: one over the Bay of Bengal and the other over the Arabian Sea. In a normal year, it covers the entire country in a month. It hits Maharashtra around June 15 and Delhi around June 29 before travelling further in to the north-west. Is monsoon essentially an Asian phenomenon? No. Monsoons happen in the worlds other regions too such as Europe, Chile, Africa and North America. Watch: Why is monsoon so important for Indias economy? How is the monsoons progress recorded? Satellites images now allow weather scientists to monitor monsoons course and quality fairly accurately. According to the Mets classification, the monsoon is considered normal rain are between 96-104 percent of the 50-year average rainfall of 89 cms. The monsoon is taken to be below normal if rains are between 90 96 percent. If less than 90, it is considered deficient Why is the monsoon so important for India? Despite big strides in industry and services, two-thirds of Indians depend on a farm-based income. Nearly 60 percent of the countrys farms lack irrigation facilities, leaving millions of farmers dependent on the rains. The monsoon is critical to replenish 81 reservoirs necessary for power generation, irrigation and drinking. About half of India's farm output comes from summer sown kharif crops such as rice, sugar, cotton, coarse cereals. Macro@Moneycontrol: Wondering what the monsoon forecast hullabaloo is all about? How does monsoon hurt or boost the economy? A good monsoon increases food output and improves farm income. Abundant rains can push up rural spending on several items such as televisions, cars and gold. The fast-moving-consumer goods (toothpastes, shampoos and instant noodles etc) and fertiliser sectors would benefit the most from normal monsoon. Likewise, about 40 percent of Indias cement demand comes from rural housing. Adequate monsoon, therefore, is critical for steady growth of cement companies. Below normal monsoon will also negatively impact agricultural and related sectors like fertilisers, agro products, farming equipment (tractors). Rural spending on consumer goods are also crucial for the broader economy. For instance, rural buyers account for close to 40% of Indias total motorcycle sales. What is El Nino? El Nino or the boy child in Spanish is a weather phenomenon characterised by an abnormal warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean that triggers weaker rains and droughts in the Indian sub-continent. This year, the monsoon is critical because, apart from ending a drought in the southern states, a good farm output will help keep prices under check. Food price pressures could build anew if El Nino disrupts the south-west monsoon this year. El Nino, an abnormal warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific, is one part of what's called the Southern Oscillation. The Southern Oscillation is the see-saw pattern of reversing surface air pressure between the eastern and western tropical Pacific. South American fishermen have given this phenomenon the name El Nino because it comes about the time of the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child-Christmas. India has signed an agreement with the World Bank for a USD 48 million loan to strengthen community-led landscapes management in selected area in Meghalaya, the finance ministry said today. Closing date for 'Meghalaya Community - Led Landscapes Management Project (MCLLMP)' is June 30, 2023. As per the ministry's statement, the project has three components -- strengthening knowledge and capacity for natural resource management; community-led landscape planning and implementation and project management and governance. "The project will help manage these depleting resources, by strengthening the communities and traditional institutions," it said. Meghalaya's natural resource such as land, water sources and forests is a source of livelihood for a majority of the population in the state. Restoration of degraded and highly degraded landscapes under the Project will increase water for local communities and improve the soil productivity which will in "turn increase incomes and reduce poverty", the ministry said. business Watch | Why is monsoon so important for Indias economy? The monsoon is critical to replenish 81 reservoirs necessary for power generation, irrigation and drinking warehouse Betting big on the growing demand for warehousing, Embassy Industrial Parks plans to invest around USD 1 billion in 3-4 years to take its total space 30 million sq ft, a senior company official has said. Various policy decisions like the implementation of GST and e-way bill have given a boost to the logistics sector, the company said. "This coupled with the growth in the e-commerce and retail sectors has necessitated a sharp growth in warehousing in the country," the company's CEO Anshul Singhal told PTI here. He said the domestic logistics sector is projected to grow at CAGR 13 per cent to Rs 9.2 trillion (Rs 9.2 lakh crore) by 2019-20, from Rs 6.4 trillion in 2016-17. Therefore, it is estimated that Grade A and B warehousing stock will grow at a CAGR of 21 per cent year-on-year taking the total tally of warehouse space in India to 297 million sq ft by the end of 2021, which is double the current warehousing stock of 139.8 million square feet in 2017, Singhal said. "We will also see huge demand for Grade A warehousing space from sectors like pharma, healthcare, FMCG and apparels among others and we are aggressively looking at opportunities to set up modern and well-planned facilities," Singhal said. The company currently has a portfolio of close to 6-7 million sq ft of leasable space and plans to take it to up to 30 million over the next 3-4 years, he said. "We wish to add nearly 5-6 million sq ft each year and we be investing around USD 1 billion over the next 3-4 years. Our focus is to buy land and develop it into world class facilities. But we are open to exploring the brownfield expansion route as well," he said Nearly 80 per cent would be greenfield development, he added. When asked how was the company planning to fund its expansion he said: "It will be a mix of equity and debt. We will infuse equity to the extent of USD 250 million or Rs 1,600 crore and the rest we will borrow on debt." The company has three industrial parks -- one each in Pune, Gurugram and Farrukhnagar (Haryana) and is looking at cities like Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai. The recovery in the last hour of trade helped the market close higher for the eighth consecutive session on Monday despite sluggish global cues. Continued hopes of normal monsoon expected in the current year and favourable earnings season boosted sentiment. HDFC twins, FMCG, pharma and select auto stocks supported the market, but the weakness Infosys and Tata Motors capped gains. The 30-share BSE Sensex recovered 406 points from day's low to end 112.78 higher at 34,305.43 while the 50-share NSE Nifty rose 47.80 points to 10,528.40. "We feel global factors may continue to influence the market move in between but now earnings and other local factors have become crucial for any directional move," Jayant Manglik, President, Religare Broking said. The pace of rise in the index would be gradual from here on thus focusing on stocks make more sense, he added. Global markets were mixed amid geopolitical tensions on the back of US-led airstrikes on Syria last week and imminent prospect of fresh US sanctions against Russia. China's Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended down 1.5 percent each while Japan's Nikkei, Australia's ASX 200 and South Korea's Kospi ended marginally in the green. Britain's FTSE was down 0.4 percent while Germany's DAX was up 0.2 percent at the time of writing this article. Crude oil prices declined over a percent following a rise in US drilling for new production. Back home, the broader markets outperformed frontliners, with the Nifty Midcap index rising 158 points despite weak breadth. About 850 shares declined against 746 advancing shares on the NSE. Meanwhile, the June-September monsoon is likely to be normal this year, the Meteorological Department said, a forecast that could cheer millions of farmers. The south-west monsoon is likely to be 97 percent of the long period average (LPA), implying normal summer rains according to the Indian Meteorological Departments (IMDs) classification. Infosys was down 3.3 percent after the country's second largest IT services provider lowered its EBIT margin guidance for financial year 2018-19. Tata Motors was the biggest loser among Nifty50 stocks, falling 5 percent after Jaguar Land Rover said it is planning to cut jobs to scale back production at some of its UK sites. Cipla shares rallied 5.3 percent after sources told CNBC-TV18 that the US health regulator has inspected Indore facility with no data integrity or repeat observations. Kotak Mahindra Bank toppled SBI in market capitalisation and became 10th most valued listed firm, rising 1.88 percent. HDFC, HDFC Bank, ITC, TCS, Bajaj Finance, L&T, Hero Motocorp and Maruti Suzuki among others gained 0.9-2 percent while ICICI Bank and Reliance Industries were down 0.2 percent each. DCB Bank jumped 6 percent on strong earnings performance while Mishra Dhatu Nigam surged 20 percent for second consecutive session. 22:20 World Bank forecasts 7.3 percent growth for India this year The World Bank on Monday forecast a growth rate of 7.3 percent for India this year and 7.5 percent for 2019 and 2020 and noted that the country's economy has recovered from the effects of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax. "Growth is expected to subsequently stabilise supported by a sustained recovery in private investment and private consumption," the World Bank said in its twice-a-year South Asia Economic Focus. In its report, the World Bank said, India should strive to accelerate investments and exports to take advantage of the recovery in global growth. (PTI) 21:47 CBI files charge sheet against Lalu, Rabri, Tejashwi in IRCTC case The CBI on Monday filed a charge sheet against two companies and 12 people, including former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav, for alleged irregularities in grant of an operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm. The charge sheet was filed in a special CBI court in New Delhi, officials said. Besides these three, former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, then group general manager of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) B K Agarwal, who is at present Additional Member of Railway Board, then Managing Director of IRCTC P K Goyal and then IRCTC Director Rakesh Saxena, have been named in the charge sheet. (PTI) 20:32 India ranks 10th on new Commonwealth innovation index India was ranked 10th on a new Commonwealth Innovation Index, topped by the UK, Singapore and Canada, on Monday. The index was launched as part of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). It has been created in partnership with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its annual Global Innovation Index (GII). (PTI) 19:44 Kathua rape-cum-murder accused plead not guilty, demand narco test The eight people accused of raping and killing an eight-year-old girl pleaded not guilty and asked the judge for a narco analysis test as the trial into the case, which has become the focal point of outrage across the country, began on Monday. Seven of the eight accused were produced before District and Sessions Judge Sanjay Gupta, who asked the state Crime Branch to give them copies of the chargesheet and fixed April 28 as the next date of hearing. The eighth accused is a juvenile who moved a bail application before the chief judicial magistrate. The matter was posted for April 26. The accused were presented before the court which was packed with lawyers and a heavy posse of policemen. 19:08 Rupee dives 29p to close at 6-month low against USD on trade deficit woes The rupee on Monday plunged by 29 paise or 0.44 percent to close at a six-month low of 65.49 against the US currency on widening trade deficit concerns amid heightened geopolitical worries. The Indian unit was the biggest loser among Asian currencies which suffered due to a strong US dollar after the strike on Syria by the US, the UK and France. Among Asian currencies, Chinese yuan and Singapore dollar dropped 0.1 percent, the Philippine peso and Malaysia's ringgit declined up to 0.2 percent against the dollar following hopes that the strikes would not lead to a broader escalation in the conflict. The rupee resumed on a bearish note at 65.30 per dollar from its previous close of 65.20 at the inter-bank foreign exchange (forex) market. (PTI) 18:40 Judge who delivered the Mecca Masjid verdict resigns: sources told CNN-News18. 18:35 Should view Air India's losses in contrast to the assets it has, says Mohan Bhagwat The RSS chief added that Air India's operations haven't been managed properly, and it should be handed over to someone who can run it efficiently. 17:44 Policies are only good if the benefit reaches to targetted segments: Mohan Bhagwat The RSS chief also said that the objcective of economic policy has not been successful. 17:07 Walmart likely to announce Flipkart acquisition by April-end: Sources Walmart is in the final leg of talks for the acquisition with Flipkart's principal shareholders, sources told CNBC-TV18. Walmart will most likely buy a majority stake in the company, between 51% and 76%. The Supreme Court today directed the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide security to the family of the eight-year-old Kathua gangrape and murder victim, their lawyer and a family friend assisting them in prosecuting the case.The apex court also took note of a plea of the victim's father seeking transfer of the trial of the case from Kathua, preferably to Chandigarh and sought response of the state government.During the hearing, the victim's father expressed satisfaction with the probe so far, conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Police and opposed the plea for CBI investigation demanded by others. Strongly pitching for India's inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany today said the global export control system will benefit a lot from New Delhi's participation in all its four regimes.Out of the four export control regimes that work to keep proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) in check, India is a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. India's membership to the 48-member NSG is being primarily opposed by China on the pretext that it is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).The BJP has releases its second list of 86 candidates contesting the Karnataka Assembly elections this year. Earlier today, the Congress had released its first list r the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, fielding Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Chamundeshwari and state party chief G Parameshwara from Korategere. The BJP has releases its second list of 86 candidates contesting the Karnataka Assembly elections this year. Earlier today, the Congress had released its first list r the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, fielding Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Chamundeshwari and state party chief G Parameshwara from Korategere. 14:28 Suzlon FY'18 Suzlon FY18 FiT Renewable solution providersaid it has commissioned 626 MW of wind power projects in, capturing 35 percent a market share despite the transition from a feed-in-tariff () system to bidding regime.The Supreme Court today made clear that its interim order permitting the release of regional film 'Nanak Shah Fakir', based on the life of the first guru of the Sikhs, shall remain operational.A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will hear on May 8 the submission and the counter on behalf of the film producer and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex Sikh religious body, on the same.13:14 Supreme Court Stays NCLAT Order On RComs Asset Sale To JioThe Supreme Court has stayed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal's (NCLAT) order on the sale of a few Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications Limited's assets to Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. The court today looked to hear HSBC Daisy Investments (Mauritius) plea on the same. The company is a minority shareholder , with a slightly larger than 4 percent stake in Reliance Infratel Limited.The Supreme Court has agreed to hear two separate petitions on the brutal rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua at 2pm today. Deepika Singh Rajawat, the lawyer representing the family of the victim, alleged threats to her life for pursuing the case. Delhi-based lawyer Anuja Kapur has sought transfer of the case from Kathua trial court to a local court in Delhi.13:02 WPI inflation eases to 2.47% in March as food articles turn cheaper The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation based on wholesale prices eased marginally to 2.47 percent in March on cheaper food articles, especially pulses and vegetables. On the basis of Wholesale Price Index (WPI), inflation was 2.48 percent in February and 5.11 percent in March last year.According to a government data released today, food articles showed deflation at 0.29 percent in March as against a 0.88 percent inflation in the preceding month. An NIA court has acquitted five people, including one Swami Aseemanand, with relation to the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case in Hyderabad. The blast took place near the iconic Char Minar on May 18, 2007, leaving nine dead and 58 injured during Friday prayers. Though eight people were origninally accused in the case, only five have come under the verdict.RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi was murdered before the verdict while two others are still at large. Malaysias IHH Healthcare Bhd said on Monday Indias Fortis Healthcare Limited declined to engage with the company regarding a takeover offer, citing binding agreements with other parties.IHH, one of Asias largest healthcare operators, offered to buy Fortis last week at a price that values the hospitals chain at about USD 1.3 billion higher than the roughly USD 1.2 billion valuation an offer from Indian rival Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Limited gave it. Indian ride-hailing firm Ola, backed by Japans SoftBank Group will launch 10,000 electric three-wheelers in the country over the next 12 months as part of a broader electrification plan, the company said in a statement on Monday. The trial involving eight accused in the Kathua rape and murder case has been adjourned to the April 28. The brutal incident allegedly involved the eight accused to have held an 8-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. Martin Sorrell's dramatic departure as chief executive of WPP, the world's biggest advertising agency he founded 33 years ago, sent shockwaves through the marketing industry today.Sorrell, 73, stepped down suddenly, 10 days after the British ad giant launched an independent investigation into allegations of personal misconduct through the misuse of company assets. French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he had convinced U.S. President Donald Trump to keep troops in Syria for the long term and limit joint strikes to chemical weapons facilities. President Emmanuel Macron has said French air strikes in Syria were not a declaration of war against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, adding that Paris had convinced Donald Trump to stay engaged in the conflict "for the long-term". The statement comes after Saturday's strikes that targeted three alleged chemical weapons facilities in response to what the West says was a gas attack on the town of Douma that killed dozens of people. A320 Neos Donald Trump is "morally unfit" to be president of the United States, former FBI director James Comey told ABC in an interview broadcast."I don't buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia," Comey said of Trump, according to a transcript from ABC."I don't think he's medically unfit to be president. I think he's morally unfit to be president," he said. All 14 Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320 Neo planes of the two budget carriers -- IndiGo and GoAir -- which were grounded between February and March this year due to safety concerns are now back into operation, officials said. Of these 14 planes, 11 were of IndiGo and three of the Wadia group-promoted GoAir. 08:06 Ahead of a possible order by the Ahmedabad bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) today, a war of words has broken out between ArcelorMittal and JSW Steel. Read the story by Moneycontrol's Prince Mathews Thomas. Syria's allies say airstrikes undercut political resolution The leaders of Russia, Iran and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon said today that Western airstrikes on their ally, Syria, have complicated prospects for a political settlement to the country's seven-year conflict. US President Donald Trump today lashed out at former FBI director James Comey, who he had fired last year citing his inability to lead America's top law enforcement agency.Trump abruptly removed Comey last year as he was overseeing a criminal probe into whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government to influence the 2016 presidential election that was won by him. The Congress today released its first list of 218 candidates for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections, fielding Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Chamundeshwari and state party chief G Parameshwara from Korategere.The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia over an alleged chemical attack by the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, said US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.The sanctions would target companies that supplied Damascus with equipment and other material related to chemical weapons. As the government is pushing to privatise the debt-laden national carrier Air India, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said the airline should be run only by an Indian firm. Bhagwat spoke on numerous topics, including the economy and long-term policies, in the financial capital on Monday. About the ailing carrier, the RSS chief said, Any person who can run the national carrier efficiently should be handed over Air India. The owner must be an Indian player. Also see: Air India disinvestment: Devils that may hold back Air India sale this financial year The question isnt whether Air India isnt running well, but whether its being run well. Air India has relevance that goes beyond its assets; it has intangible benefits, he added. The governments efforts to privatise the Maharaja received a setback after InterGlobe Aviation-run IndiGo backed off from buying stakes, stating that it was not feasible under the current plan worked out by the government. The Naresh Goyal-founded Jet Airways too did not participate in the bidding process. According to PTI, Bhagwat cautioned the government against "losing control and ownership of its skies". "The Role of Age in Plea Bargain Decision Making" | Main | "Marijuana legalization cant fix mass incarceration" ... but it should help a bit April 16, 2018 Two notable recent sentencing commentaries on work ahead for Congress In recent months I have noticed lots of notable sentencing commentary in the publication The Hill. And Friday The Hill published two sentencing commentaries of note. They are linked below with their first few paragraphs: "Congress must act to fix our broken criminal justice system" by Reps. Cedric Richmond (D-LA.) & Mark Walker (R-N.C.): Our criminal justice system is crumbling. Over the last 40 years, our domestic incarceration rate has quadrupled, creating a crisis of more than 2 million people behind bars in the United States today. Simultaneously, recidivism rates have grown or remained high across almost every identifiable demographic or cross section. And yet, crime rates have steadily fallen. This paradox exposes a simple fact: our criminal justice system is in desperate need of reform. Whats more, almost everyone in Congress knows it. Passing significant reforms to our criminal justice system could bring relief to families and communities in every state, district and territory. Over the past few weeks, at our respective retreats, members of Congress from both parties discussed our priorities. We believe criminal justice reform needs to be on the top of that list. Since arriving in Congress, we have seen increasing awareness, education, energy and interest in criminal justice reform, but, to date, we have not been able to enact necessary changes. Senators have formed working groups. The House Judiciary Committee passed strong, bipartisan legislation out of committee last year. But no tangible results. That has to change. "Reviving the war on drugs is exactly the wrong response to the opioid crisis" by Ames Grawert & James Cullen: This week on Capitol Hill, lawmakers met to discuss a bill that would impose draconian mandatory minimum sentences on even minor crimes involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The hearing follows news that the Trump administration will seek the death penalty for drug dealers, part of his overall war on opioids. You just cant pass a law increasing punishment and expect the opioid crisis to go away, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) appeared to acknowledge at the outset. But its a pretty good place to start. Its not. Its a bad place to start. This is the logic of mass incarceration, the instinct to always demand the harshest punishment possible. It animates the Trump administration and its Congressional allies on everything from drug policy to immigration. And it doesnt work. Reform advocates cant be lulled by the false promise of reform. We need to fight back before we repeat the mistakes of the 1970s. April 16, 2018 at 09:53 AM | Permalink Comments Maybe if you let people buy untaxed gasoline, tobacco, liquor, and vicodin over-the-counter, the market for other drugs will dry up. Maybe America's illicit drug market was created not by the drug cartel, but by the tax-collector . . . or is that an April 15th conspiracy? Posted by: the Taxman Cometh | Apr 16, 2018 1:06:57 PM You just cant pass a law increasing punishment and expect the opioid crisis to go away, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) appeared to acknowledge at the outset. But its a pretty good place to start. I can assure you, not one person using drugs is thinking about the ramifications of their drug use and their possible impeding incarceration. I know this from experience working with offenders - and I think it is common sense too. So, is the logic, you just lock them up and the pool of candidates available to use dries up? Yep, that didn't work in the 80's, 90's, 00, or up until now - so lets look to alternatives such at rehabilitation and treatment. Posted by: atomicfrog | Apr 16, 2018 1:46:27 PM Post a comment Ofo Chinas cycle-sharing startup ofo Bikes is taking its learnings from home market seriously. The company, which was first ever to introduce dock-less, station-free bike sharing, has shed its rapid expansion strategy to adopt a more scientific approach in India, where we see, observe, learn, and then implement, said Dexter Sim, Regional Expansion Manager for APAC, Ofo Bikes. The company, despite being a market leader in China along with rival Mobike, struggled to find profitability. The company, along with a dozen other players, lost money to price wars in order to combat fierce competition. India is one of the fastest growing markets for us among other international markets we are present in. We now have a team from Australia travelling to India too, for training, Sim told Moneycontrol. Since its launch in January this year, ofo Bikes has already clocked 1.1 million rides till the end of March. ofos service is still on a pilot stage in 7 cities including Delhi, Pune, Coimbatore, Indore, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Chennai. In comparison Zoomcar, which launched its PEDL service in November last year, completed 1.4 million rides across a network of 10 cities. ofo Bikes, however, isnt charging its users on a per hour basis as of now. The company has a one-time deposit charge of Rs 99 and its rides are free. The company plans to launch its service for commercial use by June this year and has set a target price of Rs 10 per half n hour. Zoomcars PEDL is currently charging the same price. Olas Pedal offers rides free for first 30 minutes, and charges Rs 5 for every 30 minutes post the free ride. We have set a target price; we may go below this in the initial phase, due to promotions and discounts. There has to be a balance. Business has to make profit, Sim says. Different Approach ofos entry into India is a significant one, considering they are the first foreign player in the segment to do so. ofos recent funding led by Alibaba is believed to be one of the largest by a bike-sharing company, which is bound to add more muscle to the company. While Ola and Zoomcar are relatively new in the segment, ofo Bikes is present in 250 cities across 21 countries, handling 32 million rides a day. ofos experience in international markets has helped the company refine its strategy to find a sustainable business model for bike-sharing. For instance, ofo is not sticking just to tier 1 cities for its initial launch. It has spread its network across smaller towns also. Its not just a matter of size. It is about the kind of support system we see there. In Coimbatore, the state government has been fully backing us. The smart city division has also been supporting us. We have 16 other cities inquiring with us if we will launch there. Support from the government is a major factor for us, Sim says. In China, ofo Bikes and other incumbent players had run into regulatory trouble when several dozen Chinese cities had restricted the deployment of new bikes. Stricter laws asked for license plates on the bikes, which can escalate cost of compliance. In India, ofo Bikes is first approaching the government bodies to run the pilots. The company launched its first market in India Pune by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), followed by Coimbatore. These partnerships also include collaboration in building infrastructure around the bike-sharing service. The company plans to take the government-partnership approach for all its future expansion plans in India. There is a stigma that Indians in general, who move up the economic ladder, move on to cars. It has a lot to do with the on-ground infrastructure and it is easy to blame the government. But we have observed that the government is more than willing. The smart city project is testimony to that, Sim said. Docked vs Dockless Governments support to implement solutions that cater to smart city projects is not a secret, but how do we implement it, is the question. The Karnataka government, for example, had allocated Rs 80 crore just to set up docks across Bangalore for a network of 300 cycles. In contrast, ofos dockless cycle sharing model costs a fraction of that. Docked system is extremely capital intensive. There are several companies around the world that shut shop because docked system meant too much cash burn. A typical dock is 10 times the cost of a bicycle itself. And with every cycle you need to increase docks, Sim says. ofo imports all its bikes currently, and acquires them at a cost raging from USD 100 to USD 200. The company is, however, committed to source India-made bicycles in near future. But ofos dockless, station-free cycles created a different issue altogether. With no monitoring system in place, bicycles were repeatedly vandalised or stolen. Images of hundreds of bicycles abandoned and piled over each other went viral, questioning the sustainability of the model. Sim, however, said that the issues have today been resolved. Its a general business risk that bike share players have to take. It is a problem and we acknowledge it. But finding a solution to it is a process. We are constantly learning and improving. Without that learning dockless bikes wouldnt have been thought of, he said. In India, ofo has placed a field staff at several hotspots, who keep an eye for the bicycles being dropped, which are taken back to a repair centre. The company has also invested in technology to monitor bicycles through telematics and geo-location to understand trends such as which spots are most popular for a pick up or a drop, mileage progression, usage patterns, and so on. Taking a cue from its China market, the company will also incentivise riders to influence good parking habits. According to Sim, the next two years will be the testing time to validate ofos business model in India. We are here and we want to expand. But success here will depend on several factors, including infrastructure and regulatory will. For now, the company is taking its time to study the market. The growth in India will not be as fast paced as in China. Unlike China, India has different pockets with different languages, lifestyle, and infrastructure. One strategy cannot fit in all the regions, he signed off. Myntra (Image: Company website) Myntra has announced that it has acquired a Bangalore-based technology startup Witworks on Monday. This acquisition will enable Myntra to develop wearable products for their in-house brands as well as leverage the technology to drive innovation and enhance consumer engagement in the future. As part of the acquisition, Myntra has inducted the team into its Innovation Labs, further strengthening the company's technology team and augmenting its product development capabilities. Wearables is currently a Rs 300 crore industry in India and is growing rapidly, with online contributing 60% to the total business. This acquisition will help us to solidify our position in this segment and enable us to develop and launch cutting-edge wearable products like smart shoes, connected smart watches and interactive/intelligent clothing with biosensors," said Jeyandran Venugopal, CTO, Myntra. Witworks was founded in 2014 by Somnath Meher, Ankit DP and Chandrashekhar Iyer. The company focuses on producing smart wearable devices and software. The platform integrates a host of native and third-party services capable of innovative voice and visual interactions, designed specifically for wearable devices. Lately, there were rumours that Myntra and Jabong are consolidating, however, while talking to Moneycontrol, Ananth Narayanan, the chief executive officer of the company denied it live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Here are the stocks which are in news today: Infosys Q4 consolidated profit falls 28 percent to Rs 3,690 crore and revenue increased 1.6 percent to Rs 18,083 crore QoQ. Dollar revenue is up 1.8 percent at USD 2,805 million QoQ. Infosys expects FY19 constant currency revenue growth at 6-8 percent, dollar revenue growth at 7-9 percent and EBIT margin at 22-24 percent. Aurobindo Pharma: Company gets US FDA nod for allergy drug, Loratadine Tablet (10 mg) Strides Shasun: Company gets US FDA nod for Cyproheptadine Hydrochloride tablets ICICI Bank: The BSE has sought clarification from the bank on a probe by SEBI with regard to corporate governance issues. Bharti Airtel: Delhi High Court has directed the company to modify tagline of Live and Free advertisements for IPL tournament. Bliss GVS' Bliss Clinic Singapore subsidiary received USD 12 million for sale of 51 percent in Bliss GVS Healthcare Kenya IL&FS Engineering Services wins Rs 129.66 crore pipeline laying contract Vipul received RERA Registration for Aarohan Commercial Tower in Gurugram Essel Propack issued commercial paper (CP) worth Rs 30 crore Alok Industries: Lenders believed to have agreed to revised resolution plan, CNBC-TV18 reported. United Spirits: The Board has approved a stock split in the ratio of 5:1. NBCC received shareholders approval for stock split Marico to do Strategic investment in Revolutionary Fitness Private Limited by acquiring 22.5 percent stake Jain Irrigation System board meeting on April 18 to consider various options to raise long term funds Reliance Industries: Has raised Rs 3,250 crore from Japanese banks to fund capex plan. Rane Brake (Q4, YoY)-Revenue up 13 percent at Rs 142 crore-Net profit up 50 percent at Rs 6 crore-EBITDA down 22.7 percent at Rs 17 crore -Margin at narrowed to 12 percent from 17.5 percent Bhansali Engineering Polymers Q4 (Standalone, YoY)-Net sales up 56.5 percent at Rs 301.8 crore versus Rs 192.8 crore-Net profit up 82 percent at Rs 28.6 crore versus Rs 15.7 crore-Ebitda up 94 percent at Rs 43.8 crore versus Rs 22.6 crore -Margin at 14.5 percent versus 11.7 percent DCB Bank (Standalone, YoY)-Net interest income up 19.7 percent at Rs 263.7 crore-Net Profit up 21.5 percent at Rs 64.2 crore-Provisions up 13.1 percent at Rs 38.8 crore (QoQ)-GNPA at 1.79 percent versus 1.89 percent (QoQ) -NNPA at 0.72 percent versus 0.87 percent (QoQ) ICICI Securities Q4 (Consolidate, YoY)-Revenue up 35 percent at Rs 514.6 crore-Profit up 90.7 percent at Rs 158.6 crore-Ebitda up 86 percent at Rs 260 crore -Margin at 50.6 percent Gruh Finance Q4 (Standalone, YoY)-Revenue up 16 percent at Rs 484.3 crore.-Net profit up 18 percent at Rs 130.5 crore.-Provisions down 94 percent at Rs 1.4 crore (QoQ) -Announces 1:1 bonus issue. Tata Group: Tata Projects wins Rs 1,048-cr Mumbai Metro orders. Metal stocks: White House to decide on rollback of tariff on Indian steel, aluminium, Hindu Business Line reported. Tata Steel: Company posts highest ever output at 12.48 MT in FY18 Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Equity99's research report on GMR Infrastructure GMR Infrastructure Ltd (GIL) was incorporated on May 10, 1996, in name & style of Varalakshmi Vasavi Power Projects Limited in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, by Mr. G.M.Rao. On July, 2000, the name it was changed to GMR Infrastructure Ltd. GMR is an infrastructure holding company formed to fund the capital requirements of the GMR Groups Initiatives in the infrastructure sector. Outlook Considering the above, we recommend a strong BUY to our investors for Multi-bagger returns with long term target of Rs. 40 in 12-18 months. For all recommendations 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 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Akash Jain There might be knee jerk reaction from market participants as management of Infosys has lowered the revenue guidance which can be used as a good buying opportunity. We believe the turbulent times for Infosys are over after the exit of its ex CEO and expect it to do well under the new CEO. We do not have price target as of now but will get more clarity on its future strategy after the analyst meet on April 23, 2018. Outlining the strategy, the firm's CEO Salil Parekh on Friday said Infosys will focus on four pillars - scaling digital business (USD 2.79 billion in revenue currently), energising client's core technology landscape via artificial intelligence and automation, re-skilling employees, and expanding localisation in markets like US, Europe, and Australia. In Q4FY18, the companys topline in dollar terms, was up 1.8 percent sequentially (9.2 percent year-on-year, or Y-o-Y). Revenue in constant currency terms was up 0.6 per cent sequentially (6.4 percent Y-o-Y). The 24.7 percent operating profit margin, which was 30 basis points (bps) more than expectation, came as a surprise. Net profit, however, was weighed down by write-offs of Rs 1.18 billion, pertaining to earlier acquisitions, which are now on the block. : The author is Vice-president, Equity Research at Ajcon Global Services. 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. Vodafone Idea (Representative Image) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular may now become a nightmare for some of its employees as a major restructuring exercise is set to take place. Idea and Vodafone, who have received all clearances for the merger except from the telecom department, currently employ roughly 11,000 and 10,000-plus people, respectively and the merged firm could shed about a fourth of the workforce, according to a report in The Economic Times. Source told the paper that the merged firm could layoff around 5,000 employees, including those who fall into the bottom quartile in the performance assessment during this appraisal season as well as profiles who have a mirror image in the two firms. Industry experts expressed concern about those employees who are going to get the boot. They are likely to face a tough time to find jobs within a vastly shrunk telecom industry that has already under a lot of pressure. Asked to comment over it by the paper, a Vodafone spokesperson called it pure speculation and totally untrue. He said that no decision had been taken about the workforce of the merged entity. Although it is fair to assume that employees will benefit from the opportunities that arise from working for a significantly larger operation, said the spokesperson. It is learnt that both the companies are making losses amid huge revenue pressure and a combined debt of around Rs 1,20,000 crore. Infosys As Infosys announced it was hiving off the three acquisitions made by ex-chief executive Vishal Sikka, does the move indicate a different strategy by the company, or is it that the Bengaluru-headquartered firm will trying to do away with the previous chiefs strategic investments? While declaring its Q4 results on April 13, Infosys said that it would hive off Kallidus, Skava and Panaya, and look for potential buyers by March 2019. All the three companies were acquired in 2015. It bought digital e-commerce services provider Kallidus for USD 120 million. The deal gave it access to the holding group behind San Francisco-based Skava, which provides a cloud-based platform for online services for retailers, including mobile wallets, apps and web stores, among others. In February, it had acquired Israeli enterprise software management firm Panaya in an all cash deal amounting to USD 200 million. The Panaya deal became the thorn that eventually led Sikka to quit the firm in August 2017, after a public spat with the co-founders. A whistleblower claimed that the acquisition was overvalued and alleged that former chief financial officer Rajiv Bansal was given an unusually high severance package as hush money since he was not in favour of the acquisition. This led to the co-founders raising issues of impropriety and improper corporate governance, and Sikka eventually left Infosys. On Friday, the company said that it had put up all three for sale, and assets and liabilities amounting to Rs 2,060 crore and Rs 324 crore have been reclassified as held for sale. The corresponding write down in the investment value of Panaya in the standalone financial statements of Infosys was disclosed as Rs 589 crore. Infosys also said that it has bought WongDoody Holding Company, a US-based digital creative and consumer insights agency for about USD 75 million. Analysts have largely agreed that the old acquisitions fit into the new CEO Salil Parekhs broader strategy on a digital future for Infosys, but there is sense that the second largest Indian IT exporter is trying to get rid of any further issues to do with the acquisitions made under Sikkas watch. The tilt of Infosys towards digital services is visible as compared to digital products earlier. This is evident from comprehensive portfolio review undertaken by the CEO, after which it decided to divest the flagship investments of the earlier CEO, viz. Panaya and Skava, said Kotak Institutional Equities analysts Kawaljeet Saluja and Jaykumar Doshi in a note to clients. They pointed out that revenues of all the three have shrunk and did not contribute meaningfully to overall company revenues. This is a big U-turn in its strategy, as it has been articulating the positives of these businesses in terms of their role in front-loading new engagement wins in the past. This seems to be an exercise to clean up any possible concern that may arise given the past allegations that have been raised on these acquisitions by whistleblower, said Emkay Research analyst Rahul Jain in a note. However, not all observers shared the same view. The decision to sell Panaya is interesting and reflects on the mindset of the new management under Salils leadership. A merger isnt just about the technology that comes with it but the overall fitment in the broader scheme of things like cultural match which is the hardest task amongst all. We must give Salil the time to explain and more importantly justify his decision to sell Panaya and not necessarily read it as undoing what Vishal did, said Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO and chief analyst at Greyhound Research. Kotak analysts added that discarding Panaya and Skava does not mean that Infosys will abandon the products/platforms completely, as is evident in its commentary around focusing on its Edge suite of products and platforms, NIA, its artificial intelligence platform, and banking product Finacle. Enraged over Congress Karnataka units working president Dinesh Gundu Raos comments where he asked people to beat Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath with slippers whenever he came to the state, BJPs Yuva Morcha has planned to courier toothpaste and toothbrushes to him to clean his mouth. The mood in the state is politically-charged ahead of the assembly polls scheduled to be held on May 12. Rao was at a candlelight march last week to show solidarity with the victims of rapes in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu & Kashmirs Kathua districts where he made the aforesaid comments against the UP CM. Such false people who call themselves Yogi, but only do other kinds of things and dont take action, if they come to Karnataka, they make this state apavitra (impure), Rao had said. The comment drew angry response from the BJP. Rao, however, expressed his regret over the remark later. My reaction to the Adityanath controversy. It was an emotional outburst in a speech on the plight of the raped victims and the complete apathy by Adityanath govt. I regret if its offensive but the abuse of law in UP is a serious issue. https://t.co/LA3hNBxHiF Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) April 15, 2018 It was an emotional outburst in a speech on the plight of the raped victims and the complete apathy by Adityanath government. I regret if its offensive but the abuse of law in UP is a serious issue. However, BJP Yuva Morcha was still furious on his remarks. We will still send him the toothpaste and toothbrush, so that he can clean his mouth, Bengaluru city BJP Yuva Morcha president Sapthagiri Gowda told The Economic Times. Miffed with Raos comments, the BJP Karnataka wing stated in a series of tweets, there were 3857 rapes in Karnataka under Siddaramaiah. Going by the same logic, what Siddu must be beaten with Mr Dinesh Gundu Rao? Dinesh Gundu Rao said Yogi Adityanath must be beaten with chappals There were 3857 rapes in K'taka under @siddaramaiah. Going by the same logic, what Siddu must be beaten with Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao? Yogi is a revered saint of Natha parampare. Mind your tongue, ! pic.twitter.com/J3M6BGbmaM BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 14, 2018 The state unit of BJP also targeted Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah asking why they did not condemn his remarks. The tweet read, The silence of Gandhi and Siddaramaiah means that they endorse Rao's comment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Amidst the protests and growing public outrage over the Kathua and Unnao incidents, 49 ex-civil servants have written a scathing letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling him responsible more than anyone else for this terrifying state of affairs in the country. As per a Times of India report, the letter targeted PM Modi and his government. In both cases, prime minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you more than anyone else have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs, stated the letter. The retired bureaucrats, who addressed the letter as citizens with no affiliations, pointed out the role of government in the entire issue. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble said the letter adding that the governments response would determine whether the nation could overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order. The strongly worded letter also pinned blame for the incidents on the Sangh Parivar as the result of a culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by it. The signatories reportedly included former coal secretary Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan, former police chiefs Meera Borwankar and Julio Rebeiro, former foreign secretary Nareshwar Dayal, former Indian ambassador to Italy K P Fabian and former health secretary Sujatha Rao. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for a five-day visit to Sweden and the UK, where he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Ahead of his visit, Modi said he was looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement with both the countries in a number of areas including trade, investment and clean energy. In the first leg of his visit, Modi will reach Sweden's capital Stockholm where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, besides attending a India-Nordic Summit. "India and Sweden share warm and friendly ties. Our partnership is based on democratic values and commitment to an open, inclusive and rule-based global order. Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives," Modi had said in a departure statement last night. The two Prime Ministers will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday. Modi said he and Lofven would also interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, clean energy and smart cities. The Prime Minister said he would also call on King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. India and Sweden will also jointly organise the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm tomorrow. The summit is scheduled to be attended by the Prime Ministers of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. From Sweden, Modi will later tomorrow travel to the UK where he will also attend the CHOGM, besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security," the prime minister said. "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship," he said. Modi would also call on the Queen, interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership, launch an Ayurveda Centre of Excellence in London, and welcome the UK into the International Solar Alliance, as its newest member. On April 19 and 20, Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," Modi had said. The External Affairs Ministry had on Saturday said Modi would also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. Currently Vietnam and India are among the five leading garment exporters in the world. Apart from that, last year, the revenue of India apparel exports to Vietnam reached $429 million, an increase of 44 percent compared to in 2016 while Vietnams shipment of garment-textile products to India was $178 million, an annual increase of 42 percent. Connected trade transactions classified as a strategic target by the two countries leaders proved the trust each other. A representative from the India Consulate General recommended Vietnamese companies should look for investment opportunity in India where having population of 1.3 billion people with high demand particularly in garment and textiles. The Indian Government is allowing 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in single-brand retail according to automatic road map in many various fields including garment textile. As per the automatic road map, international investors can pour money into the market without the governments prior permission. Therefore, Vietnamese garment companies can take advantage of the policy by investing in the production of threads, fabrics and ready-made clothes. The two countries aim to bring bilateral trade to $15 billion by 2020. By VAN DIEU Translated by UYEN PHUONG Medical services in Kerala continued to be hit today due to the ongoing strike by government doctors, even as the CPI(M)-led LDF government warned that action will be taken if the stir was not withdrawn immediately. Health minister, K K Shylaja, said government would hold talks with the doctors only after the strike was called off. Government doctors in Kerala launched an indefinite stir on April 13, protesting the suspension of a doctor at a health centre at Palakkad and extension of out-patient (OP) time. The services of post-graduate doctors and house surgeons are being used by the government to attend to patients visiting OPs. Medical college hospitals are not participating in the strike. "We are coming to government hospitals from far-off places getting into four buses as we cannot afford to go to private hospitals. The strike is not against the government, but against the poor people," a patient said. Describing the strike as 'illegal', the health minister warned that the government would be forced to take action against the doctors. "We are not for declaring a war with the doctors. They have gone on strike without giving notice," she said. While pointing out that the government was not adamant, she said their only condition was the strike should be withdrawn first, only after which any discussions will be held. The doctors had challenged the patients by going on an agitation, she said. "There was no reason for them to launch the agitation, and denying treatment to patients was unfair," she told reporters here. She also said probationary doctors should immediately join duty, failing which action would be launched against them. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) should not force them to continue with the strike, she said adding the government will begin collecting from today details of probationers, who were participating in the strike. The minister also said there are about 4,000 doctors in the list of Public Service Commission (PSC) and government had sought details. The attempt was to defeat the government's 'Ardram Mission' which envisages basic facilities to all hospitals in the State and making government hospitals patient-friendly, she said. As part of the mission, primary health centres are being converted to family health centres to provide a comprehensive health facilities to people. Meanwhile, KGMOA said if the government goes ahead with retaliatory steps, the association will also be forced to take stern measures. The association has called for an urgent meeting here tomorrow to discuss the further course of action. The doctors have made it clear that only the casualty wing would function during the strike and in-patient treatment would be provided only till April 18. There would not be any new admissions and only emergency operations would be performed. The Kerala Human Rights Commission has asked the the government to take immediate steps to resolve the issue as it was the common people who were facing hardships. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, today said the government should immediately hold talks with the striking doctors to end the impasse. Employees use community bikes to travel around Google headquarters in Mountain View, California March 3, 2008. REUTERS/Erin Siegal (UNITED STATES) - GM1E4340VIW01 Google has lost a right to be forgotten case filed in a UK court by a businessman who sought the search giant to remove the links to the crime he committed and the sentence he served from the search results. However, in a separate but similar case, the court rejected the plea of another businessman. The losing claimant, referred to only as NT1 for legal reasons, was convicted of conspiracy to account falsely in the late 1990 and was jailed for four years, whereas, the claimant who won, known as NT2, was convicted more than a decade ago of conspiracy to intercept communications and was imprisoned for just six months, reported The Guardian. Google had refused both businessmens demand to remove links to their convictions from search results like web pages published by a national newspaper and other media. Consequently, they dragged the internet behemoth to the court. The judge ruling in favour of NT said that the claimant had shown remorse for his actions in the past, while the second claimant continues to mislead the public. The judge also took into account the fact that NT2s conviction did not concern directly to the consumers, customers or investors, but rather in relation to the invasion of privacy of third parties. He also added that the crime and punishment information in case of NT2 has become out of date, and hence is irrelevant and of no sufficient legitimate interest to users of Google search, therefore not warranted to be on a search result page. In case of NT1, however, the judge said, He has not accepted his guilt, has misled the public and this court, and shows no remorse over any of these matters. He remains in business, and the information serves the purpose of minimising the risk that he will continue to mislead, as he has in the past. Delisting would not erase the information from the record altogether, but it would make it much harder to find. Both the judgments, especially one that was won by the claimant will lead a flurry of new court cases and have a wide-reaching influence. Since the European court of justice ruling in 2014 which directed Google to erase irrelevant and outdated data on request, the California-based company has received requests to remove at least 2.4m links from search results. Google has the right to reject which it thinks are in public interest. China and North Korea have been holding talks about a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pyongyang, a Japanese newspaper reported today as regional leaders step up diplomatic dialogue. The North is using its Beijing embassy to arrange Xi's itinerary with the international department of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported, quoting Chinese and North Korean sources. Plans under discussion include a visit to Pyongyang in June soon after a proposed summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, the mass-circulation daily said. Asked about the report, a foreign ministry spokeswoman in Beijing said: "We are willing to maintain and strengthen high-level exchanges with the DPRK (North Korea), deepen strategic communication and expand exchanges and cooperation to benefit the people of both countries." "Not long ago, President Xi said he is willing to maintain regular contact with Chairman Kim Jong-Un through visits, special envoys and the exchange of letters," said spokeswoman Hua Chunying. The Chinese side will make a final decision after observing the results of the planned US-North summit, according to the Yomiuri. Xi's planned trip to Pyongyang appeared to have been on the agenda of a weekend meeting between Kim and a senior Chinese official in Pyongyang, it said. Kim made a surprise trip to the Chinese capital to meet Xi in late March and invited him to visit Pyongyang. China and North Korea are trying to repair relations, which have been strained as Beijing has backed a series of United Nations sanctions intended to pressure Pyongyang to stop its nuclear activities. Kim is scheduled to hold a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27. Japan is also expected to host a trilateral summit next month between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Moon and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Oracle Financial Services Software | In the last four years, the stock has risen -3 percent to Rs 3098.00, as on November 3. The company's trailing 12-month (TTM) EPS was at Rs 185.81 per share. EPS in FY17 for the stock stood at Rs 139.56. Oracle Corp co-CEO Safra Catz said on Monday she expected an acceleration in the company's cloud business after the software maker last month reported sales from this business that fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Catz told reporters in Tel Aviv that the company's cloud business was impacted by a new model made available to customers three quarters ago that resulted in much higher than projected licence growth. "That makes the appearance of a lower number (for the cloud business) even though money is actually coming into another bucket," Catz said. "As this evens out I think we are going to start seeing cloud acceleration again that is very significant but I don't want to time that right now." California-based Oracle last month said its quarterly cloud business revenue rose 31.7 percent to $1.57 billion, but fell short of the average analysts estimate of $1.59 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. A late entrant into the rapidly growing cloud-based software business, Oracle has aggressively stepped up efforts to play catch up with rivals such as Amazon.com Inc, Microsoft Corp and Salesforce.com Inc. Last year, Oracle launched its autonomous database cloud to compete with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The Israeli born-Catz said she recently discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump the Department of Defence's cloud computing plans. "I talked to him about what commercial customers are doing in their move to the cloud and what I understand the Pentagon's plan was to have one cloud," she said. U.S. media have reported that the Pentagon is set to award a multi-billion dollar cloud computing contract to Amazon. "I cannot think of a single commercial enterprise that has only one cloud, it just makes no sense. The way we see it the Microsoft workloads should go to the Microsoft cloud, the Amazon-type workloads ... should go to Amazon, the Oracle should go to the Oracle cloud." Catz said Trump was very confident the Pentagon would have a fair review, adding, "I'm sure that they will". Earlier this month, Trump said he would take a serious look at policies to address what he says are the unfair business advantages of online retailer Amazon. Donald Trump The leaders of Russia, Iran and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon said today that Western airstrikes on their ally, Syria, have complicated prospects for a political settlement to the country's seven-year conflict. A day after the US, Britain and France bombarded sites they said were linked to a chemical weapons program, Syrian President Bashar Assad appeared briefly on state TV, seemingly unfazed by the military action and even reportedly in high spirits. He told a group of visiting Russian lawmakers that the strikes were accompanied by a campaign of "lies and misinformation" against Syria and Russia in the UN Security Council. Moscow and Damascus are waging the same "battles" against terrorism and "to protect international law based on respect of the sovereignty of countries and the wills of people," Assad said in comments carried by state media, an apparent jab at the three Western allies. Russian lawmaker Dmitry Sablin, who met with Assad, said he appeared upbeat and believed the airstrikes would unify the country. Russia and Iran have called the action a "military crime" and "act of aggression." The UN Security Council rejected a Russian resolution calling for condemnation of the "aggression" by the US, France and Britain. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and they agreed the Western airstrikes were an "illegal action ... adversely impacting prospects for political settlement in Syria," a Kremlin statement said. Putin said the actions violated the UN Charter and if they continue, "it will inevitably entail chaos in international relations," the statement said. The official IRNA news agency quoted Rouhani as saying The US and "some Western countries do not want Syria to reach permanent stability." Iran and Russia should not allow the "fire of a new tension" to flare up in the region, Rouhani said, adding that the airstrikes were an "invasion" aimed at "emboldening defeated terrorists," IRNA reported. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah group that has hundreds of fighters backing Assad's forces, said the airstrikes failed to "terrorize or break the spirits" of Syria and its allies. Instead, he said, the attack bolstered the confidence of the Syrian army and its allies, as well as probably sinking the already-faltering U.N.-backed peace process on Syria in Geneva. "If the goal was to pressure Syria to expedite a political solution, I think what happened will complicate the political solution and will strain international relations and the Geneva track, if not torpedo Geneva altogether," Nasrallah told an election rally in Lebanon. Nasrallah said there is no chemical program in Syria, and he likened the attacks in Syria to the West's concern over Iran's nuclear program. US Marine Lt. Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, said the allied airstrikes "took out the heart" of Assad's chemical weapons arsenal. When pressed, however, he acknowledged that some unspecified portion of Assad's chemical arms infrastructure was not targeted. Assad denies he has used chemical weapons, and the US has yet to present evidence of what it says led to the allied action: a chlorine gas attack on civilians in Douma on April 7 that killed more than 40 people. The US says it suspects that sarin gas also was used. A team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is in Syria to investigate the Douma incident and was expected to visit the town. Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad met with members of the watchdog group in their Damascus hotel Sunday. The government regained full control of Douma on Saturday following a surrender deal with the rebels in the town east of Damascus. It later deployed another 5,000 security forces there. Russian military police had been deployed in Douma, raising complaints from the Syrian opposition that evidence of chemical weapons use might no longer be found. Douma was the last rebel holdout in the eastern Ghouta suburbs, the target of a government offensive in February and March that killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands. France, meanwhile, has reached out to Russia, urging it to join renewed peace efforts. In an interview published Sunday in the Journal du Dimanche newspaper, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Moscow "should join our efforts to promote a political process in Syria that would allow a way out of the crisis." French President Emmanuel Macron was expected to strike a similar tone in a televised interview later Sunday. France has continued to talk regularly with Russia even as East-West tensions have grown. Macron spoke with Putin on Friday, hours before the Western missile strikes. France and the United States say the Geneva process is the only track to pursue a political resolution. Russia has pursued a separate track for political negotiations, hosting talks in Sochi. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told the BBC he hopes there is no need for more strikes in Syria, but that Britain and its allies will consider further action if Assad uses chemical weapons again. He said the airstrikes were proportionate and showed "the world has said enough is enough. If scared to death is on your wish list, then a stay at this serial killer inspired hotel may be for you. The Hollow Hotel, in its grand re-opening in London will welcome its guests by letting them be a part of a re-enactment of how 19th-century American serial killer HH Holmes murdered his victims. HH Holmes who was active during 1891- 1894 is credited to have carried out tens of murders, up to 200 according to multiple unverified sources. One important theme is all of his murders was a hotel room. The enactment to be performed by UK-based theatre group differencENGINE puts the show as an immersive interactive psychological horror that draws inspiration from the historical events surrounding Americas first and most terrifying serial killer HH Holmes the man whose preferred instrument of murder was a hotel. The goal of the show will be to escape the serial killer and other nasty surprises the theatre group has put up for you. A series of mazes and hidden passageways will be created to either lay you to rest or lead you further into the hotels dark heart. The hotel experience has been created using the old Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey and transforming it into a homicidal hotel, reported Metro. If you listen to the whispers in its winding corridors, you might lose yourself as each turn entices you to delve further in; until you cant turn back, the differencENGINE says on its website. The show will begin from April 17 and the ticket for it costs GBP 23. differencENGINE is known for creating such experience games. It previously organised an event names Heist. During that event, a participant had to move undercover across six floors of security challenges to break into a sealed room. The show which was supposed to run just for three weeks went on for nine months on popular demand. Representative image US authorities issued an order today barring US exports of sensitive technology to Chinese telecom giant ZTE because of false statements made during an investigation into its illegal sale of goods to Iran and North Korea. The company pleaded guilty in March 2017 to unlawful exports and was hit with USD1.2 billion in fines, the largest criminal penalty in US history in an export control case. ZTE pleaded guilty to conspiring to unlawfully export, obstruction of justice and making a false statement. But Commerce Department investigators said the company made additional false statements multiple times about having taken actions against the employees responsible, when they had not. "ZTE made false statements to the US Government when they were originally caught and ... made false statements during the reprieve it was given, and made false statements again during its probation," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement. These false statements covered up the fact that ZTE paid full bonuses to employees that had engaged in illegal conduct, and failed to issue letters of reprimand. "ZTE misled the Department of Commerce. Instead of reprimanding ZTE staff and senior management, ZTE rewarded them. This egregious behavior cannot be ignored," Ross said. A senior official told reporters the department suspended export privileges for ZTE, meaning it can no longer receive US components to incorporate into their products "to prevent them from furthering their illegal activities." The official said there is no "off ramp" for the company to seek a reversal of the blockade. The five-year US government investigation into ZTE's actions was first revealed in March 2016. From January 2010 to March 2016, the company shipped $32 million in US cellular network equipment to Iran, and made 283 shipments of cell phones to North Korea, with the full knowledge of the highest levels of company management, officials said. United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during the emergency United Nations Security Council meeting on Syria at the U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., April 14, 2018. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - RC126D96BAA0 The United States will impose new sanctions on Russia over an alleged chemical attack by the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said today. Haley said the sanctions, to be announced Monday by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, would target companies that supplied Damascus with equipment and other material related to chemical weapons. "You will see that Russian sanctions will be coming down. Secretary (Steve) Mnuchin will be announcing those on Monday, if he hasn't already," Haley said in an interview with CBS's "Face the Nation." "They will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," she said. The move follows air strikes by US, French and British forces in retaliation for an alleged Syrian chemical weapons attack on April 7 in Douma, a rebel-held town near Damascus where more than 40 people were killed. US military officials said the air strikes early Saturday in Syria took out "the heart" of Syria's residual chemical weapons capability. The strikes sought to avoid contact with Russian forces in the country to support Assad's regime. But US officials have blamed Russia for failing to rein in its Syrian ally, as the guarantor of a 2013 agreement to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons. That agreement was brokered by Moscow to avert retaliatory US strikes in the wake of a sarin attack in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta suburbs of Damascus on August 21, 2013 that reportedly killed more than 1,400 civilians. "I think everyone knows that we sent a strong message and our hope is that they listen to it," Haley said of this week's air strikes. "With the political and diplomatic actions that we're taking now, we wanted their friends Iran and Russia to know that we meant business and that they were going to be feeling the pain from this as well," she said. Montreals commercial real estate market is set to continue exhibiting considerable strength on the heels of a record-breaking 2017, according to market watchers at the recent Montreal Real Estate Forum. Last year proved to be an off the charts outing for the citys commercial property segment, with 1.5 million square feet of absorption of office space, including 680,000 square feet downtown, according to Lloyd Cooper, vice-chairman of office leasing (Montreal) for Cushman & Wakefield. It was one of the best years in a long time, Cooper told Property Biz Canada, noting that while just a few short years back the word Montreal was never uttered in real estate forums, the city is now on everybodys radar. We believe that all disputes and differences should be settled by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially the United Nations Charter, and of the principle of respecting independence and sovereignty of countries, the spokesperson said in response to the new developments in Syria. She also urged absolute adherence to the UN Chemical Weapons Convention. VNS Closing defaults often result in litigation, but that becomes even trickier when the purchaser who reneges on the transaction lives in another country. One client sold to a buyer from Iran, who was buying as a non-resident, and decided hes not closing on the deal, and then whats the recourse of the clientyoure going to sue someone in Iran? said Mortgage Outlets Principal Broker Shawn Stillman. Some people will simply not close because they dont want to buy something thats worth $200,000. On preconstruction purchases, Stillman recommends to all his clients that they take the on-site mortgage brokers preapproval. While the terms might not be favourable, it mitigates the chances of defaulting on closing. One thing we always recommend people do is the builders always offer a preapproval for a set amount of time and we tell them to take it, he said. Its something we cant offer in the mortgage world. Theres always a mortgage broker from a major bank on site that usually does financing that will preapprove you for a few years. Its a terrible rate but I always tell clients, You dont know what the future holds, and to always take that preapproval because that would be the worst case scenario. Unfortunately, through no fault of their own, sellers end up being the real losers. Because they sell their home on condition and buy another to move into only for their buyer to back out, theyre stuck between a rock and a hard place. 3 1 of 3 Courtesy Photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy Photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Midlander James M. Alsup has been selected as one of four 2018 recipients of the Texas Bar Foundations Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award. The award recognizes attorneys whose practice has spanned 50 years or more and who adhere to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession and service to the public, according to a press release from the foundation. Alsup, who moved to Midland in 1964 to take a position as assistant city attorney, has been with the Lynch, Chappell & Alsup firm since 1967. The Texas A&M Forest Service is calling for a high probability of a significant wildfire outbreak in West Texas and the Panhandle on Tuesday with elevated to critical wildfire conditions present Monday. The areas of concern, according to the TFS, include Amarillo, Fort Stockton and Midland/Odessa. With these conditions wildfires can spread rapidly, present control issues for firefighters and pose a real threat to public safety, said Texas A&M Forest Service Fire Chief Mark Stanford. The Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreaks can be extremely dangerous if a wildfire occurs, it is important that you heed any wildfire warnings from local officials. Midland County is one of 91 counties across the state with a burn ban in place. Most of Midland County is between 500 and 700, according to the The Keetch-Byram Drought Index. The index, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, is used to determine forest fire potential. Its measurements go from zero to 800. A measurement of 800 means it would take 8 inches of precipitation to fully saturate the soil. A score of 400 to 600 indicates that a lower litter and duff layers contribute to fire intensity and will burn actively, according to the drought index. Wildfire intensity begins to increase significantly. Larger fuels could burn or smolder for several days. This is often seen in late summer and early fall. A score between 600 800 indicates conditions often associated with more severe drought with increased wildfire occurrence. Intense, deep-burning fires with extreme intensities can be expected, according to the Index. Increased fire activity, according to TFS, is a concern due to expected high wind speeds combining with above normal seasonal temperatures, low relative humidity and a dry line a boundary that separates moist air mass from dry air forming over the region. Texas A&M Forest Service is monitoring the situation closely and is working with local response departments as we preposition state resources, along with continued staffing of Single Engine Air Tanker bases in Amarillo, Childress, Abilene and Fort Stockton as well as heavy jet air tankers staged in Abilene. The Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System has been activated. With elevated fire danger, caution should be used with any outdoor activity that may cause a spark. It only takes one spark to start a wildfire. Postpone outdoor burning until conditions improve. Avoid parking and idling in tall, dry grass. Catalytic converters can get hot enough to ignite the grass under a vehicle. Avoid setting hot chainsaws or other hot, gas-powered equipment in dry grass. Wildfires burning in grass can spread and grow extremely fast. It is important that if you spot a wildfire you report it immediately to local authorities. A quick response can help save lives and property. Visit tfsweb.tamu.edu/currentsituation, or follow @allhazardstfs on Twitter for Texas wildfire information. Two local institutions are scheduled to announce an academic pathway for engineering students. Midland College and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today in the Scharbauer Student Center Herd Faculty Lounge on the MC campus. A new articulation agreement between the institutions outlines coursework guaranteed to transfer when MC students start attending UTPB as engineering majors, according to a press release. University of Texas at Austin police have arrested a man who is accused of threatening to shoot at least 200 people at the school. School police and Harris County deputies arrested Sean Evan Haddon, 23, in Crosby at 9 a.m. Sunday. He has been charged with making a terroristic threat, a third-degree felony, police said in a Facebook post. Haddon also told dispatchers that he had placed a bomb in the police department, but that claim was false, police said. The arrest comes just weeks after police caught Mark Anthony Conditt, the Austin "serial bomber." Conditt was accused of killing two people and injured several others in a series of March bombings before detonating a bomb on himself. "Recognizing that the community was absolutely terrorized during the bombing events that occurred in the city, it was really important for us to get on top of this as quickly as possible," UT Police Department Chief David Carter said. UT officials received a total of four threatening calls related to Sunday's arrest, and each was believed to be from Haddon, Carter said. The University of Texas Police Department first got a call on April 7 from a person who said he put a pipe bomb in the lobby of the campus police department. The caller demanded payment in Bitcoin and the dispatcher's participation in sexual acts, or else he would blow up the building, according to the police department. The call disconnected, and another call came in from someone who sounded like the previous caller. He again threatened to blow up the building, police said. UTPD searched the police department building and did not find anything suspicious. Police got another call April 12 from someone who made threats of shooting the dispatcher. And most recently, UTPD received a final call on April 13 from a supervisor at the UT Human Resource Service Center. The supervisor said they were on the phone with a man who wanted to shoot up the university, or "at least 200 people," police said. A UTPD officer took over the call, and the person on the line said he would "kill the first person he sees," police said. Police tracked the phone to a home in Crosby and arrested Haddon. Some firearms were seized, but Haddon didn't have a cache of weapons or ammunition, Carter said. Haddon has no affiliation with UT Austin, and UT police have never dealt with him before, said Noelle Schrader, UTPD director of campus safety communications. It is not known why Haddon singled out the campus, Carter said. UT President Greg Fenves thanked police on Sunday for making the arrest. "Outstanding police work by @UTAustinPolice assessing calls and tracking down this suspect," Fenves tweeted. "Thanks for all you do to keep our campus and community safe." Police investigated each call and determined that there was no active threat that would have sparked a need to notify the campus, according to the department. After each call, police were able to determine that there was no immediate threat and that the caller wasn't in the area, Carter said. "If we didnt know where he was, that could have certainly triggered some action in terms of putting out information," Carter said. A Travis County judge issued two search warrants for Haddon and set his bond at $300,000, Carter said. The threats are still under investigation. If you've never taken up catfishing, now's the time to start. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is stocking 18 lakes and ponds across Texas with thousands of channel catfish April 17-20. The agency will continue to stock the waters with catfish every few weeks through early November, according to a news release this week. FISHIN' STORIES: Texas man catches 60-year-old alligator gar in Brazos River The effort is part of TPWD's Neighborhood Fishin' program, where kids 16 and younger can fish without a license. The lakes and ponds getting stocked are in well-lit, easy-to-access parks in areas like Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston and other well-populated areas around Texas. Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Texas, Dave Terre, Inland Fisheries Management and Research chief, said. We want to make sure everyone has access, so we are bringing the fish to the people in the places where they largely reside." In the Houston area, Community Park Lake in Missouri City and Mary Jo Peckham Park in Katy are two lakes to be restocked with catfish. Southside Lions Park and Millers Pond in San Antonio are also part of the program. Texas fishing licenses vary by day and what type of water the fishing is done in. A resident freshwater fishing package costs $30 while a resident saltwater fishing package costs $35. Texas hunting and fishing license prices are listed on TPWD's website. Scroll through the gallery above to see some of the biggest fish caught in Texas. Will Axford is a digital reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. Follow him on Twitter. Meredosias village board could revisit the villages burning ordinance following a request from the police chief. Police Chief Curtis Williams asked the board this past week to consider making the ordinance more like Beardstowns. Potential changes include only allowing burning from daylight to dark, on weekends, from April through November and under certain wind conditions. Williams also asked the board to ban all burn barrels because only yard waste is approved for burning and open burning makes it easier to see what is being burned. In other business, the board put its money where its support is, making donations to two community groups. The board voted to donate $500 to Meredosia Little League for new uniforms and $500 to after-prom efforts. While on the community-support theme, Mayor David Werries told the board that Meredosia American Legion Post 516 is selling 500 raffle tickets as a fundraiser. Prizes include a 9mm pistol, a reservation for Harpoles Heartland Lodge, and gift certificates to Jones Meat Locker and SH Pistol defense training. Werries also noted that he received written notification from the Naples Boat Club that the club plans to hold its Fourth of July festival. The club is allowed to have three events a year as long as they give the village 2 months advance written notification. A representative of Meredosia-Chambersburg K-12 PCA asked the boards permission to have a 5K Color Run on June 23. Color runs are races in which participants have a non-toxic substance thrown on them as they run to color themselves and their clothing. The board approved the fundraiser and suggested that Meredosia Fire Department might clean up remnants of the substance after the run. Werries also requested that the board put cameras and signs on the Meredosia boat dock after he found cars spinning in the mud on the villages property next to the dock. Board members voiced concerns about the cost of the cameras and their potential for being stolen. New trustee Steve Staake joined the board. Staake will replace Steve Hall, who resigned to spend time with his family. A man who helped build many of Morgan Countys first homes has his name attached to Jacksonvilles busiest street. Morton Avenue, the main east-west artery that crosses the city, takes its name from Col. Joseph Morton. Morton settled in Morgan County in 1820, three years before the county was formed and five years before Jacksonville was founded. He was one of the early movers and shakers around Jacksonville and the state. Morton was a log cabin builder, census taker, state legislator, state senator and member of the state Constitutional Convention of 1862. Morton died in 1881 on his farm east of Jacksonville. But his death came long after Jacksonville residents recognized his contributions by naming a street after him. In Mortons day, Morton Avenue was just a dirt road that ran east from South Main Street to the city limits. There was no West Morton Avenue until sometime between 1866 and 1876, when the street was extended west from South Main Street to South Diamond Street. Morton was not the only Morgan County pioneer to have a Jacksonville street named for him, however. Beesley, Brown, Chambers, Duncan, Epler, Farrell, Goltra, Hackett, King, Rockwell and Wolcott are among the other streets named after early Jacksonville residents or Morgan County pioneers. Some Jacksonville streets were named for people with national and/or statewide prominence. Four presidents George Washington, James Madison, Abraham Lincoln and Dwight Eisenhower have streets named for them. And two Jacksonville residents who served as governors of Illinois Joseph Duncan and Richard Yates were recognized with street names. In addition, two Civil War generals Philip Sheridan and William T. Sherman were honored with streets, as was Col. John J. Hardin of Mexican War fame. State Street is said to be Jacksonvilles first street, as it was along this thoroughfare, which was called the State Road, that the town was established. The road went from Springfield to Naples on the Illinois River. Some streets were named for their location near downtowns business district. East and West streets still have their original names, but North and South streets have been renamed. Since 1925, North Street has been known as Douglas Avenue in honor of Stephen A. Douglas, the famous mid-1800s statesman who once lived and practiced law in Jacksonville. South Street was changed to College Avenue sometime after the founding of The Illinois Conference Female Academy [now MacMurray College] in 1846. The name College was an appropriate choice because the street once connected three institutions of higher education: Illinois College, the Jacksonville Female Academy and The Illinois Conference Female Academy. The name changes may also have been made to eliminate some of the confusion that existed because both North and South streets crossed East and West streets. It is understandable that it would be confusing to direct anyone to the intersection of South West and West South streets, or any of the other three directional intersections. To add to the confusion, Jacksonville also once had a College Street and College Avenue at the same time and just a block apart. College Street was renamed Beecher Avenue in 1925, when the city fathers decided to honor Illinois Colleges first president Edward Beecher. This Way We Were story was first published April 26, 2004. Taxpayer victories are all too rare in Springfield. But those Illinoisans concerned about how much they send to state government and where that money goes have something to celebrate. The progressive income tax is dead for now. House Minority Leader Jim Durkin and 49 other Republican state lawmakers have signed a resolution pledging opposition to a progressive income tax in Illinois. This cuts into the supermajority support needed to pass a progressive tax constitutional amendment out of the House. While often sold as a tax on the rich, Illinois state spending problems mean middle-class families would be whacked by a progressive tax structure, where rates rise with ones income. Its a big win. The petering out of the progressive tax proposal offers Illinoisans protection from potentially billions of dollars in income tax hikes. But how did it happen? And how can Illinoisans push for more? One major lesson from this fight: the accountability brought about by grassroots action matters. The Republican caucus really can be the taxpayer advocate it claims to be, especially when its clear Illinoisans will hold members to their word. This lesson began last summer. In the seven days leading up to the income tax hike, Illinoisans sent more than 37,000 emails through the lawmaker contact tool on illinoispolicy.org. Nine of the 15 Republicans who voted for that tax hike didnt even attempt to run for re-election. And another lost his primary race in March. In the past month, more than 12,000 Illinoisans signed on to a petition opposing the progressive tax through the same tool. But Republicans are the minority in Speaker Mike Madigans House. And Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker is campaigning on a progressive tax hike. That means in order to make sure the progressive tax doesnt rear its ugly head again, bipartisan support for Durkins resolution is crucial. Pressuring Democratic members to sign on should be the No. 1 priority for Illinoisans interested in keeping their income taxes from going up. Of course, the future of Illinois depends not just on beating back bad ideas. It depends on passing the good ones into law. A flat income tax doesnt fix Illinois problems, it just stops them from worsening. Heres a solution that deserves attention: a spending cap. A state spending cap is sorely needed for two reasons. First, it ensures Illinoisans are getting a state government they can afford. State spending has consistently grown faster than state incomes 25 percent faster from 2005 to 2015. Instead of reform, that spending yields calls for more debt and tax hikes. Better budgets and more certainty for Illinoisans means slowing the growth of state spending. The second key reason is that right now, lawmakers cant even figure out how much money they have to spend. Try as they might to offer accurate projections, state officials consistently produce revenue estimates that dont match one another or the actual amount of revenue the state ends up generating. This broken process contributes to unbalanced budgets year after year. The General Assembly hasnt even bothered adopting an official revenue estimate since 2013. But a spending cap would provide a magic number to lawmakers a set amount of money they can spend in a given year. No more, no less. Theres no excuse for partisan politics when it comes to getting Illinois finances in order. Thankfully, the spending cap has bipartisan support, with state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, filing a constitutional amendment tying state spending growth to economic growth. State Sen. Steve Landek, D-Bridgeview, has also signed on, along with three Senate Republicans. Taxpayers have won the defensive battle against a progressive tax hike. Now its time for some offense. Austin Berg is a writer for the Illinois Policy Institute. He wrote this column for the Illinois News Network. He can be reached at aberg@illinoispolicy.org. Calaveras County Water District View Photos West Point, CA The Calaveras County Water District will host additional town hall meetings this week regarding planned rate increases. Officials will be on hand this evening in West Point to speak about the changes planned for the 13,000 water customers and 5,000 sewer customers. The actual increase would depend on tiered consumption use. Click here to view an earlier story. Tonights meeting will be in the West Point Elementary School Multipurpose Room at 54 Bald Mountain Road. This Thursday a meeting is scheduled for the Vallecito Church, then April 24 at the Arnold Independence Hall and April 26 at the Veterans Hall at 189 Pine Street in Valley Springs. All of the meetings will be open to the public and will start promptly at 6pm. CCWD staff will provide an overview of the planned changes and also answer questions. A public hearing, and vote on the new rates, is currently scheduled for May 23. Calaveras Community Foundation Office View Photos San Andreas, CA A Mother Lode community foundation is gifting funding dollars to over a dozen endeavors benefitting seniors, youth and community enrichment. Calaveras County Community Foundation officials announce its board has chosen to award 14 competitive grants focusing on these three areas under its 2018 funding cycle, totaling over $89,000. Several groups serving the countys aging senior population will receive over $64,000, partly due to funding from the San Francisco Foundation in memory of Lloyd Federlein. Among these are community food pantries in Valley Springs, Copperopolis, Angels Camp and Murphys and Common Ground Senior Services Meals-on-Wheels. Other include DRAIL, which modifies homes by installing ramps and providing medical equipment; Habitat for Humanitys senior home repair services; Calaveras Humane Society, which provides seniors pets with preventative and emergency veterinary care; also Blue Mountain Coalition for its Youth of West Points Fun Fridays for Seniors program. Three youth initiative projects will share more than $13,000 via the foundations County Youth Donor Advised Funds. They are Mind Matters Clinic of Murphys for their Fast ForWord to Success education program; Calaveras County Office of Education, to cover fingerprinting for incoming volunteer mentors for the Calaveras Mentoring Program; also Calaveras County Friends of the Library for STEAM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Art and Math) kits and activities to help prepare children for 21st century jobs. Two cultural enrichment projects received over $12,000. The Community Betterment Fund fully funded Murphys Creek Theatres plans to replace the Black Bart Playhouses aging lighting fixtures. The Jackson Rancheria Casino/Resort Hotel Community Fund contributed towards funding the Manzanita Writers Press Voices of Wisdom, which records seniors stories, memories, and historical recollections for an anthology publication. CCF, now 18 years old, has provided over $2 million in competitive grants, scholarships and assistance for community good. For more details about the foundation, click here. The Plainview-Hale County Business Park groundbreaking ceremony is set for 2 p.m. Monday, April 23, at the Business Park located on Interstate 27, north of Highway 194 (Dimmitt Highway). U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrrington is scheduled to attend the ceremony as well as U.S. Economic Development Association representative Trisha Korbis. Others participating in the formal ceremonies include Mayor Wendell Dunlap, Hale County Judge Bill Coleman, Hale County Commissioners, Plainview City Council and the Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corporation. The public is encouraged to attend. I am excited about the opportunity to attract new businesses and jobs to Hale County and my hometown of Plainview, says Rep. Jodey Arrington. This is a great example of local, state and federal leaders working together to support rural economics, which are the backbone of this country. Following the closure of the Cargill beef packing plant in Plainview in February 2013, community leaders met to prioritize what steps would be necessary to recover from the loss of this major employer. The city, county and EDC began discussions to develop a community-owned business park in an effort to diversify the local and regional economy. From there, a joint board was appointed that provided direction and guidance on the layout, construction, and future needs of the park. The Plainview-Hale County Business Park was propelled forward when the city and county jointly received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through the U.S. Department of Commerce to support the construction of a new business park. With the assistance of EDA, the city and county will be able to complete this project sooner than expected. The city and county will be 50/50 partners in the construction and on-going maintenance expenses for the park. The Business Park is an essential element to the future growth and economic well-being of our community, says Hale County Judge Bill Coleman. The best part is that it has been a joint effort of the City of Plainview, Hale County and the Plainview/Hale County EDC. The combined efforts of all the parties involved and the commitment of community leaders insures that this park will be a success. The Business Park area is zoned for commercial and industrial use and approximately half of the 140-acre industrial park will be sub-divided into 5- and 10-acre tracts; the remaining acreage will not be sub-divided under the current phase and will be reserved for future tenant needs. Located on the Ports-To-Plains Interstate 27 Trade Corridor which links to Interstate 40, the Business Park location is easily accessible to the East and West Coasts. Located 580 miles from the Port of Houston and 550 miles from the World Trade Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas, the park is also situated on the BNSF rail line which runs adjacent to the southern boundary of the park and is five miles from the regional airport and 45 miles from Preston Smith International Airport. On March 1, bids were opened for construction on the Business Park and early in April, the City Council and Hale County commissioners awarded the construction bid of $3.9 million to LoneStar Dirt & Paving. Construction for the Business Park includes sewer lines, water lines, NTS lines, electrical lines, gas lines, drainage easement and paved roads. Construction timetable for the park is nine months. The groundbreaking of the Business Park is a historic event for Plainview, says Mayor Wendell Dunlap. The partnership between the county, EDC and the city along with a grant from EDA have made this a reality and it will be a great day to celebrate this success. Plainview is moving forward and we invite you to be a part of this celebration. The Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corporation will be the lead agency for interested Business Park tenants. The groundbreaking of this business park begins an exciting new chapter in the economic development and growth of our community, says Mike Fox, EDC executive director. For more information about the Plainview-Hale County Business Park, contact Mike Fox, EDC executive director at 806-293-8536 (office), 806-685-8942 (cell) or michael.fox@plainviewedc.org. The San Antonio Express-News and Monster are teaming up again to host the second Mega Career Fair of the year on April 19 in the Norris Conference Center. Twenty-eight companies, most of which are seeking applicants for multiple positions, will be there from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. to meet with interested job seekers in San Antonio. The Express-News resurrected the joint job fair with Monster this year as low unemployment numbers have made it harder for recruiters to attract talent to their open positions. RELATED: TaskUs boasts office space perks as it goes on hiring spree in San Antonio area "There's room in the market for us to do this again," said Tracy Ponder, the Express-News marketing manager. The companies cover a wide range of different industries, from food services to marketing positions to the tourism industry. "We have really good representation from different sectors," Ponder said. During the first Mega Career Fair of the year in February, more than 700 job seekers showed up to the event. Interested job seekers should take the time to research the companies that will be there on the career fair website, Ponder suggests. Prospective applicants should also dress professionally and be ready to fill out applications. If you can't make this job fair, two other are scheduled later this year in August and November. Click through the slideshow to see the companies hiring at the Mega Career Fair. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA Carl Court/Getty Images Group 1 Automotive acquired a new Toyota market in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and expanded an existing Honda dealership in one of that city's suburbs. The Houston-based auto dealership group will operate the new Toyota dealership under the name T-Drive Toyota Alphaville. It is expected to generate $45 million in annual revenues and marks the company's fourth Toyota dealership in Brazil. A homeless man was found slain Sunday morning in an alley next to the historic Cameron House in San Franciscos Chinatown, officials said. The victim was not identified, but his family is from China, officials said. He was reportedly found around 8:30 a.m. on the sidewalk along Joice Street between Clay and Sacramento streets. A West Side warehouse space near downtown has been converted from a workout gym into San Antonios newest coffee spot. Shotgun House Coffee Roasters opened Sunday at 1333 Buena Vista St. Owner Eddie Laughlin has been working on the shop, which was little more than an empty shell, since Oct. 1. Its a bit hidden with little signage, but trust your mapping app ... its there. Laughlin got his start in the coffee business as a bit of a rogue operation. He sold the coffee he roasted and brewed as an unlicensed pop-up in his front yard on East Mistletoe Avenue, catering to Tobin Hill customers who were in the area heading to restaurants such as the Cookhouse and Cullums Attagirl Ice House. RELATED: Estate Coffee Company celebrated anniversary with a pinata and SAFD He acquired a San Franciscan brand roaster off Craiglist, and immediately sought to expand into a legitimate coffee house. We found a spot where there was a need for specialty coffee (on the West Side), Laughlin said. There are lots of taquerias and mom and pop places around here, but theres a need for a place like this. Buena Vista gets heavy traffic. Commerce is always busy. So far, response has been fantastic. Forget about all the confusing coffeehouse terminology. The Shotgun House menu is simple, featuring drip, coldbrew coffee, espresso and tea varieties all priced from $3 to $4.50 and served in a single size appropriate to the beverage. Freshly roasted coffee beans from areas like Colombia, El Salvador and Guatemala are also bagged and sold on site. Once Laughlin gets the coffee shop running smoothly, he said his plan eventually is to expand into a wholesale operation that will provide select coffees to other area restaurants and businesses. Well be rotating our coffee regularly, Laughlin said. The great thing about specialty coffee right now is there is such a wide variety of importers out there. You can get beans from all over the place. The sky is the limit. Shotgun House also features a small food menu. Tacos are brought in from El Milagrito Cafe and are available throughout the day. And sweet items such as fresh pastries, Oreo brownies and chocolate chip cookies made locally by Chocollazo will be sold. Laughlin said he also has plans for Shotgun House to hold film screenings and gallery openings and to be a venue that can be rented out for private events. Hes also willing to keep the doors open until midnight if the community demands it. Shotgun House Coffee Roasters, 1333 Buena Vista St., 254-913-9031. Hours (tentative): 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Facebook: ShotgunHouseRoasters. cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: bbqdiver Estate Coffee Company turned two over the weekend and celebrated with a true San Antonio party, pinata included. The coffee bar at 1320 E. Houston St. posted photos on their Instagram story of a No. 2-shaped pinata hoisted by a fire truck ladder. RELATED: San Antonio residents featured in new Fiesta mural on St. Mary's Strip after winning contest "Last nights party was a blast," the caption reads. "We couldn't have made it this far without the support of the community and we appreciate all of you! Also shout out to our neighbors at station #1 for the coolest pinata hoist ever." San Antonio Fire Department station No. 1 is at 515 Cherry St., just up the block from Estate. The shop sells the essentials, like lattes, and specialties, like a honey lavender latte. Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye Note: This is a Just a Taste review, which the Express-News does soon after a restaurant or bar opens to give our first impressions. Mamma Chilli, a new North Side restaurant, makes a bold claim on its website: We are a small family restaurant, trying to bring the authentic flavors of Mexican cuisine to San Antonio. One could rightfully argue San Antonio has long been jam packed with plenty of faithful Mexican fare. But that fact doesnt diminish some of the truly remarkable plates Mamma Chilli is dishing out. The restaurant is tucked into a nondescript storefront in The Shops At Churchill Estates near the intersection of Huebner and West Bitters roads. Walk through the doors, and youre immediately enveloped in a cloak of colors: Bright walls coated in red, yellow and green; banquets wrapped in a bold purple and blue floral print; cartoonish hummingbirds, butterflies, armadillos and other creatures painted around the room. Find a seat, grab a menu and get ready for a treat. On the menu: This newcomers roots are in Central Mexico, with the street eats of Jalisco well represented. Start your day with a Bionico ($5.50), a fruit salad topped with granola and sweetened cream that popped up in Guadalajara in the 1990s. Chase that with a torta ahogada ($9.75), the citys famous drowned pork sandwich. Mamma Chillis version is swimming in a tame tomato-based sauce that results in a flavor more like a deli-style meatball hoagie, but the kitchen will swap out a more traditional spicy chile sauce on request. Chilaquiles can be something of a conversational firestarter. Camp A prefers a style that finds tortillas, salsa, eggs and other ingredients scrambled into a unified cohesion. Camp B, however, argues the heart of the dish should be the chips and salsa alone, other elements added to the plate in a more complementary, side order configuration. Mamma Chilli sides firmly with the latter group. And its one of the best versions Ive had in San Antonio. The chips are extra thick and range from crisp to tender, and the salsa (I ordered green, but red is also available) stood out with flecks of smoky charred chiles and tomatillos throughout. Pretty much everything at Mamma Chilli is made fresh and by hand except flour tortillas. Most of the time thats a good thing, like in the corn tortillas, which were made with skill and pride, or like the entomatadas ($8.25), where the same tomato sauce from the torta ahogada feels more at home over a pair of slightly crisped chicken-stuffed taquitos. Or in the guacamole ($3.75), hand-pounded with ripe avocados, oodles of cilantro and red onion and enough jalapeno to make it memorable. Or in the delightful chile relleno ($8.75), oozing with molten cheese. Letdowns come in the form of thin, bland beans and fried potatoes with a tough texture suggesting theyre prepared in advance and reheated. Rice was served as a gummy puck of broken, overcooked grains. Fideo ($4.25 a cup, $6.25 a bowl) is listed as a soup, but is served more as a bowl of limp spaghetti bits in a thick sauce. Mamma Chillis boasts an extensive list of guisados, all available as a taco ($2.75), quesadilla ($3.30) or burrito ($6.25). The carne de puerco con chile, served in a taco, was a messy tangle of finely shredded pork that registered more salt than heat. Nopales, also in taco form, were on the salty side as well, but more memorable thanks to bold flavor and texture punctuated with onion, tomato and an acidic tang. A third taco of potato and chorizo underwhelmed with ho-hum spuds and a fairly bland sausage. But these transgressions are minor, and certainly not enough to disqualify Mamma Chilli from becoming a dependable regular breakfast and lunch stop. Location: 15614 Huebner Road, Suite 118, 210-493-2184, mammachilli.com. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Paul Stephen is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen NORTH HAVEN The Animal Haven now is better able to provide care and succor to cats and dogs in need and the community is planning to celebrate. The shelter plans to hold a ceremony marking its recent re-opening and the start of a new wing of the building at 10 a.m. Thursday, according to a news release. The approximately 70-year-old shelter closed for renovations in early September, prompted by a need for a new heating, ventilation and cooling system, according to Linda Marino, president of its Board of Directors. The air in the shelter was just circulating, the same air, from one end to the other, so cats, particularly, were getting sick and then they would recover, but because the same air was in the shelter, they would get sick again, said Marino. We needed to bring our HVAC system up to a higher level. As they prepared to address the HVAC system, Marino said staff learned the entire ceiling would have to come down and thus embarked on a more ambitious renovation project. The interior of the building has been expanded, including the kitchen, laundry room and medical examination room. Surfaces in the shelter have been made impervious, improving cleanliness. The shelter also purchased a commercial-level washer and dryer they were going through at least one washer every year, she said. On the whole, the effort will make operations easier and more efficient, Marino said. The organization also is planning to construct a new wing for cats, Marino said. The new space will increase the room available for the felines and include isolation rooms, which should further reduce transmission of disease. Animal Haven was founded in 1948, taking in cats and dogs with the aim of finding them a new home, Marino said. It is a no-kill shelter, funded entirely by grants and donations. She thanked those who made financial contributions and aided with the renovation effort, including the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven. That organization provided a $35,000 grant in November 2015, according to its website. The renovation cost approximately $480,000, Marino said. In addition to tapping its endowment and taking in grants to finance the project, Animal Haven received a $115,000 bequest from an individual who considered the shelter in their will, she said something for which the shelter is very, very, very grateful. Marino said the re-opening and groundbreaking represent milestones in the history of the shelter steps towards continuing its mission for all time, which she is pleased to see. We hope to be there for eternity and we feel like, if we can better the shelter in this way, we will be there for eternity and well be able to best serve the animals and the community, said Marino. I feel really excited about (the re-opening). ... I feel like we are guaranteeing its future success and its future longevity, and so I couldnt be happier about it. First Selectman Michael Freda is scheduled to offer remarks during the ceremony, according to the release. He said Friday that the shelter does a great deal for North Haven and aligns with an issue near and dear to him he is chairman of the Connecticut Task Force on the Humane Treatment of Animals in Regional and Municipal Shelters. Freda said there was some controversy around the project, as neighbors objected, concerned about noise and barking. But those issues have been worked out, to his knowledge, and hes pleased to see the project move forward. Animal Haven is a big part of North Haven. Animal welfare is a big part of my interests ... (that) we try to advance at the state level, the humane treatment of animals, said Freda. They needed to expand, they did everything they were supposed to do, and anytime there can be expansion to benefit animals in terms of enhancing their welfare, I have to support it. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com MILFORD The Rev. Patricia Leonard-Pasley of St. Andrews Episcopal Church was always praying for those affected by the Syrian refugee crisis, and then one day, she said, something snapped. Leonard-Pasley decided then she wasnt going to say one more prayer or talk about it until I do something, to help. So Leonard-Pasley spread the word, scheduled a spaghetti and meatball dinner at her house, and told people to bring anyone they wanted. To her surprise, there were 40 people in her living room that day and it was the beginning of Amity House, a collection of community entities that went on to sponsor a Syrian refugee family in Milford from June 2016 to June 2017. Getting the refugee family settled was among the most draining, yet most fulfilling, of all time, the volunteers said. Its the best, hardest work, Leonard-Pasley said recently as she told her groups story at a program co-sponsored by Milford Public Library and the activist group Milford Speaks Out. The program, Connecticut, Milford, and Refugee Settlement, featured as a speaker Chris George, executive director of Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services. IRIS, Connecticuts largest refugee settlement agency, is located in New Haven and since 1982 has welcomed more than 6,000 refugees to the state. George began with the basics, telling the audience that a refugee, different from an immigrant, is a person forced to flee their home country because of persecution. To be allowed into the United States, they have to prove persecution or prove a well-founded fear of persecution, he said. They first end up living in refugee camps or shanty towns, living in tough conditions, as they wait for a chance to go back to the home country they love once things have changed or while on a waiting list to go to another country, such as America. A vast majority wait for a very long time, George said. To determine which refugees it will take, the U.S. government looks a for the most vulnerable. George told he crowd to think Statue of Liberty inscription: Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore George emphasized that America is not looking for the most educated, most employable, those with the best English speaking ability. Rather, they want the vulnerable for example, George said, the widow with six kids, two of them with a disability. He said families will undergo extensive interviews and background checks looking at extreme detail and until theres a decision about two years into the process, theyll be visited and questioned by FBI forensics experts, Homeland Security, the CIA. The U.S. government vetting process for refugees is by far the most rigorous in the world, George said, noting they dont take chances and a lot of people are weeded out by the process. Once they pass the background checks, potential refugees must go through a health screening to make sure they have no communicable diseases. They have to be able to pay their airfare, even if it means taking out a loan, George said. Every state has refugees assigned arbitrarily and those helping the resettlement effort might get an email with short notice at 9 p.m., George said. In their new lives, refugees will be free from roadside bombs, kidnapping and torture, but its not going to be easy being a refugee, George said. The family will need a place to live, transportation, furniture, clothing, jobs, knowledge of the language. Theyll need help getting kids registered for school, navigating supermarkets and other stores. They are starting over with the support of a resettlement agency such as IRIS or also with the help of a community group such as Amity House. George said refugees are eligible for safety nets afforded others in America who are impoverished, including food stamps, cash assistance and subsidized housing. George said refugees who come to Connecticut are lucky, but those who have a community group such as Amity House sponsor them are super lucky. He said a community group can just be made of people, groups, semi-related in some way. IRIS has 48 community groups, whose members undergo training. SAN DIEGO - Fayaz Nawabi has never met President Donald Trump. But he credits the president with convincing him to run for office. Nawabi, a 31-year-old candidate for San Diego City Council, supports almost everything that Trump opposes: He is pro-affordable housing, pro-environment, pro-immigrant and pro-refugee. That makes him part of the blue wave of new liberal candidates spurred to run by Trump's election and policies. But Nawabi is also part of a notable subset: the blue Muslim wave. More than 90 American Muslims, nearly all of them Democrats, are running for public office across the country this year. Many are young and politically inexperienced, and most are long shots. But they represent a collective gamble: that voters are so disgusted by America's least popular president on record that they're willing to elect members of America's least popular religious minority group. Although their number seems small, the candidacies mark an unprecedented rise for the nation's diverse Muslim community that typically has been underrepresented in American politics. There are more than 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States, but Muslim Americans hold just two of the 535 seats in Congress. And the Muslim community's voter participation pales in comparison to the general public's. The rise of Muslim candidates coincides with the growth of the predominantly immigrant population and a partisan shift that has played out over a generation. In a 2001 Zogby poll of American Muslims, 42 percent said they voted for Republican George W. Bush in the previous year's presidential election, while 31 percent said they voted for Democrat Al Gore. By last year, just 8 percent of voting American Muslims in a Pew poll said they voted for Trump, while 78 percent said they voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton. While Clinton's campaign never garnered broad enthusiasm from Muslim communities, Trump's campaign - which called for the monitoring of mosques and a ban on Muslims entering the United States - delivered a jolt on election night that some American Muslims likened to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. "It woke everyone up," Nawabi said. Now, Muslim candidates are running for a wide range of offices across the country, from local school boards to the U.S. Senate. Some are making their Muslim identity central to their campaigns. "When you put someone in a corner and they're in survival mode, they have a tendency to come out and speak more prominently about their beliefs," said Nawabi, who considers himself an "unapologetic Muslim" who can quote the Koran from memory and moonlights as a "freelance imam." In Michigan, where 13 Muslim candidates are running for office, physician Abdul El-Sayed is hoping voters will elect him to be the first Muslim governor in the United States and has used his religion in campaign ads against Republican front-runner Bill Schuette, whom Trump has endorsed. "Donald Trump and Steve Bannon would love to see a right-wing radical like Bill Schuette elected in Michigan," reads a Facebook ad for Sayed, who faces a Democratic primary in August. "You know what would be sweet justice? If we elected a 33-year-old Muslim instead of Bill Schuette. Send a message and help elect the first Muslim governor in America." A half a century ago, a small population of black Americans embraced Islam as a pathway to political empowerment and civil rights, and today their descendants are members of the U.S. military, police officers, city council members and career civil servants. But in the immigrant community, the experience is newer. About two-thirds of American Muslims are immigrants or the children of immigrants, and activists say a cultural fear or mistrust of government can accompany those who have fled authoritarian regimes, hindering participation in the political process. "A lot of people feel like, 'I'm just going to make my money, put my head down,'" said Nawabi, whose family arrived in San Diego as refugees from Afghanistan when he was a toddler. They feel political involvement "puts a target on their backs because that's what it meant where they came from," he said. A small number of Muslim and Arab advocacy groups, such as e the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Emgage (formerly called Emerge USA), and the Arab American Institute have spent years training young political activists, tracking rising politicians and running get-out-the-vote campaigns, particularly in immigrant communities after the 9/11 terrorist attacks set off an anti-Muslim and anti-Arab backlash. But Trump's policies have intensified the push for political activism in the diverse community. There was the travel ban, which sought to prohibit entry to people from several Muslim-majority countries, as well as refugees. There were Trump's calls to monitor mosques and his appointments of Cabinet members and political advisers who have disparaged and mocked Muslims. There were the comments and tweets that cast Islam as inherently dangerous and called Muslim patriotism into question. Emgage, a nonprofit organization geared toward promoting Muslim political engagement, polled registered Muslim voters after the 2016 presidential election and found that 53 percent felt "less safe." "But the response has been increased civic participation," said Wa'el Alzayat, the organization's chief executive. "I'm one of the people who, looking at the long-term impact of this, is optimistic." A sizable generation of American-born Muslims and Arabs are in their 20s and 30s, their school years shaped by 9/11, and their comfort and familiarity in the American political system far surpassing that of their immigrant parents. "They're ready," said James Zogby, a longtime Democratic operative and president of the Arab American Institute, who has provided funding and mentorship to several candidates. "Both communities separately have reached a level of maturation." Nawabi, a self-described "typical millennial" and avid surfer, was never interested in politics until Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont captured his attention during the 2016 presidential race. But it was the day after Trump won the election that Nawabi decided he needed to act. That morning, he walked into the local Islamic school where he was then teaching, imagining how his students' parents might be "trying to explain to their kids that there's a bigot, a racist, in the White House." But when he got to the classroom, he realized his second-graders were already thinking about it. "They were talking about where they were going to move now that Trump was president," said Nawabi. "That really affected me." Before long, he had become an assembly district delegate for the California Democratic Party, a win he attributed to his ability to mobilize 200 Muslim voters. He gave sermons at mosques attended by mostly immigrants about the importance of seeing themselves as part of the American political system, and he launched a Muslim American Democratic Club in San Diego. "The Republican Party has completely thrown our community under the bus," he said. He added his name to the ballot for city council. The call to action among American Muslims has yielded a diverse array of candidates. They include former Obama administration officials and longtime political activists, but also physicians and lawyers, women's rights advocates, a molecular biologist and a former Planned Parenthood manager. The flurry of candidacies makes for a lot of potential "firsts." Asif Mahmood, a 56-year-old pulmonologist, would be the first Muslim insurance commissioner in California. Deedra Abboud, 45, in Arizona, or Jesse Sbaih, 42, in Nevada, could be the country's first Muslim senator. And any one of four Muslim women - Nadia Hashimi, 40, in Maryland; Sameena Mustafa, 47, in Illinois; or Fayrouz Saad, 34, and Rashida Tlaib, 41, in Michigan - could be the first in Congress. Muslim political activists and community leaders say they've noticed more young Muslims showing up to political events ranging from legislative hearings and school board meetings to women's marches and civil rights rallies. "I think you see this invigoration of the younger generation who is like, 'We need to stand up and share our narratives and share our stories. We can't stand on the sidelines,' " said Abdullah Hammoud, 27, who won election to Michigan's state legislature in 2016. "There is this fire lit under them. They see their rights being stripped away, day in and day out." Several also have dealt with backlash. "Sorry no room for Muslims in our government," one man wrote last year on Abboud's campaign Facebook page. Kia Hamadanchy, the 32-year-old son of Iranian immigrants who is running for Congress in Southern California, said he occasionally has to delete online comments, including one that said, "He wants to behead you all." Nawabi says a few people have asked him why he has a beard, whether he speaks English and even whether he's a terrorist. Still, many Muslim candidates are wearing their religion as a badge of honor. "As a Muslim immigrant from the great blue state of California, I'm a triple threat to Donald Trump!" Mahmood posted on his campaign website. "The child of Palestinian immigrants . . . the first female Muslim elected to the Michigan Legislature," Rashida Tlaib, running for Congress, wrote on hers. Some candidates and political activists say that even if no Muslim candidate wins a seat this year, the blue Muslim wave still will have accomplished something. The American public will grow more accustomed to seeing Muslim candidates, they say, and Muslim youth will see candidates who look like them or share their values. Many, they hope, will be inspired. Under Trump, Zogby said, "Running itself becomes making a statement." --- Jorge Ribas in San Diego contributed to this report. Every two weeks, 1,000 pieces of sheetrock, rolls of pink insulation and dozens of packages of building supplies arrive at Rose City Baptist Church, stacked high in piles outside the building off Old U.S. 90. Inside, the church's sanctuary is still not fully repaired, and Sunday school classes are on hold for at least another month until workers can finish sheetrocking the education building, Pastor Tony Wilcoxson said. The church applied for FEMA aid four months ago, when the agency announced religious nonprofits were eligible for the same funding as secular groups, but Wilcoxson hasn't heard back yet. PHOTOS: The worst hurricanes in Texas history "We can't just wait here for that stuff to happen," he said, speaking as he directed Rose City residents to stacks of sheetrock on Wednesday. His and other Southeast Texas churches have relied on donations from other churches around the U.S. and from his own parishioners to fund the rebuilding effort, balancing helping their flock while they try to get their doors reopened. Wilcoxson's small Orange County church has housed volunteers coming to help rebuild homes and served as a supply depot since the water receded in September, handing out food and basic necessities at first, and now supplies delivered twice a month by Convoy of Hope. Residents from Rose City, Vidor and, most recently, Bevil Oaks, have picked up 8,000 pieces of sheetrock so far, he said Wednesday. PHOTOS: SETX schools damaged by Harvey "We're trying to take care of ourselves, but we're trying to be a blessing too," he said. "Folks have been really gracious in giving above and beyond to get things going," Wilcoxson said. "They've dug deep," finding ways to support the church while rebuilding their own lives. Aid from near and far "Local people, our people, area churches and churches we have never even talked to" helped Praise Church's congregation return to its building near Tram Road, which took on several feet of water, Administrator Tammy Anderud said. Members of a church in Oregon "became quite the partners," she said, sending people to muck out the church and its members homes, bringing food and offering financial help. They had "no relationship" to the Beaumont church before the storm, she said, and "just dove in with us." One of the church's members, who is a contractor, sent a team in to do some of the demolition work for free, she said. PHOTOS: Southeast Texas under water The church also took out a loan, she said, "a tough pill to swallow" after the congregation had taken one out before the storm for expansion. This loan was necessary given the size and scope of the repair work, which ultimately required professional help, she said. Local churches have also opened doors to others that have lost their home base. Anderud said Praise members met for Sunday afternoon services on the Calvary Baptist Church campus and then at Church on the Rock North until they could return home in February. "We were a transient, large flock of people," she said. Churches help each other Calvary Baptist is hosting First Baptist Church Bevil Oaks in a building they own off Dowlen Road, Pastor Robert Ring said. Ring's Bevil Oaks church, which took on 58 inches of water, is "completely gutted," and remains that way for the foreseeable future, he said. The Family Life Center, which is a metal building, was easier to dry and clean out, and will be used for services once they finish installing sheetrock and bathrooms. "It's too early to say" what will happen with the main building in Bevil Oaks, Ring said, especially as many of his churchgoers are still deciding what to do about their own homes. "It's a good two, three, four year process." "Once we finally get our bearings, we will see the next step," he said. RELATED: Top 20 ZIP codes for FEMA assistance applications after Harvey He said his church has been supported by the Golden Triangle Baptist Network, and by Operation Blessing, a volunteer organization currently using Cathedral in the Pines in Beaumont as its home base. Ryan Casteel, who's coordinating Cathedral's recovery efforts, said "any space that we have besides the sanctuary is for flood relief volunteers," he said. The church has committed to raising money and coordinating home repair around the Golden Triangle through at least next spring, he said. "We've decided to become a hub, a station for boots on the ground," he said. Sunday services endure "A church without walls is kind of what we are right now," said Pinewoods Church Pastor Scott Newell, who is likewise unsure exactly what the future of his fellowship looks like. Every Sunday morning, his congregations meets under the pavilion at the park across the street from the empty lot where the church used to be, and on Sunday nights, they meet at Gary Watson Racing, an auto store on College Street. The decision to demolish the building "was a tough one," Newell said, and whether they'll rebuild is still to be determined. "But we're still alive and well, worshipping and ministering," he said. Despite being displaced, Ring said, Sunday services offer some sense of consistency, and a chance for the community to gather and celebrate each others' small victories as they rebuild. "Early on, it was just crying and hugging each other, now it's the little celebrations along the way," he said. Though he doesn't know if they'll still be meeting in the park a year from now, Newell is confident that Pinewoods Church will continue to exist and grow. "The thing about trusting in the Lord is, you have to trust in God whenever everything else says not to," he said. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz The risk of a recession in Europe's biggest economy rose significantly between March and April amid the fallout over President Donald Trump's increasingly restrictive stance on global trade, researchers said Monday. While economists with the German Institute for Macroeconomics and Economic Research (IMK) saw only a 6.8 percent likelihood of a recession within three months in March, they now believe that an imminent economic downturn is 32.4 percent likely. "President Trump's flirtation with protectionism is sending out shock waves that are not only affecting financial markets, but also the German economy," said Gustav Horn, the research director of IMK, which is part of a foundation with ties to several unions. Germany is considered Europe's economic powerhouse, and its economic boom has lasted five years even as the rest of the continent has struggled. Unemployment is so low in Germany that companies have to routinely turn down orders because of a lack of workers, and the government recently celebrated a record tax revenue. But with its export-driven economy and large trade surplus, the country has repeatedly drawn the ire of Trump, who has lashed out at the European ally for allegedly exploiting the U.S. economy. Germany has rejected Trump's accusations, saying German investments in the United States employ hundreds of thousands of workers there. Trump's concerns are hardly new - he directly confronted Germany on Twitter in May, for instance. But his decision to hit China with additional tariffs in March suddenly gave his previous threats much more weight, which explains why his longtime stance on German trade is only now affecting growth forecasts. Germany is also on a "Monitoring List" compiled by the U.S. Treasury Department under the title "Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States," along with Japan, China, South Korea, Switzerland and India. Even though the report does not conclude that any of those nations deliberately manipulate currencies, Trump took to Twitter on Monday to accuse China and Russia of doing exactly that to gain trade advantages. Trump has not directly targeted Germany with tariffs - but researchers say his protectionist threats alone have been enough to bring uncertainty to financial markets and exporters. It also remains unclear whether Trump may eventually expand tariffs to allies like Germany after all. "We don't yet know whether U.S. punitive tariffs will eventually also apply to European goods, but concerns are mounting," Horn said. In Germany's case, international outrage over dampened growth prospects would probably be limited, however. While European leaders may go to great lengths to emphasize how little they have in common with Trump, many share his concerns that Germany's strength has come at a high cost for the entire continent. The strongest European economy has disproportionately benefited from the euro zone, in which it shares a common currency with many economically weaker nations. If Germany had its own currency, it would be valued far higher than the euro. While the euro's relatively low value is benefiting Germany's export-driven economy, it has done little to revive southern Europe's underperforming counterparts, which have also struggled under harsh austerity measures. Trump is not the first U.S. leader to express concerns about Germany's lucrative trade surplus and its parallel insistence on more austere budget policies. The Obama administration similarly argued that Germany should stimulate consumer demand and increase imports from other EU countries, rather than strengthen its own export industry. Echoing such assessments, the IMK researchers urged Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday to boost spending to strengthen the domestic economy. "There'd be two positive repercussions if we strengthened domestic demand in Germany and Europe: Firstly, growth would react less to turmoil on global export markets. Secondly, this would lead to a lower German trade surplus - thus taking the wind out of Trump's sails," Horn said. An Air Force general has dismissed all accusations against a former basic training instructor who military prosecutors had been preparing to re-try in a case involving alleged rapes decades ago at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The decision ended a long legal saga that included time in a military prison for Master Sgt. Michael Silva, who was freed following a July 2017 appeals court ruling that overturned his 2015 conviction. As the general court-martial convening authority, Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle ended the case against Silva because a recent appellate ruling changed the statute of limitations that applied to two of the charges three specifications and because the victim in the third specification declined to participate in a retrial, the Air Force said Monday. Silva, then 44, had been sentenced to 20 years in prison at a trial in January, 2015 in San Antonio, after a jury of officers and enlisted personnel convicted him of raping a recruit twice at Lackland in 1995 and of raping his then-wife who also had served in the military in Wyoming in 2007. Silva did not respond to a request for comment sent to his wife, who forwarded a statement issued Tuesday by his attorney for the re-trial, Richard V. Stevens, who said he was grateful and relieved that Mike and his family can now try to move forward from this difficult time. Silva was assigned last fall to the the 802d Force Support Squadron at Lackland. The Air Force said Silva remains a member of the 502nd Air Base Wing, and added, We have no information about what decisions he has made about his future service. The ruling on the statute of limitations earlier this year by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces marked the second time an appeals court ruling broke in Silvas favor. The first one, in the summer of 2017, freed him from the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Kansas, where he had been serving his sentence. Following that decision, Pringle, who commands Joint Base San Antonio and the 502nd Air Base Wing, had ordered Silva to stand trial again. But the military appeals court ruled in February that all rape charges in the armed forces have a statute of limitations of five years, two lawyers familiar with military law said. The two oldest rape incidents for which Silva was convicted, involving the recruit, occurred when it was still an offense that had no statute of limitations. But they clearly exceed the statute of limitations under the new ruling, the Air Force said. It happens, said retired Army lawyer Geoffrey Corn, a professor at South Texas College of Law in Houston. Thats what rule of law means. And I think its an important point to remember that sometimes people who may be factually undeserving can benefit from the law because thats how we make sure that those who were deserving of the benefit get it in the future. Its the hardest thing for most non-lawyers to come to grips with. The Air Force, in a set of written answers Monday to questions it received last week, said it wasn't concerned that the resolution of the case might discourage future victims from reporting abuse. We worked very closely with the victims during this entire process. The government supported and fought for the victims at both the trial and appellate level. Victims should feel confident that if they come forward, the government and Special Victims Counsel will protect their rights, the statement said. In addition, we actively encourage sexual assault survivors to report incidents as a way to access support and restorative care. The Air Force said the victim in the 2007 case, a former wife, did not want to testify at a new trial. Silva initially was charged with raping three women, but the jury found him not guilty of the earliest alleged attack, in North Carolina in the early 1990s, involving a woman to whom he also was married. He maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings at Lackland, expressing sorrow to the Air Force, his family and the jury in a statement at the end of the trial but not to the women he was accused of assaulting. When Air Force appeals judges overturned Silvas conviction, it was the second reversal of a verdict stemming from an extended scandal at Lackland, which, starting in 2011, saw 35 basic training instructors investigated for assaults and harassment of 69 recruits and technical training students. The scandal led to a commander-directed investigation and sweeping changes in Air Force basic training. Of the 30 trials conducted over several years, only two other sentences were as harsh as the one given to Silva, the son of an Army sergeant major. One man, a recruiter, got 27 years. The other, a Lackland basic training instructor, committed suicide in prison after getting a 20-year sentence. In throwing out Silvas convictions, the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals cited a decision in United States vs. Hills, a 2016 ruling by the Court of Criminal Appeals for the Armed Forces, to rule that the judge undermined Silvas presumption of innocence by allowing the jury to consider the testimony of all three of his alleged victims when considering guilt on each specification. Prosecutors conceded that the judge erred but argued it was harmless. The appeals judges disagreed, stating that the judge's instruction played directly into one of the strengths of the prosecution's case: that the women had no connection with each other. In fact, with regard to Mike's first trial, the Appellate Court found that the trial prosecutor hammered on the improper argument, and the Appellate Court detailed many of the weaknesses in the prosecution's evidence and case that were overcome by the prosecutor using the improper argument, Stevens said in his statement Tuesday. The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces decision in February, the final blow to prosecution efforts to bring Silva to trial, reversed the panels own previous 1998 ruling exempting rape from the five-year statute of limitations in Willenbring v. Neurauter. Congress had granted exceptions to the statute of limitations in death-penalty cases in military law in 1986, even though the Supreme Court had ruled nine years earlier that death was an unconstitutional punishment for raping an adult woman. The theory was because you were charged for a crime that occurred back then and because back then death was an authorized penalty for rape, then there was no statute of limitations to the charge, Corn said. At the time the (Uniform Code of Military Justice) allowed death as the maximum punishment for rape of a female. Don Christensen, president of Protect Our Defenders, an advocacy group for military victims of assault and sexual assault, called the ruling unfortunate. A former Air Force judge, he said the appeals judges had been aware for the past decade of prosecutors trying some rape cases under the old assumption that there was no statute of limitations, and that it had actually affirmed the practice before ruling against it this year. Silva is a very, very, very lucky man, Christensen said of the two appeals rulings that have affected his case. My concern is that (Silvas supporters) will be saying all this proves he was innocent, proves he was railroaded. No, all this proves is that he twice has benefited from (judges) changing their mind on the status of the law. sigc@express-news.net The pilot of an "experimental" small-engine aircraft fatally crashed Sunday in Medina County, authorities said. The pilot, who Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown identified as Carl Bray, 68, died when his craft crashed in a brushy area outside of a construction zone at Lambda and Omicron drives around 10:30 a.m. Investigators do not yet have a cause for the crash. Authorities said a security guard at a nearby Microsoft facility spotted the falling aircraft and notified first responders. RELATED: SAPD: Drunken argument leads to stabbing on Northeast Side Rudy Khalaf, a division chief with the Bexar County 2 Fire Department, said the terrain proved difficult for first responders to navigate. "For us to gain access, there were multiple fences that had to be cut," he said. Authorities were eventually able to find the crash site, where they found the pilot "obviously" dead, Khalaf said. The crash caused the aircraft to ignite, starting a small grass fire that was easily extinguished. Khalaf said the plane had no discernible markings on it, describing it as an "experimental" small-engine aircraft that was likely home built. He said many residents in the area have such planes, which they use for crop dusting and other activities. "It's not uncommon," he said. "Around here, it's not uncommon at all." He said the plane was a 2-seater, though no evidence was found that Bray was flying with anyone else. Though Khalaf didn't have exact numbers, he said authorities have responded to around three or four similar crashes in recent years. Brown said Bray took off from Freedom Springs ranch Airport Sunday morning, in Pipe Creek, just outside San Antonio in Bandera County. According to a friend of Bray's, the 68-year-old pilot was possibly going to Castroville Airport to refuel his aircraft, Brown said. U.S. Federal Aviation Administration records list an address in Pipe Creek as a residence for Bray. Those records also show Bray was a certified commercial pilot. Brown said the crash site was scorched following the fire, and that officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will determine cause. "Tomorrow they'll finish (the investigation) at the scene, there isn't much left," Brown said. Numerous agencies responded to the crash site, including the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Medina County Sheriff's Office, Bexar County Fire Department, Castroville Fire Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Staff Writers Chris Quinn and Alex Luna contributed to this report. Monday's episode of Ellen features a South Texas high school and record-breaking donation. Rockport-Fulton High School's beloved "gold gym" was one of the many structures destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in August. In a preview for the episode, Ellen DeGeneres announces a $1 million donation, in partnership with Lowe's Heroes program, to rebuild. In Rockport, gathered students cheer as confetti falls. RELATED: San Antonio native, Navy serviceman reunited with girlfriend on Ellen "It really is the biggest gift we've ever given," Ellen says in the preview. "I know that your gym was more than just a gym to all of you. It was important to your entire community." According to the Corpus Christi Caller Times, Aransas County ISD, which the high school is a part of, suffered $55 million in damages. Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye The trial of a San Antonio man accused in a horrific 2016 child abuse case that involved children bound by the ankles and wrists with dog chains and leashes and left outside is scheduled to begin today. Deandre Jerome Dorch was 36 when he was arrested and charged with two counts of injury to a child-serious bodily injury after two children were found crying in a Northeast Side backyard in the wee hours of April 28, 2016. RELATED: San Antonio woman sentenced in 2016 case where children were tied up like dogs Bexar County Sheriffs Office deputies were attempting a welfare check in the 8100 block of Chipping in the Camelot II subdivision after a neighbor reported hearing children crying for several hours. When authorities arrived, they found a boy, 4, and a girl, 3, with numerous injuries. They were tied by their ankles and wrists. They were surrounded by their own feces, and officials said at the time they believed the children had been left outside in the rain, possibly for several days. Dorch and Porucha Denise Phillips, 36, who lived together at the home, told authorities they were watching the bound children for their friend, Cheryl Reed, whom they said they knew from California, where each adult lived before coming together to Texas. Reed told authorities she had left her children in the care of Phillips. RELATED: Teen's head grazed by bullet from drive-by shooting in NE Side neighborhood After the bound children were freed, deputies discovered Phillips six children between the ages of 10 months and 11 years by themselves inside the home. No adult was present, and authorities determined that at least three of those children belonged to Dorch and Phillips. While deputies tended to the children at the scene, Dorch and Phillips drove up to the house. Phillips was arrested, and Dorch turned himself in days later. Dorch, now 38, is the first person to go to trial in the case. In October, Phillips pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to a child-serious bodily injury and was sentenced to 50 years in prison on each count. The sentences will run at the same time. Reed, 32, is in jail, awaiting trial. Injury to a child-serious bodily injury is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 99 years or life in prison. The case is being heard in Felony Impact Court with Visiting Judge Laura Parking presiding. Elizabeth Zavala is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | ezavala@express-news.net | @elizabeth2863 A San Antonio-based criminal defense attorney was arrested over the weekend after police said he drunkenly rear-ended another vehicle with two infants inside on the Northwest Side. Jesse Hernandez, 39, was booked into the Bexar County Jail Saturday on a charge of DWI and posted bail later that day. RELATED: SAPD: Gunman at large after fatally shooting man multiple times on North Side Representatives from the Law Office of Jesse Hernandez did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to a preliminary police report, Hernandez rear-ended the other vehicle while it was stopped at a red light near Wurzbach Road and Datapoint Drive. Police said two infants were inside the vehicle, but paramedics decided they didn't require hospitalization. According to a search warrant for a blood test on Hernandez, he "had slurred speech, was unsteady on his feet and smelled of alcoholic beverages." He also told officers he had two or three drinks earlier in the night at his office, the document shows. RELATED: BCSO: Teen's head grazed by bullet from drive-by shooting in NE Side neighborhood Hernandez operates a general practice law office based in San Antonio, according to his website. "While Jesse has extensive training and experience in criminal defense, he also regularly handles cases in personal injury, auto accidents, divorces, child custody disputes, wills, business law, document drafting and crisis resolution," according to a personal biography on the website. 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 Around this time last year, President Donald Trump ordered a U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base in response to President Bashar Assads chemical gassing of his own people. We wrote then that it was a warranted response, but, absent a more comprehensive plan to bring an end to the bloodshed, it could not stand alone as a solution. About a year later, its clearer than ever that a one-off missile strike did not deter Assad. There have reportedly been at least seven and perhaps as many as 50 more chemical attacks by Assad forces. And a comprehensive plan has not materialized. RELATED: Trump reportedly wants to build an Arab army so he can pull US troops out of Syria So, the same is true today as it was a year ago. A military strike to punish Assad this one, with Britain and France last week targeting facilities linked to his chemical weapons is a credible, even necessary, response, but will not alone deter him from future attacks. More to the point, it will not end the carnage and human suffering wrought by years of civil war. Such an outcome requires a comprehensive international plan that targets not just Assad, but his Russian and Iranian protectors. More sanctions against Russia for enabling Syrias use of chemical weapons were being considered and then, reportedly on Trumps orders, not. This makes no sense. A limited military response was warranted because the use of chemical weapons cannot go unanswered. But, with the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan invasions still painfully unfolding, its clear that there really is no purely military solution to this problem. Now, as then, nation-building by massive shock-and-awe force and occupation promises to be a quagmire from which extrication is difficult and the consequences unintended but assuredly dire. With Russian troops in Syria there is risk. The president should do all he can to minimize this. Bringing an end to this war requires a unified international front. If that cant be attained from the United Nations because of Russias veto powers on the Security Council it recently stymied even an investigation of the latest chemical attack then the United States must be prepared to seek such support elsewhere among NATO and other allies. There should be no shelter whatsoever for the assets of Assad, Vladimir Putin and his billionaire supporters and Iranian principals anywhere. Nor should there be any for these countries commerce either. RELATED: Commentary: Trump should not withdraw from Syria Those fighting Assads regime are disappointed that the U.S. didnt undertake strikes that further the goal of toppling Assad. The question, however, is what comes after, if that goal unlikely to succeed without massive military intervention is achieved? Likely a vacuum followed by even more struggle as attested by the sudden departures of Mideast strongmen elsewhere. So, then the issue is how to apply enough pressure to bring Assad, Russia and Iran and Turkey to resolve their issues with the Kurds to the negotiating table. That is what an international response should look like. Not shock and awe necessarily on the battlefield though the U.S. should maintain a troop presence but shock and awe diplomatically and hitting Russia, Iran and Assad where it hurts the most: their pocketbooks. One problem, of course, is that President Trump has alienated many of our allies and his new secretary of state has not even been confirmed. And the presidents mounting legal and political woes cant help but to distract from these goals. But that comprehensive plan cannot wait for these to be resolved. The president with Congress must lead, and if not him, he must allow others to do so. As a first step, he must walk back his goal of withdrawing the 2,000 or so U.S. troops in Syria. Mission accomplished? Thats what the administration said after the latest attack on Syria. But the truth is, were not even close. Syrian suffering continues. Re: Immigrant mother vows to continue the fight, Carmen Lozano, Other Views, April 9: I guess we will never read the word illegal when it comes to any article this paper runs. Ms. Lozano has been illegally in this country for more than 26 years, and the two things we learned from her column is that she has worked, illegally, in the cash-only side of the economy and raised a child who was educated at the expense of taxpaying citizens. To make matters worse, she was stopped for a traffic violation and not reported as an illegal due to the unlawful policies of the city police chief. It is time we stopped using the word undocumented when the proper term is illegal. Because most of these undocumented individuals have documentation, illegally obtained! Doyle Haner, Tarpley Value our kids How have we reached a place where we cannot pass legislation to ban military-style weapons that can kill 17 youngsters within seconds? We know most other developed countries do not have similar gun problems. Our violent crime rate by gun as reported by CBS is 10 times that of Australia, nearly five times that of Canada and eight times that of Sweden. Is it our culture? It seems we have gone way past the intent of the Founding Fathers to allow guns for protection. Why is that? Is it because we still have this frontier mentality that says we need guns to protect our families from dangerous people and marauding animals? If we blame mental health issues, we must have 10 times as many mentally disturbed people as Australia, eight times that of Sweden. Do you believe that? Are we afraid that putting certain limitations on the purchase of guns is a step toward abolishing guns altogether? Guns do kill people, no matter how you twist the semantics. So do cars. Did we get rid of cars for that reason? Of course not. But we do require safety measures in cars, and restrictions on drivers and operators of vehicles. Not everybody liked those requirements, but by and large we have accepted them because we know they serve the common good. We can do that with guns as well. Sixty-plus percent of Americans support some form of gun legislation. We should put greater value on our youngsters than our guns. Marna E. Watson Shattering myths Re: Helping patients, serving God; Clinic staffed by Muslims treats the uninsured for free, mySA, April 5: Thanks to Rich Marini and the newspaper for running the article on the free clinic staffed entirely by Muslims. It would have been an informative and worthwhile piece to run regardless of the religion of those involved. However, given todays hostile climate toward immigrants and Muslims, in particular in this country, dispelling myths and prejudices surrounding our Muslim neighbors is much appreciated. Kathy Bandujo, Boerne - As the 2019 election draws closer, Ahmed Buhari is gearing to contest for presidency - Buhari, called on Nigerian youths to join the political process instead of complaining about the system - The presidential aspirant said he is for anything that is going to get Nigeria working Ahmed Buhari is a presidential aspirant who is gearing to contest in the 2019 general elections. The 40-year old native of Kontagora local government in Niger state has distinguished himself in the private sector, where he holds sway as the Chief Executive Officer of Skylar Nigeria Limited, a Lagos-based ICT company. He spoke to Legit.ng on his experience so far since he declared his intention to run for the number one position in the country two years ago. Ahmed Buhari visits Legit.ng, outlines his vision for Nigeria READ ALSO: APC: Making a case for generational shift as party members elect new chairman Read below: Some young presidential aspirants like yourself have withdrawn from the race, what do you think is responsible for this? Its a crazy project, but more importantly we have to be fair to ourselves. Anytime you see an aspirant who hasnt had the opportunity to steal Nigerias money, who has not stolen Nigerias money, whose name is not on the list of looters, please support him in any way you can. This is because its an expensive venture. The mere fact that you have to travel from point A to point B is enough expenses for someone who is only used to fending for himself and his family. What is you reaction to older generation politicians saying young Nigerians are not ready for leadership positions? They can say that but we have proven them wrong in the last two years. Now we meet them and talk to them. The moment will deliver our opening statements and the plans we have, we dont just leave them in shock, we leave them agreeing that yes, something has got to happen and it has to happen now. The reason why they have been saying these things is that most of us decided to sit in our own little corners, stay on social media to rant, complain and thats not going to change it. If you really want to change something, you have to defy all odds, step to the fore and do something about it. What is responsible for the recent clamour from young people to take over leadership positions in the country? There are many movements in the country borne out of the frustrations in the country especially the last 5, 6 years. What we are experiencing now is a people who are tired of the status quo and are hoping for something different to happen. The fact is if you do not allow responsibility to be transferred from one generation to the next generation, as at when due, a vacuum will be created. Young people want to believe or feel that there is a need for them to be called Nigerians and the moment they dont see that Nigerian dream in sight, they revolt against the system. This vacuum is what brings about Boko Haram, herdsmen, kidnappers, baby factories and all other things that society frowns at. So, what I am saying is, if we dont start creating a society that will transfer responsibility from one generation to the next generation as at when due, we will create a vacuum and we will not be able to handle the things that will be embedded in that vacuum. Would you consider a merger with other political parties? It is not an ambition, it is a vision. So, anything that is going to get Nigeria working, I am for it. As we progress through this process of engineering a better part for the country, Ill expect that alliances will be made, Ill expect that coalitions will be formed. But, in trying to do all these things, Ill expect that Nigerians will ensure that we are not going to fall into the crises we always fell in where same people move to a new platform, call it a new name and fall into the system. I am hoping that we will move past those things that divide us and begin to make progression and not sentimental decisions on issues. One would think that you would start your foray into politics by contesting for a lower office? I am not in a hurry. That I want to aspire for chairmanship in my local government area can be regarded as a hurry, that I want to contest for senator can be regarded as a hurry, but one thing I want to get clear is this is not an ambition, it is a vision. And only because we have started visualizing a thing like this, we are getting more aspirants. I am the first aspirant that declared to run, and at the time I did I heard things like he is crazy, he is mad, he is a joker. Today, that is not the discussion anymore, the discussion now is young people are coming out, what have they got to say? And this is exactly what we want. So, the vision is there, the vision is progressive, if anybody thinks I am being too much in a hurry, I want to remind them that the kind of experience required for good leadership, dont have to be earned through a political process, so you can be a media personnel, and be an effective administrator and if given the opportunity you will deliver. If you look at people that have held political office in the country in the last 40, 30, 20 years, they have been chairmen, reps, governors twice, senators twice, but we cant look at them and say, I like his style of governance or we appreciate his style of administration because, there is nothing there that people like us find appealing. What we are talking about is what has he got to offer, I dont care about his name, his age, his tribe, his religion, I just want to hear this guy out and see what kind of structure he has built for himself, what kind of people follow him, is he a regional leader, is he sectional leader. You have distinguished yourself in the private sector, do you think you can replicate this in the public sector? I was in Akure sometime ago and I remember I did speak about technology and how it can help us at a time when our population is about to explode. So, we are looking at a country where a minister of interior cant tell us categorically how many Nigerians exist and the figures are so spread apart. Be that as it may, with regards to the public sector, the only thing that is going to make the public service work is if there is a system. Ill give you an example with the banking sector, the day N1,000 will miss, that banker will not leave his office, he has to balance the books, and thats because theres a system, the moment he cant balance the books, they will have to raise a flag and say N1,000 is missing here, they will give exact details how it is missing and before you know it, that staff is apprehended. These kinds of systems exist and all we need to do is to bring them into the civil service. But our resistance is what has held us back because people believe when we bring these systems, I will not have the chance to deep my hands into the treasury and put it in my own pocket. Except, we are going to have a leadership with strong political will and determination we will not be able to have this kind of system whether from the time where you were employed or the time you are going to retire. So, the day your time comes, you are going, and that gives space for people to come in, otherwise, we will keep having issues with the public sector. I think if we want the system to work, we will have to look and find people in the private sector who have proven themselves and are succeeding to come in and help the public-sector work for the betterment of our people. If you dont get to be president, whats next for you? We keep fighting for Nigeria. We keep letting the system know that there is a better way to make things work out for them. The process is not to become president. The process is to get us a country that is working for all of us, an all inclusive one, regardless of those things that divide us, and start of thinking of those things that will make us economically free, financially free and progress. Watch the video on Ahmed Buhari's interview on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - President Muhammadu Buhari says some wicked people plundered the country and kept Nigerians poor - The president said the damage done to the Nigerian economy in the years of plunder was massive and that government was doing its best to recover some of the loot - He regretted that the failure of some of the leaders led to the inability of his administration to capitalise on resources Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, April 15, assured Nigerians that their confidence in the federal government would not be abused, as his administration would do its best to justify it. The president stated this in London while receiving the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization, led by Charles Efe Sylvester. In a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, President Buhari blamed those he described as wicked people for plundering the country, saying they have kept Nigerians poor. READ ALSO: Why I threatened not to support my husband for second term - Aisha Buhari L-R: Illiyasu Garba, Bolaji Lewis, Abba Kyari, President Buhari, Project Coordinator Charles Sylvester, Dapo Williams, Hajia Lamisila and Stephen Kifordu Photo credit:Bayo Omoboriowo He noted that Nigeria was gifted with tremendous human and natural resources, but regretted that "failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalize on resources to improve the lot of the people." The president added that looking at the condition in which the current administration met the country, without savings and the economy badly vandalized, "we have not done too badly." President Buhari said the damage done to the Nigerian economy in the years of plunder was massive, and that government was doing its best to recover some of the loot, but noted that it was impossible to identify and recover all. "If they had used 50% of the money we made, when oil prices went as high as $143 dollars per barrel, and stabilized at $100 dollars with production at 2.1 million barrels per day for many years, Nigerians would have minded their businesses. "You could almost grow food on our roads, as they were abandoned. The stealing was so much, and they were so inept that they could not even cover the stealing properly. I wonder how all those things could have happened to our country," the president said. READ ALSO: Be patient till 2023 - Ex-military governor Kama tells contenders for 2019 presidency He commended the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization for deciding to identify with the country, "when you could have stayed here, and being comfortable." "I am happy that people like you are here, on your own, defending the country. You have shown courage and sacrifice. I assure you that your confidence in us won't be abused, we will do our best to justify it," President Buhari said. The coordinator of the organization, said the group was happy with the achievements of the Buhari administration so far, noting: "You met a difficult situation, but you have overcome most of them. We are happy with the agriculture revolution, the ease of doing business, the anti-corruption war, the employment of youths through the N-Power programme, and the blockage of leakages in the public sector through the Treasury Single Account (TSA). "We are proud of the speed with which you recovered the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls. It shows you as a worthy general. We are happy that you have declared for 2019. Majority of Nigerians are happy, but agents of corruption and darkness are unhappy. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app "The same God, who healed you when you were ill, will grant you victory in the 2019 elections. You are a General who does not fear combat, either with Generals or non-Generals. We declare our love and support for you. You are fixing the faulty foundations of our country and second term is when you will build the enduring structure," he said. Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on an official leave in London, met with the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Sunday, April 15, Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesperson, has said. The details of the meeting could not be ascertained. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV. Source: Legit - Ibrahim Babangida says he supports the Northern Leaders Stakeholders Assembly (NLSA) - Babangida says the forum should be encouraged because of its commitment to unity of Nigeria - The former military president commends the gtoup for advancing the country positively Nigerias former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has reportedly lauded the Northern Leaders Stakeholders Assembly (NLSA) for ensuring the advancement of the country and pledged his support for the assembly. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Babangida made the pledge on Sunday, April 15, when members of the group paid him a courtesy visit in Minna. READ ALSO: Breaking: Buhari and Tinubu meet in London The report said the former military leader described the assembly as a forum that should be encouraged because of its commitment to the unity of Nigeria and maintenance of its territorial integrity. I want to commend you for your idea to ensure the advancement of the country. I believe that we should support peaceful co-existence in the country. We will encourage what you are doing and support you to succeed. Speaking at the meeting, the chairman of the assembly, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, described the organisation as a non-partisan political group. Yakassai said people of Northern extraction were free to register as members of the group, irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political belief. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app As nonpartisan body, our mission is to create and nurture a culture of tolerance and togetherness by providing a platform for northerners to pursue a more civilised line of action in the field of politics, he said adding that the NLSA was established on February 10, 2018, dedicated to the promotion of cultural and political unity and amity among northerners and Nigerians at large. The members made Babangida the patron of the group. Legit.ng earlier reported that General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida advised Nigerians to ensure that only the younger generations were voted to power in the country. It was gathered that Babangida, stated this at his country home in Minna, Niger State, when he received a delegation of YES Nigeria Movement, led by its convener, Ali Soyode. He charged the delegation to seize the privilege offered by the next elections to serve their fatherland at a younger age. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A lecturer of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Victor Koreyo, has renounced his Nigerian citizenship - Koreyo, in a letter to President Buhari said he was demoted for a period of eight years by the polytechnic - A staff of the Ministry of Education said the matter is before the newly constituted council of the institution Victor Koreyo, a lecturer at the Department of Ceramics and Glass Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi, has declared intention to renounce his Nigerian citizenship for what he called social injustice. Koreyo, in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said he was demoted for a period of eight years by the management of the institution and urged the president to endorse his request. NAN discovered that a directive was given by the federal government in 2007 directing all lecturers to produce additional qualification relevant to the job they do. It was gathered that the 7th Governing Council of the institution gave Koreyo two years to produce a foreign institution master degree in Ceramic Science and Engineering or he would be dismissed from service. Koreyo, from Nasarawa state, said that the management of the polytechnic refused to communicate the information to him in writing. He alleged that since 2010 till date, the institution had refused to approve his application for staff development opportunity because the Igbo constituted principal officers in the school. He also said that several communications to the institution from the Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Servicom and host of others, on the issue was in his favour for reinstatement. READ ALSO: Why I threatened not to support my husband for second term - Aisha Buhari Koreyo also accused the Ministry of Education of allegedly writing a counter-directive letter to the rector to disregard the government directives issued by the HOSF and AGF. According to him, this is social injustice that is not in line with the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I love to continue as citizen of this great nation on earth. Victor Koreyo. Photo source: Premium Times But since I do not have the financial power or connection to challenge the Rector to obey the federal governments directives in my favour, I decided to take this peaceful action. I believe this peaceful action and step of honour will prevent the rector from killing me by premeditated frustration of my constitutional rights to social justice as the citizen of Nigeria. I have nursed this feeling of suic*de to end these eight years of frustration by the Rector and officials of the Akanu Ibiam Polytechnic division of tertiary education department of the Federal Ministry of Education. And have decided the renunciation of my citizenship by birth will be the best way to peacefully end my quest for social justice at the ministry of education and finally resign from Federal Public Service of Nigeria, he said. However, a staff of the Ministry of Education told NAN, on condition of anonymity, that the ministry was already looking into the matter. According to him, the matter is also before the newly constituted council of the institution. He urged Koreyo to be patient as the new council would resolve the problem. I just got to know that the new council was already handling the matter and it is a national issue. The federal government has constituted a body to look into this problem because it is a general problem and not peculiar to him alone. A directive was given to some staff to go and acquire more knowledge and those that brought their master degrees in relevant disciplines were upgraded. But in his own case, where he got his masters is not relevant and is not in line as at that time. I want to say that the matter is before the new council so he should exercise patient, the ministry source told NAN. The authorities of Akanu Ibiam Federal polytechnic, however, noted that the decision of the institution was in compliance with the directive of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). READ ALSO: Why I threatened not to support my husband for second term - Aisha Buhari Edmond Oyeneho, a former chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Akanu Ibiam Federal polytechnic, Uwana chapter, told NAN in Afikpo that the institution was acting on instruction. According to him, NBTE in 2007 introduced a policy aimed at ending the dichotomy between polytechnic and University education in Nigeria. He said the policy, which upgraded the course content of Polytechnic education to be at par with University education, also mandated lecturers in Polytechnics without Master degrees in their core areas to upgrade. He explained that the policy took about three years before its implementation started across Polytechnics in Nigeria. Oyeneho noted that many lecturers in the polytechnic system, who had fallen short of the new requirements had to enroll for either Master in Science or Master in Arts degrees programmes in their core areas. At the expiration of the three years grace period all Polytechnics in Nigeria including Uwana implemented the policy by demoting all lecturers in the system without Masters in their core areas to lecturer 1. Those who went and remedied their situation came back and were reinstated to their former positions. Koreyo was therefore in line with the policy demoted from the senior lecturer position he previously occupied to lecturer 1 because of his failure to upgrade his situation. He is a lecturer in the department of Ceramics and Glass Geology but he went to Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), to do a Master degree programme in Management Project and was awarded Master Business Administration (MBA). The academic programme did not fulfill the NBTE requirement because MBA is a professional programme, while Master of Science (M.Sc) is an academic qualification required to teach in Polytechnics and universities," he said. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Oyeneho, a senior lecturer in the Department of Public Administration and Director, Internally Generated Revenue in the institution, criticised Koreyos threat to denounce his Nigerian citizenship. He said that the institution would not be blackmailed and forced to reinstate him to his former position in disregard to existing policy direction. He is not alone in the situation and it will be a disobedience to existing NBTE policy to isolate him for preferential treatment. The MSc programme was sponsored by TETFUND with N5 million study grant and affected lecturers receive their full monthly salary throughout the duration of the academic programme, he added. Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that more than one month after commencing on an indefinite strike, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) recently said it will continue the strike. The unions on the platform of the Joint Action Commitee (JAC) also threatened to take back concessions they earlier granted. Nigerians express mixed feelings as JAMB reduces admission cut-off to 120 on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A set of angry youths has taken over the palace of Agbado-Ekiti, Ekiti state - The youths are reportedly kicking against the alleged imposition of a regent Irate youths of Agbado-Ekiti, Gbonyin local government of Ekiti state, yesterday, April 15, stormed the town's palace to evict the regent, Bolaji Okunbobade, whom they claimed was imposed on them by the kingmakers. Vanguard reports that Okunbobade was selected by the kingmakers to take over the throne vacated by her late father, the Owa Oro of Agbado, Oba Okunbobade. READ ALSO: Polytechnic lecturer renounces Nigerian citizenship However, the irate youths, who barricaded the Ado-Ikare Road for several hours, accused one of the kingmakers, Chief Kayode Adeyeye, of unilaterally choosing Bolaji as Regent. They alleged that due process was not followed and all critical stakeholders were not carried along in the choice of Bolaji whom they described as illegal regent. The community has been thrown into crisis following the alleged taking over of traditional artifacts, shrines, and duties of sacrifices by four kingmakers. The regent and her aides have also been chased out of the palace. The youths have also called out to Governor Ayodele Fayose to interfere in the crisis. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng earlier reported that some traditional worshippers prevented the demolition of shrines in Ekiti state on Friday, April 6. The worshippers had engaged a team of the Ekiti state demolition experts in an argument in Ado-Ekiti. The exercise took a dramatic turn when budldozers returned in Ado-Ekiti for the demolition of structures close to the two shrines, two sacred trees and other structures directly adjacent the palace of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo. Robbers return firearms to Nigerian Police on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Donald Trump has invited President Muhammadu Buhari to Washington - The meeting is expected to address issues such as security and economic growth The United States president, Donald Trump, has invited President Muhammadu Buhari to a meeting at the White House on April 30, 2018. According to a statement released by the US government, Trump is expected to discuss issues such as promoting economic growth and fighting terrorism with Buhari, The Nation reports. The statement read: "President Trump looks forward to discussing ways to enhance our strategic partnership and advance our shared priorities: promoting economic growth and reforms, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security, and building on Nigerias role as a democratic leader in the region. "The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigerias economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity." READ ALSO: Irate mob shutdown Ekiti palace The scheduled meeting will be the second between the two leaders as the two met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2018, during a luncheon Trump held for a select group of African leaders. President Buhari will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit which begins in London on 18 April and ends on 20 April. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng earlier reported that President Buhari, who is on an official leave in London, met with the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Sunday, April 15, Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesperson, has said. Buhari had earlier announced that he would seek reelection in the 2019 presidential election. The development was made public by the president's personal assistant on new media, Bashir Ahmed. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - A police team in Benue state reportedly ran into an ambush by gunmen - Four of the officers on the team are dead while eleven others are missing Four police officers are reportedly dead and eleven others missing after a police team in Benue state ran into an ambush by gunmen on the night of Sunday, April 15. One of the dead officers, according to a report by Premium Times, was riding with his colleague from Anyibe to Ayilamo, in Logo local government area when he was attacked and killed by a group of gunmen. According to a report by a resident, the second officer escaped with gunshots. READ ALSO: Buhari, Trump to meet in Washington on April 30 A team of police who responded to the attack and went after the killers ran into an ambush and eleven of them are still missing, while one police truck was set ablaze as at the time this report was filed. Another resident said: Eleven officers are missing this night. These killers should be immediately declared a terrorist group now. The remains of the officers killed during the attack has been deposited at a local government hospital in Ayilamo. However, in a fresh press release sent to Legit.ng by the Benue state police command, the police admitted that four of their officers have been killed in the ambush and effort is on to find the perpetrators. The police statement read: "The Benue state Police Command regret to report that its personnel came under attack of Insurgents at Anyibe, Logo LGA of the State between 1800hrs of yesterday, 15th April, 2018 and early morning of date. Sadly, at the moment, four (4) casualties have been suffered by the Police. "Additional reinforcement (including the Air Asset of the Police) deployed by the Inspector General of Police is in pursuit of the murderous gang. They shall definitely be apprehended with their weapons of destruction and made to face the full wrath of the law." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng earlier reported that in what appears to be a sustained coordinated attack on communities in Logo and Ukum local government areas of Benue state, suspected herdsmen struck again, allegedly killing a 75-year-old man and 14 others. The attack reportedly took place on April 10; and the affected communities include Gbeji in Ukum local government area, Ukemberagya/Tswarev ward, Channel One community, Orveren and Ajura villages and Tombo community in Logo local government area of the state. TY Danjuma, Nigerian Army and the herdsmen crisis - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit Newspaper - A former governor of Kaduna state, Balarabe Musa, has said that 99% of Nigerian leaders are thieves - He said it is hard to become president of Nigeria unless you are a thief or supported by one - His reason is that there is hardly how anyone can legitimately raise the kind of money required for presidential campaign in the country Balarabe Musa, a former governor of Kaduna state during the Second Republic, has said that nobody can become Nigeria's president without first being a thief or supported by thieves. Musa said there is hardly how anyone that can legitimately raise the kind of money required for presidential campaign in the country, Punch reports. Legit.ng notes that the former governor blamed the socio-economic woes of the country on the political structure. According to Musa, 99% of the people in the corridors of power are thieves. READ ALSO: Polytechnic lecturer renounces Nigerian citizenship Musa made this comment in a video clip circulating on Facebook. He was captured as playing host to Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and a presidential hopeful. In the clip, Sowole said he visited the ex-governor to seek his counsel on how to go about his presidential ambition in 2019. Responding to Sowore's question on why the older generation of leaders had failed the country, Musa said that the problem of underdevelopment in the country was blamable on the wrong socio-political system. He said: What is the quality of Nigerias leadership? The quality of the Nigerian leadership is a thief (sic). Since the end of the Second Republic, how has it been possible in Nigeria to have a political leadership which is not made up of thieves? Of course, there are exceptions. Im not saying that 100 per cent of the leadership in Nigeria is made up of thieves, no, there are exceptions, but I doubt if there are up to one per cent who are clean. 99 per cent are thieves. For example, how can you win on the basis of the Nigerian laws and the Nigerian culture; how can you be a Nigerian President without being a thief first? Because it is through stealing that you can make it. Both the political parties and election in Nigeria are based on money power and this money power is equal to corruption. So, this is what you have." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a former governor of old Kaduna state and national chairman of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa called for the zoning of the 2019 presidency to the Igbo. He said it was necessary because the Igbo had been cheated for too long by denying them a shot at the presidency over the years. The PRP national leader also alleged that Hausa and Yoruba should be held responsible for the political backwardness of the Igbo. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng JAMB has announced that it recorded massive success in the conduct of its examinations in countries eight countries around the world. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said it has recorded a huge success in the conduct of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) in UK, Cameroon, Benin Republic, Cote dIvoire and South Africa. The boards Head of Media and Information Department, Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, April 15, in Lagos. READ ALSO: Buhari, Trump to meet in Washington on April 30 According to him, not less than 297 foreign candidates participated in the 2018 UTME in the countries conducted on Saturday, April 14, under the supervision of some foreign nationals, who came to understudy the process. Benjamin said the foreigners were elated by what they saw that an African country could achieve and sustain such a feat. He remarked: The examination was conducted yesterday in not less than eight foreign countries under the watch of some foreign nationals. As usual, it was well attended and very successful. All resources to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination were readily deployed by the board. We are indeed happy to have achieved yet another feat especially as we had people who came around to observe and understudy the process. They were happy as well as impressed with what they saw on ground. We know it can only be better because we have the capacity and all it takes to move this country to the next level. Again, we are not just conducting the examination in these countries because of the number of candidates that indicate interest but because we also want to showcase Nigerias giant strides in technological advancement on the global scene. Meanwhile, JAMB has distanced itself from a purported cutoff mark being circulated in some sections of the media, saying it did not emanate from the board. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Benjamin said no such cutoff mark, whether for programmes or institutions had been released by JAMB as was being speculated. He stated: We want to seize this medium to debunk such rumours as they are malicious and wicked as they are designed to defraud innocent Nigerians, especially parents and guardians as well as other stakeholders." Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the federal government was said to have issued queries to 42 universities allegedly discovered charging more than the N2,000 instructed by the education ministry to conduct the 2017 post-UTME. Nigerians express mixed feelings as JAMB reduces admission cut-off to 120 - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie warned that President Buhari's second term may plunge Nigeria into revolution - The cardinal said Nigerians are likely to kick against Buhari's second term because majority feel he has failed them - Okogie said most Nigerians expected the presidents to retire and not contest again Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, has warned that President Muhammadu Buhari's declaration to run for second term in office might plunge Nigeria into an unnecessary revolution. Okogie said Nigerians might feel the need to start a revolution against the president as most citizens feel the president should retire and not contest again in 2019, Vanguard reports. He said: Every citizen of Nigeria has the freewill to do whatever he or she desires to do. So, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he can hearken to the voices of people to aspire to any height. But I know that the voice of the people is the voice of God. And I can tell that the general opinion of Nigerians, going by what I have been reading in newspapers, is that he (President Buhari) has not done well. And for him to come from such background and wants to re-contest for another four-year mandate is absolutely left to him. READ ALSO: Polytechnic lecturer renounces Nigerian citizenship "But just as he (President Buhari) has the freewill, the people of this country also have the freewill to elect according to their conscience. Like I said, the popular assessment of his performance in the last three years is dismal and the generality of the people will prefer that he retires and allow other Nigerians to make their contribution to the nations development. They dont want to see him in the saddle again because he has performed poorly, but if he wants to force himself there, I dont know how he will do it.but I can only say good luck. You can even see it from the opposition partys standpoint. For example, the APC has been releasing lists of alleged looters of the nations treasury and the opposition party, the PDP, has consistently raised objections, claiming that some members of the ruling party have been, at different occasions, indicted of corruption, but, up till now, the APC is yet to respond. PDP had asked very salient questions bordering on the so-called list of alleged looters but what has been the response from the APC? The PDP has made very weighty allegations but they not responded. If they are convinced of their anti-corruption war, they should openly respond to the questions raised on the alleged looters lists. But so far, there has been no reply from the APC." Okogie said politics in Nigeria is changing and most people are likely to speak out and kick against the re-election of the president. I hope they are assuming that Nigerians are sleeping. For example, there are various opinion articles in newspapers, I have sent out a couple to the media which have been published but what has been the response to them? Nothing! Nobody has said a word about all that I have written about in the last couple of months. I want them to react; but thus far, there is no reaction. I am not a politician, but I can say to you now, that politics in this country has changed drastically. Its no longer what it used to be. No! Those days are gone for ever. For example, when the former Defence Minister, Gen, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, threw the gauntlet and urged Nigerians to defend themselves when they come under attack by these mindless insurgents, majority of Nigerians supported that call because it reflected the mind-set of the vast majority of the people. These people, on a daily basis and here and there, are suffering and being killed and our President is not saying anything. The holy book urges us to love our neighbours.are the people being killed on a daily basis not our neighbours? Check the newspapers on a daily basis, there are reports of killing of innocent Nigerians in different parts of the country and the President will not say a word. Let me tell here and now, if he gets there (re-election) by hook or crook, people will revolt. Mark my word! Even if he wins, people will revolt and Nigeria will not be comfortable with him anymore. Nigeria has changed. Its no longer a country of yes, yes. No! Not anymore. There will be revolution. Even if he puts somebody they dont like, they will not accept." When asked if he agreed with supporters of president Buhari who claimed there is no alterntive for Nigeria in 2019, Okogie said no. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app He said: "How can I agree? That is not true. They are flatterers. If we put any other Nigerian in power, he will perform. Why did President Buhari not back the calls from different parts of the country for restructuring? Why? They know what they are doing, but I tell you Nigeria is not for one person or for one region. Nigeria is for us all. I am not a politician but every Nigerian can read me. Like I said, Nigeria has changed. Did Olusegun Obasanjo not desire to have a third term in office? Did he not fail?" On what he thinks Nigerians should do, he said: "I dont know. But like everybody is advising, people should go out and register and make sure they vote when the opportunity comes to elect the next President, but the problem is that you know the kind of Nigerians we have. I have said it, even if he wins tomorrow, he will not be comfortable in the seat, because, number one, most Nigerians will query how he got there. From what I am seeing now, a time will come when people will be killing themselves like chicken. And I think the time is here with us already. Look at what is happening in Borno, Benue, Taraba among other places in the country.and Buhari has not said a word!" Legit.ng earlier reported that Okogie lambasted both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on their accusations and counter-accusations over those who looted Nigerias treasury. The Punch reports that the retired Lagos Archbishop of the Catholic Church described the back and forth accusations between the two major parties as a show of shame. FG releases list of looters, Nigerians blow hot (Nigerian Street Interview) | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - President Buharis media aide said the president will get the ruling partys 2019 presidential ticket - He said expressing confidence that the president will be re-elected - The presidential aide also said the opposition PDP might become completely irrelevant by the time President Buhari gets re-elected Femi Adesina, the special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, said he has no doubt that the president would be returned to office when he contests the presidential election in 2019. Adesina said this during his appearance on Channels Televisions Sunday Politics via Skype from the United Kingdom. With just 306 days to the presidential election, Adesina was confident that President Buhari would be re-elected to the Aso Villa. READ ALSO: Lecturer writes Buhari, renounces Nigerian citizenship He stated: I have no doubt that Mr President will get re-elected. He will get the partys ticket and he will go for the general elections, and he will get re-elected; that is my confidence and a lot of Nigerians are with us in this. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) asked President Buhari, who is in the United Kingdom for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), to inform other world leaders at the gathering of the alleged depressing state of affairs in Nigeria under his watch. The party said this in a statement issued earlier on Sunday, April 16, by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan. The statement read in part: We urge President Buhari to resist the temptation of seeking to impress world leaders with false performance indices, but should present the real situation, particularly the pitiable state of our economy, escalated insecurity, human rights abuses, daily bloodletting, persecution of opposition and erosion of democratic values in the last three years. Adesina, however, took a swipe at the opposition party and noted that the PDP does not have any moral right to talk about anything pertaining to the country. According to him, the party is already holding the shorter end of the stick in Nigeria and by the time the elections end next year, they may not be holding on anything at all. He said: They had the 16 years to improve the condition of Nigeria, they messed it up. They are learning to live in opposition, to play in opposition, they are not finding it funny because there is no free food again, no free funds again but they will be there (as opposition) for a very long time. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng previously reported that retired Major-General Aliyu Adu Umar Kama said those who are already eyeing the presidential seat in 2019 must have to wait till 2023, adding that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock. Kama, an indigene of Adamawa state where Atiku Abubakar hails from, was reported as saying there was no vacuum in Aso Rock for now. Daily Independent reports Kama as saying it would be foolhardy for anyone irrespective of his political inclinations to want to contest against President Buhari. Kama said this in Abuja during the Hoba Community grand reception for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, by the elders council. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A young lady has graduated as the youngest PhD holder in Covenant University - The 25-year-old lady holds a masters degree in economics and a doctorate degree in business administration Legit.ng has come across the success story of a brilliant young lady who became the youngest doctorate degree graduate from Covenant University. The lady identified as Chiamaka Deborah Motilewa is 25 years old. The 25-year-old who was excited to receive her certificate took to Twitter to share her success story. Motilewa who was awarded her PhD degree in business administration at Covenant University, shared her certificate on Twitter. She also noted that she is the youngest to get a PhD at the university. READ ALSO: Single mom of five who graduated law school with an inspiring story goes viral The young lady has obviously received the best education all her life and she has put it to good use. It was gathered that she attended Chrisland Primary School and Chrisland College in Lagos. 25-year-old becomes the youngest PhD holder of Covenant University Photo source: Twitter user itsdjdebbz Motilewa who is from Kogi state was born in Jos. Her mother is said to be Anambra born. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App It was gathered that she is a graduate of Dublin Business School in Ireland, where she studied accounting and finance. She also achieved her masters degree in economics at the University of Aberdeen, UK in 2012. Meet Bayo Adedeji, the Nigerian businessman making millions from selling yam (Success Story) - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Former military president general Ibrahim Babangida urged the younger generation and women to give their support to SDP because it is populated by men of integrity - Babangida pointed out that the vision he has for the country is the same vision that is shared by those driving the party - Babangida also advised the leadership of the party to make its manifestos public to Nigerians, so they could be held accountable Former military president and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) General Ibrahim Babangida on Sunday, April 15, declared his support for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by former Secretary to government of the federation Olu Falae over the 2019 general election. Vanguard reports that Babangida made this endorsement while speaking with the national leadership of the party who visited him at his hill-top mansion in Minna. ''If I hadnt been too old, I would have loved to join the youths vanguard of your party. I have faith in the political party, for what it is and what it stands for. READ ALSO: Irate mob shutdown Ekiti palace ''When I heard in the news that a party has come on board, the first thing that occurred to me was that the name sounds familiar, so I made a decision that I will wait and see how it plays out. General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), ''I was looking at how SDP will populate itself. And then the next pleasing thing that I heard was that it has people like Olu Falae, Professor Jerry Gana, Professor Adeniran. ''After that I said this party is real, because most of the names are names that I have known and I have worked with and for the sake of this country, so I said the party is smart to convinced all these gentlemen to come and join them. ''That is why I did not hesitate to give direction to those who came to me to seek advice on which direction to go. Babangida pointed out that the vision he had for the country was the same vision that is shared by those driving the party, adding that ''the security and well being of Nigerians are very important and you have identified this in your programme, so Nigerians must rally round you and support you to ensure that this is realizable.'' PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Babangida urged the younger generation and women to give their support to SDP as it is ''populated by men of integrity, men who when they work, they work well, when they speak, they speak well.'' Babangida then advised the leadership of the party to make its manifestos public to Nigerians, so they could be held accountable. In his address earlier, the national chairman of the party Chief Olu Falae said they were in the state to see General Babangida as part of the partys nationwide consultation to brief him on the activities of the party and to solicit for his support and wise counselling. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Babangida denied statement credited to him in the media that he asked Nigerians to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Babangida made the denial on Sunday, February 4, when making clarification about an earlier statement where he was said to have urged Nigerians to cooperate with Buhari to complete his term of office on May 29, 2019 and collectively prepare the way for new generation leaders to assume the mantle of leadership of the country. The next President of Nigeria. Who will win the 2019 elections? on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - President Buhari receives a support group tagged Buhari Diaspora Support Organization in London - While meeting with the group, he assures Nigerians in diaspora that his administration will not abuse their trust - The coordinator of the support group commends President Buhari and pledges the groups support for the presidents re-election in 2019 President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that his administration will do its best and ensure that the confidence people have in the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government will not be abused. He said: We will do our best to justify your trust in us, and that confidence won't be abused. According to Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesperson, the President said this in London on Sunday, April 15, while receiving the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization, led by Charles Efe Sylvester. Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation meets President Buhari in London. Credit: Channels TV READ ALSO: Lecturer writes Buhari, renounces Nigerian citizenship "I am happy that people like you are here, on your own, defending the country. You have shown courage and sacrifice. I assure you that your confidence in us won't be abused, we will do our best to justify it," President Buhari said. The president noted that Nigeria was gifted with tremendous human and natural resources, but regretted that "failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalize on resources to improve the lot of the people." President Buhari assures Nigerians in diaspora that his administration will not abuse the confidence reposed in it. Credit: Channels TV Saying wicked people plundered the country, "and kept Nigerians poor," the President added that looking at the condition in which the current administration met the country, without savings and the economy badly vandalized, "we have not done too badly." President Buhari said the damage done to the Nigerian economy in the years of plunder was massive, and that government was doing its best to recover some of the loot, but noted that it was impossible to identify and recover all. "If they had used 50% of the money we made, when oil prices went as high as $143 dollars per barrel, and stabilized at $100 dollars with production at 2.1 million barrels per day for many years, Nigerians would have minded their businesses. You could almost grow food on our roads, as they were abandoned. The stealing was so much, and they were so inept that they could not even cover the stealing properly. I wonder how all those things could have happened to our country," the President said. He commended the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization for deciding to identify with the country, "when you could have stayed here, and being comfortable." The coordinator of the organization, Sylvester, said the group was happy with the achievements of the Buhari administration so far. The support group pledged to support President Buhari's 2019 re-election bid. Credit: Channels TV He said: "You met a difficult situation, but you have overcome most of them. We are happy with the agriculture revolution, the ease of doing business, the anti-corruption war, the employment of youths through the N-Power programme, and the blockage of leakages in the public sector through the Treasury Single Account (TSA). PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app "We are proud of the speed with which you recovered the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls. It shows you as a worthy general. We are happy that you have declared for 2019. Majority of Nigerians are happy, but agents of corruption and darkness are unhappy. The same God, who healed you when you were ill, will grant you victory in the 2019 elections. You are a General who does not fear combat, either with Generals or non-Generals. We declare our love and support for you. You are fixing the faulty foundations of our country and second term is when you will build the enduring structure." Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that just as President Buhari travelled to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit, the United States president, Donald Trump, has invited him to a meeting at the White House on April 30, 2018. According to a statement released by the US government, Trump is expected to discuss issues such as promoting economic growth and fighting terrorism with Buhari. The statement read: The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigerias economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity." The scheduled meeting will be the second between the two leaders as the two met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2018, during a luncheon Trump held for a select group of African leaders. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV Source: Legit Nigeria - A house-to-house search mechanism to prevent and protect residents against outbreak of infectious diseases has been introduced by the Kaduna state government - The states commissioner of health stated that the exercise is designed to curb the spread of diseases across and beyond Kaduna - To ensure success, the state government has deployed 1,240 newly recruited medical professionals to hospitals across the state The Kaduna state government has introduced a house-to-house search mechanism to prevent and protect residents against outbreak of infectious diseases. The state commissioner for health, Dr Paul Dogo, said in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, April 15, in Kaduna, that government was ready to tackle measles, cholera, meningitis and other viral haemorrhagic diseases. Legit.ng gathers t that Dogo noted that the exercise was designed to curb the spread of the diseases across and beyond the state. He said the state has not recorded any single case in the 23 local government areas and assured that no chance would be taken to contain any disease outbreak. READ ALSO: 2019: Prominent APC politicians form group to ensure Ambodes re-election The commissioner said the state has a robust supply chain management system with medicines that can easily be pre-positioned in hospitals to manage isolated cases. We have made preparedness for outbreak of infectious diseases such as measles, cholera, meningitis, Lassa fever and other viral haemorrhagic diseases. Our robust supply chain management system have medicines that can easily be pre-positioned in our hospitals to manage isolated cases, he said. Dogo also said that the state has maintained polio-free status since November 2012 and is working hard to build sufficient herd immunity through a strengthened routine immunisation programme. On tuberculosis, the commissioner explained that the ministry had commenced house-to-house search for active tuberculosis patients to curb the spread of the disease by undetected active TB cases within communities in the state. He said that to ensure success, the state government deployed 1,240 newly recruited medical professionals to hospitals across the state. This has improved the human resource situation of our General Hospitals and better quality of services, the commissioner said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app This development follows a previous report by Legit.ng that the World Health Organisation revealed a mysterious disease, Disease X, capable of causing a global pandemic in the future. An expert committee set up by the organisation came up with a list of diseases WHO says pose a high risk to the public due to their potential to spark an epidemic and the limited treatment available to combat them. Viruses such as Ebola, Zika, Lassa fever and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which have raged in recent years, are included as serious threats. Monkeypox has no known cure, Nigerians should be careful - Doctor warns - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - As the forthcoming general elections approach, investigations have revealed that members of the House of Representatives had dropped their legislative duties - The members are distracted by the forthcoming general elections, as they desperately search for a return ticket - A source said that the speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, has been complaining over this development Investigations by Punch have revealed that the 2019 general elections have led to a sharp drop in legislative duties at the House of Representatives. Members are said to be desperately searching for a return ticket to contest the forthcoming general elections, Punch reports. Legit.ng notes that many members are said to be unsure of the road ahead, with the primaries of the political parties not too far off. READ ALSO: You can't be president of Nigeria without being a thief first - Balarabe Musa A senior paliamentary officer said: Out of the 360 members, they are barely able to form a quorum at most sessions of the plenary these days. At the committee sittings, the story is not different because the majority of members are back in their constituencies, fighting for a return ticket. The speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, who has also launched a massive re-election campaign for himself, has also noticed the near-empty chamber he presides over these days and has been heard complaining too." According to investigations, about 223 lawmakers in the 7th Assembly set (2011-2015), failed to return to the current 8th Assembly. Members either failed to secure their parties return ticket or lost in the main elections in 2015. Another legislative source said: As things stand today, both the 137 members, who were able to return from the last Assembly, and the 223 first timers, are nervous about their return in 2019. A lot of uncertainties in the major political parties, especially the All Progressives Congress, has forced the members to begin an aggressive search for a return ticket." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a member of the House of Representatives from Ondo state, Akinfolarin Mayowa, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was reported that Mayowa, who represents Ileoluji-Okeibo/Odigbo federal constituency of Ondo state, in a letter read by the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, cited division in the party as his reason for defecting. Nigerians share their thoughts exactly 1 yr before elections | Street Gist - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit A communal clash between natives of the the Bassa local government area of Kogi and the Igala people on Friday, April 13 has reportedly claimed the lives of not less than five person with about fifty houses allegedly burnt down, although the police force in the state is giving a contrary report as to the extent of the damage recorded after the incident Not less than five persons have been reported killed in Aloko-Oguma in the Bassa local government area of Kogi after a bloody communal clash in the community on Friday, April 13. The clash between the Bassa Kwomu and the Igala was over the harvest of cashew nuts on a piece of disputed land. Also, owing to this, no fewer than 50 houses were burnt down in what was described as a reprisal attack. The Punch reported that the Igala people were aggrieved for losing one of the natives to the Bassa Kwomu who afterwards buried him in a grave without a trace of the burial site, Punch reports. READ ALSO: PDP seeking return to power is a great insult to Nigerians - Archbishop Stephen This according to reports, triggered anger among the Igala who mobilised themselves, killed five Bassa Kwomu people and razed down over 50 buildings belonging to them. The avenging community fled their homes as fears of reprisal by the attacked people was suspected. Samuel Alumka, the administrator of the local government area, and the House of Assembly member representing the area, Sunday Shigaba, visited the community recently and appealed to the warring groups to put aside their grievances and embrace reconciliation. William Aya, the state police public relations officer, who confirmed the incident, however, said only one old woman was killed in the attack. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! He also confirmed that a detachment of policemen and soldiers had been drafted to the area to restore peace and sanity. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the Senate had set up a committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the disruption and violence during the empowerment programme organised by Senator Ahmed Ogembe and the police involvement in the dispute. The committee was setup during plenary on Wednesday, March 7, after Senator Ahmed Ogembe alleged that the empowerment programme he sponsored was disrupted by thugs in Kogi state. Dino Melaye and 2019 Criminal Conspiracy | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Prophet George Fakolade says Babatunde Fashola would make his cabinet ready before assumption of office as president in 2019 - The cleric states that the former Lagos state governor will spare no sacred cows in the fight against corruption - According to him, the present sick administration and government shall become history An Abuja-based cleric, Prophet George Fakolade, has prophesied that the minister of power, works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, would replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. Vanguard reports that the leader of Divine Intelligence Ministry, in a statement over the weekend said God had chosen Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state as president and commander-in-chief in Nigeria come 2019. The cleric said Fashola would make his cabinet ready before assumption of office and will retain the incumbent director-general of DSS, Lawal Daura. READ ALSO: Polytechnic lecturer renounces Nigerian citizenship Fakolade said: Under Fasholas administration, the situation in which Presidents are booed or booted out of office in shame and ignominy in past times would no longer continue. He would announce his cabinet on his first day in office and take-off without delay. Fasholas government would take-off in grand style with all hands on deck. The present sick administration and government shall become history. Before Mr. Fashola assumes office in 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari shall beef-up security around him like an incumbent. Anti-bomb and explosives experts shall open all letters for him like in the case of ex-President of the United States, Barack Obama, before his historic election." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app He said the minister would spare no sacred cows in the fight against corruption and heal the nation of the many maladies plaguing it. Meanwhile, Aisha Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday, April 14, said that she criticised her husband and threatened to withdraw her support for his re-election bid because of her sense of justice. Premium Times reports that said in her acceptance letter to Vanguard Newspaper which made her its person of the year this week, that she didnt intend to confront or disrespect the president. In her acceptance statement to Vanguard, Aisha Buhari did not say whether her expectations have been met, but indicated she would support his re-election bid. But as recently as January, she recirculated videos of senators who delivered scathing review of her husbands performance in office. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Prof. Itse Sagay said, if re-elected, President Buharis second term will be firmer, similar to how he ruled in 1984 - He said Nigeria needs such a firmer approach to combat gross indiscipline among the ruling elites - The renowned lawyer said the Buhari administration will build on the groundwork it has prepared if re-elected in 2019 Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), the chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has said that President Muhammadu Buharis second term will be firmer, stronger, and close to how he operated in 1984 as military head of state. In an interview with the Independent, Professor Sagay said the president will be firmer if he gets the second term bid. He said: It is not that I have consulted him but I believe that his second coming will see a firmer, stronger type of leadership, a bit closer to what he was in 1984. I think that is what Nigerians should expect because this country is suffering from gross indiscipline of the ruling elites. We have seen a whole lot of impunity in the system. READ ALSO: Lecturer writes Buhari, renounces Nigerian citizenship Asked whether he was surprised that the president is seeking re-election, he said: I knew all the time that he was going to contest even though he might not have been very keen but the large number of relevant people in the party who were determined that he should re-contest were just too many. He couldnt resist that force; otherwise, the disappointment could have been devastating. So, he had to bow to that pressure. Sagay said that the current administration will be able to build on its achievement if voted in for the second term. So, this government has gone through extreme difficulty to keep Nigeria afloat. However, that era is coming to an end and an era of prosperity is coming. So, one is really looking forward to the second term of Buhari and Osinbajo, he said. The renowned lawyer also shared his opinion about the leadership of the ruling party and the recent rejection of the one-year extension given to the Chief John Odigie- Oyegun-led NWC by President Buhari. He said: I supported the rejection of the one year extension not because I didnt like Oyegun but because if the tenure elongation had been allowed to stand, the PDP would have had an apian way, expressway to the presidency and the other offices because all the nominations of the APC would have been held illegal and invalid because the people who organised it themselves are not entitled to be there. People who are occupying illegal offices could only produce illegal nominees. So, the president saved the party from catastrophe by rejecting the tenure extension. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Sagay blamed Oyegun for the indiscipline and crisis rocking the ruling party: Oyegun has been a terrible failure as national chairman of the party. He has not shown the resolve and strength of purpose to direct the party properly and rid it of moles and enemies. Legit.ng previously reported that President Buhari assured Nigerians that his administration will do its best and ensure that the confidence people have in the APC led government will not be abused. He said: We will do our best to justify your trust in us, and that confidence won't be abused. According to Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesperson, the President said this in London on Sunday, April 15, while receiving the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization, led by Charles Efe Sylvester. Buhari to Contest for Presidency in 2019! Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - The Edo state government has said that it has completed the training of 253 teachers who were supposed to handle the teaching of Benin culture, language and history - Governor Obaseki stated that one major objective of his administration is the preservation of Benin cultural heritage - In line with this, Ogbonaya Onu, the minister of science and technology, remarked that the heritage of Benin kingdom is significant to the social development of Nigeria Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has announced that the government having completed the training of 253 teachers, will deploy them to teach Benin culture, language and history in secondary schools and selected primary schools throughout the state. The governor revealed this recently at the presentation of a book titled Ogiamien And The Illusion of Kingship, authored by the Esogban of Benin, Chief David Edebiri, Vanguard reports. READ ALSO: Breaking: First Lassa fever case recorded in Adamawa Governor Obaseki said the deployment of the teachers to the schools is in keeping with the state governments policy to protect Benins rich history and culture for the coming generation. He stated: We are emphasising the study of Benin language, culture and history to preserve it for the present and the future generations. This is to ensure that we preserve our identity. The governor said that one key objective of his administration is to reform basic education in the state. He remarked: In few years to come, children who complete basic education in the state would have obtained quality education, similar to the quality of education obtained by the author of the book. During the last book presentation by Chief Edebiri, I made a commitment to restore the teaching of history in our school curriculum. We have not only achieved the promise but happy that the Federal Government is following suit by reintroducing the teaching of history in the national curriculum. He praised Edebiri whose generation, he said, has assisted in building local communities, the state and country. The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, also commended Chief Edebiri, noting that the book has revealed more historical facts about the Benin monarchy by dismissing with facts the wrong perception relating to the defeat of Ogiamien by the Oba of Benin in the 13th Century. The monarch, represented by the Oliha of Benin, Chief Edionwe Oliha,pointed out that the book is significant in presenting the real issue about Ogiamien, adding, I commend the author in going the extra mile to present such a book. I have confidence that the book will serve as valuable research material for researchers and all those interested in Benin history. Ogbonaya Onu, the minister of science and technology, said the heritage of Benin Kingdom is significant to the social development of Nigeria. Ogbonaya remarked: When I visited the Benin Museum and Igun Street, where the great Benin art works are made, I was marvelled by the resourcefulness put into creating such works. "The Federal Government will review how such resources can be used in deepening the development of science and technology in the country. The author of the book, Chief David Edebiri, voiced his gratitude to dignitaries who attended the event. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The author said: The book is the 8th in the Benin historical essay series. I realised that if I fail to document these aspects of our history, it would mean denying the present and future generations the knowledge of these facts in our historical development. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Governor Obaseki had sacked the commissioner for environment and sustainability, Reginald Okun and retired the general manager, of the state waste management board, Aiyamenkue Akonofua. Legit.ng gathered that their sack was announced in a statement signed by secretary to the state government, Osarodion Ogie, and made available to journalists in Benin on Wednesday, April 4. Market Survey: Edo traders lament about Buhari over unbelievable prices of goods - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng News Protesters have been forcefully dispersed by the police in Abuja and one person reportedly killed after members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) clashed with the police. The Cable reports that a witness disclosed that the deceased was an IMN member. He was shot dead while trying to gain access to the Unity Fountain alongside members of the sect, the witness said. The incident which occurred at the Unity Fountain, beside Transcorp hotel, in Abuja, according to Premium Times saw police firing tear gas on the protesters who are believed to be Shiites demanding the release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky who has been detained without trial for over two years. READ ALSO: Meet 25-year-old who became the youngest PhD holder from Nigerian university This came a few days after the police said they banned all protests, peaceful or not, at the Unity Fountain. However, the police denied outlawing public protest , stating that public protest or procession anywhere in Nigeria is lawful insofar they are peaceful. But the force said it will not condone any protest or procession on public highways and roads inhibiting or disallowing public freedom and right of way. Peaceful Public protest/procession is an integral part of democratic norms in as much as it conforms with the rule of law and public order, police spokesman Don Awunah said. The Nigeria Police Force recognises the constitutional rights of every law abiding citizen to express his or her view through public protest/procession and other legitimate means. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that a police officer was reportedly killed and eleven others missing after a police team in Benue state ran into an ambush by gunmen on the night of Sunday, April 15. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App The dead officer was riding with his colleague from Anyibe to Ayilamo, in Logo local government area when he was attacked and killed by a group of gunmen. According to a report by a resident, the second officer escaped with gunshots. A team of police who responded to the attack and went after the killers ran into an ambush and eleven of them are still missing, while one police truck was set ablaze as at the time this report was filed. TY Danjuma, Nigerian Army and the herdsmen crisis - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Ibrahim Ajibade, a 16-year old, broke the record of a Lagos college by scoring 343 during the recently conducted 2018 JAMB exam - He was handsomely rewarded with a cash prize of N100,000 - Ibrahim was honoured alongside three other students of the college who also had impressive JAMB scores Ibrahim Ajibade, a 16-year old student who scored a whopping 343 during the recently conducted Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, has been handsomely rewarded with a cash prize of N100,000. According to the Nation, the first time Ibrahim Ajibade scored 299 when he sat for the same exam in 2017, at the age of 15. He went on to write the University of Lagos, Post Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (Post UTME) and got one of the highest scores. He was however refused admission on age ground. Only 16-year-olds and above can be admitted into universities in Nigerian. Mrs Ajibade (second right), Ibrahim, Mrs Adams, Mr Ajibade and some family members at the award ceremony. Credit. The Nation READ ALSO: Update: Gunmen attack police team in Benue, 4 officers killed, several missing Undeterred, Ibrahim studied harder, added a year and sat again for the examination in 2018. Reinvigorated, he surpassed last years scores by miles, returning with an amazing score of 343. Scoring 343, he became the first ever student to score that high in the 24-year history of his tutorial centre, Adams College, Oshodi, where he took classes for the examination. In recognition of the feat, Ibrahim was honoured alongside 80 others including another 16-year-old, Edgar Onyemuche, who scored 341 and 19-year-old Adekanbi Iyanuoluwa, who scored 342. Legit.ng gathered that Ibrahim, who attended Vanguards Academy, Ijebu Ode wants to study Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Lagos because of his passion and love for electronics. Asked to share the secrets of his success, Ibrahim said he reads but not much. He, however, said: What I read, I dont forget. He also said this years exam was very easy, adding that he knew he would do well right from the moment he cliqued submit in his centre, although he wasnt sure of what he would score. Surprisingly, Ibrahim declared: I was not the best in my class at Vanguards Academy. We were 34 and I wasnt among the first 20. I was only good in Mathematics and average in other subjects. But when I came to Adams College, Mr Adams by himself transformed my Physics and Chemistry, which helped me a lot. For his brilliance and hard work, Ibrahim got a reward of N100,000 from a parent, Adekunle Fatai. Engineer Abdulafeez Ajibade, Ibrahims father, described his son as a fighter, who, if given little guidance will always do well. He, however, said he never in anyway teleguided him to follow in his footsteps but said he supported and will keep supporting him in his endeavour. His mother, Sherifat Yusuf Ajibade on her part says Ibrahim plays a lot but has always been very intelligent. As a mother, she said all she does is encourage him, especially when I found out that with encouragement and motivation, he does very marvellous things. 19-year-old Adekanbi Iyanuoluwa, who scored 342 from the same centre intends to study Medicine and Surgery at the University of Lagos. Iyanuoluwa who has written JAMB 3 times and scored 247, 202 and 274 respectively said she kept rewriting the exam because she needed a higher score to study her choice course, Medicine and Surgery. On her study routine, she said she usually studies after a nap until she feels tired and sleepy. She also hinted that Adams College brought out the potentials in her. On his part, Edgar Onyemuche, 16, who scored 341 said he also first wrote JAMB at 15 and scored 278. He said he chose to study Mechanical Engineering in UNILAG because he feels it is one of the best universities in the country. Edgar said: When I saw my score, it was unbelievable because I wasnt expecting it. It was like a dream. JAMB released other results before mine so when it came, I couldnt believe it. Founder of Adams College, Adams Adebola, expressed joy during the awards ceremony, saying he feels happy seeing young boys and girls who have distinguished themselves and embraced hard work. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app His words: At Adams College, we always embrace hard work; for example, before they wrote their JAMB examination, we did six monthly examinations which we call MOCK. This is done to be able to know their challenges and we encourage them by giving gifts to the best five students in all the faculties. Also, if in a school students know that you dont embrace malpractices, they know they have to read to pass. We also let them know that if they continue with the culture of hard work, there are scholarship opportunities opened to them which is why many of our students are on scholarship in top universities in Nigeria. We lay a good foundation for them and we teach them how to read which they can apply when they are in the university. If you are used to our reading lifestyle, it will work for you anywhere, he said. Speaking on Ibrahims performance, Adams said he didnt expect anyone in the college to score as high. He, however, said Ibrahim always surprised him during the mock examinations. He scored 98 out of 100 in Physics which has never happened in the college. We have also never recorded 343 in our college. Our students used to score 300 and above but never 343, he said with pride. Legit.ng previously reported that 15-year-old Ajibola Oluwatosin Olumayowa emerged as the best candidate so far in the 2018 UTME, following the release of results. It was initially believed that a Corona Secondary School student, Ibukun Oduntan, had the highest score, as he earned 344 marks. Olumayowa's school, Taidob College, Asero Estate, Abeokuta, Ogun state, however, disclosed to newsmen on Wednesday, March 21, that their student had emerged with the highest score of 349. Nigerians express mixed feelings as JAMB reduces admission cut-off to 120 - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - Residents of Taraba state have accused the Nigerian Army of aiding militia groups behind killings in the state - The chairman of Takum local government area, Shiban Tikari, accuses the military of harassing people in troubled areas - He alleged that all soldiers at various checkpoints in Takum LG have been withdrawn The chairman of Takum local government area (LGA), Shiban Tikari, has faulted a statement by the Army that two suspects, Danjuma America and Danasabe Gasama who were arrested in Takum were perpetrators of crises in the Takum and Ussa council areas of Taraba state. Tikari who accused the military of harassing people in troubled areas, said instead of going after their attackers, troops had been withdrawn from various checkpoints in Takum LGA, Sahara Reporters stated. READ ALSO: Polytechnic lecturer renounces Nigerian citizenship He said: We have been crying on top of our voice that army operatives of Operation Ayem Akpatuma were out for something. How come they have not told Nigerians about the arrest of the mastermind of the attack in Jandeikyula in the Wukari LGA where over 25 people were killed? They have not arrested those killing our people in villages since the killings in Takum and Ussa. These two boys they have arrested are indigenes of this area. Would they burn their houses and kill their own people? "We have told them the routes the attackers are using to attack us, but rather than go to these areas and arrest the armed Fulani militia attacking us, they have been busy harassing our people. As we speak, the Commanding Officer of the 93 Battalion Takum, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Gambari, has withdrawn all soldiers at various checkpoints inTakum LGA." Also, Nashuka Ipeyen, the chairman of the Donga local government area of Taraba state, alleged that bandits killed four persons in an attack at Sabon Gida community on Sunday, April 15, after soldiers were withdrawn from the area. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app He urged people to avoid going to remote areas until the security situation in the area improves. Legit.ng had reported that the alleged masterminds of the killings in Taraba state have been arrested by the Nigerian Army. The director of army public relations, Brig Gen Texas Chukwu, in a statement obtained by Legit.ng on Saturday, April 14, said that two persons connected with killings in Taraba state had been caught by troops involved in a military operation in the area. Chukwu said investigation revealed that the two suspects were key players in the killings and uprising in the two local government areas of the state. TY Danjuma, Nigerian army and the herdsmen crisis | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs disbursed N45 million to youths and women from Niger Delta - The beneficiaries of the fund are those who have successfully undergone the ministrys training programme - They are to use the money to establish and fund their individual businesses The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has disbursed a total of N45 million to about 90 youths and women in the region who have successfully undergone its training programme to enable them to start their own trading. The release of the funds to the beneficiaries was part of the ministrys commitment towards reducing unemployment and youth restiveness in the region, Vanguard reports. While disbursing the money to the beneficiaries in Calabar, the Cross River state capital recently, the minister of Niger Delta affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, said each person will be empowered with N500, 000 start-up package. READ ALSO: Update: Gunmen attack police team in Benue, 4 officers killed, several missing Legit.ng gathered that Pastor Usani explained that the 90 graduands drawn from the various states in the region were trained in fishery and poultry production so that they could contribute to the food security of the region and Nigeria in general. Pastor Usani charged the beneficiaries to establish themselves so that they too could contribute towards the training of other Niger Deltans for the enhancement of their value, thereby making them more productive members of the society. He reiterated that the federal government would be glad to see the trainees as partners and consultants with the capacity to deliver as change agents in the nearest future. The graduands expressed gratitude to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, pledging their unalloyed support for the president and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app They said that they have received all it takes to transform our lives and other people around us. Legit.ng previously reported that in a bid to curtail the incessant restiveness in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, the presidency unveiled a plan to employ 208,000 youths. In a statement released on Saturday, March 10, Vice President Yemi Osinbajos spokesman, Laolu Akande, said the plan was disclosed at a meeting of the Niger Delta Inter-Ministerial Committee presided over by Osinbajo at the State House in Abuja on Friday, March 9. Akande said the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had established job placement centres which are expected to engage about 208,000 youths in the Niger Delta. To help reduce unemployment and youth restiveness in the region, the NDDC centre would match existing vacancies with available skills within the region. Meet Sunny Ofehe, the new face of Niger Delta development - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - A German engineer with Dantata & Sawoe has been kidnapped by some unidentified gunmen in Kano state - In the process, the criminals were said to have killed a police sergeant - The armed gang ambushed and opened fire on a motor vehicle conveying the staff of Dantata & Sawoe A police sergeant has been killed and a German engineer with Dantata & Sawoe, Mr Michael Cremza kidnapped in Kano by some unidentified gunmen. The Kano state police in a statement signed by the command public relations officer, SP Magaji Musa Majia said the ugly incident occurred along Sabon Titi, Madobi road, Kano. He explained that an armed gang of five men in a Motor vehicle ambushed and opened fire on a motor vehicle conveying the staff Dantata & Sawoe, Vanguard reports. READ ALSO: Meet 25-year-old who became the youngest PhD holder from Nigerian university Below is the statement . "The Kano state police command is displeased to inform the general public of an ugly incident which occurred today Monday 16th April, 2018 at about 0745hrs along Sabon Titi Madobi Road, Kano, where an armed gang of five men in a Motor vehicle ambushed and opened fire on a motor vehicle conveying the staff of Dantata & Sawoe construction company going to a construction site. "The attackers killed one police sergeant attached to Special Protection Unit (SPU) on Escort duty and abducted Mr. Michael Cremza, a German national working with the company. The police commissioner CP Rabiu Yusuf has since deployed powerful team of operatives and detectives to cordon the axis with a view to arresting the culprits and rescue the victim. Manhunt of the abductors is ongoing. "Any person with useful information should report to the nearest Police Station or call our emergency telephone lines as follows; 08032419754, 08123821575," the force added. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported four police officers are reportedly dead and eleven others missing after a police team in Benue state ran into an ambush by gunmen on the night of Sunday, April 15. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app One of the dead officers, according to a report by Premium Times, was riding with his colleague from Anyibe to Ayilamo, in Logo local government area when he was attacked and killed by a group of gunmen. TY Danjuma, Nigerian Army and the herdsmen crisis - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - The bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Liberia has paid off - This is as two Liberians were among the 14 officers winged on Monday at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters - The winged officers were charged to work diligently by learning the rudiments of their profession Flight Lieutenants Varney Sirleaf and Jerreck Dwanah from Liberia were among the 14 officers winged on Monday, April 16, at the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters. The officers completed their training from the International Aviation College, Ilorin and Afrika Aviation Union Academy, South Africa. They were decorated with their pilot wings by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Nuratu Batagarawa and Liberia's minister of national defence, Major-General Daniel Ziankaln (Jnr). Flight Lieutenants Varney Sirleaf and Jerreck Dwanah from Liberia at the event. READ ALSO: 10 flying officers officially winged by NAF after one-year training Speaking at the event, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Air Force to counter the numerous security challenges in the country through training and retraining of personnel. Mrs Nuratu Batagarawa winging one of the Nigerian pilots at the event. He tasked the newly winged officers to be mentally prepared and work diligently by learning the rudiments of their profession. His words: The Nigerian Air Force in the last 3 years or thereabout have continued to project air power both within and outside Nigeria. To achieve this, we have embarked on human capacity development to re-position the Nigerian Air Force to adequately deal with these challenges. The service has continued to discharge its mandate as provided in the constitution of the Federal Republic, professionally and diligently. We are presently engaged with other security agencies in the northeast to deal with the Boko Haram Terrorists threat to our national security. Our forces are equally in the northwest, south-south and north-central regions of the country. The accomplishments of our pilots and other personnel, who are undertaking daring missions in the face of real danger, are testimonies to the quality of training they have received. Despite the successes we have recorded so far in all these multiple engagements, we are fully aware of the need to train and retrain personnel, including pilots required to deal with these challenges. Accordingly, we are not resting on our oars but constantly building the required capacity to optimally project air power in these theatres in fulfilment of our national security imperatives. Major-General Daniel Ziankaln winging one of the Liberian pilots during the event. On his part, the Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal NB Bali, said there are 4 Nigerian Air Force student pilots undergoing training with the United States Air Force and one of them is the first female potential fighter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force. He also informed his audience that there is currently a NAF student pilot with the Royal Moroccan Air Force and 4 student instructor pilots training at the Royal Jordanian Air Force. The Liberian minister presenting a souvenier to the Chief of Air Staff at the event. Here in Nigeria, Legit.ng gathered that there are 64 student pilots at various stages of flying training in Nigerian Air Force Flying Training Schools and they are all expected to graduate by the end of this year. On his part, Liberia's minister of national defence, Major-General Daniel Ziankaln (Jnr), thanked the Nigerian Air Force and the Federal Government for the longstanding relationship between Liberia and Nigeria. Guests of honour and the newly decorated officers pose for a photograph after the event. He noted that Nigeria sacrificed a lot for the peace Liberia currently enjoys during its war torn years. I am a beneficiary of the experience learnt from Nigerian senior officers posted in Liberia. Thank you for all the support offered to the Liberian military. We remain indebted to the Nigerian people, he said. READ ALSO: Nigerian Air Force acquires new airplanes from Pakistan military Earlier this year, 11 young officers were on Wednesday, January 17, winged by the NAF. The officers successfully qualified at 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna in November 2016 and were later sent to Westline Aviation School where they commenced their course from January 16, 2017 to December 16, 2017. Nigerian Air Force winged 10 flying officers - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Readers, this Water Cooler is somewhat abbreviated because Im slogging my way through another worksheet*, moving into districts that tilt and lean Republican for the first time. Ill have that up at some point after I publish this. lambert * Many many thanks to readers who assisted with SQL code. This expansion wouldnt have been possible without their help. Trade Ill leave [the Summit of the Americas] very hopeful that we are very close to a renegotiated NAFTA that will be a better deal for the American people and will have the kind of fairness to it that will permit us to go forward in a productive, mutually beneficial relationship, Pence told reporters at the close of the trip. He added that there is a real possibility that we could arrive at an agreement within the next several weeks on a renegotiated NAFTA' [Politico]. Why Chinas US trade stand-off is not a replay of Japans in the 1980s [South China Morning Post]. At first glance, Chinas trade frictions with the US seem to be of a piece with the confrontations Japan faced in the 1980s: a surging Asian economy becomes a threat to American dominance in world trade and the US retaliates by crying foul and demanding concessions. In economic scale, China today is much stronger than Japan was in the 1980s. It overtook Japan in 2010 to become the worlds second-largest economy and has continued to narrow the gap with the US.. .. China is able to cultivate a domestic market for its 300 million middle-income class. It is much more capable than Japan of bolstering domestic consumption, said Lu Xiang, a specialist on US issues with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Lu said the US was facing challenges to properly manage its power decline and coexist with a rising China. Further confrontation between Beijing and Washington may go on for a long time, no matter who is the leader of the US, Lu said. Politics 2018 Midterms NY: Andrew Cuomo Sees Whats Coming. He Doesnt Know Whether to Run, Join It, or Destroy It' [Kate Aronoff, The Intercept]. On Saturday at the WFPs gathering, under fluorescent lights in the basement of an Albany Hilton, the group moved to endorse [challenger Cynthia] Nixon, with 91.5 percent of the vote going her way With two influential unions splitting off from the WFP to endorse the incumbent governor less than a day before Saturdays meeting, the New York partys rough start to the weekend comes at an otherwise resurgent moment for both progressive challengers and the party nationally. NY: Cynthia Nixon Has Already Won [New York Magazine]. While victory is a long shot the governor enjoys a $30 million war chest, support among unions and other factions, the incumbent bias in underattended primaries, and a 43-point lead in the first poll its not out of the question. Looking at the numbers, one analyst from CUNY estimated Nixon needed to win only 75,000 votes away from Cuomo. Its more doable than I wouldve thought, he told Politico. The ending: After all, these are emotional times, and Recent Events have demonstrated that its possible for a candidate to surf to victory on a wave of feelings. Dear Lord. Nothing about policy, where Cuomo is so vulnerable, and Nixon New Yorkers please correct me! sounds better (and see immediately below). NY: The Working Families Party Backs Cynthia Nixon Against Andrew Cuomo [The Nation]. Nixon accepted the endorsement in the language and the spirit of her grassroots campaign, announcing that With the [New York Working Families Party] by our side, we will fight for equitable schools, good jobs, single-payer health care , subways that actually work, environmental justice, and an end to mass incarceration. Its time for a New York that belongs to all of usfor the many, not the few.' Channelling Corbyn (!). NY: Andrew Cuomo rips teacher unions as selfish industry more interested in members rights than student needs [New York Daily News]. Cuomo on Wednesday unveiled an ambitious education reform plan that would make it easier to fire bad or lecherous instructors, revamp the teacher tenure and evaluation systems, and increase the cap on charter schools by 100. Ka-ching. CA: Charter school backers spend millions to support Antonio Villaraigosa for California governor [Sacramento Bee]. Wealthy charter school supporters are pouring millions of dollars into the battle to succeed Gov. Jerry Brown, throwing their money into an independent committee to push former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ahead in a crowded field of candidates. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings on Wednesday gave $7 million to the committee run by the California Charter Schools Association, an increasingly powerful player in state politics. On Thursday, Los Angeles philanthropist and developer Eli Broad contributed $1.5 million to the effort. MI: With success in private sector, Thanedar aims for public win [Hillsdale Daily News]. Thanedar: So Im trying to disrupt the Democratic primary process right now, because it looks like theres a momentum to coronate the frontrunner, Senator Whitmer, and Im saying that we should wait and have a dialogue. Softball questions. Thanedar is this guy. Militarism Jawbs: Ramping Up Production: Today elected officials and business community leaders joined @LockheedMartin in Johnstown, Pennsylvania to celebrate the formal opening of a new #F35 assembly facility that will support the program's transition to full-rate production. pic.twitter.com/OFH4LWkJPc F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) April 4, 2018 Johnstown is PA-12 (Rothus, R), not one of the districts were tracking. Perhaps exactly because of this facility? Realignment and Legitimacy How the CIAs Secret Torture Program Sparked a Citizen-Led Public Reckoning in North Carolina [Alternet]. What can a small group of committed citizens who oppose these practices do to push back? A commission against torture in North Carolina may serve as a model for how citizen-led initiatives can create transparency and accountability for abuses of power in government. This is very important and worth reading in full. Cashing in on Standing Rock [High Country News]. In the course of a nine-month investigation, High Country News compiled publicly available data from GoFundMe and examined nearly 250 campaigns, each of which raised at least $3,000 for causes related to the Dakota Access Pipeline. Altogether, more than 138,000 people donated nearly $8 million. Many of those campaigns accepted money without necessarily offering accountability, either to their donors or to the causes they claimed to represent. In the case of Veterans Stand, chaos and disarray become the hallmarks of a campaign that initially galvanized thousands of veterans and inspired more than 26,000 people from around the world to donate. That money was, at best, squandered and at worst, egregiously misspent. Thats really dispiriting, but maybe the lesson is that these Lets put on a show! efforts need to be a wee bit more structured. Good intentions, seemingly or no, are not enough. I seem to recall similar issues with Occupy, back in the day. In the era of Donald Trump, New Englands biggest GOP donor is funding Democrats [Boston Globe]. Boston hedge fund billionaire Seth Klarman lavished more than $7 million on Republican candidates and political committees during the Obama administration, using his fortune to help underwrite a GOP takeover of the federal government. But the rise of Donald Trump shocked and dismayed Klarman, as did the timid response from the Republican-controlled House and Senate, which have acquiesced rather than challenge the presidents erratic and divisive ways. So, in an astonishing flip, Klarman, at one point New Englands most generous donor to Republicans, is taking his money elsewhere: Hes heaping cash on Democrats. Whats astonishing about it? The Democrat nomenklatura has been fighting to optimize the 2018 mid-terms to make the party safe for donors like Klarman. Stats Watch Retail Sales, March 2018: In a slight reversal of expectations, retail sales proved stronger at the headline level [Econoday]. Autos are the big story in March, jumping 2.0 percent and finally shaking off the long lull following the replacement surge of Septembers hurricanes. Department stores are having a very hard time But there are positives in the report including a second straight 0.4 percent gain for restaurants and a second straight solid rise, at 0.7 percent, for furniture stores. And nonstore retailers are once again at the top of the data, at a 0.8 percent gain following Februarys 0.9 percent jump. But this report, after two soft showings in January and February, doesnt show the fundamental acceleration that was expected for March. And: The increase in March was above expectations, however sales in January and February were revised down slightly [Calculated Risk]. And but: Even though there is seen a significant improvement it was a weak bounce back from the previous months soft reports [Econintersect]. The three month rolling averages of the unadjusted data significantly slowes. [S]till, our analysis says this months year-over-year growth was about average for the growth seen in the last 12 months. Empire State Manufacturing Survey, April 2018: There are hints of tariff trouble in this months Empire State report where slowing is the result [Econoday]. But its the 6-month outlook readings that tell the tale showing very severe and sudden declines, collapsing a whopping 25.8 points for general conditions to only 18.3 which is very weak for this reading. The outlook shows similar declines for new orders and shipments in what are very likely direct reactions to steel and aluminum tariffs put in place in March not to mention the wider threat underway of rising tariffs in general But production in the sample is definitely still humming along. [T]here are still plenty of indications of capacity stress including delivery times. But: I am not a fan of surveys and this survey jumps around erratically but has been relatively steady for the last year. Key internals in the report declined and I consider this a much softer report than last month [Econintersect]. And: This was below the consensus forecast, but still a solid reading [Calculated Risk]. Business Inventories, February 2018: Inventories look to a be a big contributor to first-quarter GDP [Econoday]. The biggest build is at wholesalers, up 1.0 percent in February with retailers up 0.4 percent and manufacturers up 0.3 percent. It will be interesting to watch whether manufacturing data for March show any tariff-related stockpiling of metals. That aside, inventories are on the rise in line with underlying demand which is a good mix for the economy. And but: Inventories remain elevated this month. Our primary monitoring tool the 3 month rolling averages for sales significantly declined this month but remains in expansion. As the monthly data has significant variation, the 3 month averages are the way to view this series. Overall business sales are improving since the low point in 2015 but the trend in the last 6 months has been declining [Econoday]. Housing Market Index, April 2018: the lowest reading since November last year [Econoday]. The slip in current sales wont be raising expectations for next weeks report on new home sales which have yet to get going this year. Housing has had a tough winter and todays report isnt pointing to much of a Spring bounce. Container Movements: Last month was exceptionally strong and this month was exceptionally weak. The year-to-date and the rolling averages are positive for imports and negative for exports which suggest to me a weakening global economy and a moderately growing USA economy. Overall I would wait until next months data if the downward trend continues, it spells trouble for the USA economy [Econintersect]. Shipping: The IMO won near-unanimous agreement on a deal aimed at cutting carbon emissions in half by 2050, a plan the maritime industry says will cost billions of dollars and likely make shipping much more expensive. That impact could take many years, and maybe decades, to ripple across the business. But the target is based on the 2008 emissions level, when shipping activity hit a peak and before a new generation of cleaner vessels hit the water, suggesting the reductions may be closer than they appear [Wall Street Journal]. Shipping: The unintended consequences of Trumps call for USPS task force [DC Velocity]. In a report issued last April, Christian Wetherbee, an analyst for Citigroup Inc., concluded that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) would have to raise its artificially low parcel rates by as much as 50 percent in order to break even on its fast-growing parcel offerings. The biggest question, Wetherbee wrote, was who or what would break through the Washington inertia and trigger such a change. Should USPS parcel rates rise to the levels cited by the analyst, the impact on the shipping marketplace, and on an economy increasingly influenced by e-commerce activity, could be enormous. Millions of online retailers and merchants offer their end customers free shipping for purchases as a means of retaining and keeping their business. The shipping is not free, and USPS has been raising parcel rates by mid- to high single-digit amounts for several years. Still, the rates remain so competitive that big-ticket users have been willing to effectively eat the costs. That approach may no longer be viable should rates rise substantially from current levels. In his analysis, Wetherbee wrote that many consumers have been conditioned to expect shipping solutions which are not supported by economic reality . Ah. Economic reality. Shipping: President Donald Trump may be taking aim at Amazon.com Inc. with his order to review U.S. Postal Service finances, but other parcel carriers are in the line of fire. FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. both get discount rates like Amazon, the WSJs Paul Ziobro and Laura Stevens report, under a program that lets them drop truckloads of packages at local post offices for the last leg of delivery. The Parcel Select service gives the operators from 5% to 10% off published rates, a common practice in shipping contracts. UPS and FedEx have long argued that the Postal Service should charge more, in part because it would drive more volume to their own networks [Wall Street Journal]. Retail: Merchants selling on sites like Amazon.com Inc.s marketplace face a day of reckoning at the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices will hear arguments this week on South Dakotas attempt to overturn a 26-year-old precedent under which states cant require retailers to collect sales taxes unless the companies have a physical presence in the state. [T]ax and legal experts expect the court to overturn the precedent, potentially changing the financial landscape for a big swath of digital commerce. Current tax rules date from the era of mail-order catalogs, and they have helped fuel the rise of internet commerce and spurred frustration among brick-and-mortar retailers [Wall Street Journal]. Big Ag: 207 million eggs in nine states recalled over salmonella fears [CNN]. A farm in Indiana is recalling more than 200 million eggs sold in nine states over salmonella fears. The eggs were sold through retail stores and restaurants. They reached consumers in Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Transportation: A rail safety system gone badly off track [Boston Globe]. About 110 commuter rail engineers, more than half of them, have driving records that experts described as poor considering the sensitive line of work theyre in at least three infractions such as speeding, causing accidents, and failing to stop. Nearly 50 engineers have had their drivers licenses suspended 44 of them more than once, according to Registry of Motor Vehicle records reviewed by the Globe. The Bezzle: NTSB goes head to head with Tesla [Federal News Radio]. Until a couple of weeks ago, everyone thought driverless cars were, like, here already. They are, except they hit stuff. The Bezzle: Apples mysterious self-driving car project keeps hitting speed bumps [Daily Dot]. When it was first reported that Apple would enter the electric self-driving car market, it planned on launching a vehicle by 2019. Since then, Apples strategies have drastically changed. That timeline is murky now that its building self-driving systems rather than actual vehicles. The Bezzle: Tesla Workers Say Elon Musk is a Union Buster. The NLRB Just Gave Their Case a Boost [In These Times]. Tesla factory workers have been trying for months to win restitution for the companys alleged union-busting and harassment. Now, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint against the company appears to be making strides. On March 30, the NLRB amended the complaint to add new allegations from workers which the board found to have merit. In the new claims, Tesla workers say the company investigated them after they posted information on a pro-union Facebook page. The case has now been scheduled to go before an NLRB administrative law judge in June. The Bezzle: Bots in the Twittersphere [Pew Research]. Among popular news and current event websites, 66% of tweeted links are made by suspected bots identical to the overall average. The share of bot-created tweeted links is even higher among certain kinds of news sites. For example, an estimated 89% of tweeted links to popular aggregation sites that compile stories from around the web are posted by bots. Concentration: FTC Says Warranty Void If Removed Stickers Are Bullshit, Warns Manufacturers Theyre Breaking the Law [Vice]. As weve reported before, it is bullshit and illegal under federal law for electronics manufacturers to put Warranty Void if Removed stickers on their gadgets, and its also illegal for companies to void your warranty if you fix your device yourself or via a third party. The Federal Trade Commission put six companies on notice today, telling them in a warning letter that their warranty practices violate federal law. If you buy a car with a warranty, take it a repair shop to fix it, then have to return the car to the manufacturer, the car company isnt legally allowed to deny the return because you took your car to another shop. The same is true of any consumer device that costs more than $15, though many manufacturers want you to think otherwise. Five Horsemen: All five horsemen were up in mid-morning trading [Hat Tip, Jim Haygood]. NakedCap Mania-Panic Index: The mania-panic index rose to 45 (worry) despite Fridays mild decline [Hat Tip, Jim Haygood]. (The NakedCap mania-panic index is an equally-weighted average of seven technical indicators derived from stock indexes, volatility (VIX), Treasuries, junk bonds, equity options, and internal measures of new highs vs new lows and up volume vs down volume each converted to a scale of 0 to 100 before averaging, using thirty years of history for five of the seven series.) Rapture Index: Closes down 1 on Satanism. The lack of activity has downgraded this category [Rapture Ready]. Record High, October 10, 2016: 189. Current: 182. Gaia The Heroes of This Novel Are Centuries Old and 300 Feet Tall [New York Times]. These characters who have held us rapt for 150 pages turn out to be the shrubby understory, for which we couldnt yet see the forest. Standing overhead with outstretched limbs are the real protagonists. Trees will bring these small lives together into large acts of war, love, loyalty and betrayal, in a violent struggle against a mortgaged timber company that is liquidating its assets, including one of the last virgin stands of California redwoods. The descriptions of this deeply animate place, including a thunderstorm as experienced from 300 feet up, stand with any prose Ive ever read. I hesitate to tell more, and spoil the immense effort Powers invests in getting us into that primal forest to bear witness. Sounds pretty neat! Water Cape Town Isnt The Only Place Thats Close To Running Out Of Water [Fast Company]. A new report from World Resources Institute looks at four other locations with similar problems, using a new platform called Resource Watch to map out the political, social, and environmental dynamics of each area. Morocco, Spain, Iraq, India. Black Injustice Tipping Point A Black Teen Knocked On A Door To Ask For Directions To His School. Then He Was Shot At, Police Say. [Buzzfeed]. My mom says that black boys get shot because sometimes they dont look their age, and I dont look my age, Brennan told Fox 2 News. Im 14; but I dont look 14. Im kind of happy that, like, I didnt become a statistic.' Health Care Sedentary behavior associated with reduced medial temporal lobe thickness in middle-aged and older adults [PLOS One]. n = 35. A detailed projection of the effect of risk factors on Alzheimers disease (AD) prevalence [17] suggests that approximately 13% of AD cases worldwide may be attributable to sedentary behavior. A 25% reduction in sedentary behavior could potentially prevent more than 1 million AD cases globally. Get moving! Go out and take a walk. Take a camera and photograph some plants! Class Warfare Bevin: I guarantee a child was sexually assaulted because teachers attended protest [Herald-Leader]. Idea: Pay the teachers a living wage, then? P*SS THE PARCEL Rushed Amazon warehouse staff pee into bottles as theyre afraid of time-wasting' [The Sun]. The warehouse measures 700,000 sq ft and some of the 1,200 workers face a ten minute, quarter-of-a-mile walk to two toilets on the ground floor of the four-storey building. An Amazon spokesman said: Amazon ensures all of its associates have easy access to toilet facilities which are just a short walk from where they are working. Justifying Military Force: Racial Attitudes, Race, and Gender [Jon Green]. Need to look at the methodology . News of The Wired The iPhone changed our lives. Now Apple needs to tackle addiction [Wired]. Or regulate Apple such that its business model doesnt require addictive behavior? I Made Meghan Markles Engagement Chicken and Now Im in Love [The Cut]. Not sure why I ended up on this page, but it looks like a pretty good recipe. None of this make a tub of stock stuff you read about the Times. The Star of the American Chopper Meme Didnt Know What a Meme Was [Vice]. I was hoping you could give me a bit more context about the original fight. It was horrifying. The problem is, there were always those incidents. Im not sure if that was when I fired him, or if it was just another everyday dysfunctional situation going on between me and my son, you know? The meme in question: This Meme keeps doing good stuff. pic.twitter.com/eO76TptuOy GMGerrymander (@GMGerrymander) April 12, 2018 Again, I think its worthy of note that dialetical forms are making their way into the world of memes; quite different from Can I haz cheezburger?, which is a one-liner, fun though it is. News you can use: Plug A Surge Protector Into Itself For Infinite Power pic.twitter.com/iRXbvECq79 Shitty Life Tips (@mindblowingtips) April 14, 2018 I love maps in this style, I wish they were still a thing: Jaro Hesss The Land of Make Believe from 1930 is a #map of all popular fairytales. Im featured buying a pie at the center of the image. Source: https://t.co/KiYXl6E1r6 pic.twitter.com/H7aaGw61IG Simon Kuestenmacher (@simongerman600) April 12, 2018 * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (TH): An ice plant. Purple rain, maybe, but purple ice? * * * Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the NC fundraiser. So do feel free to use the dropdown and click the hat to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click the hat! Lambert here: The numbers are an outrage, but youll never guess the weak-tea bottom line. Thats right! Be a smart shopper. I expect more from KHN, although not NPR. Nevertheless, a useful cautionary tale. But its not really the scanners that are rich, or poor, is it? By Alison Kodjak, NPR News. Originally published at Kaiser Health News. Benjamin Hynden, a financial adviser in Fort Myers, Fla., hadnt been feeling well for a few weeks last fall. Hed had pain and discomfort in his abdomen. In October, he finally made an appointment to see his doctor about it. It wasnt severe, he said. It was just kind of bothersome. It just kind of annoyed me during the day. The internist, Dr. John Ardesia, checked him out and referred him for a CT scan at a nearby imaging center. The radiologist didnt see anything wrong on the images, and Ardesia didnt recommend any treatment. A few weeks later, Hynden, who has a high-deductible health insurance policy with Cigna, got a bill for $268. He paid it and moved on. But three months later, in mid-January, Hynden was still feeling lousy. He called up Ardesias office again. This time, the doctor wasnt available. A nurse practitioner, concerned that Hynden might be suffering from appendicitis, advised him to go to the hospital right away. I was a little worried, Hynden recalled. When he told me to go to the ER, I felt compelled to take his advice. Hynden arrived later that morning at Gulf Coast Medical Center, one of several hospitals owned by Lee Health in the Fort Myers area. The triage nurse told him the problem wasnt his appendix, but she suggested he stick around for some additional tests including another CT scan just to be safe. It was the exact same machine. It was the exact same test, Hynden said. The results were also the same as the October scan: Hynden was sent home without a definitive diagnosis. And then the bill came. Patient: Benjamin Hynden, 29, a financial adviser in Fort Myers, Fla. Total Bill: $10,174.75, including $8,897 for a CT scan of the abdomen Service Provider: Gulf Coast Medical Center, owned by Lee Health, the dominant health care system in southwest Florida. (Story continues below.) Medical Procedure: A computed tomography scan, commonly known as a CT or CAT scan, uses X-rays to create cross-sectional images of the body. Hynden got his October scan at Summerlin Imaging Center, a standalone facility in Fort Myers that offers a range of diagnostic tests, including X-rays, MRI and CT scans. Rick Davis, co-owner of Summerlin, said his center is small and independent, so he doesnt have much bargaining power. That means insurance companies pretty much dictate what he can charge for a scan. In Hyndens case that was $268, including the cost of a radiologist to read the images. Ultimately, what Medicare decides to pay for a scan sets the standard. The Medicare fee schedule is what all the other companies use as their guideline, Davis said. Its basically the bible. Its what everyone goes by. Summerlins office manager, Kimberly Papiska, said that the maximum the center ever bills for a CT scan is $1,200, but that the rates insurance companies pay are usually less than $300. Hynden was shocked when he got the second CT scan in January, and the listed price was $8,897 33 times what he paid for the first test. Gulf Coast Medical Center is part of his Cigna insurance plans approved network of providers. But even with Cignas negotiated discount, Hynden was on the hook for $3,394.49 for the scan. The additional ER costs added another $261.76 to that bill. What Gives: We called Gulf Coast Medical Center and its parent company, Lee Health, to understand why they billed nearly $9,000 for a single test. No one at the health center or hospital would agree to an interview. Lee Health spokeswoman Mary Briggs responded with an emailed statement: Generally that it is not unusual for the cost of providing a CT scan in an emergency department to be higher than in an imaging center. Emergency department charges reflect the high cost of maintaining the staffing, medical expertise, equipment, and infrastructure, on a 24/7-basis, necessary for any possible health care need from a minor injury to a gunshot wound or heart attack to a mass casualty event. Do the hospitals costs and preparations justify a list price thats so much higher than the nearby imaging centers tab? We asked some experts in medical billing and management for their thoughts. Emergency rooms often charge people with insurance a lot of money to make up for the free care they provide to uninsured patients, said Bunny Ellerin, director of the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management program at Columbia Business School in New York. Often those people are what they call in the lingo frequent flyers, Ellerin said. They come back over and over again. She said hospitals also try to get as much money as they can out of private insurance companies to offset lower reimbursements from Medicare and Medicaid. Even in that context, the price of Hyndens CT scan was off the charts. Healthcare Bluebook, a health care pricing tool, says the range for an abdominal CT scan with contrast, like Hynden had, in Fort Myers is between $477 and about $3,700. It pegs a fair price at $595. The higher price from Gulf Coast Medical Center and its parent company could be a result of their enormous pricing power in Fort Myers, said Gerard Anderson, a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins University. Lee Health owns the four major hospitals in the Fort Myers area, as well as a childrens hospital and a rehabilitation hospital, according to its website. It also owns several physician practices in the area. When you drive around Fort Myers, the blue-green Lee Health logo appears on buildings everywhere. Anybody whos in Fort Myers is going to want to get care at these hospitals. So by having a dominant position, they have great bargaining power, Anderson said. So they can raise their rates, and they still do OK. Anderson said his research shows hospital consolidation has been driving prices higher and higher in recent years. And because more and more people, like Hynden, have high-deductible insurance plans, theyre more likely to be on the hook for huge bills. So Lee Health and other dominant hospital systems mark up most of their services on their master price lists the list that prices a CT scan at Lee Health at $8,897. Anderson calls those lists fairy-tale prices because almost no one actually pays them. Everybody whos taken a look at it agrees including the CFO of the organization that its a fairy-tale thing, but it does have relevance, Anderson said. The relevance is that insurance companies typically negotiate what theyll pay at discounted rates from list prices. So from the master price of $8,897, Cigna negotiated Hyndens bill down to $5,516.14 a discount of almost 40 percent. Then Cigna paid $2,864.08, leaving Hynden to pay the rest. If it wasnt for that CT scan, I dont think this whole thing would have been so difficult and so blatantly obvious that theyre extremely overcharging for that service, Hynden said. Resolution: Hynden never got a definitive diagnosis from the CT scans. Several weeks after his second test, however, he went to a nearby urgent care center, also run by Lee Health, and underwent an ultrasound on his abdomen. That test, which cost about $175, revealed some benign cysts that he said his doctor said are likely to go away on their own. The Takeaway: Tests and services are almost always going to be more expensive in an emergency room or hospital setting. If your doctor suggests you go to an ER, it might be worth asking whether an urgent care or walk-in clinic would suffice. Sources: Explanations of Benefits provided by Benjamin Hynden and interviews. Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. By Daniel Chomsky, Professor of Political Science, Temple University. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website hile Donald Trump posed as a populist during the 2016 presidential campaign, the tax legislation he promoted and signed in 2017 showered substantial benefits on businesses and the wealthy. The Tax Policy Center estimates that individuals in the bottom quarter of the income distribution will gain, on average, about $40 per year from the income tax provisions in the new law. Those in the top one percent will get about $33,000 per year[1]. And this does not include the effects of the estate tax and corporate tax reductions, which favor the wealthy as well. The change directly contradicts the expressed preferences of the American people. Americans opposed the legislation 53 percent to 29 percent just before its passage. And its regressive features were even less popular. According to an Associated Press-NORC survey in October, 72 percent favored higher taxes on business and the wealthy. Only 14 percent wanted a business tax cut. Only nine percent supported tax cuts for the wealthy. The sharp divergence between public preferences and policy outcomes in this instance reflects a broader pattern. Over the last four decades, substantial majorities of Americans have consistently favored higher taxes when specifically asked whether businesses or the wealthy pay too little, too much, or the right amount. In contrast, the number favoring higher taxes on the middle class has never reached even 10 percent. Yet, over the same time period, tax policy has moved decisively in the other direction, with lower taxes for businesses and the wealthy, and higher taxes on everyone else to make up for some of the lost revenue. In my new INET paper, A Distorting Mirror: Major Media Coverage of Americans Tax Policy Preferences, I examine the representation of public attitudes in two national newspapers, the New York Times and USA Today. I count all references to public preferences with respect to taxes in front page articles. And I concentrate on years associated with major tax policy change. While the Times predictably devoted more attention to tax policy than USA Today, practices at both newspapers were otherwise nearly identical. Both newspapers highlighted public opposition to taxes. Both downplayed public support for higher taxes on businesses and the wealthy. And both privileged official and other elite sources over ordinary people. The persistent media misrepresentation of public preferences has effectively excluded the public from political discussion of tax policy and may contribute to the failure of democratic responsiveness on this issue. The newspapers also reinforced the efforts of policy makers. As officials moved to reduce taxes, the national newspapers emphasized public support for tax cuts even more strongly. The New York Times advertised public opposition to taxes in 92 separate front page articles during 1981 as the Reagan tax cuts were debated and passed in 1981. In contrast, newspaper references to public support for progressive taxes vanished toward zero. The Times published only one in 1981. There were none at all in 2001 when the Bush tax cuts were adopted. In 2016 the Timeshad two articles that advertised public opposition to tax cuts. USA Todayhad only one. The tone and direction of news coverage reflects the newspapers reliance on elite sources. Government officials represent almost two thirds of all sources on taxes in both newspapers. And business representatives and experts were the next most common sources, accounting for another quarter of sources. All other sources appeared less frequently. Labor unions received some attention in 1981, appearing as sources in 7 articles, or 2 percent of sources in the New York Timesthat year. That was the greatest attention labor unions received during the period. Labor union references declined to virtual invisibility thereafter, appearing in only one or two stories in subsequent years. There was a single reference to a labor union source in the Timesin 2016, or a fraction of one percent of sources in the paper that year. There was not even one union representative in USA Today forthe entire year. They accounted for 7.6 percent of sources in the Timesfor the entire period, almost exactly half of the percentage of business sources, and one ninth of the percentage for officials. They were even less visible in years with regressive tax cuts, just 2.8 percent of sources in the Timesin 1981 and 6.6 percent of sources in 2001. They were 6.9 percent of the sources in the Timesin 2016, quite close to their representation in 2001. But not a single ordinary person appeared as a source in USA Todayfor the entire year. In fact, every one of the sources inUSA Todayin 2016 came from government, business, or the intellectual class. However, in years with progressive tax increases, the national newspapers paid more attention to public support for progressive taxes, and they were more likely to cite ordinary people. References to public opinion and the use of ordinary people as sources both peaked in 2012, leading to a small increase in taxes on the wealthy at the end of the year. Coverage may have been affected by the emergence of Occupy Wall Street. Attention was relatively intense during the fall of 2011, underscoring the potential impact of citizen action in exceptional circumstances. The comparative silence on progressive taxes as Occupy faded from the scene, and the spike in attention around the electionwith the continued dominance of officials as sourcessuggests that it was the Obama administration and its presidential campaign that drove newspaper attention. This indicates that social movements succeed when they capture the attention of elites. But it also shows that newspaperstake issues seriously when elites promote them. Over the last forty years policy makers have shifted the tax burden away from businesses and the wealthy and increased the relative burden on ordinary citizens, with the consistent support of the national newspapers. ___________ [1]Sammartino, Frank, Phillip Stallworth, and David Weiner. 2018. The effect of the TCJA individual income tax provisions across income groups and across the states. Tax Policy Center, March 28, 2018. If you were harboring any doubts as to how deeply corrupt CalPERS is, the latest incidents offer yet more compelling evidence. CalPERS board president Priya Mathur has directed the employees of the CalPERS Board Services unit, an administrative team, to open and read the mail addressed to board member Margaret Brown. Mathur reserves the right not to send the correspondence to Brown and to answer on her behalf. Even worse, when Brown e-mailed CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost to tell her this practice had to stop immediately, Frost acted as if she lacked the power to intervene. This is nonsense. All of the members of the Board Services team are CalPERS employees, meaning Frost is their boss. The fact that Frost is unwilling to stop a clearly illegal procedure says she is not fit to be CEO. On top of that, as well discuss later in this post, Mathur, via the same Board Services group, has also been denying Brown access to transcripts of past board meetings. This is another flagrant abuse. As law professor and white collar criminologist Bill Black stated, a board member is entitled to see any document of the organization they oversee. Browns attorney James Moody sent a sternly-worded letter to Mathur telling her that these practices and other forms of interference with Brown performing her duties of office must stop. Weve embedded Moodys missive at the end of this post. This is banana republic behavior. And there is no mistaking that this is standard procedure, as least as far as Brown is concerned, which raises the question of whether she is being singled our or whether all board members, who are officials of the State of California, are having Mathur meddle in the performance of their duties. It is also clear that CEO Frost is actively supporting Mathurs campaign against Brown even though it is against the law and a violation of fiduciary duty. Let us also not forget that Mathur has been repeatedly censured for not showing up to board meetings and fined for failures to file required disclosure forms on time. CalPERS Mail Heist Brown found out about the interception, reading, and even diversion of her mail and e-mail by accident. A constituent complained about Browns failure to respond to a letter he had sent in March, which Brown had not received. After Brown asked why she hadnt gotten her mail, here was the response from a member of the Board Services unit (note that Karen Perkins is the head of that group): From: Ortega, Christina Date: April 11, 2018 at 9:57:12 AM PDT To: Brown, Margaret Cc: Perkins, Karen Subject: RE: Member Correspondence XXXX Hi Margaret, To answer your questions, we received two copies of this letter on March 22nd: one was addressed to Priya and one was addressed to you. Following is our procedure for handling member correspondence: * Priya reviews all correspondence addressed to board members and directs how to proceed. * Depending on the matter at hand or the specific circumstances, emails are either routed to the appropriate program area (via the Executive) to handle directly with the member and/or a response is developed for the Board Presidents review, approval, and signature. * In either case, when the letter is forwarded to the program area/Executive, we also send it to the board members included on the letter (after redacting personal information). * When the program area develops a response for the Board Presidents signature, we send a copy of the signed response to all board members included on the letter. It should be obvious what an outrage this is. Brown is an elected official. It would be completely unacceptable for, say, the chairman of a Congressional committee to intercept, read, and answer mail sent to members of his committee. It is even worse in the case of CalPERS because board members like Brown are jointly and severally liable for the performance of their fiduciary duties. Mathur is thus actively undermining the independence and thus performance of board members. Moreover, CalPERS institutionally is aware of and supporting this conduct. The Board Services members are all CalPERS employees. Their pay levels are set by CalPERS, not the board. The board has delegated its authority for CalPERS personnel matters to the CEO. Marcie Frost could change the staffing of the Board Services group any time she wanted to. Yet astonishingly, Frost is taking the cowardly path of trying to pretend she has no authority. Brown e-mailed Frost demanding that she stop the interception of Browns mail: From: Brown, Margaret Date: April 12, 2018 at 2:22:46 AM PDT To: Frost, Marcie Subject: Fwd: Member Correspondence XXXX Marcie, I have given no one permission to open, divert, and/or read my mail or other documents addressed to me whether delivered by the the post office, or any another method including hand delivery or email. The Board Governance documents do not grant this permission to the Board president or to staff. As a constitutionally elected officer of the CalPERS Board, privacy in my correspondence is necessary, especially in my watchdog role. Please immediately confirm that diversion of mail/documents addressed to me individually or as a member of the Board has been halted. Margaret Brown Elected Member, CalPERS Board of Administration Brown e-mailed Frost again the evening of the 13th asking why she had not gotten a response. That finally elicited a reply: From: Frost, Marcie Date: April 14, 2018 at 7:04:07 AM PDT To: Brown, Margaret Subject: Re: Member Correspondence Hi Margaret, The board services unit doesnt report to me they report through the board president. Ill send this to Priya for a response. Marcie Frosts claim is a baldfaced lie and she has to know that. Frost and not the board controls the pay and the staffing of the Board Services unit. Frost could replace the individuals any time she wanted to. The Chief Executive Officer delegation clearly states that Frost is responsible for managing all functions at CalPERS. There is no exception for the Board Services Unit. Likewise, the Board President delegation doesnt come close to delegating any management authority over any staff to Mathur. 1 Here are some reasons why this procedure is appalling: Undermines Browns performance of her duties of office. Brown is a California elected official. Brown is also a fiduciary. Mathur has no legal basis for usurping her authority. Perpetuates corruption. Less than a decade ago, CaLPERS CEO Fred Buenrostro and former board member Al Villalobos were indicted for bribery and other charges. Buenrostro had, among other things, taken $200,000 in cash in paper bags. Villalobos committed suicide. Buenrostro is serving a four and a half year sentence in a Federal prison. One current board member resigned and two who were close to Villalobos did not run for reelection. So given this record of criminal conduct, it isnt a stretch to think a whistleblower might try to send Brown, the only reformer on the board, hard copy evidence about misdeeds. Given what weve documented about CalPERS over the last few years, do you think there is any chance this information would ever get to Brown? Not only would it be withheld from her but CalPERS is likely to try to identify the whistleblower and if it were an employee, to retaliate, as it did with three employees who called out an incident of insider trading. Violates the law. Federal courts have established two common law privacy claims, namely, intrusion upon seclusion and public disclosure of a private fact.2 The rulings on intrusion upon seclusion are based on the standard of an employer invading the privacy of an employee in a way that third parties would find offensive. The parties to whom I have spoken to so far, including attorneys, find the idea of someone elses mail on a a wholesale basis to be offensive, and even more so when they persist in the face of a written objection. And thats before you get to the fact that Brown is in a supervisory capacity. Impeding her receipt of information will impede her effectiveness. In the case that led Brown to find out about this abuse, the Board Services unit dropped the ball on replying to a constituent, which hurt Browns credibility. One has to wonder if that was by design. On top of that, CalPERS staff taking possession of Browns mail is larceny. Not only might Brown be sent items with monetary value (personal gifts from relatives, passes to conferences), but she has property rights to the documents themselves, even junk mail. As an aside, this Mafia-like style of operating means whistleblowers with any sense wont bother with inside channels but will go straight to the press, which works to my benefit. Denial of Access to Transcripts Brown requested access to a full year of closed session transcripts, since she realized after her first set of closed session board meetings in February that there was a great deal of history behind many of the issues under discussion. She needed to have the backstory to be adequately informed and make good decisions. Brown has been given the runaround for months by the staff and the board. Board President Priya Mathur insisted shed understand the transcripts better if she was briefed first by Chief Investment Officer Ted Eliopoulos about CalPERS vaunted research into private equity business models. Not only did she never get that talk, when she finally meet with CEO Frost and John Cole of the Investment Office, they admitted there was no information or documents to review. Brown has also been subjected to limits on access to records. Recall that law professor Bill Black has said a board member has a right to see any record of the organization they demand. Attorney James Moody reaffirmed that reading. Yet Board President Priya Mathur dictated impermissible restriction. From her e-mail in February: Hi Margaret, Karen [Perkins] shared your request for closed session items to me. As Im sure you can appreciate, it is essential to protect the confidentiality of closed session items and to avoid the unnecessary expenditure of our already busy Board Services Unit resources. Our practice with archived closed session materials is as follow: State a specific purpose for your request for closed session materials. Include in your request specific details, including the committee or Board, the date and the agenda item. You may review the materials in Karens office at CalPERS headquarters, but may not copy them or remove them from site. Please dont hesitate to contact me with any questions. Priya Mathurs use of the word practice is a tacit admission that she has no legal foundation for her arbitrary and unreasonable demands. Brown does not have to explain herself. Brown can go on a fishing expedition if she sees fit. In fact, Brown has to go on a fishing expedition. Since closed sessions are secret, she cant know what she doesnt know. The idea that she can specify what records in a black box might be useful to her is absurd. Even though the CalPERS hews to the form of preparing an agenda of the items to be discussed in closed session and providing the legal citations justifying why they are not being shared with the public, past board members say that closed sessions regularly range beyond items on the agenda. Similarly, the notion that a board members information requests should be compromised because it might tax the oh so busy Board Services team is offensive. Board members performing their fiduciary duties properly is of paramount importance to CalPERS. Mathur explicitly stating otherwise is proof that she is unfit to serve on CalPERS board. Note also that the excuse of difficulty is a fabrication. It would take all of 15 minutes at most for Karen Perkins to burn a disk with all the closed session transcripts that Brown wanted. If there is any reason for Browns request to take an undue amount of staff time, it is because Mathur and Frost are working to keep Brown in the dark and render her less effective To make a very long story short, Brown has been allowed to read only very limited printouts of closed session transcripts, and then only in the office of the head of Board Services unit head Karen Perkins, as if Perkins were a prison guard ward. Perkins has offered Brown very few time slots, and ruled out an entire week, even though Brown is regularly in Sacramento. As a result, Brown has only had one reading session in which staff cherry picked what she saw. That amounted to only about 50 pages of transcripts, with some pages partially redacted. Moreover, Karen Perkins failed to provide slides and reports that were an integral part of the discussion that Brown reads, despite repeated requests by Brown. As you can see from the letter below, attorney James Moody has demanded that this governance travesty stop. The mail interception, transcript foot-dragging, and other types of harassment are part of a campaign to hamstring Brown. The fact that CalPERS is so desperate to thwart Brown, as it tried to do with former board member JJ Jelincic, in getting access to information and answers to reasonable questions should alarm CalPERS beneficiaries and California taxpayers. Only an organization with lots to hide would fight transparency this hard. _____ 1 This is the current version of the Chief Executive Offices delegated authority, from CalPERS website (emphasis ours): General 2. Conduct, approve and oversee the administration and management of all functions within CalPERS, including without limitation all actuarial, audit, financial, investment, and legal functions with independence and in conformance with professional standards, and in conformance with the direction of the Board. 3. Conduct, approve and oversee the administration and business continuity of all units and functions within CalPERS and the operation of CalPERS headquarters facility, including provision for sufficient information technology, facilities, and equipment to support CalPERS business and operational needs, operating within the resources, delegations of authority, and fiscal limits set by the Board. Staff Resources and Organizational Structure 8. Approve all personnel decisions, including hiring, disciplining, and terminating, for all employees listed in Government Code section 20098 and those in Career Executive Assignments. The Board and the CEO share responsibility for hiring, evaluating (including base salary and incentive compensation), and terminating the Chief Investment Officer (CIO). The Board retains veto authority over CEO decisions for hiring, evaluating (including base salary and incentive compensation), and terminating the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Actuary, and General Counsel. While there is a carve out for the Board to retain some authority, it does not apply to the Board Services unit. Moreover, any such authority rests with the Board as a whole, and not with the Board President. Here is the Board Presidents delegation. You can see there is no mention whatsoever of the supervision of CalPERS staff: RESOLVED, (A} That, pursuant to the foregoing, the Board hereby authorizes the Board President to act, and to act finally, for the Board with respect to the following activities: (1) Call and schedule regular and special Board meetings; (2) ln coordination with Committee chairs, call .and schedule meetings of the Boards Committees, both standing and special; (3) Conduct all Board meetings In conformity with the Boards rules of order and other applicable policies; (4) Appoint members of Board committees, both standing and special; (5) After consultation with Board members, appoint members of Protest Review Committees, upon the recommendation of the General Counsel that such a Committee should be constituted; (6) Review and approve requests from Board members to represent the System on out-of-state trips; (7) After consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, determine the appropriate Board and/or staff member to represent the System on trips outside of the United States, when the costs of .such travel (in whole or in part) is being provided by a third party as a gift to the System, and accept, on behalf of the System, gifts of travel made by such third parties; 2 Readers may be surprised to learn that deliberately opening someone elses mail isnt criminal. The Postal Service has tried to stay out of this matter. From the USPS Domestic Mail Manual which has the force of law, by virtue of being incorporated into the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 39 CFR 111.1: 508.1.6 Delivery to Individual at Organization 1.6.1 To Address All mail addressed to a governmental or nongovernmental organization or to an individual by name or title at the address of the organization is delivered to the organization, as is similarly addressed mail for former officials, employees, contractors, agents, etc. If disagreement arises where any such mail should be delivered, it must be delivered under the order of the organizations president or equivalent official. However, this regulation leads to the same result as CalPERS own delegated authority: CEO Marcie Frost, and not Board President Priya Mathur, is the responsible party. The only other possible reading is that by virtue of CalPERS board members being designated in the California Constitution as state officials, and not merely officials of CalPERS, that the Governor is the decider. But either way, Frost trying to depict herself as powerless is obviously false. Course set to overcome 'mismatch' between lab-designed nanomaterials and Nature's complexity (Nanowerk News) Cells and the machinery they encase are soft matter -- shape-shifting multicomponent systems with an overwhelming richness of forms. But, these squishy packages are hard targets for potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications that exploit nanomaterials, from quantum dots that light up specific tissues to nanocages carrying drug payloads. The problem, according to a team of 12 experts from five countries, stems from a mismatch between the structural complexity that nature selected over billions of years of evolution and the minimalist designs of synthetic nanomaterials, optimized for lab conditions. Advances in nanotechnology have made it possible to control the size, shape, composition, elasticity and chemical properties of laboratory-made nanomaterials. Yet many of these materials do not to function as expected in the body. In a recent issue of Biointerphases ("Nanomaterial interactions with biomembranes: Bridging the gap between soft matter models and biological context"), the team homes in on biomembranes -- the gatekeeping bilipid-layers and proteins surrounding cells. They explore the barriers a synthetic nanomaterial must breach to enter a cell and achieve its intended purpose. The teams consensus perspective on designing next-generation smart nanomaterials for biological applications originated in discussions at a recent workshop on biomaterials and membranes. The annual workshop is organized by the Smart Nano-objects for Alteration of Lipid bilayers (SNAL) Initial Training Network, funded by the European Unions Seventh Framework Program. The authors emphasize that introducing synthetic nanomaterials into biological environments can trigger unexpected interactions and unpredictable behaviors, hallmarks of soft-matter systems. Proteins bind to nanoscale objects forming protein coronas that can hinder the expected therapeutic effect, alter the membrane signaling processes, induce an immune response, or trigger other unwanted reactions. Similarly, theoretical studies and simulations assume perfectly uniform nanomaterials with idealized properties, but real nanomaterials may vary in surface roughness and size. Additionally, they may cluster when introduced to the body. Even slight variations can lead to different interactions in biological media. Can we tell black holes apart? (Nanowerk News) One of the most fundamental predictions of Einstein's theory of relativity is the existence of black holes. In spite of the recent detection of gravitational waves from binary black holes by LIGO, direct evidence using electromagnetic waves remains elusive and astronomers are searching for it with radio telescopes. Astrophysicists at Goethe University Frankfurt, and collaborators in the ERC-funded project BlackHoleCam in Bonn and Nijmegen have created and compared self-consistent and realistic images of the shadow of an accreting supermassive black hole - such as the black-hole candidate Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) in the heart of our galaxy - both in general relativity and in a different theory of gravity. The goal was to test if Einsteinian black holes can be distinguished from those in alternative theories of gravity. Types of black holes calculated from different theores gravity. (Image: Fromm/Younsi/Mizuno/Rezzolla) (click on image to enlarge) Not all of the light rays (or photons) produced by matter falling into a black hole are trapped by the event horizon, a region of spacetime from which nothing can escape. Some of these photons will reach distant observers, so that when a black hole is observed directly a shadow is expected against the background sky. The size and shape of this shadow will depend on the black-holes properties but also on the theory of gravity. Because the largest deviations from Einsteins theory of relativity are expected very close to the event horizon and since alternative theories of gravity make different predictions on the properties of the shadow, direct observations of Sgr A* represent a very promising approach for testing gravity in the strongest regime. Making such images of the black-hole shadow is the primary goal of the international Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration (EHTC), which combines radio data from telescopes around the world. Scientists from the BlackHoleCam team in Europe, who are part of the EHTC, have now gone a step further and investigated whether it is possible to distinguish between a "Kerr" black hole from Einsteins gravity and a "dilaton" black hole, which is a possible solution of an alternative theory of gravity. The researchers studied the evolution of matter falling into the two very different types of black holes and calculated the radiation emitted to construct the images. Furthermore, real-life physical conditions in the telescopes and interstellar medium were used to create physically realistic images. To capture the effects of different black holes we used realistic simulations of accretion disks with near-identical initial setups. These expensive numerical simulations used state-of-the-art codes and took several months on the Institutes supercomputer LOEWE, says Dr. Yosuke Mizuno, lead author of the study (Nature Astronomy, "The current ability to test theories of gravity with black hole shadows"). Moreover, expected radio images obviously have a limited resolution and image fidelity. When using realistic image resolutions, the scientists found, to their surprise, that even highly non-Einsteinian black holes could disguise themselves as normal black holes. Our results show that there are theories of gravity in which black holes can masquerade as Einsteinian, so new techniques of analyzing EHT data may be needed to tell them apart, remarks Luciano Rezzolla, professor at Goethe University and leader of the Frankfurt team. While we believe general relativity is correct, as scientists we need to be open-minded. Luckily, future observations and more advanced techniques will eventually settle these doubts, concludes Rezzolla. Driving nanomotors through road blocks inside living cells (Nanowerk Spotlight) Artificial nano- and microrobots have gained huge interest in biomedical applications, which include targeted drug delivery, nano sensing, therapeutics, nano surgery etc. Researchers around the world are trying to make various types of nanorobots for different biomedical purposes. Nanorobots are extremely small devices, which can be maneuvered remotely by providing appropriate external stimulus, such as electric and magnetic fields, acoustic waves and light. They have the potential ability to move deep into tissue and release a therapeutic drug by sensing the surrounding environment. Researchers are especially interested in applying these techniques to cancer therapeutics due to the ability to deliver drugs at the diseased site with high efficiency. A recent work reported in Advanced Materials ("Maneuverability of Magnetic Nanomotors Inside Living Cells") demonstrates that helical shaped magnetic nanomotors can be maneuvered inside a living cell. In the past, researchers had tried to actuate gold nanorods inside biological cells, but they never managed to move them in a well-controlled manner as the intracellular environment is a highly heterogeneous medium. Apart from being heterogeneous, the intracellular matrix is anisotropic, i.e. properties are different if we measure it from different directions, and it also changes with time. That is why we have fabricated these novel nanostructures and engineered a strategy to manipulate them inside a cell in a controlled fashion. This new and versatile technique has the potential ability to position any payload at any desired location inside a living cell itself, which is of great importance in the field of biology and biophysics. With our technique, we think it will be possible to explore many new avenues in understanding the intracellular environment. Our helical shaped nanomotors are made of mainly silica and a thin layer of magnetic material, while their size is at least ten times smaller than the cell which they enter in. On entering the cell cytoplasm, the nanomotor encounters a highly complex, heterogenous environment. We used a rotating magnetic field to drive the motors inside the cytoplasm with precise control. Magnetic fields, which are widely used in biomedical imaging techniques such as MRI, are known to be completely benign to living systems. Due to the nature of the cellular interior, nanomotors often detoured from their path in order to move around intracellular roadblocks. But our newly developed strategy can lead to controlled propulsion of the nanomotors inside the cell in spite of these obstacles. Design and manipulation of helical nanomotors inside cells. (a) Schematic of the actuation scheme, where the helix rotates in sync with the magnetic field, such as to keep the permanent magnetic moment aligned with the applied field. The rotation results in translation of the helical nanomotor. The helical shape is predominantly made of SiO 2 (yellow), with a thin film of magnetic material (here iron, brown) deposited on the SiO 2 . (b) Schematic of the experiment: Petri dish containing the cells and the helical nanomotors are placed in a triaxial Helmholtz coil built around an optical microscope. The motion of the motors travelling through the intracellular space is recorded and analyzed. (c) SEM image of nanomotors. Left panel: larger: 400 nm 2.8 m, right panel: smaller: 250 nm 2.4 m. (d) Single HeLa cell containing two nanomotors, a snapshot of a 3D rendered video (movie M1) made from a stack of confocal images. Blue, nucleus; green, actin filaments and red, nanomotors (pseudo colored). The scan region dimensions were 64 m x 51 m x 7 m. (e) Ratio of manoeuvrable to total number of nanomotors that were internalized by the HeLa cells, for the two designs. Results from multiple experiments show higher manoeuvrability with the thinner motors. (f) Vector plot of speed of a nanomotor moving inside a cell (BAEC), scale bar 5 m. Also shown is the intended direction of the motor as defined by the rotating magnetic field (top right corner). (Source: M. Pal, N. Somalwar, A. Singh, R. Bhat, S. M. Eswarappa, D. K. Saini, A. Ghosh, Adv. Mater. 2018, 1800429. Copyright Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Reproduced with permission.) (click on image to enlarge) Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the work, scientists from different backgrounds (Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, Department of Molecular Reproduction and Department of Biochemistry) came together to achieve the research objective. The Optics, Nanostructures & Quantum Fluids Laboratory of Prof. Ambarish Ghosh at the Indian Institute of Science is one of the pioneers in the field of helical magnetic nanorobots. One of the important aspects of our nanomotors is that it becomes possible to sense viscosity of the medium that surrounds them. A previous paper from Prof. Ghoshs lab showed how one can measure viscosity of the medium by analyzing the dynamics of these nanomotors ("Helical nanopropellers to measure local viscosity in a fluid"). This is important in the sense that we can measure viscosity of the medium without any modification to the nanomotors. This is how these tiny motors can be used in nano sensing application which is unique in its own. The nanomotors are also capable of delivering a payload to a specific pre-determined location with high precision and speed. There is one more paper from Prof. Ghoshs group which reported that it is possible to trap a payload with these nanostructure by coupling it with plasmonic, a special kind of light matter interaction ("Manipulating colloids with mobile nanotweezers"). Using this technique, one can selectively pickup, transport, release, and position any object in a desired location, which proves its ability to be used as a tool for targeted drug delivery. In summary, these tiny robots have all the potential to be a unique tool in medical interventions of the future. We should mention here that although most of these results have been achieved in a research environment, we see the present work as significant step towards next-generation therapeutics and believe that these nanomotors will be used, very soon, in a clinical environment where they can be swallowed, inhaled and injected into patients' bodies and thereafter, using external actuation, it would be possible to guide them to the targeted location in a non-invasive manner. Though these are very interesting achievements, there are few more challenges for future autonomous and non-invasive therapeutics. The main challenge is to image these nanomotors while they are moving deep inside a tissue. Prof. Ghoshs group has already started to find the possible solution for this particular problem. By Malay Pal, PhD Research Scholar, Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Turkey for its essential contributions to the Alliance during a visit to Ankara on Monday (16 April 2018). The Secretary General is meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to prepare for the Brussels Summit in July and to discuss current security challenges. Meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the Secretary General praised Turkeys contributions to NATO operations, including in Afghanistan and Kosovo, and to the fight against Daesh. NATO stands with you in solidarity, he stressed, noting the ways in which the Alliance contributes to Turkeys security. We support Turkey with assurance measures, including AWACS surveillance aircraft, naval patrols and exercises, said Mr. Stoltenberg. He highlighted that NATO air and missile defence systems help protect Turkey and the Alliance has provided billions in funding for military infrastructure in the country. Foreign Minister Cavusoglu and the Secretary General also discussed the situation in Syria, including Operation Olive Branch and the horrendous attack with chemical weapons in Douma. NATO strongly condemns the repeated use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime as a threat to international peace and security, said Mr. Stoltenberg. He added that those responsible must be held accountable and NATO fully supports the efforts led by the United Nations to achieve a lasting political solution in Syria. During his visit, the Secretary General also met with Defence Minister Nurettin Canikli and other senior officials. (Natural News) Our pop culture generally associates the Starbucks coffee franchise with Left-wing Seattle-like hipsters who are tolerant, diverse, and inclusive, so imagine our shock when we learned that one of the most overt acts of racism in recent memory just occurred at a Starbucks franchise. As noted by The Daily Wire, the CEO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson, was forced last week to issue a huge apology and mea culpa after a disturbing video of a race-based incident at a Philadelphia Starbucks store went viral. In a video posted to Twitter by a woman who was witness to the travesty, police are speaking to a pair of black men the woman says were just sitting inside the shop while they were waiting for a third person before ordering their coffee. The interaction ends with the two men being arrested. The witness, author Melissa DePino, told media that the men were sitting and chatting at a table for less than 15 minutes before employees of the store called the police. While both of the men left the store peacefully and without incident, they were nevertheless escorted out in handcuffs. DePino said their friend had arrived at about the same time police did. @Starbucks The police were called because these men hadnt ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why its never happened to us when we do the same thing, DePino tweeted, adding later that she heard they were not released until 1:30 a.m. She said they were real estate brokers and were at Starbucks to meet a family friend. One white man can be seen in the video questioning a police officer about what the men were accused of doing. @Starbucks The police were called because these men hadnt ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why its never happened to us when we do the same thing. pic.twitter.com/0U4Pzs55Ci Melissa DePino (@missydepino) April 12, 2018 The Daily Wire noted further: DePino says there is no more to the story, even though, she says, a number of people have asked to elaborate on how the men were dressed, and how they were acting, on the presumption that two black men could not have been arrested for simply sitting in a Starbucks. As you can see in the video, the two men appear to be very casually dressed, perhaps even wearing sweat pants and shirts. But that shouldnt matter. The account DePino provided appears to be borne out by other witnesses. The video, in this case, essentially speaks for itself, one woman told CBS Philadelphia, according to The Daily Wire. These guys were doing what people do every day, they were having a meeting and they were undoubtedly singled out because of their race. It certainly appears that way. The same woman said that she tried to question police officers as they left the premises with the two suspects, but did not get a straight answer. One officer says in the video that they were investigating the matter. As for the Starbucks Coffee franchise, the corporation tweeted, Were reviewing the incident with our partners, law enforcement and customers to determine what took place and led to this unfortunate result. However, the investigation very rapidly turned into an apology. In a statement late Saturday, Johnson expressed his deepest apologies over the matter, listing three things the company is doing. First, to once again express our deepest apologies to the two men who were arrested with a goal of doing whatever we can to make things right. Second, to let you know of our plans to investigate the pertinent facts and make any necessary changes to our practices that would help prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again. And third, to reassure you that Starbucks stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling. Police, meanwhile, said the two men were trespassing because they had asked to use the bathroom but had not bought anything. Oh. So much for liberal tolerance. The Daily Wire reported further that progressives are planning an all-out boycott of the franchise. See more of this ridiculousness at Libtards.news. J.D. Heyes is also editor-in-chief of The National Sentinel. Sources include: DailyWire.com NewsTarget.com (Natural News) In the future, treating human papillomavirus (HPV) may be done with a microwave system. Tests with the device, a compact and portable applicator developed by Emblation Microwave, are underway and have yielded positive results thus far. According to HPV experts from the University of Glasgow, it works by delivering a precise and controlled low-energy dose that elevates the temperature of a few select tissues. Highly restricted cell destruction occurs, with infected tissue being included in the process. Healing then begins almost immediately. The device has already proven its efficacy against verrucas. Also known as plantar warts, verrucas appear on the soles of the feet and can be caused by the HPV virus. Over 10,000 verrucas cases have been treated in the U.K. since 2017. Now, researchers are attempting to gauge whether or not the same level of success will happen with precancerous issues relating to HPV, particularly cervical precancerous cells and genital warts. Additionally, they will also look into the effects of microwaves on living tissues infected with the virus. Compared to current treatments for cervical precancerous cells, the device presents a much safer alternative. Diseased tissue is typically removed through laser surgery. Although effective, this procedure is painful and has numerous risks. Theres a chance that diseased tissue may be missed during the course of treatment, and can even lead to sustained bleeding. On the other hand, using a microwave system requires little more than using mild heat in a non-invasive manner. (Related: Cervical cancer is killing African American women at twice the previously reported rate in spite of the HPV vaccine.) Professor Sheila Graham, professor of molecular virology at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, spoke of the tests with the device. We plan to assess if the device can disrupt HPV and whether there is an effect on HPV-infected precancerous and cancerous tissues The project will validate the microwave devices clinical potential but will also shed new light on how HPV-associated diseases arise, she said. We are delighted to be working with Emblation to test their microwave device. Director of Research and Development at Emblation, Dr. Matt Kidd, chimed in with: 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. On top of treating HPV, its believed that the microwave system may see use in medical fields beyond that for humans. Bovine papillomavirus (BPV) is a related disease that primarily affects cattle. Infected cows will typically develop warts on their skin and gastrointestinal tract. On rare occasions, these animals may suffer from cancer of the gastrointestinal tract and bladder. BPV can cause harm to horses and donkeys as well, causing equine sarcoids or skin tumors to grow in the animals. While largely benign and seldom fatal, equine sarcoids greatly diminish the value of a horse. As a result, equine sarcoids are the number one dermatological cause of horse euthanasia. Fast facts about HPV Over 170 types of HPV have been identified so far. Of these types, 40 are spread through vaginal, oral, and anal intercourse. As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 80 percent of sexually active people are liable to contract HPV before their 50s. Though rarer in men, theyre just as susceptible to HPV. If the virus persists in them, they can eventually develop cancer of the throat, penis, or anus. Because HPV can be transmitted through oral sex, practicing good oral hygiene greatly decreases the risk of infection. In fact, a study of 3,500 people found that individuals who had poor oral health were 56 percent more likely to catch HPV than those whose teeth and gums were in excellent shape. Stay up-to-date on this topic by going to Health.news. Sources include: GLA.AC.uk Health.com (Natural News) Theres no such thing as healthy fat. This was the conclusion University of Glasgows Dr. Stamatina Iliodromiti and his team arrived at after they studied 296,535 adults of white European descent. Dr. Iliodromiti and his team found that adults whose body mass index (BMI) was around 22 to 23 have lower risk of developing or dying from heart disease. The study also revealed that the risk of developing heart disease rose by 16 percent in women and 10 percent in men each time they gained 12.6 cm and 11.4 cm respectively around the waist. The risk for developing heart disease rose as well when researchers looked at waist-to-hip and waist-to-height ratios and body fat percentage. Study co-author Professor Naveed Sattar added that losing a few kilos improves health, and that there are no downsides in purposely losing weight. The findings come on the heels of reports from experts that junk food like pizza, ready meals, cakes and crisps (chips) raise the risk of cancer, which kills 162,000 Britons a year. Danger also lurks in sugary snacks, cereals, and reconstituted meat products with high sugar levels, fat and salt without vitamins and fiber, pre-packaged bread, store-bought desserts, meatballs, chicken nuggets and artificially sweetened drinks. Studies also show that a 10 percent rise in ultra-processed foods is linked to a 12 percent increase in cancer risk. Cancer Research UK warned that next to smoking, excess weight is the biggest preventable cause of the disease. Professor Sir Nilesh Samani, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, further said, The findings from this study contribute to the overwhelming evidence (that) there is no such thing as healthy obesity. Being obese increases a persons risk of developing heart disease, even if they are otherwise healthy. A little on the chubby side? Despair not! Here are ways to lose weight naturally, and enhance your health. Snack wisely . Be prepared when hunger strikes. Surround yourself with nutrient-packed, low-calorie snacks at work and when traveling. The best snacks include fat-fighting nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and dairy or calcium. . Be prepared when hunger strikes. Surround yourself with nutrient-packed, low-calorie snacks at work and when traveling. The best snacks include fat-fighting nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, and dairy or calcium. Sleep well. Too little sleep adds to your weight. It gets in the way of appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Lack of sleep also makes you fight to stay awake during daytime and forces you to turn to energy-giving food like fries, burgers, cookies and other unhealthy snacks. Dieters who slept eight-and-a-half hours nightly lost 56 percent more body fat than they did when taking the same meals after sleeping for only five-and-a-half hours. Sleeping seven to eight hours a night also gives you more energy and lowers food cravings. Too little sleep adds to your weight. It gets in the way of appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin. Lack of sleep also makes you fight to stay awake during daytime and forces you to turn to energy-giving food like fries, burgers, cookies and other unhealthy snacks. Dieters who slept eight-and-a-half hours nightly lost 56 percent more body fat than they did when taking the same meals after sleeping for only five-and-a-half hours. Sleeping seven to eight hours a night also gives you more energy and lowers food cravings. Study your workout routine . Researchers think cardio exercise may lead to additional eating, because it drains glycogen in the liver and muscle to make glucose available. Shift to a weight-control plan and aerobic interval training (short bursts of high-intensity, heart-pounding work) or strength training (push-ups, squats and muscle-building exercises) instead. You dont need to stay in the gym for an hour each day. Research from the Department of Kinesiology at Southern Illinois University showed that a mere 11 minutes of intense strength training a week can burn fat more and raise your energy consumption daily. . Researchers think cardio exercise may lead to additional eating, because it drains glycogen in the liver and muscle to make glucose available. Shift to a weight-control plan and aerobic interval training (short bursts of high-intensity, heart-pounding work) or strength training (push-ups, squats and muscle-building exercises) instead. You dont need to stay in the gym for an hour each day. Research from the Department of Kinesiology at Southern Illinois University showed that a mere 11 minutes of intense strength training a week can burn fat more and raise your energy consumption daily. Detox. Toxins, chemicals, and compounds in food and self-care products can raise fat levels. Studies show that organochlorine compounds in plastic, herbicides, pesticides and chlorine-based household products impair our ability to oxidize fat and contribute to fat tissue. So choose organic and shun toxins. Throw household cleaning products away and replace them with baking soda, lemon, olive oil, and vinegar. You can use them in the kitchen too. Toxins, chemicals, and compounds in food and self-care products can raise fat levels. Studies show that organochlorine compounds in plastic, herbicides, pesticides and chlorine-based household products impair our ability to oxidize fat and contribute to fat tissue. So choose organic and shun toxins. Throw household cleaning products away and replace them with baking soda, lemon, olive oil, and vinegar. You can use them in the kitchen too. Laugh daily. A study by Great Britains comedy channel GOLD (Go On Laugh Daily) showed that an hour of intense laughter burns 120 calories. This is equivalent to eight to 27 minutes of weight training, 15 to 20 minutes of walking and 40 minutes of vacuuming. So what are you waiting for? Burn that fat now! Youll reap the rewards of good health and a longer life if you do. Read Slender.news for daily wisdom about weight loss. Sources include: Express.co.uk RD.com (Natural News) The flying car company Kitty Hawk has finally debuted a prototype vehicle. According to an article on LiveScience, its new Cora air taxi will not need piloting skills or a pilot to operate. In the recent video and statement on the company website, Cora appears to be a typical small aircraft until you look at its wings. Twelve upwards-aligned propellers give it the capability to take off and land without need for a runway. In comparison, Kitty Hawks earlier Flyer vehicle looked like a Jet Ski was hitching a ride aboard the big brother of a quadcopter drone. The short-ranged Flyer is more of an experimental recreation vehicle compared to the bigger, more complex Cora. The company video describes Cora as a completely automated vehicle with a top speed of 110 mph (180 km/h) and a maximum altitude of 3,000 feet (910 meters). It is powered by electricity, and a fully-charged battery lets it fly about 60 miles (100 kilometers). Cora can carry two passengers. No piloting skills are reputedly required for its operation; the autonomous aerial vehicle relies on self-flying software. A number of former Google employees are deeply involved in the operations of Kitty Hawk. The CEO is Sebastian Thrun, the former head of Google X who was involved with the search engines self-driving car years ago. Funding is provided by multi-billionaire Larry Page, who co-founded Google and is now CEO of Alphabet. (Related: Chinas megadrone is worlds first autonomous aerial vehicle, carries passengers at 80 mph during test flights.) Kitty Hawk claims New Zealand is perfect for air taxi service Interestingly, Kitty Hawk has re-branded Cora as an air taxi instead of a flying car. Instead of selling the vehicle to individual users, the company will deploy it as a ridesharing service that picks up passengers on demand. The company also discussed a plan to start such a commercial air taxi service in New Zealand in the near future. Indeed, the official statement advertises the regulatory environment in New Zealand almost as much as it promotes Cora. According to the California-based company, New Zealand enjoys a forward-thinking regulatory environment and one of the worlds most sustainable energy ecosystems. The country derives 80 percent of its power from renewable energy and was looking into electric mobility vehicles. In its blog posts, Kitty Hawk has also suggested that its Cora prototype could not have debuted in the U.S. even though a number of the early design milestones were achieved in California. Cora achieved its first hover in 2011 and it first flew with passengers aboard on August 2017. Both were completed in the United States. Following that groundbreaking August flight, Kitty Hawk officially partnered with New Zealands Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), Ministry of Transport, and Civil Air Authority. The parties signed an agreement to test Coras self-flight capabilities in New Zealand starting in October 2017. The Cora air taxi has numerous safety features, including a parachute In the official fact sheet, Kitty Hawk stressed the safety features of their air taxi. Each of the vehicles twelve propellers has an independent power supply, so losing one will not start a catastrophic chain of events. The flight control system is similarly robust. Cora carries three fully redundant computers and only needs one operational unit to navigate itself. Finally, in case of the unthinkable, Cora is equipped with a parachute that can halt its fall and protect its passengers from injury. Zephyr Airworks is operating Cora in New Zealand on behalf of Kitty Hawk. The two companies have not yet released a timeline when the air taxi can finally start shuttling paying passengers across the country. Read more articles about air taxis, autonomous vehicles and the like at FutureScienceNews.com. Sources include: LiveScience.com EnGadget.com Cora.aero (Natural News) In the mid-1990s, the Republican-led Congress and President Bill Clinton worked together to pass a significant welfare reform program that was dubbed Workfare. Known formally as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, it essentially required anyone receiving welfare benefits to find work and take a job in order to keep getting assistance. Not only that, the assistance was time-limited; the goal of the law was to move people off welfare completely and into the workforce. The law contains strong work requirements, a performance bonus to reward states for moving welfare recipients into jobs, state maintenance of effort requirements, comprehensive child support enforcement, and supports for families moving from welfare to work including increased funding for child care and guaranteed medical coverage, said a description by the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversaw its requirements. Left-wing Democrats and their media mouthpieces hated the law and nitpicked it incessantly because they view dependency on government as an electoral strength. But by any measure of Workfares true intent transforming formerly reliant Americans into citizens independent of government the law was a success. As the Heritage Foundation noted in 2012, Workfare reduced welfare caseloads by half as employment rates among welfare recipients soared. When Barack Obama took office, however, he gutted the laws work requirement by exempting states from the laws work requirements. As Robert Rector, a senior research fellow at Heritages domestic policy studies department, noted in 2012 in The Washington Post, the Obama administration has jettisoned the laws work requirements, asserting that, in the future, no state will be required to follow them. In place of the legislated work requirements, the administration has stated, it will unilaterally design its own work systems without congressional involvement or consent. Any state will be free to follow the new Obama requirements in lieu of the written statute. The Left attacked Rector as being wrong and intentionally so. He wasnt; after all, he helped craft the 1996 Workfare legislation. As a result of Obamas change in the statute, welfare rolls spiked upward again, which was totally predictable. From 2009-2012, CNS News reported, federal and state welfare assistance had grown by nearly 20 percent, approaching $1 trillion annually for all 79 means-tested programs. (Related: Disgusting: Welfare recipients may soon shop online for clothes using your tax dollars.) By 2016, there was a 32-percent jump in welfare recipients, Breitbart News reported. Slowly but surely, after President Donald J. Trump took office, a number of states began to reimpose work requirements. Fox News noted on Independence Day in 2017 that in states that had done so, welfare rolls fell dramatically, between 50-90 percent, saving states and the federal government tens of billions of dollars. The evidence is clear: Workfare requirements empower individuals, reduce welfare participation, and cut costs. Now, the president just put this transformation into hyperdrive. Earlier this week Trump signed an executive order reinstating the work requirement. The order, titled, Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility, will affect millions of people currently receiving taxpayer-supported assistance for programs including Medicaid, SNAP (a.k.a. food stamps), and public housing. As reported by The Western Journal: The federal government spent more than $700 billion on welfare programs to assist low-income households last year. The president says his latest executive order is designed to make more public assistance recipients self-sufficient. The federal governments role is to clear paths to self-sufficiency, reserving public assistance programs for those who are truly in need, says the order. The federal government should do everything within its authority to empower individuals by providing opportunities for work, including by investing in federal programs that are effective at moving people into the workforce and out of poverty. Importantly, the order also returns Tenth Amendment authority to states, permitting them to decide how best to utilize public assistance dollars. Out of earshot of the daily noise of special counsel probes, angry protests, and political shenanigans, Trump is quietly, steadily keeping his pledge to Make America Great Again. See more information like this at BigGovernment.news. J.D. Heyes is editor of The National Sentinel and a senior writer for Natural News and News Target. Sources include: WesternJournal.com FoxNews.com Heritage.org NewsTarget.com The California Highway Patrol responded to a four-vehicle crash on westbound Interstate 580 in Dublin late Sunday night. A Ryder box truck, an SUV, a Volkswagen bug and a sedan were involved in the crash at about 9:15 p.m., just east of the I-680 interchange, the CHP said. At least three lanes were blocked, and tow trucks were working to clear the accident. The crash caused an unknown number of minor injuries, but no ambulances were called, the CHP said. The Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department and Alameda County Fire Department assisted in the response, the CHP said. The cause of the accident was under investigation. SAN DIEGO Young lefty Joey Lucchesi might end up being pretty good. But regardless, the Giants never hit Pitcher Theyre Seeing For The First Time, and that certainly held up Sunday. The Giants scored one run off the rookie and their own rookie, Tyler Beede, couldnt make it out of the bottom of the fourth. It only got worse once the bullpen got involved. A 10-1 loss to the Padres guaranteed another lost series here at Petco Park. Since the 2016 All-Star break, the Giants have played here five times, losing four series and splitting one. The Padres are supposed to be the worst team in the division, you know. Its on to Arizona. Before that, heres what else you need to know from a sunny Sunday in the Gaslamp Not Beede's best day: Beede lasted four innings in his MLB debut, and this one was even shorter. He was cruising until walking Freddy Galvis with two down in the third, and Franchy Cordero and Christian Villanueva followed with back-to-back first-pitch hits. Chase Headleys leadoff walk started the fourth-inning spiral. Three more hits knocked Beede out with the Padres leading 5-1. Osich's struggles continue: Josh Osich took over in the fifth. His first pitch was a fastball right down the middle and Villanueva bashed it off the Western Metal Supply Co. building. Osich gave up another run in the sixth before getting pulled. Through nine appearances, he has a 6.14 ERA. Longoria showing life: A positive sign: Evan Longoria appears to be his old self. He had a hard single to right in the second and banged a double off the center field wall in the seventh. This came a day after Longoria smoked a homer into the upper deck. Versatility shows: Jose Pirela, a Padres sparkplug, has played five positions in the majors. Cory Spangenberg moved from left field to second base in the seventh inning of this one. It kind of makes you realize just how little flexibility the Giants have. Both of their backup outfielders are outfielders only. Pablo Sandoval can play first and third and Kelby Tomlinson moves around a bit, but the roster is still far behind others in terms of having moving parts. A "beloved," "one-of-a-kind" and "amazing" sea lion at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo died Sunday after battling an illness, according to the theme park. Kai, a 22-year-old male California sea lion, was found to have a sudden and unknown illness on Tuesday, according to the park. Veterinarians from across the region and those working at the park spent the past several days caring for Kai before he passed away. "As one of the parks most popular and beloved animals, Kai will be remembered for his enthusiastic and endearing one-of-a-kind personality," according to a statement from the park. Kai is said to have taught millions of parkgoers that his species is "incredibly personable, intelligent and talented," according to the park. "His legacy will be the indelible impressions he left on all those who felt a connection to him, especially the animal care team who dedicated their lives to his care for over 20 years, and with whom there is now an unbreakable bond," a statement from the park read. Kai first arrived at the park after spending time at a Moss Landing Marine Laboratories sea lion program, according to the park. During his time with the program, he suffered a shoulder injury. Due to the injury and the fact that he had already bonded with humans, he could not be released back into the wild. San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster will have a misdemeanor count of possession of a large capacity ammunition magazine dismissed later this month, the Santa Clara County District Attorneys office announced Monday. A U.S. District Court judge in San Diego issued an injunction prohibiting enforcement of the misdemeanor ammunition charge. The DAs office announced, in light of the injunction, it will ask Santa Clara County Superior Court to dismiss the misdemeanor charge against Foster at the next scheduled court date, April 30. The DAs office on Thursday announced three felony charges against Foster: domestic violence with an allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury; forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime; and possession of an assault weapon. The 49ers announced Foster will not take part in the 49ers official offseason program, which began Monday at the teams training facility in Santa Clara. A magnitude 3.8 earthquake struck near the Alum Rock area of San Jose Monday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey. The temblor, which hit at 9:39 a.m., was centered 5 miles north-northeast of Alum Rock, 6 miles east of Milpitas and 9 miles northeast of downtown San Jose, according to the USGS. It was originally classified as a 3.9 magnitude quake before being downgraded. People in cities such as San Jose, Fremont, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Los Gatos and Cupertino reported feeling the earthquake. Someone from as far away as Menlo Park also reported feeling shaking. Reaction on social media was swift. "I'm in Campbell," Nancy Holme wrote on Twitter. "It felt like a car hit [our] house. One big jolt and it was over." Patty Mitchell in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood took to Twitter to describe the quake as a "very quick but strong jolt." "The TV here almost fell down," another person tweeted. "Notable quake in San Jose. Follows hailstorm. If toads start coming coming down, I'm out of here ...," tweeted Sacramento Bee reporter Matt Burrows. The Santa Clara County sheriffs department says there was minor shaking but it didnt receive any calls. The Geological Survey says a magnitude-3.8 temblor hit three minutes earlier 21 miles south of Bakersfield. The Kern County sheriffs office says it didnt receive calls on the slightly smaller quake. The epicenters were about 200 miles apart. The Bay Area witnessed wacky weather Monday, with parts of the East Bay covered in what looked like snow but was actually hail. Track the latest Bay Area earthquakes using NBC Bay Area's Earthquake Map. As millions of Americans rush to finish their taxes ahead of the deadline Tuesday, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi was in San Francisco this weekend, slamming the Republican tax bill. Pelosi says the bill hurts working class Americans and hits California hard. She called it a dark cloud over the Capitol and a fraud she is trying to educate the public about. Specifically, Pelosi wants people to know how theyre directly impacted by the tax bill and the budget. She also wants to create a unified opposition to the tax law. Pelosi spoke Sunday at the labor council, alongside organizers of the tax march. The council and its supporters are demanding an end to what they call the "Trump tax," hoping to close tax loopholes for the wealthy and invest in working families. Pelosi said the bill gives 83 percent of the benefits to the top 1 percent while claiming to be a middle income tax cut. "This is a complete fraud scam," Pelosi said. "It's not a middle income tax cut; it's deeply increased the deficit." Howard Epstein of San Francisco's Republican Party disagreed. "This is just anti-Trump," he said. "In reality, the tax cuts are working, and theyre good for most people in most places, especially the low income people." Pelosi has taken part in nearly a dozen town hall meetings on the tax bill. She said while Democrats hope to win seats in November, they would like to come together in a bipartisan way and create a tax bill that reduces the debt and generates jobs. A group of Democratic leaders plans to gather in front of the Capitol on Tuesday along with grass roots advocates. The search has been called off for a man who jumped overboard his cruise ship Friday as it traveled to Cape Liberty, New Jersey, from the Bahamas. The 24-year-old man from the U.S. was seen "intentionally going overboard" the Anthem of the Seas ship just after 4 p.m. Friday when the vessel was off the coast of Virginia, Royal Caribbean Cruises manager Owen Torres said. "The ship immediately began a search for the guest and notified the U.S. Coast Guard," he said. "After several hours of searching, the Coast Guard released Anthem to resume its scheduled itinerary while USCG search operations continue," Torres said. The Coast Guard searched overnight for the young man by helicopter and sea, but by 11 a.m. Saturday the search was called off, NJ.com reports. "There's not a possibility that he is alive," a Coast Guard spokesman said. Torres said the ship's "Care Team" was providing support to the guests family. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time." The cruise ship was set to leave New Jersey Saturday evening, per its scheduled itinerary. A letter mailed to Republicans in one Illinois district shows just how divided the state party is after the contentious primary. The message is directed to 16th District Committeman John McGlasson who did not support Gov. Bruce Rauner, but rather Jeanne Ives. McGlasson also did not support Congressman Adam Kinzinger. The letter, signed by four current lawmakers, asks McGlasson not to run for committeeman again. The same letter was also mailed to all of the newly elected precinct committeemen in the 16th District. McGlasson tells NBC 5 he will not be deterred and is going to run for the committeeman post again and expects to win. He sees the letter from the lawmakers as a way to silence his voice. McGlasson says he will "certainly support Rauner over JB Pritzker, even if I would have preferred Ives." The letter in question is signed by state representatives David Welter and Jerry Long, as well as state senators Chuck Weaver and Dave Syerson. Weaver tells NBC 5 The letter focused far more on the congressional race than McGlassons support for Ives. Welter says the letter was not just sent to McGlasson but also every newly elected precinct committeman in the 16th district. He adds myself and several leaders feel that it would be in the best interest of the party and to achieve unity moving forward if McGlasson were to not run again and allow new leadership. When "Roseanne" was first on TV from 1988 to 1997, the Chicago suburb of Elgin that inspired the show's setting was predominantly white and Republican, with a rusted out economy. Not anymore, NBC News reports. In the years when "Roseanne" was off the air, it became majority Hispanic and voted for Obama and Hillary Clinton. Its economy is on the rebound, too, featuring a huge riverboat casino. At the Dutch Inn West, a dusty bar where Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump voters of various ethnic backgrounds watched the latest episode over $2 beers, some residents said they love "Roseanne," even if it doesn't get the city's diversity right. "It is crazy to me that she's a Trump supporter because that is so divisive and he is so divisive," said Bill DiFulvio, a 57-year-old self-described "independent who doesn't support Trump," about the real-life and fictional Roseannes. With a simple one-line announcement, the United States Supreme Court announced Monday they will not hear the appeal of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. It was a devastating blow to Blagojevich, his family, and legal team, who had hoped they would get good news when the court released its order list at 8:30 am. Instead, the Blagojevich case merely appeared on the list under the caption Certiorari denied, meaning the Court would not consider the case. The Court held discussions of the Blagojevich case as part of a scheduled case conference last Friday. Rod, Amy, Annie and I could not be more disappointed in the decision today by the U.S. Supreme Court," Patti Blagojevich told NBC 5 Monday. "From the beginning weve had faith in the system and have felt the court would bring Rod back to us. Now, with the judiciary no longer an option, well have to put our faith elsewhere and find another way." For Blagojevich, this was almost certainly the final legal avenue to potentially shorten his time in prison. The former governor is in his 7th year of a 14 year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in suburban Denver. Now, the former governors best hope would be for President Donald Trump to commute his sentence. Many observers believe that is not a far-fetched scenario. The President is familiar with Blagojevich, who was a contestant on his Celebrity Apprentice program while he was awaiting trial. The president knows Rod, he was on his show, Patti Blagojevich told NBC5 last Friday. He said nice things to him when he was on the show, hes spoken favorably about Rod subsequent to that. So I think that, of any of our recent presidents we probably have the best shot with President Trump because he does have that relationship with Rod. Blagojevich, his family, and supporters had argued there was a larger issue at stake than the former governors freedom. Numerous politicians and others filed briefs with the court, asking that they take Blagojevichs case to clear up what even opponents agree is arcane and at times, even conflicting campaign finance law. Why is it so easy to put politicians in jail in the Midwest, and so difficult on the east coast, asked Leonard Goodman, Blagojevichs attorney. If were going to require elected officials who arent independently wealthy to go out and raise funds, tell them what the line is so that they can follow the rules. At issue, he argued, one standard (McCormick v. United States) which says a politician breaks the law if he makes an explicit promise to do something in exchange for a campaign contribution. But another ruling (Evans v. United States) presents a conflict in the eyes of many critics---that the lawmaker only needs to believe that something is expected. Very murky standards, Goodman says. Federal judges have pronounced themselves confused by these standards and asked the Supreme Court to step in and clarify. Prosecutors disagreed. No such conflict exists, the government wrote in its brief for the high court. Petitioners argument is without merit; and this would be a poor case to address the argument in any event. Petitioner has presented no consistent position on what explicit means, the government argued. But other observers who filed briefs with the court insisted clarification was needed. Although Blagojevich is an unsympathetic petitioner, the court should hear his case, David Keating, President of the Institute of Free Speech wrote last week in the publication The Hill. The Supreme Court finally has a chance to provide clarity and a uniform standard nationally by taking this case. The Court declined to take that chance, rejecting Blagojevichs appeal, without comment. "Throughout this grueling saga weve maintained hope that Rod will come back home where he belongs," Patti Blagojevich said. "Although we are disheartened by this decision, we are thankful for the outpouring of support weve received along the way. We will continue to push forward and work towards the day when our family can be whole again. The White House scrambled Monday to walk back U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's weekend announcement that new economic sanctions against Russia are imminent, but stressed the penalties are still being considered. Haley created a firestorm Sunday when she said the new sanctions would be imposed by the Treasury Department on Monday, when, in fact, no such announcement was planned, according to two officials familiar with the matter. In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tried to clarify the situation, but her explanation created more confusion and led to suggestions that President Donald Trump had personally intervened to halt the sanctions from taking effect Monday. "We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future," Sanders said in a statement. The two officials, who were not authorized to discuss private administration deliberations publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Haley had misspoken when she said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would announce the sanctions Monday "if he hasn't already." Haley said the sanctions would target those who are enabling Syrian leader Bashar Assad's government to continue using chemical weapons. The two officials said the administration had no plans to announce Syria-related sanctions on Russia this week, although they noted that two entities were hit with such penalties last month in a largely overlooked portion of a sanctions package that dealt mainly with Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and hacking. After Haley's comments, some in the administration suggested the sanctions now being considered could be rolled out Monday. But others said it would be wiser and more effective to wait for a period longer than three days after the U.S., British and French infuriated Russia with their missile strikes on Syria on Friday. The officials could not say when the new sanctions would be announced. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continued to hail the missile attack as perfectly carried out. Trump tweeted "Mission Accomplished" on Saturday after U.S., French and British warplanes and ships launched more than 100 missiles nearly unopposed by Syrian air defenses. While he declared success, the Pentagon said the pummeling of three chemical-related facilities left enough others intact to enable the Assad government to use banned weapons against civilians if it chooses. Trump's choice of words recalled a similar claim associated with President George W. Bush following the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Bush addressed sailors aboard a Navy ship in May 2003 alongside a "Mission Accomplished" banner, just weeks before it became apparent that Iraqis had organized an insurgency that would tie down U.S. forces for years. Later Sunday, Trump sent a letter to congressional leaders informing them in writing of his decision to order the strike. Under the War Powers Resolution, the president must keep Congress informed of such actions. The nighttime assault on Syria was carefully limited to minimize civilian casualties and avoid direct conflict with Russia, but confusion arose over the extent to which Washington warned Moscow it was coming. The Pentagon said it gave no explicit warning. The U.S. ambassador in Moscow, Jon Huntsman, said in a video, "Before we took action, the United States communicated with" Russia to "reduce the danger of any Russian or civilian casualties." Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin announced Monday that he will not enter the 2018 race for governor. In a release, Bronin said he believed he had the support to go forward but wanted to focus on the future of Hartford instead. But as Ive considered the road ahead, Ive kept my commitment to Hartford at the forefront of my mind. After thinking hard and wrestling with this decision, I have decided to end my exploratory committee and stay focused on my work as Mayor," Bronin said in a statement. Bronin announced last December that he would form the exploratory committee to determine if he would run this November. He has been serving as Hartford mayor since Jan. 2016. Last October, the state came up with a plan to pay Hartford's $550 million in debt. The plan was made official in March. Bronin said he didn't want his status in the governor's race to have a negative impact on how people perceive the bailout. While our State may be at a critical moment, our city is, too. Last fall, we were able to build new partnership with the State of Connecticut marrying new financial assistance with long-term accountability. I believe deeply that agreement was the right and responsible path, not just for Hartford but for Connecticut." A 46-year-old East Central Texas man who authorities say used children as young as 5 years of age to package his methamphetamine supply has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for dealing the illegal drugs. Burleson County prosecutors say Charles David Clark of Caldwell was convicted last week of a charge of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. Evidence at his trial show he used his own children and other kids to package the drugs. The conviction carries a penalty of up to two years in a state jail but Clark's extensive criminal record that already included multiple drug convictions elevated him to habitual offender status, allowing District Court Judge J.D. Langley to impose the stiffer sentence. Caldwell is about 25 miles west of College Station. Take a 2 1/2 hour drive west of Fort Worth, and youll get to Buffalo Gap, population 463. The population doubled Saturday night as 500 out-of-towners strolled the grounds of Perini Ranch Steakhouse for the second day of the 14th Annual Buffalo Gap Food and Wine Summit. Its not a festival. Its a summit, said Lisa Perini as she watched guests arrive. We want people to learn. Cultivating the appreciation of fine wine and food through education and industry discussion was the focus of the summit when it started 14 years ago and remains so today. The education happens during a Friday dinner, events Saturday morning, afternoon and a street party in the evening. Its why chefs, wineries, industry experts and guests return year after year. Dallas-Fort Worth had a very big presence this year with 14 restaurants. Matt McAllister at FT33 in Dallas has been part of the event for a decade now. He enjoys the intimacy of it and the one-on-one conversations with guests who come to sample foods that stretch past his menu at the restaurant. At the Mexican-themed party Saturday night, he served guests Heritage Pork Posole Verdi. People are truly interested in the food and experience, said Courtney Luscher. She and chef/husband Brian C. Luscher own The Grape Restaurant in Dallas. This was their first year to be invited to the summit. I love it. Im a big fan of Lisa and the ranch, said Courtney who works as general manager and sommelier at The Grape. Its an honor to be with your comrades and all the people around the city you cook with. And we get to do something different than what we normally do, and thats fun for us. The fun atmosphere of the Saturday event is also a draw. The chefs and restaurants cook and serve as the sun goes down in the west Texas sky, and the crisp temperatures of an April evening keep sweat to a minimum as smokers and grills cook the meat. Its definitive Texas, said Mike Micallef, president of Reata Restaurant in Fort Worth. Reata is another perennial invitee to the summit. And, it was the yearly experience that gave Micallef and his general manager Russell Kirkpatrick the idea to bring a similar event to Fort Worth five years ago. This was the inspiration for the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival. The majority of restaurants here are from Dallas-Fort Worth, he said. So, if tickets here sell out in six minutes, why wouldnt it work in a Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival? Both events raise money to support students interested in the culinary industry. For the Buffalo Gap Food and Wine Summit, proceeds support graduate fellowships for students studying viticulture or enology in the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University. Its just another example of how Tom and Lisa Perini continue to use their influence to put the Texas food and wine industry on the map. Together they have dined their way around the world, but their passion continues to be the Perini Ranch Steakhouse in tiny Buffalo Gap. Its the place where Tom Perini, a chuck wagon cook found success. Everyone has respect for Tom Perini. Hes the real deal, said Micallef. If theres a father of Texas cuisine, its Perini. A public meeting will be held in Benbrook to discuss the decision to widen Interstate 20 from Winscott Road to Bryant Irving on Monday. The proposed project would relieve main lane traffic and enhance safety and mobility. The plans include widening I-20 by adding an auxiliary lane in each direction from Winscott Road to Bryant Irvin Road with possible plans to add a lane in each direction in the future. Sound walls are another addition talked about in the project. The Texas Department of Transportation said the meeting will display maps and drawings to illustrate the project. The meeting will be held at the Christ Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church located at 6116 Southwest Boulevard in Fort Worth from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and visitors may come and go as they please. For more information on the project, visit the TxDOT website, keyword: I-20 Benbrook. One man is dead and a woman is injured following a shooting the parking lot of an IHOP along Interstate 35 in Lancaster Sunday afternoon. Police responded to a shooting in progress just before 2 p.m. and found a man dead in the parking lot. A woman who was injured is expected to survive. The gunman left the scene, but later turned himself in to police in Duncanville. Witnesses describe panic inside the restaurant when the shooting began outside. "The gun sounded so loud, it was like it was echoing inside the restaurant as well," said Demontre Jones. Jones and A.L. Owens say they were sitting in a booth near the front windows when they saw the gunman kill an employee. "All of a sudden I heard a gunshot and as I looked out the window, I saw the young man as he was falling down," said Owens. "And the other guy pumping three more bullets into him." Owens said a female employee in the parking lot was bleeding from the hand. People in the restaurant rushed for the back exit, unsure if the gunman would enter the building. According to police, the suspected gunman drove away from the scene and later surrendered at the Duncanville Police Department. The identities of those involved have not been released. Friends of the victim who was killed told NBC 5 he was an aspiring photographer and in his early 20s. The investigation is ongoing, police said. University of Texas police and Harris County sheriff's deputies have arrested a 23-year-old Houston-area man who they say threatened to shoot at least 200 people at the school in Austin. Authorities say Sean Evan Haddon has been charged with making a terrorist threat. He's in the Harris County jail following his arrest Sunday morning. Police say phone calls began April 7 with a bomb threat to their campus police headquarters. Another similar call was received Thursday, followed by a call Friday to the university's Human Resource Service Center threatening to shoot "at least 200 people." That call was tracked to Haddon's home in Crosby, a northeast Houston suburb about 160 miles east of Austin. Police say after each call officers found nothing suspicious to merit a campus-wide alert. What to Know Authorities believe Lois Riess shot and killed a woman in Florida to assume her identity. Anyone who sees Reiss is urged to call 911. A Minnesota woman who is wanted in connection with her husband's death is now charged with killing a Florida woman who resembled her and stealing the woman's identity as she eluded authorities, officials said Friday. Lois Riess, 56, of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, has been charged in the shooting death of Pamela Hutchinson, 59, of Bradenton, Florida. Authorities were called to an area of Fort Myers Beach on Monday and found Hutchinson dead, with gunshot wounds. Authorities aren't aware of any connection between the two women, but they believe Riess shot and killed Hutchinson to assume her identity. "Ms. Hutchinson's purse was found to be in disarray and all cash, credit cards and identification appeared to be removed," Lee County Undersheriff Carmine Marceno said, adding: "Further investigation revealed that Ms. Hutchinson was targeted by the suspect due to the similarities in their appearance." Riess is believed to be driving Hutchinson's car, a white Acura TL with Florida license plate Y37TAA. The car has been seen in Louisiana and Corpus Christi, Texas, since Hutchinson died. Riess' 2005 white Cadillac Escalade was found abandoned in a Florida park. Riess is wanted in Florida for murder, grand theft of a motor vehicle and grand theft and criminal use of personal identification. Her current whereabouts are unknown. "Riess's mode of operation is to befriend women who resemble her and steal their identity," Marceno said. "U.S. Marshals are actively involved in a national search for this dangerous fugitive. Riess is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached if located." Riess is also wanted in the March death of her husband, David Riess. Prosecutors are preparing second-degree murder charges in that case. Minnesota's Dodge County Sheriff Scott Rose said Friday that authorities believe the same gun was used in both killings. Anyone who sees Reiss is urged to call 911, and anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or Florida authorities. Riess has been on the run since at least late March, after David Riess's business partner called Dodge County authorities on March 23 to ask them to check on him. The partner said no one at work had seen David Riess in over two weeks. Authorities found David Riess's body inside his home with multiple gunshots. They couldn't determine how long he had been dead, and investigators could not find his wife. During the investigation, authorities learned that Lois Riess may have been at Diamond Joe's Casino in Iowa. Authorities from Dodge County, the BCA and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation went to the casino, but Riess had already left. Authorities later learned she was in south Florida. A Los Angeles city assistant fire chief earned well over a $1 million in pension pay and an LAPD deputy chief earned nearly $1 million in 2017, making them the highest pension earners in California last year, according to data from a nonprofit watchdog group. Former Assistant Fire Chief Donald Frazeur received $1.2 million on top of his regular $212,730 annual pension for a total of $1.4 million, according to Transparent California, which collects and posts salary data online. Frazeur couldn't be reached. !function(e,t,n,s){var i="InfogramEmbeds",o=e.getElementsByTagName(t)[0],d=/^http:/.test(e.location)?"http:":"https:";if(/^\/{2}/.test(s)&&(s=d+s),window[i]&&window[i].initialized)window[i].process&&window[i].process();else if(!e.getElementById(n)){var a=e.createElement(t);a.async=1,a.id=n,a.src=s,o.parentNode.insertBefore(a,o)}}(document,"script","infogram-async","https://e.infogram.com/js/dist/embed-loader-min.js"); Following Frazeur, former LAPD Deputy Chief Michael Downing earned $995,845 in pension money and $14,867 in benefits for a total of just over $1 million, according to the data. Downing retired last year after 35 years, the last decade heading up the department's Special Operations Bureau. He said he took advantage of the voter-approved program called the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) that allows sworn personnel to work and receive pay and benefits while earning a pension. Downing, who retired last year and is now the chief security officer at Oak View Group, which helps venues manage events, said he never took a sick day in his 35 years and never abused the system. The DROP program was the subject of a critical Los Angeles Times article that said 1,200 participants were taking leave for injuries some for years. The city is now taking a second look at the program. Robert Fellner, the executive director for Transparent California, called these types of pension programs for California government workers "a pure wealth maximization scheme." "It plays into why the costs were so high," he said. "Today's costs really just reflect the generosity of the plan." The data about the highest earning public safety retirees comes on the heels of a report about the highest earning LA city civilian employee. Former Los Angeles Chief Port Pilot Michael Rubino's $373,156 pension shattered the record for the highest pension received by any member of the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System, according to Transparent California. He earned the amount due to a combination of a large amount of overtime cashed in during his last year of employment in 2016 that counted toward his future pension, Fellner said. Chief port pilots direct the daily activities of boats coming into and going out of the Port of Los Angeles. They communicate with ship captains, supervise staff, conduct on-the-job training, and enforce safety at one of the busiest ports in the world. "It is hard to determine which is a worse abuse of public funds: paying overtime for work that was never performed, or using that inflated overtime to successfully spike one's pension to nearly $375,000 a year," said Fellner. The Port of Los Angeles has filled previously vacant Port Pilot and Chief Port Pilot positions in order to decrease the dependency on callbacks and overtime, said Rachel Campbell, a port spokeswoman. What to Know The governor made his remarks at a Pinellas County Republican Party dinner Saturday night. Trump has denied reports that he is considering firing the former FBI director. Florida Gov. Rick Scott said President Donald Trump should not dismiss special prosecutor Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. The Tampa Bay Times reports that the governor made his remarks at a Pinellas County Republican Party dinner Saturday night, telling the crowd Trump is "going to decide what he wants to do. He gets to make that decision. I wouldn't dismiss him." Trump has denied reports that he is considering firing the former FBI director, but he has been highly critical of the investigation, calling it a "witch hunt" on Twitter. Scott, who cannot run for a third term because of term limits, recently announced he will challenge Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November. He told the crowd that it won't be a "cheap or easy" election. "If we show up in November and bust our butt and tell our story . then we will win in a landslide," Scott said. "There's no reason we can't win this election." He also told the crowd he supports Trump's decision to launch a missile strike against Syria on Friday. He said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been killing his own citizens using chemical weapons. Scott said, "I think the president acted within his power and did the right thing." What to Know Members of the Liberty City neighborhood is calling for change to an area that has been plagued with crime and gun violence. In the past weeks, members from Walking One Stop have been taking to the streets marching and speaking out for peace. Members of the Liberty City neighborhood is calling for change to an area that has been plagued with crime and gun violence. In the past weeks, members from Walking One Stop have been taking to the streets marching and speaking out for peace. Now, a group of volunteers is out here going door to door to help them. Every single day, we have shootings in places like Liberty City and fatalities on a weekly basis thats been going on for years, said Wayne Rawlings from Walking One Stop. You have young people that are involved in the drug trade when one person gets shot, another person is ready to come in and take their position, Rawlings said Then, theres the issue of retaliation. Recent shootings have shaken the community to the core - like the death of 4-year-old Nyla Jones, who was shot on Easter Sunday. Within two weeks of that tragedy, four teens were shot and two of them died including Kimson Green, who attended Northwestern High School and was a month away from being nominated into the National Honor Society. Local, state and federal organizations came out Monday, offering services that include help in finding jobs, providing childcare and counseling for those frequently impacted by gun violence. Volunteers say every door they knock on is an opportunity to heal the pain and offer hope in a community tired of hearing gunshots and learning their loved ones are gone, even the ones who should have had a fighting chance. What to Know The Commander-in-Chief is expected to land at Miami International Airport shortly before noon on Air Force One. Trump has been in Hialeah before, announcing his Cuba policy at an event last year. After the event, the President will also be heading to his Mar-a-Lago resort to host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday. President Donald Trump will be spending the next few days in South Florida, starting with an event in Hialeah on Monday. The Commander-in-Chief arrived at Miami International Airport shortly after noon on Air Force One before heading to an event to discuss his $1.5 trillion tax cut package, which includes tax cuts for corporations and more modest reductions for middle and low-income individuals and families. Trump was joined by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Labor Secretary and Miami native Alex Acosta and Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon. Trump said Monday the Republican tax law and his push to slash regulations are driving one of the "greatest booms" to the U.S. economy and helping Hispanic workers. Trump praised the strength of the economy at a business round-table in a predominantly Latino suburb, telling the audience the country is "starting to really rock" with businesses coming back to the country and corporations facing fewer regulations. The event included testimonials from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a one-time campaign rival who praised the administration's handling of Cuba and Venezuela, and several Cuban business leaders. Trump did not publicly respond to the ABC News interview by former FBI Director James Comey, keeping focused instead on the economy. Speaking a day before the personal income tax filing deadline, Trump said: "This is the last time we're going to fill out that long, complicated, horrible return." The president said next year, once the tax law is fully implemented, filing a federal return will be "simple and easy to do." Trump has withheld the release of his personal tax returns, falling short of the standard followed by presidents since Richard Nixon started the practice in 1969. During the 2016 campaign, Trump argued he couldn't release his taxes because he was under an audit by the IRS. At the Hialeah event, the president praised his new national security adviser John Bolton for the air strikes in Syria on Friday. As the crowd applauded, Trump joked, "Are you giving him all the credit? You know that means the end of his job." After the event, the President headed to his Mar-a-Lago resort to host Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday and Wednesday. The president and prime minister are expected to discuss investment ties to both countries with North Korea also reportedly a topic of discussion. Trump is expected to leave the state on Thursday at 11 a.m. A legal fight over what should happen to records the FBI seized from President Donald Trump's personal attorney took a surprise twist Monday when the lawyer, Michael Cohen, was forced to reveal a secret that he had also done legal work for Fox News host Sean Hannity. The disclosure came as a New York judge disappointed a lawyer for Trump by letting prosecutors proceed with the cataloguing of evidence including multiple electronic devices that were seized in raids while a system is set up to ensure that records protected by attorney-client privilege aren't disclosed to investigators. Lawyers for Cohen and prosecutors both had reason to claim success after three hours of arguments before U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood, who said she may appoint a special master, a neutral lawyer, to help decide which materials should stay confidential. Wood denied a request by Trump's lawyer, Joanna Hendon, that the president and Cohen get the first crack at designating which documents should be off-limits to investigators. Hannity's name emerged after the judge pressed Cohen to divulge the names of the clients he's worked with since the 2016 election, whose privileged communications might be contained within his files. Cohen's legal team said he had just three clients in 2017 and 2018. One was Trump. Another was Elliott Broidy, a Trump fundraiser who resigned from the Republican National Committee on Friday after it was revealed that he paid $1.6 million to a Playboy Playmate with whom he had an extramarital affair. The Playmate became pregnant and elected to have an abortion. Cohen's lawyers resisted revealing the name of the third client, saying it would be embarrassing and unnecessary. Plus, the client had specifically asked for privacy and requested that they appeal any demand to divulge his name. But Wood pressed on. "I understand he doesn't want his name out there, but that's not enough under the law," she said, after hearing legal arguments from Robert Balin, a lawyer for five news organizations including The Associated Press. When the name was announced, there were gasps and some laughter in a courtroom packed with journalists. A few of them raced from the courtroom. Cohen's lawyers did not detail the type of legal work he did for Hannity. On his radio show, Hannity said Cohen was never involved in any matter between him and any third party. "Michael never represented me in any matter," Hannity said. "I never retained him in any traditional sense. I never received an invoice. I never paid a legal fee. I had brief discussions with him about legal questions where I wanted his input and perspective." Later he added on Twitter the legal advice he got from Cohen was "almost exclusively about real estate." Hannity addressed the controversy twice during his television show Monday night, brushing off criticism from lawyer Alan Dershowitz who told him, "you should have disclosed your relationship with Cohen when you talked about him on the show." Hannity replied that the relationship was minimal and that he had a right to privacy. "It had to do with real estate and nothing political," Hannity told Dershowitz. He gave a lengthier explanation at the end of his show, saying Cohen "never represented me in any legal matter." He called Cohen a great attorney, but said none of their discussions ever included a third party and were centered on real estate. Hannity, an outspoken supporter of Trump, has been a fierce critic of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Monday's hearing began with an appearance by porn actress Stormy Daniels, who was swarmed by photographers and nearly fell as she was hustled into the courthouse, a scene that captured the sensational atmosphere around the case. The last to enter court, she was among the first to leave. While in court, she smiled several times as she observed the proceedings from a folding chair near the back of the room. Outside afterward, she said Cohen has acted like he's above the law and that she and her lawyer are committed to making sure everyone learns the truth. The April 9 raid on Cohen sought information on a variety of matters, including a $130,000 payment made to Daniels, who alleges she had sex with a married Trump in 2006. At stake is an investigation that could uncover the inner workings of Trump's longtime fixer and image protector. People familiar with the probe told the AP that agents were seeking bank records, records on Cohen's dealing in the taxi industry, Cohen's communications with the Trump campaign and information on payments made in 2016 to two women who say they had affairs with Trump, former Playboy model Karen McDougal and the porn star Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Lawyers for Cohen filed papers Monday saying investigators "took everything" during the raids, including more than a dozen electronic devices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas McKay said in court that the government took images of the contents of most electronic devices, leaving them behind after the raids, and that cataloguing evidence might be delayed because some devices must be sent to an FBI laboratory to "decrypt" because they require code words. Prosecutors say that material should be reviewed by a team of Justice Department lawyers independent from the investigation who could identify records that should remain confidential. That team, they said, could provide the documents to Trump and other Cohen clients for their own review. Trump, who was in Florida on Monday, said all lawyers are now "deflated and concerned" by the FBI raid on Cohen. "Attorney Client privilege is now a thing of the past," he tweeted Sunday. "I have many (too many!) lawyers and they are probably wondering when their offices, and even homes, are going to be raided with everything, including their phones and computers, taken. All lawyers are deflated and concerned." Two women from the Bronx pulled a man out of his car, beat him on the ground and then intentionally drove his car into a pole -- all while he was traveling with his 1-year-old baby inside, police say. Police arrested the two women in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday afternoon. Police say Veda Nolasco, 31, of the Bronx, was driving on Rhode Island and Pacific avenues when she was involved in a collision with another vehicle driven by a 35-year-old man. The man's 1-year-old child was also inside his vehicle. Nolasco sped off after the crash and the man followed her and called 911, police said. At Atlantic Avenue, Nolasco as well as her passenger, Tiffany Williams, 29, of the Bronx, got out, pulled the man out of his vehicle and began to attack him, according to investigators. Nolasco then allegedly entered the man's vehicle and deliberately crashed it into a telephone pole. Nolasco and Williams then got back into their own vehicle and fled the scene, police said. The man and his child were both evaluated at the scene by medics and released. Police located Nolascos vehicle on the beach block of New Jersey Avenue. Security personnel with Showboat Atlantic City then found Nolasco and Williams inside their property. They were detained until officers arrived and arrested them. Both women are charged with robbery, conspiracy, theft, endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault. Nolasco is also charged with several motor vehicle summonses. The two women were remanded to the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Entertainers, politicians, activists and athletes will gather outside the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center Monday morning to protest the imprisonment of Philly rapper Meek Mill. The event will start at 8 a.m. outside the CJC on 1301 Filbert Street where lawyers for Mill, whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams, are expected to meet with Judge Genece Brinkley for a status hearing. The protesters will hold a rally and sit-in while demanding that Judge Brinkley overturn the rappers conviction. Mill is fighting for release while appealing a two to four-year sentence for a probation violation. Judge Brinkley said his drug use, arrests and other issues while under supervision merited the jail time. Mills lawyers accuse her of having a personal vendetta. The same officers who arrested Meek Mill are now under investigation for their participation in crimes conducted by fellow officers, ranging from assault, robbery, and kidnapping, to committing false arrests, organizers of Mondays rally wrote. Despite this, Meek Mill has been refused bail, and remains in prison serving a 2 to 4-year sentence for technical probation violations: non-criminal and non-violent offenses. .medium div.leadMediaRegion {border:none} .medium .leadMediaRegion.city_module iframe {height:400px;} Since his sentencing, Mill has received support from fans and high-profile figures across the country, including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft who, along with Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, visited the rapper in prison Tuesday. Afterward, Kraft called for reform of the criminal justice system. Mayor Kenney also visited Mill Wednesday. New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and entrepreneur Michael Rubin both met with jailed Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill at the state prison in Chester City. After the meeting, Kraft and Rubin spoke with reporters. Rubin is expected to attend Mondays rally along with Philly rapper Lil Uzi Vert, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack and Philly academic, journalist and author Marc Lamont Hill. Rappers Rick Ross, Freeway and members of the Philadelphia Eagles, who used Mills song Dreams and Nightmares for motivation during their Super Bowl run, are also expected to attend. Organizers say the rally will give a voice to the thousands of Pennsylvanians who have faced the same cycle of injustice. Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill is inching closer to freedom after the District Attorneys office on Monday called for a new trial to be set. Assistant DA Liam Riley told Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Genece Brinkley that Mills original trial and sentence was called into question earlier this year after the name of his arresting officer appeared on a list of alleged corrupt cops in Philadelphia. The testimony given by former Officer Reginald Graham could not necessarily be trusted, Riley said. But Brinkley, who presided over Mills initial case in 2007, was not swayed by either the prosecution nor Mills defense team, who asked for a new trial date. Instead, the judge set an evidentiary hearing for June 18. Mills defense team also asked that the case be handed over to Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper, who will be hearing other cases involving the officers included on the list. Brinkley bristled and said she would need to consult with Wood-Skipper before agreeing to anything. Brinkley also refused to hear any mention of granting bail. Defense attorney Joe Tacopina said Mills team will appeal to the a Pennsylvania Supreme Court. "Were elated the District Attorney's Office has agreed to a new trial, Fellow defense attorney Brian McGonagle said outside the courtroom. "The office has shown a great amount of integrity granting our request for a new trial. They have recognized and determined the criminal behavior on the part of the arresting officer, which dates back to Meeks arrest." Mill's team has also been carrying out a high-profile public relations campaign to exert pressure on the judge. Civil rights leaders, politicians, entertainers, and even New England Patriot's owner Robert Kraft have visited Mill in prison and called for his release. Outside the Criminal Justice Center, cheers erupted as news spread. Demonstrators carrying Free Meek Mill signs danced in the streets. Mills mother, Kathy Williams, told NBC10 while she is hopeful, she is also frustrated by the legal wrangling. "Im just so tired, she said. I really don't know what else to say." Protesters swarmed a Philadelphia Starbucks Sunday after two black men were arrested there last week for allegedly refusing to leave. The demonstration at the Center City cafe started around noon at the intersection of 18th and Spruce streets and quickly escalated. Protesters carrying loudspeakers shouted as they crowded into the coffee shop and confronted employees behind the cash register. One man led a call and response chant: "Today, this space is secure," he said, "secured by the people." Some demonstrators carried signs that read "Too Little Too Latte" and "#Enough Shame On Your Starbucks." Outside, an organizer told those crowded around that "we will not tolerate racial bias anymore." Protest has started outside Starbucks, local head of Black Lives Matter says they are cleansing space w sage #nbc10 pic.twitter.com/LVG61tEyfG Lauren Mayk (@Laurenjmayk) April 15, 2018 Sunday's action stemmed from a video posted on social media showing two black men, who claimed to have been waiting for a friend, being handcuffed and escorted out of the coffee shop on Thursday. By Saturday, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said he wanted to apologize personally to the two men. Johnson posted a lengthy statement on the company's website, calling the situation "disheartening" and "reprehensible." "We would love to meet those two men and personally apologize," Camille Hymes, the Starbucks regional manager, told NBC10. "We take full responsibility." Protesters demanded that the store manager who called police on the two men be fired. Hymes, who met with the protesters at the Starbucks Sunday, did not offer to meet that demand. "We take full responsibility and....we put [the manager] in a position that did not allow her to be set up for success or those two men," Hymes said. It was not the answer the demonstrators were looking for. "We want her out and once she's fired, then we may have a conversation," said Black Lives Matter Pennsylvania activist Asa Khalif, who attended Sunday's protest. Hymes said the company still had work to do. "This incident does not reflect the spirit of our brand," Hymes said. "It was an unfortunate incident and we'll be sure to make it right." Authorities were called to the Starbucks Thursday afternoon when the two men allegedly remained in the store after a manager told them they had to order something, according to witnesses. Philadelphia Police commissioner Richard Ross said they received a 911 call from the Starbucks reporting a disturbance and trespassing(Listen to the full dispatch HERE). The employees told police the men came into the store, sat down and then used the bathroom, according to Ross. "Starbucks said that according to their company policy, they do not allow non-paying...people of the public to come in and use the restroom," Ross said. "So they then asked these two males to leave. These two males refused to leave and the police were called." Michelle Saahene told NBC10 she was inside the store when responding officers spoke to the two men. "The two young men politely asked why they were being asked to leave and were not given a reason other than that they hadnt bought something," she said. Saahene said more officers came in and repeatedly told the men they had to leave but the men refused. "The two guys sat there calmly and said they hadnt done anything wrong, and that they were there waiting for a friend," Saahene said. "The cops started to move chairs and tables out of the way that had been between them and the two men." The officers then made the men stand up and handcuffed them, according to Saahene. "They actually put them in handcuffs because they didnt buy a f--- latte," Saahene said. Saahene said a friend of the two men then walked in as the officers placed them in handcuffs and asked why they were being arrested, to which the officers replied, "trespassing." "[The friend] said, 'But this is a public space. Were in Starbucks. How is this considered trespassing?' The cops said the two men were not paying customers and thus were trespassing," Saahene said. The officers then escorted the handcuffed men out of the Starbucks, according to Saahene. "Im black and it was just so, I was scared for them," she said. "I was so angry I was trembling. I was furious. I even approached the manager. ... I asked the barista why she called the cops on them." Saahene said at no point did the two men get angry or raise their voices. "Plenty of people hang out in Starbucks without buying something," Saahene said. "There was nothing about their appearance or behavior that posed a threat. The only possible explanation is their race." Commissioner Ross defended his officers' actions, saying they did nothing wrong and followed policy. "It is important to emphasize and underscore that these officers had legal standing to make this arrest," he said. "They were called to the scene because employees said they were trespassing." But Kevin Johnson said it was wrong for the store to call police and promised to make any "necessary changes" to the company's practices. "You should expect more from us," Johnson said, adding that he will be visiting Philadelphia and meeting with the regional manager in coming days. The men, who have not been identified, were later released after Starbucks declined to press trespassing charges. Riley Ross, a civil rights attorney not associated witht he incident, told NBC10 the two men who were arrested would have to prove a pattern of discrimination to have a legal case against Starbucks. "If it's a privately owned business, they can tell you to leave," Ross said. "Now if it turns out that they're doing that for some discriminatory reason, that is against the law." Ross also said he has other concerns about the incident besides legal ones. "I don't see a 911 call that comes in and then there's no response and there's two white gentlemen there who are saying, 'I didn't order any coffee yet and I'm not ready to leave,'" Ross said. "I don't know that that's going to yield the show of force that we saw in this video." The incident has gained national attention since video of it was posted on social media. Even Philadelphia native turned Hollywood actor Kevin Hart waded into the controversy, tweeting that Starbucks must "make this situation right." Message to the @Starbucks in Philadelphia....Our city is shining bright like a diamond right now. Please make this situation right. I repeat please make this situation right!!!!!!! Once again MAKE THIS RIGHT Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) April 15, 2018 Another protest at the Starbucks is set to take place Monday starting at 7 a.m. Philadelphia Councilman Kenyatta Johnson will also join community leaders during a news conference outside the Starbucks at 4 p.m. to address the incident and "denounce racial profiling in places of public accomodation." A woman died after a man crashed a stolen car into a parked SUV in Philadelphias Strawberry Mansion neighborhood Monday afternoon. The man was driving along Ridge Avenue near N 31st Street just after noon when he crashed, Philadelphia police said. The woman passenger and the driver were both taken to Hahnemann Hospital where the woman died a short time later, police said. The man was held a prisoner while being treated, police said. No word yet on what caused the wreck. A tow truck could be seen hauling an SUV with significant rear-end damage from the scene. The SUV belongs to the owner of a nearby eatery and wasn't occupied at the time of the crash. Rose Acre Farms in Indiana has recalled more than 200 million eggs "through an abundance of caution" because of a possible salmonella contamination, the Food and Drug Administration said on its website Friday. The eggs were distributed from the company's farm in Hyde County, North Carolina, and sold in stores and restaurants in nine states: Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Twenty-two illnesses have been reported to date, the FDA said. Salmonella causes serious and sometimes fatal infections, with symptoms that include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, according to the FDA. The recalled eggs have a Julian date range of 011 through 102 printed on either the side portion or the principal side of the carton or package. A full list of lot codes can be found on the FDA's site. A total of 206,749,248 are affected. The FDA said consumers who have purchased the eggs should immediately stop using them and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. also announced a voluntary egg recall due to potential salmonella contamination, which affects about 23,400 dozen eggs. The affected products are identified as 18-pack Publix Grade A extra large eggs and 18-pack Sunup Grade A large eggs, among others. A well-known attorney died Saturday morning after setting himself on fire in Brooklyn's Prospect Park in a reported protest against pollution. Police said David Buckel, 60, died after setting himself on fire at the northeast corner of the park. Authorities were called to the park after a passerby told nearby officers there was a fire on the grass around 6:15 a.m. Saturday, police sources said. The NYPD said a suicide note was found nearby, but it would not confirm its contents. Buckel reportedly took his life to protest the use of fossil fuels. He was known for being the lead attorney in the case of a transgender man, whose murder inspired the Hillary Swank film "Boys Don't Cry." He was also recognized for bringing the case Lewis v. Harris as part of the Lambda Legal Marriage Project, which resulted in a New Jersey Supreme Court victory that advanced the rights of same-sex couples. The news of Davids death is heartbreaking. This is a tremendous loss for our Lambda Legal family, but also for the entire movement for social justice," Lambda spokesperson Camilla Taylor said. Buckel was also a committed community composter. The New York Department of Sanitation issued a statement saying it was mourning Buckel. "David operated an organics processing site, wrote articles and was steadfast in his commitment to local processing. His loss will be felt deeply by all he touched," it said. Buckel lived nearby the park, cops said. Police sources said his family received a text message from him before he died. What to Know Starbucks' CEO met with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and other city leaders about Thursday's incident where two Black men were arrested. Kevin Johnson, the CEO, will meet with the men on Monday to apologize. Employees will undergo "unconscious bias" training, he said. The coffee chain has faced intense criticism with online boycotts and in person protests. Starbucks leadership team embarked on an apology tour through Philadelphia Monday as they attempted to assuage outrage over the arrest of two black men at the chains Rittenhouse Square store last week. Mayor Jim Kenney said Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and COO Rosalind Brewer were "contrite" during a 40-minute meeting with city officials in Kenneys office. "Its a societal issue. People react different based on the color of someones skin and its wrong, Kenney said. "Im satisfied that they came here and were contrite." Johnson called the meeting, which also involved Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, "constructive." He previously pledged that employees will undergo unconscious bias training and that the coffee chain would review its policies on when police should be called to a store. "This is just the beginning of a lot of work that we plan to do together and we look forward to a very positive outcome here," Brewer, the COO, said in brief remarks while leaving the meeting. Ten blocks from where the two spoke with city officials, protesters gathered for a third day at the 18th and Spruce street store where the arrest took place. Members of the interfaith group POWER sang We Shall Not Be Moved as they entered the store and sat on the floor in front of the coffee bar. Protest inside Starbucks, after it recently re-opened today. Meeting with Mayor and CEO over now. Aaron Baskerville Posted by NBC10 Philadelphia on Monday, April 16, 2018 The group later left the store and marched to a second Starbucks location at 15th and Latimer streets chanting "no justice, no peace." It was Thursday afternoon when the two men who have yet to be publicly identified visited the coffee shop to meet a friend. According to police, one of men asked to use the bathroom and was denied when he refused to make a purchase. The manager then asked the men to leave. When they refused, the manager called 911. Responding officers asked the men to leave several times, Ross said. When they failed to comply, they were arrested for trespassing. Witnesses were bewildered by the exchange. Some recorded video of the arrest on their smartphones. The mens friend, a white man, arrived as they were being taken into custody and could be heard asking what they had done wrong. The men were eventually released from custody after Starbucks declined to press charges. @Starbucks The police were called because these men hadnt ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why its never happened to us when we do the same thing. pic.twitter.com/0U4Pzs55Ci Melissa DePino (@missydepino) April 12, 2018 Johnson privately met with the men Monday, NBC News' Morgan Radford confirmed with a Starbucks spokesperson. The outcome of the meeting wasn't revealed. "We hope to have productive conversations with the hope that something productive for the community can come out of this, Stewart Cohen, the mens attorney, told NBC10 ahead of the meeting. The citys Commission on Human Relations says 13 complaints have been filed against local Starbucks locations in the past 12 months. Roughly a third of those complaints centered around race and skin color while others were related to nationality and religion, according to the commission. The men involved in last Thursdays incident have not filed a complaint with the office. Rue Landau, the commissions executive director, said on its face, the situation seems pretty outrageous. She said the commission has been charged with leading an investigation into policies and practices at Starbucks. Starbucks has faced a tsunami of criticism for how the situation was handled from people in Philadelphia and around the world. Using the hashtag #StarbucksWhileBlack, some people took to Twitter to skewer the coffee chain. Jack Drummond, the director of Philadelphias Office of Black Engagement, said its frustrating to hear about yet another incident where Black men were judged for being Black and present and as it relates to this incident, being Black, present, and sitting in a coffee shop." One of the most pointed critiques came from Philadelphias Police Advisory Commission which is police departments civilian oversight board. Its executive director, Hans Menos, accused the company of harming an already fragile relationship between police and citizens. "They should consider how police have been used as tools by citizens to perpetuate many social ills - especially racism, he said as part of a lengthy statement. "They might also consider the current disconnect between the police and communities of color and fraught history surrounding the policing, prosecution and incarceration of black men before they concluded that they needed to involve police to solve this problem." An American pastor imprisoned in Turkey is going on trial for alleged terror ties and spying in a case that has increased tensions between Washington and Ankara. Andrew Craig Brunson, an evangelical pastor from North Carolina, is facing 35 years in prison on charges of "committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member" and "espionage." The trial begins Monday in western Izmir province. He was arrested in December 2016 for alleged links to both an outlawed Kurdish insurgent group and the network of the U.S.-based Muslim cleric who Turkey blames for a masterminding a failed military coup that year. The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, denies the claim. Brunson has denied all allegations and maintains that he solely worked as a pastor American officials have repeatedly requested that Brunson be released. In a meeting last year with his Turkish counterpart, President Donald Trump asked that the government "expeditiously" return the pastor to the U.S. But the appeals have not made much headway. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fired back at Washington in September, demanding that the U.S. first return Gulen. "You give him to us and we'll give you this one," he said, referring to Brunson. Turkey has submitted an extradition request to the U.S. for Gulen, who lives in Pennsylvania, but so far it not been granted a point that festers in the Turkish government, which has hunted down tens of thousands of alleged Gulen supporters and either imprisoned them or fired them from government jobs. Brunson, 50, has been living in Turkey for 23 years and served as the pastor of Izmir Resurrection Church with a small Protestant congregation. The pastor was first detained in October 2016 with his wife, Norine Brunson, who was later released. The Izmir prosecutor's indictment against Brunson claims he was in contact with top-level executives of Gulen's network and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Both are designated terror groups in Turkey. Brunson is accused of acting in "parallel and coordinated fashion" with them, aiming to "divide" the country. The prosecutor also accuses Brunson of espionage, saying Brunson acted "as an agent of unconventional warfare," gathering intelligence with religious work as his cover. The indictment based on the testimonies of witnesses, including three secret ones, and alleged digital evidence claims the pastor worked to convert Kurds to Christianity to sow discord. The American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian group in the U.S. lobbying for Brunson's release, has called him a "hostage of the Turkish government." A petition has garnered more than half a million signatures, stating that the case was putting Christianity on trial. First daughter and presidential advisor Ivanka Trump and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin are headed to New Hampshire on Tuesday for a town hall debate, according to the Union Leader. White House sources confirmed to the paper that Trump and Mnuchin will discuss taxes for Tax Day at the Derry Opera House. The town hall-style event is scheduled to be moderated by former Gov. John Sununu and will highlight President Donald Trumps tax plan. It's unclear how many people will be in attendance at the event. Ivanka Trump's visit comes less than a month after the president visited Manchester to unveil his nationwide plan on how to battle opioids. During that visit, the president singled out the city of Lawrence, Massachusetts, as a significant source of the drugs pouring into New Hampshire siting a Dartmouth College study. BRIDGEPORT The citys eight member legislative delegation has sent a letter to the mayor and city council asking for it to stop shortchanging its school system. It is incumbent upon the city administration and council to show their commitment to Bridgeport children by prioritizing additional funding for the public school system. says the letter which was signed by both state senators and all six legislators. The citys school budget has essentially been flat funded for four years as costs continue to increase. As a result, 198 staffing positions have been cut and many more are anticipated again in the 2018-19 school year. In 2018, the citys Board of Education budget is $245.7 million. For fiscal year 2019, the board requested a $261.57 million spending package. The mayor, however, includes just the $1.15 million Education Cost Sharing increase approved with the states biennium budget. For our children to succeed, the city administration and the Bridgeport City Council must work together with us to allocate the funding needed to further invest in the educational successes of our children, states the letter. The city cannot continue to ask the Bridgeport legislative delegation to fight for additional state education aid when the administration continues to shortchange the citys Board of Education. The state and the city need to share the financial weight. The letter doesnt say by how much the citys share should increase. The city currently contributes $63 million or about one quarter of the school budget. It also doesnt say where the money should come from. As it is, the budget Mayor Joseph Ganim proposed to city council fails to factor a $1.7 million increase required in library spending without making more cuts or raising taxes. The city has long maintained it doesnt have the property tax-generating ability to properly fund its school system. State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, said he realizes its a tough budget environment but hopes the city administration and the city council will prioritize investments in schooling. As our educators are asked to do more with less, its crucial that our schools receive the level of funding needed to support our students needs, Stafstrom said. Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson is expected to bring up the letter when she meets on Wednesday with the councils Budget and Appropriations Committee. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck Wells Valley Cat Rescue in New Milford will play host to a Paw-sta Dinner April 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. The dinner, which will take place during the Give Local campaign, will take place at the United Methodist Church, 68 Danbury Road (Route 7). Kent Memorial Library will present The Ghost Net: An Environmental Musical of the Sea by the Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Childrens Theater April 21 at 2 p.m. The program, to be held at town hall on Kent Green Boulevard, is being held in recognition of Earth Day. The event is co-sponsored by the librarys parents committee and the Kent Park and Recreation Department. Written and directed by Leslie Elias, this play was researched and developed in cooperation with marine biologists and environmentalists dedicated to protecting marine wildlife. Humor and music abound in this timeless story of a brave young girls fantastic voyage into the sea where she befriends sea creatures, encounters manmade hazards and helps the sea animals battle the perils of pollution. A professional cast of four will portray 30 different characters. Dale Adams, jazz keyboardist and musical director from Harwinton, will provide live music. Masks, costumes and scenery are designed and created by Ellen Moon of Cornwall Bridge and Jude Streng of Falls Village. Prior to the show, Grumbling Gryphons actors and the director will conduct pre-performance drama, music and dance workshops from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. to train children for group parts in the show. Children will learn the parts of manatees, clams, electric eels, trash creatures, tropical fish and more. The Ghost Net: An Environmental Musical of the Sea premiered in 1990 as part of an environmental expo, The Visit of the Mimi held at Captains Cove Seaport in Bridgeport, which thousands of school children attended. With the invaluable input by marine biologist Barbara Whitman and other environmental educators, Elias created a play that has served as a powerful vehicle for promoting awareness of our planets rapidly depleting oceans and endangered marine life. Since 1990 the show has toured the United States, has received positive reviews. Sixty of the ocean costumes were featured in New York Citys 25th Anniversary of Earth Day In Florida, The Grumbling Gryphons were instrumental in helping to get Amendment Three passed, which enforced the banning of net fishing. The Ghost Net was chosen to be the kickoff event for New Englands Coast Weeks as part of National Beach Cleanup Campaign. For information and RSVP to the workshop, call 860-927-3761. Recent reports have shown a rise in cases of flesh eating ulcers in and around Victoria, Australia. Health experts have said that this could become a serious problem if not handled carefully. They have called for funds to deal with this menace. These flesh eating ulcers, according to sources have infected hundreds of individuals in regional Victoria. According to the reports, there has been a 400 percent rise in the incidence of these flesh eating ulcers in the past four years. For example there were only 182 reported cases of this ulcer in 2016. Until November 2017, the numbers rose to 236. The bacteria that cause these ulcers are called Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU). According to experts, this condition is poorly understood and thus diagnosis and treatment is difficult. Image Credit: Buruli ulcer in a long-term traveler to Senegal. Image Credit: CDC These bacteria are found in the Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas of Victoria. The bacteria are found abundantly in west or central Africa especially from Benin, Cameroon and Ghana. This infection was more prevalent in these regions. The bacteria infect possums that then transmit it to humans via mosquito bites. According to Daniel O'Brien, who is an infectious diseases expert and the executive director of infectious diseases at Barwon Health, wrote on this condition in the latest issue of the Medical Journal of Australia. He that these flesh-eating ulcers are called Buruli ulcer and they need urgent government action and funding for timely detection and treatment. He wrote that these infections commonly start over the arms or legs as a non-healing sore or a blister. From there it begins to enlarge until it turned into a non-healing ulcer. He explained that it can eat away into the skin and the soft tissues under the skin. As it eats into the muscles, it may affect movement of the affected region. When less deep, it can leave behind ugly scars. Surgery may be necessary to remove all of the affected tissue. In few cases, this ulcer may be associated with death. So it's actually really a serious infection, said O'Brien. Associate Professor O'Brien and several other researchers have called for government action to combat the spread of this infection. He said that the process of spread, transmission in new areas, location and pathophysiology needs to be understood clearly. He called this a serious epidemic and said, It's very difficult to prevent it and address it with effective public health interventions if we don't know that really basic scientific information. People of all ages are affected he said. Victoria's Deputy Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton from Department of Health and Human Services, said in his statement that till date almost $800,000 has been spent researching this ulcer. He added that the money also helped raising awareness among the general public and warn people about mosquito bites. He said in a statement, Certainly it's a serious illness, I'm acutely aware of the rising cases Our attention's absolutely on it and we're well aware of what an issue it is. As of now, raising public awareness, mosquito control and detection of infected possums is top priority as well as understanding the infection better, say experts in the field. References: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/infectious-diseases/disease-information-advice/mycobacterium-ulcerans Bowel cancers affect thousands each year in Australia. Around 16,000 new diagnoses are made annually with huge number of people dying from this cancer. To curb the delayed diagnosis of bowel cancer that leads to less successful treatment outcomes, the Department of Health has been providing free, at-home testing kits for people aged between 50 and 75 years since 2006. A recent survey from the Cancer Institute of New South Wales has found that 40 percent of the individuals who received the kit did not end up getting tested for the cancer using the kits. Image Credit: Alila Medical Media / Shutterstock The report says that this test kit is easy to use and is potentially life-saving as it can detect the cancer early when chances of the treatment being successful is higher. The kit includes containers in which stool samples are to be sent for screening. According to health officials, results from the stool sample testing are sent back to the person. If there is any significant finding, say experts, such as blood in the stool sample, the user is urged to follow up. Usually the person is asked to visit specialists and follow it up with a colonoscopy. The report from NSW Cancer Registry suggests that around 60 percent of individuals are detected with bowel cancer once its advanced to a stage when treatment is not much effective and the cancer has spread to organs apart from the bowel. This effort on the part of department of health was an attempt to reduce the number of deaths by detecting the cancer early when it can be treated more effectively. The report says that the test takes only three minutes and is still being ignored by such a large number of individuals who may be at risk. While a sizable number of people said they did not have the time, 15 percent said that they forgot to take the test. A further 3 percent of the vulnerable population felt the test was too embarrassing and did not go for it. Around 1 percent did not go for the step because they had no symptoms and 10 percent did not go for the test because they had recently had a clean colonoscopy result. Professor David Currow, Chief Officer and CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW explained that the test is vital for older adults. He said that in 90 percent of cases, an early detection can save the life of the person. Professor Currow urged, please don't leave these kits in your drawer or wait until you are experiencing symptoms. Christopher Horn, Bowel Cancer Screening Manager at Cancer Institute NSW urged people that this was a quick and easy test which was clean and hassle free. He said that people who have had a recent colonoscopy may feel that this test is unimportant, but that is not the case. Screening for bowel cancer is still important he said. He warned that most people who develop bowel cancer may have no symptoms. Mumbai: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said Air India should be owned by an Indian player who can run it efficiently, amid the government initiating the disinvestment process for the debt-laden national carrier. Cautioning the government against "losing control and ownership of its skies", Bhagwat said Air India's operations have not been managed properly. "Air India should be handed over to anyone who can run it efficiently. The new operator must be an Indian player," the RSS supremo said, delivering a talk on 'Indian Economy and Economic Policies: Long-term Perspective' here. Bhagwat said nowhere in the world has any country allowed a stake of more than 49 per cent to foreign investors in national carriers, and specifically mentioned Germany, where foreign ownership is capped at 29 per cent. He also advocated confiscation of shares if the foreign holding breaches the 49 per cent mark and selling it to domestic investors, as is done in some countries. While valuing Air India, one should not look only at tangible assets and get bogged down by the accumulated debt of Rs 55,000 crore, but also look at aspects like the landing rights at 30 global airports and availability of trained manpower, he said. "One has to view Air India's losses in contrast to the assets it has. Air India's operations haven't been managed properly," Bhagwat said at the event at leading stock exchange BSE. I welcome RSS sarsangh chalak Mohan Bhagwat's timely warning on Air India family silver sale. My advice to Namo: Put off the proposal to post 2019 poll. Also drop Jayant Sinha Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) April 17, 2018 The government has come out with a detailed preliminary information memorandum, detailing plans to offload up to 76 per cent stake in Air India and transfer the management control to private players. The proposed disinvestment will include profit-making Air India Express and joint venture AISATS. The latter is an equal joint venture between the national carrier and Singapore-based SATS Ltd. Talking about the economy, the RSS chief said going "completely cashless" was not practical and possible for everyone. "Some component of cash is going to be there in our transactions," he added. "India will have to use 'less cash' model during the transition period (to cashless economy) to benefit from the good initiatives taken so far (by the central government)," he said. "There will be some cash, you people here may use cashless (digital) currency, but everyone cannot use it," the RSS chief said. Bhagwat also cautioned against India limiting its view to any 'ism', like capitalism or communism, and suggested that to make any policy a success, one should focus on its intent, not data or numbers. "Don't become a slave to any one theory," he said. Hyderabad: A special NIA court will pronounce judgment in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast case on Monday, 11 years after the powerful explosion killed nine people and injured more than 50 during Friday prayers near Hyderabads iconic Charminar. Elaborate security arrangements have been made by the police in and around the court premises for the big verdict. The explosion had ripped through the mosque on May 18, 2007. Two live IEDs were also recovered by police and defused. Later, five more people were killed in subsequent police firing on the crowd outside the mosque. Eight people, including Hindu right-wing members Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharatbhai, Rajender Chowdhary and others were charged by the NIA in the blast case. The court, however, would deliver its verdict for only five accused. One accused Sunil Joshi, a RSS pracharak, was murdered during the course of investigation. Two other accused, Sandeep V Dange, former RSS pracharak and Ramchandra Kalsangra, electrician-cum-RSS activist, also from Madhya Pradesh, still elude the investigators. In its chargesheet, the NIA had said that the accused were angered by terrorist attacks committed on Hindus and their temples and conspired to avenge such acts with attacks on Muslim places of worship and places densely populated by Muslims. The blasts were allegedly carried out with a bomb ka jawab bomb (bomb for a bomb) mindset. The chargesheet also mentions that Aseemanand reportedly made a confessional statement before a metropolitan magistrate of Tis Hazari Court in Delhi. He had allegedly disclosed the conspiracy behind the bomb blasts in different places, including Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. Aseemanand allegedly retracted the statement later. Aseemanand was first arrested by CBI in 2010 but was granted conditional bail in 2017 in the case. He was earlier acquitted in Ajmer Dargah blast case, and has also got bail in Samjhauta Express blast case of 2014. The defense has argued that there has been no direct evidence to prove the prosecutions case. Initially, the investigation by the local police focused on Muslim terror outfits and hundreds of local Muslim youths were picked up for questioning. The special investigation team even charged 26 on charges of conspiracy, suspecting their hand in the blasts. But they were later released by a court due to lack of evidence. After uproar over the arrests of innocent Muslim youths, the case was transferred to the CBI. The CBI arrested members of a Hindu group Devender Gupta and Lokesh Sharma in 2010 changing the course of the investigation. The NIA took over the case in April 2011. Between 2011 and 2013, NIA filed three supplementary chargesheets. Over 200 witnesses were examined during the trial. Hyderabad: A special anti-terror court on acquitted right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 8, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. Aseemanand's counsel, JP Sharma, told reporters after the verdict by a metropolitan court for NIA cases that "The prosecution failed to prove allegations against the five accused who faced trial in the case and hence the court acquitted them. Those acquitted are Devendra Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Swami Aseemanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar alias Bharat Bhai and Rajendra Chowdhary, Sharma said. The case was initially probed by the local police before being transferred to the CBI, and finally in 2011 to the NIA, the country's premier anti-terror investigation agency. Ten people with alleged links to Hindu right wing organisations were accused in the case. However, only five of them who were acquitted on Monday faced trial. Two other accused Sandeep V Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra are absconding, while Sunil Joshi was murdered. Investigation is continuing against two other accused. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents exhibited. Swami Aseemanand and Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar were out on bail, while three others were lodged in the Central prison here under judicial remand. Soon after the verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra addressed a press conference, demanding an apology from the Congress for allegedly coining the phrase saffron terror during the UPA rule. Saffron terror was a very derogatory term. Will Rahul Gandhi step out with a candle at midnight to apologise for it, Patra asked. Speaking to News18, Congress leader Shivraj Patil, who was the Union home minister when the blast took place, denied his party had coined the term. Most of the witnesses have gone hostile. What questions were asked in the cross-examination to the witnesses has to be seen Why should I apologise to anyone? The Congress never mislead the nation. I cannot give judgment on something that has not been said by the Congress party, Patil said. New Delhi: In an embarrassment to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a 19-year-old man was found masquerading as a doctor on the hospital premises for almost five months. According to a report in Hindustan Times, Adnan Khurram had made contacts among doctors across departments as well as medical students, and even used his fake doctors accreditation to attend various medical and political events. He was well versed in medicine and his contacts helped him pass off as a doctor in front of co-workers. It was only when AIIMS Resident Doctors Association wrote a letter to hospital authorities, raising concerns over the alleged impostor that the incident came to light. The authorities concerned at AIIMS, then, posted a photo of the impostor online, following which the 19-year-old was arrested by Delhi Police on Saturday, HT reports. Khurram, whose papers reveal that he is a resident of Bihar, was active on social media, posting pictures at various medical and even political events, wearing a lab coat to pass off as a doctor. His reasons for impersonating a doctor for almost five months remains unclear. He had been variously introducing himself as a medical student or junior resident doctor and even impressed some with his extensive knowledge of medicine. The incident is being criticised as a serious lapse of security on the medical institutes part. This is not the first time that impostors have been caught faking it as doctors inside AIIMS, Indias premiere medical institute. In February, AIIMS authorities had reported an imposter, Ram Kishan Gupta, who had been impersonating a doctor and roaming inside the institutes trauma centre, asking junior resident doctors to admit a patient. Thiruvananthapuram: Monday's strike in Kerala, a state where dawn to dusk shutdowns are common, had a novelty. The call was anonymous as no organisation has claimed responsibility for the "protest to seek justice to the eight-year-old girl who was brutally raped and murdered in Kathua" which was spread through WhatsApp messages. It badly hit districts north of Palakkad such as Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod where the hartal supporters stopped vehicles at several places, forcefully shut down shops and pelted stones at KSRTC buses. In Tanur area of Malappuram, prohibitory orders were declared for seven days following violent incidents. "Hooliganism in the name of protest! Roads blocked and people abused on roads from Calicut airport- Chemmad- Kodinji-Tanur. Please pass the message and stay safe! The police force has been intimated and they are making arrests I hear," tweeted Award-winning actor Parvathy T K, who got a special mention the 65th national awards. SDPI workers who took a march towards a police station in Kannur were arrested. The partys workers were arrested in Malappuram too after their involvement in violence. However, SDPI state president Naseeruddin Elamaram denied the involvement of the party in the hartal. "We have not given a call for any hartal. It is a spontaneous reaction from the people especially youth, in a topic such as the rape and murder of the girl," he said. "I don't understand the logic of angry mobs burning tyres in the middle of the road and attacking vehicles in Malappuram to protest against the baby girl raped and murdered in Kashmir. How can hurting the public here do any help to the poor child? asked Sally Varma, a human rights activist in Facebook. An old man almost fell off the steps of a bus as the passengers were forcefully made to get down, crowds stopping vehicles and using extremely abusive language. Is this how people plan on getting justice for a murdered child? she added. In the last 106 days in 2018, as many as 31 dawn- to- dusk hartals have been called in the state. Curiously, 13 of them were on Mondays. Also, April 16 was the 16 Monday of the year. This shows the attitude of the Keralites to attach a holiday after the Sunday," said Manoj Niraksharan of Say No to Hartal, a group campaigning against hartals in the state. Both Congress and Muslim league have disowned the hartal, despite WhatsApp messages saying UDF has offered its support. "There is a move by Muslim fundamentalist outfits to create communal violence in the in-state under the guise of Kashmir incident. There were obscene banners in the march which amount to a case under IPC 153 (A) for promoting disharmony and feelings of enmity between different religions. However, the police are not taking on orders from the top", said BJP State General security K Surendran. Meanwhile, BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan has submitted a memorandum to DGP seeking action for the violence in the hartal. New Delhi: Amid the outcry over Kathua and Unnao rape cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said his government would amend the law to secure death penalty for the rapists of minor girls. While vowing to take the legislative measure during the next assembly session, Kejriwal also said he would also set up fast-track courts to complete the trial of the cases of crime against women in six months. The chief minister, however, lamented that like Delhi government, its Vidhan Sabha too was "just a quarter of an assembly" as all bills passed by it required the Centre's approval. Kejriwal also launched a sharp attack on the BJP over the Unnao and Kathua rape cases, saying a dangerous message was being relayed that if the accused belonged to the party ruling at the Centre, the entire machinery would step in to shield him. "In the last three years, the legislations which were passed and forwarded to the Centre, none of them have been approved. We will forward even these amendments to the Centre and I appeal to the Union government to pass them so that they can be implemented for safety and speedy justice to women," he said. Kejriwal was speaking at Rajghat where DCW chief Swati Maliwal has been sitting on a hunger strike since Friday, demanding provisions for swift capital punishment to those found guilty of raping minors. Kejriwal also appealed to the Delhi High Court to provide him the number of fast track courts and judges needed for the completion of trial of all cases of crime against women within six months and promised to provide the requisite fund for the purpose. "We want women safe," he said, adding he had also written to the high court in this regard in the past. 'We will bring amendments in the IPC and CrPC during the next assembly session to ensure death penalty for those found guilty of raping minors and (set up) fast track courts so that trials get over in six months," he said. "As CM, I am worried about the safety of women in Delhi. As an Indian, I am worried about the safety of women in my country. I am participating in this protest on Monday to demand a system, which ensures their safety," he said. Referring to the Unnao rape case involving a BJP MLA as the key accused, Kejriwal said no FIR was registered for several months in the case and "leave aside arresting the culprits, the victim's father was arrested and murdered in custody." Attacking the BJP, he said it gives "a very dangerous message" the way the entire UP government, the chief minister, the Centre and the police tried to shield the accused MLA. "It gives a very dangerous message that if a BJP MLA rapes someone, nothing will happen to him," he said. Referring to the Kathua episode to further attack the BJP, he said a holy place of worship has been "defiled" and "what a shame" it was that they call themselves "Hindus." He said two BJP ministers of the state even participated in demonstrations and protests held in support of the culprits. "We and the entire country are ashamed.... This political patronage is dangerous." The chief minister also urged citizens to take a day off and support the DCW chief in her indefinite hunger strike at Rajghat. "It is not her cause. She is fighting for the safety of women in my family and your family. I am going there to participate, not to offer support for her cause. You should also take a day off from your work and participate. Everyone should participate," he tweeted. Maliwal again attacked the prime minister, saying she did not expect only speeches on social values from the prime ministers but what she wanted was the real action, concrete steps to ensure women's safety. "I have great respect for the prime minister. And if prime minister can implement Demonisation within single night then, of course, he can give system to the country to ensure women's safety," she said. DCW chief Swati Maliwal again reiterated her statement that she would not break her fast until PM gave a proper system to country to prevent rapes. CPI national Secretary Atul Anjan also reached at the hunger-strike venue to extend his support to Maliwal. People from transgender community too reached there to express solidarity with Maliwal. New Delhi: The CBI on Monday filed a chargesheet against two companies and 12 people, including former railway minister Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav, for alleged irregularities in grant of an operational contract of two IRCTC hotels to a private firm. The charge sheet was filed in a special CBI court in New Delhi, officials said. Besides these three, former Union minister Prem Chand Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, then group general manager of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) B K Agarwal, who is at present Additional Member of Railway Board, then Managing Director of IRCTC P K Goyal and then IRCTC Director Rakesh Saxena, have been named in the chargesheet. Others named in the charge sheet, include then group general managers of IRCTC V K Asthana and R K Goyal, Vijay Kochhar, Vinay Kochhar, both directors of Sujata Hotels and owners of Chanakya Hotel. Delight marketing company, now known as Lara Projects, and Sujata Hotels Private Limited, have also been named as accused companies in the chargesheet. The CBI had registered a case in July last year and carried out searches at 12 locations in Patna, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar and Gurugram in connection with the case. The charges in the case include criminal conspiracy (120-B), cheating (420) under IPC and corruption, the CBI had said. The chargesheet said that between 2004 and 2014, a conspiracy was hatched in pursuance of which BNR hotels of Indian Railways, located at Puri and Ranchi, were first transferred to the IRCTC and later for its operations, maintenance and upkeep, it was given on lease to a private firm Sujata Hotel Private Limited based in Patna. It alleged that the tender process was rigged and manipulated and the conditions were tweaked to help the private party (Sujata Hotels). It is alleged that Vinay Kochhar on February 25, 2005 sold commercial property in the form of three acres of land in Patna through 10 sale deeds for Rs 1.47 crore to Delight marketing in which Sarla Gupta was a director as a front benami holder on behalf of Lalu Prasad. Subsequently between the period 2010 to 2014, this land was further transferred, the CBI alleged. In 2001, a decision was taken to handover management of catering services of Indian Railways, including of its hotels, to IRCTC. Two such hotels namely BNR Hotels in Ranchi and Puri were also identified and an MoU was signed between the Railways and IRCTC on March 19, 2004. Lalu Yadav, the then railway minister, allegedly entered into criminal conspiracy with owners of Sujata hotels, Sarla Gupta, wife of his close associate Prem Chand Gupta, an RJD MP in Rajya Sabha, and IRCTC officials for "undue pecuniary advantage to himself and others", the CBI FIR had alleged. The BNR hotels were transferred to Sujata Hotels through a rigged and manipulated tender process managed by P K Goel, the then MD IRCTC, the CBI alleged. The CBI enquiry shows that Railway sought bids for developing, operating and maintaining Rail Ratna Hotels on September 16, 2006. The CBI has alleged that Lalu Prasad, as Railway Minister, was aware about the whole process and was keeping a track of the tender proceedings. It surfaced that while over 15 bid documents were received for both the hotels, IRCTC has no records of bidders other than Sujata Hotels. It is also alleged that with an intention to render undue pecuniary gains to Sujata Hotels, bid of another hotel was deliberately and unreasonably given low marks under technical evaluation. "As a result, Sujata Hotels remained the only bidder in financial evaluation and was qualified," the CBI alleged. After the tender was awarded to Sujata Hotels, the ownership of Delight marketing also changed hands from Sarla Gupta to Rabri Devi and Tejaswi Yadav between 2010 and 2014. By this time Lalu Prasad had demitted the office of Railway Minister. Kolkata: The family members of Swami Aseemanand, a self-proclaimed monk and a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist, on Tuesday demanded probe against former Home Minister P Chidambaram and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for falsely framing terror charges against him in 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. On Monday, a special NIA court in Hyderabad acquitted the right wing activist and four others accused in the case due to lack of evidence, 11 years after a massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 8, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. Speaking to News18, Aseemanands brother Susanta Sarkar, said, The Congress government conspired against my brother to keep the Muslim community happy. It was a ploy just to get minority votes and my brother was falsely arrested. I would like to ask P Chidambaram and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to come out with an explanation on why my brother was arrested? Do they have any answer now? A resident of Hooghly, Susanta alleged that the Congress government had secured a safe passage for Pakistani terrorists who actually committed the crime and coined the term Saffron Terror to keep the Muslim community happy. They snatched away my brothers valuable 8 years. If you go to the tribal belt of Purulia, Bankura, Jharkhand, and Andamans you will see people consider him a god. You will see his name in front of tribal houses in these areas. How can such person could be framed by a political party just for their political interest? We want the Centre to probe Congresss conspiracy behind his arrest. Assemanands mother Pramila could not hold back her tears after she got the news of her sons release. She said, I am very happy and proud of my son. Truth always prevail over falsehood. I demand stern action against those who framed my son. His elder brother, Sukumar Sarkar a retired teacher said that Assemanand had recently come home to meet their mother as she was unwell. He told us that he did nothing and he was framed falsely as there is no proof against him. Ma will come back soonI did nothing, he had told her, Sukumar said. Aseemanand was one of the 10 people accused of carrying out the explosion but a trial was only held against five. Aseemanand popularly known as Naba Kumar Sarkar - hails from Bengals Hooghly district. He is a post-graduate in Botany. He started working for Adivasi Kalyan Ashram of RSS in Birbhum, Bankura and Purulia districts. Hindu Samhati President Debtanu Bhattacharya welcomed the courts decision. He said, We are trying to get in touch with him. Its a matter of joy for all of us who fought for the rights and dignity of Hindus in India. Aseemanand was also acquitted last year in the 2007 Ajmer Dargah terror attack. He is an accused in the 2007 Samjhauta blasts case. Yavatmal: A 75-year-old debt-ridden farmer allegedly committed self-immolation in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, a week after another agriculturist allegedly killed himself in the district following crop loss. The local police have registered only a case of unnatural death in the latest case, and are conducting further probe. The incident took place at Savleshwar in Umarkhed tehsil two days ago. Madhav Shankar Rawate, the farmer, set up a pyre of fodder under a tree on his farm, lit it and jumped into it after climbing the tree, his son G M Rawate told reporters. Rawate's cotton crop on his four-acre farm was ruined by the pink boll-worm attack, and he could get only three quintals of the crop, the son claimed, adding that his father owed Rs 60,000 to creditors. An official at the Biterrgaon police station said the exact cause of the alleged suicide was yet to be ascertained, and for now police have registered a case of unnatural death and started investigation. Yavatmal Superintendent of Police M Raj Kumar confirmed that a farmer had died in the village, but said further probe was on. Yavatmal district in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra has witnessed several farmer suicides over the years. Another debt-ridden farmer had allegedly committed suicide in the district last week by consuming a poisonous chemical, apparently due to crop loss. The loss of cotton crop due to a pest attack was suspected to be the prime reason behind the alleged suicide of the farmer, Shankar Chayare (50), police had said. New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said a new express highway connecting Delhi and Mumbai will be built at a cost of Rs 1 lakh crore. The transport and highways minister also talked about plans to build Chambal expressway that would be connected to the Delhi-Mumbai expressway. The Chambal expressway will benefit states like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Gadkari has announced development of a new highway alignment between Delhi and Mumbai, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. "A sum of Rs 1 lakh crore will be spent on this expressway ... Nitin Gadkari outlined major initiatives of his ministry for de-congestion of Delhi NCR. A total of ten projects are underway costing Rs 35,600 crore," it said. About 40,000 commercial vehicles enter Delhi on a daily basis, which cause pollution and congestion in the city state, Gadkari, who is also holding the portfolio of water resources and Ganga rejuvenation, said in the statement. An ambitious scheme of developing Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways around Delhi was taken up, and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 29. Similarly, to ease traffic in East Delhi, Delhi-Meerut Expressway was envisaged, and its Delhi-Dasna portion will also be inaugurated by the prime minister on the same day by a road show. Gadkari informed that work on signal-free corridor from Dhaula Kuan to Airport has been awarded at a cost of Rs 260 crore. He said, eight-lane fully access-controlled Dwarka Expressway is being developed in four packages. While three packages have already been awarded, the work on the expressway is likely to start in a month's time. Total investment on the project is Rs 9,500 crore. Additionally, under improvement of Mahipalpur at Rangpuri, a bypass is being envisaged to connect Dwarka/ NH8, he said. Regarding development of major junctions on NH8 in Gurugram like the flyover and underpass at IFFCO Chowk, Signature Tower intersection, Rajiv Chowk andHero Honda Chowk, the minister said the work costing Rs 1,000 crore has been substantially completed. New Delhi: En route to London for Tuesdays Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will stop over in Stockholm, Sweden for the first India-Nordic countries summit. The Heads of Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Iceland will be in attendance. This will be the first ever summit level engagement with all five Nordic countries, which India is hoping to institutionalise as an annual affair. The focus of the summit will primarily be trade and investment. Bilateral trade between India and the five Nordic countries is an estimated 4.5 billion US dollars which is a pittance compared to its actual potential. These countries are home to some of the biggest companies in the world, including the likes of Volvo, SEB, IKEA, Ericsson, Maersk etc. In comparison, Chinas trade with these five countries exceeds 50 billion dollars which is more than 10 times what India trades with this sub-region of Europe. Last month in Kolkata, the ambassadors of these five countries flagged an issue that has been a matter of concern for some time now. The Nordic countries have been pushing for a Free Trade Agreement with India since 2007 but New Delhi has been wary as not all Nordic countries are part of the European Union. There is a feeling in South Block that this may jeopardise Indias ongoing negotiations with the EU for a separate FTA. The Prime Minister is also planning to address a special Indian community event bringing together NRIs who have settled in these countries for many generations now. There are more than a 100,000 people of Indian origin who have settles in these countries. India has had a very topsy-turvy relationship with Denmark since the Purulia arms drop case where the main accused was a Danish national, Kim Davy, who was extradited. Relations have been frosty in the last 20 years or so. But last year, Air India started its first direct flight between Delhi and Copenhagen. In keeping with his style, PM Modi is hoping that this visit too will be etched in history books as the first by an Indian Prime Minister in decades. Jammu/New Delhi: The trial in the gruesome Kathua rape and murder case begins on Monday against eight accused who allegedly held an eight-year-old girl in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. The accused include a juvenile against whom a separate chargesheet was filed. The chief judicial magistrate of Kathua will be committing one of the chargesheets, in which seven people have been named, to the sessions court for trial as mandated under the law. The chief judicial magistrate will, however, hold the trial for the juvenile as it is the designated court under the juvenile act, according to officials. The trial commences as Not In My Name protests saw huge participation from people, including celebrities, demanding justice for the victims in Kathua and Unnao rape cases. In Thiruvananthapuram, protesters formed a human chain, while in Mumbai, hundreds, including film celebrities, called for death penalty for rapists. In Delhi, the protesters marched down Parliament Street and called for rape trials to be completed in six months. In Surat, where a similar case was reported, men and women held a silent candlelight march. Meanwhile, the father of the victim is scheduled to move the Supreme Court, seeking transfer of the trial to Chandigarh from Kathua through advocate Sunil Fernandes. He will also seek security for the family and lawyers representing them. Fernandes will seek an early hearing from the CJI at 10.30 am. The Jammu and Kashmir government has appointed two special public prosecutors, both Sikhs, for the trial in the sensitive case, a move being seen as made to ensure "neutrality" in view of Hindu-Muslim polarisation over the case. The trial is expected to go smoothly after the Jammu Bar association as well as the Kathua Bar received a rap on the knuckles by the Supreme Court on April 13 as the apex court took a strong note of some lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case. The Supreme Court initiated a case on its own record saying such impediment "affects the dispensation of justice and would amount to obstruction of access to justice". A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud was also critical of the Jammu High Court Bar Association, which had passed a resolution not to attend the courts saying "it is the duty of the bar association as a collective body and they cannot obstruct the process of law". According to the chargesheets filed by the crime branch, the abduction, rape, and killing of the Bakerwal girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area. It lists the caretaker of Devisthan, a small temple, in a village in Kathua, about 90 km from here, as the main conspirator behind the crime. Sanji Ram was allegedly joined by special police officers Deepak Khajuria and Surender Verma, friend Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, Ram's nephew, a juvenile, and his son Vishal Jangotra alias "Shamma". The chargesheet also names investigating officers head constable Tilak Raj and Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta, who allegedly took Rs 4 lakh from Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. All eight are under arrest. The crime branch will also be handing over the notices issued to the Jammu Bar Council as well as Kathua Bar Council for appearing before the Supreme Court on April 19. The Bar Association of Kathua has already retracted from its earlier statement of providing legal assistance free of cost to the accused and said after going through the charge sheet presented by the crime branch (against the accused in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate on April 9) it is revealed that the allegations against the accused persons are very grave and as such this case is to be dealt with in a professional way. "As such, we have withdrawn our offer to contest the case free of cost. Accused are free to engage any individual advocate and exercise their respective rights of defence in the court. It is for any individual advocate to accept the brief and the bar association will not come in the way of defence nor the bar association will hamper the prosecution," President of BAK Kirty Bhushan Mahajan had said in a seven page statement on Saturday. Members of the same association had blocked the way of crime branch personnel from submitting the chargesheet before the chief judicial magistrate for six hours forcing the police to present it at the house of the magistrate. Police have already registered a case against lawyers for obstructing public servants from performing their duty. The Jammu Bar association, which was left red-faced after the Supreme Courts observation, attempted to put a brave face saying they had full faith in the apex court and said their main demand was for shifting of illegally settled Rohingyas. It denounced the attempts made by certain quarters for making wrongful attempts to project the association as "pro-rapist" or "anti-national". The association on Sunday fielded a senior woman advocate Surinder Kaur who said "we are now satisfied that the case has reached the Supreme Court and we are satisfied that justice will be delivered to the minor girl." JHCBA is on strike since April 4 and sponsored a general strike on April 11 in Jammu to press for its demands including for according to district status to Nowshera subdivision in Rajouri district. "We included the demand for CBI probe into the Kathua rape and murder at the request of civil society," Kour said and accused the state government of forcing them into agitation by "giving no response to our concerns despite repeated memorandums and statements." (With PTI inputs) Srinagar: A soldier in the Indian Army who had gone missing from south Kashmir earlier this month has joined the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, police officials said on Monday. Idrees Mir, who was posted in the Army's Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) unit, joined the terrorist group on Sunday, a police official said. The official said Mir had gone missing from Shopian. He joined the group along with two locals who had also been missing. The Army maintains that he is "missing" and has no confirmation about his joining the terror outfit. According to the police, Mir was posted to Jharkhand and was unhappy about the move. In case you missed it The body of an unidentified minor girl was found in Gujarat's Surat earlier this month with "86 injury marks" and officials suspect that she had been held captive, tortured and raped over a period of time, a police officer said. Is this a repeat of the Kathua rape-murder case? Read the full report here. At a candle march held in Bengaluru to show solidarity with the victims of rape in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, Karnataka Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao sparked a row after he asked people of the state to greet UP CM Adityanath with slippers on his next visit as he is no yogi. Read how the BJP reacted here. BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh, who recently came under fire after attending a rally supporting the accused in the Kathua rape and killing case, defended his participation saying that it was meant to defuse the situation and restore normalcy. Read all his comments here. Almost 11 years after a powerful bomb went off during the Friday prayers inside Mecca Masjid near Charminar, the special court for National Investigative Agency (NIA) cases at Nampally in Hyderabad will pronounce its judgment on April 16 in the case. Eight people, including Hindu right-wing members Aseemanand, Devender Gupta, Lokesh Sharma, Bharatbhai, Rajender Chowdhary and others were charged by the NIA in the blast case. Read all the details here. A new life built over the last six years turns to ashes as Rohingya refugees lose their sanctuary in Delhi to fire. It's not that the Rohingyas have not been through the worst while escaping burning Rakhine state of Myanmar. But going through it all over again crushes that little hope. Read the full report here. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Sunday alleged that some AAP workers dressed in saffron and wielding swords had raised provocative slogans outside a mosque during a Ram Navami procession in a bid to create tension, a charge dismissed by the ruling party. Read AAP's reactions to the accusations here. A video of Philadelphia police arresting two black men sitting in a Starbucks coffee shop, allegedly doing nothing wrong, went viral in the US on Thursday, prompting criticism from people as well as reactions from the Philadelphia police, Starbucks and others. Read the full controversy here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will reach the UK for a four-day visit on Tuesday, is all set to receive the royal welcome which includes a special event hosted by Prince Charles. To mark the India-UK technical collaboration, the heir to the British throne is set to drive up in a Tata Motors' first-ever electric Jaguar car during the event. Read more details about the PMs UK trip here. SUNDAY FEATURE: Is Kashmir's indifference a bigger threat to the Gujjar Bakarwal community than Jammu's xenophobia? Masud Choudhary, founding VC of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, describes the irony of how Bakarwals, whose people have repeatedly made great sacrifices for India, are now conveniently being branded as 'anti-nationals'. Read the full feature here. Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director of brands Chanel and Fendi, disparaged the #MeToo movement asking models not to get in the profession if they "don't want" their "pants pulled about". Read more on his shocking comments here. Amid criticism, the newly autonomous Jawaharlal Nehru University has proposed a new course under the newly formed School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies (SSIS) to train pandits, experts in religious tourism and Vaastu Shastra. The move is expected to bolster Sanskrit studies in the institution. Read the full report here. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi led a candlelight vigil at India Gate on Thursday night to protest the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, saying the country cannot continue to treat its women the way it does. Watch the full report. #BeingADalit Celebrating the 127th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar What is it like to be a Dalit in 2018? A senior IAS officer says it is an existential question. Read the full piece here. #BeingADalit: As low caste children clean the classrooms for upper caste students, read how in UP's Saharanpur, caste discrimination begins from the classroom itself. As the BJP leadership shouts from the rooftop that no one else ever respected and honoured Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar as much as they do, resentment among the Dalit masses keeps haunting the party. Read the full report here. The Bhim Army is attempting to change the image of the average Dalit by appropriating symbols that have been associated with the upper castes. But does its growth mirror the early years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)? Read the full report here. Agree or Disagree? Dr Ambedkar came very close to the RSS. At many places Dalits have risen through the ranks in RSS. At some places they are also serving as Prant Prachaaraks. But we dont go out of our way to find out their numbers. Read the full article here. On reel Every year on Ambedkar Jayanti the Parliament Street is filled with stalls put up by organisations either supporting the cause of Dalits or by groups consisting of community members. They also arrange for free food and water for everybody who turns up. These stalls or exhibition centres also have traders from all over the country displaying their products. But something was different this year. https://youtu.be/y2LWnf7rn6s New Delhi: A day after India lodged a protest with Pakistan over blocking of access of visiting Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats, the neighbouring country termed the move as ironic, saying that it was India which first denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims and violated the 44-year-old protocol. It is ironic for the government of India to accuse Pakistan of violating the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, whereas it is the Indian government that has, in clear violation of the protocol, twice within this year denied visas to Pakistani pilgrims on occasions of Urs of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri and scuttled at least three visits of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims to religious shrines in Pakistan since June 2017, said Pakistani newspaper Dawn quoted the Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal as saying. The Pakistan foreign office spokesman rejected the allegations as baseless, regretting that facts had been distorted and misrepresented. On Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said a group of around 1800 Sikh pilgrims are on a visit to Pakistan from April 12 under a bilateral agreement on facilitating visits to religious shrines. In a statement, the MEA also said the Indian High Commissioner, who was to greet Indian pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi, was compelled to return when he was en route to Gurdwara Panja Sahib on Saturday. The MEA called it an "inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy" by Pakistan, holding that these incidents constitute a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations. "India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over a block of access for visiting pilgrims to Indian diplomats and consular teams," it said in a statement. The fresh incidents came, over two weeks after India and Pakistan agreed to resolve matters related to treatment of diplomats after envoys of the two countries made claims and counter-claims about harassment of each other's diplomats. The MEA said the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, who was to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib at the invitation of the Chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), was suddenly asked to return while en route the shrine yesterday, for unspecified 'security' reasons. It said the High Commissioner, who was to greet Indian pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi, was thus compelled to return without meeting Indian citizens. "India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan against this inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy, pointing out that these incidents constitute a clear violation of the Vienna Convention of 1961, the bilateral Protocol to visit Religious Shrines, 1974 and the Code of Conduct (for the treatment of diplomatic/consular personnel in India and Pakistan) of 1992, recently reaffirmed by both countries," the MEA said. New Delhi: Ahead of his visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement with both the countries in a number of areas including trade, investment and clean energy. The Prime Minister begins his five-day visit to Sweden and the UK on Monday. He will have a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 on his way back home. In the first leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Sweden's capital Stockholm where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, besides attending a India-Nordic Summit. "India and Sweden share warm and friendly ties. Our partnership is based on democratic values and commitment to an open, inclusive and rule-based global order. Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives," Modi said in a Facebook post. The two Prime Ministers will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday. Modi said he and Lofven would also interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, clean energy and smart cities. The Prime Minister said he would also call on King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. India and Sweden will also jointly organise the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on Tuesday which is scheduled to be attended by the Prime Ministers of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. "The Nordic countries have globally recognised strengths in clean technologies, environmental solutions, ports modernisation, cold-chains, skill development and innovation. Nordic competencies fit well with our vision for India's transformation," Modi said. From Sweden, Modi will travel to the UK on Tuesday where he will also attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cyber security," the Prime Minister said. He further said, "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship." Modi said he would also call on the Queen, interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership, launch an Ayurveda Centre of Excellence in London, and welcome the UK into the International Solar Alliance, as its newest member. On April 19 and 20, Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," Modi said. The External Affairs Ministry on Saturday said Modi would meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. New Delhi: A taekwondo instructor, recently released from prison, was arrested again for allegedly flashing and masturbating in front of two women in Vasant Kunj area of southwest Delhi. Sandeep Chauhan was arrested on Saturday after one of the two women filed a police complaint against him. Both incidents happened on Thursday. According to police, Chauhan flashed at the woman when she was in her balcony. Later, he followed the other woman towards her building after she disembarked her office cab. Scared, she ran towards her residence, when Chauhan made lewd comments, flashed and masturbated in front of her, police said. A repeat offender, Chauhan told police he has a habit of flashing at women after getting drunk. About 20 cases of snatching, robbery, and molestation have been filed against him at various police stations in the city. Chauhan came out of jail nearly a month ago after serving 14 months for a similar crime. In 2016, a woman had jumped off the third floor of her building in Vasant Kunj after Chauhan did a similar obscene act in front of her, according to police. Chauhan lives in Paschim Vihar area with his wife and two daughters. He was employed as a taekwondo teacher with several schools in South Delhi. Police are investigating how he managed to get jobs at these schools despite having a criminal record. Aruppukottai (TN): A woman lecturer of a private college in Aruppukottai was on Monday taken into custody in connection with her alleged advise to students "to adjust with some officials" in return for higher marks and money, in what is seen as a suggestion for sexual favour. Though the lecturer of Devanga Arts College was alleged to have made the overtures a month ago, the issue came to light after an audio of purported conversation between her and some students went viral in the social media on Sunday. In the audio, she is heard suggesting that the girls adjust with some (education) officials, for getting 85 per cent mark and money. Hours after a complaint was lodged by the college and a local women's association, police this evening detained the lecturer after a brief questioning at her residence here in Virudhunagar District. As the issue led to an outrage with the lecturer's remarks being perceived as suggestion of sexual favour, the Tamil Nadu government and opposition parties lashed out at her. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters in Chennai that such "black sheep" cannot be allowed and assured that the government will take action against her. The lecturer has already been suspended by the college management last month pending investigation after some students complained about her. She, however, has denied sexual angle to her advice and claimed she had made it "in the right spirit" and not with any hidden motive or agenda. College Secretary Ramasamy said a first round of inquiry had been completed by three professors of the college and they had submitted their report, based on which she had been suspended. She had been asked to given an explanation regarding her advice to the students, he added. DMK Working President M K Stalin sought a CBI probe into the matter. "Since a teacher who has to impart education has tried to spoil the life of the students, the probe into the matter should be handed over to the CBI under the supervision of the high court," he said in a tweet. PMK Youth Wing leader and Lok Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss also sought a CBI probe into the matter. Lucknow: This weekend when people from all over the nation came out into the streets to voice their uproar against the horrific incidents of rape in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao districts, the BJP MP from Unnao Sakshi Maharaj was busy inaugurating a night club named 'Let's Meet'. Ironically, the ultra-conservative seer-turned-politician has always railed against partying. A few months ago, he had blamed vulgar behaviour by couples at public places for rapes. "Girls and boys' vulgar behaviour at public places leads to rape and they should be put behind bars," he had said. Among his long list of Hindutva hardline comments is also gems like Hindu women should have four children and then "give one to the army and one to 'us' religious leaders". He had also advocated for rape convict and self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. He had claimed, "While one person has accused him of rape, thousands revere him as a living god." So on Sunday, when asked how he lowered to his bar of orthodoxy and inaugurated the club in Aliganj, an embarrassed Maharaj claimed to have been 'tricked'. He has also filed a complaint with the BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey against former UP state president Rajjan Singh, who he said had urged him to go for the inauguration. "I was told that it's just a restaurant. There wasn't any mention of a night club," said the red-faced Maharaj. Last week, the government drew vehement criticism for the lack of security of women and the dwindling law and order system currently prevalent in the country. From Bollywood stars to retired bureaucrats, the Modi government was pelted with heavy condemnation for its silence and apparent reluctance to act against its MLA. Taking a jibe at BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, Samajwadi Party MLC Sunil Singh Sajan said, He is not just a Sadhu but also a saint, and all these saints in BJP are of similar character. Such people have demolished the faith of people in Sadhu and Saints. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a four-day trip to the United Kingdom this week, his second since becoming the PM. But this visit is extra special as he will be attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit. The last time an Indian PM attended the CHOGM was in 2009. The last one in Sri Lanka was marred by political protests against the then Rajapaksa regime after the war with the LTTE. Pro-Tamil groups had prevented then prime minister Manmohan Singh from going for the summit. In UK, PM Modi will be get the royal treatment. He is the only Head of Government to receive a special limousine ride to attend the summit. All other 51 heads of government will be bussed in. Prime Minister Modi will also be the only one to have two bilateral meetings with his British counterpart Theresa May. The Queen will also be hosting a dinner reception in honour of PM Modi. This is the last Commonwealth Summit that the Queen will be attending. Modi will also address a select gathering of around 1,500 people at the prestigious Central Hall in Westminster where he will take questions from people through the NaMo app and through video conferencing. The event is titled Bharat ki Baat, Sabke Saath and will be broadcast live. The Central Hall is an iconic building right in the heart of London where the first UN General Assembly met in 1946 right after the 2nd World War. In the past, it has also played host to world leaders, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. This event will help negate some criticism that the PM has not held a single press conference in his nearly four years in office. PM Modi will also pay tribute at the statue of Basaveshwara, the 12th century philosopher who is widely considered the founder of Lingayat-ism, on the banks of the Thames River. This gesture will have enormous significance in the upcoming Karnataka election and may blunt some of the advantage the Siddaramaiah government got with its move to grant separate religion status to Lingayats. PM Modi will also be hosted at a tech conference by Prince Charles. Both the Prime Minister and Prince Charles will arrive at the venue of the tech summit in an electric car made by Tata Jaguar which symbolises the best in Indo-UK business partnership. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate an Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence at the University of Westminster. The Centre will bring together ayurvedic and medical professionals to conduct research in ayurveda and yoga. Despite the glitz and glamour of his visit, Indo-UK ties have been stagnant in the last few years, especially on the trade front. Bilateral trade has been stuck at about $13 billion annually. Back in 2011, trade had peaked at close to $20 billion, only to fall since then. Britain has been pushing for a Free Trade Agreement for many years now which India has been reluctant to pursue. Some expat Sikh and Kashmiri groups have also planned protests during PM Modis visit. Director Ali Abbas Zafar says the pre-production of his upcoming film Bharat, starring superstar Salman Khan, is on in full swing. "We are in full flow with pre-production of 'Bharat' the film. Lots of exciting news will come your way soon," Zafar tweeted on Sunday. We are in full flow with preproduction of #Bharat the film, lots of exciting news will come your way soon....baaki Aaj Sunday hai.. enjoy ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) April 15, 2018 This will be the director's third outing with Salman, with whom he has worked with in Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai. Bharat will release on Eid 2019. The film is an official adaptation of 2014 South Korean film Ode to My Father. (With IANS inputs) Kolkata: Panchayat polls in West Bengal are likely to get delayed as a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday refused to interfere with the court's previous single bench order staying the poll process. The Division Bench of Justices Biswanath Samaddar and Arindam Mukherjee sent the matter back to the Bench of Justice Subrata Talukdar who would now hear the case on Tuesday. The State Election Commission (SEC) and the Trinamool Congress had moved the Division Bench challenging the April 12 Single Bench interim order temporarily stalling the election process till its next hearing. It had also sought a detailed status report on the nomination process from the Commission. The order means that it is unlikely that the SEC would be able to stick to its earlier announced panchayat poll schedule starting from May 1. The election dates are now most likely to get deferred. The order was passed in response to a writ petition filed by the state's opposition parties alleging large scale violence and intimidation by the ruling TMC that led to obstruction in filing of nominations. Challenging that order, SEC Secretary Nilanjan Shandilya and TMC leader and lawmaker Kalyan Banerjee made a plea before the Division Bench seeking urgent hearing against Justice Talukdar's order which the court dismissed. On April 9, taking into account the opposition parties' complaints of violence over filing of nominations, the SEC had extended the deadline for nomination filing by a day. But hours later, on the morning of April 10, the Commission recalled that order citing legal issues. Alleging that the SEC's U-turn was a result of it succumbing to the pressures from the ruling TMC, the BJP, Congress and Left had moved court. Speaking to News18, state BJP General Secretary Pratap Banerjee said, "We welcome this decision since the ruling party was trying to overturn the Single Bench order. We are hopeful of getting justice." Bengal Pradesh Congress president Adhir Chowdhury too expressed satisfaction and said, "We have full faith in the judiciary. There is no democracy in Bengal and we appeal to the court for justice against the ongoing anarchy in Bengal." TMC general secretary, Partha Chatterjee alleged that the opposition parties are intentionally delaying the poll process because they aren't ready to face the poll process. "They know that they will be rejected by the people and therefore they are delaying the process. TMC believes in peoples court," he said. Bhopal: Bhopal: A senior BJP minister from Madhya Pradesh has triggered fresh controversy over reservation government jobs with his comment during a function organized by the Brahmin community. Speaking at the programme in Narsinghpur, Minister for Panchayat and Rural Development Gopal Bhargav said, It is fine when the weak are uplifted, but if students securing 40% are preferred to those securing 90%, our country would lag. Bharat Mata won't forgive us. The minister went on to comment on the impact of the reservation system, saying that when the country got Independence, one-fourth MPs, MLAs and government staff were Brahmins. But at present our community representation is barely 10% and is decreasing further. "It happened because earlier things were governed by 'neeti' (justice), whereas 'aneeti' (injustice) has taken over now," Bhargav said. Ironically, the programme was held a day after the BJP-led central government led celebrations of Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkars 127th birth anniversary. All political parties, including the BJP, had organised elaborate functions to commemorate the day. Reacting strongly to Bhargavs comments, the Congress said it reflected the BJPs anti-reservation mindset. Minister Gopal Bhargavs statement is reflection of the anti-reservation mindset of the RSS-BJP, Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said. He also sought the ouster of Bhargav from the government, saying he spoke against the tenets of the Constitution. Bhargav, however, retracted his comments and claimed he was referring to the dearth of opportunities for the countrys youth. Speaking to News18, he added that he was a strong advocate of Indias reservation system. Raipur: Left Wing Extremism (LWE) or Naxalism has shrunk to an area spanning just two districts in South Bastar region, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh claimed in an interview with News 18. Talking about the challenges that the government had to face while connecting naxal hit areas, Singh said that building roads in the Naxal heartland was one of the toughest fights in the world and was only possible due to the efforts of the security forces and the state police. Most districts are very well connected via roads now. There is only a 15-20% area of Bijapur and Sukma districts where Naxals are most active. In other districts, like Bastar and Dantewada, you can now go anywhere. Now, there are roads deep into Bijapur as well. There were areas, where even I would have doubts about going earlier. But now, they are peaceful. Roads and electricity are the key factors behind this. There has definitely been a massive change in the last 15 years. We have won the confidence of the people. We are now moving forward and giving 55 lakh smartphones to the youth across the state, he told News 18. Singh said one of the biggest challenges he faced in office was the construction of roads in the 40,000 square kilometer Maoist-hit Bastar range, a region bigger in size than the state of Kerala. Chattisgarh was the only state in India which had a 150 km long National Highway made of nothing but dirt. No construction could take place there. Now, we have connected Jagdalpur to Dantewada and then onwards to Sukma and Bijapur. There is a road till Konta, which is the last village in Chhattisgarh on the southern tip of Sukma. Several bridges have been constructed. Earlier, the National Highways would be unusable in the monsoon. That is not the case now, he said. The CM said that the South Bastar region, by virtue of being surrounded by four inter-state borders with Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, is subject to Left-wing extremism perpetrated by those who come from outside Chhattisgarh. He said, Earlier, Naxals used to scare away construction crews or damage their equipment. We gave them security. Building roads in Naxal-affected areas is one of the toughest fights in the world. They are not uniformed fighters. They are guerrillas and they ambush our people. They use villagers, women and children, are human shields. The leaders are not even locals, they come from Andhra. Some fighters live in Odisha, strike here and leave. That is why it is harder to control Naxalism in the South Bastar region, because it is surrounded by inter-state borders. On Saturday, Singh accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Naxal-affected Bijapur district, where the Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat scheme and also announced a slew of sops for the sensitive South Bastar region. Talking about the PMs decision to visit Bijapur, Singh said, There are over 100 Aspirational Districts in India. He (Modi) could have gone to any one. He chose Bijapur because it has shown remarkable improvements in terms of development. It is a great matter of pride for Bijapur and Chattisgarh that the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which will transform health care in India, was launched from here. Today, Bijapur and Dantewada have BPOs. They have connectivity. 300 kids from these two districts found employment in these BPOs. Our aim is to employ 1,000 kids here. During his speech in Bijapur, Modi began his address by speaking in Halbi, a tribal language spoken in Chhattisgarh. According to Raman Singh, the PMs choice of Halbi had a profound impact on the audience. If a person hears even four sentences in their own language, it raises their confidence. The PM's decision to address the rally in Halbi had a great response. Our PM has an incredible ability to connect with people in the very first minute. The choice to speak in Halbi broke the language barrier very early on and brought the crowd of 40,000 on the same wavelength as the PM, he said. (The reporter was in Raipur at the invitation of the Chhattisgarh government.) Raipur: The battle for Chhattisgarh will be a straight fight between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh told News18. He added that former Congress Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who started his own Janta Congress Chattisgarh (JCC) after being expelled from the Congress in Chhattisgarh, is not a significant enough force in the state. Speaking to News 18, the longest reigning BJP CM ever also reflected on his time in office and said there was still a lot of work left for him to do. Chhattisgarh is heading to state assembly elections towards the end of 2018, along with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram. Our straight fight is with the Congress. There is no other opposition party in Chattisgarh. Jogi may have an impact, but it won't be enough. Ajit Jogi will become a problem for Congress, whether he stays with them or not, the Chief Minister said. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh since 2003, just two years into the formation of the new state, Raman Singh is now the longest reigning BJP Chief Minister in history with 5,239 days in office as of Monday. He is followed by Narendra Modi, who served as Gujarat Chief Minister for a total of 4,610 from October 2001 to May 2014. When asked what he thought his greatest achievement in the last 15 years was, he said, My biggest achievement is the effective implementation of the PDS system. That is one scheme I look back at with most pride. That has made a big difference. It has made a big difference to the problems of malnutrition, hunger and exodus of people out of villages. They didn't have food to eat. Now people get grains like rice very easily. We gave rice, salt and grams. That has made a big difference to people's health. With elections looming, Singh has made fresh promises to the people of the state. This includes an ambitious plan to electrify every house in Chhattisgarh. When asked if there was something he was yet to accomplish as CM, he said, There is still a lot of work left to do. The next step is electricity to every village. This will be done by June. There are 6,40,000 (6.4 lakh) people left in Chattisgarh who still don't have electricity. In places where we can't give electricity connections, we will give solar panels to the people. On Saturday, Singh accompanied Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Naxal-affected Bijapur district, where the Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat scheme and also announced a slew of sops for the sensitive South Bastar region. These included a train connecting Jagdalpur to Raipur, a new health and wellness center in Bijapur and the Bastar Net Programme, which will connect villages of Bastar with the internet. The move is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to woo voters in the region, who swung towards the Congress in 2013. The Congress won 8 of the 12 Vidhan Sabha seats in the Bastar region. This time, however, Raman Singh feels confident the BJP will do better. I think we will perform much better than before in the Bastar region. I can't give you an exact number of seats yet, but you will see that we will do very well here. Reflecting on the situation in neighboring Andhra Pradesh, where Chandrababu Naidus TDP left the NDA, he said no regional coalition would be able to challenge Narendra Modi in 2019. Equations are made and broken before every election. We, too, lose allies sometimes. Modi is very popular among the people, I don't think anyone can challenge his leadership, he said. He added that the BJPs recent back-to-back bypoll losses in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were not indicative of a larger trend. Bypolls should not be seen as an indicator of larger politics. Every Vidhan Sabha seat has its own equation. During 2019, the people will decide. On one side, BJP is united behind Modi. On the other hand, opposition has six PM candidates, the CM told News 18. When asked if he thinks simultaneous elections are possible, he said, I am in favour of simultaneous election. Who wouldn't be? It would be great if there is one election from Panchayat to Parliament. It is definitely possible. During panchayat elections, people vote for multiple posts. Add two more booths, for MLA and MP. (The reporter was in Raipur at the invitation of the Chhattisgarh government.) Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the CPI(M), the Congress and the BJP of "deliberately delaying" the panchayat election process in the state. "The CPI(M), Congress and the BJP are three brothers who play one role in New Delhi and another in West Bengal. They are spreading canards and rumours, and mainly doing it to show their faces on television shows," she told reporters here. The chief minister said the Congress and the CPI(M) must decide on their roles in West Bengal. "In Delhi, you request us to come together and here you talk to the BJP." She also slammed the BJP, dubbing it as a party that "encourages" rape and violence. "I do not want to question the BJP, which is a party encouraging rape and violence. The common people of the country have properly identified them (the BJP)," the chief minister said. Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief, said that delaying of the panchayat election process has stalled development works in West Bengal, as the model code of conduct is in force. "If you really believe in the people, then why are you not going in for the elections? You are deliberately delaying the process, putting up various political questions. "I will not comment about the court's verdict. The state has progressed a lot. But I feel sorry that because the code of conduct is in place, we cannot take any new decision. "We cannot go for new projects, and those that are yet to be completed, are left in uncertainty. As a result, the development of the state is stalled," she said. The Calcutta High Court on Monday said petitions regarding the panchayat polls in West Bengal will be heard by a single bench that stayed the election process. The single bench is scheduled to hear the petitions by the opposition parties as well as by the State Election Commission and ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday. Banerjee also rubbished allegations of violence during the nomination process. "Some political parties are not ready and they are cooking up stories about violence. We have not forgotten what had happened during the Left Front rule, how many had died during the 2003 elections," the chief minister said. Till the last day of the filing of nomination, Banerjee said, "only seven sporadic incidents out of the 58,000 booths" were reported. She added that holding panchayat elections in May or during the monsoon would pose difficulties for the people, owing to the weather. "Remember that in May it's very hot. Then there is the rainy season. Last time, we held the elections in August, when there was flood during the month of Ramazan. We have 30 per cent of people who observe Ramazan. We cannot disturb religious festivities," the CM said. New Delhi: Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa took to social media on Monday to express his disappointment at being looked over for a ticket to fight the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. The Grand Old Party had released a list of 218 candidates for the 224-member Assembly, but Kalappa was not among names fielded, which also included 10 leaders who had defected from other parties. Kalappa, who had recently been appointed as the media coordinator for Congress in Karnataka, wrote a dramatic post on Facebook, alleging that this was not the first time the party had denied him a ticket. The Congress leader, also a Supreme Court advocate, quoted Rajesh Khannas iconic lines from Amar Prem, telling his supporters that he hates tears. Kalappa went on to add a second post, in which he claimed that he was the victim of a campaign against him within the party. However, he also thanked the Congress for the opportunities he had received. Kalappas rant on Facebook came hours after the supporters of party colleague Anajanmurthy, who was also denied a ticket, went on rampage in the state, burning tyres and shouting slogans against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. The Congress released its first list of 218 candidates for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly elections on Sunday and fielded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Chamundeshwari and state party chief G Parameshwara from Korategere. The party has not applied the "one-family, one-ticket" formula for the Karnataka polls as it granted tickets to the chief minister and his son, the Home minister and his daughter, and the Law minister and his son. The Congress had followed this rule in the Punjab polls held last year. The announcement that Siddaramaiah will contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru, ended speculation that he might be in the fray from a second constituency, Badami, in north Karnataka's Bagalkote district. In the dissolved Assembly, Siddaramaiah was representing Varuna in Mysuru. It has now been allotted to his son Yatindra. Bengaluru: Finally the Congress list is out. For the first time, the ruling party has declared candidates for 219 seats at one go. Names for remaining five seats are likely to be decided by Monday evening. The list has the stamp of chief minister Siddaramaiah all over it. He seems to have fought tooth and nail for his supporters and has managed to accommodate most of them. The sub-regional satraps in the state Congress M Mallikarjuna Kharge, D K Shivakumar and KPCC president Dr G Parameshwara have also managed to secure nominations for some of their supporters. Siddaramaiah is contesting only from Chamundeshwari in Mysore district and his son Dr Yatheendra is contesting from neighbouring Varuna seat currently held by his father. According to top level sources, the Congress President Rahul Gandhi advised the chief minister to contest from only one seat fearing a negative publicity. Earlier, Siddaramaiah was planning to contest also from Badami in north Karnataka district of Bagalkote. Despite stiff opposition from within the party, Siddaramaiah has managed to field 10 MLA s who defected to Congress from JDS, BJP and a local party. Giving tickets to "outsiders" had led to a war within the party and it had delayed the release of list by two days. According to party sources, they had conducted four different surveys before giving tickets to the candidates. "Winnability is the only criteria. The strong candidates who have the backing of caste, money and acceptability have been given tickets," said a senior leader. Controversial businessman Ashok Kheny, against whom the same Siddaramaiah government had ordered an inquiry in the billion dollars NICE scam, has been fielded from Bidar South. In 2013, he had won on Karnataka Makkala Paksha ticket. In Bengaluru city the party is yet to decide on renominating sitting MLA N A Haris from Shanthinagara. His son Mohammad Nalapad's brutal attack on a youth at a pub has put his nomination on hold. In Belgaum districts Kittur, the party is yet to decide on renomination of veteran MLA D B Inamdar. The mayor of Bengaluru, Sampathraj, has been given ticket from C V Raman Nagara reserved seat for the SCs. Currently, the seat is held by the BJP. Sampathraj's predecessor Padmavathi has been fielded against BJP veteran S Sureshkumar in Rajajinagara. Home minister R Ramalingareddy's daughter Soumya Reddy is contesting from posh Jayanagara in south Bengaluru. The law minister T B Jayachandra has managed to secure nomination for his son Santhosh Jayachandra from Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumkur district. The seven-time Kolar MP and former Union minister K H Muniyappa's daughter Roopa Shashidhar will be contesting from Kolar Gold Fields. Two octogenarians, revenue minister Kagodu Thimmappa (86) from Sagara and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (89) from Davanagere, have also been renominated keeping their personal clout in their respective seats. The party seems to have taken the complex caste and sub-caste calculations into account before finalising the list. About 40 Lingayats have made it to the list and around 25 Vokkaligas have also been given tickets. There are 15 Muslims, 15 women, seven sitting MLCs and all five sitting Brahmin MLAs have also been renominated. The Other Backward Classes have got over 50 seats and the smaller upper castes like Kodavas, Bunts and Vaishyas have also got five seats. The two sitting Christian MLAs have been renominated and the lone Jain MLA has also been renominated. For the first time, the Congress has given tickets to 15 women candidates in the state. Among them two are widows, whose husbands were MLA s in the outgoing Assembly. Siddaramaiah seems to have managed to pacify both "right hand" Dalits and "left hand" Dalits by accommodating all sub-castes among the Scheduled Castes. In BJP leader B Sriramulu's area of influence Bellary, Congress has fielded two BJP defectors on party ticket to settle score with mining mafia barons Reddy brothers. Siddaramaiah has also fielded strong candidates against former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's sons H D Kumaraswamy and H D Revanna in Channapatna and Holenarasipura constituencies respectively. Transport minister H M Revanna is taking on Kumaraswamy and state government employees association president Manje Gowda is contesting against H D Revanna. The list has also led to protests in some constituencies and the main opposition BJP is trying to exploit the situation. According to party sources, the BJP high command decided to withold the announcement of names for remaining 152 seats after the Congress list was released. The BJP has already declared candidates for 72 seats last week. The JDS has declared candidates for 126 seats. Voters pose outside a polling booth in Karnataka. People were seen standing in queues to cast their votes in the early hours itself, factoring in that the temperature may go up later in the day. Also, it has been raining in different parts of south interior Karnataka for the last couple of days during the evening hours. Senior citizens were seen in good numbers standing in queues at various polling stations to cast their votes early. State BJP chief and party's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa, and Pradesh Congress Committee G Parameshwara were among the first to cast votes in Shikaripura in Shivamogga and Yaggere in Tumakuru respectively. Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda along with wife Chennamma cast their votes at Paduvalahippe in Hassan district. Film actors Ramesh Arvind, Ravichandran, also scion of Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar were among the prominent personalities to cast their votes early today. There are reports about delay in polling due to some technical issues with the electronic voting machines (EVMs) from different parts of the state. Election for the Jayanagara seat in Bengaluru has been countermanded following the death of BJP candidate and sitting MLA BN Vijaykumar. The Election Commission has also deferred the polls for Rajarajeswari Nagar constituency to May 28 after a massive row erupted over a large number of voter ID cards being found in an apartment. Suspecting something fishy, both Congress and BJP have pointed accusing fingers at each other in the matter. "Today people of Karnataka are standing in queues to create history & show the nation the way to liberal, progressive, peaceful & compassionate politics & governance. I thank them for their support & wish them well," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted. Over 2,600 candidates are in the fray-- more than 2400 men and and over 200 women. The total voters including service electors according to the 2018 final rolls are 5,06,90,538, of whom 2,56,75,579 male voters, 2,50,09,904 female and 5,055 transgender voters. Officials said 58,008 polling stations have been set up across the state, of which 12002 have been designated as "critical", with over 3,50,000 polling personnel on duty. Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of polls that will go on till 6 pm. "82,157 people have been deployed for poll duty that includes DSPs, home guards and civil defence, and forest guards and watchers," Karnataka DGP Neelamani N Raju said. This also includes about 7,500 personnel from states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Kerala and Goa, she said, adding, central forces have been deployed. One among the interesting aspects of this election is that four candidates who have served as Chief Minister of Karnataka are in the fray-- Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (Chamundeshwari and Badami), B S Yeddyurappa (Shikaripura), H D Kumaraswamy (Chennapatna and Ramanagara) and Jagadish Shettar (Hubli-Dharwad Central.) New Delhi: Numbers can sometimes have a funny way of putting things into perspective. Perhaps by coincidence, so it happened on Monday when an RTI reply revealed that the Congress government in Karnataka had spent around Rs 56 crores over the last three months to highlight achievements of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The same number - 56 - was also touted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an elections rally in the run up to the 2014 general elections. He had famously directed the chappan inch ki chati barb at Mulayam Singh Yadav, saying that a 56-inch chest is needed to develop UP like Gujarat. The remark has stuck and has been used repeatedly in the last four years to hit out at the PM by his opponents. In Karnataka, the Prime Minister is yet to embark on a full-fledged campaign, but the amount was spent in order to counter his expected high-voltage campaign blitz closer to the election date. This money was spent on outdoor advertising solely devoted to the Chief Minister before the model code of conduct could come into effect. The RTI reply revealed the funds were shelled out on hoardings by the Department of Information just ahead of the assembly polls. Publicity material and billboards have been put up on buses and auto-rickshaws, Metro rail pillars and bus shelters of the BBMP, and LED mobile vans and LED hoardings have also been put in place. Separate allocations were made for publicity of other ministers, including KJ George and MB Patil. Besides the outdoor publicity, digital platforms and TV channels were also given advertisements, funds for which were allocated separately. The ad blitz lasted from December 1 to March 20 and used taxpayers' money before the model code of conduct kicked in - an average half a crore rupees per day to highlight the CM's achievements during 5 years of Congress rule in the state. The Siddaramaiah government had earmarked Rs 280 crores for the Department of Information and Public Relations in the 2017-18 budget. In February this year, the Chief Minister told the legislative council that the government in the year 2017-18 will spend Rs 123 crore towards publicity of its schemes, a stark contrast to the Rs 13 crore expenditure in 2013-14. The BJP has called this a "criminal waste of tax payers' money". "Pubic tax payers' money was used to propagate programmes which have not been implemented. This government has spent more than Rs 600 crore in advertisements across various departments. Congress party must bear these expenses," said S Prakash, BJP spokesperson. The Congress justified this sum as one within limits. "This is budgeting done for an entire year. There is nothing wrong in it unless it exceeds the limit. It isn't illegal or in violation of the code of conduct," said Congress MP Syed Nasir Hussain. However, the contrast in the amount spent in the first four and half years versus the three months in the run up to the elections raises questions on the intent of the advertisements. A war of words erupted between the BJP and the Congress on Monday after a court acquitted right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. While the BJP claimed that the verdict has exposed the oppositions partys appeasement politics, the Congress raised questions on the functioning of the National Investigation Agency. Reacting to the court verdict, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the Congress has long "defamed" Hindus for votes and demanded that party president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi apologise for terms such as "saffron terror" and "Hindu terror". Hitting back at the Congress leaders for blaming the BJP government for the acquittal of the accused, he alleged that the opposition party has "double standards" and as it had welcomed a court order in favour of accused in the 2G scam case. Patra also noted that the Congress was in power for seven years after the blasts and asked what it had done during the period. "For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country for merely some votes. That conspiracy has been exposed. The Congress has been exposed like never before," he said. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, Patra wondered if the Congress president would lead a candle march to India Gate and apologise for his attempts to "defame" Hindus. The Congress asserted that there is nothing called 'saffron terror' and said it was of firm belief that terror cannot be linked to any religion or community, and made it clear its leader Rahul Gandhi or the party never used the phrase. Congress spokesperson PL Punia said terrorism is a criminal mentality and it cannot be linked to any religion or community. "Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party has never used the words 'saffron terror'," he told reporters when asked about the BJP's allegations. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is visiting his constituency Amethi, steered clear of commenting on the issue and dodged a query by reporters on the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast. Asked about the acquittal, Punia said they will assess the judgment first and then discuss it. "However, in preliminary reports it has been stated that the evidence was not provided and confessional statement is missing along with other documents. There seems some failure on the part of the prosecution. It would be proper to talk about it later after the judgement comes," he said. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, however, raised questions on the functioning of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the case. "It (acquittal) is happening in each case since the government was formed four years ago...people are losing faith in the agencies," he told news channels. Former union home minister Shivraj Patil said it is the government which has to decide whether the NIA should appeal in the higher court or not, he added. Former Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had in January 2013 at the Jaipur Chintan Shivir of Congress party accused the BJP and the RSS of promoting "Hindu terror" through its training camps, but later he expressed regret over his remarks after the BJP created uproar. The Congress had, however, distanced itself from his terror remarks. Shinde in a statement on the eve of Budget session of Parliament in 2013 expressed regret over his "Hindu terror" remark, saying his comments had been misunderstood. Before that, former home minister P Chidambaram had used the term "saffron terror" in 2010, but the party had distanced itself from his remarks, saying terrorism has no colour. A special anti-terror court in Hyderabad on Monday acquitted Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, holding that the prosecution failed to prove "even a single allegation" against them, lawyers said. A powerful blast, triggered by remote control, had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007 when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. "Prosecution (NIA) could not prove even a single allegation against any of the accused and all of them stand acquitted," J P Sharma, the counsel for Assemanand, told reporters quoting special judge for NIA cases K Ravinder Reddy who delivered the verdict amid tight security. Bengaluru: When KS Puttannaiah died of a massive cardiac arrest in February this year, the 68-year-old legislator from Melukote was fondly remembered by various leaders from across party lines. In Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's words, the farmer movement had lost a stalwart leader -- one who knew the realities on the ground. And when it came to the question of replacing him, his supporters quickly turned to his son, Darshan Puttannaiah. "We never discussed about launching me as a politician. If I had such plans I wouldn't have a well-settled life elsewhere," says Darshan, who's resettling in Karnataka after 15 years, leaving behind a Denver-based software company he founded. The Congress announced its list of candidates for 218 seats on Sunday, but did not declare nominees for six seats. One of them was Melukote, and sources said it all but confirmed that the party would support his political entry. Darshan's father was an MLA from Melukote in Mandya, representing the Karnataka Sarvodaya Party. The KSP originated from the farmers organisation called the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, which has merged with psephologist Yogendra Yadav's Swaraj India party. Puttannaiah became the first and the only Swaraj India MLA in Karnataka when he won in 2013. He gained close to 50% of the total votes polled, beating JDS candidate CS Puttaraju by a margin of more than 9,000 votes or about six per cent. Puttaraju had won the same seat beating Puttannaiah in 2008 by a margin of around eight per cent. So, does being the son of a tall leader make it easy or difficult for Darshan to fight this battle? "Being his son, it is easy for me to get a head start. But I will have to work within the present system. My father stuck to his principles which is not always easy. But I would want to tread his path," says the 40-year-old. There was a huge change from his settled life abroad and the one that was awaiting him when he decided to contest elections. With him, his wife and two school-going children too would relocate. "I have always liked the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha's activism side of fighting for the farmers. My father never asked me to join politics. He said do what you like. I am not even an office bearer of the KRRS. But when my father died, the people in the constituency asked me to contest and that's what transpired into this. I was only visiting here. I wasn't even here," he says. With an engineering degree from Mysore University and a post graduate degree from Canada, Darshan left India in 2002. But he is not new to elections in Karnataka. He has been here for the previous elections, campaigning for his father and working on the ground and is hoping to take forward his father's vision for his region to resolve basic issues like water scarcity, to ensure minimum support price for the farmers' produce. Darshan refuses to enter any blame game when it comes to one of the most discussed topics affecting the region Cauvery water dispute. "It has to be a bipartisan discussion. They are Indians and farmers and so are we. We need to come up with the solution that works for both. Everybody needs to look at the bigger picture," he adds. New Delhi: Contrary to the belief that the Ram Mandir resolution will suffer after Pravin Togadias exit, newly elected International Working President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Alok Kumar, said that the struggle for Ram Mandir nirmaan will not become weak with the movement of some people. He was accompanied by the General Secretary Milind Parande and New International President VS Kokje, who won with 131 votes in the first secret ballot of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Kokje picked Kumar as part of his cabinet during the April 14 election. Without naming Togadia, Kumar said, It is being said that with the movement or change of some people associated with the VHP, the resolve to get the Ram Mandir built in Ayodhya is going to become weak. But let me tell you, the temple will be built. It will be built there itself. He also said that the resolve to have the Ram Mandir built is not of any one person or organisation, but of the Hindu society. The Supreme Court hearing has begun, and if possible we will build a movement to have Ram Mandir Law, Kumar added. Kumar hails from Bisauli in Uttar Pradesh. He has a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Deshbandhu College (DU) and was elected as the President of its Students Union. He then graduated from Law Faculty, Delhi University and became the first directly elected President of the Delhi University Students Union in 1973. He was a Pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for six years (1974-80). Kumar led the underground movement against the imposition of emergency and suspension of fundamental rights and remained in Amritsar Jail for some time. He was the Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly from 1993 to 1995 and resigned from the office to continue his law practice. Following the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992, when the RSS, Bajrang Dal and the VHP were banned by the government, Kumar had strongly argued the case in favour of the RSS before the Delhi High court Tribunal, which consequently absolved the Sangh of all the charges. He has worked for the Sangh's mission of Hindu awakening and Hindu consolidation, said a Delhi-based RSS functionary. As the president of a public charitable trust called Bharatiya Chitra Sadhna,, Kumar works for the promotion of Indian ethos in Indian films. He is also the Managing Director of Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Ltd, which is the publishing house that prints Panchjanya (Hindi) and Organiser (English), both mouthpieces of the RSS. Currently, he is also the Prant Sarsanghchalak of RSS Delhi. Talking about the controversy over beef ban, Kumar said, The moment serving pork outside Jama Masjid was proposed some secular people objected to it. But when there is beef festival outside Delhi University and we object, you say the VHP is at it again. The newly formed cabinet is headed by Kokje as the International President. A native of Indore, he boasts of a long association with the Sangh. He was the High Court judge in Madhya Pradesh from 19921995. After retiring as the Chief Justice, he took charge as Vibhag Sah Sanghchalak, Indore. In 2003, he became the Governor of Himachal Pradesh. He was also associated with the Bharat Vikas Parishad from 2013 to 2015 and was a central team member of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad (ABAP). On felicitation day, Kokje referred to the Constitution of India as a reflection of traditions, religions and texts. There are people of certain faith who think their faith is superior to all. We have to tell them about Sarva Dharma Samaan which is part of our philosophy. It is because of this principle that religions that grew in India never had any disharmony or clash. We have to save our society from those people who dont care about the Constitution and try get their way by citing personal laws, he said. But this situation does not arise in Hindu faith, he added. Thats because Hindu Personal law is in line with Constitution. The essence and spirit of the Constitution comes from Hindutva. It has clauses inspired by the traditions of Vedas, Lord Buddha and other Indian religions. Hence, we need to get the Indian society together and build our traditional values. Chennai: Tamil film director Bharthiraja launched a scathing attack on actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth on Monday, calling him an outsider. This is the directors second attack in Rajnikanth in recent times. "The entire state protested in a peaceful manner yet you (Rajinikanth) choose to defame our protests. You never once spoke on Sri Lankan Tamil issue, neutrino project, or even when the Cauvery issue was at its peak. Why do you chose to speak now? he said. The attack on policemen was done by some vested interest who wanted to divert attention from the issue. We condemn the attack. Even the policemen is a Tamilian," he added. He also said that if Rajinikanth doesnt thinking before speaking, then he will be sidelined by the people of Tamil Nadu. The director's statement comes in the wake of tweets and video showing policemen getting beaten up by protesters. on Twitter, Rajinikanth said that violence against policemen was a grave danger to the country. Bharthiraja, who also protested near MA Chidambaram stadium demanding that IPL matches be boycotted in Chennai, has attacked Rajinikanth earlier as well, questioning his silence when there was violence against Tamilians in Karnataka. While he is always being criticised for being an outsider, Rajinikanth has maintained he is a Tamilian. Rajinikanth had in May 2017 claimed he is a true Tamilian. During a phot-op with his fan club, he said: "I lived in Karnataka for 23 years and in Tamil Nadu for 43 years. Although I came as a Marathi from Karnataka, you people nurtured me, made me a true Tamilian. Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray could not spare time to meet Maharashtra finance minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday, sources said. "Uddhav-ji was caught up in meetings on issues including the proposed mega-refinery at Nanar and the murder of two Sena workers in Ahmednagar," an aide to Thackeray said. When contacted, a source close to Mungantiwar said that he had sought time to meet Thackeray at his residence in Bandra (East) this evening, but the meeting didn't materialise. The BJP is making overtures to the Sena, its oldest ally, after Thackeray, who has been bitterly critical of the saffron party despite sharing power both in the state and the Centre, announced that the Sena will contest future elections on its own. At a rally here on April 6, BJP president Amit Shah had said he sincerely wishes that the Shiv Sena stays with the BJP. Meanwhile, the Sena today criticised chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Nanar refinery issue. In an editorial in the party mouthpiece `Saamana', the Sena said if Fadnavis fears that the project would go to neighbouring Gujarat, they should build the refinery in Vidarbha or Marathwada regions. "We are not against development. However, it should not be done at the cost of people's livelihood and the environment of the region," it said. The Sena has supported the local people at Nanar in the coastal Ratnagiri district, who are opposed to the refinery project for fear of losing their lands and the environmental impact. China's new indigenously developed multi-role stealth fighter jet J-10C, capable of striking precisely both land and maritime targets, were put into active combat duty today, the military said. The third-generation supersonic fighter jets are equipped with an advanced avionics system and multiple advanced armament, making it capable of precisely striking both land and maritime targets within medium and close range, the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) said in a statement. China had in February commissioned its latest J-20 stealth fighter into its air force's combat service. The J-20 is China's fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter jet. The Chinese supersonic fighter jet had made its debut in July last year, when the PLA marked its 90th anniversary, at Zhurihe military training base in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The fighter will enrich the air force's offensive and defensive system and improve its capability to fulfil duties and missions, the statement said. Shen Jinke, a spokesperson for the PLAAF, said that the air force will advance training and war readiness, and sharpen its striking, defensive, and air delivery capabilities. It will also firmly safeguard China's airspace security and national strategic interests in the new era, Shen was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency. Also read: India, France Holding Discussions For Inter-Planetary Missions to Mars, Venus Taiwan's state-owned news agency the Central News Agency (CNA) had earlier reported that the J-10C is more streamlined than the J-10 B to reduce drag. Hong Kong military analyst Leung Kwok-leung said that the J-10C has stealth capabilities entirely different from existing stealth warplanes. The J-10C fuselage absorbs radar waves and weakens its signals, as a result, the waves do not bounce back to the radar, making the plane stealth, the state-run Global Times said quoting the CNA report today. It is a brand new stealth technology, it said. The news of induction of the new warplane came at a time when Chinese military held its biggest ever military exercises and parade in the disputed South China Sea last week. The naval hardware seen at the parade, inspected by Chinese President Xi Jinping, showcased achievements made by the People's Liberation Army Navy, including nuclear submarines in its modernisation drive, military observers said. Also read: HP Introduces World's First Wearable VR PC at Rs 3.25 Lakh in India A researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, Senior Captain Cao Weidong said that the Navy received a large number of new weapons with advanced capabilities over the past five years and new hardware features a higher information capability and optimised joint operation system and thus can better carry out sophisticated joint operations. Cui Yiliang, editor-in-chief of Modern Ships magazine, said the Navy showed almost all of its new hardware delivered during the past 10 years. It is now capable of conducting every naval operation, from strategic strike to amphibious assault, he said. "The nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines involved in the parade are of the latest generation and have many improvements compared with their predecessors. The new nuclear-powered attack submarines are reportedly capable of launching cruise missiles," he said. Wu Peixin, a defence industry analyst in Beijing, said the PLA Navy has been steadily and rapidly catching up with the US Navy in terms of technological and operational capabilities of its hardware. Also read: WhatsApp Image Helps Police Identify, Arrest Drug Dealer Watch: Tech and Auto Show | EP35 | Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Samsung Galaxy S9+ & More Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg often came across as one of the smartest people in the room as he jousted with U.S. lawmakers demanding to know how and why his company peers into the lives of its 2.2 billion users. But while some questions were elementary, others left Zuckerberg unable to offer clear explanations or specific answers. A series of tough inquiries about how much personal information Facebook vacuums up on and off its social network seemed particularly vexing for Zuckerberg, who couldnt quantify it. He was vague about whether Facebook was a monopoly and whether it would offer an ad-free option, as well as about how the company could offer the same level of privacy protection to users around the world. Zuckerberg squirmed when pressed about a 2011 agreement with the Federal Trade Commission that was designed to force Facebook to tighten its privacy controls. While maintaining that Facebook had adhered to the terms of the settlement, Zuckerberg repeatedly conceded that the company still made mistakes that led to the personal details about 87 million Facebook users being turned over to Cambridge Analytica, a data-mining firm tied to President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign. Prodded by the Cambridge scandal, the FTC is now investigating whether Facebook violated their agreement. If Facebook did, it could be fined $40,000 per infraction. Lawmakers also got Zuckerberg to acknowledge that government regulation of Facebook and other internet companies is inevitable, although he was vague about what kind of rules he believes are needed or what he would support. He brushed off suggestions that Facebook has built a monopoly but didnt identify the companys competitors. Instead, he asserted without elaborating that the average American uses eight different apps to communicate with their friends and stay in touch with people. He didnt mention whether those other apps including Facebooks own Messenger, as well as Instagram and WhatsApp, which are also both owned by Facebook. Zuckerberg also didnt rule out the possibility that Facebook might eventually offer a version giving people the option of paying a monthly fee in exchange for not having their personal information mined for advertising. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebooks chief operating idea, floated the idea in an interview with NBC before Zuckerberg appeared in Congress. Although Zuckerberg didnt elaborate, the concept would be similar to what both video-streaming service Hulu and music-streaming service Spotify already do by offering a free version supported by ads or a commercial-free version that requires a subscription. Zuckerberg emphasized that Facebook will always offer a free version of its network. But Facebooks business model, as Zuckerberg repeatedly explained in his testimony, depends upon ads shown to people based on the interests they share on the network. That strategy generated $40 billion in ad revenue for Facebook last year, helping to make it one of the worlds most valuable companies just 14 years after Zuckerberg started the business in his Harvard dorm room. While Facebook users can turn off some data collection used for advertising, it cant stop tracking entirely. Zuckerberg also wasnt clear on how the company would offer all users privacy protection equal to that offered by European Union regulations taking effect next month. While hes said he supports the General Data Protection Regulation, Facebook probably isnt following those rules quite yet. Dont say we already do what GDPR requires, one passage from his cheat sheet reminded him. Rep. Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana who is a former computer programmer, focused on how extensively Facebook tracks on users who arent logged into the network or dont even have an account. Zuckerberg had said that such data is collected for security purposes, for example to flag unauthorized users trying to log in. Scalise, though, asked if the data is also used as part of Facebooks business. Zuckerberg said he believes the company collects different data for those and would follow up with further details a line he frequently fell back on when he didnt provide a direct answer. The CEO also seemed ignorant of the term shadow profiles, a commonly used term in technology that refers to data that Facebook collects about people who do not have Facebook profiles. Rep. Ben Lujan, a Democrat from New Mexico, asked Zuckerberg, How many data points does Facebook have on each Facebook user? After Zuckerberg said he didnt know, Lujan enlightened him. So the average for non-Facebook platforms is 1,500, the congressman said. Its been reported that Facebook has as many as 29,000 data points for an average Facebook user. You know how many points of data that Facebook has on the average non-Facebook-user? Flummoxed, Zuckerberg resorted to a common response. I can have our team get back to you afterwards. Based on the number of times he gave that answer, Zuckerberg and his team have many answers yet to provide. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP Concern about Facebook's respect for data privacy is widening to include the information it collects about non-users after Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said the world's largest social network tracks people whether they have accounts or not. Privacy concerns have swamped Facebook since it acknowledged last month that information about millions of users wrongly ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, a firm that has counted U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 electoral campaign among its clients. Zuckerberg said on Wednesday under questioning by U.S. Representative Ben Lujan that, for security reasons, Facebook also collects "data of people who have not signed up for Facebook." Also Read: Facebook CEO Didnt Have All The Answers For Congress Lawmakers and privacy advocates immediately protested the practice, with many saying Facebook needed to develop a way for non-users to find out what the company knows about them. "We've got to fix that," Representative Lujan, a Democrat, told Zuckerberg, calling for such disclosure, a move that would have unclear effects on the company's ability to target ads. Zuckerberg did not respond. On Friday Facebook said it had no plans to build such a tool. Critics said that Zuckerberg has not said enough about the extent and use of the data. "It's not clear what Facebook is doing with that information," said Chris Calabrese, vice president for policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology, a Washington advocacy group. COOKIES EVERYWHERE Facebook gets some data on non-users from people on its network, such as when a user uploads email addresses of friends. Other information comes from "cookies," small files stored via a browser and used by Facebook and others to track people on the internet, sometimes to target them with ads. "This kind of data collection is fundamental to how the internet works," Facebook said in a statement to Reuters. Asked if people could opt out, Facebook added, "There are basic things you can do to limit the use of this information for advertising, like using browser or device settings to delete cookies. This would apply to other services beyond Facebook because, as mentioned, it is standard to how the internet works." Facebook often installs cookies on non-users' browsers if they visit sites with Facebook "like" and "share" buttons, whether or not a person pushes a button. Facebook said it uses browsing data to create analytics reports, including about traffic to a site. The company said it does not use the data to target ads, except those inviting people to join Facebook. TARGETING FACEBOOK Advocates and lawmakers say they are singling out Facebook because of its size, rivaled outside China only by Alphabet's Google, and because they allege Zuckerberg was not forthcoming about the extent and reasons for the tracking. "He's either deliberately misunderstanding some of the questions, or he's not clear about what's actually happening inside Facebook's operation," said Daniel Kahn Gillmor, a senior staff technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union. Also Read: Russian Court Blocks Telegram Messaging App Zuckerberg, for instance, said the collection was done for security purposes, without explaining further or saying whether it was also used for measurement or analytics, Gillmor said, adding that Facebook had a business incentive to use the non-user data to target ads. Facebook declined to comment on why Zuckerberg referred to security only. Gillmor said Facebook could build databases on non-users by combining web browsing history with uploaded contacts. Facebook said on Friday that it does not do so. The ACLU is pushing U.S. lawmakers to enact broad privacy legislation including a requirement for consent prior to data collection. The first regulatory challenge to Facebook's practices for non-users may come next month when a new European Union law, known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), takes effect and requires notice and consent prior to data collection. At a minimum, "Facebook is going to have to think about ways to structure their technology to give that proper notice," said Woodrow Hartzog, a Northeastern University professor of law and computer science. Facebook said in its statement on Friday, "Our products and services comply with applicable law and will comply with GDPR." The social network would be wise to recognize at least a right to know, said Michael Froomkin, a University of Miami law professor. "If I'm not a Facebook user, I ought to have a right to know what data Facebook has about me," Froomkin said. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on April 16, 2018 2018/04/16 Q: Recently, the Australian Foreign Minister, when giving an interview to the media, said that Australia is committed to open economy and trade liberalization and that it is concerned about the unilateral measures taken by the United States such as tariff increase targeted at some of its trade partners. What is your comment? A: The statement made by the Australian side reflects the view generally held by the international community. The unilateral and protectionist policies adopted by the United States undermine not only China's interests but also the multilateral trading regime and the interests of other countries around the globe. China stands ready to work with other members of the international community to jointly fight unilateralism and protectionism, uphold the multilateral trading regime and build an open world economy. Q: Can you tell us about China's further reaction to the US, French and British missile strikes against Syria on Saturday? A: We have already stated our position on this issue on April 14, and I believe you have noted that. I would like to add several points if you like: First, the UN Charter has made explicit stipulations on the circumstances for the use of force. The military strikes on Syria by the US, the UK and France violate the basic principle of prohibition of use of force in international law and run contrary to the UN Charter. The modern international law prohibits retaliatory force measures against illegal behaviors. The use of force against Syria on the ground of "punishing or retaliating against the use of chemical weapons" does not conform to international law, neither does the use of force on the ground of unilateral "humanitarian interference" bypassing the Security Council. We have noted that there are also doubts and criticism in the US, the UK and France concerning the legality and legitimacy of such military strikes. Second, when it comes to the use of force against other countries on the ground of chemical weapons, we shall not forget the precedent of the Iraqi issue. That historical lesson should be learned, and such tragedy shall never be allowed to happen again. We noted that senior officials of those three countries you mentioned said that it is "highly likely" that the Syrian government had used chemical weapons, or in other words, they are still "looking for the evidence". We believe that it is very irresponsible to launch military strikes on a sovereign country on the ground of "presumption of guilt". The issue of Syrian chemical weapons calls for truth. Third, China's position on the issue of chemical weapons cannot be more clear-cut. We oppose the use of chemical weapons under whatever circumstances and for whatever purposes by any country, organization or individual. China maintains that a comprehensive, objective and impartial investigation shall be carried out to reach a fact-based conclusion that can stand the test of time. We support the OPCW in sending a fact finding mission on the ground. Yet before a conclusion is reached, no prejudgment should be made. In the end, I would like to stress again that military means will lead the Syrian issue to nowhere and political settlement is the only viable way out. The wanton use of force will only escalate instability in the region and complicate the issue. The relevant parties should earnestly draw lessons from the past and avoid repeating the tragedy. Q: According to Reuters, on April 12, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross vowed at the Americas Business Summit that Washington would not cede leadership in Latin America to the countries that exploit the region's rich natural resources and that Latin American economies benefited more from trade with the US. He said that as opposed to the raw materials and agricultural commodities that make up the bulk of Chinese imports, most US imports from Latin America are high value-added products, which are more beneficial to the local economies. What is your comment? A: Only the wearer knows whether the shoes fit or not. Likewise, people from Latin American countries are in the best position to say whether China is a good cooperative partner for them or not. China's economic cooperation and trade with the Latin American countries is equal-footed, sincere and mutually beneficial. Our cooperation follows the principle of equality, mutual benefit and win-win results and does not target any third party. China never capitalizes on geopolitics, seeks an exclusive club, forces others to buy or sell condescendingly or frequently threatens other countries with a trade war. The facts have proven that our cooperation meets the common interests and expectations of the two sides and focuses on common development and the outcomes are mutually beneficial. Now China is the second largest trading partner for Latin America and Chinese enterprises have created a total of over 1.8 million jobs there. Regarding such cooperation, people from the Latin American countries have made their voice loud and clear enough and we hope that the US can listen to them with an open mind. Just as President Xi Jinping pointed out at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018, China will stay committed to the strategy of opening up for win-win results, promote high-standard facilitation of trade and investment, further ease market access and proactively expand imports. This will provide more business opportunities and broader market for other countries around the world, including those in Latin America. We are willing to work with the Latin American countries to expand our mutually beneficial cooperation. We hope that certain people from the United States can respect the fact and the will of the Latin American countries, view China's cooperation with the Latin American countries in an objective way and contribute more to the development of Latin American countries instead of indiscriminately pinning labels on others, still less politicizing the economic and trade issues. Q: Recently, there have been frequent exchanges between the Chinese and Indian governments. Does that suggest a warming-up in China-India relationship? How does China view the prospect of its relationship with India? A: Since this year, under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-India relations have maintained a positive momentum of development with close interactions at various levels and new progress of cooperation in various fields. Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, recently held talks with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Shanghai. The 11th meeting of the China-India Joint Economic Group and the 5th China-India Strategic Economic Dialogue have been successfully held and the officials of the Foreign Ministries of the two sides also exchanged visits. Besides, the two sides held working mechanism meetings on border affairs and cross-border rivers. The above-mentioned interactions have fully indicated that China and India share extensive common interests and enjoy promising prospects for bilateral cooperation. China attaches great importance to its relations with India. We are ready to work with India to follow through on the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and stick to the right direction of our bilateral relations. We will further accumulate positive energy and expand new areas for cooperation so as to move forward the sound and steady development of bilateral relations. Q: You mentioned that the military strikes by the US, the UK and France were a violation of international law. I wonder if China is condemning these attacks? A: With regard to the military strikes on Syria by the US, the UK and France, we have immediately stated China's opposition to the use of force in international relations and call for respect for other countries' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. We have also made it clear that any unilateral military action bypassing the Security Council is in violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the principles and basic norms of international law. Q: According to reports, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on a visit to Japan and another round of China-Japan High-level Economic Dialogue was held after a lapse of eight years. What is your comment on the recent improvement of China-Japan relations? A: The China-Japan relations are witnessing the momentum of improvement. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Japan upon invitation is a response to the positive policies towards China adopted by Japan over a period of time. We hope that this visit can serve as an important step for our bilateral relations to come back to the normal track and create conditions and make preparations for the high-level exchanges going forward. We hope that the two sides can maintain communication and make concerted efforts to create conditions for the high-level exchanges going forward and the steady improvement and development of China-Japan relations. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The two sides should follow the principles of the four political documents, put history in perspective, abide by the one-China principle and translate into concrete actions the consensus of treating each other as cooperative partners and not posing threat to each other so as to ensure the sound and steady development of bilateral relations along the right track. Q: Reports say that there are accusations against the financing projects in the framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative. It is also said that the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka may be used as a military base in the future. What is your response? A: With regard to the Belt and Road Initiative and its progress, we have talked about them on multiple occasions. As to the different views held by some people mentioned by you, I think that the conclusion may be different when people view the same thing with a different mindset and from a different perspective. The Belt and Road Initiative is open and transparent and we hope that relevant countries can follow the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits to advance it and deliver benefits to their people. Regarding the specific project in Sri Lanka mentioned by you, it is a cooperation project conducted by China and Sri Lanka on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. It will contribute to local socio-economic development. Our two sides have the strong will to ensure the smooth progress of this project. I think that there is no need for certain people to make speculations from the military or other strategic perspectives. After facing employee fury over a US Defence Department project, Google is reportedly drafting new ethical standards to guide the company's use of technology and products. The move comes after more than 3,000 employees of Google signed a letter to the company's CEO Sundar Pichai, demanding that the company scrap the Defence Department project for analysing drone footage using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques as they feared that the technology could plausibly help target people for death, Fortune.com reported on Friday. Also Read: LG to Start Global Sales of AI-Powered OLED TVs Citing a Defense One article, the report said that Google Cloud chief Diane Greene this week hosted a Town Hall at which she assured employees of new ethical standards for the company. Called Maven, the programme applies AI and machine learning to the job of classifying objects in surveillance footage, but Google responded to the employee petition saying that the technology was intended to save lives and save people from having to do highly tedious work. Also Read: Facebook CEO Didnt Have All The Answers For Congress However, Greene promised employees that Google would not sign up for any further work on 'Maven' or similar projects without having new ethical principles in place, according to Defense One's sources. But some Google employees came out of the town hall still concerned about the company angling for a big Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud contract that could relate to combat operations, the Fortune report said. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP After debuting successfully in 2017, India is going to host its second India Mobile Congress (IMC) between October 25-27 at the national capital, Communications Minister Manoj Sinha said here on Friday. "The India Mobile Congress 2018, hosted by the Department of telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), is an excellent platform for policy makers, industry and regulators to engage in meaningful deliberations to drive the future direction of this important sector. This year, we will also be honoured by the presence of our friends from ASEAN and BIMSTEC which will lend a global connect to our exchanges," Sinha said while addressing the curtain raiser ceremony of IMC. Also Read: LG to Start Global Sales of AI-Powered OLED TVs The IMC expects that more than 200,000 professionals from the telecom industry, encompassing the 5G, start-up ecosystem, Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smart Cities, and allied industry sectors will attend India Mobile Congress 2018, the minister said. The exhibition would feature more than 1,300 exhibitors. "We are at the cusp of a tectonic shift in human history with the advent of futuristic technologies such as 5G and IoT. India is gearing up to embrace this new digital future with our focus on 5G readiness and the facilitation of new technology adoption across sectors," said Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan. "We firmly believe that the India Mobile Congress platform will be instrumental in driving this, by bringing together all stakeholders in the Telecommunications and IT ecosystem and providing the right forum for deliberations on the way forward in connectivity solutions," she added. Also Read: Facebook CEO Didnt Have All The Answers For Congress "With more than 1.2 billion subscribers, mobile now connects the whole of India. It is fuelling innovation, revolutionising industries and spurring exciting new opportunities, across both developed and developing markets," said Rajan S Mathews, Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI). The first edition of IMC held in September 2017, was attended by around 2,000 delegates, 32,000 visitors, 152 speakers, 100 exhibitors and 100 start-ups. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP LG Electronics said on Sunday that it will start global sales of the 2018 editions of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs, which are equipped with its Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform DeepThinQ this week. The South Korean tech giant said the new OLED TVs would hit the US market on Monday and gradually expand to countries in Europe, South America and Asia down the road, Yonhap news agency reported. LG Electronics said it would display the OLED TVs at some 500 branches of US retailer Best Buy, showcasing the company's latest Alpha 9 processor that delivers improved resolutions by optimising colour through AI technology. The company said the global market for OLED TVs is expected to reach 2.5 million units this year, rising sharply from 1.6 million units in 2017. Also Read: Facebook CEO Didnt Have All The Answers For Congress In response to the rising demand, LG said it plans to expand the portion of OLED TVs in its portfolio to 20 percent in 2018, up from last year's 15 percent. LG Electronics said the OLED TVs are capable of delivering enhanced colour as each pixel emits light without having to use backlights. The plan comes as Samsung Electronics Co, LG's bigger South Korean rival, employs LCD technology that uses backlights for its premium QLED TVs. To recall, LG Electronics (LG) announced that it will formally unveil its premium LG G7ThinQsmartphone on May 2 in New York City and May 3 in Seoul. LG will host media events to introduce the LG G7ThinQ on May 2(EDT) at the Metropolitan West in New York and on May 3 (KST) at IPARK Mall in Seoul. This will be the first G series smartphone to adopt the ThinQ name, created to identify all of LGs consumer electronics, home appliances and services that utilize artificial intelligence to deliver practical, consumer benefits. The LG G7ThinQis an evolution of the foundation laid by the LG V30SThinQ, the first LG smartphone to embrace AI as part of its core features. The V30SThinQincorporated AI technologies that enhanced the most frequently used features including voice recognition and Vision AI to improve camera convenience. The LG G7ThinQwill offer improved interconnectivity with LG devices such as home appliances, TVs, and more. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP Lenovo owned smartphone manufacturer Motorola is expected to launch its latest devices Moto G6, Moto G6 Play, and Moto G6 Plus in coming days. There has been a lot of news and rumours regarding the design, display, and the chipset used on these devices. Now, the Moto G6 Plus has been spotted on a benchmark site showing some specifications of the upcoming smartphone. According to the listing on Geekbench, the Moto G6 Plus will get its power through a Snapdragon 660 processor and is expected to come in two RAM/storage versions3GB RAM/ 32GB storage and 4GB RAM/ 64GB internal storage. Also Read: Huawei P20, P20 Pro With Triple Camera-Lens Setup Coming to India Soon Both the variants will come with a microSD card slot and has a 5.7-inch Full HD+ display. There is a dual-lens camera module (12MP+5MP) at the back along with a 16MP selfie camera and is backed by a 3,000 mAh battery. On the other hand, the bigger Moto G6 Plus will have a 5.93-inch Full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. It is expected to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset. Also, there will be a 6GB RAM version as well and a bigger 3,200mAh battery. The rest of the specifications are similar to the Moto G6. Also Read: India Mobile Congress 2018 to be Held Between October 25-27 Motorola will also launch another phone called the Moto G6 Play in the 2018 lineup of Moto G series. It is likely to feature a standard camera setup with a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera with a dedicated front flash. The device will focus on providing better battery life with a 4,000mAh battery. The smartphone will offer a 5.7-inch HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 18:9 and is expected to be powered by a Snapdragon 427 processor. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP WhatsApp for Android has introduced a new update in which the chat messaging platform is now bringing certain new features along with some bug fixes. As for the new feature, WhatsApp is now allowing its users to download old media files again, which they might have deleted from their phones earlier. Prior to the introduction of this feature, the media files which WhatsApp users used to delete from their smartphone's files after downloading, were not available for download again. This was primarily because WhatsApp used to delete such media files from its servers once they were downloaded by the intended recipient. The new feature to tweak this has been introduced in WhatsApp's recent updates, between the version 2.18.106 and 2.18.110. Also read: Google Working on Self-Expiring, Restricted Access Mails For Gmail As per a new report, WhatsApp will now allow users to download such deleted media files as well. This change has been made possible by WhatsApp's new policy as mentioned in the report. As opposed to the earlier scenario, WhatsApp now stores the 'downloaded' media files on its servers, enabling the users to download it again even after they've deleted it from their storage. However, the re-downloadable media files still have a time limit. As seen earlier, WhatsApp did not store the media files for more than 30 days on its servers, the time limit is still believed to be followed by WhatsApp for downloaded or non-downloaded media files. The new WhatsApp feature will come in handy to users who are regularly poised to switch smartphones. Also, for those who might have deleted their media files by accident. However, for the feature to work, a user should be having the original message in which the media file was shared with him or her, so they can download it again. Also read: Huawei P20, P20 Pro With Triple Camera-Lens Setup Coming to India Soon Prior to this, WhatsApp had fixed a timestamp issue found in its beta version 2.18.109. Most recently, WhatsApp's parent company Facebook was involved in a data leak scandal wherein the Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had to appear before the US Senate for a hearing on the same. Several questions related to WhatsApp's working were also raised during the hearing. One of them pointing out whether the conversations taking place over WhatsApp were readable by a third party or WhatsApp or Facebook themselves. Zuckerberg cleared these out by reverting that the messages sent over WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be seen by either WhatsApp, Facebook or anyone else. Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP After announcing four new smartphones at the Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, HMD Global, the home of Nokia mobiles, looks set to introduce another mid-range smartphone. As per its advertisement, the upcoming model by HMD Global seems to be Nokia X. Reports also reveal that the advertisement of the smartphone mentioned April 27 as its launch date. Advertisements for the new Nokia X were found inside a movie theatre in China, proving their authenticity. In the posters, two Nokia smartphones could be seen placed in an X-shape. A report mentions that as per the advertisement, the Nokia X could make its way to the Chinese market on April 27. If you recall, Nokia had earlier released the Nokia X back in February 2014, an entry-level smartphone running Nokia X platform 1.0. The report also mentions that the device is expected to be a mid-range offering by HMD Global and not a flagship one. This must be the case if HMD Global is trying to re-introduce the older Nokia X in the market in a new look, just like it did with the Nokia 3310. Nokia X advertisement spotted in a theatre. (Image: ithome) Also read: Honor 10 Specifications Listed on TENAA: 24MP+16MP Dual Camera And More Recently HMD Global has announced three of its this year's smartphones in India. Along with the flagship Nokia 8 Sirocco, the company introduced Nokia 6 (2018) as well as Nokia 7 Plus in India. First unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2018 held in Barcelona, the new Nokia devices cater to different price segments and boast of different sets of features, a common one being Zeiss optics on their cameras and the latest Android Oreo operating system. The Nokia 6 (2018) has been priced at Rs 16,999, Nokia 7 Plus at Rs 25,99 while the flagship Nokia 8 Sirocco will be available for Rs 49,999. Nokia 6 (2018) Review: A Smooth Performer in a Striking New Design A Russian court has banned the popular Telegram messaging app after it refused to give the Federal Security Service (FSB) encryption keys that would grant access to user messaging data, the media reported on Saturday. Telegram, which has more than 200 million users worldwide, is especially popular with Russia's elite. Both opposition politicians and Kremlin officials use it to stay in touch, and self-described insiders publish anonymous leaks of varying reliability from inside the halls of power, the Guardian reported. Also Read: LG to Start Global Sales of AI-Powered OLED TVs Influential users include Margarita Simonyan, the head of the state-funded TV station Russia Today, and Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, who schedules briefings using the service. "There are a lot of messaging services, Telegram is a very convenient one, we have been using it to communicate with journalists," Peskov said last week. Also Read: Facebook CEO Didnt Have All The Answers For Congress "But a law is a law, and if it is violated and no measures are taken, we will search for an alternative." Telegram was invented by the Russian internet entrepreneur Pavel Durov, who frequently clashed with the security services over his social network VKontakte and left Russia in 2014. Durov has said publicly he will not give the FSB access to user data. He taunted the security agency last week by posting a photograph of two metal keys, following demands that Telegram provide encryption keys to the government. Other encrypted messaging apps, such as WhatsApp and Signal, remain legal in Russia. Amnesty International on Thursday criticised the government's case against Telegram as an attack on freedom of expression, reports the Guardian. "By attempting to block the Telegram messaging app, the Russian authorities are launching the latest in a series of attacks on online freedom of expression in the country," said Denis Krivosheev, the human rights group's deputy director for eastern Europe and central Asia. Also Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP A controversial suicide pod that enables its occupant to kill themselves at a press of a button went on display at Amsterdam funeral show on Saturday. Called the "Sarco", short for sarcophagus, the 3D-printed machine invented by Australian euthanasia activist Philip Nitschke and Dutch designer Alexander Bannink comes with a detachable coffin, mounted on a stand that contains a nitrogen canister. "The person who wants to die presses the button and the capsule is filled with nitrogen. He or she will feel a bit dizzy but will then rapidly lose consciousness and die," said Nitschke, who has been dubbed "Dr Death" for his work to legalise euthanasia. The "Sarco" is a device "to provide people with a death when they wish to die," Nitschke told AFP. The inventors put a model of the device on display, together with a set of virtual reality glasses to give visitors a true-to-life experience of what it would be like to sit in the pod, before ultimately pressing the button. Nitschke said he aimed to build the first fully-functioning pod before the end of the year. After that, the design will be put online as an open-source document for people to download. "That means that anybody who wants to build the machine can download the plans and 3D-print their own device," Nitschke said. Also read: Japanese Engineer Builds 28-Feet Long Humanoid Robot Out of Love For Anime Asked about the controversy surrounding euthanasia and legal hurdles, Nitschke said: "In many countries suicide is not against the law, only assisting a person to commit suicide is. This is a situation where one person chooses to press a button... rather than for instance standing in front of a train." "I believe it's a fundamental human right (to choose when to die). It's not just some medical privilege for the very sick. If you've got the precious gift of life, you should be able to give that gift away at the time of your choosing," Nitschke said. Thousands of visitors flocked to the annual Amsterdam Funeral Expo at the city's famous Westerkerk, where all the latest trends in death, such as biodegradable coffins and a hot-rod funeral hearse were on display. But the "Sarco" drew large crowds, many of them morbidly curious to try out the device's chair and virtual reality glasses. "It was really an experience and a strange thing to see. But very pretty and calm. You see the moon, you see the sea. It's very calm," said Piet Verstraaten, 52, from the eastern Dutch city of Venray. Others, however, were not impressed. "Well, I think it's quite silly. It's stupid. I don't get it. I'm not interested in a real 'Sarco'. No," said 52-year-old Rob Bruntink. Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP In what could begin a new era for forensic science, the police in Britain have arrested a drug dealer based on fingerprints they found on a WhatsApp image sent by the criminal to his clients. The photograph showed part of the dealer's hand "and there was potentially a fingerprint," the BBC reported late on Sunday. The scientific support unit scanned the image into its system but could not find a match because the photograph contained just parts of the middle and bottom of a finger visible while records only keep the top part. However, other evidence was enough for the police to guess who was behind the drugs operation. "While the scale and quality of the photograph proved a challenge, the small bits were enough to prove he was the dealer," Dave Thomas from South Wales Police's scientific support unit was quoted as saying. Also read: New WhatsApp Update Will Allow You to Download Deleted Media Files Again Police arrested a man on a tip-off that said drugs were being sold in Wales. While checking his phone, they found an image of the drug dealer named Elliott Morris holding ecstasy tablets in his palm. "There was the photograph of the hand holding pills that seemed like it was sent to potential customers saying 'these are my wares, I'm selling these'," Thomas said. "It has now opened the floodgates and when there is part of a hand on a photograph, officers are sending them in," he added. According to the police officer, the dealers are using the technology not to get caught and the police need to keep up with advancements. Watch: Xolo Era 3X Review: Ease-of-Use is The Biggest USP Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday defended his use of the term "mission accomplished" to describe Friday night's missile strike in Syria. "The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term 'Mission Accomplished,'" he tweeted on Sunday. "I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use often!" The Syrian raid was so perfectly carried out, with such precision, that the only way the Fake News Media could demean was by my use of the term Mission Accomplished. I knew they would seize on this but felt it is such a great Military term, it should be brought back. Use often! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2018 On Saturday, Trump celebrated the success of the strike on three targets in Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack on civilians in a Damascus suburb. The strike was conducted in coordination with the United Kingdom and France. "A perfectly executed strike last night," Trump tweeted Saturday. "Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished!" A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018 Republican President George W. Bush famously stood in front of a banner emblazoned with the phrase "Mission Accomplished" as he spoke aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, to mark the end of "major combat operations" in Iraq after just over a month of fighting. The war in Iraq dragged on for years to come, American casualties piled up, and the "Mission Accomplished" banner became a punch line. On CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday morning, Maine Independent Sen. Angus King said "it's impossible to say at this point" whether the United States' mission in Syria has been accomplished. "I think it's very difficult to say 'mission accomplished' if the mission is to deter the use of chemical weapons," he said. "We hope that will be the case, but we did a strike a year ago for that same purpose and it was deemed a success, but the chemical weapons have continued to be used." Democratic lawmakers also called out Trump after he announced the strike for not going to Congress for approval of the military action. "The President must come to Congress and secure an Authorization for Use of Military Force by proposing a comprehensive strategy with clear objectives that keep our military safe and avoid collateral damage to innocent civilians," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said in a statement Friday night. Trump said Friday that the US is "prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents." The Pentagon repeated Saturday that the President has the authority under the Constitution to defend US interests, but what happens next is up to the Assad regime and Russia. The Office of the Regulator has yet to approve the Broadcasting Licensee for the sale of Apia Broadcasting Limited which runs TV3. This was confirmed by the Regulator, Lefaoalii Unutoa Auelua-Fonoti in an email to the Samoa Observer. Last week, the Apia Broadcasting Limited announced that Maposua Corey Keil and Nicholas Caffarelli have acquired the network. The TV station was previously owned by former Cabinet Minister and businessman, Hans Joachim Keil. But Lefaoalii said their office has yet to receive any correspondence from TV3 regarding the matter. She said they have only found out through the media. And we have duly written to TV3 as a Broadcasting Licensee under the Regulators jurisdiction to solicit a response regarding the matter and informing them of section 37 of the Broadcasting Act 2018 (the Act), which provides in essence that without an approval from my office, no transfer of control may be complete or have legal effect, she said. The Office of the Regulator has no intention to stymie competition and the services that are offered by TV3, but the legal requirements are necessary to ensure effective operations of competitors and the Office of the Regulator itself for the benefit of the public. I expect that TV3 will treat the request as a matter of urgency and provide an appropriate response so that we can identify and resolve any issues arising out of the matter, said the Regulator. A press release issued by TV3 confirmed the transaction. TV3 was established 12 years ago by Mr. Keil and members of his family as the first privately owned TV station in Samoa. Our goal was to have a wide selection for our viewers especially family programmes and movies that cater to families, especially children, said Mr. Keil. Some of the favourite local shows produced by TV3 since it was established include Samoan Idol and Young Stars Singing Competitions, National Spelling Bee Competitions for junior and senior levels, 8 Days of Christmas, which was later revamped to Island Christmas to name a few. Another highlight event that is broadcasted on TV3 is the Joseph Parker Fights. The decision to sell TV3 comes at a difficult time for Mr. Keil who since August last year has been undergoing medical treatment overseas with love and support from his wife Celine and family. Mr. Keil acknowledges with gratitude the ongoing support of clients and sponsors over the years since TV3 started. He also congratulates the new owners Maposua and Mr. Caffarelli and has full confidence they will continue to improve TV3s service to the country and beyond. Maposua adds TV3 to his list of business portfolios including Dawg Professional Audio and Radio Polynesia Ltd, which he has directed as a family business for more than 30 years. Mr. Caffarelli is the owner of Signs Studio and a prominent businessman in the community. As partners, they bring combined strength in business expertise and investment that will no doubt ensure the longevity of TV3 as it continues to provide broadcasting services to the Samoan community. The new proprietors have announced that they will strive to continue to deliver the values and vision that Mr. Keil had when he started the TV station more than 12 years ago, with the promise of adding new programmes and content over time. TV3 continues to film and broadcast community events in collaboration with the Government and private sector to inform, educate and entertain our local viewers. Its coverage around Samoa has grown from strength to strength over the years where today; TV3 prides itself in saying that it covers all four corners of Samoa. Its local content such as Nightly News, Tala I Vaifanua, Manuo Show for Public Notices and more is also viewed by neighbouring American Samoa. Emails to the TV3 have not been answered as of press time. London: British lawmakers on Monday published evidence that Brexit campaign group Leave. EU benefited from work by Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy at the centre of a recent storm over use of Facebook data. Nigel Oakes, founder of SCL Group, the parent company of Cambridge Analytica, said the consultancy was lined up to do work with Leave.EU in the event that it was designated as the official campaign to leave the European Union, according to transcripts of interviews published by a parliamentary committee. Oakes said that "there was no contract and no money" but that they did do work to demonstrate their capabilities. A transcript of another interview with Leave.EU official Andy Wigmore says the campaign group copied Cambridge Analytica's methods. "Leave.EU benefited from their work with Cambridge Analytica before the decision was made on which Leave campaign would receive the official designation for the referendum," Damian Collins, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said in a statement. Cambridge Analytica lies at the center of a storm for using data obtained from millions of Facebook users without their permission after it was hired by Donald Trump for his 2016 US presidential election campaign. The analytics firm is also under scrutiny over campaigning for the 2016 referendum when Britons voted to leave the European Union, a move seen by critics as a colossal historical mistake but by admirers as a vital reassertion of British sovereignty. Oakes said Wigmore's claim to have copied Cambridge Analytica's techniques raised "more questions about how Leave.EU developed their database to do this, and whether consumer data from other companies they had a relationship was used to support their campaign." The interview transcripts were submitted by Emma Briant, an academic who interviewed figures from SCL Group, Cambridge Analytica and Leave.EU. In the event, "Vote Leave" beat Leave.EU to become the officially designated campaign to leave the EU ahead of Britain's referendum, though Leave.EU continued to campaign for Brexit. Leave.EU founder Arron Banks has said that because it did not win the designation and due to concerns about the consultancy, it did no work with Cambridge Analytica, and received no benefit in kind. Former Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix told the committee in February that the firm did not work with Leave.EU, but he has been recalled for a new hearing, which will take place on Wednesday. The lawmakers were also critical of Wigmore and Oakes for speaking in admiring terms about Nazi propganda techniques, and said there were also questions about Cambridge Analytica's closeness with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. "The propaganda machine of the Nazis, for instance you take away all the hideous horror and that kind of stuff it was very clever, the way they managed to do what they did," Wigmore said, according to one interview transcript. Collins said that the "extreme messaging" around immigration during the campaign meant "these statements will raise concerns that data analytics was used to target voters who were concerned about this issue, and to frighten them with messaging designed to create 'an artificial enemy' for them to act against." The Hague: Russia may have tampered with the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria's Douma, the US envoy to the global watchdog said on Monday, urging the body to condemn the continuing use of banned chemical weapons. The comments came during a closed-door meeting at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, convened after an April 7 attack in the town of Douma, outside the Syrian capital, in which dozens of people were allegedly killed with poison gas. "It is long overdue that this council condemns the Syrian government for its reign of chemical terror and demands international accountability for those responsible for these heinous acts," US Ambassador Kenneth Ward said in comments obtained by Reuters. "It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site. It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation." The United States, Britain and France fired more than 100 missiles at three alleged chemical weapons facilities on Friday, angering Syria's military backer Moscow, which threatened to retaliate. President Donald Trump said the strikes had accomplished their aim of undermining efforts by the Syrian government to produce and use chemical weapons again in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. OPCW inspectors were visiting sites in Douma on Monday where they were aiming to collect samples, interview witnesses and document evidence to determine whether banned toxic munitions were used. It has been more than a week since the attack in which witnesses and Western governments described helicopters dropping sarin and chlorine bombs that killed many children and women hiding from clashes between rebels and government troops. A diplomatic source told Reuters evidence may have been removed while inspectors negotiated access with Syrian authorities. Syria and Russia deny chemical weapons were used in the final offensive that captured Douma, a rebel-held territory east of Damascus. The British envoy to the OPCW said it had recorded 390 allegations of the use of banned chemicals in Syria since 2014, and that a failure by the OPCW to act risked allowing "further barbaric use of chemical weapons". Syria joined the OPCW, the organisation tasked with monitoring adherence to the 1997 convention, in 2013 after a sarin gas attack that killed hundreds of people in Ghouta. The move was part of a joint Russian-U.S. deal that averted military action threatened by then-president Barack Obama. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Sunday that further Western attacks on Syria would bring chaos to world affairs, as Washington prepared to increase pressure on Russia with new economic sanctions. Members of the 41-seat executive council of the OPCW were due to discuss the alleged use of prohibited toxins in Syria, but were not expected to reach any agreement about a response. The organisation, which needs a two-thirds majority to take decisions, has been undermined by deep political division over the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government. The OPCW inspectors will not assign blame for attacks. A joint United Nations-OPCW mission concluded that troops under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons several times in recent years, including in a sarin attack a year ago in the town of Khan Sheikhoun that killed nearly 100 people. Washington: American objectives in Syria have not altered, the White House said Sunday, reiterating that President Donald Trump wants US troops home "as quickly as possible." "The US mission has not changed the President has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible," press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. "We are determined to completely crush ISIS and create the conditions that will prevent its return. In addition, we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region," she added. The statement came hours after French President Emmanuel Macron asserted that Paris had convinced Trump to stay engaged in Syria "for the long-term." "Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria," Macron said during a two-hour grilling on French television, broadcast days after his government joined the US and Britain in launching strikes against alleged Syrian regime chemical weapons facilities. The three allies joined forces for the missile strikes a week after a deadly attack on the town of Douma where civilians were hit with chlorine and sarin, according to the Western powers. "I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long-term," Macron told veteran journalists Jean-Jacques Bourdin and Edwy Plenel. Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that Paris had convinced Donald Trump to stay engaged in Syria "for the long-term" but just a few hours later the White House said the US mission in the war-torn country "has not changed". A day after France joined the United States and Britain in launching unprecedented strikes against regime targets, Macron insisted the intervention was legitimate and urged international powers to push for a diplomatic solution to the brutal seven-year war. "We have not declared war on the regime of Bashar al-Assad," the 40-year-old centrist said in a combative TV interview. But Macron again argued his first major military intervention as president was necessary to send a signal that the use of chemical weapons against civilians would not go unpunished. Saturday's strikes targeted three alleged chemical weapons facilities in response to what the West says was a gas attack on the town of Douma that killed dozens of people. "We have full international legitimacy in intervening in this case," Macron said. He said the US, France and Britain targeted "extremely precise sites of chemical weapons use" in an operation that went off "perfectly". While this operation was not sanctioned by the United Nations, Syria was supposed to destroy its chemical weapons arsenal under a 2013 UN resolution, he said. As for his allies, Macron suggested France had helped change Trump's mind on the need to stay involved in the conflict. "Ten days ago, President Trump was saying the United States of America had a duty to disengage from Syria," Macron said. "I assure you, we have convinced him that it is necessary to stay for the long-term," he told his interviewers. Shortly after the interview aired, the White House said the US mission in Syria "has not changed". "The President has been clear that he wants US forces to come home as quickly as possible," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. She added that Washington was "determined to completely crush" the Islamic State group in the country "and create the conditions that will prevent its return". "In addition we expect our regional allies and partners to take greater responsibility both militarily and financially for securing the region." Diplomacy Push Despite soaring tensions with Russia, Macron stressed the need to "talk to everyone" in pursuing a Syrian settlement, saying his plans to visit Moscow in May remain unchanged. In a reference to Trump's comments on Twitter over the possibility of strikes, Macron added: "We have also convinced him that he must limit his strikes to chemical weapons, at a time when there was a media furore via tweet, as I'm sure you noticed." Like Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May, Macron has faced a domestic backlash for striking Syria without consulting the legislature, but he defended the move as well within his constitutional powers. "This mandate is given democratically to the president by the people in the presidential election," he said. 404 We're sorry! The page you were looking for couldn't be found. Who is Spider-Gwen? Her surprise journey from Marvel Comics gimmick to fan-favorite superhero Spider-Gwen may seem like a gimmicky mash-up of Spider-Man and Gwen Stacy, but she's got a history and style all her own Xem theo ngay Ngay 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Thang Thang 1 Thang 2 Thang 3 Thang 4 Thang 5 Thang 6 Thang 7 Thang 8 Thang 9 Thang 10 Thang 11 Thang 12 Nam 2021 2020 2019 2018 XEM Alexander Soule / Hearst Connecticut Media The Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County is moving its office at iPark Norwalk on Main Avenue a few blocks north to the former Hitchcock Fine Home Furnishings store at 22 Danbury Road in Wilton. Hitchcock closed its Wilton store and three others in 2006, with the company famed for its Hitchcock Chair. Entrepreneurs in the Litchfield County town of Barkhamsted have since revived the brand. At a point in the political season when most candidates for elective office are asking supporters for money, U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty is giving money back. The embattled three-term Democrat, who dropped her re-election bid after Hearst Connecticut Media broke news that she covered up an office abuse scandal, had nearly $1.6 million in campaign cash on hand at the end of March, according to the latest filing with the Federal Elections Commission. But just how many refunds Esty winds up making will come down to how many supporters request their money back. The reason: Federal election law does not require candidates to refund contributions designated for the primary election, which accounts for as much as 85 percent of her campaign money, her office estimated on Monday. The only contributions that must be refunded if a candidate drops out of the race are those designated for the general election, the FEC says. A small amount of Estys contributions - perhaps no more than 15 percent - have been earmarked for the general election in November, and are eligible for an automatic refund, her office estimates. Tim Daly, her chief of staff, noted that Esty is returning primary contributions to voters who request them. The number of refunds Esty has issued was not immediately available, although Daly said it was less than 100. Esty has not decided what to do with primary money that her supporters dont ask to be refunded, he added. She has not decided yet because this is all so new - she only just announced that she wasnt running, said Daly, referring to Estys surprise April 2 decision not to seek a fourth two-year term. J.R. Romano, Connecticuts GOP chairman, said Esty should donate contributions that supporters dont want returned to charities that help victims of abuse and harassment. The irony is that at a time when the only two declared candidates for Estys seat are scrambling to raise money, Esty is scrambling to refund it. Former Meriden Mayor Manny Santos - the only declared GOP candidate - had $15,000 in campaign cash at the end of March, according to his FEC filing. Former Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman - the first and so far only Democrat to declare, has just begun to raise money and had nothing to report to the FEC for the first three months of the year. Esty is in refund mode after admitting that she kept her former Chief of Staff Tony Baker by her side for three months after learning that he punched and threatened to kill an Esty aide named Anna Kain. Esty admitted that she exacerbated the scandal by keeping the truth of Bakers dismissal private and recommending him for a job with Sandy Hook Promise, the Newtown-based nonprofit. Baker was fired by Sandy Hook Promise shortly before the scandal broke. Last week, two founding members of Sandy Hook Promise who lost first-grade boys in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre confirmed that they are considering an invitation by national Democratic Party leaders to run for Estys seat. Those two Sandy Hook parents - Nicole Hockley and Mark Barden - have created as much excitement among Democrats as state Rep. William Petit has for the GOP. Petit is the man whose wife and two daughters were murdered in the barbaric 2007 Cheshire home invasion. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342A WASHINGTON Sen. Chris Murphy on Monday said he would vote no on President Trumps nomination of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state, adding his voice to a growing Senate chorus of opposition that might imperil Pompeos confirmation. Murphy, D-Conn., said he was worried that, as an advocate of a muscular go-it-alone type foreign policy, Pompeo would be a poor choice to guide U.S. diplomatic efforts. Together with Trumps new hawkish national security adviser, John Bolton, I am deeply concerned that the president is intentionally surrounding himself with people who will narrow the foreign policy options available to him, prioritizing military solutions over diplomatic solutions, Murphy said in a statement. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Murphy tangled with Pompeo last week over the Trump-Russia investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller and whether the Vietnam-era War Powers Act required Trump to consult Congress before ordering strikes on Syria. The hearing took place less than 48 hours before Trump actually ordered a strike aimed at Syrian chemical weapons making capacity. Murphy condemned the bombing, likening it to failed U.S. military strategy in the 1960s in Vietnam when massive bombing did not force the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table. That is what is likely to happen in Syria a bloodier, more brutal war as a result of continued U.S. half measures, Murphy said Saturday. Another Democrat on the committee, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, also announced his opposition. And a committee Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he too would oppose Pompeo, raising the rare prospect of a committee casting a negative on a nominee but nonetheless passing it to the Senate floor. With Republicans in control of the Senate 51-49, the Pompeo nomination could go down in flames if Democrats stand united in opposition and Republicans lose one more vote. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and most other Senate Democrats have not stated whether they are supporting or opposing Pompeo, 54, a graduate of West Point and Harvard Law School who served two terms in the House representing a district in Kansas. In his statement, Murphy also took aim at Pompeos record of statements disparaging Muslims and gays, including his belief that gay sex is a perversion. I am concerned that Mr. Pompeos personal beliefs on a number of issues, from torture to the rights of Muslim and LGBT Americans, place him outside mainstream American values and will compound the already disastrous moral leadership position of this administration around the globe, Murphy said. During the confirmation hearing, Murphy pressed Pompeo to distance himself from comments by Trump that the Mueller investigation of links between Russia and the Trump 2016 presidential campaign is an attack on our country and an attack on what we all stand for. Pompeo ducked the question, telling Murphy and Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., that he couldnt talk about it because he was a participant in the investigation, having been interviewed by Mueller. By refusing to condemn the attacks you are frustrating the work of the special counsel because youre associating yourself with some very poisonous political attacks, Murphy told Pompeo. WASHINGTON Residents will again be asked to consider the sale of a historic pavilion in the center of New Preston, after the town attorney decided the town could sell the building for private use. The special meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bryan Memorial Town Hall. Under the current proposal, Plain Goods, a local business adjacent to the Harry O. Erickson Pavilion Hall, would purchase the building for $140,000. The Board of Selectmen and an ad-hoc committee selected the Plain Goods proposal from among three bids earlier this month. The owners, Andrew Fry and Michael DePerno, plan to restore it and house their retail operation there, which has outgrown its existing space. They will also set aside a portion of the building to be used as a visitors center, promoting the recreational, natural and historical features of the town and offering information on other local businesses. They also plan to engage the community with workshops and work with nonprofits by hosting events. Were hopeful and were excited, DePerno said. We really want to restore the beautiful building and make it available to the public. Meanwhile, a group of residents have submitted another proposal, calling for the selectmen to keep the building and reject all three bids, including one from business owners that would turn the building back into a community center. The group proposes setting up a special fund that would use donations to renovate and maintain the building. The group raised about $311,000 in committed pledges in 10 days. First Selectman Mark Lyon said the community would be better served if a private entity bought and restored the building. He added it will cost thousands to restore the building and the limited septic and parking prevents it from being a community center. He said there are a number of places in town for people to gather. The reason were selling it is because we dont want to be responsible for the building anymore, Lyon said. We spent a fair amount of time seeing if there was a municipal use for the building and we dont have one. The vote to sell Harry O. Erickson Pavilion Hall was originally scheduled for March 24 but the 230 or so residents gathered voted to delay the sale until the town could research documents from 1940 that would determine if it was legally allowed to sell the property for private use. During the meeting, Edwin Matthews said the deed required the building to remain for community use. Matthews, one of the residents who filed the new community proposal, said this bid process has inspired the people of New Preston to take responsibility for the long-vacant building and use it, as well as maintain it. Its about valuing the community, as well as preserving a historic structure, he said. He added residents are upset by the overall process. He said the selected bid was given an extension when other applicants werent and the first two bids werent sealed. There are lots of folks who care about this building who would be willing to contribute and have contributed significantly, he said. Its a shame to privatize this public facility. Lyon said they followed the proper procedures for selling the building and added provisions to protect the historic exterior for future owners. Matthews and other residents and business owners who submitted this other proposal, worry about what will happen to the building if the new owners sell it in the future. But DePerno said they have no plans of leaving and suggested offering the building back to the town as first offer of refusal if the town would like. Were not planning to go anywhere, he said. This is our flagship store. Were dedicated and committed to Washington, Connecticut. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345 Forget virtue. Beauty is its own reward. Look at that male goldfinch, olive drab in the winter but now approaching his yellow apogee. Oh yes, they get really bright, said Margaret Robbins, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Brookfield. You hear them, then theres that flash of yellow, said Cathy Hagadorn, director of the Connecticut Audubon Societys Deer Pond Farm nature center in Sherman. Or take the male bluebird, busy enticing females to cohabit. We have new bluebird boxes up here, and male and female bluebirds are scouting them out, Hagadorn said. The males are that marvelous blue. Red-winged blackbirds are starting to set up territories in the states wetlands. But if youre a female red-winged blackbird, youre not looking at the black side of things. The red epaulets on red-winged blackbirds are much brighter in the spring, said Milan Bull, Connecticut Audubons senior director for science and conservation. Even waterfowl are showing off. Green-winged teal are particularly beautiful this time of year, Bull said. For humans, its reviving to see those blues and yellows and greens. Our eyes drink in color after months of trudging through a muted winter landscape. For male birds, bright colors and loud songs are vital: Its how they let females know theyre available. And while the females wear less showy garb, they get to choose their mates. They steer evolution. In the past, ornithologists have said mating displays show that females typically choose the best, strongest providers. Goldfinches, for example, need carotenoids organic pigments to turn their feathers that bright yellow. Researchers therefore concluded that a female goldfinch looks for a mate with the brightest coloring because she senses hed be a good provider. But Richard Prum, professor of ornithology at Yale University, thinks that line of thinking is wrong. He believes females like bright yellow males just because of their good looks. Theyre choosing mates based on aesthetics, not practicality. Prum, who is also curator of ornithology at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale, has spent years in the field studying birds throughout the world. His highly praised 2017 book, The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwins Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World, is based on that study. Heres what researchers know about basic bird biology: For one thing, their eyes are much more sensitive to color than human eyes. They see differentiations we cant. Its much more subtle, Prum said. They also see in the ultraviolet spectrum, which is invisible to us. They see a range of colors we cant imagine, Prum said. Feathers are like hair. Just as dogs shed, birds molt, at least once a year. Some of them goldfinches, scarlet tanagers, indigo buntings, the wide panoply of spring warblers undergo a second, partial molt to add color to their spring plumage. The length of daylight triggers these molts. Bull of the Connecticut Audubon Society said most songbirds finish their molt before they migrate, simply because they need new feathers before they begin their journey. Migration is difficult under the best of circumstances, he said. Moreover, bird sexual organs, which shrink to the brink of disappearance in the winter, go crazy in the spring, growing hundreds of times larger. Mating becomes very important. Its like theyre in adolescence, a thousand times over, Prum said. Which drives male songbirds, newly clad in bright feathers, to find a high tree branch and sing out. Other local birds, like woodcock and wild turkey, opt for courtship flights and strutting. Again, the males do the displaying while the females watch and choose. Iin all these sex-charged avian matings, Prum said, the females choose the males with the brightest feathers, the most artful song, the craziest flight, the best trot. That, in turn, sets an evolutionary pattern into play. The brighter the male goldfinch, the brighter its offspring. Beauty becomes self-perpetuating. But theres also the whole live-fast, die-young, leave-a-beautiful-corpse thing. Hagadorn of Deer Pond Farm in Sherman said hawks cruising for lunch can easily spot and nail those self-advertising, showy male songbirds. Its the whole issue of risk versus reward, she said. Contact Robert Miller at earthmattersrgm@gmail.com 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. The US Department of Defense has stopped accepting most deliveries of F-35 jets from Lockheed Martin because of a dispute over who will cover costs for fixing a production error. Last year, the Pentagon stopped accepting F-35s for 30 days after discovering corrosion where panels were fastened to the airframe, an issue that affected more than 200 of the stealthy jets. Once a fix had been devised, the deliveries resumed, and Lockheed hit its target aircraft delivery numbers for 2017. But deliveries were paused again over a dispute as to who will pay for what will likely be a complex logistical fix that could require technicians to travel widely to mend aircraft based around the world. A Lockheed spokeswoman said on Wednesday: Production on the F-35 program continues and we are confident we will meet our delivery target of 91 aircraft for 2018. While all work in our factories remains active, the F-35 Joint Program Office has temporarily suspended accepting aircraft until we reach an agreement on a contractual issue and we expect this to be resolved soon. Government Inspection At the heart of the dispute is the governments inspection of the planes during Lockheeds production, which failed to discover problems with the fastenings, the sources said. Because neither party caught the issue at the time each is pointing the finger at the other to pay for the fix. During routine maintenance at Hill Air Force Base in Utah last year, the Air Force detected corrosion exceeding technical limits, where the carbon fiber exterior panel is fastened to the aluminum airframe. A lack of protective coating at the fastening point that would have prevented corrosion was identified as the primary problem When I met Ben Berkowitz in a New Haven cafe to talk about the SeeClickFix platform his company developed, I figured wed walk around the neighborhood so I could see how the app worked. The app guides users to report problems such as broken curbs and illegal dumping to a city or town. The municipality, in this case New Haven, can then communicate back to users through email directed by the app. If we could find a problem to report, wed have the full experience in real time on a rainy Tuesday. After 10 years in business, SeeClickFix has about 330 clients, mostly cities and towns including Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and Detroit along with some universities and other organizations with campuses. Berkowitz, 39, founded SeeClickFix with three partners including Miles Lassiter, the founder of Higher One after he had trouble finding anyone in city hall who cared about graffiti on a building in the neighborhood where he lived a dozen years ago, near Modern Apizza. Now Berkowitz, who lives with his family on the same street where he grew up in the Westville section of New Haven, is a key player in the citys software scene with 34 SeeClickFix employees downtown. Hes an active board member and former president of MakeHaven, the makerspace located in the same building as his firm. But this story isnt really about SeeClickFix, which just launched its fifth software version and is almost, but not quite, consistently generating net cash profits. Its about the desperate need for public agencies to be more responsive to residents and businesses while cutting costs in some cases, while eliminating jobs. A growing body of research shows the importance of civic links, including a study just this year based on Connecticut data, which concluded, adults who are connected to and trusting in the place where they live are more likely to be satisfied with their lives. That study, based on a massive 2016 survey done for New Haven-based DataHaven, reported that only 10 percent of Connecticut residents reported feeling that government responsiveness was excellent. Thats where SeeClickFix comes in, using Google mapping data and smartphone technology to let city workers connect with residents and each other. Think Uber and Lyft, but instead of one transaction it manages workflow and communication for ongoing issues across many departments code enforcement, snow removal, traffic management and so on. This is our 311 system, said Tom Gaudett, who heads up special projects in the office of Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim. In that city, its branded as Brideport 311, and if someone calls in, the city worker uses the same SeeClickFix platform. It is THE citys tool for input from residents, Gaudett said. It allows us to do more with less. It also lets Ganims office see how the various city departments are performing. Gaudett and officials in other cities all said theres no way to measure the cost savings because the platform touches so many departments and replaces old enterprise computer systems. And, as Gaudett said, its about responding more, not necessarily spending less. So its as much a cultural change as a system upgrade. We could never go back to not using SeeClickFix, said David Flintom, director of the Mayors Action Center in St. Petersburg, Fla., which includes incoming calls from residents of that city of 250,000. Its social media for citizens in a lot of ways. Taking the app for a spin with Berkowitz, we find surprise that we dont even need to leave our window seats at the cafe. Right across Orange Street, at the entrance to a Mediterranean restaurant and hookah lounge, is a honking rip in the curb and sidewalk, partly covered by an old, shoddy, asphalt repair job. Berkowitz shoots a picture of the mess right through the G Cafe window. He uploads it to the SeeClickFix system, reporting it as a curb and sidewalk repair issue. Almost instantly, the city responds with an automated comment, showing that up to four users have previously reported the same issue. We find the first complaint, with a picture, submitted exactly a year ago showing pretty much the same damage. Unfortunately, SeeClickFix hasnt developed an app that pours cement, sets granite curbs, cleans up illegally dumped trash, trims trees and fills potholes. We enter my email address and I start receiving updates. The following day, I see more reported issues on the same block. On Friday morning, Im told about a parking ban on the odd side of the street. Someday Ill learn the curb we reported is fixed. Good stuff. And best of all for SeeClickFix, the company doesnt have any direct competitors who do what its platform does in the same way. After an exhaustive search with a smartphone app as a requirement, Gaudett in Bridgeport said, SeeClickFix was far and away the system with the most attributes that we were looking for. From what I can tell, the cost of SeeClickFix between $10,000 and $60,000 per year depending on lots of factors (the app is free for users, of course) is many times less than the value it brings. Maybe the firm could charge a lot more. In Bridgeport, its handling more than 600 notifications a month. In St. Petersburg, 30,000 a year, and both places said the app is growing fast. New Haven, the flagship city, is also huge. Cities report 10 percent or more of residents connected. So why isnt SeeClickFix already adopted universally, with hundreds of programmers and engineers ensconced on Chapel Street, where the company is about to move into new offices? Its government and its slow, theyre underfunded, Berkowitz said. Weve grown fast for a civic tech company ... and were on the leading edge of government customer service. The company, in fact, had to cut back on a marketing department that was making cold-calls to would-be customers. Its still early in the science of civic engagement. After I left, Berkowitz and his team heard a report from an MIT student doing his Ph.D. dissertation on the effectiveness of city outreach and engagement, using SeeClickFix as the source of data and commentary. When youre at the beginning of something it takes time to get traction, Berkowitz said. dhaar@hearstmediact.com MILFORD A brother and sister who say they have strong and fond childhood food memories tied to West Haven are trying to recreate part of that with the opening of their new Italian-American restaurant and bar. Their chef and his recipes are from their old favorite restaurant the former Lucibellos Restaurant & Catering. Even their mom, a longtime waitress at the West Haven restaurant, has joined the team. The new eaterys name Luci Bs Kitchen and Cocktails is a nod to Lucibellos, said owners Nick Pierelli, 29, of North Branford, and his sister, Alex Pierelli, 25, a local resident and first-grade teacher at Forest Elementary in West Haven. Lucibellos Restaurant and Catering closed, and Nick and Alex missed the tastes, so they decided to give the restaurant business a try, partnering with chef Mark Lynch, one of the Lucibellos nephews, and a former chef there so he could share the family recipes. Lynch, now head chef at Luci Bs, has been dating Alex Pierelli for about two years, and his brother, Dave Lynch, is his assistant in the kitchen The family connections at the new eatery go deep. Mom Kim Pierelli Dabrowski is a full-time waitress at the new place. She worked at Lucibellos for years. Shes got so much experience, she can do anything in the restaurant business, Nick said of their mom, who still lives in West Haven. Even the sibling owners grandparents come in to help clean and prepare, while their aunt has taken the lead in decorating, and doing anything else she can. Although theyve only been open a couple of weeks, customers have begun a tradition of taking their photographs in front of the eat wall decorated with words each custom designed that are synonymous with eating, including: chow, pigout, nosh, delish, graze. The restaurant at 521 New Haven Ave. is spacious, with a bar on one side and casual dining on the other. The decor is an industrial theme freshly painted gray with a metal ceiling and wood tables nicely spread out. Luci Bs drink menu features a variety of craft beers, specialty drinks and wines. Nick Pierelli, who has a Snyders snack route he is in the process of selling, said hes been working seven days a week, 13 hours a day, but its worth it. Just as in his pretzel and chip route, the people keep him going, he said. I like the people. Its the people who keep us going, he said. Pierelli has a bachelors degree in business management from Southern Connecticut State University. Its a good first week. Another element that already makes the restaurant extra special is that Nick Pierelli recently proposed marriage there to his girlfriend, Kayla Worroll, who was surprised and said, Yes. Alex Pierelli works at the restaurant part-time as a waitress and whatever else is needed, but said she has no intention of leaving her teaching job. Mark Lynch is known for his signature stuffed clam appetizer, heaping portions of tasty chicken Parmesan and a special they run featuring porchetta, a pork dish specially seasoned with his special old-world spices. You cant get it anywhere like this, Nick Pierelli said of the porchetta. Lynch, who went on after Lucibellos eatery closed to become chef at the East End Yacht Club in Bridgeport, where he developed a following, quipped, I was taught by my Irish grandmother how to cook Italian. The restaurants steaks are hand-cut at an Italian import company. Residents of the area have been curious about the transformation, stopping in during remodeling, Nick Pierelli said. The space most recently was a bar and prior to that, a Chinese restaurant. NEW HAVEN Yale Law School professor James Forman Jr.s dedication to helping youths who have been arrested goes back at least 20 years, when, as a Washington, D.C., public defender, he helped launch a charter school to serve those young people. In fact, he was on a conference call Monday with colleagues planning a fundraiser for the Maya Angelou Schools when his editor called Forman to tell him he had won the Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction for his book, Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America. Forman got the idea for the book during his work in the capitals courtrooms representing primarily black youths. Somebody needed to tell the story of whats happened over the last 50 years, but tell it through the lens of African-American public officials, including Mayor Marion Barry, federal prosecutor Eric Holder (who later served as President Barack Obamas attorney general), legislators, judges and citizen activists, he said. But he wouldnt have time to write it until he joined the Yale Law School faculty in 2012. Meanwhile, he and a friend, David Domenici, started Maya Angelou as a school serving kids who had been arrested, Forman said. I was a public defender and those were the kids I was representing. While the law governing charter schools wont allow the school to limit enrollment to arrestees, it is a school that wants to provide the best to kids who need the best but historically have not gotten the best, he said. Most students come from foster care, from situations of abuse or neglect, or those who have been arrested. More than one-third have disabilities. Even though hes moved to New Haven, its still a real passion project of mine, said Forman, 50, who still serves on the board. They also started a school in the juvenile jail, which Forman called a terrible, terrible place. What he found in researching Locking Up Our Own was that African-American leaders, beginning in the 1970s, were feeling a special responsibility to protect residents of poor black neighborhoods. Many got swept up in a spirit that was consuming America over those 20 or 30 years of increasing prison sentences and enacting harsh drug laws. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, there are now almost 2.3 million people in U.S. prisons, jails and other detention centers, one in five held for a drug offense more than any other country, including China. We have 5 percent of the worlds population and 25 percent of the worlds prisoners, Forman said. How did that come to be? Were not the worlds most evil people. More and more people are challenging that. Theyre saying its damaging in black communities, its damaging in poor communities, its damaging all across America. Forman sees both good and bad news for the future. I think the great news is that, because of the work of citizen activists, because of the work of grass-roots organizers, from the bottom and from the top, a lot of elected officials are starting to ask questions. Is this the right thing to do? Is this the right way to spend our money? On the other hand, weve built up this immense sort of juggernaut, and its going to take a lot of work to pull it apart, to dismantle. Forman, a professor of criminal and constitutional law, received his law degree at Yale and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor before becoming a public defender. He now teaches a class comprising 10 law students and 10 women who are inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury. Theyre studying the criminal justice system in a seminar as peers, he said. Yale Law School Dean Heather K. Gerken wrote in an email, James has been an extraordinary voice in one of the countrys most important conversations. Its wonderful to see him getting the recognition he deserves. This story was edited to correct the spelling of Marion Barry.\ Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com or 203-680-9382. North Augusta, SC (29841) Today A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 86F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. 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. Faced with a sprawling investigation by the special counsel in Washington, President Trump must also contend with an independent-minded office of federal prosecutors in his hometown, New York, who are investigating his longtime personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen. Mr. Trumps administration had fired the Obama-era leader of the United States attorneys office for the Southern District of New York last year, after initially asking him to stay on. Earlier this year, the administration installed a Republican former prosecutor and party donor, Geoffrey S. Berman, after Mr. Trump made an unusual request to interview him personally. Soon after assuming the Southern District post in January, Mr. Berman notified Justice Department officials in Washington of a possible appearance of conflict of interest in the then-undisclosed Cohen investigation, and officials concluded that he should be recused, according to people briefed on the matter. The Justice Department has not specified the reason for the recusal, which left Mr. Bermans handpicked deputy, Robert S. Khuzami, in charge of the investigation. A former terrorism prosecutor, Mr. Khuzami was chief of enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission during the Obama administration but also spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2004, defending the Patriot Act and endorsing George W. Bush for president. R. Lee Ermey, a former Marine whose barking, foulmouthed drill instructor in Stanley Kubricks Full Metal Jacket highlighted a decades-long career in which he frequently portrayed authority figures, died on Sunday morning in a hospital in Santa Monica, Calif. He was 74. His longtime manager, Bill Rogin, said the cause was complications of pneumonia. Mr. Ermey, who was nicknamed the Gunny, earned a Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actor with his performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, released in 1987. In a memorable opening monologue, Mr. Ermeys character berates fear-stricken military recruits, hurling an avalanche of verbal insults that are both inventive and demeaning. His eyes bulging and his jaw square, he renames one recruit Private Snowball, punches another in the gut and chokes a third to stop him from smiling. The problem is this skepticism often morphs into a formulaic approach that can itself become untethered from reality. Whatever the facts, many journalists and Washington experts revert to familiar storylines: Both sides are hypocritical. The parties care more about scoring partisan points than getting anything done. The extremists have taken over, and there are no moderates left. All of these storylines have at least some truth to them. Like a stopped clock, they sometimes have a lot of truth. But they are indeed like a stopped clock. They never change. Ive spent 25 years as a journalist and have repeatedly seen the discomfort that journalists feel about proclaiming one political party to be more successful than the other on virtually any substantive issue. We journalists are much more comfortable holding up the imperfections of each and casting ourselves as the sophisticated skeptic. Sometimes, though, one party really is doing a better job than the other. To refuse to admit it is to miss the story. So it is with budget policy. Get this: Since 1977, the three presidential administrations that have overseen the deficit increases are the three Republican ones. President Trumps tax cut is virtually assured to make him the fourth of four. And the three administrations that have overseen deficit reductions are the three Democratic ones, including a small decline under Barack Obama. If you want to know whether a post-1976 president increased or reduced the deficit, the only thing you need to know is his party. We are now in the midst of an epic clash between Donald Trump and fired F.B.I. Director James Comey, neither of whom I hold in high esteem, both men with raging egos and questionable motives. The depth of my contempt differs between the two, but there is contempt for both. Comey is now making the rounds promoting his new book, which will no doubt be a monster best seller. Good for him. But Comey for me is a complicated character, a man of honorable service and flashes of horrendous judgment. His inexplicable handling of the investigations into Clintons emails is unforgivable. He made reckless and harmful disclosures and proclamations about the Clinton investigation while not whispering a word about the concurrent investigation into the Trump campaign. He says that the letter he released about a new phase of the Clinton email investigation just days before the election may have been colored by polling suggesting that Clinton was going to win, but that too is problematic. Those of you who dont believe in ghosts are likely to think again after seeing Mlimas Tale, Lynn Nottages beautiful, endlessly echoing portrait of a murder and its afterlife. In this taut, elegantly assembled production, which opened on Sunday night at the Public Theater, a magnificent specter stalks this planet, contaminating the lives of everyone he encounters. As phantoms go, this one is of rare solidity 4.8 meters and 180 kilos, to use the statistics as given by the man who dealt the fatal blow to the title character. Mind you, those figures refer only to whats been wrested from the corpse and is destined to travel the world. I mean the tusks of the mighty Mlima, a legendary elephant struck down by poachers on the savannas of a Kenyan game preserve. Killing him entirely, it turns out, isnt possible. For wherever the ivory that once belonged to Mlima goes, so goes an entire baleful history of imperiled natural grandeur, leaving stains like marks of Cain on every one of its exploiters. Sounds hokey, I know, like an environmentalists version of those creaky horror stories about the curses that lurk in mummys tombs. Yet Ms. Nottage, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner for drama, and her director, Jo Bonney, have shaped this story with such theatrical inventiveness and discipline that it never feels sensational, on the one hand, or pious, on the other. On the first night of her plan to stay alive, Scheherazade entertains the sultan Shahriyar with a tale that she stops telling before its done. He is her new husband, and she has already found his scimitar, encrusted with the blood of the many wives hes slain. Unless she gives him a reason to keep her around, shell be next. Shes counting on her cliffhangers to save her. Thats how this story goes, doesnt it? she asks him, rhetorically, and suddenly shes talking about the narrative theyre in. The monster Shahriyar terrorizes every woman in Persia; brave Scheherazade seduces him with stories until his thirst for blood subsides. You seem weirdly self-aware, he says. So are the liveliest moments of Jason Grote and Marisa Michelsons tangled new musical One Thousand Nights and One Day, a critical deconstruction of the classic Middle Eastern folk tales of One Thousand and One Nights. Interweaving a fantastical medieval Persia with contemporary New York, the show is at its best when it flat-out mocks American ignorance and the stubbornness of ethnic cliches. ABC News aired an hourlong interview on Sunday with James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director fired by President Trump last year. George Stephanopoulos, ABCs chief anchor, interviewed Mr. Comey, who is promoting his new book, A Higher Loyalty, for five hours in all. ABC published a complete transcript of their conversation. Here are highlights and analysis from that transcript. [Read our coverage of the interview and the feud between Mr. Comey and the president ] oN president trumps Leadership He is morally unfit to be president. I dont buy this stuff about him being mentally incompetent or early stages of dementia. He strikes me as a person of above average intelligence whos tracking conversations and knows whats going on. I dont think hes medically unfit to be president. I think hes morally unfit to be president. A person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like theyre pieces of meat, who lies constantly about matters big and small and insists the American people believe it that persons not fit to be president of the United States, on moral grounds. And thats not a policy statement. Again, I dont care what your views are on guns or immigration or taxes. Theres something more important than that that should unite all of us, and that is our president must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country. The most important being truth. This president is not able to do that. He is morally unfit to be president. During much of the interview, Mr. Comey seems disciplined and almost dispassionate. But at the end, he lets loose in a remarkable way. It is hard to think of a time that such a senior official of the government has gone on to so directly question the moral fitness of the sitting president. He said that he hoped Mr. Trump would be held accountable for his lies, but that impeachment would be a cop-out for a public that should also be held accountable for electing Mr. Trump in the first place. On Comparing the President to a Mob Boss The loyalty oaths, the boss as the dominant center of everything. STEPHANOPOULOS: How strange is it for you to sit here and compare the president to a mob boss? COMEY: Very strange. And I dont do it lightly. I and Im not trying to, by the way, suggest that President Trump is out breaking legs and you know, shaking down shopkeepers. But instead, what Im talking about is that leadership culture constantly comes back to me when I think about my experience with the Trump administration. The the loyalty oaths, the boss as the dominant center of everything, its all about how do you serve the boss, whats in the bosss interests. Its the family, the family, the family, the family. Thats why it reminds me so much and not, So whats the right thing for the country and what are the values of the institutions that were dealing with? The comparison to the mob is sure to be one of the more controversial takeaways of Mr. Comeys new book. But it is one that Mr. Comey repeatedly defends in the interview. On Meeting Trump at a White House Reception How could he think this is a good idea? And so Im walking forward thinking that, thinking: How could he think this is a good idea? That hes going to try to hug me, the guy that a whole lot of people think, although thats not true, but think I tried to get him elected president and did. Isnt he master of television? This is disastrous. One of the enduring images of Mr. Comey was captured by television cameras shortly after Mr. Trump became president and held a reception at the White House for law enforcement officials. Mr. Trump calls to Mr. Comey, who walks across a room to shake the presidents hand, and Mr. Trump appears to lean over and almost kiss his cheek. WASHINGTON President Trumps re-election campaign has ramped up its fund-raising this year, bringing in $20.2 million, while investing heavily in cultivating a wide base of small donors, according to reports filed Sunday afternoon with the Federal Election Commission. Mr. Trumps campaign apparatus spent nearly $8.2 million through the end of last month, with more than 60 percent of that going toward low-dollar fund-raising tools such as solicitations delivered via social media, email, direct mail and telemarketing, the reports show. The reports were filed by Mr. Trumps campaign and two joint committees it formed with the Republican National Committee: Trump Victory Committee and Trump Make America Great Again Committee. The committees also spent $863,000 on legal fees as Mr. Trump, his campaign and associates continue to deal with a handful of legal fights, as well as the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. Thomas Neuwirth, who won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest performing in drag as Conchita Wurst, has announced that he is H.I.V. positive, saying a threat of blackmail prompted him to make the news public. In a statement posted on the official Conchita Wurst Instagram account on Sunday, Mr. Neuwirth said he has been H.I.V. positive for many years and had not intended to discuss the diagnosis publicly. An ex-boyfriend is threatening me to go public with this private information, Mr. Neuwirth wrote on Instagram, and I will not give anyone the right to frighten me and affect my life in the future. A spokesman for the performer said in an email that Mr. Neuwirth was not available for further comment. He also clarified that Mr. Neuwirths preferred pronouns are she for references to the stage persona of Conchita Wurst and he for Mr. Neuwirth, the private individual. BAYREUTH, Germany This small city is known throughout the world for its summertime Wagner festival, founded in 1876 by Richard Wagner himself. But long before the Ring cycle, Bayreuth had another operatic visionary. Wilhelmine, Margravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth, was the eldest daughter of King Frederick William I of Prussia, and the sister of Frederick the Great. An ambitious polymath who composed music, wrote verse and corresponded with Voltaire, she built Bayreuths intimate yet elaborate Margravial Opera House, one of the most outstanding surviving examples of Baroque theater architecture in Europe. On Tuesday, the nearly 300-year-old opera house a Unesco World Heritage site since 2012 reopens to the public after a six-year renovation that cost 29.6 million euros ($36.6 million) and returned its dazzling ornamental details, murals and trompe loeil effects to something approximating their original brilliance. The Philadelphia district attorneys office on Monday threw its support behind a campaign to overturn the conviction of the rapper Meek Mill, the latest turn in a decade-old drug and guns conviction. In a hearing before Judge Genece E. Brinkley, prosecutors said that Meek Mills 2008 conviction on drug and firearm charges should be vacated, pointing to questions about the credibility of his arresting officer. Any decision to grant a new trial would have to be made by Judge Brinkley, who has overseen the rappers case for years and who sentenced him to prison in November for probation violations. She has scheduled another hearing for June, and declined to hear arguments on Monday to release the rapper on bail. Still, supporters of Meek Mill, who had previously scheduled a rally outside the courthouse during the hearing, greeted the news with cheers. The poignant drama Amour traces a womans decline and the toll it takes on her husband. And the documentary I Am Evidence explores the issue of unprocessed rape kits through the lives of four survivors. Whats Streaming AMOUR (2012) on iTunes, Amazon, FilmStruck, Google Play, Sundance Now, Vudu and YouTube. At the outset of this Oscar-winning drama by Michael Haneke its clear that there has been a loss. Then the story rewinds and we meet Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva), a retired couple in Paris. The two lead a peaceful life centered on their unbreakable bond and shared love of music, but its suddenly disrupted when Anne has a stroke. What follows is immensely touching, yet painful to watch. In her review for The New York Times, Manohla Dargis named Amour a Critics Pick and wrote, This is a film that will make you weep not only because life ends but also because it blooms. Stories are shared many ways. They are recounted in books and magazines. They are read aloud around the campfire at night. They are randomly dispensed from stand-alone kiosks, doled out on strips of paper like grocery store receipts. Wait, what was that last one? Leave it to the French, with their love of Voltaire and Simone de Beauvoir, to revive literature in the era of hot takes, fast news and smartphone addiction. Short Edition, a French community publisher of short-form literature, has installed more than 30 story dispensers in the United States in the past year to deliver fiction at the push of a button at restaurants and universities, government offices and transportation hubs. Francis Ford Coppola, the film director and winemaker, liked the idea so much that he invested in the company and placed a dispenser at his Cafe Zoetrope in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Last month public libraries in four cities Philadelphia; Akron, Ohio; Wichita, Kan.; and Columbia, S.C. announced they would be installing them too. There is one on the campus at Penn State. A few can be found in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla. And Short Edition plans to announce more, including at Los Angeles International Airport. Everything old is new again, said Andrew Nurkin, the deputy director of enrichment and civic engagement at the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is one of the libraries that got funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to install the dispensers. We want people exposed to literature. We want to advance literacy among children and inspire creativity. The casting of a non-transgender actor in the transgender lead role of a film is facing calls of a boycott from the transgender community. Anything, which features gay cisgender male actor Matt Bomer as a transgender sex worker, is set to be released in May, according to PinkNews. Facebook group Trans Narratives called for a boycott of the film and asks for people to see A Fantastic Woman featuring transgender actor Daniela Vega. Here is some feedback. The meme resonated enough to get more than 2,000 shares in a couple of days, a recent post from the groups Facebook page. Feedback indicates that most trans people are offended by Hollywoods employment of cis men who put on a dress trying to imitate trans people. If it is no longer acceptable for white folks to play African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, why is it acceptable for men to play trans women? Other non-transgender actors, including Eddie Redmayne, Jeffrey Tambor and Andrew Garfield, have taken criticism for their roles as transgender people, according to PinkNews. So perhaps the gay men who insist on gay-splaining that Matt Bomer should be playing a trans woman just cant get over the notion that trans women are in fact women, not gay men, a page administrator posted. The prize also recognized investigations into the film mogul Harvey Weinstein, whose predations of women and extensive efforts to cover up his behavior were exposed in The Times by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, and in The New Yorker by Ronan Farrow. The coverage of Mr. Weinstein, who has since lost his movie empire, set off a cascade of testimonials from women about abuse in the workplace, whether at a Beverly Hills hotel or a Ford Motor plant in the Midwest. Famed personalities, including the comedian Louis C.K. and the chef Mario Batali, saw their careers derailed after women came forward with allegations of misconduct. By revealing secret settlements, persuading victims to speak and bringing powerful men to account, we spurred a worldwide reckoning about sexual abuse that only seems to be growing, Dean Baquet, executive editor of The Times, told hundreds of journalists who had gathered in the papers Manhattan newsroom on Monday for the Pulitzer announcements. The Post won the award for investigative reporting for its expose of Roy S. Moore, the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, whose bid for higher office was upended after The Post uncovered that he had groped and harassed multiple women, one as young as 14. Besides unearthing the allegations against Mr. Moore, The Posts reporters foiled an attempt by the right-wing activist James OKeefe to undermine their reporting by planting false information in the paper. Journalists need both a soul and a spine, Martin Baron, the executive editor of The Post, said on Monday. His reporters showed soul in their thorough dedication to our mission of getting at the truth, he said. They showed spine by staying focused on their work in the face of denunciation, deceit and threats by politicians and their allies. Mr. Baron called the Pulitzer-winning coverage a case study in why we need a free and independent press in this country. Presidential politics figured in the prizes for explanatory reporting, given to The Arizona Republic and the USA Today Network for scrutinizing the consequences of Mr. Trumps pledge to build a wall along the Mexican border; for commentary, given to John Archibald of the Alabama Media Group in Birmingham for writings on Mr. Moores candidacy; and for criticism, awarded to the art critic for New York magazine, Jerry Saltz. From his Fox News pulpit, Sean Hannity has been one of the most ardent supporters of President Trump, cheering his agenda and excoriating his enemies. He has gone from giving advice on messaging and strategy to Mr. Trump and his advisers during the 2016 campaign to dining with him at the White House and Mar-a-Lago. Now, Mr. Hannity finds himself aligned even more closely with the president. During a hearing at a packed courtroom in Lower Manhattan on Monday, he was named as a client of Mr. Trumps longtime personal lawyer and fixer, Michael D. Cohen. That revelation nudged the conservative commentator into the orbit of those who have lately come under legal scrutiny related to the investigations of Mr. Trump and his associates by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, and the United States attorneys office in Manhattan. Both inquiries have provided fodder for Mr. Hannitys prime-time cable show and nationally syndicated radio program. The G.A.O. said it was not taking a position on whether or not the installation of the privacy booth was necessary, but was focusing only on the violations of two laws: the Antideficiency Act, which is designed to prevent spending that has not been budgeted, and the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, which limits the amount political appointees may spend on office item to $5,000. Auditors wrote that the E.P.A.s failure to comply with a governmentwide statutory requirement that an agency notify the appropriations committees before it spends more than $5,000 for the office of a presidential appointee was a violation of the law and should be reported to Congress and the president. In an eight-page letter to lawmakers, Thomas H. Armstrong, the G.A.O.s general counsel, said the agency did not send advance notice to Congress when it paid $43,238.68 from its Environmental Programs and Management budget to pay for the installation of the soundproof booth. The G.A.O. reports its findings to Congress but has little enforcement power of its own. Senator Tom Udall, the New Mexico Democrat who requested the investigation along with three other members of Congress, said Mr. Pruitt was blatantly breaking laws and ethics rules that protect taxpayers from government waste, fraud and abuse in order to help himself to perks and special favors. Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming and chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, which has jurisdiction over the E.P.A., also criticized the agency, while not identifying Mr. Pruitt by name. You can fill shiny pink bags with candy by the scoopful at BonBon. Credit... An Rong Xu for The New York Times Sometimes you want a martini. And sometimes you want something like a martini, but are not sure exactly what. That second, uncertain feeling appears to be benefiting an old cocktail. The Alaska is a gin drink, like the martini, but instead of dry vermouth, it calls for yellow Chartreuse, the intensely herbal French liqueur, and sometimes orange bitters. Over the last year or so, it has shown up on bar menus in San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Boston and New York. Each bar has found its own path to the drink. Thomas Waugh knew he wanted a martini-oriented cocktail list at the Bar inside the Grill, in the Seagram Building in Manhattan. I feel like, when youre putting a menu together, theres not a lot in the way of martini variations, said Mr. Waugh, the director of bar operations. A lot of people look to the Alaska as one of the more approachable variations. Its just obscure enough, but not too obscure. Some are shaped like a pumas paw; others, an alpacas nose or a cats claw. Native to the Andes in Peru and northwest Bolivia, potatoes were domesticated more than 10,000 years ago. And yet new varieties are being discovered all the time. Potato banks like the one in the Pisac region of the Andes that stores seeds in a climate-controlled vault for 1,300 varieties of potatoes are always searching for new varieties, as are dozens of creative Peruvian chefs on the lookout for wild and unusual indigenous ingredients. Freeze-drying the potato for chuno was just one method used to increase its life after harvest. Running or walking was the chief mode of transportation for most ancient Andean peoples (certainly the Incas); they could easily carry dried potatoes with them and make a quick stew with local herbs, chiles and water from a mountain stream whenever hunger called. Cook anyway. Cook precisely because it is the start of the week and youre not up for it and even if its just tuna salad sandwiches and a glass of milk the preparation will make it easier tomorrow to make a sheet-pan dinner or pot of soup. More than that, cook because it will make someone feel better if you do, not least yourself. There are times when takeout or delivery is the best thing in the world to eat, times when a packaged and frozen prepared food is not just a lifesaver but a treat. This Monday night in April is not one of them. Monday nights are when you set the tone. Cooking on Monday night is how you win the week. There are thousands and thousands of recipes to get you started on NYT Cooking. (Check out this marvelous lemon-ginger tart!) Please sign up for a subscription so you can access them, save them, share them, cook them, rate them and leave notes on them about what emendations youve made, or substitutions youve attempted, for good or for ill. Though if something goes really wrong, either with a recipe or with the technology, please reach out to us for aid: cookingcare@nytimes.com. Were happy to help. (If youre angry about something, though this business of paying for recipes, for instance, or our curious lack of a recipe for rogan josh dont take it out on the care team. Shoot me a dart: foodeditor@nytimes.com. I answer as many as I can.) Now, I know its some distance from immersion blenders and the best instant-read meat thermometer, but do take some time to read the BBCs investigation into a corrupt Baltimore police squad, When Cops Become Robbers. How well do you get along with your parents? Do you now, or have you ever, felt allergic to them? Or as Lisa Damour puts it in an article excerpted below, have you ever experienced an abrupt and powerful urge to distinguish oneself from the adults at home? What advice do you have for teenagers who are trying to figure out their identity apart from being a member of a family? What advice do you have for their parents? In the Opinion essay How to Disobey Your Tiger Parents, in 14 Easy Steps, Michelle Kuo writes about disobeying her immigrant tiger parents, as she describes them: The choices I made confused my parents and caused them despair. I majored in social theory and gender studies: despair. Worked on womens rights in Kenya: despair. Became a teacher in rural Arkansas: despair. Declined an offer from a corporate law firm to do legal aid work in Oakland, Calif.: more despair. Every fight was intense, terrible. None of us could believe what was said (or thrown). Ms. Kuo goes on to give advice to the children of tiger parents. She concludes: Have faith. There is a long game. They might never see things the way you do, and thats O.K. Show them love as best you can. Show up for them, and the things that they care about, in the ways that you are able. After all, when you were a baby, they bathed you, wiped your nose, cut your food into tiny little chunks so that you wouldnt choke and fed the stuff straight into your mouth. And someday, maybe youll get to do that for them. Another recent Times article, Why Teenagers Become Allergic to Their Parents, offers advice to the parents of adolescents. The psychologist Lisa Damour writes: Even when you dont take your childs secession from your union personally, it still hurts. Having other interests and supportive relationships can help. Go out for coffee with friends whose teenagers also look at them askance and reassure your wife that shes still got it, even if her dance moves do cause your ninth-grade daughter to break out in hives. For teenagers whose allergies manifest as persistent disrespect, laying down some ground rules can help. A wise friend of mine tells her adolescent son that he can be friendly, polite, or clear about needing some time alone; insolence, however, is off the table. And though its painful to be treated as an irritant, holding a grudge can sour those unexpected moments when even the most reactive teenager welcomes our company. Students: Read both the essay and the article in their entirety, then tell us: What, if anything, that you read rings true with your experiences or the experiences of people close to you? Explain. What do you think are Ms. Kuos best pieces of advice? Why? What would you add or remove from her list? To what extent do you agree with Ms. Damours idea that teenagers disrespect toward their parents is an expression of their need to establish their own identity? Explain. Ms. Damour gives the example of a teen who no longer wants to go running with his father after establishing himself as part of his schools cross-country team. Do you have similar examples from your own life or from other families you know of teenagers distancing themselves from family members? Any woman will tell you a vaginal speculum is far from pleasant. The instruments design, which dates back as far as 130 A.D. in Greece with an update in the mid-19th century, has stayed largely the same. That the duck-billed shape of the cold object had remained unchanged was one of the surprises that the photographer Lindsey Beal found in her project, Parturition, which documented vintage gynecological and obstetric instruments. She has traveled over the last two years to medical libraries to photograph speculums, forceps (another early design), syringes, nipple shields and fetoscopes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She expected to find torture-like instruments and some were used to experiment on enslaved and poor women but, instead, she found a common historical thread. I thought I was going to look at some really gruesome tools, but I think I was surprised that a lot of them dont look that different, Ms. Beal said. They do resemble a lot of the tools used today. Ryan M. Kelly won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news photography for his chilling image of a car barreling into a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville, Va. He took the picture, which The Washington Post said would define this moment in American history, on his final assignment on his last day as a staff photographer at The Daily Progress. Mr. Kelly had been covering a white nationalist rally on Aug. 12 when a car plowed into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing one person and injuring 19 others who had been frantically scrambling to get out of his way when they were tossed about in the chaos. In a first-person account for The Columbia Journalism Review, he said he had gone to cover the rally with his editor after weeks of preparation. There were groups on both sides scattered, he wrote. There were a few small fights that broke out from time to time. People were throwing stuff at each other. A few people were beating on each other. Eventually I came across two large groups of people protesting against the Unite the Right rally and they merged together on Water Street. He said he walked ahead of the crowd he estimated there were well over 100 people when he stopped for a moment. National Transgender HIV Testing Day is a day of awareness for the transgender community around HIV and AIDS. In the United States, more than a million adults identify as transgender. Transgender women are at high risk of having HIV and of contracting HIV. Transgender women of color, especially black/African American and Hispanic/Latina women, experience disproportionately high rates of HIV. A 2013 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the percentage of transgender people who received a new HIV diagnosis was more than three times the national average.. Focusing specifically on Trans individuals is important, says Camille Lewis of Empower U. Its vital to know your status and destroy the stereotypes that are stamped on us. If you are (HIV) positive, get proper health care and remain happy, healthy and fabulous. If youre (HIV) negative, continue to use safe practices and have routine checkups with your primary care physician. Events will be held throughout South Florida to commemorate this day including: Goddesses of Florida Party Boardwalk Bar April 16th 8 p.m. The party will feature performances by popular Trans showgirls, and will honor Tiffany Arieagus for her dedicated service to the community. The party series is made possible by a grant from the Trans Justice Funding Project. Ariannas Center will be providing free HIV testing, and the Broward Department of Health will be offering free STI testing during the event. Ariannas Center has also partnered with TransSOCIAL, Inc., a fellow Trans-led non-profit, to provide additional resources to attendees of the Goddesses of Florida parties. Pride Center Panel Discussion A talk about HIV/AIDS within the transgender community. Light refreshments will be provided. Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m.- 8 p.m. 3160 NW 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Survivors Pathway Testing Free HIV, STD, and Hepatitis C testing provided by FDOH Miami Dade County. Wednesday, April 18, 6 p.m. 8 p.m. 1801 Coral Way, Miami, FL 33145 CALLICOON, N.Y. Across New Yorks Hudson Valley and points west, a sprawling demographic and cultural hodgepodge has emerged as a key battleground for the Democratic Party in its hope to flip the House of Representatives in Novembers midterm elections. More than $6 million has already poured into the race for the 19th Congressional District from Democratic donors. The only problem is that the Democrats have yet to settle on a candidate, and there are seven contenders, including two lawyers, a businessman and a former C.I.A. official. Im staying neutral, said Keith Kanaga, chairman of the Columbia County Democratic Committee. Part of the thing we are all grappling with is that we like them all. But who will the general voter like the best? Thats turning out to be a hard question to answer. They are all attractive in different ways. There are not many districts that run more down the middle than the 19th District, which encompasses the Catskills and largely rural Otsego and Schoharie counties as well as much of the Hudson Valley. There are 141,000 registered Democrats, 138,000 Republicans and 115,000 independents. ALBANY If you had blinked, you would have missed it. A staffer for the Senate Democrats walked up the aisle, handed a stack of papers to the senator presiding over the Senate Chamber, and walked back down. The papers were reviewed. Just like that, the Independent Democratic Conference was dissolved, liberal unity was re-established and a bizarre, seven-year New York political feud seemingly came to an end on Monday. The whole thing took less than 90 seconds. Of course, as with everything in Albany, its not actually that simple. For all that Democratic leaders have trumpeted the dissolution of the I.D.C. a group of renegade Democrats who for years had collaborated with the Republicans, helping give them control of the Senate as the start of a shining era of progressive solidarity, the reality has been far less celebratory. On Monday, the first day of the legislative session since the reunification announcement, the mainline Democrats and the I.D.C. still convened for separate conferences one last time. A federal judge in Manhattan indicated on Monday that she was not prepared to grant President Trump exclusive first access to documents seized in F.B.I. raids on the office of his personal lawyer, and said that she was considering appointing an independent lawyer to assist in reviewing the seized materials. Feeling her way toward a resolution of the high-stakes clash involving Mr. Trump and the federal prosecutors investigating the lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, the judge, Kimba M. Wood, did not grant Mr. Trumps request to review the trove of materials ahead of prosecutors. But she also decided that prosecutors would not immediately have access to the materials and that Mr. Trump would ultimately receive copies of the documents that pertain to him. The courtroom battle over what to do with the seized material came one week after federal agents, in an extraordinary move, descended on Mr. Cohens properties and walked away with 10 boxes of documents and as many as a dozen electronic devices, including cellphones and computer hard drives. Lawyers for Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen, and prosecutors with the United States attorneys office for the Southern District of New York, had asked Judge Wood for the right to look at the documents in order to determine which among them might be protected by attorney-client privilege. That step is important because it could affect which documents prosecutors can ultimately use in the investigation. The statue will eventually be erected again in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, where Sims is buried. The Design Commission took up the issue at its monthly meeting at City Hall. Jonathan Kuhn, the director of Art and Antiquities of the Parks Department, gave a presentation of the history of the statue, which was first erected in Bryant Park in the 1890s, taken down when Bryant Park was dug up during subway construction in the 1920s, and installed at its current location in 1934, across from the New York Academy of Medicine. Sims was considered a pioneer in the field of gynecology. But there has been a reassessment of his career because of his exploitation of female slaves, who he operated on without anesthesia. In Central Park, the Sims statue, made of bronze, stands on an imposing granite base. In the cemetery, it will rest on a low pedestal, according to a rendering shown by Mr. Kuhn. It will be accompanied by signage explaining the history of the statue and Sims. Thanks to the early riser in the motel room next door, I made it into the sanctuary. While we waited for President Carter to arrive, I chatted with a Baptist minister sitting in the pew behind me about a recent interview with Stephen Colbert, in which Mr. Carter hinted that he considers the sitting president of the United States a liar. Asked what it takes to be president, he told Mr. Colbert, I used to think it was to tell the truth. But Ive changed my mind lately. There were flashes of the same impish wit on display at the church in Plains. Do we have any visitors this morning? he joked to the crowd. He asked where we were all from, and voices sang out from places like Cameroon, Israel, Uzbekistan. When it was time for the lesson itself, President Carter stood smiling and spoke without referring to notes, moving to the lectern only to read from the scripture. The text was from the Acts of the Apostles, passages concerning the priorities of the early church. They worshiped together. They had fellowship together. And a third thing: They took care of each others needs, even in a sacrificial way, he said. He spoke particularly about the generosity of Barnabas, who sold his own field and gave the money to Jesus apostles to distribute to the needy. President Carter is not a pacing, gesturing, booming-voiced orator, but he is a brilliant teacher moving nimbly between his memories, his concerns for the world and what the Acts have to say about the right relationship of human beings to one another. He asks questions, nods encouragement when an answer is close but keeps nudging until someone hits on the point hes trying to make. We have lost faith in a lot of things that have always nurtured us, he said. Many people in the world have lost faith in democracy. Weve lost faith in the sanctity of telling the truth and the value of education. Weve lost faith in the equality of people. In our countrys history, some of our greatest struggles have been over the issue of equality. Then he asked the congregation what year women in the United States gained the right to vote. Several called out 1920! But it was a trick question. That was white women, he reminded us. A lot of white people dont remember that distinction. Evidence that the tape might be real isnt limited to Trumps phony alibi. In their book Russian Roulette, the investigative journalists David Corn and Michael Isikoff report that five months before the pageant, Trump and his entourage, including his Russian associate Emin Agalarov, visited a louche Las Vegas nightclub called the Act. It was later shut down after a judge issued an injunction against the lewd and offensive performances it was known for. Among its regular performances, Corn and Isikoff wrote, were at least two involving women simulating urination, a fairly specific kink. We dont know what took place when Trump was there, but his presence at the club tells us he may not find this sort of thing unbearably disgusting. Most of us do, which may be why this anecdote hasnt received as much attention as other details in the Trump-Russia story. Trump benefits from the fact that looking too closely at his behavior, sexual and otherwise, feels soiling. This leads people observing him to construct elaborate theories to avoid admitting what seems to be staring us all in the face. Consider a recent Washington Post scoop about Trumps rage at feeling manipulated by aides to get tough on Russia. After America expelled more Russian officials than France or Germany last month, it said, Trump was furious that his administration was being portrayed in the media as taking by far the toughest stance on Russia. The piece described how Trump reluctantly agreed to sell antitank missiles to Ukraine on the condition that it be kept secret, and was apoplectic when the news leaked, even though he was lauded for the decision. A puzzled senior administration official told The Post, For some reason, when it comes to Russia, he doesnt hear the praise. The article considers a number of potential reasons for this, but doesnt raise the rather obvious possibility that Trump is being blackmailed. Like Comey, none of us know what really happened at the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow, and we may never find out. As outlandish as the rumor is, however, the idea that Trump would shy away from good press out of principle is far more so. To seriously discuss this presidency, you have to open your mind to the truly obscene. And here we have the former head of a supposedly scrupulous, detached federal agency reaching for Mafia metaphors, indulging talk of the so-called pee tape and taking cosmetic digs at the president in the service of a book tour as exhaustive and elaborate as they come. Theres apparently room in Comeys primness for a measure of Michael Wolff. His demeanor may not be fiery or furious. Talking with George Stephanopoulos for an hourlong ABC News special on Sunday night, he maintained a subdued, steady voice and communicated sadness more than anything else over Trumps conduct in the White House. But other aspects of that special told a more complicated story. For starters, Comey didnt just agree to a single, straightforward sit-down with Stephanopoulos. He granted a level of access akin to a pajama party. Meet the wife. Here are some great shots of the kids. And here are the long fingers of Comeys normally sized hands on the very keyboard that he used to type the memos that documented his interactions with Trump. Comey was game to provide footage of that and to follow up with interviews on Tuesday on Good Morning America and on Wednesday on The View, which is not a place where I would have expected to see a former F.B.I. director anytime soon. I mention hands because Comey does. That was one of the first bits of his book that leaked out last week. Flashing back to his initial up-close encounter with Trump, he recalls how orange Trumps skin looked, how improbably his hair glistened and how inferior his hands were. Smaller than mine, Comey writes, but not unusually so. BENGHAZI, Libya The villa complex that formerly housed the United States diplomatic mission in this city, the site where four Americans died during attacks that began on the night of Sept. 11, 2012, sits astride a dusty street teeming with bougainvillea. A burned police station lies down the road, the scars of more recent fighting. But beyond this, the compound has a placid feel, with no signs of violence. The city around it seems serene as well, at least on the surface. It is Benghazis first real peace in years, residents say, since its fall into chaos after the attacks and Americas retreat. One former resident of this town, Fathi al-Obeidi, knows that retreat well. A commercial diver turned militiaman, the fiftysomething Mr. Obeidi played a fateful role on the night of the attack. What happened to him in the months and years that followed shows how Libyas complex rivalries and divided loyalties thwarted American policy, with American retrenchment then hastening Libyas unraveling. On that September night, Mr. Obeidi was on duty at the base of his militia, an armed group called Libya Shield, that was the most powerful in Benghazi at the time. At around 1 a.m., a few hours after the attacks began, an American rescue team of military special operators and a C.I.A. officer landed at Benghazis airport. They didnt have their own vehicles and they had no way to leave the airport. The Americans had tried calling their usual contacts but to no avail. They were stranded. Thats when Mr. Obeidi got the call. He arrived at the airport in a caravan of armored Land Cruisers and Kia sedans. But so did a number of other militias. To the stranded Americans, Mr. Obeidi seemed more reliable than the rest or, at least in the words of one American special operator, less bad. Mr. Obeidi drove the lead vehicle with one of the Americans sitting next to him. It was a tense journey; they feared an ambush. Far from any belief or ideology, the principles form an ethos, something you must get to make progress in the society. Russias rulers no longer bow to any ideology. But they do follow some basic working rules. First: A disaster, natural or man-made, makes the state vulnerable. After an explosion, flood or fire, enemies of the state can try to hold the authorities accountable. How an emergency is covered in the news is as important as how it is resolved. This is why the Kremlin rushed to place all federal television channels under control immediately after the early disasters of the Putin era (the submarine Kursk sinking in 2000 and the 2002 terrorist siege at a Moscow theater). One consequence of this view is a conviction that all information disseminated through channels outside state control, including social media, is damaging and foreign-funded. A few days ago, the Russian government moved to block the popular messenger and social network Telegram after its owner refused to give the secret police access to the networks user data. Second: A threat originates only from an external or foreign source. That is why laws and rules regulating foreign companies, foreign-funded nongovernmental organizations and religions and ideologies considered fringe have proliferated. Wild hints that big foreign interests are behind a given problem is the first trope on state-run media after any disaster or potentially damaging episode. It follows that all grass-roots activism not authorized by the state has a foreign origin and is foreign-funded. Third: A civil servant is accountable only to his or her superior, not to the public. It follows that a subordinate can be held accountable but the superior standing at the very top can be seen only as a savior, not responsible for any wrong. You do not blame President Putin for anything; you only appeal to him for justice. From this, it also follows that, in Mr. Putins view, there is no right to resist or to overthrow a government, no matter how terrible or murderous it is. That is why Bashar al-Assad of Syria stays in place. Those are the laws Mr. Putin has followed domestically and internationally during most of his rule. The destruction of real accountability, the never-say-sorry attitude and the rejection of grass-roots activism are widely accepted as realities in Russia, if not as universal truths. (AP) Andy Leach was a silly 12-year-old boy with a contagious smile before relentless bullying pushed him to kill himself, his father says. "Everybody really enjoyed to be around Andy," and he had much to look forward to - he loved being a Boy Scout and hoped to play saxophone in the high school band, Matthew Leach told The Associated Press. "So when we found out he was being bullied in any capacity, we started trying to figure out what was going on." What exactly prompted Andy to hang himself in his garage after school March 6 remains a mystery. Key details are shrouded by privacy rules. Southaven Chief Steve Pirtle said he can't comment on the police investigation. School officials wouldn't respond in detail to AP questions. Leach gave investigators Andy's cellphone and laptop. He said Thursday that he's still waiting for results. What has been made public troubles Andy's parents. Mental health experts see shortcomings in the county school system's anti-bullying policy. A lawmaker who represents the district just south of Memphis, Tennessee, says he'll propose an "Andy's Law" in response. Leach said Andy began telling them how school bullies called him fat and stupid about a year ago. Later, a group of students cornered him, saying "You're not going to make it out of this bathroom." "These kids are awful. They're mean. They're cruel," Andy's mother, Cheryl Hudson, told WATN . The bullying intensified two months before his death, after Andy announced to family and friends that he might be bisexual. He was confused, questioning himself and his faith, Leach said. Word spread inside Southaven Middle School, and bullies pounced. "There was a lot going on in Andy," Leach said. "I think the inner turmoil and the name-calling, the bullying that went with it, finally pushed him to a point where he started making some decisions." A counselor sat down with Andy and another student in February after Leach called an assistant principal. He said it was the only intervention he's aware of. Andy stopped sharing feelings after that, and only later did his parents learn what he was facing, he said. "It's absolutely ridiculous that kids are acting this way, that they feel no fear of punishment," Leach said. The DeSoto County School District denied an AP records request, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. "All bullying reports are treated with the utmost importance," a statement from district spokeswoman Katherine Nelson said. "All claims are investigated thoroughly, and school counselors are trained to help students and intervene when they are aware of a situation." But the district's posted policy , written in 2010, lacks other "key components" promoted by stopbullying.gov. It It focuses on how to report complaints but doesn't describe procedures for investigating and responding to them, imposing consequences, or making sure victims have access to physical, mental or legal help. Once an initial complaint is made, all it requires of school authorities is to notify parents and "arrange such meetings as may be necessary with all concerned parties." Bullying expert Michael Sulkowski said making the victim and bully meet can "add fuel to the fire." "The child who's being bullied is disempowered, is potentially frightened for his or her safety and certainly their social status," Sulkowski said. "It's not appropriate to expect them to confront his or her bullies, even in front of a teacher or administrator." Sulkowski, who teaches psychology at the University of Arizona's College of Education, said model policies establish enforceable consequences. They instruct schools to offer continued emotional support and to communicate with parents to make sure harassment doesn't follow the victim online. What's most striking about Andy's case, he said, is an apparent "lack of communication between the adults." Andy's parents say they now understand more about red flags - like when their son made excuses to avoid school. Leach says he monitored Andy's digital life but couldn't see messages that disappeared or were deleted. "He didn't really come to us about a lot of things," Hudson told WREG . After Andy's death, Leach found scattered writings and drawings depicting suicide dating back months in Andy's notebooks, but nothing indicating a breaking point. Hudson told the station "it was found out that he was going to be involved in a fight after school," but she declined to elaborate. Other cases have led to criminal charges. Two 12-year-olds await prosecution on charges of cyberstalking a 12-year-old classmate in Panama City Beach, Florida, before she hanged herself in January. The Panama City News Herald reports she'd been bullied in and out of school, and just before she killed herself, one defendant told her to "just do it" before ending a video chat. Mississippi law punishes bullying as a misdemeanor, with up to six months behind bars and $500 in fines. Rep. Steve Hopkins, a Republican from Southaven, said Andy's death "just broke my heart." He says his "Andy's Law" would make convicted bullies do harder time, take "the handcuffs off counselors" and establish a state lottery to fund bullying prevention and mental-health programs, among other things. Of 44,193 reported suicides in 2015, only 409 involved kids 10 to 14. In a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey, about a third of high-school students identifying themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual say they were bullied on campus and tried to kill themselves in the prior year, compared with 6 percent of heterosexual peers. "We want to make sure parents don't suffer from this because of lack of information and lack of policies enforced," Leach said. "We need to dig in, find out what's going on and make some noise." In the aftermath of Dr. Kings death, the civil rights movement was still a powerful force, leveling obstacles wherever it could, even out there on the prairie. Women were beginning to benefit from the addition of the word sex to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and as the decade progressed, other groups began to assert their own claims to justice. Only five days before Kennedys visit to Pine Ridge, Lyndon Johnson signed the Indian Civil Rights Act. Kennedys searing experience on a speaking tour of South Africa in 1966 may have had something to do with it, too. In Cape Town and elsewhere, he had enraged the apartheid regime with his forceful speeches against racial oppression. South Africa had created homelands, as the government called them; critics called them Bantustans. African tribal populations were relocated there, to live in deep poverty. They were not very different from Native American reservations. As a senator, Kennedy had focused increasingly on poverty, urban and rural, calling attention to inequality in a series of trips into some of the poorest parts of the country. In early February, he spent two days in eastern Kentuckys coal country, meeting with families trying to survive day to day. It was as if he were the senator from a much larger constituency than New York. For all of these reasons, it was no surprise to see Kennedy devote extraordinary resources to a political constituency that had no ability to elect him. According to the historian Thurston Clarke, Kennedy scheduled approximately 70 events during the first month of his campaign 10 of them on Indian reservations or at Indian schools. He began his journey on the morning of April 16. It required a complicated set of flights to reach a tiny town in Nebraska that served as the nearest airport. The long drive from there to the reservation in South Dakota was an education in itself. There was no infrastructure of the type Americans were used to. No buses, no banks, no supermarkets. Unemployment was 75 percent. Half of the homes lacked electricity or running water. Schools had no supplies. Life expectancy 48 years for men, 52 for women was the second-lowest in the hemisphere, after that in Haiti. Twelve days earlier, Kennedy had accomplished what seemed impossible, when he connected with an angry and distrustful African-American audience in Indianapolis the night that Dr. King was killed. A few days later, after attending a Sunday church service in Washington, he took an impromptu walk through the riot-torn parts of the city, attracting an awe-struck crowd of hundreds. Now he was doing it again, forging a common bond with fellow citizens who looked nothing like him. Kennedys motorcade stopped here and there; at Calico Village he sat with a 10-year-old Lakota Sioux, Christopher Pretty Boy, who had lost his parents in a car crash a week earlier. McGovern had tagged along for the day, and together he and Kennedy convened a public hearing of their subcommittee, in a community hall. More than a thousand attended. McGovern later said that he had never seen so many Indian voters assembled in one place. He and Kennedy listened as people poured out their stories of hunger, joblessness and inadequate health care. To the Editor: Talk of Mission Accomplished! But Mission in Syria Is Unclear (news analysis, front page, April 15): If President Trumps stated message is Mission Accomplished, his unstated message is: The monster Bashar al-Assad is free to kill as many if not all of his citizens as long as he does not use chemical weapons. By not destroying Mr. Assads conventional, formidable war machine, Mr. Trump is giving the green light for the civil war to continue, with the Russians and Iranians given an O.K. to continue supporting Mr. Assad as well. Mission Accomplished? Really? ED RABEL, ALUM CREEK, W.VA. The writer is a former Pentagon correspondent for NBC News (1993-97). To the Editor: Re Lesson Learned the Hard Way: Assad Can Still Gas His People (front page, April 15): There is virtually no evidence that massive bombing campaigns in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, for example changed behavior or deterred conduct. Yet leaders like President Trump continue to use the method. It allows such leaders to bloviate and claim action, while unintended negative consequences often occur and bad conduct is not changed. President Barack Obama was derided for choosing to negotiate a deal for the removal of chemical weapons from Syria instead of bombing, yet that deal removed hundreds of weapons from Syria and no such weapons were used for at least three years. In contrast, a year after Mr. Trump responded to an apparent chemical weapons attack with a missile attack, apparently Syria did it again. President Trump has a big constitutional decision to make regarding the attack launched on Friday by United States, British and French forces against Syria for its use of chemical weapons. And he should make it this week. When he launched his first retaliatory strike against Syria a year ago, the president almost immediately informed Congress, explaining that he was acting in a manner consistent with the War Powers Resolution. The resolution, passed over Richard Nixons veto in 1973, imposes strict limits on unilateral presidential war-making. It places the burden squarely on Trump to gain congressional approval of his decision to bomb Syria within 60 days; if he fails, he must cease his military campaign within the next 30. Moreover, the resolution requires the president to notify both Houses within 48 hours of the initiation of hostilities, although presidents have taken liberties in meeting this deadline. It took Barack Obama 13 days before formally informing Congress after he announced his open-ended campaign against the Islamic State on Sept. 10, 2014. In contrast, President Trumps letter arrived in the House and Senate within 48 hours of his initial bombing raid against Syria in April of 2017. It would be a bit much to insist that Trump should have already sent his new notification 48 hours after his speech on Friday night since Congress was out of session over the weekend. But if Trump is to repeat his exemplary performance, his letter should arrive while Congress is in session this week and can prepare to consider its responsibilities under the resolution. The first Syrian assault by the Trump administration was a one-shot affair, so the 60-30 timetable didnt apply. This time around, Mr. Trump said that the United States is prepared to sustain the bombing until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents. So if Mr. Trump follows his own precedent and promptly provides Congress with formal notice of his new campaign, he himself will be recognizing that the War Powers Resolution gives him 60 days to persuade Congress to approve his initiative. You deserve to be punished with several fists to your face! Youre nothing but a troublemaker! Ive had enough of your Racist talk! Youd better watch what you say and to whom you say it! You may just end up in the hospital with several injuries or maybe on a cold slab in the local morgue! Youve got a big mouth that needs to be slammed shut permanently! Local morgue? Slammed shut permanently? These threatening words are taken from a letter sent to me by an anonymous white person. It was handwritten in black ink, covering both sides of a yellow sheet of paper torn from a legal pad. It is one of hundreds of letters, emails, postcards and voice messages I received to say nothing of menacing discussions of me on white supremacist websites after I wrote and published the essay Dear White America in December 2015 here at The Stone. What I had offered as a letter of love had unleashed the very opposite a wave of white hatred and dehumanization. Some white respondents wrote about desires of kicking me and leaving me half dead or knocking my head off my shoulders. Others made an assessment of my academic bona fides: This coon is a philosopher in the same way Martin King was a PhD and the same way that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are Reverends: Just another new way to pimp. After receiving the letter that spoke of a cold slab and shutting my mouth permanently, I decided to share it with my students in my graduate philosophy seminar. I needed a witness perhaps I needed my students to help carry some of what I was feeling. So, I read it aloud. As a rule, friendship is considered an unalloyed good, one of lifes happy-happies, like flowers and fresh fruit. Report: It Would Probably Be Nice Having Friends, read a recent headline in The Onion. Ha ha! Of course its kind of fun and pretty cool to have a few select people in your life to do stuff with on a regular basis. Most people can name at least half a dozen people they view as reasonably good friends. The only society where people dont have any friends, according to Daniel Hruschka, an evolutionary anthropologist at Arizona State University, is found in the science fiction of C.J. Cherryhs Foreigner series. Yet researchers who explore the deep nature of friendship admit the bond can have its thorns, bruise spots and pesticide traces. Take the new evidence that people choose friends who resemble themselves, right down to the moment-to-moment pattern of blood flow in the brain. The tendency toward homophily, toward flocking together with birds of your inner and outer feather, gives rise to a harmonious sense of belonging and shared purpose, to easy laughter and volumes of subtext mutually, wordlessly, joyfully understood. Looking at Herreras 1981 collection today, the clothes seem the apotheosis of 80s extravagance. Opulent is the word she uses. Everything was over the top, she says. A dress from that show, now part of the collection at Manhattans Fashion Institute of Technology, is ecru silk, with puffed sleeves that fluff the upper body to roughly twice its natural width The New York Times critic John Duka dubbed Herreras ruffles thunderous. Image Downtown woman shot by Amy Arbus, circa 1983. Credit... Amy Arbus It was a fashion moment that, unexpectedly, has found itself newly resonant today: Herrera ironically takes her last bow in a season where the hard-edged, wide-shouldered opulence and glamour of the 80s is re-emerging as a key trend. Even as some of the most talented American designers are opting to present their collections in Paris, not New York, we are harking back to a moment when American fashion came into its own. Echoing the 80s reminds us of why we got excited about New York fashion in the first place. Herreras final show this year she is the first designer to hold a runway show at the Museum of Modern Art links with her debut: the old generation making way for the new; in Herreras case, the 31-year-old American designer Wes Gordon. But it also echoes her fundamental ambitions: to celebrate glamour and beauty, even in unglamorous times. I think to survive in this business you have to believe in something. Make it your own and stay with it, she says. If you want to be a designer, you have to be really sure that what youre doing is what you really believe in. I believe in glamour. I believe in beautiful, elegant women. And I believe women become beautiful when they wear Herrera. SHANGHAI Chinas second-largest maker of telecommunications equipment will not be able to use components made in the United States after the Commerce Department said it failed to punish employees who violated American sanctions against Iran and North Korea. The ban announced Monday, which effectively locks the company, ZTE Corporation, out of American technology for seven years, is a blow to one of Chinas few truly international technology suppliers. ZTEs products for the infrastructure of telecommunications networks, as well as its smartphones, use an array of American parts, like microprocessors from the chip maker Qualcomm, glass made by Corning and sound technology from San Francisco-based Dolby. In a call with reporters on Monday, a senior Commerce Department official said the action was not connected to a broader intellectual property investigation into China. During the race, jockeys take their lives into their hands. The race involves three clockwise laps around one-third-of-a-mile track and there are tight turns. There have been dozens of serious injuries; videos of spills are all over YouTube. Horses are more vulnerable. More than 50 have died in these races since 1970; animal rights protesters have staged repeated protests. In response, Palio administrators have increased the padding on some turns and instituted other safety controls. Critics say these measures are not enough. The parade ended and a booming cannon-like shot scattered every bird within two miles. The crowd grew quiet as the horses and their riders entered the piazza. Nine of the 10 racers took up their assigned positions at the starting rope. The 10th rider decided when the race started, when he made a go for it. While this was happening, the riders conversed, swapped taunts and offered bribes. Impatient horses jostled and reared off the crowded line and were ridden back. The 10th horse made multiple exploratory false starts. This to-ing and fro-ing took more than 10 minutes. And then they were off. The race was a clattering blur, whipping around us. It took less than 90 seconds but seemed even shorter. Several riders fell from their horses but none were seriously injured. The winner was La Contrada dellOnda (the Wave), its colors aquamarine. It was this contradas first win since 2013 and its jockey, Carlo Sanna, known as Brigante, was an instant hero, hoisted upon shoulders. He and his horse, the 9-year-old Porto Alabe, were whisked off to receive the winning banner and be blessed at the Siena Cathedral, the Duomo. This event was not hard to find. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people poured through the streets to make their way there, as the carabinieri kept close watch. Out came the pacifiers and baby bottles. The winners wept with happiness. Meals commenced at huge tables set up in the streets. The festivities ran all night, which frankly theyd done for the four days leading up to the race, sometimes keeping us awake in our hotel room. In the first three years of the expanded program, revenue growth for Marylands hospitals stayed below the state-set cap of 3.58 percent, saving Medicare $586 million. Spending was lower on hospital outpatient services, including visits to the emergency department that do not lead to hospital admissions. In addition, preventable health conditions and mortality fell. According to a new report from RTI, a nonprofit research organization, Marylands program did not reap savings for the privately insured population (even though inpatient admissions fell for that group). However, the study corroborated the impressive Medicare savings, driven by a drop in hospital admissions. In reaching these findings, the study compared Marylands hospitals with analogous ones in other states, which served as stand-ins for what would have happened to Maryland hospitals had global budgeting not been introduced. But a recent study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, was decidedly less encouraging. Led by Eric Roberts, a health economist with the University of Pittsburgh, the study examined how Maryland achieved its Medicare savings, using data from 2009-2015. Like RTIs report, it also compared Maryland hospitals experience with that of comparable hospitals elsewhere. However, unlike the RTI report, Mr. Robertss study did not find consistent evidence that changes in hospital use in Maryland could be attributed to global budgeting. His study also examined primary care use. Here, too, it did not find consistent evidence that Maryland differed from elsewhere. Because of the challenges of matching Maryland hospitals to others outside of the state for comparison, the authors took several statistical approaches in reaching their findings. With some approaches, the changes observed in Maryland were comparable to those in other states, raising uncertainty about their cause. A separate study by the same authors published in Health Affairs analyzed the earlier global budget program for Marylands rural hospitals. They were able to use other Maryland hospitals as controls. Still, after three years, they did not find an impact of the program on hospital use or spending. Changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act, which also passed in 2010, coincide with Marylands hospital payment reforms. The A.C.A. included many provisions aimed at reducing spending, and those changes could have led to hospital use and spending in other states on par with those seen in Maryland. A limitation of Marylands approach is that payments to physicians are not included in its global budgets. Maryland didnt put the states health system on a budget it only put hospitals on a budget, said Ateev Mehrotra, the studys senior author and an associate professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School. Slowing health care spending and fostering better coordination requires including physicians who make the day-to-day decisions about how care is delivered. WASHINGTON It has been 86 years since Hattie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas became the first woman elected to the United States Senate, and women remain woefully underrepresented in the chamber. Women make up nearly 51 percent of the United States population but just 23 percent of the Senate, an all-time high, nonetheless, after Cindy Hyde-Smith was sworn in as the new senator from Mississippi this month . They form something of a tight-knit club. They have bipartisan dinners that make their male colleagues jealous. They have banded together to solve seemingly intractable problems; in 2013, when Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, led a move to shut down the government, the women of the Senate cut a bipartisan deal to reopen it. And they have pushed their colleagues to tackle issues like sexual harassment, domestic violence and sexual assault in the military. On Sunday, four female senators Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, Heidi Heitkamp, Democrat of North Dakota, Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, and Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa discussed women in politics, public policy, and the special bond among women in the Senate at a TimesTalks forum in New York. (Ms. Ernst, waylaid by an Iowa snowstorm, arrived toward the end.) Here are some of the sessions lighter moments, offering a peek behind the scenes of life as a woman in the Senate: Who me? Run for public office? Ms. Collins says she is often called upon to recruit women (and men) who are thinking of running for office. Many women tell her that they do not feel quite ready. I have never, ever had a man say that to me, that he wasnt quite ready, she said, adding, I think theres a self-doubt and a hesitancy to take risks that we need to overcome. (WB) Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) reaffirmed his support for LGBT rights on Wednesday during a conversation with Senate staffers in which he acknowledged that having a gay son has influenced his views. Jones, who late last year scored a surprise win in a special election to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate, said he wanted to make candid support for LGBT rights a component of his campaign, which helped him win the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions upon his appointment as U.S. attorney general. Being from Alabama, we really made a point of stepping out there this past year on equality issues, Jones said. It was easy to do for me. Jones made the remarks before Gays, Lesbians & Allies Senate Staff, or GLASS, during an event hosted by the organization in the Russell Senate Office Building. Jones answered questions from members of the LGBT affinity group for Senate staffers during the 40-minute talk before posing with them for photos. The Washington Blade was the exclusive media outlet invited to the event. In contrast to Jones, his opponent in the special election, former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, holds draconian views on LGBT rights. After saying in 2005 he thinks homosexuality itself should be illegal, Moore as a former Alabama Supreme Court Justice, urged probate judges in Alabama to ignore court rulings in favor of same-sex marriage. As a candidate for U.S. Senate, Moore called for the impeachment of the judge who ruled against Trumps transgender military ban. I also knew that ultimately we were going to be running against someone in Alabama who was as far from equality as you could possibly get, Jones said. I wanted to make that front and center in the primary campaign and for that to be an issue in the general election. We made clear where the Doug Jones campaign was on all issues involving equality. Over the course of his campaign, Jones was seen on video expressing support for transgender rights, declaring his opposition to the Trump administration revoking Obama-era guidance ensuring transgender kids have access to school restrooms consistent with their gender identity and Trumps attempt to ban transgender people from the U.S. military. The video was posted to YouTube by someone who thought those views would harm Jones campaign and gave it the title, Doug Jones commits political suicide in Alabama Senate Race! The prediction of the individual who posted the video proved incorrect. We had the campaign trolls, or whatever it is, get me on camera, video, Jones said. Some people got a little bit concerned about how its used, and I said, Why? I answered the question about transgender people in the military honestly, the way I think, and so, what the hell? We shouldnt be worried about that. And so, we never pulled back, we never backed off. Jones said his commitment to LGBT rights continues. It speaks a lot when a voice from the Deep South can talk about equality issues, especially given the history of Birmingham, Ala., and racial discrimination that was practiced so much in the South, and still, to some extent, around the country today, Jones said. The Alabama senator and former U.S. attorney was quick-witted throughout the GLASS event. When he was introduced as its distinguished guest, Jones replied, Who is that? Many of the questions posed by staffers were non-LGBT related: What has surprised him the most as a senator? My damned schedule. Whats his goal for staff representation? Finding the best people, seeking diversity and having Alabama connections. As a former Senate staffer, what advice would he give current staffers? Do everything possible to make your boss look absolutely the best. Questions on LGBT issues also came up. Asked what he thinks will be the next big thing for LGBT rights, Jones said it would be instituting non-discrimination protections for LGBT people in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which he called very, very important. That will be a challenge, Jones said. If that will happen, it will rank right up there with the Obergefell decision. Im a co-sponsor of that. Id like to see it happen this Congress. I doubt it will. Jones said he co-sponsors the Equality Act, legislation introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in the U.S. Senate that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights laws. The website for the Library of Congress indicates Jones became the 46th co-sponsor for the bill on Tuesday. One way in which Jones said he seeks to advance LGBT rights is through data collection on hate crimes. Although the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act allows the Justice Department to collect data on anti-LGBT hate crimes, Jones said many state and local governments still resist the practice out of fear of social backlash, political backlash. Its an issue that I think needs to be addressed, and hopefully its being addressed more, I think, as issues of equality are becoming more acceptable to the South, Jones said. Key to the senators views on LGBT rights were his son, Carson Jones, a gay student at Colorado State University who has gained a following from his Instagram account. The senator joked hes often times more widely known as the father of Carson Jones, whom he said is rapidly becoming a legend in his own mind. When the senator was asked about having an openly gay son including his Instagram account, which prompted Jones to quip, Weve all seen it he said it would be misleading if he said that didnt affect his views because at the end of the day, a lot of this is so personal. Has it affected me? Absolutely, Jones said. Did my representationof a probate judge in Jefferson County whom we defended when Roy Moore tried to shut him down giving marriage licenses? That affected me, too. Jones said witnessing the first same-sex marriages in Alabama was just phenomenal and after seeing the love, the happiness wondered what in the hell were people thinking who opposed same-sex unions. Everything affects you, but obviously a child affects you more than anything else, Jones said. Im happy to do that, Im happy to be there to defend him when he can be defended, as we always say, when he can be defended. Asked by the Blade after the event about the experience of his son coming out to him, Jones said the experience was powerful. Thats a little bit harder to answer, Jones said. Only that he knew and we expressed unconditional love and wanted to make sure he knew that and that was the case at that point, and it was just pretty much that simple. Jones was candidly pessimistic on some points. Asked whether hes seen a shift in Alabama in favor of LGBT rights, Jones replied succinctly, Nope. In fact, Jones added, Theres been some things that are just the opposite. As evidence, Jones pointed to legislation that advanced in the state legislature, but never became law, in the aftermath of marriage equality that sought to remove Alabama from the business of marriage altogether. That was a direct reaction to probate judges who didnt want to perform gay marriages, Jones said. And weve seen that. Youve got to remember, when you have someone like Roy Moore whos kind of leading the charge, youre going to get people all riled up. So, I havent seen a lot of things in a positive way on that front. But Jones said countering that trend is opposition to anti-LGBT legislation from the business community, pointing to the outcry over the anti-transgender bathroom House Bill 2 in North Carolina that led to the ouster of North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory in the 2016 election. That fallout, Jones said, had an effect on Alabama. It helped neutralize that and people finally started seeing how embarrassing some of those can be on a state, and businesses saw how it can affect economic development, because at the end of the day, as much as I want to think that these are civil rights issues, for so many people, its all about the money, Jones said. Its all about economic development and whether or not were going to attract business. Jones also said those economic concerns were a factor in his win in Alabama. The state was concerned that outrageous comments from Moore the first time he was on Meet the Press or something would jeopardize business in Alabama, Jones said, and the election outcome there had nothing to do with my pretty face. Despite the climate in his state, Jones said hes not going to downplay his views on social issues, recalling advice he said he received from former Vice President Joseph Biden that political candidates must stay true to their views. I am constantly getting asked how will you navigate the social issues being a Democrat from Alabama in the 2020 presidential year, Trump won the state 61, 62 percent, Jones said. How are you going to navigate? I always tell them that, look, navigate means that youre consciously trying to steer something for political advantage, and Im not. One development on LGBT issues that Jones said gave him political cover was Sen. Richard Shelby, the senior senator from Alabama, who said in response to the transgender military ban, any American who wants to serve our country and is able to meet those standards should have the opportunity to do so. I dont navigate things, but I like political cover, and he gave me a lot of political cover for that, Jones said. Asked by the Blade about what he makes of findings from Defense Secretary James Mattis against transgender military service, Jones said hell stick to his previously stated opposition to Trumps ban. I kind of go back to the fact of what I said earlier, Jones said. I think people who are willing to serve and are fit to serve, physically and mentally, they should be allowed to serve. Period. Looking to the future and the congressional mid-term elections, Jones said he sees bright things for Democrats, but warned them to keep their eyes on the prize. I think the challenge is going to be keeping people energized and motivated, Jones said. There is an incredible amount of energy out there. I think it started with women, I think my race had generally a lot of enthusiasm of many folks, including African Americans. All of a sudden, people realized elections have consequences and every vote can count, every vote can count. So, I think thats the challenge for Democrats. Chris Johnson, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association. By the time ABC aired an hourlong interview with James B. Comey on Sunday night, his feelings on President Trump were clear: that he was volatile, immoral, fixated on allegations made against him, akin to a mob boss. When excerpts from Mr. Comeys forthcoming memoir emerged last week, Mr. Trump pounced, labeling Mr. Comey weak and an untruthful slime ball. He later suggested Mr. Comey deserved jail time. The disclosures in the book, many of which were amplified in extraordinary detail in Sundays interview, were a stunning assault on a sitting president by a former high-ranking law enforcement official. [Read our full coverage of the interview ] The ABC interview, conducted by the anchor George Stephanopoulos and filmed at Mr. Comeys Virginia home, was the first major interview the former F.B.I. director has granted since his firing last May. Mr. Trump was upset about the move for two main reasons: Mr. Lerners background with the super PAC that supported Senator Marco Rubio of Florida in the Republican presidential primaries, and his work advising the anti-tax group Club for Growth, which savaged Mr. Trump in ads during the campaign. At least one official suggested to the president that Mr. Lerner may have been connected to extensive opposition research efforts against him. Mr. Lerner has been a close adviser to Ms. Haley since her successful 2010 run for governor in South Carolina. When Ms. Haley was selected for the United Nations role, she insisted that Mr. Lerner join her as her deputy. Mr. Lerner is also close with Nick Ayers, Mr. Pences chief of staff. When Mr. Lerners new dual role was reported on Thursday night by The Washington Post, several West Wing officials reacted with alarm, saying that few had been properly consulted, and that no one had explained Mr. Lerners history to the president, according to the people familiar with what took place. Joe Hagin, a deputy chief of staff in the White House, told colleagues that the simultaneous roles might not even be permissible. And Mr. Trump, told of whom Mr. Pence had chosen, said, Why would Mike do that? according to one West Wing official. That discussion was first reported by the website Axios. Several top advisers, such as Mr. Trumps national security adviser, John R. Bolton, and the nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, as well as the White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly, were told of the selection, officials said. But, like Mr. Trump, none knew the full context. WASHINGTON Im calling, very simply, for a shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, Donald J. Trump said on Dec. 8, 2015. It was early in his presidential campaign, and he was saying that sort of thing all the time. On this occasion, though, he also cited a historical precedent. Take a look at what F.D.R. did many years ago, Mr. Trump said. He did the same thing. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a 1942 executive order that sent more than 110,000 people of Japanese ancestry to internment camps. This is a president who was highly respected by all, Mr. Trump said of Roosevelt. They named highways after him. We are not going to just send one or two officers in there, Mr. Stirling said. Were going to gather a force that is safe for all our officers, and were going to go in and were going to take that dorm back with force. And if theres any resistance, well be able to put that resistance down immediately. When the trouble started, Mr. Stirling said later in a telephone interview, there were only two guards on duty in each of the three housing units, and they were armed only with pepper spray. Each housing unit holds about 250 inmates. Assembling an armed SWAT team in a rural area on a Sunday night takes time, he said. By the time the authorities had regained control, the disturbance at the prison was one of the worst of the last quarter-century. And it was an embarrassment for South Carolina, where officials have been trying to address prison problems with new sentencing policies to reduce the inmate population and higher pay for guards to reduce turnover. Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, said on Monday that the riot was unfortunate but that flare-ups among criminals were inevitable. We know that prisons are places where people who have misbehaved on the outside go for rehabilitation, and also to take them from the general population, he said. Its not a surprise when we have violent events take place inside prison. An employee who called the police to the downtown Philadelphia Starbucks where two black men were arrested last week is no longer working there, Starbucks said on Monday, as the companys chief executive apologized for the reprehensible episode. We can confirm that she is no longer at that store, a spokeswoman said, declining to name the employee or provide further details. The chief executive, Kevin R. Johnson, said in an interview with ABCs Good Morning America that what happened to the men was wrong, and that he wanted to meet with them personally to apologize. Its my responsibility to understand what happened and what led to that, and ensure that we fix it, Mr. Johnson said. He said that the company was reviewing its guidelines, which can differ among its 28,000 stores worldwide, and that it would invest in unconscious bias training. Unlike medications prescribed to treat a symptom or illness, statins are often given to healthy people to prevent a potentially devastating health problem, and the drug must be taken indefinitely to do the most good. Nearly half of Americans with cholesterol levels that put them at high risk of a heart attack or stroke are not taking medication to reduce that risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under current guidelines, among people 60 and older, 87 percent of men and 54 percent of women not already taking a statin would be considered eligible for treatment. There is no question that statins can protect the health of people who have already had a heart attack or stroke (or even angina) and thus face a significant risk of a recurrence that could prove fatal. But many people especially those who are uncomfortable taking drugs for any reason resist taking a daily statin if they have no history or symptoms of cardiovascular disease, only a risk of developing them, especially since it has not yet been proven that the drugs help such people live longer. Furthermore, people correctly regard risk as a possibility, not a probability, and vary in the degree of risk they are willing to tolerate. One chance in 100 may be acceptable to one person, while another may regard one chance in 1,000 as too risky. Doctors define cardiovascular risk as a percentage chance of a heart attack or stroke occurring within the next 10 years based on the presence of well-established risk factors: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, age, gender and race (and, in some cases, family history). You can determine your own risk using the calculator developed by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association at cvriskcalculator.com. If your calculated risk is 7.5 percent or higher, your doctor is likely to suggest you consider taking a statin, although a relatively high cholesterol level may not result in such a recommendation if you have no other heart risk factors. The risk score is meant to start a conversation, not to write a prescription, according to Dr. Don Lloyd-Jones, professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a spokesman for the heart association. Lets say your risk is 19 percent. That means among 100 people with similar risk factors, 19 are likely to have a heart attack or stroke within the next decade. Is that a risk youre willing to take? Or would you rather reduce your risk by a third by taking a statin? Only you can make that determination, and it should be based on a full understanding of the known benefits and risks of statins, not something you may have heard from a friend or read online. The current labeling on statin prescriptions doesnt help matters. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that the warnings should include several reversible side effects: confusion and memory loss, liver problems, increases in blood sugar and muscle weakness, as well as interactions with certain other medications. Money from the project found its way into the bank accounts of politically connected individuals and companies, including one of the Gupta brothers, Atul, according to prosecutors. The project was backed by two high-ranking African National Congress politicians close to the Guptas: Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane, who later became Mr. Zumas minister of mineral resources, and Ace Magashule, the partys current secretary general. The Gupta brothers are now believed to be in Dubai. Eighty to 100 black farmers who were supposed to become beneficiaries of the project ended up receiving nothing an outcome that, to many, symbolized the corruption that has flourished under the A.N.C., the party that has ruled South Africa since apartheid ended in 1994. For years, the problems surrounding the dairy project had drawn the attention of the South African news media as well as investigators from the National Treasury. But the authorities made arrests in the case only in February, after Mr. Zuma was ousted as president. The case is regarded as a test of how far his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, will be able to carry out his pledge to root out corruption in government. With a new president in charge, the national police and prosecutors have started moving against some individuals involved in the dairy farm case. Eight people were charged with fraud, and others had their assets linked to the farm frozen. But a judge released most of the frozen assets in March. The next court hearing in the criminal case is scheduled for August. Mr. Zwane, who was not appointed to Mr. Ramaphosas new cabinet, has kept out of the public eye in recent weeks. Neither he nor Mr. Magashule has shown any willingness to answer questions about the dairy farm from the news media or Parliament reinforcing the public perception that A.N.C. officials are above the law. What has gone wrong has gone wrong under their watch, said Mathole Motshekga, a senior A.N.C. official who is a member of the partys decision-making body, the national executive committee, and is also chairman of Parliaments justice committee. We expect, and the public expects, that they should take responsibility for what has happened. We are waiting to hear what they have to say, because we dont expect people in such positions to be absentee landlords. But many have given up on the A.N.C. Though the money lost in the dairy farm paled in comparison to the scale of corruption inside South Africas state-owned enterprises, it resonated deeply across the nation. Government money meant to help poor farmers simply vanished, the way it does across South Africa, and so far none of the A.N.C. officials in charge at the local or provincial levels have been held to account. As Mr. Ramaphosa pledges to clean up the South Africa he has inherited from Mr. Zuma, this case will test his capacity to do just that. A spokeswoman for Mr. Ramaphosa said he was unavailable for interviews. One of the would-be beneficiaries, Adam Khatide, 55, retired early from his teaching job believing that the Vrede dairy farm would take off. In the fallout, he lost faith in the power of his vote. Its voting for nothing, he said. Just taking people, putting them in office, and then they eat money. BEIJING Bowing to intense pressure from millions of internet users, a Chinese social media site said on Monday that it would scrap plans to censor cartoons and video games with gay themes. The site, Sina Weibo, had announced on Friday that it would target gay content as part of a campaign to remove pornographic and violent material from its site. But its efforts were almost immediately criticized as discriminatory and repressive, spawning an outpouring of #Iamgay hashtags and slogans like gays arent scary. On Monday, Weibo said in a post that it would scale back its cleanup effort and focus on pornographic, violent and bloody content instead of gay material. In a nod to the intense backlash, it thanked internet users for their discussion and suggestions. NEW DELHI The schoolgirls ran into the auditorium, shouting, Lets go, lets go, in Hindi as they ushered one another into single-file lines. Some adjusted the big, red bows that held their braids together, part of their school uniform. Then they crouched into defensive postures, fists ready. Oss! they yelled a karate greeting combining the Japanese words for push and persevere. They bowed slightly to their mentors before unleashing a series of punches, karate chops and kicks, interspersed with occasional giggles, whispers and sheepish smiles. Do not laugh! Police Constable Renu, who like many Indians goes by one name, called from the stage above them, her white T-shirt emblazoned with Respect Women on the back. (WB) Same-sex sexual activity is no longer illegal in Trinidad and Tobago as the countrys High Court on Thursday deemed the homophobic colonial clause unconstitutional, infringing on a persons right to privacy, illegal, null and void. The law, however, has not been removed just yet as the involved parties must submit their recommendations for either removal or amendment. Justice Devindra Rampersad delivered his ruling for the matter of constitutional redress between Jason Jones and the countrys attorney general. Jones, an activist, was suing the state for the removal of Sections 13 and 16 of the countrys Sexual Offenses Act. Regardless of consent or not, Section 13 criminalizes sodomy, either between a man and a woman or between two men. Sodomy carried a maximum sentence of 25 years. Section 16 criminalizes acts of serious indecency which are defined as acts arousing the genital organs for sexual gratification. Heterosexual consenting adults, however, were exempted from serious indecency when committed in private, but between persons of the same sex were not. The colonial laws were not enforced in the country, and no one has been charged for committing these offenses in recent times. Trinidad and Tobago, like many other Commonwealth countries, still has colonial laws on the books because of a savings clause that was enacted when it gained independence. Saving clauses were put in place to ensure the countrys new government would not infringe on the existing rights of the people during colonialism. The retention of the law seems to have everything to do with homosexuality and the abhorrence to the colonial practice which has been retained by the state, said Rampersad. Section Four of Trinidad and Tobagos constitution discusses the rights enshrined to citizens and includes the right of the individual to equality before the law and the protection of the law. Using this part of the countrys constitution to help determine his ruling, Rampersad said, There is no doubt in the courts mind that the impugned sections infringe upon the claimants fundamental rights. The Trinidad and Tobago Council of Evangelical Churches was among the interested parties. It was demanding the law remain on the books as those acts went against their religious beliefs. Rampersad said the matter was a legal one and not a religious issue. He preceded his ruling by stating, Trinidad and Tobago is, and was, a secular state and as such this case could not be determined on the basis of religious belief. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi has confirmed the government will appeal Rampersads ruling. If you leave this matter simply at a High Court judgment level, you may run the risk of another High Court judge with a contradictory point of view, said Al-Rawi. The governments role therefore is important in appeal so that the law ought to be settled. Plaintiff: Ruling a stunning victory for human rights Jones told reporters as he left the Hall of Justice that he will not relent until all citizens have true equality, including marriage and adoption rights. I am not going to tolerate second class citizenship in this country anymore, and neither will the judge today, he said. That is why I am victorious. When asked about the religious entities who wanted to keep the contentious clauses, Jones said while everyone is entitled to their opinion, Trinidad and Tobago, as a multiethnic, multicultural country has always been accepting of each others differences and now that will include the LGBT community. It was a stunning victory for human rights and for all Trinidad and Tobago citizens, he said. We must all come together after this judgment and embrace each other in true love, respect and honor for each citizen. This is not about LGBT; this is about the rights and freedoms enshrined in our constitution. Jones, who challenged the sodomy provision in 2017, is aware his battle is not over and expected the ruling would have been appealed and will reach the Privy Council, the highest court of appeal in Trinidad and Tobago. He is confident, however, he will be successful in the Privy Council after Thursdays ruling. I do expect the attorney general to appeal and thats fair, he said. He has a very difficult job. He is not just looking after my interest but the interest of the nation so I am happy to go to the Privy Council with this. Jones believes it will be another three to four years until his case is fully finished, but noted he is not just fighting for Trinidad and Tobago because other Commonwealth countries have similar homophobic laws. What I want to make clear to people that the human rights issue is not just local, this is a global issue, he said. Over 75 million Commonwealth citizens are criminalized using similar laws, 37 Commonwealth nations criminalized similar to Trinidad. But it was just shut down by one, it is now 36. Activist shoved during protest outside High Court Before the ruling was read, more than 100 members of the LGBT community along with allies and their supporters gathered in Woodford Square outside the Hall of Justice to witness the historic event. The supporters turned out in their placards and rainbow flags to rally around Jones and hear the ruling. This was organized by the Alliance for Justice; a coalition of activist groups such as the Coalition for the Inclusion of Sexual Orientation (CAISO), Friends for Life, the Womans Caucas, Womantra and the Silver Lining Foundation. I feel free, confident, Varoom Beetan, 24, told the Washington Blade on the steps of the Hall of Justice. If we win or lose, it doesnt matter because I am proud of who we are and we will persist. Lancelot Petit, 18, painted NOH8 on his face and said, I really just here to stand for we rights. I am hoping for the best, but so many people saying that if it passes, Trinidad will get worse with World War III or something, but how much worse can it get? Not all who were outside the Hall of Justice were there to support Jones case. Members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen, a group responsible for the 1990 coup attempt, gathered outside to express their disagreement. One of the members got into an altercation on the steps of the High Court with an activist. He spat on, cursed and shoved her. However, they both walked away from the stand-off, and she was able to report the matter to the police. Members of the Rastafarian community and Christian churches were also on the scene to protest. When news broke of the favorable ruling, however, cheers erupted outside of High Court. The national anthem was sung and many people embraced each other celebrating equality. This public display of Pride is something that Trinidad and Tobago has never experienced, as many members of the LGBT community feared being outed or victimized. For the past week however, the community was present, active and visible in both their activism and taking up space in the public sphere. For weeks, Christian activist group, Trinidad and Tobago Cause held demonstrations outside Parliament to demand the preservation of the family, insisting marriage for same-sex couples should not be permitted in the country in spite of the case in the High Court revolving around removing archaic laws. More than 200 hundred people on Monday showed up outside the Parliament to show the government the community deserves equality under the law. The Silver Lining Foundation on Tuesday hosted the premier of Love, Simon in a public multiplex. These displays of Pride are among the largest that the Trinidad and Tobago community has held in the public sphere. LGBT events are usually held privately or in specific safe spaces, for the protection of the community. Rachael Espinet, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association. NEW DELHI A speeding freight train traveling through eastern India on Monday barreled into a herd of elephants as they were crossing railroad tracks, killing a calf and three adult animals, an official said. The official, Biswajit Mohanty, a wildlife expert in Odisha State, where the accident occurred, said the train was traveling at 75 miles an hour in a protected stretch of forest near the village of Teladihi around 3:30 a.m. when it struck a bull elephant, two females and a calf. The speed limit there is around 20 miles an hour, he said by telephone. At such a high speed, theres no chance the elephants would have survived, Mr. Mohanty said, adding that he had called for an investigation. This is a big violation. Hundreds of elephants have been killed in India over the past 20 years, and deaths attributed to trains appear to be on the rise. MOSCOW A Russian journalist who had reported recently on clandestine Russian paramilitary groups in Syria died on Sunday after falling from the balcony of his fifth-floor apartment in Yekaterinburg, the authorities there said. The journalist, Maksim Borodin, 32, was hospitalized in a coma after he was found sprawled out below his balcony in the citys Kirov district on Thursday, according to New Day, the local news agency where he had worked. On Sunday morning, he died. Investigators summoned to the scene had found the door to his apartment locked from the inside, a police spokesman, Valery Gorelykh, told the local E1 news agency. Those facts suggest that no one left the apartment and that there were probably no strangers there, he said. While the police are still investigating Mr. Borodins death, it is not being treated as suspicious, Russias Investigative Committee said in a statement. LONDON After ordering British forces into action in Syria, Prime Minister Theresa May faced criticism from lawmakers on Monday, with many of them seeming to resent being bypassed over the decision, more than the strikes themselves. Speaking in Parliament, Mrs. May argued that the limited, targeted and effective attack had sent a vital signal that the use of chemical weapons would not be tolerated by the international community. But the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, a lifelong critic of Western military intervention, questioned the justification of the strikes under international law, telling Mrs. May that she was accountable to Parliament and not to the whims of the U.S. president. Several senior members of Mr. Corbyns party supported the principle of intervention over Syria, however, underscoring the divisions between many Labour lawmakers and their leader on several issues, including foreign policy. LONDON The United States and Britain on Monday issued a first-of-its-kind joint warning about Russian cyberattacks against government and private organizations as well as individual homes and offices in both countries, a milestone in the escalating use of cyberweaponry between major powers. Although Washington and London have known for decades that the Kremlin was trying to penetrate their computer networks, the joint warning appeared to represent an effort to deter future attacks by calling attention to existing vulnerabilities, prodding individuals to mitigate them and threatening retaliation against Moscow if damage was done. When we see malicious cyberattacks, whether from the Kremlin or other nation-state actors, we are going to push back, Rob Joyce, a special assistant to the president and the cybersecurity coordinator for the National Security Council, said in joint conference call with journalists by senior officials in Washington and London. That would include all elements of U.S. power available to push back against these kinds of intrusions, he added, including our capabilities in the physical world. Robert Hannigan, an executive with the cybersecurity company BlueVoyant and the former director of the British electronic spying agency GCHQ, said: We have found the Russians in routers and deep inside networks for 20 years. But this is about saying to the Russians, We know where you are pre-positioned and if something happens, we will know it is you. I lost my job, he joked, referring to his activism in Aleppo. For people who were relying on me for information, I am no longer useful. But he continues to blog and post on social media about the war in Syria and to help those still resisting inside. I am just talking to friends in Ghouta and giving advice how to survive because I have some experience, he said. I am telling them to save their equipment and not be worried, be calm, that everything will be solved in the end. Fearful for his family his son was born on July 10, 2016, just before the siege of Aleppo began he said he lost control at times toward the end. Once I cried, he recalled. Once I burned my car. I forgot to take my things. Many of the opposition members set fire to their cars and belongings to prevent them falling into the hands of the pro-government militias that were encroaching into the rebel neighborhoods. In the end, the last to leave were allowed to drive their cars out since there was a lack of buses and in the snow and freezing night, the soldiers stopped checking all those evacuating. Mr. Etaki even left the gas on in his home, hoping to destroy it so the pro-government militias could not use it. I was thinking it would burn, but then we did not evacuate that day and I had to go back, he laughed. There was still just enough gas in the bottle to keep warm that night, he said. JERUSALEM When Israels leaders gather on Wednesday at the countrys new National Memorial Hall for Israels Fallen, there will be little trace of the long battle it took to build it. The somber, annual Memorial Day ceremony will take place a day before the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of Israels foundation, according to the Hebrew calendar and it took nearly that long to create the countrys first national pantheon. Adjacent to the national military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, the Memorial Hall opened to the public without fanfare a few months ago. The product of decades of political wrangling, emotional strife and procrastination, the monument reveals little about Israels wars with its external enemies. Instead, its minimalist design sidesteps internal conflicts over what should be memorialized, why and how, in a country still fighting its battles and split by deep ideological divisions. Lacking a consensus around a single national narrative, commemoration has been pared down to bare essentials. The Western allies said the airstrikes were aimed at degrading the chemical arms capabilities of Mr. Assad, who promised to purge Syrias arsenal of chemical weapons after a mass attack in 2013. The repeated use of chemical weapons in the Syria conflict, a war crime, reflects what many disarmament experts describe as new levels of impunity that threaten respect for international treaties and the rule of law. Mr. Assad has repeatedly denied using chemical weapons. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and his subordinates have called the accusations of Russian complicity a lie that has maligned the Kremlin, fed Western Russophobia and contributed to the worst East-West tensions since the Cold War. Even as the war in Syria exacts a fearful toll on the ground, discussion of the Douma attack, like so much of the international posturing about the war, has been wrapped in a fog of contradiction and confusion. Nations made charges and countercharges, claiming to have damning but secret evidence about each others conduct, with Russia in particular spinning an array of theories of varying degrees of plausibility. Syrian and Russian officials have told the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons team that there were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place, Ahmet Uzumcu, the organizations director general, told its executive council on Monday. The meeting was held in private, but the organization released the prepared statements of Mr. Uzumcu and some other officials. Mr. Uzumcu also said the Russians and Syrians had offered the inspectors an opportunity to interview 22 witnesses to the Douma attack. He did not say whether the organization had accepted the proposal. The British delegation to the organization wrote on Twitter: Russia & Syria have not yet allowed access to Douma. Unfettered access essential. Russia & Syria must cooperate. Other Western diplomats also said that Syria and Russia were impeding the team. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. When Walsh Island's motorised bar stool made headlines and drew the attention of an RTE 'Evening Extra' show in 1988, it was all in good fun and represented all that light-hearted magic of a novelty news piece. However, while RTE's 30th anniversary revisit for the Today Show With Maura and Daithi was nostalgic, it was also bittersweet as it told the tragic story of the bar stool's inventor. VIDEO: RTE revisits the Hopper's Bar in Walsh Island and its motorised bar stool Noel Duffy was the man who promised he could "put an engine into anything" in the mid-80s and was true to his word as he stuck one in a bar stool for a St. Patrick's Day parade. Madaleine Flint was Noel's girlfriend at the time and can be seen hiding behind an old edition of the Offaly Express in the background of the original video. SEE ALSO:WATCH: The time an Offaly man featured on RTE after he invented a motorised bar stool Following their 15 minutes of fame, Noel and Madaleine got married and were living together when Noel was involved in a quad bike accident and was found dead. The Walsh Island woman later re-married in England and upon moving back to Ireland, bought Hopper's Bar with her husband Paul, the very spot with Noel had unveiled his bar stool to RTE. Scroll back up to watch Madaleine tell their story and put a bookend to a story that will both make you laugh and cry. The kicker being, the bar stool is still at Hopper's Bar and it still works. It looks like Noel certainly knew what he was doing with his engines all those years ago. Mecca Masjid blast verdict: All accused acquitted by special NIA court India oi-Madhuri After 11 years the special NIA court on Monday delivered its verdict in the high-profile Mecca Masjid case in which all the accused were acquitted due to lack of evidence. [Mecca Masjid blast verdict: A timeline] The National Investigation Agency says that they would first examine the judgment and then decide on filing an appeal. An NIA officer informed that they were yet to go through the entire judgment copy. The court had said that it was acquitting all five persons as there was not sufficient evidence against them. The case has seen several twists and turns. The police had probed the case at first following which it handed over to the CBI. A total of 226 witnesses were examined during the trial and as many as 411 documents were exhibited. The NIA had framed charges against Nabakumar Sarkar alias Swamy Aseemanand of Gujarat, private employee Bharat Mohanlal Rateshwar of Gujarat, farmer Rajender Chowdary of Madhya Pradesh (MP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak Devendra Gupta of Rajasthan, and property dealer-cum-RSS activist Lokesh Sharma of MP. Two other accused, former RSS pracharak Sandeep V. Dange and electrician-cum-RSS activist Ramchandra Kalsangra from MP are absconding. The pipe bomb explosion at the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad had killed eight and left 58 others injured. Five others were also killed after police opened fire to control a rioting mob during the Friday prayers in Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007. Fearing COVID-19 family in AP locked themselves up for 15 months AP Bandh: Andhra Pradesh observes statewide bandh over special status India oi-Madhuri A statewide bandh called in Andhra Pradesh over the demand of Special Status for the state on Monday. Opposition parties have also extended support to the bandh called by Andhra Pradesh Pratyeka Hoda Saadhana Samiti. The ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), however, opposed the bandh. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said bandhs hamper development and are not welcome. The Jagan Reddy-led YSRC hit back, accusing the Chief Minister of adopting 'double standards'. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will observe a day-long hunger strike here on his birthday, April 20, in protest against the Centre's non-cooperation towards the state. Earlier on February 8, the TDP did not participate in the State bandh called by the Opposition parties on the same issue. However, the party organised sit-in protests in support of their MPs who were staging the protest in Parliament. Educational institutions were closed and the RTC buses were off the roads then. Break the silence, end brutality: From Delhi to Goa, protests mark Indias stand against rapes India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff New Delhi, April 16: On Sunday, a 'united India' decided to speak up against rising crimes against women and girls in the aftermath of the horrific rape cases in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh and Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. From Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru to Goa, citizens holding placards and shouting slogans mourned the growing atrocities against women/girls and the steadfast silence of the ruling regime. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance a few days ago that the "guilty won't be spared" after he decided to break his silence over the two horrific rape incidents in the recent times, the people of the country are not yet convinced that the ruling regime is actually serious to book and punish the rapists and their accomplices at the earliest. The details pertaining to both the cases have shocked the conscience of the nation as involvement of people belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindu right-wing groups have been established by the investigations. Since justice has been delayed in the two cases, the people of India have demanded exemplary punishment to be meted out to the culprits. In the last few days, the nation has been demanding justice for the 8-year-old girl from Jammu's Kathua, who was kidnapped, drugged, gang-raped and killed by eight men in January to instill fear in people belonging to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community, and 16-year-old teenager from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, who was allegedly raped last year by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Recently, the 16-year-old's father died in the police custody after being brutally beaten by the MLA's brother. The Sunday protests in various parts of the country reminded people of similar rallies that were hosted across India after the brutal gang rape and murder of 23-year-old paramedic student in Delhi in December 2012. Since a lot of politics, bigotry and religious angles have been played out over both the rape cases, the protesters asked the political class to stop using women/girls' bodies for their vote bank. Placards at the protest marches with messages like "she was a child, a daughter and a human and not an instrument for your bigotry", "patriarchy kills", "can't believe I still have to protest in 2018", "silence is no longer an option", "no religion for rapists they are criminals" and "break the silence and end brutality", to name a few, summed up the anger and emotions of Indians living under the shadow of rape and violence. On social media, the hashtag--#SpeakUpIndia--has been trending since Sunday. 'If Congress isn't doing anything, we can't be sitting ducks': TMC attacks grand old party Sidhu will continue as Congress party chief, issue will be resolved says his adviser Wont be humilitated: Will not join BJP, but will quit Congress says Captain Singh Congress demands court-monitored probe into Kathua case India pti-PTI The Congress on Monday demanded a court-monitored probe into the rape-and-murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and sought police protection to the lawyer who is fighting the case of the rape victim. Senior Congress spokesperson Ghulam Nabi Azad said he would write to the state government seeking protection to the woman lawyer who has come forward to fight for the victim. He also alleged that the communal divide in Jammu is increasing under the BJP-PDP government. Azad also hoped that the victim would get justice and lamented that politicians and lawyers who were expected to give justice to people and ministers who were expected to protect people, were protecting the accused. "I am fully confident that the judiciary will do justice. Her soul will rest in peace if there is justice," he said. "There is no faith in the Jammu and Kashmir and central governments. The Kathua case be court-monitored...Either the Supreme Court or the Jammu and Kashmir High Court should ensure the case is fast-tracked and it is court-monitored," he said. Azad also alleged that communal divide in Jammu and Kashmir, maybe first time since Independence, "is so wide". "It is the inefficiency and incapability of the central government and the state government, as a matter of fact negligence of the central and state governments," he said. The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said the one who is abetting also becomes accused in the case and demanded that the police should consider those aiding, abetting as part of the conspiracy. "If the state government cannot provide protection, it has no right to continue," he said. Asked if Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti failed in ensuring law and order, the Congres leader said, "When did she succeed? She failed from the first day till today. Everybody knows the Kashmir situation. Jammu was safer, it has now become much worse." Terming the Surat rape case as "most unfortunate", the Leader of Opposition said it was as bad as the Kathua case. "That means we have all become inhuman. In this case too, I request the court to take suo motu action. Otherwise, in Surat in Gujarat nothing will come out. In other states, you may expect something, but in Gujarat nothing will come out, no justice is expected from the Gujarat government. "There are very good judges in Gujarat High Court with high reputation. I am sure the judges will come forward and take some suo motu action," he said. Azad targeted the prime minister, saying "PM said none will be spared: There is nothing in the prime minister's hand. He remained silent in Unnao case for a year and for four months in the Kathua case. Now the matter is with the court. The prime minister cannot do anything. What can the prime minister do when (he) cannot even remove a MLA (Kuldeep Singh Sengar) from the party." In Unnao, a 17-year-old girl alleged that Sengal raped her. On some former bureaucrats writing a letter to the prime minister, Azad said that bureaucrats are the most disciplined community in the country. "It shows how impelled they find it to write to the prime minister on the deteriorating situation. The prime minister should also understand that no section is left in the country which is not unhappy with the government," he said. PTI Delhi: 19-year-old boy arrested for posing as doctor in AIIMS for 5 months India oi-Madhuri In a shocking incident, a 19-year-old man was arrested after he was found masquerading as a doctor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital for almost five months. According to reports, Adnan Khurram was arrested on Saturday when he was trying to enter the hospital. During interrogation, Khurram told police that he was impersonating a doctor to ensure that his sister was admitted to AIIMS timely while in another statement, he said he posed as a doctor as he liked the profession and wanted to spend time with other doctors. Khurram, whose papers reveal that he is a resident of Bihar, was active on social media, posting pictures at various medical and even political events, wearing a lab coat to pass off as a doctor. The incident came to light only after hospital authorities and members of the Resident Doctors' Association released his pictures online, and the hospital's security caught him, DNA reported. When will schools reopen in Tamil Nadu for 1st to 8? Former TN chief secy gave wrong info on Jayalalithaa's health: CM Palaniswami India pti-PTI Coimbatore, Apr 15: Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami accused former chief secretary P Rama Mohana Rao of providing wrong information about late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's health. Rao was trying to shield somebody in this regard, Palaniswami told reporters at the airport here, without naming anyone. On the Cauvery issue, he said this cannot be solved through Twitter or Facebook, but legally. Palaniswami said he had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to implement the Supreme Court's verdict in this regard. On the ongoing agitation against Sterlite, he said the factory was closed in 2003 and the case is being heard by a court. PTI Anti-CAA stir: SC notice to UP govt on plea for quashing notice sent to protesters seeking damages ICAI sends notices to statutory auditors of PNB branch in Nirav Modi scam India oi-Staff By Oneindia Staff Writer The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has sent notices to all statutory auditors of Punjab National Bank's Brady House branch, where the over Rs 13,000 crore scam involving Nirav Modi took place, to appear before its disciplinary board. The chartered accountants' apex body has made a list of the statutory auditors of the Brady House branch during 2011-12 to 2016-17 and asked them to appear before its Board of Discipline. Statutory auditors are members of ICAI and are governed by the apex body. "ICAI has issued notices to statutory auditors of the Brady House branch under the Chartered Account Act, 1949, to appear before Board of Discipline and offer an explanation," ICAI member S B Zaware told PTI. Eight statutory auditors, who had audited the lender's Brady House branch in Mumbai during that period, have been issued notices. This is a primary investigation and the board wants to ascertain whether the auditors were at fault. "At this point, we cannot say that statutory auditors are guilty. After the auditors appear before the Board and answer questions, is when we will be able to determine their role in the fraud if any," Zaware added. In February, this year, the second largest public sector bank PNB had detected fraudulent transactions at the Brady House branch. The biggest ever banking fraud of more than Rs 13,000 crore was allegedly committed by billionaire diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in connivance with some PNB officials. Following the disclosure of the fraud by PNB, ICAI had formed a high-level group to study systemic issues involved in the scam. The group, after completion of its study, will also suggest remedial measures for strengthening the banking system. Zaware said the 10-member group had to seek government's intervention after PNB refused to co-operate with the panel in providing information required to complete its report. PNB has issued a letter by Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Ministry of Finance to disclose information to the group. The high-powered group, however, is yet to get information from the bank, Zaware, who is also the convenor of the committee, said. In its preliminary conclusions, based on available information, the panel found out all possible lapses on part of the lender. Lapses in corporate governance and concurrent audit work as well as failure to take sufficient precautionary measures are among the factors flagged by the high-level panel. The fraud is being investigated by multiple agencies, including CBI, SFIO and ED. 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. Ktaka polls: If Congress candidates are convicted criminals, then whats BSY doing in BJP camp? India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Bengaluru, April 16: In poll-bound Karnataka, both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) simply can't stop "reacting" to each other's every move. On Sunday, when finally the incumbent Congress announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, the main opposition BJP reacted in a very cheeky manner. The BJP dubbed the Congress list consisting of 218 candidates as "convicted criminals" roll. The saffron party did not stop at that and went on putting pictures of top Congress leaders like chief minister Siddaramaiah and state minister KJ George on Twitter holding slates and announcing their "nature of crimes" (a custom generally all criminals are made to do by the police). The pictures of the Congress leaders are real but the slates were digitally designed by the 'expert' BJP social media team. The BJP posted three tweets with pictures of various Congress leaders holding slates and announcing their crimes. While all the three tweets read the same, but in every tweet pictures of different Congress leaders were posted by the BJP. "We are confused about this list of candidates released by Congress. If you read some of the names from the list, it looks more like a list of to be convicted criminals. Such mind-blowing credentials. Take a look," read the BJP tweet. We are confused about this list of candidates released by Congress. If you read some of the names from the list, it looks more like a list of to be convicted criminals. Such mind-blowing credentials. Take a look: 1/n pic.twitter.com/hUwuu2powN BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 15, 2018 We are confused about this list of candidates released by Congress. If you read some of the names from the list, it looks more like a list of to be convicted criminals Such mind-blowing credentials Take a look: 2/n pic.twitter.com/8N7qh3mccN BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 15, 2018 We are confused about this list of candidates released by Congress. If you read some of the names from the list, it looks more like a list of to be convicted criminals Such mind-blowing credentials Take a look: 3/3 pic.twitter.com/QvLrh6p9GA BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 15, 2018 Earlier, the BJP in its very first list of candidates for the polls gave a ticket to state BJP president and the party's chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa. Yeddyurappa, who is also known as BSY, will contest elections from the Shikaripura constituency. BSY is perhaps the BJP's most high-profile candidate who has been sent to jail on corruption charges. In March, BJP president Amit Shah in a slip of tongue called the previous Yeddyurappa regime "the most corrupt government in Karnataka". "The government headed by Mr Yeddyurappa was the most corrupt in the history of Karnataka," said Shah by mistake which left everyone's jaws opened. In his earlier stint as the state CM, the 75-year-old BJP leader was forced to step down in August 2011 after a report by the then Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hedge found him guilty of corruption. In the BJP's list of candidates, it is not just Yeddyurappa whose credentials are under question. Controversial leader B Sriramulu, who shares close-ties with "corrupt" Reddy brothers from Bellary, will contest the Assembly polls from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district as a BJP candidate. So, when the BJP makes a hue and cry over the Congress' "convicted criminals" list, it looks rather funny for a layman. Both the Congress and the BJP are guilty of fielding candidates with criminal records elections after elections in the country. Hopefully, the voters this time will teach "criminal" candidates a lesson by voting against them in the Karnataka elections. In March, the Election Commission (EC) announced the polling date for the Karnataka elections. The elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will take place on May 12. The results of the elections will be declared on May 15. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 Karnataka: Will Congress not allow Kumaraswamy to be CM for full 5-year term? Is it chief minister Kumaraswamy or chief manager of Congress Ktaka ATM? BJP has an answer All is well between Congress, JD(S)? Kumaraswamy meets Rahul as Karnataka waits for full cabinet Karnataka Election 2018: Income Tax raids on Congress MLA B Shivanna India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday condemned I-T raids on Congress MLA B Shivanna's residence in Anekal, Bengaluru rural district. Siddaramaiah said the raid was politically motivated. Siddaramaiah, who is campaigning in Mysore district, said he didn't object to raids, but objected to timings of the raid during assembly elections. Siddaramaiah said the I-T department targetted Anekal Congress MLA B Shivanna because he is a strong contender in the constituency. According to initial reports, the Shivanna's office and residences were raided by I-T sleuths. According to News 18 report, the Income Tax department raided the residence of B Shivanna at the behest of Election Commission. Income tax officials said that since EC does not have powers to enter candidates' homes, the Commission alerted IT that considerable cash was stashed at Shivanna's home. The IT officials then raided Shivanna's home at 5.30 am. They completed the raid at 9.30 am, but did not recover anything. The raid comes incidentally a day after the ruling Congress announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming elections. The MLA hasn't issued a statement in connection with the raid. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 Karnataka: Will Congress not allow Kumaraswamy to be CM for full 5-year term? Is it chief minister Kumaraswamy or chief manager of Congress Ktaka ATM? BJP has an answer All is well between Congress, JD(S)? Kumaraswamy meets Rahul as Karnataka waits for full cabinet Karnataka Elections 2018: 'AIMIM will not contest, extends support to Janata Dal (S),' says Owaisi India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi announced that his party would not contest in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Also, he declared support to former PM HD Deve Gowda's Janata Dal (Secular) which is in pre-poll alliance with the Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Asaduddin Owaisi told ANI, "We will not contest in upcoming Karnataka elections, AIMIM will support JDS and will campaign for them. We feel both national parties have totally failed." He denied allegations of his party's support to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Owaisi said, "This allegation of cutting votes to benefit BJP is baseless. We did not contest in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir Did not contest Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra. What happened to Congress there?" Earlier this month, talks were doing rounds that former prime minister Devegowda's Janata Dal-Secular (JD (S)) was looking to join hands with AIMIM. JD(S) leader P G R Sindhia had confirmed that his party was in talks with Asaduddin Owaisi for a formal tie-up ahead of the polls. The AIMIM's entry into Karnataka electoral politics was expected to eat into Congress' vote share that draws its support from AHINDA (an acronym for Minorities, Backward Classes and Dalits) of which Muslims form a huge chunk. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 Karnataka elections: Congress retains 107 out of 122 sitting MLAs in candidate list India oi-Vicky Nanjappa In the first list of candidates released by the Congress for the Karnataka assembly elections, the party has re-nominated at least 90 per cent of the sitting MLAs. Read | Click here for Karnataka Elections 2018 Special Page 107 out of the 122 sitting MLAs have been re-nominated in the list of 218 that was released by the party on Sunday after it missed two deadlines. The remaining candidates would be declared today. The party has kept the names of three sitting MLAs pending while 8 party hoppers have been issued tickets. Karnataka elections: List of Congress MLAs who did not get a ticket The key highlight is that Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah would contest only from Chamundeshwari. It was speculated that he would also contest from Badami. Karnataka Congress chief, Dr. G Parameshwar would contest from the Koratagere constituency where he had lost in 2013. The list bore the stamp of Siddaramaiah who managed to push through his loyalists. The list also included the name of Ashok Khenny, the south Bidar MLA. Karnataka elections: The children of these Congress leaders will contest polls The party put on hold the name of N A Haris who is a sitting MLA from Shanthinagar in Bengaluru. He was in the news for the wrong reasons after his son was involved in a brawl. There is speculation that Rizwan Arshad may be given this seat. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 'Its echo of national interest of the party', says Hariprasad reacting to Siddu's Dalit CM comment Karnataka: By-polls in Shimoga, Bellary and Mandya to be held on 3rd Nov, says CEC Karnataka elections: The children of these Congress leaders will contest polls India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Congress released its first list of candidates on Sunday for the Karnataka assembly elections. Only a few leaders managed to get their children a seat to contest the polls. One of them included Dr. Yathindra, the son of Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah. He will be contesting from Varuna, the constituency that he father won from in 2008 and 2013. The high command has also issued a ticket to Sowmya Reddy, the daughter of the home minister, Ramalinga Reddy. She would contest from the Jayanagar constituency. Karnataka elections: Siddaramaiah gets just one constituency, Haris kept on hold Former union minister, K H Muniyappa's daughter Roopa Shashidhar will contest from KGF while law minister, T B Jayachandra's son Santhosh Jayachandra would fight from the Chikkanayakanahalli constituency. Son of former MLA Shyam Bheem Ghatge, Amit Ghatge will contest from Kudachi while S K Srinivas Kariyanna, son of former MLA, Kariyanna has been given a ticket from Shivamogga rural. Vijaykumar Ramakrishna, son of former minister G Ramakrishna will contest from Gulbarga rural. PWD minister, H C Mahadevappa was unable to push the candidature of his son, Sunil Bose. He was hoping that his son gets a ticket from T Narasipura. Karnataka Assembly Election dates Date of notification April 17 Last date to file nominations April 24 Last date to withdraw nominations April 27 Date of polling May 12 Date of counting May 15 Kathua rape and murder: SC orders protection to victims family, seeks J&K govts reply on transfer India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The Supreme Court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir police to provide protection to the family and advocate of the Kathua rape and murder victim. The court also issued notices to the state government on a plea that sought the transfer of the case to Chandigarh. The case will be heard next on April 27. The court is hearing a plea that sought the transfer of the case to Chandigarh. The plea was filed by the father of the 8 year old girl who was gangraped and murdered at Kathua in Jammu in the month of January. The plea sought for the transfer of the case out of Jammu. The father also sought for security for his family and lawyers repreenting them. He also sought for strengthening of security at the juvenile home where a minor accused is lodged. The police have in all named 8 accused in the case. The court ordered that the government should continue to provide security to the victim's family. Further the police were also ordered to provide security to the family's advocate. Appearing for the family, senior advocate, Indira Jaisingh said that the atmosphere is not conducive for a fair trial. The atmosphere is highly polarised, she also said. She also added that she was pleased with the investigation by the police. However there is an attempt to derail it, she also said. The victim from a minority nomadic community was allegedly held in captivity in a small village temple in Kathua district for a week in January this year during which she was kept sedated and sexually assaulted before being bludgeoned to death. According to the chargesheets filed by the Crime Branch, the abduction, rape and killing of the girl was part of a carefully planned strategy to remove the nomadic community from the area. A separate chargesheet was filed for the juvenile. The counsel for the accused demanded a copy of the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch on April 9 before the chief judicial magistrate. Meanwhile the sessions court will hear the case on April 28. All the accused persons were brought before the court which directed that chargesheet copies be provided to each of them. The counsel for the accused, Ankur Sharma also said that they were ready for a narco analysis test. The 8 accused and their role: Sanji Ram, 60: He is the prime accused in the case. A retired revenue official, he is said to have masterminded the attack. He wanted to push the Bakarwal community out of the Rasana village. He is said to have incited his nephew to abduct the girl. The nephew a minor was reminded about how he was beaten up by members of the Bakarwal community in the past. Sanji Ram's nephew: The boy is aged 15 and is a juvenile. He was instigated by the uncle to commit the crime. He is the one who strangled the girl to death before hitting her face with a stone. Deepak Khajuria: A special officer, he had some enmity with the Bakarwals. He convinced Sanji Ram's nephew to kidnap the girl and gave him the assurance he would help him pass his exams. Parvesh Kumar: He is a friend of the juvenile. He along with the juvenile drugged the girl in the forest. The two had taken her to a temple later and repeatedly raped the girl. Vishal Jangotra: He is also accused of raping the girl. On January 13 Parves, Vishal and the juvenile took the victim from the temple to a nearby area and killed her. Tilak Raj: This head constable is alleged to have taken Rs 1.5 lakh from Sanji Ram's sister to hush up the probe. Anand Dutta: A sub-inspector, he is alleged to have taken Rs 3 lakh to scuttle the probe. A deal of Rs 5 lakh was struck with him and he was to pay the remaining money after tampering with the evidence. Surinder Kumar: A special police officer, he is alleged to have conducted a recce. Do you have any relative who has been raped, an annoyed SC asks lawyer Here is why this advocate wants the Congress hand symbol to be scrapped Kathua rape victims lawyer fear she may be raped or murdered India oi-Staff By Oneindia Staff Writer The advocate representing the Kathua rape victim said that she fears for her life and could get raped or murdered. Deepika Singh Rajawat said, "today, I don't know, I am not in my senses. I can be raped, I can be killed and may be they won't allow me to practice in court. They (have) isolated me, I don't know how I can survive," Advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat told ANI. She added that she has been called anti-Hindu and boycotted socially. Further, Deepika said she would be approaching the Supreme Court to demand security for herself and her family. "I will tell this to the Supreme Court. I am feeling bad and it's really unfortunate. You can well imagined my plight. But, I will stand for justice and we would seek justice for the eight-year-old girl," she concluded. Earlier today, the Bar Council of India (BCI) said a panel has been formed to probe the actions of Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association lawyers, who had stopped police from filing a charge sheet in the Kathua rape and murder case. In connection with the case, two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been filed: one against eight people for allegedly being involved in the crime and another has been filed against a group of lawyers which had allegedly stopped the police from filing charge sheet against the eight accused. Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers leaders, Chandra Prakash Ganga and Lal Singh, have also resigned following accusations of attending a rally in support of the miscreants responsible for the crime. Utah woman, who did not know she was pregnant, gives birth to baby on flight to Hawaii Baby factory: In this country, People take the desired child home for 40-42 lakh rupees Kerala: 2-day-old baby girl flushed down toilet at clinic, police launch probe India oi-Madhuri The body of a two-day-old baby which was flushed down a toilet was recovered in Kerala's Palakkad. The body was found by plumbers who were attempting to unclog the toilet. The incident happened on Friday in the house of Abdul Rahman, who is a doctor. Rahman and his wife, who run a clinic from their home, asked the plumbers to clean the toilet. The plumbers found the head of a baby stuck in the duct of the commode while trying to unclog it. The records of all the patients are being checked, a police officer said. A case has been filed and investigations are underway. Meanwhile, her body has been sent to Thrissur medical college for postmortem. Mecca Masjid blast verdict: The Hindu terror theory is falling like nine pins India oi-Vicky Nanjappa The special NIA court on Monday acquitted all five accused in the Mecca Masjid case. One of the primary reasons that the court cited while acquitting the accused was wanted of evidence. Like the cases reported in Ajmer, Malegaon and Samjautha Express this was another one which took a u-turn where investigations were concerned. On May 18, 2007, a blast ripped across the Mecca Masjid which resulted in the death of 9 persons and injured 58 others. When the Hyderabad police first probed into the case, it said that it was the handiwork of some Muslim youth who wanted to cause communal tension. The case was later transferred to the CBI before the National Investigation Agency took over the probe finally. The NIA filed three supplementary chargesheets in the case and in it five persons including Swami Aseemanand were named. It may be recalled that he was also named in the Samjautha Express attack and in the Ajmer case as well. In the Ajmer case, he was acquitted after being given the benefit of doubt as several witnesses turned hostile. The same was reported in the Mecca Masjid blasts as well. There were 254 witnesses who were examined by the probe agency, but several turned hostile. In 2016 four key witnesses turned hostile in the case. During the examination, they denied that the accused persons had used their mobile phones. Another interesting event that was witnessed in the Mecca Masjid case was the payment of compensation to the Muslims youths who were initially arrested. The state government had in 2013 paid Rs 3 lakh each to 20 persons and Rs 20,000 to 50 others. This was probably for the first time that compensation was being paid to people wrongly arrested. The High Court had however set aside the compensation paid to the youth and ordered the government to recover the money. The court said that a mere acquittal or discharge from a criminal case cannot be the basis for payment of such compensation. The change in narrative in these cases had become a subject matter of debate. Many accused the then UPA government of introducing a theory called Hindu terror when none existed. Recently an accused in the Malegaon 2008 blast case said that Hindu activists were framed by the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra. He said that this was done to appease the Muslim voter and prove that there was a concept called Saffron terror. The investigators wanted to know from me about the profile of Yogi and his organisation Hindu Yuva Vahini. The way they repeatedly questioned me about Yogi indicated that he was their main target, and they wanted to frame a prominent saffron-clad personality in the case, Chaturvedi had said. The ATS wanted to know my connection with the RSS and its leader. In custody, I was subject to torture worse than third degree along with the other co-accused, he also said. Mevani has background of giving 'provoking' speeches: Rajasthan minister India pti-PTI Rajasthan minister Rajendra Rathore on Monday said Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani was prevented from attending a public meeting in Nagaur district as he has a background of giving "provoking" speeches. Mevani, an Independent legislator from Gujarat's Vadgam constituency, was yesterday stopped by the police at the airport here from attending the meeting at Merta town. The minister said, "Mevani has tried to disturb social harmony by giving provoking speeches in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Therefore, looking at his background, he was stopped from attending the Nagaur meeting." The organisers of the meeting are associated with the Congress, the Rural Development and Panchayti Raj Minister said at a press conference here. "Opposition parties will not be allowed to disturb social harmony of the peace loving state," Rathore said. PTI Trot Insider has learned that Standardbred breeder/owner Lois Allison of Hamilton, Ont. passed away on Saturday (April 14) at the age of 92. Lois, who is the wife of the late Harley Allison, is well known for her association with the Promising Catch mare Helluvacatch 4,1:59.2h ($159,910), Balanced Image lass Brontewine 11,1:59.2h ($209,375) and the Majestic Son mare Neils Golden Girl 6,1:53.4s ($163,988), among others. In addition to their success with Standardbreds in southern Ontario, the Allisons were also very enthusiastic Road Horse owners, as their charges commonly appeared at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto and took home multiple ribbons. Visitation for Lois will take place this Wednesday (April 18) from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Crestmount Funeral Home, which is located at 322 Fennell Ave. E in Hamilton. A funeral service will take place on Thursday (April 19) at 10 a.m. at Barton Stone United Church, which is located at 21 Stone Church Road W in Hamilton. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Lois Allison. Congress conspired against Swami Aseemanand to keep Muslims happy says family Malegaon to Samjhauta: How politics of terror derailed these cases Mecca Masjid blast case: Judge who delivered verdict resigns, cites personal reasons India oi-Deepika By Deepika Hours after acquitting Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, the NIA special court judge Ravindra Reddy has resigned. Reportedly, Reddy has submitted his resignation letter to the Chief Justice of Hyderabad High Court citing personal resons. Earlier in the day, Reddy acquitted right-wing activist Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove charges against them. Ten persons, all members of Abhinav Bharat, including Nabakumar Sirkar alias Swami Aseemanand; Devender Gupta; Lokesh Sharma alias Ajay Tiwari, Lakshman Das Maharaj, Mohanlal Rateshwar and Rajender Chowdhary were named as accused in the case. Two other accused, former RSS pracharak Sandeep V. Dange and electrician-cum-RSS activist Ramchandra Kalsangra from MP are absconding. A massive blast had ripped through the Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007, during Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. The high profile case was handed over to the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI), which filed a charge sheet and later the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over from the CBI in 2011. Altogether, 10 persons owing alligience to right-wing organisations were named as accused in the case. On two nation tour to Sweden, UK, Modi hopes to boost ties India oi-Staff By Oneindia Staff Writer Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will begin his five-day visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom said that he was looking forward to deepening bilateral engagement with both the countries in a number of areas including trade, investment and clean energy. The Prime Minister begins his five-day visit to Sweden and the UK today. He will have a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 on his way back home. In the first leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Sweden's capital Stockholm where he will hold extensive talks with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, besides attending an India-Nordic Summit. "India and Sweden share warm and friendly ties. Our partnership is based on democratic values and commitment to an open, inclusive and rule-based global order. Sweden is a valuable partner in our development initiatives," Modi said in a Facebook post.The two Prime Ministers will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday. Modi said he and Lofven would also interact with top business leaders of both the countries and chart out a future roadmap of cooperation in sectors such as trade and investment, science and technology, clean energy and smart cities. The Prime Minister said he would also call on King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf. India and Sweden will also jointly organise the India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm on Tuesday which is scheduled to be attended by the Prime Ministers of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. "The Nordic countries have globally recognised strengths in clean technologies, environmental solutions, ports modernisation, cold-chains, skill development and innovation. Nordic competencies fit well with our vision for India's transformation," Modi said. From Sweden, Modi will travel to the UK on Tuesday where he will also attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), besides holding bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May. "My visit to London presents another opportunity for both countries to infuse fresh momentum to this growing bilateral engagement. I will be focusing on enhancing India-UK partnership in the areas of healthcare, innovation, digitisation, electric mobility, clean energy, and cybersecurity," the Prime Minister said. He further said, "Under the theme of 'Living Bridge', I will also have the opportunity to meet people from various walks of life who have enriched the multi-faceted India-UK relationship." Modi said he would also call on the Queen, interact briefly with CEOs of the two nations who are working on a new agenda of economic partnership, launch an Ayurveda Centre of Excellence in London, and welcome the UK into the International Solar Alliance, as its newest member. On April 19 and 20, Modi will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being hosted by the UK which will take over as the new Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth from Malta. "The Commonwealth is a unique multilateral grouping that not only provides useful assistance to its developing country members, particularly the small states and small-island developing states, but also has a strong international voice for development issues," Modi said. The External Affairs Ministry yesterday said Modi would meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a brief stopover in Berlin on April 20 after concluding his visits to Sweden and the United Kingdom. Once he comes out he will eliminate us, says Unnao rape victim's family on Sengar's Charge sheet filed in connection with death of 23-yr-old Unnao rape victim who was set ablaze Unnao rape: Accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar likely to face narco test India oi-Madhuri The CBI is likely to conduct narco and polygraph test on BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in Unnao after it has found discrepancies in his statements during interrogation. According to sources, Sengar has been changing his statements repeatedly during interrogation by CBI. He is giving different answers to same questions before different teams of the agency. On Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested Sengar in connection with the alleged rape of 17-year-old-girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district. Woman Shashi Singh, who is accused of taking the girl to the legislator has also been arrested. Three cases have been filed against the party legislator under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act. However, Sengar, the lawmaker from Unnao's Bangamau, continued to claim that he was innocent and told media persons before he was presented before the court that he had full faith in God and the judiciary. Former FBI chief James Comey blasts Trump, says hes morally unfit to be president International oi-Shubham By Shubham Former chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) James Comey recently blasted US President Donald Trump in an interview, saying the latter was "morally unfit" to hold the top post and that he treated women like "pieces of meat" and lied constantly and made the people of America believe them. Comey, 57, was explosive in the very first television interview that he gave since his dismissal in May 2017, less than four years after he took charge as the FBI chief during the reign of Barack Obama. Comey was speaking to ABC News's 20/20 programme on Sunday, April 15. Trump, however, went for a 'pre-emptive strike' hours before Comey spoke his mind out, accusing the latter of "many lies". Comey, who was handed a shocking dismissal last year, said he didn't think Trump was not medically but morally unfit to be the president of the US. He said the president of the US "must embody respect and adhere to the values that are at the core of this country" and Trump was not able to fulfil the qualification. After the interview was broadcast, the Republican Party released a statement via the Republican National Committee saying Comey's publicity tour for his new publication 'A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership' showed that his "true higher loyalty is to himself." Trump has already lashed out at Comey's upcoming book, saying the "badly reviewed book" raised "big questions". He also started calling Comey as a "slime ball" of late and sought his imprisonment. The stakes are high for both the men at war. Comey could be the star witness in any likely obstruction of justice allegation that might be brought against Trump by Robert Mueller III, the special counsel in the alleged interference of Russia in the 2016 presidential elections. Trump is thus extra concerned about undermining Comey's public credibility as a bid to save his own legal and political fates. The Trump-Comey saga started even before - during the 2016 presidential polls when the latter was the FBI chief and the probe into the handling of classified emails on a private server by Hillary Clinton as the secretary of state. She contested in the presidential election against Trump and lost. Initially, the FBI did not press charges although it was said that Clinton had handled the emails in an "extremely careless" manner. However, as the polls approached, Comey informed the Congress that the FBI was reopening a probe after discovering more emails and the letter he wrote was leaked - an episode that Clinton believed had handed Trump the victory. On November 6, two days prior to the election, the FBI had again said that its review of the new emails was complete and there would be no charges. Comey had also alleged later that after becoming the president, Trump had tried to gain personal loyalty from him - a charge the latter vehemently denied. Will Germany face collateral damage in Trump's trade war? International oi-Shubham By Shubham While US President Donald Trump has targeted China in his trade war, it is Germany, the biggest economy of Europe, which has faced a risk of recession. According to researchers, Germany's risk of facing a recession has risen alarmingly between March and April 2018, a report in Washington Post has said on Monday, April 16. It said while economists with the German Institute for Macroeconomics and Economic Research (IMK) predicted a likely recession of 6.8 per cent in March for the next three months, the figure jumped many times more to 32.4 per cent in April. Gustav Horn, research director of IMK, said the American president's adventurism with protectionism was creating shock waves that were not only affecting financial markets but the German economy. Germany has been doing consistently well in terms of economic performance while other nations of Europe have struggled. Unemployment is very time low while the German government is having a gala time in collecting taxes. But Germany has drawn Trump's wrath over its export-driven economy and large trade surplus as the latter has accused his European ally of exploiting America's economic interests. Germany, however, has rejected Trump's charges saying its investments in the US gave work to several thousands of workers there. Trump though has not targeted Germany with tariffs as he has done vis-a-vis China but researchers have feared that his protectionist calls alone have caused enough uncertainty to financial markets and exports, the Washington Post report said. This time, Trump is not alone However, although Trump has deep differences with other European leaders, the latter have also felt like him on Germany. They feel that Germany has made huge gains at the expense of the rest of Europe for it has disproportionately benefited from the Eurozone where in shares a common currency with many weaker countries. Euro's relatively low value has helped Berlin's exports more than other underperforming countries, the WP report added. Before Trump, even president Barack Obama felt that Germany should concentrate on boosting consumer demand and German imports from other countries of the EU instead of making its export industry more robust, the report said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, April 16, 2018, 17:23 [IST] A secret trip to an ISIS medical camp in Syria changed the course for this Bengaluru doctor Putin warns about global chaos if West strikes Syria again International oi-Shubham By Shubham Even though Russia did not retaliate after the western coalition launched air strikes to penalise the Bashar al-Assad regime of Syria after it allegedly conducted a poisonous gas attack on its own people, President Vladimir Putin has warned that if the West persisted with its attacks on the disturbed west Asian country, it could lead to a serious chaos in world affairs. Putin said this during a telephonic talk with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani on Sunday, April 15, amid signs that both the US and Russia were trying to give normalcy a chance in one of the worst phases in their relations since the Cold War ended. Iran has remained a strong supporter of Assad because of tactical and strategic reasons. On April 14, a week after suspected poison gas attack in Douma in Damascus suburbs killed several people, the US, along with the UK and France launched the missile strikes in Syria to teach Assad a lesson. According to a statement issued by the Kremlin, both Putin and Rouhani felt that the strikes jeopardised the chances of achieving a political solution in the complex conflict situation in Syria continuing for almost a decade now and has left at least half a million people dead. Putin stressed that if such actions violating the UN Charter continued, it would lead to "chaos in international relations", the statement issued by the Kremlin said. The western coalition, however, maintained that the attacks were aimed at neutralising Syria's chemical weapons programme and not for toppling Assad or intervening in the conflict. The western countries, however, called the air strikes successful while Syria and its allies described it as an "act of aggression" and also "unacceptable and lawless". Putin's warning came in the wake of a conciliatory note by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov which said that Russia would make all efforts to better political relations with the West. Russia's foreign affairs establishment still believed that there were people in Washington who were in favour of holding talks with Moscow about strategic stability after the attacks, the country's media reported. US President Donald Trump had ignored his aide's warning to congratulate Putin after he won his fourth presidential term in March and even sought a summit with the latter at the White House. But then the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK and the Douma attacks in Syria drastically changed the equations and the two Cold War rivals found themselves at odds again. Stormy Daniels to attend court hearing of Trumps lawyer International oi-Shubham By Shubham Stormy Daniels, the adult-film actress who is finding herself increasingly tied in a legal war with US President Donald Trump, was set to attend a court hearing in New York on Monday, April 16, for Michael Cohen, the personal lawyer of US President Donald Trump. Daniels's lawyer Michael Avenatti informed about this during an appearance on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday, April 15. Originally named Stephanie Clifford, Daniels is in the midst of a legal battle with Cohen over an agreement worth $130,000 to remain silent about a sexual encounter she allegedly had with Trump in 2006. The agreement was reached in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election so that Trump was immunised from any incident that could derail his White House ambition. Cohen is already in news over a criminal investigation connected to his business practices. Cohen's office, residence and hotel room were raided by the FBI last week during which documents and other materials were seized. The lawyer was asked to appear in a federal court in Manhattan even though his counsels were trying to stop prosecutors from reviewing the seized documents. Avenatti posted a tweet on Friday, April 13, about Cohen's court appearance on Monday saying "weather forecast for Mon looks very Stormy". The FBI's raids last week was also reportedly looking for information on payments to Daniels, among other materials. The action had left President Trump livid and he posted on Twitter, saying attorney-client privilege was dead. Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He is seeking to delay Clifford's California case against him and Trump because of the criminal investigation. When Avenatti was asked in the CNN programme whether Daniels would be present at the hearing to provoke Cohen, he said it was rather to send a message that she was taking her matter with Cohen very seriously and she wanted to make the people of America understand that she was putting her best foot forward to unearth as much information as possible. However, though Avenatti said Daniels's presence at the court had nothing to do with making an impact on Cohen psychologically, he tweeted on Sunday morning a scene from the film 'The Godfather II' where a Mafia turncoat retracted his testimony after mafia boss Michael Corleone brought the former's own brother with him to watch the court proceedings. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, April 16, 2018, 16:47 [IST] Do you eat, sleep and breathe harness racing? Do you enjoy promoting harness racing and have exceptional customer service skills? If this sounds like you and you feel like you have the potential to be an outstanding ambassador for Canadian harness racing, read on. Standardbred Canadas Industry Marketing Department is seeking a summer student/intern to assist with various marketing activities. Knowledge of horse racing is an asset. The position requires an energetic self-starter with strong interpersonal and computer skills, outstanding organizational and presentation skills, and experience in social media applications. This individual will have the ability to work independently while contributing to a team. The work environment will be a combination of SCs office in Mississauga, Ont., events at Ontario racetracks and community outreach events. Some of the duties include: Assist with special events and promotions as required Writing for websites and blogs Assist with industry research Data entry Assist with off-site events (weekends) Administrative duties Photography & Videography taking photos & videos at special events Qualifications Currently enrolled in a Marketing, PR, Event Management, Journalism, or business program Knowledgeable about horse racing or willing to learn Past hands-on experience with Standardbreds would be an asset Computer Skills Required Excel/MS Office/Power Point Experience with Social Media Tools Experience working with InDesign, Illustrator or Photoshop an asset Applicants must be returning to a post secondary program in the fall of 2018. Access to a car would be an asset, and the applicant would be willing to work some evenings and many weekends. Duration: mid May mid August Please submit applications via email no later than Friday, April 27 at 5 p.m. to: Industry Marketing - Kathy Wade Vlaar Standardbred Canada 2150 Meadowvale Blvd. Mississauga, ON L5N 6R6 email [email protected] We thank all those who apply, but only those applicants who are selected for an interview will be contacted. WASHINGTON, April 16, 2018 / Standard Newswire / -- Judicial Watch announced today that it is hosting special educational panel on Tuesday, April 24, from noon to 1 pm ET to discuss "The Deep State Update." The expert panelists currently include:Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH)Committee on the JudiciaryCommittee on Oversight and Government ReformVince CoglianeseHost "Mornings on the Mall" WMAL RadioEditorial Director, Daily CallerLt. Col. Tony ShafferVice President for Strategic Coordination and OperationsLondon Center for Policy ResearchMichael BekeshaAttorneyJudicial WatchModerator:Tom FittonPresidentJudicial WatchWatch the panel live: www.judicialwatch.org/live . We will also livestream the panel on Facebook Live. Visit our Facebook page to watch.Media that would like a direct HD fiber link to the live, three-camera feed should contact: Bruce Schlesman at 202-646-5190. These pisctures of the Ludington North Breakwater were taken just 10 minutes apart by Ludington photographer Todd Reed, after a quick rise in water level known as a seiche caused the lake to rise 13.9 inches in just 42 minutes around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13. A quick rise in water levels occurred on Michigans Lake Michigan shoreline at 12:30 p.m. on April 13, 2018. This quick rise is called a seiche or a Great Lakes meteotsunami. The water rose 13.9 inches in just 42 minutes near Ludington. The water was as high as I had seen since Nov. 10, 1975, the day the freighter Edmond Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior. Water was also flooding the beach and the end of Ludington Avenue. But it didnt last long. Returning to nearly the same spot less than 10 minutes later, Reed observed that not only was the entire breakwater above water, but the rocks lining the outside of it were highly visible. The seiche was also reported at Manistee. The National Weather Service at Gaylord reported: Possible seiche event with rapid rise and fall of water on the Manistee River. Several docks were damaged. Flooding was reported on the riverwalk. There was a strong thunderstorm moving through at the time. Winds gusted to 40 mph during the thunderstorm. Half inch diameter hail also fell during the thunderstorm. Follow us: Facebook and Twitter Todd and Brad Reed Photography, MLive 1, MLive 2 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. Five years ago, the British Parliament said no to an attack on Syria that its prime minister wanted to join the U.S. president in launching. That action, combined with public pressure, was instrumental in getting the U.S. Congress to make clear that it would say no as well, were it absolutely forced to -- you know -- admit it existed and do anything at all. And that was key to preventing the attack. So, when Britain's prime minister this week joined the U.S. president in launching a war despite various members of Parliament and Congress warning against it, one might have thought that Prime Minister May was landing herself in deeper legal trouble than President Trump. Not at all. The ban on war found in the United Nations Charter and the Kellogg-Briand Pact applies exactly equally to all nations except the five biggest weapons dealers and war makers on earth, and effectively not at all to any of those five because thay have veto power over anything the UN or its dependencies -- including courts -- attempt to do. But Britain's violation of international law in abetting the 2003 attack on Iraq has been central to proposals supported by Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn to prosecute former Prime Minister Tony Blair. And the existence of such laws has been widely admitted and discussed in the UK over the years. When the existence of such laws made it into half a sentence from the ACLU this week, in contrast, it was something of a rarity. No Congress Members to my knowledge have mentioned the UN Charter or the Kellogg-Briand Pact or the fact that war is illegal no matter who launches it. In the United States, the conversation is dominated by the fact that the U.S. Constitution gives Congress, and not the president, the power to make war. But I've never found any U.S. resident who's told me that if the U.S. were bombed by a foreign nation, he or she would give a rat's campaign contribution whether the attack was ordered by an executive or a legislature. And the notion that the laws that ban war are overridden by the fact that the ancient (if sacred) Constitution mentions war is rendered ridiculous by the fact that the same sentence that gives Congress war power also gives it the power to hire pirates -- which Congress has admitted for well over a century has been banned, even as hiring proxies in Syria and elsewhere is treated as completely acceptable. This state of discourse in the United States convinces the public that only Congress has the legal authority to stop a war. And Congress, of course, makes that claim while refusing to ever act on it, to ever cut off funding or begin impeachment or simply forbid a war. In fact Senator Corker is proposing to formally put the whole charade out of its misery by declaring that presidents can do what they have done anyway since 1941, namely whatever the hell they want -- and the Constitution be damned. A limited side-discourse is concerned that the president probably has a memo from the Office of Legal Counsel pretending to explain why each new war or escalation is legal, and he's keeping it secret. My concern with this is that any concern with it seems to suggest that it matters. No memo can legalize a crime, and we should stop playing into the pretense that it might. Meanwhile, over in London, a legitimate peace advocate in Corbyn, in the very land that invented impeachment, is not moving to impeach the prime minister any more than are members of Congress who days ago said that bombing Syria would be impeachable. Instead he's proposing to create a war powers act, a law requiring a vote of Parliament prior to any war. If that'll stop a war, I'm for it. That the U.S. Constitution hasn't worked, and that the U.S. War Powers Act of 1973 hasn't worked, doesn't mean a British War Powers Act can't. If it even works 1% of the time that's all to the good. But should we give no consideration to the long-term impact of normalizing crimes by worrying over who gets to authorize them? Should we not, as long as we're proposing such things, give equal consideration to a Ludlow Amendment (the proposal stopped by President Franklin Roosevelt that would have required a vote by the public before any branch of government launched a war)? Regardless of all my concerns, I'll take Corbyn's more democratic proposal over Corker's royalist one any day. Can law become a tool to restrain formalized governmental mass murder? It hardly seems that lawlessness is the answer. But how relevant is the entire field? How does it look from the point of view of those on the receiving end of the wars and of the treaties? This topic will be explored at a global conference in Toronto this September that I encourage people to attend. 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. Philadelphia's top cop, Richard Ross, an African-American, has once again exhibited his blind spot on racial bigotry by police during his defense of a specious arrest of two black men inside a Starbucks coffee shop recently that triggered strong condemnation from the mayor of the so-called City of Brotherly Love. The arrest of those black men for trespassing while they sat inside a Starbucks awaiting their meeting with a white developer to discuss a possible real estate investment deal sparked social media outrage, an apology from the corporate head of Starbucks and a strident assessment from Philadelphia's Mayor James Kenney. That Starbucks incident, Kenney said, "appears to exemplify what racial discrimination looks like in 2018." Yet, despite wide-ranging condemnations and growing protests at the Starbuck located in Center City at 18th and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Ross made a Facebook video two days after that controversial arrest where he continues to declare that his officers "did absolutely nothing wrong." Ross said his officers "were professional" in providing a "service" to the Starbucks employees at that coffee shop located in a ritzy residential area of downtown Philadelphia. Reports indicate the Starbucks shop personnel initially said the pair were loitering, later insisting their offense was trespassing. Ross' defense ignored the bigotry that ignited the encounter producing the arrest, bigotry not addressed by the predominately white group of arresting officers. Ross said police responded to a 911 call from that Starbucks reporting a "disturbance" -- apparently a reference to the non-confrontational refusal of the two men to leave the coffee shop as demanded by that shop's manager. The men insisted that they were waiting for a third party to arrive and join them. (That third person, in fact, a white developer, arrived as cops were cuffing the two black patrons, and reacted angrily to police demanding to know why they were arresting his associates -- to no effect.) A cellphone video of the incident, taken by a customer, does not show any disturbance or even loud resistance to police by the pair, who calmly submitted to the arrest. Police held the pair for over seven hours before their release after midnight. That release resulted from Starbucks personnel, who claimed a disturbance, declining to press charges and Philadelphia's District Attorneys Office stating there was a "lack of evidence that a crime was committed." Police Commissioner Ross said his officers had "legal standing to make this arrest" that arose from an apparent prejudicial response by Starbucks personnel who denied a request from the men to use the bathroom. After the men accepted the refusal to let them use the bathroom, Starbucks personnel still insisted that they leave -- a demand rejected by the two men. While the Starbucks manager cited corporate policy of bathroom access being only for paying customers, an eyewitness told a Philadelphia television station that a white jogger used the bathroom without making a purchase during the same time frame the two black men were denied use of the bathroom. Richard Ross said his officers made that arrest after police "politely" asked the men to leave three times and they refused those commands, giving officers "attitude." Ross said he made the Facebook video statement in order to "put out facts" since he did not think the police version was being "heard." Ross even played his version of a race-card, stating on the video that as an African-American he is "very aware of implicit bias." Ross' declaration implicitly contended he did not observe racism in either the actions of his officers or the actions of the Starbucks personnel who summoned police. The reaction of Commissioner Ross to what many nationwide easily see as an incident saturated with repugnant racial prejudice from Starbucks personnel and police has provoked criticism. "More egregious than the incident itself, is the tone deaf response from the police commissioner. Richard Ross is on the wrong side of history, and his assertion took on a tone opposite of the Mayor, which is telling," Chris Norris said. Norris is a Philadelphia journalist who frequently reports about abusive police practices. Additionally, Norris hosts a popular morning talk radio program on Philadelphia's WURD900AM, one of the few African-American owned talk radio stations in the United States. "If Starbucks aims to enforce its no excessive loitering policy, then they should hire security guards," Norris continued. "Philadelphia police, who are paid by taxpayers, should not be responding to calls of nonviolent trespassing." 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 No More Fake News Let's see, US Deep State actors from intelligence agencies, the Pentagon, and the Department of State, along with US allies, played a MAJOR role in creating, funding, supplying, and sustaining ISIS, while purportedly doing everything possible to destroy ISIS. No problem. Why should there be a problem?" (The Underground, Jon Rappoport) Trump and the Pentagon claim the strikes were based on clear evidence President Assad's forces used chemical weapons on their own civilian citizens. The Russians point out that international inspectors were due to investigate the chemical-weapons claims on Saturday--and their findings would have denied Assad chemical attacks took place--therefore, to prevent this embarrassment, the US-led missile attacks were launched one day earlier. Posted at Washingtonsblog.com: MEMORANDUM FOR: The President FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity SUBJECT: Evidence Required for Military Decision on Syria Mr. President, "We the undersigned Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity join a number of other credible experts including former UK Ambassador to Syria, Peter Ford...former UN weapons inspectors and former military officers who are strongly recommending that you obtain and review actual evidence from the site of the alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, before ordering any military action. We have long brought to light significant evidence questioning the provenance of chemical weapons indicating that rebel forces may have tried to produce and use such toxic agents in Syria. "The main question that arises is, 'What motive would the Syrian government have to attack its own people when it is enjoying popular support for routing anti-government rebels? Why would it risk Western ire?'"... Attacks and wars initiated by governments aren't prefaced by detailed evidence made available to the people. Presenting the whole story isn't necessary, as far as governments are concerned. In the US, Congress goes along with the White House. The media go along with the White House. The last time "evidence" was rolled out -- "Saddam was developing WMDs, bought uranium from Niger, bought aluminum tubes for nuke weapons production" -- the whole show devolved into a farce and fell apart. Now, it's just "trust us." Many Trump supporters aren't buying the package. They believed Trump when he said the US was going to abandon empire-building and leave foreign nations alone and let them settle their own conflicts. Now, a number of theories abound. Trump was duped by the military-industrial complex. Trump was never serious about refraining from launching military attacks. Trump is compromising now, but he has a further secret strategy in mind, a brilliant strategy against the Deep State. Trump is bowing to the Globalists, who want to continue destabilizing the Middle East. Trump is actually carrying out an Israeli (and/or Saudi) agenda. Attacking Syria is part of a US, British, and French plan involving access to oil in the region. Trump is pretending to step up his opposition to Russia (Assad's ally), to prove he isn't soft on Russia, to deflate the ferocious assault on him vis-a-vis the "Russia influenced the election" claim, to deflect Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation. Trump wants to improve his poll numbers, which always rise for any president in a time of war. Trump has no idea what he's doing. And so forth and so on. There is no will, no determination, no desire, within the US government colossus, to be responsive to the wishes of the American people, when it comes to making war. There is no felt need to explain why war is necessary, in very specific terms that can be verified or rejected. There is no need to wait until evidence is thoroughly investigated. 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 Paul Craig Roberts Website US officials and the presstitutes tell us that the illegal US missile attack on Syria destroyed chemical weapons sites where chlorine and sarin are stored/manufactured. If this were true, would not a lethal cloud have been released that would have taken the lives of far more people than claimed in the alleged Syrian chemical attack on Douma? Would not the US missile attack be identical to a chemical weapons attack and thus place the US and its vassals in the same category as Washington is attempting to place Assad and Putin? What about it, you chemical weapons experts? Do chemical weapons only release their elements when they explode from intended use but not when they explode from being militarily attacked? There is no evidence in Syria of chemical residue from the chemical weapons facilities allegedly destroyed by US missiles. No dead victims. No reports of hospitals treating Syrian casualties of the American chemical attack. How can this be if such sites were actually hit? When I was a Wall Street Journal editor, newspapers had competent journalists to whom such a question would occur. But no more. Stephen Lendman takes the New York Times to task for its unprofessionalism. The NY Times is no longer a news source. It is a propaganda megaphone. 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 The Nation Paul Ryan may be winding down his tragic tenure as Donald Trump's sycophantic speaker of the House, but that does not mean Congress will automatically reassert itself as a coequal branch of government -- especially when it comes to matters of war and peace. Members of the chamber will need to act affirmatively on behalf of the rule of law, and the system of checks and balances that maintains it, in order to reestablish the role of Congress in this vital sphere. And they need to move quickly. Throughout his two decades in Congress, Ryan has served as an unthinking and profoundly irresponsible war hawk, positioning himself as an errand boy for presidents who seek to engage in military actions without congressional authorization. As his power increased, so did the Republican leader from Wisconsin's determination to hand off the power of the legislative branch to constrain the executive. In one of his darkest moments as speaker, Ryan blocked consideration in 2017 of a bipartisan amendment to renew the role of Congress as a check and balance on presidential war making. As he did on so many issues, Ryan chose to hand a blank check to Donald Trump. But this blank check for endless war undercuts the Constitution, and that is just one of the reasons Congress needs to step up now to challenge Trump's scheming to launch unauthorized military strikes against Syria. Barbara Lee, who proposed the 2017 amendment that Ryan blocked, has the right answer to all the questions about how the president might respond militarily to reports of atrocities in Syria. "This is not President Trump's decision to make," says the congresswoman from California who is the House's most serious advocate for renewing the constitutionally defined system of checks and balances with regard to war making. "Congress, not the president, gets to decide when to go to war." Click Here to Read Whole Article Dennis Kucinich's keynote address at Praxis Peace Institute's Dubrovnik Conference on the Alchemy of Peacebuilding entitled, Spirit and Stardust, was given on Sunday, June 9, 2002, but speaks to us, even now. My daughter was there, and called me afterwards to excitedly tell me, "Mom, guess what I found here in Croatia? An American politician with a soul! I was the representative sent by the youth division to have dinner with him. He is a Democrat from Ohio, and he gave this awesome speech at the conference! He's into peace and stuff, you know, Mom, like back in the 60's-- you'd love it! Look him up, Mom." I did and a year later I sat front row, center, in Taft High School auditorium, Woodland Hills, CA, my first opportunity to hear Kucinich live. She was right. I found myself inspired by politics for the first time in decades, hopeful and mesmerized by his dreams for America. He's ethical, he's compassionate, he's visionary. Ahead of his time, but now even the WaPo is saying that folks are finally catching up to his vision. After eight terms in the House of Representatives, he was gerrymandered out in 2013. A former mayor of Cleveland, he is currently running for governor of Ohio, with running mate, Tara Samples. Dennis' inspiring speech from 16 years ago seems quite timely in this moment: As one studies the images of the Eagle Nebula, brought back by the Hubble Telescope from that place in deep space where stars are born, one can imagine the interplay of cosmic forces across space and time, of matter and spirit dancing to the music of the spheres, atop an infinite sea of numbers. Spirit merges with matter to sanctify the universe. Matter transcends to return to spirit. The interchangeability of matter and spirit means the starlit magic of the outermost life of our universe becomes the soul-light magic of the innermost life of our self. The energy of the stars becomes us. We become the energy of the stars. Stardust and spirit unite and we begin: One with the universe. Whole and holy. From one source, endless creative energy, bursting forth, kinetic, elemental. We, the earth, air, water and fire-source of nearly fifteen billion years of cosmic spiraling. We begin as a perfect union of matter and spirit. We receive the blessings of the Eternal from sky and earth. In our outstretched hands we can feel the energy of the universe. We receive the blessings of the Eternal from water, which nourishes and sanctifies life. We receive the blessings of the Eternal from the primal fire, the pulsating heart of creation. We experience the wonder of life multidimensional and transcendent. We extend our hands upwards and we are showered with abundance. We ask and we receive. A universe of plenty flows to us, through us. It is in us. We become filled with endless possibilities. We need to remember where we came from; to know that we are one. To understand that we are of an undivided whole: race, color, nationality, creed, gender are beams of light, refracted through one great prism. We begin as perfect and journey through life to become more perfect in the singularity of "I" and in the multiplicity of "we"; a more perfect union of matter and spirit. This is human striving. This is where, in Shelley's words, " . . . hope creates from its own wreck the thing it contemplates." This is what Browning spoke of: Our 'reach exceeding [our] grasp.' This is a search for heaven within, a quest for our eternal home. In our soul's Magnificat, we become conscious of the cosmos within us. We hear the music of peace, we hear the music of cooperation, we hear music of love. We hear harmony, a celestial symphony. In our soul's forgetting, we become unconscious of our cosmic birthright, plighted with disharmony, disunity, torn asunder from the stars in a disaster well-described by Matthew Arnold in Dover Beach: " . . . the world, which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams, so various, so beautiful, so new, hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude nor peace, nor help for pain. And we are here, as on a darkling plain, swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, where ignorant armies clash by night." Today Dover Beach is upon the shores of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Our leaders think the unthinkable and speak of the unspeakable inevitability of nuclear war; of a nuclear attack on New York City, of terrorist attacks throughout our nation; of war against Iraq using nuclear weapons; of biological and chemical weapon attacks on civilian populations; of catastrophic global climate change; of war in outer space. When death (not life) becomes inevitable, we are presented with an opportunity for great clarity, for a great awakening, to rescue the human spirit from the arms of Morpheus through love, through compassion and through integrating spiritual vision and active citizenship to restore peace to our world. The moment that one world is about to end, a new world is about to begin. We need to remember where we came from. Because the path home is also the way to the future. In the city I represent in the United States Congress, there is a memorial to Peace, named by its sculptor, Marshall A. Fredericks the "Fountain of Eternal Life." A figure rises from the flames, his gaze fixed to the stars, his hands positioned sextant-like, as if measuring the distance. Though flames of war from the millions of hearts and the dozens of places wherein it rages, may lick at our consciousness, our gaze must be fixed upward to invoke universal principles of unity, of co-operation, of compassion, to infuse our world with peace, to ask for the active presence of peace, to expand our capacity to receive it and to express it in our everyday life. We must do this fearlessly and courageously and not breathe in the poison gas of terror. As we receive, so shall we give. As citizen-diplomats of the world, we send peace as conscious expression where ever, whenever and to whomever it is needed: to the Middle East, to the Israelis and the Palestinians, to the Pakistanis and the Indians, to Americans and Al Queda, and to the people of Iraq, and to all those locked in deadly combat. And we fly to be with the bereft, with those on the brink, to listen compassionately, setting aside judgment and malice to become peacemakers, to intervene, to mediate, to bring ourselves back from the abyss, to bind up the world's wounds. 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 Paul Craig Roberts Website End the threat of nuclear war! (Image by flickr.com) Details DMCA "As US President Donald Trump is said to be considering a full scale ground assault against the Syrian administration of President Bashar al-Assad, the top UN official has decried the onset of a new global Cold War and warned against 'full-blown military escalation' in the war-torn region." If this report of a US ground invasion of Syria is true, which I doubt, it will be a consequence of Russian passivity in the face of Washington's aggression. Is the Russian government too humane to comprehend the evil that Russia confronts? If Russia and China do not take steps to defeat the US before Washington forces nuclear war on the world, we are all doomed. The American people are denied information, are uninformed, and helpless. The same is true for Europe and Britain, Canada, Australia, Japan. Even if the peoples knew, they are impotent. Putin often relies on non-existent or impotent common sense in the West, but does Russia have enough common sense to realize that there is no common sense in the West that can be effective? The Russian government does not understand that the "rule of law" constructed by Washington is not a rule of law. It is a rule of Washington's rule. Washington owns Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, the Atlanticist Integrationists inside Russia, and the UN. This is why Russia's appeal to the UN is pointless, as Russia just again learned. To restate the point once again, the passivity of the Putin government in the face of Washington's aggressiveness is leading directly to nuclear war and the end of life on earth. 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 By Rhea Suh As Americans, we have a right to expect that the people we entrust with public service will work toward good governance, put the national interest first, advance the mission they're given, and do so with integrity. Scott Pruitt has betrayed that solemn trust on every count. He's shredding public confidence in our government with every moment he remains in office. It's time for him to go. As administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pruitt has a single overriding responsibility: to protect the environment and public health. Instead, he's protecting big polluters as he moves to delay or weaken needed safeguards at the direct behest of one industrial lobbyist after another. As a senior official in the executive branch, he has an obligation to work on behalf of the people. Instead, he's setting the public interest aside, putting special interests first, and making the public pay the price. And in his role overseeing the work of some 15,000 professional staffers, he has a duty to set an example of good judgment and ethical conduct. Instead, he's become the administration's poster boy for repeated lapses in both. There's his sweetheart condo deal with the wife of a fossil fuel lobbyist. And his insistence on flying first class when the taxpayers are buying the ticket, citing security concerns that somehow vanish when Pruitt pays the fare for personal flights home to Oklahoma. On Tuesday we learned that an inquiry by the EPA's own Homeland Security office could find no evidence of any security threat that might justify the estimated $3 million in taxpayer money spent so far on Pruitt's security detail. Small wonder he's become a late-night punchline. There's nothing funny, though, about the damage he's trying to do to the EPA and its capacity to protect the public from the real threats of toxic pollution and industrial ruin. Pruitt's greatest affront to the country is his single-minded effort to weaken, delay or do away with the EPA standards and rules that defend our air and water, protect us from toxic pesticides and chemicals, and enable us to fight the growing dangers of climate change. Those commonsense safeguards are grounded in sound science, the public interest, and the rule of law, as Pruitt is finding out in our courts. That hasn't stopped him from trying to gut those protections, and this is more than reason enough to fire him. The way Pruitt conducts himself in office, though, warrants termination on ethical grounds. On Monday evidence emerged that Pruitt can't be taken at his word, when two EPA staffers told The Atlantic of an email showing that Pruitt personally authorized a $56,765 raise for a favored aide after the White House rejected the increase as inappropriate. Pruitt last week blamed the incident on "my staff," claimed he did not know who was responsible, and told Fox News that "the officials that were involved in that process should not have done what they did." In response to the contradictory email, EPA chief of staff Ryan Jackson put out a carefully worded statement, saying "Administrator Pruitt had zero knowledge of the amount of the raises, nor the process by which they transpired. These kind of personnel actions are handled by EPA's HR officials, Presidential Personnel Office and me." The issue here, of course, isn't process. It's integrity. We're being asked to imagine Pruitt was somehow unaware that one of his closest aides was getting a ludicrous raise over White House objections. Even in Washington, that's not how it works. The email controversy broke just hours after it was reported that the senior ethics official in the U.S. government "appointed by President Trump" had sent a scathing letter to his EPA counterpart, demanding to know whether Pruitt's long trail of ethical controversies had compromised his ability to serve with "impartiality" and whether Pruitt "is using his public office for private gain." In the letter, David J. Apol, acting director and general counsel of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, cited what he called "extremely concerning reports" that at least five EPA staffers who objected to Pruitt's imperious requests for lavish spending and special privilege were later demoted or reassigned or sought different jobs. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). BEIJING, CHINA April 16, 2018 - Word-leading experts from the University of Bristol, and provider of the worlds largest mobile network and customer base, China Mobile, shared their insights into how 5G and the massive Internet of Things (IoT) will service rapidly expanding cities in China and around the world at the 5G wireless: the journey to hyper-connected cities panel forum in Beijing today. President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, Prof. Hugh Brady welcomed Dr Chih-Lin I, Chief Scientist for Wireless Technologies at China Mobile Research Institute; who was joined by Professor Andrew Nix, Head of the Communication Systems & Networks Group and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Bristol, on the expert panel. Autonomous vehicles and high-speed rail connectivity, smart tourism and eHealth were just some of the future innovations discussed as the panel shared insights into how emerging smart technologies can help China and the world address the challenges posed by rapid urbanization. In attendance was a wide audience of academics, government and industry leaders, and media. Among its many research strengths, the University is leading pioneering research into 5G capabilities, and its expertise in this field was one of the factors that led to Bristol being named Global Smart City at the Global Mobile awards (GLOMOs) 2018. Through its Smart Internet Lab and High Performance Networks Research group, the University is driving real-world research including a city-wide 5G testbed leading to major advances and models for increasingly interconnected and resource-efficient cities. University of Bristol academics have over the years developed close ties with their Chinese peers and Chinese companies to research solutions that will make the future more liveable, said Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol. According to the UNs latest report, another 2.5 billion people will live in cities worldwide by 2050, with many of those in China, and only through strong research collaboration can we make the urgent breakthroughs we need. Professor Andrew Nix, who has experience of working with Huawei in Europe on prestigious 5G EU (Horizon 2020) projects and with other Chinese partners on developing technologies to support advanced development, said: Wireless technologies, along with integrated fibre and core network solutions, will play a crucial role in the development of hyper-connected cities. For the past two years the Chinese government, in its annual work report, has highlighted to promote the development of 5G mobile communications, so we are excited to be able to share our experience in Beijing today and to hear from those at the forefront of Chinas 5G and smart city revolution. Prof. Nix talked about the Universitys world-leading innovations including trials of Massive MIMO leading to world record-breaking 5G wireless spectrum efficiency, advanced 3D planning software to support the global roll-out of 5G networks and a 5G network planning model to support New Radio (NR) technologies: massive MIMO and beamformed milimeter wave (mmWave) communications. He also shared insights into high-speed rail connectivity and connected and autonomous vehicles and driving engagement with advances in smart city technology, and revealed how Bristol became 2018s Global Smart City and the UKs Smartest City and the Universitys vision and ambition for the future. Over the past five years, China's urbanization rate has risenfrom 52.6 to 58.5 percent, according to the 2018 Government Work Report, and this trend will only continue. Rapid urbanization creates increasingly crowded environments and scarce resources, which China is trying to tackle with major investments to promote the development of smart cities. The University is working with leading Chinese tech and communications companies including China Mobile and Huawei to jointly develop scalable solutions that will enable Chinese cities to grow in smart and sustainable ways. Effective wireless communications will be essential to deliver the best services for society and business in emerging smart cities. As a world leader in the development of wireless standards, China Mobile is very happy to be partnering with the University of Bristol to jointly research next-generation wireless communications solutions that will help cities to thrive and become smarter in the digital age, said Dr Chih-Lin I, Chief Scientist for Wireless Technologies at China MobileResearch Institute. 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 article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. It's been a terrible year for gun makers. The venerable Remington filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy after its sales fell 27.5% in the first nine months of Donald Trump's presidency. (Its officials had expected a 2016 Hillary Clinton victory to ensure a burst of gun purchases.) And Remington wasn't alone. Sales have been ragged across the industry. Gun company stocks have slipped, profits have fallen, price wars are breaking out, and corporate debt is on the rise. January 2018 was the worst January for gun purchases since 2012. (A mere 2,030,530 firearm background checks were logged that month, down by 500,000 from the same month in 2016!) It was the "Trump slump" in action. The good old days for the gun makers -- you know, the ones when a Kenyan Muslim was in the White House and a mass of Democratic congressional flamethrowers was preparing to shut the spigot on gun purchases in America forever with draconian laws -- are long past. The National Rifle Association reigns; Republicans control Congress; Trump rules; gun control laws are something to be found in a galaxy far, far away; and all is safe, sound, and well in the world. Or put another way, what's often referred to as "fear-based" gun buying is no longer buoying the industry. One sign of this: in the past, mass shooting incidents (and the media brouhahas around them) were surefire gun-purchase inducers. Those background checks (a good measure of gun sales), for instance, rose 50% after Sandy Hook, 43% after the San Bernardino killings, and 40% after the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre. But after last October's Las Vegas slaughter in which 58 died and hundreds were wounded, they sank by 13% compared to October 2016. And even the recent Parkland school killings and the gun debate and youthful protests that followed didn't seem to help sales (at least not until quite recently). So, fear and guns. After President Obama was elected and the Democrats took Congress, gun production tripled in this country (and imports doubled), while, according to recent studies, white men who fit a certain profile -- "anxious about their ability to protect their families, insecure about their place in the job market, and beset by racial fears" -- stockpiled guns in record numbers. The gun, as one study reported, feels to them like "a force for order in a chaotic world," though such owners are significantly more likely to use a gun in their home to kill or wound themselves or someone in their family than a burglar, intruder, or anyone else. Think about a country filled with guns in numbers that should stagger the imagination, weapons that often have the power to rend flesh in ways that fit war, not the home. Then imagine the fears that have run rampart in this country in recent years and read the thoughts of TomDispatch regular Frida Berrigan, as a mother, as the child of famed pacifists who protested violence and weaponry of every sort, and as a relatively sane soul in a country deeply on edge with itself. Tom Gunning Down the Easter Bunny The Weaponization of Everyday Life By Frida Berrigan Guns. In a country with more than 300 million of them, a country that's recently been swept up in a round of protests over the endless killing sprees they permit, you'd think I might have had more experience with them. As it happens, I've held a gun only once in my life. I even fired it. I was in perhaps tenth grade and enamored with an Eagle Scout who loved war reenactments. On weekends, he and his friends camped out, took off their watches to get into the spirit of the War of 1812, and dressed in homemade muslin underclothes and itchy uniforms. I was there just one weekend. Somehow my pacifist parents signed off on letting their daughter spend the day with war reenactors. Someone lent me a period gown, brown and itchy and ill-fitting. We women and girls spent an hour twisting black gunpowder into newspaper scraps. I joked that the newspaper was anachronistic -- the previous week's Baltimore Sun -- but no one laughed. A man came by with a long gun, an antique, resting on the shoulder of his jerkin to collect our "bullets" and he must have read the gun terror written on my face. "Wanna give it a try?" he asked. "Sure," I said, stumbling to my feet, pushing my gown out of the way, and trying to act like I didn't have broken-rifle patches, symbols of the pacifist War Resisters League, all over my real clothes. I felt a surge of adrenaline as I took the heavy weapon in my way-too-small hands. He showed me how to wrestle it into position, aim it, and fire. There were no bullets, just one of my twists of powder, but it made a terrifying noise. I shrieked and came close to dropping the weapon. And there it was: the beginning, middle, and end of my love affair with guns -- less than a minute long. Still, my hands seemed to tingle for the rest of the afternoon and the smell of gunpowder lingered in my hair for days. Got Guns? One in four Americans now owns a gun or lives in a household with guns. So how strange that, on that day in the late 1980s, I saw a real gun for the first and last time. I grew up in inner city Baltimore. I've worked at soup kitchens and homeless shelters all over the East Coast and stayed at dozens of Catholic Worker Houses around the country -- Providence, Camden, Syracuse, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles -- every one in a "tough" neighborhood. I lived in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in the mid-1990s, before you could get a $4 coffee or a zucchini scone on Van Brunt Street, before there was an Ikea or a Fairway in the neighborhood. All those tough communities, those places where President Trump imagines scenes of continual "American carnage," and I've never again seen a gun. Still, people obviously own them and use them in staggering numbers and in all sorts of destructive ways. Sensing that they're widespread beyond my imagination, my husband and I have started asking the parents of our kids' school friends if they own guns when we arrange play dates or sleepovers. We learned this from the father of a classmate of my 11-year-old stepdaughter Rosena. The dad called to make the arrangements for his son to come over after school. We talked logistics and food allergies and then he paused. "Now, I am sorry if this is intrusive," he said, "but I do ask everyone: Do you keep guns in your house?" He sounded both uncomfortable and resolute. 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). Cancer Gene Therapy Market Substantially Drive by 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1442 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1442 https://www.tmrresearch.com/cancer-gene-therapy-market Global Cancer Gene Therapy Market: SnapshotGene therapy is a massive and swiftly expanding field that could hold promising cures and treatments for several diseases and genetic problems. One of the more innovative segments in gene therapy falls under cancer treatment. It is one of the widely researched aspects of gene therapy, and thanks to increasing interest and investments from both government and private organizations, is showing a swift rate of development towards actually becoming a feasible and strong treatment alternative for cancer. These treatment options could be used to save a large number of lives of patients who are suffering from cancer, a disease that is causing one of the leading causes of deaths.Of the several types of gene therapy approaches, the more promising ones include gene transfer, oncolytic virotherapy, and immunotherapy. The latest versions of vaccines being developed for cancer using gene therapy, are also expected to show an optimistic rate of development. These vaccines could potentially be used against malignant melanoma, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer, to name a few. Gene therapy involves modifying the genetic information in materials in order to effectively devise a cure.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Cancer Gene Therapy Market: OverviewCancer results from the multiple mutations in a single cell that makes it to proliferate out of control. Cancer cells invade new cellular territories, have a high metabolic rate, and an altered shape. The various methods to treat cancers are surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. When the aforementioned therapies fail to achieve desired results, gene therapy is leveraged. Gene therapy involves the insertion of a functional gene, also known as therapeutic DNA, into the cells of a cancer patient to rectify the metabolism, to change or repair an acquired genetic abnormality, and to provide a new function to a cell. The two main types of gene therapy are germinal and somatic.Global Cancer Gene Therapy Market: Key TrendsMajorly promoting the global cancer gene therapy market is the swift pace of technological breakthroughs and the growing popularity of emerging genomic technologies like next-generation sequencing and high-density DNA microarrays. Additionally, the government support for these technologies is also slated to stoke growth in the near future. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for example, supports screening programs for breast cancer control and cervical and colorectal cancers among low-income group women sans health insurance in the U.S.Request TOC of the Report @Besides, the rising occurrence of cancer worldwide is will substantially drive up demand for gene therapy in the years ahead. According to WHO, cases of cancer will likely touch US$15 million mark by the end of the decade.Global Cancer Gene Therapy Market: Market PotentialAt present, most of the cancer gene therapy products are in being tested. The market is predicted to grow once the trials bear results. An US pharmaceutical company named Kite Pharma, for example, recently revealed the results from the initial six months of the trial of a new gene therapy treatment called CAR-T cell therapy. It helped up patients own immune cells and has eliminated the disease from one third of terminal patients. Around 36 per cent of the 101 patients on the trial were still in complete remission at six months, and eight in 10 saw their cancer reduced by at least half during the study.Groundbreaking therapies such as this is slated to revolutionize the global cancer gene therapy market.At present, adenoviral vector is a popular oncology application because of its effective nuclear mechanism and low pathogenicity. Adenoviral vectors are leveraged in gene replacement approaches, suicide gene, gene-based immunotherapy, and syndicate gene with chemotherapy. Retroviral vector-mediated gene transfer also plays a key role in the gene therapy industry for it brings about the crucial benefit of changing the single stranded RNA genome into a double stranded DNA molecule, which eventually integrates into the target cell genome.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Cancer Gene Therapy Market: Regional OutlookNorth America and Europe are key regions in the global cancer gene therapy market on account of a massive elderly population and significant technological progress in the region. In the years ahead, however, the market is Asia Pacific is forecasted to surge on account of supportive government initiatives, improving economy, bettering healthcare infrastructure, and growing thrust on research and development.Global Cancer Gene Therapy Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the prominent players in the global cancer gene therapy market are Altor Bioscience Corporation, SiBiono., Shanghai Sunway Biotech company Limited, BioCancell, GlobeImmune, Inc.,Aduro Biotech, OncoGeneX, New Link Genetics., ZioPharm Oncology, and GENELUX. At present the market is led by small pioneering biotech firms who may eventually collaborate with prominent players for clinical development or commercialization of products.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 Automotive Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Market - Solution, Services, Application and Market Insight 2023 https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/automotive-anti-lock-braking-system-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/automotive-anti-lock-braking-system-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com The increased safety awareness, affordability, technological advancement, as well as the development of institutions such as new car assessment program (NCAP) which award safety rating to cars based on their safety performance are some of the factors, driving the growth of the global automotive anti-lock braking system market. The stringent safety government regulations and increased safety awareness in various countries is expected to boost the growth of the global automotive anti-lock braking system market in the near future.Explore Full Report Description At:The increasing number of deaths caused due to road accidents, especially improper braking sequence, has forced the government in many regions to implement stringent rules and regulations, and deploy ABS in vehicles. Presently, the integration of airbags in two-wheeler vehicles is only mandatory in the developed markets, which is a factor hindering the growth of the market of automotive anti-lock braking system in the developing countries.The growth in Asia-Pacific automotive anti-lock braking system market is fueled by increasing penetration of electronic stability control (ECS) and ABS in countries, such as China and India due to supporting macroeconomic factors, including changing lifestyle due to growing urbanization, up surging disposable income and purchasing power, and increasing awareness of active safety systems. Additionally, the capability of automotive anti-lock braking system can be enhanced by implementing traction control system, electronic brake force distribution (EBD), and electronic stability control.Download Free Report Sample At:Wabco Holdings developed the first anti-lock breaking system for the automobile industry in 1981. In the coming years, the increased demand for luxury cars from European and Asia-Pacific countries, mainly China, India, and Japan, is expected to drive the growth of the global market. Robert Bosch GmbH, Delphi Automotive LLP, Continental AG, Hyundai Mobis Ltd., Autoliv Inc., DENSO CORPORATION, TRW Automotive Inc. are some of the competitors in the global automotive anti-lock braking system market.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: Drill Pipe Market Major Growth Opportunities by 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1445 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1445 https://www.tmrresearch.com/drill-pipe-market Global Drill Pipe Market: SnapshotDrill pipes are hollow pipes, usually made of aluminum alloys or steel and are a core component in the drilling process. The hollow drill pipes enable for the transfer of drilling fluids downwards towards the drill point or back upwards through the annulus. Although a standard length for drill pipes is up to 32 feet, there are longer pipes that could stretch till 45 feet and are used in special circumstances.Most stems in drilling systems need to be created in a way that allows for efficient drilling torque transfer that can be sent downward, over many miles and through the Earths crust. In order to do this, the pipes need to be able to withstand the massive pressure exerted by the ground towards the outer walls of the pipe, as well as the pressure exerted by the fluids from within. This involve the use of tempered steel tubes that can be expensive in nature. Due to this, the reusability of drill pipes is a highly regarded quality that could end up hampering the overall demand rates for them.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Drill Pipe Market: OverviewDrill pipes, usually made from aluminum or steel, are hollow and thin-walled and utilized in drilling rigs. Drilling fluid is pushed down the hole and back up the annulus. They are available in the market in different sizes, strengths, and wall thicknesses. Their length is usually between 27 and 32 feet. They can withstand massive internal and external pressure, distortion, bending, and vibration as they can rotate and lift the bottom hole assembly (BHA). The two types of drill pipes are standard drill pipes and heavy weight drill pipe.Global Drill Pipe Market: Key TrendsAt the forefront of driving growth in the global drill pipe market is the spiking demand for energy, which has necessitated exploration of offshore reserves on account of tanking production from onshore fields. The progress in drilling technologies such as pad drilling and horizontal drilling have also helped up output and lowered drilling rig downtime, which has expedited drilling operations. This is slated to push up demand even further.Countering the growth in the global drill pipe market is the tanking crude oil prices. This has also resulted in a steady decline in rig rental capital in the offshore market. Customers now have strong bargaining power in negotiating new contracts and extensions too on account of the downward pressure on prices.Request TOC of the Report @Global Drill Pipe Market: Market PotentialAt present there are way too many offshore drilling rigs chasing too little work. Hence, many are being idled or scrapped. Offshore opportunities, however, are abound in Africa and the Middle East that provide an avenue for growth for the market. The onshore oil and gas presents much greater opportunity than the offshore ones because the explosive drilling activities from shale reserves, coal bed methane, and tar sands. Additionally, the continued spike in global petroleum consumption is also predicted to create major growth opportunities for the market in the near future.Going forward, the premium grade drill pipe segment is slated to hold out a lot of potential because of the growth in the exploration activity in deepwater and ultra deepwater regions primarily in Europe and Africa, where recent oil and gas discoveries have occurred in the offshore regions. Premium grade drill pipe is helpful in deepwater exploration on account of it being immune to high pressure and high temperatures.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Drill Pipe Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical perspective, North America is a key region on account of the burgeoning shale gas exploration and production in the U.S., which has favored the drill pipe market and will continue doing so in the near future. Canada is another important market in the region. The Middle East and Africa are other crucial markets on account of the presence of a large number of reserves.In terms of growth, however, Asia Pacific, powered by China, will outshine all other regions. This will be mainly on account of the flexible and hassle-free regulatory scenario in the countries of China, India, Indonesia, and Singapore.Global Drill Pipe Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the prominent players in the global drill pipe market are Superior Manufacturing, Tenaris S. A, Drill Pipe International, Oil Country Tubular Limited, Texas Steel Conversion, Inc., Hilong Group of Companies, TMK Group, DP Master, Vallourec S.A., Tejas Tubular Products, Inc., Jiangyin Long Bright, National Oilwell Varco.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 Oil Storage Market to Perceive Substantial Growth by 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1448 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1448 https://www.tmrresearch.com/oil-storage-market Global Oil Storage Market: SnapshotKey oil product storage types include those meant for crude oil, gasoline, aviation fuel, as well as middle distillates such as diesel, fuel oil, marine bunker fuels, naphtha, kerosene, gas oil, and petrol. Oil storage provides a greater level of constancy in costs of these products through the removal of fluctuations in the short term supply market for crude and all its derivatives. The Middle East is expected to continue being a primary target region for manufacturers of oil product storage units, due to the continued lead taken by the region in the production of crude.Leakage of oil products is one of the leading causes of product wastage and traders and manufacturers are aware of the investments that are required into developing superior alternatives in storage that can help avoid these losses. This also includes diverting manual labor and manufacturing capabilities towards expanding the manufacture of these storage units. Carbon steel and stainless steel are the two key materials currently being used to manufacture oil storage units. Carbon steel has been a staple in the market primarily due to its lower cost, but provides several disadvantages that stainless steel can mitigate. It is very likely for more players to shift towards stainless steel storage units over the coming years.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Oil Storage Market: OverviewOil storage products are mainly comprised of gasoline, crude oil, aviation fuel, and middle distillates such as fuel oil, diesel, naphtha, marine bunker fuels, kerosene, petrol, and gas oil. Oil storage brings about stability in pricing by eliminating short term supply fluctuations of crude and its derivatives. On account of different stringent norms to thwart leakage, vendors of storage equipment have invested heavily in manpower and in building steel tanks. There are two types of material used in this process, namely, carbon steel and stainless steel. Although carbon steel is low priced, stainless steel will likely see significant demand in locations of high air salinity and open storage facilities. Further, the chromium content enhances resilience against strong chemicals, resulting in its higher demand in the global market.Global Oil Storage Market: Key TrendsWith the global glut in oil on account of the Middle East countries showing little signs of reducing production and the U.S. production of shale in massive quantities, supply has outpaced demand. This has necessitated the effective storage thereby resulting in a major growth in the global market for oil storage. Suppliers worldwide have augmented their inventories and infrastructure to store massive quantities of crude oil. Another factor fuelling an uptick in demand is the governments endeavors to increase oil reserves to avert an economic crisis.Request TOC of the Report @A noticeable trend in the market is the stockpiling initiatives undertaken by nations such as the U.S., China, and India to cushion the price volatility and achieve consistent supply to the end-use sector.Global Oil Storage Market: Market PotentialWith the global oil supply not showing much signs of letting up, the future for the global oil storage market looks promising. These tanks are used mainly for gasoline, aviation fuel, crude oil, and middle distillates. Storage demand for crude oil is predicted to cross 1 billion cubic meters by 2025. However, capacity expansions and high demand for diesels and fuels for power and transportation sectors are expected to up demand for gasoline, aviation fuel, and other petrochemical derivatives in the next couple of years.A major concern, however, is the increasing inventory due to lessened consumption. This results in economic losses to suppliers. Besides, strict rules pertaining to stockpiling of oil in above and below-ground tank installations is another factor hobbling the market. Control of Pollution (England) Regulations 2001 and the Water Environment (Scotland) Regulations 2006 are some of the primary legislations that industry participants in Western Europe need to comply with.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Oil Storage Market: Regional OutlookFrom a geographical perspective, the Middle East spearheads the global oil storage market on account of the increasing oil production and rising refinery throughput. Robust requirement for distillates, petroleum, and fuel in different industrial and commercial segments has significantly upped tank demand in the region. Nations such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE are at the forefront of driving growth in the region. Crude oil storage demand in Saudi Arabia is anticipated to reach 67.4 million cubic meters by 2025.North America too contributes significantly to oil stockpiling demand. Asia Pacific oil storage market is also predicted to see a turnaround in petrochemical demand in the years ahead.Global Oil Storage Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the prominent players in the global oil storage market are Marquard & Bahls AG, ZCL Composites, Zepnotek Storage TanksLF Manufacturing, Columbian Steel Tank, Belco, and Palmer. Among them, Marquard & Bahls provides a wide array of tank designs to store crude oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, vegetable fats, and middle distillates.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 Smart Connected Device Market - Develop Market-Entry and Market Expansion Strategies 2020 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2522 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/smart-connected-device.html https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=2522 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global market for smart connected devices can be segmented according to device type, key end-users, and the operating systems used. The markets product types include smart phones, tablet computers, laptops, and desktop personal computers.Download PDF Brochure @A wide range of application areas are served by smart connected devices and their applications have kept rising over the past few years. A number of commercial sectors including hospitality, retail, healthcare, and education are the key application areas of the global smart connected device market.Obtain Report Details @The rising global demand for smart phones, tablet computers, and bring-your-own-device policies, along with the rising proliferation of high speed network connections are the key drivers for the global smart connected devices market.Download TOC @Technological advancements in the field of wireless connectivity technologies such as general packet radio service (GPRS), Wi-Fi, and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMax), are also expected to drive demand for smart connected devices in the near future.About TMRTransparency 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 TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: IR Detector Market Size, Share, Trends, Key Players, Demand and Growth by 2023 https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/ir-detector-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/ir-detector-market www.psmarketresearch.com Escalating demand for consumer electronics and rising government funds for military and defense are expected to increase the global IR detector market during forecast period. Moreover, decrease in the prices of IR detector owing to the advancement in technology and manufacturing capabilities is further increasing the market penetration of IR detector in lower end consumer electronics application.Request for a free sample of this research report:The two basic forms of IR detectors are cooled, and uncooled. The cooled IR detectors use cryogenic cooling system. Uncooled IR detector is smaller in size, and offers cost benefits, which is also one of the key drivers for IR detectors in consumer electronics. The growing acceptance of IR detectors in applications such as consumer electronics, security, and smart homes, spectroscopy and temperature management applications is expected to spur the demand of IR detection during the next five years.Increasing defense and military budgets in the developing countries such as India and China is providing new market opportunity for the global IR detector companies.Based on the technology, global IR detector market can be broadly classified as InGaAs, Mercury Cadmium Telluride (MCT), Ingaas, Pyroelectric, Microbolometers and Thermopyle. On the basis of spectrum range the global IR detector market can be classified as Short Wave Infrared (SWIR), Mid Wave Infrared (MWIR), and Long Wave Infrared (LWIR). Based on the various application of IR detector, the market can be segmented as Motion Sensing, Fire and Gas Detection, Spectroscopy, Smart Homes, Biomedical imaging, and others.Asia-Pacific is the largest market of IR detector. The market dominance of Asia-Pacific region is attributed to the rise in market penetration of IR detectors in consumer electronics segment and increased defense and homeland security budget of developing countries such as India and China. The IR detector market in Europe is largely dominated by Germany, France, the U.K., and Italy. ULIS (France) and Infratec (France) are two major IR detector players in Europe. Germany and U.K. together accounted for more than 50% of the European IR detector market, MCT and InGaAS holds the major market share among all other technology segment of IR detector market in the region. The large market size of IR detectors in North America is mainly due to the high military budgets and large expenditure on home land security in the U.S.Explore report at:Some of the competitors in IR detector market are Vigo System S.A., Ulis, Texas Instruments Inc., Raytheon Co., Omron Corporation, Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Melexis NV, Heimann Sensor GMBH, Hamamatsu Photonics KK, Flir Systems Inc., Excelitas Technologies Corp., and Dexter Research Center, Inc.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: Retail Cloud Market Better Business Opportunities during 2017-2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1454 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1454 https://www.tmrresearch.com/retail-cloud-market Global Retail Could Market: SnapshotRetail cloud is a multi-billion dollar market nowadays, thanks to the swift uptake of cloud-based solutions by savvy retailers of almost all sizes, worldwide. Cloud technology such as software as a service (SaaS) helps them to modernize their operations, provide better services to customers, and most importantly are cost effective as it does not require building customized programs for various processes.Increasing preference for smartphones, rising popularity of omni-channel retail, and ease of use is said to catalyzing growth in the global market for retail cloud. With cloud technology, retailers can adjust to several conditions and attain real-time information. Data tracking has never been so easy, thanks to the advent of cloud in retail processes.Request Sample Copy of the Report @At the forefront of driving demand in the global market for retail cloud are the SMEs. This is because cloud services accord them high degree of efficiency, ease of use, and most importantly, flexibility. With smartphones and tablets functioning as PoS systems these days, which are increasingly inching towards cloud, the global retail cloud market is expected to surge. Handling payments, inventory, and location information are some other functions cloud systems perform. All these benefits have helped the market flourish.North America is a key region in the global market for retail cloud on account of being an early adopter of latest cutting-edge technologies. A copious number of astute retailers in the region, trying to increase customer engagement with personalization of their in-store experience, are also serving to boost the market. Asia Pacific is another lucrative market that is being powered by the fast expanding major economies of India and China that are home to a copious number of retailers resorting to cloud-based services.Global Retail Cloud Market: OverviewAs the retail industry constantly strives to meet the ever-expanding needs of consumers, the global retail cloud market will undergo substantial expansion over the next few years. The towering popularity of social networking, the rapid expansion of e-commerce, and ongoing technological advancements are dictating changing consumer demands. Cloud computing enables retailers to keep pace with the transformations in the market scenarios, by providing accuracy, agility, and cost-efficient solutions. Therefore, the adoption of cloud services in retail have become crucial in the survival of several retailers.Request TOC of the Report @Global Retail Cloud Market: Key TrendsGreater popularity of smartphones, increasing preference for omni-channel experience, and ease of use are the primary driving forces of the global retail cloud market. With cloud technology, retailers can adjust to several conditions and attain real-time information. Data tracking has never been so easy, thanks to the advent of cloud in retail processes.SMEs have been adopting cloud services to a considerable extent, as these services offer high efficiency, ease of use, and flexibility. As smartphones and tablets are now operating as PoS systems, which are gradually moving towards cloud, the global retail cloud market is expected to surge. Handling payments, inventory, and location information are some other functions cloud systems perform. All these advantages have stoked the growth of the market.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @On the other hand, the market might face a major bottleneck due to data privacy and data security concerns. However, the rising demand from SMEs is expected to aid market expansion.Global Retail Cloud Market: Market PotentialThe market for retail cloud has been witnessing several product and service launches. The recent launch of a new cognitive platform, IBM Machine Learning, is likely to have a positive impact on the growth of the global retail cloud market. Making its debut on the z System mainframe, the integration of IBM Machine Learning is expected to benefit not only the healthcare sector in terms of personalized medicine, but also several retail processes. It can handle innumerable daily transactions in banking, retail, government, and insurance sectors, among many others.Another important development in this area is the launch of a tool that enables retailers to estimate the value of expanding and launching a new financing program in advance by Vyze, which is a cloud solutions provider for manufacturers and retailers.Star Micronics announced the launch of its versatile cloud printing solution in February 2017. The Star CloudPRNT technology offers several connectivity options. Remote printing is possible with this solution, where one can securely and directly print from a web server, eliminating the need for cloud-based PoS applications. As this product can be used in retail applications, the market for retail cloud might undergo transformations.Global Retail Cloud Market: Regional OutlookEscalating cloud adoption in the retail sector aimed at harnessing better business opportunities has been responsible for the growth of the market in Asia Pacific. Increasing number of retailers in countries such as India and China are opting for cloud-based services so as to attend to customer concerns and queries and this will continue to boost the APAC market. North America is likely to dominate the global market for retail cloud. Personalization of consumers in-store experience has been one of the major growth drivers of the market in this region.Global Retail Cloud Market: Competitive AnalysisMicrosoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Infor, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Epicor Software Corporation, IBM Corporation, Fujitsu Limited, Computer Sciences Corporation, JDA Software group, Inc., Syntel Inc., and SAP SE are some of the major companies operating in the global retail cloud market.In February 2017, Oxygen Finance acquired finance cloud-based solutions vendor, Satago. Through the combination of their respective capabilities, the two companies are likely to emerge as leading market players. They aim at delivering integrated, modern payment strategies to large organizations.Fusion5, a business solutions provider, has merged with Myriad IT, a Melbourne-based firm, boosting Oracle and Microsoft capabilities. In February 2016, Fusion5 acquired the Microsoft Dynamics CRM and SharePoint practices of Koorb Consulting, one of the top three Dynamics CRM partners in New Zealand. Extension of customer base and strengthening of customer relationships have been the chief aims of this acquisition.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 Huaweis 5G NR products have passed TUV SUDs (the European Unions certification authority) strict verification requirements after several rounds of rigorous testing and evaluation. As a leading information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, Huawei is now the first company to achieve a CE type examination certificate (TEC) for its 5G products. Obtaining this EU mandatory certificate indicates that Huaweis 5G products have won official approval for commercial use. It also represents a significant step towards realizing large-scale commercial 5G deployment. Huaweis CE-TEC verified 5G C-band Massive MIMO AAU is developed based on 3GPP TS 38.104. Designed to suit large traffic eMBB scenarios, the AAU is able to offer continuous xGbps outdoor experience and ms-level latency. Huawei strictly followed related regulations during each step of 5G product development from component selection to product design. After multiple rounds of meticulous assessment and inspection, Huaweis 5G products passed TUV SUDs verification at the first attempt, meeting all stringent CE requirements. CE marking is compulsory for products imported to and sold within the European Economic Area. This marking is regarded as the stamp of approval required for entering the European market. Products with the CE marking conform to Europes directive requirements on RED, LVD, EMC, RoHS, and WEEE. Being awarded the CE certificate shows that Huaweis 5G products fully comply with the strict admission requirements of the European Union and are now qualified to be sold and applied in the European market. TUV SUD, headquartered in Munich, undertook the CE marking verification of Huaweis 5G products. This organization is dedicated to professional testing, inspection, and verification, while boasting a proud history of over 150 years of extensive experience in verifying communications products. As one of the most influential third-party certification authorities in the world, TUV SUD also boasts leading industry experts and a first-class inspection platform. Huawei Wireless and MPE Globals Compliance and Testing Center has forged a lasting long-term partnership with TUV SUD. The two parties are committed to exploring the verification technologies of communications products. 5G technologies and product forms are more complex than those of LTE, posing enhanced verification challenges. The combined efforts of both parties have yielded substantial breakthroughs in key verification technologies. Huaweis 5G products now strictly adhere to CE standards, meeting the EUs requirements in terms of RF, EMC, Safety and EMF, and RoHS. The awarding of the worlds first 5G CE certificate to Huawei once again demonstrates the companys 5G leadership. Huawei will continue to further explore and pursue more and more innovative 5G technologies. The purpose of this is to promote the development of the 5G industry, and facilitate global operators in achieving 5G commercial use. @Technuter.com News Service Stents Market Likely to Expand Steadily by 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1457 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1457 https://www.tmrresearch.com/stents-market Global Stents Market: SnapshotThe lifesaving function of stents, which are small mesh tubes inserted inside blocked arteries to open up the passage for blood to travel from the heart to other parts of the body, have resulted in their swift sales.Majorly fuelling demand for stents, globally, are the rising occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, alarming increase in cholesterol levels, and rising prevalence of respiratory disorders. Further, rise in unhealthy eating habits such as smoking, alcohol intake and sedentary lifestyles, all of which up instances of cardiovascular disorders, are also serving to boost demand in the market. Obesity and hypertension are some other health conditions associated with the blockage of the arteries.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Posing a challenge to the sales of stents, on the other hand, are the risks pertaining to their insertion. This is because, they can result in blood clots, soreness, allergic reactions, infection of the vessel, re-narrowing of an artery, and development of kidney stones on using a stent in the ureters.From a geographical standpoint, North America and Europe are major markets for stents because of new varieties such as bioresorbable stents gaining traction in the region. In Asia Pacific, Japan, India, Australia, and China are primarily powering growth on account of their gradually increasing healthcare infrastructure, helpful government regulations and policies, and prevalence of cardiovascular diseases.Medtronic, Inc., OrbusNeich, Eurocor GmbH, Cordis Corporation, Sahajanand Medical Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Micell Technologies, Inc., MIV Therapeutics, Inc., Bioring SA, Abbott Laboratories, and Boston Scientific Corporation are to name a few prominent vendors of stents in the global market.Global Stents Market: OverviewStents are tiny tubes that doctors can insert into a blocked passage to keep it open, so as to facilitate the flow of fluids such as blood. Made of plastic, fabric, or metal, stents are needed when plaque, a substance made of cholesterol, attaches itself to the walls of a blood vessel. An emergency procedure may also require a stent if an artery of the heart is blocked. Apart from blood vessels, stents also aid in the opening of bile ducts, airways of the lungs, and tubes that carry urine to the bladder from the kidney.Request TOC of the Report @Global Stents Market: Key TrendsIncreasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases, high levels of cholesterol, and growing prevalence of respiratory disorders are some of the prominent growth drivers of the global stents market. Growing adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and eating habits, along with harmful practices such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and lack of physical activity have been the major reasons for increased prevalence of cardiovascular disorders. Obesity and hypertension are some other health conditions associated with the blockage of the arteries.On the other hand, the growth of the global market for stents might be restricted on account of the risks associated with the inserting of stents, such as soreness, blood clots, allergic reactions, infection of the vessel, re-narrowing of an artery, and development of kidney stones on using a stent in the ureters. However, the risks of not using a stent outweigh the risks of getting one, because blocked blood vessels and limited blood supply can have life-threatening consequences. The coronary stents segment is likely to present considerable opportunities, with the bioabsorbable or bioresorbable stents commanding maximum share.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Stents Market: Market PotentialThe increasing number of approvals of new stents worldwide is expected to result in better patient outcomes, thereby raising the demand for stents. For instance, in March 2017, CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. achieved the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its nano-coated coronary stent system, COBRA PzF.The Health Ministry of India approved the nations premier locally made naturally dissolving stent, MeRes100, developed by Meril Life Science, a Gujarat-based company. Also known as bioresorbable cardiac scaffold, these stents are made from a material that gets absorbed by the body and disappears gradually over a period of three years. Before Meril Life Science, Abbot India came up with its Absorb stents in 2012.In India, the price of coronary stents has been reduced by almost 85% by the government. A drug eluting stent, which was previously priced between Rs.40000 Rs.170000, will now be made available at Rs.29600. This development will boost the deployment of previously expensive stents such as bioabsorbable vascular stents (BVS) in India to a significant degree.Global Stents Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, the global market for stents can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and the Rest of the World (RoW). The rising geriatric population worldwide has led to a rising frequency of various diseases that require stents for their treatment. As a result, the demand for stents will rise substantially.The countries in North America and Europe are expected to represent a significant share in the global stents market owing to the rising awareness about the benefits of bioresorbable stents. The stents markets in India, Japan, Australia, and China are likely to expand steadily as rising healthcare infrastructure, beneficial government regulations and policies, and rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases are accelerating the demand in these regions.Global Stents Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the major companies operating in the global stents market are Medtronic, Inc., OrbusNeich, Eurocor GmbH, Cordis Corporation, Sahajanand Medical Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Micell Technologies, Inc., MIV Therapeutics, Inc., Bioring SA, Abbott Laboratories, and Boston Scientific Corporation.The global stents market appears to be highly fragmented in terms of competition. Several leading companies at the global as well as regional levels have been adopting business strategies such as mergers, partnerships, and acquisitions to make a mark in the market.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 Telecom Technologies Market Fuelling the Growth by 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1460 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1460 https://www.tmrresearch.com/telecom-technologies-market Global Telecom Technologies Market: SnapshotTelecom technologies have been making gigantic strides on the back of enormous development in areas of devices, applications, and networks. Telecommunication technologies, at its core, entail delivery of electronic communication along with a clutch of products and services such as cell phone audio and text-based communication, Internet access, online video streaming, etc. Wired subscriber lines and wireless connections that leverage satellites to send data is the main delivery mode.Growing 4G networks, surging popularity of Internet of Things (IoT), and emergence and uptake of various cutting-edge technologies across the world are serving to boost the demand for telecom technologies. Rising deployment of over-the-top (OTT) services too has proved highly beneficial to the market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Steep price of deployment, upgrading, and maintenance of telecommunication technology devices, on the other hand, is posing a challenge to the telecom technologies market. Privacy and security issues arising on account of the widespread use of cloud-based systems might affect market expansion too. However, significant opportunities will arise with the emergence of big data.From a geographical standpoint, Asia Pacific and North America are key markets. While the growth in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, which includes wireless communication, landlines, satellites, private networks, and the Internet deployment of telecom technologies, particularly in countries such as China and India, is proving beneficial to the market in Asia Pacific, the substantial technological development and presence of a large number of prominent companies across countries of North America and Europe have resulted in the growth of their markets.Global Telecom Technologies Market: OverviewTelecom technologies have been evolving beyond our imagination. The development of three areas devices, applications, and networks has led to the present technological progress in the telecommunication technologies market, promising significant growth. The telecommunication technologies industry is concerned with the delivery of electronic communication in addition to a multitude of products and services such as text-based communication and cell phone audio, Internet access, online video streaming, and the likes. Wired subscriber lines and wireless connections that use satellites to transmit data are the key delivery modes.Request TOC of the Report @Global Telecom Technologies Market: Key TrendsIncreasing efforts to deploy 4G and 5G networks, the emergence of IoT (Internet of Things), and increased penetration of technology worldwide have been fuelling the growth of the global telecom technologies market. Increased deployment of over-the-top (OTT) services has also been a major growth driver due to rising demand for non-linear media consumption.The markets growth might face restriction from high costs of deployment, upgrading, and maintenance of telecommunication technology devices. Privacy and security issues arising on account of the widespread use of cloud-based systems might also affect market expansion. However, significant opportunities will arise with the emergence of big data.Global Telecom Technologies Market: Market PotentialA rising number of network reconfiguration plans are being announced by several leading market players. This trend is expected to guide the growth of the global telecom technologies market. Over the last few years, Japan-based NTT, U.S.-based AT&T and Verizon, and German company Deutsche Telekom have witnessed the adoption of upgraded reconfiguration, emphasizing the need for telecom technology.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Another instance is the launch of the premier carrier-grade rack scale NFV (Network Function Virtualization) solution at the Mobile World Congress 2017, in collaboration with China Telecom and Intel announced by Inspur. This hyperscale infrastructure leverages open source technology. Besides securing this joint venture, Inspur has established strong partnerships with leading companies such as Cisco, Nokia, and Siemens.A large volume of investments have been pouring in for internal R&D activities. For instance, Australian company Telstra has been investing in video platforms via Ooyala, and in digital signatures via Docusign. Several operators are forced to enhance their connectivity and network capacity as the demand from a towering number of businesses and consumers is constantly increasing.Global Telecom Technologies Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Europe are the key segments. The rising level of deployment of telecom technologies in countries such as China and India is contributing towards the expansion of the market in Asia Pacific. The growth in this region can be attributed to the phenomenal growth in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, which covers wireless communication, satellites, landlines, private networks, and the Internet. The high technological development and presence of numerous leading market players in several countries of Europe and North America have contributed towards the growth of these regional markets.Global Telecom Technologies Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the major companies operating in the global market for telecom technologies are Cisco Systems, AT&T, HP, Comcast, IBM, Oracle, Intel, and Qualcomm.A variety of new services and products are being launched by several market players, apart from attaining strategic partnerships and acquisitions. For instance, Spanish company Telefonica has launched an IoT product named Thinking Things. Through this product, individuals can create programs that can change the climate and lighting in settings such as offices. U.K.-based firm Orange has collaborated with Coca-Cola and Nespresso to develop a machine-to-machine (M2M) communications system. India-based Bharti Airtel, in a joint venture with the State Bank of India, has come up with mobile apps that provide access to local bank branches.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 Nonstick Coating 2018 Global Industry Key Players - Chemours , Metal Coatings, Impreglon , GMM Development Market Analysis And Forecast To 2023 Global Nonstick Coating Market 2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3122566-global-nonstick-coating-market-research-report-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3122566-global-nonstick-coating-market-research-report-2018 Global Nonstick Coating Market 2018This report studies the global Nonstick Coating market status and forecast, categorizes the global Nonstick Coating market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan, China and other regions (India, Southeast Asia, Central & South America, and Middle East & Africa).The global Nonstick Coating market is valued at xx million US$ in 2017 and is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx.x % between 2018 and 2025.Request a Sample Report @The major manufacturers covered in this reportChemoursMetal CoatingsImpreglonGMM DevelopmentAkzo Nobel...Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanOther Regions (India, Southeast Asia, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa)The regional scope of the study is as follows:North AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeRest of Asia-PacificEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyRest of Middle East & AfricaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoFEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene)PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)CeramicOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingCookwareHair StraightenersBakewareElectronicsOthersThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global Nonstick Coating capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025);Focuses on the key Nonstick Coating manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth.To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the marketTo analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the marketTo strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Nonstick Coating are as follows:History Year: 2013-2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year 2018 to 2025For the data information by region, company, type and application, 2017 is considered as the base year. Whenever data information was unavailable for the base year, the prior year has been considered.Key StakeholdersNonstick Coating ManufacturersNonstick Coating Distributors/Traders/WholesalersNonstick Coating Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsAvailable CustomizationsWith the given market data, QYResearch offers customizations according to the company's specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:Regional and country-level analysis of the Nonstick Coating market, by end-use.Detailed analysis and profiles of additional market players.Table of Contents-Key Points CoveredGlobal Nonstick Coating Market Research Report 20181 Nonstick Coating Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Nonstick Coating1.2 Nonstick Coating Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Nonstick Coating Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Nonstick Coating Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene)1.2.4 PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)1.2.5 Ceramic1.3 Global Nonstick Coating Segment by Application1.3.1 Nonstick Coating Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Cookware1.3.3 Hair Straighteners1.3.4 Bakeware1.3.5 Electronics1.3.6 Others1.4 Global Nonstick Coating Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Nonstick Coating Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Nonstick Coating (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Nonstick Coating Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Nonstick Coating Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Nonstick Coating Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Nonstick Coating Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Nonstick Coating Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Nonstick Coating Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Nonstick Coating Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Nonstick Coating Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Nonstick Coating Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Nonstick Coating Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Nonstick Coating Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Nonstick Coating Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Nonstick Coating Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Nonstick Coating Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)Continued..Complete Report Details @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.Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Breakfast Restaurants Market Global Industry Analysis Trends and Forecast 2018 2023 https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=214084 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=214084 www.researchnreports.com Research N Reports, one of the largest databases of industry and market intelligence reports, has added a new research document to the category of IT. The report is titled Global Breakfast Restaurants Market Research Report 2023 and can be used to gain valuable insight into this market. The reports user can add the data in this report to his or her own knowledge on the global market, in order to create a solid ground of successful business and investment choices in this market. The report provides a professional, progressive, and exhaustive analysis of the global market, noting down the current scenario of the market along with past data.Request sample pdf of Report at:In this statistical study, the worldwide Breakfast Restaurants market has been broadly analyzed on the basis of the type of the product, material, their application, and the geographical existence of this market. Europe, Asia-Pacific, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa have been identified as the main regional markets across the world in this market report.Some of the leading vendors: Jones Soda Co., Reeds Inc., Appalachian Brewing Co., Boylan Bottling Co., Wild Poppy Company, PepsiCo, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, SIPP eco beverage co. Inc., Crooked Beverage Co., and The Original Breakfast Restaurants Company.The research study also offers a thorough assessment of the competitive scenario of the global Breakfast Restaurants market. It reviews the profiles of the prominent players functional in this market in a bid to determine their growth prospects and the key strategies adopted by them for the development of their businesses. This section also integrates a comprehensive analysis of the different development strategies and government policies that influence the market, its cost assemblies and industrialized processes. The second subdivision of the report includes analytics on the Global Breakfast Restaurants Market based on its size in terms of value and volume.Avail Discount up to 30% on this report now at:The research report tries to understand the pioneering tactics taken by vendors in the global market to offer product differentiation through Porters five forces analysis. It also points out the ways in which these companies can reinforce their stand in the market and increase their revenues in the coming years. Ongoing industrial advancements and the persistent penetration of Internet in the remote corners of the world are also responsible for the noteworthy growth of the Global Breakfast Restaurants Market.The report offers a look at the consumption value as well as volume, as well as the sales price in the global medical tourism market. This is given in a segmented manner, with applications, types, and regions as the key categories. The Global Breakfast Restaurants Market is also described according to its gross and gross margins, as well as cost and price of equipment. This analysis is also carried out through a segmentation of the market according to manufacturers, types, and regions.Table of Content:Chapter 1 Breakfast Restaurants 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 AnalysisAbout Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Sunny Denis10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com , Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market to Reflect Robust Expansion During 2017-2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3974 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-3974 www.futuremarketinsights.com Implantable drug infusion pumps are surgically implanted under the skin. These pumping devices release medications through a catheter or tube to a specific body part. Implantable drug infusion pumps ensure consistent delivery and is highly advisable during long-term medications. The release of consistent medication from infusion pumps aids in the reduction of pain when oral or topical medicines are unable to provide effective results.Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: OverviewImplantable drug infusion pumps have various potential benefits which have increased their usage over time. Such benefits include delivering targeted and consistent medication to a specific body part, reducing the side effects and chronic pain in comparison to other forms of drug delivery, providing relief to the patient from direct injections or discomfort of catheters and provides improved symptoms management.Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: Drivers and RestraintsImplantable drug infusion pumps market would grow during the forecast years as many multi-national companies are focusing towards new product innovations in implantable drug infusion pumps. Also, the market for implantable drug infusion pumps would experience a boost owing to growing incidence of pain, cancer and diabetes, rapid increase in geriatric population, technology advancements such as growth in wireless technology and introduction of smart pumps, increase in healthcare expenditure globally and pharmaceutical companies moving there manufacturing bases towards Asia-Pacific region which would reduce the overall cost of the implantable drug infusion pumps. The market for implantable drug infusion pumps would be affected due to the stringent regulations for new products owing to patient safety risks, high costs, and low reimbursement for implantable drug infusion pumps in the developing countries. In 2013, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program announced regarding various product recalls owing to malfunctioning of implantable drug infusion pumps which delivered drug overdose leading to risks in patient safety, these factors have abstained the patients from the adoption of implantable drug infusion pumps.Request to Sample Report -Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: SegmentationThe market for implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented into product types, applications and end users.The market for Implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented on the basis of product types:Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) PumpsEnteral PumpsInsulin PumpsElastomeric PumpsSyringe PumpsThe market for Implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented on the basis of application:OncologyPediatrics/NeonatologyGastroenterologyHematologyDiabetesThe market for Implantable drug infusion pumps can be segmented on the basis of end user:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentresClinicsHome HealthcareImplantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, the implantable drug infusion pumps market can be segmented into seven regions, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the most attractive region for the implantable drug infusion pumps market attributing to the robust pharmaceutical industry, a significant number of leading players are located in this region, increasing number of partnerships between technology providers and drug companies. Followed by which is Europe and Japan as the leading regions in implantable drug infusion pumps market. These markets are also growing significantly due to the focus on the favorable regulatory environment, new product developments for portable and lightweight implantable drug infusion pumps which would ease in the drug delivery method. Asia Pacific excluding Japan is also expected to show significant growth in implantable drug infusion pumps market due to increase in research and development activities, saturation in the major economies, and development of healthcare infrastructure in this region. Asia-Pacific excluding Japan region has the presence of many small players which are operating at a regional level and contribute to a significant market share of the implantable drug infusion pumps market.Request Report TOC @Implantable Drug Infusion Pumps Market: Key PlayersSome of the market participants in the global implantable drug infusion market are B. Braun Melsungen AG., CareFusion Corporation, Fresenius Kabi AG, Terumo Corporation, Medtronic Plc., Baxter International Inc., Smiths Medical, MOOG Inc., Johnson & Johnson Private Ltd., and Hospira, Inc. Currently, the market for implantable drug infusion pumps has the presence of many domestic and regional players which are manufacturing the products and its accessories.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 : Calcium Lignosulfonate Market Size & Share by Application, Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1377907 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1377907/calcium-lignosulfonate-global-industry-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1377907 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The report "Calcium Lignosulfonate Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 ", has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts.The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Calcium Lignosulfonate market on the basis of types of applications, major sectors, deployment models, organization size, and regions. The report contains an analysis of the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges). It aims to strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the market. The report attempts to forecast the market size for 5 major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. It contains key vendor profiles and comprehensively analyzes their core competencies. The report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, new product developments, and R&D activities in the market.Get Sample Copy of this report @Calcium Lignosulfonate Market: OverviewLignosulfonates are one of the abundantly available wood chemicals. These are commonly obtained as by-products during the sulfite processing of wood pulp. Lignosulfonates are primarily anionic polyelectrolytes that are easily soluble in water. These are natural anionic surfactants with high molecular weight, and are primarily used in the ceramics, construction, chemicals, oil & gas, and animal feed additives industries.Lignosulfonates are of various types, such as calcium lignosulfonate, sodium lignosulfonate, magnesium lignosulfonate, and ammonium lignosulfonate. Calcium lignosulfonate is an amorphous light-yellow-brown powder obtained from the sulfite pulping of softwood. It is soluble in water, however, practically insoluble in organic solvents.Sodium and calcium salts are the commercially available types of lignosulfonates. Calcium lignosulfonate exhibits properties such as dispersing, binding, complexing, and emulsifying, that enable its usage as an additive in applications such as concrete admixture, animal feed, dust suppressant, agriculture chemicals, and oil well drilling muds, among others.Calcium Lignosulfonate Market: Trends and SegmentationCalcium lignosulfonate is employed in oil well drilling muds as reagents to control various parameters of drilling fluids. It is primarily used to control the viscosity of drilling mud and to facilitate oil recovery.Calcium lignosulfonate is also used in the food industry as a carrier for the production of encapsulated fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), carotenoids (e.g. ?-carotene, ?-apo-8-carotenal, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin, lutein, and lycopene), and other functional ingredients to facilitate their introduction to water-based foods.Concrete admixtures and animal feed are the two key applications of calcium lignosulfonate. Calcium lignosulfonate plays the important role of water-reducing chemical in concrete admixtures. It typically possesses the capacity to reduce water by 8% to 12% in the form of plasticizer, and up to 25% in the modified form (superplasticizer grade). Calcium lignosulfonate is used as pellet binder in animal feed.Calcium lignosulfonate, owing to its property as a binder, is employed in applications such as animal feed, paints & pigments, dust control, and in the food industry. The oil & gas industry uses calcium lignosulfonate as a dispersant.Based on application, the market for calcium lignosulfonate can be segmented into concrete admixture, animal feed, dust control, oil well additives, agrichemicals, and others.The key players in the calcium lignosulfonate market are backward integrated, which strengthens their dominance. However, companies are facing steep competition from the substitutes available in the overall lignosulfonates market. This is anticipated to affect the global dynamics of the calcium lignosulfonate market in the next few years.View Full Report @Calcium Lignosulfonate Market: Region-wise OutlookDemand for calcium lignosulfonate is primarily observed in Europe. Countries such as Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and the U.K. are the key importers of calcium lignosulfonate. Both production and consumption of calcium lignosulfonate in Europe are high, with countries in the region trading it among themselves, as well as exporting it to other regions.In the global market, countries such as South Africa, Russia, Germany, Sweden, the U.S., Canada, and China are some of the key exporters of calcium lignosulfonate. Companies such Borregaard LignoTech, Tembec Inc., Burgo Group S.p.A., and Sappi operate their production facilities in these countries.The overall consumption of calcium lignosulfonate in Middle East & Africa is lower as compared to its production in the region (the top producer being South Africa). Demand for calcium lignosulfonate in the region is fulfilled with the help of regional trade as well as through imports to a certain extent.China is the leader in terms of production and consumption of calcium lignosulfonate in Asia Pacific. Demand in Asia Pacific is estimated to arise from countries such as India, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.Calcium Lignosulfonate Market: Key PlayersKey players operating in the calcium lignosulfonate market include Borregaard LignoTech, Tembec Inc., Nippon Paper Industries Co. Ltd., Burgo Group S.p.A., Domsjo Fabriker AB, Sappi, Green Agrochem, and Shenyang Xingzhenghe Chemical Co. Ltd.Key players operating in the cadmium selenide market includes American Elements, Plasmaterials, Eksma Optics, Europe, Strem Chemical, and Leshan Kaiya Photoelectric Technology.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.Request For Enquiry @The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout 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 usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Global Intelligent Packaging Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis Forecast To 2023 Global Intelligent Packaging Market Parameters, Global Intelligent Packaging Industry Forecast, https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2447924-global-intelligent-packaging-market-analysis-2011-2017-and-forecast-2018-2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2447924-global-intelligent-packaging-market-analysis-2011-2017-and-forecast-2018-2023 Global Intelligent Packaging MarketDescription:-Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Global Intelligent Packaging market 2018: Global Analysis, Industry Size, Share, Trends, Application Analysis and Growth Opportunities Forecast to 2023 To Its Research DatabaseThe global Intelligent Packaging market will reach xxx Million USD in 2017 and CAGR xx% 2011-2017. The report begins from overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Intelligent Packaging by product, region and application, in addition, this report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.Product Type Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Major Company of Product Type etc.):Mechanical Type PackagingElectronic Type PackagingElectric Type PackagingCompany Coverage (Sales Revenue, Price, Gross Margin, Main Products etc.):Jones Packaging3MDu PontBASFIntelligent PackagingAmcorActive PackagingCampden BriBrowse sample report @Application Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Different Demand Market by Region, Main Consumer Profile etc.):PharmaceuticalFoodElectronicsIndustryHome-useRegion Coverage (Regional Output, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):North AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaTable of Content1 Industry Overview1.1 Intelligent Packaging Industry1.1.1 Overview1.1.2 Development of Intelligent Packaging1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 Upstream1.2.2 Downstream1.3 Cost Analysis2 Industry Environment2.1 Policy2.2 Economics2.3 Sociology2.4 Technology3 Intelligent Packaging Market by Type3.1 Segment Overview3.1.1 Mechanical Type Packaging3.1.2 Electronic Type Packaging3.1.3 Electric Type Packaging3.2 Market Size3.3 Market Forecast4 Major Companies List4.1 Jones Packaging (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.2 3M (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.3 Du Pont (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.4 BASF (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.5 Intelligent Packaging (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.6 Amcor (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.7 Active Packaging (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.8 Campden Bri (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)5 Market Competition5.1 Company Competition5.2 Regional Market by Company6 Market Demand6.1 Demand Situation6.1.1 Demand in Pharmaceutical6.1.2 Demand in Food6.1.3 Demand in Electronics6.1.4 Demand in Industry6.1.5 Demand in Home-use6.2 Regional Demand Comparison6.3 Demand Forecast7 Region Operation7.1 Regional Output7.2 Regional Market7.3 by Region7.3.1 North America7.3.1.1 Overview7.3.1.2 by Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico)7.3.2 Europe7.3.2.1 Overview7.3.2.2 by Country (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc.)7.3.3 Asia-Pacific7.3.3.1 Overview7.3.3.2 by Country (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia etc.)7.3.4 South America7.3.4.1 Overview7.3.4.2 by Country (Brazil, Argentina etc.)7.3.5 Middle East & Africa7.3.5.1 Overview7.3.5.2 by Country (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc.)7.4 Regional Forecast8 Marketing & Price8.1 Price and Margin8.1.1 Price Trends8.1.2 Factors of Price Change8.1.3 Manufacturers Gross Margin Analysis8.2 Value Chain8.3 Marketing Channel9 Research Conclusion Table Upstream Segment of Intelligent PackagingBrowse full 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.Contact Us:Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltdsales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (Us)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (Uk)Maharashtra, Pune 411028 Low Molecular Weight Heparin Market Opportunities in Key Application Sectors by 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1380617 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1380617/low-molecular-weight-heparin-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1380617 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The report "Low Molecular Weight Heparin Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 ", has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts.The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Low Molecular Weight Heparin market on the basis of types of applications, major sectors, deployment models, organization size, and regions. The report contains an analysis of the major factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges). It aims to strategically analyze the micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the market. The report attempts to forecast the market size for 5 major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. It contains key vendor profiles and comprehensively analyzes their core competencies. The report also tracks and analyzes competitive developments, including partnerships, collaborations, acquisitions, new product developments, and R&D activities in the market.Get Sample Copy of this report @Low molecular weight heparin is derived from an unfractionated heparin with an average molecular weight of less than 8,000 Da. Low molecular weight heparins are extracted by enzymatic or chemical depolymerization of unfractionated heparin. Low molecular weight heparins have fewer side effects as compared to unfractionated heparins, which involve lesser risk of heparin-induced osteopenia and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). Currently, low molecular weight heparin forms the standard of care drugs and is widely used for the treatment and prophylaxis of arterial and venous thrombosis. Dose consideration for low molecular weight heparin depends on a patients weight. In 2014, researchers at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of North Carolina (UNC) developed a synthetic form of low molecular weight heparin that is safe and can be reversed in activity using an antidote called protamine. According to the research, this synthetic heparin is safer and cheaper than the available heparin which is derived from animals.Proven benefits of low molecular weight heparin over unfractionated heparin are driving the demand for low molecular weight heparin globally, which in turn is fuelling the growth of the market. The demand for low molecular weight heparin is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years due to increasing usage in surgeries and in the treatment of coagulation disorders. However, lack of its ability to reverse the effect of overdose resulting in the development of HIT and other bleeding disorders restrains the growth of the global low molecular weight heparin market.The global low molecular weight heparin market is segmented on the basis of type of molecule, type of packaging, dosing by body weight, approved indication, end-user, and region. In terms of type of molecule, the market is segmented into Lovenox (enoxaparin), Fragmin (Dalteparin), Innohep (tinzaparin), and others. Based on the type of packaging, the market is classified into multi-dose vial, single-dose vial, prefilled or preloaded syringe, unit dose syringe, and ampoule. On the basis of dosing by body weight, the market is categorized into 31 to 40 Kg, 41 to 50 Kg, 51 to 60 Kg, 61 to 70 Kg, 71 to 80 Kg, 81 to 90 Kg, and above 91 Kg.View Full Report @In terms of approved indication, the market is divided into prophylaxis in hip replacement surgery, prophylaxis in knee replacement surgery, prophylaxis in abdominal surgery, prophylaxis in acutely ill medical patients, secondary prophylaxis or extended treatment in cancer patients, inpatient treatment of deep vein thrombosis without pulmonary embolism, outpatient treatment of deep vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism, unstable angina and non-ST elevated MI, and acute ST-elevation MI. In terms of end-user, the market is segmented into hospitals, nursing homes & private clinics, assisted living facilities & long-term care institutions, and home health care.Geographically, the global low molecular weight heparin market is distributed over North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Europe and North America hold a large market share owing to rise in the geriatric population that has an impact on the prevalence of venous thrombosis. The European Commission (Eurostat) stated that the geriatric population in Europe is estimated to reach 525 million by 2035. The Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa markets are anticipated to grow during the forecast period due to increasing birth rate. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) recommend low molecular weight heparin as the most appropriate heparin to be used during pregnancy due to its inability to cross the placenta.Key players operating in the global low molecular weight heparin market include Sanofi S.A., Pfizer, Inc., LEO Pharma A/S, and Novartis AG.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.Request For Enquiry @The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketAbout 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 usMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Dental Amalgam Market Statistical Analysis in 2018 by International Top 10 Players; DMP dental, Patterson dental, APL Materials, Kerr Co till 2023 Dental Amalgam Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3789 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/3789 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/3789 Dental amalgam are alloys consisting of liquid mercury and metal alloy mixtures of copper, zinc, silver, gold etc. which are used to fill cavities caused by tooth decay. There has been advancements in materials such as use of high-copper alloys which has higher strength, less corrosion, and minimal sensitivity to effects when placed in tooth cavity. Another development has been the replacement of zinc with the amalgam alloys.Considering all these factors the market for dental amalgam is expected to reach $ 500 million by the end of 2023, this market is projected to growing at a CAGR of ~ 5 % during 2017-2023.Try Sample Report Here @There has been concerns about the potential toxicity of mercury and rare events of allergic reactions. Another product development has been the greater use of noble metals such as silver, gold etc. in the amalgams. Admixed particles alloys have dominated the other segments by particle shape such as lath cut particles and spherical particles so as to combine the benefits of both. Although binary alloy and ternary alloy lead the segment of alloy metals, the quaternary alloy amalgams is the fastest growing market.The dental amalgams are facing strong competition from other dental restoration materials such as resins, ceramic materials etc. and the market may witness slower growth especially in the developed markets.Global Dental Amalgam Market Key PlayersKey players profiled in the report are DMP dental, Patterson dental, APL Materials, DMP, Nanjing FoiNoe Co., Ltd., AT&M Biomaterials Co., Ltd., BOME, Kerr Corporation, Benco Dental Supply Company, Henry Schein, Inc. and others.Global Dental Amalgam Market Regional AnalysisUS accounts for the maximum market share due to favorable reimbursement scenario and greater expenditure on healthcare. Europe is the second largest market due to large disposable income and rising awareness. Asia Pacific region is the fastest region because of large unmet needs which is led by China and India. The Middle East & Africa market is led by the gulf nations particularly Saudi Arabia and UAE. The poor regions of Africa are expected to be a laggard due to poor economic and political conditions.Get Discount on Report @Global Dental Amalgam Market SegmentationThe global dental amalgam market is segmented on the basis of particle shape, particle size, metals and number of alloy metals. Based on particle shape, the market has been segmented as lath cut particles, spherical particles and admixed particles. Based on the particle size, the market has been segmented as micro cut, fine cut and coarse cut. Based on the metals, the market has been segmented as noble metals (gold, silver, and other), non-noble metals (copper, gallium, others). Based on the number of alloy metals, the market has been segmented as binary alloy, ternary alloy and quaternary alloy.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION1.1 DEFINITION1.2 SCOPE OF STUDY1.2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE1.2.2 ASSUMPTIONS & LIMITATIONS1.2.2.1 ASSUMPTIONS1.2.2.2 LIMITATIONS1.3 MARKET STRUCTURE:2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2.1 RESEARCH PROCESS:2.2 PRIMARY RESEARCH2.3 SECONDARY RESEARCH:3. MARKET DYNAMICS3.1 DRIVERS3.2 RESTRAINTS3.3 OPPORTUNITIES3.4 MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS4. MARKET FACTOR ANALYSISTOC CONTINUED.To Know More Enquire @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.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com TMR Releases New Report on the Anthoxanthins Market 2016-2024 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=19229 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=19229